HealthLine March 2009 by Loveland Reporter Herald

If you need us, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here for you. When you need medical care, the exceptional

Malcolm Baldrige Award

caregivers at Medical Center of the Rockies are

PVHS was one of only 3

here for you.

organizations in the entire United States to earn this

Part of the Poudre Valley Health System family,

honor and was the only 2008

Medical Center of the Rockies is a full-service

health care recipient.

hospital specializing in advanced cardiac and

12-293717

trauma care. We also offer general surgery, labor & delivery and emergency care 24 hours, 7 days a weekâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; all in a unique, healing environment.

Malcolm Baldrige

National Quality Award 2008 Award Recipient

pvhs.org

MEDICAL CENTER OF THE ROCKIES P O U D R E V A L L E Y H E A LT H S Y S T E M I N T E R S TAT E 2 5 A N D H I G H WAY 3 4 , L O V E L A N D , C O L O R A D O

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 3

Inside

HealthLine -- The Nutrition Issue Battle of the Diets There are hundreds of diets out there, and they all cut calories. But how can they work for you?

Page 17

Also inside: Biggest Loser Rhema and her crew end their weight-loss mission Page 14

Health shorts ...................................................................................... pg. 4 CSU Nutrition Center .......................................................................... pg. 5 The Healthy Plate ................................................................................ pg. 8 Uncommon Sense with Dr. Beth Firestein ....................................... pg. 11 Destination: Healthy ......................................................................... pg. 13 Ask a Health Pro ............................................................................... pg. 19 Health briefs............................................................................. pgs. 20, 21 Loveland Community Health Fair...................................................... pg. 20 Loveland health calendar ................................................................. pg. 22 Are multi-vitamins worth it? .............................................................. pg. 24

Crandoodles by Steve Crandall

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, non-commercial, 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.

Steve shares nutrition tips

Page 12

Health in a Handbasket Jade forces down breakfast for a week Page 26

For advertising information, contact: Linda Story â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 635-3614

For editorial information, contact: Jade Cody: 635-3656 jcody@reporter-herald.com Rhema Muncy: 635-3684 rmuncy@reporter-herald.com

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Don’t let leftovers linger

Check up on your doctor Rachel Saslow The Washington Post

itals (www.vitals.com), which launched in January 2008, is a free, searchable database of reviews, contact information and biographies for 720,000 doctors. It’s similar to Yelp, the popular review site where users can rant and rave about local businesses. Vitals even links to some of those mini-essays. Although Vitals evaluates a doctor’s bedside manner, accessibility and promptness, very few provider profiles include the most critical piece of information — which health insurance plans the doctor accepts — and none of them advises whether he or she is accepting new patients. All run the risk of being dominated by a discontented few. The site just posted a downloadable, 29-page e-intro to “Finding Dr. Right” by site founder Mitch Rothschild.

Pass on that tan Lindsay Minnema The Washington Post

t’s too cold for sun bathing, so if you’re looking for that summertime glow, a tanning bed provides an easy treatment. Easy, that is, if you’re looking to get as much as 12 times more ultraviolet radiation than you would annually get from normal sun exposure. That is how much radiation exposure the Skin Cancer Foundation warns that frequent tanners can get when using new high-pressure sunlamps. Every year nearly 30 million people — 2.3 million of them teenagers — use tanning salons, the foundation said. But it is a bad habit to get into. One in five Americans develop skin cancer, with melanoma — accounting for 75 percent of skin cancer deaths — being the most deadly. First exposure to tanning beds in youth increases melanoma risk by 75 percent. So embrace healthy skin, wear sunscreen and walk on by that tanning salon.

o you often take home leftovers? The Food and Drug Administration recommends refrigerating groceries and prepared foods, leftovers or take-out as soon as you get home. Never allow any perishable items, such as poultry, seafood or eggs, to sit out for more than two hours. Also, don’t pack too many items in the fridge because the air won’t circulate properly. Finally, eat lunch meats and other ready-to-eat foods quickly because the bacteria Listeria, which can cause a food-borne illness, will begin to form if these items are kept in your fridge too long. Regularly cleaning your fridge will also prevent Listeria growth.

— Lindsay Minnema, The Washington Post

NUTRITION ON THE GO Take the guesswork out of ordering fast food with this clever service from Diet.com. Use your cell phone to text-message DIET1 (34381) with a menu item and restaurant name, and receive instant nutritional facts. The technology is a bit finicky: “Subway turkey six inch sandwich” came up with an error message but “subway turkey 6-inch sandwich” did the trick. About 1,700 restaurants and 36,000 menu items are registered. Diet.com offers the service free; your cost depends on your text-messaging plan. — The Associated Press

Cut back on sodium • Eat out less often. Ask questions about food preparation. • Read labels carefully, particularly on frozen dinners, pizza and packaged rice and pasta mixes. • Add more foods containing potassium to daily eating. Potassium-rich foods also help to blunt the effects of salt on blood pressure. • Look for canned vegetables packed without salt, or rinse and drain canned vegetables and beans to reduce sodium content before cooking. Or switch to fresh or frozen (without added sauce) vegetables. • Cut back on foods that require larger amounts of salt in processing: cured foods such as deli meats, bacon and hot dogs, pickles and condiments such as soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. — The Hartford Courant

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 5

Healthy cooking class for the carb-confused CSU grad students teach the community how to eat healthy Rhema Muncy Special Sections Reporter

plete protein,” MacDonald said. “It is a little more expensive and it has a strong flavor, ith a lightly oiled but it will turn out pretty nicewok, Colorado State ly. We are also using whole University food sci- wheat pastry flour, a really nice ence graduate student Joel Lin- way to get a whole grain but dau quickly fried fresh vegeta- not the density of a whole bles for his portion of the Car- wheat flour. The rolled oats are bohydrate Confused cooking a whole grain in the United class for the Nutrition Center at States. That also applies to inCSU. He worked with fellow stant oatmeal. You can use eigraduate students Michelle ther one.” MacDonald and Michelle ManTurning any flour-based dish son, RD, to create a menu into a whole grain one takes a filled with balanced carbohysimple substitution. drates for every meal. “Take the entire flour reThe team slipped in nutriquirement and make one half tion advice as they worked all purpose and one half over the stove top, offering whole grain flour of any varipractical and money saving ety,” MacDonald said. tips for healthy eating. The next dish was a simple MacDonald opened by exand quick Brown Rice and plaining the whole grain vers- Black Bean casserole packed es refined grain debate. with fiber and a variety of veg“A whole grain is the whole etables to create a whole-protein dinner meal. seed of the plant,” she said. “There’s an outer part, the The basic stir fry followed bran, that protects the seed with common vegetables that and is high in fiber, and the could be saved to last through seed is made of the germ and the week for a quick warm-up endosperm. The germ is high and nutritiously sound dinner in oil and vitamins. The enfor one or the entire family. dosperm is high in starch. They also offered a recipe When you eat a whole grain for a delicious whole-wheat flour, the whole seed has been couscous, grilled eggplant and milled. Refined flour will take green pepper salad with tomathe seed and remove the bran to, cucumber and feta cheese. and the germ so you don’t get The mint included in the salad the benefit of the fiber, vitaoffered a strong flavor, replacmins and healthy oils.” ing the need for a lot of oil. The class started out with The finale of the class came amaranth and raspberry in a pan of brownies. As the muffins with oat streusel, little audience bit into the dish, the breads that offer a nutritional grad students asked them to punch without a pile of caloguess the secret ingredient. ries. The brownies tasted like the “Amaranth is high in protein, normal fudgy dessert — but the amino acid lysine and iron, the moisture came from a can of pureed black beans, substiand when combined with tuted for the egg, oil and water whole wheat it makes a com-

RH Photo/ Chad Wierema

Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole Ingredients: 1 bag quick-cooking brown rice 1 cup vegetable broth 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 /3 cup diced onion 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced 2 cooked skinless boneless chicken halves, chopped 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 /2 teaspoon cumin salt to taste ground chili pepper to taste 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained 1 (4-oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained 1 sliced carrot 1 /2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Directions: Heat vegetable broth to a boil, submerge bag of rice into vegetable broth. Cook as directed. Preheat the over to 350 degrees and spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the chicken and saute with the salt, cumin and chili pepper until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in the skillet. Add the carrot, onion, zucchini and mushrooms and stir until tender. Add the cooked chicken to the mix and heat through, stirring frequently. Stir in the cooked rice, beans and chilies. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. — Recipe courtesy of the CSU Nutrition Center, modified by Michelle Manson from a recipe found at www.allrecipes.com. required for a brownie mix. The CSU Nutrition Center decided to teach the class based on all of the mixed media messages concerning car-

bohydrates and fad diets, Manson said. The class focused on teaching people to cook with balance from the food pyramid and all whole grains as possi-

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients: 1 box any commercial prepared brownie mix 1 15.5 ounce can black beans

Directions: Place the can of bean’s contents, including the liquid, into a blender and blend. Mix thoroughly with the brownie mix (no eggs, oil or other ingredients needed). Spray a 9 inch by 9 inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Bake according to package directions. Cool, cut into nine squares and serve. Each square has approximately 100 calories per brownie, is low in fat and high in fiber and protein.

Prune Puree Brownies

RH photos/ Chad Wierema

Left, Michelle Manson, RD and Joel Lindau demonstrate how to cook black bean casserole and stir fry. Right, Michelle MacDonald demonstrates how to bake whole grain amaranth muffins. ble. They introduced grains that are not commonly used in American cuisine to inspire the group to think outside the whole-grain box. For more information and a cooking class schdule for the rest

of the semester, call program director Melissa Wdowik, Ph.D., RD or assistant director Michelle Manson, RD, GTA at 970-491-8615 or log onto www.fshn.cahs.colostate.edu/ nutritioncenter.asp.

Matthew Ehrlich, M.D. Board Certified Ophthalmologist

• Cataract Surgery (over 12,000 performed)

Ingredients: 1 /2 cup all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup white sugar 1 /8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 /2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 4 oz. jar pureed prunes baby food 2 eggs

Directions: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, sugar and salt. Pour in oil, vanilla, prunes and eggs. Mix well and spread evenly in an 8 inch by 8 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees until the top in shiny or until an inserted tooth pick comes out clean. —Recipes courtsey CSU Nutrition Center

Comfortable

Life Just Got More

Med-Lift Recliner Lift Chairs

• Eye Exams FREE Screening for Cataracts or Glaucoma!

• Multifocal Implants New ReStor 3.0

• Crystalens

CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT MEDICARE ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED. PARTICIPATING WITH MOST OTHER INSURANCE PLANS.

2249 W. Eisenhower Blvd. Loveland, Co

Loveland’s appliance, furniture and mattress store for 40 years

970.667.0663

132 E. Seventh St. Loveland

12-292230

www.eyecenterrockies.com

667-8583

12-295392

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 7

Fast Friendly Service 7 Days a Week

Highway 287 and

M-F 8 am - 6 pm SAT 9 am - 5 pm

3850 Grant St., Ste. 100 Loveland, Colorado 80538

SUN 9 am - 3 pm

970.669.5717

East 37th Street

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here for you.

www.lovelandurgentcare.com

12-293716

Health care when you need it.

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Vogue Feel BEAUTIFUL everyday

The Healthy Plate

Laser Clinic

SERVICES:

• Laser Hair Removal • Laser Tattoo Removal • Laser Cellulite Treatments • Facials • Body Treatments • Chemical Peels • Waxing • Microdermabrasion • Permanent Makeup • Makeup Applications (Airbrush, Bridal & More)

AP photo

Pop goes the recipe Healthy fried chicken from the oven, not the drivethru Jim Romanoff The Associated Press 03-293719

$50.00 OFF

opcorn chicken is a perfect snack — crunchy, bite-sized and seriously addictive. Too bad it’s deep fried, or you could eat it all the time. Actually, you can. You just need to lose all the grease and saturated fat. The key to this crunchy

munchy miracle is an ovenfrying technique that uses only a misting of oil to get a perfect golden crunch. You start with bite-sized chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breast, the same as most takeout restaurants. The chicken pieces get coated in a zesty blend of Dijon mustard and fat-free egg whites. If you like, you could toss in some cayenne pepper or even your favorite blend of fried chicken seasonings. The chicken chunks then get dredged in panko, a Japanese-style breadcrumb that can be found in the Asian section of most grocers. Panko is made from bread with no crusts, so it has lighter

1st Permanent Makeup Procedure

Permanent Makeup in this photo was done at Vogue Laser Clinic

We proudly use

At Centerra (970) 593-3009 1625 Foxtrail Dr. Ste 260, Loveland www.voguelaserclinic.com

John James, M.D.

FORT COLLINS

GREELEY

1136 E. Stuart St., Bldg. 3, Suite 3200 7251 W. 20th St., Bldg. N, Suite 1 Ft. Collins, CO 80525 Greeley, CO, 80634 (970) 221-1681 (970) 356-3907 Leaders in Allergy and Asthma Care for Over 35 Years www.coloradoallergy.com

12-293913

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 9

Baked Popcorn Chicken

and crispier texture than traditional breadcrumbs. The final step before baking is to spritz the chicken with olive oil cooking spray, which will help brown and crisp the chicken. This super-low-fat oven-frying method always yields golden, crunchy, guilt-free results. You also can use it to make healthy chicken nuggets and fingers, as well as crunchy chicken, pork or fish fillets. BAKED POPCORN CHICKEN Start to finish: 30 minutes (10 minutes active) Servings: 8 (48 pieces total) Ingredients: Olive oil cooking spray 2 large egg whites 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 /2 teaspoon salt 2 cups Panko (Japanese-style) breadcrumbs 11/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1inch cubes

Directions: Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER In a medium bowl, whisk together the SERVING (VALUES ARE ROUNDegg whites, mustard and salt. In a shallow ED TO THE NEAREST WHOLE bowl or pie plate, spread the panko. NUMBER): Add the chicken pieces to the egg white 143 calories; 11 calories mixture and toss to coat. A few pieces at a from fat; 1 g fat (0 g saturattime, transfer the chicken to the breaded; 0 g trans fats); 49 mg crumbs and toss to thoroughly coat. cholesterol; 10 g carbohyTransfer the breaded chicken pieces to the prepared baking sheet, arranging drate; 22 g protein; 0 g them close together but not touching. fiber; 339 mg sodium. When all of the chicken is on the baking sheet, spritz them lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes, then use a spatula or tongs to flip the chicken pieces. Continue baking until golden brown and no longer pink at the center, another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot. AP photo

Try your hand at whipping up Irish Lamb Stew Jim Romanoff The Associated Press

or lamb stew, leg meat is considerably lower in fat than other cuts and offers great flavor. The leg meat contains enough connective tissue so that it becomes relatively tender when cooked at a low temperature for a long time. To keep things significantly healthier, always be sure to trim all meats of any visible fat before you cook them. This stew is made with lean, boneless leg of lamb plus plenty of potatoes, leeks, carrots and celery. Chopped fresh thyme and parsley add an aromatic layer, plus a welcome touch of bright green.

IRISH LAMB STEW Start to finish: 8 hours (15 minutes active) Servings: 8

1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 /4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 13/4 pounds white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 3 large leeks, whites only, halved, washed and thinly sliced 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1inch chunks 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Directions: In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the lamb, potatoes, leeks, carrots, celery, broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well. Cover the slow cooker, then cook on low until the lamb is forktender, about 7 to 8 hours. Stir in the parsley just before serving. Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 266 calories; 7 g fat (2 g saturated); 65 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrate; 23 g protein; 4 g fiber; 427 mg sodium.

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

We offered Sarah, Wayne and their new baby all the pampering they needed. Even a limo ride home. When it came time for Sarah to have her baby, McKee Medical Center went the extra mile. Her physician, Dr. Budd, paid special attention to make her comfortable and McKee Medical Center gave her the most relaxing birthing experience possible in a private labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum room. Sarah and her husband took advantage of our affordable, upgraded package that includes such amenities as a flat-screen TV, gourmet meals and a limo ride home from the hospital. It’s a great way to start your new life with your baby in style. McKee Medical Center. Remarkable health care inspired by you.

www.BannerHealth.com, keyword: McKee VIP • 2000 N. Boise Ave. • Loveland (970) 669-4640 • Job opportunities: 866-377-5627 (EOE/AA) or www.BannerHealth.com Banner Health is the leading nonprofit health care provider in northern Colorado.

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 11

Uncommon Sense

Respect is key when moving home after college Beth Firestein, Ph.D. Uncommon Sense

uestion: I’m a recent college graduate who just moved home for the sake of saving money and paying off student loans. However, when I moved back to my same room, I found the family dynamics of the house greatly changed. How do I learn to live healthily with my parents again after we have all grown apart and I have become more of an independent adult over the past four years? What cues will tell me that it is time to move out no matter what the financial benefit is? Answer: Docking in the safe harbor of home for a while after college is a very appealing option for many college graduates, while other graduates would just as soon have their wisdom teeth pulled than move back home with their family. Clearly, this is a very individual choice and one it seems that you have made for good reasons. It sounds like you like your family and have a healthy motive for doing moving back in with them—paying off debt and saving money.

You have probably heard the saying, “You can’t step in the same river twice.” This applies to many situations in life, including moving back in with your family after four years of college and independent living. What this saying really points out is that everything in life is constantly evolving and changing — this includes you and your family too. There is no simple way to tell whether this is a good move for you until a little time has passed. Given that you have just moved home, it will probably take a couple of months for everyone to get used to living together again and establishing new rhythms and patterns. In the meantime, keep advancing your financial goals. A healthy situation can have both rewards and challenges. Reworking your relationships with your parents and younger siblings to incorporate your new young adult identity while living at home can be very healthy (and helpful) for all involved. A healthy situation is not a road without bumps, but serious, ongoing conflict would suggest the situation may not be a good one for you or your family.

The best barometers of whether the situation is right for you are how you are feeling about the situation and whether it is also working for the rest of your family. This involves checking in with yourself and talking to your family every month or two about how each of you feels about how things are going. Ultimately you are moving toward autonomy and the financial self-sufficiency of adulthood. Whether due to family dynamics or simply because you have a sense that it is time to move on, moving out when you feel the situation is no longer working for all of you ensures the likelihood of less hard feelings between family members in the long run and a smoother passage into full adulthood. Dr. Beth Firestein is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Loveland. She has been doing therapy for 23 years and practicing in Loveland for 12 years. She may be reached at firecom@webaccess.net.

Explore how the stomach works to understand food needs Brenna Maloney Washington Post

Your stomach is usually about the size of your fist, but in the course of a big meal it hink of the stomach as a can expand four to five times, J-shaped elastic bag that to about the size of a couple of softballs, or a cantaloupe. If fits under your diyou are accustomed to aphragm on the left side of overeating, frequent expansion your abdomen, protected by and contraction will have exeryour five lowest ribs. The top cised this muscle, and it will end connects to the esophagus; the bottom end attaches to expand with ease. the small intestine. Deep folds As the food, already moist(rugae) in the stomach’s lining ened with saliva, enters the contain millions of glands that stomach, it soaks in the highly produce hydrochloric acid and acidic gastric juices. The stoman enzyme called pepsin. ach wall has three layers of When you’re expecting food, muscle that run lengthwise, the brain sends signals to your horizontally and diagonally. still-empty stomach to start se- Working in different directions, creting these gastric juices. they pulverize the food into a

soupy liquid called chyme, then slowly funnel it into the small intestine. In severe cases of stomach cancer or bleeding gastric ulcers, surgeons may perform a gastrectomy, the surgical removal of all or part of the stomach. When part is removed, the remaining portion continues its digestive function. If the entire stomach goes, the esophagus is attached to the small intestine, the digestive process begins in the small intestine, and, in successful cases, the body eventually adapts. Because of the lack of stomach acids, certain things, such as high-protein foods, become

difficult to digest, so some adjustments to diet are necessary. A healthy stomach is an acidic stomach, since that’s what breaks down food. The gastric juices have a pH of around 2, which basically means they’re corrosive enough to strip paint or burn right through the stomach. To protect itself, the stomach lining continuously secretes mucus. If the levels of acid and mucus fall out of balance, the stomach can start to hurt and we take antacids such as Rolaids. These usually contain aluminum and magnesium which react with acids to form more-neutral compounds.

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

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

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

First-Care Family Physicians 221-5595

12-295155

2160 W Drake Rd, Fort Collins

970-221-4838 ComfyBikes.com

12-293714

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 11

Uncommon Sense

Respect is key when moving home after college Beth Firestein, Ph.D. Uncommon Sense

Explore how the stomach works to understand food needs Brenna Maloney Washington Post

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Th lea

Rhem Specia

RH photos/Chad Wierema

Top, the Buttwhackers Biggest Loser Team stretches out after a workout. Left, Sunny lifts weights, Carrie does jumping jacks and JoAnn does ball lunges. Above, Janelle does ball lunges. Far right, Rhema attempts push ups with team trainer Pam.

and ca ups, ju home Chilso The final w teams Moore cumfe Buttwh We wo than th pound twhack came i percen Even stamp many “I go work o bit,” Bu said. “I would ready For one of “I lik said. “I and I n sisted to doin I didn’ body n

he Buttwhackers arn to persevere

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 15

Biggest Loser

Finale

The greatest challenge the teams faced was changing eating habits, according to Moore. “A lot of people come to terms with the amount they are eating and cut way back,” she said. ma Muncy Losing inches in the waist is one of the al Sections Reporter greatest indicators of better health, she said. Moore also watched blood pressure and he team moved around the room, rocholesterol go down in a few of the team tating through several two minute ex- members. ercises incorporating weight training “The energy they get makes them feel sucardio work. We lifted weights, did push- cessful,” she said. “When people learn someumping jacks and running. This was the thing and get excited, that is very rewarding.” stretch of the Biggest Loser program at Throughout the program, she banished on Recreation Center in Loveland. white flours, sugar substitutes and unbale eight week journey culminated with a anced eating from our diets. She replaced the weigh-in and a celebration with both foods we used to default to with whole present. After Chilson Dietician Denise grains, metabolically-stimulating eating e’s tape measure made its last waist cir- schedules and a healthy fear of boxed, frozen erence and the numbers were in, the or restaurant prepared foods. hacker’s came in with a slim victory. “It all boils down to, you have to do the on with a .46 percent more weight loss hard work,” Moore said. “You may find all of he other team, or a total of 116.20 this information out, but you still have to go ds lost between the nine finishing Buthome and cook, you still have to buy the kers. The biggest loser of the program groceries, you still have to make the selecin with a loss of 34.4 lbs for a total loss ntage of 11.9 percent. n more important than a winning of approval was the satisfaction that on the Buttwhackers team felt. ot more motivated having people to out with, and my diet changed quite a Buttwhacker’s team member Germaine I haven’t lost as much weight as I d like, but I lost inches and I am almost to go down a size.” team member Sunny, camaraderie was f the best parts of the class. ked being with all the people,” Sunny I think it is important to have a trainer, never realized that before. I always rethat. They really push you and they get ng things that you haven’t done before. ’t realize so many different parts of my needed work.”

tions at the restaurant. It really comes down to you.” Learning that achieving a healthy lifestyle is completely up to each individual was the heart of the Biggest Loser program. No longer can we depend on anyone else to define how we improve our lives. While going through the class, I personally fell off the wagon for the last couple of weeks. I was in a local community theater production and started slipping by going out to eat frequently and not keeping a daily journal. I kept my exercise up, so that enabled me to not gain weight. But I should have implemented the eating out tools Moore gave us in nutrition class. “The best way to eat out is to look up things all of the time,” she said. She also recommended looking for lower fat or low calorie menu items, choosing chicken over red meat, picking low fat salad dressings steering away from anything fried and avoiding high fat condiments. Then think small. Eat small portions, plan to split or get a take out box right away. In

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Retirement In Full Powder

Live at MacKenzie Place and you can carve the mountains more. Do what you want whenever you want. Ski a double diamond. Enjoy après-ski. Lots and lots of après-ski. Just live it up. Call now for more information and to request a brochure.

buffets, avoid creamy anything, bacon bits, heavy syrups or fried foods. She also recommended we give up diet products in order to feel more satisfied. Moore said sugar substitutes trick the brain into thinking that it will be fed calories. When those calories aren’t fed into the body, the brain kicks in with a carbohydrate craving. The best way I am learning to slowly change my lifestyle is to constantly research and keep healthy habits at the front of my mind. I have put the pursuit of my best self on the back burner for so long that I now need to retrain my thoughts and my body chemicals to follow some healthy rules. This takes a lot of grunt work but feels very rewarding. “The approach of the class is no-nonsense,”

Moore said. “It is up to the individual. You can have setbacks and still be successful.” One learning curve she watched many people overcome was the desire to shed unrealistic amounts of weight. “Even if they want to lose 20 pounds in eight weeks, a half a pound a week is successful,” she said. “People come to terms that it is ok to slow it down and learn better habits then to take it off quickly. They have to make some lifetime changes and it is tough.” Rhema Muncy has never had such sore calf muscles. Write her at rmuncy@ reporterherald.com

umb feet?

Help is just a phone call away! Many with Peripheral Neuropathy are finding that Anodyne therapy – along with physical therapy – is the answer.

4750 Pleasant Oak Drive Fort Collins | 970.207.1939 55+ | The Cottages - For Sale The Terrace - Independent Living Apts The Arbours - Assisted Living & Memory Care Apts

Fort Collins | Colorado Springs www.MacKenziePlace.com 12-293721

(970) 669-3101 ext. 258 12-293718

All faiths and beliefs welcome. 08-G0640

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 17

Duel of the Diets The verdict: Burn more, eat less Alicia Chang Associated Press

ow-fat, low-carb or highprotein? The kind of diet doesn’t matter, scientists say. All that really counts is cutting calories and sticking with it, according to a federal study that followed people for two years. However, participants had trouble staying with a single approach that long and the weight loss was modest for most. As the world grapples with rising obesity, millions have turned to popular diets like Atkins, Zone and Ornish that tout the benefits of one nutrient over another. Some previous studies have found that low carbohydrate diets like Atkins work better than a traditional low-fat diet. But the new research found that the key to losing weight boiled down to a basic rule — calories in, calories out. “The hidden secret is it doesn’t matter if you focus on low-fat or low-carb,” said Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, which funded the research. Limiting the calories you consume and burning off more calories with exercise is key, she said. The study was led by Har-

RH Graphic/ Jason Kamigaki

vard School of Public Health and Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. Researchers randomly assigned 811 overweight adults to one of four diets, each of which contained different levels of fat, protein and carbohydrates. Though the diets were twists on commercial plans, the study did not directly compare popular diets. The four diets contained healthy fats, were high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables and were low in cholesterol. Nearly two-thirds of the participants were women. Each dieter was encouraged to slash 750 calories a day from their diet, exercise 90 minutes a

week, keep an online food diary and meet regularly with diet counselors to chart their progress. There was no winner among the different diets; reduction in weight and waist size were similar in all groups. People lost 13 pounds on average at six months, but all groups saw their weight creep back up after a year. At two years, the average weight loss was about 9 pounds while waistlines shrank an average of 2 inches. Only 15 percent of dieters achieved a weight-loss reduction of 10 percent or more of their starting weight. Dieters who got regular counseling saw better results. Those who attended most

meetings shed more pounds than those who did not — 22 pounds compared with the average 9 pound loss. Lead researcher Dr. Frank Sacks of Harvard said a restricted calorie diet gives people greater food choices, making the diet less monotonous. “They just need to focus on how much they’re eating,” he said. Sacks said the trick is finding a healthy diet that is tasty and that people will stick with over � See DUEL/Page 18

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Consume fish oil to combat eye bacteria Peter Burghart Special to the RH

According to Dr. Mark Jackson of Jackson Eye Care in Loveland, the condition is usually associated with people who common eye condition called have certain skin conditions. Blepharitis “This condition tends to be more commay be mon in people who have very oily skin helped by adding or who suffer from bad acne,” he said. certain oils to the diDiagnosis and treatment of the condiet. tion is usually a simple procedure. According to Jackson, some medical treatBlepharitis is ments are used in severe cases, but the commonly caused initial remedies are usually very simple. by an excess growth “We first try Johnson’s Baby Shampoo of bacteria ordinarily and a warm compress to open up the found on the skin, glands clogged by the bacteria, we also and occasionally it is suggest an increase in the intake of fish caused by allergies. oil and flaxseed oil,” he said. According to WebMD, the symptoms To ward off Blepharitis, add flaxseed of the condition inand fish oils to the weekly diet, Jackson clude eye inflammasaid. Fish oil is pretty easy to find. By intion, feeling like creasing the amount of fish in a diet, Metro photo something is in you will increase the amount of fish oil Fish and flaxseed your eye, burning that your body is getting. Flaxseed is of the eye, sensitiv- oils help the body available both as a dietary supplement ity to light, red and fight inflammation. or it can be found in whole bran breads swollen eyes or or cereals. These oils help do internally eyelids, blurry vision, dry eyes and crust- what the Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and ing of the eyelashes. the warm compresses do externally —

DUEL

they open up the glands around the eyes that have been clogged by the bacterial that causes Blepharitis. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, fish oil and flaxseed oil contain alpha linolenic-acid, which belongs to a group of substances known as omega-3 fatty acids. If you have an appropriate amount of these omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, it helps to reduce inflammation. Both flaxseed and fish oil are available in tablet or supplement form as straight omega-3 supplements at most grocery stores. Buying the supplements of any of these things can range in price from $6.89 to $15.89. If you tend to shop at a more organic-based grocery store, supplements of fish and flaxseed oil range in price from $1.19 to $69.99. If you enjoy cooking, fish would be a better option, and prices range from $4.99 to $16.99 depending on the type of fish. Peter Burghart is a Denver freelance writer and can be reached at peter.burghart@gmail.com.

Mayer was assigned to a ries a day. But sticking to low-fat, high-protein diet an 1,800-calorie high-fat, with 1,400 calories a day. She average protein diet meant From Page 17 started measuring her food no longer eating an entire and went back to the gym. T-bone steak for dinner. InThe 5-foot Mayer started at stead, he now eats only a 4time. 179 pounds and dropped 50 ounce steak. Before Debbie Mayer, 52, pounds to “I was just enrolled in the study, she 129 pounds Limiting the calories oblivious to was a “stress eater” who you consume and how many would snack all day and had by the end of the calories I was no sense of portion control. burning off more having,” said Mayer used to run marathons study. She now weighs calories with the 5-foot-11in her 30s, but health probinch Termini, lems prevented her from do- 132 and exercise is key. wants to who ing much exercise in recent shed a few dropped years. more pounds. from 195 to 173 pounds. “I Mayer tinkered with differAnother study volunteer, really used to just eat everyent diets — Weight Watchers, thing and anything in sight.” Atkins, South Beach — with Rudy Termini, a 69-year-old retiree, credited keeping a little success. Dr. David Katz of the Yale food diary for his 22-pound Prevention Research Center “I’ve been battling my success. Termini said before and author of several weight weight all my life. I just needed more structure,” said participating in the study he control books, said the rewould wolf down 2,500 calo- sults should not be viewed Mayer.

as an endorsement of fad diets that promote one nutrient over another. The study compared high quality and heart healthy diets. Some popular low-carb diets tend to be low in fiber and have a relatively high intake of saturated fat, he said. Other experts were bothered that the dieters couldn’t keep the weight off even with close monitoring and a support system. “Even these highly motivated, intelligent participants who were coached by expert professionals could not achieve the weight losses needed to reverse the obesity epidemic,” Martijn Katan of Amsterdam’s Free University wrote in an accompanying editorial.

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 19

Ask a Health Pro

If you are interested in providing health related advice and information to Health Line readers, call 635-6314 to reserve your spot today.

Questions & Answers Bike Riding Preparations...

lution to your biking pains. The cookie cutter approach that the industry uses to fit their bikes is not enough to prevent inI love to ride my bike, but last year I had to stop because juries and provide a comfortable ride for I was having pain in my knee everyone. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to have your bike and hands. Is there anything I fitted to you. Bike components can be adjusted to match the length of your legs, can do? arms and torso, without having to buy That is a question that I often get from my patients. I like new parts, in most instances. The most common mistakes that I see to use this example; you during a bike fit is having the seat too low would not buy a new pair of and the handlebars too far forward. These prescription glasses without consulting an optometrist first, right? Well, riding a bicy- mistakes can result in knee, shoulder, neck and back pain after just a few mincle is the same. Before you go out to ride utes on the bike. The American Physical the beautiful Colorado countryside, it is Therapy Association (APTA) has these recimportant to consult an expert in biomechanics and biking. Just jumping on a bike ommendations to check on your bike if you have pain: that you have not ridden for months is Anterior (front) knee pain: opening yourself for injuries, especially if you were having pain before. Consulting a Saddle too low. trained physical therapist could be the soHip pain: Saddle too high RH paid advertorial

Q: A:

Neck pain: Handlebars too far forward, wrong saddle position. Lower back pain: Too low or far forward on the handlebars, hamstring too tight. Hand numbness/pain: Downward tilt of the saddle, too short handlebars. Foot numbness/pain: Poor position of the shoe/pedal, poor shoes (too old). ABOUT DIAMOND PEAK PHYSICAL THERAPY Rodrigo Gil Moreno de Mora DPT, is an expert mountain biker in the Colorado racing scene, a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in providing cyclists with enjoyable rides and the president of Diamond Peak PT. For more information please call Rodrigo at Diamond Peak Physical Therapy at 970-593-1442, visit at www.diamondpeakpt.com or the APTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web site at www.apta.org.

columbine cares for seniors The most comprehensive senior health care organization in Northern Colorado North Shore Health & Rehab Facility 1365 West 29th Street, Loveland

970-667-6111

Lakeview Commons Assisted Living 1422 West 29th Street, Loveland

970-278-4000

The Wexford Independent Living 1515 West 28th Street, Loveland

970-667-1900

14-293585

www.columbinehealth.com

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Health Line Briefs

PVH RECEIVES AMERICAN STROKE ASSOCIATION AWARD Poudre Valley Hospital received an American Stroke Association award Feb. 19 for ensuring that stroke patients receive a high standard of care that saves lives and improves outcomes by following standards set by the association’s Get With The Guidelines program. PVH received the award based on a rapid-response program called Stroke Alert launched in January 2008 to increase

the speed that diagnosis and treatment occur. “With a stroke, time lost is brain lost,” said Dr. Tamara Miller, medical director of PVH’s stroke program and a neurologist with Advanced Neurology of Colorado, Fort Collins. “Our Stroke Alert program allows us to address the important element of time.” The American Stroke Association presented PVH with the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Bronze Performance Achieve-

ment Award during the association’s international stroke conference in San Diego. “The American Stroke Association commends Poudre Valley Hospital for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols,” said Dr. Lee H. Schwamm, national Get With The Guidelines steering committee member and director of acute stroke services at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. “This is a critical step in saving lives and improving outcomes of stroke patients.”

Loveland Community Health Fair set for April 25 RH paid advertorial

One small step a person can take toward good health is to participate in the rganizers of the 2009 Loveland 2009 Loveland Community Health Fair. Community Health Fair say the The health fair will be 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on event is an excellent resource for April 25 in the McKee Conference and area residents to keep up with medical Wellness Center at 2000 Boise Ave. care in a challenging economy. Participants can receive a blood chemHowever, a recent study by the Kaiser istry screening for $30, complete blood Family Foundation shows that many peo- count (CBC) blood screening for $15, ple are postponing or skipping treatments prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood due to costs in the past year. screening for $25 and a take-home colSpecifically, the study found that 53 per- orectal kit for $5. New this year is the High cent of Americans said their household Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) cutback on healthcare due to cost conblood screening for $15. This is a new cerns in the past 12 months. The most screening that can be helpful in assessing common action reported was relying on a the risk of heart attack and stroke. home remedy or over-the-counter drug In addition to low-cost blood draws, the rather than visiting a doctor (35 percent). event will offer free screenings for breast Thirty-four percent said they skipped den- health, bone density, asthma, hearing and tal care. About one in four respondents vision, foot and ankle, glaucoma, posture said they put off the health care they and oral and skin cancer as well as educaneeded, and one in five said they chose to tional booths. Organizers have added penot fill a prescription. One in six said they diatric screenings and a screening for cut pills in half or skipped doses to make memory disorders their prescription last longer. “The blood screenings that we offer at The survey took place Feb. 3-12 and in- the LCHF are priceless,” Fahrenbruch said. cluded a nationwide random sample of “By having your blood drawn at the LCHF, 1,204 adults. you save approximately $120 just for the According to Sheryl Fahrenbruch, McK- blood chemistry screening alone. The other blood draws we offer are also done at a ee Medical Center’s Worksite Wellness manager, people face the risk of not catch- great cost savings to our participants.” ing a fixable health problem in its early All other health screenings at the fair are stages when they delay preventative care. provided free of charge. “If people wait, they usually end up “We are able to provide these kinds of spending more in health care costs beservices due to the help of our community cause of the extent of the treatment that is health care professionals who volunteer involved. It’s better to pay for prevention their time and services,” she said. on the front end and maintain your “If you’ve been putting your health care health,” she said. “If you wait, you not on- on the back burner, now is the time to get ly pay the monetary expense, but you also yourself checked out. If there is a health put your otherwise good health at risk.” issue that you’re concerned about, we

have the physicians, nurses and health care staff available to answer the questions you may have at no charge. We still encourage participants to visit with their primary care physician, but this is a great way to open the lines of communication when they see their family doctor.” Blood draws take place prior to the event so participants can pick up their results the day of the fair and visit with a physician if they have questions. Participants may call 635-4181 to schedule a blood draw appointment. This year’s blood draw dates are March 30 through April 4 and April 6-11 from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Please schedule a blood draw appointment during these times. Blood draw appointments will not be available on the day of the health fair. The health fair is not a substitute for a thorough physical examination and assessment by your physician. Individuals planning to participate are reminded that they should work with their personal physician to reduce modifiable risk factors determined through the event. Also, medications should not be altered before or after the health fair unless you’ve been advised to do so by your physician. Sponsors of the annual event include City of Loveland, Larimer County Medical Society, Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, Mountain States Tent and Awning and McKee Medical Center. For more information, visit the online resource for the Loveland Community Health Fair at www.bannerhealth.com keyword: Loveland Health Fair.

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 21

What our clients say about us...

Health Line Briefs

BANNER HEALTH GARNERS AWARD What does Banner Health have in common with outstanding consumer brand names like Qwest, Campbell Soup, Starbucks and Marriott? All of these names are among a select group of major organizations that are recognized with the prestigious Gallup Great Workplace Award. Banner Health owns McKee Medical Center in Loveland and Sterling Regional Medical Center in Sterling and operates East Morgan County Hospital in Brush and North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley. The hospital system is a 2009 recipient of the Gallup Great Workplace Award, which was established in 2007 by Gallup Consulting, part of Gallup, Inc. Gallup has developed an international reputation for delivering relevant, timely and visionary research on what people around the world think and feel. Gallup Consulting specializes in delivering research that helps guide employee and customer management. To learn more about Banner Health, go to www.BannerHealth.com.

We feel very proud to have our investments in the hands of Kevin Dunnigan, the #1 Representative with Investment Centers of America. He is always happy to explain any details we don’t understand. Betty Lou Schiebel Thomas C. Schiebel, Lt. Col. U.S.A.F. (Ret) Loveland This testimonial may not be representative of the experience of other clients and is not a guarantee of future performance or success.

www.helpwithmyinvestments.com Call Kevin Dunnigan Today!

970-622-2366 Kevin Dunnigan, Ke MBA, CFP® MB CER CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLA PLANNERTM PROFESSIONAL

kevin.dunnigan@investmentcenters.com

300 E. 29th St. (lo (located at Home State Bank) • Loveland

12-295390

Investment Centers of America, Inc. (ICA), member FINRA, SIPC is not affiliated with Home State Bank. Securities, and insurance products offered through ICA and its affiliated insurance agencies are: not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency *not a deposit or obligation or guaranteed by any bank or its’ affiliates, *subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of principal amount invested.

Providing 30 years of Quality End-of-Life Care to the Northern Colorado Community

Going green isn’t merely about color - it’s about Taking Steps. Lennox is proud to be an ofﬁcial ENERGY STAR partner and offer efficient home comfort system that save you energy and money.

Early Bird Special $1,600 Receive up to $1,200 Rebate* with the purchase of OR

a qualifying Lennox home comfort system.

www.hpcnc.org • 1-800-564-5563 12-293121

Take advantage of our $89 A/C CHECK & SERVICE for optimum Performance and Savings.

669-2055 Family Owned & Operated Since 1992 Offer expires 4/17/2009 *Rebate offer is with purchase of qualifying Lennox product.

www.ncagriff.com

12-293868

Serving Weld, Larimer and Morgan Counties

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Calendar Soulplay Art Therapy — 9:45-11:45 a.m.

Diet Information Session — 6:15 p.m.

Total Joint Education — 3 p.m.

Soulplay Art Therapy — 9:45-11:45 a.m.

Man to Man — 5:30-7 p.m.

Heart Failure Education — 10 a.m.-noon

SOULPLAY ART THERAPY People whose lives are touched by cancer experience the benefits of expressing themselves through art. No art experience needed. When: Wednesdays, 9:45-11:45 a.m. Where: McKee Cancer Center Conference Room Contact: 970-635-4129

per week and keep it off for good. This program is clinically proven and tested at Johns Hopkins University and has been recommended by over 15,000 doctors. It's a medical weight management system. The program will be presented by a family practice doctor and a pharmacist who use the program to TOTAL JOINT EDUCATION help patients get healthy and also reduce the need Physical therapists and for diabetic medication, occupational therapists prehigh blood pressure medipare patients for surgery. cation and high cholesterol This program is coordinatmedication in their ed through your physician's patients. office as part of the surgery When: 6:15 p.m. on scheduling process. March 24 When: Classes meet Where: The Gertrude B. Thursdays at 3 p.m. Scott Room at the Loveland Where: McKee ConferPublic Library at 300 N. ence & Wellness Center Adams Contact: 970-635-4130 Contact: Space is limited DIET INFORMATION to the first 40 callers, 970SESSION 302-4919 Tired of Diets that don't MAN TO MAN PROSTATE work? Attend a free inforCANCER SUPPORT GROUP mation session and learn how to lose 2 to 5 pounds When: 5:30 to 7 p.m. the

fourth Tuesday of the month Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center Contact: 970-622-1961

ries help people manage asthma. The team reviews the respiratory system and how it works, medications used to treat asthma and tools that can help you HEART FAILURE breathe better and monitor EDUCATION your asthma. This six-session multidisTriggers, early warning ciplinary educational series signs and coping techfacilitates management of heart failure. The team dis- niques are discussed. Anyone who has asthma is encusses the cardiovascular couraged to attend along system and how it works, with family and/or signifimedications, diet changes and personal power in liv- cant others. When: The next fouring with the disease. Anyone who has heart failure is week session begins April encouraged to attend along 6. Class meets on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with family and/or signifiWhere: McKee Confercant others. ence and Wellness Center When: The next sixCost: No charge week session begins March Contact: 970-635-4138 30. Class meets from 10 a.m. to noon. BREAST CANCER Where: McKee ConferSUPPORT GROUP ence and Wellness Center When: Second Thursday Cost: Free of each month from 5:30 to Contact: 970-635-4138 7 p.m. ASTHMA EDUCATION This four-session multidisciplinary educational se-

Where: McKee Cancer Center lobby. Contact: 970-622-1961

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 23

Calendar Soulplay Art Therapy — 9:45-11:45 a.m.

Asthma Education — 6-7:30 p.m.

Soulplay Art Therapy — 9:45-11:45 a.m.

COPD — 1-3 p.m. p.m.

Soulplay Art Therapy — 9:45-11:45 a.m.

Asthma Education — 6-7:30 p.m.

Soulplay Art Therapy — 9:45-11:45 a.m.

Asthma Education — 6-7:30 p.m.

Soulplay Art Therapy — 9:45-11:45 a.m.

COPD (CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE) This seven-session multidisciplinary education series helps with the management of COPD. The team reviews the respiratory system, how it works, what has gone wrong and how you can conserve energy and decrease shortness of breath. Anyone who has COPD, emphysema or bronchitis is encouraged to attend along with family and/or signifi-

Breast Cancer Support Group — 5:30-7 p.m.

cant others. When: The next sevenweek session begins April 14. Class meets Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m. Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center Cost: No charge Contact: 970-635-4138 CAREGIVER’S SUPPORT GROUP For caregivers of cancer patients. When: Call for times and locations Contact: 970-635-4129.

DIABETES INFORMATION GROUP An informational/educational meeting for anyone touched by diabetes who wants to learn and share. There will be a different subject matter for each meeting. When: TBA Where: McKee Conference and Wellness Center Cost: No charge. No registration needed. Contact: 970-667-5610 for more information and

topics. BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING Have your blood pressure checked by a Wellness Specialist When: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m.-noon. Where: McKee Wellness Services, 1805 E. 18th St. Ste. 6 Cost: No charge Contact: 970-635-4056

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Multivitamins Really Work? Multi-vitamins show little benefit in reducing disease risk Karen Kaplan Los Angeles Times

spate of high-profile studies published in the last few years shows that a variety of popular supplements — including calcium, selenium and vitamins A, C and E — don’t do anything to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, stroke or a variety of cancers. But what about multivitamins? These combination pills, which contain 10 to 30 vitamins and minerals, are the most popular dietary supplements sold in America. A report published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests they shouldn’t be. The study tracked 161,808 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative, a long-term effort to identify risk factors for cancer, heart disease and bone health in postmenopausal women. Subjects in the nationwide study included white, black, Hispanic, Asian and American Indian women. They were followed for an average of nearly eight years. Overall, 41.5 percent of study participants took some version of a multivitamin. Those women were more likely to be white and college-educated, live in the West, exercise and

have a lower body mass index. Women who took multivitamins, however, weren’t any more likely to ward off a diagnosis of breast, ovarian, lung, stomach, bladder, kidney, colorectal or endometrial cancer than were women who didn’t take multivitamins. Nor were multivitamins in general helpful in preventing heart attacks, strokes, blood clots or reducing the risk of death from any cause during the study period. The research team, led by scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, did find one modest benefit: The 3,741 women who took stress multivitamins — formulations with higher doses of several B vitamins along with an extra jolt of vitamin C — were 25 percent less likely to have a heart attack. No other correlations between vitamins and health outcomes were statistically significant. The study provides convincing evidence that multivitamin use has little or no influence on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or total mortality in postmenopausal women, the authors wrote. So, they wondered, “Why do millions of Americans use a daily multivitamin for chronic disease prevention when the supporting scientific data are weak?” Some physicians continue to recommend them as a backstop for patients whose diets may contain nutritional gaps. And because they don’t require a prescription, many people simply assume they are safe. But those assumptions may not be warranted, especially if people wind up overdosing on vitamins and minerals, the researchers wrote.

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009 25

BODY COMPOSITION ANALYSIS – A more accurate measure of fitness Does the number on the scale tell how healthy you are?

Medical experts agree that being “healthy” is determined by more factors than just height and weight, including the relationship between diet, exercise, weight and overall fitness. The Imaging Center recommends a Body Composition Analysis as the reference standard for measuring body composition. It is a highly accurate imaging system for measuring body fat as well as muscle and bone mass. In a matter of minutes, this system produces an image of your body tissues, which may be viewed as regional or overall estimates of body fat, muscle and bone mineral. Call The Imaging Center’s scheduling staff at (970) 282-2912 to schedule a Body Composition Analysis exam (cost $99.00), or to request a free information fact sheet.

12-293713

Can fat be fit? Can thin be unfit?

Thursday LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD/Health Line of Northern Colorado March 19, 2009

Health in a Handbasket

Oh the horror: Breakfast Food

I’m on a quest for a nutritious breakfast

helped), but breakfast is gross. Especially the mushy and eggsmelling ones. So my challenge this month, being that this is our nutrition issue, is to eat breakfast for a full week. No Dr. Pepper, no 46 cups of coffee. It’s time to get flaky — Frosted Flakesstyle.

Jade Cody Special Sections Editor

DAY 1 Actually my cereal of choice is Chex. It’s crunchy and I like how the milk-to-crunch ratio holds up throughout the meal. Still, though, it was challenging to stomach it at 7:15 a.m.

or the past 15 years, my morning routine has been the same. Wake up, think angry thoughts about being awake, stumble into the shower and then try not to break any fashion rules while getting dressed. Occasionally I mix things up by matting my hair down. I’m all about the glamour. After shoving in my contacts and brusha-brusha-brusha-ing my teeth, I’m set for the day. I grab a Dr. Pepper and I’m out the door — a routine that normally takes me 15 minutes. That’s the way I like it, quick and simple. Problem is, it turns out Dr. Pepper is lacking in several nutrients and vitamins that many so-called experts contend are important elements of a healthy breakfast. Who knew? I have never been a breakfast person. The mere thought of food in the morning makes me want to do an impression of a cud-chewing cow that’s had a tad too much yucca in his yogurt. Not to be overly dramatic (trust me, it can’t be

DAY 2 I decided to try one of my wife’s yogurts. It was raspberry flavored. Seriously, I can’t believe people eat that vial mushy garbage. I am not even a little remorseful in admitting that I washed that one nasty mouthful down with a delicious Dr. Pepper.

DAY 5 Since it was Friday and all, I went with a banana on the go. Have to hand it to fruit for being so portable. I think if I was ever to become a regular breakfast eater, this would be my niche. No fuss, no hassle. Just delicious.

DAY 3 I decided to go the extra mile and actually cook something. Since bacon is and always will be the perfect food, I went with a pound of it. Of course this required earlier waking up and actual energy, but I trudged through and chomped away. Just like it always has, bacon came through for me.

DAYS 6 AND 7 On Saturday I decided to throw traditional cuisine out the window and go with a piece of beef jerky for breakfast. As I’m sure you guessed, it was delightful. On Sunday I gave up and had a Dr. Pepper. Mission: failed.

DAY 4 Leftover bacon. The gift that keeps on giving.

IN CONCLUSION I still have a problem stomach-

RH graphic/Jade Cody

ing breakfast. I’ll admit that I felt better during the day after eating something (except for the bacon and beef jerky days, when I just really wanted to go back to bed), but the rewards really don’t outweigh the queasiness factor. I think I’ll find a happy medium by popping back a banana or granola bar in the morning, but I’m not ready to give up the Dr. Pepper routine just yet.

Jade Cody

Health in a Handbasket is a monthly feature in which I try a healthrelated adventure and write about it. If you have an idea for a new adventure, write to me at jcody@reporter -herald.com.

Dr. Howell made Sabrina’s birthing experience as painless as possible. And the hospital’s free massages and cookies didn’t hurt either.

Sabrina was treated to all-around great care when having her baby at McKee Medical Center. She received personal phone calls from her physician, Dr. Howell, to inform her of test results in the days leading up to her delivery. And she was able to relax before and after the birth of her baby in a private jetted tub. The caring staff even provided free massages and delicious cookies to help make her comfortable. But it wasn’t just about Sabrina. Her whole family enjoyed the experience of the new baby together in a spacious and relaxing labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum room. McKee Medical Center provides a private, feel-good atmosphere where you can welcome your baby into the world. McKee Medical Center. Remarkable health care inspired by you.

www.BannerHealth.com, keyword: McKee Maternity • 2000 N. Boise Ave. • Loveland (970) 669-4640 • Job opportunities: 866-377-5627 (EOE/AA) or www.BannerHealth.com Banner Health is the leading nonprofit health care provider in northern Colorado.