Summer 2013 Premiere Edition

VALLEY OF THE SUN

east valley area

Promoting Healthier Living in Your Community • Physical • Emotional

PREMIERE ISSUE 2013

FREE

HealthyCells

®

www.healthycellsmagazine.com

M A G A Z I N E

• Nutritional

Think Fast. They Do. The Importance of Early Brain Development

The Secret to Igniting Your Metabolism for Maximum Fat Burning Results Can Buying a Home Make Me Sick?

Is Tennis Elbow Taking a Slice Out of Your Life?

★Dr. Kris Birkeland, DC ★Experienced Endurance Athlete ★KNOWS your problems ★Ironman, 24hour MTB, Soul Ride ★Chiropractic ★Laser/Stim Therapy ★ROCKTape Light Elastic Taping ★Compex Active Recovery Services ★Myofascial Release Therapy Don’t let your nagging problems slow you down!!!!

Healthy Cells Magazine Special FREE Initial Assessment! *Valid with purchase of any treatment*

Please Call 480–598–3278 or Visit Our Website at www.synergysportstherapy.com

• Integrated midwife and physician practice • Routine and high risk pregnancy • Minimally invasive and robotics surgery • Female pelvic medicine • Menopause • Urinary leakage testing and treatment • In office tubal occlusion • In office uterine ablation to treat abnormal bleeding • Pelvic reconstruction • Tubal ligation reversal

atient and community education includes but not P limited to the following: • iWomen’s Sharing ~ prenatal education • Daddy Basic ~ daddy survival training • Menopause and a Movie ~ light hearted but valuable discussion about menopause

iWomen’s Health Care 655 S Dobson Rd Suite 101 Bldg A Chandler, AZ 85224 Office Fax

480-855-5900 480-855-9171

www.iwomenshealthcare.com

letter from the owner Welcome to the East Valley's Premiere Issue of Healthy Cells Magazine This edition joins a family of magazines that first started March 1999 in Peoria, Illinois, and has since grown to include editions throughout Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, and soon to open in Florida as well. Healthy Cells Magazine's founders, Dave and Ginny Molleck, created it with several purposes in mind.

The first purpose is to get positive health care information to the public in a way that is accessible and convenient in locations you already frequent. This free magazine will be available in doctor’s offices, waiting rooms, nail salons, auto shops, community centers, coffee shops, and other places people gather in the East Valley.

The second is to provide local professionals a way to get information to the public on a variety of health-related topics. Every month, you’ll find articles written by members of our community addressing physical, emotional, and nutritional health issues that affects us right here in the Phoenix area. This gives you a unique opportunity to read about health care from your local health care professionals.

The third is to be a community resource and provide an avenue for various nonprofit organizations to gain needed exposure. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading about First Things First, an organization that helps the youngest residents of Arizona with the basics for a lifetime of success.

I share Dave and Ginny’s commitment. I was also born and raised in Peoria, Illinois until moving to the East Valley in 1988. I've always had a caring heart and passion to help others, so after working for Banner Hospitals for 10 years, I decided to pursue work with non-profits, providing services to the needy and working poor. I feel Healthy Cells Magazine is one more way I can help people, since we know how important early detection is when it comes to our health.

When you see a copy of Healthy Cells Magazine, take it with you — it's free — so you are always welcome to it. This magazine is for the community, a resource to turn to when you need answers, so I welcome your suggestions.

My thanks to the many advertisers who are committed to helping you live a healthier life. When you visit their businesses, please remember to let them know you appreciate their support for this new magazine.

Working with the Community, For a Healthier Community.

Thank you,

"Every month, you’ll find articles written by members of our community addressing the physical, emotional, and nutritional health issues that affects us right here in the Phoenix area. This gives you a unique opportunity to read about health care from your local health care professionals."

Monica Tegg/Owner Healthy Cells Magazine, East Valley monica@healthycellsmagazine.com

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 3

PREMIERE ISSUE 5

Home Therapy: Rehabilitation in your Home

6

Healthcare Choices: Is Bigger Really Better?

8

Physical: The Secret to Igniting Your Metabolism for Maximum Fat Burning Results

This Month’s Cover Story:

2013 Volume 1, Issue 1

Think Fast. They Do. The Importance of Early Brain Development

page 14

10

Emotional: Can Buying a Home Make Me Sick?

12

Nutritional: Local School Children Help the Hungry

17

Hassle-free Travel: Get Your Car Ready for Summer Travel

18

Creating Options: Medical Homes as the Solution of Rising Health Care Costs

19

Pain Management: Is RockTape Your Solution to Being Pain Free?

20

Shopping Local: Choosing a Pharmacy

21

Lateral Epicondylitis: Is Tennis Elbow Taking a Slice Out of Your Life?

22

Ask the Expert: Stroke Risk Factors

23

Shoebox Ministry: Restoring Dignity to the Homeless

24

Senior Health: Is Assisted Living Right for Me or My Loved One?

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.

25

Extending Hope: Misconceptions About Hospice

Healthy Cells Magazine is available FREE in high traffic locations throughout the East Valley, including medical facilities and other waiting rooms. Healthy Cells Magazine welcomes contributions pertaining to healthier living in the East Valley area. Limelight Communications, Inc. assumes no responsibility for their publication or return. Solicitations for articles shall pertain to physical, emotional, and nutritional health only.

For advertising information, contact Monica Tegg, owner Cell: 480-204-3090 • Fax: 309-691-2187 monica@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

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 East Valley.

home therapy

Rehabilitation in Your Home

By Nina Francis, In-Home Rehabilitation & Fitness, LLC

T

reating people in their own home gives them the advantage of staying in their familiar surroundings with all the comforts of home and without the stress of being watched by a group of strangers. Having a private one-on-one working environment helps with a client’s focus and concentration.

When working with a client in their home, therapists have the opportunity to utilize the everyday obstacles that the clients face.

John, a longtime client suffered a massive aneurism on the right side of his brain, which in turn affected the left side of his body. His left arm, hand, and leg became very weak for function and balance and his cognitive thought process was slowed down as well. A tall gentleman, noticeably active and vibrant before this set back, was now unable to sit himself up in bed. John needed assistance sitting up and getting himself to the edge of his bed where he could then sit without further help. He was unable to stand, walk, or even go to the restroom on his own. About the only thing he could do on his own was sit in his wheelchair at his bathroom vanity and shave.

The loss of most of his independence was a devastating blow to a man who has always worked, earned a living, and loved life.

It was a long road for John. For three days per week, one hour at a time, we slowly built up an unspoken trust between us taking baby steps along the way, setting and reaching small milestones and goals, and building his strength and confidence. Utilizing his everyday comforts of home, he was able to progress from bed, to standing with a walker, then walking short distances, and even to walking on his own.

Having to deal with a person who has suffered such a setback in life is challenging in itself. Tapping into a person's emotional side is a key component to rehabilitating from the inside out. John thought

he would be up and about in no time, but as he worked through his recovery, he realized that it was not just the physical aspect of recovery, but the emotional aspect that was helping him progress to each small milestone that was set before him. Being able to teach a person a whole new thought process geared to work with the challenges they face is difficult. This takes time and patience.

Think of the old saying, “you have to teach an old dog new tricks.”

Same concept. Everyone wants to be like they were before; everyone wants to be able to do the things they used to. As we all know, this does not happen overnight. It is a process; it is teaching the mind to adjust, to get rid of old habits that may not be conducive to the body that they live in at the moment. Once you gain that trust, once you are able to help with the emotional side of recovery, the rest will fall into place. From that point on, it's all hard work.

It is with great pleasure to share with everyone who is reading this article that John has been living in his own apartment, driving, shopping, socializing, cooking, and having the time of his life. We still work together now four days per week either going to the gym, to the park on a beautiful morning to walk, or practicing our kickboxing techniques. I am grateful to have had the pleasure of meeting him, of helping him regain his independence, and watching him smile and gain confidence along the way. John is not only a client, but I can truly say he has become a great friend.

Everyone’s progress is different, nothing is ever guaranteed, but everyone deserves a chance, the opportunity to try, to be treated with dignity, and not be forgotten.

For further information and In-Home Rehabilitation & Fitness rates, please contact Nina Francis at 480-209-3319.

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 5

healthcare choices

Is Bigger Really Better?

By Chris Murphy, MD, iWomen's Health Care

S

ize doesn't always matter. Especially when it comes to choosing the Ob-Gyn practice that best suits your personal and family needs. Choosing an Ob-Gyn practice can be one of the most personal decisions a woman can make.

Today, most Ob-Gyn practices are not just one physician; they are made up with a mixture of physicians, midwives, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and medical assistants. Many practices have morphed into very large groups with many offices and a seemingly limitless number of providers.

However, there are those very few practices that have chosen to stay smaller to better maintain a personalized view of your health care.

In choosing the practice that best suits your needs, ask yourself some of these important questions: • Personal: Are you looking for a family-like environment where you can get to know the staff and they get to know you by name instead of by the color of your chart?

"There are very few practices that have chosen to stay smaller to better maintain a personalized view of your health care."

Page 6 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

• A tmosphere: Do you want a practice that empowers you and ensures that you receive individualized care? Is there a partnership between the provider and you in making your health care decisions?

• Choice: Do you desire physician or midwifery care when it comes to planning your family? Can you have an integrated approach that offers both MD expertise and individual support?

• Board-certification of the providers: What is the experience level of the providers? Do you want a physician that has been in the area for 20 years and knows the in/outs of the local system, will be there for you as your family grows, and has made a commitment to the community?

• Availability: Can you be seen quickly? How responsive are they to your needs?

• T ime allotted for appointments: You should never feel like another number.

Estelle Wallace

You should feel empowered in all medical decision discussions.

What is the tone of the practice? Do you feel like a customer paying for health care off of a menu or are you really being listened to and getting the medical care you need and not just what pays best?

For information about a boutique style practice where they believe in partnering with patients for care, please consider iWomen's Health Care. "Your care, your comfort, our expertise!"

Call 480-855-5900 or email: info@iwomenshealthcare.com. Visit us online: www.iwomenshealthcare.com

Realtor®

Residential Investment Properties Commercial

Cell 480-299-4969 eFax 888-506-3678 Web EstelleWallace.com Email Estelle@EstelleWallace.com 2077 E. Warner Rd. #110 Tempe, AZ 85284

Each Keller Williams Office® is Independently Owned & Operated.

In-Home Rehabilitation & Fitness, LLC. We offer a wide variety of services which include In-Home Services: Rehabilitation for recovery from surgery, heart attack, stroke, injury, balance, strength and flexibility. The fitness aspect encompasses a variety of techniques to help your overall health as well as help with your recovery..

Personal Training: A licensed, certified trainer will meet with you to discuss your fitness goals. One on one training helps you focus and reach your individual potential. Boot camps also available.

Full Service Massages: A Licensed massage therapist will travel to your home or office. We offer a wide range of techniques from soft relaxing to athletic deep tissue massage performed with a high level of professionalism. Also available for corporate events, private parties and the Corporate Chair: a 15 minute relaxing chair massage reduces stress, muscular tension and stiffness.

Call today for a free consultation

480.209.3319

rehabfitness32@gmail.com Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 7

physical

The Secret to Igniting Your Metabolism for Maximum Fat Burning Results

By Eric Gelder, Body Envy Fitness

E

Not only do these full body exercises increase your caloric expenditure far beyond what isolation exercises do, they also allow you to decrease your workout time, so you get in and out as quickly and efficiently as possible, with a minimum time investment.

Three Metabolism Boosting Workout Tips

2. Increase Your Strength When you’re exercising to get stronger, your body is primed for maximum metabolism increases. When you’re stronger, you’re able to perform more exercise in the same or even less time than it normally would take you. So accomplishing more exercise in less time means better fat loss results along with a greater increase in your fitness capacity. Both allow you to attain maximum body composition changes.

Always continue striving to get stronger by doing more in less time, using more resistance for your exercises, or performing more repetitions of each exercise. That’s the reason it’s called Progressive Resistance Strength Training.

1. Perform Full body compound exercises — not Isolation exercises When choosing exercises to perform in your workout, select big calorie burning exercises such as squats, jumps, dead lifts, swings, lunges, presses, rows, push-ups, pull-ups, dips, and full body plankbased abdominal exercises. These compound exercises utilize several muscle groups across multiple joints compared to isolation movements that only require you to use one muscle group and one joint at a time.

3. Perform intervals Intervals are not only more time-effective than longer cardio sessions, but more results-effective. One thing to always keep in mind with exercise — the more challenging it is, the more your metabolism has to work to adapt to that particular exercise session. The more challenging the adaptation, the more effective it is at assisting you with your fat loss goals.

Cruising around your neighborhood for a five-mile jog is not only hard on your joints, but also less effective for losing fat than performing

veryone wants a faster metabolism so they can eat whatever they want (within reason), and still have a shapely set of arms, a pair of long lean muscular legs and abs "to die for." The problem with most exercise routines is they don't deliver the type of fat loss results you’re looking for. Using simple body weight and dumbbell exercises along with short, fun, full body workouts will quickly sculpt your arms, abs, and legs in record time!

Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, we're all pressed for time and that stacks the cards against us from the very beginning. That's why you need to have an effective workout plan in place to maximize your workout time to its fullest extent. If you're going to use exercise to shape your body, which you must, then it only makes sense to do it effectively and derive the greatest impact on your metabolism by performing it properly.

Page 8 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

sprints on a track, shuttle runs in a park, high incline power walking intervals on a treadmill or other interval-based training. The longest you’d want to make an interval for the purpose of effectively increasing your metabolism is 120 seconds and more often 60 seconds or less works even better because of the sustainability of your effort.

It’s not really about the “time” per se, it’s more about the effort you put forth, so keep that in mind. You can either go long and easy or short and hard, with short and hard being where the maximum results are going to be. You should be looking for the biggest bang for the amount of time involved, and intervals are a superior form of activity for fat loss because of that.

Do You Know How to Structure Your Exercise Program for Maximum Results in Minimum Time?

Let's look at what will give you the most "bang for your buck" because that's what we all want, to spend the least amount of time exercising and for it to deliver the biggest fat loss response we can get. To do that, we're going to use a specific type of interval exercise. That type of exercise is Resistance Based Interval Training. When looking for the gold standard in fat loss exercise, resistance based interval training will provide you with the biggest bang for your time and your metabolism.

Resistance training (weight training) provides you with the biggest metabolic effect. Most tend to believe that resistance exercise is only for building larger muscles and getting stronger, but they don't realize the importance resistance exercise has on eliciting a very powerful fat loss response from their body. If your goal is to lose body fat and transform your body into the firm, fit, and fabulous body you desire, then resistance exercise should be "front and center" in your fat loss program.

In order to maximize your metabolism, you need to have muscle.

Coincidentally, any form of long cardio training sessions are counterproductive to accomplishing that goal. Too much exercise volume starts to impede progress from the excessive elevation of the catabolic adrenal “stress” hormone cortisol. In order to mitigate that, we'll alternate your resistance interval training on an every other day basis and steer clear of long exercise sessions, which lead to less muscle and therefore a less than optimal metabolism.

To be successful at transforming your body from soft, weak, and unhealthy, you must understand that the efficient way is through the proper use of a well-planned resistance-based exercise program.

Bringing your body to the level of fitness and leanness you desire requires a plan and consistency. What I’ve outlined for you are the three steps you’ll need to take when structuring an effective fat loss exercise program. It’s up to you to grasp these simple steps and apply them. You can be certain that if you follow these steps, you’ll be well on your way to the physique you desire, with a metabolism primed for maximum fat loss results in minimum time.

Eric Gelder is the owner of Body Envy Fitness (Voted the Best Place to Workout) and has over 16 years of personal training, fitness training management, nutritional consulting, and group training experience.

Having spent well over a decade coaching, Eric has successfully integrated his wealth of fitness knowledge into a highly motivating atmosphere, so that clients at Body Envy Fitness can achieve their own dramatic fat loss and fitness results.

For more information about Body Envy Fitness, contact Eric Gelder, CPT, at 480-686-3689 or online at www.BodyEnvyFitness.com

Mother’s Day 2013

Shoebox Ministry honors moms by filling purses with great gift items and letting the children at family and domestic violence shelters pick out a purse and present it to their mom on Mother’s Day. We need your help though.

Donate your new & like new purses. Used purses should be clean inside & out w/working zippers. Don’t forget to remove personal items. Donate any of the following items: Cosmetics, Facial Cleansers & Lotions, Makeup Remover, Tweezers, Eyelash Curler.

Perfumed Bath Soaps, Scrubbies, Lotion, Powder, Perfume/Body Spray.

Hair Clips/Barrettes, Headbands, Ponytail Holders, Hair Gel/Spray.

Nail Polish, Manicure/Pedicure Sets, Nail Files/Clippers, Pumice Stones Other GIFT ITEMS: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, pins, sunglasses, wallets, cosmetic pouches, purse-size mirrors, stationary, pens, hard candy/gum/mints, any gift you think would make a mom feel special.

The goal is to distribute 2,500 gift-filled purses for Mother’s Day to Valley family and domestic violence shelters. Please drop off your donations by May 3rd to give us enough time to get them distributed to agencies like Chrysalis, DeColores, Maggie’s Place, Casa de Amigas & Sojourner Center.

e

For a list of drop-off locations around the Valley, visit www.shoeboxministry.org. email us at info@shoeboxministry.org or call 480-905-1610

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 9

emotional

Can Buying a Home Make Me Sick?

By Estelle Wallace, Realtor – Keller Williams Realty East Valley

W

e know that buying or selling a home can be a highly emotional event in our lives. Many times it is coupled with the life event triggering the change. Events such as divorce, marriage, medical issues, death of a loved one, loss of a job or job change, and birth of a child are some of the events that cause people to make a change in their housing. The combination of the life change and the process of selling, buying or moving to a new home is a double dose of stress in our lives all converging in our bodies at the same time.

Because of this added stress in our bodies, it can lead to or aggravate existing health-related issues. This can include high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety, sleeplessness, Page 10 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

memory loss, change in appetite, and trouble concentrating. The additional stress can negatively impact your immune systems.

While it can seem to be overwhelming at times, it is even more important to focus on stress relieving actions such as eating nutritious meals, exercising daily, and finding a few minutes each day to relax and breathe deeply. Keep a checklist of tasks to be completed each day to keep focused and in perspective.

The Realtor you choose will be an important asset in minimizing your stress related to the real estate transaction. They should be experienced, knowledgeable, organized, and a good communicator. They should be willing to listen to your questions and respond promptly to your concerns. They will be able to recommend pro-

fessional resources that can help you with mortgage lending, home inspections, home repairs, and selling or buying a home that is a short sale or bank-owned property.

These require specialized knowledge and you will want the best professionals guiding you. Today’s real estate market is highly complex and ever changing. Start with a professional Realtor, and you will be miles ahead in reducing your stress levels throughout the buying or selling process.

If you have real estate questions you would like to chat about, give Estelle a call or text at 480-299-4969 or email: Estelle@EstelleWallace.com.

Estelle was born and raised in Arizona and has experienced firsthand many of the real estate changes we have seen in this market. Behind on your mortgage payments or about to miss one? Estelle can answer your questions about what options are available to help you with a no obligation, confidential consultation.

Our Services Gemini Hospice is a family owned and operated company with the goal of providing care with compassion and dignity to those nearing the end of life. Our team of qualified professionals will partner with you and your loved ones to assure this goal is accomplished.

• Nursing Care • Social Services • Bereavement Services • Personal Care • Volunteer Services • Medications for pain or other symptoms • Medical supplies and durable medical equipment • Homemaker services • 24 hour availability • General Inpatient Care • Respite Care • Spiritual Services • Physical Therapy, OT and Speech • Physician • Care and Comfort

480-883-1353

www.geminihospice.com cathyp@geminihospice.com 3960 E. Riggs Rd #4 Chandler AZ 85249 Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 11

nutritional

Local School Children Help the Hungry

By Jayson Matthews, United Food Bank

O

n February 28, 2013, two classes from Gilbert’s Zaharis Elementary School exited their big yellow school bus to not only take a tour of United Food Bank, but to also demonstrate that they care for the hungry in Arizona. Before the tour, a few class members made a check presentation to United’s Chief Development Officer, Jayson Matthews for proceeds totaling over $400.00. These funds were generated from an old-fashioned lemonade stand, in which cups were sold for $0.25 cents apiece. In addition, many class members were so inspired by the activity that they donated their piggy banks and in the case of one first-grader, his “monkey bank.”

Led by their teacher, Julie Reichert, these two first grade classes were inspired to take action by a lesson on hunger in Arizona and its impacts on seniors, families, and children — just like them. Arizona is the third worst state in the U.S. for food insecurity in which 1 in 7 seniors, 1 in 5 adults, and 1 in 4 children struggle with hunger every day. Food insecurity refers to a condition in which an individual doesn’t know where their next meal comes from or if they will eat or not. With 20 percent of Arizona’s population living at or below the Federal Poverty Rate of $11,170 for an individual and $23,050 for a family of four, the impacts of hunger is a growing problem — especially for our most vulnerable, our seniors, and children.

The United Food Bank is a regional distributor of food to over 250 partner agencies over five counties across one-fourth of Arizona. In Fiscal Year 2011/2012, United distributed approximately 19.8 million pounds of food. This amount of food equaled over 16.5 million meals or over 45,000 meals every day of the year.

This food gets to those in need through a variety of partnerships and programs, including those that directly benefit hungry children.

There are a number of negative implications of childhood hunger, which include: impact on cognitive development (learning, social interaction, productivity) and increased illnesses. The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child says: “Children who do not receive what Page 12 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

they need for strong, healthy brain development during early childhood may never recover their lost potential for cognitive growth and eventually contributions to society.” In other words, malnutrition impacts a child’s physical growth and ability to learn.

United Food Bank has a number of programs to directly feed hungry children. These include our Kids Café, Food for Thought, School Pantries, and Backpack Program.

Kids Café is a collaborative effort with partner social service agencies of the East Valley to provide a nutritionally balanced evening meal/snack five nights a week to at-risk children in locations like community centers, afterschool programs, and local Boys & Girls Clubs.

Food for Thought provides nutritionally balanced food boxes to our participating partners who distribute the boxes to the families of those students who have satisfactory participated in education programs. Because children are contributing to their family by bringing home a food box (enough to feed a family of four for three days), they also gain an improved sense of self-worth.

Our School Pantries are located on the grounds of a school to provide a more readily accessible source of food assistance to lowincome students and their families. Last year, over 3000 food boxes were distributed – helping over 14,000 people.

United Food Bank also provides a Backpack Program which was established to address the needs of children with extremely high food insecurity over the weekends. Most of these children receive free or reduced lunch during the week, but unfortunately, have no means of getting fed on the weekends. Our Backpack Program works like this: every Friday, students identified as at-risk

can pick up a backpack filled with nutritious, easy to prepare meals and snacks, so they do not have to go hungry over the weekend.

Backpacks are returned on Monday and refilled for the following weekend.

United strongly believes that one of the keys of ending hunger in Arizona is by providing nutritious food to those in need. Not only are we looking for donations of food, we are looking for food that you would feed to your own family. Items such as peanut butter, canned fruits, canned vegetables, canned meals, rice, beans, soups, and dried/canned milk go a long way to fill hungry stomachs with nutritious food. We know that there is a link between poverty and obesity, as foods high in fat and sugar are also some of the cheapest to obtain. In order to be our best, we need to feed ourselves the best food.

These problems are big, but we have seen the collective power of compassion through the simple donation of canned food and money. If you would like to help feed the hungry in your community and lift people out of crisis and back into self-sufficiency, here are three easy ways: host a food drive in your community (and United Food Bank can help!); volunteer at the Food Bank (where you see how your food gets to agencies and people in need); and make a regular donation to United Food Bank (we can provide five meals for every $1 in expenses — which is a powerful way to make a big impact!)

To learn more and to make a donation, visit www.unitedfoodbank.org or call us at 480-926-4897.

Owners, Mr. Jeff and Steve Jorgenson and Exec. Dir., Julia Colangelo, with family members and valued residents.

Left to right: Mrs. Helen Jorgenson, mother/grandmother, Mrs. Jaci Nelson, mother-in-law, and Mrs. Dorothy Russo, Julia’s grandmother.

Welcome to Solterra Senior Living Come meet our family and see why so many friendly faces have chosen Solterra. We offer beautiful upscale apartment homes to those looking for independent, assisted living or memory care services.

Solterra was designed and developed to be a place that is welcoming, comfortable, relaxed and fun! It’s a place where care is customized to the individual needs of our residents and where one can Live Well.

Come see for yourself how good life can be at Solterra.

350 S. Alma School Rd. Chandler, AZ 85224

P 480.214.6700 www.solterrasl.com

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 13

feature story

Think Fast. They Do. The Importance of Early Brain Development

By Liz Barker Alvarez, First Things First

I

f asked when most of your brain developed, you might guess the years between kindergarten and sixth grade, maybe even middle school. In fact, 90 percent of your brain was formed by the age of 5. The foundations of your mind and character were developed before you ever set foot in a classroom. And the experiences you had in those critical early years shaped everything from your success in school to your physical and emotional health.

In 2006, Arizona voters created First Things First. Led by 31 regional councils comprised of community volunteers and working in partnership with stakeholders across all disciplines, First Things First expands and enhances the early learning, health, and family support programs that help children 5 years old and younger arrive at kindergarten prepared to succeed.

In this work, First Things First honors the role of parents and other caregivers as a child’s first and best teachers. Below, First Things First explores how three issues — nutrition and obesity, oral health and play — impact children’s health now and their success later on. Tips are provided to help parents and other caregivers get children from birth to age 5 off to a healthy start.

Page 14 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

Food for Thought For too many Arizona children, one of their toughest learning challenges is not associated with their brain; it’s associated with their stomachs.

Research shows that even moderate under-nutrition, the type seen most frequently in the United States, can have lasting effects on the brain development of young children. According to the Center on Hunger and Poverty, inadequate nutrition is a major cause of impaired development and is associated with increased school failure in children.

Sadly, many Arizona children are at risk for hunger. Almost 30 percent of Arizona’s children under 18 are considered food insecure, the third highest rate in the country. We can all help young children by supporting struggling families who have infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and by donating to food banks that help these families access food.

But, just as not getting enough to eat can have effects on the brains and bodies of children age 5 and younger, so can eating too much of the wrong foods.

Obesity among 2- to 5-year-olds has more than tripled since the 1970s, caused by a number of factors, including increases in child poverty, greater availability of fast food, larger portion sizes, increases

in TV and computer time for young children, and aggressive marketing of junk food to young children.

Childhood obesity is more than a health issue for young children; studies have shown that it can lead to delayed skill development, increased school absences, and poor school performance.

Between birth and 5 years old, children’s brains are developing at their fastest; so are their attitudes about food, activity, and weight. Parent tips for helping children grow in healthy ways and stay at a healthy weight include: • Serve nutritious meals, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, dairy, and whole grains.

• Limit high sugar drinks.

• Limit TV and computer time for young children.

• Increase the time spent playing.

• And, make sure children are getting enough sleep.

As individuals committed to building stronger communities, we can model healthy behaviors for our children and support them in living a healthy lifestyle.

Taking a Bite Out of School Absences Did you know that dental problems are among the leading causes of school absenteeism, and that decay can start in the tiny teeth of babies and toddlers?

The Arizona Department of Health Services estimates that 30 percent of Arizona’s 2- to 4-year-olds have untreated tooth decay and more than half of 3-year-olds have never seen a dentist. If not addressed, that decay can lead to failure to thrive, speech delays, and trouble concentrating in school.

As their child’s first teachers, parents and other caregivers can take a few simple steps to keep young teeth healthy and prevent future problems. For babies, the Arizona Department of Health Services’ Office of Oral Health recommends: • Avoid passing germs by not sharing spoons or licking pacifiers.

• Keep the bottle out of the crib.

• Serve juice in a cup, not a bottle.

• Clean baby’s mouth with a soft cloth or infant toothbrush.

• And, take your baby to the dentist by his or her first birthday.

For children age 1 and older, the following recommendations are added: • Limit sweets, snack foods, and sweet drinks.

• Brush your child’s teeth with a soft toothbrush twice a day.

• Look at your child’s teeth and gums at least once a month. Healthy teeth should be all one color.

• Make sure your child drinks from a cup and focus on water with fluoride, milk, or small amounts of 100 percent fruit juice.

• And, give your child healthy meals and snacks.

By following these steps, we can send our children to school with healthy teeth and gums and prevent future absences.

The Power of Play Einstein Never Used Flashcards. That’s the title of a book a colleague suggested to a co-worker worried that her 4-year-old might fall behind her little friends whose parents packed their weekends with violin lessons and soccer leagues, and evenings with flashcards on letter sounds and vocabulary.

These parents — like many early learning programs, educators and policymakers — have fallen into the trap of believing that if we keep children engaged solely in academic pursuits, they will learn more. This view dismisses one of the most critical ways children learn: imaginative play.

“Play is to early childhood what gas is to a car. Play provides a strong foundation for intellectual growth, creativity, and problemsolving. And it also serves as a vehicle for emotional development, and for the development of essential social skills,” the researchers in Einstein assert. “In the 21st century, creative problem solvers, independent thinkers and people with expert social acumen will inevitably surpass those who have simply learned to be efficient at getting the right answers.”

While not apparent to adults, children pick up myriad skills by playing together. Simon Says teaches impulse control; and, the problem-solving, creative thinking, negotiating and teamwork involved when a group of 3-year-olds builds a fort rivals the machinations of any modern boardroom.

So, how do parents recognize play and encourage it in our children?

The authors of Einstein recommend: • Play should be pleasurable and enjoyable.

• Play must have no extrinsic goals. Don’t start out saying, “let’s develop pre-reading skills.”

• Play is spontaneous and voluntary.

• Play involves active engagement from the player. Video games don’t count.

• And, finally, play contains an element of make believe.

To encourage play: • Become an advocate for play — open your home and schedule time for play. Re-evaluate structured activities.

• Provide the resources for stimulating play — not necessarily toys, just varied objects visible to children.

• Join in the fun, but let your child take the lead.

• Encourage your child to use his imagination.

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 15

feature story

continued

By honoring play as a natural way children learn, we encourage their success in school and in life.

Help is Just a Phone Call Away Every parent will have days or come across situations where they just don’t know what to do about the behavior of their infant, toddler, or preschooler. The Birth to Five Helpline is free, statewide, and available for all families with young children looking for the latest child development information from experts in the field. Professionals may also take advantage of this service.

Staffed by early childhood development specialists, registered nurses, disabilities specialists, early literacy specialists, and mental health counselors, the Helpline is a place for all Arizona families with young children, and parents-to-be, to call with questions or concerns about their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Introduced in 2004, the toll-free Birth to Five Helpline combines sensitive, supportive listening with sound information from professionals who have expertise in early childhood development and parenting/caregiving.

Topics that can be addressed include, but are not limited to: sleeping, health and nutrition, safety, behavior, feeding and eating, general child development, potty training, and fussiness/colic.

The Helpline can be reached at: 1-877-705-children (5437).

Early Childhood: If It’s Not Your Issue, It Should Be The education and health of children birth to 5 years old impacts virtually every aspect of our society. When we talk about improving the economy, education, national security — or anything driven by ingenuity and ideas — we must focus on fixing present systems and investing in the minds of the future.

Investing in young children is not about political ideologies. It’s not about personal or professional opinions. It’s about human potential. It’s about what we know now about the human brain that we didn’t know 30 or 40 years ago, and how acting upon this knowledge can help reduce crime, lessen welfare dependency, increase graduation rates, and create the future we want for our children and our state.

To learn more about early childhood and what you can do to help more Arizona children be ready for school and set for life, visit ReadyAZkids.com.

Page 16 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

First Things First (FTF) is a voter-created, statewide organization that funds early education and health programs to help children be successful once they enter kindergarten. Decisions about how those funds are spent are made by local councils staffed by community volunteers. Since 2010, FTF has dedicated more than $638 million to early childhood programs that give children the tools they need to succeed in school and in life.

The strategies funded by First Things First have demonstrated effectiveness in improving educational and health outcomes for children, or in increasing the knowledge, skills, and capacities of parents and other caregivers, such as medical professionals and teachers, in working with young children.

First Things First grantees are required to submit detailed financial information, as well as reports regarding the numbers of children or families served.

This ensures that funds are being spent efficiently and that programs are reaching the intended groups of children.

In addition, FTF’s Quality Assurance Team works with individual grantees to review program implementation and identify best practices that can be shared with other grantees or that can be used to improve the overall program.

At the statewide level, First Things First has identified 10 indicators to help the organization ensure that it is contributing in meaningful ways to improved school readiness for Arizona’s children.

Some examples of these indicators include: increasing the number of children with access to quality early learning programs; increasing the number of 2- to 4-year-olds at a healthy weight; decreasing the number of children with untreated tooth decay, and increasing the number of parents who say they feel confident and competent in their ability to promote their child’s healthy development.

FTF has also worked with a group of national experts to identify additional steps FTF can take to make sure the programs being funded are making a difference — for individual children and families, and for school readiness throughout Arizona.

hassle-free travel

Get Your Car Ready for Summer Travel

R

oad tripping is a summertime rite of passage. From camping and beach trips to family reunions, most likely you’ll be adding some extra miles to your vehicle over the next few months.

But before you hit the road, get your vehicle ready for travel. These good maintenance practices will help keep you behind the wheel and out of the shop:

Tires For proper, safer handling of your car and better gas mileage, ensure that your tires are not over or underinflated. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended tire pressure. But remember, in warmer temperatures the air pressure in your tires will rise.

Rotate your tires on a regular basis to even out wear. While doing so, inspect the tread. If they’re unevenly or overly worn, replace them immediately. And don’t forget to keep a properly inflated spare tire in your trunk for roadside emergencies.

Engine “Heat is the biggest enemy of performance and can damage car parts,” warns Chris Barker, Technical Services Manager at Royal Purple a manufacturer of premium synthetic lubricants. “During warmer

weather, on longer drives, or when tugging extras like boats, campers or trailers, it’s important to take extra measures to keep engine temperatures low.”

Barker recommends using a high performance radiator coolant additive. For example, Royal Purple’s Purple Ice, improves heat transfer through the cooling system while protecting against rust, corrosion and, erosion. Extensive testing confirms that this coolant additive, which is compatible for both gasoline and diesel engines, lowers operating temperatures by an average of seven to 10 degrees when added to a 50/50 mix of coolant and water.

A/C Monitor your air conditioner for performance. Is it running as well as last year? Have your A/C serviced annually to avoid a literally sticky situation.

Windshield Wipers Replace worn windshield wipers. Getting caught in a rainstorm with bad windshield wipers greatly impairs visibility and can be a safety hazard for you and other drivers.

Change the Oil For fewer oil changes, change your motor oil to a premium synthetic motor oil, such as Royal Purple. Fewer oil changes mean time and money saved, and are better for the planet. By upgrading, you can expect better engine performance, fuel efficiency and corrosion protection. More information can be found at www.RoyalPurple.com.

The last place you’ll want to be on your vacation is in the shop. By preparing, you can pave the way for a hassle-free summer on the road.

Your Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Therapists Athletic Injuries Sports Specific Training Pre/Post Surgical Orthopedic Rehabilitation Industrial Rehabilitation Neck & Back Pain

www.physiocorp.com

      

      

      

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 17

creating options

Medical Homes as the Solution of Rising Health Care Costs

By P. Zamani, MD

M

ost Americans have experienced the frustrations associated with the rising cost of health care. As of 2010, health care spending made up 17.9 percent of our nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or in other words $2.6 trillion. That’s 10 times higher than the $256 billion we spent in 1980.

To put this in comparison, in 1960, health care costs and supplies accounted for only 4.8 percent of our nation's GDP. Most households have already started to feel the pinch as the average family health insurance premium has increased by $1,300 this past year, and even young healthy adults have seen a 19 percent to 30 percent rise in their premiums.

To make matters worse, many have experienced the out-ofpocket costs associated with high deductible insurance plans, which looks more and more like the new norm of the health insurance industry.

"A Medical Home is a multi-specialty clinic that is capable of treating the entire family for their preventative annual physicals, their chronic medical problems, and for acute illnesses or sudden injuries."

Even Fortune 500 companies like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, General Electric, and American Express have started the transition to high deductible plans (which by definition have deductibles greater than $1,200/person), and 70 percent of large companies surveyed say they will offer high deductible plans by the end of 2013.

So what is the health care industry’s answer to the rising costs of obtaining care? The Medical Home.

A Medical Home is a new and innovative concept in the health care delivery system. It is geared toward preventing fragmentation of care by closing the gaps created by individuals bouncing around and obtaining care from different doctors in multiple offices.

For example, if lucky, Dad sees his Internist once every couple of years for his annual exam. He has to make an appointment six weeks in advance just to be able to do so, and if he misses his appointment? You guessed it, back to the end of the line.

Now let’s say Dad has high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, or maybe even diabetes. Now he has to see his doctor no less than Page 18 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

four times a year, schedule multiple office visits weeks in advance which are always between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and juggle his work schedule, family, and personal life.

But wait a minute, what about when Dad gets a sinus infection or bronchitis like he does once a year? We already know what the internist is going to say, ”Sorry, the next available appointment is in four weeks.”

So Dad ends up in an urgent care or worse, an emergency room where it now literally costs 10 times as much to get a prescription for antibiotics then if he had just been able to get in to see his regular doctor.

Now, if we add Mom, her yearly exams, medical issues, and the two rambunctious kids with their constant illnesses, cuts, sprains, and immunizations, the cost and time involved in bouncing around three different doctors offices gets astronomical.

That’s where the Medical Home comes in. A Medical Home is a multi-specialty clinic that is capable of treating the entire family for their preventative annual physicals, their chronic medical problems (like diabetes and high blood pressure), and for acute illnesses or sudden injuries.

A Medical Home is open seven days a week, has extended hours until 8 o’clock at night, and uses Electronic Medical Records (EMR) to coordinate a patient’s care and minimize the costs associated with duplicating unnecessary tests and procedures.

A Medical Home basically takes full responsibility of their patients by being patient-centered, by focusing on putting patients first, by emphasizing accessibility and convenience, and by providing end-to-end integration of all the different services a patient and his/her family may need, all under one roof.

There are a handful of Medical Home clinics across the nation and so far the results have been staggering. A Medical Home pilot program in North Carolina saved the state $1 billion in health care costs between 2007 and 2010. Another program in Colorado, which ran from 2009 through 2012, not only decreased Emergency Room visits and hospitalizations of chronically ill patients, but also resulted in a 400 percent return on investment.

Luckily, I am proud to report that we now have our very own Medical Home model right here in the valley. And now the biggest obstacle seems to be educating the general population that all hope is not lost, and there is a way of obtaining convenient, high quality, low cost care.

All it takes is a little innovation.

Dr. Zamani is the founder and CEO of MY DR NOW. MY DR NOW is multi-specialty Medical Home practice with 14 providers and 3 locations in the East Valley. For more information, visit www.

MYDRNOW.com or call 480-677-8282.

pain management

Is RockTape Your Solution to Being Pain Free?

By Kristopher Birkeland, DC, Synergy Sports Therapy and Athletic Republic

M

any people have seen the athletes at the Olympics with that funny looking tape on their body but still don’t know what the light elastic tape is or what it does. Although there are many different brands on the market, this physician primarily uses RockTape because of its durability during endurance events such as cycling, running, or triathlons. So is this tape just for athletes competing or is there an application that could help people with pain in their everyday lives?

The truth is that the light elastic tape has many different uses other than the one we primarily see on the legs or arms of athletes. People who have chronic neck or low back pain can benefit greatly from use of light elastic tape and you would never know that someone is wearing it. The tape can be applied under the clothing of a patient and has the ability to last up to five days. Yes, five days. The tape can stay on the body, even through workouts and showers.

Dr. Kenzo Kase, DC, invented Kinesiotape in the 1970s as a way to provide therapy to his patients when they were not in his office. He sought a method to support joints and muscles that did not restrict motion which is beneficial to blood flow and healing. The tape he invented had properties that mimicked the support of skin on the muscle. The elastic property of the tape allowed Dr. Kase to implement a force onto the patient’s skin that through the effect on the fascia (fibrous tissue throughout body that wraps muscle tissue) and subsequently on the muscle belly supports the muscle during a time of injury or spasm.

What? To be clearer, the tape acts a support beam or when the mus-

cle is unable to effectively do its job, whether that is through injury or spasm due to repetitive stress.

A great example of this is a patient with pain in their neck and very tight muscles in their upper shoulders. Often this is from a forward head and shoulder posture due to long hours of deskwork leading to poor posture. It can be further compounded by a workout routine that does not properly focus on increasing the strength of the back as much as the chest. In this circumstance, we may take a look at providing a RockTape application that provides support to the muscles of the upper back and shoulder to improve posture and balance in that area.

Soft tissue massage, adjustments, stretches, and exercise are all options to help improve symptoms in a case like this, but none of them can be applied 24 hours a day like light elastic tape. As a “dynamic” and not a “passive” support, the tape will actually improve the ability of the muscles being supported to be in proper balance.

If you have not experienced the benefits of light elastic tape, then you may want to speak to your therapist or physician or find a provider in your area. It just may be the missing link in knocking out your chronic pain!

Dr. Kristopher Birkeland, DC is a chiropractor, owner of Synergy Sports Therapy and Athletic Republic Tempe/Scottsdale (Performance Sports Training), and also an Ironman. He believes “Everyone is an Athlete” and treats patients of all ages. To learn more, call 480-598-3278 or email info@synergysportstherapy.com.

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 19

shopping local

Choosing a Pharmacy

By Chetan Khatri, R.Ph., Chandler Drugs

D

oes it matter what pharmacy you choose to fill your prescription? If you’re just looking for the cheapest place to pick up your medication, then maybe not, but if customer service is important, along with time to talk to the pharmacist and have all your questions answered, or if you have a special request, then maybe it does make a difference.

An independent pharmacy is a retail pharmacy that is not directly affiliated with any chain of pharmacies and is not owned or operated by a publicly traded company. Independent pharmacies are usually pharmacist-owned, privately held businesses set in varying practice settings, including single-store operations, pharmacist-owned multiple store locations, long-term care (LTC), specialty, and supermarket pharmacy operations.

Chain store pharmacies often have cheaper prices, but dispense a large volume of prescriptions, which can limit their time to spend with customers and take longer to have your order filled. Just imagine, you spent a couple hours sitting in the doctor’s office with a sick child, you drop off a couple of prescriptions at a local pharmacy, and they say come back in a couple of hours to pick it up. Making two trips to the store is inconvenient, but no one wants their child in pain for a couple of more hours. Independent pharmacies usually have a shorter wait time and can get you on your way as soon as possible. It’s not unusual in the case of an easy to fill or quick refill, to have you in and out within five to ten minutes.

Independent owners generally have higher standards of customer service, focusing solely on the patients' needs and strive to outperform competitors. They not only educate patients about their prescription medications, but also provide services and information on immunizations, diabetes management, preventative screenings, over-the-counter medications, or any other concern. Many independent pharmacies stock all sorts of braces, compression stockings, diabetic supplies, and other items you can't find in a chain store; in fact, they will order items that fit your needs specifically and keep it in stock just for you.

Many independent pharmacies also compound medication, which is very important, especially when the manufacturer runs out of a certain Page 20 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

medicine. For example, last year when the swine flu arrived no one could order Tamiflu, the drug to treat it. Our pharmacists are able to compound Tamiflu, making it available.

When was the last time you had a prescription delivered? Most independent pharmacies, including the one I work at, have someone available each day to deliver supplies and medications to customers.

Let’s say you recently had surgery and are not allowed to drive, or just too sick to go out. It can make a huge difference in your day to simply have it delivered, eliminating the stress to find someone to take you.

Just one more example that shows we really do care about our customers' needs.

For more information about independent pharmacy services, contact Chandler Drugs at 480-855-7123, 480-499-0563 or stop by and talk with our pharmacist at 2055 W Fry Road # 3, Chandler, 85224.

lateral epicondylitis

Is Tennis Elbow Taking a Slice Out of Your Life?

By David Hogarth PT, DPT, NASM-PES, NASM-CES, Physiotherapy Associates

Y

ou don’t have to play tennis to get tennis elbow. It can come on frequently here in the spring with repetitive use of garden equipment, for instance.

Also known as lateral epicondylitis, this occurs when the muscle and tendon group, which starts at the outside of your elbow and runs down the forearm, becomes overloaded with stress and creates pain.

Changes at the local tissue level range from short-term inflammation to longer-term structural damage, but the most important factor is how much it impacts your activity and how you can adapt to allow healing and continue with normal life.

Regardless if your tennis elbow bothers you on your slice backhand, when typing, or when pouring a glass of milk, the best means to recovery is reducing stress at the injury site. Commonly in tennis the increased stress comes from a change in racquet or technique. Perhaps you have just been working extra on your crosscourt backhand and your body is asking for some rest. If you are mostly hindered when typing, then your posture while at your computer is important. You should seek neutral positioning of the hands and wrist without excessive need

to “cock-up” your wrist. If daily or work activities are affected sometimes a simple strap-on brace can help take up some of the stress.

If the local stress is reduced, you give your tissue a chance to heal, but it’s often not that simple. Once an injury state sets in to the muscles, tendons, and joints at on the outside of the elbow it can be very stubborn to get out. There are other body factors that increase the loading on the arm. It is wise to consult with a skilled physical therapist to have the rest of your body assessed for deficits in posture or movement. For instance, a forward head and shoulders posture with poor shoulder blade control can contribute to tennis elbow. Be sure you include a both a local and a global approach when working on this or any other injury.

At Physiotherapy Associates – Chandler Orthopedic and Sport Clinic, our treatment philosophy integrates the whole body and whole person.

We incorporate guidance from your physician with evidence from the most up-to-date medical literature to help each patient achieve their personal rehabilitation goals. Visit www.physiocorp.com for more information.

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 21

ask the expert

Stroke Risk Factors

By Jonathan Hodgson, DO

Question: What are the risk factors for stroke and how can I tell if I am having one?

"According to the National

Answer: Anyone can suffer from a stroke; however, some people are at greater risk because they have particular factors that increase their chances of having a stroke.

Stroke Association (NSA),

There are both controllable and uncontrollable risk factors. A controlled risk factor is a lifestyle-related cause that can be changed or a medical risk factor that can be treated to reduce your risk for a stroke.

According to the National Stroke Association (NSA), up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented. Controlled risk factors include: • High blood pressure • High cholesterol • Diabetes • Atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat • Atherosclerosis or buildup of plaque in the arteries • Smoking • Drinking alcohol • Obesity

up to 80 percent of

According to the National Stroke Association, uncontrollable risk factors include: • Age: The chance of stroke doubles for every decade a person is alive after the age 55.

• Gender: Women are more likely to suffer from a stroke than men.

• Ethnicity: Some ethnic groups are at higher risk than others.

• Family history: You may be more likely to have a stroke if your family members have had one.

Page 22 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

strokes can be prevented."

Remember, a stroke can come on suddenly so it’s important to be able to recognize the warning signs. Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone you’re with shows any of these signs and symptoms: • Numbness or weakness of the face, arms or legs, especially on just one side of the body.

• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

• Trouble walking, dizziness and loss of balance or coordination.

• Severe headache with no known cause.

Jonathan Hodgson, DO, is a board-certified Neurologist with privileges at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. For a doctor referral, please call ResourceLink at 480-728-5414.

shoebox ministry

Restoring Dignity to the Homeless

By Laura Borgeson, Shoebox Ministry

I

always look forward to the month of May! Although I’m a mom and it’s Mother’s Day, Shoebox Ministry honors moms in a very special way. They fill purses with great gift items and let the children at family and domestic violence shelters pick out a purse and present it to their mom on Mother’s Day. The goal is to distribute 2,500 gift-filled purses to agencies like Chrysalis, DeColores, Maggie’s Place, Casa de Amigas and Sojourner Center.

Shoebox Ministry is a Scottsdalebased, nonprofit service agency that’s provided personal toiletry kits to the homeless and working poor of Maricopa County for 25 years.

We consider the many needs of the homeless a high priority and that’s why we’ve chosen to focus on the personal hygiene.

Shoebox Ministry distributes a monthly average of 950 toiletry kits to agencies like Church on the Street, Tempe Community Action Agency, Salvation Army and House of Refuge. This partnership allows those in need to have access to hygiene items that may not have otherwise been available.

Personal hygiene is important for good health, self-esteem, and success in pursuing employment opportunities. Imagine living on the streets and being unable to brush your teeth or bathe. Next, imagine looking for employment in this situation and knowing your chances are diminished because of your appearance. It is difficult enough to imagine being homeless, but not being able to brush your teeth, wash your hair, or shower on a regular basis is almost unimaginable. It’s these simple things that we take for granted that mean so much to the homeless and working poor.

Although we provide a valuable service, we are only scratching the surface of the needs for the estimated 650,000 men, women and children living at or below the Federal poverty level in Arizona, and 15,000 of whom are homeless.

The summer months are especially difficult to keep product on the shelves and with the Arizona heat, having deodorant is vital. You can help by donating any type of personal hygiene products. Items of all sizes are needed for men and women. Pick up an extra bottle of shampoo and toothpaste to share with a homeless family when you’re out shopping for your own family. Do you travel? We will gladly accept those free hotel toiletries too.

For more information about Shoebox, a list of what goes in our toiletry kit, and drop-off locations around the Valley, visit www.shoeboxministry.org. You can also email us at info@shoeboxministry.org or call us at 480-905-1610.

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 23

senior health

Is Assisted Living Right for Me or My Loved One?

By Julia Colangelo, Executive Director, Solterra Senior Living

M

aking the decision to move into an assisted living facility is not an easy decision for the family or for the person making the move. Most people have fears of losing their freedom and their friends, and resist moving out of the home they’ve lived in for years — the place where their children were raised and all the family gatherings were enjoyed. These are very real fears, but there’s also so much to be gained. Here are a few questions to consider: Will I have to give up my freedom?

Although many feel that making this move is giving up their freedom, it can actually give you your freedom back! Assisted living facilities offer a wide variety of daily services and chores including housekeeping, meals, social events, entertainment, transportation, and so much more. This savings of time and energy reduces stress and allows you to spend your day enjoying the activities you love.

Join Phoenix HealthyCells on Facebook! www.facebook.com

• • • •

But I’ll miss my friends and neighbors.

Moving to assisted living doesn’t mean you have to leave your friends behind. They’re always welcome to come for a visit to share the excitement of your new home, enjoy a meal, and participate in activities too. And you will surely make new friends!

How will I get to my doctor appointment or go shopping?

Most facilities bring many services to you, like wellness checkups, hair stylist, and multiple doctors, specialists, and even lab and X-ray may visit on a set schedule. This allows the opportunity to take care of many tasks without spending half the day traveling to and from a doctor's office. Transportation to pharmacies, shopping centers, and other popular locations is offered on a regular basis.

Making a decision for a loved one can be difficult. Experience indicates that it is best to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to professional assistance for seniors. The guide below may help you in your decision process.

A senior may need additional assistance when: • Medication is forgotten or taken improperly • Grooming or poor hygiene becomes an issue • Falls or injuries are frequent • Home maintenance and cleanliness is difficult • Poor eating habits or missed meals is the norm • Confusion or depression • Poorly managed finances • Incontinence issues • Little to no socialization • Car accidents, tickets, or unexplained dents and scratches If you notice any problems listed above, trust your instincts. Start the conversation and frame it in a non-threatening way. Honor their independence but remind them that their safety comes first. A senior may initially see these issues as a failure, but with your help and their input, an assisted living environment might meet everyone’s needs.

And this will surely offer all peace of mind.

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Be sure to check us out and share us as we are here to keep you informed.

Do I have to share a room with a stranger?

Today’s assisted living communities are actually similar to living in a resort, with your own apartment and furniture. You furnish it with the items that mean the most to you and make you happy. Units are typically secure with locks for privacy and pull cords to alert staff if you need assistance.

“Like” us today!

Page 24 — Healthy Cells Magazine — East Valley — ­ Premiere Issue 2013

Solterra Senior Living is a family-owned and operated assisted living community that welcomes you to stop by to meet the staff, residents, and yes, even family. We’re located at 350 S Alma School Rd, Chandler 85224. We hope you will consider us as a professional and personal ally and resource if you ever have questions related to the aging process or our services. Our team has multiple years of experience serving our senior residents. There is no pressure or obligation when you call, 480-214-6700 or visit us at www.solterrachandler.com. We are here for you!

extending hope

Misconceptions About Hospice

By Cathy Peterson, Gemini Hospice, LLC

Hospice is only for the last few days of life Hospice is for those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and should the illness take its natural course, have six months or less to live. Of course, doctors who are writing the orders for hospice do not have a crystal ball and cannot predict exactly when someone will pass. Patients have been known to be on hospice well over six months.

As long as they continue to show a decline in their health, hospice is appropriate. If they do not show a decline in health, they are “graduated” from hospice services and can return when their health declines again. Take our quiz below to learn about when hospice might be appropriate.

Hospice is a place The hospice concept was put in place to provide care and comfort to those nearing end-of-life in their own home or wherever they may call home. There are places called in-patient units and skilled nursing facilities where some are placed because they need 24-hour care or symptom management for the last few days.

Hospice is only for those with cancer In 1983, Medicare originally only approved hospice services for those with cancer. In 1994, this changed. A doctor can now write an order for hospice for those with dementia, Alzheimer’s, ALS, end stage renal disease, COPD, failure to thrive, and much more.

Hospice only provides care and comfort Hospice is a Medicare part A benefit with no out-of-pocket cost for those 65 and older or for those who have been on disability for two or more years. Hospice services include, but are not limited to, the following: durable medical equipment, supplies and medications related to the patient’s diagnosis; a social worker to help with funeral planning, aid, and attendance, applying for long-term care, etc.; a chaplain who provides spiritual and bereavement services (note: bereavement services continue for 13 months after the patient’s death); and a nurse, CNA, and medical director who work with the family and the patient to provide a plan of care that best meets the needs of each patient.

Take our Quiz: When is Hospice appropriate?

Put a “Y” for yes or an “N” for no in the spaces provided by each question.

Have you or your loved one: ___ Been diagnosed with a terminal illness? ___ Been experiencing re-occurring infections or hospitalizations? ___ Been experiencing significant weight loss in the last six months? ___ Had frequent falls? ___ Required more assistance with activities of daily living? ___ Had wounds that are difficult to heal? ___ Been getting tired or sleeping more often? ___ Been experiencing pain that is difficult to resolve? ___ Become incontinent of bowel or bladder? ___ Become more confused or forgetful?

If you answered “yes” to five or more of these questions, it may be time to talk to a hospice representative.

For more information or if you or a loved one are in need of hospice, please contact Gemini Hospice at 480-883-1353 or visit www.geminihospice.com.

Premiere Issue 2013 — East Valley — ­ Healthy Cells Magazine — Page 25

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Here’s just a few things you’ll discover in the article on page 8: • How to take control of your slow metabolism • Why your current exercise program may be failing you.

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Symptoms of irregular heartbeats vary. Some irregular heartbeats can even cause a stroke or heart attack.

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If any of these symptoms sound like you, don't delay. We have the heart specialists who can spot what’s wrong and know how to treat it.

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