Healthy LifeTimes 2015

Healthy LifeTimes 2015

HEALTHY EATING for a lifetime

Heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes ... ARE YOU AT RISK?

GETTING PHYSICAL for good health

HEALTHY LIFETIMES

Page 2

February 25-27, 2015

Cardiac care continues to advance at Appalachian Regional Healthcare

BY SHERRIE NORRIS SHERRIE.NORRIS@ WATAUGADEMOCRAT.COM

A

dvancements in local health care are serving many High Country residents well these days, especially those who appreciate that the best in cardiology care is now just a short drive from home.

Saving time and money by foregoing day trips “off the mountain” is a bonus, but the expertise and compassionate care that cardiac patients are discovering in Boone has proved to be lifesaving for many.

Since adding a state-ofthe-art catheterization lab at the Watauga Medical Center, the facility’s parent company, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, has made great strides in staffing experts to provide a wide range of cardiac procedures, which include the following: • EKGs • echocardiograms • stress echocardiograms • exercise treadmill tests • diagnostic catheterization • pacemakers • defibrillators • afib monitors • heart monitors • implantable monitors • cardiac resynchronization • stents • cardiovascular interventions

Since 2013, the Watauga Medical Center has surpassed the facility’s annual goal for heart catheterizations.

The facility also received a certificate of need for a second procedure room, which is used by the interventional radiologists to enhance the peripheral vascular program.

Through its catheterization lab, WMC was the first medical facility in the area to provide an electrophysiology program, which focuses on the diagnosis

and treatment of heart arrhythmias.

“We continually move in a direction of providing a full range of cardiology care close to home,” Lesley Hastings, director of cardiology at the center, said.

Heart disease Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, but there’s good news — the risk of heart disease can be greatly reduced through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, through medication.

Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions, among which coronary artery disease is the most common, causing heart attacks, angina, heart failure and arrhythmias.

By being aware of controllable risk factors and making some key lifestyle changes, men and women can greatly reduce many of the risk factors for heart disease, hospital officials said.

Consider these tips, based on the first five letters of the alphabet, to help avoid heart disease: A: Aspirin — Appropriate aspirin therapy as prescribed by your doctor.

B: Blood pressure — Control your blood pressure and reduce sodium intake.

C: Cholesterol — Cholesterol management and cessation from smoking.

D: Diet — Make sure to eat a healthy diet and get your recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.

E: Exercise — Be active every day. For adults, two hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity is recommended each week.

Risk factors for heart disease Some risk factors for heart disease can be con-

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

FILE PHOTO

trolled, and some cannot.

According to the American Heart Association, the following are some of the leading factors that put people at risk for coronary artery disease or a heart attack: • Age: More than 83 percent of people who die from coronary heart disease are 65 or older. Older women are more likely to die of heart attacks within a few weeks of the attack than older men.

• Being male: Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they have attacks earlier in life. Even after menopause, when women’s death rate from heart disease increases, it’s not as great as men’s.

• Family history: Those with parents or close relatives with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves.

• Race: Heart disease risk is higher among African-Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans compared to caucasians.

• Smoking: Cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing heart disease by two to four times.

• High cholesterol: As blood cholesterol rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease.

• High blood pressure: High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart to thicken and become stiffer. It also increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure. When high blood pressure exists with obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels or diabetes, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases several times.

• Sedentary lifestyle: Inactivity is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

• Excess weight: People who have excess body fat —especially if a lot of it is at the waist — are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke, even if they have no other risk factors.

• Diabetes: Having diabetes seriously increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

About three quarters of people with diabetes die from some form of heart or blood vessel disease.

SOURCE: Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, American Heart Association and North

Carolina State Center for Health Statistics.

For more information, visit www.apprhs.org and

click on the cardiac services tab or call (828) 264-9664 to schedule an appointment.

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

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Page 4

HEALTHY LIFETIMES

February 25-27, 2015

Strokes: Causes, effects and preventative measures

BY JAMIE SHELL JAMIE.SHELL@AVERYJOURNAL.COM

A

popular commercial detailing the debilitating effects of a stroke summarized the importance of recognizing and treating stroke symptoms with five words: “Time lost is brain lost.”

A stroke, sometimes referred to as a cerebrovascular accident, cerebrovascular insult or colloquially brain attack, is the loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain.

As time passes, the affected area of the brain cannot function normally, which can result in an inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, failure to understand or formulate speech or a vision impairment of one side of the visual field.

What comes to mind when most people think of a stroke is the previously alluded, heartbreaking physical disabilities that sometimes occurs as a result, which at times can leave those directly affected suffering dramatic physical changes.

Although these effects are indeed tragic, the stroke that caused the effects is actually a vascular disease.

The nationally acclaimed Mayo Clinic defines a stroke as a general term used to describe when the blood supply to part of one’s brain is interrupted or severely reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and food.

Within minutes, according to the clinic, brain cells begin to die, meaning that literally every second counts when treating an individual suffering from a stroke.

A stroke is a medical emergency

and prompt treatment is crucial.

Early action can minimize brain damage and potential complications.

A vascular disease caused by many of the same factors that can lead to heart attacks, strokes can take the form of both blockages — usually caused by clots — or bleeding within the brain, both of which have the potential to cause brain damage through oxygen loss.

While the sudden death associated with these types of stroke can be quite frightening, the physical disabilities often accompanied by survivors as a result of brain damage can be dramatically life-altering.

Fortunately, health conscious individuals can take steps to reduce their risk of stroke, according to John Skarda, a doctor specializing in emergency medicine at Cannon Memorial Hospital and privately operates a seasonal family medical practice in Linville.

Skarda lists hypertension — excessively high blood pressure — as foremost among the controllable factors that may lead to a stroke.

“The biggest thing is that people should be aware of whether they have hypertension, and, if they have it, to

get it treated,” Skarda said, adding that controlling cholesterol, monitoring ideal body weight, managing sleep apnea and engaging in regular exercise can lower the risk of a stroke.

“Those are the best things people can do to prevent vascular disease in general,” he said.

Skarda said that while many factors that contribute to stroke are controllable, some factors come in form of less controlled sources, such as heredity.

“The one factor we can’t control is family history,” Skarda said. “I think that each person should be evaluated for their risk factors. They should get their cholesterol checked, have their blood pressure checked and do the lifestyle changes — healthy diet and exercise. Probably the biggest problem in the U.S. is that we have a lot of obesity, and then there are a lot of people that do not get a lot of exercise.”

The good news is that strokes can be treated and prevented, and many fewer Americans die of stroke now than even 15 years ago. Better control of major stroke risk factors — high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol — may be responsible for the decline, health officials said.

The same measures that help prevent strokes will also help fight heart disease and other ailments related to vascular health.

“I think the best way to look at vascular disease is that it is a systematic disease,” Skarda said.

For more information about strokes, their effects and reducing their risk, visit the National Stroke Association online by clicking to www.stroke.org.

North Carolina celebrates five years smoke free

BY SHERRIE NORRIS SHERRIE.NORRIS@WATAUGADEMOCRAT.COM

E

very year In North Carolina, smoking claims the lives of about 14,000 adults and costs more than $3.8 billion in medical care, of which $931.4 million is covered by the state Medicaid program.

The residents’ state and federal tax

burden from smoking-caused government expenditures are estimated at $888 per household, with about $4.24 billion attributed to smokingcaused productivity losses in North Carolina.

The facts are startling, agreed David Willard, Northwest Tobacco Prevention coordinator.

The good thing, Willard said, is that while it’s not easy for smokers to quit,

great strides are being made in North Carolina, many of which he attributes to the Smoke-Free Law. “This year marks the fifth anniversary of North Carolina’s smoke-free restaurants and bars law,” Willard said. “The smoke-free law prohibits smoking in enclosed areas of most restaurants and bars, with limited

SEE SMOKE, PAGE 5

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

February 25-27, 2015

Page 5 secondhand smoke for your loved ones, he said.

In the U.S., an estimated 49,000 deaths are caused by exposure to secondhand smoke.

By quitting, you’re showing your family and other young people that a life without cigarettes is not only healthy, but possible, Willard said.

SMOKE FROM PAGE 4 exceptions for private clubs and some cigar bars.”

“In a short amount of time, the SmokeFree Law has begun to have a significant impact on North Carolina,” Willard said.

“It has definitely changed the way we look at smoking and secondhand smoke.”

After you quit • Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

• Within 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood stream drops to normal.

• Within three months, your circulation and lung function improves.

• After nine months, you will cough less and breathe easier.

• After one year, your risk of coronary heart disease is cut in half.

• After five years, your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder are cut in half.

• After 10 years, you are one half as likely to die from lung cancer, and your risk of larynx or pancreatic cancer decreases.

• After 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a nonsmoker’s risk

What the Smoke-Free Law has done: • Cleared the air — Air quality in restaurants has improved 89 percent.

• Improved health — Average weekly emergency room visits for heart attacks have decreased by 21 percent; the number of asthma related visits to the emergency room have declined 7 percent.

• Helped reduce smoking — A large increase in calls has been made to the (800) QUITNOW lines, which, data confirms, has contributed to the continued decrease in high school and middle school student smoking.

• Changed us — Growing support of the law encouraged other businesses to go smoke free voluntarily. Now people can’t imagine smoking in restaurants and bars.

• Did it without hurting business — Studies show no negative impact on restaurant/bar income or employment.

(Source: N.C. Department of Health and Human Services)

Real rewards of quitting Information provided by Willard confirms that there is no safe amount of cigarette smoke — and when you smoke, the chemicals in tobacco reach your lungs quickly every time you inhale. Your blood then carries the toxins to every organ in your body.

After you quit, your body begins to heal within 20 minutes of your last cigarette, and the nicotine leaves your body within three days.

As your body starts to repair itself, you may feel worse instead of better. Withdrawal can be difficult, but this is a sign that your body is healing.

Tobacco use in the United States causes about 480,000 deaths each year, or nearly

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one in every five deaths, which includes deaths from secondhand smoke. It’s estimated that 278,544 of those deaths are among men and 201,773 deaths annually among women.

Quitting can help add years to your life.

In fact, smokers die an average of 13 years earlier than nonsmokers.

Willard encourages smokers to take control of their health — and their life — by quitting and staying quit.

During time, those who quit smoking will greatly lower their risk of death from lung cancer and other diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and various other types of cancer, Willard said.

You will also cut back on dangerous

SOURCE: NCDHHS, Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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February 25-27, 2015

Hearing loss

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BY JAMES HOWELL JAMES.HOWELL@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

H

earing loss is the third most common health problem in the United States, still on the rise with 36 million Americans now reporting hearing loss.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and correct hearing loss, and even a possible cure on the horizon.

The most common type of hearing loss is known as sensorineural hearing loss. It is a permanent hearing loss that occurs when there is damage to the tiny hairlike cells of the inner ear, which weakens the transfer of audio signals to the brain. This type of hearing loss can also occur if the auditory nerve becomes damaged.

Although some people are born with sensorineural hearing loss, most develop the condition later in life, and it is caused by a variety of factors. The most common trigger for hearing loss is presbycusis, a form of hearing loss caused by aging.

Other causes of hearing loss include overexposure to loud music, traumat-

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Hearing loss can be prevented with several common sense solutions and by avoiding recreational risks, such as rock concerts, or protecting your ears while in the workplace.

FILE PHOTO

ic injuries and a variety of diseases and inflections.

The symptoms of hearing loss include changes in the loudness and clarity of sounds. Sensorineural hearing loss may cause noises to seem louder or quieter than expected, most

notably causing difficulty hearing women’s or children’s voices.

Other symptoms include constant ringing in ears, feeling off-balance or dizzy and problems listening in noisy environments.

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

February 25-27, 2015

Page 7

Smile and the world smiles with you fluoride.

• Floss right after brushing.

This helps to remove any plaque and food particles missed by brushing.

BY ERIK HOFFMANN ERIK.HOFFMANN@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

T

hey say you can tell a lot about a person by their smile.

Those smiles tend to be a bit brighter and a bit wider by practicing good dental health.

Joy Howell, a dental hygienist for Dr. Joel Yates, said there are basic fundamentals everyone can do for better dental health.

Maintain a proper diet Eating a well-balanced diet, including fruits, vegetables, dairy products and whole grains, will provide proper nutrients that build strong, healthy teeth.

Brushing twice every day

• Avoid drinking sugary drinks, such as sodas and fruit drinks.

People tend to sip on those drinks, raising acidity levels that erode teeth over long periods of time.

• Candy, specifically gummytype candy, lingers on teeth surfaces, which also lends to eroding teeth.

Brushing teeth removes plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that grows on teeth that causes cavities, gum disease and eventual tooth loss.

• Brush for two minutes. Howell said there are toothbrushes out there with automatic timers that will shut off at the two-minute point.

• Use fluoride toothpaste.

Flavored toothpastes are fine for children, as long as they contain

Rinse or chew gum after meals In today’s world of eating on the run, sometimes there’s

HEARING FROM PAGE 6 Unfortunately, there is no medical or surgical method to repair the hairlike cells of the inner ear required for hearing.

However, the onset of hearing loss can be delayed by avoiding the causes of hearing loss.

Hearing loss can be prevented with several common sense solutions. For instance, hearing loss can be prevented by avoiding

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Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco products Smoking or chewing tobacco can stain teeth and increase the possibility of gum disease and oral cancer.

See your dentist regularly Howell recommended everyone, starting as young as 6 months old, should see their dentist at a minimum of twice a year.

• For children, dentist visits are primarily to get them used to the dentist and the exams.

• For adults, dentist visits are used for exams and scheduling routine cleanings and any other necessary dental procedures.

recreational risks, such as rock concerts, or protecting your ears while in the workplace, health officials said.

Also, victims of hearing loss can greatly improve their hearing with the use of hearing aids and other technologies.

Even though there isn’t currently a medication to restore hearing on the market, new strides have been made in that area.

On Oct. 21, 2014, Medical News Today published an article stating that researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard Medical School were able to restore hearing loss in mice.

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how they were able to increase production of a protein called neurotrophin-3 in mice, which they found plays a key role in communication between the ears and the brain,” according to the article, titled “Noise-induced hearing loss restored in mice.”

The researchers that participated in the study also noted the gene therapy technique could potentially work for humans who are partially deaf.

According to the article, the mice used in the study only had partial deafness, so it remains unclear if increased NT3 would restore hearing for subjects who are fully

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“It has become apparent that hearing loss due to damaged ribbon synapses is a very common and challenging problem, whether it’s due to noise or normal aging,” said Gabriel Corfas, who led the research.

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

Page 8

February 25-27, 2015

Do not give up One man inspires others to persevere following his stroke

BY JAMES HOWELL JAMES.HOWELL@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

A

she County resident George Kosinski recently went shopping on his own two legs for the first time in several months after having suffered a stroke in October.

For Kosinski, using his own two legs rather than riding a cart to shop was a huge milestone in his recovery, but certainly not the final step in his long road forward.

As part of his recovery, he also created a series of videos called “A Walk With George,” hoping to encourage other stroke survivors to rehab following their illnesses.

“You’ve got to take charge of your own recovery,” Kosinski said. “Instead of going into the corner of your home and fading away, you can take charge, join a gym and start recovering.”

The stroke Kosinski had an unusual stroke experience compared to many. He had driven to Charlotte to pick up his

daughter for a visit after having his stroke, which he experienced earlier that morning.

“While I was on my walk, I felt a crack in my neck and then a weakness in my legs, but I didn’t realize that was the beginning of a stroke,” he said. “That’s one of the crafty things about a stroke, sometimes you don’t know what it is.”

On his way back from Charlotte, his daughter commented that he wasn’t driving well, and Kosinski later asked to visit the emergency room.

“I’m allergic to hospitals because ‘hospital’ usually has the word ‘bill’ attached to the end of it,” he said, “but I reached the point that I had to abandon my principles and go.”

This began the long recovery process that all stroke survivors go through. Kosinski said, adding that he was very pleased with the care he received, especially with his nurses, doctors and even the administrators he came in contact with.

is different, and his stroke left him without use of the left side of his body and caused speech issues. But the universal element between all stroke victims is an inevitable grieving process people go through.

“You’ve lost something that was very important to you; your left side has disappeared, it’s gone for a walk,” Kosinski said. “Also, I live on my own, and I live by choice in the most remote part of Ashe County. I was used to being very independent and losing that was a real mountain to climb and overcome.”

After accepting the reality of the newfound condition, Kosinski said he then had to cope with the physical issues associated with his stroke. For him, that meant doing things without the use of the left side of his body.

“You can’t walk, and I was surprised by all the things I couldn’t do with just one hand,” he said. “For example, I could fold my laundry with one hand. Little things become big things in a disabled person’s life.”

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

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Healthy lifestyles include healthy skin

BY ERIK HOFFMANN ERIK.HOFFMANN@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

A

s the weather begins to shift to a warmer season, many people awake from their winter hibernation pasty and pale and ready to reclaim their glowing skin.

However, with the concerns of dry skin, or worse, board-certified dermatologist Maggie Sparks, M.D., suggests some useful tips for maintaining healthy skin.

STROKE FROM PAGE 8 According to Kosinski, rehabilitation is a long and discouraging process, one that is filled with difficulties and failures.

While re-learning to walk after his discharge from the hospital, Kosinski fell 20 times in just a few months.

“You look at children, they learn to walk by falling a lot, but adults can’t do that,” Kosinski said. “Children just bounce back up, while the elderly are considered ‘fall risks.’”

Walk with George Because recovery can be so difficult,

Protect yourself from the sun.

Sun exposure causes wrinkles, age spots, burns and the possibility of skin cancer.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself from the bright, orange ball in the sky.

• Use sunscreen. Sparks recommends applying the sunscreen an hour to 45 minutes prior to sun exposure. Slather on generous amounts of sunscreen every two hours or more often if you are swimming or sweating. Make sure to use a broad-

spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15.

• Avoid the sun all together. The sun’s rays are strongest between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

• Wear protective clothing. Wear tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. There is special sun protective clothing that is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.

Kosinski said encouragement and advice is always a blessing.

Along with medical personnel, he was also assisted by his fellow stroke survivors.

For instance, one woman online demonstrated how a person could dress themselves with minimal use of their arms, a trick she discovered while recovering from her stroke.

Consequently, Kosinski decided to release a set of videos on YouTube called “A Walk with George,” where he shows and talks about his recovery.

For Kosinski, his videos have become a way of giving back to that community of people.

“If I can convert a crisis into an opportunity and help others with a similar condition, that’s very much a part of my healing process,” he said.

In addition to online videos, Kosinski believes more of a focus should be placed on having stroke survivor groups, where counselors who have recovered from strokes can advise and encourage others.

“People who are looking for help, they want to learn recovery tips from people who have actually had strokes,” Kosinski said.

Making his video series served another purpose, as well. Kosinski said by documenting his progress and his feelings, he was able to see his improvements, such as

Use sunscreen or avoid the sun altogether to keep your skin healthy.

SEE SKIN, PAGE 10

FILE PHOTO

taking before and after pictures for those trying to lose weight.

“I like the idea of documenting things when you’re in the hospital,” Kosinski said.

“It’s important to keep a recollection of where you are and how you’re improving.”

Getting treatment, encouragement and advice are all key elements to recovery, no matter what ailment one may be afflicted by. The ultimate takeaway, though, is perseverance, he said.

“If I could give one piece of advice,” Kosinski said, “it would be this: Do not give up.”

View the videos at www.youtube.com/ user/KosinskiStudio.

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

Page 10

February 25-27, 2015

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancer types, with more than 2 million people diagnosed with more than 3 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer in the United States each year. That’s more than all other cancers combined.

However, there are things you can do and be aware of to protect your skin from cancer.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

showers can deplete your body of essential oils. Use warm water rather than hot.

FROM PAGE 9 • Use gentle soaps. Strong detergents and soaps can also Don’t smoke. deplete your body of essential Smoking narrows the blood oils. Choose milder moisturvessels in the outer layers of izing soaps instead. skin. This depletes the skin of • Keep your skin moisturSPARKS oxygen and nutrients that are ized. Use a moisturizing lotion important for healthy skin. that best suits your type of Smoking also damages elastin and skin. For regular use, consider using a collagen, the fibers give your skin moisturizer with an SPF. elasticity and strength. This contributes to wrinkles and makes your skin Eat a healthy diet. look older.

Sparks said a healthy diet could make a person look young by several Treat your skin gently. years. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetaDaily bathing and/or showering bles, whole grains and lean proteins in the winter can excessively dry the will provide your body with ample skin. Keep these helpful tips in mind fats and vitamins to maintain healthy next time you lather up. skin.

• Limit your bath time. Long hot She added that eating a poor diet of

SKIN

unhealthy fats and sugars could possible lend itself to acne or other skin problems.

Stress management.

High stress levels could cause sensitive skin to negatively react, causing acne breakouts, hives and other skin problems. Take steps to better control stressors in your life, such as cutting down on your to-do list and incorporating exercise into your day.

Early screening.

Sparks said the best defense against any skin disease is a skin exam. Visiting a dermatologist and having your skin examined for skin cancers or precancerous growths is vital for good skin health.

A dermatologist can find things that most people look over or don’t think about, she said.

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February 25-27, 2015

HEALTHY LIFETIMES

Page 11

Eyesight insight: Vision health tips tion, which often have no early warning signs.

Dilated eye exams may also help people rowing up, you might have heard who do not realize that they could see betthe old wives’ tale that you must ter with glasses or contact lenses. eat carrots for healthy vision. Al• Be aware of your family’s vision histhough this may be true, carrots tory. Since many eye diseases and condiaren’t the only step tions are hereditary, you should take to it’s good to know ensure vision health. your family’s record According to the of eye health.

National Eye Insti• “Eat right to tute, a branch of the protect your sight.”

National Institute of In addition to carHealth, eating right rots, a diet rich in is just a small part of fruits and vegan effective eye care etables, particularly regimen. Here are leafy greens, is an some “simple tips important aspect of A patient is pictured using a phoropter, for healthy eyes.” keeping your vision which is used to detect refractive errors.

• Have regular FILE PHOTO clear. Research also comprehensive suggests that fish dilated eye exams. In the same way that high in omega-3 fatty acids can also benefit mammograms are important in catchyour eye health. ing breast cancer in early stages, dilated • Maintain a healthy weight. Besides eye exams can help detect common eye being good for your vision, fruits and diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic eye SEE VISION, PAGE 12 disease and age-related macular degeneraBY ERIKA GIOVANETTI

ERIKA@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

G

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

Page 12

February 25-27, 2015

2014-2015 flu season: prevention and status report

BY ERIKA GIOVANETTI

don’t get vaccinated, you are also putting others who are too young to vaccinate or lthough it’s late in the season, have compromised immune systems at it’s not too late to contract the risk. influenza virus.

• Avoid close contact with sick people. If According to the weekly flu you’re sick, avoid all contact with others, as report from the Centers for Disease Control even a handshake could spread an illness to and Prevention, the average flu season lasts another.

13 weeks, which means • If you’re sick with the season would have a flu-like illness, stay ended the week of Feb. at home for at least 24 16-22. However, CDC hours after your fever has research suggests that this subsided. Although some flu season may last well people are wary to take into 2015, with the longest sick days in today’s whirlflu season in the last 13 wind business environyears being 19 weeks. ment, staying home will Particles of the H1N1 influenza help you on the road to National influenza-like illnesses are on the decline virus, which is similar to the recovery and prevent your H3N2 strain that is making the slowly, and the trend loillness from spreading to rounds this season. cally reflects that, accordNATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH others. ing to Amy Nix, a nurse • When you cough or practitioner at Ashe Family Healthcare. sneeze, always cover your nose and mouth Nix also said that the flu hasn’t hit the with a tissue.

High Country too hard, compared with the • Wash your hands often with soap or epidemic nationwide. water, or hand sanitizer if you’re not near “I don’t think it’s more severe, I actua sink. ally think it’s been lighter for this area this • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and year,” she said. mouth. Frequently clean and disinfect Nix cited that the reason for the mild highly trafficked surfaces, especially when flu season in the area could be a result of someone is ill. the area being more “cut off” from more • Practice other good health habits, such populated areas. as getting plenty of sleep, exercising, manAlthough the flu is on the decline naaging stress levels, drinking plenty of fluids tionally, it’s still important to be health and following a nutritious diet. conscious this winter.

• Nix added that “maintaining adequate Here are some tips from the CDC to help hydration status is really important to keep you stay healthy for the remainder of the our immune systems functioning well.” She season: also stressed the importance of hand wash• It’s not too late to vaccinate. The most ing and being educated about exposure. effective way to protect your self from the For weekly updates on the flu, visit www. flu is to get the flu vaccine every year. If you cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm.

ERIKA@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

A

VISION FROM PAGE 9 vegetables are good for your overall health, and will help maintain a healthy body weight. Obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes, which is the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. for those younger than 60 years old.

• Wear protective eyewear in the sun and in other daily activities. For example, protective eyewear can be beneficial to those who play sports or are around harmful chemicals at work. It is not just your skin, but also your eyes that need protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Look for sunglasses that block 99 or 100 percent of radiation.

• If you smoke cigarettes, quit. If you

don’t smoke, don’t start. Research indicates that smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and optic nerve damage.

• Take a break from the computer screen.

If you spend a lot of time at the computer screen at work or at home, remember to take a break every so often. The NEI recommends the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.

• Keep your contact lenses (and hands) clean. Always wash your hands prior to putting in your contact lenses, the NEI stresses, to avoid the risk of infection.

Disinfect and replace contact lenses as directed.

For more information, visit www.nei. nih.gov.

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

Options exist for obesity prevention

BY JESSE CAMPBELL JESSE.CAMPBELL@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

W

ith more than a third of adults considered to be overweight, obesity prevention has become an emerging priority nationally, as well as locally.

Aside from the immediate health risks associated with being overweight, obesity is also linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Obesity is also responsible for an estimated $147 billion in annual health care costs in the United States, or an additional $1,429 in medical costs in comparison to those of normal weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Western North Carolina, adult obesity has increased to 62.7 percent, according to a 2013 report compiled by the Appalachian District Health Department.

Children who are considered overweight and obese have increased to 15.9 percent and 15.6 percent, respectively,

according to the data.

Additionally, it is estimated that one in seven low-income preschool children in the United States is overweight or obese.

Despite these adverse health trends, several community partnerships and initiatives exist to combat obesity.

For the first time in history, recent data of childhood obesity indicated a decrease in obesity prevalence among low-income preschool-aged children from 15.2 percent to 14.9 percent and extreme obesity from 2.2 percent to 2.07 percent, according to the CDC. Although those are only slight decreases, they indicate a trend in making change, according to AHD. Help in combatting obesity has also emerged in the form of the Community Transformation Grant Project that offered opportunity to partner within a 10 county region to support healthy eating, active living, tobacco free living and quality improvement initiatives to support clinicians serving clients in tobacco cessation, according to the health department.

Regular exercise could prevent osteoporosis

BY JESSE CAMPBELL JESSE.CAMPBELL@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

O

steoporosis has emerged as a major public health threat nationally, but eliminating certain risk factors could reduce the disease’s impact.

Nearly 55 percent of people 55 years and older are affected by osteoporosis and 80 percent of those who do have it are women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Risk factors for the disease include heredity, current low bone mass, being thin or having a small frame, advanced age, estrogen deficiency, abnormal absence of menstrual periods, anorexia nervosa, low lifetime calcium intake, vitamin D deficiency, sedentary lifestyle, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol use and being white or Asian, according to data compiled by Appalachian District Health Department.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, getting enough calcium and vitamin D, along with eating a well-balanced diet, can help prevent the condition.

Engaging in regular exercise and eating foods that are good for bone health, such as fruit and vegetables, are also proactive

steps to take in curbing its effects or onset in general.

Avoiding tobacco use and limiting the intake of alcoholic beverages to two to three drinks a day can also help prevent osteoporosis, said the foundation.

There are also two types of exercise that are important for building and maintaining bone density: weight bearing and muscle strengthening exercises.

Examples of high impact weight bearing exercises can be activities as simple as dancing, doing aerobics, hiking, jogging, running, jumping rope, stair climbing and tennis.

Examples of low-impact weight bearing exercises include using elliptical training machines, utilizing stair step machine and fast walking on a treadmill or outside, according to the foundation.

Muscle strengthening exercises include lifting weights, using elastic exercise bands, using weight machines, lifting your own body weights and functional movements such as standing and rising up on your toes.

For more information on bone strengthening exercises and good bone health in general, visit nof.org.

Page 13

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

Page 14

February 25-27, 2015

Mental health resources available in High Country

BY ANNA OAKES ANNA@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

T

he National Institute of Mental Health notes that one out of every four adults suffers from a mental disorder in a given year, and one in five children will suffer from a debilitating mental disorder at some point during their lives.

And according to the latest data available from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, the suicide mortality rates in the High Country continued to be higher than the state average from 20092013, but the rates appear to have decreased from the 2005-2009 averages.

In Ashe County, the suicide mortality rate was 18.2 per 100,000 people, in Avery County, 22.5 per 100,000, and in Watauga County, 13.8 per 100,000, according to the health statistics. The North Carolina average was 12.2 per

A woman speaks with a therapist.

PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

100,000 people.

The Appalachian District Health Department identified mental health as one of four priority areas after the 2011 Community Health Assessment was completed, specifically focusing on Ashe County, which had a suicide mortality rate of 25.6 per 100,000 people for the period between 2005 and 2009 and 16.8 percent of high schoolaged youth reporting they had seriously considered suicide.

A Community Health Action Plan aimed to reduce

the suicide rate in Ashe County to 20 per 100,000 by 2014.

If you or someone you know is feeling depressed, stressed, anxious, confused or mentally or emotionally unbalanced, a number of resources in the High Country are here to help.

First, see your doctor.

She or he can refer you to a mental health professional.

Or you could start with Smoky Mountain Center, which provides screening, assessment and referral for mental health, developmental disabilities and

substance abuse services for seven western counties, including Ashe, Avery and Watauga.

Call the Smoky Mountain Center access line at (800) 849-6127 to receive a telephonic screening to determine the nature of your mental health needs and be offered a choice of appropriate treatment providers.

Smoky Mountain Center can provide options for individuals even if they do not have private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare.

Daymark Recovery Services, located at 132 Poplar Grove Connector #B in Boone, offers a walk-in clinic, mobile crisis unit and 24-hour crisis services, as well as substance abuse and mental health outpatient treatment and intensive in-home treatment.

Daymark is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; the office number is (828) 264-8759, and the after hours crisis

line number is (828) 2644357.

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is (800) 273-8255. Call to speak with a skilled, trained crisis worker who will listen to your problems and will tell you about mental health services in your area. The call is confidential and free.

Visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org for additional information, including resources for veterans, young adults, victims of bullying and resources in Spanish.

Persons with a mental illness or disorder may also benefit from the programs of NAMI High Country, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness that serves Ashe, Avery, Watauga and Wilkes counties.

NAMI affiliates and volunteer leaders work in local communities across the country to raise awareness and provide essential and free education, advocacy

and support group programs.

NAMI High Country’s programs include “In Our Own Voice” presentations for groups and a monthly meeting on first Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. at the Watauga County Public Library conference room, located at 140 Queen St. in Boone. Attendees arriving after 7 p.m. are asked to enter through the side door.

“I think that support is a huge part of our reason for being,” said Laura Anne Middlesteadt, a NAMI High Country board member. “It’s a very nonjudgmental group of people.

We’ve all heard it and are not afraid to talk about it — we bring it all out into the sunshine and deal with it.”

To learn more about NAMI High Country, visit www.namihighcountry. org, email info@NAMIhighcountry.org, search for the group on Facebook or call (828) 278-9293.

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HEALTHY LIFETIMES

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Page 15

Cancer: Risks and prevention likely. Also, smoking can be directly attributed as the cause of 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and 80 percent in women.

Smoking also causes cancer of the larynx, mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix and stomach, and cause acute myeloid leukemia. Exposure to secondhand smoke also increases the risk of lung cancer by 20 percent to 30 percent.

BY JAMES HOWELL JAMES.HOWELL@MOUNTAINTIMES.COM

A

n all-too-common thing we hear from day-to-day is that someone we know has been diagnosed with cancer — a family member, friend, coworker or casual acquaintance.

But there is hope for those diagnosed and those fearful of the disease — people are beating cancer every day, and as the knowledge base for cancer grows, so does the understanding of how to prevent cancer by diminishing certain risk factors.

Here are six universally accepted lifestyle changes that can help prevent cancer, and lead to greater overall health, according to health officials.

Protecting your skin

As devastating as lung cancer is, skin cancer is actually the most common form of cancer in the United States. According to the CDC, ultraviolate radiation is the most important environmental factor involved with developing skin cancer, both from the sun and from tanning beds.

To have fun in the sun without worrying about skin cancer, the CDC encourages people to put on sunscreen, wear protective clothing, and seek occasional shade.

Avoid smoking

According to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and smoking causes the vast majority of cases.

According to the CDC, men who smoke are 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer, while women who smoke are 13 times more

Limit alcohol

According to the CDC, several studies show strong evidence that drinking alcohol is the main risk factor for liver cancer. Also,

an increased risk of breast cancer and colon cancer from alcohol consumption has also been reported in a wide variety of studies.

Drinking alcohol regularly increases the risk of developing cancer of the mouth, larynx and throat. Daily consumption of alcohol of 50 grams doubles or even triples the risk for those types of cancers, the CDC said.

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese substantially raises a person’s risk of contracting uterine, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. The CDC defines overweight as a body mass index of 25 to 29, and obesity is defined as having a BMI of more than 30.

According to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity lowers the risks of cancer, both by reducing weight and increasing overall levels of health.

The Mayo Clinic advises people to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity for substantial health benefits.

Eating healthy

Although eating healthy cannot guarantee cancer prevention, a healthy diet can reduce

Eat well to live well

BY CAROLINE HARRIS CAROLINE.HARRIS@AVERYJOURNAL.COM

“L

et food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” Greek physician Hippocrates said.

In other words, eat well to live well.

There is plenty of information available these days about what constitutes a healthy diet and much of it is confusing, or worse, conflicting.

Then, there are all the too-good-to-be-true promises of the latest fad diets.

To cap it all off, the quickest, easiest food choices all around us are rarely healthful and are generally very high in calories.

Navigating the modern food landscape can seem like an uphill battle, but investing in

well-informed food choices means investing in future health.

Weight goals, nutritional needs, dietary restrictions, level of physical activity and age determine what healthy eating looks like for you. However, there are essential core principles to healthful eating.

There is no substitute for fresh fruits and vegetables as the foundation for a healthy diet, according to health officials.These foods are dense in nutrition, packed with what the body needs to operate at its best and light on calories.

The USDA recommends three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit per day for the average adult.

Sugary drinks, such as soda, energy drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, are a dead end nu-

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tritionally. Even 100 percent juice drinks can have as much sugar as a soda. Americans get 5 percent to 8 percent of their daily calories from these beverages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Empty” calories come from foods that have a high caloric content, such as soda or most snack foods, with little to no nutritional values such as protein or fiber, health officials said. Fat, sugar and salt are the elements to watch when considering a healthy diet, especially when a food contains all three.

Salt, for instance, has been shown to contribute to the risk of stroke and cardiac events, according to health reports.

Limit animal fats in foods, but keep in mind that some fat is necessary for the body

R. Lee Warren, DDS, MAGD R. Lee Warren, DDS, PA

cancer risks by reducing the chance of becoming overweight, health officials said.

Basing a diet around more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and other plant sources can reduce the risk of being overweight.

Also, diets higher in fats tend to be higher in calories may increase the risk of becoming overweight or obese, which can lead to elevated risks of cancer.

Preventive care

Different forms of cancer are more likely to be successfully treated in the earlier stages of the disease. Therefore, the earlier cancer can be detected, the better.

Several forms of cancer, such as skin, colon, prostate, cervix and breast cancers, can be screened for fairly successfully. It’s important to get regular physical exams that include screenings for different types of cancer. Self-examinations can also successful detect cancers, officials said. There may not be a universal cure for cancer at this time, but greater understanding of the risks can help prevent the disease, and preventative care can help to treat cancer earlier, which leads to better outcomes, officials said.

to survive. Try beans, nuts or avocado as an alternative for healthy fats, officials said.

All things in moderation, many health care officials say.

You are going to have to eat for the rest of your life and food is an enjoyable part of it. Eat a cookie instead of two cookies. Pay attention to serving suggestions on nutrition labels and try to follow the recommended serving size.

Note if there is more than one serving size per container, officials said.

There are many free smart phone applications and websites available to help you personalize and track your daily caloric intake, as well as your optimal ratio of macronutrients: carbohydrate to protein to fats.

You are what you eat. Eat for your health.

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Page 16

HEALTHY LIFETIMES

February 25-27, 2015

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