Healthy Idaho | April '13 by Healthy Magazine

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

“Blending practical solutions with compassion. That’s what attracted me to surgery.” Dr. Elizabeth Prier – Breast and General Surgeon - Boise

RANKED IN THE TOP 5% IN THE NATION FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH.* OVER 40 PHYSICIANS DEDICATED TO WOMEN’S BREAST HEALTH. IDAHO’S ONLY FELLOWSHIP TRAINED BREAST SURGEON OFFERS LEADING-EDGE SOLUTIONS WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF COMPASSION. *

2012

Make an appointment with Dr. Prier: (208) 367-5050

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Healthy-Idaho.com

stitches stitches allergies allergies sprains sprains skin skinrashes rashes flu flu fevers fevers nausea nausea

Home Sickness Sickness Home coughs coughs and andmore more

are better left not passed Some Some thingsthings are better left not passed on on to to the family. For aches, pains, injuries he family. For aches, pains, injuries andand thethe flu,flu, there's a Primary Health close there's a Primary Health close by.by. Urgent Urgent Care Care | Family | FamilyPractice Practice||Occupational Occupational Health Health

10 Urgent 10 Urgent Care Care Locations. Locations.| primaryhealth.com | primaryhealth.com Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

>> Advisor Healthcare

Better Coverage. Better Care. exceptional healthcare

exceptional health Insurance

BETTER TOGETHER Triple Aim MEANS BETTER HEALTH, *According to NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Rankings, 2011-2012

St. Luke’s Health System will transform healthcare by aligning with physicians and other providers to System deliver will St. Luke’s Health integrated, transform seamless, healthcareand by aligning with physicians quality and other patient-centered care providers to Luke’s deliver settings. integrated, across all St. seamless, patient-centered quality care across all St. Luke’s settings.

BETTER CARE, AND LOWER COST.

That’s St. Luke’s vision, and I’m excited about a significant milestone in attainment of our vision and our “Triple Aim” of better health, better care, and lower cost. We’ve got an innovative new partner in SelectHealth, an insurance company based in Utah that shares our vision and our values, and has pledged to work with us toward achieving those much-needed goals. SelectHealth, a Salt Lake City-based not-for-profit health insurance company that serves more than 500,000 members in Utah and southern Idaho, is committed to helping its members stay healthy, offering superior service, and facilitating access to high-quality care. We believe our new relationship will help us align incentives for participating health care providers and their patients, and will help SelectHealth and its members achieve long-term improvements in health.

and preventative services have been poorly reimbursed, or not paid for at all, under many health plans. The current system promotes fragmentation of care, and there is little incentive for providers and payors to spend the extra time and effort to work together to coordinate care, ensure patients get the proper follow-up, and try to prevent the use of unnecessary or low-value services. That’s where SelectHealth comes in. St. Luke’s alliance with SelectHealth is built upon trust, a commitment to collaboration, and data sharing, by having each party perform the services they are best suited to without duplicating those same services, and by paying the insurance company for the services they deliver. It is also focused on providing financial support to health care providers to invest in better health and to reward providers for eliminating low-value to no-value services according to evidence-based medicine. It will take time to implement the necessary changes and to achieve the benefits and savings we are striving to return to SelectHealth members, but we are making a start.

Our new alliance combines St. Luke’s quality with SelectHealth’s core competencies and expertise in supporting an integrated health care delivery system, and will be supported by BrightPath, an extensive network of St. Luke’s physicians and facilities and independent physicians and facilities. Here’s why this is so important: The transformation of health care delivery calls for a completely different business model. Many insurance models only reward, and therefore health care providers have only focused on, improving the health of people who are already sick. Most efforts at wellness, health promotion, fitness, screenings, 4

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

This is a very exciting time for St. Luke’s Health System. Just as we set out to do, we are transforming health care! Join me in the journey and keep up with developments via my blog, Dr. Pate’s Prescription for Change. (http://drpate.stlukesblogs.org/)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David C. Pate, M.D., J.D.

is president and CEO of St. Luke’s Health System, based in Boise, Idaho. Dr. Pate joined the System in 2009. He received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. Read his blog at

http://drpate.stlukesblogs.org

Healthy-Idaho.com

Isn’t it great when

everythInG works toGether? We’re proud to announce that healthcare and health insurance are doing just that.

Good news for Idaho The care you appreciate from St. Luke’s is now aligned with top-ranked insurance* from SelectHealth so that hospitals, health insurance, doctors, and patients work together toward lower costs and stable premiums. Learn more about SelectHealth by calling 800-442-3125 or visiting selecthealth.org.

exceptional healthcare

*According to NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Rankings, 2011-2012

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

exceptional health Insurance

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Choose Southwest Passionate Patient Caregivers

6651 West Franklin Road, Boise, Idaho 83709 • ph: 208.685.2400 • fax: 208.685.2369 SIACH.ernesthealth.com HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013 Healthy-Idaho.com

8 22 30 34 36 14 16 18 40 42

04.13

UTAH

Brainpower

VOLUME XIII, № 4

BRAINPOWER TO INFINITY... This month's Editor's Note explores the idea that “A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses.”

THE POWER OF A POSITIVE PERSPECIVE Ten ways your outlook can enrich your life.

THE MANY KINDS OF SMART You think you know what intelligence is, but it’s time to get reacquainted.

BRAIN BATTLE Comparing the U.S. with the world, we can muse, ' Is We Smart or Ain’t We Smart?'

HANDLING JERKS! According to new research, the brush off, or silent treatment, may make you more productive, if not smarter

FITNESS IMMUNE-SYTEM BOOSTING EXERCISE Is there anything a good sweat can't do? It certainly boosts immune function.

FITNESS BY THE NUMBERS There are dozens of numbers that swirl around us, but what do all these numbers really mean, and which ones truly matter when it comes to setting exercise goals?

INTERVAL TRAINING Hot & heavy versus slow and steady. How interval training can beat distance training

WELLNESS WHEN BRAINS ATTACK Researchers have in recent years verified what many a proverb has preached for centuries: treat your body well, and your mind will thank you.

NUTRITION NOTES In the 'brown vs white' debate, is it always healthier to choose the darker fare? The answers may surprise you.

Advanced Therapy Care

Improving the quality of life one patient at a time

Speech, Occupational, & Physical Therapy Services

Specializing in therapy services for children and adults  No Waiting Lists  Free Screenings  Individual Therapy

 We accept Insurance & Medicaid  Cash Discounts

Meridian: 1550 N. Crestmont Dr., Ste. E Meridian, ID 83642 208-898-0988 Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

 Therapy Preschool  Handwriting Clinic  Pragmatics Group

Mountain Home: 245 N. 3rd E. Mountain Home, ID 83647 208-587-8255

www.advancedtherapycare.com HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Healthy

BRAINPOWER

To Infinity...

I REMEMBER preparing a speech when

I was a teenager and grabbing a small book sitting on my parents bookshelf. I think it was the first taste I had of the power of thought and persuasion. The key quote of James Allen’s wonderfully simple, yet powerful book has served as a theme of sorts in my life.

“A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses.” - JAMES ALLEN, AS A MAN THINKETH Limits. Thoughts. Choices. Can it really be that simple? There have been times, particularly as a financially struggling graduate student and young father, when I questioned the logic’s veracity. I thought rich, but I wasn’t (at least, not by how I shallowly defined riches back then). But the essence is that our lives, no matter where they started or where they are currently situated, are unlimited. We are not limited by the life we now live. However, we may be limited by our failure to think big, or by our assumption that we’re ‘doing the best we can.’ Look at your life and ask yourself—am I really doing my best? What could I be doing better? What am I missing because I’m not doing better?

IDAHO

WITH WRITTEN BY JOHN A. ANDERSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

Self-help gurus seem to unanimously concur that any time you’re ready to go beyond your life’s current limitations, you’re capable of doing that by choosing new thought patterns. In terms of income, this idea suggests that we receive our current income simply because that is the amount we have limited ourselves to earn. So, is it possible to bring in 5, 10, 20 times more by changing our self-limiting thoughts? There’s an easy way to find out. You must know others, perhaps less educated, less skilled or even less intelligent, who earn much more than you.

QUESTION IS, WHY? There’s a stimulating story recounted by Cynthia Kersey in her book Unstoppable about UC Berkley college student George Dantzig (Google him). George was a hard working college student who often focused on his studies late into the night. It caused him to oversleep one morning, and he arrived 20 minutes late for class. He jotted down the two math problems on the board, assuming they were the homework assignment. After many days working through the problems, George ultimately had a breakthrough and turned in the assignment to the professor the next day. A couple of days later, George received an early morning call from his energized professor. Turns out that the morning George was late for class he missed the professor announce that the two equations on the board were essentially unsolvable mathematical mind teasers that even Einstein hadn’t been able to answer. George Dantzig missed the thought-limiting explanation and, working without any imposed constraints, had solved not one, but two problems that had stumped mathematicians for centuries. Essentially, George solved the problems because he didn’t know he couldn’t.

APRIL 2013 VOLUME V, № 4 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

John A. Anderson | editor@healthy-idaho.com PUBLISHER

Kenneth J. Shepherd| ken@healthy-idaho.com SALES AND MARKETING

Julie Guyer 208.371.4533 Steve Wallace 208.850.4983 Kristi Hendry 208.703.7448 sales@healthy-idaho.com DESIGN EDITORS

Phillip Chadwick design@healthy-idaho.com MANAGING EDITORS

Michael Richardson | Emma Penrod editor@healthy-idaho.com ONLINE EDITOR

Ashley Romney | ashley@healthy-idaho.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Sandy Wise | 866.884.3258 sandy@healthy-idaho.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Gail Morrissey, Jessica Hagy, Heather Hooke, David Joachim, Brooke Kittel, Wayne Larsen, Colette Bouchez, Patty Trela, Steven E. Warren CIRCULATION Healthy Idaho Magazine is printed monthly and delivered to higher income homes throughout Boise and is made available for pick up at hundreds of locations. Healthy Idaho Magazine is also mailed to all doctors, dentists, chiropractors, medical practitioners, health clinics, banks, and other businesses. If you would like to have Healthy Idaho Magazine delivered for distribution in your place of business, please contact us.

Healthy Idaho Magazine info@healthy-idaho.com 866.884.3258 PLEASE NOTE: The content in this publication is meant to increase reader awareness of developments in the health and medical field and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction on individual health matters, which should be obtained directly from a health professional. The opinions expressed by the authors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher. Call for reprint permission. All photography courtesy of Shutterstock.com unless otherwise noted.

FACEBOOK.COM/HEALTHYIDAHO TWITTER:HEALTHYIDAHOMAG

Limitations must be comforting to us because we love imposing them on others and ourselves. But, on occasion, when we sit back and consider the tremendous reservoirs of potential within us, we just might embrace the reality that we are immensely capable of doing virtually anything we determine. It’s a matter of how—not if—we can do it. Once you make up your mind to do something, it’s wonderful how the mind initiates the process of figuring out how. Take a moment and think about that.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

To be included in our free online directory, please email your contact information to directory@healthy-mag.com Healthy Magazine is dedicated to using recyclable materials.

Healthy-Idaho.com

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

PERCENT OF WOMEN WHO LIE AWAKE AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF STRESS.

American Psychological Assoc.

USE YOUR HEAD

A well-known aging nun study from the University of Kentucky showed that nuns using more complex sentence structure and thought patterns were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s as they aged. Many other studies have shown that using your head—whether it is reading, doing crossword puzzles, games or being actively engaged in intellectual pursuits reduces your risk of dementia. So don’t forget to use your head and exercise your brain!

HARNESSING THE POWER OF YOUR BRAIN

in the news / brainpower

49% NEURO NUMBERS

Just imagining yourself eating a food, bite by bite, reduces how much you eat, reports the journal Science. Using this technique with a popular candy caused subjects to eat 61% fewer pieces. The reason? Visualizing eating a food can trick your mind and reduce your desire for more.

eat the rainbow STAY HYDRATED FOR BRAINPOWER AND STABILITYY.

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old adage simply isn’t true. The human brain has an astonishing ability to adapt and change—even into old age. This ability is known as neuroplasticity. With the right stimulation, your brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections, and adapt and react in ever-changing ways. The brain’s incredible ability to reshape itself holds true when it comes to learning and memory. You can harness the natural power of neuroplasticity to increase your cognitive abilities, enhance your ability to learn new information, and improve your memory.

melt pounds with your mind!

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

For the latest in news and research go to healthy-idaho.com

Believe it or not, your brain rusts as you get older. The end result is Alzheimer’s, or as many call it, “old timer’s disease.” But thankfully, nature has provided the perfect WD-40 lubricant. It is the rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables—the dark purples of blueberries, the deep reds of pomegranates, the rich green of kale and collards, the bright orange of sweet potatoes. All these colorful foods provide powerful antioxidants. That’s a good thing, because, as a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found, people who ate more dietary antioxidants had 70% less Alzheimer’s and dementia. This is one powerful way to control one of the major causes of all disease—rusting or oxidative stress. Eat 8 – 10 servings (1/2 cup = 1 serving) of these lifesaving colorful fruits and vegetables a day to protect your brain.

Healthy-Idaho.com

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

in the news / brainpower

when your body blows your mind

THE NOSE GOES

Of those under the age of 65, about 1-2 percent have almost completely lost their sense of smell, according to the National Institutes of Health. Of those 65 and over, more than half have little to no sense of smell, called anosmia.

WHITE PEOPLE GRAY THE FASTEST

Average age when graying of hair begins:

Caucasian: 20's-30's Asian: Late 30's African: 40's TEARS OF WOMEN REPEL MEN

Researchers in Isreal had women watch a sad movie alone, and then captured their tears in vials. Men were given the vials to smell. Another group was given vials of saline that weren’t tears. “Men who sniffed tears judged pictures of women's faces to be less sexually attractive,” authors wrote in Nature.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

SUCH A PAIN

Researchers from Stanford assessed sex differences in reported pain for more than 11,000 patients and 250 conditions. For almost every problem, women reported higher average pain levels. In total, they reported their pain to be 20 percent higher than men, across all conditions.

BEANS BEANS

THE MAGICAL FRUIT

Beans can be an excellent source of nutrition, and may decrease the risk of chronic illness, but many people don’t eat them because they fear the resulting flatulence, researchers from Arizona State University found. Researchers arranged a study comparing the effects of pinto, black-eyed peas and baked beans on test subjects. Less than 50 percent reported increased flatulence from the beans, leading researchers to say that “people's concerns about excessive flatulence from eating beans may be exaggerated.”

Why Do Aging Eyes Turn More Red? Look into the eyes of a child and you see beautiful, clear, innocent and all white eyes. Age seems to cloud that fresh, white look of eyes. The publication, Ethology, published a study in 2011 which found that people with red eyes seemed sadder, less healthy and overall, less attractive than those with whiter eyes. The question is, why do eyes turn red as we age?

Experts suggest that, over time, our bodies produce less water components for our tears. Tears are an amalgamation of three layers—oil, water

and mucin. Mucin is made from the goblet cells in our conjunctiva. Water makes up the central layer, made mostly from the lacrimal glands. And since the water component tends to decrease with age, the result is redness and dryness. Many people especially experience redness after eyelid surgery because the eyes are more open. This causes tear film to evaporate quicker resulting in dryness and redness. Lasik surgery can also cause the same effect. That’s why it’s important for your doctor to measure the amount of tears you produce before performing any of these procedures. And just like sun exposure can prematurely age our skin, it is also a big reason why our eyes become red. Dr. Boxrud says to always wear sunglasses when outside because they work like sunscreen for your eyes. Healthy-Idaho.com

Surprising research about the way people think

MAKE MEN’S MINDS FALTER Researchers from the Netherlands gathered male and female subjects and had them take cognitive tests. As part of the test, researchers told participants that an observer would watch them via a camera. Women performed the same regardless of who watched them, but men performed worse when they knew a woman was watching. Even the prospect of a female observer resulted in score declines.

67 NEURO NUMBERS

PERCENT OF THOSE WHO CHANGE THEIR ORDER TO SOMETHING MORE HEALTHFUL AFTER SEEING A FOOD'S FAT AND CALORIE CONTENT ON A MENU. Source : Technomic Inc.

Alzheimer’s disease hits women harder. About 5.2 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s, and 3.4 million of these people are women, versus only 1.8 million men. The minds of men and women are built differently, but researchers aren’t sure exactly why the discrepancy is so large.

ALZHEIMER'S

WOMEN

in the news / brainpower

It’s In Your Head

JUST FRIENDS? Maybe, but less likely for boys, new research from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire shows. Researchers gathered pairs of heterosexual friends of opposite genders and privately asked each about their feelings toward the other. It turns out that young men experience more attraction to their female peers than vice versa. Furthermore, the results showed, men overestimate how attracted their female friend is to them, and women underestimate how attracted their male friends are to them. But it goes deeper. Men often desire “romantic dates” with their friend, but that desire doesn’t diminish when the girl has a boyfriend. The same is not true for women. So it may be that men have a harder time than women at being “just friends.”

CHANGE: IT’S NOT OVER YET A recent study of more than 19,000 people showed that people believe they have changed in the past, but won’t change in the future, even though they actually will. “People, it seems, regard the present as a watershed moment at which they have finally become the person[s] they will be for the rest of their lives,” the paper says, which came from researchers at the National Fund for Scientific Research in Belgium, and a University of Virginia psychologist, Timothy Wilson. Change seems to be a constant part of life, even if people don’t realize it. For example, the average 33-year-old in the study expected less change in the next decade than the average 43-year-old said had actually happened in the previous decade, reported Scientific American.

AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE

A Gallup poll of 1,000 randomly chosen Americans found that about 25 percent didn’t know which country the United States gained its independence from, and 18 percent thought the sun revolves around the earth. Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

>> Advisor FITNESS

See

results NOW!

HOW TO EXERCISE To boost your Immune system increase the body’s ability to deal with infections. During moderate exercise, immune cells circulate through the body more quickly and are better able to kill bacteria and viruses. Some studies have shown that a regular program of brisk walking can bolster the immune system including the antibody response and the natural killer (T cell) response.

20-40 X 5

Regular exercise such as brisk or moderate walking for 20-40 minutes every day, 5 days a week will increase the body’s ability to deal with infections.

here are so many things that can affect how we feel. Everywhere we go, we are exposed to germs and some of those aren’t very nice. Add busy schedules that don’t allow us to get proper rest, hectic routines that don’t allow us to eat properly and everyday stresses that can weaken our body’s efforts to stay healthy and we may just come down with something ugly. Exercise has so many benefits and several

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

studies show that moderate, consistent exercise can actually help your immune system. The intensity and duration of exercise needed for supporting the immune system is less than the required amount needed for the best cardiovascular training. Regular exercise such as brisk or moderate walking for 20-40 minutes every day, 5 days a week will

After exercise ends, the immune system generally returns to normal within a few hours, but consistent, regular exercise seems to make these changes a bit more long lasting. “When moderate exercise is repeated on a near-daily basis, there is a cumulative effect that leads to a long-term immune response,” says Dr. David Nieman. We know that exercise also can boost our mental wellness as well. Psychological stress can also impair immunity and lead to an increase of cold and flu infections. It is not always clear whether exercise alone boosts the immune system directly or if it works through a link with the brain and the nervous system. Too much exercise at high levels can affect your immune system in a negative way. Exercising at a higher intensity or lasting for more than 90 minutes can actually

temporarily suppress your immune system. It can also make you susceptible to illness for up to 72 hours after the exercise session. When the body is stressed from higher levels of intensity, the body will produce certain hormones that temporarily lower immunity. Cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones) have been linked to increased susceptibility to infection in extreme exercisers. If you are training for a long distance event or an extreme exercise situation, allow your body and your immune system to recover properly. If you are already ill, you should also be careful of working out too hard. Your immune system is already taxed by fighting your infection and additional stress from a tough workout could prolong your recovery. In general, if you have mild cold symptoms and no fever, light or moderate exercise may help you feel a little better and actually boost your immune system. Intense or long duration exercise will only make things worse and keep you down longer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Mathews

is a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Pilates Instructor. Contact at editor@stardocs.com

Healthy-Idaho.com

J. Brett Comstock, DDS

ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Specializing in: • Wisdom Teeth • Dental Implants • IV Sedation and General Anesthesia PRACTICING THE FULL SCOPE OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY FOR OVER 20 YEARS

2 0 8 . 3 7 5 . 0191

403 S 11th St # 320 Boise, ID 83702

Visit our website: drbrettcomstock.com Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Here’s an overview of some key fitness figures that can be used to measure the success of your exercise and nutrition program:

See

results NOW!

BMI (Body Mass Index): BMI is a tool that measures weight relative to height and creates a standard formula for determining whether an adult is of a healthy weight (typically 18 – 24.9) or overweight (25 and above). To find out where you rank, ask your doctor, check out a website like weightwatchers.com with a BMI calculator or purchase a BMI scale at locations such as www.cvs.com.

Amp up your workout by kicking up your speed.

bmi [ ] A tool used to calculate whether an adult is of a healthy weight . Find yours.

Blood Pressure: So 120/80 and below is considered normal blood pressure, but what does that mean? The top number represents systolic pressure or the active part of the heartbeat while the bottom represents diastolic pressure or the moment the heart rests between beats. The higher the numbers, the harder the heart is working to pump blood, which isn’t healthy for the long term. Studies show that exercise provides a drug-free way to lower blood pressure.

Heart Rate: A healthy, resting heart rate for an adult should measure in around 60-80 beats per minute, but can fall much lower with regular exercise (Lance Armstrong’s is 32!). Life Fitness recommends that exercisers reach 50 – 85% of their max heart rate for an optimal workout.

Healthy Inches: Keeping tabs

Fitness by the numbers KNOW WHICH NUMBERS MAKE FOR BETTER HEALTH Walk into a gym and hop on a machine, step into the doctor’s office or read the newspaper. When it comes to our health, there are dozens of numbers that swirl around us from weight to blood pressure to heart rate. But what do all these numbers really mean, and which ones truly matter when it comes to setting exercise goals? 16

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

on the inches you’ve lost can be better than simply watching for pounds. Exercising means building muscle and losing fat and that may not show on the scale. Commit to measuring the circumference of your chest, waist, hips and thighs every four weeks to see if you’re truly slimming down. Fit Tips are provided by Life Fitness, the leader in designing and manufacturing high-quality exercise equipment for fitness facilities and homes worldwide.

Rev up your fitness routine with online workout videos. Visit Healthy-Idaho.com.

Healthy-Idaho.com

Varicose veins holding you back?

After

Don’t Let your varicose veins hold you back any longer, call Advanced Vein Therapy today!

Before

o you experience burning, aching pain in your legs? Do you have swelling or noticeable bulging veins? What about a darker, “stain-like” copper color around your ankles? These vein conditions are common, sometimes serious—and treatable.

 In-office procedure—no surgery necessary.  Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) offers less risk of reopening veins compared to other laser treatments commonly used.  Treatment is typically covered by most insurance carriers.  Highly skilled physicians specialized in vascular radiology from Gem State Radiology.

Find us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedVeinTherapy

WANT FASTER AND MORE COMPLETE RELIEF FROM PAIN AND STIFFNESS? You can get it with Fascial Distortion Model. Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy Parkcenter is one of only 3 PT clinics in the US to offer this groundbreaking set of techniques. It works by allowing us to translate your subtle hand and body language descriptions of your symptoms into a more precise assessment and treatment plan. We achieve faster results by offering the right treatment at the right time, with improvement expected at each visit.

“If you can show it, we can treat it.” Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

CALL 433-9211 TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY. 390 E Parkcenter Blvd Ste 130, Boise | (208)433-9211

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

VS.

Fast and Heavy

After completing the shuttle, rest for two minutes, then do it again. It sounds brutal, and it is brutal. The sudden changes in direction transitioning into full sprints gives your muscles an excellent workout, and strengthens those fast twitch muscles that distance running doesn’t touch.

2. The Jog/Sprint/Walk:

Slow and Steady

Has your daily jog become boring? Change it up.

HOW INTERVAL TRAINING CAN BEAT DISTANCE TRAINING

Dr. Barbara Lockhart, a BYU exercise science professor, says she hasn’t run more than a mile in forty years. But that doesn’t jive with the fact that Lockhart recently completed a day-long hike without a problem. Her secret? Interval training.

WHAT IT IS

Interval training is when you do any kind of intense activity to get your heart rate up, and then let your heart rate go down again. Then you repeat the process multiple times. For example, you sprint 800 meters. Then you rest for a minute. Then you go again at near 100 percent capacity.

WHO’S DOING IT

Interval training seems to spit in the face of accepted get-fit tactics, which say sustained high heart beat is the way to go. But Lockhart, author of CardioWaves: Interval Training for MindBody Wellness, says steady state exercise isn’t the king of fitness. “You see people go round and round the track,” she says. “But that isn’t how today’s athletes train.”

“When done properly, it can improve performance and help you get faster,” she says. She warns, however, that the length of rest and interval times during a workout depends on what the person is training for, and that intervals improperly done can result in injury.

WHY

This kind of training improves how well the heart delivers oxygen to the muscles, and how well those muscles receive that oxygen. It is better than regular aerobic exercise at improving the cardiovascular system. In short, interval training improves athletic capacity in ways that steady state training cannot.

OTHER BENEFITS: • • •

•

Short time commitment, great results. Muscle toning. Mental benefits: You train yourself to lower heart rate, which helps when you want to lower stress. Integrate body and mind: Learn how to control your body better with the constant mental exertion that distance training doesn’t always demand. You don’t give up stamina (remember Lockhart can hike all day, no problem).

She says modern athletes, even distance runners, do interval training, splitting their workouts into sections of high intensity and rest.

One woman Lockhart worked with ran a nine-minute mile in her runs. The woman started interval workouts, and decreased her mile pace to seven minutes, even though she ran less mileage to train.

Lora Erickson, nationally ranked triathlete and USATF certified running coach in Bountiful, Utah, says she and her athletes utilize intervals in training regularly.

Still, Lockhart says, it isn’t a matter of either or. Steady state workouts have their scientifically proven benefits, as do interval workouts. Mixing it up might be what you need.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

WALK JOG SPRINT

RUNNING INTERVAL WORKOUTS TO TRY 1. Shuttles:

Some shudder at this word. Shuttles are a form of interval training that really hits. But it is effective, and can be done almost anywhere, be it a basketball court, football field or on the track. In a typical shuttle, you will run about five yards to a marker or line, and then run back to the starting point, all at full speed.

But you don’t stop there. You turn around and run at full speed to a marker ten yards away, turn around and run back. Repeat the process at 15, 20 and 25 yards.

Jog slowly for few minutes, then break into a sprint for 100 yards or so. Then slow to a walk to let your heart rate go down again. Then start jogging, and repeat the process. This should be more difficult than a regular jog at first, even if you do it for less time. An advantage of running like this is that the more vigorous the exercise, the more calories burned, according to the Mayo Clinic.

3. The Tapered Workout:

This workout can be done on a track or any flat surface, really. Start by sprinting for 30 seconds. Then rest for 30 seconds. Then sprint for a minute. Rest for a minute. Follow the same pattern for a two-minute sprint, twominute rest, and a then a fourminute sprint and a four-minute rest. But you aren’t done there. Repeat the sprints and rests, but this time go backwards, tapering off the workout.

Interval Training and HGH An additional benefit of interval training is that is boosts production of natural Human Growth Hormone (HGH), Lockhart says, which steady rate exercise doesn’t do. HGH is important for calcium retention, bone strength, muscle mass and for synthesizing protein. HGH has also been tied

to slowing aging and offsetting diseases. In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2010, researchers found that growth hormone improved a sprinter’s capacity significantly over a placebo group. Healthy-Idaho.com

ALLERGIST PROVIDED ASTHMA CARE LEADS TO: 76% Fewer E.R. Visits 77% Less Missed Work/school 77% Fewer Hospitalizations 45% Fewer Sick Visits The Allergy Group delivers friendly, competent, and experienced medical care for allergy, sinus, asthma, and related medical problems. Dr. Callanan is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Allergy/Immunology, practicing Allergy in Boise since 1971.

Feel the difference ALLERGY

ASTHMA

ST LUKES MERIDIAN 520 S. EAGLE RD. #1245

IMMUNOLOGY

1000 N CURTIS RD SUITE 303 BOISE, IDAHO

WWW.THEALLERGYGROUP.COM

Dominate Online Custom Content Marketing

(208) 377-4000

The rules of the game have changed!

If you haven’t changed your SEO strategy from last years outdated methods—link building —you could find yourself losing out to your competitors. Google has completely re-worked their ranking algorithm. Links are out… quality content, and lots of it, is in. Call today to see how Healthy Idaho can position you and your practice at the top of your specialty.

Healthy IDAHO

healthy-idaho.COM

866.884.3258 Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Feeling is believing.

NEW Perfect Shine Hydrating Lip Glosses by Paula’s Choice hydrate and

protect lips against dryness while adding a soft, glossy shine that improves lips with each use. This gloss is fragrance-free, enriched with plant-based antioxidants, and has a balm-like, non-sticky finish that feels amazing.

No matter what time of year, your hair is constantly being damaged in some way, shape or form. Whether it be from sun damage and chlorine in the summer, dullness and static during the winter, or simply just breakage from overstyling year round, your hair is constantly in need of moisture and essential vitamins!

Attraction

Repêchage’s HYDRAAMINO18TM Hair Spa Collection brings the spa to the

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

shampoo bowl! It works with all hair types and contains EcoCert seaweed plants with 18 amino-acids, 12 vitamins and 42 trace elements and minerals. The products are also paraben, sulfate and gluten free. Repêchage’s HYDRA-AMINO18TM Hair Spa Collection includes: »» Salon Hair Spa Thermal Seaweed Mask— ($45-65 in salons and spas across the country)

Taylor Swift

looked amazing on the Red Carpet with her soft bun and tuck hair style. SheaMoisture's Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Hold & Shine Moisture Mist will enhance this style by adding silk protein to strengthen hair, and smoothness and silkiness. Before the final tuck and roll, lightly spray with Mist to the ends to seal and reduce frizz.

Lucy Lu’s

side-swept inverted braid was elegant and sexy. For this type of set style, to minimize frizz and keep hair shiny and in place during a special event, use SheaMoisture’s Yucca & Baobab Thickening Moisture Mist. The product also wards off damage from heat and hot lights as it fortifies and strengthens any hair type.

»» »»

Perfect Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss is available in a selection of expertly created (and delicious sounding) shades— Bubble Gum, Peachy Cream, Strawberry Soda, Pink Lemonade and Rose Blush—designed to complement a wide range of skin tones. Each provides sheer coverage and looks gorgeous worn alone or over a favorite lipstick.

Since smooth lips are sexy lips, Perfect Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss works beautifully when applied after using Paula’s Choice Lip Exfoliant with Microbeads. The glosses help keep lips feeling moisturized and soft all day. To accent the gloss’ color, apply Paula’s Choice Brighten Up 2-Minute Teeth Whitener for pearly whites in a flash. Price: $9.95 each / Available at paulaschoice.com

Hair Spa Seaweed Mask ($55) Hair Spa Serum ($50)

Unique Benefits: »» Avocado Oil strengthens damaged and chemically treated hair »» Phorphyra Seaweed protects the hair and scalp from future damage »» Seaweed reduces frizz »» Seaweed increases elasticity »» Aloe Leaf Extract stimulates circulation to the scalp promoting new hair growth »» Silk proteins improve elasticity, resiliency, and essential moisture These products are currently available in select spas, salons and on Repechage.com.

Kerry Washington of Django Unchained and the TV hit Scandal looks great with her soft fringe bangs. For added hydration and sheen this red carpet ‘do would be a true winner with SheaMoisture’s Raw Shea Butter Reconstructive Elixir. After heat styling, a light even spray with the Elixir will seal in moisture and add as how stopping shine.

Healthy-Idaho.com

Beauty Mistakes Everyone Makes A CREASE CURSE

Normal movement of the face when talking, listening or just thinking creates folds in the skin that can make heavy makeup look awful. Apply foundation sparingly, especially on the forehead, and wherever folds of skin naturally appear on your face.

MATCH THE EYEBROWS

Unless you want a ton of second glances of the undesirable kind, make sure you match, and not just with clothes.

BLENDING THE HAIRLINE

Don’t let makeup make your face look two-toned. Pull your hair up before you do makeup, so you know the exact position of your hairline. Missing that line make it look like are literally wearing a mask.

WHEN MOIST IS DRY

When water evaporates off of the skin, it has the tendency to dry out skin. Sprays that contain other moisturizing ingredients are better.

CHANGING SHADE

MIXING SCENTS

Your lotion has a scent. So does your shampoo, your conditioner and many other beauty products. On top of that, you wear perfume. It’s a bit of a puzzle, and it can get ugly if you lose track of the pieces.

DON’T REPLACE SHAVING CREAM WITH BODY WASH

Cut corners when shaving, and you’ll probably cut yourself, and not be happy with how your skin feels.

LET IT DRY

Hair changes in terms of how porous it is, meaning that soaking wet hair won’t absorb beauty products the same way damp and dry hair will.

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

When choosing makeup, go for products that match your complexion, not for products that you think will give you a desired complexion. A natural look is always the most beautiful.

DISCARD OLD MAKEUP

Lipstick tubes and small bottles can be havens for bacteria. Don’t use this as an excuse to blow money on beauty products every week, but be aware of the potential health risk.

PICKING POLISH

This bad habit, however satisfying, has the potential to damage the nail itself.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

1 | See the good in every person

Brainpower

Ways Your Outlook

Can Enrich Your Life Written By Victor M. Parachin

From time to time all of us could enhance the quality of our living by considering ways to nurture ourselves. Here are ten ways to enrich your life.

“

A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses. -Chinese Proverb

”

WRITER JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN TELLS OF AN EXPERIMENT HE DID THAT HELPED HIM BETTER UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF OUR SPEECH TO IMPACT THE MIND. HE DECIDED THAT FOR A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS HE WOULD NOT SPEAK ABOUT ANY THIRD PERSON. “THAT IS, I WOULDN’T SPEAK TO SOMEONE ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE.” HERE IS WHAT CAME TO LIGHT FOR HIM DURING THAT THREE-MONTH EXPERIMENT WHEN HE ERADICATED GOSSIP FROM HIS LIFE: “FIRST, MY MIND BECAME MUCH LESS JUDGMENTAL, BECAUSE I WASN’T GIVING VOICE TO THE VARIOUS JUDGMENTS IN MY MIND.... AND AS I JUDGED OTHERS LESS, I FOUND THAT I JUDGED MYSELF LESS AS WELL. SECOND, I DISCOVERED IN THIS EXPERIMENT THAT ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF MY SPEECH WAS ELIMINATED. THIS SILENCE LED TO A LOT MORE PEACE IN MY MIND. IT WAS ASTONISHING TO SEE SO CLEARLY HOW MUCH OF THE TIME OUR TALK IS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.”

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Healthy-Idaho.com

he simple experiment Goldstein did proved to be emotionally expansive, spiritually enlightening, and soul nourishing for him. From time to time all of us could enhance the quality of our living by considering ways to nurture ourselves. Here are ten ways to enrich your life.

1 | See the good in every person

The story is told of a man who worked for a large corporation at their head office skyscraper. His only duty was to operate an elevator. Although there were three elevators servicing his side of the building, most people favored his elevator because he greeted everyone who entered through his doors with kindness and joy. One executive of the corporation frequently described the elevator operator by saying: “This is our million-dollar employee. He is just as important as the top executives in our company, because all our customers love him.” When asked the secret of his popularity and influence, the elevator operator replied: “I look for God in everyone, and it gives me such joy.”

2 | Forgive yourself

Author D. Patrick Miller, in A Little Book of Forgiveness, offers this soul-nourishing wisdom: “Never forget that to forgive yourself is to release trapped energy that could be doing good work in the world. Thus, to judge and condemn yourself is a form of selfishness. Self-prosecution is never noble; it does no one a service.” Just as you forgive others for their slights, misstatements, and errors of judgment, forgive yourself. Then move on.

3 | Learn to bend in order not to break

A favored proverb among seasoned mariners advises: “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” By that they mean we ought to adjust and adapt ourselves to circumstances over which we have no control. Resisting such events is not only counterproductive, but can create even more problems. Go with the flow, and learn to bend in order not to break. Consider the lesson learned by one man who was “downsized” by his employer. His disappointment quickly turned into major depression when, after several months, he was unable to find a similar position with comparable salary. Then he decided to roll with the reality rather than remain depressed, anxious, and feeling helpless. He decided to volunteer at his local school and church. “They were thrilled to have someone with my experience,” he said. The man also saw a doctor, who prescribed an antidepressant. He began to help out at home and “fell in love with [his] wife all over again.” Deciding that money was no longer his main priority, he found a job at a lower salary. “The loss of my job gave me back my life,” he said. “I sent my former employer a thankyou note for firing me and giving me a new life.” 4 | Maintain a spirit of goodwill When dealing with other people, believe the best about them, see the best in them, hope for their best, and work for the best possible outcomes in your relationships with them.

5 | Give up revenge

“A man who studies revenge keeps his own wounds green,” observed philosopher Francis Bacon. There is great wisdom in Bacon’s observation. Harboring ill will toward another and cultivating dreams of retaliation only keep inner anxiety and agitation alive. By giving up revenge you avoid compromising your own goodness and losing your moral advantage. Be guided by the insight of this Asian proverb: “He who seeks revenge digs two graves.”

6 | Create your own inspirational book

Of course, you can visit a bookstore and select from any number of fine inspirational books. But why not create your own personal and meaningful inspirational book? Buy a simple blank spiral notebook. Then whenever you come across an uplifting quotation, write it in your book. When you read a prayer that moves you, transcribe it into your book. Or write out Bible verses that you find to be especially encouraging. You can even illustrate your book by cutting out of other magazines peaceful scenes from nature—forests, lakes, rivers, majestic mountains, etc. Just leafing through your personal inspirational book will restore calmness to an anxious spirit and will brighten a moment with joy and pleasure.

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

7 | Be a Person of Integrity

Say what you mean and mean what you say. Keep your life free of deception and duplicity. “Humans have a need to be moral. Living by time-honored values—honesty, generosity, kindness, respect--is good for our emotional and physical health,” says Hal Urban, Ph.D., author of Life’s Greatest Lessons. “Dishonesty—even the “everyone’s doing it” kind—sucks up energy. ... Integrity, on the other hand, brings us peace of mind ... increases our self-respect ... and cements important relationships. When we form the habit of choosing integrity—action by small action—we become the people we were meant to be,” he adds.

8 | Lavish Others with Kindness

Find creative ways to spontaneously and generously lavish other people with kindness. When it comes to acts of kindness, go the extra mile and double someone’s pleasure when you act. One day a woman entered a New York City soup kitchen and donated a beautiful diamond ring. The director, Dorothy Day, received it graciously. The mission workers wondered what Day would do with it. Would she take it to a diamond merchant and sell it? That act would certainly have been understandable, since the ring would easily bring a sizable cash gift to the mission. That afternoon Day gave the diamond ring to an old woman who lived alone and often came to the mission for her meals. “That ring would have paid her rent for the better part of a year,” someone said critically to Day. However, Day replied that the woman could sell it if she liked and spend the money for rent, a trip to the Bahamas, or keep the ring to admire. “Do you suppose God created diamonds only for the rich?” she asked her critic.

9 | Seek Out Beauty Daily

“Walk in the park. Listen to music. Buy yourself flowers. Connecting with the beauty of the world around you is deeply healing,” writes Mike Riley, coauthor with Howard Bronson of the book The Good Bye Book: How to Heal a Broken Heart in 30 Days.

10 | Practice Citizenship

Writer Howard Fast once observed: “Patriotism ... applies to true love of one’s country and a code of conduct that echoes such love.” Show pride in your country by working to make the lives of every citizen better. Your own spirit will be elevated, knowing that you had a hand in improving the lot of another person. Consider the example of Rose Espinoza, who recently moved back to her childhood community of La Habra, California. When she was growing up, it was a close-knit community where people cared about each other. It was a great place to raise a family, she and her husband, Alex, believed. “To my shock, La Habra had turned into a town where gangs of kids roamed the streets making trouble,” she discovered shortly after returning. Her husband was equally dismayed and observed: “Looks like those kids don’t have anywhere to go when school’s out.” His observation was enough to send Rose into action. With a folding table and a few chairs, she and her husband converted their garage into a makeshift classroom. Then they passed flyers out around the neighborhood offering to tutor for a few hours every day after school. When the garage door opened in September 1991, kids came in droves both to learn and to hangout in a safe place. Whenever a new student wanted to join, Rose asked their parents to help by tutoring kids in subjects such as english, math, and writing. Other parents were persuaded to help by providing snacks or setting up. Older students tutored younger ones, and when there was no room in the garage, kids spread out across the lawn to do their homework. Today there are three additional tutoring sites with books, desks, and computers. “Things in La Habra have really changed. Crime has gone down, student performance has risen dramatically, and my town is a lot more like the community I remember from my girlhood. How did it happen? I think a lot of citizens decided that we had to band together to help,” Rose says proudly. COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Why Should I see a medical weight loss specialist?

A medical weight loss specialist has undergone additional education, training, and testing to become board certified in weight loss medicine. Also to become board certified, the national board of Bariatric Medicine sends a previously board certified physician to observe Dr. Rader’s and Dr. Freshwater’s practice. This physician then reports back to a board of other physicians before certifying Dr. Rader or Dr. Freshwater. Dr. Rader and Dr. Freshwater are the only MD’s in Idaho to pass all three of the processes to become board certified in weight loss medicine. Not only is Dr. Rader a treatment specialist, he is an instructor- teaching other physicians in his weight loss medicine methods. He has presented and lectured at national conferences from 2003 through 2008. Physicians have even trained with Dr. Rader by visiting his office. Local physicians refer patients to Dr. Rader but a referral is not necessary to visit the clinic. Dr. Rader has lectured in the following cities over the past several years; Tampa, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, Louisville, Chicago and St Louis. Because they are specialists, weight loss with a Bariatrician is a complete program focusing not only on weight loss but also on weight maintenance. Bariatricians are skilled in helping overweight patients deal with their personal highs and lows during a weight loss program. They are experienced in the roadblocks of becoming successful in controlling the disease called overweight and obesity.

WINNING...

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Healthy-Idaho.com

S.A.Q.

SHOULD ASK QUESTIONS

Before you sign up to participate in ANY weight loss program, you should ask the following questions of the medical provider: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Is the program monitored by a physician experienced in, or trained in medical weight loss? Is the program safe and how many persons have been treated with this program? What kind of results does the program achieve? What does the program consist of? Do I see a physician and how often do I see the doctor? Is the doctor trained in medical weight loss? What are the credentials or training of the doctor? Do you use medicines and if so, do you have experience in using the medicine and of any possible side effects of the medicines? Do I have to buy certain foods? Are there instructions or am I taught how to eat, what to eat, and about exercise? How do you handle weight maintenance? What happens if I gain weight? If I have a medical condition or I am on medicines, how will I be managed? What are the costs – short term and long term?

Should I see a Bariatrician for weight loss?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has clear guidelines as to who should try and lose weight and how they should do it. According to their guidelines, a person should see a physician to lose weight if any of the following apply: #1 You are trying to lose more than 15 – 20 pounds

-and/or#2 You have any health conditions

-and/or#3 You are taking any medications

-and/or#4 You are planning to take medication to lose weight

Important facts about our program:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

W. Allen Rader, MD IdahoWeightLoss.com

Idaho's first MD Board certified by the American Board of Bariatric Medicine. He has served on the National Board of Trustees for American Society of Bariatric Physicians and in 2008 was appointed to the executive committee and elected to be an Officer for the society. He was awarded as the National Medical Weight Loss Physician of the year.

VOTE FOR US Best Weight Loss Group

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

IdahoWeightLoss.com

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Brainpower

DREAM SCHEME

Sleep On It

The body restores itself when we hit the hay, which makes sense, but sleep also does wonders for how we think and solve problems.

REMEMBERING WHAT NEVER HAPPENED Stickgold’s research supports this idea. For one of his studies, he had a group of students shown lists of words, which they were to remember for a later test. One list had words like “nurse,” “sick,” “cotton” and about ten more words related to medicine, without the word “doctor.”

WORKING HARD WHILE HARDLY WORKING

One group was trained in the morning and tested in the evening, and the other group was trained in the evening and tested in the morning.

Harvard sleep scientist Robert Stickgold compares sleeping to the elves and the shoemaker fairytale. In the story, the shoemaker leaves cut pieces of leather on his workbench in the evening so he can make the shoes in the morning. But the next day he finds perfectly made shoes.

When the participants came back at their respective times, they were shown words and asked to remember if they’d seen the words. When shown the word “doctor,” about half of the participants raised their hand to say they had seen the word, even though they hadn’t.

“This is not a fairy tale,” Stickgold says. “This is what happens for us each and every night. Sleep is sewing together the pieces of our memory.”

This is because the word “doctor” was the gist of everything they had learned previously. The brain took a short cut, even though the students didn’t tell it to.

When we sleep, our brains take all of our experiences and extract the gist of them, Stickgold explains. During sleep is when our brain discovers the rules of our lives, and insight is fostered.

Two specific findings from this study show the power of sleep: 1. People tested after a night’s sleep actually remembered more than the people who were tested later in the same day.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett says that dreaming is really just thinking, but in a slightly different state than how we think with our eyes open. “We’re still focused on the same issues which we are awake— worries, hopes, fantasies,” she says. “In this different state, our brain thinks much more visually and intuitively, less verbally and logically.” Barrett says dream breakthroughs often come when the “solution benefits from being represented visually, because dreams are so vivid in their visual-spatial imagery.” They also come when “you’re stuck because the conventional wisdom is just plain wrong.”

How shut-eye works to solve your problems Edgar Allen Poe called sleep “little slices of death.” Perhaps his tone would be less morbid if he knew what modern science now tells us: that sleep is very much alive.

Dreaming is closely tied to the phenomenon of gaining insight subconsciously. In a study involving a maze, participants who reported dreaming about some aspect of the maze during a nap showed ten times the improvement compared to others.

2. People tested after a night’s sleep extracted a larger number of “gist” words, from other lists.

According to Barrett, the brain is active outside of consciousness even when we are awake, so problems are getting solved sub-consciously even when we aren’t sleeping. But it might take sleep to bring the solution to the surface.

But what does this mean exactly? Their brains consolidated the information during the night, and discovered the “rule” of the experience. Our brains want to see how things fit together, and so it does much of that work when we are asleep.

“Some ‘dreamed solutions’ may just be those answers finding a way into consciousness when our dreaming brain has more room for them,” she says, “because we're not processing a lot of sensory input, balancing, moving, etc.”

SOLVING PROBLEMS WITHOUT THINKING In another study, participants were given a set of problems with a recurring theme. Participants weren’t told this, but there was a trick to the problems that would allow each individual problem to be solved 80 percent faster. Again, there were groups who slept on it and groups who didn’t. The results showed that people who slept on it were 2.5 times more likely to figure out the trick to the problems than those who didn’t. “It’s an amazing phenomenon,” Stickgold says. “You can gain these insights, when you didn’t even know there was an insight to find, just by sleeping on it.”

For those anxious to harness the power of sleep, there are things people can do, according to Barrett:

›› Think of the problem before bed. ›› Visualize an image of the problem. Barrett says you can even assemble something on your bedside table that represents the problem. ›› Don’t jump out of bed when you wake up, because about half of the dream content is lost if you get distracted. ›› If you don’t recall a dream, try to discern a particular emotion. It helps the dream come to mind. Barrett says she did a weeklong study with students, following this protocol. Half were able to dream of the problem, and a fourth of the students solved their particular problem.

Healthy-Idaho.com

“W

hat if I hate it?”

Ten-year-old Luke waved the question like a bright red flag. His mom, Julie, had just told him he’d be starting brain training at LearningRx and he was dubious about the idea, even though his brother and sister were in the same program and loved it! His first day at the LearningRx Center, Luke frowned as he headed off with his trainer for their first session. Waiting in the reception area, Julie thought about the crazy journey that had led her family to try brain training in the first place. Two years earlier, Julie’s oldest son Joshua, then 11, had been diagnosed with ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Searching for answers, Julie visited internet bulletin boards and consulted doctors. Once she paid $800 for testing that provided labels but no solutions. Hearing about LearningRx, Julie was curious. Could targeted mental exercise really stimulate the brain to strengthen neural pathways, to the point of raising a kid’s IQ and giving him better skills for school and for life? If so, could it help Joshua? It was worth a try. Within weeks of starting the program, Joshua was focusing better than ever. Math tests that used to take 90 minutes were now taking 20 minutes or less. And while Joshua’s oppositional behavior still flared, Julie realized that LearningRx was removing her son’s frustration with learning so other issues could be isolated and dealt with more effectively. So when they noticed similar behaviors in their seven-year-old daughter, Julie and her husband didn’t hesitate. They enrolled Danielle at LearningRx, too. A week into the program, Danielle—who had always struggled with reading and writing—sat down and wrote a beautiful story about a family of horses. She also performed in a Christmas musical, another first! By now, Joshua was taking more initiative around the house, washing dishes, vacuuming and organizing. Julie realized that brain training was giving her children confidence and motivation they’d never had before. Now she wanted the same for Luke, and then for their third son, Caleb. Julie could see that even she and her husband could benefit from brain training! Julie’s thoughts were interrupted as Luke, done with his session, approached her. He was wearing a huge grin and carrying his LearningRx backpack filled with brain training times, cards and tools. “Mom!” he said, “I loved it!” Yes, life is an crazy journey, alright. Julie thanked God she and her husband had found the right partners to help them equip their kids for the trip. |

Life Is a Journey.

Take Snacks and a Backpack.

Who can brain training help ? Nearly a third of our clients come to us having received a prior diagnosis of ADHD. But we also help: • K ids and adults with learning disabilities • Autism • Traumatic brain injuries • Senior adults • Gifted students & career adults looking for an added edge!

Read Julie’s blog

More stories, please!

Scan with your smartphone or go to www.lifechangingmagazine.com (Keyword “Julie”)

Photo credit: Julie Worthy

What’s real brain training like? Stop wondering and find out. Mention the code LIFE CHANGING and get a FREE personal brain training demonstration for yourself or your child. No cost and no obligation. Availability is limited so don’t wait long! Call:

(208) 258-2077

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

LearningRx - West Boise 105 E. Idaho Meridian, ID 83642 www.learningrx.com/boise-west

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Brainpower

Nutrition: The neglected foundation of healthcare

Healthcare as we know it now is based upon “repair” not prevention. Technology, with the progression of procedural medicine (e.g., CT/MRI scans, PET scans, EEG) and pharmaceuticals (e.g., medications) drive healthcare. Prevention is clearly the better alternative optimal health, eating well, experiencing improved health, function, and energy as a result. Nutrition is clearly the foundation of healthcare. If we do not eat well, our immune system does not do its job—protecting our body from disease, infection, bacteria. Similarly, our brain does not function optimally without the “fuel” require to do what we expect—regulating our bodies, facilitating our ability to pull information together, ignoring stimulation around us that is not important to our well-being or safety. Good nutrition is not expensive or hard to find. It is a choice to be made, a matter of making choices that are best for us and our family. For present consideration, the focus is upon those foods that are of greatest benefit for the brain. It requires 20% of the total blood flow of the body to receive oxygen and nutrients required for optimal function. The more the better! The discussion here is not to cover everything, but share some of the more optimally nutritious healthy foods to provide your brain the nutrition it requires to do its job. Below are 10 foods known to boost your health and your brain:

1. BERRIES - (‘tis the season!) - Blueberries and Blackberries are the “kings” and/or “queens” of berries for nutrition, high in fiber, quality antioxidants and polyphenols, both having anti-inflammatory qualities. Many illnesses or diseases tend to irritate or “inflame” tissues of the body,

2. FISH

- Salmon is considered the “super” fish, having much more Omega 3 fats (“good” fat). Tuna also is rich in Omega 3’s, protecting the heart and brain from disease. Both keep nerve cells flexible, facilitate “neuroplasticity”, optimize brain function, and reduce inflammation.

3. CURRY - The plant Turmeric and curlumin, are both anti-inflammatories. Turmeric is also an antioxidant having demonstrated improved brain function and thus reducing chronic stress by reducing inflammation and “irritation” to tissue.

4. SPINACH, KALE AND DARK GREENS Provide carotenoids (A Vitamins), especially Vitamin A, a good brain nutrient for optimal cognitive function (e.g., thinking, reasoning, attention, memory). Also provides antioxidants, protecting brain cells, Omega 3’s, particularly alpha linoleic acid (ALA), serving as a “fuel” for the brain, providing additional energy.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

5. AVOCADOS - Rich in

9. OATMEAL - Nature’s “scrub

nutrients particularly critical to brain function, including Vitamin E and monounsaturated fats. Potassium facilitates regulation of blood pressure and reduces risk for stroke. Don’t go overboard; these are very high in fat and calories.

brush” for the colon, great for cardiovascular health, direct benefit to the brain! Packed with fiber, a reasonable amount of protein (comparable to soy) and small amounts of Omega 3’s. A good grain to provide energy.

6. WHOLE GRAINS - Provide

carbohydrates, important because the brain uses 20% of intake of carbohydrates, requiring a constant supply! Loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein! Provide a steady, slow release of glucose to the brain - energy all day without the sugar crash. Don’t overdo - side effects are well-known with large quantities!

a steady supply of “fuel” to the brain. Keeps blood pressure steady, prevents spikes in insulin disrupting energy transfers through cells. Loaded with B Vitamins and antioxidants, reducing inflammation contributing to blocked cerebral arteries.

7. EGGS - Have received a “bad rap” in the past, but reported to be one of the better brain foods, containing a spectrum of B Vitamins, and especially rich in Choline, which helps the brain produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter improving function, including memory.

8. NUTS - High in fiber, rich in beneficial fats. Complex carbohydrates provide immediate boost, with sustained energy. The fat (good) and protein will perk you up and sustain your level of performance. Nuts also contain a lot of Vitamin E, essential to cognitive function. Avoid sweetening or seasoning blends. Almonds are the king of nuts, filberts, hazelnuts, cashews, and walnuts great choices.

10. BEANS - Great source of

There are just a few of the “brain healthy” foods. From experience in healthcare, treating patients, and consulting generally, I would encourage trying them to improve health, function, and wellbeing! Protect and nourish your brain, your body. Prevention is the optimal (and least expensive) form of healthcare!

Many thanks to AARP, EcoSalon, and others providing information online relative to nutrition and health generally.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David E. Nilsson Ph.D. NeuroDevelopment Resource Center

208-947-5368 Boise 801-532-1475 Salt Lake City www.neurodevcenter.com Healthy-Idaho.com

food / breaking news

New Study Slams Processed Meat

Supertasters When ten people put the same food in their mouths, each are having a different experience, smell and taste researchers say. About a quarter of the world are supertasters, researchers say, programed by their DNA to have a more intense dining experience. At the other end of the spectrum are people who have a rather dull eating experience. The rest of us fall somewhere in between, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The University of Florida Center for Smell and Taste’s Linda Bartoshuk told the WSJ that it is like some people live in a neon food world, while others live in pastel food world. Professional chefs are often supertasters, and women more often have this trait than men, research shows.

In a new study published in BMC Medicine, researchers collected data from almost 500,000 people in 10 European countries, and found that the more processed meat a person consumed, the higher the risk for premature death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. “We estimated that 3.3 percent of deaths could be prevented if all participants had a processed meat consumption of less than 20 grams per day,” study authors wrote. Processed meat, processed red meat in particular, is generally high in fat and salt. In addition, meats like hamburger and sandwich meat are often processed with salt, nitrate, phosphates or sweeteners, all additives that researchers suggest may be behind the negative health consequences. The data for the study subjects extended over 13 years. None of the subjects reported major illness at the time the study began. Those people who ate more than 160 grams of processed, preserved meat per day, equal to about three pieces of bacon and one sausage, had a 70 percent increased risk of dying from heart disease. They also had an 11 percent increased risk of dying from cancer, the BBC reported. Interestingly, the study results don’t condemn the consumption of non-

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

processed red meat, in moderation. In fact, consumption of small amounts of red meat improved health. Sabine Rohrmann, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Zurich, said the preservatives may be why red meat is okay while processed meat isn’t. Rohrmann advises that people eat between 300 and 600 grams of meat per week, to get the vitamins and minerals that meat offers. In addition to diet, lifestyle factors also came into play, researchers found. The data showed that people who ate processed meat the most were also more likely to live unhealthy lifestyles, such as not exercising and smoking. They also ate the fewest fruits and vegetables and drank more alcohol. Processed meat generally includes ham, bacon and sausage, according to the study. Poultry was not shown to be dangerous. These findings are valuable for their enormous sample size, but the findings themselves are not revolutionary. A systematic review of research from researchers at Harvard’s Department of Epidemiology in 2010 found similar results, that consumption of processed meats increased the risk of heart disease and diabetes mellitus.

Recent research finds some pros and cons of being a supertaster: ±±

They tend to avoid eating vegetables, which can have serious health consequences.

±±

They tend to like salty food.

±±

They tend to be leaner, eating less food.

±±

They might be able to better fend off sinus infections because of a bitter taste receptor in the nose.

The intensity of flavor has an effect on what people eat, naturally. But how do you know if you are just being picky of if you really have a higher quantity of more sensitive taste buds? Supertasters say that broccoli, cabbage, spinach, grapefruit and coffee taste very bitter, according to Scientific American. Since supertasters have more taste buds than others, there are simple tests you can do to see if you have lots of taste buds. ±±

Dye a small area of the tongue, and count the papillae. Compare that number with others.

±±

Taste a bitter chemical such as PROP or PTC, purchasable online, which are compounds similar to those found in dark green vegetables. It will be bitter to most, but awful for supertasters.

The American Institute for Cancer Research says that consumption of processed meat increases chances of getting colorectal cancer, with any portion, and therefore avoidance is recommended. HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Brainpower

SMART

Smart

THE MANY KINDS OF SMART You think you know what intelligence is, but it’s time to get reacquainted. For you, calculus is impossible, the location of Estonia is a mystery and Shakespeare is boring. You must be stupid, right? Living in a society that places tremendous value on the ability to crunch numbers, analyze text and remember facts, we are sometimes so caught up in cognitive abilities or inabilities that we paint a self-portrait that looks dumb.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

But intelligence is more than what shows up on a report card.

More Than One Intelligence

Expanding what intelligence means all started with influential American psychologist and Harvard professor Howard Gardner. He was researching the development of cognitive abilities in normal and gifted children, as well as the breakdown of cognitive ability among people with disorders. As part of his research, he studied how children mastered skills in multiple areas, ranging from singing to drawing to story-telling. This research led him to propose that there are not one but nine types of intelligences, a theory that flipped the whole idea of “smart” on its head. “Try to forget that you have ever heard of the concept of intelligence as a single property of the human mind,” he writes in his book Frames of Mind, “or of that instrument called the intelligence test, which purports to measure intelligence once and for all.” He writes that full understanding of the realm of human cognition requires a far wider set of competencies than logic and linguistics.

The Value of Other Types of Smart

If our educational system places so much weight on certain types of intelligence, what do the other ones matter?

Consider the GED, a test young people take to get the equivalent of their high school diploma. Research shows that people who pass this test are just as intelligent, cognitively, as high school graduates. This is amazing because the average preparation time for the GED is 32 hours. Compare that to the thousands of hours high school students spend in class. But the University of Chicago’s James Heckman, a Nobel Prize Winning economist, found that there was a crucial difference between the two groups: ›› ››

Those with a GED were about as successful later in life as high school dropouts who didn’t get a GED. Those who graduated from high school were much more prosperous.

Why? Because of non-cognitive skills, Heckman says, which are known by many other names: personality, character and soft skills, to name a few, which can be broken down into things like grit, curiosity, self-regulation and optimism. “We now have very hard evidence that you have to have soft skills in order to succeed,” he says. Heckman argues that tests like the SAT and IQ tests shouldn’t be the main measure of a person, since skills in sociability, communication and self-control are just as important. Healthy-Idaho.com

Gardner’s Nine intelligences

Famous People and their intelligences (gardnerschool.org)

Linguistic:

the capacity to use language well.

T.S. Eliot, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens

Logical/ Mathematical:

understanding principles of why things work, and how to manipulate quantities.

Albert Einstein, John Dewey

Musical Rhythmic:

hearing and understanding patterns, thinking in musical terms.

Mozart, Ella Fitzgerald, Jack White

Spatial:

understanding spatial parameters, within the mind.

Pablo Picasso, Frank Lloyd Wright

Naturalist:

Smart Isn’t What it Used to Be

Thinking about intelligence in terms of IQ, among educators and policymakers, can be traced back to studies published in the mid-1990s, writes author Paul Tough in his book How Children Succeed.

seeing patterns in nature and generally being in tune with how nature works.

Making Smarts Smarter

understanding your own self and emotions well.

understanding other people and human interaction.

Ronald Reagan, Mother Theresa, Oprah Winfrey

Existential:

understanding ultimate realities of life.

“Unless grossly impaired, all human beings possess the capacity to develop the several intelligences,” he writes. Tough says that this opens the door for students who feel limited by their test scores.

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

Confucius

Interpersonal:

Raising one’s IQ is difficult, if not impossible. Not so for noncognitive or soft skills, Gardner writes. They can be learned, since they come through not only genetic potential, but through environment, instruction and personal motivation.

“The research I write about in How Children Succeed shows that when young people are able to develop character strengths like grit and perseverance and academic tenacity,” he says, “they can succeed far beyond what their test scores would predict. I hope as more young people hear that message, they'll take heart, work harder, and go farther.”

activist who helped preserve Yosemite)

Intrapersonal:

“The cognitive hypothesis has become so universally accepted that it is easy to forget that it is actually a relatively new invention,” he writes. Thanks to advocacy from people like Tough, Heckman and Gardner, however, new forms of education are popping up. The Gardner School of Arts and Sciences in Vancouver, Washington, for example, has a core value of teaching the “whole child,” using Gardner’s multiple intelligences.

Charles Darwin, John Muir (19th century

C.S. Lewis

Bodily/ Kinesthetic:

physical control, bodily movement and coordination.

Charlie Chaplin, Hussein Bolt HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

You cannot turn back the clock, but we can wind it up again.

Rocky Mountain Surrogacy, LLC currently has Couples waiting for Gestational Carriers. Give the gift of life and earn up to 20K! Help someones dream of becoming a parent come true. • MUST BE 21-39 YEARS OF AGE • CURRENTLY HAVE INSURANCE • AND MUST LOVE BEING PREGNANT

Currently working with Intended Parents across the U.S

208-284-7748 For more information visit us at www.rockymountainsurrogacy.com or email us at rockymtnsurrogacy@live.com

Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy for Men and Women Preventative and Age-Management Medicine Complete Woman’s Healthcare

Idaho’s Leading Expert in Bio-Identical Hormone Management for Men and Women Also Specializing In:

Age Management Medicine Sexual Dysfunction Thyroid Disorders Metabolic Syndrome

chai it with vanilla.

Tammy Hadfield, MSN, WHNP-BC Board Certified Woman’s Health & Diplomat of The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine

1943 N Locust Grove Road • Meridian - 208.287.8400 www.EmbraceWellnessToday.com

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Healthy-Idaho.com

Be Well Now!

Family Wellness Festival

stlukesonline.org

Fun and healthy activities for all ages and abilities

Saturday, April 13, 1-4 p.m. Boise State University Caven-Williams Sports Complex Free • Walk with Mayor Dave Bieter at 1 p.m. • Demonstrations by Summerwind Skippers, TRICA, BUGS, Boise Bicycle Project, Boise State athletes and coaches, and more • Nutrition and wellness tips from the Treasure Valley’s premier healthy lifestyle experts Presented by

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

In collaboration with

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

B R A I N

B A T T L E :

AMERICA

VS.

THE

W R I T T E N BY M I C H A E L R I C H A R D S O N

Is We Smart or Ain’t We?

World Intelligence War

“How many stars are on the American flag?” the reporter asks the American teen.

“52”

International comparisons of test scores show that Americans aren’t the brightest academically, though they are well above the world average. The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) ranked American students as follows, out of 60 countries:

“What countries border the United States?”

“...Mexico, aaaand South America.”

Fourth grade reading: 6th Fourth grade math: 9th Eight grade math: 12th Fourth grade science: 7th Eight grade science: 13th

“Is New Mexico a state or a country?”

“Ummm….” “Name a country that starts with ‘U’.”

“Europe.” Pitiable displays of knowledge such as this make Americans look astonishingly ignorant. Media outlets grab onto interviews like these and international statistics which put America far below other countries in academics, and proclaim that America is getting dumber. But a closer look at the statistics, along with the voices of some intelligence experts, say panic time might be farther down the road than the newspapers suggest.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

But these tests aren’t measures of intelligence. They just measure how well students are learning curriculum in their own countries, and provide direction to policymakers who decide which direction to take the education system. Still, does this mean American children are lagging behind in learning the things they need to know to be competitive in the world?

Getting Better

American students have consistently improved their mathematics, science, and reading achievement since TIMSS and PIRLS (renowned international math and literary tests) began assessing children in 1995 and 2001, respectively, according to Dr. Ina Mullis, Executive Director of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College. It’s just that other countries, such as Hong Kong and Korea, have continued to progress at a faster rate. “What is important, though, is that results need to be considered within the context of the country,” she says. Besides, a “rank” doesn’t always mean very much, according to a Brown Center Report on American Education, which comes from the Brookings Institute, a nonprofit private research group. When a country ranks slightly higher than another, unless the gap is significantly wide, it doesn’t mean anything, according to common statistical standards. Healthy-Idaho.com

Brainpower

IQ Comparisons

But again, these tests aren’t a measure of intelligence. Academics is one thing, but is IQ changing, and if so, how? Influential social scientist James Flynn spent decades studying the IQ scores of different nations, and found that each generation has higher IQ scores than the preceding generation, which is now called the “Flynn effect.” He theorizes this effect comes because we have developed practices of thinking and discerning in terms of the skills tested on intelligence tests. Intelligence research is enormously controversial, especially when comparing the intelligence geographically. A prime example of controversial research is that of Richard Lynn, an English researcher who claims that the IQ of the world’s northern hemisphere is greater than that of the southern hemisphere.

WORLD

His book published recently, Intelligence: A Unifying Construct for the Social Sciences, claims that surviving in the northern hemisphere required greater cognitive ability in humans because of the cold, pressuring these peoples to enhanced intelligence. Lynn and his coauthor Tatu Vanhanen write that this difference in IQ is related to economic differences among the countries of the world. Lynn says that IQ levels are falling currently across the world, because people with low IQ are immigrating to other parts of the world. His research has been criticized for using faulty data, drawing unfounded conclusions and even for being racist.

What People at the Top Say

But US policymakers don’t take these results lightly. US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says that the marks among younger American students are encouraging, but that the gains are not sustained later is a serious problem. “Learning gains in fourth grade are not being sustained in eighth grade—where mathematics and science achievement failed to measurably improve,” he said in press release. “That is unacceptable if our schools are to live up to the American promise of giving all children a world-class education.” A “world-class” education is consistently defined by standards set among developed countries such as the East Asian countries of Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Chinese Taipei and Japan, along with the other nations such as Finland, Russia, Northern Ireland and Denmark.

Whether or not Lynn’s research is valid, it shows how convoluted the intelligence debate can get.

I Done Collidge

Looking at the American college status might provide only a narrow perspective on intelligence, but understanding the status of higher education in America provides a glimpse into… well, the height of American brainpower. After all, college is where people go to get specialized skills and specialized knowledge.

STATES THAT EDUCATE:

States with the highest percentage of advanced level students in 4th and 8th grades. Top Five: Massachusetts Vermont New Jersey New Hampshire Minnesota Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

32: IDAHO

Worst Five: Mississippi District of Columbia West Virginia New Mexico Louisiana

56%

COMPLETE THEIR FOUR-YEAR DEGREE

Are Americans going to college? Yes, but they don’t always complete the journey. The US has among the highest college dropout rates in the world, according to research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Just 56 percent of American college students complete their four-year degree within six years. One reason might be a lack of preparation. A recent report from College Board, the nonprofit that administers the SAT, found that only 43 percent of the 1.66 million students who took the test posted scores showing they are ready for college. Students seem to be getting worse and worse at reading skills, though that may have to do with growing diversity among test takers.

It’s There, Just Grab It

The irony is that there is an incredible amount of information available to today’s young people on the internet, and other places. In his book The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein argues that despite a plethora of new digital tools, American kids are no brighter than before. He says the digital age has stolen young people’s attention away from important knowledge and placed it on the superficial.

“The world delivers facts and events and art and ideas as never before, but the young American mind hasn’t opened,” he writes. It’s pretty harsh, but he may have a point. Maybe American youngsters are smart enough, but are just distracted from or uninterested in learning important knowledge.

Money Matters

Ignorance isn’t the only culprit of college dropout rates though. The Harvard research found that college costs have skyrocketed in the past twenty years. Student debt can go above $50,000, which is terrifying for graduates entering a shaky job market. Still, community colleges and online course allow students to get their foot in the academic door without too much financial pain.

So is America smart or dumb? That question is more complex than the most intricate calculus problem, so don't expect a yes or no. HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Brainpower

HANDLING

Oh, that we could all be so level-headed. We've all encountered the rogue miscreants of society, whether at the office, or a little league game, or driving down the highway, societal jerks abound. So, from the perfect zinger to the middlefinger salute, what's truly the best (i.e.— most productive) way to deal with a jerk? Very simple—Ignore him. W R I T T E N BY J O H N A . A N D E R S O N

ccording to new research, the brush off, or silent

While ignoring the obnoxious and tuning out a tantrum is easier said than

treatment, may make you more productive, if not

done, it's much more productive and healthy than engaging the schmuck.

smarter, according to the Journal of Social and

Interfacing with jerks is mentally consuming, so muzzling your quick

Personal Relationships.

comeback—no matter how tempting—frees up extra cognitive energy that can instead be applied to more productive activities, says lead researcher

Researchers at Baruch College at the City University of New

Kristin Sommer, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at Baruch.

York asked participants to either ignore or interact with a friendly, pleasant person, and then someone behaving

And, though you will most likely not be able to avoid the jerks in life

obnoxiously. Afterward, the volunteers were tested to assess

altogether, (think team member, neighbor, co-worker), you can still bolster

thought patterns and how well they could control their

your brain by using what the researchers call partial ostracism: Treat it

behavior. Not surprisingly, those who ignored the jerks

like a speeding ticket episode, with simple responses like “yes” and “no,”

scored better on the test than those who clashed with the

and you'll still boost productivity and won't deplete cognitive resources,

obnoxious.

Sommer says.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Healthy-Idaho.com

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Brainpower

STUCK IN A STIGMA

AMERICANS OFTEN AREN’T RIGHT IN THE HEAD ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS, AND THE CONSEQUENCES ARE MANY W R I T T E N BY M I C H A E L R I C H A R D S O N

A condition of the lungs? Normal. A disease of the skin? Unfortunate but normal. A sickness in the mind? Crazy. The irony is apparent but so goes much of the societal perception of mental illness. Often, we aren’t sure how to act towards people who have an invisible illness with symptoms we don’t understand. We may carry misperceptions about the realities of illnesses like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and mood disorders, or even wrongfully ostracize the mentally ill, and the damage is far-reaching. “Among the consequences of discrimination and stigma for adults who have mental illnesses are lowered selfesteem, disrupted family

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

relationships and increased difficulty in building connections in the community, securing housing, and obtaining employment,” says Rebecca Glathar, Executive Director of Utah’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter. “Children who experience discrimination and stigma may be scarred for life.” Another result is that an alarming number of sick people don’t get the treatment they need, either out of shame or because they don’t know how or where to find it. Solving this problem depends largely on eradicating harmful myths that permeate society.

Change Your Mind: The Myths of Mental Illness MYTH: PEOPLE WHO NEED

PSYCHIATRIC CARE SHOULD BE PUT IN AN INSTITUTION Mental health care has made significant progress in recent decades. Bizarre treatments of decades past have been replaced with effective support programs,

therapy and medication, allowing the mentally ill to lead fulfilling and successful lives.

MYTH: THE MENTALLY ILL ARE VIOLENT

The vast majority of people with a mental illness are not violent. This myth may be a reason why most people say they would rather not have a mentally ill person marry into their family or be a close work associate.

MYTH: CHILDREN DON’T GET MENTALLY ILL

On the contrary, children experience some of the same

54 million

Americans are affected by one or more mental disorders in a given year, according to Mental Health America

mental illnesses as adults, though it often is manifested differently, according to Clair Mellenthin, a psychotherapist at Wasatch Family Therapy in Utah. An estimated 20 percent of children experience some kind of serious to moderate mental problem, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Some kids are biologically prone to certain mental conditions, like anxiety and negativity, but outside influences are often at the root of the problem, Mellenthin says. Divorce, adoption, trauma, abuse and a host of other common problems can cause mental illness in children.

MYTH: THE MENTALLY ILL CAN’T BE CURED; TREATMENT DOESN’T WORK

The only truth behind this statement is that some mental illnesses never totally leave a person. But modern treatment and medication make normal life possible, according to Mellenthin. Healthy-Idaho.com

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 80 to 90 percent of mental disorders are treatable using medication and other therapies.

MYTH: MENTAL ILLNESS HAS

SOMETHING TO DO WITH MORAL CHARACTER A General Social Survey in 2006 found that about a third of Americans endorsed the view that schizophrenia and depression are a result of “bad character.” Mellenthin says some people think that the mentally ill just needed to read religious texts and will be fine.

Hope The good news is that attitudes have already started to change. National and global campaigns have launched in

Author Liza Long writes about the challenges brought on by her mentally ill child Michael, who exhibited dangerous behavior at an early age. Her son’s social worker told her that the only way she would get the help she desperately needed is if she pressed criminal charges against her 13-year-old son, who had threatened her.

the past decade to eradicate the stigma of mental illness, helping improve attitudes and increasing willingness to interact with the mentally ill. The programs may even reduce suicide rates. President Obama has recently called for increased dialogue on the subject of mental health, and has pushed for the Department of Health and Human Services to create regulation in the new health

“No one wants to send a 13-year old genius who loves Harry Potter and his snuggle animal collection to jail,” she writes. “But our society, with its stigma on mental illness and its broken healthcare system, does not provide us with other options.”

care plan that broadens coverage for mental illness. State NAMI organizations offer support, advocacy and education to erase stigma. Organizations like these can provide needed shelter from the misperceptions of others. “We affirm that there is hope and there is help,” Glathar says. “Treatment is possible. Individuals and families do not have to face the challenges of mental illness alone.”

MENTAL ILLNESS AND PRISON:

73% 55%

IN STATE PRISONS HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS - Bureau of Justice Statistics

Mental Illness Today There are five major categories of mental illness: 1.

Unnecessary Shame

Less than 60 percent of Americans with a serious mental illness receive treatment.

-The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

“It is sometimes easy to forget that our brain, like all other organs, is vulnerable to disease.”

BETWEEN

Since violence, incurability and flawed morality are often stereotypically tied to mental illness, families and individuals are understandably hesitant to admit to any mental problems and seek medical help.

80% 90 %

people who commit suicide have some kind of diagnosable mental illness. Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in America. -Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

females males

A TOUGH CHOICE

“You can learn how to cope with it, you can have a very happy, fulfilling, productive life,” she says.

4. 5.

Anxiety disorders (affect an estimated 40 million Americans): The most common. Includes panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders and phobias Mood disorders: depression ( affects more than 14 million Americans), bipolar disorder (affects 5.7 million Americans) Schizophrenia (2.4 million Americans): hallucinations, delusions, withdrawal Dementias: Alzheimer’s (5.3 million), diseases affecting memory Eating disorders

-Source: National Institute of Mental Health, CDC There are a host of mental illnesses. Not included in the list above are personality disorders, which are characterized by rigid personality traits that are often unacceptable in normal society.

NAMI Idaho: 4097 Bottle Bay Road Sagle, ID 83860 208-242-7430 E-mail: namiidaho@yahoo.com Website: www.nami.org/sites/namiidaho

Mental Health America

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Brainpower

When Brains Attack:

HOW THE MIND CAN MAKE THE BODY SICK W R I T T E N BY E M M A P E N RO D

Researchers have in recent years verified what many a proverb has preached for centuries: treat your body well, and your mind will thank you. But this healthy equation can be flipped on its head. Mental anguish can become so intense that it spill's over into the realm of the physical in individuals with illnesses classified as somatoform disorders. These conditions, previously known as psychosomatic disorders, all revolve around symptoms created in the mind but experienced in the body—symptoms that can range in severity from a perceived deformity or phantom pain to actual illness or disability, such as blindness or paralysis.

classifications, defined according to the symptoms the patients manifest.

Somatoform disorders are generally divided into one of four

People with body dysmorphic disorder are convinced that some

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER Body dysmorphic disorder is the most common of the four somatoform disorders—affecting about 1 percent of the population— though still quite rare when compared to more common issues such as depression. It is generally associated with anorexia, and can exist simultaneously with an eating disorder, but it is not limited exclusively to issues of weight.

part of their body is deformed, or otherwise unsightly, according to Mitch Harris, a psychologist with Salt Lake-based non-profit Valley Mental Health. A person with genuine body dysmorphia may become obsessed with a perceived deformity, such as unusually thin hair, that in some case may not exist or is not nearly as severe as the patient’s distress suggests. In order for body dysmorphia to be officially diagnosed and treated as a psychiatric disorder, the problem must become so pronounced that it begins to interfere with everyday functioning. When someone becomes so distraught about the shape of her nose that she refuses to leave the house, it’s time to seek help, Harris says. Those with body dysmorphic disorder often seek help from dermatologists or plastic surgeons before they seek psychiatric care. Harris say he believes there is a real possibility that those with serious

body dysmorphia could get caught up in rituals of repeated, excessive medical procedures, just as patients with other types of somatoform disorders are currently known to do, as appearance-altering industries continue to grow.

HYPOCHONDRIASIS Perhaps the most well-known somatoform disorder, though not the most common, is hypochondriasis, an obsessive fear of serious illness. Hypochondriacs oftentimes frequent doctor’s offices, reporting symptoms of diseases like cancer. When the doctor returns to report the good news—that the hypochondriac has a clean bill of health—the patient is often frustrated, to the surprise of his doctor, according to Harris. The hypochondriac may then check with a different doctor, and then another, possibly becoming convinced that the medical system is working against him, or that his doctors are simply Healthy-Idaho.com

n tio ica rm Fo

“The patient doesn’t come in and ask for help to stop believing they are sick”

or conditions in various, unrelated locations on the body. He may be seeing other doctors or specialists for these symptoms, usually to little effect.

inept and incapable of positively identifying his condition. Conversely, some hypochondriacs become so terrified of their imagined illness that they begin to shun doctors, though this is uncommon. Hypochondriasis, like body dysmorphic disorder, is a problem of perception. Though the disorder itself does not yield outwardly notable symptoms, the patient may become hyper-vigilant, constantly checking himself for signs of disease. Common symptoms, such as headache, or normal body functions, such as the sound of the heart, may be interpreted by hypochondriacs as signs of serious illness.

CONVERSION DISORDER Conversion disorder is unique among somatoform disorders in the speed with which it develops. Generally, it is the result of extreme mental conflict, Harris says. An individual who is required against her will to testify in a trial, as a witness of the crime, may suddenly become blind. In other cases, a limb will stop working, or the person may have an inexplicable seizure. Though it’s often associated with women, Harris said one of the most well-known examples of conversion disorder occurred among fighter pilots during the world wars. A number of pilots lost their vision just before flying highrisk missions, only to regain sight a few days later. Because the symptoms are often abrupt and dramatic, conversion disorder is usually more quickly identified and treated than other Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

somatoform disorders. Someone who has just had a seizure will, under most circumstances, be rushed to the hospital. When tests there reveal no brain activity consistent with seizures, doctors will order a psychiatric evaluation instead of additional tests or medication. In some cases, the trigger for conversion disorder may have occurred years before the onset of physical symptoms. According to Harris, the condition is sometimes indicative of emotional turmoil that has been suppressed for too long. Where some individuals may have uncontrolled outbursts of anger under similar circumstances, in those with conversion disorder, the body elects to act as an outlet for the in-drawn stress.

SOMATIZATION DISORDER Like conversion disorder, individuals with somatization disorder generally experience real, physical symptoms that defy medical explanations. Unlike conversion disorder, somatization disorder generally takes time to diagnose, and patients complain of multiple symptoms. Those with somatization disorder usually accrue a lengthy medical history, according to Harris, which may begin with the patient seeking—and generally receiving— treatment for a gastrointestinal condition that is difficult to diagnose, such as irritable bowel syndrome. After a period of ineffective treatment that could last for years, the patient may mention other symptoms to his doctor, like a believed neurological condition, sexual dysfunction, migraines or other random pains

After some time and research, one of the patient’s doctors connects the dots and adds another specialist to the patient’s medical regimen—a psychologist. Somatoform disorders are especially frustrating, according to Harris, because the symptoms are very real to the patient, and in some cases difficult to resolve. Many patients receive unnecessary medical treatment for years before the condition is discovered, Harris says, because the patients embark on long quests for treatment, and move on when a doctor begins to suspect there is no physical reason for the illness. “The patient doesn’t come in and ask for help to stop believing they are sick,” he says. Instead, Harris says, those with somatoform disorders often avoid people who deny that the problem is rooted in some physical cause, preferring more sympathetic individuals. For example, a patient might shun psychologists, but gravitate toward the nurses at a doctor’s office. Though rare, Harris says there is still a need for increased awareness of somatoform disorders, especially among medical professionals, and to reduce the stigma many patients face at the hands of friends and family, who may in some cases accuse those with somatoform disorders of faking to get attention. “One of the most important things to do is to not think of these disorders as not serious. Realize that it is real and difficult and painful,” he says. “These things can happen to people who think it’s not OK to have a mental illness, but it is OK to have a physical illness. Help them realize that it’s OK to seek help.”

Nope, you read that wrong. Formication has nothing to do with sexuality, and everything to do with imagined physical sensations. Formication—the medical term for a creeping or prickling sensation occurring without reason on or below the skin—is not considered a somatoform disorder by itself, but in some cases can lead to somatic-type delusions.

Formication can occur for a number of reasons. It commonly presents during menopause, and as a symptom of some medical conditions, such as diabetes. It’s also a known side-effect of some drugs and toxins, such as cocaine and mercury, as well as some prescription drugs. In some rare circumstances, formication can induce delusional parisitosis, where the patient becomes inconsolably convinced they are infested with parasites.When delusional parisitosis occurs independently of schizophrenia, drug use, or medical conditions that may induce formication, it is classified as a somatictype disorder.

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Is Brown Really Better? Written By Jennifer Matlack

IS IT ALWAYS HEALTHIER TO CHOOSE BROWN FOODS OVER WHITE? THE ANSWER MAY SURPRISE YOU.

Sugar: No.

Why are brown eggs more expensive?

Many people think that brown eggs must be better than white eggs because they're more expensive, but that's not the case. What makes brown eggs more expensive is as simple as size -- the chickens that lay brown eggs are larger than those that lay white eggs and thus their feed costs more. As a result, the brown eggs are priced higher.

Rice: Yes.

Bread: Depends.

Eggs: No.

Sugar is sugar. The major differences between turbinado sugar, otherwise known as "natural" or "raw" sugar, and

"Unlike white rice, where nutrients are stripped away, brown rice still has the whole grain in one

"Some manufacturers add caramel coloring in place of whole-grain flour to achieve a brown color," says Brandeis. The first

The only difference between a white and a brown egg is the color of the shell, and that's determined by the hen's breed.

white sugar are the size of crystals and the presence of molasses, which gives

piece, so it's full of fiber, vitamins and minerals," says Rachel Brandeis,

word in the list of ingredients should be whole, signifying that the grain is still intact. But

Still, not all eggs are created equal. Some farmers fortify chicken feed with nutrients

darker sugar its color. Otherwise they have about the same amount of calories and

M.S., R.D., an Atlanta-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic

the next doesn't have to be wheat. Any whole grain — oat, corn or rye — is rich in fiber and

such as omega-3 fatty acids or vitamins, which end up in the yolk, making a truly

carbohydrates.

Association.

antioxidants.

good egg.

Matches Made in Nutrition Heaven Combining foods the right way

Some foods are lonely.

Okay, maybe that’s a lie. But some foods definitely are much better with a partner. And it isn’t about taste, though finding the right combinations is what makes food enjoyable. Matching the right foods is important for nutritional health. Some nutrients don’t do their work very well unless supplemented by other vitamins and minerals. For example, nonheme iron, which is an essential mineral found in dark leafy green and other plants, isn’t easily absorbed in the body. Vitamin C, which can be found in citrus, other fruits, bell peppers and more, helps raise the acidity of intestines, which allows this specific type of iron to be absorbed more easily. So combining a spinach salad with bell peppers creates more than just

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

a beautiful dish. It is a nutritional winner.

HERE ARE SOME OTHER COMBINATIONS TO TRY: Whole Grains & Yogurt:

Most yogurts contain probiotics, meaning healthy bacteria that are excellent for the gut. Whole grains help feed these bacteria. Try yogurt with granola, or oats.

Oatmeal & Orange juice:

The Antioxidants Research Lab at the U.S. Department of Agriculture says combining these two things helps keep arteries clean and prevents heart attacks

with two times the efficacy when eaten together, compared with eating them alone. Components of the two help stabilize LDL cholesterol.

Whole wheat & peanut butter:

Whole wheat is excellent for one’s health, but it doesn’t contain all the amino acids needed to make a complete chain which is important for muscle. Peanut butter has some of the amino acids that wheat doesn’t.

W RITTE N BY S TA RDO CS M E D IA

absorbed when eaten with fat. Eat some bacon with your breakfast fruit (which is no problem for most of us), and eat some vegetables with olive oil.

Tomatoes & Avocadoes:

Tomatoes are abundant with lycopene, which is an antioxidant known as a carotenoid. It may reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Fats supplement the production of carotenoids, meaning that an avocado’s healthy fat combined with tomato is a winning team.

Vitamins & Fat:

There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins, which include A, D and E, are best activated and

Healthy-Idaho.com

Photos: Philip Jourdan

Burnt Orange Crème Brûlée PAGE 59 The best crème brûlée I ever tasted was at the now defunct but still memorable Léon de Lyon restaurant in France. I could never reproduce the exact texture and, unfortunately, was never allowed to learn their secret. After years of trying to create the perfect crème brûlée, I finally came up with a recipe that I like enough to share. As for Léon’s crème brûlée—well, it might just have been the sweet Muscat wine I drank with it that made it taste so good. Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

Tip If you do not have a kitchen torch, preheat broiler. Place jars on baking sheet; sprinkle with a little brown sugar and place under broiler until golden. Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining brown sugar, top with orange slices and place under broiler for about 2 minutes, until sugar browns to a dark color.

Steps:

1. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Set aside. 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream, milk and orange zest to a simmer. Gradually add to egg yolk mixture, whisking until incorporated. Stir in orange liqueur. 3. Pour custard into prepared jars, dividing equally. Place jars in baking pan, spaced evenly apart and not First: touching the sides of the pan, and • Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) add enough hot water to come • Four 8-ounce (250 mL) wide-mouth jars, buttered halfway up the sides of the jars. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or • Baking pan large enough to accommodate the jars until center of custards is still wobbly. • Kitchen torch, optional (see Tip) Remove from oven and transfer jars to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Cover jars with plastic wrap and Ingredients: refrigerate overnight. 6 large egg yolks 4. Place jars on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over each 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar - 125 mL custard. Using kitchen torch, burn 11⁄2 cups heavy or whipping (35%) cream - 375 mL sugar just until it melts. Place orange 2⁄3 cup whole milk - 150 mL slices over melted sugar. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar, dividing 2 tbsp finely grated orange zest - 30 mL equally. Using torch, heat until sugar 1 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur - 15 mL has caramelized and orange rind is a 3 tbsp packed brown sugar, divided - 45 mL little burnt. Serve immediately. 1 orange, sliced thinly Makes 4 servings HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

HEALTHSMART

COLORECTAL

CANCER@35 Colon cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, but oncologists say it’s one of the most preventable and treatable if detected.

Colorectal cancer generally affects those 50 and older, but Lara Ames was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer at 35 years old. She’s already in her second round of chemotherapy. "I thought before I got this that it was a disease for old people,” said Ames. “I'm sort of proof that if I can get it, anyone can get colon cancer.” After a backache and several doctors trying to figure out what was going on, Ames was eventually diagnosed with cancer last year. "I was diagnosed at 35. I am healthy. I try to eat right. I exercise almost every day. I was training for a 10K at the time," Ames explained. She says the cancer had been in her for ten years, but it was completely undetected. By the time doctors caught it, it had spread to her lymph nodes and liver. Her oncologist, Dr. Dan Zuckerman of St. Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute, says it’s difficult to cure after spreading that far. “Lara is really in for the fight of her life,” Zuckerman said. While it's rare in someone Ames' age, cancer in the colon, or large intestine, is a common killer in Idaho. "It's actually the second leading cause of death in Idaho, just behind lung cancer," Zuckerman said. "So actually even though we hear a lot more about breast cancer or prostate cancer, colon cancer is actually the second leading cause of death in this state."

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

WRITTEN BY JAMIE GREY

The reason for the high rate, Zuckerman says, is Idahoans often skip out on colonoscopies. "A doctor, a gastroenterologist would use a scope to go up and use a camera and look at the whole length of the colon. If he or she finds any polyps, they can be removed at that time, and that's literally how lives are saved," Zuckerman said. While Ames wouldn't have been in the typical age bracket for a colonoscopy, her family history could have pointed doctors in that direction earlier, if she'd known about it.

THE ST. LUKE’S MOUNTAIN STATES TUMOR INSTITUTE (MSTI) PROVIDES FREE HOME COLON HEALTH TEST KITS TO RESIDENTS OF IDAHO, OREGON AND NEVADA. THE KITS DETECT BLOOD IN STOOL, AN EARLY WARNING SIGN OF COLORECTAL CANCER AND OTHER CONDITIONS. CONTACT MSTI TO REQUEST A FREE KIT.

"Before I was diagnosed, I didn't know there was a family history. Really no one talks about it. It's kind of an embarrassing thing to talk about. It's kind of stigmatized," Ames said. "The older generation in my family who has had colon cancer didn't share it, and when I got diagnosed, people started coming out of the woodwork and letting me know that other people in the family have had it." Zuckerman and Ames both say while colon cancer isn't pleasant to talk about and colonoscopies can sound strange or scary, it's important to get checked. "Colonoscopies are uncomfortable for a little while, but the risk of getting colon cancer and the treatment is far worse," Ames said. Zuckerman says colonoscopies are generally recommended for anyone 50 or older, but those with family history may need to start earlier. He advises checking with your primary care doctor.

Healthy-Idaho.com

Whose life are you running for? 5 11 13

. .

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

official sponsor of the

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Creating Memories

Toughing it out and walking it off are part of who you are. But when back pain causes you to lose your breath, grit your teeth and use your bad cowboy words, a visit with our specialists might be worth its weight in gold. Our experts perform leading-edge joint and spine procedures. The difference is we do it based on your input, pace and direction.

Make plans to join us for an in-depth discussion about the latest in pain management for chronic back pain:

“Myths & Facts about Back Pain…

Prepare for your special day, please join us for a Know your Options” free Family Maternity Center Tour Tuesday, April 23rd • Tour our new family suites designed 5:30pm bonding comfort Richard Manos,forMD – Spineand Surgeon Meet Our Highly-trained Staff West Valley •Medical Center – Kaley Auditorium • Learn About Pre-admission RSVP: 208.455.3995 • Enter to Win a Premium Infant 46 HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013 Safety Car Seat

For tour dates and times call 455-6565 or visit westvalleyisbetter.com westvalleybaby.com Healthy-Idaho.com

Facebook.com/HealthyIdaho

HEALTHY IDAHO APRIL 2013

Healthy-Idaho.com