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See Raptors continued on
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Their featherless heads, that remind people of turkeys, allow these birds to dive into a messy meal without getting soiled. Their immunity to many pathogens allows them to remove tainted meat from the environment before other animals are infected. Although Turkey Vulture populations are growing, Hawk Watch International reports: “Vulture populations have drastically declined over the past three decades. They are now the world’s most threatened group of birds with 73% of species around the world vulnerable to extinction and 77% experiencing population declines.” Condors once inhabited a vast territory from British Columbia to northern Baja California, but by 1987, only 27 birds existed in the wild. All INTRODUCING EMSCULPT ONLY FDA CLEARED ELECTROMAGNETIC TECHNOLOGY TARGETING ABDOMINAL AND GLUTEUS MUSCLES FOR BODY CONTOURING, FAT PAD REDUCTION AND BUTT LIFT! DrWilliamTing.com/EMSculpt were brought into captivity to save them from extinction. More than 200 chicks were bred in captivity from 1988 t0 2002. The first releases of condors back into the wild began in California in 1993 with the first documented observation of a nesting pair occurring at Big Sur in 2006. Three-hundred-twenty-nine free-flying condors were counted in December 2020. Unfortunately, 42 wild condors perished in 2020. The Dolan Wildfire is believed to have claimed the lives of 10 adults and two chicks. However, the leading cause of condor deaths, accounting for 54% of those coming from known causes (according to Our Women’s Wellness Center Peregrine Fund Director of Global Conservation now offers EMSella, Chris Parish), remains lead poisoning. FDA approved noninvasive Scavengers ingest fragments of lead bullets left behind by hunters in carcasses or gut piles. In 2019, California instituted a statewide ban on electromagnetic technology treatment (with clothes on) for urinary incontinence and feminine intimate lead ammunition for hunting, but availability rejuvenation! of lead ammunition in adjacent states makes DrWilliamTing.com/EMSella enforcement difficult. Eagles sometimes feed on carrion, but they more often ingest lead when consuming fish that have swallowed lead sinkers.
Asked what raptor facts she most enjoys educating people about, Carie Battistone, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Statewide Raptor Conservation Coordinator, responds: “I probably end up talking about the threats raptors face. Since the public is drawn to raptors, we can use them to show the impacts of contaminants like lead and rodenticides. Anyone who sees an eagle go through the effects of lead toxicosis --which can include seizures and ultimately death -- will get the message about the need to protect them from this outcome.”
Hawk Watch International explains: “Threats to raptors come primarily from humans. While all animals are subject to natural threats such as disease and predation, raptors suffer far greater harm from human causes.” Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation; climate change; poisoning; and collision (vehicles, wind turbines, powerlines, windows) top the list.
As Director of Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) since 1984, Allen Fish has been tracking the seasonal migration of birds of prey along the Pacific Coast, particularly over the Marin Headlands, for decades. In years not impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, 250 volunteer citizen scientists aid in banding birds, recording observations, and giving free informative presentations. As part of the National Park Service, GGRO awaits government agency permission to resume training volunteers and offering Hawk Talks during the fall raptor migration. However, Hawk Hill in Sausalito within Golden Gate Recreational Area is open to the public. The best time to see the migration is usually mid-August through mid-September. For more information, visit wwwparksconservancy.org/programs/golden-gate-raptor-observatory. Asked about species of concern, Fish comments: “American Kestrels, a small once-common falcon, has been slowly declining at GGRO and across most of the US. There are numerous theories about this, but I am sure that our massive poisoning of insects is a major contributor. Kestrels eat large insects along with small herps [reptiles and amphibians] and mammals/birds.” The American Kestrel, our continent’s smallest daytime forager, is not endangered -- yet. But See Raptors continued on page 22
By Linda Michaelis RD, MS
WHAT TO EAT IF YOU HAVE PREDIABETES
Post pandemic, I am seeing many clients getting routine blood work run that they skipped having drawn in the last year. From being sedentary and eating more mindlessly, we can move into the undesired prediabetic range. Do you not know what to eat because carbs are everywhere? Do you need to cut out carrots, bread, pasta, or wine?
The good news is that you can eat a lot more than you think. By making simple tweaks in your diet, you will be able to prevent and/or reverse prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
It is important that you know your blood sugar numbers. If your fasting blood sugar is 100-125, it is called prediabetes. If it is over 126, it is diabetes.
After helping clients for 30 years, I can guarantee you will bring your blood sugar back into the normal range, if you follow these guidelines. 1. Consume mixed meals that include protein, fiber, fat, and sugar which will slow down the rise and fall of blood sugar. Do not eat fruit first thing in the morning or alone in between meals because at those times, your blood sugars are often high. Eat fruit along with a meal or as a dessert.
The best breakfasts are eggs with veggies, cottage cheese on whole wheat toast with veggies, and oatmeal with added egg whites.
For lunch, always have at least 4 oz. of protein, a cup of veggies, and a carb.
For snacks, always have a protein with a fruit or veggies.
You can have a dessert if it comes after a meal and not on an empty stomach. 2. Choose healthier types of carbs. Sugary or processed “white carbs” cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. Carbs that come from the ground such as legumes, quinoa, barley, whole wheat breads, potatoes, non-starchy veggies such as broccoli and string beans cause a slower rise of blood sugar. If pizza or a pasta dish is planned for the day, enjoy it as long as you balance it out with lots of veggies that will prevent high blood sugars. At the next meal, do not have any carbs to balance the day out. 3. Eat more fiber. When they first come in, I often learn that my prediabetic clients do not eat any fiber until dinner. You must have fiber at each meal to keep the blood sugar stable throughout the day and avoid highs. Add veggies to breakfast, always have a veggie or salad at lunch, and even ask for extra veggies on your sandwich or double veggies in a restaurant. You can eat carrots. It is a misconception they are bad for you. For dinner, you can feel good about using Birds Eye, Green Giant, or Cascadian Farms quality steamed veggies that are lightly seasoned. 4. Get exercise into your day. Often, I will get a call in the morning from a client saying their blood sugar is unusually high, and they know they over indulged the night before. I tell them the best thing to do is to go for a strenuous half hour walk, and the blood sugar will drop about 50 points. Exercise builds lean body mass which will cause your body to process sugar more quickly. 5. Alcohol. Yes, you can have wine, but remember, it is like a dessert. It is best to drink a dry red or white wine. Have a glass of sparkling water next to your wine to allow for alternating consumption. Also, realize that hard liquor such as vodka or gin has no sugar, and there are sugar-free mixers to go along with it.
Prediabetes is an epidemic. There are no symptoms.
I am proud to say that I have helped hundreds of clients with prediabetes and even reversed type 2 diabetes. I cannot stress the importance of working with a dietitian when you are diagnosed with either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. My clients are thrilled to see the successful results after working with me.
Nutritional counseling can be covered by health insurance such as ABMG, AETNA, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, CCHP, CIGNA, Sutter, and UHC. Feel free to call me and I will check with your insurance and see what the exact coverage is in terms of your deductible, copays, and how many visits are allowed. Please email me at lifeweight1@yahoo.com, call
me at 925-855-0150, or refer to my website www.LindaRD.com. Advertorial
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It is hard to believe that most of summer vacation is behind us, and school is almost back in session. We hope that students of all ages will be able to attend classes in the fall and have a pseudo-normal year assuming the COVID infection rate does not go too high. Since August is the month where parents prep their children for the upcoming school year, I wanted to emphasize the importance of vision and eye health. It is vitally important for your child to be able to see well at all distances and have good eye-teaming skills to be able to learn and prosper at school. I will cover some of the main eye issues related to difficulty at school including refractive error such as myopia and hyperopia, and binocular vision disorders. The most common diagnosis I find at the office is myopia, or near-sightedness. For students that sit far away from the board or in the back of a large lecture hall, having uncorrected or under-corrected myopia will lead to blurry vision and an inability to see the material on the board or screen. These students are unable to take notes off the board and therefore often fall behind in class and miss assignments. For those students that experience a rapid change in their vision, we now have tools to help slow down the progression of myopia. Contact lenses such as CRT (corneal refractive therapy), MiSight, along with some other options are FDA-approved options to combat this issue. These options will be discussed as treatment options at the exam if warranted.
At the opposite end of myopia is hyperopia, or far-sightedness. These students are in a constant state of focusing to allow clear vision. The closer the point of focus, the more work that is necessary to clear the image; that is why distance objects are easier to see than near ones. A low amount of hyperopia is desirable, since near-sightedness tends to evolve as the child enters adolescence, it gives them a little head start. However, in larger prescriptions, hyperopia can cause near avoidance, headaches, fatigue, eye turns, and an overall indifference to sustained up-close tasks. This can easily be diagnosed in the office as part of a comprehensive examination.
The last prescription issue that can be a hindrance to vision is astigmatism. This is caused by the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, not being completely round. An easy analogy is that it is shaped more like an egg than a ball. Astigmatism will generally degrade both distance and near vision; however, distance is usually a little more affected. It is important to note that this is not a disease; it is just the way the eye is shaped and can be treated with glasses or contact lenses just like myopia and hyperopia.
In addition to refractive error, all patients, including children, should have their binocular vision status evaluated. It is quite possible to not have any of the above-mentioned prescription issues but have poor eye teaming skills. If the eyes are not aligned properly and do not work well as a team, there will be learning and reading issues. These tend to present themselves more for reading than distance, but they can definitely affect both. When the eyes do not work as a unit, a child might experience double vision, “stretching” or “ghost images” of letters, skipping of letters or lines of text, eyestrain, headaches, near avoidance, or any combination of these. Depending on the exact diagnosis, the condition can be treated with glasses or vision therapy.
I recommend having your child’s vision checked by an eye care professional instead of just relying on a school or pediatrician screening. The comprehensive evaluation I give at the office not only encompasses vision and binocular vision, but also includes neurological testing, color vision, peripheral vision, and an ocular health examination of both the front and back portions of the eye. Our staff looks forward to seeing your students in the office soon.
Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at (925) 820-6622, or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. For more information, visit www.alamooptometry.com, and join in on Facebook, Instagram,
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small population losses per year from 1966 to 2017 have caused a cumulative decline of 51%. According to the Peregrine Fund, the kestrel population declined 69% along coastal California from 1968-2017. Concerned researchers and volunteers with American Kestrel Partnership, a Peregrine Fund project, are engaged in a variety of projects to halt that trend. Building and monitoring nesting boxes is an important aspect of citizen science efforts. The Adopt-a-Box Program invites participation by the entire community. Visit https:/kestrel. peregrinefund.org/nest-monitoring.
Carie Battistone works with the American Kestrel Partnership on banding nestlings and trapping and banding adult birds in the winter. She also monitors other banded species. She explains: “We often band raptors to learn about dispersal and other movements, and about longevity of the individual.” Occasionally, raptors preying on other birds at risk are relocated. “We band these raptors and sometimes place telemetry on them before they are re-released. It’s been really interesting to see what happens – some birds we never see again, some disappear for a time and show back up as a band re-sighting, some travel around and settle elsewhere, and some return to the site of origin. Of those that return, some go back to their old ways, wreaking havoc on terns and plovers, but more interesting, some end up at the same site and do not target terns and plovers again. Another really interesting finding in general is how long some marked raptors live in the wild and how far away from the banding site they are re-sighted again.”
Fish adds: “Sharp-shinned Hawks, a forest dwelling small bird hunter, have also been declining since the 2000s. I suspect that their dependence on insect-eating songbirds is causing this.” In Raptors of North America, Noel and Helen Snyder write: “On the mainland, the sharp-shinned Hawk is a relatively common species, although it was one of the species to suffer a major decline during the organochlorine pesticide era. Its major dietary emphasis on insectivorous birds places the species in a relatively vulnerable position with respect to toxic materials that increase in concentrations up the food chain, and it is accordingly a species that deserves continued close study in the future.”
“Vanishing: More Than 1 in 4 Birds Has Disappeared in the Last 50 Years,” Gustave Axelson’s report on the findings of a team of international scientists from seven institutions led by Cornell’s Ken Rosenberg, was published by The Cornell Lab (September 19, 2019). Insects, a major dietary staple for many birds as well as essential pollinators for plants; which lifeforms, including humans, depend upon for survival; are facing similar catastrophic population declines. While the New York Times headline of November 27, 2018 (“The Insect Apocalypse Is Here”) may have sensationalized findings from a small research group, no one can dispute dramatic losses in populations of honeybees and butterflies.
Not to worry, unless you recall how quickly Passenger Pigeons became extinct. “The Passenger Pigeon,” posted by Smithsonian, relates: “It is estimated that there were three billion to five billion Passenger Pigeons at the time Europeans discovered America.” By 1900, only a few survivors existed in captivity. Captive breeding programs failed. Named for Martha Washington, the last Passenger Pigeon died at the age of 29 on September 1, 1914.
White-tailed Kites are also showing a slow decline in GGRO counts. Mice, their favored prey, pass on the toxin before succumbing to rodenticide poisoning. Mice also require a bit of cover to feel secure. Photographer and Danville resident, Greg Cochran, frequently spots White-tailed Hawks hovering locally over the rough along the Crow Canyon Golf Course.
No one wants mice or other rodents entering their homes. You can keep the whole food chain (including your pets) safe with best practice advice on the Raptors Are the Solution website: www.raptorsarethesolution.org. Organic products to control insect pests are available at Ace Hardware and many local retailers.
Raptors continued from page 20
The Turkey Vulture’s featherless visage keeps it disease free when cleaning up the landscape as “Nature's Flying Janitor.” (Photo by Greg Cochran)
ARE SCARS LIMITING YOUR LIFE?
By Dr. Niele Maimone, DC In 2004, Align Healing Center began using laser therapy to help patients relieve their muscle, joint, and nerve pain. Due to the near miraculous results that laser can provide to a sprain, strain, or chronic pain, our patients began to ask, “What else can laser help heal?” Wondering the same thing, we began to branch out and use laser on any and all injuries and wounds that our patients were presented with. We have literally watched the healing process occur right before our very eyes. We have treated scars that are 18 years old, bright red, and have never healed properly, and seen them begin to flatten and become less noticeable after the first treatment. Swelling reduces within minutes, severe bruises dissipate with no visible sign within a day or two, and surgical wounds become painless, with minimal scarring and redness. We have had patients that have had knee surgery and hip replacements, shoulder surgery, spinal surgery, breast augmentation and reconstruction, rhinoplasty, face-lifts, and c-sections that heal in a fraction of the time typical without the use of laser therapy. If you are intending on having surgery or have a stubborn injury that has taken longer to heal than you would have expected, it is worth your while to explore the benefits of Class IV laser therapy.
HOW LASER THERAPY SPEEDS TISSUE HEALING AND REDUCES SCARING
Injuries and surgery cause tissue damage and inflammation, which reduces the circulation to the injured tissue thereby impeding the nutrition and energy available to the damaged area. Laser therapy is the application of low levels of laser light to areas of the body that have been injured or damaged. Therapeutic lasers do not cut or burn, but instead, they supply energy to the body in the form of photons of light. Light is transmitted through the skin’s layers (the dermis, epidermis, and the subcutaneous tissue under the skin). The wavelength of the Class IV Laser allows these photons to travel deep into the body, up to 8-9 inches. When laser light penetrates into the body, it stimulates damaged cells to start producing ATP. ATP is the “fuel” or energy source that all cells need to function and repair. When damaged cells have the energy they need to function properly, they can immediately start the repair process. Laser therapy accelerates the healing of injured tissue, decreases inflammation, minimizes scarring, and eliminates pain, allowing patients to quickly return to normal activities.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO WORK?
Ninety-five percent of our patients notice improvement after the very first treatment. However, some conditions may take a few treatments to respond. Each laser treatment is cumulative, meaning that each successive treatment builds on the previous. The doctors at Align personally work with you each visit to ensure that you are progressing as quickly as possible.
For more information about how laser therapy may be helpful to you, contact Align Healing Center to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Niele
Maimone at (925)362-8283, or visit www.AlignHealingCenter.com. Advertorial
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