Voice News July 8 2010 Section 3

SECTION 3 • VOICE
NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Page 25
VOICE NEWS
Health
&Beauty
Special Section
For easy reference for our readers and advertisers, check out our special
sections online at www.voicenewsnebraska.com
Krejci fights Tularemia a little known disease
compliments of infection from ticks and flies
By Machaela Beltzer
Tularemia. Tula-what?
WebMD defines it as “a rare infectious disease that most often affects small mammals such as rabbits,
rodents and hares. It is highly infectious and is most often transmitted to
humans by handling an infected animal or being bit by an infected tick or
fly.”
It sounds innocuous enough. We
live in Nebraska after all and ticks are
a very common and unwelcome sight.
They seem particularly bad this year.
They were a most unwelcome visitor in Tami Krejci’s life.
During the last few days of April,
Tami took the Krejci family dog,
Bentley, for her routine walk near their
rural Hickman home. Their customary path includes a passage near the
property line. Tami and Bentley returned home energized and refreshed.
Later that evening, she found two
ticks embedded in her scalp. One of
the ticks was the regular, garden variety and one was a deer tick. She removed the annoying pests and
promptly flushed them down the toilet.
By April 30th, one of Tami’s lymph
nodes was swollen to the size of a
pea and was painful to the touch.
Within a short 24 hour period, the
lymph was marble-sized. By Sunday, May 2nd, it had ballooned to the
size of a peach pit and Tami was getting scared. She was feverish and
her vision was blurry and hazy. She
called her usual walking partner who
is an RN. Her friend advised her to
head directly to an urgent care facility.
After drawing blood samples to
send to the Mayo clinic, the initial
diagnosis was an infection of some
sort and antibiotics were prescribed.
The test results would not be available for three days and Tami went
home. Additional symptoms of headaches, severe body aches, continued,
fever and severe fatigue followed in
short order.
Having received no relief from the
initial round of antibiotics, Tami next
sought the help of her general practitioner physician. Her doctor suspected either Lyme’s disease or Dengue fever since Tami and her husband
Jeff had just returned from vacationing in Mexico and she was presenting all the symptoms of having been
infected with malaria. The physician
drew more blood for testing. Please
understand these blood draws are not
just finger pricks. They are taken from
the arm and are by no means small.
Tami, her family and her physician
tried to patiently endure the one week
turnaround time required to obtain the
results of the blood work.
A mere 12 days passed since the
initial onset of the symptoms and now
Tami was shaking uncontrollably in
addition to continuing to suffer from
the original symptoms. She said Jeff
had to nearly place her in a body-hold
at night to get the shaking to cease
long enough for Tami to get some
much-needed rest.
May 12th, the GP’s office called with
the results of the blood work. All tests
were negative. Unable to give relief
to his patient, Tami’s physician referred her to Consultants Infectious
Disease office located in the Bryan
Medical Plaza on May 14th. Dr. Steven
Rademacher was the right man for the
job. Tami states with great admiration, “He found the needle in the haystack.” Dr. Rademacher strongly suspected that Tami was suffering from
tularemia, drew more vials of blood
and prescribed the correct antibiotic,
doxycycline.
Doxycyline provided Tami with
some relief and she became hopeful.
Sadly, two days later she begins to
present new symptoms including lesions on her arms and legs. The results of the blood work were not back
yet.
On May 19th, Tami began to get
really frightened. She had extreme
difficulty breathing. She and Jeff
packed her bags because they are adamant that she be admitted to the hospital or they were leaving that day to
make the drive to the Mayo clinic.
Dr. Rademacher admitted Tami to
the hospital and scheduled surgery
for the next morning. It was then determined that the tularemia had progressed to a systemic infection (an
infection throughout her body) and
was coming through her skin in the
form of lesions.
The surgery was initially planned
to remove one of Tami’s lymph
glands for testing. When she awoke
from anesthesia, Tami had three surgical sites from her scalp line down to
her shoulder. The first two lymph
glands removed were unusable for
testing because
they had been
completely eaten
by the bacteria infecting her body.
I r o n i c a l l y,
while Tami was recovering from
surgery, the blood
work results from
Dr. Rademacher’s
office were returned. All tests
are
negative.
Even the test for
tularemia is nega-
Medical photos found on the upmc
biosecurity website of patients with tuleremia
tive.
Monday, May 24th is the day that
Tami Krejci and her family finally had
an answer to her illness. The second
round of testing on Tami’s blood for
tularemia came back positive.
These days, Tami’s almost back to her
old self. She has some numbness in her
right arm resulting from the removal of the
third lymph gland. It has yet to be determined whether the damage is temporary
or permanent.
“The good news is I can never get it
again!” Tami quips. This, thanks to the
antibodies her body has developed as a
result of the tularemia.
Hindsight is always 20-20. Had she
kept the confounded pest that infected her,
testing could have been done and would
have immediately proved that tularemia
was the culprit.
If a person Googles the term, they are
prompted to specify whether they want
the information on bio-terrorism or the
bacterial infection. According to the Center for Biosecurity, 50 kilograms of tularemia released in a populated area of five
million people would cause 250,000 casualties and 19,000 deaths.
Tularemia is number five on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s
list of bio-terrorism agents and diseases.
It follows the more familiar but no less
frightening diseases of anthrax, botulism,
plague and smallpox.
Tami is determined to put this all behind her and get on with her life.
There were some days, however,
when this usually active gal could not
even get out of bed. “I did keep up on
the laundry, though! People were just
wonderful. They brought me smoothies,
casseroles and prayed. There were
times when those prayers alone got me
through the day.”
It may seem a bit peculiar to include a story about a rare disease in
a Health and Beauty section. Tami
Krejci's beauty comes from the most
important place. It comes from
within. Tami's faith and belief in the
goodness of her fellow beings has
been reaffirmed. And that is beauty
in its truest form.
Jeff and Tami Krejci had a lot to celebrate at their son
Jared’s wedding on June 26th.
Page 26 -
SECTION 3 • VOICE
NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010
Five ways to deal
with sibling rivalry
By Jane Isay
The bane of many parents’ existence is the rivalry that exists
among their children when they are
young and when they are adults.
There seems no end to it. Children
count the number of potato chips
on every plate, and adults keep
track of the value of gifts their siblings receive.
Being evenhanded and fair with
a pack of kids takes more energy
and patience than most of us have,
and we hope they will grow out of
their competition. Understanding
the root of rivalry—which is a small
child’s belief that there isn’t enough
food, or sweets, or love to go
around—may make it easier to
think through the situations as they
come up. Here are some tips for
downplaying sibling rivalry.
1. If you didn’t see it happen,
you can’t decide who did it. Staying out of your kids’ fights is a powerful tool in helping them resolve
their conflicts on their own, even
though things may get out of hand
regularly. Encourage them to settle
disputes among themselves, and
intercede only to avoid physical
harm.
Stay neutral whenever possible.
Always telling the older child, for
instance, to give in to the baby isn’t
fair, and they both know it. It’s better to make them both sit in a big
old chair until they’ve made up. It
may take more patience to do this
than to side with one of the kids,
so don’t blame yourself when you
lose it. Kids know your limits and
they can’t expect more from you.
2. Steer clear of favorites. Every child wants to be the favorite,
and if there is a favorite, all the others are jealous of him or her. They
feel that they’ll never get enough of
your time and attention, and they
often blame the favorite for the rest
of their lives.
It’s natural for a mom or a dad
to feel a greater kinship with one
of the kids. He or she may look like
you, or resemble somebody you
love. Or you may share temperaments or ways of thinking. That’s
natural, but there are plenty of
ways you can make the others feel
special. Also, beware the favoritism of relatives. That can make the
competition more serious. Explain-
ing to an aunt that the un-favorite
is feeling bad can usually do the
trick.
3. Be flexible about how you
characterize your kids. If one child
is “the smart one,” and another “the
pretty one,” or somebody is the
bad child and another the perfect
child, kids feel pushed to fit that
role, and that makes for mutual
hostility. Since the pretty one may
be smarter than you think, and the
quiet one may grow a good social
intelligence, let those stereotypes
float away. The kids who get along
best in their families are the ones
who don’t feel boxed in.
4. Encourage your kids’ differences, and don’t compare them.
This helps to downplay rivalry. If
they all want to play musical instruments, help them to choose different ones, and the same goes for
sports.
Of course if you have two tennis stars, that’s great (how could
we live without the Williams sisters?), but you can praise their
strengths in different areas, too.
Spending alone time regularly with
each of the kids will go a long way
to helping them deal with their competition over your time and attention.
5. Whenever you can, level the
playing field. Give your clumsy girl
dancing lessons and the one with
unruly hair a good haircut. Then you
can focus on the strengths that
make each child different.
At the end of a long day, it’s almost impossible to keep these tips
in mind, so try to actively deal with
sibling rivalry only when you are
fresh and have the energy. Children
who feel that they are known and
appreciated for themselves are less
likely to be so competitive with
others.
Kids are verysmart, and they
know what you’re thinking most of
the time. And since you love them
all (most of the time), these tips may
start coming naturally to you. The
energy you spend now will repay
you when they grow up. Seeing your
grown kids like each other and get
along is one of life’s joys.
Jane Isay is the author of “Mom
Still Likes You Best: The Unfinished
Business Between Siblings.” You
can find her online at janeisay.com.
Tea Topics
The next time you drink to your
health, you may want to grab a cup
of tea. It is a healthful and refreshing drink and green tea in particular
provides antioxidants. Studies performed on these antioxidants indicate that they may be beneficial in
contributing to the prevention of
certain cancers, assist in lowering
cholesterol and blood pressure and
possibly fighting off the flu.
Bottled vs. Brewed
There are different ways to enjoy green tea; however, some may
be better for you than others. Compared to equal servings of bottled
tea, freshly brewed tea made from
tea bags provides higher levels of Ditch your bottled tea for the real thing: Freshly brewed tea
antioxidants, helps protect the en- may be better for your health, your wealth and the planet.
There are nearly 138 billion bevvironment by reducing the num- gen and can be destroyed during the
erage
containers that end up in landprocessing,
transportation
and
storber of single-use beverage containers that go into landfills, and age of bottled teas. Also, bottled fills each year. It has been estimated
costs up to five times less than an teas are often loaded with sweeten- by the Container Recycling Instiequal-size serving of bottled tea. ers and other additives that can tute that the average American
eliminate antioxidants and add un- wastes 425 plastic bottles per year,
Better for the Body
According to the U.S. Depart- wanted calories. Compared to fla- resulting in increased energy conment of Agriculture, depending on vored bottled teas that have more sumption, greenhouse gas emisthe type of tea and bag weight, than 100 calories per bottle, freshly sions and littering.
Better for the Wallet
freshly brewed tea made with tea brewed tea, including flavored tea
Bottled teas tend to retail for
bags can contain up to 95 percent such as Salada’s Pomegranate Berry
higher levels of the antioxidant Green Tea or Strawberry Green Tea, more than a dollar; freshly brewed
EGCG compared to bottled teas. is typically a zero-calorie, sugar-free iced tea made with tea bags can
cost under 50 cents for a 16-ounce
Tea’s naturally occurring antioxi- beverage.
serving.
Better for the Planet
dants are sensitive to heat and oxy-
Helping boomers to get and stay fit online
There’s good news for those
who find it gets harder to lose weight
as they get older: A new online community has been designed to offer
tips and encouragement to boomers
fighting the “battle of the bulge.”
According to a new report produced by AARP, the American
Medical Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans between the ages of
50 and 64 are finding it hard to shed
unwanted pounds: 32 percent of
adults in this age group are obese and
27 percent have not been physically
active in the past month.
In response, AARP has joined
forces with Carole Carson, a weightloss success story who lost 62
pounds at the age of 60. The author
of “From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself
Into a Weapon of Mass Reduction,”
she is credited with helping more than
a thousand of her Nevada neighbors
and friends lose nearly four tons of
weight in eight weeks.
As part of the “Fat2Fit” online
community, she provides virtual support to thousands of people trying
to be healthy in the middle of leading very busy lives. Fat2Fit online
community participants team up with
other people--no matter what their
age or where they live--who face
similar challenges to give and receive
More than 4,000 people have joined together to lose more
than a ton of weight by participating in an online community.
support in their fitness adventure.
They also receive cooking tips
and advice from experts to help them
stay on track, and eating and exercise routines so new healthy habits
can be developed and sustained.
“We’re having fun gaining friends
and losing weight,” Carson said. “Instead of relying on willpower alone,
we’re relying on people power. Sur-
Advantages of using our dental office:
Digital X-Rays Our environment contains natural radiation and the
dental x-rays produce a low level of radiation that the public and
professional community considers safe. Many precautions are
taken to ensure their safety including using lead aprons, shields,
and a fast process which limits exposure. Using digital x-rays
there is no need for film, processing chemicals, and the dentist
gets the image in about 3 seconds.
Paperless office = helping our office be more “green”
We do all insurance processing as a courtesy for our patients
Family 1st Dental
Dr. Tom Martin
(402) 792-3000
650 Chestnut St.•Hickman | www.familyfirst dental.com
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rounding ourselves with support from
like-minded teammates makes all the
difference.”
To date, more than 4,000 people
have joined together to lose more than
a ton of weight by participating in the
community.
AARP’s president, Jennie Chin
Hansen, also decided to join. “I find
myself at that stage of life where the
weight has slowly crept up over the
years. Like many baby boomers, I’m
balancing a busy schedule. I spend a
lot of time volunteering at AARP as
the president and thus have the
added challenge of fitting activity into
my daily routine,” Chin Hansen said.
Fat2Fit is free, open to all ages
and welcomes AARP members and
nonmembers alike. To learn more,
visit www.aarp.org/Fat2Fit.
Narconon drug rehab philosophy
When a family has a member addicted to drugs or alcohol or one is
looking for a drug rehab facility, arguing over philosophic methods is
hardly appropriate. However, results
are. Will my son or daughter get
results and be able to live drug free?
This question is more to the point.
One organization provides stellar
results and has a new philosophy
proving to be more workable than
older ones. Scientists and the medical and chemical dependency community have argued for years over
whether drug or alcohol addiction
is a genetically or bio-chemically
predisposed condition. One school
of thought embraces the “disease
concept”, the idea that addiction is
a genetic disease and the individual
is permanently ill at a genetic level.
However, the Narconon program
presents a new philosophy into this
scene, and this one is backed up by drug
rehab results of permanent recovery
from addiction. There is a philosophy
called the Life Cycle of Addiction. In
this case, it is viewed that a person has
a problem, discomfort or some form of
emotional or physical pain they are experiencing. They find this difficulty very
hard to deal with. In fact, they have no
solution. This is something we have all
had to deal with at one time or another
in our lives, a difficult or traumatic situation that we had no solution for. The
difference with a person that becomes
an addict is that at the time of this traumatic experience they are subjected to
a drug or alcohol influence that then, due
to the painkilling effects, provides a temporary relief from the negative feelings
associated with the problem. Once the
drug or alcohol is used as a solution,
SECTION 3 • VOICE
and provides relief, the person is liable
to use it again and again as the pain returns when the drug or intoxicated feeling wears off. This leads to addiction. To solve addiction, the mental and physical factors connected with it must be
addressed. The Narconon drug rehabilitation program that has been in use
for over 40 years addresses these factors and returns to the addict their selfdeterminism over drugs and alcohol enabling them to live a drug-free life. The
Narconon program uses the philosophy
of the life cycle of addiction and as such
achieves a 70% success rate on average. Traditional philosophies have about
a 16-20% recovery rate. Truly understanding addiction can make all the
difference. If you would like to find out
more about the Narconon program or
know of someone struggling with addiction contact Narconon at 877-237-3307.
NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Page 27
Skin Cancer Prevention
Guidelines for summer
Tips to Use All Summer Long
Let Advanced Aesthetics
pamper you after some fun in the sun
by Carrie Didrichsons,
Licensed Esthetic Instructor
at Advanced Aesthetics
With summer here, I am sure we
are all conscious about the practice of enjoying the sun safely.
Stores are stocked with
shelves of lotions that
contain broad spectrum
sunscreens to ensure
everyone can enjoy the
sun unharmed.
In addition to protecting our skin, our skin
needs to be pampered as
well during these warm
months. With temperatures rising causing us
to sweat, our pores can
become clogged much
easier than in the dry
winter months.
So what services
should you be looking
for this summer? Well, to
start out with, there are
countless facials to
choose from. Facials
typically include a deep
cleansing and exfoliation. The esthetician
may also perform extractions to
manually extract debris (sweat and
dead skin) from your pores. This
will help in reducing the appearance of blackheads as well as
cleaning out the pores. Pores that
are clogged appear larger than normal, so receiving a deep cleansing
will help the pore return to its normal size.
Back facials are also in high demand during the summer months.
Our backs are probably the most
neglected area of skin because it
is the hardest to reach. Most
women will choose to put on summer dresses, tanks and swimsuits.
A back that is suffering from break
outs will leave a majority of women
feeling self conscious about wearing these fun outfits. Men will
also experience breakouts from the
ing of the entire body is performed
first to exfoliate the skin and stimulate circulation. An application of
body oil is next, followed by a
sprinkling of Chinese herb granules. The esthetician will lightly
heat by participating in sporting
activities or just by producing
more sweat than usual, leaving
their backs to endure clogged
pores. A back facial is exactly what
it sounds like; a facial for your
back. An esthetician can customize a facial that targets breakouts
by using products and machines
to improve the skin.
Body treatments are also a great
way to get your skin glowing for
summer.
The Herbology
Retexturizing Body Treatment is a
favorite for summer. A dry brush-
massage the granules onto the
skin for additional exfoliation, concentrating on any dry areas you
may have. You can look forward
to being wrapped for approximately 20 minutes while enjoying
a scalp massage or other add on
service. (You can also request a
facial while you are wrapped up
for extra pampering!!) After the
wrap is removed, the esthetician
will hydrate your skin with a moisturizing lotion leaving your skin
looking polished and radiant!!
All of these services are offered at
Advanced Aesthetics Elite Education
and Day Spa and are performed by
esthetic students who are overseen by
licensed esthetic instructors. Advanced Aesthetics Elite Education and
Day Spa is located at 5600 South 48th
Street, Suite 101 in Lincoln. To make
an appointment, stop in or call 402420-7346!
Skin cancer is the most common
form of cancer in the United States,
with 3.5 million cases in over two
million people diagnosed annually.
Fortunately, skin cancer is also one
of the most preventable forms of
cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the following prevention tips:
1. Seek the shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the
sun is strongest. An extra rule of
thumb is the “shadow rule.” If your
shadow is shorter than you are, ultraviolet (UV) exposure is high; if
your shadow is longer, the UV exposure is lower.
2. Do not burn. Sunburns are serious and should be avoided at all
costs. A person’s risk for skin cancer doubles if he or she had had
five or more sunburns at any point
in life. Not only can they significantly increase your chances of
getting skin cancer, but severe
burns can make you ill. For severe
burns you should see your doctor.
3. Avoid tanning and UV tanning
booths. Ultraviolet radiation from
tanning machines is cancer-causing
to humans. Indoor UV tanners are
74 percent more likely to develop
melanoma than those who have
never tanned indoors. Additionally,
the more time a person has spent
tanning indoors, the higher the risk.
4. Use a sunscreen with an SPF
of 15 or higher every day. For proper
UVB protection The Skin Cancer
Foundation recommends using SPF
30 when spending extended time
outdoors. For effective UVA protection, select products that also contain some combination of
avobenzone, oxybenzone, mexoryl,
zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
5. Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons)
of sunscreen to all exposed areas,
30 minutes before going outside.
Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive
sweating. This means that a six ounce
bottle of sunscreen offers two full days
of sun protection for prolonged out-
door activity.
6. Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UVblocking sunglasses. Clothing can be
your most effective form of sun protection, so make the most of it with
densely woven and bright- or darkcolored fabrics, which offers the best
defense. The more skin you cover, the
better, so choose long sleeves and long
pants whenever possible.
7. Keep newborns out of the sun.
Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months. Children are extremely vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation. Just one severe
sunburn in childhood doubles the
chances of developing melanoma
later in life.
8. Examine your skin from
head-to-toe every month. While selfexams shouldn’t replace the important annual skin exam performed by
a physician, they offer the best
chance of detecting the early warning signs of skin cancer. If you notice any change in an existing mole
or discover a new one that looks
suspicious, see a physician immediately. To find out more about how
to spot a skin cancer and for information on self-exams, visit
w w w. S k i n C a n c e r. o r g /
selfexamination.
9. See your physician every
year for a professional skin exam.
You
can
also
check
www.SkinCancer.org/tour to see if
The Skin Cancer Foundation’s
Road to Healthy Skin Tour is coming to your area. The Tour, presented by Aveeno(R) and Rite Aid,
provides Free, full-body skin exams
by local dermatologists.
The Skin Cancer Foundation is
committed to educating the public
and medical professionals about
sun safety. As leaders in the fight
against skin cancer, the Foundation
is the only global organization
solely devoted to the prevention,
detection and treatment of skin
cancer. For more information, visit
www.skincancer.org.
Cool tips for warm weather foot care
If you’re like most people, you
take 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
Here are 12 more steps you can take
to keep your feet in good shape, especially during the warmer months:
1. Sunny days and warm nights
may encourage wearing flip-flops, but
it’s a good idea to get the kind made
of high-quality, soft leather to minimize the potential for blisters. Make
sure your foot doesn’t hang over the
edge and beware of irritation where
the toe thong fits. It can lead to blisters and infections. Don’t wear flipflops to play sports, do yard work or
walk long distances.
2. Keep your feet healthy with a
waterproof, oil-free sunscreen every
time you wear sandals outdoors.
3. Dr. Kathleen Stone, president
of the American Podiatric Medical
Association, says, “Pampering and
grooming your feet promotes good
foot hygiene and should be done frequently to contribute not only to your
foot health in warmer weather but also
to your body’s overall health.” Try
soaking your feet for at least five minutes in a bucket of cool water.
4. Use a foot file or pumice stone to
gently smooth the skin around the heel
and the balls and sides of your feet.
5. Gently push back cuticles with a
cuticle pusher or manicure stick. Cuticles provide a protective barrier
against infection and should never
be cut.
6. To prevent fungal infections
and viruses that cause warts, wash
your feet daily with soap and water,
drying carefully, especially between the
toes.
7. Change your shoes regularly.
8. Avoid walking barefoot, particularly in public showers and locker
rooms. Bare feet are exposed to plan-
tar warts and athlete’s foot.
9. To prevent hot, sweaty feet and
foot odor, rub cornstarch or roll-on
antiperspirant directly on the soles of
your feet.
10. Use a nail clipper to cut toenails straight across. Then, use an
emery board to smooth the nail edges
by filing in one direction without drastically rounding the edges. When toenail edges are rounded, it increases
the chances for painful ingrown toenails.
11. Consult a podiatrist if you have
any foot pain or other problems affecting your feet. Podiatrists, explains
Dr. Stone, are uniquely qualified to diagnose and treat conditions of the foot
and ankle.
12. For more information about
foot care or to find a podiatrist near
you, visit www.apma.org.
Page 28 -
SECTION 3 • VOICE
NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010
Making the most of medication
Scientists are taking a new look at
some old health problems and that is good
news for women. At the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for example,
they’ve discovered that women who suffer from heart disease--the leading cause
of death in the United States--may experience very different symptoms than
men. Also, conditions such as osteoarthritis, obesity and depression can be
more common among women than men.
Health scientists and doctors are now
more aware than ever before of how
treating women effectively differs from
treating men. In addition, according to
studies in the Journal of the American
Medical Association, there is growing
awareness among health care professionals that women sometimes neglect
their own health and instead focus on that
of their partners or their children.
Fortunately, help is on the way for
millions of women suffering from a wide
spectrum of diseases and health problems. America’s pharmaceutical research
and biotechnology companies are now
developing and testing nearly 1,000 new
medicines to fight diseases and health
conditions that disproportionately affect
women. These medicines are either in the
development pipeline or are awaiting
approval by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
These new treatments include:
• 163 for female-specific cancers, including 123 for breast cancer, 62 for ovarian cancer and 14 for cervical cancer;
• 131 for arthritis/musculoskeletal disorders. Arthritis affects nearly 41 million
women, who account for 70 percent of
all rheumatoid arthritis sufferers and nearly
59 percent of Americans with osteoarthritis; and • 86 for obstetric and gynecological conditions.
“The more scientists understand
about basic biology,” says Billy Tauzin,
president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America (PhRMA), “the more they
understand how diseases affect men
and women differently and how to
create medicines better able to respond to those differences. Medicines now being tested will give
women and their doctors more options when it comes to finding the best
treatments for each case.”
For more information about women’s
health, visit the National Library of
Medicine at the NIH, www.nih.gov, and
the National Women’s Health Information Center at www.womenshealth.gov.
For more about new medicines being developed to fight diseases and
health conditions that disproportionately
affect women, visit www.PhRMA.org.
Fibromyalgia explained:
A conversation with Dr. Philip Mease
An estimated six to 12 million
Americans suffer from fibromyalgia,
a chronic and debilitating condition
marked by widespread pain and decreased physical functioning. What’s
worse, many people who are living
with fibromyalgia aren’t getting the
help they need.
Dr. Philip Mease, Director of
Rheumatology Research at the
Swedish Medical Center and Clinical Professor at the University of
Washington School of Medicine in
Seattle, Washington, addresses
some common questions about
fibromyalgia, including the telltale
signs and where you can turn if you
have recently been diagnosed or
think you may have fibromyalgia.
How do I know if I have
fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia patients usually experience an array of symptoms, such
as chronic widespread pain, tenderness, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and
trouble keeping physically active.
For those who suffer from
fibromyalgia, these symptoms can
come and go and move about the
body.
Because there are no specific
tests to make a diagnosis of
fibromyalgia, and the symptoms
overlap with many other conditions,
your doctor may have difficulty recognizing it. It is believed that the
problem is in the way that your central nervous system processes pain
and other sensations, so it is not
amenable to standard testing. The diagnosis is made based on your
symptoms and a physical exam. If
you think you might be experiencing
the symptoms mentioned above, it’s
important to describe what you’re
feeling to your doctor in detail so he
or she can diagnose your condition
and help you get better.
I’m having a hard time discussing my symptoms with my
doctor. What should I do?
If you suspect that you have
fibromyalgia but you’re having a
hard time explaining what you’re
going through, be as descriptive
as possible when talking to your
doctor. Expressing your needs
clearly and asking the right questions can help you get the best
care possible. Try to be prepared
by keeping notes of what you are
experiencing and by writing down
any questions you may have before your visit to the doctor ’s office.
Bring a pen and paper to your
appointment in case you think of
more questions during your visit. Re-
member to bring up even the issues
that seem trivial to you because every
detail might be a step closer to an accurate diagnosis. Make sure you understand what your healthcare provider says and try to answer questions
clearly, briefly, and completely.
Finally, as difficult as this process
can be, try to be patient with yourself. A diagnosis and finding the right
treatment program can take time and
your doctor will want to rule out other
potential conditions.
It’s difficult to explain what I’m
g o i n g t h r o u g h t o m y f a m i l y,
friends, and coworkers. How can
I help them understand my
struggle and where can I find support?
Fibromyalgia can be difficult for
people to understand, so your friends
and loved ones may be as confused
as you once were. In a kind way, tell
your loved ones what help you need
and why, and make it clear what you
can and can’t do. Talk about your
pain, how it feels, and what makes it
worse. With a little help, you and your
loved ones can better understand,
connect with, and care for each
other.
Resources are available on the
Internet that might help provide you
and those around you with support
and information about the condition.
Try www.FibroTogether.com, a site
that includes helpful tips from other
fibromyalgia patients and facts about
the condition. Giving the people who
care about you a website link or pamphlet can go a long way in helping
them understand what you’re going
through.
How do I reclaim my life once
I’ve been diagnosed with
fibromyalgia?
Learning that you have a chronic
condition like fibromyalgia can be
scary. For some, the news can actually bring relief, marking an end to
weeks, months, and even years of uncertainty.
Surround yourself with people who
understand what you’re going
through, especially other fibromyalgia
patients. Talking together about
fibromyalgia will make a difference-for you and those you love. Supportive friends and family can make the
process less intimidating. Look into
local support groups and websites like
www.FibroTogether.com.
Finally, your doctor might tell you
about recently approved medications
for the management of fibromyalgia.
Be sure to talk to your doctor and find
out if medication might be an appropriate part of managing your condition.
Life as it
was meant to be!
Enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle
in our secure, spacious apartments.
• 55+ Mature Independent Living Community
• Adjacent to Holmes Lake
• Affordable, Spacious Apartments
• Security Access
• Underground Parking
• Large Party Room with Kitchen
• Social Activities & Coffees
• Yoga & Fitness Classes
6201 Normal Blvd.
Lincoln • 486-4165
Mon. - Thurs. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Fri. 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Key to good health:
Snack early and often
SECTION 3 • VOICE
Signs and
symptoms of gout
Five tips for boosting metabolism,
losing weight and staying energized
One of the easiest ways to dramatically change your diet and improve your health is to rethink what
you’re munching on between meals.
That’s the philosophy of nationally acclaimed dietitian Keri
Glassman, creator of A Nutritious
Life, nutrition expert for “The Early
Show” on CBS and beauty and skin
care expert for WebMD.
Keri takes the guesswork out of dieting. She
specializes in creating diets that integrate nutrientpacked foods and indicate
the best times of day to eat,
including regular snacking. With her new
book, “The O2 Diet”
(Rodale, December
2009), Keri translates
complex scientific research on antioxidants into news
that’s easy to use.
As Keri points out in her book,
most have heard about the powerful antioxidants found in green tea,
but few know that the green nut-pistachios--contains numerous
health-boosting antioxidants as
well.
Keri has teamed up with The
GreenNut.org to offer these five tips
for healthy eating in 2010:
• Don’t skip meals. It slows
your metabolism. Think of your
body as a fire that needs wood
to keep burning. Begin with
breakfast within an hour and a
half of rising. Try six ounces
of nonfat, plain yogurt topped
with a small handful of
pistachios and one cup
of blueberries.
• Eat consistently
throughout the day.
You’ll feel better all
around, and making
this change will aid in
weight loss, too. Small meals every
two to four hours help to stabilize
blood sugar levels and provide more
sustained energy.
• Don’t forget to snack. The perfect snack will have about 120 to 160
calories and provide some fiber and/
or some protein and/or healthy fat.
Try an apple and a stick of reducedfat string cheese or homemade trail
mix composed of two dried apricots
and 18 pistachios.
• Plan ahead. You will save time,
money and calories-guaranteed. Always keep a variety of nuts and
seeds on hand, wash and cut fresh
vegetables right when you return
from the store, portion out hummus
and hard boiled eggs.
• Be creative and experiment
with different seasonings. Herbs
and spices
Chiropractors Offer Tips to
Keep Your Young Athlete Healthy and Fit
Submitted by Brian Garton
Complete Chiropractic - Hickman
Article by The American
Chiropractic Association
In today’s age of health and fitness, more and more kids are involved in sporting activities. Although being part of a football, soccer or Little League team is an important rite of passage for many
kids, parents and their children
could be overlooking the importance of proper nutrition and body
conditioning needed for preventing
injuries on and off the playing field.
“The majority, if not all, sports
are good, provided that the child
prepares appropriately,” says Dr.
Carl Heigl, president of the American Chiropractic Association’s
Council on Sports Injuries and
Physical Fitness. “Without proper
preparation, playing any sport can
turn into a bad experience. There are
structural and physical developmental issues that need to be taken
into consideration before children
undertake certain sports.”
Highly competitive sports such
as football, gymnastics and wrestling follow rigorous training schedules that can be potentially dangerous to an adolescent or teenager.
The best advice for parents who
have young athletes in the family is
to help them prepare their bodies
and to learn to protect themselves
from sports-related injuries before
they happen.
“Proper warm up, stretching and
weight-lifting exercises are essential for kids involved in sports, but
many kids learn improper stretching or weight-lifting techniques,
making them more susceptible to injury,” says Dr. Steve Horwitz, an
ACA member from Silver Spring,
Maryland, and former member of the
U.S. Summer Olympics medical
team. “Parents need to work with
their kids and make sure they receive
the proper sports training.”
“Young athletes should begin
with a slow jog to warm up the legs
and arms and stretch all the major
muscle groups,” says Dr. Horwitz.
“Kids involved in football, baseball,
gymnastics and swimming should
develop a routine that includes
strengthening exercises for the abdomen, the low-back muscles, arms
and shoulders.”
Proper nutrition and hydration
are also extremely vital. “A student
athlete may need to drink eight to
ten 8-ounce glasses of water for
proper absorption. Breakfast
should be the most important meal
of the day. Also, eating a healthy
meal before and after practice or a
game allows for proper replenishment and refuels the body,” adds
Dr. Horwitz. Young athletes today
often think they are invincible. The
following tips can help ensure your
child does not miss a step when it
comes to proper fitness, stretching,
training and rest that the body needs
to engage in sporting activities.
Encourage your child to:
—Wear the proper equipment.
Certain contact sports, such as football and hockey, can be dangerous
if the equipment is not properly fitted. Make sure all equipment, including helmets, pads, and shoes,
fit your child or adolescent. Talk to
your child’s coach or trainer if the
equipment is damaged.
—Eat healthy meals. Make sure
your young athlete is eating a wellbalanced diet and doesn’t skip meals.
—Avoid high-fat foods, such as
candy bars and fast food. At home,
provide fruit rather than cookies,
and vegetables rather than potato
chips.
—Maintain a healthy weight.
Certain sports, such as gymnastics,
wrestling and figure skating, require
your young athlete to follow strict
dietary rules. Be sure your child
does not feel pressured into being
too thin and that he/she understands proper nutrition and caloric
intake is needed for optimal performance and endurance.
—Drink water. Hydration is a key
element to optimal fitness. Teenage
athletes should drink at least eight
8-ounce glasses of water a day.
Younger athletes should drink five
to eight 8-ounce glasses of water.
—Drink milk. Make sure your
child has enough calcium included
in his/her diet. ACA recommends
A par tment L i ving on 1 L e v el
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Rent is based on income, all utilities paid.
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NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Page 29
one percent or skim milk for children over two years old rather than
whole milk because of its high fat
content. The calcium in milk is essential for healthy bones and reduces the risk of joint-and musclerelated injuries. Avoid sugar-loaded,
caffeinated and carbonated drinks.
Sports drinks are a good source of
replenishment for those kids engaged in long-duration sports, such
as track and field.
—Follow a warm-up routine. Be
sure your child or his/her coach includes a warm-up and stretching
session before every practice, game
or meet. A slow jog, jumping rope
and/or lifting small weights reduces
the risk of torn or ripped muscles.
Flexibility becomes a preventive
key when pushing to score that extra goal or make that critical play.
—Take vitamins daily. A multivitamin and Vitamin C are good
choices for the young athlete. Vitamin B and amino acids may help reduce the pain from contact sports.
Thiamine can help promote healing.
Also consider Vitamin A to
strengthen scar tissue.
—Avoid trendy supplements.
Kids under the age of 18 should
avoid the use of performance-enhanced supplements, such as creatine. Instead, they should ask their
coach or trainer to include weekly
weight-training and body-conditioning sessions in their workout.
—Get plenty of rest. Eight hours
of sleep is ideal for the young athlete. Lack of sleep and rest can
catch up with the athlete and decrease performance.
—Sluggishness, irritability and
loss of interest could indicate that
your child is fatigued.
Chiropractic Care Can Help...
Doctors of chiropractic are trained
and licensed to treat the entire
neuromusculoskeletal system and
can provide advice on sports training, nutrition and injury prevention
to young athletes. Chiropractors
can also perform sports physicals
and use a more functional approach when looking at the body
and the biomechanics specific to
each sport.
Gout is a type of arthritis that
affects an estimated 3 to 5 million
Americans and is characterized by
periods of intense joint pain or
“flares,” occurring most often in
the big toe. Gout can cause damage to joints, tendons and other
tissues over time. It is more common in men over age 40 and in
postmenopausal women. The
good news is that gout pain is
highly treatable and there are ways
to reduce the risk of gout recurrence.
What Are The Symptoms
Of Gout?
You may be experiencing joint
pain from time to time but are uncertain if you have gout. The only
way to be sure is to see your doctor, who can provide a diagnosis
and design an appropriate treatment plan.
Symptoms of gout are almost
always acute, occurring suddenly-often at night-and without warning and may include the following:
• Intense joint pain. While gout
often initially affects the large joint
of the big toe, it can occur in your
feet, ankles, knees, hands and
wrists.
• Inflammation and redness. The
affected joint or joints become hot,
swollen, red and extremely tender.
• Fever. Increased body temperature has been reported among
some gout sufferers during an attack.
The pain of gout flares can often be excruciating and debilitating, often affecting a patient’s ability to work and participate in social activities.
Causes And Risk Factors
Gout is caused by the buildup
of uric acid in the blood, a condition known as hyperuricemia. Sustained hyperuricemia can lead to
the body storing excess uric acid
in the form of crystals, which accumulate in the joints, causing
large deposits known as tophi.
Risk factors for developing
gout include genetic predisposition, alcohol consumption and a
diet rich in high-purine foods. Purines are natural substances found
in many foods, but certain foods
such as meat and shellfish are high
in purine. Other gout risk factors
include obesity, hypertension and
diabetes.
Gout Treatments
Doctors may prescribe prescription drugs to treat gout. One
of these drugs, colchicine, has
been used for many years but, until recently, had never been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Now, the
FDA has approved COLCRYS(r)
as the only single-ingredient
colchicine product for the prevention and treatment of gout flares.
COLCRYS, when dosed as indicated, has been shown to be effective at relieving acute gout
flares within a 24-hour period with
significantly fewer side effects
than unapproved colchicine.
Other treatments, such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) or corticosteroids, may
also be prescribed for pain and
swelling associated with gout.
Drugs such as allopurinol,
febuxostat and probenecid, which
alter the levels of uric acid in the
blood, may also be prescribed.
Keep in mind that no treatments
are without side effects.
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Page 30 -
SECTION 3 • VOICE
NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010
Local bikers to hold
Fun Run to benefit kids
Simple tips to enjoy
your summer safely
Summer is a great time for family
fun, and there are simple guidelines
to follow to make it safe, according
to Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joann
Schaefer, from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Summer Food Safety
For many people, summer means
that it’s time to roll out the grill, get
the picnic baskets ready and plan
the barbecues. It’s also time to observe some basic rules in order to
avoid food poisoning, like salmonella, E.coli O157:H7, and norovirus.
To prevent foodborne illnesses:
•Wash up. Using soap and water will help keep hands clean and
keep food safe.
•Use your refrigerator or a cool
water bath to thaw meat. Avoid the
counter because temperatures are
too high.
•Make it hot and keep it hot. Hamburger should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F
and chicken to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F. Once you cook
it, try to keep it above 140 degrees F.
•If it’s cold, keep it that way. Cold
foods need to stay below 40 degrees
F and out of direct sunlight.
•Don’t reuse utensils or dishes.
Use a mixture of ¾ cup of bleach
and one gallon of water to clean surfaces like cutting boards or
countertops before using them
again.
•Don’t use the same platter for
raw and cooked meats. Also, transport raw meat separately from other
foods and double-wrap it to keep it
from dripping.
•When you’re done eating, put
away foods as soon as possible after they’re served. Leaving perishable foods unrefrigerated encourages the bacteria to grow.
Watch Out for Sunburn
Plan ahead for activities on sunny
days. Sunburn is caused by overexposure to the harmful ultraviolet
rays of the sun. While the symptoms are usually temporary (such as
red skin that is painful to the touch),
the skin damage is often permanent
and can have serious consequences. Unprotected sun exposure can cause blisters, as well as
first and second degree burns, and
can lead to skin cancer.
“Infants and children are especially sensitive to the burning ef-
fects of the sun,” Dr. Schaefer said.
•Avoid sun exposure during hours
of peak sun ray intensity.
•Apply generous amounts of
sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Pay special
attention to your face, nose, ears,
and shoulders.
•Apply sunscreen 30 minutes
prior to sun exposure to allow penetration. Re-apply after swimming
and every 2 hours while you are outdoors.
•Wear sun hats.
•Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
•Use a lip balm with sunscreen.
Avoid Heat-related Illness
High temperatures and high humidity can be a deadly combination.
Temperatures of 90-plus degrees
and humidity levels of 40 percent or
more put people in the danger zone
for heat-related illness, which happens when the body’s temperature
control system is overloaded.
“Infants and the elderly are the
most at risk from high temperatures,”
Dr. Schaefer said. “Check on elderly
neighbors and friends to see if they
are keeping cool.”
Other people who are at increased risk are the obese, chronically ill (including heart disease, high
blood pressure and asthma), and
people who take certain medicines,
Avandia® Side Effects
The diabetes drug Avandia® has been linked to
an increased risk of serious and potentially fatal
injuries. If you or a loved one took Avandia® and
had a Heart Attack, Stroke, Heart Failure or Death,
please contact us for a free consultation.
Hollis Law Firm, P.A.
Attorneys at Law
Toll Free
1-800-701-3672
Need to make some
changes in your life?
Family Practice
Family Psych/Mental Health
Nurse Practitioner
•Psych Medication Management
•NutraMetrix Health Supplements
•Transitions Weight Loss
•Lab/Drug Testing
•Primary Care/Behavioral Health
402-228-6446
such as antidepressants and tranquilizers, that interfere with the
body’s temperature regulation.
Tips to stay cool and avoid heatrelated illness:
•Drink plenty of water and don’t
wait until you are thirsty to drink;
•Avoid alcohol and drinks with
caffeine;
•Wear loose, light-colored clothing;
•If outdoors, slow your pace and
take frequent rest breaks to cool off;
•Limit your outdoor activity to
morning and evening hours;
•If you have no air conditioning,
seek out cool places like libraries and
other public buildings where you can
cool off.
Avoid Insect-related Illnesses
People outdoors may potentially
come into contact with ticks and mosquitoes. Ticks can cause erlichiosis,
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and Lyme disease, all potentially serious diseases. To avoid insect-related
illnesses, take precautions.
“A good way to avoid both ticks and
mosquitoes is to wear insect repellent,”
Dr. Schaefer said. FDA-approved insect
repellents are: DEET, picaridin, oil of
lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535.
“Also, it’s a good idea to wear solid
shoes and socks, long pants and longsleeved shirts. To avoid ticks, tuck your
pants into your socks,” she said.
An additional Gage County
Immunization Clinic is being
planned for July to assist families with their vacation and backto-school schedules.
The clinic will be held from 4
p.m.-7 p.m. on Monday, July 19.
This is the afternoon of the regularly
scheduled morning clinic day.
Immunization Clinic officials in
Beatrice/Gage County want to remind parents to check the start date
of their children’s schools to make
sure they get their children’s immunizations in time.
Immunizations are required when
starting kindergarten, and additional
immunizations are required when
starting seventh grade and college.
Because of state laws, a child
may be prohibited from attending
classes on the first day of school
without the required immunizations,
according to Norma-Lou Cook,
Immunization Clinic organizer.
All vaccinations will be available
for children ages 6 weeks to 19 during the July Immunization Clinics.
Clinics are held on the third Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of the
month. The July clinic schedule is
as follows:
15
• 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, July
• 9 a.m.-noon, Monday, July 19
• 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Monday, July 19
• 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 20
All clinics are held at Parkview
Conference Center, 1216 S. Eighth
St. in Beatrice.
Monthly Immunization Clinic
dates are also posted on the
h o s p i t a l ’s
We b
site
at
www.beatricecommunityhospital.com
.
The clinic process normally takes
30-45 minutes. Appointments are
encouraged and may be made by
calling 402-228-8513 or 402-2288503.
Donations are welcome but not
required. The child’s immunization
record must be brought to each
clinic.
Cook, a registered nurse and
health promotion coordinator for
Beatrice Community Hospital and
H e a l t h C e n t e r, o r g a n i z e s t h e
monthly Gage County Immunization
Clinic with help from hospital employees, Gage County Extension
Club members, trained lay volunteers and professional nurse volunteers.
Walking away from varicose veins
Clearing up some popular misconceptions about a common condition could be
good for your health.
Varicose veins--which generally appear
as twisting, bulging, ropelike cords on the
legs--affect an estimated 40 percent of
women and 25 percent of men in the U.S.,
according to the Journal of Vascular and
Interventional Radiology.
While many consider the veins to be
solely a cosmetic problem, doctors say they
could lead to serious health issues.
Indeed, many people with varicose veins
experience leg symptoms such as pain, heaviness or tiredness, burning or tingling sensations, swelling, throbbing and tenderness. If
symptoms are left untreated, they may
progress toward complications including:
• Inflammation (known as phlebitis)
• Blood clots
• Ankle sores or skin ulcers
• Bleeding.
People who experience the above
symptoms or complications are advised to
see a doctor, who may provide treatments.
Here’s a closer look at the often-misunderstood disease that causes varicose veins:
Possible Causes
Arteries carry blood from the heart to
the extremities, delivering oxygen deep into
the tissue.
Veins then return the “deoxygenated”
blood back to the heart to be recirculated.
To return this blood to the heart, leg veins
must work against gravity.
Small, one-way valves in the veins open
to allow blood to flow upward, toward the
heart, and then close to prevent it from flowing backward.
Varicose veins occur when the valves in
superficial leg veins malfunction.
When this occurs, the valve may be unable to close, allowing blood that should be
moving toward the heart to flow backward
(called venous reflux).
Blood then collects in the lower veins,
causing them to enlarge and become varicose.
Factors leading to varicose veins include
heredity, gender, pregnancy and age. But
other factors, such as prolonged standing or
sitting, obesity, hormone levels and physical
trauma, may speed up the development of
the disease and make the veins worse.
Grand opening August 28th
Specializing in yoga therapy. For the relief of temporary or chronic
illnesses, conditions, or injuries. Offering pre/post natal, kids/youth,
athletes, senior, meditation/stress relief, and beginning classes
ss
st l a
1 c E!
FRE
Janet M. Bock,
MSN, APRN, BC
ner of Highway 77 and Saltillo Road.
Registration is from 8:30 to 10:00
a.m. Awards at 3 p.m.
Bikers will ride to Homestead National Monument where they will answer an observation questionnaire before heading back to Rod’s through
Wilber, stopping at the Crete Dairy
Queen, and the park in Denton.
Lunch is included in the $10.00 registration fee and prizes will be awarded
to whoever has the highest score. If riders prefer to start out at the Homestead
National Monument, registration forms
will be available at the Education Center after 10:00 a.m.
Local brain tumor patients and their
families are invited to ride along. They
will be our guest of honor at the July
17 event. For more information, contact Ronny or Carol Aden at 402 3103312 or aden@inebraska.com. You
can visit www.rodspowersports to
learn more about the Prairie Red Riders.
Extra children’s immunization
clinic planned Gage County in July
Now open!
New Beginnings Health Care Center
829 W Court St., Suite 4 • Beatrice
Motorcyclists are invited to join
the Prairie Red Riders for their 2nd
annual Fun Run “For the Kids” Saturday, July 17.
All proceeds will be taken to Kansas City the following weekend and
given to the Ride for Kids® program.
The Ride for Kids program supports
the efforts of the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Foundation to find the cause and cure
for childhood brain tumors. They
host rides in dozens of major cities
across the country each year.
HRCA has been the presenting
sponsor for the Ride for Kids since
1991. Each year the program raises
millions of dollars for pediatric brain
tumor research. The PBTF is the official charity of the Honda Rider’s
Club of America (HRCA). Prairie
Red Riders are affiliated with the
HRCA and participate in the Kansas City Ride for Kids each year.
The ride will leave from Rod’s
Power Sports at the Northwest cor-
Lincoln Yoga Center
Linking and centering you
2127 Winthrop Rd.
www.LincolnYogaCenter.com
570-1114 • Shelia Palmquist, R.Y.T.
An Ounce Of Prevention
Certain measures may help relieve discomfort from existing varicose veins and prevent other varicose veins from developing.
They include:
• Exercising regularly (walking is ideal)
• Wearing graduated compression
stockings
•Avoiding standing for long periods of
time
•Avoiding sitting for long periods of time
• Controlling weight.
Finding Treatment
It’s important to speak with a physician
about varicose veins.
Doctors often first attempt to treat the
disease with simple approaches, such as
graduated compression stockings, but if
veins do not respond, a more active treatment may be required.
For instance, a fast, safe and effective
procedure called VenaCure EVLT(tm) (endovenous laser treatment) can nearly eliminate varicose veins in less than an hour and
without a hospital stay.
It uses a targeted laser energy to seal
unhealthy veins shut, providing nearly immediate relief of symptoms. The procedure, which can be performed in a doctor’s
office without general anesthesia, produces
few to no scars and has a 95 percent success rate, and patients can quickly resume
their normal activities once treatment is complete.
You can learn more by visiting
www.venacure-evlt.com, a Web site dedicated to informing and educating patients
about venous disease. The Web site also
features a physician finder tool to help patients locate area doctors who are trained
in the latest techniques to treat varicose veins.
SECTION 3 • VOICE
NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Page 31
New resource to help
patients managing high blood pressure
You could save your life by knowing your numbers- your blood pressure
numbers, that is. Many people with high
blood pressure may not know they
have it because they feel fine and look
normal. That is why it is known as a
“silent killer.”
High blood pressure is one of the
most common conditions in the U.S.,
affecting roughly 1 in 3 adults. In fact,
as people age, the potential for their
blood pressure to rise increases, so
even those with normal blood pressure
at age 55 have a 90 percent chance of
having high blood pressure later in life.
To help educate Americans about
high blood pressure, the American College of Physicians (ACP), in partnership with the New Jersey based pharmaceutical company, Daiichi Sankyo,
Inc. has created an informational guidebook and DVD called “Know Your
Numbers: A Guide to Managing High
Blood Pressure.” You can pick up the
guidebook and DVD at a doctor’s office or download the guidebook at the
ACP Web site at www.acponline.org/
numbers.
Uncontrolled hypertension can cause
permanent changes to blood vessels and
the heart that may create serious problems elsewhere in the body.4 According to the National Institutes of Health,
a blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm
Hg or lower than 130/80 mm Hg for
certain high-risk groups is considered
to be under control.
“Measuring your blood pressure
takes only a moment and is completely
painless,” said Dr. Patrick C. Alguire,
FACP, ACP’s director of education.
“Everyone should know their numbers
and get regular blood pressure checkups. Knowing your blood pressure
could save your life.”
ACP member physicians can order
the free guidebook by calling (800) 5231546, extension 2600 or through ACP’s
Web site at acponline.org.
“As a leader in cardiovascular health,
Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. is committed to offering up-to-date, comprehensive educational resources for people who are
at increased risk for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease,” said
Jonathan Jaffe, M.D., FACC, Senior
Medical Director, Hypertension-Therapeutic Area Head, Medical Research
and Strategy at Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
“Helping patients manage chronic diseases more effectively will benefit both
patients and physicians.”
The guidebook’s tips include:
• Losing weight
• Eating a healthy diet high in fruits
and vegetables, and low in saturated fat,
cholesterol and salt
• Being physically active, and
• Quitting smoking.
In addition, many people with high
blood pressure need at least two types
of medicine to lower their blood pressure. Such medicines can delay the
problems linked to hypertension. Patients should discuss a treatment regimen that includes diet, exercise and,
if necessary, the proper medication.
“As the guidebook and DVD
show, there are many ways to effectively treat high blood pressure,” said
Dr. Alguire. “Almost everyone with
hypertension can bring their numbers
down with lifestyle changes, medicines
or both.”
Insider’s guide
to updating
your wardrobe
on a budget
Even though cutting costs is top
of mind, you still need to dress to
impress, especially at the office. No
matter what your personal style,
office culture or shopping preferences are, you can save time and
create a polished look by putting
some savvy shopping and style
strategies into action.
• Broaden your horizons beyond department and specialty stores. Check
out off-price retailers such as Ross Dress
for Less that carry the same current styles
and name brands as department and specialty stores at significant savings.
• No matter where you shop, a good
rule of thumb is that the new merchandise (at full price) will be front and center when you enter the store, but there’s
always a sale or clearance rack. Keep
your eyes open for these markdownsthey are often located toward the back
of the store.
• Remember that it pays to make
friends. Befriend the sales associate and discover shopping secrets,
including delivery schedules, the
typical markdown cycle, and specific seasonal merchandise.
• Keeping your closet organized,
knowing what you already have that you
can build on-this season and next-is also
a smart shopping strategy.
• Often the best deals are found by
buying clothes early or late in the
season.
--As a general rule, when retailers are preparing for another
season’s inventory, they generally
put old merchandise on sale to make
room for new shipments. Take advantage of these deals by shopping
at the end of the season.
--Always look ahead when mapping
your shopping strategy, as off-price
stores will often stock merchandise in
advance of the season (e.g., you may
find coats in August and swimsuits in
March).
Weighing the benefits
and risks of Hormone Therapy
To take hormones or not to take hormones? Many menopausal women ponder this question.
There is no doubt that hormones can
help relieve menopausal symptoms, but
recent studies have highlighted the potential risks of hormone therapy (HT).
In 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) found that prolonged use of
HT with estrogen plus progestin caused
a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer, heart disease and strokes. A few
years later, a new look at the study suggested that certain younger women taking estrogen might actually have a slightly
lowered risk of heart disease.
“Since the results of the WHI were
first released in 2002, the public has been
bombarded with conflicting information
on how to interpret the findings,” said
Nanette Santoro, M.D., Director of the
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology
and Infertility at Albert Einstein College
of Medicine. “This is a complex issue and
patients should participate in continuous
open dialogue with their physicians to
arrive at treatment decisions best for their
individual needs.”
Based on the latest research, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
recommends that hormone therapy (estrogen plus progestin) be used to relieve
the symptoms of menopause at the lowest possible dose and for the shortest
amount of time needed to relieve symptoms.
Each woman is a unique individual,
so it’s important that she discuss the benefits and risks of hormone therapy with
her doctor as they apply to her particular situation.
When seeing your doctor, here are
five tips to make the most of your visit.
1. Make a list of your symptoms and
prioritize them, including how often you
have them and how severe they are.
2. Learn about hormone therapy
ahead of time.
3. Think about your own comfort
level with the benefits and risks of hormone therapy before seeing the doctor.
4. Prepare a list of questions for
your doctor.
5. Document your family health history.
Work with your doctor to reevaluate your treatment choices periodically
so that you can confidently make the
best decisions to navigate this period
of change in your life.
For more information about menopause, visit www.hormone.org.
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Tips for better sleep
trips to the toilet.
By Mayo Clinic staff
• Avoid nicotine, caffeine and
Feeling crabby lately? It could be
you aren’t getting enough sleep. Work, alcohol in the evening. These are
household responsibilities and child care stimulants that can keep you awake.
can make sleep difficult to come by. Smokers often experience withFactor in other unexpected challenges, drawal symptoms at night, and smoksuch as financial worries, layoffs, rela- ing in bed is dangerous. Avoid caftionship issues or an illness, and quality feine for eight hours before your
planned bedtime. Your body doesn’t
sleep may be even more elusive.
You may not be able to control or store caffeine, but it takes many hours
eliminate all of the factors that interfere to eliminate the stimulant and its efwith your sleep, but you can create an fects. And although often believed to
environment and adopt habits that en- be a sedative, alcohol actually discourage a more restful night. Try these rupts sleep.
• Exercise regularly. Regular
suggestions if you have trouble falling
physical activity, especially aeroasleep or staying asleep:
• Go to bed and get up at about bic exercise, can help you fall
the same time every day, even on asleep faster and make your sleep
the weekends. Sticking to a sched- more restful. However, for some
ule helps reinforce your body’s people, exercising right before bed
sleep-wake cycle and can help you may make getting to sleep more
difficult.
fall asleep more easily at night.
• Make your bedroom cool,
• Don’t eat or drink large
amounts before bedtime. Eat a dark, quiet and comfortable. Crelight dinner at least two hours ate a room that’s ideal for sleeping.
before sleeping. If you’re prone Adjust the lighting, temperature, huto heartburn, avoid spicy or fatty midity and noise level to your preffoods, which can make your erences. Use blackout curtains, eye
heartburn flare and prevent a rest- covers, earplugs, extra blankets, a
ful sleep. Also, limit how much fan or white-noise generator, a huyou drink before bed. Too much midifier or other devices to create
liquid can cause you to wake up an environment that suits your
repeatedly
during the night for needs.
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Page 32 -
SECTION 3 • VOICE
NEWS, Thursday, July 8, 2010
Rural Cortland couple battle cancer,
Alzheimer’s to keep a promise made in 1943
By Gerry Baksys
…For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, ‘till death do us
part.
It’s a promise every married
couple makes on their special day.
Many have heard the words before
at other weddings; most are too
nervous, excited, happy, crying or
all of the above emotions mixed together to pay much attention to
whatever the pastor is saying.
But for Betty Lou Parde, it was a
promise. On a beautiful April day in
1943 at the Lutheran Church in Adams 67 years ago, she spoke those
words and meant every single one.
In 2007, Betty Lou took Heye
into Beatrice to get his annual blood
work done when doctors discovered he had colon cancer. “They
told us he needed four pints of blood
right away,” she said. “Then we
took him to Lincoln and he needed
another four pints. They discovered
he had a malignant tumor.”
The tumor was safely removed
after two major surgeries and
Heye’s cancer is now in remission,
but that was only the start of the
92-year-old farmer’s problems. The
he was also diagnosed with
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease. “He doesn’t remember anybody accept our son Raymond,”
Betty Lou said. “He will smile and
shake their hand, but after they
leave he asks me he who they
were.”
Rather than moving him to a
nursing home or assisted living facility, Betty Lou has decided to take
care of Heye at their rural Cortland
farmstead where they have lived for
the last 64 years. “I cleanup after
him, give him a bath and feed him
three meals a day,” Betty Lou said.
“This is our home and he feels more
comfortable here. But some days it’s
harder than others.”
That’s because at 84, there are
the physical demands of helping
her husband as well as her own
health problems including asthma,
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and allergies and a bad heart. In
1991, Betty Lou was diagnosed with
breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. “I had two major surgeries
and it was hard,” Betty Lou admitted. “But I was determined to see it
through because Heye needed me
and Ryan, our blind grandson
needed me. I have a lot of faith and
it has seen me through.”
Ryan Agena, of Crete, spent three
years living with Heye and Betty
Lou after he graduated from high
school at the School for the Blind
in Nebraska City and started a job
in Crete. Betty Lou recalled how
Ryan loved to sing polka music,
even if he didn’t understand the
words. “He had such a beautiful
voice and every Sunday we liked to
go to the Blue River Lodge in
Crete,” she said. “We also taught
him how to dance and people admired him on the dance floor.”
Eventually, Ryan found a place
to live in Crete and began his independent life. That left Heye and
Betty Lou alone on the farm again,
as their three children, Raymond,
Cathy and Harold had all long since
married and moved out to start their
own families. The couple also has
seven grandchildren and nine great
grandchildren.
Still, the rural Cortland couple
stayed busy. Besides working on
the farm, Heye drove a maintainer
(a large machine that smooths out
gravel roads) for 35 years from 1965
to 2000, Betty Lou said. “There were
several times during the winter
where he plowed the snow and got
the mailman unstuck,” she said.
“Then he would find a letter in our
mailbox with a gold star on it. There
was also one time the milk man
needed to gain access to Leon
Bauman’s farm, but couldn’t get his
truck in the driveway. So Heye told
Leon to walk in front of him so he
could see where the driveway was
and plow it. They started off and
soon Heye couldn’t see Leon anymore. He was scared that he had
run Leon over, but Leon had got
caught up in the snow, and was
bouncing along on top of the snow
pile.”
Betty Lou worked several different jobs, including five years at St.
Elizabeth’s Hospital in Lincoln and five
years at Lakeview Care Center in Firth.
She also cleaned homes for awhile. But
in 2000, the couple got out of the farm
business almost completely. They sold
off their animals, and rented their 152
acres to local farmers.
Betty Lou and Heye’s golden years
truly were golden. They would ride
Amtrak to Grand Junction, Colorado
for vacations. “You never saw anything
more beautiful in your life,” Betty Lou
said. “Going through the mountains on
a train, looking at the snow and the skiers.”
On their way home they would
stop in Denver to visit
Betty Lou’s sister, Alberta
and her husband Vern. It
was on one such visit they
were forced to take their
first airplane ride. “We got
into Denver,” she said,
“but there was a lot of high
water back home, so
Amtrak wouldn’t drop us
off here. We had to fly into
Lincoln. That was on our
50th anniversary.”
The couple also celebrated their anniversary
every five years with a major party for friends and
family. “We would rent out
the Eagle Club in Beatrice
and have a polka band,”
she said. “Sometimes we
would have upwards of 300
people at the parties.”
But the 35-year streak
of big polka parties ended in 2008.
“We spent our 65th anniversary in
Gold Crest in Adams,” Betty Lou
said. “I had gotten up one morning
at 5:30 a.m. to go to the bathroom
and then I collapsed in the kitchen.
Heye at this point had Alzheimer’s
and didn’t know any better. My sister called at 7:30 a.m. to wish me a
happy birthday, and Heye told her,
‘She can’t come to the phone right
now, she’s sleeping on the kitchen
floor.’”
The sister contacted Betty Lou
and Heye’s family living in the area
who in turn called 911. She was
rushed to the hospital in Lincoln.
She had bone-marrow cancer. “I was
unconscious for three days,” Betty
Lou said. “I had to spend 35 days
in the hospital, and two and a half
months recuperating at Gold Crest.”
Their children wanted them to stay
in Gold Crest, but Betty Lou was stubborn. “This is our home,” she said of
the family farmstead. “I take each day
one at a time. When the time comes and
I can’t take care of Heye anymore, I
will move him to a facility in Beatrice.
Sometimes it is a lot of work, but 67
years ago I made a promise. And I’m
keeping that promise.”
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Creating a culture of wellness –
for our children, for ourselves
By Dr. Joann Schaefer,
Nebraska’s Chief Medical Officer
As Nebraska’s Chief Medical Officer, I am always happy to see Public Health Month make its appearance. Focusing on creating a culture
of wellness can draw attention to and
bring awareness of things that can
make our health better. We can
change the future for our children
and increase the quality of our lives.
For wellness in the home, it’s simply a reminder of all the things that
people and families can do to keep
themselves and their kids active and
their food choices healthy.
Being active on a regular basis is
important. Communities across this
state have continued to look at options and work with local health departments and other organizations
to increase outdoor activities. Bike
trails, walking trails, events to get
families outside and active are
things communities can do to help
create wellness. Wear a pedometer
and make sure you take 10,000 steps
a day.
The benefits of exercise are obvious. Heart and lung health improve, in addition to the wonderful
mental health benefits you get from
it. Exercise can also enhance the
quality of your sleep and reduce
your stress level.
Spring has sprung, so get outdoors and make the most of it with
the physical activity of your choice.
Besides the importance of physical
activity to wellness, there’s the need for
good nutrition. Part of good nutrition is
getting enough fruits and vegetables.
Eating fruits and vegetables is a practice that is developed at a young age,
and kids learn what they live. There are
very few life-long eating behaviors that
pay off as well as the development of a
taste and zest for fruits and vegetables,
so start them young!
Fruits and vegetables are nearly
magical in the vitamins, photochemicals,
and fiber they provide us with each serving. This single eating habit can combat
many cancers, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and diabetes over one’s lifetime.
And finally, make sure you get those
all-important screenings—breast, cervical, colon, high blood pressure and
cholesterol. Not only could they save
your life, they can also give you peace
of mind.
The message is clear, wellness
works, and together we can create a
culture of wellness throughout the state.
Health and Human Services Web site,
www.dhhs.ne.gov, is a great resource.