St. George Health & Wellness Magazine March/April 2023

The opinions, beliefs,

viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of St. George Health & Wellness Magazine, its owners, or its staff.

The way we talk about sexual violence matters. Our words can be used to foster a culture of safety, respect, and equality that stops sexual violence before it happens. Or to show support for survivors, shutdown harmful misconceptions, promote consent, and to practice healthy communication with children. Our voices matter now more than ever. How will you use yours to help end sexual assault, harassment, and rape? DOVE Center is our local resource for those who have experienced domestic abuse and sexual assault. DOVE can help. Please reach out.

The way we talk about sexual violence matters. Our words can be used to foster a culture of safety, respect, and equality that stops sexual violence before it happens or to show support for survivors, shutdown harmful misconceptions, promote consent, and practive healthy communication with children. Our voices matter now more than ever. How will you use your voice to help end sexual assault, harassment, and rape? DOVE Center is our local resource for those who have experienced domestic abuse and sexual assault. DOVE can help. Please reach out.

For information on advertising or other inquiries, visit our website at www.sghealthandwellnessmagazine.com, email diane.sghealth@gmail.com or call us at (435) 236-2966.

The publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the articles in St. George Health & Wellness Magazine. The information contained within has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on this material. Appropriate professional advice should be sought before making decisions. Outside of our staff authors, articles written by providers or professionals are invited authors and represent the opinions of that particular individual, business, group or organization. If an article is a paid advertisement, we will place the word “Advertisement” or “Advertorial” to identify it as such. ©Copyright 2023.

Gini Grimsley, Director of Fitness Product, VASA Fitness Author, Health and Fitness

Tiffany Gust, MS, NBC-HWC, USA Triathlon Certified Coach Author, Health and Fitness

Brendan Dalley Executive Editor

Koby Taylor, PharmD Executive Editor, Author

Diane K. Del Toro Director of Operations, Copy and Design Editor

Scott Allen, MD Author, Health and Wellness

Brigit Atkin Author, Mind and Body

Jessica Elgin Author, Economic and Financial Health

Erin Del Toro, ACHE Clinical Hypnotherapist Author, Mind and Body

Anita DeLelles, LMT, LAMT Author, Pet Wellness

Lyman Hafen Author, Community and Culture

Rob Henderson, LASUDC, CTRS Author, Mind and Body

Marianne Hamilton Author, Community and Culture

Annelies Newman, RDN, CD Author, Nutrition and Healthy Eating

William Plumb, DDS Author, Oral Health

Mark Wade Author, Outdoor Adventure

L. Steven Wilson Author, Purposeful Living

Matt Eschler, PhD, LMFT Author, Relationships and Family

Chris Eschler Author, Health and Well-Being Life Coach

I recently heard about a family from the midwest who traveled through St. George on their way to a family funeral in Salt Lake City. They had just endured a long, bitterly cold winter and stopped here to explore the area’s famous red rock canyons. They were greeted by clear blue skies and warm sunshine, a welcome change from the gray and gloom they had left behind.

As they hiked through the canyons, they were awed by the breathtaking views of towering cliffs, deep canyons, and vibrant sunsets. By the end of the trip, they realized that the sunshine in southern Utah was not ordinary sunshine but a unique experience that increased their well-being and made their stay in southern Utah truly memorable.

Nothing beats the Dixie sunshine in the spring! It is my favorite time of year.

For many, the ringing in of the New Year just a few months ago came with goals for living a more healthy lifestyle: losing weight, exercising more frequently, decreasing stress, or improving sleep quality. It is in the springtime when these goals can be accelerated. The warmer weather creates many opportunities for outdoor exercise and recreation, and the sunshine brings with it both physical and mental health benefits that make it an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle.

Most of us know that one of the biggest benefits of sun exposure is the production of Vitamin D. This important vitamin is essential for maintaining strong bones and a robust immune system and for reducing the risk of various chronic diseases. But did you know that sun exposure can also improve circulation by increasing blood flow, thus helping to transport oxygen and nutrients to the cells and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease?

Mental health is also positively impacted by being outdoors. Sunlight is known to boost energy levels and improve mood by regulating the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with emotional regulation, appetite control, stress reduction, and sleep patterns.

So get outside and get healthy! Soak up some sun, play some golf, get out on the pickle ball court, or go hiking. Take in the desert landscape that is blooming with wildflowers. It’s time to rejuvenate yourself. It’s time to grow.

Brendan Dalley Editor Brendan Dalley Editor

MAYORAL MESSAGE

It’s almost time for Art Around the Corner. Just thinking about that makes me smile. For those in the St. George art community, it can feel like Christmas morning. The excitement is palpable as sculptures are installed at Historic Town Square, along Main Street, and at St. George Regional Hospital.

Which piece will be the big conversation starter this year? Will there be something like the dragon sitting atop the roundabout at 200 North and Main? Will there be sculptures that leave you in awe? Will a certain piece warm your heart? Or make you think?

This year’s sculptures will be installed in March—and I can’t wait.

Now in its nineteenth year, the all-volunteer, nonprofit Art Around the Corner Foundation (AACF) curates and installs sculptures and 3D artwork from artists located all across the country. Each artist agrees to loan their work to the City of St. George for one year, and all pieces are offered for sale or lease.

AACF partners closely with the City to make public art available to the community. Art that is easily accessible for the public adds to the human experience and brings joy to our hearts and smiles to our faces. It also helps us in more practical matters.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the national arts and culture sector is an $860 billion industry annually, representing 4.2 percent of the nation’s GDP—a larger share of the economy than transportation, tourism, agriculture, and construction. So remember, it isn’t only really cool art. People who come downtown to see Art Around the Corner sculptures also contribute to our economy by eating in our restaurants and shopping in our stores.

The city’s ongoing support of the St. George Arts District is a no-brainer. It elevates our quality of life—a significant reason why people move here and longtime residents choose to stay here.

The full collection will be in place ahead of the 2023 St. George Art Festival, slated for April 7–8 at Town Square. Take a moment next time you are downtown to check out the new and beautiful installations. I can’t wait!

Mayor, City of St. George

Celebrating the rich history of our community and University is a highlight of my spring every year as Utah Tech University hosts our annual D-Week. Dating back to 1914, this celebratory week is a tradition of its own as the University hosts a variety of community events to bring us all together and honor the unrelenting grit of southern Utah’s pioneers that continues to be displayed in the Trailblazers of today.

I am thrilled to announce that as part of a landmark partnership, Dixie State University and the Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office have entered into a strategic marketing agreement that will result in Greater Zion receiving more than $2 million in annual marketing exposure and Trailblazer Stadium being renamed Greater Zion Stadium.

This year, D-Week will take place March 31 through April 8 and will feature all of our favorite traditions. The festivities will kick off with the annual Alumni Awards Celebration on March 31 as we honor a few of our incredible alumni. The fun will continue on April 4 with the 101st annual D-Queen Pageant, which will showcase contestants’ commitment to service, community involvement, and academic achievement.

The 20-year, $10 million agreement maximizes revenue generated by visitors—not Washington County taxpayers—to create a superior experience for both visitors and residents. The partnership is truly a win-win-win situation for everyone; it promotes the area nationally, builds the community, and fuels economic growth by bringing more people to our gorgeous corner of the world.

Rounding out D-Week, the Great Race and Brooks’ Birthday Carnival will be held on April 7. Dating back to the 1960s, the Great Race features relay teams of ten participants as they run, pedal, swim, scoot, and slide their way through the infamous mud pit to the finish line. Brooks’ Birthday Carnival will feature activities, games, food, and fun. Of course, no D-Week is complete without the whitewashing of the D, adding a fresh coat of paint to the D on the hill overlooking the community on April 8. Event details are available at utahtech.edu/dweek

As part of this effort, the Tourism Office will establish a visitor center at the stadium and information kiosks at other key locations on campus to showcase visitor activities to all those who attend events on the Dixie State campus. Additionally, Dixie State will better be able to tell prospective students what an amazing backyard full of abundant recreational opportunities they will have when they attend DSU.

Beyond D-Week, Utah Tech takes great care to honor our history in a variety of ways. For example, we led the effort to include the Dixie Hillside “D” on the National Register of Historic Places to ensure it remains an honored symbol for our entire community. We use the color-changing capabilities of the lights surrounding the D to celebrate not only University accomplishments and happenings,

The timing of this partnership couldn’t be more perfect, as it will assist Dixie State during our transition to NCAA Division I status through opportunities to expand athletic facilities. The university plans on adding state-of-the-art press boxes and comfortable event space to the existing westside grandstands, which will help attract more athletic, entertainment, and community events. As a member of the

Western Athletic Conference starting this July, Dixie State will take on competitors based everywhere from Washington, California, Arizona, and New Mexico to Illinois, Missouri, and Texas. This will give Greater Zion access to audiences it would otherwise leave unreached.

such as D-Week, but also community recognized holidays, traditions, initiatives, and more.

Additionally, with support from the Utah State Legislature, the Utah Tech University Board of Trustees established the Heritage Committee to preserve the heritage, culture, and history of the regional term Dixie. Under the direction of co-chairs Steven Snow and Lyman Hafen, the committee has met regularly to consider options for educating visitors and the University community about our regional history.

Plus, partnering with Greater Zion is a natural fit for Dixie State University. The Tourism Office’s vision to “Inspire Greater. Experience Greater. Live Greater.”

Richard “Biff” Williams President of Dixie State University

aligns perfectly with Dixie State’s “active learning. active life.” approach to education. Both philosophies take advantage of the beautiful, world-renowned destination we live in by encouraging students, visitors, and residents alike to learn by exploring. Here at the University, we recognize that valuable learning experiences take place inside and outside of the classroom. By taking advantage of experiences available in Greater Zion, we all can grow academically, actively, and holistically.

One project the committee is working on is building Heritage Cove on the University’s Encampment Mall, the location where the pioneers originally parked their covered wagons. This monument will honor the pioneers who first settled the area and helped establish the regional meaning of the term Dixie that represents our pioneer heritage, camaraderie, grit, sacrifice, and service. The committee is also commissioning Emmy award-winning filmmaker Phil Tuckett to create a documentary that will tell the story of the rich history of Utah’s Dixie.

This unique, trailblazing partnership certainly will enhance our community for years to come. I can’t wait to see you at upcoming games, concerts, and community events in Greater Zion Stadium!

Please join Utah Tech University in celebrating D-Week and the unique heritage of our community. When we come together to honor our history, every day is a great day to be a Trailblazer!

By Jordan Rushton, President, Dixie Technical College

Why Technical Education?

At Dixie Technical College, it is our mission to train students to master essential skills they will take directly to the workforce, enabling them to support their families, strengthen the community, and contribute to local industry while advancing their careers. Dixie Tech has twenty-four accredited programs that all lead directly to employment. Choosing technical education means choosing to study in an industry-driven, hands-on, relevant, accelerated, and affordable way that leads to an indispensable career.

Technical education is industry driven. All Dixie Tech programs have advisory committees made up of local employers that provide input on the content, skills, and equipment needed to prepare you for a career in the industry. If there are skills and training that you don’t need, we stop teaching those and replace them with what employers recommend. Dixie Tech’s purpose is to prepare you for the workplace so that when you graduate, employers will be confident that you have the skills they need. Over 90 percent of our students find jobs in their fields of study.

Dixie Tech’s training is hands on. After learning theory in the classroom, you will move directly into the lab to apply what you have learned. In the lab, you will actually learn to wire a breaker, draw blood, write code, or fix a transmission. You will be guided by your instructors as you practice new skills, make

mistakes, and learn from them. All Dixie Tech instructors are hired directly from industry and have decades of accumulated skill and experience.

The education at Dixie Tech is relevant. All of the training you receive at Dixie Tech will be for your chosen career. If something isn’t relevant to your career, it will not be taught. There are no general education requirements. You will learn industry terminology and calculations, but you will not take classes in English or math. Your training will be necessary and practical, and it will make sense because you will learn it in the context of how you can use it in your job. Dixie Tech is laser focused on teaching you the technology and techniques that will drive your career.

Because Dixie Tech is focused on the skills and training necessary for your career, all of the programs are accelerated and affordable. Programs vary in length from four weeks to twenty months, with the average being about eight months. During that time, you will learn the skills you need to start your career. Because technical education is so efficient and focused, the cost is extremely reasonable. The average Dixie Tech program has tuition and fees of $3,400. Financial aid and scholarships are available for those in need.

Dixie Tech trains students for careers that are indispensable. There has been a lot of talk over the last few years about the knowledge economy, but it has now become apparent that many of those jobs can be done by computers or remotely from other states or countries. Every program at Dixie Tech trains students for jobs that the economy cannot do without and for jobs that must be done right here in Washington County. No computer or call center can install plumbing, replace your brakes, administer lifesaving measures, or rewire the server. You and your job will always be necessary right here.

Dixie Tech wants to help you transform your life. Today is a great day to start on the journey to becoming the highly skilled individual that employers need. Come and visit us at Dixie Technical College. We’ll get you moving toward a rewarding career that will allow you to earn a good living in an interesting job, support yourself and your family, and become an essential part of our community and economy.

Sarah had always been a bit of a skeptic when it came to yoga, considering it more of a “fad” and not a real workout. However, as winter was drawing to a close and spring was just around the corner, Sarah noticed that her energy levels were low, and she was feeling stiff and more sluggish than usual. One of her friends suggested that she try yoga. Reluctantly, Sarah agreed to give it a try.

To her surprise, after just a few classes, she noticed a significant improvement in her flexibility and overall energy levels. The stretches and mindfulness techniques she learned in class helped her release pent up stress and tension, leaving her feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

As the spring weather improved and she continued her yoga practice, Sarah found that she was able to enjoy the beauty of the season much more fully. She was more aware of her surroundings, more in tune with her body, and felt a greater sense of overall well-being. By acting on her friend’s suggestion, Sarah was able to shake off the winter blues and improve her physical and mental health in ways she never could have imagined.

Breathe, Stretch, and Shake Off Your Winter Blues

By Diane Del Toro

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, incorporating yoga into your exercise routine can help you thrive as the seasons change from winter to spring. Practicing yoga can help boost your immune system and increase flexibility, which can be especially important after a long and sedentary winter. It can help improve sleep, boost energy levels, and increase focus and concentration, making it easier to adapt to the new season. Additionally, yoga can help improve your overall mood and reduce stress levels, which is important when dealing with seasonal changes and the shift in weather.

Although yoga has been practiced for thousands of years as a holistic approach to well-being, you may be reluctant to jump into the practice for a variety of different reasons. Rest assured that it is completely normal to feel hesitant when starting something new, especially if it involves physical activity. Here are some steps you can take to overcome your hesitation and start practicing yoga:

1. Find a friend or family member to join you in your yoga practice. Having a partner can make the experience more enjoyable and less intimidating.

2. Look for beginner-friendly classes or tutorials online. There are many resources available that cater to beginners and can help you get started.

3. Take things at your own pace and listen to your body. If a pose feels too difficult, modify it or skip it altogether. Remember that yoga is not about competition or perfection but rather about self-discovery and mindfulness.

4. Be patient with yourself. Yoga is a lifelong practice, and it takes time to see progress and improvement.

If you are new to yoga, finding the right yoga instructor, class, studio, or online tutorial may seem daunting. There are many types of yoga (hatha, vinyasa, Iyengar, kundalini, Bikram, and yin, to name a few), and they each have their own pace, poses, and breath work. Finding the right fit for you is a personal journey, so keep an open mind and don’t get discouraged. The process can be fun and rewarding and take on a sense of adventure when approached with a positive attitude. For a smoother journey, consider the following suggestions:

Determine your goals and level of experience with yoga. Understanding your goals will help guide the choices you make about your own personal practice of yoga. Your goals can range from improving physical fitness, reducing stress, or gaining spiritual growth. Additionally, assessing your level of experience, whether you’re a beginner or have been practicing for years, will help you choose appropriate classes and poses and set realistic expectations for your progress. It’s also a good idea to consult with a teacher or a health professional, especially if you have any injuries or medical conditions that may impact your practice. Taking the time to understand your goals and level of experience with yoga will set the foundation for a fulfilling and safe practice.

Ask for recommendations from friends, family, or co-workers. Reach out to your family members and friends who practice yoga and ask for their recommendations on classes, studios, or teachers in your area. They may also have tips on what type of yoga is best for beginners or for specific goals you have.

Research yoga studios or gyms in your area to see what types of classes they offer. Utilize online resources like yoga websites, social media, and local directories to find yoga studios and classes in your area. You can also read reviews from past attendees to get a better understanding of what to expect.

Try out a few different classes and instructors to see what style and teaching approach you prefer. Look for a class that provides modifications

and adjustments for injuries or limitations. Take advantage of introductory offers or attend a trial class to get a feel for the studio or teacher and see if it aligns with your goals and level of experience. You might consider scheduling a private lesson or session to ensure the instructor is a good fit for your needs.

Remember that everyone’s experience with yoga is unique and what works for one person may not work for another. It’s important to trust your instincts and choose a class or studio that feels right for you. Starting a new practice can be scary, but remember that everyone was a beginner once. Embrace the journey, be kind to yourself, and have fun!

Vegetables

for Southern Utah

By Tony McCammon, Bloom Horticulture Specialists

Growing vegetables and fruits year-round in your desert garden is not as difficult as you may think it is. Choosing the proper cultivars and varieties is the first step to a successful garden. Part of the fun is figuring out what tastes best.

We have two main gardening seasons here in the desert: spring and fall. With a little effort, these seasons can be extended, and you can potentially be growing in your garden year-round. Light and temperature are important factors in determining what, when, and where to plant. Choose quick-maturing varieties to plant. For spring crops, this allows them to mature before the wicked summer heat hits. For cool season crops, this allows a succession of plantings to stretch out your harvest.

Summer vegetable gardening is only limited by temperatures greater than one hundred degrees. These temperatures make pollen infertile and cause flowers and fruit to abort on most tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Other plants, including melons, squash, and okra, will thrive in such temperatures. When looking at seed packets or plant labels, if it says “full sun location,” translate that into “afternoon shade is helpful” for summer crops. For many vegetables, light afternoon shade or all-day filtered sun is beneficial or necessary in the summer. Others prefer and thrive in full sun.

Soil Considerations

Our desert soils are typically low in organic matter. Because of this and the typical alkaline nature of our soils, nutrients aren’t always readily available for plant uptake. For successful vegetable gardening, soils need organic matter added to them regularly. For preparation of a new garden bed, a six- to eight-inch layer of compost worked into the soil provides good organic matter, enhancing the soil structure. For optimal root development, the soil should be worked to a depth of about eighteen inches. This will accommodate the root system of just about any vegetable you will want to grow.

Water

Deep watering is essential here in the desert. Plants need a deep, healthy root system to survive our grueling summers. Deep watering also leeches harmful salts down below the root zone of the plants. Drip and flood irrigation are well-suited to our conditions. Application of water on the soil surface can prevent accumulation of salts on foliage. A drip system should have a designated valve for your vegetables to allow for best scheduling. Regularly adjust the watering schedule through the seasons.

Take advantage of rainwater! Skip watering for a cycle after a good rain. Learn to recognize the difference between heat stress and water stress. With water stress, there is not enough moisture available in the soil for the plants to absorb. When this happens, more water is needed right away. With heat stress, there is adequate water available to the plant, but transpiration (loss of moisture) exceeds the root system’s ability to take up moisture, so the foliage wilts in the hot dry air. Provide top mulch and shade. Adding more water may cause the roots to rot. Mulching around your plants during the hot months helps maintain moisture and keep the root systems cooler.

Fertilizer

Use fertilizers according to the plant needs. Usually fertilizers aren’t necessary once the plant begins setting fruit. Keeping the organic content of the soil at a good level will enhance the

action of the fertilizers and over time, will supply small amounts of nutrients into the soil so less fertilizer is needed.

Fertilizer packaging usually has three or four numbers that give the percentages of actual forms of nutrients in the bag. For example, 12-10-3-5 suggests that the fertilizer bag is 12 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus, 3 percent potassium, and 5 percent iron, sulfur, magnesium, or whatever else they chose to add to the fertilizer. Fertilizer formulations can be adjusted and applied according to the part of the plant you plan on eating. Leafy greens need more forms of nitrogen (N). Roots and fruits prefer the phosphorus (P) or fertilizer bags higher in the second number. All plants use forms of potassium (K) because it helps with water resource management in the plant and increases leaf water holding capacity in times of drought.

If this article has inspired a sense of self-sufficiency in you and you want to get started on your own garden adventures, Bloom Horticulture Specialists are here to help. We have been training and facilitating the art of food for many years. Please let us know how we can help you build a more secure community around food simply by training you in your own system. If you would like to hear more about our initiatives in food security and community agriculture development, please email us for a free brochure at www.bloomhorticulture.com or tony@bloomhorticulture.com.

St. George Surgical Center Opens New Location

Public Open House

Friday, April 21st, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

585 E. Riverside Drive

St. George, UT 84770

stgeorgesurgical.com

When St. George Surgical Center (SGSC) was founded in 1988 as southern Utah’s first ambulatory surgical center (ASC), Dr. Jeff Rogers was a young physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology cases. “As one of the original owners of St. George Surgical, I performed some of my first surgeries in that center,” Rogers said. “It’s been rewarding to see the surgical center continue to provide the best possible care and still treat every patient like they are family. High quality care is really our greatest legacy.”

Now operating in its thirty-fifth year at the 700 South Bluff Street location, SGSC is nationally accredited with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care and is a physician-owned, multi-specialty ASC that has assisted tens of thousands of people, serving nearly 5,000 patients in 2022 alone.

Adding to that legacy, SGSC is pleased to announce a new state-of-the-art,13,000-square-foot surgical center on Riverside Drive. Opening this April, the St. George Surgical Riverfront campus will feature four modern operating rooms sporting the best in surgical technology. Each operating room (OR) will be equipped with the latest technology in surgical lighting, a fully-integrated OR system that helps SGSC’s clinical team deliver uncompromised patient care through future-ready technology, and a ceiling-installed laminar airflow to minimize turbulence and gently guide particles away from the surgical site, making the surgery suite even safer. This new facility was designed for improved patient flow and safety.

SGSC has always been committed to investing in the highest quality, most advanced medical equipment, especially for eye surgeries, where SGSC utilizes top-of-the-line cataract and retina equipment along with advanced LenSx Laser cataract technology that rival the best ophthalmology programs in the state.

Additionally, St. George Surgical recently made significant investments in the latest orthopedic equipment that is currently found nowhere else in Utah. Robotic orthopedic total and partial knee replacement surgeries are made possible with the Smith & Nephew CORI Surgical System, which utilizes the newest technology in implants that are laboratory tested for up to thirty years of wear-life. A new development is the addition of robotic-assisted total hip replacement, which will be available beginning April 2023.

It’s not just the locals in southern Utah who will benefit from this new facility. Medical travelers from all over the United States and Canada regularly come to SGSC to participate in their cash-pay program. In 2014, SGSC became one of the first ambulatory surgery centers in the U.S. to post transparent, all-inclusive surgery prices online. They offer transparent pricing on their website for over 420 procedures that includes the surgeon fee, facility fee, anesthesia fee, implants, and overnight stay, if necessary.

This program has been instrumental in providing surgical cost containment for small businesses and self-insured employers looking for ways to reduce medical costs, assuring a high value, high quality, low cost alternative that can save 50 percent or more over comparable hospital costs.

“We are excited about opening this beautiful new facility with the most modern amenities and best medical equipment,” said Ty Tippets, SGSC’s CEO. “But what really matters is ensuring that each person who comes to the center has the best experience in outstanding patient safety and optimal surgical care. This is provided by our dedicated and professional surgeons and staff.”

As improbable as it may seem, love first bloomed for Scott and Dianna Moore at the Internal Revenue Service. Thirty-three years later, the couple still prefers to spend as much time together as possible, tinkering with new recipes and testing their creations out on friends and family members.

But in most cases, the Moores’ gourmet offerings don’t find their way to the dinner table. Instead, their delicacies are added to the inventory of nearly 200 popcorn flavors offered at Moore n More Gourmet Popcorn in St. George, Utah.

Back when Dianna was completing her degree in business education at Weber State University, she worked nights as a file clerk at the IRS. Her shift brought her into contact with fellow filer/ Weber Stater Scott, then pursuing studies in sociology and gerontology. The pair spent hours parking returns according to social security number, bonding over the inherent tedium of the task. Friendship, then love, sparked (or popped); ten months later, they were married. Scott’s three children from a prior marriage

Look What Popped Up

Scott and Dianna Moore Turn Togetherness (and Popcorn Passion) into Retail Success

By Marianne Hamilton

came with the union followed by three more little ones of their own.

Throughout the course of their marriage, the Moores had a variety of businesses, including a custom framing company and Dianna’s TUPPERWARE™ sales. Both became educators, with Dianna currently a twentyyear veteran of the Pine View High School faculty and Scott a member of the Washington Elementary counseling team. Never had the couple considered themselves foodies.

“We wanted to wait until our kids were older so we could spend as much time with them as possible,” Dianna recalled. “But they grew up and moved elsewhere—along with fourteen of our fifteen grandkids. So we started looking for something that we could do together. I’m so lucky that Scott goes along with my crazy ideas!”

One such notion first took hold when the Moores visited a popcorn store in Las Vegas, Nevada. Scott took a liking to the Oreo cookies and cream flavor while Dianna swooned over the dill pickle variety. “I said to Scott, ‘We could

do this!’ We’d never done anything with food, but I’m definitely a fly-by-the-seat-of-my pants type. I went online and started doing research. A week later, we had a bunch of equipment; a week later, we had more,” Dianna said, grinning.

The Moores’ initial foray into popcorn came in 2013, with Dianna standing at the couple’s kitchen stove, shaking kernels into a small pan. Her attempts to replicate the cookies and cream treat proved disastrous. But with the purchase of a larger cooker—and countless hours of experimentation—Moore n More Gourmet Popcorn was soon packaging and selling a variety of popped products at Swiss Days, county fairs, farmers markets, and other local events. “For several years, we went up and down I-15,” Dianna noted. “We didn’t have the use of our kitchen table; there was a giant piece of equipment on it! The whole time, I was looking for a place to open a store. But Scott was afraid it would be too expensive.”

“Business-wise, I didn’t think we were there; I wasn’t prepared to take that leap,” Scott

confirmed. “I feel like we did it the only way we could, which was to start small, at home, build a bit of a website, and get the word out there.”

In 2021, space became available in the Sunset Plaza Shopping Center. Taking a leap of faith, the Moores signed a lease only to have the pandemic sabotage their plans. Their contractor contracted COVID, bringing renovation of the space to a halt, and the metal needed to construct the massive exhaust hood required by law became unavailable. Still, the couple pressed on, installing new flooring and hanging wallpaper themselves and locating additional equipment online. By February of 2022, they were open for business.

Today, Moore n More Gourmet Popcorn occupies an airy, cheerful space in which floorto-ceiling shelves are brimming with tempting products in three categories: candied, savory, and chocolate. Imported candies, fudge, and cotton candy are available as well. At any given time, the Moores, along with various family members who work in the store, have roughly sixty popcorn flavors on hand. (Those family members include son Travis, now one of the business owners, its accountant, and an invaluable part of the store’s operation.) The Moores will gladly create custom varieties and seasonal flavors. In this effort, Scott’s talents come to the fore.

“I’m constantly toying with flavors, seeing what combinations we can create,” he said. “I prefer the savory flavors. It’s always fun to experiment and come up with new things. I love it, and I want people to love it; that’s where the fun is.”

In their decade of exploration, the Moores admit they’ve popped a few failures. While many flavors they’ve concocted, such as pralines and cream, coconut cream pie, and white chocolate raspberry lemonade, fly off the shelves, others, such as hot dogs and ketchup, jalapeno caramel, and crab, have (perhaps understandably) seen less-than-stellar sales. “We live in a very ‘sweet’ state,” Scott said, laughing. “Someday, we’ll get people to see that savory is the thing.”

Then pausing to scoop a freshly popped batch into a bag, he added, “We definitely have a fun product. Everyone knows what popcorn is, and almost everyone likes it. Also, I’ve read several articles in which popcorn is listed as the healthiest snack you can have. And it really is…until I get a hold of it!”

Moore n More Gourmet Popcorn is located at 1973 W. Sunset Boulevard in St. George, Utah. For more information, call (435) 574-7292 or visit https://moorenmorepopcorn.com/.

About the Author Marianne L. Hamilton is a veteran journalist and marketing writer whose work appears in regional and national publications. When not race walking, hiking, or teaching water aerobics, she is the past Board Chair of Art Around the Corner and the Special Events Manager for

DOCUTAH. She and her husband, Doug, are also co-administrators of the St. George Wine Club and race directors for the Huntsman World Senior Games and National Senior Games. Marianne was crowned Ms. Senior Universe 2021-2022 and is the Senior Pageants Group’s Senior Games Ambassador. She is a proud breast cancer survivor.

Breath of Fresh Air

Outdoor Exercise and Recreation Yield Numerous Benefits

By Lisa Larson

When Mitch Cloward steps out of his Santa Clara home, he is immediately reminded of the beautiful area in which he lives, and one of his favorite ways to enjoy that beauty is seated astride his mountain bike, exploring the many trails near his home. Working as the CEO of St. George Regional Hospital, Cloward is keenly aware of the importance of striving to maintain one’s personal health. After all, the mission of the hospital is to help people live the healthiest lives possible.

A few years ago, Cloward decided it was time to take the hospital’s mission to heart. Between the many examples of sickness he had witnessed at work and his own father’s cancer diagnosis, Cloward knew he needed to make his health a priority. “After you say you’re going to commit to a healthy lifestyle, you have to make a plan,” Cloward said. “I liked mountain biking, so I decided to give that a try.”

Cloward said the mountain biking community “embraced me,” and he credits the accessibility of so many biking trails as well as the accessibility of walking trails, hiking trails, and other outdoor amenities for his ability to stick with his commitment. “Mountain

Mitch Cloward, CEO of St. George Regional Hospital.

biking is fatiguing and challenging, but it’s something I really love to do,” Cloward said. “Even with all that passion, I know if I had to drive fifteen to twenty minutes to access the trails, I wouldn’t have time to fit it in. We are so fortunate to live in an area where nearly everyone lives within a few minutes of a trail, a park, or some kind of outdoor recreation option.”

It’s something Cloward and many others in the community are hoping will continue to be a priority for the city leaders in Washington County, even as the area grows in population. So great is the desire to see this continue, an organization known as the Quality of Life Coalition has been circulating a letter and petition to ensure citizens’ voices are heard by the St. George City Council and the new St. George City manager. “Life is so much more enriching, fulfilling, and rewarding when you feel good,” Cloward said. “I felt a need to support the coalition personally, and the hospital is backing it as well.”

The letter specifically states that the Quality of Life Coalition values the area’s “parks, trails, golf courses, recreation programs and facilities, arts programs and facilities, special events, and more.” It goes on to say, “These amenities are crucial for mental and physical health.”

As Mayda Jones, exercise specialist and exercise therapist for the LiVe Well Center at St. George Regional

Hospital, can attest, there are numerous benefits to outdoor exercise and recreation. From fresh air to sunshine, studies have shown the act of getting outside to be extremely beneficial. “One of the big benefits is that outdoor recreation serves as a mood enhancer,” Jones said. “It can help reduce anxiety and depression and can help regulate mood swings.”

Outdoor recreation—especially in an area like St. George that is dripping in sunshine the vast majority of the year— gives people a greater opportunity to absorb vitamin D, which Jones said is a natural mood booster and increases serotonin levels.

“Outdoor exercise can be anything as long as you’re moving outside,” Jones said. Studies have shown that even a slow or moderate outdoor walk can help decrease blood pressure, lower heart rate, and diminish stress levels. “Outdoor exercise is a great way to connect with nature,” Jones added. “I love to hike, which gives me a great chance to disconnect from the world and connect with myself and my kids.”

Whether it’s hiking, biking, walking, golfing, pickleboard, paddleboarding, or swimming, the list of options goes on and on—almost as long as the list of health benefits to be gained by the simple act of getting outside and enjoying the fresh air.

About the Author

Lisa Larson is a freelance writer with a background in public relations and public speaking and a passion for sharing great stories. You might spot Lisa with her husband and three children enjoying the downtown carousel or exploring one of the area’s hiking trails. She also enjoys reading and baking, and she is looking to rekindle her romance with running. You can find Lisa on Twitter @ LisaGLarson or at www. facebook.com/larsonlisa.

Nothing Beats a

About the Author

Annelies Newman, RDN, CD, received her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University with a major in nutrition and dietetics and a minor in music. She is a speaker and presenter on nutrition related topics. Currently, she owns a private practice guiding individuals to make changes for better health and wellness. On the side, she enjoys adventuring with her husband and three little boys outdoors. She believes that real food is good for the body and should be enjoyed!

The sweet, juicy tang of a warm, ripe peach just picked off a tree takes me back to warm summer days climbing our family’s peach tree, looking for the vibrant red-orange hue. Nothing beats a peach when it’s ripe and ready to eat, warmed by the sun!

I grew up in a garden. My mom never let a year go by without planting and harvesting. After moving to St. George, I had to learn a whole new way of gardening. But in spite of my many gardening failures, I just keep trying to figure things out in an unfamiliar climate.

If you are new to gardening, you can do things the hard way by trial and error, which I must admit to doing fairly regularly, or you can talk to local experts and allow them to help you get started. I have listened to speakers at our local library, read and watched videos online from the Utah State University extension office, talked to people at community gardens and local nurseries, and employed local gardening contractors. It’s difficult to break the mindset of the past, but I am learning the secrets of gardening in southern Utah.

Homegrown Treat!

By Annelies Newman,

RDN, CD

When I first began gardening here, I had some great advice about finding the best sunny spot in my yard for a garden. Then I looked for information about how to prepare and repair the soil. Nutrient rich soil equals nutrient rich produce. The next thing I had to wrap my head around was the growing season in this region. I was used to planting in the spring and harvesting in fall. Here, you can plant from January through late summer, depending on the plant.

My first year of growing a garden in southern Utah was a lot of work, with little to show for my efforts. The watermelon plant I babysat for months produced two melons the size of my hand; I haven’t put a watermelon seed in the ground since! The second year was much better: the tomatoes we grew ended up blessing as many neighbors as would help us enjoy them. Those red, juicy rounds brought one lady to tears as she recalled her late father, who grew tomatoes in his garden yearly.

Then I learned about cool weather plants. In an effort to increase our intake of leafy greens, which contain powerhouse nutrients like fiber, potassium, iron, and vitamins A, K, B6 and C, I planted kale, spinach, and chard. By far, I have had the most success with these. To harvest, I don’t wait for the entire plant to reach maturity. As soon as the outer leaves are small to medium sized, I pick them one at a time. This allows the smaller leaves on the inside to continue growing. You can eat from the plants for a couple of months or longer until the heat or cold stops their growth. At that point, I harvest the smaller, less bitter leaves of

the kale and spinach, rinse, and pat dry. Then I pack as much as I can into gallon freezer bags.

We eat the fresh leaves in salads, cook them with seasonings, or add them to soups and pasta dishes. I use frozen kale and spinach in pureed smoothies, green pancakes, and muffins. I have also used them in soups and other recipes that call for cooked greens. Our family favorite has been sweet spinach muffins. The neighbors haven’t minded them either.

Last year, we planted cucumbers from seed during the first week of August. The plants produced endless cucumbers through the month of October. My son and I delivered the excess cucumbers to neighbors, increasing their fiber and vitamin K intake. One generous neighbor returned the favor with some fresh, treeripened lemons and avocados from her friend’s trees in California. I could have inhaled the aroma of those vitamin C packed lemons for hours, and the avocados made the best guacamole.

One of my favorite things about gardening is figuring out how to eat the vegetables we harvest in a variety of different ways. I have found recipe books that focus on plants and garden veggies, and an online search always yields new ideas.

There are endless health and wellness benefits to using seasonal plants and eating more plants in general, but there are other perks, as well. As I share my harvest, I get to know my neighbors better, and often, they return the favor, boosting my joy and gratitude for living in southern Utah.

St. George

About the Author Mountain bike veteran, amateur filmmaker, and lover of long rides, Jay Bartlett has been riding trails in Southern Utah for over thirty years. Jay has over a decade of experience as a bike mechanic at St. George’s oldest bike shop, Bicycles Unlimited.

By Jay Bartlett

One thing I’ve learned in this life is that you have to keep moving. Being sedentary for too long is an invitation for bad things to happen to your body and brain. When a bike has been neglected in the garage for years, it begins to rot. Tires and brake pads crack and become stiff. Cable housings fray and splinter. Mechanisms seize and squeal with lack of movement and lubrication. Now, I’m no doctor (I just play one on TV), but it seems to me that the human body is much the same. If it sits around neglected for years, joints crack and become stiff, bones and tendons can fray and splinter, and God forbid, a mechanism seizes!

Albert Einstein famously said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Have you ever gently brushed against your bike when it’s parked in the garage only to have it unceremoniously clammer to the floor in a tangle of aluminum and carbon? Yet once the bike is under power, you can lean it so hard into a corner that, at times, it feels like it could never fall over. A bike wants you to help it stay upright. It becomes a symbiotic relationship where you become the motor that keeps the bike upright and the bike becomes the force that drives you to become healthier and happier.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that frequent exercise is great for the cardiopulmonary system. Study after study has proven that we need to get off our lazy butts and get moving. The major stumbling block for most people is that exercise just doesn’t sound fun. Whether it’s pickleball, trail running, or mountain biking, finding the fun exercise that keeps you coming back for more is paramount to staying healthy. Luckily for me, I found mountain biking long ago. No matter how much I do it, I always want to ride more. Not only do I enjoy the exercise, I look forward to doing more of it.

Then there is the very important but often overlooked part of our health: our mental health.

Got to Keep On moving

You’ve been sitting at your desk all day. A deadline is approaching; everyone is on edge. Finally, the stressful work day is over and you head home. Frustrated, you gear up and jump on your bike. A short time later, the trail unfolds before you. You become focused on the tasks at hand—the corners, the rocks, the steep pitches—and the tension of the day melts away, just an annoyance in the past. All those wonderful chemicals the body produces from the exertion of pedaling, accomplishing a tough move over an obstacle, or just plain having fun, do their job and wipe away the negative effects of stress. Who can even remember what their jerk boss said at the meeting that morning when facing a ride down a steep slickrock face while avoiding the tire swallowing crack in the middle and the barrel cactus at the bottom?

Really, not much else matters nor even dares sneak into consciousness during those moments. Your mind becomes “quiet” even though it is processing inputs from all over your body. These quiet moments serve as a sort of reset for your brain—a way to push aside your trouble for a while. Doing exercise to relax? What a concept!

So, if you’re feeling uptight or a little down, break out your trusty bike, get sweaty, puff some life into your lungs and heart, and give your brain a dose of happy juice. Mountain biking for exercise—it’s a great way to relax!

I Bought a Short-Term Rental

Guest Services. Did you know the average guest reaches out three to five times between scheduling their reservation and checking out? Property management companies provide guest services, such as check-in and check-out, and 24/7 support for guests. This helps ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for guests, which leads to positive reviews and repeat business.

Legal Compliance. Property management companies ensure that your property is in compliance with all relevant local, state, and federal laws and regulations. This includes zoning laws, fire safety regulations, and taxes.

How Do I Manage It?

By Spencer Whitehead, Realtor, Red Rock Real Estate

You have just closed on your first short-term rental property, and you can’t wait to vacation there yourself. Suddenly, you realize that there is a guest scheduled to arrive within a few days with another guest following close on their heels. You have no idea how you are going to find the time to clean and prepare the space for the second guest, and to add to your worries, your phone keeps ringing with potential renters asking questions before they book. As a short-term rental owner, you will be tempted to manage the property yourself to increase your net income. What many people don’t realize is that self-management is very time intensive. Scheduling cleaners, providing maintenance, checking to make sure nothing is stolen or damaged, answering phone calls, returning messages, and advertising are just a few of the demands on a property owner. I once saw a quote on a shirt that read “Why buy it when you can DIY it for 3X the time and money?” This has never been more true than in the self-management of a short-term rental. What you need is a good property manager who will take care of the day-to-day operation of your short-term-rental property. They will answer the midnight call about the broken water heater, manage the scheduling calendar, and maximize the rental and occupancy rates, leaving you with more time to enjoy your life. So, what exactly does a property manager provide?

Marketing and Advertising. A property management company handles all the marketing and advertising efforts for your property. They use their resources and network to reach a wider audience and attract more guests to your property.

Booking and Reservation Management. Property management companies handle the reservations, confirmations, and payment processing for you, reducing the stress of managing these tasks. Cleaning and Maintenance. Property management companies arrange for cleaning and maintenance services, ensuring your property is always in top condition for guests. This includes everything from regular cleaning to emergency repairs.

Increased revenue. By taking care of all the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities and leveraging their advertising network, a property management company helps maximize your revenue beyond what you could do on your own. Ultimately, the sign of a good property manager is money coming into your bank account each month without a single thought of what you need to do for your property. For more information on the short-term rental market in southern Utah, contact Spencer Whitehead at 435-237-0301 or at spencer@whiteheadrealty.com.

About the Author

Spencer grew up in southern Utah and is still awed by the natural beauty of the area. One of his favorite places is the top of Gooseberry Mesa, just outside of Hurricane, Utah. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and daughters. He is a realtor for Red Rock Real Estate and a member of the Whitehead Realty Team.

JESSICA ELGIN REALTOR®

A First Step for Reducing Stress

By Lori Wright, CEO, Family Healthcare

A normal part of life, stress is an automatic physical, mental, and emotional response to challenges. The response to stress varies widely from person to person, largely based on the level of stress a person faces and the ability to cope. Unchecked stress can have serious effects on overall health and well-being.

If you are experiencing prolonged and increased levels of stress that accompany more than three of the following common symptoms, it might be a good idea to visit your primary care provider for help in developing a plan of action before your long-term health is negatively affected.

Common symptoms associated with too much stress include:

• Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, restless, unmotivated, irritable, angry, sad, or depressed.

• Experiencing headache, muscle tension, chest pain, rapid heartbeat,

About the Author

fatigue, stomach upset, change in sex drive, insomnia, or emotional outbursts.

• Experiencing a change in eating patterns, such as eating too much or not enough.

• Using substances to dull stress related thoughts and feelings.

• Withdrawing socially.

• Exercising less.

There are many tools available to help develop stress coping skills. From meditation to exercise to relaxation, the essence of stress management is selfcare in all the ways that best suit the individual. Health-care providers can prescribe therapies and medications to help patients get over the hump, but patients also have the longer-term work of using the coping tools and skills necessary to prevent stress from overwhelming them and causing more serious and costly health issues.

The goal is to ensure stress levels are kept to a well-managed range, helping prevent the health complications that arise from stress symptoms. A good first step is to ask, “What is one thing I can do today to better manage my stress?” Every answer to this question will be different but equally helpful to the individual who takes that first step.

If you aren’t sure where to turn for primary care, Family Healthcare’s medical and behavioral team can help by providing integrated support.

NOTE: If you are experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, jaw or back pain, pain radiating into your shoulder and arm, sweating, dizziness, or nausea, seek emergency help immediately. These could be the signs of a heart attack and not stress-related symptoms.

Lori Wright is the CEO of Family Healthcare. With more than twenty-five years of experience in community health, she is passionate about developing equity, where everyone is able to access high quality integrated primary health care. Family Healthcare’s mission is Making Lives Better, and as CEO, Lori’s efforts are focused on improving the overall health of patients and the communities that Family Healthcare serves.

Lori serves on a variety of committees across the state and throughout Washington and Iron Counties, including the St. George Area Chamber Board of Governors, Dixie Tech Pharmacy Tech Advisory Committee, and Association of Community Health Center’s Board. She also serves as co-chair of the AUCH Health Center Control Network. She is a Certified Medical Practice Executive by the American College of Medical Practice Executives and has received a BS in Community/Public Health and a Master of Public Administration from the Marriott School of Management.

Walk

By Tiffany Gust, MS, NBC-HWC

How much would you spend to improve your health? Although you are a prized possession and deserve the very best, physical activity doesn’t need to be complicated and cost bundles of money. All you need is a sturdy pair of shoes and a desire to get moving. Something as simple as a brisk walk can pay many dividends to your wellness. Walking has been shown to increase energy, balance, and coordination and enhance mood. It also improves heart and lung function, reduces stress, and strengthens the immune system. This is quite an impressive list of benefits for something that doesn’t require expensive equipment or a gym membership!

What is a good walking posture?

Walking can involve the entire body when done correctly. Having the right posture while walking will require that you take a closer look at how you walk. Here are some tips which should help correct your walking posture:

• Keep your head up with your chin parallel to the ground.

• Elongate your spine by avoiding slouching or leaning forwards.

• Keep your shoulders loose, but don’t hunch.

• Engage your core muscles by pulling your belly button in.

• While taking a step, land gently on your heel before rolling through to your toe

What pace should I walk?

According to Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health, “a fast pace is generally five to seven kilometers per hour, but it really depends on a walker’s fitness level; an alternative indicator is to walk at a pace that makes you slightly out of breath or sweaty when sustained.”

Could walking faster make you live longer?

A study conducted by Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise determined that brisk-paced walkers had a slightly lower mortality rate than slow-paced walkers.

for Improved Wellness This Way

What is the best gait speed for longevity?

A speed of 1.8 miles per hour is the median walking pace for those sixty-five years of age and older. A speed of 2.2 miles per hour suggests healthier aging. Speeds of 2.7 miles per hour indicate an exceptional life expectancy.

What safety precautions should I take as a walker?

• Wear light colored clothing.

• Walk on the sidewalk or against traffic on the street so that motorists can see you and you can make eye contact with them.

• Wear proper footwear that is supportive and comfortable.

• Start at your current fitness level and build 5 to 10 percent each week in mileage or duration. Listen to your body.

• Stretch after your walk by focusing on the hamstring muscles, calf muscles, and ankles. Don’t forget to stretch the neck and shoulders.

Give yourself a high five and celebrate along the way. As you continue to put yourself and your fitness as a priority, you will find that you have more energy to give to those you love.

It’s a great day for a walk. What are you waiting for? I hope to see you out on the trails.

What Is Acupressure?

By Anita DeLelles, LMT

Finding the Balance in Animal Care

Acupressure is a holistic approach based on the time-honored principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used in acupuncture. As a non-invasive alternative, rather than using needles, pressure with the hands and fingers is applied to specific points of the body to stimulate areas that affect various organs and mechanisms of the body. Acupressure often uses a cold laser to energize these points as well. The goal is to rebalance and maintain this equilibrium of energy, or chi, in the body, triggering increases of energy where lacking and conversely, diminishing overabundance of chi and heat where needed. It’s the well-known principle of yin and yang.

TCM identifies several meridians (interconnected channels) throughout the body. Activating specific acupressure points along these meridians can affect muscles locally and other parts of the body systemically. For example, an acupressure point at the hock is on the kidney meridian and activates the kidney organ system.

Acupressure is considered an excellent strategy to manage numerous ailments and can provide relief from many physical and physiological discomforts in the body. It can also help alleviate emotional or stress issues.

What Are the Benefits of Acupressure For Animals?

As a complement to veterinary medicine, acupressure is becoming a popular avenue for the holistic treatment of animals.

Acupressure has been popular among humans for several centuries, but recently, it has emerged as a noninvasive alternative therapy for pets and performance animals. Dogs, cats, and horses experiencing joint

problems, allergies, weakened immune systems, and organ dysfunction can all find relief from the practice of acupressure and cold laser therapy. Perhaps more importantly, it can keep your pets happy and healthy when used as a preventative measure by correcting imbalances of energies in the body. Acupressure is a powerful therapy, but it does not replace the need for conventional veterinary medicine. Rather, it is a holistic alternative, like a good diet and aerobic exercise.

It might be surprising to learn the vast array of conditions that can benefit through the application of acupressure. Conditions that involve chronic pain and inflammation are common targets of acupressure treatment with a high degree of effectiveness. By boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation, increasing circulation, and releasing endorphins, acupressure can assist the animal’s body to heal itself of the following ailments, often without the side effects of medication:

• Allergies

• Arthritis

• Degenerative joint disease

• Metabolic diseases

• Trauma

• Recovery from surgery

Cold laser therapy, or biophotomodulation, is also used to access the acupressure points. Unlike acupuncture, the use of a laser is noninvasive yet highly effective. The cold laser not only activates each point but also provides the cells with the energy needed to perform optimally. It also helps the body release endorphins,

increases blood flow, accelerates wound healing, stimulates collagen production, and more! During a cold laser session, your pet benefits from both the attributes of the laser and the corresponding acupoint benefits.

It is easy to see that acupressure is a useful healthcare tool to keep our pets’ bodies in their ideal healthy state and why it’s so valuable for preventive care. Regular sessions of acupressure will maintain balance and keep the health of your beloved animal at its maximum potential.

For more information on health and wellness for your pet, visit woofcenter.com. You can also call them at 435275-4536 or stop by WOOF! Wellness Center & Training Academy at 3199 Santa Clara Drive in Santa Clara, Utah.

About the Author

Anita DeLelles, LMT, is a certified equine and small animal acupressure practitioner with accreditation from the Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute and a member of IAAMB. Her Tallgrass training has included two consecutive summers in Bath, England, near where she lived as a child, as well as coursework in Colorado and northern California. Additionally, Anita is certified in animal massage from the Northwest School of Animal Massage as well as human massage in the state of Utah and is a graduate of UNLV. In 2013, Anita and her husband, Ron, opened WOOF! Wellness Center & Training Academy to serve pets and their health-conscious pet parents. WOOF! is dedicated to improving the quality of life for companion and competitive animals through fitness and conditioning, education, and proper nutrition. Anita shares her life with Ron and their overly-pampered cats in Santa Clara, Utah.

KYPHOPLASTY

FOR SPINAL FRACTURES PRODUCES DRAMATIC RESULTS

By Alexa Morgan

Individuals experiencing pain from vertebral compression fractures in the spine may benefit from a state-of-theart, minimally invasive spine surgery called kyphoplasty. A unique procedure that repairs damaged vertebrae in the spine, kyphoplasty stabilizes the spinal fracture through the use of orthopedic balloons and bone cement.

Kyphoplasty can instantly reduce back pain and decrease the risk of serious health problems, including difficulty breathing, limited mobility, and future vertebral compression fractures at other locations in the spine. This procedure is commonly referred to as “vertebral augmentation” because it stabilizes bone in the spine and restores, or “augments,” lost vertebral height. It’s just one of the advanced treatment options available to chronic pain patients at Southwest Spine and Pain Center.

“Kyphoplasty can reduce people’s pain dramatically quite quickly,” said Dr. Bryt Christensen, a pain management specialist at the clinic’s St. George location. “For that reason, it’s a very satisfying procedure for us to perform.”

What conditions can kyphoplasty treat?

In general, kyphoplasty is a treatment intended to relieve chronic pain due to severe vertebral compression fractures, which can be common with advanced osteoporosis.

Spinal compression fractures can also occur due to traumatic injuries of the spine, including those sustained during a fall from a considerable height or other impact injuries.

Benefits of kyphoplasty

Until the use of kyphoplasty and similar minimally invasive procedures, there were few treatment options for spinal compression fractures beyond bracing, medications, and invasive spinal surgery. Kyphoplasty has many benefits, including

short recovery time, minimal blood loss, and short procedure time. Many patients are able to return to normal activities very quickly following the procedure. Recent studies have shown that kyphoplasty also significantly reduces the risk of mortality in elderly patients. “Very few medical procedures have those kinds of dramatic results,” Christensen said.

Are you a candidate for kyphoplasty?

Patients with moderate to severe chronic back pain from spinal fractures should consult the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center to determine if they’re a candidate for kyphoplasty. This procedure is usually recommended for those suffering from symptoms that include chronic or severe pain, limited mobility, decreased lung capacity, and difficulty sleeping.

Kyphoplasty may also be suggested to those with recent osteoporotic compression fractures that have occurred within the past eight weeks. Unfortunately, it cannot rectify previous and alreadyestablished spinal deformities. Moreover, certain types of osteoporosis may not qualify for treatment.

Schedule a consultation at Southwest Spine and Pain Center to find out if you’re a candidate for kyphoplasty. With fifteen locations in Utah and growing, the clinic’s pain management specialists are dedicated to helping those suffering from spine and chronic pain conditions. “You’re in good hands with our board-certified physicians,” Christensen said. “We have great outcomes for patients.”

Visit www.southwestspineandpain.com or call today to start living the life you want!

(Contributed content. Used with permission of St. George News)

Dr. Bryt Christensen

About the Author Alexa Morgan works as a reporter for St. George News/STGnews.com and has more than a decade of experience in news and magazine writing. She is committed to keeping the community informed with journalism of the highest quality standard. Originally from Southern California, she now proudly makes her home beneath the big red mountain in Ivins.

Spring Attitude for Healthy Eating and Weight Loss Success

By Dr. Coleen Andruss, Healthy Lifestyles

What is success? If you asked a hundred people to define success, you would probably get a hundred different descriptions. Success is determined differently by each individual and for each situation. However, success starts with attitude. Attitude determines your thoughts. Thoughts create routines. Routines decide what daily actions you take, and your actions drive your success.

Attitude is like a computer’s operating system. If there is a virus, the computer is useless. If your attitude is negative, you will likely fail. If you don’t think you can change your life and become healthier, you likely will not. If you don’t think you can lose weight, you likely will not. If you don’t think you can give up sugar, you will likely still be eating sugar at this time next year. In order to become successful, you must first assume the positive-thinking attitude of a successful person.

Spring is a great time for a change to a positive attitude, but it is also a time for increased vitality. Vitality is the power to live and grow; it is the state of being strong and healthy. And just as plants and trees start to bloom and grow in the spring, you should do the same. Take a hold of your life and your physical and mental well-being by eating healthy, vital foods and through meditation, gratitude, prayer, or exercise.

Focus on you, your health, and your life. Feed your body and soul with the right nutrients so you are prepared for anything and ready for whatever opportunities come your way. You will have ups and downs in this journey: weight loss and weight regain; plateaus and peaks; negative times and positive times; good days and bad days. However, learn as much as you can and do the hard work when you are able so that you can be stronger when it becomes harder to do the things you need to do.

Ask yourself every day, “What good do I want to come from this? How can I be better? What lessons can I learn?” Teach others what you are learning because we learn even more when we help and teach others. Tell people what you are doing and be open about it; this creates accountability. Ask for help. Seek expert opinions and really make your health journey your number one goal in life.

Spring into this new season with the right attitude, and take the appropriate steps by getting rid of excuses. Instead, use the following nine rules to help you achieve your healthy lifestyle goals:

Rule #1: Clean the house of anything deemed to be a snack or treat. These can be dangerous when left sitting around, calling your name when you are weak.

Rule #2: Beg others who live with you to be supportive of your goals so that you do not feel sabotaged. Make sure that your support group understands how important this is to you. It is about your health, not the scale or the size you wear.

Rule #3: Now that you have cleaned the house of snacks, go to the store and replace the “bad” and the “not so good” with the “good,” including clean proteins, vegetables, and a few healthy fats. While at the grocery store, stay out of the middle aisles. Only shop around the outside of the store. Take advantage of online shopping and delivery services which make shopping for food easier and eliminate the visual temptations that you experience walking through the aisles. Do what it takes to make this happen!

Rule #4: Think ahead. Food prepping for the week is great if you can do it, but for many, it is too much to think about. Instead, every night before you go to bed, think about one day—the next day. Make a plan. Pull the protein out of the freezer the night before so it is ready to go. Make breakfast simple and consistent. The easiest lunch is leftovers from dinner, providing dinner was healthy. Now all you have to worry about is making that healthy, nutritious dinner. Make enough for your lunch the next day, and put it to the side before serving so that you don’t run out.

About the Author

Dr. Coleen Andruss

practiced as an internist for ten years and has specialized in weight management for twentynine years. She and her staff have personally experienced weight management issues and have a compassionate understanding of patients in the Healthy Lifestyles program. Dr. Andruss’s internal medicine background helps her to see underlying medical problems when formulating individual plans that work.

Rule #5: Protein is always better than carbs unless the carbs are all clean, high fiber, raw or steamed veggies.

Rule #6: Avoid eating starchy carbs and bad fats together because the body burns carbs first and the fats will get stored.

Rule #7: Do not snack between meals. Fast for a minimum of six hours between meals, allowing your body to get into the fat burning state so that it is using your own fat as fuel.

Rule#8: Drink sixty-four ounces of water daily and do not drink carbonated beverages.

Rule #9: Do something active on a daily basis. Don’t be a couch potato. Clear your mind and go for a short walk every day!

Remember, this is about you! You can do it and do it now. Go forward and be positive in your journey, and spring into success this season!

Lessons from the Past and the Renewal of Spring

By Lainee Cox

Since we welcomed in the new year several months ago, most of us have been focused on new goals, new projects, new diets, and new workouts. Everything has seemed to be about new, new, and new. But as winter turns to spring, something should be said about honoring what has already come to pass.

Over the last three years, we have been dealing with COVID-19 and the subsequent recovery from COVID-19. This period of time has seemed both unending and amazingly fleeting. I believe that most people would agree! I have found myself trying to move on from these unprecedented times, rushing to start planning anew. But in that “rushing,” I have also reflected deeply on everything that happened. It was eye-opening, to say the least!

I would recommend that you do as I did and take some time to look back on what you have accomplished in the last few years. Write down your hardships, victories, unanswered questions, and hard-fought truths.

One of the hard-fought truths I have found is understanding the cyclical nature of all things. Maybe it is better said as “what was old can become new again.” For example, old furniture can be refurbished, bulbs planted long ago can sprout once again, well-worn clothing can be patched, and old relationships can be rekindled. What beautiful truths these can be!

So in the spirit of making the old new once again, I extended a challenge to myself at the beginning of the year and in turn, I would like to now extend this same challenge to you. Take the time to evaluate each of your relationships, pinpoint areas where “flames could be stoked,” so to speak, and then go out of your way to rekindle your neglected, ignored, or waning relationships. For me, this means that every day I let those important people in my life know that I care by performing small acts of service for them, taking notice and commenting on changes in their lives, and being the first one to reach out to them.

By making these small adjustments to my interactions, I have felt more security in my support system, a deeper understanding of the needs of my loved ones, and a solid connection in my relationships. But more importantly, I am more present in my interactions with those I care about. No longer do tasks pull me away from listening to a friend, making that phone call, or showing up to a dance recital. Nothing can be more important to me than these people, and I want to show them that truth!

My biggest takeaway lesson of the past three years is this: take time to appreciate all of life’s moments! Be totally present in your life, and deepen your current relationships. Instead of letting ourselves get caught up in the never ending to-do lists, each one of us should slow down and smell the roses! Nurture your current relationships and celebrate the time that you have with those you love.

As the world around us starts to warm up and move into the renewal of spring, we at Spilsbury Mortuary invite you to focus on kindling old relationships and make something old new again!

About the Author

Lainee Cox is a southern Utah native, born and raised in Parowan, Utah. She moved to St. George in 2019 to attend Utah Technical University and enjoy her time in sunny St. George. In 2021, looking for a more fulfilling line of work, she joined the team at Spilsbury Mortuary. Lainee is passionate about providing support to those grieving the loss of someone special and creating a personalized tribute for each person in Spilsbury’s care.

Utah Tech University Students Help Navy Families in

By Abbigail Jones

Italy

staff members, including Jen Young, Director of TCYP, and Joseph Lovell, Associate Professor in the RSM program. Both Young and Lovell stay connected with the students participating in the program and support them through the process. Young carries out the vision of the program while Lovell connects his RSM students to internship opportunities, such as the one provided by TCYP.

The Naples TCYP students met weekly at 6:00 a.m. MST (2:00 p.m. in Naples) to share experiences and receive support and training. “It is so cool to start my workday seeing the faces of my students in a different country, ready to take on an expansive experience,” Young said.

Lovell is dedicated to providing work and academic experiences within the RSM program. “Having more industry experience will shape a more favorable applicant when entering the job market,” Lovell said, adding that nearly every industry is being influenced by a global society and that understanding how different cultures operate and function is crucial.

The students participating in the TCYP get the best of both worlds. As they travel to another country, they can earn academic credit while also gaining knowledge of the global market. “This is such an

amazing experience,” Rosillo said. “We have had the opportunity to work with kids of all ages while traveling around Europe.”

The Trailblazer Child and Youth Program aligns with Utah Tech’s commitment to active learning to help prepare students for successful careers. For more information, visit trailblazercyp.utahtech.edu/.

About the Author

Abbigail Jones is a full-time student at Utah Tech University. After making the move from Salt Lake City to St. George three years ago, Abbigail found her passion for all things media and marketing. Completing her bachelor’s degree in spring of 2023, Abbigail will enter the working world ready to pursue her dreams.

For more information about Utah Tech University, please visit utahtech.edu.

Tired of depression? Act now and find your HAPPINESS.

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ARE THE TWO MOST COMMON MENTAL CONDITIONS IN THE U.S.

If you’re currently taking medications for depression/ anxiety and not seeing an improvement in your symptoms, NeuroStar TMS may be a nondrug treatment option for you. Patients have reported that the following activities benefited them through their TMS journey:

• Healthy eating

• Adequate sleep

• Exercise

• Journaling

• Meditation

• Limiting exposure to negative materials (news, social media, etc.)

• Engaging in positive activities and habits

Scan Me

Something Was Wrong

By Lyman Hafen

Just so you’ll know, the following lines contain references to faith, belief, and matters of the spirit, all of which, for me, are integral to my health and wellness.

Recently, I was driving up Flood Street toward St. George Boulevard when I felt something wrong. Flood Street is 400 East, though I’ve never known it as anything but Flood Street. It is the street where great torrents of water used to run wildly southward toward the Virgin River during rare summer cloudbursts. Sometimes you could catch a wave on an innertube and ride it for a block. It is the street I walked up as a boy from my house on 600 South to get to the city park, to the Little League field, or all the way to uptown on those rare occasions when I strayed that far. Driving up the street the other day, my eyes were locked on the traffic light up ahead at the Boulevard. I wondered if I would hit it green or as is generally the case, be stuck there at the longest red light in all of St. George.

It was when I passed through the intersection at 100 South that I felt something wrong—something very wrong. And then, like cold water in my face, I realized what it was. The Flood Street chapel was gone. From my earliest memory, a handsome red brick building with white trim and a tall steeple had always stood there, right there on the northeast corner of Flood Street and 100 South. And from my earliest recollections of mortality, that building had been standing there as steadfastly as any landmark in my life. It had been standing there since my earliest moments of coming to understand who I am in this world. And it was no longer there.

I drove on up to the roundabout at Tabernacle Street, rounded it the full 360 degrees, and rolled back down the street to confirm for certain what wasn’t there.

What wasn’t there was the place where my parents dragged me to church every Sunday from the time I was three years old until I was old enough I didn’t have to be dragged anymore—the place where I was expected to sit perfectly still for an hour and a half while Bishop Olson, President Reichman, and a long list of other stalwart men and women spoke from the high pulpit while I sat on the hard bench with my dad’s muscular arm clamped around my shoulders. From time to time, I’d crane my neck and look back and up at the windows of the “cry room” hanging like an enclosed porch a full story above the congregation at the rear of the chapel. That’s where my mom was most of the time, watching through the window and listening on the intercom as she consoled my noisy baby sister behind the soundproof glass.

And it was all gone, nothing but air in the space where I first learned to worship God; the place where I first learned about my Savior, Jesus Christ; the place where His countenance first began to take shape in my soul, due in large part to a glorious painting that hung on one side of the wall behind the podium. The painting depicted Jesus blessing a group of children congregated about him just inside a stone archway. There was a pastoral scene of the Holy Land in the background. The cumulative time I

Artwork courtesy of Roland Lee.

spent as a child taking in every detail of that painting during long, long worship services would rival my Sunday screen time on my phone more than sixty years later.

And it was all gone, nothing but air in the space where I first felt the subtle comfort of the Holy Spirit.

As I sat in my car and looked at the pile of rubble that once was a chapel, I remembered those interminably long meetings and how looking at that painting gave me hope and solace—not so much the eternal hope and solace inherent in the image (“Suffer the little children to come unto Me.”) but the solace and hope of a diversion from suffering through the words that kept coming and coming and coming from the pulpit—the hope and solace that at

some point, the meeting miraculously would come to an end and I could fly fleet-footed back down Flood Street and return to much more pressing matters, like the building of my hut in the backyard.

As I sat in my car and looked at the pile of rubble that was once a chapel, I remembered going there on Tuesday afternoons after school for Primary. I would storm into the Primary room with many of my friends, and we would sing our hearts out as Sister Harmon taught us the most awesome song of all time, “Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree.” I remembered how one day when Sister Esplin was leading the singing, she informed us we would all need to sing our best because she had a frog in her throat. I didn’t sing a word because I was so worried about that frog, how it got in there, and how she was going to get it out.

And it was all gone, nothing but air in the space where I first sang the second greatest song of all time, “Give Said the Little Stream.”

As I sat in my car and looked at the pile of rubble that was once a chapel, I wished that I could sit once more on one of those benches and hear all the words that were spoken there by people whose lives, love, and support have blessed and inspired me beyond my ability to describe. I wished that I could hear the glorious singing and sense the feelings of brotherly love that filled that space. And I wished that I could just once more look at that wonderful painting of Jesus blessing the children.

It is popular to think that the days of miracles have passed. I’m here to assure you they have not. On the Sunday following those few minutes in my car looking at air where once stood a chapel, I sat in another beautiful neighborhood chapel among young parents where dads with muscular arms held their little sons tight to the padded bench as words and words and words cascaded down from the pulpit. I sat there with gratitude in my heart as I realized how fortunate I was to possess the faith that my parents so sincerely and lovingly shared with me as a child, knowing that the place where that happened was now only air— air that was soon to be filled by a new municipal fire station.

The miracle occurred as I felt a vibration in my pocket. I pulled out my phone and tapped on the text. It was a photograph. Beneath it were the words of a life-long friend explaining that before the old Flood Street chapel was torn down, he’d gone in and taken photos of the paintings that had hung there since we were kids. He said he thought I’d like to have a copy of this one.

I sat there on the padded bench and my heart filled with hope and solace as I stared at the screen of my phone. It was the image, in full and glorious detail, of Jesus blessing the children. I studied it with all the intensity of my soul. It was exactly as I remembered it.

When I finally looked up, the meeting was over.

About the Author

Lyman

is the author of a dozen books intent on connecting landscape and story in the American Southwest. He is executive director of the Zion National Park Forever Project, and is past president of the national Public Lands Alliance. He’s been writing and publishing for more than 35 years, with several hundred magazine articles in publications ranging from Western Horseman to Northern Lights, and was the founding editor of St. George Magazine in 1983. He’s been recognized on several occasions with literary awards from the Utah Arts Council, and won the Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. He lives in Santa Clara, Utah, with his wife Debbie, and together they have 6 children and 18 grandchildren.

Wade’s Walkabout

AN EAGLE’S AWAY FROM HOME

By Mark Wade

A Winter Home in Utah

During winter months, the state of Utah is home to one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the lower forty-eight states, with counts going as high as 1,200 birds. The eagles migrate to Utah to evade the colder temperatures of Canada and Alaska and are attracted to the fish, rabbits, and other wildlife. The Utah Department of Wildlife Resources has identified many locations around the state where eagles are most prominently viewed. Perhaps the best spot in southwestern Utah is an area called Rush Lake, just north of Cedar City.

Capturing Photos of Eagles

Unless you’re willing to sit in a blind for many hours with the hopes of an eagle coming to you, the effort to get close enough to an eagle to acquire a good photo can be quite challenging. Eagles are very skittish, and from my experience, they will quickly take flight if you get within 100 to 200 yards of their proximity. Once in flight, there is no telling how far they will fly before they land again. The best hope is that the eagle will choose to pass nearby your location as it departs for its next destination. Your next challenge will then be tracking the eagle in the sky as it quickly flies by while getting your camera to focus on the eagle and not the distant backdrop of clouds, mountains, or trees.

Earning Their White Feathers

Until recently, I was unaware that bald eagles do not have white head or tail feathers until they are five or six years old. In fact, until they mature, these eagles are a patchwork of white and brown feathers. The process of obtaining white feathers is actually part of an eagle’s maturation and marks a time when a bald eagle will begin to mate. As long as each partner survives in the wild, these eagles will mate for life, which can be a time frame of approximately twenty to thirty years.

Recommendations

Use a longer lens on your camera. Shoot from a tripod when eagles are perched. Eagles tend to settle down near the end of the day in a tree that is tall and mostly barren, thus enabling them to land and take off without their six-foot wingspans becoming obstructed by branches. Eagles may also use other high perches, such as very tall telephone or electrical poles. One other strategy is to create or purchase a blind where you can wait for the arrival of birds. Bring along some ways to stay warm, hydrated, and entertained as you wait.

My Experience

The photos in this article were captured recently at multiple locations in Utah. In each case, it was a process of spotting the birds on a perch from a distance and then, as stealthily as possible, working my way toward them with my camera in hand and intermittently shooting pictures. As I walked, I attempted to be ready to shoot rapidly if the eagle took flight. In the cold winter, I wear mittens that fold back to enable finger and thumb access to the dials on the camera, and this means that I’m generally dealing with cold, numb hands.

When Your Partner Won’t Stop Triggering You

By Erin Del Toro, ACHE Registered Clinical Hypnotherapist

If you’re in a relationship, you can probably point to one or two things that your partner does or says on a regular basis that make it more difficult in your world to feel happy, feel like your needs are being met, or feel loved. These dynamics exist in all healthy relationships at different times, but if it’s a progressing, vibrant partnership, the couple will change and evolve together. Recognizing negative behaviors, defining them, and working through them while seeing the bigger picture is relationship art.

A client came to my office telling me that he felt terrible around his wife. He explained that when she gave him a task, she would tell him in great detail how it was to be done. He began to surmise, “She treats me like this because she thinks I’m stupid and wants me to feel that way.” Another client revealed that when she expressed heartfelt feelings to her husband, he would pick up his phone out of habit. She began to tell herself, “He doesn’t think I have anything valuable to say; I’m not worth his time.”

This intensity of emotion indicates that something more important is happening: the behavior of one partner is “triggering” (causing a reaction bigger than the situation) the other. When this happens, hurt feelings ensue, then negative internal dialogues grow. Left alone, unaddressed triggers can cause resentment, lowered selfesteem, depression, anxiety, unhappiness, a lack of connection in the relationship, and of course, the possible lead-up to the end of the relationship. Having to endure regularly being triggered by behaviors in your partnership is hardly a way to carry on.

If you love your partner and want to work on your relationship, the logical decision is to communicate about what you need. If they are open to change, happy day! But even if they have their arms wide open and are ready to move forward with action, nobody is perfect, and while they work at changing the behavior, you will have to find ways to cope.

If you feel an unusually strong emotional reaction on a regular basis to something your significant other does, it’s likely an emotion repeating itself which you have been familiar with for a long time—from as far back as your early childhood. When it comes to how we connect to other people, the way we love, the things we laugh at, the things that really hurt or bother us, and the type of love we believe we deserve, the bulk of our programming happens before we are eight or nine years old; however, prime programming time can extend deep into our twenties.

If relationships aren’t working well in adult life, we can almost always point to patterns that began to happen from family or home life growing up, when patterns and programs in the brain, based on learned behavior and experiences, begin to form. Those patterns are held together by neurons that link and form neural pathways in the mind, and without much direction from a child’s mind, the pathways that are formed continue to fire again and again in similar situations throughout life, strengthening the feelings that were originally created.

A deeper dive into the programming of the man who felt like his wife wanted him to feel stupid uncovered a history of his mother telling him that he was too immature to figure things out, pushing him out of the way to do assigned tasks herself. The woman who felt unheard and unloved by her husband discovered that her father had often been gone from the house, and when he had been home, she was told she needed to be more quiet to let him rest.

Now, does this make the behaviors of their spouses okay? Of course not. But it does mean that even if the behaviors continue, by dealing with the early pain and programming and allowing it to heal, calmer emotions can be experienced when the triggering behavior arises.

Steps to Healing Your Emotional Triggers

Identify your triggers. The first step is to begin to notice when your emotions are easily spiked. Take note of those times; journal and be thoughtful about what is bothering you and why.

Discover root causes. Your subconscious mind holds the answers to the root source of your triggers, and there are many modalities available for exploration. Meditate, pray, work with a therapist, or try something alternative. One of the most effective methods for exploring and reducing triggers is hypnotherapy.

With any of these methods, the process will be similar: you will take the feeling you want to eliminate—that hurtful, painful feeling or voice deep inside—and ask yourself where it is coming from. Don’t come to the table with preconceived notions. Be honest.

Do the healing work. This step may happen quickly or it may take some time, depending on how painful the original programming was, how long you have been living with it, the method and practitioners you use, and how ready you are to be done with the trigger. Healing work addresses unresolved emotions about the root cause and is generally considered successful once you no longer feel like a victim of your past and current experiences. You reconnect feelings of well-being and worthiness during those moments that happened long ago and take back the power you gave up in those situations.

Sit back and be free.

Once the healing work is in progress or is complete, you will know it. Your partner will be a little easier to be around, even in bad moments. You will feel more grounded and aware of how to handle difficult situations in your relationship. If your partner’s behavior is abusive or too destructive for a healthy life, you will see more clearly how to move forward and feel more grounded and calm about it. As you move forward with your partner, you may even find new thoughts and new ideas about your relationship which yield more hope for a joyful future.

No matter what phase of life you’re in, taking charge of how you feel as you continue to grow with your relationship will be one of the most beautiful, important, and empowering processes you’ll experience in your life.

About the Author

Erin Del Toro is an ACHE Registered Clinical Hypnotherapist and owner of Balanced Modern Hypnotherapy. She’s passionate about changing the effects of trauma, rewriting unwanted habits and behaviors, and helping others unlock the power of their true potential. Erin lives in St. George with her twin daughters and enjoys participating in the ninja warrior sport and playing in the beautiful outdoors of southern Utah.

The Cavity PUZZLE

By Dr. William Plumb, DDS, Plumb Dental

Recently, a patient came into my office and was diagnosed with cavities on several of her teeth. One was so severe that she ended up losing the tooth. It had been less than a year since her last visit, and she practiced great oral hygiene and had not proven to be cavityprone in the past.

At first, I couldn’t understand or explain why this happened. We walked through her nightly routine, which included brushing with a mechanical toothbrush and flossing on most nights. Nothing in her diet had changed. She confirmed that her prescription medication was the same as last year, and she was still using a CPAP machine.

When I questioned further about over-thecounter medicines or supplements, she remembered that she had been having trouble sleeping and had started using melatonin regularly. The melatonin she used came in gummy form, with added sugar for flavor. Although she spent adequate time cleaning her teeth, she would pop a couple of pieces of what essentially was candy into her mouth right before hitting the pillow. The oral bacteria were then able to work on that sugar the whole night, metabolizing it into acid that ate away tooth structure, causing decay.

I was happy we were able to identify the problem; it will make her future dental work much more predictable. But I would prefer that it had never occurred in the first place.

About the Author

Dr William Plumb graduated from the State University of New York School of Dentistry in 2006. He opened Plumb Dental in St George, Utah, in 2009. He has received extensive continuing education in cosmetic dentistry as well as oral surgery and implantology.

Dr. Plumb loves living in southern Utah with his wife Kari and their four children.

Diet and nutrition play a critical role in oral health. Unfortunately, nearly everything we consume has sugar. It’s important that if we’re not in the position to brush our teeth right after we eat that we at least rinse our mouths out with water. This practice helps remove some debris and balances the pH.

What we fail to recognize sometimes is that many of the supplements and medicines we take over the counter also contain sugar. Cough drops, cough syrup, and vitamin gummies are huge culprits. If taking these medicines or supplements before bed, I recommend doing so prior to brushing and flossing. Look for products that are labeled “sugarfree,” especially if they dissolve slowly in your mouth over time. And remember that the most important time to have a really clean mouth is during the night when conditions are more conducive for pathological bacteria to flourish.

...Remember that the most important time to have a really clean mouth is during the night.

DRY EYE:

SETTING IT STRAIGHT

By Dr. Paul Gooch

Call SouthWest Vision today to schedule an appointment for an evaluation of your dry eye and to see which of the therapy options is right for you. Give us a call at 435-673-5577 or visit us online at www.SouthWestVision.com.

Dry Eye is the accepted but erroneous label for one of the most chronically frustrating eye conditions. As a label, it is misleading because of the logical premise that if something is too dry, you fix it by adding moisture. Historically, it has been one of the least understood and least appreciated problems of the eye and generally treated with overly simplified therapies. After all, if your eyes are dry, why not use artificial tears to treat? But the reality is much less about dryness and much more about inflammation that damages the surface of the eye while also reducing the quality of the tear film.

Fortunately, we are finally getting a grip on the inflammatory nature of dry eye and the quality of the tear film which supports the ocular surface. This understanding is leading to better treatments.

In April of 2021, the FDA approved a new use for an established light treatment that is used in dermatology and aesthetics to improve the health and appearance of skin. OptiLight by Lumenis received approval to apply IPL (intense pulsed light) to the face, around the eyes, and the outside of the eyelids themselves as a treatment specifically for dry eye. It works by targeting inflammation, spider veins (telangiectasias), rosacea, bacteria, and hair follicle mites called Demodex that create the inflammation leading to dry eye. IPL also works by warming and loosening hardened oils in the glands behind your eye lashes that stabilize your tear film. The data look good, and clinicians have had remarkable success improving the signs and symptoms of inflammatory dry eye since the discovery of this novel therapy.

Imagine treating your dry eyes with a photo-facial that also rejuvenates skin and treats skin discoloration! Our protocol for dry eye treatment now includes four sessions with the OptiLight followed immediately by LipiFlow, which then gives your oil glands a chance to refill with fresh oil after the inflammatory inputs are reduced.

...We are finally getting a grip on the inflammatory nature of dry eye and the quality of the tear film which supports the ocular surface. This understanding is leading to better treatments.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, courtship is “a period during which a couple develops a romantic relationship, especially with a view to marriage.” I immediately wish to point out that the final couple of words do not say “especially with a view to get married.” Rather, it actually states “especially with a view to marriage!” Courtship doesn’t end with a marriage contract. Courtship continues and enhances your covenant of marriage.

I think most of us understand that we need to engage in some kind of courtship in order to find and nourish love. It is scary how many folks seem to think that love is organically eternal. I like to think of love as something you invest in and nurture throughout your lifespan and into the eternities. With this in mind, I invite you to take three minutes to sit still and consider your current courtship rituals. Whether you are in a marriage, looking for love, or building a new love,

you will want to have recognizable rituals of courtship or investment strategies for your love to grow and last.

During your quiet three-minute meditation on courtship, I hope you consider your current investment in your love life. If you realize that you are not doing as well as you would like, please understand that you can always create different, better, or more rituals for your intimate relationship. Couples that celebrate their intimate relationships together are happier, more connected, and manage issues better. Valentine’s days, anniversaries, birthdays, date nights all can take on significant roles in your investments in each other.

Sometimes love rituals can be difficult to establish because ideas may be in short supply. My podcasts (https:// www.youtube.com/channel/UCYcKP_fs_ OZl8Jar1GpBtag), provide two lists of ideas: Twelve Love Rituals Before Christmas and Fourteen Days to Valentine’s Day. These lists are specific tools that you can add to your arsenal of intimacy rituals. This article is one more tool that couples can use to find, build, and grow an intimate relationship that will last, no matter what.

The Importance of Date Night!

Couples that continue to date after they are exclusive with each other do much better than couples that exist together. The marriage covenant is a promise, not a guarantee of joy and intimacy. Dating is a way to consistently invest.

I challenge couples to commit to a fivehour date each week, no matter what. Think of something you do every week, no matter what. Some of you attend church weekly, and most of you go to work weekly. The time is determined, the cost is budgeted, and a plan is made to accomplish these weekly tasks.

Courtship Is a Lifelong Ritual!

By Matt Eschler, PhD, LMFT

Date night should be no different. When couples come to my office struggling and out of love, one thing they all have in common is that they quit dating soon after marriage. Every single couple I meet in couples therapy eagerly agrees to begin dating and courting. Week after week, I hear reasons the date failed. They ran out of time, didn’t have any ideas of what to do, didn’t have enough money, or had no one to watch the children. I have literally heard every excuse in the book for missing date night. Yet these same people make it to work and still have kids, money issues, and time constraints. They follow through with other commitments, so why do they miss date night? The reality is until it becomes mandatory, date night won’t happen or it will be a horrible experience: a “What do you wanna do? I don’t know. What do you wanna do?” experience.

To make date night mandatory, here are the four rules:

1. Put it on your calendar together and do not move date night no matter what! When you have five hours set aside in advance, it becomes an event rather than something you squeeze in.

2. Preplan your date night. Who is in charge, what are you going to do, who gets a babysitter, what is the budget for the date? Many couples take turns planning the date. Some couples hire a sitter who knows that every week at a certain time, they show up to babysit. Get it all worked out in advance.

3. Have a bucket list of date ideas to which you both contribute. Planning for an idea that is already in place can be much more fun and relaxing.

4. Create a solid sense of purpose for the date night. It is a time to explore hopes and dreams, share changes in your souls, or keep up on the needs lists each of you have. Really, date night is always going to be a way to stay connected and create shared meaning for life together.

I hope this list is helpful to those couples who are struggling to establish a date night ritual. By committing to this experience (not matter what!), your relationship will thrive and become the dream relationship you have craved since the beginning.

About the Author

Matt lives in St. George, Utah, where he and his wife, Chris, are enjoying their life with each other. Since their children have grown up and moved out to pursue their dreams, Matt and Chris travel the world. They want to visit 200 countries before they are done. Matt and Chris are active in their community and enjoy working out, training for marathons, and spending time participating in numerous activities with their adult children. Matt received a PhD in psychology. He is focused on the arena of resolving personal conflicts and improving interpersonal relationships. In addition to his doctorate degree, Matt has earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, studied criminal justice and received a category one license with Peace Officer Standards and Training, and received a degree in the Arts of Business Management. Matt is a professor at Dixie State University and hopes to be part of the positive growth of southern Utah.

Resetting Your Misery Meter and Becoming Reacquainted with Joy

By Rob Henderson,

An experience was shared with me recently about an elderly woman who, in spite of some feebleness and health limitations, wanted to fly on a trip to see her daughter and her family. At the airport, her departing flight was packed, so she chose to sit back in the terminal for a bit and wait to board. After most of the congestion cleared, she carefully made her way to her seat, which happened to be towards the back of the plane. Slowly moving down the aisle, she made eye contact with dozens of forward-seated passengers and attempted to share a smile. However, to her amusement and disappointment, only one person smiled back. Of this experience she later reported, “It was as if most of the people on that plane were just too caught up in their own misery.”

This story made me pause and reflect about my own present emotional state and ask, “What does my misery meter read, and am I in need of a check-in with cheerfulness?”

As an addiction counselor, I work with a lot of people who are resetting their emotions and being reacquainted with joy, but it’s also being noted, as stated by our timeworn traveler above, that in much of the general world around us and even in our own otherwise “typical” lives, cheerfulness is kind of hard to come by and certainly not guaranteed. Extensive and growing bodies of research in positive psychology are providing us with an abundance of insights and findings that are moving the needle on the gladness gauge. Let’s take a look at some of the research findings that have the potential to really make a difference.

LASUDC, CTRS

...In much of the general world around us and even in our own otherwise “typical” lives, cheerfulness is kind of hard to come by and certainly not guaranteed.

About the Author

Rob Henderson is dually licensed in addiction counseling and recreation/ experiential therapy and is a Wilderness First Responder. He also specializes in leisure and outdoor education, youth development, family systems, and parenting. He is best known for his ability to integrate play and a variety of adventures and backcountry pursuits into his private practice as well as with his family. Additionally, Rob is the executive director and co-founder of RITE Trainings, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that “provides for providers” effective, interactive, and affordable behavioral health training and education. Visit www.RITETrainings.org or www.ARETherapy.com to learn more.

Joy in Spirituality

Although scientific inquiry and spirituality haven’t always gotten along, research in the fields of spiritual psychology, holistic counseling, and religious studies is uncovering an incredible relationship between spirituality and happiness. Because factors like transcendence, a greater sense of meaning and purpose, hope, service, and mindfulness are often embedded within spiritual practices, it makes sense that experiences of joy are found close by. While some parts of our culture might be shifting away from spirituality, let’s make sure we stay connected. By being honest, open, and willing to pray, meditate, connect with nature, express gratitude, attend worship services, practice mindfulness, search holy writings, connect with positive energy, and beyond, we are aligning ourselves with greater opportunities for joy.

Other Impactful Behaviors That Cultivate Joy

The field of positive psychology now has over three decades of research with hundreds of researchers dedicated to studying behaviors that influence richer and more authentic happiness. In addition to more traditional and obvious happiness indicators like nutrition, exercise, nurturing relationships, spending time in nature, and spirituality, consider a dozen of these potentially less wellknown findings that lead people to joy:

• Avoid overthinking and social comparisons.

• Develop and expand healthy coping skills.

• Learn to forgive.

• Routinely sprinkle variety, novelty, and adventure into life.

• Cultivate optimism and focus on a bright future.

• Increase Flow experiences—activities that fully immerse you in the present moment.

• Be humble and open-minded.

• Ask for help when needed and be a gracious receiver.

• Get more involved in your community and with your civic responsibilities.

• Practice self-restraint and delaying self-gratification.

• Put zest, passion, and enthusiasm into the activities you undertake.

• Laugh often and find humor in life.

KETAMINE

By Scott Allen, MD, Medical Director, Satori Health and Wellness

Andrea (not her real name) presented to my office two years ago because she was depressed and suicidal. “I’ve boxed up my possessions and have my affairs in order, so nobody has to do anything when I’m gone,” she said. Her shoulders were slumped, her hair a mess, and her arms and legs in constant motion. “I don’t want to live anymore.”

We embarked on a series of ketamine infusions, which improved her suicidal ideation, but it was clear early on in our therapy that she was holding back. She wanted to let go of something, the pain lying just under the surface. On the third infusion with me, she finally opened up.

“When I was a teenager, I was raped during a campout and burned with a stick,” she said while pointing to a scar on her neck. “For the last ten years, I’ve walked around with constant guilt and shame.” And then the tears came. “I’ve never told anyone this until now.”

For the next year, we worked closely together as more details emerged. With each visit, Andrea found more strength to face her innermost shadows.

Ketamine places the patient into an unordinary state of consciousness. Some people have dreams and visions. A recurring theme for Andrea was living in a house of mirrors, perhaps signaling that she wasn’t sure what reflection was her true self.

For patients who are suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder, such as sexual assault victims and veterans, ketamine allows them to gain a bird’s-eye view of their trauma. When seen through a different lens, the trauma takes on less energy in their minds. Additionally, many patients gain a deep sense of love for themselves and others. This love is something of which we’re all aware and of which we occasionally catch glimpses, but ketamine shows it to us with clarity and surety. It’s like reconnecting with an old friend.

Clinical research supports this as well. In February 2021, the American Journal of Psychiatry reported that six infusions of ketamine significantly reduced the symptoms of chronic PTSD. This is a huge advancement for a disease process that has found few solutions. In the coming years, MDMA will likely be approved by the FDA for PTSD treatment, which will give

FOR PTSD

us another powerful tool to help people suffering from trauma.

Key to the success of ketamine and MDMA alike is the role of a trauma-informed therapist. A skillful therapist guides the traumatized patient through the dark jungle of traumatic memories and helps them reconnect with their bodies. That’s why I’m passionate about ketamineassisted psychotherapy. Many clinics give ketamine as a standalone medical treatment, which can have some benefit. But for truly transformative therapy, especially for those with a traumatic past, psychotherapy is the essential ingredient.

During subsequent ketamine treatments, Andrea relived the assault, but this time, she was able to make peace with the scared little girl being burned. And later, she was able to hug—and love—the twenty-five-year-old who felt worthless and defeated. Andrea even reconciled with her parents, for whom she held so much resentment and blame.

Today, Andrea is in college, pursuing a nursing degree. “You were the only one I told,” she recalled recently. “Thanks for being my saving grace.”

About the Author

Dr. Scott Allen is a St. George-raised, board-certified anesthesiologist. He has specialty training in transplant anesthesiology and currently practices with Mountain West Anesthesiology at St. George Regional Hospital. He is also the medical director of Satori Health, an integrated ketamine clinic (www.theketamineclinic.com). Dr. Allen is the current president of the Washington County Medical Association. With his deep roots in Utah, he has a special passion for improving the mental healthcare of his friends and neighbors in the community. Dr, Allen enjoys outdoor pursuits with his family and communing with nature. He’s doing his best to stay grounded in the moment!

Dining Guide

St. George

Angelica’s Mexican Grill

101 E. St. George Blvd., St. George, UT 84770 | 435-628-4399

Mexican | Vegetarian and Vegan Options | Family Friendly | $

Mon.–Sat., 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; Closed Sun.

Located Downtown on St. George Boulevard, Angelica’s Mexican Grill serves fresh, made from scratch authentic Mexican food. The flavor driven and nationally recognized menu provides everything and more that you would expect from a Mexican restaurant, including street tacos, Mulitas, Tortas, Sweet Carnitas, Machaca, and their famous salsa bar. Vegan and Vegetarian dishes are always available. Seating is available inside and also outside on the spacious patio. Catering & To-Go ordering available.

Benja’s Thai and Sushi

2 W. St. George Blvd. #12, St. George, UT 84770 | 435-628-9538

Thai | Sushi | $$

Mon.–Sat., 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m.–8:00p.m.

Hungry for sushi? Hungry for Thai curries? Benja’s Thai and Sushi, in the heart of downtown at Ancestor Square, will satisfy your craving with fresh sushi, curries, noodles and a great beer and wine menu. Stop in with business colleagues, friends, a date or the whole family, and be sure to come hungry – in addition to curries, noodles and sushi, Benja’s salads, soups and sticky mango rice are not to be missed.

Cappeletti’s

36 E. Tabernacle, St. George, UT 84770 | 435-986-4119

Italian | Steak | Seafood | Contemporary | $$ Lunch: Tues.–Sat.,11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; Dinner: 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Centrally located in historic downtown near Town Square, Cappeletti’s is a favorite for casual business lunches, friend and family gatherings, and romantic evening dining. Authentic Italian pastas like gnocchi bolognese or cannelloni will comfort and satisfy, but if you’re not in the mood for pasta, the fresh fish of the day, tender Black Angus flat iron steaks, market fresh meats, and poultry are all prepared daily and presented beautifully. In this quaint and cozy family owned and operated restaurant, plan to settle in for warm, friendly Italian cuisine with an Argentinian flair, and leave satiated in body and soul.

Pizza/Pasta Factory

Pasta Factory: 2 W. St. George Blvd. #8, St. George, UT 84770 | 435-674-3753

Pizza Factory: 2 W. St. George Blvd. #8, St. George, UT 84770 | 435-628-1234

Pizza Factory Express: 1930 W. Sunset Blvd., St. George, UT 84770 | 435-634-1234

Pizza Factory Pineview: 2376 E. Red Cliffs Dr., St. George, UT 84790 | 435-688-2656

Pizza | Pasta | Dine-In | Take-Out | Delivery | Salad Bar | $$

Mon.—Sat at 11:00 a.m.

The Pasta Factory, with its year-round, climate controlled outdoor patio dining wows with custom-made pasta, soups, sandwiches and salads. The Pizza Factory offers three locations with the best and freshest salad bar in town; homemade soups, sandwiches, famous bread twists and Southern Utah’s favorite pizza combinations.

Red Fort Cuisine of India

148 S. 1470 E., St. George, UT 84790 | 435-574-4050

Indian | Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free Options | Healthy | $$ Mon.–Thurs., 11:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; Fri.–Sat., 12:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.; Closed Sun. Located in the shopping and dining hub just north of St. George Boulevard, Red Fort Indian Cuisine is the only authentic Indian restaurant in St. George. The flavors are unique and harmonious, and many of their menu items are vegan, vegetarian or gluten free. Stop by and experience the delicious flavors of authentic East India. The elegant and inviting atmosphere paired with their kind and friendly staff, is sure to provide for a relaxing, enjoyable dining experience.

The Painted Pony

2 W. St. George Blvd. #22, St. George, UT 84770 | 435-634-1700

Steakhouse | Seafood | Contemporary | Healthy | $$$$

Lunch: Mon.–Sat., 11:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Dinner: 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.; Sun., 4:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

In the heart of Ancestor Square, the Painted Pony delights with an upscale menu, full beer and wine list, cocktails and exceptional service. Prepare for a sensory experience with complex flavors, top-notch presentation and a beautiful atmosphere. Evening ambiance complete with soft lighting, fresh flowers and patio dining. Locally sourced, organic, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are available for every palate.

Katering Koncepts, Inc. – Full Service Catering and Event Rentals

1495 S. Black Ridge Dr., Suite A210, St. George, UT 84770 | 435-574-0059

Menus include buffet options, breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers, and gourmet lunch boxes. Call Katering Koncepts when it just has to be perfect! We will customize any menu just for your event. Serving the St. George and surrounding southern Utah areas. Katering Koncepts sets a new standard in private, corporate, and wedding events. We have a full line of rentals, including tables, chairs, linens, formal dishware, decorations, dance floors, tents, serving dishes, and many other items to help make your event a success. Call us or visit our website at www.kateringkoncepts.com for a complete list.

Perspective:

By Brigit Atkin

Years ago, I founded a very small local manufacturing company that designed emergency backpacks. I spent months putting together kits that contained emergency food, water, and supplies that one might need should an unplanned disaster arise. After many days designing, planning, and finally assembling these backpacks, it came time to market them. I had the idea to take an assembled backpack to a local hardware store for them to sell. And that’s where I got scared and almost quit. I stressed myself out with the thought that they would laugh at my product. My head filled with doubts, and I stalled out for several months. This step just felt too big and intimidating.

Then one day as I was driving past said hardware store, I had an epiphany. In my mind’s eye, I was able to draw myself out of the emotion of the situation. I could see from the vantage point of looking down from high above. I envisioned myself walking into the hardware store and showing my creation to the owner, and I saw that he loved it. And why wouldn’t he? It was something that no one else was producing at the time. It was a win for the store and certainly a win for me. I could see it, and I could feel it. It felt great!

The very next day, I went into the store and met with the owner. He did love it. We drew up a contract, and the backpacks had their own special rack in a place they couldn’t be missed. I did it!

This experience taught me a very valuable truth: in order to do great things, I had to change my perspective in order to get out of my own way.

I often share the visualization technique I learned from this experience with my clients. I find so many times that people sabotage their success and their utmost desires because subconsciously they don’t feel worthy or deserving of such greatness.

Here are some suggestions for you to use the next time you talk yourself out of asking for that raise, you get passed over for a promotion, you chicken out from asking that hottie on a date, or whatever you are doing to keep yourself from succeeding:

• Ask yourself what specifically makes you afraid. Don’t judge; just ask. Let the answer come on its own.

• See yourself doing the very thing you want to do but are afraid of doing.

• As you see this in your mind, ask, “How does this feel? What am I doing differently? What is the worst thing that could happen if I fail?”

• Start with the end in mind. See yourself living the very result you want, then work it backward.

• If you can’t figure out why you keep sabotaging yourself, ask a trusted mentor or friend to show you your blind spots.

I’m sure you’ve heard the affirmation “I can do hard things.” It’s true; you can! Some of the most rewarding moments of your life happen because you pushed forward when you wanted to quit. I’ve heard it said that a good decision will feel right in your head and wrong in your feet because often, the fear of the unknown keeps you from acting. Don’t give in to it! Take a deep breath, reassess the situation, and pull back until you can see from a new perspective. See your success. Feel it. Then do it.

About the Author Brigit Atkin–Brigit of Brightworks helps improve the lives of others facing challenges and difficulties. She is certified in the SimplyALIGN™ method and was trained by founder Carolyn Cooper herself. For more information, visit www. brightworksbybrigit.com.

St. George

New Season, New Shoes

Warmer weather means we get to do all the fun outdoor activities like walking, hiking, golfing, and running. Most of us are excited to pull out our shorts, t-shirts, and tank tops, but what you wear on your feet is just as important.

Finding shoes that fit well and are made for the specific activities you enjoy is extremely important. The average person will walk over 115,000 miles in his or her life, and if this is done in illfitting shoes, those miles can be painful and lead to injury! Each foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles, and more nerve endings than anywhere else in the body! Needless to say, this intricate body part is very important for your health and lifestyle.

Our feet are very sensitive to vibration, and many nerves in the foot are stimulated with each step we take, forcing our bodies to maintain balance and stability by adjusting the rest of the body’s position. Foot misalignment can play a large part in knee, hip, back, and shoulder pain by creating muscular imbalances and added tension in certain muscle groups.

By Gini Grimsley, Director of Fitness Product, VASA Fitness

Shoe designs have changed over the centuries, from the clogs of the Scandinavian countries to the high heels of high fashion. The one common trend we see in shoes is that they are rarely built for the feet that go in them. Most shoe designs, both antique and modern, typically force the foot to acclimate to the shape of the shoe itself, and over time, this can completely reshape your foot. Modern lifestyle and leisure shoes are built with high arches, narrow toe boxes, stiff soles, and lots and lots of cushioning, which is not conducive to the standard construction of a foot.

However, the foot is a dynamic region of the body and has builtin shock absorbers. The bones and soft tissues of the foot act as springs to absorb the vibration of each step by spreading the toes to disperse force and then rapidly rebound to assist with walking and running motions. Wearing shoes that are too narrow or have too much cushion can train the foot to rely on the structure of the shoe for the dispersal of stepping forces instead of its own mechanisms. This can lead to the flattening of feet and possible joint pain in the toes.

Pick The Right Shoes For Your Activities

Making sure your feet don’t hurt while doing the activities you love will enhance your enjoyment and reduce your risk of injury. A good rule of thumb for picking shoes for any activity is to start with a wide toe box (the area of the shoe the ball of your foot and toes fit into) and zero drop (minimal heel elevation). These two parts of the shoe are most responsible for proper foot alignment and gait (walking/ running technique).

Since spring activities involve being outdoors, the sole of the shoe should also be considered. Golf shoes usually have spikes or cleats to increase traction with the ground during the golf swing whereas true tennis shoes have heavily reinforced sides

to maintain traction during the movements of a tennis match. Running shoes usually have a lifted toe area and minimal grip on the sole compared to hiking shoes that have heavier, thicker soles with lots of grip to prevent slipping during a hike. Here is a list of recommended shoes to consider when purchasing a new pair for various springtime activities.

About the Author

Gini Grimsley is the Director of Fitness Product for VASA Fitness where she creates cutting-edge fitness programming for VASA’s clubs across eight states.

10 mm drop Nike Pegasus (experienced runners Brooks Ghost can go down to 0)

Moderate cushion

Golf Wide toe box Ecco Biom C4

Less than a 10 mm Adidas CG21 drop

Footjoy Stratos

Sturdy, stiff upper with minimal to moderate cushion

Tennis Wide toe box, Nike Vapor React NXT reinforced along the New Balance 796v2 sides Adidas Barricade

Modified herringbone

sole pattern

Stiff midsole with moderate cushion

Leisure/Lifestyle

Zero drop Vivobarefoot

Minimal cushion*

*It’s best to be barefoot as much as possible

While this list is not the most exhaustive, it should be a great starting point for finding a pair of shoes that fit your feet and will help you perform your favorite activities. Over 70 percent of the adult population will experience back pain and over 25 percent currently experience chronic knee pain, so proper foot function and health play a big part in holistic well-being. A great pair of shoes will enhance what you love doing and should be considered an investment in your overall health!

Xero Shoe

Merril Glove

Flux Footwear

Birkenstock

PRESTON’S MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT: PROTECTING PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Although modern practices, regulations, and laws recognize the importance of proper medical waste disposal, this was not always the case. In fact, up until the mid-1960s, the disposal of medical waste was largely unregulated. Imagine a world in which medical waste from every doctor’s office, dentist’s office, hospital, clinic, veterinary office, funeral home, and care facility was never addressed.

Unless you work in the health care or medical industries, medical waste probably isn’t something you think about. However, improper medical waste disposal can pose potential risks for everyone, not just health care workers or medical professionals. Pathogens and toxic pollutants from the improper disposal of medical waste can be released and spread into the surrounding environment, leading to the contamination of drinking, surface, and ground waters. Additionally, medical waste dumped

into poorly constructed landfills can result in pollution that negatively impacts land and wildlife.

Waste or by-products that may be contaminated by blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious material is considered medical waste. Management and disposal of this potentially hazardous material should not be treated lightly. Good waste management practices are essential for keeping employees, the population, and the environment safe.

Preston’s Medical Waste Management is southern Utah’s only locally-owned medical waste disposal company. Protecting people and the environment from the risks associated with biohazardous medical waste is at the heart of what they do. This includes:

• Medical, infectious, and lab waste pick up and disposal

• Biohazard and sharps removal

• Expired prescriptions and pharmaceuticals disposal

• On-site document shredding in compliance with all HIPPA, GLB, and FACTA regulations

• Online training programs to educate health care providers in the proper management and handling of health care waste.

No matter where in southern Utah your business is located, there are specific regulations to follow when it comes to the storage and pickup of medical waste. At Preston’s, their goal is to provide you with convenient and easy options for your medical waste products, allowing you to remain compliant with all federal, state, and local laws.

For more information about medical waste disposal or to discuss how Preston’s Medical Waste Management can be of service to your office or business, please call (435) 688-1987.

Many people have heard and even feel that they understand the phrase “risk equals reward.” However, it is just a cliché saying that captures a lifetime of investment knowledge and boils it down to a simple, repeatable phrase. What does it really mean, and how will it affect you?

The saying comes from the investment concept that if you take on more risk when investing, you should be rewarded appropriately for taking that additional risk. For example, depositing money in a savings account at the bank is technically an investment; you are lending your money to the bank so that they can then relend it to other consumers. There is very little risk with this investment because the federal government has promised to insure most of these funds in the event the bank fails (assuming it was a FDIC member bank). Because of this, it is common knowledge that savings accounts do not provide very much return.

On the other end of the spectrum are leveraged real estate investments. This is often considered one of the riskiest types of investments because if it were to go wrong, you have the real potential to experience a total loss. Some of the risk associated with real estate investments can be transferred

Risk Versus Reward:

to insurance companies, but because there is still higher risk, investors demand (or at least should demand) a significantly higher rate of return on their investment.

The question should not become “What kind of return should I expect?” Instead, a smart investor would ask, “Can I expect to be adequately rewarded for the amount of risk I am taking?”

Remember that there are three components that together formulate the amount of risk that may be appropriate for you.

First is capacity for risk. This can be understood by asking yourself questions such as, “If this investment doesn’t turn out the way I hope and instead I lose this money, how would that affect my ability to reach my goals?” You’ll find that younger folks tend to be able to answer that question more favorably towards risk, but as your ability to make up for losses decreases with age, you tend to want to avoid that situation more and more.

Second is the need for risk. This is not a matter of whether you are capable of taking the risk but whether there is simply a need. An extreme example may be elderly retirees that live below their means and would be able to survive on the dividends

from extremely low risk assets, like savings accounts, CDs, or similar investments. There just simply would not be a need for taking increased risk, especially if experiencing the loss associated with the risk would negatively affect them. A question you may ask yourself to understand this component would be, “If this investment played out how I hoped, would it make a material difference in my quality of life?”

The final component is risk tolerance. Simply put, this is your emotional capacity to endure risk. You may have the need and the capacity, yet if taking the risk would cause you to walk around with chest pain and lose sleep at night from anxiety, you may not have the tolerance for the risk

A question you could ask yourself is this: “Regardless of what I see on the news, would I be able to continue living my normal life without feeling anxious about checking on my investments?”

Remember that although reward comes through risk, you must understand what amount of risk you should be taking. Risk management is significantly more instrumental to successful investing over someone’s lifetime once you factor in human psychology.

Advisory services offered through Global View Capital Management, Ltd. (GVCM). GVCM is a SEC Registered Investment Advisory Firm headquartered at N14 W23833 Stone Ridge Dr-Suite 350, Waukesha, WI 53188. Branden DuCharme is an Investment Advisor Representative with GVCM. GVCM is affiliated with Global View Capital

Supervising office 262-505-5740. Local office 435-220-4930. Additional information can be found at:

Why See a LifeCoach?

By Chris Eschler, Health and Well-Being Life Coach

When most of us run into problems or get stuck wrestling with an issue, we really want to seek a new perspective, get some good unbiased advice, or even have a safe place to unpack current life stressors.

Psychotherapists are licensed counselors that can explore mental illness, look into early childhood attachment breaches, and explore traumas from past abuse. Coaches, on the other hand, do not focus on mental illness or historical traumas and breaches. Instead, a life coach is focused on helping you achieve your future goals and explore pathways that will enable you to get where you wish to be next.

Think about a time in your life when you felt overwhelmed. In your view, everything was falling apart, and you didn’t have anyone to reach out to for help. A life coach is that “someone” who is a phone call or text away from giving you undivided attention while you explore where this overwhelm springs from and what principle needs work to overcome the feeling of being completely stuck.

Life coaching that is done properly will focus on the principles of success in whatever area you’re exploring. Principles are the unchangeable laws or rules that govern

About the Author

the specific outcomes we desire. For example, if I am not trusted by my spouse and friends, it is possible that the principle of integrity is being broken. When we honor a principle, we are blessed with growth and progress; when we break with principles, we earn the consequences that follow and growth stops while we fall into unendurable pain. Life coaching is all about finding the principles associated with the life you want and helping you live by those principles to find success.

Your life coach can celebrate your successes and boost you to the next level. Your coach can be a shoulder to cry on when terrible things happen. Your life coach can especially be there for you if you are grinding away and absolutely nothing is happening.

So whether you’re celebrating a leveling up, you want to level up, or have trauma that needs to be explored, your life coach is the one person that can be that outside source you turn to for feedback, advice, and new perspective. A life coach can help you identify the areas in your life where you want to improve and guide you to tools that will empower your personal development.

Chris Eschler earned a BS in Marriage and Family Sciences at Brigham Young University-Idaho. As a life coach at Ascend Counseling and Wellness. Chris works with individuals to develop their skills and provides a safe, accepting environment for exploring a wide range of thoughts and feelings. Chris knows that you are the expert of your life and that she is simply a guide. She currently sees couples with her husband, licensed therapist Matt Eschler. Together they assist couples with all couples issues, specializing in high conflict couples work. To schedule an appointment with Chris for life coaching, call Ascend Counseling and Wellness at 435-688-1111 or visit https://ascendcw.com/.

Disabilities Don’t Define Who We Are

By Jacob Peterson, Pine View High School Senior

I have never seen the world with perfect vision in my life. I was born with an eye condition called coloboma Coloboma is when a part of the tissue in the eye is missing. For me, it caused a hole in my retina, which then caused a hole in my pupil, giving it a keyhole shape. My eyes are very sensitive to the light, and I can’t read small fonts. This has made my life much more difficult, especially at school and in sports.

Ever since I was six years old, I’ve loved playing sports, but I could never play any of them very well due to my vision. I played baseball for about three years but could never hit the ball; it was too small and going too fast for me to see it. I also played soccer and basketball with more success, but I still couldn’t play super well. Although I had fun, I wanted to find a sport in which I could actually compete.

I did, however, figure out school much faster. I could sit in the front row to read the board easier and use magnification tools when necessary. I had teachers who helped me learn skills to make up for the lack of vision. Still, nobody could teach me how to excel at sports that required vision to play.

Or so I thought.

One day, my mom told me about Greg Clark, a man in southern Utah who coached a sport called goalball. I had no idea what goalball was, but I figured I’d give it a shot.

Goalball originated after World War II and was designed to rehabilitate veterans who had lost their sight. It has since become one of the leading sports for blind athletes and is played

competitively in over a hundred countries. It consists of two teams, each with three players on the court at once. In order to level the playing field, each player must wear blackout goggles or blinders that do not allow any light to enter. The object of the game is to roll a basketball-size ball (with bells inside that can be plainly heard) over the opponent’s goal line, which runs the length of the court behind each team. To keep the players oriented, the lines of the court are made by placing tape over lengths of rope on the floor.

From the first moment I played the sport, I loved it. Finally, there was a sport I could play and excel at in spite of my vision. Year after year, I’ve tried to continuously improve my skills, and it has gone well for me. I have played in several state tournaments, and in eighth grade, I was selected to play for the State of Utah at a national high school tournament. I have participated in that tournament every year since then (aside from 2020 when it was canceled due to COVID). My first year at the tournament, my team won second place. In 2019, 2021, and 2022, I was selected to be on the all-American team, which consisted of the top six athletes at the tournament. Recently, I was invited to represent the USA on the youth national team in the World Championships, which will be held in July of this year.

Outside of goalball, I have done many other things, such as helping to teach younger kids with visual impairments, going to a space camp for the visually impaired, and having academic success. I am extremely thankful for the opportunities given to me to succeed in life, and I hope all kids with disabilities can learn that their disabilities don’t define them.

2023 Is Your Year for Solutions!

Try “DROPS” Instead of Shots

Sublingual Immunotherapy for Allergies

By Koby Taylor, PharmD

First, a note about seasonal allergies. Thanks to a rather wet winter and a fast blooming season here in St. George, I would expect even the most mild of allergy sufferers may find themselves with symptoms they haven’t experienced before. For those of you who have moderate to severe symptoms, you may already be finding yourself in a tough allergy season.

For those of you who may be new to our region, you may also find that your allergies won’t come to full fruition the first season you are living in the area as your body is adjusting, but they could run amok for the two to three years after your initial exposure to your new surroundings. You will find yourself going through an adjustment period, and that’s natural.

Food allergies are in a class all by themselves. People who have food allergies are always on high alert. Some of my patients with food allergies can’t even be in the same room with certain foods like peanuts, making it very difficult to move freely about in the world. While some of my patients have food intolerances and can be a little more carefree in their day-to-day lives, they are still cautious. For example, someone who is gluten intolerant may not feel well after eating wheat, but someone who has celiac disease could be sick for days or even hospitalized if they come in contact with the same food substance.

Whether you have seasonal, environmental, and/ or food allergies, you have either heard of allergy shots and maybe considered their benefits or you’re already taking shots for relief. In whatever form your allergies come, you may want to consider allergy immunotherapy delivered by way of just a few drops a day to help combat your allergies.

Sublingual Immunotherapy for Allergies

As this is the year of helping you find solutions, let me introduce you to another way of contending with your allergies by way of “sublingual

immunotherapy.” I thought the best way to help you understand what it is would be to write this as a Q and A, since these are questions I frequently get when I first introduce my pharmacy patients to allergy drops.

What is sublingual immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy (the practice of introducing your body’s immune system to an allergen slowly and over time in order to build tolerance) for treating allergies has been available through allergy shots since the 1930s, but for more than sixty years, there has been a simpler, more convenient option known as sublingual immunotherapy

With sublingual immunotherapy, the allergen that creates an immune response, like wheezing, watery eyes, stuffy head, stomach ache, headache, and so on, is taken in the form of “drops” that absorb under your tongue.

This type of delivery system is certainly more comfortable than shots, especially for children, and is less time-consuming, since allergy drops can be taken at home instead of the doctor’s office..

How do drops work for your allergies?

Similar to shots but without the needles, sublingual allergy drops help desensitize your body and boost your own immune system to environmental allergens (pollens, dust, mold, pets) and food allergens (including eggs, wheat, nuts, and more).

Do allergy drops really work?

Absolutely! Allergy drops are just as effective as allergy shots. In fact, a lot of my patients report that they feel like their bodies tolerate the drops better than the shots. Similar to standard shots, you will need to be disciplined in the protocol for it to really have the optimum benefit.

What is the routine for using allergy drops? Just like getting up every morning and taking your daily vitamin, you’ll take your allergy drops. With every new patient, we start with an easy-to-follow, ninety-day starter kit. Then, once the ninety days are complete, we move you to a maintenance routine and dosage.

If the drops are so great, why haven’t I heard of them before? Making allergy drops requires a compounding process. While there are pharmacies on every corner of America, compounding pharmacies aren’t as prevalent, and most modern medical doctors aren’t familiar with working with a compounding pharmacy.

Compounding pharmacies were historically the only way to make medicines, but when our society became more industrialized, drugs became mass-produced and easier to distribute; compounding went into a kind of dormancy. Thankfully, compounding pharmacies and custom-made medicines are making a comeback to both patient knowledge and provider usage.

What do I have to do to get started on allergy drops? You will need a prescription, but there are a few avenues you can take. One is to talk to your provider about allergy drops and let them know you want to try them. The other is to come into my pharmacy, and we’ll talk to your provider for you. As providers aren’t as familiar with how to write a prescription for allergy drops, coming into our pharmacy helps that process.

Not all compounding pharmacies can create allergy drops, so if you have a preferred

compounding pharmacy, you will want to inquire with them.

Do the drops taste terrible? No, they don’t taste bad at all. If anything, they taste a little sweet.

Are the drops covered by insurance? Unfortunately, allergy drops are not covered by insurance. A starter kit is a ninety-day supply, and the maintenance kit is also provided as a ninety-day supply. In total, you will be refilling your drops only four times a year. By comparison, a ninety-day supply is no more costly than if you were to eat out at a moderately priced restaurant a few times a month.

Allergy drops are safe, effective, and extremely convenient. If you or someone you know suffers from allergies, sublingual immunotherapy could be just what you’ve been looking for.

#FusionIsBetterMedicine

Santa Clara (435) 703-9680 St. George (435) 656-2059

www.FusionSpecialtyPharmacy.com

About the Author

Koby Taylor, PharmD, is the owner and pharmacist of Fusion Pharmacy. Working as a retail pharmacist early in his career, Koby began to see that pharmacy patients needed to have access to available alternative medications. He realized that pharmacy in its truest form is compounding, and he wanted to be able to provide patients with customized medications. He also desired more personalized interactions with patients in order to truly help their health and well-being. To fulfill his passion for improving the health of patients and educating them about compounding, Koby opened the doors of Fusion Pharmacy in 2013. Today, Fusion is nationally accredited with PCAB. It is licensed in and ships to 27 states. Fusion is proud to have two locations to better serve the southern Utah community. Koby graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in molecular biology in 1995 and from the University of Utah with his Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2000.

What Your Feet Can Tell You About Your Health

Understanding Peripheral Artery Disease

By Family Features

If you are living with pain and discomfort in your feet, legs, thighs, or butt, it may be a sign of a serious health problem. Many adults in the United States are suffering and may be at risk of amputations of their toes, feet, or legs as a result of an undetected disease known as peripheral artery disease (PAD).

PAD affects the blood vessels outside the heart, reducing blood flow to the area with the diseased blood vessel. In the most common type of PAD, lower extremity PAD, blood flow is reduced to your legs and feet.

Learning more about PAD is important for detecting problems and getting early treatment so you can avoid devastating complications such as amputation or even death. Learn more about PAD, including symptoms, risk factors and treatment, from the experts at the American Heart Association:

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of PAD are burning, aching, numbness, fatigue, or discomfort in your leg or hip muscles while

walking. The symptoms are caused by your legs not getting the blood they need. This pain usually goes away with rest and returns when you are active again.

“These symptoms can impact a person’s quality of life, making it difficult to walk and hard to do usual activities at home and work,” said Amy W. Pollak, MD, American Heart Association volunteer expert serving as a leader of the national PAD Collaborative and cardiovascular medicine physician at Mayo Clinic. “For some, PAD can progress to cause pain when you are resting and even amputation of your toe, foot, or leg.”

Risk Factors

PAD affects more than 8.5 million people in the U.S., the majority of whom are sixty-five years of age and older, according to the American Heart Association. Approximately 46 to 68 percent of patients with PAD also have coronary artery disease or cerebrovascular disease.

“We see PAD more commonly in people living with diabetes, people who smoke, and people with other common risk factors

for heart disease, like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity,” Pollak said.

Prevention and Treatment

While some causes of PAD are beyond your control, the best method to prevent PAD is managing risk factors by making lifestyle changes, including quitting smoking, managing diabetes and high blood pressure, staying active, and eating a heart-healthy diet.

Working closely with your health care professional at the first sign of PAD is an important step in achieving the best treatment outcomes and avoiding serious complications.

“PAD is a lifelong medical condition, but people with PAD can lead active and long lives,” Pollak said. “If you notice walking is more difficult, keeping up with others is hard, or you have pain when you walk, talk with a doctor and describe when it happens and how it feels. Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion.”

Visit heart.org/PAD to learn more.

(Article courtesy of Family Features)

Five Tips for Creating an Ethical Will

When you’re organizing your end-of-life affairs, preparing a will is likely high on your list of priorities. What you may not realize is that there are different kinds of wills.

A last will and testament is probably what you think of first; it’s a legal directive about how your assets should be handled upon your death. An ethical will, on the other hand, isn’t a legal document at all. It’s a way for you to convey thoughts, life lessons learned, the intentions behind your will, and wishes for your loved ones.

If you think you’d like to prepare an ethical will, here are some tips from RememberingALife.com to guide you in the process:

Decide on your format.

An ethical will can be written, but it can also be delivered via audio or video. There’s not a right or wrong approach; it depends on how you’re most comfortable communicating. One consideration is your comfort level with audio or video editing. Unless you’re confident you can say what you want, the way you want in one pass, you’ll need some basic editing skills to ensure your message is conveyed exactly as you wish.

Determine your purpose.

Ethical wills can serve many different purposes. You may use it to convey your love and appreciation to your loved ones or to mend fences you weren’t able to while alive. Your ethical will can also be a way to share your values, what you’ve learned in life and your dreams for those you hold dear. It may even be your chance to share the secret ingredient in a beloved family recipe. Gather your thoughts.

Drafting an ethical will can be an emotional process, so organizing what you’d like to say ahead of time can help keep you focused. Make notes about the points you’d like to share, adding details or embellishments as you wish. However, take care to avoid saying anything in your ethical will that contradicts your legal will.

Start writing.

Even if you ultimately plan to record your ethical will, writing out what you plan to say can be a good idea. Remember, this isn’t a formal dissertation or award-winning novel, so convey your thoughts freely. Clarity is important, but don’t be afraid to let your personality, humor, and other characteristics shine through.

Edit yourself.

Preparing an ethical will is no small undertaking, and chances are, over time, you’ll want to change or add to your original draft. Take your time and revisit your draft as often as you need to capture everything you want to say.

Article is courtesy of Family Features and RememberingALife.com.

IS IT TIME TO GET YOUR WISDOM TEETH REMOVED?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL

• When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it will need to be removed by Dr. Davis.

• Impacted wisdom teeth are difficult to clean, susceptible to tooth decay, recurring infections, and gum disease.

• It is best to have wisdom teeth removed sooner rather than later.

Wisdom teeth are typically removed during the late teens or early twenties.

• Dr. Davis will let you know what to expect post-surgery so you can have a comfortable, efficient healing process.

VOTED BEST OF SOUTHERN UTAH FOUR YEARS RUNNING.

Dr. Shawn B. Davis Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon

Jason W. Hendrix MD

& LASIK Surgeon

MD Fellowship Trained Cataract & Glaucoma Surgeon Nicholas Behunin MD Fellowship Trained Cataract & Cornea Surgeon Marcos

MD Fellowship Trained

Sherine Smith PA -C

Physicians Assistant

Joshua Terr y OD

Optometrist

Physicians Assistant