December Springfield Healthy Cells 2011

SPRINGFIELD/DECATUR

area

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

TM

www.healthycellsmagazine.com

Businesses Protect Privacy, and Workers With Disabilities Make it Happen page 14

Easter Seals of Central Illinois is Here to Help page 5 Have Fun While You Improve Your Memory page 18

Managing Holiday Stress page 23

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HealthyCells December 2011

M A G A Z I N E

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You may not understand everything kids say.

But that’s ok. You don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. Because kids in foster care don’t need perfection. They need you. AdoptUsKids.org

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3900 Pintail Drive, Suite A, Springfield, IL, 62711 Phone: 217-726-6956 or Fax: 217-726-7082 advancedhealthcareservices.org December 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 3

D E CEM BER

2011 Volume 2, Issue 11

5

Exceptional Service: Easter Seals of Central Illinois is Here to Help

6

Emotional: Top 5 Ways to Stay Calm and Reduce Stress

8

Nutritional: Food Allergies

10

Physical: Senior Fall Prevention Strategies

12

Hormone Balance: Testosterone Levels Male MANopause

17

Body Health: 7 Key Reasons To Keep Exercising

18

Memory Games: Have Fun While You Improve Your Memory

19

Financial Health: Plan Ahead and Play It Safe

This Month’s Cover Story:

Gone For Good

Businesses Protect Privacy, and Workers With Disabilities Make it Happen 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

20

Assistance: You Must Have Courage To Be Willing To Live Your Dream

21

Grief Recovery: “Exploring The ‘F’ Words”

23

Personal Health: Managing Holiday Stress

24

Prosthetic Care: What to Expect When Facing Limb Loss

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

exceptional service

Easter Seals of Central Illinois is Here to Help

By Teri Moore, Director of Development and Marketing, Easter Seals Central Illinois (Decatur)

D

riving home on a dark and rainy night there is suddenly a deer in the road. You swerve to keep from hitting the deer and instead you hit a tree and flip your car. A mother goes into the hospital to deliver what she thinks will be a healthy baby but the baby is born with Down Syndrome. You wake in the middle of the night and you cannot move your legs and your speech is slurred. You’ve just had a stroke. Your normally verbal two year old child quits communicating and meeting milestones and is diagnosed with autism. This is how quickly a disability can impact the rest of your life. Nationwide, as many as 54 million Americans have a disability. Are you one out of five people in America living with a disability?

Easter Seals provides exceptional services to ensure that all people with disabilities or special needs along with their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities. Providing solutions and answers to overcome the barriers, either physical or otherwise, that people with disabilities face each and every day, Easter Seals changes lives. Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs and their families, live better lives for nearly 90 years.

Located in Decatur, Illinois, we provide services to the counties of Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Dewitt, Douglas, Edgar, Logan, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt and Shelby. Our principal services include: Speech/Language Therapy, Inclusive Child Care Center, Tutoring, Weatherization, Social Skills, Respite Services, Statewide assistance to farmers with disabling conditions (AgrAbility), direct loan of medical equipment to individuals, and Autism services. Programs and services are distinctive to each county.

One special client who looks forward to coming to Easter Seals each week is Ella. Here is what Debbie, her Mother, shared with us: “Ella was diagnosed with Down Syndrome when she was two weeks old. I knew that Ella would be needing many resources to help her reach her full potential. Easter Seals has been a valuable resource in Ella’s life. She receives weekly speech therapy and attends Parents Night Out. Each week Ella counts the days until she can come to Easter Seals and work with her speech therapist, Lori Born. Easter Seals was there for my family and definitely has improved the quality of our lives beyond measure.”

Don has a C6 spinal cord quadriplegic injury from diving into a lake in 1990. Don is from Rock Falls, Illinois and has a small farm with cattle.

AgrAbility first helped Don to get a wheelchair with the proper tires to get around his farm. Then after he lost his previous vehicle to a fire, AgrAbility helped him to get a lift for his pickup truck so he could drive once again. Don stated, “AgrAbility is great and they help people to stay in the agriculture business. If it was not for AgrAbility and the great staff I would not be where I am today.”

Yesterday’s epidemic was polio. This generation’s epidemic is autism, with one out of 110 being diagnosed in the U.S. Autism services at our facility include a Resource Center and a Socialization Camp.

Jacob, a 13-year-old eighth grader who attended the Autism Camp, especially benefitted. “He opened up with the other kids; he’s jabber-

ing. This was my son’s first year in the Easter Seals program. I’ve been trying to get him interested in doing things,” his father said. “During the first week of the camp, I saw him exchanging telephone numbers with the boys. He told me, ‘I want one friend.’ He’s making connections.”

The best news? Living with a disability is easier when you’ve got the right information and resources. People with disabilities go to school, get married, work, have families, do laundry, grocery shop, laugh, cry, pay taxes, get angry, vote, plan and dream like everyone else. Easter Seals Central Illinois is here to help individuals and their families to live as independently as possible.

For more information contact Easter Seals Central Illinois (Decatur) at 217-429-1052, web page at: www.ci-easterseals.org or like our Facebook page at: Easter Seals Central Illinois Decatur.

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

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emotional

Top 5 Ways to Stay Calm and Reduce Stress

By John Halderman

Are you looking for more calm satisfying experience with you daily life?

Do you get frustrated with yourself at the end of the day because you’ve gotten stressed, unfocused or agitated?

Are you tired of getting over emotional and worn out?

Whether you are experiencing one or all of these feelings here are my 5 best tips on reducing the unwanted feelings so that you will feel calm and satisfied with yourself each day.

1

Catch yourself when you exhibit a feeling of behavior that you don’t like and change it.

At first you may not notice the feeling until after you have gone through it, that’s fine.

Just think about your breath.

Try to keep from thinking about anything in particular.

It’s ok to not be actively thinking for a while!

Think about how you would rather have felt.

Think about how you would rather have handled yourself. Decide how you want to do it next time.

As you continue with this process each day you will find that you will notice more easily what you are doing throughout the day.

You will begin to catch yourself earlier and earlier as you do this.

Eventually, you will be seeing yourself while you are doing it, then stop yourself.

3

Watch out for your expectations.

You are setting yourself up for failure, upset and frustration when you set too many standards as to how you think things should be.

Think about what leads you to getting upset.

Why does it upset you?

At some point you will be able to notice before you even begin to feel and react in the undesirable way.

Notice that you decide how many things should be done based on your own outlook and desire.

Here is where you will actually begin to change the way you react to the situations in your life and change your behavior.

The things others do that are not to your liking, even the things you do that don’t match your expectations.

Ask yourself, really how important is it that they be exactly that way?

2

Ask, who am I to insist that they are that way?

Several times a day, step away from what you are doing to get recentered.

Choose which expectations are really important for you to hold on to and which ones are not.

Sit down close your eyes and take several long slow deep breaths while imagining the tension washing slowly out of your body.

Holding on to many expectations just complicates your life, with constant judgment.

Notice your breathing getting slower and calmer.

Simplify your life and reduce the stress!

Stay centered all day by refocusing throughout the day.

Develop the habit of paying attention to your mindset as the day goes on.

Page 6 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ December 2011

Does it matter that much?

Is it worth getting myself worked up about?

4

5

We are all very busy these days with our activities and duties.

This kind of separate thinking leads us to think we are superior to others which leads to judgment then selfish thinking and behavior.

Delegate.

This applies to your personal life as well as at work.

Most of us think of delegating as a workplace skill, but it can apply personally as well.

Trying to fit it all in and get it all accomplished can lead to tension.

For various reasons, many of us have developed the habit of thinking we must do it all ourselves.

Take a look at your situation.

Think about it, really, how important is it that everything must be done perfectly to your standards?

Are you sure there are not other people who can assist you? Are the other people in your life pulling their weight?

Many times we get into habitual ruts that don’t need to be as they are.

Look at what has been, with the eye of reducing the pressure on yourself.

Accept other people as one.

As you think of yourself as different and separate from the rest of mankind, you unknowingly create thinking and behavior that separates you from others.

We are then having an internal battle with others, which brings on fear, competition and comparison, ending in frustration and anxiety.

Look to discovering how to see yourself as one with all of mankind, not as separate.

Focus on what we have in common rather that the relatively small uniqueness.

Author Bio John Halderman is a writer, speaker and trainer, dedicated to helping people with getting real results with their personal development efforts.

He supports strategies, methods, tools and information that actually bridge the gap between information and effective results. Go to www. activepersonaldevelopment.com for free information and newsletter.

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

nutritional

Food Allergies:

Reducing the Risks F

ood allergies can range from merely irritating to life-threatening. Approximately 30,000 Americans go to the emergency room each year to get treated for severe food allergies, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). It is estimated that 150 to 200 Americans die each year because of allergic reactions to food.

Food allergies affect about 2% of adults and 4 to 8 percent of children in the United States, and the number of young people with food allergies has increased over the last decade, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Children with food allergies are more likely to have asthma, eczema, and other types of allergies.

Some food allergies can be outgrown. Studies have shown that the severity of food allergies can change throughout a person’s life.

“There is no cure for food allergies,” says Stefano Luccioli, M.D., senior medical advisor in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Food Additive Safety (OFAS). “The best way for consumers to protect themselves is by avoiding food items that will cause a reaction.” OFAS is part of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).

To reduce the risks from allergic reactions, FDA is working to ensure that major allergenic ingredients in food are accurately labeled in accordance with the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA). Allergenic ingredients are substances that are capable of causing an allergic reaction.

In addition, there has been widespread use of allergen advisory labels on products that may have allergenic ingredients that were introduced by way of cross contact during the manufacturing process.

Cross contact occurs when a residue or other trace amount of an allergenic food is unintentionally incorporated into another food.

Because FALCPA does not require the declaration of allergenic ingredients introduced through cross contact, FDA is developing a long-term strategy that will help manufacturers use voluntary allergen advisory labeling that: • Is not misleading • Conveys a clear and uniform message • Adequately informs food-allergic consumers and their caregivers What is a Food Allergy?

A food allergy is a specific type of adverse food reaction involving the immune system. The body produces what is called an allergic, or immunoglobulin E (IgE), antibody to a food. Once a specific food is ingested and binds with the IgE antibody, an allergic response ensues.

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

A food allergy should not be confused with food intolerance or other non-allergic food reactions. Various epidemiological surveys have indicated that almost 80 percent of people who are asked if they have a food allergy respond that they do when, in fact, they do not have a true IgE-mediated food allergy.

Food intolerance refers to an abnormal response to a food or additive, but it differs from an allergy in that it does not involve the immune system. For example, people who have recurring gastrointestinal problems when they drink milk may say they have a milk allergy. But they really may be lactose intolerant.

“One of the main differences between food allergies and food intolerances is that food allergies can result in an immediate, life-threatening response,” says Luccioli. “Thus, compared to food intolerances, food allergic reactions pose a much greater health risk.”

Signs and Symptoms Symptoms of a food allergy usually develop within about an hour after eating the offending food. The most common signs and symptoms of a food allergy include:

• Hives, itching, or skin rash • Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other parts of the body • Wheezing, nasal congestion, or trouble breathing • Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting • Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting In a severe allergic reaction to food – called anaphylaxis – you may have more extreme versions of the above reactions. Or you may experience life-threatening signs and symptoms such as: • Swelling of the throat and air passages that makes it difficult to breathe • Shock, with a severe drop in blood pressure • Rapid, irregular pulse • Loss of consciousness Major Food Allergens FALCPA, a comprehensive food labeling law, has been in effect since January 1, 2006. Under FALCPA, food labels are required to state clearly whether the food contains a major food allergen.

A major food allergen is defined as one of the following foods or food groups, or is an ingredient that contains protein derived from one of the following foods or food groups: • Milk • Eggs • Peanuts • Tree nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans • Soybeans • Wheat • Fish • Shellfish such as crab, lobster, and shrimp “These foods or food groups account for 90 percent of all food allergies in the United States, and FALCPA focuses on IgE-related food allergies. This law does not protect everyone with a food allergy, but should protect the majority of people who may have severe allergic responses to foods,” according to Luccioli.

More than 160 different foods have been reported to cause allergies; the list of major allergens in the United States is limited to eight foods. “Other countries may have different foods on their lists because food allergies reflect patterns of consumption,” Luccioli says. “For example, in Europe there is a high prevalence of allergies to mustard and celery.”

Advice for Consumers If you have food allergies, you must be prepared for unintentional exposures. To protect yourself, the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recommends that you: • Wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace stating that you have a food allergy and are subject to severe reactions • Carry an auto-injector device containing epinephrine (adrenaline) that you can get by prescription and give to yourself if you think you are experiencing a food allergic reaction • Seek medical help immediately if you experience a food allergic reaction, even if you have already given yourself epinephrine, either by calling 911 or getting transportation to an emergency room For more information, visit Consumer Health Information at www.fda.gov/consumer.

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physical

Senior Fall Prevention Strategies

By Heather Birdsell, COTA/L

T

he consequences of a fall for a senior can be life altering. Injuries resulting from a fall can be very serious, costly and diminish the functional independence of seniors. At worst a fall could lead to death as a result of serious injuries. One of the most common injuries from falling is fractures, especially of the hip. Hip fractures are often significantly debilitating enough that the senior is unable to care for him- or herself without assistance. Many times families are forced to make difficult decisions about how to manage their loved one’s care as they are recovering and look towards placement in a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in order for their loved one to receive the expert care and services necessary for the senior to be able to return home safely and independently.

The best strategy for avoiding the consequences of falls is prevention and awareness. It is important for families to be aware of the risk factors associated with falls in seniors. The most common risk factors to consider include age, illness, history of previous falls, medication use, chronic pain, cognitive impairment, impaired balance, declined lower extremity function, hypotension, urinary incontinence and environmental factors. Typically the older the senior is the more at risk he or she is for experiencing a fall and sustaining serious injuries. Acute

and/or chronic illness and declining health can certainly impact safety awareness and balance. Studies have shown that a fall experienced within the last six months is the single most predictive risk factor for a future fall. Seniors who take more than three or four drugs are at increased risk of recurrent falls. Medications associated with the risk of falls include cortico-steroids, cardiac drugs, psychotropic medications and drugs used to treat chronic pain such as opiod analgesics.

Cognitive decline, sensory impairment (including visual and vestibular), decreased strength and range of motion with physical decline directly affect safety awareness and balance during mobility.

Hypotension is defined as a marked fall in systolic blood pressure that can create a dizzy or light-headed feeling. There are two common types of hypotension: postprandial and orthostatic. Postprandial hypotension is most prevalent in diabetics, often occurring after meal ingestion. Orthostatic hypotension occurs following postural changes such as from supine in bed to sitting at the edge of bed or going from a sitting to standing position. Urge incontinence and nocturia (having to make trips to the bathroom at night) are also highly associated with a high risk for falls. Many of these risk factors are manageable with a combination of awareness and preventative strategies. One of the

I’m so glad I learned about Medicare’s 30-day window We had just gone home from a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, but Mom’s health got worse. I didn’t know what to do, since we’d already used Medicare. Fortunately, I called Heartland.

They told me about Medicare’s 30-day window and helped me understand the benefits I still had available. It meant coverage could be renewed within 30 days of discharge because more care was needed. What a relief!

Call today for your free Medicare 30-day Window Brochure

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

best proactive preventative strategies is assessing the environment and home of the senior for potential fall hazards.

For starters, seniors and their families can survey the senior’s home environment room by room to determine accessible accommodations as well as potential obstacles that could put their loved one at risk for falls. A general rule of thumb is to make sure the paths throughout the home are clear and free of clutter. Eliminate all potential trip hazards especially throw rugs and electrical cords which are notorious tripping hazards. Be sure that all furniture is in stable condition and arranged so that areas are clear. A reacher or “grabber” is a popular tool for seniors to retrieve items off of the floor and other difficult to reach areas.

The bathroom is an especially high risk area. Families should determine if grab bars for toileting and bathing are required to enhance safe transfers while performing self-care activities. A toilet riser may also assist with ease of transfers if the stool is low to the ground. The shower or bathtub should have a non-skid mat to prevent slips. A tub seat or transfer tub bench can be especially helpful to safely perform bathing along with a hand-held shower nozzle and a long-handled bath sponge to bathe difficult to reach body areas. All toiletries should be organized where they are easily accessible to prevent unnecessary reaching, bending or stooping. It is not recommended that medications are stored in the bathroom as the humidity from bathing can diminish potency. Many of these assistive bathing/toileting devices can be acquired at your local hardware, pharmacy and major retail stores.

Their costs are reasonable and significantly less than the medical costs that can be incurred from injuries due to falls.

In the kitchen, again survey for any potential tripping hazards. Move commonly used items for cooking preparation and clean-up within easy reach to eliminate the need for excessive reaching, stooping, bending

and especially the use of step stools! Food should also be organized this way on the countertops, kitchen cabinets and refrigerator. Convenience appliances such as microwaves, toaster ovens and tabletop dishwashers can be extremely helpful and prevent the bending down that is required when using traditional ovens or dishwashing appliances.

In the bedroom check to see if a bed rail is needed. There are adjustable models that slip between the mattress and frame that can be helpful for bed mobility and transfers. A touch lamp by the bed, and night lights are especially helpful in the dark to improve safety when having to use the bathroom rouses a sleepy person. A bedside commode or urinal should be a consideration as a strategy for safer night time toileting. Clothes should be arranged according to season. It’s certainly helpful that closets and drawers are organized and access is easy to obtain clothing items and shoes appropriate to the weather and seasons. Clothing and shoes should be looked at for fit, condition and ease of dressing/undressing. Adaptive dressing aides are affordable and available to help assist a senior as needed to donn and doff lower body and upper body clothing, including shoes as well as to manage their fasteners. Some of the more popular items used are reachers, sock/stocking aides, dressing sticks, long shoe horns and buttonhooks. Many of these items can be found online, in catalogs, at some drug or retail stores and home health medical equipment suppliers at affordable and reasonable prices.

The living room area should be looked over for tripping hazards in a variety of forms including again electrical cords, furniture use and arrangement as well as throw rugs and/or type of carpeting. The shaggier the style of carpeting, the more alert and aware the senior needs to be of the potential for loss of balance and falls. Commonly used chairs or sofas should be easy to get out of as well as into. Electrical lift recliner chairs with attached and easy to use remotes are becoming popular amongst seniors. Families and seniors should just be aware of the correct and safe operation of these chairs. Use of remote control devices for entertainment devices and appliances is recommended.

If there are stairs within and outside the home, securely attached rails are very strongly recommended to negotiate going up and down them safely. Installing ramps or mechanical lifts may be an option as needed depending on the senior’s mobility status. Determine with your loved one and his or her health care professionals if the use of assistive walking devices, wheelchairs or motorized chairs are needed to safely ambulate throughout the home and community. There are numerous options to consider and customized individually depending on the senior’s physical/medical condition, lifestyle and cognitive ability to use these devices safely and effectively to maintain independent functional mobility.

With inclement weather such as rain, wind, snow, ice or excessive heat it is recommended that families, neighbors and friends stay connected with seniors. Check that they are staying comfortably safe and assist them as needed for outdoor maintenance, chores and errands.

Life alert systems and cellular phones are popular and modern ways for seniors to stay connected and reach out when help or medical assistance is called for. Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are extremely valuable devices for ensuring safety in any home! Regularly check the batteries of these devices and test their operation according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. In summary, the most important thing to prevent falls and general home safety is to become aware of potential risks and reduce the threat of these risks as possible and when necessary for the continued health and safety of your senior loved ones. By doing so together you can positively contribute to his or her continued independence and well-being.

Heather Birdsell, COTA/L, is the Facility Rehabilitation Director at Jacksonville Skilled Nursing and Rehab

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

hormone balance

Testosterone Levels

Male MANopause

By Dr. Tom Rohde, Renew Total Body Wellness Center

A

s discussed in last month’s article, hormones decline as we age and it becomes increasingly important for both men and women to keep their hormones balanced to protect against fatigue, loss of muscle strength, mood swings, disease, obesity and to enjoy an overall healthier sense of well being. Testosterone is one of our sex hormones and is produced in both men and women.

Symptoms of low T manifest in a number of ways including physical, emotional, psychological and behavioral changes. Men frequently notice male andropause (MANopause) symptoms as a gradual loss of energy, muscle, mental focus, stamina and libido. Although a decline in hormone levels will occur in virtually all men with age, there is no way of predicting whose symptoms will reach the severity of seeking medical help. The only way to know is to test. As I have said many times before – IF YOU’RE NOT TESTING – YOU’RE GUESSING! How to Fix it First you need to measure the Testosterone levels (free T level) along with several other hormones to figure out what’s going on. These would include DHEA, Estradiol, Di-hydrotestosterone, FSH, and LH levels, and if doing blood testing a sex hormone binding globulin. Next you need to correct sleep problems as lack of sleep reduces T levels. A sleep study may be indicated. Exercise raises T levels so a regular cardiac workout 3-5 days per week helps elevate T levels. Dietary change and weight loss are vital – low carbohydrate with moderate amounts of healthy oils and an adequate protein intake are the best choice – this is the Mediterranean diet. All of these steps will frequently raise T levels back into the normal range.

When retesting reveals T below desired levels or clinical symptoms persist after the above lifestyle changes, then T replacement should be considered as the next step. Many choices exist including Topical

gels or patches in prescription form or compounded creams, injectable, or implantable pellets once a steady daily dose has been determined. These are individualized as no one dose will fit every person.

Levels must be retested at regular intervals to keep levels in a safe physiologic range.

Worries About Testosterone Replacement Many people still worry that Testosterone causes prostate cancer. I disagree. A normal T level keeps us healthy – it’s all about BALANCE! God would not have equipped us with a hormone that would lead to bad outcomes. Furthermore, if elevated T levels lead to prostate cancer, why don’t male teenagers get prostate cancer?

Sounds simplistic, but it isn’t. Prostate cancer is caused by many factors including: • We are exposed to toxins as we live, many of which function as estrogenic growth compounds in our bodies.

• We have too much stress in our lives and we don’t get enough sleep which affects our immune systems proper function.

• We have low vitamin D levels that would protect us from inflammation.

• W e eat too many carbohydrates and put on weight. This fat serves as an estrogen source. Unbalanced estrogen functions as a tissue growth hormone in our bodies making cells grow.

Think miracle grow for your lawn – it makes the grass green but the dandelions also grow, as do prostate cancer cells should they be present.

European literature supports a healthy male testosterone level offsetting an elevated estrogen level – the way we were when we were young – higher T like a teenager and a lower Estrogen level. There are many more possible causes too numerous to list.

There are some things that do need to be monitored as T replacement can lead to: • Hair loss if the levels convert to too much Dihydrotestosterone.

• Testicular atrophy as we shut down our own production if levels get too high.

• Male breast growth or gynecomastia if we convert too much T to Estrogen via aromatization.

• An elevated blood count if levels get too high.

The bottom line is that we need to monitor levels regularly and keep them in safe physiologic ranges so we can enjoy the health giving benefits of a normal testosterone level. If you’re not testing – you’re guessing!

Dr. Rohde is available to help you Look, Feel, and Be Your Best.

You may reach him at 217-864-2700, or check his web site at www.

DrRohde.com.

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

One More Reason to Choose CPO Robin M. McRae, CP, LP Robin McRae brings a well-rounded education and professional background to Team CPO. She is an ABC certified and licensed prosthetist with her Master’s of Education in Sports Management, her Bachelor’s in Sports Studies and a minor in Health.

Robin’s patient care philosophy is driven by her holistic approach and overall function and comfort of her patients, which helps her excel in what she does.

Robin is especially well suited to support athletes, children and other active individuals who have experienced limb loss. Her clinical interests include adult and pediatric upper and lower extremity prosthetics.

Comprehensive Prosthetics & Orthotics is committed to restoring mobility and quality of life for patients of all ages, with a full range of orthotic and prosthetic services and an on-site fabrication laboratory.

www.cpousa.com

Call today to schedule your appointment at

1.888.676.2276

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

feature story

GONE

FOR

GOOD

Businesses Protect Privacy, And Workers With Disabilities Make It Happen

By Alan Scherer

I

n 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This law and others that affect the disposition of documents containing personal information make it necessary for medical practices and others who gather the information to protect it while they have it, and to destroy it completely when they are done with it. It is not enough to throw old documents into the garbage, because identity thieves (as well as investigators, scavengers, journalists, and others) can retrieve it from there.

Page 14 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ December 2011

Now there are trustworthy firms which will dispose of sensitive documents in a way that guarantees no one can obtain the information.

“Gone For Good” collects documents bearing sensitive information and not only renders the information uncollectible but also recycles the paper and other media back into useful markets.

Gone For Good (GFG) is a secure document destruction service and a wholly owned subsidiary of United Cerebral Palsy, an organization whose mission is to advance the independence, productivity and

full citizenship of people with disabilities.

GFG also has a mission: To guarantee document security while employing individuals with disabilities to do much of the work.

The vision of United Cerebral Palsy to connect workers to their communities through meaningful employment, and to secure funding sources to replace diminishing government support, has resulted in the creation of a business— Gone For Good—that accomplishes both, while serving the security needs of health care and other businesses that must destroy personal records in compliance with privacy laws.

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) and Gone For Good (GFG) United Cerebral Palsy Land of Lincoln serves children and adults with all different types of disabilities in central Illinois. Several years ago the state began to be more (and more!) financially hard pressed, falling behind, then farther behind, in paying its bills, including to those vendors who provided goods to UCP. Some programs that had been supported were also cut entirely. UCP, seeing the handwriting on the wall, brainstormed how to accomplish the mission without relying so much on the state. UCP decided to seek new sources of revenue by providing business services that also contributed to its mission to connect people with disabilities to their communities. First, about five years ago, UCP created “White Glove Professionals,” a commercial janitorial cleaning service which primarily employs people with disabilities. White Glove Professionals has federal government, state agency, and commercial customers. Then about two years ago, Gone For Good was created.

The Reasons for Gone For Good Any establishment that discards private data without destroying it exposes itself to the risk of criminal and civil prosecution, as well as the costly loss of business. This fact creates a need for secure handling and destruction of all kinds of media (paper, film, computer storage, etc.) that bear information. With that need in mind, GFG began business in July 2009. It is now a AAA-certified document destruction company (certified by NAID, the National Association for Information Destruction). The certification shows that GFG meets or exceeds all standards established by NAID. Thus, medical practices’ needs for secure destruction of documents containing personal health information, as designated by HIPAA laws, will be met by GFG. The GFG service area is a 90-mile radius around Springfield. That includes Galesburg, St. Louis, Quincy, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, Effingham, and everything in between. Thirteen IRS offices in central Illinois were the first customers of the business; new accounts are now being added monthly.

Clients Gone For Good is the only “AAA—certified” secure document destruction service in central Illinois with a mission to employ individuals with disabilities. United Cerebral Palsy hires and trains persons with a variety of significant disabilities to work at GFG.

The individuals with disabilities work alongside a UCP “job coach” (the job coach and the service rep driver are the only workers without disabilities). Currently there is one coach working with the thirteen workers with disabilities. Both clients (GFG employees) and the coach (UCP employee) have a background check, to ascertain that they are worthy of the trust of disposing of secure documents.

All clients work on what is known as the “commingling” line. Training depends on the worker’s needs. GFG has received national recognition

by NISH (formerly National Industries for the Severely Handicapped) for its program and its determination to employ workers with disabilities.

The Work GFG places secure containers (locked at all times) in appropriate locations in a customer institution’s offices (e.g., a doctor’s office, a bank, a school). The customers’ employees place items for destruction into the containers through slits just wide enough to accommodate insertion of about thirty sheets of paper at a time. Paper clips, CD’s, and even thumb drives are among the items that sometimes make their way into the containers, in addition to sensitive paper.

At regular intervals, a GFG customer service representative arrives in a GFG truck to cart away the locked containers. They are taken to the GFG location on Groth Street in Springfield, Illinois. There, on the commingling line, the employees remove “contaminants” (items not of white paper), e.g., pink paper, metal clips, microfilm, CDs, X-ray film, etc., some of which are also confidential. They too are recycled, AFTER all personal health information or other sensitive information is removed and destroyed.

The term “commingling line” indicates that in addition to the separation of different colors and materials, there is also the mingling or mixing of sensitive items from different establishments before shredding. This makes it much harder to reassemble a document, even futile, because a hypothetical identity thief would have a harder time finding two slices in a row to put back together. Most document destruction companies shred the paper, but GFG’s practice of commingling gives it a competitive edge.

December 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 15

feature story

(continued)

Once the paper is shredded, it is formed into bales of about 1250 pounds each and loaded onto a semi trailer by the job coach, who is rated to use a fork truck. When the fifty-three foot trailer has been loaded with about thirty bales of white paper, it is hauled to the mill, where it is sold. As still further protection, the bales of shredded paper can’t be sold outside the United States.

The bales of shredded paper produced by GFG are considered high-quality white, which commands a higher price from millers of recycled paper than do bales from document destruction companies which do not remove many contaminants, such as colored paper, metal, microfilm,

etc. The other materials (colored paper, metal, film) are also taken to recycling facilities to be returned to useful raw materials markets.

“Jill” the worker The workers at GFG possess a strong work ethic. A disability can be challenging, but with training and support, they can be successful participants of the community.

Jill is a 22-year-old worker with a significant disability who lives with her parents. She has had hotel work experience and has worked at an animal hospital. GFG hired Jill in December 2009 because of her strong work ethic. She works part-time on the commingling line. A job coach works with Jill and provides support to her when necessary.

GFG has high expectations of all its employees. UCP staff helped Jill to learn the bus route to GFG and she takes the city bus to work every day and has become more independent. She has developed good relationships with her fellow co-workers and has become more involved in her community since she has been employed at GFG. When asked about GFG, she says, “I love it here, and they like me.”

Conclusion Thanks to a new vision for funding on the part of UCP, Gone For Good has arisen as a AAA-certified competitor in the secure-document destruction business, serving customers who, due to HIPAA and other privacy laws, must protect their patients’, customers’, and patrons’ personal and proprietary information. GFG provides employment opportunities for workers with disabilities. It is a very constructive combination of supply and demand, of need meeting need.

Please call Gone for Good at 217-753-0414 for more information regarding document destruction services for your business or organization.

Page 16 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ December 2011

body health

7 Key Reasons To Keep Exercising

By Mike Stapenhurst

I

f you still have problems making up your mind about exercising, here are seven good reasons why you shouldn’t delay any longer.

1. You’ll Live Longer People who exercise regularly can expect to live longer. In fact, people who get a good workout almost daily can add nearly four years to their life spans, according to several studies.

2. You’ll Look Younger Studies have shown that regular exercise, both aerobic and strength training, will help you look and feel younger. Another study of seniors who exercised regularly showed that their genetic profile was more like that of young people than old people.

3. Exercise helps you burn fat It is common knowledge that exercise can help you lose weight. The golden rule is that you need to burn more calories than you consume by eating in order to become slimmer. You burn more calories when you exercise than when you don’t, so the solution to your weight problem is to exercise regularly.

4. Exercise can prevent diseases Exercise can prevent you from becoming a victim to several diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart problems and strokes. Not only are some diseases improved by exercise, but some are even healed.

Regular exercise can help decrease your HDL cholesterol level, triglyceride levels and your blood pressure, thus significantly lowering your risk of having a stroke or heart attack. The risk of prostate cancer for men, of breast and uterine cancer for women, and several other risks of diseases can definitely be reduced by exercising regularly.

5. Exercise boosts self-confidence You’ll usually feel better about yourself after a workout. Because your body will be more fit and toned, you’ll feel better about yourself, including the way you look. With your newfound confidence, you’ll be encouraged to meet new people and socialize more often. Exercise has also been found to improve sexual drive.

6. Exercise can improve your mood Endorphins are released with a stronger intensity in the human body during a period of regular exercising. These chemicals have the ability to counteract depression and induce a sense of happiness. Endorphins are released only minutes after you begin a workout.

7. Exercise helps overcome problems Exercise will help you become familiar with the whole idea of conquering obstacles and achieving goals. No matter what your goal is, you will know that you can reach it by working hard.

Now that you’ve read all the great things that exercising regularly can do for you, do you still have any more second thoughts about working out? You can go to a gym or you can exercise at home. There are numerous ways to exercise so go with the ones that appeal to you.

Even if you devote just a fraction of your time each day to exercising, you stand to gain a lot in the long run.

Mike Stapenhurst is a long-time fitness enthusiast, runner and walker. He is co-author of the book “Marathon Training Tips”. Mike is also the developer of customized training logbooks for athletes at http://www.personallogs.com He maintains a website “26.2” about marathon information and training at http://www.marathon.ipcor.com and is a contributing author to the Get In Shape website ( http://www. getinshape.ipcor.com ).

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

memory games

Have Fun While You

Improve Your Memory Card Games Can Help Exercise Your Memory

H

ave you ever looked up a phone number and repeated it over and over to yourself until you dialled it correctly? This draws on your working memory; however, just moments after dialling the telephone number, chances are you have forgotten it.

This is because the telephone number was not “committed” to your long-term memory. And, while working memory is reliable for quick recall of bits of information (like phone numbers), it can hold only a few pieces of information and only for a very short time.

To remember things for a longer amount of time, you must connect the new information with information you already have, “committing” it to your long-term memory, which stores more information and, for a longer period of time.

There are, of course, many ‘serious’ techniques for improving your memory. (And you can find many in Mind Tools memory techniques section.) But you can also have a bit of fun “working out” with memory games. This article introduces several games to workout your memory, individually or in a team.

“To remember things for a longer amount of time, you must connect the new information with information you already have.”

Story Telling One way to remember the information you need to commit to longterm memory is to make up a story that “connects” the items or facts you need to remember, thus making them easier to recall. The idea here is that it’s easier to remember more information when one fact or item connects to another.

While making up the story, create a strong mental image of what’s happening. This helps to “connect” the data to an image and better cement it in your long-term memory.

For an example, read an article on story telling technique.

It’s fun to practice using this technique in a group. Practice by laying out 20 or more objects on the table and trying to remember them.

Each member of the group takes his or her turn to add to the story by including another object.

If the first three objects are an apple, a key and a mobile phone, here’s how the story might start: Person 1: In the orchard, ripe apples were falling from the trees.

Person 2: But the gate to the orchard was locked and John had brought the wrong key.

Person 3: So he called Sue from his mobile phone to see if she could help.

Page 18 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ December 2011

Once all the objects have been included in the story, remove them all from the room. See who can remember the most items. Now tell the story again as a group, taking it in turns. The group will probably be able to remember the whole story and so recall all the items.

Pexeso: Matching Pairs Pexeso involves matching pairs of like cards or tiles from a large group, when one of each group is hidden.

You play Pexeso with a set of cards or tiles that includes pairs of picture or numbers. You can play using half a pack of standard playing cards – just remove 2 of the 4 suits, so you have just 2 aces, 2 kings, 2 queens and so on.

Start by laying out 24 of the cards, making sure the 24 cards consists of 12 matched pairs. Once face down, move the cards around so that you do not know where any single card is located.

Turn one card over at a time, take a look at the number or object, and then turn it face down again. Repeat this process until you turn over a card that matches a card you turned over earlier. Now find the card’s ‘mate’ by remembering from earlier where it is located. As you find a matched pair, remove them from the group. The number of cards dwindles until all the pairs are matched.

Time yourself and see how you improve (get faster) each time you play.

As you get better, increase the number of cards you start with, moving from the original 24 to 30, then to 36, 42 and so on.

‘Blind’ Jigsaw Puzzles Another fun and inexpensive way to give your concentration and memory a boost is the good old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle. Playing it ‘blind’ means without referring back to the picture on the box!

First, look at a picture of the completed puzzle. Give yourself a few minutes to commit it to memory.

Next, mix up the pieces to the jigsaw puzzle. Now, work to put it back together without looking at the picture of the completed puzzle again (until you are done).

Trivia Quizzes A great way to improve how well you recall information is to play trivia quizzes. The trivia can be about anything – movies, history, even about your specific business.

While you can easily purchase trivia quiz board games and books, you can also make up your own questions when you are playing in a group.

Each person submits a list of questions (and answers!) and then the ‘quiz master’ takes questions from each person’s list in turn.

When you play with a new set of trivia questions, you rely on your recall of prior knowledge and experience to find the answers. If you play with the same questions in a few days or weeks later, you will also rely on memory of playing the game last time. Both new questions and re-runs are good for building you memory skills.

financial health

Plan Ahead and Play It Safe Submitted by HCR ManorCare

S

o you or a loved one has been discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility after receiving Medicare benefits. You may have even been told that you’re no longer eligible for Medicare coverage. But did you know that if your condition worsens during 30 days after discharge or loss of eligibility you may be reinstated for Medicare coverage? And you may be able to move in or move back to a skilled nursing facility?

Medicare’s “30-Day Window” can be confusing. Many patients are eligible for Medicare funding. This explains the specifics of the 30-Day rule to help you know your options and plan ahead for maximizing your Medicare benefits.

When do Medicare benefits apply?

A patient can continue care from a quality staff, recover in comfort and security and receive Medicare benefits under most circumstances if: • The person has been in the hospital for three consecutive days, not counting the day of discharge • The person is transferred to a nursing center for further care of the condition that was treated in the hospital, or other conditions requiring skilled nursing or rehabilitative services • A physician certifies the patient requires skilled or rehabilitative care after the hospital stay

• All meals, including special diets • Rehabilitation services including physical, occupational and speech therapy • Nursing care • Medications prescribed by a physician • Medical supplies • Use of items such as braces, splints and adaptive equipment Patients must be evaluated for eligibility.

Physicians and/or the skilled nursing facility staff must evaluate patients to determine their eligibility for the Medicare 30-Day Window of coverage.

Once a week for 30 days, HCR ManorCare staff evaluates the condition of our discharged patients and residents cut from Medicare to assess eligibility. *A stay beyond midnight is considered an overnight stay

For more information about HCR ManorCare go to www.hcr-manorcare.com.

If a patient is cut from Medicare, a 30-Day window exists where coverage may be reinstated.

Who may be eligible for the 30-Day Window of Medicare coverage?

• Patients discharged from the hospital after three consecutive overnight stays,* and his or her condition worsens within 30 days, Medicare may cover admitting the patient to a skilled nursing facility.

• Patients discharged from a skilled nursing facility. If a patient goes home from a skilled nursing facility, and his or her condition worsens within 30 days, Medicare may cover re-admitting the patient to a skilled nursing facility.

• Patients cut from Medicare at a skilled nursing facility. If a patient is staying at a skilled nursing facility and is no longer eligible for Medicare coverage – then has a significant change in his or her condition – the patient may qualify to be reinstated to Medicare.

What does Medicare coverage pay at a skilled nursing facility?

If the Medicare 30-Day Window allows or reinstates coverage at a skilled nursing facility, the cost benefit is as follows: Length of Stay

You Pay

Medicare Pays

First 20 days

0*

100%

Next 80 days of continu- $141.50 a day (2011) ous post-hospital care $144.50 a day (2012) What services can be covered by Medicare?

Medicare can help pay for these services: • Semi-private room December 2011 — Springfield / Decatur — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 19

assistance

You Must Have Courage To

Be Willing To Live Your Dream Submitted by the Department of Rehabilitation Services

F

or many of us the weekends are a time for rest and relaxation; but for Donna Adams and her family, it’s literally a celebration! Donna is the owner of a wedding and party planning business which specializes in creating themed weddings. Working out of her home allows Donna to be close to her family and they, in turn, have helped make her business a success.

Donna’s husband, who is skilled at carpentry, designs and build sets, backgrounds and props. Her immediate and extended family assist her in setting up the table arrangements and other specialty items for weddings and parties. This family support, coupled with the flexibility of working from home, allows Donna to have assistance on days when her Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis make it difficult for her to complete certain tasks.

Donna had always been employed in careers where she had demonstrated the ability to be creative and help others. She started out working in restaurants and bartending. From there she worked as an Activities Associate with Alzheimer patients and then as a Certified Nursing Assistant. In 1997 she began having significant back pain and fatigue. As a result she was not able to continue working and didn’t know what her future held.

In 2009, Donna visited the Division of Rehabilitation and began working with Vocational Counselor, Lynn Trovillion, in the Bloomington Field Office. As the counseling relationship developed it was identified that Donna had participated in many activities through work and hobbies that were creative. One of those activities was helping to plan weddings, a hobby that Donna watched her mother do when she was younger. With the assistance and support from Lynn, Donna successfully completed all required course work to receive her certification as a wedding planner and obtain her food sanitation certificate.

Lynn also referred Donna to SCORE (Counselors for America’s Small Businesses). Through SCORE, Donna was able to connect with some other, more experienced wedding planners, develop a detailed business plan, and connect with a small business operator who gave her space and supplies in a craft store. Together, DRS and SCORE helped Donna design business cards, an eye catching portfolio, learn successful advertising methods and get some needed business manPage 20 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Springfield / Decatur — ­ December 2011

agement software. Soon after, Special Moments Wedding & Party Planning was opened for business.

Donna knows that without the support of DRS and the continued support and assistance from her family, she would not be able to live her dream. She has completed several weddings already and has had a steady stream of referrals. She loves what she does, especially building a relationship with the bride and groom as she helps them to plan their special day. She feels that she is able to assist the happy couple with designing around their idea of the perfect day and to keep the event within a budget they can afford.

Donna is hopeful that someday she can expand her wedding and party planning business. Donna is thankful for the support, guidance and encouragement that she has received from DRS and her family.

Donna states, “You must have courage to be willing to live your dream; age does not matter. Keep trying and become good at self-advocacy.

I recommend the services that DRS offers to anyone!”

If you or someone you know has a disability and is having trouble finding or keeping a job, or is interested in furthering their career goals we can help. To learn more, call 1-877-761-9780 Voice, 1-866-2642149 TTY, 1-866-588-0401 VP, or go to our website at drs.illinois.gov/ success. Please see our ad on page 31

grief recovery

“Exploring The ‘F’ Words” #1 Forgiveness Healthy Cells magazine is pleased to present the eighth 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

his column is the first of a trilogy in which we will probe some of the myths and mis-information about three words that are very important in the process of Grief Recovery®. The words are FORGIVENESS, FEAR, and FAMILIARITY. Forgiveness is the subject of this month’s column.

It is almost a pleasure to write about forgiveness rather than talking about it. There is no subject that provokes more argument, more rigidity, or more pain than the idea of forgiveness. In fact, if forgiveness were not such an important stepping stone to successful Grief Recovery®, we would not bring it up at all. Forgiveness is one of the least understood concepts in the world, and is especially problematic in English speaking countries. Most people seem to convert the word forgive into the word condone. The definitions in our Webster’s Dictionary illustrate the problem.

FORGIVE.... to cease to feel resentment against [an offender].

CONDONE.... to pardon or overlook voluntarily; esp: to treat as if trivial, harmless, or of no importance.

If we believe the two words to be synonymous, it would be virtually impossible to forgive. The implication that we might trivialize a horrible event is clearly unacceptable. However, if we used the top definition of forgive we would be on the right track.

For example, a griever might harbor a tremendous amount of resentment against the person who murdered his/her child. That resentment might create and consume a lot of energy which in turn might mask the pain and sadness about the death of the child. As long as the griever stays focused on the murderer they may find it impossible to grieve and complete their relationship with the child who died. The resentment, or lack of forgiveness of the murderer gives more importance and energy to the murderer than to the child. Successful recovery from the pain caused by loss requires that we focus our energy on completing our relationship with our loved one who died. By not forgiving the murderer we almost guarantee staying incomplete with the child.

Grief is the normal and natural emotional response to loss. It is essential to correctly identify the loss — the death of the child — so the actions of completion can begin. The example about the murderer and the child can be applied to the perpetrator and the victim of any kind of event.

If the death of a loved one was a suicide, you might need to forgive them for taking their own life, so that you could then complete what was emotionally incomplete for you when they died.

Forgiveness is not our objective. Forgiveness is one of the tools we may need to employ in order to complete the relationship that ended or

changed, due to death or divorce or other life circumstance. The subject of forgiveness is massive and carries with it many, many beliefs, passed on from generation to generation. We offer this column and the following questions and answers to help you determine if the definitions that were taught to you are helpful to you or if they need some updating.

QUESTION: What if I have built up a resistance to the word forgive, is there any other way of approaching the issue?

ANSWER: We recently helped someone who couldn’t even say forgive. She called it the “F” word, which inspired this column. We gave her the following phrase: I acknowledge the things that you did that hurt me, and I am not going to let them hurt me anymore.

“Grief is the normal and natural emotional response to loss. It is essential to correctly identify the loss so the actions of completion can begin.”

QUESTION: Is it appropriate to forgive people in person?

ANSWER: An unsolicited forgiveness will almost always be perceived as an attack, therefore it is almost always inadvisable. It will usually provoke a new issue that will create even more incompleteness. The person being forgiven need never know that it has happened.

Next Month: “Exploring The ‘F’ Words” — #2 — Fear For information about programs and services, write to The Grief Recovery Institute, P.O. Box 6061-382 Sherman Oaks, CA 91413.

Call 818-907-9600 or Fax: 818-907-9329. Please visit our website at: www.grief-recovery.com.

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

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

personal health

Managing Holiday Stress Darren Love, Psy.D., Psychology Specialists

T

he holidays are supposed to be a time for joy, happiness, family and friends. In reality, it often becomes a stressful time with all of the hustle and bustle of preparation. In an effort to be the perfect parent, spouse, or family member, we often tend to overextend ourselves by attending parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, and entertaining on top of doing the normal activities of working full-time, cooking, and caring for our children. Feeling overextended may cause us to dread the holidays instead of looking forward to them. Too much stress at any time can cause physical problems (headaches, back pain, stomachaches, and sleep issues) and psychological problems (depression, anxiety or increased substance use). Stress during the holidays can cause us to have less tolerance for those around us, especially our children, which can take away from the sheer joy and happiness of the holidays.

Although stress may be impossible to remove completely from one’s life, there are ways to effectively manage it, and decrease its effects.

Stay Organized The majority of the stress that people feel around the holidays is due to feeling overwhelmed and feeling as though we do not have enough time to accomplish what we want or need to get done. Start early! The holidays occur at the same time each year so start preparing for them earlier in the year. Make sure that you have enough time to complete the tasks that you need to with some time to spare. Try not to wait until the last minute to do things such as purchasing gifts or getting food for the holiday dinner. Try to make a list of items that you will need to purchase before or at the beginning of the holiday season and then purchase them.

Take Care of Yourself The holiday season becomes even more chaotic if you start to become sick or run-down. The holiday season is usually filled with foods that are higher in fat, sugar, and calorie content, which tends to make people more tired, sluggish or even sick. Avoiding the temptations of these foods may not be feasible, but the goal is to enjoy these foods in moderation, as well as adding in healthier options to meals you choose for yourself and others. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep, exercising daily, and finding time for relaxation can help prevent stress and maintain enough energy to continue with the holiday season.

Learn to Say No! Often, people have a hard time setting boundaries during the holiday season. You need to know that it is okay to decline an invitation or request. Remember to take on only what you know you can handle. Save time to breathe and relax. This is a particularly important lesson for parents who want to provide everything for their children. Remember, making them happy at the expense of your emotional, physical or financial well-being does not help anybody in the long run. Remember the spirit of the holidays, and try to model your actions accordingly. Spending time with family, friends or volunteering is an excellent way to do this.

Be Realistic The holidays do not have to be perfect or better than last year. Every year families tend to change and grow, as do our family traditions. Look at your traditions and determine which ones you want to keep, while being open to creating new traditions and rituals or letting go of some that add stress.

Acknowledge Your Feelings If you have lost someone close to you, or you cannot be with your loved ones, you need to understand that what you are feeling is a normal emotion and it is appropriate to experience sadness and grief. Let yourself cry or express your emotions. Remember that you cannot force yourself to be happy just because it is the holidays. Do, however, try to find positive ways to remember loved ones during these times. It is also important to avoid isolation, so try and stay involved with others.

Ask For Help Unless you were involved in some wild research and cloned yourself, you cannot be everywhere at every moment. The best way to obtain some relief is to ask others for help or delegate responsibilities to others. You do not have to make the holiday dinner by yourself, it is okay, in fact it is healthy, to ask for assistance. Try and get your children and other family members involved in the process of cooking, buying gifts and decorating.

Psychology Specialists is a group of doctors and counselors with a broad range of specialties who help people with all types of physical and emotional pain. For more information, contact Psychology Specialists at 888-706-3190 or visit www.psychologyspecialists.com.

You need a tangible plan for today and tomorrow No matter where you’re starting from, we will provide a tangible plan to help you protect what you have today and plan for the future.

Listen to Cool 101.9 and compete for the “Giving Hearts” award! We’re working with the Central Illinois Community Blood Center to track the businesses whose employees give the most blood throughout the month. Help make YOUR business a winner!

Julie Hale Miller Tom Hale Chatham

217-483-4355

0611-561HO

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

prosthetic care

What to Expect When Facing Limb Loss

By Robin McRae, CP, LP, Comprehensive Prosthetics and Orthotics

A

ccording to the National Limb Loss Information Center, in the United States there are approximately 1.7 million people living with limb loss. It is estimated that one out of every 200 people in the U.S. has had an amputation. The most common reasons for amputation are vascular complications (mainly diabetes), cancer and trauma. Regardless of the reason for an amputation, every individual’s personal experience of limb loss is unique; many amputees have successfully overcome the loss or absence of a limb and regained function and a positive outlook.

When faced with amputation there are many questions and concerns that go through one’s mind. The more information a person has prior to surgery the better the outcome can be. There will be many questions along the way as one prepares for amputation and the best course to take is to communicate with those who will be a part of the rehabilitation team. A physician, physical therapist, occupational therapist and prosthetist are those who will help an individual become a successful wearer of a prosthetic device but it is ultimately up to the individual to take charge of his/her care and their life as an amputee.

Once surgery has been completed there are several methods of post-operative care a surgeon may use, depending mostly on current health status, condition of the residual limb and the potential one has to become a prosthetic candidate. After the initial surgical dressing is removed, a person may receive a device that is intended to control edema, protect the limb, provide a way of early gait-training during therapy; or a combination of all three.

Rehabilitation begins soon after surgery. Physical therapy begins in the hospital and usually continues once discharged home. Once a person has been fit with their first prosthesis, usually 6-8 weeks after surgery, depending on the individual; therapy is then continued in an out-patient therapy setting.

When the physician has given clearance to begin the process of obtaining a prosthesis, the prosthetist will take a cast or scan of the residual limb. This will provide him/her with a model to make the prosthesis. Prior to this appointment he/she will have assessed the individual needs and goals of the amputee. This includes but is not limited to the current or expected activity level of the amputee, weight, occupation or leisure activities, current health status, and the condition of the residual limb. This information is extremely important when determining the components and which type of prosthetic device is most suitable.

A clear plastic diagnostic socket is made from the model; this is used for the initial fitting. The diagnostic socket allows the prosthetist to make changes to the fit of the prosthesis or to change the alignment as the amputee begins to walk in therapy. Typically the diagnostic

socket is utilized for one to two weeks during physical therapy or until an appropriate fit has been established.

Once the fit of the prosthesis has been determined and no immediate changes are needed, a definitive (permanent) prosthesis will be made. A definitive prosthesis is a much stronger and more durable version of the diagnostic socket that was used in the fitting process. This socket is constructed of carbon fiber, nylon, resin and other materials that give it its strength. The look of the prosthesis can be as original as the individual or it can be made to resemble the other leg by adding a soft foam shaped cover.

To become a successful wearer of a prosthesis it is best to follow the recommendations of the physician, prosthetist and physical therapist and it is imperative to follow through with all appointments and call when there are any questions or concerns. Facing limb loss can be a very challenging and stressful time in a person’s life and being as prepared as possible by talking to the professionals who will assist after amputation or even other amputees is a positive way to begin the process.

Robin McRae is a Certified/Licensed Prosthetist at Comprehensive Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc. (CPO). CPO provides patients in Central Illinois with prosthetic and orthotic devices and care, and also houses an on-site fabrication department where custom orthoses and prostheses are designed and created for each patient. CPO can be reached by calling toll free 888.676.2276. Visit the website at www.cpousa.com.

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

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Whenever our troops have gone to war, orthopaedic surgeons have been there to serve with them. While treating horrific extremity war injuries, these physicians pioneered a long list of resourceful procedures now standard in trauma care. We salute America’s combat troops, and our own orthopaedic surgeons, so dedicated to bringing them back home safely. For more on wartime surgical advancements, visit aaos.org/warinjuries.

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