Orange Coast Health 2019

ORANGE COAST HEALTH

513 T O P D O C T O R S I N O.C . P L U S T H E 20 1 9 P H Y S I C I A N O F T H E Y E A R

FITNESS AT ALL AGES / NUTRITION ADVICE FROM LOCAL CHEFS

NUTRITION Easy tips from Orange County chefs

LONGEVITY

/

The benefits of exercising with a group as you age

TOP DOCTORS, TOP DENTISTS, AND THE PHYSICIAN OF THE YEAR

TOP DENTISTS Your resource guide to the county’s best

Let us help you fight your cancer Cancer may be more than 100 different diseases, but at the UCI Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, we specialize in yours.

As Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, we lead the way in translating scientific research into advances in patient care.

Our deep bench of experienced specialists includes nationally and internationally recognized pioneers in cancers of the blood, brain, breast, gastrointestinal tract, kidney, lung, ovaries, prostate and uterus, among others.

And as part of UCI Health, Orange County’s only academic medical system, we not only have the largest team of cancer experts in our region, but also the most advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies and the area’s most modern clinical facilities.

Powered by a research university The cancer center’s 200-plus members come from more than 32 academic disciplines at UC Irvine’s schools of Medicine, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Information & Computer Science, Engineering and Business.

“Our researchers work side-by-side with doctors to give patients quicker access to the newest treatments,” says Richard Van Etten, MD, PhD, director of the cancer center, which has received more than $41 million in research funding.

That includes a recent $10-million National Institutes of Health grant for groundbreaking cancer research projects centered on the field of systems biology.

“We are positioned to do this novel research because we are embedded within a great research university,” Van Etten says.

“Other hospitals that lack a university can do research. But we have the complete infrastructure to do this type of complex systems biology work.”

Why choose us?

• No cancer is rare to us. We treat more patients with cancer — and more complex cases — than any other healthcare provider in Orange County.

• We have the largest team of physicians and scientists working together to harness the latest research and develop new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. For example, Dr. William E. Karnes has developed artificial intelligence colonoscopy software that decreases the risk of colorectal cancer by more than 90%.

• We have the largest number of active cancer clinical trials in Orange County and the surrounding region. This gives our patients access to promising experimental medicines long before they are available elsewhere.

• Community healthcare providers rely on us to offer potentially life-preserving treatments to patients for whom standard therapies have failed.

The future is here Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers are hard at work developing alternatives to standard chemotherapy regimens, including efforts to target specific cancer cells and therapies to trigger the immune system to fight cancer.

“Today’s new targeted therapies and immunotherapies are really amazing game changers because they can put people into remission,” Van Etten says. “We are curing previously incurable cancers. We’re taking other cancers and turning them into chronic diseases that patients can live with. The future is already here.”

To make an appointment, call 714-694-2168.

For information on clinical trials, email ucstudy@uci.edu or call 877-UC-STUDY (877-827-8839).

Comprehensive Cancer Center A Cancer Center Designated by the National Cancer Institute

Vital Results IN CANCER DETECTION

90% REDUCTION IN RISK 98 IMAGES PER SECOND FOR REAL-TIME, AI-ASSISTED ANALYSIS $1B IN POTENTIAL HEALTHCARE SAVINGS NATIONWIDE Wiping out colorectal cancer in Orange County is UCI Health gastroenterologist Dr. William Karnes’ goal.

It starts with early detection. To better identify polyps that may develop into colon cancer, he is tapping the power of artificial intelligence (AI). Working with a medical start-up that he cofounded, Karnes harnessed hundreds of thousands of data points and video images to help create the AI Polyp Detector, which provides realtime analysis during colonoscopies. By dramatically improving detection and removal of precancerous polyps, this breakthrough may help prevent colorectal cancer, reduce healthcare costs and even eradicate a disease that’s now the second leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths.

To find a cancer specialist or clinical trial, visit ucihealth.org/cancercenter or call 714-694-2168.

Concierge Podiatry & Spa Stands for Beautiful Healthy Feet PRESENTING THE CPS “OC FIVE-POINT PED-I-CURE”™

BY RITA GOLDBERG

S

tep aside typical med spa - the new PedSpa™ has arrived in Newport Beach.

For those wanting beautiful, healthy feet, Concierge Podiatry & Spa - Newport Beach is the sole “go-to” place in town!

The brainchild of podiatrist and highly credentialed foot specialist Dr. Ivar Roth, Concierge Podiatry & Spa is the answer to those who have ever felt self conscious about their feet and want beautiful and healthy results.

The well appointed elegant environment where Dr. Roth receives patients feels more like a first class spa than your standard doctor’s office.

The oversized entry lounge, flooded with natural sunlight and open vistas, features welcoming plush spa chairs where medically enhanced pedicures are offered to clients seeking the very best in foot care!

Clients can indeed expect a superior level of service as they sit back and allow the professional staff to attend to their feet. A luxurious mineral rich soothing foot bath, exfoliating scrub and hydrating massage are part of the posh treatment that features the use of celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann’s full line of mani/ pedi lotions, products and superior quality nail lacquer. An alternative nail lacquer, Dazzle Dry, which is all vegan, is also available and it dries rock hard in five minutes with the performance of a gel but without the harmful effects.

Medical grade standards of hygiene and sterilization are applied to all tools and equipment used. The hallmark of the spa is The CPS OC Five-Point Ped-i-cure™ foot examination personally conducted by Founding Podiatrist Dr. Roth. Nail deficiencies, skin health, circulation, fungus identifiers, and foot alignment are expertly assessed before the pedicure begins.

“In my 34 years of practice in Newport Beach, I have seen thousands of patients (over 50% of those who have walked into my office) afflicted with discolored or irregular toenails,

resulting from fungal contraction,” begins Dr. Roth, as he outlays the only known treatment plan (which he personally invented) to once and for all – rid patients of this unsightly condition.

Most doctors convince patients that there is nothing to be done about nail fungus. Dr. Roth knows better and, to the benefit of thousands of his patients, has been able to cosmetically correct the condition (usually in three to six months).

If you are wondering how the treatment works, Dr. Roth happily walks patients through each step of his effective treatment for fungal infections that leave the majority of doctors stumped.The proprietary program starts with a unique laser treatment and the use of specialty tools to redefine the nail.This is followed by a protocol of in-house compounded, specially developed topical solutions. Finally, a unique blend of vitamins, supplements and oral medicines is prescribed to promote optimal regrowth of healthy nails.The process works and the end result enables patients to finally put their best and beautiful foot forward!

“I want patients everywhere to have the opportunity for this kind of foot health,” says Dr. Roth, who is looking to use the Newport Beach flagship PedSpa™ as a model for the launch of future Concierge Podiatry & Spa locations.

Dr. Roth cares about foot health. His genuine passion for this profession is further evidenced by his proprietary custom line of orthotics for high-heels he specifically developed to meet the needs of his female patients.

If at this point you are thinking that Dr. Roth is a genius inventor, worthy of a coveted deal with Shark Tank, you are right. However, he is much more. His medical training has gifted him with surgical skills that are rarely evident in the podiatric profession. He trained in foot and ankle surgery at Mt. Sinai Hospital of Chicago with world-renowned podiatrist Dr. Lowell Scott Weil Sr. His foot and ankle care skills are so advanced that he even saved a patient from amputation with a sophisticated and delicate surgical procedure. It is not unusual for patients who have endured multiple unsuccessful surgeries to finally be healed at the hands of Dr. Roth.

He has the distinction of being the Founding Chairman of Podiatric Surgery at Hoag Hospital of Newport Beach and was the first podiatrist awarded full orthopedic privileges for foot and ankle surgery at Hoag Hospital. With such impressive credentials, it’s not surprising that Dr. Roth has created a foot care model - The CPS OC Five-Point Ped-i-cure™ foot examination available at Concierge Podiatry & Spa

of Newport Beach - that sets a new standard of care, offering a long awaited option for ensuring beautiful, healthy feet.

Dr. Ivar Roth - Concierge Podiatry & Spa 495 Old Newport Blvd., Newport Beach 949.650.1147 www.ConciergePodiatrySpa.com

DR. IVAR ROTH • Highly accredited and trained in foot and ankle surgery at Mt. Sinai Hospital of Chicago with world-renowned podiatrist Dr. Lowell Scott Weil Sr. • Founding Chairman of Podiatric Surgery at Hoag Hospital of Newport Beach.

• First podiatrist awarded full orthopedic privileges for foot and ankle surgery at Hoag Hospital - Newport Beach.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY REZA ALLAHBAKHSHI AND COURTESY OF CONCIERGE PODIATRY & SPA

HEALTH 2019

44 06 E D I T O R ’ S L E T T E R V I TA L S 11 Yoga on a floating paddleboard engages more muscles.

ADVENTURE 12 PL ANNER

Couple hosts wellness events, including Catalina camp.

W H O L E 30 14 DELIVERS

Model Meals founder's health journey now helps others.

A TOUCHY 18 SUBJECT

Hoag sex therapist dispels some common myths about her work.

4 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

O.C . H E A LT H 22 HAPPENINGS

20 can't-miss events to keep you healthy

REIMAGINED 27 ROMANESCO

Broccoli's spiky cousin gets star treatment at Gratitude in Newport Beach.

28

ALL ABOUT BALANCE Local kombucha makers aim to give back.

BEAST FEAST 30 Cucina Enoteca chef uses

all parts of an animal at quarterly dinners to encourage sustainability and health.

G U I LT-F R E E 32 NUTRITION

Our favorite brands for health-conscious snacks

D E T O X , H E AT, 35 R E P E AT

An open mind is key to releasing stress and battling illness.

LIFE GOALS 38 Meet the teammates

of O.C.'s over-60s women's soccer league.

C U T T I N G -E D G E 44 CLASSES

From aerial hoops to wall-climbing, these exercises keep you in shape.

TOP DOCTORS 53 This year's list of

O.C.'s best medical professionals

TOP DENTISTS 67 A roundup of the best

dentists in the county

PICTURE OF 72 SUCCESS

Laguna Beach chef teaches kids to make better food choices.

T O P L E F T P H O T O G R A P H B Y J O H N G I L H O O L E Y; T O P R I G H T P H O T O G R A P H B Y H U G H F O S T E R ; B O T T O M R I G H T P H O T O G R A P H C O U R T E S Y O F B O U N C E S O C I E T Y

38

72

Improving Lives by Saving Sight.

FOR OVER 70 YEARS, Doheny Eye Institute has been at the forefront of vision science. This year we expect more breakthroughs and new collaborations. From finding new ways to free blockages that prevent fluid drainage in glaucoma, to replacing retinal cells in age-related macular degeneration, to using artificial intelligence in diagnosing ocular disease, Doheny physician-scientists are improving patient outcomes and changing how people see - and how they think about the future of vision.

Visit us at doheny.org to learn more.

Translating research into advanced patient care.

To schedule an appointment with a Doheny—UCLA physician call 714-963-1444.

Doheny Eye Center UCLA | Orange County 18111 Brookhurst Street, Suite 6400 Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Proudly aďŹƒliated with

Stein Eye Institute

: Editor’s Letter

A

family crisis meant I had to spend a lot of time in hospitals recently. While in the emergency room, I passed a vending machine that caught my attention. There were labels on each item—similar to the lessons my kids get during Healthy Choices Week at school—denoting foods as red light, yellow light, or green light. The machine options were red=think again, yellow=better choice, green=best choice.

Doritos and Gatorade were marked think again. Peanut butter-filled cheese crackers? Better choice. Nuts, fruit chews, and water were the best picks.

This intrigued me for its simplicity and transparency. I know a granola bar isn’t really healthy, but to have it clearly spelled out drove the point home. I’d like to exercise daily, eat meals full of fresh vegetables, and get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. But life gets in the way, I couldn’t make it to the market, or I just ran out of time. My strategy: What about making one or two better choices whenever the opportunity arises? That’s the goal in this year’s HEALTH issue. We want to give you ideas for ways to incorporate more wellness in your life in Orange County. Maybe that means gaining inspiration from O.C. native Danika Brysha and her winding journey to founding Model Meals food delivery service (Page 14). Perhaps you are someone who needs a monthly membership program to ensure you set aside time for yourself (Page 15), or you’re looking for ways to reignite your workouts (Pages 38 and 44). Chef Azmin Ghahreman at Sapphire Laguna has plenty of great yet simple advice for helping people of all ages eat more healthfully (Page 72). Just talking to him made me crave a visit to the farmers market. And we have your definitive guides for O.C.’s top doctors, top dentists, and health events for the year. It’s our hope that these pages will help you find plenty of your own green-light choices.

MS. AL AN GIBBONS

E D I T O R-I N-C H I E F

A G I B B O N S @ O R A N G E C O A S T.C O M

6 Ora nge C o a st • Health 2019

illustration by M A R T H A N A P I E R

OUR APPRECIATION CANNOT BE CURED. Kaiser Permanente is proud to honor Dr. Nancy Gin, OCMA’s 2019 Physician of the Year.

You’re always on call to help, to heal, and to ensure every one of our members leaves your care thriving.

And you manage to do it all with a smile. Kaiser Permanente is proud and honored to have you within our network. Thank you for your care and expertise. Learn more at kp.org/orangecounty.

E D I T O R-I N - C H I E F Alan Gibbons DESIGN DIRECTOR Kelly A. Lewis SENIOR EDITORS Astgik Khatchatryan Phil Metzger DEPUT Y ART DIRECTORS Victoria E. Alvarez Sara Natelli A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R S Chelsea Raineri Michelle Pagaran COPY EDITOR Shayna Sobol EDITORIAL INTERNS Jessica Kim, Morgan Sloss CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Agatha French, Anastacia Grenda, Aliese Muhonen, Roy M. Wallack, Lisa Whittemore CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Hannah Agosta, Hugh Foster, Melissa Gayle, John Gilhooley, Martha Napier, Ralph Palumbo, Mariah Tauger, Jason Wallis, Anne Watson

ORANGE COAST MAGAZINE LLC 1124 Main St., Suite A Irvine, CA 92614 949-862-1133, orangecoast.com

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Christopher O. Schulz cschulz@orangecoast.com EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Linda Wallis Goldstein lgoldstein@orangecoast.com ACCOUNT DIRECTORS Randy Bilsley, rbilsley@orangecoast.com Edward Estrada, eestrada@orangecoast.com Heidi Lawrence, hlawrence@orangecoast.com Richard Lockhart, rlockhart@orangecoast.com DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND EVENTS Traci Takeda, ttakeda@orangecoast.com D I G I TA L D I R E C T O R Ping Tsai, ptsai@orangecoast.com PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Sue Branica, sbranica@orangecoast.com ART DIRECTOR Andrew Hart, ahart@orangecoast.com ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Anet Meyer, ameyer@orangecoast.com S A L E S A N D M A R K E T I N G C O O R D I N AT O R Brandi Yates, byates@orangecoast.com MARKETING INTERNS Madisyn Ujkic COMMUNIT Y LIAISON EMERITUS Gloria Zigner

N AT I O N A L S A L E S O F F I C E S HOUR MEDIA CEO Stefan Wanczyk PRESIDENT John Balardo

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES 800-397-8179 12 print issues $14.99 orangecoast.com/subscribe REPRINTS Sue Branica, 949-648-5963

8 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

NEW YORK Nancy Forde, nforde@hourmediagroup.com WEST COAST Shana Wong, 808-386-0872, shanawong@me.com H AWA I I : D E S T I N AT I O N M A R K E T I N G Debbie Anderson, 808-739-2200 MIDWEST & TEXAS: CS MEDIA Cheryl Schuldt, 847-251-3483, fax: 847-589-8491 SOUTHEAST Whitney Dick, wdick@atlantamagazine.com

What’s best for you.

Shouldn’t great care include your physical, emotional, and financial health?

At MemorialCare, we’re asking questions about how health care is delivered because our entire health system revolves around one thing: what’s best for you.

1.800.MEMORIAL | memorialcare.org Long Beach Medical Center | Orange Coast Medical Center | Saddleback Medical Center | MemorialCare Medical Group | Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach

2019 PHYSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Nancy Gin, M.D. THE

Medicine and is a member of the California Medical Association and the American College of Physicians.

OCMA Physician of the Year Award is presented annually to a physician who has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and extraordinary professional competence in the eyes of their peers, is a proven educator, teacher, motivator and compassionate clinician who has made a difference in the delivery of health care and in the lives of Orange County residents.

Since 1983, OCMA has had the honor to recognize such outstanding physicians and community leaders with this prestigious award. This year’s recipient exemplifies those qualities as outlined above and evidenced below. Therefore, the OCMA Board of Directors and the OCMA Physician Recognition Committee is pleased to announce that the 2019 Physician of the Year is awarded to Nancy Gin, M.D. Dr. Nancy Gin is the Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for The Permanente Federation, which oversees Quality for 23,000 physicians nationwide in eight regions caring for over 12 million members. She also serves as the Medical Director of Quality and Clinical Analysis for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG), leading Quality and Safety for 4.4 million members. She is the first woman ever appointed to this role.

She assumed both roles as of April 2019.

Dr. Gin stated, “I have been so fortunate throughout my career as a physician leader to have had opportunities to impact the lives of patients, physicians, staff, and members of our community in ways beyond my first love, which is providing care directly to patients and their families. While I have never felt that my gender has been an impediment to achieving a leadership position, I also recognize that the presence of women in physician leadership roles is

Dr. Gin earned her Bachelor of Science and Medical Degrees from the University of Arizona, and completed her internship, residency, and fellowship in Internal Medicine at the University of California, Irvine.

- Nancy Gin, MD

Senior VP & Chief Quality Officer THE PERMANENTE FEDERATION

disproportionately lower compared to the number of women in medicine overall.

The practice of medicine is evolving, and we need a diverse group of voices to shape the future of our vocation. I am happy to see more women pursuing leadership opportunities and discovering that the ability to influence health outcomes broadly can be incredibly fulfilling.”

Prior to these roles Dr. Gin served as the Medical Director and Chief of Staff for Kaiser Permanente Orange County. She has more than 30 years of Internal Medicine expertise and leadership experience as a board certified internal medicine physician. She was also instrumental in the development and opening of the Kaiser Permanente Orange County Irvine Medical Center in 2008.

Dr. Gin joined the group in 1997 following her tenure as clinical faculty at the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine. She also served as Director of Internal Medicine Education at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. She is board certified in Internal

She is a well-respected, compassionate clinician who has co-authored and published clinical papers and book chapters on topics including domestic violence, hypertension, and health policy in bioethics. She is an advocate for public service and a passionate educator, recognized with several awards for teaching and outstanding academic contributions. During her tenure as the Medical Director for Orange County, Dr. Gin promoted, sponsored and participated in numerous activities to inspire gratitude and the joy of giving back to the community.

Some of these events include: Hippocrates Circle, Special Olympics, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, Clean Up at Newport Back Bay, restoration of native vegetation in Huntington Beach, National Cancer Survivors events, Pediatric Cancer Patient Carnival, Susan G. Komen Stand Up for the Cure and Race for the Cure and the Southern California Half Marathon medical team. In her new roles, she is looking for additional ways to promote that same spirit of gratitude and service to the communities she serves.

Dr. Gin and her husband live in Santa Ana and have two sons and a rescue dog. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her family to less developed parts of the world, (i.e., the Galapagos Islands and safaris in Africa) that allows them to experience nature and puts priorities in perspective.

She also loves baking and finds joy in walking.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VISIT DANA POINT

PA D D L E B OA R D YO G A

Ú T H E W O R K O U T 30 minutes of paddling on Dana Point Harbor and an hour of yoga practice on the board Ú T H E D E TA I L S Poses held on the moving surface engage more muscles. Ú C O S T $35 with board rental or $25 if you bring your own board Ú W H E N 8 a.m. on the second Saturday of every month. Register at iheartyoga.org.

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 11

:Vitals

ADVENTURE PLANNER Huntington Beach yoga instructor creates wellness events. by Michelle Pagaran Heidi Blackstock co-founded The Xanadu Life with her husband, Ryan, in 2013. They have hosted more than 100 events, from weekly volleyball pickup games and summer surf sessions at Huntington Beach to a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. She also leads yoga classes at Equinox and organizes Pacific City’s sound-off yoga social. In September, she is putting on a three-day, all-inclusive summer retreat on Catalina Island called Camp Xanadu.

We wanted to inspire the community to get outside to connect with each other through wellness, education, and green living. We love bringing people together over sunshine and adventure.

12 Ora nge C o a st • Health 2019

photograph by M E L I S S A G AY L E

It’s your health.

It’s your choice.

You don’t need to wait for your HMO’s open enrollment to make a switch.

There’s lots of reason you may need to switch doctors. Perhaps you need a more convenient location. Maybe you want personalized care for you and your family.

Whatever your reason, if you have a HMO health plan and you need to make a change, St. Joseph Hoag Health gives you lots of options to find the doctor that fits your needs without a hassle. We accept most health plans to make it easy for you.

Find a doctor at

sjhh.org

:Vitals

W H O L E 30 M E A L S

ROLE MODEL Danika Brysha’s health journey led her to create Model Meals, a Whole30-approved meal delivery service, out of Santa Ana. by Chelsea Raineri

N

ewport Beach native and Model Meals founder Danika Brysha struggled with her relationship with food before trying the Whole30 diet when she moved to New York for plus-size modeling in 2014. Among the many health benefits she experienced from eliminating inflammatory foods, Brysha also lost a significant amount of weight, effectively putting her out of work. She started cooking and selling Whole30 meals out of her studio apartment to make money, but the expenses put her further in debt. Brysha moved back to O.C. and into her parents’ garage in 2015 to create a Whole30 meal delivery service. Four years later, Model Meals has expanded across the country, and Brysha is modeling again for companies that include Talbots and Old Navy.

WHAT MAJOR DIFFERENCES DID YOU FEEL AFTER YOU FIRST TRIED WHOLE30? ÚÚI took Adderall after college to help me focus. I realized I was losing a lot of creativity and my personality with prescription drugs, so when I did Whole30, I got off them and I was able to focus better with food and sobriety. At the end of those 30 days, my mind was blown and everything became clear.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE MODEL MEALS NONSUBSCRIPTION-BASED? ÚÚWe’re not a subscription because busy people who are ordering our meals don’t want to think about food.

I don’t want you to have to worry 14 Ora nge C o a st • Health 2019

photograph by J O H N G I L H O O L E Y

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L E A P L A S T I C S U R G E R Y (949) 945-2168 hello@leaplasticsurgery.com 20360 SW Birch St. Suite 180 Newport Beach, CA @leaplasticsurgery

@leaplasticsurgery

:Vitals about canceling a subscription. You can get four or 40 meals, and it’s a la carte so you can get whatever you need and it’s not like you’re locked into this thing for an endless amount of time. But we do have a subscription option if people email us for it.

HOW MANY MEALS ARE DELIVERED EACH WEEK? ÚÚOur menu changes weekly; we deliver anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 meals. We’re delivering to about 10 more states this year. Our Santa Ana kitchen is going to serve Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

I REALLY LIKE THE PHRASE “PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION.”

HOW DO YOU FIND BAL ANCE WITH THIS PL AN? ÚÚI’m not always the perfect eater.

I had fries today with my lunch because I wanted them. It took me a long time to give myself that permission. This whole wellness thing can go in the opposite direction and can make people feel shameful and like if they’re not doing it perfectly then they shouldn’t do it at all. But that shouldn’t be the case. I really like the phrase “progress not perfection.”

16 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

COMMIT TO YOU There are several membership programs in Orange County that ensure you make yourself a priority, and they might give you a feeling of leisure without a vacation. Memberships come with extra perks. If a monthly fee is the best way to make sure you schedule time for self-care, here are a couple of our favorites to help you do just that. by Alan Gibbons Miraval Spa

Spa by Hudson at The Ranch

›› Be sure to check out instructor Alex

›› Schedule a monthly massage

Durham for aerial yoga or floating meditation, or try the Spin With a View workout. The spa offers more than 50 classes a week for about the same price as an upscale gym membership (starting at $260 per month). Plus, you get free valet parking, access to the Miraval pool and luxurious locker rooms, and discounts on food and services at the resort.

or facial, and you also get pool access on the day of your treatment, complimentary valet parking, and a glass of Champagne (membership starts at $99 per month). Take a day 12 times a year to get lost in the beautiful serenity of this local gem.

Who better to make a standing date with than yourself?

MONARCH BEACH RESORT

L AGUNA BEACH

P H O T O G R A P H C O U R T E S Y O F S PA B Y H U D S O N AT T H E R A N C H

WHOLE30 FOCUSES ON ELIMINATING FOODS THAT CAUSE INFL AMMATION. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO AVOID THESE T YPES OF FOODS? ÚÚInflammation is what feeds disease in our body. Our gut is called our second brain because it impacts so much of how we feel. If we’re eating food that’s inflaming our body, we’ll run into all sorts of issues. The best thing you can do for yourself is to tune in to your body and notice how you feel when you eat something. It’s all about mindfulness.

PROMOTIONAL

DUAL DEGREED ORAL SURGEONS

I

I

Dr. Daniel Hsu and Dr. Jeffrey Nguyen of Irvine Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center, provide patients with the best information to help them make informed decisions about their oral health needs.

Irvine Oral Surgery is a world-class oral surgery practice in the heart of Orange County, specializing in a wide variety of problems of the mouth and facial region. At the cornerstone of the practice is the experience and training of its dentists: Dr. Daniel Hsu and Dr. Jeffrey Nguyen.

Both of these respected physicians underwent six additional years of hospital-based surgical and anesthesia training to become oral and maxillofacial surgeons; Dr. Hsu and Nguyen are dual degreed oral surgeons, licensed to practice oral surgery and medicine. Dr. Hsu attended Columbia University Dental School and obtained his MD from New York Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University. Dr. Nguyen attended UCLA Dental School and obtained his MD from University of Connecticut. Both surgeons are Board Certified by the American Board of

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Fellows in the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

The practice offers a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery with expertise ranging from facial trauma surgery to corrective jaw surgery and wisdom tooth removal. They can also diagnose and treat facial pain, facial injuries and TMJ disorders, and perform a full range of dental implant procedures.

As with any surgical procedure, building a rapport with your physician is of utmost importance. Dr. Hsu and Dr. Nguyen understand how uneasy some patients may feel about oral surgery, and strive to provide a relaxing and positive experience.

TECHNOLOGY + SERVICES INCLUDE: 3-D Sirona Cone Beam CT Scan Experts in All on 4 (Teeth in a Day) Surgery Nobel Biocare Smart Fusion CT guided dental implant placement iTero Intraoral Scanner for precision (and no impression mess) Ultrasonic Piezosurgery for minimally invasive bone surgeries Micro instrumentation for less traumatic wisdom teeth extractions CAD/CAM Procera Custom Abutments for esthetics and hygiene Oral, IV, and Inhalational Anesthesia for a comfortable experience Advanced PRF (growth factors & stem cells) for improved surgical healing

“For those fearful patients we offer a variety of anesthesia options including nitrous oxide, oral sedation, IV sedation, and full general anesthesia,” says Dr. Hsu. “Our entire team is dedicated to providing you with excellent, personalized care to make your visit as comfortable and pleasant as possible.”

OralSurgeonIrvine.com 4950 Barranca Pkwy., Ste. 202 Irvine | 949.679.3470

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: Diplomate, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Fellow, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons American Dental Association California Dental Association Orange County Dental Society American Academy of Implant Dentistry Academy of Osseointegration American Dental Society of Anesthesiology California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

:Vitals In her 20th year of practice as a psychologist and certified sex therapist at the Hoag Pelvic Health Program, Buehler regularly sees clients, speaks at national and international conferences, has written four books, and operates The Buehler Institute—a continuing education program on sex therapy. We talked with Buehler about her experience as a professional “sexpert.”

You previously worked as an elementary school teacher in downtown L.A. before becoming a psychologist. That’s quite a career change! What made you pursue sex therapy? ÚÚI decided I wanted to be a psychologist, and when I was earning my doctorate, I started to work with an endocrinologist. And the endocrinologist said, “You know, people come in all the time to get their hormones tested to try and figure out why they don’t have any sexual desire. And if you learn sex therapy, I can send them to you, because most don’t have any problems with their hormones.” I thought, “Well, that sounds interesting.” I’ve been doing (sex therapy) ever since.

THERAPY

A TOUCHY SUBJECT Sex therapist Stephanie Buehler on her unusual psychotherapy career, Orange County’s most intimate problems, and what scenarios still surprise her by Aliese Muhonen

J

ust to be clear: No sex occurs in a sextherapy session.

“I had one guy who asked, ‘So what do you do, exactly?

Do you stand there with a clipboard and a stopwatch and watch us have sex?’ No! I do not want to watch you 18 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

have sex!” Buehler says with a laugh.

“That is definitely not part of my job.

There’s absolutely no touching or disrobing in my office.”

While actual sex isn’t part of her job description, Buehler’s extensive knowledge on the subject has manifested in a successful career.

What is the path to becoming a sex therapist? ÚÚThere’s no degree yet for sex therapy, and no license for it. You have to have at least a master’s degree or doctorate and be licensed as a psychotherapist, and then you get additional training on your own.

I’m certified with the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. It requires 150 hours of education, 50 hours of supervision, 300 clinical hours, and a few other requirements to get that certification.

What does occur in a typical sex therapy session? ÚÚMost people don’t know how to have a sit-down at the kitchen photograph by J A S O N WA L L I S

table, using adult language, about what they need sexually. I create a space that’s safe, where people don’t feel judged, and where they can open up and learn how to have productive conversations about sex.

You treat a wide range of sexual problems. Is there an issue you see often? Ú I would say the most common issue is mismatched sexual desire. And that happens a lot: One person has higher desire than the other, and people sometimes treat it as a disaster. But it isn’t. It’s a very common issue.

How much can an unhappy sex life affect a person? Ú It’s huge! This quote sums it up well: When a couple’s sex life works, it accounts for 15 percent to 20 percent of their relationship satisfaction, but when it doesn’t

work, it accounts for 50 percent to 70 percent of their dissatisfaction (from “Rekindling Desire” by Barry and Emily McCarthy). Sexual dissatisfaction is cited as one of the top reasons couples divorce.

SOMETIMES, IT REALLY IS GET TING PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THEIR LIVES AND RESET THEIR PRIORITIES. Other than unsatisfying sex lives, what sexual problems in our society concern you most today? Ú More recently, the orgasm gap between men and women. About

75 percent of women do not have an orgasm with intercourse, and yet we act as if it’s the norm to have (one). We have all of these role models—whether it’s in film or “Game of Thrones” or something—where with traditional intercourse, the woman is having an orgasm, and that’s just not true. I think a lot of couples and women are puzzled by this and sometimes feel inadequate. It’s OK for women to figure out how they can have pleasure. There’s not just one way, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

What situations have most surprised you in your 20 years of practice? Ú I think what surprises me is how many people today are wanting to explore open relationships and open marriages. There have been various social experiments in the U.S. with open marriage, and if it works, that’s great. But the thing that saddens

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Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 19

:Vitals

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and surprises me is how many people think that’s going to be a solution to an already rickety relationship.

What does your husband think about your work? Ú He thinks it’s great! He gets bragging rights with his friends—“I’m married to a sex therapist.” He’s a very humorous person, so I can’t even imagine the kinds of jokes that he thinks up when I’m not around.

I probably don’t want to know!

What do you think is Orange County’s biggest problem with sex? Ú I would say it’s chasing after the Orange County dream and having a hard time balancing that with having a healthy sex life. So many couples come in and say, “We don’t have time for sex.” If you’re working 50 or 60 hours per week and are a helicopter parent on top of that, you’re not going to have any time left for sex. Sometimes, it really is getting people to look at their lives and reset their priorities.

Can you give advice to readers about when to consider seeing a sex therapist? Ú I think the big one is if a couple is fighting about their sex life and they seem to fight about it a lot; stop fighting and call somebody and get some help, because it’s here and it’s available. Another would be if one of you is dissatisfied with your sex life. That’s serious!

Sex is not a trivial thing, and it shouldn’t be marginalized. Don’t be embarrassed if it’s something you want to address in your life. It’s an important part of your life. If you had migraine headaches, you would not hesitate to find a doctor and get treatment. But for some reason, if you have issues with mental health or your sex life, there’s sometimes a stigma or not wanting to spend the money on therapy.

20 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

A Personalized

APPROACH

Dr. Kareem Abraham loves making people smile. As a dentist, he educates his patients about their oral health, as well as how to keep their teeth and smile healthy and strong for years to come. LifeTime Smiles of OC, his modernized, state-of-the-art practice located in Santa Ana, was established in 1979 by Dr. Carl Smetko. Today, Dr. Abraham provides comprehensive and advanced dental treatments using conservative yet innovative technology and techniques. Without question, he is passionate about educating his patients regarding their oral health, as well as how to keep their teeth and smile vibrant and strong for years to come. In a nutshell, Dr. Abraham loves helping people!

“I enjoy getting to know each of my patients and learning about their lives,” he says.

“Hearing about a person’s hobbies, interests and lifestyle gives me insight into dental care options that will work for their specific situation.”

Dr. Abraham takes a personalized approach to dental care with each patient, whether he is offering advanced preventive care, restorative work, conservative cosmetic dentistry or complex aesthetic care, his attention is always attuned to patient’s unique needs and goals.

With a practice that specializes in providing general, restorative, cosmetic, and periodontal dental treatments, as well as several sleep dentistry options, Dr. Abraham treats patients of all ages. For those wanting to enhance the aesthetic appearance of their smiles, Dr. Abraham offers smile makeovers, dental bonding, veneers, teeth whitening, and Invisalign.

As a part of restorative dentistry, he performs full-mouth reconstruction, tooth extractions, root canal therapy, and the placement of dental implants. Additionally, Dr. Abraham provides treatment for periodontal disease and offers oral appliance therapy as a part of sleep/breathing disorders treatment plans.

A perfectionist by nature, Dr. Abraham continually challenges himself to stay current with the latest technology, training and trends in dentistry to provide the best treatment.

Currently, Dr. Abraham has a research published through the University of Minnesota Dental School regarding an improved bonding strength for fillings.

“For me dentistry is the perfect combination of art and science. I’m passionate about using those two approaches in helping my patients attain and maintain a dazzling and healthy smile.”

LifeTimeSmilesOC.com

720 N Tustin Ave., Ste. 102, Santa Ana | 714.660.7804 CERTIFICATIONS INCLUDE: Mastership from The Academy of General Dentistry ( MAGD ) Fellowship from The Academy of General Dentistry ( FAGD ) Certification for Dental Laser from The Academy of Laser Dentistry Post Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Conservative Esthetic Dentistry, University of Minnesota Mini- Residency in Dental Sleep Medicine, UCLA Memberships The American Dental Association The Academy of General Dentistry The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines Spear Dental Study Club Newport Beach Dental Study Club Seattle Dental Study Club The California Dental Association

The Orange County Dental Society The Minnesota Dental Association MEMBERSHIPS: The American Dental Association The Academy of General Dentistry The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines Spear Dental Study Club Newport Beach Dental Study Club Seattle Dental Study Club The California Dental Association The Orange County Dental Society The Minnesota Dental Association

:Vitals

SEPT. 7 AND OCT. 5 OC MTB RACES

The Limestone XC Race (Sept. 7) invites mountain bikers to its smooth course at Limestone Canyon Regional Park. The Fremont XC Race (Oct. 5), with its steep inclines and descents at Irvine Regional Park, is designed for the experienced rider. Post-race refreshments, age-group awards, and a raffle await participants at both finish lines. ocmtb.com

SEPT. 7 LEXUS L ACEUP RUNNING SERIES ORANGE COUNT Y

Get cheered on by the L.A. Clippers spirit squad during this running series in Irvine.

After running a half-marathon, marathon relay, or 5K, enjoy a complimentary beer and food truck brunch. laceuprunningseries.com/ race-locations/orange-county-2019 SEPT. 8 XTERRA L AGUNA BEACH

Swim, bike, and run your way through Crystal Cove State Park for this triathlon, then grab a pint and bites at the beer garden. Regional champions will earn a qualifying spot in the 2020 XTERRA World Championship in Hawaii. 310-821-7898, xterralagunabeach.com SEPT. 14 AND 15 HUNTINGTON BEACH CIT Y SURF CONTEST

Surf the waves at this annual all-ages contest, now in its 49th year. Participants must live in the Huntington Beach Union High School District. 714-960-8870, huntingtonbeachca.gov

HEALTH HAPPENINGS A look at activities for your body and mind in the coming year

by Jessica Kim and Morgan Sloss

JULY 27 AND 28 OC YOGA FESTIVAL

A general admission or VIP ticket to OC Yoga Fest in Huntington Beach gives access to yoga and meditation classes as well as workshops and sound healing. Featuring more than 80 local vendors and live music, Vendor Village is free and open to the public. ocyogafestival.com

22 Ora nge C o a st • Health 2019

AUG. 11 CHOC WALK IN THE PARK

This 5K walk through Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney has raised more than $35 million for Children’s Hospital Orange County over the past 29 years.

Participants receive free parking and discounts across the Disneyland Resort. 714-509-4000, chocwalk.org

SEPT. 14 ORANGE COUNT Y BRAIN TUMOR WALK

Join the National Brain Tumor Society for a 5K fundraising walk at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.

Win prizes and engage with the brain tumor community. All funds will advance research and public policy to improve treatments and discover a cure. events.braintumor.org/orangecounty-brain-tumor-walk, 626-221-4723 SEPT. 15 TRAIL JOY

There’s something for everyone at the Irvine Regional Park trails: a 5-miler for beginners, a 15K for more experienced runners, and a 1-mile kids’ race. All participants receive custom medals, and top runners overall and within each age category get special awards

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF OC MTB RACES

EVENTS

PROMOTIONAL

IMPROVING PEOPLE’S QUALITY OF LIFE.

Dr. Alexander Taghva is a fellowshiptrained, board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in the treatment of neck pain, low back pain, spine and brain disorders. While the issues he treats are complex, in simple terms, Dr. Taghva is in the practice of improving people’s quality of life.

“My practice is unique in that I offer several treatment modalities to address a particular problem. I am able to offer patients a wide variety of cutting-edge interventions including spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease, and minimallyinvasive, endoscopic spine surgery,” says Dr. Taghva. “Most surgeons have one or none of these tools in their toolkit, and I think that limits their ability to personalize treatment plans. In addition, many surgeries, such as cervical artificial disc replacement, that have previously required a hospital stay are now able to be done on an outpatient basis.”

Conditions treated by Dr. Taghva include sciatica, spinal stenosis, brain tumors, as well as other conditions requiring brain or spine surgery. Recognizing that surgery is not always the best option, he offers unique nonsurgical options as well.

“A large portion of my practice involves treating patients that have failed traditional surgery or pain management interventions.

Many of the patients I treat fall under the diagnosis of “Failed back surgery syndrome,” he explains. “I tailor my treatment approach to include revision surgeries such as revision spine surgery, or neuromodulation, including spinal cord stimulation, depending on patient needs. I also provide treatments for disorders not typically considered surgical, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease.”

AlexTaghvaMD.com 26732 Crown Valley Pkwy, Ste. 541, Mission Viejo | 949.388.7190

Dr. Taghva received his medical degree from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prior to that, Dr. Taghva graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Southern California with a degree in biochemistry. He completed his residency in neurological surgery at the University of Southern California and completed additional fellowship training in Neuromodulation at the Ohio State University.

Dr. Taghva is a diplomat of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, a fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Awarded 2019 Physician of Excellence

:Vitals

and prizes. 714-973-6835, rockitracingoc.com/ trail-joy-5-miler--15k.html SEPT. 22 KOMEN ORANGE COUNT Y MORE THAN PINK WALK

The Susan G. Komen Orange County health organization holds this annual event in Newport Beach to bring awareness to and fundraise for breast cancer research, care, and outreach. Participate as an individual or a team. komenoc.org OCT. 4 AND 5

shopping center. Runners and their families can enjoy activities at the Expo and grab a bite at the food court. tpsf.net NOV. 4 THROUGH 6 EPILEPSY AWARENESS & EDUCATION EXPO

After undergoing surgery to remove a part of her brain that was causing seizures, 18-year-old Sofie was inspired to create Epilepsy Awareness Day at the Disneyland Resort. Now in its seventh year, it starts with a free two-day expo featuring more than 80 nonprofit support groups and professionals. epilepsyawarenessday.org NOV. 28

OBESIT YHELP 2019 NATIONAL CONFERENCE

DANA POINT TURKEY TROT

Undergoing weight-loss surgery is a process made easier by support and understanding.

The Anaheim conference will give attendees the inspiration and motivation to achieve their goals. 866-957-4636, obesityhelp.com

Named one of the best Thanksgiving runs by Fitness magazine, this event brings more than 17,000 people to its 5K, 10K, and Kids’ Gobble Wobble categories. This will be the event’s 42nd year. 949-496-1555, turkeytrot.com

OCT. 27

DEC. 29

TERRIFYING 10-MILER & HALLOWEEN 5K-10K-KIDS RUN

RUN IN THE NEW YEAR HALF-MARATHON, 10K, AND 5K

The Renegade Race Series is hosting a festive Halloween event fit for the whole family. After running through Dana Point in the Terrifying 10-Miler, Spooky 10K, 5K, or 1/2 Mile Kids Run, join in pumpkin carving or show off your best Halloween look in the costume contest. renegaderaceseries.com/halloween-run

Ring in the New Year at the Huntington Beach half-marathon, 10K, and 5K celebration. Whether racing for fun or with a competitive spirit, everyone will receive a T-shirt and is invited to the post-race resolution party. carenwareevents.com/run-new-years-race

NOV. 3 DINOSAUR DASH

Hosted by the Tustin Public Schools Foundation, Dino Dash offers 2K, 5K, 10K, and half-marathon races at The Market Place

JAN. 11 IRVINE HALF MARATHON AND 5K

Known as a warmup for the L.A. and O.C. marathons, the Irvine Half Marathon and 5K winds through Irvine and benefits Woodbridge High School Athletics. irvinehalf.com

JAN. 31 THROUGH FEB. 2 ACTIVE LIFEST YLE EXPO

Every Super Bowl weekend, thousands of runners and their families attend the Active LifeStyle Expo, which culminates in the Surf City USA Marathon and Half Marathon. The free and interactive Huntington Beach expo showcases the latest in run technology and fitness products. motivrunning.com/run-surfcity/event/expo FEB. 2 SURF CIT Y USA MARATHON AND HALF-MARATHON

The annual Huntington Beach marathon is famous for its flat course. The weekend-long event begins with an Active LifeStyle Expo that features local health vendors, and it wraps up with post-race drinks at the Sand Bar. motivrunning.com/run-surf-city MAY OC LIFEST YLE AND FITNESS EXPO

This two-day fitness extravaganza is free and takes place at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. The expo offers dozens of exhibitors covering a wide range of interests, from nutrition products to humanitarian efforts.

949-222-0456, ocmarathon.com/fitness-exp

T HERE’S MO RE!

Subscribe to the O.C. Events newsletter at orangecoast.com/events.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF INTO THE WILD OC TRAIL RUN

NOV. 2 INTO THE WILD OC TRAIL RUNS

The Limestone Eco Challenge features 12K and 25K races for advanced runners that traverse the fall scenery at Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park.

Participants will receive a shirt, medal, and raffle entry upon registration. intothewildoctrailrun.com

Runners wind through scenery at Limestone Canyon Regional Park.

24 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

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Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 27

2

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3

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THE BREAKDOWN

R O M A N E S CO

P H O T O G R A P H C O U R T E S Y O F G R AT I T U D E

The Romanesque broccoli is the star of the “I Am Wise” dish at Gratitude in Newport Beach.

by Michelle Pagaran 1 A whole head of romanesco is lightly blanched and flashfried to order in hearthealthy Rice Bran oil.

2 The vibrant sauce is made of roasted beets and sesame tahini dressing.

3 A garnish of fresh dill brightens and complements the earthy beets.

4 Black and white sesame seeds are sprinkled throughout the dish for texture.

$16 1617 Westcliff Drive Newport Beach 949-386-8100

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 27

: Nutrition

DRINK BETTER

BALANCE ALL AROUND Tami Jervis is the founder of TapTap Kombucha, an Orange-based small-batch brand that aims to “bring balance to your body and to the world.”

HOW DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT KOMBUCHA? ÚÚAbout 10 years ago, my daughter, Brooklynn, was struggling with intestinal issues. She had been prescribed a steroid regimen, but I didn’t want to do that because she was only 12. I started researching holistic ways to heal the gut, and kombucha was one of them. I knew someone who was making kombucha, so I got a SCOBY and started making my own.

28 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

WHAT IS A SCOBY? ÚÚIt’s an acronym for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It looks like a rubber pancake, and it is alive, similar to a plant or sourdough starter in that it needs to be fed and has to breathe. I love my SCOBYs. HOW DO YOU MAKE KOMBUCHA? ÚÚIt’s a double-fermentation process.

The SCOBY is fed with sweet tea and

ferments 10 to 12 days. The kombucha then ferments with fruit and herbs for flavor. The result is a bubbly, refreshing, fermented tea packed with active culture and probiotics. TapTap Kombucha is small-batch brewed to keep the integrity and quality of the product. It is unpasteurized, 100 percent raw, and organic. It’s not an exact science, but that makes it fun. I can be creative and try different things. I have four standard flavors—blueberry ginger, strawberry ginger, strawberry mint, and wild berry—but I like to go to the Orange farmers market and get creative with what’s in season. Recently, I made orange basil and spiced pear kombuchas.

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F TA P TA P K 0 M B U C H A

Local kombucha makers aim to give back. By Anastacia Grenda

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS? ÚÚWe hear “bacteria” and think we don’t want that, but the gut microbiome needs good bacteria. In America, we are taught to use antibiotics and antibacterial soap, but if you kill all the bacteria, your body can’t fight off anything that might come at it. Drinking kombucha is not a magic cure-all, but it’s an easy way to help build up the good gut bacteria. Also, we don’t consume nearly enough raw food to get the enzymes we need for proper digestion. Kombucha has a huge enzyme content, and that’s another reason it’s helpful to your overall health. Kombucha can help ward off illness and keep the body strong and balanced.

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F TA P TA P K 0 M B U C H A

THERE IS POWER IN BRINGING POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE WORLD, AND WHEN WE GIVE OUT OF OUR EXCESS WE FEEL LIGHTER, MORE BAL ANCED. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSUMPTION? ÚÚIt really depends on the person.

I often tell people to drink 4 ounces in the morning and see how their body responds. My family has been drinking it for 10 years. My four kids are athletes. They drink kombucha instead of sports drinks because kombucha has glucosamine for their joints and vitamin B for energy, and the sugar content is low compared to sports drinks. I typically drink an 8-ounce glass after working out, and I put some in a wine glass at night when I’m cooking dinner. It’s my little treat.

TapTap Kombucha can help build good bacteria in your gut.

WHAT DOES TAPTAP MEAN? ÚÚTaptaps are colorful taxi buses in Haiti. For eight years, my family has had a relationship with a community in Cite Soleil, Haiti, which is known as the poorest community in the Western Hemisphere. The relationship began with bringing aid after the 2010 earthquake, and we fell in love with the people. There is power in bringing positive change to the world, and when we give out of our excess we feel lighter, more balanced, and more hopeful. As we realized the need for high school for kids in Cite Soleil, we began brainstorming ideas for how we could bring about sustainable help. Brooklynn said, “Why not sell your kombucha and use the money to put kids in school?” The first year we had 16 kids, and this year there are 53.

We’ve gotten many of our friends to

cover the $400 sponsorship to pay for each child’s education. TapTap funds any additional sponsorship costs, plus employing three Haitians to direct the program and two drivers for the taptaps, the taxi buses that take kids to school. Right now, 100 percent of TapTap’s profits go toward this. I love going there two times during the school year to soak in the joy and gratefulness of these kids. It keeps me motivated to keep growing TapTap. WHERE T O FIND I T!

TapTap Kombucha is available at Tru Bru Organic Coffee (where Jervis makes her kombucha), Humbowl in Orange, and Honeypot Brewery in Anaheim.

Subscriptions are also available. For more, visit taptapkombucha.com.

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 29

: Nutrition

QUOTES

ANIMAL SHOWCASE Cesar Sarmiento, the chef de cuisine at Cucina Enoteca in Newport Beach, puts on a quarterly Beast Feast dinner. He wants to highlight all parts of an animal, expose diners to new things, help with sustainability, and offer health benefits to boot. The next one is July 18 and will feature tuna ($84 for three courses). by Alan Gibbons

Every (part) does its function. You can get different proteins or vitamins from parts of the animal that you wouldn’t get somewhere else.

ÚÚAt home, I use bison

in chili. I use it for my kids. It’s very lean, has good fats, and it tastes delicious. Put cheese on it, and they’re good to go.

ÚÚOther cultures use all

the parts. But where we are, people only buy the prime cuts of meat. We thought it would be cool to do something with the whole animal and not let those parts go to waste.

ÚÚ In the restaurant, we

use (everything). We use the olive pits. We roast them and throw them in the sauce for umami. No sodium; instead of lots of salt, we can use the pits of the olives to season stuff.

ÚÚWe want to get

people comfortable with things they don’t usually eat. People tend to be guilted into (trying something new) because of the communal table.

30 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

photograph by J O H N G I L H O O L E Y

PROMOTIONAL

INSIGHTS INTO

FACIAL AGING

DR

Dr. Val Lambros is an internationally known plastic surgeon whose interest has been the understanding and treatment of the human face, especially as it ages. Treating the aging face requires a knowledge of how the face actually ages.

Conventional explanations of the mechanics of facial aging have been confused and rarely supported by evidence, which has led Dr. Lambros to study the aging of the face in a way that no one before him has done. Through this research, he has published and presented groundbreaking studies that are finally beginning to unravel the mysteries of facial aging and its treatment, and challenge old ideas about the face. Some of this research is demonstrated in the Facial Aging part of his website. www. vallambros.com.

Dr. Lambros has been a contributor and thought-innovator in plastic surgery for decades. He was one of the first proponents of the use of volume in the face, which is now practiced worldwide.

Personally, Dr. Lambros is warm, listens to people carefully, and goes to great lengths to achieve goals in the most simple and direct way. “The face tells us what to do,” and a good eye and experience directs how it should be done. Sometimes this is simple, sometimes more is required. For many people, he will suggest doing nothing, or make suggestions of minor treatments if they don’t need surgery. These are characteristics hard to find in Newport Beach.

Dr. Lambros has honed and evolved his facelift technique for nearly three decades.

Because of his success in his practice, and his numerous published studies on aging and topics important to his profession, Dr. Lambros maintains a large presence in the cosmetic surgery industry. He speaks at almost every national plastic surgery meeting in the United States on a yearly basis and at numerous international meetings.

Not enough room—Dr. Val Lambros is the best Plastic Surgeon out there. I’ve had procedures done by him beginning in 1993. He is a true artist! He hears what you want, but can see what you need, and will not operate unless he truly believes he can make you look better. He has no problem saying, ‘No,’ when you don’t need it.

His work looks natural and incision sites are undetectable. He is truly an amazing surgeon, and one you can fully trust.

Read about him and see for yourself— he’s famous! I have never written a review before, but wanted to give something back to Dr. Lambros by sharing my experiences with all of you.”

- PATIENT REVIEW

ValLambros.com 2121 E Coast Hwy., Ste. 200 Corona del Mar | 949.759.4733 Awarded 2019 Physician of Excellence

: Nutrition

1

2 M A D E I N O.C .

GUILT-FREE Turn to these local brands for health-conscious snacks.

by Michelle Pagaran 1 Founded by a mother-and-daughter duo, Tosi energy bars are made with almonds or cashews, and flax, chia, and sesame seeds.

Each bar has a satisfying crunch and is a great source of protein, fiber, and omega-3s. $2 to $3 at select O.C. retailers and online. Instagram: @tosihealth

3

2 Receiving the 2018 Sofi Award for food innovation for its Spicy Pickled Spears, Proper’s Pickles offers a line of all-natural pickled vegetables inspired by the founders’ Iranian heritage. $2 to $11 at Sessions West Coast Deli, Bristol Farms, and properspickle.com 3 Sweetened only with organic maple syrup, the vegan chocolates from Raw Baby are made with ingredients such as virgin coconut oil and raw cacao. Try the raspberry almond chocolate and peanut butter crisp flavors. $8 per box at Mother’s Markets and select O.C. retailers. rawbabydesserts.com

4

4 As a way for people to get easier access to healthful bread, Rye Goods Co. launched a delivery service. Order breads and pastries made from freshly milled California grains, such as the vegan squash loaf with dark chocolate and sea salt. $4 to $12. Instagram: @ryegoods

5

5 Made with whole-grain, gluten-free flour and sweetened with coconut sugar, Because Cookie Dough is vegan and comes in ready-to-bake tubs or ready-to-eat snacks. We love the brownie batter flavor. $3 to $8 at select O.C. retailers and online.

Instagram: @becausecookiedough

6

32 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

6 The dark-roast almond butter from Hungry Monkey Eats is handmade in small batches.

Owner Jeff Tappenden uses a melanger to grind the almonds, then mixes in chopped almonds to add crunch. Try the date and honey flavors. $8 to $20 at select O.C. farmers markets.

Instagram: @hungrymonkeyeats

photographs by M A R I A H TA U G E R ; almond butter photograph by P R I S C I L L A I E Z Z I

LEADING THE WAY

PROMOTIONAL

Dr. Thomas Rambacher D P M , F A C F A S , F AW C A

Podiatry Hotline Foot and Ankle

WHEN

it comes to foot and ankle care, Dr. Thomas Rambacher is leading the way with the most advanced treatment options. With a newly renovated state-of-the art office that is conveniently located and freeway close, patients throughout Orange County can now enjoy Dr. Rambacher’s unparalleled caliber of podiatry care.

The new office is exceptionally appointed with ultra-modern equipment and advanced technology, allowing Dr. Rambacher to provide his patients with the most innovative treatment options, including numerous alternatives to traditional surgery. Dr. Rambacher specializes in minimally invasive surgical procedures and regenerative medicine to safely and effectively accelerate the natural healing process. Ever on the leading edge, Dr. Rambacher incorporates cord blood and placental tissue when warranted to augment or assist with traditional podiatric procedures.

“Regenerative medicine has been proven to successfully treat acute and chronic wounds because of its ability to restore the body’s natural healing barriers. Regenerative therapies also decrease the inflammation and pain commonly associated with podiatric procedures,” says Dr. Rambacher.

“These treatment options are ideal for anyone who wants less down time and a faster recovery process. In my practice, I’m seeing exceptional results using regenerative therapies to treat everything from bunions and sports injuries to diabetic foot ulcers.”

Dr. Rambacher also offers ultrasound treatments, interferential treatments, radio frequency treatments, pneumatic medical treatments, and herbal medicines. Known for his compassionate, solution-minded approach, Dr. Rambacher emphasizes podiatric care that offers patients an accurate diagnosis and personally-tailored treatment plans. “By getting the diagnosis right the first time we help patients avoid painful and costly corrective procedures later.”

DISTINCTIONS: Double Board Certified in Surgical and Primary Care Podiatric Medicine Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Fellow of the American Professional Wound Care Association Cutting edge technology in a compassionate environment Podiatry Hotline gives you direct access to the doctor Diagnostic Podiatry identifies underlying conditions for accurate diagnosis Friendly Staff Contracted with most insurance

949.916.0077 Dr. Dir. 949.637.0038

AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Regenerative Medicine Bunions Plantar Fasciitis Sports Medicine Laser and Toenail Fungus Peripheral Neuropathy Minimally Invasive Surgery Virtually Painless Surgery Surgical Alternatives Arthritis Corns and Calluses Warts Flat Feet

PodiatryHotline.com podiatryhotline@gmail.com

Hammer Toes Wound Care Specialist Diabetic Foot Care Fungal Problems Ingrown Toenail Foot & Ankle Specialist Neuroma Acute Stains & Sprains Children’s Foot Care Orthotics Nail Appearance Tendinitis Heel Pain

26302 La Paz Road, Suite 101 Mission Viejo, CA 92691

HEALTH + WELLNESS

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RETIREMENT. The word alone conjures images of inactivity and perpetual rest. But for active Orange County seniors who are transitioning out of full time employment, life over 55 is really just beginning. One of the greatest joys many new retirees are discovering is the sheer number of lifestyle options available to them. Whether they choose to stay in their current home or explore the many adults-only residence communities in O.C., there is no limit to what the future can hold.

WELLNESS GUIDE FOR O.C. October 2018 • Orange Coast 141

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: Essay

Detox, Heat, Repeat An open mind was key to releasing stress and battling illness. by Lisa Whittemore

I

t’s a rare human being who doesn’t relish a relaxing, rejuvenating afternoon at the spa. Self-care is a hard-to-come-by commodity in our climate of “rush, hurry, this needed to be done by yesterday.”

Picture a few hours alone—not speaking, texting, calling, or planning but spending your time on activities that nurture body, mind, and spirit. Imagining these concepts is about as far as many of us get.

To qualify: I am female. I eat healthy. I exercise regularly and am reasonably fit. However, I live on the coast, hedged in by beach bodies, so it’s always apparent I have room for improvement. The term “young” no longer applies to

me, but “old” is far from reality as well.

Bearing all this in mind, I savor any opportunity for a steamy lifting facial or a vigorous deep-tissue massage. And I’m at a point in my life where I’m not only concerned with external beauty but internal health, too.

I D R I V E PA S T O 2 W E L L N E S S Center in San Clemente on a regular basis. Finally, sheer curiosity propelled me in there to perform all my usual investigative techniques: touring the facility with the owner, pocketing reading materials, returning home, researching on my own, and ruminating on my newly acquired information.

All the traditional spa accouterments are available at 02 Wellness, but this time I’m in the market for something unusual. I enter the center toting a litany of complaints. A lethal sinus infection, a hacking cough, an unrelenting headache, and a runny yet chapped nose. Waging war with this illness has me feeling polluted, irritable, and desperate for a new solution since my ideas aren’t panning out. So, I toss aside daily life’s travails to indulge in a few hours devoted to me.

I get a guided tour of all the services.

While I toss back Dixie cups of oxygeninfused alkaline water, the guide answers questions. She’s honest, knowledgeable, and informative without ever being pushy. I’m like a kid at a fair, dying to hit all the rides.

I kick off the affair with a 30-minute ionic foot-detox bath. This bath produces positive and negative ions that echo through the body, removing toxins and rebalancing cellular energy. The pores in our hands and feet are the largest ones in our body. They soak stuff up, hence illustration by H A N N A H A G O S TA

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 35

my cold, but they also readily purge stuff back out. Since I’m on my feet for eight hours a day, sitting still with my feet submerged in warm, salty water is nirvana. Watching the water turn colors as the “ick” is leeched out of me is beyond fascinating.

I MOVE ON TO THE SAUNA. Traditional dry saunas heat the air to an astronomical 220 degrees. Not here.

This infrared sauna goes from 110 to 150 degrees. It heats the body from the inside. Because of this, my core body temperature rises slowly, resulting in a deeper and more detoxifying sweat.

I love being toasty. I lie on my back, lights off. I take deep yoga breaths, in and out, slowing my heart rate. My sinuses and lungs feel less mucked up. Pinpricks of sweat arise on my body. The heat is caressing rather than stifling. During the last few minutes, I scrunch my body into

a compact ball then stretch it back out, over and over. My tightly wound natural state is no longer present. Instead, I’m limber, supple, and pliable.

I T I S I N MY F I N A L T R E AT M E N T when I see how the order of services is significant. Entering the hydration booth after exiting the sauna is blissful. Now my body is treated to a warm, ultrafine mist infused with activated oxygen and platinum, gold, silver, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Harking back to the days of the ancient Romans and Egyptians, the healing properties and health benefits of precious metals are vast and numerous. Today, with our overprocessed food and environment, all of us are lacking—so bring it on!

For me, the booth mimics being underwater. The luminescent lights shift from aquamarine to violet to emerald. Cocooned in mist, I’m adrift

at sea, every pore and cell greedily laps up the moisture. The light spray has a slightly metallic aroma, and I envision walking out with gleaming skin. All the sick is siphoned out of me, replaced with regenerated product.

As I curl up in an armchair in the lobby, I suck up a collagen shot through a golden straw. Remember my runny yet chapped nose? I do a five-minute nebulizing session with colloidal silver, breathing it in through both my nose and mouth, doubling down. Colloidal silver fights the good fight against bacteria, so the chapped area eventually disappears.

I’m a firm believer that positive attitude and outlook can affect an outcome. I pay attention when my body speaks. I trudged into the spa saddled with sickness but retained an open mind. I left there brimming with hope and faith in a new experience that I will definitely repeat.

PROMOTIONAL

O

EXPERIENCE KNOWLEDGE

&

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr. Steven A. Miyamoto specializes in using growth factors and stem cells to expedite healing after surgery. With over 20 years experience, his practice provides the full scope of Oral Surgery including pinhole surgery for gingival recession, wisdom teeth removal, diagnosing and treating facial pain, facial injuries and Osteonecrosis, as well as dental implant and bone grafting procedures. He completed his residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey after graduating from UCLA Dental School. Dr. Miyamoto teaches continuing education classes, and serves as general anesthesia inspector for the California Dental Board along with volunteering at several other professional committee boards.

36 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

FullertonOralSurgery.com 113 W. Amerige Ave. Fullerton | 714.525.1178

MORE THAN A MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019

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AG AT H A FRENCH

MEET THE TEAMMATES OF ORANGE COUNTY’S OVER-60s WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE

38 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

38

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HUGH FOSTER

photograph by T K T K

photograph by T K T K

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 39

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

O

n a Sunday afternoon in Garden Grove, cool beneath a sheath of coastal fog, two teams of amateur soccer players stride onto the field at Alamitos Intermediate School. They sprawl onto

the grass or settle into camp chairs, pulling on jerseys, lacing up

I

n some ways, it could be any weekend soccer game in America, only there’s no cooler here and no orange wedges sliced by soccer moms. These are the soccer moms, or at least they were, before they aged out of even that division.

These players—buttressed by knee braces, wrist guards, and the occasional no-nonsense visor—are soccer grandmas, devoted members of the over-60s bracket of the Orange County Women’s Soccer League. A mother of three, Irene Pazirandeh, 68, announces that her first granddaughter was born last week, and Maria Morales, 68, boasts she has 10 grandchildren— and seven great-grandchildren.

40 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

cleats, and preparing for the second spring game of the season.

E

R

L N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

’S PLA

Y

R

O

A

s team Ocean Motion prepares to square off against cheekily named team Endangered Species, the field is a study in grit and longevity.

“Don’t go to the ball, go to a player!” a midfielder hollers after kickoff. The ball zigzags across the field—passed, blocked, intercepted—and the first goal goes to Endangered Species. Cheers erupt: “Keep going! Keep going!” When the referee fails to call an offside violation, Pazirandeh, playing for Ocean Motion, is incensed. “Come on,” she yells, sounding more like a teenager than a petite retiree. As the game resumes, Debbie Breech, 66, jumps for a header. The ball bounds off her brow with a satisfying pop, landing at a teammate’s feet.

Breech, who joined the league three decades ago, had no idea she’d play soccer into her senior years, but she’s hooked on the meditative quality of the sport. “The best part, for me, is just concentrating on what you’re doing right now,” she says. “You’re with friends. You’re helping each other. It’s about having a good time as opposed to winning.” Brauer interjects: “But it is fun to win,” she says, smiling.

At first blush, a senior women’s soccer division might seem surprising. Slide tackling is forbidden, but the games are not without risk; injuries have included broken collarbones, black eyes, and torn menisci. The bonds forged on the field run deep: Women have returned to the game after hip and knee replacements, breast cancer, and the deaths of spouses. For senior women working to maintain their health and resiliency, the team provides accountability.

It also provides a support network. Over the course of decades, the league has become a safe space and respite from everything else. Brauer calls their sacred Sunday games “women’s time.” Another player, 64-year-old Gene Forsythe, refers to the league as “a sisterhood.” Players often travel to tournaments in Las Vegas, which boasts an over-70s

M

Of the 16 players present, three are over age 70. Elizabeth Brauer, 71, ties her hair back with a bandana and slathers on sunblock before the game. “It’s not just the physical,” she says of the sport’s appeal. “It’s the team.”

The league was founded in 1976; many of the over-60s players began in the over-30s division and have passed into older brackets, playing with the same teams for more than 35 years. They came of age before most girls in the United States had access to organized sports. They discovered soccer, and one another, in adulthood. To watch them play is to witness an unbridled love of the game; the intimacy of decades-long friendships; and the clear physical, mental, and emotional rewards of committing to a team sport at any age.

ET

E S O CC

Casey Nobles Vogel, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Chapman University’s Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, describes some of the benefits of companionship and exercise as people age.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WEEKLY GAMES FOR WOMEN OVER 60?

It’s recommended that adults get 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, or, if you do highintensity or vigorous exercise, 60-75 minutes. In the literature, soccer falls in the vigorous category. So even just playing one game a week, these women might be getting very high-intensity exercise.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SOCCER? There are periods during a game when you’re walking or jogging slowly, which is generally aerobic activity. But when the ball comes near and you have to sprint, you tap into your anaerobic system. Yelling is also going to change your breathing: “Pass me the ball!”—that’s going to help your lungs.

WHAT ABOUT COGNITIVE HEALTH? A lot of people who jog do the same path over and over again, which gets somewhat redundant. It’s not as much of a mental challenge. Every play on the soccer field is going to vary, and you have to have an idea of where you are on the field. That takes cognition.

WHERE DO THE BENEFITS OF CAMARADERIE FIT IN? When people get older, they tend to get more lonely and isolated. There’s less stimulation for the brain. A team sport emphasizes social interaction—you can help each other. If someone realizes, “I’m getting really winded running up and down the field,” that person can work on their aerobic fitness. You can also change what your challenge is, which keeps it fresh. … The team gives you a reason to get up, go out, and get together.

WHY SHOULD WE KEEP EXERCISING AS WE AGE? The dangers of aging include increased fall risk, higher incidents of cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and loss of mental acuity. We know that exercise improves your immune system and decreases your risk for cancer. People are starting to realize that we should try to be the best we can be throughout our entire life span. There’s more outreach and group exercise emphasized by physical therapists because they have recognized the benefits of group activity, socialization, big movements, and trying to stay as mobile as possible to minimize the decline from particular diseases.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A NEWBIE WHO’S INSPIRED TO JOIN THE LEAGUE? The thing about soccer is that you can play at any level. At first you might be a little fearful: “How will I last the whole game?” Well, maybe you substitute in. Each week, you build endurance.

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 41

division, or to Utah and Washington. Morales recalls fond memories of a karaoke night while visiting a tournament in Palm Springs.

“As we get older, we need to be more social,” she says, and notes that over the years, she began integrating the teamwork she learned on the field into her professional life. “The exercise, the camaraderie, the competitiveness. I love it.”

T

hese players’ passion for soccer bloomed in middle age. “We were a bunch of housewives that watched our kids play,” says Forsythe, who enjoys the strategy and finesse that soccer requires. In addition to keeping the women fit, she adds, “It broadened our social life.” Breech and Brauer met because their daughters were on the same soccer team more than 30 years ago; they attended their first adult pickup game together.

Many of the women in the over-60s division came to soccer by way of their kids. Having shepherded children through years of AYSO games, which didn’t develop a girl’s program until 1971, they were ready to scrimmage for themselves.

“We had P.E.,” says Brauer of the activities available to girls in her youth. Title IX, which prohibits discrimination under educational programs on the basis of gender, didn’t become federal law until 1972, well after many of the players had graduated from high school. “There were no competitive sports for girls. … There were cheerleaders.” Today, 40 percent of AYSO players are girls. For the next generation of amateur athletes, these women are trailblazers.

“I want to be one of them one day,” says Megan Ferguson, an over-18s player and the Orange County league’s secretary.

She notes that a number of the senior players commute from Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica to play with women their own age. The Orange County over-60s division is made up of six teams, one more than last year. Ferguson hopes that number will continue to grow as players in their 40s and 50s get older.

For now, “they kind of run their own league,” she says with a note of admiration, alluding to one of the most surprising things about the

42 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

“AS WE GET OLDER, WE NEED TO BE MORE SOCIAL … THE EXERCISE, THE CAMARADERIE, THE COMPETITIVENESS. I LOVE IT.” over-60s women’s teams: Unlike the over-20s players, who drew a morning crowd of nearly 50 friends and family, only one person showed up to watch the senior division play.

The sole spectator is Anne Potter, 65, a longtime member of Ocean Motion who is recovering from surgery. Just weeks after a spinal fusion, she began walking a mile per day. Her doctor declared her “in incredible shape,” she says with pride. Potter intends to get back on the field within a few months, just like she did in 1993, after surviving thyroid cancer.

“When I come back, I’ll probably play 15 minutes per game,” she says, never taking her eyes off the field. “But I’ll come because I like to be with my friends. That’s why I’m here now.” Potter plans to celebrate her grandchild’s 16th birthday later that day, but until the game ends, she speed-walks around the perimeter of the pitch, shouting encouragement to her teammates.

In a way, Potter is the perfect audience for Sunday’s game, because the over-60s players seem to see one another in a way that many had never been seen before. During their match, they see a midfielder or a goalie—not a woman, or a wife, or a mother, or a grandmother.

“I’m older on the outside, but I’m not old on the inside,” says Janet Anderson, 68, trim in her turquoise jersey. In her youth, she’d been a runner, but soccer inspired her to focus on her health more holistically, and the motivation to be an asset to her team fuels her today. “It’s so wonderful when I come here and all the girls clap,” she says. “Everyone congratulates everybody.”

Although most of the women profess to be competitive, when all is said and done, none seem too concerned with the score. Endangered Species took this one, 4-2, but there are plenty of games left in the season.

As Potter says: “I’ve been with these women forever.” Why stop now?

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 43

44 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

photograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

YO

U CAN

D O IT!

CL A S S E S

BY ROY M. WALLACK

F

rom palatial clubs to tiny storefront boutiques to oceanside exercises on the

sand, fitness classes range from innovations such as trampoline, wall-climbing, and aerial hoop sessions to new takes on traditional exercises such as running and swimming. We’ve discovered enough indoor and

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VISIT DANA POINT

outdoor routines and some non-workout workouts to keep you excited about staying in shape this year and beyond.

45 photograph by T K T K

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 45

№

JOIN THIS CREW ROW HOUSE 6 5 7- 8 5 9 - 6 07 2

rowing interval sessions with on-the-floor squats, planks, and reverse lunges-to-knee raises.

46 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

ROWING MACHINES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER, BUT ROWING CLASSES SUCH AS

those at Row House in Tustin (opened last year) are new—and quite satisfying. This no-impact, calorie-burning sweatfest is combined with real skill-building, leaving you fitter and smarter than when you started. Rowing, as the instructor might remind you, is all about form, irrespective of body weight, dimensions, and athletic ability. Done correctly, about 60 percent of the effort should come from the legs, not arms. All workouts begin with skill drills for key rowing positions such as the “catch” (hands forward and knees bent at the front of the machine); the “drive” (legs fully extended and back leaned at the 11 o’clock position); and the “finish” (arms to chest). It takes a while to put form ahead of brute strength, but getting in sync with classmates leaves you on an endorphin high. The 45-minute workout alternates three

№

BENEFITS OF BOUNCE

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BOUNCE SOCIET Y FITNESS 9 49 - 61 2- 8 52 3 MILLIONS OF MINITRAMPOLINES WERE BOUGHT FOR HOME USE IN THE ’80S AND WOUND

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

up covered in cobwebs in the garage. But about three years ago, trainers Chelsea Rush and Talia Boggan saw the exhilarating, low-impact, core-blasting workout as ideal for classes and opened the county’s only cardio-tramp studio, Bounce Society Fitness, in Costa Mesa. The intro class, Bounce 1, warms you up to the unstable surface with onefoot drills before moving on to the fun stuff: 35 minutes of down bounces and high runs, the former involving jumping jacks, twists, and other two-foot landings, while the latter mimics running, skipping, and other one-foot movements. Rebounding is deceivingly fun and challenging, as the lung-busting aerobics are paired with an unconscious struggle for stability, not height. The owners say that studies show the vertical motion and G-force help open pathways and flush the lymphatic system, benefiting overall health, healing, and recovery. The hour-long, music-filled workout includes 20 minutes of on-floor body sculpting with resistance bands and weights. Introductory week ($15) includes unlimited classes.

PRECISION RUN AND SWIM EQUINOX SPORTS CLUB 9 49 - 9 7 5 - 8 4 0 0 RUNNING AND SWIMMING have never been class workouts—until Equinox Sports Club in Irvine figured out how to do it. In Precision Running, you hop on a treadmill and don earbuds that emit upbeat music and the voice of a coach prowling the aisle barking orders. There’s a stair-step series of elevation-speed intervals and cool-downs that culminate in all-out sprints— and it pays off. You might run faster and longer because the voice in your ears warms you up correctly. Swimming at the pool downstairs is a similar story, with coached workouts and skill drills available daily.

Try the H2O Endurance class, which might be led by former Colorado State University triathlete Darian Davis, who does kick and stroke drills with pull buoys, fins, hand paddles, and kickboards. For a lifelong but untrained swimmer, a solid hour of tips from a real coach was a revelation.

LEFT PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ROW HOUSE; RIGHT PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BOUNCE SOCIET Y FITNESS

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 47

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EMBRACE YOUR INNER SPIDERMAN

4848Ora Ora nge ngeC oCast o ast• •Health Health 2019 2019

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PUNCH IT UP 9 R O U N D F I T N E S S , M U LT I P L E O . C . L O C AT I O N S

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A BOXER WITHOUT A GREAT BODY? YOU’LL UNDERSTAND

why after 30 minutes at 9Round Fitness, a franchise new to O.C. that takes you through nine three-minute stations of punching, kicking, and calisthenics. With a coach providing tips on form, you warm up with a jump-rope, jumping jacks, medicine-ball squats, and weights before the timing buzzer sounds and the hitting begins. You get to wallop all the classic padded adversaries you’ve seen in the movies: the heavy bag for jabs, crosses, hooks, and front kicks; the “wrecking ball” for uppercuts and duckunders; the horizontal bag for knee strikes and donkey kicks; and the speed bag for hand-eye coordination. While the combo cardio-strength workout provides superb body shaping and calorie burn, learning how to throw a punch can be the most rewarding and fun part of the workout. Unlike a traditional gym, there is no class workout time; each person makes an appointment and progresses one at a time from station to station, so it’s a personalized workout, even if nine other people are on the floor.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF 9ROUND FITNESS

FIT WALL IN NEWPORT Beach and Costa Mesa will have you climbing the walls, literally.

It gets you squatting and doing pullups on what looks like a burly, metal 7-foot-tall bookcase. The device, invented by rock climber and martial artist Doug Brendle, not only forces you to use your upper body, working muscles you might not have used since climbing a tree at age 10, but it also engages the core and stabilizes the hips. Because relentless climbing will “burn out your forearms,” says coach Travis Harski, the wall workouts alternate with functional floor exercises such as pushups, squats, and planks, and challenging “animal flow” movements such as bear crawls, side kicks, and the Traveling Ape (squat low, place hands on the floor to the right of your legs, and hop sideways). Doing three rounds of each, plus warmup moves and cooldown stretches, takes 40 minutes, leaving you thoroughly worked from head to toe but exhilarated by your newfound coordination.

To keep things interesting, the programming changes every three weeks. You can try the first class for $10, and two weeks of initial unlimited use is $49.

BOT TOM LEFT PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE HAUTE ROOM; TOP RIGHT PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF @LISAPIZZADOTCOM

F I T WA L L 9 49 - 52 9 - 8 5 52

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PILATES PLUS

BOT TOM LEFT PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE HAUTE ROOM; TOP RIGHT PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF @LISAPIZZADOTCOM

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF 9ROUND FITNESS

THE HAUTE RO OM 7 1 4 - 42 5 - 9 4 07

THE M35 CLASS AT THE HAUTE ROOM IN Tustin leaves no stone unturned, blasting muscles you didn’t realize you had—without a weight or elliptical machine in sight. Instead you stand, sit, and lie down on the sliding platform of a Megaformer, a proprietary reformer invented by French fitness icon Sebastian Legree, and use resistance straps and body weight to push, pull, and balance while moving forward and backward through a dozen exercises. There are pullups, standing bicep curls, situps, and every imaginable front, side, or angled lunge, often performed so deliberately that you begin to shake and quiver and want to scream by the 10th rep. “You work out one body part at a time slowly for several excruciating minutes until you want to chop that limb off,” wrote one Yelp reviewer. It’s the Legree Method, a combination strength-stretch-balancecore workout, that deeply shreds your sinew, straightens your posture, and enhances functional movement. The result: a high-sweat, high-heartrate, head-to-toe blast that leaves you feeling improved as well as tired. The first class is $18.

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FLYING FOR FOREARMS URBAN AERIAL FITNESS 7 1 4 - 5 02- 49 8 3

PEOPLE TODAY WANT MORE THAN JUST THE EXCITEMENT OF CIRQUE DU

Soleil,” says Alexandra Mata. “They want the fitness.” She can relate. About four years ago, she couldn’t do a pullup or a pushup—then she began moving through the air on aerial silks and hoops suspended from a tall ceiling at Urban Aerial Fitness in Fountain Valley. In December, empowered by her new upper-body strength and eager to spread the word, she bought the company. One of a half-dozen aerial fitness studios in O.C., it offers four to six daily classes, all of which include 15 minutes of warmup before taking to the air. They attack muscles in your hands, forearms, and shoulders, which many aerobic routines don’t touch. With a wow factor like no conventional workout yet easier than it looks, this is a thrilling, smileinducing, heart-pumping, skill-building experience unlike anything else.

It might be the first time you ask someone to take a photo during your workout. Try the introductory offer of three aerial classes and one flexibility class for $39.

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 49

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PUMP IT UP AND STRETCH IT OUT. TWO COMPLEMENTARY

BOOT CAMP & YOGA COMBO O C KI CKB OXIN G & MIXE D M A R TI A L A R T S 9 49 - 8 3 3 - 8 3 3 8

classes for the price of one are offered Monday through Thursday mornings at OC Kickboxing & Mixed Martial Arts in Irvine. Both are led by no-nonsense kickboxing coach Rachel Silverman, a ranked tournament fighter in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, No Gi Jiu Jitsu, and MMA who has several yoga certifications.

The 6 a.m. boot camp—45 nonstop minutes of ever-changing old-school exercises such as squats, planks, lunge kicks, pushups, and bicycle situps—blasts the entire body. Then it immediately moves to Silverman’s relentless 45-minute yoga class, leaving you done by 7:30 and primed to tackle the workday.

O U T T I SID E K E TA WHAT TO DO WHEN THAT SWEET SUN BECKONS

ROUGHFIT BOOT CAMP

» Daily meetup groups, various times » Huntington Beach, PCH & Tower 14

» Laguna Beach, Irvine, Dana Point,

» Yoga, breathwork, meditation » Bring mat and warm layers » Various instructors

» Strength, stretch, cardio workouts with

COST

Donations accepted

$59 enrollment and gear fee

First class free. Intro month $99 unlimited use.

INFO

facebook.com/ yogaonthebeachhuntingtonbeach

babybootcamp.com

roughfit.com, 714 209-7626

WHEN & WHERE

THE WORKOUT

50 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

San Clemente

stroller-age children; stroller lunges, ab work, squats and bicep curls, fitness and nutritional advice » Prenatal classes, too

» Every morning, Monday through Thursday » Citrus Ranch Park, Tustin » Yoga, running, TRX, weights, bodyweight exercises » All workouts random—never posted » Must bring own dumbbells

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINE BAKER

BABY BOOT CAMP STROLLER FITNESS WORKOUT

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CHANDA HALPIN

YOGA ON THE BEACH

#KEEPIT WILD @lilcudathatcould @q_the_ coach the fact that the man carries tractor tires, ropes, and hammers in his car at all times is enough to scare anyone, but his classes are simple and fun. Now mix that in with being outdoors at different parks. It’s almost a sense of relaxation and accomplishment when you’re all done. @blissfultravels Every month, Navawell hosts an outdoor yoga session at The Tree House at The Camp in Costa Mesa. It’s such a great experience enjoying the fresh air and woodsy vibes while working out! @pet_friend I love the steps at Hillcrest Park in Fullerton.

We asked our Instagram followers for their favorite outdoor workouts in O.C.

Those steps and running at Fullerton loop has helped me lose almost 80 lbs! @bridgetcolby Happy Hour Fit Club! Kerrie (founder and instructor) is an amazing, positive, motivating instructor!

She holds classes at parks in Rossmoor and Seal Beach.

Playing ultimate dodge ball at the end of a class for an extra little cardio is always super fun! @thirdmoonbakery Early mornings with @vexyoga in Irvine! @kyliedtravis @casaromanticasc has Casa Fits Mondays where you can work

out outdoors with beautiful ocean and garden views. @brass_tack Doing Thousand Steps beach several times or aqua fit at the LBHS pool. Free yoga in the park with Carl at Montage and also lunges up the hill at Crystal Cove trails @hbtrl4 Hiking in Newport at Top of the World, or riding my bike along the bike path in Huntington Beach. @sighty1 Taking advantage of our beautiful @crystalcovestatepark and doing interval sprints, running up the various flights of stairs, and walking those scenic trails!

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DE-STRESS IN SILKS M I R AVA L L I F E I N B A L A N C E S PA 8 0 0 -7 2 2-1 5 4 3 WITH 23 KINDS OF

BREATHING AND BREATHLESS

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINE BAKER

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CHANDA HALPIN

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L I F E T I M E AT H L E T I C 9 49 -2 3 8 -2 70 0

FOR THOSE WHO KNOW THE Y NEED THE STRETCHING AND FLEXIBILIT Y OF YOGA but see it as time they’d rather devote to heart-thumping HIIT (high-intensity interval training), Lifetime Athletic in Laguna Niguel came up with a novel solution: Combine the two. Its FIRE class mixes 30second sprints with Vinyasa flow yoga. The class moves from one to the other in an ingenious, seamless manner, as sequences drive from the warrior 2 position into a rapid-fire flurry of front kicks; from downward dog to knee-to-chest mountain climbers; from chair position to squats to high knees to opposite elbows. Breathing control is the key aspect of the workout strategy; as your heart rate flies on the HIIT, you calm it down during the yoga positions with deep, slow nasal breathing. Conducted in an 85-degree room and bathed in slow-to-fast beats that ramp up but maintain a distinct yogic vibe, this stretchand-strain sweatfest is a revelation that leaves you so worked that you just lie there on your back for three minutes at the end—and don’t want to get up. But when you do, you’ll feel really, really good.

classes, there’s no shortage of fitness options available at Miraval Life in Balance Spa at Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, including cardio drumming, yoga on a mat in the pool, and aerial yoga. To nurture your mental and spiritual well-being, though, try the 45-minute Floating Meditation class. Slip into a suspended silk that envelops you like a baby in a sling as your body is covered with blankets and an eye pillow blocks the light. The instructor rings chimes and uses a melodious voice to guide your focus through each main chakra. It sounds overly Zen, but even those new to yoga or meditation discover a fresh sense of ease—to the extent that some clients fall asleep.

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 51

baby your

local parenting guide

ORANGE COUNTY

AND BEYOND

tiny fashionista

127

TE E PLAYDA CREATIV TODDLERS FOR IDEAS

plus

MINI MAKERS

Crafty kids in the City

tiny fashionista

EATING OUT WITH KIDS The coolest local spots for the whole family

YOUR FIRST WEEK An honest look at your body and baby

Fall clothing and accessory ideas for trendy toddlers

2019

WE’RE EXPECTING Orange Coast magazine welcomes a new publication and experience to the family!

OC Baby & Beyond will be Orange County’s guide for modern parents through pregnancy and early parenthood through an annual publication and expo to arrive in Fall 2019.

ocbaby@orangecoast.com or call 949-862-1133

MAGAZINE • September 2019 EXPO • October 27, 2019

How did the doctors get on this list? Turn to

PA G E 6 6

for the selection process.

TOP DOCTORS N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

2019

513 PH Y SICI A NS in 68 SPE CI A LT IE S This year’s physicians of excellence were judged by the Orange County Medical Association to be among the most accomplished and caring.

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 53

ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY William E. Berger Asthma and food allergies Mission Viejo 949-364-2900 Warner W. Carr Food allergies, asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis Mission Viejo 949-364-2900 Wan-Yin Chan Food allergy, immune deficiency Orange 714-633-6363 Sarah Samimi Field Food allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis, asthma Orange 714-633-6363 Bruce F. Friedman Asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis, eczema, food allergies Fountain Valley 714-549-9330 Donald S. Levy Orange 714-639-7847 Christina Schwindt Food allergy, allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczema Mission Viejo 949-364-2900 William N. Sokol, Jr. Allergic diseases of adults and children Newport Beach 949-645-3374

ANESTHESIOLOGY Kyle Ahn Regional anesthesiology, perioperative medicine, medical education Orange 714-456-6652 Clifford Char Cardiac anesthesia, regional anesthesia, obstetrical anesthesia Santa Ana 714-619-5383 Daniel S. Choi K Regional anesthesiology Irvine 949-932-5147 Scott Engwall Orange 714-456-7414 Kimberly Gimenez Orange 714-456-6649

Richard Kelly Cardiothoracic anesthesiology Orange 714-456-5462 Manoj Kulkarni Pediatric anesthesiology Santa Ana 714-580-1580 John Lin Santa Ana 714-809-2579 Debra Morrison Pediatric anesthesiology Orange 714-456-5501 Corey Nelson Medical education, medical simulation, team training Orange 714-456-5501 Lynnus Peng ePreop, web-based medicine, quality improvement Fullerton 714-279-8665

C A R D I O VA S C U L A R DISEASE Byron J. Allen Congestive heart failure, transplantation Orange 714-456-6699 Jin Kyung Kim Women’s heart, cardiovascular imaging Orange 714-456-6699 Shaista Malik Preventive cardiology, integrative medicine Orange 714-456-6699 Fernando Mendoza General cardiology, cardiooncology, diagnostic cardiology Los Alamitos 562-598-3200 Mark P. Miller Cardiometabolic disease Anaheim 714-635-9680 Michael Miyamoto Preventive cardiology, heart failure, cardiac imaging Mission Viejo 949-364-3388

Afshin Shabanie Spine injections, radio frequency ablation Santa Ana 714-619-5383

Pranav Patel Orange 714-456-7589

Shalini Shah Pain management, pediatric pain Irvine 949-824-7246

Satinder Swaroop Interventional and preventive cardiology Fountain Valley 714-751-3540

Kathleen Sullivan Laguna Hills 800-888-2186 Anil Tiwari K Irvine 949-932-2284 Shermeen Vakharia Cardiovascular anesthesia Orange 949-824-7246 Trung Vu Critical care medicine Orange 714-456-8754 Karen Wu K Regional anesthesia Irvine 888-988-2800 Ramin Zolfagari K Pediatric anesthesiology Irvine 949-932-2448

BLOOD BANKING AND TRANSFUSION MEDICINE Minh-Ha Tran, D.O. Non-malignant hematology Orange 714-456-8925

54 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT P S Y C H I AT R Y Matthew N. Koury Evidence-based mental health services Newport Beach 949-891-0307 Gayle Polsky Newport Beach 949-891-0307 ext. 2

CHILD NEUROLOGY Anjalee Galion Sleep medicine Orange 714-509-7555 Suresh Gurbani K Pediatric epilepsy Anaheim 888-988-2800 Andrew McIntosh Epilepsy Laguna Niguel 949-249-3780

W H AT ’ S I T L I K E T O …

GET RID OF CANCER BEFORE YOU H AV E I T

When SOMAYA ISHAQ of Irvine was told she had a 95 percent chance of getting ovarian cancer, she decided to be proactive.

W

e had two girls in two years. My husband and I planned on four kids.

But I had complications after the birth of No. 2 in 2015. A year and a half later, I still wasn’t well. I’d studied to be a physician’s assistant before I got married, so when an exam showed a lot of ovarian cysts, my background and my intuition told me there might be something else going on. I got a genetic test done at Hoag Hospital.

The test showed that I had a 95 percent probability of getting ovarian cancer due to a mutation in the BRCA2 gene. It also showed a high risk of breast cancer. My family has a huge incidence of cancer— my mom got ovarian cancer after I was born, a 40-year-old cousin has stage 4 colon cancer, and many aunts have had cancer.

Ovarian cancer is very hard to predict and often a death sentence. Survival rates are low. Often, by the time you know it, it’s too late—it’s spread, and you have five years to live. We were lucky to know early. I’d wanted to try for a third child, but when the doctors said I had a 75 percent chance of a miscarriage due to my previous uterine damage, the risk seemed too great.

My husband initially thought I had plenty of time.

But once he got educated on genetic testing and how accurate it is, he called the decision a “no-brainer.”

We want to grow old together and live a long life with the two healthy, beautiful, active kids we have.

Given all that, I decided on a full hysterectomy at 35. I haven’t met anyone who has done it this young. photograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Unless otherwise noted, physicians are M.D.s; K designates Kaiser physicians, who only accept Kaiser patients.

Anna L. Harris Perioperative care Orange 714-456-5501

TOPDOCTORS2019 Sharief Taraman Head injury, stroke, informatics, artificial intelligence Orange 714-509-7555

Kristen M. Kelly Lasers, vascular birthmarks, energy-based scar revision Irvine 949-824-0606

Lily Tran Pediatric epilepsy Orange 714-509-7555

Patrick K. Lee Mohs micrographic surgery Irvine 949-824-0606

Mary Zupanc Epilepsy Orange 714-509-7601

Brian R. Toy Medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology Mission Viejo 949-364-6580

CHILD P S Y C H I AT R Y Anju Hurria Autism, physician wellness, anxiety and depression Orange 714-456-7473

CLINICAL BIOCHEMICAL GENETICS Raymond Wang Lysosomal storage disorders, gene editing Orange 714-509-8852

CLINICAL C A R D I A C E L E CTROPHYSIOLOGY

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Aseem Desai Robotic ablation of cardiac arrhythmias Mission Viejo 949-347-2822

It’s a complete mind shift to be proactive. I didn’t technically have cancer yet, but the preventive act was necessary for longevity. The hardest part is going through menopause now, 10 years early.

I’ll wait until 40 to make the next step on breast surgery. Breasts are lower risks. I’ll keep monitoring them for an eventual full mastectomy.

I’d forgotten about Angelina Jolie until I got the BRCA2 mutation diagnosis. But when people hear about my positive screening, they say, “Oh, you got the Angelina gene.” So she did raise public awareness. I’m very big now on telling young women to get checked. When I talk to people my age, they say, “I don’t want to do that test. I don’t want to know. I’d rather just be blindsided.” That’s scary.

I wonder if I want my daughters to get tested at 21. Will it put the fear in them? By that time, I hope it’ll be standard screening. It’ll give them an option to make decisions.

It hits home that I won’t have more kids when my daughters ask me, “When will you have a baby brother for us?” “Maybe we will,” I say, “if we adopt.” My husband and I are open to it.

Even now, my grandma still hassles me. “You should’ve waited to have one more child,” she’ll say, or “Why did you rush?” or “Why did you do the screening at such a young age?” To her generation, ignorance is bliss.

On the other hand, if I were to get cancer and die, they’d ask, “Why didn’t she do anything?” —As told to Roy M. Wallack photograph K TAKR I A H TA U G E R photographsby byTM

CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE Michael Katz Intensivist and hospitalist Fullerton 714-992-3969

D E R M AT O L O G Y Vince Afsahi Laser, cosmetic, skin cancer treatment Tustin 714-508-0754 Michelle Aszterbaum Skin cancer prevention and therapy Newport Beach 949-300-7500 Zena Gabriel Skin cancer, acne, Mohs, cosmetic dermatology Newport Beach 949-200-8222

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY Arash Anavim Orange 714-456-6921 Joseph E. Burns Musculoskeletal imaging and intervention Orange 714-456-2843 Miles Chang Body imaging, ultrasound Newport Beach 949-645-3534 June Chen Breast imaging Newport Beach 949-272-2095 Crispina Chong-Han K Anaheim 714-644-4103 Allen J. Cohen Abdominal imaging Orange 714-456-6921 Stephen A. Feig Breast imaging and intervention Orange 714-456-6905 Joon Kim Musculoskeletal, nuclear medicine, and molecular imaging Orange 714-771-8171 Mayil Krishnam Cardiovascular and thoracic imaging Orange 714-456-2216 January Lopez Breast imaging Newport Beach 949-764-5780 Mark Masotto Abdominal and urologic imaging Orange 714-538-6731 Kenneth Meng Breast imaging Orange 714-771-8360 Diagnostic Radiology continues

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 55

Hieu Truong Nuclear medicine, PET scans, musculoskeletal imaging Orange 714-718-8171 Dan Vu Thoracic and cardiac imaging Orange 714-997-4762

EMERGENCY MEDICINE Patrick Aguilera Under-served populations Fountain Valley 714-966-7200 Peter G. Anderson Indigent care, behavioral health Fountain Valley 714-396-6935 Michael J. Burns Infectious diseases, geriatric emergencies Orange 714-456-5239 William Dodge Cardiovascular emergency medicine Laguna Beach 949-499-7193 J. Christian Fox Point-of-care ultrasound Orange 714-456-5705 Wirachin Hoonpongsimanont Education, alcohol-related injury prevention Orange 714-456-5239 Bryan Hoynak Trauma, SWAT medicine Placentia 714-524-4827 Robert Katzer Emergency medical services Orange 714-456-5239 Timothy Korber Fountain Valley 714-966-7200 Richard Kozak Pre-hospital emergency medicine Mission Viejo 949-364-1400

Shahram Lotfipour Public health and injury prevention Orange 714-456-2326 William H. Murphy III Pediatric emergency medicine Orange 714-543-8911 Todd R. Newton K Anaheim 714-644-4123 Megan Osborn Medical education Orange 714-456-5239 James E. Pierog Pediatric emergency medicine Orange 714-543-8911 Michael Ritter Mission Viejo 949-364-1400 x 7476 Warren Wiechmann Education, technology Orange 949-824-3837 Christepher Yao Epidemiology Orange 714-543-8911

E N D O C R I N O L O G Y, DIABETES, AND M E TA B O L I S M Sandra Kwak Thyroid disorders Newport Beach 949-645-8800 Andrew R. Reikes Thyroid cancer, thyroid diseases, osteoporosis, diabetes Irvine 949-824-8600 Priya Shah Thyroid disease, thyroid cancer, PCOS, diabetes Orange 714-771-5700

FA C I A L PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

Mark I. Langdorf Orange 714-456-5239

Rami K. Batniji Facelift, neck lift, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, endoscopic browlift Newport Beach 949-650-8882

Brian S. Lee Physician leadership, clinical informatics Orange 714-543-8911

Steven Daines Face and neck lift, rhinoplasty Newport Beach 949-209-1622

56 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

Alexis D. Furze Balloon sinuplasty, rhinoplasty, Mohs reconstruction Newport Beach 800-498-3223 Simon Madorsky Nasal reconstruction and rhinoplasty Newport Beach 949-719-1800 Brian J.F. Wong Rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, nasal reconstruction Irvine 949-824-7997

FA M I LY M E D I C I N E Fred Alamshaw, D.O. K Medical volunteering Yorba Linda 888-988-2800 Thomas Badin Preventive health care, annual physical exams Santa Ana 714-835-9441 Lance Brunner K Patient safety, quality, regulatory, risk, administration Brea 888-988-2800 Thanh Bui K Garden Grove 888-988-2800 Kara Cummins K Graduate medical education Santa Ana 714-967-4766 Shahriar (Bobby) Davari K Academic, faculty development, decision support Santa Ana 714-796-4822 Marcela Dominguez Integrative and functional medicine Mission Viejo 949-273-6663 Emily Dow Urban under-served care, women’s health Orange 714-456-5171 Anne E. Ford Women and children and the family Brea 714-449-6900 Fred Galluccio Full family care including newborns, sports Newport Beach 949-646-4865 Debra Gutierrez Brea 714-449-6900

W H AT I T ’ S L I K E T O …

FIND OUT YOU H AV E A B R A I N TUMOR

KELLI COLLINS , a fitness instructor from

Newport Beach, shifted her priorities after a terrifying diagnosis.

I

divide my life into pre-brain tumor and post-brain tumor.

In my pre-brain tumor life, I never went to the beach or walked on the pier—even though I lived right next to it. I was a workaholic. I was a pro ballet dancer at 14 and flew around the world while I was an all-star high school basketball player. (As an adult), I’d do a 12-hour makeup job at HBO studios in L.A., stop to help at a flower shop in Belmont Shore, then do the night shift as a server at Mutt Lynch’s bar in Newport Beach. Three years ago, I photograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Kirk Ohanian Neuroradiology Orange 714-997-4762

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

TOPDOCTORS2019 became an instructor at GritCycle in Costa Mesa. I taught mornings and nights and kept the books at another company.

Then in December 2017, my life changed. In Portland for the weekend, I suddenly felt slow and began forgetting things. I couldn’t remember what I ordered, what direction I just came from. I brushed my teeth with my right hand—and I’m left-handed.

My brain was scrambled. I got lost at the airport and almost missed my flight.

I Ubered home, then got ready for my spin class.

With one look, my friend Melissa, who I’d asked for a lift, said, “You are not teaching tonight. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Checking in, I couldn’t say my name or give my address. I had lost control of an arm, spoke in a word salad. They put me in the ICU, thinking it was a stroke. But after a CT scan, the guys in white jackets came in—a heart doctor and a neurologist. “You need to call your family,” they said. “You have a tumor in your head the size of a golf ball.”

My brain surgery required nine days of prep.

The tumor was benign but in a sensitive area for personality and memory. Chance of death was 60 percent, they said, with risk of paralysis. By the time they put in a porthole to suck it out, my tumor went from golf ball to tennis ball. But they got it all.

My recovery was way faster than normal— actually, kind of freaky. I was out of commission for just three months. I was even driving, although it was like sensory overload. My fitness and positive attitude definitely helped. I did yoga after a month in bed, then kept moving. In March 2018, 300 people showed up for my “Welcome back” ride at GritCycle.

A week later, I taught a class.

Mental healing is slower. More than a year later, I can’t read or add as fast. I used to have beautiful handwriting and don’t anymore. To work out my brain, I do crossword puzzles and number games.

My hardest assignment is sleeping 11 hours a day.

That’s the only way your brain heals. Before, I never even slept eight hours. I’d get five max.

The tumor is the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to me. I took it as a sign I need to slow down. It gave me a new outlook: Live my life, not work my life.

I’d lived at the beach for 12 years but rarely touched sand or saw a sunset. Now I ride a bike, ignore my cellphone, and walk my dog to the pier and do meditation. Before, I’d feel guilty about these things.

Time is of the essence now. Who knows when a brain tumor or something else will come up in your life? I will live this second life as well as I possibly can. —R.M.W. photograph by T K T K

Gayle Hopper Women’s health, urgent care Fountain Valley 714-477-8400 Elaine King Concierge medicine Irvine 949-216-6900 Jo Lieberman-Pan Women’s health and preventive medicine Fountain Valley 714-549-1300 Sofia Meraz K Women’s health, behavioral medicine, community medicine Garden Grove 714-387-2271 Timothy A. Munzing K Residency program director Santa Ana 714-967-4766 Carrie Nelson-Vasquez K Hospice and palliative care Santa Ana 888-988-2800 Tan Q. Nguyen Medical humanities, medical education, underserved medicine Anaheim 714-456-6576 Gwendolyn Obedencio K Women’s health, MSK, preventive care Santa Ana 888-988-2800 Michael Provenghi K Diabetes, medical education Santa Ana 888-988-2800 Doreen Rioux, D.O. Yorba Linda 714-528-4211 Hal Shimazu Lipids, geriatrics Orange 714-997-2899

F E M A L E P E LV I C MEDICINE AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY Noelani M. Guaderrama K Urogynecology Irvine 888-988-2800

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY Robert E. Bristow Surgical management of ovarian cancer Orange 714-456-8000 John V. Brown Robotic surgery for gynecologic cancer/ gynecology Newport Beach 949-642-1361

Felicia L. Lane Orange 714-456-2911

Philip J. DiSaia Orange 714-456-8000

GASTROENTEROLOGY Alaa Abousaif Endoscopy, obesity medicine, functional bowel disease Orange 714-835-7700 Kenneth Chang Interventional endoscopy Orange 714-456-6187 Andrew Q. Giap K Endoscopic ultrasound, biliary and advanced endoscopy Anaheim 888-988-2800 Hyder Z. Jamal Hepatology Yorba Linda 714-577-6624

Kristine Penner Minimally invasive and cytoreductive gynecologic oncology Orange 714-456-8000 Leslie M. Randall Advanced gynecologic surgery, personalized cancer therapeutics Orange 714-456-8000 Krishnansu Tewari Ovarian cancer surgery, clinical trials, robotics Orange 714-456-8000

GYNECOLOGY

John G. Lee EUS, ERCP, therapeutic endoscopy Orange 714-456-7628 Haig Najarian Hepatology, colon cancer screening Orange 714-835-7700 Nimisha Parekh Inflammatory bowel disease, medical education Orange 714-456-6745

Felice L. Gersh Menopause, PCOS, menstrual abnormalities, endometriosis, vaginitis Irvine 949-753-7475

H E M AT O L O G Y Richard A. Van Etten Hematologic malignancies, chronic myeloid leukemia Orange 714-456-8031

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Samuel E. Sunshine Sports medicine, functional medicine Foothill Ranch 949-460-9111

Eugene Yoon Interventional endoscopy, Fullerton 714-446-5831

Kenneth Tan Yorba Linda 714-577-6680

G E R I AT R I C MEDICINE

Allison Foley Yorba Linda 714-528-4211

Sonia Sehgal Healthy aging, chronic disease management Orange 714-456-5530

Susan M. Heller Prevention and lifestyle coaching Newport Beach 714-790-8501

Steven Tam Orange 714-456-5530

Ke-Qin Hu Liver diseases Orange 714-456-6926

Josette M. Thompson K Medical education, behavioral medicine, urgent care Santa Ana 888-988-2800 Charles P. Vega Care for marginalized populations Santa Ana 714-456-7002

Jane D. Curtis Promoting good health Santa Ana 714-299-9147

Dan Huynh K Hospital medicine Anaheim 714-644-2000 Internal Medicine continues

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 57

Linda Lam Hospital medicine Fullerton 714-447-5027 Melanie Lin Preventive care Santa Ana 714-929-2300 Ann Mai Primary care, anti-aging, aesthetic medicine Irvine 949-262-9700 Bavani Nadeswaran Bariatric medicine Orange 714-456-7016 Maryam Rahimi Cancer screening, preventive care Orange 714-456-7016 Bahar Sedarati Irvine 949-294-0560 Larry Silverberg Geriatrics Newport Beach 949-759-3325 Tuan Trinh Hospital medicine Fullerton 714-447-5027 Lawrence Richard Van Meter Concierge medicine Newport Beach 949-566-8179 Melanie Spencer Wolf, D.O. Hospital medicine Irvine 855-206-6764 Anthony F. Wong Preventive health Irvine 949-551-1090 Michael Yu Newport Beach 949-574-0777

INTERNAL MEDICINE WITH FOCUS O N H O S P I TA L MEDICINE Alpesh Amin Internal medicine with a focused practice in hospital medicine Orange 714-456-3785 Alex Leung Hospital medicine Fullerton 714-447-5027

INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY AND DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY Kari Nelson Vascular disease, vascular malformations, interventional oncology Orange 714-456-6921

M AT E R N A L- F E TA L MEDICINE Judith Chung Diabetes in pregnancy Orange 714-456-2911 Afshan Hameed Cardiac disease Orange 714-456-2911 Tamera Hatfield Cancer in pregnancy Orange 714-456-2911 James Kurtzman Prematurity prevention, cervical incompetence, twins, ultrasound Irvine 949-336-7337 Carol Major Diabetes in pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, prenatal diagnosis Orange 714-456-2911 Manuel Porto High-risk pregnancies involving multiple births Orange 714-456-2911 Julianne Toohey Domestic violence, perinatology, postpartum depression Orange 714-456-2911

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY Haresh S. Jhangiani Clinical research and target therapies Fountain Valley 714-698-0300 Edward Nelson Hematologic malignancies and tumor immunology Orange 714-456-5153 David J. Park GI malignancies, lung cancer, brain cancer Fullerton 714-446-5900 Jason Zell, D.O. Gastrointestinal cancer, colorectal cancer, cancer prevention Orange 714-456-5153

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N E O N ATA L MEDICINE Fayez Bany-Mohammed Orange 714-456-6933 David A. Hicks Neonatal lung disease Orange 714-509-8632 Robert Hillyard Substance-exposed infants, small-baby care Orange 714-509-4373 Anthony Liu Health informatics Orange 714-509-3096 Wang-Dar Sun Orange 714-509-4373 Katarzyna Tesmer Aesthetic medicine Orange 714-509-3096

N E O N ATA LP E R I N ATA L MEDICINE Irfan Ahmad Infants undergoing surgery Orange 714-509-8632 Muhammad Aslam Stem cells in chronic lung disease Orange 714-456-6920 Daryoush Bassiri Educational outreach Orange 714-509-3096 Kushal Y. Bhakta Care of extremely low birth weight infant Orange 714-509-4373 Christine Bixby Breastfeeding medicine Orange 714-509-4373 John Cleary Cardiac and mechanical support for neonates Orange 714-509-3096 Rebecca Coleman Resuscitation and simulation, palliative care, nutrition Orange 714-456-6933 Sudeep Kukreja Orange 714-509-4373 Courtney Merchant Orange 714-456-6933

W H AT ’ S I T ’ S L I K E T O …

BE FREE FROM EPILEPSY

CHRIS MARTEN of Santa Ana turned his life around after brain surgery stopped his daily seizures.

F

rom age 18 on, I was a ticking time bomb.

That year, while driving, I had an epileptic seizure. Neurons in your brain misfire, sending wild signals to muscles and nerves. I lost consciousness for 30 seconds and lost control of my Nissan. From that point on, my life was radically changed.

I actually had my first seizures as a baby in the hospital—two 20-minute grand mals. But we didn’t know I was epileptic during childhood. However, after the grand mal at 18, smaller petit mal seizures hit all the time. It’s hard to explain the feeling.

Little lapses in time, four to 20 seconds gone. You get what we call “auras”—you feel it coming on.

I’d sit down, relax, let it pass, get a headache. It’s a sensation of déjà vu; present, past, and future all mixed up.

Meds eliminated the grand mals, but I still had multiple petit mals a month. I quit my job at Ralph’s, switched to nighttime security for a few years, then landed my job of the past 16 years: selling women’s extra-small shoes—size 2 to 5 1/2—by phone.

Life was OK until age 27. One day, I again lost consciousness while driving and crashed into a pole, luckily not hurting myself or anyone else. I began having grand and petit mal seizures all the time. New meds didn’t work. My future looked grim, as the condition gets worse with age.

After I turned 33, my older sister Misty, whom I live with, went to a psychic. “I see better options out there for your brother,” she was told. In February 2016, after lots of research, Misty took me to David Millett, a neurologist at Hoag Hospital specializing in seizures and epilepsy. photograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Sonali L. Iyer Hospital medicine Orange 714-456-5726

TOPDOCTORS2019 Marielle H. Nguyen K Developmental care premature infant, quality improvements Anaheim 714-644-7040 Yona Nicolau Orange 714-456-6933 Sirisha Perugu Newborn cardiovascular medicine, ethics, palliative care Orange 714-509-3096 Lavonne Sheng Infection prevention Orange 714-509-3096 Sandra C. Short-Bartlett K Neonatal resuscitation, quality assurance, peer review Anaheim 714-644-7040 Cherry Uy Neonatal outreach education, neonatal transport Orange 714-456-6933

NEPHROLOGY

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Stephanie S. Cheung K Anaheim 888-988-2800

After a basic checkup and some drug trials, none of which worked, Millett said I might be a good candidate for an operation to cut out the misfiring part of my brain. If the bad section is too deep, they don’t do it. Why mess up your life even more? But they found my problem area was isolated on an easy-to-access spot, so Millett recommended I go for it. Worst case was a little short-term memory loss and seizure reduction by 85 to 90 percent.

In May 2016, Millett’s team removed a portion of my brain. I wondered: Would I come out normal?

Since then, after reducing medications to zero, I’m episode-free—not one seizure. They tell me they’ve never gotten someone to the point of no seizures and no drugs.

I started driving again after eight months. I don’t get the headaches or the side effects of the pills— depression, anger, snapping at the littlest thing.

I walk, go out, feel like doing things. I’ve lost 50 pounds. My confidence is coming back with women.

Not having to rely on anyone else is pure freedom.

I’ll go hiking, to the beach, golfing—all the stuff people take for granted.

But here’s the funny thing: Sometimes I kind of miss the seizures! —R.M.W. photograph by T K T K

Nancy Said Hernandez, D.O. Acid base disturbances Fullerton 714-992-5581 Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh Kidney health, nutrition, solitary kidney Orange 714-456-5142 Hamid Moradi Dialysis therapy Orange 714-456-5142 Madeleine Pahl Orange 714-456-5142

NEUROLOGY Yama Akbari Neurocritical care, coma, consciousness, cardiac arrest Irvine 949-824-1888 Daniela Bota Neurological oncology Orange 714-456-7214 Jose Carrillo Neuro-oncology Fullerton 310-829-8265

Sirichai Chayasirisobhon K Epilepsy Anaheim 714-644-2325

Scott Capobianco High-risk obstetrics, robotic surgery Mission Viejo 949-364-1040

Cyrus Dastur Neurocritical care Orange 714-456-3333

Cynthia Cork Improving the quality of women’s health care Fountain Valley 714-556-0536

Mark Jay Fisher Stroke Orange 714-456-5091 Joey Gee, D.O. Headache, memory care, stroke Mission Viejo 949-542-8002 Namita Goyal Neuromuscular disease Orange 714-456-2332 Neal Hermanowicz Movement disorders Irvine 949-824-0190 Lilit Mnatsakanyan Epilepsy, clinical neurophysiology Orange 714-456-6203 Tahseen Mozaffar Neuromuscular disorders Orange 714-456-2332 Mona Sazgar Epilepsy Orange 714-456-6510

Janis Fee Minimally invasive gynecology, masses,adolescents, maternity Orange 714-282-1892 Laura Fitzmaurice Hospitalist, medical education Orange 714-456-5616 Nicte Flores K Women’s health Irvine 888-988-2800 Debra Gierut K San Juan Capistrano 949-234-2108 Tabetha Harken Family planning Orange 714-456-2911 Christina Hong K Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, human papillomavirus Irvine 888-988-2800

Steven Small Cognitive neurology Orange 714-456-6808

Candace N. Howe Pelvic pain, high-risk pregnancy Newport Beach 949-646-2800

NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Christine Kim Medical education, patient safety, interprofessional communication Orange

Tatiana Kain Molecular imaging and therapy Orange 714-456-6132

Michael Krychman Survivorship medicine, sexual medicine, menopause health Orange 714-456-8000

OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY

Paula D. Richter K Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and procedures Irvine 888-988-2800

Morris M. Ahdoot Infertility and menopause, high-risk pregnancy Irvine 949-453-1173 Kathy M. Anderson Regenerative medicine Santa Ana 714-547-7575 Leon J. Baginski Robotic gyn surgery, functional medicine Mission Viejo 949-276-6266 Dennis Buchanan Fullerton 714-992-5350

Jennefer Russo Family planning Orange 714-456-6853 Vasiliki Tatsis Orange Lawrence B. Werlin Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis Irvine 949-726-0600

Obstetrics and Gynecology continues

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 59

OPHTHALMOLOGY Sean D. Adrean Retina, vitreoretinal surgery Fullerton 714-738-4620 Anand Bhatt Cataract and glaucoma surgery Irvine 949-824-4122 Sanford Chen Vitreo-retinal disease and surgery Newport Beach 949-646-3242 David W. Chia Comprehensive ophthalmology; cataract, glaucoma, and eyelid surgery Irvine 949-753-1163 Charles W.G. Eifrig Retina and macula Laguna Hills 949-707-5125 Marjan Farid Cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery Irvine 949-824-0327 Sumit (Sam) Garg Cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery Irvine 949-824-0327 Ronald N. Gaster Cornea, cataract, refractive, and cross-linking surgery Huntington Beach 855-393-3622

Ahsan M. Khan K Glaucoma and cataract Yorba Linda 714-371-6398 Edward W. Kim Laguna Hills 949-951-2020 Kenneth B Krantz K Oculoplastic surgery Santa Ana 714-427-7851 Baruch D. Kuppermann Retina, macula, and vitreous diseases and surgery Irvine 949-824-8089 Robert W Lingua Pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus, nystagmus Irvine 949-824-4122 Stephanie Lu Retina Irvine 949-824-6256 Desmond McGuire Retinal disease Santa Ana 714-543-6020 Sameh Mosaed Cataract and glaucoma surgery Irvine 949-824-4122 Aisha Simjee Orange 714-771-2020 Jennifer L. Simpson Pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus Irvine 949-824-4122

Jared Younger Laser cataract and cornea surgery Fountain Valley 714-546-2020

O T O L A R Y N G O L O G YHEAD AND NECK SURGERY Gurpreet Ahuja Pediatric airway; ear, nose, throat disorders Orange 714-633-4020 William B. Armstrong Head and neck oncology, thyroid and parathyroid surgery Orange 714-456-5750 Roberto Barretto K Pediatric otolaryngology Anaheim 714-644-2070 Naveen Bhandarkar Rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery Orange 714-456-5753 James K. Bredenkamp Head and neck oncology, endocrine surgery Mission Viejo 949-364-4361 Felizardo S. Camilon, Jr. Pediatric otolaryngology, head-neck surgery Orange 714-836-6607 Michael Cho Otology, sinus surgery, head-neck oncology Mission Viejo 949-364-4361

Jeremiah Tao Ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery Irvine 949-824-0327

Dennis M. Crockett Pediatric otolaryngology Mission Viejo 949-364-4361

Savak Teymoorian Cataract and glaucoma specialist Laguna Hills 949-951-2020

Roger Crumley Voice disorders, sleep disorders Orange 714-456-5753

Matthew W. Wade Cataract and refractive surgery Irvine 949-824-2020

Jeffrey Joseph Ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery Newport Beach 949-424-3524

Hamid Djalilian Ear and skull base surgery, dizziness, hearing loss Orange 714-456-7017

Alison Wong K Cataract surgery La Palma 888-988-2800

Peter Joson Glaucoma and cataract surgery San Clemente 949-489-2218

David Yomtoob Cataract surgery and glaucoma Orange 714-771-2020

Rohit Garg K Rhinology, skull base surgery Anaheim 888-988-2800

Diana H. Kersten Cataract and refractive surgery Laguna Hills 949-951-2020

Timothy You Retina Santa Ana 714-972-8432

Carl T. Hartman Cataract and refractive surgery, comprehensive ophthalmology Los Alamitos 562-598-7728 John Hwang Retina diseases and surgery Laguna Hills 949-707-5125

60 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

Kevin Huoh Pediatric otolaryngology, pediatric thyroid surgery Orange 714-633-4020 David Keschner K Rhinology, complex sinus surgery Irvine 949-932-5188

W H AT I T ’ S L I K E T O …

BE CHOC’S ‘DANCING DOC’

TONY ADKINS of Villa Park is a physician’s assistant whose videos of dancing with pediatric patients went viral.

W

hen I was a little kid growing up on the tough streets of South Central L.A. in the ’80s and early ’90s, stuck inside the house, I’d put on NWA, Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J, Run-DMC, and more— and I’d dance. Music made me happy. I had no idea that someday my dancing would help hospitalized kids at Children’s Hospital of Orange County and even get me on national TV. I love the brain and always wanted to work with kids, so CHOC’s the perfect place for me. Kids are resilient. They heal faster. They’re easier. They don’t need a lot of pain medications to make them feel betphotograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Emily Whitcomb K Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery Irvine 949-932-5677

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

TOPDOCTORS2019 ter, unlike adults. And kids respond much better to joking around, perfect for an old class clown like me.

One day nearly two years ago, 11-year-old Elias Gonzales, a leukemia patient, clearly needed a good laugh. His body had begun overproducing cerebral spinal fluid, causing headaches. He needed more surgery. Stuck in the hospital, unable to go anywhere, he was kind of dreary, not talking much, getting depressed.

At that moment, I thought of my childhood: Maybe he needs some dancing.

I quickly huddled with his mom. I turned on some music on my phone—MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.” I started dancing.

And he started laughing.

“Elias, get up and dance with me,” I said. At first, he hesitated. “Aw, do we have to?” Then he got up and danced, laughing the whole time for about 60 seconds. His mom filmed it. Elias gave me the thumbs-up. We were now best friends. It was night and day.

The change was a revelation. If I can do this with him, I can do this with any patient! There’s no downside. The patient gets active, gets happy, gets back to the innocence of being a child. The mood changes; they don’t want to bolt out the door anymore. And I get to check their neurological function—if they can coordinate their arms and legs.

Next was Christa Saul, a spinal muscular atrophy patient. Seeing Elias’ video online, she said, “I want one, too.” Using a wheelchair, she couldn’t dance.

So she watched me dance to “Super Freak” by Rick James, moving only her facial muscles but having the greatest time. Her mom put the video on the Anaheim Buzz Facebook page, and it spread like wildfire.

Then came Avery Rogers, a brain-surgery patient who came to appointments in a ballet costume.

When she came in for her one-year checkup, she did a ballerina twirl to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” Her mom started crying. Avery hadn’t been able to do that before.

The media noticed. Stories appeared. “ABC World News Tonight.” “Good Morning America.”

Twenty to 60 seconds is not a lot of time, but it pays off. A lot of kids and parents now look forward to it. I saw a video of an ICU fellow dancing with a patient at a different hospital. It’s not rewriting the rulebook of patient-doctor relationships. It’s just another tool we can use.

Some people call me a modern-day Patch Adams.

I don’t care what you call me. All I know is that my primary focus is making sure the little ones are more comfortable. A little laughter works every time. —R.M.W. photograph by T K T K

Edward S. Lee Orange 714-543-2000 Harrison Lin Neuro-otology and skull base surgery Orange 714-456-5753 Annette Luetzow K Children Irvine 949-932-5037 Jagmeet Mundi Sinus surgery, head and neck cancer Mission Viejo 949-364-4361 Nguyen Pham Pediatric hearing disorders Orange 714-633-4020

Nita Doshi Fetal cardiology, pediatric echocardiography Orange 714-509-7576

Mark W. Daniels Growth, puberty, disorders of sex differentiation Orange 714-509-8634

Uthara Mohan Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, athletic cardiac screening Newport Beach 949-646-1495

Timothy Flannery Pituitary, hypothalamus, PCOS, calcium, diabetes Orange 714-509-8634

Gira Morchi Interventional pediatric cardiology Orange 714-509-3939 Pierangelo Renella Advanced congenital cardiovascular imaging Orange 714-509-7576

Terry Shibuya K Skull base surgery, head and neck oncology Anaheim 888-988-2800

P E D I AT R I C CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE

Sunil Verma Voice and swallowing Orange 714-456-5853

Jason Cook Drowning prevention, medical simulation, transport medicine Orange 714-509-8620

Mark Wohlgemuth Sleep and history of anatomy Mission Viejo 949-364-4361

PAIN MEDICINE Stephen H. Barkow Anesthesiology, consultations, epidurals, radiofrequency, stimulators, joint injections Mission Viejo 949-365-9595 William Ko Interventional pain medicine Fullerton 714-446-5527 Arthur D. Zepeda Neuromodulation Fullerton 714-446-5537

P AT H O L O G Y Sherif A. Rezk Hematopathology and hematology Orange 714-456-5009

P E D I AT R I C CARDIOLOGY Anjan Batra Electrophysiology Orange 714-581-4401 Anthony Chang Artificial intelligence, heart failure Orange 714-509-8220

Michele Domico Cardiac intensive care, extracorporeal life support Orange 714-509-8658 Juliette Hunt Children with congenital heart disease Orange 714-509-8658 Kenneth Kwang-yul Kim Novel mechanical vent, neuroprotection Fountain Valley 714-966-7253 Jason Knight Telemedicine, transport Orange 714-509-8620 Paul Lubinsky Respiratory and neurologic emergencies Orange 714-509-8658

P E D I AT R I C EMERGENCY MEDICINE Seth Brindis Medical informatics Orange 714-543-8911

P E D I AT R I C ENDOCRINOLOGY Amrit Bhangoo Orange 714-509-8634

Nikta Forghani Diabetes, growth, puberty, turner syndrome, thyroid Orange 714-509-8634 Christina Reh Diabetes, CFRD, thyroid and puberty disorders Orange 714-509-8634

P E D I AT R I C GASTROENTEROLOGY Phyllis F. Agran Injury epidemiology and prevention Tustin 714-329-2180 Kenneth Grant Orange 714-509-4099 Jeffrey H. Ho, D.O. Intestinal rehabilitation, capsule endoscopy, hepatology Orange 714-509-4099 Mitchell Katz Children with complex feeding problems Orange 714-509-4099 Anup Patel Eosinophilic esophagitis Orange 714-509-4099

P E D I AT R I C H E M AT O L O G YONCOLOGY Geetha Puthenveetil Hemoglobinopathies, vascular anomalies, hemostasis-thrombosis Orange 714-509-8459 Naveen Qureshi K Anaheim 714-644-4824 Amit Soni Hemostasis and thrombosis, graduate medical education Orange 714-509-8459

Pediatric HematologyOncology continues

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 61

Felice Adler-Shohet Bone and joint infections, tuberculosis, neonatal infections Orange 714-509-8403 Antonio Arrieta Immunocompromised hosts and antifungals Orange 714-509-8403 Negar Ashouri Kawasaki disease, antimicrobial stewardship Orange 714-509-8403 Delma Nieves Pertussis, pneumococcus Orange 714-509-8403 Jasjit Singh Vaccines, vaccinepreventable diseases, immunodeficiency Orange 714-509-8403

P E D I AT R I C NEPHROLOGY Dorit Ben-Ezer Nephrotic syndrome, electrolytes abnormalities, hypertension Orange 714-509-8324 Shoba Narayan Nephritis, hypertension, chronic kidney disease Orange 714-509-8324

Sunil Kamath Orange 714-509-8622 Pornchai Tirakitsoontorn Asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchoscopy, chronic cough Orange 714-509-8709 Anchalee Yuengsrigul Chronic lung disease, asthma, cystic fibrosis Orange 714-509-8622

P E D I AT R I C RADIOLOGY Liliane H. Gibbs Pediatric imaging Orange 714-458-8992

P E D I AT R I C R H E U M AT O L O G Y Andrew Shulman Orange 714-509-8617

P E D I AT R I C SPORTS MEDICINE Chris Koutures Dance medicine, injury prevention, overuse injuries Anaheim Hills 714-974-2220

P E D I AT R I C SURGERY

P E D I AT R I C ONCOLOGY

David Gibbs Pediatric trauma Orange 714-364-4050

Van Huynh Oncology, leukemia, bone marrow transplant, immunotherapy Orange 714-509-4348

Mustafa Kabeer Hernia, pectus, tumors Orange 714-364-4050

Elyssa Rubin Sarcomas, neuroblastoma, HLH Orange 714-509-4348 Lilibeth Torno Cancer survivorship, histiocytosis, ovarian and testicular tumors Orange 714-509-4348

P E D I AT R I C PULMONOLOGY Amy Harrison Cystic fibrosis, muscle weakness, asthma Orange 714-509-8709

Vinh Lam Minimally invasive surgery, neonatal congenital anomalies Orange 714-361-4480

P E D I AT R I C UROLOGY Irene M. McAleer Orange 714-509-3919

P E D I AT R I C S Steven Abelowitz General pediatrics, attention deficit disorder Newport Beach 949-759-1720

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Behnoosh Afghani Hospitalist, infectious disease, medical education Orange 714-456-5726 Sinda Althoen Santa Ana 714-288-3230 Katherine Andreeff Hospitalist medicine, patient safety Orange 714-509-8826 Eric H. Ball Pediatric nutrition Ladera Ranch 949-388-1798 Connie Bartlett, D.O. Santa Ana 714-288-3230 Bette Carlson Newborns, nutrition, adolescents Costa Mesa 714-668-2525 Mark A. Colon Obesity, cultivating literacy Santa Ana 888-770-2462 David Cordes K Irvine 888-988-2800 Matthew Coulson Clinical informatics, immunizations Laguna Hills 949-448-0656 Angela Dangvu Breastfeeding support Tustin 714-565-7960 Daisy Dodd K Pediatric infectious disease Anaheim 714-644-2000 Afif H. El Hasan K Asthma San Juan Capistrano 888-988-2800 Jennifer Ho Hospitalist Orange 714-509-8826 Lisa Hoang Child development, sleep, obesity, asthma, ADHD Tustin 714-505-7110 Lynn Hunt LGBT health, transgender health Orange 714-456-6025 Irene Kan K Anaheim 888-988-2800 Daniel Kang Hospital medicine, medical education Orange 714-456-5631

W H AT I T ’ S L I K E T O …

SAVE YOUR SON FROM A NEARFATAL ACCIDENT

MATTHEW BELDEN of Laguna Beach describes the miraculous recovery of his 12-year-old son, Brayden, after a snowboarding accident.

B

rayden had gone off that jump a couple of times already. We were at Oregon’s Mount Bachelor in February 2018.

He’d snowboarded 16 or 20 times and progressed fast, doing stuff set aside for Olympians. Though only 11 years old, Brayden was a top surfer with lots of sponsorships, and his skills immediately translated to snow.

But this time, he went off that jump faster, higher, and a little off balance. When I went around to catch up to him, he was just lying there, lifeless. His eyes were in the back of his head. No pulse. No breath. If I didn’t give him CPR, he could have died.

His brain injury was rare. He injured the basal ganglia and thalamus. For that injury, the mortality rate was nearly 100 percent.

When he got choppered down to a hospital in Bend, a priest was waiting for us. The doctor gave him two hours. “If he doesn’t show more signs of life, it’s over.” He did. A Learjet flew him to Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland. They told us he might not wake from the coma. After 21 days, he did.

You don’t allow yourself to get too optimistic.

Yeah, he woke up, but he’s a quadriplegic, can’t speak, and needs tubes in his stomach and throat.

Fortunately, he’s an athlete. As his brain healed for five months, he did what they said he couldn’t: talk, walk, breathe, eat, chew, spit, swallow. He came home last June and started training his ass off in CHOC’s rehab program. Same thing in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins. Every day, he does hours of rehab.

Brayden doesn’t complain. He told a doctor, “I’m giving it 110 percent.” We all are. I researched two therapies we’re using: MSC (mesenchymal stem cell) therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We harvested his own stem cells, replicated them by the millions, photograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

P E D I AT R I C INFECTIOUS DISEASE

TOPDOCTORS2019 Connie Lin K Santa Ana 888-988-2800 Jennifer Linzmeyer, D.O. K Hospitalist Anaheim 714-644-4300 Jennifer Lusk Teaching, evidence-based medicine, decreasing readmissions Orange 714-509-8826 Suzanne McNulty Concussion care, mental health, learning disabilities Mission Viejo 949-206-0001 Elenea Medina K Santa Ana 888-988-2800 Maria Minon Education Orange 714-509-8413 Penny Murata Medical education Santa Ana 714-456-7011

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Hanh Uyen NguyenTang Hospital medicine Orange 714-509-8826

and put them back to hunt for and fix trauma. He was also one of the first here doing hyperbaric, which is not yet FDA approved. Studies show it can minimize injury by promoting red blood cells and angiogenesis (tissue growth).

His memory’s back, and he converses. He’s getting more coherent. His right side is locked up. But there’s progress. Every three or four weeks, he’s a different kid. The first two years see the bulk of recovery from a brain injury.

He’s a fighter. He started boogie boarding again.

After one of his stem-cell treatments, he was able to get more control over his manual dexterity and started doing origami again, which was one of his favorite things to do.

Being well-known for surfing has helped. World Tour surfer Griffin Colapinto led a fundraiser for him with Stance, and Laguna Surf and Sport did a fundraising party, too. But I don’t care if I go broke trying to get him the best specialists out there.

Sometimes Brayden would get emotional. “Why did I go off that jump?” But now he sees it as, “I have a new purpose in life. Stay happy.” He’s on a different path now. But he’s inspiring people. He has a new tag line: “If you can believe it, you can achieve it.”

If you were to ask me, I think God threw him back to help leave this world a better place. —R.M.W.

photograph by T K T K

Leticia Oliveros Minority health, newborn care and immunizations Anaheim 714-456-7002 Dilip Patel Growth and development of high-risk neonates Orange 714-509-8632 Sameer Pathare Hospitalist Orange 714-509-8826 Georgie Joven Pechulis Hospitalist, breastfeeding medicine Orange 714-509-8826 Myriam Perez K Newborns and family centered care Anaheim 714-644-3303 Zacharia Reda Pediatric pulmonology and critical care Newport Beach 949-644-0970 Varalakshmi Reddy Pediatric obesity, atopic dermatitis Santa Ana 714-480-2464 Praful (Paul) Sarode Pediatric pulmonology, pediatric hospitalist Santa Ana 714-547-5444

Annu G. Sharma Pediatric disease management and preventive care Irvine 949-753-0901

Eugene Elliott Breast reconstruction, cosmetic surgery Fountain Valley 714-241-0646

Michelle M. Solomon K Food insecurity, breast feeding Garden Grove 714-741-3505 Jeffrey R. Taylor Newborns, sports medicine Costa Mesa 714-668-2525 Taylor Tran Santa Ana 714-288-3230 Eric Troyan K Asthma, nutrition, maintaining a healthy weight Mission Viejo 888-988-2800 Trung Tristan Truong San Juan Capistrano 949-661-9600 Vincent Valenzuela K Santa Ana 888-988-2800 Tommy Wang Hospitalist medicine, medical education Orange 714-456-5631 Mary Ann Wilkinson Laguna Hills 949-951-5437 Katherine Williamson Child health and well-being Ladera Ranch 949-388-1798 Jacqueline Winkelmann Pediatric hospitalist, sports nutrition Mission Viejo 949-289-1618

PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND R E H A B I L I TAT I O N Eric Y. Chang Sports medicine, pain management, stem cells Orange 714-598-1745 Danielle Perret Karimi Pain medicine Orange 714-456-6668

PLASTIC SURGERY Semira Bayati Plastic and cosmetic surgery, stem cell therapy Newport Beach 949-756-0400

Gregory Evans Aesthetic and plastic surgery Orange 714-456-5253 Jon M. Grazer Facial aesthetics, breast surgery, body contouring Newport Beach 949-644-1240 Sanjay Grover Aesthetic surgery of the face, body Newport Beach 949-759-9551 Daniel Jaffurs Pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery Orange 714-456-5253 Michael McConnell Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery Fullerton 714-446-5180 John Park Aesthetic plastic surgery, oculoplastic surgery Newport Beach 949-777-6883 Keyianoosh Paydar Aesthetic face, breast, body contouring, reconstruction Costa Mesa 949-999-2411 Ali Sajjadian Rhinoplasty Newport Beach 949-515-0550 Nirav Savalia Newport Beach 949-759-0980 Hisham Seify Cosmetic surgery of face and breast Newport Beach 949-251-1502 Michael Sundine Facelift, cosmetic surgery, craniofacial surgery Irvine 949-706-3100 Goretti Ho Taghva Minimally invasive aesthetic surgery Newport Beach 949-423-4890 Robert Tuchler K Irvine 949-932-5048 Robert M. Wald, Jr. Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery Fullerton 714-738-4282

Plastic Surgery continues

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 63

P S Y C H I AT R Y Gustavo Alva Neuropsychiatry Costa Mesa 949-432-9989 Rimal Bera Adult psychiatry Orange 714-456-6898 Robert G. Bota Transcranial magnetic stimulation Orange 714-456-5902 Neel Doshi, D.O. K Child and adolescent anxiety Santa Ana 714-644-6480 Lawrence Faziola Electroconvulsive therapy Orange 562-826-8000 x 24245 Eric H. Nguyen K Mood disorders, anxiety disorders Santa Ana 714-644-6480 Andrei Novac Traumatic stress Newport Beach 949-760-9133 Sonya Rasminsky Women’s mental health Newport Beach 949-734-4912 Atur Turakhia Mental health in athletics Orange 714-834-5477

PULMONARY DISEASE AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE Robert Goldberg Asthma Mission Viejo 949-364-3330 Hoang Le COPD, lung cancer, sleepdisordered breathing Fountain Valley 714-964-9060 Steven Leven Palliative care in the ICU Orange 714-456-7110

R A D I AT I O N ONCOLOGY Parima Daroui Head and neck cancer, breast cancer Orange 714-456-5651

Venita Williams Breast, gynecologic, brain, lung, pediatric cancers Orange 714-734-6250

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY AND INFERTILITY Jane L. Frederick Assisted reproductive technologies Newport Beach 949-287-5600 Daniel Potter Pre-implantation genetic screening Newport Beach 949-287-5600

R H E U M AT O L O G Y Roger Kornu Inflammatory arthritis, osteoporosis, clinical research Tustin 714-505-5500 Dan Mandel Vasculitis Orange 714-456-7720

SURGERY Cristobal Barrios Jr. Trauma, critical care, acute care surgery Orange 714-456-5890 Nicole Bernal Burns, trauma, SICU, acute care surgery Orange 714-456-5840 Michele M. Carpenter Breast surgery Orange 714-565-0166 Matthew Dolich Trauma, critical care, acute care surgery Orange 714-456-5890 Nora Evans Robotic colon, breast, and pelvic surgery Laguna Hills 949-457-7900 Lisa Elena Guerra Breast surgical oncology Newport Beach 949-272-2095 Todd S. Harris General surgery, hernia surgery, fibroid surgery Newport Beach 949-922-2352 David K. Imagawa Hepatitis and liver cancer in Asian Americans Orange 714-456-3884

64 Ora nge C oast • Health 2019

W H AT I T ’ S L I K E T O …

SURVIVE A MASS SHOOTING

NATALIE GRUMET of Dana Point suffered a gunshot wound to

the face in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

I

was in Las Vegas with my family and friends for the threeday Route 91 music festival in 2017. On the third night, I met my girlfriends to see the headliner, Jason Aldean, one of my favorites. We were to the right toward the front of the stage, loving the music. Then a few songs in, we heard loud noises.

One of my friends looked at me and asked, “Fireworks?”

All of a sudden, I felt something explode on my face. It was immediate, excruciating pain, and it felt like my face was on fire. I was in shock. It was mass confusion—22,000 people under fire, screaming, crying.

We lay on the ground to take cover. I realized I had been significantly injured, but I could breathe and move my extremities. When there was a break in the gunfire, a friend and I got up to run. We saw the field for the first time—the number of people who had been killed. People who photograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Garrett A. Wirth Newport Beach 949-706-9988

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

TOPDOCTORS2019 wouldn’t be returning home to their families.

After we escaped, we walked to the Tropicana hotel, and there was hysteria. The sounds of gunfire were still echoing in my head, and I didn’t feel safe.

They eventually loaded us into ambulances three at a time, and I ended up at the emergency room.

A friend called my husband, Jason, who was in our hotel room. They had to sedate me and intubate me.

I lost consciousness.

I had been shot in the left side of my face. My jaw was shattered and my chin was fractured in half. I had to have a skin graft from the back of my neck to close the wound. Two major nerves were destroyed.

I’ve had 10 surgeries and procedures in total. Last March, I had a seven-hour surgery to get a nerve transplant from my lower leg, and a bone graft from my hip. Four months later, I had a six-hour surgery to transplant another nerve from my other leg.

It’s been hard to move on in any sense of the term. As soon as I get stronger and feel like myself, it’s time for the next surgery. When I see the scars on my face, it reminds me that I had this horrific experience. But I just had what is supposed to be my last surgery.

I feel such gratitude to be alive. I don’t want to let fear consume me. In the beginning, it was a lot worse. I would have night terrors. I was terrified of loud noises and crowds. But I have been given the gift of surviving. Fifty-eight people were killed that night, and that’s a huge weight on my heart. I think about them every single day. There’s a sense of responsibility to get out there and live a good life and make positive differences in this world.

My husband started a Facebook page for me (“I am a Warrior—Natalie Grumet”) while I was in the ICU at the suggestion of hospital staff to keep family and friends updated. Eventually, I started posting my own updates, and it grew into this therapeutic thing. People told me they found inspiration and hope in my story. If it helps people, that makes it easier to go through this journey.

When I was 27, I was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer. I felt like I had checked some box and that was the worst thing I’d ever have to go through. But I’ve realized you can never waste a moment to tell people you love them. In those 10 minutes of being under fire, all I could think of was getting back to those people.

On that day, one person showed the worst of humanity. And yet since then, hundreds of thousands of people have shown the best of humanity. There are so many good, loving people who want to help, and that will always win over hate. —As told to Astgik Khatchatryan photograph by T K T K

Elvira Klause San Clemente 949-276-8050 Allen Kong Trauma, critical care, acute care surgery Orange 714-456-5890 Francis Sangwon Lee Garden Grove 714-537-7766 Michael Lekawa Trauma, critical care, acute care surgery Orange 714-456-5890 Anne Luhan Phlebology Dana Point 949-388-4800 Ninh T. Nguyen Bariatric surgery, gastrointestinal surgery Orange 714-456-8598 Brian R. Smith Gastrointestinal, bariatric, and intestinal oncologic surgery Orange 714-456-8598 William C. Wallace Robotic hiatal hernia surgery, advanced laparoscopy Laguna Hills 949-457-7900

S U R G E R Y, CARDIOTHORACIC Richard Gates Congenital cardiac surgery Orange 714-509-9251 Brian A. Palafox Adut/pediatric cardiac disease, thoracic malignancies Orange 714-997-2224 Joanne P. Starr Congenital cardiac and thoracic surgery Orange 714-509-4641

S U R G E R Y, C O L O N A N D R E C TA L Joseph Carmichael Orange 714-456-8511 Anita K. Gregory Cancer, genetics, pelvic floor disorders Orange 714-835-8300 Steven D. Mills Orange 714-456-8511

Michael J. Stamos Rectal cancer, minimally invasive surgery Orange 714-456-5456

Michael Burdi Less invasive spine surgery Mission Viejo 949-348-4000

S U R G E R Y, NEUROLOGICAL

K. Lauchlan Chambers General reconstruction, sports medicine, shoulder surgery Fountain Valley 714-850-7300

Lars Anker Orange 714-450-6880

Rick Csintalan K Knee, sports medicine Irvine 888-988-2800

Sooho Choi K Anaheim 888-988-2800 Hector W. Ho Spinal disorders, brain tumors, cerebrovascular Orange 714-734-3120 Frank P.K. Hsu Skullbase, functional, deep brain stimulation, aneurysms Orange 714-456-6966 Keun-Young Anthony Kim Complex spine and brain tumors Mission Viejo 949-388-7190 Mark E. Linskey Brain tumors, skull base surgery Orange 714-509-2121 William G. Loudon Pediatrics, Gamma Knife, minimally invasive Orange 714-509-7070 Michael Muhonen Pediatrics, hydrocephalus Orange 714-509-7070 Alexander Taghva Minimally invasive spine surgery and neuromodulation Mission Viejo 949-388-7190

Brent R. Davis K Sports medicine Irvine 949-932-5190 Emil Dionysian K Hand and shoulder surgery Anaheim 714-644-2327 David J. Downs Shoulder, hip, knee surgery Fullerton 714-879-0050 Mark Elzik Hand and upper extremity surgery Mission Viejo 949-364-2154 Payam Farjoodi Minimally invasive spine surgery Fountain Valley 714-850-7300 Scott P. Fischer Shoulder disorders Irvine 949-255-9738 Michael Fitzpatrick Sports medicine and shoulder arthroplasty Mission Viejo 949-364-2154 Tad Funahashi K Sports medicine Irvine 949-932-5000

S U R G E R Y, ORTHOPEDIC

Timothy W. Gibson Mako robotic assisted joint replacement Huntington Beach 714-848-1911

Kent R. Adamson Total knee replacement, general orthopedics Mission Viejo 949-348-4000

Michael Gillman Joint replacement surgery Orange 714-598-1745

Raed M. Ali Spine surgery Fullerton 714-446-5339

TURN THE PAGE

Nitin N. Bhatia Spine surgery Orange 714-456-7012 Donald E. Bittner Orthopedic hand surgery Fullerton 714-626-8648

for the continuation of Orthopedic Surgery, plus Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and Urology

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 65

Bryce Johnson Spine surgery Laguna Woods 949-586-3200 Nimish Kadakia Sports medicine Irvine 949-586-3200 John P. Kelly Fountain Valley 714-241-7000 Kiarash (Kevin) Khajavi Knee and shoulder surgery Fullerton 714-626-8642 Zafar S. Khan Spine surgery Fountain Valley 714-850-7300 David H. Kim Sports medicine Huntington Beach 714-848-1911 Francois D. Lalonde Hip preservation and reconstructive surgery Orange 714-633-2111 James H. Lau K Pediatric orthopedics Anaheim 714-644-2366 Eric W. Lee Sports medicine, knee and shoulder, arthroscopic surgery Orange 714-538-8549 Michael Marandola Orthopedic sports medicine, joint reconstruction and replacement Mission Viejo 949-348-4000 Samuel Park Hip and knee replacements Mission Viejo 949-364-2154

Stewart L. Shanfield Hip, knee, complex foot and ankle Fullerton 714-626-8630 Michael Shepard Sports medicine Orange 714-634-4567 Daniel T. Stein Fountain Valley 714-850-7300 Kathryn Perkins Tift Pediatric orthopedic surgery Fountain Valley 714-850-7300 Stephen Tocci Foot and ankle Mission Viejo 949-348-4000 Christopher Veneziano Sports medicine and arthroscopy Laguna Woods 949-586-3200 Kenneth J. Wilkens Trauma Mission Viejo 949-203-4385

S U R G E R Y, THORACIC John P. Maurice Thoracic oncology, lung cancer, esophageal cancer Newport Beach 949-542-3523 Ledford Powell Lung cancer, chest wall trauma Laguna Hills 949-716-2400

S U R G E R Y, VA S C U L A R Jeffrey L. Ballard Vascular problems in high performance athletes Orange 714-532-0793

Samuel Rosenfeld Neuromuscular diseases Orange 714-633-2111

Tony D. Fang K Vascular and endovascular surgery Anaheim 714-644-3397

Benjamin D. Rubin Sports medicine, arthroscopy Orange 714-937-2121

Russell S. Montgomery Treatment of carotid artery and aneurysm disease Orange 714-532-0793

John A. Schlechter, D.O. Pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine Orange 714-830-9405

Steven Posner Minimally invasive treatment of arterial disease Orange 714-532-0793

John A. Scolaro Orthopedic trauma and fracture surgery Orange 714-456-5759

66 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

UROLOGY Thomas E. Ahlering Robotic surgery, prostate cancer Orange 714-456-6068 Ralph V. Clayman Complex kidney stones, strictures of ureter Orange 714-456-6849 Lamia Gabal Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery Santa Ana 714-825-7650 Joel Gelman Male urethral and penile reconstruction Orange 714-456-2951 Gamal Ghoniem Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery Orange 714-456-5378 Mark L. Jordan Urologic oncology, robotic surgery Orange 714-456-5371 Jaime Landman Kidney stones, urologic cancers, kidney obstruction Orange 714-456-7005 Brian Norouzi Prostate cancer Orange 714-547-5741 Michael Poon K Robotic surgery Irvine 888-988-2800 M. Leon Seard, II Orange 714-456-5371 Karan Singh Laguna Hills 949-855-1101 Richard J. Szabo K Transperineal prostate biopsy, under local anesthesia Irvine 888-988-2800 Neyssan Tebyani Prostate, incontinence, kidney stones, robotic surgery Irvine 949-855-1101 Edward Uchio Urologic oncology Orange 714-456-6717 Alan C. Weinberg GainsWave, UroLift, prosthetics, robotics Fullerton 714-870-5970

➽ Be certified by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties, a member board of the American Board of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, or an equivalency board recognized by the Medical Board of California or Osteopathic Medical Board of California ➽ Be in good standing with Medical Board of California or Osteopathic Medical Board of California

➽ Maintain primary practice in O.C. for the past five years (post‑residency, fellowship training)

➽ Be in practice within specialty field for the past five years (post‑residency, fellowship training)

Applicants were required to meet at least two of these four criteria.

The Selection Committee determined whether the applicant met the criteria, and discretion was used.

Physician Leadership

➽ Recent (within past three years) positions as an elected or appointed member of a medical organization. Excludes full‑time paid administrative positions, though a paid position as a medical director is acceptable. ➽ Recent (within past three years) elected/appointed positions as a member of a peer review organization/journal.

Teaching/Mentoring/Medical Research/Scientific Advances ➽ Recent (within past three years, with at least one in past year) medical school or university faculty appointment and/or involvement in teaching of other physicians, medical students and pre‑med students, or other healthcare professionals on an ongoing basis. ➽ Delivering medical education (within past three years, with at least one in past year) ➽ Currently (within three years) active in peer‑reviewed clinical research activities, have unique skills within field of nomination. Pharmaceutical clinical trials do not qualify.

Humanitarian Service Current (within past three years, with at least one in past year) activities and names of affiliated organizations while serving as a volunteer physician outside applicant’s regular practice, not receiving compensation, or philanthropic activities supporting medicine. This does not include providing care as part of applicant’s regular practice for which applicant was not compensated.

Unique Contributions and Community Service ➽ Current (within one year) significant community leadership positions such as PTA president, district school board member, youth coach, scout leader, etc. ➽ Community service outside medicine

Orange County Medical Association Board of Directors, 2018-19 Paul B. Yost, M.D., president Diana E. Ramos, M.D., MPH, president-elect Jason Cord, M.D., secretary-treasurer William M. Thompson IV, M.D., immediate past president Christopher Celio, M.D. Michael Eilbert, M.D. Nikan Khatibi, D.O. Vijay Dhar, M.D., CHOC Pediatric Subspecialty Faculty

Norman Rosen, M.D., St. Joseph Heritage Medical Group Neha Savalia, M.D., St. Jude Heritage Medical Group William Woo, M.D., Southern California Permanente Medical Group Donald DeSanto II, M.D. resident representative Emily Frisch, medical student representative Nima Khoshab, medical student representative

Physicians of Excellence Selection Committee

Members of the OCMA Board of Directors and the Physicians of Excellence Selection Committee are not eligible to be selected as a Physician of Excellence.

Jason Cord, M.D., chair; SCPMG board representative, OCMA; region chair breast imaging, SCPMG; physician in charge, Orange County radiology, Southern California Permanente Regional Medical Group; government relations lead, Orange County, Southern California Permanente Medical Group Laura Beken, manager, CHOC Medical Intelligence and Innovation Institute Vivien Chan, M.D., DFAPA, DFAACAP; chief of psychiatry, student health center, UCI; associate clinical professor, department of psychiatry, UCI Health; center for resiliency, wellness and education, Orange County Health Care Agency; American Academy of child and adolescent psychiatry, co-chair transitional age youth college student mental health committee Dona Constantine, R.N., B.S., senior risk management and patient safety department, Cooperative of American Physicians Inc. Richard S. Frankenstein, M.D., past president, California Medical Association; past president OCMA Darla S. Holland, M.D., past president OCMA; assistant regional medical director, value demonstration, Southern California Permanente Medical Group; chair, regional credentials committee; Kaiser

Permanente Southern California; physician market leader, national accounts, Kaiser Permanente Nikan Khatibi, D.O., MBA, pain and addiction medicine physician; Gov. Brown appointee Health Professions Education Foundation; Board of Supervisors appointee, CalOptima; legislative committee chair, OCMA Tom Loats, MSW, MPA, director, behavioral health services, St. Joseph Hospital (retired) Neal Lonky, M.D., MPH - Physician Lead, EMR Documentation/Analysis, Department of OB/Gyn, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Anaheim; Clinical Professor, UC Irvine; Past President, Orange County OB-Gyn Society Neha Savalia, M.D. – internal medicine physician; St. Jude Heritage Medical Group board representative, Orange County Medical Association Joanna Tan, M.D., past president, OCMA William Woo, M.D. - SCPMG board representative, OCMA; assistant chief of Family Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Orange County; assistant clinical professor, Department of Family Medicine, UC Irvine; past president, California Academy of Family Physicians Orange County Chapter Jay Zubrin, M.D., past president, OCMA James Peterson, executive director, OCMA

photograph by T K T K

N O N-C O M M I S S I O N E D C R E D I T S T K H E R E

Robert C. Grumet Sports medicine Orange 714-634-4567

To be selected for the 2019 Physicians of Excellence, applicants were required to meet the following baseline criteria:

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TOP

NTISTS E D .C O .

2 01 9 of

Jason Cho Irvine, 949-540-9891

Lars Jonsson Laguna Hills, 949-581-8890

Janice Chou Newport Beach, 949-706-5080

John Lies Garden Grove, 714-799-2888

ENDODONTICS

G. Cummings Aliso Viejo, 949-360-9924

Saman Malkami Fullerton, 714-871-8422

Hatem Abdelhadi Los Alamitos, 562-294-4019

Mark Ellis Orange, 714-288-8565

Fay Mansouri Irvine, 949-540-9891

Wallis Andelin Huntington Beach, 714-847-8488

Denny Fang Irvine, 949-751-2089

Steven McNicholas Laguna Hills, 949-581-8890

Richard Angell Newport Beach, 949-640-0020

Fariborz Farsio Huntington Beach, 714-847-3513

Jeffrey Pene Newport Beach, 949-644-0595

Steven Baba Orange, 714-637-0925

Daniel Fife Mission Viejo, 949-273-5505

Reid Pullen Brea, 714-529-9029

David Beachler Orange, 714-637-0925

Patrick Garrett Garden Grove, 714-799-2888

Wyatt Simons San Clemente, 949-498-2115

Daniel Boehne Dana Point, 949-441-5965

Joseph Greiner Anaheim, 714-774-8360

James Socoloske Newport Beach, 949-631-3380

John Buoncristiani Newport Beach, 949-644-0595

Bruce Harkins Newport Beach, 949-721-4007

Douglas Szeto Lake Forest, 949-305-0202

Peter Cancellier Irvine, 949-857-3636

Rodney Ida Tustin, 714-547-8494

Richard Wittenauer Newport Beach, 949-729-2200

Robert Cavalieri Newport Beach, 949-644-0595

Lee Ingersoll Santa Ana, 714-569-1128

Jason Wong La Habra, 562-697-2500

William Chen Fullerton, 714-738-6651

Samuel Ip Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-589-4819

68 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

Robert Faber San Juan Capistrano, 949-493-3376

Scott Lamming San Juan Capistrano, 949-245-0577

Alberto Gallastegui Westminster, 714-379-2560

Brian Lassiter Orange, 714-997-2735

GENERAL DENTISTRY

Maryam Ghasemyeh Santa Ana, 714-547-9411

Peter Lee Irvine, 714-731-8810

Kareem Abraham Santa Ana, 714-543-8396

Jeevan Ghatnekar Irvine, 949-552-1380

Shawn Loo Irvine, 949-857-9220

Farzin Allameh Newport Coast, 949-706-1711

Jon Glenn Newport Beach, 949-644-0071

Edison Louie Anaheim, 714-998-5710

Daisy Alvarenga Lake Forest, 949-538-3009

Liviu Gold Newport Beach, 949-650-6772

Beatrice Lu Irvine, 949-679-0043

Samira Amini Santa Ana, 714-549-1248

Manreet Grewal Costa Mesa, 714-545-0429

Richard Amo Fullerton, 714-992-0492

Ada Gruita Mission Viejo, 949-427-8090

Anoosheh MazhariKhorshidian Irvine, 949-825-5354

Lori Bagai Orange, 714-602-4871

Tram Hall San Juan Capistrano, 949-443-2300

Guy Biagiotti Tustin, 714-838-0540

Naz Haque Tustin, 714-505-0123

Susan Bollinger Newport Beach, 949-759-7007

Douglas Hauck Newport Beach, 949-729-9950

Brett Brazeal Corona del Mar, 949-673-6443

Arthur Helliwell Newport Beach, 949-760-6022

George Brazeal Corona del Mar, 949-673-6443

Paul Hoppe Mission Viejo, 949-458-2088

Bruce Cairns Newport Beach, 949-642-6880

Maryam Horiyat Mission Viejo, 949-234-7572

Susan Caldwell Cypress, 714-243-8030

Steven Irwin La Habra, 714-674-0555

David Crouch Orange, 714-532-2884

Joseph Kabaklian Newport Beach, 949-259-6552

Vanessa Cruz Mission Viejo, 949-458-2088

Lamise Kassem Tustin, 714-480-0790

William Dapper San Clemente, 949-492-1984

Armaghan Kayhan Irvine, 949-559-6988

Nicholas Davis Newport Beach, 949-644-9211

Kenny Kim Laguna Hills, 949-770-4275

Donald Dillon Anaheim, 714-776-7020

Keon-Jung Kim Tustin, 949-679-6000

Basile Muntean Orange, 714-673-5222 Claire Nawar Santa Ana, 714-543-8396 Ann Nguyen Irvine, 949-552-5055 Clara Nguyen Cypress, 714-361-9306 Kaitlyn Nguyen Orange, 714-633-2562 Mark Nguyen Costa Mesa, 714-422-0596 Thomas Nguyen Anaheim, 714-772-2893 Tuan Nguyen Brea, 714-257-0330 Blair Ota Irvine, 949-453-9797 Gene Pak Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-459-7212 Lincoln Parker Ladera Ranch, 949-347-5529 Jaclyn Pyun Buena Park, 714-670-2875

TO P DENTISTS of O.C. 2 019

3 QUESTIONS WITH AN EXPERT Dentist Kimberly Rivera Gress, Ladera Ranch Dentistry & Orthodontics

What are some ways oral health affects overall wellness?

Poor oral health can not only cause dental decay and infection but also contributes to other systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetic complications, dementia, and even respiratory infections.

What should a dentist look for that can indicate a larger health problem?

Many systemic diseases will have an oral manifestation.

When your dentist performs a comprehensive dental exam, in addition to the dental diagnosis, she will also look for indicators—gingival inflammation, bleeding gums, bad breath, dry mouth, and ulcerations. All of those can be symptoms of larger health issues.

What’s one thing everyone should do to promote good health?

Make it routine. Schedule a time to both brush and floss twice daily, at the same time each day. Once you get into the habit of incorporating this in your routine, you will find it much easier to stick to it. Also, when on the go, drink water after eating to rinse food and plaque debris from your teeth.

—Anastacia Grenda

Timothy Rhee Yorba Linda, 714-777-9403

Laura Wittenauer Newport Beach, 949-640-5680

Kenneth Girard Mission Viejo, 949-364-0220

Scott Rice Irvine, 949-551-5902

Joseph Yang Aliso Viejo, 949-272-9223

Bao-Thy Grant Orange, 714-771-7677

Jeffrey Robertson Irvine, 714-838-7272

Desiree Yazdan Newport Beach, 949-644-6988

Hamid Hajarian Fountain Valley, 714-540-1191

Kris Robinson Orange, 714-538-6730

Ken Yebisu Huntington Beach, 714-847-0790

David Hockwald Huntington Beach, 714-766-6560

Marjan Roshangar Orange, 714-639-9242

Sean Yu Irvine, 949-552-5500

Keith Hoffman Orange, 714-639-1333

Ryan Savage Orange, 714-997-8497

Daniel Hsu Irvine, 949-679-3470

Greg Schinnerer Irvine, 949-552-1701

Vivian Jui Irvine, 949-727-4633

Eugene Schmidt Fountain Valley, 714-963-8934 Kurt Schneider Mission Viejo, 949-380-0700 Frank Shay Anaheim, 714-776-7132 Ronald Shimoide Anaheim, 714-635-8653 Carl Smetko Santa Ana, 714-543-8396 Nicole Smith Huntington Beach, 714-536-2383 Peter Smrecek Newport Beach, 949-303-1309 Ida Soleimani Irvine, 949-536-8006 Quan Tran Irvine, 949-559-1814 Jeff Turner Aliso Viejo, 949-770-3294 Rodger Uchizono Irvine, 949-551-0885 J. Weems Newport Beach, 949-371-8817 Eric Wilson San Juan Capistrano, 949-240-4337

photograph by J A S O N WA L L I S

ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY Junil Ahn Mission Viejo, 949-364-0220 Simona Arcan Huntington Beach, 714-847-9000 Edward Balasanian Mission Viejo, 949-586-7000 Michael Blum Anaheim, 714-772-2200

Lawrence Lorenzi Newport Beach, 949-760-1601 Richard Mandel Santa Ana, 714-835-8873 Michael Marshall Huntington Beach, 714-766-6560

Daniel Miller Huntington Beach, 714-842-7729

Jeffrey Caputo Mission Viejo, 949-586-7000 Gary Carlsen Huntington Beach, 714-847-6044 David Cummings Mission Viejo, 949-586-7000 Steven Darmstadt Anaheim, 714-635-7471

Sharo Fatehi Laguna Hills, 949-472-3737

Ryan Kriwanek Newport Beach, 949-760-1661

Thomas Michaelis Newport Beach, 949-760-1661

Paul Braun Orange, 714-939-7505

Mary Delsol Dana Point, 949-240-2280

Eric Kim Irvine, 949-453-9797

Steven Miyamoto Fullerton, 714-525-1178 Jeffrey Nguyen Irvine, 949-679-3470 Quoc Nguyen Laguna Hills, 949-768-4071 Sanford Ratner Santa Ana, 714-835-7771 Nader Salib Mission Viejo, 949-364-0250

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 69

TO P D E NT I STS of O.C. 2 019

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY MOUTH Add these steps to your dental routine for optimal oral health. Dentist Nicole Kuske, who has a family-oriented general practice in Mission Viejo, shares her advice.

1. Use a water flosser.

“We’ve seen tremendous benefits for overall gum health with this. It helps patients reduce gum inflammation and the bacteria level in the mouth, especially in the hard-to-reach gaps between teeth. I recommend using it at night.”

2. Chew xylitol gum.

“It’s hard to stop snacking, but frequent snacking increases your cavity risk. The sugar substitute xylitol has been shown to inhibit bacteria growth and reduce plaque and cavity risk. I tell patients that after eating, they should chew a piece of Spry gum for five minutes or have a Spry mint to help prevent decay.”

3. Avoid acidic beverages.

“You want to keep the inside of your mouth at a neutral pH. Too much acid can cause enamel erosion and tissue irritation and can increase cavity risk. Stay away from beverages such as carbonated waters flavored with lemon or lime juices or the drinks you’d have during a cleanse that contain apple cider vinegar.”

—Anastacia Grenda

Beau Soares Anaheim, 714-974-5906

Chi Bui Fountain Valley, 714-962-8883

Bahar Ghafouri Irvine, 949-786-7800

Peter Kimball Laguna Beach, 949-304-5159

Bill Nguyen Dana Point, 949-363-0033

David Telles Huntington Beach, 714-766-6560

Christopher Chau Fountain Valley, 714-962-2788

Robert Gire La Habra, 562-991-6697

Samuel Lee Irvine, 949-262-9567

Shannon Nissen Mission Viejo, 949-830-4101

Craig Thiede Tustin, 714-730-6767

ORTHODONTICS

Andrew Harner Huntington Beach, 714-842-9933

Matthew MacGinnis Fullerton, 714-253-5333

Robert Wheeler Mission Viejo, 949-586-7000

Kevin Bakar Placentia, 714-792-0222

Debra Cook Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-589-7820

Sage Humphries Orange, 714-997-5961

Nooshin Majd Fullerton, 714-871-8445

Taylor Olsen San Juan Capistrano, 949-542-7799

Monty Wilson Santa Ana, 714-835-7771

Hal Barkate Newport Beach, 949-722-9010

Hideki Ikeda Garden Grove, 714-893-7539

Evelyn Maruko Anaheim Hills, 714-685-3890

Peter Wöhrle Newport Beach, 949-720-8072

Samuel Berro Los Alamitos, 562-598-3333

Jared Jacobsen Anaheim Hills, 714-637-6700

Gary Wyatt Newport Beach, 949-760-1661

Bart Boulton Cypress, 714-826-6770

Robert Meister Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-770-3161

David Pham Westminster, 714-775-2227

Shawn Miller Orange, 714-639-1061

Thomas Rose Fountain Valley, 714-964-0021

Won Moon Fullerton, 714-253-5333

Simon Shung Irvine, 949-264-3314

Alex Brandon Mission Viejo, 949-586-6200

70 Ora nge C o ast • Health 2019

Yasmin Daryabegi Anaheim, 714-998-2956 John DiGiovanni Newport Beach, 949-640-0202 Perry Do Irvine, 949-552-2288 John Eli Lake Forest, 949-855-8480 Glenn Frial Laguna Niguel, 949-276-2105

Hedi Kermani Newport Beach, 949-640-5050 Kevin Kieu Fountain Valley, 714-965-9553

Marc Pana Aliso Viejo, 949-360-0225 James Passamano Irvine, 949-552-5542

photograph by J A S O N WA L L I S

TO P DENTISTS of O.C. 2 019 Sohail Simjee Tustin, 714-730-6600

Brian Hong Fullerton, 714-992-5437

Samuel Wu Mission Viejo, 949-581-5800

Jeffrey McCullough Los Alamitos, 714-484-8700

R. Coye Newport Beach, 949-640-5680

Nelson Lowe Santa Ana, 714-550-7474

Noland Soo Huntington Beach, 714-842-7775

Phyllis Kawada La Habra, 562-690-3750

Shaul Yehezkel Irvine, 949-559-0674

Philip Melnick Los Alamitos, 714-484-8700

Dean Dai Huntington Beach, 714-968-5500

Robert Mokbel Fountain Valley, 714-968-0308

Mario Tai Irvine, 949-892-6888

Joyce Kim Irvine, 949-653-2828

Todd Miller Irvine, 949-857-1053

Robert Duell Laguna Woods, 949-951-7988

Gianmarco O'Brien Orange, 714-953-1000

Sophia Updike Irvine, 949-870-9713

Harvey Lee Irvine, 949-885-9300

Richard Parris Orange, 714-673-1600

Jesse Duncan Huntington Beach, 714-846-1386

Jacinthe Paquette Newport Beach, 949-760-6288

Todd Walkow Newport Beach, 949-644-1281

Jacob Lee San Clemente, 949-361-2838

PERIODONTICS

Alex Pezeshkian Cypress, 714-220-9486

David Eggleston Newport Beach, 949-640-5680

Mark Weisenberg Irvine, 949-408-0372

Richard Lee Ladera Ranch, 949-429-6400

Glenn Arima Los Alamitos, 562-598-3383

Mark Redd Laguna Woods, 949-581-6641

Mark George Orange, 714-953-1000

Carlos Parajon Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-216-9090

Ben White Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-216-9800

Christian Lopez Newport Beach, 949-722-1400

Michael Arzouman Orange, 714-744-9100

Peter Russo Huntington Beach, 714-842-2515

David Guichet Orange, 714-771-7555

Rabin Marfatia Irvine, 949-299-1111

Gilbert Barajas Anaheim, 714-491-8600

Allen Schultz San Clemente, 949-493-8857

Gregory Guichet Orange, 714-771-7555

Laura McCormack Irvine, 949-252-9950

Mayra Bazavilvazo Newport Beach, 949-640-9554

Ajay Setya Mission Viejo, 949-482-6089

David Hahn Irvine, 949-654-3601

Trina Melancon Santa Ana, 714-546-9999

Steven Bounds Irvine, 949-857-1053

Stephen Shepherd Tustin, 714-544-2220

Daniel Kantarovich Orange, 714-953-1000 ext. 2

Richard Mungo Huntington Beach, 714-841-4990

Justin Braga Huntington Beach, 714-842-2515

Rasheed Simjee Tustin, 714-508-2513

Massoud Kashanchi Costa Mesa, 714-662-4424

Jeanne Nguyen Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-858-5150

Nicholas Caplanis Mission Viejo, 949-830-1322

Iyad Sood Huntington Beach, 714-968-4907

Eugene Kim Buena Park, 714-994-2501

Steven Wynn Newport Beach, 949-642-2626 James Zahrowski Tustin, 714-544-5345

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY Jaclyn Bae Yorba Linda, 714-660-1890 Carolyn Chong Irvine, 949-653-2828 Christina Chun Fullerton, 714-870-6120 Kent Do Santa Ana, 714-557-5437 Bozhena Fisher Newport Beach, 949-640-0501 John Guijon Huntington Beach, 657-215-6322 Geoffrey Hersch Newport Beach, 949-644-0611

David Okawachi Orange, 714-635-1170 Maryam Pearose Foothill Ranch, 949-716-2800 Mary Pham Placentia, 714-528-8252 Josh Rorem La Palma, 714-821-7950 Yun Song Irvine, 949-653-8469 Graciela Sullivan Huntington Beach, 714-377-2628 Eddie Surger Newport Beach, 949-640-0501 Nhu Tran San Clemente, 949-481-5437

Donald Clem Fullerton, 714-441-0436 Ramyar Elyassian Tustin, 714-730-3746 Corwin Evans Mission Viejo, 949-770-5266 Nooshin Ghayoumi Irvine, 949-502-8844

Kian Kar Mission Viejo, 949-830-1322 Kevin Lee Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-589-1150

Antoine Sayegh Huntington Beach, 714-891-1155 Robert Simon Fullerton, 714-525-5200 Christopher Travis Laguna Hills, 949-855-2071 Dinh Vo Garden Grove, 714-590-2210 Jean Wu Newport Beach, 949-760-6288

Coury Staadecker Newport Beach, 949-640-9475 Nelson Yen Fullerton, 714-441-0436 John Yun Anaheim, 714-502-6990

Rebecca Hart Tustin, 714-544-2220 Robert Hirst Mission Viejo, 949-482-6089

Valentina Redden La Habra, 562-697-1229

PROSTHODONTICS Stephen Alfano Newport Beach, 949-673-7820 Chien-Ho Chen La Habra, 562-691-8822

To help you find top dental professionals, Orange Coast used a professional marketing company, PRS, to identify the Top Dentists in Orange County.

Together, we surveyed practitioners in general and pediatric, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, and endodontics, asking them to reveal the best dental professionals in our area. These Top Dentists have been scrutinized for the legitimacy of their licenses as well as their status with the Dental Board of California. The professionals listed herein were selected by their peers in a survey conducted by Professional Research Services Company of Troy, Mich. Professionals may be screened and selected through the verification of licensing and review of any infractions through various applicable boards, agencies, and rating services. For further information, visit prscom.com or email PRS at spinkhasova@hour-media.com.

Health 2019 • Or a nge Coast 71

PICTURE OF SUCCESS

AZMIN GHAHREMAN

T

he chef and owner of Sapphire Laguna has a simple philosophy for healthy eating: “Touch earth and respect what you put in your body.” That passion motivated him to start Sapphire at School more than a decade ago “to nourish and educate young people for a lifetime of wellness.” Now the Type 2 diabetic and father has taken over meal service at 10 O.C. schools and created a mobile app to make ordering meals for students easy.

—Alan Gibbons

72 Ora nge C o a st • Health 2019

How did you get started? ÚÚWe met with the headmaster at St. Anne School in January 2009. He said maybe next year. On Feb. 9, 2009, he called me at 7:45 in the morning. “How soon can you be here? Our food supplier locked the door. Our kids cannot eat.” I said, “I’ll be there in two hours,” and we’ve been there ever since.

Were there challenges to feeding children specifically? ÚÚWe had to learn about what’s good for children. We learned that HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) is killing people. Antibiotics and hormones given to the cows is what’s hurting our kids.

How does being a father affect your perspective? ÚÚI’ve trademarked the saying “Every child is my child.” I will not give anything to your children I wouldn’t give to mine. Even my own little

guy, he likes a lot of carbs. I’m not keen on it. I tell him to eat nuts, eat fruit, eat an apple. There are more than 2,700 kinds of apples in the U.S.! If you do not educate these kids, they will never learn.

What about picky kids?

ÚÚBeing a chef, you are an ambassador of peo-

ple’s minds, flavor, education, and health. You have to teach them how to organize daily food choices. Learn ingredients. Learn spices. Learn to enhance your palate. I made spinachpineapple lemonade, and the kids loved it.

I made horchata out of quinoa. We have the power to change people’s approach.

C H E C K I T O U T!

Find out more at sapphirelaguna.com.

photograph by J O H N G I L H O O L E Y

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