Oct5 18 by Daniel Pearson

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OCTOBER 5, 2018

AIKEN-AUGUSTAʼS MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

Dr.busbee’s CELEBRATED ELIXER TRUE Health

DECIPHERING HEALTH MYTHS, SNAKE OIL CURES AND OLD WIVES TALES NEW MONTHLY FEATURE BY TRACEY BUSBEE, MLIS, AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY

Along with everything pumpkin spice and spooky, colds season kicks up in October. It is also when I start hearing that I am going to catch my death of cold because I am always without a coat. As someone who has Northern European blood running through my veins, I eschew coats. I brave the cold without the nuisance of a bulky garment unless I am going to be in the elements for a prolonged period. A coat is just one more item to keep up with. As a side note, I rarely get sick. We can get colds any time of the year. October, the quintessential fall month, usually brings cooler weather. It is also when the CDC reports an upswing in the transmission of the flu (caused by a virus). We’ve known since the 1950s that colds are caused by viruses. But where does the belief originate that colds are caused by the cold? How much truth is there to this belief? And is it a direct causal relationship or simply a correlation between many factors? Colder months tend to drive people indoors. They are closer in proximity and one of the factors in contributing to illness is proximity between potential hosts. In the broader context of the human experience, domestication of plants and animals led to the perfect climate for the rise of diseases. The sedentary nature of civilization lent itself to passing the bugs to each other as well as the appearance of crossover diseasefrom animals to humans1. Being cooped up in the winter adds the variable of proximity in the spread of colds. The agents of disease — bacteria and viruses — have been evolving alongside humans and animals. A virus contains either DNA or RNA encapsulated in protein or lipids. They replicate in the living cells of their hosts. Each generation has adapted and survived as products of natural selection. The Mayo Clinic reports that over 100 viruses can cause the Please see TRUE HEALTH page 2

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GET OUT! S

to think they’re lurking around every corner, ummer is unoffically over, despite and will sometimes call police if they spot a what thermometers still tells us. By child alone in a park or walking down a quiet now, kids have already been back in neighborhood street. school for weeks. Do you remember We have come a long way since those days the summer vacations of your childhood? when nearly every child spent most of every Many of us couldn’t wait to get outside day outdoors. to play after breakfact, and other than An article by James Campbell in the Los lunch and supper, this went on until dark. Angeles Times not long ago cited a study Every day. We played in the woods, rode our bikes everywhere, got up impromptu showing that many children today “spend baseball and football games, pretended to be less than 30 minutes per week playing cowboys and Indians or soldiers in battle or outside,” but average as much as seven hours astronauts. We built forts in the woods and a day glued to TV screens, tablets, smart in backyards, tried to dig our way to China, phones and video games. picked hot apples from trees in neighbors’ We adults, meanwhile, the same people yards, explored empty houses (whether new who used to play outside until we were construction or vacant and “haunted”), and dragged indoors, spend 93 percent of our when the sun went down we played hide-and- lives inside buildings or vehicles, said a seek, caught lightning bugs and study cited by Campbell. sometimes camped out all night Granted, we have had in our own backyards — but the “it’s too hot” excuse for always got scared and were months, but seven or eight inside, snug in our beds long straight months of pleasant before midnight. weather are looming on the We did all of this without horizon. This is a great time to much parental supervision. establish some heathful active Kidnappers were as rare as habits that don’t involve a they are today, but parents then screen, a recliner, or a remote. knew that. Parents today seem Kids playing outside in 2018. Let’s get out! And stay out! +

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The CSRA Parkinson Support Group will host its 19th annual POP Walk for the People of Parkinson’s fundraiser on Saturday October 6, 2018 at First Baptist Church, 3500 Walton Way Ext. Augusta, GA. Registration opens and activities begin at 9:00am, the walk starts at 10:00am and ends by noon. The festivities will include activities for children and adults, entertainment, refreshments, and a raffle. The Walk is free but donations are greatly appreciated. Free t-shirt with a $25 donation while supplies last. Proceeds from the event are used predominantly in the local area to fund research grants, a respite program for caregivers, educational materials and events, and exercise and aquatics classes. For more information or to make a donation, go online to POPWalk.org, email us at info@parkinsoncsra.org, or call (706) 364-1662. Donations can also be mailed and made payable to CSRA Parkinson’s Walk, 6100 Northside Drive, North Augusta, SC 29841. +

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TRUE HEALTH… from page 1

common cold; however, the most likely one to cause a cold is the human rhinovirus. The flu may be caused by one of three types, A, B or C. Research shows that cold temperatures may increase the likelihood of contracting a virus for several reasons. The cold temperatures actually make a virus more viable2. They are adapted to live longer in cooler temperatures. Therefore, they will live longer on surfaces and outside of the body in cooler temperatures. The human body is not as adapted to cooler temperatures. In fact, the colder weather and lower humidity dries out mucous membranes and our eyes. This compromises the tissues’ ability to protect us from viruses and other bugs3. In particular, respiratory colds have higher incidences of mortality during the colder months4. In addition to our bodies’ changes to weather changes, those suffering from fall allergies may also be at a higher risk of contracting a cold or the flu because allergies weaken our immune system5. We are primed to contract the viruses that are floating around on surfaces that we touch, or even from a sneeze emitted from over 20 feet away. The particles may stay suspended for up to 10 minutes! If we lived in a bubble that was devoid of the viruses that cause the common cold or the flu, we would not catch a cold or the flu. There is a correlation, between many factors, that leads to a higher incidence and likelier transmission of viruses; however, it is not causal. Our predecessors probably noticed higher mortality and more illness during the colder months. They deduced that the cold temperatures were the source of illnesses and lacked the knowledge of modern medicine. The CDC reports the best defenses against catching a cold or the flu are proper handwashing, avoiding people that are ill, avoid touching your face, and disinfecting surfaces. Stay healthy this cold and flu season and enjoy all of the festivities. + Reference List 1. Spradley, J, McCurdy, D. Conformity and Confl ict. Boston, MA: Pearson; 2012. 2. Memarzadeh F. Literature Review of the Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Viruses. ASHRAE Transactions [serial online]. May 2012;118(1):1049. Available from: Advanced Placement Source, Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 12, 2018. 3. Ikäheimo TM, Jaakkola K, Jokelainen J, et al. A Decrease in Temperature and Humidity Precedes Human Rhinovirus Infections in a Cold Climate. Mehle A, ed. Viruses. 2016;8(9):244. doi:10.3390/v8090244. 4. Mourtzoukou, E, Falagus, M. Exposure to Cold and Respiratory Tract Infections. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2007 Sep;11(9):938-43. 5. Can Allergies Lower Your Immune System? The Official Blog for Intercoastal Medical Group. http://www.intercoastalmedical.com/Blog/TabId/33253/PostId/5137/canallergies-lower-your-immune-system. January 12, 2018. Accessed September 13, 2018.

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OCTOBER 5, 2018

CONTEST!

We’ve all been there. You’re making a presentation at a medical convention or an M&M conference and suddenly your mind goes blank...what is the name of that joint at the mid-point of the arm? Or what is the Hindi word for the five appendages on each foot? It can drive you crazy, can’t it? But no more, thanks to this highly useful anatomical chart of more than 30 important body parts. You’ll never forget the word ear again! Measuring 22” x 28” and printed on deluxe paper, it also features a handy hanging strap so you can impress all your friends, colleagues and patients. How can you make this coveted poster your very own? Simply spell as many legitimate words as you can using the letters in “Medical Examiner” and email your numbered list to Dan@AugustaRx.com, or mail it to Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903. Entries must be received no later than Oct. 12, 2018. Additional details to the right. BEST WISHES TO ALL! +

WINTHISPOSTER!

FINE PRINT: Only the letters actually used to spell Medical Examiner may be used to spell normal English (not Hindi, unfortunately) words. For instance, two As and two Ms are available, but only one C and one D, and so on. Found more words after sending your entry? Multiple entries are ok. Words must be checkable against reputable standard dictionaries. In the event of a tie, a random drawing will determine the winner. The winner’s name and list of words will be published in the October 19 edition of the Medical Examiner.

Preserve your independence! Beautify your bathroom!

It’s only 90° today. So why am I still hot? You’re right. You shouldn’t be. If the normal temperature of the body is 98.6°, an ambient temperature of 90° is almost 10 degrees cooler than your body. So why don’t you feel cool? It’s complicated. For starters, the human body, plain and simple, is an engine. Just like the one under the hood of our cars, it continuously generates heat when it’s running. Our car circulates its hot mechanical blood through the radiator to stay cool. Since cars are usually moving when they’re on, the breeze helps avoid overheating. People have a similar setup, mechanically speaking. We get that red and flushed look when we’re hot because the body automatically reroutes blood up near the surface of the skin where it can be cooled by the passing breezes. Evaporation of sweat (or for some people, perspiration) helps the process along. But several factors can interfere with our natural cooling systems. Perhaps we overdressed for the occasion, and the cooling breezes can only reach very limited areas of our skin. In this part of the world, relative humidity is often be as high as the temperature, which is also high. So the heat makes us sweat and the humidity prevents the sweat from evaporating to cool us down. Whose idea was this weather pattern, anyway? Although 70° or lower is ideal for cooling during strenuous exertion, the closer the air temperature is to our body temperature, the less efficient our natural cooling systems work. And the more active we are, the harder the human engine works and the more heat it generates. Take an athlete’s temperature in the middle of a workout and it can easily be in the 105° range. The body automatically reacts to that situation, and we have to remember that even if the body’s cooling efforts don’t seem to be working —we are still boiling — that does not mean the body is going to give up. It’s going to keep circulating blood up to the surface and it will keep sending signals to our sweat glands to drench us in sweat. That means we have to do something very important in hot and sweaty situations: stay hydrated. Fail to do so and the result can be heatstroke, which can cause shock, organ failure, brain damage and even death. But the good news is that all these dire outcomes are preventable with the simplest medicine: water. +

MEDICALEXAMINER

AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

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 salubrious news within every part of the Augusta medical community. Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to: Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

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(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net www.Facebook.com/AugustaRX Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and/or their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., nor its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for general 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. © 2018 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

OCTOBER 5, 2018

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

#76 IN A SERIES

Who is this? ON THE ROAD TO BETTER HEALTH A PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE Editor’s note: Augusta writer Marcia Ribble, Ph.D., is a retired English and creative writing professor who offers her unique perspective as a patient. Contact her at marciaribble@hotmail.com

by Marcia Ribble

t was a completely random occurrence that placed this small-town physician in a just slightly bigger small town. From that small town, Dr. Henry Plummer literally changed the face of medicine all over the world in ways that have personally affected each person reading this. Originally determined to be an engineer, Plummer was persuaded to maintain the family tradition: his father and grandfather were both doctors. Henry Plummer was awarded his medical degree from Northwestern in 1898, but he never stopped the kind of tinkerings you would expect from an engineer. For example, as a resident of frigid Minnesota, Plummer created a simple rope-and-lever device in his farmhouse that would allow him to release oats into a feeding trough for the horses in his barn. One day in 1901, Dr. Will Mayo (previously profi led in this space: #23 in the series from June 2016, available on page 4 at this link: https://issuu.com/medicalexaminer/docs/june3_16) had a patient in tiny Racine, Minnesota. He asked an old friend, Dr. Albert Plummer of Racine, to consult with him on a case. When Dr. Mayo arrived at the Plummer home, Dr. Plummer was ill, so his son, 27-year-old Henry, went in his place, but not before grabbing a microscope from his study. In the patient’s home, Plummer drew a sample of blood from the patient, put it on a slide and used it to correctly diagnose leukemia. That resourcefulness impressed Will Mayo so much that he offered Plummer a position at the fledgling Mayo Clinic in nearby Rochester (1900 census: population 6,843) on the spot. Plummer left a mark on that clinic and upon all medicine that is still felt today. Dr. Mayo was to later observe that hiring Plummer was the best day’s work of his entire career. Plummer pioneered the concept of the multispecialty group, assembling physicians from diverse subspecialties into teams whose skills complemented each other. He was a recognized expert in thyroid health, discovering iodine as a treatment for goiter and being the namesake of several thyroid diseases and conditions. Using his latent engineering talents he helped design several major buildings at Mayo Clinic (including the aptly named Plummer Building), incorporating innovations like pneumatic tubes to quickly shuttle patient records around the huge campus. His most significant innovation was standardization of medical records. In the early 1900s, doctors carried a journal containing all their notes on all their patients. Information about any one patient could be on pages 32, 57 and 91 of the doctor’s current journal, and pages 6, 48 and 74 in last year’s. It was the doctor’s property, which was fine until someone urgently needed patient information in the doctor’s absence. Plummer instituted uniform centralized records with each patient identified by a unique number, containing the notes of any treating doctor and accessible by every doctor. Fittingly, the Mayo Clinic’s recent conversion of its millions of patient records to digital format was known as The Plummer Project. +

Many types of illness are powerfully affected by dietary choices. My diabetes is a prime example. Doctors and their dietitians make good recommendations about those foods which are healthy for people like me, but many diabetics do not have access to the kinds of foods which are healthy for us, do not know how to cook or use those foods, or lack appropriate cooking tools and storage for those foods both before and after preparation. I am lucky. I have a functional kitchen with adequate storage for foods that need to be refrigerated and for those that don’t. Some people are not so lucky. The homeless population may be trying to manage their diabetes while eating soup kitchen food, which may be nourishing, but not medically designed to support diabetes. It may not have the best combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fat recommended for diabetics. It may lack certain food groups that contribute to heart health like fresh fruit, or have too much salt which can be problematic for many diabetics. It may have the food groups in the proportions right for diabetics, but include things like raw carrots, apples, or other foods diabetics with few teeth just cannot chew. Some individuals may have “homes” whose cooking and storage facilities are lacking everything from electricity to functioning appliances. Some individuals would like to be compliant with their doctor’s food recommendations, but their ovens or refrigerators do not work properly, or they are in housing with roaches, ants,

or other insect infestations. Landlords may refuse to do anything about those problems, and tenants may not have the resources to do anything themselves. They cannot move to a better place because better housing is too expensive for their limited budgets. Some doctors are now moving toward a more supportive process by asking patients about these socioeconomic issues along with medical topics. Just as many doctors now have nutritionists on staff, other support staff can ascertain the degree to which a patient’s socioeconomic status can either improve or harm their health. Simply handing a patient a diabetic diet list of suggested foods may be profoundly inadequate if that patient lives in a food desert and lacks transportation to stores that carry healthier food or doesn’t have the money to pay for healthier food choices. Some patients have the necessary transportation, storage and cooking facilities, etc., but they cannot afford the dental work crucial to their being able to properly chew. That affects their nutritional intake. Gardening in their own yards may help some low-income people to secure better nutrition at lower cost, but not everyone knows how to garden, has the tools for gardening, space outside for gardening, or soil amenable to gardening. In some cases even a tiny container garden can add a lot to an individual’s well-being. Doctors need to start raising these issues if they don’t already, and patients also need to be proactive on their own behalf, letting their physicians understand which parts of compliance are a matter of choice and which are a matter of their ability to comply. +

DOES ACUPUNCTURE REALLY WORK? WHICH WILL IT BE? Sort of. A Scientific American review published in 2016 looked at the history of the practice dating back to the 1600s in China, how it was condemned as witchcraft, then made a comeback in the 1950s when endorsed by Chairman Mao, and how it made a huge splash

in Western culture in 1971 that really hasn’t abated since. The trouble is, despite tens of millions of dollars spent on research into why (or if) acupuncture works, the result has been barely enough clinical evidence to fill a thimble. As Scientific American put it, it’s mere “crumbs” of proof at best. Part of the problem is the difficulty in performing “double-blind” testing, where neither researchers/doctors nor patients know who is getting the real thing and who isn’t.

Obviously that is difficult when it comes to inserting needles. The clinician and the patient obviously know, and that awareness tends to lead away from truly impartial results. However, acupuncture research has accidentally lead to some promising pain-relieving discoveries about a body chemical called adenosine. And even if acupuncture is 100% ineffective, it triggers one of the most effective pain relievers known: the placebo effect. +

OCTOBER 5, 2018

Musings of a Distractible Mind

by Augusta physician Rob Lamberts, MD, recovering physician, internet blogger extraordinaire, and TEDx Augusta 2018 speaker. Reach him via Twitter: @doc_rob or via his website: moredistractible.org

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OCTOBER 5, 2018

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am normal, more or less I have good days and bad. Some days I am content, connected, focused, and motivated. On those days I enjoy my job, the people I’m with, and I am willing to be inconvenienced by interruptions. On other days...not so much. I wake up as Grumpy Rob and (despite multiple cups of coffee) the old codger doesn’t leave me alone. I keep score of all the ways in which life has conspired to make the day difficult. Too many red lights. Too windy. I am not patient with people, and am distracted by little things. I do my best to not let these things stand in the way of the care I give, and I try to hide my emotions from my patients. It’s a necessary part of the job. But there are still days I’m better at it than others. Yesterday a patient came to the office to pick up prescriptions. He spotted me in my office and asked if he could have a few minutes of my time. Yesterday was a grumpy day, so I immediately felt a little miffed at this interruption of...whatever I was doing, but I quickly stuffed that down and told him to come on in. “Are you OK, doc?” He asked as he sat on the couch. “Yeah I’m fine,” I replied, obviously not hiding grumpy Rob as well as I thought. “I’m just tired.” He proceeded to ask me several questions: one about guitars (we both play) and one about medications related to a certain problem. I banished grumpy Rob and did my best to answer his questions. He stood up to leave and then grew serious. “I really appreciate you and your office.” “Thanks,” I said. He grew more intense. “I’m serious, doc. I don’t know what I’d do without

you. You saved my life twice, you know.” “Twice?” I asked. “I remember when you were on death’s door with diverticulitis and didn’t want to go to the hospital.” He came very close to developing peritonitis, so it wasn’t an exaggeration that I saved that time. “What was the other time?” He made a gun with his fingers and pointed into his mouth. “Back when things were so bad, a few years ago, I was ready to end it all. I even bought a rope. It was you who saved me. Things you said gave me hope.” He teared up as he spoke.

The weight of it all came crashing down on me I remembered. His life was falling apart: his wife abandoned him, he lost his job, he didn’t have a place to live, and he had a very painful orthopedic condition. I recall getting him on medication, helping him find a place to live, pointed him toward agencies that could help him, and just gave him moral support. I also remember that we didn’t give much attention to whether or not he could pay us. “Thanks,” I said, recovering the ability to speak. “It’s nice to hear I make a difference. I’m just doing my job, but it means a lot to hear that.” I walked over to him and gave him a hug. “I really appreciate you and your staff,” he went on. “You mean so much to me. I love you, doc.” He wiped at his eyes and nose as he walked out. As I sat back at my desk, the weight of what he said crashed down on me. Recognizing someone who is critically ill with diverticulitis is easy. I take

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minimal pride diagnosing the obvious, even if it is life threatening. Even if Grumpy Rob is in the room. But this... This wasn’t about diagnostic skill. This wasn’t about intelligence, problem-solving, or clinical experience. This was about caring. And caring can vary based on attitude. What if I was tired and didn’t pay as much attention? What if I said to myself, “I’ll deal with that next time?” What if I didn’t take the time, look him in the eye, try to do the extra thing? I don’t feel pride about this; I feel gratitude. I am grateful I have a job in which I can make a difference. I am grateful to have Jenn and Jamie, who are willing to go the extra distance for people. I’m grateful to have a practice in which I can take extra time with people (and to discount the care if I want). I am grateful Grumpy Rob was on vacation when I saw this patient. But I am also sobered by this. It’s not just in the exam room where words make such a difference. It could be a text from a friend or an email from family members. It could be on a good or a bad day. I have to be ready to help when the next opportunity arises, regardless of how I feel. I’m fortunate to have incredible role models in my parents, who have always lived their lives with the intent to leave people in their wake who are better off than they would’ve been. I can only strive to do so as well as they have. There’s a lot of crappy stuff in this world. There are a lot of things pushing people down as they struggle to survive. While I can’t fi x what’s wrong in the world, I’ve always got opportunities to put good in the balance and tip the scales back up. Even Grumpy Rob can do that. +

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

OCTOBER 5, 2018

She just realized her Medical Examiner anatomy poster contest entry has to be in by October 12! HURRY! Details on page 3

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.

OCTOBER 5, 2018

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

7 +

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Antioxidants which are naturally occurring chemical compounds that prevent chronic diseases and aging. The more you can get them into your diet the more your body can fight against these. Fruits and vegetables are fi lled with antioxidant properties, but matcha surpasses them all. Matcha is a finely ground powder made from specially grown and processed green tea leaves. The green tea plants for matcha are grown in a way that allows the plants to produce more theanine and caffeine. When harvested the stems and veins are removed before the plants are dried and ground into a fine powder which is eaten by dissolving in water or milk. Among the health benefits matcha provides: it boosts metabolism, burns calories, detoxifies naturally, is rich in fiber, chlorophyll, and vitamins, provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc, magnesium and it lowers cholesterol and blood sugar. As a colon cancer survivor I drink it daily because it energizing snack. combined and form into a contains a uniquely potent large sticky ball again. class of antioxidants known Matcha Energy Balls 4. Grease hands with a little as catechins not found in any coconut oil and roll mixture other foods. The catechin Ingredients into 10 small balls. EGCg (epigallocatechin • 1/2 cup soft pitted sticky 5. Mix 1 tablespoon of gallate) provides potent dates matcha powder with 1 cancer-fighting properties. • 1/2 cup raw cashews teaspoon stevia in a small Catechins help cancel the • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa bowl, stir well to mix. effects of free radicals from powder 5. Roll ball into matcha pollution, UV rays, radiation • 1 tablespoon matcha green powder until coated well. and chemicals, which tea plus 1 tablespoon more for 6. Store in refrigerator for can lead to cell and DNA rolling balls in up to two weeks or 2 months damage. Since over 60% • 1 tablespoon unsweetened in freezer. + of the catechins in matcha almond milk are actually EGCg, drinking • 1 teaspoon fine powder by Gina matcha daily can help restore stevia (optional) Dickson, and preserve the body’s wellAugusta wife, being and balance. Instructions mom and I am always looking for 1. Add dates and cashews grandmother, recipes that help me get more to food processor and process colon cancer matcha into my diet, so I until they form a sticky ball. survivor, created these matcha energy 2 Cut apart ball slightly and passionate balls. Each one is filled add cocoa powder, matcha about creating a community with sweet dried dates, raw powder and almond milk. to help women serve healthy cashews, cocoa powder and 3. Process until all meals to their family. Visit my matcha for a quick, healthy ingredients have been blog at thelifegivingkitchen.com

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NO NONSENSE

NUTRITION Chester, a Rotary Club member from Augusta, asks “Is there a connection between diet and cancer risk?” The data shows that the relationship between what you eat and your chance of getting cancer is weak at best. That is not to say that there is no connection, but the idea of “cancer-preventing” foods is very over-rated. This may surprise you because of all the diet books, dietary supplements, vitamins and social media chatter about anti-cancer foods, anti-cancer vitamins and other anticancer dietary supplements.

OCTOBER 5, 2018

There is one is being prescribed nutrition factor by a physician for which increases a specific medical your cancer risk treatment. Stay away quite dramatically. from fake vitamins, It is your weight, as such as laetrile, which measured by your have been pushed as Body Mass Index “anti-cancer.” They are (BMI). The more not and they can be overweight you are, dangerous. the higher your risk Alcohol consumption of getting cancer. And may increase risk of that applies to the many types of cancer, recurrence of cancer, not just cancers of too. So, for example, the mouth, throat if you already have and GI tract. Moldy > battled prostate peanuts and spoiled cancer and won, peanut butter are two then it is critical that more foods which you stay within your may increase your HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR BODY MASS INDEX: Convert your height to inches and reasonable weight cancer risk because multiply the number times itself, then divide your weight by that number. Multiply the range, maybe even they may contain result times 703 for your BMI. Example for someone who weighs 150 lbs and is 5ft 7 be at the lower end of aflatoxins, cancer(or 67 inches tall): 67 x 67 = 4489. 150 ÷ 4489 = 0.0334 x 703 = 23.4 BMI that weight range. causing chemicals There are specific produced by mold. Ask are examples because these sausages), may also increase foods which may decrease any South Georgia peanut foods have higher levels of your cancer risk. These foods cancer risk. For example, the farmer about the length he carcinogens. I am talking contain sodium nitrites and more fruits and veggies you or she goes through to avoid about the type of grilling nitrates to prevent spoilage eat, the lower your cancer with flames licking the meat, and increase their “pinkness,” mold formation in peanut risk. Cruciferous veggies warehouses. columns of smoke rising but they also may increase in particular — veggies high in the air and meat cancer risk. like broccoli, cauliflower, What is the “No-Nonsense that is sizzling and burnt. If Excessive use of vitamins cabbage, brussel sprouts, Nutrition” advice for today? you want to decrease your may increase cancer risk. horseradish, kale and turnip Simply this: If you want to cancer risk, cook meat at Surprised? There are quite a greens — may reduce the risk lower temperatures for longer decrease your risk of cancer number of studies showing of cancer. They are not magic periods of time and avoid or the risk of your cancer that large doses of specific foods to prevent cancer, but coming back, then keep burning or charring. vitamins may raise your they may somewhat reduce “your eye on the prize.” The Deep-fried foods increase cancer risk. If you are your risk. Breastfeeding, “prize” is your weight, not cancer risk. When oils are worried about cancer, get another nutrition factor, may anti-cancer foods or vitamins. raised and kept at a high your vitamins from food, lower a woman’s early breast Make sure you are within temperature, such as happens not supplements. If you do cancer risk. your reasonable weight range, in a deep fryer, the oil breaks use a vitamin supplement, Are there foods that may preferably at the lower end of down and results in cancermake sure that it does not increase cancer risk? Yes. the range. And move, move, causing chemicals in the oil. contain more than 100% Foods which are over-cooked, Also, luncheon meats and move. + the daily value (DV) of the burnt or charcoal-grilled processed meats (such as vitamin, unless the vitamin

Have a question about food, diet or nutrition? Post or private message your question on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/AskDrKarp) or email your question to askdrkarp@gmail.com If your question is chosen for a column, your name will be changed, to insure your privacy. Warren B. Karp, Ph.D., D.M.D. is Professor Emeritus at Augusta University. He has served as Director of the Nutrition Consult Service at The Dental College of Georgia and is past Vice Chair of the Columbia County Board of Health. You can fi nd out more about Dr. Karp and the download site for the public domain eBook, Nutrition for Smarties, at www.wbkarp.com Dr. Karp obtains no funding for writing his columns, articles or books and has no fi nancial or other interests in any food, book, nutrition product or company. His interest is only in providing freely-available, evidenced-based, scientific nutrition knowledge and education. The information is for educational use only; it is not meant to be used to diagnose, manage or treat any patient or client. Although Dr. Karp is a Professor Emeritus at Augusta University, the views and opinions expressed here are his and his alone and do not reflect the views and opinions of Augusta University or anyone else.

Dr. Karp

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Ask a Dietitian ANTIOXIDANTS: SUPER FOOD OR SUPER FAD? by Jennifer Peters, RDN Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center Have you ever been told that you should eat more dark chocolate or drink more red wine because they are packed with antioxidants? We’ve all heard about the health benefits of coffee, red wine, tea, dark chocolate, blueberries, dark leafy greens, and the “superfood” kale. But are these antioxidantcontaining foods really a cure-all for different diseases? And how do I navigate the confusing (and at times confl icting) messages surrounding the topic of antioxidants? Defining the terms To understand why antioxidants are beneficial, we need to start with defining free radicals. Free radicals are highly unstable and reactive molecules that form in the body and damage the healthy cells in the body. When healthy cells are damaged, we are at an increased the risk for cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and a myriad of other medical conditions. Free radicals can arise naturally through the body’s break down of food (metabolism). But they can also arise from environmental pollution, excessive sun exposure, smoking, alcohol, and unhealthful foods common in a typical American diet. So how do antioxidants help? Antioxidants bind to these highly unstable free radicals, which prevents them from damaging our healthy cells! Antioxidants are bountiful in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, and whole grain sources. Antioxidants are also split into different classifications, which include: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, carotenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols to name a few. What the research shows Overall research is clear on two things. First, we know that antioxidants are beneficial. A diet high in a variety of antioxidants is associated with disease prevention and decreased inflammation. Secondly, we know it is better to consume antioxidants from food sources over supplements. However, research

is vague and largely inconclusive regarding the effect that specific antioxidants have on specific disease states. The next time that you read an article that states that the flavonoids in dark chocolate are associated with a decreased risk in cardiovascular disease, remember that there are over 4,000 known flavonoids – and that is just one class of antioxidants. Due to the large number of antioxidants, it is difficult to fully understand the process of each antioxidant and the specific effect that it plays on a particular disease state. The reduction in the cardiovascular disease stems from the totality of the diet vs a single antioxidant. So, what is the major message? Focus on the food and not the antioxidant. A diet incorporating a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables and whole grains will inevitably be high in antioxidants. Sources of antioxidants Remember the goal: variety. • Vitamin A: eggs, meat, and dairy • Vitamin C: citrus fruits, bell peppers, and broccoli • Vitamin E: wheat germ, almonds, walnuts, and vegetable oil • Carotenoids: Most common and largest class of antioxidants. Includes lycopene, alpha and beta carotene, and lutein • Lycopene: tomatoes and watermelon • Lutein: leafy greens, corn, carrots, squash • Beta-carotene: carrots, sweet potatoes, peppers, and deep leafy greens. • Polyphenols: cherries, raspberries, blackberries, broccoli, green tea, red win, and dark chocolate • Selenium: seafood, lean meats, brazil nuts, and whole grains Focus on including a variety of whole and fresh foods in the diet, you will naturally consume variety of antioxidants to fight against wide range of diseases. Start your fall season out with warm bowl of Kale Sweet Potato Curry. This recipe is packed with

Please see ANTIOXIDANTS page 10

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H H H H H 9/27/2018 I don’t like to be a complainer, but my nose smells. No really. + H H H H H 9/27/2018 My boyfriend just gave me a nose ring! That means we’re engaged, right? I’m so excited! +

Ferdinand K. Augusta, GA

H H H H H 9/28/2018 I just started a new job today at a machine shop and my boss told me to keep my nose to the grindstone. Is that even legal? I avoided doing it all day today, but if he comes around my area tomorrow I guess I may have to. I really need this job. +

Jack H. Aiken, SC

H H H H H 9/28/2018 My kid made the football team this year, second string. But some of the starters got hurt, so now he’s been bumped up to first string. Great, right? No! He was an outside linebacker, but now they want him to be a nose tackle. Don’t do it, I told him. That’s targeting, I told him. Go for the midsection, I said. Go for the ankles, I told him. Well, the game is tonight. We’ll find out if he listens to the coaches or his own father. +

Alison T . Martinez, GA

ANTIOXIDANTS… from page 9 antioxidants, full of flavor, and only requires one dish! (recipe from the Minimalist Baker).

WE FIGHT FOR YOU

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OCTOBER 5, 2018

Ingredients: Curry: • 1 1⁄2 Tbsp coconut oil • 1 medium shallot • 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger • 2 Tbsp minced garlic • 1 mediuam Thai red chili • 3 Tbsp red curry paste • 1 large sweet potato, diced • 2 (14 oz) light coconut milk • 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup • 1 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric • Sea salt (to taste) • 1⁄4 c frozen green peas • 2 cups chopped kale • 1⁄2 roasted cashews • 1 medium lemon, juice For Serving • Lemon wedges • Basil or cilantro • Brown rice or quinoa • Steamed broccoli Instructions: • Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, shallot, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Sauté for 23 minutes, stirring frequently. • Add red curry paste and sweet potato, stir, and cook for 2 minutes more. • Add coconut milk, maple syrup, turmeric, and a pinch of salt and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. • Once simmering, add peas (optional) and slightly reduce heat. You want a simmer, not a boil, which should be around low to medium-low heat. • Cook for 5-10 minutes,

stirring occasionally, to soften the potato and peas and infuse them with curry flavor. • At this time, also taste and adjust the flavor of the broth as needed. I added more maple syrup for sweetness, sea salt for saltiness, and turmeric for a more intense curry flavor. You can also add more curry paste for more spice and intense curry flavor. Don’t be shy with seasonings - this curry should be very flavorful. • Once the broth is well seasoned and the potatoes are softened, add kale, cashews (optional) and lemon juice, and cover. Simmer for 3-4 minutes more over low to medium-low heat. • Serve over rice, quinoa, or steamed broccoli (broccoli and rice being my favorites). This dish gets elevated with the addition of more lemon juice and Thai or regular basil for serving. Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 4) Calories: 385, Fat: 26.6g, Saturated fat: 17.1g, Sodium: 660mg, Carbohydrates: 35.1g, Fiber: 3.5g, Sugar: 6.9g, Protein: 8g References: • Today’s Dietitian. Making Sense of Antioxidants. Great Valley Publishing Co. September 2008. Vol. 10. No. 9. P.50. • Today’s Dietitian. Antioxidants: The Carotenoid Color Wheel. Great Value Publishing Co. September 2016. Vol. 18. No. 9. P. 12. • Recipe: https:// minimalistbaker.com/kalesweet-potato-curry/ +

This little piggie went to Southern Comfort Shoes

H H H H H 10/1/2018 I’ve been looking for a job for A MONTH AND A HALF - and I mean practically all day every day - and getting nowhere! Nobody will give me the time of day, let alone set up an interview. Then I just heard that my friend Mandy, the absolute laziest person I know, is getting a nose job. How can one person pound the pavement for weeks and not get a job, and then someone else that it takes six people to pry their lazy butt off a couch can get a job without even trying? It’s so unfair. +

Bubba B. Augusta, GA

Kaylie G. McBean, GA

Mary Ann R. Jackson, SC

H H H H H 10/1/2018 My friend told me one time that you can pick your nose but you can’t pick your family. I’m still trying to figure out what that means. I think I got the first part, but I’m not really sure about the second. + H H H H H 10/2/2018 I never met my father. No, that privilege was taken from me with little concern for my feelings. You see, my father was an athlete who trained for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. After two years of dedicated training to fulfil his dream, in the final qualifying race he was beaten by a nose. Can you imagine anything more humiliating? To be beaten by a nose? After that he was a broken man. + H H H H H 10/2/2018 My husband said we could go to Cancun for our anniversary, but now he’s trying to back out of it because he says his business has taken a nosedive. I have cried and cried — and I’m not sure I even believe him because business seems the same as always — but he keeps telling me my nose is all bent out of shape for no reason. I’ve checked and it looks the same to me. It’s all so confusing. +

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

The blog spot From the Bookshelf — posted by Edward Lew, MD on September 26, 2018 (excerpt)

HERE’S WHY YOU WAIT IN THE ER All have to wait. As is normal with the busy ER, the ambient noises of machines, alarms ringing, painful moaning, and loud drunken outbursts permeate the department. It’s a controlled chaos. But a woman’s scream pierced my soul. Her eight-monthold boy lay limp in her arms. He’s already pale, lips blue, his chest not rising as it should with breathing — he is not responding at all. We wasted no time. We rapidly placed a breathing tube, started pushing on his tiny chest with our fingers to keep his heart beating, drilled an IV into his bones, and pushed in all the medications we could. Ten minutes passed. Nothing. Twenty minutes passed. Still nothing. For any other patient, we may check for heart movement and if it’s not moving, pronounce the time of death. Not for children. Never for children. We spent 45 minutes with this baby. Helpless, the time had finally come. We were all in agreement. Time of death: 0205. The heartbreak is not over though. Next is the mother. What can you say? Not much. I could only sit and try to absorb her grief, her disbelief , her guilt. What’s next? We move on. It’s a busy night ... the damage had already torn into me, but I had many more hours to work; patients are waiting. The next patient had been waiting for two hours. I took a pause, rubbing sanitizer between my cold hands a few seconds longer than usual to compose myself. What happened next etched itself into my mind as much as the tragedy that occurred minutes ago. The patient berated me. Yelled at me. “I have been waiting here for hours to see the doctor! What kind of place is this!? You’re supposed to take care of me, not leave me here waiting! I knew I should I have gone somewhere else!” “I’m sorry for the wait. It’s been busy,” was all I could muster. Perhaps, if this person knew what had just transpired, there could be some understanding. But we can’t say it. I can’t say a baby has just died. I can’t tell you that a sevenyear-old girl’s body was ripped by a stray bullet. I can’t mention that we just consoled a weeping family. I can’t. Our fast-paced culture demands speed and convenience. What we have lost, however, is compassion for others. Sometimes we are so self-absorbed, we cannot see past our own hospital gurney. Nowhere is this more apparent than the ER. Triage must happen. The ER is the great equalizer. For our patients, we recognize that this is one of the worst days of their life. We try to treat it that way. Unfortunately, in the ER, someone else is always sicker than you. No one likes excuses. If it was humanly possible, we’d evaluate everyone instantaneously. Waiting kills. We know this. That’s why we are continually developing ways to improve wait times. Yet, it’s not enough. People will wait. People have emergencies. Hospitals fill up. It’s sometimes difficult to wear another patient’s gown and step into their slippers, especially when we are hurting ourselves. But that’s what makes us human — why we value society. When we see a fiery crash on the freeway, we hope that no one is hurt and that there are survivors. We understand why we must stop our cars. Our basic instinct is to wish the best for people. The ER is an overwhelming place — especially for patients. Many factors contribute to the wait time — many behind the ER doors, beyond our control and past our patients’ sight. We may be in pain and we may be in need, but our compassion for others and our humanity can make it bearable. +

Someone else is always sicker than you.

Edward Lew is an emergency physician

It’s probably fitting that the cover of The Butchering Art is dark. The subject of surgery in centuries past can be a bit dark and ghastly, enough so that the book’s title is perfectly appropriate. But it’s the sub-title that makes this book worth reading: “Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine.” No one likes to experience the truth of an old maxim fi rst-hand, the one that says we learn from our mistakes. But perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in medicine. After all, in the days of our grandparents and great-grandparents, you didn’t usually go to a hospital to get better. A hospital stay was a bit like a stay on death row. Maybe there would be a lastminute pardon, but it wasn’t likely. The vastly improved state of healthcare today, imperfect though it still is, is the work of a handful of giants in medical history, and one of them — Joseph Lister — is a central character in this book. As its author, Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris, writes, the world

of surgery in the 1840s was a filthy business. Literally. The floor of an operating theater — accurately named for its ascending rows of seats crowded with medical voyeurs surrounding the wooden table upon which the unfortunate would lay — was ankle deep in sawdust to soak up the blood. Surgeon’s hands and aprons would be further saturated with blood from previous operations. As if it all wasn’t terrifying enough visually, the agonized screams of patients in the era just before the advent of anesthesia filled the air. We’ve come a long way,

haven’t we? Medical history may not always be pretty, but it is usually interesting. In the case of this well-researched book, it’s fascinating. The changes between then and now are amazing, as any reader of this book will see, but they were also extremely hard-won. Lister’s advocacy of sterile methods was one he doggedly pursued, but he had to do so because he was opposed at every turn by people just as dogmatic in their ignorance. In the end, sterile methods won out, and we are all the beneficiaries. It makes you wonder what routine practices of today’s healthcare landscape might someday be viewed as steeped in ignorance? If you like well-written history that keeps you turning pages, you’re probably going to like this book. +

The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine by Lindsey Fitzharris, 284 pages, published in October 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Research News Sugar is sweet Fake sugar? Not so much. Researchers in Israel discovered that bacteria in the digestive system became toxic when exposed to even minute amounts of six artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, neotame, advantame and acesulfame potassium-k) commonly found in sports supplements. Intestinal bacteria is the good kind, and researchers say their research shows that “consumption of artificial sweeteners adversely affects gut microbial activity which can cause a wide range of health issues.” The study also noted that artificial sweeteners have been identified as an emerging environmental pollutant, increasingly being detected in drinking and surface water and in underground aquifers.

DEET is not an insect repellent Even though that’s what we use it for. Last week, researchers at Rockefeller University released the results of their studies into exactly how DEET, a chemical widely used in bug sprays and insect repellents, works. It isn’t poison, which is one of the reasons why DEET is considered safe. Instead, DEET works by confusing and interfering with the sense of smell. Scientists discovered that the chemical doesn’t shut down all olfactory capabilities; it just confuses them. They tested the chemical on worms (DEET works on mosquitoes, flies, spiders, ticks, and many other pests) and found that, under the influence of DEET the worms avoided substances they normally are attracted to and weren’t as shy around other substances that ordinarily repel them. In summary, the

researchers say DEET is not so much an insect repellent as it is an invertebrate confusant. Stable is good An American Heart Association study released this week found that people with drastically fluctuating weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and/or blood sugar levels are at higher risk for heart attack and stroke than those with more stable readings, even if they’re on the high side. The massive study looked at data from more than 6.7 million people and factored in whether fluctuations were good (levels going down) or bad (levels going up). Surprisingly, it didn’t matter: high variability over more than 5 years was associated with a 41 percent higher risk of stroke and a 43 percent higher risk of heart attack. The study recommends that healthcare providers work to stabilize key bio-indicators. +

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

THE EXAMiNERS +

by Dan Pearson

Wonder why?

What’s bothering you? My feet are itching like crazy.

Don’t you have to be an athlete to have athlete’s I’m about to foot? You haven’t exercise my right exercised this century. to walk away.

If I had to guess I’d say athlete’s foot.

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Fort Gordon is one 5. Mr. Newton, familiarly 8. Northeast state 13. Continuous dull pain 14. Having wings 16. Abalone 17. Inflammation suffix 18. West ___ Virus 19. Amounts owed 20. Noted resort island 22. Glass container 23. South African golfer 24. Victory sign 25. Eisenhower, for short 27. It gets misspelled often 30. Paddle 31. Greek god of war 32. Policeman 33. Regional abbrev. 36. Search 37. Chopping tool 38. Breastbone 42. Flexible; stretchy 44. Container used for frying 45. Bedouin 47. Set of 52 48. Consumed 49. Biblical weed 50. Famous architect 52. Not pos. 53. Sick 54. Plant 55. Possesses 58. Fuss 60. Tool 63. Broaden 65. _____ biter 66. Slang for an alcoholic 67. Tissue swelling 68. Trigonometric function 69. Exchange for money

THE MYSTERY WORD The Mystery Word for this issue: REMUNST

! 3 E G A P E E S ! K A E R B N O

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 1

QUOTATIONPUZZLE

Click on “READER CONTESTS”

E F M R S S S I H S X Y A U L W I A E P O E T T M O O L E O

P O I O A R G E T T I T T N Y H U N H R R S N

70. Cooking herb 71. Lair 72. Joint above 56-D DOWN 1. Local college 2. Number system with 8 as its base (adj.) 3. They’re between 72-A and 56-D 4. Exam 5. Oncologist’s focus 6. Similar 7. Curiously, this sometimes comes before nurse and model 8. Downtown theater 9. Extent of space 10. Overlap, like scales or petals 11. Take-home 12. Trauma pt. destinations 15. Pension collector 21. Cavaliers’ school (abbrev.) 26. AU president 28. Some so-called friends are

said to be this 29. Tiny particle, as of dust 30. Paddle 31. Similar to 33. Senatorial channel 34. Declare 35. Rebels 39. Hills of Augusta 40. River and mountain range 41. Florida team 43. VW engine abbreviation 46. It can come before “careful” 50. Augusta springtime visitor 51. Female sheep 54. Group of connected bones 55. “Georgia’s Alpine Village” 56. Joint below 72-A 57. Genre 59. Prefix meaning half 61. Female servant 62. Surgeons wear one at work 63. One w of www 64. Former Gem State abbrev. Solution p. 14

— Janet Lane

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.

E X A M I N E R

8 8

2 3

8 1

1 4

9 9

5 6

9 7

S 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 keypad letters to convert numbers into words suggested by the definitions provided. Sample: 742 (body part) = RIB. Solution on page 14. 1. 2243 (chemical) ____

6. 2978 (abnormal body part) ____

2. 34237 (dietary element) _____

7. 687253 (body part) ______

3. 63783 (body part) _____

8. 847466 (body sense) ______

4. 7246 (symptom) ____

9. 76546 (disease) _____

5. 67426 (body part) _____

10. 76255769 (disease) ________

TEXT

OCTOBER 5, 2018

13 +

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

THEBESTMEDICINE

The

Advice Doctor

Moe: This article here says by law you have to turn on your headlights when it’s raining in England. Joe: How in the world am I supposed to know when it’s raining in England?

ha... ha...

Moe: You know what the difference is between plants and weeds? It’s nothing more than the difference between plants you want and those you don’t. Joe: It’s not that complicated. Moe: So what is the difference? Joe: If you try to grow something and it withers and dies, it’s a plant. If it thrives and flourishes, it’s a weed.

he phone rang at the Fort Gordon motor pool and an authoratative voice demanded to know how many vehicles were operational and available. The soldier said, “We’ve got 15 Jeeps, ten Moe: I want my money back on this Star transport trucks, six staff cars and the limo Wars gummy bear collection I bought. that fat-assed general uses.” Joe: Why? After an icy silence the soldier heard, “Do Moe: They’re all chewy. you know who you are speaking to?” “No, sir,” said the soldier. Moe: We have ants. “This is the so-called fat-assed general you Joe: So I’ve noticed. I also saw them doing so insubordinately and disrespectfully referred a dance on the lid our honey jar. to.” Moe: Why would they do that? “Well, do you know who you are talking to?” Joe: I couldn’t figure that out either. Then I asked the soldier. noticed on the lid it says “twist to open.” “No!” roared the general. “Good!” said the soldier, and hung up the Moe: How did your job interview at phone. Windsor Jewelers go? Joe: Pretty good, I hope. Moe: What do you call it when someone is Moe: What do you mean, you hope? going to bake cookies, eats the batter instead of Joe: Well, when they asked me about my putting it in the oven, and then gets sick? previous experience I told them I was a Joe: An overdoughse? diamond cutter. Moe: Uh oh. Moe: What do you call a flea on a bald man’s Joe: You think they’ll find out I used to head? mow the field for the Green Jackets? + Joe: Homeless.

Why subscribe to theMEDICALEXAMINER? What do you mean? Staring at my phone all day has had no affect on ME!

Because try as they might, no one can stare at their phone all day.

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Dear Advice Doctor, I have three teenagers, and I have to say, they’re great kids. They have never rebelled or been disrespectful to us as their parents. They get good grades and are obedient. They do chores promptly and without complaining. Sounds perfect, right? I keep thinking maybe they’re too perfect. What if they’re only acting like model kids to get more freedom so they can do things they know we wouldn’t approve? How can I determine what their true charcter is? — No Real Proof, Just a Gut Feeling Dear No Real Proof, I applaud your courage in bringing up this subject. For some reason it’s an awkward or uncomfortable topic for many people to admit to having, even though tens of millions of Americans have gut feelings ranging from ulcers and ulcerative colitis to irritable bowel syndrome, chronic indigestion, diarrhea, heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD), hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, abdominal pain, chronic constipation and more. Some of the conditions in this list afflict up to 75 percent of the population of certain age groups; chronic constipation alone is a problem for more than 60 million people in the U.S. according to the American Journal of Gastroenterology. There are a number of good reasons to listen to what your body is telling you by its various gastrointestinal symptoms. First, help is available. Why suffer through months or years of discomfort unnecessarily? Answer: as stated above, because people are often embarrassed to talk about these issues. There’s no reason for that. Doctors have seen practically everything before they even graduate from medical school. Specialists like gastroenterologists make digestive issues their everyday life, so it certainly isn’t embarrassing to them. Secondly, sometimes we imagine the problem (or the cure) to be far worse than it actually is. And so, in a true twist of irony, we do what makes zero sense: nothing. But what if a doctor told you to simply slow down and chew more thoroughly? Or to avoid one certain food that’s causing all your problems? Either one or both are realistic possibilities, and are about as non-invasive as it gets. So the next time someone tells you, “follow your gut,” take them up on the invitation and follow your gut right into your doctor’s office. Get some help. Get some relief. + Do you have a question for The Advice Doctor about life, love, personal relationships, career, raising children, or any other important topic? Send it to News@AugustaRx.com. Replies will be provided only in the Examiner.

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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. Limited sizes are available for shirt prize. 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.

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IT’S A QUESTION OF CARE What are some social activities for older adults? This is a great question, since as people age, their circle of close friends typically diminishes. Eventually, they can often feel as if everyone else has died and they are the only one left. To go along with that, if they

are experiencing cognitive and/or physical decline, they are not as apt to search out new experiences and socialization. Therefore, your loved one often needs you to help create a framework for them to participate with others who have similar interests and with whom they can enjoy some leisure time. Examples of these opportunities might include church activities, particularly if they were actively involved in their church at one time. Now it could just be a matter of having someone pick them up to get them there. You can certainly help coordinate those rides for your loved one, getting them to church on Sunday morning, take them in and sitting with them during the service. Most community

recreation centers have an abundance of programming for seniors, everything from card games to athletic or exercise activities, social events, and concerts or other cultural programs. It might be that you or another family member or friend can encourage your loved one to go, or you might call your loved one’s friend and suggest they all go together as a group. Remember that as people get older they sometimes are not motivated to coordinate such outings, or cognitively aren’t able to do so, but that doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy them if they do them. The gym is a great place to have socialization and also exercise. Many local gyms have Silver Sneakers programs. Other gyms have their own programs specifically designed for older adults. If your loved

MEDICALEXAMINER

one can be dropped off and be appropriately safe, this is a great chance for you, if you are the caregiver, to have some time for yourself. Yet another formal setting for activity, stimulation, and appropriate social, cognitive and physical engagement is an Adult Day Center. Locally there are two in Aiken and three in Augusta. Check with them for rates and transportation services. This can be a great way for your loved one to spend a morning, an afternoon or all day with people who are facing similar cognitive or physical challenges. It also gives you, their primary caregiver, a welcome break. + by Amy Hane, a licensed Master Social Worker in South Carolina and Georgia, an Advanced Professional Aging Life Care Manager and also a Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager.

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Drop by Facebook today and click “Like” on our page. The addresss is below. Thanks in advance!

ACTIVE.ALIVE: AUGUSTA – a family-friendly event to promote healthy lifestyles as well as bicycle, motorcycle, and pedestrian safety – will be held Sunday, October 7 at Augusta Commons in downtown Augusta beginning at 1 pm with a motorcycle parade on Broad Street from 7th to 10th streets (closed for the event) that continues on a charity ride, plus a family bike ride and walk from 1 to 4 p.m. Health and active lifestyle vendors, as well as food stands, will be on hand. Families who have lost loved ones due to bicycle, motorcycle, or pedestrian tragedies are welcome to sign a memorial banner. Proceeds will benefit Fighting to Win, Inc., an area nonprofit that provides physical, mental, and emotional support to people with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases in an intensive exercise program. For more information – to sponsor, be a vendor, or attend -- see www.activealive.org, call (706) 799-9506 or email info@activealive.org. +

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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY +

ALLERGY

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

AMBULANCE SERVICE

AMBULANCE • STRETCHER • WHEELCHAIR

706-863-9800

CHIROPRACTIC Evans Chiropractic Health Center Dr. William M. Rice 108 SRP Drive, Suite A 706-860-4001 www.evanschiro.net

COUNSELING

LONG TERM CARE

DENTISTRY

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

WOODY MERRY www.woodymerry.com Long-Term Care Planning I CAN HELP! Floss ‘em (706) 733-3190 • 733-5525 (fax) or lose ‘em!

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

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

Resolution Counseling Professionals 3633 Wheeler Rd, Suite 365 Augusta 30909 706-432-6866 Karen L. Carter, MD www.visitrcp.com 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 Augusta 30901 706-396-0600 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com Your Practice And up to four additional lines of your choosing and, if desired, your logo. Keep your contact information in Steppingstones to Recovery this convenient place seen by tens of 2610 Commons Blvd. thousands of patients every month. Augusta 30909 Literally! Call (706) 860-5455 for all 706-733-1935 the details

DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS

YOUR LISTING HERE

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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

SENIOR LIVING

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

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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

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Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community 3725 Wheeler Road Augusta 30909 Augusta Area Healthcare Provider SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 706-868-6500 Prices from less than $100 for six months www.augustagardenscommunity.com CALL 706.860.5455 TODAY!

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