Austin MD Mar/Apr 2015

MARCH/APRIL 2015

BEAT THE ODDS TRUE STORIES OF SURVIVORS

A PRESCRIPTION FOR FOOD MEET THE LAWMAKER WHO’S GROWING OUR EDIBLE FUTURE

FREE YOUR MIND WITH THESE SIMPLE YOGA POSES SPRING ALLERGY SEASON IS HERE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE

FROM PUSHING THE

JAMIE

SCHANBAUM ACT THROUGH TO BEATING THE ODDS, this AUSTINITE is one to watch

THE HEALTHY BRAIN ISSUE

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THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AUSTIN WELL

FRANKLIN HOPKINS

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S A T U R D A Y , M A Y 2 ND 1 2 : 0 0 P M - 4 : 0 0 P M 2ND ANNUAL HEALTH & COMMUNITY EVENT MEET YOUR AUSTIN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. PARTICIPATE IN AN AFTERNOON OF FAMILY FUN, HEALTHRELATED EVENTS, AND MORE! For sponsorship and vendor opportunities please contact katie@austinmdmagazine.com

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CONTENTS M A RC H /A P RI L 2 015

AUSTIN M DM AGAZINE M A RC H / A PRIL 2015

PUBLISHER

Angela Strickland SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Katie Lesnick EDITOR

Nicole Carbon ART DIRECTOR

Elisa Giordano

WEB DESIGNER

Brandon Tipton

PHOTOGRAPHER

Steve Dement

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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jake Harding, Malena Manning, Samantha Schak CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Rocio Avila Jonathan Black Nicole Carbon Toby Collisa Dr. Gary Cramer Omar Dyess Soriya M. Estes John Fitch Dr. John Ha Chris Hamilton Sam Jackson Kyle Jerome Dr. Shirat Ling Renee Hanson Malone Matt McCarthy, MD Ben Menke Okemefuna I. Okpara Monica Saavedra Scott and White JC Shakespeare Alina Sholar Charmie Stryker

18 JAMIE SCHANBAUM TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY

How one Austinite overcame bacterial meningitis and helped pass legislation to save others

14 BRUNCH FOR THE BRAIN

What to eat for mental fuel

48 A QUIET EPIDEMIC Mental Illness affects 1 in 5 adults – What are the most common ailments?

DEPARTMENTS 10 14 22 30 36 38 40 46 48 62 64 66 68 70 76

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EVENTS LOCAL LIFESTYLE SURVIVOR STORIES HEALTH PHYSICAL THERAPY PROFILE: COMMUNITY CARE MEDICAL PROFILE: SERENITY CREEK MENTAL HEALTH PROFILE: GENORITE PHARMACY SPORTS SPORTS & FITNESS PROFILE: BUNKER VEIN HEALTH & BEAUTY DINING

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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Robert Lerma, Nimai, Alice Rabbit, Aaron Warner

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COVER PHOTO

Alice Rabbit

www.AustinMDmagazine.com

For adver tising and/or editorial information, please call Angela Strickland at 512-506-1248 or email angela@AustinMDmagazine com.

Copyright © by Green Iceberg Publications LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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SPRING IS FINALLY HERE, WE AT AUSTIN MD ARE HAPPY THAT THIS ISSUE, WHICH FOCUSES ON STORIES OF SURVIVAL, ARRIVES AT THE SAME TIME AS THE NEW SEASON. For us, spring means not only a new issue, but Keep Austin Well, our upcoming Health Fair on May 2nd. Keep Austin Well’s aim is to give Austinites all the information they need to lead healthier, more active lives. This issue is especially important to me because it highlights a nonprofit I am passionate about, Any Baby Can, which works with children and their families in need of medical assistance. My youngest son Eric, who survived bacterial meningitis and hearing loss, is featured in the survivor profiles, and I hope you read more about him and the other children helped by their organization. We also have a mental health section and guide – in the past there has been a stigma around mental illness, isolating not only the people suffering from the disease, but their loved ones as well. We at Austin MD want to encourage the conversation, give information, and help people connect with organizations that can provide the information and help they may need. Thank you for picking us up, we hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Health Fair, we enjoy Keeping You Well Austin!

Scott G. Brown

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PUBLISHER /CEO

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EVENTS

Austinites Celebrate a Night at the Opera PHOTOS BY STEVE DEMENT

Austin Opera’s Young Professional Event, cohosted by Austin Young Chamber of Commerce and Young Women’s Alliance, welcomed an array of arts enthusiasts to the Long Center’s Kodosky Lounge on Thursday, January 29th. Attendees indulged in tasty hors d'oeuvres and complimentary wine, while networking with others prior to enjoying Austin Opera’s beautiful production of Gounod’s Romeo & Juliet.

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EVENTS

Any Baby Can Rocks Austin The 18th Annual Rockin’ Round Up benefiting Any Baby Can took place on Saturday, Feb 28th at Hilton Austin. More than 600 attendees raised $278,000 to help support the agency’s efforts to strengthen and empower families so children in Central Texas can succeed.

PHOTOS BY NIMAI

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1. Chris and Tricia Moose 2. Chris and Kathryn Peele, and friends 3. Scott and Kathy Incerto 4. Greg and Amy Van Wyk 5. Dan and Darlene Byrne 6. Brian Stephens and Andy Miller 7. Sunny and Shelton Smith 8. Karen Kennard, Jenny and Jason Ford 9. Peter Erdel, Amber Davis, Nick Sloan, Jaclyn Sloan, and John Branham

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Local Lifestyle

Brunch for the

BRAIN

A handful of ingredients provide the recipe to intelligence

BY JOHN FITCH

INGREDIENTS: (serves 2 tartines)

2 eggs 1 cup of brussel sprouts 1 avocado 2 slices of gluten-free sliced bread Dos Lunas Classico (local raw cheese) 1tbs of ghee (clarified butter) Olive oil 1tsp mustard 1tsp of lemon juice Salt, pepper, paprika PREP: 1/ Trim and shred the brussel sprouts (I use a food processor), set aside for cooking.

2/ Slice or shred raw cheese, set aside for topping.

3/ Mix avocado, mustard, lemon juice, 1tsp of olive oil, salt & pepper in food processor, set aside for spreading on tartine.

4/ Toast gluten-free bread and place on serving plates.

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PRESENTATION: 1/ Liberally spread the avocado mixture on the toasted bread.

2/ Cover the spread with the shredded brussel sprouts.

3/ Place raw cheese on top of the brussel sprouts.

4/ Carefully place the egg on top of the sprouts.

5/ Garnish tartine with paprika.

Note: *If there is a bit of the cooked brussel sprouts left, I will decorate the top of the egg with a small amount. *I will sometimes set a blob of the avocado spread on the side of the plate. I find those eating love to dip their tartine bites into it.

PHOTOS BY JOHN FITCH

AUSTINITE JOHN FITCH, CEO of Dox.tv (a documentary streaming service), leads his company to feed healthier media diets, but when the entrepreneur cooks at home, he ensures his mind is fed for constant creativity and execution.

We all hear how important breakfast is, so I like experimenting with powerful brain foods to satisfy my brunch crowd while also preparing my mental bandwidth for the day. I am a bit of a scientist when I cook.

I like researching the beneficial chemistry of certain ingredients and then building dishes accordingly. I frequently enjoy making nutrient-heavy tartines because they are simple, gorgeous, and provide a blank canvas for creativity.

The recipe below is for one of my go-to tartines which focuses on providing key ingredients for brain fuel.

I use avocado because of its monounsaturated fat. This healthy fat contributes to healthy blood flow and healthy blood flow powers a healthy brain. In this recipe, ghee is a staple ingredient. It brings a healthy amount of cholesterol, which keeps the neuron’s membranes in shape.

I cook a lot with ghee because you can bring a dynamic, rich flavor to vegetables and use very little.

Another staple ingredient are eggs, they are excellent on any tartine. They also contain DHA which helps to form connections between neurons. When using cheese in a recipe, I try to always use local, raw cheese because it is a delicious medicine. We are lucky to have local, Austin companies, like Dos Lunas, who obsess over the details of what makes raw dairy healthy – grass-fed, free-roaming, vegetarian rennet, etc. Raw cheese is an incredibly complex whole food, complete with digestive enzymes and its own antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic mechanisms conveniently built into a delicious package. I have read some interesting research on how a healthy biome in your stomach is linked to a healthy mind. Regardless of the health benefits, you can’t beat the taste of unpasteurized, grass-fed cheese!

COOK: 1/ Melt ghee at medium/high heat, quickly cook shredded brussel sprouts with salt and pepper. Set aside after some browning develops (3 minutes).

2/ Heat olive oil on medium/ high heat, carefully cook the eggs sunny side up.

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Local Lifestyle

BUYING TIPS

in Austin’s Booming Real Estate Market Learn if a new home, resale, or foreclosure/short sale is right for you

BY OMAR DYESS

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RESALE HOMES

If you are currently in the market for a resale it could become a frustrating process. Purchasing a resale home means you are purchasing a home that has been previously owned by another person or entity. Most of the desirable neighborhoods in the Austin area are experiencing multiple offer situations especially if the home is updated and priced accordingly, well-maintained, or on a cul-de-sac lot with a view. Consumers have to be very aggressive with terms and be willing to offer an above listing price in order to win the contract. Buyers with cash typically move to the front of the line because sellers have fewer obstacles to overcome when using a lender or bank. Consumers using conventional financing typically have an edge over buyers using FHA financing because of down payment differences and lender guidelines.

NEW HOMES

Once consumers are over the resale market of submitting their seventh offer only to lose out on another home, buyers will begin to consider building a new home where there is much less competition. The

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AUSTIN’S REAL ESTATE market continues to thrive and statistics are showing consistent improvements in 2015.

As you begin to consider your real estate options on buying a home discover what is the best approach considering the strong seller’s market we are currently enduring. Do you purchase a resale with multiple offers at every corner? Build or customize a new home from the ground up? What about holding out for a foreclosure or short sale? All are great options and each consist of positives and negatives to consider when purchasing your next property.

new home market is a great place for buyers who want to avoid multiple-offer situations in most cases. If the neighborhood or building project is desirable, some obstacles may occur including multiple offers or a waiting list to get into the project or community with the possibility of a first come, first serve basis, or some challenging builder terms. Most new-home builders are currently offering great incentives that may include appliance packages and seller-paid closing costs that typically require the buyer to use the builder’s preferred title company and mortgage lender. Most high-end, custom home builders offer very little or no incentives, although you typically get what you pay for and have appraisal to protect you.

can really complicate the buyer’s chances of a winning bid. If buyers intend to owner occupy then the chances will increase as HUD, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac prefer owner occupants versus investors. In addition, short sales are not for consumers with emotion in the game due to a three to six month wait period for a response from the bank. In some cases, the property can fall into foreclosure without any notice to potential buyers. This leads to a total waste of time and heartache for a buyer who has been holding out.

Ultimately, every seller, builder, or bank is primarily paying attention to the bottom line once the transaction is closed. Price is definitely

the driving force when making an offer, although terms are just as important, if not essential, to getting your offer accepted. Prepare for a quick closing, which is normally 30 days or less. Some tips to obtain a quick closing include asking for little or no closing cost assistance from the seller, shorten your option period, and if you are using a lender, present a smaller window to obtain your financing approval. Austin has one of the strongest housing markets in the country, with that top of mind, expect to pay more and close fast.

For more information, visit www.DyessResidential.com.

FORECLOSURES/SHORT SALES

There are not many foreclosures and short sales available these days especially in the Austin area. There are definitely more opportunities for a foreclosure or short sale in Austin’s neighboring cities where property and neighborhoods are not as desirable. Foreclosures can still have some heavy competition, especially if the home is priced well or discounted. These options usually draw cash investors, which in these cases,

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COVER ‡ SURVIVOR STORIES

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Jamie Schanbaum A tough, but great act to follow

BY SAM JACKSON PHOTOS BY ALICE RABBIT

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IT’S IMPORTANT TO LOVE YOURSELF AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD STAY IN, THEN THAT’S THE ROAD YOU’LL END UP TAKING.

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“When I give advice to people who are down in the dumps, I say the only way you can make a change, is that it starts with you,” Jamie Schanbaum says. If anyone lives by their own words, it’s her.

Jamie was progressing through her college career at the University of Texas when she was waylaid by what she thought was the flu, but turned out to be an infection of the bloodstream known as meningococcal septicemia. As can be guessed from the name, it’s a cousin of meningitis, and as one expert pointed out, a patient with this can be healthy one day and toe-tagged the next. Thanks to treatment (which at first involved both dialysis and a ventilator), Schanbaum was able to stop the disease, but it cost all of her fingers and both legs from the knee down.

“Once the doctor told us that he would be planning to amputate officially, it was painfully emotional. I didn’t sob, but there was a consistent roll of tears coming down my face,” she says about the finality of it. But it turned out to be the smallest of prices to pay since the disease could have made her deaf, blind, or brain dead.

Regardless, the aftermath wasn’t much better. “When I woke up a couple of days after my surgery, I felt an immense amount of pain, without moving a muscle. It was painful, and I also couldn’t speak because I had tubes down my throat. My tears did all the talking. The next day or two, the hospital decided to do bedside, wound care for my new amputated legs – and I also had so much damage up to my thighs from the disease that most would consider me a burn victim. I came out with bandages on my hands and on my amputated legs, in a wheelchair weighing 80 pounds, and most of my hair fell out due to lack of protein levels.”

That on its own was rotten enough, but to Jamie’s frustration and sorrow, she later found out a simple vaccination might have prevented the disease from catching her.

Since nobody was really pushing for students to get vaccinated, she, like many others, hadn’t had one.

“It changed my question ‘Why did this happen to me?’ to ‘Why does this have to keep happening to others?” she says. “If there is a way for people to not encounter all the pain I have endured by way of a vaccination, then everyone needs to know about it and hopefully become proactive in getting the vaccine.”

Jamie took that sentiment to the Texas Legislature and in 2009, the Jamie Schaunbaum Act was passed, making meningitis vaccines required for Texas college students living in dorms. She’s even impressed the infamous Senator Ted Cruz with her story because of the effort she put in to get this law passed and what the disease took her through – the rise of the anti-vaccination movement that’s tied to the rise in diseases that vaccination eradicated has irked Schaunbaum to no end.

“People have their reason for not vaccinating their children, but what they need to realize is that, that they’ve left the opportunity for their children to contract a disease and could possibly take their life,” she grouses. “Not only the children’s life, but they also left the opportunity for them to be carriers of the disease, and therefore, letting them be able to pass the disease to someone else, which can become fatal as well.”

It’s also fueled the “dream” that Jamie has of an act like hers eventually reaching the federal level, which could happen since President Obama’s own daughter also struggled with meningitis. As Capitol Hill continues to enforce her namesake Act, Schanbaum keeps on with her life, building it back to where it once was. One thing she was determined not to lose to the disease was her passion for riding bikes, so she and her coach, Sean Ahmadi, teamed up with Austin’s own Bicycle Sport Shop to put together a modified bike she could operate with her new hands and prosthetic limbs. Christening it Lady Maybellene, she often competes in events like the Paralympics and the Livestrong Challenge, or zooms about Austin on it whenever there’s free time.

Jamie and her mother also put together a nonprofit for meningitis patients, called the Joint Advocacy for Meningococcal Information and Education (JAMIE) in a fit of brilliance. As for the patients themselves?

“It’s important to love yourself and believe in yourself. If you believe that you should stay in, then that’s the road you’ll end up taking. But if you believe that you should be a part of this great big world, then you shall! Make the difference, make the change, and stand up for yourself. Don’t let others bring you down, you are the biggest instrument and you are in control of bringing yourself up!”

“This too shall pass,” she points out.

“And it does.”

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SURVIVOR STORIES

CANCER SURVIVOR

LORIANA HERNANDEZ

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n another life, Loriana Hernandez was a news anchor for Fox 7 and Good Day Austin. Then there came a recent time when she needed an anchor herself. Last year, Hernandez was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a cancer that forms in what would become white blood cells, and one of the most lethal due to the speed it can take down a victim, though it only tends to manifest in patients over the age of 45. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for 2014 pegged the number of new cases of AML at 18,860, and the number of deaths at a little over 10,000.

Cruelly, Loriana indirectly discovered this while in talks with Dr. Shar Kavoussi of Westlake IVF, since she and her husband were looking to have another baby. After surprise waves of nausea started interrupting their planned implantation and the family’s move to Virginia, the doctor dug deeper to find the cause.

“He called me in tears and then came to my house. He said, ‘You

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BY SAM JACKSON

can’t have a baby. I think you have cancer,’ I screamed at the top of my lungs, my body began to tremble and I collapsed in tears.” Hernandez demanded another test, but the results didn’t change.

After the certainty of her situation became absolute, Hernandez’s husband reached out for help to people he knew from the Washington D.C. area, which included contacts at his new job with Comcast SportsNet and the pro football team the Washington Redskins. They enabled her to reach the ear of Dr. Mark Levis, an associate professor and oncology specialist at Maryland’s legendary Johns Hopkins Hospital. Hernandez got a call from him while playing in a bounce house with her son, and not only did she hear that what once was just leukemia had now turned into AML, she also needed to depart Austin and fly there to get chemotherapy. Right now, alone.

That subsequent flight would kick off what Hernandez calls “the worst year of her life.” First on the hellish list was the treatment.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LORIANA HERNANDEZ

How a will to live and positivity help beat the odds

Because she was in great shape and had no other diseases, she could get the largest amount of chemotherapy possible. Unfortunately, it still required a lot of doses. “I was back five times throughout 2014 for 40 days.

I would get out for two to three weeks at a time to recover from the intense chemo and go back in for another 40 day stay,” she says of the process.

Another side effect of the procedure was that her family was scattered to the winds, with only her husband near. Friends were all in Austin, and her son was in Georgia.

“My son Gabriel cried every day to my mom for me and begged to see me,” Hernandez remembers. “He would scream and throw tantrums and break down. My mom is 70 years old and raised him alone for the most part. My sister tried to help but she has a special needs child and it was tougher for her to help as much as she wanted. It was so tough for her to raise a then 1 1/2 year-old little boy for an entire year.”

“The other difficult task was trying to force myself to exercise and fight despite being so sick,” she noted. “I walked miles around that hospital hooked up to an IV and while chemo dripped into my veins.”

As the year went on, the family reunited and pitched in to help her, crowd-funding campaigns raised tens of thousands of dollars, the treatments got easier, and the constant workouts paid off. Recently, Hernandez was able to get a bone marrow

GET ANY SYMPTOM, SMALL OR LARGE, CHECKED AND DOUBLE CHECKED, OR IT COULD BE ONE DAY TOO LATE. transplant, and despite currently struggling with a graft versus host disease, the transplant has worked out. She also raises support for cancer patients through her Armor Up campaign, and has other endeavors in the works, including an eventual return to professional work.

“I am already starting to speak at fundraising events in DC for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.” she says. “My next talk is with Redskins Player, Ryan Kerrigan, who is holding a golf tournament to support LLS. I am sharing my story in hopes of inspiring people to sign up for his event and many others in the future. I’m also now on the advisory board for Be The Match organization to help find donors for others in need of a bone marrow transplant.”

“For many of us it is hard to humble ourselves and ask for anything at our weakest moments, but please just do things to help,” Hernandez exhorts. “Surround us with positive stories. Please hold off on how you are connected to cancer if your story involves a loss.”

“Do anything but run from us,” she adds.

“Get any symptom, small or large, checked and double checked, or it could be one day too late.”

For more info or to contact Loriana, visit http://armorupcampaign.com.

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SURVIVOR STORIES

FOUR-TIME CANCER SURVIVOR

CHRIS J. HAMILTON A journey through AML M2, throat and thyroid cancers, and MDS

BY NICOLE CARBON AND CHRIS HAMILTON

At that point he realized that he was not in charge of his destiny. It was then that Chris had his “aha” moment or what he calls a “CHE-MOment.”

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRIS HAMILTON

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n May 14, 2015, 47 year-old Chris Hamilton will celebrate his third birthday, or what he refers to as his second birth. He explains that everyone who receives a stem-cell transplant is given a second chance at life, and that day in May marks his third anniversary of his stemcell transplant and being cancer-free.

In 2011, Chris just completed radiation and three surgeries for a diagnosis of both throat and thyroid cancers. On his last of 32 radiation treatments, his white cell blood count, red blood cell count, and platelet counts hit bottom. This meant he had zero to very little immune system protection. He thought he was at the home stretch to recovery.

His family doctor insisted that he get a bone marrow biopsy to see what was happening. On 11/11/11, a date Chris will never forget, his oncologist called to let him know he had been diagnosed with AML M2, which is short for Acute Myeloid Leukemia – one of the toughest leukemias to cure. He was urged to go to UNC or Duke Cancer Center that night and be prepared for a two-year battle including a stem-cell transplant that was required to have a chance of a cure.

In 2014, the American Cancer Society states 18,860 people are diagnosed with AML per year and 10,460 of those patients don’t survive. Without a moment to spare, his suitcase was packed with necessities and a few comforts – books, laptop, and an i-pod. After admission to UNC Cancer Hospital on that same night, Chris suffered a small heart attack because of

the shock and stress he experienced.

He would have to complete several rounds of chemotherapy to prepare for a necessary stem-cell transplant, this was providing that he could find a matching donor.

Long story short, after several chemo failures and six months of treatments, the doctors were at a loss and he was put on Decitabine, a chemotherapy drug used to extend life for up to 12 months. At that point he realized that he was not in charge of his destiny. It was then that Chris had his “aha” moment or what he calls a “CHE-MOment.” Suddenly, a series of miracles unfolded. A combo of the drug and many people praying for him delivered the best news ever.

His brother was a perfect match for a stem-cell transplant (there is less than 30% chance of having a sibling match). The drug got him to less than 5% cancer in his blood and marrow, which was only supposed to extend his life by 12 months, not get him to less than 5%.

With all of this good news, a stem-cell transplant was still a risky process. It completely wipes out the immune system. Of all the AML patients Chris met along the way, most did not make it. Although, if it’s successful, one comes back stronger, healthier, and better than ever. Just like having a rebirth.

Chris was wanting to help cancer patients who were suffering from this disease, but couldn’t be in contact with them because his immune system was compromised for six months following the transplant. He was inspired to write a book and title it CHE-MOment as a way to pay his good fortune forward and to help families of patients. Many have said the book has helped them with everyday curveballs life has thrown their way, cancer or not.

The book talks about the emotional stages of cancer; meditation; foods to eat to help repair from chemos;

In 2014, the American Cancer Society states 18,860 people are diagnosed with AML per year and 10,460 of those patients don’t survive. types of physical activity; and the main causes of cancer and leukemia. It may be purchased on Amazon and other retailers listed on his website. It may also be found at the Livestrong Library, many national cancer hospitals, and cancer foundations around the country. A portion of the proceeds from CHE-MOment go to the following cancer organizations which helped him throughout his treatments: The Bone Marrow Foundation; The Cancer Care Fund with The Foundation of First Health; and UNC Lineberger Cancer Hospital Patients Fund.

For more information, please visit www.ChrisHamiltonBooks.com.

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PROFILE

Eric’s story

Any Baby Can helping Austin kids succeed A helping hand changed these toddler’s lives for the better

BY JONATHAN BLACK

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aving a beloved child experience serious illness or developmental delay is every parent’s nightmare. Every year that becomes a reality for thousands of families. Even families with insurance find themselves sorely tested — families without insurance often feel completely adrift. Fortunately, for all Central Texas families, Any Baby Can is here to help.

Any Baby Can is an Austin-based nonprofit devoted to improving the lives of children by strengthening them and their families through education, therapy, and family support services. The Any Baby Can team employs nearly 100 staff including those who have attained their master’s and bachelor’s degrees, level social workers, registered nurses, physical and occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and counselors.

This month, as part of our Survivors issue, AustinMD is pleased to share three testimonials from families that have been touched by Any Baby Can. Whether a child’s needs are straightforward or elaborate and complex, such as those profiled in this issue, Any Baby Can is here to help children and their families.

Today, Eric is a regular, happy and healthy five year-old. Two years ago, Eric nearly died from bacterial meningitis and was left with multiple, persistent health issues that could have prevented him from having a normal childhood or a normal life. Any Baby Can, Eric’s mother says, “Made all the difference in the world.”

Once Eric was out of the hospital and it was clear that he would live, his mother was profoundly grateful. However, the hard part was just beginning. Eric had lost 50% of his hearing, including complete loss in his left ear. The audiologist was frank with Eric’s mother, letting her know most insurance doesn’t cover hearing aids, speech therapy, or physical therapy. “I was stunned. The thought of him having a health issue to deal with for the rest of his life was unbelievably sad and hard to process,” she says.

It only got worse when she discovered that even inexpensive hearing aids for Eric would cost around $5,000. As single mother of three who had just started her own business, Eric’s mother was in an extremely vulnerable position. “When you have a child who is sick, that is financially crippling.”

The audiologist referred Eric’s mother to Any Baby Can, telling her they could help families, even families with insurance, who had children needing things such as hearing aids — especially if the family couldn’t pay out of pocket.

Any Baby Can worked rapidly and Eric was able to start kindergarten with the hearing aid he needed.

“They were wonderful to work with,” Eric’s mother explains. Any Baby Can

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ANY BABY CAN HELPED GIVE

HIS LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE FAMILY THE TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEEDED TO MAKE THIS REMARKABLE TRANSITION POSSIBLE. understands that red tape is the last things parents need to worry about at times like these. “It was also great because we didn’t have to fill out a ton of paperwork to qualify or jump through hoops.”

Every bit as valuable as the material support provided

by Any Baby Can was the moral support they facilitated by putting the family in touch with support groups.

“When you have a sick child you feel all alone,” Eric’s mother says. “Having people to talk to really helped.

For Eric’s family, it was their encounter with Any Baby Can that was the turning point. “Today, Eric is doing amazingly well in school and we are so thankful for Any Baby Can!” his mother says.

Gerardo’s story:

BY JONATHAN BLACK

W

hen Mayra was pregnant with her third child, Gerardo, she knew he was going to be different. Doctors said Gerardo would be born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, which would leave his legs partly or completely paralyzed.

After delivery, doctors discovered Gerardo’s condition was hydranencephaly —much of his brain was missing and replaced by fluid. He also suffered from excessive fluid in his brain as well as a heart defect and a hernia that required surgery. Doctors said Gerardo would probably die within a year. If he survived, he would likely be blind, require a feeding tube, and never walk. Having just entered the world, Gerardo was sent home on hospice care.

Refusing to accept this prognosis, Gerardo’s parents sought the help of Any Baby Can. With his large head and excess fluid in his skull, there was concern he would develop sores from lying in one position. So, Gerardo immediately received physical therapy to keep his joints moving and keep him comfortable.

Through Any Baby Can-facilitated therapy sessions therapists discovered that Gerardo was not blind. He now showed greater interaction with his environment, following moving objects with his eyes and reaching for toys. The focus of therapy changed to teaching him to motor skills such as lifting his head, rolling over, and sitting up.

Along with many surgeries and hospitalizations, as well as ongoing physical therapy, Gerardo receives occupational and speech therapy through Any Baby Can. Now two years-old, his achievements are remarkable.

He now walks with a walker and goes to visit his next-door neighbor. He talks and sings in both English and Spanish. He loves to play with his toys. It is a remarkable outcome given his initial prognosis and struggles of the past two years.

While he has enjoyed many triumphs, Gerardo has other medical challenges ahead of

him. When he is four, he will undergo surgery to correct the curve in his spine. Shunts surgically implanted in his brain to drain excess fluid require careful monitoring to ensure they do not become clogged. He remains small for his age and his immune system remains weak.

Despite these obstacles, Gerardo is blossoming into a toddler that is growing and thriving. Any Baby Can helped give his loving and supportive family the tools and opportunities they needed to make this remarkable transition possible.

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Gael’s story:

BY JONATHAN BLACK

W

hen Gael was just over a year old, Kristen’s pediatrician took her aside to express some concerns regarding her son. Well into his first year, Gael was cruising on furniture, but had not yet taken any steps himself—which put him far behind developmental norms. There was also evidence that Gael’s comprehension and verbal skills were lagging behind too. So, the pediatrician referred Kristen and Gael to Any Baby Can. Gael began physical therapy through Any Baby Can when he was 15 months old. Shortly after, he began experiencing recurring ear infections. Because fluid in the ears can cause issues with balance, coordination and speech, Gael’s team encouraged Kristen to take her son to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) for an examination.

As a result of that examination, tubes were surgically implanted in Gael’s ears.

Soon after, his walking skills improved and he began babbling and speaking more words. Once he began walking well consistently, Gael was discharged from physical therapy and the emphasis of his treatment shifted to speech therapy.

Today, Gael is able to go up and down stairs without difficulty. He follows directions much better than before and he is able to say two and three word phrases. “Here you go,” is a special favorite.

Gael’s parents are thrilled with the progress he has made since beginning therapy and with the overall improvement in Gael’s development.

For more information visit, http://www.anybabycan.org

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HEALTH

HARD WORK HAS ITS

REWARDS A day in the life of an emergency room doctor

BY OKEMEFUNA I. OKPARA, M.D. FACEP

of feeling nauseated and sick in the stomach, but did not complain vomiting or diarrhea. There was also a mention of “just not feeling well for the past couple of days.” My colleagues and I found out that the patient was homeless, so none of this struck us as particularly surprising, initially.

Due to the ashen, grayish color of the patient’s skin, and slight diaphoresis (medical term for clammy and sweaty appearance – usually a bad sign especially when it’s not particularly warm outside),

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WANT TO GET THE ATTENTION OF AN ER DOCTOR? TELL THEM YOU’RE HAVING SOME CHEST PAIN!

the patient was immediately brought back into a room, placed in a hospital robe, and a further history was taken by both the emergency room nurse and myself.

It wasn’t until then that the patient mentioned having discomfort in their chest and some shortness of breath. I thought to myself, “This may not wind up being a case of the bad taco after all.” Want to get the attention of an ER doctor? Tell them you’re having some chest pain!

Given the new course we were inevitably headed on, the patient was quickly put on a cardiac monitor, placed on two liters of oxygen, given an Aspirin tablet, an IV was started, and we obtained an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). To our surprise, what started off as an abnormal heart rhythm turned out to be a full blown heart attack. The patient was immediately transferred over to the cardiac catheterization lab at St. David’s South Austin where they determined the patient had a complete occlusion of the large, left, anterior descending artery in the heart; a type of heart attack commonly referred to as the “widow maker” by cardiologists and ER doctors.

In addition to this shocking discovery, the patient went info fatal heart arrhythmias several times and had to be shocked back to life.

Three days later, the patient walked back into our emergency room to personally thank us for the lifesaving measures we took that day and to bring us cookies. It’s stories with results like that make me so proud to do what I do!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AUSTIN ER

I

magine that you work in an emergency room and are having a slightly busier day than usual. Then imagine that a patient walks in, who appears somewhat more unkempt and disheveled than an average patient. Also imagine that the patient has a significantly different description of a known life-threatening condition. Well, all three scenarios played out recently at Austin Emergency Center.

Early fall last year at the South Lamar location, a patient walked in complaining of an upset stomach and stated the culprit was some bad Mexican food from the night prior blaming it on a “bad taco.” “Poor Mexican food can’t catch a break,” I thought to myself.

It’s always either Mexican or Chinese food that’s to blame regardless of what most people have truly eaten. This patient complained

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S

ince the mid-90’s medical studies have shown a high correlation between mental health and hearing loss in our senior population. However, a recent study conducted by the U.S. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, (online, JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, March, 2014) shows new findings that the greater the hearing loss, the higher incidence of depression in patients younger than 70 years of age with a slightly higher incidence in women versus men.

“We found a significant association between hearing impairment and moderate to severe depression,” said study author Dr. Chuan-Ming Li, a researcher at the U.S. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

“The cause-and-effect relationship is unknown,” Li said, citing a need for further studies.

It is no surprise to many in the field of audiology that people with untreated hearing loss find it increasingly difficult to interact with co-workers, family members, and in social engagements. The majority, greater than 90%, of all hearing losses in the U.S. are gradual in nature, which will mean a slow regression of communication difficulties, frustration with spouses and family, and eventually social isolation. The younger or more active one is when a hearing loss is detected, the greater risk of frustration and socially detrimental opportunities.

Estes Audiology Turning up the volume on an issue that doesn’t just effect the elderly

BY SORIYA M. ESTES, AUD

For the new study, the researchers looked at data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including more than 18,000 adults age 18 and older. All participants filled out a questionnaire designed to reveal depression as well as certain age groups actually having a hearing evaluation.

Hearing loss was linked with an increased risk of depression in adults of all ages, but was most pronounced in the respondents aged 18 to 69, the study found. Women had higher rates of depression than men did.

National statistics show that on average it takes an individual five to For more information visit, www.HearLifeAgain.com.

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seven years from the onset of hearing loss before one seeks treatment for the loss. One stark realization, other than the mental health aspect of hearing loss, is the fact that the inner ear hearing nerves, or hair cells, work on a “use it or loose it” philosophy, like most nerves in the body. Lack of stimulation to those small hair cells results in memory failure on how to fire the proper sound or signals to the brain.

Over time, the brain can forget how to use certain sound information if deprived for too many years causing this auditory deprivation.

With over 32 million Americans diagnosed with treatable hearing loss, it is no surprise that people are beginning to include hearing healthcare in their overall wellness exams.

Having a baseline hearing test and becoming more aware of the importance of good hearing in day-to-day communication enhances social engagements and mental status.

Furthermore, advanced hearing solutions are making hearing aids no longer a burden, but a great enhancement to active lifestyles. With options such as Bluetooth wireless capability and extended wear devices that are 100% invisible, there are even more reasons to stay active with communication and avoid frustration with home and work relationships.

Sources: Chuan-Ming Li, M.D., Ph.D., researcher, U.S. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; March 6, 2014, JAMA Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery, online

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HEALTH

WORD OF MOUTH 4 TIPS TO SPRING INTO YOUR DENTAL HEALTH

How diet, de-stressing, and one daily behavior can save your smile

BY DR. JOHN HA, DDS

S

pring is almost here! It’s always a great time to get your house tidied up, your body healthy, and your family summer-ready. While you’re at it, here are some tips to jump start your dental health for the spring!

GIVE YOUR DIET A MAKEOVER Acid and sugary foods have started to dominate adults’ and children’s diets. It’s well known that an excess of these foods can cause health problems related to unhealthy weight gain, gastrointestinal disturbances, and energy crashes throughout the day. Did you know that it could also lead to cavities while eroding and weakening teeth at the same time? Childhood tooth decay is one of the best indicators of tooth decay during the adult years. Changing snacks that contain less acids and sugars can help keep those cavities away and have the whole family smiling big and proud!

FLOSSING TWICE A DAY CAN ADD AS MUCH AS SIX YEARS TO YOUR LIFE.

DE-STRESS YOURSELF Stress is manifested in many different ways in people. The latest revised edition of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders estimates that 85-90% of the general population grind their teeth to some extent.* Of that number, approximately 25% will develop a clinical condition.* Even without symptoms, your teeth could be getting shorter. If

you’ve been noticing your teeth getting shorter, ask your dentist at your next checkup to see if a night guard, or another type of oral appliance, may be beneficial for you.

ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ORAL AND SYSTEMIC CARE Your mouth is the gateway to your body. Making sure it’s in healthy order can decrease the chances of certain chronic diseases.

Within the last 10 years, many studies have begun to show an increased relationship between gum disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke. A 2011 publication states that tooth and gum infections have been found to be related to certain vascular diseases.** MAKE THE MOST OF EACH DAY Each day is precious and a new adventure. You could be adding more days to your life by brushing and flossing adequately, and by seeing your dentist for regular maintenance checkups and cleanings. According to an NYU study in 2008, flossing can add up to 1.5 years to your lifespan.***Gerontologist Dr. Michael Rozien, coauthor of You – Staying Young, says that flossing twice a day can add as much as six years to your life. Make flossing a daily habit and keep gum disease, and other related diseases, at bay for a healthier life!

For more information visit, http://www.rosedental.net/ * International Classification of Diseases (ICD)”.World Health Organization. Retrieved 23 November 2010 ** Semin Thromb Hemost 2011; 37(3): 181-192DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1273082 *** Biesbrock et al. Assessment of Treatment Responses to Dental Flossing in Twins. Journal of Periodontology, 2006; 77 (8): 1386 DOI: 10.1902/ jop.2006.050399

For more information visit, http://www.rosedental.net.

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Physical Therapy

WORKING

SMART Setting attainable goals and sticking to them

“WORK SMART, NOT HARD.” You may have heard that one before. Which side do you usually fall on? Yeah, me too. With spring upon us, it is that regretful time that comes every year when all of us who were quite recently so full of “resolve” begin to fall, or have already fallen, from the goals we swore to ourselves we would keep this time. Did we lack effort? Zeal? Pure intentions? Probably not.

We just weren’t SMART enough….allow me to elaborate.

Physical therapists are usually good at setting goals; it’s in our job description for goodness sake! We set, assess, fail to reach, and achieve goals all day long. In physical therapy school I was taught to make SMART goals, and still use this method today. I’d like to share it with you, whether this is new or revisited information, because it really has the power to bring change in your life, any time of year!

All goals should be SMART. That is:

S

Specific. Making the goal focused and specifying exactly what is to be achieved allows it to become more…

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M a goal. How do you measure “better”?

Measurable. “Get better at (xyz)” is not

Points? Miles? Dollars? Pounds? Include those units in the goal.

A

Achievable. I think this is the most difficult letter, but it gets easier with practice.

Goals should stretch us beyond where we are now, but not so much that they are not achievable. It does not mean all goals will be achieved.

If they are, the bar is being set too low!

R

Realistic. Similar to “achievable.” Here we take time to consider potentially confounding variables that might influence the goal’s achievement.

T

Timely. Without a timeframe set, the goal is left open-ended and foggy. Putting a unit of time behind the goal serves as a huge motivating factor, creating a healthy “pressure” that challenges us to keep moving forward.

In the physical therapy world, a good goal might read something like, “Mrs. Jones will

perform 10 sit-to-stands in 30 seconds from an 18-inch seat height without the use of her hands.”

It is not “Mrs. Jones hopes to …” or “Mrs. Jones will try to…” Write it like you are foretelling the future! And then fulfill the prophecy.

A funny thing about goals is that we are usually unaware of our sub-optimal state without them. So don’t get discouraged if your goal is not achieved in every facet. It was made SMART for the very purpose of clearly defining success that was above where you began. Even if you did not achieve the success as defined in the goal, if you’re even a little better, you’re still better!

Without the goal, you would likely not have improved. I’m sure many, like me, have a long history of failed goals. Join the club.

This is never an excuse to give up. If you want to quit something, quit For more information, again. If you want to visit http://www. start something, start texpts.com or call again. But be smart 512-778-6700. about it this time!

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PROFILE

HEALTHCARE FOR THE

HOMELESS

BY MONICA SAAVEDRA PHOTOS BY STEVE DEMENT

H

ow many times have you crossed over a roadway bridge, driven by an underpass, or down a busy road in Austin? Probably more times than you can count. Many of us go along with our daily lives in a rush to get to our next appointment without a thought ever crossing our mind there is a whole other world of people living under those bridges, underpasses, and even tucked away in heavy brush throughout some of our busiest parts of town. This world is made up of individuals experiencing homelessness that have no other place to go. Many have exhausted their resources and networks, others may not have the mental or physical capacity to access a safe residence, and many others just may feel this is their best option.

In order to reach the most vulnerable and disenfranchised in our community with health care, CommUnityCare launched a Street Medicine Program. It is a component of the CommUnityCare Mobile Health Teams. Street Medicine is the provision of medical care directly to those living and sleeping on the streets through mobile services such as walking teams, medical vans, and outdoor clinics. In our case, we are using walking teams. For CommUnityCare, Street Medicine is the first essential step in achieving higher levels of care through assertive, coordinated, and collaborative medical management. This is intended to reach out to those individuals who are experiencing homelessness who would otherwise forgo healthcare due to various reasons. The main goal for the Street Medicine team is to reach out to these individuals and provide that bridge.

The Street Medicine Team is composed of a medical provider, two nursing staff members, and a case manager. These team members have significant experience working with this population either by having previously worked with, or currently working at our clinic at the ARCH (Austin Resource Center for the Homeless). Additionally, we are partnering with the PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from

Homelessness) team from ATCIC (Austin Travis County Integral Care), behavioral and mental health specialists, and the Community Health Paramedics with the City of Austin EMS. Working collaboratively, we are able to not only identify the encampments and areas where the individuals are living, but we’re also able to address emergency situations, and mental health needs at once.

Drawing from the experience of each of the organizations is critical to serving the needs of this popula-

tion who are often faced with compounding problems.

To date, our street medicine team has been working for about month. In this month, we have accrued a wealth of knowledge of how best to serve these patients and provide them with access to healthcare they otherwise wouldn’t receive. The Street Medicine team has been greatly received and to quote one of our new patients who expressed his sincere gratitude, “Thank you for taking care of us, I didn’t think anyone cared.”

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MEDICAL

CURING A COMMON AILMENT Which treatment is right for you

BY MATT MCCARTHY, MD

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on each individual’s pain treatment plan. seen, every effort is made to help patients Opiate dependence is different from get their life back and to find healthier ways tolerance. Dependence to opiates devel- to manage pain. ops over time and is also a sign that your Balcones Pain Consultants recognizbody has gotten used to the medication. es there is no single method for treating Dependence to opiates occurs when there chronic pain. By using a wide array of pain are withdrawal symptoms. It simply means therapies, they aim to reduce reliance on that your body depends potentially addictive on the medication to medications as much EVERY EFFORT avoid a withdrawal state. as possible. Every paIS MADE TO HELP Opiate withdrawal is not tient who is considered PATIENTS GET dangerous and is characfor opiate therapy is reTHEIR LIFE BACK terized by a unique set quired to sign a mediAND TO FIND of symptoms that begin cation agreement where HEALTHIER WAYS patients agree to obtain after opiates are stopped.

TO MANAGE PAIN. medications from only These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomone doctor. Patients also ach cramping, diarrhea, runny nose, yawn- undergo risk stratification for the potential ing, and general malaise. The presence of of addiction and are referred to the behavdependence or withdrawal does not mean ioral health department if appropriate. They you are addicted. Dependence to opiates utilize drug testing and prescription histois a common effect and is seen if you take ries as well to help ensure compliance. Even them long enough. The withdrawal state can with these safeguards in place, there is no be avoided by slowly weaning medication way to reduce the risk of addiction to zero. If or rotating to a different opiate altogether. addiction is suspected, measures are taken Opiate addiction is continued, non-thera- to help reduce the cycle of continued harm. peutic use of medication despite ongoing Dr. Lowry is available for consultation in harm. It is a compulsive use of a substance Austin and Marble Falls. that can spiral your life out of control. It is this harmful use that poses the greatest risk to the chronic-pain population. When

For more information visit, www.balconespain.com or call 512-834-4141.

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DR. GUS LOWRY employs an individualized approach to each patient’s pain to help them live the best life possible because he understands that chronic pain affects people in many ways. A native Texan, Dr. Lowry obtained his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He completed residency training at Baylor College of Medicine in internal medicine and anesthesiology. Having a desire to improve the lives of chronic pain patients, Dr. Lowry completed a one-year pain management fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is board certified in internal medicine, anesthesiology and pain medicine.

The management of chronic pain can involve the use of potentially addictive medications. Not every patient needs a chronic, narcotic medication for their pain. For those that do, there is a risk of addiction with these medications. This risk varies in individuals and this variation is likely due to a number of factors including genetics, family history, history of prior addiction, as well as a history of psychiatric disorders. Not every patient who is prescribed on opiates becomes addicted. Often, patients will express a fear of getting “hooked” on pain medication and it is important to understand the difference between opiate tolerance, opiate dependence, and opiate addiction.

Opiate medications work by blocking pain signals in the nervous system. It is normal for this blocking effect to weaken over time. This is a sign that your body is getting tolerant to the medication and that it may not be providing the same relief that it once was. This is a normal occurrence with the use of chronic opiates and can be dealt with in a number of ways. Some options can include increasing the dose, rotating to a different opiate, or weaning off opiates altogether. The best option depends

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MEDICAL

WORK IT GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WORKOUT Rest is the key to recovery

AS WE “SPRING” into the warmer months and increase our activity, we often hear about training schedules to either get back into shape or participate in local competitions. Sometimes we forget about what we should be doing after we train or compete. EHI is the proud sponsor of the Cap 10K in April and we have some suggestions about how to recover from your training, whether you are a novice or a more experienced athlete.

The first thing you have to remember is to rest. It isn’t during your activity phase that you build muscle, but during the rest you get after. If you are the type that hits the wall everyday, you will soon break down and not be able to participate at all. Schedule sleep time just like you would workout time. Skimping on either will not help you achieve

your goals. Along with this, remember that you can’t train hard every day. Your muscles need time to catch up. Schedule some days of light activity such as walking or performing another activity that doesn’t use the same muscles.

For most of the year, we live in a fairly warm, and sometimes humid, climate.

You need to hydrate, preferably For more with plain water. information visit, As a rule of thumb, http://www. drink about half of ehihealthcare.com your body weight in ounces every day. This will help flush out toxins and prevent dehydration that can cause muscle soreness.

Along with hydrating, your overall nutrition is important. What you do before and after a workout can determine how you feel and how you advance. A 2:1 ratio of carbs to proteins is an ideal pre or post workout snack. Include foods in your diet that are high in potassium such as bananas and potatoes. Potassium is important for heart and muscle function. We all know that protein is the building block of muscle. Foods such as eggs and dairy are good sources. Pineapple is a really choice because of its anti-inflammatory properties, making you feel better while you recover.

You know your body best. Formulas are great and help provide guidelines, but your most important weapon in both your training and recovery process is your common sense. Listen to what your body is telling you. If you need more rest today take. If you have been training especially hard, or are under a lot of stress at work, adjust your schedule.

If you try to push through, you may wind up with some sort of stress injury that will take you out of training. This is supposed to be fun not drudgery. Get out and enjoy all that Austin has to offer.

WHAT YOU DO BEFORE AND AFTER A WORKOUT CAN DETERMINE HOW YOU FEEL AND HOW YOU ADVANCE.

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MEDICAL

A

Preparing for Spring Allergy Season

BY SCOTT AND WHITE

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AN ESTIMATED 15-20% OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION HAS SOME TYPE OF ALLERGY. ► The most common symptoms of allergies are:  Itchy and watery eyes  Sneezing  Runny nose  Nasal congestion  Postnasal drip  Cough  Headache We all know that many of those symptoms can also be indicative of the common cold. So how can you tell the difference? There are several signs that differentiate allergies from a cold. The first are symptoms that last for more than 7 – 10 days. Colds rarely last more than a week.

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DO YOU SUFFER from hay fever, nasal congestion, and ear infections in the spring? Do you ever get seasonal rashes or have trouble breathing? Do you feel like you’re missing more days of work than normal? Allergies could be to blame. Allergic disorders rank first among chronic diseases, which is not surprising since an estimated 15-20% of the American population has some type of allergy – usually first appearing during infancy or childhood. Yet, if allergic problems are identified early, your quality of life can improve, allowing you to get back to enjoying life again.

“Estimates regarding the economic impact of allergies are in the billions regarding missed work and productivity,” said Nimish Patel, M.D., ENT, Scott & White Clinic Round Rock.

So which people are most likely to suffer from allergies? It is possible for anyone to become allergic, but it is considerably more likely for those who have family members with a history of allergy. Yet while you may inherit the tendency to become allergic from your parents, only some of you will develop active allergic disease.

Allergies can show up in different ways. Some get nasal symptoms, some develop asthma, and some may get skin rashes. Understanding your nasal allergies is the first step in controlling them. Therefore, it is important that you know what signs to be aware of. Another sign of allergies can be purple or red discoloration of the skin along the lower eyelids known as “allergic shiners.”

You could also look for nose rubbing. Those with nasal allergies often rub their noses in an upward motion, which is called an allergic salute. Mouth breathing can be a sign of allergies. Congestion that comes from nasal allergies can cause you to breathe through the mouth, especially while sleeping.

If you play with pets, take note if nasal symptoms seem to flare up when you are around your pet. If so, it could be a sign of allergic sensitivity. Those with allergies also usually tend to have symptoms that seem to worsen while outdoors due to pollen and other outdoor mold spores. Some signs of a cold that are NOT associated with nasal allergies include fever and body aches.

Once you have been diagnosed with allergies, reducing your contact with certain triggers will help to make your environment healthier. By making the following changes in and around your home, you can find relief from nasal allergy symptoms:

► Avoid pollen. ► Keep the windows closed and run the air conditioner during allergy season. ► Stay indoors when pollen counts are high. ► Use a high quality allergen air filter for the air conditioning system. ► Avoid dust mites. ► Consider wood or tile floors rather than carpeting. ► Clean and dust your home regularly and use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. ► Wash bedding frequently in hot water. ► Use zippered, allergy-proof covers on you or your child’s box spring, mattress, and pillows. ► Keep stuffed toys stored in a closed toy box when not in use. ► Avoid animal dander. ► Keep the pet out of your bedroom and outdoors, if possible. ► Bathe your pet regularly. ► Keep pets off of your furniture and out of your car. ► Avoid mold spores. ► Run your air conditioner or dehumidifier during high-humidity seasons. ► Keep potted plants out of your bedroom. ► Make sure wet carpets are dried within 24 hours to prevent mold growth.

If nasal allergies aren’t treated properly, they can make you miserable so it is essential to pay attention to symptoms. If you notice any of these signs and suspect that you may be suffering from allergies, contact your doctor right away.

Dr. Patel says, “Treatment for allergies, for the most part, are not curing them, but rather reducing symptoms, therefore treatments do need to be administered consistently during symptomatic times.”

For more information contact Nimish Patel, M.D., ENT at Scott & White Clinic – Round Rock at 512-509-0200.

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PROFILE

SERENITY CREEK

Med Spa

BY JONATHAN BLACK

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PHOTOS BY STEVE DEMENT

S

erenity Creek Med Spa invites Austinites to help them celebrate five years of providing cosmetic services for the aesthetic enhancement of the face, body and skin from their state-of-the-art facility on Shoal Creek Boulevard.

“We’re proud of five years helping people look good and feel good,” says spa director Haley Tidwell. “The best moments here are when our patients jump for joy at

how they look and their results have exceeded their expectations.” We’ve even seen patients crying because they can’t believe how incredible they look without breaking the bank.”

Austin has noticed. Along with other honors, in 2014 Serenity Creek was voted best medical spa by Austin A-List City Voter. Tidwell says this starts with the spa taking its mission and values very seriously. “Our mission is to provide every patient with elite care in a warm, inviting, and safe environment,” she explains. “Quality service begins even before you walk through the door.” Caitlin, patient care coordinator, ensures that patients are warmly greeted and well informed during the scheduling process. “Many people are scared to ask questions about the procedures we offer because they feel embarrassed, but I strive to be as receptive as possible to their needs so they feel confident when they arrive for their procedure.”

Serenity Creek brings its mission to life by consistently striving for superior medical attention, exceptional communication between provider and patient, and delivering the best results possible.

It also means having a relationship with Austin that goes beyond the spa. “We love giving back to our community, whether donating to an auction or running a race to raise money to fight disease,” says Tidwell.

Serenity Creek offers a full range of services, treatments, and procedure options, enabling each patient to design the experience he or she desires. All of these are supported by access to the latest available aesthetic medical technology and skincare solutions.

Among its most in-demand services are injectables, skin rejuvenation, laser therapy, and hand rejuvenation. The injectables offered by the spa help diminish fine lines, wrinkles, and folds of the face as well as help with lost volume and can be used to correct other areas of the body. Serenity Creek’s aesthetic nurse injector, Alicia Long, knows that the approach to subtle enhancement of beauty begins with recognizing that each patient’s needs are unique. “We start with a detailed assessment and discuss the goals that are most important to you, and customize an individualized treatment plan,” Long says. Serenity Creek takes the same patient-customized approach to all its services.

Laser therapy can treat or remove a wide array of skin concerns from unwanted hair and wrinkles to scars, stretch marks, acne, rosacea, tattoos, and vascular lesions. Sarah McCollugh, certified laser technician, emphasizes the importance of safety and education of patients. “Spending time answering patient’s questions and educating them on their treatments is a big part of the patient experience.”

The staff at Serenity Creek works closely with each patient to develop a unique regimen. They place great importance on education to ensure patients understand the treatments that are receiving as well as what to expect.

Tidwell says the staff is one of the key factors setting Serenity Creek apart. “Our experienced and knowledgeable staff is passionate about providing the best, ethical medical aesthetic care to our patients,” she explains. The staff is drawn from skilled medical professionals, including board-certified physicians and aesthetic specialists. Staff members are trained to expertly operate the advanced equipment which enables Serenity Creek to produce beautiful results for patients.

Serenity Creek also offers top of the line skincare products for purchase by patients. “Products are a great way to care for skin at home and protect the investment the patient has make in our facility,” Jennifer Prater, medical aesthetician says. The spa’s skincare professionals can work with patients to design a skincare regimen to improve and maintain the health and appearance of skin.

McCullough knows the importance of looking beyond products and aesthetic procedures, as their name would suggest, Serenity Creek places enormous emphasis on overall wellness. “We have some great options for not only looking your best, but feeling your best,” McCullough says. Options such as body contouring, weight loss, and B-12 injections not only support patients’ health, but help them get the most out of other procedures.

Serenity Creek is already looking forward to their 10th anniversary. For Tidwell, the spa will hit that milestone the same way it hit this one, “Our mission and values are what we pride ourselves on and how we have become a successful business.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.serenitycreek.com, call 512-419-0303, or visit them at 8900 Shoal Creek Blvd., Suite 300-A.

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AUSTIN MD EXPLORES MENTAL HEALTH

MENTAL ILLNESS

TODAY A disorder that affects much of our country’s population

ACCORDING TO THE National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 1 in 5 adults will experience a mental health condition this year. The World Health Organization estimates that mental illnesses account for more disabilities in developed countries than any other illnesses, including cancer and heart disease. Incidences of mental illness are high among individuals who also suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Individuals who suffer a mental illness find it difficult to function and complete daily tasks, including making routine decisions.

Common mental illness affecting individuals today are Anxiety Disorders, Schizophrenia, Depressive Disorders, and Bipolar Disorder.

Anxiety disorders consist of excessive fear and anxiety. Some anxiety diagnosis include: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of anxiety can include excessive worry or fear of an immediate or perceived future threat. These can also include uncontrollable obsessive thoughts, heart pounding or racing, muscle tension, and stomach sickness such as nausea or diarrhea.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), schizophrenia spectrum disorder and other psychotic disorders consist of abnormalities in one or more of the following: 48

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delusions; hallucinations; disorganized thinking or speech; disorganized or abnormal motor behaviors; and negative symptoms such as decreased emotional expression and decreased motivation for self-initiated activities.

Depressive disorders include a variety of symptoms including changes in appetite and sleep patterns. Depressive disorders occur in a single event or are recurring episodes that can severely disrupt a person’s functioning. Other symptoms of depression include loss of interest in pleasurable activities; low self-worth; hopeless; helpless; extreme sadness; and thoughts of suicide.

Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic depression, is characterized by recurrent episodes of highs (mania) and lows (depression) in mood. These episodes include extreme changes in mood, energy, and behavior making it difficult for the individual to function. Symptoms of mania consist of extreme irritable or elevated mood; a very inflated sense of self-importance; risky behaviors; distractibility; increased energy; and a decreased need for sleep. A depressive episode can be characterized as a period of extreme depression in which the individual may isolate; feel extreme sadness; increased or decreased appetite and energy; and possible thoughts of suicide.

Mental health conditions could be the result of several factors such

as biological, psychological, and environmental/social. It is important to note that mental illness also affect young people. Very young children sometimes show early warning signs of a mental health condition. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a young person could show signs of mental illness before they turn 14. Unfortunately, they also estimate that less than 20% of children and adolescents with a diagnosed mental illness receive treatment. The US Health and Human Services Department also estimates that 6-12% of youth (at the age of transition) and young adults struggle with a mental illness and that more than half of adolescents in the US who fail to complete high school also have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. Therefore, these young people are a vulnerable population, who at times has difficulty transitioning into adulthood. They tend to be uninsured; have higher rates of substance abuse; homelessness; and arrests.

The good news is that research has shown that treatment, which can include both medication and

“talk therapy” or counseling, make a difference in wellbeing and recovery. Treatment helps individuals’ live healthy and productive lives that allow them to work and participate in their communities. Prevention and early intervention in children and adolescents is helpful in maintaining mental health and decreasing the chances that they will struggle as they transition into adulthood. Most importantly, a strong support system composed of friends and loved ones makes a huge difference in stabilization and recovery. Remember, you can always reach out to someone you may think suffers from a mental illness or someone who may have suffered childhood traumas (which places them at higher risk for developing a mental illness). It is important to become educated and share the facts regarding mental health conditions. Providing support and respect to someone in need of, or seeking treatment, are the first steps towards promoting someone’s wellbeing and overall healing.

For more information visit, http://austinlakeshospital.com

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BY ROCIO AVILA, LMSW

A U S T I N MD M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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MENTAL HEALTH

PARENTING FOR TEENS: Control Versus Influence

A simple approach to guide your teen towards making the right choices

BY JC SHAKESPEARE, LPC

THERE IS ONE SINGLE FACTOR THAT WILL DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF INFLUENCE WE HAVE ON OUR TEENS’ JOURNEYS – THE QUALITY OF OUR EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH THEM.

Doesn’t it just make sense that if you are smarter and more experienced than your kid, you wouldn’t let them make dumb mistakes? It seems logical, but taking away the element of choice in your teen’s life robs them of a critical piece of their adult development.

Learning from our mistakes and their consequences is the only way to develop the skills to make better choices in the future.

When you eliminate the element of choice, you are controlling your teenager, and nothing breeds resistance faster in a teenager than attempting to control them. Besides, here’s another little secret, you will lose!

A parent has many aspects of life that need attention, but a teenager will develop an intense, laser-like focus on subverting your control and applying every bit of creativity they can summon to this task. They are relentless!

So do we give up and let them do whatever they desire? Of course not. We need to set boundaries and limits that make sense (for example, if you drink and

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JC SHAKESPEARE, LPC, is a counselor in private practice in Austin. He works primarily with teenagers, young adults, and parents to help all parties get through the rocky transitions in the lives of families.

He also has extensive experience as a high school counselor, a speaker, and an author.

Chances are pretty high that you are reading this article in your doctor’s office waiting room, so you might not have the time to read all the way through to the end. I’ll get right to the point; I’m going to give you a single tip that can begin to transform your relationship with your teenager right this moment. Ready? All you have to do is eliminate this one idea from your thinking, “I will use my wisdom and experience to save my teenager from making the same dumb mistakes I made when I was his or her age.”

The advice sounds simple, but that idea has very deep roots. In fact, that idea probably formed the foundation of our own parents’ philosophy for raising teens.

To paraphrase Dr. Phil, “How’d that work out for you?”

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drive my car, you lose the privilege of driving my car). Rather than seeking control over our teens, we ought to be seeking to influence their decisions. There is one single factor that will determine the amount of influence we have on our teens’ journeys – the quality of our emotional connection with them.

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Here are three tips that you can begin using immediately to strengthen your emotional connection with your teen: Keep track of your “emotional bank account” with your teen. Steven Covey coined this phrase, and refers to the often unspoken state of either connection or tension that exists between parent and child. Things that make deposits in the account: authentic compliments, catching your teen doing something right, staying calm when emotions run high, showing trust, treating them like an adult. Things that make withdrawals in the account: nagging, lecturing, asking the same questions day in and day out, embarrassing your teen in front of peers. Be conscious of your balance.

Shift your role from “Director” to “Coach.”

Don’t rob your teen of the opportunity to learn problem-solving skills by telling them exactly what to do with every minute of their time.

Instead of saying, “Here’s what you’re going to do,” ask, “I wonder how you’re going to get this done?” If you develop the habit of letting them make decisions and experience natural consequences, they may actually ask for your help when confronted with a difficult choice.

Practice conscious silence. Notice how much of the space between you and your teen is filled with your words – usually followed by, “I wonder why she won’t talk to me?” Author Rosalind Wiseman once challenged her Facebook followers to go one week without asking their teens a question. The reports were that the silence really freaked out a lot of teens, and they actually started talking to fill the space! A week seems impossible to me, but try it for a day or an afternoon and see what happens.

Parenting teenagers is extremely difficult, even under ideal circumstances. There is no way for a child to become an adult without undergoing a process of breaking away from their parents. The more we control, however, the more we constrict our teen’s ability to learn the art of problem solving – which is the ultimate skill they will need in the adult world. Our challenge, then, is to walk the tightrope between forcing them to become the people we want them to be, and the patience, faith, and acceptance necessary to allow them to become the people that they truly are.

For more information visit, www.jcshakespeare.com, call 512-626-3450, or email JCShakespeareLPC@gmail.com.

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MENTAL HEALTH

The Importance of Creating a

MENTALLY HEALTHY WORKPLACE In the modern day workplace an equal amount of emphasis is placed on both physical and mental health. BY RENEE HANSON MALONE

visit limits, deductibles, copayments, and lifetime and annual limits.” (National Conference of State Legislators: 2014) As evidence continues to demonstrate the connection between mental health and physical health, we are finally witnessing the actualization and the legitimacy of the field as top-down implications change laws and shift cultural perceptions around the necessity for accessible, mental health services.

Beyond offering insurance for behavioral health, employers are beginning to take a proactive role in the psychological health of their staff. Some are receiving

MODIFY A FEW ITEMS IN YOUR LIFE, START WITH SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS EATING A REGULARLY, BALANCED DIET.

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training in creating a mentally healthy workplace for employees. Here they learn strategies to help leaders recognize and manage mental health related issues in the workplace. Moreover, many organizations are considering altering policies, procedures, and interactions that impact the emotional health and/or safety of employees.

The Austin Child Guidance Center, a local, leading provider in children’s mental health has taken additional steps in initiating activities that focus on improving the mental health of their workforce. Last year, one of the agency’s therapists, Earley Ullrich, LCSW, spearheaded the non-profit’s Social Support Committee, which consists of several staff members who organize activities, community volunteerism outings, and internal staff appreciation strategies. These initiatives have been

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F

or decades the term “mental health” carried stigmas in and outside the workplace, which historically influenced employers to distance themselves from becoming involved or partly responsible for the mental health of their employees. A mentally healthy workplace would be the kind of environment where most individuals would generally like to work. One would imagine this place of business creating a supportive atmosphere that encourages employees to reach their full potential. Many savvy businesses and corporations already associate happy employees with enhanced productivity, while connecting negative work environments to high job turnover rates, increased sick days, and compromised profit margins.

As a result, the most progressive and prosperous employers understand the importance of making the mental health of their employees a top priority. Until recently, it was a choice if an employer wanted to pay for mental health, insurance coverage for their employees. Last year, there was a huge win for the field of mental health through the Mental Health Parity or Equal Coverage Laws. “Parity, as it relates to mental health and substance abuse, prohibits insurers or health care service plans from discriminating between coverage offered for mental illness, serious mental illness, substance abuse, and other physical disorders and diseases. In short, parity requires insurers to provide the same level of benefits for mental illness, serious mental illness or substance abuse as for other physical disorders and diseases. These benefits include

extremely rewarding and beneficial to the agency. Within the last year they started a weekly, mindfulness meditation session for employees to participate if they so choose. “Mindfulness meditation is unique in that it is not directed toward getting us to be different from how we already are. Instead, it helps us become aware of what is already true moment by moment. We could say that it teaches us how to be unconditionally present; that is, it helps us be present with whatever is happening, no matter what it is.” (Psychology Today: 2015) Many therapists at the Austin Child Guidance Center work on very difficult cases with children experiencing severe issues, so this type of meditation helps manage stress and emotions that could arise for the practitioner.

ACGC Therapist, Earley Ullrich, LCSW, said, “I personally use mindfulness daily to help reduce stress and manage difficult emotions. I am grateful that ACGC allowed us to organize a weekly mindfulness meditation to help staff with self-care in the difficult work that we do each day.”

It is very important that mental health and primary healthcare facilities encourage

The Austin Child Guidance Center, a local, leading provider in children’s mental health, has taken additional steps in initiating activities that focus on improving the mental health of their workforce. self-care, as well as providing psychological support for staff. These are people who are on the front lines, providing direct care to clients.

Their emotional stability is monumental to the care they provide. For that reason, the Austin Child Guidance Center has made a point to offer mental health services through their contracted insurance provider for years, as well as making sure copays for mental health services are affordable for staff. The Center has been extremely thoughtful in creating a mentally healthy work environment. Most recently, their management team wanted to provide additional supports and stress relief for staff. Director of Program & Trauma-Informed Services, Seanna Crosbie, LCSW, recently contracted a professional yoga instructor to offer classes once a week for any staff who would like to attend.

There are so many ways a business can

promote a mentally healthy work environment.

First, it is important to be conscious of the emotional needs of staff. People want to feel appreciated, respected, and supported. Without these fundamentals, you might lose quality people.

Secondly, access to mental health and health care coverage with reasonable copays can ensure your employees are able to work through personal issues and stress that will help them be more productive and focused at work. Third, creating a work culture that provides mental health supports, like yoga, team building opportunities, retreats, and employee-appreciation initiatives promotes a healthy environment for your team. Ultimately, we spend the vast majority of our time at work and it is the employer’s responsibility to make a conscious choice to create a positive, work experience for the people that will make the business a success.

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MENTAL HEALTH

CHRONIC PAIN

A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

Treating the physical pain that is linked to mental health WHEN WE THINK of chronic pain, we think of pain that has lasted beyond the normal healing time. It is defined by its persistence, despite our best efforts at removing it. Pain on its own is a simple and vital system in the body. Acute pain is a warning system designed to focus our attention and get a reaction. It is the body’s own personal warning siren, creating electrical and chemical responses throughout both brain and body. With chronic pain, the signals have ceased to provide useful information, but are no less efficient in triggering a response.

This is further complicated by the fact that chronic pain tends to create behavioral responses very similar to several mental health disorders. For many individuals, a natural response to injury or sickness is rest. This can result in a sedentary lifestyle and change our sleeping and eating patterns. If it lasts for more than a few days, the pain may cause feelings of boredom, loss of interest or pleasure, restlessness, frustration, and sadness. If an individual has enough of these symptoms for an extended period of time, they may likely develop depression.

Unfortunately, because depression in patients with chronic pain frequently goes undiagnosed, it often goes untreated. Scientists have documented that depression can magnify pain, reduce coping skills, and increase sensitivity. Symptoms of depression are often the result of chronic pain, while also arousing neurotransmitters that magnify feelings of chronic pain. Depression and chronic pain share some of the same neurotransmitters as well as some of the same nerve pathways.

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNSELING CAN HELP PATIENTS DECREASE THEIR CORTISOL LEVELS, REMOVE STRESSORS IN THEIR LIFE, AND FOCUS ON THEIR PAIN IN A HEALTHY, ADAPTIVE MANNER. becomes a necessary and reasonable course of treatment.

Similarly, there is a strong link between anxiety and chronic pain. Research has shown a link between chronic pain and elevated cortisol levels, a neurotransmitter linked to stress and anxiety. Continuous increased levels of cortisol are linked to memory impairment, depression, and anxiety. The experience of chronic pain forwards a message from the thalamus

to the limbic system, which produces emotions that accompany pain, such as anxiety, fear or frustration, and hyper vigilance. This is turn, also affects the way the cerebral cortex receives pain messages and intensifies the pain a person feels. Behavioral health counselors work with patients to provide them with tools to decrease their stress and anxiety. Behavioral health counseling can also help patients decrease their cortisol levels, remove stressors in their life, and focus on their pain in a healthy, adaptive manner. This works in conjunction with their doctor’s overall treatment plan.

Advanced Pain Care offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, team approach to treating chronic pain disorders. Patients are screened to identify risk factors including depression and anxiety, so that both the mental health and physical symptoms of pain may be addressed concurrently.

Advanced Pain Care also provides an innovative Functional Restoration program, designed specifically to help patients receiving workers compensation return to day-to-day activities.

The program uses physical therapy, neuromuscular reeducation, and treatment for psychological distress.

They also offer a treatment curriculum designed to help patients adjust to the injury, rebuild confidence, and improve motivation. With the behavioral health components in place, many of the barriers to improved outcomes can be eliminated, resulting in a new life, both physically and mentally.

For more information, visit http://www.austinpaindoctor.com

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Visit RainforestPartnership.org to get involved A U S T I N MD M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE

PHOTO BY STEVE DEMENT

SPECIALTY CLINIC OF AUSTIN

SPECIALTY CLINIC OF AUSTIN was formed through a collaboration between Drs. Patel and Sweet and opened its doors March 2013. The patient experience is unique at SCOA because we utilize a medical model approach to mental health to provide Expert Care. We see patients of the age of five years and up. Each patient receives a comprehensive evaluation, and from this an individual treatment plan is formulated. Blood work is analyzed for organic causes that can be causing or contributing to the patient’s presentation.

Genetic analysis of liver enzyme variability can be done to help guide medication selection, if appropriate. Electronic medical records and a secure online patient portal are employed, which provide convenient access to important information and rating scales that may be used to track progress of the treatment plan.

The idea of Expert Care was conceived by the

founders of SCOA to provide a context about the patient and their unique history. This context helps our providers better understand the patient’s experience. Expert Care is an approach that takes the whole patient into account. Biological predispositions and conditions, problematic behaviors, innate psychological traits, and specific life circumstances are considered when formulating a diagnosis. After a diagnosis is made, an individualized treatment plan is developed and implemented. We conduct clinical research to determine the efficacy of new medications, for children, adolescents, and adults.

At its core, Expert Care is centered on the patient, therefore it must be dynamic and fluid.

Collaboration with your provider is essential to Expert Care – this requires you, as the patient, to be proactive in your care and participate in the evaluation and treatment process.

Treatment plans are developed to address areas

of need and are built on a foundation of self care. Regular physical activity, restorative sleep, proper nutrition, and consistent socialization are integral parts of self care. Medication, if indicated, can compliment self care,but is never a substitute.

Stress reduction is critical to Expert Care as well. Toxic relationships or work environments add unhealthy life stress that can trigger or exacerbate anxiety or depression. At SCOA, we specialize in diagnosing and treating ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more. Problematic behaviors such as drug use, alcoholism, eating disorders, and sexual disorders must all be addressed for the treatment plan to be successful. A commitment must be made to be compliant with the treatment plan and collaborate with your provider if changes are necessary. We accept most health insurance plans.

For more information visit, https://www.specialtyaustin.com 56

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SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND PSYCHIATRIC ISSUES

support groups and sponsors, while still in treatment, to assist in recovery post discharge.

Outpatient services at Texas Star include a partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient program, alumni groups, and family education opportunities. Since 2006, the treatment team at Texas Star Recovery has helped thousands of people begin full and productive lives in recovery.

Referrals are accepted by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information visit, www.texasstarrecovery.com, call 512-462-6729, or visit them at 1106 West Dittmar Road.

THERAPEUTIC DAY TREATMENT

MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE

TEXAS STAR RECOVERY provides a full continuum of care for adults struggling with co-occurring substance abuse and psychiatric issues. From complicated medical detox to evening, intensive outpatient programs, Texas Star meets the needs of the patient at any stage in their recovery.

The South Austin location features a small program of only 28 total beds, with living areas and ample outdoor space. The smaller program allows for individually focused treatment that addresses medical complications, as well as co-occurring disorders.

Under the leadership of Dr. William Loving, psychiatrist and addictionologist, the physician and treatment team meet each morning to discuss patient progress and current needs. Texas Star provides 24-hour nursing care; customized treatment plans; gender specific groups; cognitive behavioral therapy; process groups as well as many other evidence based interventions.

The physicians and staff at Texas Star are well connected in the mental health and recovery community in Central Texas. Patients associate with

The Ranch Achievement Program at TEXAS NEURO REHAB CENTER provides therapeutic day treatment for children and adolescents, ages 8 to 17. Youth may struggle with self-esteem, depression, anxiety, reckless behavior, suicidal thoughts, or trauma. Often, school performance and communication within the family have become a concern.

The Ranch Treatment Team encourages youth to meet their individual potential through peer-driven methods that focus on relationships and accountability. A safe, fun, and structured environment encourages self-awareness and positive interaction.

A typical stay at The Ranch runs four to six weeks and services are covered under a number of insurance providers. Transportation is available with pick up and drop off locations throughout the city. The program runs from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm daily. It includes group therapy, academics, medication management, family coaching, evaluation with a child and adolescent psychiatrist, dialectical behavior skills, and recreational therapy.

Services at The Ranch have consistently improved success within the home, school, and community settings. “Our son has received more thorough intensive treatment at The Ranch than in this past year! You made a life changing difference, and we credit most of his current success to the four weeks he was at The Ranch,� said one recent Ranch parent.

For more information call, 512-383-4440.

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MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS Individuals with good mental health are able to cope positively with the emotions, stresses, and challenges of daily life. If you, or someone you love, has been struggling with mental health concerns for two or more weeks and are unable to face daily problems or activities, seek the advice of a mental health professional. Common signs which require attention include:

The most eloquent definition of mental health comes from the World Health Organization which tells us that mental health is “the emotional and spiritual resilience which enables us to enjoy life and survive pain, suffering, and disappointment. It is a positive sense of wellbeing and an underlying belief in our and others dignity and worth. It is influenced by our experience and our genetic inheritance.”

Humans are physical and mental beings, and a healthy approach to living requires us to pay attention to both. Mental health is just as important as physical health.

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Prolonged sadness or irritability Severe mood swings Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits Excessive fears, worries and anxieties Extreme difficulty concentrating or sitting still Isolation Drastic changes in personality or behavior Delusions or hallucinations Suicidal thoughts Substance abuse Self-harm

As with physical illness, the earlier people receive the proper treatment and care, the better the outcomes.

The Austin affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-Austin) provides free mental health classes, support groups, presentations and resources for those affected by mental illness.

For more information visit, http://www.namiaustin.org

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DR. DAVID BROWN, MEDICAL DIRECTOR

MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE

Dr. David Brown is the Medical Director at Cross Creek Hospital. He is a native of San Antonio, Texas, who has been in Austin since 1992. He is Board Certified by the Board of Psychiatry and Neurology since 1993, and licensed by the State of Texas since 1987. Dr. Brown earned a B.A. in Biology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, and an M.D. at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He completed residency training at Memorial Hermann Hospital and the Harris County Psychiatric Center in Houston, Texas. Additionally, Dr. Brown participated in a fellowship for Biological Psychiatry at the National Institutes of Mental Health in Rockville, Maryland. He previously served on the faculty at the University of Arkansas School for Medical Sciences, as Medical Director of the Seton Community Living Program, and as Vice President of the Shoal Creek Hospital Medical Staff.

In 1994, his passion for medical research and hope for the future ongoing health of his patients led to the creation of his own organization, Community Clinical Research, Inc. Dr. Brown has conducted over 300 clinical trials developing new drugs for persons with mental illness.

He has upcoming research projects involving electrophysiological biomarkers in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. He is Bilingual in English and Spanish. Dr. Brown is also Troop Master for Troop 310, Trinity Episcopal School in Austin.

Cross Creek Hospital is Austin’s newest 90-bed Psychiatric Inpatient Hospital focusing on specialty behavioral and addiction disorders including depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and PTSD for adults, seniors, and adolescents. The facility is centrally located in the metroplex near Walnut Creek with nearby access to I-35 and other major highways. The hospital campus offers patients and their loved ones access to care in a peaceful setting featuring multiple courtyards, and the ability to enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities while in treatment.

For more information visit, www.CrossCreekHospital.com. Cross Creek Hospital offers no cost, initial assessments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling Admissions at 512-215-3900.

PSYCHIATRIC CARE Austin Lakes Hospital provides compassionate psychiatric care to adults age 18 and over.

Austin Lakes Hospital was established in August 2007 and supporting patients’ mental health needs is both our mission and our passion – it shows in the exemplary care we deliver on a daily basis. Through a comprehensive range of both inpatient and outpatient services, we ensure our patients have access to the medical attention they need – right when they need it most – so they can achieve a complete and healthy recovery.

Austin Lakes Hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and Texas Department of State Health Services and abided by the rules and regulations that govern quality healthcare. We aim to provide the highest quality of patient care and maintain a safe environment for our patients, visitors, and staff. Our modern, mental-health facility is located at the St. David’s Pavilion in downtown Austin, Texas. Austin Lakes Hospital has been serving Central Texas, and beyond, for many years through both inpatient and outpatient programs. Our Admissions Department offers direct admissions with the ability to quickly assess patients’ needs to determine the appropriate level of care.

For more information visit, http://austinlakeshospital.com A U S T I N MD M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

NORMA J. PEREZ, PHD is a licensed, clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience providing individual and couples psychotherapy for adults. She specializes in couples therapy, coping with life changes, and trauma treatment.

Dr. Perez received her PhD from the University of Rhode Island, completed her internship at the VA in Massachusetts, and went on to complete her Postdoctoral Fellowship at Brown University. Following her clinical postdoc, Dr. Perez was awarded a National Cancer Institute Research Fellowship at the School of Public Health at UT Houston. Her research focused on behavior changes.

After completing her formal education, Dr. Perez worked for the VA treating our nation’s Veterans for seven years.

She now focuses exclusively on her private practice in Lakeway, Texas.

For more information, please call (512) 365-4278 or visit www.mindbodylifeconnection.net

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Sonrisas Therapies is a home-care agency that provides physical, occupational, and speech therapy services.

MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE

Think about the simplest things you do everyday, like taking that first sip of your favorite drink, or putting on your shoes so you can go for a walk on the trail. What would you do if these meaningful activities were taken away? Asha Surti, MS, OTR/L, is an Occupational Therapist and is passionate about helping others become an active participant in life again. After receiving her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Boston University in 2008, she worked in a variety of settings, but ultimately found her passion working with children with disabilities at Sonrisas Therapies. The home-care agency was founded by Tsambika Bakiris to create an ethical environment for therapists and to provide support for families of all statuses.

The agency provides physical, occupational, and speech therapy services to individuals up to age 21. “Sonrisas Therapies has a strong foundation that allows one to feel like part of a family,” Surti states. “I feel extremely blessed to work in an environment that strengthens the mind, body, and spirit.”

For more information visit, http://www.sonrisastherapies.com

Since 1986, nonprofit organization, AGE of Central Texas has been tackling the challenges of aging with expert solutions, offering programs, resources, and education for both older adults and those who care for them. Drawn from the words of founders Bert Kruger Smith and Willie Kocurek, AGE strives to make aging a shared journey of triumph.

AGE of Central Texas serves the community through five related programs: • Adult Day Health Care: providing daytime care for older adults with physical or cognitive needs in the longest-operating licensed, non-residential Adult Day Health Centers in Central Texas, with locations in Austin and Round Rock • Free Caregiver Education & Resources: personalized assistance and guidance by phone, email, or walk-in; educational seminars and conferences with respite services available; CaregiverU evidence-based courses for non-professional family caregivers; and caregiver support group meetings every month in Austin and Round Rock • Early Memory Loss Support: cognitive activities and support for individuals of early stage Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss, with three weekly locations around Central Texas • Health Equipment Lending: free long-term loans of gently-used durable medical equipment and free incontinence products available • Peer-Based Computer Classes: peer-to-peer technology instruction with personalized coaching assistance for adults through low-cost classes and seminars on topics ranging from basic computer skills and brain fitness to advanced software and photo editing.

For more information, visit www.AGEofCentralTX.org, or call 512-451-4611.

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

AUSTIN OAKS HOSPITAL Austin Oaks Hospital is an acute care, behavioral-health facility that provides unsurpassed mental health care to adults, adolescents, and children ages four and up. We offer programs designed to meet the distinct needs of individuals with a wide array of emotional illnesses. We strive to provide a homelike environment that promotes crisis resolution, positive self-awareness, social skills, and personal growth.

For more information visit, www.austinoakshospital.com, call 512-440-4800 or visit at 1407 West Stassney Lane.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ADDICTIONS COUNSELING

BILL BRUZY, MHS, LCDC,

is a licensed chemical dependency counselor with the Texas State Department of Health.

MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE

Bill Bruzy, MHS, LCDC began work in addictions when he attended Johns Hopkins School of Public Health receiving a Masters of Health Sciences degree in Alcoholism Program Planning. He then went on to work at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Bill went on to a one-year study on coordinating addiction services with healthcare, criminal justice, and human resource departments in corporations in a four county sub-region in Central Illinois.

In Austin, Bill served as lead therapist at the St. David's Hospital Women’s Eating Disorders Program during the 1980s. He taught counseling students, as adjunct professor, for 10 years at Austin Community College.

Bill started a private practice for men and women in the early 1990s. He then went on to take over ownership of The Austin Men's Center. Bill is a licensed chemical dependency counselor with extensive experience in substance abuse issues. It is Bill’s philosophy that not all substance abuse is the same. Each client needs to be evaluated for their specific type of distress and provided a counseling approach that fits.

For more information, please call (512) 445-7947 or visit www.austinmenscenter.com

MEDICAL STAFFING COMPANY Aspire Therapy Services and Consultant Inc. is a therapist owned and operated therapy and medical staffing company.

Gilbert Perales,MOT, OTR/L and Lauren Anzalone M.A., CCC-SLP created Aspire Therapy Services to assist medical facilities, home health agencies, and schools in providing therapy and healthcare services for their patients and students. ATS was recently granted several local, state, and federal certifications allowing for government partnerships. Gilbert and Lauren feel that the foundation of successful staffing is having a strong team of professionals and being able to collaboratively work with customers to best service their specific needs. Along with staffing, ATS developed Myskybridge to service patients and students needing therapy services remotely across the state of Texas. Myskybridge is a web-based platform allowing therapists to perform therapy sessions via a secure and efficient platform. Currently being used for speech therapy, MSB is able to service mental health and counseling populations. Gilbert and Lauren saw the benefits of using telepractice and telemedicine as a service delivery option for both rural and urban areas. This delivery model has proven to be time and cost efficient for therapists, medical providers, patients, schools, and facilities. MSB was built around the idea of collaboration between all involved in patient/students services. This program is now a stand-alone platform available for purchase by professionals.

For more information about both of these companies visit, www.aspiretherapyservices.com and www.myskybridge.com A U S T I N MD M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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For more information, visit www.GenoRiteRx. com, call 512-351-9160, or visit the pharmacy at 4544 S. Lamar, Suite 730.

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PROFILE

INGenoRite THE GENES: Pharmacy uses genetics to make medicine work better.

BY JONATHAN BLACK

G

enetics is revolutionizing every aspect of medicine, including your local pharmacy. One Austin pharmacy is on the cutting edge of the genetics revolution—while also keeping itself proudly local.

“We are a locally owned company that does everything the big box stores do and more,” says Chris Perling, Director of Pharmacy at South Austin’s GenoRite Pharmacy.

GenoRite emphasizes genetic testing and genetic consultation services at the forefront of its offerings. “We can utilize genetics to make medications safer for our patients,” Perling explains. While many pharmacies are using national genetics labs, GenoRite believes it can get all of the same benefits, plus an understanding and commitment to Austin as a community by partnering with locally owned Genotox Laboratories. The partnership allows GenoRite to run full-panel genetic tests for more than 100 medications.

Perling says that this is great news for GenoRite’s patients. “We are the first pharmacy in the country to use that information and incorporate it in the pharmacy system to prevent adverse drug events.” These events, also known as ADEs, can include overdoses, drug reactions and sub-optimal therapies. They can lead to increased falls, psychiatric incidents, strokes, and even death. “ADE’s are the sixth leading cause of death, and we are hoping to make an impact combating that,” Perling explains.

Along with pharmacy, Perling’s formal studies have included chemistry and medical chemistry—each of which has helped shape his vision for GenoRite.

“My strong scientific background led me to a new a type of pharmacy integrating genetics and guiding our decision on which medications will work best for each individual,” he explains. The pharmacy also benefits from his experiential training in oncology, hormone replacement therapies and compounding.

In addition to its genetic testing and genetic consulting services, GenoRite is a compounding pharmacy, enabling it to make (or “compound”) medications specifically for a patient which may not be commercially available. The pharmacy

PHOTOS BY STEVE DEMENT

also offers a full range of other services, including supplement and nutrition counseling, flu shots, and immunizations—including travel immunizations. GenoRite offers free delivery in the South Austin area. Perling stresses that, with all of these services, customers also benefit from GenoRite’s friendly attitude and locally-owned perspective.

He takes obvious pride in bringing his vision for state-of-the-art, patient-centered pharmacy care to life through GenoRite. “I get to create an environment in the pharmacy that reflects a professional healthcare setting. We offer services beyond the scope of the average pharmacy, from supplement consultations to assisting in reducing medication costs,” he explains. “Through mutual respect and service, our patients receive dedicated and quality care.”

Part of the vision for GenoRite is to serve the growing South Austin community— and serve others more generally. “As our pharmacy grows, I hope the business can give back and make an impact as well,” Perling says. Like many other pharmacists, he is a strong supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and has helped organize and support more than 20 fundraising events for the hospital.

He is always happy to share ways to get involved. “There are many small things people can do very easily that I would like everyone to know about,” he explains.

“Our pharmacy gets its supplies through Amazon and you can set your preferred charity on Amazon Smile to donate 0.5% of your sales to St. Jude. You can also donate points on many sites such as Expedia to St. Jude.”

Perling is a graduate of The University of Texas College of Pharmacy. He also holds a degree in chemistry from the University of Arizona and has PhD work in medicinal chemistry from the University of Texas. He has a strong background in independent pharmacy. Previously, he spent five years at Austin’s Northwest Hills Pharmacy, focusing on long-term care pharmacy and compounding.

Both now and for the future, Perling says the focus of GenoRite is on the patient, “I wanted to build a patient-centered practice to help the average person learn about the best therapies available.”

MY STRONG SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND LED ME TO A NEW A TYPE OF PHARMACY INTEGRATING GENETICS AND GUIDING OUR DECISION ON WHICH MEDICATIONS WILL

WORK BEST FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL.

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SPORTS

HAVE YOU MADE YOUR

GOLF CHECKLIST FOR 2015 YET?

A few key items may make 2015 the best golfing year yet

BY KYLE JEROME

D

o you have a checklist for your everyday activities? Do you need a list to keep you on track and productive? For some people a checklist is the first item on their checklist...huh? Well, here’s an idea...make a checklist for your golf game this year. This can, and should, include everything you can think of to help you play golf better. A checklist will help you in several areas, assuming you stick to your list. First, it can help you be more organized. Second, it gives you a path to follow to a more productive golf game – whether it is the way you practice, where you spend your time practicing, making sure your equipment is up to date, or reaching certain goals you have set for yourself. Below you’ll find a few things that should be on your list. If you think of more, great! Be sure to write it down. You’ll remember it better and be more likely to stick to it if it is written down.

GOALS Writing down your goals, both short-term and long-term, is important because it gives you something to work towards. Goals can be anything you hope to accomplish this year in golf. It is important, however, to make sure your goals are attainable. For example, if your handicap is 20 and you want to be a 12 by the end of the year, set a goal to bring your handicap down two points at a time. Doing this in small increments will help keep you from getting discouraged if you go through stretches where you don’t see as much progress as you would like. Goals can consist of anything you want to accomplish. A shortterm goal might be to spend more time working on your short game. A long-term goal might be dropping your handicap by a certain amount by the end of the year.

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KEEP STATS Keeping stats lets you know where your weaknesses lie. This takes a little time, but the rewards will be worth it in the long run. Have you ever heard the saying, “A chain is only as strong as the weakest link”?

Think of your golf game as a chain. Maybe

your weak link is your pitching, or your bunker play, or your driving. Whatever it may be, spend a little more time in the areas that are keeping you from shooting the scores you want. Having this written down on your checklist will make you more likely to put the work in that’s necessary on that particular area. Also, make a category on your stats list for course management. This will help you to determine whether you’re losing strokes because of loose swings or bad decisions.

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HAVE A PLAN FOR PRACTICING Having a good plan for practicing is important for two reasons – you may not have much time to practice or you may not like to practice. As long as you practice efficiently, you don’t have to practice as much as you might think. If you have an hour to spend practicing, look at what part of your game needs the most work and make that link of your chain stronger. Don’t neglect the other areas of your game; you will always have an area that needs more work than others. Have a good plan and organize with your time.

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FITNESS/FLEXIBILITY Make a commitment this year to improve your physical fitness and flexibility. It will make a difference in your golf game. You don’t have to go to the gym for three hours a day, but spend some time getting in better shape. The more physically fit you are will not only help you feel better, it will help you think better and make better decisions during your round. Make sure to include stretching, especially if you are cramped for time.

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EQUIPMENT Make sure your equipment is ready to go for the year. For example, check your grips. If they get slick at all, change them. If you play at least twice a week, you will probably need to change them every six months. New grips can almost make you feel like you have new clubs. Remember, this is the only contact you have with the club so they need to feel good. Also, check your spikes. If you wear soft spikes, check them regularly. The more you play, the more you will need to replace them.

Traction is important so don’t overlook your spikes.

These are just a few examples that should be included your checklist. If you have more, write them down and stick to them. Being organized is important and saves you valuable time. Often the little things are the first things to be overlooked. Don’t forget to write them down so you can look at them every day. Let’s make 2015 your best golfing year yet! Good luck!

For more information, call 800-879-2008, send a fax to 512-261-8168, or visit www.golfdynamics.com.The Academy of Golf Dynamics has been named one of the top 25 golf schools in the United States by GOLF Magazine.

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SPORTS

Find your om

& FITNESS

YOGA POSES for mental balance

Charmie Stryker is a Vinyasa and Hatha yoga teacher who believes in the power of yoga for both mental and physical health. She started her yoga teaching path during her travels through India and has made it a life intention to share the benefits of yoga. Her practice has been nicknamed “shakti sway.” The word shakti means divine energy and movement, it’s coupled with the word sway because of her love for flow and the fluidity of movements. She encourages her students to find playfulness, challenge, and adventure in their practice on and off the mat.

BY CHARMIE STRYKER PHOTOS BY AARON WARNER

Seated Salutation: Anjali Mudra

In this pose you practice a few moments in stillness and quiet which promotes clarity and calmness. This posture restores a balance in everyday lives.

Revolved Head-to-Knee: Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana

Revolved Head-to-Knee pose stretches the spine and stimulates the internal organs for improved digestion. It is also therapeutic for mild fatigue, insomnia, backache, and anxiety.

Headstand: Sirasana

The inverted position of a headstand improves circulation and stimulates the blood to flow through your adrenal glands. This inversion increases the process of detox while decreasing the symptoms of mild depression.

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Downward Dog: Adho Mukha Svanasana

This posture is one of the most iconic asanas in yoga and it holds a multitude of benefits for mind and body. The Downward Dog pose improves the immune system, digestion, and circulation while helping to calm the mind and relieve stress.

Camel: Ustrasana

Boost energy and elevate your mood with this heartopening asana. Â Find a few breaths in this pose to strengthen your spine and release mental stress.

Bow: Dhanurasana

Bow pose gives the whole body and back a full stretch while increasing blood flow into the spine. Â Results of this posture include both energizing the body and bringing clarity to the mind.

Wheel: Urdhva Dhanurasana

Crescent Lunge: Anjaneyasana

This exhilarating pose works to energize the body and relieves anxiety and stress. In this pose, the front body opens and you increase flexibility in your back and improve breathing and posture while relieving chronic back pain.

Forward Fold: Uttanasana

This enlivening pose opens up the shoulders, chest, and hip flexors.

The Wild Thing posture helps build strength while it releases mental and physical tension in your hips, and helps fight mild depression.

This strengthening posture is both empowering and confidence boosting. By including the Crescent Lunge into your daily practice, you improve your balance, core awareness and concentration. This concentration helps you gain control of your mind, promoting a healthy thought pattern.

Wild Thing: Camatkarasana

This highly therapeutic posture has been practiced for years to help relieve anxiety and insomnia. It also helps stimulate the liver and kidneys while improving digestion.

Dolphin: Makarasana

Dolphin Pose requires concentration and focus which promotes calmness in the mind and alleviates stress. This pose is also a stimulating inversion posture that strengthens the upper body while stretching the hamstrings and spine.

Cobra: Bhujangasana

In this pose you open up the shoulders and neck, which relieves tension and stress while improving strength and flexibility in your middle and upper back. This asana reduces fatigue and is helpful for respiratory disorders such as asthma.

For more information, please visit, www.shaktisway.com, and follow Charmie on New Crop, Facebook, and Twitter.

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For more information visit, bunkerveins.com, call 512-726-0599, or visit their locations on Bee Caves Road or in Round Rock.

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PROFILE

NOT SO VEIN:

Bunker Vein & Imaging Center puts patients first

BY JONATHAN BLACK

“W

e are here to help people and provide the highest standard of diagnosis, treatment and care for varicose veins, spider veins and venous disease,” says Dr. Stephen Bunker, founder of Bunker Vein & Imaging Center. Establishing Bunker Vein in 2011, he brings to Austin more than 30 years of expertise in venous and lymphatic medicine, treating conditions such as deep vein thrombosis and superficial vein disease, as well as in diagnostic radiology, nuclear radiology and nuclear medicine.

Through his practice at Bunker Vein, Dr. Bunker provides a full spectrum of services to his patients, including sclerotherapy, topical laser treatments, and endovenous laser and radio frequency ablation therapies to treat venous conditions.

For Dr. Bunker, however, a successful practice isn’t only about what services are provided — it’s also about how they are provided.

“We strive to provide great care,” he explains.

“There are a number of ways in which we do that.” He takes great pride in the team of certified medical assistants and registered vascular sonographers he has built at the practice. Technology is another important part of the equation. “My passion is to bring the latest and best technology to patients in order to facilitate the early diagnosis and most effective treatment of vein disease,” Dr. Bunker says. “That’s a formula for success.”

He also believes that patient accessibility is the mark of a successful practice. “We do everything we can to make the center accessible and comfortable for patients: our medical assistant staff is bilingual, we have full Saturday hours, and we accept cash payments for those without insurance,” Dr. Bunker elaborates.

Dr. Bunker is not only a practitioner; he has also pioneered advances within his specialty.

He developed the technique for “labeling” red blood cells, enabling them to be traced and

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used to help identify sites of active hemorrhage. In recognition of this advancement, he received an award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine.

Dr. Bunker is board certified in Diagnostic Radiology, Nuclear Radiology, and Nuclear

WE COMBINE LEADING EDGE, COMPASSIONATE AND PERSONALIZED CARE WITH UNCOMMON COMMITMENT AND BEAUTIFUL RESULTS. Medicine. He received his MD from Creighton University in Omaha. Joining the U.S. Army Medical Corps, he studied Diagnostic Radiology at the Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco. Along with his certifications, he has undergone additional training through

the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine. Dr. Bunker has a B.A. in medical physics from the University of California at Berkley.

After completing training at Letterman Army Medical Center, he served as the Chief of Nuclear Medicine at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He also served as a consultant to the Health Services Command for Nuclear Medicine, which is responsible for all army purchases related to nuclear medicine.

Dr. Bunker says his service remains very important to him, “San Antonio and Austin have a rich military background and I feel very connected to that.”

Leaving the Medical Corps with the rank of Major, Dr. Bunker spent 27 years as Chief of the Nuclear Medicine Division at the Department of Radiology of the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) in San Francisco.

He was also the owner and medical director of Fusion Diagnostic Group LLC, a Position Emission Tomography (PET) facility that was eventually purchased by CPMC. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Bunker frequently speaks on medical topics at both the national and local level. He has also been extensively published in peer-reviewed medical journals. In his time away from practicing medicine, Dr. Bunker enjoys some memorable hobbies, including raising Longhorn cattle and operating an amateur radio station. “I enjoy using the radio station to keep up with friends from all over the world,” he explains. He is also an avid follower of professional and collegiate sports. Dr. Bunker and his wife, Mary, enjoy spending time with their three children and eight grandchildren.

Asked what makes the Bunker Vein & Imaging Center’s approach unique, Dr. Bunker says, “We combine leading edge, compassionate and personalized care with uncommon commitment and beautiful results.”

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Health & Beauty

ESSENTIAL OILS:

Beyond hype and into healing

When used correctly essential oils can be powerfully beneficial to your health

E

ssential oils are all the rage lately. They are increasingly popular, not just for their wonderful and delicious a r o m a s and uplifting or relaxing benefits, but many come with claims of healing this ailment or preventing that disease. There is a great amount of information out there, and a good chunk of it is contradictory and misleading from a medical standpoint.

Essential oils are derived from plants, most often by steam distillation or extraction. No doubt, the chemical composition and aroma

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of essential oils can provide valuable psychological and physical therapeutic benefits.

Plant essences are man’s original medicines gifted from the earth. Quite a bit of sound medical and pharmacological science now exists on the therapeutic value of essential oils, demonstrating their incredible natural power.

With great power comes great responsibility, and there are many essential oil resources giving worrisome blanket advice about their use. Caution should be exercised when using essential oils and they should never be substituted for conventional medical care.

Don’t get me wrong. I love essential oil and

use them daily myself. I recommend them to our spa clients and my patients, and we sell them here at Sage & Sweetgrass Wellness Spa. In doing so, and as a medical professional, I am an advocate for the proper and judicious use of these natural medicines.

Ignorance is bliss, as they say. With the increase in essential oils’ direct sales companies, there are many sales distributors, who are enthusiastic, but undereducated on the proper use of the oils they are selling, let alone the very real negative health implications. On numerous occasions I have seen posts on Facebook or written as “fact”

PHOTO BY LISA MOGUEL

BY ALINA SHOLAR

in a blog, where a well-intended, but uneducated company rep gleefully recommends that someone use a certain essential oil on an infant because it’s “natural.” I cringe and dig in with a medical response, often to the irritation of said company distributor. That’s okay with me.

As a physician, it’s my oath to speak up.

Just because essential oils are natural does not mean they do not have potential hazards. Before trusting your family’s wellbeing to someone, you need to make sure they are truly educated in the medicinal use of essential oils and have an understanding of the impact they could have, including allergic reactions, interactions with medication you may be taking, and improper, dosage dangers. Distributors are trained in sales, not the unbiased knowledge that a medical professional or trained and safety-certified aromatherapist has achieved.

Because of the power of essential oils, I am cautious of over using them and want to make sure that my patients always use them safely.

Below are some important things to know about essential oils:

ESSENTIAL OILS ARE HIGHLY CONCENTRATED Essential Oils contain very concentrated properties of the herb or plant form which they are derived. It takes: 256 pounds of peppermint leaf to make one pound of peppermint essential oil.

150 pounds or more of lavender flowers to make one pound of lavender essential oil.

Thousands of pounds of roses to make one pound of rose essential oil.

A very small amount of oil often has the qualities of many cups of herbal tea from the same plant. For instance, one drop of peppermint essential oil is equivalent to 26-28 cups of peppermint tea. If you wouldn’t ingest dozens of cups of an herbal tea, you should probably think twice before consuming the equivalent amount of essential oils.

ESSENTIAL OILS APPLIED TO THE SKIN We use essential oils topically in many of our spa rituals, such as the Desert Rain Ritual, and therapeutic massage treatments at Sage &

About the Author Alina D. Sholar, M.D., is a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery in Austin, Texas. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and she is highly trained in all aspects of plastic cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, including breast surgery, burn surgery and facial cosmetic surgery, as well all other aspects of aesthetic cosmetic surgery.

She received her B.S. in biomedical science with magna cum laude honors from Texas A&M University, and she went on to earn her M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch on a full-tuition merit scholarship. There, she was awarded the prestigious Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Award and Achievement Citation for Women in Medicine. Sholar then completed a full five-year residency in general surgery at the University of Louisville, where she was awarded the John W. Price Award for Excellence in Medical Student Instruction. She then continued her study of surgery by completing an additional residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Tennessee.

Today, she is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and she is a medical illustrator and an accomplished artist whose medical artwork has been published in prestigious medical journals and textbooks including the Annals of Plastic Surgery and the Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Journal.

A Texas native who is proud to be a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Sholar loves her rescued dachshunds, and she and her husband are passionate about supporting local animal rescue organizations.

Sweetgrass, but always in diluted amounts. In most cases, essential oils should not be used undiluted (also known as “neat”) on the skin.

Three reasons are sensitization, photosensitivity, and toxicity.

Being aware of the common risks for sensitization, also called Allergic Contact Dermatitis, is important when using essential oils.

Sensitization is a delayed reaction which manifests hours to days after exposure, often as an itchy, red, sometimes blistery rash, which involves lymphocyte immune cells that produce the reaction. People with sensitive skin, dermatitis, or eczema are especially prone to sensitization. Although there are essential oils known to be sensitizers, such as melissa, lemon verbena, aniseed, cassia, Peru balsam, and spearmint, there are even more which are suspect. For this reason, it is not recommended that you use essential oils undiluted, and that you not use the same essential oil every day for a long period of time.

Citrus oils make the skin more sensitive to the sun, also known as Photosensitivity. These oils have furanocoumarins that react when exposed to UV light, leading to hyperpigmentation of the skin or burning more easily from minor sun exposure for up to 24 hours after use. Oils generally considered photosensitive are: angelica root, bergamot, bitter orange, cumin, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and patchouli.

As a general rule, essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil like coconut oil or almond oil in a two to five percent solution for most adults. This is two to five drops of essential oils per teaspoon of carrier oil. For babies six months up to children six years of age, a 0.25% dilution is recommended, which is one drop per four teaspoons of carrier oil. A one percent dilution (one drop per teaspoon of carrier oil; five to six drops per ounce) is the safe recommendation for children over age six, pregnant women, elderly adults, those with sensitive skin, compromised immune systems, or other serious health issues.

When used topically in a suitable dilution, essential oils have a multitude of applications for health, beauty and well-being, including massage, skin care, and first aid remedies.

INHALATION The inhalation of aromatic molecules in oils affects us on a variety of levels – physical, emotional, and spiritual. Inhaled aromatic

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INTERNAL USE OF ESSENTIAL OILS

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You should not use essential oils internally unless under the guidance and prescription of a medically trained professional. Many essential oils are not safe for internal use and others should be used with extreme caution. Remember, essential oils are highly concentrated. The first symptoms of distress and oral poisoning can occur rapidly, including mouth and throat irritation or burning, abdominal pain, and spontaneous vomiting. Even if you have no acute sign of a problem initially, if you continue this method of use, your risk of related problems increases over time and may include permanent damage to the mucous membranes of your throat and esophagus, and even liver or kidney injury. Oral dosing may also interact with your medications because they must be detoxified by the liver, where many medications are also metabolized, interfering with how the medications work.

You may hear some essential oil companies claim something like “our oils are GRAS” (an FDA acronym for Generally Recognized As Safe for consumption), but this applies to consuming in food as an additive in their intended manner, but not in water as suggested by some companies’ distributors. Essential oil company reps are trained in sales, not medicine.

ESSENTIAL OILS DURING PREGNANCY OR NURSING Never take any essential oil internally during pregnancy or nursing. At these times,

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For more information on Sage & Sweetgrass Wellness Spa, visit www.sageandsweetgrassspa.com or call 512-436-8018.

you should stick to inhaled aromatherapy and a very diluted use of approved essential oils in skincare recipes and baths. Some oils are considered safe during pregnancy, especially after the first trimester, such as lavender and lemon, but general precautions of their use still should prevail. Oils considered not safe during pregnancy or nursing include: aniseed; angelica; basil; black pepper; camphor; cinnamon; chamomile; clary sage; clove; fennel; fir; ginger; jasmine; juniper; marjoram; mustard; mugwort; myrrh; nutmeg; oregano; rosemary; sage; thyme; and wintergreen. Peppermint essential oil may decrease milk supply while nursing and should be avoided while nursing.

USE ON BABIES AND CHILDREN This is one of the things that concerns me the most with a lot of the essential oil recommendations I see online. In my opinion, essential oils should never be given internally to children or used undiluted on the skin. As previously described, they should be diluted more than they are for adult application.

Peppermint; rosemary; eucalyptus globulus; and wintergreen should not be used on children under six years of age. These herbs contain menthol and 1,8-cineole, which can induce seizures, slow breathing, or even stop it completely, in very young children. Severe jaundice in babies with G6PD deficiency, a common genetic enzyme deficiency can also occur. Of course, essential oils should never be used internally or undiluted on the skin for children, but these particular oils warrant

caution even for aromatic use.

Essential oils smell like they would be “yummy” to drink. Always keep your essential oils away from children. Treat essential oils like you would any other powerful medicine and keep them out of the reach of children, especially given that the consequences can be harsh.

Generally, oils like lavender, chamomile, orange, lemon, and frankincense are considered safe for diluted use on children. I recommend using safe essential oils in a diffuser.

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS Just as you would exercise caution when using pharmaceuticals, you should practice the same carefulness when using essential oils. Essential oils are profoundly powerful, which makes them capable of both great good and great harm. Pure and natural may be true, but overuse and misuse can and does lead to injury.

I hope this doesn’t discourage anyone from using essential oils, but rather educates and encourages proper use and safety first. Implementing aromatherapy into your lifestyle shouldn’t cause undue worry, but it is important to learn about and heed essential oil safety. By treating essential oils with respect and following the recommendations outlined here, you will be well on your way to safely enjoying the many benefits that aromatherapy can offer. When in doubt, consult your physician and/or a qualified and trained aromatherapy practitioner. At the end of the day, essential oils can be a great and safe natural remedy if used in the right way.

PHOTO BY LISA MOGUEL

molecules enter the nasal passages where they stimulate olfactory receptor sites and trigger messages to the limbic center of the brain, which then has pathways that stimulate physiological responses through the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, which affect sensations of pleasure, pain and nausea centers of the brain, emotion, memory, sleep, and appetite.

Inhalation is also the quickest route to the bloodstream through the lungs. Although oils can be directly inhaled from a tissue, fabric strip, or cotton ball, the safest method is a diffuser. A diffuser is a device that produces a cool, fine mist in which essential oils are broken into tiny particles and delivered into the air. A diffuser dilutes the oil, so not much oil is needed – only about three to five drops of essential oil per 100 ml water. It’s the most popular and safest method of using essential oils, and can be used to add natural fragrance to a space, kill airborne germs, and offer better sleep.

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Health & Beauty

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Blossom in the Spring Diet, exercise, and a little help from a trusted physician will help you put your best face forward.

BY DR. SHIRAT LING

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Here’s what modern science can do for you with effective, non-surgical options:

Instant gratification procedures

Microdermabrasion. Get an instant glow with microdermabrasion, which is a gentle sandblasting to remove the top layer of dead cells.

Botox. Botox Cosmetic, Xeomin, or Dysport is an almost instant gratification procedure that relaxes expression muscles that cause wrinkles. Results are seen a few days after injection and last three to four months. When applied properly, you don’t look frozen or shocked…it shouldn’t be obvious that you had any cosmetic procedure done.

Dermal fillers. Juvederm, Voluma, Restylane, Belotero, and Radiesse are used to plump up laugh lines, deflated lips, fallen cheeks, dark circles, sunken temples. The correction is instantaneous, and should last six months to two years, depending on the product used.

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How to Help Your Skin

as someone leaked untouched photos of you… say, on Facebook or Instagram? Celebrities aren’t the only ones wishing they could be permanently airbrushed. However, life happens…we age, have hormonal changes, have children, have stress, eat poorly, don’t exercise enough, don’t drink enough, and neglect to use sunblock. Most of us just wish we could look the way we used to, not necessarily like someone else.

What makes us look older? Survey says, Wrinkles! Other more subtle changes, like uneven pigmentation, enlarged pores, lax skin tone, decreased elasticity, thinning skin, and migrating fat pads contribute to the more mature look. So, what can be done about these changes, and how do you plan your rejuvenation, especially if you have a budget and limited down time? Let’s strategize.

Beauty starts from within. The skin is a reflection of your inner health, so that dull winter skin may not just be from heaters, hot showers, or dehydration. If you have corrected it with proper nutrition, hydration, sleep, exercise, exfoliation, and sunblock, perhaps it could be something organic, such as hormonal changes, microscopic inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, or food intolerances.

Modify a few items in your life, start with something as simple as eating a regularly, balanced diet. Add chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts to your diet for essential fatty acids. Supplements, such as fish oil (or algae), help to reduce microscopic inflammation that shows up in your skin and cells as Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. Supplementing with vitamin D3 is particularly important in the winter, as we have less sun exposure leading to less conversion of vitamin D into D3. Get these levels checked before over supplementing, since vitamin D is a fat-soluble and can accumulate in your body and have toxic effects. If you suspect a food intolerance, try an elimination diet. You can’t always blame hormones for body changes – it’s usually inconsistencies with diet and exercise that age your face and body. So, make yourself a priority, even for an hour a day, and get some self love.

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Intense Pulsed Light Treatments. Skin Tightening on an IPL provides instantaneous lift, and collagen production two weeks later. Spider Vein Reduction targets blood cells and unwanted blood vessels; the body absorbs these within a week or so.

Photofacials target brown spots and some blood vessels, and it takes about a week for your body to reject and slough the fried spots. Hair Removal targets the actively growing hair follicles, which occur at different rates in the various parts of the body.

Acne Treatments target overactive oil glands and bacteria responsible for acne. If flare ups are related to your menstrual cycle, plan your treatments the week prior. As with all IPL treatments, multiple treatments may be necessary.

Delayed gratification procedures

Dr. Shirat Ling Collagen-inducing procepersonally performs all dures: Microneedling and CO2 the medical cosmetic procedures at her South fractional resurfacing. Both of First Street office. She has these create tiny wells in the performed more than 8,500 skin that stimulate collagen ablative laser procedures, production to fill in lines, acne and she has been in medical practice for 14 scars, and minimize pores. years, 10 of which she has Other modalities, such as stem spent performing medical cells and PRP (platelet rich cosmetic procedures. plasma) can be added to these procedures to improve longterm efficacy. These treatments have some subtle instantaneous results, but typically are most obvious several months down the line.

Dermal filler. Sculptra is used to fill in hollow temples and cheeks. Multiple treatments are usually necessary, applied every six weeks until the desired effect is achieved. Stem cell har-

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vesting is used to grow your own fibroblasts (which takes a few months) and re- implanting them to produce more of these collagen-producing cells.

Trust your face to a physician who has superior knowledge of internal factors of aging, facial anatomy and has a keen, artistic eye to bring out your unique, innate beauty. As Spring falls upon us, emerge from your hoodies and Uggs and plan your transformation into the beautiful butterfly you are.

For more information, visit www.innatebeauty.com.

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dining

Farm-to-Fête

EDEN EAST Chef Sonya Coté has turned her garden into gourmet

BY SAM JACKSON PHOTOS BY ROBERT LERMA

S

ituated out of the way in East Austin, Chef Sonya Coté has carved out a piece of farmto-table utopia at Eden East.

Each weekend Chef Coté can be found cooking up her farm-to-table cuisine with food sourced locally from Springdale Farm. At this reservation-only establishment, expect to dine under the stars in a canopy of aged pecan trees – on cold or rainy days they offer seating in a cozy 1920s farmhouse. Don’t be surprised to see local, celebrity chefs there to entertain. Coté has been known to invite her friends over, like Mat Clouser from Swift’s Attic, or you just might spot members of the Pixies dancing on the tables.

Next up for Coté, who also runs the more traditional Hillside Farmacy, is a Mediterranean-themed project. She got her inspiration from a recent trip to a music festival in Florida and brought back intriguing ingredients she is currently experimenting with, such as pecan

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oil and fresh anchovies. She said the atmosphere at the festival was like “being in the Twilight Zone with chain smoking mermaids.” We can’t wait to see what farm-to-table freshness Coté has cooking up her sleeves with an equally exquisite venue to match.

YOU JUST MIGHT BE SEATED NEXT TO REPRESENTATIVE EDDIE RODRIGUEZ AT A COMMUNAL TABLE AT EDEN EAST. For the past three of his 12 years serving in the Texas House of Representatives, Rep. Rodriguez has been helping to lead a one-of-a-kind legislative body, the Farm-to-Table Caucus. He is on board with the farm-totable movement and is working hard to make good food more accessible and put local farmers more at ease.

The founder and a co-chair, along with Texas Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) and 18 other members of the Texas legislature, have turned their focus “to educate members of the Texas Legislature on issues relating to the growing, harvesting, and consumption of Texas foods, distilleries, craft beers, and regional wines.” The other half of their work is focusing on issues involving local farms, nutrition and hunger, among others, and working to pass related legislation. Currently, Rep. Rodriguez and the Caucus are targeting lower income families’ access to organic food.

“I’m working on legislation to allow for the Lone Star [food stamp] card to be readily available at farmer’s markets,” he told us of his current goals. Currently, his top priority is rewriting a code in Texas agricultural law that only allows farms of 10 acres or more in Travis County to qualify for agricultural evaluation and more importantly, a lower tax rate. This would ease the pressure on small farms like Springdale Farm, which operate on extremely small plots of land or that only grow certain crops.

“The counties have some flexibility on how large a tract can be before they qualify for evaluation,” Rodriguez explains. “So we want to eliminate that minimum.

There’s not a consistency around the state.”

For more information visit, http://www.edeneastaustin.com

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