St. George Health & Wellness Magazine May/June 2023

Liberty Week: Local Patriotic Events for the Entire Family!

See Page 4 for Details

INSIDE:

LIBERTY WEEK

BLUEPRINTS OF LIBERTY THE AMERICAN JOURNEY EXPERIENCE

GLENN BECK WITH

June 26th

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

July 1st

◦ Freedom Convoy

June 27th

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

◦ Night at the Museum VIP Event

June 28th

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

June 29th

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

◦ Night at the Museum VIP Event

July 2nd

◦ Prayer for Religious Freedom

July 3rd

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

LIBERTY WEEK EVENTS 2023 GET TICKETS

June 30th

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

July 4th

◦ Blueprints of Liberty Exhibit*

◦ Parade, 4th of July

◦ Celebration at Greater Zion Stadium

*These exhibit event dates will populate and become available as previous released dates sell out.

The opinions, beliefs, and 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.

Last Veteran’s Day, a friend of mine had the opportunity to attend a local parade that honored the veterans of our community. As she watched the parade go by, she noticed an elderly man standing beside her with tears in his eyes. When she asked him what was wrong, he explained that he had served in the military during the Vietnam War and had lost many of his fellow soldiers in combat. He went on to express how much it meant to him to see his community come together to honor and show appreciation for the sacrifices that he and his comrades had made. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of honoring those who have protected our freedoms and way of life.

In 1999, Congress declared the month of May as National Military Appreciation Month. It is a time for Americans to show their gratitude and support for the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the country’s armed forces, many of whom have experienced physical and emotional trauma from which they never fully recover.

In 2016, my wife and I were doing some work for a company that flew us to Switzerland to meet with one of our manufacturers. My wife left a few days ahead of me, and I was to meet up with her and some business colleagues just outside of Zurich. Due to some scheduling difficulties, I ended up flying into Frankfurt, Germany. I then took a five hour train ride to our hotel in Weinfelden, Switzerland.

While I sat on the train and watched the countryside roll by, I was struck by the thought that it wasn’t too long ago that we had been at war with the country whose scenery I was observing. I thought about my uncle, Alma Dalley, a World War II veteran who had fought in Europe and helped with the liberation of Dachau Concentration Camp. He saw things, both in combat and at Dachau, that affected him for the rest of his life. He wrote the following in a letter home: “I’ve seen some terrible, awful sights since I’ve been here, but yesterday I saw something I wish I hadn’t. It is something every American should see. I dare say there would be no more doubt or indecision as to just what we are fighting for or against. No one could even imagine the terribleness of it…unless they saw it for themselves.” Uncle Alma then went on to describe the human suffering he had witnessed in Dachau. Alma Dalley and thousands of men and women like him are the reasons we can never say thank you enough.

As residents of southern Utah and citizens of this great country, I hope we will find ways to honor the veterans we know, not only during National Military Appreciation Month but always. Your expressions of appreciation often provide them with a sense of closure and healing from the traumas of war they experienced.

On a personal level, I would like to express my gratitude for those who have served and are currently serving to protect and defend freedom. Those who know me know I’m a very patriotic person and staunch supporter of protecting our unalienable rights and American values. When we honor our veterans, we demonstrate our commitment to these values and ensure that their contributions are not forgotten.

Brendan Dalley Editor Brendan Dalley Editor

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

L. Steven Wilson Author, Purposeful Living

Matt Eschler, PhD, LMFT Author, Relationships and Family

Chris Eschler Author, Health and Well-Being Life Coach

William Plumb, DDS Author, Oral Health

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Our mountains have seen a lot of snow and our city a lot of rain this winter. I am sure that the Virgin River will be flowing throughout spring.

We have been fortunate to receive a great snowpack in our mountains, yet despite all this moisture, we still have work to do. Our water challenges remain. After all, we live in a desert.

desert.

I discussed water extensively during our State of the City address in February. Our future as a city, as a region, is tied to our ability to secure water for our citizens. This means we need to do two things: conserve water and find new sources of water.

In 2022, the St. George City Council adopted a comprehensive water conservation ordinance that mostly affects new development. This was important. We have also shown we will walk the walk by looking closely at every possible way to conserve water in our city operations.

Here are some successes:

• In 2022, our Parks division removed more than 60,000 square feet of grass. According to the Washington County Water Conservancy District, this was like taking an eighteen-inch-wide strip and running it from St George City Hall past the Arizona border!

• Near Sunbrook Golf Club, we removed grass from the median and replaced it with plants, trees, and rocks. It’s beautiful, and we aren’t wasting water trying to irrigate those skinny strips.

• Speaking of golf, by allowing the fescue grass to grow tall, less water is required to maintain the grass. The results of our conservation efforts on golf courses saved 88.5 million gallons in 2021 and an additional 25 million gallons of water in 2022.

• Another place we removed turf was around our City Commons building. For a long time—dating back to when it was a courthouse—the grass surrounding the building had no real purpose. Now? The xeriscaping is beautiful and uses a fraction of the water.

All told, turf removal by the City resulted in 275 million gallons of water saved in 2022. As we work to generate new sources of water, there are two projects that are going to help:

1. We are in phase two of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project. The treatment plant is where we treat our reuse water to use on outdoor landscaping for most city parks, schools, and golf courses. With the completion of this expansion project later this year, our wastewater treatment plant will increase its treatment capacity from 17 to 24 million gallons per day.

2. Graveyard Wash Reservoir on the northwest end of town is in the final stages of design. It will allow us to store treated reuse water produced at the wastewater treatment plant during the winter months when most people stop watering their lawns and use it during the summer months for outdoor irrigation. Construction of this reservoir is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2023, with an eighteenmonth construction period.

Every drop of water counts. If you are so inclined, check out the water efficient landscape rebate program at wcwcd.org.

Mayor, City of St. George

After having implemented our polytechnic focus for the better part of a decade, Utah Tech University is excited to establish ourselves as a leader in this academic space by hosting the 2023 Global Polytechnic Summit this June. Sponsored by the Global Polytechnic Education Alliance, the conference is an opportunity for university leaders from all over the world to convene in St. George and form international partnerships.

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’s summit will focus on technology talent and advancing a comprehensive and global strategy, and attendees will share ideas on how to prepare people of all ages for STEM careers and integrate the study of humanities, arts, and social sciences with STEM. In addition to attending sessions on the Utah Tech campus, some of the world’s top academic leaders will explore beautiful southern Utah and see firsthand what our community has to offer.

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.

While each university represented at the summit approaches polytechnic learning in the way that best serves their students, an overarching commitment to hands-on learning and career preparation are the hallmark of this academic approach. In addition to offering a comprehensive polytechnic educational experience, Utah Tech also is open and inclusive, setting us apart from other institutions in this space. As an institution with a 100 percent acceptance rate, we offer a human-centered approach to problem solving that caters to diverse abilities.

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.

Our more than 250 academic programs offer transformative experiences across all disciplines—humanities, arts, education,

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.

health sciences, business, and STEM—at the most affordable university tuition rate in Utah. Our students make, create, and innovate in the classroom and online while gaining real-world active learning experiences through internships, clinical experiences, undergraduate research, industry partnerships, and service learning.

As a teaching institution, we meet students where they are, provide personalized learning, and create a caring, supportive community for anyone with a desire to improve their future through education. Students graduate with the technical, critical thinking, and collaborative skills needed to excel in our ever changing, tech-driven economy.

Richard “Biff” Williams President of Dixie State University

With the Global Polytechnic Summit quickly approaching, Utah Tech University is excited to partner with institutions that are equally invested in polytechnic learning to enhance our students’ learning experiences. Preparing our students for fulfilling careers and enriched lives makes every day a great day to be a Trailblazer!

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.” 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.

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!

Meet Some of the Amazing Students at Dixie Tech

Candice Clayson, Medical Assisting Student

The programs at Dixie Technical College are designed to create student success. The classes allow flexibility and hands-on learning that benefit students from every walk of life. The healthcare science programs prepare students to receive certifications and take licensing exams that can lead to fulfilling careers. Dixie Tech trains students to master essential skills they will take to the workforce, enabling them to support their families, strengthen the community, and contribute to the local industry. The following examples are real students at Dixie Technical College.

Maddi Orr, Pharmacy Technician Student

Maddi was pulled out of school at the age of fourteen to undergo spinal fusion surgery. She earned her GED at the age of twentyfour and was accepted into the pharmacy technician program at Dixie Tech. She entered the program nervous but invested in the learning process. The program’s hands-on philosophy, welcoming environment, and teachers who understood the field helped Maddi learn all the necessary skills to jumpstart her pharmacy technician career. Only three months into the program, Maddi was able to get her first job at a pharmacy while still going to school. “I don’t have enough good things to say about this program,” said Maddi. “I see myself continuing to progress as a pharmacy tech. It’s awesome here.”

Candice has a passion for helping others, but she struggled to find a pathway that was right for her. When she decided that she was gravitating towards the medical field, the accuplacer test was her first hurdle. Although she had not been in school for over a decade, she passed the test on the first try and was motivated to take the next step. She applied for the medical assisting program at Dixie Tech. Candice works morning and evenings and goes to school during the afternoons. She says the teachers are attentive, understanding, and go above and beyond to help students with learning, growing, and earning certifications. The program has given her experience and selfassurance that she can be successful in her future career. “Going back to school at my age was difficult,” Candice said. “But I now have the confidence that I did not know I was lacking and a bit of humility.”

Brailey Hockett, Nursing Assistant Student

Brailey is a senior at Desert Hills High School and is currently a student in the nursing assistant program. Dixie Tech gives her and other high school students the opportunity to get a head start in the program through AM STEM, morning classes offered only to high school students. Brailey wants to become a nurse practitioner and says that the program gives her a boost in the right direction. She has not only learned everything it takes to be a CNA, she has also gained the ability to talk to real patients and empathize with their needs. She says AM STEM offers high school students a great way to see if they are interested in joining the medical field, provides a hands-on environment and small class sizes, and enhances collaboration and communication between students and teachers. “If you put in the time and effort, it’s definitely worth it,” said Brailey.

Maddi Orr

Candice Clayson

Brailey Hockett

WHAT WILL YOU BECOME?

The Nursing Assistant program at Dixie Tech prepares students for entr y into professional nursing as a Cer tified Nursing Assistant or CN A. This is the gateway through which anyone interested in a nursing career must pass Kindness and compassion are unstated prerequisites for the program, which is fast-paced with lots of hands-on learning oppor tunities Dixie Tech prepares students to take the Utah Nursing Assistant Registr y (UN AR) exam to become recognized as a CN A. Graduates have the ability to work in a broad variety of environments from hospitals to home-health

evening Program: January & August

Mon & Wed | 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Accelerated Program: January, March, June, August

Nursing Assistant

The Pharmacy Technician is the right hand of the pharmacist, preparing prescriptions, processing insurance, compounding, and administering vaccinations. The Pharmacy Tech program at Dixie Tech prepares students with pharmacy math, pharmacology, pharmacy practices, compounding techniques, the use of pharmacy management software, and pharmacy law and ethics.

Start dates: January & July

Mon - Thurs | 10:45 am - 3:15 pm

&

PROGRAM LENGTH

38 (8 months) WEEKS

medical assisting

EN R O LL

AND

4-week program: February, May, October

Mon - Fri | 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm

4 t h week - 12 h o u r c linica l s hi f t s ( x2 )

P

4

-18 wee k s

scholarships are available Financial

Pharmacy Technician

Have you always wanted to pursue a career in the medical field, but you don’t know where to start? If so, Dixie Tech’s Medical Assisting program may be just what the doctor ordered. With a strong technical skill set and a commitment to patient care, medical assistants have a wide range of career opportunities available to them.

ONLINE COURSE with on-campus labs

S ta r t d at e: M ay 1 st , 2023

ROCK Y VISTA UN IV ER SI TY

Rocky Vista University (RVU) has a mission to provide quality health care education while inspiring students to serve with compassion, integrity, and excellence.

RVU was founded in 2006 in Parker, Colorado, with the Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVUCOM). In 2017, RVUCOM opened a second campus in Ivins, Utah, becoming the first new medical school in Utah in over one hundred years. Currently, RVUCOM-UT has a class size of approximately 160 students per year. Southern Utah was selected as the site of our second campus because of the primary care provider shortage throughout the state, particularly in the south.

In addition to the osteopathic medical school, the campus in Ivins is home to a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences program. This program is designed to help students who need some additional preparation to get ready for medical school.

The students who attend RVUCOM-UT come from over thirty states, and approximately 40 percent are from Utah. Our top feeder schools are our own master’s program, Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, and the University of Utah.

Our students perform extremely well on national standardized licensing exams and match into a broad spectrum of residency programs.

Osteopathic medicine is a distinctive approach to providing care by Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs). Approximately 11 percent of physicians are DOs, and one in four medical students in the US are going to a DO medical school. The philosophy of DOs is patient-centric, looking beyond symptoms to understand how lifestyle and environmental factors impact wellness.

DOs practice in every specialty, and approximately 50 percent of DOs practice in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics). At the medical school, DO students learn the full scope of medicine and surgery with special emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and the mind-body-spirit connection to health.

In addition to the educational programs, RVU has a medical practice that provides full-scope family medicine, including primary care, adult and senior care, women’s health, pediatrics, and telemedicine. We also have specialists who practice osteopathic manipulative medicine. Steven Harmon, DO, is the medical director of this practice and sees patients five days per week, focusing on the healthcare needs of individuals and families. The health center is located at 272 E. Center Street in Ivins, Utah, and accepts most forms of insurance. More information on the Rocky Vista Health Center can be found at https://www.rockyvistahcivins.com/ or by calling (435) 233-9500.

David A. Forstein, DO, FACOOG

Thirty Plants a Week for Better Health

By Annelies Newman, RDN, CD

In recent years, microbiota has become a key word in measuring health. It refers to the majority of bacteria residing in your gut, colon, or large intestine. Specialists call this the core of your health. If you have an unhealthy balance of bacteria in your gut, the likelihood of having poor health increases drastically. Among elderly individuals, there are clear correlations not only between diet and composition of microbes but also health status.

There are 300–500 various strains of bacteria that reside in a healthy gut and trillions of individual bacterial cells. The best way to fuel these cells is to feed them a variety of plants to help them grow. Research shows that individuals who eat more than thirty different types of plants every week have the healthiest and most diverse microbiome.

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!

To help support the goal of eating more than thirty plants a week, I recommend starting with your environment. Consider what types and varieties of plants are in your kitchen, fridge, office, lunch box, or pantry. If you can increase the plants in your environment, you are more likely to eat them.

Next, consider purchasing plants to fill in any gaps you see in your environment. Consider these food groups as a guide: vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and whole grains. Focusing on eating the whole food item and not a processed version is key to fueling those microbes because processing often removes the fibrous parts of these plants that travel to the large intestine as fuel for microbes.

Here are some examples:

Vegetables: Try eating a salad with a mixture of greens like spinach, red leaf lettuce, kale, and cabbage. Top it with carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, olives, and radishes. You could also have sweet potato fries, steamed broccoli, or spaghetti squash with dinner. Twelve plants have now been added to the list.

Fruits: Select two fruits you don’t eat very often, and add them to your shopping list. Remember, you are going for diversity here. Add some fruits that are easy to pack for lunch, like sliced apples, grapes, and mandarin oranges. You just added five more plants to your list.

Nuts and Seeds: Snack on almonds, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts between meals. Add chia seeds or sunflower seeds to your morning oatmeal or side salad later in the day. There are six more. Let’s keep going.

Whole Grains: Eating oatmeal for breakfast with your seeds has already been mentioned. You could also try a brown rice base for a stir-fry meal. Whole wheat pasta, bread, and tortilla all count as one type of plant. Perhaps you could try steamed quinoa as a side dish or mixed into a meal you already enjoy for a total of four grains.

Beans and Lentils: Start with black beans and kidney beans, both commonly used on salads. They are also good in chili. Garbanzo beans can be made into hummus and eaten with sliced veggies or used as a sandwich spread in place of mayo. Red lentil pasta is readily available; serve it simply with some olive oil and herbed seasoning. You just brought your plant total to thirty-one.

As you begin your journey of adding more plants, don’t forget to change things up. Try a new variety of apple or a less frequently eaten vegetable. Be sure to drink plenty of water as you increase the amounts and portion sizes of these plants. Listen to your body, and feel the difference these habits can make to your sense of well-being.

For a list of plants to track your progress in a given week, check out my blog: www.anneliesnewmanrdn.com

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4991899/ https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSystems.00031-18

Tips

for

STAY DRY

Check for roof leaks and issues with interior plumbing. and prevent rainwater from entering your home.

Health Benefits OF HOMEOWNERSHIP

The move into homeownership is considered a foundational step for individuals and families starting their journey to personal wealth. A home is such a significant life change that it’s not surprising when studies show homeownership also provides individuals and families with increased stability and pride, which enhance their quality of life and health in verifiable ways.

“A safe home can prevent mental health and developmental problems,” said Dr. Megan Sandel of the Boston University School of Medicine. “A decent home may prevent asthma or lead poisoning, and an affordable home can prevent stunted growth and unnecessary hospitalizations.”

Most Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, with most of that time spent in a home. Because so much time is spent in a single space, understanding how housing can affect overall health is important. So let’s dive into the details.

First is the physical condition within the home. Good health depends on having a home that is safe and free from physical hazards that may include poor indoor air quality, lead paint, and the presence of mold. These hazards are directly linked to issues like water leaks, poor ventilation, pest infestation, and poorly regulated indoor temperatures. This is where enlisting the help of a local REALTOR® can prove invaluable. A local REALTOR® understands the geographical and regulatory factors that contribute to the physical health of a home.

Second is the condition of neighborhoods surrounding a home. Neighborhoods that offer safe places for children to play and space for exercise—like bike paths and recreation centers—affect the short- and long-term health and longevity of residents. Southern Utah is at the top of the list when it comes to providing safe spaces to stay healthy and boasts homes that are surrounded by neighborhoods that have a positive social, physical, and economic effect on the health of the residents.

Third is housing affordability. When safe, clean housing options don’t create financial strain, individuals are not forced to forego other essential expenses. By using a REALTOR® to find a home that fits within a budget, homeowners can have the financial stability to focus on other needs and the resources to improve their health.

For more information, contact a local REALTOR® who understands the area and can help you navigate and evaluate homes that best fit your needs. This step can be the catalyst to helping you capitalize on some of the many benefits of homeownership that are often underestimated but have a huge impact on your health and happiness.

BE CLEAN

Reduce clutter, and keep spaces clean from dust and contaminants.

STAY SAFE

Properly store prescriptions, cleaning solutions, and other poisonous materials, and ensure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are functioning.

IMPROVE AIRFLOW

Make sure bathrooms and kitchens are well-ventilated and that fresh air is pushed throughout the home.

ELIMINATE PESTS

By the Washington County Board of Realtors®

RINGMIS TRESS

Inspired by Technology, Karrie Miller Completes Yearlong Exercise Streak

By Marianne Hamilton

One year. 138 miles of laps in the pool. 1,965 miles walked. 3.9 million steps taken.

And Karrie Miller is just getting started.

Over lunch with a friend in February of 2022, Miller was showing off her new smartwatch. The BRIO resident knew the device had the potential to help her track her fitness program, but she had no idea which application she needed or how to set it up.

Fortunately, her friend downloaded the Workout app and gave Miller a quick tutorial. On each subsequent day, Miller’s watch then displayed a “bullseye” consisting of three rings. Depending on how much exercise she did and/or how vigorously she worked out while swimming or walking, the rings would eventually close. Additionally, she gleaned such details as the number of calories burned and the total distance covered in the pool or on land.

Miller found the technology to be an inspiration. By August of last year, she realized she was consistently racking up major swimming and

walking mileage. On the spot, she vowed to complete a one year exercise “streak.”

“As of February twenty-first of 2023, I went an entire year without missing a single day of exercise,” Miller confirmed. “That included flying to and from Hawaii. I walked around the airport, and I stood up and moved on the plane. I thought, ‘If I lose my streak, it’s okay; I got to go to Hawaii!’ Somehow, I was able to keep ‘closing the rings’ while traveling, so I kept it all going.”

Growing up in Salt Lake City, Miller led an active childhood, albeit not exactly an athletic one. She was a dancer in high school and a recreational swimmer for most of her life. “I grew up in the fifties and sixties, when we’d go outside and play all day. Although I wasn’t on any sports teams, I was always outdoors,” Miller noted.

Since her move to St. George, Utah, in 2019 with her husband (coincidentally, also named Kerry) following his retirement, Miller has had

the time to swim in BRIO’s indoor and outdoor pools, take water aerobics classes, and walk or hike many of Washington County’s scenic trails. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2018, she’d already been extra vigilant about incorporating daily exercise into her life.

Said Miller, “I‘d never been insulin dependent, but I knew I had to make some adjustments to my routine. The motivating factor was when my endocrinologist said that staying active and losing weight would help me get everything under control. I’ve since lost twenty-five pounds, and exercising has really helped me keep my blood sugar levels consistent.”

Miller had invested in the new smartwatch to maintain and monitor her fitness regimen. At first, merely closing the rings daily was payback enough: she walked and swam the minimum recommended miles and laps each day. Then her mate suggested that if she swam 880 yards, she’d log a half mile. Soon after, Miller was stroking her way to a full mile each time she hit the water.

“When I started all of this, a mile would take me almost an hour. I didn’t know how to do flip turns or any of that, and I was more interested in how far I needed to go to close the rings versus how long it would take me,” Miller recalled. “I started thinking, ‘Hey, we’re retired; we don’t have a lot we have to do!’ So instead of just walking for forty-five minutes, I started doing four miles on my walking days, and I gradually increased my swimming distance to 1.5 miles each time.”

At first Miller was reluctant to share her goals with family members and kept her “streaking”

goal to herself, assuming that what she was doing wasn’t a huge deal. But when she hit day 200, she decided to let her loved ones in on her impending success. Not surprisingly, her children joined her husband in expressing pride and excitement that she was close to realizing her dream. “My husband teases me saying, ‘Your watch runs your life.’ But he’s really happy that I’ve been able to do this,” Miller said.

Scrolling through the archived data documenting her year’s workouts, Miller grew thoughtful. “Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever set a long-term goal and then actually achieved it. That is the thing of which I’m most proud. I have surpassed the distances in walking and swimming that I thought I would be able to do. I now want to stay active and keep closing my rings. My goal at this point is to see how far I can go.”

By Samantha Koehn, LSCW, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Consultant for Intermountain Desert Region, St. George Regional Hospital

In America, we have fallen into “hustle culture,” where we have forgotten how to relax. We inevitably fill every spare moment with something. Outside of our regular full-time work week, most of us are pulled in multiple directions, running a hundred miles an hour with little rest and rejuvenation. We think we must do it all, be it all, and accomplish it all if we are to be successful. We stay so busy and overwhelmed that we lose the joy of being able to take in the moments.

According to the American Institute of Stress, “Chronic stress is commonplace at work, with 94 percent of workers reporting feeling stress at work. Additionally, the current stress level experienced by Americans is twenty percentage points higher than the global average.”*

A glass can only hold so much liquid before it overflows and becomes ineffective. A chair can only hold so much weight before it breaks. Humans

are no different: we can only do so much before there’s nothing left to give. There is a lot of power to the statement “Put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” But the reality is that we usually take care of ourselves last. As a result, we experience increased stress, higher levels of job and relationship dissatisfaction, anxiety, and depression. Too much of this, without any rest, can become extremely debilitating, causing isolation and a withdrawal from others. Stress management consultant and Mayo-trained family physician Dr. Dike Drummond said, “Acknowledge that you are human. Recognize that rest is not a sign of weakness, and give yourself the ability to recharge.”

So what do we do when it feels like we are bursting at the seams and about ready to explode? I want you to ask yourself this question: “Can I do 10 percent less?”

10 percent less of an A is an A-, which is still passing.

10 percent less of one hundred dollars is still ninety dollars, which is still a good amount

10 percent less of an hour is still fifty-four minutes, which is still enough time to be productive. Look at the different areas in your life where you feel that you must give 100 percent of yourself 100 percent of the time. Are there certain areas of your life where you can give 10 percent less? I want you to realize that doing less of something does not mean that you are giving less than quality effort or failing.

After all, an A- is still an A.

Let’s do some simple math. Can you leave the dishes in the sink this evening so you can spend more time with your children? . . . 10 percent less.

Can you say no to an extra project at work? . . . 10 percent less.

Can you decline an invitation to a social gathering for which you don’t have the energy?... 10 percent less.

If you said yes to any of these things, you potentially just created 30 percent for something else. The goal with creating more space is to allow you the ability to disconnect from the hustle and connect with the things that recharge you. These are the things that intrinsically help keep you going. What are you passionate about? What excites you in life? Make room for more of that!

To learn more about EAP and its vital resources for every caregiver, visit intermountainhealthcare.org/employee-assistance-program.

Source: https://www.stress.org/

About the Author

Samantha Koehn has been working in the mental health field since 2014. She graduated with her Masters of Social Work from the University of Utah in 2017 with an emphasis in mental health. She has been working for Intermountain since 2016 and currently works as a Employee Assistance Program Consultant, providing therapy for Intermountain employees and their families. Outside of work, you will find her trying to keep up with her energetic toddler, getting outside with her family and two dogs, and playing a few different musical instruments.

A is for Apple

By Dr. Douglas Howard

About the Author

Dr. Douglas Howard has been actively involved in health care since the age of fourteen. From homeopathy, chiropractics, and medicinal care, Dr. Howard has practiced and studied multi-faceted forms of medicine. His dedication has awarded him international recognition and multiple doctoral degrees. As the formulator of Balance of Nature, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide benefit from Dr. Howard’s research. He is a renowned expert in lifestyle disease and has lectured around the world, educating people on the importance of nutrition and its relation to overall health and lifestyle.

Looking at an apple sitting on the table, it seems rather simplistic. A is for apple. Preschool knowledge, right? We’ve never been so wrong. If only for a moment your eyes worked as an electron microscope, your mind would quickly open to a whole new reality. There are hundreds of thousands of different phytochemicals working synergistically to form the immaculate chemistry that has designed the color, smell, and taste of this delicious food. Once eaten, this same microscopic miracle goes to work in your body.

In the past twenty years, health science has coined a new term: phytonutrients. This new word describes age-old compounds only recently recognized.

Phytonutrients, also called phytochemicals or functional foods, are newly discovered chemicals found in plants. They are not carbohydrates, fats (lipids), proteins, water, or minerals. They are a separate compound. The root “phyto” is Greek for “plant.” Phytochemical literally means plant-chemical. Phytochemicals work in plants to help them survive. They protect the plant from natural invaders (insects, parasites, disease, and free radicals). Scientists have discovered that the chemicals working for the plant’s survival will perform the same functions in the human body.

For example, when a person eats spinach, they also eat the chlorogenic acid found in the spinach. This acid acts as a

pesticide, keeping the bugs from destroying the vegetable. In the human body, this acid also acts as a pesticide, keeping harmful stomach and intestinal bugs at bay.

Perhaps the most astonishing point of interest is that by obtaining these chemicals through the consumption of fruits and vegetables, they have only positive effects on your health. However, when taken from their proper balance—extracted and taken alone as a vitamin or drug—phytochemicals have potentially harmful side effects.

The recent discovery of phytochemicals has made it possible for scientists to more accurately determine how fruits and vegetables maintain health. Phytochemicals exhibit many health promoting properties. Phytochemicals found in broccoli and garlic produce enzymes that modify and detoxify many toxic chemicals, including some that appear to cause cancer. Another phytochemical found in garlic has been shown to inhibit cholesterol production. Phytochemicals in spinach have been found to decrease and prevent cataracts, macular degeneration, and night blindness. Phytochemicals in an orange are well known for increasing immune system function. Oranges also possess phytochemicals that are anti sunburn, antifungal and antiallergenic. The list goes on. Every existing fruit and vegetable contains thousands of different phytochemicals, each possessing different properties.

Researchers are finding that phytonutrients are important to the body in many ways. They reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and urinary tract infections. Not only may phytochemicals help slow the aging process, but they also prevent diseases often associated with old age such as cataracts and osteoporosis. No wonder people are eager to learn more and increase their intake of fruits and vegetables to receive the myriad of benefits provided from phytonutrients. There is no single plant that is a source for all the necessary phytonutrients. Different plants produce and utilize different kinds and quantities of phytochemicals.

The field of phytonutrition and the study of phytochemicals has revolutionized our understanding of how quality of life can be improved by monitoring our food intake. It is becoming increasingly clear that phytochemicals are an important factor in nutrition. There are thousands of known phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables and an untold number yet to be isolated and characterized.

Medicine and science have been searching for centuries for the newest and best in nutrition and healing. Ironically, it’s been here all along.

Getting Old? Go Ride!

By Jay Bartlett

Last October, while having a game night with friends, my good friend Dustin made an announcement: he would be turning fifty in March. Hitting such a milestone gave him pause to think about his health and fitness, so he decided to give himself a challenge. In the next five months or so, he was determined to whip himself into good enough shape to be able to do a fifty mile mountain bike ride! Fifty miles for fifty years. Get it?

Now, if you have been reading my articles, you know I’m a big proponent of having a goal ride or race on the horizon to motivate you to get off the couch and ride your bike. Fear of failure on a big event is a very good mental cattle prod. There have been many times when I would much rather have been sitting back, relaxing, and eating bonbons than going for a ride. But I put a crowbar under my butt and went simply because the thought of suffering through an event and rueing the fact that I could have trained better was too much to bear. Motivation!

Dustin has been an avid mountain biker for many years, but his rides have been around ten miles, so this was going to be a serious challenge. He bought himself a stationary bike and really dove into training, which included weekly rides with me.

Pushing your limits is always tough because you really don’t know if you can do something until you actually do it. That’s where I came in. Long rides are some of my happy places in mountain biking, so when Dustin asked for my advice and if I wanted to ride along with him, I jumped on board. Several years earlier, I had done fifty miles for my fiftieth birthday (maybe it’s a midlife crisis sort of thing). I also had ten finishes in the True Grit Epic fifty-mile race, so I had a very good foundation of what I could do and what it would take for him.

It was fun and interesting to see him progress. Each time we hit a new milestone, he commented on how he never thought he would be riding those distances.The first time doing Navajo Drive to Rim Runner and back (a twenty-mile ride), I could tell by his demeanor that he was a bit amazed by his progress even though he was spent at the end. The training day mileage kept going up along with his amazement and toughness. I felt he was really going to make the fifty-miler happen when the night before an expected thirty-five mile ride, he texted me: “Looks like we’re riding in the rain tomorrow. What time should we meet?” You don’t get much more dedicated than that! (Well, maybe the time when there was snow on the ground...)

So, did Dustin meet his goal? Truth be told, the deadline for this article came sooner than I thought, and as of this writing, we haven’t gone for the fifty. But really, does it matter if we completed it or not? To cover my butt, I’ll throw out the old cliché “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey.” In this case, it’s true, really. Dustin has vastly improved his fitness by working towards his goal (not to mention the benefits I got as well). Between you and me, I’m pretty sure he’s got it. But that’ll be a story for another day.

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.

Caring for Your Hearing Is a Vital Part of Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health

Precision Hearing Is Helping Southern Utah Residents Hear Every Sound

By Diane Del Toro

The change in Dan’s hearing was so gradual, he hardly noticed. He missed a sentence in a phone conversation with a friend or received a perplexed look from his daughter when he appeared to be ignoring her questions. After he couldn’t hear enough of what was going on to be confident in social settings, Dan withdrew from friends and family members, preferring instead to stay in familiar environments.

Dan’s experience highlights the social, psychological, cognitive, and health effects of hearing loss. Impaired hearing results in distorted or incomplete communication leading to greater isolation and withdrawal. Eventually, the individual’s life space and social interactions become restricted.

“A large number of people wait seven to eight years or more from the point that they first recognize they have a hearing loss to when they purchase their first hearing aids,” explained Ryan Gaines, owner of Precision Hearing. “This is a tragedy since they might not be aware of the impact this delayed decision has had on their life and the lives of their family and associates.”

Precision Hearing is located at 321 West Tabernacle in St. George, Utah. Since opening its doors to the public in 1987, Precision Hearing has dedicated its efforts to providing exceptional hearing care to southern Utah residents.

According to Ryan, there is a long list of ways that an individual can be impacted by hearing loss. This list includes embarrassment, fatigue, irritability, stress, anger, avoidance of social activities, withdrawal from social situations, depression, negativism, danger to personal safety, rejection by others, reduced general health, loneliness, social isolation, decreased alertness to the environment, impaired memory, diminished adaptability to learning new tasks, reduced coping skills, and reduced overall psychological health.

For those who are still in the workforce, uncorrected hearing loss has a negative impact on overall job effectiveness, opportunities for promotion, and life-long earning power. Few would disagree that uncorrected hearing loss is a serious issue.

That is why choosing a hearing professional is one of the most important decisions a hearing impaired person can make. Since a hearing aid fitting has many subjective patient-

related components, proper hearing aid recommendation and adjustments are highly dependent on the judgment and skill of the professional selecting the instrument.

And this is where Precision Hearing excels. Their services include comprehensive hearing exams, specialized diagnostic testing, advanced fitting of hearing instruments, and verification techniques. They also repair hearing aids and work with all of the major hearing aid manufacturers including Oticon, Phonak, Signia, Starkey, ReSound, and Widex. What is more, when compared to other local offices, Precision Hearing can provide their products and services at considerable savings, with patients saving upwards of $2,000 to $3,000 on premium products.

An annual hearing test is key to diagnosing and treating a hearing problem, but there is a tendency to put it off. Nobody likes to get bad news about their hearing, but a regular hearing examination can:

• Identify medical conditions. There are a number of medical reasons for hearing loss, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Some patients are able to relieve their hearing problem simply by treating the underlying medical condition.

• Track hearing changes and potential problems. An annual hearing test tracks changes in your hearing and makes adjustments as you need them.

• Prevent hearing loss from impacting other areas of life. All areas of life are affected by hearing loss. Poor hearing can be linked to increased injuries: car horns, smoke alarms, sirens, and other sounds of danger may not be heard.

• Signal that treatment should begin. The identification of even a mild hearing problem is a positive thing. Treatment can begin at the moment hearing loss is identified.

Precision Hearing can provide hearing solutions. They offer many different types and styles of hearing aids to assist a wide range of hearing losses. Ryan will walk you through the options, letting you know which device will best suit your condition as well as your lifestyle.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Precision Hearing at 435-767-0042 or visit www.StGeorgeHearingAid.com.

Anxiety Is Real

May is Mental Health Awareness month, a good time to consider the fact that an estimated 48 million Americans are faced with an anxiety disorder,* 40.9% of Utah adults report feeling symptoms of anxiety or depression,** and 26.4% of Utahns are unable to access necessary counseling or therapy.

Nervousness from time to time is a common experience and recorded as far back as the seventeenth century. However, unlike occasional nervous feelings, an anxiety disorder is distinguished by its intensity and frequency. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes, like increased blood pressure. Past trauma can trigger anxiety. Anxiety is different from fear: seeing a rattlesnake in the wild may cause fear, while worrying about seeing one in the wild is driven by anxiety.

Generalized anxiety disorder was officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association forty-three years ago as a disorder of uncontrollable anxiety or worry that is excessive or unrealistic and lasts one month or longer. Prior to 1980, those suffering in this way might have received a diagnosis of “nerves.” Medical professionals had no specialized training and little understanding, so few people received effective treatment.

Today, anxiety disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorders, phobias, or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are considered a disability. They cause distress

About the Author

and impairment that can seriously affect both quality of life and functioning. Most people with anxiety disorders respond well to treatment, which has advanced significantly in recent years. Unfortunately, only a small portion of those affected receive care.

The following are a few simple tips for dealing with anxiety symptoms:

• Limit activities or time with people who induce anxiety while increasing those things that bring relaxation.

• Take small steps to overcome triggering situations. Avoidance is not always possible.

• Meditation and controlled deep breathing exercises are useful calming tools.

• Balance use of technology or consumption of tabloid news with more relaxing activities that bring peace and happiness.

• Daily routines that include outdoor activities and enough sleep can help create balance and worry free stability.

• Avoiding negative thinking is a critical tool in reducing worry and anxiety.

There are organizations in southern Utah, like Family Healthcare, that offer affordable, highly effective treatment for anxiety. If you or someone you care about is dealing with this challenging yet treatable disorder, take steps to reach out to your health care provider as soon as possible for help.

*National Alliance on Mental Illness 2020

**National Alliance on Mental Illness 2021

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.

By Lori Wright, CEO, Family Healthcare

Water: the Best Ergogenic Aid for Sports Performance

By Tiffany Gust, MS, USA Triathlon, CISSN

You have heard that you should drink eight glasses of water a day, but how much should you drink if you are exercising? Better yet, how much should an endurance athlete drink?

First, let’s define what an endurance athlete is. Some say that an endurance athlete is simply someone who needs to consume food before the duration of an event; others will say it is an athlete who competes or trains for over two hours. Whatever the definition, endurance sports are characterized by prolonged physical and mental stress over extended periods of time. Athletes that compete in 100 miles of running (ultra-marathons) or 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running (such as the IRONMAN) are considered endurance athletes.

How does hydration affect sports performance?

An athlete who participates in endurance sports can lose a large amount of water through sweat while training or competing— up to two liters per hour. The amount of fluid lost depends on a number of variables: the temperature and humidity level during performance, the intensity of the exercise being performed, the athlete’s body composition and metabolism, and even the athlete’s diet.

When this fluid is not replaced, athletic performance will suffer. A loss of 2 percent of the body’s water through sweat can impair the ability to compete, and a loss of 4 percent can result in the inability of the body to cool itself during exercise. Dehydration not only decreases sports performance significantly, it can lead to heat exhaustion, heat illness, heat stroke, or in extreme cases, death. It can also negatively affect respiration, renal function, and gastrointestinal function.

It is clear that appropriate hydration plays a role in thermoregulation and cardiovascular changes during exercise. Even mild dehydration (less than 1 percent loss of body weight) can impair performance and affect core temperature and the rate of perceived exertion.

Because the human body is almost 60 percent fluid, the most beneficial ergogenic aid is water. Working to prevent dehydration during exercise is one of the most useful endeavors for improving exercise performance; fluid replacement during training and throughout an event must be a priority.

What are the hydration needs of endurance athletes?

To maintain ideal performance and well-being, athletes should commit themselves to fluid management before and during an event, with the goal being euhydration (optimal total body water content).

Unfortunately, athletes cannot rely on thirst perception to regulate fluid balance; thirst does not generally appear until after an athlete has lost a significant amount of fluid through

sweat. However, there are several objective ways they can measure fluid loss. Athletes should get in the habit of weighing themselves before and after exercise as a way to manage their hydration to determine their sweat rate. The athlete should consume three cups of liquid for every pound lost during exercise and try to consume six to eight ounces of water or sports drink every five to fifteen minutes during exercise. They may need to train themselves to tolerate drinking this often over a period of time and adjust for hotter or humid climates.

In addition to water, sweat contains minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Of these, sodium is the most important mineral to replace during exercise due to its importance to an optimally functioning body and the substantial amount that is lost while sweating.

Sodium levels in your blood help to maintain blood pressure and regulate your body’s fluid balance. Increasing salt availability during heavy training in the heat has been shown to help prevent hyponatremia, a condition that can occur when the sodium levels in the blood are abnormally low. Hyponatremia can cause loss of energy, fatigue, confusion, headache, muscle weakness or spasms, vomiting, nausea, seizure, or even coma.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that sodium should be ingested during exercise (300–600 milligrams per hour or 1.7–2.9 grams of salt) when large sweat sodium losses occur. Research has shown that consuming fluids with a higher sodium concentration (electrolyte sports drinks) before exercise reduces the occurrence of hyponatremia during prolonged exercise, and some recent studies even suggest that sodium phosphate loading may increase maximal oxygen uptake, raise anaerobic threshold, and improve endurance capacity by 8–10 percent.

As the temperature begins to soar in southern Utah, make hydration a high priority. Remember that amidst all of your training hours and dialed in nutrition, water is the most important ergogenic aid. Drink up!

I’ll see you out on the trails, course, and court.

The Many Health Benefits of a Well-Trained

By Anita DeLelles, LMT

Why does my dog need training?

Although this question is asked frequently, the answer seems obvious and is quite simple. Training creates a bond, a friendship, and mutual understanding between the dog and its guardian, leading to a lifelong, healthy relationship. When you have this harmony, it reduces stress for both dog and owner, eliminating small aggravations that can grow into unmanageable nuisances.

Too often, training is requested only after bad habits have been formed and are making a dog difficult to manage. It’s basically a communication problem, and the good news is that it can be fixed! Starting early with good quality training is the ideal plan.

Create a healthy bond and mutual understanding.

Studies show that having a well-trained, happy dog that is relaxed and responsive means more pleasure from dog ownership. Training strengthens the dog-human bond and establishes a close, enjoyable relationship. And there’s the added perk of impressing your friends with a dog that loves to show off its perfect manners!

Manage Behavior.

Positive reinforcement training teaches basic commands through a reward-based training technique. Shock collars, choke collars, and other punishment-based techniques utilize fear and break down a dog’s emotional well-being. This actually weakens the bond with your pet.

Good training enables you to manage and enjoy your dog at home and in public. With good manners, your dog can become a part of the family, knowing how to greet

someone politely at the door, coming back when called, and walking safely under control on a leash without pulling. These are skills that develop with clear, calm communication between owner and dog.

Build Social Skills.

Socialization is one of the most important skills a dog should master early in its life. Learning how to respond to other dogs and knowing what is acceptable and not acceptable in dog language are essential life lessons both owners and dogs need to understand. Social skills will allow your dog to cope and behave during everyday occasions, such as encountering other dogs during walks, attending veterinary visits, boarding, and participating in play groups. Knowing how to read your dog’s signals of stress, discomfort, and anxiety will allow you to manage situations that arise and will help you avoid confrontations.

Socialization from puppyhood is ideal. After a puppy’s second set of vaccines, he will be ready to join a guided puppy social class. In these classes, puppies will be introduced to new sounds, other puppies and people, distractions, and smells. A trainer will introduce these new experiences in a positive, healthy, and rewarding environment.

With older, adopted dogs or your current family dog, it is never too late to retrain and manage your dog’s responses to external situations. You can actually teach old dogs new tricks! Doggie daycare or dog parks are not places where dogs can safely learn to socialize, and one bad experience with another dog and/or owner can have life-long emotional repercussions.

Attend Training Classes.

Training classes are fun for both you and your dog. The exercises taught are stimulating and engaging. Even if your dog has perfect manners, training classes are available at all levels to teach new skills and to reinforce current skills.

If your goal is to prepare your dog to be a service dog (trained to do specific tasks for you) or a therapy dog (one that visits nursing homes or hospitals), it all begins with basic obedience training and learning real-life skills. Dogs with advanced training can get their AKC Canine Good Citizen certificates and so much more.

Whether your dog is old, young, or somewhere in-between, it is never too late to refresh skills, learn new ones, or just hang out with like-minded dog and pet owners in a healthy training environment.

WOOF! Wellness Center & Training Academy offers puppy socials, basic obedience, and beyond basic obedience classes all the way through to the AKC Canine Good Citizen class. Group and one-on-one options are offered. Loose leash training classes end in an interactive group hike through a scenic local state park. The opportunity to consult your trainer while on a hike with real-time obstacles is invaluable. This can also help address your own training difficulties.

For more information on health and training for your pet, visit woofcenter.com, stop by WOOF! Wellness Center & Training Academy in Santa Clara, or call 435-275-4536.

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.

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SOUTHWEST SPINE & PAIN REVOLUTIONIZES TREATMENT FOR LOW BACK PAIN WITH

For people struggling with a pain disorder, even the most mundane daily activities can pose a challenge. Southwest Spine & Pain Center is committed to helping patients enjoy a higher quality of life through innovative therapies like Intracept, a cutting-edge treatment for chronic low back pain.

Intracept is clinically proven to provide lasting pain relief and improved mobility. Patients whose low back pain hasn’t responded to conservative care or interventional pain relief methods are prime candidates for the procedure. “We’ve seen great results,” said Dr. Rick Obray, a pain management specialist at Southwest Spine & Pain Center. “A lot of times, these patients have tried multiple treatments and nothing helped.”

Intracept is indicated for patients over age eighteen whose low back pain is chronic (persisting for at least six months) and vertebrogenic, meaning it originates from the bones in the spine. These individuals typically experience pain while standing or sitting for long durations and limited mobility that interferes with everyday activities.

Prior to Intracept, the recommended solution for patients suffering from vertebrogenic low back pain that didn’t respond to other treatment methods was spinal fusion surgery. While not always successful, it was the only option available.

Intracept marks a paradigm shift in how specialists treat chronic low back pain, Obray said. Only a handful of medical professionals nationwide are certified to perform the procedure. “At Southwest Spine & Pain, we’re pioneers with minimally invasive therapies,” he added. “We’re very active in research of new treatments, and we have very skilled physicians who are among the most experienced anywhere in what they’re doing.”

Intracept is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure performed at a surgery center or hospital. Using X-ray guidance, the physician will insert a specialized probe into the vertebrae and use the heat from radiofrequency energy to ablate the

basivertebral nerve, rendering it unable to transmit pain signals. The procedure lasts approximately sixty to ninety minutes and is implant free. Patients return home the same day.

The Intracept procedure is supported by multiple clinical studies, and five-year data shows lasting results. Key findings include significant improvements in function and pain level over standard care as well as a notable decrease in the number of patients using opioids or injections to manage their pain long term.

In clinical trials, patients maintained a 65 percent reduction in pain and a 61 percent reduction in disability at the five-year mark, while nearly 80 percent of patients indicated they would undergo the procedure again for the same condition.

Intracept is covered by Medicare and most private insurances.

Southwest Spine and Pain Center operates fifteen health centers throughout Utah. They provide acute and chronic pain management services including injections, epidurals, radiofrequency ablations, nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, and regenerative medicine along with physical therapy and rehabilitation. All physicians have completed fellowship training and board certification in the treatment of acute and chronic pain.

“We’re committed to taking care of patients and improving their lives by controlling their pain,” Obray said. “That’s the best part about what I do every day.”

By Alexa Morgan, St. George News

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 Has Sprung...

And So Has Plant Life!

By Dr. Coleen Andruss, Healthy Lifestyles

Have you ever thought about the benefits of the “green life”? Evidence shows that exposure to green space, whether outdoor or indoor, has physical, emotional, environmental, and mental health benefits. Even exposure to photos of plant life and nature can be beneficial.

Plants are an integral part of human well-being, are essential to all of the food that we consume, and are part of every facet of life, providing fiber, medicine, beauty, peace and tranquility, forage, industrial materials, pollution control, climate control, and food for animals and insects.

Plants are used to synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds and pharmacologically-active substances that are used for medicines. Examples include willow tree bark (containing salicylic acid for use in aspirin), foxglove (containing digoxin for use in heart medications) cinchona tree bark (containing quinine for use in malaria medications), poppy (containing opium for use in pain control medication), and aloe vera (used to treat burns, psoriasis, eczema, constipation, mouth ulcers, acne, and other illnesses and conditions). The list of plants used for medicinal benefits is expansive.

Plant life is beneficial for mental and physical health. Consider the following:

• In one study, participants had their heart rate and blood pressure readings monitored after completing two tasks: working indoors on a computer and gardening outdoors. The results indicated that computer-related tasks raised both heart rate and blood pressure while gardening tasks lowered these stress responses.

• In a Japanese study, plant exposure altered EEG recordings and reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension testing numbers.

• Studies using brain scans showed that students in a classroom filled with live plants were more attentive and had better concentration.

• Researchers demonstrated that using plant therapy increases feelings of well-being among people with depression, anxiety, and dementia.

• Therapeutic gardens have been used in hospitals for thousands of years. Review studies have revealed that when plant life and natural scenery is visible to patients, pain medication is needed less frequently, postoperative complications are reduced, and hospital stays are shorter.

• Studies looking at invasive dental procedures have shown that when a patient can view natural scenes and hear natural sounds, blood pressure and heart rate are lower.

• Plant life also has an influence on productivity and creativity at work. Studies have demonstrated better performance, higher productivity, and fewer sick days when plants or images of outdoor scenes are visible to employees in the workplace.

Plants aid us in overcoming the deleterious effects of air pollution on our respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Past NASA studies and newer research have concluded that plant scrubbing or phytoremediation (using living plants to clean up soil, air, and water contaminated with pollutants) improves air quality.

Trees remove large quantities of toxins and particulates through their leaves, transmitting pollutants to the soil where microorganisms metabolize or trap them; thus, plants can be helpful in reducing volatile pollutants in industrial areas.

Trees, hedges, and most plants counter climate changes by trapping carbon and emitting oxygen. Did you know that a single maple tree can remove forty-eight pounds of particulates and one hundred pounds of carbon each year as well as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and other toxic metals, all of which are emitted from the vehicles we drive? Worldwide, forests offset 25 percent of man-made carbon dioxide.

Plants can reduce the need for airconditioning by providing shade. They also reduce noise, heat, glare, wind, water run-

off, erosion, and dust. Additionally, the evaporation of water from leaves reduces the formation of ozone (O3) near the earth’s surface where it can be harmful to eyes and lungs.

Gardening, especially when it involves digging, raking, and mowing, restores dexterity and strength, burns calories naturally, and provides a form of exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise so that it

is more enjoyable and sustainable. Your gym is right outside your window! Shared communal gardens increase social interactions, improve mental health, and slow the rate of dementia. Plant life may even lead to employment for some.

So welcome spring and appreciate how our green life is so beneficial to health. When we take care of our resources, they take care of us!

About the Author

Dr. Coleen Andruss practiced as an internist for ten years and has specialized in weight management for twenty-nine 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.

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.

AFFIRMATIONS, TRUTH VERSUS TRUTH, and CREATING STRONG PERSONAL INTEGRITY

By Lainee Cox

What Are Affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements mostly used to help rewrite negative thought patterns and create a better mental environment, leading to improved mental and emotional health. Affirmations can also be helpful when used for general encouragement, inspiration, and motivation. Not only can they be used to provide a little pick-me-up, they can literally help us by changing our realities so that we are kinder to ourselves.

I realize that “changing our realities” sounds very weird and even a little “woo-woo,” but the statement still stands true. By using positive and realistic statements on a consistent basis, we can adjust how we feel about ourselves, our relationships, and our environment. How does that actually change our realities? The answer can be found by looking at the differences between Truth and truth.

Truth Versus truth

Uppercase “T” truths are facts that are indisputable, such as the sky is blue, tomorrow is Tuesday, and the temperature is seventy-five degrees. Lowercase “t” truths are things that we believe or convince ourselves are true: Today will be a good day; I must go to the gym; I am the only person who is going through this problem; Asking for help makes me a burden.

The difference between Truth and truth can be glaring when we take time to examine the framework in which we live. For me, it was extremely eye-opening to know that some of the things for which I was tearing myself down weren’t even True! Once I realized that I had been holding myself to unrealistic standards and that my reality wasn’t Truthful, I could start telling myself the Truth.

I know I’ve shared a lot of information about Truth and truth, but personal integrity is very important to the way we build ourselves up and help those around us. By having strong personal integrity, we can stay positive about every situation we are in while still being aware of our strengths and faults. This helps combat self-deprecating behavior and unkind self-talk.

Creating Strong Personal Integrity

Now that we have an understanding about affirmations and the difference between Truth and truth, how do we create strong personal integrity and change our realities? We create positive statements about ourselves and have them be True.

These statements don’t have to be anything specific, but they must be True! I’ve been using statements that are True but also help me smile when I say them: “I am pretty good at my job!” and “I am exactly where I am supposed to be, exactly now!” You can choose positive affirmations to help you in your own situations and in whatever needs you may have. A Truthful affirmation will help you build a foundation of strong personal integrity.

Starting small, with only one or two specific phrases, posted in a prominent place where you are likely to take notice or where you are most likely to engage in negative self-talk, can eventually grow into beautiful self-worth and strong personal integrity.

I encourage you to take inventory of how you speak to yourself, and become a better you!

To learn more about services provided by Spilsbury Mortuary, visit their website at www.spilsburymortuary.com or call (435) 673-2454.

TRANSITIONING TO A NEW HOME: WHAT IS NEXT?

By Isabella O’Brien, Red Rock Real Estate Agent

• After the purchase of your home, it’s a good idea to consult with an attorney to be sure that all your legal needs are met. They can help you draft or update legal documents, such as a will, power of attorney, and health directives.

• Homeowners insurance is required, but it’s a good idea to consider additional coverages, such as flood insurance or an umbrella policy.

• Get your finances in order. This includes budgeting (including setting money aside for property taxes), creating an emergency fund, and considering other options such as refinancing, home equity loans, or a reverse mortgage.

About the Author

Isabella O’Brien is funloving and enjoys life. Her motto is KIS (Keep It Simple) and her favorite pastimes are riding her bike, quilting, and reading. Isabella is a realtor working for Red Rock Real Estate. She became a real estate agent because she loves working with and helping people. How can she help you?

I am a transplant from beautiful North Carolina. Two years ago, our children surprised my husband and I with the announcement that they were moving to Utah. We said, “Utah!” But after thinking about it, we followed them and somehow found our way to St. George. Now, as a transitional coordinator, I help people get acclimated to their new homes, neighborhoods, and communities.

What Home Transitions Have You Experienced?

Do you realize how many home transitions you make during your lifetime?

First-time home buyers may feel excited and overwhelmed when making the first major purchase of their lives. Guidance may be needed to find the right property, understand the homebuying process, and secure financing.

Many families eventually outgrow their starter home and need to upsize. The arrival of children, the need for a home office, or simply a desire for more space is often the catalyst for this transition.

As we age, the desire to simplify and reduce expenses often leads to downsizing. Because it involves letting go of possessions accumulated over a lifetime, this transition can be particularly challenging.

A change in employment, a health problem, or a family issue may necessitate relocation. This can be stressful because it often means leaving behind family, friends, and familiar surroundings to start life again elsewhere.

A transition at retirement can be motivated by the desire to move to a new location or to a smaller home. It usually involves the sale of the family home and the distribution of assets among family members.

Whether you move from another state, another city, or across town, moving can be an overwhelming experience. Change can be scary!

To make any new home transition less anxiety-fraught, take steps to ensure that everything connected to your home is in order. Here are some key points:

• Homeownership comes with ongoing maintenance. Keep your home in good condition with regular inspections, repairs, and updates as needed.

• Make the safety of your home and family a priority by checking into security systems and updating your locks.

• Prior to transitioning into a new home, set up utilities, such as electricity, gas, water, and internet. You may also need to set up garbage and recycling services.

A home is more than just a structure; it is a family’s most significant financial asset and a place where memories are made. Having everything in order means that your transition can go smoothly with no surprises or unexpected expenses.

For more information or to attend workshops that will aid you in your home transitions, call Isabella O’Brien at 910-264-4060 or email Isabellaob13@gmail.com.

YOUR RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE EXPERT

JESSICA ELGIN REALTOR®

Punching In Early, Punching Out Late

By Lyman Hafen

My uncle Eldon Hafen passed away recently at the age of ninety-six. I’ve known him all my life. In fact, one of my earliest memories is of him riding a horse around a corral in the backyard of his St. George home. My dad, Kelton Hafen, taught me to ride, but it was Uncle Eldon who taught me to work. They, along with another life-long mentor named Marv Jones, taught me what makes a story. And they are all at the center of some of the most important stories in my life.

Before I was born, Uncle Eldon started a business called OK Rubber Welders on the west end of what is now St. George Boulevard. Dad became a junior partner when I was just a baby.

They developed St. George’s go-to tire store. It’s where you went if you had a flat or needed a new set of tires or a front end alignment. You could get your worn-out tires recapped there as well. But what made the business legendary was how it became a social center for cowmen, farmers, building contractors, truck drivers, and just about everyone in town who worked at sweatinducing jobs for a living and needed good tires with air in them to do it. There were a couple of bars in St. George, but the place to gather for most of the town’s most productive men was around the pop machine at OK Rubber Welders, where you could swig an ice-cold Pepsi Cola and hear a good story.

Left to right: Lyman Hafen, Kelton Hafen, Marv Jones, and Eldon Hafen.

Most of those stories were shared by my dad, Uncle Eldon, or Marv Jones. I sat awestruck at their feet as they delivered them flawlessly. The men in the circle listened intently and broke into laughter in spontaneous unison with every perfectly delivered line.

I went to work patching inner tubes at the tire shop when I was ten or eleven years old. By the time I was fourteen, I was a fullfledged tire repairman. I could balance a tire and true it, and I could squat and slap it back on the car or truck without ever touching my knees to the sizzling hot blacktop out back of the shop. I punched the clock for every hour I could accumulate between school and rodeo practice sessions out at the Posse Grounds arena.

When I was eight, Dad, Uncle Eldon, and their brother Herschel got their hands on enough funding to buy the ranch in Clover Valley, Nevada, where their mother was born. Dad began to work his way away from the tire shop to run the ranch, and Uncle Eldon remained on-site to manage the business. Because of the need for a steady wage to finance my rodeo dreams, I put in much more time at the tire shop during my high school years than I did at the ranch. As a result, I spent a lot more time with Uncle Eldon than I did with my dad.

The work ethic Uncle Eldon taught me can be traced directly back to Clover Valley. It was always “first things first” in Grandma’s family. Just like his grandfather Lamond Woods, Uncle Eldon generally put in a half day’s work before he got around to thinking about breakfast. Those Clover Valley ancestors survived from day to day because they worked from daylight to dark, and if they didn’t, they’d have nothing to eat, no roof over their heads, no financial cushion to purchase the things they really needed or from time to time, a few things they merely wanted.

Up until just a few years ago, Uncle Eldon was still putting in full days in Clover Valley: building fences, digging trenches on his backhoe, cleaning ditches with his shovel, turning water through the intricate network of canals and pipelines he’d engineered and built through the years to get extra water to the valley’s meadows.

As a boy, I was intimidated by Uncle Eldon’s ability to work circles around most people. At the tire shop, I wanted to emulate him. I had the feeling he expected me to work as hard as he did, but I couldn’t. I’d get tired. I’d get distracted. I prayed for the clock to move faster. I knew he was on to me. The last thing on earth I wanted to do was disappoint him, but it was almost impossible for me to live up to his standard.

As I grew older and my responsibilities increased, I began to find joy in being busy and pushing myself a little harder. Uncle Eldon seemed to sense this, and he began to treat me more like a man than a boy. That was a self-fulfilling prophecy. I could still go off the rails from time to time—and he never cut me any slack when I did—but I was mostly coming to a reckoning with the whole

idea of work and how it could empower you if you embraced it. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was doing all the work and doing it on the same level as the men I worked with. I had become responsible to the point that on the morning after my high school graduation, a morning when I didn’t get home until 4:00 a.m., I was punching in at the tire shop at 7:55 a.m., not because I was forced to but because it’s what I figured my Uncle Eldon would have done when he was in high school and what my grandfathers on Clover Mountain would have done under similar circumstances.

I can look back now and understand how lucky I was to have Eldon Hafen as a mentor. I could never keep up with him, but I could never abide the thought of letting him down.

I learned a multitude of important things from my dad, but I’ve always felt blessed to have had an uncle placed in my path at just the right time to make such a difference in my life. I learned that working hard makes the rest of life that much more fun, and this was never illustrated more powerfully than those sessions around the pop machine when some of the best, finest, and hardest-working men in town cracked open a Pepsi, sat on the stacked tires, and listened to the stories that only my Uncle Eldon and my dad could tell.

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.

Premier Health & Wellness: A One-Stop Destination for Health, Healing, and Wellness

By Carrie Bunker

Premier Health and Wellness, located in St. George, Utah, is a leading destination in southern Utah, providing complete health and wellness support and offering services for the soul, brain, body, and heart to guide people to discover their pathway to intentional, healthy living.

Their areas of focus include:

• Psychological and psychiatric therapies

• NeuroStar TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation)

• Depression treatment

• Fitness and nutrition

• Medical spa and salon

• Primary care

Psychological and Psychiatric Therapies

(Premier PCC)

Premier Health & Wellness is now offering psychiatric medication management in addition to psychological counseling and consulting. This includes individualized and customized counseling and treatments for those with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. In addition, they offer support services for US military

veterans. Premier Health & Wellness believes in promoting functional lifestyle changes for children, adolescents, adults, and families through therapy, recovery, and healing. They are the first Utah clinic to offer outpatient counseling and recovery for individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and strokes. Other services provided in this area of focus include ketamine therapy (intravenous and intramuscular), SPRAVATO®, and medical cannabis evaluations and prescriptions.

NeuroStar TMS (Premier TMS)

Premier Health & Wellness is the premier provider of NeuroStar TMS (advanced transcranial magnetic stimulation). TMS is a relatively new type of treatment for depression that has significant success rates in improving the overall mental state. NeuroStar TMS treatment is cleared by the FDA as a safe and effective treatment option for depression, anxious depression, anxiety, OCD, and tinnitus. During NeuroStar TMS therapy, magnetic pulses deliver the therapy to the correct location in the brain that regulates the mood.

The integration of fitness and nutrition into any health and wellness plan is essential. Premier Health & Wellness incorporates this into their overall plan to transform and connect the mind, body, emotions, and spirit to create newly formed mindfulness and healthy habits. The cornerstone program is entitled Premier Fit. Along with daily and weekly personalized fitness and nutrition assessments as well as instruction and management for clients, Premier Fit offers a Six-Week Challenge for Health and Wellness that pushes each individual mentally, physically, emotionally, and soulfully in the direction of mental wellness and success. This includes customized nutrition plans, daily group fitness with specifically designed exercise routines, reading inspiring literature, melody healing through music, and gathering with others to offer support. This program is designed to meet a person exactly where they are and assist them in bettering themselves.

Medical Spa and Salon (Premier IMG)

Premier Health & Wellness Medical Spa and Salon recognizes that feeling good on the inside can translate to wanting to look

Medical Spa and Salon offers salon and customized aesthetic services to enhance the mind and body experience and improve overall mental health. The offerings include a full-service salon for men’s and women’s haircuts and color, women’s hair extensions, pedicures and manicures, and permanent makeup. The medical spa includes aesthetic treatments, including facials, massage, injections, fillers, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, plateletrich plasma fillers, microneedling, microblading, laser sculpting, waxing, and plasma pen. The addition of the medical spa and salon to the overall offerings at Premier Health & Wellness completes the mind and body connection for clients to achieve the full experience of health, beauty, and wellness.

Primary Care

Premier Health & Fitness will also be offering primary care that focuses on weight loss management, hormone evaluations, hormone replacements, contraceptives, paps, physicals, sick visits, and telemedicine.

With three school records broken and five medals won at the Western Athletic Conference, Ally Boynton is one of Utah Tech’s top swimmers. Ally casually picked up swimming after being inspired by the Olympics at age eleven. The thrill of racing and competing made her fall in love with the sport and led her to a successful high school swimming career.

Two years ago, Ally was finishing out her final high school swim competition and was ready to start a new chapter in her life as a swimmer at Utah Tech when she started experiencing pain in her arm. She assumed it was tendinitis and ignored it. Later, Ally’s arm began to swell and turn purple, leading her to seek medical attention. Doctors determined she had a blood clot, and she was rushed to the hospital because the clotted vein led to her heart.

Ally was diagnosed with Paget-Schrotter syndrome, a rare condition in which the first rib and muscle compress on the vein underneath, causing blood clots to form. She underwent surgery to remove her first rib, but four days post-surgery, her body reacted negatively to some medication, causing internal bleeding.

“All of that pressure caused my organs on my left side to move to my right side, and my lung collapsed,” Ally said. “Luckily, I had strong lungs because of swimming, so I was able to recover from that.”

After twelve days in the hospital and three additional surgeries to remove excess blood and put in another drain, Ally was finally able to return home. But she still had a long road to recovery ahead of her. “After my surgery, I started at square one. I had to learn new swim strokes, get my arm strength back, and reteach myself how to swim,” she said.

Ally described her first time back in the pool as “a toddler taking her first steps.” She wasn’t able to swim as fast as she could prior to her hospital stay, but she reminded herself that six months prior, she couldn’t get out of bed without passing out.

Utah Tech University

Swimmer Beats the Odds and Breaks School Records

By Kaylee Cluff, Senior, Utah Tech University

“When I dove in for that first time, I knew I would be able to get through all of this and be able to swim fast again,” Ally said. “After I swam to the other side of the pool and back, I came up and started crying; I missed it so much. This is what I am supposed to do.”

Now, Ally is not only breaking swim records and earning medals but she is also using her story to inspire others. She shares her love of swimming with her fellow student athletes as a member of Utah Tech’s Student Advisory Committee and as a coach to a group of eighteen-and-older swimmers who are seeking the sense of community provided in the swim arena.

About the Author

After graduating with her associate degree from Mesa Community College, Arizona native Kaylee Cluff transferred to Utah Tech University. Now a senior at Utah Tech, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public relations. Kaylee is enjoying her time here in southern Utah and exploring everything the community has to offer.

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

Change Your Body by Changing Your Mind: Getting Ready for Real Weight Loss

By Erin Del Toro, Licensed Clinical Therapist

It’s starting to heat up outside, and with summer approaching, losing weight tends to be on the minds of many. Each of the millions of people anxiously seeking weight loss each year do so for a multitude of life-improving reasons. They want to have healthier hearts, feel better in their bathing suits, have more energy and less pain, enjoy better sex lives, feel confident in the clothes they wear, or avoid a range of diseases.

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.

Starting in the early 1900s when reducing salons promised to roll away fat and cigarettes were marketed to women as a weight loss tool, dieters have been promised an easy solution for getting rid of their extra pounds. Popular diets have included the bananas and skim milk diet, the cabbage soup diet, the sugar diet, and the wine and eggs diet. Over the years, dieters have been told to reduce caloric intake to starvation levels, eat only one type of food, nix the carbs, cut out all fat, eat mostly protein, and eat high fat. Keeping track of the best way to lose weight can be a house of smoke and mirrors.

Today, except for a few extreme points of view, the health industry has leveled out and the majority of experts offer a more sensible solution; whole grains, balanced protein, vegetables, and fresh fruits are recommended, with caloric intake matching activity level. However, most people who’ve ever tried to lose weight know that having the knowledge about how to create a leaner, healthier body doesn’t necessarily mean that bad habits will be easy to curb.

Despite having the knowledge of what to do, a high percentage of people are unable to stick with the eating and exercise habits they know they should be following for optimum health.

The reasons for this are diverse. Some have an addiction to the dopamine they get from eating a particular type of food, turning to sugary or salty snacks again and again. Others turn to eating as a go-to activity to cope with boredom or a dip in energy level. Some have certain times of the day that trigger them to overeat or snack, while others may eat to relieve stress or to deal with negative emotions.

And a great many simply find the idea of changing their habits in diet and exercise overwhelming. Most people who feel frustrated with weight loss are dealing with a combination of these things.

Those who continue to follow a pattern of setbacks or failure with food and exercise will most likely find a long-term solution by attacking the problem from two angles. This is the plan used by clinical hypnotherapists:

1) Strengthen the mind’s ability to overcome the habits that have been developed, and reprogram it for success. To do this, identify the negative points or weaknesses in your nutrition and exercise habits and work to create new neural pathways that keep you on track with your goals, even in moments of overwhelming temptation. Focus on moments of success and allow yourself to be proud of each win to help your mind create interest and excitement, which helps to deepen neural pathways more quickly.

2) Heal and move on from the deeper emotional reasons that are causing failure. You can work on reprogramming your habits 24/7, but if there is an unresolved emotional reason creating a problem that keeps you going back to a bad habit on a subconscious level, it’s fairly likely that the new neural pathways you create will go unused; you will keep slipping into the bad habits triggered by unprocessed emotions. If you have struggled with weight loss long-term, success nearly always requires that you deal with the emotions and experiences that push unhealthy eating.

Often, this comes down to resolving moments from the past. These moments can vary from somewhat silly to seriously traumatic, but I nearly always find that they are connected to a time when the client needed love or safety and found those feelings delivered through the chemicals and hormones created as they consumed food. The blend of hormones emitted while eating caused them to feel comfort, calm, happiness, and even love. Because of this, food has an easy way of creating neural pathways as a way to feel good when we feel nervous, unhappy, angry, or lonely.

When I work with a client on this part of their weight loss journey, they often have some ideas about where their stress is coming from. But often, the answers to why ice cream is their vice every night, why they feel the need to have a snack when they come home from work, or why they binge eat in the afternoon is something that is out of their conscious mind’s reach. Even though they don’t realize it, there is usually an emotional reason steering their weight loss ship into doom.

In clinical hypnotherapy, we help identify the key emotions that are holding you back from success, alleviate the reasons these emotions keep occurring, and disconnect the attraction to food in those moments.

From there, we help you to begin to feel excitement and interest in the idea of healthy food, exercise, and practicing kindness for yourself on the journey. Your brain allows new habits to begin to become more familiar, natural, and easy.

If you’ve struggled to lose weight and you would like to continue your weight loss journey without the help of a therapist, you can delve into your emotional healing with meditation, self-help books, and a myriad of podcasts. Begin by becoming aware of what you are feeling right before you make the choice to indulge. Work at reducing those feelings by focusing on where the feelings originate, journaling, or talking to a trusted friend.

While you work through your emotions, don’t forget to keep your eye on the prize. Every time you want to snack, imagine what life would be like without the extra weight. Let yourself connect with the wise and successful future you, and you’ll be on your way to strong, healthy habits.

To enhance your weight loss success through clinical hypnotherapy, please contact me for a consultation or appointment by phone or text at (435) 429-2560 or by email at erin@balancedmodernhypnotherapy.com.

Did You FLOSS Last Night?

By Dr. William Plumb, DDS, Plumb Dental

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.

Years ago, I attended a continuing education course. I was in a room full of dentists, and the speaker asked, “How many of you flossed last night?” Only two or three hands were raised. I was embarrassed that mine wasn’t one of them.

The speaker asked this question in order to make the point that knowledge often isn’t a great motivator. It was a good lesson, and it motivated me to change the way that I present treatment to my patients. Deep down, I’m still a scientist, and so naturally, I organize my treatment plans as a list of problems and their possible solutions. But since that seminar, I also attempt to explain why. Why should the patient complete this treatment? How will the treatment improve their lives? How will this procedure make them feel better, happier, and healthier?

In addition to helping me communicate better with my patients, these questions helped me in another way. I promised myself that if anybody ever asked me if I had flossed the night before, I would always be able to say yes.

Now I can honestly say that flossing has changed my life for the better. Here’s what flossing accomplishes:

• It cleans the areas between your teeth, helping you remove debris that can cause bad breath.

• It helps you avoid cavities that form between the teeth.

• It removes plaque that accumulates around the gum tissue that causes inflammation and can also lead to bone loss.

That is the what; here is the why. Imagine biting into a popsicle and not feeling sensitivity or going to the dentist for a cleaning and walking out without your gums being sore. Flossing just makes your mouth feel better. Try it for a week. I know you’ll feel a difference.

EXERCISE MINDFULNESS MEDITATION?

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

Life is busy…and complicated. People who are striving to live a healthy lifestyle are often confronted with competing desires: do I sleep that extra hour or get up early and make a healthy breakfast? Do I spend time with friends and family or focus on advancing my career? We all have the same twenty-four hours each day, and by choosing one healthy activity, we are forced to forgo another.

One common question I’m asked is “Which is better for mental health, exercise or mindfulness meditation?” Both offer positive benefits, but if your personal time is limited, which one offers the best bang per minute?

To answer that question, researchers in Spain studied ninety-four people during their work’s lunch break. The results were published in the International Journal of Environment and Public Health. The workers were split into three groups: those who performed aerobic exercise, those who performed mindfulness meditation, and those who did nothing during their lunch break each day. The study lasted five weeks.

At the end of five weeks, both the exercise group and meditation group reported improvements in well-being; however, the group that exercised had a greater degree of improvement. They reported less stress, less interpersonal conflict, and less irritability. Regarding overall mental health, both groups had a similar amount of improvement.

This is consistent with previous studies. Both exercise and meditation are non-medical ways to improve our experience in the world. It seems, though, that exercise is slightly superior to meditation. Additionally, moderate exercise has many physical benefits that meditation doesn’t confer: improved sleep, weight management, higher selfesteem, blood sugar control, improved muscle strength and balance, and less joint pain and stiffness.

In this simple country doctor’s opinion, if your time is limited and you have to choose between exercise and meditation, exercise will be the most beneficial. Although you can be mindful when performing many physical activities—yoga, swimming, stretching, dancing, walking, running—if exercise is not your thing, practicing mindfulness meditation will offer a long list of health benefits, both mental and physical, that will also improve your life’s experience.

About the Author

Dr. Scott Allen is a St. George-raised, boardcertified 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!

You’re Love Means Never Having to Say

By Matt Eschler, PhD, LMFT

In a romantic scene from the 1970s movie Love Story, a young man apologizes to his lover for his bad behavior, and she replies, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” I imagine that never needing to say you’re sorry could sound like the epitome of trust! I trust your intentions so much you will never have to say you are sorry for anything; I will always assume the very best.

However, the truth is this: the only way you can achieve perfect trust is by saying “I am sorry” every time you cause harm. When counseling couples, I actively teach that saying you are sorry is one of the keys to an intimate relationship.

Bruce Lee is one of my heroes. He displayed immense grace and discipline. He was once heard to say, “Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them.” Lee achieved pure greatness in Jeet Kune Do. This form of fighting requires immense discipline and training. Marital intimacy requires you to be disciplined and to train nonstop. The foundation of marital training is building trust by being disciplined enough to admit your mistakes and being able to forgive and be patient with your partner’s mistakes.

Remember that forgiveness is not one decision nor is forgiveness a “feeling” that settles over you. Forgiveness is a journey of several decisions and is a consequence of many actions. Forgiveness is restorative to the forgiver and the forgiven. A sense of relief is restored to the forgiven and a sense of personal power and strength is returned to the forgiver.

We are told to repent whenever we offend and to forgive and “let go” of the offenses we suffer. Enjoying solid, loving “relationship repair” is a two-person job. The roles of each partner are clear

and require a deep sense of humility. At the heart of each harmful instance is an offender and an injured person. The offender is required to be accountable for the harm and make reparations to the extent it is possible. The injured one is required to forgive the harmful offense and allow it to be repaired to the fullest extent possible. The most intimate couples will turn the repentance process into a healthy ritual. It looks something like this:

Step One: The truth is told about a harmful act. Both persons involved (the offender and the injured person) describe their experience, asking each other questions until they understand each other’s point of view.

Step Two: The offender owns his or her role in the harmful act.

Step Three: The injured person describes the feelings and the experience from his or her perspective.

Step Four: The offender expresses empathy for those feelings and demonstrates an understanding of how this event has hurt the injured person.

Step Five: The injured person asks for fair and possible restitution.

Step Six: The offender follows through with as much restitution as possible.

Step Seven: Both the offender and the injured person discuss the meaning of the event and describe what they learned.

Practicing repentance will strengthen your resolve to be a stronger, more romantic partner. Practicing forgiveness will allow you to turn the corner from feeling like a victim to becoming a more empowered person.

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.

per•spec•tive (noun)

By Steve Wilson, Post Career Advisor

Have you ever seen someone studying a painting in an art gallery? Typical body movements often include cocking the head to one side, possibly furrowing the brow, then taking a step back before nodding an approval and moving on. This casual observance teaches a valuable lesson about perspective.

The lesson is this: all significant forward progress begins with a step back. Although it seems counterintuitive, it is by stepping back that we appreciate where we’ve been, where we’re going, and the best way to get there. When perspective is missing, decisions get made out of context, which can result in reaching the top of our ladder only to discover it was leaning against the wrong wall.

Perspective grows incrementally through life experiences and is commonly measured by birthdays. For example, reaching fifty years of age is a point when many take a step back. Fifty isn’t the end of life, but you can see it from there. At fifty, you see the circle of life as you assist the generation ahead (parents, elderly relatives, and neighbors) while simultaneously encouraging and mentoring those behind (children, nieces and nephews, and perhaps grandchildren). In time, you grow comfortable with this role— although you may be puzzled over how you became so old!

—Marie von Ebner-Eschebbach

youth we learn; in age we understand.

the ability to see things in their true relationship.

18/40/60

PRINCIPLE

Perspective evolves over time and was wonderfully described by Dr. Daniel Amen as the 18/40/60 principle in his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. Dr. Amen’s theory goes like this:

• At age 18, we’re convinced all eyes are upon us, watching our every move while rendering judgments about our choices, our thoughts, where we hang out and with whom.

• At age 40, we stop worrying about what others think and decide it doesn’t matter. Instead, we determine to live life as we please.

• At age 60, we realize no one was ever actually watching, thinking, or caring about us. They were too busy thinking and caring about themselves the entire time.

It is at this point the observation made by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach becomes instructive. She wrote, “In youth we learn, in age we understand.” Marie came to discover that learning and understanding are different. Yet there comes a time when learning and understanding combine, perhaps just as two lenses in a single pair of glasses merge together for better vision. Those over the age of fifty are likely familiar (or soon will be) with a vision adjustment technique where a portion of the lens is adjusted to see in the distance and another for reading. The brain does the work and blends the strengths of each focal point to create unified or integrated vision.

In the same way, learning and understanding combine to create wisdom. Using the unique learning and understanding gained over a lifetime is the foundation upon which successful retirements are built.

Wisdom and a desire to make a difference coupled with the courage to act is the formula for a satisfying retirement.

Where to begin? The perspective of Stephen R. Covey is instructive. He said, “Begin with the end in mind.” Plan time in quiet reflection; consider what life has taught you and what you understand. Then ask yourself this question: Who do I want to be in retirement?

Once you’re clear about who you want to be, where to devote your time and energy will become clear. Remember, you have lifelong learning and understanding to offer. You can make a difference.

Retirement is a gift given to a fortunate few to bless the lives of others and make the world better. Don’t waste it!

Katering Koncepts

“When It Just Has to Be Perfect”

Katering Koncepts has proven to be the gold standard in catering for southern Utah. The past fourteen years have seen tremendous growth, establishing them as a full-service catering and rental company. In 2021, they expanded by launching a Kommissary Kitchen to meet the needs of the growing food truck community.

Despite their many years in operation, owners Doug Naetzel and Kelly Shannon continue to be hands-on with every aspect of their business, and it shows. Doug’s active networking presence in the business community has established numerous trustworthy connections with businesses, vendors, and client referrals. Kelly’s exceptional culinary and organizational skills have cultivated a top-notch hospitality and service staff that can effectively translate a client’s vision into an unforgettable experience that is both appealing and classy.

Doug and Kelly’s creativity and ability to meet changing market demands was put to the test during the COVID shutdown of 2020. They created Family Meal Deals, which quickly garnered a following due to the affordable gourmet meal selections. The quality was unmatched, and orders grew exponentially each week. This enabled Katering Koncepts to flourish at a time when other catering companies and restaurants were forced to shut down.

With their creative buffet-style breakfasts, lunches, and dinners as well as elegant sit-down meals, Katering Koncepts has mastered a menu selection that provides a variety of choices and was developed to satisfy a broad range of pallets. Online reviews for Katering Koncepts are filled with glowing testimonials from brides, event planners, individuals, and business owners who have hired them for local and destination weddings, corporate events, and family celebrations. They rave generously about the easy planning process, amazing quality of food and presentation, friendly serving staff that exceeds expectations, and impeccable attention to detail from every level of service.

Katering Koncepts also has everything necessary to create an environment that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. They provide rentals for tables, chairs, linens, formal dishware, tableware, barware, and more. The remarkable decor and food displays coupled with a top-quality dining experience often become the topic of conversation long after the event itself. Whether serving a group of 25 or 2000, Katering Koncepts’ commitment to consistently providing exceptional service and client satisfaction is always their number one priority.

For more information or to view sample menus, go to www.kateringkoncepts.com or call 435-574-0059.

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.

Chakras:

Getting to Know Your a Guide for Health and Well-Being

By Brigit Atkin

You know how your house has a circuit breaker? That circuit breaker supplies power to the corresponding electrical sockets throughout your home. Well, you have an energy system that supplies your body with power in much the same way. You have seven main chakras that line up the spine, and each one gives power to the organs around it. Knowing about these chakras and how they work can be a huge step in keeping your body and mind happy and healthy.

Let’s look at each chakra in order—root to crown—and learn about keeping each one correctly balanced.

1. ROOT. This is your literal connection to earth. Why is this connection so important? Think of a tall, healthy tree. What’s keeping it so resilient? It’s the deep roots. The deeper the roots, the healthier the tree. In your own body, this presents itself as feelings of belonging, security, stability. If this chakra is out of balance, you might notice that you are hoarding (living in scarcity), unable to make decisions, and “wishywashy.” Physically, you might have blood and heart issues as well as leg, hip, and spinal pain. This is also where the male reproductive system gets its energy. To balance, get outside! Stand barefoot in the grass or dirt and literally “ground” yourself. You’ll see animals do this. They instinctively know this will help heal them. “I am safe.”

2. SACRAL. This chakra is slightly below the naval and has to do with your creativity. In the body, it corresponds with the kidneys, adrenal glands, female reproductive system, hormones, low back pain, intestinal issues, and how your body uses fluids. This is also where shame and addictions reside. To balance, create by drawing, coloring, and journaling; organize a drawer; rearrange the furniture; drink water; and get in the water. Address your “control” issues and the way

you interact with others. Do you need to control or give your power away to get something in return? Do you like drama? These are deep questions, but improving yourself in these areas will clear the blocks and unleash creativity you never knew you had. It will also help heal strained relationships. It can be life changing. “I feel.”

3. SOLAR PLEXUS. This is located just below the rib cage and is your powerhouse. In the body, this chakra is related to all things digestion. If out of balance, your digestion might be sluggish, and your breathing will be impaired. The gut is often referred to as the second brain, so this is where many “mental” problems originate. Panic, anxiety, and shock often reside here, not in the brain. Emotionally, you’ll tend to be in victim mode and might lean toward passive-aggressive behavior. To balance, practice deep breathing and yoga. Change how you talk to yourself: “I take responsibility for my actions while patiently and gently working on being a better person.” Remember, this is your power center. Are you fair to yourself and others? Are you humble? If you have a position of authority, do you use it kindly toward others? Do you shrink back when you should push forward? You can literally reverse many gut issues by balancing this important center. “I can”.

4. HEART. How is your blood pressure? If it is too high, do you feel you are in a pressure cooker? Do you need to confront someone/something but are afraid? If it is too low, you may be letting everyone walk all over you and taking on the bad while not letting in the good. Your heart can be too closed or too cold; you have no compassion or tenderness toward yourself or others. It can be too open: you are enabling others wrong behavior or loving too much (think having an affair). Again, the secret is balance. Have healthy boundaries so you can love yourself and others correctly. Focus on and practice those correct boundaries. Practice forgiveness and compassion, and the chakra will take care of itself. “I love.”

5. THROAT. This is your voice and how you communicate. This is also the energy to your thyroid. If this chakra is out of balance, you either won’t speak and don’t feel heard or you speak too much and too loudly. To balance, express yourself in every positive way you can. Practice speaking up at appropriate times and in the right ways. Journal your frustrations, hopes, and dreams. Quit gossiping. Speak well of others, and have integrity. Keep your word. “I speak.”

6. BROW OR THIRD EYE. This chakra is situated right between the eyebrows and is your intuition, your ability to see the bigger picture. When blocked, you will have tunnel vision. You won’t be able to see through a situation, and you won’t trust yourself. Physically, you might have headaches, vision problems, and ear issues. To balance, practice recognizing a bigger vision. Step back and see. Start trusting your instincts, and watch for the proof you are right. “I see.”

7. CROWN. This is your connection to God, to a Higher Power. It’s located on the top of your head and when balanced, receives inspiration. This Light travels down through the body to the root chakra. When out of balance, depression, confusion, and fear prevail. Physically, migraines, tumors, and senility can begin. To balance, pray, be present, and feel the miracle of living in a body. Meditate. Show and express genuine gratitude. “I am.”

If I could suggest a summary to remedy all of these chakras, I would start where I began and expound: go outside, stand barefoot in the grass, be still. Get some sun on your face, breathe deeply, and play in the dirt. Journal, pray, practice forgiveness, live in gratitude. Rest, eat nourishing foods, and drink plenty of water. Work and then play! You don’t have to do any of these perfectly—just make progress each day the best you can. Life is to be enjoyed, even in stressful times. Just do your best and have fun!

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.

The Benefitsof Resistance Bands

By Gini Grimsley, Director of Fitness Product, VASA Fitness

The resistance band is one of the most common and popular pieces of fitness equipment in recent years. These loops of elastic can be used for full-body conditioning, come in a variety of materials and sizes, are just as effective for beginner exercisers as they are for Olympic-level athletes, and help improve strength, power, and endurance. The key to getting the most out of a resistance band is application: using the right one at the right time in the right position.

Types of Resistance Bands

Resistance bands found in most gyms come in several sizes, with the most common ranging from the large thirty-six-inch or forty-two-inch super loops down to the twelve-inch mini band (more popularly known as the “booty” band). Super loops are similar to resistance bands but have handles and in some cases offer a slight advantage by providing the ability to add resistance in multiple planes of motion at once. Resistance bands with handles are usually found in group fitness and personal training spaces and like the other bands, can be found in a myriad of thicknesses and lengths. In physical rehabilitation settings, THERABANDs are used more often simply because they come in bulk rolls and can be cut to meet patients’ needs.

Benefits of Elastic Resistance

No matter the size or shape of the band you choose to purchase, they all use the same concept of elastic resistance. Elastic resistance (sometimes known as accommodating resistance) is a way of loading movements with increasingly challenging resistance the more the band is stretched. For example, a single arm row using a handled band will have less tension on the muscle when the arm is straight and the handle of the band is closer to its attachment point on a rack. This is also the weakest point of the exercise, so having less tension here is a good thing. As the arm and handle move away from the rack into the row position, the band is stretched, putting more tension into the system. A flexed muscle is a strong muscle, so the challenge of the band tension relative to the strength of the position is the key to gaining strength through the entire range of motion, not just when there is only enough resistance to challenge the weaker positions of the exercise.

For beginners, bands tend to be less intimidating than many machines or free weights and create similar training responses. The stretch of the band matches the contraction sequence of the muscles and will allow for more challenging tension when the beginner is ready. For more advanced exercisers, adding a pair of bands to compound movements can help you break through plateaus. When bands are added to compound movements, the concept of “overspeed eccentrics” comes into play, where the band pulls the lifter into the bottom position of the exercise faster than they would normally go on their own. This overspeed forces a bigger contraction on the muscles when it’s time to return to the top of the exercise.

Another benefit of using resistance bands comes down to tricking the central nervous system into working more efficiently. We’ve all seen gym members walking sideways with bands around their feet or lower legs or squatting with bands around their knees. They are utilizing a concept called reactive neuromuscular facilitation (RNT). The basis of this concept is to force a part of the body into a poor position, causing the central nervous system to send a signal to the supporting muscles to fire even harder to get you out of that position. For example, in the squat, if the knees collapse in, placing a band around the knees will pull them into that collapsed position, but the signal sent from the central nervous system will force the glutes to fire harder to push the knees out and back in line with the toes. RNT can be used on all the big movement patterns (squat, hinge, lunge, pushing, pulling) to correct poor form that could cause injury.

Add Complexity to Basic Movements

Bands can also be applied to compound movements to add a layer of complexity to the basic variation of an exercise and challenge a secondary plane of motion. The three planes of motion are sagittal (front to back), frontal (side to side), and transverse (rotational). Bands also can add variation to the “lines of pull” or to how gravity is acting on the exercise and the muscles being used. Most exercises or machines usually challenge only one plane of motion or line of pull. For example, traditional squats, hinges, and lunges typically occur in the sagittal plane. Adding bands to these movements may increase the challenge of the exercise and allow for greater strength adaptations. A bench dumbbell row is a great back exercise; however, this variation only takes advantage of the vertical weight of the dumbbell. If a band is attached to a rack and wrapped around the wrist in a horizontal line of pull, the lifter gets the benefit of the vertical pull and the horizontal pull of the band.

Cheap and Easy for Traveling

Last but not least, resistance bands are easy to pack and carry when traveling. Small and compact, bands can easily be tossed into a gym bag or suitcase and taken on the road so that you don’t have to wait on busy machines or miss out on workouts while traveling. Portability and cost-effectiveness are two big draws for incorporating resistance bands into your workout routine.

Bands are here to stay! Whether you’re a seasoned lifter or just starting out, grabbing a set of resistance bands can help you continue to make progress in the gym. They are easy to use and can be found in a variety of tensions. If you’d like to learn more about incorporating resistance bands into your workouts or if you are a beginner and have questions about the band you should use, chat with one of VASA’s certified personal trainers in your area. They can help establish your starting point and create a custom plan so you can progress in the gym and reach your fitness goals. Learn more at vasafitness.com.

How Sunlight Systems and Solatube Products Can Improve Your Health and Make You Feel Better!

By Solatube of Southern Utah

If you are like most people, you spend about 90 percent of your time indoors, and on the coldest days of winter or hottest dog days of summer, it can be even more.

Over the past few decades, public health officials have warned about the risk of spending too much time in the sun. While it is important to protect yourself against an overabundance of UV rays, an increasing body of evidence shows a litany of negative health effects that are caused by forgoing the sunlight. Solatube, a local southern Utah business, can help you overcome this challenge by bringing beautiful, natural light into your home with their innovative tubular skylight technology and converting dark spaces in your home or business into places you love.

The following are ten great, scientifically-proven reasons to bring sunlight into the spaces where you spend the most time:

1. Natural Lighting Increases Focus.

Natural light during both the morning and evening has been shown to increase concentration and focus. A naturally lit space will help you be more productive than an artificially lit work environment.

2. Natural Lighting Reduces Blood Pressure. Research shows that sunlight alters levels of the small messenger molecule nitric oxide in the skin and blood, which reduces blood pressure.

3. Natural Lighting Reduces Stress and Anxiety.

Sunlight improves the communication between the regions of the brain that are central to your handling of emotions, such as stress and anxiety.

4. Natural Lighting Can Boost Your Immune System. Your immune system relies on T cells to fight foreign pathogens. Sunlight (specifically the vitamin D it creates) wakes them up.

5. Natural Lighting Increases Happiness.

Sunlight causes your brain to produce serotonin, a hormone that can improve mood by alleviating pain, providing energy, and making you feel happy and wellrested. Sunlight also produces endorphins, otherwise known as “feel-good hormones.”

6. Natural Lighting Is a Vital Source of Vitamin D.

A study conducted in 2010 found that vitamin D regulates the control of cell cycles and the functioning of over 200 genes in the body. It promotes the health of your bones, intestines, muscles, brain, and immune, pancreatic, and cardiovascular systems. Having your home set up to receive as much sunlight as possible can help improve your absorption of vitamin D.

7. Natural Lighting Benefits Vision. While it’s true you shouldn’t stare directly at the sun, the light it creates is good for your eyes. Natural light has been shown to lower the risk of nearsightedness in children and young adults by helping the eye produce dopamine, an aid in healthy eye development.

8. Natural Lighting Could Help You Lose Weight. Is this a magical diet trick? No, it’s just another amazing benefit of sunlight. A

higher level of serotonin in your body (triggered by sunlight) suppresses appetite. Additionally, ultraviolet (UV) radiation helps suppress obesity and symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

9. Natural Lighting Can Help Make You Smarter.

A study conducted by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District found that people performed 10 to 25 percent better on tests of mental function and memory recall when they worked in a room with daylight and a view.

10. Natural Lighting Improves Energy and Sleep.

Sunlight slows down your body’s ability to make melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep and makes us tired. Sunlight allows you to sync up with nature’s clock for a steady circadian rhythm, putting your body’s inner clock on track while giving you a better night’s sleep and more energy during the day.

Sunlight Systems has been serving southern Utah for over twenty-five years. They are licensed and insured and would love to visit with you in your home about how they can add natural light and fresh air to your living space or workplace.

Please visit their showroom at 1316 S. 400 E. Suite C1 in St. George, Utah, or call them at 435-673-4774 to schedule a free in-home consultation.

Are High Interest Rates Here to HELP or HURT You?

By Branden DuCharme

You have likely felt the impacts of high inflation. High inflation has led to an increase in interest rates, the results of which you are feeling in different but potentially equally painful ways. Here is the thing: the Fed is adamant about beating down inflation, which means interest rates will continue to rise and will probably stay high for quite a while (my opinion). So the question becomes, will you be wiped out by the increase in interest rates, or will you be laughing all the way to the bank? It’s really for you to decide.

Over the last decade while interest rates stayed near zero, folks were actually needing to take increased risk through more exposure to riskier assets like stocks, real estate, or other high-risk asset classes. Low risk bonds just weren’t yielding a meaningful return that would get people to their goals.

If you have been riding that wave and don’t care to pivot your strategy and change your risk exposure, buckle up. It will continue to be a bumpy ride. Rising interest rates will change what is referred to as the “discount rate.” The discount rate is a key number that is used in a wide range of calculations in order to determine the value of risk assets, such as stocks, real estate, high-yield bonds, or even private businesses. The key thing to remember is that as the discount rate increases, the value of risk assets decreases. This is because investors need to buy at a deeper discount to compensate for the increased risk. They are taking over what is generally referred to as risk-free rates, such as the ten-year treasury notes.

How can higher interest rates help you? Well, for those that manage to appropriately change the risk structure of their portfolios holistically, there may be great opportunities ahead to

gain exposure to lower risk markets, such as treasuries or high quality corporate bonds. The difference is that now the lower-risk assets that did not generate a meaningful yield in the past now likely will. This means that as you come closer to retirement or if you enjoy retirement now, you may not need to take the same amount of risk that you have been in order to generate a relatively similar return.

As the discount rate increases, the price of stocks and real estate will likely continue to fall significantly. Historically, because of the liquidity difference, we would see the stock market correct and finish correcting prior to a correction in the housing market. So as the saying goes, cash is king.

There is a lot of talk about the high rate of inflation and the need to make a higher return than the inflation rate. Remember that investing is a long-term strategy and chasing high shortterm gain is often a fool’s errand. Money market funds and short duration treasury bonds (the lowest risk on the yield curve) are now producing a meaningful return. Well-calibrated investors should utilize this to their advantage to help them wait out periods of volatility while the market corrects to reflect the new true value of risk assets.

Speak with your own fiduciary financial advisor to strategize how to win in this rising interest rate environment.

About the Author Branden DuCharme is an investment adviser representative with GVCM, a SEC registered investment advisory firm and an Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA®).

Spring into Action

By Chris Eschler, Health and Well-Being Life Coach

I love spring. I also love the anticipation of summer as the weather shifts and the daylight hours gradually grow longer. I become excited to ramp up exercise and set fitness goals. It’s a great time to get outdoors, head out for a hike, go for a walk or bike ride, sign up for a 5k, or participate in whatever your passion may be!

Recently, I was at a women’s conference where the presenter asked, “Can you guess what the best overall exercise is?” I couldn’t wait to find out! I was excited to know of the new research that would prescribe the perfect exercise regime for maximum health. I was a little stunned when the presenter answered her own question by saying, “It’s whatever exercise you enjoy!”

The good news is that you don’t have to grit your teeth to lose the winter pounds you gained in order to fit into your summertime attire. Instead, it’s time to rewrite the script for those negative connotations about exercise that you carry. Here is how.

Get to know yourself.

If it’s been a long time since you’ve done anything active, think of a time that you were active. What did you once find enjoyable? What have you thought about trying lately? Don’t allow fears to stop you from trying something new. Chances are most people are going to be impressed that you are willing to try.

Think in terms of what you can do, not what you can’t do.

If you were once an avid basketball player but now have bad knees, don’t let that get you down. Practice shooting hoops, dribble standing still, or pass the ball back and forth with a friend. You don’t have to be tearing it down the court to activate muscles. Do what you can now rather than making comparisons to what you once were able to do. You may be able to get closer to your old stamina level than you ever thought possible just by taking small, bite-sized, consistent steps.

Pat yourself on the back for what you are doing.

Don’t be defeated by not being better. Rather, reach for growth. We start out crawling before we walk. We all start somewhere, so don’t beat yourself up with comparisons. Celebrate accomplishments and milestones regardless of how gradual they may be.

Recognize that opportunities for growth often spring from the start and finish of something difficult.

I remember the first time I stepped into a gym. I was put on a stationary bike by the fitness trainer. She walked away, telling me to pedal for ten minutes. I thought I would have a heart attack after the first two minutes! At the time, I was mortified as everyone around me was pedaling super strong and fast while my bike kept shutting off because I was pedaling so slow. The bike wasn’t even registering that I was moving, and there I was, panting! Fortunately, I didn’t give up. Years later, I began running marathons (not something I ever visualized being capable of doing as I sat on the stationary bike), which later became a passion of mine. Had I never started somewhere, I never would have attempted that first marathon.

Get moving and have fun!

There are so many options. Whether it be horseback riding, paddle boarding, pickleball, yoga, or a new Zumba class, spring into action with your passion. Get moving this spring and summer by doing something that you love!

About the Author

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/.

By Fae Dutson, Snow Canyon High School Senior

I am a core believer that everyone has a thing. That thing can be reading, javelinthrowing, dog grooming—anything that makes a person’s soul feel a little brighter when they’re doing it.

I love art; I love it down to the marrow of my bones. I currently serve as the art representative on the Snow Canyon High School Executive Council, and I’m the Art Club president. I was selected as the 2023 SCHS visual arts Sterling Scholar and was even voted “most artistic” at our preference dance this year! Unsurprisingly, I am firmly set on majoring in art education at Southern Utah University in the fall so that I can teach art for my future career.

Everything about my life is molded and orbiting around my love for selfexpression, color, and creativity. Ever since my grubby baby fist could hold a pink crayon, I have been sketching and doodling on any appropriate surface at any given time. Nowadays, I mostly work with colored pencils and Canson paper, but my

most common “victim” is a blank border on a school worksheet. (At this point, my teachers get concerned when my assignments don’t have drawings on them.)

My relationship with my art hasn’t always been perfect. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” This lesson has been a hard pill for me to swallow. Comparing my art to other people’s art has always been a point of vulnerability for me, and art competitions tend to fan those flames within me, fueling my burning desire to succeed.

It was when I was competing in the annual Fantasy Art Festival at Hurricane High School last year that I learned a hard lesson about comparisons. Generally, when judging is completed at an art festival, the judges take your art piece off the wall to present it with your trophy. So you kind of know a win is “in the bag” when you notice that your piece isn’t where you hung it up.

At the time, I was very proud of the artwork I had submitted, having spent hours creating it. So when my piece was removed from the wall, my pride told me that I had definitely placed. However, after all of the awards had been handed out, I found that I had earned nothing.

Humbled and a little embarrassed, I almost cried. As the Art Club president, I was ashamed that I had nothing to show that I was qualified. “This is my thing, dang it!” I thought. “I should have done realism like all of the winners did instead of making my piece so cartoony.”

The organizer of the event saw my expression and pulled me aside. He told me that he saw value in my art and that there was a definable, tangible, unique personality to it. He gave me an extra honorable mention ribbon that they had laying around, and that shiny green token gave me more validation than any trophy ever could.

So do your thing. Don’t hold back by catering to the tastes of others because then it’s their thing. Art is a therapy, a physical reflection of an artist’s emotions and thoughts. Create what makes you happy, and the right people will see you for who you truly are.

Magnesium to the Rescue

By Koby Taylor, PharmD

In recent years and especially since the start of the pandemic, I have noticed a trend in articles found in medical journals, medical case studies, and trusted health blogs where the topic seems to be focused on a “deficiency” of some sort: a deficiency of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids), sleep, focus, and even time!

I started to wonder if my coming across these topics was a sort of confirmation bias or if there was something really and truly going on. With that question in mind, I conducted a review of my patient cases, looking at the oral and diet supplements I recommended. After amino acids, the second most recommended supplement was magnesium.

A Magnesium Deficiency Will Show You Symptoms

Restless legs. You have just settled into your comfy bed after a long day and are beginning to nod off to sleep. Suddenly, your legs jolt as though they are ready to jump out of bed. This symptom, sometimes called restless leg syndrome, is quite common and could be caused by a magnesium deficiency.

Trouble sleeping. Do you have trouble getting into a deep sleep? Perhaps you only get a few hours of sleep a night and are awake more than you’re asleep. This, too, could be a magnesium deficiency.

Irregular heartbeat. Magnesium deficiency may also cause or worsen arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). Sometimes these symptoms could be combined with a headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, and an onset of sudden thirst.

Constipation. Magnesium deficiency can also cause constipation. Constipation is a sign that your bowels are dehydrated. Magnesium helps to increase the amount of water in the intestines, which can help with bowel movements.

Bone and muscle pain. Growing pains are also signs that the body could use a little boost in magnesium. If you have preteens or teenagers at home who are complaining of leg pains and achiness, you may want to explore supplementing their diets with magnesium.

Menstrual cramping. Women who experience moderate to severe menstrual cramping can benefit greatly from taking magnesium. Magnesium helps to relax and hydrate uterine muscles and offers relief from cramping pain.

Dehydration. Intense physical and mental activity as well as overcoming the common cold use many of the body’s resources to take on these challenges. Lightheadedness, dizziness, and muscle weakness or spasms are symptoms of dehydration. Magnesium is vital to proper hydration and can help alleviate these symptoms, especially since many of the most popular hydration drinks for adults and infants are devoid of the very minerals the body needs for proper hydration. For more on sports drinks and hydration, head over to my website for the blog post that discusses this further.

Thinking, reasoning, and mood.

Magnesium supports neurological pathways and synaptic transmission. So if you experience mental fatigue or lack of focus, feel moody and/or anxious, or find it hard to make decisions from time to time, you could be magnesium deficient. These symptoms are common if you’ve been dealing with a lot of pressure and stress.

Medications. If you’re someone with a diagnosed health condition and on medication, magnesium deficiency symptoms may be easily mistaken for illness-related symptoms. I highly recommend asking your provider to check your magnesium levels through a blood test to get a baseline on your levels. Studies have shown that both prescriptive and over-the-counter medications, when taken daily and over a long period of time, can deplete your magnesium as well as other vital minerals. This happens because medications have been known

to create an imbalance in your gut, which limits your ability to maintain proper hydration and absorb nutrients from foods or nutritional supplements.

Eating Magnesium Dense Foods to Increase Your Intake of Magnesium

If you’re someone who doesn’t like to take daily supplements, you can increase your magnesium intake through food. Keep in mind that magnesium’s “shelflife” in the body is twelve to twenty-four hours, depending on your activity and metabolism. So you will need to be vigilant with your diet and aware of how your body is feeling from day to day.

Magnesium-dense foods include bananas, avocados, nuts, leafy green vegetables, tofu, seeds, legumes, some fatty fish, and dark chocolate (choose a product containing at least 70 percent cocoa solids; a higher percentage is even better).

Do your research when supplementing with food to gauge how much you’ll need to eat to garner the recommended daily

allowance (RDA). For adults nineteen years of age and older, the RDA for men is 400–420 milligrams daily and for women is 310–320 milligrams daily.

For example, an average banana has thirty-two milligrams of magnesium, and a one-cup serving of avocado has forty-four to fifty-eight milligrams. These two items combined average seventy-six to ninety milligrams. It’s a good start to the day, but you’ll need triple or quadruple that amount to meet the RDA.

Stayed Tuned for Part Two

Magnesium is such an important topic that I will continue this discussion in the next issue. In part two, I’ll discuss eating to increase your magnesium, the types of magnesium that are on the market, optimal times to supplement, and how much to supplement.

#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.

Five Steps to Sleep Better and Improve Heart Health

There is more to maintaining a healthy heart than just eating right and exercising regularly. While these practices play an important role in both cardiovascular and overall health and well-being, getting a good night’s sleep is also key.

However, more than one in three adults in the United States are not getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition to increasing risk for cardiovascular conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, lack of sleep may also put people at risk of depression, cognitive decline, diabetes, and obesity.

“We know that people who get adequate sleep manage other health factors better as well, such as weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure,” said Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “The American Heart Association added sleep to the list of factors that support optimal cardiovascular health. We call these Life’s Essential Eight, and they include eating a healthy diet, not smoking or

vaping, being physically active, and getting adequate sleep along with controlling your blood pressure and maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol and lipids, healthy blood sugar levels, and a healthy weight.”

Education about healthy heart habits from the American Heart Association is nationally supported by Elevance Health Foundation. Some practices to improve sleep health and impact heart health include:

Avoid Food and Beverage Close to Bedtime

To help reduce sleep disruptions caused by food, avoid late dinners and minimize fatty and spicy foods. Similarly, keep an eye on caffeine intake, and avoid it later in the day.

Exercise Regularly

Physical activity can have a noticeable impact on overall health and wellness but can also make it easier to sleep at night. However, exercising too close to bedtime may hinder your body’s ability to settle; aim to have your workout complete at least four hours before bed.

Establish a Bedtime Routine

Getting a good night’s rest often requires getting into a routine. Start by setting an alarm to indicate it’s time to start winding down. Rather than heading straight to bed, create a to-do list for the following day and knock out a few small chores. Then consider implementing a calming activity like meditating, journaling, or reading (not on a tablet or smartphone) before drifting off to sleep. Also, set an alarm to wake each morning, even on weekends, and avoid hitting the snooze button.

Create a Comfortable Sleep Space

The ideal space for sleeping is dark, quiet, and a comfortable temperature, typically around sixty-fix degrees, depending on the individual. Use room-darkening curtains or a sleep mask to block light and ear plugs, a fan, or a white noise machine to help drown out distracting noises. Remember, using your bed only for sleep and sex can help establish a strong mental association between your bed and sleep.

Avoid Tech Before Bed

The bright lights of televisions, computers, and smartphones can mess with your Circadian rhythm and keep you alert when you should be winding down. Try logging off electronic devices at least one hour before bedtime, and use the “do not disturb” function to avoid waking up to your phone throughout the night. Better yet, charge devices away from your bed or in another room entirely. Find more tips to create healthy sleep habits at Heart.org.

Article courtesy of Family Features. Source: American Heart Association

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