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Western North Carolina’s Source for Weekly News, Entertainment, Arts, and Outdoor Information
June 10-16, 2015 Vol. 17 Iss. 02
Sylva trailblazer dies during solo hike Page 18 Macon bus driver defends against gunmen Page 21
A look at health and fitness in WNC
LIVING WELL 2015
well Keep moving Huskey helps women get healthy
“Since moving here (the U.S.) I started eating more — I craved Big Macs when I was pregnant,” she said. “I gained 10 pounds during my last month of pregnancy alone.” Zumba — an aerobic workout using Latin dance moves — seemed like a natural fit since she was familiar with Latin dances like Salsa and Rumba. Zumba classes can be found everywhere now, but that was not the case seven years ago. With only one class being offered in Sylva, Huskey decided to try it out in the comfort of her own home. Within one year, the 5-footnothing Huskey went from a size 10 to a size 2. “I did it one hour a day every day and got hooked,” she said. “And after about two months, people started noticing.” Then a few months later, people started joining her at her home to do Zumba — that’s when she realized she wanted to do it professionally.
GROWING A BUSINESS
Sussy Huskey leads her students in a Zumba class at her studio in Whittier. Jessi Stone photo BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ussy Huskey has learned that life can take you in many directions — some planned and others unexpected — but the important thing is to keep moving. Those are the words she lives by and the advice she gives to her students at Studio Rumba in Whittier. “If you don’t know the dance moves, make them up,” she joked. “It doesn’t matter what you do — you need to keep moving. Life is too short to just quit.” Huskey’s life has moved her from Costa Rica to Cherokee. It’s taken her from a steady and stable career with Harrah’s Casino to operating her own fitness center for women. Most importantly, life has taken the 37-yearold from an unhappy and unhealthy existence and made her into the happy and healthy woman she is today. “Having the studio makes me more independent because I can spend time with my son,” Huskey said. “I’m able to have fun and get in shape while working — not everyone has that opportunity.” But she says the best thing about her job now is that
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she gets to help other women accomplish their health goals. She can relate to their struggles because she knows exactly how they feel.
MOTIVATED TO MOVE It wasn’t that long ago that Huskey didn’t like what she saw in the mirror every day. “I thought to myself ‘I don’t have energy, I’m grumpy all the time, I don’t feel like myself ’ and that’s because I wasn’t healthy,” she said. That feeling intensified when she returned home to visit family in Costa Rica. While it’s hard to notice a few pounds here and there when you see someone every day, Huskey said her family noticed — and didn’t hesitate to let her know. The reasons for the weight gain were common — pregnancy, poor eating choices and not enough exercise, but she was finally motivated to change her lifestyle so she could set a good example for her child and be able to keep up with him.
Huskey grew up in Costa Rica and graduated college in 1999 with a degree in journalism. When Harrah’s visited Costa Rica to recruit employees for its casino in Cherokee, she jumped at the chance to have an adventure before starting her career. Without knowing any English, she moved to Cherokee. She never thought she “I want the would end up living in women to feel North Carolina for 14 years working as a casicomfortable and no host, let alone operating her own fitness free. I want them studio. As her Zumba to find a place workouts started showing results, and more to have support.” people started coming — Sussy Huskey to her at-home classes, she began to think about the possibilities. She decided to become a certified Zumba instructor and started teaching a couple of classes on the side in Cherokee while still working at the casino. “Once I saw people getting inspired by my story, I wanted to help them more,” she said. Huskey’s passion soon morphed into a career, and Studio Rumba celebrated its four-year anniversary June 6. She steadily added more classes and quickly outgrew a location in Bryson City. She moved it to the old Whittier School, but it was difficult to keep classes going through the cold winter and hot summer without central heating and air. That’s when one of her students, whose husband is the pastor of Cherokee Bible Church, offered to let her
Sussy Huskey assists one of her students during a 212 strength training class at Studio Rumba. Jessi Stone photo
EMPOWERING WOMEN Classes were open to men and women when Studio Rumba started, but Zumba is a female dominated workout and very few men ever showed up for classes. So when Huskey added the 212 and Piloxing classes two years ago, she made it into a women’s fitness center. “I want the women to feel comfortable and free,” she said. “I want them to find a place to have support.” The ages of the women taking Huskey’s 8:30 a.m. 212 training class last week ranged from 16 to early 70s. Some of them have been coming to the studio for four years while others only recently started their fitness journey, but all of them agreed that Huskey gave them the motivation and support they all needed. Kathryn Ossoff said she has lost 40 pounds since starting Zumba a year ago and 212 a couple of months ago. “Zumba really helps clear the cobwebs out of your brain through danc-
Studio Rumba class schedule MONDAY • 8:30 a.m. — Zumba • 5 p.m. — Piloxing • 6 p.m. — Zumba TUESDAY • 8:30 a.m. — 212 small group training • 5 p.m. — 212 small group training • 6 p.m. — Zumba
LIVING WELL 2015
rent space in the church. While it is great space and offers a central location for her students, her long-term goal is to find her own place and expand the business. Huskey also has expanded to teach more than Zumba. The studio now offers 212 small group training, Piloxing and Piloxing knockout classes. The 212 classes help women build strength and endurance using a number of different low-impact exercises. Piloxing is an intense and high-energy combination of boxing and Pilates that helps women reduce fat, increase metabolism and build endurance. With the help of two other instructors, the studio offers 13 classes a week. Each night class usually has 25 to 45 people.
ing,” she said. “When I first started coming I expected everyone to have flat tummies and be wearing mid drifts, but I was surprised to find people who looked like me.” Kim Smith enjoys the studio because she can bring her young children along with her to class. “Zumba is good for your soul — it’s a stress reliever,” she said. “And Sussy always makes me smile.” Huskey said she started a Facebook group for her students to keep them motivated, to celebrate their accomplishments and to remind them of upcoming classes. They celebrate each other’s birthdays, weight loss and other milestones. For Huskey, her exercise programs are not just about losing weight — it’s about living a healthy lifestyle. She is thrilled to see her students stop having to take medication for high blood pressure or depression because of the progress they’re making in her class. “I don’t want skinny girls — I want healthy women,” she said. “Having this studio has changed me because I feel responsible for many people now — I want them to be happy.”
62 N. Main Street • Waynesville
828-454-1004 www.PinkRegalia.com
Our health and well-being is dependent on clean water; we can’t go a day with it. In Haywood County, all water starts within the county line high on the mountain ridges. That gives the Haywood County community sole responsibility for protecting our water and all the ways we use it, including drinking, growing food, for industry, and recreation, as well as supporting a tremendous diversity of plants and animals. If clean water is important to you, join Haywood Waterways and help us protect and improve Haywood County’s waterways.
WEDNESDAY • 8:30 a.m. — Piloxing THURSDAY • 8:30 a.m. — 212 small group training • 5 p.m. — 212 small group training • 6 p.m. — Zumba FRIDAY • 8:30 a.m. — Zumba
*Class times are subject to change weekly. Visit www.studiorumba.com for more information.
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LIVING WELL 2015
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Treating the spine, easing the pain
Yoga is about stress relief, not acrobatics BY KATIE R EEDER SMN I NTERN It’s a myth that yoga is reserved for only the most acrobatic of people. And that’s good news considering the amount of stress that is often part of everyday life, said Jay MacDonald, a registered yoga teacher out of Waynesville. “Everybody is running in 50 different directions,” MacDonald said. “It’s very hectic, and you want to give your body a break from that stress.” The point of her classes is to help people relax, and she does whatever she can to make those participating
Dr. Tara and Dr. Michael Hogan of Blue Mountain Chiropractic Center in Waynesville. Garret K. Woodward photo
“The body is always going to try and move towards health. It’s meant to be healthy, it’s meant to be active, and it will always move towards homeostasis.”
LIVING WELL 2015
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER A little bit goes a long way. That’s a key philosophy at Blue Mountain Chiropractic Center in downtown Waynesville. Good health doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Rather, it can be an easy stride with the right preventative measures in place, within your body and mind. “For us, it’s how can we get this man, woman, child or senior to have their spine functioning at its best?” Dr. Michael Hogan said. “Even with degenerative diseases or arthritis, if the body functions better, you can take someone with those conditions and make them feel better, make them active again — let them be able to do what it is that they love to do.” Focusing on the universal effects proper spinal cord health has on the human body, the center has become a place of refuge and solace for folks in search of chronic pain relief. “Even as time moves forward we can maintain a high level of health,” Hogan said. “As long as you push the right buttons, and provide the right input, you can develop good habits that will automatically overcome the bad ones.” Sitting in his office, Michael, who operates the business alongside his wife, Dr. Tara Hogan, speaks enthusiastically and passionately when asked about the incredible well of good health that can be discovered through proper techniques found in chiropractic services. “If you want to get into the nitty gritty of it all, we’re talking about cell function,” he said. “We’re taught in elementary school about what cells are and what their function is, how the cells respond, how they are controlled by the central nervous system.” With the mainframe of that system the brain, brain stem and spinal cord, Michael explained how electrical and chemical signals are constantly being sent back and forth throughout the body, to every organ and every tissue. “The spinal column is one of the most complex examples of engineering on the planet, it’s more like a computer system than just a simple machine,” he said. Spinal health is divided into two parts of study and treatment: the full spine and the upper cervical spine. Whereas being educated in just one side can take years of practice, Blue Mountain specializes in both.
— Dr. Michael Hogan
“Dr. Tara and I are unique in that we do offer the best of both worlds here in terms of a technical approach,” Michael said. “And you’ll find our results a lot more consistent with both of those aspects available here.” Now in its fifth year in business, the center has implemented a high-tech digital X-ray system known as the “pinnacle system,” which offers the most cutting edge technology available. “The degree of detail when you’re looking at someone’s spine is extremely high quality,” Michael said. “So, often we’re able to find things that may have been missed in the past.” Michael himself is no stranger to pain. A longtime active athlete, he has had two knee surgeries and one shoulder operation, as well as severe sinus and allergy issues. And it was getting treatment from a chiropractor that not only changed his life, but also his career path — the Hogans each graduated from the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, the birthplace of chiropractic medicine in 1895. feel comfortable — even if that means having a class at someone’s home. Yoga offers a convenient way for people to stretch and improve their strength and flexibility — something that may impact quality of life more than people think. Stretching lengthens the muscles and helps prevent injury, but flexibility is also involved in daily activities as simple as bending over to tie a shoe, MacDonald said. People can reap the benefits of yoga just by taking a few moments to stretch and breathe. “If you’ve got 10 minutes and sit somewhere quietly and can breathe in and out a few times, that’s yoga,” she said. “Yoga does not have to put you in a split .... It’s just about taking a quiet moment and breathing.” MacDonald teaches yoga classes Monday and Wednesday 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and 9:55 to 11 a.m. at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center in Clyde.
“I got adjusted, and my back pain went away, sinus pain went away,” he said. “Chiropractic treatment is based on the idea that the body heals itself, where you have three cause of disease — mental emotional stress, chemical nutritional stress and physical stress. And yet, all the stress responses within the body are the same.” Michael added that though the stress responses, such as histamines (which cause irritation, as seen in allergies), are meant to be in place, it’s when they don’t cease or calm down that becomes the source of pain. He noted that simple things like having proper posture or partaking in simple core exercises can make the biggest difference between lifelong comfort and discomfort. “In terms of exercise, the human body is generally designed in a certain way, where if you improve function with exercise, it’s going to stabilize,” he said. “The body is always going to try and move towards health. It’s meant to be healthy, it’s meant to be active, and it will always move towards homeostasis — if you don’t use it, you lose it.” With those healthy habits enforced over time, Michael noted how you will improve your digestive health, muscle imbalances and also eliminate an array of other medical disorders. “For a lot of people, it can be a psychological barrier between knowing what is right and doing what is right,” he said. “You sometimes end up hitting rock bottom, where you decide whether to go to the emergency room or to have surgery or to see a chiropractor.” And through the years it never gets old for the Hogans to receive a phone call or in-person visit by one of their patients, who is now pain free and ready to claim the healthy body that is rightfully theirs. “They tell us, ‘I feel better than I have in years or ‘I’m moving better than I have in years.’ We even had a lady today with tears of joy because here body was working correctly,” Michael smiled. “You’re body is like a car, if you take care of that car it’ll last you a long, long time — don’t wait until the engine explodes before you do anything.”
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LIVING WELL 2015
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On the road to better health BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER Swain County schools are a little bit healthier following the conclusion of a trial wellness program this spring. More specifically, the staff weighs 1 percent less, has 2 percent less body fat and saw a 10-point decrease in cholesterol — the average overall heart score went up from 7.5 to 8.9 out of 10. “In four months’ time, I was really pleasantly surprised that we saw the shifts that we did,” said Melanie Batchelor, the wellness coordinator for Swain County Community Hospital. “That’s not a whole lot of time to see those changes occur.” The program, Resolutions to Realities, sprang from a desire to get the schools’ emphasis on health institutionalized in some way rather than relying on sporadic initiatives throughout the year. So, Sonya Blankenship, assistant principal at Swain County High School who also chairs the School Health Advisory Committee, came to Swain Community Hospital for help. It was good timing, because Batchelor had been working on a general wellness program to ship out to whomever in the corporate world might be interested in such a thing. “I said, ‘This is really just a template. We can customize this for you guys,’” Batchelor recalls. “She (Blankenship) got really excited about that.” What they came up with was a set of wellness resources and activities that participants in the program — employees of Swain County School — could do to earn points. Different levels of point accumulations could earn an employee a pedometer or a full or half day off work, and overall winners earned cash prizes for their schools from funds put up by the hospital, and also earned some money for themselves. Participants could earn points for everything from getting a wellness screening to participating in a health
education program to going to the gym. The school even offered its own 5K. “They had all sorts of different things,” said Jenny Johnson, director of the Swain County Center for the Arts, who earned the most points at Swain County High School. “It inspired me to get my physical, which I hadn’t had in two-and-a-half years, and get some health things I needed done taken care of.” These kinds of programs are important, Batchelor said, because being healthy often “tends to be the hard choice,” what with sedentary office jobs and fast food abounding at all turns. “We really are almost treading water, it seems like sometimes, to stay healthy,” she said. “It is my hope and dream that we can shift and that being healthy is the easy choice.” For Johnson, the program certainly helped move her in that direction. “It was a motivator to better health, and I’m glad I did it,” she said. Johnson wasn’t the only one who gave the program a favorable review. The spring semester is over, but both Blankenship and Batchelor are hoping to revive the program in the fall. “Our hope is that we can expand the program, not only for staff but to students, and do more of a holistic thing,” Batchelor said. In a school, especially, it’s important that teachers be included, because seeing healthy behaviors modeled is an influential encouragement toward practicing them. “They’re (teachers are) absolutely role models for their students,” Batchelor said. “The students can see what they’re doing and practice those same healthy behaviors, and as the next generation they can hopefully continue that through to adulthood.”
“We really are almost treading water, it seems like sometimes, to stay healthy.” — Melanie Batchelor, wellness coordinator for Swain County Community Hospital
Wellness programs abound Many employers in Western North Carolina offer some form of a wellness incentive program to their employees. Here are a few examples: • Angel Medical Center, as part of the Mission Health system, gives its employees a chance to earn points in a variety of ways, with 150 points qualifying them for a quarterly incentive of $75. Points can come from everything from keeping a food log to going for a physical to completing a health-focused workshop. • Mast General Store offers reimbursement for wellness-related expenses such as gym memberships, sporting equipment and dentist visits, and it also gives a monetary reward to employees who take alternative transportation to work. Employees can earn $2 per day for carpooling and $4 per day for walking, biking or taking public transportation. • Jackson County offers its employees a less expensive health plan in exchange for completing an annual health risk assessment, testing negative for tobacco use and participating in a disease management program if necessary. It also uses its Well @ Work program, in which employees who earn a certain number of points for healthy activities receive a $50 VISA gift card at the end of the year. Last year, 82 employees earned the gift card.
Reflexology or massage? The Mountain Spirit Wellness building in Waynesville’s Frog Level area offers a pair of services that have the same goal — restoring comfort to hurting muscles and joints — but use different methods to get there. Masseuse Lynda Saffell and reflexologist Linda Neff took a few minutes to explain the benefits of their work and how they differ from each other. Smoky Mountain News: How would you describe your field? Lynda Saffell: The body heals itself when you’re relaxed. When you’re stressed, the body doesn’t heal itself — it’s more focused on survival. In general it helps with that, bringing the stress level down so the body can heal itself. Linda Neff: You’re working actuI work specifically ally where the body on places that are is blocked or where there’s reflex points, needing help and which is similar to acupuncture points. those are identiYou’re working to fied by pain or release those and release the tension aches. Massage in the body.
LIVING WELL 2015
Wellness program promotes healthy living in Swain schools
uses the same
SMN: How do thing, but in your fields differ? LS: Reflexology reflexology I’m is about accessing either stimulating specific reflex points in the body. or I’m sedating. Massage is more addressing the — Linda Neff whole body system, even though you can sometimes focus on a specific area. It’s more flowing movements as opposed to working to some certain reflex points. LN: I work specifically on places that are needing help and those are identified by pain or aches. Massage uses the same thing, but in reflexology I’m either stimulating or I’m sedating. SMN: How does your work benefit your patients? LS: Stress relief, recovery from injury, increased quality of life, maintaining physical functionality. LF: Improved circulation and nervous stimulation, injury recovery, increased energy, improved quality of life. SMN: Some of those benefits sound pretty similar. Why should a prospective client opt for one treatment or the other? LS: I think both are helpful. It just may be a personal preference. (For example), there are some people that are just more modest than others, and they have a hard time relaxing because they’re naked under the sheet. LN: There’s so many modalities out there that not just one is recommended. It’s whatever the person find helps them. — by Holly Kays, staff writer
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LIVING WELL 2015
Call of the wild
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Reconnecting today’s kids with the outdoors is critical to their well-being BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER There’s something ingrained in our DNA, something seared into our psyche that triggers a primal sense of harmony when we escape four walls and venture into the great outdoors. Olga Pader feels that euphoria every time she steps out on a trail. “When you go out in the woods you feel good. You play. You discover. You feel peaceful,” said Pader, 70, a seasoned hiker from Franklin. It’s a yearning Daniel Willis knows well. A paddler on the Nantahala River, Willis starts to go a little crazy if he can’t get a regular dose of outdoor activity. “I believe we as humans have a special connection to the outdoors. It is a natural desire we have to feed,” said Willis, the executive director of the Nantahala Racing Club. Driven by their own passions, Willis and Pader are on the front lines of a growing movement to reconnect today’s kids with the outdoors. “We evolved as part of the natural world. But today most children live in a totally artificial environment,” Pader said. Pader loves to watch what happens when kids are left to their own devices with a dose of unstructured outside playtime. “You will see them just start running and going to the creek and looking at bugs — they revert to what they are supposed to be,” said Pader, a retired child psychologist. “We just have to encourage them to be free.” It’s important for the body as well as the soul. “They need to use their bodies to really develop properly. Movement affects cognition. We are a totality,” Pader said. Willis has seen how a day of paddling can pay off all week long, helping kids focus in school thanks to a subconscious sense of fulfillment — both physical and emotional. “Obviously it is a great outlet for the pent up energy within kids these days,” Willis said. Given the bad influences and diversions surrounding children, an outdoor hobby “keeps the mind and the body pure,” Willis said. A national movement to combat so-called “nature deficit disorder” has been building over the past decade. The phrase was coined by author Richard Louv in his influential book Last Child in the Woods, which sounded the alarm about the staggering divide between children and the outdoors, and touched off a rallying cry to action. Western North Carolina has certainly answered the call, with dozens of initiatives and programs doing their part to encourage kids to get outdoors. As president of the Nantahala Hiking Club, Pader is a foot soldier in the effort to introduce kids to hiking. The Nantahala Hiking Club works with area schools to connect students with the outdoors, from building trails on school campuses — with the students’ pitching in — to leading hiking field trips, including map reading lessons.
A low-cost after-school paddling club on the Nantahala River in the spring and fall introduces kids to the water. Donated photo
week, so if we can make it more like that, we can grow the “As close as we are to the trails, most of the children realization that this is a fun thing to do,” Willis said. have never been on trail,” Pader said. The Nantahala Racing Team landed a $25,000 grant On a recent fieldtrip to the top of Siler Bald, Pader last year from North Face, a national outdoor gear comwitnessed the natural world spark a new sense of discovpany, under a special fund aimed at “helping kids discovery for a group of girls hiking in her group. er nature’s playground.” The “Every moss we went by, they funds are used to subsidize the had to stop and feel it and at the “You will see them just after-school paddling club and end one of them said ‘I am going make it cheap for parents to try a to become a scientist,’” Pader start running and going to new activity for their child. recounted. “The goal was to break down Meanwhile, the Nantahala the creek and looking at the financial barrier and make it Racing Club has launched a bugs — they revert to what as affordable and easy as possiyouth outreach program to get ble,” Willis said. kids on the water, hopefully they are supposed to be. Paddling isn’t just a conduit introducing them to an active We just have to encourage to engage with the outdoors, but outdoor pastime that will carry a gateway to a healthy lifestyle, a them through life. them to be free.” critical element in an era of junk The youth paddling activities food and childhood obesity. range from family whitewater — Olga Pader “Kayaking is a fun thing they weekends to formal coaching for can do other than run or pump kids who want to paddle competiron in the gym to lose weight,” Willis said. itively. Outdoor adventure sports — from mountain biking to The biggest challenge has been introducing kids to paddling to trail running — are steadily growing. As they paddling for the first time. become more and more prevalent, accounting for a larger “Once we get them in a kayak they are usually share of the recreation spectrum, they’re finding their way hooked,” Willis said. onto the formal docket of parks and rec programs. Hoping to make paddling more accessible and less The Waynesville Recreation Center and Jackson intimidating for newcomers, an after-school paddling County Parks and Rec have recently hired staff to develop club is offered for six weeks every spring and fall. outdoor adventure programs that complement the tradi“Tons of kids can make it to soccer practice every
Learn more
Top: Kids explore aquatic life with snorkles as part of a new outdoor recreation program in Jackson County. A special kids program during Mountain Wildlife Days by the North Georgia Zoo (above) engages kids in the natural world.
Health care resources Health organizations throughout Western North Carolina offer a variety of programs and services to promote wellness among residents. • Tuesdays to Thrive are held the first Tuesday of every month in the main lobby at Harris Regional Hospital. These sessions aim to promote wellness and give attendees information about health topics such as cancer prevention, healthy eating and asthma and allergies. The event is a partnership between the hospital and the Jackson County Department of Public Health. 828.586.7734 or visit www.westcare.org. • Men’s Night Out meets at 6:30 p.m. every other month on the fourth Tuesday of the month except for November, when the meeting is held the second Tuesday. Macon County Public Health and Angel Medical Center sponsor the program, and meetings are held in the Angel Medical Center’s video conference room on the third floor. The next meeting is July 28 and will cover general exercises for men. 828.349.2426.
• Ladies’ Night Out meets at 4 and 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month except November and December when it will meet on the second Tuesday. Macon County Public Health and Angel Medical Center sponsor the program, and meetings are held in the Angel Medical Center cafeteria. The next meeting, called “How not to be a Victim,” will be June 23. Other meetings cover topics from nutrition to memory concerns. 828.349.2426. • Healthy Haywood is a coalition of community members who want to encourage citizens to lead healthier lifestyles. The coalition organizes various programs to promote greater health awareness. It also offers online resources for topics such as healthy living, mental health and substance abuse. 828.452.6675 ext. or visit www.healthyhaywood.org. • Let’s Cook! is a cooking class for youth ages 8 and older how to make healthy snacks. Classes will meet at 3:30 p.m. June 24, July 8 and Aug. 18 at the Waynesville Library. Participants must call ahead to sign up. 828.356.2512 • The Haywood Healthcare Foundation seeks to meet healthcare needs for people in Haywood County by partnering with other health organizations and providing funding. It recently issued 25 grants that reached people of all ages and supported programs for several issues including dental care, nutrition and substance abuse.
LIVING WELL 2015
tional lineup of “ball sports” — offering everything from kids’ paddling classes to guided hikes. “It is important to know how to enjoy the outdoors and recreate by yourself,” said Jennifer Bennett, the outdoor recreation director for Jackson Parks and Rec. “We want to instill in kids that it is just fun to be outside.” If outside is merely a venue where soccer or baseball is played, what happens when they outgrow those organized sports? “Engaging youth in a diverse array of outdoor recreation, not just organized team sports, helps them develop lifelong recreational skills,” Bennett said. Two weeks from now, families have been invited to pitch tents on the field of the Jackson County Rec Center for a family campout on June 19. It’s a perfect environment to introduce families to camping out in a supported environment. The rec staff will host an evening cookout, build the campIn the mountains, there’s fire for s’mores, and fire dozens of outlets for youth up a camp stove for panto get in touch with nature cakes the next morning. and the outdoors. “For a lot of people it would be an introductory • TRACK trails camping experience for • Woodsy Owl families to spend time • Nature Nuts and Ecooutside together in an Explorers easy environment,” • Junior Ranger programs Bennett said. • Wee Naturalists Kids are naturally • Highlands Nature Center drawn to the outdoors if camps given opportunities to • Arboretum camps connect with nature, but • Nantahala Kids Club therein lies the rub. “The younger generation has all kind of attention getters right now in their lives,” said John Edwards, a wildlife advocate in Cashiers. Edwards believes kids’ innate fascination for wildlife is the key to cultivating the next generation of stewards for the natural world. And he decided to take matters into his own hands to make that happen. Edwards, the founder and director of Mountain Wildlife Days in Cashiers, has amassed a coalition of youth educators with science and nature organizations who are equipped to put on traveling programs in schools, from a live reptile and amphibian show to raptor handlers. The Mountain Wildlife Outreach programs go in to schools at no cost to the schools, reaching over 1,300 students at 11 schools this past year alone.To Edwards, instilling children with a love of nature is critical for the well-being of society at large, which depends on a healthy planet.“They will be our future caretakers,” Edwards said.
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LIVING WELL 2015
Laser hair removal delivers results Darcia Sirianni, medical esthetician at Salon & Skin Spa, said removing hair permanently has changed the lives of many of her clients. Prices are affordable with lip or chin treatments starting at $50 to legs or back at $300 per treatment. Permanent hair reduction happens after every treatment. The laser does not treat white, gray or blond hair.
A client said, “I lived with hairy arms for 46 of my 56 years. Thanks to Darcia, it is gone, gone, gone and picture me happy.� Sirianni also specializes in nonsurgical age-reversal facial treatments.
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When was your last eye exam?
E
SYLVA OFFICE 70 Westcare Dr. Ste. 403 FRANKLIN OFFICE 144 Holly Springs Park Dr. 828.258.1586 800.531. 3937 (EYES)
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ye exams do more than just assess your vision. They can also detect diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and even neurological disorders. At Asheville Eye Associates we offer a complete range of medical and surgical eye services. Our doctors are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and many have fellowship training in specialty areas such as corneal disease, vitreous and retinal disease, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatrics and oculoplastics. Many of our surgeons serve on national academic boards
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296-54
For Appointments: 800.531.3937 (EYES)
LIVING WELL 2015
Mountaineer Complete Care is a family owned business focused on serving the residents of Western North Carolina for their healthcare supply needs. Our main goal is to make sure you have the best choices available in home medical products and home health equipment. Our knowledgeable staff understands that living with medical conditions and certain disorders can be challenging, even during the whole recovery process. Mountaineer Complete Care strives to ease the searching process by providing you with access to specialized medical products to promote healthy living in your home. 296-05
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I highly recommend the services of Linda Neff, both for her reflexology and bodywork. Linda has helped me to reduce the inflammation in my body; she has gotten my Achilles tendonitis and plantar faciitis to a point that I walk without pain. I leave my sessions with her much more relaxed, aligned and energized. My life has been greatly enhanced through her work and her presence.
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LIVING WELL 2015
The importance of balance
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Patti Abel helps participants in her restorative movement class. Katie Reeder photo
BY KATIE R EEDER Many of the techniques and principles taught in the SMN I NTERN classes can be applied outside of Pilates and martial arts. Whether it is teaching a Pilates or karate class or perPatti said this is what drew her to Pilates when she was forming massage therapy, much of the work at Abel first introduced to the technique. She said it was the first Wellness revolves around restoring balance to the body. time she felt like she had discovered an exercise routine People tend to have the same routines that use the that worked so well for her body. same muscles, which leads to an imbalance in the body in “I found what I was learning in the studio I was taking which the overworked muscles need to be stretched while out of the studio with me,” she said. the less commonly used muscles need to be strengthened, She realized she was more aware of how she performed explained Patti Abel, one of the everyday tasks – whether that was owners of Abel Wellness Center sitting, breathing or bending over “We don’t always feel,” he in Franklin. to pick up something. This She owns the studio with her enabled her to make adjustments said. “We’re too busy husband, Donnie Abel, and said where necessary, and it taught her about trying to accomplish simple coping mechanisms like many of their clients come looking for restorative care. The Abels help counting and breathing to reduce the task at hand versus athletes with cross-training as well stress. as people suffering from injuries or She said much of the work she trying to understand what degenerative conditions, but Patti does with her clients focuses on is going on in our body.” said most of their clients cluster in helping them become more aware the 50 to 70 age bracket. of their bodies and how they — Donnie Abel Patti said the philosophy is move. Donnie said people are that clients must work in before often misinformed about their working out. This means beginning with the core structurbodies and miss the cues that could be alerting them to al muscles rather than the outer, “superficial” muscles. She problems stemming from an imbalance in the body. said this helps people to age gracefully as they strengthen “We don’t always feel,” he said. “We’re too busy about the muscles that will help them avoid later aches and trying to accomplish the task at hand versus trying to pains. Outer muscles are more for show, she said. understand what is going on in our body.” “They’re meant for fast movement,” she said. “They’re Patti said poor posture is another common problem not meant to support you.” she sees in her clients. Desk jobs and hunching over a
computer often lead people to tilt their heads forward and have rounded shoulders. This has long-term effects such as back and neck pain, disc degeneration, compacted vertebrae, poor digestion and blood pressure issues. The Abels start small with their new clients. Whether clients are taking a martial arts or Pilates class, the Abels first teach them how the movements work and what muscles they should use. “Once you understand where everything starts from, then you can apply those concepts to any movement regardless of what it is,” Donnie said. He emphasized the importance of the mind-body connection in teaching these classes. In his martial arts classes, his strategy is to train the mind first. The physical aspect will follow, he said. “It’s not about physically defending yourself,” he said. “It’s about mentally defending yourself.” Once a person begins to grasp the mental component, the effects can carry over outside of the studio. Donnie said martial arts helps people learn how to come up with strategies for whatever situations they may be in. “Doing martial arts is like doing push-ups and playing chess at the same time,” he said. The same holds true for Pilates. “Your mind doesn’t take a coffee break when you’re working out,” he said. For class schedules and more information, visit www.abel-wellness.com or call 828.342.6072.
Wellness center empowers clients through choices BY KATIE R EEDER SMN I NTERN Jackie Beecher wants clients to feel empowered in making decisions about their health when they come to Nurture Wellness Studio. Located in Bryson City, Nurture Wellness Studio was opened with the hope to raise aware“Change, as in ness about the altereverything, can be natives to western medicine. Their work a little difficult, a is not at odds with little challenging, traditional medicine. Rather, Beecher said but it’s always the fields are complementary. worthwhile.” “The philosophy — Jackie Beecher is to bring wellness in a holistic manner and a joyful manner,” Beecher said. The studio offers massage therapy, acupuncture and belly dancing and yoga classes. It also offers chiropractic services at its wellness clinic. The wellness clinic is open 2:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday. It offers reduced rates and operates on a first-come-first-serve basis. Clients come
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Relaxing more than a luxury when it comes to health
Jessica Perri and receptionist Mary Rita Balogh go over the day’s schedule. From the moment customers walk in, Perri and Balogh’s goal is to create a relaxing environment. Katie Reeder photo treat or prevent injuries and pregnancy massages that help alleviate some of the issues associated with pregnancy such as lower back pain. She said there has been a shift in how people view massages — now seeing them as a preventative measure rather than just a luxury. Some of the benefits of massage include increasing circulation, relieving muscle tension from stress or injury and helping people wind down. “It’s just a timeout from everything,” Perri said. She said this simple timeout is crucial for maintaining wellness. Many people carry their stress in the base of their neck and shoulders. Along with the pain that comes from that tightness, people may suffer from headaches and more widespread discomfort.
Jackie Beecher demonstrates the stretch static back, which takes tension off the spine. Katie Reeder photo
in and sign up for any combination of massage therapy, acupuncture or chiropractic therapy. Beecher said part of the idea for opening the clinic was a desire to make it possible for a larger segment of the community to benefit from the services Nurture Wellness offered. “I believe that we have done a really good service in this community by bringing the clinic here to Bryson,” she said. She said many clients who come to them are looking to make a lifestyle change. Some that may have conditions that warrant pain medications cause undesirable side affects that can send patients searching for another answer. She said other clients come simply looking to lead healthier lives.
“A lot of times people are locked into habits, and they don’t know how to make some changes,” she said. She said fear is often an obstacle that keeps people from trying these alternative methods. Chris Basset, the wellness center’s acupuncturist, said this is a common misconception about acupuncture, as people are afraid the procedure will be painful. He said while acupuncture can be “strong” and sometimes produce a level of discomfort, it is not the painful procedure people often envision it to be. Basset uses acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to treat illnesses like the common cold, sleep disorders and psychological issues. He compared it to family medicine in the sense that it covers a wide range of ailments. Acupuncture revolves around trying to bring about
homeostasis in the body and normalize the organ systems. “We’re trying to expel pathogens and show them the door,” he said. Beecher said these services often give people a better outlook on life because they provide relief from whatever symptoms the client was suffering. A nationally certified massage therapist, Beecher said massage therapy can help regulate the body as part of a healthy lifestyle. Besides causing tension throughout the body, stress activates hormones that create build-up in arteries. It can also lead to sleeping problems — something more serious than just being tired, Beecher said. “People need sleep because when we sleep, that’s when our body can really begin to heal itself,” she said. She said massage therapy is especially beneficial for people experiencing pain, stress and psychological issues. “We’re taught in this world to always be busy,” she said. “I really try to teach (my clients) to go within and find the stillness.” She said deep breathing is a simple way to relax. The act of exhaling reduces tension, and Beecher said taking this time allows people to shift their mindsets and better examine how they are dealing with stressful situations. Having good posture is another way to reduce pain. Beecher said she and her colleagues have noticed that much of people’s pain problems stem from poor posture. Part of correcting this is making people more aware of how they naturally walk and sit and how they can make adjustments to correct their posture. She said it’s about giving people a chance to change. “Change, as in everything, can be a little difficult, a little challenging, but it’s always worthwhile,” she said. For more information visit www.nurturewellnessstudio.com or call 828.400.9616.
LIVING WELL 2015
BY KATIE R EEDER SMN I NTERN Relaxing through methods such as massages and skin care treatments is not just a luxury. Rather, it is part of taking care of the body and pursuing wellness. At Fusions Spa and Wellness in Sylva, the owners espouse the concept of all over wellness,” which encompasses mind, body and spirit, said manager Jessica Perri. Therapists speak with their clients about what needs they want the session to meet. The “Without taking the rooms are quiet. The spa uses organtime to unwind ic products. Clients your body is never receive hot towels and can enjoy aroletting [stress] go.” matherapy during their treatments. — Jessica Perri, Fusions All of this is Spa and Wellness manager done to help foster a relaxing environment beginning as soon as a client walks in, Perri said. The goal is to be the “calm in the crazy storm.” Perri said Fusions often focuses more on massages than skin care. The Swedish and deep-tissue massages are the most commonly requested, but Fusions also offers specialty massages including sports massages that can
“Without taking the time to unwind your body is never letting it go,” she said. “So it’s just building up.” But people do not have to schedule a massage to maintain wellness. Perri said there are simple practices people can incorporate into their daily routines to help relieve their bodies of stress and tension. Drinking water regularly and taking time to stretch can help — simple things that can sometimes be hard to remember, she said. Epsom salt baths have many healing properties as well and can help a wide range of ailments from sunburn to sore muscles. It all comes down to setting aside moments for quiet time, something Perri said is in short supply. She said social media often exacerbates this condition. With the constant pull to connect and see what others are doing, people feel they must also share where they are going, what they are doing and how it went. “There isn’t a quiet moment that people generally have,” she said. “They usually have a very busy life whether they’re at home with the kids and constantly going, whether they’re in their job and they’re constantly going.” Perri said it is important to take a break from this noise and find even a small amount of time to help release tension. “I think breathing is also taken for granted,” she said. “I don’t think a lot of people think too much about taking some deep breaths and just letting things go.” Fusions will soon be expanding its services. Although it does not offer in-house yoga, there there are yoga retreats. It will transition to a new building in the fall. The added space will allow for yoga classes as well as a full-day spa that will include steam rooms and saunas. For more information visit fusionsspa.com or call 828.631.0232.
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LIVING WELL 2015
Naturopathy looks to treat the root of the problem
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER A medical esthetician at Salon & Skin Spa of Hazelwood Village in Waynesville, Darcia Sirianni knows exactly how important skin care is. “When we are 20 years old, the skin on our face self-exfoliates every four weeks,” she said. “But as we get older, it can slow down to every 12 weeks. The skin can look dull or gray and have age spots. Around age 35, we need to step in and help our skin exfoliate.” Sirianni specializes in exfoliating the skin, lifting sun damage, facial treatments and medical-grade home skin care, all of which plays a vital role in making sure ideal health is achieved. “My goal is to diminish fine lines, Darcia Sirianni. lift pigment and stimulate your collagen and the result is radiant skin that looks and acts like younger skin,” she said. “My personal recommendation for younger looking skin is prescription strength Vitamin A and Vitamin C serum. Both will increase exfoliation and strengthen, brighten and lighten skin.”
Michelle Sanderbeck uses a Scalar Wave laser that aids in pain reduction. Courtesy of Michelle Sanderbeck
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The beauty of what lies beneath
BY KATIE R EEDER stores, buying organic and preparing your own food SMN I NTERN instead of eating out can help you avoid pesticides and As a doctor of naturopathy, Michelle Sanderbeck other chemicals your body will have to filter out. said one of her main concerns is finding the underlying • Get plenty of rest. Sanderbeck recommended eight cause of her patients’ problems rather than just treating hours of sleep every night. the symptoms. • Exercise. “You don’t have to go to a gym … Walking “Naturopathy is wellness,” she said. “It means workis good,” she said. ing on bringing the body back into health through differ• Minimize your intake of stimulants. ent kinds of natural modalities.” • Do an annual cleanse. This She said much of this revolves helps keep your organs young, “Naturopathy is wellness. It around making sure, not only she said, but she suggested not that the body gets the nutrients means working on bringing doing a cleanse on your own if it it needs, but also that it has the is your first time. the body back into health necessary enzymes to break • Reduce stress in your life. down those nutrients. Stress comes in many forms. through different kinds of “If the carpenter doesn’t The body can face mechanical show up to build the house, the natural modalities.” stress from structural issues, raw material can’t do what it is such as having one leg longer — Dr. Michelle Sanderbeck intended to do,” she said. than the other, Sanderbeck said. And so it goes with digestive Chemicals from the foods people enzymes. If they are not functioning properly, then the eat and the products they use also places stress on the body will not be properly nourished. body. Then there is emotional stress. “It’s learning how Sanderbeck said there are simple principles people to set your boundaries and not allowing the toxic relacan apply to promote a healthier lifestyle. tionships to create stress on you emotionally,” • Get clean, pure water. “That doesn’t mean the Sanderbeck said. water that comes from the tap that has chlorine and fluTo make an appointment with Sanderbeck at Be Well oride in it,” she said. Western Carolina, call 828.734.7702. For more informa• Examine your food choices. Shopping at grocery tion visit www.bewellwc.com.
“When we are 20 years old, the skin on our face self-exfoliates every four weeks. But as we get older, it can slow down to every 12 weeks.” — Darcia Sirianni
Professional exfoliation treatments include microdermabrasion, chemical peels and a non-peeling treatment known as Swich, which stimulates dermal rejuvenation. Sirianni also uses ultrasound and radio frequency waves to improve hydration and stimulate skinfirming collagen. “All over-the-counter skin care only goes to the epidermis, which is the thickness of four sheets of paper. One of the keys is getting to the dermis to create transformation. In the beginning, Vitamin A, also called Retin-A, can be too powerful for the skin, but starting slowly and hydrating the skin can alleviate any discomfort and flaking. “I call myself your personal trainer for your face because I coach you along to restore a healthy balance to your skin,” she added. “[And for me], restoring a healthy glow to my clients’ skin and hearing the compliments from their friends and family makes my job rewarding.” For consultations, call 828.456.2050.
How is your posture? Is poor posture the cause of your pain?
Bad
In addition to back and neck pain poor posture can also cause: • Digestive problems • Depressed mood • Poor circulation and spider veins Posture an automatic function, a reflex. Without proper alignment you will fall into poor posture. So, if you find yourself slumped over at your desk day after day its time for you to see the board certified chiropractors at Blue Mountain Chiropractic. We are experts in spinal structure and body mechanics and we are certain that chiropractic care will help you. Just ask our patients:
LIVING WELL 2015
“The beginning of the disease process begins with Postural distortions” — Dr Hans Selye, Nobel Laureate
Good
“I moved to the area in Sept. 2014. Before Dr. Mike, I could not move my neck without hurting and had a lot of stiffness, couldn’t sleep all night without both arms and hands going numb and hurting really bad. Since coming here, I don’t have headaches like before, hands and arms have less pain and numbness and I can sleep all night now. Thanks Dr. Mike for helping me get my life back.” — Cherrie M.
Activation of health is just a phone call away Medicare & most insurance accepted
MICHAEL HOGAN, DC TARA HOGAN, DC Chiropractors
270 N. HAYWOOD ST. • WAYNESVILLE IN HAYWOOD SQUARE BETWEEN ZOOLIE’S AND THE MUSIC BOX
828-246-9555 • bluemtnchiro.com
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