A special publication from
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April 2018
One-Stop Shop for Pain Relief
More Than Medicine
Busting Myths About Certain Foods
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S2 ❘ April 2018
Living Well Stockton
One-stop shop for pain relief Story & photos by Charleen Earley
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elief products for bonerelated health issues from head to toe are not typically found in one store, taking sufferers on a hunt for products that could leave them in more pain. Not with The Bone Store. Located on East March Lane in Stockton, Tod Bradshaw and Karter McKinlay opened their 5,000-square-foot store this February, with customers asking, “where have you been all this time?” “No store does what we do,” said Bradshaw. “You can find stores that specialize in shoes. You’ll find
others that specialize in furniture. You’ll find DME (Durable Medical Equipment) stores that provide walkers and lift chairs, and you’ll find stores that sell bracing or other rehab products. There is no other store that takes everything and combines them into one with the goal in mind that we have – to be your one-stop shop for comfort and pain-relief solutions.” Their motto is simple – walk, move, sit, sleep. With two more stores located in Fresno and Visalia, they stock virtually every product one would need to seek pain relief – especially foot-related pain. “Plantar fasciitis is something we see every day,” said Bradshaw.
“Beyond that, back pain, tailbone injuries, carpal tunnel – we see it all. That’s why we try to have a solution for every ailment someone might have, as well as options to prevent those types of ailments from occurring or developing.” Helping customers narrow down their search for relief started with two friends – a chiropractor and orthotist. “The idea came to them while sitting on a ski lift at China Peak as they discussed their frustrations with the lack of stores to serve their patients,” said Bradshaw. “Karter and Robert McKinlay (Karter’s dad) purchased the store from them in May of 2003.”
When Robert McKinlay stepped into the flagship store in Fresno, he identified – and knew firsthand – many of the products the two doctors sold in their store. “My father has had three back surgeries, a major elbow re c o n s t r u c t i o n and a foot surgery,” said Karter. From mobility scooters, lift chairs and zero gravity chairs that promote positive posture, to beds, pillows, sleeper chairs and sleep aids, The Bone Store carries it all. “There are tens of different versions of everything we sell,” said Bradshaw. “We spend countless hours going to trade shows, entertaining representatives from various companies, et cetera, to find the best products not only for our store, but for our customers.” “At the end of the day, what we sell is a representation of ourselves,” he added. “The secondbest option just won’t do.” What’s exciting to Karter is that pain relief is now fashionable – from argyle compression socks to stylish footwear – you won’t find those dreadful-looking orthopedic shoes in their store.
Left to right: Karter McKinlay, Gene Hagge, Sarena Cantu, Tod Bradshaw
“Our store is about overall comfort, health and wellness from head to toe. Fashion and functionality don’t have to be
at odds with each other,” said McKinlay. “At The Bone Store, the one complements the other, and both work together to provide products that not only work, but that the customer can feel good about wearing.” Prices, like fashion, are not sacrificed, either. “Most of what we carry is not billable to insurance, but instead, we offer the lowest prices anywhere on the best quality p ro d u c t s ,” said Bradshaw, whose company donates to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, CA and The Boy Scouts of America. Bradshaw and McKinlay met in church years ago, and have been friends and co-owners ever since. Both live with their families in Fresno and do the three-hour trek to their Stockton store as needed. They both love what they do, because health is important. “Health is one of the greatest indicators of individual happiness and quality of life,” said McKinlay. “It’s always fulfilling to hear feedback from customers who use and enjoy the products we sell. They love our store, love our products and love our staff.” ■ Visit them at: www.thebonestore.com The Bone Store 1547 E. March Lane Stockton, CA 95210
April 2018 ❘ S3
Living Well Stockton
A personal mission to help those with hearing loss By Charleen Earley
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elping people with their hearing and speech deficiencies is a personal mission for Tony and Lizzie Perkins, owners of Stockton Hearing & Speech Center on Brookside Road. Simply because the Lodi couple has suffered from hearing loss themselves. Tony’s was discovered early on and left untreated, while Lizzie’s was diagnosed after their firstborn was diagnosed with auditory processing disorder (APD). A little more in-depth of a story is on their website. “Tony’s parents were very poor, and nothing was done to help correct it,” said Lizzie. “And I didn’t find out about my APD until Camden was diagnosed with it. When it was explained to us, so many of my previous struggles made sense.” Married for 16 years, the couple has three beautiful children, each with their own challenges: Camden, 14, with APD and Attention Deficit Disorder; Brayden, 12, has high functioning autism; and their daughter Avery, 9, was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 3. The family understands challenges more than most. “Helping people improve their hearing challenges is a battle that is a personal one for Tony,” said Lizzie, who also develops musicbased educational products and teaches art as a docent at the kids’ elementary school.
The couple purchased the 40-year-old practice last December, and are already making a different in the lives of others.
Lizzie. “As a member of the North Stockton Rotary Club, Tony does a great job in guiding our office towards doing good for our community.”
“We really enjoy hearing their stories and finding ways to make things better for them,” said Tony, 47. “It’s amazing how not being able to hear affects a person’s overall mood. Often our patients come in feeling a little down, and after an adjustment or a cleaning, they leave smiling and laughing.”
“We know that all offices use hearing aid technology that is basically the same in quality,” she added. “We also know that how we will separate ourselves from the competition is by our customer service and true care for our patients. Our patients are truly part of our family!”
“If we can’t fix the issue on the spot, we have demo/loaner hearing aids on hand to send patients home in, while we send things back to a manufacturer,” added Lizzie, 43.
Their family service dog, Lilly, is also a part of the business. “Lots of people melt when they see her and completely forget they
are in a health care office,” said Lizzie. “Lilly does seem to know who needs extra support, and will walk them back to the hearing booth and wait on her couch until they come out.”
so much more comfortable after meeting us.”
Fear is one of the factors that keep those with hearing loss from getting help.
“We are most interested in filling a need and improving people’s lives,” said Tony. “We will never ‘sell’ you a product or a service. We offer choices that are logical and needed.” ■
“If you have any fear or hesitation on being tested for a hearing loss, just come in and say ‘hello’ and meet our team,” said Tony. “I am sure that you will feel
Visit them at: www.stocktonhearingandspeechcenter.com
Hearing, Lizzie feels, is vital. “Hearing affects a person’s cognitive function,” she said. “If you do not hear properly, a person can get stressed and frustrated. By helping a person to hear properly, you are able to lessen a person’s cognitive load.” She also said that a 12-year study done by John Hopkins School of Medicine found that untreated hearing loss increases the risk for dementia. “Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D. wrote, ‘Treating hearing loss could potentially help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia,’” she said. The husband-wife team, along with their kids, who help at the office, said their practice feels more like family. “We truly believe in the platinum rule – to treat people how they want to be treated. That goes a very long way,” said Left to right: Tony Perkins, Lizzie Perkins, C. Ashley Barnett, Marcella Torres
BodyBliss Holistic Wellness Center By Denzel A. Jackson
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f someone was in need of alternative integrated therapy, whether that comes in the form of emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical, they may want to consider a visit at the BodyBliss Holistic Wellness Center. Located at 1035 W. Robinhood Drive in Stockton, Karen McDougall has created such a center to help people with these types of treatments. Karen was kind enough to welcome me into her workspace and have a conversation about the services that she provides to her clients. Being a person who has an interest in anything that may be deemed as unconventional, I was happy to sit down with her. “We are energy beings,” she told me, while pouring two cups of hot tea.
The Perkins’ business takes most insurance carriers, but for them, it’s not about money.
Energy therapies are natural healing cycles that occur in our bodies and environment. They are practiced across all cultures around the world. Reiki is a natural ability for the energy systems to rise and balance together, to help the energy in our bodies flow where it is needed. We have the capabilities of healing ourselves inside of our bodies already, but due to societal afflictions and the like, we lose touch with those natural abilities. This is what Karen uses to help heal her clients, but there is no menu for the services that she provides. She speaks with every single client to identify their needs, and only after that will she invite them onto the massage table to begin her work. I asked Karen what she has to say to people who are skeptical of
these types of practices, to which she responded, “These are the best people to have!” She went on to tell me that skepticism is a healthy thing to have, but advises everyone to be open and willing to receive what she has to offer. After all, if a client comes to her with healing needs that she is unable to tend to, she is open and willing to refer them to another practice. Karen loves the work that she does, and her enthusiasm was very apparent to me the entire time I sat with her, sipping earth-flavored tea. If not out of necessity, perhaps out of curiosity, learn more about her work. The BodyBliss Holistic Wellness Center is located at 1035 W. Robinhood Drive in Stockton. Karen McDougall may also be contacted at 209-401-1542.
photo courtesy Stockton Hearing and Speech Center
S4 ❘ April 2018
Living Well Stockton
More Than Medicine: Innovative and Old-Fashioned Care Combine at San Joaquin General Hospital’s NICU Babies in the NICU nursery come from all walks of life, said Bagatta. Many are premature. Some neonates require the specialized care only a Level III unit can provide.
Neonate, explained Bagatta, refers to the first 28 days of life. “It’s a very special time in an infant’s life… [things are] changing very rapidly.” “These babies respond to their environments very differently [...],” Bagatta explained. A change in tone of voice can affect their heart rate. “[They’re] monitored very closely by individuals with unique skill sets, and additional training, to recognize subtle [differences],” she added. Each patient has its own nurse, she noted.
By Melissa Hutsell
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n 2007, less than three percent of births in the U.S. occurred in a “Baby-Friendly Hospital,” a title awarded to facilities worldwide by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Today, the number has increased to more than 22 percent – according to the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) – and continues to rise thanks to the broad-scale implementation of successful breastfeeding standards by facilities including San Joaquin General Hospital (SJGH). SJGH is one of three in the county, and 96 in the state, to be designated as Baby-Friendly. In order to achieve this status, hospitals must adhere to the standards mentioned above, known as the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.”
Steps include (but aren’t limited to) training staff and families on the “benefits and management of breastfeeding,” reports the WHO; encouraging breastfeeding within 30 minutes of birth; and fostering support groups, and referrals. These guidelines are posted in SJGH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The NICU was established in 1983 – it was the “first California Children’s Services approved Community Level III NICU in San Joaquin County,” according to the hospital’s website. This means the unit is fully staffed, and capable of caring for very small, sick newborns, 24 hours per day. More than 90 percent of nurses – in addition to physicians, midwives and patricians – in the department are specially trained in breastfeeding, said Jackie Bagatta, Deputy Director of Nursing at SJGH. Since 2006, SJGH has increased their breastfeeding rates from
5.6 percent to approximately 70 percent. Raising these rates allows the hospital to more comprehensively care not only for infants and mothers, but the community at large. Breast milk plays an important role in an infant’s ability to thrive. Research shows it’s an unparalleled source of nutrition, providing “protection from morbidity and mortality due to infectious diseases and chronic diseases later in life,” reports the WHO. Studies also show breastfeeding lowers a mother’s risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer. “We call it liquid gold,” said Bagatta. Breastfeeding, and breast milk, is essential for any newborn – particularly those in the NICU, reports The National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN). Last year, the hospital’s NICU served 497 neonates (392 of those patients born at SJGH).
The NICU employs stateof-the-art technology, such as stethoscopes for neonates, and incubators with highly controlled environments. Old-fashioned care, like cuddling, is also necessary. Nurturing and skin-to-skin contact – or Kangaroo Care – according to the March of Dimes, may help infants gain weight, sleep longer and deeper, and regulate heart rate and breathing. SJGH’s volunteer program allows approved and screened individuals to cuddle with babies when parents aren’t available. The department works to educate parents, family members, and healthcare professionals on best practices for newborns in and outside of the hospital. “The parent is also patient,” Bagatta said. Every fall, the NICU holds a reunion for former patients. This allows the opportunity to share experiences, celebrate milestones, and see families in an environment that’s not stressful.
One former NICU patient, Bagatta noted, is currently enrolled in a nursing program. In her nearly three decades at SJGH, Bagatta said she’s gained a “sense of gratitude when [seeing] these children who have come so close sometimes to leaving us. You see them come back to the reunion, and see them [and their] family dynamic development [grow],” she added. “There’s a sense that you did so much more than provide medicine […].” ■ For more information on San Joaquin General Hospital’s NICU, visit SJGeneral.org •
Chances are high a newborn might spend time in an NICU; One in eight babies in California are born premature, Bagatta noted.
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San Joaquin General Hospital also hosts a breast milk bank for community families in need. For more information, contact the hospital at (209) 468-6460
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The hospital’s expansion project will include 23 new NICU beds, set to open in Summer 2019.
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San Joaquin General Hospital was established in 1857, four years before the start of the Civil War.
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The WHO’s “Ten Steps” can be found here: http:// www.who.int/elena/bbc/ implementation_bfhi/en/
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Some of Northern California’s smallest surviving infants have been born at SJGH, including Amiracle Jackson (2014), and Mystic Faith Fields (1994).
April 2018 ❘ S5
Living Well Stockton
Many food allergies begin in adulthood
By Melissa Erickson ring up food allergies, and many adults think of things they can’t send to school with their kids. A new study shows they should also be concerned about what foods they’re bringing to work.
45 percent of adults with food allergies develop them in adulthood is surprising,” said Northwestern University pediatrician Dr. Ruchi Gupta, lead author of the study. “We also saw that, as with children, the incidence of food allergies in adults is rising across all ethnic groups.”
Almost half of all food-allergic adults reported that at least one of their allergies materialized in adulthood, according to research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting in October. The study surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 50,000 adults.
The most common food allergy among adults is shellfish, affecting an estimated 3.6 percent of U.S. adults. That’s a 44-percent increase from an influential 2004 study. The new data also suggest that adult tree nut allergy prevalence has risen to 1.8 percent from a 2008 estimate of 0.5 percent, an increase of 260 percent.
“Food allergies are often seen as a condition that begins in childhood, so the idea that
“Our research also found that, among black, Asian and Hispanic adults, the risk of developing a food
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allergy to certain foods is higher than for whites, specifically for shellfish and peanuts,” said food allergy researcher Christopher Warren, a doctoral candidate at Northwestern University near Chicago and study co-author. Allergic in adulthood Adult-onset allergies likely involve losing immune tolerance to foods that adults have previously been exposed to and eaten without allergic reaction. “This is in contrast to childhood food allergies, which involve the immune system failing to develop tolerance to these allergenic foods in the first place,” Warren said. It’s also possible for an adult to develop an allergy to a food they had never previously encountered, “but this is probably
What to know about going gluten-free elastic when kneaded. Because gluten is a protein, however, immune systems of individuals with digestive challenges can react poorly to it, resulting in conditions such as celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
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luten-free is a popular choice for people trying to manage their weight, but is it for everyone?
“Many people associate going glutenfree with going carb-free, and these are certainly not mutually exclusive,” said Dr. Christopher Heron, a family medicine physician at Penn State Medical Group, State College, Pennsylvania. “People may lose weight on these diets because they are cutting down on carbs (bread, beer, pasta), which can be part of a good diet plan, but there are plenty of gluten-free foods that are carb- and sugar-rich.” Gluten is a type of protein that is stored, along with starch, in many common types of grain, such as rye, wheat and barley. This protein accounts for more than half of the total protein in these grains, and helps dough become
Many people believe that going glutenfree can help with weight loss or feelings of indigestion or fatigue. But ultimately, people who do not have a condition that requires the avoidance of gluten — such as celiac, an autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine — should not go 100 percent gluten-free.
not very common given the ubiquity of most common food allergens,” Warren said. Little is known about how and why allergies develop, making it an area of great research interest, Gupta said. By learning more about food allergies and studying the different demographic and environmental factors that increase risk of development, researchers hope to raise awareness and improve the clinical management of food allergies, Gupta said. Intolerance or allergy? Some adults who believe that they have food allergies may actually have intolerances, and vice versa, Gupta said. “An important difference between a food intolerance and a
food allergy is that food-allergic adults may be at risk of potentially fatal anaphylaxis, whereas an adult with a food intolerance is likely to experience less serious, digestive problems and may in fact be able to eat small amounts of the offending food without trouble,” Gupta said. For this reason, daily management of a food allergy generally requires that greater care be taken to avoid accidental allergen exposure, as well as to routinely carry an epinephrine auto-injector in the event of a severe allergic reaction. “This is why it is so important to see an allergist for a proper diagnosis,” Warren said. ■ To find an allergist near you, visit acaai.org/locate-an-allergist
Keeping You in the Game of Life.
“The grains found in wheat products are essential to overall health,” Heron said. “They provide nutrients that aren’t found in most gluten-free foods, which is why many people with celiac disease need to take a multivitamin.” That said, most people consume a lot more foods made with white flour than our bodies require.
ALIGN WITH THE BEST
“Rather than going gluten-free, people who don’t suffer from a gluten-related disease should shoot for a healthier diet overall by managing portion size and being aware of foods’ nutritional content,” said Dr. Lauren Schneekloth, a family medicine physician at Penn State Medical Group. ■
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S6 ❘ April 2018
Living Well Stockton
How to stave off
By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
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rom a dull, constant ache to sharp shoot ing sensations, back pain can make you miserable. It can make it hard to move, leading it to be one of the most common reasons for missed work. It’s also the second-leading cause of disability in the United States and one of the top five reasons for doctor visits, according to Harvard Medical School. Anyone can have back pain — although it gets more common as you age — but certain people are more at risk, especially those who are not physically fit, smokers or people who suffer from certain diseases like arthritis or cancer.
NAP FOR HEALTH By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
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good old-fashioned nap can do wonders for the mind and body. Lack of sleep is a public health problem that contributes to reduced productivity, car accidents and even chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The benefits of a nap are greatest for those who received less than enough sleep the night before, said Dr. Robert S. Rosenberg, board certified sleep medicine physician and author of “The Doctor’s Guide to Sleep Solutions for Stress & Anxiety.” “A
LOW BACK PAIN
For some it’s hereditary or a result of a job that requires lifting, pushing or twisting your spine.
chief of adult orthopedic spine service at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Approximately one quar ter of U.S. adults reported having low back pain lasting at least one day in the past three months, according to the American College of Physicians.
They can be caused by activities involving lifting, twisting or bending, or by a fall.
It’s also expensive. The cost of treating people with acute lower back pain costs about $240 billion annually, accord ing to a study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. New treatments Soft tissue injuries and strains of muscles, ligaments or tendons are the most common culprits of back pain, said Dr. Mark Knaub,
10- to 20-minute nap can increase alertness for up to three hours. However, we also know that napping can improve memory and mood regardless of how much sleep you might have had,” Rosenberg said. If you get a good night’s sleep, you probably don’t need a nap, unless you’re subject to the postlunch energy dip. “In fact, despite sufficient sleep, in many cultures the nap is taken daily. This is most common in South American and many Mediterranean countries,” Rosenberg said. “It’s a much healthier way to combat this normal circadian dip in alertness than con suming caffeine, which may actually inhibit your ability to sleep that night.” The best time for a short sleep depends on your sched ule, but for most people that falls between about 1 and 3 p.m. “This is when our bodies normally experience a cir cadian dip in alertness. This is due to a slight drop in core body
The American College of Physicians recently announced new guidelines for treating low back pain that advise non-drug therapies such as superficial heat, massage, acupuncture or spinal manipulation over drug therapy if possible. Anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants can ease the immediate pain, while physi cal therapy helps keep a single episode from turning into a more chronic problem. “Physical therapy can give
you techniques to lessen your symptoms in the short term and get you back to being active and mobile,” Knaub said. “In the intermediate- to long-term, it can strengthen the core muscles that support the spine, and that could decrease the likelihood of having another episode in the future.”
Even without any active treat ment, Knaub said, most back pain will improve on its own within a few days to a week. Prevent the pain While it isn’t always possible to prevent back pain, there are things you can do to limit your risk of developing problems. The most important could be engaging in regular physical activity a few times a week. Exercises that strengthen the core muscles can
also help prevent acute injuries and strain. Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding tobacco products also decrease your risk. “When people have chronic back problems, there is a large psychological com ponent to it,” Knaub said. “Being depressed causes pain, and being in pain makes you depressed.” Studies in Europe have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy can work as well as traditional medical treatments for that type of back pain, Knaub said. “If you lack coping mechanisms and don’t handle the pain and stress well, that can feed into your anxiety,” Knaub said. ■
temperature. Avoid naps after 4 p.m., if possible, as they may inhibit your ability to fall and stay asleep,” Rosenberg said. A good nap is not too long. “In most studies 10 to 20 minutes seems to be optimum. After 30 or more minutes we tend to develop sleep inertia and may take as long as 35 minutes to fully recover our alertness,” Rosenberg said. To optimize napping, create a conducive sleep environment. “Make sure it is a quiet, com fortable environment. Loosen any restrictive clothing. Try to keep it to no more than 20 minutes to avoid sleep inertia,” said Rosenberg. Because a good nap falls in the middle of the workday, see if your business might consider napping pods.
“Not only is (napping) acceptable, but since so many American workers get less than enough sleep, it is advantageous to employers to facilitate naps,” Rosenberg said.
Also, because of napping’s benefits in memory consolidation, the afternoon’s work, especially if dependent on things processed in the morn ing, will be much improved, he said. ■
April 2018 ❘ S7
Living Well Stockton
About Certain Foods
By Melissa Erickson
such as DHA,” said Frain, the medical program coordinator at Wake Forest Baptist’s Weight Management Center. “This isn’t a speedy fix — you’re not going to get a higher score on your test or do a better job on your proj ect at work because you ate fish last night. It’s rather the buildup over time. So the sooner you start, the better off you’ll be in the long run.”
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hen it comes to eating and drinking there are plenty of myths, exaggerations and superstitions. To set the record straight, experts from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, shared which beliefs are solid, which are simply false and which are partly true. Chocolate doesn’t cause acne “I remember hearing that (chocolate causes pimples) when I was growing up and I still hear it when I see patients, especially teenagers,” said Dr. Sarah Taylor, a dermatologist at Wake Forest Baptist. “But it’s not true. Choco late has been studied, and there’s no hard evidence it has anything to do with acne.”
Acne occurs when the skin’s pores become clogged with excess oil produced by hair follicles. This allows dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells to build up in the pores and form the lesions and blemishes of acne. What triggers this isn’t clear. Hormonal changes can prompt the overproduction of oil, and
“About 75 percent of all ulcers are caused by bacteria called Helicobacter pylori,” said Dr. Joel Bruggen, a gastroenterologist at Wake Forest Baptist. “Most of the others are caused by the use of
Carrots improve eye health, not vision
hered ity can be a factor. Just don’t blame chocolate, pizza, potato chips, french fries or cheeseburgers. A surprising group of foods that does have a connection to acne is non-organic dairy products. “Non-organic dairy products can make acne worse, because the cows are treated with growth hormones. So we’ll tell patients that when they’re having yogurt, cheese, milk or ice cream to make sure it’s organic if they want to help their acne out,” Taylor said.
claim that’s been debated as an old wives’ tale. Turns out mom was right, said Annette Frain, a registered dietitian at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. “Many long-term studies have found a correlation between improved cognition and the consumption of fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids
Doctors long thought that spicy foods caused stomach ulcers, which seemed to make sense because people often complained about burning stomach pains after eating spicy foods. It’s just not true.
Eating fish is supposed to increase brain volume but it’s a
Vaccines don’t end after childhood
So while carrots are visionfriendly, there are plenty of other sources of vitamin A that also provide nutrients and antioxidants that contribute to good vision. These include dairy products, eggs, fish and liver, and a number of fruits such as peaches, mangoes, red bell peppers and tomatoes and vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli and peas. Spicy foods do not cause ulcers
Fish is brain food
Taking Shots
“Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, which is one of the nutrients necessary for good ocular health, but they won’t improve your eyesight,” said Dr. Craig Greven, chair of ophthal mology at Wake Forest Baptist.
Four vaccines adults shouldn’t miss are for influ enza, shingles, pneumonia and pertussis, Veach said: Flu Adults over 65 are at high risk for developing flu-related complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections. The flu also can make chronic health problems worse: People with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the flu, and people with chronic congestive heart failure may experience a worsening of this condition triggered by flu. All children, teenagers, adults (includ ing pregnant women) and seniors — evwweryone 6 months and older — should get a flu vaccine every year, the CDC recommends. Shingles Anyone who has recov ered from chickenpox may develop shingles — even children, Veach said. The risk of shingles increases as you get older. Shingles is a painful rash that develops on one side of the face or body. The rash forms blisters that typically scab over in 7 to 10 days and clear up within two to four weeks.
By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
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accines are not just for children. They’re an important part of routine health care for adults, seniors and women who are pregnant. Shockingly, vaccine-preventable diseases kill more adults in the United States than either breast cancer, HIV/AIDS or motor vehicle accidents, according to a National Vital Statistics report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Vaccines are as important to adults as they are to children. Unvaccinated adults are at increased risk of serious illnesses such as shingles, pneumococcal pneumonia and influenza,” said Dr. Cathleen Veach, chief quality officer, PinnacleHealth Medical Group of Pennsylvania. “Preventing these diseases decreases hospitalizations, missed time at work and school, and deaths. Other vaccines, such as for HPV and hepatitis B,
help prevent diseases that can cause cancer.” According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, about 50,000 U.S. adults die every year from diseases that can be prevented with vaccines, Veach said. “Vaccines protect the adults receiving them, but they also help protect those around them, including infants too young to receive vaccines, children, elderly parents and grandparents,” she said. “The best example of this is whooping cough, which can be deadly in infants and the elderly. Adults are the most common source of infection. CDC estimates 16 million cases and about 195,000 deaths a year. All adults should get one Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine) to prevent the spread of this serious respiratory infection.” Seniors in particular should be current on their flu, shingles and pneumonia vaccines.
The shingles vaccine is approved for people 50 and older, but the CDC recommends that people 60 and older get a shingles vaccine. Pneumonia Most pneumonia infections are mild, but complications can be severe or even deadly. There are now two pneumococcal vaccines, and both are only given once to people over 65. Adults ages 19 to 65 with certain conditions that affect the immune system should check with their primary-care provider whether they should receive the vaccination, Veach said.
aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.” How did chili, curry and kung pao chicken get such a bad rap? “Stomach ulcers can produce a burning pain in your stomach, and if you have a pain in your stomach after eating spicy food you might think you have an ulcer, or a doctor might even tell you you have an ulcer, but you probably don’t,” Bruggen said. Stress and alcohol also can be added to the list of things that don’t cause ulcers. In fact, the research pointing to bacteria as the primary culprit has been around since the mid-1980s. “Some legends just live on,” Bruggen said. •
Pertussis Also known as whooping cough, pertussis can cause serious and sometimes deadly complications in babies and young children, teens and adults, Veach said. The whooping cough vaccine is usually given as part of a group of vaccines called Tdap or Td (tetanus-diphtheria booster). Talk to your primary-care provider about what vaccine you may need. ■
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• Dinner & Awards Presentation
June 21, 2018
Featuring Celebrity Guest:
Featuring Celebrity Guest Athlete:
• • • •
Fan photos Shopping Exhibits Educational Activities Health & Safety Awareness Games & Entertainment Costumed Characters Kid Zone Play areas Food … and more!
• • • • •
Stockton
SEPT 29
2018
& FAMILY FESTIVAL Sept. 29, 2018
San Joaquin County Fairgrounds Tickets go on sale April 1st:
stocktonautoshow.com
July 21, 2018
Stockton Arena Tickets on sale now:
recordnet.com/kidzexpo
Featuring Celebrity Guest: • Classic Car & Lowrider Show • New Vehicle Star of Velocity Channel’s Bitchin’ Rides Exhibits • Shopping • Exhibitors • Free Kid Zone • Music & Entertainment • Eat Street • Margaritas & Beer … and more!
Dave Kindig