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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 3 ....
5 A wake up pill for morning alertness Alzheimer’s Volunteering 7 Breakthrough 8 is healthy Smoke Out: Uncommon 11 Pregnancy 13 Sense Memorial Tattoos: Making a 14 lasting legacy with ink Also inside Health shorts ............................................................................................. pg. 4 Handle the stress of being a student........................................................ pg. 9 Workout pants that help tone .................................................................. pg. 10 Living alone: What you should know ....................................................... pg. 16 The Healthy Plate: Cocktail Popovers Three Ways.................................. pg. 17 Crandoodles by Steve Crandall ............................................................... pg. 19 Eating disorders on campus.................................................................... pg. 20 Destination: Healthy by Amanda Wicker ................................................. pg. 21 Five ways to beat the holiday bulge......................................................... pg. 22 Ask Dr. H: Getting enough vitamin D ....................................................... pg. 23 Awareness is key to fighting depression................................................. pg. 24 Loveland health briefs ............................................................................. pg. 25 Loveland health calendar ........................................................................ pg. 26
6 Health in a Handbasket Are you happy? Jade joins forces with psychologist Beth Firestein in a quest for understanding happiness
Health Line of Northern Colorado is a monthly publication produced by the Loveland Daily ReporterHerald. The information provided in this publication is intended for personal, noncommercial, informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement with respect to any company, product, procedure or activity. You should seek the advice of a professional regarding your particular situation.
For advertising information, contact: Linda Story, advertising director: 970-635-3614
For editorial information, contact: Jade Cody, special sections editor: 970-635-3656 jcody@reporterherald.com Jennifer Lehman, special sections reporter: 970-635-3684 jlehman@reporterherald.com
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
The Amazing
Effects of Yoga
Jeannine Steinq McClatchy-Tribune
Y
oga has many proven health benefits, but does it stand up to other forms of exercise? Researchers pitted it against a walking routine and found that those who practiced yoga showed greater improvements in mood and anxiety. Researchers randomly assigned 19 people to an Iyengar yoga program and 15 to a metabolically matched regular walking regimen. Both groups took part in the programs for an hour three times a week for 12 weeks. Study participants were tested several times to measure mood and anxiety. They
were also given magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans to measure levels of the brain chemical gamma-Aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that quiets brain activity, reducing anxiety and producing a state of calm. The scans were done at the beginning and end of the study and immediately following a yoga or walking session. Those in the yoga group saw better changes in mood and less anxiety than those in the walking group. The yoga group also saw increases in GABA levels linked with improvements in mood. The study was published recently in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
million 46 A ccording to the 2009 National Health Interview Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 46 million persons under the age of 65 are uninsured in the United States, an increase of nearly 2.5 million persons from the preceding year. The same survey found that 6.1 million children under the age of 18 were uninsured at the time of interview, which marked a decrease of roughly half a million uninsured children from the year prior. While the number of uninsured children under the age of 18 has decreased dramatically since 1997, the same cannot be said for the overall number of uninsured persons in the United States. In 1997, that figure stood at 41 million. While during the ensuing decade the number of uninsured Americans remain relatively close to 41 million, the increase of roughly 2.5 million uninsured U.S. residents between 2008 and 2009 marked the largest such year-to-year increase since a nearly identical increase from 1999 to 2000.
Soothing the Beast Metro Creative
tween 4 and 6.5 years of age with developmental ages between 1 to usic therapy has been 3.5 years. They were able to note shown to help in the the effects of musical therapy on healing process of a vari- the children’s development, which ety of ailments or conditions, be showed significant improvements, they physical or mental. Reincluding better hearing and searchers at the Institute for Music speech and improved hand-eye Therapy in Germany, for instance, coordination in the children after studied the effects of music therapy exposure to the therapy. Music when used to treat children with therapy has also proven effective developmental delay. Researchers in treating depression in older pastudied a group of 12 children be- tients.
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 5 ....
The Morning
Feel groggy in the morning? Drug creator says she has invented a wake up pill that will help
Before pill?
Barbara Williams McClatchy-Tribune
Beggan’s company, Rise-N-Shine. If taken at bedtime, the natural coating allows the ingredients to disnew pill may be the answer solve over seven to eight hours, and for those groggy people who “wake you up when the alarm clock rings,” Beggan said. can’t seem to get out of bed in the morning, even after getting a “It’s more than a vitamin, it’s time sufficient amount of sleep. in a bottle because instead of hitting the snooze button over and over Cathy Beggan, a Sparta, N.J., again, it allows you to bounce out of mother of three, has created Wake bed ready to go,” Beggan said. Up On Time, a pill containing all “The product helps you to effortnatural ingredients in a delay-release coating. The pill is designed to boost lessly wake right up in the morning feeling alert, happy, and ready for energy levels and is made up of a anything your demanding schedule blend of B vitamins, amino acids, throws at you.” guarana seed extract and Siberian ginseng. The pill is available online The guarana seed extract is probaand on some store shelves, and is bly what gives the supplement its one of the products offered through kick, since it has a high concentra-
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tion of caffeine, said Louis E. Teichholz, chief and medical director of cardiac services and chief, division of complementary medicine program at Hackensack University Medical Center. “I can’t say whether it works or doesn’t work, but if it does, it’s probably from the guarana,” Teichholz said. “If you’re going to use it, I would recommend doing so with caution because the caffeine may cause higher blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure and it could cause palpitations.” Beggan said the supplement also enhances the immune system and elevates moods.
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
HL
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Health in a Handbasket
Happy Days
banana Runts on a trip to nowhere in particular with miniature zoo animals that have formed a band and are playing a concert in the trunk. As American author Margaret Lee Runback once put it, “Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” I’m no expert on happiEditor's note: You will not find the secret to happiness by ness, obviously, but for reading this column. It is no way a self-help article or an whatever reason I was born extension of infinite wisdom. It is more about laughing at with the ability to be conyour sister's odd forehead and dreaming of an unending tent. It is likely caused by a supply of beef jerky. No more, no less. You've been warned. delicate mixture of humor and ignorance. When bad things happen, I make the class, but thinking about it Jade Cody best of them. Take, for inSpecial Sections Editor makes me kind of want to stance, the time I became a have flu symptoms. ince this is our mental No, I like to laugh at good one-man wolfpack (borrowhealth edition of old fashioned things, such as ing the term from the movie Health Line, I wanted jokes and that thing my sis- “The Hangover“), after being married for six years. It was to spend this column on ter’s forehead does when things like feelings and emo- she chews food — so funny. a bummer, sure, but I never tions. Not that I personally Her forehead kind of jazzer- got down on myself. I revhave any, unless you count cizes, happily dancing with eled in having large quantities of beef every night for stuff like hunger and my each bite. You have to see it dinner, using the dryer as a continuous wishing so so so to believe it. second closet because I was bad that I was a large eagle Or laughing because I put too lazy to put clothes away ... what with the flying and on my work slacks and and making my bed exactly talons and swooping to and when I sat down the crotch twice during the span of six fro. blew out, complete with a months (because my mom loud popping sound (hapOne of my favorite emoand dad were coming for a pened last week). Those are visit ... I promptly ruffled up tions is happiness. Most of just feel-good moments. my happiness comes from the covers as soon as they laughing. Not in that crazy Finding your happy place left). laughter-yoga class kind of is key. Mine is in my magiHappiness means someway, though. That’s just cally restored Chevelle, driv- thing different for everyone. ing down a road made of weird. I’ve never been to a There are thousands of definitions, self help books, philosophies and talk shows devoted to it. Health in a Handbasket We are lucky, readers, beis a monthly feature in which cause we have an official I try a health-related advenHealth Line psychologist, ture and write about it. If you Beth Firestein, to help guide have an idea for a new us toward being happier adventure, write to me at people. jcody@reporter-herald.com. She said that striving toward happiness as an absoHealth in a Handbasket lute goal is a relatively new
ThinkStock photos
are here to stay
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This guy knows.
cultural phenomenon, and that there’s an elusive quality to it. “Happiness is an emotional state in which there’s a sense of joy, wellbeing and lightness — a sense that all is well in your world and you. The sources are infinite and individual,” she said. “Happiness is an experience, not a thing. It ebbs and flows in our lives.” One thing Firestein uses in her therapy is helping people find a positive state of mind — finding a sense of gratitude. “Take notice of five things you are grateful for every day,” she said. “Many people have entrenched thought habits of focusing on that which is disappointing, causing unhappiness. While we need to face that, some people aren’t aware it’s a choice to give focus to other areas.” In other words, focus on the positive. Look to what you can gain from situations in life, not obsessing on what is wrong or out of your control.
Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 7 ....
Alzheimer’s Breakthrough
Researchers believe Alzheimer’s is caused by two abnormal conditions in and around neurons — the nerve cells in the brain. Plaques, which are deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid, build up in the spaces between neurons and are believed to block communication between them. In healthy brains, scientists believe these proteins are broken a patient unable to walk, speak, or swal- down and eliminated. low. Fillit said scientists aren’t yet sure if the plaque causes the disruption or is just a Five million Americans suffer with Alzheimer’s. More than 80 of the ongoing scar left by the brain as it degenerates. clinical trials are occurring in the state of “If the drugs can remove the plaque, it New Jersey, said Ed Belkin, vice presishould slow the rate of the disease,” Fillit Barbara Williams dent of communications and public afsaid. “But we’re not sure if the plaque is McClatchy-Tribune fairs with Pharmaceutical Research and the cause or a scar.” Manufacturers of America, a trade associThe other abnormal finding is tangles. New Jersey neuroscientist deeply ation for biotech research companies. These are twisted fibers of a protein involved in Alzheimer’s research “As the baby boomers age, the number called tau located within the neuron. said that in just two years, doctors may have the medicine to treat the brain- of Alzheimer’s patients will swell and the Normally, tau form structures to transport nutrients and other substances from one financial costs are just not sustainable,” killing disease. part of the cell to another. In Alzheimer’s Belkin said. “Medical advancements are Dr. Howard Fillit, also a geriatrician patients, however, these structures are the answer, and research scientists are and executive director of the Alzheimer’s abnormal and collapse, leading to the committed to win this battle against Drug Discovery Foundation, said this death of the cells. The new drugs should Alzheimer’s.” week that more than 150 clinical trials prevent the structures from collapsing. In 2009, the average annual compenworldwide are testing dozens of drugs “These tangles are the tombstones of sated cost for a patient with Alzheimer’s that may be the answer to combating the the cells,” Fillit said. “But with these new disease itself, and not just the symptoms. was $33,000 and the estimated cost for drugs, I am very hopeful we will soon “Currently the drugs we have are pure- unpaid caregivers was $4.2 billion, conquer this nightmare of old age.” Belkin said. ly for treating the symptoms, but we’re hoping the new ones will slow down the progression of the disease — and ultimately, prevention is the goal,” said Fillit, of Tenafly. “Some of the drugs are in the final phases of testing and we’ll have the reports in two years on whether they work.” Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, caused by the destruction of nerve cells in the brain. It is usually fatal, initially causing memory failure, personality changes and problems completing daily activities until its progression leaves
Drugs in trials show promise
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Alzheimer’s Association adds support
TAKING ACTION: LIVING WITH MEMORY LOSS When: 2 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2010 and Jan. 20, 2011. Where: Alzheimer's Association Office, 415 Peterson St., Fort Collins What: This program is designed for people with memory loss related to early dementia or Alzheimer's disease who he Colorado chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is contin- want to take an active role in managing ually offering support and educa- and discussing life changes and particition to its communities. For help at any pate in mentally and physically stimutime, call 1-800-272-3900. AA also hosts lating activities. Cost: Free a range of educational seminars for Duration: Two hours those affected by Alzheimer’s. For a Target Audience(s): Caregiver/Famcomplete list and more information, visily Member/Person with the disease it alz.org/co.
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MEMORY LOSS, DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S: THE BASICS When: 2 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2011 Where: Alzheimer's Association Office, 415 Peterson St., Fort Collins What: What are the differences between Alzheimer's, other dementias, and normal memory loss due to aging? Learn about the Alzheimer's disease process, the programs offered by the Colorado Chapter, and the community resources available. Cost: Free Duration: 1.5 hours Target Audience(s): Caregiver/Family Member/Professional Caregiver/Person with the disease
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
RH photos/Jade Cody
Happiness is a Helping Hand Jade Cody Special Sections Editor
Volunteering opportunities are widely available in Northern Colorado, with organizations such as Volunteers of America, local churcht has been widely established es and community programs. Below that volunteering benefits not only recipients, but also the vol- are three volunteers who are makunteers themselves. A study by Lum ing a difference in the local area. and Lightfoot (2005) found that volFor information about volunteer unteers report greater life satisfacopportunities in Loveland or Fort tion and better physical health than Collins, contact Jessica Eckhardt, do non-volunteers, and their life sat- RSVP Volunteer Coordinator isfaction and physical health imwith Volunteers of America, at proves at a greater rate as a result of 970-472-9630 or voasupport@ volunteering. qwestoffice.net.
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HOLY HANDYMAN Cliff Bergren, who is retired from Hewlett Packard, has found a niche in volunteering for organizations such as the United Way, Crossroads church and VOA. As a home repair specialist, he is often up to his elbows in helping seniors, people with disabilities, single parents and people with low income. Bergren said his faith plays a big role in his volunteer work. “Getting involved gives me the unique opportunity to give back and serve the Lord,” he said. “It gives you a positive frame of mind. It’s a way of giving back.” Bergren is currently providing maintenance services on the Matthews House in Fort Collins, which affords programs and support to youth in Larimer county.
DEBORAH BOBOWSKI As a recent retiree, Deborah Bobowski sought out VOA in hopes of using her communication and researching skills gained in her work with urban planning and economic development in her career. After moving to Fort Collins in August, she signed on with
VOA to write articles for the organization’s newsletter. Before retiring, she started her own consulting business and worked 60-80 hours a week, so she wanted to find something low-key that would afford her and her husband time to spend doing things they enjoy — such as hiking, biking and skiing. Bobowski said writing the articles has given her opportunities to guide the community to opportunities and contacts they need. “The benefit to me is that I’ve been able to help people find people,” she said, “while doing things that I enjoy.”
JEANNINE PERKINS After moving from Vermont to Fort Collins four years ago, Jeannine Perkins, along with her husband, Bruce, sought out opportunities to volunteer. Jeannine had been involved in volunteering prior to moving, and found opportunities to do so again through Volunteers of America. As a former nurse, she gravitated toward visiting Alzheimer’s patients. She had been visiting a woman for the past year and a half, who, despite suffering from Alzheimer’s, was in good physical shape. The woman loved to dance and play cards, activities which Jeannine said they would do for a few hours each week. “She was not real early in her Alzheimer’s, but not so advanced that we couldn’t do puzzles,” Jeannine said. “We played cards — of course we didn’t follow the rules, but it was kind of fun to do regardless.” One of the things she loved to do was dance. “We did the jitterbug,” she said, laughing. “Kind of silly, I know, but she loved it. She was just a nice, kind lady. “Although she never called me by name, whenever I walked in she pulled the cards out.” Jeannine said the visits lifted both of their spirits, and the patient’s family was very appreciative of Jeannine’s time spent. Jeannine’s jitterbug partner passed away about a month ago. She is currently visiting other patients with Alzheimer’s, and plans to do more volunteer work with the local food bank, a Catholic church and the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins.
Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 9 ....
Handle the stress of being a student Metro Creative Services
I
n light of the country’s economic downturn, few topics are as prevalent as stress. For the nation’s students, stress is a reality that, unlike economic woes, is more permanent than it is temporary. Handling stress is a large part of being successful in the classroom, particularly as students advance through high school and into higher education. But handling stress is different for everyone, and there are myriad healthy ways in which students can cope.
taking a break can be counterproductive, as concentration will begin to wane after too long, making it increasingly difficult to soak in studies. Schedule breaks into each study session, whether it’s to go for a walk, jog or simply fit in a healthy meal. But don’t allow break time to become too big a distraction.
DETERMINE THE CAUSE
Work is typically the root cause of adult stress, and school is often the cause for students. Many students stretch themselves too thin, hoping to gain as much as EXERCISE AND DIET they can from their high Studies abound as to the school or college experience mental benefits of exercise. and therefore filling their Exercise not only improves a schedules. But students who person’s physical health, but feel as though they’re being also has a positive impact on pulled in too many directions mood, oftentimes making it should drop an activity or two. easier to cope with stress. Part For instance, playing sports of that is because exercise rewhile holding down a partlieves muscle tension, which time job and having a full can build up greatly in individ- course load can simply be douals suffering from significant ing too much. If a class is getstress. In addition, the negative ting to be too much to handle, effects of stress can be weight students should consult a gain and other damaging teacher and explain the situaphysical effects, making exer- tion. cise especially important for SPEAK UP those under constant stress. Many students find it TAKE A BREATHER healthy and rejuvenating to Adults often take breaks simply speak about their levels when going through the daily of stress. This helps to get grind, and students should things off their chest, and it also inadvertently gives them make note and follow suit. time away from studies. Studying for too long without
For holistic family medicine,
we’re here for you Dr. Pamela Levine is now taking patients. Dr. Levine offers holistic medicine for the entire family. Special interests include:
acupuncture
To make an appointment, call 970.392.4752.
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
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Set
your abs helps keep your appetite in check. I don’t know anything about the science of workout pants, so I’ll just tell you what it’s like to wear them. I tested the Fila Toning Resistance Pant. They also have tights, capris, shorts and tanks. Despite being the tightest thing I’ve worn in a long time, they are comfortable and easy to work out in. They wick moisture away, there’s no bunching, and you don’t feel like you are going to pass has the Body Toning System — workout out from lack of oxygen. clothes in the same vein. Basically, it’s Negative points for the seams on the like wearing Spanx while you work out. double layer panels that tend to dig into According to the company, the Lycra the skin after a couple of hours. Another Sport fabric makes you look one size design factor I found odd was the flare Merrie Leininger smaller — always good when you are at the ankles not great if you want to McClatchy-Tribune standing in front of a wall of mirrors — wear them for bicycling (though you can and smoothes your figure. avoid the flare with the tights version of the pants). Also, they might be a bit too etting started working out is Fila claims the Body Toning System pricey — $55 — for someone who is a tough. To get less lumpy and fit does more, though. They say that doubit casual about how often she gets to — and to catch the eye of the ble-layered panels at the calves, buthot guy on the rowing machine — you tocks, thighs, waist and back “compress the gym. have to first look out of breath and horri- active muscles as you move” for a “50 But, overall, they were a great pair of percent increase in muscle workouts.” ble in ill-fitting workout clothes you pants for working out. Anything that cuts haven’t worn since college. down on the jiggle factor when you’re Does it work? It’s possible. If nothing struggling to stay upright on an elliptical else, you can wear them while you eat; Fila is here to help. You know those current thought among nutrition profes- machine is OK in my book. See more at shoes that supposedly help you get in fila.com. shape just by walking around? Fila now sionals is that something tight around
the Tone
First shoes, now body-toning pants
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Photos courtesy Fila
Sneak some exercise into regular activities Metro Creative Services
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any people equate exercise with doing a workout video or heading to the gym. This doesn’t have to be the case at all. Regular daily activities
cal activity part of the fun. Or, while watching TV, dance, walk in place, do jumping jacks, or any other activity during commercials. provide a lot of the exercise a • Go outdoors: Instead of person needs and can be recreational activities inside of tweaked to provide even the house where space is limmore. ited, play games, go on • Move while watching TV walks, or organize a pick-up sports game in the neighboror playing video games: hood. There are several video games today that make physi• Leave the car at home:
Whenever possible, bike, walk, rollerblade, or get to your destination another way. • Keep moving: If you simply must sit, such as in school or at the office, tap or kick your legs. A little movement is better than none at all. • Park further away: When in store parking lots, park furthest from the entrance so you’re forced to walk a bit more to and from the car.
Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 11 ....
Smoke Out
Death Syndrome, respiratory infection, asthma, skin conditions, ear infections, colic, poor reading and spelling, hyperactivity and childhood obesity. Studies even cite “short stature” of the child later in life as an effect of smoking during pregnancy. Woman who smoke during and after pregnancy also tend to stop breast feeding their babies earlier than women who According to obstetrido not smoke, which means cian/gynecologist Dr. Suzanne the baby no longer gets those Saenz, about 49 percent of nutritional benefits. women who do smoke, quit “A majority of women say once they become pregnant. they do stop,” Saenz said. However, the risks to the baby “Women know now that are so great, Saenz believes smoking causes problems for the warning bears repeating – pregnancy.” again and again. Saenz acknowledges that In 2004, a Surgeon Generquitting can be hard. She tells al’s report showed that an esti- her patients about the risks to Sara Qualle McKee Medical Center mated 18 percent of pregnant them and their baby and prowomen ages 15-44 years old vides educational resources. smoked cigarettes, compared Over-the-counter medications he message began apwith 30 percent of nonpregpearing on cigarette to quit smoking have nicotine, nant women of the same age. which reduces blood to the packaging more than The risks to the baby are: 15 years baby, so she doesn’t offer • Low birth weight and ago: “SURthose replacement therapies. failure of the infant to thrive She said some antidepressants GEON GENERAL’S • Pre-term delivery can be prescribed that deWARNING: crease the cravings for • Stillbirth Smoking By cigarettes. Still, women who Babies born prematurely Pregnant and at low birth weight may smoke after their first prenatal Women visit are likely to continue face other health problems May Result including disabilities such as through the pregnancy. in Fetal InBeing around someone cerebral palsy, mental retarjury, Prema- Suzanne Saenz dation and learning probwho smokes makes it too ture Birth, lems. Infants also face a tempting, so Saenz said partAnd Low Birth Weight”. higher risk for Sudden Infant ners can help by kicking the
Pregnant women encouraged to quit
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TIPS TO QUIT • Write down your reasons for quitting and look at the list when you’re tempted. • Choose a day to quit. On that day, throw away all your cigarettes or cigars, lighters and ashtrays. • Drink plenty of water. • Keep your hands busy using a small stress ball or doing some needlework. • Keep yourself occupied, too. Try going for a walk or doing chores to keep your mind off of cravings. • Snack on some raw veggies or chew some sugarless gum to ease the need to have something in your mouth. • Stay away from places, activities or people that make you feel like smoking. • Ask your partner or a friend to help you quit. Call that person when you feel
like smoking. • Ask your health care provider about quitting aids such as patches, gum, nasal spray and medications. • Don’t start using these without your health care provider’s okay, especially if you’re pregnant. • Don’t get discouraged if you don’t quit completely right away. Keep trying. If you can’t quit, cut back as much as you can. • Ask your employer to see what services are offered or covered by insurance. • Learn about smoking cessation programs in your community or from your employer. You can get more information from you health care provider, hospital or health department. Source: March of Dimes
habit too. Stopping altogether is best, but Saenz added that women who can reduce their smoking to under five times a day will reduce the risk factors. “Pregnant women who smoke need to realize that the health risks aren’t just for them anymore. It’s hard — especially if you’ve smoked for a long time.” When a woman does quit smoking during pregnancy, she should take advantage of that accomplishment and stick to it. “Women who are smoke free throughout their pregnancy and stay that way six months after delivery are less likely to smoke again.” Unfortunately, more than half relapse. The harmful effects of smoking are well known: heart disease, cancers of the lung, throat, lips, larynx and esophagus, chronic bronchitis and emphysema and more. Women who are of reproductive age also have a higher risk of infertility and tend to go through menopause earlier. Post menopausal women who smoke face higher rates of osteoporosis. All these risks are discussed regularly between Saenz and her patients. “When a patient comes in and says they’ve totally stopped smoking, you’re excited.”
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Uncommon Sense
Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 13 ....
Dealing with holiday downsizing BETH FIRESTEIN UNCOMMON SENSE
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able to do for others in the past. This year, think about giving non-material “gifts” to those you appreciate: notes of appreciation, a homecooked meal, or the invitation to spend time together sharing a meal or seeing a movie. Our time and thoughtfulness are really some of the best gifts we can give. Next, examine your expectations. They come in two forms: the expectations we have of others and the expectations we put upon ourselves. Think about your expectations of others. I’m guessing that you probably don’t require as much material giving from those you care about as you may expect yourself to give to them, especially if you have had the means to do so. Working with our expectations and really asking ourselves whether our expectations are realistic can lead to a re-evaluation and revision that can make the situation less stressful for you and your family. Third, your changed circumstances provide a really valuable opportunity to reflect on what the holidays mean to you and what it is that you want to communicate when you give to others. Giving material or monetary gifts can be one way of saying “I care about you, I appreciate you, and I want to give you something of myself during the holidays,” but these same messages can be communicated in many forms. Use your creativity to create new, non-monetary ways of being generous. The possibilities are endless.
uestion: Money is a big issue in our family these days. In the past, we used to buy gifts for immediate family members, close friends and even a few neighbors and the postman that brings our mail. Now that our income has been cut in half due to layoffs and payments on credit card debt, we can’t afford to give as generously as we used to, but I don’t want the people I care about to feel left out or unimportant. Answer: I’m guessing that you have a lot of people in your boat, and their boat is weighed down just as much as yours. Even for those who haven’t lost jobs or had major cuts in income, the fear and stress of that possibility are there. Just ask them. There are three issues that intertwine with your dilemma. The first issue is socioeconomic class and how “have-mores” relate to “havelesses” around times of holiday celebrations and gift giving. The second issue concerns expectations of yourself and others and the need to be sure those are realistic in light of your changed circumstances. The third issue involves clarifying what you wish to express to those you care about and what the holidays mean to you and those you love. Socioeconomic differences are generally a taboo subject for most people. We all know people in our personal, social and work lives who have more money or social standuestion: I have a ing than we do and others brother that commitwho have less. It’s hard to go ted suicide three from having more to having years ago around this time of less in your own family. Ofyear. Ever since then, the holten, it means not being able idays have been awful. Everyto do what you have been
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one around me seems to be enjoying the season, but I just get sad, depressed and feel more left out when everyone around me seems to be celebrating. I don’t know how to deal with these feelings and I wonder if they will ever get better. Answer: Suicide is one of those “unspeakable” topics, and the suicide of a family member can haunt us for years or decades, whether the death occurred during the holiday season or at some other time of year. Certainly, holidays, birthdays and anniversaries are times when grief can come to the surface strongly, evoking memories, feelings and regrets. Three years is not a long time when it comes to dealing with the death of a family member, and deaths involving suicide are especially difficult. For most people suffering this kind of loss, the first year of the person’s death is the hardest and the first year after their death is just about equally as hard. Often the intensity of the emotional pain decreases in small increments as the years pass. You are still relatively close to the loss. I do believe the feelings will get better, though the holidays may always evoke some sadness for you and your family that others might not have to feel. There are a couple of ways to help get ourselves through those first
tough years. You might consider a yearly tradition of honoring your brother. You can do this in more than one way. For example, you might deliberately organize a part of the holiday as a time to remember and talk about your brother, reflecting on what he brought into the lives of family and friends. This may be a somber time of grieving or a time of joyful remembering, but often it is both. Some people choose to create a memory area in the family room during the holidays with photos of their loved one or a couple of their favorite items sitting out, creating a “place” for your brother even though he is no longer physically present. You can also remember your brother by giving a special gift of your time or money to a cause he believed in as a way of honoring him and his values. Making foods he loved or watching a favorite holiday film are other ways of including him in the thoughts and actions of the family. You need not to dwell in the sadness, but neither is it necessary to “forget” your brother in order to enjoy the holidays. There is enough room in our hearts for both sorrow and joy at this time of year ... and every time of year. May you have a holiday filled with peace and gentleness.
Uncommon Sense with Beth Firestein Dr. Beth Firestein is a licensed psychologist. She has 24 years of therapy experience and has practiced in Loveland for over 14 years. She may be reached by calling her office at 970-635-9116, via e-mail at firewom@webaccess.net, or by visiting www.bethfirestein.com.
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A mark of life and grief Jennifer Lehman “A lot of my friends Special Sections Re- didn’t get why I was so porter upset about it,” Aubrey said. n the spring of 2007, The summer after Aubrey Brosal of Kayla died Brosal wantFort Collins lost the ed to get a tattoo in her closest thing she had to memory not to prove a sister, her family friend their relationship to othKayla Adsit. The two ers, she said, but to afhad met at age four, firm for herself Kayla’s their parents were close life and the relationship friends, and the two Brosal had with her. grew up together, hav“I was not getting the ing marathon hang out validation that we were sessions, Brosal said. close. I know in my The last time the two heart that we were girls were together, they close,” Aubrey said. were playing around Memorial tattoos are with a candle Kayla had one of many actions given Brosal, laughing that could be defined as together and making rituals or expressions of shapes out of the wax. grief including creating Brosal said that as Kayla shrines on roadsides, in lit the candle she told the home, at the grave Brosal she didn’t need site, the making of a to worry about her gomemorial quilt or the ing off to CSU in the fall, wearing of jewelry that she would always be honors the dead or their her little sister and they memory. Things like would still hang out. scholarship funds or A few weeks later, foundations in the name and just weeks before of the dead can also be Kayla was to graduate an expression of grief from Rocky Mountain that helps mourners. High School, she was “Those are all rituals killed in a car accident. to make one feel they Brosal said Kayla was are honoring that place like her family. “High inside that feels empty,” school relationships said Paul Chubbuck, a don’t get that a lot. I psychotherapist practicwas very, very lucky to ing in Fort Collins. have someone like that The funeral, wake or in my life and to have memorial service can be that kind of a relationan important ritual in ship,” Brosal said. the grieving process, Kayla and Brosal Chubbuck said. spent most of their time But even those traditogether outside of tions have lost their rituschool. They were one alistic elements for year apart and at school many and the mourners had different friends often become passive and different interests. observers at the event,
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said Rosann Ross, psychotherapist and lecturer at the UNC School of Psychological Sciences. “We’re not participating in it,” she said. “They do it for us and then we do what we are supposed to do. We are observers, we walk away from the grave or casket, now what?” When getting a tattoo as an expression of grief, someone may be seeking a ritualistic experience that is difficult to find in contemporary society, Chubbuck said. People are permanently changed by loss and the permanence of a tattoo reflects this, he said. “Our culture is pretty lacking in meaningful ritual, and rituals are the ways human beings have always made sense of their lives and given meaning to the things in their lives,” Chubbuck said. “If a person isn’t helped to have a meaningful ritual for something as profound as losing a loved one, then they are probably going to find some ritual on their own and that could be where the quilting or the tattoo comes in,” he said. Whatever ritual or rituals a person participates in, they must be meaningful to that person, Chubbuck said. “It doesn’t matter what the rest of society thinks.” If the idea of a memorial tattoo makes
RH Photos/Jennifer Lehman
Aubrey Brosal of Fort Collins, a student at CSU, lost her friend in a car accident and got a memorial tattoo on her ankle. the person emotional, the act may be helpful. “It’s clearly touching something in that person if it brings tears, Chubbuck said. “If it doesn’t hold that charge it might not serve any kind of purpose and they might need to find something else that works for them.” Because tattoos can be painful, Chubbuck said, it can be a ritual that represents the pain of loss; the physical pain mirroring the emotional pain, the result being something you can look at forever and remember, like a scar. The person is saying “I’m never going to be the same as I was before this happened,” he said. Heide Unger owns Millennium Gallery of Living Art, a tattoo and piercing studio in Fort Collins with her husband Tim Corley.
“I think (getting a memorial tattoo) is so different for each individual person, it can be an emotional purge, it can be a mile marker in their life, it can be a symbol of their love for that person — there’s so many different reasons and each one is so intimate and so personal,” Unger said. People don’t typically seek out tattoos for the pain, but it can be a bonus of the experience, Unger said. For those numb with grief, it can be a purging and soothing pain. Memorial tattoos are a primal expression of memory and not forgetting the person lost, Unger said. “I don’t want to forget, this is my permanent reminder of this person every day for the rest of my life,” Unger said. I See Tattoo/Page 15
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person lost. For example, young men will come in who are emotional because they From Page 14 have just lost a close friend. “I think it’s closure,” “I know this is really said Michele Ballinger, raw and painful for you, owner of Izzy’s House of Hair and Ink in Love- but this isn’t going to be land on why people get the last person in your life and rather than memorial tattoos. “It’s turning your body into closure, it’s saying goodbye. Here’s proof, a graveyard with all I haven’t forgotten you these markers on it, let’s turn this into a positive, but I’m going to close and remember a posithe door anyway. I’m tive thing,” Unger said. going to say goodbye Brosal got the tattoo now. You’re with me. from Unger about ten I’m carrying you with months after Kayla’s me,” Ballinger said. It is common for peo- death. She wanted to make sure she had it ple to want portraits, symbols of the person’s before her own high interests, crosses, names school graduation so that Kayla could walk and dates of their life with her. and their death and phrases of affection and Brosal’s memorial tatremembrance. too is filled with symbols of Kayla’s life and Unger said she tries to encourage people to her relationship with consider more positive Brosal. The tattoo is of a representations of the candle, the same one
Tattoo
Kayla gave Brosal, the same one the two girls were playing with the last time they were together. A rainbow ribbon wraps around the candle, symbolic of the rainbow that appeared over the building the evening of Kayla’s visitation and of the rainbows Brosal has seen since Kayla’s death. The flower garland at the bottom represents each girl’s favorite color — pink for Kayla and blue for Aubrey — and the orange inside the blue flowers symbolize Kayla’s obsessive love for the Broncos that she shared with her dad, Brosal said. In the middle of the garland is a K for Kayla and the candle is lit as an eternal flame in honor of her life. “Heide did an amazing job of not making it a sad thing, it is a sad thing just because of
Brosal’s tattoo is in memory of Kayla Adsit who died in a car accident in May of 2007. The tattoo is full of symbols of Kayla’s life and her and Brosal’s friendship. what it stands for, but it’s also a very beautiful and touching thing, a beautiful memorial. I love it. Her light will al-
ways shine on, that’s what my mom always says. The candle is lit forever now,” Brosal said.
Working through grief Jennifer Lehman Special Sections Reporter
“
Grief is the most powerful emotion that a human can feel. It beats love,” said Rosann Ross, a psychotherapist and lecturer at UNC School of Psychological Sciences. “It’s like you’re sitting on a shore and before you know it, a wave comes and engulfs you and drags you in, bangs you against the rocks and cuts you up, and just when you think it’s going to kill you, you are spit out onto the shore again,” Ross said. This metaphor on grieving can be found in a letter printed in the book “On Children and Death” by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a pioneer in the study of grief and working with the dying. Ross said it is the most powerful metaphor for grief she has come across. Grief is not something you
can ever completely get over, but you can work through it. “A lot of people won’t and a lot of people don’t (work through it),” she said, “but if they do, the grief will no longer have power over them.” It is important for people to talk about their loss and feel accepted for their feelings of grief, Ross said. Finding an adequate way of expressing grief keeps the trauma from being repressed and potentially coming out in other ways such as alcohol abuse to sedate or control the pain, said Paul Chubbuck, a psychotherapist in Fort Collins. If people don’t deal with grief, “it’s going to come out sideways,” Ross said. “People get ill. People dying of a broken heart is not a myth, research has been done that shows it does happen,” she
said. Chubbuck said existing resources in a person’s life at the time of trauma or loss such as family, friends, hobbies and a job they enjoy can help the grief process and counterbalance the trauma. “Recovery tends to be proportional to how one can find those resources and if they make a difference,” Chubbuck said. A person who has these resources will still experience grief as intensely, but are likely to recover more quickly from the shock, he said. Chubbuck said talking about what was liked and loved about the person with someone the mourner trusts, such as how the person would kiss them every day when they came home or always had a big smile on their face, can help the grief process.
“Pain is most open in these places,” he said, “being able to share that with someone can take some of it away.” Yet in a society that does not condone public grieving nor discussion of loss, and attaches stigmas to grief therapy, it can be difficult for people to work through the pain, Ross said. In our society there are unspoken rules about grief, Ross said. People don’t want to hear about the grief of others because they are afraid it will happen to them or someone they care about and they will have to think about that fear. For people in Northern Colorado dealing with loss there are grief therapists in the area and Pathways Hospice in Fort Collins offers a variety of grief counseling programs for groups, individuals and children. Go to pathwayscare.org/ or call 970-663-3500 for more information.
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Living alone can be dangerous for your health Anya Martin McClatchy-Tribune
heavy smoking, a 2007 German study found.
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USE MOBILE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
has unhealthy habits. Still, people living alone have increased cardiovascular risk not because they lack iving alone can someone to watch over mean more freethem per se, but because dom to do what they have a greater you want, when you propensity for smoking want, but solo dwellers and unhealthy eating also are more prone to habits that lead to obesity unhealthy habits that inand high cholesterol levcrease their risk of seriels, the Danish reous illness or mortality searchers concluded. compared to those who live with others. These behaviors, as Living alone doubled well as excessive alcohol the chance of contracting consumption and reor dying of severe heart duced physical activity, disease for women older are also key risk factors than 60 and men older for cancer and stroke, than 50, according to a which, along with heart 2006 Danish study which disease, are the nation’s analyzed population data top three killers, said Lori on more than 138,000 Mosca, director of preadults. ventive cardiology at Seniors living alone are New York-Presbyterian more prone to falls, Hospital. arthritis and rheumatism, If you live alone and and vision disorders such recognize any of these as glaucoma or cataracts, habits as your own, or according to a 2007 study you have symptoms of of patients at four group heart disease or other practices in suburban health concerns, you London. should schedule a docHowever, single occu- tor’s appointment and pants can reduce many have regular check-ups, of their increased health she said. In the Danish risks if they are willing to study, single inhabitants take some simple prewith heart disease were ventive steps, experts more likely to be socially said. isolated and not see a doctor regularly. PRACTICE HEALTHY Men age 45 to 74 living BEHAVIORS The number of Ameri- alone should take particcans living alone has sky- ular care of themselves, Mosca said. In that age rocketed in recent group, male single inhabdecades: more than 31 itants are more likely to million or 27 percent of die from a heart attack all households in 2010, than their female counaccording to the U.S. terparts, even when Census Bureau, up from just 9 percent in 1950. women share similar unNot every solo dweller healthy habits such as
Receiving effective CPR from another person immediately following sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple your chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association. But simply having another person around may not make a difference when it comes to surviving a serious heart attack, said Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist at Scripps Health in San Diego. “When people have cardiac arrest, it’s typically in the night during sleep, and the person’s spouse is also sleeping,” he said. “By the time (he or she) wakes up, the patient may have been dead for a while, but if you have a warning sign and can alert another person in your house, that can be lifesaving.” Anyone living alone with heart disease or another serious chronic disease such as diabetes should wear a medical alert pendant or bracelet to call emergency services if you cannot reach a telephone, Mosca said. Right now, monitoring technology can allow people with chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, to take more control of their disease management, but there’s nothing available that automatically dials
ThinkStock Photo
Americans that live alone have greater health risks. 911 at an adverse reading, said Topol, also chief innovation officer of the West Wireless Health Institute, a nonprofit group that researches mobilehealth technologies. However, technology that mitigates the “jeopardy” factor of living on your own is not far off, he said.
PROTECT AGAINST FALLS Those who live alone, especially seniors, also should take precautions to prevent falls, said Lesley Mills, director and owner of five Connecticut offices of Griswold Special Care, a home
health-care agency. One in three adults age 65 and older falls annually, and of these, up to 30 percent suffer injuries serious enough to limit their mobility or ability to live independently and raise their odds of dying sooner, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But seniors aren’t the only ones at risk for home falls, especially in the holiday season, when nearly two-thirds of fall injuries are incurred by people aged 20 to 49. Some simple prevenI See ALONE/Page 22
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The Healthy Plate
AP photo
Cocktail Popovers
pack fewer calories. They also are amazingly simple to prepare. For these cocktail popover variations, a lighter version of the typical popover batter is used. The recipe starts with skim milk and cuts out some of the egg yolks to trim the fat even further. And while a prudent amount of butter is used to add that unmistakable flavor, half of the standard amount is replaced with healthier extra-virgin olive oil. For the lightest version, you could offer plain popovers or simply add fresh (or dried) herbs such as chives, Jim Romanoff tarragon or a blend to the batter. The Associated Press Another way to boost the flavor of the batter is to add a few tablespoons ant to lighten up your holi- of freshly grated Parmesan cheese day hors d’oeuvres? Cut out and ground black pepper. the middle. Other delicious, yet guilt-free variaMini cocktail popovers are an eletions could include stuffing the gant and satisfying choice for a popovers with a blend of whipped healthy party food. Even though light cream cheese and chopped they’re satisfyingly eggy and have the smoked salmon or even a piece of irresistible carbs of a baked good, steamed asparagus wrapped in they’re hollow in the center so they prosciutto.
Three Ways
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COCKTAIL POPOVERS THREE WAYS Start to finish: 40 minutes (10 minutes active) Servings: 30 Batter ingredients: 1 cup skim milk 2 large eggs 1 large egg white 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 /2 teaspoon salt Olive cocktail popover ingredients: 24 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped Herbed cheese cocktail popover ingredients: 1 /3 cup light spreadable garlic and herb cheese (such as Boursin or Alouette) Herbed pepper popover ingredients: 2 tablespoons chopped Peppadew or jalapeno peppers (jalapenos will be hotter) 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
Directions: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Set 2 mini muffin tins on a baking sheet. Coat the tins with cooking spray, then place them (on the baking sheet) into the oven to heat.
Meanwhile, to make the batter, in a blender or food processor, combine
milk, eggs, egg white, melted butter, olive oil, flour and salt. Blend for 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the container, then blend for another 30 seconds. To make olive cocktail popovers, remove the muffin tins from the oven and place 1 olive in each cup. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter on top of each olive. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately. To make herbed cheese cocktail popovers, remove the muffin tins from the oven and spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter into each cup. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown and crisp. Remove the popovers from the pans and set on a rack to cool. To make the herbed pepper popovers, mix the peppers and scallions into the batter. Remove the muffin tins from the oven and spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter into each cup. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown and crisp. Remove the popovers from the pans and set on a rack to cool. When ready to serve, poke a hole in the bottom of each popover. Put
cheese in a small sturdy plastic bag. Gather the bag and squeeze the cheese into one corner. With scissors, snip off the tip of the bag and squeeze 1 teaspoon of cheese into each popover. Serve immediately. Nutrition information per olive popover (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 39 calories; 18 calories from fat (46 percent of total calories); 2 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 16 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 91 mg sodium. Nutrition information per herbed cheese popover (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 37 calories; 14 calories from fat (38 percent of total calories); 2 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 17 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 0 g fiber; 89 mg sodium. Nutrition information per herbed pepper popover (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 31 calories; 11 calories from fat (35 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 16 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 43 mg sodium.
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
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HL-321426
Caring For People of All Ages Quality medicine. Lasting relationships. Compassionate care. General and preventative family medicine for newborns to geriatrics. Now accepting patients. To make an appointment, call 970.624.5170. .624.5170.
Victor Palomares, PA-C
Dr. Kevin Felix
Dr. Susan Beck
3850 North Grant Ave., Suite 200 | Loveland, CO 80538 970.624.5170 pvhs.org/clinics
Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 19 ....
FIRST-CARE PHYSICIANS Family Practice Infections: Colds, Throat, Sinus, etc. Physicals: Complete, Well Woman, School, DOT, etc. Acute Injuries: X rays, Stitches Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Other Problems Wellness, School and Camp Physicals
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Convenient Hours Days, Evenings, Weekends Weekdays 9AM to 9PM Saturday 9AM to 6PM ~ Sunday Noon to 6PM Walk-ins welcome. Appointments available.
First-Care Medical Clinic 295 E 29TH, Loveland
669-6000 Thomas J. Allen, M.D. Thomas P. Kasenberg, D.O. Edwin D. Risenhoover, M.D. Dena Sheppard-Madden, M.D. Kristen Olenic, PA-C Angela McNair, PA-C Kristi Housley, PA-C
Kids Bikes! Stockin Stuf fe g rs
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
Campus
that 50-60 percent of college students have disordered eating patterns which are loosely defined as irregular or unusual, sometimes obsessive habits. Colleges have recognized the issue, and many have established programs designed to raise awareness about good eatschedule?” ing habits, to identify signs of Her question is addressed to eating disorders, and to inform a panel of experts at a recent students about services availTrinity lunchtime discussion on able on campus. dieting, exercise and eating dis“That’s probably why there orders. are more reports of eating disorRenee Bourdeaux, a West ders on campus and people tryHartford, Conn., registered diing to seek help,” said panel etitian, tells her that the “U.S. member Paula Holmes, clinical does not have the market on director of the eating disorders how to eat properly. That’s one program at the Institute of Livthing that we do not do very ing. well is eat well and teach those It is helpful when students behaviors and instill that in our get the message from schools children.” that admitting they have a probWhile it’s not clear that anylem doesn’t mean they will one at Roldan’s table has an eat- need to leave school and that ing disorder, it is true that eating services on campus or in the disorders such as anorexia or nearby community are availbulimia, disordered eating and able, she said. extreme or unusual diets are Why do eating disorders ofcommon across college camten come up in college-age stupuses — particularly among dents? Barry Schreier, director of young women. counseling and mental health services at the University of There are various estimates, but according to National Eating Connecticut, said it may be related to the loss of the structure Disorder Association, 20 perthat they had at home. cent of college students have At college, the student is anorexia, bulimia or a bingeeating disorder. Most are wom- away from her comfort zone, experiencing new levels of en. Some studies have shown
Disorder
Eating issues rampant on campuses Kathleen Megan McClatchy-Tribune
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onica Rodriguez Roldan, a sophomore, at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., is puzzled by what she observes at her cafeteria table. “I’m not from here. I’m from Spain, and I have been raised with the idea you eat when its lunch time, you eat when it’s breakfast time,” she said. “It doesn’t really matter how hungry you are, you have to eat.” But in the U.S., when she sits down for lunch, many of the girls announce that they’re not hungry, or that they don’t eat at lunch time or dinnertime. “Should we eat only when we get hungry?” she said. “Or should we eat on a regular
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stress and without family support right there. In addition, there is peer pressure to meet the ideal thin body image. “There are the comparisons, the competitiveness,” said Holmes. An eating disorder is not about the food. It is about anxiety, said Elaine Petrosky, a treatment manager who works with Holmes at the Institute. “It’s about how to manage stress, low self-esteem, depression.” At Trinity, Jennifer Jimenez, who is coordinator of a group called PHAB (Promoting Healthy Awareness of the Body), helped to arrange the lunch panel because eating issues are “a topic that is really important and present in our lives, especially on campus, but not something easily talked about. There is a very big stigma attached to having eating disorders and negative body images in general. “I think having programs on campus makes it easier for people to educate themselves and just feel more comfortable with speaking about these very personal topics,” said Jimenez. “They might not be people who are experiencing issues with negative body images, but they might know other people, their own friends or others back home.”
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 21 ....
Destination: Healthy
Don’t forget about liquid calories Amanda Wicker Destination: Healthy
rounded by the special food, but one area that is often overlooked when it t big family dinners comes to calorie consumpmy family loves to tion are liquid calories. It is offer up a toast. “To very easy to have several the family,” my kids will say, drinks before and after a followed by big smiles and meal, and just as easy to forglasses clinking. This is a get the calories that go with great time of year to offer it. up a toast to the wonderful It does not matter things in your life including whether it is an alcoholic your health. I am sure you drink or not, one specialty will have many opportunicoffee can have up to 1,200 ties over the next month to calories. Like everything celebrate with the many along our health journey, gatherings, parties and the more we know the betevents, keeping in mind ter choices we can make. your health goals. It can be So, here is to my friends very easy to gain weight along this health journey. To and lose track in the midst continued health and sucof the hustle and bustle. cess, and not having to go it Not only are we suralone.”
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TIPS ON SAVING LIQUID CALORIES • Choosing a punch over Egg Nog will save calories and fat • Choose between having a special drink or dessert,
don’t have both • Budget for your drink calories during the week • Think about how much exercise is needed to work off the drink, or walk an extra 20 minutes
Amanda Wicker is a Loveland native and the founder of Destination: Healthy, a free weight loss support group held at Message of Life Ministries on the first and third Tuesdays of every month. She also hosts Destination Healthy, a segment on NOCO 5 News every Monday Night at 10 p.m. Amanda has lost a total of 130 pounds using diet and exercise. She can be reached at destinationhealthy@gmail.com.
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
Five ways to beat the holiday bulge McClatchy-Tribune
3. STAY ACTIVE If you find treadmills and sweaty gyms unappealing, fear not. You can make fitness fun by finding activities that engage ecember is here, and the holidays are in full swing. your body, mind and soul. You’ll be more likely to stick with During this busy time of year, nutrition and fitness activities you find enjoyable. Incorporate a variety of your faroutines are often the first things to go. This holiday season, avoid the dreaded weight gain and stay happy, healthy vorite picks into your daily lifestyle for maximum benefits. Walk your dog. Build a snowman. Find a new hiking trail in and fit with some tips from livestrong.com. your neighborhood. 1. BECOME A HEALTHY GRAZER 4. GET YOUR ZZZS Severely restricting calories or skipping meals can dampen Sleeping too little is directly correlated to how much you eat your mood, increase your appetite and ultimately lead to and exercise, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Aim weight gain. Eating smaller, balanced meals and snacks at regfor seven to nine hours of sleep nightly, even during the busy ular intervals throughout the day can enhance your blood sugholiday weeks. Your bedroom should be dark and comfortar and energy level while preventing excessive hunger. To en- able, and your caffeine intake should not carry on into the sure you are consuming the proper amount of calories, track evening. your food intake. 5. CREATE A HOLIDAY SURVIVAL KIT 2. MANAGE YOUR STRESS Planning ahead is equally important when it comes to If your food cravings increase along with your stress load, achieving your wellness goals. A well-stocked holiday survival seek alternate means of comfort and relief. This may mean go- kit can help ensure your success. Carry a bottle of water and ing for a walk, practicing yoga, having coffee with a friend, healthy snacks such as nuts or high-protein, low-carb bars. getting weekly massages or taking a warm bubble bath. ConYou’ll be prepared with healthful alternatives when hunger sider it a gift to yourself this holiday season. strikes, and you’ll also be creating a habit of mindfulness.
D
instead of furniture, and increasing your awareness of seasonal fall hazards, like decorations on the floor. From Page 16 Medication side effects and balance issues, which are extive steps include removing tripping hazards such as elec- acerbated by a sedentary tric cords and uneven rugs, re- lifestyle, also contribute to fall placing poor lighting, and in- risks, she said. “It’s never too stalling non-slip mats and grab early or too late to reduce the bars in showers and bathtubs, risk of falling,” she said. “People in their 30s should be doMills said. ing yoga and dance.” Holiday season tips for all ages from the CDC include NOURISH A SOCIAL employing safe ladder pracNETWORK tices, standing on step-stools Finally, solo dwellers with
Alone
few social contacts may face more serious health impacts. Numerous studies have linked loneliness and lack of social support to high blood pressure, increased mortality for people with heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease development, depression and other health problems. Conversely, interaction with family and friends has been shown to reduce stress, improve blood pressure levels and even increase physical activity, Mosca said.
There are many simple ways to increase your social contacts, especially during the holiday season, Mills said. “Have as many visitors as possible, set up phone trees, and make reasons to get in touch with people through phone, Internet and Webcam,” she said. For seniors, churches and senior centers offer more opportunities to socialize, participate in activities and simply get out of the house, Mills said.
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 23 ....
Ask Dr. H
Getting enough vitamin D DR. MITCHELL HECHT MCCLATCHY-TIRBUNE
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uestion: My doctor drew my vitamin D level and is recommending that I take 50,000 units of vitamin D once a week. That sounds like a lot to me. At 58 years of age, how important is vitamin D? Answer: Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin,” is a whole lot more important to our health than most folks realize. It’s the hottest vitamin under study these days, with new studies coming out every month showing how supplemental vitamin D may protect against osteoporosis, heart disease, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, dementia, fatigue, psoriasis, tuberculosis and colds/flu. Did you ever consider that colds and flu are worst in the winter, the time of year when sunlight and vitamin D levels are at their lowest? What we know is that there are a lot of health conditions that vitamin D may help, yet the prevalence of folks with low levels of vitamin D is about 50 percent. A normal vitamin D level (measured as a 25-hydroxy vitamin D level) is between 30 and 100, with a target of at least 50-60 for optimal disease prevention. A toxic level of vitamin D is greater than 200, and it’s really difficult to exceed that limit with daily or weekly vitamin D supplementation. The U.S. RDA recommends a conservative dosing of 400600 units of vitamin D per day, failing to consider that individual vitamin D levels may still show deficiency. I’ve had several patients, including a pilot and a software engineer, with undetectable vi-
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Deficiency in vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” is linked to a number of illnesses. nuts. For most folks, peanuts are an excellent source of protein and nutrients. But for a small percentage of the U.S. population, peanuts, or even foods containing trace amounts of peanuts, can be lethal. While the peanut allergy may only cause hives, some folks may suffer a lifethreatening allergic reaction called “anaphylaxis.” The lips and throat swell, there’s difficulty swallowing or breathing, and if not treated in time, the person may die. For those who have peanut allergy, life is a challenge. Besides avoiding peanuts and uestion: On a recent peanut butter, they need to flight, I observed how watch out for foods which the flight attendants may contain traces of were passing out bags peanuts. Some examples: of peanuts to the passengers. candy, especially chocolate What if there was a passenger products; pastries and cookwith a serious allergy to ies; Chinese and Thai food, peanuts? With peanut dust including egg rolls; chili; inhaled in a closed space, packaged foods; and hyisn’t that a risky practice at drolyzed plant or vegetable 32,000 feet? protein. Airline travel can be espeAnswer: Peanut allergy — if cially hazardous for those you have it, it’ll drive you tamin D levels. Milk contains only 100 units of vitamin D per 8ounce glass. If you live north of the latitude line of Atlanta, no amount of sunshine in the winter can raise your vitamin D level. A rough rule of thumb is that every 100 units of vitamin D taken daily will raise your vitamin D blood level by one. With supplementation sufficient to achieve a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood level of 50-60, I recommend monitoring the vitamin D and calcium levels every three months.
Q
with a serious peanut allergy. A 2008 study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology showed that nearly one in 10 people with peanut, tree nut or seed allergies experienced an allergic reaction while traveling on an airplane. Most of these reactions occurred as a result on inhaling airborne particles from peanuts. This occurred after multiple bags of peanuts were opened near a person with peanut allergy. Airborne peanut particles seem to be common on airplanes, since peanut proteins have been found in the ventilation filters of commercial airplanes. My advice to those with a serious peanut allergy would be to avoid, if possible, any airline that serves peanuts on a planned flight. I’d also carry an EpiPen as well as an antihistamine like Benadryl or Zyrtec. Medical alert bracelets are also advisable to alert others that one has a peanut allergy.
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010 ....
Awareness is key to fighting depression Meredith Cohn McClatchy-Tribune
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spate of suicides around the country by gay teens and young adults has directed the spotlight on depression. Dr. Meena Vimalananda, medical director of child and adolescent services at Sheppard Pratt Health System in Baltimore, calls depression a long and painful illness. She said the pain is deep and remains a source of shame for most people. But better understanding of the illness is leading to improved treatment outcomes. Question: How do you tell depression apart from a “bad day?” Answer: One bad day happens in most of our lives. Often, a series of bad days happen. When the bad days happen every day for weeks together, that should alert us to pay closer attention. Changes can be seen in three major areas of life, the interpersonal/home, the work/school and the social/play area. In the early stages, depressed people tend to get in more fights/disagreements with people with whom, usually, they get along. As depression worsens, they isolate themselves. Kids start to show less interest in school, and their grades tend to drop. Adults are just not as effective at their jobs and people start noticing that they are not all there. Youngsters start using drugs or drinking to feel better and be able to socialize, or lose interest in their earlier leisure activities. Adults tend to keep to themselves and often try to drown their sorrows in alcohol as well. Question: How can you tell if they are suicidal? Answer: By asking if they feel worthless, hopeless or like they wish they were not here or dead. Some people wish to “go to sleep and not wake up.” We should never be afraid to ask, because if we do not ask, most people will not tell us. Do not worry about putting ideas into their heads. Either the ideas are there or they are not. Question: When should we seek medical attention? Answer: We should seek medical attention as soon as we feel some concern. If we are concerned, we should talk to our primary-care physicians for referral to a mental health professional who can evaluate and then inform us about actions need-
Artest raffles ring for mental health Los Angeles Lakers star Ron Artest is raising money for mental health services by raffling his NBA Championship ring. Artest, who has been treated for depression, has been outspoken about the importance and value of seeking treatment. His “Win My Bling” raffle raised $120,000 in just one day. Raffle tickets are $2 each and available until Dec. 25 at www.ronartest.com/raffle. The winning ticket is worth the diamond-studded ring, an expense-paid trip to Los Angeles, cash and more. — McClatchy-Tribune
ed. If we find that our loved ones have, indeed, put themselves in danger, we should not hesitate to take them to an ER. The earlier we intervene, the clearer the message to the one hurting that we are here to help even if they are not able to ask. Question: How common are teen and adult depression? Answer: Teen depression is very common. Adolescent males have the secondhighest suicide rate in the country, and a good half of them are accidents. Kids, often, do not know how far they can go, safely. Depression is very common in people in general. It is not clear if the incidence is rising. What has risen is people’s awareness of it and of the need to intervene rather than to expect people to snap out of it. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. People may be genetically predisposed (there is a family history of depression), and when faced with overwhelming stress become overtly depressed. With the fraying of the nuclear family and most homes having two working adults, all family members are more
likely to miss those early signs of a downward slide, especially in the age of the video games and computers, when being isolated for hours on end is not unusual. Question: How does treatment work? Answer: There are many forms of treatment. Therapy or counseling is where a professional can help one sort through one’s distress and realign supports/priorities/goals to reach a point of being able to function at one’s potential. Studies have shown that for more severe or longstanding depression, therapy together with antidepressant medication produces the best results. There are several forms of interpersonal therapies used for specific presentations of depression, and professionals are specially trained for these. In the most extreme, treatment-resistant depressions, electroconvulsive therapy has been lifesaving. Still newer forms of treatment have come into recent use but have yet to become mainstream approaches. At the core, the efforts are to reverse the chemistry in the brain that leads to depression in the first place.
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Health Line Briefs
CU MEDICAL SCHOOL HELPS LEAD NATIONAL EFFORT TO MAP LIFE-SAVING DEVICES In mid-November, Food and Drug Administration officials announced that the University of Colorado School of Medicine will work with the FDA to develop a pilot registry in Denver to identify automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the community. This registry will link AEDs to emergency medical dispatch. It also could increase the ability of bystanders to save a life and help ensure that AEDs are located where they might be needed. Seattle and San Diego are the only other cities that will launch this effort. The ultimate goal is to integrate AEDs into 911
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systems across the country. AEDs save lives if they are accessible within minutes of heart arrest. But they are used in fewer than 3 percent of those cases. The devices diagnose lifethreatening, abnormal heart rhythms and deliver electrical energy to the heart to restore its normal rhythm. The Denver pilot project is part of a broader FDA initiative to improve AEDs. The FDA is encouraging development of safer, more effective external defibrillators through improved design and manufacturing practices.
CU MEDICAL SCHOOL RESEARCHERS HELP PIONEER NOVEL TECHNIQUE Usually, when cells are extracted from sus-
picious nodules in the thyroid, they’re found to be benign. No cancer. But here’s the problem — in 15-30 percent of those samples, it’s hard to tell. The next step in most cases has been for a surgeon to remove part, or all, of the thyroid. That tissue is examined further. More than 70 percent of the time, there’s no cancer, yet the patient had to undergo surgery to get that good news — and is often subjected to lifelong thyroid hormone therapy as a result. Bryan Haugen, MD, who heads the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes at the CU medical school, and the national team sought to determine if the new test could help avoid those surgeries and still identi-
fy when there’s no cancer. The answer, it now turns out, is yes. The secret lies in the genes. The American Cancer Society estimates that 44,670 new thyroid cancer cases (33,930 in women, and 10,740 in men) will be diagnosed nationwide this year. Nearly two-thirds of the cases occur in people between the ages of 20 and 55. The chance of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer has doubled since 1990, in part because of better detection.
PVHS CUTS RIBBON ON NORTHERN COLORADO’S FIRST MEDICAL FITNESS CENTER Poudre Valley Health System showcased Poudre Valley Medical Fitness, the first medical fitness center in north-
ern Colorado, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Marina Health Campus, in Water Valley, Windsor. The facility, owned and operated by PVHS, opened Dec. 1 and with at least 500 pre-registered members. The center is open to members of the public who purchase fitness memberships. It features pools, group exercise classes, computerized fitness tracking, free weights, cardio equipment, babysitting services, wellness and lifestyle classes and personal training by certified To inquire about Poudre Valley Medical Fitness membership, call 970-674-6500, or learn more by visiting www.pvhs.org/ medicalfitness.
+DSS\ +ROLGD\V From Columbine Health Systems
North Shore Health & Rehab Facility Skilled Nursing
Lakeview Commons
Assisted Living
The Wexford
HL-321681
Independent Living
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Columbine cares for seniors
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Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado December 16, 2010
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Health Line Calendar
BREAST FEEDING SUPPORT GROUP When: 10-11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday Cost: Free Contact: 970-669-9355 BRIGHT BEGINNINGS FOR INFANTS Bring your baby and learn how nurturing interactions, a healthy/safe environment and playing games together supports brain development and emotional health. Bright Beginnings is designed to celebrate the birth of new babies and provide families with health, safety, development, play and community resource information. When: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Jan. 17 Where: 3rd Floor, Family Birth Center Conference Room, McKee Medical Center Cost: Free. Pre-registration is required. Contact: 970-495-7528 to register for a class or schedule a home visit.
jacket. When: 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, four-week session begins Jan. 10 Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center Cost: No charge Contact: 970-635-4138 BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING Have your blood pressure checked by a Wellness Specialist. When: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-noon, Friday Where: McKee Wellness Services, 1805 E. 18th St. Suite 6, Loveland Cost: No charge Contact: 970-635-4056
touched by diabetes who wants to learn and share. There will be a different subject matter for each meeting. Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center Cost: No charge. No registration needed. Contact: 970-203-6550 for more information and topics.
YOGA SUPPORT GROUP For people touched by cancer. Thirty minutes of gentle yoga and breathing and 30 minutes of holistic therapy education. When: 5:30-6:30 p.m., first and third Thursday of the month COPD (CHRONIC OBWhere: McKee ConferSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY ence and Wellness Center DISEASE) Contact: 970-635-4054 This seven-session multidisciplinary education seGENERAL CANCER SUPries helps with the manPORT GROUP agement of COPD. The When: 5:30-7 p.m., team reviews the respirato- Tuesdays ry system, how it works, Where: McKee Cancer what has gone wrong and Center lobby how you can conserve enContact: 970-635-4129 ergy and decrease shortCAREGIVER’S SUPPORT ness of breath. Anyone GROUP ASTHMA EDUCATION who has COPD, emphyseFor caregivers of cancer This four-session multi- ma or bronchitis is encourpatients disciplinary educational se- aged to attend along with Contact: Call for times ries helps people manage family and/or significant and locations, 970-635asthma. The team reviews others. Because we can’t the respiratory system and be sure the room tempera- 4129 how it works, medications ture will meet your personBREAST CANCER SUPPORT used to treat asthma and GROUP al needs, please bring a tools that can help you sweater or jacket. When: 5:30-7 p.m., secbreathe better and monitor ond Thursday of each When: 1-3 p.m. on your asthma. Triggers, ear- Tuesdays, next session be- month ly warning signs and cop- gins Jan. 4 Where: McKee Cancer ing techniques are disWhere: McKee Confer- Center lobby. cussed. Anyone who has ence and Wellness Center Contact: 970-622-1961 asthma is encouraged to Cost: No charge SOULPLAY ART THERAPY attend along with family Contact: 970-635-4138 People whose lives are and/or significant others. touched by cancer experiBecause we can’t be sure DIABETES INFORMATION ence the benefits of exthe room temperature will GROUP An informational/educa- pressing themselves meet your personal needs, tional meeting for anyone through art. No art experiplease bring a sweater or
ence needed. When: 9:45-11:45 a.m., Wednesdays Where: McKee Cancer Center Conference Room Contact: 970-635-4129 MAN TO MAN PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP When: 5:30-7 p.m., fourth Thursday of the month Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center Contact: 970-622-1961 for more information CAREGIVERS SUPPORT For caregivers of elderly adults. The group focuses on providing support and education about community resources and behavior issues, particularly for people with Alzheimer's and memory impairment. When: 1:30-3:30 p.m., third Thursday of the month Where: First Christian Church, 2000 N. Lincoln Ave. Cost: No charge. Care of elderly adult family members or friends is available through Stepping Stones Adult Day Care program during meeting times at no charge. Contact: 970-669-7069 THE SEASONS CLUB The Seasons Club at McKee Medical Center strives to enhance the quality of life for mature adults through health promotion, education and recreation. To learn more about Seasons Club activities, call 970-635-4097 or visit www.bannerhealth.com Keyword: McKee Seasons Club.