The Valley Times - February 7, 2018

VOL. I, NO. 28

Inside

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2018

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RGVTIMES.COM

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Expressway Construction To Continue Two More Years

Health

THE EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE SODIUM ON YOUR HEALTH & APPEARANCE

Wellness

MENOPAUSE

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY TRANSITION

PG.3 PG.7

Richard Cortez has the financial background and professional experience to efficiently and effectively provide the highest quality county services while safeguarding our tax dollars and not raising the property tax rate.

www.RichardCortezForJudge.com Political Ad Paid for by Richard Cortez

For more information contact 956-630-7355

Richard Cortez for Hidalgo County Judge

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Wednesday, February 7, 2018

OPINION

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Why Good Economic News is Bad

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- In 1930, John Maynard Keynes was worried, but not about the unpleasantness that had begun the previous year and would linger long enough to become known as the Great Depression. What troubled the British economist was that humanity “is solving its economic problem.”

In his essay “Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren,” Keynes, seeking to dispel pessimism, predicted that, “assuming no important wars and no important increase in population,” the “permanent problem of the human race” -- the “struggle for subsistence” -- “may be solved.” This, Keynes warned, could discombobulate the human race’s neurological wiring, because mankind has evolved through many millennia for toil and stress. Basic “habits and instincts” are unsuitable for a future of leisure and abundance.

Because we have evolved as creatures designed by nature “to strive and not to enjoy.” So, work would have to be apportioned, perhaps in three-hour shifts and 15-hour workweeks, to keep people preoccupied.

Then history’s worst war came, as did a huge increase in population

-- and an enormous, planet-wide enrichment. And today people still toil and strive. In 1943, Paul Samuelson, who would become one of America’s leading economists and win a Nobel Prize, anticipated peace with foreboding. Good things -- demobilization of more than 10 million from the armed services, the economy no longer busy producing instruments of destruction -would cause bad things. There would be “the greatest period of unemployment and industrial dislocation which any economy has ever seen.” Any economy. Ever. What actually happened is remembered as the Postwar Boom.

This stroll down memory lane suggests this rule: All news is economic news, because everything affects the economy, or reveals attitudes or behaviors that soon will affect it. And all economic news is bad -- especially good economic news, because it gives rise to bad behavior.

Consider this recent Wall Street Journal front-page headline: “Americans Save Less As Good Times Roll.” The story began: “Soaring stock prices and improving job prospects” -- good news? good grief -- “have set Americans off on a spending splurge that is cutting into how much they sock away for retirement and rainy days.” Between 2008 and the third quarter of 2017, the net worth of U.S. households surged from $56 trillion to $97 trillion (good news? remember, that’s an oxymoron) but “previous busts -- in the mid-2000s and the late 1990s -- were preceded by periods of rising asset values and especially low saving.”

In December, America’s household savings rate was the lowest (2.4 percent of disposable income) since the negative savings rate in 2005 and 2006, before the housing bubble burst.

Many Americans, forgetting the most intractable fact -- that nothing lasts -turned the equity in their homes into cash to fund immediate consumption.

Today, 104 months after the recovery from the Great Recession began in June 2009 (when the savings rate was 6.6 percent), 2.5 million homes are still worth less than is owed on their mortgages.

As of 2013, 45 percent of working-age households had no retirement savings. Social Security (average annual payment, $15,500), which provides 33 percent of seniors’ annual income, and 90 percent for the bottom third of retirees, but only about 35 percent of a typical household’s pre-retirement income, last year became America’s first trillion-dollar-a-year program.

Absent reforms, its trust fund will be exhausted by 2035 and benefits will have to be reduced 23 percent. A 2015 Federal Reserve study revealed that half of those surveyed said they could not gather $400 to cope with an emergency; one-third said they could not sell assets, tap retirement savings or turn to family and friends to pay three months of expenses. By 2017, median household savings ($14,500) for those near retirement age had declined 32 percent in a decade, and for the first time, older Americans had more credit card debt than younger Americans.

Between 2003 and 2015, the indebtedness of those between ages 50 and 80 increased 60 percent. Today, those between 65 and 74 have five times more debt than that age cohort did two decades ago.

Do you wonder how such behavior became to seem normal? A partial answer might be: Americans consider deferral of gratification unnatural, which it is. Time was, however, thrift was considered a virtue. People sat at kitchen tables, calculating how to bring their outlays, for living and retiring, into alignment with their incomes. But eventually many people decided: This is no fun. Instead, let’s disconnect enjoyable spending decisions from tiresome facts about resources, thereby living the way the federal government does.

George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. (c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

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County Warns Public Of Jury Summons Email Scam Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra and District Clerk Laura Hinojosa are warning the public about a scam that intends to steal the identity of Hidalgo County residents. Criminals, posing as court officials or “clerks of the court” are emailing victims to notify them regarding their failure to appear for jury duty. In recent cases, victims are directed to a website where they are asked to verify or provide additional personal information.

Victims are further instructed to reply within three days, after which they may be contacted and “required to appear before a judge.” Hinojosa says the County does not email residents regarding their failure to appear for jury service, much less request residents’ personal identifiers.

“Residents should be extremely cautious when receiving any emails regarding jury service, specifically from user ‘clerk@facilities-communications.com,’” said Hinojosa.

“Office procedures require either rescheduling a juror or sending a failure to appear notice by mail only. We encourage potential jurors to contact our office first if ever in doubt regarding any type of jury notice.”

Some county residents previously experienced a similar jury scam in 2014 where supposed court officials were calling victims to collect fines for failing to appear for jury service by using prepaid debit cards.

It was confirmed at that time that this too was not county practice and that only through normal court proceedings could a judge order a potential juror either be arrested or pay a fine for failing to comply with the law.

“The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office encourages residents to be extremely vigilant if they receive an email similar in nature.

Any residents who may have already fallen victim to the scam and responded to the email should report the incident immediately with their local police department or city law enforcement,” said Guerra.

County residents are asked to be cautious and to help stop this type of criminal activity by reporting similar incidents. To avoid becoming a victim of these scams remember: • You may receive a failure to appear notice by mail only and never via email.

• You will never receive an email from the county requesting you verify or provide personal information.

Anyone who believes they may have received such an email is welcome to contact the District Clerk’s office at 956-318-2200, ext. 6277, to verify any jury notifications they may have received.

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Expressway Construction To Continue Two More Years

From -- PG. 1

If you’re tired of the traffic backups and delays you’re experiencing driving on the expressway in McAllen, don’t expect it to end soon. There’s still two more years to go before the construction is complete.

According to Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Octavio Saenz, the $46 million project started in February 2017 and will run 37 months, hopefully finishing in the Spring of 2020.

“The project was started to provide additional access to Bicentennial Blvd. from the two frontage roads,” Saenz said. “The project will also provide greater height clearance on the 10th Street and 23rd Street overpasses.” Saenz said there had been several incidents where trucks had hit the underpass because of very tight height clearances.

While Bicentennial Blvd. is currently routed as an overpass that goes over the expressway, the new design will route the street to go under the expressway as 10th Street and 23rd Streets do.

Bicentennial Blvd. is a critical thoroughfare because it serves to provide direct access to McAllen Miller International Airport and La Plaza Mall from the expressway.

A ramp from the westbound frontage road had allowed drivers to get on Bicentennial Blvd. However, since the ramps construction in 1999, there have been six fatalities in accidents at the point where the on-ramp merged onto Bicentennial Blvd. The ramp was finally sealed in 2009.

Since the ramp’s closure, west-bound drivers going to the airport would have to exit at 2nd Street and travel down that street to connect to Bales Rd to then get to the airport; exit at 10th Street and then go down that heavily congested road to get to the airport; or get off at the 23rd Street exit and do a turn-around to get back to Bicentennial Blvd. on the south side of the expressway. All options added time for those going to the airport and traffic congestion to already heavily traveled streets.

The current work started in February 2017 and is due to run 37 months. It is tentatively set to end by approximately March 2020. However, weather and other unforeseen events could delay the end.

In addition to reconfiguring Bicentennial Blvd., the work will add an eastbound exit east of Bicentennial Blvd. and a westbound on-ramp west of Bicentennial Blvd.

According to Saenz, the improvements to the 10th and 23rd Street intersections

Traffic along Exp. 83 becomes congested as it approaches the Bicentennial Blvd. construction zone.

will add functionality and better access for commercial traffic and regular traffic.

“Doing these improvements now that we are already working on that area, we can fix those issues and not have to go back and fix anything later,” Saenz said. “We will have additional sidewalks and traffic control devices. It will also add traffic capacity.”

Saenz also said there are no plans to making any changes or modifications to the Main Street overpass.

I-69 and I-2 Interchange The I-69 and I-2 interchange is still years away, but the planning continues to go forward to initiate the project. According to Saenz, the current plans are for adding a second lane to each of the transfer connectors between the two highways to add capacity over the single lanes that were originally constructed.

“The interchange was constructed about 25 years ago to handle the traffic load of the time,” Saenz said. “But the numbers have really skyrocketed.”

The growing traffic has led to regular traffic back ups and delays, particularly at peak traffic hours.

“One of the greatest challenges with this project will to construct without impeding traffic. There’s nowhere we could move the traffic to while we do the work. We have to work while the traffic keeps going,” Saenz said. The work will have to be done alongside the existing traffic.

Later this year, the Texas Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing to show the public the final proposed design. Three designs had already been presented for public input.

Some of the funding for the interchange is already in place. Once the final design is approved, detailed planning and bidding will begin. Construction is not expected to start until 2020. The length of construction time is still not known since the design is not finalized.

“I really want to stress that people should slow down in the construction zone. Traffic really becomes difficult when there’s a fender bender. It’s hard to move the vehicles out of the way in that area,” Saenz said. “Please slow down. It’s not really that big of a stretch. Please take an extra degree of safety in that area. We would greatly appreciate that.”

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$2.36M Grant To Study Heart Disease In South Texas

UTRGV’s South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute to partner with Australian center to study link between lipids and cardiovascular disease Dr. Joanne Curran, of the South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute and the Department of Human Genetics at the UTRGV School of Medicine, has received a four-year, $2.36 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study the relationship between human lipid variation and cardiovascular disease.

“This grant supports the UTRGV School of Medicine’s mission of engaging in research that will lead to innovations in the prevention and treatment of common illnesses in the Rio Grande Valley, such as cardiovascular disease, and will improve health outcomes for patients in the Valley and beyond,” said Dr. John H. Krouse, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and vice president of Health Affairs at UTRGV. The project, “Genetic Determinants

of Lipidomic Variation and Their Role in Cardiovascular Disease Risk,” seeks to identify specific genes that influence lipid variation and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Lipids are important for the normal function of our cells and are important in human health. The breakdown of lipid function has been associated with many diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and even psychiatric diseases. Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids.

Curran and Dr. Peter Meikle, an associate professor and head of the Metabolomics Laboratory at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia, are principal investigators of this grant.

Curran and her team of researchers will use plasma samples STDOI has collected from large families of Mexican Americans who have participated in the institute’s ongoing research on heart disease, diabetes, obesity and related disorders, to generate lipid profiles for each sample. Then they will use whole genome sequence data to identify genes that influence lipid

Canales Rated Tops By NFIB

By David A. Diaz

National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)/Texas, the state’s leading small business association, announced that Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, is the only state legislator from Hidalgo County – and only one of three Democrats in the Texas Legislature – who earned a perfect 100 percent rating on key measures of vital importance to small businesses in the state.

According to its website, NFIB, with 22,000 members in Texas and 325,000 members nationwide, is the leading advocate for small business owners, with offices in Washington, D.C., and every state capital.

“Small businesses are the life blood of our South Texas economy, and I will always make an effort to support policies that help small businesses grow, operate, and flourish,” said Canales, the House District 40 lawmaker. “I invite anyone who has ideas to help small businesses to contact me with their vision, and I will help them learn about and become part of the state legislative process.”

NFIB’s mission is to defend the right of small business owners, from every industry and sector, to run their businesses with-

out undue government interference and to advance public policies that promote their success. NFIB is only major business organization whose policies and positions are established by the members directly, not by executive staff or the Board of Directors.

“These distinguished lawmakers understand and value the true backbone of Texas’ economy, small business owners, and the impact public policy changes will have on these owners’ abilities to own, operate, and grow their businesses,” said NFIB Executive Director Will Newton. “Lawmakers who vote with small business during session are fulfilling their campaign promises to keep the Texas economy robust, as small businesses account for 99.8 percent of all businesses in the state.”

NFIB ratings were based on five major bills approved by the Texas Legislature in 2017 that have an impact on small business.

Before each session, all 22,000 small business owning members of NFIB/Texas are balloted on issues affecting their business, their employees, and ultimately the state’s economy. The ballot results help formulate the NFIB/Texas legislative agenda, which is circulated and discussed with each member of the House and Senate.

Dr. Joanne Curran

variation and cardiovascular disease risk.

“We’re looking for genes that are both influenced by lipids and have an influence on cardiovascular disease,” Curran said.

Researchers will look at 2,500 samples, some going back more than 25 years, from participating families to identify changes in lipid levels over time, to see if there is also a change in risk for cardiovascular disease.

UTRGV scientists, along with colleagues

from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia, plan to measure more than 700 lipid species – the components that make up more complex lipids such as HDL and LDL cholesterol – which are genetic traits passed down in a family from parents to children, to identify lipids that influence cardiovascular disease.

Curran said she hopes the genes identified will lead to the development of medications for cholesterol management and the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, posing a huge economic burden,” Curran said. “The ability to identify genes that are causally involved in disease risk provides an unparalleled opportunity to quickly determine biological pathways involved in disease pathology. A better understanding of the genetic contribution to lipid variation and the development of cardiovascular disease will provide novel approaches for the characterization, treatment and potential prevention of this costly disease.”

The grant will run through Dec. 31.

2021.

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Eight PSJA ISD Leaders Nominated As ‘LifeChangers of the Year’

Eight Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA) leaders have been recently nominated as 2017-18 “LifeChangers of the Year” for making a difference in the lives of students and the community.

Sponsored by the National Life Group and the National Life Group Foundation since 2006, the LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program that recognizes K-12 educators and school employees throughout the nation. The program celebrates those who are making a significant difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.

The PSJA ISD leaders nominated for the honor are: • Dr. Daniel P. King, PSJA Superintendent; • Olivia Benford, PSJA Parental Engagement Director; • Mario Bracamontes, Principal at Buell Central DAEP;

• Rosa Rakay, Principal at PSJA Sonia M. Sotomayor ECHS; • Denisse Ochoa, Librarian at Cesar Chavez Elementary; • Rene Treviño, Lab Teacher at Santos Livas Elementary; • Amy Marquez, Librarian at Marcia Garza Elementary; and • Diamantina Garcia, Librarian at Arnoldo Cantu Elementary In a Twitter post last week, the National Life Group said, “Dr. Daniel King is committed to creating college opportunities for all students. At @ psjaisd, he’s establishing early college pathways so all 32,000 students – including dropouts – can graduate and get ready for college and a career.”

Winners will be selected this year by the national selection committee, comprised of past LifeChanger of the Year winners and education

PSJA ISD staff nominated for the 2018 LifeChangers award, are top from left: Superintendent Dr. Daniel King, Principal Rosa Rakay, Director Olivia Benford, Principal Mario Bracamontes, bottom from left, Teacher Rene Trevino, Librarians Amy Marquez, Denisse Ochoa and Diamantina Garcia.

professionals. The Top 15 LifeChangers, Spirit Award winner and members of the Honor Roll will be surprised at their schools with awards

Edinburg Rotary Praises ECISD UIL Academics Program

The Edinburg Rotary recently honored the top eight students from the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District’s UIL Academics Program during its luncheon meeting at the Echo Hotel in Edinburg.

“What the schools do is much bigger than I thought,” Edinburg Rotary Member Doug Martin said. “This program that we’re having every month now is really opening our eyes to how big our school district is, to how many opportunities that these young people have, and to how they are excelling,” The student recognition is part of the Edinburg Rotary’s Student of the Month Program, which highlights two students from each high school.

The Edinburg Rotary acknowledged the following students:

• Edinburg High School senior Angel Moyeda • Edinburg High School senior Elena Pacheco • Edinburg North High School senior Joel Garcia • Edinburg North High School senior Martha Garcia • Economedes High School senior Yazbel Rodriguez • Economedes High School senior Alex Villarreal • Vela High School junior Martin Torres

• Vela High School senior Karla Tamez “If I didn’t know they were high school students when they were speaking, I would say these kids were all college graduates,” Martin said. “They speak well. They organize their thoughts. You can just tell they have a lot of work behind what they have accomplished. So, I’m very proud of this school district.”

for themselves and their school ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 based on their category.

The top five Grand Prize fi-

nalists will be flown to the National LifeChanger of the Year Grand Prize Ceremony, which will be held in May 2018 in Bermuda.

Mission Taking Nominations For Gifted & Talented Program

The Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) will begin accepting nominations for its Gifted and Talented (G/T) program this week.

The nomination window will run through Friday, February 16, 2018. Nominations will be accepted for students who are currently in first through eleventh grades.

The G/T program is an educational program for gifted and talented students enrolled in Mission CISD. The program is designed to meet the needs of those students who excel in general intellectual ability, grades K-12.

“Gifted and Talented” means a child or youth who performs at or show the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the

same age, experience, or environment and who exhibits high performance capability in an intelligent, creative, or artistic area, possesses an unusual capacity for leadership, or excels in a specific academic field.

Students may be nominated for the G/T program by teachers, counselors, parents, or other interested persons. Contact the student’s classroom teacher or the campus G/T contact to make a nomination.

Nominations will be accepted through Friday February 16, 2018.

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Architecture, Photos Trace The Valley’s History Over 100 Years

Mazatlan: A Visual Journey” with narratives by Eileen Mattei and “Brownsville Architecture: A Visual History” with narratives by Eileen Mattei.

A freelance writer based in the Rio There are several ways one can imag- Grande Valley, Eileen Mattei writes travine life 100 years ago and one of those el, nature and history articles for Texas ways is looking at historic buildings. The Coop Power, Texas Highways and other Museum of South Texas History, a mu- magazines. She is the author of “At the seum chronicling the heritage of South Crossroads: Harlingen’s First 100 Years”; Texas and northeastern Mexico, “Leading the Way: McAllen’s welcomes Deval “Pino” Shah First 100 Years,” and “For the and Eileen Mattei to present Good of My Patients: The His“Lower Rio Grande Valley History of Medicine in the Rio tory Through Architecture” Grande Valley.”

Sunday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m.

After the presentation, Pino Shah is a world heriShah will take pre-orders for tage photographer based out “Brownsville Architecture: A Eileen Mattei of McAllen, Texas, and AhmedVisual History.” His past publiabad, India. The presentation will focus cation of “Architecture of The Lower Rio on his comprehensive effort to create a Grande Valley: An Introduction” will be photographic database on the architec- available in the Museum Store. ture of the Lower Rio Grande Sunday Speakers Series is Valley. Shah will share his apincluded in the fee for regular proach to photographing 570 museum admission. FRIENDS buildings for the project, disof the Museum are admitted play images, outline progress free as a benefit of FRIENDship. to date and discuss the planned This program is made possiapplication of this project’s efble with generous support from forts. Shah will present three of the Carmen C. Guerra EndowDeval Shah his books based on the Valley’s ment. Mrs. Guerra was deeply history through architecture, “Architec- committed to supporting educational ture of The Lower Rio Grande Valley: An opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley.

Introduction” with narratives by archi- This named endowment was created at tectural historian, Stephen Fox; “Quinta the museum by her family to honor her

memory and to continue her commitment to providing opportunities for education to the community.

The Museum of South Texas History is located in downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Hours of operation are from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday.

Founded in 1967 as the Hidalgo County Historical Museum in the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail, the museum has grown over the decades through a series of expan-

sions to occupy a full city block.

Today, the museum preserves and presents the borderland heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico through its permanent collection and the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives and exhibits spanning prehistory through the 20th century. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, find on Google+ or call (956) 383-6911.

Since the inception of Simon Youth Foundation in 1998, shoppers at Simon Malls, Mills, and Premium Outlets have been among SYF’s most ardent supporters, contributing millions of dollars to support the Foundation’s mission to provide support for students at risk of dropping out of high school. As a thank you to these loyal supporters, SYF is proud to once again help a graduating senior living near La Plaza and Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets take the next step on their educational journey.

“The support of Simon and its generous shoppers has been instrumental in the growth and overall impact of Simon Youth Foundation,” said Dr. J. Michael Durnil, SYF President and CEO. “Providing this scholarship to deserving students in communities that Simon calls home is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for their continued support.”

their eligibility by entering their ZIP code at syf.org/scholarships. Recipients will receive up to $1,500 toward tuition and other educational expenses at an accredited college, university, vocational or technical school.

The SYF community scholarship program is one facet of the Simon Supports Education initiative, launched earlier this spring at all Simon properties. As part of this initiative, visitors at Simon centers can now purchase SYF Simon VISA gift cards, redeemable wherever VISA is accepted. One dollar from the sale of each bright orange, SYF-branded card will go directly to support SYF and its mission.

In addition to the community scholarships, 11 regional awards called “Awards of Excellence” will be given to top candidates. The regions eligible are Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Indianapolis, Miami, New York, Orange Coun-

ty (CA), Orlando, and Seattle/Tacoma.

Additionally, one Award of Excellence will be awarded to an applicant from a Simon Premium Outlet. Students from these areas will have the opportunity to receive a $10,000 award ($2,500 for up to four years). n 2017, the Simon Youth Foundation awarded $1.6 million to 335 students nationwide.

The 2018 SYF Community Scholarship recipients will be selected by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), a third-party administrator.

Students are selected based on a variety of criteria, including financial need, academic performance, leadership skills and participation in school and community activities. Those students who are the first in their family to pursue a post secondary education will also be given close consideration.

Sunday Speaker Series: Lower Rio Grande Valley History Through Architecture; Local photographer, writer to discuss new publication

Simon Youth Foundation Scholarship Part Of Simon Supports Education Initiative “The importance of pursuing education—both high school and beyond—cannot be overstated, and we feel passionately that financial constraints should never be the reason that a promising student is unable to achieve their dreams,” said Durnil. “We are proud to partner with La Plaza and Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets to help a Valley-area student take their next steps in life.”

Each year, Simon Youth Community Scholarships are awarded in every community across the country that is home to a Simon Mall, Mills, or Premium Outlets center. The application period has begun and ends on February 15, 2018. Students can apply online by visiting syf.org/scholarships.

Any student who will be graduating in the class of 2018 and lives in the designated community surrounding a Simon property is eligible. Applicants can check

VOL. I, NO. 5

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2018

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PUT YOUR HEART HEALTH FIRST

The perfect gift this Valentine’s Day is the gift of heart health. Along with Valentine’s Day, February marks American Heart Month, a great time to commit to a healthy lifestyle and make small changes that can lead to a lifetime of heart health.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. While Americans of all backgrounds can be at risk for heart disease, Hispanic and Latino Americans face higher risks of heart disease than White Americans because of high rates of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. Additionally, among Mexican-American adults, 33% of men and 31% of women have cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease causes more deaths for Hispanic Americans than all forms of cancer combined. That’s why this February during American Heart Month, Million Hearts® is encouraging adults to take charge of their health and start one new, heart-healthy behavior that can help reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference • Schedule a visit with your doctor to talk about heart health. It’s important to schedule regular check-ups even if you think you are not sick. Partner with your doctor and health care team to set goals for improving your heart health, and don’t be afraid to ask questions and trust their advice.

• Add exercise to your daily routine. Start off the month by walking 15 minutes, 3 times each week. By mid-month, increase your time to 30 minutes, 3 times each week.

•Increase healthy eating. Cook heart-healthy meals at home at least 3 times each week and make your favorite recipe lower sodium. For example, swap out salt for fresh or dried herbs and spices.

• Take steps to quit smoking. If you currently smoke, quitting can cut your risk for heart disease and stroke.

• Take medication as prescribed. Talk with your doctor about the importance of high blood pressure and cholesterol medications. If you’re having trouble taking your medicines on time or if you’re having side effects, ask your doctor for help.

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Warning Signs of a Serious Eye Problem Eyes aren’t exempt from the wear and tear of aging. Some of the age-related changes in the eyes are annoying but not serious — for example, it can become difficult to focus on near objects, and eyelashes may thin out a bit.

But other changes can threaten vision.

With age, the eyes’ ability to stay lubricated starts to wane. This can leave eyes feeling irritated, sticky, dry, or gritty. The lens of the eye can become less elastic. Night vision may also start to suffer, which can pose problems when driving at night. In contrast, cataract, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy can rob you of your sight.

How do you know if an eye problem is a nuisance or the start of

something serious?

The following signs and symptoms warrant a call to your doctor. Catching serious eye problems early can help preserve your vision. Even non-vision-threatening problems can be treated to keep your eyes comfortable and your eyesight as sharp as possible.

Call your doctor if you experience any of the following: • Change in iris color • Crossed eyes • Dark spot in the center of your field of vision • Difficulty focusing on near or distant objects • Double vision • Dry eyes with itching or burning • Episodes of cloudy vision

• Excess discharge or tearing • Eye pain • Floaters or flashers • Growing bump on the eyelid •Halos (colored circles around lights) or glare • Hazy or blurred vision • Inability to close an eyelid • Loss of peripheral vision • Redness around the eye • Spots in your field of vision • Sudden loss of vision • Trouble adjusting to dark rooms • Unusual sensitivity to light or glare • Veil obstructing vision • Wavy or crooked appearance to straight lines

5 Exercises to Improve Hand Mobility

If you find daily tasks difficult to do because you suffer from stiffness, swelling, or pain in your hands, the right hand mobility exercises can help get you back in motion.

Therapists usually suggest specific exercises depending on your particular hand or wrist condition. Some help increase a joint’s range of motion or lengthen the muscle and tendons via stretching. Other exercises strengthen muscles around a joint to generate more power or to build greater endurance.

Range-of-motion hand mobility exercises you can do at home Your muscles and tendons move the joints through arcs of motion, such as when you bend and straighten your fingers. If your normal range of motion is impaired — if you can’t bend your thumb without pain, for example — you may have trouble doing ordinary things like opening a jar.

These exercises move your wrist and fingers through their normal ranges of motion and require all the hand’s tendons to perform their specific functions. They should be done slowly and deliberately, to avoid injury. If you feel numbness or pain during or after exercising, stop and contact your doctor.

Below are five easy-to-do range-of-motion hand mobility exercises. Hold each position for 5–10 seconds. Do 10 repetitions of each exercise at a time. Repeat three times a day.

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1. Wrist extension and flexion • Place your forearm on a table on a rolled-up towel for padding with your hand hanging off the edge of the table, palm down.

• Move the hand upward until you feel a gentle stretch • Return to the starting position.

• Repeat the same motions with the elbow bent at your side, palm facing up.

2. Wrist supination/pronation • Stand or sit with your arm at your side with the elbow bent to 90 degrees, palm facing down.

• Rotate your forearm, so that your palm faces up and then down.

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3. Wrist ulnar/radial deviation • Support your forearm on a table on a rolled-up towel for padding or on your knee, thumb upward.

•Move the wrist up and down through its full range of motion.

4. Thumb flexion/extensio • Begin with your thumb positioned outward.

• Move the thumb across the palm and back to the starting position.

5. Hand/finger tendon glide • Start with the fingers extended straight out.

• Make a hook fist; return to a straight hand.

• Make a full fist; return to a straight hand.

• Make a straight fist; return to a straight hand.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

IMAGINE

TYING YOUR SHOES

WITHOUT

JOINT PAIN TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT CALL

877-855-0269

If you’ve tried it all to reduce joint pain, it may be time to consider a more permanent medical solution. We offer minimally invasive options that may eliminate joint pain and get you back to a more active lifestyle. To find a doctor near you or make an appointment, call 877-855-0269.

www.valleybaptist.net

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