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HEALTH UPDATE

Do you believe in miracles? If you don’t now, you might after reading Saline County resident Karl Seibert’s story.

In 1999, twelve years into a successful career with the United States Postal Service, Karl’s world turned upside

his four daughters stuck between the pages and knew he had to keep trying. Karl grew up in Saltillo, Mexico, near a family-owned mine. His friends and neighbors were Latino, and as a child Karl spoke only Spanish. He was 13 when the mine failed

I loved the kids and took the responsibility of teaching kids who had been overlooked very seriously.

down. On a return trip from Houston, Texas, Karl’s truck was hit head on at an impact speed of 140 mph. With his massive head injuries and lack of pulse, heartbeat and respiratory functions, the emergency responders declared him dead on arrival. One EMT, who was also a youth pastor, found Karl’s Bible with a picture of

causing the Seiberts to relocate to New Jersey, near his grandparents. After high school Karl earned baccalaureates in biology, chemistry and physics at Rutgers University.

Looking back, these great academic accomplishments paled in comparison to a life-changing moment at Shea Stadium. “Living in Mexico, my father had developed some prejudices against Latino people that influenced our family. But when I got saved at the age of 16 at a Billy Graham crusade, God opened my eyes to the fact that all people are equal in His eyes. I understood that God’s Word is true, and this set the course for my life.” Although Karl had been an international resident, he moved to Saline County in 1977 with the intention of going to medical school. During that time, Karl worked odd jobs on his grandparents and uncles’ dairy farm and new housing development off Salem Road, the Helmich addition. This is when, through mutual acquaintances, Karl met his future wife, Mary Anne Pelton in December of 1978. The two were married on July 14, 1979. Starting in 1980, Karl shared his love of science through teaching biology at Benton High School to students who were having a difficult

time learning. “I loved the kids and took the responsibility of teaching kids who had been overlooked very seriously. I challenged them to do better and most of the time it changed their attitude about achieving goals. Also, I used every opportunity to tell the students about God and how He changed my life,” says Karl with a smile. During that time, Karl also worked two other jobs so Mary Anne could stay home with their growing family. Karl left teaching and took a position with the USPS in 1987 working a split shift 6 days a week. “My customers became my second family.” One “family member” on Karl’s route is Carolyn Erwin of Promotional Products and Apparel. “Karl’s work ethic and his concern for his customers has been exceptional for us. It’s never been just a job for him; he really cares for the people on his route,” Carolyn recalls fondly.

Karl’s head-on collision was on June 22, 1999. When the EMTs arrived, his eyes were fixed and there were no signs of life, but thirty minutes into resuscitation a slight pulse was found. After seven weeks in a semicoma condition, with Mary Anne by his side, Karl began the slow process of rehabilitation to re-learn everything. Mary Anne left the hospital only once in those seven weeks. “A loving family and close friends got us through,” remembers Mary Anne.

Initially, Karl thought his wife was his mom and his four daughters, Hannah, Emily, Melissa and Abigail, his sisters, but eventually he recognized his daughters, although all memories of their childhood were lost. For the

weeks and months to follow, Karl and Mary Anne spent hours watching home videos and scouring through pictures to build the part of his life that was gone. Mary Anne admits there were hard times during his recovery. “It was sad for the girls because their dad didn’t remember their childhood. The doctors told us he could go to Timber Ridge because I was going to have the hard work once he came home, but I never thought of doing that.”

Following six months of sick leave, he was cleared to return to work to relearn his routes and reconnect with his customers, his second family. It took five more years to gain as much information as possible about those precious lost years and regain his physical strength. “The accident has taught me to appreciate life. If the weather is bad or something bad happens, I don’t get anxious or nervous anymore. I just don’t think about unimportant things, and allow God to conquer everything we may encounter,” says Karl.

Now it’s time to begin a new chapter. Karl retired on Friday, February 28, after 32 years of service. He says he would love to have continued his career as a mail carrier because of his customers. “They have given me another family and an opportunity to share Christ every day!” Karl’s absence will have a profound effect on his customers as well. “He’s been an inspiration to us. He is a man of character and strong faith. Whenever I’m having a tough day, I think about all the obstacles he’s overcome in his life and it helps put things in perspective for me. He’s never lost his joy, always has a smile and brings a ray of sunshine with him,” shares Carolyn Erwin. Mary Anne and Karl believe that “from this point on, with God’s direction, our lives can be anything we make it.” One thing is for sure: the Seiberts intend to spend their retirement years continuing to share the news that “God is good and merciful in all things.” “I’m so thankful I went to that Billy Graham crusade. I know that God will answer your prayers if it fits into His plan. God allowed me to survive to be a witness for Him, and I always start a conversation about the Lord with, ‘Do you believe in miracles?’”  Carolyn Buckner

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Good Day, I hope this note finds you well. Many of you know that I have spent much of my adult life enamored of an idyllic place called Gum Ridge, Arkansas. This wonderful little place is in East Arkansas and sits on the banks of the Green River. It is peopled with a wonderful group of delightful characters and just normal people caught in the act of being human. Now, in truth, I was raised in a small town in East Arkansas on the banks of the White River, called Augusta. As you might guess, the fabled Gum Ridge and the real Augusta are suspiciously similar. What most of you don’t know is that Gum Ridge is a real place, but it isn’t a town; it’s the farm where I was born and spent most of my youth. In the midst of the Depression, our branch of the Taggart family of Stuttgart packed up their bags and moved 90 miles north to the river bottomland between the White River and Cache River. At that point the Cache and White Rivers are only about eight miles apart and much of the land is low-lying ground that floods regularly. The topsoil is deep and rich, and just a few feet under the surface is a thick layer of gumbo mud; it is a perfect place to raise rice. The farm was owned by the Conner company and is about two miles east of Augusta on Highway 64; it is about 2000 acres. The problem when the family arrived was that only about 200 acres were clear of timber and ready for farming. For the next 25 years, they spent their winters clearing land and preparing new ground. In the middle of this low-lying rice land was a sandy ridge that had been deposited in the distant past and on this ridge were several gum trees; that is where the farm got its name.

Looking back through the lens of seventy-three years, it’s clear that we were poor. But we weren’t wedded to that poverty. We had enough to eat and we stayed warm in the wintertime (except for the outhouse—that was very cold).

In many ways our life was idyllic. It revolved around the family. My grandmother and her two youngest We had enough to eat and we stayed warm in the wintertime (except for the outhouse— that was very cold)

children, still at home when Grandpa died, lived just 50 yards to the east. My father’s closest brother and his family lived 50 yards to the west. I remember thinking as a child that I would probably end up rice farming like my father. But one day when I was a young teen, Dad and I were repairing a levee disrupted by a rainstorm. We took a break, put down our shovels, and Dad lit his ever-present cigar. Out of the blue he said to me, “Do you know what I want for you out of life?” “No,” I replied. “I hope you don’t spend the rest of your life pushing someone else’s mud around.”

Have a good journey, Sam

Dr. Sam Taggart is a retired doctor/ writer/ marathon runner in practice in Benton for the last 35 years. He recently published The Public’s Health: A narrative history of health and disease in Arkansas, published by the Arkansas Times. His two other books, With a Heavy Heart and We All Hear Voices are available at your local booksellers or online at Amazon.com.

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WEATHER WATCH

By Ed Buckner, THV11 Chief Meteorologist Encouragement Through Adversity

This is going to be a different “Weather Watch” than normal. As many of you may have heard, I am taking some time off from THV11 to focus on my health. In 2007, I shared with the state of Arkansas my story of living with Tourette Syndrome, and since then have had the opportunity to participate on a national and international stage. I shared my story through the Tourette’s Podcast, hosted by Ben Brown (Season 2, Episode 4 – Before That Red Light Comes On), an article in Tourette Association of America and an interview with Lead National Correspondent for CBS This Morning, David Begnaud, who also has Tourette Syndrome. David has reached out to me since my leave was announced and I am hopeful to again have the chance to encourage others to pursue their dreams despite any physical or mental limitations. I am so thankful God gave me courage to come forward in 2007, and the platform to help students and adults cope with not only TS, but also address bullying associated with all kinds of disabilities—or as I say, “this ability.” Through this step and the support of my wife, Carolyn, and of my friend and then co-worker David Craft, I have encouraged thousands of young people all over Arkansas to

use their situation or condition to make a difference in the lives of others. What a wonderful opportunity I’ve been given to encourage, support and love others who may have been struggling, and to share my faith as my source of hope and strength. Over the last few years, it has become increasingly difficult to manage the effects of TS on my body. Because of the frequency and extreme force of each neck, arm, or leg tic, my spine has paid the price. I am currently in physical therapy and have other procedures scheduled that will prayerfully restore my flexibility and relieve pain. For those who don’t exactly know what Tourette Syndrome is, or who have the idea that it always involves shouting obscenities, it is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by both motor tics (movement) and vocal tics. Mine include sniffing, hacking and even a squeak noise when I am excited. Carolyn likes this one; she calls it my “happy tic.”

In any case, tics are frustrating because they are completely involuntary (uncontrollable) and exhausting. There is no definitive cause for Tourette Syndrome, although a combination of inherited and environmental factors likely play a role. And unfortunately, there is no cure. I want to mention that I have a mild case of Tourette Syndrome. The daily struggles and long-term effects can be much more difficult for those with more severe cases who may find it impossible to eat, get dressed or perform other essential daily functions without assistance. As you meet people throughout the course of your day, be kind, be considerate, be compassionate. This quote sums it up for me: “Be Kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about,” which I first read on stevepake.com. As we all know, Arkansas has some extreme weather that requires meteorologists to be on top of their game. That’s my goal. I want to come back renewed, refreshed and ready to keep you informed and safe through everything our crazy climate has to dish out. In the meantime, take care of yourself just as I am doing, so you can take care of those you love. AS YOU MEET PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF YOUR DAY, BE KIND, BE CONSIDERATE, BE COMPASSIONATE.

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FITNESS TIPS

By Marietta McClure, Head Trainer, McClure Fitness The Weight Trap

Do you have an unhealthy relationship with the scale? Do you obsess over the numbers day-in and day-out? Do you give yourself a hard time when you’re busting your tail and the number isn’t budging?

Our obsession with manipulating the numbers on this little hunk of plastic comes with consequences. Not only does it misrepresent actual progress, but it also messes with our mindset.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, NEVER LET A NUMBER DEFINE YOU. STAY CONSISTENT AND COMMITTED TO YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY, AND DON’T LET THAT SCALE DERAIL YOU!

Fixating on how the scale went up 0.4 pounds today isn’t going to do you any good! Small fluctuations are truly irrelevant to your overall progress, and weight isn’t the only metric that measures your health. There are other ways to track your progress, and many are way more meaningful than your weight.

Here’s how to break up with your scale and rewire your brain to stop caring about that number. We live in a “diet” culture. Quick quiz: how many diets can you name off the top of your head right now? I’m guessing at least 5.

We have Paleo, Atkins, South Beach, Keto, Zone, Whole30, The Daniel Diet, Weight Watchers, and the list goes on. We’ve all been trained a bit by advertising to be hyper-focused on weight loss. I hate to be a downer, but do you want to know the real truth about our beloved diet culture? About 95% of people who lose weight by dieting gain it back in 1-5 years (Psychology Today).

Many of us alter our fitness goals to comply with what we think we should weigh. If you have a number in mind—a weight you’ve set as your personal “weight loss goal”—have you stopped to think about why? Where did that number come from? Why is that number so important? The truth is that the number on the scale can be artificial—it doesn’t tell the whole story. If you’ve found yourself obsessed with that hunk of plastic in the bathroom, you’re in what we call “the weight trap.” It’s time to break free!

HOW THE SCALE WRECKS YOUR MINDSET We often start with good intentions. The goal to slim down and get back to our high school body can be a noble one, so we focus on weight loss as our ultimate measure of success. “If I can only get back down to 150 pounds!” we say. As time goes on, we start obsessing over only losing a pound in a week, or even worse—gasp!—gaining a pound. Now, our minds are completely fixated on how we can manipulate the scale. Before we know it, we’re using wrestling weigh-in hacks to drop a pound and get some satisfaction.

Peter Weintraub, Permanent Weight Loss Specialist at Weight Loss by Pete, explains, “Weighing yourself daily literally makes you a SLAVE to the scale. I know this because that’s what I used to do during my two-year plateau. Imagine weighing in every day for 730 straight days, and not getting below a certain weight range.” It doesn’t take much to realize that the scale can completely wreck your mindset. WHY CHASING SCALE GOALS IS A LOSING BATTLE Scale goals—or, ahem, #scalegoals—are a losing battle. While

diet and exercise are the foundation of fitness, there’s so much more at play here that affects our weight.

First up is sleep. When you don’t get a great night’s sleep, your body is more likely to store fat and take in more calories. And when you’re tired? You’re more prone to reach for extra food or caffeine to keep you going.

Hormones also have a massive effect on the scale. Ladies, you might notice your weight going a bit bonkers during the time of the month, and all of us can suffer from insulin resistance when our hormones are out of whack. Stress also contributes to the scale’s fluctuations. Cortisol, our stress hormone, increases when we’re stressed out, and that can decrease insulin sensitivity. The end result? You’re hungry more often, and your body can even start to store excess weight around the midsection.

Ever heard of water weight? It’s a real thing, and can also cause the scale to go up and down artificially. Your body likes to retain water for a ton of different reasons, including: • When you eat a lot of salty foods are 5 meaningful ways to monitor your health and fitness goals that have nothing to do with your weight. 1. Track your physical accomplishments like seeing your energy or strength levels increasing. 2. Notice how your clothes are fitting. Are they looser? Did you have to go down a size? 3. Pay attention to how you feel emotionally and mentally. Exercise is the body’s natural anti-depressant. 4. Take progress photos every 2-4 weeks to see how you’re getting smaller. 5. Record body measurements with a tape measure (waist, hips, legs). NEVER LET A NUMBER DEFINE YOU While there is a time and place for a scale, we’ve established that there are some serious problems with hailing it as your ultimate measure of fitness success.

There’s always more to the story, especially when it comes to your scale. Did you eat a really salty meal last night? Is it a particularly stressful week at work? When was your last bowel movement? I mean, seriously, the scale isn’t everything. Focus on non-scale victories to track your success, including progress photos, body measurements, how you feel, physical accomplishments, and how your clothes are fitting. Finally, think about your longterm goals. Many report that weighing in once a week tells a better picture of their weight over time than worrying about the small day-to-day fluctuations. There’s no use in obsessing over that pound you gained today or the half-pound you lost yesterday. At the end of the day, never let a number define you. Stay consistent and committed to your fitness journey, and don’t let that scale derail you! 

• When you’re menstruating • During pregnancy • When you’re stressed • If you take birth control (lookin’ at you, hormones!) • When you travel • If you take certain medications • If you have poor circulation (typically comes with age) Weight is affected by all sorts of things, including salt intake, stress, and even the time of the month. That’s why obsessing over the scale isn’t always the way to measure your fitness success. HOW TO REWIRE YOUR BRAIN

Our challenge to you is to completely ignore the scale for a month. Yes, a month. How will I keep track of my progress, you say? Here