Health Journal Winter 2016

Health Journal North Mississippi

Winter 2016

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Amenities Include:

Barbara DuBoise This is my Day 38! My weight loss is now 25.8 Lbs. I have to admit that the NutriMost system has been not only an answered prayer but a healing process. A process to which I am committed and will continue. Has it been easy to lose 25+ Lbs. in 38 days? Yes, the weight came off nicely, yet it required my focus and concentration to maintain food selections, doses and times required for supplements, etc.

The benefits are worth every concentrated, focused minute. I want to share my next grateful event that has happened and did within the first full week of the program.

Being a senior citizen now, age 64. I had been told by doctors that my episodes of perfuse sweating were hot flashes/flushes. I believed my “internal thermostat� was malfunctioning. As I shared, after the first full week, these subsided and have not returned. That alone has been worth my efforts in this program.

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Fighting to Sleep on page 22

Health Journal winter edition

Editor Leslie Criss Reporters Michaela Gibson Morris Ginna Parsons

Flax Zone on page 7

Photography Lauren Wood Design Ellie Turner

Table of Contents

Advertising Director Richard Crenshaw

Features Flax Zone • 7 Winter Skin Care 101 • 11 Walking the Walk • 13 At-Home Workout • 16 Following the Trends • 19 Fighting to Sleep • 22 Resource & Event Guide • 25 Fast Food Swaps • 30

Special Section Advertising Coordinator Amy Speck The Health Journal is a bi-annual publication of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.

To subscribe to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, call (662) 842-2611.

The Doctor’s In Varicose Veins • 12 Winter Blues • 29

To advertise, call (662) 678-1611. djournal.com

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Flax Zone

By Ginna Parsons Flaxseeds may be all the rage when it comes to food trends, but the tiny brown seeds aren’t new to the health scene.

“They’ve actually been around for a long time, maybe since 3000 B.C,” said Anna McCullough, a registered dietitian at the North Mississippi Medical Center Bariatric Clinic. “The linseed oil in the seed is where most of the benefits come from.”

Flaxseeds have three benefits, McCullough said: They contain omega-3 fatty acids, they’re high in fiber and they contain lignans, which help fight breast, prostate and colon cancers and block tumor growth.

“You can buy flax in the form of flaxseed oil, flaxseeds and powder and capsule form,” she said. “If you just take the flaxseed oil, you are missing the lignans and the fiber, but you still get the omega-3 fatty acids.”

It’s easy to sneak the flax into your diet, McCullough said. You just have to be creative.

• Stir ground flaxseeds into hot cereal, cottage cheese or yogurt.

• Top off cold cereals, salads or cooked vegetables with a few whole flaxseeds.

• Add ground flaxseeds to homemade casserole, muffin, cookie or

bread recipes.

• Add ground flaxseeds or 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil to breakfast shakes or fruit smoothies.

• Substitute ground flaxseed for part of the flour in recipes. Replace 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour with ground flaxseed in recipes calling for at least 2 cups of flour.

• Replace eggs in recipes for baked goods. Use 1 tablespoon of milled flax blended with 3 tablespoons of water to replace each egg.

“I don’t notice much of a taste in flaxseeds,” McCullough said. “It’s more of a texture thing.”

You can store flaxseeds at room temperature for up to a year, she said. Store ground flax in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use a food processor or coffee grinder to grind flaxseeds into meal.

If you’re new to flaxseeds and incorporating them into your diet for the first time, McCullough offers a word of warning.

“Because they’re so high in fiber, you want to be sure you’re drinking enough water,” she said. “Anytime you increase your fiber intake, you need to increase your water intake or you’ll have gastrointestinal problems.” djournal.com

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Supercharged Salsa Dip 1/2 cup salsa 1/2 cup light sour cream 1 tablespoon fire-roasted pepper, patted dry 1 tablespoons ground flaxseed Combine salsa, sour cream and roasted pepper in a food processor. Stir in ground flaxseed. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Banana Bread, pictured 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium) 2 eggs 1/4 cup skim milk 1/4 cup canola oil 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup chopped walnuts 3/4 cup ground flaxseed Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add mashed bananas, then eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and mix well. Add in nuts and flaxseed.

Pour batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until brown. Let cool in the pan for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 16 slices.

Flaxseed Crackers 1/4 cup flaxseeds 1/4 cup ground flaxseed 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons margarine, softened 1/2 cup skim milk In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, add flaxseed, ground flaxseed, flour, baking powder, salt and margarine. Mix on low speed until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk and mix until mixture forms a soft dough (you may also mix the dough by hand). Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 10 minutes. Divide dough into quarters.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board.

Roll out very thin to a rectangle about 1/16-inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remainder of the dough.Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes, until crispy and golden.

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Photos by Lauren Wood

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Winter Skin Care 101 Winter can be rough on your skin. The body’s largest organ has to deal with the extremes of freezing temperatures outside and heat inside.

Indoor heating systems can dry out the skin, leaving it flaky and itchy.

Belle Ame Salon and Spa owner Erica Warren suggests these tips to keep your skin hydrated and supple this winter.

Water

It’s easy to skimp on the H2O in the winter, but your body and your skin will appreciate it. “Drinking lots of water can help with dry skin,” Warren said.

Lip balm

Keeping a moisturizing balm on your lips prevents chapping and wind burn. “Look for lip balm with lanolin and sunscreen in it,” Warren said. Aquaphor also makes a great lip balm, although you’ll need a separate sunscreen. Read labels carefully, as brands often offer multiple lines with different formulations.

Moisturize

Between the dry cold air outside and the dry, warm air inside, your skin can get the idea you’ve moved it to the desert. “Use a thick moisturizer at night to help hydrate,” Warren said. “Look for night cream with Vitamin E, like Aveeno moisturizer, and primrose oil. Check to make sure they are suitable for your skin type.”

Exfoliate

Dry flaky skin needs to gently be shown the door. “Exfoliate weekly, including your eye brows,” Warren said. Before you slather up, make sure you know if your exfoliater is safe for the tender skin of your face or is just intended for the body. Warren recommends Pumpkin Enzyme Scrub by Glo°Therapeutics.

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The Doctor’s In

Varicose Veins

Varicose veins affect up to 25 million Americans, which is more than common problems like coronary artery disease.

Unfortunately, this serious issue does not get as much press or concern from health care providers as other diseases.

Varicose veins are often thought of as a nagging consequence of the aging process. This disease is often overlooked by patients and physicians because it is thought that treatments are limited.

In actuality, it is a serious health risk that can lead to chronic wounds and debility that accounts for a huge loss of work and cost.

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted and sometimes painful veins that have filled with an abnormal collection of blood. Varicose veins can be caused by defective valves from birth, pregnancy, thrombophlebitis and prolonged standing. Symptoms of varicose veins include fullness in the legs, aching in the legs, visible veins, swelling, discoloration of the skin at the ankle, and even skin ulcers at the ankle.

The diagnosis of varicose veins is made by the appearance of the leg veins while standing and by ultrasound of the legs. The ultrasound is used to look at blood flow in the veins, particularly the valves in the lower leg. These valves become incompetent in the leg, leading to pooling of blood, which gives the varicose veins their classic appearance of unsightly engorged or “ropey” veins on the leg. The ultrasound is also used to rule out blood clots in the main veins in the legs known as a Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT).

Most varicose veins are relatively benign, but varicosities can lead to major complications and lost work time. Complications

include severe bleeding from minor trauma, loss of work from pain and heaviness in the leg, superficial thrombophlebitis, skin dermatitis, and even skin ulcers which are very costly and hard to treat. Treatment includes decreasing gravity’s effect on the veins in the lower legs, including avoiding standing for too long, raising the legs while resting or sleeping, and wearing compression stockings. Further treatment by a surgeon includes sclerotherapy, vein stripping, ambulatory phlebectomy, or endovenous thermal ablation with laser or radiofrequency ablation of the vein.

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical treatment for varicose veins in which medicine is directly injected into the varicose veins to cause them to sclerose or scar. Phlebectomy is a procedure performed in the operating room or office in which small incisions are made to remove the varicose veins. Vein stripping is a procedure in which the saphenous vein is removed in the operating room with two incisions.

Endovenous thermal ablation is an office-based procedure which does not require a trip to the operating room. The vein is treated with small catheters and an energy device to seal the vein, so this pathologic vein is closed rerouting the blood to healthy veins.

If varicose veins are becoming a problem in your life, talk to your health care provider. He or she may feel that a consultation with a vein specialist may be in order.

Dr. Raymond Orgler is a general surgeon on the medical staff of North Mississippi Medical Center and NMMC’s Vein Center.

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MITIAS ORTHOPAEDICS, PLLC 206 OXFORD RD. • NEW ALBANY

(662) 534-2227 12

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Walking the Walk

before

Stepping Off the Roller Coaster

By Michaela Gibson Morris Nurse Practitioner Vivian Rogers spent much of her life in a tug of war with her weight.

“I could lose weight, but I couldn’t keep it off,” Rogers said.

Bariatric surgery in 2011 allowed her to cut the cord. She lost 85 pounds and has maintained her weight loss since 2012.

Her experiences have been invaluable as she works with surgeon Dr. Terry Pinson to guide weight loss surgery patients at North Mississippi Medical Center Bariatric Clinic through the process.

“I’ve been where they are,” said Rogers, who earned her doctor of nursing practice last year. “I’ve been on that roller coaster.”

Long history

Rogers struggled with carrying too much weight most of her life.

“I was always a bigger child,” Rogers said.

Obesity was especially prevalent on her dad’s side of the family.

“I guess it was in my genes,” Rogers said.

As an adult, she kept a range of sizes in her closet.

“As long as I had something to wear, I was OK,” Rogers said. “Then even with all the sizes, I couldn’t fit into anything.”

She repeated the cycle of gain, lose and gain after the birth of her two children with husband Harvey Rogers in 1991 and 1997.

“After the second child, it wasn’t so easy,” said Rogers, who remembers crying in dressing rooms when she couldn’t get size 18 jeans over her thighs.

Rogers pulled herself together, hired a personal trainer and modified her diet. She ended up losing 50 pounds and getting back to a size 10, which is what she wore in high school. But maintenance was elusive.

“I couldn’t keep it off,” Rogers said.

She would repeat the same cycle over the next decade. During this time, she was raising a family, working at NMMC and taking college courses. Rogers worked her way up, starting as a home health aide in 1997 and rising to head surgical nurse before she became a nurse practitioner in 2011.

Enough

In December 2010, Rogers received the most tragic of wake-up calls.

Her father died of a heart attack at the age of 52.

“It was time for me to do something,” Rogers said.

It was more than the weight; it was the toll obesity was taking on her health. Rogers was on two different medications for high blood pressure, her cholesterol was bad and she had horrible acid reflux.

With the support of her family, she decided to have the vertical sleeve procedure, which removes a large part of the stomach, but doesn’t reroute the small intestines.

“It’s permanent; it can’t be reversed,” Rogers said. “I can’t manipulate it. It answered my problem.”

The surgery didn’t magically melt away the extra pounds. Rogers had to work to manage her diet, adjust her thinking and make time for exercise.

“Surgery isn’t easy,” Rogers said. “You still have struggles.”

One of the first hurdles was feeling satisfied post-surgery on a liquid diet.

“The lack of chewing really messed with me,” Rogers said, but she found sugar-free popsicles and frozen protein drinks to answer that need.

Once she went back to real food, she was satisfied with very small portions. She learned to plan her meals for the week, keeping protein as the main focus and making room for regular exercise.

“I hit several walls,” Rogers said. “When you hit a plateau, you go back to basics.”

It took her 10 months to lose 85 pounds. During the final push, she lost only five pounds, but two pants sizes.

Exercise and healthy eating remain the cornerstones of her maintenance. Since she reached her goal of 135 pounds, she has remained within 5 pounds of her goal weight.

In addition to ditching medications for blood pressure, cholesterol and reflux, she’s had other victories. One day when they needed scans for a particular patient in surgery, Rogers walked across the street, went up five flights of stairs in the parking garage and into the hospital.

“I wasn’t out of breath at all,” Rogers said.

Working in the NMMC Bariatric Clinic has been a great experience.

She likes the work with patient education while keeping a hand in the surgical arena.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” said Rogers, who draws on her own experiences as well as her medical expertise to help patients.

She’s often inspired by her patients’ transformations and improving health.

“It’s a big deal,” Rogers said, to see folks drop 100 pounds and get off medications for diabetes and high blood pressure. djournal.com

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Walking the Walk

before

Modeling a Healthy Lifestyle

By Michaela Gibson Morris When Amory pediatrician Dr. Jose Tavarez tipped the scales at 257 pounds, he realized he needed to make a change for himself and his patients.

“In preventive care, I push a lot for a healthy lifestyle,” Tavarez said. “I started practicing what I was preaching.”

Carrying too much weight was a new problem for the young physician. As a kid growing up in the Dominican Republic, he stayed in motion with baseball and mountain biking. He stayed slim through college and medical school.

“When I went into my residency, that’s when it changed,” Tavarez said.

He was working long, strange hours, often eating in the middle of the night and getting by with little sleep. There was a Dominican restaurant close to the New York City hospital where he was in residency training.

All the special occasion dishes from home turned into everyday fare.

“I was eating for comfort, too,” Tavarez said.

When he and his wife, Dr. Brunel Gomez, joined the Merit Health Gilmore Memorial medical staff, he got two wake-up calls. The first came during his physical. His blood pressure reading was healthy, but he got a warning.

“The nurse told me, ‘Don’t worry that won’t last,’” Tavarez said.

Then he shared a photo taken at a birthday celebration for Gomez, and his brother called him out.

Tavarez remembered his brother, a gastroenterologist, saying, “What’s going on? I think you may have gone over the line.”

Making a change

Tavarez cleaned up his act. He focused on eating at home or bringing food from home. He cut out juice, sodas, most processed foods and sweets. It wasn’t easy to give up his Reese’s peanut butter cups, for which he had developed a one or two pack a day habit.

“I love sweets,” Tavarez said. But he put them away while he was working toward his goal.

He started exercising. First, he did the T25 video program, a cycle of high intensity interval training workouts that incorporate cardio and body weight exercises. Then he moved on to P90X- another popular video series that mixes together high intensity cardio and strength training.

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Cutting out juices, sodas and chocolate made a big difference. It took him 10 months to get to 195 pounds.

“After I hit the goal, I just balance everything,” Tavarez said.

Now he hits the sports and wellness center for a workout at least three times a week.

“If I get bored in the evenings, I’ll go for a run,” he said.

He still focuses on making healthy choices for meals at home and restaurants, but he does allow himself to indulge. One of his favorite treats is the Neon Pig’s Smash Burger, but it’s not an every day or every week event.

He keeps a Reese’s cup in his pocket every day. It might seem strange, but it helps keep him strong in his commitment to staying healthy.

“I usually don’t eat it,” said Tavarez, who ends up giving the candy away to someone who needs a special treat most days. “I might eat half a cup a week.”

These days, he maintains between 183 to 187 pounds. When his weight inches up, he tightens back up.

“When I got back to 200 – it’s only happened once – I went crazy,” Tavarez said.

Sharing

Because of his experience, Tavarez feels comfortable addressing obesity with his young patients and their parents.

He often uses the analogy of a bridge that routinely handles more weight than it was designed for.

“It may not come down today,” Tavarez said. “But in five, seven, 10 years, it’s going to fail. ... If you abuse your system, one day it’s going to say ‘no more.’”

He encourages his patients to follow the 5-2-1-0 guidelines – five servings of fruits and veggies a day, two hours or less of recreational screen time, one hour of physical activity and zero sugary drinks.

It’s a challenge to stay active and make healthy choices, but with chronic conditions like Type II diabetes showing up in kids, it’s essential to make the effort.

“I have had good success with some obese patients,” Tavarez said. “I’ve had kids lose 20, 30 pounds.”

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At-Home Workout There are times when schedules, distance or finances take a gym out of the equation. Heather Duley, director of the Baptist Healthplex in New Albany, and fitness instructor Bobby Cameron put together a 10-step indoor circuit that can provide a great full body workout in 30 minutes.

Do each exercise for 30 seconds, paying attention to good form. Rest for 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise. Repeat the loop three times for a 30-minute workout.

To add cardio into the circuit, march in place for the 30-second rest period. For more intense cardio, add jumping jacks or burpees.

Many of the exercises use 1- to 5-pound hand weights, but water bottles and cans can stand in,

Step 1: Bicep curls Hold a weight in each hand. Keep elbows close to your side, bring your hands toward your shoulders. Don’t swing your arms. Stay in control. // Works the front of the upper arm.

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Cameron said. Beginners can also do the exercises without weights to master the form first.

During each exercise keep core muscles in abdomen tight to protect the back. Breathe out with exertion.

Exercisers who tackle all 10 exercises should give themselves a day off between workouts. They can also split the workout into two pieces, but they should allow themselves rest days, too.

Step 2: Lunge Make sure the front knee doesn’t go past the toe to avoid injury. Use a chair or wall to assist with balance, if needed.

Or Seated Leg Raises – Sitting in a chair, extend one leg with toe pointed and then raise the leg from the hip. Swap legs half way through. For an extra challenge, extend both legs at the same time. // Works legs, gluts and core muscles.

Step 3: Tricep Dips Use a sturdy chair or table. Start with your legs set at a 90-degree angle and move them out to make it more difficult. Set your hands on the edge to support your weight, scoot off the edge and dip, keeping elbows in. // Works back of the upper arm.

Step 4: Calf Raise Using a chair or the wall for balance, raise and lower your heels. To modify, sit in chair and raise heels. // Works the back of the lower leg.

Step 5: Bent row With back flat and one hand braced on knee or on a chair and the other extended toward the floor, bend the elbow, keeping it close to the side. You should feel a squeeze between the shoulders. Switch arms halfway through. // Works back and arm.

Step 8: Chest Fly Can be done with or without hand weights. Hold hands about ear height with arms making a 90-degree angle, bring elbows together. Hold stomach muscles in tight to protect back. // Works arms, chest muscles.

Step 6: Shoulder Press Hold weights at shoulder height and extend arms up.

Make sure to control the movement. // Works shoulders, arms.

Step 9: Side Lunge or seated leg extension Step out to the side and sink down, making sure the knee doesn’t go past the toe. // Works the inner thigh and glutes.

Or Seated Leg Extension – Sitting in chair, extend legs straight ahead and hold. To increase the challenge, sit closer to the edge of the chair or add a weight between the ankles. // Works front of the thigh and abs.

Step 7: Squat Set feet shoulder width apart.

Bend both knees and bring booty down as if to sit in a chair. Be careful that knees don’t extend beyond the toes.

Use chair for balance, if needed. Modification: Sit in a chair with arms. Push off arm rests to assist your legs. // Works the front of the thighs, glutes and core muscles.

Step 10: Reverse Lunge Standing with feet apart, take one leg back down into a lunge and then step back to standing. Make sure front knee doesn’t extend beyond the toe. Use a chair for balance, if needed. // Works inner thighs, front of thighs and glutes.

Exercise demostrators: Morgan Howell, Joy Fisher, Cynthia Short, James Garvin. djournal.com

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Toll-Free 855-234-1221 | SafeandSoundHomeCare.com Health Journal

Call to schedule a FREE in-home assessment.

Following the Trends Every January, the bold print promises fast results. Separating the helpful from the hype with diets and nutrition advice can be challenging. Northeast Mississippi health professionals caution consumers that the bigger the claim, the more scrutiny they should give diet and nutrition trends.

“There’s no magic bullet in any of this,” said Nicky Yeatman, a registered dietitian at OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville. “It’s the healthy choices that you make day in and day out that make a difference.” We asked our panel to give us their take on several broad diet and nutrition trends – juicing, gluten-free, detoxing/cleansing and essential oils.

By Michaela Gibson Morris Gluten-free

What is it? Gluten-free diets aim to avoid the gluten protein, which is found in wheat, barley and rye.

“It’s very similar to low carb,” Yeatman said. “It’s not a blanket prescription.”

The good: Gluten-free can be a life saver for people with celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune disorder, and people with immune mediated food allergies to wheat. People with celiac disease can’t process gluten and risk small intestine damage. People with food allergies to wheat can develop a range of symptoms from mild itchiness to hives and swelling to potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis with a small exposure.

Additionally, people can have non-celiac gluten intolerance, with symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort, who may see improvement by avoiding gluten.

Concerns: When people lose weight on the gluten-free diet, Yeatman said, it’s often because they are paying more attention to their diet

in general.

“As a side effect, they’re often eating more vegetables and fruit,” Yeatman said. “They’re reading food labels.”

Downside: If you don’t have celiac disease, a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance, going gluten-free won’t hurt your body, but your wallet and your social life will take a hit.

“Avoidance of wheat- and gluten-containing foods can be very inconvenient and costly and is unnecessary in the absence of these disorders,” said Tupelo allergist Dr. Karen Maltby.

Check it out: It’s important to check in with your health care team if you think you may have an issue with gluten. Lab tests can identify celiac disease and wheat allergy. But both false positives and negatives are possible, and the test results need to be carefully interpreted.

“They are most accurate in people actively containing gluten in their diets,” Maltby said. “Blood tests can be falsely negative if someone is already avoiding gluten.” djournal.com

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Juicing

What is it? Pureeing fruits and vegetables together into drinks.

Juicers remove the pulp. Blenders leave the pulp in, creating a smoothie. Some plans suggest a juice or two a day. Other plans suggest juice fasts three to seven days for weight loss and/or detoxing the body.

The good: “It has the potential for nice benefits,” Yeatman said, namely getting more fruits and vegetables into people’s diets.

The fruits can sweeten the drink, disguising the veggies like kale or cauliflower, making them more palatable. Yeatman prefers the smoothie route, holding onto the pulp to get the most out of the nutrients.

Mixed bag: It’s important to pay attention to what’s being added to the juice/smoothie. Some add-ons like flaxseed and protein can be beneficial, Yeatman said. Extra sugar should be minimized. Yogurt and almond milk are also healthy, but you have to watch how many calories you’re consuming if your aim is to lose weight.

If the juice or smoothie is a snack, keep it to 150 calories, Yeatman said. If it’s a meal replacement, it can go higher, but make sure there’s some form of protein in the mix.

Downside: “You don’t feel full necessarily drinking a juice,” Yeatman said. That can lead some people to make some less healthy rationalizing.

“Just because you did a good thing earlier in the day, doesn’t mean you can have a big burger and a Coke,” Yeatman said. “That didn’t discount the calories.”

From a calorie-cutting standpoint, whole fruits and vegetables are more effective, Yeatman said. When the fruits and vegetables are pureed, the digestive process gets a head start. It requires less energy for the body to break down the nutrients; you’re effectively taking in more calories with juice than whole fruit.

Concerns: “My concern is the extreme side,” Yeatman said. “It’s not a cure all. There’s no medical evidence it will kick-start your metabolism.”

Detoxing/cleansing

What is it? Detoxes and cleanses covers a really broad approach to purifying the diet and the body. Detoxing and cleansing plans can range from eliminating processed foods from the diet to fasting with juices and waters to taking teas and supplements to clean out the colon and the kidneys.

What’s good: The focus on whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, lean protein and lots of water, is healthy.

“Getting less processed foods is always better,” Yeatman said.

“Drinking more water is excellent.”

Concerns: Tupelo gastroenterologist John Phillips, who also 20

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specializes in liver disorders, approaches natural products claiming to cleanse the liver and colon very carefully.

Medications have to go through the Food and Drug Administration process, including rigorous testing and safety monitoring, he said.

“Natural products don’t have to go through the process,” Phillips said. Nor do they have the same oversight to make sure the products contain what they say they contain.

“I always want to know where’s the data,” Phillips said, on health claims.

Stimulant laxatives, whether they are over-the-counter, FDA-recommended mediations or natural products, also can be worrisome.

“People can eventually become dependent on them, to the point they won’t have a bowel movement without them,” Phillips said.

The best remedy for chronic constipation is to get more fiber in your diet, or use a brand name fiber supplement and to drink plenty of water, Phillips said.

“Most people with constipation just don’t take in enough water,” Phillips said.

Best advice: It’s important to think about the changes in your diet that you can sustain over the long haul, not a few weeks.

“It’s not the big things,” Yeatman said. “It’s the small changes that make for long-term results.”

Essential oils

What are they? Essential oils are the distilled essence of a plant or mineral. They have the characteristic fragrance of the source material.

The good: “Essential oils have been used for centuries,” said Professor Ikhlas Khan, associate director of the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi.

Many are useful in aromatherapy, as scents that stimulate or relax like lavender, peppermint and rose oil. Some have antibacterial properties like tea tree oil and clove oil.

Concerns: Essential oils have become a hot commodity in the past few years, and consumers need to be wary on several fronts.

There’s wide variation in quality and price. Buyers should look at how companies obtain the flowers and plants they use for the oils, and what methods they use to extract the oil. Look for third-party testing that verifies the contents and purity of the products.

“Sometimes paying a lot more doesn’t mean what you’re getting is any better,” Khan said. “The quality of the products doesn’t always match the price.”

Consumers should be very skeptical of any claims of cures.

“I’m seeing more and more medical claims of oils,” Khan said.

“I’m very concerned.”

Essential oils can be highly concentrated and could cause irritation to the skin in some concentrations.

“People have to be careful,” Khan said. “Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s harmless.”

Most essential oils are designed to be smelled or rubbed into the skin.

“I’d be very careful with ingestion,” Khan said, as some oils are being marketed.

Apps/Device Reviews Bluetooth and smart phones have spawned a host of fitness-related apps and products to keep your diet and exercise efforts on track. Here’s a peek at how Northeast Mississippians are using the apps and devices: Map My Run/Fitness Pal

Tom Booth, Wren Map My Run uses the GPS in your phone to track your run or walk.

“Great app, use it every time I run or run a race, but I have found the GPS to be off just a little compared to course measurements.”

Fitness Pal works as a food and exercise diary.

“It was very helpful in keeping track of food calorie intake and losing weight. I don’t use it as much as Map My Run, except when I feel like I’ve gained a few pounds and need to actually ‘diary’ all I eat.”

Fitbit

Dr. Jessica Lilley, Saltillo Fitbit tracks steps, distance and calories burned. Some models, like the Charge, track heart rate.

“I love the Fitbit – it’s a magic feather that reminds me to do what I need to do, which is what I tell all of my patients to do – move! The Charge HR is really cool – I can discreetly check my caller ID on my wrist without having to haul my phone out of my pocket or purse.

I have used it every day for the past year (at the suggestion of a mentor.) It was wonderful advice!

I found myself walking around the office parking lot or loading up the girls in the double stroller after work to meet my step goals. It really helped me take better care of myself!”

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Fighting to Sleep Sleep should be the most peaceful part of the day, but for many people it’s a battleground.

They fight to get to sleep, stay asleep and wake up refreshed. They aren’t alone. “About 60 percent of people in the United States will have trouble sleeping at some point in their life,” said Oxford pulmonologist and sleep specialist Dr. Jeff Evans.

By Michaela Gibson Morris Medical conditions and medications can cause sleep disturbances, but people are more vulnerable than ever to sleep-related problems because of the shift toward a 24/7 culture, said Tupelo pulmonologist and sleep specialist Dr. Jaime Ungo. Sleep is viewed as expendable, and it’s taken a hit as people fit more work and play into their day. Americans average two hours less of sleep now than they did in the 1950s.

“Protect your sleep,” Ungo said. “It’s a treasure.”

Value of sleep

Doctors and researchers don’t fully understand everything that’s happened when we sleep, but they know it’s essential to children and adults.

“We know that 90 percent of growing is done when you sleep,” Ungo said.

It plays an important part in cell repair, healing and memory function.

When people routinely get less sleep than they need – at least seven hours for adults – they are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and shorter life spans, Ungo said.

Chronic lack of sleep can leave you irritable and less able to focus.

“You’re not going to be at your best when you’re not getting enough sleep,” Evans said.

Red flags

Everyone has a bad night now and then, but people should watch for patterns of problem sleep. People may have trouble falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night.

“If you’re just as tired in the morning as when you went to bed,” Evans said, it’s a sign of potential trouble.

People with restless sleep may not realize they’re having trouble.

“If your bed partner says you’re all over the bed or snoring, you need to pay attention,” Evans said.

Once the pattern of disturbed sleep is recognized, it can take a lot of detective work to track down the right cause. Trouble sleeping can come from a number of quarters, and it’s a good idea to seek medical help untangling the problem.

“There are actually more than 70 sleep disorders,” Ungo said.

People often think of sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome as sleep disorders, but medical conditions like arthritis, kidney disease, anemia, depression and anxiety also can contribute to disturbed sleep. Certain medications can cause trouble, too.

“Some conditions are resolved by treating the primary problem,” Evans said.

Aging can contribute to problems.

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“The architecture of sleep changes,” Ungo said.

Children and young adults spend more time in dream sleep and deep sleep stages, Ungo said. As people age, they spend less time in the dream and deep sleep stages.

“As we age, our sleep is more fragmented, more vulnerable,” Ungo said.

Sleep hygiene

Cultivating good sleep habits is part of the prescription for many people with sleep problems. Sleep aids – prescription and over-the-counter – are short-term solutions at best, Evans and Ungo agreed.

“You want to clean up your act,” Ungo said.

Ideally the bedroom should be a quiet, dark, cool haven, Ungo said. If possible, avoid bright lights within four hours of bedtime.

That includes bright screens of TVs, smart phones and tablets.

“The body isn’t designed to be exposed to bright light late at night,” Ungo said.

In the morning, get some sunlight as soon as possible after waking up.

“Sunlight helps reset your internal clock,” Evans said.

The human body is programmed to follow the light when it comes to sleep.

“Light synchronizes the internal clock,” Ungo said.

Adding exercise and avoiding caffeine late in the day can also help get more out of your snooze time.

“Caffeine is in more than just coffee,” Evans said. “It’s in chocolate, Mountain Dew, soft drinks and energy drinks. … If you’ve got insomnia, you need to cut back or quit.”

Shift work

In the modern workplace, nearly 20 percent of Americans are working outside the regular day shift. These folks have an uphill battle to get enough sleep, Ungo said.

“They’ve got to realize their sleep is vulnerable,” Ungo said.

It’s not selfish for them to make sleep a priority. It’s essential to protecting their long-term health. Creating an artificial night is the first step. A silk sleep mask, black-out curtains and shades can keep the day at bay.

“Get home and make the environment as quiet as possible,” Ungo said.

When the shift is over, if it’s possible to beat the sun home, it can help you get to sleep faster. One long stretch of sleep is better than two shorter stretches.

“Get to bed first,” Ungo said. “Do other stuff later.”

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Resource Guide Fitness

Beginner Yoga is offered at 9:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Tuesdays at the Yoga Center in Tupelo. All classes are based on donation. Pay what you can afford to pay. Call (662) 372-3233.

Gentle Yoga is offered at 10 a.m. Fridays at the Tupelo Aquatic Center in Tupelo.

Bring a mat. All classes are based on donation. Pay what you can afford to pay. Call (662) 840-3768.

Jazzercise is offered at 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; at 12:15 -12:45 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at King’s Gate Worship Center on West Jackson Street in Tupelo. Monthly fees start at $32. Contact Sherry Reppert at (662) 255-2696 or jazzreppert@yahoo.com.

Swimming and water aerobics are available at the Tupelo Aquatic Center at Veterans Park. Call (662) 840-3768.

T’ai Chi Chih is offered at 9 a.m. Saturdays at Lee Acres Park in Tupelo. Described as a moving meditation, the series of 19 movements improve balance, physical fitness, flexibility and stamina. Free. Call (662) 231-5519.

Organizations/Services

American Red Cross offers CPR/AED/ First Aid classes at its Westside Drive office in Tupelo. Call (662) 842-6101.

Anger Management classes are offered 6 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Cedar Grove United Pentecostal Church on North Veterans Boulevard in Tupelo. Call (662) 844-9637.

Autism Center of North Mississippi provides assessments and early intervention for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Services offered on a sliding scale. Call (662) 840-0974 or visit www.autismcenternms.com.

Health Help offers free assistance for parents with Medicaid and CHIPS. Trained counselors at Mississippi Health Advocacy Partnership offer help and guidance in determining eligibility and other issues. The program also offers assistance for adults who may qualify for federal programs or insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Call (877) 314-3843.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency provides free confidential information, assessments and treatment referrals for people struggling with addiction. Maintains listings of area support group meetings. Call (662) 841-0403.

Nurse Link, a free health care information service provided by NMMC, connects callers with a registered nurse from 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to midnight weekends and holidays.

Call (800) 882-6274.

Antone Tannehill Good Samaritan Free Clinic provides health care to working or temporarily unemployed Lee County residents who cannot afford insurance but are not eligible for government programs at its Magazine Street clinic. Medications are provided through the clinic pharmacy.

Clinics are offered Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Wednesday morning and afternoon. Call (662) 844-3733.

Agape Health Services provides health care to those without insurance. at its 505 North St., New Albany Clinic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the second Saturday of the month. More information available at www. agapehs.org.

CATCH Kids offers school-based and community clinics where children 18 and under can be seen free of charge in Lee, Chickasaw and Pontotoc counties.

Medications are provided without cost to patients through arrangements with local pharmacies. Call (662) 377-2194. Community clinics are: • 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays at 1616 N. Green St., Tupelo and West Oxford Street across from West Heights Baptist Church in Pontotoc.

• 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Morning Star Baptist Church in Tupelo.

• 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays at 1616 N. Green St., Tupelo and 203 Main St., Okolona.

Healthy Living Free Clinic The next clinic will be 1 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 19. Call (662) 415-9446 or (662) 284-7361 for information or to volunteer. Provides free health care to anyone without Medicaid, Medicare or private health insurance from 1 to 5 pm. on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month at its 700 S. Crater Street building In Corinth. Call (662) 234-1374.

Oxford Medical Ministries provides free health care to workers living in Lafayette and Yalobusha counties who can’t afford or don’t have access to health insurance, but make too much for public assistance. Call (662) 234-1374.

Regional Rehabilitation Center provides long-term outpatient, therapeutic rehabilitation services free of charge to individuals with disabilities in Tupelo. Call (662) 842-1891.

Tree of Life Free Clinic offers free medical services to anyone without Medicaid, Medicare or private health insurance at 4:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month and 9 a.m. the third Saturday of the month at its 541 W. Main St. building in Tupelo. Basic dental care – extractions only – identified through the regular medical clinic. Call (662) 841-8777.

Bariatric education seminars are held each month at the NMMC Bariatric Clinic and the NMMC Wellness Center, both in Tupelo. Covers issues involved in morbid obesity and bariatric surgery. Speaker is surgeon Dr. Terry Pinson. Call (662) 3777546 or (866) 908-9465.

Diabetes education classes are offered through area hospitals to aid people with managing their blood sugar and reducing the risk for complications from diabetes.

• Baptist Memorial-Union County in New Albany, (662) 538-2297 or (662) 5382199.

• NMMC Diabetes Treatment Center in Tupelo, (662) 377-2500.

HealthWorks! Children’s Education Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Located at the corner of Robert E. Lee and Industrial drives in Tupelo. General admission is $5. Call (662) 377-5437 or www. healthworkskidsms.org.

Spring Health Seminar Series will offer lunch discussions of important health topics at Merit Health-Gilmore Memorial in Amory in January, February and March.

Call (662) 256-6127.

Tobacco Cessation classes are available free through NMMC-Tupelo Community Health Department. Call (800) 843-3375.

A Woman’s Place Lunchtime Learning Series is offered monthly through the NMMC Spirit of Women and Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi. The programs, which are usually held in the First Baptist Church fellowship hall in Tupelo, cover a variety of health topics. Lunch is provided for $5 for those who preregister.

Call (800) 843-3375.

Free car seat inspections will be offered by certified safety specialists at Oktibbeha County Hospital in Starkville. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (662) 615-3364.

Infant CPR classes are offered at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at North Mississippi Medical Center Women’s Hospital in Tupelo. Call (662) 377-4934 or (800) 843-3375. djournal.com

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Hospitals with maternity services offer a number of classes on pregnancy, newborn care, breastfeeding and preparing siblings and grandparents for a new baby.

• Baptist Memorial-North Mississippi, Oxford - (662) 513-1602 • Baptist Memorial-Union County, New Albany - (662) 538-2397 • Merit Health Gilmore Memorial, Amory - (662) 256-6204 • Magnolia Regional Health Center, Corinth - (662) 293-2265.

• NMMC Women’s Hospital, Tupelo (662) 377-4956 • NMMC-West Point - (662) 495-2292 • Oktibbeha County Hospital, Starkville - Call (662) 615-3364 Northeast Mississippi Birthing Project offers support for pregnant women by pairing them with volunteer mentors and offering pregnancy and life-management related classes. Call (662) 255-8283 or email tonihill@birthingprojectusa.org.

Parenting classes will be offered weekly at the Family Resource Center of Northeast Mississippi on Magazine Street in Tupelo.

Childcare provided. Marriage education, fathers-only parenting and parenting during divorce classes also available. Call (662) 844-0013.

Parenting classes are offered from 6 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Cedar Grove United Pentecostal Church on North Veterans Boulevard in Tupelo. Call (662) 844-9637.

Free weekly parenting and fatherhood classes for ages 16 to 21 at Families First Building behind the Mantachie Clinic. Call (662) 282-4661.

Support Groups

ACTS – Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series – is a curriculum-based self-help, recovery and educational program for anyone wanting to recover from alcohol or drugs, and their families. ACTS meets from 6 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Cedar Grove United Pentecostal Church on North Veterans Boulevard, Tupelo. ACTS is free.

Call 844-9637.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women working to solve their common problem of alcoholism. There are no dues or fees.

• Tupelo: 33 meetings are offered at nine locations. Call (662) 844-0374 or visit www.aa-mississippi.org for listings.

• There are also meetings in Aberdeen, Ackerman, Amory, Ashland, Belmont, Booneville, Bruce, Calhoun City, Corinth, Fulton, Holly Springs, Houlka, Iuka, Mantachie, New Albany, Okolona, Oxford, Pontotoc, Saltillo, Starkville and West 26

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Point. Call (662) 327-8941 for Aberdeen and Starkville, (662) 697-0044 or (662) 533-9102 for Oxford, (662) 489-6612 for Pontotoc or (800) 344-2666.

For a listing of addiction support groups around Northeast Mississippi, call the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency at 841-0403 or check www. msncadd.net.

Narconon, an international organization of treatment centers, drug education and prevention services, provides free consultations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week for those with drug addictions.

Call (800) 556-8885.

Al-Anon is a fellowship of friends and relatives of alcoholics. The group has meetings at several locations: • American Legion Building, Lift Inc. building Fairground Circle, New Albany, 7 p.m. Mondays.

• Cornerstone Methodist Church, Tupelo, 5:30 p.m. Mondays. Call (662) 871-6871811 or (662) 871-8068.

• First Presbyterian Church, Tupelo 8 p.m. Tuesdays.

• Easy Does It Group, noon Thursdays at Brooks Center at Fulton Methodist Church. Call Bob W. (662) 401-8094.

• Peace Seekers Family Group, noon Wednesday and Friday at Calvary Baptist Church, Tupelo. Call (662) 401-8094 or (847) 902-6267.

• St. James Catholic Church, Tupelo, 8 p.m. Wednesdays and 7 p.m. Fridays.

Groups also meet in Belmont, Corinth and Oxford.

ALS Connections support group meets at noon the second Tuesday of the month in the conference room at Longtown Medical Park in Tupelo. Sponsored by the ALS Association Louisiana-Mississippi Chapter.

Open to patients, family members, caregivers. Call Brandi Nickles at (601) 364-3326 or Jasmyne Searcy at (662) 377-7215.

Alzheimer’s support groups for family members and friends of those with the disease meets • Amory – 10 a.m. the first Monday of the month at First Friends office. Call Mary Nell Dorris and Janice Pickle at (662) 2561130. No meetings on holidays.

• Corinth – 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at Corinth library. Call Keri Roaten. (662) 594-5526. No meeting in July.

• Pontotoc – 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at NMMC-Pontotoc Lng Term Care conference room. Call Stacey Montgomery and Verna Butler at (662) 488-7638 • Starkville- the first Tuesday of the

month at Church of Christ on East Lee Boulevard. Call Cindy Walker at (662) 498-0025.

• Tupelo – 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at the Cedars Health Center Activity Room. Call Terri at (662) 8441441.

• West Point – 6:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at Henry Clay County Retirement Center. Call Brenda Johnson and Michele Rowe at (662) 4952339.

Amputee Support Group meets at noon the first Tuesday of the month at NMMC Outpatient Rehab first floor conference room in Tupelo. Call (800) 843-3375.

Bariatric Support Group will meet at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month in the cafeteria conference room at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, Oxford.

Call Becky Wilson at (662) 513-9671.

Bereavement Support Group meets 10 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of the month at Community Hospice office, 3289 McCullough Boulevard, Tupelo. Call Community Hospice at (662) 823-9850.

Celebrate Recovery is a Bible -based group open to those struggling with addiction, anger issues, grief, guilt, shame, financial loss, abuse, eating disorders or compulsive behaviors. Groups meet at: • 7 p.m. Fridays in the youth building at West Jackson Street Baptist Church, Tupelo. Contact Neil Naron at (662) 891-1773 or Susan Naron at 871-3872.

• 6 p.m. Saturdays at NorthStar Church, 112 Bauhaus, Saltillo. Call (662) 869-7778 or email cr@thenorthstarchurch .com.

The Compassionate Friends, a support group for families who have suffered the death of a child of any age, is open to parents, step-parents, grandparents and siblings. Information is at www.compassionatefriends.org.

• Tupelo - 6 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month at NMMC Wellness Center.

Call Elizabeth Stamper at (662) 321-5442 or Doug Stamper at (662) 401-6131.

• West Point - 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at NMMC-West Point.

Call Michele Rowe at (662) 495-2337.

Parents, step-parents, grandparents and siblings are invited to attend. Information is at www.compassionatefriends.org.

Crossroads Multiple Sclerosis Support Group meets at 11:30 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month at the MSU Extension Office behind Crossroads Arena in Corinth. Sponsored by the MS Foundation.

Contact Joy Forsyth 462-7325 or joycforsyth@ frontiernet.net.

Diabetes Support Groups meet in:

• Booneville - 6 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month at the George E. Allen Library except for June and December. Call Kitti Parman at (662)377-2500 or (800) 8433375.

• Starkville- 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at Oktibbeha County Hospital educational facility. Call Nicky Yeatman at (662) 615-2668.

• Tupelo - 11 a.m. the second Thursday of the month at the NMMC Wellness Center in Tupelo. Sponsored by the NMMC Diabetes Treatment Center. Call (662) 3772500 or (800) 843-3375.

• West Point: meets quarterly at NMMC-West Point. Remaining 2012 meetings: Contact Ginger Carver at (662) 495-2213.

The Disability Support Group meets at 2 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at LIFE office, Cliff Gookin Boulevard, Tupelo. People with all types of physical and mental disabilities are welcome. Call Wayne Lauderdale or Emily Word at (662) 844-6633.

A Domestic Violence Support Group meets at 3:30 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the Lee County Family Resource Center in Tupelo. Child care available. Call (662) 844-0013.

A Domestic Violence Support Group meets at 6 p.m. every Thursday. Call (800) 527-7233 for location. Child care is provided.

FACE IT food allergy support group available in Tupelo. Focused on parents of children with food allergies, but open to others with medical conditions that require food avoidance. Contact Amelia at (662) 322-7434 or faceittupelo@live.com for locations and times.

Family Hope & Healing support group for those with a loved one in active addiction, treatment or recovery, meets at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Tupelo outpatient office for the Oxford Centre at 341 E. Main Street, suite A-1. Call (662)680-2636 or visit theoxfordcentre.org.

Fibromyalgia Support Group-Tupelo meets at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month at the Women First Resource Center 215 N. Gloster, Suite D, in Tupelo.

Call 842-5725.

Gray Matters Support Group for anyone diagnosed with a brain tumor and their caregivers meets meets the last Tuesday of the month at the NMMC Cancer Center in Tupelo. Call Cindy Edwards at (662) 3774049 or (800) 843-3375.

Grief Support Groups meet in Tupelo: • 6 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Gentiva Hospice office in

Spanish Village, Suite 105, Thomas Street.

Free and open to anyone in need. Call the Rev. Danny Rushing at (662) 844-2417.

• 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the month in the NMMC North Education Center Room 2. Call Jamie Grissom, NMMC Hospice bereavement coordinator, at (662) 377-3612 or (800) 843-3375.

I Can Cope cancer support group meets at noon the second Friday of the month at Bridgepoint on South Gloster Street.

Guest speakers. Lunch provided for cancer survivors and caregivers. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Call coordinator Donna Kingsley at (662) 213-8478.

La Leche League of Lee Countymeets at 11 a.m. the first Thursday of the month. All pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are invited to attend. Other LLL services include a lending library and 24-hour telephone help. For information, call Toni at (662) 255-8283.

Lupus Support is available in Northeast Mississippi. Sponsored by the Lupus Foundation of America. Open to anyone interested in lupus. Contact Michelle Harris at (662) 825-0224 or (662) 256-2604.

Man-to-Man support group for prostate cancer meets at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month in at NMMC East Tower first floor Diabetes Treatment Center classroom.

Contact Gail Denton at (662) 377-3522 or (800) 843-3375.

Mended Hearts, a support group for people who have had heart-bypass surgery, heart disease or other physical ailments of the heart, meet in: • Oxford -Noon the the second Wednesday of the month at in the Magnolia room at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford. Call Marian Leggett at (662) 259-2856 • Tupelo - 5:45 p.m. the last Thursday of each month at Room 21 of the NMMC East Tower Education Center. Dinner available for $11; RSVP required for dinner. Call Frances Cobb at (662) 840-4335 to register.

Mother to Mother breastfeeding support group meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month in the OCH Regional Medical Center WIC Lactation Clinic on the fourth floor. Mothers will have chance to speak with professionals and network with other moms.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group-Tupelo meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at the NMMC Wellness Center in Tupelo. Contact Allison Holloway at (662) 231-5829, Karan Woods at (662) 231-9160 or (800) 843-3375.

Narcotics Anonymous, a community-based association of recovering drug

addicts, meets in the region • Tupelo -t6 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Wednesday and 7:30 pm. Saturday at the Helping Hands building, 314 S. Church St. • Groups also meet in Ackerman, Amory, Booneville, Bruce, Corinth, New Albany, Oxford, Pontotoc, Ripley and Starkville.

New Moms Support Group meets at 10:30 a.m. Fridays at the Breast Feeding Resource Center at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi. Open to all new moms. Call (662) 513-1602.

The North MS Pediatric Cancer Support Group (PECANS) is available to families facing pediatric cancer. Call Teresa Farris at (662) 791-1228 or visit North MS PeCanS Facebook page.

Northeast Mississippi Down Syndrome Society offers support and information resources for families of children with Down Syndrome. Call (662) 871-2387, e-mail nemdss@bellsouth.net or visit the group’s Facebook page.

Ovarian Cancer Support group meets the first Monday of the month at the Women First Resource Center, 215 N. Gloster, Suite D. Call (662) 422-1938.

Parkinson’s Disease Support Group-Tupelo meets at 3 p.m. the first Sunday of the month at NMMC Wellness Center in Tupelo. Call (662) 377-4348.

Second Chance Transplant Awareness Group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month, except for June, at McAlister’s Deli, Tupelo. Call Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency, Tupelo office (662) 841-1960.

A Sexual Assault Support Group meets at 1 p.m. every Wednesday. Call (800) 5277233 for location.

Sisters Network, Tupelo chapter of the African-American breast cancer survivor’s support group, meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the Link Centre in Tupelo. Th group plans to hold a community health fair and other events this spring.

Call Norma Derring at (662) 842-3440.

Stepping Stones cancer support group meets at 4 p.m. the last Monday of the month at NMMC Cancer Center. Open to cancer surviviors and their caregivers. Call social worker Cindy Edwards at (662)3774049 or (800) 843-3375.

Stroke support groups meet in: • Tupelo - 5 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month in NMMC East Tower Room 21.

Call Stacy Scruggs at (662) 377-4058.

• Starkville – 10 a.m. Feb. 17, April 13 and June 15 at the OCH Regional education room. For more info, call the speech language pathology department at (662) 615-3030. djournal.com

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Survivors of child sexual abuse support group meets at 1 p.m. Wednesdays. Call (800) 527-7233 for location.

T.A.A.P. (Teen Addiction Awareness Program) is a free 10-week program offered by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence building, 200 N. Spring St., Tupelo. The program, which meets for 90 minutes once a week, is open to teens age 13-18. There will be educational sessions on every aspect of drug and alcohol use and abuse. Call NCADD at (662) 841-0403 or www.ncadd.net.

TOPS, a weight loss support group, has four chapters meeting in Northeast Mississippi. Fees are $28 for annual membership; $14 for spouses and teens. Call area captain Brittany Harris at (662) 251-5818, state coordinator Pat Harris at (662) 386-0249 or (800) 932-8677 or visit www.tops.org.

• Tupelo: 4:45 p.m. Thursdays at Salvation Army Building at 527 Carnation St.; • Saltillo: 5 p.m. Mondays at Saltillo Resource Center on 353 Mobile Street; • Aberdeen: 5 p.m. Tuesdays at Southside Baptist Church on Meridian Street.

Tupelo Lost Chords Club meets at noon the fourth Thursday of the month at the Longtown Medical Park conference room in Tupelo. The club is open to all laryngectomees, spouses of laryngectomees and interested professionals. Call Lisa Renfroe at (662) 377-3248.

Weight Loss Support Group will meet at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at NMMC Wellness Center in Tupelo. The group provides education and emotional support for those considering or have gone through bariatric surgery. Contact registered nurse Cherri Cox at (662) 377-7546 or (866) 908-9465.

Women with Cancer support group, sponsored by the Women First Resource Center, is available in Amory. Call (662) 325-0721.

Women with Cancer support group meets at 5:30 p.m. the third Monday of each month at the Women First Resource Center, 215 N. Gloster, Suite D, in Tupelo.

Call (662) 842-5725.

Events

Through Jan. 11 Monroe in Motion – a free, three month community initiative – will share tips on learning to run, manage diet and general wellness at the Merit Health Fitness Center in Amory. Register by Jan. 11. Call (662) 256-6127.

Jan. 9 Girl Scout Badge Day 10 a.m. for brownies; noon for juniors at HealthWorks!

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Children’s Health Education Center in Tupelo. $7 per scout. Call (662) 377-5437.

Starting Jan. 11 Hip Hoppers at HealthWorks! – a time for preschool children and their grownups to read, craft and play. Offered at 10 a.m.11:30 p.m. twice a month start Jan. 11 until May 2 at children’s health education center in Tupelo. Included in regular admission, $5 for 2 and up; free to members. Call (662) 377-5437.

Starting Jan. 11 Home School Health and PE at HealthWorks! – a time for preschool children and their grownups to read, craft and play. Offered at 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. twice a month start Jan. 11 until May 2 at children’s health education center in Tupelo. Call (662) 3775437 for registration information.

Starting Jan. 18 Families in Transformation program for children ages 8 to 13 with their parent or guardian who want to be healthy will run from Jan. 18 to March 10 at HealthWorks!

Children’s Health Education Center in Tupelo. Cost is $25 for first child/parent, $10 each additional child; Family receives $100 grocery gift card upon successful completition; need-based scholarships available.

Registration due Jan. 15 Call (662) 3775437 or healthworkskidsms.org.

Jan. 19 Lunchtime Learning Series “Fighting Fatigue” at noon Jan. 19 at First Baptist Church fellowship hall in Tupelo. Tupelo obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Miguel Luna will be the speaker. Advanced registration required by Jan. 13; lunch provided for $5.

Call (800) 843-3375.

Jan. 21 “Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight” with Peter Walsh, author and host of “Extreme Clutter.” 6:30 p.m. Jan. 21. Cost is $25 and includes dinner. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Call (800) 843-3375 or visit www.nmhs. net/spirt_of_women by Jan. 15.

Jan. 22 HealthWorks! Kids’ Night for ages 4 to 12 on Jan. 22. Drop the kids off for a night of fun at children’s heatlh education center in Tupelo. Dinner provided. Cost $15 in advance, $22 after noon Jan. 22. Discounts for members. Call (662) 377-5437.

Jan. 30 HealthWorks! Birthday Party10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 30 at the children’s health education center in Tupelo. Free admission.

Call (662) 377-5437.

Feb. 3 and 5 Green Dot bystander intervention training program 3 p.m. Feb. 3 at ICC-Fulton student services building and 3 p.m.

Feb. 5 at Manufacturing Solutions Center at ICC-Belden. Presenter is Amelia Parks, community educator from S.A.F.E. Free.

Contact Chad Case at (662) 862-8232 or cgcase@iccms.edu.

Feb. 19 HealthWorks! Kids’ Night for ages 4 to 12 on Feb. 19. Drop the kids off for a night of fun at children’s heatlh education center in Tupelo. Dinner provided. Cost $15 in advance, $22 after noon Feb. 19. Discounts for members. Call (662) 377-5437.

Kidney Disease Screening 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. OCH Community Room, Starkville.

Free program through Mississippi Kidney Foundation. Supplies limited; call (601) 981-3611 for reservation.

Sept. 15 Lunchtime Learning Series “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” at noon Sept. 15 at First Baptist Church fellowship hall, Tupelo. Speaker Dr. Malinda Prewitt. $5.

Register by Sept. 9. Call (800) 843-3375.

March 11 HealthWorks! Kids’ Night for ages 4 to 12 on March 11. Drop the kids off for a night of fun at children’s heatlh education center in Tupelo. Dinner provided. Cost $15 in advance, $22 after noon March 11.

Discounts for members. Call (662) 3775437.

March 12 Second Annual St. Patrick’s Day 10K/20K Will start at 9 a.m. March 12 in front of Joyner Elementary in Tupelo.

Sponsored by the Tupelo Running Club, benefiting Regional Rehabilitation Center in Tupelo. Cost is $20 for 10K; $35 for 20K. Sign up at Racesonline.com.

March 14 Green Up Your Spring! camp at HealthWorks! in Tupelo for ages 5 to 8. 8:30-11:30 a.m. March 15 with stay and play option until 3:30 p.m. Camp fee. Call (662) 3775437.

March 15 Jump, Jam and Jive! camp at HealthWorks! in Tupelo for ages 8 to 12. 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 15 with stay and play option until 3:30 p.m. Camp fee. Call (662) 377-5437.

March 18 No Guts, No Glory Fun and Fit Friday at HealthWorks! craft and activity for all ages with a grown up. 10-11:30 a.m. March 18. Included in regular admission, $5 for 2 and up; free to members.

Starting March 22 Families in Motion, a weekly wellness night for youth 8 to 13 and their families on Tuesdays from March 22 to May 10 at HealthWorks! in Tupelo. Includes wellness

Event Guide

lesson and physical activity session.

Parents welcome. Call (662) 3775437.

April 2 Merit Health Gilmore Memorial Bunny Trail 5K starts at 7:30 p.m. in downtown Amory. Proceeds benefit the American Red Cross. Call (662) 256-6127.

April 7 Merit Health Gilmore Memorial Amory Railroad Festival Health Fair 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 7 Free screenings for cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and oxygen saturation. Free information on health topics.

April 9 Autism 5K Awareness Walk and Festival at Ballard Park in Tupelo on April 2. Race, walk begin at 9 a.m.

Festival lasts until 1 p.m. Supports Autism Center of North Mississippi.

Sign up at Racesonline.com; call (662) 840-0974.

April 9 Boerner Be Wild healthy community celebration 8 a.m.-noon April 9 at Ballard Park in Tupelo.

April 29 HealthWorks! Kids’ Night for ages 4 to 12 on April 29. Drop the kids off for a night of fun at children’s heatlh education center in Tupelo. Dinner provided. Cost $15 in advance, $22 after noon April 29. Discounts for members. Call (662) 377-5437.

May 20 HealthWorks! Kids’ Night for ages 4 to 12 on May 20. Drop the kids off for a night of fun at children’s heatlh education center in Tupelo. Dinner provided. Cost $15 in advance, $22 after noon May 20. Discounts for members. Call (662) 377-5437.

June 4 Special Beginnings Maternity and Infant Fair will be from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. June 4 at OCH Regional educational facility in Starvkille.

June 8 Safe Sitter course, for ages 11 to 14, will offer skills to prepare for babysitting, including CPR and first aid, will be offered from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., June 8 at OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville. Cost is $35 and includes materials and lunch.

Visit och.org/safe-sitter to register or call (662) 615-3067.

Winter Blues The Christmas and Hanukkah holidays fill our calendars with joyous reunions and celebrations, However, millions of people approach the end of the holiday season with a mixture of anticipation and dread. For, in addition to the happy anticipation, holidays bring back memories of loved ones who are no longer here, lost friendships, and earlier celebrations when we were younger and less encumbered with modern day worries.

Everyone is susceptible to the holiday blues to some degree. But for some folks, the anxiety and sadness starting with the holidays and continuing into the new year can be a very real problem. The holiday season carries with it additional stresses, such as increased financial pressure, long hours preparing for the holidays, and potential family or relative confrontations. Single and/or divorced parents can be fraught with concerns about whose traditions to observe and which relatives to visit, and the accompanying stresses this places on children. Then there’s the loneliness factor. Many people live too far away to go home for the holidays. Others, who are not part of any family group, find their “aloneness” accentuated during this most social of all seasons. Elderly parents and older folks who are less mobile and/ or confined to nursing homes are especially vulnerable to holiday depression.

For those with a history of depression, these added stresses can be extremely debilitating to the point of dysfunction, isolation and, at worst, suicidal thoughts.

Often people indulge in ‘magical thinking’ at Christmas time. The memories we hold from childhood have a strong influence on our outlook. We have this deep-down hope that Christmas will make all our problems disappear. When this doesn’t happen, we are very disappointed. We often see clients after the holidays who had hoped family members’ drinking problems would go away, children’s acting out behavior would stop. When these things aren’t resolved and are actually exacerbated during the holidays, sometimes the whole family goes into a crisis state.

Often, it is our failure to live up to our own expectations of ourselves that brings on the blues. Men who measure their worth by how much they spend on gifts may come up short and experience feelings of a loss of self-esteem. Women who feel they fall short of what their mothers or grandmothers did to prepare for the holiday may become tense or anxious with accompanying feelings of

The Doctor’s In

failure.

If you or someone in your family is feeling especially sad or unduly stressed out at this time of year, try the following: • Acknowledge your feelings, concerns and fears, and discuss them with a friend or family member.

• Do not focus on past events. Look forward to the future and set goals for the upcoming year. Look at your blank calendar as a clean slate.

• If you know you’re going to be alone, make plans to visit with friends or volunteer at a soup kitchen or local hospital.

• With the holidays over and work in full swing, many of us might experience dips in mood, motivation, and energy. Getting back on track takes a few weeks, so take it easy as you transition back to a normal routine.

Avoid lofty expectations, schedule fun outings to look forward to, and don’t forget to unplug.

We all deserve to share in the blessings of this special time of year. Being conscious of the pitfalls following the holidays, and anchoring our expectations in reality are the means to achieving this. But, in spite of all your good intentions and plans, if things get out of hand, there are places to turn 24 hours a day, even on holidays.

Jade Henry is the Community Education Manager at Crossroads Center for Emotional Care in Corinth, which offers 24-hour support by calling (800) 366-1245 or (662) 293-4280.

She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has worked in this field for over 7 years.

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Fast Food Swaps Fast food restaurants don’t have to be the kiss of death for a healthy diet.

But people who are watching what they eat have to make smart choices. University of Mississippi professor and registered dietitican Janie Cole and nutrition graduate student Megan Maloney suggest these swaps to make sure you don’t deep six a healthy diet at the drive-through. If you choose a full-leaded soda or sweet tea, add 200 calories. Water or a drink without sugar will quench your thirst without adding calories.

McDonald’s

McDouble burger calories: 780 total fat: 45 g sodium: 1,310 mg carbs: 43 g +

Chik-Fil-A sandwich calories: 500 total fat: 23 g sodium: 1,640 mg carbs: 43 g +

Medium Fries calories: 340 total fat: 16 g sodium: 190 mg carbs: 44 g

Waffle Fries calories: 400 total fat: 21 g sodium: 180 mg carbs: 48 g

or

Regular burger calories: 240 total fat: 8 g sodium: 480 mg carbs: 25 g + Side Salad calories: 20 total fat: 0 g sodium: 0 mg carbs: 0 g

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Wendy’s

Double Stack Burger calories: 390 total fat: 21 g sodium: 1,070 mg carbs: 25 g + Fries calories: 420 total fat: 20 g sodium: 440 mg carbs: 52 g

or

Chik-Fil-A grilled chicken sandwich calories: 320 total fat: 5 g sodium: 800 mg carbs: 40 g + Fruit Cup calories: 50 total fat: 0 g sodium: 0 mg carbs: 13 g

or

Jr. Burger hamburger w/o cheese calories: 240 total fat: 9 g sodium: 630 mg carbs: 25 g + Potato calories: 320 total fat: 3 g sodium: 50 mg carbs: 63 g

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