An Apple a Day March 2016

march 2016

Wellness For Life

A Season of Living Well Stay Together Helping Families for Over 25 Years | pg. 6

A Healthier Heart With Five Simple Habits | pg. 8

A Look at Technology How the Digital World Affects Our Brains | pg. 12

Changing the Experience of Surgery When medication and non-invasive procedures are unable to relieve symptoms, surgery remains the accepted and most effective treatment for a range of gynecologic conditions. For generations, open surgery has been the standard approach to many gynecologic procedures and is still used today.

With the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System, Dr. Van Riper operates through just a few small incisions.

The da Vinci System features a magnified 3D highdefinition vision system and tiny-wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human wrist.

As a result, da Vinci enables Dr. Van Riper to operate with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control.

Dr. Van Riper has extensive experience using the da Vinci Surgical System.

He is your trusted expert for minimally invasive surgery with a faster recovery time.

Pregnancy—Including High Risk • 3D Sonograms • Gynecology • Urogynecology Urinary Incontinence • Bladder Problems • Pap Smears/Physicals Menopausal Treatment • Tubal Ligation • Contraception Laproscopic Surgeries • da Vinci Robotic Surgical System Minimally Invasive Surgeries • Outpatient Hysterectomies

James Van Riper, D.O., FACOG Board Certified OB-GYN

Jackie Lehr, MSN, RNC Board Certified Nurse Practitioner

Accepting New Patients 410 N. Hancock • Odessa, TX 79761 432–337–4782

Are drugs or Alcohol destroying your life?

There is hope! Call today for help.

Programs and services: • Medical detoxification • inpatient residential • intensive outpatient • Aftercare Program • family Program • Alumni Program

Admissions: 432–620–0255 • springboardcenter.org 200 corporate drive Midland, tX 79705

Matthew B. Furst, m.d., p.a.

Diplomate American Board of Surgery Diplomate American Board of Plastic Surgery

Providing specialized assessment & treatment through a full range of plastic surgery solutions.

BREAST SURGERY • Augmentation • Reduction • Reconstruction • Lift

BODY CONTOURING • Abdominoplasty • Liposuction

(432) 580-8044

318 N Alleghaney, Suite 400 Odessa, TX • 79761 www.furstplasticsurgery.com

OUR ADVERTISERS front inside Freedom Buick GMC Truck 1 James Van Riper, D.O., FACOG

2 The Springboard Center 2 Other Remedies 2 Furst Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

4 Midland Memorial Hospital

9 MCH Heart Health Checkup 10 First Physicians

14 MCH ProCare Family Medicine

16 Laser & Aesthetic Center

16 Occasions Fine Jewelry

20 ORMC 20 Cooking with Kim

23 Earlene Smith

23 Gary Dunda back inside National Cooling, Heating & Plumbing back cover Permian Basin Chevy Dealers

Wellness For Life

11

To advertise, contact Mary at 432–550–7339 Publisher Mary Hunt, Ha! Publishing Editor Evangeline Ehl Publication Manager Mary Hunt Sales Mary Hunt Writers Kim Clinkenbeard, Joy H. Coleman, Tatum Hubbard, Adolph Knabe, Ben McCampbell, Monique L. Middlekauff, Earlene Smith, Joe Tye Photography Mark Swindler Design Sarah Fleck, Chantel Miller

Have a great story idea for An Apple A Day? Submit your idea online at www.anapplemag.com.

3527 Billy Hext Road • Odessa, TX 79765 432 550 5998 • 866 550 7329 fax 432 550 7346 www.hapublishing.com The information in this magazine is not meant to treat, diagnose, prescribe, or cure any ailment. Always check with your physician before taking any products or following any advice you have read. Always consult your physician before you start, stop, or change anything that has been previously prescribed. All content herein is the property of Ha! Publishing and may not be reprinted or reproduced in any medium without the written permission of the publisher. Some art work is used at the sole discretion of the advertiser and is not created by Hunt Advertising.

6 5 The Power of Positivity

18 Spring at Studio 7

6 Helping Families Stay Together

21 Get Fit With Kim: What’s For Supper?

8 Habits for a Healthier Heart

23 Health & Beauty: Fragrance and Beauty

11 Living With Arthritis

12 Your Brain and Technology

24 Recipe: Lentils & Rice

ON THE COVER As the new season awakens energy and interest in life, find inspiration on how to thrive in your health, your attitude, in the kitchen, and more.

READ MORE INSIDE an apple a day march 2016

3

PIONEER SPIRIT | CARING HEART | HEALING MISSION Every organization, like a building, must rely on a well-constructed foundation. It upholds and strengthens us. Midland Health is built upon the values of Pioneer Spirit, Caring Heart and Healing Mission. These values define and guide us as we begin to light the way toward our ultimate goal, to make Midland the healthiest community in Texas. midland-memorial.com

68 NURSE .CO M

y t i v i t i s o P f o r e w o P The

by Joe Tye, Values

Coach Inc.

I

f you walk through the main lobby of Midland Memorial Hospital at 8:16 any weekday morning, you will see an administrative huddle where, depending upon the day, between 50 and 100 people are gathered for a quick administrative update. If you stop and listen, you’ll hear the group reciting the Pickle Pledge: “I will turn every complaint into either a blessing or a constructive suggestion.” If you look closely, you’ll see that most of the people in the huddle are not reading the pledge—they know it by heart.

The way Midland Memorial Hospital employees have embraced this commitment to transform negative attitudes into positive action has been responsible for significant improvements in both employee and patient satisfaction.

because people who are always complaining look like they’ve been sucking on a dill pickle) can drag down the morale and productivity of an entire work unit the way one person lighting a cigarette instantly pollutes the lungs of everybody else in that room.

Several months ago, I was hospitalized with acute diverticulitis. When one of the surgeons told me that I would have to have a part of my colon removed, and would need to wear a colostomy bag for up to a year, I had a moment of truth. I could either feel sorry for myself and play the role of victim, or I could put a smile on my face, hold my head up high, drag my IV pole out into the corridor, and start walking laps around the nursing unit while telling my body to be strong and heal itself.

"I will turn every complaint into either a blessing or a constructive suggestion."

But it also counts for something even more important. The research has been done, the results are in, and the verdict is clear: your attitude, and how you deal with the inevitable challenges of life, profoundly influences not only your success, but also has a huge impact upon your health, your happiness, and your longevity.

Toxic emotional negativity, as reflected in complaining, finger-pointing, gossiping, and other emotionally negative behaviors, is malignant in the same way that cancer is malignant. A negative attitude contributes to feelings of helplessness, victimhood, and hopelessness. These in turn compromise your immune system and your ability to foster personal health and fight off disease.

Even worse, a negative attitude is contagious. One emotional vampire (we call them pickle suckers

Five days later, I walked out of the hospital with my colon intact. While I could probably not prove this scientifically, I am absolutely convinced that when I made the commitment to not be a victim but rather to address my clinical condition with a positive attitude, I had a physiological impact on my body and it did indeed work harder to heal itself. I proved to my own satisfaction that the old saying that attitude is everything truly is a law of the universe.

And here’s more good news. Unlike almost any other medical intervention, a positive attitude has absolutely no unfortunate side effects. Taking to heart the Pickle Pledge and turning complaints into blessings and/or suggestions is good for your health, good for your happiness, and you might well live a whole lot longer. But don’t just take my word for it, try it yourself.

an apple a day march 2016

5

helping families

STAY TOGETHER

by Adolph Knabe, High Sky Children’s Ranch

S

ince 1989, the Stay Together Program has helped families with children from birth through 17 years of age who are dealing with issues such as child development, family conflict, school behavioral issues, truancy, runaway, and delinquent behaviors. Stay Together serves 33 counties in the Permian Basin, Concho Valley, Big Bend, and Big Country areas with offices located in Midland, San Angelo, Alpine, Pecos, Snyder and Sweetwater.

Points, Common Sense Parenting of Toddlers and Preschoolers, and Common Sense Parenting.

Additional curriculums for the youth will be utilized to help develop skills that will allow them to be successful both in and out of the home, and to help with making better choices. These materials will assist in self-esteem, building character, handling peer pressures, and in making better choices.

The family’s individual sessions will occur in their own home at a time that is convenient to them. InServices are provided to families at no cost through home visits will occur between a week and a week a state contract with the Prevention and Early and a half apart throughout their service period.

Intervention division of the Texas Department of Additional in-homes will be scheduled for families Protective services. The in need of more indiStay Together Program vidualized assistance.

The Stay Together Program Each visit typically lasts is preventative in is preventative in nature and between 45 minutes to nature and engages the youth and their families engages the youth and their an hour and a half, dewhen problems are first pending on each famfamilies when problems starting to occur to help ily’s needs, what they are first starting to occur to ensure that the family want to accomplish remains intact. This and where they are at help ensure that the family prevents the youth and in their service period. remains intact. family from becoming Providing services in involved with more the home and at a time restrictive services such as Juvenile Probation and convenient to the family reduces the disruption to Child Protective Services. the youth and family. This also helps parents from missing work, and keeps the youth from missing Typically youth and families receive services for a additional school. Typically, meeting with the family three month period of time. However, if at the end in their own home helps them to be more relaxed, of this time the youth or family has not resolved their resulting in more productive sessions. difficulties, Stay Together is able to extend services for an additional ninety days so that families may In addition to in-home visits, Stay Together provides have ample time to successfully resolve any issues youth and parent skills workshops at its locations in that they may be facing.

Midland and San Angelo. These workshops teach the core components of the curriculums and also Stay Together uses a skill-based approach to assist create an environment of learning. Participants families. Depending on the child/youth’s age learn from one another and in many cases learn one of the following curriculums will be provided how to address and prevent many situations before and utilized to assist parents in improving their it occurs in their own home. family’s situation: Baby Play and Learn, Touch 6 march 2016 an apple a day

In addition, 24-hour crisis intervention services assist both current families, and families seeking assistance. If a youth or family working with Stay Together is in need of assistance, they can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year to receive immediate help. If a crisis should occur, these services allow youth/families to obtain assistance at that time instead of waiting until the next business day or their next in-home visit. By providing access to professional assistance 24 hours a day, youth and families can obtain help when a situation occurs and prevent it from escalating into a potentially more serious problem.

For youth or families calling our program for the first time, if it is determined that they are eligible for services and would like to participate in services, an initial in-home visit will be scheduled at that time. If the family is in crisis, a trained staff person will immediately respond in person to the family’s home. If the family is not in an immediate crisis, then an initial in-home visit will be offered to the

family within 48 hours. Contact information to other programs or services will be given to families that are not eligible or wish to try another type of service.

This ensures that a family seeking assistance is linked to an appropriate service as soon as possible so that they can begin receiving the help they need.

In addition to the regular services described above, Stay Together also provides Universal Child Abuse Prevention Services (UCAP) to the general public. These services are designed to provide the community with child abuse awareness and prevention information. This is done by the distribution of prevention and awareness materials at community events, offering community workshops and running Public Service Announcements ads through the local newspapers and radio and television stations throughout Stay’s entire 33 county service area. UCAP services are provided upon request to anyone interested.

To find out more information pertaining to Stay Together, feel free to call 432–699–1466 or 1–800–922–7828 or visit their web site at staytogetherprogram.org

an apple a day march 2016

7

Habits for a healthier heart

by Monique L. Middlekauff, PhDc, CSCS

H

eart disease is extremely prevalent in the United States, with the southern states topping the list with the highest prevalence rates. We are more likely to be hospitalized or die from heart disease than anything else, so taking care of our heart should be at the top of our priority list. There are some factors (like genetics) that we can’t modify, and it is easy to focus on the nonmodifiable risk factors. The truth is that our habits, rather than our heredity, play an enormous factor in our health and wellness.

The heart is the pump that supplies our entire body with the blood that we need to sustain life. The blood vessels serve as the transporters and the exchange site for oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones, and other molecules. When the vessels are healthy, they expand and contract millions of times throughout the day to direct our blood to the areas of the body that need it most. When we are physically active, the blood is directed towards the working muscles, and away from the digestive tract and kidneys.

Vessels that are damaged have vessel walls that are thick, hard, and non-compliant, which means that they can’t respond appropriately by dilating and contracting. The thin inner layer of the vessels is called the endothelium. This single layer of cells is in direct contact with the blood and helps to control the health of the vessels. The endothelium should be smooth and adaptable. We know that trouble is coming when the endothelium is sticky like Velcro and unable to create a molecule, nitric oxide, to help the rest of the vessel dilate. One of the ways that we can tell if the vessels aren’t working properly is through a blood pressure reading indicting high blood pressure at rest. It is one of the first signs of dysfunction and predictive of heart disease.

How do we optimize the health of our heart and vessels? Consistency is more important than having the one time “perfect” workout or “perfect” meal. It is never too late to change our habits and improve our health and function.

HEALTHY HEART BEHAVIORS • Reach and maintain a healthy body weight.

The two key components of maintaining a healthy body weight are 1) healthy eating, which is eating Continued on page 15

8 march 2016 an apple a day

HEART DISEASE

#1 is the

Killer

in the U.S.

This is a scary statistic, but heart disease doesn’t happen overnight.

Our eating habits, sleeping schedules, stress level, exercise regiment and genetics all have a part in our heart health. It’s important to know your numbers to see how healthy your heart really is.

For only $75, we will provide the following screenings so you will know your numbers:

HEART HEALTH

CHECKUP

$75

• Calcium Score, a fast, non-invasive, CT screen of your heart • Blood Pressure • Weight • Body Mass Index • Cholesterol and Triglycerides

No physician’s order required for this test and no insurance will be filed.

Call 432-640-2255 to make your appointment today.

www.mchodessa.com

(432) 640-6000

Living With Arthritis

by Joy H. Coleman

I

f you remember one thing at the end of this article, remember this: if you suffer from joint pain and stiffness, you are not alone. By fifty, almost every man or woman has experienced it occasionally. But if the pain and stiffness persists, you may have arthritis. Arthritis is one of the most common chronic health problems in the US and the leading cause of disability among those over age fifteen. It is a substantial and growing problem in the United States affecting one in five adults and nearly 300,000 children (one in three).

Almost one in every three adults has been diagnosed with arthritis or has chronic joint symptoms of pain and stiffness, swelling, and restricted movement.

Symptoms may develop either slowly or suddenly but diagnosis can be hard. A physician is necessary when pain, stiffness, or swelling in a joint or difficulty in moving a joint persists for more than two weeks.

diagnosis is not always straightforward, particularly in older individuals.

Early diagnosis can make a real difference in increasing the quality of life because research shows that early treatment can help prevent the disease progression.

Treatment is frequently based on a team approach encouraging a medical team to establish good communication, develop an explicit treatment plan, and educate the patient about treatment options.

The team usually includes a primary care physician, rheumatologists, and other physicians because

Rheumatoid arthritis, which also affects more than two million Americans, is one of the most serious and disabling forms of the disease. In this type, inflammation of the joints leads to damage of the cartilage and bone. This can affect the the hands, wrists, feet, knees, ankles, shoulders, neck, jaw, and elbows.

ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATIC DISEASES “Arthritis” means joint inflammation. There are over 100 types of arthritis—some affect the internal organs as well as the skin, muscles, and bones.

Together, these conditions are known as rheumatic diseases and the physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating these diseases are called rheumatologists.

Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, affects more than twenty-one million Americans. With osteoarthritis the protective cartilage of joints is lost and changes occur in the bone, leading to pain and stiffness. It usually occurs in the fingers, knees, feet, hips, and back.

Continued on page 17 an apple a day march 2016 11

H

ow often do you see people hunched over their smart phones, seemingly oblivious to everything around them, texting to their friends—who may be standing right beside them? Do you ever wonder what effect this riveted activity has on the brain? Are there other aspects of modern technology that affect our brains? If so, are the effects positive or negative? Some of the research findings may surprise you.

The era of the internet, smart phones, tablets, TV channels by the hundreds, digital billboards, and other forms of digital communication technology is relatively young. The idea of an internet began in the late 1960s as a means for researchers at different universities to connect their computers.

By the late 1980s it had expanded to email and daily communication still mostly within the scientific and technological communities. The internet as we know it has been in existence for only about 20 years. The first phones that could be considered smart phones appeared in the mid 1990s; the Apple iPhone didn’t come onto the market until 12 march 2016 an apple a day

Your Brain and Technology

by Ben McCampbell

2007. All this history about technology is to say that the modern high-tech communication world that we’ve gotten accustomed to hasn’t been around very long, so not enough time has elapsed to conduct definitive studies about long-term effects.

That being said, there has been some research— and there are a lot of opinions—about technology’s possible effect on the human brain. The obsession with the smart phone—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, selfies, etc., and especially texting—may be the most noticeable tech activity, and it is the focus of much of the current research. The average adult sends and receives about 40 text messages per day. For young adults 18–24, that number more than doubles to 109 texts per day. That’s more than 3,200 texts per month! They will defend that practice by saying that it’s the easiest and

quickest way to communicate with people, and they’re pretty well right. And the bombardment of advertising messages (three times more than 40 years ago) compounds the tech load. Add to that the hundreds of television channels—we had four when I was a kid—and the instant availability of a world of information on the internet, and you have human system overload.

One would think this information overload has to have some effect on our brains. Yes it does— some bad, some good. With so much information available so quickly, the technological world is tailor-made for the multi-tasker. Some people take pride in being able to do many things at once, but the truth is that we’re not really made that way.

Multi-tasking tires the brain. It overstimulates and fatigues the frontal lobe, the part of our brain which regulates problem solving and decision making.

This slows down our efficiency and reduces our performance, and it also leads to the build-up of cortisol, the main stress hormone. An increase in stress weakens our immune system, which leaves us vulnerable to all kinds of infections and illnesses.

This is the big picture effect of modern technology’s effect on our brains. There’s a lot more.

Modern technology is affecting us in other ways also, and some of them are things you might not think of. For instance, television impacts us so strongly that it even influences how we dream.

The older (over 55) population, who grew up watching black and white TV, are more likely to dream in black and white, while younger people, used to watching in color, tend to dream in color.

Some people, particularly those who are envious of others, experience what’s called FOMO—Fear Of Missing Out. They see their friends’ photos of European vacations, big parties, lavish dinners, etc., and they feel something’s missing in their lives.

Technology affects our sleep. Neuroscientists suspect that the glowing lights emitted by our various digital devices (that we check or watch or read before going to sleep) alter our body’s internal light cues and sleep-inducing hormones. Our eyes are especially sensitive to the blue light produced by the screens, which makes it harder to drift off.

Have you ever felt that your phone was ringing when it wasn’t? You may have the dreaded “phantom

vibration syndrome,” a physical sensation that your phone is vibrating when it’s not. It isn’t really a big world problem, but it is a bit of a nuisance.

With so much information instantly at hand, your memory may not be as good as it otherwise could be. Why bother to memorize something when you can just look it up? Same thing with calculators—math skills may be decreasing with their use. Our ability to concentrate for an extended time may also be negatively affected by social media and the internet. And some people aren’t even able to navigate around their own hometowns without their GPS.

Multi-tasking tires the brain. It overstimulates and fatigues the frontal lobe, the part of our brain which regulates problem solving and decision making.

But there are some positive effects of modern technology. We have better visual skills. Thanks to certain video games which require quick decisionmaking based on visual cues, players can assess details of their physical environment more quickly.

Our military noticed that many younger pilots have better tactile command, faster reaction time, and better hand-to-eye coordination than pilots who trained in earlier years. They attribute this to video games. One of the best positive effects of modern technology is in the area of creativity. Digital technology has enabled more of us to engage our creative side and share it with the world.

Let’s talk specifically about the internet; it’s where millions spend an inordinate amount of time. With that time investment, the internet may give you an addict’s brain. MRI research has shown that heavy internet users who have trouble controlling their craving to be constantly plugged in have brain changes similar to people addicted to drugs and alcohol. Some suffer withdrawal symptoms from unplugging for just one day. Most internet addicts are gamers, people who spend long hours online immersed in games, which can even cause them to disregard their normal obligations. With this solitary Continued on page 19 an apple a day march 2016 13

Providing Care

For The Entire Family MEET OUR SPECIALISTS Getnet Aberra, M.D., board certified in Family Medicine and Urgent Care Medicine, delivers a wide range of acute, chronic, and preventive medical services for anyone from infants to the elderly. Dr. Aberra specializes in acute and general medicine.

Life Barnard, M.D., board certified in Family

Medicine, delivers a wide range of acute, chronic, and preventive medical services for anyone from infants to the elderly. Dr Life Barnard has cared for patients in Odessa for over 45 years.

Some of their specialties include: • Acute Illness Management • Chronic Illness • Hypertension • Thyroid Disease • Diabetes • High Cholesterol • Allergies • Asthma • COPD • Bone Disease • Preventative Care • Geriatric Care • Adult/Pediatrics age 2 and up Adolescent Physicals • Minor Procedures • Ingrown Toenails • I & D’s • Callus/Corn • Skin Biopsies • Certified to Perform DOT Exams

FOR APPOINTMENTS OR MORE INFORMATION

CALL (432) 640-6783 ProCare Family Medicine 3001 JBS Parkway Odessa, Texas 79762 www.ProCareOdessa.com

Continued from page 8 the proper nutrients in the proper quantities, and 2) getting the proper amount of exercise, which includes both aerobic and resistance training. The key to exercise is finding the type of exercise that you can tolerate or enjoy, and do it regularly. The key to nutrition is consuming the right

por tions.

Most of us habitually overeat.

• Eat plants every day. This doesn’t mean that we need to eat plants exclusively, but we need to include a broad range of vegetables and fruits. Nuts contain excellent healthy fats and can promote heart health. Plants are widely underutilized in preventing heart disease.

L-arginine is an amino acid that can help the endothelium create the molecule nitric oxide that helps with proper dilations and contraction.

You can find L-arginine in foods like turkey, chicken, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, spirulina, and lentils.

• Exercise for a minimum of 150 minutes per week and add in resistance training 2 or more days of the week. Exercise should be a non-negotiable part of each day, 5 days a week. Find ways to make exercise fun. Having an exercise buddy can help you stay accountable, and it can make exercise more fun!

• Reduce negative stress levels. Negative stress levels can put unnecessary stress on the heart and vessels, which can contribute to heart disease. Let it go and shake it off.

• Check your blood pressure often. Normal values should be 120/80 mmHg. The top number represents the highest pressure on your vessel wall at rest. Thick or hard vessel walls contribute to high blood pressure (called hypertension). The cut off for hypertension at rest is >140 systolic or >90 diastolic, confirmed on more than 2 occasions.

Consistently performing the 5 heart healthy habits can produce immediate benefits and can help to prevent heart disease.

HABITS THAT WE SHOULD AVOID • Avoid smoking or environmental pollutants like harsh cleaning solutions.

• Avoid regular soda pop or alcohol consumption.

• Avoid candy or sugar on a daily basis.

• Avoid recreational drugs.

WHEN SHOULD I EXPECT CHANGES? Immediately! While some factors like body weight take time to see noticeable changes, healthy behavior changes our physiology immediately.

Quitting smoking improves the function of the lung within 20 minutes, with even better benefits seen over time. Exercising has immediate benefits on the circulation, circulating hormones, and endothelium, with even better benefits seen over time. Muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, physical balance, improved body composition, healthier immune system, reduced anxiety and depression are just a few of the benefits that we experience due to habitual exercise. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate weight loss; it takes time.

Be consistent and you will see positive changes in your weight.

Consistently performing the 5 heart healthy habits can produce immediate benefits and can help to prevent heart disease. Be patient with yourself as you are making changes. Add one change in each week, and in 5 weeks, you can expect an improvement in your cardiovascular health.

Take care of your heart, and it will be your friend for life.

an apple a day march 2016 15

, We re Moving!

Visit us at our new location after April 1st.

4040 Medical Park Drive Odessa TX, 79765 Dr. Robert L. Chappell, Jr. M.D. Dr. Ritchie O. Rosso, Jr., M.D. 432–580–8060 • www. lacpb.net

Continued from page 11 Juvenile arthritis (JA) refers to any form of arthritis or an arthritis-related condition that develops in children or teenagers who are less than eighteen years of age. About 294,000 children are affected by pediatric arthritis and rheumatic conditions.

Common symptoms of JA are: pain, swelling, tenderness, and stiffness of joints; joint contracture, damage to joint cartilage and bone; and altered growth of bone and joints. There is no single test to diagnose juvenile arthritis. A diagnosis is based on a complete medical history and careful medical examination. Evaluation by a specialist—either a pediatric rheumatologist or a rheumatologist—is often required.

Fibromyalgia affects more than two million Americans. In this form, individuals experience widespread pain and tenderness in muscles and their attachments to the bone. Common symptoms include fatigue, disturbed sleep, stiffness, and psychological distress.

CAUSES The rheumatic diseases may be caused by a combination of things. A patient might be born with the likelihood of getting a disease, but something happens to get the disease started. A cold, flu, or other type of virus could trigger a rheumatic disease in some people. Osteoarthritis may be caused by wear and tear on the joints or by an injury to a joint.

Being a woman may increase the likeliness of getting some of these diseases and women represent 60% of those who have arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia are more common among women. This could mean that hormones or other differences between men and women play a role in the development of these diseases.

TREATMENTS Today, there is no cure for arthritis. Some medications are available that relieve pain and swelling such as analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, biologic response modifiers, glucocorticoids, and anti-rheumatic drugs that tend to slow the disease process. Most treatment programs call for exercise, use of heat or cold, joint-protection techniques such as avoiding excess stress on joints, using assistive devices, and controlling weight. In some cases, surgery can help. Dietary supplements

such as glucosamine and/or chondroitin may reduce symptoms, but 2009 tests found a variety of quality problems in supplements: the Almost one in every three tested supplements adults has been diagnosed were contaminated, with arthritis or has chronic lacked necessary ingredients, or had joint symptoms of pain mislabeled ingredients. and stiffness, swelling, and

restricted movement.

Arthritis has the potential to significantly limit the ability to perform tasks by pain, lack of mobility, or lack of confidence. As we experience pain, we move less; less movement makes us weaker, less flexible, and reduces our endurance capability; we become weaker still. The pain and following weakness have created a cycle.

Even though individuals with arthritis may develop a limited functioning capability, exercise and physical activity have been shown to reduce pain and joint stiffness, maintain strength, prevent further decline, and improve the quality of life. With physician approval, patients can participate in a gentle range of motion activities always avoiding strenuous exercise during times of inflammation and flare ups and avoiding activities if joint pain persists for two hours following exercise or exceeds acceptable pain levels.

Walking is an accessible and acceptable way to become physically active: it is low impact, can be done almost anywhere or anytime, and requires only a good pair of shoes. Walking may seem odd when joints hurt; but it is a safe and effective way to reduce pain, improve function, and delay disability.

COPING Patients may find they have to change daily activities to reduce pain and protect affected joints from further damage. Changes in the home can help increase safety and productively while reducing pain.

For example, installing grab bars in the tub or shower and by the toilet can help. Placing a secure seat in the shower or tub and raising the height of the toilet seat can also help. Special kitchen tools can make it easier to prepare food if you have arthritis in the hands. Friends and family can help by providing emotional support and physical assistance. Support from other people who have the same disease can also make it easier to cope. an apple a day march 2016 17

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Spring at Studio 7

T

by Tatum Hubbard

hese days, we tentatively begin to put away our heavy winter clothes—not that we needed them very often here in west Texas, and not that we won’t need them again with our crazy spring weather! We think about having a garage sale to purge out the old and make room for the new. The home improvement aisles are full up with every lawn care gadget and tool, flowers to plant, spring wreaths, and a brighter everything. Stores are featuring their warmer weather styles and all of the sudden we wish our legs were more tan!

As spring rolls in on us, the days get a little brighter, our spirits feel a little lighter, the seedlings are all the mightier, and the world becomes more colorful inside and out. It’s a season of nature’s rebirths and fresh beginnings, and it comes every year as sure as the sun sets and rises every day. It’s our reminder to hope, to smile and to know—no matter the season really, there will always be a new day and a reason to live better and enjoy the moment. Please join us here at Studio 7 as we are constantly searching for anything and everything we can find to bring you joy and help you have more peace in your daily life.

Continued from page 13 involvement on the internet can come loneliness and the afore-mentioned FOMO. In a few vulnerable teens, this can lead to an increased risk of suicide.

But in older adults, studies suggest that moderate internet participation, particularly browsing search engines, can stimulate neural activation patterns and potentially enhance brain function.

Texting—it seems to be the ubiquitous activity of the coming generation. In fact, the number of texts now exceeds the number of phone calls on smart phones. The subject of this article is supposed to be about the effect of modern technology on the brain, but I want to head slightly south and talk about “text neck.” It sounds like a joke, but it’s a very real concern among medical professionals.

Text neck is caused by the bending of the head downward while texting, emailing, or otherwise using a smart phone. This posture can put pressure on internal organs and can even prevent the person from taking a full breath. It can lead to hyperkyphosis, a permanent curvature of the spine (hunchbacklike), which is linked to a decline in physical functionality later in life, as well as decreased life expectancy. And one other item about texting that is not brain-related. Let’s call it lack-ofbrain-related. Do not text and drive! Texting while driving is now the leading cause of death among teenagers. Enough said?

than teens who use their smart phones sparingly.

Text messaging trains young people to be fast but sloppy; they’re faster on the tests, but significantly less accurate. The reason may be that the phone guesses the intended word when it’s not spelled completely or correctly, which may teach a child to be more careless (because the mistake will be auto-corrected).

Using Twitter is somewhat akin to texting; the message is generally directed at more people. In one researcher’s opinion, using just 140 characters or less on a topic is creating a distracted generation with a short attention span and without the ability to engage in deeper thinking, thoughtful conversation, social skills, or even patience. A shorter attention span can make it more difficult to concentrate on and solve complex problems.

Is modern digital technology doing more harm than good? With all the positives it provides, the answer has to be no. But you know the old saying, “Everything in moderation.” The internet, the capabilities of the smart phone, the enter tainment options and information available—all these aspects of today’s technology enhance our lives and enable us to communicate, learn, and be entertained like never before. But don’t allow your life to revolve around your smartphone, computer, and TV. Take a break, go outside, talk to your friends face to face, and smell the flowers.

The average adult sends and receives about 40 text messages per day. For young adults 18 to 24, that number more than doubles to 109 texts per day.

Studies of texting and its effect on the brain, particularly in the young, are finding that teens who use smartphones frequently perform worse on tests which measure memory and attention span an apple a day march 2016 19

Prepared For

Your Emergency Urgency. That’s what you need from your emergency room when faced with the unexpected. At Odessa Regional Medical Center, your emergency is our emergency.

When Chris became ill after a mission trip, the ER staff at ORMC was prepared.

Because of our personalized care and follow-up, Chris was able to quickly return to what matters.

We’ve spent over 40 years caring for you and your family, and we know that when an emergency arises, you need us to be prepared. At ORMC, we are here when you need us most.

We love what we do and we think it shows.

“I could not have asked for more thorough care.” – Chris

I am ORMC Proud Chris

Cooking With Kim March 2016 Cooking Class Schedule March 17th - “Old Favorites Revved Up”

Simple recipes that make comfort foods healthier so you can enjoy them any time.

March 31st - “It’s A Cookout” A new twist on a classic burger.

Cost is $35–$45. Payment and registration required prior to class. I accept all major credit cards, checks, and cash. To register and pay, or ask questions, contact me at 432–557–5001 or getfitwithkim@cableone.net. Classes are filling up quickly, so hurry and reserve your spot!

get fit with kim WHAT’S FOR SUPPER?

W

e’ve all heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen.” While that is true, I would like to add that health and longevity also start in the kitchen. Eating is something that we must do every day, and one of the things that we actually can control as adults. We like to think that sometimes we can’t control our cravings and what we eat.

However, unless Ronald McDonald himself is holding you hostage and force-feeding you Happy Meals, you do control what you put in your mouth.

Sometimes a lack of knowledge about nutrition or a lack of skills in the kitchen can hinder one’s healthy eating plan. But educating yourself in nutrition and learning how to cook is a skill that you will master in time and take with you for the rest of your life.

Why learn to cook for yourself? Here are a few ways cooking at home benefits you and your family: • You control the quality of the ingredients you’re eating. Not all food products are created equal.

If you are purchasing the foods to cook with, you can choose products that do not have chemicals, pesticides, highly-processed trans fats, sugar, and other harmful additives.

• You control the calories and portions. We are all tempted at times to overeat when dining at a restaurant because of the enormous portions.

But you have the option of only preparing what you will eat in one sitting.

• You can extend family time and make memories. By cooking at home, you get to include all family members in the preparing.

So you can not only eat together, but also cook together. Many life lessons are taught and learned in the kitchen! Some of the most precious memories I have of my Granny are cooking with her. I still use her old pots while teaching my cooking classes today.

• You can be creative! Cooking is an art form just like painting, sculpting, composing. If you need a creative outlet, use food! Fresh produce is a vibrant palette you can color your plate with and improve your health!

• You can get your kids to try new foods. Kids are more likely to eat something they prepared themselves even if they are finicky eaters.

• Cooking also teaches kids (and adults) how to make healthier choices. It’s a perfect venue to help visualize and understand where vitamins come from and their importance to the health of our bodies.

“What’s for supper?” may be the number one question asked on a daily basis. For some it’s an easy question to answer—“whatever fast food place is on the way home.” But for those who are trying to better their health by eating and cooking meals at home, it can stir up stress if they don’t know how or what to cook. If you want to learn how to cook or sharpen your cooking skills, sign up for my cooking classes! In these classes you will get a copy of my recipes with the nutritional breakdown included, help cook and prepare the recipes, learn my tips for storing and repurposing leftovers, and eat!

Although I love to cook and teach others to cook as well, I understand not everyone has the time or desire to cook for themselves. So, now you can eat just like we do in cooking classes! I cook so you don’t have to. With Cooking With Kim Supper Club you’re always a couple of minutes away from a nourishing gourmet meal.

Select two delicious meals each week from my rotating menu of Cooking With Kim Recipes featured in my cooking classes. There is something for everyone from Mexican, Italian, vegetarian, to home-cooking, Asian, gluten-free, and more. Join Cooking With Kim Supper Club on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/groups/ cookingwithkimsupperclub/ Special thanks to this month’s contributor: Kim Clinkenbeard, CPT, FNS getfitwithkim@cableone.net

an apple a day march 2016 21

health & beauty FRAGRANCE AND BEAUTY

A

mong my favorite childhood memories are accompanying my father to select a gift for Mother. At that time there were few stores in Odessa, so we often went to Henderson-Collins Drugs on Grant Street. Not only did it contain a great soda fountain, there was a small gift section. On more than one occasion, the gift I chose was Evening in Paris perfume. The very name spoke to me of romance and mystery and I loved the lovely cobalt blue bottles and silklined boxes that held the perfume.

Over the years I have been intrigued by perfumes.

On my first cruise I went to a lecture on fragrances and bought a bottle of Bal a Versailles because it was to have been created for Marie Antoinette. (By the way, both Evening in Paris and Bal a Versailles are still produced.)

The word perfume is derived from the Latin per fumus—through smoke. This is certainly because of the role of incense in the earliest fragrances, especially those in Persia and Arabia. Somewhere between 70 and 77 AD, around the time Mt. Vesuvius erupted, Pliny the Elder wrote of Roman’s use of perfume. In his Naturalis Historia, which comprises one hundred sixty volumes, he describes methods used to make perfume.

Like wine, it is not always the more expensive perfume that best suits you. dirty and smelled terrible. Perfume was substituted for soap and water.

By the fourteenth century, Europe became the center for manufacturing perfume with France leading the way. During this time the cultivation of flowers for their perfume essence became a major industry in southern France, primarily in the Grasse area. This region remains the world capital for perfume.

In today’s culture perfume is most often used to enhance our persona. We feel more completely groomed when we add perfume to our toilette.

Perfume can even give others a clue to an individual’s personality. I am reminded of the 1992 film, “Scent of a Woman,” for which Al Pacino received the Academy Award. In it he portrays a blinded Lieutenant Colonel who recognized and analyzed the women who came into his life by the fragrances they wore.

The lavish use of perfume by the royalty of England, Russia, and France into the 1800s served a rather practical purpose; it covered body odors. Those bodies covered with layer upon layer of velvet, satin, and lace and adorned with precious jewels were, as a rule, seldom bathed—thus were often

A recent article in Allure magazine tells of an experiment in which viewers were shown images of women’s faces as they were exposed to odors. The more pleasant the odor the more attractive they generally ranked the pictured woman’s appearance.

The conclusion was that a woman’s scent is an

22 march 2016 an apple a day

important aspect in evaluating how attractive she comes across to others. This also holds true for men. It appears to be sound logic to assume that when anyone smells good, he or she is engulfed in a pleasant aroma and thus feels more positive.

When I was a child, I had an elderly aunt who was wont to say, “Not every girl can be pretty but she can smell good.”

If you doubt the importance of the perfume industry in the world, recent statistics show that last year perfume sales totaled almost three hundred billion dollars, while in the United States sales were over six billion. There are seventeen active U.S. companies, mostly located in California and New York. Only 17% of American women reported they did not use perfume.

While it is fun to experiment with perfume and try different fragrances from time to time, it is also nice to have an enduring favorite perfume which is your signature fragrance—a fragrance friends connect with you. If you have never found that “just

Earlene Smith Executive Consultant 432-563-0682 432-553-9957 earlenes@cableone.net

“Changing skin.

Changing lives.”

right perfume” visit a good department store or a perfume shop and try a few samples and take some home with you. Though it may take a while, you will generally find one that you love. Like wine, it is not always the more expensive perfume that best suits you. One I receive the most compliments on and that I always return to is produced by a co-op, the Perfumers Workshop Ltd. It is not expensive but must be ordered. Good luck and enjoy the search.

I love to hear from you with comments or questions.

And remember to always smile as a smile is an instant face lift.

Special thanks to this month’s contributor: Earlene Smith earlenes@cableone.net

Concealed Handgun Classes Call for Information

Gary Dunda, Instructor

432–559–2711 • gary_dunda@yahoo.com • Will teach anywhere: home, church, or business.

• Classes for 1-21 people.

• Must be 21 or older.

Lentils & Rice

by Kim Clinkenbeard, CPT, FNS

1 cup long grain rice, uncooked 4 cups low sodium organic chicken bone broth (or veggie broth) 1 cup dried lentils 3 ½ cups water 1 large sweet yellow (or Vidalia) onion, thinly sliced ¾ tsp. cumin ¼ tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. black pepper ¼ tsp. garlic powder ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley Bring rice and 2 cups broth to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (about 40 minutes). Meanwhile, in a separate medium-sized pot, bring lentils, 2 cups broth, and 3 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer until lentils are tender but not falling apart (about 30 minutes.) Drain the lentils, rinse in cold water, and drain again.

While the lentils and rice cook, bring ½ cup water to a simmer in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onions and cook until softened. Add the other ingredients except the parsley and continue to cook until the onions are caramelized, stirring frequently and adding additional water to keep them from sticking.

Once the onions are cooked, add the rice and lentils to the skillet and stir to combine well. Top with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Serves 4

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Midland Memorial Hospital Scharbauer Patient Tower 400 Rosalind Redfern Grover Parkway

Fit Family Fitness 3404 N. Midland Dr.

Midland Memorial Hospital West Campus 4214 Andrews Hwy.

Flat Belly Organics 3326 N. Midkiff Rd.

Palmer Drug Abuse Program 1208 W. Wall St.

Graham Pharmacy 1601 W. Wall St.

St. Joseph’s Home Health 30 Village Circle

HealthSouth 1800 Heritage Blvd.

Walgreens Drug Store 3221 W. Wadley Ave. 215 Andrews Hwy. 4313 Andrews Hwy. 3201 N. Big Spring St.

HEB Pharmacy 3325 W. Wadley Ave. Midland Memorial Hospital 2200 W. Illinois Ave.

24 march 2016 an apple a day

ODESSA Albertsons Pharmacy 1350 E. 8th St. 4950 E. 42nd St. 2751 N. County Road W.

First Baptist Church 709 N. Lee Furr’s Music City Mall Harmony Health Food Shoppe 3110 E. University Blvd., Ste. A Heaven Bound Daycare 507 Elliot HEB Pharmacy 3801 E. 42nd St.

Odessa Christian Faith Center 8860 N. Andrews Hwy.,

University Pharmacy and Medical Supplies 4850 E. University Blvd.

The Odessa Family YMCA 3001 E. University

Walgreens Drug Store 801 Maple Ave. 2161 E. 42nd St. 1305 W. University Blvd.

1707 W. 8th St.

Odessa Regional Medical Center 520 E. 6th St. Permian Basin Rehab Center 620 N. Alleghaney

Hunt Advertising 3527 Billy Hext Rd.

River of Life Health Food Shop 2601 N. Grandview Ave.

Medical Center Hospital 500 W. 4th St.

Smith’s Shoes 5101 Twin Towers

Mission Fitness 8050 Hwy. 191

Super Shapes 5000 E. University Blvd.

Walmart Clinic 4210 JBS Parkway 2450 West Loop 338 Wendover Family Medicine 4222 Wendover, Ste. 600 Westview Medical Clinic 1220 W. University Blvd.

Wheatley Stewart Medical Pavilion 574 W. 5th St.

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