East County Health Matters – November

EAST COUNTY

Observer

Health Matters NOVEMBER 2015

NEEDLING THE PROBLEM Acupuncture, herbs and essential oils offer alternatives to drugs.

PAGES 2-3

Jessica Salmond

Group fitness

Aaron Weedo

Pickleball a big hit

No reason to work out all alone.

Can you beat the ‘Murph?’

This sport courts seniors.

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EAST COUNTY HEALTH MATTERS

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NOVEMBER 2015

Some get point of alternatives

BY JESSICA SALMOND STAFF WRITER

M

edicine doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all.

When drugs can’t offer a solution, there are alternatives.

Fourteen years ago, Sarasota resident Barre Yeager was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the lymphatic system. Yeager suffered from blood clots and tumors and couldn’t get out of the hospital.

Then he went to a radiologist who referred him to Ruan Jin Zhao, a doctor of Oriental medicine with the Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Yeager is in Stage 4, but has been seeing Zhao for almost 13 years to receive acupuncture treatments and herbal remedies.

“I was about to die, and he saved my life,” Yeager said.

Before seeing Zhao, Yeager said he had been prescribed oxycodone and given morphine to combat the pain from cancer and chemo.

But, he didn’t want to continue taking the drugs because he didn’t want to become addicted, and the drugs produced worse side effects for him than the disease.

He started receiving acupuncture treatments before and after his chemotherapy sessions.

“At Stage 4, I should be in hospice… I’m doing better than anyone else I know,” Yeager said.

Zhao has been practicing in Sarasota since 1993. He focuses on a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal mixtures.

Some herbal remedies come preblended, but Zhao can also make his own and tailors the recipe to fit a patient’s specific needs.

“With a difficult case, like an autoimmune disease, I will have to make my own remedy blend,” he said.

From the beginning of treatment, it’s personalized to the patient. The herbal concoctions are often compressed into swallowed capsules, but some must be taken in a liquid form.

Zhao cautioned that herbs aren’t something to attempt at home by just buying them online.

“These have to be done by a trained professional,” he said.

“One formula for headaches isn’t for all headaches.”

Zhao’s treatments of herbs and acupuncture are used for a variety of ailments, conditions and diseases — pain management, viral infections and menopause, just to name a few.

“We treat a big spectrum, like a general practitioner,” he said.

Many of Zhao’s patients are referred to him by local doctors.

The two varying sides of medicines can work collaboratively.

Independent Living

Photos by Jessica Salmond

Ruan Jin Zhao, a doctor of Oriental medicine, prefers to use herbal concoctions to treat his patients.

Some herbal remedies come pre-mixed, and others he has to make himself.

If someone comes to Zhao with a problem he cannot fix, such as a bone fracture, he sends him to another doctor’s office. But that patient could come back to him for pain management treatment, he said.

Zhao is one of several alternative medicine doctors in the area.

He said oriental medicine has different branches but comes from the same roots, so while there might be variations on how practitioners deliver remedies, the differences aren’t significant.

Michele Louiselle, a doctor of Oriental medicine, has been practicing in East County since

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2007 at her office, Center of Integrated Medicine, near State Road 70. Although she does offer acupuncture, Louiselle’s homeopathic method focuses on essential oils rather than dried herbs.

Both Zhao and Louiselle concentrate on functional medicine, which finds the root cause for a condition rather than treating symptoms.

For example, Louiselle said if her patients aren’t all those who were inclined toward alternative medicine — some she’s gotten because they had not found any traditional Western medicine that would help.

“At Stage 4, I should be in hospice…

I’m doing better than anyone else I know.”

– Barre Yeager, a 13-year alternative therapy patient

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NOVEMBER 2015

Michele Louiselle has been practicing in East County since 2007.

She prefers to use essential oils rather than herbs.

“Anything can be treated — acupuncture rebalances the body so it can heal itself,” she said.

The ancient method is often used for pain management with patients with internal disorders, cancer and other pain-inducing conditions. Louiselle said one session usually isn’t sufficient.

She starts with a couple sessions a week and tapers off to once a week or less as the patient improves.

Acupuncture causes “microtraumas” at the site of the needle puncture. The needles are miniscule and don’t hurt, but the break in the skin causes the body to react by sending natural healing mechanisms, such as endorphins, to that part of the body.

Louiselle also uses essential oils to treat her patients, some who receive acupuncture and some who don’t. Some doctors use herbs to accomplish the same goals, however Louiselle said she found her patients were receptive to oils, which are less expensive.

“They’re the life blood of a plant,” she said.

The oils of different plants con-

tain natural anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antibiotic components.

She uses the brand DoTerra oils, and although she mixes some herself, they also come pre-blended for different conditions.

“The oil does for us the same thing it would do for the plant,” she said.

Niki Newall, an East County resident, started getting treated at Louiselle’s office after being diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in April.

Her final chemotherapy session was Oct. 29.

Newall has been meeting with Louiselle once a week, as well as receiving treatments the nights before her chemo. She believes the treatments help her recover more quickly from chemo, and she also credits them with her avoiding many of the unpleasant side effects from chemo, such as nausea and excessive pain.

“It’s been so impressive just how much these sessions have contributed to the way in which I’ve handled my chemo,” Newall said.

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NOVEMBER 2015

FLAVORS OF FALL PUMPKIN CURRY SOUP Serves 4

Pam Eubanks

PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR

Dr. Julie King

The fall season offers some of the most unique and versatile fruits and vegetables of the year, including pumpkin.

While perfect in pies, quick breads and other desserts, pumpkin also can serve as a main dish, as in this pumpkin curry soup recipe. Paired with some freshly baked cornbread, it makes a perfect cool-evening meal for the fall season.

“It’s the time of year people want to include things in their diet they don’t normally eat,” says Laura McLeroy, a registered dietician at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. “Pumpkin is really high in antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of cancer. They are really high in Vitamin A, and are a great source of fiber.”

McLeroy said curry powder in this recipe also adds an interesting nutritional punch. “It’s considered an antioxidant,” she said.

“It decreases inflammation. Most diseases are caused by inflammation in the body, so anytime we can decrease inflammation you get a health benefit.”

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Ingredients: n 1 Tablespoon butter n 1 cup onion, finely chopped n 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped n 1 cup celery, diced n 1 teaspoon curry powder n 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander n 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper n 3 cups water n 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth n 1 (32 ounce) can pumpkin puree n 1 cup fat-free half-and-half n Sour cream, for garnish (optional) n Chives, for garnish (optional) Method: n Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. n Add onion, celery and garlic; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. n Stir in curry powder, coriander and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute. n Add water and broth; bring to a boil. n Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes to develop flavors. n Stir in pumpkin and half-and-half; cook for 5 minutes or until heated through. n Transfer mixture to food processor or blender; cover. n Blend until creamy. Serve warm or reheat to desired temperature. n Garnish with dollop of sour cream and chives.

– Courtesy of Sarasota Memorial Hospital

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EAST COUNTY HEALTH MATTERS

YourObserver.com

Jessica Salmond

Beth Woods (far right), co-owner of barre3 in Lakewood Ranch, coaches her morning class.

GROUP FITNESS: Something for everyone Local gyms offer group classes suited for any fitness goal and age group.

STAFF WRITER

Group fitness isn’t a new concept, but it has developed since the days of Olivia Newton John’s hit music video for her song, “Physical” in 1981.

With options ranging from Zumba and yoga to kickboxing and strength training, group fitness classes are an abundant and

diverse resource with options for all age ranges, fitness levels and intensities.

Group fitness now is a hybrid of creating a community and getting personal training in a group setting.

Matthew Hickey, who previously owned a gym in Ohio, has been a personal trainer for 16 years. He now works at Orangetheory in Lakewood Ranch.

Part of the shift back to groupbased workouts had to do with the downturn of the economy, he said.

“People were looking for ways to save money,” he said. “I had people say, ‘I have to cut back, I can’t spend the money to come see you anymore.’”

So trainers started offering group classes to lower costs while retaining clients.

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and weight room work to build strength, power and endurance.

On the other end of the workout spectrum, barre3 offers a 60-minute workout that combines aspects of ballet, yoga and Pilates for cardio and strengthening. Co-owner and instructor Paulina Manning said there is a common misconception that “low impact” means easy, but the classes are challenging without adding a jolt to joints.

“It doesn’t mean an easier workout,” she said.

But it does make the workout an option for many age groups, including people with injuries.

“Our clients range from 16 to 75,” Manning said.

Both Manning and Hickey said another big draw for group fitness is the sense of community people feel by attending classes with those who have similar goals.

Group fitness adds in the accountability and support factors, Manning said.

“A lot of people fall off their regimen from that lack of support,” he said. “It’s all about more fun when you do things in a group.”

Hickey said people like to attend a specific class, so they start recognizing each other. They also notice when someone’s gone, so the last thing anyone wants to do is disappoint the group.

“When someone’s not here, if does bring down the energy of the group,” he said. “We say we don’t get mad, we get disappointed.”

Manning said barre3 focuses efforts on its community spirit outside of the one hour of workout. Members have a database of exercises and recipes to try, and the gym is heavily involved in social media to keep connecting to their clients.

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“Financially, it’s cheaper because a one-on-one could be $60 to $100 per session for private training,” Hickey said.

Now, people who want to get fit in a group have lots of options for different levels.

There are the intensive, highimpact groups like Orangetheory and CrossFit, while other gyms offer low-impact exercises that are still effective.

Orangetheory is a 60-minute workout based on heart rate, combining treadmill, row machine

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EAST COUNTY HEALTH MATTERS

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NOVEMBER 2015

Can you hear me?

WHY HEARING LOSS OCCURS WITH AGE

New resources help those with hearing impairment to live their lives out loud.

As individuals age, it is common for hearing loss to occur whether in significant or slight amounts, said Dr. Jack Wazen, director of research at the Silverstein Institute Ear Research Foundation.

Wazen said in the inner ear, hair and cochlear cells, which transform sound waves into electrical signals that travel from the brain to the auditory nerve, start to die as individuals age.

Nerve function helps with understanding speech, and if certain auditory nerves degenerate, hearing is lost.

A lifetime of loud noises also contributes to poor hearing at older ages, Wazen said.

Factory and airport workers, along with military personnel, are more at risk for hearing issues later in life than people who have lived and worked mostly in quiet environments.

AMANDA SEBASTIANO STAFF WRITER

Since she was a child, Valerie Stafford-Mallis has wanted to sing.

Although she suffered from severe hearing loss that worsened in her 20s and thereafter, Stafford-Mallis performed in choir groups and productions such as “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Her final performances were with the Tampa Bay Opera in the late ’90s.

The director would lead performers on stage from below the audience. But Stafford-Mallis lost her ability to read his lips and relied on her memory to determine which piece the group was performing.

“It was extremely fatiguing and not fair to the other performers at that point,” Stafford-Mallis said.

“I was only catching about 25% of the sounds around me.”

Stafford-Mallis, now 60, retired from her singing career to once-a-year karaoke performances at Association of LateDeafened Adults events. Instead of pursuing her lifelong dream of performance singing, now she’s

Amanda Sebastiano

Valerie Stafford-Mills, who is hearing impaired, focuses on helping those who have the condition.

focused on learning more about hearing loss and the resources available to those who have the condition.

After becoming a member of the Hearing Loss Association of America’s Sarasota/Manatee Chapter a few years ago, Stafford-

Mallis has learned more about her hearing condition and how it has affected her socially.

“I was the one who unknowingly piped in during someone else’s conversation at cocktail parties,” Stafford-Mallis said. “Then, I’d just stare at the ground because I

was so embarrassed.”

The group offers monthly meetings, which feature experts on managing hearing loss.

“The chapter provides a safe place where people with hearing loss can go and not be the outsiders,” Stafford-Mallis said. “I get

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support, questions answered and I don’t feel alone.”

She also works for Alternative Communication Services (ACS), which provides voice-to-text and sign language services.

Mallis has been married for 32 years and has struggled with hearing for even longer.

As a child, she had persistent ear infections. Her grandparents and father became hard of hearing at early ages, too.

“We didn’t have services or resources for hearing loss back in the ’50s and ’60s,” Mallis said.

“Things were different then.”

Talking on the phone became a struggle for Mallis as she aged.

Her hearing decreased to a “profound level,” which meant she couldn’t hear noises under 110 decibels; a healthy human ear can detect noises at 10 decibels.

So, she could hear a jack hammer being used next to her but not a baby crying in the next room.

She switched jobs 10 times in nine years because of communication issues with employers.

She received hearing aids in 2007 but noticed little improvement to her hearing.

In 2008, she began to have vision problems and decided to take control of her hearing loss by getting cochlear implants.

The implants don’t restore hearing, but through the microphone, speech processor, transmitter and other tools it uses, users can better hear environmental sounds.

She heard her cat, Maximillion, meow for the first time.

“I was used to my quiet world,” Mallis said. “But we live in a noisy world. If I had known about the technology and the resources and support that are available, my life would have been so different.”

TIPS TO PREVENT HEARING LOSS Lifestyle choices can slow or prevent hearing loss.

Maintaining a healthy diet is important, said both Dr. Jack Wazen, director of research at the Silverstein Institute Ear Research Foundation, and JoAnne DeVries, president of the Hearing Loss Association of America’s Sarasota/ Manatee Chapter.

“If you’re diabetic, maintain sugar levels,” Wazen said.

They also recommend limiting rock concerts and headphones.

TECHNOLOGY FOR HEARING LOSS Advances in technology haven’t left out the hearing-impaired.

A range of devices are available to assist with everyday activities, such as watching movies.

Regal Cinemas theaters, such as Hollywood Stadium 20, offer filmcaptioned glasses for individuals with hearing issues.

The devices go over glasses and captions are displayed.

Pocket talkers, a device you wear on the neck of a shirt, amplify sounds near the user.

Smart phones offer alternatives to alarm notifications, such as flashing light and vibrations rather than a ringing sound.

Local businesses and agencies, such as Lakewood Ranch Town Hall are “looped.”

That means an electrical magnet has been installed, and a hearing impaired people have a coil they can hook on to their hearing aid. So, when someone speaks into a microphone, the sound moves directly to hearing aid.

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NOVEMBER 2015

PICTU R E O F H E A LTH WITH ABBY TOOLE-PLUMMER JEN BLANCO SPORTS EDITOR

A

thletics has played a pivotal role in Abby ToolePlummer’s life for as long as she can remember.

Growing up, Toole-Plummer spent countless hours hitting balls on the tennis court or shooting hoops in the gymnasium of Albrook Air Force Base and Fort Clayton Army Base, both in Panama, with her father, Jim Higley, who also served as her high school basketball coach.

Toole-Plummer takes after her father genetically, so it was only natural for her to follow in her father’s footsteps. At 75 years old, Higley still plays a couple sets of tennis every day.

“I grew up in a family that played tennis together every Friday night,” said Toole-Plummer, who teaches TV production and coaches girls cross-country at Braden River High School. “I’ve always been active. I don’t know anything else but to be active.”

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Toole-Plummer initially started running to get in shape for basketball season. Early on, ToolePlummer sat the bench a lot at Montreat College and would run around the gymnasium before games. She hasn’t stopped since.

“I feel guilty if I don’t run,” Toole-Plummer said.

Toole-Plummer runs between four and five miles a day throughout Greenbrook and Summerfield. She typically runs the same route.

“I used to have a watch or timer on when I run, but now I just know about how long I’ve run and go farther if I feel like I can,” Toole-Plummer said.

But while Toole-Plummer enjoys distance running the most, she doesn’t have aspirations of running any road races anytime soon.

“I like running four to five miles and maintaining a healthy lifestyl,” she said. “I run so I can eat.”

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Toole-Plummer began incorporating strength training into her workout regimen about six months ago. While she doesn’t enjoy it as much as running, she understands its importance and has started making it a priority.

Toole-Plummer spends roughly 25 minutes a day either lifting light weights or doing core and pushups. She rotates between the two regimens, using weights for

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REGIMEN Running four to five miles or playing Ultimate Frisbee.

upper body strength twice a week and doing core and pushups three days a week.

On the day that she’s not running, Toole-Plummer can be found with a frisbee in hand. She began playing Ultimate Frisbee about six years ago when a couple in church asked her to join a pickup game. Toole-Plummer now plays alongside her husband, Mike, at the Lakewood Ranch High recreational fields with the Bradenton Sarasota Ultimate Frisbee group, which Toole-Plummer organizes.

The group now has close to 300 members.

“If you like to get a great workout and can throw a frisbee, it could be something that is pretty easy to pick up,” she said.

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Trainer takes inspiration from military CrossFit LWR owner carries respect for military over to his workout techniques.

BY AMANDA SEBASTIANO STAFF WRITER

A

t CrossFit LWR, it’s an honor to complete a “Murph.”

Just ask those who are trained by the facility’s owner, Aaron Weedo, who named the exercise in honor of Michael “Murph” Murphy.

Murphy was the Navy Seal who was awarded the Medal of Honor following his death during a battle in Afghanistan in 2005.

CrossFit’s goal, from its website, is to “force athletes to focus inward when things get uncomfortable” So Weedo, who has a tremendous respect for anyone who has served in the military, designed a workout that would have made Murph smile.

The routine consists of a onemile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats and another one-mile run.

There’s no time limit, and Murph can take even experienced CrossFitters more than 20 minutes to complete.

It was designed by Weedo, whose family has a legacy of military service.

“These workouts are important,” said Weedo, who named

Amanda Sebastiano

Aaron Weedo, who owns CrossFit LWR, learned his respect for the military from family members.

his dog “Murph.” “It’s important to honor military men and women and to take a minute to remember their sacrifices.”

Fitness has always been part of Weedo’s life. He grew up in Port Charlotte, where he and his father exercised together after his dad put in 11-hour days. Every night, they worked out in their garage, which doubled as a fitness area,

complete with weights.

“No matter how tough times were, my dad always had weights at our house,” Weedo said. “I assumed everyone exercised. It was just a part of my life.”

Fitness was important to the Weedo family, as was military service. Weedo’s grandmother was in the U.S. Air Force, his mother was a “military brat,” and

his uncle and other family members also served in the military.

Weedo, who attended the U.S. Naval Academy, uses his passion for military and physical fitness to train veterans and other community members at his gym.

“There’s something different about coaching veterans,” Weedo said. “There’s something different about their outlook on life.”

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NOVEMBER 2015

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PICKLEBALL

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It’s easy. It’s fun. And it is taking over courts all over Sarasota and Manatee counties as its popularity surges.

KRISTEN HERHOLD STAFF WRITER

I

t has become one of America’s fastest growing sports with more than 400,000 players.

It’s pickleball, and it’s sweeping Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Pickleball is played on a 20-by44-foot court, with a net lowered to 34 inches at the center. The paddles are twice the size of pingpong paddles, and players use a wiffle-like ball. The sport can be played as singles or doubles and has the same basic rules as tennis but is on a smaller court.

Many retirees are picking up the sport because it’s an easier and lower impact sport to master than tennis.

“It’s getting a group of folks out who might not have the ability to play other sports,” Sarasota County Recreation Coordinator Wendy Aldridge-Dougherty said.

“If you have basic coordination, you don’t have to be a stellar athlete to pick this up. It’s a big social game. There are so many people playing.”

Although pickleball was established in 1965, the sport was relatively unknown in Florida until recent years. Just a few years ago, the Sarasota area had no estab-

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Left: Terry Wingate and Russell Elefterion Below: Joan Haver and Ron Kalka play at Sarasota Alliance Church.

Photos by Kristen Herhold

lished pickleball courts. Now, hundreds of people are playing it, and there are 15 indoor and 27 outdoor courts at facilities throughout Sarasota County’s recreation department.

Pickleball courts were recently built on Siesta Key and will be a part of Longboat Key’s revamped Bayfront Park.

“Over the years, we’ve had people asking for a pickleball court,” said Mark Richardson, Longboat Key streets, facilities, parks and recreation manager.

“At all of our public meetings for this since 2009, one thing people have always said is that we need to add pickleball courts. It was one of the things the community at large said they wanted.”

Richardson and the Longboat Key Public Works Department originally added pickleballdimension lines to a tennis court, but with the increasing demand, a separate pickleball court will be added to the renovated Bayfront Park. They will be the only public pickleball courts on Longboat Key. In addition to the public pickleball courts, many local country clubs offer pickleball, including the Meadows Country Club and Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.

Although the sport is most popular with the retired generation, it is also starting to be offered to students, including those at Sarasota Middle School.

“Pickleball isn’t going away any time soon, and it’s growing with players of all ages,” AldridgeDougherty said. “As more people learn it, they get more excited. It’s definitely growing.”

Despite the growing number of pickleball courts available, the demand is still higher than the supply.

“Pickleball isn’t going away any time soon, and it’s growing with players of all ages. As more people learn it, they get more excited.”

– Wendy Aldridge-Dougherty, Sarasota County Recreation Coordinator

“I had to drive from Sarasota all the way to Venice today to play,” Terry Wingate, ambassador for the USA Pickleball Association, said. “We’re trying to push real hard for the county to help us out with new locations.”

Wingate said both the winter and summer seasons prove problematic for pickleball players.

In the winter, there are so many players that each court has more than 30 people waiting to play. In the summer, on the other hand, many of the courts used for pickleball are instead used for summer camps.

“We’re evolving with the demand,” Aldridge-Dougherty said. “We’re trying to grow with it, and we’re trying to find a good balancing act. We’ve made some huge steps in a short amount of time.”

Despite the problems, pickleball’s popularity is not slowing down.

“For older folks, especially 50 and up, pickleball is a little easier to play than tennis,” Wingate said.

“Anybody can pick it up, both men and women. It’s for everybody. It’s a blast.”

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NOVEMBER 2015

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HISTORY OF PICKLEBALL In the summer of 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Wash., State Sen. Joel Pritchard, who was later elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and his friends finished a game of golf and found their families looking for something to do.

They wanted to play badminton but could not find the right equipment.

Instead, they used a Wiffle ball, lowered the net and used ping-pong paddles, and pickleball was born.

A popular theory of the name pickleball is that it was named after Pritchard’s family dog, Pickles. Prichard’s wife, Joan, however, said the dog was named after the game. The game was actually named after a pickle boat, which is the last boat to come back with a catch.

By 1990, pickleball was played in all 50 states, and today there are more than 2,000 locations to play the sport.

Source: USA Pickleball Association

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YOUR HEART YOUR HOSPITAL

The cardiologists at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center are ready to take care of the that matters most … yours.

Our hospital offers a comprehensive range of cardiac services performed by experienced medical professionals, including such diagnostic services as: • Heart catheterization • Peripheral angiography • Stress testing • Echocardiography • EKG The Cardiovascular Lab includes a STEMI program that provides coronary interventions for patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.

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