EAST COUNTY
Health Matters Observer
OCTOBER 2019
GET TESTED Many maladies can now be treated if detected early. But how often do you need to get screened to catch them?
HARRY SAYER STAFF WRITER
R
outine preventative wellness visits should be just that: routine. Yet changing guidelines for screenings, such as
different opinions on when to start them or how often they should be done, and genetic history can make what should be a routine appointment a confusing and complicated task. For example, guidelines on cervical cancer screenings for women have changed from every year to once every three years to once every five years for some women. Or take mammograms, which screen for breast cancer. Although federal guidelines recommend women start having a mammogram at 50 years old, the American Cancer Society recommends starting at 45, and the American College of Radiology recommends 40. SEE PAGE 2
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Know the best time to buy your produce.
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OCTOBER 2019
Prevention starts
with annual screenings CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
If you have a history of breast cancer in your family, you might want to start even earlier or have a more complete scan, such as a 3D mammogram or an MRI. The dreaded colonoscopy to scan for colon and rectal cancer follows a similar pattern: Federal guidelines advise 50 years old; the ACS recommends starting at 45. So why are there different guidelines, and why do they keep changing? One theory, according to Dr. Steven Merandi, a breast imaging specialist at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, is the government guidelines, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, might prioritize optimizing costs rather than outcomes. “Their recommendations are to start screenings at age 50, which is 10 years later, and then every other year,” Merandi said. “We believe it’s a movement to decrease the cost of Medicare providing some of these services. … When you cut the screenings in half, you cut the expenditures. We believe it may be influenced by politics and finances.” Changing guidelines means it’s important for patients to know the earliest recommended guidelines as well as their family history to ask for earlier screenings than the general population. Most preventative screenings have been
ASK ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH Biondolillo estimates around 20% of the visits to his emergency department are for mental health-related conditions. Florida is one of the worst states for mental health care and — though it seems obvious — it’s important to find treatment with a therapist or counselor when feeling low. It can help you in the long run.
developed because of a chance to change the outcome and allow patients to lead healthier lives. For example, although one in eight women get breast cancer, and 40,000 women die from it each year — it’s the No. 2 cause of death for women — it can be cured in most cases with early detection. “I like to think we’re in a 95-98% cure rate for breast cancer,” Merandi said. “But obviously, to get that cure rate, we have to find the cancer early, when it’s small and treatable.” Aside from cancer-specific screenings, routine wellness checks can help spot precursors, such as high body weight, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which lead to big-
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ger problems long term. Dr. Frank Biondolillo, the medical director of the emergency department at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota ER, receives countless patients with pain and illness each week. He said high blood pressure is one of the biggest contributors to greater sickness, such as heart attacks, strokes and coronary artery disease. “A lot of these [problems] compound each other,” Biondolillo said. “[High blood pressure] runs in your family. Next thing you know, you have diabetes mellitus or high cholesterol.” It doesn’t help matters that patients sometimes don’t follow the instructions they’re given, by skipping medication, not following the right diet or failing to exercise and live healthy. The historical wisdom is that high blood pressure sets in around middle age — the blood vessels become more stiff, and pressure goes up — but Biondolillo said he has seen a worrying trend where much younger patients come in with blood pressure far worse than the desired 120 over 80. The best course of action — beyond living a healthy, active lifestyle — is to be aware of your family’s genetics and predisposition to high blood pressure and to come in for routine checkups. See the box (right) for basic screening guidelines.
PREVENTATIVE TESTS DEPENDING ON FAMILY HISTORY AND OTHER RISK FACTORS n Talk with your doctor annually about your alcohol and tobacco use, preventing Type 2 diabetes and testing for sexually transmitted infections. n Talk with your doctor at age 65+ about getting screened for lung cancer. n If you were born between 1945 and 1965, get tested at least once for Hepatitis C. REGULARLY n Get your cholesterol checked annually. n Get your blood pressure checked annually. n Get a seasonal flu vaccine. MALE 40 years old n Talk with your doctor about taking daily aspirin to help lower the risk of a heart attack. 50 years old n Get tested for colorectal cancer. 65 years old n Get a pneumonia vaccine. n If you have ever smoked tobacco, talk with your doctor about abdominal aortic
aneurysm.
n Talk to your doctor
about preventing falls with tactics like exercise, physical therapy and vitamin D supplements. n Ask your doctor if you need a bone density test. FEMALE 40 years old n Get tested for cervical cancer with a Pap test every three years or an HPV test every five years. n Get a mammogram every two years. 50 years old n Get tested for colorectal cancer. n Ask your doctor if you need a bone density test. n Talk with your doctor about taking daily aspirin to help lower the risk of a heart attack. 65 years old n Get a pneumonia vaccine. n If you have ever smoked tobacco, talk with your doctor about abdominal aortic aneurysm. n Talk to your doctor about preventing falls with tactics like exercise, physical therapy and vitamin D supplements. n Get a bone density test. Source: CDC, ACS
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Sarasota County Schools offers mobile mammography screenings More than 270 participated in the pilot program, which was at 18 district locations. BRYNN MECHEM STAFF WRITER
October is often the month that local teams roll out the pink uniforms in support of friends and family who are fighting or who have died from complications of breast cancer. Sarasota County Schools, however, is taking the fight off the gridiron and into the parking lot of every district building. After a successful pilot pro-
gram in the 2018-19 school year, the district is partnering with Tampa Bay Mobile Mammography to bring 3D screening to every female employee in the district. Tampa Bay Mobile Mammography is a traveling bus that provides mammographies. During the pilot program, the bus traveled to 18 school district sites, but this year, it will be at all districtowned properties. Sarasota County Schools’ wellness coordinator, Erin Singerman, said this service was important to bring to staff because one in every eight women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. By bringing the 3D tests to the parking lots, Singerman said the school district is eliminating a lot
Photo courtesy of Sarasota County Schools
Tampa Bay Mobile Mammography brings 3D screening straight to patients.
of barriers that would keep women from getting tested. “It allows teachers to not have to use as much of their own sick time, which is less time out of the classroom,” Singerman said. “It’s kind of a domino effect.” The school began the program because breast cancer is one of the district’s high-cost drivers, Risk Management Supervisor Lynn Peterson said. Annually, about 76% of the district’s employees get their annual mammogram, which is higher than the Florida Blue benchmark of 65%. “We gear a lot of our programs toward our high-cost drivers, so that we can help mitigate those claims,” Peterson said. “This program is really a win-win for everybody because if you can help someone detect something early, they can get it treated.” During the pilot year, 276 women were tested. This year, Singerman and Peterson hope to more than double that number. The program is free for all employees on the district’s health plan, and the results are sent directly to each person’s primary care doctor. Additionally, Tampa Bay Mobile Mammography offered to pay for a substitute teacher to move between classrooms while teachers are screened. Of the 13 schools in the pilot program, three utilized the substitute, so
Brynn Mechem
Sarasota County Schools Risk Management Supervisor Lynn Peterson and Wellness Coordinator Erin Singerman worked to bring mobile mammography to all district employees.
more teachers could be screened. “This program is just so convenient,” Peterson said. “We all get busy in our lives, and especially with teachers being in the classroom, it doesn’t always work for them to go during the week. So just to be able to get that done this way, it just adds that bit of convenience that will help encourage people to get it done.” Women can apply for the 10- to 15-minute appointments by visiting TampBayMobileMammography.com. If their results are clear, they receive a letter in the mail. If it was an abnormal screening, their doctor will follow up to set up a diagnostics test. Although Peterson and Singerman could not share the names of
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employees who have participated in the program, they did say that they have had a great response so far. “I just had my mammogram done, and they were great,” read one email Singerman received. “It was my first one, and they made it quick and painless. I spoke with another teacher, and she said it was the best mammogram she’s ever had.” The district does not currently offer a comparable program for men, but Singerman said other screenings covered by district insurance, such as an annual physical or dermatology screening, check for issues in sugar levels, blood pressure or skin.
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OCTOBER 2019
SPLURGE VS. SAVE Organic produce can put a dent in your pocket and leave you wondering if the extra care is worth it. The Environmental Working Group, an activist group, did the work for you by looking at annual reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program and listed these 12 mustbuy-organic foods:
Eat seasonal in Sarasota Local restaurants and farms are trying to make seasonal eating easier. WHITNEY ELFSTROM STAFF WRITER
C
ommercial grocery stores are overflowing with yearround produce, which can create some confusion surrounding what fruits and vegetables are actually in season. Eating seasonally can be looked at in two ways, according to a 2013
study by Public Health Nutrition Research Group. Globally seasonal eating is when food purchased is in season elsewhere and shipped worldwide. Locally seasonal eating is when food is grown and purchased in the consumer’s region. Although globally seasonal eating can create diverse daily meals, it contributes to a higher environmental cost, the study stated. Whereas locally seasonal eating can aid in a more sustainable diet. Seasonality also affects how nutrients are absorbed by the body. Local produce is picked when it’s ripe, which leaves fruits
and vegetables to reach maximum nutrients levels that would otherwise decrease significantly when shipped from farther locations. After produce is harvested, vitamin C decreases rapidly and continues during storage, according to a 2007 University of California study. Vegetables stored at 39 degrees for a week can lose up to 77% of their vitamin C, depending on the type of vegetable. A 2005 Penn State University study found that spinach, for example, left in a refrigerator, such as a refrigerated truck or
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produce box, for eight days at 39 degrees has the ability to lose 37% of its folate, a B vitamin needed to make DNA and other genetic material. Honeyside Farms, known for its strawberries, is in its ninth season and recently moved from the Sarasota area to Parrish. Honeyside President Tiffany Bailey said that compared to a commercial grocery store, the farm’s strawberries are always picked at peak ripeness. “You’re not ever going to see any white [on our straw-
berries],” Bailey said. “Not only is that the best-tasting [strawberry] but also the most nutrient-dense. That’s when it’s intended to eat, not when [a strawberry is] half white.” Honeyside Farms delivers fresh produce twice a week to the restaurants it partners with. Rather than calling its customers after crops are ready, Bailey said she sits down with chefs to inform them of what they plan to grow in the upcoming season. Unlike northern states, where the growing season is from late April to early October, Honeyside begins its field prep work in July and harvests through the first week of June. Steve Phelps, the owner and chef of Indigenous Sarasota, is no stranger to watching what foods are in season. A Florida transplant from Cleveland, Phelps said living “in a place where seasons truly change” taught him that when the temperature changes, it’s time for a new menu. Relying on a seasonal menu was a no-brainer for Phelps, who opened Indigenous Sarasota in 2011. Each season he sits down with local farmers to see what the crops look like, and from there he crafts his upcoming menu. “Everything that we put on these plates, we do it for it your body and for your knowledge,” he said. “Not only would we like you to know the name of the captain who caught your fish, but you can actually go meet the farmer who made your salad on Saturday if you go to the [Sarasota Farmers Market].”
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WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?
The Hearing Loss Association of Sarasota offers education and other programming to assist individuals with hearing loss. For information about programming or upcoming events, visit HLAS.org.sed.
expressions gave him away. “Often, I had people say, ‘Ed, did you hear me?’” said Ogiba, a spokesman for the Hearing Loss Association of Sarasota. “I found myself saying, ‘I heard you, but I didn’t understand you.’ I didn’t know what that meant until I joined the Hearing Loss Association. … Most people think the solution is turning up the volume. That’s not what you need. You hear most of the words. All it takes is not understanding one word to throw off understanding.” Ogiba said that like lead in a sharpened pencil, hearing dulls with time. WHAT IS IT?
According to the Center for Hearing and Communication, a nonprofit that provides health care for people with hearing loss and auditory challenges, one in three people over the age of 65 have hearing loss, and two in three people over the age of 75 have hearing loss. When you hear something, that sound travels into the ear, begins to vibrate the eardrum and then travels into the cochlea (the inner ear), where tiny hair cells amplify the sound and send that information to the brain. “It’s in the brain [where] we actually hear,” said audiologist Dr. Lyndsey Nalu, of Adept Audiology in Sarasota. “It’s the brain that processes that information. Your brain atrophies, and that affects
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how clearly you process speech over time.” Nalu said hearing loss is inevitable as you age because those hair cells begin to deteriorate; that means some sounds no longer get to the brain, which is then no longer being stimulated. That’s why taking care of hearing loss early is so important, Nalu said. As hearing loss increases, the brain must work harder to interpret the sounds it receives and will begin creating neurological pathways to parts of the brain that are normally used for other functions, such as memory. The longer that atrophy occurs, the less likely it can be corrected. “Once it’s gone, it’s typically gone,” Nalu said. Hearing aids — not sound amplifiers — help the brain reroute those neurological connections, so the sound goes to the proper part of the brain again, Nalu said. Many people with hearing loss experience symptoms of fatigue and memory loss because other parts of the brain are strained. They also tend to become more isolated because understanding conversations is difficult. “It affects us emotionally,” Ogiba said. “Helen Keller said it best: ‘With blindness, you lose things.’ That’s not as bad as hearing loss because, ‘With hearing loss, you lose people.’ Most people with hearing loss become isolated pretty quickly.”
Ogiba has learned to read lips and has taken advantage of other techniques to help improve his hearing and conversations. He said those soft skills have improved his hearing by 40%. Beyond that, he uses 11 devices to assist with his hearing, including a program that transcribes phone conversations. He said navigating which hearing device or tools to use can be overwhelming, but audiologists and organizations including Hearing Loss Association are there to help. Nalu said most people do not use as many tools as Ogiba, but there are plenty of them available to help those struggling to hear. The first step, however, is getting your hearing checked by an audiologist each year as if it were a vision test or your annual dentist visit, Nalu said. Such exams should start around age 60, or earlier if you suspect hearing loss. She said Medicare even covers the cost of that exam. “You’ve got to think of hearing loss as preventative,” Nalu said. “You’re stimulating your brain. You’re able to preserve brain function by keeping your brain active. And you’re able to improve communication, which will ultimately improve your quality of life.” The base test checks your reaction to low- and high-pitched sounds and checks how well you understand words. Typically, the high-frequency loss — sounds with “S,” “T” or “P” — comes first and makes sounds more garbled, Nalu said. If your hearing loss becomes significant enough, a hearing aid might be helpful. Nalu said hearing aids have advanced, and there are hundreds of styles available. Many even connect to Bluetooth,
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which allows users to easily hear on their cellphones. Nalu said that although many people worry about looking “old” or the hearing aids being noticeable, most of the devices are now discreet. She said vanity should not keep you from engaging more with friends and loved ones. “What’s more noticeable, your hearing aid or your hearing loss?” Nalu said. The cost of hearing aids typically ranges from $2,000 to $6,000, but that does include service on the equipment for the life of the hearing aid. A cochlear implant, which is a replacement of the entire cochlea, works best when hearing aids become ineffective. Ogiba and Nalu said individuals can help preserve the hearing they have and help keep it longer simply by being aware of volume. If it’s at 85 decibels or more, you are at risk for damage to your ears. Nalu recommends wearing earplugs in loud situations and avoiding exposure to loud noise when possible. If you or a loved one uses headphones, ensure the volume is low enough to hear outside conversations, and limit louder noises to 30 minutes. And if you think you might be losing your hearing, don’t put off a visit to the audiologist. Nalu said the average person waits seven to 10 years to get hearing loss checked, and by then, much of the loss is irreversible. “Stop waiting,” Nalu said. “We know delayed treatment affects brain function and cognitive abilities.”
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OCTOBER 2019
POTENTIAL SIGNS OF EARLY HEARING LOSS n Difficulty understanding consonants, especially highfrequency sounds n Turning up the volume on the TV n Ringing or constant noise in the ear (tinnitus) n Difficulty hearing conversations when there are other background noises n Feeling like people are “mumbling” n Asking others to repeat themselves frequently n Feeling social isolation n Having increased fatigue and stress
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Hearing aids come in a variety of styles and sizes.
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THE FIT PROCESS WE KNOW FIT
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er High, where she is now the school’s athletic trainer. Things at this level are more hectic than she anticipated, but she said she wouldn’t trade it for anything. Turns out, she was walking into a family. “The relationship-building is the best part,” Owen said. “Communicating with the athletes and having them trust me with their injuries while being able to joke around with them.” Every day, Owen and her nine student helpers — who receive extracurricular credit for their time — take care of Pirates athletes. Afternoons are hectic. On average, upwards of 30 athletes from all sports fill the training
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(Manatee County – Sarasota, Florida) Dr. David Cifra, DC who is board certified in the specialty of NonSurgical Spinal Decompression has been peer-nominated and recently recognized by the International Medical Advisory Board on Spinal Decompression. This advanced certification is provided in conjunction with Disc Centers of America, which sets the gold standard in training and research, on the latest, most effective options for the alleviation & treatment of spinal disc disorders, which often cause low back pain, neck pain, sciatica, numbness, tingling, pins and needle sensations and more. Dr. Cifra is committed to helping his patients avoid narcotics, epidural injections, and unnecessary surgeries. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression provides safe, gentle, and effective relief for upwards of 90% of patients that qualify for care.
Dr. Cifra is located at: University Health Park | 2415 University Parkway | Sarasota | SarasotaDiscCenter.com
Call (315) 345-7390 today to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION
FLORIDA
Dr. David Cifra, D.C. 2415 University Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34243 315-345-7390
WASHINGTON
Dr. Steven Thain, D.C. 14700 NE 8th St. #115, Bellevue, WA 98007 WASHINGTON 425-644-8386
NEW MEXICO
Dr. Brian Hesser, D.C. 3850 E. Lohman Ave., LasCruces, NM 88001 575-521-0793
VIRGINIA NEW MEXICO
Dr. Chris Lauria, D.C. 4915 Brambleton Ave., Roanoke, VA 24018 540-725-9501
OHIO
Dr. Carey Girgis, D.C. 383 West Main St., Westerville, OH 43081 614-890-3500
ILLINOIS
Dr. Richard Lohr, D.C. 3090 N. Main St., Decatur, IL 62526 217-706-5551
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THESE DOCTORS ARE AMONG
THESE DOCTORS ARE AMONG
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There are levels to the class that act like security agencies’ clearance levels: The more you know, the more you can do. Students gradually climb levels when they demonstrate mastery of the material, either on or off the field, Favia said. Cougars senior Tiffany Thomas has been with the program since 2018. Thomas said she has learned a lot since then, most recently how to take off a football player’s helmet without moving their head or neck — plus the importance of doing so. Favia said he didn’t know what to expect when he started the program, but it has turned into something he talks about with pride. Taking the bus to an away game with his 14 students singing Justin Bieber songs around him: It’s something he thought he would hate, he said, but he loves it, and his students love him. “Steve gives us his all every day,” Thomas said. “If you are having a bad day, this [program] will turn it into a good day.” Favia said he wants his students getting as much real-world experience as possible. The seniors in his class will soon take a trip to observe a surgery in progress and report back to the class on what the specific injury was, what the rehab process will be like and how to prevent those injuries in the future, among other things. It’s not the easiest class, and Favia is still learning how to be a teacher, but he made sure to instill the biggest lesson he learned himself early and often. “If [the athletes] know you love them, they will love you back,” Favia said.
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Bradenton East Integrative Medicine
Family Practice with an Integrative Approach When choosing your healthcare provider, consider a physician who sees YOU as a Whole Person, NOT A SET OF SYMPTOMS. Integrative medicine practitioners
spend time with their patients, listening to their histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease.
Offering Bioidentical Hormones as a natural approach to Hormone balance without the risks associated with synthetic hormone replacement. ASK US ABOUT BHRT PELLET THERAPY AND HOW WE CAN MATCH YOUR NEEDS.
Our Practitioners: Karen O. Brainard, M.D. Samantha L. Notman, D.O. Jodie Dodge, APRN Deborah Coupland, APRN
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room at the moment the endof-day bell rings and require anything from taped ankles to “cupping” therapy on their backs to relieve pain. Owen is qualified to do it all, even helping kids go through physical therapy for more long-term injuries. Her student trainers can’t do all that, legally, but they help with filling water containers and placing bandages on kids who receive cuts. They also act as an extension of Owen’s eyes. Owen said she couldn’t do the job without them. Despite her expertise, the transition to high school hasn’t been the easiest thing for Owen. At first, she said, a handful of athletes didn’t show her respect because she is a woman; they would talk down to her and ignore her advice. The interactions caused her to report the action to the athlete’s coaches, and since doing so, the interactions between her and those athletes has been better. With everyone else, it has always been great. Owen has a speaker in the training room for students to play music. She wants them to be at ease, she said. When everyone else is having fun, Owen is having fun. She never knows what will come through the training room door — or happen during a game — on any given day. That sense of the unknown keeps things fresh, she said. Over at Sarasota’s Cardinal Mooney High, athletic trainer Steven Favia, who works directly for the private school, has been doing this since 2012. For the first five years, it was more or less a solo gig. Last year he had the idea to add student trainers on a volunteer basis. It went so well that this year, Favia and the school turned it into a full-fledged class.
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Carol Lewis, APRN Sylvia Sadira, AP, DOM Kahla Zeimis, LE, LMT (MM2552 MA73603)
check us out at beimonline.com 8614 State Rd. 70 E., Ste. 200, Bradenton, FL 34202 | (941) 727-1243
Welcome Dr. Wemlinger, DO North River Family Health Center
Sara Wemlinger, DO Family Medicine and Sports Medicine Physician
North River Family Health Center is pleased to announce that Sara Wemlinger, DO, Family Medicine and Sports Medicine Physician, has joined the practice.
Sports Medicine and Family Practice Services Include:
Dr. Wemlinger cares for the primary health care needs of every member of your family and specializes in sports medicine. Sports medicine is not just for athletes. It’s for anyone who has an injury or pain and wants to feel better and engage in an active life.
• Exercise and nutrition guidance
• Child wellness visits • Sports physicals • Musculoskeletal pain • Ultrasound (guided injections and diagnostics) • Osteopathic manipulative therapy
REDEFINING
THE SPA EXPERIENCE...
• Sports-related concussion management • Women’s health, other than obstetrics
Book an appointment online: northriverfamilyhealthcenter.com
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Member of Manatee Physician Alliance For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. 190685-0514 9/19
you IT’S ALL ABOUT
606 4th Avenue West | Palmetto, Florida 34221-5226 UTC 8512 COOPER CREEK BLVD. UNIVERSITY PARK, FL 312139-1
LAKEWOOD RANCH 11585 E STATE RD 70 LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL UTC MM39300, LWR MM38522
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OCTOBER 2019
begin the journey to a new you
Love your n. photos aga i Courtesy photo
Bryan Balak uses support from the triathlon community to finish his races, including the Ironman Louisville in October 2018.
Searching for his limits
Your Own Hair
From cycling to completing triathlons, this Lakewood Ranch resident uses support of triathlon community to complete races.
NATURALLY It’s worth a conversation
LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER
Call Martin Maag, MD at 941.739.9001 and Schedule a No Cost Consulation Today!
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Personal Fitness Coach
EYE CARE
Individualized Personal Training at it’s best with your convenience in mind. (Home, Office, Beach, Pool, Park)
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Chris_fitness@yahoo.com
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112 miles and ran a marathon. But being able to swim, run and bike for miles and miles wasn’t always a possibility for the 45-year-old athlete. About five years ago, Balak was focused on cycling as a way to continue to lose weight. “I wanted to get into something else that kept me off of my
L SP IMI O TE TS D !
HonestHairRestoration.com 5860 Ranch Lake Blvd, Suite 110 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
In October 2018, Harmony resident Bryan Balak reached the pinnacle of his triathlon career with the completion of the Ironman Louisville. In 13 hours, 30 minutes and 54 seconds, he swam 2.4 miles, biked
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941.782.8639
11065 Gatewood Drive, Bldg C-2, Lakewood Ranch 4614 26th Street West, Bradenton | LimonsFoot.com
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Age: 45 Residence: Lakewood Ranch Occupation: Senior clinical research associate for Syneos Health Favorite food: Bacon double cheeseburger with fries Best advice: Find people interested in the same activities.
feet because one of the things I struggled with was plantar fasciitis,” he said. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of fibrous tissue along the bottom of the foot that connects the heel bone and toes and can cause intense pain in the heel. His plantar fasciitis was a result of his weight, which at one point was 235 pounds. Five years ago, he started cycling after participating in Weight Watchers, a company that provides products and services to support healthy habits and helped him get to 190 pounds. Balak said he joined Weight Watchers because he was unhappy with how he looked and felt. Between cycling and healthy eating habits, Balak dropped down to 165 pounds and wasn’t in pain anymore. Two years ago, he started running 5Ks, then moved onto short triathlons and has since completed two half Ironmans, which consist of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a half marathon. “I was searching for my limits,” Balak said. “Triathletes have a saying that’s, ‘Why be terrible at one sport when you can be terrible at three sports?’” Once Balak decided it was time to move onto a full triathlon, he reached out to Tom Egan, the
owner of All Out Endurance and a triathlon coach, to help him prepare. Balak trained with Egan and a group of others also preparing for triathlons. For eight months, Balak underwent intense training starting at 4:30 a.m. every day to prepare for his first full triathlon, the Ironman Louisville. “I would be out the door by 5 a.m. and either do a bike ride, run or swim — sometimes doing multiple workouts on the same day,” he said. Balak has been waking up at 4:30 a.m. ever since to train; he completed his most recent triathlon, the Fort De Soto International Triathlon, on Sept. 14. Although Balak doesn’t always want to get out of bed to train, he continues to do so because of the support from other triathletes. “Everyone is extremely supportive of everyone,” he said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’ve done a full Ironman or a sprint triathlon. I haven’t met anyone in the triathlon community where they brought negativity to anyone’s accomplishments.” Now Balak continues to train and participate in races not only to stay fit — so he’s there for his two daughters, Emma, 15, and Julia, 13 — but also because he loves the community that he has engrossed himself in over the years. “It makes me feel good inside knowing I’m doing this to not only stay healthy, but I like being around these people,” he said. “You surround yourself with excellence, and it challenges you to be a better person, not only in physical shape but in supporting each other. It creates an enormous amount of positive energy in your life that once you have it, you want more of it.”
Bringing Health & Independence Back to Over 1,600 Patients
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OCTOBER 2019
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ABOUT BRYAN
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HEALTH MATTERS
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YourObserver.com
OCTOBER 2019
For Patient Comfort and Precise, Deeper Imaging, the Breast Health Center Is Pleased to Offer the Hologic Genius Clarity HD highresolution 3D Mammography Imaging Technology with the new SmartCurve™ breast stabilization system. It is the only FDA-approved system that provides enhanced comfort, even for women with dense breasts.*
Other Comprehensive Services Include: • Breast Ultrasound • Breast MRI • Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) • 3D Stereotactic Breast Biopsy
• Wire-Free Breast Mass Localization • Professional Breast Health Navigation Services to provide personalized guidance for breast cancer patients, their loved ones and high-risk individuals
Call 941.782.2264 to schedule an appointment. NEW LOCATION 8340 Lakewood Ranch Boulevard Suite 160 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 Our new location is conveniently located in Medical Office Building One on the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center Campus, next to the hospital
lakewoodranchmedicalcenter.com
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*Smith, A. Improving Patient Comfort in Mammography. Hologic WP-00119 REV 003 (2017) With limited exceptions, physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. 190094-6921 9/19
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