Spring/Summer 2015
changing lives Wilson Orthopaedics/ Triangle Orthopaedic Associates and Victory Fitness have teamed up to provide top-of-the-line care to rehab patients
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contents FITNESS
4 NO SWEAT Short on time? Exercise is just a staircase away 6 INSPIRATION Olympic champion Shawn Johnson helps women feel good about their bodies 8 CELEBRITY HEALTH The ‘Weight’ of television
OUTDOORS 10 BRING ON THE SUN Warmer weather is on the way – here’s how to help your family enjoy the sun safely 12 SWIM ON Healthy life lessons from swimmer Diana Nyad
FEATURE 14 CHANGING LIVES A newfound partnership is paving the way
changing lives Wilson Orthopaedics/ Triangle Orthopaedic Associates and Victory Fitness have teamed up to provide top-of-the-line care to rehab patients
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NUTRITION 18 AVOID ADDITIVES Making better choices about what you eat 20 HEALTHY EATS Mustard Chicken recipe
MEDICAL 22 WAIT AND SEE Delaying treatments until absolutely necessary 24 HEART SMART How to recover from a heart attack or stroke
FAMILY 26 LIAR, LIAR Non-truths can burden relationships 28 SAFE & SOUND Keep your teen safe behind the wheel 30 BAD HABITS Break three bad family habits
Exercise doesn’t have to be all consuming
to be beneficial. Look for easy ways to move more. “It doesn’t have to be structured exercise,” says Steven T. Devor, associate professor, department of human sciences and department of physiology and cell biology, The Ohio State University. “Standing every day will improve your health risk profile. Get out of the chair and stand once an hour,” he says. If you need a reminder, set a buzzer to go off once an hour to spur you to walk around the office. Although efficiency is good to get everything accomplished, a little intentional inefficiency can boost your health. “Try to do things less efficiently so you’re moving around more,” Devor says. Your office, or your home, can give you a workout. Take the stairs at work. “Skip a step [going up] which turns the stairs into a lunge exercise. You can condition your lower body muscles,” says Darryn S. Willoughby, associate professor of exercise/nutritional biochemistry and molecular physiology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas.
no sweat! Short on time? Exercise is just a staircase away
WILSON WELLNESS
By Bev Bennett CTW Features
4
“If you can’t do regular push-ups, do a modified one with knees on the floor. Push-ups work muscles in the chest, shoulder and back of the upper arm with one exercise.”
FITNESS
Do squats while you’re in the kitchen waiting for the water to boil. Partner with your spouse or children for a rowing exercise, Willoughby suggests: Form a large towel into a U-shape. Grab the ends and have someone else grab the U as you “row” back and forth. After a while you’ll find a number of “mindless” exercises you can fit into the day without thinking about it, the experts say. “It’s all about prioritizing,” Devor says. In addition, it’s important to get the most muscle for the moves.
Two exercises, push-ups and squats, provide maximum benefits for the time spent, according to Willoughby. “If you can’t do regular pushups, do a modified one with knees on the floor. Push-ups work muscles in the chest, shoulder and back of the upper arm with one exercise,” he says. For your lower body, try squats, which work muscles in the thighs, hips and buttocks. If you prefer lunges for the lower body, you’ll be strengthening your thighs, hamstrings and buttocks. © CTW Features
Award-winning health care A vital sign of a healthy community
Nash Health Care is proud to be recognized by Business North Carolina as among the state’s Best hospitals. In addition, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina recognized Nash Health Care as one of the state’s Cutting-edge Hospitals in bariatric surgery & knee and hip replacement. Our commitment to the best health care possible is vital to a healthy community. N H C S .O RG
Nash Health Care is pleased to sponsor these community events in May. Visit nhcs.org to find out more.
NHCS 20772 (7.5x5) Wilson Wellness.indd 1
May 3 at 2:00pm Nash Health Care Rocket Mile Race
May 16 at 8:00am “Bouncing Back” – Nash Health Care Cancer Survivorship Seminar
May 30 at 7:30pm Tar River Orchestra & Chorus “Salute to America” Concert
4/8/15 10:59 AM
Shawn Johnson has accomplished more in her 22 years than most have accomplished in a lifetime, but don’t think that the 2008 Olympic gymnast will now rest easy on her gold medals. Quite the opposite. She’s since won the ABC competition “Dancing with the Stars”, came in second place on the show’s All Star competition, won an ESPY for “Best Female U.S. Olympian” and Teen Choice Awards. She also penned “Winning Balance: What I’ve Learned So Far about Love, Faith, and Living Your Dreams (Tyndale Momentum, 2013). Johnson retired from gymnastics in 2012, but is now dedicated to improving the health of confidence of other girls with her new website, The Body Department (thebodydepartment.com).
inspiration
Olympic champion Shawn Johnson has turned her attention to helping young women feel good about their bodies
WILSON WELLNESS
By Bev Bennett CTW Features
6
“I’m just trying to take the negative association to be healthy and fit away, so girls can just enjoy themselves and have fun . . .”
FITNESS
“Growing up in gymnastics, along with ice skating and dancing and cheerleading, I grew up around the stereotypical stories you hear about eating disorders,” Johnson says. “I was fortunate not to fall into anything, but I also have had my mental lows, and critiques from judges and coaches that made me insecure about my body. I hate what society preaches to girls and I feel like there’s no safe zone.” When Johnson performed on, and ultimately won “Dancing with the Stars”, not all viewer feedback was positive. “I was only 16 years old and, of course I wasn’t in the shape I was in a year earlier, training 45 hours a week,” she says. “I’m thinking that I’m still getting older and growing, but it did get to me.” Johnson explains that, as an athlete, it’s hard because the image that the fans see of you is ingrained in their minds as the only acceptable way to look. “So a few years down the road when they see you on the street, you don’t look like that 3 percent body fat professional athlete, and you’re a normal person, then that’s when the judgment and critiques comes in. Professional athletes strive to please people and please ourselves and be proud, and when that’s taken away by society, it’s really difficult to find a balance. I’ve heard a lot of stories that it takes like 10 years after you retire from your sport to finally find a new niche for yourself.” Johnson is working on her niche with The Body Department, what
she calls a safe zone for any girl of any age to learn about health, fitness, body and beauty. “We believe that everybody’s on a journey, but nobody is on a diet and trying to be skinny, they’re trying to be healthy,” she says. “I’m just trying to take the negative association to be healthy and fit away, so girls can just enjoy themselves and have fun, and not have to worry about being that stick figure model on a runway carpet.” Johnson’s athletic prowess was recognized at an early age. “When I was training, I never really thought that I had what it took to be an Olympian or be on the national team,” she says. “I genuinely just loved the sport and wanted to go to practice every day, but my coach saw something and really believed in me, so he filmed my practices, and sent it to Márta Károlyi.” Her career includes a gold medal from the 2008 Olympic balance beam competition and a silver medal for all-around and floor exercise silver medalist. She was also the 2007 World Champion on floor exercise. She does say that her time on “Dancing with the Stars” was almost as tough as her Olympic training. “Dancing was rigorous and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Johnson says. “But coming off of Olympic training, I don’t think there’s anything that will ever be able to compare to that again. You’re representing your country and trying to stay on a 4-inch beam in front of 50 million
people, so it’s a little intimidating.” However, Johnson says that the show preparation included 1012 nonstop hours of training in a sport that was out of her comfort zone. “Not to mention you’re being filmed for every second of it,” she says. Today, Johnson says that she just works at being a normal human being who doesn’t train 12 hours a day. “I do run a lot and love doing half marathons and tough mudders, but I’m also still nursing injuries from my sport and have to really be careful what I do.” She’s also planning more, including a new book, working on television commentary again and is considering other projects. “I travel so much and I’m always on the go so my down time looks like me in my sweatpants at home with my puppy and just relaxing.” Shawn Johnson is an inspiration to other gymnasts, athletes and other young girls. She also makes sure that The Body Department inspires as well with Fitspirations and Fitstagram Fridays. “On the website, there are recipes, workouts, motivational quotes and stories,” she says. “We’re posting personal stuff and just trying to show people that we’re human as well.” For more information on Shawn Johnson and her website, The Body Department, visit thebodydepartment.com. © CTW Features
In January, the latest winner of “The
Biggest Loser” was crowned and you can almost guarantee that actress Martha Byrne was glued to the television. “I enjoy anything that gives me an emotional reaction in a good way,” says Byrne, who is most remembered for her two-decade run as Lily Walsh Snyder on “As the World Turns.” “I also like ‘Extreme Weight Loss with Chris Powell’ because it’s a yearlong process and you see the ups and downs and the toll it’s taken on the family. It hooks you in and you cheer for people.” But when the confetti has fallen, the finale is over and the cameras are off, the contestants return to their real world to try and fit in after an emotional weight loss journey. It’s a side that the viewers never get to see. This is what attracted Byrne to produce and star in her new web series, “Weight” – a comedy about a mom who loses weight on a reality show and struggles to keep it off amid the chaos of her crazy family.
celebrity health The ‘Weight’ of television By Lisa Iannucci CTW Features
WILSON WELLNESS
“There is an obsession with food and weight in this country . . .”
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FITNESS
“When I read the script, I laughed so hard and cringed and it affected me,” she says. “I’ve had my own weight issues and when it’s five or 20 pounds there’s always that little devil/angel on your shoulder. Nobody had ever explored that in a way that’s not insulting.” She plays Claire who had been at a reality show ranch for three months and dropped 100 pounds. “It’s not real life and it does something to your brain being away and losing that much weight,” she says. ”There is an obsession with food/weight in this country and we take a microscope and put it on the family and really dig deep into it with humor. Humor can make anything better.” To research her role, Byrne talked to Pam Geil, a Season 14 contestant from “The Biggest Loser”. “She was amazing,” says Byrne. “I loved her personality and we talked for a long time and it was helpful to me to get inside her brain about why she got so heavy and what happened after she they turn the cameras off and you turn back to your real life.” Byrne is a nine-time Daytime Emmy Award nominee and twotime Emmy winner. She chose to work on “Weight” because, she says, she believed in it. “Fortunately when I was growing up on ‘As the World Turns’, it was known for the actors, not the beauty,” says the now 45-year-old. “I was already an awkward chubby teenager with pimples and no-
body told me to lose weight until I was in my 20s. It was when you were in the wardrobe department and it would make you feel awful when they asked you what size they should pull for you. I’ve seen girls melt into tears who were beautifully thin and gorgeous and nothing was wrong with them, but one little comment about looks can send a fragile person into a spiral.” Byrne says that she didn’t let the comments get to her. “I had kids and I knew when I needed to lose weight,” she said. “I didn’t need anyone to tell me to pull the bigger pants.” She says that she always exercised on a daily basis, but food is her enemy. “I love pizza, cheeseburgers and all of that stuff, so I end up off the wagon every once in a while,” she says. “I’ve gone on Jenny Craig too because in times of emotional distress I’m an eater. That’s my downfall, I’m an emotional eater.” When she gains a few pounds, Byrne knows it’s time to watch her intake. “On a day-to-day basis, I try to stay away from cheese and crackers and Nutella, it’s so good and so dangerous. When I’m a young actress it’s about my physical appearance but at this point it’s about my health.” As a mom to Michael, Max and Ann Marie, she makes sure to stress healthy eating. “You don’t want to talk about it too much, you don’t want them to be selfconscious about their bodies,” she
says. “They should feel comfortable about themselves.” She’s the mom of a picky eater so she understands the challenges of getting your children to eat a well-balanced meal. “Look at the last seven days and what they ate,” she suggests. “Did he have his proteins or veggies overall? I do this and it makes me feel better that I’m failing in the nutrition department.” As an actress, producer, singer and mother, Byrne also knows that eating healthy and exercising isn’t always easy to do. “It’s a constant struggle,” she says. “My father passed away last year and that was a trigger. I had to forgive myself, just try to get better and heal emotionally from the trauma. I feel much better now and exercising helped so much. You have to try not to be controlled by food. It’s okay to have cheeseburger, but not every day. But if you have it, don’t beat yourself up. As long as I’m aware of what happens to me, I work on it.” She says that if she weren’t in show business, she wouldn’t focus so much on her diet. “It’s part of the industry, and part of what we do for a living, but the bigger picture is to be healthier and feel better about myself. It’s worth it. The result is worth it.” For more information on “Weight” visit http://www.weighttheseries.com © CTW Features
Winter has been brutal in most
parts of the country, but soon families will flock to the great outdoors. Enjoying outdoor activities as a family, however, shouldn’t come with the risk of potentially dangerous sun exposure. “I don’t want people to give up being in the sun; but do it safely,” says Dr. Dennis M.P. Hughes, The
University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital, Houston. It’s especially important to protect your children, even if they protest. Children who have one or more bad sunburns have more than double the risk of developing melanoma, a potentially deadly form of
skin cancer, later in life, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. The physician recommends shielding the skin with sunscreen and wearing a hat if your family will be outdoors for more than 15 minutes. If your child or teen doesn’t want to use sunscreen, he may dislike the brand you’ve selected.
bring on the sun Warmer weather is on the way – here’s how to help your family enjoy the sun safely
WILSON WELLNESS
By Bev Bennett CTW Features
10
When buying sunscreen, look for the words Broad Spectrum. This means the product has passed government tests for protection against UVA and UVB rays.
OUTDOORS Shop together for a sunscreen product he prefers and that’s protective, says Dr. Hughes, who recommends an SPF (sunburn protection factor) of 30 or greater. In addition, look for the words Broad Spectrum, which mean the product passed government tests for protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. “Teen boys don’t want to smell like a flower or coconut. Teen girls won’t want to look greasy,” says the physician and father of four, ranging in age from 1 to 16. Likewise, hat shopping. Don’t insist on a particular style; let your child choose a hat he’ll actually wear. You can buy sun-protective clothing, but don’t waste your
money if you sense your child won’t wear it. Instead make the argument for more coverage. Long sleeves are better than short; short sleeve T-shirts are better than tank tops. “Having something your kids will use trumps the rest,” Hughes says. Be prepared for spontaneous outings as well as your planned activities. Keep an extra tube of sunscreen in the car’s glove compartment; give your children small tubes for their book bags and stock up on extra hats so losing one isn’t an excuse to go bareheaded. Finally, set the example. Slather on sunscreen, grab your hat and roll down your sleeves. © CTW Features
“I Thought A Completely Torn Achilles Tendon Had Ended My Days As A Triathlete - But, Thanks To Orthopedic Surgery And Rehab At Johnston Health, I Came Back To Win Silver At The Nationals In 2012!” - Chad Culver
Johnston Medical Mall - Smithfield
www.johnstonhealth.org
You might think that, at 65 years old, legend-
ary swimmer Diana Nyad is ready to relax, settle down and enjoy her golden years. Think again. “I’m a badass and I always will be,” she says. “I’ll go down fighting when I’m withered and old. I’m going to be doing extreme things until the day I die.” Back in the 1970s, Nyad was the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. She set world records circling Manhattan Island and crossing the 102.5 miles between the Bahamas and Florida. On September 2, 2013, she became the first swimmer to swim 110 miles from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida without the aid of a shark cage. With a team of 25 experts, including shark and jellyfish experts, it was her fifth attempt, 35 years after her first attempt in 1975. It became her crowning glory. It came with some painful experiences though. Throughout her first four attempts, she suffered painful stings from Portuguese manof-war and jellyfish, but it was a sting from the Box jellyfish on her third attempt that almost did her in. “Most people do not enjoy going through a jellyfish sting, but the Box jellyfish – the most poisonous jellyfish in the ocean – is almost always fatal,” she says. “It fires venom into your
swim on
Learn the healthy life lessons Diana Nyad learned on her epic long-distance treks across dangerous waters
WILSON WELLNESS
By Lisa Iannucci CTW Features
12
“I am a person who lived a big, probably impossible dream and refused to give up on it. That’s who I am deep, deep down.”
OUTDOORS central nervous system. I felt it through the paralysis of my spinal cord, I felt it in the shortening and duress of my pulmonary system and I went through 24 more hours of swimming. The doctors warned me that I wasn’t going to live until we got to shore and I made it through.” Nyad explains that whether someone is going up Mount Everest or running across the Kalahari Desert or swimming to Cuba, you come back with scientific, technological and nutrition innovations. “When we came back, we had to figure out how to cover the body,” she explains. “Neoprene wasn’t allowed, but we made a skin – none of it was easy to swim in, but at least I was covered with an armor from those stings. And then a man who makes masks for people who have been injured by war and are awaiting skin grafts, made a beautiful silicone mask for me. I was so proud of our team not giving up.” After everything she has accomplished, Nyad says that she appreciates being an inspiration to others, but other people are who inspire her. “I’m inspired when people come up to me and say that they had the toughest year of their life, that their mother died and when they watched what me and my team did and that we didn’t give up and refused to go home and quit, even after 35 years of failing,” she says. To sum up her accomplishments, she quotes Henry David Thoreau: “When you achieve your dreams, it’s not so much what you get, it’s who you become.” “And that’s what I feel, I don’t have this big ego memory of ‘I did it, I conquered the ocean,’”
she says. “I have more of a that makes me alive and makes feeling that I am a person who me inspired and makes me the lived a big, probably impossible best person I can be in other dream and refused to give up on ways.” it. That’s who I am, deep, deep If you’re looking for an easy down. So that’s the sort of memway to take care of yourself, Nyad ory flashback I have.” says to walk. “Almost everyone She credits her team and her can walk out the door after dinfriend, Bonnie, for supporting her ner, walk to the end of the block to victory. “You can’t be stung by and back, and pretty soon you deadly jellyfish and go through feel like walking around the block, those hours of deep, mental and then you’re eating a little bit strain out there without a source better because you’ve inspired of strength,” she says. yourself by walking.” Since her feat, Nyad has also In the summer of 2016, Nyad, appeared on “Dancing with the who still trains hard and is in Stars,” appeared in Macy Gray’s amazing shape, will set out to walk music video for her song “Bang, across America. She is encouragBang,” appeared in her oneing one million Americans to walk woman show “Onward” and she with her. For more information on says, she has also been actively how to join, visit diananyad.com. © CTW Features involved in dosomething.org. “It’s for kids who are spending all their waking hours on screens, you know they’re addicted,” she says. “They’re not playing outdoors or using their imagination. It 1730 Parkwood Blvd., Wilson, NC • (252) 237-9050 barely matters what you do, just do something. For me, Embodies the best life has to offer. exercise and fitness have been my do AT PARKWOOD VILLAGE something. Even if I can’t 1720 Parkwood Blvd., Wilson, NC • (252) 237-9050 save the world and I can’t cure cancer, the least I can do is get up and move and
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Dr. Lew Martin, MS, PT, MD with Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, discusses the proper way to use equipment with a patient in the in-house physical therapy department of Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, while Neil Strother with Victory Fitness observes.
When it comes right down to it, we all know that the more healthy of a lifestyle we live, the better off we will be. The decision to exercise and eat right can be one of the best decisions we can make for ourselves. “Exercise is as potent a medicine as any pill you can take,” says Dr.
Lew Martin, MS, PT, MD, of Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates. “You have to decide to make exercise a priority in your life.” Making the decision to exercise and eat right is a lifestyle change you must be committed to making. “You can’t exercise and eat right for
a month and expect to meet all your goals for weight loss and strength,” says Neil Strother, co-owner and personal trainer at Victory Fitness. “You have to understand that this commitment is ongoing and will require you to make changes to all aspects of your life.”
changing lives A newfound partnership is paving the way for rehab patients
WILSON WELLNESS
By Jennifer Strickland Photography By Gerard Lange
14
“It’s not about us, it’s not about the physician, it’s about the patient and their success.”
FEATURE “We want to communicate to I try to stress to them that there the public that exercise is imporare changes they should make betant. It not only helps keep you fore having surgery to ensure they healthy, it can also make all the have the positive outcome we are difference in your life,” says Martin. all expecting,” says Martin. “The changes you make in your life All patients who go through today can greatly impact the qualorthopaedic surgeries will require ity of life you have tomorrow.” some sort of rehabilitation after Maintaining a healthy lifestyle surgery. Much of this rehabilitation isn’t just about exercise, it’s also is done through your orthopaedic about managing your food intake. provider and their in-house physi“You can’t expect to eat burgers cal therapy staff. and fries for every meal and then Matt Bates, PT, DPT, Cert. MDT, step on the scale and hope the is one of three physical therapy number goes down. You have to providers at Wilson Orthopaedics/ commit to change the way you eat Triangle Orthopaedic Associates. if you want to see results,” says “When a patient comes to me Strother. “A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same, but that muscle is doing something for your body, where that fat is not. That muscle is making you stronger and leaner. Increasing muscle mass is the key to decreasing fat, and that will in turn help you lose those extra pounds.” Many people reach a point in their life where they require surgery for a joint replacement or a shoulder repair. The more fit you are going into surgery, the better the outcome will be after surgery. “When a patient comes in and they have taken care of themselves in a way that promotes healthy livMatt Bates, PT, DPT, ing, I am less concerned with Wilson Orthopaedics/ about how they will fare Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, works with during surgery and after. a patient in the in-house However, when a patient physical therapy department comes in that has lived a of Wilson Orthopaedics/ less-than-healthy lifestyle, Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, while Ann Strother with Victory Fitness assists.
after surgery, I have two main objectives that they must meet before I feel comfortable releasing them to continue their rehabilitation program on their own. First, I have to feel confident that the long term outcome for the patient is positive. I can’t feel comfortable releasing that patient if I feel as though their long term prognosis is questionable. Second, I have to know that the patient feels comfortable and confident that they can continue their rehabilitation program on their own. Rehab doesn’t end when you walk out of our doors. You have to have some
WILSON WELLNESS
Victory Fitness is a full service, independent gym ready to assist rehab patients with their personal needs and goals. They offer cardio equipment, free weights, full body weight machines, personal trainers, a nutrition store with protein, supplements, whole foods and more.
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accountability on your own to continue working on the program prescribed by your physician.” Bates also points out that patients can get discouraged when they come into rehab expecting it to be easy. “Rehab isn’t easy. It’s work. And it can hurt, but not all hurt is harmful. Working through that pain can be crucial in building your strength. I don’t know of any condition in the world where it hurts to be stronger,” he says. In order to make it easier to achieve full recovery, and to help patients achieve their long term goals, the professionals at Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates and Victory Fitness have teamed up to create a partnership between providers and personal trainers. “We feel
that by working together, we can give the patient some accountability for continuing their rehab not only while they are still receiving care, but also after they are released from the in-house program,” says Strother. “It is our goal to supplement and augment the physical therapy that is recommended by your physician by working with you to achieve not only the goals set by your physician, but those you have set for yourself.” This partnership allows both the physicians at Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates and the trainers at Victory Fitness to collaborate to provide the best care possible for the patient. “We can communicate back and forth as providers and trainers to relay the information needed to help the patient be
successful in their rehabilitation,” says Martin. “Having a team approach helps us better assist the patient because we can ensure that they are participating in the care we have prescribed for them outside of what we are doing inhouse. Participation on the part of the patient after surgery can sometimes have more impact on their recovery and overall outcome than anything I can do for them in the operating room.” This partnership can also work in reverse. “We have had clients come in to have a session with one of our trainers and tell us that they are having pain. Sometimes we can figure out the cause of that pain and work with them on exercises or stretches to help alleviate it, but other times we feel more comfortable referring them over
FEATURE to Dr. Martin or one of the other providers at Wilson Orthopaedics/ Triangle Orthopaedic Associates to get a more in-depth look at what is going on,” says Strother. “Sometimes they come back to us with a list of exercises that have been recommended and sometimes they have treatment that is a little more in-depth.” While the physicians at Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates and the trainers at Victory Fitness will work together to help the patient to succeed, it is important for the patient to understand that they must be willing to participate in the program as prescribed and for them to be somewhat accountable for their care. “We are not miracle workers,” says
Strother. “We will do all we can for each and every patient sent to us, but that patient also has to be willing to help themselves. They have to commit to being here to let us help them. They can’t show up once or twice and then give up or think they are done. That’s not really how it works. It takes a long term commitment from all the parties involved.” Dr. Martin echoes this sentiment. “Surgery is not a cure-all. While it can help, it won’t fix the entire problem. If you don’t participate in rehab as prescribed, and you go out and attempt to return to your normal life, you can actually do more damage to yourself.” It is also important to note that the cost of joining a gym is often-
times less than the copay you will pay to see your physician. “While you need to see your physician and their rehab team as prescribed, you can also supplement that care with the help of a local certified personal trainer and a gym membership,” says Ann Strother, co-owner and personal trainer at Victory Fitness. “Our goal at Victory Fitness is to work hand-in-hand with Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates to be there for the patient and to assure them that we are all on their side. It’s not about us, it’s not about the physician, it’s about the patient and their success. We want that patient to be the best they can be and we will help them achieve their overall goals any way we can. ”
Matt Bates, PT, DPT, Cert. MDT, with Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, Neil Strother, co-owner and personal trainer at Victory Fitness, Ann Strother, co-owner and personal trainer at Victory Fitness, Anne Benton, athletic trainer with Wilson Orthopaedics/Triamgle Orthopaedic Associates, and Dr. Lew Martin, MS, PT, MD, with Wilson Orthopaedics/Triangle Orthopaedic Associates.
Today more than ever, the super-
market is a confusing place. With so many choices and so many healthy eating concerns, it’s easy to be baffled by the buzz words marked in the ingredients and packaging of favorite foods, es-
pecially high fructose corn syrup, food dyes and nitrates/nitrites. To help clarify this conundrum, we interviewed a variety of health and nutrition experts to provide a primer on these often befuddling words.
1 NITRATES/NITRITES
Nitrates and nitrites are added to cured meat to develop colors and flavor of meat and prevent the growth of microorganisms such as Clostridium botulinum, the organ-
avoid additives Understand these oft-vilified food additives to make better choices about what you eat
WILSON WELLNESS
By Jeff Schnaufer CTW Features
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“Added sweeteners add nonnutritive calories, calories that should be consumed from protein, carbs and lipids that fuel the body energy systems.”
NUTRITION ism that produces the toxin that causes botulism, says Dr. Julie Miller Jones, professor emeritus of food and nutrition at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, Minnesota. “The use of nitrites in food has been clouded by suspicions that nitrites could react with amines and form nitrosamines, a carcinogen or a developmental toxin,” Miller Jones says. Melissa Halas-Liang of Pasadena, California, suggests the following alternatives. “You can buy nitrate-free hot dogs and meats,” says HalasLiang, founder of SuperKidsNutrition.com and a nationally recognized nutrition educator and wellness expert. “Just be sure to note, they don’t last that long. Date it with a permanent marker and eat within three days. You can always freeze a couple of slices with wax paper, put them in sandwich baggies in the freezer, then thaw the night before.” 2
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
According to Sue McLaughlin, the 2009 president of Health Care and Education for the American Diabetes Association, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a cornbased sweetener that has been added to food supplies since the 1980s as a less-expensive alternative than cane sugar. “There are no known health benefits to its use,” McLaughlin says. According to American Dietetic Association spokesperson Amy Jamieson-Petonic, no significant evidence supports the claims that high fructose corn syrup causes obesity and other related diseases. Yet she adds that foods
with artificial sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup should be consumed “in moderation and with a healthy, well balanced diet. Added sweeteners add non-nutritive calories, calories that should be consumed from protein, carbs and lipids that fuel the body energy systems.” 3 FOOD DYES
that a small subset of the population, including those who have been diagnosed with both Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and a food allergy may be sensitive to certain ingredients and could benefit from removing food colors. “Many experts, scientific authorities and regulatory agencies, including the FDA, have evaluated the latest research and have found no basis for changing current recommendations for approved food colors,” Loving adds. “More studies should be done to guarantee that dyes are safe and this has not been done yet,” Jamieson-Petonic says.
“Dyes are complex organic chemicals that are being used to make foods appear to have a brighter color,” Jamieson-Petonic says. “Some food dyes are being replaced with natural dyes.” Despite some safety concerns about the colors, a plethora of © CTW Features studies have drawn no conclusive evidence that all experts agree upon. Possible health concerns include hyperactivity and behavioral problems connected to some food dyes, JamiesonPetonic says. • Fast & Reliable Service Lindsey Lov• FREE Local Delivery ing, senior director of food • Drive-Thru Window ingredient and technology • Most Insurance Plans communications Accepted at the Interna• Easy Prescription tional Food InTransfers formation Council Foundation Michael Warren, RPh in Washington D.C., says the current body of research does not support a causal link between food colors and hyperactivity, alWilson Medicap Pharmacy though she says
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When it’s time to settle on a healthy recipe, nobody is more reliable than the folks whipping up good eats in front of a camera everyday. Here, celebrity chef, Melissa d’Arabian, shares one of her favorite healthy recipes to kick off the New Year in good health and good taste. MUSTARD CHICKEN Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 15 minutes INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (about 8), rinsed and patted dry 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1/4 pound white button mushrooms, quartered 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press 1 tomato, cored, halved, and chopped, OR 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
healthy eats Mustard chicken recipe By Lindsey Romain CTW Features
WILSON WELLNESS
Melissa d’Arabian shares one of her favorite healthy recipes with us.
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NUTRITION
1 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 cup chicken broth, plus extra if needed 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons sour cream DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken on a cutting board and remove and discard the skin. Season the meat with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the thighs, smooth side down, and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn over the thighs and brown the other side, about
3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. 2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil along with the onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the tomato and flour and cook, stirring, until the tomato begins to break down, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tarragon. Raise the heat and pour in the wine, letting it simmer for 1 minute before returning the chicken to the pot. Pour in enough broth to reach halfway up the sides of
the chicken, then cover the pot and place it in the oven to braise, until the chicken pulls away from the bone easily, about 45 minutes, removing the lid halfway through cooking. 3. Remove the pot from the oven, use tongs to transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the mustard and sour cream (if using) to the sauce and stir to combine. Then return the chicken to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes to bring the flavors together before serving. Reprinted from “Ten Dollar Dinners” (Clarkson Potter, 2012) © CTW Features
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Significant birthdays seem linked
to age-appropriate medical tests. Celebrate your fiftieth birthday with a colonoscopy. Turn 65 and have your bone density measured if you’re a woman. But those dates aren’t etched in stone.
In fact, the schedules for some diagnostic tests are being pushed back or even waived depending on your age and health status. Why the recent change in health management? There’s a realization that some
tests aren’t appropriate, don’t provide clues to your health condition and are expensive, according to Dr. Reid B. Blackwelder, family physician and board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “As we get new evidence it chal-
wait and see More and more medical professionals are delaying treatments and testing until absolutely necessary By Bev Bennett
WILSON WELLNESS
CTW Features
22
Updated science-based approaches to healthcare are promoted through the Choosing Wisely campaign launched by the ABIM Foundation (of the American Board of Internal Medicine) and supported by national medical specialty organizations. It’s designed to help physicians and patients have conversations about choosing necessary, evidence-based care. You can find recommendations on everything from testosterone therapy (not advised unless there is biochemical evidence of a deficiency) to exercise for seniors (don’t prescribe under-dosed strength training). Although the Choosing Wisely campaign is mostly for professionals, the following websites may help you start the conversation with your physician. The American Academy of Family Physicians at: http://www.aafp.org/about/initiatives/choosingwisely.html
For the ABIM Foundation list of when tests and procedures may be appropriate, visit: http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/
MEDICAL lenges us to rethink what we recommend,” says Dr. Blackwelder, Kingsport, Tenn. You’ll see this reflected in guidelines in the Choosing Wisely campaign, endorsed by many physicians’ organizations (see sidebar). Likewise, some medications, such as antibiotics for sinusitis, a complication of a cold, hay fever or respiratory allergies, are provided more sparingly. For ailments such as sinusitis or your child’s earache, you may be advised to take a waitand-see approach for a certain amount of time. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll receive less care. Instead your physician can talk about how prevention screenings relate to you. Dr. Blackwelder offers a theoretical example of a 40-year old woman who is very concerned about breast cancer. Mammograms start at age 50 (based on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation) rather than the previous age 40. “These guidelines give us the basis for a discussion [with the patient],” Dr. Blackwelder says. A challenge will be to find time for the talk, and be compensated for it, according to the family physician. “Talking to patients has so much value,” Dr. Blackwelder says. Having a medical home, a health provider you can trust, will help with the conversation, according to Dr. C. Buddy Creech, associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn. For example, a pediatrician can say, ‘I know you, know your children. This [condition] doesn’t need antibiotics. Come back if this gets worse.’ It takes trust and it takes a relationship,” Dr. Creech says. In some ways this is a step back to the roots of medicine, according to the pediatrician. “Just because technology is available we don’t have to use it in every child. But when we can use it to determine which therapies are best at what time for the child, it’s beneficial,” Dr. Creech says. © CTW Features
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Exercise is always an intimidating endeavor, but exercise after the trauma of a heart attack heightens that intimidation tenfold. Heart attacks are, after all, synonymous with increased heart rate, the exact goal one works towards when they work out. It’s hard to shake the fear of triggering another attack and undoing the hard work of rehabilitation. Luckily, the risk can be minimalized with the help of doctors. “The key is to start very slowly, with gentle and easy activity as tolerated and with caution,” says Dr. Mark Urman, clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Post-trauma exercise is case dependent – the severity of the attack and the amount of exercise the patient performed beforehand are determining factors for how to jump back into a routine. Urman
heart-smart After a heart attack or stroke, getting the heart in better shape is important for long-term survival, but what is safe to do and what isn’t?
WILSON WELLNESS
By Lindsey Romain CTW Features
24
“A cardiac rehabilitation program is the best way to safely increase exercise while being monitored.”
MEDICAL
suggests starting with “walking on a flat surface for a few minutes at a time, doing light housework and gardening” in the first few days. “If tolerated, then we generally want our patients to gradually do more aerobic activity and increase it every few days,” he continues. That might mean walking on a treadmill and cycling on a stationary bike, ultimately building toward the level of strenuous activity the patient is comfortable with or used to perform regularly. Laura Zeller, clinical psychologist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Preventive Cardiology Program, says that instead of using heart rate as a guide for intensity, heart patients should instead focus on breathing or perceived exertion since heart medications can decrease heart rates. “Most heart patients will be recommended to work up to a minimum of 150 minutes per week of a moderate intensity aerobic exercise – or more, especially if weight loss is desired,” Zeller says. If the patient was active before the heart attack, they may require higher intensity workouts. “Some patients are told not to exercise vigorously at all, while others are advised to include it as part of their programs,” Zeller says. “Also, some patients are recommended to begin strength training while others are restricted.” Generally, patients are to avoid heavy lifting, pulling or straining in the first six weeks after a heart
nitroglycerin as prescribed, or call attack, Urman says. He also says 911. no jogging or running until the • Stop exercise and let your patient gradually works into it, health care providers know if you usually with the help of a cardiac experience unusual shortness of rehabilitation team. breath, dizziness, nausea or irreguA cardiac rehabilitation program lar heartbeats. is the best way to safely increase It’s also helpful to keep in mind exercise while being monitored, that exercise has countless health Urman says. benefits – and that easing back “Cardiac rehab is a customized into a routine can be a matter of program of exercise and education that has been shown to save life or death. “Research shows the long-term lives and improve outcomes after benefits of exercise in heart heart attacks,” Urman says. patients outweigh the short-term Some other tips to consider risks,” Zeller says. when exercising after an attack, according to Zeller: • Warm up at an easy pace and © CTW Features cool down before stopping completely. • Avoid exercise in temperature extremes – like heat indexes above 85 degrees F or wind chill less than zero. • If prescribed Our Experience nitroglycerin, Dedicated staff with over 60 years mammography experience carry it with Dr. Schroeder has been Eastern NC’s leading breast you when you imaging expert since 1996 exercise. The latest proven technology • All 3D Mammography • Do not exercise to the Your Experience point of chest Brand new, “Spa-like” atmosphere pain – if you No referral required (for routine screening) develop it, Walk-ins welcome • Most major insurance plans accepted stop exercisYou’ll come because of our experience ing and take
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Lying is pretty easy to do, espe-
cially white lies, and many people even feel encouraged to do so. Would a friend really want to know that her jeans make her look fat? Probably not. And so she’s given the answer she wants, not the truth.
Unfortunately, those fibs can make things worse, creating problems for you and the people around you. When a person lies to make someone feel good, she is contributing to an inauthentic rela-
tionship, which isn’t healthy, says Robert S. Feldman, deputy chancellor at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and professor, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Moreover, by lying you can
liar, liar Even the smallest non-truths can be a burden in relationships By Bev Bennett CTW Features
WILSON WELLNESS
If you pay attention to what you are saying, you will lie less.
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FAMILY make yourself physically uncomfortable, triggering headaches, tension and feelings of melancholy, according to Anita E. Kelly, professor of psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind. Telling the truth has the opposite effect. You’ll feel better and enjoy your interactions with others, according to Kelly, who back up her claims with science. In a 2012 experiment Kelly and colleagues conducted with 110 people ranging in age from 18 to 71, half were instructed to stop telling minor and major lies for 10 weeks. The remaining volunteers, the control group, had no such instruction. Every week the volunteers completed health and relationship assessments and took polygraph tests to measure their adherence. Over the course of the experiment the no-lie group told fewer lies, had fewer physical and emotional complaints and better social interactions. What’s surprising is that the control group also became more honest, though to a lesser degree and felt better. “We knew that asking people in the control group to report on their lies would reduce the rate of lying,” says Kelly, whose ongoing research is part of a science of honesty study supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The Notre Dame expert can’t say why not lying is related to better health, but knows through her experiments that there’s a clear connection. Even if you’re aware that lying
isn’t good for you or the person listening, it’s hard to stop, Feldman says. “People almost expect you to lie. If someone asks you how you’re feeling, there’s only one appropriate response. I feel great,” says Feldman, author of “The Liar in Your Life: The Way to Truthful Relationships” (Twelve, 2009). When you are offering a truthful opinion, choose your words with sensitivity, say the experts. You don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings with your comments. “The brutal truth isn’t the alternative to white lies,” Kelly says. How can you change a damaging pattern? Be aware, Feldman says. If you pay attention to what you’re saying you’ll lie less. You can also develop strategies that keep you honest, Kelly says. For example, tell someone you don’t want to answer a question that makes you uncomfortable. To discourage a loved
12 MONTHS SAME AS CASH
one from lying to you (the “how do I look” quandary) say you want reassurance, not a lie. People tell an average of one or two lies a day, Kelly says. And these lies have some common traits, according to psychology experts. You may lie to make yourself look better; to make other people feel better about themselves or to get people to do certain things. Kelly sees three themes: People lie to avoid unpleasantness, to build them up or to provide an excuse for some behavior. © CTW Features
(252) 291-3105
Texting or talking on a cell phone
while driving could put your teen at risk for an accident. But if you wonder where your teen is picking up these unsafe habits, you may need to look no further than your own behavior. When teens answer a call while behind the wheel there’s a good chance a parent is at the other end,
according to recent research presented at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention. Half of 18-year olds with unrestricted licenses talked on the phone to a parent while driving, according to the presentation, which included interviews or surveys of about 400 teens around the country. In addition, 16 percent of the 18-year olds surveyed said they
texted a parent while driving. Some parents were unaware their teens were behind the wheel when they called. Others continued talking, despite being told by their teens that they’re driving, according to Noelle LaVoie, Ph.D., who presented the paper on teens and distracted driving.
safe & sound Ensure the well being of your teenager behind the wheel
WILSON WELLNESS
By Bev Bennett CTW Features
28
Set a good example for your teen driver by refraining from texting and talking on your cell phone while driving.
FAMILY “Some parents feel they need to check in [with their teens] when they want to. They don’t want to wait,” says LaVoie, cognitive therapist, president Parallel Consulting, Petaluma, Calif. “It’s surprising that more parents aren’t aware of how dangerous this is or don’t think about this in the moment they’re calling their teens,” LaVoie says. Along with distracting their teen drivers, parents may be setting poor examples when they’re behind the wheel. Despite public service warnings, 40 percent of parents text while driving, according to a survey of more than 2,500 eleventh and twelfth graders around the country, commissioned by Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and Liberty Mutual Insurance. It’s gotten to the point where 60 percent of children asked their parents to stop their dangerous practices, with texting while driving being the most common concern, according to the survey. Unfortunately some parents just ignore the problem, says Stephen Gray Wallace, senior advisor for policy, research and education at SADD. In doing so, they’re setting the standard for what’s appropriate driving behavior, says Wallace, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. “A lot of adults aren’t aware that teens are learning their driving habits from their parents,” Wallace says. Without a positive role model, what’s a teen driver to do? Have a parent-teen conversation, say the experts. Develop a strategy so parents don’t have to call their car-bound teens to see whether they’re safe, LaVoie says. For example, parents can tell their teens to not answer immediately if they’re behind the wheel. “Give your teen a 10-minute window to pull over and return the call,” she says. A role reversal in which teens are telling their parents to improve their own driving may feel awkward. Wallace suggests starting the conversation by saying “I’m concerned …” Teens may also find it helpful to develop a driving contract in which they and their parents jointly commit to safe driving. The contract can include a list of unacceptable behaviors, says Wallace. And maybe some ambitious teen will create a public service announcement (PSA) just for the parents. “I suggest a PSA showing teens driving like their parents do. That would be eye-opening,” says LaVoie. © CTW Features
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Life is hectic, especially for fami-
lies, which is why bad habits are so easy to form. Breaking them, however isn’t so easy, and overcoming them requires a group effort. “Members need to know how changes will improve everyone’s lives,” says Meagan Francis, author
of “The Happiest Mom” (Weldon Owen, 2011), a book and corresponding website about enjoying motherhood. Not that kids, or some adult family members, will embrace or even like change. “You may still have to pull the ‘because this is the way it
is,’ card if they complain, but that doesn’t make you a bad cop, it makes you a loving, caring parent,” Francis says. Follow these tips to begin halting common family bad habits and creating healthier ones in a little more than a month.
bad habits Break three bad family habits
WILSON WELLNESS
By Darci Smith CTW Features
30
Moms and dads have the responsibility of setting limits and creating healthy routines for the family.
FAMILY 1
TEXTING INSTEAD OF TALKING
Author and blogger Jen Singer suggests technology-free zones and times. “For instance, no texting at the dinner table and no checking for messages during family time,” she says. “Also, no phones in the kids’ bedrooms at night so they don’t hide there and text instead of hanging out with the family.” Singer also says kids should be encouraged to help set and enforce no texting rules. Nominal fines might keep everyone, especially mom and dad, on the straight and narrow, although parents’ necessary cell phone usage for work should be taken into account, she adds. 2
EATING ON THE QUICK
“Many families’ evenings are so jam-packed with activities that they can’t quite figure out where they’re supposed to fit in a meal – let alone all the prep work, cleanup and cooking,” says Francis, mother of five. She says parents should focus on what they want to do meal-wise for their families. If they’ve been hitting the drive-through too often, visualize what they’d like to do instead and come up with a specific plan to get there. Scheduling dinners at home, or non fast-food meals on the go, may require creativity if kids are activityladen, Francis says. A weekly drivethrough meal isn’t the root of all evil if it’s done consciously, such as on an evening where an on-the-go meal makes the most sense because of scheduling. “Consciously planning your onthe-go eating will help keep you
from choosing it impulsively the rest of the week, and it’ll also give you a chance to think about what you’ll order ahead of time so that you can make the meal a little healthier,” Francis says. No time for a healthy meal any day, let alone a few nights a week? “In that case you may be facing a prioritizing problem. We can’t do it all, and while it’s tempting to sign your kids up for every enriching activity available, family time and healthy food is even more important.” 3
TOO MUCH TV TIME
Like on-the-go eating, the urge to connect in front of the TV is something families often fall into by default, Francis says. Flopping onto the couch together may seem like the easiest way to end the day. “If you’re watching too much TV, again ask yourself if you’re doing it with thought and intent or just by default,” she says. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with enjoying a TV program together as a family, but it is very easy Henry E. Allred to fall into the
trap of everyone lounging listlessly in front of the tube, flipping from channel to channel.” While moms and dads have the responsibility of setting limits and creating healthy routines for the family, Francis has found that it helps to tell her kids in advance of making a change so that they know exactly what to expect. And non-TV family time will likely require a plan. “It doesn’t need to be complicated or intricate,” she says. It could be as easy as leaving board games out on the dining room table; but then, it might be as difficult as canceling cable to eliminate temptation. © CTW Features
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