The Nugget Newspaper's Focus on Health 2019 // 2019-01-16

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

focus on health Winter 2019

St. Charles Family Care

careyou trust.

SISTERS 541-549-1318 StCharlesHealthCare.org

inside...

• Weight training is crucial for senior health pg. 16

• Spas, saunas offer healthy way to rejuvenate pg. 19 • Sisters to host forum on vaping pg. 20

St. Charles Family Care is passionate about providing patients with comprehensive medical care close to home. At their Sisters clinic, they provide a team approach to your care. The clinic is staffed with primary care physicians, highly trained medical assistants and a nurse care coordinator. Also available are X-ray services and an outpatient laboratory.

By using a team-based care approach, St. Charles hopes to ensure you receive the treatment you need based on your unique health circumstances. This care team will partner with you as you pursue your healthcare goals both inside and outside of our clinic. Because the Sisters clinic is part of St. Charles Health System, patients benefit from ready access to specialized services,

including onsite visiting cardiology and orthopedics. We believe active engagement between you and the clinic team is an important part of achieving your healthcare goals.

Call 541-549-1318 for an appointment.

Shibui Spa at FivePine Folks in Sisters know that massage and spa treatments are more than an indulgence — they are a critical part of a holistic approach to health and wellness. Now, make no mistake — you will feel indulged on your retreat from the world at Shibui Spa, and that is a very good thing.

Replenish your body with massage, bring forth a glowing complexion with a customized facial or rejuvenate your senses with an Ayurvedic Shirodhara treatment. Come join Shibui for Therapeutic Thursdays: When you schedule a Shibui Luxury package (both a 60-minute Classic Swedish Massage and a 60-minute Customized Facial) you will receive a $40 discount ($20 discount on each service).

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

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Should you go organic?

By Jodi Schneider Correspondent

Once found only in health-food stores, organic foods are now widely available at most grocery stores.

Organic agriculture means that the produce has been farmed in soil that contains no synthetic fertilizers or harmful pesticides, and animal products that are free of antibiotics and hormones.

Organic agriculture works toward preserving natural resources, it supports animal health and welfare, and avoids most synthetic materials. It’s not just a philosophy; the USDA regulates the organic industry with strict standards. The soil where crops are grown must be inspected and shown to be free of most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and the crops cannot have been genetically modified.

Animals are raised on organic farms and besides receiving no antibiotics or growth hormones, are given feed that has been grown organically, and are able to roam around outside. Studies have found that organically raised beef and milk can have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

The results of an online consumer survey by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) suggests that about half of Americans who buy organic food do so because they believe it offers health benefits.

Organic foods can cost up to twice as much as conventional foods, but are they healthier?

“I think people believe these foods are better for them, but we really don’t know that they are,” stated registered dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

McManus added “There’ve been a number of studies examining the macro- and micronutrient content, but whether organically or conventionally grown, the foods are similar for vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.”

While many studies have stated organic food is not necessarily healthier than non-organic in terms of nutritional value, the concerns for those who purchase organic tend to focus on the pesticides that can be ingested along with their fruits and vegetables.

Research shows by eating organic foods, you are minimizing your risk for exposure to environmental toxins and serious health issues found in nonorganic meat and produce.

Benji Nagel, co-founder of Mahonia Gardens, an organic farm in Sisters, said, “The number-one reason we buy and grow organic is environmental.

Conventional farming is an enormous contributor to ecological degradation. We are also concerned about the health effects of consuming foods tainted by pesticides and herbicides;

but we have more concern for marginalized communities of farm workers who are subjected to heavy doses of chemicals on a daily basis by working in and around agricultural operations.”

The organic process helps preserve crop varieties which result in higher soil quality that is safer for the environment. Since organic food production prohibits the use of all synthetic chemicals, it does not pose any threats for water contamination underground.

The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) analysis of tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that nearly 70 percent of samples of conventionally grown produce were contaminated with pesticide residues.

Many people don’t realize that pesticide residues are common on conventionally grown produce — even after it is washed or peeled.

The USDA tests found a total of 230 different pesticides and pesticide breakdown products on the thousands of produce samples analyzed. EWG’s analysis of the tests shows that there are definite differences among various types of produce.

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When making your grocery-store game plan, sorting out which fruits and vegetables on your list you should buy organic can be a confusing task.

However, each year EWG releases a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce that lists fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticide residues. Here is an example: For the 2018 Dirty Dozen list, EWG singled out produce with the highest loads of pesticide residues. The list included, strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and sweet bell peppers.

EWG’s clean 15 list of produce least likely to contain pesticide residues included avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, onions, frozen sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplants, honeydews, kiwis, cantaloupes, cauliflower and broccoli. Relatively few pesticides were detected on these foods, and tests found low total concentrations of pesticide residues.

For people who choose nonorganic, look for produce items with thicker skins. They tend to have fewer pesticide residues because the thick skin or peel protects the inner fruit or vegetable. Remove the skin or peel, and you’re removing much of the residue.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Weight training is crucial for senior health

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

When seniors in Sisters think “fitness” they may not picture themselves hoisting a barbell. But in fact, weight training is perhaps the most critical single component in senior fitness.

Harvard Medical School reports that, “Age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is a natural part of aging.

After age 30, you begin to lose as much as three to five percent per decade. Most men will lose about 30 percent of their muscle mass during their lifetimes.

“Less muscle means greater weakness and less mobility, both of which may increase your risk of falls and fractures. A 2015 report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research found that people with sarcopenia had 2.3 times the risk of having a low-trauma fracture from a fall, such as a broken hip, collarbone, leg, arm, or wrist.”

Dr. Thomas W. Storer, director of the exercise physiology and physical function lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Womenʼs Hospital argues that the best means to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is progressive resistance training (PRT).

With PRT, you gradually amp up your workout volume—weight, reps, and sets—as your strength and endurance improve.

PRT improves and preserves muscle mass, bone density and ligament strength, making seniors fitter, stronger — and safer. The stronger you are, the less likely you are to fall and the more likely you are to avoid or recover from injury if you do.

And you donʼt have to lift like an NFL linebacker to get the benefits.

“It doesnʼt matter what the weight is,” says Ryan Hudson, a strength coach and owner of Level 5 CrossFit Sisters. “Bodyweight exercise is great; external load is better and both is ideal.”

Hudson acknowledges that the idea of weight training can be a little overwhelming for seniors, especially if theyʼve lost a lot of strength and fitness.

“A lot of them feel a little intimidated by it, because theyʼre not strong,” Hudson said The key is to start “low and slow” and build capability gradually.

Someone new to resistance training or who has been away for a long time might want to start with bodyweight exercise, perhaps provided by a yoga or Pilates class.

“Itʼs something anybody can do,” Hudson emphasized.

It often takes only a little time before a senior starts feeling much better, much stronger.

Hudson says he has a client who started lifting in her 70s.

“Sheʼs just amazed at what sheʼs able to do after just a few months of this,” he said.

Often, he says, older clients are excited by their results and “they wonder why they didnʼt do it sooner.”

Not all forms of resistance training are created equal. Oftentimes, a new lifter will feel more comfortable using machines, which require less technique to use properly.

But Hudson strongly encourages the use of barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells — what are generally known as “free weights.”

“It needs to be functional movement,” he says. “It should be core-based and ground based. You should be standing on your feet to do your resistance training.”

Combined with a good diet, resistance training can be a tremendous boon for seniors — improving quality of life across the board.

Harvard Medical School advises that seniors “Check with your doctor before embarking on any kind of strength-training routine. Then enlist a well-qualified personal trainer to help set up a detailed sequence and supervise your initial workouts to ensure you perform them safely and in the best manner. As you progress, you can

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often perform them on your own.”

While Hudson coaches all levels and all ages, he is particularly keen to see more seniors working in the gym.

“If anything,” he says, “older people need it more than younger people do.”

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It seems like every season in Sisters Country offers unique ways to hurt ourselves. This is the season of falls on ice or on the slopes or out on the cross-country or snowshoe trails.

Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy goes out of their way to help you avoid injury — but when it happens, they are also expert in helping you get back to work and/or back to your favorite sports as quickly as possible. Located adjacent to Sisters Athletic Club, they offer a unique “stepdown” program that allows patients to continue their rehab at SAC after they’ve completed formal physical therapy.

Aquatherapy is also available through the SAC

pool — a great way to recover.

Therapeutic Associates can also help with longterm mobility issues. You can schedule an assessment and learn how to move better, avoid injury and perform better in your activities. Therapeutic Associates also offers a free injury screening to Sisters Athletic Club members.

Level 5 CrossFit Sisters Level 5 CrossFit Sisters’ recent move to expansive new facilities in the Outlaw Station plaza near Ray’s Food Place has opened up a world of possibilities for Sisters residents who want to get fit and strong.

Whatever your current level of fitness and whatever your fitness goals, Level 5 can tailor a program that suits you — from yoga and pilates to crossfit — and at whatever pace works best for you.

“Whatever program you’re on, you can do it here,” says owner Ryan Hudson. “We were pretty specialized before, and now we’re really a place for everyone.”

With secure 24-hour access to the 6,200-squarefoot facility, Level 5 is “the gym that never sleeps.”

Many seniors now qualify for a free gym membership at Level 5 through the Silver and Fit or Silver Sneakers program of participating insurance companies. Inquire at Level 5 and start on the path to your best version of you.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

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Dentist finds a home in Sisters

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

A year ago, long-time Sisters dentist Dr. Greg Everson came home from a lunch with Dr. Trevor Frideres and told his wife Vicki how much he liked the new dentist in town. They hit it off so well that now they are merging their practices.

In what he describes as a “winwin-win,” for both dentists — and most of all for their patients — Dr. Everson will continue to practice, but reducing his days/hours to spend more time with family; Dr. Frideres will see patients at both offices for the next few months, while looking forward to being able to offer more hygiene appointments and more flexible scheduling options. After a period of construction, the united practices will be located at the current Everson building. Construction is expected to be complete by early autumn 2019.

Dr. Frideres hails originally from Montana, where many members of his family are involved in medical professions. He found is way on a roundabout path into dentistry.

“I tried a lot of things,” he told The Nugget. “I was actually thinking of going to medical school, but it didnʼt fit right with me.”

He worked for a time as a pharmacy tech, but “I missed the patient aspect in the pharmacy,” he recalled.

He took an introductory course in dentistry at OSU Portland, and something clicked. Dentistry offered the connection with patients and an “engineering and math” aspect that he really liked.

“It fit right; it felt right — it just fell into place, honestly,” he said.

As part of an agreement for student loan forgiveness, Frideres practiced dentistry in the underserved area of Moses Lake, Washington. Located “an hour-and-a-half from everything,” the relative isolation of his practice there meant that he saw a wide variety of dental issues and had to deal with them in-house — invaluable experience for a young dentist.

His wife, Kylie, a therapist, has family in Bend and Redmond. When it came time to decide where they wanted to establish a practice of their own, visits to Central Oregon came back to mind.

“Every time weʼd come over Santiam Pass and came through Sisters, Iʼd say, ʻI love this town!ʼ” Dr. Frideres said. “ʻThis is the town where Iʼd like to live.ʼ” Family-oriented, with a love for the outdoors and small-town living, Sisters seemed like the perfect place — and it has proved out.

Dr. Frideres looks at dentistry as a “whole health” matter, and emphasizes families and taking care of patients of all ages. Heʼs had lots of experience

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Kylie Frideres, Dr. Trevor Frideres, Dr. Greg Everson and Vicki Everson are celebrating the merger of their dental practices as Sisters Dental. with kids and enjoys working with families.

“We love to have whole families come in,” Dr. Frideres said.

Dr. Frideres considers his philosophy of dentistry to be strongly evidence-based, emphasizing best practices over longstanding traditions.

“He really likes to keep up with what the research is saying,” Kylie Frideres noted.

As an example, Dr. Frideres said that many people have concerns about health effects of amalgam fillings and that sometimes there is a push to remove and replace them. He notes that scientific evidence accumulated over many years indicates that they are not problematic and that there is no need to replace them. Heʼs happy to share that research with his patients — and then let them make an informed decision.

Heʼs also done a lot of research into Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF), which is used to arrest cavity development and kill cavity-causing bacteria.

He notes that this can have beneficial intergenerational effects as “the bacteria in your mouth is picked up from the people youʼre around the most.”

The Frideres are young and active, enjoying a wide range of outdoor activities, including skiing, rafting, snowshoeing and hiking. And Trevor plays hockey in a league in Bend.

“Hockeyʼs been my sport since I grew up,” he said. “I donʼt know why.”

His NHL team is last yearʼs Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals — ever since his mother took him to a Capitals game while in DC for a medical conference.

For more information on Sisters Dental and the merger with Dr. Everson, call 541-549-9486.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Running commentary — Connect with yourself through running

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

I have often expounded on the mental-health benefits of running, and when I heard the term “mindfulness” for the 10,000th time in the last two years I thought it might be time to find out what the term means and how it might apply to my own life and those of the runners I know.

The webzine Mindful defines mindfulness this way: “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”

That sounds good, but how in the world do we achieve this state of being even for portions of our daily lives?

In my brief study on the topic I discovered that mindfulness has to do with taking the time to pay attention to our surroundings, our place, and what is going on around us. It means taking time for ourselves.

Mindfulness practitioners agree that being aware of our body is where to start.

Most mindfulness articles and books emphasize the use of meditation of some type to become more mindful. The word meditation conjures up the connotation of

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spirituality and religion for some, but for the purposes here, I use the term more basically and I think it might be possible to actually “meditate” and become more “mindful” through the act of running. I think running works particularly well, especially if you can find a more natural setting that is not too technical, which is what we are surrounded by here in Sisters Country.

This sort of routine is called moving meditation, and there are full programs available online and in books that are much more specific and elaborate than what I describe below.

Let’s try this out in practice. I get up in the morning with the plan to go for a 30-minute easy run. I have laid out my clothing and shoes the night before so that there is no stress involved in getting out the door.

Once dressed I begin by sitting on my step to quiet my mind and go over my route in my head. I take a minute or two to sit with good, but relaxed, posture, arms at my sides, eyes partially closed, and breathe. I try to still my mind and appreciate what I am about to do.

Next I stand and take quick stock of any tension in my body. My calves are perpetually tight, so I quietly take time (and relaxed breathing) to stretch them. I tend to hold stress in my shoulders, so I do my two

favorite stretches to sort of open up my upper body and then I am ready to head out the door.

I am lucky that I can go right out my back gate into the woods, which is relaxing in itself, to start my run.

I consciously start very easily, no need to hurry, and get into cadence of movement and breathing. I take in the path before me and the forest around me. I notice the smell of my neighbor’s wood stove in the air and hear the squawk of the raven whose nest is in one of the tall pines along the trail and who always has something to say to me when I venture past his tree.

(As much as many people love running with earbuds, it is my opinion that sticking to open ears is a good way to go in practicing mindfulness).

Having started out more quietly, relaxed and mindful, I fall into a pace and course that doesn’t require much thinking on my part. I am not worried about time or about getting lost, so my mind has the freedom to just “be” for a bit. Typically, once I warm up a bit, I begin to have ideas pop into my brain at times like this. It’s almost like dreaming in that thoughts that have not really gotten my attention pop into my mind and I can take time to consider them. It is often at times like these that solutions to

problems take place for me or that conversations that I need to have with someone important begin to crystalize. It is common that my best creative ideas come to mind during my run.

As far as mental health goes, after a run like this I often experience the sense of relief similar to when you empty your e-mail folder or make a drawer in your desk more orderly.

Things are just a bit more sorted out.

My example assumes starting the day in a mindful way, but of course any time of day can be positive. After a hard work day, it’s a wonderful way to regain perspective and some level of peace. A mindful mid-day “pause” or “escape” can make the rest of the day go better.

In a perfect world workers would have at least occasional level of flexibility to build this sort of practice into the work day. It reminds me of my early years at Sisters High School when the principal, Dennis Dempsey, once or twice said, “Get changed, we need to go for a run.” It was his way of getting his head cleared from the demands of being a building administrator. Sometimes I acted as a listening ear and other times we would just run in relative quiet. It felt good to have the freedom to pick up and go for 40 minutes. We would come back ready to tackle the work before us.

Green Ridge Physical Therapy You’re part of the family when you are at Green Ridge Physical Therapy. Recover from injury or improve your performance in a relaxed, pleasant environment with therapists who are caring people as well as accomplished professionals.

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Green Ridge PT Marie Risenmay employs a metaphor to describe the technique: The body is full of rivers; when they are “dammed up” a person experiences dysfunction and pain.

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Environmental Center Rethink food waste in the new year.

Looking for a healthy resolution for 2019? The Rethink Waste Project has a free email series all about reducing wasted food, thereby addressing the health of the planet and the body!

Change your habits to prep fresh veggies when you get them home from the store so you reach for those carrot sticks instead of for the potato chips. Organize your fridge (and keep it organized!) and use our Eat First basket (pick one up from The Environmental Center (16 NW Kansas Ave., Bend) for free, while supplies last) to prevent accidental science projects. Shop smarter and save money: use what you have and buy only what you need.

Learn more about why wasted food is an important issue, why it happens, and easy ways you can prevent it. Educate and challenge yourself; sign up for the Rethink Food Waste Email Series. This year, pledge to waste less food: www.RethinkWasteProject.org/FoodWaste.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Spas, saunas offer healthy way to rejuvenate

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Anybody who has sat in a hot tub after a long day at work knows that it’s a great way to relax, relieve stress and soothe the aches and pains of the day.

But relaxation and soothing are just the beginning of the health benefits of a spa.

Rick Trammell of Aqua Hot Tubs in Sisters says he has a client in his 70s, a man whose career took a toll on his body, who rolls out of bed each morning and uses his hot tub to loosen up and invigorate his battered body for the day ahead.

“He says that’s what’s going to keep him going that extra 10 to 15 years,” Trammell told The Nugget.

Rick and Mel Trammell recently took ownership of Aqua Hot Tubs at 413 W. Hood Ave., Ste. D in Sisters.

Rick has operated Aqua Clear Spa Service and Repair across Central Oregon for years. Brian Janke, who founded Aqua Hot Tubs, encouraged Trammell to purchase the business — and it just made sense.

By bringing Aqua Hot Tubs and Aqua Clear together in Sisters, they are now offering both top-flight spa maintenance and service and their selection of top-quality spas, with sales and service out of one location in Sisters.

Rick literally knows the product

inside and out, since he’s been inside every kind of spa they carry for maintenance. And both he and Mel are confident standing behind their products.

“I think that this is something he always wanted to do,” said Mel of the new retail operation.

The health benefits of the products attracted Mel to the operation.

“I was a nurse for 29 years and he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, to come and help the family business,” she said.

Mel is “running the store” while Rick is in the field. She’s adding aromatherapy and spa salts to the repertoire. She is also strong on the benefits of saunas, which heat the body from the core and are known to have benefits to the immune system.

“A nurse, I’m all for alternative modalities in terms of taking care of yourself,” she said.

The spas they carry at Aqua Hot Tubs are more than just sources of relaxation — they’re optimized for beneficial massage effects.

“They actually have physicians to determine where the jets are placed,” Mel said.

Being able to directly service the hot tubs they sell is a big plus for the business — and for the customer.

Maintenance is the downside of owning a spa, and it’s easy to get it wrong.

A poorly maintained spa is not good for the skin, and lack of maintenance

Laird Superfood is growing in Sisters and across nation

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

PHOTO BY CLAIRE ROWLAND

A hot tub is a great way to relax.

shortens the life of the spa itself.

Regular maintenance is affordable and easy, Rick notes, and provides peace of mind.

“You can lift the lid knowing ‘I’m safe to get in here,’” he said.

The Trammells also note that hot tubs are not as expensive to operate and maintain as people often think.

With the lid on, a spa, once heated, requires only about as much electricity as a 75-watt light bulb to maintain heat.

With a strong belief that their work is of benefit to the health and wellbeing of their friends and neighbors, Rick and Mel Trammell are excited to provide hot tubs and saunas to the residents of Sisters Country.

Laird Superfood has announced a major investor and significant expansion in Sisters.

Currently employing 70 employees working in one 16,000-squarefoot production building, the local company announced last Friday they have secured $32 million in a recent private funding round that included WeWork as an investor, as well as other private investors.

WeWork leases co-working spaces to individuals and companies, including one-third of the Fortune 500 companies.

An earlier chance encounter in Hawaii between co-founder Laird Hamilton and Adam Neumann, cofounder of WeWork, led to Neumann trying Hamilton’s products in their New York headquarters.

See LAIRD SUPERFOOD on page 22

The Center The Center’s diverse team of doctors provides Central Oregonians with expert care and treatment options designed to get you back to what you love doing. Since 2012, Dr. Timothy Bollom has been seeing patients in Sisters at St. Charles Family Care.

He treats patients of all ages and backgrounds, with a focus on comprehensive care of knee and shoulder injuries and conditions. From conservative measures to sophisticated, minimally invasive surgical techniques, he utilizes a sports medicine philosophy of returning patients to normal activity as quickly as possible.

The Center is home to some of the region’s most highly skilled physicians with specialized training in orthopedics, neurosurgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, sports medicine, and occupational medicine. Their dedicated doctors and staff work together to offer the care you need for the best possible outcome. To learn more or make an appointment, go to www.thecenteroregon.com.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Suicide prevention program offered at Fire Hall Suicide Prevention Awareness Training is being offered by Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) in partnership with St. Charles Healthcare and Council on Aging of Central Oregon.

Participants who would like to be equipped with skills to help individuals that may be in need are invited to join our free training session, January 24, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Sisters Camp-Sherman Community Hall, 301 S. Elm St. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), an evidence-based training program, is intended to offer hope through positive action. Space is limited; pre-registration is required. Contact Beverly Halcon by emailing at agefriendlysisters@gmail.com or 818-674-7686.

The session will be led by Emily Burnham, Strategic Communications and Public Relations Manager for the Council on Aging of Central Oregon.

Sisters to host forum on vaping

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

Sisters School District is co-hosting an informational night for parents and other concerned adults on Wednesday, January 16, at the Sisters High School auditorium starting at 6:00 p.m.

Students are also welcome.

Vaping — the common term for the use of e-cigarettes that deliver nicotine through vapor rather than smoke — is a common and growing phenomenon nationwide and in Sisters (see related story, page 1). There is concern that young people do not understand that, while e-cigarettes do not have some of the carcinogens associated with tobacco cigarettes, vaping is not harmless.

Nicotine exposure in people under 25, while the brain is still developing, can impact learning, due to changes in memory and attention. The aerosol can introduce the user and others around them to harmful substances that include ultrafine particles, which can damage the lungs, as well as heavy metals and volatile organic compounds that are known to be unhealthy.

Some signs that your child might be vaping according to professionals include: • Increased thirst due to the act of vaping leaving the mouth feeling dry.

• Dry mouth can result in the desire

for flavor so your child may be reaching for salty, spicy or tangy foods.

• Dehydration of the mouth and nose can sometimes cause nosebleeds.

• Skin breakouts and acne on the areas around the mouth and nose.

• Finding unfamiliar gadgets that look like USB drives, battery chargers, metal pens, or “spare parts” such as wires, small “pod” containers, or other unfamiliar tech-looking devices.

• Slight fruity smell if the use of flavored “e-juice” is being used.

• More distant, elusive behavior.

What can parents do?

• Show your child that you are aware of the vaping epidemic and talk to them in a very straightforward manner about your concerns and expectations regarding the issue. Share information with them from a variety of resources underscoring the danger.

• Be on the lookout for e-cigarette paraphernalia. (You can find images on the internet of the types of devices used for vaping so you know what you are looking for.)

• If you find evidence, craft a plan for dealing with the situation and follow through on that with your child.

• If you want to know if your child has nicotine in his or her system, test kits are available for use at home using a urine sample. You may also want to test for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana while you are at it.

• If you believe that your child may

be addicted, take them to a healthcare provider and visit www.smokefree. gov to learn about how to end the addiction.

SHS health teacher Heather Johnson says, “Don’t be afraid to communicate. Regularly question your student and encourage positive communication/discussion around the effects of vaping. Some helpful tips are: be patient and ready to listen, avoid criticism, encourage an open dialogue, and have a conversation — not deliver a lecture.”

She added, “Random drug testing your student has been found to be a useful tool and a very positive outcome for both the student and parents in our community. You can buy nicotine, marijuana and alcohol, urine test strips on Amazon. Nicotine strips are usually 50 cents a strip. Students have shared with me that random testing really helps give them an excuse not to use and there is a sense of pride and accomplishment when their tests prove that they have not used. Those tests that come up positive are a powerful indicator to the student that they may be dancing on that fine line of addiction and could benefit from seeking out professional assistance immediately. Students and parents have shared with me that random testing overall has helped to improve communication and build stronger, trusting bonds within the family.”

Wholistic Natural Health RESTART PROGRAM

— Starts January 30 — ✓ Whole Food Challenge ✓ Sugar Detoxification ✓ General nutrition tools to improve digestion, blood sugar, weight & hormones

MollyZarnick, NTP 541-719-8863

www.wholisticnaturalhealth.com

Do you struggle to get enough sleep each night?

Experience joint pain, digestive issues, headaches or brain fog? Or are you just feeling less than optimal? Let Molly Zarnick, a nutritional therapy practitioner with Wholistic Natural Health, help you feel your best.

Molly bases her practice on the belief that whole food nutrition with nutrient-dense food, lifestyle and practices that heal and support gut health is the basis of good health. She offers private nutritional and lifestyle evaluations including specific nutritional health concern support, and group educational programs, such as the Restart Program, a whole food challenge and sugar detoxification program.

Restart, reset, feel better. The next Reset Program starts January 30, and includes five inperson educational modules and an easy-to-follow three-week sugar detox. Learn about how general nutrition impacts digestion, blood sugar, weight, and hormones. Come away with tools to start your year feeling better than ever!

The Lodge in Sisters

An Independent & Assisted Living Community

Life in the Heart of Sisters Country www.thelodgeinsisters.com 541-549-5634

All of Sisters has been watching The Lodge in Sisters rise out of the meadow just south of Sisters Post Office.

The urgently needed assisted-living facility is set to wrap up construction at the end of January, which will allow them to start the permitting process and get ready for residents to move in.

The beautiful facility is still taking reservations for studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The one-bedrooms are filling up quickly. There will be a total of 62 apartments available to house the 96 residents for which The Lodge in Sisters is licensed.

Residents will be able to stay in their apartment as their situation evolves from independent living to a assisted living for those in need of support

with the activities of daily life. The beautifully appointed facility will offer many amenities including morning exercise, various board games and bingo and a community theater.