2017 Health and Fitness by Valley Journal

health & fitness 2017

w w w.v a lle y jour na l.ne t

contents Diabetes classes

Protective eyewear

Yoga 5

2 - January 25, 2017

Health & Fitness

Embryo adoption

Heart health

Water fitness

Thyroid issues

Chiropractic care

Glaucoma awareness

E-cigarette help

A leg up on

disease prevention

IN-BODY ANALYZER LYNN HENDRICKSON NICOLE TAVENNER/VALLEY JOURNAL

CSKT offers course to help prevent diabetes By Caleb M. Soptelean Valley Journal

reventing Type II diabetes can be a challenge, but there is help for those who want it. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Health and Wellness Division is once again offering a PreventT2 course. The course, currently being offered in Pablo, is open to all local residents. One in three adults in the U.S. has prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The PreventT2 course helps participants develop a lifestyle change. “Our goal is to reduce Type 2 diabetes,” Course Facil-

itator Lynn Hendrickson said. Participants are required to lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight. This includes 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Participants are required to track their physical activity and food intake. They are also taught how to eat healthy, manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can get in the way of healthy changes. The course begins and ends with each participant using an “in-body analyzer” that uses electrical current to measure one’s total body water, total body fat, lean muscle mass and basic metabolic rate. Health & Fitness

The remainder of the course covers educational topics. The core of the program, which began Jan. 5, runs 16 weeks and participants meet once a week from noon to 1 p.m. on the second floor of the Salish Kootenai Housing Authority. A follow-up “after core” program will have participants meet every other week for three months. The CSKT began offering the course in September in St. Ignatius to nine participants, said Hendrickson, who has worked with tribal health for 12 years and has a degree in exercise science. For more information or to sign up, call 745-3525, ext. 5150. January 25, 2017 - 3

FIND YOURS at FIREARMS ENTHUSIAST BILL CORRIGAN ROB ZOLMAN/VALLEY JOURNAL

51657 Hwy 93, Polson, MT 59860 406-883-6863 missionvalleyphysicaltherapy.com

Gun safety: more than meets the eye By Rob Zolman Valley Journal

designed for activities other than shooting are not safe irearm owners and shooting enthusiasts who understand the importance of safety when handling fireto use. They may shatter on impact, damaging the eyes as much as or even more than if not wearing any eye protecarms often overlook the value of wearing protective tion. eyewear. An eye-popping estimated 30,000 firearms and air-gun “The only lens that is considered a safety lens is going to be polycarbonate. For the most part, polycarbonate eye injuries occur each year, according to the Centers for is going to be your safest bet, because when it cracks, it Disease Control and Prevention. cracks into two pieces rather While operating your firethan multiple pieces,” Alexanarms, your eyes are always in close proximity to dangerous der said. Shooting eyewear should be situations. The proper shooting glasses can keep your eyes safety-certified. Certification is the best guarantee that your protected from possible damprotective eyewear will do its age from ricochets, ejecting intended job. At the minimum, shells, flash of a muzzle and STEVEN ALEXANDER, WALMART VISION CENTER MANAGER a rating of ANSI Z87.1 is enflying debris. “Any time you are dealing couraged. Eyewear that wraps around adds extra protection. Classic with projectiles it’s always a good thing to protect your eyes,” Walmart Vision Center Manager Steven Alexander said. aviator-style glasses look cool but leave a gap around the frame and face, allowing debris to potentially get into the “You never know where ricochets may come from or what eyes. The wrap-around style sits closer to the face, so there may approach your eye during the practice of shooting.” is less of a chance of anything getting into the eyes. There are a few vital factors to consider when looking for “Wrap around offers some of the best protection because the right pair of protective eyewear. First and foremost, impact and barrier protection. No eye- they offer protection from all angles,” Alexander said. Making the wearing of protective shooting eyewear a wear is worth wearing if the lens won’t properly protect your eyes. At the least, the lens should be made of impact-repart of your firearm safety routine may very well be the difference between a close call or an eye patch. sistant plastic or polycarbonate. Goggles and sunglasses

“Any time you are dealing with projectiles it’s always a good thing to protect your eyes.”

4 - January 25, 2017

Health & Fitness

CLASS AT MONTANA OM YOGA, POLSON

Yoga

enhances lives

NICOLE TAVENNER/VALLEY JOURNAL

BONNIE KISER NICOLE TAVENNER/VALLEY JOURNAL

COURTESY PHOTO

By Karen Peterson Valley Journal

oga changed Bonnie Kiser’s life. “It helped me find my own identity,” she said. As a singe mom, she focused everything about her life around her teenage daughter, Crystal. She led Girl Scout meetings, directed kids through 4H events, and drove her daughter everywhere she needed to go, and she loved every minute of it. But – her daughter was growing up. “I needed to start focusing on my own life so my daughter could go off and do hers,” she said. Her closest friend had a hunch that Kiser might like yoga although she’d never done it before. She decided to give it a try. Kiser remembers the teacher describing a basic pose called “downward-facing dog” as restful. As she moved into the forward bend, forming an inverted V-shape, restful wasn’t the word she would use. Her thoughts were more along the lines of “this is nuts.” Determined not to quit, she stuck with it. Moving her limbs into positions she’d never thought of began to get easier. “It can be so empowering to get to a place where you didn’t think you could go,” she said. She eventually got married and her husband had horses and liked to go hiking. Having grown up in Montana riding horses, Kiser was excited to be back in the saddle. She found that yoga helped get her in shape. Her yoga practice allowed her sit tall in the saddle, conditioned her knees to rest in the stirrups, and she felt better, so she kept with it. Kiser often gravitates towards a leadership role, and yoga wasn’t any different. In 2005, she started teaching yoga classes. She traveled from Boston to Oregon to attend

training events. She taught at Mission Valley Physical Therapy in Polson, KOA Campground, YogaHeart Studio in Polson, The Red Poppy in Ronan, and a St. Ignatius studio. She also taught in the Swan Valley once a month. Recently, she decided to bring her practice into one studio in Polson, although she still teaches in St. Ignatius. She opened Montana Om Yoga on Sept. 1, 2016. The studio is located on U.S. Highway 93, across from Polson Bay Golf Course with a view of Flathead Lake. “We’ve got 800 square feet to move around,” she said. She can fit about 20 people into the studio and offers several classes throughout the week from advanced practices to chair assisted moves. Yoga is a term encompassing several styles. Kiser chose to practice Anusara yoga, which has to do with the alignment of mind, body and spirit. “It’s about how you ask people to move their bodies so that they are not just stronger but they feel better,” she said. Newer yogis should never compare themselves to those people that can twist themselves up like a pretzel, she said. “It’s not about comparing yourself to your neighbor. Yoga teaches you to look for what’s going well in your body. It’s a lot about self care.” Different classes have different skill levels, and some classes have people with different skill levels working at their own pace. “I even have classes that help people learn to get up off the floor,” she said. “Yoga gives you a set of tools so you can do things for yourself.” Health & Fitness

For example, she said one woman was at home and found herself about to slip on a wet floor in the bathroom. Kiser said the woman went into panic mode but ended up in what’s called a “warrior” pose, which is a bit like what a surfer would look like on a board, slightly kneeling with extended arms. “She doesn’t know how she did it, but she didn’t fall,” Kiser said. Another example includes a gentleman in his 70s. Years spent working hard as a farmer and rancher caused him to stoop over when he walked. Kiser said, after developing his yoga practice, he was walking taller with his shoulders back. “I have hope that yoga helps people do whatever they do in life, better,” she said. Practicing yoga can involve a few pieces of simple equipment like blocks and mats, which are available at the studio, but Kiser has one suggestion. “You don’t need to go out and buy new stuff unless you want to, but do wear something close fitting or something under loose clothes that is form fitting so you can move around without worrying about your shirt going over your head,” she said. As far as Kiser’s own practice, she evolved into back bends and headstands. “Yoga changed my perspective about me,” she said. “It taught me to take care of myself and be kind to myself.” And her daughter, the one who inspired her to find something new to focus on, grew up, got married, and had three children for Kiser to adore. January 25, 2017 - 5

BREE, SOLOMON AND JEFF FENNELL ERIN HAMILTON PHOTOGRAPHY

Adoption option

Frozen ‘snowflake’ embryos offer new hope for families By Linda Sappington Valley Journal

ree Fennell gave birth to her first baby at age 37. Shortly after, Bree and her husband, Jeff, wanted to grow their family, but after four or five months of trying, she couldn’t get pregnant. Their efforts were curtailed as Jeff, a staff sergeant with the U.S. Army, was deployed to South Korea for nine months. During his deployment, Bree began having hot flashes. “I knew something was wrong,” she said. “An endocrinologist confirmed it. I was out of eggs.” The new mom who spent years earning masters degrees in music and psychology was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure, sometimes called early-onset menopause, with less than a 1 percent chance of becoming pregnant. “It was disappointing to us,” Jeff said. “We were really looking forward to having another one of our own. I kept praying and really holding out hope for a long time. I finally accepted the fact that it wasn’t going to happen.” Determined to have a sibling for baby Solomon, Bree began researching traditional adoption, but the $30,000 to $50,000 price tag was prohibitive. Donor eggs, fertilized with Jeff ’s sperm, would cost $25,000 for in-vitro fertilization, with a 32 percent chance of carrying the baby full term. 6 - January 25, 2017

Through a support group on Facebook, Bree heard of a relatively new alternative — embryo adoption. Families who have harvested the dad’s sperm and the mom’s eggs for IVF often have several fertilized eggs, called embryos, still frozen after their family is complete. Parents’ options are to store the remaining frozen embryos for life, donate them to science, terminate them, or use the life-saving option of donation, Bree explained. The embryos waiting to be adopted are nicknamed “snowflakes.” The snowflake option costs the adoptive parents roughly $10,000 to $12,000 for testing, procedures, and medical care. It’s estimated around 7,000 snowflake babies have been born in the U.S. since the first cryo-preserved, adopted embryo baby was born in 1998. There are between 600,000 to 1 million snowflakes awaiting adoption in the U.S., according to the National Embryo Donation Center. “All these little potential lives being created and not utilized. What does God think about this? It’s weird when you bring spirituality into it,” Bree said. With a 50-50 chance of her body delivering a healthy baby from the donated snowflake, and after copious hours discussing every aspect, the couple decided to go for it, alHealth & Fitness

though Jeff admits he was skeptical at first. “This was not by any means an easy decision. It was the hardest, most thought-out decision Bree and I ever made. We talked about every possible scenario: pros, cons, everything,” Jeff said. “What it came to is: if we are good parents, this will work out.” After finding a quality clinic, they chose to adopt anonymously, although some adoptive parents choose to have open relationships with the embryo’s donor family. The Fennells were given 15 profiles to peruse that included the parents’ ethnicity, hair color, height, weight and college education, “all the information they could give us, short of telling us who they are,” Bree said. One family was of African-American descent, another was from India. The rest were Caucasian. The Fennells ended up picking the profile that looked most like them. The donor family is from Irish, English and Scottish descent. The dad is 6 feet tall and the mom is 5’ 3’, — “one tall, one short, both brown hair. We kind of picked based on that,” Bree said. From that family, the Fennells chose the last of 13 remaining embryos. Under a doctor’s supervision, Bree was put on a cycle of estrogen and progesterone, and then

underwent a series of tests to be certain her body was ready to conceive. On a screen in the clinic, Jeff watched as the embryo was inserted into her uterus. “Seeing the embryo get planted … it’s an amazing journey,” Jeff said. “The embryo really looks like a tiny snowflake.” According to the science of epigenetics — the study of inheritable traits that cannot be explained — the adopted embryo can end up looking like the adoptive parent. “My body can influence which genes express themselves,” Bree said “That’s a really interesting part of this.” The baby boy, now flourishing inside of her, is due May 3. The Fennells choose not to use the word “adopted” when describing their snowflake baby, “because he’s ours now,” Bree said. There are still concerns to face in the future. Bree and Jeff agree they will be open and honest with their snowflake son, but still must decide how and when to tell him he was once frozen. “How do we present this? It could make or break the whole experience,” Bree said. “Another thing you have to wrap your head around is: how many siblings are running around the world? They might have a sibling from the same

Health & Fitness

batch but the child could be 10 years older.” Because of that, in the future their son will need to be DNA tested before getting married, she said. Bree and Jeff are also prepared to connect their son with a DNA database if he eventually wants to find his donor parents. There may be potential legal concerns as well. Both donor and recipient couples must acknowledge that the law of embryo donation and adoption is unresolved. In the U.S., embryos have a special legal status that is yet to be clearly defined, but are generally are considered property, not human beings. Because of this, different embryo adoption programs may differ in how they define embryos in their legal agreements. Embryos cannot be sold, only donated. Embryo owners transfer ownership by a legal contract that includes adoption, agreement and relinquishment forms. There are no federal or state laws specifically governing the adoption of embryos, although Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee have passed legislation concerning aspects such as the right to finalize an adoption in court. The Fennells, who live in Missouri but have family in Lake County, are confident they made the right decision. “We really want to bring him into the fold,” Jeff said. “I want my sons to be super close, best friends, one great big family, so when Bree and I are long gone, they still have each other.”

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MISSION ELEMENTARY STUDENTS KAREN PETERSON/VALLEY JOURNAL

Kids help support

heart health By Karen Peterson Valley Journal

tudents across Lake County annually strive to help the American Heart Association raise money so they can support heart research that saves lives. Mission Elementary School students began fundraising efforts on Friday, Jan. 6, with Jump Rope for Heart, which is an AHA program. For several weeks, the kids practice jump-roping skills during specific class times to get their heart rates up, and they learn how to keep hearts healthy. The kids also raise money to support the program. Students have a culminating event at the end of the project to celebrate their fundraising efforts. St. Ignatius Physical Education teacher Marc Cutler agreed to get a pie-in-the-face as a fun incentive for kids to raise more money than last year. AHA Youth Director Lisa Vesciano says door-to-door fundraising is not part of the project. Kids take home envelopes and ask family and well-known adults to support the project. “This is a community service project,” she said. Vesciano explained to the elementary students that Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart has raised $83 million dollars for AHA. Forty-three students in St. Ignatius Health & Fitness

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raised $2,273 for the program in 2016. “That is pretty amazing,” she said. AHA has been a champion for public health for decades. “The American Heart Association has been working to save and improve lives from heart disease and stroke for more than 90 years with scientific research at the core of all our efforts,” according to the AHA.

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION YOUTH DIRECTOR LISA VESCIANO

They’ve supported numerous research projects in that time. AHA-funded discoveries developed the pacemaker, the first artificial heart valve, CPR techniques, and cholesterol lowering medications. Another AHA-funded project includes discovering procedures to correct heart defects in newborns. In 2016, the top research projects included helping to prevent a second stroke with “aggressive medical management” and new possibilities for treating women with heart attacks by looking at the affects of plaque. AHA also supports better heart disease prevention projects including lowering blood pressure recommendations to 120/90. The association issued several guidelines for heart health. They said that a healthy diet and lifestyle are a person’s best weapons in the fight against cardiovascular disease. “Remember, it’s the overall pattern of your choices that counts,” according to the AHA. Specifically, they recommend that people use up at least as many calories as they take in during the day. As far as physical activity, it’s a good idea to aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. “If it’s hard to schedule regular exercise sessions, try aiming for sessions of at least 10 minutes, spread throughout the week.” Diet is another factor that affects the heart. The AHA notes that nutrient rich foods are beneficial

with limited saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, red meats, sweets, and sugar sweetened beverages. And, don’t smoke.

Health & Fitness

January 25, 2017 - 9

Water workouts

AQUA FIT

AQUA ZUMBA

from gentle therapy to high-energy By Linda Sappington Valley Journal

If you’re looking for a workout that’s effective and enjoyable that can be completed even in sub-zero temperatures, head over to the Mission Valley Aquatic Center in the Ridgewater Complex off Polson Hill. In the 80-degree indoor facility surrounded by windows revealing Montana’s forested beauty, winter blues evaporate as you step into a summertime climate. And there’s more choices than swimming laps. The center offers a variety of classes done right in the water that require no previous experience or swimming skills. Classes range from high-energy aerobic water-based activities, such as jogging and dancing, to therapeutic and healing classes in the warm-water therapy pool. Aqua Jogging, offered Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m., is a great class for those looking to get their hearts pumping to improve their cardiovascular system while using the resistance 10 - January 25, 2017

of the water to tone and strengthen muscles. Participants snap on a flotation belt to stay buoyant and upright in deep water. The instructor guides students through jogging intervals, increasing the time and intensity. Students work at their own pace while being challenged to push a bit harder. The water adds resistance to the body motions without the pounding of pavement associated with jogging on the land. As in all aquatic classes, special care is taken with those who have health concerns, such as injuries or post-surgery recovery. Another high-energy option is Aqua Zumba, taught in the shallow end of the pool. The class is a variation of a land Zumba Fitness class, adapted with aqua fitness movements and energized by music — specifically Latin and world rhythms such as salsa, hip-hop, pop, belly dance and even a little country. Health & Fitness

Student Pat Luetzen said she loves the energy and fun aspect of Aqua Zumba. “I can’t exercise on the ground anymore,” the college athlete and current Polson High School volleyball coach said. “I took the teaching job in Polson because of the lifestyle here. This pool facility sold it for me.” Don’t be frightened away by a lack of dance experience, because it’s easy to mirror what the instructor is doing on the deck. And no one can see what you are doing under the water anyway. Aqua Zumba is a fun class that will leave you smiling and fit. Classes are Thursdays from 6-7 p.m. Both Aqua Jogging and Aqua Zumba classes are 50 minutes of activity followed by 10 minutes of stretching in the warm water therapy pool. Aqua Fit classes use the buoyant qualities of water to enhance physical fitness environment inside the main pool.

Aqua Fit Instructor Lorie Allred describes her class as a medium-hard impact water class designed to provide cardiovascular conditioning, improved muscle tone, and improved balance. “It is a total body workout without the stress of landbased exercise,” she said. Two of her students have lost more than 100 pounds with diet and the classes. Men and women of all ages are welcome, and all work at their own level. “I have some students that are in there 80s. It’s never too late to get fit.” Instructor Janet Caselli also teaches Aqua Fit. “I try to work all muscle groups. I play high-energy music, and it makes working out fun. Some of my students tell me that its great for releasing stress, and they feel that they get a good workout without the hard impact on solid ground,” she said. She noted the students also report less problems with their joints. Aqua Fit classes are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8-9 a.m., and Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5:45-6:45 p.m. All aerobics and fit classes fees are $10 per class for the drop-in rate. An unlimited monthly rate of $85 gives students access to all fitness classes, or students can choose to purchase a 10-class punch pass for $80. Discounts are offered for those who have already purchased an annual swim pass. Contact the pool for more information. If you suffer with arthritis, fibromyalgia, joint stiffness, athletic injury or obesity-related issues, MVCA offers Aqua Therapy classes held exclusively in the warm water, salt-based therapy pool. According to the Arthritis Foundation, warm water is helpful to combat the pain and stiffness of arthritis and fibromyalgia, and helps fight fatigue. “Various studies of patients with both conditions found

AQUA THERAPY TEACHER SHARON MURPHY VALLEY JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

that when they participated in warm water exercise programs two or three times a week, their pain decreased as much as 40 percent and their physical function increased,” according to the Arthritis Foundation on arthritis.org. “The exercise programs also gave an emotional boost, helping people sleep better.” Warm water is great for moving because it stimulates blood flow to stiff muscles and frozen joints, offering increased flexibility, even after you get out, according to Ann Vincent, MD, medical director of the Mayo Clinic’s Fibromyalgia Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “Patients report that soaking in a warm bath and stretching after that seems to help,” she said. Aqua Therapy classes are offered six times Monday-Thursday, including an advanced session and separate women-only and men-only classes. Molly Hape teaches from noon-1 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. “We mostly focus on balance, flexibility and

gradually increasing strength. Stretching and exercising in the warm water helps loosen and relax our muscles and feels great,” she said. “It’s neat to see the progress and increased movement in the participants. It’s also wonderful to watch the friendships that develop as well.” Caselli and Allred both teach therapy classes as well. An 89-year-old student of Caselli’s wasn’t expected to return after coming down with pneumonia, but she did. The woman’s doctor credited her miraculous recovery to consistently participating in the water therapy class. “She did come back and even drove herself,” Caselli said. Instructor Sharon Murphy teaches three classes each day and has grown very close to a lot of her participants as they improve range of motion, balance and flexibility. “Some of the people in these classes have been with me since the pool opened. The men’s class brings me much joy and endless jokes with the most wonderful group of guys a gal could ask for,” Murphy said. The look of sheer joy on the faces of her students as they enter the 94-degree salt water is one of her favorite things. “(I love) the smiles on their faces and the repetition of “aaaahhhhh!!!” as their body naturally relaxes and feels lighter by the nature of the salt water,” Murphy said. Enrollment in Aqua Therapy classes are by session only. Fees are $125 per session. The next session begins Monday, Jan. 30. Swim lessons are also offered for all ages at the center, which opened in May 2013 after years of fundraising $7.4 million to cover costs of construction. For more information call Mission Valley Aquatics Center at 406-883-4567 or find all classes online at mvaquatics.org.

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January 25, 2017 - 11

Hypothyroidism: getting to the root of the issue Question: I am always cold, can’t lose weight no matter what I do, and have dry skin and hair. My thyroid labs are always normal. What can I do?

t is frustrating for anyone who experiences the symptoms common to thyroid disorders to hear from their physician “your labs are perfect, it’s not your thyroid.” As our environment becomes more stressful, as well as toxic, so do our thyroid challenges. Fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, dry Dr. Katie Carter skin and hair, loss of Physician of Naturopathic Medicine hair, persistent high cholesterol regardless of perfect lifestyle choices and always feeling cold are just a few of the many symptoms associated with a hypothyroid. Other issues that create hypothyroid symptoms can exist and these will not be discovered by a physician who limits their testing to simply TSH, the pituitary hormone that signals for the thyroid to release T4. Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s) often causes hypothyroidism, and can be part of a dynamic well before a lab reveals low TSH. This issue needs to be addressed in order to cure the patient of their symp-

Ask Dr. Carter

toms. In addition, T4 secreted by the thyroid is converted in the body to T3 which is a very active thyroid hormone and allows for a robust metabolism. In some patients, due to hereditary tendencies, stress causes more of the T4 to be converted to Reverse T3 instead of T3. Reverse T3 has no action on the cell as T3 does, instead it takes up a space on the receptor site, disallowing active T3 to do its part in creating proper cellular functioning. Two ways that indicate this dynamic is present is to have the patient take their temperature during the day (low temperatures indicate that cellular metabolism is below optimal) and to check the ratio of free T3 and RT3 (reverse). The theory of why this takes place is that our ancestors needed a mechanism to slow our metabolism in case of low food supply. Indeed, this syndrome is more common in groups whose ancestors have experienced more famine. Other issues, such as mercury toxicity, radiation exposure and toxic chemical exposure can damage the thyroid gland. The treatment of these other types of thyroid issues is not only the use of Synthroid or Levothyroxine. The treatment is the process of reversing the process that created the issue in the first place. Find a physician that is well versed in dissecting the entire thyroid issue and will rule out Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and freeT3/RT3 hormone issues as well as addressing toxic exposure in order to find solutions to your thyroid hormone related issues.

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Chiropractic care offers many unexpected benefits By Caleb M. Soptelean Valley Journal

he benefits of chiropractic care are many, and people often feel the effect in unexpected ways. Local chiropractor Oliver Whipple began going to a chiropractor when he was in his early 20s for neck pain. As a result of the treatment, symptoms from allergies and asthma began to go away, he said. “I’ve had one asthma attack since then,” the Polson resident said. The relief he got from chiropractic treatment convinced him to become a chiropractor, Whipple said. “I was looking for something to do with my life to give something back to the world,” he said. “It makes a difference.” Those who come to him typically benefit from chiropractic care in areas other than what they came for. He cited examples of a woman who had lower back pain, got treated, and her irregular menstrual cycle evened out, or a teenager who got banged up playing football and his mother noted that he was calmer and more able to focus after a treatment. In other instances, Whipple recalled people getting up from the table after a neck adjustment and seeing their sinuses gush and drain. Whipple gave a scientific explanation of how chiropractic helps people. “Your spine is the nervous system,” he said. “The brain communicates with the rest of the body through the spinal cord and all of the corresponding nerves. Those nerves exit the spinal cord in between the vertebrae.” By re-aligning a misaligned vertebra, chiropractors re-

CHIROPRACTOR OLIVER WHIPPLE CALEB M. SOPTELEAN/VALLEY JOURNAL

store normal nerve function and allow the body to heal itself, he said. “Your nervous system controls every single cell, tissue and organ in your body,” he said. “When there is a misalignment of your spine, it negatively affects where that nerve goes.” Whipple said there’s been a trend over the past 15-20 years where people are being more proactive with their health, and this has included chiropractic care. He notes that chiropractic care isn’t just for adults. “I think I can benefit children more than adults,” he said. “If they can be getting adjusted as a child, their spine can mature in a healthier way.” And if a child’s spine becomes misaligned and is not realigned, it might not show up until they are adults. When he adjusts adults, Whipple said he’s doing damage control.

DEDUCTIBLE IS OUTRAGEOUS?

He recommends having children seen when their parents are adjusted. Whipple charges $30 for adults and $15 for children, but often gives children a free adjustment or two at the beginning, he said. He and his wife, Kelly Ware, moved to Polson in 1999. They opened an office in Bigfork in 2011. Ware offers deep tissue massage, which complements chiropractic care. Whipple noted that acupuncture, cranial-sacral therapy and physical therapy can enhance the benefits of chiropractic treatments. The couple’s business, Aware Wellness Center, is located at 601 4th Ave. East in Polson and at 7579 Highway 35 in Bigfork. Hours in Polson are 8-10 a.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m., and in Bigfork from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number is 406-314-3716.

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Isn’t It Time to be Your Best? January 25, 2017 - 13

Make a resolution to learn more about

glaucoma News from the National Eye Institute Every New Year, you make a list of things you will do to stay healthy so you can feel your best. But, did you realize that feeling your best includes seeing your best too? January is Glaucoma Awareness Month – the perfect time to spread the word about the disease. So, this year, add learning about glaucoma to your list. Your eyes will thank you for it. Glaucoma can cause vision loss and blindness, which can’t be reversed. Glaucoma causes fluid to build up in your eye, causing pressure that can damage the optic nerve, which transfers visual images to your brain. But, you can save your vision with early detection and treatment. There are no early symptoms. Glaucoma often has no early warning signs. No pain. No discomfort. No blurry vision. Only advanced glaucoma will affect your vision. Don’t wait for symptoms to visit your eye doctor. In the United States, half the people who have glaucoma don’t know they do. Nearly 3 million Americans have glaucoma. Half don’t know it. Lack of awareness and the absence of symptoms are preventing people from detecting the disease early. You can change that. Find out if you have glaucoma. Some people are at higher risk than others. African Americans over 40, adults over 60 – especially Hispanics/Latinos, and people with a family history of glaucoma are at higher risk, making early detection especially important. Are you at higher risk? Talk to your family about glaucoma. There is only one way to know if you

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Glaucoma often has no early warning signs. have glaucoma. Getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to find out if you have glaucoma. During the exam, an eye care professional places drops in your eyes to widen the pupils and looks for signs of the disease in the optic nerve.

EYE EXAMS Walmart Vision Center Dr. Maggie Podraza

Polso

Independent Doctor of Optometry We offer services in evaluation/treatment of: Red eye (foreign body removal, allergy, dry eye) Cataracts Age related macular degeneration Glaucoma Diabetic eye complications

• Mon, Tues and Fri 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. • Saturday 9:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m.

www.midtowneyeservices.com 883-2173

14 - January 25, 2017

Valley Journal

Now that you’ve got the facts about glaucoma, make a resolution for healthier vision. Schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam today. And encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same. To learn more about glaucoma, visit www.nei.nih.gov/glaucoma.

Free e-cig prevention tools now available for middle schools

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News from the Montana Office of Public Instruction HELENA – The Montana Office of Public Instruction and Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program will provide public middle schools free access to a new prevention program aimed at reducing youth e-cigarette use. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, e-cigarette use has increased 900 percent among high school students from 2011 to 2015. In Montana, the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data showed 30 percent of Montana high school students reported using e-cigarettes. CATCH My Breath from the CATCH Global Foun-

dation will be made available to all public middle schools in Montana. CATCH My Breath consists of six bestpractice-based lessons designed to be taught by health enhancement teachers, school nurses or school counselors. Concerns about youth e-cigarette use highlighted by the Surgeon General include: —Dramatic increase of youth e-cigarette use —Vulnerability of youth to nicotine addiction —Harmful effects of nicotine exposure on the developing adolescent brain —Unknown health effects and potentially harmful doses

of heated and aerosolized constituents of e-cigarette liquids —Consumption of e-cigarette liquids can cause acute toxicity and possible death —Youth marketing tactics including flavors and media channels. “Tobacco prevention programs are key in decreasing the use of e-cigarettes,” said Denise Juneau, former Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction. “I’m pleased we can now offer a new prevention resource for educators and middle school students.”

Care for a Lifetime ST. LUKE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE DELIVERS Emergency Care Walk-in Convenient Care Orthopedic Services Surgical Services Respiratory Therapy Occupational and Speech Therapy Physical Therapy/Fitness Center Extended Care Facility Durable Medical Equipment Primary Care Obstetrics Radiology

St. Luke Community Hospital St. Luke Extended Care St. Luke Community Clinic – Ronan St. Luke Community Clinic – Polson St. Luke Community Clinic – St. Ignatius St. Luke Community Oxygen & Durable Equipment St. Luke Community Healthcare Foundation

676-4441 676-2900 676-3600 883-2555 745-2781 676-5531 528-5324

St. Luke

Community Healthcare Health & Fitness

January 25, 2017 - 15

Welcome to the journey of Being in a Good Way with Tribal Health of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Tribal Health invites you to learn more about our improved Tribal Health Centers and services including:

AUDIOLOGY/SPEECH; BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; DENTAL; MEDICAL; NURSING; OPTICAL; PHARMACY; PHYSICAL THERAPY; RADIOLOGY; WELLNESS

Salish Kootenai College Student Health Center St. Ignatius Health Center

Offering comprehensive health care. 35401 Mission Drive St. Ignatius, MT 59865 406-745-3525

35928 Joe McDonald Drive Pablo, MT 59855 406-675-2700 ext. 1630

Polson Health Center

Offering comprehensive health care. 5 Fourth Avenue East Polson, MT 59860 406-883-5541

Hot Springs Health Center

Ronan Health Center

214 North Spring Street Hot Springs, MT 59845 406-741-3266

35860 Round Butte Road Ronan, MT 59864 406-676-0137

Elmo Health Center

Arlee Health Center

33116 US Highway 93 North Elmo, MT 59915 406-849-5798

71972 Bitterroot Jim Road Arlee, MT 59821 406-745-3525

Our Promise: We are dedicated to helping every Tribal Health recipient receive high-quality health care grounded in our Tribal values.

Call 406-745-3525 to make an appointment today. 16 - January 25, 2017

Health & Fitness