Joy to Life Magazine--Winter 2020

VOLUME2020 TWO,/ VOLUME ISSUE THREE WINTER 3 ISSUE 1

GET ORGANIZED IN 2020.

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TREAT YOURSELF

TO A SIMPLIFIED LIFE A FEW STEPS TO CLEAR CHAOS THIS YEAR

LIVE HERE. GIVE HERE. Support Breast Cancer Health In Every County in Alabama.

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Y O U R H E A LT H OUR MISSION

“I had my cancer journey close to home.”

Sandra, Breast Cancer Survivor MONTGOMERY CANCER CENTER PATIENT

After Sandra’s cancer diagnosis, friends recommended she leave town for treatment.

But her heart led her to Montgomery Cancer Center. After days filled with tests and scans, we surrounded her with hope and compassion. And after she won her battle with breast cancer, she learned that here she’d never fight alone.

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Hello everyone.

WINTER 2020

Our winter issue of the Joy to Life Magazine is simply fabulous, and I

PUBLISHER

can’t wait for you to read the great

JTL Publishing Photography by Big Dreamz Creative

information to begin 2020.

Who doesn’t want to get better organized this year? I think we would all like to de-clutter our closets, our eating habits and even our minds and achieve a healthier,

more special to me than the piece

more balanced life.

introducing our collaboration with my cousin, Elaine Goldstein Gordon.

Did you know there is a ski resort in

Elaine’s father, David, was my first

Alabama? I didn’t until we decided

cousin, and he was very special to

to do a story about Cloudmont Ski

me from the time we were very small

Resort in Mentone. Opened in 1970,

children. I loved David, and JTL's

Cloudmont today has thousands

partnership with his very talented

of skiers who visit each year. “On

daughter makes me extremely

the Move” will tell you all about

happy.

this unique ski area, and your ski vacation may just stay local!

Elaine, as you will read, is lending her expertise to the Joy to Life

I am thrilled that County

Foundation and JTL magazine. We

Commissioner Ronda Walker

all at the Joy to Life Foundation

is highlighted in the “Real Life”

look forward to a long and delicious

section of this issue. Ronda is

partnership with her and her blog,

someone that I greatly admire

Eating by Elaine (eatingbyelaine.

and respect, and I am also happy

com). YOU WILL LOVE HER

to call her my friend. Ronda, a

HEALTHY RECIPES!

breast cancer survivor, shares the incredible story of how her family,

Here’s to health, happiness and joy to

friends, her positive spirit and her

life in this New Year!

great faith brought her through a very difficult time in her life.

EDITOR Joy Blondheim MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Stewart Kornegay ART DIRECTOR Erika Rowe Tracy DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCERS Big Dreamz Creative MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION exploreMedia 334.578.7810

AD CREATIVE AND SALES Heather Cooper, Shelby Shubird, Christina Bennett and Kristina Boddie COPY EDITOR Jenny Enslen Stubbs CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Kym Klass, Jenny Enslen Stubbs CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Big Dreamz Creative, Erika Rowe Tracy COVER CREATIVE Nancy Fields/Big Dreamz Creative

Every article in this winter issue is extremely special, but none Joy Blondheim

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Stephen Poff

Editor & Co-Founder, Joy to Life Foundation Joy to Life is published quarterly by JTL Publishing. © 2019 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission from the publisher.

Joy to Life reserves the right to determine the suitability of all materials submitted for publication and to edit all submitted materials for clarity and space. Joy to Life is not responsible for damage, loss or any other injury to unsolicited manuscripts and/or unsolicited artwork. This includes, but is not limited to, drawings, photography, transparencies or any other unsolicited material. Joy to Life does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial. The publishers do not assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. Joy to Life is a news magazine with information on health, leisure activities and a healthy lifestyle. Readers are advised to consult their physicians before participating in any sport or fitness activity or starting any exercise, dietary or nutritional program published in Joy to Life.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN POFF / CREATIVE BY BIG DREAMZ CREATIVE

SPECIAL SECTION

08

M e d i c a l P ro fe s s i o n a l s

HEROES Who Go Above and Beyond Don’t miss this issue’s special section honoring some of the River Region’s Healthcare Heroes, the folks right here at home who, through their work in medicine and healthcare fields, are making a positive difference in the lives of area residents.

Kudos to these locals and the great jobs they do.

CONTENT

OF LIFE

2020

14 THE DISH

40 GREAT GOODS

18 ON THE MOVE

44 TO LIFE

24 FORWARD MOTION

48 GO & DO

Ski Bama

APRIL 18

GET ON ITIO.N

Fitness 101: How Much Exercise is Too Much?

T REGIS TR A W !

O IS OPEN N

7

A Discussion with Ronda Walker

39 EVERYDAY JOY

Healthy Eating Habits Made Easy

SAVE THE DATE

36 REAL LIFE

12 THE DISH Go Green

WALK

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

FEATURES

HEALTHCARE

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Products & Gear

Innovative Headache Help

Calendar of Events

g n i w o r G a m a b a l a ods.

o nd our f i h e b s e i al) stud The (loc

On Our Plates While we may take for granted the plates of healthy food many of us regularly enjoy on our tables, the size and scope of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station shows how it actually takes a lot of people and a great deal of time, study and effort to get it there.

BY JENNY ENSLEN STUBBS

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Using technology and good old fashioned trial and error work, The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station is discovering solutions and planting seeds for the farms of the future.

Created to advance Alabama’s forestry and agricultural industries, the team at The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) based at Auburn University conducts innovative research to improve the overall quality of life for people throughout the state of Alabama by aiding in the production and availability of wholesome food, clean water and a healthy environment.

It’s a big job with an equally large team. AAES includes the work of close to 200 researchers in five of Auburn’s colleges and schools and at six interdisciplinary research centers and institutes located on campus and also at 15 outlying research units scattered around Alabama.

While we may take for granted the plates of healthy food many of us regularly enjoy on our tables, the size and scope of AAES shows how it actually takes lot of people and a great deal of time, study and effort to get it there. AAES and its important work is funded largely through the state legislature and researches subjects in four primary areas that touch most aspects of day-to-day living.

Where AAES Works The AAES has

regional research centers across Alabama that conduct agricultural research, including a greenhouse facility on the Auburn University campus.

Nearly 1,000 field and greenhouse trials are conducted each year on issues affecting plants and animals. These experiment station research centers are established in environmental areas with unique soil to typify conditions that local producers experience. The AAES system also includes working labs like a soil lab and a marine fish lab on the coast.

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

FOOD ANIMAL SYSTEMS

"Moo"ving Parts 15 outlying research units are scattered around Alabama

When we sit down to enjoy a mouthwatering T-bone steak or some barbecueglazed pork chops, we don’t think about “food animal systems,” but AAES certainly does through its research dedicated to livestock, poultry and fish. To define the mission even further, its food animal systems studies target efficient and sustainable animal production systems, animal health, animal production technologies and the safe use of animal manure.

Why these particular topics? Eric Peatman, team leader for the “animal breeding, reproduction and genomics” interdisciplinary team explains. “These tools have amazing potential to provide better, more precise and more detailed answers to some of the most pressing issues in agriculture.”

INTEGRATED FOOD AND HEALTH HUMAN SYSTEMS If a community is comprehensively healthy, that means it meets the standard for much more than optimal blood pressure and good eating habits. Because AAES recognizes this, its integrated food and health systems concentration brings researchers together to study how to improve human health through food quality, nutrition, diseases spread between people and animals, toxins, the impact of pests and/or pesticides on the ecosystem, as well as general safety and health.

Knowing that all of these things are intertwined, Christy Bratcher, team leader of the food safety, quality and integrated health disciplinary team, points out: “We’re that link between all of the systems and figuring out how to get that onto consumer plates.”

PLANT PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS As you can imagine, the findings from plant production and management systems can yield an abundance of information. Bill Batchelor, team leader of this automation and data-driven systems, asks, “How do you decide how to use all of this technology? How do you analyze all of this data?” As an engineering professor, Batchelor works with his team to develop tools that help producers analyze the data, along with use the technology.

In fact, plant production and management systems bring together many different plant science disciplines. Crop and soil science, entomology, horticulture and plant pathology are the primary concentrations, with plant production and protection, cropping systems, adaptability and resiliency, agricultural technology and innovations, and impact of agricultural production systems on the ecosystem are also part of the research.

SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS AND RENEWABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Understanding and promoting sustainable ecosystems and renewable resource management are incredibly important research pursuits, but some facets of this study are a bit creepy, like the focuses of team leader of biodiversity and landscapes Art Appel’s work: cockroaches, bed bugs, ants and other pests that can invade our homes. “You can’t control it or manage it unless you know what it is and know how it works,” he said.

This area also includes research on ecosystem services and preservation, biodiversity, climate change, water, energy, landscapes, bio-based products, alternative crops and renewable resources.

Old As Dirt The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) was established by an act of the Alabama Legislature nearly two centuries ago in 1833.

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A Big Yield Nearly 1,000 field and greenhouse trials are conducted each year on issues affecting plants and animals.

SHE ONCE BUILT A FORT SO LARGE, THAT IT UTILIZED EVERY BLANKET, TOWEL, AND CHAIR IN THE WHOLE HOUSE.

CHILDREN A M A Z E U S E V E R Y D AY

In the Field AAES includes the work of close to 200 researchers in five of Auburn’s colleges and schools.

and at Children’s of Alabama, we want to see every child grow up and live to their fullest potential.

That’s why we recruit, train and retain the most inquiring minds, the most skilled hands and the most compassionate hearts in pediatric medicine.

1 6 0 0 7 T H AV E N U E S O U T H B I R M I N G H A M , A L 3 5 2 3 3 (205) 638-9100

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the dish

GO GREEN

Spinach & Ricotta Pizza 1 prepared pizza crust

Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy hearty, healthy greens.

2/3 cups ricotta 1 clove garlic, minced juice of 1/2 a lemon salt and black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips 2 cups fresh spinach, leaves cut or torn into smaller pieces

Kale & Beans

2/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

3 cups kale cut into small pieces 1 small sweet onion, diced

Preheat oven to the temperature your crusts call for.

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Mix the garlic, lemon juice, salt and black pepper into ricotta; set aside.

3.5 cups veggie stock

Heat the olive oil in a skillet.

Sauté peppers until tender (4 to 5 minutes), then add spinach and cook until slightly wilted.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot and sauté onion until soft. Add kale and wilt slightly. Add salt to taste. Add veggie stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook until the kale

Say What?

reaches the desired softness. Add beans and simmer 10-15 minutes longer.

The ultimate reward from cooking greens the old-fashioned way — slow-cooking them until soft in a liquid — is potlikker. The word is most commonly used with turnip or collard greens and refers to the vitamin-rich broth that’s created from this method. The odd name is Southern-speak for pot liquor. You’ll also see it spelled as two words: Pot likker.

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Place crust onto baking sheet or pizza stone. Spread thin layer of ricotta cheese mixture onto the crusts. Top with spinach and peppers. Then, top with shredded parmesan. Place pizzas on sheet on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown on edges, and the cheese is melted and golden.

Famous frog Kermit once lamented that it’s not easy being green; maybe that’s true. But it is easy to go green by adding more greens to your diet. And we’re not talking about lettuce here. We mean heavier, heartier greens like collards, spinach, kale and mustard and turnip greens.

Whether you opt for collards’ deep pine-forest hues or frilly-edged, spearmint-colored kale, these green beauty queens are just right for winter and early spring eating since locally grown greens will soon

And while they all have their own distinct tastes, their shared earthy

Collard Green Frittata

flavor plays well with others, making them excellent additions to

2 eggs

soups, stews, frittatas and other dishes that bring comfort on cool,

1/4 half and half

gray days. All of these leafy lovelies share something else too: more

1 small sweet onion, diced

than their fair share of valuable vitamins and minerals.

1 1/2 cups chopped collard greens

be at their peak in much of Alabama.

1 T oil

The Prize Inside

Pinch red pepper flakes 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese

Increasing the amount of any veggie you eat is beneficial, but greens are truly nutritional super stars.

Beat eggs with cream and salt and

Spinach:

B6, 40 percent of

boosting immune

pepper to taste in a bowl; set aside.

It’s low in calories

magnesium, 180

function, protecting

but high in phyto-

percent of vitamin

the body from toxins

Heat oil in 12-inch, oven-proof

nutrients, vitamins,

A, 200 percent of

and battling cancer.

minerals and

vitamin C and a

fiber. You can get

whopping 1,020

Mustard Greens:

25 percent of the

percent of vitamin

Like its cousins, the

recommended

K. Vitamins A, C

mustard green is full

daily intake of iron

and K are powerful

of vitamins K, A and

in just one cup.

antioxidants.

C. Mustard greens

skillet. Sauté onions in the skillet over medium heat until translucent and soft (about five minutes). Add greens and sauté until wilted and soft (about 15-20 minutes). Add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and salt and black pepper to taste.

Pour egg mixture over the veggies;

are also rich in folate

Vitamins A, C and K are found in mass

Collard Greens:

and are a good source

quantities in spinach,

This green is

of manganese.

and you’ll add

great if you’re

important minerals

looking to bump

Turnip Greens:

like potassium,

up your vitamin

These greens are

magnesium, copper

C consumption.

also vitamin C and

and zinc to your diet.

It also contains

other antioxidant

(as do many other

powerhouses, plus

Kale:

greens) glutathione,

they provide 20

One cup of kale

a peptide with three

percent of the daily

has only 36 calories

amino acids that

recommended

with 5 grams of

play key roles in your

intact of

fiber, 15 percent of

health, like aiding

calcium.

your daily dose of

the liver in cleansing

calcium and vitamin

and detoxifying fat,

stir to incorporate veggies.

Cook on the stovetop until the edges start to set (about 3 minutes). Sprinkle the cheese on top, and transfer to the 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes until set and starting to brown on top.

You can add pretty much anything to a frittata. Consider a bit of

Extra, Extra!

cooked and crumbled bacon or some turkey sausage; you don’t need much of either to add some meaty, smoky flavor.

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

the dish

Eating Made Easy

Elaine Gordon

• Introducing

•

Joy to Life magazine is thrilled to announce a new

dim lights and a glass of wine as he started the cooking

collaboration with food blogger and healthy eating expert

process. It was a ritual and part of his self care (I’m

Elaine Gordon, whose blog, Eating by Elaine, features

convinced). Seeing the love both of my parents had for

tons of delicious, easy-to-make dishes that are nutritious,

being in the kitchen and entertaining definitely rubbed

plant-based and free of common allergens including

off on me. I find that not only do I think about food

gluten, dairy, soy and peanuts.

constantly, but I find myself happiest when I’m in my kitchen creating dishes for my loved ones.

We’re posting some of Elaine’s personal favorite recipes — complete with nutritional content —on the magazine’s

When I was a teenager, my mom was diagnosed with

website every month, and here, we’d like to introduce

breast cancer. At that time, she started to change many

Elaine, and let her explain her background and passion

aspects of her lifestyle including her diet. I was so

for healthy eating and wellness. She also shared her

intrigued by the idea that what we put in our bodies can

thoughts on the Joy to Life Foundation and the personal

make a difference in our overall health. Since then, I

connection that inspired her to work with us.

have always strived to eat nutritious foods that nourish my body and contribute to a positive healthy lifestyle.

Where are you originally from and where do you live now? I am originally from Rockville,

Over the years, I discovered that not everyone knows the health impact of their eating choices. I have grown to love

Maryland, and now I live in Baltimore, Maryland, with

nutrition education as a way to help others live healthier.

my husband and three young children.

How did you get into cooking and into healthy eating?

Give us a little bit of your healthy cooking background and “credentials.”

I attribute my love for cooking to my mom and dad and

Although I was originally an actuarial mathematics

my appreciation for healthy eating to my mom. Growing

major in college, I quickly realized my true passion lies

up, my parents were always in the kitchen together and

in helping others live healthier. I never stop thinking

they both were incredible cooks. My dad always created

about food and dreaming about what my next meal

a special dinnertime ambiance with relaxing music,

will be. So, naturally, I started to pursue an interest in

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Joy to Life magazine is thrilled to announce a new collaboration with food blogger and healthy eating expert Elaine Gordon, whose blog, Eating by Elaine, features tons of delicious, easy-to-make and nutritious dishes.

Eat Up!

Visit joytolifemagazine.org to find some of Elaine’s best bites, and check out all of her recipes at her website, eatingbyelaine.com.

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

public health where I was able to focus on my passion for broad-based nutrition education. After college, I was offered a fancy job in NYC but also was accepted into a

• Family Ties • A combo of family connections and the laudable mission of the Joy to Life Foundation inspired Elaine Gordon to collaborate with Joy to Life magazine.

“Joy Blondheim was my dad’s first cousin. My dad grew up in Alabama, and we visited his friends and our relatives in Alabama throughout my life. I love the Joy to Life Foundation’s mission. With my background in public health and my mom’s experience with breast cancer four times throughout her life, I know the importance of proper screening and early detection. I’m amazed and inspired by what Joy has created with this incredible foundation stemming from her own experience with breast cancer. I love that the Joy to Life Foundation raises awareness about breast cancer in general and has become a symbol of hope and support. I truly believe that my mother has survived because of her access to screenings. I know my dad would be so proud of me for being part of this family initiative by contributing my recipes. He instilled a love for cooking in me and this opportunity really ties everything together so perfectly.”

What inspired Eating by Elaine? I feel like my entire life has culminated to my current career as a full-time food blogger. My readers motivate me more

Masters in Public Health

than anything when

graduate program. I

they send me messages

was torn but decided to

saying that they cook

go with my gut and give the MPH program a try.

And I’m so happy I did! I immediately fell in love with all aspects of public health and community health education and eventually found myself

from my blog and have

#inseason The new year is a great time to try new recipes.

Follow along with us on social media too.

gravitating toward nutrition education. After graduation, I went on to become a Certified Health Education Specialist and then eventually became a Masters Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. I worked for more than 10 years in the corporate wellness space creating population-wide wellness programs for employers and their employees. On the side, I started a food blog just for fun as a creative outlet and a way to share my healthy recipes. It continued to grow over the years, and eventually I got picked up by The Washington Post and became a regular contributor to their wellness section where I got to create monthly healthy recipes with accompanying articles that explained the health benefits of the featured ingredients. As the blog continued to grow, so did my passion for creating nutritious dishes I could share with more than just my friends and family.

I quickly realized I could reach just about anyone with a food blog.

become healthier as a result. That really gets to the heart of why I do what I do: helping people live healthier lives through delicious and healthy recipes. While I recognize nutrition

is only one aspect of wellness, I do believe it is an impactful one and something that so many can benefit from improving. When I inspire my readers it in turn really does inspire me to get back in the kitchen and create more recipes for the blog.

Another huge aspect of my inspiration for Eating by Elaine comes from my family’s food allergies and food sensitivities (including my own!).

Growing up, my brother had life threatening food allergies during a time when food allergies were not as common. I was inspired by my mom’s efforts as I watched her navigate teachers, camps, playdates, Halloween, birthday parties, etc., to look out for my brother in a world where “gluten-free and allergyfriendly” were not even really terms.

I started developing food sensitivities and food allergies myself later in life and realized the impact that certain foods were having on my health.

Once I was able to identify and eliminate those foods (for me it

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was mainly dairy, eggs, wheat, gluten,

recipes that are loaded with good-

peanuts and soy), I felt like myself again.

for-you, wholesome ingredients that

Once again, I was reminded of the great

are approachable and simple for the

impact food has on how we feel. With

everyday home cook.

those experiences in mind, I decided my blog would not only be a nutritious food

Second, I love to help readers who have

blog, but it could help others with food

food allergies (or in many cases multiple

sensitivities and food allergies. Many of

food allergies) find a safe space to select

my readers find my recipes liberating.

recipes for their meal planning. At first,

I love to prove through my dishes that

navigating healthy eating with all my

healthy, allergy-friendly cooking can

food sensitivities was difficult. But,

still be easy and delicious.

once I learned the basic swaps that can

When did you start your blog?

be made and started experimenting with new allergy-friendly ingredients,

I started the blog as a small hobby in

I learned that it is all possible without

2012 but actually became serious about

sacrificing taste. I want to empower

it in 2017, once I left the corporate

my readers to feel confident in their

world and was able to focus on it more.

kitchens despite their food allergies.

With three young kids, I try my best to balance my family life with the blog. I have such a passion for recipe development, blogging and food photography now that I find myself wanting to spend more and more time on it. My oldest daughter Riley says

What would you say to encourage someone who is trying to change their eating habits and incorporate more fruits and veggies?

she wants to be a food blogger when

With any lifestyle behavior change it is

she grows up and loves to help me out

always important to identify your “why,”

in the kitchen and with photoshoots.

meaning what is motivating you to make

And my four-year-old daughter Jade

this change. With that in mind, having

says she wants be a food stylist and food

support from family and friends can be

photographer when she grows up. I love

extremely helpful in making the goal

the impact this career has had on them.

more achievable.

For now, my two-year-old, David, does a fabulous job of eating everything I

Healthy eating doesn’t just happen;

create in the kitchen. And I must also

it really does take active planning. It

mention my incredibly supportive

starts with finding what you love to

husband, Bobby, who encourages me

eat (flavors, cuisines, types of food)

daily to pursue my dreams.

and then incorporating healthier

What do you hope readers get out of your blog? I hope readers of

methods into your favorite dishes. I think starting with small changes can lead to big results over time. So, rather

all types of diets can first and foremost

than changing everything at once, I

realize that cooking homemade meals

recommend picking smaller, shorter

is doable and does not have to be time

achievable goals. I have an article on my

consuming. With my busy lifestyle, I

blog that gets into this concept in more

have to keep all my dishes super simple.

detail.

I love to create vibrant and flavorful

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

“Over the years, I discovered that not everyone knows the health impact of their eating choices.

I have grown to love nutrition education as a way to help others live healthier.”

- Elaine Gordon, eatingbyelaine.com

ON THE MOVE

EST

1970

Located on top of Lookout Mountain, Cloudmont is unique as the only ski resort in Alabama and the southeastern-most ski resort in the country.

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OUTSIDE

AL

ALL YEAR LONG There are plenty of other

Looking for a cool getaway? Treat your family to a day of active outdoor fun in a winter wonderland that’s closer than you think.

The glare of sun off the snow is brilliant, almost blinding. The cold air washing across your cheeks and whooshing past your ears is exhilarating. The delicate “swishing” sound as you carve out perfect turns is almost musical. You’re snow skiing. And, better yet, you’re doing it in Alabama. No long drive or airplane ride required. Just a short, easy jaunt up to Mentone, and you’ll be gliding (or slipping and sliding, depending on your level of skiing expertise) down the slopes at Cloudmont Ski Resort

rents all the equipment necessary for a fun-filled skiing experience and offers ski instruction and lessons. There are also chalets and cabins on the property for overnight guests.

activities and attractions to keep visitors flocking to Cloudmont's quiet mountain atmosphere year-round. Shady Grove Dude Ranch is on the same property as Cloudmont.

A favorite pastime here is a guided trail ride on horseback that provides stunning views of Veil Falls and DeSoto Falls, but hiking among a profusion of mountain laurels in the spring or blazing autumn colors in the fall, as well as fishing and swimming in Little River in the summer, are also popular diversions.

BY JENNIFER STEWART KORNEGAY

Located on top of Lookout Mountain, Cloudmont is unique as the only ski resort in Alabama and the southeasternmost ski resort in the country. It’s also family owned and operated and is a perfect place for beginners looking to try something new or seasoned skiers hoping to hone their skills.

In the winter of 1970, Cloudmont opened its ski slopes for the first time. Today, approximately 6,000 to 7,000 skiers a year enjoy going up the mountain via two “pony lifts,” zipping down the fast, wide run, and then doing it all over again. Like many ski resorts all over the world (even those in places that regularly receive plenty of natural snow) Cloudmont uses a snow machine to pile powder on its slopes. And man-made snow is the exact same stuff that falls out of the sky; the machines use a different method than Mother Nature to create the snow, but the end result is the same.

On its 800 acres of pristine mountain land, Cloudmont has two, 1,000-foot-long slopes that connect to each other with an elevation of 1,800 feet and a vertical drop of 150 feet. There’s a ski shop that

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

If you’re interested in swooshing down the slopes at Cloudmont this year, make sure you call or visit the website before you go. The snow machines let Cloudmont cheat the weather a little, but the resort still has to wait for the temperature to drop to at least 28 degrees and for the ground to freeze before the machines will crank out snow.

Because of this, the “season” can vary greatly each year depending on the temperature, and every winter is different. But once the conditions are right, and the machines produce a good, deep base, Cloudmont can keep that snow nice and skiable all the way into spring.

SKIS UP Cloudmont Ski Resort & Shady Grove Dude Ranch in Mentone, Alabama www.cloudmont.com

Start the new year off right.

Use these easy solutions for everyday organizing that will simplify your life.

get it together A few steps to clear the clutter this year.

With every new year come new beginnings. You too can PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN POFF / CREATIVE BY BIG DREAMZ CREATIVE

start fresh with a clean, organized home. It will make your life less stressful, save you money and boost your energy and confidence.

Didn’t know a good “gettingorganized” effort could do all that? Read on.

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Out With the Old let's be honest.

A big step in creating a simpler, cleaner, more streamlined living environment is getting rid of your unused items, and you need to think beyond your clothes closet. Take everything out of all closets and cabinets and give each item an honest assessment, asking:

Clutter Chaos

do you need it at all?

Too much stuff everywhere and just thrown anywhere can drain you physically and emotionally. If you have to dig through a mountain to find things, you’re wasting valuable time, and you’re going to stay frustrated and tired.

If you lose an important document or misplace something you need to complete a task, you’re going to be stressed out. And does this sound familiar? You need a citrus zester but can’t find your citrus zester, so you buy a new citrus zester.

Two weeks later, you find the citrus zester you bought three years ago. Getting rid of clutter is the first step in getting truly organized.

Step 1 Take out the trash.

Give everything in the house a long, hard look and decide if you really use it or really need it. Throw out or donate anything that you don’t.

do you use it often? where should it be stored?

Step 3 A place for everything.

Every item you keep deserves a designated home.

When everything has a place, you have the space to put it away when you’re done, and you’ll know exactly where it is when you need it again. Make sure all family members know the appropriate “home” for items so when they’re helping put things away, items are put in the correct spot.

Step 4 Kill clutter hotspots.

Step 2 Memories, shemories.

You cannot keep every crayon scribbling that little Annie and Johnny have drawn throughout their childhood and trying to do so will result in some serious clutter. While we’re not suggesting you sacrifice all nostalgic feelings on the organizing alter, try to be realistic. Keep the photo albums (nicely organized and labeled, of course) and the truly special drawings or handmade clay mugs. In fact, if a child’s art is something you really want to keep, consider displaying it somewhere in your home instead of stuffing it in a drawer.

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Certain areas of your house may be more prone to clutter build up than others. Take some time to figure out why that is and then address that reason specifically.

Step 5 Create a de-cluttering schedule.

Decide the needed frequency of your de-cluttering efforts and create a schedule that you’ll actually follow. It may be once a week for some areas in the house and once a year for others.

A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

Organize it all.

get back in the closet

Chances are, your closets are some of the most cluttered, un-organized spaces in your home. Here are a few closet organization tips to take to heart.

Room-by-Room Tips

Kitchen • Keep your fridge from becoming a black hole by supplementing its storage.

Adding a few free-standing wire shelves can double its capacity and make it easier to get things in and out.

• Stop all the cabinet stacking! Place small tension rods vertically in a cabinet to create dividers for storing cutting boards, baking sheets and large plates upright.

• Put dry goods that come in bags or odd-shaped containers (flour, sugar, rice, beans) in rectangular or square clear containers to make more efficient use of your pantry space.

• Tidy up your junk drawer by reusing plastic lunch-meat containers, metal mint tins and even old shoe boxes.

Just remember to label any containers or boxes you can’t easily see into or through.

Laundry Room

Look at every item of clothing and

• A pocket shoe organizer hung on the back of your laundry room door provides additional storage space for cleaning supplies.

decide if it is being worn, might be worn again, needs altering or is ready to go on to have a life with someone else. Trying on items that haven't been worn in a while is helpful.

Bedroom

Donate the things you’re not using to a local charity.

• Don’t forget about all that space under your bed. Buy large plastic containers with tops to store seasonal clothing items when you’re not wearing them, freeing up space in your closet and dresser.

Garage • Use basic pegboards and hooks to hang sports equipment, yard tools, etc.

• Drill holes in clear plastic cups and hang them on pegboard hooks to hold small items like nails, screws, etc.

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If it is full of holes or covered in stains,

toss it in the trash. pro tip:

Keep old t-shirts though. Cut them up and use them for cleaning rags. They are perfect for soaking up spills (replacing expensive and wasteful paper towels) and dusting items you don’t want to scratch.

Look for opportunities to utilize every inch of a space

in a pretty way. Add hooks or shelves for accessories like jewelry, belts, scarves and handbags. Use matching, space-saving hangers.

do it for your health

Recent studies have shown that people who see their homes as cluttered and chaotic suffer higher rates of depression and fatigue. On the flipside, those who describe their homes as neat and organized had lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and felt more relaxed in their living spaces. When you feel more restored and rested in general, this can benefit every area of your life. It can help you:

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sleep better.

Stick to other healthy lifestyle choices like eating better and exercising more.

Improve your relationships by giving you more time for others (and putting you in a better mood when you’re with them).

Bump up your productivity at work or in other projects thanks to the extra energy and sense of accomplishment a tidy home provides.

A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

TION FORWA RD MO

FITNESS

101:

Isn’t more always better?

Not with everything, and certainly not when it comes to exercise.

You can overdo it and undo its inherent benefits.

15

BY KYM KLASS 24

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how much is too much?

STRENUOUS AND REPETITIVE EXERCISE DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUATE TO

better, stronger, Faster.

Because, sometimes, it takes rest, recovery and listening to our bodies in order to get the most out of our workouts. So how much is too much?

Let’s first talk about the tipping point. When it comes to exercise volume, there is a “dose-response relationship,” which means that the more you work out, the more benefits you will achieve. But, there is a tipping point beyond which the amount of exercise you perform can do more harm than good, according to the American Council on Exercise.

THIS POINT CAN BE REACHED BY ONE OR BOTH OF TWO WAYS: TOO MUCH EXERCISE WITHOUT ENOUGH RECOVERY CHRONIC UNDER-FUELING This tipping point is known as overtraining syndrome (OTS) and, in short, leads to a decrement in fitness level and possibly injury. Signs of overtraining include increased perceived effort during workouts, chronic or nagging injuries, metabolic imbalances and psychological stress and/or depression, according to ACE.

The owner of Club Pilates said too much exercise can be an issue if you don’t allow your body to heal. “What we’ve seen in all of our studios is that we can help our members recover and prevent injury by customizing their workout around existing conditions or body ailments without adding stress on their joints,” said Lanie Brazell. “Our members love this. Many Reformer exercises are performed lying supine – on the back – and gravity is taken entirely out of the picture. This means our members can exercise without creating further stress to existing imbalances.”

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for some people, exercise can become a compulsion.

This is when exercise is no longer something you choose to do, but something you feel like you have to do. Signs to watch for include feeling guilty or anxious if you do not exercise; continuing to exercise, even if you are injured or sick; worrying your friends, family or others about how much you exercise; exercising when it is no longer fun; skipping other obligations and events to exercise; and the cessation of periods (for women).

Compulsive exercise may be associated with eating disorders and it can do real harm and even cause problems with your heart, bones, muscles and nervous system.

When people walk into Club Pilates, fitness goals determine how often clients come, said Brazell.

“Throughout my Pilates journey, I quickly realized that Pilates is a workout that you can do every day,” 25

A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

10

20

Signs You’re Exercising Too Much Source: U.S. News and World Report

DECREASED PERFORMANCE DISINTEREST IN EXERCISE MOOD CHANGES DELAYED RECOVERY TIME ELEVATED RESTING HEART RATE FATIGUE INSOMNIA DIMINISHED APPETITE FAT GAIN WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM

she said. “It challenges your whole body, yet it is a low-impact workout that doesn’t leave you completely drained after class. You benefit from even one class of Pilates a week."

People can tell if they’re overdoing it when exercising, Brazell said, if they feel a sharp or uncomfortable pain.

“We have found that the best thing to do is to listen to your body and know your limits,” she said. “Of course, you want to challenge yourself to improve, but not at the risk of injury. ”

balancing ACT

the right fit:

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), listening to your body and getting enough rest are key to avoiding overtraining. The NIH offers

Recommended Physical Activity for Adults

these tips on ways to make sure you’re

3

not overdoing it.

GET AT LEAST 150 MINUTES PER WEEK of moderate-intensity aerobic

EAT ENOUGH

activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous

calories for your level of exercise.

aerobic activity, or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week.

Decrease your workouts

BEFORE A COMPETITION. ADD MODERATE- TO HIGHINTENSITY MUSCLEDRINK ENOUGH

STRENGTHENING ACTIVITY

water when you exercise.

(such as resistance or weights) on at least two days per week.

CUT BACK OR STOP exercising when you don’t

SPEND LESS TIME SITTING

feel well or are under a lot

Even light-intensity activity can offset

of stress

some of the risks of being sedentary.

Aim to get at least

EIGHT HOURS of sleep each night.

GAIN EVEN MORE BENEFITS by being active at least 300 minutes (five hours) per week.

REST FOR AT LEAST SIX HOURS

INCREASE AMOUNT AND INTENSITY

in between periods of exercise,

gradually over time.

Don’t exercise in

taking a full day off

Source: American Heart Association

EXTREME HEAT OR COLD.

every week.

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

HEALTHCARE M e d i c a l P ro fe s s i o n a l s

HEROES Who Go Above and Beyond

One among many

Dr Greg Waller, M.D.

Honored by: the staff of OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery HERO STATUS:

For more than 25 years, Dr. Waller has served as a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist striving to provide safe, respectful and compassionate care to women of all ages. As founder of OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery, Dr. Waller worked diligently to expand the practice from the Montgomery area to locations in Prattville, Troy and Wetumpka. Throughout his career, Dr. Waller has delivered well over 5,000 babies. His goal is to deliver healthy babies not only in our community, but also in outlying areas where prenatal care is less accessible.

SUPER POWERS: Dr. Waller campaigned to bring the first robotic surgery system to Baptist Medical Center East. Using his training to educate other physicians on how to utilize robotic techniques has helped cut down on recovery time and risk of infection for patients. Dr. Waller values the power of education and has served as a preceptor for students from UAB, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn University and the University of South Alabama. He has twice been the recipient of the Argus Award for the best clinical educator in the UAB Residency Program.

HOW HE HELPS MOST: Dr. Waller is an advocate for making healthcare accessible to all women in the community. The practice collaborates with the State of Alabama Medicaid Maternity Program to reach patients in rural areas, providing early access to prenatal care. Dr. Waller enjoys volunteering with Medical Outreach Ministries providing gynecological services and surgeries to outreach patients from the tri-county area. Also, Dr. Waller is involved with programs such as Sav-a-Life with the goal of achieving healthy pregnancies and deliveries.

Find out more about OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery, P.C. at www.obgynmontgomery.com

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

HEALTHCARE M e d i c a l P ro fe s s i o n a l s

HEROES Who Go Above and Beyond

One among many

G. Mark Kingry, D.M.D Honored by: Kingry Orthodontics

HERO STATUS: Dr. Kingry has been serving the Montgomery area since 1993.

His goal and office mission is: “Creating Smiles For Life.”

He enjoys the relationships he is able to establish with his patients and desires for each patient to enjoy their end result and to carry that smile throughout their life.

SUPER POWERS: Dr. Kingry strives to provide an environment that is welcoming and relaxing for both children and adults. His philosophy is to develop and individualize a smile that enhances each patient’s confidence and presence. In addition to changing patients’ lives by providing a more confident smile, he also has a passion for reducing head and neck pain associated with muscle imbalance. He and his team use a sports-medicine based therapy to reduce TMJ/jaw pain, headaches and migraines that are associated with improper bite and muscle function. This therapy has helped his patients get back to a more balanced life and reduce dependence on medication while eliminating pain in the head and neck.

HOW HE HELPS MOST: Dr. Kingry and his committed team work tirelessly to make sure each and every patient is treated like a family member and has a positive orthodontic experience.

Find out more about Kingry Orthodontics at www.kingryorthodontics.com

Healthcare Heroes

The Doctors of Alabama Orthopaedic Specialists HERO STATUS: Since each doctor is specialty trained, most orthopaedic health problems can be dealt with among these physicians, here in Montgomery.

SUPER POWERS: This group of physicians are board certified and fellowship trained in their area of expertise making them the only fully sub-specialized group of orthopaedic surgeons in central Alabama. Alabama Orthopaedic Specialists are a team of Healthcare Heroes.

Steven A. Barrington, MD: Total Joint Surgery Michael E. Davis, MD; Spine Surgery Charles W. Hartzog, MD: Sports Medicine Donald D. Thornbury, MD: Foot and Ankle Surgery Hussein W. Turki, MD: Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery George D. Walcott, MD: Sports Medicine

HOW THEY HELP MOST: A can-do attitude plus a passion for quality care plus compassion for the patient and family equals: Alabama Orthopaedic Specialists are a healthcare hero team.

Contact AOS at 334.274.9000.

Happy New Year from your Doctor’s at AOS! Steven A. Barrington, MD

D. D. Thornbury, MD

Michael E. Davis, MD

Hussein W. Turki, MD

Charles W. Hartzog, Jr., MD

G. Dexter Walcott, Jr., MD

Arthroscopy and Total Joint Surgery Spine Surgery

Sports Medicine

Foot and Ankle Surgery Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery Sports Medicine

A Regional Subspecialized Orthopaedic Practice Fellowship Trained • Patient Focused aosonline.net • 334.274.9000 • 4294 Lomac St., Montgomery, AL 36106

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

Healthcare Heroes

Dr. Diem Yeung

Neurologic Program Director Honored by: Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Montgomery HERO STATUS: A graduate of the LAMP magnet high school in Montgomery, Dr. Yeung has been a part of the Encompass Health of Montgomery team since 2015. Prior to joining the team, she was medical director for the Encompass Health team in Gadsden, Alabama, from 2011-2015.

SUPER POWERS: Dr. Yeung has a passion for helping others and has dedicated herself to addressing the needs of those individuals that have suffered from a stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury. Dr. Yeung also provides care for individuals who have been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

HOW SHE HELPS MOST: “Everyone deserves a chance to improve their quality of life, regardless of their prognosis,� is something Dr. Yeung not only says on a regular basis, but a sentiment she exemplifies every time she rounds on her patients in our hospital.

Find out more at www.encompasshealth.com/locations/montgomeryrehab

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

PROS

* LOCA

S*

W

KNO TO

XPERT LE

Local experts in areas from health to home design.

Get to know some local pros.

Lanie Steube Brazell Owner/Operator/Instructor

Andrew Thrash General Manager

Club Pilates

Montgomery Antiques & Interiors

Specialty: As a certified Pilates instructor with over 500 hours of training, she mixes Pilates with Functional Movement to create an all over balanced and healthy body. Club Pilates

Specialty: Helping clients learn how to mix a fine antique piece of furniture into today’s contemporary design. It only takes one piece to add warmth and

offers a free trial class for

character to any space.

everyone.

Contact: MGMantiques.com

Contact: clubpilates.com

Brooke Ainsworth, Medical Laser Technician Aesthetica Montgomery Medspa Specialty: Brooke is a whiz with a laser wand! Whether she’s performing permanent laser body fat reduction, permanent laser hair removal or 1540 fractional laser for skin resurfacing , client comfort is her No. 1 priority.

Cindy Chavez

Casey Thornton, CRNP

Bella

Laser Wellness Med Spa

Specialty: Cindy has been a

Specialty: Casey is a board-

makeup artist for 17 years. With

certified Family Nurse Practitioner

her inviting personalty that

who provides family-centered,

makes customers comfortable,

compassionate care. Her scope

she excels in customer service

encompasses health promotion,

in addition to her great make-up

disease prevention, diagnosis

artistry skills. She also works at

and management of common and

Bella selling skin care, cosmetics

complex healthcare problems.

Contact:

and more.

aestheticamontgomery.com

Instagram: @bellamontgomery_ 34

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Contact: laserwellnessmedspa.com

BEY ND PINK

Awareness

Early detection is the key to surviving.

We provide breast exams at all Primary Care locations.

ams mmogr 3D Ma January coming 0 202

Call 334-514-3688 to schedule your Mammogram today! www.ivycreekhealth.com

Newest location now open in Prattville At Central Alabama Radiation Oncology, our goal is to provide the highest quality coordinated, compassionate care to patients and their family members.

Only Accredited Facility in Central Alabama Montgomery Location 4143 Carmichael Rd Montgomery, AL 36106 Next to Montgomery Cancer Center (334) 395-2200

www.carollc.com

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

Prattville Location 585 Jasmine Trail Prattville, AL 36066 334-395-2200

FIRST-HAND ADVICE AND INSIGHT TO HELP CAREGIVERS COPE

A DISCUSSION WITH

RONDA WALKER A “believe it, be it� attitude and determination to keep moving forward for her kids pushed Montgomery County Commissioner Ronda Walker through a dire diagnoses and to the other side: breast cancer survivorship.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. It was one week before Christmas 2014 when I was diagnosed with locally invasive breast cancer. I had two tumors in my right breast, two different types of cancer. One tumor was the size of a lime, the second tumor was the size of a penny. My PET scan revealed the presence of cancer in several lymph nodes around my right breast. Basically, I was a mess! My wonderful oncologist, Dr. Stephen Davidson at the Montgomery Cancer Center, determined an aggressive course of treatment was necessary. First, we had to do chemo to shrink the tumors. I was given eight rounds, one round every other week. Chemotherapy has a compounding impact on the body. The first couple of rounds, while bad, were tolerable. As the treatment continued, my fatigue was extreme, I experienced sores in my mouth, I had constant nausea, and of course, I was bald! The good news is, my body responded perfectly to the chemo and when finished, there was no sign of cancer. I followed up chemo with a mastectomy, then 28 rounds of radiation. After radiation ended and I healed, I had a 14-hour reconstructive surgery that involved a second mastectomy and double reconstruction. My breast cancer treatment lasted for an entire year.

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8

Photography by Big Dreamz Creative

real

HEAR FROM SURVIVORS, COMPANIONS AND CAREGIVERS IN OUR

Real Life

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST THOUGHT WHEN YOU HEARD THE DIAGNOSIS? It was a Friday night, and I was getting ready for a Christmas party when I felt the lump in my right breast. I knew immediately it was bad, but it was a Friday, so I had to wait until Monday to go to the doctor. That weekend was stressful, sleepless. On that Tuesday, the biopsy results came back, and I sat on a love seat in the diagnostic radiologist’s office. She sat close beside me, and my husband Jason was in a chair beside us. The doctor told me, “Ronda you have cancer.” Immediately a fog settled in on my brain as if I was in a dreamlike state. I turned to her and desperately wanted to know ALL of the details of my cancer. It would take almost two weeks of testing and more testing to get the full picture of my diagnosis. That time between being told I had cancer and learning all of the facts about my cancer was unbearable. Five years later, as I tell this story, I am in tears remembering the struggle I endured. I was terrified, not for myself but for my four children; the younger two were only 6 and 7 years old at the time. It felt like I was being crushed under the weight of a mountain that had crumbled on top of me. But I’m a mom; I didn’t have the luxury of falling apart. So, I steeled myself for what was to come, and I declared to Jason, “Everything in our life will remain normal.” He was training for his first marathon – keep training! We had our house up for sale — keep that sign in the yard! I am a County Commissioner, and I did not miss one single meeting during my entire course of chemotherapy and radiation. And every afternoon I was at the table helping my children with their homework. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but for me, pressing into normalcy helped me endure.

THROUGH THE TREATMENT PROCESS AND AFTER, WHAT DID YOU WANT AND NEED FROM YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY?

I needed them to be ok when I didn’t respond to their text or voicemail. I needed them to not ask me about cancer every single time they saw me.

“I

SECTION.

IF SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS S I C K , L O O K T H E M D I R E C T LY I N THE EYE AND TELL THEM, “ YOU A RE GOING TO BE FINE.” A ND T EL L T HEM T H AT W I T H A L L T HE CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD. I F Y O U B E L I E V E I T, T H E Y W I L L BELIEVE IT TOO. I needed them not to look at me with sad eyes as if I might die at any minute. I needed them to NOT ask me about my cancer if my children were around. I needed them to know that although I had a smile on my face, and gloss on my lips, I was experiencing exceptional physical and emotional misery. Someone told me during treatment, “You’re making this look easy.” And I realized I might be doing a disservice to every person who has ever had to endure cancer treatment. I was smiling, but I needed them to know it was so very hard.

WHAT FORMS OF HELP AND SUPPORT REALLY STOOD OUT? I distinctly remember one day Jason walked into the kitchen and handed me a huge stack of mail. Cards and packages from friends filled with scarves, books, gift cards, even cash. I began to bawl and told Jason, “I cannot handle getting all of this stuff, people are doing too much for me.”

Jason looked me sweetly and explained that my friends simply wanted to express their love and concern. “They’re sad for you, and they don’t know what to do to help you, Ronda, but they love you, and they are sending you things they think will help. Let them do this.” At that moment I released a lot of stress by determining to allow people to help me. One friend who has a maid paid her maid double one week and had her come clean my home.

With four kids and a dog, having help cleaning my

WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT ALL THAT WAS DONE FOR ME.” - RONDA WALKER

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

I REALIZED I MIGHT BE DOING A DISSERVICE TO EVERY PERSON WHO HAS EVER HAD TO ENDURE CANCER T R E A T M E N T. I W A S S M I L I N G , BUT I NEEDED THEM TO KNOW IT WAS SO VERY HARD. house was the top of my list! And, wow, some of my Alpha Gam sorority sisters got together and sent me a gorgeous blanket and a check big enough to cover hiring someone to clean my home every week during chemotherapy! I was absolutely amazed at all that was done for me, and truly it sustained me.

More than that, all of these blessings helped keep a sense of joy and normalcy in my home for my children!

WHAT ONE THING THAT YOU DID FOR YOURSELF MOST HELPED YOU COPE?

I wrote a blog entitled Merry Christmas Cancer; writing was very cathartic for me. Also, for me, pushing myself to live a normal (as possible) life helped me make it through.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER CAREGIVERS/SPOUSES/PARENTS/ FRIENDS ON HOW TO APPROACH AND HELP THEIR LOVED ONE GOING THROUGH CANCER TREATMENT? When someone is sick or grieving the worst thing you can do is say to them, “Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.” People think they’re being helpful, but the last thing a sick person wants to do is ask for help. Instead of asking them to tell you what they need, just do something for them!

Send them a gift card for dinner; buy them a cozy pair of socks; give them $50 to pay just one co-pay (the cost of cancer adds up!); drop them a funny card in the mail; visit them. Additionally, I would encourage friends and family of cancer patients to speak joy and positivity into their lives. Attitude is everything. My relationship with Jesus Christ kept my core at peace even while my circumstances were dire. If someone you love is sick, look them directly in the eye and tell them, “You are going to be fine.”

And tell them that with all the confidence in the world. If you believe it, they will believe it too. Fear and stress will destroy us, but peace, hope and joy can help heal the mind and body!

A RECAP OF A FEW 2019 BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH EVENTS. #LIVEHEREGIVEHERE

p ink -t ober p o w er

T H A NK YOU !

20 19 even ts

Every October during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, local individuals, organizations and businesses show their support for the Joy to Life Foundation and its work in so many wonderful and generous ways. Here’s just a sampling of some of the fun and fundraising of October 2019. WE OUR SUPPORTERS

PINK RIVER WALK / OCTOBER 12, WETUMPKA, ALABAMA

everyday

Joy

SAINT JAMES SCHOOL/ CAMPUS PINK OUT

SISTA STRUT / HOSTED BY I HEART MEDIA, BENEFITTING JTL WETUMPKA FIRE DEPARTMENT / T-SHIRT SALES LINKS-MONTGOMERY CHAPTER / BREAST HEALTH CONFERENCE AT ASU JUPITER ROAD FREE CONCERT/ BENEFITTING JTL FOUNDATION

MORE

Right to Left: Fire Marshal Ashley Payton, Chief Greg Willis, Denise Greene, Cole Orozco, Sgt. Jason Nixon, Pierce Swindle

GREAT EVENTS

MARTIN LUTHER KING ELEMENTARY / A SPECIAL DONATION JTL staff member, Evelyn, visited Martin Luther King Elementary to accept a most-appreciated donation from Principal Booker McMillan and his staff. Extra-special thanks to Lessie Simpson, teacher and coordinator, for her efforts! @montgomerypublicschools

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

great

goods

PRODUCTS, PLACES & THINGS WE LOVE

ALABAMA ART Born of a holiday pop-up, Southern Art Makers is now a year-round store, packed to bursting with art of all kinds crafted by locals. Its space on the edge of downtown Montgomery buzzes with creative energy thanks to vibrant works occupying every inch, including earthy pottery, colorful watercolors, delicate jewelry, books about our great state and more ranging from whimsical and funky to sophisticated and more sedate. Take the time to peruse its offerings, and don’t miss the chance for a quick conversation with owner and proprietor (and talented artist herself) Heather Parrish. Her warm hospitality is often accented with encouraging words.

Works featured by artists including (Left, top to bottom) Ron Lazenby, Vincent Buwalda, Cailin Kelley and (Right, clockwise from top center) Nizhoni Thompson, Janice Prescott, Melody White (two bottom right) and Darla Teisling.

New artists are added regularly as the shop continues to expand. Also, watch for special pop-≠≠ups with bakers including Fennel & Figs and workshops with local artists.

southernartmakers.com

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MADE LOCAL SOUTHERNARTMAKERS.COM

Photography by Big Dreamz Creative

BUY LOCAL • SUPPORT ARTISTS

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A PUBLICATION OF THE JOY TO LIFE FOUNDATION

Photography by Erika Rowe Tracy

SERVICEABLE STYLE

EAT ALABAMA

Looking for a jacket that’s fashionable enough to wear running around town but

According to author Emily Blejwas, the essence

super functional out in the field? So was

of Alabama can be found in its foods, but it’s

Radcliff Menge, the founder of Birmingham-

difficult to boil its culinary diversity down to a

based Tom Beckbe. The clothing company

short list. Still, she tried. In her new book “The

began with his quest for the above. “I started

Story of Alabama in Fourteen Foods,” she uses 14

Tom Beckbe in 2015 mostly by accident,”

foods, dishes and beverages as magnifying glasses

he said. “I started off designing a custom

to examine the state's vast assortment of food

jacket for me, then had them produced for

traditions and foodways, as well as the places and

interested friends and family.” Those first

personalities that first cooked them up, serving up

concepts were the backbone of the Tenasaw

stories about food to tell bigger tales. Here’s just a

Jacket, a distinctive piece that beautifully

bite: One of the discoveries shared in the book is

blends Radcliff’s two criteria for a good

the origin of Alabama’s claim to dessert fame, the

coat. Today, every Tom Beckbe jacket is

Lane Cake. The dish’s creator had published her

inspired by the South’s great outdoors. “All

own cookbook in the late 1800s as part of a pre-

of our gear is designed first to fill a need for

suffrage wave that was organizing women around

sportsmen,” Radcliff said. The other Tom

multiple issues, including their right to vote.

Beckbe hallmark is a rigorous commitment to quality.

emilyblejwas.com

tombeckbe.com

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By using the latest diagnostic technology, they can closely examine the musculoskeletal system of the head, neck and jaw to find signs of inflammation, tension and bite imbalance that can lead to pain.

BY KYM KLASS 44

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I N N O VAT I V E

Headache Help

A local orthodontic practice is using its expertise and resources to go way beyond braces and is helping those who suffer from chronic headaches find relief.

Emily Winn has had migraines since the third grade.

In her adult years, they would sometimes last up to 25 consecutive days. And it wasn’t until she visited an orthodontist that she began getting some relief. Kingry Orthodontics, in business since 1994, has for the past five years offered a sports-medicine approach to headache and migraine treatment.

By using the latest diagnostic technology, they can closely examine the musculoskeletal system of the head, neck and jaw to find signs of inflammation, tension and bite imbalance that can lead to pain. “Our goal is to reestablish muscular balance in the head and neck,” Dr. Mark Kingry said of the work being done at east Montgomery practice.

“Proper muscle function allows the jaw to open and close in the proper path. This can lead to reduced pain and headaches.”

And he’s not just aiming for the occasional, temporary cessation of pain. “My goal is to get somebody off migraine medication completely,” he said.

While Winn had braces for more than four years, at that time, she didn’t feel her orthodontist (or orthodontists in general) was concerned about a person’s “bite” and lining it up to make sure it was even. She explained that she’d had a knot on the base of her neck on the right side and never thought of her bite being a contributing factor to it. Or to her migraines. Once Kingry Orthodontics rebalanced the muscles and corrected her bite, the knot went away.

“It’s gone,” she said. And in turn? “The alignment process eliminated a lot of my migraines.”

45

FINDING THE CAUSE According to Kingry, the jaw and surrounding areas haven’t traditionally been treated the same as other joints and muscles.

“Following trauma, like a car wreck or a blow to the jaw, or bite dysfunction, we generally don’t focus on rehabilitating the jaw joint and muscles like we would other joints in the body. If your shoulder or knee hurts, you go to treatment and rehab; with the jaw that’s not always the case,” he said.

In contrast, Kingry and his team are working from a new perspective. “Our approach utilizes principles from sportsmedicine to re-establish proper head and neck muscle function that in turn can decrease headaches and jaw pain,” he said.

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All of the nerves that transmit pain in the head and neck – whether it is head pain, neck pain, tooth pain – lie adjacent to each other in a column as they enter the brain. You can not affect one of them without the others being affected, also.

This close proximity produces what is called “referred pain” from one to the other. “So, with our approach, we try to assess the risk factors to determine if the jaw and/or muscles in the head and neck are inducing pain or if it is referred pain that produces headaches,” he said.

When someone walks into Kingry Orthodontics for headache treatment, they are given a three-part exam. First is a detailed questionnaire to find out about any trauma, bite changes, headaches, or trigger points, to try and assess both off and on paper if they are a good candidate for the therapy.

The next steps are a range of motion test of the head and jaw muscles, and then a computerized bite force analysis. “The computerized movement analysis allows us to determine any limitations of the head and neck muscles’ range of motion, and the digital bite analysis provides specific analysis of which teeth hit first as well as the force those teeth are biting,” Kingry said. “These tests allow us to determine if there are muscular limitations or bite-related issues that can lead to a rotation or torqueing of the jaw. This imbalance can then produce both acute and chronic headaches.”

Once the diagnostic tests are complete, Kingry Fixing the can determine whether Problem– someone will respond well to treatment.

“The final portion Without of the therapy is the actual Pillsof the muscles rehabilitation patients who see the andThe bite,” he said. best results are those who have some kind of biterelated issues or muscle pain in the head and neck area.

Kingry, who has seen about an 80 percent reduction of

Pain-Relief Process The therapy to address headaches and neck pain at Kingry Orthodontics typically consists of between four and 12 weekly hourlong treatments using the following:

migraines in his patients, said

• Manual trigger point release of

people are conditioned to getting a pill to fix something.

muscles in the head, neck, and upper shoulders.

“While traditional medical

• Ultrasound to reduce adhesions

approaches work for many

and scar tissue in those muscles.

people, this therapy is different in that we seek to reduce the dependence on pharmacology and drugs and instead focus on rehabilitating the bite and muscles to reduce chronic pain and headaches,” he said.

Winn has completed her treatment with Kingry and said she feels it was important to have her bite corrected, “because that relieved the neck strain. I would still get migraines, but for three or four days instead of 25.”

• Photomodulation using cold laser therapy to decrease inflammation and increase blood flow.

• Microcurrent stimulation to decrease muscle spasms and increase range of motion.

• Custom orthotic bite appliance for evening and nighttime wear to remove tooth contact and allow the muscles to function without guidance from teeth.

• If needed, braces or aligners to finalize bite correction with the new muscle function.

While the cost of treatment can run several thousand dollars, a few insurance companies have started covering some of the costs.

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2020

HOW TO WINTER

JAN/FEB/MARCH ALEXANDER CITY Russell Forest Run February 29 Get out there and be cool!

A few adventures to write home about.

LAKE GUNTERSVILLE STATE PARK Eagle Awareness Weekends

russellforestrun.com Set amid a backdrop of rolling hills and trees at Russell Lands, this annual race, which traverses sand, gravel and clay paths, gives runners a different experience from the traditional flat street run and raises funds for the Alexander City Education Foundation.

January 24 - February 16 alapark.com Eagle Awareness is a must-attend event for birdwatchers and outdoor lovers. The event has been a tradition at Lake Guntersville for 35 years and includes birds-of-prey demonstrations, photography

A little color for the season.

MONTGOMERY Camellia Antique & Interiors Show March 13 - 15 camelliaantiqueshow.com

opportunities, guest speakers and guided tours to see the area's majestic bald eagles.

Find items and expert info to grow your home's style.

MOBILE Mardi Gras February 1 - 25 mobile.org/events/mardi-gras/

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