Health

August 31, 2010

Health The Examiner

Tracey Shaffer

Lots of benefits to omega-3 oils — Page 7

Little fundraiser 8-year-old Austin Booth is fighting muscular dystrophy during this year’s annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon – Page 2

• LORI BOYAJIAn O’NEILL

New thinking on causes of muscle cramps — Page 4

Wellness 3-4 • calendar 6 • NUTRITION 7

Page 2 Tuesday, August 31, 2010

cover

Local boy to participate in Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon Will air live from Ameristar on Labor Day

By Michael Glover michael.glover@examiner.net

Austin Booth likely will never forget Labor Day weekend 2010. He’s going to be on television.

Booth, an 8-year-old who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, will be heavily involved in this year’s Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.

The telethon will take place live from the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City on Labor Day. Each Labor Day, actor and comedian Jerry Lewis hosts his annual nationwide telethon to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. It has been held annually since 1966 and has raised more than $1.46 billion.

Austin’s story will be told on KSMO television on Sept. 5 and on KCTV 5 on Sept. 6.

Each year, the station profiles a child, a young adult and an adult with dystrophy.

“They’re going to talk with us live,” said stepfather Darrel Moudy.

The family lives on Spring Avenue in unincorporated Jackson County between Kansas City and Independence at Interstate 435 and 23rd Street.

Austin started third grade this week at Korte Elementary School.

He was diagnosed at age 6 with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This form progressively degenerates muscles. Duchenne affects males between the ages of 2 to 6 years old.

With Austin, the disease has caused his calves to balloon with fat and not regular muscle development.

The dystrophy will progressively get worse.

By teenage years, the children typically will be in wheelchairs. Many do not live past their late teens or early 20s.

Duchenne attacks the lower body then spreads to the upper body.

Austin has been an annual guest on the KC MDA Telethon because of his annual fundraising accomplishments. Austin has raised more than $8,000 in the last two years.

On Aug. 7, Austin held his third annual 8-ball tournament for MDA at Twin Stroke Bar & Grill in Blue Springs. The event raised nearly $1,700 through entry fees of 41 players.

That’s the most in the history of the event.

The money raised at the Blue Springs event and Austin’s goal of raising $5,000 by the tele-

The Examiner/ADAM VOGLER Austin Booth, 8, plays with his family’s dog. Booth was diagnosed with Duchenne, a kind of muscular dystrophy, two years ago. thon will go toward MDA. “Our deal about raising money is that if researchers can find a suitable treatment,” Moudy said.

That would be a way to manipulate a child’s genes to start producing dystrophine, a chemical that, in healthy people, repairs muscles to grow, can be jump-started.

“It won’t repair the damage that’s already been done,” he said, “but it would slow it down or stop it all together.”

The money Austin has raised will stay in the local Kansas City MDA chapter, which provides resources for 1,100 families who are dealing with a child who has muscular dystrophy.

A couple weeks ago, Austin and family taped a television commercial at a car dealership in Liberty.

Several local children with dystrophy will be in the commercial that will be promoting the telethon.

wellness

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 Page 3

healthSHORTS Start kids cooking with sandwiches

creative juices.

Experts agree that getting children involved with cooking has many benefits, from getting them to try new foods and learning about nutrition, to providing bonding time with family members.

WebMD notes that many children begin to express an interest in food preparation as early as age 2 or 3, and it is possible to get them started at that age at the right pace and with close supervision.

Sandwiches are a good first-timer dish that kids can learn to create in the kitchen because they’ll likely grasp the basics quickly - two slices of bread or a bun and some nourishing ingredients in between. Sandwiches in particular offer kids the opportunity to get creative.

Parents should encourage them to explore new types of breads and buns, and introduce youngsters to unique types of fillings.

Because burgers are so popular with adults and kids, introducing younger cooks to different types of innovative or “gourmet” burgers, like those that include chicken, salmon or vegetarian proteins, creative toppings and inventive ways to prepare them can also spark kids’

New Research: ‘Smart’ cells may regenerate heart muscle Mayo Clinic has taken regenerative medicine beyond the laboratory and into clinical studies by completing the first trial of 45 patients - individuals who had experienced heart damage.

These volunteers were injected with “smart stem cells” - adult stem cells reprogrammed and enhanced to be potential heart cells. This first trial was to determine safety and feasibility of the concept - and it did just that, though specific data are still being analyzed.

Health Tip: Are my eggs OK? Is it safe to eat the eggs in your fridge, or could they be those affected by salmonella?

Check the carton for the “Sell By” date and the two numbers below it, federal health officials say, to see whether your eggs are involved in the recall. One number is the plant number, and the other is the packaged date, or Julian date, showing what day of the year the eggs were packaged. For example, Jan. 1 is 001 and Dec. 31 is 365. The U.S. Food and Drug Admin-

Keeping Kids Healthy through their first day, cold, scrape, earache, broken bone…

At Blue Springs Pediatrics, your child’s health is top priority for us.

Our mission is to provide quality, efficient and effective medical care for your children. Schedule an appointment today for a new patient consultation, and together we’ll look after your child’s health and well-being.

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istration has a list of what numbered designations are included in the recall at fda.gov.

Also, be advised that raw eggs may be used in Caesar salad dressing, homemade ice cream, cookie dough and mayonnaise. Also, avoid eggs prepared “sunny-side up” or “over easy.”

Children’s Health: Backpack safety The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following tips to keep backpacks from causing harm to kids as they return to school: n Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. n Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the your child’s body weight. n Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles. n Consider a rolling backpack. This may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.

— GateHouse News Service

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Page 4 Tuesday, August 31, 2010

wellness

New research on muscle cramps Think fatigue, not dehydration ‘Tis the season for muscle cramps, whether on the field, court or cross country course.

Athletes returning to school and intense sports training may become victims of muscle cramps which literally stop them in their tracks.

Muscle cramps, what do you know?

True or False 1. Dehydration causes muscle cramps.

2. Over-firing nerves are thought to cause muscle cramps.

3. Muscle cramps affect only a few muscles.

Muscle cramps are an involuntary spasm of a muscle or muscle group that will not relax without intervention. As the cramp continues, metabolic waste accumulates within the muscle causing a cyclic escalation of inflammation, pain and spasm.

Lori Boyajian O'Neill Sports and wellness Dr. Boyajian-O’Neill is affiliated with Centerpoint Sports Medicine and Midwest Sports Medicine Physicians. She can be contacted at lori.boyajian-oneill@hcahealthcare.com.

Cramps occur as a result of vigorous activity for which the athlete is not prepared. This does not necessarily mean that the athlete is not conditioned, but that the specific muscle(s) is not conditioned for the particular strain placed upon it. Increasing mileage, running a faster pace or increased intensity, can lead to extreme muscle fatigue and cramping. It is very difficult to reproduce the intensity of a game in a practice setting, which is why some

athletes fall victim only in early season competition.

Traditionally, we have thought that dehydration and electrolyte disturbances are the primary causes of cramping in athletes.

Interestingly, almost all cramps involve only 3 muscles, the quadriceps, hamstrings and calf. If dehydration is the cause of muscle cramps, then why aren’t all muscles affected?

The answer may be that muscle cramping in athletes is not primarily related to hydration or electrolyte status as we have traditionally thought and as Gatorade would have you believe. Newer science points to a different cause.

Recent studies strongly suggest that muscle fatigue causes increased firing of the nerve controlling contraction, which results in spasm. This would explain why athletes with normal hydration and electrolyte status still develop cramps. It would also explain why the most vigorously exercised muscle(s) are most susceptible to fatigue and are more likely to spasm.

Most often cramping episodes decrease as the sports season progresses and muscle conditioning improves. However, if recurrent,

the athlete should be evaluated for underlying medical conditions, nutritional deficits, medications and supplements. Diuretics, often prescribed for hypertension, are used by some athletes for weight loss and can cause cramping.

Creatine, commonly used as a supplement, is also known to cause muscle cramps.

Stretching the involved muscle or muscle group is the first treatment for an acute cramp.

Stretching overrides the signals sent from the hyperactive nerve leading to relaxation of the cramped muscle.

To break the inflammation-pain-spasm cycle, ice can be beneficial. Heat after ice can improve blood flow to the area, supplying muscles with oxygen, nutrients and electrolytes to ease soreness.

The next time you see an athlete succumb to a cramp, think fatigue, not dehydration.

That fourth quarter, final 15 minutes or last mile can be brutal for the athlete whose muscles just aren’t ready for the intensity of competition.

Answers: 1. T. 2. F 3. T

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Page 6 Tuesday, August 31, 2010

health

healthCALENDAR Items for the Health Calendar may be e-mailed to jill.ritchie@examiner.net or mailed to: The Examiner, P.O. Box 459, Independence, Mo. 64051, attention Jill Ritchie. The following items are for Sept. 1 through 7.

Spotlights

Blue Springs TAI CHI classes, advanced, 8:05 to 9:05 p.m.

Tuesdays Sept. 7-Oct. 26; beginners, 8:05 to 9:05 p.m.

Thursdays Sept. 9-Oct. 28, Vesper Hall. Cost, $49 for either class. Call 228-0181 to register.

Addiction groups

Independence Straight Talk, Narcotics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, First Baptist Church.

Narcotics Anonymous Help Line: 531-2250.

Living Free – Al Anon meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, 1723 Appleton Ave. 461-0039.

Blue Springs ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, meetings available daily, most sessions are closed, and there are beginner meetings also, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner). There are a total of 29 meetings per week. Call 471-7229.

CHAPEL HILL AL-ANON, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday; 9 a.m. Saturday, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner).

BLUE SPRINGS ALATEEN, 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner).

Raytown NEW DAY AL-ANON, 10 a.m. Wednesday, Blue Ridge Trinity Lutheran Church. 353-5446.

Bereavement groups

Blue Springs Widowed Persons support group, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Annex A. 2240677 or 229-8093.

Independents Singles Ministry grief support group, 7 p.m. Tuesday, First United Methodist Church. 228-3788.

Adult Bereavement support group, sponsored by St. Mary’s Medical Center, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. several times throughout the year, Vesper Hall. To register, 655-5490.

Other Infant loss group, sponsored by Carondelet Health. 655-5582.

Miscellaneous

Independence HEALTH AWARENESS PRESENTATION, 11 a.m.

Tuesday, Palmer Center. Presenter, Susan Laitner, RN, Independence Health Department. Free. 325-6200.

MATERNITY UNIT TOURS, Centerpoint Medical Center. Call 751-3000 for dates and to register.

Food handler/manager permit training classes, food handler classes, 3:30 p.m. Thursdays at Truman Memorial Building, 1 and 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Independence Health Department. There is a fee.

To register, 325-7803.

Blue Springs EYE GLASSES ADJUSTMENTS, sponsored by Blue Springs Optical, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Vesper Hall.

Break Time Club, sponsored by Shepherd Center of Blue Springs, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Timothy Lutheran Church. For older adults with some physical and/or mental limitations. A donation of $10 to the cost of the program is suggested. 228-5300.

Prenatal/Infant/Child programs

Blue Springs Blue Springs/Lee’s Summit Tough Love support group, for families dealing with unacceptable adolescent behavior, 7:30 to 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, First Christian Church. 913-492-1200.

Moms & Moms-to-be prenatal and postnatal class, 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, Family YMCA. 224-9620.

Kansas City Tough Love support group, for families dealing with unacceptable adolescent behavior, 7:30 to 9:40 p.m. Wednesday, Longview United Methodist Church. 881-6570.

Tough Love support group, for families dealing with unacceptable adolescent behavior, 7:30 to 9:40 p.m. Thursday, Colonial Presbyterian Church. 881-6570.

Truman Medical Center-Lakewood WIC Nutrition Program, for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or gave birth less than six months ago. 404-4WIC.

| Yourtake | What do you think is more detrimental to your health: Smoking or eating fast food?

Bob phillips Independence “Fast food.”

BOB WILLIAMS Independence “Smoking.”

Screenings/Immunizations

Independence Evening immunization clinics, 1:30 to 7 p.m.

Monday, Jackson County Health Department, 313 S. Liberty St. 404-6415.

HEALTH SCREENINGS for those 50 years and older, 10 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Palmer Center.

Screenings for blood sugar, blood pressure and diabetic foot screenings. Free. 325-6200.

Harold Dillon Independence

“Smoking. Because it affects not just you but the people around you.”

– Michael Glover

Blue Springs DIABETIC FOOT SCREENINGS, sponsored by St. Mary’s Medical Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Vesper Hall. Free.

228-0181.

Support groups

Independence Domestic violence group for men, 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Family Conservancy of Eastern Jackson County. 373-7577.

GRAY MATTER: Traumatic Brain Injury support group, 7 p.m. first Tuesday, Comprehensive Mental Health, Independence. Call Dawn Tish, 254-3652, Ext. 746.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS “Rebel Lunch Bunch” luncheon, 1 p.m. Tuesday, O’Charley’s. Kimberly, 4194276 or Nita, 255-8944.

Moms Off Meth, 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, First Christian Church, Room 206. Free. Terri, 210-9574.

CARETAKER’S OF PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER’S, 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Comprehensive Mental Health Services. Call Pat Aldridge, 254-3652, Ext. 222.

SARCOIDOSIS support group, 7 p.m. Thursday, Trinity Episcopal Church. Call Jon Egger, 309-0381.

Caring Communities Divorce and Step Family, 6:30 p.m. once a month, days vary, Blue Hills Elementary School. 796-6290.

Blue Springs Overcomer’s Outreach 12-step, 7 to 8 p.m.

Monday, Blue Springs Assembly. 229-3298.

St. Mary’s Medical Center Stroke, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Ponderosa. Call Debbi Riess Roam, 655-5687.

Arthritis lecture series, 10 a.m. Thursday, Family YMCA. Topics: Fibromyalgia, living with arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and more. 224-9620.

CANCER support group, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, First United Methodist Church, Room 100. Call 2298108.

Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue, Blue Springs Wellness Group, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, James Walker Elementary. 220-7356.

PARENTS OF NICU BABIES, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, St. Mary’s Birthing Center. Moms delivering at other facilities are welcome. 655-5574, option 5.

Breastfeeding, offered by St. Mary’s Medical Center, 10 a.m. Thursday, 206 Mock Ave., Suite 101.

655-5574.

CARDIAC REHABILITATION support group, Thursday, St. Mary’s Medical Center. Call 655-5433.

CHRISTIAN 12-STEP RECOVERY PROGRAM, 7 p.m. Friday, Blue Springs Christian Church. Call Steve, 229-7311, Ext. 243.

Buckner Caring Communities ADHD Parents, 7 p.m.

Thursday, 13 Sibley Road. Call Ms. Gordan, 650-4415.

Lee’s Summit Self-help group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, 7 p.m. Thursday, Cass Browning Community Center. Call Pauline Felkins, 524-7702.

Raytown Autism and ADHD, 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, First Baptist Church. Call Johnna, 525-2931.

Dietary Intervention Network for Autism (D.I.N.A.) meeting, 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, First Baptist Church. 419-3705.

Kansas City National Psoriasis Foundation, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Truman Medical Center-Lakewood boardroom. Contact, Deborah Kirmse, 254-5850.

Continued on Page 7

nutrition

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 Page 7

Nothing fishy about omega-3 health benefits Better to get beneficial fats from food than supplements Your heart, brain, joints and overall chronic disease risk can benefit from a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are an essential fat, which means the body is unable to make it and needs to get this nutrient from food.

Getting omega-3 fats from food is preferred to getting it from a supplement. Fatty fish with a dark-red-color flesh are the richer sources of omega -3 fats; these include salmon, tuna, sardines, herring and lake trout. Health experts recommend eating two servings of fatty fish each week. You can also get omega-3 fats from plant sources such as chia seed, canola oil, walnuts, walnut oil, flax seed, omega-eggs, wheat germ and soyfoods. The body first has to convert the omega-3 fat in plant foods for its use, so

Tracey Shaffer Food for Thought Tracey Shaffer, RD, LD, is a Hy-Vee dietitian at the Blue Springs location The information provided should not be construed as professional medical advice. E-mail her at 1033dietitian@hy-vee.com. you get fewer omega-3 fats from plant foods than you do from fish. This is still a good way to boost the omega-3 health benefits.

For those people who don’t eat two servings of fish each week, fish oil supplements may be a solution to get more omega-3 fats in the diet.

healthCALENDAR Continued from Page 6 Other Agoraphobia, 7 p.m. 649-9863.

Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse, daily meetings, Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault. 931-4527.

Groups sponsored by Carondelet Health. For the BreathEasy group call 655-5236; and for cancer group call 224-3489.

National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Center, 913-652-1542 or visit www.nocirc.org.

Weight Management

Independence T.O.P.S. Mo. 291, 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. Monday, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. 461-0811.

T.O.P.S. Mo. 251, 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, Maywood Baptist Church. 478-0723 or 252-2392.

T.O.P.S. Mo. 331, 5 p.m. Tuesday, College Park Community of Christ. 254-7075.

T.O.P.S. Mo. 24, 9 a.m. Thursday, New Walnut Park Church. 373-6146 or 650-5262.

T.O.P.S. Mo. 100, 9 a.m. Thursday, Farview Restoration Branch. 356-5278.

T.O.P.S., 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Fairmount Community Center. 254-8334.

T.O.P.S. Mo. 892, 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church. 356-9219.

T.O.P.S. Mo. 482, 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Calvary Presbyterian Church. 452-3029.

Healthy Reflections, 10 a.m. Thursday, Ser-

mon Center. 325-7370.

Overeaters Anonymous, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Monday, Maywood Baptist Church. Handicap accessible. Call Wanda G., 833-2632.

Love Me Slender, 1 p.m. Tuesday, Van Horn Health Source. 418-4070.

CEA-HOW (Compulsive Eaters AnonymousHOW Concept), 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Unity Church of Independence, 14304 E. 39th St. Call Lisa at 679-7009 or visit www.ceahow.org.

Blue Springs T.O.P.S. Mo. 772, 10 a.m. Tuesday, First Baptist Church West Annex. 228-3741.

SOS (Save-Our-Selves) Weight Management, 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays, Vesper Hall. Participate in this weight management program and supportive group discussion. Cost, $1 per meeting. 228-0181.

Oak Grove Overeaters Anonymous, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Davis Center. Call Barbara, 229-9524.

Kansas City Overeaters Anonymous, 7 p.m. Monday, Ascension Lutheran Church. Shawna, 836-8466.

Lee’s Summit Overeaters Anonymous, 7 p.m. Monday, Unity Village, Administrative Building, Room 221. Call Lisa, 833-2636.

CEA-HOW (Compulsive Eaters AnonymousHOW Concept), 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, First Presbyterian Church. Call Lisa at 679-7009 or visit www.ceahow.org.

Raytown Overeaters Anonymous, 4 p.m. Sunday, Quiet House, 65th and Elm. 353-2691.

The American Heart Association suggests 1 gram of omega-3 fats (EPA + DHA) in fish oil supplements daily for people with pre-existing heart disease. For those needing to lower triglycerides, 2 to 4 grams may be recommended under a physician’s care. Taking a fish oil supplement may have side effects and may interact with medications, so always check with your physician before using omega-3 supplements.

Also remember to purchase a supplement with the USP seal (United States Pharmacopoeia), to assure dose and active ingredients.

Top health benefits from omega-3 fats include: n Prevention of heart attacks and strokes: Omega-3 fats are one of the best foods for your heart. May help lower triglycerides (20–50 percent), increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol, reduce irregular heartbeat and help prevent hardening of arteries. n Brain health: Omega-3 fats are concentrated in brain cells and have an important role in memory and brain function, important for adults and children. n Reduction of inflammation: Omega-3 fats have an anti-inflammatory effect. They may help reduce the pain associated with arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis. Reduc-

ing inflammation may also lower disease risk throughout the body for such diseases as cancer, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disorders and others.

Here is a tasty way to enjoy the plant form of omega-3 fats from chia seed:

Broccoli-Chia Slaw Salad Serves 4 All you need 1 (12-oz) pkg broccoli slaw mix 1⁄2 (15-oz) jar fat-free coleslaw dressing 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1⁄4 cup chia seeds 1⁄4 cup sunflower seeds All you do In a large bowl combine broccoli slaw, dressing, cranberries and chia seeds. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds just before serving.

Nutrition facts per serving: 195 calories, 6g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 500mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate, 7g fiber,6g protein