12.02.21 Health Matters by Orange Observer

H EA LTH M AT T E RS THE O B S E RVE R ’S GU ID E TO YOU R B EST YOU

D EC EM BE R 2021

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING Phil Collins sang, “Somehow when you smile, the day seems brighter.” Indeed, there are psychological and physiological benefits of turning that frown upside down. Inside, Winter Garden-based psychologist Dr. Kate Ionelli shares the many ways smiling can have positive effects. PAGES 6–7.

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PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

Dr. M. Pierce Ebaugh Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute Dr. M. Pierce Ebaugh has taken the first step of realizing his dream of being an orthopedic surgeon at Horizon West’s newly opened Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute. He specializes in lower extremity surgery (legs, ankles and feet). This is his first job as a surgeon; he completed recently his fellowship at the University of Texas’ campus in Houston. He is a native Floridian, as he grew up in the Tampa Bay area. Ebaugh went to medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Lakewood Ranch.

What are some of your favorite local restaurants or cuisines? Seafood and barbecue. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three books would you want with you? The Bible; “Zero Fail” — a book about the FBI; and “Outliers,” by Malcolm Gladwell. What are some of your favorite TV shows or movies? My son loves the “Star Wars” movies, so we watch those.

When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor? Why? I knew from a pretty early age, because my grandfather was a pediatrician in Southwest Virginia. I always looked up to him, because every time I went to visit him, everywhere we went, people would stop us in the grocery store, the bank — we could never get our errands done, because everyone always wanted to talk to him. It was palpable what his effect on others was on a daily basis, and that was really cool. What is your medical specialty, and how did you choose this? Orthopedic surgery. It’s a lot of moving parts, and I like taking things apart and putting them back together — that’s what orthopedics is. Sometimes, somebody has done it for you like they broke it, and sometimes, you need to do it yourself, because it’s a congenital deformity. I like puzzles, and orthopedics is just one big puzzle — a puzzle you can put together with your hands. What are some of the advancements in your particular specialty about which you are particularly excited? Something that I am passionate about is ankle-replacement surgery — I did some work in that. That’s a newer thing compared to other things, and there have been huge advancements in the last 10 to 15 years in ankle-replacement surgery. Not only are you able to do primary surgery but also secondary ones. Your ability to manage and treat arthritis and keep people moving in the foot and ankle has advanced. I was fortunate to have a training background where a lot of this development was being done, so I feel very comfortable with complex issues and taking on challenging ankle replacements and revisionary ones.

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What is the most rewarding aspect of your work? I just had a lady — middle-aged, very active runner — who was having daily pain and not able to finish her runs. She had been with other doctors, but could not get an answer on what it was. It took us a couple visits to figure out what it was. She told me she ran all weekend and had no issues and no pain. That was the first time in a while she felt that way. That was great seeing somebody get back to what they should be able to do. We want to keep people happy, and the most rewarding thing is to see people that you helped get back to what they really like (to do).

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CHECK-UP Practice: Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, 17000 Porter Road, Suite 205, Winter Garden Specialty: Orthopedic surgeon Years in practice: First year Education: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lakewood Ranch; fellowship at the University of Texas — Houston

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What do you love most about serving patients in the West Orange community? I’m a native Floridian, and what I like about Floridians is they are so active — always on the go going to the parks, the lake, the beach. They always have something going on, and it’s enjoyable to talk to people and hear about their passions and what they are trying to get back to doing. This is such a growing community — you’re getting people from all across the country so fast — and they’re moving here so they can do those things, because the weather in Florida is amazing. I’m enjoying engraining myself in the community, and a physician’s hope is that if someone has problems, I want somebody to say, “Go see Dr. Ebaugh.” Everyone wants to be a known name in town as someone to at least talk to. What are your hobbies? I have a couple young kids, which means we’re always outside and on the go. Fishing, diving, getting around to a lot of the state parks, going to the beach and spending time with my family. Describe your earliest memory of going to the doctor. My fondest ones are seeing pictures of my grandfather examining my mom when she was born, examining me and then examining my kids. Who are some of your most important influences and role models, and why? My father, my grandfather, mom and younger brother as individual role models. My wife, as well, because I would not be where I am without her. She has stuck with me through thick and thin while moving around the country. Her days are a lot harder than mine. From a medical standpoint, Dr. Greg Berlet and Dr. Ben Taylor in Columbus, Ohio. They were wonderful to me.

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DECEMBER 2021

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Eric Miles has come a long way since starting his weight-loss journey.

‘I’m possible’ Inspired by his children, Winter Garden resident Eric Miles dropped 85 pounds in one year.

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The doctor said he would be willing to treat Miles, but he would have to go on a diet and lose some weight first. Miles went all in. He changed his eating habits to a whole food, plantbased diet. Some would say that would be a vegan diet, but Miles doesn’t like to call it that because of the loopholes in the diet. “Vegans can still eat potato chips; vegans can still eat fries,” Miles said. “What I eat is good, whole food that just happens to be plant-based.” Miles eats as much as six servings of greens per day. He gets his protein from foods such as lentils, which he says have more pure protein than those found in meat. In addition to changing his diet, Miles incorporated more exercise into his daily routine. He started small at first, only walking around the block for at least 30 minutes. That eventually led to his current program of weight training on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and running 5Ks Tuesdays and Thursdays. Miles also incorporates kundalini yoga and meditation into his daily routine to help with his mental attitude. “Life is too short to be angry,” Miles said. “You can acknowledge the bad stuff, but put it in a place in your mind and move on from it. Your

Come immerse yourself in social opportunities, pursue your passions and enjoy the possibilities, all with the peace of mind of care. It’s time to live the life you want with the luxury you deserve.

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Eric Miles in 2016. Although he was successful, he wasn’t happy.

thoughts are measurable; you can choose to have a good attitude every day. Forever is today.” In the first year of his new regimen, there were plenty of struggles but also a lot of positives. He went through the usual withdrawals when adjusting to eating a different diet than they had before, but he didn’t falter. In one year, he dropped 85 pounds — 270 to 185. “When I started, I was 270 with a 46-inch waist,” Miles said. “One year later, I was 185 with a 34-inch waist.” Now, he is at 205 pounds — but still with a 34-inch waist. He attributes that to the muscle he has put on since he started his workout regimen.

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In addition to having his own law practice, through which he specializes in entertainment law, Miles is now the course director for negotiations and dealmaking at Full Sail University. He is also working on creating his own TV show, titled “Healthy Warrior.” “I believe that whatever you can do, you can do it,” Miles said. “There’s no such thing as impossible to me. The way I look at it, if you put an apostrophe between the ‘I’ and ‘M,’ it becomes ‘I’m possible.’ That’s the way I like to live my life.” Miles has showcased his journey through Facebook and Instagram. He posts videos of himself talking about his latest workout after he finishes it. Along the way, he has inspired countless followers and others who happen to stumble across his pages to take control of their lives and become the best version of themselves. “It’s never too late if you start today,” Miles said. “If you believe in yourself, you can do anything.”

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Five years ago, Eric Miles was at the lowest point in his life. Although his professional life as an attorney was going well, his personal life and health were spiraling out of control. He was unsatisfied with his career, and because of the constant travel it required, he was eating out more often than not. And he weighed 270 pounds. The effects of that were taking a toll on him and his two children, Zachary and Addison. He could barely get up a flight of stairs without having to stop and catch his breath, and he experienced regular mood swings. He went to a doctor in Mount Dora and received harrowing news: He would likely die if he didn’t make a change — and soon. “(I was) a ticking time bomb,” Miles said. “When he said that, I saw my future disappear before my eyes. Things such as walking my daughter down the aisle — all of that vanished as he said that. I then wondered what memories my daughter, who was 7 at the time, would have of me if I passed away. I did not want my kids to go through that.”

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DECEMBER 2021

HAPPINESS IS HEALTHY Sounds a little strange, but it is true: Positive thinking and smiling does affect your physiological health. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

“Smiling triggers the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, which can result in stress reduction, increased happiness and a boost in your mood. So, even if you don’t feel like smiling, do it. You’ll feel a little bit better.” — Dr. Kate Ionelli

“I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite.” Buddy the Elf was onto something with his affinity for smiling and his happy-go-lucky attitude. It turns out, smiling is the first step toward happiness — even if, initially, it isn’t genuine. “Smiling triggers the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, resulting in stress reduction, increased happiness and a boost in the mood,” licensed psychologist Dr. Kate Ionelli said. “So, even if you don’t feel like it — smile!” Ionelli is the owner of Optimal Health Psychological Services, in Winter Garden and presidentelect of Florida Psychological Association’s Central Chapter. SCL Health shared multiple health benefits of smiling on its website: “When you smile, your brain releases tiny molecules called neuropeptides to help fight off stress. Then other neurotransmitters (such as) dopamine, serotonin and endorphins come into play too. The endorphins act as a mild pain reliever, whereas the serotonin is an antidepressant. “One study even suggests that smiling can help us recover faster from stress and reduce our heart rate,” according to SCL Health. The writer agreed with Ionelli that it may be worth one’s while to fake a smile. “There’s been some evidence that forcing a smile can still bring you a boost in your mood and happiness level,” according to SCL Health. According to an article on the Psychology Today website:

“Each time you smile, you throw a little feel-good party in your brain. The act of smiling activates neural messaging that benefits your health and happiness.” “When people are struggling emotionally, they tend to feel overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions, creating a cycle of negative experiences,” Ionelli said. “One large aspect of my clinical work as a psychologist is by helping people get in touch with their authentic thoughts and feelings — good, bad or ugly. Once thoughts and feelings are identified and validated — because all feelings need to be felt and heard, not stored or repressed — they can be released. “Once freed from difficult thoughts and feelings, space in the brain is created for healthier and more productive feelings, thoughts and behaviors,” she said. “There is a saying in neuroscience, ‘Neurons that fire together wire together,’ meaning the more one focuses on positive thoughts such as happiness, gratitude and joyful memories, and the more one repeats this and new neural pathways are created in the brain, (they are) ultimately rewiring the brain for happiness.” The mind-body connection is a powerful relationship, she said. Ionelli said part of her job is to give clients “the freedom to say it, feel it, think it, not be embarrassed by it and replace it with good things.” And, she said, it’s all scientifically based and there is evidence to support this. Early in her career, Ionelli did research on depression and anxiety and “locus of control” and its impact on premenstrual symptoms on women. “ My re s ea rc h fo u n d a significant positive correlation between depression/anxiety and premenstrual symptoms, confirming the importance of accounting for depression and anxiety when studying and

SMILES FOR MILES n Smiling is more contagious than the flu! It can’t be resisted. n Smiling is our first facial expression. n Babies are born with the ability to smile. n Smiling makes you more attractive to others. n A smile is the universal sign for happiness. n Smiling is intercultural! No matter where you go, you don’t need an interpreter for smiles. n It’s easier to smile than it is to frown. n Smiling reduces blood pressure. n Employers promote people who smile often. n Smiling makes you look successful. n Smiling can make you happier. n Smiling can change your mood. n The average woman smiles 62 times a day. The average man smiles eight times a day. n Smiling reduces stress. n People who smile often are perceived as confident. n Smiling boosts your immune system. n People who smile are more successful in work and relationships. n There are 19 different types of smiles. n Smiling can help you live longer. n Smiling is the most recognizable facial expression. n Smiling uses as many as 53 muscles. n Humans can detect smiles from more than 300 feet away.

n Smiling makes you look younger. n Smiling releases endorphins. n Smiling makes you more approachable. n Smiling is a form of exercise. Work those facial muscles. n It is easier to smile than to frown. n We can usually tell the difference between a fake smile and a genuine one. n 47% of people notice your smile first. n Smiling while talking on the phone makes you sound friendly. n Faking a smile will help you get in a better mood. n Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body. n About 50% of people will smile back if you smile at them. n Smiling is a painkiller and can boost your mood. n Smiling makes you seem more trustworthy. n Smiling helps the body on a cellular level. n People who smile consistently are more likely to have healthy marriages. n People have difficulty frowning when they look at other subjects who are smiling. n Smiling stimulates our brain’s reward mechanisms in a way that even chocolate — a well-regarded pleasure inducer — cannot match. n Kids laugh around 400 times a day, while the average is just 14 for adults. n Happy people generally don’t get sick as often as unhappy people. Source: Bogdan Orthodontics, Bayonne, New Jersey

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treating PMS and vice versa, certainly indicating a mind-body connection,” she said. “Clinically, I have worked with many patients over the years who have experienced considerable physical healing, through deep emotional work, by connecting the mind and body in a healthy way.” RIPPLE EFFECT

Humans have something called mirror neurons in their brain, and what these do is create a mimic reaction. “It’s like, if we pass each other on the street, and you smile at me, it’s going to be an automatic reaction for me to smile at you,” Ionelli said. “That’s another reason to smile — because you get someone to smile at you.” The part of your brain that is responsible for your facial expression of smiling when happy or mimicking another’s smile resides in the cingulate cortex, an unconscious automatic response area, according to Psychology Today. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the large disconnect

many people are feeling today, Ionelli said. “Isolation is one giant indicator for depression,” she said. “It’s important to feel connection.” CHILDREN AND HAPPINESS

Instilling happiness and positivity in children varies based on their age. “For example, smiling at babies in their infancy is critical because, going back to that mirror neuron, if it’s triggered, the baby will copy the facial expression of the caregiver and smile back. As we mentioned, smiling releases endorphins and neurotransmitters, so this is a wonderful experience for babies developmentally.” The process for instilling positivity and happiness changes as children grow out of the baby and toddler stages. “Older children need lots of positive reinforcement and feedback, e n c o u ra ge m e n t , confidence building and boundary setting — for themselves and others,” Ionelli said. “When children are having a problem or are in a bind, I want to be a safe place where they can come

to for help, without judgement,” she said. “I encourage the release of the emotions, and once understood and supported, they then have a greater ability to problem solve. Respecting, listening to and empowering children builds their confidence, self-esteem and independence. “When children feel worthy and loved, their hearts shine,” she said. “Additionally, children need homeostasis. Balancing proper nutrition, outdoor exercise, time with their friends and family, minimal electronics, and adequate sleep are also critical for children’s mood.” Ionelli has worked in the field for more than 20 years ago and opened her practice in a wellness center in Winter Garden in 2014. She has two master’s degrees in psychology from Seton Hall University and Fielding University and a doctorate degree in clinical psychology with a concentration in health psychology from Fielding. She and her family live in Winter Garden.

DECEMBER 2021

INSPIRED BY SMILES

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” — Mark Twain

“It takes a lot of energy to be negative; you have to work at it. But smiling is painless. I’d rather spend my energy smiling.” — Eric Davis

“A smiling face is an earth-like star.” — Stevie Wonder

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” — Phyllis Diller

“A smile enriches those who receive it, without impoverishing those who give it.” — Dale Carnegie

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DECEMBER 2021

No, you don’t have to suffer with ‘leakage’ There are several medical solutions for women experiencing the embarrassing problem of incontinence. AMY QUESINBERRY

YOU’RE NOT ALONE About 30 million adults in the United States suffer from overactive bladder symptoms, and less than half seek help from a provider.

COMMUNITY EDITOR

Many women reach that point in their lives where they have to cross their legs when they cough or sneeze — or they begin drinking less water — to avoid urinary leakage. They have accepted this is just something that comes with age, and they suffer in silence. Dr. Esther Han, a urologist at Orlando Health, disagrees. “I have quite a passion when it comes to women’s health,” she said. “Women have been told for so long that these things are normal: ‘Your mom has it. … Go buy pads.’ “It’s not normal,” she said. “I just want to be able to make sure women know, ‘Yes, it’s common, and, yes, more than likely, your best girlfriend is going through the same thing. It’s not normal. You don’t have to leak.’” Han is one of a growing number of female urologists who aim to educate women on incontinence and give them options for a better quality of life. She said tens of millions of women are experiencing incontinence in some form. There are two types of leakage — urge incontinence and stress incontinence. “You’ve got your bladder, the pump; the urethra, the pipe; and

the sphincter, which is the valve and controls any kind of leakage,” she said. “Women come in saying, ‘I wet myself.’ We have to break it down. Is it your pump, your pipe?” If it’s urge incontinence, it’s a pump failure, she said. The pump is overactive, and it is no longer stable. “Your bladder is meant to hold urine — it’s a storage facility — and what you have is extra instability which allows it to squeeze ... which tells you you have to go to the bathroom,” Han said. “It’s prank calling your brain telling you you have to go when you don’t have to. “The more common term is ‘overactive bladder.’” Stress incontinence occurs when there is an increase in abdominal pressures, such as jumping, coughing, laughing, sneezing or going from a sitting to standing position. “That’s usually caused by a leaky valve,” Han said. “Over time, the muscle in your pelvis causes leaks. You had a strong pelvic floor before, but due to aging, estrogen levels, childbirth … that causes you to leak.” Han said the average age of her patients with incontinence is 40s and 50s, although she does treat some women in their 20s and 30s.

TREATMENTS

Treatment varies according to which type of incontinence the patient is experiencing. For stress incontinence, Han typically starts with physical therapy to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. And it extends far beyond just doing oft-mentioned Kegel exercises, she said, although those are a good starting point. “It is exercise, and if you do stop, you will go back to square one,” Han said. If exercise isn’t working, or the patient doesn’t have the time to commit to it, there are two types of procedures that can help. In the first procedure, bulking agents are injected into the walls of

“They should say, ‘Hey, I don’t want to live with this. Can you treat me or send me to someone who can?’ Even if you don’t want to go through a surgical treatment, there are other options, and you can have a better quality of life.”

the urethra to help close the sphincter. The goal of a urethral bulking injection is to help patients gain control over their urine flow. The other option is a sling, which can be made of mesh, cadaver tissue or the patient’s own tissue. For urge incontinence, conservative measures include reducing or eliminating caffeine, which can irritate the bladder; cutting out liquids four hours before bedtime to avoid frequent nighttime urges to urinate; and physical therapy. “Constipation will exacerbate your overactive bladder,” Han said. “Not the frequency of your stool but the consistency of your stool. … If you have bowel problems, you will probably have bladder problems. It’s the same nerves that affect both organs.” If those suggestions don’t work, the second line of treatment is medications, Han said. “All of their objectives are to calm your bladder down, increase time between bathroom trips,” she said. A third option is surgery, of which there are three options: a monthly acupuncture-like procedure in which a thin needle is put in the ankle; twice-a-year Botox injections to partially paralyze the bladder; and a sacral neuromodulation, akin to a “pacemaker” for the bladder, in which an electric lead is implanted into one’s sacral nerves, which control the bladder. Han has been a practicing urologist for more than two years. After her residency, she completed a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. She urges women to speak up even though the topic might be embarrassing for them. “They should say, ‘Hey, I don’t want to live with this. Can you treat me or send me to someone who can?’” Han said. “Even if you don’t want to go through a surgical treatment, there are other options, and you can have a better quality of life.”

— Dr. Esther Han, a urologist at Orlando Health

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HEALTH MATTERS

DECEMBER 2021

Dietitians stress facts over fads As you consider your resolutions for 2022, local dietitians warn against jumping into the latest dieting craze. JIM CARCHIDI ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Nutrition is more than four food groups and three square meals. The spectrum of food-related choices and the lack of balance in the average diet have resulted in an ever-growing range of quick fixes and restrictive plans. The strategies are easy to find but can be difficult to sustain, and shortterm success can lead to long-term failure. According to many dietitians, the search for successful solutions to any nutritional dilemma must focus on the individual. There is a difference between making a change and making a permanent one. Many people doom their diet plans from the start, because the intent is to achieve a goal not to change a lifestyle. “A common pattern I see with clients is, they tell me they’ve tried everything,” Orlando-based registered dietitian/nutritionist Kait Richardson said. “And whether or not they’ve had any success on any program, it never lasted. … The program ended, and they went back to their old habits.” A failed diet can lead to emotional stress, but the physical toll can lead to permanent damage. “When someone falls off (a diet plan), they could end up gaining even more weight that they lost,” said Dr. Phillips-based registered dietitian/ nutrition therapist Georgeanne Little. “Weight cycling — going backand-forth from weight to weight — is actually more detrimental to our health, because of the toll it takes on the body. It’s actually more healthy to maintain your weight than to lose and gain.” Whatever the range of available

choices, the most important decision is to accept a long-term change. And the only way to make a successful change is to choose a sustainable plan. A successful, one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition is as impossible to find as a comfortable, onesize-fits-all pair of shoes. Dietary needs, lifestyles and work schedules vary from person to person. And some of the rules we grew up with may no longer be valid in our dayto-day life. According to Little, successful nutritional habits start with an intuitive approach to eating. “You may think you have to stop eating after 6 p.m., but for someone who works at night, that’s not practical,” she said. “It’s about eating when you’re hungry, stopping when you’re satisfied, being mindful of how you feel.” The idea of removing a food group or menu item also can lead to failure, because it’s human nature to want what cannot be had. “When we put rules and labels and judgment on food, we’re more likely

to eat more than we should, versus if we’re coming from a neutral place where we’re allowing ourselves to enjoy a piece of candy or cake now and then,” Little said. “Find an approach that is going to allow you to enjoy life but modify things that allow you to achieve the health goal,” Richardson said. “I tell clients, ‘Picture yourself in six months; do you want to be eating this way?’ Because if not, don’t even start.” According to Richardson, patience is just as important as sustainability. “If you are trying to change how you eat and you come up with some plan or program, the goal should not be following that program to perfection but to be better over time,” she said. “If you try to be perfect, the moment you’re not perfect you give up.” In many cases, the search for perfection begins on social media. Avoiding the pressures of a perceived reality is as vital to successful nutrition as avoiding unhealthy habits. “Be careful who you follow and

“Find an approach that is going to allow you to enjoy life but modify things that allow you to achieve the health goal. I tell clients, ‘Picture yourself in six months; do you want to be eating this way?’ Because if not, don’t even start.”

be careful what you believe,” said Richardson. “You never really know how someone is eating behind closed doors, and you never know what they are editing and altering. Always assume that what somebody’s telling you or showing you might not be the whole story.” The decision to make a change is often more difficult than choosing the strategy. And admitting when help is needed can be daunting. But communicating those feelings is the first step to finding the answers that can lead to positive change. “It’s OK to be scared; when we feel scared or anxious it can be a motivating feeling,” Richardson said. “If you’re on the fence, call the dietitian and ask what their approach is, and how they can help you. If they’re a good dietitian they’ll take the time to answer your questions and make you feel comfortable. Empower yourself to make a difference.”

— Kait Richardson, dietitian/nutritionist

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Why precious metals may not strengthen your portfolio Some financial planners say gold and other precious metals are not recommended in the current economic climate. JIM CARCHIDI ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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ll that glitters may not be gold, but according to financial advisers, the current investment climate has caused precious metals to lose their luster. And although gold has historically proven successful for some, it may not be the standard for every financial plan. “Most metals tend to be very volatile,” said Hilgardt Lamprecht, certified financial planner and owner/ CEO of The LifeWealth Group. “When the stock market goes down, you see the promoters of precious metals get very loud in their marketing … because people gravitate to those kinds of investments when the stock market is not doing well. If you look at gold’s five-year return, it’s pretty strong. Recently, the yearto-date price is down.” This contrary reaction to the financial climate means investors looking to buy gold during a period of inflation need to rethink their strategy. “In 2008, when every single asset class — other than cash and US Treasuries — were going down, gold went up, because people see it as a store of value,” said Dennis Nolte, a financial adviser with Seacoast Investment Services in Winter Park. “We look for gold to do well during a deflationary period.” Another setback for gold and silver is their usefulness in the economy. “Precious metals are also tied to production,” Noltesaid. “You use uranium and platinum in production, gold and silver are for jewelry. So they’re not used when the economy is booming.” The value of precious metals, which can be classified as commodities, is dependent on their respective industries. And current investment risks are tied to the supply chain. “Palladium and rhodium are

mostly used in car manufacturing for catalytic converters — all are down significantly,” Lamprecht said. “We have a lot of supply-chain issues at this time, so manufacturing is not as fast as it normally is and demand for these types of metals is not as high.” Even though experts agree now is not the time to buy into precious metals, that will not always be the case. For many investors, dealing in the short-term is more attractive than waiting years for the possible payoff. “There is a difference between physical gold and transactional gold,” Nolte said. “If you are purchasing physical gold (coins or bars), you need to consider storage, but the only reason you’re buying physical gold is if you’re thinking it’s all going to hit the fan.” A precious metal investment is much more versatile as an exchangetraded fund, allowing for faster, more convenient transactions. “An ETF allows you to invest in companies that are directly benefiting from the price of the commodity,” Lamprecht said. “They can be sold at any point, they are what we call ‘liquid,’ and it is very easy to transition out of those.” According to Lamprecht, the timing of gold sales is something that many investors get wrong. “What I see people tend to do when there is trouble in the stock market is people run toward buying gold,” he said. “But the best time to sell is when there is even bigger trouble. And there are very few people with the intestinal fortitude to sell their coins or their bars in a time where the stock market is shaky. The reality is most people don’t sell their gold when they ought to sell it.” The most practical approach is one that allows the investor to enjoy the investment. “Most people’s gold sits in their safe, I know people who’ve got $250,000 in gold bars sitting in a safe,” Lamprecht said. “They have no enjoyment or use out of it; it just sits there. If you’re going to buy gold, buy yourself a gold watch or jewelry that you can use. If it happens to appreciate, then maybe 10 or 15 years in the future, you can sell it.”

“Palladium and rhodium are mostly used in car manufacturing for catalytic converters — all are down significantly. We have a lot of supply-chain issues at this time, so manufacturing is not as fast as it normally is and demand for these types of metals is not as high.” — Hilgardt Lamprecht, owner/CEO of The LifeWealth Group

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BRAINFOOD

The Observer answers kids’ burning curiosities.

What is Brain Freeze? I Michael Eng // Editor and Publisher

Sure, it may be almost Christmas, but those of us in Florida know one thing: Ice cream is delicious all year-round. But, those of us who enjoy a triple scoop waffle cone now and then also know this: That frozen treat sometimes bites back! You know what we mean. You have that towering cone of sweet heaven in your hands. You unhinge your bottom jaw. You take a huuuuge bite, and …OOOWWWWWWW! Instant brain freeze — intense pain in your forehead or behind your eyes. And contrary to what you may believe, brain freeze, also known as ice cream headache — or, in medical terms, cold neuralgia or sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia — isn’t a curse your mom placed on you to keep you from eating too much ice cream. Actually, the explanation is rather simple. According to Dr. Wojtek Mydlarz, assistant professor of otolaryngology and director of head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins University, brain freeze happens when you eat or drink a large quantity of cold food or beverages. That makes the temperature of the roof of your mouth drop, which makes the blood vessels constrict. Brain freeze happens when those blood vessels open back up, which sends a pain signal to the brain through the trigeminal nerve, which goes into the forehead.

THE TRIGEMINAL NERVE

This nerve is responsible for sending the pain signal to the brain during a brain freeze episode. It also is responsible for sensations in the face and also functions such as biting and chewing.

REFERRED PAIN

Brain freeze is what is known as referred pain, which simply means pain that is perceived in a different part of the body than the site of the stimulus. In this case, the origin is your mouth. However, when you get brain freeze, you typically feel it in the forehead, temples and behind the eyes. Other examples of referred pain include a heart attack, when the patient may feel pain in his or her jaw, teeth and shoulders; and Kehr’s sign, which is a pain in the shoulder blade caused by a ruptured or injured spleen.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE BRAIN FREEZE

HOW TO PREVENT BRAIN FREEZE

WHAT ABOUT MEDICINE?

Act fast! The best thing you can do is to remove the cold food or drink from your mouth and, if possible, drink some warm water. Mydlarz also suggests pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

It may sound impossible, but the best way to keep brain freeze from happening is to take smaller bites or sips! Try as best as you can not to devour that cone like it’s about to disappear!

The typical brain freeze episode only lasts a few minutes, so pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil won’t help much. For most people, the brain freeze will be gone by the time a medication begins working.

Illustration by Lindsay Cannizzaro // Senior Graphic Designer

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