CARRIE PICHLER/VALLEY JOURNAL
Runners take off from the Mission Valley Aquatics Center to compete in the seond annual Sorry ‘Bout That half marathon hosted by Polson Running. CARRIE PICHLER/VALLEY JOURNAL
Lou Brenner keeps
his spirits high despite a frosty beard.
CARRIE PICHLER/VALLEY JOURNAL
by Carrie Pichler
Trisha Drobeck and Matt Seeley pace each other in the
Valley Journal
chilly morning race to take second and third overall.
‘Sorry ‘Bout That’ half marathon beats January weather without a hitch ith temperatures hovering in the chilly teens and ice covering the path, 44 runners turned out to race in the second annual “Sorry ‘Bout That” half marathon, hosted by Polson Running. Claiming top honors in the 13.1 mile run was Jason Delaney, who crossed the finish line first with a time of 1:26:48. Delaney also placed first in last year’s event, though the ice and frigid temperatures slowed his second win a bit from last year’s 1:13:33 finish. Keeping warm in brightly colored pajamas complete with a fashionable boa and top hat was Polson High School’s own cross-country coach Matt Seeley with a 1:28:07 second place time
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Results 1. Jason Delaney 1:26:48 2. Matt Seeley 1:28:07 3. Trisha Drobeck 1:29:23 4. Austin Allen 1:31:03 5. Jessica Johnson 1:35:07 6. Lou Brenner 1:39:27 7. Chelsey Miller 1:40:23 8. Mark Miller 1:40:23 9. Jill Pennington 1:49:00 10. Trevor Allen 1:49:52 11. George Yellowrobe 1:50:22 12. Catherine Redfern 1:50:24 13. Richard Everett 1:50:24 14. Eivind Gjetmundsen 1:51:51 15. Lydia Hess 1:53:25 16. Shea Carlson 1:53:48 17. Tammy Mocabee 1:54:04 18. Danelle Gjetmundsen 1:55:50 19. Eric Stiffarm 1:56:08 20. Wendy Sitter 1:56:18
that Polson students should be proud of. Right behind was Missoula athlete Trisha Drobeck, last year’s fourth place finisher and the first female to cross the finish line, bumping up a spot to third and still holding the crown as female victor. Drobeck, an accomplished runner, has competed in many marathons including the Boston Marathon. Also bumping up in spots from last year was Austin Allen up to fourth from sixth and Lou Brenner jumping up to the sixth spot from last year’s finish of 11th. For more information on upcoming events from Polson Running, check out www.polsonrunning.com.
CARRIE PICHLER/VALLEY JOURNAL
Jason Delaney crossed the finish line first in the 13.1 mile run at 1:26:28.
2 – January 14, 2015
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See complete results and more photos at www.valleyjournal.net
Oral health directly related to overall health t’s not often that one’s new year’s resolution focuses on teeth, but I’m hoping that the following snippet of information might at least shed some light on the importance your teeth and gums — basically, oral health — have on your overall health. It helps to have a basic understanding of what’s going on in your mouth before we delve in to the nitty-gritty details of why it’s so important to see your friendly dentist on a regular schedule. We all have loads of bacteria in our mouths, some good and some bad. Unfortunately for some individuals, their mouths are the perfect hosts for more of the bad ones. Two of the biggest problems that present in the mouth are cavities (tooth decay) and gum disease (periodontitis), which are caused by different types of harmful bacteria. For now, we will focus
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on periodontitis. The disease process for periodontitis starts with bleeding gums (gingivitis). In some individuals, if gingivitis is left untreated, it can progress to periodontitis. You know that fuzzy white stuff that sticks to your teeth? That’s plaque and it’s a biofilm made up of thousands of bacteria. If left in place (for more than 48 hours), it starts to harden and forms tartar (calculus). It’s just a tiny version of the Great Coral Reef attached to your teeth. This is what causes gingivitis. The harmful bacteria get to hang out around your gums and cause an infection; which leads to red, puffy, gums that bleed easily when brushed. If the infection is not cleared, the gums are damaged which then allows the infection to spread to the bone that supports the teeth, which is beneath the gums.
Dentist’s view
Aimee Gustafson, D.D.S., St. Ignatius
Once bone destruction starts (periodontitis), it is an irreversible disease that must be managed for a lifetime. This is why it’s so important to brush twice a day, floss at least once a day, schedule professional cleanings twice a year, and have a comprehensive exam completed by a dentist. Risk factors for periodontal disease are heredity, smoking, diabetes, and poor oral hygiene. Inflammation and Coronary Artery Disease Here’s where your overall health comes in to play. The surface area of your gums is about the size of the palm of your hand. It’s not often that one would let a puffy, red, bleeding sore any-
where else on your body go untreated. Yet, so many individuals are unaware that a problem exists, as it is a slow, often painless process. The result of any infection in your body is inflammation. Unfortunately, inflammation is destructive. Destruction of the gums allows bacteria to access to your whole body through the small arteries that are in gum tissue. Researchers have actually found the same bacteria present in gum disease in the atherosclerotic plaques that cause coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. In fact, men under the age of 50 with periodontal disease have a 72 percent increased risk of coronary artery disease, and are then 3.8 times more likely to have a heart attack and 2 times more likely to have a stroke. Inflammation and
Diabetes Another disease directly affected by periodontitis isType II diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance. Insulin resistance causes the pancreas to pump out more insulin than would normally be needed. This actually promotes inflammation everywhere in the body. Did you know that gum disease actually increases insulin resistance? There is a direct relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. If you have poorly controlled diabetes, there is an 11-fold increased risk for gum disease. With that being said, 82 percent of diabetics with severe gum disease experience a cardiac or vascular event (heart disease, heart attack, or stroke) compared to 21 percent of diabetics without gum disease. The bottom line is that the number-one condition that increases a person’s susceptibility
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to gum disease is diabetes. At the same time, the number-one condition that is adversely affected by gum disease is diabetes. If you made it through all that, to make a really long story short: the mouth and all it houses indeed plays a huge role in your overall health. It is a major portal to your body. Therefore, it should be cared for and regarded as an environment that renders the necessity for maintenance and preventative measures. If your resolutions for the year include four-hour daily workouts, no sugar for the rest of your life, and losing 200 pounds in one month (insert a smiley face here), then add these very doable items to your list: brush twice a day, floss once a day, and visit a dental professional at least twice a year. Your body will thank you. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2015.
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January 14, 2015 – 3
Healthcare available to ag families by Linda Sappington Valley Journal
Quality low-cost healthcare is available to families involved in nearly every type of agriculture in Western Montana through the Montana Migrant Seasonal Farmworker Council, Inc., the same group that gives care to families that labor in cherry orchards along Flathead Lake each summer. Yet year-round discounted medical care is available for anyone who dedicates at least 51 percent of their income — a majority of their work — in agriculture-related services. Services are provided on a sliding scale; even if an individual cannot pay, they will still receive care. The list defining “agricultural work” is long and includes beef cattle ranching, bee keeping, chicken egg production, potato and wheat farming and support services such as animal production. Care is also available for dependents and retired ag workers. A year ago the federally grant-funded organization
4 – January 14, 2015
LINDA SAPPINGTON/VALLEY JOURNAL
Farmers and ranchers qualify for healthcare from Lolo clinic. opened a satellite clinic in Lolo, staffed with a medical doctor and four nurse practitioners. Roughly half of the patients seen in the Lolo clinic are from Lake County, according to Kelsey Angel, outreach worker. And the good news for local farmers and ranchers is that they don’t have to travel south. As long as the weather cooperates, medical care workers will come to Lake County
via a mobile unit. “To be able to take it out, we need five people who are willing to be seen on one day,” Angel said. “That could be one family.” Getting the word out to Lake County farmers and ranchers is the key, Angel said. “The more people who are interested, the more likely (the mobile unit) would come and more often we would come.”
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It just takes a phone call for potential patients to sign up, and workers will assess the patients’ primary medical care needs and discern what supplies to bring on the mobile unit. Up to 15 people can be seen in one day. “As far as barriers to care, one of biggest is having to travel one or two hours to the nearest clinic,” Angel said. Because the council has a history of serving the migrant workers in Lake County, local hospitals and pharmacies are already set up to take the vouchers the Council provides. “That’s a benefit of being in Lake County,” Angel said. “We already have letters of agreement in place.” For instance, if after an exam a patient needs a prescription filled, the patient is given a need-based voucher that is accepted at the pharmacy in Safeway in Polson. If a patient needs an x-ray, Providence St. Joseph Hospital is set up to accept vouchers as well. Medical services that are directly provided — without
the need for a doctor’s referral — include non-emergency dental care, general and urgent medical care, immunizations, medical diagnostic tests and screenings, hearing screenings, prenatal care, well-child exams, school and sports physicals, and family planning. Also included are mental health services such as counseling, treatment and developmental screenings. The Council provides additional services with a doctor’s referral, such as diagnostic xrays, podiatry, occupational and physical therapy. Those who wish to register for services can do so in person at the Lolo office, 9801 Valley Grove Drive, #D, or by calling (406) 273-4633. Outreach workers are also certified counselors who can answer questions about the Affordable Care Act and facilitate enrollments by request online, over the phone and inperson. The enrollment service is available to the everyone, not just ag workers. More information is available at Mtmigrantcouncil.org.
Children reach out to traumatized peers through ‘buddy bags’ by Karen Peterson for the Valley Journal
RONAN – Children can experience scary stuff that goes way beyond visions of monsters under their beds. These scary things often require police involvement. “Usually when we are involved it’s because of drug activity or violence, and sometimes children are involved,” said Confederated Salish and Kootenai Police Captain Louis J. Fiddler. Five girls with the Flathead Reservation 4-H group teamed up with tribal police officers to help children face the trauma of being removed from their homes. Those girls include Alex Loughlin, 12; Alyssa Mock, 11; Autumn Chee, 11; Taylor Jackson, 12; and Justice Quequesah, 11. “What we did was to make Buddy Bags,” Alex said. “We thought they
would be comforting to the kids and help them feel like people care about them.” The girls placed several toys into 12 handmade fleece bags. Police officers store those bags in the trunks of their patrol cars. “I plan to present each officer with a bag,” Captain Fiddler said. “While we are waiting for Child Protective Services, we can give a child a Buddy Bag.” Bubbles are one of the items in the bags. “When a child is emotional we want them to breathe,” said Brenda Richey, 4-H leader. “With the bubbles, they can take a breath. It’s a release of emotion.” Richey said a mentoring grant paid for the project. She explained that she stepped back from the project and let the girls take charge. “Someone has instilled in these girls kindness
KAREN PETERSON PHOTO
Cozy fleece bags were handmade by 4-H girls for children who, for safety reasons, need to be removed from their homes by protective services. and compassion,” she said. “It was amazing to watch the girls take off with this. I’m really proud of them. They have given their hearts to the community.”
The girls needed to learn sewing skills before they put the bags together. Volunteer Geri Hall brought her sewing machine to the club and worked with the girls.
“Each (girl) excelled at sewing,” she said. At the Boys and Girls Club on Friday, the girls each gave a speech in front of a packed room before they presented the
bags to the officers. “I was really nervous giving the speech,” Justice said. “We did this to help the kids. It’s a group effort. We put little see H&F page 6
Two Tips for Seniors! TIP # 1: Drink plenty of water. Water maintains a balance in your system, helps transpor t nutrients throughout your body, helps regulate your temperature, improves your digestion of food and also keeps you aler t. Proper hydration helps prevent muscle aches, digestive troubles and tiredness. TIP#2: Follow your Doctor's advice when it comes to taking your prescription medicines. The risk of not doing so could cost you more than just money!
883-1011 11-17th Ave. East, Polson, MT Health & Fitness
January 14, 2015 – 5
Suffering With Pain? Prolozone is a nutritional/oxygen injection technique developed and pioneered by Dr. Shallenberger MD. It is excellent for all forms of musculo-skeletal and joint pain including chronic neck and back pain, rotator cuff injuries, degenerative and arthritic hips and knees, degenerated discs, and shoulder and elbow pain. The good thing about Prolozone is that because it actually corrects the pathology of the disorder, there is a 75% chance for the chronic pain sufferer to become
permanently pain free. Conditions That Can Be Treated With Prolozone Prolozone works on just about any pain problem you might have, including: • Neck pain • TMJ syndrome • Whiplash • Sciatica • Degenerated or • Heel spurs herniated discs • Neuromas • Low back pain • Tennis elbow • Plantar fasciitis • Rotator cuff tears • Carpal tunnel • Knee injuries syndrome • and virtually any • Torn tendons other sports injury Because Prolozone treatments also result in cartilage regeneration, the technique is also remarkably effective even for severe cases of osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.
The good thing about Prolozone is that it is not just a treatment for pain. The results actually represent a permanent fix.
Mission Healing Arts For any questions or an appointment please call our office. Dr. Katie Carter, N.D. Naturopathic Physician
6 – January 14, 2015
420 1st Street E., Polson, MT 406.883.4325
KAREN PETERSON PHOTO
CSKT Police Officers accept the Buddy Bags Friday at Ronan site of the Boys and Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County.
Buddy bags from H&F page 5
(toy) buddies inside the bags to comfort the kids.” Police officer T.J. Haynes said it’s never easy to remove a child from a home. As a foster parent, Haynes has helped many children work through trauma. “I take the kids out to have fun: fishing and hunting,” he said. “When they come into your house, they are traumatized. And then, they are traumatized again when they are moved. It’s tough for them and it isn’t their fault. I try to make life fun for them.” Haynes became a foster parent 18 years ago when his wife, a teacher, suggested taking in a couple students needing a home. Haynes said they’ve taken in about 100 kids over the
years. “My wife stays home with the kids,” he said. “Right now, we have nine at home. There are a lot of kids needing homes and not enough foster parents. If I had a bigger house, I’d take more.” Tribal Councilmember Patty Stevens noted that Haynes is the Police Officer of the Year for Montana. “He is a really good guy,” she said. Stevens explained to the girls that their project was important enough to pull her away from a meeting with Governor Steve Bullock. “I think it’s really neat this idea you came up with,” she said to the girls. “The greatest thing you can do for your community is community service.” Richey thanked the officers for attending the event. “I hope it takes a long
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KAREN PETERSON PHOTO
Autumn Chee, 11, selects items to put in a Buddy Bag. time to run out,” she said of the bags adding that the club plans to
make more if needed.
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stay the course
COURTESY PHOTO
Keep resolutions all year long by Berl Tiskus Valley Journal
or many people, the number-one New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and get more exercise. While those are good resolutions, they are often hard to keep. For gym rats, it’s a tough time of year because they have to wait to use machines and weights at the gym. Exercise classes can be more crowded, too, as more people sign up and buy new workout clothes and shoes. But often by the middle of February or the first of March, the onslaught of new exercise enthusiasts has dwindled away. Some exercisers simply won’t fully commit; others go gung-ho, starting such a strict regimen that no one could keep up. Yet some people continue to exercise all year long — walking,
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running, cycling, swimming, skiing, snow shoeing or lifting weights. So what’s their secret? “I want to grow old and be comfortable in myself and be able to do things with my kids and my husband,” said Linda Madsen, a Ronan area walker. She has been walking with the same group of women for about 10 years and loves the walking path paralleling Round Butte Road west of Ronan. “I prefer walking outside — year round — to the treadmill,” Madsen said. “It’s a great way to start your day.” Madsen also likes yoga. She also takes adult education classes, such as Zumba and HIT, to vary her fitness activities so she doesn’t get bored. She said sometimes it’s kind of hard to drag yourself to the gym or to class, but she’s never been sad that she went.
For people who worry about others watching them, Madsen said, “You are only competing against yourself.” Besides most exercisers are too busy working out to watch everybody else. For some, it’s exercise partners — the “buddy system” of accountability, which Madsen said helps her. Other exercises are intrinsically motivated; and still others opt to take group exercise classes that provide encouragement. Statistics from the Journal of the American Medical Association show that more than one third (34.5 percent) or 78.6 million adults in the United States are considered obese. Less than five percent of adults receive the recommended 30 daily minutes of exercise. In March of 2014, Dan Nelson started swimming at Mission Valley Aquatic Center to reha-
CARRIE PICHLER/VALLEY JOURNAL
Even on a wintry day, dedicated runners gather for a half -marathon, but they could just as easily have gotten together to snowshoe or cross-country ski as a way to enjoy a snowy day.
bilitate his knee after surgery. He started slowly, but by May he was swimming up to 20 laps and had lost 50 pounds, according to a thank-you note sent to pool staff. Whatever exercise a person chooses, it’s important not to get
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bored. Vary the routine by switching from bicycling to running once in a while or go snowshoeing instead of a Sunday run. Even Polson’s hardcore professional triathlete, Matt Seeley, likes to think up fun challenges. For his 44th
birthday, he did 4 400s, and his family did a relay to keep him company. In all kinds of weather, Seeley can be seen biking to work in Pablo. Seeley has some words of wisdom about keeping resolutions. see H&F page 8
January 14, 2015 – 7
Resolution from H&F page 7
He’s been trying to build training communities and athletic communities in Polson for the last 10 to 15 years. These sorts of activities — with groups of people — adds motivation and a sense of collective effort, plus accountability to get out of bed, Seeley said. A second part of this idea is to stay consistent from week to week. Instead of saying “I’m going to take a 30-minute walk in the next few days” say “I’m going to walk on Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” he said. Seeley also urged people to document their exercise, what they did and how they felt. This lets a person set goals for distance or time, and sometimes just being able to write it down is enough to get a person going, he said. Seeley has been getting up at 5:30 a.m. to go swim with a group of people at the Mission Valley Aquatic Center. To get himself out of bed, he’s been thinking about how much better he’ll feel after he swims, although that’s an hour or so in the future. Another motivator is registering for a future event, such as a bike race, a 5k or marathon, “and announcing it to the world” to push through the tough times in your training, Seeley said. “For me — Tana (Seeley’s wife) will tell you and others — I’m addicted to exercise,” Seeley said. “I don’t do well if I don’t exercise in the morning.” He said he’s so much more relaxed in stressful situations and he enjoys the day so much more. At the end of the day, Seeley said exercise gives a person a little bit of processing time. Also, exercising allows him to eat more of the foods he likes and stay healthy and fit. So to keep that resolution, eat clean, get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, vary the exercise, and have fun. 8 – January 14, 2015
Lake County Health offers services for all by Berl Tiskus Valley Journal
POLSON — Have an infant and need to make sure she’s thriving? In the market for a flu shot? Wondering about birth control options or a wellwoman check? Unsure about whether a car seat is safe? All these questions and many more can be answered at the Lake County Health Department, a brick building at 802 Main Street. LCHD is for everyone, and last fiscal year they served 344 clients. “It’s underutilized,” said Emily Colomeda, Lake County health services director. “We are not just a clinic for people who don’t have insurance or can’t afford care; we can serve everybody in the community.” Colomeda ticked off a list of services provided: Women, Infants and Children program; family planning; Vaccines for Children Program, which allows eligible children under the age of 18 to get discounted or low-cost vaccines depending on income; adult vaccines; the Buckle-Up Program; tuberculosis screening and treatment; and tobacco prevention. Vaccines are an important piece because LCHD is tasked with dealing with all communicable diseases, such as tick-borne disease and STDs. STDs are the primary communicable diseases they deal with, Colomeda said. Colomeda said LCHD also has a maternal child health block grant. Bre Utgaard, public health nurse, work under this grant, doing maternal/infant early childhood home visits. There is also a healthy Montana families program, using the Parents as Teachers curriculum, an evidencebased model. “We make home visits twice a month,” Utgaard said, “and check for child development and family well being – anything from
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Two Ciggy the Butts have escorts weight checks for infants to a breast-feeding consultation.” At their monthly group meetings, PAT families have participated in events such as infant massage, holiday crafts and a presentation on car seats. This program’s goals are to prepare children for school and cut down on domestic violence and emergency room visits. The monthly meetings introduce parents of young children to other parents so they can connect and compare experiences and solutions. “Anyone can come to these meetings,” Colomeda said, adding that group members don’t have to be clients of LCHD. Another thing to know about LCHD is it’s the only place in town that has sliding-scale fees for family planning for folks who are low-income. Low income is defined as below 200 percent of the poverty level, Colomeda said, although there are different guidelines for each program. The United States poverty level is $11,670 for a single person or $23,850 for a
to a classroom for a presentation on tobacco prevention.
family of four. LCHD will also bill insurance companies for patients who want wellness exams or birth control, and, in many cases, is less expensive. Family planning can be for both women and men during their reproductive years, and the sliding scale is basically based on income. Title X funds it, and Title X has nothing to do with abortion. Prevention is better. The cost of birth control pills is much less than a birth, complications and, if the child is unplanned, supporting that child for the rest of its life. “What I love about our family planning program,” Colomeda said, “is clients get a lot of counseling and education.” LCHD schedules half an hour for each client, something not all clinics can do. With a pregnancy test, LCHD must provide a patient with all the options for that pregnancy: continuing the pregnancy, adoption and termination. There is no coercion. “It is truly a woman’s choice,” Colomeda said. The health of the com-
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Children at the Boys and Girls Club work with Lake County Health Department staff to create a handprint banner.
munity is what Colomeda and her crew deals with, that includes what’s out there for people to access. The Affordable Care Act is the first actual legislation that has mandated money for public health, Colomeda said. That’s important because the economy of the area hasn’t been great, especially since the Plum Creek mill closed, which
impacts people. One issue Colomeda and Utgaard want to pursue is the lack of information on healthy relationships; but they are glad for their opportunity to get into the county schools to talk about relationships, reproduction information and health. For information on programs, call (406) 883-7288.
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Getting to the cause of pain, depression, anxiety here has never been a more exciting time in the history of naturopathic medicine. New advances in science are proving the effectiveness of naturopathic medicine and assisting physicians to get to the root cause of an issue, rather than merely suppressing symptoms with potentially toxic drugs. As health care costs and deductibles are on the rise, people are looking for natural solutions that get to the cause of their problems, and are less likely to seek out suppressive therapies that aren’t addressing the source of the issue. One such advancement is Prolozone, an antiinflammatory, nutritional/oxygen injection technique. Prolozone helps to regenerate cartilage, gives greater support to the elasticity of ligaments and serves to aid soft tissue healing. It provides nutri-
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Natural News Katie Carter, ND board certified physician
ents and oxygen to the tissue, which are our bodies own way of healing. Joints have poor blood supply. Our blood stream naturally carries these elements to the tissue, so the use of an injection with these therapies can be extremely useful. As long as the tendons and ligaments are intact to a certain degree, the results can actually represent a permanent fix. Pain syndromes benefited by Prolozone include neck pain, degenerated or herniated discs, low back pain, fascititis, osteoarthritis, torn tendons, knee and shoulder injuries and virtually any sports injury.
Other pain syndromes like fibromyalgia and autoimmune syndromes take a deeper naturopathic understanding. Fortunately, we can support the body to not create the inflammation, by addressing the systems that start to create the inflammation in the first place. Hormone and neurotransmitter testing are often studied by a naturopathic physician. The field of Neuroscience has developed a system, like hormone testing, which utilizes urine testing to study patients’ neurotransmitters such as serotonin, Gaba, norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and others. Health conditions such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, fatigue, and immune disorders can be benefited with the understanding of neuroscience. Many dietary nutrients are essential in the making of our neuro-
transmitters. Dietary and supplemental sources of these nutrients are addressed by the naturopathic physician. Today’s healthcare insurance is forcing patients into larger deductibles than they have ever seen. Many patients are choosing to use this out-of-pocket deductible to actually get better from the inside out. The trend is away from using suppressive and /or toxic pharmaceuticals and towards seeking out answers that respect the body’s inherent design to heal itself. My personal practice has transformed in recent years with the addition of new therapies for pain and the use of testing and treatment of neurotransmitter imbalance. This joins the valuable use of hormone testing that I have used for almost three decades in my practice.
LINDA SAPPINGTON/VALLEY JOURNAL
Children decorate vases
at a last year’s Kids Create event.
Kids Create set for February 7 POLSON — “Kids Create” returns to Polson Middle School Saturday, Feb. 7 from 8:45 to 1:45. The event is open to all students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, giving children the chance to participate in a variety of creative and artistic expressions. Registration forms are available at Linderman, Cherry Valley, Polson Middle School and the Polson District Office. The fee, per child, for this all-day event is $20 for in-district students or $25 for out-of-district students and includes all materials. Parents are not required to accompany their children to classes, but assistance at check-in is greatly appreciated. Each child must bring a snack and a sack lunch with his or her name printed on it. For more information, call Edna Lemm at (406) 883-2990.
LUCKY YOU!! We're right here in Ronan with all this to offer: • Pediatric - Elder eye exams • Screening and Treatment of Glaucoma • Computerized Imaging and Diagnostics • Specialized Contact Lens Fittings • Low Vision Services • Vision Therapy • Cataract Surgery Pre and Post Operative Care • Extensive Frame Selection • Optical Lens Laboratory 676-3937 676-8921 Health & Fitness
417 Main St. SW, Ronan ronaneyeclinic.com January 14, 2015 – 9
Women 4 Wellness offers health information, free screenings by Megan Strickland Valley Journal
reventable diseases are one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and one local health fair helps women in Mission Valley receive free screenings and training that teach comprehensively about health maintenance and prevention strategies before a problem arises. The Women 4 Wellness Health Fair, hosted by the SKC Center Prevention and Wellness and funded by the Office of Women’s Health each May, has grown to include dozens of free screenings and educational booths in the past seven years targeted at females. The interactive event is set in a fun, educational atmosphere dually meant to engage people in learning about prevention and wellness, while giving free screenings that otherwise might not be financially available or are just too scary for people to get up the nerve to schedule an appointment. “It’s like a monster clinic,” organizer Niki Graham said. All the while, health professionals from across western Montana donate their time at the fair to create interactive booths that suck people in with
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BERL TISKUS/VALLEYJOURNAL
The Women for Wellness Health Fair has grown year after year and provides free medical screenings, including mammograms. catchy phrases, spinning wheels, and freebies in order to talk about tough subjects like mental health, HIV, and hepatitis. Graham said the fun atmosphere and comradery between the women visiting the booths often
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leads gals to step up to the plate for examinations they otherwise might not have. “It’s provided an avenue where people can come without necessarily having an immediate need,” Graham said. “They might come across a table talking about pap smears and say ‘Oh, I haven’t had one of those in 20 years. I’m married. I don’t have to worry about it.’ But then their friend says, ‘You haven’t had a pap smear in 20 years, really? Let’s go.’ Peer support I think is one of the biggest benefactors with Women 4 Wellness.” The fun atmosphere also sometimes comes with harsh news that can save lives. Numerous cases of breast cancer have been found from lumps detected by manual exams, with some in young women who were decades away from ever qualifying for a mammogram. For those who leave with a diagnosis, event organizers try to stay in touch and make
sure the impacted individual gets care. For those who leave with a clean bill of health, organizers hope tips delivered at the fair will provide a complete toolbox to promote activities like exercise and selfeducation to cut future health problems off at the pass. “It’s not something that is a one bam, thank you ma’am kind of thing,” Graham said. “It’s something that should initiate conversations and some thought process throughout the year.” Organizer Eleanor Vizcarra said the fair has filled a huge need in the community over the years. “It started the May after the market crashed,” Vizcarra said. “Much to our surprise, our first year we had over 800 women. I was taken a little aback by that … But at that time there was a huge barrier, and that was money. Nobody knew what was going to happen and everyone’s lives had changed. So
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we got to thinking, let’s give a free cholesterol panel. A free breast exam? Sure. Free vouchers for mammography, maybe. By May a lot of people had lost their jobs. They didn’t have money.” The market has bounced back since then, and economics still remains a barrier, Vizcarra said. Education on the new insurance requirements add new confusion about who will pay for testing, especially for tribal members who might have qualified for care through other avenues before, Vizcarra said. The fair has tried to educate people on how to understand their health insurance. “A lot of people may have never used insurance before,” Vizcarra said. “It’s a barrier.” The fair saw 1,700 women last year and Vizcarra said it is easily probably the biggest prevention and wellness teaching event in Mission Valley. She said she hopes
the project will continue to expand in the future to include other educational reminders to stay healthy throughout the year. There could be a roadblock to keeping the event free and in existence, however. The grant that has provided funding for the past several years runs out in 2015, making fundraising ever more important to its sustainability. The Center for Prevention and Wellness has hosted a comedy troupe, and other fundraising runs in the past few years to help raise monies for the fair, but right now major sponsors are needed to keep funding at current levels. “When things are grantfunded, funds will disappear,” Graham said. “We want to keep it free, but it might not always be.” Graham said anyone interested in sponsoring the event or volunteering can call the Center for Prevention and Wellness at (406) 675-4920.
Healthcare providers react to Affordable Care Act by Megan Strickland Valley Journal
LAKE COUNTY – Mission Valley healthcare providers say they have seen mixed results to their bottom lines and overall method of service delivery after the mandatory implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act went into place in 2014. The major overhaul of the national healthcare system implemented a number of new requirements and regulations for the industry and individuals, including a major provision that stipulates most Americans have health insurance or face a tax penalty of up to $285 for filings on 2014 income or $975 per person for 2015 filings. The maximum fee will increase every year. The provision that people enroll in a healthcare plan was lauded as a pivotal part of the legislation, and a year before the implementation of the measure, local officials were cautiously optimistic that the bill might help slow down the uncompensated and charity costs that were hitting the bottom lines of area hospitals particularly hard. Uncompensated and charity care costs result when individuals are unable to pay their bills and the hospital is forced to eat the loss. Since the implementation of the legislation, St. Luke Community Hospital in Ronan has
actually seen a rise in the amount of care provided at no charge because individuals can’t pay. CEO Steve Todd said this year’s charity care costs were expected to hit $3.8 million , up significantly from $3.5 million last fiscal year. “Those costs have to be picked up somewhere,” Todd said. “It’s one of those things that can lead to challenges in terms of the needs of rural hospitals.” Todd couldn’t say exactly why the costs had gone up, but speculated that enrollment in insurance programs might not have been as much as predicted. Todd said the new system has some significant tax benefits for Native Americans and low income individuals. “Unfortunately, at this point, there aren’t a significant number of people who are enrolling and using that benefit,” Todd said. Local hospitals may have suffered some loss in potential income because the 2013 state legislature failed to implement a key part of the federal government’s plan to expand Medicaid. “The poorest of the poor are basically not assisted with the exchange because they are supposed to be part of the system that was created by Medicaid expansion,” Todd explained. The Medicaid expansion plans for each state
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Local hospitals are feeling the impact of the federal government’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act. offered federal monies that would cover the cost of care for low-income individuals stuck in a gap between being too wealthy to qualify for coverage on the healthcare exchange, but still unable to fall under state Medicaid programs that deliver services to the poorest of the poor. The federal government offered to pay the entire cost of the expansion through 2016, with the state having to fund 10 percent of the cost of expansion through years 2016 through 2020. The legislature is expected to debate expansion again in the ongoing 90-day session that began Monday, but the issue has largely been split along party lines pertaining to cost. Governor Steve Bullock’s office has pro-
jected expansion of the program will save taxpayers $7.7 million over three years, but the state’s Legislative Fiscal Division estimated that expansion would actually cost taxpayers $99.7 million for the same amount of time. As the lawmakers gear up for debate, Lake County might be losing out on potential economic growth. The Montana Budget and Policy Center estimates 2,378 adults were in the coverage gap in 2013 in Lake County whose enrollment in Medicaid could have spent $18,548,400 on healthcare if they had been covered. The organization also projected the county could see an additional 480 jobs created if Medicaid were expanded, resulting in an additional estimated
$19,829,000 spent on wages. But additional employees can also create additional costs for employers. To pay for those covered by federal subsidies, the new law places a $63 annual tax on each individual covered by insurance policies. The employer pays the tax, so for a business like St. Luke, with more than 400 employees covered with their families, costs add up. “It’s significant,” Todd said. At St. Joseph Providence Medical Center in Polson, CEO James Kiser said the hospital has seen an opposite impact in the past year. The number of self-pay individuals not covered by insurance has decreased
from 8.8 percent to 5.5 percent. Hospital officials also think more people might be enrolling in Medicaid in Polson despite the expansion. In the past year, the hospital has seen a1.5 percent decline in commercial insurance usage, but a 4.5 percent increase in Medicaid usage. “We have theorized that at least indirectly the ACA had some impact as community members looked into whether or not they qualified for the exchange,” Kiser said in an email. “They may have been made aware that they qualified for Medicaid.” Some other elements of care delivery have also changed under the new law. Hospitals are required to digitize records. Both Todd and Kiser pointed out the benefits of having an electronic healthcare delivery system. It is easy to cut down on duplicated paperwork and transfer records, but it is also creates more work for doctors. Todd noted that where doctors used to have faceto-face interaction with patients, there is now more face-to-screen interaction as physicians enter notes on a computer screen while the patient is in the examination room. Some doctors don’t like the new interface, Todd said. “They have adjusted,” Todd said.
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