08.12.21 Health Matters

HEALTH MATTERS THE OBSERVER’S GUIDE TO YOUR BEST YOU

THE FIRST SUPERFOOD From antibodies and anti-viruses to enzymes and hormones, breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for babies. Read about how one new mother is providing it to her adopted son. Pages 6-7.

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HEALTH MATTERS

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TheSKINNYon

FAT Here’s the lowdown on which fats you should avoid — and which should have a larger role in your diet.

HEART-HEALTHY SWAPS n Vegetable oil instead of butter. Butter raises your level of LDL cholesterol.

Vegetable oils such as olive and canola oils consist of healthier unsaturated fats. n Whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates. The fiber in whole grains helps lower LDL cholesterol. Try 100% whole-wheat bread instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice or oatmeal rather than corn flakes. n Spices instead of salt.

Too much salt can raise your blood pressure.

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

When it comes to your overall health, a balanced diet is one of the key players in the game.

Many of us have been taught to pay attention to the nutrition labels on the food we buy to see what’s in it. You’ve probably seen two types of fats listed on them: saturated and unsaturated fats. But what’s the difference?

SATURATED FATS

One of the differences between the two types of fat lies in their chemical composition. Saturated fats have no double bonds in their chemical structure and are saturated with hydrogen atoms. This means they’re solid at room temperature.

Saturated fats are considered the “bad” fats. Studies have shown that consuming a large amount of them may increase your lowdensity lipoprotein — or LDL — cholesterol. This increases risk of

n Poultry, fish or beans instead of beef

heart disease. For that reason, the American Heart Association recommends that less than 5% to 6% of your daily caloric intake consists of saturated fats.

“They’re also associated with inflammation and also contribute to insulin resistance,” said Lisa Cooper, a registered dietician/ licensed dietitians nutritionist with Orlando Health.

Saturated fats are found in whole-milk dairy products such as cheese, cream, ice cream, cream cheese and sour cream. It’s also in fatty meats, palm kernel or coconut oils and pre-packaged snacks.

“The recommendation is, ‘Let’s eat less of those saturated fats and replace with unsaturated fats,’” Cooper said. “Instead of eating butter, you’d use olive oil. Instead of eating cheese, you can use an avocado. Those are some samples of what you can do to make the substitutions. Saturated fats are mainly in the American diet in things (such as) cheese, pizza, whole-milk products, sausage, bacon, beef and cookies.”

UNSATURATED FATS

n Fruit instead of sugar n Flavored water instead of sofa. Sugar-sweetened drinks can lead to weight gain.

n Nuts instead of chips

n Avocado instead of mayonnaise or cheese. Avocados have a healthy unsaturated fat and nutrients that can boost heart health.

Source: WebMD

Meanwhile, unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature. There are two types: monounsaturated (one double bond) and polyunsaturated (two or more double bonds). Both are considered the “good” fats.

“If our diets are predominantly these unsaturated fats, it is cardioprotective,” Cooper said. “We want to replace saturated fats with these unsaturated fats.”

Polyunsaturated fats are made of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, and Cooper said Omega-3, in particular, is considered an essential fatty acid. Many Americans tend not to get enough of them in their diets.

“They offer a lot of health benefits,” Cooper said. “They promote normal function of the brain and nervous system, they lower cholesterol, they reduce inflammation, they lower triglycerides — which is a blood fat associated with heart disease — and they increase the good cholesterol. They also lower blood pressure.”

WATCH YOUR FATS

With Westernized diets placing a lot of emphasis on foods high in saturated fats, it’s no wonder many Americans find themselves struggling with a heart-healthy diet.

“For one thing, we just eat too much food, anyway,” Cooper said. “We eat too much of highly processed foods and fast foods.

(Saturated fat) is a really tasty fat.

If you think about it, a very lean cut of meat is not as tasty as a porterhouse (steak) that’s got a lot of fat in it. It’s really a flavor thing, so that’s a piece of it.”

Long-term health implications include heart disease, insulin resistance that could lead to diabetes, and inflammation — the root of many diseases. That’s why it’s important to be conscious of incorporating more unsaturated fats into your diet.

Cooper looks to the Mediterranean diet as a prime example of a healthier one. It includes nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish, beans, peas, lentils, herbs and spices. It includes some red meat, cheese and wine, too, but the majority is plant-based.

“If you flip the switch and you’re looking at it from an unsaturated fat (perspective), you’re going to have the opposite effects like increasing your good cholesterol, improving your blood pressure and improving insulin sensitivity,” she said.

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Checking in on Child Tax Credit Some parents are seeing the advance Child Tax Credit hit their bank accounts, but there could be caveats when it comes time to file tax returns.

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

For parents receiving the advance Child Tax Credit payments, that extra padding in the bank may seem pretty appealing.

Although the money may be a relief for many right now, it’s important to remember it’s not free cash.

This year, the IRS began paying parents who opted in half the total Child Tax Credit amount via advance monthly payments. The other half will be claimed when parents file their 2021 income tax return.

It’s part of the American Rescue Plan Act, designed to assist in the United States’ recovery from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Child Tax Credit has been broadened to include more families, and the financial benefits it provides have been increased.

“Ordinarily, you would’ve had to wait until you file your taxes to get the credit, so you’re essentially getting your refund sooner than you would’ve up to half,” said Jay Lewis, a financial coach with Empower People, Empower Change. “Not only that, but for certain incomes, they give you more than they would have. In the maximum, for example, instead of $2,000 … now for those who are under the age of 6, it should be $3,600, and that includes babies who were born this year. For children ages 6 to 17, (parents) get $3,000.”

For parents, that means up to $300 each month for each child under age 6, and up to $250 a month for each child ages 6 to 17.

To claim the Child Tax Credit, there are seven requirements that must be met to determine if your child is eligible: age, relationship,

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support, dependent status, citizenship, length of residency and family income.

But Lewis reminds parents this isn’t free cash.

“People have to be careful, because it’s not like this money doesn’t count toward your tax return,” he said. “It’s not just free money. That’s a big misconception people need to be aware of. Ordinarily, your Child Tax Credit should help if you owe taxes or if you’re in a position to where you don’t feel like you’re getting a lot back.”

Lewis recommends parents speak with a tax professional. The goal should be to balance withholdings to where parents are neither owing much money nor getting a lot back at the end of the year.

He also recommends that parents who opted in for advance Child Tax Credit money have a plan for it.

“COVID has impacted so many people,” he said. “I would say if you’re still struggling with debt and don’t have any amount of money saved up for an emergency, that money could be helpful right now. … Some people, I know, will probably need that money just to try to survive on right now. But don’t be lax. … Definitely get on a budget and start saving money.”

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FINANCIAL HEALTH

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PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Cristine Santiago If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three books would you want with you?

Since high school/college times, I like all the Dan Brown books (fiction), especially “The Da Vinci Code” (that is my favorite). I will definitely need those books with me if I’m alone on a deserted island. Since medicine, I have been trying to read more books that are not medicine-related, but honestly, it’s been almost impossible.

Dr. Cristine Santiago has a passion for taking care of children and said it’s hard to have a bad day when she constantly sees the smiling faces on her young patients every day. When she’s not tending to patients at Community Health Centers, she is entertained by books, movies and trips to the beach.

When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor?

Why? Since I can remember, I always wanted to be a doctor. Even as a little kid, I knew that my passion lay in health care. I always wanted to visit hospitals and was captivated by seeing doctors and nurses going about their work.

What is your medical specialty, and how did you choose this?

Before medicine, I was an athlete, which initially led me to consider a career in sports medicine. However, after doing an internship in a pediatric hospital during undergrad, I found my place. I chose to become a pediatrician early on and never looked back.

What are some of the advancements in your particular specialty about which you are particularly excited?

I never thought that I would be living and working through a pandemic. Pediatric populations have traditionally been left out of research studies. During these difficult times, seeing differ-

Courtesy photo

ent studies enrolling pediatric patients in vaccine studies is an encouraging advancement.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?

Making a difference. Despite whatever hardships they are going through, the smiles on my patients’ faces make it all worth it. After seeing 20 to 30 smiling children, you can be tired, but never can you be sad or unhappy.

What do you love most about serving patients in the West Orange community?

I love the diversity within the West Orange community. Every day, I learn something new from my patients and their families. Also, being able to provide resources and good medicine to underserved and diverse com-

CHECK-UP Practice: Community Health Centers, 840 Mercy Drive, Orlando Specialty: Pediatrics Years in practice: Two Education: Santiago received her bachelor’s degree in science at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey and studied medicine in Universidad Iberoamericana, at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She completed her residency in Hospital Episcopal San Lucas in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and then worked for one year in different hospitals, emergency rooms and outpatient pediatrics offices.

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munities is immensely gratifying.

Collectively, we try to meet our patients where they are, whether addressing medical needs or social needs.

What are your hobbies?

I love spending time with my husband and daughter. Having grown up in the Caribbean, I find myself trying to get to the beach as often as possible. I also enjoy watching movies and sports.

Describe your earliest memory of going to the doctor.

My pediatrician was my doctor from birth until I was 21 years old. He was my pediatrician, my mother’s pediatrician and was even my daughter’s first pediatrician. I remember that he always greeted me with a handshake. He was a gentle and compassionate person who made us feel like part of the family.

Who are some of your most important influences and role models, and why?

My mother is my role model.

She always told me that whatever I decided to do, to do it with love.

She was a school counselor and always took her students’ cases to heart.

What are some of your favorite TV shows or movies?

I like action movies, dramas and romantic comedies. I’m a Disney fan, so I love most of the original Disney princess movies.

What are some of your favorite local restaurants or cuisines?

My favorite food is Puerto Rican food! You can find me eating anywhere that has a great Mofongo. Pizza, though, is a close second.

— AMY QUESINBERRY

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LACTATION PROVIDERS:

BREAST IS BEST A mother’s decision to breastfeed is a personal one, but a consultant can be valuable in answering questions, assisting in techniques and connecting mothers willing to share their breastmilk with those who cannot provide it.

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

W

hen Obie and Erica Diaz brought home baby Oliver, their plan was to breastfeed him until he was 6 months old.

When he reached that age, they wanted to continue until he was 1.

There was one problem, though: Oliver was adopted, so Erica Diaz wasn’t producing breastmilk of her own. She had been relying on donor milk, and the mother who had been supplying the milk was producing less now that her baby was getting older.

Erica Diaz purchased a can of formula — just in case — but the Diazes are grateful to the “true angel” who came into their lives a month ago and offered 2,500 ounces of breastmilk for their 8-month-old son.

The mother, Katie Barrett, was a Godsend to the Diazes. Barrett’s son was born with spina bifida, and she had been pumping for him in the hospital NICU. The hospital

wouldn’t allow her to donate her milk from there, so she was pumping it, taking it home and storing it in her freezer.

It was more than her premature son could ever drink.

After connecting with Barrett, Erica Diaz picked up the carload of frozen milk and took it home. She and her husband had to give her parents food from two refrigerators and a deep freezer just to store all of the donated breastmilk.

“The really cool thing is that will get him through to his first year,” Erica Diaz said. “And he’s on solids, so we’re feeding him like 20 ounces now.”

She always has trusted her gut, she said, when accepting donated breastmilk, and she has only received one batch that was bad.

“I haven’t gotten that feeling on any other donations,” she said. “I trusted that he was grown somewhere else, and I figured if she’s feeding her child the breastmilk, then it’s safe for my child.”

All of the breastmilk the Diazes

have received has been free, so they repay their donors in other ways, such as giving premade meal packages, pump bags and spa gift cards. When Barrett refused money for the 2,500 ounces, the Diazes made a donation to a GoFundMe page that was set up to help pay Barnett’s son’s medical bills.

“Our donors have become friends, so one day, when COVID isn’t a thing, we can get the babies together,” Erica Diaz said.

BABY OLIVER

When Erica and Obie Diaz were adopting their newborn son, they made the decision to feed him breastmilk to give him the best chance of growing up healthy.

His being born during a pandemic solidified their decision.

“Adoption is trauma,” Erica Diaz said. “That notion that this is a healthy mother giving up her baby for adoption is a fairy tale.

“He came home when he was 6 days old,” she said. “He was 9.5 pounds. He was healthy, and we just fell immediately in love with him. We knew we wanted to do better for him, in whatever capacity that meant. We had taken him from one place to another, and there is trauma in that.”

The Diazes were connected with lactation consultants Brianne Griffis and Alex Ryan, who, in turn,

paired the parents up with Danielle Varela, an overproducer who was interested in donating her milk to one person instead of selling it.

When Varela’s milk production slowed down, the Diazes began

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accepting small donations from several sources in an effort to continue breastfeeding their son.

Obie and Erica Diaz have three other children. She is a Winter Garden Realtor, and he is on the morning show at radio station K92.3 FM. “It’s been incredible; they’ve been so selfless,” Erica Diaz said of the donors. “I know I pumped and I nursed, and I know there’s no way I could be as selfless as these women. I wouldn’t have had the energy.

They’re really like guardian angels for him. There have been a lot of people who have been.”

LACTATION MOTIVATION

Courtesy of Diaz family

hildren have wel-

When Erica Diaz had questions, one of the people she called on was Brianne Griffis, a lactation provider in Winter Garden.

“A lot of moms ask, ‘When should I call for lactation help?’ and I think the biggest thing is, it never hurts,” Griffis said. “If there’s an issue, we can turn it around quickly.”

Griffis meets with mothers at the hospital or their home and spends about an hour with them to find out their goals.

“It’s her feeding journey,” she said. “I can come in and tell her all these recommendations, but if that’s not going to fit her lifestyle, then it’s not going to help her.”

Griffis also addresses any issues, such as clogged pores or latching issues.

Her job is to share the benefits of breastmilk and breastfeeding.

“The benefits of breastmilk are passing the antibodies … the mom has passed through the breastmilk,” she said. “Antibodies cannot be added to breastmilk. Those are going to come directly from the mom.

“From there, it’s going to have all

DONATING MILK When mothers cannot produce enough, or any, of their own milk, they can contact a nonprofit milk bank.

To become a donor, mothers must go through a pre-screening process and undergo a blood test to rule out drugs in the system or bloodborne-transmitting diseases.

Donated milk is screened, pasteurized and processed for the safety of even the most fragile babies in hospital NICUs. “Banks are free if there’s an abundance in stock, but if they are running low, they will charge — around $1 an ounce,” said lactation consultant Brianne Griffis. “But a baby’s drinking anywhere from 24 to 30 ounces a day, so that can get pricey.”

Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida is located in Orlando, near Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. For information, call (407) 248-5050 or email info@milkbankofflorida. org.

the exact things that baby needs,” she said. “Over the years, formula companies have tried to replicate that … to try to get it down as close to science as possible. But with breastmilk, you’re going to get exactly what you need for your baby.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, breastfed babies have stronger immune systems, less diarrhea and constipation, fewer colds and respiratory illnesses, fewer ear infections, better vision, and less overall illness.

Breastfed babies tend to become healthier children with fewer

instances of allergies and asthma, fewer childhood cancers, a lower risk of type I and II diabetes, fewer cavities and improved brain maturation, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, Griffis said. It also can help with postpartum depression, she said.

“With nursing, you’re getting skin-to-skin, and (this) signals to the brain oxytocin, the happy hormone,” Griffis said. “For moms, having the baby close while breastfeeding or pumping, it’s going to help with postpartum. (It) gives bonding for the mom and baby … and you’re releasing all those hormones, so that mom can have the best postpartum journey possible.”

Determining how long to breastfeed a child depends on the parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months, and after that, starting solids, continuing to breastfeed for up to one year. The World Health Organization recommends up to two years.

Griffis said bodybuilders and cancer patients have touted the benefits of breastmilk, and there are Facebook pages dedicated to selling breastmilk for its protein and healing properties.

“As a provider, it just brings me so much joy — working with Erica wanting to give Oliver 100% breastmilk, and talking to Katie at all hours of the night wanting to keep pumping and provide for Erica,” Griffis said. “Even though it was just a phone call for me, it was nice to see that both moms got to help provide for Oliver.”

Griffis is available for mothers who have questions about breastfeeding. She can be reached at (407) 401-4404.

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WHAT’S IN BREASTMILK? We have heard that breastmilk supplies all the nutrients an infant needs. But what is in it? n Fats — Breastmilk contains many fats, including Omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA. The level of these fats is automatically adjusted to your infant’s specific needs. n Protein — It is rich in many proteins, including cholesterol and DHA, intestinal and digestive help (lactoferrin), antimicrobials, brain-building blocks and sleep-inducing proteins. n Carbohydrates — It contains lactose (milk sugar) and oligosaccharides, which help with digestion and intestinal health. Lactose is important for brain health and growth. n Immune boosters — It is full of living white blood cells that boost your baby’s immune system. Just one teaspoon of breastmilk contains approximately three million germ-killing cells. n Vitamins and minerals — Readily absorbed vitamins and minerals are found in breastmilk. Zinc, iron and calcium are the highest absorbed. n Enzymes and hormones — Thyroid enzymes, prolactin, oxytocin and many more are found in breastmilk. The hormones and enzymes will vary from mother to mother, depending on the age of the baby, the mother’s diet and other factors. n Colostrum — This is the first milk you make for your baby. It is higher in proteins and immune factors than mature milk, which gives it that gold, yellow or orange hue. This milk is very rich, and your baby will remove small amounts frequently in the first few days of life. Packed with antibodies and a high white blood cell count, colostrum also protects your little one from any infections as they adjust to the world outside the womb.

SOURCE: Kiinde.com

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Doing the robot The da Vinci Surgical System at Orlando Health — Health Central Hospital is a valuable tool that offers surgeons distinct advantages in certain scenarios.

TROY HERRING CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The evolution technology continues to revolutionize the way medicine is practiced.

One of the most intriguing advancements — as well as the most science fiction-esque in nature — is robotic surgery, which began with the arrival of the da Vinci Surgical System in 2000.

THE MACHINE

Is it Time for a Nephrologist?

The da Vinci robot has two main sections to it — the patient-side component and the surgeon’s console.

The patient-side component itself includes where the patient lies down, as well as the multi-armed robot controlled by the doctor, said Dr. Carlos Trillo, part of the Orlando Health Medical Group Surgery at Orlando Health — Health Central Hospital in Ocoee.

For Trillo, who specializes in minimally invasive breast biopsy, laparoscopic abdominal surgery and hernia repair, he often uses it for laparoscopic surgery — a surgical diagnostic procedure used to examine the organs inside the abdomen.

“The da Vinci robot has basically four — what we call — arms,” Trillo said. “You start with laparoscopy: You put your entry points — we call them ports — in, and you put three or four ports (or whatever number you need), and then you attach the arms of the robot to the port. Then you put instruments, which are electronically controlled through the arms.

“So once you put those instruments in and you have them where you want them to be, a surgeon breaks scrubs; you don’t have to be sterile anymore,” he

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said. “You take your gown and gloves off, and then you go to the console. It has basically two hands, and you can control the instruments with those.

So you can do the dissection inside, while at the console. It’s kind of like a video game, but it’s real.”

THE TRAINING

Like anything in the medical field, performing operations with a da Vinci machine requires years of training.

A decade after finishing his training with laparoscopy in the late 1980s and following the rise of robotics in the 2000s, Trillo began his education in robotics.

“I only recently — the last two to three years or so — got my training in robotics,” he said. “You’re basically mentored by an experienced robotic surgeon in the different operations, and then you go from there. Because it’s new technology and it’s a slight change in technique, the operations are going to take you longer (at first).”

At Trillo’s institution, an individual must be mentored through 50 successful uses to be approved to operate the machine. At Health Central, there are two of these systems, and one of them has a multi-console setup, which is often used during the learning process as a mentor can take over control any time the need arises.

A BIG DIFFERENCE

In general surgery, Trillo and the surgeons at Health Central see many different cases, and often, there is no real advantage of using the robotics, Trillo said.

However, the robot offers perks in a few different ways — especially as it relates to working in more confined spaces of the body. It also allows Trillo and other surgeons to see much more closely thanks to the camera in the machine.

For Trillo, the da Vinci system is just another valuable tool that offers another means of helping patients get better.

“If you have a confined, hardto-get-to space, or you’re doing an operation that requires a lot of suturing inside the abdomen, the robot is, for sure, superior,” Trillo said. “As an example, in bariatrics, you’re doing a lot of sewing inside, and sewing with straight laparoscopy is difficult. … The instruments in the robot articulate, actually, more than our wrist, so once you’re inside, you can take that needle and do almost anything you want.”

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The Olympian who beat cancer These days, Novlene Williams-Mills is a personal trainer with the Roper YMCA in Winter Garden. But she also has four Olympic medals and has overcome a breast-cancer diagnosis.

CHRIS MARTUCCI SPORTS EDITOR

If Novlene Williams-Mills looks familiar, it may be because she represented Jamaica in four Olympics and won four medals (three silver, one bronze) as part of the 4x400-meter relay.

She also added a world championship in the relay at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

Or it may be because you’ve seen her as a personal trainer with the Roper YMCA in Winter Garden.

In many ways, she personifies health and fitness. And you’d never know she is also a breast cancer survivor.

Just before the 2012 Olympics in London, Williams-Mills received the most stunning news of her life: Her cancer diagnosis.

“That’s not news that anybody wants to hear,” she said. “Nobody wants to hear the words, ‘You have cancer.’ That was a gut-wrenching feeling — like somebody stabbed you in the back.”

“You have to work for what you want. When given the opportunity to come to the U.S. on a scholarship, I had to work hard because I needed a better life. … I was taught: Work hard for what you want.”

— Novlene Williams-Mills

SO MANY TEARS

Unfortunately, cancer was not something with which she was unfamiliar. Williams-Mills’ older sister died of ovarian cancer in 2010, and her mother had her own battle with cancer. Now, it was affecting her.

There was some doubt as to whether she could compete at the Jamaican Olympic Trials. For a moment, all the hard work she had put into making the Olympic team was in jeopardy.

Even so, she never let that thought cross her mind.

“Failure was not an option,” Williams-Mills said.

After consulting with her doctor, she got the OK to compete at trials and, subsequently, the Olympics. But, she had a mastectomy three days after competition, and Williams-Mills wondered if this would be the last Olympic race she would run.

At the London Olympics that summer, she came home with a bronze medal in the 4x400-meter relay. She also finished fifth in the 400-meter final. Jamaica was later awarded the silver medal in the event after the Russian team, which initially won silver, was disqualified after runner Antonina Krivoshapka failed a drug test.

After everything WilliamsMills had gone through, coming home with a medal was the best feeling in the world.

“That medal will always hold a special place for me,” WilliamsMills said. “Walking out on that

Courtesy photo

Novlene Williams-Mills said her favorite part about being a personal trainer is knowing she is making a meaningful difference in someone’s life.

track knowing my teammates were depending on me, knowing of this burden on my shoulders, that I was going to have surgery three days after leaving London — there was so much emotion. I have so many tears to that medal. If I hadn’t run

another race, I would be walking away with a medal.”

A year later, Williams-Mills finally told the world her story.

And a few years later, she competed in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro before retiring in 2017.

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WORK HARD FOR WHAT YOU WANT

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Williams-Mills is no stranger to adversity. Having grown up in Jamaica with eight other siblings and, as she put it, not a lot of resources, Williams-Mills understood the value of hard work and never giving up from an early age.

That hard work took her all the way to the University of Florida, where she ran track for the Gators.

“You have to work for what you want,” Williams-Mills said.

“When given the opportunity to come to the U.S. on a scholarship, I had to work hard because I needed a better life. … I was taught: Work hard for what you want.”

Now as a personal trainer specializing in weight loss for the YMCA of Central Florida, Williams-Mills brings that attitude while working with her clients.

She said what gives her the greatest joy in her job is seeing her clients hit their goals.

“It’s always amazing knowing you made a difference in someone’s life when they tell you, ‘This shirt or dress didn’t used to fit me but now it does,’” Williams-Mills said. “I always encourage my clients to never give up, and to see the results with them is great.”

A little more than eight years after defeating cancer and having a mastectomy, WilliamsMills and her husband, Jameel, welcomed twin boys, Jamari and Jameir, into their family.

And now, as a mother, Williams-Mills hopes to pass on the determination that has gotten her to four Olympics and the title of “cancer survivor,” and to always be respectful and thankful for everything they have.

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Rebuild & recover Traci Powell helps women heal from their trauma through services offered at her Winter Garden practice, The Rebuilt Woman.

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Traci Powell describes the childhood trauma she experienced as wearing a veil she didn’t know existed.

That veil covered her for 46 years as she carried the weight of that abuse throughout her life. It resulted in complex, unmanageable post-traumatic stress disorder, at which point she finally sought the help she needed and began healing.

What she didn’t realize, though, is that so many other women had

THE REBUILT WOMAN 161 S. Boyd St. Suite 100, Winter Garden PHONE: (352) 717-4900 WEBSITE: therebuiltwoman.com EMAIL: traci@therebuiltwoman.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/ TraciPowellNP

similar stories they never shared — until Powell told them her own.

That’s when she saw just how important and healing it was to connect with these women.

And it’s the reason she now runs The Rebuilt Woman — her women’s counseling and trauma recovery center — which opened March 1 in downtown Winter Garden.

“I started this practice for women who have been through trauma … to help them overcome the trauma and depression and anxiety to live peaceful, happy lives,” Powell said.

A psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, Powell’s mission is to help other women overcome their own traumas, anxiety and depression. Through The Rebuilt Woman, she offers a holistic treatment approach and based on research and knowledge of the neurobiology of trauma.

The overarching goal is not only to teach women how to manage their symptoms but also to heal from what happened to them.

“As I went out and started telling my own story, women would come up to me and tell me their own stories where they had never told anyone before, and I got to see how women need that support from each other to find their own strength and empowerment,” Powell said. “Women know enough about me to understand that not only am I there to help them, but I’m also a sister in the experience. While this is not about me at all, when I’m working with

WHAT IS EMDR?

Courtesy photo

Traci Powell finds fulfillment in helping other women heal.

them, there’s this understanding that I get where they’ve been.”

Powell specializes in treating women who survived or live with sexual abuse or assault, PTSD, complex PTSD, depression, anxiety, imposter syndrome and difficulty dealing with stressful life situations.

She offers multiple treatment modalities, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, neurofeedback, medication, mindfulness and somatic experiencing. EMDR, in particular, is a treatment modality that Powell said changed her own life. “(EMDR) is a therapeutic tool that’s used to help people reprocess the trauma they experienced and take new meaning out of it in a positive way,” she said. “Every time I do it, I still am amazed at how it works, and I have experi-

enced it myself. It’s changed my life, which is the whole reason I knew I needed to be able to offer it to my clients.”

For her, the most rewarding part of helping other women heal is seeing their transformation as they sift through their experiences and work toward becoming truly rebuilt women.

“I am nothing more than a conduit to help guide them,” she said.

“Women come into me feeling totally broken, dealing with major anxiety and major depression, and they find new meaning in life.

They gain a new understanding of what brought them to where they are, and then when they do the work … they truly are rebuilding.”

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a psychotherapy treatment designed to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories.

EMDR therapy involves bilateral stimulation, during which clients process their trauma while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. That could be therapist-directed lateral eye movements, hand-tapping or even audio stimulation.

The treatment was discovered in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro.

Her theory is that EMDR facilitates accessing the trauma memory network, information processing is enhanced and new associations are forged.

This is thought to result in complete information processing, elimination of emotional distress and more.

“Their brains just process the trauma the way it needs to while being guided with bilateral stimulation until eventually the memory is put away as a normal memory,” Powell said. “Through healing the trauma, you heal side effects — like anxiety, especially. … If you treat the root cause, then you’ll see the symptoms go by the wayside. EMDR gets at the root to help with the symptoms that people deal with.”

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BRAINFOOD

The Observer answers kids’ burning curiosities.

Why Do Cats Purr? I Danielle Hendrix // Associate Editor MEDIAN GLOSSO-EPIGLOTTIC FOLD EPIGLOTTIS

Have you ever wondered what a cat is thinking when it purrs?

Purring is the most common sound a cat makes, but there still are many unknown factors regarding its purpose.

TUBERCLE OF EPIGLOTTIS VOCAL FOLD VENTRICULAR FOLD

ARYEPIGLOTTIC FOLD CUNEIFORM CARTILAGE TRACHEA

CORNICULATE CARTILAGE

A CONNECTION BETWEEN KITTENS AND THEIR MOTHERS Kittens are able to purr at just a few days old, and experts think it’s a way to let their mothers know where they are or that they’re OK. Mother cats tend to use their purring like a lullaby.

THEY ARE HUNGRY OR WANT SOMETHING Some cats purr when it’s mealtime. When they purr for food, some might combine their normal purr with a cry or a mew as it’s more likely to get the attention of their owner.

Most people think cats purr when they’re content or happy — and that’s true. But purring doesn’t necessarily always mean your cat is in a good mood.

“There’s a little bit of confusion on how — and why — cats purr,” said Dr. T.J. Oakes, veterinarian and owner of Oakes Animal Hospital in Winter Garden.

“I get a lot of purring cats in

here because it’s not only content, but it’s also kind of a self-soothing mechanism for the cat themselves. I call it nervous purring. It’s not uncommon for cats when they’re terrified in the exam room to purr.”

There are a few reasons a cat might purr, according to research from animal experts. Here are a few, according to WebMD:

THEY’RE SEEKING RELIEF OR HEALING Many cats purr when they’re hurt, scared or in pain, and it’s thought to be a way to self-soothe. Some research implies that purring can help a cat in the healing process.

The low frequency of purrs causes a series of vibrations that can actually help ease breathing or lessen pain and swelling.

THEY ARE CONTENT OR HAPPY You might have seen your cat basking on its back in a patch of sun or curled up in its favorite bed, purring away. A relaxed cat that purrs is likely a happy cat.

How Purring Works Although no one knows for sure why cats purr, most scientists can agree on how they do it. Purring involves a cat’s larynx (voice box), laryngeal muscles and a neural oscillator.

According to the Library of Congress, it was once thought that the purring sound was produced by blood surging through the inferior vena cava in the heart. However, research shows that the internal laryngeal muscles are the more likely source.

Laryngeal muscles are responsible for the opening and closing of the glottis, or the space between the vocal chords. This results in a separation of the vocal chords, which produces the purring sound.

Studies from 1972 and 1991 suggest that the movement of these laryngeal muscles are signaled from a unique neural oscillator in the cat’s brain.

That oscillator sends messages to the laryngeal muscles and causes them to twitch at the rate of 25 to 150 vibrations per second.

When a cat purrs, its vocal cords open and shut rapidly.

While the air passage is closed, inhaled or exhaled air strums the cords, producing the rumbling sound.

Illustration by Lindsay Cannizzaro // Creative Services

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