20
T he C oast News
MAY 6, 2022
ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE COAST NEWS
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Some of the information on this page is SPONSORED CONTENT and is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs
PA I D C O N T EN T
Society is fed up and tired of COVID revivorship
steve leisher
T THE FINDINGS were based on a study in which researchers examined time parents spend with their children from ages 3 to 5, alongside the children’s test scores when they were ages 8 to 14. Courtesy photo
Study: Adult skills correlate to early learning By City News Service
REGION — Skills people possess later in life may develop early in childhood, and there can be significant differences in skill sets depending on gender, according to findings released April 19 by UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management. The findings may explain in part the paucity of
women compared to men working and studying in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. The researchers found women may opt out of such fields because they receive more early childhood reinforcement in language arts, according to the UCSD study, “Parental Investments in Early Childhood
55+ FITNESS CLASSES Specifically designed around the needs of our older athletes, our daily focus includes mobility, flexibility, joint strength, mechanics, nutrition, overall strength and endurance. Our 55+ classes are smaller to provide assistance and modifications to any movement or workout providing a safe and comfortable space for our older members.
NOW ACCEPTING MEDICARE
Come take a tour and learn more!
(760) 815-8031
info@crossfitcounterculture.com
318 NORTH EL CAMINO REAL, SUITE B • ENCINITAS
and the Gender Gap in Math and Literacy,” to be published in the journal American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings. “We find girls are better in English than boys in grades three through seven,” Anya Samek, an associate professor of economics at the Rady School and one of the study’s co-authors, said in a statement. “Because girls are more likely to do well in language fields early in life, they may find themselves more inclined to choose them for majors and careers. “Thus, women may be underrepresented in STEM in part because of their cultivated talents achieved earlier in life,” Samek said. The findings were based on a study in which the researchers examined time parents spend with their children from ages 3 to 5, alongside the children's test scores when they were ages 8 to 14. Additionally, the more time parents spent teaching children from ages 3 to 5 — up to three hours or more a week — correlated with better test scores when the children are ages 8 to 14. For instance, teaching three or more hours predicted 6% higher scores in English for children in fourth grade, relative to teaching one hour or less. However, there’s a gender gap in parental investment in children, the researchers found. On average, parents spent more time with girls and several factors could contribute to this disparity.
For example, compared to boys, the researchers found girls had a stronger ability to sit still and focus, and parents of girls were also 18% more likely to report that their child liked it when they taught. According to the data, girls did substantially better in language- related studies than boys, while scores for girls and boys in mathematics were more similar. Researchers found a stronger correlation between parental investment with language scores than they did with math. “I think it’s surprising to see that parental investments are correlated with the test scores in English but not in math,” said Samek. “It could be because we’re told to read to our kids at least 10 minutes a day. We’re told to introduce them to books and I think we probably spend less time thinking about how to engage children in math.” The study participants were mostly from Chicago and included 2,185 children and 953 parents who responded to surveys, 702 of whom also provided testscore data. “We show that early-life investments by parents are strongly associated with later-life language skills but only weakly associated with later life math skills,” Samek said. “It could be that parents just do not spend as much time teaching children math as they do reading. If that is the case, the next step may be to encourage parents to teach their young children math alongside reading.”
his month I asked integrative health expert, Dr. Greg Lane, DACM, LAc, to share his perspective on “long COVID,” a health condition affecting many in our community. Lane is a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine who has helped people suffering with this condition. “As we enter the third year of the pandemic our society is fed-up, tired and beat-up over the persistence of the virus, the socio-economic impact and the fractures in our society,” Lane said. “One particularly disquieting result is patients who experience ‘long COVID,’ who are sometimes called “long-haulers.” The definition, according to the Mayo clinic, are effects of COVID-19 that persist more than four weeks after a person had been initially diagnosed. In my clinical practice I have seen many patients suffering a variety of lingering effects that seem to target the areas in which they are susceptible or have a predisposition, such as shortness of breath in patients with weak lungs, digestive complaints in patients with weaker digestions and pain in muscles and joints. The CDC defines the range of symptoms as follows:
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating, i.e. “brain fog” • Cough • Chest or stomach pain • Headache • Heart palpitations • Joint or muscle pain • Pins and needles sensations • Diarrhea • Sleep problems • Fever • Lightheadedness • Rash • Mood Changes • Change in smell or taste • Changes in menstrual period Recently a patient that came to Revivorship so fatigued post-COVID that she couldn’t walk around the block without having to stop and rest where previously she had no problem doing so. Something that I have noticed helps our patients is instructing them in proper breathing first and foremost. This is something that can be learned easily and done as homework. Healthy breathing has a huge impact on their overall sense of well being. “Also important to speed recovery is improving the quality and quantity of sleep. I find most people are significantly under rested and overstressed in general in our society and examining sleep hygiene and correcting circadian rhythm imbalances are crucial to recovery. Acupuncture and herbal medicine prove very effective as well.”
Thank you Dr. Greg for your insight! You can make an appointment with Dr. Greg • Tiredness or Fatigue Lane to support your best • Symptoms that get health post COVID, post canworse after physical or men- cer or for general wellness at tal activities (also known as Revivorship (844) 757-2327. post-exertional malaise) www.revivorship.com
TO HELP patients suffering from “long-COVID” symptoms, Revivorship recommends patients focus on breathing and improving their sleep. Courtesy photo
21
T he C oast News
MAY 6, 2022
ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE COAST NEWS
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Some of the information on this page is SPONSORED CONTENT and is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs
PA I D C O N T EN T
A sure cure for the age-old UTI For millions of older women, urinary tract infections are not only excruciatingly uncomfortable but also potentially dangerous, which is why many doctors are recommending Clearmax – the ultimate, all-natural miracle solution that washes away an infection in just a few days. UTIs can be a painful, even life-threatening, recurring problem for many older women. The infection can affect the brain, causing seniors to experience sudden changes in behavior and cognitive issues like frequent falls, confusion and dizziness. “A lot of elderly people can suffer a misdiagnosis of dementia when in fact they have a urinary tract infection,” said Nigel Nelmes, owner of Clearmax. More than 9 million doctor visits each year are directly the result of UTIs. Clearmax targets E.coli, the bacteria that causes UTIs and bladder infections by sticking to mucous membranes in the urinary tract system. Clearmax is not readily absorbed by the body, so it passes through the body and urinary tract in high concentrations. Within Clearmax is an all-natural, clinically proven ingredient called D-mannose, a simple sugar that works as the main ingredient. It also includes cranberry extract, bromelain, uva ursi, wild yam, dandelion and MSM.
MILK THISTLE is a flowering herb related to the daisy and ragweed family. It’s native to Mediterranean countries. Some call it Mary thistle and holy thistle. Courtesy photo
HERB OF THE MONTH UTI INFECTIONS can be painful. Clearmax is a sure cure for this age-old ailment. Courtesy photo
These main ingredients are approved for sale in the European Union as a first line of defense against UTIs. “These are all natural products that have been used for many years to combat UTIs,” Nelmes said. D – Mannose attracts the bacteria, which bonds with the formula as it passes through the urinary tract. The bacteria is then flushed out with urine. It doesn’t affect blood sugar and is safe for pregnant women and children. Results show up as fast as 24 hours after taking Clearmax without any side effects. Tens of thousands of people already trust Clearmax as the first line of defense against recurrent infections. “I have people call me and tell me
how thankful they are that they found this product because it’s literally changed their lives,” Nelmes said. “It’s a miracle formula.” Clearmax was formulated by some of the most respected urologists in Orange County. The company has been established for over 10 years and the product comes in the form of a capsule that is easily taken orally. Those who have frequent UTIs should take two to four capsules as a daily supplement. For Deborah S. of Albany, New York, Clearmax worked for her within three days. “I used Clearmax for about three days and all my symptoms disappeared,” she said. “It was the first
time I did not have to take antibiotics.” Patients may be able to purchase Clearmax directly from their doctor’s office if they carry it, otherwise the miracle formula can be purchased through the product’s website. TO ORDER THIS
REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT Contact us at
clearmax.net For more information call
1-800-919-5999 or email: info@clearmax.net
PA I D C O N T EN T
Maintaining your weight without exercise healthy living
dr. kern brar, m.d.
W
eight loss is a journey that starts from your current weight. Individual weight is a reflection of the homeostasis your body has achieved based on genetics which are predetermined and diet and exercise which we can control. As such, it can be very hard to change your weight or body composition if you continue the same habits that brought you to your current weight. The difficulty in weight loss is that unhealthy habits we pick up along the years tend to cause difficulties for us over time but the short term happiness from eating salt, sugar, and fat keeps us coming back for more. The beginning point of starting the medical weight loss journey is to find out how many calories your body needs to maintain current weight and this includes the basal metabolic
MOST NUTRITIONAL labels on food are standardized to a diet of 2,000 calories a day. Courtesy photo
rate and the amount of exercise you do. The basal metabolic rate reflects how many calories you need to have on a daily basis to maintain your current weight without any exercise. Most nutritional weight loss labels on the back of foods are standardized to a 2000 calorie a day diet. It’s very surprising for many patients to suddenly realize their basal metabolic rate is only 1500 cal and eating a 2000 cal diet without exercising 500 cal a day will likely result in weight gain. For
example, a nutritional label that states the caloric intake is 25% of your daily intake will actually be 33% of your individual 1500 cal diet. So you should only have 3 servings a day and not 4 if you are trying to just maintain your weight. Weight gain in adults can result in increased fat stores that will significantly increase the risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and ultimately metabolic syndrome. Some of these are reversible but all of these over time will increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, strokes and heart attacks. It is interesting how many patients I see for medical weight loss that try diets and spend a lot of money without knowing their baseline targets. Knowing how many calories your body will burn in a day as a basal metabolic rate can give you a great snapshot into your personal health. Our Fit 3D body scanner gives you that baseline number along with many other important metrics in just a few minutes. Call our office if you are interested in healthy weight
loss.
Dr Kern Brar is a board certified internal medicine physician and partner at Tri-City Primary Care. He lives in north county and has helped hundreds of patients lose weight with medically monitored weight loss and a natural approach to health. To learn more call 760940-7000.
MILK THISTLE - Silybum marianum
wild roots,
a thousand years of healing
bonnie kydd
M
ilk Thistle, also known as St Mary Thistle, Holy Thistle, Marian and Scotch Thistle is a purple flowering plant used for thousands of years to treat a variety of complaints. These days the plant is most widely used in Europe and the US for liver support - increasing overall liver function and stimulating growth of liver cells. It has been used to treat conditions including cirrhosis, hepatitis, jaundice and gallbladder disorders, high cholesterol, asthma, and several types of cancer such as prostate, breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. For 20 years an intravenous preparation made by Legalon, a small company in Germany, has used the seeds of the milk thistle plant to treat victims of the deadly DEATH CAP mushroom. The FDA approval for milk thistle in the US is still being studied. In one
case in California where a family was accidentally poisoned, a physician obtained emergency approval to use IV silibinin made from milk thistle seeds and he saved the lives of the entire family, except the grandmother. His treatment is now called The Santa Cruz Protocol. Perhaps someday soon it will be on hand in all US emergency rooms as wildcrafting is becoming increasingly popular in our country. Milk Thistle seed extract can be purchased in capsules of 350 mg. for daily use. My favorite brand Simple Truth is non-GMO, vegan-friendly and can be ordered in bulk from your favorite online herb market such as Mountain Rose or herbs.com. I use a teaspoon of the ground herb when making a my daily cup of Wonder Woman-type tea, as an antioxidant and daily cleanser to support energy and liver health. Occasionally I’ll buy a tasty tincture from Bear Creek Herbs when I travel. When your liver is happy, so is the rest of your body. Some people swear that milk thistle can cure a hangover, but you will have to be the judge of that.
Why Spend Hours In The ER For URGENT Matters?
41715 Winchester Road Ste. 101 Temecula, CA 92590 Temecula
951-308-4451 Open 24 hours a day 7 Days a Week!
Open & Fully Staffed
24/7
www.Temecula24HourUrgentCare.com
Both Locations Offer On-site: X-Ray & Surgery Bay Orthopaedics Physicals Laboratory Services Covid Testing We Accept Tri-Care, Medicare, PPO & Insurances
295 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road San Marcos, CA 92078
760-471-1111
Convenient Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-9pm Sat., Sun. 9am-7pm
www.SanMarcos.Care
• Practitioners on-site to assist you, 7-DAYS A WEEK. • NO INSURANCE? Excellent Rates for Self-Paying Patients. • No appointment necessary. Walk-ins welcome or Book Online. Average Wait time of 30 mins. or less
22
T he C oast News
MAY 6, 2022
ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE COAST NEWS
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Some of the information on this page is SPONSORED CONTENT and is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs
Tri-City Medical Center integrates AI technology the pulse
of north county tri-city medical center
W
as ea l
GR O on P AN El E N in Ca D En m IN cin ino G it R
hen Mark, a husband, father, grandfather and retiree arrived at Tri-City Medical Center’s emergency room, he was completely surprised to learn that he was having a stroke. While he was undergoing a computed tomography (CT) scan to confirm the diagnosis, Laura Desadier, DO a neurohospitalist at Tri-City, could see the images of the blood clot in his brain on her phone through VIZ.ai, a HIPAA compliant software pro-
LAURA DESADIER, DO, a neurohospitalist at Tri-City Medical Center. Courtesy photo
gram that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate care coordination and is integrated with the hospital’s CT scanner. Immediately, everyone
that would be involved in his care knew that this was a thrombectomy case and that he needed life-saving treatment, as they were all connected to the VIZ.ai
Brand new ADULT DENTAL
IMPLANT CENTERS
One-Stop Shop for all your Dental Implant & Porcelain Restoration Procedures Specially Designed, Covid-Safe Facility
Just one patient at a time! All on 4 Implant Teeth in a Day Teeth in a Day with Onsite Lab Crowns, Bridges & Implants plus Maintenance Serve Pro • Covid-certified for your safety In-house Financing • Emergency Extractions Digital Scanning Technology Oral Sedation Dentistry
A+ BBB rating
50% OFF
ALL PROCEDURES
Save 50% OFF ADA, UCR rates on your entire treatment plan w/mention of this ad! For new patients with appointment only. Offer expires 6.8.22
James C. LaJevic, D.M.D. Long-time Rancho Santa Fe Resident with 40 years Experience in Implant Dentistry. Graduate of the Prestigious School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Former Full-time Faculty Professor of Prosthetics at the University of Pittsburgh (Crowns & Implants).
program on their phones. As Tri-City’s Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center operates 24/7 and is supported by neurologists, neurosurgeons, interventional radiologists, stroke nurses and other experts, “they did not hesitate to help me and did it at lightning speed which I’m sure is the reason for my speedy recovery,” said Mark. “This technology allowed us to streamline the workflow so that we could take the patient from the scanner, immediately start thrombolytic therapy and then take him to the interventional suite to remove the clot,” said Dr. Desadier. “When a patient is having a non-bleeding ischemic stroke, time is brain. By that I mean the faster a patient begins clot-dissolving drugs and clot retrieval procedures, the greater the chances are that we can save brain tissue and help the person to better recover.” In the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T. , which is used to identify a stroke, the “T” stands for “time” as every second counts; 911 should be called immediately so that the person can get to the hospital quickly and receive intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA) within three hours of symptom onset. According to the American Stroke Association, the other F.A.S.T. warning signs are: • Balance: signs are dizziness, sudden trouble walking, or loss of balance • Eyes:signs are trouble seeing or a sudden change in vision • Face: one side of a person’s face droops, resulting in an uneven smile • Arms: one arm drifts downward when a person tries to raise both arms • Speech: a person’s speech is slurred when asked to repeat a simple phrase As the first hospital in North County to earn the the Gold Seal of approval as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) certification from The Joint Commission, in collaboration with the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), Tri-City has met rigorous standards for performing mechanical endovascular thrombectoTURN TO THE PULSE ON 26
Most Insurance Accepted • Free 2nd Opinions Call now to schedule your VIP appointment
760-203-6525
ENCINITAS - 191 El Camino Real, #209 Monarch Bay at DANA POINT - 38840 #C Pacific Coast Hwy
CorrectChoiceDental.com
PA I D C O N T EN T
MOTHER’S DAY is about celebrating the woman who raised you and shaped who you are as a person. Courtesy photo
Shout-out to mamas intentional living
angie & marc rosenberg
A
s Mother’s Day arrives this year, and we gather to celebrate the superwoman in our life, I wanted to share some personal insights into motherhood. I’m hoping that you can share your story with others and connect with greater purpose and intention in the meaning of motherhood. Being a mom is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Sure I’ve had my painful moments and hardship, as many of us do, there is no off switch to mothering. While I’m grateful to
be surrounded by a positive group of friends and family who share in this journey of parenthood, I catch myself sometimes sugar coating the tougher moments. Most days I’m tired and covered in dirt or poop. A conversation with my toddler can go like this, “Please don’t dip your broccoli in your paint” followed by “No, you can’t climb in the oven.” Young children, mine being 2 years and 3 months old, test your patience and push your limits, yet can easily turn around and melt your heart with endearing reflections like, “I’m just hanging out with mommy” and “be careful mommy, I love you” and that’s when you know that all the hard work is worth it. My baby girl is wakTURN TO INTENTIONALON 26
PA I D C O N T EN T
Got stress? Got fatigue? How stress, fatigue and dental health are connected
I
t’s been said that the number one complaint in medical offices across the country is fatigue. People seem less resilient when encountering challenges or recovering from stressful situations. One hidden cause might be chronic infections in the mouth that put stress on our immune
holistic dentistry
dr. carey o’rielly systems 24/7. Sometimes people are unaware there’s a problem because infections don’t always hurt! There may be gum infections, bone infections or tooth/root canal infections. Gum disease actually affects at least half of the population. Because gum disease often doesn’t hurt, if there isn’t regular, thorough dental care, people don’t always know they have it. Inflammatory bacteria that live in your mouth can leak into the bloodstream and put stress on organs like the heart. The endothelial lining of the blood vessels can become inflamed, which eventually leads to plaquing of the arteries and increased cholesterol. Bacteria may also beTURN TO DENTISTRY ON 26
26 THE PULSE
CONTINUED FROM 22
my (EVT), a specialized surgical procedure that saves lives by removing blood clots from the brain during an ischemic stroke. Additionally, Tri-City has been recognized with both the Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award by the American Stroke Association for using thrombolytic therapy within 60 minutes in 75 percent or more of applicable acute ischemic stroke patients. “Having a certified TSC in North County is critical to the health of our local residents,” said Dr. Desadier. “We make it a point to educate first responders, as well as the community, that when it comes to stroke, you really should bring a person to Tri-City, as it is the only certified TSC in North County. “Our team can begin treatment immediately without having to transport the patient to another facility for EVT. The faster a person gets help can mean the difference between a full recovery and long-term disability or death.” “As a neurohospitalist, I only see patients in the hospital who are experiencing neurological disorders, like a stroke,” added Dr. Desadier. “I am still amazed when I see a
INTENTIONAL CONTINUED FROM 22
ing me every 2 to 3 hours and while sleep-deprived, during her waking moments, her smiles and beautiful big brown eyes light up my life, keeping me eager for the next day. Mamas, I see you and you are doing an amazing job. Sometimes all our children need is for us to sit alongside them and provide encouragement in whatever they are doing. Always remember that you are the best and work so hard. You don’t need to be more, do more, or become more than what you already
DENTISTRY
CONTINUED FROM 22
come embedded in the arterial plaque, causing it to be chronically inflamed. So inflammation and stress stemming from your mouth can put strain on heart functioning over time. As we all know, a healthy heart contributes to your energy levels, sense of well being and ability to
T he C oast News patient in the morning sitting up in bed and eating breakfast after spending the night in the ICU recovering from a stroke. “Most patients don’t remember me from when they came in because we were busy doing everything we could to save their life. They often can’t believe they’ve had a stroke and ask how soon they can go home.” Most patients will need some type of rehabilitation therapy following a stroke. Tri-City is one of the few hospitals to offer an acute rehabilitation program as part of its stroke care program. A multidisciplinary team will determine the best course of treatment for each patient and start three hours per day of rehab as soon as possible to improve recovery before the patient is discharged. “I always tell people we can’t regrow the brain after a stroke – we have to retrain the brain,” said Dr. Desadier. “Through early and aggressive rehab with physical, occupational and speech therapy, and support from their families, patients do so much better. “From the minute they come through the door suffering with symptoms of a stroke until they leave, we can offer patients so much more now than ever before in stroke care. ” “I am eternally grateful to Tri-City Medical Center for the excellent
care I received,” said Mark. “The entire staff was fantastic, and I’m convinced that they were all watching out for my best interests for a speedy recovery from my stroke. Mission accomplished.”
offer to your children. You are exactly who they need you to be. It’s ok to take a step back, take breaks, be selfish, and say no. Children respond well to rules and structure. Without it, they tend to struggle because there is too much for their little minds to process. Mom, you set the tone and your family responds as a result. Model healthy connections, nutrition, and movement, and your children will do the same. If you are in survival mode because of the age of your children, go easy on yourself, lower your expectations, and respond always with
love. You are loved, Happy Mother’s Day Mama! Here are 5 tips for greater intentional motherhood: 1. Take breaks and model this for your kids 2. Be gentle and kind to yourself 3. Exercise, even if it’s a walk with the kids 4. Have healthy foods on hand that are easy to eat 5. Find your group of mamas who understand and support you
handle stress. Sometimes it’s the other way ‘round: stress can have an impact on your mouth. Stress on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can lead to headaches and problems sleeping. Clenching and grinding can cause the teeth to wear down and loosen. Eventually, teeth may be lost. Are you putting off
dental visits? Do you have unexplained fatigue? Quality dental care can save you money in the long run, and can certainly add to your quality of life.
from the Coast News Group
May is National Stroke Awareness Month According to the American Stroke Association, the most common type of stroke is ischemic, caused by a clot that is blocking the blood supply to the brain. A transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini stroke, is caused by a temporary, but serious clot. Clots form when fatty deposits line the blood vessel walls; this is called atherosclerosis. There are numerous risk factors for stroke including high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, an unhealthy diet and heart disease. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States; in 2019, someone died of stroke every 3 minutes 30 seconds. The risk for stroke is nearly twice as high for blacks as it is for whites, and it increases with age. Women have a higher risk for stroke than men. Click to learn more about stroke awareness and the services offered at TriCity Medical Center’s Stroke Care Center.
For more on our support and services, and to join our NTENTION Setter community, visit us at www.4NTENT. com or follow us on instagram, @4NTENT.
Dr. Carey O’Rielly, DDS is a holistic dentist practicing at Integrative Dentistry in Encinitas. To learn more visit our website at myholisticdentist.com or contact us at 760-632-1304.
CHEERS!
CONTINUED FROM 24
diver is ready to enter the water. So, what we would see, as the diver is preparing to dive, would be a white canvas-looking suit with a fancy copper collar, hence the name, "Copper Collar Worker." We like to say we are not white-collar workers because white-collar workers don’t get dirty when they work, and their hands are soft. We are not blue-collar workers because we still go ballroom dancing, race Ferraris, and play pickleball. I’m actually not sure if blue-collar workers do any of this, but I expect you get the point. Navy divers are often a special breed of people. The reason we went by this name is that Jason and I first met in the Navy, where we were serving as Navy divers. We threw around a lot of ideas for names, but we ultimately landed on Copper Collar because copper played a huge role in distilling and diving throughout history. It seemed like a flattering juxtaposition between an element, two different industries, and two navy divers. I will also say we were well involved in the spirits industry during our time as active-duty Navy divers, just in a different way. Mostly consumption, to be honest. Cheers!: What inspired you to take on the challenge of starting a distillery in the first place? Scott: I am glad you asked. This is my favorite part of our story. I completed my Navy service in December 2013. I was going to complete my business degree and become an upstanding member of society, but then Jason called me in January 2014 and proposed the idea of starting a distillery. With absolutely zero research, no plan, and no knowledge of what is required to start a distillery, I naturally responded to Jason with an affirmative. Anyone who really knows me knows that I really only function under a constant state of crisis. I’m not big on busy work or excessive planning. I’m the ideas guy. My philosophy is that things tend to work themselves out naturally if you ignore them long enough. Otherwise, they turn into a problem, and I enjoy solving problems. I can also say with a high degree of certainty that had we done the research, we would have never gotten off the ground. It was so robotic in how we started. In three months, we had an LLC. In six months, we had our lease and started applying for our licenses. We were just shooting in the dark the whole way through. The other members of the San Diego Distiller’s Guild were a huge help as well. They would give us pointers on what to do next, but really, we were all so very new at the time
MAY 6, 2022 that we were all just sharing stories of our experiences so we could get this industry off the ground. We realized early on that we were not going to succeed without each other. The alcohol industry is not structured in a way that is friendly to new entrants. The laws and regulations are typically about 80 to 100 years old, and the interpretation of the law differs from one agent to the next. So, the best practice is to stay out of what we call the gray area unless you like to fight with the government. Cheers!: Copper Collar Distillery has been in business for coming up on six years, but the last two have been under the cloud of the pandemic. What have the pandemic years been like for you and your co-founder Jason Pelle, and has the experience changed how you do business? Scott: Wow, yeah, over seven years, if we count from the time we were founded. What many folks don’t know is that it takes around a-year-and-a-half for initial state and federal licensing for a craft distillery. We were paying rent in an unused space while our licensing applications were in-progress. Since this whole COVID thing happened, we have been cut off at the knees for growth potential since community events were canceled. Festivals and community events where we pour samples are our life’s blood. The widespread canceling of events caused our growth to almost flatline in 2021, and 2022 has not yet shown a real significant boost since events and festivals are just now coming back online. I expect this to change by summer as folks are getting out and about and events are coming back. Cheers!: If you were to make a drink or a cocktail for someone who had never tried your spirits? What would it be and why? Scott: That is a great question because we craft our spirits with two major considerations. I don’t drink cocktails because I am prone to near out-ofbody experiences when I mix sugar and liquor. I like to keep my wits about me, and cocktails blur that line. Jason does not normally drink spirits neat. This polarization in our preferences forces us to create spirits that can be enjoyed neat or in a cocktail. If either of us does not agree on the usefulness of a particular spirit, it is scrapped or reimagined until we have a consensus. However, I do love to tweak tiki cocktail recipes to work with our spirits. My favorite, my absolute favorite, is my version of a Demerara Dry Float. I will allow myself one of these every now and again just because it is so flavorful. Jason might tell you to mix our silver rum with a good root beer for a hard root beer. I will say that it is quite tasty, but I am not
fond of soda at all. I stick to my three main liquids, coffee, water, and liquor. Cheers!: What did we miss? Anything else you want readers to know about CCD right now? Scott: At the moment, we have three barrels of brandy that we need to get bottled at some point. We will have a five-year-old brandy in September of this year and a four-yearold brandy in November of this year. I think we are going to bottle at least one of these. We have more barrels of rum aging, and I have plans to make a dark rum in the near future. We might also bring back our batch one vodka under a different name since it wasn’t really a vodka. Folks loved it because of the banana candy flavor that carried over from fermentation. And, I am very determined to buy a new kettle for our still so we can start dabbling in whiskey. The kettle we currently have is not ideal for distilling whiskey. This upgrade needs to happen soon. I also have a feeling there are going to be changes to our plan by the time September 2022 rolls around, but one thing is for sure, we are not going to quit on the distillery. This business is our retirement plan, and I want to retire in the next few years. When I say, retire, I mean work 100 hours a week doing what I love. I’m the type of person who will still be working when I am old and senile. Hopefully, when that day comes, I will have a brilliant team who can nod their heads at my incoherent ideas and then do the right thing once I go take a nap. Cheers!: What is the best way for SoCal residents to try or buy Copper Collar Distilling spirits? Scott: In our current condition, we are not focusing hardly any attention on distribution. If anyone wants to try our products, they can see our most up-to-date list of retailers on our website, but not all of our products are at each of the retailers we work with. Right now, the best bet is to reach out to our retailers to ask them to get more of our products or stop by the distillery when we are open. We post updates about new releases and new partnerships with retailers on our social media and our website. The tasting room at Copper Collar Distillery is opening Saturdays from 1:00-7:00 PM or Friday-Sunday by Appointment. Be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook, @coppercollardistillery, for regular updates and special events. Stream the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast on the Coast News Podcast page, and be sure to follow and share your drinking adventures with Cheers! North County on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.