Your Health

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THOMAS SIMONETTI | tsimonetti@mdn.net

Bart Bremmer, 80, of Midland does the backstroke at the Midland Community Center. On this day he swam a half a mile, which he said he does four to five times a week.

Swimming provides full-body workout area’s waterways. He was taught by a man at a local pool.

“He not only taught me how to swim, he made swimming tlascari@mdn.net desirable for me,” Bremmer said. Lessons from his youth he swimmer bobs up and down in the water as he uses turned into a lifelong love of swimming, which now comes a breaststroke to ease his way from the south end of the naturally. “It sticks with you,” he said. “You feel good when pool to the north, and you swim.” slowly back again. The smell Bremmer and 14 other men of chlorine fills the humid air and women from the commuin the Midland Community nity are part of a group that’s Center east pool. put some major miles in the Bart Bremmer is at home in pool. Ranging in age from the water. early 40s to late 80s, the mem“Swimming is still one of bers have nearly 70,000 miles my favorite pastimes,” the 80under their belts, with each year-old Midland resident said achieving a major milestone after getting out of the pool. “I mark of 1,000, 5,000 or 10,000 hope I am able to keep it up a miles. Bremmer has more than long time.”

2,000.

Bremmer has already been at Beth Smith, aquatics manit for nearly 75 years. He first ager at the MCC, said there learned to swim at 6 years old are many physical benefits to while growing up in The Nethswimming, including being erlands. His father wanted to easy on people’s joints and make sure he knew how to Bart Bremmer, 80, of Midland is part of a swimming group at resulting in less soreness than swim because other relatives the Midland Community Center. Bremmer is originally from The with other activities. and friends had drowned in the Netherlands, where he learned to swim at the age of 6.

“It can lower blood pressure

BY TONY LASCARI

T

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THOMAS SIMONETTI | tsimonetti@mdn.net

Bart Bremmer, 80, of Midland does the breast stroke in the lap pool at the Midland Community Center. and increase all-around blood flow,” Smith said. “It’s an all-around full-body workout.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that exercising in water offers many physical and mental health benefits and is a good choice for people who want to be more active. Studies have found two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity — such as swimming, bicycling or running — can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses and lead to improved health for people with diabetes and heart disease.

People can exercise longer in water than on land without increased effort or joint or muscle pain, and people report enjoying water-based exercise more than exercising on land, the CDC reported. In addition, water-based exercise can benefit older adults by improving their quality of life and decreasing disability. It also can improve or maintain the bone health of post-menopausal women.

Smith said it’s worth giving swimming a try, even for people who may have never tried to swim before. The MCC offer classes and has regular swimming hours with lifeguards on duty.

“You can start at any level, at any age,” she said. “It’s a sport that you can do the rest of your life.”

The MCC east pool is open from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. There also are hours at the H.H. Dow High School pool from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The City of Midland’s Plymouth Park Pool also typically offers swimming lessons and open swimming hours during the summer months.

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Milestone swimmers at Community Center Dominic Favara Virginia Miller Bud Carpenter Ruth Brown Marilyn Ketola Vishu Dosaj Bob Pierce William Marklewitz

14,379 miles 13,790 9,860 5,744 3,900 3,100 2,921 2,779

Bart Bremmer Paula Carr Larry Piper Mark Snyder Bob Markey Louie Meisel Alice Strange Total:

2,209 2,152 2,087 1,406 1,389 1,300 1,016 68,032 miles

Bart Bremmer, 80, of Midland takes a break from swimming in the pool at the Midland Community Center.

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Win at losing: Manage your weight the healthy way M

ore than 60 percent of adults in the United States are considered obese or overweight, so it’s no surprise that weight loss is among the most popular New Year’s resolutions.

It may be tempting to try something exotic and short-term for fast weight loss — an all-kumquat diet, perhaps, or a one-weekend exercise marathon. But it wouldn’t be healthy, and any weight you lost would probably be back in a heartbeat.

If you want to lose weight, a longterm program of healthy eating and exercise is still the best method around. It’s not new, and it may not be the fad of the moment. But for most people, it works.

Check your BMI: How do you know if you’re overweight or obese? One way to check is your body mass index (BMI) —

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Both obesity and being overweight can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.

What’s on your plate? A healthy eating plan for weight loss combines fewer calories with more nutrition. You can achieve both with a diet that: • Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. • Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts. • Limits saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt and

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5 added sugars.

• Controls portion sizes.

You should aim to lose between 1 and 2 pounds per week.

It’s both a healthy and realistic goal. For many people, that requires eating 500 to 1,000 fewer calories daily. One trick that works for many people: Keep a record of everything you eat. It may help you spot problem areas in your diet.

Time to get active: Exercise is good for you in so many ways.

Of course, it helps you manage your weight by burning calories. But it also: • Lowers your risk for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions.

• Strengthens your lungs and muscles.

• Improves your sleep.

Most adults should aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week to meet weightcontrol goals. The more you exercise — and the more vigorous it is — the better. Start slowly and build up. Ten-minute chunks of exercise throughout the day, such as a brisk walk, can help you meet your goals.

Resolve to live healthier: Losing weight can be a challenge, but you don’t have to do it alone. MidMichigan Health has experts who see weight loss differently. They know it’s not just about achieving a particular weight or body shape; it’s about improving your health, resolving weight-related medical conditions and giving you the energy to do the things you love.

MidMichigan Health offers a comprehensive weight-management program with a variety of approaches and support that you need to succeed. Program options include the “Am I Hungry” workshop series (see related story), bariatric surgery, group exercise classes, personal training, nutrition counseling and wellness coaching.

To learn more about these programs, call MidMichigan Health Line toll-free at (800) 999-3199.

‘Am I Hungry?’ program helps with weight loss

J

eannette Ferguson, like many people, battled her weight for years, until the day she walked into a session of MidMichigan Health’s “Am I Hungry?” weight loss program with Family Medicine Physician Jennifer Morse, M.D. That day, Ferguson knew she’d found the missing piece to her weight loss puzzle.

Here was a doctor who saw weight loss differently.

The turning point came as Ferguson approached the age of 50 — the age at which her father died. She was 60 pounds overweight and not healthy.

Her cholesterol was climbing.

She knew high blood pressure and diabetes (which runs in her family) could be right around the corner. She also knew the best way to avoid those issues was to make a difference in her health — by losing the extra weight and then keeping it off.

Jeannette and Steve Ferguson of Midland lost a total of 53 pounds so far by managing their weight the healthy way.

The problem was, Ferguson didn’t know where to begin.

She’d tried different diets.

She thought she was making healthy eating choices. She felt like a piece of the puzzle was missing.

“I was ready,” said Ferguson. “I’d been on a long journey to find the right answer for me.”

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‘I was ready’ Then she saw an advertisement in the newspaper about the “Am I Hungry?� program. The ad described how people can change the patterns in their lives with good eating habits. Ferguson approached the first class with an open mind.

When she heard the presentation by Dr. Morse, Ferguson said, “This is the missing piece. They’re speaking my language.�

Through the Am I Hungry? program, she learned that although she was eating healthy foods, she was eating too much of them. She also realized that she was eating when she wasn’t really hungry. “Now, I wait until I’m hungry to eat. And then I think about what my body needs. I don’t just eat anything,� said Ferguson. “I think about what I want to eat first, and then I eat that item first.�

Jeannette and her husband, Steve, have lost a total of 53 pounds by managing their weight the healthy way.

ALL IN THE FAMILY Rodnick’s sons, daughter, wife involved in profession

BY MIKE SPENCER Mspencer@mdn.net

C

orey Rodnick can actually proclaim the Rodnick Chiropractic Life Centers practice what they preach. The motto is helping you raise a healthy family and Rodnick is raising a healthy family of chiropractors.

Three of his sons, Adam, 27, Alex, 24, and Paul, 23, are licensed chiropractors.

Rodnick’s other son, Neil, 26, and daughter, Sara, 19, are studying to be chiropractors at the Life University in Marietta, Ga. And his wife, now 53, is also studying at Life University to become a chiropractor. “I think it’s awesome, amazing and cool,� Rodnick said of his children and wife following in his footsteps. “It’s really a great profession.

“I’m pretty happy that they are going to have like charmed lives.� “A lot of people think that’s strange or unusual to have a family of chiropractors,� said Alex Rodnick, who started practicing in June 2009. “But we’ve known what we’ve wanted to do since we were little kids so it doesn’t seem that strange to us.� “We’re not the only family like this in chiropractic,� said Paul Rodnick, who started practicing in September 2009. “Chiropractic itself is a lifestyle of its own and growing up we never took any medications or pain killers. “We grew up being chiropractic and when you know something works, you want to spread it.�

Alex Rodnick, who was the youngest licensed chiropractor in the state before his brother Paul upstaged him by getting

“We grew up being chiropractic and when you know something works, you want to spread it.�

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for the Daily News | MIKE SPENCER

The Rodnick chiropractic family, from left,Alex,Toni, Corey, Paul and Neil, stand near a chart of the skeleton of the human body inside the Midland clinic. Alex, Paul and Corey Rodnick are chiropractors and Neil and Toni are studying to be chiropractors at Life University, Marietta, Ga.

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All in the family a license at 21 years old, said it’s not a surprise that all the kids followed dad’s lead.

The Rodnicks, who graduated from H.H. Dow High School, grew up spending a lot of time on the road while dad attended seminars. “We were the loud obnoxious kids in the back of the room making noise, but sometimes you actually listened and then picked up little gems here and there,� Alex said.

Today, Alex cannot get enough of chiropractic. “I love it,� he said. “I love working with people and seeing miracles every day. “It’s really amazing.�

While the average age for becoming a licensed chiropractor is 29, the Rodnick clan knew from the beginning their career choice and got on the education fast track, graduating early from high school and taking college courses while in high school.

With the influx of family members and non-family chiropractors, Rodnick has clinics not only in Midland, but also in Clare, Saginaw and Commerce Township. Adam operates the down-

state office. “What we do is we deal with the central and peripheral nervous system and we remove any interferences or pinching on the nerve or nerves that

“What we do is we deal with the central and peripheral nervous system and we remove any interferences or pinching on the nerve or nerves that interfere with the body’s ability to communicate with itself and heal.� interfere with the body’s ability to communicate with itself and heal,� Alex said. “The body is a self-organizing, self-healing organism. “It just needs the interference removed.�

He said the job can be tough on him.

“It’s very physically demanding, which I knew was the case,� Alex said. “But sometimes it catches you off guard and now I need an adjustment.�

But the job at the clinic comes with benefits. “It’s nice working and being around other chiropractors,� he said. “You can have yourself adjusted as well.�

Toni Rodnick, who was studying pre-med at Wayne State before getting married and having five children, has worked at the chiropractic clinics doing payroll and billing.

Going back to the classroom hasn’t been easy for the former Phi Beta Kappa woman. “What was I thinking? I keep asking myself that,� she said. “With Sara leaving home, I figured if I don’t go now, I’ll never get back to school. So far it’s been an interesting challenge.�

Corey Rodnick was studying pre-med at Wayne State, planning to become a cardiac surgeon, when he accidentally got hooked on chiropractic medicine.

He was loading logs onto a truck when he inadvertently grabbed an uncut 22-foot long log. “I threw it like it was just one of the regular logs and I hit the floor. I heard a crunching noise and I was paralyzed,� he recalled.

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All in the family He went to an emergency room and was scheduled for disc surgery when his father encouraged him to go to a chiropractor.

“I said ‘Heck no, they cripple people,’” Rodnick said. “He said, ‘Son, you are crippled any way, you’ve got nothing to lose.’”

After being carried into the chiropractic office, he was adjusted and was able to walk out.

“Two weeks later I was in chiropractic school because I wanted to know what that guy did to me,” Corey Rodnick said. “I didn’t get it. It was like somebody lied to me about chiropractors.

“I always thought they were like evil, nasty bad guys. All of a sudden this guy was like a miracle.”

While it took years and a Supreme Court ruling in 1987 to eliminate the “quackery label” from chiropractic medicine, Corey Rodnick never wavered.

Rodnick incorporated in 1984 and opened the Rodnick Center in Midland in 1985.

“We weren’t the ones who came up with the diet, rest and exercise thing so you can live longer and be healthier,”

Rodnick said. “It’s been going on for 100 years. The only reason we exist is because what we do works well.”

Rodnick said chiropractic schools teach different methods of practice.

He learned from a school that preaches bone movement and manipulation.

“Patients might come a few times to get out of pain,” Rodnick said. “Others just want to be healthy or stop the spine degeneration.

“It’s really up to you. How healthy do you want to get? All I know is chiropractic adds life to years and years to life.”

Some things in chiropractic studies have changed since he went to school.

So having his children involved now has created a good exchange of new and old ideas about what works best.

The Rodnicks are also involved in setting up a statewide elementary school program to teach kids about the spines, backpack safety and spinal hygiene.

“We’re trying to do what the dentists did years ago,” Paul Rodnick said. “We want kids to grow up learning to take care of themselves and have healthy spines.”

It’s the same kind of education Paul Rodnick learned first-hand from dad.

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Team approach for cancer treatment — nurse navigator serves as guide for patients

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n estimated 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. In the past, the word “cancer� meant death, but today it is a fight.

To help patients make a plan of attack, many hospitals offer the services of a special kind of nurse, a nurse navigator. These nurses are trained in cancer care and serve as guides and support patients through the challenges of having cancer.

St. Mary’s of Michigan Oncology Nurse Navigator Nancy Topham does her part to assist women through breast cancer treatment by offering experience, expertise and compassion to her patients. She does this by guiding patients through their course of treatment and providing them with additional resources and answering their questions. “Cancer can be overwhelming because patients are often in shock and suddenly have to deal with multiple health care providers,� said Topham. “What I do is help shoulder some of the load by guiding the patient through the process and make everything a little more manageable.�

One of the steps in the cancer treatment process often is a mastectomy. This removal of breast tissue leaves its mark on the patient even after the cancer is in remission. Reconstructive surgery is often called upon as the solution.

William J. Pittas, D.O., plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon for St. Mary’s of Michigan, sees many breast reconstruction patients in his Saginaw Township and Mount Pleasant offices. Like Topham, Pittas also helps patients through the cancer recovery process.

Pittas works collaboratively with the rest of the treatment team — the primary care provider, oncologist, general/breast surgeon and even a dermatologist to guide and assist the patient in making decisions that affect her health, comfort and appearance. He will also work with the physical therapist to assure the best healing and rehabilitation after surgery.

A graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pittas completed an internship at Thomas Jefferson Health System in Philadelphia and a general surgery residency at Henry Ford Health System. He completed two fellowship training programs — one at the University of Chicago in facial plastic and body cosmetic surgery and another in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Henry Ford Health System. “Dr. Pittas is a breath of fresh air! I have great respect for a young physician who shows so much compassion and kindness at such a scary time,â€? said one of his Saginaw patients who had breast reconstruction. “He listens. He never rushes. He makes you feel like you matter ‌ I am just through the third stage of the process, and am very happy with my results so far.â€?

To learn more, schedule a consultation with Dr. Pittas by calling (989) 497-3157.

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Law allows 16-year-olds to give blood donations

BY TONY LASCARI tlascari@mdn.net

M

ichigan’s 16-year-old residents can now roll up their sleeves to help the community in a new, lifesaving way by donating blood.

Michigan previously required donors be at least 17 years old. State Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, introduced the bill known as “Jenna’s Law” after his daughter, Jenna, was not allowed to donate blood at her high school when she was 16.

Michigan Blood, a nonprofit organization that provides blood and blood products for dozens of hospitals across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula including those in Midland and other area counties, began accepting 16-year-old donors on Jan. 3. Parental or guardian consent forms are available at www. miblood.org.

Donors who are h e a l t h y, w e i g h 1 1 0 pounds or more and have a photo ID or two pieces of non-photo ID may be eligible to donate blood every 56 days. Donors 17 years old or older do not require parental consent.

High school blood drives will gain a wider pool of potential donors because of the new law.

Michigan Blood spokesman Sean Dailey said the organization operated 330 blood drives at high schools statewide in the last year, collecting 12,346 pints of blood. That accounts for about 12 percent of the organization’s overall blood supply, Dailey said.

“With this law, we’re estimating a conservative 20 percent increase in (donations),” he said of high school drives.

Blood donations took a hit with the economy, as manufacturing plants and work sites shut down, closing places where blood collections regularly occurred, Dailey said.

“We’re hoping this will help offset those losses,” he said.

The American Red Cross, which collects blood in some parts of the state, said the opportunity to work with 16 year olds will also help educate parents about the importance of blood donation.

“This action by Michigan leaders makes the precious gift of life more available to Michigan patients, and improves the quality of health care in our state,” said Sharon Jaksa, CEO for the Great Lakes Region of the American Red Cross.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the state officials who acted decisively to make this bill become law.”

The new law was supported by Michigan Blood, the American Red Cross, Michigan State Medical Society, Michigan Health & Hospital Association and the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Michigan is the 40th state to allow 16-year-old blood donors.

“This action

by Michigan leaders makes the precious gift of life more available to Michigan patients, and improves the quality of health care in our state.”

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Walking the talk Group meets at mall for weekly stroll, fellowship T H O M A S S I M O N E T T I | Ron Vesterfelt, PAGE 12 76, walks past Barnes and Noble in the Midland Mall. Vesterfelt and others from the Primetime club walk the mall for exe

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BY TONY LASCARI tlascari@mdn.net

A morning walk and breakfast with friends has been a weekly tradition for the Christian Celebration Center’s Prime Time group for years.

Helen Vesterfelt, who coordinates the group with her husband, Ron, said the tradition helps keep the 50 and older crowd active.

“It keeps us going and keeps us moving,” she said. “Some people have tried to lose weight and it’s worked for that, and it helps us keep our brains sharp.”

The Thursday morning workout starts at the Midland Mall as the group members put on their walking shoes and do a route through the mall for about 30 minutes. Then it’s time for breakfast, conversation and service projects with the 25 to 30 members, Vesterfelt said. | t s i or exercise on Thursday mornings.

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THOMAS SIMONETTI | tsimonetti@mdn.net

Members of the Prime Time group have breakfast after walking the Midland Mall on a recent Thursday morning for exercise.The mall doors open 8 a.m. and the walkers get going around 8:30 a.m.

PRIME TIME: Group enjoys weekly stroll, fellowship “Some walk outside in the summer and some walk to the mall in the summer,” she said. “It’s nice out there and it’s a good place to meet.”

Walking 30 to 60 minutes a day is a great way to exercise, according to Sabrina Buchalski, a physical therapist with Rehabilitation Services at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland.

“Walking is basically good for anybody,” she said. “It’s a good way to get started on an exercise program.”

Walking is a relatively low impact exercise that is still weight-bearing, so it can encourage bone growth, Buchalski said. It also can help lower LDLs, or bad cholesterol, and raise HDLs, or good cholesterol. And walking can help lower blood pressure, reduce weight and improve people’s moods, she said.

Walking at the mall, gym or another indoor facility is a good option in the winter, but people can also walk outdoors as long as there is a path that is free of snow

and ice, Buchalski said.

When walking, it’s best to start slow for about 5 minutes to allow the muscles to warm. And, stretching is important. Buchalski recommends stretching after the warm up or after the walk is completed.

Some people split their walking into three bouts of 10 minutes a day, while others do the whole 30 minutes at once.

“You want to feel like you’re getting your heart rate up,” Buchalski said. “You want to feel like you’re working, but still able to talk with someone.”

Another tip: Get shoes that feel good as you walk around the store.

“Make sure you wear a good shoe,” Buchalski said. “It should be comfortable to wear and have arch support.”

For Vesterfelt, one of the best parts about walking is getting to do it with friends.

“I try to keep them moving and motivated,” she said.

ON PREVIOUS PAGE: Ron Vesterfelt, 76, walks past Barnes & Noble in the Midland Mall. Vesterfelt and others from the Prime Time group walk the mall for exercise on Thursday mornings. Photo by Thomas Simonetti PAGE 14

your health 1-23 14

1/13/11 11:49:06 AM

Advice for a healthy 2011

BY BRYCE MARTIN for the Daily News

W

ere you one of the many people who made a resolution for the new year? If so, there may still be hope of achieving success.

Research shows, however, that about 80 percent of the people who made New Year’s resolutions tend to fail at their goals by Valentine’s Day, according to Marti Hope Gonzales, associate professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota.

Three wellness experts from MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland have provided tips on ways to stay on course and find longterm success to staying healthy in 2011 and beyond.

Tina Parsons, employee wellness and fitness supervisor, gave five steps for attaining a proper fitness level during anytime of the year.

1. Assess your fitness level “Whether you do this on your own or you seek out a personal trainer, it doesn’t really matter — it is just getting a starting point,” Parsons said. It can be as simple as finding your pulse, taking it for 10 seconds, walking a mile and taking your pulse again after that mile to see how high it raised.

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your health 1-23 15

1/13/11 11:49:11 AM

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“As you get more conditioned, your pulse rate won’t go up as high,� she said.

Recording body measurements before starting a program is also important.

2. Design your fitness program “In order to design your program, you need to know what your goals are,� she said. “So what are the one or two main goals you want to start with?�

For example, do you want to lose weight or run in a marathon? Or are you an older person wanting to live independently or who wants to get down on the floor and play with your grandchildren? “It’s really important people pick activities they like to do,� she said. “If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t stick with it.�

Go at a comfortable pace. Ultimately, for heart health, accumulating 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week is optimal. “Best laid plans in your mind are great, but they will never come to fruition if you don’t schedule them,� she said.

3. Get equipment together If all you want to do is walk, you need to have a good pair of shoes. If you want to do something at home with some resistance training, you may need to invest in some dumbbells or tubing. “I would encourage people to shop around — some places offer different activities,� she said. “Share a personal trainer with friends to make it more affordable and it adds to your commitment.�

4. Once you start It is very important not to rush into exercise. Include a warm up, a cool down and some stretching in your workout.

5. Monitor your progress Assess your beginning level and, two or three weeks later, do the same test again to see if you have improved. “If you find you’re not getting better, it may be time to see a personal trainer because you may not be on the right track as far as improving your fitness level,� she said.

If you feel like you are sore, take a day off. “Soreness and pain are definitely different,� she said. “You can expect soreness, but if there is pain and you aren’t recovering after a day, then there might be something wrong. Somebody a little older or with existing medical conditions may need to first consult a doctor for clearance before exercise.�

Mary Jane Hoshaw, food and nutrition services manager, wants people to be healthy through their eating habits with four important tips on eating wisely.

1. Eat three meals a day “One of the things I think people can do for any meal really is to include three food groups,� Hosaw said.

A slice of whole grain toast with a low-fat dairy product and a fruit serving will provide adequate nutrition in the morning, the most important meal of the day. “Rather than giving specific suggestions, I think it is better for people to think through how many food groups are represented in their meals,� she said.

2. Consider food color “When at the grocery store or making suggestions off a menu, consider the color of foods,� she said. “That’s actually going to be the National Nutrition Month theme this year — to

PAGE16

your health 1-23 16

1/14/11 1:37:15 PM

Healthy advice for 2011 eat right with color.�

Colorful foods such as broccoli, red peppers and carrots have a higher content of nutrients and antioxidants.

Blueberries are one of the most powerful food choices with their dark blue color. Pomegranates and açai berries also are good and have a deep red color. “There’s not one food or one thing that is going to turn your health picture around. It needs to be about balancing things,â€? she said.

3. Be self-aware “I think there are still people who don’t feel comfortable reading food labels and understanding what they mean,� she said.

When you read a food label, you need to understand how big a serving size is. For example, the nutrition label on a bag of chips might say it only has eight grams of fat, but how many servings are in that bag? “For some people, I think it can be really helpful to keep a food log or record and that helps them to be self aware of not only what they’re eating but how much they’re eating,� she said.

4. Be realistic “This is the time of year when you hear a lot about various fads, but a better plan is to look at your lifelong health needs and to set some realistic goals on things you can do to implement for the rest of your life,� she said.

Dr. Phillip Kadaj agrees with the diet and exercise tips, but also offered these suggestions: 1. Quit smoking “The number one thing is to stop smoking,� Kadaj said.

There are plenty of ways for people to do so, including nicotine patches, using the new e-cigarettes and pharmacotherapy.

2. Lose excess weight through dieting “The thing I tell people the most after that is to lose weight,� he said. A body mass index under 25 is a healthy weight, 25 to 30 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. “Online there are a lot of different tools to calculate your healthy weight and try to lose that weight through diet and exercise,� he said. “There are a lot of fad diets out there, but a healthy diet to me is just a well-balanced diet that is high in fruits and vegetables.

People should eat whole grains as opposed to processed grains, at least four to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, low-fat or nonfat dairy, and avoid saturated fats and trans fats. If you have meat, grill it or cook it in a healthy way, and stay away from fried foods and fast food.

3. Exercise “It’s tough this time of year with the lack of sunlight and everyone being indoors, but you want to exercise at least 30 minutes a day of moderate cardiovascular exercise most days of the week, and that is a minimum,� he said.

People should expect a heart rate elevated anywhere from 120 to 140 beats per minute. For people at risk of bone loss, such as older women, it is important to do weight training as well.

4. See your physician regularly “A yearly physical at the bare minimum,� he said. “Get in there, get some blood work done and get a clean bill of health.�

The easiest way to stay healthy and not catch colds during the winter months is to wash your hands regularly with soap and water. The alcohol hand washes work as well. “You don’t have to go crazy with the hand washing, but if you’re around someone who is sick or using common items at work, make sure you wash your hands regularly,� he said.

If you are sick, stay home until you are feeling better. “If you go in, you’re just going to make other people sick,� he said.

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PAGE 17

your health 1-23 17

1/13/11 11:49:19 AM

BY TOM MURPHY AP Business Writer

T

Should I buy a policy before more companies leave the market or rates climb even higher?

Not necessarily. The best thing to do is shop around.

The premium increases aren’t a sign that all prices are about to soar. Waves of rate hikes and consolidation have hit the industry in the past.

Some policyholders will go several years without a rate hike. Aside from insurer assumptions on interest rates or use, increases also depend on the amounts state regulators require an insurer to keep in reserve to pay claims.

What’s the right age to buy one of these policies?

There’s no magic number. Most people buy these policies between ages 55 and 64, Slome said.

Don’t wait too long to sign up, but don’t start coverage too early. Insurers can’t hike rates individually because a policyholder has aged, but they base your initial premium in part on your age. The older you get, the more expensive that premium becomes, especially if your health deteriorates.

What are the keys to finding the right policy?

Read a policy’s coverage definitions to make sure they match what you want. Policies offer dozens of permutations such as different daily benefit amounts, coverage lengths and ways to protect against inflation. An independent insurance agent, a financial planner or an attorney — or all three — can advise you before you commit to a plan.

Is long-term care coverage worth it?

It can be a gamble. Customers might pay annual premiums exceeding $2,000 for years before making a claim, or they may never use the coverage. But skipping coverage can prove costly, too. The most expensive form of long-term care, a private nursing home stay, can run more than $200 a day or more than $70,000 a year.

Questions to consider on long-term care coverage

he market for long-term care insurance grew even more foreboding for some consumers last year when big insurers announced sizeable premium hikes.

Insurers that provide coverage for a nursing home stay, adult day care or a home health aide have seen higher-than-expected claims at the same time their ability to grow a cash cushion has been hampered by low interest rates. Because of the squeeze, MetLife Inc. recently stopped selling coverage and Genworth Financial Inc. and John Hancock raised their prices.

That has made shopping for the right coverage all the more challenging. Here are some things to consider when shopping for a policy.

What is long-term care and what’s driving up premiums?

Long-term care insurance is used to pay for care if you have a debilitating condition that keeps you from performing daily living activities like eating or bathing.

About half of the money used to pay claims comes from returns on invested premiums. Long-term interest rates have fallen, and that means the invested money isn’t growing at the rates insurers expected when they issued some policies in the early 1990s.

On top of that, more customers are keeping their policies and submitting claims than insurers expected. Insurers had assumed that as many as 5 percent of the people who bought policies would lapse or stop payment, but only about 1 percent have. Genworth has said it needs an 18 percent increase on some older policies, and John Hancock is looking for an increase of about 40 percent on most of its policies.

Even though MetLife left, Slome estimates that there are still between 20 and 30 carriers in the market.

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PAGE 18

your health 1-23 18

1/13/11 11:49:23 AM

CyberKnife can deliver targeted radiation beams to cancer in lungs E ach year, more people die from lung cancer than from breast, colon and prostate cancers combined. It is the deadliest type of cancer for both men and women.

Treatment for lung cancer usually consists of surgically removing the cancerous tissues from the lungs.

Canadian businessman John Fischer did extensive research online about lung cancer treatments before selecting CyberKnife treatment at St. Mary’s of Michigan Seton Cancer Institute.

Unlike gamma knife, which can only treat cancer in the head and neck, CyberKnife is 100 percent frameless. It involves no cutting, no anesthesia, no blood loss and no recovery time. Instead, CyberKnife delivers targeted radiation beams that are pinpointed to destroy both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors while protecting surrounding

healthy tissue.

It is well suited to treating lung cancer because these types of tumors tend to move and shift when patients breathe.

CyberKnife can track tumor positions in real time by synchronizing radiation delivery to the motion of the tumor throughout a patient’s breathing cycle.

Patients can breathe normally throughout their treatment without holding their breath.

Having completed the last of five treatments to destroy the primary tumor in his lung, Fischer is optimistic about his prognosis.

To find out if CyberKnife treatment is right for you, talk to your doctor, visit www.stmarysofmichigan.org/cyberknife or call 1-888-907-CYBER. The CyberKnife is located at St. Mary’s of Michigan Seton Cancer Institute, 800 S. Washington Ave., Saginaw.

In an effort to help more lung cancer patients like Fischer change their prognosis, the St. Mary’s of Michigan Seton Cancer Institute is participating in a new lung cancer study called “STARS.�

The purpose of the study is to compare CyberKnife stereotatic radiotherapy with surgical resection in stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer.

The purpose of this study is to conduct a study to compare the CyberKnife stereotatic radiotherapy with surgery, the current standard of care for stage 1 operable non-small cell lung cancer.

The sponsor for this study is CyberKnife manufacturer Accuray Inc. in collaboration with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. If you know of someone who may be interested in the study, call St. Mary’s of Michigan’s research staff at (989) 907-8411 for further information.

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your health 1-23 19

PAGE 19

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PAGE 20

your health 1-23 20

1/13/11 11:49:30 AM

I will never forget the day I heard the words,

“You have breast cancer.�

And how scared I was when I told my family.

I will never forget the nurse who held my hand through chemo.

stronger

The surgeon who became my hero.

The day I learned I was

than cancer.

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/%!1 6-2/0%*& 1- ! 0.%#)!* ,)'(1 1- ./-+-1% 4-+%, 0 (%!*1( We invite survivors, guests and women to join us for a special evening with a health fair, an opportunity to talk to health care professionals, and guest speaker, Peggy Kline, for a “Treating Yourself like Royalty� presentation.

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1/13/11 11:49:38 AM

Experiments test if implant can block sleep apnea

W

ASHINGTON (AP) — Loud snoring may do more than irritate your spouse: It can signal sleep apnea, depriving you of enough zzzz’s to trigger a car crash, even a heart attack.

Now scientists are beginning to test if an implanted pacemakerlike device might help certain sufferers, keeping their airways open by zapping the tongue during sleep.

Wait, what does your tongue have to do with a good night’s sleep?

One of the main causes of obstructive sleep apnea is that the tongue and throat muscles relax too much during sleep, enough to temporarily collapse and block breathing for 30 seconds or so at a time. The person jerks awake and

AP Photo/Jim Mone

Rik Krohn displays the remote control unit he uses to turn on an experimental nerve stimulator to combat his sleep apnea at his home in Burnsville, Minn. Loud snoring may do more than irritate your spouse: It can signal sleep apnea, depriving you of enough zzzz’s to trigger a car crash, even a heart attack. Now scientists are testing if an implanted device might help, keeping sufferers’ airways open by zapping the tongue during sleep.

PAGE 22

your health 1-23 22

1/13/11 11:49:39 AM

Battling sleep apnea gasps, a cycle that can repeat itself 30 or more times an hour, depriving patients of crucial deep sleep.

The idea behind the experimental implant: Stimulate the nerve that controls the base of the tongue with a mild electrical current during sleep, and maybe it will stay toned and in place like it does during the day rather than becoming floppy.

By the end of January, Minneapolisbased Inspire Medical Systems plans to begin enrolling 100 apnea patients in a key study in the U.S. and Europe to see if so-called hypoglossal nerve stimulation really could work. Two competitors are developing similar implants: ImThera Medical of San Diego says it hopes to begin U.S. studies later next year, and Apnex Medical of St. Paul, Minn., has announced some small-scale testing.

“In this kind of research, we’re not looking for little changes,” says Dr. Meir Kryger, a sleep medicine specialist at Gaylord Hospital in Connecticut, who is helping to lead Inspire’s study. “What we’re looking for is a cure.”

More than 12 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea. It’s common in people who are overweight and in middle-aged men, but anyone can have it.

Today’s undisputed best treatment,

called CPAP, uses special bedtime masks to gently blow air through the nose to keep airways open. But studies suggest at least 30 percent of diagnosed apnea patients won’t or can’t use CPAP. They say masks fit poorly and leak, or say they feel claustrophobic, or rip them off while tossing and turning during the night.

Yet going untreated is more dangerous than just feeling tired. Sleep apnea stresses the body in ways that increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Severe apnea also increases the chance of a car crash sevenfold.

Surgeons sometimes try removing part of the roof of the mouth or other soft tissues to treat apnea by widening airways. But it’s hard to predict when these difficult operations will help, so they’re usually reserved for the most severe cases.

“It got to the point where I’d dread going to bed,” says Rik Krohn, 67, of suburban Minneapolis. Sleep studies showed his apnea was awakening him an average of 35 times an hour. He tried five different CPAP masks unsuccessfully before giving up in frustration, and surgeons turned him away.

Enter hypoglossal nerve stimulation.

With Inspire’s system, doctors implant a small pacemaker-like generator under the skin near the collarbone, and snake a

wire up under the jaw to that tongue-controlling nerve. A sensor at the diaphragm detects when a patient takes a breath, signaling the implant to zap the nerve.

Researchers adjust the power so that the nerve is stimulated just enough to keep the tongue from falling backward during sleep but not to stick out. Patients turn on the device at bedtime with a remote control, complete with a timer they can set so they fall asleep before the pulses begin.

“I don’t have any idea while I’m sleeping that it’s on,” says Krohn, the Minnesota man who’d given up on apnea treatment until volunteering for an early Inspire study last year. He says he now gets a good night’s sleep. “It’s a gamechanger for me.”

A caveat: Potential participants in Inspire’s upcoming study must undergo a special exam where a tube snaked down the airway documents whether a tongue collapse or a problem with some other tissue is the true cause of their apnea, stresses Kryger.

“It’s very important to see where the obstruction is and tailor the treatment,” agrees Dr. Rick Odland, Krohn’s surgeon at Minneapolis’ Hennepin County Medical Center. He turned away another potential candidate in earlier testing when that exam showed zapping the tongue would have targeted the wrong spot.

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www.greatlakeseyeinst.com • 407 W. Wackerly • Midland • 989-631-1345 PAGE 23

your health 1-23 23

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1/13/11 11:49:47 AM