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MADNESS

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MARCH 7, 2014

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adness, defined for our purposes as “the state or condition of being mad, hopping mad, angry, furious, piqued, livid, outraged, highly provoked, fuming, beside oneself, seeing red, sore, fit to be tied, hot under the collar, incensed, seething, irate, burned up, boiling, apoplectic, flipping one’s wig, or merely irked or annoyed” is, unfortunately, not merely a March phenomenon. According to the Medical Examiner Research Department, millions of people are blowing their tops at every moment of every day of every month, 365 days a year (except for leap years). Anger is a nearly universal emotion: even dogs snarl and bite; cats hiss and scratch. But one thing at a time. Let’s focus on people for now. Anger: just one D away from danger Get real mad and you would not believe the dominos you might be about to topple. You could easily end up dead. It happens all the time. Not long ago on a perfect Saturday afternoon in quiet, lovely North Augusta, two drivers had a minor traffic accident. Tempers flared. In no time at all, one man was lying facedown in the middle of Martintown Road, shot dead in broad daylight. We’ve all heard the recent case of the man who shot an unarmed teenager

after an argument that erupted over loud music. In another recent incident, a man texting in a movie theater during previews was shot and killed by another moviegoer. Still another chilling trend finds people taking out their anger at the world in general by going to the nearest crowded public place and randomly killing as many people as time and bullets allow. These are not isolated incidents. Sad to say, they are merely the tip of the anger iceberg.

Anger kills fast and kills slow Road rage is one of the speedy killers, but bullets aren’t always in the mix. Many road rage deaths are the result of crashes caused by enraged driving. You might be surprised at other ways anger kills: on-the-job injuries are often sparked by anger. In fact, research shows a worker’s level of annoyance has a direct link to the likelihood of injury, from “extreme irritation” (five times more likely to be injured) to “rage” (twelve times more likely). Good thing working conditions at your job are perfect, huh? It’s no accident that anger and anxiety

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are related. They both start with “an,” after all. The physical effects of anger and anxiety are legendary. Getting mad is famous for giving people gastrointestinal problems like ulcers, upset stomach, intestinal cramps and diarrhea. Other rage reactions include headaches, even migraines, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and insomnia. Frequent anger is also a predictor of high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and alcohol abuse. All in all, getting angry all the time boils down to slow motion suicide, with a significant risk of instant death, as we considered earlier. Obviously, anger management is a crucial skill. For more on that, see page 2.

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MARCH 7, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

CAGE THE RAGE

Going to your happy place W

hen you think in a detached, after-thefact way about the road rage incidents you’ve heard about (or been involved in personally), they are usually events so minor that you wouldn’t even remember them the next day. Yet some of these trivial incidents have cost people their freedom and their very lives. Road rage is representative of much of what really ticks us off: usually the triggers are quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things: a knot in our

shoelaces refuses to untangle when we’re already late; a total stranger or someone we’ll never see again says or does something annoying to us; for something that should happen instantly, our computer makes us wait ten whole seconds. Granted, there are the ongoing burrs under all our saddles that can last for years, like the aggravating habits of co-workers, bosses and marriage mates, or the long-term stress of chronic financial issues. These and countless other

annoyances are all breeding grounds for anger, and when you put the BTUs from them all together, all those little flames can create a lot of heat. Given the health consequences of chronic stress and anger, however (and we’ll admit here and now, page one’s article doesn’t even begin to cover it), it’s wise to make anger management a top priority. Notice that you’ll never hear people talk about anger abatement. That’s just not realistic. But management is

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

DID YOU KNOW? (Part 2)

ast month we covered three main provisions of Health Care Reform 2014 implementation – the 90 Day Waiting Period Limitation, Cost Sharing Subsidies and Essential Benefits. Even as we see changes or delays to the law occur on a regular basis there are specific parts that are crucial to the success of the Affordable Care Act. Coverage Mandates (1) The Individual Coverage Mandate – The ACA requires most individuals to obtain acceptable health insurance coverage or pay a penalty, beginning in 2014. The penalty will start at $95 per person for 2014 and increase each year. The penalty amount increases to $325 in 2015 and to $695 (or up to 2.5% of income) in 2016, up to a cap of the national average bronze plan premium. After 2016, dollar amounts are indexed. Families will pay half the amount for children, up to a cap of three times the adult penalty if they cannot obtain affordable coverage. (2) The Employer Coverage Mandate – The employer mandate provisions were set to take effect on January 1, 2014, but have been delayed for one year, until 2015. Employers with 50 -99 full-time employees may qualify for additional transition relief that extends the compliance deadline for the employer mandate to 2016. Guaranteed Issue and Renewability Health insurance issuers offering health insurance coverage in the individual and group market in a state must accept every employer and individual in the state that applies for coverage and must renew or continue to enforce the coverage at the option of the plan sponsor or the individual. So this provision leads to the next obvious question. Does guaranteed and renewable mean affordable? Absolutely not. There are specific requirements within the ACA that outline acceptable rate increase in the individual and small group arena. However if you are an employer with 50+ employees you might

be in for some future unpleasant surprises if your utilization and health care expenses are higher than your issuer anticipates. It will be interesting to see how the insurance carrier market reacts in competitive markets. Pre-existing Condition Exclusions Effective for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, group health plans and health plan issuers may not impose preexisting condition exclusions on any covered individual, regardless of the individual’s age. This provision will have a dramatic effect on the individual health insurance market and to a degree in the small group market. Insurance carriers and HMO’s have traditionally been able to exclude pre-existing conditions from coverage if the covered individual did not have 12 months of continuous qualified health coverage. While this benefit is a pleasant surprise to all covered individuals it will not come without a cost in higher premiums to the covered individual and/or the employer. Next month we’ll continue with the third segment of HCR changes that may affect you in 2014. + 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 a Partner and Chief Visionary Architect 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 Russell Head

definitely doable. See how many of these ideas you can use to douse the fires of your anger. TAILGATING I’ll go first. Few things aggravate me more than a tailgater. When I see some big truck’s grill completely filling my rearview mirror, I used to fantasize about slamming on my brakes, and all the things I would buy with the insurance settlement I got for damages, plus pain and suffering. Of course, I wouldn’t actually do that, so it was a frustrating experience. And as we all know, tailgating isn’t exactly rare: it’s America’s third-favorite sport. What I do now is very simple and effective. I look in the rearview, make brief eye contact with the driver behind me, and then move the mirror completely askew so I can no longer see the tailgater. And he knows it too. Then I proceed to drive on, serene and undisturbed. (Note: make sure you’re not giving the tailgater valid reasons to get angry, such as driving in the left lane obstructing the ability of others to pass.) TRAFFIC JAMS Fortunately, Augusta isn’t like Atlanta and other big cities where you can expect to be stuck in traffic hours every day. Even so, traffic happens, even here. There are ways to enjoy traffic jams. Make sure you have your favorite music with you and pop in a CD or pop in the ear buds. I know people who always have the book they’re reading in the car, and if a train stops them, they’re only too glad to dive in. Others get books on tape and practically look for ways to slow down the commute, especially on the way home. Phone a friend and chat, and the minutes will pass quickly and pleasantly. POOR SERVICE, RED TAPE Human nature being what it is, the temptation is to lash out at the clerk or waiter. In the process you create a scene and likely solve nothing. You play your own private game of Whack-A-Mole, striking out here at something that will pop up again there. It’s fighting a battle you’ll always lose: do you really think a clerk or waitress will respond to your rude badgering with better service? Instead, why not fight fire with water? It cools things down. In this case, the water is kindness, courtesy and good

manners. The story is told of a person who moved from the big city to a small town where he constantly complained about the slow service and rude staff at the town’s only drug store. One day the person heatedly complained to his neighbor, who happened to know the pharmacist. “I’ll talk to the owner,” said the neighbor. The next time the city slicker went into the pharmacy, he was treated like royalty. “I guess you gave them my list of complaints,” he said the next time he saw his neighbor. “No,” said the neighbor. “I told them you said they had the best pharmacy you’d ever seen.” Get the point? RUDE PEOPLE We have all responded to rudeness with rudeness. We’re human, after all. It’s rarely a positive experience. Afterward you always think of the perfect clever barb you could have hurled, but in the heat of the moment it was just rude and crude vs. more of the same. When we let that happen all we’re doing is going down to the level of the person who was rude to us. Here’s a principle that is easier said than done, but that fact has no bearing on its great value: never let another person’s poor conduct infect you. While it might be tempting to get down in the mud (figuratively) with a rude person, it’s actually amazing how effective silence can be. In a battle between a mudslinger and a silent person, the mudslinger probably loses 99 times out of a hundred. RED LIGHTS Planning does wonders. Leaving early can eliminate a lot of stress and the anxiety and anger it breeds. But being late is never going to disappear from our lives and schedules. One Augusta psychologist teaches his patients relaxation and breathing techniques to help conquer their anxiety disorders. They can be used before big presentations or other stressful events. But he encourages his patients to practice them often. How often? At every red light they encounter. LIFE’S FRUSTRATIONS Let’s admit it: some of our most intense anger is sometimes aimed at inanimate objects: Please see HAPPY page 3

MARCH 7, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

SEE PAGE SIX

What’s your story?

Can you imagine Gandhi getting into a rage because he was cut off in traffic or had to wait ten minutes?

When we get angry we tend to take short, halted and shallow breaths. Try this experiment: take your blood pressure when you’re relaxed, then spend five minutes breathing like you’re enraged and then take your bp a second time. You may be in for a shock. Angry breathing, like panicked breathing, sends a clear chemical signal to all kinds of body systems: get ready to

FAMILY ARGUMENTS One of the dynamics of family arguments — and there are many — is playing the heredity card: “You’re just like your mother,” for example. Family arguments can be among the nastiest displays of anger. Maybe we feel more comfortable with those we supposedly love, so all restraint can fly out the window. Another “family” card that gets played a lot is genetics: “This is just the way I am. My father was a hot-head too.” That makes for a mighty convenient crutch to lean on, absolving you of any responsibility to change. You think it’s like saying, “I can’t

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fight. Or get ready for flight. Instead, make yourself consciously aware of your breathing, and slow it down. Take in deep breaths, and exhale slowly. If you’re in a place or situation that allows for it, close your eyes while you do this. Think of some peaceful place or happy occasion, even if only for a minute. You’ll be surprised by how effective this simple technique can be.

Nearly all of us — even doctors and nurses — are sometimes patients. Perhaps you were recently injured playing your favorite sport, or years ago you somehow got hurt without even leaving your favorite recliner. Maybe you were diagnosed with a dreaded disease, mugged in a dark and lonely parking lot, or you stubbed your toe in the safety of your own bedroom. On the other hand, perhaps you needed medical attention 5,000 miles from home. Whatever your medical experience, we’d like to hear your story for our Medicine in the First Person feature. It can be frightening or funny, ordinary or extraordinary, just a few paragraphs long or quite a lengthy tale, bylined or anonymous. We’ll publish your encounters with the medical profession as often as we receive them. + Send your submissions for Medicine in the First Person to the Augusta Medical Examiner via e-mail: info@AugustaRx.com or to PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397. (The Medical Examiner reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission at its sole discretion.)

HAPPY… from page 2 the jammed printer, the slow computer, the flat tire, the car that won’t start, the lost keys. If you’ve never tried breathing exercises for anger and stress management you might think they’re some gimmicky new-age mumbo-jumbo, but they really work.

help it that I’m tall.” Actually, saying that you’ve always had a temper is a little like saying “I’ve always worn my hair like this.” Like your hairstyle, letting your anger have free rein is something you choose. Research has established that nobody is born with a specific way of expressing anger. They are learned behaviors, and as such, can be unlearned, although not without patience and concerted effort. In summary, there are undeniably plenty of reasons to get mad. But there are more reasons — and better ones — for avoiding uncontrolled rage. Having a calmer outlook and learning to control anger and frustration can add years to your life, and quality to those years. + — Daniel Pearson

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. © 2014 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

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Hope IS Possible

Haters

Helen Blocker-Adams

here did that term come from? I know you’ve heard it. Maybe you have been called one. Well, I have never been called a hater, but I do have haters. And some of you reading this may have haters too. Hate is such a harsh word, isn’t it? Anger generally conjures up hate. We all have gotten so angry at someone or something that we cried out “I hate you.” But I think that is different, because it was an emotional outburst and we probably didn’t mean it. But “haters,” the much-used term in all segments of our

community, describes longterm, simmering, deliberate and conscious hatred. Believe me, when someone is a hater and they are hating on you, you know it. I did a little research on this term and this is what I came up with. Haters has its origins in the music world. Hip-hop historian Marcus Reeves, author of Somebody Scream! Rap Music’s Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power, explains that the word “Hater” comes from the term “player-hater” in the late 1990s. As hip-hop was becoming mainstream, “player hater” was popularized by the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. Haters and hating are popular fodder for singers and songwriters, such as Miranda Brooke, who debuted a single named “Hater.” At one time haters found each other at public meetings and in specialty ‘zines, but with the ubiquity of the Internet, haters now gather together, vent and feed on one another without ever leaving home, feeding the flames in places

like Facebook and the comments section of websites. And by haters, I am talking about people who season their vast intolerance with hatred. These are not evildoers or murderers. Just haters. Haters are all around us — from disrupters at political rallies to sign-makers at sports contests, from stand-up comedy hecklers to dish-served-cold revenge-seekers. What is their point? “Haters want to be feared and heard,” says Brian Britt, a professor of religious studies at Virginia Tech University who studies the evolution of hate. “Their use of outrageous behaviors is designed strategically to get attention. They violate norms of ‘niceness’ and civil behavior in order to make a point.” Haters know how to get attention on the Internet. Call it trolling — or, as Lawrence Dorfman calls it, snarkiness. Author of The Snark Handbook and Snark! The Herald Angels Sing, Dorfman says that “people are just completely fed up and are looking for any way to shield themselves from the constant inundation of annoying

behaviors that we’re subjected to every minute of every day. ... Snark is a defense mechanism.” And so, Reeves says, today “hater” is used “to brush off perceived negative comments or someone perceived to be working against you, whether you’re a rapper or a cute individual who thinks folks are jealous of your selfperceived beauty.” Rather than consider opposing views, it’s easier to simply dis,iss the other person as a hater. I found this research pretty interesting and hope you have too. Maybe now that we have more information on this subject, we can put more love into our vocabulary and actions so this dreadful term and concept will disappear. This county, this world and this city certainly needs a little more love. Wouldn’t you agree? + Helen Blocker-Adams is Executive Director of the Southeast Enterprise Institute; mental health advocate; and youth advocate. You can email her at hba@hbagroup-intl. com or visit her website at www. helenblockeradams.com

But with any luck, you’ll get to wait in one of the hundreds of

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MARCH 7, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW

ABOUT A WISE DOCTOR

llen Wise, MD (a good friend of mine of Saluda, SC, who now is unfortunately deceased) served in the European Theater in WWII. He was on the front line in what would afterwards become known as a MASH Unit, made famous by the Korean War era TV show of the same name. After one WWII firefight, Dr. Wise heard a wounded GI crying for help in the noman’s land between the two front lines. Dr. Wise was there to treat the wounded. The Angel of Death had visited many Americans and Germans alike that day, and was about to visit yet another GI. Dr. Wise could not hunker down in a field hospital and wait while a GI’s life slowly slipped way. It was not in his nature. He was a doctor. Dr. Wise decided it was time for men to be men and if he was to be killed, do it now instead of dragging it out. Sniper bullets be damned. He asked for two corpsmen volunteers. He got two rednecks immediately. (I use redneck as a complimentary term, a culture that I am proud to be part of in some minor way.) Dr. Wise hoisted a Red Cross flag and led the two

corpsmen out into the ruins of war that smelled of blood and guts and death and cordite. The sniping ceased. When they had trouble locating the dying GI, a German infantryman stood up and pointed to the wounded GI’s hiding place. Dr. Wise neither spoke nor understood German. He knew not whether the other nearby German voices he heard were discussing whether or not to kill him and the two corpsmen. Dr. Wise and the corpsmen loaded the wounded GI and laboriously carried the severely wounded GI back to our lines, having spent a good half hour fully exposed, unarmed, and in harm’s way. As they returned to relative safety, the sniping slowly resumed, from both sides. From this experience Dr. Wise concluded the rank-andfile battlefield Germans, even in war, were gentlemen and to be respected. He respected them as brothers in arms, but on a different side. How did this effect Dr. Wise? He received no commendation, no official recognition. Nor did he expect any. He was just being a real doctor. But his men loved him. And he ate the best food available in battle

Best field conditions. They took care of him. After two years in war-ravaged Europe, he came home without a physical scratch, knowing that God intended it that way. I am proud to have known such a brave, determined,

e n i c i d ME

and compassionate physician. And I am honored that he chose me, as unworthy as I am (but, then who is worthy compared to him?) to treat his daughter when she was in medical need. The world is, indeed, a

sadder place without Allen Wise, MD. And if you missed him here on earth, surely, if you are so fortunate, you will meet him another day in a happier place. + 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 706306-9397

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The Short White Coat M

y classmates and I have embarked upon the exploration of the Endocrine system for the past few weeks, so everything “hormones” whips in our sails as we make our journeys today. Among our various lectures are discussions dedicated wholly to diabetes, its subtypes, manifestations, management, and consequences. To me, diabetes has been one of the scariest diseases to learn about so far in medical school, so I thought I’d make it the focus of my article for this month. I am certain just about everyone is either directly affected by diabetes, either Type 1 or Type 2, or is close to someone who is affected, and has therefore some idea of how devastating the disease can be. I didn’t realize just how extensively diabetes could destroy a person’s body until my medical school lectures, though I’ve known people who have lost both their limbs and lives because of it. The high levels of sugar circulating in a diabetic’s blood stream wreak unbelievable havoc on a body. Blood vessels everywhere are damaged and destroyed, leaving diabetics vastly more susceptible to disasters like heart attacks and other

“A healthy attitude is contagious, but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.” –Tom Stoppard types of cardiovascular disease than non-diabetics. Kidney failure as a result of diabetic nephropathy is another common and dangerous complication, as are peripheral neuropathies (or profuse nerve damage), especially in the legs and feet. A diabetic’s eyes can develop cataracts or lose vision completely as a result of the damage to retinal blood vessels, and neuropathy can leave legs and feet so numb to sensation that sores and infections develop without a patient even being aware of them. Diabetic patients are not only at a greater risk for infection but cannot fight off an infection well, should one set in. Both pregnant women and their growing babies are at risk for many serious complications if the mother’s diabetes is not well controlled, providing further testament of just how serious this disease can be. Even more serious is the frightening rate at which diabetes is increasingly affecting Americans today, and at younger and younger ages, too.

This is truly a public health concern that needs to be tackled without delay. During our lectures, I was a little surprised to learn that the first line of treatment for Type 2 Diabetes, at least initially, consists primarily of managing the patient’s diet, weight, and exercise routines, rather than immediately prescribing medications. Most patients are not started off immediately with medication unless exercise and weight control alone have failed. While the disease can eventually progress to a state requiring medications in addition to lifestyle changes, the progression varies from patient to patient. This is different than the treatment of patients with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, also known as childhood onset or insulin-dependent diabetes, which requires the use insulin as part of therapy for the rest of a patient’s life, regardless of diet and lifestyle. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, in contrast, does not initially require insulin

A med student’s notebook as part of its management. Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult onset or non-insulin dependent diabetes, stems from the widespread resistance of the body’s tissues to the effects of insulin, and is closely associated with obesity. In fact, type 2 diabetic patients initially produce adequate amounts of insulin by themselves, but their bodies just do not respond to it normally, leading to the increased blood sugar levels and consequent damage throughout the body over time. Fortunately, there are ways to combat insulin resistance and lower the body’s blood sugar levels with nothing but dieting and exercise. Exercise actually stimulates the cells of the body’s tissues to take up sugar for use, and diets that are lower in sugar content will help keep blood levels under even better control. Yes, there are medications Please see SHORT WHITE page 9

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.

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Southern Girl Eats Clean

Imagine your Body at its Best!

MARCH 7, 2014

Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

This perfectly delicious vegetarian lunch was completely accidental. Here’s the back story: I had some lentils in the pantry and I wanted to use them to make something, but what? I did not want to make a soup. It seems that everyone always puts lentils in soup, a bit of a boring way to use them if you ask me. I had a couple of sweet potatoes on hand also. I love, love, love sweet potatoes and get really tired of having them the same old way.....Roasted. I decided to make a lovely salad from the lentils and sweet potatoes. I added a couple more ingredients that I thought would add flavor to the usually bland lentils: red pepper, purple onion and basil. Voila! Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad was born! Both lentils and sweet potatoes have many health benefits. They are both loaded with fiber and are heart healthy foods as well as reducing inflammation in the body. Lentils are an excellent source of protein too! Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad was definitely a fabulous accident. Give this recipe a try and enjoy a healthy and clean new salad that will brighten up your lunch hour. :)

Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

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Making the dish: Cook lentils according to package directions, drain, rinse and place into a medium size bowl and set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sweet potatoes. Toss to coat with oil. Add 1 Tbsp. of water to the sauté pan and continue to toss potatoes for another 1-3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and onion to the sauté pan. Stir to coat with other ingredients. Reduce heat to low and lightly lay a piece of foil over the pan,

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What you’ll need: • 2-3 cups of organic cooked lentils • 2 medium organic sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces • 1 Tbsp. of garlic, crushed • 1-3 Tbsp. of water • 1 medium organic red bell pepper, chopped • 1/2 of a large organic purple onion, chopped • 1 cup of fresh basil, coarsely chopped • 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. of organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil • 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar • 1 Tbsp. of local honey • 1 Tsp. of Dijon mustard • Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste.

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We’re on Wrightsboro Rd. at Ohio Avenue. allowing potatoes, peppers and onion to steam and cook. You may need to add another Tbsp. of water or two to avoid vegetables from sticking. Continue to cook, checking often and stirring until the peppers and onion have softened and the potatoes are done but still firm. Remove from heat and allow the potatoes to cool. Once veggies have cooled, place them in the bowl with the lentils. Add the chopped basil and stir to mix with lentils, veggies and sweet potatoes. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and Dijon mustard. Pour dressing over the vegetables and stir well to coat

all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately at room temperature on top of a bed of arugula or baby spinach. Chill slightly before serving if desired. Information on the health benefits of lentils and sweet potatoes found at: www.healthdairies.com www.livestrong.com +

Boardwalk to Bark Place Kennnel & Daycare welcoming dogs 40 lbs and under 5873 Huntington Drive Grovetown, Georgia (706) 840-3141 (706) 556-8127 www.boardwalktobarkplace.com

Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog www.southerngirleatsclean.com She is a working wife and mother living in Evans, Georgia. Visit her blog for more recipes and information on clean eating.

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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

MARCH 7, 2014

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.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PAIN MEDICATION???

ew regulations on pain medicines containing acetaminophen went in effect this year and as a result many people who take medications for chronic pain are noticing a change at the pharmacy. New FDA guidelines on combination products that contain acetaminophen as a component limit the amount per tablet to 325 milligrams, or the equivalent of a regular strength Tylenol tablet. This is a drastic difference if you compare it to the old combo tablets that could include up to 750 milligrams. Some patients have reported reduced effectiveness, and have opted to change to a different pain medicine for better results. Most patients have been able to get equally effective results while lowering some of the side effects of the old medicines. The natural question everyone has is, why? The focus of the new guidelines was to reduce the overall buildup of liver damage from acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is processed by the liver, and even moderate amounts of acetaminophen can cause profound liver damage. The recommended total maximum daily dose of acetaminophen from all sources is now only three grams, or three thousand milligrams. This is a decrease of twenty-five percent from the old limit, so the amount of acetaminophen had to come down in various sources of acetaminophen. The combination tablets were targeted as the primary high-dose culprits, along with the combination cold medicines that are usually lower in acetaminophen already. What does this mean for patients? It means that as of the beginning of this year, manufacturers will not be able to produce any of the older high-dose acetaminophen tablets. What is already produced and in the supply chain and on store shelves is legal, but as pharmacies run out of these older high-dose tablets they will not be able to reorder. This has already happened for many of the older combo tablets, and it is just a matter of time before all the older tablets are out of stock.

Do you like big box pharmacies?

Patient will first have to have their pharmacy call and change their prescription to the newer version of whatever type of medicine it is. A prescription with the same amount of hydrocodone, but with the new lower amount of acetaminophen, will have to be substituted for the old formulation. A common example is a patient getting a generic version of Lorcet is now going to get a generic version of Norco. It’s a different brand name but the same ingredient list. As I mentioned earlier, the pain-relieving effects should be very similar with only a few people being able to tell a difference. For those people, an additional dose of acetaminophen may be necessary if you first check with your doctor and then carefully observe the three thousand milligram of total acetaminophen daily limit. So to sum up, your pain medicine may look different and have a different marking on the tablet, but it should not cause a major reduction in your pain relief. Check with your doctor if you feel something has changed about the effectiveness of your pain medication. (Note: this change has nothing to do with the price increases we saw at the end of last year that took effect this year for most of you.) + 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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MARCH 7, 2014

may go along with eating alone. • Providing them with precooked meals, precooked frozen meals, planned meals to eat in their home. • Encouraging them to eat 4-6 small meals per day, not 2 meals and 4 snacks per day.

Ask a Dietitian

Q: My mother, who is 85, lives alone but nearby and we have noticed that she does not seem to be eating very well. She is already lean and seems to be losing weight. What can we do to get her to eat right?

Answer:

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

With aging, changes occur in a person’s habits, body, and behaviors that may make them at risk for unintended weight loss. For many older adults or frail elderly persons, weight loss is the first clue that there are medical, physical, or cognitive changes taking place. In many instances these changes warrant an evaluation to determine if there is a medical cause that can be treated. So, one logical first step would be a medical evaluation. That can help narrow down the causes. A second step is to evaluate her ability to provide her self care, live alone, and cook meals. There are many other things to evaluate at the same time. Also, as we get older our eating patterns frequently change because our life situations/styles change. Your mother has probably transitioned from being a

caregiver of her family to then maybe a caregiver of a spouse or another elderly family member. Then because of time and maybe death of her spouse or companion she now lives alone. She has less incentive to cook and plan healthful meals. She may no longer be eating regular meals, or she may be snacking at foods and eating easy to prepare foods and many processed foods. Her weight loss is probably unintended. Yes, she has always said she wanted to lose 10 or 20 pounds but losing it by just not eating regularly or a reasonably balanced diet is not the way. There are many things to evaluate or have evaluated to determine the cause of the unintended weight loss. This weight loss could be a result of: • Needing help with shopping and cooking • Being lonesome at meal times • Having difficulty swallowing food

• Being confused and/or depressed • Having difficulty chewing food with teeth missing, teeth in poor condition, poor fitting dentures, or missing dentures • Chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney failure, heart disease and many other chronic conditions. • Trying to follow a modified diet that she thinks is needed for her health. A rigid low salt/sodium diet may be discouraging to her where as meals cooked without added salt may be much more appetizing for her. Treatment can include: • Change in dining environment, having company at meals, going elsewhere to eat meals many days. Eat meals with others. • Attending activities at a Senior Center and eating there is one way to decrease the depression that

What foods are best and what should we avoid? • Good foods include: nutrient dense foods like cheeses, vegetables, fruits, small sandwiches, nuts, yogurts, fresh fruit slushes, and milkshakes/ instant breakfast. • Avoid “empty calorie” foods like chips, crackers, cookies, cakes, sodas, candy, sugar sweetened drinks, to name a few. Are there medicines to increase my mother’s appetite? • There are some medicines that may be used for cancer and HIV positive individuals that may improve their appetite for a short time. But these medicines have not been studied in the elderly who do not have this medical condition. • The best medicine for Mom would be attention, help, TLC, good nutrition, and possibly an over the counter multivitamin with minerals. In summary, there is no one single answer to help an older adult who is losing weight and/ or not eating healthful meals.

Evaluate the whole situation objectively. Seek medical or counseling help from other licensed professionals such as dietitians, nurses, social workers and counselors. Help make your mother’s later life healthy and happy. + by Nancy Giles Walters, MMSc, RDN, LD, Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition Consulting & Renal Dietitian Augusta, Georgia References: www.eatright.org www.nutrition.gov/life-stages/ seniors www.nia.nih.gov/health/ publication/healthy-eating-after-50

SHORT WHITE… from page 6 that doctors prescribe to further help manage blood sugar levels, but I think the fact that most physicians will advise changes in eating and activity habits first, before medications are started, is quite encouraging. The avenue by which patients can take charge of their own health care is greater in that respect – if we can implement strategies that help us stay healthier on our own, why not go for it? Furthermore, I think it is important to note that all individuals, not just diabetic patients, would benefit from a few alterations in their lifestyle, such as incorporating more exercise and less sugar in their daily routines. The differences it can make on our

t ha n Less

— by Caroline Colden 3rd-year medical student at MCG The preceding was an encore presentation of one of Ms. Colden’s previous columns from April, 2013.

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health can be enormous. Mary Poppins once claimed that a spoonful of sugar helped the medicine go down, but maybe without the sugar, we won’t need as much of the medicine in the first place. Perhaps we can stop diabetes before it even starts, and force this growing epidemic sweeping the country to sweep itself into the dustpan instead. So let’s go for something even sweeter than sugar: a healthier body and a better tomorrow.

Focus is a good thing in photography. And in advertising. If your marketing goals include reaching potential patients, health practitioners, and people interested in health and wellness, the Medical Examiner is the clear choice. We are Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper. Get in touch. Let’s talk ads.

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MARCH 7, 2014

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Digital detox D

TODAY is the 2014 National Day or Unplugging

o you have multiple cell phones? Take your ipad to the beach on vacation? Ever find it hard to get through a conversation without posting an update to Facebook? Is your computer always on? We increasingly miss out on the important moments of our lives as we pass the hours with our noses buried in our iPhones and BlackBerry’s, chronicling our every move through Facebook and Twitter and shielding ourselves from the outside world with the bubble of “silence” that our earphones create. If you recognize that in yourself – or your

friends, families or colleagues— join the National Day of Unplugging, and start living a different life: connect with the people in your street, neighborhood and city, have an uninterrupted meal or read a book to your child. The National Day of Unplugging is a 24 hour period – running from sunset to sunset – and starts on the first Friday in March. The project is an outgrowth of The Sabbath Manifesto, an adaption of the ancient ritual of carving out one day per week to unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, and connect with loved ones. +

Does Friday at sundown through Saturday at sundown work for your digital detox? Imagine a Friday evening and all day Saturday free of the electronic pings, the need to constantly “check in” and “update your status.” Then again, maybe you want to carve out your own electronic sabbatical. How about from Saturday at sundown through Sunday at dusk? What about from waking up Saturday through first thing Sunday morning? Whatever your digital day of detox, the important thing is to make it happen.

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If you prefer paper, we’re all over town. If you like our digital version, it’s always available on your favorite device at the Medical Examiner blog (www.AugustaRx. ruoy fI .gnisitrevda ni dnA .yhpargotohp ni gniht doog a si sucoF ,srenoititcarp htlaeh ,stneitap laitnetop gnihcaer edulcni slaog gnitekram si renimaxE lacideM eht ,ssenllew dna htlaeh ni detseretni elpoep dna ni teG .repapsweN suoirbulaS tsoM s’atsuguA era eW .eciohc raelc eht .sda klat s’teL .hcuot

com/news) or online at www.issuu.com/medicalexaminer. You can easily view back issues, too. +

MARCH 7, 2014

11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the Bookshelf The blog spot – Posted Sept. 11, 2012 at mindbodygreen.com

Put a NOT-TO-DO LIST on your to-do list Wayne Dyer once told me, “Stop giving energy to the things you don’t want.” This advice changed my life. I realized that if we all followed a “Not-To-Do List” we would find a whole lot more time to guide our time towards what is important. Tim Ferriss, author of The Four-Hour Work Week gets straight to the point when he writes, “Not-to-do lists are often more effective than to-do lists for upgrading performance. The reason is simple: what you don’t do determines what you can do.”

15 habits to stop now

So to keep things simple, here is a quick list of what “Not-to-Do” to live an inspired life. 1. Don’t be mean or snarky. (Instead: Be kind.) 2. Don’t judge. (Instead: Be receptive and open.) 3. Don’t compare. (Instead: Recognize and celebrate others achievements.) 4. Don’t disrespect. (Instead: Be respectful of other people, situations, time and things.) 5. Don’t hold grudges. (Instead: Forgive people, situations and yourself.) 6. Don’t be selfish. (Instead: Be thoughtful of others, life is not a game of solitaire.) 7. Don’t be ungrateful. (Instead: Be content with what you have: it is always enough.) 8. Don’t deny responsibility for the quality of your life. (Instead: Be responsible for your thoughts, emotions, body, and actions.) 9. Don’t lose your sense of humor. (Instead: Be funny, laugh a lot – even at yourself.) 10. Don’t assume the worst. (Be positive, hopeful and assume the best.) 11. Don’t be stingy. (Be generous with everything, especially your time, love, and money.) 12. Don’t lose interest. (Be curious, creative and actively filled with wonder.) 13. Don’t stop listening. (Be an active listener and hear what is not being said—and not said.) 14. Don’t get stuck. (Be open to change and new perspectives.) 15. Don’t act conceited and think you know everything. (Be a life long learner. Never stop growing and humbly expanding your knowledge.) And if you must, have a To-Be List: (better than a To-Do List) • Be kind. • Be receptive and open. • Be joyful. Celebrate others achievements and accomplishments. • Be thoughtful of others. • Be respectful of other people, situations, time and things. • Be forgiving of people, situations and yourself. • Be grateful and content with what you have, it is always enough. • Be responsible for your thoughts, emotions, body and actions. • Be funny, laugh a lot – even at yourself. • Be positive, hopeful and learn to assume the best. • Be generous with everything especially your time, energy, and money.) • Be curious, creative and actively filled with wonder.) • Be an active listener and hear what is not being said as much as what is not. • Be open to change and new perspectives. • Be a life-long learner. Never stop growing and humbly expanding your knowledge. + Speaking of blogs, the Medical Examiner blog is found at www. AugustaRx.com/news. Visit daily!

“Don’t Let Your Mind Bully Your Body.”

I spent the last several days of 2013 on an interesting project: doing the design, layout and typesetting of the book you see here. Its author, Sohailla Digsby, is an RD, a registered and licensed dietitian and something of a fitness guru as well. You might recognize her name from an entry or two in the Medical Examiner’s recurring feature Ask A Dietitian. What impressed me about this book was its comprehensive, straightforward approach. It may not be a book about being gluten-free, but it’s definitely gimmick-free. Living in a land of plenty, with sedentary jobs being the norm, nearly everybody seems to be overweight, and even those who aren’t will say they wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds. No wonder diet books are perennial best sellers, with one coming along every now and then (Atkins comes to mind) that seems to take the world by storm. Many such diets are actually great for weight loss, but in the long run are not realistic regimens. “Monotony” and “simplicity” were two adjectives applied to the Atkins diet in a

Success Journal Sohailla Digsby, RD, LD YOU’RE 52 DAYS AWAY FROM YOUR BEST BODY

2004 article in Lancet, the British medical journal. Translation: you’re not going to stick with it. That’s why you and I and so many people we know who have lost weight often gain it right back in short order — often ending up weighing more post-diet than they did pre. “You get to the point where you can’t stand one more day of an unrealistic regimen,” says Digsby. By contrast, she says people completing her 52-day countdown are sticking to its principles over the long haul. “It’s possible to reach your

Best Body and then stay there without depriving yourself or spending loads of money,” she notes, as is the case with diets where you’re required to buy their specially packaged foods in order to stay on the plan. Another beneficial aspect to the Countdown is that nasty word some people can’t even bear to pronounce, preferring to call it “the E word.” But unless you’re in a full body cast, moving around a little here and there is definitely a good thing. If you don’t think so, just ask someone in a full body cast. The combination of eating healthier and also getting exercise to burn fuel definitely paints a bulls-eye on excess pounds. This book, as its title suggests, takes it one day at a time. That is absolutely a plus. You can tackle the Countdown on your own, or get assistance directly from the author. How many body sculpting books can say that? There’s a small ad elsewhere in this issue with the details. + Countdown To Your Best Body, by Sohailla Digsby, RD, LD.; 184 pages, published in January 2014 by Create Space.

Research News A fish story What if I told you this item was going to report that eating fish is beneficial for health? I would expect you to yawn. The health benefits of fish in our diet is not exactly a news flash. What has not been understood, however, is the reasons why. Until now, that is. A study conducted in Finland released its findings this week, reporting that eating fatty fish — salmon, rainbow trout and herring — increased levels of large HDL particles. As you know, HDL, always identified as good cholesterol, is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as opposed to its evil twin, LDL. What is especially significant about the Finland findings is the increase in large particle HDL. Even though it’s known as “good” cholesterol, small particle HDL can attach itself to artery walls. Large HDL molecules fostered by increasing fish in the diet are much more efficient at “sweeping extra cholesterol off

artery walls,” says the study. The benefit was noted among those who included fish in their diet 3 to 4 times per week. Med student, heal thyself That goes for doctors, too. A physician who is a friend of the Medical Examiner recently said she has never lost a friend, a neighbor, a family member or a patient to suicide. But she has lost several colleagues to suicide. It seems that doctors often tell their patients that stress can be harmful to their health, but when it comes to reducing stress in their own lives they don’t always heed their own advice. Late last year an article in Annals of Behavioral Science and Medical Education reported on a program to include stressreduction training for all thirdyear medical students at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Depending on what study you read, physician burnout affects between 20 and 60 percent of all physicians at

some point during their careers. The Wake Forest training had three objectives: to familiarize future doctors with the very techniques recommended for patients; to reduce stress and professional burnout; and to enhance performance by improving empathy and reducing performance anxiety. Chocolate’s dark side The March issue of The FASEB Journal (that’s the abbreviation for Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) has post-Valentine’s news that may seem too good to be true. But it is (true, that is): dark chocolate helps restore flexibility to arteries while preventing white blood cells from sticking to blood vessel walls. “Until the ‘dark chocolate drug’ is developed, we’ll just have to make do with what nature has given us,” said Gerald Weissmann, MD, editor in chief of the Journal. It’s nice to know chocolate’s dark side is a healthy one. +

+ 12

MARCH 7, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS +

by Dan Pearson

We had the most I’m glad to hear that, You know those wonderful time at Rachael. Did you bring paper silhouettes? Disney World. home any souvenirs? I posed for one.

I cannot believe you would do something so insensitive.

Why? What’s wrong with that?

Are you kidding? That’s Rachael profiling.

ON S IC

The Mystery Word for this issue: PROSIMETTOT

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

AVE

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 TO ENTER!

Click on “Reader Contests”

QUOTATION PUZZLE E O A O P A W T A W A N A S T A U T M I N I H M

R L G L E T I I O W T R G I K O S U I T H

— Victor Hugo

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.

1 4 6

X A M I N E R

2 4 6 1 4

5 3

1 5

8 3

3 1 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. All the listed letters following 1 are the 1st letters of each word; the letters following 2 are 2nd 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.

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 R 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6

M 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 V N 1 2 3 1 2 3 4

1 5

T 1 2 2 3 4 5 M — Oscar Wilde 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 . A AT T S S R P P I N 2 . S I N N I H U U A R E 3 . R R R V M M D D U E 4 . E E E E P P T 5 . R H L L L 6 . Y E E

SAMPLE:

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

L 1

O 2

V 3

E 4

I 1

S 2

B 1

L 2

I 3

N 4

D 5

K LE

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

20 21 22 23 24 ACROSS 1. Plane field 25 26 27 5. Ma’s partners 28 29 30 31 32 8. Municipal funding ltrs. 14. On the briny 33 34 35 15. Lyric poem 36 37 38 39 40 41 16. Capital of Taiwan 17. Wound leftover 42 43 44 45 46 18. Clippers (as abbreviated 47 48 49 50 51 on scoreboards) 19. Fervent 52 53 20. Hebrew liturgical prayer 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 22. Steal from 61 62 63 64 65 24. By mouth 25. What 21-D did 66 67 68 27. Consumed 69 70 71 28. Famous Arnold role 32. Employs by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved. Built in part with software from www.crauswords.com 33. Part of verb to be 34. Lofty 32. Athens univ. DOWN 36. Auto music players 35. Byron of note in Augusta 1. Criticize severely 38. Tantalizes 37. Abbreviated it is 2. Pacers’ school (abbrev.) 42. Having three feet 39. Abbrev. for HIV, et al. 3. Close, as a deal 46. What bi means 40. Female sheep 4. Columbia County town 47. Benedict beginning 41. Distress signal 5. Five-dollar word for 50. Humorless person 43. Word with telephone and hay fever 52. Former coin of France South 6. Dentist’s org. 53. Famous Jack 44. Vulcanized rubber 54. Adam and Eve’s firstborn 7. Discharge (by an organ or 45. Lair gland) 56. Big ___ 47. Accompany 8. Thrust with a knife 57. Deer horn 48. Small beard 9. National standard 61. Capital of Canada 49. Stringed musical 10. Public swimming pool 63. Partridge, for one instrument 11. Musical dramas 65. Money of Ireland 51. Apprentice 12. Part of the U.S. Congress 66. Reaping machine 55. The back of a person’s neck 13. Names 67. A Kennedy or Williams 56. Uncover 21. Key publication staffer 68. Sudden assault 58. Hawaiian feast 23. Scent 69. Cylindrical (in botany) 59. Head of The Family Fold 26. Large marble 70. Self-esteem 60. Staffs 28. Glue for feathers? 71. Sisters 62. Rainy 29. Period of history 64. Pos. opp. 30. Delicious color 31. Becoming gradually slower (in music) Solution p. 14

WORDS NUMBER

THE MYSTERY WORD

MARCH 7, 2014

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

woman complained to her husband one night at the dinner table, “When we were first married, you would always take the smaller portion and give me the bigger helping. Now you hardly leave me anything. Don’t you love me any more?” “That’s nonsense, darling,” the husband replied. “You cook better now.” In a small country town, the veterinarian was also the town sheriff. Late one night his phone rang. His wife answered and heard an excited voice ask, “Is your husband there?” “It’s 2:00 o’clock in the morning. Of course he is,” she huffed. “Do you need him for his veterinary services or as the sheriff?” “Both,” said the caller. “We can’t pry our dog’s mouth open, and there’s a burglar in it.” What did the dog get when he multiplied 532 times 783? The wrong answer. How do you find your dog if it’s lost in the woods? Put your ear up to a tree and listen for the bark.

How did the man feel when he lost his flashlight? Delighted. A doctor told an overweight man he should take up some kind of activity to help him lose weight. The man decided he would take up horseback riding, and sure enough, in the first week the horse lost 15 pounds. A blonde goes to the doctor with sharp pains in her lower abdomen. After a brief examination the doctor says, “You have acute appendicitis.” “That’s sweet of you to say, doctor, but I came here for relief from this pain.” A middle-aged woman had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. On the operating table she had a vision from God. “Is my time up?” she asked him. “Not at all,” said God. “You’ll live another 41 years, 3 months and 21 days.” Encouraged by this, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face lift, nose job, tummy tuck and boob job. She went to the hospital’s beauty salon and had a complete makeover. Even her hair color was new and her makeup was different than she had ever worn it. She was a new person. When she was finally discharged from the hospital, she was walking to her car when she was hit by a car and killed. Arriving in front of God she demanded, “I thought I had another 41 years! Why didn’t you pull me out of the path of that car?” “I didn’t recognize you,” replied God. +

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

he weather these past few weeks has been like the best roller coasters in the world, plunging from the 80s to the 20s, and bringing with those plunges and rises in temperature an incredible wealth of diverse weather. Each change of weather brings along an equivalent change in our bodies. Seniors may suddenly get cold after years of being comfortably warm. But the weather changes don’t just affect older folks. They can also cause discomfort in much younger people. When we discuss dangers we face with our doctors, I’ve never had a doctor tell me to be careful not to expose myself to temperature extremes. So much of what I’ve learned has come from personal experience. For example, we once drove down to Detroit from Saginaw to attend a Detroit Tigers baseball game. It was late July. I was nine months pregnant and generally in good health. It was a hot July for Michigan, in the mid-90s and very humid. I felt sick to my stomach as we were driving, even with the windows open. The feeling continued as we walked into the stadium and up the stairs to our seats. I tried to enjoy the game, but kept feeling worse and worse, with breathing that became more difficult and the sense I was about to throw up or pass out. Finally, I got up to use the bathroom, and that didn’t help. If anything, it was getting more humid and I felt worse. I saw one of the workers there and told him I was afraid I was going to pass out. He hustled me to the medical facility where I was not the only person needing help. They

Talk is cheap. Not talking can be deadly.

took my temperature, which was 101 degrees, and gave me cool water to drink. At first the water made me gag, but in a few minutes my temperature dropped and I started to feel human again. They explained that I was on the verge of suffering heat stroke, but the water worked to cool my body and prevent that from happening. When I got back to my seat I felt a lot better, and I kept drinking water all the way back home. I didn’t really think of drinking water as a life-saving prevention at that time. It wasn’t until I lived in Salt Lake City that I noticed that most folks who lived there carried around water bottles, and I began that practice myself. We are rapidly heading toward the Southern summer season that stretches from April to November some years, so be good to yourself and pack your water with you, regardless of your age. Freezing it first will give you cold water for quite a while. + Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and retired from the University of Cincinnati. She taught writing at the college level and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She is now teaching again at Virginia College in Augusta. She can be reached with comments, suggestions, etc., at marciaribble@hotmail.com.

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MARCH 7, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE MYSTERY SOLVED ON S IC

The Mystery Word in our last issue was: OPTOMETRIST

K adEfor ...cleverly hidden (upper left) in the p. 16L AV GROUP & BUSINESS CONSULTANTS E

Unfortunately, due to a glitch at AugustaRx.com, we were again unable to receive and view Mystery Word Contest entries for the Jan. 24 issue. We hope to have that problem fixed soon. We’re putting The Mystery Word on sick leave until we can get this repaired. Our apologies.

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 be the first to 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: gift certificates from Wild Wing Cafe, Top Notch Car Wash, and movie passes from Health Center Credit Union! 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? USE THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL IT IN, OR GO TO WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM AND PLACE & PAY CONVENIENTLY AND SAFELY ONLINE. THANKS!

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC. FOR RENT 2 bdrm 1 bath unfurn upstairs condo. Carport, pool, outside laundry. Country Club Hills condos, Milledge Road near GRU/ASU. $700/mo + $500 dep. We furn water, you pay electric. 706-736-7167 Email: ronst79@gmail. com 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. Augustagahomesearch.com Foreclosures • Rentals • MLS Roman Realty 706-564-5885

SERVICES VIDEOS-FOR-THE-WEB SERVICE Documentary style interview or demonstration shot HD with pro audio and basic edits, 3-min. finished video uploaded to your account. Complete package $250. Please call David: 803-645-8370. Documentary Video Productions, LLC – Aiken, SC. BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) FULL-SERVICE MOVER Anthony’s Professional Moving, 28 years serving the CSRA moving hospital equipment, offices, homes, apartments, etc. Estimates are FREE. Call 706.860.3726 or 706.814.8141

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 site, or call the publisher directly: Dan Pearson at 706.860.5455. E: Dan@AugustaRx.com

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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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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Avoiding the sleep consequences of Daylight Savings Time Daylight-saving time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday. Losing an hour’s sleep isn’t easy for an already sleep-deprived nation. You know the drill: On Monday morning, you hit the snooze too many times, stagger out of bed, grab an extra cup of coffee -- and push yourself into summer mode. But take heart. Those first few mornings don’t have to be dire, if you plan ahead. A few strategic steps will help your body adjust quite easily, according to snooze experts with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “Come Monday morning, you might be the only bright-eyed and bushy-tailed employee at the office,” said Ralph Downey, III, PhD, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, Calif., in a news release. Here’s what you’re up against: The advent of daylight-saving time is a double-whammy for the human body, says David Glass, PhD, a biological sciences professor at Kent State University in Ohio. “In the spring, we not only have to

get up an hour early -- but we’re also fighting the extra 20 or 30 minutes of sleep our bodies naturally want every day,” he tells WebMD. “In the fall, the time change is more in line with our internal clock.” Are you sabotaging your sleep? Take the quiz. The body is wired with a sleep-wake cycle that advances a bit every 24 hours, Glass explains. “If I put you in a dimly lit cave, where you didn’t know what time it was, you would get up 20 to 30 minutes later every day.” Daylight reins in this natural tendency because daylight controls melatonin, a hormone made by the brain that helps regulate our sleep cycles. But there’s more: We’ve also got “Sunday night syndrome” working against us, says Kenneth Sassower, MD, a staff neurologist in the Sleep Disorders Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and neurology instructor at Harvard

Medical School. “Studies show that Sunday nights are the worst nights to fall asleep, even when it’s not daylight-saving time,” Sassower tells WebMD. “If you’ve stayed up late, slept in all weekend, by Monday morning you’re exhausted. Your body clock is disrupted, so you aren’t ready to get up when the alarm goes off.” Survival Tips How to offset Monday-morning drag? Prepare yourself! Make the time change incrementally beforehand. “Set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier and earlier for five days or so,” Sassower suggests. “It helps. When the time change hits, you’re already there. It’s the same advice I give to people who are traveling out of the country.” On Saturday (tomorrow): Around midday, get some vigorous

exercise. “Exercise helps advance the body clock, just as bright light exposure does,” says Glass. Don’t exercise too late in the day. “Exercise raises your body temperature,” explains Nicholson. “People get sleepy as their body temperature goes down, not when it’s elevated.” Sunday morning: Get up at your regular time -whether you had a good night’s sleep or not. “Don’t let yourself sleep in,” says Nicholson. “If you stay in bed, your body will never adjust.” Spend an hour or more outside, preferably in the sunshine. “That’s hard for folks to do, but it’s very important,” Glass says. “Sunlight is especially helpful in advancing your body clock.” Take a morning walk. After a short night, walking is an easy exercise that will help advance your body clock. + — from WebMD

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY ALLERGY

DERMATOLOGY

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

CHIROPRACTIC Poppell Chiropractic Clinic 1106-A Furys Lane Martinez 30907 706-210-2875 Most insurance plans accepted

DENTISTRY Dr. Judson S. Hickey Periodontist 2315-B Central Ave Augusta 30904 706-739-0071 Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048 Evans Dental Group 4250-2 Washington Rd Evans 30809 706-860-3200 www.evansdentalgroup.com Steven L. Wilson, DMD Family Dentistry 4059 Columbia Road Martinez 30907 706-863-9445

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

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

DRUG REHAB Floss ‘em or lose ‘em!

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

HOSPICE

...PHARMACY

Alliance Hospice 3685 Old Petersburg Rd. Suite 145 Augusta 30907 706-447-2461

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

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

OPTICIAN

SENIOR LIVING 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

VEIN CARE

Murphy & Robinson Phil Harris 1571 Walton Way Augusta 30904 706-737-2020

Parks Pharmacy 437 Georgia Ave. N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

O P T I C I A N S

PHARMACY Medical Center West Pharmacy 465 North Belair Road Evans 30809 706-854-2424 www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com

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 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

MARCH 7, 2014