OurHealth Lynchburg & Southside Apr/May 2012 Edition

Lynchburg and Southside edition • April/May 2012

Celebrating Caregivers in Our Communities Also inside: Wheels on the James helps those with physical challenges

Lynchburg oral surgeon offers breakthrough healing option for area patients From Lynchburg to Tanzania: cardiac and emergency care

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

L I F E S T Y L E S

McClintic Media, Inc. PUBLISHER

Stephen C. McClintic, Jr.

PRESIDENT AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Angela Holmes ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Josh M. Holmes

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS

Jenny Hungate

PRODUCTION MANAGER EDITORIAL

WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS

Lisa Austin, RN Joshua Bailey, PT, OPT David Brandt Jennifer Claiborne, DDS

Robert Cook, MD Timothy Courville, MD Sheila Ellis-Glasper Tricia Foley, RD, MS

Laura Neff-Henderson Cameron May Rick Piester

ART

ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND EDITING GRAPHIC DESIGN WEB

Keith Thienemann Idea Garden, Inc. Idea Garden, Inc. Ryan Dohrn SALES

Cindy Trujillo 434.907.5255 cindy@mcclinticmedia.com

@ourhealthmag COMMENTS/FEEDBACK/QUESTIONS Our Health Magazine, Inc. welcomes your feedback. Please send your comments and/or questions to: “Letters,” Our Health magazine, Inc. 305 Colorado Street • Salem, VA 24153, 540.387.6482 or you may send via email to steve@ourhealthvirginia.com.

Information in this magazine is for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to replace medical or health advice of an individual’s physician or healthcare provider as it relates to individual situations. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF YOUR DOCTOR. All matters concerning physical and mental health should be supervised by a health practitioner knowledgeable in treating that particular condition. The publisher does not directly or indirectly dispense medical advice and does not assume any responsibility for those who choose to treat themselves. The publisher has taken reasonable precaution in preparing this publication, however, the publisher does not assume any responsibility for errors or omissions.

Copyright © 2012 by Our Health magazine, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Our Health is published bimonthly by Our Health magazine, Inc. 305 Colorado Street, Salem, VA 24153, P: 540.387.6482 F: 540.387.6483. www.ourhealthvirginia.com. Advertising rates upon request.

contents April • May 2012

cover feature

Caregivers in Our Communities 17

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Celebrating

ongoing departments

Medi • cabu • lary + Just Ask!

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local healthcare questions answered and medical terms explained 12

The Latest new physicians, providers, locations and upcoming events

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Family Health prp: faster healing, less pain in oral surgery

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For the Community

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creating momentum (literally) for those with physical challenges 39

Health and Fitness nutrition for outdoor activities

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Living with Allergies spring weather brings early onset of allergies for many

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Hospital Medicine obese patients weigh heavily on hospitals

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For the Community healthy lifestyles expo at river ridge mall

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Specialty Medicine in the Community help is nearby for detached retina

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Healthcare from Lynchburg and Beyond from lynchburg to tanzania: cardiac and emergency care

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Healthy Reading Review lynchburg’s experts in sjogren’s syndrome

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Senior Health and Living lynchburg seniors can get healthy food fast, without going the fast food route

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medi•cabu•lary + just ask!

medi•cabu•lary the language of healthcare explained

What is the difference between a low ankle sprain and a high ankle sprain?

The most common type of ankle sprain is often called a lateral ankle sprain or low ankle sprain. This occurs when the foot and ankle are twisted downward and inward and typically stretches the ligaments on the outside of the ankle.

A high ankle sprain occurs when the foot and ankle are forced upwards and stress is applied that turns the toes outward. This injures ligaments higher in the ankle that connect the large shin bone to the smaller shin bone. High ankle sprains are typically more limiting and require more time to heal.

Joshua A. Bailey PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, CPed. Rehab Associates of Central Virginia – Timberlake Office Lynchburg

also known as the dangler. Although the exact purpose of the uvula is not known, it does serve purpose in neonates. In very small infants their voicebox sits higher in the neck and so the uvula overlaps part of it, thereby making a functional flap that allows the infants to drink and breathe at the same time. As we mature our neck extends, and the voicebox falls farther into the neck, and so the uvula no longer overrides the epiglottis, thereby we cannot swallow and breathe at the same time. The uvula is a point of contention in some patients in that it can be a source of noisy breathing. With an elongated uvula and a large soft palate, it can cause a vibratory effect known as snoring. By reducing the size of the uvula in some patients we can impact the level of snoring. The concern with this is that the uvula is a very nerve-dense region and any manipulation of the uvula causes significant pain.

What is a uvula and what purpose does it serve?

What is a crossbite?

A crossbite occurs when your top teeth do not align correctly with your bottom teeth. A posterior crossbite involves the back teeth, and can lead to uneven growth of your jaw and possibly chewing problems. For most patients an appliance is used to widen the dental arch and correct the crossbite. The age of a patient will determine the appropriate appliance to be used and the treatment time is typically six to nine months.

An anterior crossbite occurs when one or more of the top front teeth bite behind the lower front teeth. This crossbite can lead to excessive wear of the front teeth and may prevent the normal growth of the lower jaw. An anterior crossbite can be corrected either with braces or an appliance.

Jennifer Claiborne, DDS Central Virginia Orthodontics Timothy Courville, MD Lynchburg Blue Ridge ENT & Plastic Surgery, Inc. Lynchburg

just ask!

The uvula is the soft tissue in the back of the throat that hangs from the soft palate,

When would a person generally transition from independent living to assisted living care?

At times, people themselves identify the need for help. They realize that they are not able to do things like they once could. Sometimes, the person may hide their need for assistance. Signs to look for in knowing that your loved one may need to make the transition from home or Independent Living to an Assisted Living Facility may include: • forgetting to take medications • uneaten or spoiled food in the refrigerator • weight loss • wearing the same clothes, dirty clothes or clothes that are not appropriate for the weather • poor personal hygiene • an unclean house

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• uncontrolled medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure Any of the items above may alert that your loved one is having difficulty with their day to day tasks such as bathing, grooming, dressing, medication administration, cooking, cleaning and laundry.

Lisa Austin, RN Administrator Summit Assisted Living Lynchburg

Is it possible to have kidney stones in both kidneys?

Yes. You can have stones in both kidneys. It is not all that uncommon for patients who form numerous

stones to have asymptomatic stones in their kidney. Usually, the pain from having a stone comes from when the stone drops out of the kidney and in to the ureter (the tube that drains the kidney). This usually just happens on one side giving the patient pain on that one side. Rarely, a patient can drop a stone down on both sides at the same time and cause pain in both kidneys.

In that situation, the treatment of the stones becomes a little more urgent.

If the stones totally block the tubes on each side at the same time, the patient will stop making urine and can go into renal failure.

Robert Cook, MD Centra Seven Hills Urology Center Lynchburg, Va.

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the latest

the latest

new physicians, providers, locations and upcoming events James Milam, M.D. Centra Medical Group Dominion Primary Care Danville

Bedford Memorial Hospital Earns ACR Accreditation Bedford Memorial Hospital (BMH) has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

“Mammography is a specific type of imaging test that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts”, explains James Lynde, MD, a radiologist at BMH. “A mammography exam, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast disease in women. Early detection can save lives because it can find cancers up to two years before they can be felt in the breast. That means it can be found at a very early stage, when the cancer is most curable.”

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peerreview evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.

Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.

“The surveyors look at our image quality, education

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Mammo technologists at BMH celebrate their accreditation achievement. They are (Left to right) Sandra Angel, RTR and Laura Toms, RTR.

of technologists and radiologists and insures that our program meets or exceeds the national standards.”, says Lisa Jordon, RTR-CT, manager of Imaging Services at BMH, “For us, this accreditation is one of the ways our Imaging Team celebrates the level of quality care we provide our community.”

Mammograms find between 85 and 90 percent of breast cancers, that’s why it is so important for a woman to combine an annual mammogram with monthly self examinations. For more information or to make an appointment, contact the Imaging Department at BMH by calling 540.587.7806.

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PRP: Faster Healing, Less Pain in Oral Surgery Words [ Rick Piester ]

A joint report between:

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

L I F E S T Y L E S

A healing technique that has been used for many years in hospitals but gained widespread attention in the field of sports medicine is now making waves among oral surgeons and their patients. In Central Virginia, the technique is being used in at least one oral surgery practice, and a patient who had the treatment calls it “fabulous.”

It’s called platelet rich plasma, or PRP. It’s a sort of medical fertilizer, made by spinning down a person’s own blood in a centrifuge until it becomes a rich, concentrated mixture of plasma (the clear, strawcolored liquid component of blood) and platelets (one type of blood cell that prevents bleeding and attracts growth factors.) The PRP is injected directly onto injured tissue to speed healing.

Formerly confined to hospital surgical use because of its expense and the need for large quantities of blood, more recent technology has allowed the process to be done in a physician’s office, with very small amounts of a patient’s own blood. The self-donation of the blood prevents the fear of disease transmission as a result of blood donated by others.

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Platelet rich blood has been the rage among recreational athletes for years, spurred by the treatment of such superstar sports stars as Tiger Woods for treatment of ailments ranging from hamstring to tennis elbow.

In Central Virginia, oral and maxillofacial surgeon Mitchell Magid, D.M.D., brought the procedure with him when he established the Mountainview Oral Surgery and Implant Center in Lynchburg a few years ago. He began incorporated PRP into his practice while he was Chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, ND. Louise Smith of Bedford became Dr. Magid’s patient when a root canal on one of her lower left molars failed and needed to be pulled. Louise had taken meticulous care of her teeth all of her life, they are a source of pride for her, and she did not want a missing tooth. Her two choices were a bridge, which she did not want, and an implanted tooth. She chose the implant, and her dentist suggested she go to Dr. Magid.

“It has been a fabulous experience,” she says.

“The office staff puts you at ease immediately, the decorum in lovely and the equipment — wow, the equipment they have is unbelievable!”

Louise says that from the first, Dr. Magid described her implant as “a work in progress.” What that means is that this type of care may require frequent short visits to the oral surgeon, to be certain that healing is going well and that the new foundation for the implanted tooth is coming along as expected.

“I’ve never had so much attention,” Louise laughs.

On the day of extraction of her molar, a small amount of blood (a little over a half-ounce) was drawn from Louise in much the same way that we all have blood drawn for lab tests. As Dr. Magid extracted the tooth, technicians prepared the PRP and mixed it with tiny bone substitute particles, which Dr. Magid

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then injected into the extraction site. Louise had an anesthesia that made the process pain-free.

Dr. Magid then covered the site with a collagen coating, stitched the gum closed and then sealed the whole thing with a tissue glue. “What we are doing,” Dr. Magid says, is preserving the socket that is left by extraction of the tooth. The PRP fills the socket in, prevents excess bleeding, and promotes faster healing. And there is a lot less pain this way.”

“Then we let is sit and heal for 4-6 months.”

Dr. Magid continues, while we check it frequently and take x-rays to make sure it’s healing properly.” That’s the “work in progress” part of it. When the “new” bone has bonded to the jawbone, Dr. Magid will uncover the implants and attach small posts that protrude through the gums and will act as anchors for the artificial teeth. When the artificial teeth are placed by Louise Smith’s own dentist, the posts will not be visible.

“I’m almost 80,” Louise Smith says, “but I am so glad that I had the implant done and I feel lucky to have had it with PRP by Dr. Magid. All I need to do now is to be around long enough to enjoy it!”

••••••

Why Have Implants?

Your teeth should last a lifetime, but sometimes they don’t.

And it’s important to replace missing teeth not only for cosmetic reasons, but for health reasons as well. With a tooth missing, you cannot bite or chew food properly, and a missing tooth can allow neighboring teeth to drift, become loose, and create further dental problems.

Dental implants are not the only option, but most experts believe that implants are a much more predictable and permanent solution than other approaches such as bridgework or resin bonded bridges.

••••••

Celebrating Caregivers in Our Communities Words [ Sheila Ellis-Glasper ]

Here in Lynchburg and Southside, our healthcare services are among the finest in the country because of the wonderful people who have dedicated their lives to serving others. Our Health is proud to share with you stories of several local individuals who continue to find reward, wisdom and happiness from helping make a difference in the health of our communities.

A business-minded healthcare professional Mary Dudley draws from her business philosophies when providing patient care.

Dudley, a radiology technician at Piedmont PrimeCare in Danville, ran a hardware store in Martinsville with her husband for 12 years before she went back to a full-time career in healthcare.

“I find a need and fill it,” Dudley says. “If I’m not filling the need, I am not being successful.”

Dudley has been a radiologist for 35 years, working part time during the years her children were growing up. The Martinsville native worked in orthopaedics

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celebrating caregivers in our communities

before coming to Piedmont PrimeCare, where she mostly does chest x-rays and other bone work, including x-rays of necks, backs, and skulls.

“I always wanted to help other people and a career in radiology let me do that,” explains Dudley.

Although the healthcare field is rapidly changing, one of the mainstays for her is the importance of patient care.

“I try my best to treat patients like they are the number one person,” she says. “My policy is to treat

each one of them how I would like to be treated.”

Just recently, Dudley experienced being the patient, and a radiologist had to run x-rays on her.

“I had a tiny tickle in my face and that alerted me to come in and be checked by a doctor,” she says.

A Doppler machine was able to see the aorta aneurysm in her heart.

She notes that type of technology was not available 15 years ago, and many people who have the

same condition don’t survive.

Dudley was out of work for three months, and when she came back, she rededicated herself to her healthcare profession.

“I love when people tell me, ‘When I got here I didn’t know you, but since I’ve met you I’m really glad you’re here.’ The good Lord gave me a second chance so my number one goal is trying my best to help anybody out as much as I can,” she finishes.

A calling to care Shirverne Griffin was on lunch break with a fellow nurse when they spotted a car that had been in a bad wreck.

Griffin parked her car and ran to the scene, where she discovered that there was someone entrapped and an ambulance hadn’t arrived yet.

Griffin let her natural instincts kick in, and with her small-frame, she crawled in the car and rescued the person.

That’s just one example of Griffin’s passion and dedication to the healthcare field. To Griffin, nursing is not only a profession but also a vehicle for her to fulfill her life’s purpose.

“Anytime you can aid someone it makes you feel better,” she says.

Griffin is an LPN and utilization management coordinator at Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville. She is mainly responsible for retro-reviews and repeals to insurance companies.

She’s able to help people who have already been treated and released at the hospital and for some reason their insurance denied them coverage.

She feels anyone in the healthcare field has to have “a heart for it.”

“It’s truly a calling and a ministry,” she says. “It’s not just a mindset, it’s a heart set.”

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The Baltimore native has been a nurse since 1980, but she says “working on the floor” became frustrating because she felt she wasn’t able to give good quality care there.

“There was a shortage of nurses and we were given more patients than we could care for,” she explains.

Griffin decided she wanted to make a change in her career, so she moved to Lynchburg and began working at Centra on the administrative side.

She’s been there for about six years now and enjoys the work she does helping people take care of their medical bills.

“I truly love to be able to care for people,” she says.

Strategic Healthcare Brenda Blanchette is a dot your i’s and cross your t’s type of person.

Blanchette, the practice administrator at Plastic Surgery Associates of Lynchburg, is a one-woman band managing an office with four physicians and 13 employees. She’s in charge of personnel supervision, payroll, accreditation, taxes, developing a business strategy, daily financial duties, IT, compliance, human resources, and more.

Blanchette began her career working for an insurance company. She later did consultant work helping different organizations with medical embezzlement investigations.

In this business, she met Timothy Silvester, MD with Plastic Surgery Associates while doing work for a board of medical professionals he’s a part of.

“In the medical field there are a lot of regulations and organization is

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number one,” she says.

Although Blanchette is behind the scenes, she’s concerned about making the patient experience run smoothly.

“The better our staff operates, the better the patient experience is,” she says. “I don¹t like to wait myself so I don’t like to have people wait here.”

There are many staff members behind the scenes to make the process seamless. Whether it is filing insurance or making an effective schedule all these things have an effect on patient care, she explains.

“When these behind the scene jobs are running efficiently, it translates into a great patient experience.”

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All around nurse Wanda Peerman has worked in almost every setting you can think of.

She’s worked in a jail, school, nursing home, family medical practice, and hospital, and now she’s the Director of Nursing at Bentley Commons, an independent and assisted living facility in Lynchburg.

Peerman has been a nurse for more than 20 years.

When she was 32 and working full-time, she went to school full-time to become an LPN. She’s juggled three jobs at one time while being a wife and mother to two children.

Being a nurse was a dream passed down to her from her mother and grandmother. Peerman is proud to say she has fulfilled that dream.

She notes that in all of the different settings she’s worked in, having a positive attitude is what has allowed her to excel in her career.

“I always look to better a person’s quality of life,” she explains. “I have to put a smile on your face. I love the satisfaction of knowing you’ve made someone feel better.”

Peerman says what she loves most about nursing is working with people.

“I’ve enjoyed working with the whole life span,” she says. “I’ve worked with babies, teenagers, and seniors.”

Through nursing she has learned patience and gratefulness.

“It’s by the grace of God that you’re not in that bed or in that wheelchair,” she says. “So you have to take it day by day and give thanks.”

Finding the right fit Anne Stanford enjoys helping seniors navigate through the complicated maze of health insurance.

As a Medicare Advantage marketing representative for Piedmont Community Health Plan, she knows that choosing the right healthcare plan can be overwhelming. She gets a lot of calls from people who’ve just turned 65 and want to know what their options are.

“Their mailbox is getting bombarded by people trying to get them to buy their plan,” she says.

Stanford explains the difference between Medicare Advantage and supplements to people.

“It is very important that individuals know all of their options,” she states.

Stanford continues by saying it saddens her when people are taken advantage of because of the confusion. She’s also concerned about staying up on prevention and having a good relationship with the community.

“I like to be upfront, honest and open about all of someone’s options instead of railroading and twisting www.ourhealthvirginia.com

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Tammy Humphries

Anne Stanford

Cheryl Midkiff

their arm into our plans,” she says.

“I’m not here to twist anyone’s arm; I’m here to give them the facts.”

Some of the most vulnerable people in society are the very old, she continues.

“What drives me to do my job well is to be a blessing to people on Medicare,” she explains.

Stanford’s co-worker, Tammy Humphries, has been a customer service representative at Piedmont Community Health Plan for 11 years. She enjoys talking to people and providing them answers to their questions.

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field will tell you they have good days and bad days,” she says.

“I try to do my best. I help with concerns customers may have, and if I don’t know the answer, I will find out.”

Many people call her confused about their health insurance coverage and how a change will affect their plan.

“In customer service you’ve got to have a thick skin,” she says. “You have to be able to take what they may give you and try to turn it around to help them.”

Cheryl Midkiff, director of communications and marketing for Piedmont Community Health Plan has worked in the health

insurance business since she was in college.

“Health insurance is a necessity everyone has to have,” she says.

“Insurance is very complex, hard to understand, and a lot of people think the insurance companies are just taking advantage of them.”

Midkiff explains she is driven to do her job well because she knows she is providing a service to the community.

“We want to be a good service people can count and depend on,” she says. “We are not the big bad health insurance company taking your money.”

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Relatable expert enjoys patient education Debbie Fisher likes to play detective.

And her job as an allergy coordinator at Blue Ridge Ear, Nose and Throat and Plastic Surgery allows her to tap into that fantasy.

Fisher has been working with allergy patients for 31 years. She enjoys helping patients manage their allergies and educating them on how to live with their allergies. She says what she loves the most about her job is giving people a better quality of life.

“Life is too short not to get out there and enjoy it,” she says.

Fisher notes that allergies can have a large impact on people’s lives from children not being able to play outside to someone not being able to jog or garden.

Fisher also has allergies herself so she empathizes with patients, she explains.

At work she is able to be a “little detective.”

“Until we do a lab test, we don’t know what’s causing your problem,” she says.

One of Fisher’s passions is patient teaching. She passes along tips to her patients that she has used for years herself. For example, if you’re allergic to dust or dust mites get a mite-proof pillowcase. Also, put children’s stuffed animals in a hot dryer or freezer.

In addition, she advises that patients take an antihistamine before allergies get bad. Taking them afterwards is like “shutting the barn door after the horse gets out,” she says.

Many people take over the counter medicine and don’t get any better.

“You don’t have to suffer in silence,” she says. “You can get help.”

“I want people to enjoy life as much as possible without feeling like they can’t do what they want to do,” she concludes. “If I’ve helped someone with that than I’ve done my job.”

Centra garden gleans fruitful profit Who would have guessed an old hospital swimming pool could be re-purposed to be a health benefit to patients and visitors?

On the roof of Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital is a blooming garden filled with healthy vegetables and fruit. Patients and visitors can enjoy a casserole with fresh zucchini from the garden or a salad with hand-picked garden veggies.

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Wren Roberts and Pat Sensabaugh are the masterminds behind the idea.

When Roberts, director of nutrition for Centra, asked to fill the old pool with dirt and use it for a garden, the request was approved, and Sensabaugh used her green thumb to begin planting

a variety of tomatoes, spring onions, carrots, squash, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries and more.

The two began the garden in 2010 and had a bountiful harvest last spring and summer yielding about 5,000 pounds of fresh vegetables and fruit including 1000 pounds of

fingerling potatoes, 900 pounds of tomatoes, 1500 pounds of squash, and 200 pounds of cantaloupe.

About five percent of the food at the hospital comes from the garden, says Sensabaugh, coordinator of operations for nutritional services at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital.

“Its good to know the source your food came from; if we grow it ourselves, we don’t have to be concerned about where it came from,” she says.

Roberts says that when a patient gets out of surgery after being on liquids and gets to eat their first meal, he wants it to be satisfying.

“I love seeing a patient enjoy a good meal,” he says. “I consider it nutrition therapy. A good meal always makes you feel better.”

Sensabaugh doesn’t use chemical pesticides and uses all organic products to nourish and fertilize the plants.

Roberts says locally-grown products are also correlated with immunity health.

For example, if the tomato came from Mexico it’s grown in a different environment, he says. Food that’s grown here is more aligned with allergies and immunity of people in the community.

Another benefit is that the garden has turned a profit for the hospital this year.

Sensabaugh says that after paying expenses, they made more than $2,000 in profit.

A hospital growing their own garden may sound pretty unusual but many restaurants in the area are doing it, so why can’t a hospital?

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“Diabetes can affect every part of the body,” she says. “We want to help them learn how to self manage their disease.”

Farney was an influential part of a team who developed the program last summer.

The main purpose of the program is to improve overall health,” says Farney. “By improving overall health, there’s a decrease in hospital admission.”

The pilot program started in August 2011 with 32 patients and ended this February with 29 completing the program. Each patient had five to six nurse care manager visits with phone calls in between for accountability.

Patients set their own health goals instead of them being given to them by doctors or nurses. They were also encouraged to ask questions about their disease.

“We want patients to know they are an integral part of the medical team,” she says. “We encourage each to speak up if something is not working.”

Of the 29 patients who have completed the program, 45 percent now have hemoglobin levels less than seven.

Just as impressive, about 60 percent of the participants lost up to 28 pounds.

Farney has been a registered nurse for 17 years.

She grew up in Hurt, VA, and went to Gretna High School.

Community Health advocate teaches diabetics how to manage disease and live a healthy lifestyle Diabetes is a comprehensive disease with many complications. Those with the condition have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, amputation and blindness.

Centra Gretna Medical Center is being proactive towards improving the overall health of the community and chose diabetes as its pilot module for chronic disease management.

When she went to school she decided she wanted to do something to specifically give back to the community she grew up in.

So she focused on community health. She enjoys taking time to sit with patients and their family to explain things to them.

She has two children: a special needs daughter and a 16-year-old son. Jennifer received her bachelor’s in nursing from Liberty University and has been at the Centra Gretna Medical Center for a year.

She makes time to travel on medical mission trips and so far has traveled to Russia, Panama, China, Mexico and Nepal.

Jennifer Farney, is the nurse case manager of this diabetic program.

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The blessing of helping others Deciding whether to buy groceries or buy medicine is a reality that some seniors and others on a fixed income face.

Jessica Ellis’ goal is to help those in this situation and provide them options for low cost or free medications.

Ellis works at Centra Village Family Physicians in Moneta as an administrative nurse. Her job tasks include coordinating medications and referrals and helping patients navigate through complicated insurance issues. She works directly with pharmaceutical companies to provide this service.

Ellis comes from a nursing background where she provided care for elderly patients.

“I become very involved in their life,” she says. “They call and say they have a really hard time. A lot of times they don’t just talk about medications, they tell me about their lives.”

She helps patients ranging from 18-year-olds who are not covered under their parents insurance anymore to the elderly who may fall in a Medicare gap where certain medications they need are not covered.

She helps patients continue to get medications like clotpreventing Plavix, which is a drug that can cause increased health risks such as heart attack, or even death, if stopped.

Some can’t afford to pay $100 out of pocket a month for the medication.

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Some patients are diabetic and can’t afford the $200-300 a month for insulin.

“People are faced with deciding, ‘Do I get my medicine or do I buy food this month?’” she explains.

Ellis has a combined 25 years experience in the medical field.

She moved to Moneta about 15 years ago with her husband and three daughters and ran a landscaping business for six years before coming to Village Family

Physicians.

“I am ecstatic that I have this job,” she says. “I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to really help patients. It’s all about patient care.”

Hometown Dentist Carrington Crawford knew at a young age that he wanted to help people and loved making things with his hands.

He comes from a family of medicine with an uncle and cousin who are both dentists. So becoming a dentist was somewhat of an easy decision for him.

“As a kid I loved to build rockets and model airplanes,” he says.

“Dentistry is almost an art form.

You’re using your hands creating stuff and you’re helping people.”

After graduating from VCU School of Dentistry, Crawford entered a one year residency program at the Medical College of Virginia of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond with advanced training in implant placement, bone grafting, and full mouth reconstruction.

After his residency, he decided to go back to his hometown of Lynchburg. Now, at 33 years old, Crawford has his own practice: Lynchburg Dental.

“It’s awesome to come back here,” he says. “I have patients who I went to high school with and they say, ‘Man, I can’t believe you’re my dentist now.’”

Crawford says being a dentist “makes his clock tick.” It was clearly the right career decision for him.

He explains, “When people perpetually go through life and they don’t smile and you are able to help them smile again, it’s powerful stuff. That’s what I love.”

Crawford continues to stay on top of cutting edge dentistry technology and technique and has completed over 375 hours of continuing education.

Crawford gives back to others using his profession as often as he can. He is a volunteer at a free dental clinic in Lynchburg and an adjunct faculty member at the VCU School of Dentistry.

He works at the night clinic six evenings a month and is able to provide free dental services to up to eight patients each time. He also supervises dental students at the clinic.

“Bottom line: I can do something to help people feel better about themselves, be happy, be pain free, and be confident in life,” he concludes.

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celebrating caregivers in our communities it’s someone who couldn’t afford braces as a kid or a kid who is self-conscious about their teeth and won’t smile in their school pictures.

“I get to see a transformation take place,” he says. “It is a wonderful feeling to help others and see patients be the best they can be.”

A tradition of community and giving Bruce Bentley has a passion to make people feel better about themselves. And that’s what he takes pride in doing everyday as an orthodontist making his patients smiles brighter, straighter and whiter.

Since 1987, he has put more than 15,000 pairs of braces on his Lynchburg area patients.

Bentley notes that his favorite part of his job is watching his patients blossom in confidence, whether

He continues, “Everyone has their own story. It’s a great feeling to see them look in the mirror and smile after getting their braces taken off.”

Bentley enjoys watching his patients grow up, and he is now at the point in his career where his older patients are bringing their kids in for braces.

Since patients come in once a month to get their braces adjusted, Bentley and his staff get to know what’s going on in patients’ lives and they become like family, he says.

Bentley graduated magna cum laude from the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry, where he also completed his orthodontic residency.

He’s very active in the continued advancement of orthodontics, having published several academic articles on the subject. He’s also been featured on the Biography Channel.

Bentley’s practice, Central Virginia Orthodontics, has grown from 800 square feet to 17,000. When he moved into a new facility, he was able to donate a whole clinic of equipment to the World Health Organization to set up a clinic in Guatamala.

Bentley has built a tradition of giving back to the community through participating in various fundraisers such as raffling off a set of free braces to a student in need at area middle schools, a partnership with the local Humane Society, and sponsoring the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

“There’s not anyone that I would trade places with,” he says. “It just doesn’t get any better than this. I am very blessed.”

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celebrating caregivers in our communities was what I wanted to do,” she says.

Anderson has always been interested in a career in healthcare.

While in high school, she worked part-time in a medical office filing records. Anderson is now a Certified Ophthalmic Technician at Piedmont Eye Center. She assists in surgery and supervises the Lasik surgery division of PEC. She especially enjoys the relationships she creates with patients.

Helping patients to see When Debbie Anderson was in the Air Force she remembers sitting on the floor with optometry instruments spread all over the floor trying to prepare for a much needed optometrist to come in.

“Every since that day, I knew this

“I love the personal interaction and the way I can connect with patients,” she says.

A lot of Anderson’s job is running tests to see if a patient is a qualified candidate for Lasik surgery and to help them get the right prescription. Vision is such an important part of our life, she says.

“I’ve had mothers tell me it would be really important for them to

have LASIK surgery because they are so near-sighted that if they lose their glasses, they might not be able to find them on their nightstand or if they lost their glasses at the beach, they wouldn’t be able to find their kids if they wandered off.”

Anderson also enjoys when patients can sense she is listening to them.

“You can see on their faces that they are so glad someone is listening to them,” she says.

Anderson loves patient education and teaching patients about the tests she is running and procedures they may be qualified for. Her co-workers describe her as the “patient education queen.”

Anderson also finds time to participate in medical mission trips to Honduras.

She explains it all in one simple sentence, “I love what I do.”

Patient driven worker Cherish Holmes, a retina technician at Piedmont Eye Center, says her patients make her day.

She works with many elderly patients and respects them just like she does her grandparents.

“It’s just like talking to granny and grandpa all day,” she says.

Holmes was a stay at home mom of three for many years before she went back to work at Piedmont Eye Center about seven years ago. As a retina technician her duties include initial patient exams and dilating patient’s eyes. She also works in “triage,” listening to patient concerns and getting the ones that need it immediate help when the office is busy.

One of her co-workers says, “I have walked past the triage department on several occasions and have heard her speaking to the patients as though they are members of her family. She has such an amazing way with patients.”

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celebrating caregivers in our communities

Since vision is such an important part of life, Holmes says she is honored to help people live better lives by helping them with their sight. Many of her elderly patients also thank her for helping to keep them independent, she says.

“They rely on their vision to do so much and especially to drive,” she explains.

She says her day is made when her patients walk in with a smile on their face and know her by name.

“The patients are the reason I am here,” she finishes.

Giving hope Mark Sivdas’ passion is to give people a little hope.

Sivdas is a Centra Mental Health Services intake specialist at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital.

For the past four years he has guided people through some of the toughest, most confusing times of their lives. When someone calls who is having mental health issues or is a family member of someone having mental health issues, he is able to be the middle man and give the person over the phone some options on how and where to get help.

“A lot of people are discouraged when they call and don’t know where to turn,” he says. “My job is to instill a little hope in them.”

The Centra Mental Health Intake and Resource Center handles referrals to the adult and child/adolescent psychiatric programs at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital, but it also provides information about mental health resources in our community and beyond.

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celebrating caregivers in our communities

Sivdas helps physicians, agencies, and mental health professionals gain access to the most appropriate mental health services with a simple phone call.

He especially enjoys the service aspect of his job.

More than drawing blood

“If they are calling us, they’re usually in crisis,” he explains. “I am the person who tells them everything will be ok.”

She takes care in making sure she follows procedures correctly, the patient is ok, the specimen does not get contaminated, and more.

A lot of people call with no idea what to do for themselves or a family member, he says. Sivdas has a calm voice and believes in finding balance and inner peace.

In his spare time he practices Tai Chi and yoga and is a vegan. He has taught yoga classes in the substance abuse unit and enjoys teaching others how to live a healthier lifestyle.

“Health is a very serious and important thing to me,” he states.

Rossane Jones, phlebotomist at Medical Associates of Central Virginia, says many people think her job entails just drawing blood.

But she’s been a phlebotomist now for three years and says there’s a lot more to it than just that.

Jones says the best part about her job is the patient interaction and meeting people from all different backgrounds.

“I love people and I love helping people,” she explains. “I knew one way I could help people was by going into the healthcare field.”

Jones chose phlebotomy because she didn’t want to be so deep in the lab that she wouldn’t be able to interact with patients. Her job has opened her eyes.

“I work with so many different people in so many different age groups, from the pediatrics department to the infectious disease department.”

Jones takes pride in turning a patient’s mood from not happy about coming to the doctor and lab to getting a few laughs in and feeling a little better by the time they walk out.

“I love my job and the difference I make,” she says.

She does get many patients who are not fond of getting their blood drawn.

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She tries to improve their experience “just by having a conversation with them.” She explains, “Instead of bringing them in and just asking the regular routine questions and sticking them and sending them out the door, I say something like, ‘I’m sorry you are uncomfortable’ and I try to relate with them.”

Learning from patients Amber Bryant describes herself as “noisy” when she was a child.

“I would always drive by wrecks with my parents and want to help,” she says. “I just had that instinct in me.”

Bryant started out as a Certified Nursing assistant in 2005 and worked her way up to an LPN. She is now an LPN at Medical Associates of Central Virginia.

She says her favorite part of her job is interacting with patients and knowing she helped them. As an LPN, much of her job is listening to patients.

“I’m the first line of defense,” she says.

Bryant also feels she’s learned a lot from her patients.

“It has taught me to live healthier,” she says.

She gets joy from seeing patients who come in and are not on a healthy path and make a turn around, especially diabetics who are eating better to control their disease.

“I am learning from mistakes that they’ve made,” she explains.

One of Bryant’s best experiences as a nurse was when she was able to use her experience taking care of wounds and helped an urgent care patient quickly and sent her home.

“She called us back just to say thank you,” she says.

To Bryant, that’s what makes her job worthwhile.

“I do this because of the patients,” she concludes.

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celebrating caregivers in our communities

Compassionate Care Meggie Ferguson, mammogram technician, cares for her patients just as if they were a member of her family.

“When you are the first person patients see when they come in, it’s so important to be compassionate,” says Ferguson, who works at Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville.

Although she’s only with patients about 15 minutes, she likes to make small talk with them and make sure they are comfortable.

Ferguson says the toughest part of her job is seeing that someone has cancer, but she is not able to tell them. Ferguson’s job is to take the images. A doctor must inform the patient of any news.

“It’s hard not to show any emotion, but I try my best to make them feel comfortable,” she says. “It’s good to have a caring compassionate person when you are going through something like that.”

Meggie says she tries to be understanding of how nervous patients must be when they are coming in to get a mammogram.

“A lot of times patients come in and have an attitude or some type of frustration,” she says. “I can understand this, and I always make sure they know I am here for them.”

Ferguson has worked at Centra Southside Community Hospital for more than four years managing the mammogram department.

She advises people to get a mammogram and follow through afterwards to stay healthy.

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for the community

Creating momentum (literally) for those with physical challenges Words [ David A. Brandt ]

When a specialized bike helped her quadriplegic son overcome his greatest challenges, Nancy Wellons established an initiative in Lynchburg to bring these bikes to others needing them in her local community.

Nancy Wellons cannot describe the joy she felt when she watched her son, James Howard, overcome his physical challenge by riding a therapeutic bike specially designed for him. James became a quadriplegic after suffering a severe spinal cord injury from a diving accident while off-duty from the army. He received the bike from AMBUCS, a national, non-profit charitable service organization. The goal of AMBUCS is to create mobility and independence for people with disabilities.

James rode his bike for the first time at a Wounded Warriors and Disabled Veterans event in South Carolina.

“They didn’t think he would get out of the parking lot on the bike,” says Wellons, “but he rode 11 miles his first time.” The 3-wheel AmTryke cycle not only gave him freedom, but it also changed his life and the lives of others. Nancy was so touched by the generosity and community support that her family received that she wanted to contribute.

“I was so moved and felt like I needed to pass on the gift given to James to my community and give something back to people with physical challenges,” explains Wellons. She admires the attitude of her son even through his injury.

“He’s taking a negative and making it a positive by helping others,” she says.

Wellons’ newfound passion inspired her to establish the only AMBUCS chapter in Virginia by starting Wheels on the James in Lynchburg. The organization is named

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for the community

after her son, James, and the James River that flows through Lynchburg. Nancy started the chapter with her savings and the dream to give a bike to one or two children. The cost of the bikes ranges from $250 to nearly $1,000 because each bike is customized to fit each person’s physical challenge and need.

Since May 2011, Wheels on the James has given 27 therapeutic bikes to children and adults of all ages. With such a need for the AmTryke cycles in the central Virginia region, there is still a waiting list for the next set of bikes.

“It is so rewarding to see them accomplish so much physically as it opens doors to mobility, independence and joy in the lives of the families,” she says. The organization has helped people whose challenges include muscular dystrophy, spinal bifida, cerebral palsy, chromosome disorders, traumatic brain injury, and many others.

Wellons believes the bikes are a perfect combination for recreation and therapy.

“We want to give them something they are able to take home and use. This gives them the means to have fun like everyone else who is biking and having a good time,” says Wellons.

In fact, with the therapeutic bike, the whole family can get involved. One example is the family of twins, Isabella and Allanah Wilson, from Amherst, who both have cerebral palsy.

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for the community

“We do a lot of camping and now can always bring our bikes,” says the twins’ father Mark Wilson. “It’s one activity we can all enjoy together.”

Another feature about this organization is that when the recipients outgrow the bicycle, they can return the bike and request a new one. In some cases, recipients gain enough muscular strength to transition into a regular bike.

Mark Townsend, MD, a pediatric cardiologist of Centra’s The Cardiovascular Group said, “Routine participation in a ‘cardio’ workout translates into improved heart health, mental health, and overall well-being.

What an amazing gift to put these folks back in charge of their personal fitness!”

Wellons gives great appreciation to the total group effort that has helped Wheels on the James become what it is today. “I cannot express enough gratitude to the community for its time and financial support,” Wellons says.

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The compassionate physical therapists and students in training at the Lynchburg College School of Health Sciences, as well as the therapists at Laurel School and Blue Ridge Therapy, have made a tremendous impact by evaluating and fitting each recipient to his or her individual cycle. Also, the board of directors for Wheels on the James has given countless hours of their time to continue to improve the organization, she says.

The wonderful parents and families of the recipients play a large role as well. Many have shown their support by helping assemble the bikes and using their time to impact other families. However, many of the parents give the credit of the organization’s success to Nancy.

“There is nothing selfish about her or this organization,” says Wilson. “Her vision has made such an impact on so many lives.”

Wheels on the James also creates events to allow the recipients a chance to ride together along the Percival’s Island Bike Trail with family and friends cheering them

on. With a wealth of heart-warming memories, Wellons has an endless amount of stories to share.

One memory she enjoys sharing is about the first two boys who received bikes from the organization.

At the first Wheels on the James bike event, Andreas and Daniel both surprised her.

“I figured they would get out of the parking lot and over the bridge,” says Wellons, “but we had to run and stop them. They were not planning to stop because they were having so much fun racing among the group. They went flying over the bridge and kept on going. They might not be able to ride a regular bike, but boy they can fly on these AmTryke cycles!”

For more information about Wheels on the James, go to www.wheelsonthejames.org or e-mail Nancy Wellons at wheelsonthejames@gmail.com. To receive a bike, a doctor or therapist needs to recommend, evaluate, and fit each individual first.

An evaluation form from the doctor or therapist and a waiver from the recipient or guardian are required.

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health and fitness

Nutrition for Outdoor Activities Words [ Tricia Foley, RD, MS ]

It’s time to dust off our tennis shoes and spring into action! With all the warm weather it should be no surprise that more people are physically active in the spring compared to any other season. Southwest Virginia in particular offers an array of things to do. Whether it’s hiking, biking, running, swimming, kayaking, or any other outdoor activity one thing is for sure, you will be burning some major calories! With that in mind, nutrition can make or break your workout. Here are some fueling options for all fitness levels and activities:

Nutrition for Endurance: Beginners: Defined as long distance (lasting at least 45 minutes to an hour) of less intense, leisurely exercise such as walking, swimming, hiking, biking, etc.

Although you may be a novice, good nutrition is still important. Make an effort to plan your day. If your last meal was more than two hours before your activity make sure to grab a piece of fruit and a protein source (such as string cheese or nuts) on the way out the door. Pairing the fruit with the protein will help sustain your blood sugar longer. To stay hydrated, water is just fine. Avoid sports drinks unless you know that you will be active for longer than 90 minutes on a very hot day.

Sports drinks tend to be high in sugar, although there are several lower sugar options available so be sure to read the label.

If you plan to go for a long hike (taking several hours) you may want

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health and fitness

to pack a snack. Good snack ideas include apples, homemade trail mix with nuts and a serving of high fiber cereal or a homemade trail bar (see recipe).

Intermediate to Advanced: Defined as long distance, vigorous exercise lasting longer than 45 minutes.

Examples include those training for marathons or triathlons, road bikers, kayakers, swimmers, etc.

Endurance athletes need a bit more fuel to get them through their workouts. More time prior to the event should be given for digestion. Meals should be eaten three to four hours before the workout and contain slower burning carbohydrates (baked potato with the skin, brown rice, or quinoa), a lean protein (skinless chicken, roast beef, turkey, or fish) and a well tolerated non-starchy vegetable (avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli since they are gas forming).

If you are short on time a lighter version of the same meal would be recommended two hours prior to the event. Fruit eaten alone about 30 minutes before is also beneficial. It is never recommended to try a new food close to the time of a workout; the last thing you want is gastrointestinal distress.

During the workout more carbohydrates may be needed. Additional carbohydrates are recommended for every hour after the first hour of exercise. This could mean eating a large banana or taking a sports gel along with you. Make sure this carbohydrate is easy to digest.

Hydration during prolonged activity should also be addressed. Coconut water is a wonderful electrolyte replacement drink to carry on workouts lasting longer than 90 minutes. Try to sip on it every 15 to 20 minutes to ensure adequate hydration.

After the workout, smaller more frequent meals are recommended to speed muscle recovery. Try to get the first mini meal in within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. Studies have shown that waiting to eat as little as two hours after the workout can significantly slow recovery. This meal should be low in fat and fiber and have adequate protein and carbohydrates to ease digestion. Examples include cottage cheese and berries or a small amount of dried fruit and low fat cheese.

Nutrition for Team Sports: Beginners: Sports including tennis, basketball, baseball, softball, etc. done at a recreational level.

Balanced meals should be the focus. Ensuring that you are coloring your plate with lean proteins, fruits, whole grains, and non-starchy vegetables throughout the day will give you a great base. Again, meals should be spaced accordingly, however they can be somewhat closer to the workout than endurance based exercise. At least one to two hours prior to the activity is recommended. For long games, particularly in the heat, citrus fruit and a small amount of salted nuts work well to help keep your electrolytes in check.

Water is recommended for hydration. Consuming a balanced meal within an hour after the game will also help promote recovery.

(See recipes below.)

Intermediate to Advanced: Sports including sprints (swimming, running, and biking), tennis, and weight training done at a vigorous level with elevated heart rate.

Balanced meals should always be your base. If it has been more than 2 hours since your last meal be sure to eat a fruit 30 minutes before the activity.

Protein and fat this close to the workout is not recommended because

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high intensity exercise shuts down digestion so your blood can focus on your muscles instead. This is why you do not want to exercise vigorously on a full stomach!

During the event ensure that you drink water as needed. An electrolyte replacement should not be needed unless you are spending extended periods in the direct heat. As mentioned previously, citrus fruits and salted nuts or seeds work well during rest periods.

After the activity, a proper nutrition recovery meal should be incorporated. A lean protein and quick acting carbohydrate within 30 minutes of finishing is recommended. Examples include whey protein shake with fruit, cottage cheese, and fruit or Greek yogurt.

Recipes: Hiking Bar: Ingredients »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

½ cup almond butter ½ cup raw honey ¼ cup chopped walnuts ¼ cup raisins ¾ cup slow cooked oatmeal ¾ cup puffed rice ¼ cup sunflower seeds 1/6 cup quinoa flakes

Directions:

»» Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with canola oil. »» In a large saucepan, heat almond butter with honey over low heat until bubbles form. »» Combine dry ingredients. »» Quickly stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. »» Once cool, press the contents into a baking dish.

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»» Allow to cool completely, cut into 20 bars. »» Quinoa flakes can be found at most health food stores.

Refrigerate to store.

Meals: Shrimp Kabobs »» Makes 2 servings

Ingredients: »» »» »» »»

½ cup pineapple 8 ounces shrimp 1 cup brown rice 1 pepper

Directions:

»» Cut pepper into squares and pineapple into chunks and set aside and place on skewer alternating with shrimp, four per skewer. »» Place on the grill and allow to cook about five minutes on each side.

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nutrition health

»» Cook brown rice according to package. To assemble, place 1/2 cup rice on each plate and two skewers over the rice. Enjoy!

Corn and Black Bean Salsa Salad »» Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

»» 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained »» 1 can corn, drained »» 1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped »» 3 green onions, finely chopped »» ½ bunch cilantro, chopped »» Dressing »» 1 tsp cumin »» 4 tbsp lime juice »» 3 tbsp red wine vinegar »» 3 tbsp olive oil »» Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

»» Mix the salad in a large bowl. Mix

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the dressing in a small bowl and toss into the salad. »» *You can also add cooked brown rice or quinoa to this; just increase the amount of dressing you use.

Pair with the turkey burger below.

Turkey Burger »» Makes 4 servings

Ingredients: »» »» »» »» »»

16 oz lean ground turkey 1 egg 1 clove garlic, minced Lemon zest Salt and pepper

Directions:

»» Divide meat into four burger patties and combine egg, zest, garlic, and seasonings. »» You may cook these over medium heat on stove top in a coated pan or sear them in a pan coated with coconut oil and then bake them at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Quinoa with Vegetables Ingredients: »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

½ cup quinoa 1 stalk celery 1/2 pepper 3 tbsp diced onion (yellow) 1 clove garlic 1 cup chicken broth ¼ tsp cumin ¼ tsp chili powder Salt and pepper to taste Coconut oil (enough to coat bottom of pot)

Directions:

»» Coat pot with coconut oil and add onion, garlic, celery, and spices. »» Sauté until the veggies are tender. »» Then add chicken broth and quinoa bring to a boil. »» Allow to cook until germ appears (small spirals). Enjoy!

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living with allergies

Spring weather brings early onset of allergies for many Words [ Laura L. Neff-Henderson, APR ]

Most people love the spring weather but hate the allergies that come with it. For those living in central Virginia, that’s more true than ever this year. The lack of freezing temperatures this winter means the spring pollination season is in full swing, a few weeks earlier than normal.

An estimate 40 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a non-profit organization founded in 1953. Also called allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies cost Americans $10 billion annually and are the fifth leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages. They are the third most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old.

An allergy is a specific reaction of the body’s immune system to a substance that is harmless for most people. Seasonal allergies are reactions to an allergen that is typically only present for part of the year, including trees, weeds and grass. The symptoms of pollen allergies include a runny or congested nose, sneezing and itchy, red or watery eyes. In children, allergies are often to blame for frequent ear infections and eczema, a skin condition. For adults, allergies often lead to chronic sinus infections and bronchitis.

“We used to get a little bit of a break in the winter because it would get cold and the ground would freeze” said Debbie Fisher, the allergy coordinator with Blue Ridge Ear, Nose, Throat & Plastic Surgery, Inc., in Lynchburg, Va. “Not this winter.”

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Spring allergies are often triggered when trees being to pollinate, which is most frequent in February through May. By the end of May, most tree pollen has subsided, but by then, grass pollens, which are typically in the air through late June, are in full force.

“May becomes the heaviest pollen month of the year in this part of the country because you have a number of trees still pollinating and the grass pollens have come out in full splendor,” said Dane McBride, M.D., with the Asthma and Allergy Center of Lynchburg. The Center also has locations in Roanoke and Salem.

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living with allergies

of the allergens and immunotherapy. It’s usually a combination of treatments that allow patients to find real relief.

“The temptation on a beautiful 74 degree day when the sun is shining and the cool breeze is blowing, is to open the windows, but you can be sure when you see the curtains moving with the breeze that you’re bringing in all kinds of pollen,” said McBride.

Some common ways to reduce exposure to indoor

By the time the grass pollens have receded, explained McBride, it’s usually very hot and dry outside, and the pollens rest on the ground until the wind stirs them up – sometimes lengthening the allergy season by several weeks.

You can’t blame just the weather though. Allergies are also believed to be hereditary and can develop at any age. Most people who have the allergic gene and develop seasonal allergies will at some point in their lives also develop allergic reactions to common yearround triggers, like mold, pet dander and dust mites, according to Fisher.

According to the AAFA, “If only one parent has allergies of any type, chances are 1 in 3 that each child will have an allergy. If both parents have allergies, it is much more likely (7 in 10) that their children will have allergies.”

The best way to manage allergies is through a combination of treatments including a reduction in the patient’s exposure to allergens, medications that minimize the effect

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and outdoor allergens includes: »» Stay indoors when the pollen count is reported to be high, and on windy days when pollen may be present in higher amounts in the air. »» Minimize early morning activity when pollen levels are higher - between 5-10 a.m.

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living with allergies

a more practical alternative for patients who prefer the convenience of being able to administer the treatment at home.

Fisher and McBride agree that when your allergies are impacting your daily quality of life, it’s time to see an allergist for treatment.

»» Vacuum several times each week using an allergen filtration bag in your vacuum cleaner. »» Remove carpet from your home. »» Have home air ducts cleaned regularly. »» Have an air cleaner installed in your heat pump/furnace. »» Machine-dry bedding, stuffed animals and clothing on high heat for at least 30 minutes. »» Cover your bed mattress and pillows in a zippered dust mite allergy proof covers. »» Avoid hanging laundry outside to dry. »» Avoid mowing the lawn and freshly cut grass.

For those suffering with pet dander allergies, Fisher advises patients to keep pets out of the bedroom to minimize exposure all night long.

Many individuals who suffer with allergies also find relief from over-the-counter antihistamines like Claritin, Zyrtec and Benadryl, decongestants like Sudafed and topical nasal steroids.

Allergy testing can also help determine a patient’s exact triggers. Once identified, many patients choose allergen immunotherapy, either through shots or nasal drops, as a way to “cure” their allergies. Both forms of the treatment trick your body into building up a natural immunity to the allergen. In children, immunotherapy may help prevent the development of asthma.

Allergen immunotherapy requires the patient to commit to a three to five year series of shots that introduces increasing concentrations of the identified allergens into the body. The shots are given on a weekly, and then monthly basis, and should be administered by a licensed physician.

A new type of immunotherapy, which involves allergy drops that go under the tongue, is also available to patients, according to McBride. Called Sublingual Immunotherapy, this treatment option, which is popular in Europe, has not yet been approved by the FDA, which means most insurance companies will not cover the costs. The drops are not believed to be as effective as the shots, but are

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hospital medicine

Obese Patients Weigh Heavily on Hospitals Words [ Rick Piester ]

Today, it’s pretty much an article of faith that being severely overweight, or obese, opens the door to a host of related life-threatening health problems ranging from diabetes to high blood pressure to respiratory problems to joint disorders, and on and on.

Not so much discussed, however, are the pitfalls that obese people face when they are admitted to a hospital. Obese patients are straining hospital resources in central Virginia and across the country, and the care of obese patients is much more complicated and even downright dangerous, presenting hazardous outcomes.

Severely overweight patients require special beds, wheelchairs, surgical equipment, and more. And there is some evidence that obese patients, because of the specialized equipment and supplies that are needed to treat them, face higher hospital bills than those within a “normal� weight range.

Medicine defines a person as obese if his or her weight is 20 percent or more above normal on a standard height and weight chart (please see accompanying article Am I Obese?). Most hospital equipment is designed to accommodate people who weigh no more than 300 pounds. Even most hospital scales top out at 300 pounds. Anyone over that weight really needs to have specialized equipment.

Obesity is the fastest growing major health problem in the Unites States. Overall, 35.7 percent of the adult population and 16.9 percent of children qualify as

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obese, according to data gathered by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in The Journal of the American Medical Association early this year. The good news is that the ranks of the obese in America are not growing, but the deeply troubling fact remains that America is severely overweight, and there are no trends showing any sort of reversal.

A 2010 study by GallupHealthways showed that the Lynchburg area is the eighth most obese metro area in the country, and a separate study by the regional health interest group ACHIEVE shows that 70 percent of adults in the area are overweight (defined as from 10 to 20 percent over ideal weight) or obese.

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pressure cuffs, and gowns. Some hospitals have even installed larger scale CAT scan machines and MRI units because obese patients cannot fit into the ordinary-size machines.

In the operating room, surgeons are required to use instruments that are longer than normal, larger sized retractors and clamps, and other specially designed equipment for surgery on obese patients.

Patti McCue says that when she moved to Lynchburg from Mississippi five years ago to become senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Lynchburg’s Centra health system, “I heard of the statistics for the Lynchburg area and I didn’t know how it could be that so many people in the area are overweight.”

In its hospitals, Centra has provided special rooms for obese patients on each floor of its 108-room East Tower, opened in 2007. The rooms are equipped with specialized equipment and furnishings for severely overweight patients — called “bariatric” equipment to reflect the branch of medicine that deals with obesity.

Beds are specially built to accommodate bigger, heavier patients, ceilings are outfitted with specialized lifts to move patients, bathroom doors are wider to accommodate the larger bariatric wheelchairs.

In addition to specialized patient rooms, hospitals now have larger scale stretchers, waiting room armchairs, blood

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Simply positioning a patient for surgery — a critically important task that most of us never see as a surgical patient because we are asleep — is much more complicated with obese patients. Anesthesiologists say that their job is made more difficult by the particular challenges posed by obese patients.

Maintaining an open airway is especially difficult with obese patients because of the propensity among overweight people to develop obstructive sleep apnea, in which the throat constricts to shut off the airway. Intubating very heavy patients is more difficult and again requires special equipment. There are additional complications — a risk of under- or over-sedation because the patient’s size and weight is far from the norm, pulmonary complications because of reduced lung capacity, irregular heart function, impeded blood circulation, and a host of other problems.

One Centra anesthesiologist estimates that in recent years, more than half of the patients she sees suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Centra nursing chief McCue notes that an aging nurse workforce no

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longer has the sheer strength to move patients or pull them up and make them more comfortable in a bed and that the effort poses the threat of injury to both the patient and the caregiver.

In addition to the multiple threats that obese patients face in even the most routine hospital stay, there is mounting evidence that they, or their insurers, or society as a whole, are paying increased costs for care.

A 2005 study of nearly eight million patient discharge records in more than 1,000 hospitals showed that the median hospital charge for non-obese patients was $14,147. The median charge for obese patients was $15,623, and the median charge for morbidly obese patients (more than 50 percent over ideal weight) was $20,046.

So what’s to be done to stem the rising tide of obesity, here and elsewhere?

Experts say that being overweight or obese — and their accompanying chronic diseases — are preventable and that the first-line approach is up

to each individual: to achieve a healthy weight by limiting energy intake from total fats and shifting fat consumption away from saturated fats to unsaturated fats. We can do this by increasing our consumption of vegetables and fruits, as well as legumes, whole grains, and nuts. They say we also need to decrease our intake of sugars, while increasing physical activity.

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On a broader scale, governments and other entities can play a vital role in shaping healthy environments and making healthier diet options affordable and easily accessible. This is particularly important for the most vulnerable in society - the poor and children, who have limited choices about the food they eat and the environments in which they live.

Am I Obese?

Words [ Rick Piester ]

According to the website WebMD.com, physicians usually define overweight as a condition in which a person’s weight is 10-20 percent higher than “normal,” as defined by a standard height/weight chart.

If your weight is 20 percent or more above normal weight, you are considered obese. You are morbidly obese if your weight is 50-100 percent over normal, more than 100 pounds over normal, or sufficiently overweight to severely interfere with your health or your normal functioning.

The most common tool to measure obesity is Body Mass Index, or BMI. BMI is a number calculated from person’s height and weight.

The ideal is to have a BMI of 18.5-24.9. A person with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight. A BMI of 30 to 39.9 indicates obesity, and a BMI of 40 and above indicates morbid obesity.

For example, a woman 5’5” in height who weighs 150 pounds would be overweight; the same woman, if she weighs 180 pounds, is considered obese. If she weighs 240 pounds, she is morbidly obese.

A male of average height, say 5’10”, would be overweight at 174 pounds, obese at 209 pounds, and morbidly obese at 278 pounds.

The correlation of height and weight can vary a bit by sex, race, and age. Women tend to have more body fat than men, for example, so a woman with the same BMI as a man may have more of a weight

problem, and older people tend to have more body fat than younger adults. Moreover, people who are in top physical condition may have a high BMI because of muscle, rather than fat.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends that you look at additional factors — such as waist circumference and other risk factors such as high blood pressure or physical inactivity — when trying to determine a person’s risk of developing obesity-related disease.

On the internet, there is an easy, reliable BMI calculator at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.

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for the community

Healthy Lifestyles Expo at River Ridge Mall Words [ Rick Piester ]

Some of Central Virginia’s top health providers will all be in one place at one time on Saturday, April 14 during the Lynchburg Healthy Lifestyles Expo at River Ridge Mall.

Through their Hometown Health partnership, Our Health and WDBJ7 are presenting the Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the mall, near the River Ridge Stadium 14 theaters.

During the event, attendees will be able to learn about the many health and wellness services available in local communities. Healthcare and health-related specialists from throughout the area will be available to offer screenings, health education, entertainment and interactive learning activities for all members of the family.

Prizes and giveaways will include “the new iPad,” the third generation of the Apple tablet unveiled in March. Proceeds from the event will be donated to local health charities in the Lynchburg community.

The event is well-timed, coming in the early days of a new yearlong initiative — Live Healthy Lynchburg — launched by Lynchburg mayor Joan Foster on the heels of a national study that showed that the Lynchburg area is the eighth most obese metro area in the country, and a separate study by the regional health interest group ACHIEVE shows that 70 percent of adults in the area are overweight (defined as from 10 to 20 percent over ideal weight) or obese.

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After months of discussions and brainstorming among local groups interested in health, Mayor Foster announced the broad-based effort in late February, along with a challenge to overweight Lynchburg-area residents to lose a combined 24,000 pounds, or 12 tons, by the end of 2012.

“The community can do this,” she said during the announcement. “I’m going to be your cheerleader.”

Among the sponsors of the Healthy Lifestyles Expo are: Premier Level Sponsors Blue Ridge Ear Nose and Throat & Plastic Surgery— Blue Ridge Ear, Nose, Throat & Plastic Surgery has treated patients in Central Virginia for greater than 30 years. Each physician on staff is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and has extensive training in their specialty. The practice offers up-to-date techniques and state-ofthe-art equipment used to treat patients.

Piedmont Eye Center — For 40 years, Piedmont Eye Center has been a trusted name in complete eye care for residents of Central Virginia. With seven board-certified eye specialists in a large medical facility, Piedmont Eye Center is Lynchburg’s largest multi-specialty ophthalmology practice. Services include routine eye exams, contact lens fitting, minor lid surgery, Custom Blade-free iLASIK™ , Botox™ treatment, advanced cataract surgery, pediatric eye care, as well as advanced medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma retinal, and cornea disorders.

Piedmont Eye Center uses the latest technology in diagnosing and treating eye disease and the center’s surgeons operate locally for the convenience of patients.

Gold Level Sponsors Medical Associates of Central Virginia — Established in 1980, Medical Associates is the largest, independent physician practice in Lynchburg and its surrounding communities. Medical Associates has deep roots in Lynchburg having had some of the area’s most skilled and beloved physicians serving the community since its establishment. Through the years, Medical Associates has grown to more than 45 physicians practicing in five medical specialties.

The physicians and staff provide a variety of clinical services to patients, including a full range of primary care services, an accredited clinical lab, routine diagnostic tests and same-day urgent care appointments. In addition, the Diabetes Center 54

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provides comprehensive diabetes management for both adults and children. Medical Associates’ Hospitalists group cared for over 18,000 patients at Centra last year and recently expanded their efforts to Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville. Lastly, the Infectious Diseases team provides integrated specialty care to patients throughout Central Virginia and operates Intravene, the infusion therapy division, with active outpatient infusion centers in Lynchburg, Danville and Roanoke.

YMCA of Central Virginia - The YMCA of Central Virginia has been a leader in our community in the areas of healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility since 1856. Its mission is: To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. YMCA of Central Virginia offers 3 locations: the Jamerson Family Y, Downtown Y, and Express Y. Each provides unique activities and outreach to the community. Residents are welcome to visit a Y any time to receive a complimentary tour and information.

Silver Level Sponsors Centra - Centra is comprised of Centra Lynchburg General Hospital, Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital, Centra Southside Community Hospital and the Centra Medical Group. In addition, Centra’s services include residential and outpatient mental health facilities, home health and hospice programs, rehabilitation services, cancer care, mammography centers, a sleep disorders center and a center for wound care, hyperbaric medicine, and specialty care from cardiovascular to neurosciences. Centra is committed to providing quality care and outcomes throughout the region. For more information, please visit CentraHealth.com Piedmont Community Health Plan: As central Virginia’s very own managed healthcare organization, Piedmont Community Health Plan (PCHP) is dedicated to providing its members with access to medical care that represents the highest standards for quality and efficiency. PCHP is owned by people you know and trust—more than 350 local physicians and Centra. PCHP operates on the principles that your personal physician should manage your healthcare, not out-of-town insurance administrators, and that there should be close cooperation between local healthcare providers, patients and employers.

NOTE: An informative, interactive web site on the Lynchburg program is at livehealthylynchburg.com.

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specialty medicine in the community

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of retinal detachment can include flashing lights, new floaters, a shadow in the periphery of your field of vision, or a gray or dark curtain moving across your field of vision. These symptoms do not always indicate a retinal detachment, but you should see your eye care professional promptly.

Help is Nearby for Detached Retina Words [ Rick Piester ]

Look up “detached retina” on Google or anywhere else on the Web and one thing immediately jumps out at you — it can be very, very scary.

There can be flashes, fireworks or lots of “floaters” in your eye, one article says.

Another describes a dark gray curtain descending over the vision of an affected eye. Still another says to “get help immediately, or you could go completely blind right now.” A bit overly dramatic, but it gets your attention.

Retinal detachment is a serious thing, to be sure. And the most important thing to do is to seek help from a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment, including surgery, of the eye — an ophthalmologist, particularly one who is expert in the correction of detached retina.

In many communities, such expertise can be a distance away — and this involves spending extra hours, having a family member or friend drive you in a case like this, mounting travel time and expenses, and winding up with a generally unsettling feeling that high-level medical help is not available on short notice.

But with Central Virginia becoming something of a regional healthcare powerhouse, people who live here can take advantage of a growing number of advanced services and procedures that residents of other communities our size may have to travel to.

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That’s something that Judy Gerlinger learned the hard way.

A librarian and manager of the Timbrook branch of the Campbell County Public Libraries, she was at home one evening in midNovember, with a book, when she noticed that a large spot in her left eye had suddenly appeared. “There was no warning, no pain, no other symptoms,” she remembers, “just this large dark spot in my vision.”

She had had successful surgery for cataracts the previous summer, and her first thought was that what she was now seeing was in some way connected to the surgery. It wasn’t.

“I went to my optometrist, who told me that it looked like I had a retinal detachment, with tears in the retina.”

The retina is a kind of thin sheet of nerve cells at the back of your eye. Its main function is to sense light and send signals on to the brain. It is the focal point of images that pass through your cornea and the lens of your eye. It is the source of color perception in our vision, and the retina controls the sharpness of our vision. A retinal detachment is medicine’s way of saying that this thin layer of cells has pulled away from its normal position at the back of the eye.

It can be caused by trauma such as a blow to the head, by diabetes and other conditions, or it can simply happen spontaneously, which it did in Judy’s case. Judy later learned that because she is nearsighted, and the slightly elongated eyeballs of nearsighted people can sometimes result in retinal detachment.

Whatever the cause, it is an urgent and a serious problem, and it can lead to blindness if it is left untreated.

The next day, Judy was being examined by ophthalmologist Golnaz Javey, MD, one of two physicians at Piedmont Eye Center in Lynchburg who specialize in retinal diseases and

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disorders. Dr. Javey found that the retina had indeed detached, and that there were as well six small tears in the retina. They went straight to the surgical suite at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital, where Dr. Javey used a combination of procedures to repair the damage. After numbing Judy’s eye, Dr. Javey first applied intense cold to the tears in the retina with an ice probe to help hold the retina to the underlying structure (“cryopexy”) and next placed a tiny gas bubble in the eye to help the retina float back into place and keep it there (“pneumatic retinopexy”).

“That woman (Dr. Javey) has nerves of steel,” Judy now says with a laugh. “Her hand is steady as a rock. And everyone at the Baptist could not have been nicer.”

It was a relatively quick and totally painless procedure, but Judy had to keep her head constantly canted to the left, to keep the bubble in place until the repair completed itself a about week after surgery.

A speedbump in her recovery came at the end of December, when Judy began to notice what looked like “shadows” in her left eye. “I was so lucky that I could call Dr. Javey and get right in to see her,” Judy says. It turned out that the shadows were likely some residual, and temporary, effects from the earlier surgery. But in what Dr. Javey called a “belt and suspenders” approach, just to be sure, Judy had a laser treatment to clear the problem.

All was well. Until two days after laser treatment, on January 2.

Driving home from work, Judy started seeing light flashes, this time in her right eye. She knew immediately what was going on in the right eye. “That’s one of the nice things about Judy,” says Dr. Javey, “She is very observant of her symptoms and she knew what was happening.”

It was right after the holiday period, and hospitals are not always staffed up during this period. But by 5:30, Dr. Javey had arranged for staff to be called in, and an operating room was set up for the procedure to be repeated on the right eye.

Judy’s vision with glasses is 20/20 now, and she credits it to the ready availability of high-quality medical talent in her community. “I would love people to understand that we are really blessed here, that we can get the help that we need without having to drive an hour or more, with all of the extra effort that would involve.”

Editor’s Note: although a growing number of advanced diagnostic and treatment methods are available locally, there can always be a need for patients to travel to university specialists in neighboring communities or beyond for services that are unavailable here.

Health care professionals in our community understand this, and they are sworn to act in the best interests of the patients.

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healthcare from lynchburg and beyond

Pictured Below: Patients and families wait outside the entrance to the Emergency Department at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam.

From Lynchburg to Tanzania

Cardiac and Emergency Care Words [ Rick Piester ]

In Tanzania, if you become ill or injured and need emergency care, you don’t just go to the hospital as we do here. You have to get a referral, from a law enforcement agency. And the hospital isn’t just down the street, it can be days away.

It takes statistics like the following to realize how fortunate we are in the US. In the United States, there is one doctor for every 390 people. But in the eastern Africa republic of Tanzania, there is one doctor for every 50,000 people. Malaria is a major public health problem, HIV and AIDS are rampant. Life expectancy is only 47 years for males, 49 years for females.

But there is a bright side. The health statistics are grim, but they are steadily improving, along with the country’s economy. A popular, democratically elected president has made the improvement of education and healthcare his administration’s priorities.

And some of that improvement in health care will likely be the result of work by Central Virginia health professionals.

That’s the foundation established by six Lynchburg area physicians invited to Tanzania early this year to lay the groundwork for establishing the country’s first cardiac catheterization lab, and to start building an organizational model for improvement of emergency medical treatment in the nation’s hospitals.

The physicians, who represent the leadership of Centra services in cardiology and emergency medicine, were in Tanzania to present a conference on the

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diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. They also were asked to make recommendations about the new hospital’s operations and catheterization laboratory — expected to start operations in late 2012 or early 2013 — and to lay the groundwork and prepare a staffing model for the country’s single major hospital in the major commercial city of Dar es Salaam. Another highlight of the trip was dinner and an evening spent with Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

Pictured Above: At work in Tanzania (from left) Chris Thompson, M.D., Chad Hoyt, M.D., and David Frantz, M.D.

The involvement of the Centra physicians was prompted by neurosurgeon Dilan Ellegala, M.D., founder and medical director of Madaktari Africa (“madaktari” is “physician” in Swahili, the most-spoken language of Tanzania) when he was on staff of the Medical University of South Carolina before joining Centra in December 2010.

Meeting some of the Centra medical staff while interviewing for the post in Lynchburg, Dr. Ellegala’s work with the African organization caught the interest of many of the physicians he met. Last summer in Lynchburg, Dr. Ellegala was host to Mohamed Janabi, M.D., Tanzania’s director of cardiology and personal physician to the country’s president. Dr. Janabi extended the invitation on behalf of himself and President Kikwete.

Chris Thomson, MD and Tom Nygaard, MD

“In Tanzania,” according to Centra director of emergency medicine Dr. Chris Thomson, “Dr. Ellegala is intent on establishing a continuing presence of physicians from the United States, who will both see patients and train Tanzanian health care personnel with an eye on helping the medical community there to become self-sufficient. Our goal is to be able to find the funding for a Centra emergency physician to be taking care of patients on-site for six months to a year at a time, rather than for the typical few weeks that most medical exchanges last. That makes a major difference in how we plan our involvement. We have to staff our emergency department so that we can be without one of our doctors for that amount of time; each physician would typically move his or her family to Tanzania for an extended period of time, and we have to find a way for the physician to be able to support himself or herself and their family.”

A large part of the funding for health activities in Tanzania is funded by the Abbott Fund, the philanthropic arm of the pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories. For the past decade in Tanzania, that country’s government and the fund have conducted a public-private partnership to strengthen the country’s health care system and address critical areas of need.

The Centra cardiologists involved in the Tanzania effort will help establish a cardiac catheterization laboratory as part of the country’s new cardiology hospital. In a “cardiac cath” lab, caregivers use multiple advanced techniques to spot and treat heart conditions. A cardiac cath lab is taken as a given in most US hospitals. But there is none in Tanzania.

“It makes you feel very fortunate, having been in Tanzania to see the healthcare challenges there” said Thomas Nygaard, M.D., a cardiologist for Stroobants Heart Center and one of the physicians making the trip. “Where we are, a city of our size,

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we have four cath labs available to us in Lynchburg and a country of 43-and-a-half million has no cath lab yet.”

Team member Daniel Carey, M.D, says that one of his most enduring impressions is “how incredibly dedicated the Tanzanian medical people are to improving the capabilities that they have, and their ability to take limited resources and really do a lot with them.”

The gift of medical know-how to Tanzania also pays

dividends here at home. Dr. Thomson says that he has noticed in recruiting physicians that almost every physician he wants to bring to Central Virginia already has significant overseas experience, and that the better physicians want to work in an organization that encourages work in less developed countries. Dr. Nygaard says that by working abroad, physicians see that more can be done with the resources here. He also agrees with Dr. Thomson that the international connection is attractive to doctors who are being recruited. “It helps us attract the best doctors,” he said. “They are impressed when you can say you have an international program.”

In addition to Drs. Nygaard and Thomson, making the trip as well were David Frantz, M.D., Chad Hoyt, M.D., and Peter O’Brien, M.D., all with Centra Stroobants Heart Center.

Specialty Pediatric Home Health Equipment • Home Oxygen • Respiratory Supplies • Rehab Equipment • Ambulatory Aides • Phototherapy • Medela Breast Pumps • And much more!

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Peter K. O’Brien, MD, Daniel Carey, MD and David Frantz, MD, also made the trip to Tanzania.

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health reading review

Lynchburg’s Experts in Sjogren’s Syndrome Many Americans had not heard of Sjogren’s Syndrome before last fall, when tennis champion Venus Williams was forced to withdraw for the U.S. Open because of her struggle with the disorder. And it’s still something that not a lot of people know about.

Words [ Rick Piester ]

A joint report between:

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

L I F E S T Y L E S

Sjogren’s (SHOW-grins) Syndrome is a disorder of the body’s immune system, our natural defenses against infection. In Sjogren’s, the body’s immune system attacks its own moisture-producing glands, such as the glands that produce saliva and tears. In addition to the most common symptoms of intense dryness in the mouth and eyes, the syndrome can produce additional symptoms that vary widely from person to person from fatigue, joint pain, stomach upset, dry skin, depression, and many others. Because of the widely varying symptoms, it is a very difficult disorder to diagnose.

Estimates are that about four million people have Sjogren’s, and 9 out of 10 patients are women. Although it is the second most-common autoimmune disorder behind rheumatoid arthritis, most people — including many physicians — know little about it.

At least two people in Lynchburg, however, are authorities in Sjogren’s.

Katherine Morland Hammitt, herself diagnosed with Sjogren’s in 1984, is a highly regarded author, speaker, advocate and vice president for research of the national Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation, and a former chair of the Foundation’s board. Her physician, Jeffrey W. Wilson, MD., of Rheumatology of Central Virginia Family Physicians, is also a widely recognized expert and author on the disorder.

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They have each written a chapter in the newest (Fourth) edition of The Sjogren’s Book, an encyclopedic handbook on the disorder published by the Foundation.

Hammitt is also an associate editor of the handbook.

Her chapter addresses disability and Sjogren’s, while

Dr. Wilson’s chapter is a discussion of the possible benefits of vitamin D for those who have the disorder.

Hammitt is also co-author, with Teri P. Rumph, Ph.D., of a second volume published by the Foundation, The Sjogren’s Survival Guide, a highly readable book that addresses all aspects of the disorder.

Hammitt was a news producer with the ABC television affiliate in Washington, DC, when she was diagnosed with the syndrome at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

“I was so ill, I had to quit work,” she says. Because of the diversity of her symptoms, which often imitate the symptoms of a host of other disorders, her diagnosis was a long, drawn-out process. On average, it takes about 7 years for Sjogren’s patients to be diagnosed.

“Since my mother lived in Lynchburg,” she says, “she knew of Dr. Wilson.

That’s one of the reasons I moved to Lynchburg.

It is really hard to find a top-notch person who is knowledgeable about Jorgen’s, and I believe it is very important for anyone chronic illness to be near their doctor.”

Though there is no cure for Sjogren’s, many of the symptoms can be treated successfully with medications.

Note: Detailed information on this disorder at the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation Web site: www.sjogrens.org

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senior living

Lynchburg seniors can get healthy food fast, without going the fast food route Words [ Cameron May ]

Eating healthy. What does this mean exactly? There are so many different diets – and opinions – to weigh against ever-shifting nutritional studies and FDA evaluations. The food pyramid is updated and changed regularly, and grocery stores carry identical items that are labeled “organic” or “natural” and sometimes cost twice as much. By contrast, you can get a hot, greasy bacon cheeseburger for just a dollar at almost any fast food restaurant around. Pretty convenient, right?

That is what Tracey Davis, Manager of Communications at Generation Solutions, says is the biggest problem for seniors and what her company hopes to correct.

“For many seniors, the most difficult part of eating healthily would not necessarily be a lack of knowledge about what is healthy, although it’s always good to be reminded as the food pyramid and other factors change, but it’s mostly the effort,” says Davis. “Particularly for seniors

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who are now cooking for one or two rather than a full family, eating a ready-to-go meal from a can or from the freezer section may be more convenient, but it’s not always nutritional,” Davis continues.

Generation Solutions, specializing in helping seniors live their retirement years in the comfort of their

own homes, has been actively engaging the issues of senior living and healthcare since its founding in 1998. Its newest program, Nutritious and Delicious, is designed to effectively tackle this issue. “This program is part of an ongoing effort to deliver resources to area seniors,” adds Davis. “We’re continually offering them education, as well as ways to socialize, allowing them to come together and have a sense of camaraderie and community. That can be so important when many seniors now live alone. We want seniors to see us as a resource they can count on for their daily living needs, and Nutritious and Delicious is just another program we’re delivering to earn their trust.”

So, what exactly is Nutritious and Delicious?

It’s a series of classes that Generation Solutions is offering to help educate seniors on their changing dietary needs, as well as offer easy and cost effective solutions on how to implement those dietary changes. In an effort to provide this easy solution, the company has partnered with At Home Gourmet, a locally owned and operated company that specializes in preparing nutritious, homemade meals that are ready for convenient pick-up

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Susan Dolinar with At Home Gourmet

or delivery and easy-fridge storage until ready for consumption.

Davis explains, “It’s allowing seniors to eat healthy at home while not having to necessarily be responsible for cooking those meals.

We’re hoping to make them aware of that other option.”

No more time-consuming trips to the grocery store or long, tiring cooking and clean-up sessions -- just a convenient and healthy solution. The meals themselves are not merely microwave dinners or a cycle of the same seven meals each week.

You can rest assured these meals are prepared by professionals on site at their kitchen, and they are as palatable and varied as a good diet should be.

Having the scallop, wild rice, and bacon salad on a Wednesday, the butternut squash soup on a Thursday, and pesto chicken on a Friday would offer considerably more flavor and satisfaction than a can of soup or chicken nuggets every night.

At Home Gourmet assures you that you can go months without

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ever eating the same meal twice, even if you never skip one of the delicious lunches or dinners they offer.

Each of the class sessions have information, as well as a representative from At Home Gourmet, on how to sign up for the different programs the company offers. Another surprising benefit of attending the sessions is the opportunity to partake in the free samples of the meals that are offered.

Identifying a problem and offering a quick, cost-effective solution? Maybe that bacon cheeseburger is going to get a run for its money after all.

The classes and samples are free and all area seniors are welcome and encouraged to come out.

••••• The next Nutritious and Delicious class will be held: June 19, 2012, 11 am Heritage United Methodist Church Leesville Road Stay tuned for more information about future Nutritious and Delicious classes!

•••••

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