Health Matters: Sarasota 6.20.19 by The Observer Group Inc.

Health Matters Observer

JUNE 2019

SAFETY IN THE SUNSHINE

How to keep your skin protected and healthy during our sunniest season. PAGE 2

FAST TO FIT

One couple used fasting to lose 100 pounds.

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STRETCH IT Flexibility is key to your overall health. Start simply.

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PICTURE OF HEALTH

For longevity, practice the health trifecta.

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HEALTH MATTERS

YourObserver.com

JUNE 2019

Saving your skin from summer sun SAMANTHA CHANEY STAFF WRITER

There are an abundance of unmistakable summer sounds that signal your arrival at the beach. The thwack of a towel being snapped out onto the sand. The gleeful screams of young children chasing one another into the water, Popsicles in hand. The callous cries of the seagulls you try so hard to hide your food from every time you visit. But wait. You inhale a little. Ah, yes, it’s not just the sound of the area, but it’s also another prominent and familiar beach trait: the smell of sunscreen. Having reached the edge of the sand, you decide to set up. Putting down your belongings, you reach into your bag. Your hand grips a bottle of your sunscreen — something you don’t always put on, despite that little nagging voice in the back of your head telling you to “stay safe” every year.

Maybe you’ll be a little bit better about reapplying this summer. Here are some reasons why you should. STAY OUT OF THE SUN

According to local dermatologist Dr. Morgan O’Donoghue, the body is affected by two wavelengths of the sun’s rays: Ultraviolet A, which activates the skin’s melanocytes and can lead to melanoma, and Ultraviolet B, the rays that can cause sunburns. Not only do both of these rays age our skin over time, O’Donoghue says, but they can also contribute to the development of the two most common types of skin cancer, which are basal skin cancer and squamous carcinoma skin cancer. And skin cancer doesn’t happen overnight. “Your whole life, your body is trying to protect you from the sun. There are micro-DNA effects that damage your DNA, and your body usually does a very good job of repairing those little hits,” Dr. Elizabeth Callahan of SkinSmart Dermatology said. “But what happens is that after a number of hits — because you’ve got two copies of the gene — if you damage both copies, then you can get skin cancer.”

Those “hits” our skin takes, Callahan said, will usually lead to other aesthetic changes prior to reaching the point of skin cancer — hyperpigmentation, thickening of the skin, broken blood vessels and even dilated pores come from years of too much sun. And then, of course, there are wrinkles and other factors of aging that are made worse when the sun starts to break down the collagen in our skin. “Collagen [is] the rubber band that, when we’re very young, we have a lot of,” O’Donoghue said. “And they’re very thick, and they’re very tight. As we age, the sun breaks up those rubber brands … so our skin starts to sag and wrinkle.” STAY PROTECTED

The good news is that people don’t have to keep themselves sequestered away all summer to keep safe from the sun’s rays. In fact, there are a number of ways to mitigate sun exposure and keep safe; it’s all about knowing what options play into your summer plans the most effectively. Sunscreen is the foundation of a safe and healthy Florida summer. But with all of the options, how do you know which to choose? O’Donoghue recommends

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Miller spends most of his time in the lifeguard tower, unless he needs to be out on the sand with the public.

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VISITING YOUR DERMATOLOGIST HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU SEE YOUR DERMATOLOGIST? “With a history of skin cancer or atypical moles, at least twice a year. Someone with a history of melanoma we might see up to four times a year. But for the average person living in Florida, once a year is good.” — Callahan

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AT A TYPICAL DERMATOLOGICAL VISIT? “You should be looked at from head to toe. You should be looked at on your scalp, in your ears, between the fingers, between the toes. If you don’t look for it, you won’t find it.” — O’Donoghue

grabbing a bottle that is between SPF 30 and SPF 50 but no higher. Anything above 50, he said, is going to be more money for little difference in protection. Baby lotions might also be healthier for the skin because they consist of minerals, such as zinc and titanium, which is unlike most traditional sunscreens that are heavy in chemicals. Throughout the day, he said, a person should always apply and reapply using “a shot-glass worth” of liquid, which should be an adequate amount for the average person’s body. Meanwhile, Callahan recommends avoiding spray-on lotions — which she describes as “noto-

“My rule is, ‘Sunblock on anything that’s not covered by clothing covered on a daily basis,’” O’Donoghue said.

riously inaccurate” in coverage — as well as avoiding the sun’s highest hours of strength during the day, which fall between noon and 3 p.m. Additionally, newer makeup lines that advertise themselves as SPF formulas just don’t make the cut. “We’re really not putting makeup on the way we’re putting sunscreen on,” Callahan said. “It’s great that there’s sunscreen in makeup, but you’re much better off if you put your sunscreen on first and then your makeup. … And what’s most important is, when you’re wanting to protect against skin cancer, that you use a broad protection sunscreen.” That means a sunscreen that protects from both forms of UV light. Of course, nothing will work quite as well as simply being

mindful of your overall exposure. Someone who is outside often or is likely to burn easily might want to invest in new sun-protective clothing brands that are rated and tested, both Callahan and O’Donoghue said. Like sunscreen, finding a tag that’s SPF 30 or above will ensure adequate protection wherever covered. STAY DILIGENT

As the skin is the largest organ of the body, the easiest way to stay up to date in terms of treatment is simply to stay hydrated. “Of course we want to hydrate our skin and keep our skin moist and fresh,” Callahan said. “But during these hot months, it’s so easy to overheat, and I think it’s very important to drink enough water. Also sometimes, especially for older people, if they’re inside a

JUNE 2019

TIPS FROM THE PROS

lot, air conditioning can actually be very dehydrating because it takes the humidity out of the air.” Although she didn’t have any recommendations on specific amounts to drink at a time, she did stress the importance of consistently drinking water throughout the day. So what about cosmetic treatments patients seek to maintain their youth or undo years of damage? In particular, microdermabrasion and chemical peels are advertised with the allure of turning back the clock. But do they really work? “Face peels, microdermabrasion — they’re superficial,” O’Donoghue said. “They will help with a little bit of the texture of your skin; they’re not harmful at all. … They’re kind of like a car wash: Your car looks better for two weeks, then you need another one. There’s no permanence.” In s tea d , C a ll a h an a n d O’Donoghue recommend turning to topical creams and treatments that involve retinol, Retin-A or other antioxidants, which can prevent further oxidation of the skin and stimulate new collagen. Both also emphasized the ultimate importance of using sunscreen as a preventative measure. Daily diligence is what will protect your skin, and it’s much easier than trying to reverse the damage that has already been done. “You’re not bulletproof with just sunscreen … no matter how much sunscreen you have,” Callahan said. “You want to limit your time out or sun exposure. … It’s not just about the sunscreen; it’s about the sun protective clothing and hats.”

“On average, the [sunscreen] that I use the most supposedly doesn’t have as many of the bad chemicals in it, and I like the way it goes on. It’s only SPF 30, but the one I use is called Blue Lizard. One of the biggest things I like is that it doesn’t stain my white clothes. … When I’m out there, I will put it on at least every hour.” — Kay Thayer, tennis pro and manager of the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center

“I always use SPF 30 or above. My son gets [sunscreen] as much as possible … a lot more than I do. I usually wear long sleeve shirts, and I have a widebrimmed hat I wear at work that has an attachment on the back that protects my neck. But anything that keeps the sun off my face, nose and ears works.” — David Bay, Lakewood Ranch Little League president and outdoor wastewater mechanic

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JUNE 2019

Want to lose weight? Try fasting Couple lost weight through a combination of intermittent fasting, calorie-tracking and exercising. BRYNN MECHEM STAFF WRITER

hen “Wonder Woman” came out in 2017, people all over the world were inspired by Gal Gadot’s powerful portrayal of the Amazonian warrior. Sarasota’s Jessica Wilson, however, was inspired to lose weight. “It sounds silly, but you see these women of all ages, and they look fantastic,” she said. “I was like, ‘Wow, they look so good. I want to look that good too when I’m that age. We’ve got to turn some things around here.’” So after hearing about intermittent fasting from a friend, Wilson decided to give it a try, but first she enlisted a partner — her now-husband, Barry Ripley. Intermittent fasting, or switching between periods of eating and fasting, is usually done in one of three ways — alternate day fasting, modified fasting and restricted fasting — said Doctors Hospital registered dietician Abi Utech. Alternate day fasting is when a person eats one day and not at all the next. Those who participate in modified fasting eat normally

Brynn Mechem

Registered Dietician Abi Utech said intermittent fasting can be beneficial if done correctly.

one day and small amounts the next. Restricted fasting, the most popular type, requires a person to fast a certain number of hours through the day. Wilson and Ripley participate in restricted fasting, eating eight hours a day and fasting for 16. Since 2017, the couple has lost a combined total of 100 pounds. “What’s so great about intermittent fasting is that it’s easy to understand,” Wilson said. “You fast for 16 hours, but it’s super effective, too. You get into this fasting state where you start burning fat, which is what a lot of people need to do.” Although the couple found fast-

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JUNE 2019

“You don’t have to do it all the time. It’s not like the ketogenic diet, where if you have one bad day you mess up your diet for a long time. You can take a weekend off and jump back in when you start work on Monday.” — Barry Ripley

Utech said various benefits could be seen from intermittent fasting, such as weight loss, healthy blood sugar levels and a rested digestive system. However, if done improperly, intermittent fasting can hurt a person’s metabolism. “The main drawback from what I’ve seen is if you are trying to force it and not listening to your hunger cues, then you might put yourself in that starvation mode when your body will just hold onto everything it can get when you do let yourself eat,” Utech said. For those interested in intermittent fasting, Utech recommends trying it for a few weeks. If a person is not adjusting and still feeling hungry all the time, she said to switch back to three main meals to keep a healthy metabolism. Another drawback, Utech said, is a risk that most diets have: gaining the weight back after quitting the diet. “It’s kind of going the same way as every other fad diet that we see come out because it’s seen as this magic pill,” she said. “People think it will work for everyone, especially because it’s

Above: Barry Ripley has lost 40 pounds and Jessica Wilson has lost 60 pounds since 2017. Right: Barry Ripley and Jessica Wilson also exercise to help them lose weight.

not telling you to cut out any certain foods.” Ripley and Wilson, however, aren’t worried about that. They view intermittent fasting as a lifestyle change, not a diet. “You don’t have to do it all the time,” Ripley said. “It’s not like the ketogenic diet, where if you have one bad day, you mess up your diet for a long time. You can take a weekend off and jump back in when you start work on Monday.” The couple said they’ve heard from various reasons why others haven’t tried it: the feeling of hunger, the lack of their favorite

meal or missing out on a morning cup of coffee. However, Wilson said with a little adjustment, those things can be avoided. “It takes about a week or two to get used to, and you sleep through most of the fasting period,” she said. “If you really enjoy breakfast foods, you can have them at noon when the fast is over.” Plus, Ripley said that because coffee is zero calories, fasters can have it anytime throughout the fasting period. The couple said those looking to try intermittent fasting should plan out their meals and make sure they’re eating healthy

portions. Utech said a good way to stay on course is by packing food when going to work or out for the day. For those who need extra encouragement, Wilson found the app FastHabit helpful because it sets a timer for the fasting period and sends alerts and reminders when the period is over. “People will often say, ‘Oh, I’ll just starve myself; I can’t do that,’” Wilson said. “I promise, you can. It’s not that hard.”

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JUNE 2019

The power

of mindfulness A wellness coach visiting Sarasota shares her tips for how being mindful can improve your health, reduce stress and aid in weight loss. was recently in Sarasota to lead a workshop on using mindfulness for weight reduction. We followed up with her to share some of her excellent insights on mindfulness and how the practice can help all of us in our daily lives.

KRISTINE NICKEL

shley Norwood is a certified wellness coach, a mindfulness-based stress reduction practitioner and a yoga teacher. She leads mindfulness courses and group health coaching classes/workshops for Atrius Health, Harvard University, MIT and Tufts University. Ashley

Ashley, we hear and read so much about mindfulness these days. Can you give us a working explanation of just what mindfulness is? Mindfulness is a particular way of paying attention. It means you’re right here, right now — and not by accident. You purposefully brought your attention to this present moment. The second ingredient in mindfulness is a little trickier to describe and to experience. It’s that you come to this present moment without

and think mindfulness isn’t for you because most humans find it difficult. I understand, but perhaps some more ways that mindfulness works in day-to-day life would benefit our readers. I make a distinction between formal meditation practice (for most people this is when you use a recording to focus on a primary object — you breathe, “touch points” where the body is making contact, sound, walking, etc.)

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judgment. In other words, you are right here, right now. And you are open and curious about how things are because you realize you’ve never been in this particular moment before. When describing mindfulness, it’s important to note that our human minds don’t take to it easily. As my teacher says, “It’s very popular now, but it’s still an acquired taste.” So it’s important to not get discouraged when you first start learning these practices

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Ashley Norwood

“Mindfulness is a particular way of paying attention. It means you’re right here, right now — and not by accident. You purposefully brought your attention to this present moment.” — Ashley Norwood

and informal mindfulness practice (when you purposefully bring your attention to whatever you’re doing). You can use your senses to bring mindfulness to any daily activity, and a few examples I find most people can relate to easily are mindful showering and mindful driving. To shower mindfully, you notice how the water feels against your skin, the smell of your soap or shampoo, listen to the sound of the water, feel sensations occurring in your body like your muscles softening/relaxing. When your mind jumps into the future and anticipates the coming day or gets lost in a story, you bring your attention back to your body standing in the shower. It’s a fun example because from a sense perspective, it’s usually quite pleasant. For mindful driving, you purposely feel your body making contact with the seat of the car (contact made by the thighs, buttocks, back), the steering wheel underneath your hands, the heaviness of your foot pressing down on the pedal. You can listen to the sound of the traffic (make sure the radio is turned off) and notice what you are seeing (the other cars, the sky, the trees etc). When the mind wanders away, which it will, it’s not a problem. Just choose to come back to the moment through your senses. It’s actually a very safe way to drive. One of the things that you are putting special emphasis on is using mindfulness around weight control, especially issues like emotional eating, speed eating in our “fast-track

society” and eating “mindlessly” to soothe ourselves. What tips can you give to get us started on using mindful skills in this huge area of interest? Don’t deny — start a mindfulness meditation practice now, even if you start with five or 10 minutes three times a week. A consistent meditation practice teaches you how to sustain your attention in the present moment, how to sit with discomfort, how to observe your experience without judgement, eventually breaking free from the pattern of rebelling against the conditioned critic in your head. The practice is the very necessary foundation for changing your relationship to food and eating. Most of us practice eating mindlessly every day, which means we eat while we’re doing something else, like looking at our phone, watching TV, reading the news, answering email and text messages. Start to cultivate the opposite by setting aside time to simply eat. That means you put everything and everyone else aside and sit down with your food. You look at the color and texture, smell the aroma. Take one bite at a time, putting the food or the utensil down in between bites, so you can keep your full attention on the bite in your mouth. How does it taste? Is it sweet, tangy, creamy, savory, crunchy? Can you hear yourself chewing? Do you feel the impulse to swallow when it arises? Your mind is going to tell you “I don’t have time for this,” so tap into your curiosity, and experiment with doing it just once while

JUNE 2019

timing yourself. Believe it or not, eating a mindful snack or meal only takes about five to 12 minutes, and you will be surprised by how much it changes your experience of eating. Finally, one of the things I found especially helpful is the “awareness, awareness, awareness, awareness, change” concept. Can you elaborate on this? Humans have evolved to be problem-solvers, which has clearly worked out for our species in a variety of ways. However, this impulse to continuously dwell on how to “fix ourselves” reinforces the conditioned narrative in our head and makes changing our behavior in a lasting and positive way very difficult. The antidote is to bring a kind, compassionate awareness to the present moment over and over again to see clearly what we’re doing and why. If food is our “thing” (what we turn to for comfort or what we use to avoid feeling difficult emotions), then our natural inclination will be to observe our eating habits with a cold, critical attention. We actually have to learn how to observe ourselves with warmth and patience. When we do that, lasting change is the natural outcome of awareness — hence awareness, awareness, awareness, awareness, awareness, awareness, change. Kristine Nickel is a marketing communications consultant. For more than 30 years, she has relieved her stress by writing features for publications across the country.

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JUNE 2019

Simple exercises to limber up Doing these brief stretches can help increase mobility and flexibility — now and for years to come.

ANDREW ATKINS STAFF WRITER

arina Bourantonis started her yoga journey when she was 15 with the intention of soothing her emotional pain. But after several accidents, it became a way to soothe her physical pain. By stretching and staying limber, Bourantonis noted that increased flexibility led to an increased feeling of wellness. Now 41, Bourantonis owns the

Thavma Yoga Studios in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch with her husband, Athanasios. Through the practices she offers, she emphasizes improving flexibility while also building strength. Few might think of stretching as a “workout,” but that doesn’t make it any less important than aerobic exercise or lifting weights. “That yin and yang is where people should be playing,” Bourantonis said. “Extremes in anything aren’t good.” As we age, we naturally become

less flexible, said Dr. Laura Ottaviani, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with Coastal Orthopedics. Although flexibility focuses on muscle tissue, tight muscles over time can lead to problems with joints and range of motion, which may eventually lead to pain. “There is a lot of very complex muscular dysfunction that can lend itself to bone pain and muscle pain, especially as we get older, because we get a little more sedentary,” she said. “We can

become quite stiff, and we don’t realize what’s happening.” Although Ottaviani is usually treating people because they’re already experiencing pain, she encourages all of her patients — particularly those in their 20s, 30s and 40s, to establish an exercise routine that includes flexibility work. “It might not be something your body needs now, necessarily,” she said, but as patients get older, “It’s only going to benefit you.”

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CROSS-LEGGED TWIST In a seated position with the legs crossed, place one hand to the opposite knee. Keeping the back straight, place the other hand at the base of your spine and twist away from the hand on the knee, drawing a line with the chin to look over your shoulder.

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Ottaviani often recommends yoga, she said, though she cautioned that older patients experiencing medical problems should see a doctor or specialist and work with them to establish an exercise routine specific to their body’s needs to avoid damage. Bourantonis said those interested in yoga should find a quali-

fied instructor and take a class in person, especially first-timers. That way, the instructor can check the person’s stance and offer modifications of stances to best suit the person. She also said yoga can offer emotional benefits, too, by helping to release tension. “We always feel like we’re not enough,” she said. “We need to learn to love ourselves and accept ourselves.” For newcomers who struggle to get into yoga — for physical limitations of for just a lack of interest — Bourantonis said to be persistent, and they will get hooked. “Don’t let your limitations discourage you. Give it another try,” she said.

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HEALTH MATTERS

YourObserver.com

JUNE 2019

Sweatin’

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and well-rounded from a fitness standpoint, the women said. “It’s the perfect length,” Kerwin said of Simmons’ tapes. “What he does different is he doesn’t talk as much. He lets the music be the inspiration.” Fisher aded: “The music is our era, too. It’s the music we all grew up with, and it makes it more fun.” The women and more than a dozen others get together three times a week for low-impact exercise. Kerwin keeps the stash of videotapes and DVDs and brings a few to choose from for each of the meetings, which are held Mondays and Wednesdays at Town Hall North and Fridays at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall. Some videos are newer and some older, but each is low-impact and lasts between 30 minutes and one hour. The tapes vary in style, whether walking, dancing or something different altogether. “I like the variety,” Fisher said. Lately, the group has been

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Riverwalk’s Linda Carroll and River Club’s Penny Savage like doing low-impact exercises in a group setting because they have fun while they work out.

doing “newer” tapes with plenty of walking. It’s still a good workout, but it’s not quite the same. “We don’t get our heart rate up on the walking tapes like on the old ones,” Fisher said. The old Kathy Smith video is a favorite, too. “We loved it because it takes care of your whole body,” Carroll said. “The old Jane Fonda one does, too.” On this Wednesday morning, they select “Dance that Walk” by Gina Buber. The women start with walking in place and then add a salsa dancing motion.

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they exercise, but they take their workouts seriously. Kerwin, Carroll and Fisher have exercised together for 18 years through the group, which started at Woodland Community Church in 2000 with two ladies and later grew to about eight, Carroll said. The group moved locations recently for space concerns. Kerwin said she likes that there are no memberships required. The group pays for insurance, about $35 per member annually, but otherwise the workouts are free to participate.

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“I like her hairdo,” Carroll commented as the ladies followed Buber’s instructions. Talking during workouts is part of the routine. The women chat about TV shows or movies, new restaurants or other topics. “It’s a good way to keep in touch,” Carroll said. In fact, it’s one of the reason Carroll likes the group so much, she said. She exercises two days a week with an instructor. It’s a good workout, but it cuts out all time for conversation and connecting with friends. The women might talk while

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n an era where many workouts consist of saddling up for a spin workout or hopping into a hip-hop dance class, a group of Lakewood Ranch ladies would rather be “Sweatin’ to the Oldies.” When Linda Carroll, Louise Fisher and Valerie Kerwin get together to exercise, they like to go old-school: They let videos be their workout instructors. Sure, they enjoy modern workout videos and instructors, such as Leslie Sanson or Gina Buber, but some of the best, they say, are the classics produced during the home-workout craze’s origins. After all, where else can you find Jane Fonda leading the way in a leotard with colorful leg warmers or Richard Simmons, clad in his characteristic tank top and short shorts, encouraging you enthusiastically? In one Simmons video, an Elvis impersonator even makes an appearance on a motorcycle. It’s silly, but the videos are fun

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HEALTH MATTERS

YourObserver.com

JUNE 2019

Medicine cabinet up to date? Local pharmacists suggest a spring cleaning might be in order. JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

he home medicine cabinet, as many know it, might need an overhaul. “People clean out their bread drawer,” said Jerry Pireaux, the owner, with his wife Kelly, of the Bee Ridge Pharmacy in Sarasota along with the Lakewood Ranch Pharmacy. “So I hope you clean out your medicine cabinet.” Pireaux and Alejandro Vazquez, an associate professor of Pharmacy Practice for LECOM in Lakewood Ranch, were asked what a well-equipped medicine cabinet should contain these days and to identify some items that definitely shouldn’t be inside. They both started in the “shouldn’t be inside” category with the same thought: Clean out expired medicine. “Those beyond-use dates are really meant to say how long it can sit sealed,” Vazquez. “Once open, that date is not as good anymore.” Pireaux said some old medicines might not hurt you, but they won’t do you much good either. “Something like hydrogen peroxide, which really is 3% hydrogen peroxide, will evaporate. So basically, over time, you will have only water.” But some out-of-date medi-

cines can cause damage. Pireaux noted something like an old ointment could actually infect a wound it was meant to heal. And Vazquez warned, “Absolutely don’t mess with anything out of date having to do with the eyes.” So what are some must-haves in the Florida medicine cabinet? Both pharmacists started the list with sunscreen. “Thirty and up,” said Pireaux, who said there wasn’t a lot of difference in the protection of the higher ratings. “People want color. If you don’t, just wear zinc oxide, and be done with it.” Both mentioned long-time staples: Band-Aids and gauze along with Tums. “Things to have in a household are different,” Pireaux said. “Older people are going to be different than a family with small children, or empty nesters are different than young couples without children.” Pireaux talked about how new residents of Florida often have problems with bugs, especially fire ants. He said keeping a hydrocortisone cream and a Benadryl lotion allows people to attack the problem multiple ways. He said older people with thinner skin might make sure they keep topical antibiotic handy. In terms of pain killers, Pireaux said most pain medications “are safe for most people,” but it helps to consult with a pharmacist to find out what is right for each individual. Pireaux said all his employees are pharmacists, so his customers never have to worry

MEDICINE CABINET MUSTS n Suntan lotion (30 SPF and up) n Hydrocortisone cream n Benadryl lotion n Topical antibiotic n Band-Aids n Gauze n Tums n Calamine lotion n Activated charcoal

Jay Heater

Jerry Pireaux, the owner, with his wife Kelly, of the Bee Ridge Pharmacy in Sarasota along with the Lakewood Ranch Pharmacy, said it is imperative to get rid of out-of-date medications.

about a cashier trying to recommend medicines. Vazquez hopes those looking for drugs, whether prescription or over-the-counter, seek out information from pharmacists like Pireaux and his staff. “It’s where the pharmacy can shine,” Vazquez said. At LECOM, Vazquez teaches a pharmacist-provided care class that deals with strictly over-thecounter drugs. He tries to teach his students to be passionate about giving out information. “It’s free to talk to pharmacists, and they can help, and it’s where

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you can find out what’s best for you,” Vazquez said. “We’re a society that has a lot of aches and pains, and we need to find out what is best for you.” Vazquez said each home should have a good first aid kit that includes the aforementioned Band-Aids, burn cream and antibiotic cream. He noted that many medicine cabinets include ipecac, which induced vomiting in case someone swallowed a poison. He said it has been found that the poison stays in the stomach and esophagus, so activated charcoal is now

recommended instead. Vasquez said everyone should keep it at home, especially if there is a child in the house. He also said medicine cabinets might eventually become a thing of the past, unless homeowners need a place to keep the shaving cream and toothpaste. “The medicine cabinet in the bathroom is not the best place to store medicine,” Vazquez said. “It can cause issues with capsules because of the humidity.” He said if the household has no children, a dresser drawer works quite well. “But you need to put your medications somewhere where it is easy to remember them,” he said. “I keep my medications under my coffee machine in a drawer.” The coffee machine cabinet? Perhaps not.

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