Get Healthy

A PublicAtion of the times

Esthetician MARA TRIVUNOVIC applies a moisturizing scrub to GRANT BURDEAU at Fitness Pointe Spa Pointe in Munster.

FACING MEN’S HEALTH Spa treatments, cancer screenings, premature gray and dealing with stress in a challenging society

ALSO

Gluten-free foods A local teen’s struggle with migraines Special bonus section: Dealing with sleep disorders

JULY/AUGUST 2012

NWI.COM/GETHEALTHY

Z4 | PRODUCT

Imagine a hospital built just for you.

You can stop imagining 8/25/12.

When the new Porter Regional Hospital opens in August, it will introduce a whole new healthcare experience for patients in the region. Here are just a few of the special features you’ll find.

Find out more about the steps we’ve taken to bring you patient-centered care.

Visit PorterHealth.com/MyNewHospital.

85 East U.S. Highway 6, Valparaiso, IN

A communications system that keeps you in close contact with your nurse All private rooms A layout that makes it easy for patients and families to find their way

Spacious, comfortable lobbies and waiting rooms

Valet parking Innovative design that streamlines lifesaving and complex care

New advanced technology

Porter Regional Hospital is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.

Larger, more advanced ER for faster service

Should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

When should I have them removed?

These are a few questions that are commonly asked in our office.

We would like to have the opportunity to see you for a consultation to determine if you will benefit from wisdom tooth removal. Consultations are always complimentary for wisdom teeth and dental implant patients. Dr. Platt has been serving Northwest Indiana for over 20 years with quality oral surgery care in Wisdom Teeth Removal, Dental Implants, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Extractions, General and IV Sedations.

Patient financing available

Wisdom

teeth

45 S221 322 Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 100 (Behind Steak N’ Shake) Schererville, IN

219~864~1133

We welcome new patients Monday -Thursday: 8am - 5pm Friday: 7am - 2pm We are currently scheduling for Summer appointments. Please consider scheduling your wisdom tooth consultation early for the most convenient appointment times.

Dr. Jay Platt and his staff work closely with you and your dentist to ensure your treatment exceeds your expectations. Choosing an oral surgeon is an important decision. Our team is composed of experienced professionals who are dedicated to your care. We are looking forward to fulfilling your dental needs.

www.jplattdds.com july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 1

july/august 2012

18

THE MAN PLAN

23

PILLOW TALK

From stress management to cancer screenings, we focus on men’s health

Sleep apnea and pediatric sleep disorders

what’s new

survivor spotlight

By Vanessa Renderman

Local Health News

HEALTHY PRODUCTS

Grants to aid health care in Valpo

SPRAY DESIGNED TO HYDRATE, CALM, PROTECT SKIN Balance antioxidant hydration spray is a spritz formulated to help balance the skin’s oil production and pH. The spray includes green tea extract, which calms the skin and protects with antioxidants to prevent signs of aging, and it provides bacterial protection. The spray costs $18.50 and is available at shop.janeiredale.com.

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration awarded two grants to HealthLinc, of Valparaiso.

Both were granted under the Affordable Care Act for Capital Development in Health Centers program, one for immediate facility improvement, the other for building capacity. HealthLinc CEO Beth Wrobel says the immediate facility improvement grant will be used to upgrade existing locations. The building capacity grant will be used to buy a new facility in Valparaiso, allowing HealthLinc to assist an estimated additional 5,500 patients each year. The new facility will offer expanded services for older adults and greatly enhanced dental care. It also will allow HealthLinc to increase medical and behavioral services, as well as optometric care.

HealthLinc offers a variety of medical services, targeting people living below 200 percent of Federal Poverty Level, the uninsured and underserved.

HealthLinc operates five facilities across Northwest Indiana and serves patients across the state. The award allotted for immediate facility improvement totals $275,930; the award for building capacity totals $5 million.

St. John girls buy toys for sick children

Isa Ballarini, 5, and Emmi Doty, 6, both of St. John, donated toys and gifts to pediatric patients at Community Hospital in Munster, using money they raised last summer to buy the gifts.

The girls, representing the Flamini Foundation, last summer sold lemonade, popcorn and silly bands at a stand set up in their neighborhoods, as well as a local park and soccer field. They raised more than $300. Nurse Patty Hoffman, nurse manager of pediatrics at Community Hospital, says the donations will be distributed to children who come into the hospital to help make their stay less scary and more comfortable.

The Flamini Foundation was started in 2010 by James and Theresa Flamini of St. John, who decided to pool their resources and provide a happier holiday season for chronically sick children instead of exchanging gifts themselves. Initial donations were made to Ronald McDonald House and its affiliated hospitals, but the foundation has since expanded its charitable activities.

Leadership changes announced at two hospitals

Indiana University Health LaPorte and Starke hospitals announced changes to its leadership team.

Pauline Arnold accepted the position of Chief Nursing and Quality Officer for IU Health LaPorte Hospital. Don Yurkovich now serves as the Vice President of Hospitality Services at IU Health LaPorte Hospital. Rosie Heise accepted the position of Vice President of Business Improvements for both IU Health LaPorte and Starke hospitals.

The following people are new to the organization and joining the leadership team: Jared Beasley, Vice President of Clinical and Diagnostic Services, and Brian Donnelly, Vice President of Strategy and Ambulatory Services.

ENERGY DRINKS FREEZE OVER Pouches of energy drinks in crisp apple, strawberry frost and lemonade flavors are hitting the frozen aisle at some grocers. SLAP FROZEN Energy has launched a line of frozen energy beverages. Packaged in a portable pouch with a resealable cap, each of the frozen slush drinks contains 25 percent more energy than leading brands and is infused with taurine, caffeine and Vitamins B3, B6 and B12. The frozen drinks sell for $2.50 each and can be purchased at Walmart, Sam’s Club and Casey’s General Store.

SPRAY KEEPS PEOPLE DRY, MOSQUITOES AT BAY New to store shelves this season is an insect repellent called Cutter Dry. The repellent is an unscented, DEET-based product that is designed to leave less residue on a person’s skin, for a light, clean feeling.

A 4-ounce can sells for $5.99 online at drugstore.com.

GREEK YOGURT TREND MEETS ICE CREAM Ben & Jerry’s has introduced a line of ice cream that combines trendy Greek yogurt with the notorious colossal chunks and swirls from Ben & Jerry’s, for a new take on frozen yogurt.

Strawberry shortcake, blueberry vanilla graham, raspberry fudge chunk and peanut butter banana flavors are available at Ben & Jerry’s stores and in select grocery stores for $5.50 a pint.

LOOKING

forward TO

A

t 73, Munster resident Geraldine Roman is looking at life now as a promising new start.

Less than a year ago, however, life looked anything but promising.

Last summer, Roman fell and broke her right femur. After having it surgically repaired at Community Hospital, she went to Munster Med Inn for rehabilitation.

That’s when things got even worse.

“My physical therapist decided we should take a break for the rest of the day,” Roman says. “We went to my room, by wheelchair, and as I began to recline in my bed I noticed it was increasingly difficult to breathe.”

Soon after, she could barely breathe at all.

Roman was transported to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with congestive heart failure. An angiogram revealed a 95 percent blockage to her left anterior descending coronary artery. Plans to open that blockage with angioplasty and a stent were delayed because doctors also discovered she had calcium deposits in her aortic valve—preventing the heart from pumping blood through it.

“A normal valve is the size of a half-dollar, but Ms. Roman’s was smaller than a dime,” says Dr. Mark Russo, a cardiac surgeon and codirector of the Center for Aortic Diseases at the University of Chicago Medicine. “Pumping blood through a valve this size is like trying to water your lawn through a straw. There was no way for her heart to compensate.”

Roman suffered from several other health ailments—from diabetes to asthma and rheumatoid arthritis—and because of this, she was not eligible for valve surgery. She also had congestive heart failure 15 years prior.

Physicians decided to refer her to cardiologist Jafar AlSadir, professor of medicine

A MUNSTER WOMAN RECUPERATES FROM A CARDIAC PROCEDURE

the body shop at the University of Chicago Medicine. Al-Sadir recommended a procedure called TAVI, which is a nonsurgical approach to valve replacement in which doctors place an artificial heart valve made of cow tissue and polyester inside the damaged valve.

When Roman discovered she was a candidate for transcatheter aortic-valve implantation, she says she was elated. “I knew about TAVI and had researched it online,” she says. “I was grateful to Dr. Al-Sadir for recommending me, and even more so when I was chosen.”

In February, doctors performed the procedure.

Although more than 45,000 transcatheter aortic-valve implantation procedures have been performed worldwide, Roman was the first patient in Chicago to undergo the procedure since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it in November. “I felt remarkable from the moment I woke up after the surgery,” she says.

According to a news release from the University of Chicago Medicine, the heart valve folds up into a fraction of its functional size. The collapsed valve is then compressed for delivery and inserted into the tip of a thin catheter. This is inserted into an artery in the leg, threaded up through the aorta and down into the heart.

At the site of the narrowing, the inserted valve is released from the catheter and expanded with a balloon. This pushes open the damaged valve and lodges the mechanical one within it, where it immediately starts to function.

According to the release, this allows her heart to pump blood to her body normally.

Because of her other health ailments, Roman says before now, she never thought about any dreams she wanted to fulfill. “I’ll have to start some heavy duty thinking now,” she says.

Roman says she is sure of one thing, however—she is optimistic about what the future holds. “I am surely happier already,” she says. “With so many years ahead, maybe there’s time to find some relief for my other ailments. There are so many wonderful advancements in medicine every day.”

—Christine Bryant

food & fitness

on your mind

IN RECOVERY

ABOUT FACE ON

PLASTIC SURGERY

W

hen it comes to teens and plastic surgery, there seems to be two schools of thought: Do it. Don’t do it.

Both sides make sense, which makes the decision a hard one for parents, doctors and the teens themselves. More and more, families face the question. A quick Internet search reveals jaw-dropping statistics in terms of how many teens are having elective plastic surgery—on everything from their breasts to their noses. To fit in, to feel better about themselves, to fix something in their lives that isn’t working. Bottom line: upwards of 200,000 American teenagers from 13 to 19 have elective plastic surgery every year.

And some girls as young as 10 are doing things to change their bodies. (The daughter of a plastic surgeon had Dad change her belly button from an “outie” to an “innie.”)

It’s hard to determine which way to go. Parents are faced with decisions every day: everything from ear tucks to get rid of “elephant” ears, to Botox injections to lift a droopy smile, to enlarging a bust-line that doesn’t fill out even the smallest cup-size. Not to mention changing big noses that draw jeers from peers.

Doctors and parents often have to help a teen make a mature

Individuals with celiac disease and those with a myriad of other stomach disorders must monitor their diets carefully to eliminate their intake of gluten and other ingredients.

“I can’t even describe the pain,” says Dayna Less, a St. John high school senior, who suffered indescribable headaches her entire junior year. The pain began intermittently in January 2010—and by the summer it was a constant, 24/7 agony that she couldn’t get rid of no matter what she did.

Putting teens under the knife in the spotlight decision, one that may be beyond her years in terms of wisdom and knowledge—and that deep desire to fit in. Can a teen really understand the complications of surgery—from intense pain, a botched operation or a bad reaction to anesthetic—or will those deep feelings of teen invulnerability overtake them?

Many teens really do suffer ostracism and bullying because there’s something different about their bodies. And some doctors will ask the family, “Why put yourself out there for abuse when the ‘fix’ is so easy?” But other doctors see this sort of situation as a life-changer in the opposite direction. They will tell parents and their children to take this as an opportunity to stand up and build some character. To use the bullying as a way to soul-search, to go deep within themselves to understand that abuse is really the problem of the bully. Not the youngster with small breasts or a big nose.

S

ome sociologists even see these questions about plastic surgery as a jumping-off point to confront society—to stifle the problem of bullying and teasing and young people’s feelings of not fitting in—instead of surgically changing the body parts of insecure teenagers.

—Bonnie McGrath

Because of the pain, and the medications doctors and headache specialists prescribed unsuccessfully to relieve her misery, she says she can’t believe she made it through.

Although she lost a lot of friends who couldn’t understand what was wrong with her because they “couldn’t see it,” a few friends remained loyal and got her through—academically and otherwise.

Dayna says the vicious cycle of incredible pain and powerful medication led her to withdraw, and made doctors think she was suffering from depression.

“It was just awful,” says her mother, Teena Less, who spent hours and hours online searching for an answer for her daughter—who was “lost” due to pain and medicine. One day she found promising information. There was a plastic surgeon, Dr. Ivica Ducic at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., who had success using a delicate technique that relieves pressure on the sensory nerves in the head. And two operations later (the first in June 2011 and the second in December), Dayna is pain free and living a normal life.

According to Dayna, Ducic “rearranged

ask the expert

Going Gluten-Free

A St. John high school senior shares her struggle with migraines

T

oday, manufacturers, chefs and other food personnel have made it less arduous to follow the gluten-free path. From grocery stores carrying gluten-free products, to restaurant menus touting recipes without gluten, and cookbook authors offering diverse recipes for the limited lifestyle, consumers have choices.

“Gluten intolerance has become a lot more widely understood,” says Bette-Jeanne Arbor, co-owner with her husband Gerry of Molly Bea’s Ingredients in Chesterton. Arbor says more people are being helped by medical personnel, lifestyle coaches and food experts to better identify it these days. “And they’re coming to the store and asking for various products.”

At Molly Bea’s Ingredients, Arbor

some nerves—and had to cut through others” to bring her relief. Although she had swelling and discomfort after the operations—her mother says she looked like she was hit by a truck—she was smiling and headache free right after the doctor finished and she came to.

Teena says she has her daughter back.

Dayna was recently accepted to study prepharmacy at Purdue in the fall. She did an internship at CVS this year which led her to that decision.

No one knows exactly how Dayna’s nerves became compressed between muscle and bone in her brow and temple area. Teena suspects from her research that it may have been strenuous exercise her daughter took part in as a youngster.

What both mother and daughter want to do is get the word out: that if one suffers from inexplicable headaches, it may be caused by compressed nerves—and an operation to decompress them may provide great hope. “I’m thankful for the Internet!”

Teena says.

Dayna says, “I hope that other kids who are suffering can find relief.”

—Bonnie McGrath

sells a variety of products, including granola and corn flakes, assorted flours, baking mixtures, almond butter, licorice, relishes, candy, snack bars and other gluten-free goodies.

According to the National Celiac Awareness Foundation, one in 133 Americans have celiac disease, which is aggravated by consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

“People are learning to make much better choices with the foods they eat,” says Nancy Cherven, a gluten-free lifestyle coach from Crown Point.

Cherven, who has had an intolerance to gluten for twelve years, says she’s been helping others as a lifestyle coach for the past six years.

And she’s noticed many more options in the marketplace for those on a restrictive diet. She says food manufacturers and other experts have made great strides in informing people about what’s in their food. “They’ve made huge efforts in the U.S. and Canada to label products so people know what they’re eating.”

Highland resident Brandi Hayes recently started a gluten-free blog (glutenfreekids-brandi. blogspot.com) as well as Twitter and Facebook pages dedicated to the gluten-free lifestyle. She initially started it because her 2-year-old son can’t consume gluten. While there’s much gluten-free information out in the marketplace for adults, Hayes says, “I didn’t find a lot of resources out there for parents with kids who are gluten-free, so I wanted to try to help people.”

Cherven says the best thing to keep in mind when you’re baking or making glutenfree recipes is to take “baby steps.” If you experiment little by little, it’s easier to be successful. —Eloise Marie Valadez

DR. JAMES KOZELKA

Sleep disorders have a neurological root At least 40 million Americans suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders, and 20 million more experience occasional sleeping problems, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

One of the most serious types of disorders is sleep apnea, in which breathing is disrupted while a person sleeps. Dr. James Kozelka, a physician with Associates in Neurology, P.C., in Valparaiso, treats patients who experience sleep apnea and offers the following advice.

Q: What is a neurologist? A neurologist is a medical specialist who treats disorders of the central nervous system—brain and spinal cord and neuromuscular system nerve and muscle.

Q: What does a neurologist treat? This depends somewhat on the training and interests of the neurologist. All neurologists treat problems such as headaches (migraines and otherwise), seizures, dizziness, strokes, carpal tunnel syndrome and neuropathy—often resulting in numbness/tingling in the extremities. Other common conditions cared for by sub-specialty neurologists include sleep-related problems.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Q: How is neurology tied to sleep disorders?

Sleep is a neurological phenomenon. Some sleep disorders may be tied directly to neurological conditions. The brain is intimately involved in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea. This should not be surprising since the brain stem is the site of regulation of breathing. Nerves from the brain stem ultimately supply the muscles of respiration. If the airway closes, oxygen goes down, carbon dioxide goes up, and these changes again are detected by nerves that ultimately feed back to the brain stem respiratory control centers. This can result in sleep disruption known as fragmentation, which reduces the restorative quality of sleep—ultimately resulting in daytime sleepiness.

Q: How prevalent are sleep disorders?

The most frequent sleep disorder that requires nighttime testing is obstructive sleep apnea, which affects approximately 4 percent of the population.

Much less common disorders such as narcolepsy may also require nighttime testing. However, conditions such as insomnia, which generally do not require nighttime sleep testing, are much more common with approximately 10 percent of the population experiencing chronic insomnia and about 30 percent of the population with intermittent insomnia. These patients can often benefit from the assistance of a board-certified sleep specialist in cooperation with a psychologist specializing in treatment known as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

Q: What is sleep apnea? The most common form of sleep apnea encountered in a practice is obstructive sleep apnea. In this condition, breathing is disrupted in sleep by collapse of the airway during inspiration. This results in a drop of blood oxygen and an increase in blood carbon dioxide, and is often complicated by conditions such as stroke, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation and hypertension. Patients’ families report loud snoring with occasional interruptions in breathing. Patients typically report non-restful sleep with a poor energy level, despite what they consider to be adequate nocturnal sleep.

Q: What are the consequences of sleep apnea? Can it be deadly if left untreated?

First, let me point out that there are varying degrees of severity of this condition depending upon the number of times an individual stops breathing per hour of sleep and the severity in the drop of oxygen with each event. As the severity of apnea increases, so do the relative risks. These risks include high blood pressure, rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease and stroke.

Leaving this risk factor untreated is much like ignoring treatment for high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke caused by other medical conditions.

Q: How is sleep apnea treated? Obstructive sleep apnea is most commonly treated initially with CPAP—Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

In selected patients, most notably patients with relatively mild apnea or positional apnea (less prominent when not lying on back), a dental orthosis—a mouthpiece called a mandibular advancement device—may be helpful. There are surgical procedures, which may be beneficial in carefully selected patients. —Christine Bryant

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what’s new

survivor spotlight

the body shop

on your mind

food & fitness

ask the expert

Children buy toys for patients, plus health care grants and new products

Geraldine Roman recovers from a cardiac procedure

Water—it does a body good

A local teen shares her struggle with migraines

The benefits of green tea and gluten-free foods

Dr. James Kozelka discusses the neurological root of sleep disorders

4 letter from the editor 2 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

|

6 health care advisory council

|

12 well-being events

Heart Heroes.

We’re investing in new, innovative technologies to improve our awardwinning patient care.

Dr. Andre Artis

Dr.Harish Shah

Dr. Anas Safadi

Our goal is to provide the best cardiovascular care in NW Indiana. So, Methodist Hospitals is investing in the newest, most effective technologies to help our physicians diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. For example, our cardiologists are employing technologies in which angiograms are performed through the wrist’s small, radial artery instead of the groin. With this treatment, postprocedure bleeding risks are reduced, and patients are up and around soon after the procedure, instead of requiring prolonged bed rest. The trans-radial angiogram method is safer, economical and available as a “walk-in, walk-out” treatment. Methodist is also Northwest Indiana’s first hospital to earn the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines Silver Award for treating heart failure patients.

Take Steps to Protect Your Heart & Vascular Health

Vascular Screening Package Only $85 Schedule your Cardiovascular Screening Package today.

CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE 888-909-DOCS (3627) METHODISTHOSPITALS.ORG

NORTHLAKE CAMPUS

Call 219-738-1075

The package includes: • PADNet: a non-invasive test to help identify peripheral artery disease • Cholesterol, HDL and blood Glucose test (non-fasting) • Single-lead EKG to assess heart rhythm • Carotid bruit check to identify potential artery blockage • Vascular risk assessment: a review of your family history, medical history and life style risk factors to gauge your overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Leading the Way to Better Health MIDLAKE CAMPUS

SOUTHLAKE CAMPUS july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 3

letter from the editor volume 7 | issue 4

A

For years my father’s snoring was a topic of conversation. It wasn’t your typical snore. It was the sound of a freight train going full blast on an open railway.

Then silence. One, two, three, four. You could count the seconds of silence. Then the snore would roar and the pattern would start again.

fter years of this and daytime fatigue resulting in a carversus-boulder situation, my father finally saw a doctor.

He was diagnosed with sleep apnea. But by then the years of stress on his cardiovascular system also had resulted in congestive heart failure.

The point of me sharing my father’s personal health issues? To stress the fact that symptoms of sleep apnea are not something to shrug your shoulders about.

According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of sleep apnea include excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep, abrupt awakening accompanied by shortness of breath, awakening with dry mouth or sore throat, morning headache and insomnia.

On page 24, we look at some of the latest devices to treat sleep apnea.

Sleep disorders affect children, too. On page 26 Dr. Larry Salberg, clinical associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest, talks about the problem, and says, “Approximately 2 percent of children have sleep apnea, and most of the kids are going undiagnosed.”

So if you have a loved one showing signs of a sleep disorder, don’t wait. Help them get the

sleep they need by reaching out to a doctor.

In this issue we also focus on men’s health.

On page 21, we look at what women can do to persuade the men in their lives to get the important cancer screenings they need.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, men are 49 percent more likely to die of cancer than women.

A number on the rise—but in a positive way—is the number of men getting spa treatments, particularly massages. On page 20, we delve into men’s spa treatments. Men need a way to relieve the stress of life and many are turning to these treatments as a result.

Everyone needs an outlet—even you guys out there. On page 18, we look at the challenges of being a man and the increase in stress in today’s demanding society. It is important for men to have a strong support system. Everyone has problems and everyone needs someone to lean on in tough times. We are all human.

On page 19, writer Philip Potempa talks to local men who have gone gray before their time, and interviews a Valparaiso University professor about the mystery of fading follicles.

Coming next, we’ll focus on women’s health in our September/October issue of Get Healthy.

KARIN SALTANOVITZ MANAGING EDITOR‌

CHECK OUT NWI.COM/GETHEALTHY, WHERE YOU’LL FIND: Our comprehensive calendar of Well-Being Events • Fresh new articles and information every day • Health advice from local and national experts • The place to sign up for our weekly email newsletter to receive advice and ideas on nutrition, fitness, mental health and health care

4 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

Publisher — BILL MASTERSON, JR. Associate Publisher/Editor — PAT COLANDER Managing Editor — KARIN SALTANOVITZ Design Director — BEN CUNNINGHAM Designer — APRIL BURFORD Asst. Managing Editor — KATHRYN MACNEIL Niche Assistant — LAVETA HUGHES Contributing Editors HEATHER AUGUSTYN, LESLY BAILEY, TRICIA DESPRES, ROB EARNSHAW, LU ANN FRANKLIN, TERRI GORDON, JULIE DEAN KESSLER, BONNIE MCGRATH, KIM RANEGAR, VANESSA RENDERMAN, SHARON BIGGS WALLER NICHE PUBLICATION SALES Account Executives MIKE CANE, ANDREA WALCZAK Advertising Operations Manager ERIC HORON Advertising Managers DEB ANSELM, LISA DAUGHERTY, JEFFREY PRECOURT Production Manager TOM KACIUS Creative Services Manager AMI REESE

Published by Lee Enterprises The Times of Northwest Indiana Niche Productions Division 601 W 45th Ave, Munster, Indiana 46321 219.933.3200 2080 N Main St Crown Point, Indiana 46307 219.662.5300 1111 Glendale Blvd Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 219.462.5151 Copyright, Reprints and Permissions: You must have permission before reproducing material from Get Healthy magazine.

Get Healthy magazine is published six times each year

by Lee Enterprises, The Times of Northwest Indiana, Niche Division, 601 W 45th Ave, Munster, IN 46321.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

URGENTDENT SPECIALIZES IN EMERGENCY PATIENT CARE In today’s hectic world, nothing ever seems to go as planned…especially during the warmer months of the year. This summer, kids will ride their bikes, only to fall off and get injured. Vacationers will travel, only to experience the pain of a cavity once they get there. And countless people will finally decide this is the summer to get that long postponed dental checkup, only to find out that their dentist has no appointments available until the fall.

I

t’s inevitable…a part of life some might say.

Yet, there is now a place to go when the unexpected happens this summer. Located at 9352 Calumet Avenue in Munster, UrgentDent Emergency & Family Dental Care is a one of a kind dental experience.

First opened in 2007, UrgentDent symbolizes quite a different model of dentistry than what we all might be used to.

UrgentDent is very service-oriented and are dedicated to listening to patients and making all decisions with their well being in mind.

UrgentDent realizes People are so busy these days, and they can become easily frustrated when they can’t see their family dentist when they need to. They work with their patient’s every step of the way to ensure that they are agreeing with how we plan to proceed with their dental procedures. Their mission is to provide immediate relief to those suffering from dental pain.

The office offers a number of services including free denture consultations, same day denture reline or repair (weekdays only) and immediate dentures with extractions. Walk-ins are always welcome, and the office features handicapped accessibility and state of the art equipment. In terms of payments for services rendered, patient financing is offered and Indiana Medicaid and most PPO’s are accepted in terms of insurance options.

One of the great benefits of UrgentDent is, in fact, their extended hours. Perfect for the working adult or the busy children, UrgentDent is open six days Monday - Saturday a week from 9am-7pm. Whether it is a toothache, or a tooth that has been knocked out, or any other dental emergency, the skilled staff

at UrgentDent is available for your convenience. This unique aspect of the dental practice seems custom made for parents of small children, who are often the victims of a majority of summer accidents that involve their precious teeth.

UrgentDent deals with a number of sports trauma and accidents to children’s teeth. Especially in children, handling a dental injury right away is crucial. In just under an hour they are able to reimplant the teeth if they are knocked out. UrgentDent Associates constantly have parents come in and tell them that they are so appreciative that we were open and had the skills to take care of the problem right away.

Often, the reasoning behind some people being hesitant to seeing their own dentist is simply fear.

UrgentDent has a special anxiety management program in place that makes sure that patients are as comfortable as possible. Medication can be prescribed to patients if they need something to calm down a bit

TONY V. MARTIN

before a dental procedure.

The offices list of emergency dentistry offerings is lengthy, including whitening, cosmetic dentistry, root canal therapy, tooth colored fillings, crowns and bridges, wisdom teeth extraction, dentures, periodontal treatment, gingivectomies, sports injuries, veneers, night guards and implants. If it hurts, Urgent Dent considers it as an emergency. Even injuries that seem small or superficial can affect the living tissues inside of the teeth.

The urgent care portion of the business is also extremely welcoming to adult patients who

experience dental trauma of their own, but are unable to get in to see their own dentist. “We see a number of patients with infected teeth,” says Urgent Dent Associates. “Most emergency rooms don’t have dental knowledge to deal with such problems, so they are referred to us. When they are in pain, it’s nice to know that they can be seen here, especially when their regular dentist cannot accommodate them anytime soon.”

The stories in which the staff at UrgentDent was right there when patients needed them are many.

It often comes down simply to a timing issue.

UrgentDent had a patient who was off to go to school in Boston, and her mom simply brought her in to get the necessary work done now since she wouldn’t be home for awhile. It’s nice to get things like that off your mind, especially when you are headed out of town. We are committed to providing exceptional emergency dental care as well as complete family dental care.

In addition to their urgent care practice, UrgentDent also has a fully equipped family practice where they regularly see patients. They have seen over 10,000 patients in the last five years they have been in business. The fact is that many people who come in to see them on an emergency basis actually stay with them, and they essentially become their family dental provider.

During each and every visit, patients are screened extensively in terms of their overall health, including hypertension (blood pressure). Doing these kinds of screenings within the dental office is becoming more and more common, and more and more necessary.

When patients come in, UrgentDent likes to evaluate them, especially when they might not be seeing their physician regularly. They saw a patient last year who came in for an abscess tooth, and had mentioned that he had no reason to see his regular physician for the past 10 years. UrgentDent took their blood pressure, and instantly knew something was wrong. In fact, They refused to do any dentistry work on the patient until the patient was were seen by a physician. Ends up that he did go to the emergency room, and he was about to experience a ruptured aneurysm. The patient could have died!

Seeing over 800 patients a month, the Munster expansion is necessary in the near future. UrgentDent will be expanding their operation to accommodate more patients in different locations.

URGENTDENT EMERGENCY & FAMILY DENTAL CARE 9352 Calumet Ave // Munster, Ind. // Phone: 219.513.0555 // Fax: 219.513.0666 july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 5

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE COMPETITORS COME TOGETHER TO LOOK AT A REGIONAL INITIATIVE TO REDUCE HOSPITAL READMISSIONS

O

nly a health care provider would know that the nationally systemic challenge of the same patients admitted into the hospital again and again was reaching challenging proportions in certain areas of the Region.

When a patient is continuously readmitted (even if that person is at a different hospital), it not only places a heavy cost burden on the hospitals, it usually indicates the patient may have left the hospital too soon or is not getting the necessary follow-up care like office visits, prescribed medicine or outpatient therapy or services.

Last month a group of Times Media Co. partners got together to discuss possible cooperative measures to reduce preventable hospital readmissions. The meeting, held at Avalon Manor in Merrillville, brought together members of the Northwest Indiana Health Care Advisory Council, part of the Times Media Co.’s One Region, One Vision initiative.

Denise Dillard, VP of government and external affairs at Methodist Hospitals, moderated the program, and introduced Gary Olund, president and CEO of the Northwest Indiana Community Action Corporation, who described the benefits of a Community-Based Care Transitions Program (CCTP).

Care transition is when a patient is moved among health care practitioners and settings as his or her condition and care changes during illness, as Olund explained. The CCTP was created under the Affordable Care Act. Improving care transitions can reduce avoidable readmissions, which, in addition to providing better care has the benefit of promoting that better health at a lower cost.

Olund explained that one out of five Medicare patients is readmitted within 30 days of discharge.

Medicare will begin penalizing hospitals that have a high number of readmissions within the next two years. But Olund went on to explain that lowering the rate through a CCTP program is possible.

He cited a model care transition intervention program implemented in Colorado that has been able to cut readmission rates by 35 to 50 percent. According to Olund, the $74,310 cost of the program there is expected to lead to an annual $289,594 in savings.

Northwest Indiana, in his view, could experience a similar outcome. With experience in care transition and role in the community, the Northwest Indiana Community Action Corporation would be a natural partner in a local CCTP effort, as Olund explained.

Brian Tabor, vice president of government relations for the Indiana Hospital Association, told the group that even if the Supreme Court overturns the Affordable Care Act, most of the initiatives of the CCTP would likely remain as commonsense good government regulation, explaining, “The federal government doesn’t need the ACA for a lot of what it wants to do.”

The group has come together in the past on other cooperative ventures such as the standardization of certain types of color-coding in the emergency room. In certain instances, something as simple as that can prevent harmful mix-ups and constant retraining.

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NORTHWEST INDIANA HEALTH CARE ADVISORY COUNCIL

Tom Keilman BP John Doherty Doherty Therapeutic and Sports Medicine

John Gorski Community Healthcare System

Dr. Alex Stemer Medical Specialists Center of Indiana

Donald Fesko Community Hospital

Paul Chase AARP

Lou Molina Community Hospital Mary Ann Shachlett Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana

Dr. Pat Bankston Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest College of Health and Human Services, Indiana University Northwest

JoAnn Birdzell St. Catherine Hospital

Phillip A. Newbolt Memorial Health System

Janice Ryba St. Mary Medical Center

Nitin Khanna, MD Orthopaedic Specialists of Northwest Indiana

Gene Diamond Franciscan Alliance David F. Ruskowski Franciscan St. Anthony Health Crown Point Daniel Netluch, MD Franciscan St. Anthony Health Crown Point

Seth Warren St. James Hospital and Health Centers State Representative Charlie Brown State Senator Ed Charbonneau

Carol Schuster, RN, MBA Franciscan Alliance

State Senator Earline Rogers

Thomas J. Gryzbek Franciscan St. Margaret Health

______________

Jim Lipinski Franciscan Alliance James T. Callaghan III, MD, MBA Franciscan St. Anthony Health Michigan City Trish Weber, RN, MBA Franciscan St. Anthony Health Michigan City Jonathan Nalli Porter Hospital Ian McFadden Methodist Hospitals Denise Dillard Methodist Hospitals Lilly Veljovic Pinnacle Hospital Barbara H. Greene Franciscan Physicians Hospital Beverly DeLao Franciscan Hammond Clinic Rob Jensen Franciscan Hammond Clinic

MARKETING AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS Mylinda Cane Community Healthcare System Angela Moore St. Catherine Hospital Kelly Credit Porter Hospital Mary Fetsch St. Mary Medical Center Marie Forszt Community Hospital Joe Dejanovic Franciscan Alliance Ellen Sharpe Franciscan Alliance Maria E. Ramos Franciscan Alliance

C.D. Egnatz Lake County Medical Society

Stacey Kellogg LaPorte Regional Health System

John T. King, MD Franciscan St. Anthony Crown Point

Sister M. Aline Shultz, OSF Franciscan Alliance

Anton Thompkins, MD Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute

Colleen Zubeck Medical Specialists Centers of Indiana

Willis Glaros Employer Benefits Systems

Michael Shepherd St. James Hospital and Health Centers

Adrianne May Hospice of the Calumet Area

Linda Hadley Methodist Hospitals

Debbie Banik, COO Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute

Evelyn Morrison Methodist Hospitals

july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 7

what’s new Local Health News

HEALTHY PRODUCTS

Grants to aid health care in Valpo

SPRAY DESIGNED TO HYDRATE, CALM, PROTECT SKIN Balance antioxidant hydration spray is a spritz formulated to help balance the skin’s oil production and pH. The spray includes green tea extract, which calms the skin and protects with antioxidants to prevent signs of aging, and it provides bacterial protection. The spray costs $18.50 and is available at shop.janeiredale.com.

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration awarded two grants to HealthLinc, of Valparaiso.

Both were granted under the Affordable Care Act for Capital Development in Health Centers program, one for immediate facility improvement, the other for building capacity. HealthLinc CEO Beth Wrobel says the immediate facility improvement grant will be used to upgrade existing locations. The building capacity grant will be used to buy a new facility in Valparaiso, allowing HealthLinc to assist an estimated additional 5,500 patients each year. The new facility will offer expanded services for older adults and greatly enhanced dental care. It also will allow HealthLinc to increase medical and behavioral services, as well as optometric care.

HealthLinc offers a variety of medical services, targeting people living below 200 percent of Federal Poverty Level, the uninsured and underserved.

HealthLinc operates five facilities across Northwest Indiana and serves patients across the state. The award allotted for immediate facility improvement totals $275,930; the award for building capacity totals $5 million.

St. John girls buy toys for sick children

Isa Ballarini, 5, and Emmi Doty, 6, both of St. John, donated toys and gifts to pediatric patients at Community Hospital in Munster, using money they raised last summer to buy the gifts.

The girls, representing the Flamini Foundation, last summer sold lemonade, popcorn and silly bands at a stand set up in their neighborhoods, as well as a local park and soccer field. They raised more than $300. Nurse Patty Hoffman, nurse manager of pediatrics at Community Hospital, says the donations will be distributed to children who come into the hospital to help make their stay less scary and more comfortable.

The Flamini Foundation was started in 2010 by James and Theresa Flamini of St. John, who decided to pool their resources and provide a happier holiday season for chronically sick children instead of exchanging gifts themselves. Initial donations were made to Ronald McDonald House and its affiliated hospitals, but the foundation has since expanded its charitable activities.

Leadership changes announced at two hospitals

Indiana University Health LaPorte and Starke hospitals announced changes to its leadership team.

Pauline Arnold accepted the position of Chief Nursing and Quality Officer for IU Health LaPorte Hospital. Don Yurkovich now serves as the Vice President of Hospitality Services at IU Health LaPorte Hospital. Rosie Heise accepted the position of Vice President of Business Improvements for both IU Health LaPorte and Starke hospitals.

The following people are new to the organization and joining the leadership team: Jared Beasley, Vice President of Clinical and Diagnostic Services, and Brian Donnelly, Vice President of Strategy and Ambulatory Services.

8 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

ENERGY DRINKS FREEZE OVER Pouches of energy drinks in crisp apple, strawberry frost and lemonade flavors are hitting the frozen aisle at some grocers. SLAP FROZEN Energy has launched a line of frozen energy beverages. Packaged in a portable pouch with a resealable cap, each of the frozen slush drinks contains 25 percent more energy than leading brands and is infused with taurine, caffeine and Vitamins B3, B6 and B12. The frozen drinks sell for $2.50 each and can be purchased at Walmart, Sam’s Club and Casey’s General Store.

SPRAY KEEPS PEOPLE DRY, MOSQUITOES AT BAY New to store shelves this season is an insect repellent called Cutter Dry. The repellent is an unscented, DEET-based product that is designed to leave less residue on a person’s skin, for a light, clean feeling.

A 4-ounce can sells for $5.99 online at drugstore.com.

GREEK YOGURT TREND MEETS ICE CREAM Ben & Jerry’s has introduced a line of ice cream that combines trendy Greek yogurt with the notorious colossal chunks and swirls from Ben & Jerry’s, for a new take on frozen yogurt.

Strawberry shortcake, blueberry vanilla graham, raspberry fudge chunk and peanut butter banana flavors are available at Ben & Jerry’s stores and in select grocery stores for $5.50 a pint.

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survivor spotlight

TONY V. MARTIN

LOOKING

forward TO

A

t 73, Munster resident Geraldine Roman is looking at life now as a promising new start.

Less than a year ago, however, life looked anything but promising.

Last summer, Roman fell and broke her right femur. After having it surgically repaired at Community Hospital, she went to Munster Med Inn for rehabilitation.

That’s when things got even worse.

“My physical therapist decided we should take a break for the rest of the day,” Roman says. “We went to my room, by wheelchair, and as I began to recline in my bed I noticed it was increasingly difficult to breathe.”

Soon after, she could barely breathe at all.

Roman was transported to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with congestive heart failure. An angiogram revealed a 95 percent blockage to her left anterior descending coronary artery. Plans to open that blockage with angioplasty and a stent were delayed because doctors also discovered she had calcium deposits in her aortic valve—preventing the heart from pumping blood through it.

“A normal valve is the size of a half-dollar, but Ms. Roman’s was smaller than a dime,” says Dr. Mark Russo, a cardiac surgeon and codirector of the Center for Aortic Diseases at the University of Chicago Medicine. “Pumping blood through a valve this size is like trying to water your lawn through a straw. There was no way for her heart to compensate.”

Roman suffered from several other health ailments—from diabetes to asthma and rheumatoid arthritis—and because of this, she was not eligible for valve surgery. She also had congestive heart failure 15 years prior.

Physicians decided to refer her to cardiologist Jafar AlSadir, professor of medicine

A MUNSTER WOMAN RECUPERATES FROM A CARDIAC PROCEDURE 10 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

at the University of Chicago Medicine. Al-Sadir recommended a procedure called TAVI, which is a nonsurgical approach to valve replacement in which doctors place an artificial heart valve made of cow tissue and polyester inside the damaged valve.

When Roman discovered she was a candidate for transcatheter aortic-valve implantation, she says she was elated. “I knew about TAVI and had researched it online,” she says. “I was grateful to Dr. Al-Sadir for recommending me, and even more so when I was chosen.”

In February, doctors performed the procedure.

Although more than 45,000 transcatheter aortic-valve implantation procedures have been performed worldwide, Roman was the first patient in Chicago to undergo the procedure since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it in November. “I felt remarkable from the moment I woke up after the surgery,” she says.

According to a news release from the University of Chicago Medicine, the heart valve folds up into a fraction of its functional size. The collapsed valve is then compressed for delivery and inserted into the tip of a thin catheter. This is inserted into an artery in the leg, threaded up through the aorta and down into the heart.

At the site of the narrowing, the inserted valve is released from the catheter and expanded with a balloon. This pushes open the damaged valve and lodges the mechanical one within it, where it immediately starts to function.

According to the release, this allows her heart to pump blood to her body normally.

Because of her other health ailments, Roman says before now, she never thought about any dreams she wanted to fulfill. “I’ll have to start some heavy duty thinking now,” she says.

Roman says she is sure of one thing, however—she is optimistic about what the future holds. “I am surely happier already,” she says. “With so many years ahead, maybe there’s time to find some relief for my other ailments. There are so many wonderful advancements in medicine every day.”

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well-being events

Because dates and times are subject to change, please call ahead to confirm all event details. If you would like to submit a health-related event to be considered for listing in the Get Healthy calendar of events, please send the information at least 6-8 weeks in advance to laveta.hughes@nwi.com.

c o m p i l e d b y L AV E TA H U G H E S

FITNESS ONGOING Chi Gong, 9:30-10:30am Thu, Cancer Resource Centre, 926 Ridge Rd, Munster.

219.836.3349. cancerresourcecentre.com.

This ancient Eastern healing art of breath, movement, non-movement and meditation will be taught through a one-hour session of warm-ups, positions and focused movements.

ONGOING Senior Aerobics, 9:30-10:30am Tue, Thu, Pruzin Community Center, 5750 Tyler St, Merrillville. 219.980.5911. Merrillville residents

ages 50 and older can stay fit at this free aerobics class.

ONGOING Y-Run, 6-7pm Mon, Southlake YMCA, 1450 S Court St, Crown Point.

219.663.5810. slymca.org. Participants will be

provided with a specific training program, and the group will meet once a week to run and discuss stretching, hydration, finding the right running shoe, nutrition, and avoiding/treating injury.

JUN 28-AUG 2 Special Needs Recreational Bowling, 4:30-5:30pm Thu, Stardust Bowl III, 1330 Sheffield Ave, Dyer.

219.322.3666. bowlstardust.com. Individuals

over the age of 6 with special needs have the opportunity to bowl for six weeks, while focusing on skill development and techniques. Wheel chairs and ball ramps will be available. The program will conclude with a prize raffle and pizza party.

JUL 2-AUG 6 Step up to Health Walking Club, 6:30-7:30pm Mon, Redar Park, 1754 S Park Ave, Schererville. activenwi. com. The Schererville Parks Department and

of this four-week course, recognized by the American Diabetes Association, participants will have learned all aspects of diabetes care. Afternoon and evening sessions are available, as are individual appointments for glucose monitoring or insulin administration, and free blood glucose screenings.

ONGOING Moving Forward, call for dates and times, St. Catherine Hospital, 4321 Fir St, East Chicago. 219.852.6287. comhs.org. This five-

part series helps stroke survivors and their caregivers learn to prevent future strokes through risk detection and management.

JUN 18 Weight-Loss Surgery—Is It Right for Me? 6-8pm, St. Mary Medical Center, Patient Tower, 1500 S Lake Park Ave, Hobart.

219.836.3477. comhs.org. Using a team

approach to achieving weight loss, bariatric surgeons Drs. Paul Stanish and Hung Dang discuss the etiology of obesity, its effect on an individual’s physical, emotional and psychological health, and how surgical weight loss can help increase an individual’s ability to move, improve self-esteem and, most importantly, extend their life.

Additional dates: Jun 27, July 17.

JUL 7 Smoking Cessation—I Quit! 6:308pm Tue, St. Mary Medical Center, Patient Tower, 1500 S Lake Park Ave, Hobart. 219.836.3477. comhs.org. This 8-week program includes

counseling, instruction on breathing and relaxation techniques, lifestyle changes, how to get pharmacological support, and more.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness have formed a walking fitness club. Participants will meet once a week for a 30-minute walk and motivational tips. All will receive a pedometer and a free one-week pass to Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness.

ONGOING Better Breathers Support Group, 2nd Tue of every month, Ingalls Wellness Center, 2920 W 183rd St, Homewood.

708.333.2300. ingallshealthsystem.org. Anyone

CLASSES/SEMINARS

ONGOING Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance, 6pm, 1st and 3rd Wed of every month, Porter-Starke Services, 701 Wall St, Entrance C, Valparaiso; 7pm, 2nd and 4th Mon of every month, Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus, 8701 Broadway, Merrillville.

219.462.3689. porterstarke.org. This unique

ONGOING C.H.O.I.C.E.S. Natural Birth & Parenting Network, 7pm, 1st Wed of the month, Hebron Community Center, 611 N Main St, Hebron. 219.996.5188. indianabirthchoices. com. This free community program brings

with breathing and lung-related health issues is invited to attend this free support group.

together midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, chiropractors, breastfeeding consultants and new and expecting parents.

No need to preregister.

support group is a peer-directed discussion, with patients being treated for depression or bipolar disorder and their families helping form a comprehensive common denominator of the support needed.

ONGOING Diabetes Management Classes, Crown Point. 219.757.6268. stanthonymedicalcenter.com. After completion

ONGOING Diabetes Support Group, 6pm, 1st Thu of every month, Hammond Clinic,

12 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

7905 Calumet Ave, Hammond. 219.836.5800.

Register in advance for this program to be included in a raffle drawing for door prizes.

Refreshments will be provided.

ONGOING Gluten Intolerance Group of Northwest Indiana, 7-8pm, 2nd Mon of every month, St. Mary Medical Center, 1500 S Lake Park Ave, Hobart. 219.588.9829. comhs. org. This free support group is for those

with gluten intolerances, including celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis and other sensitivities.

ONGOING Shared Experience, Crown Point. 219.757.6008. stanthonymedicalcenter. com. This support group for women who

have been diagnosed with breast cancer offers participants the chance to share experiences—joys and triumphs—and methods of coping in a nonjudgmental environment with others who are facing similar circumstances.

ONGOING KidFit Camp, Ingalls Wellness Center, 2920 W 183rd St, Homewood.

708.206.0072. ingallshealthsystem.org. This

program is a children’s weight management series geared toward kids ages 8-12 to help children learn healthy lifestyle changes without an emphasis on diet. The focus is on self-esteem and promoting healthy attitudes and habits that will last.

ONGOING Yoga for Kids, 10:15-10:45 (ages 4-6), 11-11:30am (ages 7-10) Sat, Valparaiso Family YMCA, 1201 Cumberland Crossing Dr, Valparaiso. 219.764.4567. valpoymca.org. Boys

and girls ages 4-10 can learn traditional yoga poses in fun and educational ways at this yoga class taught by certified Yogafit instructor Anita Beaudoin.

JUL 11-AUG 1 Go Girl Go! 9-10:30am Wed, Redar Park, 1754 S Park Ave, Schererville. activenwi.com. Alongside boosting girls’ self-

JUN 14 Good Grief, 5-6pm, St. Catherine Hospital, 4321 Fir St, East Chicago. 219.836.3477. comhs.org. This group provides support for

esteem and self-confidence, the 4-week class will encourage a wholesome lifestyle with exercise, healthy cooking, journaling and additional activities. Girls ages 8-12 will try a new fitness activity each week, such as Pilates or Yoga. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes and tennis shoes.

JUL 3 Memories, 5:30-6:30pm, St. Catherine Hospital, Pastoral Care Dept, 4321 Fir St, East Chicago. 219.836.3477. comhs.org. This group

SCREENINGS

those suffering from the loss of a loved one.

Additional dates: Jul 12, Aug 9.

is for parents and family members who have lost their unborn child or a child at a very early age.

NUTRITION JUL 19 Cooking For You, 11:30am-1:30pm, Cancer Resource Centre, 926 Ridge Rd, Munster.

219.836.3349. comhs.org. Visiting chefs

prepare a delectable dish for all to sample from the Cooking For Zita cookbook.

AUG 14 Nutrition for Life, 1-2pm, Cancer Resource Centre, 926 Ridge Rd, Munster.

219.836.3349. comhs.org. This program,

facilitated by a registered dietitian/diabetes educator, enforces the importance of healthy eating.

KIDS ONGOING Healing Hearts for Teens, 5:30-6:45pm Mon, 600 Superior Ave, Munster.

219.922.2732, 708.895.8332. This free six-

session support group, sponsored by Hospice of the Calumet Area, is for youth ages 13 to 17 who have experienced the death of a loved one and need support for their grief.

ONGOING Sleep Apnea Screening, Duneland YMCA, 215 Roosevelt St, Chesterton.

Portage YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek Rd, Portage.

Valparaiso YMCA, 1201 Cumberland Crossing, Valparaiso. 219.764.4567. porterhealth.com.

No appointment is necessary for these free sleep apnea screenings performed by Porter’s Sleep Disorders Institute. For dates and times, call for an appointment.

AUG 2 Coronary Health Appraisal, 8-11:30am, Community Hospital, 901 MacArthur Blvd, Munster. 219.836.3477. comhs.org. This

screening determines risk for heart disease and other related medical conditions.

Screening includes: cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), hemoglobin A1C and average estimated glucose, metabolic syndrome, blood pressure, body mass index, and a Heart Health Profile. A 10-12 hour fast is required.

SPECIAL EVENTS JUL 21 Mayor’s 9th Annual Festival 5K Walk/Run on the Lake, 8am, Wolf Lake Memorial Park 2938 S Calumet Ave, Hammond.

219.853.6378. festivalofthelakes.com. The walk/

run starts and ends at Wolf Lake Memorial Park, with registration at 7 a.m.

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www.PinnaClehealthCare.net july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 13

the body shop

ABOUT FACE ON

PLASTIC SURGERY Putting teens under the knife in the spotlight

W

hen it comes to teens and plastic surgery, there seems to be two schools of thought: Do it. Don’t do it.

Both sides make sense, which makes the decision a hard one for parents, doctors and the teens themselves. More and more, families face the question. A quick Internet search reveals jaw-dropping statistics in terms of how many teens are having elective plastic surgery—on everything from their breasts to their noses. To fit in, to feel better about themselves, to fix something in their lives that isn’t working. Bottom line: upwards of 200,000 American teenagers from 13 to 19 have elective plastic surgery every year.

And some girls as young as 10 are doing things to change their bodies. (The daughter of a plastic surgeon had Dad change her belly button from an “outie” to an “innie.”)

It’s hard to determine which way to go. Parents are faced with decisions every day: everything from ear tucks to get rid of “elephant” ears, to Botox injections to lift a droopy smile, to enlarging a bust-line that doesn’t fill out even the smallest cup-size. Not to mention changing big noses that draw jeers from peers.

Doctors and parents often have to help a teen make a mature

14 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

decision, one that may be beyond her years in terms of wisdom and knowledge—and that deep desire to fit in. Can a teen really understand the complications of surgery—from intense pain, a botched operation or a bad reaction to anesthetic—or will those deep feelings of teen invulnerability overtake them?

Many teens really do suffer ostracism and bullying because there’s something different about their bodies. And some doctors will ask the family, “Why put yourself out there for abuse when the ‘fix’ is so easy?” But other doctors see this sort of situation as a life-changer in the opposite direction. They will tell parents and their children to take this as an opportunity to stand up and build some character. To use the bullying as a way to soul-search, to go deep within themselves to understand that abuse is really the problem of the bully. Not the youngster with small breasts or a big nose.

S

ome sociologists even see these questions about plastic surgery as a jumping-off point to confront society—to stifle the problem of bullying and teasing and young people’s feelings of not fitting in—instead of surgically changing the body parts of insecure teenagers.

—Bonnie McGrath‌

water O

DOES A BODY GOOD

ne of the most basic routes to good health lies in the simple task of drinking water.

“We have to have it to survive. And half of our body weight is water,” says Terri Sakelaris, registered dietitian with Community Hospital— Fitness Pointe in Munster. “The hydration aspect of it is very important.”

Sakelaris says keeping hydrated helps keep blood pressure and blood sugar down and regulates body temperature. “And when you’re dehydrated, you can become fatigued,” she says, adding that may often lead to people feeling confused and not able to think clearly.

Because of rigorous workouts and excessive sweating, athletes must be especially careful to keep hydrated. It’s key to drink water when you’re physically active because water and its nutrients travel to the body’s cells for good functioning.

According to the website healthcave.com, water greatly helps in transporting nutrients “from one place of our body to another, thus making a constant flow which helps our body to function properly.”

In addition, people on medication should consume a good amount of water because medicine tends to dehydrate the system, Sakelaris says.

Water also helps keep our systems and pH levels in balance. And since water has no calories, it’s often the drink of choice for those watching their weight.

Other functions of water in the body include the removal of waste and toxins, healthy heart function and energy renewal.

“People should replace water frequently,” Sakelaris says. “And they should follow the 8 rule.”

The 8 rule, or as it’s often called, the 8-by-8 rule, revolves around drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

—Eloise Marie Valadez

We are your no more snoring specialists.

Medical Specialists Department of Pulmonary Medicine Munster 219-922-5416

www.MedSpecIndiana.com

july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 15

on your mind A St. John high school senior shares her struggle with migraines

RECOVERY IN

“I can’t even describe the pain,” says Dayna Less, a St. John high school senior, who suffered indescribable headaches her entire junior year. The pain began intermittently in January 2010—and by the summer it was a constant, 24/7 agony that she couldn’t get rid of no matter what she did.

PROVIDED

BY TEENA LESS 16 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

Dayna Less, a St. John high school senior, suffered indescribable headaches until she had nerve decompression surgery.

Because of the pain, and the medications doctors and headache specialists prescribed unsuccessfully to relieve her misery, she says she can’t believe she made it through.

Although she lost a lot of friends who couldn’t understand what was wrong with her because they “couldn’t see it,” a few friends remained loyal and got her through—academically and otherwise.

Dayna says the vicious cycle of incredible pain and powerful medication led her to withdraw, and made doctors think she was suffering from depression.

“It was just awful,” says her mother, Teena Less, who spent hours and hours online searching for an answer for her daughter—who was “lost” due to pain and medicine. One day she found promising information. There was a plastic surgeon, Dr. Ivica Ducic at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., who had success using a delicate technique that relieves pressure on the sensory nerves in the head. And two operations later (the first in June 2011 and the second in December), Dayna is pain free and living a normal life.

According to Dayna, Ducic “rearranged

some nerves—and had to cut through others” to bring her relief. Although she had swelling and discomfort after the operations—her mother says she looked like she was hit by a truck—she was smiling and headache free right after the doctor finished and she came to.

Teena says she has her daughter back.

Dayna was recently accepted to study prepharmacy at Purdue in the fall. She did an internship at CVS this year which led her to that decision.

No one knows exactly how Dayna’s nerves became compressed between muscle and bone in her brow and temple area. Teena suspects from her research that it may have been strenuous exercise her daughter took part in as a youngster.

What both mother and daughter want to do is get the word out: that if one suffers from inexplicable headaches, it may be caused by compressed nerves—and an operation to decompress them may provide great hope. “I’m thankful for the Internet!”

Teena says.

Dayna says, “I hope that other kids who are suffering can find relief.”

—Bonnie McGrath

IMPROV IMPROVES ANXIETY

SECOND CITY HELPS PEOPLE OVERCOME THEIR FEARS Laughter is the best medicine—at least that’s the case for some anxiety sufferers trying improvisation training at the Second City.

• The Panic/Anxiety/Recovery Center in Chicago is partnering with the Second City to use improv to help people overcome their fears. “It’s just a space where nothing you could say was wrong, so you didn’t even have to worry about making a fool of yourself or saying the wrong thing,” something that is a major relief for people with social anxiety, says Chicago college student Danny Chacon. He suffered from social anxiety for years before he found the program.

S

o far, some thirtysix people have used improv to pave the way beyond their panic, says Mark Pfeffer, a licensed Illinois psychotherapist and director of the Panic/Anxiety/Recovery Center. He kicked off this collaboration with the Second City in 2010 when he met the president of the Second City Training Centers and Educational Programs on the set of a phobia documentary. “We’ve partnered up with the Second City here in Chicago to develop more of a unique approach to helping people face their fear,” Pfeffer says.

Pfeffer uses improv as an option of cognitive

behavioral therapy to enable patients to deal with their anxiety. “Cognitive behavioral therapy really just means that we deal more in the here and now and focus more on thinking and behavior,” Pfeffer says.

“We put people in the feared situation, we evoke a response, a fear response, and try to get the person not to do the very thing that they would typically do in the situation.”

But before diving into the theatrics of improv, participants of this program first receive some one-onone counseling with Pfeffer. They then join a group of others with anxiety disorders, where they learn the art of improv from a Second City coach. This unique social setting is one of the things about this collaboration that makes it an effective form of treatment.

This kind of exposure therapy is very effective, especially since the group setting of the improv classes addresses many of the core fears that cause distress for those with social anxiety, says Evelyn Behar, assistant professor of psychology at University of

THE SECOND CITY | MEDILL

The Second City improv coaches who instruct aspiring comedians work with a group of people with social anxiety who turn to improv for treatment.

Illinois at Chicago. With cognitive behavioral therapy, “a person really learns to tolerate their anxiety well,” Behar says. “They learn to not be overwhelmed by anxiety . . . and experience anxiety like the average person.”

This kind of therapy isn’t for everyone, though.

While approximately thirty-six people have found relief through the improv sessions, Pfeffer says about twelve participants dropped out. “The problem is that many people with severe social anxiety won’t even make the phone call” to start the program, Pfeffer says.

But the long-term benefits pay off for those who do follow through, he said. As compared to taking antianxiety medication, which patients may need to take continuously to treat their anxiety, effective cognitive behavioral therapy changes a person’s mentality toward anxiety.

“With meds, if people come off of them, there tends to be high relapse rates,” says Rick Zinbarg, professor and director of clinical training of the psychology department at Northwestern University.

“Whereas gains in cognitive behavioral therapy tend to be maintained after the termination of therapy.”

Chacon says he can attest to that. Despite being on anti-anxiety medications, his social anxiety still persisted, he says. Now, Chacon relies on the techniques he learned in his improv classes. “If I’m ever out, I’m able to rely on those experiences as a bank of successes I’ve made,” Chacon says. “I can think back and say, ‘You know, I was pretty good on my feet that one time in class, so I’m confident that I can do the same now.’” —Lacy Schley, Medill News Service

july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 17

MAN

BY HEATHER AUGUSTYN‌

IT’S A

MAN’S WORLD

UP U

’

FACING THE CHALLENGES OF BEING A MAN IN A DEMANDING SOCIETY

Men — the spotlight’s on you this issue. The stress of dayto-day life takes its toll on all of us, including you. On the following pages we look at the challenges men face in today’s society and how they deal with life pressures, what causes some men to go prematurely gray, cancer screenings and the growing popularity of men’s spa treatments.

So now’s the time to put aside the machismo and fess up to being human.

We all need regular maintenance.

18 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

nemployment has hit everyone hard lately, but particularly men who account for three of every four jobs lost, leaving more women as the breadwinners for their families. Other men may face the worry of keeping their jobs or earning enough pay in a household where they are the only ones employed, covering all the family expenses.

Employed or unemployed, the stress of being a man—a worker, a provider, a husband and dad—is challenging.

Dr. Sanker Jayachandran at Confidential Care in Munster says that the culture has seen men face these stresses more and more over the past few decades. “Men worry about the insecurity of their job and they expect the spouse to go to work.

They also work longer hours or a second or third job. That balance and the obligation to the family can be hard, so the relationship and the finances may suffer. They also worry

about the future and what will happen.”

Jayachandran says the rules are changing, though. “There are more men that are head of the household. Women get more jobs than men and don’t have an expectation of how much they have to make. Any income is better than none for women. In the past more men would go to work to support the family and now we see more women as head of household, but it hasn’t been an overnight change. It’s something we’ve seen in the past fifty years.”

Even if women do help with the family finances, as breadwinner or as a supplement, this role change can also be stressful for men who had likely seen their father as breadwinner.

Worse yet, if they lose their job, the stress can cause a whole host of other problems for men. And Jayachandran says men in this culture aren’t accustomed to talking about their problems as they may have in the past.

He says men need to find a support system. “What we need is more unconditional love from a social network, someone to be kind to them and empathetic, which is hard to get from others.”

He says it’s hard for men to find support, so they end up drinking, gambling, cheating and perhaps even committing suicide. “Instead, men should look for churches, friends or classmates who are going through the same thing . . . Self-help groups can help, but men frequently don’t want to talk about these things in this culture; but if you don’t, it’s going to come out some other way.”

SHADES OF

GRAY

COURTESY OF PURDUE NORTH CENTRAL NEWS BUREAU

J

ohn Weber uses his early gray hair to his advantage.

“People always say they are surprised I’m younger than what they thought after they find out how old I am,” says Weber, 41, of Valparaiso. “So at least I’ve found something good about turning gray at a young age.”

Weber, who is the head baseball coach and athletics director for Purdue University North Central in Westville, says he’s found others “really do respect their elders.”

“Being in my position, John Webe and especially working r in the world of sports, it has definitely benefited me to appear older,” he says. “I was already working as a head coach at age 25. And in these roles, perception can be important.”

Weber says he was already seeing his first gray hairs at age 19 and by his 30s, was already aware of his follicle fate. “It was the same for the rest of my family, including my siblings, and we just

Anderson Cooper

attribute it to our parents and heredity.”

Today, because of the embraced gray hair manscapes of public personalities like CNN broadcaster Anderson Cooper, 45, and Bravo cable network vice president-turned-talk show host Andy Cohen, 44, more men are forsaking the idea of hair dye and celebrate their waves of gray as a focal point.

Dave Wenglarz, 45, born and raised in Valparaiso, says he likes to joke with others that his wife Allison is the reason behind his full head of gray hair. Wenglarz began turning gray at age 16, following the same heir hair trend of his mom and dad, Daisy and Joseph, who both also turned gray at 16. “I’ve already told my own children Emily, who’s 13, and Maxwell, who’s 10, to be prepared,” says Wenglarz, who has been married 16 years. “I remember being 16 years old and hearing others tell me that I ‘looked distinguished.’”

Wenglarz, who is a member of the National and American WACO airplane clubs, as well as the Experimental Aircraft Association, says even his career and hobby make him “appear older,” since he restores antique cars and airplanes and does

COURTESY OF HENRY HOLT AND CO.

Andy Cohe

n

“fix and fabricate” for the mechanics and pilots at the Porter County Airport.

And as for any hair-splitting debate about heredity and what leads to premature gray, Michael Watters, associate professor of biology at Valparaiso University, specializes in the area of genetics and says even nglarz Dave We researchers aren’t certain. “The area of genetics dealing with personal features is very complicated, even just considering what are considered normal variations,” Watters says. “Think about eye color and studies about why all babies are born with blue eyes. As eye color develops, it’s not just based on layers of pigment or just one gene. It’s many factors.”

Watters says a “healthy dose of environment” is also a consideration.

When weighed as a subject of importance for determining strand color, the general consensus among researchers is “Hair today, gone tomorrow,” with a greater priority for findings about why people die rather than dye.

“For biology and genetics, even though reasons for hair and eye color might be difficult to pinpoint, it’s actually easier for us to link and trace connections for devastating illness,” Watters says.

PROVIDED

PREMATURE GRAYING IN MEN IS COMMON, BUT NOT EASILY EXPLAINED

COURTESY OF CNN

BY PHILIP POTEMPA

july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 19

WHO SAYS A DAY AT THE SPA IS JUST FOR THE LADIES?

MAN ICURIOSITY

BY MARK LOEHRKE‌

It may not have been as blatantly obvious as a doorbuster shoe sale at the mall or the opening weekend of a Nicholas Sparks movie, but somewhere along the line the notion of a day at the spa became inextricably cast as a distinctly female pursuit.

P

Esthetician Mara Trivunovic gives a facial to Grant Burdeau at Spa Pointe at Fitness Pointe.

TONY V. MARTIN | THE TIMES 20 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

erhaps it was inevitable. With the stereotypical assumptions of celebrity gossip magazines, bright nail colorings and endless chatter weighing heavily, the spa slowly but surely gained the hearsay reputation of a place that simply gave off a “ladies only” vibe—no need for a sign on the door saying so explicitly.

Then, over time, that perception hardened like a facial mud-mask into reality, and the boys seemed content to retreat to the safety and comfort of their golf courses and poker rooms instead.

But maybe those invisible walls are slowly coming down, albeit brick by laboriously extracted brick. At Spa Pointe in Munster, Toni Lozano says the number of men coming in strictly for spa services like pedicures and facials is barely above 10 percent of her clientele, but for massages the number is closer to around 50 percent. Between the availability of massages and the accompanying hair studio—as well as her salon’s location in the Fitness Pointe complex—Lozano thinks Spa Pointe can be a good entry point for men looking to at least stick a gnarly, untreated toe into the soothing waters of additional spa services.

“The old-school thinking is that a spa is just a place for women, so a lot of men don’t even consider it, or if they do, they really don’t know what to expect,” she explains. “But being in a gym setting helps us get a little more ‘happen-by’ foot traffic, so maybe they feel a little more comfortable stopping in for a quick massage or to get a better feel for the privacy of the facility, and we can go from there.”

Once those age-old barriers start to

crumble, Lozano believes that many men will be surprised by how many of the spa’s services they may enjoy, both in terms of comfort and general health. Massages, of course, are fairly obvious, but athletic manicures (with a matte finish, as opposed to polish), just-for-men facials (designed for rougher, more sensitive skin) and even pedicures are slowly starting to gain a wider following as well.

“It’s not hard to get a guy in for a massage, but a lot more of them should be trying things like a pedicure,” Lozano says. “It’s a great way to help keep feet healthy as men get older by reducing friction from unkempt nails or bunions, and also just to keep them looking good for sandal season and beach trips.”

One of Lozano’s pedicure regulars these days is 69-year-old Schererville business owner Jim Donovan, a member at Fitness Pointe who receives a treatment every three or four weeks, along with the occasional massage. In his mind, the male-female issue of visiting a spa has been a moot point for some time, and any guy clinging to the old mindset is simply depriving himself of the kind of relaxation that knows no gender divide.

“I think that men of my age might feel that spas are for women, but maybe there’s not as much of a stigma for men under 40 or 50,” Donovan says. “In my experience, the pedicures and massages really allow me to relax and clear my mind.”

For your information SPA POINTE AND HAIR STUDIO Fitness Pointe—Lower Level 9950 Calumet Ave, Munster 219.934.2850 www.comhs.org/community/spa_pointe.asp

MEN AND

BY SHARON BIGGS WALLER ‌

CANCER

JOHN WAYNE CANCER FOUNDATION WANTS TO BRING AWARENESS TO STATISTICS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

M

en are 49 percent more likely to die of cancer than women, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That’s a sobering fact, and it’s a number that needs to go down, but it will only happen by getting proactive and having cancer screenings.

Ethan Wayne, son of John Wayne and CEO of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, admits there aren’t a lot of resources targeted to guys when it comes to convincing them to have cancer screenings. In 1979, as John Wayne’s death from stomach cancer drew near, he asked his family to help the doctors who helped him. They answered by forming the foundation, which is passionate about helping men with cancer.

“We do things my dad would have liked. For instance, there isn’t anything to encourage men to get their prostate checked or a colonoscopy. So we have these cool kits with stickers that people can stick on a toilet paper roll or a cigarette box that say ‘It’s time to quit smoking’ or ‘I’d rather be a nag than a widow.’”

Dr. Kevin R. Polsley, of the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics department at Loyola University Health System, sees the hassle of a colonoscopy as one of the biggest reasons men give for deferring cancer screenings. “A colonoscopy requires a lengthy prep the day before, and on the day of the actual procedure the entire process may take a few hours.”

As a rule, women are more proactive when it comes to health issues, says Mary Shields, administrator of Community Cancer Research Foundation and Community Healthcare System. “Men are more

responsive to hard facts,” she says, “so if women want to encourage the men in their lives to have screenings, make sure that you’re armed with some facts to share.

It is also helpful to have peers share their personal experiences with cancer or screenings. This typically has a better result than a bossy wife.”

Dr. Polsley adds that women might also consider having screenings done themselves, such as a colonoscopy, so that they can experience the process

Recommended Screenings for Men • Oral cavity cancer: This procedure checks for any abnormalities in the mouth area. This is performed during any good dental exam or checkup with a primary care physician.

• Skin cancer: Ask a doctor to look at skin on the back or at anything that looks out of the ordinary.

• Prostate cancer: The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test that looks for signs of prostate cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, this should be paired with a digital rectal exam once a year starting at age 50, unless a family member had prostate cancer at a younger age.

• Testicular cancer: This should be checked for during any routine physical exam. It tends to occur in younger individuals and should be checked starting at age 20.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: John Wayne Cancer Foundation: jwcf.org

together. “He will see that the process is not that bad, and she will show him that preventative screening tests will benefit not only himself but his entire family in the long run.”

If the men in your life are still unsure about getting their cancer screenings, tell them what John Wayne said: “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”

TEAM DUKE: an athletic fundraiser that benefits the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, teamduke.org

july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 21

DO YOu hate cpap?

AN

ORAL APPLIANCE MAY BE A SIMPLE, COMFORTABLE SOLUTION.

ExpEriEncEd carE for Snoring and SlEEp apnEa ThErapy If you have mild to severe sleep apnea, or snore, call us today. We will help you to identify if our sleep apnea treatment is right for you.

Dr. Lipton has been treating patients who snore or have sleep apnea for many years. His continued education in the field of dental sleep medicine allows him to effectively treat sleep disorders that severely diminish the quality of life for millions of Americans.

Dr. Lipton is one of a small percentage of dentist’s board certified by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM).

Clinical guidelines developed by the Standards of Practice Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine state that oral appliances are indicated for use in patients with mild and moderate obstructive sleep apnea who prefer them to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, or who do not respond to, are not appropriate candidate for, or who fail treatment attempts with CPAP.

JAMESLIPTONDDS (219) 923 2222 9000 Cline Ave. • Highland, IN • www.liptondds.com Most Medical Insurance Accepted

To View our patient Testimonials, please scan or visit: http://www.liptondds.com/sleep-disorder-breathing-testimonials.html 22 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

SPECIAL FEATURE

GETTING SOME

zzzzzzs

Sleep can be elusive for some, but everyone needs it. Sleep helps us maintain a healthy weight, think more clearly and recharge our batteries. On the following pages we look at a new sleep center for children and the signs and symptoms of pediatric sleep disorders, how our high-tech society is affecting our collective sleep and the latest in sleep apnea help.

REST& RELAXATION A LOOK AT THE LATEST DEVICES FOR TREATING SLEEP APNEA

BY SHARON BIGGS WALLER

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder that occurs when you can’t get enough air into the lungs during sleep because of a collapsed airway. OSA can be serious, with each pause in breathing lasting ten to twenty seconds, and these can happen frequently in one hour, even as many as thirty times. OSA can be managed, and treatment has gotten better and more comfortable.

CPAP THERAPY

CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure, is breathing therapy prescribed for those with OSA. It works to blow pressurized air into a face mask; the pressure acts as a wedge to open the airway. The old CPAP machines were clumsy to uncomfortable to wear, but in the past few years there have been innovations in comfort, says Frank Trgovich, respiratory therapy manager for Fairmeadows Home Health in Schererville.

“There was limited use of a heated humidifier,” he says. “Over the course of a few hours or the whole night there is a lot of air going into the lungs and that’s going to decrease moisture, which is hard for the body to replenish.

The heated humidifier reduces the possibility of damage to the lungs. The warmer the air, the more humidity you have.”

Another feature tapers the flow of air when you exhale, which allows a more

natural exhalation. The machine also includes variable pressure.

You can start with low pressure and build up to the prescription pressure. Trgovich says there’s also been a big improvement with the noise level of the machine and the size has shrunk to about the length of a box of tissues.

DENTAL APPLIANCES

An alternative to the CPAP is a dental appliance called the mandibular advancement device. The device is an adjustable oral appliance that fits over the top and bottom teeth, advancing the jaw and tongue forward and stabilizing the soft palate to prevent the airway from collapsing and allowing for more air. Dr. James Lipton, diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine in Highland, says this is an exquisitely precise device that requires an impression of the mouth and careful calibration.

And it’s important that the dentist making it is highly trained and knowledgeable in dental sleep medicine.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) states that patients should be given the option of an oral appliance with mild or moderate sleep apnea. Dr. Lipton says that those with severe obstructive sleep apnea should start with a CPAP, and if they cannot tolerate the machine, the oral appliance can be a secondary option.

“It is possible to treat someone with FOR MORE INFORMATION severe sleep apnea DR. JAMES LIPTON liptondds.com // 219.923.2222 and have success with the mandibular SLEEPVIEW advancement 800.MIDMARK or device,” he says. midmark.com/sleepview FAIRMEADOWS HOME HEALTH fairmeadowshomehealthcare.com

24 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

INNOVATIVE SLEEP STUDY AT HOME

S

tudies to determine sleeping disorders are usually conducted at a clinic, but now there is a new FDA-cleared medical device called SleepView that meets all American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines for Type III Home Sleep Test Monitors. Patients can be tested in the comfort of home without an observer and with fewer sensors attached to their body.

“This reduces anxiety, leads to a more natural night of sleep and improves patient acceptance of test protocol,” says Tom Treon, senior product manager for Midmark Corporation, creators of SleepView. “In addition, there is a substantial cost savings. Home sleep testing (HST) is typically one-fifth the cost of an overnight in-lab study. Often, the comfort and familiarity of being tested in your own home at the direction of a physician helps patients overcome the initial hurdle of being tested so that the disease can be effectively identified and managed.”

SleepView provides a monitor for home recording of sleep and a web portal for access to native sleep study data or registered polysomnographic technologists and board-certified sleep physicians who provide scoring, professional interpretation and treatment recommendations.

“If you are a candidate [for potential sleep apnea], the physician orders a home sleep test study, prepares the monitor and instructs you on proper setup and use.

You’re able to leave the office on the same day, prepared to self-administer the home sleep test in your own bed. You then return the sleep study kit to the physician’s office. Sleep test data can either be reviewed on site or uploaded into an online portal for sleep lab quality scoring by a registered polysomnographic technologist and interpretation by a board-certified sleep physician who also makes a recommendation for treatment. The prescribing physician With the Type III is notified when the sleep study report is ready, and Home Sleep Test the physician reviews the test results and provides Monitors, patients can be tested in the recommendations in a follow-up appointment with the comfort of home patient.” without an observer Home sleep testing devices are readily available and with fewer sensors through prescription from primary care physicians. attached to their body.

PHOTO BY TOM TREON

BY SHARON BIGGS WALLER

CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED BY SLEEP DISORDERS, TOO

FROM COUNTING SHEEP TO COUNTING zzzzzzs

A

good night’s sleep is eluding an increasing number of people, and children are not immune.

The Centers for Disease Control has labeled “insufficient sleep” a public health epidemic. From bedwetting to loud snoring, a host of symptoms can indicate an underlying sleep problem in children.

Many children suffer with disorders but are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, says Dr. Larry Salberg, clinical associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest. “Approximately 2 percent of children have sleep apnea, and most of the kids are going undiagnosed,” he says.

In some cases, children diagnosed with attention problems, such as ADD/ADHD, actually have a sleep disorder. Some of the symptoms are the same, such as changes in behavior and attention. “There are studies that show that up to 38 percent of our children who are on stimulant medication for ADD/ADHD do not have ADD/ADHD,” Salberg says. “They have sleep deprivation or poor sleep, most of which is due to sleep apnea.”

Any child that visits a doctor for possible ADD/ADHD should be screened for apnea or another disorder, says Salberg, founder of Neurological Institute and Specialty Centers in Merrillville.

People with sleep apnea have breathing that repeatedly stops and starts as they sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic. Common signs are loud snoring or feeling tired after a full night’s sleep. Obese adults have an increased risk of sleep apnea, and the same rings true with children. “It’s a common pathological problem,” Salberg says. “It’s easy to diagnose and it’s easy to treat.”

Left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems, such as high blood pressure. In

26 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

adults, it can result in heart attacks, stroke, congestive heart failure and other maladies.

Good sleep helps reduce weight, but obesity causes poor sleep. “It’s a vicious cycle,” says Salberg, who has been practicing sleep medicine since 1978.

Dr. Muhammad Najjar, medical director for the Sleep Disorders Center of Franciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster, says sleep disorders in children are not new, but medical technology has improved. “Now we have the tools to treat them,” he says.

The Munster center treats children, but the majority of its patients are adults. The facility just started accepting pediatric patients in February. “To the best of my knowledge, no one offers this in Northwest Indiana,” Najjar says.

Aside from sleep apnea, children are susceptible to other sleep-related disorders, such as sleepwalking, insomnia, loud snoring and bedwetting. When a doctor recognizes symptoms of a sleep disorder in a child, the child may be recommended for a sleep study.

At Sleep Disorders Center, two rooms are designated for pediatrics. Designed to have a feel that’s comfortable for children, it has toys, pictures on the wall and smaller beds. During a sleep study, a child spends the night in a sleep center, hooked to machines that monitor brain waves, eye movement, flow of air in the nose and mouth, heart and oxygen levels and more, Najjar says. The data are recorded and analyzed. It takes a few days to process the results and another appointment to discuss the best course of treatment.

In adults, prescribing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which is a breathing mask worn at night, is a common treatment for sleep apnea.

BY VANESSA RENDERMAN

For children with sleep apnea, a possible first step is to remove their tonsils and adenoids.

If that does not correct the problem, then a doctor can explore nasal or orthodontic treatments or address a child’s weight, if he is overweight, Najjar says. If fixing those issues does not work, then a CPAP machine is an option.

Salberg says children have to be re-studied in a sleep center after various treatments are tried, to ensure what appears to be working truly is working. “You have to prove that you’ve treated it. The only way you can document and make a diagnosis is by going through a sleep test.”

If someone quits snoring, that does not mean the sleep apnea is gone. “One does not beget the other, necessarily,” Salberg says.

Parents who think their child may have a sleep disorder should talk to the child’s doctor.

If the doctor ignores the concern or does not seem to know, parents should not be afraid to ask for a consultation with a board certified sleep specialist, Salberg says.

“We spend a third of our life sleeping,” he says. “What we do during sleep has a lot to do with the day.”

Problems With

ANIMAL INSTINCTS BY JANE AMMESON

EVOLUTION MAY PLAY A BIG ROLE IN WHY WE NEED TO SLEEP

When Cole Porter wrote the lyrics “birds do it, bees do it . . . and even lazy jellyfish do it” for his song “Let’s Do It” he wasn’t talking about sleep. But now, studies are indicating that not only mammals but almost all animals including birds need to snooze. And there are indications that the need for sleep may be part of the evolutionary process.

“Most animals do sleep—from earthworms to humans,” says Dr. Ceyhun Sunsay, assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University Northwest. “Sleep is necessary. It seems that sleep helps animals. During the day they get tired and use calories; sleep lets them recharge their batteries.”

According to Michael LaPointe, associate professor of biology at Indiana University Northwest, all or at least most living creatures on earth go through a 24-hour cycle called the circadian cycle or diurnal cycle. “This would include fungi, plants and even bacteria,” he says.

“Genes that control this have been identified. As far as sleep goes, we know it is important for normal psychological health in humans and other primates.”

But while most animals sleep, Sunsay says that it appears only animals with higher cognition dream. “There’s no evidence of reptiles dreaming,” he says. “There is evidence that dogs dream and also some evidence that dreaming helps with memory consolidation. If sleep is disrupted we lose our orientation.”

The term keeping one eye open takes on an evolutionary aspect as well—one of survival—for sleeping animals. “From an evolutionary view, sleep puts animals in jeopardy,” Sunsay says. “You might get attacked by a predator when you sleep. Your offspring might be attacked.”

Animals such as seals, dolphins and whales sleep with one part of their brain still on alert while the other part slumbers. “In birds that flock, the nondominant male is more vulnerable,” Sunsay says.

“Flocking birds sleep in a circle and the alpha birds sleep in the center and the nondominant birds sleep on the edges of the circle. The ones that sleep on the left side of the flock keep their left eye open while sleeping and the ones that sleep on the right side of the center keep their right eye open. Part of their brains remains awake while alpha birds get to have stronger sleep.”

SLEEPING

Sleep Apnea is a condition distinguished by short pauses in breathing during sleep and is often characterized by loud snoring or a choking sensation. Over 95% of sleep apnea suffers don’t even know it until a friend, spouse, or family member tells them that they snore loudly. People who have sleep apnea can experience early morning headaches, daytime sleepiness and, sometimes, insomnia.

The condition can also be life-threatening, so it’s not just simple snoring anymore.

Recently, a new solution has presented itself in the form of dental appliances that can be worn during sleep, these appliances have a great effectiveness in patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea or patients that snore but don’t have sleep apnea. The devices can reposition the lower jaw and tongue keeping airways from collapsing thus reducing snoring but most importantly reducing or eliminating the sleep apnea.

There are an assortment of dental appliances and treatment options available for sleep apnea and Dr. Daniel M. Bade and his staff can choose the correct treatment for your condition. Call us today to see which unique ground breaking treatment is right for you.

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july/august 2012 | GET HEALTHY | 27

DON’T LET INSOMNIA KEEP YOU AWAKE AT NIGHT

UNPLUG&UNWIND

BY TRICIA DESPRES

It’s true . . . babies aren’t the only ones who can’t seem to sleep through the night these days.

Many adults are finding the seemingly simple act of falling asleep quite the hassle in a world that never seems to stop moving. Whether it’s the high-tech gadgets we cling to throughout the day or the worries that we hold inside at night, experts point to many reasons why we all are simply not getting an adequate amount of sleep anymore.

“

L

ots of people are sleep deprived these days,” explains Dr. David Rozenfeld, medical director of Community Hospital Sleep Diagnostics Center and neurologist with Northwest Indiana Neurological Associates. “This could be because of medical disorders, stress, insomnia or just simply having too much to do. Whatever the reason may be, not sleeping during the night is going to mean being tired all day long. The person will not be able to function well cognitively, and it will certainly begin to have an effect on things such as decision-making and memory.”

The fact is that a good night’s sleep is as necessary to health and well-being as diet and exercise. A night’s worth of sleep will go far in giving our bodies and minds time to rejuvenate, re-energize and restore. “Unfortunately, more than 35 million Americans struggle with falling and staying asleep,” explains Dr. Kevin Fagan, a board-certified neurologist and medical director of the Ingalls Sleep Centers. “If the sleeplessness [insomnia] is temporary— caused by a tough deadline at work or a common cold—returning to a good sleep schedule shouldn’t be a problem. But if you have trouble sleeping night after night, chronic insomnia will start to take its toll. You will start to feel foggy, unable to concentrate, and irritable during the day.”

Luckily, many of the sleep problems that

28 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

come up are often short-term in nature.

However, in some cases, a more extensive sleep study might be needed. During a sleep study, a professional sleep technologist observes your sleep patterns, brain waves, heart rate, rapid eye movements and more, using monitoring devices attached to your body, explains Dr. Fagan. “Sleeping with wires attached to you might seem difficult, but most patients find they fall asleep very easily. The sleep specialist then analyzes the results and designs a treatment program if necessary.”

If you and your doctor have ruled out any medical problems that may be causing your insomnia, you should practice the following sleep habits: “Use your bed for sleeping or sexual activity only,” Dr. Fagan explains. “Keep the bedroom dark and quiet, and follow a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends and holidays. Most of all, don’t allow yourself to stay awake worrying, either.

If you can’t fall asleep, get out of bed, go

to another room and read, work a crossword puzzle or some other quiet activity. Then try again.”

“When you find your mind racing, try meditation, counting or guided imagery,” Dr. Rozenfeld says. “A person must try to break the run of thoughts. People that are prone to worry are often the ones that can have trouble sleeping.”

So . . . relax and find a way to sleep well.

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food & fitness

Individuals with celiac disease and those with a myriad of other stomach disorders must monitor their diets carefully to eliminate their intake of gluten and other ingredients.

T

oday, manufacturers, chefs and other food personnel have made it less arduous to follow the gluten-free path. From grocery stores carrying gluten-free products, to restaurant menus touting recipes without gluten, and cookbook authors offering diverse recipes for the limited lifestyle, consumers have choices.

“Gluten intolerance has become a lot more widely understood,” says Bette-Jeanne Arbor, co-owner with her husband Gerry of Molly Bea’s Ingredients in Chesterton. Arbor says more people are being helped by medical personnel, lifestyle coaches and food experts to better identify it these days. “And they’re coming to the store and asking for various products.”

At Molly Bea’s Ingredients, Arbor

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sells a variety of products, including granola and corn flakes, assorted flours, baking mixtures, almond butter, licorice, relishes, candy, snack bars and other gluten-free goodies.

According to the National Celiac Awareness Foundation, one in 133 Americans have celiac disease, which is aggravated by consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

“People are learning to make much better choices with the foods they eat,” says Nancy Cherven, a gluten-free lifestyle coach from Crown Point.

Cherven, who has had an intolerance to gluten for twelve years, says she’s been helping others as a lifestyle coach for the past six years.

And she’s noticed many more options in the marketplace for those on a restrictive diet. She says food manufacturers and other experts have made great strides in informing people about what’s in their food. “They’ve made huge efforts in the U.S. and Canada to label products so people know what they’re eating.”

Highland resident Brandi Hayes recently started a gluten-free blog (glutenfreekids-brandi. blogspot.com) as well as Twitter and Facebook pages dedicated to the gluten-free lifestyle. She initially started it because her 2-year-old son can’t consume gluten. While there’s much gluten-free information out in the marketplace for adults, Hayes says, “I didn’t find a lot of resources out there for parents with kids who are gluten-free, so I wanted to try to help people.”

Cherven says the best thing to keep in mind when you’re baking or making glutenfree recipes is to take “baby steps.” If you experiment little by little, it’s easier to be successful. —Eloise Marie Valadez

Bette-Jeanne Arbor stands in front of various gluten-free flours sold at her shop, Molly Bea’s Ingredients in Chesterton.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION Consumers eager to check out cookbooks featuring gluten-free fare can find a variety in the marketplace including: • Gluten-Free on a Shoestring—125 Easy Recipes for Eating Well, by Nicole Hunn • Deliciously G-Free—Food So Flavorful They’ll Never Believe It’s Gluten-Free,

by Elisabeth Hasselbeck • Quick Fix Gluten-Free,

by Robert M. Landolphi To learn more about gluten-free food consumption and about celiac disease, visit celiaccentral.org

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Going Gluten-Free

touting

TEA

There’s nothing like a hot cup of tea to soothe many an ailment from the sniffles brought on by a cold, an upset stomach or even to ease the pressures of a stressful day.

Tea flavors and styles run the gamut and all have various health benefits. But when it comes to discussing the benefits of consuming tea for good health, there’s much to say about green tea, say beverage, health and fitness experts.

“I’ve been drinking green tea for about four or five years,” says Tina Sena, co-owner with her husband Michael of Michael Sena’s Pro-Fit: Program Fitness for Results in Dyer.

“It has helped improve my overall health.”

Sena says she was previously a coffee drinker, but felt it was very dehydrating to her system. “After I got pregnant, I made the switch to green tea.” And she now drinks two to three cups per day.

Sena says among green tea’s benefits are that it helps boost metabolism, is a fat buster, plays a role in lowering cholesterol and is high in antioxidants.

Tracy Seitzinger, owner of Blue Raven Tea Company, an online business in Northwest Indiana, says she sells a variety of green teas through her company. Customers often request a selection of them.

The demand for green tea is definitely up these days, adds Rhonda Bloch, owner of Crown Point’s Tiffany’s Tearoom.

Bloch carries thirteen varieties of Blue Raven’s green tea at her eatery. She says consumers can find different flavors and floral blends of the product in the marketplace.

Bloch started drinking green tea twelve years ago when she began having problems with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. “It’s a great point of interest for me and has helped me.” —Eloise Marie Valadez

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ask the expert DR. JAMES KOZELKA

Sleep disorders have a neurological root At least 40 million Americans suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders, and 20 million more experience occasional sleeping problems, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

One of the most serious types of disorders is sleep apnea, in which breathing is disrupted while a person sleeps. Dr. James Kozelka, a physician with Associates in Neurology, P.C., in Valparaiso, treats patients who experience sleep apnea and offers the following advice.

Q: What is a neurologist? A neurologist is a medical specialist who treats disorders of the central nervous system—brain and spinal cord and neuromuscular system nerve and muscle.

Q: What does a neurologist treat? This depends somewhat on the training and interests of the neurologist. All neurologists treat problems such as headaches (migraines and otherwise), seizures, dizziness, strokes, carpal tunnel syndrome and neuropathy—often resulting in numbness/tingling in the extremities. Other common conditions cared for by sub-specialty neurologists include sleep-related problems.

Q: How is neurology tied to sleep disorders?

Sleep is a neurological phenomenon. Some sleep disorders may be tied directly to neurological conditions. The brain is intimately involved in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea. This should not be surprising since the brain stem is the site of regulation of breathing. Nerves from the brain stem ultimately supply the muscles of respiration. If the airway closes, oxygen goes down, carbon dioxide goes up, and these changes again are detected by nerves that ultimately feed back to the brain stem respiratory control centers. This can result in sleep disruption known as fragmentation, which reduces the restorative quality of sleep—ultimately resulting in daytime sleepiness.

32 | GET HEALTHY | nwi.com/gethealthy

Q: How prevalent are sleep disorders?

The most frequent sleep disorder that requires nighttime testing is obstructive sleep apnea, which affects approximately 4 percent of the population.

Much less common disorders such as narcolepsy may also require nighttime testing. However, conditions such as insomnia, which generally do not require nighttime sleep testing, are much more common with approximately 10 percent of the population experiencing chronic insomnia and about 30 percent of the population with intermittent insomnia. These patients can often benefit from the assistance of a board-certified sleep specialist in cooperation with a psychologist specializing in treatment known as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

Q: What is sleep apnea? The most common form of sleep apnea encountered in a practice is obstructive sleep apnea. In this condition, breathing is disrupted in sleep by collapse of the airway during inspiration. This results in a drop of blood oxygen and an increase in blood carbon dioxide, and is often complicated by conditions such as stroke, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation and hypertension. Patients’ families report loud snoring with occasional interruptions in breathing. Patients typically report non-restful sleep with a poor energy level, despite what they consider to be adequate nocturnal sleep.

Q: What are the consequences of sleep apnea? Can it be deadly if left untreated?

First, let me point out that there are varying degrees of severity of this condition depending upon the number of times an individual stops breathing per hour of sleep and the severity in the drop of oxygen with each event. As the severity of apnea increases, so do the relative risks. These risks include high blood pressure, rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease and stroke.

Leaving this risk factor untreated is much like ignoring treatment for high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke caused by other medical conditions.

Q: How is sleep apnea treated? Obstructive sleep apnea is most commonly treated initially with CPAP—Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

In selected patients, most notably patients with relatively mild apnea or positional apnea (less prominent when not lying on back), a dental orthosis—a mouthpiece called a mandibular advancement device—may be helpful. There are surgical procedures, which may be beneficial in carefully selected patients. —Christine Bryant‌ FOR YOUR INFORMATION

DR. JAMES W. KOZELKA Associates in Neurology 2000 Roosevelt Rd, Ste 201, Valparaiso (main office) Offices also in LaPorte and Plymouth 219.476.7777. info@associatesinneurology.com or associatesinneurology.com

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