Jan23 15 by Daniel Pearson

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AUGUSTA

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What’s up

One Man’s Mission with to Take Control

GLUTEN? T

hat depends on who’s answering the question. For an ever increasing number of people, consuming gluten is perceived as about as healthful as eating cyanide or arsenic. The rest of the population munches on, oblivious to the deadly toxins they’re ingesting. So what’s the deal? Who’s right? Is concern over gluten just media hysteria, the latest version of much ado about nothing? Or is it a food component we should all be worried about? What is it? The root meaning of the word has nothing to do with its current usage. Gluten originally meant exactly what it sounds like: glue. As in glue derived from animal tissue (such as when an old horse was said to be “destined for the glue factory”). The gluten that has millions of people on red alert these days is plant-based, and is one of the most heavily consumed proteins on earth. It is found in such grains as barley, rye and most commonly, wheat, and is created

when two molecules — glutenin and gliadin — are chemically joined by force. That force is supplied by the baker as he or she kneads dough. The bond between the two proteins gives dough its elasticity and bread its chewiness. Without gluten, no pizza baker could offer handtossed crusts; dough would fly off in all directions without it. Gluten doesn’t sound particularly lethal. It’s perfectly natural and wholesome to 99 percent of us. The 1 percent Ah, but for the other 1 percent, the tiniest exposure to gluten can give rise to intense gastrointestinal reactions: bloating, gas, cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, even migraine headaches and joint pain. The 1 percent are people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that can be notoriously difficult to diagnose. For these people, gluten causes a reaction which damages the lining of the small intestine, in the process interfering with the body’s ability to absorb

JANUARY 23, 2015

by guest columnist Jennifer Braidwood

The 99 percent For no medically discernible reason, some 20 million Americans say they experience gastric distress after eating products containing gluten, and fully one-third of American

he year was 1970. A gallon of gas cost 36 cents, the very first Earth Day was celebrated and the smooth iconic sound of the Beatles song, “Let it Be” lingered on the radio waves. It also happened to be the year that this story truly begins, that a life, a cause, and one man’s mission began to take shape. Steve Edelman was 15 years old and he felt sick. Really sick. He lost 20 pounds in just a few weeks, developed an unquenchable thirst and a desperate need to sleep. What he didn’t know was that he had a pancreas that stopped producing insulin. The weeks progressed, his symptoms did not relent, and he eventually went to the doctor just in time to sidestep a diabetic coma. He emerged from the ICU a few weeks later with the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Edelman was given strict instructions from his doctor to take one shot of insulin per day in the morning, follow a strict diet, test his urine for glucose four times a day, and keep stringent records. As the years continued to pass, Edelman developed an intense passion for the sciences and decided to go to medical school. He completed his undergraduate premedical studies at the University of California, Los Angeles and during that time became increasingly interested in medicine and specifically endocrinology. He worked in a research laboratory at UCLA with Dr. Mayer Davidson and was able to observe Dr. Richard Berkson treat patients in the diabetes clinic. By watching and learning from his mentors, Edelman slowly started to get on track with his own diabetes complications. He began to realize that one shot of insulin a day was totally inadequate and subsequently he slowly started to improve his own regimen to allow for better control. Edelman entered his first year of medical school in 1978 at the University California, Davis. He distinctly remembers sitting in a

Please see CELIAC page 4

Please see CONTROL page 3

nutrients. There is a cure if you have celiac disease: avoid gluten for the rest of your life. That is one tremendously difficult challenge. Neither gluten nor anything remotely connected to wheat, rye, or barley may show up in the ingredients list of a product that happens to be crawling with gluten. For the unfortunate souls afflicted by celiac disease, the best defense is to buy only products that are labeled as “gluten-free,” a designation that, as of August 2014, means gluten is present in less than 20 parts per million. Happily, gluten-free products are sprouting up everywhere, a food trend driven by, well, let’s just call them “the non-1percenters.”

Who is this man, and why is he coming to Augusta?

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

JANUARY 23, 2015

THE MYTH OF THE MONTH

HEALTHCARE REFORM & YOU by Russell T. Head, CBC, CSA

YOUR DEADLINE AWAITS

ith an end of the general open enrollment deadline looming upon us in a very short time (February 15th, 2015 to be exact), we will soon mark the end of three months of continuous insurance change. While last year’s opening of Russell Head the new individual health insurance exchange (aka healthcare.gov or the “marketplace”) saw many ups and downs, this year has been much easier to navigate. Have there been changes? Absolutely! However, we must say the introduction of new products, plan designs and rates did not change the insurance carrier dominance of both Humana and BCBSSC within the CSRA. Assurant and United Healthcare both added products to the area exchange/marketplace offerings but have had few takers with the heavy competition for enrollees. Humana has continued to increase market share due to its broad based local and national network, attractive plan designs and very competitive rates. Humana continues to provide network coverage with all 4 local Georgia hospitals and better than 98% of the area physicians participating. While specific Humana plan designs did see both single and double digit rate increases, we continue to see

the Augusta market as one of the most competitive in Georgia. BlueCross/BlueShield Georgia’s (BCBSGA) HMO offering provided the most competitive product on healthcare.gov for Augusta area residents. The biggest downside for exchange enrollees would be the loss of the most preferred facility for many individuals: University Hospital. Perhaps just as important would be the omission of many local physician providers not included in their network. The off-exchange offering by BCBSGA is very competitive and did include all area hospitals. BCBSSC has continued to be dominant across the river in the four bordering counties. Perhaps the main reason is access more than price. Many individuals who live in Beech Island, North Augusta and Edgefield want access to Augusta network providers. BSBSSC continues to give them that choice, even though their pricing may be slightly higher than the Consumers Choice or Blue Choice HMO offering on the South Carolina side. Perhaps the biggest surprise for many consumers who had renewed their old pre-ACA grandfathered plans last year was the change to new ACA compliant plans upon renewal. Did they have a choice this year? The insurance carrier made that choice for many of their insureds this year. Not only did their plan designs

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change, but for many insureds it was the staggering 100 to 200 percent increase in premiums that was the most difficult pill to swallow. The more generous the plan benefit, the more your plan increased in cost. Even for those who had previously selected QHDHP’s with an HSA have seen their deductibles and premiums as much as double. The individual health insurance market will continue to evolve year to year. The ultimate question: Will it be sustainable? Can we continue to pay the double-digit increases year after year, or will we see the introduction of new consumer driven health plans (CDHP) with limited high quality networks? Only time will tell. How long will we have to wait is the real question. It might be longer than your bank account would like. +

Can cranberry juice cure a urinary tract infection (UTI)? You would think so based on what you hear people say. Drinking cranberry juice seems to be the automatic response for many women when they have a UTI. There’s no thought of going to the doctor. There’s no need for an official diagnosis. Just head for the grocery store, get a jug of cranberry juice, and start drinking. They know the symptoms and have been down this road before. But let’s think about this for a moment. What infection of any kind have you ever known to wave the white flag so easily? Cranberry juice is a good, healthful drink. That’s a fact. It’s rich in antioxidants that help strengthen the body’s immune system. Clinical research has shown that drinking cranberry juice regularly can help reduce the risk of getting a UTI. But once you have one, it’s going to take prescribed antibiotics to clear it up. Drinking cranberry juice while taking antibiotics is a great way to speed up the healing process. If you have previously treated a UTI by drinking cranberry juice, you know it can help alleviate some of the attending pain and discomfort. But all by itself, the fact is that cranberry juice cannot cure a UTI. + — by F. E. Gilliard, MD Family Medicine, 639 13th St Augusta, GA 30901 706-823-5052

For further explanation of the ACA/PPACA provisions outlined in this article, please refer to the following resources: www.hhs.gov www.irs.gov www.healthcare.gov www.cms.gov Russell T. Head is President/ Managing Partner with Group & Benefits Consultants, Inc., Augusta’s largest, privately held, locally owned employee benefits consulting firm. He can be reached at 706-733-3459 or rthead@gandbc.com. Visit Group & Benefits Consultants at www. groupandbenefits.com.

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CONTROL… from page 1 lectures to the patients with diabetes at the Joslin Clinic. He noticed that individuals with diabetes all expressed a similar intense need, a desperation for knowledge about their disease and how to effectively manage it. Edelman eventually moved to San Diego in (year) and began teaching at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. He soon realized that his passion, his mission, his calling in life was to help the people with diabetes in a first-hand fashion, to speak directly to them, and give them the most cutting-edge information and knowledge that would help them live long and healthy lives with diabetes. Thus, Taking Control Of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) was born. In 1995 Dr. Edelman founded TCOYD, a San Diego based not-for-profit organization with a mission to educate, inspire, and motivate people with diabetes. Since 1995 TCOYD has conducted a total of 159 Taking Control Of Your Diabetes Conferences and Health Fairs in over 60 different cities across the

United States, and inspired more than 200,000 individuals with diabetes to take control of their lives. From the time of his diagnosis in 1970 until today, he has never allowed diabetes to define his life. Instead, he spends his life’s work defining a new way to teach individuals how to live a healthy and happy life with diabetes. On Saturday, February 7, 2015, Dr. Steve Edelman and his team will bring an allstar cast of diabetes experts to the Augusta Convention Center for a day that will give answers to pressing questions, offer hope, provide invaluable education, and change the life of anyone who has diabetes!

Pre-Registration: $15 per person, $10 per person when 2 or more people register together (ends Wednesday February 4, 2015 at 12 noon (PT). Walk-in Registration is available on the

MEDICAL EXAMINER www.AugustaRx.com

The Medical Examiner’s mission: to provide information on topics of health and wellness of interest to general readers, to offer information to assist readers in wisely choosing their healthcare providers, and to serve as a central source of news within every part of the Augusta medical community. Submit editorial content to graphicadv@knology.net Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to: Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com Augusta Medical Examiner photography: H + D Photography www.handdphoto.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2015 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

DIABETES CONFERENCE & HEALTH FAIR Augusta Convention Center at the Marriott 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Registration & Information:

www.tcoyd.org or call 800.99TCOYD Taking Control Of Your Diabetes® is a 501(c)3 not-for-proﬁt educational organization

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

MONIT

Author Jennifer Braidwood is the Manager of Outreach & Communications for Taking Control Of Your Diabetes +

If you or a loved one has diabetes, register for this life-changing conference today by calling 800.998.2693 or go online to TCOYD.org. Financial assistance is available for those in need.

DO YOU HAVE DIABETES ATTEND THIS

day of the event at the Augusta Convention Center for $20 per person. All registrations include lunch and a mid-morning snack.

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lecture hall teaming with eager medical students and listening to his professor cite statistics from a textbook about the high death rate in people with diabetes. At that moment the feeling in the room suddenly changed, a tension rose and bloomed, and Edelman knew that everyone in his class was desperately trying not to look at him. His professor went on to state that 50% of people with diabetes die from diabetic kidney disease within 20 years after their initial diagnosis. Later that afternoon in his physiology laboratory, he had to dissect the cadaver of a 25year-old male who had died of diabetic kidney disease; Edelman was 23 at the time with eight years of diabetes behind him. At that moment his life’s purpose began to sharpen and he knew that he would forever be linked to a mission of improving his health, the health of others with diabetes, and the medical system behind it all. After his medical residency at UCLA and his fellowship at the Joslin Diabetes Clinic in Boston, the now Doctor Edelman, started giving

Pre-Registration only $15.00 per person $ 10.00 per person when 2 or more reg. together (Pre-Registration closes February 4 @ 12pm PST)

Day of Registration: $20.00 per person (Registration fee includes healthy lunch) This conference is brought to you by

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GLUTEN… from page 1 adults say they are trying to eliminate gluten from their diets. Why would someone who isn’t suffering from celiac disease want to eliminate gluten? For some, it’s part of a weight loss strategy. For others, it’s probably not done as the result of a wealth of research. Or any research. It would have been an interesting man-on-the-street question, had the entire Medical Examiner research staff not been attending a conference in Vienna or London or someplace this week. The poll would have been: Question #1: Are you trying to reduce gluten in your diet? Question #2: What exactly is gluten? Without the benefit of any pesky facts to stand in our way, we predict such an exercise would result in a lot of “yes” responses to Question #1, and perhaps zero correct answers to Question #2. Gluten is simply a convenient if vague target for many health claims and marketing gimmicks. Having said that, “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” is an officially recognized diagnosis. It is not an imaginary condition (see the box at right). But what’s behind it? When did wheat (or bread) lose its noble crown and title as The Staff of Life? We’re not completely sure, but we have a suspicion about where: Madison Avenue. There are best-selling gluten-free diet plans and books about said plans which allege that “bread today is nothing like bread found on tables just

fifty years ago.” They allege today’s wheat is a genetically altered counterfeit of the real thing. Unfortunately, that claim does not hold up under scientific scrutiny. Wheat genetics are unchanged over the past one hundred years, at least according to the doctor who is president of the North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease. And, he says, wheat consumption is steadily dropping at the same time that allegations of gluten attacks are steadily growing. In short, the people studying the phenomenon of gluten allergies have no explanation for its sudden and fairly recent appearance on the food stage. No one is saying there aren’t legitimate cases of gluten sensitivity. On the other hand, it’s an established fact that dietary self-diagnoses are almost always wrong. One article cited MSG as a telling example: after decades of study, there is no scientific evidence that it causes the health problems it is often accused of, and in fact, it occurs naturally in tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, and many other foods. Even so, MSG has a reputation about as tarnished as gluten’s. Or Justin Beiber’s. If you decide to give gluten the old heave-ho, be aware that gluten-free products will usually have added fat, sugar, sodium, or other less-thanhealthful additives to make up for the missing gluten. You could wind up going gluten-lite and sugarheavy. Or fat-heavy. Or salt-heavy. Or all three. +

OLD NEWS +

POINTS OF INTEREST TO FORMER KIDS by Trisha Whisenhunt, Senior Citizens Council

A GUARDIAN AD LITEM SHOULD BE A LAST RESORT

JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

n the December 14, 2014, issue of The Augusta Chronicle there was a full page article on guardian ad litem (GAL) services. If you have ever been through a contentious divorce which involved children and some money, chances are you have been appointed a GAL (couples with modest financial resources don’t seem to ever need one). The rules that define what a GAL is vary state to state; some require a law degree. In the state of Georgia anyone willing to sit through a 40-hour course can claim to be a guardian ad litem and impose their personal values and judgments on you and your children, and you get to pay for the privilege. A GAL is appointed by the court to be the voice for your children. In a lot of cases, the kids get the lay of the land pretty fast and they end up calling the shots, not the parents. I have heard some of the most outrageous, insane, stupid accusations being made by children against one parent, encouraged by

the other parent in order to obtain leverage in a divorce proceeding. The scary thing is, it often works. Look up “Parental alienation,” what some people call the ultimate hate crime. One question asked in the Chronicle article is if such a position is necessary or is it simply a money-making ploy? My opinion leans toward the latter. If there are true concerns about child safety and wellbeing, we already have an agency in place for this (DFACS), and while they are certainly overworked, perhaps it’s time a small group should be assigned to the more contentious divorces involving at-risk children. It would be more effective and would afford the family a representative with a degree, experience, and no financial

incentive to drag out a painful experience. Even with the most amicable divorce, attempting to work things out while emotions are raw is difficult. Sometimes you can feel like you get better results beating your head against a wall than to try and have a conversation with your spouse. But it is far better to keep trying than to allow the court to intervene to determine the future of your family. You and your spouse may not see eye to eye any longer, but you once had a foundation that you built your family on; it is your right to decide how you both move forward and it should be your decision how you proceed with your children, not a third party with a completely and probably incompatible value set. No one has the right to tell you how to live your life or raise your children. But you can unwittingly invite a stranger to do just that by wrangling and inflexibility. You won’t like the outcome or the cost, not only in dollars, but in the long-term affect it will have on your family. Have a sit-down with your wife/husband and use all your inner strength to truly put your children first. When the storm passes — and it will — you will have less regret and happier children if you have the least amount of interference. +

AREA NUTRITIONISTS WEIGH IN ON GLUTEN

It looks harmless enough... Some individuals I’ve talked to have just decided on their own to “go gluten free “ by cutting out anything which contains wheat, and not necessarily replacing those foods with other healthy alternatives. If you decide to give up your bowl of Cheerios in the morning because it contains gluten (just because your neighbor suggested that it helped his irritable bowel syndrome) but then don’t cut out the 3 glasses of sweet tea you consume during the day, have you really helped your body at all? Those with true gluten intolerance have to be very vigilant about not consuming gluten but they can still have a well-balanced diet with careful planning. However for the majority of folks who do not have Celiac disease or documented gluten allergies, gluten-free products are not going to be the cure-alls some would like to claim. — Jeanne Lee, Augusta Area Dietetic Internship, University Hospital I am a registered dietitian who works at the Georgia Regents Digestive Health Center. I have bachelors and masters degrees in clinical nutrition. I have been a registered dietitian for 6 and a half years. Gluten is a protein found in rye, barley, and wheat products. It only needs to be avoided by people who have the auto-immune disorder “celiac disease” The body’s immune system thinks gluten is a foreign substance, so it attacks the lining of the small intestine. Thus, a person with celiac disease cannot eat foods containing gluten. Side effects such as diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, somach pain, and even skin rash can occur if gluten is ingested. If you have celiac disease and need to be gluten free, safe grains include corn, millet, rice, quinoa, and amaranth. The following is a list of plants or starches to include or substitute for wheat if you have celiac disease and need to be gluten free: flax, lentils, potato, wild rice, tapioca, and buckwheat, among others.

The term “gluten free” is used as a marketing tactic to make people believe a food is healthy. Some eggs are marketed as “gluten free.” Is there any grain in eggs? The answer is no. But the price increases as a result of being labled “gluten free.” However, I will say that trying to reduce or avoid eating processed sugars is a fine idea. — Andy Yurechko, MS, RD, LD, Georgia Regents Medical Center & Children’s Hospital of Georgia Digestive Health Center Personally, I stay away from gluten. There are many that can eat it with no problem. I’m not one of those individuals. I do not have celiac disease, however I am gluten intolerant. I was tested. The cure for both gluten intolerance and celiac disease is the same: don’t eat it. I believe many of us are gluten intolerant and don’t even realize it. Since I was 15 years old I was told I had IBS. They said, ”Eat more fiber.” Well, what has fiber? Whole wheat products. Wheat products have gluten too. It just made it worse. It wasn’t until I left off the gluten and dairy on a regular basis three years years ago that the IBS completely went away. Over Christmas I had bread and white pasta and a few other gluten-filled foods over a two day period due to being at family homes. The meals served were not part of my normal diet. On the way home on Christmas night I was dying! My tummy was killing me, bloated in the worst way. That continued the next day as well. This proved to me that it’s the bread products, the white, enriched, fortified bread flours in so many of our foods. I believe that because gluten is in so many products and we have been overwhelmed in the market with all of these products that now people have become intolerant to gluten. It’s in everything: salad dressing, soy sauce, crackers, breads, sometimes hummus even, and many products that you wouldn’t even dream would have gluten. People don’t realize this and of course, I did not either, but this is most likely why people have such problems with the digestive tract. Too much bread (gluten) and not enough fruits and veggies. Not to mention it packs on the pounds in a nonnutritional way. + — Alisa Rhinehart, Medical Examiner recipe columnist and author of the southerngirleatsclean.com blog

JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW res? k good eno r skin can ugh cer? son.”

t has been a sad month for me. A friend died. Doris Smith. She was 82 and still looked nothing short of wonderful. I have known her since the 70s. She has stayed at our home. We once had a reception for her at my home. We invited 60 people for a 7 to 9 pm event. People began arriving at 5:30. One hundred twenty showed up. I had to force them to leave at midnight. Against my wishes and insistence, she helped with the cleanup — for two hours. We received cards from her from all over the world at one time or another. She was my son’s date at a Georgia home football game. She was part of the halftime show and made TV spots for the University of Georgia football program. She posed with Vince Dooley. She sat on Erk Russell’ knee. She petted Uga. The name Doris Smith doesn’t ring a bell? You know her as Donna Douglas, who played Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. Donna once spent the k

ABOUT HOW TO CHOOSE A LIFESTYLE

weekend with us at the Georgia Continuing Education Center. Our rooms had one bed so we asked for a roll-away for my son. Donna would have none of it. She insisted Kirk sleep in her room. He shared Donna’s bed for the night. The next morning, I told him, “Well son, from here on out, it is all downhill. You can’t do any better than Donna Douglas.” He did not understand. He was 8 years old. No law enforcement agency investigated. Donna was not charged with child molestation. He was not arrested for cohabitation. Donna took Kirk with her everywhere she went. We shared the team meal the night before the game at Poss’s BBQ with the players, coaching staff, and assorted dignitaries. Donna was the center of attention. Big, monster football players clamored for her attention and autograph. We liked Donna a lot. My granddaughter is named Ellie. Donna neither smoked nor drank. She was never in FREE T AKE-H OME C OPY!

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JANUARY 23, 2015

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t s e B the scandal sheets sold at checkout counters nationwide. Instead of going to celebrity rehab centers to dry out or go through withdrawals, she attended bible college and earned her Theology degree. She recorded Christian music and toured with Rosey Grier as part of a Christian evangelism troupe. This month, Elvis would have been 80 and singing wonderfully. But he died 38

e n i c i d ME

years ago. I still miss him. But not as much as I miss his co-star in the movie Frankie and Johnny: Donna Douglas (shown below). I still watch Elvis on YouTube. I love it when he sings Jimmy Reed’s “Big Boss Man” or Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog.” Elvis led a different lifestyle from Donna, whom he dated for a while. Donna refused to talk about that part of her life. I

respected that. Elvis let his notoriety get to him. Loaded himself down with hanger-ons. Did drugs. Got grossly fat. And died at age 42. Medically, let’s compare the two. Donna lived clean and honest. No drugs. No four letter words. No alcohol. Watched what she ate. Kept her figure near perfect. Slept reasonable hours. (She used ear plugs and a blinder when not at home to rest better.) Continued her education. Was a Christian in the real sense. She died at 82. Elvis used drugs. Caroused. Had horrible sleep habits: up all night and pilled-out during the day. Let money consume him. Got to be morbidly obese. He died at 42. Which one do you wish to emulate? How do you wish you children to be like? Whether you like it or not, lifestyle counts when you are predicting longevity. I don’t know about you, but to me, dying at 82 is a whole lot better than dying at 42. + Bad Billy Laveau is a retired MD with a pointed sense of humor. Bad Billy speaks and entertains at public and private events for audiences not subject to cardiac seizure secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee BadBilly@knology. net or 706-306-9397

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by Ross Everett

THE LONG-TERM PROBLEM OF LONG-TERM CARE

JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

ne aspect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the healthcare reform effort signed into law by President Obama in 2010, that you might not have heard much about before is the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports or CLASS Act. Initially enacted under Title VIII of PPACA, the CLASS Act aimed to create a governmentrun insurance program for long-term care. However, Republicans and Democrats alike quickly criticized the solvency of the program. In October 2011, Department of Health and Human

Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the administration would no longer move forward with the CLASS Act and it was officially repealed in January of 2013. Since then, no newer solutions have been introduced. Long-term care typically refers to aid that those with chronic illnesses, disabilities or other conditions need on a daily basis over an extended period of time. This level of care needed can range from assistance with simple daily activities such as bathing or eating, to skilled care provided by nurses, therapists and other health professionals.

Those who need long-term care can be both old and young disabled, and the frail elderly. Additionally, this care can be delivered in a variety of settings. Nursing homes are, perhaps, the most recognized providers of long-term care. However, assisted-living communities and home-health organizations are notable alternatives, and several others exist. Currently, more than 11 million Americans are estimated to need long-term care. Some 65 percent of these are 65 years or older. These numbers are only predicted to increase, with estimates of 16.1 million who will require longterm care by 2050 among the elderly alone. Yet, very few people are prepared to finance such care. In fact, only an estimated 3 to 8 percent of Americans have long-term care insurance. This problem is largely twofold. First, surveys have exposed a prevailing optimism bias. While half of Americans believe that “almost everyone” is likely to require long-term care as they age, only 1 in 4 believe that

they will personally require such care. In actuality, 7 out of 10 Americans over the age of 65 will require long-term care. Second, there is a great misperception regarding public financing of long-term care. One study found that 44 percent of individuals above age 40 expect Medicare to pay for ongoing care at home by a licensed home health care aide. Likewise, 37 percent believe that Medicare pays for ongoing care in nursing homes. Only 14 percent of middle-income preMedicare baby boomers know the truth: that Medicare does not actually cover long-term care. Contrary to common belief, Medicaid is actually the largest payer for long-term care. Medicare, on the other hand, pays little by comparison. Medicare Part A may cover long-term care that is provided in a certified skilled nursing facility (SNF) if it found medically necessary that an individual receive such care to properly prevent or treat a condition. Often, this is post-acute type care where, for example, some rehabilitation

will be covered after a hospitalization. Some have assumed that family members will provide and finance their future care. In all likelihood, families are ill equipped to take this burden. The prices for long-term care are already outpacing inflation. The average annual cost of a nursing home is already between $70,000-$90,000. While cheaper by comparison, assisted living homes average $42,000. Thus, Medicaid remains the largest measurable payer. As such, taxes are the largest source of funding for long-term care. Consequently, with more and more Americans failing to plan appropriately for their future needed care, Medicaid has almost become the default rprovider ather than a safety net, leading many to deem it a new middle-class entitlement program. As it currently stands, there’s not much incentive for individuals to make different arrangements either. After all, to be eligible for Medicaid, an individual is required to ‘spend down’ his or her assets Please see WIDE-EYED page 7

WE’RE BEGGING YOU! We’re never too proud to beg. What we’re begging for is Medicine in the First Person stories. With your help, we’d like to make this a feature in every issue of the Medical Examiner. After all, everybody has a story of something health- or medicine-related, and lots of people have many stories. Send your interesting (or even semi-interesting) stories to the Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903 or e-mail to Dan@AugustaRx.com. Thanks!

“The cause was a mystery for a long time.” “And that’s when I fell.” nearest hospital “He doesn’t remember a thing.” “The was 30 miles away.” “I was a battlefield medic.” “He was just two when he died.”

“OUCH!”

“It was a terrible tragedy.” “She saved “I sure learned my lesson.” “I retired from medicine my life.” “It seemed like a miracle.” seven years ago.” “We had triplets.” “It was my first year “I thought, ‘Well, this is it’.” NOTHING SEEMED of medical school.” “They took me to the hospital by helicopter.” TO HELP, UNTIL. . “It took 48 stitches.”

ambulance crashed.” “Now THAT hurt!” “The “My leg was broken “I’m not supposed to be alive.”

“This was on my third day in Afghanistan.” in three places.” “I lost 23 pounds.” “Turned out it was just indigestion.” “At first I thought it was something I ate.” “The smoke detector woke me up.”

Everybody has a story. Tell us yours! Here’s our “No Rules Rules.” We’ll publish your name and city, or keep you anonymous. Your choice. Length? Up to you. Subject? It can be a monumental medical event or just a stubbed toe. It can make us laugh or make us cry. One thing we’re not interested in, however: please, no tirades against a certain doctor or hospital. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Southern Girl Eats Clean WIDE-EYED

… from page 6

Tomato Jam — The Perfect Condiment

Here is something deliciously new and different.... Tomato Jam Well, maybe it’s not brand new, since tomato jam has been around for many years. I believe its origin was from the Mediterranean area, but it was also popular in our country in the mid 1900’s due to all the preserving and canning that was done during that era. Southerners love to can and preserve, don’t we? My mother-in-law used to make something very similar to this jam and she served it alongside pork, chicken or fish. There are many different recipes for tomato jam. This particular version has a definite Mediterranean flair with the balsamic vinegar, oregano and parsley. This fabulous condiment is so versatile, both sweet and savory. We use this as a topping on grass-fed beef, turkey or veggie burgers. It is the perfect alternative for ketchup that is loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Tomato Jam is much healthier than ketchup and more flavorful too. This recipe does have a bit of sugar, but it’s not nearly the amount that minutes. brand) you will find in most ketchup Reduce the heat to low • 1/4 cup of high quality brands. and place all of the other balsamic vinegar (Again, Tomato Jam is a great ingredients into the saucepan High Country is a favorite) appetizer when served with except for the chopped fresh • 2 Tbsp. of organic brown goat cheese and crostini or parsley. Cook, stirring often sugar whole grain crackers such until most all of the liquid has • 1/2 tsp. of dried oregano as Mary’s Gone Crackers or been reduced, approximately • 1 tsp. of fresh lemon juice Crunchmaster Multi-Seed 35-45 minutes. • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. of crushed red Crackers. The jam is also Once the tomato mixture pepper flakes (according to delicious on toasted sprouted is a jam consistency, remove taste) grain or gluten-free bread and • A pinch of salt and cracked from heat and stir in the served with a veggie frittata parsley. black pepper for breakfast. Your friends Allow to cool and serve or • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely and family will love it and store in the refrigerator in an chopped they will be begging for the air-tight container up to two recipe. weeks. + Directions: In a saucepan, heat the Ingredients: olive oil over medium to high Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog • 1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive www.southerngirleatsclean.com heat. oil (I like High Country Olive She is a working wife and mother Place the sliced onions Oil) living in Evans, in the saucepan and • 1 small organic sweet Georgia. Visit her cook, stirring often for yellow onion, cut in half and blog for more recipes approximately 5-8 minutes sliced thinly vertically and information on until the onions have • 3 cloves of fresh garlic, clean eating. softened. crushed Add the crushed garlic • 1 15 oz. can of chopped to the pan with the onions tomatoes (I used Muir Glen and cook an additional 2-3

until they qualify for the program. Now consider some of what I told you earlier. Most older individuals will require some sort of long-term care. Long-term care is very expensive. Most of these individuals will be forced to fall back on Medicaid, eventually, as a result. Thus, what incentive is there to pay for long-term care premiums for a great deal of your life if you will end up having to spend down your assets and enroll in Medicaid anyway? Rather, one might as well save that money and enjoy it while he or she is young and able. This perverse mentality is, of course, costly for society. Various ideas have been presented in years past, but no official proposals have been introduced. Additionally, with the great deal of public backlash that accompanied PPACA, it is unlikely that a government program will foster much support in the near future. Yet, the problem remains. As Secretary Sebelius stated in her October 2011 letter to Congress, “The challenge that CLASS was created to address is not going away. If [these Americans] are to live productive and independent lives, we need to make sure that they have access to the long-term care supports that make that possible.” Something has to change. Though CLASS may not have been solvent, neither is our current course. + Ross Everett is a medical student at the Medical College of Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011. Currently, he is taking a year of leave from medical school to pursue a Master of Public Health degree in Health Systems and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. Please contact him at wideeyedwhitecoat@gmail.com

Tomato Jam

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P harmacy 411

OUR NEWSSTANDS Medical locations: • Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr, 15th St., Main Entrance • Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Uptown Div., Wrightsboro Rd., main lobby • Doctors Hospital, 3651 Wheeler Rd, ER Lobby Entrance • Eisenhower Hospital, Main Lobby, Fort Gordon • George C. Wilson Drive (by medical center Waffle House and mail boxes) • GHSU Hospital, 1120 15th Street, South & West Entrances • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Parking Deck entrance • GHSU Hospital, Emergency Room, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Children’s Medical Center, Harper Street, Main Lobby • GHSU, Laney-Walker Boulevard transit stop, Augusta • Select Specialty Hospital, Walton Way, Main entrance lobby • Trinity Hospital, Wrightsboro Road, main lobby by elevators • Trinity Hospital Home Health, Daniel Village, main lobby • University Health Federal Credit Union/ University Hospital Human Resources, 1402 Walton Way, Main Lobby • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Emergency Room lobby area • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Outside Brown & Radiology/Day Surgery • University Hospital - Columbia County, 465 N. Belair Road, Main Lobby • University Hospital Prompt Care, 3121 Peach Orchard Road, Augusta

Around town: • Barney’s Pharmacy, 2604 Peach Orchard Rd. • Birth Control Source, 1944 Walton Way • GRU Summerville Student Bookstore • Blue Sky Kitchen, 990 Broad Street • Columbia County Library, main branch lobby, Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans • Enterprise Mill (North Tower), 1450 Greene Street, Augusta • Daniel Village Barber Shop, Wrightsboro Road at Ohio Ave. • Hartley’s Uniforms, 1010 Druid Park Ave, Augusta • International Uniforms, 1216 Broad Street, Augusta • Marshall Family Y, Belair Rd, Evans • Mellow Mushroom, 12th and Broad Streets, Augusta • Parks Pharmacy, Georgia Avenue, North Augusta • Southside Family Y, Tobacco Road, Augusta • Surrey Center, Surrey Center Pharmacy, Highland Avenue, Augusta • Top-Notch Car Wash, 512 N. Belair Road, Evans • Wild Wing Cafe, 3035 Washington Road, Augusta

Plus... 600+ doctors offices throughout the area for staff and waiting rooms, as well as many nurses stations and waiting rooms of area hospitals.

JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Very little if anything about healthcare is inexpensive, and that includes medicine. Tiny pills can command large prices. Over-the-counter medications may be less expensive, but are they also less effective? Find the answers to lots of your drug store questions in this column written by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson exclusively for the Medical Examiner.

LET’S STAY HEALTHY: VITAMINS CAN HELP

e all know the age old sayings about eating your fruits and vegetables. These still hold true, but why do you need a diet full of fruits and vegetables? Simply put. they are a natural multivitamin/mineral tablet with no artificial ingredients. There are a number of healthy foods that many people don’t like — nobody dreams about green beans and broccoli — but there are so many choices that you should be able to find a variety of healthful fruits and vegetables to eat and enjoy. This will give your body a good base of the vitamins and minerals required to maintain normal body functioning. We will get into the different vitamins in a moment, but know that they are all required for your body to reach peak performance. They are not optional. So if your diet is a lacking in healthy foods and you can’t or won’t change that, then the pharmacy vitamin rack may be your friend. There are two main types of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. The B family of vitamins and Vitamin C are your primary examples of water-soluble vitamins. These vitamins must be taken every day because (since they are water-soluble) your body does not store extra amounts of these vitamins. Your body uses what it needs and passes the extra in your urine. What do these vitamins do for your body? Almost everyone knows Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits like oranges and helps with the immune system of the body. But what about some of the multitude of B vitamins? B-12 wins the Most Likely To Be Taken Award among B vitamins. It is used for as an energy booster, and is better than stimulants such as caffeine if you need to kick up your energy level. It gives the zillions of hard-working cells in our bodies enough energy to work throughout the day. Thiamine, a.k.a Vitamin B-1, is used to help provide optimal functioning of our nervous and immune systems, in addition to helping

When you need a pharmacy, visiting us is like a walk in the

to enhance memory. Pyridoxine, or Vitamin B-6, is useful in preventing anemia and to help with pregnancy-related morning sickness, certain types of mental diseases, and kidney stones. Moving on, we have Vitamin D, found in milk and other healthy foods. Vitamin D helps to regulate bone density and blood sugar levels in addition to conditions related to blood pressure and cholesterol. We get most of our daily dose of D from the sun. During the winter many people have decreased Vitamin D levels due to not being out in the sun as much as in the warmer times of the year. Like other fatsoluble vitamins, Vitamin D is stored in the body’s fat stores. It is released when there is no sun, but can be depleted rapidly. That is why there is a Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) our diets should provide. Other fat soluble vitamins include A and E, which are also needed daily. The one mineral we’ll look at today is calcium, a very important mineral in that it helps provide for strong bones and healthy teeth. It is also useful to reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer. Calcium is added to many foods such as milk and dairy products and some juices. It is also present in kale and broccoli. Again your best sources of vitamins and minerals are in fruits and vegetables. If the best offerings from the produce aisle are not for you, then come in to your local pharmacy and talk to a pharmacist about which vitamins and minerals may be right for you. A good multi-vitamin that contains both vitamins and minerals is a good basic foundation for your daily routine. We will talk in later issues about other healthy basics to your diet and get into more detail about some of these vitamins. + Questions about this article or suggestions for future columns can be sent to us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net )

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JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

DON’T LICK THE BEATERS

save

Useful food facts from dietetic interns with University Hospital’s Augusta Area Dietetic Internship Program

with this ad. Code: hrtt0215 Expires 2/12/15

Fermented Foods

ermented foods seem to be getting a lot attention in the health food spotlight, as well as increasing their prime grocery store shelf real estate. Though it may seem trendy, fermented foods are nothing new to society, and are strongly engrained in many cultures and traditions around the world. Humans have been artfully rotting foods since the Neolithic era, and it became prevalent in early Chinese and European civilization. You say you’ve never heard of fermented foods? The earliest and oldest of these foods include beer, wine, breads, cheeses, vinegar, yogurt, butter, and pickled vegetables. What exactly is fermentation? Fermentation is one of the oldest methods of preserving foods. The process involves microorganisms such as yeast, molds, or bacteria being added to a food containing sugar which then converts the sugars into alcohol or lactic acid, which act as food preservatives. So what’s the big buzz? The bacteria in these foods are the good kind, meaning they help to maintain gut flora, gastrointestinal integrity, and also release digestive enzymes that aid in our own digestion.

The gut is the largest part of one’s immune system, and ensuring that it has healthy bacteria flora instead of the “bad” kind is a proactive way to eliminate or at least reduce symptoms associated with autoimmune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disorder and other illnesses. For those who suffer from lactose intolerance, fermented milk products such as kefir, skyr, and yogurt contain broken down compounds that make them more easily digested. They offer an alternative method of getting all those great things you get from milk like calcium and vitamin D. There is even an increasing interest in fermented vegetables such as cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables that contain glucosinolates, which are being investigated as a possible cancer inhibitor. Besides the physiological benefits of fermentation, it also adds to the functionality of foods. First off fermentation givees foods such as kimchi, kefir, and sauerkraut their unique flavors. Walking up to a cheese counter you will be bombarded with seemingly endless choices — most of which you can’t pronounce — of varying color, consistency

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and flavor. All of these sensory aspects are influenced by what type of mold was used in the fermentation process. The functions of fermentation also include increasing shelf life, decreasing cook time, improving flavor and texture, and even in some cases making certain micronutrients such as B12 and vitamin C more readily available for absorption. Despite the extensive list of benefits, it is important to be wary of the fact that not all fermented foods possess probiotic benefits. This can include processed or supermarket foods that have been pasteurized at super-high temperatures in order to make them safe for consumption. This process unfortunately also kills off all the good bacteria. To ensure what you are picking out when shopping is a fermented product with probiotic effects, look for words like “yogurt” and “live cultures” instead of “dairy blend.” Some probiotic products, such as pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and soy sauce contain high amounts of sodium. If you are watching your sodium intake, eat these foods in moderation or opt for a lower sodium product such as tempeh (fermented soy). If you do not currently have fermented foods in your dietary regimen, challenge yourself to try some! A few easy starters include tempeh, fermented cheeses, kombucha tea, and kimchi. +

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JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Looking for Likes in all the right places.

PET VET

THINK FIRST

about 40 million pet cats and dogs in 1967 to more than 160 million in 2006. About twothirds of U.S. households now own at least one pet. “When you see how long we’ve had pets in our lives, and how important they are to us today, I think it’s amazing that the study of human-animal interactions is still so new,” says Dr. Sandra Barker, director of the Center for HumanAnimal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University. “Researchers have only recently begun to explore this wonderful relationship and what its health benefits might be.” It’s true that scientific study of the human-animal bond is still in its infancy. Several small or anecdotal studies have uncovered intriguing connections between human health and animal interactions. However, more rigorous followup studies have often shown mixed results. “The general belief is that there are health benefits to owning pets, both in terms of psychological growth and development, as well as

ou take good care of your pet. But what has your pet done for you lately? Scared intruders from your door? Fetched your slippers? Given you a loving nuzzle? People have lots of reasons for owning pets. Now a small but growing body of research suggests that owning or interacting with animals may have the added benefit of improving your health. People and animals have a long history of living together and bonding. Perhaps the oldest evidence of this special relationship was discovered a few years ago in Israel—a 12,000-year-old human skeleton buried with its hand resting on the skeleton of a 6-month-old wolf pup. “The bond between animals and humans is part of our evolution, and it’s very powerful,” says Dr. Ann Berger, a physician and researcher at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Today animal companions are more popular than ever. The pet population nationwide has been growing dramatically for nearly a half century, from

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2014

Be it resolved...

re you a New Year’s resolution fan? Or a resolution hater? Both sides in this annual discussion have their valid points. On the negative side, by the time you read this many carefully made resolutions may have already slipped a little. Statistically, by this date (January 9) 25 percent of all resolutions have already gone down in flames; that many usually fail within the first week. By the six-month mark the failure rate is about half. And by this time next year, the wreckage of 88 percent of all those shiny new intentions of last week’s New Year’s Day 2015 will lie strewn across the landscape. On the plus side, that means a fairly decent 12 percent of all resolutions are achieved after a full year. Building on that positive note, making New Year’s resolutions is evidence of one of the finest aspects of human nature — that we continuously evaluate ourselves and constantly strive to improve, to be better husbands or wives, better moms and dads, better employees, better bosses, and just better human beings. The typical resolutions reflect those basic desires: the #1 resolution every year is always some form of better health. Lose weight. Get more exercise. Eat less junk food or fast food. Eat less, period. Quit smoking. Drink less, or quit altogether.

-HOM E CO P Y! TM

MEDICINE

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JANUARY 9, 2015

Who is this? See page 3.

You really can’t fault anyone for such noble goals. After all, health is the ultimate wealth. It’s the currency that makes every other endeavor in life possible. Speaking of currency, improving finances is, broadly speaking, the second most popular resolution category. Common examples include establishing and/or sticking to a budget; saving more; cutting impulse buys; getting a better job, a raise, or a promotion. The third-most common resolutions might be categorized as self-improvement: read more; temper control/ anger management; reduce or manage stress; watch less TV; get more education: learn a new language, skill, or hobby; improve your marriage and other personal relationships, and so forth. All of these are worthy goals. They are well worth pursuing, even if that means getting past occasional setbacks. Since failure is always an option, it’s good to expect it and be ready to keep making progress. There is nothing magical about January 1. If you haven’t made some kind of self-improvement goal, it’s never too late. If you’ve started and failed already, restarts are always allowed. Whatever you set your sights on, keep the letters shown below in mind, as well as what they stand for. Please see RESOLVED page 2

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Time-specific

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AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING. Prefer paper? We’re all over town. If you prefer our digital version, the Medical Examiner is always available on your favorite device at ISSUU.COM/MEDICALEXAMINER or at the Medical Examiner blog (www.AugustaRx.com/news) on issue dates. Click directly from any Examiner page directly to websites listed in ads and articles. You can easily view back issues, too. +

physical health benefits,” says Dr. James Griffin, a scientist at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. “But there have been relatively few wellcontrolled studies. That’s the state of the science, in a nutshell.” This past year, NIH hosted several meetings to bring together leading experts in the field of human-animal interactions. The investigators discussed findings to date and ways to improve ongoing research. Some of the largest and most well-designed studies in this field suggest that four-legged friends can help to improve our cardiovascular health. One NIH-funded study looked at 421 adults who’d suffered heart attacks. A year later, the scientists found, dog owners were significantly more likely to still be alive than were those who did not own dogs, regardless of the severity of the heart attack. Another study looked at 240 married couples. Those who owned a pet were found to have lower heart rates and blood pressure, whether at rest or when undergoing stressful tests, than those without pets. Pet owners also seemed to have milder responses and quicker recovery from stress when they were with their pets than with a spouse or friend. Several studies have shown that dog owners may get more exercise and other health benefits than the rest of us. One NIH-funded investigation looked at more than 2,000 adults and found that dog owners who regularly walked their dogs were more physically active and less likely to be obese than those who didn’t own or walk a dog. Another study supported by NIH followed more than 2,500 older adults, ages 71-82, for 3 years. Those who regularly walked their dogs walked faster and for longer time periods each week than others who didn’t walk regularly. Older dog walkers also had greater mobility inside their homes than others in the study. Man’s best friend may help

you make more human friends, too. Several studies have shown that walking with a dog leads to more conversations and helps you stay socially connected. And studies have clearly shown that people who have more social relationships tend to live longer and are less likely to show mental and physical declines as they grow older. “It’s hard to walk a dog and not have someone talk to you or interact with you, compared to walking alone,” says Barker. Other research suggests that pet ownership may hold special benefits during childhood. “When children are asked who they talk to when they get upset, a lot of times their first answer is their pet,” says Griffin, an expert in child development and behavior. “This points to the importance of pets as a source of comfort and developing empathy. In fact, therapists and researchers have reported that children with autism are sometimes better able to interact with pets, and this may help in their interactions with people.” Several research teams are examining the potential benefits of bringing specially trained animals into clinical settings. These animal-assisted therapies are increasingly offered in hospitals and nursing homes nationwide. Although there is little solid scientific evidence confirming the value of this type of therapy, clinicians who watch patients interacting with animals say they can clearly see benefits, including improved mood and reduced anxiety. “You can see the difference it makes in so many of these patients when the dog is at their bedside,” says Berger, who works to relieve pain in patients with life-threatening illnesses at the NIH Clinical Center. “Our patients are often here for a long period of time. I think the dogs add a bit of normalcy to a very difficult situation. The dog will sit calmly, and the patients don’t have to talk to anyone. They can just pet. I think this helps with some of the suffering.” + — Source: NIH

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JANUARY 23, 2015

11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the Bookshelf The blog spot — Posted at kevinmd.com by Luis Collar, M.D. on Sept. 12, 2014 (edited here for space)

HARD TRUTHS: DISPELLING HEALTHCARE MYTHS 1. Most physicians are intellectually gifted and therefore rarely make mistakes. Perhaps Hollywood is to blame for this misconception, or maybe we simply find comfort in believing that exceptionally brilliant diagnosticians abound. Either way, I wish it weren’t a myth. But the truth is that the vast majority of physicians are average in virtually every way. Despite all claims to the contrary, we are no smarter than teachers or engineers, no braver than soldiers or firefighters, and no more infallible or crucial to human health than nurses or sanitation workers. 2. Physicians are underpaid. It pains me to say it, but given our current economy, most physicians are not underpaid. Some argue that, due to the cost and length of medical education or the demanding nature of their jobs, physicians’ salaries are unacceptably low, particularly in primary care. That might be true in some utopian society where education and work ethic always correlate nicely with compensation, but in this country, that simply isn’t the case in any industry. In less than a decade, annual salaries for primary care physicians and subspecialists will average $90,000 and $150,000, respectively — so plan accordingly. 3. Physicians are more altruistic than most people. Becoming a physician is not, and has probably never been, a purely altruistic endeavor. Physicians, on average, are just as interested in money or prestige as anyone else, despite the content of most medical school application essays or the profession’s overly romanticized notion of itself. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. So there’s no need for hypocrisy; trying to convince the public that all members of any profession are driven purely by altruism, and not by making as much money as possible for themselves and their families, is both disingenuous and counterproductive. 4. We should abandon our sick care system and strive to develop a true health care system. No system or individual can thrive by doing many different things poorly. Doing a few things exceedingly well is the key to success. And in health care, that means providing high-quality medical care to the ill at the lowest possible cost. Disease prevention is indeed critical, and physicians can and should provide basic counseling on health behaviors during office visits. But most prevention is best addressed elsewhere in our society. Good health does not (and can never) originate in any hospital or doctor’s office. 5. Technology will save health care. Google Glass, surgical robots, digital pedometers or calorie counters, cloud-based glucose or blood pressure monitors, handheld ultrasound machines, EMRs, CPOEs — all of these technologies have great potential. But technology is a tool, a hammer, nothing more. And like any tool, it can only be as effective as the hand that wields it, or the mind that determines if its use is appropriate for a particular task. Good technology can certainly help, but only good people, good judgment, and good intentions can truly improve our health care system. 6. Big pharma is evil. No single industry is responsible for all that ails our health care system. Does big pharma deserve some of the blame? Sure. But so do our federal and state governments, the insurance industry, pharmacy benefit managers, hospital and health system administrators, and even the medical profession itself. There’s certainly plenty of blame to go around, but unlike most of those other entities, big pharma occasionally contributes something of value. And here’s one irrefutable truth: Were it not for the biopharmaceutical industry, there would be virtually no reason for any patient to ever visit a physician (except maybe for reassurance or a crude surgical procedure — but don’t expect any anesthetics). +

We medical examiners like to stick together. And so we herewith remind you of a book that isn’t a new release, but it’s still highly readable and full of valuable information. And it’s written by a doctor who... well, let’s just say when she talks, we really should listen. She knows what she’s talking about. Here is an excerpt from the review of her book at Amazon.com:

Thousands of people make an early exit each year and arrive on medical examiner Jan Garavaglia’s table. What is particularly sad about this is that many of these deaths could easily have been prevented. Although Dr. Garavaglia, or Dr. G, as she’s known to many, could not tell these individuals how to avoid their fates, we can benefit from her experience and profound insight into the choices we make each day. In How Not to Die, Dr. G acts as a medical detective to identify the oftenunintentional ways we harm our bodies, then shows us how to use that information

to live better and smarter. She provides startling tips on how to make wise choices so that we don’t have to see her, or someone like her, for a good, long time. • In “Highway to the Morgue,” we learn the one commonsense safety tip that can prevent deadly accidents—and the reason you should never drive with the windows half open • “Code Blue” teaches us how to increase our chances of leaving the hospital alive—and how to insist that everyone caring for you practice the easiest hygiene method around • “Everyday Dangers”

informs us why neat freaks live longer—and the best ways to stay safe in a car during a lightning storm Using anecdotes from her cases and a liberal dose of humor, Dr. G gives us her prescription for living a healthier, better, longer life— and unlike many doctors’ orders, this one is surprisingly easy to follow. This book is valuable in the way the author presents each case. she describes in detail the damage done to the body by human indifference, forgetfulness and recklessness. You think you don’t you need to take that blood pressure medication because you “feel fine”? Well, you might not feel it but your heart is enlarging to double its size and your arteries are hardening, which will lead to a stroke in a few months. The book is full of examples like this. You already know most of this, but you might need a reminder of just how bad things can get if you don’t start taking care of yourself. +

How Not to Die by Dr. Jan Garavaglia, 288 pages, published Sept. 2009 by Harmony

Research News MOVE IT! Are you getting plenty of exercise? Great! But there is something that could cancel the effects of even regular exercise: sitting. A new study published this week in Annals of Internal Medicine has found that the amount of time a person sits during the day is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and death; the longer the periods of sitting, the higher the risks. As you might expect, the negative effects of prolonged sitting are more pronounced in those who engage in little or no exercise. But sitting for long stretches isn’t good for anyone, even those who regularly exercise. As the doctors say, if the big picture is exercising 30 minutes every day and being sedentary for 23 and a half hours every day, the picture needs to change. There are ways to change that are fairly uncomplicated: stand up for a few minutes every half

hour at work: walk to a copier; walk to a co-worker’s desk instead of sending an email; use the stairs, even if just to go up one flight and then come right back down again. At home, stand up during commercials when watching TV. Better yet, use that time to do some exercises. Couples therapy Would you like to lose weight? Quit smoking? Or, having read the previous article, sit less? Another study just out this week says that when couples tackle such goals together, they are more likely to succeed. The differences are significant. For example, among women who smoked, 50 percent were able to quit if their partners gave up smoking at the same time. But if the woman did it alone while her partner continued to smoke, the success rate was only 8 percent. In using the term “partner”

we aren’t trying to be politically correct; the study found that launching a health initiative works best for couples, whether the partner in betterment is your marriage mate, your next door neighbor, a co-worker, or someone else. The study focused on 3,722 couples who were either married or living together, but study authors say the principle applies to support provided by partners outside the home, too. On the other hand... A study from about a year ago found that drinking and marriage don’t mix well — if only one spouse drinks. Those couples had a much higher divorce rate than other couples. Surprisingly perhaps, if both spouses are heavy drinkers the divorce rate was about the same as couples where neither was a heavy drinker. The crucial factor doesn’t seem to be the drinking itself as much as it is the difference in drinking habits between partners. +

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JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS +

by Dan Pearson

Did you check out Yes. I think it will help the gym I told me keep my you about? New Year’s resolutions.

I did. I liked it. It reminds me of my church.

Oh, so you joined?

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

Simply unscramble the letters, then begin exploring our ads. When you find the correctly spelled word hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing. We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM Click on “READER CONTESTS”

QUOTATION PUZZLE O A B M N N U E I

D O U V

T ’ W H O E P A L N T E I R T S

E O U T

I T P N

L E A G E E N Y K I K — Dwight Eisenhower

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once. Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line. Solution on page 14.

X A M I N E R

2 5

1 4 7 8 4 1 9 2 7 5

5 9

5 2 8 3 1 2 6 4 7

U D O K U

DIRECTIONS: Every line, vertical and horizontal, and all nine 9-square boxes must each contain the numbers 1 though 9. Solution on page 14.

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle above. All the listed letters following #1 are the first letters of the various words; the letters following #2 are the second letters of each word, and so on. Try solving words with letter clues or numbers with minimal choices listed. A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

A 1 2 3 4

R 1 2 3 4

1 2

. 1 2

’ 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I 2 3 4 5 1 2

8 9 10 — Salvador Dali

1.PHOFINNRY 2.FEEEETOOA 3.RAAVVU 4.CLFEER 5.RHEL 6.C 7.T 8.I 9.O 10.N

SAMPLE:

1. ILB 2. SLO 3. VI 4. NE 5. D =

L 1

O 2

V E 31 24 3

I 1

S 2

B 1

L 2

I 3

N 4

D 5

The Mystery Word for this issue: NOMORIT

20 21 22 ACROSS 1. Ike’s ________ 23 24 5. Augusta’s ____ House 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 9. Prefix meaning tissue 14. Capital of W. Samoa 34 35 36 15. First-class 37 38 39 16. Speak extemporaneously 17. Depend 40 41 42 18. Goad 43 44 45 19. Detroit team 20. Science of sedation 46 47 23. Dispose of 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 24. Portable bed 25. Mount of note 56 57 58 29. Film first seen in Atl. 59 60 61 31. Male sheep 34. Equivalent to 62 63 64 35. Great Lake by Daniel R. Pearson © 2015 All rights reserved. Built in part with software from www.crauswords.com 36. Garment worn by women in India DOWN 31. Rear 37. Addition to 1. Medic beginning 32. Got up 40. Fastens a knot 2. Bad type of fracture 33. Legendary king of Crete 41. Bound 3. West _____ Virus 35. Islamic chieftain 42. Rope with running noose 4. _______ Inn 36. Celestial body 43. Monkey 5. Late local historian Ed 38. Musical study piece 44. Still concern 6. Wished 39. Frigid; ice-cold 45. Concurs 7. Responsibility; duty 44. John recently replaced 46. Vulgar, ill-bred fellow 8. Around prefix by Rick 47. Med. image 9. Sanctify 45. “The Governator” 48. Letters 10. Utterly stupid person 46. Unrefined 56. The body’s largest bone 11. Trudge 47. Grinding tooth 57. Nimbus 48. Cover with wax 58. Very long time (British var.) 12. Very small 13. Baby doctors 49. Portent 59. Skin irritation; hives 21. Cave-dwelling dwarf 50. Display 60. By mouth 22. Eight singers 51. Oops! Duplicate of 1-D 61. Cockroach killer 25. Roman goddess of hearth 52. Chief Justice Warren 62. Get more magazines and household 53. Tide that attains the least (and/or newspapers) 26. Stock; furnish height 63. Division of a hospital 27. Indian money 54. Invent, as a new word or 64. Certain nurses 28. Sleeps briefly phrase 29. _______ Jackets 55. Finishes 30. Man who coined the 56. Animal hair term “Amen corner” Solution p. 14

WORDS NUMBER

THE MYSTERY WORD

JANUARY 23, 2015

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

New Yorker visiting Germany saw a sign on the side of a taxi that said, “Englishspeaking taxi driver.” “What a great idea,” he thought. “I wonder why we don’t have those in New York?” “Excuse me, are you a pole vaulter?’ “No, I’m German... Hey, how did you know my name is Walter?”

When a young Gandhi was studying law at the University College of London, a professor named Wilson disliked Gandhi intensely and always displayed prejudice and animosity towards him. One day, Professor Wilson was having lunch in the dining room of the university when Gandhi came along with his tray and sat next to the professor. The professor said, “Mr. Gandhi, you do not understand. A pig and a bird do not sit together to eat.” Gandhi looked at him as a parent would a rude child and calmly replied, “Do not worry professor. I’ll fly away,” and he went and sat at another table. Professor Wilson, reddened with rage at Gandhi’s clever insult, decided to take his revenge on the next test, but Gandhi responded brilliantly to all questions. Professor Wilson, unhappy and frustrated, asked him the following question in

class. “Mr. Gandhi, if you were walking down the street and found lying on the sidewalk a bag full of wisdom and another bag with a lot of money in it, which one would you take?” Without hesitating, Gandhi responded,”The one with the money, of course.” Professor Wilson, smiling smugly, said, “You’re a fool, Gandhi. I would have taken the wisdom.” Gandhi shrugged indifferently and responded, ”I suppose each one takes what he doesn’t have.” Professor Wilson by this time was fit to be tied. He angrily wrote the word “Idiot” on Gandhi’s exam sheet and thrust it at Gandhi, who took the paper and sat down at his desk, trying very hard to remain calm while he contemplated his next move. A few minutes later Gandhi got up, went to the professor and said to him in a polite and dignified tone, “Professor Wilson, you signed the sheet, but you did not give me my grade.” Q: What do you call a person who has abandoned their diet? A: A desserter. “My wife and I had a huge argument last night,” said Joe. “Oh yeah? Who won?” asked Moe. “I did, definitely,” Joe said. “Really?” “Really. When it was over she came crawling to me on her hands and knees,” said Joe. “Knowing your wife, that’s a little hard to believe. Exactly what did she say?” asked Moe. “She said, ‘Come out from under the bed, you coward. The fight is over.’” +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner? Because no one should have to make a trip to the doctor or the hospital just to read Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper.

The Patient’s Perspective by Marcia Ribble

ince the last installment of my column, there has been a lot going on in my life. In mid-November I was hospitalized with infections in my lower legs. Happily, I can report that the intravenous antibiotics worked well, and my legs look better than they have in years. In addition I found a soothing and helpful moisturizing ointment, Vaniply, that has done wonders in helping my skin to heal and removing and then preventing my super dry diabetic skin from breaking down. Hospitalization made my family realize that I needed more help, and as a result, and to the benefit of all, my adult granddaughter Yvette and her fiance Ryan moved in with me. It was to their benefit too, because they were having a hard time finding someplace to rent. So, while I was in the hospital, they moved in and when I came home just before Thanksgiving, they were here to help me. I must say that I love having them here! Yvette not only has faithfully changed my dressings, but she is also a good cook and it is lovely having family to eat with again. Those of you who live alone will understand how special it is to have company at meals. It’s great to be able to eat and talk with others! Coming from a family of seven and growing my own family of seven has made the importance of that

Talk is cheap. Not talking can be deadly.

socialization very clear to me. Socializing at meals makes me happy. With Yvette and Ryan came a beautiful grey and black kitten, Psyche, with white socks on all her feet. Her markings are strikingly tiger like, as is her habit of stalking any loose strings, and then curling up to sunbathe in a window, on top of the sofa, on cushioned chairs or wherever it is soft and warm. We worried a bit as our plans for them to move in solidified, not knowing whether Psyche and my border collie KC could successfully co-exist, but our concerns were for nothing. The two of them saw one another, touched noses and then each went on her own way, sharing the space with no ruffled fur. We all took that as an indicator that the change was a good one, and it has been. + Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and retired from the University of Cincinnati. She taught writing at the college level, most recently at Virginia College in Augusta, and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She can be reached at marciaribble@hotmail.com.

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SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers. If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house! NAME ADDRESS CITY

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JANUARY 23, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: VITAMIN

...cleverly hidden (on the logo) in the p. 15 ad for RESOLUTION COUNSELING PROFESSIONALS Congratulations to KAREN L WINKFEIN, who scores a coveted Scrubs of Evans gift card, 2 movie passes courtesy of Health Center Credit Union, and a $20 Wild Wing Cafe gift certificate. Want to find your name here next issue? The new Mystery Word is on page 12. Start looking!

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries, you’ll score our goodie package! SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (Winners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED?

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC.

Augustagahomesearch.com Foreclosures • Rentals • MLS Roman Realty 706-564-5885

CONDO FOR RENT 2 bdrm 1 bath unfurn upstairs condo; carport; pool; outside laundry. Country Club Hills condos, Milledge Rd near GRU/ASU. $750/$750 dep. We furnish water, you pay electric. (706) 736-7168; email:ronst79@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

ROOMMATE WANTED! 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath house with pool, 2 minutes from colleges. Perfect for medical or grad students. $425+share utils. 706.993.6082 WEST AUGUSTA House for rent. 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1500 sqft, 1-car garage, 3024 Sterling Road, located off Stevens Creek at Riverwatch Pkwy. $850/mo. Call 678467-7187. FOR SALE: GORGEOUS, immaculate, never occupied townhome located mins from Medical District. 2 bed, 2 bath, master en suite, walk-in closets, office. 1450 sq ft. hardwood floors throughout, fabulous upgrades, custom kitchen and baths. Floor to ceiling windows, fenced yard. Partially furnished! 120k OBO. 803-507-6621.

CEMETERY PLOTS Side-by-side cemetery plots for sale located at the Heart Section of Hillcrest Cemetery. $3600 for BOTH. (706) 798-8495

SERVICES HOUSE CLEANING Your house, apartment, rental move-outs. Thorough, dependable. Weekly, or whatever schedule you prefer. References. 706.267.9947 HEALTH CARE - CNA offering in-home care: companion/assist with daily activities, light housekeeping, meal prep, assist with ambulation, medication reminders, grocery shopping, Dr. appts, errands, etc. Since each person’s needs are different, I will consult with you one-on-one to discuss your needs. CALL 706.833.9787 BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673)

Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

(OURS IS COFFEE)

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AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER, PO BOX 397, AUGUSTA, GA 30903-0397 Total ad cost by number of words as shown above: $

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QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: Page 12: “Never waste a minute thinking about people you don’t like.” — Dwight Eisenhower

The Sudoku Solution

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE

(Copy this form or continue on additional sheet if more space needed.)

Send this form with payment to:

O P E N

QUOTATION

AD COPY (one word per line; phone numbers MUST include the area code): .75

P A R A

SEE PAGE 12

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.50

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Ridiculously affordable and highly visible advertising available through the pages of Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper, aka the Augusta Medical Examiner. Have you heard of it or seen a copy? Rates can be reviewed at AugustaRx.com. Questions? Send an e from the website, or call the publisher directly: Dan Pearson at 706.860.5455. or Email to Dan@AugustaRx.com

THE PUZZLE SOLVED

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.25

NOTICE! ATTENTION! If any current or past employer has failed to pay you min. wage or time and a half overtime pay, you may be entitled to an order from US Federal Court awarding you twice the amount of your unpaid wages plus atty. fees. For info, call Arthur H. Shealy, Attorney at Law, 803-278-5149, 1010 Plantation Rd, North Augusta SC 29841. You may be entitled to a similar award for unpaid wages if your employer required you to perform duties during your lunch hour, before clocking in, or after clocking out.

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F. E. GILLIARD, MD FAMILY MEDICINE Acute & Chronic Illnesses Occupational Medicine PROMPT APPOINTMENTS 706-823-5250

VISIT DRUGOFCHOICECOFFEE.COM

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WORDS BY NUMBER “Have no fear of perfection. You’ll never reach it.” — Salvador Dali

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Thanks for reading!

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JANUARY 23, 2015

15 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Lest we forget... It hasn’t even been a year since the snowstorm and devastating ice storm that swept across the Augusta area last February. With that in mind, here are a few winter tips from the Centers for Disease Control.

Take these steps for your home Many people prefer to remain indoors in the winter, but staying inside is no guarantee of safety. Take these steps to keep your home safe and warm during the winter months. Winterize your home. • Install weather stripping,

insulation, and storm windows. • Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls. • Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks. • Check your heating system. • Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly and ventilated to the outside. • Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys. • Install a smoke detector. Test batteries monthly. • Have a safe alternate heating source and alternate fuels available.

• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) emergencies. • Install a CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas. Check batteries regularly. • Learn symptoms of CO poisoning: headaches, nausea, and disorientation. Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: layers of light, warm clothing; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots. Don’t forget to prepare your car • Service the radiator and maintain antifreeze level; check tire tread or, if necessary, replace tires with all-weather or snow tires.

• Keep gas tank full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. • Use a wintertime formula in your windshield washer. • Prepare a winter emergency kit to keep in your car in case you become stranded. Include: - blankets; - food and water; - booster cables, flares, tire pump, and a bag of sand or cat litter (for traction); - compass and maps; - flashlight, battery-powered radio, and extra batteries; - first-aid kit; and - plastic bags (for sanitation). When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions.

Be prepared for weatherrelated emergencies, including power outages. • Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration and water stored in clean containers. • Ensure that your cell phone is fully charged. • When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions. Many people spend time outdoors in the winter working, traveling, or enjoying winter sports. Outdoor activities can expose you to several safety hazards, but being prepared for cold weather at home, in our yard, and in our cars can minimize risk. +

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY DERMATOLOGY

ALLERGY

Tesneem K. Chaudhary, MD Allergy & Asthma Center 3685 Wheeler Road, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

CHIROPRACTIC

DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS

Evans Chiropractic Health Center Dr. William M. Rice 108 SRP Drive, Suite A Evans 30809 706-860-4001 Poppell Chiropractic Clinic 1106-A Furys Lane Martinez 30907 706-210-2875 Most insurance plans accepted

COUNSELING Resolution Counseling Professionals 3633 Wheeler Rd, Suite 365 Augusta 30909 706-432-6866 www.visitrcp.com

DENTISTRY Dr. Judson S. Hickey Periodontist 2315-B Central Ave Augusta 30904 706-739-0071

Georgia Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center 2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road) Augusta 30904 706-733-3373 www.GaDerm.com

Karen L. Carter, MD 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 Augusta 30901 706-396-0600 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com

DRUG REHAB Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd. Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Group & Benefits Consultants Inc. 3515 Wheeler Rd, Bldg. C Augusta 30909 706-733-3459 www.groupandbenefits.com

FAMILY MEDICINE F. E. Gilliard, MD Family Medicine 639 13th Street Floss ‘em or lose ‘em! Augusta 30901 706-823-5250 Industrial Medicine • Prompt appts.

Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048 Steven L. Wilson, DMD Family Dentistry 4059 Columbia Road Martinez 30907 706-863-9445

Urgent MD Augusta: 706-922-6300 Grovetown: 706-434-3500 Thomson: 706-595-7825 Primary Care Rates

HOSPICE

SENIOR LIVING

Medical Services of America Hospice 4314-E Belair Frontage Rd. Augusta 30909 706-447-2626

LASER SERVICES Ideal Image 339 Fury’s Ferry Rd Martinez 30907 1-800-BE-IDEAL • www.idealimage.com Schedule a FREE Consultation

MEDICAL MASSAGE Medical Massage Stuart Farnell L.M.T. 803-646-1846 jsfarnell@att.net www.FarnellClinic.com

OPHTHALMOLOGY Roger M. Smith, M.D. 820 St. Sebastian Way Suite 5-A Augusta 30901 706-724-3339

PHARMACY Medical Center West Pharmacy 465 North Belair Road Evans 30809 706-854-2424 www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com Parks Pharmacy 437 Georgia Ave. N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

If you’d like your medical practice listed in the Professional Directory, call the Medical Examiner at 706.860.5455

Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community 3725 Wheeler Road Augusta 30909 SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 706-868-6500 www.augustagardenscommunity.com

SLEEP MEDICINE Sleep Institute of Augusta Bashir Chaudhary, MD 3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE Centered in Georgia Diane Young L.M.T. 4488 Columbia Rd Martinez 30907 706-251-2244

VEIN CARE Vein Specialists of Augusta G. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI 501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907 706-854-8340 www.VeinsAugusta.com

WEIGHT LOSS Medical Weight & Wellness Specialists of Augusta Maycie Elchoufi, MD 108 SRP Drive, Suite B Evans 30809 • 706-829-9906 www.mwwsAugusta.com PHC Weight Loss & Wellness Centers 246B Bobby Jones Expwy Martinez: 706-868-5332 Thomson: 706-597-8667 www.phcweightloss.com

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

JANUARY 23, 2015

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