SARASOTA
Health Matters Observer
DECEMBER 2020
STEP UP YOUR
MEAL GAME No need to sacrifice health for flavor this holiday season. SEE PAGE 2
HEARING REIMAGINED
BETTER CARE
PICTURE OF HEALTH
PAGE 6
PAGE 7
PAGE 10
Local nonprofit implants new cochlear system.
Merger brings affordable health care.
SWAT member emphasizes consistency.
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HEALTH MATTERS
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YourObserver.com
DECEMBER 2020
YULE EAT IT AND YULE LIKE IT
BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD Yields: 8 servings Total time: 25 minutes
An attempt was made to make healthy alternatives to a traditional Christmas dinner. How did it go? Well…
Photos by Brynn Mechem
Ryan’s battle with the soup is a tale that will be passed on for generations.
RYAN KOHN | SPORTS REPORTER
I
t’s the final month of what has been an unprecedented year in almost all respects. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been
coping with the state of the world through a slight lowering of the bar in terms of diet. Or maybe the bar is fully on the ground now. It hasn’t been great, is what I’m saying.
That’s OK. I love eating junk as much as anyone. But at some point we all need to rebound, to act like things are typical even when they aren’t just yet. You know that speech Harry makes at the end of “When Harry Met Sally …” about how when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible? Well, in that ethos (but about food) I — a sports reporter with no professional cooking skills and close to zero amateur cooking skills either — have created a video walking you through healthy alternatives for a five-course Christmas dinner. That’s in, like, a
EYE CARE
week! You still have time to do it! I made cauliflower soup, Brussels sprout salad, chickpea and kale rigatoni, low-fat bread pudding and a secret mixed drink because we all deserve something for working hard in the kitchen. You’ll have to watch the video to see the whole process, but did I forget the words “Brussels sprouts” multiple times? Yes. Did I battle a blender of hot soup, a pot lid acting as my last line of defense against the soup’s scalding droplets? Yes. Did I end up making two dishes that I will make again because they actually tasted good? Somehow, yes. Watch the full (hectic, entertaining) video on YourObserver.com.
INGREDIENTS n 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice n 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil n 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and very thinly sliced n 1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped n 1/3 cup packed grated ricotta salata or pecorino cheese n 2/3 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins n 1/2 cup smoked almonds, chopped DIRECTIONS n In large bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add sprouts, and toss until well coated. Let stand at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours. n When ready to serve, to bowl with sprouts, add romaine, ricotta salata, cranberries and almonds. Toss to combine.
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CAULIFLOWER SOUP Yields: 4 servings Total time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS n 1 tablespoon unsalted butter n 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil n 1 medium onion, chopped n 1 leek (white and light green parts), chopped n 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped n 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cored and sliced n 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth n 1/2 cup heavy cream n Cracked pepper, for serving Chive Oil n 1 bunch chives n 1/2 cup canola or grapeseed oil
CHICKPEA AND KALE RIGATONI Yields: 6 servings Total time: 35 minutes INGREDIENTS n 2 tablespoons olive oil n 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika n 1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) n 8 oz. fresh chorizo (or hot Italian sausage), casings removed n 1 tablespoon tomato paste n 1 cup chicken broth n chickpeas, rinsed and drained n 2 large bunches kale (about 1 1/4 pounds total), stemmed and chopped (about 20 cups) n 12 oz. rigatoni n 2 oz. Manchego cheese, finely grated, plus more for serving
DIRECTIONS
n Heat butter and oil in large pot on
medium. Add onion, leek and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, covered, stir-
DIRECTIONS n In large skillet on medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add smoked paprika, and cook, stirring often, 30 seconds. Add panko and pinch salt, and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer crumbs to plate. n Wipe out skillet, and heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil on mediumhigh. Add chorizo; cook, breaking up with spoon, until browned, 5-7 minutes. n Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by one-third, 4-6 minutes. n Add chickpeas, and cook until heated through, 2 minutes. Stir in kale and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until tender, 2-3 minutes. n Meanwhile, cook rigatoni as label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking liq-
we
because we
uid, then drain pasta, and return to pot. Toss with chickpea mixture and manchego, adding some of reserved cooking liquid if pasta seems dry. Serve sprinkled with bread crumbs and more cheese, if desired.
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ring occasionally, until very tender (but not brown), 10-12 minutes. n Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add cauliflower, broth and cream, and simmer until cauliflower is tender, 15-18 minutes. n Using handheld blender (or standard blender, in batches), puree until smooth. n Make chive oil: In blender, puree chives and 1/2 cup oil until smooth. Transfer to small saucepan, and cook on medium until mixture begins to simmer, about 3 minutes. Pour through a coffee filter set over a measuring cup. n Serve drizzled with chive oil and cracked pepper, if desired.
Dr. Brad S. Lerner | Dr. Louis M. Cohen | Dr. James R. Cocco | Dr. Amy M. Roth
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DECEMBER 2020
BREAD PUDDING Yields: 2 servings INGREDIENTS n 1 3/4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed Hawaiian sweet bread n 2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk n 2 tablespoons sugar n 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa n 1 tablespoon Kahlúa (coffee-flavored liqueur) n 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract n 1 large egg, lightly beaten n Cooking spray n 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped n 2 tablespoons frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed DIRECTIONS n Preheat oven to 350 degrees. n Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove bread from oven. Decrease oven temperature to 325 degrees. n Combine milk and next five ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. n Divide half of bread mixture evenly between two (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with half of chocolate. Divide remaining bread mixture between ramekins; top with remaining chocolate. n Place ramekins in an 8-inch square baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or until set. Serve each pudding warm with 1 tablespoon whipped topping.
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HEALTH MATTERS
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YourObserver.com
DECEMBER 2020
A concierge practice devoted to internal medicine and wellness.
Photos by Brynn Mechem
Dave and Kristy Ochsendoft, the owners of Siesta Key Sports & Physical Therapy, say a regular routine can help older adults maintain their independence.
Physical therapy aids healthy aging EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. EXTRAORDINARY CARE.
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A regular routine can help older adults maintain strength, flexibility and balance as they age.
BRYNN MECHEM STAFF WRITER
W
hen most people think of physical therapy, they often picture it as a healing method after an accident or injury. However, the truth is that physical therapy and a regular stretching routine can help people age more healthily.
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HEALTH MATTERS
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“If you want to be independent, then it’s important to exercise daily. To maintain functional mobility in the community, you want to have a daily routine.” — Dave Ochsendoft
As people age, they are more prone to injuries as a result of falls and frequently experience aches and pains due to improper use or prolonged periods of stress on the body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of four adults — around 36 million — over the age of 65 will fall each year. Those falls result in about 3 million emergency room visits and 32,000 deaths annually. Falls and other injuries are often caused by strength, balance and flexibility loss that people experience as they age. However, physical therapists Dave and Kristy Ochsendoft, who have owned Siesta Key Sports & Physical Therapy for the past 10 years, say a few visits to the physical therapist and a regular at-home routine can help people live a healthier lifestyle without fear of falling. “As we age, you can start to lose strength or balance, and for a lot of our seniors, that creates a fear of falling,” Dave Ochsendoft said. “That fear causes them to become less active, and in turn they get weaker, and then they’re more at
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DECEMBER 2020
STRENGTHENING EXERCISES
FOR MORE INFORMATION SIESTA KEY SPORTS & PHYSICAL THERAPY Phone: 870-5811 Website: SiestaKeyPT.com
risk for falling. It can become a downward spiral.” The first step to a healthy routine is figuring out where potential weaknesses are. Common weaknesses among the older population include hips, legs and posture, the Ochsendofts said. Although there are several exercises everyone can perform to keep strong, Kristy Ochsendoft said everyone has different weaknesses and strengths and should be evaluated to find a program that is challenging for them. “For you to improve your balance or flexibility, you really want to challenge yourself with some of the exercises,” Kristy Ochsendoft said. “A person is going to benefit a lot more from an individualized program versus a general routine you find online. However, something is better than nothing.” Treatment can last anywhere from a few sessions to more than eight weeks, depending on the injury and how well a person progresses. The goal, Dave Ochsendoft said, is to get a person to be self-sufficient in their treatment, so the onus to continue a regular routine falls with the patient. “If you want to be independent, then it’s important to exercise daily,” Dave Ochsendoft said. “To maintain functional mobility in the community, you want to have a daily routine.”
Everyone’s body is different, and people will experience strengths and weaknesses in different parts of the body. Individualized routines will help a person see the most success, but there are a few general exercises everyone can try for healthy aging. STAND UP AND SIT DOWN It sounds simple, but a good way to keep strength in the legs and hips is standing up and sitting down on the edge of a chair without using your hands. Performing the seemingly simple task calls for flexibility, balance, muscle strength and motor coordination, and performing two sets of 10 repetitions a day can help keep you healthy.
PRACTICE GOOD POSTURE The ideal posture is standing erect with your body in a straight line. As a person hunches forward while looking at a computer or other devices, everything in the front of the body gets tight, and the back gets overstretched. Consciously sitting up straight and taking breaks every 30 minutes to move around can help your posture and keep your balance systems high-functioning. However, if you feel tightness as a result of poor posture, try lying flat on your back on a foam roller or rolled towel with your hands raised above your head. It can be hard to straighten properly when standing, but lying down allows gravity to help settle everything back in place.
STRETCH YOUR CHEST Reading or looking at a device can cause stress on the neck and upper back. Find a doorway, and place your hands on either side of the frame. Gently push forward into the palms of your hand to open up your chest.
STRETCH YOUR HIPS When people sit too long, there is abnormal stress on the hips and knees. Walking regularly can help ease the pain, but you also can lie flat on the edge of your bed and dangle one leg off the side to lengthen the muscles in the front of the hip.
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HEALTH MATTERS
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YourObserver.com
DECEMBER 2020
Hearing lost and found
FOR MORE INFORMATION EAR RESEARCH FOUNDATION Address: 1901 Floyd St., #100 Phone: 365-0367 Website: EarRF.org
Dr. Jack Wazen at the Ear Research Foundation has installed a new kind of hearing device to help people with partial or total hearing loss. HARRY SAYER STAFF WRITER
D
r. Herbert Silverstein and Dr. Jack Wazen have been in the ear care and hearing loss field for some time, and it’s safe to say they’ve made their mark. Silverstein prides himself and his colleagues on the work they’ve done in their careers, everything from inventing a neurectomy procedure to help people with vertigo to formulating medication that numbs the eardrum for operations. That work continued when Silverstein founded the Silverstein Institute and the Ear Research Foundation organization in 1979 to research, develop and execute new approaches to treat hearing loss and ear damage, as well as nose and throat disorders. They’ve seen much in their time, and the work continues. But it’s not like it used to be, where Wazen jokes they would have to perform miraculous acts to help deaf people hear again. Now with advancing technology, Wazen and other members of his field are able to return hearing to people with fewer side effects or
struggles than ever before. That technology took another step forward this past year when Wazen — a partner at the Silverstein Institute and director of research at the foundation — added a new accomplishment to his name. He is one of the first neurotology specialists and surgeons to implant a new bone conduction hearing system for a patient with one-sided deafness. The progress with the new device is in how it’s implemented. The Cochlear Osia System has a processor placed behind a patient’s ear that transmits hearing information to an implant that is connected to a bone. This directs sound through vibrations straight to the inner ear and bypassing the canal, the middle ear drum, and any other part of the ear that could have an issue that affects sound. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that takes 30 minutes. “Sound travels through bone in a very efficient way,” Wazen said. “It’s easier for sound to travel through a solid than air.” The advantages to the new device are simple. Past devices — which had plenty of upsides including the most efficient form
Photos by Harry Sayer
Above: Dr. Jack Wazen has been practicing otolaryngology for more than 35 years. Right: The Cochlear Osia System connects directly to the bone and provides information to both a person’s deaf and nondeaf ear.
of conduction from the processor to the bone — often relied on more severe skin penetration, which could sometimes lead to recurring skin infections. “People who sweat a lot [or] people who do not take good care of their hair or hygiene could get recurrent infections,” Wazen said. “So we were looking for a system that could be as powerful or more … The [Osia] implant is then connected under the skin to a magnet. It’s magnet against magnet. It’s held together through an intact skin, therefore eliminating the risk of infection.” It’s a good approach for people with deformities or surgical defects and whose ears aren’t able to accept other hearing aids. It’s also a popular method for people with single-sided deafness, where just one ear has hearing loss. The device, by conducting
sound through the bone, actually provides information to both the deaf and nondeaf ear, which allows the user to hear the same thing on both sides. Since implanting the first Osia device in February, Wazen said he and colleagues now perform the procedure two to four times a month. It’s part of a long line of developments that Silverstein and Wazen have been privy to in their time. The Cochlear Osia System is just the latest improvement over past procedures, and the duo have seen much of it firsthand. Silverstein thinks back on blunter, more damaging procedures from the start of his career that have become a thing of the past. Disorders like Meniere’s disease, where issues in the inner ear cause vertigo and other maladies, would only be able to be treated
by operating and damaging the ear to the point of deafness. That made way for a drug that could be injected into the ear, which would still cause damage but not to the extent of brain surgery that would leave patients in the hospital for a couple days. The field has more of a deft touch today. Silverstein is happy to say his organization is involved with a company developing a gel that is injected into the ear and regrows small hairs in the cochlea and can partially restore hearing. It’s an exciting development, he said, and one the organization’s founder thinks will be the future of his industry. The process and implementation of helping people hear has changed, and Wazen said he still feels the thrill and pride when he speaks to a patient who tells him how they’ve helped him hear again. “Once we’ve achieved a goal, then the next step is [to] look at that goal and say, ‘Well, how can I make it better?’” Wazen said. “When I look at how we are changing people’s lives by taking somebody who is struggling to hear and communicate and putting them back in society as well-hearing individuals, that outcome, I still get goose bumps every time.”
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HEALTH MATTERS
YourObserver.com
CenterPlace Health to add two clinics in 2021 STAFF WRITER
C
enterPlace Health and Senior Friendship Centers have formed an alliance to try to improve health care for people throughout Sarasota County. Starting Jan. 1, Senior Friendship Centers will lease two health clinics to CPH: at 1888 Brother Geenen Way in Sarasota and 2350 Scenic Drive in Venice. “When COVID-19 hit, [we] realized how could we partner together and what we could provide,” CPH CEO Melissa Parker said. “We kind of realized we could probably provide a lot more as a federally qualified health center than the current practice at the Senior Friendship Center, so it’s kind of a win-win for both sides.” Parker explained how the partnership came about between CPH and the Senior Friendship Centers. “It was just a due diligence between the two of us to say: ‘Hey, what would happen if we merged and pooled our resources together and became the medical and dental portion of Senior Friendship Center? … How can we collaborate to provide better services to the community?’” Parker said. Dr. Neshia McClendon works for CenterPlace Health as a fam-
ily medicine doctor. She is in the process of changing from CPH’s 2200 Ringling Blvd. location to the new standalone clinic on Brother Geenen Way. “I think it’s beneficial for a lot of the population because the majority of the patients that are seen over at Senior Friendship Center are that of our older population, and they’ve come to develop relationships with a lot of the medical providers that are there,” McClendon said. “I think a lot of times with an older patient, they like to know that continuity will remain.” The expansion will give CenterPlace Health five clinics throughout Sarasota County, providing high-quality, low-cost health care to thousands of people throughout the county, CPH says. It is also expected to help alleviate some of the pressures at CPH’s North Port Health Center at 6950 Outreach Way. McClendon said many people think CPH operates as part of the Department of Health, which it doesn’t, even though they share the same building at 2200 Ringling Blvd. “In my opinion, that’s one of the things that CenterPlace Health needed to really show the name of who we are because of the confusion of ‘Oh, it’s the health
DECEMBER 2020
7
LOCATIONS
SARASOTA
CenterPlace Health locations are throughout Sarasota County. Visit the practice’s website to find the nearest location at CenterPlaceHealth.org/ find-a-clinic.
41
75
The expansion is part of a partnership with Senior Friendship Centers. MARK BERGIN
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41
75 NORTH PORT
VENICE GARDENS
41 Courtesy photo
Starting in 2021, Dr. Neshia McClendon will operate out of CPH’s new clinic at 1888 Brother Geenen Way.
department,’” McClendon said. “And truthfully, although we’re in the building, our companies are run completely different.” The partnership is also expected to address unmet needs in mid- and south Sarasota County, where studies show there are health professional shortage areas, a designation of shortages in primary care, dental health and mental health. Parker said there is a demand for better health care access in south Sarasota County. “That’s a problem throughout the country,” Parker said. “Not many people understand or know what health centers can provide.”
McClendon said she believes cities should have access to health care along bus routes. “We can’t assume that everyone has a car,” McClendon said. “We can’t assume that everyone has adequate transportation, but we can assume one doesn’t have transportation, [that] a lot of time they may utilize the city bus transit or city transit to get around.” McClendon said she has patients who take multiple buses from as far as Venice or Manatee County to come see her. “That partnership [with Senior Friendship Centers], it couldn’t have come at a better time when patients are struggling more with behavioral health issues with the pandemic, with patients that have lost their jobs,” McClendon said. “That’s one of the most
heart-wrenching things to see.” CPH’s website states fees are not increasing because of the new expansion. Parker said CPH has access to a sliding-fee scale, where patients can get care based on their income with a minimum payment of $10. “This strategic alliance will continue to save taxpayers by providing a medical home to lowand no-income adults and reducing costly emergency room visits,” Senior Friendship Centers CEO Erin McLeod said in a release. McLeod said CPH patients will be able to participate at Senior Friendship Centers to reinforce their well-being, which includes educational classes, exercise, meals, socialization and other actives to maintain physical and mental health.
THE BEST GIFTS COME FROM THE HEART.
Be A Life-Saver This Holiday Season. 2020 has given our community extraordinary challenges. When businesses were shut down, the need for blood products never stopped. We were there to save countless lives by providing CONVALESCENT PLASMA to our local hospitals FREE OF CHARGE. Now, as we face a blood supply shortage, we encourage you to give back by thinking outside the gift box. This year, give the gift of life to three people here in our community. Add blood donation to your holiday list. Schedule your lifesaving appointment today at the SunCoast Blood Centers location near you.
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suncoatblood.org • 1.866.97.BLOOD
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HEALTH MATTERS
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YourObserver.com
DECEMBER 2020
Having a space dedicated to work is important to ensure mental and physical health while working from home.
Separation is key Lakewood Ranch licensed social worker shares recommendations to successfully work from home. LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER
Since the pandemic began in March, more and more people are finding themselves working from home, which isn’t always easy. For some, working from home is an excellent option that allows them to be comfortable in their own space while still maintaining productivity.
For others, being at home all the time is a nightmare. They miss the social interaction with coworkers, they can’t focus, or they feel they’re falling into a slump. No matter whether you’re working from home as a result of the pandemic, or you choose to work from home, Jane Kuhn, a retired licensed clinical social worker of 21 years and the vice president of the Lakewood Ranch
Community Emergency Response Team, said working from home can’t get in the way of taking care of yourself. “[For those who choose to work from home], it’s not stressful for them, and they find ways to make it work within their lives,” Kuhn said. “Those people who don’t have the choice right now are being told they have to work from home, and it’s one more thing
that’s taken out of our control.” The key to maintaining good mental health while working from home is ensuring there is a separation between working and leisure, Kuhn said. “You need to make that separation between ‘I’m working now,’ and ‘Now I actually get to relax,’” she said. “If you are doing your work in your relaxed, happy place, like your bed or on your couch, then where do you go to relax? Where do you go to separate that out and say: ‘OK, I’m done now. I get to just do whatever I want and do nothing.’” As part of instilling that separation, set a schedule, and make it a habit of starting work at the same time every day. Working from home can be overwhelming, just like in the office, so it’s important to remember to take breaks, whether that’s going for a walk around the neighborhood, doing an exercise video or eating away from the designated workspace. “Try to carve out maybe a half hour, maybe an hour, during the day, and then get back to work,” Kuhn said. “You might find that you get more of the work done because your mind is a little bit more alert again.” This year, families have had to adjust to not only working from home but also children being at home with e-learning. Although many students have returned to school, some are still at home doing e-learning, which can be stressful for parents. Kuhn suggests separating education from home life as well. Take the time that went toward getting the kids dressed for school and making lunches in the past, and put it toward getting the kids set up for e-learning.
“If you are doing your work in your relaxed, happy place, like your bed or on your couch, then where do you go to relax? Where do you go to separate that out and say: ‘OK, I’m done now. I get to just do whatever I want and do nothing.’” — Jane Kuhn
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HEALTH MATTERS
YourObserver.com
HOW TO MAINTAIN RESILIENCE Jane Kuhn, a retired licensed clinical social worker of 21 years and the vice president of the Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team, has a few ways people can harness resilience as the pandemic continues.
Courtesy photos
Jane Kuhn is a retired licensed clinical social worker of 21 years and the vice president of the Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team.
Parents should also separate their workspaces from where their kids are learning at home to minimize distraction from listening to the students’ classes and wondering if everything is going well. Another health concern Kuhn has noticed is people feeling too isolated from having to work from home, and isolation can lead to depression. Kuhn recommends setting aside a few minutes per day to video call someone to have a face-to-face conversation with another person. Talking over the phone or doing a video call with other people working from home can help replace the lack of social interaction someone would normally get if everyone was in the office. “Find colleagues who are probably doing the same thing, and commiserate with that because that’s really what you’re doing at work — you’re sharing,” Kuhn said. “You know your common goals but also your common stressors.”
MENTAL RESILIENCE n When starting the day, set realistic goals for yourself. The goals can be as simple as cleaning the house or working on a project you’ve been wanting to do. n Keep your mind active but not always focused on work. Do crossword puzzles, read a book, or take classes online to learn a new language. n Find a way to laugh. Humor can help you get through difficult times. n Reach out to others who have the same interests. PHYSICAL RESILIENCE n Stay active. Whether it’s going for a walk around the block or finding a workout video on YouTube, it’s important to have some time to keep moving. n Exercise or do some form of movement about every 20 minutes. n Eat healthy, but treat yourself from time to time. n Keep up with doctor appointments. n Don’t stay in your pajamas all day. SPIRITUAL RESILIENCE (what sparks your motivation to do activities you love) n If you’re religious, practice your faith by watching a service online or praying. n If nature is comforting, go outside. Take a walk, or sit by the pool. Just get outside. n Connect with others virtually. n Feel and express gratitude. No matter what is going on in life, there is always something to be grateful for every day.
DECEMBER 2020
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A SUREFIRE CURE FOR THE
Holiday Blues
By Freya Robbins, CDFA™ Are you struggling more than normal this Holiday Season? This has been a far from normal year, so don’t be afraid to cut yourself a little slack. As a result of Covid-19 wreaking havoc with our business, health and personal lives, we are not the same as we were last year at this time. It is important, however, for our collective mental and emotional health, that we find a way to accept this and find ways to celebrate despite our circumstances. There will always be some situation in our lives that frustrates, confuses, or limits us. That is life in the fast lane. It is never about what happens to us, but how we handle that which happens to us that matters most. There is something important about being in the moment with your feelings, but it is also helpful to take some positive steps to move beyond the negative feelings too. Here is my surefire, threepronged approach to overcoming the Christmas Blues.
FOCUS ON MAKING NEW MEMORIES
This year has a lot of people experiencing new financial challenges. Maybe you are low on funds and feel that you cannot offer your family the gifts you have in the past? Is it about the gifts or is it about the thought and the relationship? There are many things you can do to celebrate without spending money. Use this time to create new memories and deepen relationships. Plan a picnic on the beach. Take your family to see the Christmas lights. Plan a group to go Christmas caroling in a neighborhood that needs some holiday cheer.
It is never about what happens to us, but how we handle that which happens to us that matters most.
TAKE A DAILY DOSE OF GRATITUDE
Have you ever thought about the things you are thankful for? The situations that have gone right? The wonderful people in your life now or in the past who have been there for you?
We don’t treat John’s cancer, we treat John.
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I highly recommend keeping a gratitude journal. You can create one daily, or you can keep an ongoing journal. Many times, we are quick to point out the bad in our life and we completely ignore the good. I encourage you to dig deep and find the many things you are thankful for. It is possible that we will require the assistance of someone who can help us, whether it is a counselor, a life coach, a mediator, or even a close friend who can help us see what is really happening.
EXCEL IN GENEROSITY
This time of year reminds me that there are many people who need a smile, a comforting word, or a hand doing something. If you are down and cannot seem to get yourself up, I suggest you consider doing something for someone else.
Drive through Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks and pay for the next person in line. Pay the toll for the person behind you. Give someone the parking spot you are about to take. Bring someone’s grocery cart back to the store for them. Carry someone’s groceries to their house for them. Tell your friend how much they mean to you. Make amends with someone you have injured in the past. Write a letter to someone you care about. Bring someone a flower. Give someone you love a manicure or pedicure. Make cookies for the neighbors you have not met yet. Step out of your comfort zone. You will be glad you did. There are so many ways you can show love and kindness that only cost a bit of thoughtfulness.
At Zollinger Mediation we provide mediation for any family issue, Marital Mediation, Eldercare Mediation, and Divorce Mediation. If you need help this holiday, start by going to our website to see how we have helped others and can help you too!
At GenesisCare, we treat individuals, not just the disease, which is why we offer personalized care that’s designed around you. With the team at 21st Century Oncology now part of GenesisCare, you will receive world-class cancer care close to home. To learn more, visit us online at genesiscare.com/USA.
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HEALTH MATTERS
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DECEMBER 2020
AMY HOLMES HAS ‘TRI’-ED IT ALL From basketball in high school to triathlons these days, the SWAT team member lives an active life. NAT KAEMMERER STAFF WRITER
A
Nat Kaemmerer
Sarasota resident Amy Holmes recommends that fitness beginners focus on consistency.
my Holmes, of Sarasota, hits the gym five days a week, getting her first workout in just after she wakes up. Twelve hours later, around 1 a.m., she gets her second workout of the day in — or is that the first workout of a new day? Holmes, 26, is a member of the Manatee County SWAT team (and the first woman to hold that position) and works 12-hour days, from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Her schedule has to be strict, but it suits her. “I wake up [and] immediately go to the gym, and it just makes you feel so much better about the day,” Holmes said. “I don’t know how people don’t work out because I don’t know what they do with their time.” Part of the reason for Holmes’ strict workout regimen is work — she has to pass a physical exam every six months — but she’s always been a physical person. In high school, she played basketball and ran track, and she swam competitively growing up but got burnt out on it after a while. A few months into college, Holmes ventured back into the gym, not quite sure what she was doing.
ROUTINE Holmes works out five days a week, twice a day. Sunday is her ultimate rest day — no exercise and plenty of food — before she gets back to it with her hardest weekly workouts on Monday. For strength, she’ll do Olympic lifting and powerlifting, focusing on muscle groups.
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“I’m still learning, and I have a lot to learn. … My transitions are very slow. I’m learning there’s obviously a different technique to open water swimming.”
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ABOUT AMY Age: 26 Residence: Sarasota Favorite food: Pasta and steak — any carbs and meat Favorite place to work out: The Sweat Box Favorite workout: Olympic lifting or biking Best advice: Stay consistent, and take pictures as you continue to work out. The differences may be subtle to you, or you may feel like you’ve stagnated, but when you look at your progression of photos, the changes will be clear.
see a difference. Ask for help if you need it (there are plenty of resources online too), and don’t get bogged down by the numbers on the scale. “When you’re starting out, go into the gym with a plan — have it already written down,” Holmes said. “Don’t just go there and be like, ‘How much should I do?’ And make sure you do all of it.” Holmes hopes to get her personal trainer license in the future and to focus on providing training for women interested in joining the military or police force. “I think that a lot of women want to join more of the special units,” Holmes said. “They could see me, and I could say, ‘I made it, and this is exactly what I did.’ They don’t have to follow my routine to a T by any means, but I want to help them.”
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With all the resources online at her disposal, she soon got into small bodybuilding workouts. When she tried out for the police academy, her tests were passing, but she didn’t do as well as she could have, she said. “That’s when I switched to more HIIT [high-intensity training] workouts and ran a little bit more,” Holmes said. “Then when I got hired at the Sheriff’s Office, I got into Olympic lifting and cross-training workouts.” In the past year, she has turned her sights to triathlons, taking after her father, who also does the endurance races. Holmes bought a bike in January and began training, but her first two attempts were canceled due to the pandemic. Her first one was the Venice Triathlon in October, where she won her age group. “I’m still learning, and I have a lot to learn,” Holmes said. “My transitions are very slow. I’m learning there’s obviously a different technique to open water swimming.” Holmes’ advice to fitness beginners is to, above all, stay consistent. Results don’t come quickly, and time and consistency are the only way to really
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DECEMBER 2020
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