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AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

Popular anti-resolutions for the new year

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ot everyone is out there sweating at the gym just because a new year rolled around a few weeks ago. For every person who has started walking before work or has given up cigarettes, there are probably ten more who are working on their 2014 antiresolutions.

What, you never heard of anti-resolutions? Let us educate you. Here are some of the most popular: Watch more TV Statistics say the average American spends a full 9 years of his or her life watching TV. Frankly, that’s just pathetic. We’re supposed to be the greatest country in the world and we can’t manage 10 years of lifetime TV watching? Come on, people.

Get drunk more often The “occasional” drink ranks high on the Wuss Factor. Why drink at all if you’re not going to get serious about it? Among the expected results: cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, and car accidents. Excessive drinking is the root cause of nearly 100,000 deaths every year. Nearly? With just a little more effort, let’s reach that six-figure milestone.

Increase your stress level All by itself, stress can weaken the body’s immune

system enough to make you sick. And lord knows, there is no shortage of stuff to stress out over. People who aren’t stressed are heartless, callous, selfcentered narcissists who have no grasp of the enormity of the problems facing the human race. Don’t you dare be one of those people.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Smoke more cigarettes Each and every year, an estimated 438,000 Americans die prematurely due to the effects of smoking. The efforts of these martyrs makes a significant and noble contribution in the fight against global population growth. But we could do so much more.

Cut back on healthy foods The number of people on this planet who go to bed hungry 365 nights per year numbers in the billions. Billions. Every time you skip your daily five servings of fruits and vegetables in favor

of processed factory-made foods, you make more food available to earth’s starving billions. Please.

Do your part.

Reduce exercise “Failure to launch” has many benefits. Just two of them, heart disease and obesity, help clear the way for coming generations in a big way: heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans. Combine the previous anti-resolution and this one and what have you got?

Eating delicious donuts on the couch. Fun! Sex, sex, and more sex Speaking of fun: indiscriminate, casual, unprotected sex gives birth to 12 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases every year in the U.S. alone — and probably a few babies, too. Some STDs are fatal, which means the parents of those babies won’t have to put up with the sass and disrespect of their own children when they become teenagers. That’s a win.

Don’t wear seatbelts Sure, driving kills more people in the 1 to 35 age group than anything else, but tyranny has killed millions too. Be a patriot: being unbuckled is your vote for personal freedom.

Hopefully these few suggestions will get you started on some antiresolutions of your own. +

JANUARY 24, 2014

All things in moderation For all the people who don’t subscribe to the article on the left, this is the right side of page one. Thanks for stopping by.

When people begin a new exercise program — and that could be plenty of people this time of year — they often push their bodies too far and put themselves at risk for injury. That can lead to aborted exercise plans and getting reacquainted with the couch.

The common notion that exercise must be really hard or painful to be beneficial is simply wrong. Moderation is the key to safe exercise. Safe exercise programs start slowly and gradually build up in intensity, frequency, and duration.

In addition, if you have an existing health problem, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, a history of heart disease, or are a smoker, you should contact your doctor before beginning any vigorous physical activity.

Safe Exercise Guidelines • Use Proper Equipment. Replace your athletic shoes as they wear out. Wear comfortable, loosefitting clothes that let you move freely and are light enough to release body heat.

When exercising in cold weather, dress in removable layers.

“The greatest hazard of exercise • Balanced fitness. is not doing it.”

Develop a balanced — Dr. Harvey Simon fitness program that incorporates cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility. In addition to providing a total body workout, a balanced program will keep you from getting bored and lessen your chances of injury.

• Warm Up. Warm up to prepare to exercise, even before stretching. Run in place for a few minutes, breathe slowly and deeply, or gently rehearse the motions of the exercise to follow.

Warming up increases your heart and blood flow rates and loosens up other muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints.

Please see MODERATION page 2

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JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

HEALTHCARE REFORM & YOU

by Russell T. Head, CBC, CSA

DID YOU KNOW? (Part 1)

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id you know that Health Care Reform is entering its fourth year of implementation? While it seems as though Healthcare.gov has caught a tremendous amount of attention over the past few months we cannot lose sight of all of the many changes that have occurred and will occur in 2014. Below are a few HCR changes that will affect you or your employer this year: • 90 Day Waiting Period Limitation: A waiting period for full-time benefit-eligible employees may not be more than 90 days.

This may not be an issue for many large employers or professional firms as they tend to have up to 60-day new hire waiting periods. However, for industries with high employee turnover, this may create a tremendous amount of time, paperwork and expense. The most simplistic change for those industries who typically have had a 6 month or 12 month waiting period may be to change your waiting period to a first of the month following 60 days effective date. Accurate record keeping and timely enrollments are imperative to stay compliant in 2014 and the years to come.

• Cost Sharing Subsidies: The focus quite often on Healthcare.gov is the potential possibility of qualifying for a premium tax credit. Many people are unaware of the Cost Sharing Subsidy. An individual or family that falls below 251% of the federal poverty level and purchases insurance coverage on their public exchange (State/Federal) may qualify for this benefit if certain other qualifications are met. For example: In Georgia, the secondlowest cost silver level plan from Humana may help a qualified individual take their $4,250 annual network deductible all the way down to $750. Cost sharing subsidies simply provide financial assistance in helping reduce an individual’s out-of-pocket expenses toward covered medical care.

• Essential Benefits: What is essential? For most individuals who have coverage privately or through a small company, you should not see a significant difference in the overall coverage of your policy. Most policies already cover most of the “essential benefits” such as hospitalization, physician care, prescription coverage, etc. However, there are a few new items that you may not have seen before. For

example, prior to January 1, 2014 it was almost impossible to find a quality major medical carrier in the individual private market that would offer maternity coverage as a part of its base benefits, or even as an optional rider.

Now maternity coverage is built into the policy like other covered medical expenses.

Of course, any time you add on additional coverage there is always a cost built into the premium of the policy. In plain English, nothing is free.

Another added benefit that you will see in the market is rehabilitative services. This benefit will be extremely beneficial to those who may need either inpatient or outpatient therapies. In order to take full advantage of this benefit it would be smart to make sure you are accessing network providers as out of network benefits could expose you to increased cost sharing way beyond your annual out of pocket maximum. Finally essential benefits must include pediatric dental and vision care. Don’t expect to drop your current dental or vision insurance as most of these medical plans apply your annual deductible before first dollar benefits begin. This new pediatric coverage benefit may be very limited in overall coverage benefits. Your separate dental and vision insurance coverage should be much more comprehensive.

Next month we’ll continue with the second segment of HCR changes that may affect you in 2014. + For further explanation of the ACA/PPACA provisions outlined in this article, please refer to the following resources: www.hhs.gov www.irs.gov www.healthcare.gov www.cms.gov Russell T. Head is a Partner and Chief Visionary Architect with Group & Benefits Consultants, Inc., Augusta’s largest, privately held, locally owned employee benefits consulting firm. He can be reached at 706-7333459 or rthead@gandbc. com. Visit Group & Benefits Consultants at www.

Russell Head groupandbenefits.com.

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MODERATION… from page 1 • Stretch. Begin stretches slowly and carefully until reaching a point of muscle tension. Hold each stretch for 10 to 20 seconds, then slowly and carefully release it. Inhale before each stretch and exhale as you release.

Do each stretch only once. Never stretch to the point of pain, always maintain control, and never bounce on a muscle that is fully stretched.

• Take Your Time. During strength training, move through the full range of motion with each repetition. Breathe regularly to help lower your blood pressure and increase blood supply to the brain.

• Drink Water. Drink enough water to prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Drink 1 pint of water 15 minutes before you start exercising and another pint after you cool down. Have a drink of water every 20 minutes or so while you exercise.

• Cool Down. Make cooling down the final phase of your exercise routine. It should take twice as long as your warm up. Slow your motions and lessen the intensity of your movements for at least 10 minutes before you stop completely. This phase of a safe exercise program should conclude when your skin is dry and you have cooled down.

• Rest. Schedule regular days off from exercise and rest when tired.

Fatigue and pain are good reasons to not exercise.

Common Sports Injuries • Overuse Injuries Exercise puts repetitive stress on many parts of the body such as muscles, tendons, bursae, cartilage, bones, and nerves. Repetitive stress can leads to microtraumas — minor injuries that would typically heal with enough rest. When you exercise too frequently, your body never has a chance to repair these microtraumas.

As microtraumas build up over time, you become prone to overuse injuries, such as: • Damage to elbow cartilage in athletes who throw • Heel bursitis and stress fractures in runners • Nerve entrapment in rowers • Kneecap (patellar) tendinitis in volleyball players • Traumatic Injuries To build strength and endurance from exercise, you must slowly and gradually push your body beyond its limits.

When you push too far too fast, the body is prone to traumatic injuries such as sprains and fractures. Many seasonal sports injuries happen when athletes rush their reconditioning and do too much too soon with bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles they ignored in the off-season.

Risk Factors There are many risk factors that make injury during exercise more likely.

• The duration, intensity or frequency of an exercise is excessive or rapidly increasing.

• The terrain or weather conditions are extreme or irregular.

• You use incorrect equipment, such as athletic shoes that are not designed for your activity.

• You have been injured in the past.

• You smoke or have led a sedentary lifestyle.

• You have low aerobic or muscle endurance, low or imbalanced strength, or abnormal or imbalanced flexibility.

• You have underlying musculoskeletal conditions that predispose you to injury, such as bowed legs or high arches in your feet.

First Aid Accidents can happen despite safe exercise precautions. If you pull a muscle (or worse) during exercise, apply a protective device such as a sling, splint, or brace. Then use the first aid standard for musculoskeletal injures: rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).

• Rest the injury.

• Ice it to lessen swelling, bleeding, and inflammation.

• Apply a compression bandage to limit swelling.

• Elevate the injury above heart level to reduce swelling.

You may use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen for pain. See your doctor if you have severe pain, cannot move the injured body part, or if symptoms persist. +

Thanks for reading the Medical Examiner

JANUARY 24, 2014

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

You could say it all started with Blackfish. The nowpopular film must have put my roommates and I in the mood for documentaries. Just a few nights later with no late night football games to occupy us, we decided to watch the HBO documentary Tales of the Organ Trade. The documentary attempts to persuade an audience that thousands of individuals—it focuses on impoverished Filipino men—are exploited for kidney transplants.

Now, had you asked me before I saw the film, I would have adamantly stated that humans should not be allowed to sell their organs. After all, as the film shows, such a market is a very uneven one, with the majority of the donors being impoverished, uneducated persons. As someone who spends quite a bit of time trying to understand disease processes and how the body works, I feel safe in saying that the vast majority of these donors could never truly understand the impact their decision will have on their body long term.

Yet, the film obtained the exact opposite of the desired effect. I believe it swayed me in favor of selling organs. I say, “believe,” because I’m still open to persuasion. However, with greater thought on the issue comes greater confidence in my decision. It didn’t take long, either. One of the film’s first donors swayed me. The man, a victim of horrible poverty, lived in a tiny, dirt-floored shack—no door, no bed, no nothing—with a four-foot high ceiling, all of this underneath a slightly nicer shack. He shared the living space with his wife and three children. He stated that donating his kidney would provide him with enough money to move out

into the country, build him a house, and provide him and his family a fresh start. He wanted the surgery more than just about anything. The way things looked, it was hard not to want it for him.

Only then did I fully realize how much benefit the donor could potentially gain. Granted, the man was receiving next to nothing by American standards. But by his standards it was more than a year’s wages. It was life changing for him and his family.

While it is easy to think that such poverty does not exist in the United States, I believe the vast majority of us cannot begin to understand what levels of poverty there really are here at home, nor of the impact a thirty or fortythousand dollar boost could do for some people.

Furthermore, as I have continued to research the topic, some other arguments of the opponents of the idea seem less favorable to me. I don’t have enough space to include them here, but I encourage you to post on my facebook page (simply search “Wide-Eyed White Coat “) or write to the Augusta Medical Examiner with any rebuttal. I’d be happy to hear you out and gain further perspective.

Still, a few facts might make legalizing organ sales seem more practical in the US. First of all, diabetes—the number one cause for kidney failure and transplant need here in the US—isn’t going away. Just the opposite: its prevalence is increasing.

While a great deal of money and manpower is being spent on research, it is likely that this epidemic will haunt our healthcare system for many years to come.

Even if diabetes rates didn’t grow at all, the current

What’s your story?

!

Nearly all of us — even doctors and nurses — are sometimes patients. Perhaps you were recently injured playing your favorite sport, or years ago you somehow got hurt without even leaving your favorite recliner. Maybe you were diagnosed with a dreaded disease, mugged in a dark and lonely parking lot, or you stubbed your toe in the safety of your own bedroom. On the other hand, perhaps you needed medical attention 5,000 miles from home. Whatever your medical experience, we’d like to hear your story for our Medicine in the First Person feature. It can be frightening or funny, ordinary or extraordinary, just a few paragraphs long or quite a lengthy tale, bylined or anonymous. We’ll publish your encounters with the medical profession as often as we receive them. + Send your submissions for Medicine in the First Person to the Augusta Medical Examiner via e-mail: info@AugustaRx.com or to PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397. (The Medical Examiner reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission at its sole discretion.)

THE MONEY DOCTOR: FISCAL HEALTH IN OUR FEB. 21 ISSUE

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DOLLARS FOR DONORS? IʼM ON BOARD

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s of companies who already support us ! the ten Join

by Ross Everett

outlook is already pretty bleak.

According to the National Kidney Foundation in June of 2013, there were already 96,645 people on the waiting list for life-saving kidney transplants at that time.

On average, nearly 3,000 new patients are added to that list each month. And in the last year, 4,903 patients died while waiting for a transplant. 16,812 transplants took place in the year prior. Of those, only 5,769 came from living donors.

While highly supported data is hard to come across, many have projected that legalization of for-profit kidney donations could eliminate nearly all of this waiting list.

Other compelling information is that most agree that healthy kidney donors, who pass through the numerous screens for regulated, legal donation, see no decrease in life expectancy nor an increase in kidney disease themselves.

Even transplant dissidents, presumably playing up the most negative statistics they can find, admit by their interpretation of the data to only a one year decrease in life expectancy among donors.

While this issue is highly controversial—and I admit that I’m not completely decided—I believe it is one that should enter more serious conversation. I believe there could be a right way to implement such a system. As with any health or policy implementation, there will be horror stories, abuses, terrifying what-if propositions and slipperyslope arguments. However, I feel like each of these must be seriously weighed against the thousands and thousands of lives that are lost. The time to discuss the proposition is now.

Those ninety-six thousand people are tired of waiting. +

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AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

www.AugustaRx.com Ross Everett is a 3rd year medical student at the Medical College of Georgia. He grew up in Buford, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011.

In addition to his coursework, he is interested in health policy, health systems and health management. Please contact him at wideeyedwhitecoat@gmail.com and Like him on Facebook at WideEyed White Coat.

The Medical Examiner’s mission: to provide information on topics of health and wellness of interest to general readers, to offer information to assist readers in wisely choosing their healthcare providers, and to serve as a central source of news within every part of the Augusta medical community.

Submit editorial content to graphicadv@knology.net Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to: Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com Augusta Medical Examiner photography: H + D Photography www.handdphoto.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455

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www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor.

The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2014 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

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JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Hope IS Possible

Finding hope in the American Dream

Helen Blocker-Adams

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two parent or single parent household), have received an education beyond high school, are attending the church of their choice, are believers of something bigger than themselves and doing their best to make ends meet – but they are still having a tough time. They are trying not to complain, thinking that it’s going to get better. We are at the beginning of a New Year and some of their resolutions are already fading away.

How can one not be frustrated if he is in a situation like this? In many ways, we are living in dark and difficult days, even though we are trying our best. We are waiting for the light to shine a little in our lives. We are sick and tired of “just getting by.”

Many have chosen to give up.

I caution: do not do that.

What are your options? What if you have children, what are they going to think if you give up? What is their hope going to look like if they see their parents or guardians giving up?

We simply are going to have to have dig deep. Dig real deep and cling to the word HOPE. I love that word.

AUGUSTA

hen I reflect back on why I started writing this column I think of the young woman who took the lives of her two babies a few years ago. It was a horrendous incident that will forever stay etched in my mind. It also changed my life.

My compassion for people, especially women in distress, became another passion of mine, so I started a talk therapy program called “Hope is Possible.” In one year we served about 50 women of all ethnicities and ages. Although I haven’t held one of these programs in almost two years,

the need is still there, perhaps now more than ever. If it’s the Lord’s will, we will relaunch the program and it will be facilitated by a friend of mine who is just as passionate about this issue as I am.

I’m out and about around people daily and the feeling of hopelessness is all around us. Sure, we go through the motions, almost like a functioning alcoholic, as if everything is okay, but we’re not. Many are in denial.

Others have no clue what to do to get out of their situation, which could be a bad relationship, financial challenge, problems with one’s children, or problems at work.

There is another troubling concern that has begun to resonate with me over the past months: The American Dream. What is the American Dream? It may be one thing to one person and something else to another.

However you define it, what has become of The American Dream? There are thousands of people right here in the Augusta area working every day, raising their children (whether it’s a

There are several definitions of hope. As a verb, one of the definitions is “To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.” As a noun, one of the definitions is “A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment.”

There is another definition and it’s the one I choose to completely lean on. It’s the biblical definition that means “confident expectation.”

“Hope is a firm assurance regarding things that are unclear and unknown.”

(Romans 8:24-25; Hebrews 11:1, 7) There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people right here in this community crying out for hope. They cross all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The expressions and conversations regarding that cry may be different, but the bottom line is that the cry for hope is prevalent.

One thing we must stop doing is putting our primary hope in man or woman or politicians, teachers, fire fighters, police officers, parents or whoever else you can name. The same person you are putting your

hope in may be struggling, unbeknown to you, just as bad as you are.

The better hope I’m describing here comes directly, specifically and perfectly through God. Period. Through God, He will give you the hope, so even when you’re struggling, you have the ability, through Him, to help someone else. You have to dig really deep, search and read and meditate on His word, to truly grasp and receive what I’m saying. It’s a process, but it’s worth it.

I don’t want you to lose hope. I don’t want you to give up. I want you to keep pressing, but you really must stop trying to do it all on your own. Grab hold of a source that is much bigger than you and your personal world will be a better place. And you will be in position to pursue and achieve the elusive American Dream we all are striving for. + Helen Blocker-Adams is Executive Director of the Southeast Enterprise Institute; mental health advocate; and youth advocate. You can email her at hba@hbagroup-intl. com or visit her website at www. helenblockeradams.com

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AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

JANUARY 24, 2014

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JANUARY 24, 2014

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT MANAGING DEATH

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eorge’s second wife was a heel-popping Panamanian beauty 15 years younger than him. George was tired a lot.

Second Wife (with First Wife in tow) brought George into the ER one night. Both wives agreed something was just not right with George, and they were worried.

Their eyes were filled with concern. Rivalry had no truck with them.

George had a haunted, greenish-yellow hue and looked like he was coming in second-best in the battle of life. His spirit was sapped.

My lips said, “Hello, George. How are you?”

My instinct said, “Cancer.”

The lab and X-ray confirmed my snap judgment: colon cancer.

The news got worse.

Palpable lymph nodes indicated metastasis.

I laid out the expected course of possible management and treatment, as well as the eventual outcome.

George went home to think about it. He missed his followup appointment and did not answer his phone.

A month later he showed up in my office looking weak, but well-tanned. He had been to Panama to see a witch

doctor at the insistence of Second Wife’s mother. The witch doctor had listened to George’s complaints, examined George, and viewed him with a hand-held magnifying glass. The witch doctor gave George some powdered herbs to strengthen his spirits, but said in reality not even he could heal George.

An honest witch doctor!

Now, how does that grab you?

Just goes to show that even semi-quacks are human and honest at times.

George did not believe in witch doctors, but being the good man that he was, he had gone to manage his family.

George figured that once his income stopped, Wife Number Two might never get back down to Panama to see her mother again. George was a good family manager.

George elected to avoid surgery and chemotherapy.

(Poisons, he said).

A lawyer helped George get his affairs in order. A preacher helped George get his heart right with the Lord.

George went peacefully when Death came.

It was no great shock.

George had everybody ready.

Dying is a hard subject fraught with misconceptions

Who:

CSRA Parkinson Support Group What: Bad Billy Laveau, a retired doctor who writes for the Augusta Medical Examiner, will be the speaker. He will regale the group with JANUARY entertaining and educational stories.

TUESDAY

28

When: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 6:00pm

Where: St. John Towers dining room 724 Greene Street Augusta, GA Contact: Mary Ann Navarro (706) 364-1662 Note: This event is free and open to the public.

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Best and confusion. None of us actually want to die, at least not right this moment. None of us have real personal experience with dying, if you don’t count the people the supermarket tabloids tell us have come back to life.

We have had loved ones to die. We have gone through the disbelief, angry, hurtsad-depressed, and recovery sequences that are necessary to our sanity.

At some time or another, most of us have been glad when certain people died, regardless of how or why, just so long as it happened. People like Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein and Pablo Escobar and Jeffrey Dahmer.

Not many of us actually wanted to personally kill any of these rogues, but neither were we saddened when they “passed on.” Certainly, I wasn’t. Some might say they would like to have had their finger on the trigger that sent these blights on humanity to their Judgment Day. But most likely that is just bluster.

Taking a life is a bad thing and will haunt your dreams.

The bottom line is that we

e n i c i d ME

are instinctively and horribly uneasy with death. The human mind can cope with almost anything … except the unknown.

Death is the ultimate unknown.

But Death is a normal part of life. Death visits everyone.

So what do we do? We do not fear Death. We manage Death.

The certainty of death as predetermined is hard-wired into the genetic makeup of our being. We cannot change that. However, we can tweak inevitability and alter Death’s itinerary.

So, can do we have input into how and when we die?

If you want to quicken the arrival of Death: • Avoid regular medical checkups • Smoke tobacco • Drink more than one ounce of alcohol a day • Drive over the speed limit • Eat huge amounts of fat and cholesterol • Participate in high risk activities • Be more than 20 pounds overweight

• Be sexually promiscuous • Go to night clubs • Use illegal drugs • Sleep less than 6 hours per night • Do things that are illegal, immoral, or fattening If you want to delay the arrival of Death: • Get regular medical check ups • Drive defensively, and never, ever speed • Foster strong family ties • Live a clean life • Go to church • Remain active and stay in shape • Control your weight and diet • Do not drink alcohol • If you do drink, drink small amounts and only at home • Be in bed each night by 11 pm to sleep 7 hours • Do not use tobacco, first hand or second hand • Do things you enjoy unless they are illegal, immoral, or fattening • And by all means, laugh a lot. + Bad Billy Laveau is a retired MD with a pointed sense of humor.

Bad Billy speaks and entertains at public and private events for audiences not subject to cardiac seizure secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee BadBilly@knology.net or 706306-9397

Stay at home alternatives from the professionals at Right at Home “Right at Home” owners Celeste Hoffman and Kathy Crist introduce therapy dog Snickers to Mrs. Margaret Lista. Photo by Todd Lista.

For more information and a free in-home assessment, call

803-278-0250 or visit www.rightathome.net/csra.

Is it ignor ance or apathy? I don’t know and I don’t care.

— Jimmy Buffett

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JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

M E DIC I N E

I N

T H E

F I R ST

P E R SON

The cycle continues

D READ THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BLOG EVERY DAY:

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o you have time for exercise? I didn’t. Or at least I thought I didn’t. And I’m self employed and work from home, so I set my own schedule. One more thing: I’m not naturally a morning person.

I’m sure this is conjuring up stereotypical images of an aimless guy with a 2-day beard and a laptop sleeping late and then hanging out in a coffee shop all day. Although I do like to bring my computer to my favorite coffee shop once in a while, I’m definitely more ambitious than that guy.

One battle every telecommuter/work-at-home/ self-employed person has to fight is that of making a good schedule of productivity without distractions. It has never been easier to waste time.

The start affects the finish.

Checking email and writing longer-than-necessary replies.

YouTube. Google. “Research.”

My day often gets bogged down with administrative work. Yes, emails and research.

With all of those details finally out of the way, I would often end up to doing my real moneygenerating work late into the evening.

That would launch a domino effect: working late at night would trigger a late start the next morning, and that would naturally lead to working late that night, followed by another late start the next morning. And so it went.

I’ve never really subscribed to the notion of New Year’s resolutions, maybe because I’m looking for ways to improve myself everyday.

But late last year I started a new routine.

What does this have to do with wellness? After reading about other people’s routines and how they get their day going, I decided to change my schedule dramatically. The results were more than I could have asked for, and left me feeling better physically and mentally all day.

Here’s what I did: 1) I wake up at 7:00 am on the dot (much earlier than I used to). No snooze button! I set my alarm across the room so I have to physically get out of bed to turn it off. Once you’re out of bed you’re half

way there. Next I splash a little cold water on my face to eliminate the sleepy eye.

2) Then I immediately jump on my bicycle and do a short but strenuous 3-mile ride (it’s quite hilly where I live). The ride takes about 20-30 minutes total.

3) I get home and take a cold shower to cool down from the ride, and then eat a real breakfast. By this time it’s about 8:30 am, and I get right to work. I’m more productive from the first minute than I used to be.

4) Finally, I usually end up getting in bed earlier too. I’ve already had a long, productive day with some physical exertion. This helps me feel more rested to attack the next day, and so the cycle continues.

After doing this routine in the mornings, I feel so energized for the rest of the day.

I also get so much more done than if I allow myself to sleep in and work late to make up for it.

I highly recommend it whether you’re self-employed or not. + — submitted by Alex David Nashville, Tennessee

WE’RE BEGGING YOU We’re never too proud to beg. What we’re begging for is Medicine in the First Person stories. With your help, we’d like to make this a feature in every issue of the Medical Examiner. After all, everybody has a story of something health- or medicine-related, and lots of people have many stories. Send your interesting (or even semi-interesting) stories to the Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903 or e-mail to Dan@AugustaRx.com. Thanks!

“The cause was a mystery for a long time.”

“And that’s when I fell.” nearest hospital “He doesn’t remember a thing.” “The was 30 miles away.”

“I was a battlefield medic.” “He was just two when he died.”

“OUCH!”

“It was a terrible tragedy.” “She saved “I sure learned my lesson.”

“I retired from medicine my life.” “It seemed like a miracle.” seven years ago.” “We had triplets.” “It was my first year “I thought, ‘Well, this is it’.” NOTHING SEEMED of medical school.”

“They took me to the hospital by helicopter.” TO HELP, UNTIL. . “It took 48 stitches.”

ambulance crashed.”

“Now THAT hurt!” “The “My leg was broken “I’m not supposed to be alive.”

“This was on my third day in Afghanistan.” in three places.”

“I lost 23 pounds.” “Turned out it was just indigestion.”

“At first I thought it was something I ate.” “The smoke detector woke me up.”

Everybody has a story. Tell us yours.

Here’s our “No Rules Rules.” We’ll publish your name and city, or keep you anonymous. Your choice. Length? Up to you. Subject? It can be a monumental medical event or just a stubbed toe. It can make us laugh or make us cry. One thing we’re not interested in, however: please, no tirades against a certain doctor or hospital. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

7+

Southern Girl Eats Clean

Winter Brussels Sprouts Cole Slaw

During the winter months you will see Brussels sprouts in the market on a regular basis. Sometimes you’ll see them on the stalk and sometimes loose and by the pound. I love Brussels sprouts and I try to think of new ways to use them this time of year because in our part of the country, they will be unavailable in just a few short months. Oh, you can purchase those mushy frozen ones any time of year, but I don’t enjoy opening a box of anything anymore. I want fresh vegetables on my plate. Even if it takes a bit more effort and money.... fresh veggies just taste better.

This Brussels Sprout Cole slaw recipe is another way to use this lovely vegetable while it is in season and add another nutritious vegetable to our diets. This is a delicious, healthy and clean alternative to the usual mayonnaise cole slaw recipe that everyone here in the South is so fond of. Brussels sprouts are packed with antioxidants and fiber as well as being an anti-inflammatory vegetable. This is a perfect side dish for your meals during the winter months.

Give this recipe a try even if you have never tried Brussels sprouts before. I think you will enjoy this cole slaw and it will introduce you to a fabulous new vegetable and give you just one more way to add nutrition to your body, the one and only body that God gave you.

Winter Brussels Sprouts Cole Slaw What you’ll need: • 1 lb. of organic Brussels sprouts, cut in half and sliced • 8 organic radishes, sliced • 3 organic spring onions, green and white parts, sliced • 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice • 3 Tbsp. of organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil • 2 Tbsp. of local honey • 1 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard • 1 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar • 1/2 tsp. of Real Salt or Sea Salt • 1/2 tsp. of cracked black pepper Making the dish: Slice Brussels sprouts and break apart, place into a large mixing bowl.

Wash and slice radishes and place into the bowl with the Brussels sprouts.

Slice the spring onions and add to the bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper.

FOUNDINGS

Former Trinity Hospital CEO Bill Atkinson’s book on the behind-the-scenes tales of twelve Augusta healthcare institutions.

NOW AVAILABLE AT AMAZON.COM Pour dressing mixture over the vegetables and toss well to coat all ingredients.

Allow cole slaw to sit for approximately 30-45 minutes, tossing vegetables every 10 minutes or so.

Serve at room temperature or chill slightly in the fridge. +

Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit dementia research

BE A COOL CAT

+

®

Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog www.southerngirleatsclean.com She is a working wife and mother living in Evans, Georgia. Visit her blog for more recipes and information on clean eating.

Try our Pot Head Blend Currently available at Inner Bean on Davis Road.

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“Coffee is good medicine.”

— J. Perkins Brewster III.

for supporting the advertisers who make the Examiner possible.

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P harmacy 411

OUR NEWSSTANDS Medical locations: • Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr, 15th St., Main Entrance • Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Uptown Div., Wrightsboro Rd., main lobby • Doctors Hospital, 3651 Wheeler Rd, ER Lobby Entrance • Eisenhower Hospital, Main Lobby, Fort Gordon • George C. Wilson Drive (by medical center Waffle House and mail boxes) • GHSU Hospital, 1120 15th Street, South & West Entrances • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Parking Deck entrance • GHSU Hospital, Emergency Room, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Children’s Medical Center, Harper Street, Main Lobby • GHSU, Laney-Walker Boulevard transit stop, Augusta • Select Specialty Hospital, Walton Way, Main entrance lobby • Trinity Hospital, Wrightsboro Road, main lobby by elevators • Trinity Hospital Home Health, Daniel Village, main lobby • University Health Federal Credit Union/ University Hospital Human Resources, 1402 Walton Way, Main Lobby • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Emergency Room lobby area • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Outside Brown & Radiology/Day Surgery • University Hospital - Columbia County, 465 N. Belair Road, Main Lobby • University Hospital Prompt Care, 3121 Peach Orchard Road, Augusta

Around town: • Barney’s Pharmacy, 2604 Peach Orchard Rd. • Birth Control Source, 1944 Walton Way • GRU Summerville Student Bookstore • Blue Sky Kitchen, 990 Broad Street • Columbia County Library, main branch lobby, Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans • Enterprise Mill (North Tower), 1450 Greene Street, Augusta • Daniel Village Barber Shop, Wrightsboro Road at Ohio Ave. • Hartley’s Uniforms, 1010 Druid Park Ave, Augusta • International Uniforms, 1216 Broad Street, Augusta • Marshall Family Y, Belair Rd, Evans • Mellow Mushroom, 12th and Broad Streets, Augusta • Parks Pharmacy, Georgia Avenue, North Augusta • Southside Family Y, Tobacco Road, Augusta • Surrey Center, Surrey Center Pharmacy, Highland Avenue, Augusta • Top-Notch Car Wash, 512 N. Belair Road, Evans • Wild Wing Cafe, 3035 Washington Road, Augusta

Plus... 500+ doctors offices throughout the area for staff and waiting rooms, as well as many nurses stations and waiting rooms of area hospitals.

JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Very little if anything about healthcare is inexpensive, and that includes medicine. Tiny pills can command large prices. Over-the-counter medications may be less expensive, but are they also less effective? Find the answers to lots of your drug store questions in this column written by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson exclusively for the Medical Examiner.

I’M TRAVELING: WHAT SHOULD I TAKE?

W

e all take trips from time to time and we know we pack a suitcase of clothes, but what about our medicines? When taking a trip you should make sure you have an adequate supply of all your prescription medicines. But what should you take when it comes to over the counter medicines?

Be aware of what over the counter medicines you might need on your trip. Basic medicines like acetaminophen for a headache is an essential, but what about “might need” medicines? Any trip can cause a change in your normal habits and could cause stomach upset, diarrhea or changes in sleep patterns. You can be aware of these possibilities when you take a trip and prepare for them. Antacid tablets for changes in diet and Imodium for diarrhea are a good start of an overthe-counter medicine kit. Remember ginger ale is a natural remedy for an upset stomach, so substituting a ginger ale for a soda is a good thing to try. A plain Coca Cola is a good second choice. Either will help to calm a churning stomach, as will the antacid tablets we discussed earlier. Other over-thecounter stomach possibilities will be person-specific and you should check with your pharmacist about options for your particular set of issues.

Cold and allergy symptoms can often flare when going to different surroundings other than your home environment.

Take allergy tablets like loratidine or cetirizine in case of allergies to something in your new surroundings. In my family, my son needs an antihistamine like those just mentioned when we go to Florida due to allergies to the St. Augustine grass prevalent in that area. Other cold symptoms may flare up as climate changes occur from one place to

If you hate seeing a drug store on every other corner, you’re going to love Parks Pharmacy.

another, so nasal decongestants and a cough suppressant would be good choices for your medicine kit.

Now let’s talk about prescription medicines. Blood pressure and diabetes medicines are considered maintenance medicines, as are the seizure medications. Controlled substances like pain and anxiety medicines are not considered everyday medicines and will be subject to tighter restrictions on early refills.

Insurance companies will allow a refill on a maintenance medicine as much as a week early in some cases or earlier if a vacation supply is allowed on your plan. However, the pharmacy law put forth by each state will not allow these early refills to be used on controlled substance prescriptions. So if you know you are going out of town and will be a few days short on your pain medicine, stretch the early part of your prescription and save up some extra tablets.

Or communicate will your physician and have your doctor call in an authorization for an early refill for a one-time situation. This does not mean that your next refill will necessarily be thirty days out if you are five days early for example this time. You may have to wait the full thirty five days. That way you are back on track for your next prescription from your doctor.

Talk to your pharmacist a few weeks ahead of any planned trip. A call saying you are going out of town tomorrow will often yield unsatisfactory results. + Questions about this article or suggestions for future columns can be sent to us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net )

+

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ARKS

HARMACY

Hometown. Not big box.

437 Georgia Avenue, North Augusta, SC

803-279-7450 parkspharmacy.com

• www.AugustaRx.com/news • OUR NEXT ISSUE: FEB. 7, 2014. DON’T MISS IT!

JANUARY 24, 2014

9+

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

DON’T LICK THE BEATERS Useful food facts from dietetic interns with University Hospital’s Augusta Area Dietetic Internship Program

WINTER WEIGHT: DO WE EAT MORE IN THE WINTER? Are you one of the many people who finds themselves eating more throughout the cold months from late fall to early spring? As winter continues to bare its teeth at us, we continue to sink ours into yet another brownie. It seems that as the temperatures drop, so do our abilities to say “no” to foods. As the layers of clothing increase, so does our appetite and portions. Why is this? Is it the holiday season? The shorter days and longer nights? Lots of people catch themselves indulging more throughout winter, but why?

According to research performed by Ira Ockene, a cardiologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, caloric intake tends to

increase as the weather turns colder. Study subjects consumed about 86 more calories a day beginning in the fall when the days grow darker. Also, they ate more fat and saturated fat and had their lowest levels of physical activity in the winter.

Ockene says that we are very sensitive to light. As the days get shorter, we feel the need to find food and eat it faster. He feels that this “hibernation” instinct is the reason we eat more and pack on the pounds during the winter.

However, not all scientists agree with this. Marcia Pelchat of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia believes our increased eating can be contributed to pure opportunity.

Holiday parties and feasts,

more grazing inside, and not being able to exercise or play outside are the main culprits.

Additionally, our environment provides us with cues to eat.

You only get Grandma’s famous pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and Christmas; better load up and eat four slices at each holiday! It’s cold outside? Eat plenty of chili, with tons of sour cream and cheese! All of these cues are associated with happy, warm memories, which can also cause overindulgence.

If your cravings are in the form of carbohydrates like pasta, cookies, or pastries, another explanation could be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is a type of depression that builds up slowly throughout the autumn and winter months. Usually, this problem lifts again during the spring and summer. SAD occurs

because less natural sunlight is available and one of the many symptoms is an increased urge to consume carbohydrates and high-sugar foods. If you believe that you may be experiencing SAD, you should consult with your doctor.

So what’s the cause of our winter munchies? Like many things related to science, evidence is conflicting.

Regardless of the scientific reasons, there are numerous ways to keep your diet in check throughout the winter months: • Fill up with lean, protein-rich foods. Protein sources high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, have been shown to improve moods, while protein keeps you full for longer.

• Eat whole grains, instead of processed, refined grains.

• Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables for vitamins and

Sources and additional information: • http://www.everydayhealth.com/dietnutrition/why-do-we-eat-more-in-winter. aspx • http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/ HEALTHbeat_122308.htm • http://www.npr.org /2011/12/19/143938954/winter-munchiesdo-we-eat-more-in-colder-months • http://www.delish.com/food/recallsreviews/why-do-we-eat-more-in-winter

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fiber.

• Pay attention to how much you eat. Take time before returning for seconds. Try using a smaller plate to help control portion sizes.

• If you want a good dessert, try a cup of hot dark chocolate. This has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, increase levels of healthy cholesterol, and improve your mood.

• Take a hot shower instead of having another cup of hot soup.

Luckily, winter is winding down.

Soon, the days will get longer and the weather will get warmer.

Eventually we can completely forget about eating a couple of Santa’s cookies...or all of Santa’s cookies. Making general healthy decisions and substitutions throughout the colder months will allow us to maintain our health and beach-ready bodies.

Winter? Bring it on! + - by Sarah Tankersley University Hospital Dietetic Intern

Wrightsboro Road

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+ 10

JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Follow the Do you know the signs of a stroke and how to prevent one?

Medical Examiner between issues at our blog

by Kathy Crist

+ AugustaRX.com/news

New content every day.

In the next 40 seconds, someone in the United States will have a stroke. Strokes are the fourth-ranked cause of death in the United States and a primary reason for longterm disability among adults.

About 60 Crist percent of strokes occur in women and 40 percent in men. Fortunately, 80 percent of all strokes are preventable.

If a person shows signs of a stroke, it is crucial to seek medical help immediately.

Never wait to see if symptoms lessen. For optimum evaluation and treatment, a suspect stroke patient needs to be treated at a hospital within three hours.

Signs of a stroke include: • Sudden weakness, numbness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg, often on one side of the body.

• Sudden trouble speaking or understanding; confusion.

• Sudden vision problems in

one or both eyes.

• Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness or loss of balance.

• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

The acronym F.A.S.T. is a simple way to remember how to check for stroke symptoms.

• Face. Does one side of the face droop? Ask for a smile.

• Arms. Ask the person to raise his or her arms. Does one side drift down?

• Speech. Is the person slurring words? Is he or she able to repeat a short sentence?

• Time. Don’t waste a second.

Call 911 immediately if any of the symptoms are present.

There is only one.

Obviously, stroke prevention is a much better option than stroke treatment. Lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of a stroke: • Eat a healthier diet. Eating fewer saturated and trans fats and less sodium can improve heart health and prevent blood clots. Reports also show that a daily diet of five or more fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of a stroke.

• Manage blood pressure.

Lowering one’s blood pressure can cut the risk for a stroke in half.

• Maintain regular physical activity. Regular aerobic exercise lowers blood pressure and improves the condition of blood vessels and the heart. Exercise also reduces stress, helps with maintaining a healthy body weight and controls diabetes – all factors in preventing strokes.

• Lose extra weight. Being overweight affects blood pressure, blood sugar and heart health. Dropping as little as 10 pounds can boost the body’s ability to avert a stroke.

• Lower cholesterol levels. Dietary changes to limit fats and lower cholesterol can reduce plaque

in arteries, a cause of blood clots. Cholesterol-lowering medications also can help.

• Reduce blood sugar. Diabetics are two to four times more likely to have a stroke.

Maintaining target levels for glucose is key in reducing stroke risk.

• Quit smoking; avoid second hand smoke. Tobacco use raises the potential for a stroke for both the smoker and those exposed to the secondhand smoke.

The American Heart Association invites nationwide participation in February’s American Heart Month and the 10th anniversary of National Wear Red Day (Feb. 7). + Right at Home of the CSRA offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home is locally owned and directly employs and supervises all caregiving staff, each of whom is thoroughly screened, trained and bonded/insured prior to entering a client’s home. To learn more about Right at Home, go to www.csra. rightathome.net or call 803-2780250.

I DON’T ALWAYS CHECK THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BLOG

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MEDICAL EXAMINER

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Augusta’s only independent publication dedicated to medicine, health and wellness

LOOKING

FOR A DOCTOR? OR OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL?

CHECK OUT OUR PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY ON PAGE 15

BUT WHEN I DO I REALIZE I’M TOTALLY MISSING OUT WHEN I DON’T. STAY HEALTHY MY FRIENDS. WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM/NEWS

“If you don’t know it’s impossible, it’s easier to do.”

JANUARY 24, 2014

From the Bookshelf

The blog spot – Posted Dec. 31, 2013 at myfanwycollins.com/blog/

QUIET When I was eleven, my best friend and I would talk endlessly on the phone. I remember pulling the cord as far as it would go, up and down the hallway. I don’t even know what we said to each other but there seemed to be a lot to say.

As an adult, I eschew the phone. I feel trapped by it. Even cordless, I am strangling.

The smartphone is different. I don’t use mine much for talking and when I’m having an actual face-to-face conversation with someone, I try to remember to put it down. In truth, I fought against getting a smart phone but was very quickly addicted to it once I had it. Even so, I’m struggling to see how it has enhanced my life. I’ve cut back already–no Facebook on the phone. No more words with friends. But still it calls me.

For a while, my son’s favorite movie was WALL-E. I remember watching it with him and becoming depressed at the scene where all of the humans are shuttling around on their chairs talking into devices. The scene is meant to represent a possible future but, in truth, we are there already.

I realize, I’ve come to use this device in the same way I used to use a cigarette. I use it when I am uncomfortable or alone. It makes it easier not to look and listen when all I should be doing is looking and listening and living in the moment. I tell myself that I need to capture these moments of my son’s childhood and post them out to the world, but do I? The pictures of me at his age are few, but my memories remain. I lived those moments for myself.

They belonged to me and not the world. They still do. I wonder if I am robbing him and I do believe that maybe I am.

As a rule I don’t make resolutions, but this year I am. This year I am going to fight the urge to pick up the phone when all is quiet. I am going to fight the urge to pick it up and hold it in front of me when I should be using my own eyes instead.

I am going to look. I am going to listen. I am going to let the world be quiet. +

“I am going to let the world be quiet.”

Speaking of blogs, the Medical Examiner’s blog is found at www.AugustaRx.com/news It features new content daily. Please visit!

“

It is much more important to know what sort of a patient has a disease than what sort of a disease a patient has.”

— William Osler

“

This could be yyou.

The Medical Examiner can be delivered right to your door!

Use the handy form on page 13

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the title, In Stitches, you might think this is a book of medical humor. Not so. Not that it isn’t without a fair share of funny stuff. But it’s also chock full of poignant and meaningful moments right from its opening pages.

There, Dr. Youn describes a story that has come full circle.

A 14-year-old boy who could become the first male waiter at Hooters sits in his office. Yes, this poor lad had gynecomastia, in plain terms, man boobs.

Why was that a full-circle moment? As a boy, Tony Youn lived in a town of 7,945, of whom 7,941 were Caucasian. He was one of the four oddities.

Added to that were his skinny adolescent frame, Coke bottle spectacles, buck teeth, and then braces. But there was more: in sixth grade his jaw began growing like it had been designed by Jay Leno on steroids. And then it grew some more. And some more.

The surgeon who gave him back a normal face provided the “aha moment” that led to those two letters now appearing after Anthony Youn’s name.

And that moment led another boy, in turn, into Youn’s office years later. It was time to pay it

forward, transforming another nerd into someone who actually has a chance in the brutal world of high school.

But between high school experience no. 1 and no. 2 was a little thing called medical school. That makes up the lion’s share of this excellent memoir, with chapters in four major segments, and guess what they’re named?

First Year.

Second Year.

Third Year.

And Fourth Year.

Surprisingly enough, the final chapter of Fourth Year is “Match Madness.”

Every doctor and doctor-to-be

knows what that’s about.

By now you may have concluded that this is a book that every doctor and doctorto-be would enjoy reading. It’s written by one of their own, after all, done with great style and flair. It’s an enjoyable read.

But beyond that it’s a book that most of us would enjoy for one reason or another, whether we’re in the medical profession or not. There are so many themes along the journey from grade school to practicing plastic surgeon we can all identify with.

There are the early childhood tales; there’s that first teenage crush; there’s the teenage struggle to fit in and be cool when in reality you’re captain of the Geek Squad; there is the battle between the conflicting expectations of parents and the dreams of their children; finally there is the daunting gauntlet of medical school itself.

Youn writes about of all these themes and more in a way that will keep you turning pages.

You might even be in stitches occasionally. + In Stitches, by Anthony Youn, M.D.; 288 pages, published in April 2011 by Gallery Books

Research News Getting it all “Simplify, simplify,” Thoreau famously said. “Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one.”

Do you agree?

Surprisingly enough, you might be eating, in just one meal, all three.

According to Drexel University researchers, restaurant meals commonly exceed the recommended daily levels for calories, fat and sodium.

Did you catch that? One meal can have an entire day’s worth of calories, fat and sodium.

The findings came from an analysis of 2,516 menu items from 21 sit-down chain restaurants like Applebee’s, IHOP, Denny’s, and Chili’s. The study used a “full meal” as the basis of the results, defined as half an appetizer, an entree and a side dish. That combination served up an average of 1,500 calories, 3,500 mg of sodium, and 28 grams of saturated fat.

In case you were wondering, most adults should consume no

more than 2,000 calories, 2,300 mg of sodium and 20 grams of fat all day.

Add a beverage and a shared dessert to the restaurant meal and the average was 2,020 calories in one sitting.

Drexel investigators found that menu items labeled as “healthy choice” offerings didn’t fare much better.

Their recommendations for restaurants: • reformulate dishes to reduce sodium and saturated fat • reduce portion sizes • display nutrition data on menus Their recommendations for dining customers: • consult a restaurant’s website nutritional data before visiting and choose accordingly.

Trigger for memory loss You know how a person can wake up with a hangover and not even remember what happened the night before?

A new study in Neurology says that heavy drinking of alcohol can cause permanent

memory loss up to six years sooner in later life, although no ill effects were seen in former drinkers and light to moderate drinkers.

Don’t like to exercise?

A huge European study has come to a surprising conclusion: unfit lean people are better protected against heart attacks than fit obese people.

The study followed nearly 750,000 Swedish men from age 18 until they died, had a heart attack, or until Jan. 1, 2011, whichever came first.

While physical fitness offered some protection against heart attack, “fitness alone does not appear to fully compensate for the risks of being overweight or obese. In other words, having a normal weight is more important than being in good physical shape,” esciencenews quotes study author Peter Nordström as saying.

Of course, the best case scenario is a combination of physical fitness and normal weight, adds Nordström. +

+ 12

JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS

THE MYSTERY WORD

+

You say you’re in the doghouse at home?

by Dan Pearson

What did you do?

Big time.

I switched our bed for a trampoline.

What did your wife say?

She hit the ceiling.

The Mystery Word for this issue: PROSIMETTOT

© 2014 Daniel Pearson All rights reserved.

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by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once.

Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line.

Solution on page 14.

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved. Built in part with software from www.crauswords.com

DOWN 1. Handyman Bob 2. Colored eye membrane 3. Stay at Mistletoe?

4. State of having more than one needs or wants 5. _____ Witch Project 6. Equivocate 7. Solely 8. On _____ ; pending 9. North _____ 10. Amen ________ 11. _______ Bifida 12. Adjust 13. Cave 19. Greased 21. ____ Man 24. Growl; snarl 25. Nimble 26. Scratch 27. Capital City of Maldives 28. Strategy 30. Hip bone 32. Strong thread

R T T L O N D T F I F G O U T H V G I E O O O E E T I E E S H Y R U N H I N

34. Player with 609 career home runs 35. Mine entrance 36. Quantity of medicine 39. Pay attention to 40. _____ care (advanced medicine) 42. Napoleon Dynamite feline 44. SC med school 45. Fortified feudal residence 46. River in South America 48. “Try the ______.”

49. Follower of James Brown 50. Start of depression?

52. Skin irritation; hives 54. Word sometimes paired with bug and fly 55. Hint 56. Swedish pop group 57. Whip 59. Expressions of contentment 60. Permit

E

7 5 9 2

X A M I N E R

8 5 1

2 7 9

3

8

S

6

3 6

4

9

2

4 2

3 6

2 8 4 7

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved. Built with software from www.crauswords.com

U D O K U

DIRECTIONS: Every line, vertical and horizontal, and all nine 9-square boxes must each contain the numbers 1 though 9. Solution on page 14.

Solution p. 14

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle. All the listed letters following 1 are the 1st letters of each word; the letters following 2 are 2nd letters of each word, and so on. Try solving words with letter clues or numbers with minimal choices listed. A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

H 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 O 1 2 1 2 3 4 5

R 1 3

2 F 4

3 5

4 6

1

5

6

7

7

8

9 10 11

2

3

1 . C O A P T 2 . T R R E L 3 . E LO A H 4 . C A F E 5 . T H E R 6 . S I E 7 . S S N 8 . I G 9 . O 1 0 . N 1 1 . S

SAMPLE:

1. ILB 2. SLO 3. VI 4. NE 5. D =

L 1

O 2

V 3

E 4

I 1

S 2

B 1

L 2

I 3

N 4

D 5

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved

WORDS NUMBER

1

All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing.

We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

JANUARY 24, 2014

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

W

hat do you call a soldier who has survived mustard gas and pepper spray?

A seasoned veteran.

Patient: Doc, I think I’m addicted to Twitter.

Doctor: Sorry, I’m not following you.

Did you hear about the guy who had subscribed to Chiropractor Monthly for years?

He had lots of back issues.

A rich yuppie spent half a million dollars on a brand-new Ferrari 550, the most expensive car in the world. He takes it out for a spin and stops for a red light.

An old man on a moped pulls up next to him.

The old man looks over at the sleek, shiny new car and asks, “What kind of car ya got there, sonny?”

The young man replies, “A Ferrari 550. It costs half a million dollars!”

“Wow,” says the old man. “Why so much?”

“Because she can do 320 miles an hour!” says the young dude proudly.

The old guy pokes his head in the window and looks around. Then, sitting back on his moped, he says, “That’s a pretty nice car, all

right... but I’m happy with my moped.”

Just then the light goes green, so the young guy decides to show the old man just what his car can do. He floors it, and within 30 seconds the speedometer reads 160 mph. The old man is just a dot in his rearview mirror.

But he seems to be getting closer!

The yuppie slows down to 100 to see what it could be, and suddenly, WHHHOOOOSSSHHH! something whips by him, going much faster.

What on earth could be going faster than my Ferrari? he asks himself. He floors the accelerator and takes the Ferrari up to 250 mph to catch up. Then, up ahead of him, he sees that it’s the old man on the moped.

Amazed that the moped could pass his Ferrari, he gives it some more gas and passes the moped at 275 mph. WHHOOOOSSSHH! He’s feeling smug until he looks in his mirror and sees the old man gaining on him again. Astounded by the speed of this old guy, he floors the gas pedal and takes the Ferrari all the way up to 320 mph, its top speed.

Not 10 seconds later he sees the moped bearing down on him again. The Ferrari is flat out and there’s nothing he can do.

Suddenly the moped plows into the back of the Ferrari, demolishing the rear. The young man jumps out; unbelievably, the old man is still alive!!! He runs up to the mangled old man and says, “Oh, my God! Are you okay?

Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yes,” the old man whispers softly.

“Please... unhook... my... suspenders... from... your... side-view... mirror.” +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner?

Because no one should have to make a trip to the doctor or the hospital just to read Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper.

The Patient’s Perspective

by Marcia Ribble

I

t’s time for dealing with winter colds and flu in my world, and yours, too, I imagine. So far this year I have come down with a rather mild case of something that is still battling me for superiority despite my having had a flu shot. Remember that a flu shot does not guarantee immunity for all strains of the flu.

One of the things us older folks need to be on the lookout for isn’t colds or flu, but those secondary infections that can accompany them. If you have had what looks like a cold or flu but you feel pretty good and can maintain your usual lifestyle, just be sure to get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquids, and keep on top of things like eating well and taking your usual medications.

It isn’t too pretty, but observe your mouth and nasal discharges. Clear discharges normally mean a virus that will clear up on its own, if you manage to stay healthy otherwise.

What I have is an unidentified virus. Could be a cold virus. Could be a flu virus.

It has caused aches and coughing, and is different from my usual allergies and asthma, during which I am fine in between exposure to triggering substances which cause a dry cough that quickly ceases.

Along with the aches and coughing it has produced copious amounts of mucous— making happy the lives of those who produce the multiple boxes of tissues I have used lately. I find it completely amazing that one head can produce so many tissues worth of humble old snot. My poor mucosa must be working day and night with no overtime pay to advance with their

Talk is cheap.

Not talking can be deadly.

wonderful T-cells against the enemy invader that has made my life a challenge lately.

I know that rotten invader is beginning to give up the fight because I read the entire newspaper this morning without once falling asleep.

The aches are diminishing without Tylenol. I can bend over without feeling like I might pass out. My ears are just a little squeaky lately.

Moreover, I am thinking about continuing my search for the pile of calendars I received before Christmas, some even before Thanksgiving, that were somehow misplaced during the gaiety of the season. Somewhere, about a dozen calendars are evading my search. I believe that lost calendars are the true reason for winter housecleaning binges. Then there are also the Christmas presents we bought and hid away, the ones we cannot remember where we put them.

I’ll probably find them about May, but at least it’s better than the Easter egg we lost for several months. + Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and retired from the University of Cincinnati.

She taught writing at the college level and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She is now teaching again at Virginia College in Augusta. She can be reached with comments, suggestions, etc., at marciaribble@hotmail.com.

+ +

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers.

If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house!

NAME ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP

Choose ____ six months for $16; or ____ one year for $32. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

DOING RESEARCH? The Medical Examiner website has a zillion links to useful and informative sites of all kinds. Visit www.AugustaRx.com/StudyHall.html

+ 14

JANUARY 24, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THEMYSTERYSOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: FITNESS ...cleverly hidden (on the dog) in the p. 8 ad for BOARDWALK TO BARK PLACE Unfortunately, due to a glitch at AugustaRx.com, we were unable to receive and view Mystery Word Contest entries for the Jan. 10 issue. We hope to have that problem fixed soon.

The scrambled Mystery Word to find for this issue is on page 12.

(Keep your fingers crossed!)

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then be the first to find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries you’ll score our goodie package: gift certificates from Wild Wing Cafe, Top Notch Car Wash, and movie passes from Health Center Credit Union!

SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (Winners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED?

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC. FOR RENT 2 bdrm 1 bath unfurn upstairs condo. Carport, pool, outside laundry. Country Club Hills condos, Milledge Road near GRU/ASU. $700/mo + $500 dep. We furn water, you pay electric.

706-736-7167 Email: ronst79@gmail. com ROOMMATE WANTED! 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath house with pool, 2 minutes from colleges. Perfect for medical or grad students. $425+share utils. 706.993.6082 WEST AUGUSTA House for rent. 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1500 sqft, 1-car garage, 3024 Sterling Road, located off Stevens Creek at Riverwatch Pkwy. $850/mo. Call 678467-7187.

FOR SALE: GORGEOUS, immaculate, never occupied townhome located mins from Medical District. 2 bed, 2 bath, master en suite, walk-in closets, office.

1450 sq ft. hardwood floors throughout, fabulous upgrades, custom kitchen and baths. Floor to ceiling windows, fenced yard. Partially furnished! 120k OBO.

803-507-6621.

Augustagahomesearch.com Foreclosures • Rentals • MLS Roman Realty 706-564-5885

SERVICES VIDEOS-FOR-THE-WEB SERVICE Documentary style interview or demonstration shot HD with pro audio and basic edits, 3-min. finished video uploaded to your account. Complete package $250. Please call David: 803-645-8370. Documentary Video Productions, LLC – Aiken, SC. BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) FULL-SERVICE MOVER Anthony’s Professional Moving, 28 years serving the CSRA moving hospital equipment, offices, homes, apartments, etc.

Estimates are FREE. Call 706.860.3726 or 706.814.8141

pay, you may be entitled to an order from US Federal Court awarding you twice the amount of your unpaid wages plus atty. fees. For info, call Arthur H. Shealy, Attorney at Law, 803-278-5149, 1010 Plantation Rd, North Augusta SC 29841. You may be entitled to a similar award for unpaid wages if your employer required you to perform duties during your lunch hour, before clocking in, or after clocking out.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Ridiculously affordable and highly visible advertising available through the pages of Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper, aka the Augusta Medical Examiner. Have you heard of it or seen a copy? Rates can be reviewed at AugustaRx.com. Questions? Send an e from the site, or call the publisher directly: Dan Pearson at 706.860.5455.

E: Dan@AugustaRx.com

NOTICE! ATTENTION! If any current or past employer has failed to pay you min. wage or time and a half overtime

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER THE PUZZLE SOLVED

USE THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL IT IN, OR GO TO WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM AND PLACE & PAY CONVENIENTLY AND SAFELY ONLINE. THANKS!

WHAT’S YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE?

Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

(OURS IS COFFEE)

V I L A

I R I S

C A M P

K N E E D I M P E T A L E C L A P H E N C D A M A E R A S C E N T A N I L F A C E

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FORM Name Address Work number (if applicable) ( ) Home phone ( ) Category of ad (leave blank if unsure):

.75

1.00

1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.25

3.50

3.75

4.00

4.25

4.50

4.75

5.00

5.25

5.50

5.75

6.00

6.25

6.50

6.75

7.00

7.25

7.50

7.75

8.00

8.25

8.50

8.75

9.00

Send this form with payment to: Total ad cost by number of words as shown above: $

L E T

S P I N A

R E S E T

A N T R E

S O S A

A D I T

D O S E

C L U E

A B B A

L A S H

QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: Page 12: “The things you want to die for are the things you live for.”

The Sudoku Solution

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE

(Copy this form or continue on additional sheet if more space needed.)

AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER, PO BOX 397, AUGUSTA, GA 30903-0397

H E E D

O I L C N C E O L E G O R Y I N G A L E I N G E R L A I D I R L T U E M E M A U R M U S T F A R C I I Z E A R O D R E N O Y

QUOTATION

AD COPY (one word per line; phone numbers MUST include the area code): .50

P A L T E R

SEE PAGE 12

In case we need to contact you. These numbers will not appear in the ad.

.25

B L A R I A R I N T W L I I N G E E R A H S

VISIT DRUGOFCHOICECOFFEE.COM

7 3 8 5 4 1 9 2 6

5 4 6 2 9 3 8 7 1

9 1 2 6 7 8 4 5 3

2 8 7 4 3 9 1 6 5

3 6 5 8 1 2 7 4 9

1 9 4 7 6 5 3 8 2

4 2 9 3 5 7 6 1 8

8 7 3 1 2 6 5 9 4

6 5 1 9 8 4 2 3 7

WORDS

BY NUMBER “Teaching creates all other professions.”

— Author unknown

Multiply by number of times ad to run: x Total submitted: $

The Augusta Medical Examiner publishes on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.

Your ad should reach us no later than 7 days prior to our publication date.

Thanks for reading!

www.AugustaRx.com

JANUARY 24, 2014

15 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Trying to quit smoking?

Help ranges from drugs to nasal sprays to acupuncture People who want to quit smoking cigarettes no longer have to suffer through coldturkey withdrawal.

A number of options are available, and though most have some side effects, experts generally believe that the benefits of quitting smoking far exceed the risks posed by side effects. Current options include: Nicotine replacement therapy A variety of nicotine replacement products have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They include the nicotine patch, gum, inhaler, lozenges and nasal spray.

Patches, gum and lozenges do not require a prescription.

A doctor’s prescription is

necessary for nasal spray or the inhaler, according to the American Cancer Society.

Medications Two medications can help smokers quit. One is bupropion (marketed as an antidepressant under the brand name Wellbutrin and as a quit-smoking aid under the brand name Zyban); the other is varenicline (Chantix). Bupropion can be used in combination with nicotine replacement therapy.

Chantix has warnings for rare psychiatric side effects, but it’s an very drug that has helped many quit smoking.

Social support Many hospitals and healthcare organizations (like the America Cancer Society) offer smoking cessation classes or have information on

from classes or other means of social support; or who may not feel comfortable in a group setting.

They can also answer questions about patches, medications, and other quit strategies.

available area resources.

State quit lines are also surprisingly effective. South Carolina’s tobacco quit line number is 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Georgia’s number is 1-877-270STOP. Both offer free one-on-one support, tips and assistance.

They’re great for people who need help at an odd hour (Georgia’s line is open 24/7, including holidays; South Carolina’s is staffed 8:00 am to midnight, 7 days a week); who may live in a rural area far

Alternative treatments Alternative treatments also are available to help people quit smoking, including hypnosis and acupuncture.

There haven’t been large trials on hypnosis or acupuncture so they’re not included in national guidelines. Even so, they’re not generally viewed as risky, so if a person wants to try them and it works, that’s all that matters.

Electronic cigarettes Although smoking cessation experts have yet to

give e-cigarettes the green light, and the Medical Examiner is solidly in the “Anti” column on this issue, many smokers are using them as part of their quit strategy. They offer a way to completely quit using tobacco and reduce nicotine intake gradually rather than going cold turkey.

The bottom line Don’t be discouraged if your first several quit attempts aren’t successful. For most people, it takes more than one try. Experts say failure is part of the process, and one goal might be to make smoke-free stretches between relapses longer each time.

As we said in our previous Examiner issue, nearly half of all living adults who have ever smoked have quit.

You can too. +

+

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY ALLERGY

DERMATOLOGY

Tesneem K. Chaudhary, MD Allergy & Asthma Center 3685 Wheeler Road, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

CHIROPRACTIC Poppell Chiropractic Clinic 1106-A Furys Lane Martinez 30907 706-210-2875 Most insurance plans accepted

DENTISTRY Dr. Judson S. Hickey Periodontist 2315-B Central Ave Augusta 30904 706-739-0071 Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048 Evans Dental Group 4250-2 Washington Rd Evans 30809 706-860-3200 www.evansdentalgroup.com Steven L. Wilson, DMD Family Dentistry 4059 Columbia Road Martinez 30907 706-863-9445

Georgia Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center 2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road) Augusta 30904 706-733-3373 www.GaDerm.com

DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS Karen L. Carter, MD 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 Augusta 30901 706-396-0600 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com

DRUG REHAB Floss ‘em or lose ‘em!

Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd.

Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Group & Benefits Consultants Inc. 3515 Wheeler Rd, Bldg. C Augusta 30909 706-733-3459 www.groupandbenefits.com

FAMILY MEDICINE Urgent MD Augusta: 706-922-6300 Grovetown: 706-434-3500 Thomson: 706-595-7825 Primary Care Rates

HOSPICE

...PHARMACY

Alliance Hospice 3685 Old Petersburg Rd. Suite 145 Augusta 30907 706-447-2461

LASER SERVICES Ideal Image 339 Fury’s Ferry Rd Martinez 30907 1-800-BE-IDEAL • www.idealimage.com Schedule a FREE Consultation

OPHTHALMOLOGY Roger M. Smith, M.D. 820 St. Sebastian Way Suite 5-A Augusta 30901 706-724-3339

OPTICIAN

SENIOR LIVING Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community 3725 Wheeler Road Augusta 30909 SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 706-868-6500 www.augustagardenscommunity.com

SLEEP MEDICINE Sleep Institute of Augusta Bashir Chaudhary, MD 3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

VEIN CARE

Murphy & Robinson Phil Harris 1571 Walton Way Augusta 30904 706-737-2020

Parks Pharmacy 437 Georgia Ave. N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

O P T I C I A N S

PHARMACY Medical Center West Pharmacy 465 North Belair Road Evans 30809 706-854-2424 www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com

Vein Specialists of Augusta G. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI 501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907 706-854-8340 www.VeinsAugusta.com

WEIGHT LOSS PHC Weight Loss & Wellness Centers 246B Bobby Jones Expwy Martinez: 706-868-5332 Thomson: 706-597-8667 www.phcweightloss.com

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

JANUARY 24, 2014