August Springfield Healthy Cells 2011

SPRINGFIELD/DECATUR

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Promoting Healthier Living in Your Community • Physical • Emotional • Nutritional

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HealthyCells August 2011

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M A G A Z I N E

The American Heart Association: Get the Training & Give a Friend the Gift of His Own Life pg. 14

Memory & Aging pg. 6

Salt Gives Breath of Life pg. 18

Fire Safety Facts pg. 22

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A U GUST

2011 Volume 2, Issue 8

5

Women’s Health: Strange Migrations and Killer Cramps

The American Heart Association Says:

6

Emotional: Memory and Aging

8

Nutritional: Heart Health

10

Physical: Carl’s call To Bike

12

Disaster Planning: Safety Tips For Earthquake Preparedness

17

Healthcare: Warm Weather Safety for Older Adults

18

Salt Therapy: Salt Gives Breath of Life to Girl With Cystic Fibrosis

19

Financial Security: Dangers Lurk Even for Desk Jobs

20

Healthy Benefits: More Olive Oil in Diet Could Cut Stroke Risk

22

Safety: Fire Safety Facts For People 50-Plus

23 24

This Month’s Cover Story:

Grief Support: “If I Start Crying Will I Be Able To Stop?

The Right Dose: A Prescription for Wellness

Get the Training And Give A Friend (Or A Stranger) The Gift of His Own Life page 14

For information about this publication, contact Becky Ar ndt, owner at 217-413-1884, Becky@healthycellsmagazine.com Healthy Cells Magazine is a division of: 1711 W. Detweiller Dr., Peoria, IL 61615 Ph: 309-681-4418 Fax: 309-691-2187 info@limelightlink.com • www.healthycellsmagazine.com

Healthy Cells Magazine is intended to heighten awareness of health and fitness information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for medical attention. See your healthcare professional for medical advice and treatment. The opinions, statements, and claims expressed by the columnists, advertisers, and contributors to Healthy Cells Magazine are not necessarily those of the editors or publisher.

Healthy Cells Magazine is available FREE in high traffic locations throughout the Greater Springfield and Decatur area, including major grocery stores, hospitals, physicians’ offices, and health clubs. Healthy Cells Magazine is published monthly and welcomes contributions pertaining to healthier living. Limelight Communications, Inc. assumes no responsibility for their publication or return. Solicitations for articles shall pertain to physical, emotional, and nutritional health only.

Mission: The objective of Healthy Cells Magazine is to promote a stronger health-conscious community by means of offering education and support through the cooperative efforts among esteemed health and fitness professionals in the Springfield/Decatur Illinois area.

I wish to thank all the advertisers for their support of Healthy Cells Magazine’s mission to bring positive health related information to our readers. Because of their generosity we are able to provide this publication FREE to you.

– Becky Arndt

women’s health

Strange Migrations and Killer Cramps Understanding Endometriosis

E

ndometriosis is linked to pain and infertility for many women. It arises when cells like those that line the uterus (the endometrium) attach to other tissues and grow inside the lower belly. These out-of-place cells may be just the start of a problem that, for some, lasts a lifetime.

Endometriosis affects up to 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. The pain it causes can range from extreme to barely noticeable. A woman may not know she has the disease until she has trouble getting pregnant and her doctor makes the diagnosis.

About 40% of women with infertility turn out to have endometriosis.

“Endometriosis is an incredibly complex disease. Its causes have been kind of a mystery, and we’re not sure how to prevent it,” says NIH scientist and gynecologist Dr. Pamela Stratton. She and other NIHfunded researchers have been gradually adding to our understanding of the condition. They’re working to find better ways to diagnose and treat endometriosis, and maybe even prevent it. Many scientists think that endometriosis results when some of the endometrial tissue shed from the uterus during menstruation flows backward into the pelvis.

This strange migration—called retrograde menstrual flow—likely happens to most women, but it doesn’t always lead to endometriosis.

Researchers are trying to figure out why some women have endometrial cells that stick and grow where they don’t belong, and why other women don’t. These misplaced cells—sometimes called lesions or implants—can also form scars between tissues and organs like the bladder, intestine or ovaries. Surprisingly, scientists have found that the number and size of lesions aren’t related to how severe the symptoms are.

To diagnose endometriosis, doctors often use imaging tests like ultrasound and MRI to look for signs of internal lesions. But the only way to be certain you have endometriosis is with surgery, usually laparoscopy. For this procedure, the surgeon makes a small cut in the abdomen and inserts a tiny light at the end of a tube, or laparoscope.

The instrument allows the doctor to view patches of endometriosis

inside the pelvic area. Some lesions can be removed during laparoscopy. Removing lesions— especially deep lesions—sometimes helps to relieve pain.

Most often, though, endometriosis pain is treated with hormone therapy, usually birth control pills. These medications can suppress the body’s natural production of reproductive hormones and lighten the menstrual flow, which can help ease pain.

“There’s a lot of active research into the basic biological mechanisms of endometriosis. There’s so much we don’t yet know,” says NIH’s Dr. Esther Eisenberg, an expert in reproductive health. “Once we understand the mechanisms, we’ll have better tools to help women deal with this serious problem.”

Since endometriosis tends to run in families, researchers have been searching for culprit genes. Some are also looking for molecules in the blood that might help detect endometriosis without the need for laparoscopy. Others are testing potential new treatments in clinical trials.

While there’s currently no cure for endometriosis, there are ways to minimize its symptoms. Work with your doctor to explore your treatment options.

August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 5

emotional

Memory and Aging; Information to Remember

By Dr. Beverly Matthews, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Certification in Clinical Neuropsychology, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor

M

emory loss is something that many people are not forgetting.

Radio, television, newspaper and internet report about memory loss on a regular basis. People are becoming well informed about Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. With the number of cases of dementia being diagnosed increasing to over 5 million, individuals usually are aware of a friend, close relative or acquaintance with dementia.

The first case of Alzheimer’s was diagnosed by a doctor who treated a relatively young patient that was experiencing mental changes such as memory loss and personality changes. As decades passed, other types of dementia were discovered such as vascular dementia, frontal lobe dementia and Lewy bodies dementia. Without memory, a person is not able to learn new information or retrieve stored information which influences other areas of functioning such as attention, concentration, visuospatial skills, executive functioning, motor skills and more.

Memory is explained in a number of ways. Declarative memory is what we remember about facts and events. It is memory that is available to consciousness. It is retaining and reviving impressions, recalling and recognizing previous experiences, remembering information, objects and events. It can be verbal or nonverbal information including motor skill learning. Nondeclarative memory is memory for procedures Page 6 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

or procedural memory. It is expressed and the person is not thinking about the fact that they have to remember to perform the act (without the person’s phenomenal awareness). It is how we know to brush our teeth, open a door, an automatic performance.

Short term memory involves our immediate attention span. It is the act of holding information that we have retained from registering information. It is explained as a limited capacity store in which information is then transferred to a more permanent store. It is most often evaluated using word lists for assessment of verbal learning, visual objects and designs for visual memory and facial recognition tests as well as memory for a story in evaluating episodic memory.

Long term memory ability is evaluated by evaluating how well the person can retrieve information after a longer delay using similar measures as described in the evaluation of short term memory.

Examples of long term memory include remembering and being able to retrieve information that a person learned in school many years later.

Dementia is a category. Alzheimer’s Disease is one of the types of dementias and is the most often diagnosed type of dementia. The person usually experiences a combination of symptoms including memory impairment which is the essential characteristic. Memory impairment is most often the earliest symptom noted although some studies report executive functioning deficits early in the course of the illness. Memory for facts and events becomes impaired. Memory for procedures and motor learning are usually spared until later in the course of the disease. Memory for recent events (short term memory) is impaired early in the course of AD. AD memory loss develops slowly and progresses slowly over time. The slow progression of memory impairment is one characteristic that distinguishes AD from other dementias. People with AD have difficulty with underestimating their impairments, have decline in language abilities, decreased ability to recognize objects and faces, decline in motor skills, decline in ability to determine objects in space and personality changes.

Vascular dementia is the second most commonly diagnosed dementia and can coexist with AD. Memory problems may be noticed somewhat later in vascular dementia than in AD. The person may have measurable cognitive disability quite sometime before they meet the criteria for dementia. It appears as a mix of symptoms rather than a

distinct disorder. Some experts conclude that a vascular involvement may be a primary cause in AD. Dementia with Lewy bodies is also recognized as one type of dementia. In addition to memory loss, the person may experience visual hallucinations, Parkinson symptoms, fluctuations in cognitive abilities, sleep disorders and sensitivity to neuroleptic medications. The features of this type of dementia include impairments in attention, executive functioning, visuospatial deficits, early driving difficulties, impaired job performance and fluctuation in cognition and levels of alertness. Memory impairment is usually impaired later in the course of this dementia with the other impairments noticed prior to memory impairment.

There are numerous other types of dementias with symptoms including memory loss. The person will want to be evaluated for depression as depression can interfere with a person’s ability to attend and concentrate to information which interferes with memory ability.

Depression in an elderly person could be attributed to current medications, a change in medications, a medical condition, grief, chronic pain or other factors.

If you suspect that you or someone you know has a change in cognitive status it is important to obtain an accurate diagnosis by a qualified professional. Treatment includes medication, planning for the future, caregiver support and an early diagnosis ruling out other medical causes of cognitive change.

Dr. Matthews can be reached at Central Illinois Neuropsychological Services in Decatur, IL at 217-876-7929. You may learn more about her services at www.bevmatthewsneuropsych.com. (Lezak, Neuropsychological Assessment, Alzheimer’s Association website).

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August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 7

nutritional

Heart Health These recipes are brought to you by the American Heart Association’s Face the Fats campaign. Recipe copyright © 2009 by the American Heart Association. Look for other delicious recipes in American Heart Association cookbooks, available from booksellers everywhere, and at deliciousdecisions.org.

Louisiana Chicken and Vegetables Serves 4; 3 ounces chicken and 1/2 cup vegetables per serving Take a colorful break from rice, potatoes, and pasta—use corn instead. It is a whole grain and provides texture, fiber, and great taste, too!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded 2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun or Creole seasoning blend 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided use 1 tablespoon canola or corn oil, divided use 1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and patted dry 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/2 cup carrot in matchstick-size pieces 1/2 cup chopped onion (yellow preferred) 1/4 cup water 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (coarsely ground preferred) Red hot-pepper sauce to taste (optional) Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the seasoning blend, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over mediumhigh heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center.

Transfer to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the corn, bell pepper, carrot, and onion for 4 to 6 minutes, or until beginning to brown on the edges, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.

Stir in the water, black pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon around the chicken. Serve with the hot-pepper sauce.

Page 8 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

Cook’s Tip: If salt-free Cajun or Creole seasoning blend is hard to find, you can make your own in a jiffy. Just combine the following in a small bowl: 1 1/2 teaspoons each chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper.

For a hotter mixture, stir in up to 3/8 teaspoon cayenne. Use 2 teaspoons of the blend for this recipe and store the rest in an airtight jar to season a wide variety of food, such as baked fries (white or sweet potatoes), other vegetables, or seafood, including catfish and shrimp. You may want to turn on your exhaust fan when using this and other blackening seasonings over mediumhigh or high heat.

NUTRITION ANALYSIS (per serving) Calories 243 Total Fat 5.5 g Saturated Fat 0.5 g Trans Fat 0.0 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g Cholesterol 66 mg Sodium 381 mg Carbohydrates 20 g Fiber 3g Sugars 5g Protein 29 g Dietary Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat

Grilled Chicken with Strawberry and Pineapple Salsa Serves 4; 3 ounces chicken and 1/2 cup salsa per serving Grilled pineapple and fresh mint and strawberries combine with tangy lemon and a bit of hot pepper flakes to make an interesting salsa for grilled chicken.

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1 teaspoon canola or corn oil Salsa 2 slices fresh pineapple, each 1/2 inch thick, patted dry 1 cup whole strawberries (about 5 ounces), diced 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 medium lemon Chicken 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded 2 teaspoons salt-free steak seasoning blend 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Functional Medicine and Hormonal Evaluation

Preheat the grill on medium high. Brush a grill pan or grill rack with the oil. Heat the grill pan or rack on the grill for about 2 minutes, or until hot. Grill the pineapple for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly, about 2 minutes, before chopping.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the remaining salsa ingredients except the lemon. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest, reserving the lemon. Stir the zest and chopped pineapple into the strawberry mixture. Set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the seasoning blend and salt. Grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center. Transfer to plates. Squeeze the reserved lemon over the chicken. Serve with the salsa on the side.

NUTRITION ANALYSIS (per serving) Calories 191 Total Fat 3.0 g Saturated Fat 0.5 g Trans Fat 0.0 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g Monounsaturated Fat 1.0 g Cholesterol 66 mg Sodium 223 mg Carbohydrates 14 g Fiber 2g Sugars 10 g Protein 27 g Dietary Exchanges: 1 fruit, 3 very lean meat

August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 9

physical

Carl’s Call To Bike

By Carl Edwards

D

espite all the positive attributes associated with biking—getting active and fit, reducing stress, burning lots of calories, and decreasing traffic congestion—many cities and towns nationwide have still not embraced two-wheeled vehicles. Even though the number of adults who ride to work is increasing nationwide—according to U.S. Census figures, in 2008 there was a 43 percent increase in bike commuting from 2000—the numbers are still low (less than one percent of Americans) and many areas still do not have protected bike lanes, connected trails and bike boulevards, adequate bike parking, or bike-friendly laws.

If we want to leverage the benefits of cycling—and thereby help children and adults get the physical activity their bodies need—state and local officials must be committed to making our cities and towns more bike friendly. This can be done by providing safe and convenient routes for people to ride. Cities as large as New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as smaller communities like Boulder, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Portland, Oregon, are all realizing these benefits. That’s why they are committing funding and resources to build new bike lanes, install more bike racks, create trails, provide education programs, and support other incentives that encourage even more people to consider taking up riding.

Page 10 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

The health benefits of cycling Today, adults spend hours at work sitting in front of computers, and children spend upwards of seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen watching TV, playing video games, using their mobile phones, or surfing the web. Few families spend important time outside being active. Consequently, many Americans are experiencing serious health issues, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and hypertension. But biking can help. Not only does it burn several hundred calories per hour but it is also an ideal physical activity for Americans of all ages, regardless of fitness level, because it limits stress on the lower body.

It’s why biking is also a safe activity for older generations. Physical activity for those 65 years of age and older helps prevent or minimize health problems that come with aging. In a recent international study, evidence suggested that seniors who are active daily have a reduced risk of developing about 24 health issues such as osteoporosis, type-2 diabetes, depression, various forms of cancer, and dementia.

In addition, cycling allows children and adults with mobility limitations and intellectual or learning disabilities to take part in physical activity. They are at greatest risk for obesity, but thankfully adaptive and special equipment is being designed to make it possible for them to

enjoy biking outdoors, whether it be through the help of Project Mobility: Cycles for Life, which delivers specialized bikes to schools with children with disabilities and rehabilitative hospitals, or ReActive Adaptations, which is building durable off-road handcycles that allow riders to bike deep into mountain and off-road trails.

If getting active and fit isn’t enough motivation for people to start riding, I’d like to mention that biking also helps to reduce stress. What’s more, biking may also help you to get around faster. For those who spend time stuck in rush hour traffic, they could instead be getting their daily physical activity while riding through city gridlock. This may be of particular interest to residents in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, which were ranked by Forbes magazine as two of the top 10 most stressful and congested cities.

Making cities and towns more bike-friendly So what would make Americans more likely to ride a bike to work, to and from school, or to run an errand? Well, if cities and towns provide more bike-friendly laws and establish designated safe routes for bikers, people in their communities may more likely to get out and ride. Remember, every sector of society—families, communities, and businesses—play a role in helping Americans get physically active.

Businesses that want to help their employees improve their health and wellness can learn from companies like Seattle Children’s Hospital, which has a bicycle program for its employees. Seattle Children’s Hospital provides a guaranteed-ride-home program, a bike-share program, locker rooms, bike-safety education, maintenance classes, and secure bike parking. They gave away 100 bikes and helmets to employees who pledged to ride to work at least

“Cycling allows children and adults with mobility limitations and intellectual or learning disabilities to take part in physical activity.” four days a week year round. In addition, the hospital pledged $2 million dollars in walking and biking infrastructure improvements to Northeast Seattle, which will provide safe places for local residents to get active. Because of model programs like Seattle Children’s Hospital, more and more businesses are becoming bike-friendly and following the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Business program.

I encourage all Americans to research their options for making one or two of their work trips by bike. Find out which streets are bike-friendly so that you can plot your course to work. If bike commuting is not an option for you, instead bike to a friend’s house, to the gym, or get your family on a bike after dinner and get riding together.

Carl Edwards is a championship NASCAR driver and a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (www.fitness.gov). He is also an avid cyclist.

August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 11

disaster planning

Safety Tips For Earthquake Preparedness

T

he American Red Cross urges everyone to update their family evacuation plan, emergency preparedness kit and get better prepared for earthquakes and other emergencies.

“By taking three basic preparedness actions you can become Red Cross Ready for earthquakes and other emergencies. The steps are 1) Get a kit, 2) Make a plan, and 3) Be informed,” said Nicole Holtgrefe, regional preparedness, sales and outreach director. “The Red Cross is here to help you get prepared for specific disasters like earthquakes. Even if you already have a household disaster plan, it’s important that you revisit and update your communication plan and check your emergency preparedness kit for expired items.”

The American Red Cross recommends the following preparedness actions: Get or assemble an emergency preparedness kit: A portable kit, stored in a sturdy, easy to carry, water resistant container should have enough supplies for three days.

Check your kit and replace perishable stock every six months. Whether you purchase a kit or choose to build your own, your three-day kit should include: • First aid kit and essential medications.

• Canned food and can opener.

• At least three gallons of water per person.

• Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.

• Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.

• Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members.

Page 12 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

• Written instructions for how to turn off gas, electricity, and water if authorities advise you to do so. (Remember, you’ll need a professional to turn natural gas service back on.)

• Keeping essentials, such as a flashlight and sturdy shoes, by your bedside.

Prepare a home earthquake plan: The American Red Cross urges each and every household to develop a household disaster plan.

• Choose a safe place in every room—under a sturdy table or desk or against an inside wall where nothing can fall on you.

• Practice drop, cover and hold on at least twice a year. Drop under a sturdy desk or table, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If there’s no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases, or tall furniture that could fall on you. Teach children to drop, cover, and hold on!

• Choose an out-of-town family contact.

• Consult a professional to find out additional ways you can protect your home, such as bolting the house to its foundation and other structural mitigation techniques.

• Take a first aid class from your local Red Cross chapter. Keep your training current.

• Get training in how to use a fire extinguisher from your local fire department.

• Inform babysitters and caregivers of your plan.

Be informed • Find out how local authorities will contact you during a disaster. Listen to local media broadcasts or NOAA Weather Radio for the latest storm conditions and follow the advice of local authorities.

“A portable kit, stored in a sturdy, easy to carry, water resistant container should have enough supplies for three days.”

• Contact your local Red Cross for details about community disaster education presentations that may be arranged or are available in your workplace, school or community organization.

• Get trained in CPR and first aid so you will know how to respond to emergencies in the event that help is delayed.

The Red Cross is able to prepare for and respond quickly when emergencies happen thanks to our generous donors.

For more information on earthquake preparedness, Springfield 217-787-7602, Decatur 217-428-7758, Jacksonville 217-243-6641 www.redcrossstl.org.

August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 13

feature story

The American Heart Association Says: Get the Training And Give A Friend (Or A Stranger) The Gift of His Own Life

By Alan Scherer

I

t was a special Saturday for Jim Morris. January 22, 2011, was one day before his 75th birthday, and five days before his daughter Cathy Priest’s birthday. As Director of Religious Education at Little Flower Catholic Church in Springfield, Illinois, he had the keys to the associated Little Flower School, a Catholic institution for about 200 students.

At around 1PM, he and about ten others began to set up the tables in the school gymnasium for a party in his honor and his daughter’s.

That took until about 4:30, during which time he felt no hint of any ailment. At 4:30, the first of some 120 guests began to arrive, and the party began. At about 7PM, Jim told a joke to the whole crowd to “warm them up” for his niece, who was going to do a whole comedy routine. Just after finishing the joke, he experienced cardiac arrest. He collapsed onto the floor, white and lifeless.

Fortunately for Jim, a couple of doctors and at least two nurses were present, including his sister-in-law, Nancy Eck, a nurse with the Page 14 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

Prairie Heart Institute, the cardiac care unit at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. Perhaps even more fortunately, two automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were on the premises.

Someone called for an AED, and another person who knew the location of the closest one ran to get it. Doctor and family friend, Greg Vardakis, started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), while Nancy started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Within about two minutes after Jim had collapsed, Dr. Vardakis employed the AED. Jim received a single measured shock, and his heart rhythm was successfully converted from one which would not sustain his life to one which could. Jim had been without a pulse, but after the defibrillation, his color returned.

In over thirty years of nursing, Nancy had never before seen such a fast recovery: “This is God,” she thought. CPR was continued until the Emergency Medical Technicians came, which was only five minutes later, and Jim went to the hospital, conscious as he was wheeled out.

Happy Birthday!

The next day, Jim had a cardiac catheterization, a diagnostic procedure to determine whether a stent would suffice or open heart surgery was needed.

Implanting a stent is a much simpler and less invasive procedure, with a shorter recovery period, but it was determined he would need open heart surgery. Two days after his cardiac arrest, Jim had multiple bypass surgery.

“There was a lot of teamwork in Jim’s resuscitation,” said Nancy. The average sudden cardiac arrest victim will have an attack without the benefit of being surrounded by doctors and nurses, but the American Heart Association is working to make sure that as many people as possible are trained in CPR. You don’t have to be a medical professional to save a life – anyone can learn how to perform CPR and use an AED. AEDs: Device, Training, and Placement The automated external defibrillator (AED) was invented around 1980. The intent, genius, and beauty of the AED is that anyone, even an untrained bystander, can use it to save a life in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. It is a high-tech but simple-to-use, lightweight device, with enclosed instructions and diagrams. Once activated, it gives instructions aloud via a recorded voice.

Admittedly, it is better to have a trained person available to operate the AED, especially because it can be done faster by one who knows the procedure; for every minute of delay, the survival rate goes down 10%.

The AED has saved many lives, and it has the potential to save many times more. In the US alone, there are over 250,000 sudden cardiac arrests per year. About one sixth of these occur in public places. Of these, at least four fifths (32,000 to 40,000) are “shockable” (marked by a heart rhythm able to respond to an AED shock). As many as 90% of victims will survive if an AED shock is delivered quickly. Two factors keep that from happening: the lack of availability of an AED and the lack of training among the population at large.

The reality is that less than 30% of those who receive a shock survive, because it was not delivered quickly enough. Further, less than 10% of all cardiac arrest victims survive, because so few get any shock at all.

The difference between the at-most

10% who are surviving and the 90% in this category who could survive if treated in a timely manner is at least 25,000 Americans per year.

The American Heart Association (AHA) is well aware of this number. According to Carrie Skogsberg, Communications Director for the American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate, the goals of the AHA include advocating for people to be trained to use AEDs. The AHA also sponsors training in the use of AEDs, along with training on CPR. The AHA itself trains millions of people in CPR annually, including healthcare professionals and the general public.

Thanks largely to AHA efforts, many employers are now offering training on the job; schools are particularly well-known for requiring staff to have training in CPR and AED use. The AHA works to encourage more people to take advantage of optional training.

Having AEDs in place in as many locations as possible is also an important issue for the AHA. Sports arenas, airports, shopping malls, large corporate offices, schools, and locations where many August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 15

feature story

(continued)

people gather are candidates for placement, simply because that is where the most heart attacks occur. State legislatures are sometimes hesitant to require AED placement, since this creates an expense for any institution covered by the law. But Illinois now requires them in health clubs, school gyms, and at golf courses. It also requires the facilities to train their employees in AED usage. These places were deemed necessary buyers of AEDs because they profit from high heartrate activities, or they require or invite those they serve to get physical, thus putting their hearts at more risk.

CPR and Training.

As it is now for AED usage, training for CPR has long been widespread. One recent major change is the removal of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from the standard procedure. In some studies, the new technique, sometimes called cardiocerebral resuscitation (CCR), has been found to be much more successful than the previous CPR, which had a more complicated set of decisions to be made by the first responder. There is no minimum age for CPR training; one need only be large enough to do chest compressions.

Risk Reduction and Prevention There is another puzzle piece to avoiding a heart attack that the AHA wants everyone to be aware of, namely prevention. Prevention comes through awareness of what increases one’s risk of heart attack—the causes of heart disease—and what leads to a healthy heart, and then acting on that awareness.

Some risk factors are not preventable, but it pays to be aware of them in order to gauge your relative risk. These include gender, age, and family history. Other risk factors are definitely preventable: smoking, lack of exercise, Page 16 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, stress, and a high cholesterol diet. Your doctor, the public library, and the internet (including American Heart Association sites such as heart.org) offers a variety of information on how to reduce your risk. The American Heart Association also offers a health assessment tool called My Life Check that allows a person to enter health information and receive a “health score” that will provide suggestions for how to improve heart health.

The American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA), founded in 1915, is a non-profit organization operating in the United States with the mission of reducing both deaths and disability from heart disease (and now from stroke). Foremost among its goals is the education of the public in general and policy makers in particular about ways to improve heart health among Americans. According to Carrie Skogsberg, “The AHA’s ultimate mission as an organization is to decrease the number of Americans with cardiovascular disease by 20 percent by 2020.” The AHA has created the “Get With The Guidelines” Program to inform and motivate hospital cardiac units toward reducing heart attack recurrence. The “Heart Walk,” held every Spring, is an annual, nationwide, AHA public-participation event designed to raise awareness and funds for research and programs that fight heart disease.

The AHA wants to make sure that in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, there will be someone in the crowd who will be able to administer CPR and to use an AED. That way, everyone who has a heart attack can have a similar outcome experienced by Jim Morris.

Anyone interested in learning how to save a life can find information on one-day training at www.heart.org.

healthcare

Warm Weather Safety for Older Adults D

uring the warm summer months the desire to be outside consumes much of the general public.

This yearning for the sun results in numerous positive physical benefits as long as certain safety precautions are followed.

Although the sun provides the body with essential nutrients like Vitamin D, it can be very dangerous if the body is overexposed. This is true especially in older adults. When the temperature hits the low 90’s, the heat can be a serious health risk for everyone, especially those people over the age of 65.

As we get older our bodies become much more susceptible to dehydration and heatrelated illnesses. This is due, in large part, to a number of characteristics brought about by aging. One such characteristic is that thirst sensations diminish over the years, inhibiting the ability of people to recognize when they are nearing dehydration and allowing for a serious loss of water from the body. Also, the aging body loses the ability to cool itself at a rapid pace like it could when it was younger.

This fact is especially dangerous because sometimes older adults do not feel drastic rises or drops in heat levels, which means they could feel fine even when the weather is too hot. This could result in dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion or even heat stroke because of the body’s inability to effectively cool itself at an efficient rate. Another characteristic includes the thinning of the skin in older adults. As the skin gets thinner, it provides less protection against the harshness of the sun’s rays.

Health issues resulting from the sun can be avoided if a number of simple, but important safety measures are taken: • Stay indoors as much as possible during the late morning and afternoon hours.

• If you exercise outdoors make sure to do so during the cooler hours of the day—early morning and evening. Also, make sure to consult your physician before starting an exercise routine.

• It is extremely important to stay hydrated so drink a lot of water and other fluids throughout the day even if you are not thirsty.

• Stay away from alcoholic beverages or those that contain caffeine, as they can increase the risk of dehydration. Sports drinks are good

because they can help restore important salts and nutrients into your body and fight dehydration.

• Try to stay in the air conditioning if at all possible. If you do not have air conditioning, consider going to places that do like the mall, library, grocery store or movie theater.

• If you go outside, wear a hat that can help shield your face from the sun. Also, wear sunglasses and sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.

• Do not wear heavy or dark clothing.

• Do not do any heavy lifting or other laborious tasks during the hotter parts of the day.

• If you cannot stay in the air conditioning during the hot hours of the day, try taking cool baths and showers to keep your body temperature at a normal level.

• Do not eat large meals. Try eating smaller meals in shorter time intervals.

• Make sure to consult your physician to see how much time you should spend in the sun each day.

Provided by HCR ManorCare, a leading provider of short-and longterm health care. For more information, contact Heartland of Decatur at 217-877-7333.

August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 17

salt therapy

Gives Breath of Life to Girl With Cystic Fibrosis

N

ight after night, Jayme Warner would anxiously lie in bed hearing coughing, gagging and gasping from the bedroom down the hall. It was her younger sister, Katie, struggling with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening lung disorder.

“It was terrifying to listen to,” says Jayme. “No one in our family could sleep. It’s really scary when someone you love can’t breathe, when they just can’t get enough oxygen in.”

Fortunately, Katie has found relief through an inexpensive source some may find surprising - salt.

By inhaling concentrated, vaporized salt twice a day through a nebulizer, Katie successfully fights the debilitating symptoms of cystic fibrosis. Her recovery was so dramatic it inspired Jayme, 16, to write an essay about the family’s experience with salt therapy.

Her essay, “Salt: Saving Lives One Breath at a Time,” won first place in the senior division of the prestigious DuPont Challenge science competition, which attracted nearly 10,000 participants.

The essay, and Katie’s story, is another example of how salt is an essential nutrient, vital for good health, says Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute, the world’s leading authority on salt (sodium chloride).

“We hope Jayme’s winning essay shines a brighter scientific spotlight not only on salt’s role in treating cystic fibrosis, but on the many other ways salt is one of nature’s great healing agents,” said Roman.

Katie, now 7, continues to use a nebulizer twice a day to inhale vaporized salt, called hypertonic saline, which is almost twice as salty as the water in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also sterile, so there are no germs in it.

“Through a process of osmosis,” Jayme wrote in her essay, “the salt water, or the salt in the air at a 7 percent concentration, basically goes into the cells and draws out the mucus from the cells. It’s loose in the Page 18 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

lungs and easier to cough up.”

This allows Katie to sleep and go to school, with little coughing or difficulty breathing. The dark circles under Katie’s exhausted eyes are gone and a well-defined “six-pack” of stomach muscles she built up from coughing is almost gone, too.

“She’s still pretty strong, but it’s not from coughing, just from playing like a kid,” says Jayme, a sophomore at Intech Collegiate High School in North Logan, Utah, who won a $5,000 savings bond and a trip to Disney World for her winning essay.

Jayme and Katie have become salt evangelists of sorts. They tell others about Katie’s dramatic improvement with salt therapy and how their grandfather’s allergies also improved after moving to a house near the salty air of the ocean.

Not only is salt good for you, it tastes good, they say.

“I am a die-hard salt fan,” says Jayme. “So is Katie. In a choice between sweet and salty, it’s salty all the way. We particularly like sea salts. We put it on vegetables because no matter what you do to some vegetables they cannot taste good unless you add a little bit of salt.”

Jayme knows her sister’s body was telling her she needed more salt. Now that she has it, the house is quiet at night, with everyone sleeping peacefully.

“To know she is safe and won’t struggle breathing is a huge relief, almost as if the world is taken off your shoulders,” says Jayme. “She can run around and play at recess because salt gets that mucus out of her lungs. She can be a kid.”

For more information, please visit www.aboutcysticfibrosis.com.

financial security

Dangers Lurk Even for Desk Jobs

A New Supportive Living Community in Mt. Zion

L

ike thousands of others, you might report to work daily and sit at a desk. You face few dangers that lurk in other professions, such as construction. But if you think having a desk job makes you safe from disabling injuries, think again.

There are several job injury concerns for those who work at a desk, including carpal tunnel syndrome or eye, back and neck strain. Lower back pain coupled with joint and repetitive strain injuries represent the leading cause of disability claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Workers with these types of injuries typically miss 34 to 72 days of work.

Everyone needs disability insurance coverage. Disabling injuries happen every nine seconds to workers on the job. At home, disabling injuries occur every four seconds. Can you protect your family financially if you become disabled and cannot earn an income?

Disability income insurance1 provides replacement income if you’re unable to work because of an illness or accident. One in five people will become disabled for a year or more before they reach the age of 65.

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research says most long-term disability occurs due to illness, not on-the-job injuries.

Workers’ compensation covers you only if you get injured, become ill or die because of your job. If your employer offers disability insurance, find out what the policy covers, when benefits become available and how much benefits pay. You may need a supplemental policy to ensure you receive enough money to cover living costs if you become disabled. An individual policy also will cover you if you change jobs.

I offer disability income policies which protect people against loss of earnings due to disability. The policies also help pay living expenses in the event of disability.

To qualify, workers must be between the ages of 18 and 60, and be employed for at least 30 hours per week. Maximum monthly benefits are based upon monthly income. Nonsmokers can qualify for discounts.

Most people know insuring their cars, homes and other valuable possessions is important. Disability insurance provides a source of replacement income if you’re unable to work. Your income should be considered one of your most valuable assets.

Beverly J. Matthews Licensed Clinical Psychologist Tel Cell Fax

If you have questions about disability insurance needs, call Julie Hale-Miller at COUNTRY® Financial, 120 W Walnut St, Chatham, IL 62629, 217-483-4355, julie.halemiller@countryfinancial.com .

Insurance needs change over time. We can complete an insurance and financial review to explore all of your financial security needs.

bmatthewspsyd@att.net www.bmatthewsneuropsych.com

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August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 19

healthy benefits

More Olive Oil in Diet Could Cut Stroke Risk Seniors who preferred the oil had 41% drop in the attacks vs. those who rarely ate it

A

dding olive oil to your diet may reduce your risk of stroke, a new study suggests. Researchers found that older people who used olive oil intensively -- meaning they regularly cooked with it and used it in salad dressing -- were 41 percent less likely to have a stroke than those who rarely consumed it. The lead author of the six-year study, Cecilia Samieri of the University of Bordeaux in France, said why olive oil might help reduce the risk of strokes was unclear. But it might result from people replacing less healthful saturated fats with mono-unsaturated olive oil, she added. “We can’t infer from our study which aspects of olive oil prevent stroke,” Samieri said. But “it may be a substitution effect.” Thus, eating fewer saturated fats improves the health of olive oil users.

Prior research had documented olive oil’s anti-inflammatory benefit, she added.

Properties of the oil itself, including oleic acid or polyphenols, could also hold the secret to the oil’s protective effect, said Samieri, a post-doctoral faculty member in the university’s department of nutritional epidemiology. Polyphenols are antioxidant nutrients that reduce inflammation in the vascular system, according to the study. Oleic acid, a fatty acid, makes up 80 percent of olive oil.

The study is published in the June 15 online edition of Neurology. Stroke, an outcome of poor vascular health, is the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. Strokes result from vascular bleeding or, more frequently, a blockage of blood flow to the brain. Diets high in foods containing saturated fat, such as meat and butter, have been linked to stroke. In the study, researchers looked at how much olive oil 7,625 French people aged 65 years and over routinely used, ranging from none (23 percent) to moderate use in cooking or dressing (40 percent), to intensive use in cooking and dressing (37 percent). The participants primarily used extra-virgin olive oil, and the study controlled for stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure, exercise, smoking and alcohol use.

After nearly six years, 148 strokes occurred. But those who used olive oil the most had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke, compared to those who used none. The overall stroke rate was 1.5 percent for the olive oil users compared to 2.6 percent for the others, according to the report. A second study sample had some contradictory findings, the research noted. Oleic acid was measured in the blood of 1,245 participants. Among that group, 27 strokes occurred, with a 73 percent reduced risk of stroke found in people with higher levels of oleic acid, the study found. But the higher level was also linked to higher consumption of butter and goose or duck fat, which “may explain the unfavorable pattern of risk factors associated with higher plasma oleic acid,” according to the findings. A nutrition expert cautioned that people should not overuse olive oil in an effort to improve health because it is a high-calorie fat.

“The takeaway from the study is that a diet high in olive oil does have a protective benefit, but we need to look further to find out how much is beneficial while still maintaining a low-fat diet,” said Heather Davis, a clinical dietitian at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She said that the American diet is rarely lacking in fat, which is needed for healthy skin and hair, and for processing certain vitamins. “We need to look further to establish an upper limit,” said Davis. While the researchers were unsuccessful in establishing a numerical value for optimal oleic acid, “it’s good that the idea is out there,” she said. She said it is important to continue the research. “We know olive oil is beneficial, but it would be advantageous to be able to determine a protective range in a patient’s blood,” Davis noted.

Funding for the research came from the French government and Lipids for Industry, Safety and Health, an alliance of academia and industry.

To learn more about stroke, visit the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Page 20 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

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August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 21

safety

Fire Safety Facts For People 50-Plus

E

ach year, approximately 1,100 Americans ages 65 and older die as a result of a home fire. Compared to the rest of the U. S. population:

• People between 65 and 74 are nearly TWICE as likely to die in a fire.

• People between 75 and 84 are nearly FOUR times as likely to die in a fire.

• People ages 85 and older are more than FIVE times as likely to die in a fire.

With a few simple steps, older people can dramatically reduce their risk of death and injury from fire. These facts, combined with the knowledge that adults ages 50 and older are entering and caring for this high risk group, inspired the U. S. Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop a national public safety campaign for adults ages 50 and older, their families and caregivers. USFA encourages you to: Prevent Fire – Save Lives For your well-being and others you love: • Practice fire-safe behaviors when smoking, cooking and heating.

• Maintain smoke alarms.

• Develop and practice a fire escape plan, and if possible, install home fire sprinklers.

Smoke Safely Sitting in your favorite chair and having a cigarette after dinner seems to some like a great way to relax – but cigarettes and relaxing can be a deadly mix. Falling asleep while smoking can ignite clothing, rugs and other materials used in upholstered furniture. Using alcohol and medications that make you sleepy compound this hazard. Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths and the second leading cause of injuries among people ages 65 and older.

Cigarettes when not properly extinguished continue to burn. When a resting cigarette is accidentally knocked over, it can smolder for hours before a flare-up occurs. Before you light your next cigarette, remember: • Never smoke in bed.

• Put your cigarette or cigar out at the first sign of feeling drowsy while watching television or reading.

• Use deep ashtrays and put your cigarettes all the way out.

• Don’t walk away from lit cigarettes and other smoking materials.

Cook Safely Many families gather in the kitchen to spend time together, but it can be one of the most hazardous rooms in the house if you don’t practice safe cooking behaviors. Cooking is the third leading cause of fire deaths and the leading cause of injury among people ages 65 and older.

Page 22 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

“Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths and the second leading cause of injuries among people ages 65 and older.”

It’s a recipe for serious injury or even death to wear loose clothing (especially hanging sleeves), walk away from a cooking pot on the stove, or leave flammable materials, such as potholders or paper towels, around the stove. Whether you are cooking the family holiday dinner or a snack for the grandchildren: •N ever leave cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds.

•A lways wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames.

• Never use the range or oven to heat your home.

• Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house.

Heat Your Home Safely During winter months, December, January and February, there are more home fires than any other time of year. Heating devices like space heaters and wood stoves make homes comfortable, but should be used with extra caution. Heating is the second leading cause of fire death and the third leading cause of injury to people ages 65 and older.

Many of these deaths and injuries could be prevented with safe heating practices. So before you grab a good book and cozy up to the fireplace, make sure you do the following: • Keep fire in the fireplace by making sure you have a screen large enough to catch flying sparks and rolling logs.

• Space heaters need space. Keep flammable materials at least three feet away from heaters.

• When buying a space heater, look for a control feature that automatically shuts off the power if the heater falls over.

The “Get Out Alive” Home Fire Safety Steps • Smoke Alarms: Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home, test batteries every month and change them at least once a year.

• Home Fire Escape Plan: Develop and practice a fire escape plan regularly, at least twice a year. Keep exits clear of debris.

• Home Fire Sprinklers: If at all possible, install residential sprinklers in your home.

For more fire prevention information, please contact: Publications Office United States Fire Administration 16825 South Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727 1-800-561-3356 www.usfa.fema.gov/50Plus

grief support

“If I Start Crying Will I Be Able To Stop?

Healthy Cells magazine is pleased to present another in a series of feature articles on the subject of Grief Recovery®. The articles are written

by Russell P. Friedman, Executive Director, and John W. James, Founder, of The Grief Recovery Institute. Russell and John are co-authors of WHEN CHILDREN GRIEVE - For Adults to Help Children Deal with Death, Divorce, Pet Loss, Moving, and Other Losses - Harper Collins, June, 2001 - & THE GRIEF RECOVERY HANDBOOK - The Action Program For Moving Beyond Death, Divorce, and Other Losses [Harper Perrenial, 1998].

The articles combine educational information with answers to commonly asked questions.

T

here are many misconceptions about the pain associated with significant emotional loss. Some relate to the reaction of others, for example: it’s not fair to burden them with my pain, or you have to be strong for others [mom, dad, kids, etc.]. Some relate to how we ourselves think we should be reacting to the loss, for example: I should be over it by now, or I have to keep busy.

One of the most hidden and dangerous fears is that if I ever let myself feel the pain that I sense, I will start crying and never be able to stop. It is precisely this kind of incorrect assumption that can keep us locked into a position of unresolved grief, forever.

And yet, based on what we have been taught in our society, it is a most logical extension of everything we have ever learned.

We were taught from our earliest ages that sad, painful, or negative feelings were to be avoided at all cost, and if we were unable to avoid them, at least, not to show them in public.

Everyone we’ve ever talked to can relate to these comments: “if you’re going to cry, go to your room, and cry alone”; “knock off that crying or I’ll give you a reason to cry”; “smile and the whole world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone.”

Those are just a small sampling of the kinds of remarks that have dictated your reactions to the loss events in your life. In last month’s article we said that many of our survival habits were developed when we were quite young, and that we may be managing adult lives with the limited skills and perceptions of a child.

If you picture a tiny infant, unhappy about something, you will realize that the infant communicates displeasure at the top of its little lungs. If you think about it, you will recall that infants also express

pleasure at the top of their lungs. They make no distinction between happy and sad, in terms of volume or intensity. As children move out of infancy, they are socialized to reduce both the volume and intensity of the expression of their feeling responses to life. This might be somewhat acceptable if both happy and sad were merely muted a little and muted equally. Unfortunately, only the sad side gets severely crimped. The happy, joyful, and positive feelings are allowed to stay, and can even be shared with others. The other half of our normal feeling existence is relegated to isolation, separation, and aloneness.

With all of those beliefs and habits as a backdrop, it is almost entirely logical that we might be terrified to show or express any of the normal and natural painful reactions to losses of any kind. It even makes sense that we might believe that if we started crying we wouldn’t be able to stop. So, if you have been a little hard on yourself for what you could not do, give yourself a break. You may have been executing your programming perfectly.

It may sound a little harsh and inhuman to say that you were programmed, but if you follow the analogy, you might find it helpful in allowing you to change. At the very least, if you can see how well you executed the incorrect things you learned, you will see that you can also execute correct things with great precision.

We have yet to see anyone not be able to stop crying. However, we have seen too many people not begin the process of Grief Recovery ® because of an inordinate fear of any expression of their sad, painful, or negative feelings.

August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 23

the right dose

A Presc for We

By Dr. Tom Rohde, RenewT

I

’ve been writing about various wellness topics in prior Healthy Cells issues, and I hope that you have found them informative and perhaps even helpful. If you’ve been thinking about starting a new lifestyle but you haven’t had the information you need to jump in, I hope to give you some good suggestions to start today.

I’ve written a lot about gut health and I think that’s a great place to start. You have to be able to digest your food and then absorb it to be able to utilize the nutrients to nourish your body. Treat your body like a Ferrari – you would want to put in the best fuel to protect your investment – do the same for yourself. Eliminate sugar. It is proinflammatory in the body and anything that creates inflammation is bad as all things that are destructive in your body have an underlying basis of inflammation. Heart disease, diabetes, lupus, cancer, and others come to mind. In the same way, minimize other simple carbo-

Page 24 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

cription ellness

Total Body Wellness Center

hydrates like potatoes, white rice, and breads as they convert rapidly to glucose in your body raising the inflammation index.

Choose organic vegetables for your seven daily servings and fruits for your two daily servings. Additionally, select hormone free meats when you can – eliminating extra toxins, antibiotics, and growth hormones utilized in commercial foods is well worth the investment.

Drink only purified water – invest in a reverse osmosis system for your drinking water and ice cubes if possible as it eliminates a great majority of the toxins found in your drinking water – including fluoride that interferes with thyroid function. Take a daily probiotic as the bacteria in your gut are vital to digest and absorb food and they also produce antiviral and antibiotic like substances to keep you healthy naturally! Lastly skip the soda – the phosphoric acid in it must be neutralized to avoid damaging your body. To do this your body would need the equivalent of 33 liters of water and since none of us would wash down a 12 oz soda with that volume, it breaks down bone to accomplish the task. This slowly leads to our increasing case load of osteoporosis crippling many in middle age.

Exercise is vital to extended health. You don’t need to train to become a world class athlete. I like walking – it’s easy, safe, and a cheap way to get started, and you can do it anywhere.

If the weather’s bad, walk laps around the chair you would normally occupy to watch your favorite TV show – exercise for an hour and you won’t even miss your show!

If you are overweight or obese as an ever increasing part of our society is, then weight loss is an important health promoter to add to your list of things to do. Gradual loss due to dietary changes mentioned above and increasing your exercise are the best avenue. Often to be successful long term you need to look at your hormones, your adrenal function, and consider evaluating your toxin load as that interferes with metabolism. If those systems are not optimized it will make losing harder, and regaining easier. I can help with those evaluations. Meal replacement with a high quality whey based protein shake is an ideal way to cut calories and provide your body with high quality protein that is good for your gut health as well. When you are choosing a product make sure that the ingredients come from organic milk or you will be adding antibiotic and growth hormone residues to your body which are counterproductive to both weight loss and overall good health. Check out the Isagenix page on my web site for a great whey based weight loss product.

Supplements are an integral part of any wellness program.

No matter how well we choose our organic foods, even the freshest fruits and vegetables don’t have the nutritional quality that they did 100 or even 50 years ago! I suggest that we are all deficient in particular in magnesium and the B vitamins as they are water soluble and are rapidly flushed out of the body. Taking a good multivitamin that has a strong B complex component, or adding in a B complex to your present daily vitamin twice daily to keep your urine a bright yellow color all day long is a good place to start as B vitamins are vital to so many metabolic processes in the body. Similarly magnesium is nature’s muscle relaxant and helps with muscle cramps, headaches, sleep problems, and a variety of other issues. I regularly start a glycinated form that won’t affect the bowels so rapidly one to three times a day for headaches and other muscular complaints. Taking 2-6 caps of magnesium at bedtime by slowly adjusting the dose upward often works wonders for sleep and is almost entirely without side effects.

Vitamin D is a supplement I have been recommending for years but seems to have become popular in the last year and with good reason. We are nearly all deficient in this, especially if we live north of Atlanta, Georgia’s latitude. We need levels at 50 and higher to help manage diabetes, prevent various cancers, and help with the management of lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases as Vitamin D is really structured like an anti-inflammatory steroid hormone! Fish oil is another vital supplement everyone should take regularly. It is also anti-inflammatory and helps with cell wall structure and is wonderful to help manage abnormal lipid levels, in particular triglycerides. Several great anti-inflammatory supplements also come to mind as a nutritional foundation– resveratrol or astaxanthin are a good choice – pick one. As we add years we begin to think of other supplements, saw palmetto for men to help with prostate enlargement, diindolmethane for women to help with estrogen mertabolism, and silymarin for both men and women to help our liver function better in this chemically laden environment we call earth.

I could go on for several more pages about the basic changes to start on your road to wellness, but the space for my article is limited. I would encourage you to start educating yourself, consult my web site (www.DrRohde.com) for more information, and I would certainly welcome your visit to my wellness center for a personal evaluation. Call 217-864-2700 to schedule today!

August 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 25

Page 26 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ August 2011

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