Healthline September 2014

Complimentary

September 18, 2014

MONTHLY

HealthLine Of Northern Colorado

KEEP YOUR KIDS HEALTHY

The new school year is here! What physicians recommend to make sure your students have a healthy and successful year.

5 dietary habits of healthy kids + How to ďŹ t a workout into your workday

Teddy Bear Hospital Let our emergency staff treat your child’s favorite stuffed animals and dolls at the sixth annual Teddy Bear Hospital event.

It’s a free and fun way to help children learn about health and safety.

Learn more at uchealth.org/bear.

Sept. 27 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

2500 Rocky Mountain Ave. Loveland PLU0Schildren

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contents

NUTRITION: 5 dietary habits of healthy kids Page 4

PARENTAL GUIDANCE: Helping kids choose safe sign-ons

Page 10

also inside UNCOMMON SENSE: Should polyamory be disclosed or kept private?..................... 8 Early detection and teamwork help woman conquer lung cancer ............................. 6 So you want to have a baby?.................................................................................. 11 FITNESS: No time for a workout? How to ďŹ t it into your workday............................. 14 Are our chairs killing us? Get up and get moving, scientist urges ............................ 16 Health Briefs & Calendar....................................................................................... 17

Health Line of Northern Colorado is a monthly publication produced by the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald. 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:

Misty Kaiser, 303-473-1425 kaiserm@reporterherald.com

on the cover KEEP YOUR STUDENT HEALTHY

The new school year is here!

What physicians recommend to make sure your students have a healthy and successful year.

______ PAGE 12 September 18, 2014

Reporter-Herald — ReporterHerald.com

HEALTHLINE 3

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NUTRITION

5 dietary habits of healthy kids (BPT) - With so much information available about kids’ nutrition - what to eat, how to supplement and more - it’s hard to get a firm grasp on what it takes to raise a healthy child. In the U.S., a significant portion of children are not getting enough essential vitamins and nutrients, including vitamins D, E and A, and omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA according to the 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

“It’s quite difficult to get all the essential vitamins and nutrients solely from diet -

especially if you have picky eaters in your house,” says Elizabeth Somer, registered dietitian and author of The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals. “There are tips and tricks parents can follow to establish healthy eating habits for their kids, but it’s also important for parents to consider adding multivitamins to their child’s routine to fill in the gaps.”

Somer focuses on five important tips parents should follow to ensure their kids are getting adequate amounts of the essential vitamins and nutrients they need. These

nutrition tips can build the foundation for healthy habits long after kids leave the nest:

1. Look to MyPlate to fill your plate. MyPlate is an

updated guide to nutrition from the USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama - think of it as the new Food Guide Pyramid. Check out the tips for a well-rounded diet focused on fruits, veggies and whole grains.

2. Decorate your plate.

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Create a colorful plate of salads with spinach, strawberries and blueberries or other fruits and veggies for meal and snack times. Kids need at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. More is even better.

3. Sport a milk mustache. Children need two-to-

three glasses of calcium-rich milk or yogurt each day. Give them milk fortified with DHA an omega-3 fatty acid shown to benefit brain development, eye health and even sleep - and you’ll add a punch of nutrition to each glass.

4. Eat your ABCs. Listing

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essential vitamins is a lot like reciting the alphabet.

According to recent research, though, kids are not getting enough of vitamins D, E or A as well as the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. Dark leafy greens, oily fish like salmon, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, milk and carrots are good examples of foods that can deliver these nutrients.

5. Fill the gaps. For both kids and adults, it’s difficult to achieve optimal nutrition through diet alone. It’s especially difficult for picky eaters. Therefore, an ageappropriate, well-formulated multivitamin and mineral supplement provides extra insurance that your little one is getting all the nutrients he or she needs. And, if your child is not eating multiple servings of fatty fish (like salmon) per week, consider a quality fish oil supplement for omega-3s DHA and EPA. For more information on kids’ nutrition, and healthy tips for the whole family, visit www.vitaminsinmotion.com.

September 18, 2014

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ydo I Where turn when it comes

Myfamily’s health? is that

to my health?

I’VE NEVER even heard of that Is it

DISEASE.

medication

safe?

treatable?

I have been suffering from constant neck and arm pain. What might be the cause?

What’s the latest

technology?

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about this?

What are my OPTIONS

now?

Neck and arm pain is very common and can be caused by different problems. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available as well.

A ruptured or herniated disc is a common cause of neck and arm pain, although there are many other factors. Symptoms may include dull or sharp pain in the neck or between the shoulder blades, pain that radiates down the arm to the hand or fingers, or numbness or tingling in the shoulder or arm.

Ask the

Expert

Neck and arm pain can also be caused by poor posture, lack of exercise, an injury, or the natural process of aging.

Treatment options include cold/heat therapy, pain medications, physical therapy, massage and lifestyle modifications like losing weight, quitting smoking and improving posture, especially when working on a computer.

If pain persists, surgery may be suggested. Most procedures can be done using minimally-invasive techniques.

If you are living with chronic neck and arm pain, contact a Banner Health neurosurgeon today.

Banner Health Clinic- Neurosurgery, Brain & Spine 1800 15th St., Suite 130, Greeley 2923 Ginnala Dr., Loveland Beth Gibbons, M.D. Neurosurgery

September 18, 2014

David Blatt, M.D. Neurosurgery

Kai Stobbe, PA-C Neurosurgery

Appointments: (970) 350-5996 www.BannerHealth.com/BMG-CONeuroBrainSpine Accepting Kaiser Permanente Members

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HEALTHLINE 5

Early detection and teamwork help woman conquer lung cancer

Loveland resident Dona Ammons is a busy woman. She cares for her two dogs, Mr. Beau Jangles and Bambi, she’s the choir director at her church, and she belongs to a train club and a ukulele band.

By Susan Skog and Kim Vecchio, University of Colorado Health

When Loveland resident Dona Ammons developed a pain near her ribs, she figured it was a result of her osteoporosis. Assuming she had a bruised or broken rib, she went to her doctor to get it checked out.

“On April 1, I went to see an orthopedic doctor, who took an X-ray,” said Ammons.

“He confirmed I didn’t have anything wrong with my ribs, but he said, ‘I see something in the X-ray that bothers me.’”

After a chest X-ray and CT scan, Ammons visited with University of Colorado Health pulmonologist, Dr. Richard Milchak. He showed Ammons the mass on her lung. He ordered a biopsy, and three days later, he took Ammons’ case to UCHealth’s newly created Lung Nodule Clinic.

After a meeting with a team consisting of radiologists

6 HEALTHLINE

and pathologists, as well as pulmonologists, medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons and patient navigators, Milchak called Ammons to tell her she needed additional testing.

“With the advent of the Lung Nodule Clinic, we may see a patient on Wednesday and hopefully get him into a diagnostic procedure within a few days to a week,” Milchak said. “Then, a diagnosis can be more quickly reached and a treatment plan in place within weeks, not months.

That time is valuable when you’re treating lung cancer.”

Although rates are dropping, lung cancer is still the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States, according to the American Lung Association.

It causes more deaths than the next three most common cancers combined.

Part of the problem is that the majority of lung cancer diagnoses are made too late, said Dr. Matthew

Sorensen, medical director of UCHealth’s oncology service line.

Sorensen’s team works hard to reverse that trend and boost survival rates through the Lung Nodule Clinic. For the first time in northern Colorado, patients benefit from a more efficient approach to detecting and treating lung cancer.

“The lack of communication among providers is one of the biggest complaints patients and their families have,” Sorensen said. “Now, after I sit down with a patient and their family, and shake their hands as I leave the room to put their treatment plan into place, they don’t need to ask, ‘Are you sure you’ve talked to my surgeon or my radiation oncologist?’

They know we’re all on board, and we’re all aware of the treatment plan.”

Ammons, who was diagnosed with Stage 1B lung cancer in April, said the communication was key to her beating cancer. The day after she spoke with Milchak, the Lung Nodule Clinic’s patient navigator, Ladelle West, called Ammons to help schedule her appointments in the right order, coordinate communication among all providers and stay on top of each step of her treatment plan.

Milchak calls West “the most important person in this process.” And Dr. Kirk DePriest, UCHealth pulmonologist added, “like the quarterback to our entire team.”

“I never had to worry if the physicians were talking

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to each other because they were constantly communicating and everyone was on the same page,” Ammons said.

Ammons added, “I am a busy lady. Ladelle and my team handled everything so I could go on living.”

By May 7, Ammons had completed her tests and was scheduled to see Dr. Ann Stroh, a medical oncologist, who coordinated radiation treatments with radiation oncologist Dr. Gwen Lisella.

In June, just two and a half months after being diagnosed, Ammons was cancer-free. On her last day of treatment, the radiation staff gave her a little white cake with a candle that said “happy day.” However, her last day of treatment won’t be the last day she sees her team. Ammons has multiple follow-up visits with Milchak, Stroh and her primary care doctor. She also will have a PET scan every three months to make sure the cancer does not return.

“Nobody is letting loose of me,” she said. “Makes me feel so secure that they are following up and taking care of me. They weren’t going to drop off at the end when I finished my treatments.”

September 18, 2014

URGENT CARE The doctor can see you NOW.

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HEALTHLINE 7

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UNCOMMON SENSE

Letting go of activities as we age isn’t always easy Dear Dr. Beth, When I was young (teens and twenties), I was a dancer, I acted, played soccer and did gymnastics.

Over time, I gave up pretty much all of those activities, largely just due to life circumstances (getting involved in school, work, relationships, having kids, etc.) Now I’m in my mid-50s. I only have one child left at home and he’s a senior. I have time to start doing the things I love again.

But now I have a few old injuries that crop up and I just don’t have the flexible body for gymnastics or the types of dance I used to enjoy. I feel discouraged and I’m not sure how to handle these new limitations in a healthy way. I need some ideas for coping.

Aging typically brings unwanted changes in our energy, strength, stamina and flexibility of our bodies. Even those in the best of shape find that they can’t run as far or as fast as they used to and can’t do the cartwheels of yesteryear. It is natural to feel disappointed as we discover these limitations.

The people I’ve talked to who seem the happiest have found a way to grieve and let go of their former capabilities without giving up being active. Often you can find lower intensity levels of participation that still provide fulfillment.

These may involve the activities you loved in the past or newly discovered interests.

Many times you can still par-

ticipate in the activities you once loved but in a slightly different way.

For example, someone who loves horseback riding might let go of jumping but continue with trail-riding. A dancer may shift from intense ballet but still enjoy ballroom dancing, line dancing or swing. Marathon runners may opt for shorter races or take up jogging. While there are people who can continue their activities at the same intensity as when they were younger, this is not true for the majority of us.

Grieving is natural but prolonged grief robs us of the possibilities of our now. Our capabilities and energy levels usually continue to change

over time, so don’t put off engaging in the activities you can still do now. With time, some of those activities, too, may exceed your grasp. Exercise your passions today.

Dear Dr. Beth, I am in my mid-70s and my wife died seven years ago. We had been married 45 years and had a really good marriage for the most part. She was my best friend and my partner in life and I still miss her, though I think I have adjusted my life so that I am OK even though she is gone. In the last couple of years I have dated a couple of women and they have been very nice and interested in me, but I find I just don’t

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September 18, 2014

have the desire to establish another long-term committed relationship or marriage. My heart just isn’t in it. I enjoy my friends and my time alone which I spend writing, painting and hiking or snowshoeing in the mountains. I like my solitude and time alone as well as some time with friends. Is there something wrong with me because I don’t want to date or be seriously involved with someone and I feel content picturing my life without another life partner?

I talk to many people who have been widowed later in life. Some had satisfying relationships and others were unfulfilled. Many are now in their sixties to eighties and were in one (or more) relationship during their lives, some that lasted for decades.

I have found variability in how people feel after losing a partner or spouse later in life.

Some grieve for a time and then desire the companionship of a new partner. They are not happy with the idea of being single for the remainder of their lives and whether their marriage was good or bad, they want to try again.

Some people want to try again because their long-term relationship was satisfying— they are optimistic about the potential for finding happiness again. Other people want to be in a new relationship because their marriage was not good. They are optimistic that they can find a more satisfying partner.

Others are certain that they are happier

September 18, 2014

being in control of their time and living circumstances without having to compromise their needs and balance their preferences with those of a partner. It is refreshing to be independent and they do not want to return to what they perceive as a more restrictive lifestyle. Many of these people find peace and contentment in solitude and spending time with friends, but do not need a partner.

Interestingly, these women and men make their choices for the same reasons: some because they were in an unsatisfying marriage and don’t want to risk repeating that experience; others because their relationship was so good that they have no need to do it again with another partner.

Widows and widowers make these choices for all kind of reasons and there is no good or bad to any of them. The choice to find another partner fits for some and the choice to stay single fits for others.

There is nothing wrong with not wanting to date or have a partner. It is just one of several different life choices.

Uncommon Sense with Beth Firestein Dr. Beth Firestein is a licensed psychologist. She has 27 years of therapy experience and has practiced in Loveland for more than 16 years.

She may be reached by calling her office at 970-635-9116, via email at firewom@webaccess.net or by visiting www.bethfirestein.com.

Dr. Julie Noffsinger

Tips

for picking a pediatrician.

Selecting the right pediatrician to care for your child is very important. Following these tips can help ensure a good fit for you and your child.

1. Ask for recommendations.

Ask friends or family recommendations and search the American Academy of Pediatrics site to ensure the physician you’re researching is a board-certified member. AAP members have access to great resources for diagnosis and treatment.

2. Check to see if your child will see the same doctor for their well-visits.

Some practices require that you rotate through each physician while others, like the board-certified pediatricians at UCHealth, have you see one primary physician for well-visits.

3. Ask if the physician has established relationships with urgent care facilities and emergency departments.

Having these relationships in place is important.

This team will care for your child after hours or in emergency situations. Having an open line of communication between your pediatrician and the emergency providers helps ensure comprehensive care for your child.

To see the rest of our tips or request an appointment, go to: care.uchealth.org/kids We have two convenient locations to care for your child in west Greeley and east Loveland. If you want a compassionate team of providers to care for your child, call us today: 970.785.8503.

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HEALTHLINE 9

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PARENTAL GUIDANCE

Helping kids choose safe sign-ons

By Beth Whitehouse, Newsday, (MCT)

What should parents teach kids about choosing usernames and passwords for Internet sites?

Shaun Murphy, CEO of PrivateGiant, a Westchester, N.Y.based company dedicated to maintaining online privacy, has this advice: • Don’t use a real first or last name as a username on any site. Nicknames help kids stay anonymous.

Choose something like Fluffycat12 or even a neutral username that doesn’t hint of gender—other users might assume that Fluffycat12, for instance, is a girl.

• Don’t use the same username on multiple sites, because people can correlate your data. “Cyber criminals use a technique called Doxing, essentially combing the web for snippets of information about a person, to build a full profile they can use to execute

or tween. Also don’t use your email address as your username.

• The longer the password, the harder it is to guess.

“Eight characters is less secure than 12 characters,” he says. If it’s hard to remember multiple passwords, use a core password and vary it in each site. For instance, make your Facebook password Fbkcoffee53(ASTERISK), and your Instagram password coffee53(ASTERISK) Ins, etc. Don’t use your real names as part of your password. ___ Email Beth Whitehouse at beth.whitehouse@newsday. com

crimes like identity theft, scams or other targeted attacks,” Murphy says.

• Don’t use identifying information such as your town, school or street address as part a username or password. Avoid using birth year, which could help others know you are a teen

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So you want to have a baby?

Getting pregnant may take some time, so focus on getting healthy first

By Karla Oceanek, University of Colorado Health

There may not be a more exciting time in a woman’s life than thinking about or trying to have a baby. If you’re in one of these modes, you have time to prepare for a healthy pregnancy. Dr. Natalie Rochester, a University of Colorado Health OB/GYN who delivers babies at Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, offers these suggestions: “We want mom to be as healthy as possible before she conceives,” said Rochester.

“That means eating a healthy diet and exercising at least 30 minutes a day, and having all of your medical problems under excellent control before trying to conceive.”

“Prenatal vitamins are also super-duper important. A couple of months before trying to get pregnant, start taking prenatal vitamins with folic acid. The vitamins lower the risk of birth defects.” Rochester said. You can buy prenatal vitamins over-the-counter or get a prescription from your doctor.

It’s important to know what to expect when you start trying to get pregnant.

“Many women think they’ll get pregnant quickly and are surprised when they don’t,” said Rochester. “It often takes a number of months. In fact, only 85 percent of women with no infertility issues will be pregnant within a year, even if they’ve been having timed and frequent sex.”

If you’ve been trying to

September 18, 2014

conceive for a while without success, Rochester suggests keeping an ovulation calendar.

“Many women don’t understand their menstrual cycles and when they can get pregnant,” said Rochester. “Keep track of your periods and have sex at the most opportune times.”

Your ovaries release an egg about 12 to 14 days before your period starts. If you have a 28-day cycle, you’ll usually ovulate sometime between day 12 and day 16 of your cycle (with day one of your cycle being the day your period starts).

To conceive, your egg needs to be fertilized within 12 to 24 hours of ovulation. Sperm live for two or three days, so if you want to get pregnant, you need to have sex a few days before you ovulate through the day of ovulation.

After six months of regular and timed sex without a pregnancy and if you’re frustrated about your results, talk to your doctor. There are simple tests and treatments your doctor can use without going the full-blown infertility route. But remember, you’re still well within the one-year, 85-percent window.

“People don’t always seek care when they’ve been trying unsuccessfully because they’re afraid of the costs and protocols of infertility treatment,” said Rochester.

“But the truth is, there are a number of simple next steps we can take.”

A blood test can reveal whether or not you’re ovulating each month. Medications that stimulate egg production are also relatively easy to take and manage. The prospective mom’s age is also a fertility factor. Women ages 20 to 35

Pre-pregnancy checklist

have the highest chances of conceiving quickly and delivering a healthy baby without complications. “But I have many patients who are in their late thirties and early forties,” said Rochester.

Finally, remember that each pregnancy is different.

If you conceived quickly with your first baby but are having trouble conceiving your second, you’re not alone. It’s not uncommon for conception to take many months. And during those months, it’s essential that moms don’t neglect their own health.

“After they have one child, women tend to be so busy that they don’t take care of themselves,” said Rochester.

“But it’s important for them to be in good health before they get pregnant again.”

• I’m eating a healthy diet.

• I’m exercising at least 30 minutes a day, most days.

• I’m taking prenatal vitamins.

• I’m abstaining from alcohol, drugs and marijuana.

• I’m up-to-date on routine doctor’s check-ups, including my annual pelvic exam and pap smear.

• I’ve talked to my doctor about any pregnancy risk factors I might have.

• I’m managing well any chronic health conditions (such as diabetes or high blood pressure).

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HEALTHLINE 11

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ON THE COVER

KEEP YOUR STUDENT HEALTHY

The new school year is here! What physicians recommend to make sure your students have a healthy and successful year.

By Dominique Del Grosso, Healthline

the parent to create a plan Noffsinger says the guidelines pediatricians use to measure a child’s growth are from the American Academy of Pediatrics. And from those guidelines, children should be evaluated frequently at the following markers: • Birth • One month old • Two months old • Four months old • Six months old • Nine months old • 12 months old • 15 months old • 18 months old • 24 months old Annually from this point forward, unless a physician advises otherwise or other medical issues persist.

From one year to the next, kids go through a number of physical, emotional and social changes. To appropriately track and properly evaluate those changes, well-checkup appointments are essential to ensure your child is on the right path for healthy growth.

The beginning of a new school year, is a perfect time to schedule appointments for students. Doing this will help you be certain your child is healthy and prepared for the coming year.

WELL-CHECKUP APPOINTMENTS Many factors of a child’s health are measured during well-checkup appointments. Assessments can include growth, overall health, nutrition, development, and psychological, educational, emotional and social functioning.

Dr. Julie Noffsinger, a pediatrician with Medical Center of the Rockies at Peakview Pediatrics, stresses the importance of annual well-checkup appointments because if any problem is identified, a plan of action can be implemented to remedy the issue.

“If something isn’t stacking up, it’s important to know this information so we can intervene,” she says.

When your child was an infant, your pediatrician referred to a detailed, age-

12 HEALTHLINE

HEAR AND NOW appropriate spectrum that helps identify if your baby is presenting normally versus abnormally or healthy versus unhealthy. And, the same concept is used when assessing children as they age.

From a well-checkup, parents and physicians will be armed with essential medical information about a child’s health, growth and maturity.

“There’s a critical period of a child’s first few years where vision, hearing, growth and brain is development is occurring, and it’s essential to keep tabs on children during these stages of growth,” Noffsinger says. “Even when it seems like kids are healthy,

we have critical guidelines to measure development.”

During the appointment, these are the markers pediatricians assess: • Any questions or concerns • A head-to-toe physical examination of the child.

• Vaccination records — vaccines may be recommended and administered • If any additional medical testing is necessary, the pediatrician will provide a specialist physician recommendation and referral • A vision screen • Physical, emotional, mental and social development— if intervention is necessary, the physician works with

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Sometimes, being referred to a specialist for additional testing or monitoring of a child’s health can be necessary. A child may experience problems with hearing, for example, and this can be initially detected by either parents or in a well checkup appointment.

To determine if a child is experiencing difficulty with hearing, Kim Miller, an audiologist with the Thompson School District in Loveland, says parents can look for the following signs: • Delayed speech and/or language.

• Intently looking at people’s faces when listening.

• Saying “what” often.

September 18, 2014

• Not responding from a distance or from one side.

• Inconsistent responses to voice or other softer sounds • Speaking very softly or very loudly • Getting closer to the TV, toys or other sources of sound to hear • Not reacting to loud sounds or voices from behind them • Unexplained emotional “meltdowns” “Any child with a speech or language delay should have a hearing test. No child is too young for a hearing test. Hearing can change, so anytime a concern arises, hearing should be tested even if a child had normal hearing in the past,” she says.

Miller says the most com-

mon hearing difficulty with children is related to fluid in the middle ear, which can occur with or without infection.

And, hearing difficulty can also occur from blockage of the ear canal by wax.

“Varying amounts of hearing loss in one or both ears can be caused by genetics, abnormal ear development, problems during pregnancy, drug use, illness or lack of oxygen of the baby at birth, and serious illness such as mumps or measles, to name a few. In many cases, the cause of hearing loss is unknown. Hearing loss can be present at birth or can develop at any age,” she says.

Miller’s best advice to help children protect hearing is to use protective ear muffs or earplugs when loud sounds are present, or avoid

prolonged loud sound.

“The rule of thumb is that if you have to shout to carry on a conversation from three feet away, it’s too loud,” she says. “This is true even when listening to music with loose fitting headphones or earbuds. Eventually the symptoms of temporary hearing loss can become permanent with additional exposure.”

She also says all Colorado school districts provide free hearing evaluations from an audiologist, and a medical referral is not required first.

KEEP GERMS AWAY Unfortunately, children are likely to get sick due to germ transmission in the close-quarters of a classroom setting.

Parents can help keep germs at-bay by doing the

following: • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer prior to eating, and after a bathroom visit.

• Teach children to keep hands away from the face.

• Give children with a water bottle and avoid fountains.

• Adequate sleep will contribute to a stronger immune system.

• Exercise regularly and consume healthy foods.

• Dress appropriately for the weather.

“Teach your children that to wash their hands after school and each time after the bathroom,” Noffsinger says. “Also, cough into the nook of your arm by your elbow. Don’t cough into your hands, and try not to wipe your nose with your hands either.”

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HEALTHLINE 13

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FITNESS

No time for a workout? How to fit it into your workday

By Leslie Barker, The Dallas Morning News (MCT)

Next to “the dog ate my homework,” one of the most lamebrain excuses around might be this one: “Work keeps me too busy to exercise.”

To that, we roll our eyes, engage our core and lift both feet off the ground slowly, hold for a breath or two, and lower them.

“Do you have 60 seconds?” asks Dallas-area personal trainer Kristi Dear.

“Do you have two minutes?”

Of course you do. How long does it take to heat your leftovers in the break room microwave? How much time do you spend on the phone?

Not to get too personal, but how often do you make a restroom trek?

Incorporate just five moving bouts of 60 seconds (or 10 of 30) throughout your day, and by the time you go home, that’s 10 minutes. By week’s end, it’s 50. And you don’t even have to keep a jump rope at your desk or set up a basketball hoop on the parking lot.

“You could hold in a squat when you’re on the phone,” says Dear.

But, she concedes, “People would walk by and go, ‘What?!’”

For a subtler approach, and in honor of Labor Day, we asked her; Trina Hall, an experienced registered yoga teacher, and Dallas personal trainer Turner Cavender for

14 HEALTHLINE

in-office suggestions. These moves won’t necessitate a shower, says Cavender, who owns Dallas Fit Body Boot Camp, but “your body is getting blood moving around.”

We divided the tips into three categories necessary for all-around fitness: cardio, strength and flexibility.

CARDIO

Take the stairs.

Obvious? Maybe. But how often do you find yourself waiting for the elevator when the stairwell is just around the corner? Take them two steps at a time one flight, one step the next. Is your cubicle on the first floor? Use the restroom on the second.

Stand up.

Set your phone or watch

timer, and every 30 minutes, get your bottom out of the chair. Use the time to assess your to-do list, Cavender says. Or get a drink of water.

“Get the blood flowing.

This helps eliminate back problems. When you’re seated for so long, your hip flexors shorten and that pulls on your lower back. The shorter they are, the more pain you have.”

If you’re awaiting a call or a visit from your boss and don’t want to leave your desk, stand up and sit down a few times every half-hour or so.

Move your feet.

Walking to lunch, yes, but also while you’re sitting down. Do so when you’re on the phone, or reading a

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report.

“Tap your toes on the floor for a minute straight,” Cavender says. Alternate feet, or do them at the same time. Feel those calf muscles?

STRENGTH

Practice your push-ups.

Do them against the stairs — if the stairwell is empty and you don’t mind putting your hands where others put their feet. Or you can perfect your push-up prowess against the break room countertop while your coffee is heating, Dear says.

Do them slowly or see how many you can do in those 30 to 45 seconds.

Position your hands various distances apart.

September 18, 2014

chair. Extend your arms at

Eliminate jelly arms by placing your hands on a bathroom sink or break room countertop behind you.

Extend your legs until you are balancing on your heels.

Bend your elbows and dip, then straighten, in sort of an inverted push-up. Repeat until it feels uncomfortable.

exercise becomes easier.

Dear prefers time to reps because “if I said to do 25, one person may say, ‘That didn’t work,’ and another would say, ‘That’s hard!’”

As you get stronger with this and the following exercise, work on increasing the number of reps you do each minute.

For another challenge, start with feet on the floor.

One leg at a time, lift the knee to the chest, keeping your back straight.

If using the bands is too difficult, start without them and build up.

Tone your triceps II.

Strengthen your legs.

For this yoga move, Hall says, sit straight in your chair.

Rest your right ankle over your left thigh. Straighten your spine and lean forward until you feel a stretch in your lower back. Hold for 10 deep breaths through the nose.

Switch sides.

Tone your triceps.

For the next two exercises, Dear recommends connecting two large (5 to 6 inches) rubber bands. Hold one end in your right hand.

Bending your elbow, let the other end drop behind your back. Grasp it with your left hand. Keeping that hand steady, straighten your right elbow. Do each side for a minute, tightening the tension as weeks go by and the

Put one loop of the connected rubber bands around each ankle. With knees bent and feet on the floor, straighten and bend each leg for one minute. See how many reps you can do in a minute. Make it tougher by doing quick pulses, bending your knee slightly without letting your foot touch the floor.

See how many reps you can do in a minute.

shoulder height in front of your body. Bend your elbows up; put your left elbow in the crook of your right arm. Without letting your elbows drop, put your right hand on your left shoulder, and your left

FLEXIBILITY

hand on your right shoulder,

Ease low-back tightness with the Seated Pigeon.

Stretch shoulders and neck.

For this, known as Eagle Arms, sit straight in your

“like you’re giving yourself a hug,” Hall says. Hold for 10 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

For a deeper stretch, take your hands off your shoulders and touch your palms.

“This opens the shoulders, upper back and neck,” she says. “It’s good for the person who sits at a computer, hunched over a keyboard.”

PATIENTS’ SURGERY OPTIONS: • Computer-guided surgery • Minimally invasive surgery • Artificial disc replacement • Scoliosis care & surgery

TWO LOCATIONS:

Comprehensive spine care.

B E C AU S E L I F E D O E S N ’ T H AV E A “ S TO P ” B U T TO N Spine care at the Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies can help you press the “play” button on your life again. Drs. Robert Benz and William Biggs have years of experience, board certification, and specialized spine expertise to help you recover from a back or neck problem that has you on “stop.” We offer complete spine services, whether you need surgery or conservative care. If you need help hitting “play” on your life again, call us today at (970) 493-0112.

2500 E. Prospect Rd Fort Collins, CO 80525 970-493-0112 3470 E. 15th St Loveland, CO 80538 970-663-3975 Toll-Free: 800-722-7441

Serving the people of Northern Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska since 1969.

Robert Benz, MD

Specialists in the medicine of motion September 18, 2014

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William Biggs, MD

www.orthohealth.com

HEALTHLINE 15

Colorado Moves to End Cancer

H L HEALTH CALENDAR BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING

Have your blood pressure checked by a Wellness Specialist.

Where: McKee Wellness Services, 1805 E. 18th St. Suite 6 When: Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE Call: 970.669.9355

BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

By Misty Kaiser, Healthline Magazine

This weekend do something good for you and for your community. Join Miramonte Lifestyle Fitness at their south Fort Collins location (901 Oakridge Dr.) for Colorado Moves to End Cancer – an effort to fight cancer, locally. With so many ways to move your body, this series of events makes it fun to get up and help fund the fight against cancer. The events are open to the public and though the event began on Sept. 14, it’s not too late to take part.

Tonight, meet at the south gym for a ‘Price is Right’ themed party featuring contests, prizes, raffles and a chance to bid on pros for the Pro-Am and more.

On Friday, the same location hosts Chris Burge Tennis Classic youth and adult tennis clinics and the Chris Burge Tennis Classic Pro-Exhibition match in anticipation of the Saturday Pro-Am match.

If you need to relax after all that action, stick around for the Late Night Yoga Party, complete with adult beverages

16 HEALTHLINE

and more.

Saturday, stop by the Miramonte South Café early for breakfast and stay for the Chris Burge Tennis Classic Pro-Am match, reserve a bike for the Outdoor Spinning Marathon or get your dancing shoes on for a 90-minute Zumba class.

Don’t miss the competitive climbers scrambling up Miramonte’s North Wall in pursuit of a $1500 purse.

And what better way to end the evening than with a cocktail party and auction?

Net proceeds from the events will go to the University of Colorado Health Cancer Center, a department of Poudre Valley Hospital, and non-smoking lung cancer research at The University of Colorado Cancer Center. Colorado Moves to End Cancer welcomes donations even if you do not wish to participate.

To make donations, register, or just get more information, visit miramontlifestyle.com/aboutmiramont/colorado-moves.

Where: McKee Cancer Center lobby When: 2nd Thursday of every month, 5:30-7 p.m.

Cost: FREE Call: 970.622.1961

Cost: FREE. Care of elderly adult family members or friends is available through Stepping Stones Adult Day Program during meeting times at no charge.

Call: 970.669.7069

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center, Boise. Ave., Loveland When: Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m.

Cost: FREE Call: 970.635.4015

DIABETES INFORMATION GROUP

When: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (except holidays), 10-11 a.m.

Cost: FREE. No need to register Call: 970.669.9355

Offering information, resources, and support to people with diabetes and the general public.

Where: McKee Wellness Center, Kodak Room When: 4th Thursday of every other month, 7- 8:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE

CAREGIVER CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

GENERAL CANCER SUPPORT

BREAST-FEEDING SUPPORT GROUP

Where: Call for locations and dates.

Cost: FREE Call: 970.635.4129

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.

Where: 302 3rd St. SE STE. 100, Loveland When: 3rd Thursday of the month, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Reporter-Herald — ReporterHerald.com

Where: McKee Cancer Center lobby When: Tuesdays (except holidays), 5:30-7 p.m.

Cost: FREE Call: 970.635.4129

MAN TO MAN SUPPORT GROUP FOR PROSTATE CANCER

Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center When: 4th Thurs. of each month, 5:30 -7 p.m.

Cost: Free Call: 970.622.1961

September 18, 2014

SCLERODERMA SUPPORT GROUP

Open to all scleroderma patients, family, caregivers, and friends looking for a forum to share feelings, concerns, and information.

When: 4th Sat. of even numbered months, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: Medical Center of the Rockies, Poudre Canyon Room, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave. Contact:Judy Laible, 970.

622.9498, jlaible@frii.com Annual Scleroderma Fundraiser Walk – Sunday, September 14 at 10 a.m.

SOULPLAY ART THERAPY

People whose lives are touched by cancer express themselves through art. No art experience needed.

Where: McKee Cancer Cen-

ter Conference Room When: Wednesdays, 1-3:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Call: 970.635.4129

TOTAL JOINT EDUCATION

Physical therapists and occupational therapists prepare patients for surgery. This program is coordinated through your physician’s office as part of the surgery scheduling process.

Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center When: Thursdays, 3 p.m.

Cost: FREE Call: 970.635.4172 to register

WISE WOMEN DISCUSSION GROUP

rewards and challenges of aging. Facilitated by Dr. Beth Firestein.

When: Tues. September 23, Thurs. October 9, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Where: Perkins Restaurant (W. Eisenhower) in Loveland Cost: FREE Info: visit bethfirestein.com, email firewom@webaccess. net or call 970.635.9116.

YOGA SUPPORT GROUP

For anyone touched by cancer.

Where: McKee Medical Center Cancer Center Lobby When: 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Call: 970.635.4054 to register

GIRLS NIGHT OUT LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Put on your favorite black attire, and we’ll show you how health is your best accessory.

Dinner, guest speaker.

When: Thursday, Oct. 9 Where: The Ranch First National Bank Exhibition Hall 5280 Arena Circle, Loveland

BATTLE OF THE BLAHZZZ

Sleep is an integral, and arguably the most important, part of the Big Three - eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep.

When: Thursday, Dec. 4 , 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Where: Location TBD RSVP by Dec. 1 at (970) 203-6631

A supportive environment for women to explore the

R ecovery in mind, body and spirit.

To learn more, call (970) 624-5458.

All faiths or beliefs are welcome.

September 18, 2014

Reporter-Herald — ReporterHerald.com

HEALTHLINE 17

PAID ADVERTORIAL

Ask the Expert: Breast Reconstruction Options After Mastectomy Question: I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and a total mastectomy has been recommended. Can you please explain what options are available for breast reconstruction after mastectomy?

Despite the massive efforts that have been made to raise awareness of breast cancer, it appears we still

tion (during the mastectomy) with

prolonged anesthesia or additional

silicone or saline implants.

surgery too risky).

3.

need to do a better job of discuss-

Delayed reconstruction

(post mastectomy) with implants.

ing breast reconstruction for women

4.

Reconstruction using the

The numbers of options for mastectomies and breast reconstruction can feel overwhelming for patients,

who undergo a mastectomy. Just 23

patient’s own muscle to replace the

especially under the already signifi-

percent of women are aware of the

removed tissue.

cant emotional stress from a breast

wide range of breast reconstruction

5.

Fat transplantation where

cancer diagnosis. However, the

options that are available, according

the patient’s abdominal fat is re-

benefit of having so many options is

to the American Society of Plastic

implanted as “breast” tissue.

that we can usually find a good fit for

Surgeons and The Plastic Surgery

For partial mastectomies, options

Foundation.

include:

In honor of National Breast

1.

Bilateral breast lift or breast

Reconstruction Awareness Day (Oc-

reduction to create symmetry of the

tober 15, 2014), and to answer your

breasts at the time of the mastec-

question, here’s a brief discussion

tomy.

of breast reconstruction options that are commonly used.

2.

Partial mastectomy followed

one year later by the injection of the

Though a number of techniques

patient’s body fat into the area where

and strategies are used, there are

breast tissue was removed.

two main categories of mastecto-

A combination of options could

mies: partial mastectomy and total

also be used. Of course other factors

mastectomy.

play a role in determining which

For total mastectomies, women

option is the most appropriate, such

each individual patient that allows for optimal removal of the cancer as well as a desirable cosmetic outcome. Please do not hesitate to ask your surgeon if you are a candidate for reconstructive options at any time during the process of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

- Molly

Decker, DO

———————————— Molly Decker, DO, is a general

have several reconstructive options,

as the size of the patient’s breasts,

surgeon at the Banner Health Clinic

which include:

prior abdominal surgeries, and the

specializing in general surgery in

amount of subcutaneous abdomi-

Greeley, Colo. Dr. Decker performs

which involves implanting temporary

nal tissue a woman possesses. The

expanders at the time of the mastec-

good news is that most women

minimally invasive and advanced

tomy and then following up with per-

make good candidates for some

manent implants after the expanders

form of breast reconstruction (un-

have reached the desired size.

less there are other major medical

of the American Society of Breast

problems present that would make

Surgeons.

1.

2.

Two-stage reconstruction,

Immediate reconstruc-

18 HEALTHLINE

Reporter-Herald — ReporterHerald.com

laparoscopic surgeries as well as general procedures. She is a member

September 18, 2014

Post a Pink Note!

Sponsored by McKee Medical Center

Sign the interactive PINKBoard page at www.reporterherald.com/business/all-in-pink To help raise awareness of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Reporter-Herald has created an interactive PINKBoard.

Visit reporterherald.com/business/all-in-pink through October 22 and sign the interactive PINKBoard page with notes of encouragement, support and remembrances of loved ones affected by breast cancer or share your own story! Hosting an event or fund-raiser during for Breast Cancer Awareness Month? Share that with us too!

Messages posted online will be printed on special ALL IN PINK pages every Sunday in October.

All In Pink PRESENTED BY

Support • Recognition • Education • Celebration

We’re ALL IN PINK together!

To sponsor ALL IN PINK, call 970.669.5050.