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Wednesday, January 31, 2024 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
I was out on a long ramble through the woods west of Sisters a few weeks ago when it hit me that I’D BEEN DOING
Not today, Father Time!
THIS PARTICULAR HIKE FOR 30 YEARS. Against
my will, that led to taking an inventory of the difference between 28 and 58.
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
THE GOOD NEWS IS, I’M STILL GETTING OUT THERE, AND I CAN STILL COVER THE MILES. The less good
news is, I’m wearing sleeves on barking knees, and it takes a couple of days to recover from those miles. Sometimes going hard at it leaves me sore and feeling like the Tin Man in need of a whole can of oil. PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY
I don’t really think of myself as an athlete — other than tennis, I’m not really into sports. But I have always been very active, and my physical capabilities — the ability to put in the miles on the trail, lift heavy things, strike a ball well, and shoot straight — are fundamental to my sense of who I am. While I can’t pretend that time has no effect on me, I’m not ready to retreat before its inexorable advance. I’m still standing on the edge of the chasm shouting “You shall not pass!” Fortunately, there’s a whole bunch of folks in Sisters who can help us keep Father Time at bay. Intelligently, so we don’t get stove up trying to act like we’re still 28. I asked a couple of them for advice. Matt Kirchoff of Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy in Sisters works with a lot of folks that match the profile of the fit, active — but aging — person. He told me that the two areas that need more focus as we age are warmup and recovery. And they’re things active folks often don’t like to pay attention to, especially the warm-up when we’re eager to get into the activity itself. “I think that’s the toughest thing — dedicating the time before the activity,” Kirchoff said. Kirchoff advises that we engage in five minutes or so of dynamic warm-up before any physical activity — not just sports, but yard work, snow shoveling — anything that is putting a demand on the body. Dynamic warm-ups get the body ready to move. Dynamic warm-ups include up-tempo movements like leg swings, arm circles, lunges and the like — not just static stretching. “It should be something to get your heart rate up,” Kirchoff said. You can find sports-specific dynamic warmup protocols online.
A few minutes of dynamic warm-up can improve performance — and reduce injuries. “If people were really mindful of that, I might not have a job!” Kirchoff said. Having a sport or activity specific training program is beneficial — one that includes rotation and lateral movements. Consulting with a professional can help you identify what types of movement best serve your needs. Andrew Loscutoff, a personal trainer at Sisters Athletic Club, says, “You need to recognize where you’re at now — and that takes some assessment. Having an eye toward individualistic programming is going to be the first place to start.” There’s a key question that aging athletes and active folks need to answer: “We ask them, what does your recovery look like?” Kirchoff said. Recovery has multiple elements: rest/sleep, hydration, nutrition, and active measures like foam rolling. “A lot of those recovery principles are neglected in a lot of cases,” Kirchoff cautions. “Sleep is important,” Loscutoff said. “Sleep is really important. It’s when you’re recovering from the exercises you’re doing.” Good sleep hygiene is a habit that offers dividends — better rest means better mood, better performance, and better recovery from activity. “Are you going to bed when you’re tired, or are you going to bed when you’re done watching TV?” Loscutoff asks. Create a routine that lets you wind down, and gets you to bed when your body is telling you it’s tired. Nutrition is also critical. “Having lean protein in adequate amounts” is especially important for older athletes, according to Loscutoff. Protein as a proportion of overall
diet should be prioritized. It can be difficult to keep the grams of protein up when we’re busy. Protein shakes can help with that. “A protein shake is great, because it can fill a snack slot while giving you optimal nutrition,” Loscutoff said. A shake is way better than a bag of chips. “It’s going to replace something that’s not nutritionally sound,” the trainer said. Both Kirchoff and Loscutoff are advocates of strength training. It’s especially valuable as we age to keep up our muscle and bone mass and to improve our metabolism. But we have to be mindful not to do a good thing to excess. Those of us who enjoy lifting weights, and rely on the mental and psychological benefits of the activity, want to lift every day — and that’s probably not optimal, especially as we get older and require more recovery time. “I’m generally not an advocate of strength training more than three times a week,” Kirchoff said. Loscutoff says “There’s merit to doing something every day, but you don’t have to go hard every day. In fact, it’s best if you don’t.” He recommends two or three sessions in a week when you’re pushing your limitations, with the rest of the days devoted to working on balance and movement. We can’t stop time and entropy — but we can slow its advance. Assessment from a pro, along with a little programming advice can help us adapt what we do so we can keep doing it. And focusing not just on the activity itself, but on the warm-up and recovery, can help us avoid injury and keep doing the things that make us who we are. So, hopefully, I’ve got another 30 years of rambling the woods of Sisters in me. That’s what I keep telling myself, anyway.
FOCUS on Health
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
The Law Office of
JOHN H. MYERS RS — Downtown Sisters —
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION BREATHE • MOVE • RECOVER SMALL GROUP & PERSONALIZED TRAINING • Blend of mobility, strength, Pilates • New routines every day • Fascial stretch therapy • Clinics for run, ski, stretch, pickleball & more 541-390-8983 • www.sweatpnw.com 392 W. Main Ave., Sisters
Pine Desert Dental
Regular dental care is important not only for our oral health and hygiene, but for our overall well-being. But concerns about cost and insurance — or lack thereof — can keep us away from the dentist. Pine Desert Dental is removing barriers to quality, consistent dental care through a three-tiered membership program. Clients can pay annually or monthly for adult cleaning, for kids’ dentistry, and another tier for treatment of gum disease. “It covers all of your preventative care for a whole year,” Dr. Zach Sunitsch explained. By creating predictable and manageable costs, the program gives people an incentive to make regular visits and take care of their teeth and their oral health. Visit the Pine Desert Dental website and look under Patient Resources. “It’s really easy,” Dr. Sunitsch said. “Or, if you call the office at 541-549-0109, we can sign you up that way as well.” Pine Desert Dental offers a wide range of dental services, including restorative, preventative, pediatric, cosmetic, emergency care, and dentures. Their comprehensive dentistry aims to provide patients of all ages with options to improve and restore their oral health.
Sweat PNW
Sweat PNW is a private gym that welcomes people of all ages, genders, and fitness levels looking to create the best version of themselves through strength and conditioning. Sweat PNW trains people to move from their core muscles so that they can enhance stability and activity without injury. Sweat PNW focuses on mobility, recovery, and stretching, with proactive training to prevent stiffness, soreness, and injuries. The program incorporates sauna, Pilates, and fascial stretch therapy. Small group fitness classes focus on strength, cardiovascular fitness, and proper movement patterns with an emphasis on proper breath work. The environment is always encouraging. Coach Ashlee Francis delivers a daily workout for any individual to excel in, regardless of their experience or ability. The classes are challenging, but always exceptionally rewarding. Sweat PNW is currently hosting clinics throughout the year, focused on pelvic floor health, mobility, running, ski fitness, pickleball fitness, stretching for performance, and strength and nutrition. Each clinic builds on skills and develops into a well-rounded program, so she recommends attending the whole series.
Get organized and your estate plan done for peace of mind!
WILLS & TRUSTS Make it easy for you and your loved ones.
Call for a free 30-minute phone consultation!
541-588-2414
204 W. Adams Ave., Ste 203 www.beaverstatelaw.com
The Law Office of John H. Myers
One of the best New Year’s resolutions you can make is to complete an estate plan. Getting this vital work done offers peace of mind for you and protection for your loved ones, providing certainty for what will happen if something unexpected happens to you. The work can appear daunting, but The Law Office of John H. Myers has the experience and expertise to streamline the process. “People say, ‘that was easier than I thought,’” Myers says. The work can usually be done in a series of two or three meetings, and can be completed on average in a timeframe of six to eight weeks — and you don’t have to have everything together at the beginning of the process. Myers’ job is to ask the right questions to help you determine what you need and he’ll help you work through all the details. There are tangible benefits to knowing you have set things up to make things easier on family members in the event of your death or incapacitation. They will be better off, your legacy will be protected, and you will have peace of mind.
We have something ng for ALL ages!
Fun Fitness AND
HELPING PATIENTS GET MOVING!
Physical Therapy • Aquatic Therapy Post-Surgical • Sports-Specific Training Strengthening & Conditioning
541-549-3574
2022 Desperado Trail, Ste 201 at Sisters Athletic Club www.therapeuticassociates.com/Sisters
with Sisters Park & Recreation District! Group Fitness Classes • Youth Athletics Winter Programs For a full listing of activities and programs, visit sistersrecreation.com 541-549-2091 | 1750 W. MCKINNEY BUTTE ROAD, SISTERS
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Wednesday, January 31, 2024 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
How to make that resolution stick in 2024 By Audry Van Houweling PMHNP-BC PHOTO AND GRAPHIC ISTOCK.COM
How’s that New Year’s resolution coming along? As I write this, we are just over a week into 2024, which means according to researchers, it has been long enough for 23 percent of us to have not maintained our 2024 aspirations. Still going strong? Kudos to you, but if February rolls around and that resolution has taken a back seat, you are still in good company alongside an estimated 43 percent of folks who shared your month-long resolve. If that resolution happens to stick, count yourself as one of the elites as research suggests that only 9% of Americans who make resolutions, actually complete them. With the natural transition of the New Year and the chance to throw a new calendar on the wall, many of us are filled with the hope of a fresh start and the collective motivation to improve. The outcomes we daydream about are alluring. A healthy body, financial freedom, a new career...We envision the bikini on the beach, the feeling of being debt free, and the pride of moving up on the “ladder”. Identifying a desired outcome is easy. Identifying the process of implementation is where a lot of us get stuck in the mud. Here are five ways we can make our journey to change more sustainable... 1. Identify your personal “WHY”. Core values are one of my primary areas of focus in my job. Knowing our top-tier values can help provide an internal compass, foundation of discernment, and natural filter that decisions and goals must pass through. If we make a goal, but the “WHY” behind that goal is unclear or hollow, it is unlikely that our efforts to maintain will surpass life’s inevitable obstacles. WHY is your resolution important? Is your WHY really your own? Is it based on a “should do” or does your why belong to somebody else? If pleasing somebody else overrides
pleasing ourselves, we might get some work done, but it can sometimes come at the cost of resentment and burnout. 2. Know the difference between being productive and being busy. Many of us operate in a way where productivity and thinking deeply are mutually exclusive. It is easy in our go-go-go world that we operate more in a state of reactiveness vs. proactiveness. We can get into a cognitive tunnel where we are simply reacting to the next demand — a persistent game of triage that leaves little time for reflection or reevaluation. Being productive means that we can most efficiently align our time and energy to the values that are most important to us. This means we actually have to take a step back and think about what those values are and how we might shift our time and energy to better support them. Otherwise, it is so very easy for resolutions to get lost in the hustle. 3. Donʼt be so ambitious. As somebody who loves the next good project, I need to remind myself to cool off once in a while...smell the roses for a bit and remember the value of simplicity. The big project or the sweeping change might be sexy, but we just aren’t wired too well for that. Start small and follow the SMART goal-setting protocol (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). If you want to run a marathon and you have been sitting on the couch, it’s better to focus on
mile one than mile 26.2. 4. Accountability matters. Don’t keep your goals to yourself. Invite trustworthy folks to provide you with constructive accountability. Hire a coach, join a networking group, pursue your goals alongside friends. Spend time with people who can help illuminate your options and expand your horizons. We only see what we can see at the time. 5. Obstacles are inevitable. Change is rarely easy. Often, the pain of not changing must be greater than the pain of changing to actually change. We can become very comfortable with existing or operating in ways that may be in opposition to what we hope for, but we stay put because they are familiar. If we embark on change, we must expect some headwinds and to be thrown off course from time to time. Reconnecting to our values, our WHY, and reaching out to our systems of accountability partners can help right the ship. Cheers to your 2024 resolution journey. Wishing you sustainability, discernment, and a good dose of grace along the way.
FOCUS on Health
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
SHE SOARS
PSYCHIATRY
EXCITING NEWS! Now offering
RETAIL LOBBY HOURS
Tuesdays & Thursdays, Noon to 4 p.m., Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m. Come shop and pick up your favorites!
Sisters • 541-241-0254 0254
everberadiant.com nt com
Sisters Transportation and She Soars Psychiatry Mental health and well-being have Ride Share - STARS become more of a challenge to more peo-
Rural health is determined by access to care. If you can’t drive to medical appointments, health outcomes may well suffer. Sisters is fortunate to have a cadre of volunteers who make sure that those who need to travel to non-emergency medical appointments in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond have a free ride. STARS ride service replaces stress and worry with independence and connection. “We do feel like we help this community focus on health,” says Program Manager Rennie Morrell. The work is deeply appreciated. “They say it to us all the time: I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Morrell says. Volunteering with STARS is a gratifying way to give back to the community and there is always a need. It is a win-win arrangement. Riders no longer feel like a burden and volunteers feel the satisfaction that comes from visible results. “I’ve been given so much, how can I give back?” Morrell reflects. “That’s very common with our volunteers. If you give, you always get back more than you give.” STARS is becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2024, to help ensure long-term stability for a vital piece of Sisters’ health-care system.
ple over the past few very stressful and challenging years. Audry Van Howeling of She Soars Psychiatry has seen the need grow in her practice in Sisters. She recognizes that mainstream psychiatry may treat symptoms but seldom identifies the source or roots of a mental health condition. While she acknowledges that medication may help in some circumstances, Audry is committed to a broader, functional approach to treatment. She Soars Psychiatry was born out of the belief that mental health diagnoses are not always permanent conditions, and that non-invasive methods such as nutrition, fitness, supplementation, spirituality, social connections, and stress management may have as much — or more — impact than pharmaceuticals. She Soars Psychiatry is also located across the mountains in Silverton. Alongside holistic mental health services, Audry frequently collaborates with certified nutrition therapist Megan Basl, who specializes in gut health, meal planning, and functional nutrition. Audry provides in-person and telemedicine services statewide.
Radiant Day Spa
Quality skin care is a critical part of an overall health regimen. “The skin is the largest organ of our body — it really should be treated as such,” says Marianne Kennedy, owner of Radiant Day Spa. Radiant Day Spa promotes skin care through an exclusive relationship with Éminence products — and the spa is making those products more accessible to folks in Sisters. Éminence is organic, and it is not mass produced. This highest level of quality is important to maintaining good skin health — but it won’t break the bank. Kennedy says Éminence hits a “sweet spot” in the cost/ value equation. You can purchase Éminence through the spa online with free shipping — but now you can also visit the spa’s retail lobby on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, where a knowledgeable representative can help you find the right nutrients for your skin. “We want to be there when people have questions,” Kennedy said. “If you’re going to spend the money, we want you to spend it on the right stuff.” Radiant Day Spa also offers a wide range of skin care services to Sisters.
S I S T E R S D E N TA L Your local implant and Invisalign providers Trevor Frideres, D.M.D. Kellie Kawasaki, D.M.D.
541-549-2011 491 E. Main Ave. www.sistersdental.com Hours: Mon., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tues.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri., 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
PRIMARY CARE URGENT • SAME DAY WEIGHT/LIFESTYLE ROBYN LOPEZ, DNP, FNP-BC
562-805-1672
www.whychushealth.com
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Wednesday, January 31, 2024 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
The FOOT is the FOUNDATION of the body By Ashlee Francis PHOTOS ISTOCK.COM
The foundation of the body: The foot. The human foot consists of 19 muscles, 26 bones, 33 joints, and hundreds of ligaments and tendons. That is all in one foot! Each day, we stick little coffins, more commonly known as shoes, on these complex body parts: Snowboots, high heels, tennis shoes with orthotics, and more. We don’t give our feet much thought unless they start to hurt. As we age, feet are the first body part that loses function. We take care of our bodies with diet, exercise, soap, makeup and more, but very often neglect our feet. When we do foot stretches and mobility at the gym, there is always at least one student who looks up in a state of shock at how difficult it is to move each toe separately from the next. That’s because our toes have grown accustomed to being stuck glued side by side to the others. This new shape and lack of mobility they take on affects our balance, making it more challenging to hold our body upright and keep good posture. The elasticity of socks restricts blood flow and circulation to our feet. Shoes restrict blood flow and circulation to our feet. Combine the socks and shoes and you have a recipe for calluses, toe fungus, bunions, ingrown toenails, cracking of the skin, hammertoes, corns between the toes, fallen arches, and weak muscles that can’t support our body, leading to pain in the knees, hips, back, shoulders, and neck. That is a long list of issues that can be easily avoided. Since the foot is the furthest body part from our hearts, with age and stiffness in the body, our heart doesn’t pump blood as efficiently, so it is more difficult for the blood flow to get all the way to our feet. As we start to age and lose the blood flow to our feet, we also lose the function of our feet, leading to a loss of balance and mobility. Balance and mobility are what we need for independence, otherwise, we will get stuck in a recliner or sitting watching while everyone moves around us. How do we address this problem to maintain our independence and quality of life? Movement. It’s not expensive shoes that “work miracles”. You don‘t even need to jump on the barefoot band wagon. Simply bring awareness to your feet. Give them movement, touch and stretching. Going barefoot when you are able can help a tremendous amount. When you do have to wear shoes, as we all do, buy proper fitting footwear. With age, injury and pregnancy, our foot expands. Make sure you are not wearing the same size shoe you were wearing ten years ago, because your feet are not the same size as they were back then. If you try on a shoe and it doesn’t feel right immediately, it won’t
feel right in a couple of months after it’s broken in. Buy a shoe that fits the moment you put it on your foot. Muscles act as pumps to circulate blood, oxygen, nutrients, and more to our body. When we move less, our circulation and blood flow slow down. Blood flow is essential for healing. Therefore, movement is in fact medicine. Here are a few simple things you can do at home to strengthen and lengthen your feet:
1. Toe CARs Take off your shoes and socks. Standing with your body weight evenly pressed on both feet, lift just your big toes. Lower them slowly. Lift your second toe on each foot. Set them down slowly. Lift your middle toes. Let them come back down. Work into the fourth toes, lifting them off the floor. Lower them. Lift the pinky toes on both sides. Lower them. Make sure none of the other toes are gripping the ground as you lift. 2. Ankle circles From a seated or standing position, raise one leg so your foot comes out of contact with the ground. Even better, lay on your back and bend your knees to support the lower back. Lift one leg so your foot comes off the ground. Rotate your ankle in circles ten times one direction and ten times the other direction then switch legs. 3. Lacrosse ball roll outs From a seated or standing position, bring a tennis or lacrosse ball under one foot while balancing on the other leg. Work the arch of your foot forward and backward on the ball. Work the ball side to side behind the ball of the foot and across the toes. Bring the ball to the outer edge of your foot and move the ball forward and backward with your foot. Taking the ball
in front of the heel of the foot, work sideways across the foot and forward and back. Spend one minute or more in each of these areas, for as long as you feel it’s making a positive impact on the bottom of your foot. 4. Towel Crunches Placing a hand towel on the ground, grip the closest edge to you with your toes. Curl the toes around the towel to scrunch it closer to your foot. Uncurl your toes and grip on again, pulling the towel even closer to your foot. Work your way to the top of the hand towel, or do ten reps. When you get to the end of the towel, switch legs and do the same thing on the other foot. Repeat on each side. 5. Calf raises Holding onto a sturdy surface where you can stand tall, such as a countertop or windowsill, spread your feet hip width apart, approximately five to six inches from each other. Lift up onto the ball of the foot. Pause at the top then slowly lower back down until your heel touches the floor. Do this ten times, or as many as you can do with good form. Rest and try again. Movement can be even simpler than this. Put lotion on your feet before you put your socks and shoes on for the day. The massaging of the lotion into the skin will bring attention to the nerves and stimulate blood flow. It will also keep your feet from drying out and cracking. Work your way up your ankle and get some small, circular motions across the lower calf. By bringing awareness and care into our feet, our feet will be able to continue to bring us more independence, balance, stability, and longevity.
FOCUS on Health
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Mosaic Community Health
Mosaic Community Health operates seven pediatric locations in Central Oregon. Six of these sites are schoolbased health centers (SBHC), including Sisters SBHC (535 N. Reed St.) which opened last fall. SBHCs are independent pediatric healthcare clinics located on or near school grounds. Anyone age 0-18 can be seen at an SBHC: Patients do not need to be students at the school, health insurance is not required, and health care can be established with a different provider. SBHCs offer convenient, accessible healthcare near schools to increase student attendance and help families take less time off work to get children to appointments. And SBHCs collaborate with schools to improve student wellness. In addition to medical and behavioral health care, providers at Mosaic SBHCs emphasize prevention, early intervention, risk reduction, and the development of healthy habits with their young patients. Mosaic accepts most private or commercial insurance and all local OHP (Medicaid). They offer reduced rates based on a sliding scale to all Mosaic established patients.
Gilmore Dental
Gilmore Dental is passionate about encouraging folks in Sisters to prioritize our dental health. Too often, we let things go — from cleaning to nagging problems — and pay the price later. We simply don’t put as much urgency on our dental health as we should, because we just don’t want to make the investment. Dr. Richard Gilmore can tell you that dentistry isn’t expensive; neglect is. Regular cleaning and addressing any problems early prevents more extensive work down the line, improving health AND saving money in the long run. Feeling good about our teeth makes us more confident. Dr. Gilmore urges people in Sisters to act, just as they would if other aspects of their life needed attending. If your TV blows up, you are going to get a new one. If you get a nail in your tire, you’re going to fix it. If your medical doctor says you have a disease, you’re going to treat it. That’s the way you should act with your dental health. Dr. Gilmore urges people to overcome the “dental disconnect” and be proactive about taking good care of their teeth. You’ll be healthier — and everybody benefits from the transformative value of a healthy smile.
• Wellness Lounge With Saunas, Water Massage, Compression Boots, Red Light Therapy • Salt Water Lap Pool & Hot Tub • 34 Classes Per Week
Partners In Care
Volunteers are critical to the mission of Partners In Care, the largest provider of home health, palliative care, and hospice services in Central Oregon. Volunteer Coordinator Glenda Lantis notes that 160 active volunteers work across a wide range of Partners In Care’s services. Some volunteers work in the hospice program, visiting patients in their homes; others visit to provide respite for family caregivers. A crew of volunteers does light yard work and clean-up for hospice patients who can’t do it themselves or afford to have it done commercially. Some work in Hospice House — including musicians who play quiet music and singers who offer therapeutic singing at the bedside. Others serve as greeters or a friendly ear when a family member just needs to talk. Transitions volunteers deliver medications and supplies. “We find the volunteers who come to us, they come with a real sense of purpose and a feeling of wanting to give back at the end of life,” Lantis says. Volunteers find the work deeply rewarding and many have been in place for many years.
Does your New Year’s Resolution Include Volunteering In Your Community?
ReStore | 541-549-1621 254 W. Adams Ave., Sisters Mon-Sat 10-5; Closed Sun
SISTERS ATHLETIC CLUB
Thrift Store | 541-549-1740 211 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters Mon-Sat 10-5; Closed Sun
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