Tri-Cities Healthy Living Magazine Mar'15

SWEET, SWEET SYRUP  WHY THE TRI-CITIES IS MAD ABOUT MAPLE

TRI-CITIES

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features

| vol. 1 no. 7

SWEET, SWEET SYRUP  WHY THE TRI-CITIES IS MAD ABOUT MAPLE

TRI-CITIES

ON THE COVER

bringing medicine to the mountains p24

This three-day Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic is a huge annual undertaking that serves between 2,500 and 3,000 patients with the help of more than 1,400 volunteers. It’s been going on in Wise, a town in the Virginia coalfields an hour north of Kingsport, for more than 15 years. BY DEBRA MCCOWN

maple madness p18

They say a watched pot never boils, but Hugh Thompson’s wife knows exactly what happens when Thompson doesn’t watch his pot—it boils over and creates a mess of sticky, sweet maple syrup running down the stove.

BY LEIGH ANN LAUBE

seizures: beyond the grand mal p30

When you hear the word seizure, it’s likely you envision the collapsing, the stiff body and the violent convulsions. However, this image of seizures isn’t representative. Seizures happen in the brain, the most complex organ of the human body, and that means they’re every bit as varied and complicated.

BY KATIE MCPHERSON

MARCH 2015

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departments

7

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beat

TRENDS | NEWS | PEOPLE

p44

BY LEIGH ANN LAUBE, DEBR A MCCOWN & BROCK SENG

8

Meet the man in charge.

9

Ding dong, the doc is here!

10

Spring cleaning solutions.

11

Business news you need to know.

13

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INSIGHT | ADVICE | SOLUTIONS

B Y C E A L I A AT H A N A S O N , L A U R E L G I L L U M & B R O C K S E N G

14

All about arthritis.

15

Getting to know gout.

16

Which position do you prefer?

17

The doctors are in!

37

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p10 p15

body

NUTRITION | FITNESS | BEAUT Y

BY CEALIA ATHANASON, LAUREL GILLUM, JOANN GUIDRY & K ATIE MCPHERSON

38

Facial fixes.

39

Makeup dupes you gotta try.

40

How to have a “wheely” good time.

42

Springtime snacking made simple.

43

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p42

balance

MIND | SPIRIT | FINANCE

BY LAUREL GILLUM AND BROCK SENG

p38

44

Household hazards to avoid.

46

The pitfalls of poker.

48

How to be a morning person (really!). p46 p16

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Life is full of choices.

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Choosing a health care provider is one of the most important decisions you will make.

publisher

MARK BAGGARLY mark@tchealthyliving.com EDITORIAL

editorial@tchealthyliving.com

executive editor

KARIN FABRY-CUSHENBERY managing editor

MELISSA PETERSON contributing writers

AMANDA FURRER JOANN GUIDRY LESLEY JONES BONNIE KRETCHIK LEIGH ANN LAUBE DEBRA MCCOWN CYNTHIA MCFARLAND CARLTON REESE associate editor

KATIE MCPHERSON editorial assistant

BROCK SENG

editorial interns

CEALIA ATHANASON ANDREA DAVIS LAUREL GILLUM

ART & PRODUCTION art@tchealthyliving.com

There’s a Mountain States Medical Group health care provider for you. ine Family MedicPulm Eonol ar, Nogy ose & Thro Uargt en tC

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Choose from 250 providers, 23 different specialties, 90 locations throughout East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

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Healthy Living Tri-Cities, March 2015. Published monthly by Healthy Living Media, LLC and distributed by The Caddy Group, Inc. 2332 Volunteer Parkway, Bristol, TN 37620. All contents copyright 2015 by Healthy Living Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. For back issues or advertising information, call (423) 794-8780. Return postage must accompany all unsolicited manuscripts and artwork if they are to be returned. Manuscripts are welcomed, but no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. “Promotional” and “Promotional Feature” denote a paid advertising feature. Publisher is not responsible for claims and content of advertisements.

myMSMG.net 8/8/14 11:23 AM

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beat TRENDS | NEWS | PEOPLE

minutes to midnight After studying the world’s climate and nuclear arsenals, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists recently moved their Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to imminent doom. The world now sits at three minutes to midnight, the closest since 1984. The actual clock, which hangs in an office at the University of Chicago, is moved closer whenever the “end of the world is nigh,” taking into account climate change and nuclear disaster. But, no need to panic, because if the past 31 years has been any indication, the end of the world is still, at least, three minutes away.

Source: cbsnews.com

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information on the Doomsday Clock, visit thebulletin.org.

MARCH 2015

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beat people

collaborating for better health L ong before he was named commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health, Dr. John Dreyzehner was making an impact on public health right here in the Tri-Cities region.

BY DEBRA MCCOWN

“ Collaboration at all levels, in all sectors, is crucial. At the Tennessee Department of Health, we honor that in both our vision and values.”

—DR. JOHN DREYZEHNER

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tchealthyliving.com | MARCH 2015

DR. JOHN DREYZEHNER Dreyzehner, who began his medical career more than 30 years ago as a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, spent “What we call ‘The Big Three’: Tobacco nearly a decade as director of Southwest use and nicotine, excessive weight and the Virginia’s Cumberland Plateau Health need for more daily physical activity—plus District, collaborating with Northeast one, substance abuse—are the drivers of the Tennessee public health officials on issues top 10 leading causes of death in our state, impacting the region. our continued low health rank of 45 and the He has long advocated for a collaborative chronic diseases that are taking years off our approach to tackling thorny public health life and life off our years,” he says. issues that transcend political boundaries.

“There are certainly regional differences “I did not do anything by myself; it was and disparities, but these are the entirely always with and through other people,” preventable health issues that are the says Dreyzehner, who was appointed challenge of our time in the Tri-Cities, in commissioner by Gov. Bill Haslam in 2011 Tennessee and in most of the country.” after emerging as a clear public health leader It should come as no surprise that he’s through his work on a variety of fronts. taken a collaborative approach to tackling Among the efforts he counts himself these issues as commissioner. fortunate to be a part of in the Tri-Cities “Collaboration at all levels, in all sectors, region: emergency preparedness and is crucial,” he says. “At the Tennessee response; flu vaccination programs; Department of Health, we honor that in both substance abuse prevention, treatment, and our vision and values.” control; creation of a regional health authority Though he’s busy in Nashville, and Blueprint for Health Improvement Dreyzehner says his family still maintains that reaches across state lines; and work their ties to the Tri-Cities region, where he to connect public health with economic and his wife, Jana, built a home and raised development and other collaborative their children. opportunities.

“We have a very strong emotional Dreyzehner’s work in the Tri-Cities, attachment,” he says. “We chose the region, he says, “continues to reverberate in the and it chose us back.” relationships and collaborative culture that are shaping and accelerating the TDH [Tennessee Department of Health] today.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Ask him about public health issues facing For more on the Tennessee Department the state and the region, and he sums up a lot of Health and its initiatives, visit of complexity in a few words. health.state.tn.us.

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beat good deeds

a different kind of doctor

Doctor’s Black Bag practice makes house calls.

BY LEIGH ANN LAUBE

Dr. Dustin Clark practices health care in much the same way he approaches homeschooling his four children—on a very personal, individualized basis.

Clark attended the University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine and completed a residency in family medicine in the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine’s Johnson City Family Medicine Residency Program. During that time, he began considering reviving an old way of practicing medicine.

“In residency I was feeling like much of what I was doing was not really in the interest of patients,” Clark says. “It was in the interest of either the government or other third party payers and required some different things, documentation for example, that really drove a wedge between physicians and patients.”

Clark established Black Bag Family Healthcare in 2014. He has a home-based office, but you’re more likely to find him making house calls.

“Having the time and ability to get to know patients well and interact with them and follow up frequently and really develop a personal relationship with them is what I had envisioned about medicine when I was in medical school,” he explains. “I didn’t necessarily in the beginning expect to be seeing folks in their homes, but that’s been a really nice thing because I get to know folks a little more intimately.”

Clark charges a monthly membership fee and doesn’t —DR. DUSTIN CLARK accept insurance. He’s the only employee, and he sees a little more than 100 patients. Some patients join his practice readily; others need time to get used to this throwback form of health care.

“We have a few generations of people who are so used to the way things are currently done. They think health care has to be performed in an office somewhere and has to be paid through a third party payer. Some have to think a long time about the way I’m doing this,” he says. “I’ve had others so thrilled about it that they jump on board right away and say they never want to go back to an office again.”

As the only physician, he’s on call 24/7, though this may eventually change.

“It’s kind of a situation where I’m not exactly sure how it will work out in the NEED MORE INFO? future. I imagine myself continuing to take care of all the patients I have. Given For more information on Black Bag Family the time factor, at some point, I’m going to not want to be on call for a few days Healthcare, visit blackbagdoc.com or call Dr. and it would be nice to share the burden of calls,” he says.

Dustin Clark at (423) 897-1129.

“ I didn’t necessarily in the beginning expect to be seeing folks in their homes, but that’s been a really nice thing because I get to know folks a little more intimately.”

MARCH 2015

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beat the challenge

sweep away the

winter!

BROOM © CUNAPLUS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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Each month we present our readers with a new challenge to improve their health and wellness. This month we’re asking you to deep clean your house.

the problem:

NO ONE LIKES A DIRTY HOUSE. AND WHEN WE SAY DIRTY, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT CLUTTER AND CLEANLINESS. A DIRTY HOUSE CAN LEAD TO THE GROWING OF BACTERIA SUCH AS E. COLI, SALMONELLA AND MOLD. FAILING TO VACUUM A LIVING ROOM OFTEN ENOUGH CAN CREATE A BREEDING GROUND FOR DUST MITES AND PET DANDER. A CLEAN HOME IS NOT ONLY MORE ATTRACTIVE AND ROOMIER BUT ALSO SAFER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

the challenge:

tablecloths, seat covers, dog bed and more. You might even consider renting a carpet cleaner and giving carpets or rugs a thorough cleaning as well.

PURGE THE KITCHEN. When you buy new food, the older food gets pushed to the back.

Instead of just straightening up, pull it out and toss out everything out of date. While you have everything out, wipe down the inside of the fridge and the freezer, something we bet hasn’t been done in quite a while.

WASH EVERYTHING. If it’s washable, go ahead and wash it. We’re talking about the bed sheets, curtains,

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tchealthyliving.com | MARCH 2015

EMPT Y THOSE CLOSETS. Closets were built to hold clothes, not clutter.

Instead of just hanging up your clean clothes, pull everything out and donate what you don’t need, wear or use. A good rule of thumb? If you haven’t worn it in the last year, ditch it.

SCRUB DOWN THE COUNTERS. Wiping the counters with a rag might usually do the trick, but this time take it up a notch with ammonia or bleach.

Take everything off the counters and scrub the countertops, stovetop, microwave and any other appliances you use on a regular basis. You might

even consider finding out how that selfcleaning option works on your oven...

VACUUM IT UP. Instead of simply vacuuming around the couches, move them out away from the wall—along with beds and any other furniture that hasn’t been moved in awhile—and vacuum behind and under them as well.

And don’t forget to lift up the couch cushions to vacuum there, too.

PICK UP THE CLUTTER. If you’re like most families, you have piles of mail, old homework and toys strewn around your home. Sort through the paperwork and toss what’s not needed; shred any old financial documents; and organize the kids’ bedrooms and playroom and donate toys no longer used. An organized family is a happy family.

Source: immaculateclean.com, howstuffworks.com, lifehacker.com, cozi.com, slate.com

With that, we are challenging you to get out the mops and buckets and get to deep cleaning your house. With spring around the corner, there’s no time like the present to get your home in order. Using your newfound energy and the tips listed below, you’ll be well on your way to a squeaky clean environment.

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beat business bites

jcchc receives infectious disease expertise Dr. Stacey McKenzie, who was part of the Lexington Infectious Disease Consultants, a 10-physician-strong private practice out of Kentucky, joined the Johnson City Community Health Center to offer infectious disease care. McKenzie is board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases and earned her doctor of medicine from Vanderbilt School of Medicine. She is able to treat patients with a variety of diseases, including those with hepatitis, and is currently taking patients.

Goodkin becomes psychiatry chair

East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine appointed Dr. Karl Goodkin as the chair of ETSU’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Goodkin is originally from Los Angeles where he served as the director of mental health at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and was, before that, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA. He has an extensive background in HIV/AIDS care and provides mental health care to patients with HIV/ AIDS. Goodkin hopes that as time goes on, HIV/AIDS care will move toward more integrative care that includes mental health.

etsu faculty nurse at the helm Billie Sills, an assistant professor at East Tennessee State University, took over as the president of the Tennessee Nurses Association in October 2013. Sills became a registered nurse and studied through St. Mary’s School of Nursing before going into the U.S. Air Force as a flight nurse. After she was injured, she headed back to school and got a master’s degree in nursing. As the president of TNA, she plans to expand TNA to more members.

LIFEPATH receives grants

non-profit partners Recently, the Bristol Train Station Foundation Board announced a long-term partnership with YWCA Bristol. The YWCA will now manage BTS operations, including all human resources, financial management, maintenance and event management. The train station will continue to serve and operate as a venue for weddings, banquets and other special events. Kathy Feagins, the vice chair of the YWCA Board of Directors, believes the partnership will allow for a pooling of resources and set the stage for other non-profits to do the same.

LIFEPATH, the Tennessee Public Health Training Center, received two federal grants to continue to do work around the state. It began in 2011 as a place for people in the medical field to receive training and education. They’ve provided 150 statewide training sessions to more than 15,000 workers. The grants they’ve received are going to help keep LIFEPATH functioning.

MARCH 2015

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Millions of people every year abuse illicit opioid drugs and prescription medications. According to the CDC, opiate overdoses have passed traffic accidents as the leading cause of death in the U.S. It is a serious medical condition that can be very damaging to a person’s mental, physical and emotional health; it damages families and may even cause death. If you are suffering from opiate addiction, you are not alone, and you can receive help by contacting the experienced and compassionate staff here at Watauga Recovery Center.

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dose INSIGHT | ADVICE | SOLUTIONS

viscous vapors

SMOKE © SERGIO77/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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Sources: nejm.org, seattle.cbslocal.org, atlanta.cbslocal.org

Puff, puff, pass that e-cigarette on forever. A study by researchers at Boston University showed that when e-cigarette vapors were exposed to cells, it showed patterns similar to cigarettes that lead to cancer. This is due to high levels of the cancer-causing chemical formaldehyde, used to preserve cadavers, in e-cigarettes. In fact, the levels are 15 times higher than they are in regular cigarettes. That means, if you’re using an e-cigarette as a “safer” form of smoking, it’s still just safer to quit everything altogether.

MARCH 2015

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A

chy joints and stiff legs.

Oh, and the ability to predict the next rain shower. Sound familiar?

Maybe it’s time to take care of your arthritis— the natural way. A few remedies that don’t involve taking more prescription drugs might be just what your body needs.

ache no more

eat, drink & be un-inflamed Get to the source of your arthritis pain by adding natural supplements to your diet. Turmeric and ginger are spices that not only fight inflammation but also make delicious tea. They’re available as capsules, too.

And remember the dandelions that we all loved to watch float in the wind as kids?

Well, their leaves actually help fight inflammation and repair damaged tissue—especially if you have rheumatoid arthritis, according to everydayroots.com. Toss them in your salad or use them to make tea, as well.

Don’t worry; we didn’t forget about pain management. Did you know white willow bark acts just like aspirin? Even better, it doesn’t have all the side effects of aspirin because the active ingredient is converted

in the body after it passes through the stomach. Take it as a capsule, or use it to make more tea. You can never have too much tea, right?

Put anti-inflammatory and painrelieving properties together and you get Frankincense. Never heard of it?

It’s a native plant of Africa and Asia that’s also called Bosweilla.

The juice or resin inside the plant fights inflammation by keeping white blood cells from causing swelling in tissues. It also helps shrink already painful and inflamed areas, according to everydayroots.com. And, you can buy Frankincense as a tablet.

pamper the pain away So, while you’re consuming natural, inflammation-fighting and pain-killing foods and drinks, you still need to be able to manage issues from the outside. To relieve joint pain, massage the aching area with peppermint and eucalyptus oils. These oils ease joint pain with a cooling, analgesic sensation. Everydayroots.com suggests mixing the two oils together with almond, olive or grapeseed oil to avoid skin irritation.

You can also treat yourself to a hot soak in the tub to ease pain. Just don’t forget the

Epsom salt—it contains magnesium sulfate, which relieves pain by relaxing muscle and nerve endings. You can get more magnesium in your body by taking it in capsule form, too.

But, for a quick fix, throw some ice or frozen veggies in a towel, kick your legs up and wrap your hurting joint.

TIP: YOUR JOINTS HAVE CARRIED YOU THIS FAR; DON’T PUT MORE STRESS ON THEM BY GAINING TOO MUCH WEIGHT. START DOING LOW-IMPACT EXERCISES—LIKE WALKING, BICYCLING AND SWIMMING—TO KEEP YOUR BODY MOVING AND PREVENT PUTTING ON THE POUNDS. YOUR JOINTS WILL THANK YOU.

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MAN ON BIKE © LJUPCO SMOKOVSKI , ARTHRITIC HANDS © JPC-PROD/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

dose

Sources: everydayroots.com, healthline.com

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FOOT © SUMROENG CHINNAPAN, WOMAN HOLDING WRISTS © PATHDOC/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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whatcha gout there?

D ating back to 2640 BC, first identified by the ancient Egyptians and later referred to by the legendary Greek physician, Hippocrates, as the “unwalkable disease,” it is safe to say that “gout” was and remains a major and growing public health problem.

One veteran commented, “I’ve been shot, beat up, stabbed and thrown out of a helicopter, but none of them compared to the gout.” If this complex disease was deserving of a comment like this from a war veteran, one could only imagine what it must truly feel like. So the question remains, “what is gout?”

Gout is caused by your body’s inability to properly metabolize uric acid. The defective process causes an inflammatory arthritis, especially in the smaller bones of the feet, deposition of chalkstones and episodes of acute pain. Gout is often characterized by sudden severe pains, redness and tenderness of the joints, commonly the big toe.

In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 2.5 million Americans were struggling with this disease and that those numbers are projected to skyrocket to 3.6 million by 2025.

Normally, this uric acid would be dissolved in the blood and then excreted from the body.

However, if too much uric acid is produced, without enough being pushed out, it starts to build up, forming needle-like crystals, causing inflammation and pain in the joints.

Commonly attacking the large joint of the big toe, ankles, knees, elbows, wrist and fingers, there are a number of things that increase the likelihood of the disease, ranging from preventable to not-so-avoidable factors:

AGE & GENDER: MEN PRODUCE MORE URIC ACID THAN WOMEN, ALTHOUGH WOMEN PRODUCE MORE AFTER MENOPAUSE. GENETICS: A FAMILY HISTORY OF GOUT INCREASES THE CHANCES OF CONTRACTING THE DISEASE YOURSELF. MEDICATIONS: DRUGS CONTAINING SALICYLATE INCREASE THE LEVEL OF URIC ACID IN THE BODY. EXISTING HEALTH PROBLEMS: IF KIDNEYS ARE UNABLE TO ELIMINATE WASTE ADEQUATELY, URIC ACID LEVELS CAN REMAIN HIGH.

it’s all about the acid (not the base) Initially, gout is caused by an excess of uric acid found in the blood. Uric acid is produced in the body through the breakdown of specific chemical compounds found in certain foods such as meat, poultry and seafood.

FOODS HIGH IN PURINE

Sources: livescience.com

SAY GOODBYE TO GOUT FORTUNATELY, MOST CASES OF GOUT CAN BE TREATED WITH MEDICATION. THERE ARE ALSO PLENTY OF LIFESTYLE GUIDELINES THAT CAN BE FOLLOWED TO PREVENT FUTURE FLARE-UPS OR EVEN THE FIRST INSTANCE. MAINTAINING A HIGH FLUID INTAKE, AVOIDING ALCOHOL, MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT AND EATING A BALANCED DIET WITH FOODS LOW IN PURINE, ARE SURE TO HELP THE CAUSE.

SCALLOPS

ASPARAGUS

MUSHROOMS

SARDINES

GAME MEATS

LIVER

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HERRING

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MARCH 2015

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sleep like a baby?

T onight, once you finish all of your daily chores, you’ll be joining the 7 billion other people in the world in a nightly ritual: sleeping. Everyone sleeps, but what exactly is the best sleeping position? Is it on the back, the side or the stomach?

side sleeping PROS: Whether you’re in the fetal position or straight as a board, it benefits circulation to the heart and can ease heartburn and acid reflux. If you’re pregnant, it takes the pressure off the lower back.

CONS: Laying on your side for extended

amounts of time can cause strain on your stomach and lungs, while being in a fetal position can cause back and pelvis pains.

Will it cure back pain? If side sleeping is your favorite position and you have back pain, try drawing your legs up toward your chest and putting a pillow between your legs.

Approve or deny? Approve. Side sleeping is one of the better positions you can choose to sleep in. It’s better for your back and relieves stress from the most important organ: the heart.

what does the position you sleep in say about

you?

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tchealthyliving.com | MARCH 2015

back sleeping PROS: Mattresses are made to support the spine and sleeping on your back keeps your spine straight and not bent into contortions.

CONS: Sleeping on the back is closely linked with snoring and sleep apnea, and side sleeping is actually prescribed as a cure for sleep apnea by some doctors.

MAN SLEEPING © TWIN DESIGN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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Will it cure back pain? If back sleeping is your favorite position and you have back pain, try placing a pillow under your knees to help the back keep a natural curve of the spine.

Approve or deny? Approve, unless you have sleep apnea or are pregnant. Otherwise, back sleeping is the best on your body and won’t cause any strain on your organs.

stomach sleeping PROS: Sleeping on your stomach will ease snoring and some cases of sleep apnea.

CONS: Not only does it flatten the natural shape of the spine, it also causes your neck to twist to one side or the other throughout the night.

Will it cure back pain? If stomach sleeping is your favorite position and you have back pain, try placing a pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen.

Approve or deny? Deny. Stomach sleeping is the worst method of sleep for both your organs and your back.

FETAL:

YEARNER:

LOG:

SOLDIER:

PILLOW HUGGER:

Tough exterior, but shy and sensitive on the inside

(On your side, both arms out front) Slow to make decisions, but open and inviting

(On your side, both arms at sides) Sociable, engaging and trusting, but gullible

(Sleeping flat on your back with arms at sides) Serious and structured with high expectations for themselves and others

Family and friends are important; huggers tend to help others more than themselves

Sources: minq.com, greatist.com, painphysicians.com, mindbodygreen.com

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Mehmet Oz, M.D., is host of The Dr. Oz Show, and Mike Roizen, M.D., is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into The Dr. Oz Show or visit sharecare.com. (c) 2015 Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

PROTEIN © AFRICA STUDIO /SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

HE ALT H Y

dose

the science behind the high-protein craze M ove over, fat and carbs. Protein's grabbing the spotlight. Half of all consumers want more of this healthy nutrient, and new surveys reveal that one in five is paying extra to get it. Protein-fortified milk, bread, breakfast cereal, cookies, water and even gummy bears are crowding grocery-store shelves.

BY MICHAEL ROIZEN, M.D., AND MEHMET OZ, M.D.

We're not quite ready for high-protein bugs for dinner or dessert, but we do know that getting the right protein is important. It provides essential building blocks for muscles, internal organs, blood cells, hormones, enzymes and disease-fighting antibodies. Getting enough of the right protein can help you maintain strong muscles, stave off hunger pangs, help control blood pressure and lower stroke risk.

SO HERE ARE OUR SCIENCE-BASED ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT PROTEIN: » Q: I'M MIDDLE-AGE. SHOULD I EAT MORE PROTEIN?

» Q: CAN A VEGETARIAN GET ENOUGH PROTEIN?

» A: Probably not. Women need about 46

» A: Yes! Compared to a typical, threeounce serving of beef, chicken or fish with 15-27 grams of protein, here's how plant proteins stack up: 1 cup cooked lentils (18g); ½ cup tofu (20g); 1 cup cooked black beans (15g); 1 cup cooked quinoa (11g); 2 tablespoons peanut butter (8g); 1 cup cooked spinach or broccoli (about 5g).

grams of protein daily, men about 56 grams.

That's about the amount in a 4-ounce salmon filet, a glass of skim almond milk, two tablespoons of peanut butter, plus a small amount of protein from whole grains and veggies. Add a cup of oatmeal for the guys. Most of us get way more—an average of 70 grams for women, 101 for men.

» Q: WHO NEEDS MORE PROTEIN?

» Q: DO I NEED TO BUY FOODS AND DRINKS WITH ADDED PROTEIN?

» A: About one in 13 teenage girls and up

to 41 percent of older adults need more protein. Research suggests older people may need extra protein to help maintain muscle.

You also need a bit more if you're pregnant, breast-feeding or extremely active.

» A: Probably not, unless you're a hardcore body-builder or endurance athlete. Eating or sipping some protein within two hours after a workout fuels optimal muscle recovery, but most of us get enough protein from a snack or our next meal to do that.

» Q: WHAT ARE THE BEST SOURCES OF PROTEIN?

» Q: DOES IT MATTER WHEN I EAT OR DRINK PROTEIN-PACKED FOODS?

» A: A high-protein diet packed with

» A: Yes. It's smart to have protein at every meal, rather than skimping through the day and having a big serving at dinner. You'll feel more satisfied and maintain strong, sexy muscles.

meat increases your risk for heart disease and cancer as much as smoking says one headline-grabbing University of Southern California study. Munching more plantbased proteins, such as nuts, quinoa and chia seeds as well as lean proteins, like salmon, ocean trout and skinless poultry, is a better idea.

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T H E Y S AY A WA T C H E D P O T N E V E R B O I L S , B U T H U G H T H O M P S O N ’ S W I F E K N O W S E X A C T LY W H A T H A P P E N S W H E N T H O M P S O N D O E S N ’ T WA T C H H I S P O T — I T B O I L S O V E R A N D C R E A T E S A M E S S O F S T I C K Y, S W E E T MAPLE SYRUP RUNNING DOWN THE STOVE.

W

ith both silver maple and sugar maple trees available on his Johnson City property, Hugh Thompson, a retired Eastman Chemical Co. chemist, spends a chunk of mid-winter boiling down maple sap to create syrup. But don’t confuse his product with the kind of maple syrup that is readily available on grocery store shelves. In fact, after spending the last decade or so making his own maple syrup, Thompson says he’ll never again buy syrup at the grocery store. And that’s saying a lot considering how time-consuming of a process it is to make maple syrup!

The production of maple syrup is most often associated with the Northeast where, in 2014, seven states produced 2.75 million gallons of maple syrup, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural

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"

ON A NORMAL TA P P I N G D AY, YOU’LL FILL A GALLON JUG PER TREE.

Statistics Service. Vermont leads the states in maple syrup production with 1.32 million gallons (42 percent of total U.S. production).

Maple syrup production in Tennessee may not register on a USDA pie chart, but trees in this area are tapped on a much smaller scale, and the result may just end up on your breakfast table.

Each February, Thompson, along with Oscar Wagner and other volunteers at Tipton-Haynes Historic Area in Johnson City walks the public through the sap-totable steps during the site’s annual Making Maple Syrup Day. Maple syrup season can begin as early as late December, but more likely, trees will be ready to tap sometime in January.

Sugar made by the leaves during summer is stored as starch in the root tissues, and after a pattern of freezing and thawing temperatures, pressure builds up in the trees and causes the sap to flow.

“About this time of year (early January), we start watching,” Wagner explains. “It’s pretty unlikely the sap will start to run. The temperature must go below freezing, then go back up. Trees will run the absolute best if it’s freezing for five days [and] then it warms back up.”

And when the sap is ready, volunteers at Tipton-Haynes will tap 20-something sugar maple trees on the property, many of which are situated along a creek line.

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"

Taps are placed chest-high on the sunny side of trees that are at least 12 inches in diameter, Wagner says. Tap holes are drilled as early in the season as possible.

Then, tubing, which allows the sap to empty into a bucket, is gently tapped into place to seal the hole and put pressure on the edges. Under ideal conditions, maple sap will begin to flow immediately.

“On a normal tapping day, you’ll fill a gallon jug [per tree],” Wagner says.

Tapping in late January and early February will yield about a 30-to-1 ratio of sap to syrup. In other words, 30 (or perhaps 35) gallons of sap will produce one gallon of syrup. In March, that ratio goes up to 50-to-1.

“You want to tap as early as you can,” Wagner says.

The sap looks like water and has only a very slight sugary flavor. It’s the boiling process that produces the syrup. On Making Maple Syrup Day, the public gets to see firsthand this boiling down process of cooking the sap over an open fire.

“We keep boiling and concentrating and boiling and concentrating,” Wagner says. “We use refractometers to know when it’s ready. We’re looking for 66 percent [sugar concentration].”

All the while, volunteers must constantly skim out bugs and leaves, and they try to remove as much of the maple sand as possible.

DIY

-IT?

Making your own maple syrup isn’t difficult, but it’s very time-consuming, too much for some folks Thompson says. But if you have access to mature maple trees, here’s the basics you’ll need to get started:

If you’re hanging the jugs (out of reach of critters or dogs), you’ll need rope to secure the jugs to the trees. You can make a simple fire pit to boil down the sap.

For more information on getting started, one good online resource is tapmytrees.com.

YOU DIDN’T THINK W E ’ D L E AV E YOU WITHOUT A H A N D F U L O F TA S T Y R E C I P E S T O T RY N OW D I D YO U ? W E DIDN’T THINK SO! SO GRAB YOUR APRON AND YOUR MAPLE SY RU P A N D G E T TO COOKIN’!

MAPLE PUMPKIN MUFFINS 1½ cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup all purpose and ½ cup whole wheat flour) 1

teaspoon baking powder

½

teaspoon baking soda

½

teaspoon cinnamon

½

teaspoon salt

1

cup pumpkin

¾

cup maple syrup

¼

cup canola or vegetable oil

1

egg

Preheat oven to 350°F, and line muffin tin with paper cups. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, combine pumpkin, maple syrup, oil and egg, and beat until evenly mixed. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, incorporating with a spatula until just mixed. Divide batter in prepared muffin tins, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or unabou t ow til a toothpick inserted into PLE M A la? a muffin comes out clean. a Gr no Makes 8 large muffins.

H

WA N T T O

• Drill for boring the holes (unless you’d prefer to use an old-fashioned hand drill) • Plastic tubing • Plastic taps that are inserted into the trees • Collection jugs

Calling All Cooks

Recipe courtesy of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association

“We use special filters,” Wagner says. “We get the vast majority [of sand] out, but we don’t do as well as the people up north.”

There are historical references of settlers around Tipton-Haynes producing maple syrup, but Wagner says he wonders just how much they really did because of the timeconsuming nature of the process.

“It’s so much work and so much boiling that you wonder if they really did that,” he says.

According to the Vermont Sugar Makers Association, Native Americans collected the sap in containers made of bark and boiled down the sap by placing it in hollowed out logs and adding rocks that had been heated by fire. This made the sap boil, thicken and harden into chunks of maple sugar. It was the Native Americans who first recognized pure maple syrup as a source of nutrition and energy. Many European settlers used metal tools to drill holes in trees. They also whittled wooden spouts and collected sap in wooden buckets. The sap they collected was turned into maple sugar in large cast iron kettles suspended over fires.

According to a timeline provided by Wagner, maple syrup production has a longstanding history in the United States. Thomas Jefferson and George Washington discussed planting maple orchards on their Virginia plantations in the late 1700s.

Then, the year 1860 was a peak year for maple production in the States, with 40 million pounds of sugar and 1.6 million gallons of syrup produced in 23 states. The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association was formed in 1893 and was instrumental in setting industry-wide standards. In 1935, Vermont began hosting spring maple festivals; 134 towns staged events and 1,200 maple-frosted cakes were submitted for judging. The maple leaf, a unifying symbol for both English and French Canada since 1800, became the central image on the new national flag of Canada in 1965.

By 1997, changes in sap tubing technology brought about permanent

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MAPLE GRANOLA 4

cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1

cup shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened

1

cup sunflower seeds

1

cup pumpkin seeds

1

cup slivered almonds

1

cup pecans, roughly chopped

1

cup maple syrup (Grade A Dark Amber or Grade B are best)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1

cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine rolled oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds and pecans in a large bowl. Pour maple syrup and olive oil into bowl, and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and pour mixture onto large baking sheet, spreading to create a uniform layer. Bake granola, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until golden brown, about 1 hour. Makes about 10 cups.

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Recipe courtesy of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association

A S W E E T,

SWEET

If you’re interested in learning more about maple syrup—which contains an abundant amount of naturally occurring minerals such as calcium, manganese, potassium and magnesium, by the way—you can join thousands of your closest friends in the Whitetop Mountain/Mt. Rogers community of Grayson County‚ Virginia, on the last weekend in March.

Since the late 1970s, the Mt. Rogers Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad has hosted an annual Whitetop Mountain Maple Festival.

This year’s festival will take place March 28 and 29.

The fundraising event will feature a pancake breakfast, arts and crafts, music, storytelling and maple tapping tours and syrup processing.

The festivities begin each day at 8am with breakfast at the old Mt. Rogers School (located five miles east of the fire hall on route 58). Cost is $7 for adults and $4 for children. Arts and crafts will also be set up inside the school.

Storytelling will be held at 2pm and 4pm at the Faith Lutheran Church near

tubing, which can be left in the woods year-round without stretching. The introduction of the “health spout” came two years later. This smaller hole, created by a cordless drill, heals faster.

For demonstration purposes, Wagner still uses a hand drill at Tipton-Haynes to bore holes in the trees. Thompson, on the other hand, uses an electric drill for the trees on his property. When he’s collected enough sap from his trees, he begins the boiling process with five-

F E S T I VA L

the Mt. Rogers School. Admission to the storytelling is free. At 1pm and 3pm on both days, a free nature slide show will be presented at the church.

Whitetop Mountain Tapping Tours will be given every half hour between 11am and 4pm, originating at the Elk Garden parking lot. Volunteers will show visitors how the sap is collected from area maple trees using tubing and buckets.

Once you’ve learned how the sap is collected, you’re invited to a maple syrup processing presentation, held between 11am and 5pm at the Sugar House on Old Park Road. The sap will be transferred into large vats and cooked over an open fire. There is no charge for the presentation, and you’ll have the chance to purchase syrup and maple candy.

Music of the Mountains, featuring local musicians, will take place between noon and 5pm each day at the fire hall.

Admission is $5 for adults with children 12 and under admitted free.

Proceeds from the two-day festival will benefit the VFD. For more information, visit mtrogersvfd-rs.com/maple-festival.

gallon pots placed on a Coleman fuel stove on his back deck.

“When I’m running hard, I’m 24/7,” Thompson says of the non-stop nature of boiling 20-gallon batches. He does the final boil down inside on the stove because he can better control the heat, he says and 20 gallons of sap will yield two quarts of syrup. “Some I sell. Some I give away. Most of it I eat,” he says.

Family and

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Vectomega is far superior to most fish oil products made with the typical extraction process that exposes them to intensive heat and harsh solvents, which changes their molecular structure.

Because Vectomega remains an unadulterated whole food complex, it is clinically demonstrated to be more potent, faster-acting, less prone to rancidity and up to fifty times more absorbable to targeted membranes such as heart and brain cells.

Improved stability, potency, absorption and bioavailability requires a much smaller dose (only 1 small tablet daily) of Vectomega to yield the desired health benefits without gastric upset or “burping” commonly found with other massmarket fish oils.

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G N I G N I BR S N I A T E H TOT MOUN

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CCOWN DEBRA M OX.COM WRITTEN BY X, TIMCC ANGEL CO & IM T BY PHOTOS

HAND©VOVAN; MOUNTAINS©MARKVANDYKEPHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, RAM PHOTOS BY TIM & ANGEL COX

I

IN APPALACHIA, A RURAL HEALTH CARE MODEL GROWS.

N THE CHILLY DARK BEFORE SUNRISE, PEOPLE BEGIN TO STIR. THEY COME FROM THEIR CARS AND FROM TENTS ON THE GRASS AND GRAVEL PARKING LOT OF THE WISE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS TO STAND IN LINE AT THE GATE. Some of them have been there a day or two already— waiting. For some, it may be the only opportunity all year to see a doctor, have a tooth pulled, get their eyes checked, receive health screenings or fill a needed prescription.

Every year, there are those who walk away with lives changed: a young mother with bad teeth who was able to get her smile back; a grandfather who could finally hear his grandchildren’s laughter; a woman who sees again after years without glasses; a man whose life will be saved because he caught a potentially fatal illness in time for treatment.

As dawn begins to creep closer, the line gets longer.

Someone at the gate gives out tickets to those who’ve been waiting, an assurance that they’ll have the chance to access free health care on this day and not—as others will—need to stand in line again tomorrow.

Finally the gates open, and people flow into the fairgrounds.

They sign in at the registration tent, and then they go to access health services that are set up in tents and fairground buildings and browse dozens of booths offering health information and, often, free necessities like clothing and snacks.

This three-day Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic event is a huge annual undertaking that serves between 2,500 and 3,000 patients with the help of more than 1,400 volunteers.

It’s been going on in Wise, a town in the Virginia coalfields an hour north of Kingsport, for more than 15 years.

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-LIKE EVEE.NTS M A R E R O M G UT TIN ALTH CARE PICTUR E SAYS PIO H S , E K A M S T R T O A N’S HE F N F E E H E T S E IN H T E C E C N D OF DIFDFEMRAENKE A POSITIVE DIFFERE IN K E H T G IN E E AFTER S COMMUNITIES WOUL access, they’re also great opportunities IN MORE

“I

T’S BOOTS ON THE GROUND,” EXPLAINS TERESA GARDNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE Health Wagon, the Wise-based medical charity that works with RAM each year to put on the event and has worked for decades on the health care front in rural Appalachian communities. “It’s resources on the ground. It’s access to health care on the ground that removes the barriers.”

RAM is based outside Knoxville in Rockford, Tenn. It’s an organization that started with medical outreach to remote parts of the third world—but soon saw that the need was also great in the United States. RAM held its first U.S. health fair in the early 1990s in East Tennessee, but it was the one in Wise, first held in the late 1990s, that made clear the need with its recordsetting crowds. Since then, the idea has taken off; now, RAM holds events across the country.

Ron Brewer, clinic manager for RAM, says it all started in 1985, when founder Stan Brock was managing a cattle ranch in the South American country of Guyana. In an accident with a wild horse, Brock broke his leg and several ribs.

“The closest doctor to him that day was 26 days on foot, and he vowed that if he could get out, he’d get medical care to those in need,” Brewer says.

“He’s kept that promise.”

A

T FIRST, BREWER SAYS, RAM TOOK MEDICAL, VISION AND DENTAL VOLUNTEERS TO THE RAIN FORESTS OF South America. The organization held its first U.S. clinics in the early ‘90s in Hawkins and Scott Counties in Tennessee and, since then, has done about 750

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events. All of them—from the foothills of Appalachia to inner cities on the West Coast—have been at the request of communities.

Some are annual events like the big one in Wise; others, like the one slated for Bristol Motor Speedway this May, occur less frequently. Often in nontraditional locations, some of them are held—literally—under bridges in an effort to reach the homeless.

Brewer says what’s driven much of the growth over the last 25 years has been the need for vision and dental care, two aspects of health care that aren’t covered by most health insurance plans or through the Veterans’ Administration or other programs.

The events continue to grow in the Tri-Cities region, with a dozen RAM clinics scheduled in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia this year and more being planned with the Health Wagon and East Tennessee State University, which partners with RAM on the events in Bristol, Tennessee, and Grundy, Virginia.

In a rural area where a shortage of medical providers presents a barrier to health care access, Marcus Adkins, a Wise County native and director of development for the Health Wagon, says he’s amazed by the volunteers who come each year to help.

“It’s heartwarming because some of these people are my family,” says Adkins, speaking of the patients who gain access to health care because of RAM. “It’s my neighbors. It’s my friends.

It’s people I know.”

In this region, he says, health care is an important workforce issue as well as a quality of life concern: Routine conditions like a painful tooth, a minor infection or diabetes can, without treatment, become a major impediment to employment and social functioning.

Events like the RAM clinics also present another opportunity: In addition to bringing much-needed health care

for medical students and residents to get hands-on rural health experience while helping those in need, says Carolyn Sliger, rural programs coordinator for the Department of Family Medicine and Quillen College of Medicine at ETSU. “Our medical students, our dental hygiene students, our pharmacy students, our public health students, are all involved because it’s a win-win situation for our students here at ETSU, because our students get a phenomenal clinical experience, and, of course, we’re also helping out the patients,” Sliger says. “I’ve never had a student complain about an experience working with Remote Area Medical because of what they get and give back while volunteering for these.”

S

LIGER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH RAM FOR SOME TWO DECADES; THE FIRST RAM CLINIC EVENT SHE helped to set up was in Mountain City, Tennessee, and it served as inspiration for the one in Wise.

Now, with several RAM events on the schedule, Sliger says ETSU’s efforts extend even further; medical students and residents also volunteer at a number of smaller, less-publicized community clinic events around the region. With the RAM events, they broaden the outreach and ensure that all of the students get experience working at a community health fair.

“We want to expose all of our students in their third-year rotations to see what it is to live and work in a rural or underserved area,” Sliger says.

“We hope that when they graduate residency, when they are in a rural area or underserved area they will give back their time to those in need who don’t have health insurance, don’t have access to health care—or do mission work, do international work. That’s what we hope by exposing them to this.”

RAM NEAR YOU SEVIERVILLE, TN MARCH 21-22

BRISTOL, TN MAY 1-3

WISE COUNTY, VA JULY 17-19

SMITHVILLE, TN MARCH 28-29

HARROGATE, TN JUNE 6-7

LEE COUNTY, VA SEPTEMBER 12-13

CLINTON, TN, APRIL 11-12

LOUDON, TN JUNE 13-14

GRUNDY, VA OCTOBER 3-4

CHATTANOOGA, TN APRIL 18

CLEVELAND, TN JULY 11-12

COCKE COUNTY, TN NOVEMBER 21-22

After seeing the kind of difference these efforts make, she says putting more RAM-like events in more communities would make a positive difference in the nation’s health care picture.

Sliger says ETSU students have also been volunteering with the Health Wagon since the mid-1980s, when it was run by an unconventional nun known as Sister Bernie who dispensed health care from the back of her Volkswagen Beetle. The students had such a great experience, Sliger says, she’s been writing grants ever since.

But even with so many health fairs around the region, even in Wise— where a tried-and-true system runs like clockwork to maximize the capacity of

the three-day RAM event—the reality is that people still get turned away. And while that’s typically been the case, Gardner says now, with the area hardhit by mine layoffs and the ongoing impact of the recession, it’s the worst she’s ever seen it.

G

ARDNER SEES THAT IMPACT NOT JUST AT RAM BUT ALSO YEAR-ROUND AT THE HEALTH WAGON. With a staff of 15, including five nurse practitioners, the organization runs two stationary medical clinics and one mobile

clinic, seeing patients at about a dozen remote community sites in Virginia’s mountainous coalfield counties.

Although government support is sparse for the organization, which serves some 5,000 people each year with medical care in addition to those seen at RAM, Gardner is quick to count the blessings that continue to come: out-of-town volunteers and strong local community support.

These days, she says, the need is so great that the Health Wagon must maintain waiting lists of patients who

AN, WIT.HOUT C S E T E B IA D R NO FUNCTIONING R INFECTIO O L IA IN C M O A S , D H N T A O T O INFUL T ENT TO EMPLOYMEN IKE A PAIM L S N IO IT DIM D N O ROUTINEENC T, BECOME A MA JOR PE | tchealthyliving.com TREATM MARCH 2015

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The Health Wagon also makes regular use of tele-health and other technology innovations that can eliminate the need for costly travel, trips that patients simply are unable to make, Gardner says. The result: not only quality-of-life improvements for patients but reduction in the need for costly hospital treatment, which can result from incomplete care.

Their model, she says, is in contrast to what happens when heart attack patients are discharged from the hospital with $1,400 worth of prescriptions. With prescriptions for drugs that, in many cases, would cost more than their entire monthly income, the patients simply don’t get them filled—putting them at high risk for a second heart attack.

“We take all those barriers out, and then we have great success,” Gardner says. “You’re preventing coronary artery disease; you’re preventing amputation; you’re preventing blindness down the road.”

STAN BROCK, RAM FOUNDER

hope to be seen; health care access issues facing patients in this part of the world haven’t been changed by government attempts at health care reform.

“A lot of people felt that the Affordable Care Act was going to be the be-all and end-all solution for health care; it’s not,” Gardner says, noting that with premiums out of reach, many of her patients remain uninsured and now must pay penalties under the law, worsening a poverty predicament where they sometimes must choose between food, utilities and medical care; for many, the cost of gasoline to drive and seek care is already more than they can afford.

But in the midst of these conditions—a region where many lack insurance, education, money and transportation—she says organizations like the Health Wagon and RAM present a real solution: a successful model for delivery of rural health care that was, inexplicably, left out of the equation in the federal health care reform law.

“We’ve got an excellent model,” Gardner says. “We’ll put our numbers up against anybody.”

She says their success—particularly with complicated conditions like diabetes, obesity and lung disease—stems from an approach that looks at the whole patient and works to meet all of the needs related to that patient’s care. That means providing not only a diagnosis and medical advice but access to specialists, education, medicines and supplies like diabetic testing strips that patients may need to manage their health.

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ITH A DISEASE LIKE DIABETES, A CONDITION QUITE COMMON IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, SHE SAYS IT’S MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE TO MANAGE THE ILLNESS THAN TO TREAT ITS COMPLICATIONS. “You could take this thing really and replicate it anywhere in the United States,” Gardner says. “If we had this type of clinic in every county, oh my gosh: I think it would turn around health care in this nation.”

The Health Wagon, with an annual budget of just over $1 million, runs primarily on grants, with about 25 percent of its funding coming from donations and close to 5 percent from state coffers, she says. Volunteers are also important, and she gives God a lot of the credit for keeping things going despite the many challenges the organization faces.

“I have to believe it’s divine intervention,” Gardner says. “We pray every day at the clinic for God to put people in our path that can help our patients, whether it be financially or by volunteering.”

For some of the people the Health Wagon serves, she says, health care access is literally a matter of life and death. She sees Brock, the founder of RAM, as an inspiration. For his willingness to try an unusual approach—setting up doctors and dentists in places like airport hangars and fairground buildings to dispense care. She calls him a hero.

“He was looking outside the box,” she says. “He has saved so many of my patients’ lives. I’m so grateful for what he has done.”

WANT MORE INFO

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RAM, INCLUDING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AND HEALTH FAIR SCHEDULES, VISIT RAMUSA.ORG. TO VOLUNTEER WITH THE HEALTH WAGON OR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT ONE OF THEIR FREE CLINICS, CALL (276) 328-8850.

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B ey o

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by Katie M

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Really

BRAIN MODEL © GIORGIOMTB; BRAIN ILLUSTRATION © ANITA PONNE; CHILD © TOMPET / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

What’s

Happening?

The brain is the control center of the human body, in charge of voluntary and involuntary actions, and it’s full of nerve cells that send messages back and forth using electrical signals. Seizures occur when these nerve cells start firing signals in massive, rapid bursts. That surge causes all the symptoms and signs we recognize as seizures, which then end when the brain regains normal functioning.

Seizure

Size

You’ve probably heard the term grand-mal, but with something as complex as the brain at the root of the problem, there’s an array of seizure types possible. The severity of the seizure depends on the focus of the electric impulses, or the portion of the brain generating all those signals. If the focus is relatively small, it results in a , whereas a is the product of impulses throughout the brain.

They often happen to children, who stop what they’re doing and stare blankly.

Often, no one knows they’ve had one.

GENERALIZED SEIZURE THERE ARE SIX GENERALIZED SEIZURE TYPES, EACH WITH ITS OWN SET OF SYMPTOMS. A TONIC-CLONIC seizure, or grand-mal, is the most

common and the most severe. It results in convulsions, unconsciousness and rigidity. They are what comes to mind when you hear the word seizure and often result in the infamous symptoms of bitten tongues and urinary incontinence.

ABSENCE

seizures get their name because they cause a brief period of unconsciousness, usually just a matter of seconds. They often happen to children, who stop what they’re doing and stare blankly. Often, no one knows they’ve had one.

MYOCLONIC seizures are

characterized by brief jerking movements, which sufferers often describe as shock-like. Unlike a

PARTIAL SEIZURE

grand-mal, the person is usually awake and able to think clearly.

CLONIC

seizures are rare and cause repeated jerking of the body. The movements are often violent enough that they cannot be prevented by restraining the victim.

TONIC seizures cause sudden stiffening movements, especially in the arms and legs.

ATONIC seizures, also called drop

attacks, result in a sudden loss of muscle strength. This can lead to drooping eyelids, dropping items or overall limpness and collapse.

Partial Seizures

Partial seizures also vary widely.

Partial seizures can affect muscle activity, causing part of the body to stiffen or jerk. cause the

SENSORY SEIZURES

MARCH 2015

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31

Au

victim to smell, taste or hear things that aren’t really there. They could also experience visual hallucinations, such as a parked car appearing to move further away. A will change the sufferer’s emotions, causing sudden onset of happiness or fear without an outside stimulus. And cause bodily functions to go awry, like sudden goose bumps or changes in heart rate. could be considered the sneakiest of all. Simple absence seizures are lapses in awareness that may look like staring into space and tend to last just a few seconds.

Since they’re most common in children ages 4 to 14, they can go undetected for some time. involve some sort of movement in addition to the blank stare, such as chewing or a hand gesture. These used to be called petit mal seizures, though that name is rarely used today.

Unlike seizures occurring due to epilepsy, seizures are convulsions resulting from high fever in infants and young children, usually occurring in the first day of a child’s temperature spike. One in 25 children will have a febrile seizure before turning 5. They typically affect children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years and can happen when a child has a rectal temperature of 102 degrees or higher. Though scary, febrile seizures are short lived and harmless to little ones.

PSYCHIC SEIZURE

AUTONOMIC SEIZURES

COMPLEX ABSENCE SEIZURES

FEBRILE

f e i d n e n d U y e br

A

The

ABSENCE SEIZURES

Path

To Treatment

Of course, the goal of treatment is to cure the patient of seizures (or at least gain control of them), but it can be a long and winding road. Approximately seven in 10 people who experience seizures due to partial epilepsy can control them successfully with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). There are different medications to treat the many types of seizures patients may experience, but those who find no relief in medicine can often be treated surgically.

Some physicians prescribe a ketogenic diet in conjunction with medication. This high-fat, low-carb diet has been shown to reduce seizures in children taking medication by up to 50 percent. It is estimated that the diet has even helped 10 to 15 percent of kids become seizure free.

However, even one meal off the diet can derail these incredible results, so consistency is key. A modified Atkins diet has reportedly worked well, too, but any dietary plans should be suggested by a physician or nutritionist.

Although surgery has been shown to help many seizure sufferers, for some patients, surgery will stop seizures completely, while others will show no improvement at all. For this reason, most patients don’t opt

ubrey is a lot like other 7 year olds. She loves Frozen, Doritos and four-wheeler rides with her dad, and she has a grandpa who adores her. Unlike many other children, she suffers absence seizures due to epilepsy and underwent brain surgery last April. Aubrey’s mother, Nicole Socko Emidy, sat down with us to talk about her daughter and how epilepsy has become part of their lives.

AUBREY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH INFANTILE SPASMS AT JUST 7 MONTHS OLD. HOW DID YOU KNOW SOMETHING WAS WRONG? If she was on her back, her arms would flare out to the side, her eyes would roll and her knees would come to her chest. When she was a little bigger her head would fall forward. They’re called clusters—they can have two or 10, it all ranges.

I noticed all this when she was 4 months old but didn’t get her diagnosed until

7 months. As a first-time mom you don’t know these kinds of things, and when people think seizures, they think grand mal, someone with uncontrollable seizures laying on the ground.

HOW DID THE DIAGNOSIS PROGRESS FROM INFANTILE SPASMS TO EPILEPSY?

Infantile spasms stop at 2, and usually, children grow out of it. They have better outcomes the sooner it’s caught, but not many

DOCTOR © SERGEY NIVENS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Only when special nutrition and aggressive medication fail to provide control is surgery recommended. for an operation until they have tried multiple medications, dosages and combinations over significant time. Only when special nutrition and aggressive medication fail to provide control is surgery recommended.

The most common type of surgery is called a resection. During this procedure, the surgeon will remove the portion of the brain causing the seizures, which, in most cases, is a temporal lobectomy. The second, less common procedure is called disconnection and involves severing the nerve pathways to prevent seizures from spreading. Examples of this include the corpus callosotomy and multiple subpial transections. When these last measures are taken, they are often intended to provide relief but cannot promise a forever cure.

pediatricians know about it—that’s the issue. Since the surgery, she doesn’t have violent head drops, and now we can sit at dinner as a family without worrying about her slamming her head into the table. If she has them now, they’re more absent.

WHAT WAS HER SURGERY LIKE? We did a brain surgery in April called a corpus callosotomy. We finally got to that point because we’ve tried so many things without

Is It

Only Epilepsy?

While epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the United States, there are other illnesses that can cause seizures. Epilepsy is outranked by migraine, stroke and Alzheimer’s and is the leading cause of seizures in children. Stroke causes them most often for the elderly. Psychological conditions or extreme stress can cause nonepileptic psychogenic seizures and are usually treated by mental health professionals. Eclampsia, a condition suffered by pregnant women, can cause sudden seizures and blood pressure spikes. Head injuries, tumors or infections in the brain can all cause seizures, too.

What

To SEIZURE FIRST AID STEPS TO REMEMBER IN Do CASEHEREYOUAREFINDTHEYOURSELF IN A FIRST RESPONDER SITUATION:

1. 2. 3.

STAY CALM.

Seizures usually last just a few minutes, and keeping a level head will help the victim stay as calm as possible during and after.

gaining control: medicine combinations, special diets, everything under the sun.

The corpus callosum is like our hard drive, the band of nerves between the right and left sides of the brain. They went in and cut those nerves, and 80 percent of the time head drops will stop.

Up to 10 percent of people worldwide will have at least one seizure in their lifetime, which means you may witness someone in need when you least expect it.

SURVEY YOUR SURROUNDINGS. Is the

person in a safe location?

If they may injure themselves, move any furniture or items away.

been dealt something. People always tell me I seem so at ease with it when inside I’m probably the most neurotic person, but if I show you that, it solves nothing. The day of her brain surgery was the longest day of my life.

HOW IS AUBREY’S EPILEPSY TREATED TODAY? WHAT ARE WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR ULTIMATE GOALS FOR AUBREY’S EPILEPSY? YOUR DAUGHTER? The biggest thing is strength.

You really don’t know how strong you are until you’ve

NOTE THE TIMES the

I’m content with the seizures right now; she’s only on one medicine, once a day. I would

seizure begins and ends, as well as how long it takes the person to regain full awareness.

love for them to go away one day, but the reality is that they may never. I would love for her to grow up and have some kind of independence, but if not, that’s OK. I just want her to live life to what she knows as the best, and she’s happy right now. And we don’t let it define her. She defines herself.

Want to keep up with Nicole and Aubrey? Visit Nicole’s blog at justsayhi.org.

MARCH 2015

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33

For?

For?

LLook ook

MANY PEOPLE REPORT THESE COMMON

SYMPTOMS BEFORE A SEIZURE: Strange feelings, varying from pleasant to panicky

Smells, sounds and tastes that aren’t real

Numbness or tingling in parts of the body

Blurry vision or loss of vision

Déjà vu or jamais vu Dizziness or headache

Nausea, and some report feeling “a rising feeling from the stomach to the throat”

4. 5. 6. 7.

If possible,

CUSHION THE VICTIM’S HEAD

and loosen any clothing around the neck to provide comfort.

DO NOT INSERT ANYTHING into

the person’s mouth or try to hold them down, as both of these can lead to injury.

CHECK THE TIME AGAIN. If the

seizure has lasted five or more minutes, call 911.

8.

STAY WITH THE PERSON

When the seizure subsides,

until they have fully recovered. Ask any onlookers to leave, as waking up to a crowd can be embarrassing. Offer to sit with the person until they are ready to resume what they were doing or until help arrives.

ROLLING THE PERSON ONTO ONE SIDE or the other can help open the airway and make breathing easier. This also prevents them from inhaling any fluids as they regain full consciousness.

No Ambulance?

Many experts say calling emergency medical help may not be necessary if the victim is known to have epilepsy, but here are some good rules of thumb.

CALL 911 IF…

This seizure is the victim’s first The seizure lasts five minutes or longer Seizures happen closer together than is typical for the victim, or you are unsure of the usual time lapse between them

The seizure occurs in water or injury may have occurred The person’s breathing remains difficult/labored If the person has another condition, like diabetes or heart disease

Another seizure occurs before the person has regained consciousness

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS FREQUENT SEIZURES, VISIT EPILEPSY.COM TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN SEIZURE RESPONSE PLAN AND PREPARE YOURSELF AND LOVED ONES FOR ANY SCENARIO.

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tchealthyliving.com | MARCH 2015

MAGNIFYING GLASS © DINGA; AMBULANCE © DENYS KURYLOW / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Look ook

If you know your friend, family member or co-worker has seizures, there are a few ways you can tell one is coming.

Sources: epilepsy.com, who.int, ninds.nih.gov, hopkinsmedicine.org, webmd.com

What Can You

What Can You

care

GENTLE, EFFECTIVE

FOR THE E N T I R E FA M I LY • Chiropractic Services • Massage • Health & Wellness Services • Sports Medicine & Injury Dr. Sheri D. Wingate

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Home Health Hospice

You don’t have to leave your house to receive the quality care you deserve. Our skilled staff provides the following services: • Skilled nursing • Occupational therapy • Medical social worker • Home health aide • Spiritual care • Physical therapy • Speech therapy Home Health

Johnson City: 423-431-6146 Elizabethton: 423-543-3409 Abingdon, VA: 276-525-1227

Kingsport: 423-392-3510 Mountain City: 423-727-3250

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423-538-4000

5661 Hwy 11-E Ste 1 Piney Flats, TN 37686

pineyflatschiropracticcenter.net

HealthyLiving.indd 1

msha.com

All insurance accepted.

MARCH 2015

1/28/15 2:51 PM

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35

body

move it!

NUTRITION | FITNESS | BEAUT Y

Whether watching TV, driving, working or eating, we’re all victims of one hazardous verb: sitting. And, according to a recent study running in the Annals of Internal Medicine, sitting may actually be killing you.

Moreover, researchers found the sitting we do in a day still outweighs the benefit we get from exercise. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to death from cardiac events, cancer and other chronic conditions.

So, get up! Simply being aware of how much you’re sitting and taking small steps to move more can help lower your risk.

Source: cnn.com

WOMAN © BIKERIDERLONDON/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

HE ALT H Y

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body

time for an oil change C old weather means drier skin, and it might be the right time to try a natural facial oil as a moisturizer. There are many to choose from, including more common ones like coconut and olive oil. But there are many others you may not have heard about like argan, Moringa and sea buckthorn.

“People are more informed now and want to avoid artificial ingredients in their cosmetics,” says Anna Wilemon, a licensed aesthetician. “Facial oils are a natural alternative. They’re great as a moisturizer and makeup remover. They’re especially good for more mature skin.

And you can use them on your whole body, not just your face.”

Wilemon recommends trying only one oil at a time and giving it time to see how your skin responds. She adds that “a dime-sized amount is usually enough to use on your face, neck and even the backs of your hands morning and night.” In her practice and personally, Wilemon particularly likes coconut oil. But she’s seen good results with argan oil and sea buckthorn oil in her clients as well.

“Of course, it’s always best to get your skin professionally evaluated,” says Wilemon.

“That will save you a lot of trial and error and money in the long run.”

WOMAN © OLLYY; ROSEHIP © THANA NATTRIBHOP / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

HE ALT H Y

ARGAN: IT HAS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF VITAMIN E AND FATTY ACIDS, WHICH INCREASES OXYGENATION AND NUTRIENT LEVELS OF SKIN CELLS. HYDRATES AND SOFTENS SKINS; KNOWN FOR ITS ANTI-AGING PROPERTIES. COCONUT: COCONUT OIL IS HIGH IN SATURATED FATS, WHICH MAKES IT A POTENT MOISTURIZER. ANTIOXIDANTS SUCH AS POLYPHENOLS AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS MAKE IT A GOOD ANTI-AGING CHOICE. IT IS ALSO CONSIDERED ANTIINFLAMMATORY AND ANTIBACTERIAL. LOOK FOR VIRGIN COCONUT OIL THAT HAS NOT BEEN BLEACHED, DEODORIZED

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tchealthyliving.com | MARCH 2015

OR REFINED. MIGHT NOT BE BEST FOR THOSE WITH OILY, ACNE-PRONE SKIN. JOJOBA: PRONOUNCED “HOHO-BA,” IT IS CONSIDERED AN ABSORBING, LIGHTWEIGHT MOISTURIZER FOR ALL SKIN TYPES. PARTICULARLY GOOD FOR OILY SKIN BECAUSE IT DISSOLVES EXCESS SEBUM AND ALLOWS PORES TO BREATHE. JOJOBA IS RICH IN VITAMIN E, VITAMIN B-COMPLEX, COPPER, ZINC, SELENIUM, IODINE AND CHROMIUM. OTHER USES INCLUDE AS AN ANTIACNE GEL AND SCAR MINIMIZER.

MORINGA: THERE IS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF ITS USE BY THE ANCIENT HINDUS AND EGYPTIANS AS EARLY AS 2000 B.C. MORINGA IS HIGH IN OLEIC AND LINOLEIC ACIDS, AS WELL AS VITAMINS A, B, C AND E. IT’S HIGH ANTIOXIDANT CONTENT HELPS IT PROTECT SKIN FROM AGING CAUSED BY SUN DAMAGE. ALSO REPORTEDLY GOOD FOR DIMINISHING FINE LINES AND WRINKLES, LIGHTENING SKIN TONE, BUILDING COLLAGEN AND AS AN ANTI-ACNE AGENT.

SEA BUCKTHORN: SEA BUCKTHORN OIL IS DERIVED FROM SEEDS OF SEA BUCKTHORN TREE FRUIT. THE LATTER GROWS IN THE HIMALAYAN REGIONS. SEA BUCKTHORN OIL IS 90 PERCENT UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS, INCLUDING OMEGAS 3, 6, 7 AND 9. HIGH IN VITAMINS C AND E, IT ALSO CONTAINS LUTEIN, LYCOPENE AND ZEAXANTHIN. IT’S CONSIDERED VERY HYDRATING WITH ANTI-AGING AND ANTIINFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES.

ROSEHIP: HIGH IN VITAMINS A AND C, AS WELL AS THE ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS OMEGA 3 AND 6. IT REPORTEDLY IMPROVES SKIN ELASTICITY, BOOSTS SKIN CELL REGENERATION, REDUCES AGE SPOTS, TREATS ACNE AND IS A SCAR MINIMIZER.

Sources: totalbeauty.com, mercola.com, webmd.com, prevention.com

facial oils sampler

HE ALT H Y

body

the price of beauty S

Sources: dailymail.com, pinterest.com

LIPSTICK MONEY© GENIUSKP /SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; MAKEUP © AMAZON.COM

tepping out onto the buzzing street with a slick Chanel bag slung over your shoulder is one thing. After all, the brand name is plastered all over the front of the bag for everyone to see just which designer crafted your favorite handheld. However, can you say the same for your makeup? We didn’t think so.

“Oh, wow I just love your eyeshadow! Is that freelove

by Urban Decay?” The chances that a stranger (or even a friend) will know what brand of makeup you are sporting is pretty slim. So the question is, why do makeup junkies feel like they need to splurge in order to look their best. The answer is all in the logo. The brand name. It’s a marketing gimmick, and you don’t have to fall for it.

Recently, a detailed study was conducted by researchers in England that found the average woman will spend over $28,000 on cosmetics alone in her lifetime. Just think, if it weren’t for the overpriced moisturizers, foundations, mascaras or lipsticks—a couple of swanky new cars could definitely be in the picture.

While that number is a bit shocking, we find it fairly unlikely that women will boycott makeup anytime soon. However, there is some good news. The same pricy products that have stolen women’s hearts for decades have begun emerging in new places—or should we say packages. The products listed below are some of our favorite substitutions when it comes to makeup that looks and feels great.

SEPHORA MOONSHADOW BAKED PALETTE ($27)

vs.

E.L.F. STUDIO BAKED EYESHADOW PALETTE ($10)

STILA STAY ALL DAY WATERPROOF LIQUID EYELINER ($20)

vs.

E.L.F. ESSENTIAL WATERPROOF EYELINER PEN ($2)

DIORSHOW ($25)

vs.

L’OREAL VOLUMINOUS ($6)

CLINIQUE RINSE-OFF EYE MAKEUP SOLVENT ($19)

vs.

NEUTROGENA OIL-FREE EYE MAKEUP REMOVER ($7)

MAC SATIN LIPSTICKSNOB ($15)

vs.

WET N’ WILD MEGALAST LIP COLOR- PINKERBELLE ($2)

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD INVISIBLE COVER FOUNDATION ($42)

vs.

NYX HD STUDIO PHOTOGENIC FOUNDATION ($18)

BECCA SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR ($38)

vs.

NYX ILLUMINATOR ($9)

CLINIQUE MOISTURE SURGE ($39)

vs.

GARNIER MOISTURE RESCUE REFRESHING GEL ($7)

COVERGIRL INVISIBLE CONCEALER ($6)

vs.

E.L.F. ALL OVER COVER STICK ($1)

With a few strategic substitutions you’ll be on your way to cruising in that shiny new car sooner than you think. For more great makeup dupe suggestions, a quick Google or Pinterest search will yield plenty of ideas.

MARCH 2015

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body

wheel away the pounds

W

orkout routines can get boring, and that makes it easy to stop exercising. Adding in fun exercises like bicycling, rollerblading and even skateboarding is a great way to stay motivated and give your body new challenges.

With summer right around the corner, why not mix a few wheels into your weekly workouts? You might be surprised at how enjoyable and rewarding they turn out to be.

bicycling Picture yourself riding your bicycle at a steady pace through your neighborhood. You’re enjoying the outdoors and letting your mind relax. But, that’s not all. You’re actually burning calories at a rate of about 300 per hour!

And though your legs seem to do all the work on a bicycle, you’ll gradually tone your butt, hips and core, too. Did we forget to mention you’ll improve your cardiovascular health as well? Studies have shown that bicycling can increase cardiovascular fitness by 3 to 7 percent. It’s a low-impact way to develop endurance and better overall coordination, as well. Just don’t forget the helmet.

SKATEBOARDING© SERG ZASTAVKIN; WEIGHTLIFTING © KENSHI991; SPORTS EQUIPMENT©LASCHI /SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

HE ALT H Y

rollerblading Though it looks effortless, rollerblading burns a lot of calories. And it’s fun! Rollerblade for an hour at a moderate to fast pace and you’ll burn between 350 and 600 calories. But who says you’ll stop after just one hour?

It’s another low-impact exercise that gives you the same cardiovascular benefits you’d get from running. Keep your weight centered on your heels and your torso slightly bent and you’ll get a calorie-blasting, full-body workout.

IF YOU’RE FEELING ESPECIALLY ADVENTUROUS, SKATEBOARDING IS ANOTHER WAY TO EXERCISE AND HAVE FUN AT THE SAME TIME. MICHELE OLSON, AN EXERCISE SCIENCE PROFESSOR FROM AUBURN UNIVERSITY, SAID ITS CARDIOVASCULAR BENEFITS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE YOU’D GET FROM JUMPING ROPE OR SPINNING BECAUSE IT “GOES FROM PACING TO MORE EXPLOSIVE EFFORTS.” AND, LIKE BICYCLING AND ROLLERBLADING, SKATEBOARDING DOESN’T JUST WORK THOSE LEGS. TO EVEN BALANCE ON THE BOARD, YOUR ABS AND BACK MUSCLES HAVE TO BE WORKING HARD. OLSON ESTIMATES THAT JUST PUSHING THE BOARD TO KEEP IT MOVING FORWARD BURNS ABOUT EIGHT TO 12 CALORIES PER MINUTE. THAT’S A WHOPPING 480 TO 720 CALORIES AN HOUR! NEW TO SKATEBOARDS? YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE IT SLOW AND INVEST IN A PAIR OF PADS TO GET YOURSELF GOING! NOT QUITE READY FOR A SKATEBOARD? A SCOOTER (THE KICK KIND… ELECTRIC WOULD BE CHEATING) MAY BE THE WAY TO GO.

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rolling them all together

Adding wheels to your exercise regimen will help keep you active and perhaps more motivated.

But, don’t neglect other forms of exercise like lifting weights and targeting muscle groups. Throwing in your favorite wheelworkouts a day or two each week will keep things fun and fresh.

Sources: Men’s Fitness, Adult Bicycling, Planet On Wheels

SKATEBOARDING

HE ALT H Y

body

snacking in the

spring time

I

t’s hard to spring forward when you’re eating heavy foods. Here are some ways to lighten up your lunches for spring or prep for an afternoon party. They’re easy, flavorful and perfect for picnics, parties or lunchtime.

mediterranean veggie pinwheels Food blogger Nick Evans of macheesmo.com is all about making flavorful food at home, and his blend of Mediterranean veggies inside these pinwheels is perfect for spring.

You’ll need…

4 large flour tortillas

1

cup spinach artichoke hummus

medium cucumber, seeded and sliced

½

red pepper, sliced

1

large carrot, grated

½

½

red onion, sliced thin

2

1

Salt and pepper

lentil salad with marinated onions, roasted tomatoes and olives If you’re in need of a salad refresher, try some old favorites like olives and onions with a flavorful marinade. Ever try lentils? This salad is your chance to try something new and nutritious.

You’ll need…

2-3 medium tomatoes cut into eight wedges

2

garlic cloves, pressed

1

medium cucumber, chopped

1

tbsp balsamic vinegar

(12-ounce) jar artichoke hearts, sliced

¼

8

thyme sprigs, leaves removed

cup parsley, chopped

3

tbsp chives, chopped

Sea salt

1

(9.5-ounce) jar whole, pitted Greek olives, drained

yellow pepper, sliced

4

tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

cups various greens

1

Makes 4 wraps, 24 pinwheels Wash, peel and grate the carrot. Slice the other veggies into thin matchsticks. Spread a layer of hummus on each tortilla, all the way to the edges. Add leafy greens to the tortilla. Lay all the thin veggie sticks in the same direction so the wraps roll easily. Wrap as tightly as possible. Cut each wrap in half and each half into thirds. Serve and enjoy.

BONUS TIP: NICK LIKES TOMATO TORTILLAS AND SPINACH ARTICHOKE HUMMUS IN HIS WRAPS. Recipe and photo courtesy Nick Evans of macheesmo.com.

1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar

11/3 cup lentils ½

medium red onion, thinly sliced

2/3 cup crumbled feta 1

tbsp lemon juice

Fresh ground black pepper

Makes 6-8 servings Preheat oven to 400°F. Line medium-sized baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes skin side down. Add drained olives to pan; drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and sea salt. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool completely. Cook lentils according to package. While lentils cook, place red onion in small bowl. Pour red wine vinegar over onions, and sprinkle with salt. Stir, and let stand while lentils cook. Drain finished lentils. In large bowl combine lentils, marinated onions, garlic and remaining olive oil. Mix well, and cool; then combine remaining ingredients with lentils. Serve cold.

For more tips and ideas to add flavor to your meals, visit onions-usa.org and uasaonions.com. Recipe and photos courtesy of the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee and the National Onion Association.

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HE ALT H Y

balance

Source: golantern.com

MIND | SPIRIT | FINANCE

the right track

Turns out that our emotional health here in Tennessee may be something to brag about! Based on a survey by Lantern, an online tool for evaluating mental health, the most healthful U.S. states have residents who “regularly learn something new, share a moment of closeness with a loved one, have a meaningful conversation with a friend, do a good deed for someone else or engage in other activities that help them truly rest, recharge and unwind.” So where does Tennessee rank? Turns out we’re right smack in the middle, ranked 25th. Not bad, right? So what are you waiting for?

Take a class, call a friend or do your part to pay it forward.

That’s what it’s all about after all!

MARCH 2015

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43

balance

one man’s

A

fter another busy day at the office, it’s Friday night and you’re home getting ready for the night out. You put your makeup on, paint your nails and spray some perfume.

What you didn’t realize, though, is that everything mentioned is poisoning you.

HERE’S A LIST OF THE TOP HOUSEHOLD POISONS FOR BOTH PEOPLE AND PETS TO MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY STAYS OUT OF HARM’S WAY.

treat TOP 10 HOUSEHOLD POISONS FOR PEOPLE

MOTHBALLS: Prolonged exposure can

damage and destroy red blood cells, which can stimulate nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

PESTICIDES: Children who ingest pesticides are exposed to fatal levels. It’s best to keep these completely out of reach of all children.

LASER PRINTER CHEMICALS: Laser printers can give off ultra-fine particles, and overexposure can cause health problems such as heart and lung disease.

BABY BOT TLES: Bottles made with polycarbonate plastics, the most common on the market, are known as “hormone disruptors” and can interfere with the natural growth of children. Instead, look for a “BPA-free” label on all items that will be used for food or liquids.

COSMETICS: Cosmetics use a chemical called plasticizers that help bond the color to the product, and these chemicals may cause reproductive and developmental problems.

HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS: Household cleaners are made for cleaning surfaces and are “poison liquids.” If ingested, they could be deadly.

PLANTS: HOUSEPLANTS CAN EASILY BE POISONOUS TO SOMEONE OF A YOUNGER AGE. ALTHOUGH MOST WILL JUST CAUSE A STOMACHACHE WHEN INGESTED, THEY’RE STILL DANGEROUS. SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL HELP IF INGESTED. GASPOWERED APPLIANCES: Gas-powered appliances, such as generators, heaters and others, emit carbon monoxide, a tasteless, odorless poison that could suffocate you.

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tchealthyliving.com | MARCH 2015

You should only use gas-powered appliances in a well-vented location, preferably outdoors. Household dryers and ovens of the gas variety that are vented outside are generally not a concern when hooked up and used properly.

BATTERIES: Some batteries, especially disk-shaped ones—known as button cell batteries—used for items such as hearing aids and other small portable electronic devices, contain mercury and are small enough to be confused for a pill. When ingested, symptoms can be vomiting, stomach pains, difficulty breathing and rashes.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION: Accidentally overdosing on medication is not as uncommon as you might think. Although not always fatal, it does put tremendous strain on your organs. Make sure to always read the label and only take the prescribed dose. All prescription medication should be kept out of the reach of children.

TOP 10 HOUSEHOLD POISONS FOR PETS

HUMAN MEDICINE: Tylenol, Advil, Motrin or any of their generics are fatal to animals if consumed, along with any prescription medication, such as amphetamines.

RODENTICIDES/BAIT STATIONS: Bait stations for rats, cockroaches and more are filled with fatal poisons. Dogs, and cats especially, are curious creatures that will venture into things. Make sure these are in places your pets can’t get to.

HAND © INDIGOLOTOS; DOG © CHARLIE BARD; FLOWER © SEDMI / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

HE ALT H Y

pois n

is another dog’s

HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS: Products such as bleach and drain and toilet cleaners are fatal to pets if ingested. If you’re cleaning where your pets wander, make sure it’s all wiped up before the pet is allowed back to the cleaned area.

SILICA GEL PACKS: Used for keeping

products dry (found in items such as beef jerky packets and new products), these packets are poisonous if ingested due to toxic additives that have been added during the creation process.

PEOPLE FOODS: THE ASPCA HAS A HUGE LIST OF HUMAN FOODS THAT ARE FATAL TO PETS. FOODS SUCH AS CHOCOLATE, GRAPES, EGGS, ONIONS AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS ALL CAUSE MEDICAL PROBLEMS WITH PETS AND ARE FATAL IF TOO MUCH IS INGESTED. FOR A MORE COMPLETE LIST, VISIT ASPCA.ORG/PET CARE/ANIMALPOISONCONTROL. PAINTS AND VARNISHES: Paints

contain a concoction of chemicals that, when ingested, are poisonous.

Sodium levels are raised to threateningly high levels, and tremendous therapy is needed to save the pet.

FERTILIZERS: While ingestion of most fertilizers results in upset stomachs, they can also cause bowel obstructions and painful inflammation in pets, which can be fatal if untreated.

LILIES: Ingesting even two lily petals can cause kidney failure in cats. If left untreated, it can be fatal in less than three days. If you have cats (indoor or outdoor), take caution not to have lilies.

They’re that dangerous!

PESTICIDES: Exposure to lawns covered in fresh pesticides can be harmful to pets.

It can lead to vomiting, tremors and seizures. Overexposure can lead to death. If you just sprayed your lawn, make sure your pet has very limited exposure to it.

ANTIFREEZE: Cars can leak this fluid anytime of the year. It’s bright and sweet to the taste, which attracts pets. One small swallow of this is fatal to pets. Try a safer alternative, like propylene glycol.

TOPICAL FLEA MEDICINE: Some topical flea medications meant for dogs only can be fatal for cats. When you purchase flea medicine, make sure the brand can be used on both cats and dogs. Check with your veterinarian on which one is the right for all your furry friends.

Sources: mercola.com, petinsurance.com, aspca.org, poison.org, cdc.gov, babycenter.com, emedicinehealth.com, petpoisonhelpline.com

MARCH 2015

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balance

it’s a

gamble bet on it

W

hether you’re placing a bet that the Red Sox will most definitely beat the Yankees or sitting in your car scratching off metallic numbers, one thing is for certain—it’s a gamble and you’re at risk.

Compulsive gambling, sometimes referred to as a gambling disorder, is the uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on your life. Risking something you value in the hopes of getting something better goes against most of the best axioms taught in life, and let’s face it—the odds are not in your favor.

According to the Mayo Clinic, gambling can stimulate the brain’s reward system, much like drugs or alcohol, which can lead to an addiction. Compulsive gamblers can find themselves hundreds or even thousands of dollars in debt, which typically leads to more gambling in order to try to make up the losses. They might also try to hide their behavior from loved ones all while depleting savings and accumulating debt. Some even resort to theft or fraud to support the addiction.

And the myth that gambling is only a problem if exercised every day is one to be busted.

You don’t, in fact, have to gamble every day to have a gambling addiction. Gambling is a serious issue that can lead to personal isolation and thoughts of suicide, depending on how much debt has been accumulated. So, if gambling is negatively affecting your life, job, relationships or financial wellbeing, read on to find out how to break the gambling cycle.

putting the cards on the table... for good IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE STRUGGLES WITH A GAMBLING ADDICTION, HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO START MAKING SOME HEALTHIER CHOICES:

MAN © FAMILY BUSINESS; DICE © STEVE GREEN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

HE ALT H Y

REACH OUT. Call a trusted family member, meet up with a friend for coffee or go to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting.

STAY BUSY. Distract yourself with something else. Pick a hobby—and then perfect it!

POSTPONE IT. Here is your chance—a free pass to procrastinate! Tell yourself that you will wait five minutes, 10 minutes, an hour or a day— however long for the gambling sensation to pass.

REALIT Y CHECK. Tally up how much money you have lost to gambling. Now think about the places you could have visited, things you could have done and items you could have bought.

TAKE IT SERIOUS. A gambling addiction can be a life-threatening issue for some people. For more information on compulsive gambling and where to find professional help, visit the National Council on Problem Gambling’s website at ncpgambling.org.

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tchealthyliving.com | MARCH 2015

Source: helpguide.org, mayoclinic.org

SURROUND YOURSELF. If you gamble for the social scene, try healthier ways to build a social network. Connect with old friends—or better yet, make some new ones!

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HE ALT H Y

balance WOMAN © STOKKETE/ SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

how to be an early bird (yes, really!)

Being presumptuous and picking the latter, we’d say that you are lacking one vital necessity to give you enough energy to get through not only your morning but your whole day: sleep. But let’s face it—sleep doesn’t come easy for some… especially with kids, work and household responsibilities. Even so, we still have to get up, get dressed and get on with our day. So the question is, how does one become a morning person? Here are some tips that will have you out of bed and on your way without the help of that pesky alarm clock!

baby steps.

A super important part of our day, our bedtime even determines whether our next day runs smoothly or is out of control. Create a bedtime by moving your average sleep time forward 15 minutes. Each week, increase how much time you are giving your eyes a rest.

Eventually, you will be able to determine how much sleep you need to feel refreshed.

unwind.

Learning how to say “no” can be one of the best gifts you ever give yourself. Pare down commitments, especially those in the evening, to free up some time to unwind before bed.

a routine thing.

Having a set schedule is useful for cluing our bodies in on what’s to come. An evening routine lets your mind know that it’s almost time to go to sleep. Drink a cup of tea or read a good book before turning the lights out. This 20 minutes of peace helps you to settle down and puts you mind at ease.

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not too much… or too little.

The uncomfortable feeling of being too hungry, thirsty or full has been pegged by experts to be disruptive when it comes to your body’s sleep patterns. Find a balance.

unplug it.

The blue and red lights emitted from electronic devices, such as cell phones, laptops and TVs, have been found to disturb sleep more than natural light. Turn off these devices an hour before bedtime to make dozing easier.

plan ahead.

If hitting the snooze button has become a habit that you don’t see yourself breaking free from anytime soon, go ahead and hit it.

Here’s the secret: Set your alarm 10 minutes ahead so when you do hit snooze—one, two or three times—your body will be ready to get moving and you’ll be on time.

Sources: cnn.com

6

:00am. Snooze.

6:05am. Snooze.

6:10am. Snoo— now 10 minutes late and still 10 hours behind on sleep, you have come to the realization that you are not a morning person. Hitting the snooze button more than once could mean two things: one, you like the obnoxious noise of your alarm clock ringing loudly in your ear over and over, or two, your body is in serious need of some extra sleep.

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