health and wellness - spring 2012

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 Fairbanks, Alaska

News-Miner file photos

The voice of Interior Alaska since 1903

Health

• Alaska's population is graying• Senior Games help Alaska's

Seniors stay fit, mentally and physically

• Pioneers’ Homes a haven for Alaska's seniors

• Examinations are key in stopping eyesight and hearing loss

INSIDE:

Promoting Health

Naturally

Dr. Beth Laughlin, ND Dr. Mary Minor, ND

Paula Kunkel, LAc MTCM Stephanie Maggard, LAc

Becky Spear, RNH NC Leslie Markham, LMT

Barb Carlin, LMT Curt Redd, LMT

Laurie Walton, LMT Peg Schaffhauser, RPT

Sherry Byers, LCSW MSW

Naturopathic Medicine

Acupuncture

Therapeutic Massage

Homeopathy

Allergy Elimination

Herbal Medicine

Psychotherapy, Hypnosis

Energy Work

Nutrition

Infertility Treatments

Laboratory Tests

Frequency Microcurrent

CranioSacral

Lifestyle Counseling

Call for an Appointment

451-7100 Mon–Fri 9:00–5:00 p.m. • Saturday 10:00–1:00 p.m.

222 Front St. • 1231 Noble St. • Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

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• Alaska’s aging population ................................................................ 3• Alaska International Senior Games ................................................... 6• Plan ahead for retirement needs ....................................................... 8• Keep eyes, ears healthy ................................................................... 9• Local programs keep seniors fi t ...................................................... 10• Pioneers’ Homes a haven .............................................................. 11• Local housing options for seniors ................................................... 13• Geriatric medicine growing ............................................................. 14• Prosecutor battles elder abuse ....................................................... 15• Pets can improve peoples’ health ................................................... 17• Baby boomers and health care ....................................................... 19• Desk keeps offi ce workers on their feet ........................................... 22• Education helps retirees keep brain active ...................................... 23• Chuck Norris on gravity: enemy or ally? ........................................... 26• Rowing an effective cardio workout ................................................. 28• Kettlebells behind the latest exercise craze ..................................... 30• Benefi ts, drawbacks to ‘fast’ workout programs ............................... 31• Eat out without pigging out ............................................................. 32• Want to sleep better? Get off the couch .......................................... 33• Fruits, veggies give you an edge over cancer ................................... 34• Good hydration keeps you calm, cool, collected ............................... 35• Who knew? Ice cream more diet-friendly than diet soda .................... 37• Keep it clean when preparing food .................................................. 38• Flexitarian diets have major benefi ts ............................................... 39

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2 Fairbanks Daily News-MinerHealth & Wellness

There’s no holding back the calendar and the facts: More Alaskans are entering the upper age categories each year. That means more people with more health care needs, more people looking to stay fit as long as they can, and more people needing more info about the later years of life.

This edition of the Daily News-Miner’s Health & Wellness includes lots of stories with those later years in mind.

We hope you find them useful. I know I did.—Rod Boyce

50-year-old managing [email protected]: @FDNMeditor

(907) 459-7585

Editor’s Note:

The majority of Fairbanks households contend with food allergies to some degree. The problem may be mild and annoying, like an itchy mouth after eating a raw apple. At the other end of the spectrum is allergy to peanuts or tree nuts. Small amounts, even residual peanut dust that contaminates other foods or packaging, may result in a rapid and serious reaction.

The most common allergic foods for children are peanuts, egg, cow milk, wheat, and soy. As children reach age school age, allergy to tree nuts such as walnut, cashew, or almond, along with fish and shellfish becomes more common. Symptoms almost always occur within 30 minutes of ingestion. The typical symptoms are vomiting and hives, but may also include itchy, watery eyes; nasal symptoms; swollen lips/tongue/palate/ airway; cough; wheezing; abdominal pain; diarrhea; dizziness; or loss of consciousness. It is not possible to predict the severity of a food allergy reaction based on a previous reaction.

At present, there is no cure for food allergies; strict avoidance is the prevailing theme. Parents should be dedicated food label readers. The offending food may not only hide in other foods, but it may also cross-react with foods that share similar proteins. In most busy households, the food should be completely banned from the home. Anyone providing food to the child -restaurant workers, daycare workers, grandparents, church nurseries - should be made aware of the food allergy.

Many studies show that there is a 50% chance that a child will eventually be accidentally fed the allergic food. For that reason, there should be a written food allergy plan, and epinephrine should always be available. Family members and other caregivers should be trained in its use, and above all, be willing to administer it in a moment’s notice. The delay in giving epinephrine is a prevailing theme in food allergy fatalities.

There is encouraging news for families with a food allergic child. Cow milk, egg and soy allergies are usually outgrown by the time a child starts elementary school. As a physician, it is a gratifying day when a food can be safely reintroduced into the diet of a child who has avoided that food for many years. However, this process should only be undertaken after blood or skin testing, careful consideration, and completing a food challenge in a medical setting.

Our thanks to Dr. Timothy Foote for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational

MEDICAL INSIGHT

J. Timothy Foote, MD Pediatrics – Allergy and Asthma

Submitted by Contributing Community Author

Tanana Valley Clinic 1001 Noble Street, Fairbanks

(907) 459-3500

Member of American Academy of Pediatrics, Scientific Membership with American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; Allied Health Membership with American Academy of Allergy, Asthma

and Immunology.

Childhood Food Allergies

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1901 Airport Way, Suite 101

Fairbanks, AK 99701

Phone (907) 374-3063 Fax (907) 374-8872

ResMed • Respironics • Fisher-Paykel

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Alaska Sleep Clinic

Airport Way

Super 8 Medical Center

Wilb

er

Wendys

Sleep Disorders Evaluation and Treatment

Wide variety of CPAP Equipment and supplies available on site and through our new mail out program.

3Wednesday, March 14, 2012 Health & Wellness

By DOROTHY [email protected]

Some call it “the graying of America.”

The U.S., once a nation of the young, is increas-ingly becoming a nation of the elderly as advances in medicine help people live lon-ger. The first of the 75 million strong baby boom generation — those born between 1946 and 1964 — turned 65 last year, and the ranks of seniors will increase 2.8 percent year-ly until 2030, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The aging-population trend is felt sharply in Alaska.

According to U.S. Census figures, seniors 60 years old and older comprised 12.8 percent — or 90,876 — of Alaska’s 2010 population of 710,231. While California has the highest number of seniors and Florida the high-est percentage, Alaska has the fastest growth in senior popu-lation in the U.S. per capita, with a whopping 71.4 percent growth in seniors 60-plus years old over the last decade.

Experts believe this gain is attributable to the aging of those who came to the state as young people in the

1970s and early 1980s to take advantage of the pipe-

Alaska feels effects of aging population

ALASKA SENIOR STATISTICS*60 years old and over

Total Alaska population 2010 710,231

Total senior population 2010 90,876Age 60-64 35,938Age 65-74 35,350Age 75-84 14,877Age 85+ 4,711Total Interior seniors 2010 13,179

Avg. Monthly Social Security payment$1,188

Increase in amount of seniors receiving foodstamps Nov. 2010 - Nov. 2011

19 percenyTotal seniors with Alzheimer’s disease

or related dementia6,067

Average yearly nursing home cost — private room

$247,470

*Taken from Alaska Commission on Aging “Senior Snapshot — Older Alaskans in 2011”

Please see SENIORS, Page 5

4 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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A LASKA O RAL & F ACIAL S URGERY C ENTER , I NC . S TEESE M EDICAL C ENTER

Dr. Stephen H. Sutley, DDS, MA • Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons • Fellow America Association of Oral and

Maxillofacial Surgeons • Member of American Academy of Facial Cosmetics

Specially trained in a broad category of oral and facial surgical procedures including but not limited to:

Dentoalveolar Surgical Procedures:

• Removal of teeth including wisdom teeth

• Bone and oral tissue grafting • trauma, infections, pathology and

reconstructive surgery

Facial Cosmetic Procedures:

• Botox and Juvederm injectables, CO2 Laser resurfacing

• Laser hair removal and removal of facial blemishes (moles)

• Microdermabrasions, acne treatments

Dental Implants:

• State of the art 3D technology & equipment

• Placement of dental implants replacing lost teeth

• Implants to secure dentures

The above procedures are offered with the options of Nitrous Oxide Sedation, Oral Sedation, IV Sedation or General Anesthesia in our clinic.

Clinical staff members include: Certified Surgical Assistants, Estheticians, Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and Anesthesiologist.

Contact Information: 1275 Sadler Way, Suite 202

Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: (907) 452-4101 • Fax: (907) 452-4102

S TEESE H WY

S ADLER W AY

S EEKINS D R

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www.AlaskaSurgeryCenter.com www.AlaskaSurgeryCenter.com

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Christopher H. Henry, D.M.D., M.S. Practice Limited to Orthodontics

114 Minnie Street, Suite B Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

(907)457-7878 www.alaskabraces.com

Braces for all Faces

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Serving Fairbanks Since 1992

FAMILY DENTISTRY NEW PATIENTS WELCOME

EMERGENCY CARE

Preventative Care

479-8123 479-8123 3691 Cameron St., Suite 101

Evan L. Wheeler DDS Evan L. Wheeler DDS


line boom and, for various reasons, have decided to stay in-state instead of seek-ing warmer climes as they approach retirement age.

Alaska seniors face a dif-ferent set of challenges than those they would encounter in the Lower 48. Prices are high-er, the weather is extreme, and the relative isolation of the state means that seniors are often separated from chil-dren and grandchildren living Outside.

Alaskans in general suffer higher rates of depression and drug or alcohol dependency, and our seniors are no excep-tion. According to a study by the Alaska Commission on Aging, the suicide rate for Alaska seniors is higher than the national average.

Alaska seniors are three times more likely to die of alcohol-related causes, while drug-induced deaths — both prescription and non-prescrip-tion — are 82 percent higher

for Alaska seniors than for seniors in the rest of the U.S..

Access to quality medical care is improving, but many seniors — either by choice or necessity — still travel outside for surgeries and pro-cedures.

As a whole, though, Alaska seniors are healthier than their counterparts in the rest of the country and are

less likely to die from lead-ing causes of death such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic lower respiratory dis-ease, Alzheimer’s and diabe-tes mellitus. While the death

rate for fatal falls is also low-er for Alaska seniors than for those in the other 49 states, rates for all other accidental deaths are higher.

Spending by Alaska seniors — including home care and retirement income — topped $1.7 billion in 2010. In 2011, 3,108 Alaska seniors 65 and older received food stamps, while 5,241 received old age assistance. Of the 13,179 seniors living in the Interior, 1,239 received senior benefits of some type.

Many Alaska seniors face the prospect of entering a nursing home, especially those in the fast-growing 85 years and older group. It won’t be cheap. The average rate for a private room in a nursing home was $678 per day —or $247,470 a year — in 2011. Assisted-living homes

charged an average of $53,736 per year, while home health care aides charged an average of $25 per hour.

The number of seniors afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and related demen-tia continues to increase in Alaska as it does nationwide. An estimated 6,067 Alaska seniors were living with Alzheimer’s in 2010.

While there were only 16,313 ADRD caregivers in Alaska in 2009, that number rose to 30,927 by 2010, an increase of 89.6 percent. A total of 35,219,116 unpaid hours were spent giving care to ADRD sufferers in Alaska in 2010. The value of these unpaid hours totals $420,164,054.

Contact staff writer Dorothy Chomicz at 459-7590.

SENIORS: Alaskans graying faster than Lower 48 populationsContinued from Page 3

Eric Engman/News-Miner

Attendees listen to a speaker during the annual Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Denali Center’s Golden Citizen’s Lun-cheon in 2008 at Pioneer Park.

We are the only general surgeons in Fairbanks who call this home with a combined 100-plus years of living in this community and working by your side.

General Surgery is a broad category of procedures: laparoscopy, breast cancer treatment, gallbladder, hernia, colon, lung, pancreas, diverticular disease, bowel obstruction, vein, laser, vascular, trauma and removal o f benign or cancerous tumors.

From left front: Timothy Teslow, M.D. (457-7874); Jon Lieberman, M.D. (456-3100); Arlene Kirschner, M.D. (474-4745); Danny Robinette, M.D. (451-6142).

From left back: William Montano, M.D. (452-8151); Mark Kowal, M.D. (451-5507); and John Mayer, M.D. (457-5050).

We are your Fairbanks General Surgeons!

Experience, compassion and skill are required from a Fairbanks Alaska Surgeon for successful outcome s. Our team ensures you will receive the highest quality surgical care at home with friends and family standing by.

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By TIM [email protected]

Jim Madonna started the Alaska International Senior Games in Fairbanks in 2003 as much for his mental health as he did for his physical well being.

“I enjoy the people that are participating and they have interests in the same kinds of things I have,” Madonna said. “I enjoy that social aspect of it.

“Sometimes we tend to move away from society as we get older and we tend to get a little more reclusive,” he said. “This helps with that.”

Held each summer in Fair-banks, the Alaska Interna-tional Senior Games is a nine-day competition that serves as a qualifier for the summer National Senior Games. The event is open to people 50 years and older, and athletes can qualify for the national

games in archery, 3-on-3 bas-ketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, racquetball, 5K road race, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field

and triathlon.In addition to the national

qualifying events, AISG also holds events in co-ed ice hock-ey, rifle, pistol, trap shooting, disc golf, gala games, mini-golf and bocce.

“It can get pretty rigorous, but the games are structured in a way that people of all abil-ities can participate,” Madon-na said. “There’s everything from card playing to putting the shot.”

More than 200 seniors com-peted in the Alaska Interna-tional Senior Games last year.

This year’s event is sched-uled for Aug. 10-19, so there’s still plenty of time to start training and get in shape.

Madonna, 74, is a competi-tive runner who still routinely outruns people half his age in everything from 5K running races to half-marathons. He

Games help Alaska seniors stay mentally, physically fit

ALASKA INTERNATIONAL SENIOR GAMESWHAT: An athletic competition

for people 60 and over featur-ing archery, 3-on-3 basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, disc gala games, golf, horseshoes, co-ed ice hockey, pistol, racquetball, rifle, 5K road race, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, trap shooting, triathlon,

WHEN: Aug. 10-19WHERE: Different venues

around Fairbanks.INFO: Call Diann Darnall at

479-5421 or go to [email protected].

Please see GAMES, Page 7

Sam Harrel/News-Miner

The Alaska International Senior Games began in 2003. People age 50 and older can participate in events ranging from running a triathlon to cribbage.

John Mayer, M.D. Board Certified General Surgeon

Gastric Bypass Gastric Banding

General Surgery

457-5050 1867 Airport Way

Suite 120B, Fairbanks 11393894 3-14-12 HW

Joh n P. Bast, DDS General Dentistry 570 University Avenue

Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 (907) 479-2206

Is good oral hygiene, brushing and flossing regularly, enough to protect teeth? Thorough brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth. But toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into the teeth’s depressions and grooves to extract food and plaque. For protection, sealants are usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars) where decay occurs most often. Dental sealants act as a barrier, protecting the teeth against decay-causing bacteria. The sealant, a plastic resin, bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids. Sealants protect these vulnerable areas by “sealing out” plaque and food. As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and usually last several years before a reapplication is needed. During your regular dental visits, your dentist will check the condition of the sealants and reapply them when necessary.

A common issue for patients is replacing teeth. Crowns and conventional bridges or dentures may not be the only options when replacing missing teeth. For some people, dental implants offer a smile that looks and feels very natural. Surgically placed below the gums over a series of appointments, implants fuse to the jawbone and serve as a base for individual replacement teeth, bridges or a denture. Implants are extremely stable because of the process in which they are fused. Integration of the implants into your jaw also helps your replacement teeth feel more natural and some people also find the secure fit more comfortable than conventional substitutes. Candidates for dental implants need to have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant. A thorough evaluation by your dentist will help determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants.

Other issues patients want to correct are large spaces between teeth or teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. Today a veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature’s mistake or the results of an injury. Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth- colored materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. They’re made by a dental technician, usually in a dental lab, working from a model provided by your dentist. Veneers can greatly improve a smile, and boost the confidence of a person accustomed to hiding easily corrected teeth.

What are Sealants, Implants and Veneers?

Our thanks to Dr. John P. Bast for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

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MEDICAL INSIGHT Submitted by

Contributing Community Author


recently returned from a trip “down in America,” where he competed in Senior Games in Yuma, Ariz., and Palm Desert, Calif. He also ran half-mara-thons in California, Nevada and Utah.

Competing in events like the Senior Games and running races helps Madonna keep fit, both mentally and physically, he said.

“Certainly it’s good for me,” said Madonna, who runs 30 to 40 miles a week year-round. “My weight is down and I can eat just about anything I want as long as I maintain a rhythmic exercise routine.”

Contact staff writer Tim Mowry at 459-7587.

GAMESContinued from Page 6

Eric Engman/News-Miner

Willy Cork com-petes in the long jump during the track and field

events at the Alas-ka International

Senior Games at the West Valley

High School track in 2004. Com-

petitive runner Jim Madonna started

the games in 2003 as a way to help

seniors stay men-tally and physically

fit.

MEDICAL INSIGHT

CDC: Colorectal cancer screening has reduced colon cancer incidence and death rates

Our thanks to Dr. Arva Chiu for contributing this informative column. The article is intended to be strictly informational

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Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is almost entirely preventable, and in most cases, curable if caught early. A recent government study showed that incidence of CRC decreased 13% and mortality decreased 12% from 2003 to 2007, a decline of about 66,000 cases and 32,000 deaths compared with 2002. About half of this decline is attributed to increased screening, and the other half attributed to healthier lifestyles (i.e. smoking cessation and diet changes) and improved CRC treatment. Unfortunately, approximately 50,000 people will still die each year from CRC. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 22 million U.S. residents aged 50-75 years have never been screened for CRC. CRC is almost an entirely preventable disease. In its early stages it causes no or few symptoms and that’s why screening is so important. Screening should start after age 50 for all men and women without symptoms, or earlier if at higher risk. Using any of the three screening regimens is recommended by the CDC: annual fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy every 5 years with FOBT every 3 years, or colonoscopy every 10 years. The greatest benefit of colonoscopy is removing polyps that are discovered during screening, thereby decreasing the risk later of developing cancer. In 2009, the CDC established the Colorectal Cancer Control Program which currently funds 25 states and 4 tribal organizations to improve population screening. Three of the tribal organizations receiving grants are in Alaska, and I am privileged to be part of the one in Barrow, Alaska. Alaska Natives have the highest CRC rate in the country (double the average rate in the U.S.). Among Indian Health Service regions, Alaska has been the most proactive toward screening, and since 2000 Alaska has increased its CRC screening rate by more than 50%. Under the Affordable Care Act, screening colonoscopies are now fully covered by Medicare and by many private insurers. Patients will still be responsible for co-pays, or some out-of-pocket costs if the colonoscopy is diagnostic (if there are symptoms or a polyp is found) rather than screening (no symptoms). Patients may also be responsible for costs related to anesthesia. You should check with your insurance company. Personally, you may have family or friends who have been affected by this disease. These are some famous people who were diagnosed with CRC: Ronald Reagan, Audrey Hepburn, Pope John Paul II, Sharon Osbourne, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Elizabeth Montgomery, Vince Lombardi, and Charles Schulz. CRC does not discriminate. If you have not been screened and you’re over the age of 50, or have a close family member with CRC, please get checked.

All Indian Health Service Regions

American Indian/Alaska Native Mortality Rate, Colorectal Cancer, by Region, Both Sexes, 1999-2003

Arva Chiu, M.D. Internal Medicine

Alaska Medicine & Endoscopy, LLC (907) 452-2637

www.akmedcine.com



By MATT [email protected]

No two people’s retirement is quite the same, and neither are their insurance needs. There are many options, plans, coverage and deadlines that dictate the cost and qual-ity of health care for seniors.

With all those options, navigating Medicare plans and supplemental insurance can be a tricky and confusing ordeal, one with lifelong con-sequences for the quality of a senior’s health. But there are plenty of people and organiza-tions ready to help.

The state’s Medicare Infor-mation Office, a program within the Department of Health and Social Services’ Senior and Disabilities Ser-vices division, is a statewide resource that specializes in making sure seniors, and their family members, find the right information for their specific needs.

And that’s important, says Deputy Director Jeanné Larson, because employment, existing conditions and even a spouse’s employment can affect which parts of Medicare and what supplemental insur-ance, known as Medigap, a senior should sign up for.

“It’s important to contact someone because everybody’s situation is different,” she said. “Each person’s scenario is very different, so the best thing that they can do is con-tact someone. That’s where my office and my counselors come into play.”

The Medicare Information Office runs a statewide tele-phone hotline with offices in Anchorage. To get in-person help, seniors and their family can contact Access Alaska’s Fairbanks office, where coun-selors specialize in navigating the Medicare system.

Art Delaune, Access Alaska services supervisor, said there are some general guidelines for seniors as they approach

their 65th birthday, the age of eligibility. He said most seniors should start thinking about Medicare months before they turn 65. That’s because there’s a seven-month eligibil-ity period around a senior’s 65th birthday; people can sign up three months before their birthday month or three months after.

Seniors can sign up after that period but could be charged penalties for the rest of their lives for missing the sign-up period. With some plans, Delaune said, each month missed could incur a 1 percent increase in cost and

Insurance a key part of meeting retirement needs

Please see iNSURANCE, Page 10

INFOMedicare Information Office

Toll-free: (800) 478-6065hss.state.ak.us/dsds/medicare/

Access Alaska Fairbanks 526 Gaffney Road, Suite 100

Local: 479-7940Toll Free: (800) 770-7940

http://accessalaska.org/

“These deci-sions are going to affect your health insurance for the rest of your life, and if you miss a dead-line, it could be very costly.”

— Art Delaune,Access Alaska

Maintaining Independence

Most of us want to maintain the ability to live in our home safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level. We want to live in a familiar environment, and to participate in family and other community activities. We want the reassurance of being able to call a house a “home” for a lifetime. As we age, experience disability or chronic illness, remaining independent, particularly in Alaska can become increasingly difficult. What can you do to maintain your independence?

Probably the most difficult is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat well, keep your weight down, exercise and don’t smoke. But sometimes age, disability and illness require other tools to remain independent. Access Alaska is a non-profit, consumer-controlled (a

majority of our staff and board experience a disability) organization whose mission is to encourage and promote the total integration of people who experience a disability and Alaskan elders to live independently in the community of their choice. What can Access Alaska do to help you remain

independent? We are advocates. We advocate for an accessible

community, free of architectural, procedural and attitudinal barriers. We provide peer support. We all make adjustments in

life and from peers we often learn the best new strategies.. For many the biggest barrier to independence is psychological. I know it is for me, the first time I used a cane or use “wheelchair assist” at the airport was huge. Having peers to talk to helps. We provide services. We provide information, referral

and training. We can help navigate cumbersome state and federal programs. We can help you or your business understand the Americans with Disabilities Act, refer you to an appropriate agency or train you in the use of an assistive technology. Access Alaska can help assess your home, recommend

and often provide home modifications such as grab bars or ramps. we loan assistive devices such as wheelchairs and shower benches. When you are no longer able to independently perform

activities of daily living, Access Alaska can help you find personal assistance so you can remain in your home and community. From information to homecare Access Alaska and other

community organizations can help you remain independent. We’re all together in this thing called life, we change, but with the proper tools and information we can remain in our home and active in our work and community. Find more information at www.accessalaska.org.

Our thanks to Mr. Toelle for contributing this column. This article is intended to be strictly informational.

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Douglas Toelle Development and Advocacy Director

Access Alaska 526 Gaffney Rd.

Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 479-7940 Diagnosed with

Multiple Sclerosis 2000


Amazon Adventure

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By REBA [email protected]

Precious moments such as the sound of sandhill cranes returning in the spring or the sight of northern lights in the winter can slip away with age.

But regular checkups can catch many hearing and vision conditions early.

Among seniors, eyesight problems can come in several forms. As people age, they can experience cataracts, macular degeneration or flashes and floaters that could be the result of a tear in the retina.

Cataracts cause blurry vision and make it difficult to see details or read without extra light. They occur when the eye lens becomes cloudy, usually slowly over time. The condition stems from several possible sources, including aging, past eye infections, diabetes or other eye diseases and some medicines. Cataract surgery is the only way to eliminate the condition. The clouded lens can be removed and replaced by an artificial lens. Regular eye exams can help detect cataracts.

Age-related macular degen-eration can be detected dur-

ing eye exams. People might experience discolored, blurred or distorted vision in the ear-lier stages of the condition. In the very early stages, only eye exams can detect the condi-tion. Macular degeneration can be caused by the weaken-ing of the layer of the retina called the retinal pigment epithelium, resulting in some vision loss.

If the condition worsens, abnormal blood vessels can appear, which can leak and bleed and result in irrevers-ible vision loss. Periodic eye exams that detect the con-dition can lead to it being prevented from reaching the irreversible point.

Floaters and flashes, if untreated, can increase in occurrence and make it hard to complete tasks requiring vision. A visit to an eye doctor can determine what the prob-lem is and whether it needs surgery.

Many people experience hearing loss as they age. Hearing loss could be due to less-stringent laws on noise in the workplace during the employment years of the older generations or due to some ear conditions.

Before rushing into buying a hearing aid, people should consult a doctor, according to Dr. Sam Kim at the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Fairbanks. He said aids aren’t always the answer.

Regular wax build-up or an excessive wax build-up condi-tion can cause hearing loss. Kim said doctors can help keep the ear clean to maintain hearing and test for other problems.

More serious issues could be the result of growths behind the ear drum or a tumor in the pathway to the brain.

Kim said that, while some ear exams only test for how well people hear noises, people need to be tested on how they are interpreting the noises. That’s why audiologists ask people to repeat words back to them during a test.

Kim said senior citizens should have their ears exam-ined by an audiologist when they notice hearing loss.

“Even though they might have lost some hearing, they don’t have to lose much more.”

Contact staff writer Reba Lean at 459-7523.

Hearing, sight loss common, but not inevitable for the elderly


delay the date seniors get cov-erage.

“These decisions are going to affect your health insur-ance for the rest of your life,” he said, “and if you miss a deadline, it could be very costly. And worse yet, you could not have any benefits at all depending on the choices you make.”

Medicare coverage breaks down into three parts, Part A covers hospital visits, Part B is for medical insurance and Part D covers medications.

Most people, Delaune said, will qualify for Medicare Part A because of prior employ-ment. But Part B, which covers doctors’ services, out-patient care, durable medical equipment, home health ser-vices and other medical ser-vices, requires seniors to pay a premium each month.

Part D is provided by pri-vate insurance companies. Costs can vary depending on

coverage.And if that’s not compli-

cated enough, many people recommend purchasing sup-plemental insurance — often called Medigap — that covers costs and procedures not cov-ered by Medicare Part A or Part B.

Delaune stressed that it’s important for seniors to look into Medigap insurance because there’s a six-month time period after a senior turns 65 where insurance companies can’t charge them extra or deny coverage for existing conditions.

All the services, options and deadlines can be daunt-ing, but Delaune said that’s exactly why people should contact offices such as Access Alaska or the state Medicare Information Office.

“Doing a little investigation now and finding out what’s best for you can avoid a lot of consequences,” he said.

Contact staff writer Matt Bux-ton at 459-7544.

INSURANCE: OptionsContinued from Page 8

By TIM [email protected]

The Fairbanks North Star Borough has several recreational programs aimed at keep-ing seniors fit.

“We have programs five days a week,” said the borough’s senior activities coordinator, Georgia Reynolds. “It’s all focused on provid-ing group activities for seniors.”

The borough offers aqua fitness at the Mary Siah Recreation Center three days a week and exercise classes at senior centers and homes in Fairbanks and North Pole two days each week.

The borough also has a seniors walking club that meets at the Big Dipper Ice Arena twice a week, as well as weekly bowling out-ings.

“We don’t do anything intensive,” she said. “People don’t have to be intimidated. We’re just trying to maintain daily routines so people can get up around the house and go to the store. We trying to keep them from getting isolated in their homes.”

The borough’s senior activity program is for people age 60 and older. The oldest participant, Mary Meiners, just turned 100,

Reynolds said.“We’ve got quite a few in there 80s, as

well,” she said.The walking and exercise classes, which

are held at the Fairbanks Senior Center, San-ta’s Senior Center in North Pole and MLH Manor in Fairbanks, are free.

The borough offers limited transportation to the Big Dipper for the walking program, Reynolds said.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the borough’s senior activities program can call Reynolds at 459-1136 or the parks and recreation department at 459-1070.

Borough programs keep local seniors on the move

SCHEDULE AQUA FITNESS — 9 a.m. Monday, Wednes-

day, and Friday, Mary Siah Recreation Area.EXERCISE CLASSES — 11-11:30 a.m. Mon-

day and Friday at Santa’s Senior Center in North Pole; 11:15-11:45 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday at Fairbanks Senior Center; 8:30-9:15 a.m. Monday and Friday, MLH Manor.

BOWLING — 1:30 p.m. Monday, Arctic Bowl.WALKING CLUB — 9:15-10:15 a.m. Tuesday

and Thursday, Big Dipper Ice Arena.


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Residents of the Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home participate in chair exercises Monday, March 5, 2012.

By SAM [email protected]

While giving a tour recent-

ly, Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home administrator Vickie Wilson pointed out differences that she said separate the homes from senior housing in the Lower 48.

One difference is the effort to make residents feel they are in a home and not an institution, she said. That’s done in part with small touches such as Alaskana artwork (some of it made by residents), a play area for visiting children and several house pets — a dog and a bird were spotted on a recent walk-through but the home also has cats and has had vis-its from a reindeer and a pot-bellied pig.

The Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home is now home to about 85 people with an average

age of 89. Residents range in mobility from those that require 24-hour assistance to those whose abilities allow them to participate in house programs such as Fairbanks Summer Arts festival perfor-mances, an annual trip in the Riverboat Discovery and a train trip to Denali National Park.

The home also has an area for caring for people with dementia.

Having different levels of medical care under one roof is another big advantage of the Pioneers’ Homes, Wilson said.

“In the Lower 48, there are places where if you can’t take care of your pills yourself you have to move,” she said.

The Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home is the second-oldest of the six state-owned senior homes. The oldest, in Sitka, opened in 1913.

Pioneers’ Homes a haven for Alaska’s elderly

Please see PIONEERS, Page 12

Health & Wellness

Our thanks to Dr. Roger Thurmond for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

Roger Thurmond , M.D. Dermatologist

4001 Geist Rd., Suite B • Fairbanks, Alaska (907) 456-8899

Common Questions in a Dermatology Office

MEDICAL INSIGHT

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Q.: My teenager is starting to get acne. When should I bring him/her in to see you? A.: Acne is obviously a common problem for not only teenagers but adults as well. In many cases, it persists well into middle age. It is a CHRONIC problem and must be thought of and dealt with as such to achieve optimal, long-term control. My first response to this question is to ask a question: Is it bothering your teen or is it bothering you? This is critical because until the child in question is actually disturbed by the acne, there is little chance of success simply because any treatment requires daily persistence and effort. Usually acne starts slowly and with relatively mild lesions such as blackheads, whiteheads and occasionally red pimples. It is advantageous to start treatment at this stage as it usually is easier to manage with milder medications and more likely to prevent scarring that may occur if it is allowed to progress to more severe, inflammatory acne. However, if the child is simply not motivated, then all is for naught unless you are the rare parent who really will remember to actually do the treatments for them on a daily basis. Q.: I have rashes all the time. Do I have to use those “dangerous” steroids? A.: Eczema and psoriasis are very common and chronic skin ailments that may be quite miserable and for which there are not always permanent cures. There are many effective treatments however, and some of these involve using topical and yes, sometimes systemic steroids. Eczematous conditions in particular are responsive to these medications and they remain a mainstay of therapy. If used properly and judiciously, I do not consider them to be dangerous. They are to be respected, however. There is a trend to be unnecessarily fearful of these medications to the point where they are used so infrequently as to be ineffective. This is a mistake. It is better to use the medications consistently and regularly to achieve results and then taper off than to “piddle around” and get nowhere while the condition continues to cause miserable itching, pain and secondary infection from scratching. If it is necessary to treat a condition for a long period of time then alternating with other non-steroidal medications is very helpful to minimize side effects. It’s also important to have periodic monitoring of the condition to assess effectiveness, proper use and to watch for side effects. Q.: Is the sun bad for me? Are tanning beds bad for me? A.: Yes and no. This statement alone might be considered the equivalence of professional heresy to many of my colleagues though. The sun, as well as tanning beds emit ultraviolet light (UV) This light is a form of radiation which does cause genetic damage leading to premature aging and skin cancer. If you are very fair, have a personal or family history of skin cancer or simply hate the idea of looking older than your years then yes, it is bad for you. Most skin cancer is relatively easy to treat (compared with internal cancers) but melanoma while less common, is very dangerous. There is a relationship between melanoma and UV exposure but that connection is a bit more nebulous than with the more common skin cancers such as basal or squamous cell carcinoma. There are many treatments for aging skin but the foundation for all treatment is UV protection. So what are the positive effects? We all know how nice the sun and, yes, tanning beds make us feel and maybe look. Well-being and happiness are important, right? The sun promotes vitamin D production which, in our opinion, might be best gotten through diet or supplement. But we, as dermatologists, also use the sun and special medical versions of UV machines (not tanning beds!) for effective treatment of some very miserable skin conditions such as psoriasis but others as well including sometimes eczema. Many patients use tanning beds for these treatments too but they are much less efficient for this purpose. As with most any medical treatment, the good effects must be measured against the bad.


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Alaska is one of only a handful of states that have state-operated housing for seniors, Wilson said.

Room and board at the Fairbanks home starts at $2,252 a month for a resident who does not need medical care. But as a state-operated facility, the Pioneers’ Home accepts a combination of Med-icaid, private payments and state funds, Wilson said.

The Fairbanks home, locat-ed on Eagan Way, is divided into three “neighborhoods” based on the medical needs of the resident: Moosewood, Homestead or Aurora neigh-borhoods. Rooms are fairly small with a house-owned bed, some shelves and enough room in which to get dressed comfortably. The rooms share adjoining bathrooms with a second room.

Neighborhoods have their own lounge areas and dining rooms. Residents can invite guests to meals, and dur-ing the holidays the kitchen sometimes makes more meals for guests than residents, Wilson said. Residents also sometimes have other special meals away from the holidays, such as a recent Chinese take-out night. An in-house hair salon was decorated with a Humphrey Bogart cardboard cutout as part of a classic Hol-lywood theme.

Becoming a resident of a Pioneers’ Home takes some planning. To be eligible, applicants must be at least 65 years old. At 65, people can sign up to be interviewed and placed on an inactive waitlist to save a space at the home even if they do not have plans for when they might want to

move in.Joining the inactive wait-

list is recommend because problems can arise when a person’s health deteriorates and the person needs some-where like the Pioneers’

Home to live but finds that the active waitlist is three or four years long, Wilson said.

People who previously lived at home or with family come to the Pioneers’ Home for a variety of reasons, Wilson said. Sometimes people have a fall or other health problem and come for the additional health services the home provides. Others move to the Pioneers’ Home because they are lonely living alone.

“We’ve seen people improve when they get here just by the mobility or the stimulation,” Wilson said. “You have to get dressed because you’re having breakfast with people.”

Contact staff writer Sam Fried-man at 459-7545.

PIONEERS: Homes have waiting listContinued from Page 11


Residents of the Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home, front to back, Florence Sapulding, Willi Bliss and Bill Green, work with resistance bands as they participate in chair exercises Monday, March 5, 2012.

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So you are thinking about having a baby, now the real work of deciding on your prenatal care begins. Whether you choose an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn), a family physician, a certified nurse-midwife (CNM, or a certified profession midwife (CPM) will depend on a number of factors. Physicians There are usually two types of physicians that deliver babies, family practice and obstetricians. If you have a medical condition such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes, or had serious complications in a previous pregnancy, your pregnancy will probably be considered high risk. In this case, you’ll need to see an obstetrician. Certified Nurse-Midwife The word midwife means “with woman”. Midwives are primary health care providers to women throughout the lifespan. A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a registered nurse with education and training in the art of midwifery. Most often a CNM obtains this education through a 1-3 year master’s degree program after having obtained a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Certified nurse midwives offer that go between for low to moderate risk women that want or need to have their baby in the hospital setting. CNM’s offer a holistic approach that complements their medical knowledge. Certified Professional Midwife Midwives who are not CNMs attend about 1% of the births in the U.S. Midwives that take the exams offered by “MANA” are called certified professional midwives (CPM). Almost all of the births attended by this group of midwives are un-medicated and occur in the home or birth centers. CPM’s offer the same holistic approach to caring for pregnant women as CNM’s but some states still do not recognize, and to varying degrees, limit their ability to practice. What Really Matters If you are looking for an alternative to a doctor-assisted birth experience, be sure to choose a provider that shares your view of pregnancy, but also has a formal relationship with an obstetrician. The most important thing is to choose someone you feel completely comfortable with, who’s appropriate for your individual needs, who’ll respect your wishes, and who practices in the right setting for you. Be sure the that person is experienced and has system in place to handle the rare, but devastating complications of labor, delivery and the postpartum period. In the meantime plenty of vegetables, drink lots of water, and get some exercise. Remember your body knows what to do---but it needs you to do it!


Alexandria Montgomery, ANP

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner & Certified

Nurse-Midwife Member ACNM, AWOHNN,

1919 Lathrop St. Ste 219 452-1622

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our Thanks to Alexandria Montgomery for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

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Making Your Choice


By JEFF [email protected]

Seniors in Interior Alaska have quite a few housing options, ranging from assisted living to independent apart-ment complexes.

But when it comes to navi-gating those choices to find the right fit — that’s where it can become tougher.

Jim McCall, the officer of housing relations at Alaska Housing Finance Corp., said it’s often tricky for seniors or their families to digest the options. AHFC has compiled a list of facilities for indepen-dent and assisted living on its website at www.ahfc.us/home/senior_guide.cfm.

“They start that process, and it’s very challenging to find a resource they can uti-lize for narrowing down the search,” he said.

For seniors who don’t decide to live in a typical home or apartment building — or are no longer able to — there are a few basic options:

• Senior independent-living facilities don’t offer any per-sonal services, but they may be built to accommodate older people who have physical limitations. There are many of these units set aside for independent living facilities in the Interior, highlighted by the 96-unit Golden Towers complex in downtown Fair-

banks. In North Pole, Holiday Heights offers 24 units on Eighth Avenue.

• Assisted-living homes offer more help for seniors who need a hand and have a staff on hand to work with its residents. That help can range from meal preparation to help bathing or getting dressed.

The biggest assisted-liv-

ing home in the area is the 93-unit Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home, which is part of a statewide network of senior living facilities that also includes locations in Anchor-age, Juneau, Sitka and Palmer. Most other options in the Interior are much smaller, with 10 or fewer units avail-able.

• Although public housing isn’t necessarily limited to seniors, older Alaskans may qualify for a local preference to live at state-subsidized units. Anyone whose income doesn’t exceed 80 percent of the median income is eligible to reside. In addition to senior facilities such as Golden Tow-ers and Golden Ages, AHFC also operates Birch Park, Spruce Park and Southall Manor properties in the Fair-banks area.

The need for senior hous-ing is particularly important in Alaska, because that popu-lation has ballooned in recent decades. Between 1997 and 2007, the number of people in Alaska age 65 and older surged more than in any other state, with a nearly 50 percent growth rate during that span. That’s about four times more than the national average.

McCall said the state is working to keep up with the housing needs of Alaska’s

A range of local options available for senior housing

“We’re making positive head-way in that area … but certainly we know the (senior) popu-lation contin-ues to grow,” he said. “Not just in the Inte-rior, but all over Alaska.”

— Jim McCallAHFC

Please see HOUSING, Page 14

TIA stands for transient ischemic attack, usually of the brain. A TIA is a sudden decrease or absent blood flow to a part of the brain for a brief period of time, typically 30 minutes or less. Many non-medical people may refer to a TIA as a mini-stroke. By definition, there must be no permanent disability and the vast majority of TIA’s resolve within an hour. It can cause the same symptoms as a stroke but there is no permanent damage to the brain. A stroke, on the other hand, does cause permanent damage to the brain and usually causes some form of permanent disability. TIA’s are the result of an artery of the brain becoming blocked or clogged and then reopens on its own. Typically this happens when a small blood clot lodges in the blood vessel and then moves away or dissolves.

The symptoms of a TIA can be exactly the same as a stroke. These symptoms may include a SUDDEN loss of vision in one eye or both eyes, weakness and/or numbness and tingling on one side or both sides of the face or body, difficulty or inability to speak properly.

There are several causes of a TIA. Typically, however, they are caused by a small particle breaking off the inner wall of an artery, which is then carried along by the blood stream and lodges in a small blood vessel in the brain. It then rapidly breaks up into smaller particles and dissolves. The most common places particles, such as fat, blood clots and calcium build up, are in the carotid arteries in the neck. In a small number of patients, the medical team is unable to determine the source of the TIA.

Risk factors for developing a TIA include: age; male gender; high blood pressure; diabetes; tobacco use; lack of physical activity and obesity; high cholesterol and/or triglycerides; and genetics. It is believed that these factors all contribute to atherosclerosis, or the premature hardening of the inner wall of the arteries of the body; to the heart, the brain, the limbs, etc.

In partnership with your neurologist and primary care provider, a person can decrease their risk factors of having a TIA by: stop smoking; exercise moderately every day for at least 30 minutes (enough to increase the heart rate); adequate control of blood pressure if you have hypertension (without frequent fluctuations); meticulous control of blood sugars if you are diabetic; eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products, low in meats, sweets and refined grains such as white bread, white rice; getting your cholesterol and/or triglycerides into a normal range; and limit the amount of alcohol you drink (if you are a man, do not drink more than 2 drinks a day and if you are a woman do not drink more than 1 drink a day).

Most people know that if they experience chest pain they should report immediately to an emergency room because they may be having a heart attack. A TIA should be viewed as “chest pain of the brain”. A TIA is a warning sign of a possible impending stroke. A person who has had a TIA is at a much higher risk of having a stroke and/or heart attack. The highest risk is in the first days to weeks after the TIA. That is why it is so important to get medical help right away if you think you (or someone else) may have had a TIA.

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Dr. Janice Onorato for contributing this article to our column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

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What is TIA?


Janice Onorato, M.D. Neurologist

Fairbanks Psychiatry & Neurology Clinic 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 220

907-452-1739 Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology

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aging population. He pointed to a $3.5 million state grant recently approved to add a third phase to Raven Land-ing, a new independent senior housing development located at the corner of Airport Way and Cowles Street. The three buildings already approved, including one that’s occupied, will eventually hold 60 units. Future changes could add assisted-living features to some units.

“We’re making positive headway in that area … but certainly we know the (senior) population continues to grow,” he said. “Not just in the Interior, but all over Alaska.”

Contact staff writer Jeff Rich-ardson at 459-7518.

HOUSINGContinued from Page 13

By ELIZABETH OLSONNew York Times News Service

Laura Kaufman no longer treats her patients in a subur-ban dental office. These days, she cleans teeth, does simple extractions and provides other basic care in the homes of inner-city elderly who are too frail to travel.

After a decade of private practice in the Boston area, Kaufman found that a grow-ing number of her dental patients were older people and that she often had little idea of their complete medi-cal picture. So she decided to become “geriatricized” — edu-cated on how to recognize and handle aging patients, who typically have several chronic conditions, as well as multiple prescription medications.

“I saw these patients at my practice,” she said. “And then my father-in-law was home-bound, and I saw first-hand

there were no at-home dental services available.”

Eighteen months ago, she was accepted into a federally financed fellowship program in geriatric dentistry at Bos-ton Medical Center that she will soon complete. The pro-gram for geriatric medicine, dentistry and mental health is one way that health care professionals can gain more specific knowledge and train-ing to recognize and provide comprehensive care for the growing number of people 65 years old and up.

The federal government underwrites some fellowships and is asking for $54 million, up $11 million from last year, in the next budget for such training, especially for Geri-atric Education Centers at dozens of medical schools and major medical centers. Private groups, notably the John A. Hartford Foundation, have also been financial pillars for

elderly care training.Even so, given the enor-

mous number of retiring baby boomers, the problems are worrisome. Prestigious orga-nizations like the Institute of Medicine have warned of a looming scarcity of medi-cal professionals equipped to deliver coordinated treatment of elderly health problems.

There could be a shortage of as many as 90,000 doctors, about half in primary care, by the end of the decade, the Association of American Medi-cal Colleges has warned. Doc-tors do not flock to practice geriatrics because Medicare reimbursement is compara-tively low. The average geri-atric specialist made $183,523 in 2010 — less than half that year’s $392,885 median for dermatologists, according to the Physician Compensation and Production Survey. And, like all fledgling doctors, the geriatric specialist struggles with medical school debt.

Geriatrics is also seen as a

Needed: Health providers to treat aging patients

Please see MEDICAL, Page 16


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By ELIZABETH OLSONNew York Times News Service

Marie-Therese Connolly is using the prosecutorial skills she honed fighting nursing home fraud to add dimensions to the public’s awareness of the widespread problem of elder abuse, including highlighting the costs to society of financial, physical and psychological mis-treatment of older adults.

“Elder abuse is ubiquitous,” Connolly, 54, a former Justice Department prosecutor, said. “But we are not connecting the dots and realizing that the economic costs are high. Few people realize the huge impli-cations for Medicare, Medicaid and family programs.”

She has been working — writing federal legislation, testifying and prosecuting cas-es — for years, but a grant last fall from the MacArthur Foun-dation recognized her efforts in the area and gave her the financial freedom to reframe the issue on her own terms.

Despite the occasional highly publicized case like the one involving the actor Mickey Rooney, who told Congress he had been mistreated by rela-tives, or the conviction of the heiress Brooke Astor’s son on charges of defrauding her and stealing millions of dollars from her, the biggest challenge is that aging is something that everyone wants to ignore, Con-nolly said.

“We need to talk about this,” she said.

She decided to write a book, but not about the many exam-ples of how older people are exploited or mistreated.

“The engine of the book is going to be the people on the ground who are doing amazing things to help older people who are suffering from all these dif-ferent kinds of abuses,” Con-nolly said of the book, which she said would be published in spring 2013.

With no coordinated nation-al approach, “the social work-ers and others who are trying to help are forced to invent the wheel over and over,” she said.

Protecting the elderly is not a top national concern, she said, although 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s

disease, and large numbers of baby boomers are in, or approaching, their 60s, a period when they become more vulnerable.

Connolly, an energetic mother of three, did not set out to become a champion of rights for the elderly. As a newly minted lawyer out of North-eastern University School of Law, an early assignment was prosecuting civil fraud cases at the Justice Department.

Several years later, an investigation by the Govern-ment Accountability Office, the congressional watchdog agency, uncovered widespread nursing home abuses. That prompted the Justice Department to set up the Elder Justice and Nurs-ing Home Initiative to, among other things, pursue fraud against older adults. She was named to lead it in 1999.

She left the post in 2007, becoming a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Wash-ington research organization, and founding the nonprofit group Life Long Justice to help detect abuse of the elderly and find solutions. In 2010, Con-gress passed the first federal legislation, the Elder Justice Act, which she helped write, to address such abuse and exploi-

tation.Despite the law and efforts

to shed light on the problem, the toll on victims remains vast and grim, she said.

Just making sure that the people who come into contact with older adults, including doctors and social workers, are trained to distinguish between accidental bruises, which are common among older adults, and marks that are inflicted by someone else would be an important step, she said.

Connolly also wants people to understand the economic toll of abuse, noting that stud-ies show that abused elderly people “are more likely to be admitted to a nursing home, for example, and far more likely to suffer from increased mortality and morbidity.”

When financial, physical or other abuse means that an old-er person cannot live indepen-dently, taxpayers pick up the bill for costly acute, intensive or long-term care via Medicare or Medicaid, she said.

Financial exploitation alone costs victims $2.9 bil-lion annually, according to a 2011 MetLife Mature Market Institute study. Connolly said that the actual cost of abuse could be much greater, but no comprehensive study had been

done.A major drawback to pub-

lic awareness, she said, is the lack of research, especially in the areas of intervention and

prevention. It is difficult to pinpoint the precise number of cases of mistreatment and

Prosecutor becomes a champion for the elderly

Please see ABUSE, Page 16

Alexandria Montgomery is a certified nurse midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner specializing in low-risk obstetrics and gynecology. She joined Dr. Peter Lawrason’s OB/GYN office in the summer of 2010. Alexandria offers expertise in adolescent and teen health along with care of the pregnant woman. Alexandria attends births at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital while still allowing women to labor naturally. While in labor, women can walk, eat, and move around – with or without an IV and without continuous fetal monitoring. While some of her patients choose an epidural for pain management, Alexandria assists most of her clients through the natural labor process. She is married and has four children. In her spare time, Alexandria enjoys winter activities and playing softball.

Medical Dental Arts Building Suite 219 452-1622

Peter D. Lawrason, M.D.

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Preferred Provider • Blue Cross • Blue Shield • Aetna • Tri-Care Accepted

Alexandria Montgomery ANP, WHNP-C, CNM

Alexandria N. Montgomery, ANP, WHNP-C, CNM

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia (ADRD) and post diagnosis support is essential. Alaska has one of the fastest growing aging populations in the nation and baby boomers are beginning to reach retirement age. As our aging population grows, it is important families, friends, caregivers and professionals are educated on ADRD and the resources available. ADRD does not just affect the individual diagnosed but also all those around them. Here are a few tips that may make a world of difference to those affected directly or indirectly by ADRD:

If you have been diagnosed with ADRD remember you are not alone. There are support groups in your area and professionals that can help you plan for the future and talk to your family about what this means and how it will affect all of you. Being prepared minimizes the need for you or your family to make decisions in crisis mode.

If you are a caregiver it is important to realize that this can be a physically, emotionally and mentally draining job and self-care is necessary. Support groups, classes, in- home workers and financial assistance are all available. Education Specialists can help connect you to these resources if you are not already utilizing them.

If you are a friend, be a friend! Do not disappear or stop talking to your friend because you don’t know what to say. Include the person as much as possible and take free classes about how to communicate and be conscientious and supportive. It may be uncomfortable for you, but ultimately it is more difficult for the individual diagnosed and their family.

If you are concerned that you or a loved one may be experiencing cognitive problems see a professional and get a memory screening. Memory screenings can be less invasive than a full medical evaluation and used as a baseline for those without cognitive impairments or a tool for narrowing down a diagnosis.

If you are a professional or someone who works in the field of dementia care, having the foundation and staying current on what is happing in the field is imperative to both a person’s quality of life as well as the quality of your experiences working with them. We can inadvertently be the trigger that elicits a negative response, gaining tools and training in dementia care can make us more effective, efficient service providers.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Education is Essential

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Victoria Shanklin Alzheimer's Resource

of Alaska 5 65 University Ave. Suite 2

Fairbanks, AK 907-452-2277

Our thanks to Victoria Shanklin for contributing this column The article is intended to be strictly informational.



plodding area of medicine, set apart from the glamour of life-saving heroics. That may be why the specialty has made little headway among nurses as well.

The Hartford Foundation and the Atlantic Philan-thropies have supported a wide-ranging effort, at more than 300 hospitals, to provide nurses with geriatric training, in a program called NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders).

Medical schools and others

have been exploring shorter and more specific ways to expose health care profes-sionals to the complexities of aging care, especially because midcareer professionals have limited ability to leave their practices for a year or two of training.

The American Geriatric Society and other groups sponsor minifellowships, weekend workshops, Web seminars and online courses, and add material to the physi-cian relicensing process that occurs every decade.

And the geriatric residency that must be completed before becoming a board-certified doctor has been reduced to one year from two, to make it less punishing financially for doctors.

After decades of practice in Maine where his caseload of aging patients was rising steadily, Dr. William Bogan Brooks, a psychiatrist, decided he needed to know more. He entered a one-year fellowship program in geriatric psychia-try at Brown University in Providence, R.I.

“Older people have more health problems, but they are also dealing with losses of loved ones and cognitive dis-orders,” he said. Along with another doctor, he made home visits in the Boston area as part of a team to give patients health assessments. But it was not an easy year, Brooks recalled. Now in Alabama after completing the program last summer, he said: “I had to do some moonlighting at a local hospital. Taking the year was a financial hit, but I learned so much.”

That is music to the ears of Sharon Levine, a geriatric physician who helps direct a Boston Medical Center pro-gram of weekend geriatric immersion workshops for doc-tors. “There will be at least 70 million Americans over age 65 by 2030, and we only have 7,100 board-certified geriatri-cians,” she noted, adding that “there will never be enough.”

MEDICAL: Geriatrics a growing specialtyContinued from Page 14

abuse of older people, she said, because abuse takes many forms, can be hard to detect and can occur at home or in nursing homes and other institutions.

Citing surveys and studies over the last decade, Connolly estimated that several million older Americans suffered abuse each year. But she said, “It’s very hard to put a finger on the prevalence.”

To arrive at more precise figures, she is working with some other specialists on the elderly to research the various aspects of abuse and to find financing to support the effort.

Her no-strings $500,000 MacArthur award

helps make up for the fact that she has not drawn a salary since she left her federal job — something her family has taken in stride although her older two children are in college. Her husband, Daniel Kohrman, is a lawyer with the AARP Foundation and works on issues involving older adults as well.

But Connolly says she knows focusing public attention on abuse of the elderly is not going to be easy.

“Despite the tide of aging baby boomers, people are still far more aware of child abuse and domestic violence than they are of what happens to an older neighbor or relative,” she said. “Elder abuse is still a national blind spot.”

ABUSE: Problem is pervasiveContinued from Page 15

Arlene Kirschner, M.D. A Professional Corporation

Board Certified General Surgeon

Practicing in Fairbanks since 1989

Announcing the opening of my new Out-Patient General

Surgical Practice located in Washington Plaza.

Outpatient general surgery with special interest in Breast Diseases • Office ultrasound guided biopsies

available • Screenings and Diagnostic Endoscopy Hernias • Gallstones, Etc.

3419 Airport Way, Suite B Fairbanks, AK 99709

Referrals and Appointments welcome.

907-474-4745 Katie Schalberg is a Licensed Acupuncturist and

Herbalist at the Alaska Center for Natural Medicine

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

MEDICAL INSIGHT 13394034 3-14-12 H

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When people find out that I’m an acupuncturist, I am immediately bombarded with many questions. “Does it work?”, “Will it help with.?”, “Isn’t that just voodoo?”. But after 10 years being part of this medical field, the #1 question that is asked of me, “Does it hurt?”. Even after explaining that acupuncture needles, unlike hypodermic needles, are solid and hair thin, it seems most people can’t get over the fact that I’m putting sharp objects into their body.

So, does acupuncture hurt? No, it doesn’t hurt. However, you should feel it!

As I explain to all my patients, I first tap the needle in, gently breaking through the skin. Most will say that all they feel at this point is either the tapping or a little pinch, like a mosquito bite. I then insert the needle a bit deeper. The patient at this point can expect certain sensations.

Dull achy sensation: This is what the Chinese call “Da Qi” sensation which indicates a rush of blood flow into the area.

Tingling sensation or the patient may feel the nerve activate down the leg or arm.

Heat or itchiness: This sensation is a histamine response. Muscle contraction: Some acupuncture points are actual

motor points of the muscle. When this motor point is activated, the muscle can contract on its own.

Referred sensation: A needle is inserted into an area of the body, however the patient will feel the sensation somewhere else.

These sensations tell me, as the practitioner, that the body is responding to the acupuncture. However, every needle inserted does not elicit a response. With 10 needles inserted, most patients report sensation from maybe 3 or 4 of them. I also ask my patients to let me know if any of these sensations become overwhelming. In this case I will back the needle off or take it out completely. In my experience, if the patient is in any discomfort they become stressed and the treatment becomes ineffective.

Finally, as in any relationship, communication is key. It is the same with the relationship between you and your acupuncturist. Therefore, let the practitioner know of your concerns. Let them know of your expectations. Finally, let them know if anything is bothering you during treatment. With this communication trust is built and ultimately your experience will be positive. You will even find yourself telling everyone how wonderful acupuncture is and how much it didn’t hurt!

Submitted by

Katie Schalberg, M.S., L.Ac. Acupuncturist & Herbalist

Alaska Center for Natural Medicine 3039 Davis Rd

Fairbanks, AK 99709 (907) 452-3600

alaskacenterfornaturalmedicine.com


Creators.com photo courtesy of Ed Yourdon

Studies show that owning a pet is beneficial to one’s health.

CHELLE CORDEROCreators.com

Hearing the pitter-patter of furry little feet, the melodic notes of a birdcall or the gur-gling sounds of a fish tank fil-ter should do more than sim-ply stir visions of pet treats and fun. There are studies confirming that owning a pet is good for your health and mental well-being.

Studies have cited the benefits of pet ownership for heart attack recovery, depres-sion, hypertension and even fitness. Pets provide social-ization opportunities, a feel-ing of companionship and a purpose to “get of bed” in the morning, and they are terrific icebreakers and conversa-tion starters. Researchers and statistics say that heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without, according to several studies. Male pet owners have fewer signs of heart disease, e.g., lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels, than non-owners.

Stress — and these are stressful times -- can throw off your body’s natural chem-istry and cause “illnesses” such as malignant hyperten-

sion. Malignant hypertension presents with a significantly high blood pressure and feelings of discomfort and pressure; it is a true medical emergency. However, petting an animal or participating in a pleasurable, relaxing activ-ity can raise levels of sero-tonin and dopamine, chemi-

cals that help to unwind and soothe. People in high-stress and demanding jobs had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations after adopting a pet than did their counterparts without pets.

All pets offer the common

Owning pets has health benefits

Please see PETS, Page 18


March 27, 2012

Our Vision Life free of diabetes and all its burdens

Our Mission To prevent and cure diabetes and to

improve the lives of people affected by diabetes.

Take the Diabetes Risk Test today at: facebook.com/americandiabetesassociation

Please Call for an Appointment 452-1622

Peter D. Lawrason, M.D.

• Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology

• Over 20 Years' Experience • High and Low Risk Obstetrics • Infertility Evaluations and Treatment • Gynecologic Surgery • General Ob/Gyn • Affiliated with

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

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1919 Lathrop St., Suite 219

health benefits of reducing stress, including fish, birds, reptiles, hamsters, etc., but some animals lend themselves to cuddling and playing. There are added benefits to owning dogs and cats or other animals that encourage physi-cal interaction. For example, a nightly walk with a dog on a leash is good exercise that helps keep you fit and lowers triglycerides and cho-lesterol. Pet ownership also opens doors to greater social-izing. Conversations start up between dog owners as they discuss breeds and care of their pups.

All too often, well-mean-ing parents have made their homes pet-free zones to eliminate the possibility of allergies and illnesses for

their children. But statistics show that up to 33 percent of infants and young children showed less tendency toward animal allergies when they were raised in homes with a furry critter. Children learn to interact with pets and develop social skills. Having and car-ing for a pet gives a child a chance to develop responsibil-ity, but the child should never be the sole caretaker.

The Journal of Allergy and

Clinical Immunology quoted University of Wisconsin-Madi-son researcher and pediatri-cian James E. Gern, M.D., as saying, “A growing number of studies have suggested that kids growing up in a home with ‘furred animals’ -- whether it’s a pet cat or dog, or on a farm and exposed to large animals -- will have less risk of allergies and asthma.” There is also less incidence of eczema and stronger immune

systems when children are raised with dogs in the home.

There is a great sense of companionship for elderly pet owners where family has grown up and moved away or members have passed on. Owning a pet that has to be cared for, fed regularly and played with enforces a routine and gives purpose. Pets also have a way of reducing anxi-ety and soothing respiratory functions, which are impor-tant benefits for our elders.

For years, individuals and organizations have visited hospitals and senior assisted-living residences with dogs or cats in tow. In health care institutions, the animals help decrease pain by allow-ing the patients to focus on something other than themselves. They stimulate

memories, encourage speech and motivate physical activity. Researchers have also discov-ered that patients who are regularly visited by therapy pets are often much more willing to accept medical care and are more optimistic about their survival.

While owning a pet may decrease anxiety and related ailments, owning too many pets may also add stress as the cost of their care increas-es. Be realistic when making your decision to bring an ani-mal into the house. Withhold-ing a pet from someone who wants one could be a source of distress, as well. Prospec-tive pet owners should choose animals with whom they feel most comfortable. Pet ownership is a very personal decision that reflects an indi-vidual preference.

PETS: Having animals reduces allergies for kids, promotes caringContinued from Page 17

There is a great sense of companion-

ship for elderly pet owners where family

has grown up and moved away or mem-

bers have passed on.

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Convenient Quality Health Care

Your health is OUR first priority!

Steese Immediate Care

Opening May 1st Located at 1275 Sadler Way, 1st Floor in the

Steese Medical Center Building (just behind Boston’s and Home Depot).

We offer quality health care from highly qualified providers, X-ray facility on site, and plenty of parking available.

Announcing a NEW Walk-In-Clinic

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our Thanks to Julie Ament for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

The medical terminology for your total knee replacement is a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Rehabilitation of your TKA will likely include inpatient physical therapy for a few days while you are in the hospital. This will include exercises for flexibility of your knee; practice walking with a walker; negotiating steps; and practice getting in and out of bed and to the bathroom. Once you return home, outpatient physical therapy is expected 2-3 days a week for 6 weeks and then 1-2 days a week for 4 weeks before discharge from physical therapy to an ongoing independent exercise program. Your physical therapist will help you to continue exercises for flexibility of your knee; progress your walking ability; work on your balance and agility; and strengthen your knee and hip muscles. Additionally, your therapist will likely work on mobilization of other stiff joints and soft tissues and may include electrical stimulation of your thigh muscles to help regain your strength. Most basic functional improvements in walking speed,

stair climbing and activities of daily living will occur in the first 12 weeks after surgery and will continue to improve for 26 weeks. At 6 months, you should expect your pain to have improved 63% over pre operative levels; knee bending to be about the same as pre operative; knee straightening to be about 5 degrees more than pre operative; the ability to get up and walk about 20 feet to have improved 21% over what you had pre operative; stair climbing to be 40% better than pre operative; and your opinion of the ease of daily activity (as measured on a questionnaire) to be 57% improved over pre operative levels. You can expect the strength of the front of your thigh to be at pre operative level at 6 months. However this strength will not be equal to your uninvolved side even at 6 months so you should continue your home exercises at least one year. At 1 year, walking speed should be such that you can walk between 1275 feet and 1500 feet in 6 minutes. After 6 months you can expect to participate in low

impact sports such as cycling, swimming and rowing. With previous experience, down hill skiing, cross country skiing, canoeing, doubles tennis, horse back riding and rowing are recommended. Your TKA can be expected to last 15-20 years. Your surgeon will usually refer you for outpatient physical

therapy to start right away when you return home after your surgery. You can find a physical therapist near you by clicking on “find a PT” at http://www.apta.org/ . You can find a therapist who is a board certified specialist in orthopedics by looking for those with an “OCS” and the clinical specialist logo.


Julie Ament, PT, DPT, MOMT, OCS North Pole Physical Therapy

157 Lewis Street North Pole, AK 99705

488-4978

Total Knee Replacement: What should you expect from your Physical

Therapist? What kind of activity should you expect to get back to?

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By ELIZABETH POPENew York Times News Service

Policymakers and pun-dits warn that the baby boom wave could swamp the nation’s health care system. What if the 77 million boom-ers, who have just begun to turn 65 could help solve the health care crisis?

“There’s a lot of talk about the challenges that boom-ers will present to health care, but we see them as our country’s greatest natu-ral resource,” said Barbara Raynor, managing director of Boomers Leading Change in Health in Denver.

Her 18-month-old pro-gram, financed by the Den-ver-based Rose Community Foundation, trains older adults as volunteer patient navigators, advocates and community health workers assigned to local organiza-tions serving city residents.

Some 125 older adults have been trained as naviga-tors or community health workers who help individu-als and families master the intricacies of the health care

system. Another 300 volun-teers are advocates who edu-cate others about health care issues in formal and informal settings.

At the Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, also in Denver, older volunteers help teach health literacy, arrange transportation and accompany Bhutanese and Burmese refugees and immi-grants to medical appoint-ments, said Brandy Kramer, the institute’s volunteer coor-dinator.

“Our boomers are wonder-ful advocates for our com-munity members; they are tenacious and won’t take no for an answer from a health care provider.”

Through local providers, volunteers have helped the institute’s clientele acquire free or low-cost hearing aids, eyeglasses and even a new set of teeth. Other volunteers have untangled Medicare bills, advised when (and when not) to call 911 and coached diabetics on healthy diet and exercise.

Encouraged by the 2010 health care act’s emphasis on

primary care, care coordina-tion and chronic disease man-agement, pilot programs are emerging to try to improve the fragmented medical sys-tem.

Many programs rely on coaches, navigators and advo-cates. The paid or unpaid work they do is well suited to older adults seeking encore careers, said Phyllis N. Segal, a vice president of Civic Ven-tures, a San Francisco-based research group.

While there are no firm numbers on new programs, she said, “this area is poised to explode because of expanding needs for health prevention and services.” Entrepreneurs will also find opportunities to start small businesses in consumer-cen-tered care, she added.

The federal government’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation recently dedicated $1 billion in grants to develop new ideas to improve care and lower costs for Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries.

Baby boomers step up as health care volunteers

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Events Events Events Special Special Special

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Access Alaska Support Group Schedule Support groups are made up of people with common interests and experiences. People who have been through, or are going through, a similar circumstance can do more than sympathize with you — they can relate to what you are going through and keep you from

feeling like you are alone.

Head Injury Support 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

VIP (Visually Impaired Person) Support Group 1st Tuesday of each month, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Support Group 2nd Wednesday of each month, 12:00-1:30 p.m.

Wall Buster Advocacy 2nd and 4th Monday of each month

2nd Monday, 12:30-2:00 p.m. 4th Monday, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

American Sign Language Lunch Bring your own lunch

Every Tuesday, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Parent Advocacy 3rd Tuesday of each Month, 5:30–7:00 p.m.

For additional information and to confirm dates and times

please call 479-7940

www.accessalaska.org

Meander Mosquito

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Pioneer Park Race Starts at 10 a.m.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Entry fees: Adults 12 and over —$20 Family (incl. 2 T-shirts)—$35 Children under 12—$15 Late Registration begins after 6/13/12—add $5 to fees.

5K Fun Run & Walk

Presented by Fairbanks Counseling & Adoption For more information, go to

http://www.fcaalaska.org or call (907) 456-4739.

2 1 s t A n n u a l

May 9, 2012 Fairbanks, Alaska

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Join us at 5:00 for PRE-RACE ACTIVITIES

• Food • Entertainment • Door Prizes and balloons for the kids

Entry forms available mid-April at www.akwater.com

Race Starts at 6:30 p.m.

on 1st Avenue. Strollers, wagons and Dogs on leashes welcome!


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Kick-Off Party! Sunday, March 25

3–5 p.m. at the Fairbanks Princess Lodge diabetes.org/fairbankstour

Hors d’oeuvres, prizes, and inspiration! This is an excellent time to get your family and friends registered. Bring your team in to show your team spirit!

For more information contact Sara Lucey at (907) 457-1557 or [email protected]

Register today • Start a Team • STOP DIABETES!

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BREAST CANCER DETECTION CENTER OF FAIRBANKS

announces Mobile Mammograms 2012

BCDC will bring “Nancy,” our mobile digital mammography coach to the following

locations during 2012.

Tanana Chiefs Conference March 12–15 Eielson AFB March 19–21 Prince William Sound Traveling April 28–May 4

Health and Safety Fair (Valdez, Whittier, Tatitlek & Chenega Bay)

Central May 19 Wasilla May 30–June 1 Seldovia June 6 Soldotna June 13–14 Nenana June 18–19 Healy June 20 Delta Junction July 9–10 Slana July 16 Tok July 17–19 Dutch Harbor September 10–13 Eielson AFB October 15–17

For more information on mobile mammograms call 479-3909

“Nancy” “Nancy”

1905 Cowles St. • Fairbanks, AK www.bcdcofalaska.org

Providing education and mammograms to women in Alaska regardless of ability to pay.

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Survivors After Suicide: Bereavement Support Group

For Those That Have Lost a Loved One by Suicide.

If you have lost a friend, family member, or co-worker to suicide, there is a safe place in our community to discuss your loss

with others who are experiencing similar thoughts and feelings. Groups are open to all adult survivors after suicide

and will be held at Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption.

First and Third Thursday of each month, 6 to 8 pm. Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption

912 Barnette St. Call Paul Beals @ 456-4729 for a pre-group interview. United Way

of Tanana Valley

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Autism Awareness Month

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For more information or to register online www.asagoldenheart.org

or call 374-4421

Alaska Walk for Autism Saturday, April 28 ¥ 11 a.m.

at the Carlson Center

April is . . .

New Route

30th

A NNIVER

SA

RY

!

MIDNIGHT SUN RUN

Proceeds benefit United Way of the Tanana Valley & Student Athletes

through scholarships Information: 452-6046

JUNE 23, 2012

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10 p.m. • 10k run UAF Patty Center to Pioneer Park

21Wednesday, March 14, 2012


“your specialist in complex restorative dentistry”

With additional years of prosthodontic training and 31 years dental practice experience, Dr. Scheller has the knowledge and skills to provide you with a smile to be proud of. Prosthodontics, a dental specialty, focuses on the restoration and replacement of missing teeth as well as a wide variety of restorative, implant, esthetic, and cosmetic procedures. Dr. Scheller and his team are committed to offering friendly professional dental care of the highest quality. We will work closely with you to develop a comprehensive plan to treat your specific situation and explain what results you can anticipate. Denture and partial fabrication, repairs, and relines are completed quickly at our in-house dental lab.

Our goal is to achieve optimal dental health and wellness for life for each patient.

Welcoming New Patients to the practice.

(907) 452-7955 4001 Geist Road, Suite 12

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ANICA WONGCreators.com

We’ve all been there before. After sitting at your desk for five hours straight, your vision starts to get blurry, your fingers are covered in potato chip grease, and your thoughts are getting derailed every time someone walks into your office. When you leave for the night, you can’t help but think: “Ugh. I feel gross and unhealthy.”

It seems that more and more workers are becom-ing tethered to their desks,

unmovable from their com-puters and phone systems. While this may increase the productivity of a company, it also can decrease the health of the workers. Many studies have shown that sedentary office environments lead to health complications.

A report out of the Western Australian Institute for Medi-cal Research has found that sitting at a desk for long peri-ods of time increases the risk of colorectal cancers by 200 percent.

A 20-year Nurses’ Healthy Study of 72,000 female nurses

showed that for those who walked three hours a week, their risk of breast cancer was reduced greatly.

According to a 2006 Uni-versity of Michigan study, the percentage of people who exercised regularly from 1980 to 2000 remained the same, but the amount of people who spent time sitting (espe-cially at their desks) rose by 8 percent. The more hours per day you sit at your desk, the higher likelihood of your dying an early death from a variety of health-related issues, including diabetes and heart disease.

This is what Steve Bord-ley is trying to battle. He is CEO at TrekDesk, a company that creates desks that can be placed over a treadmill so workers can walk on the treadmill during their work-day.

After an accident rendered

Bordley temporarily inactive, he gained weight and his cho-lesterol levels shot through the roof. This was when his brainchild was born. He found

that just from walking during the day, he lost 25 pounds, cured his back pain and low-ered his cholesterol. It was as simple as walking.

“Our whole goal is just to start a movement revolution,” says Bordley.

He points to the surgeon general’s recommendation of 10,000 steps a day as the key to a healthier America. “The American Heart Asso-ciation says that if you walk those 10,000 steps a day, we’d reduce initial heart attack rates by 90 percent,” he says.

But how do workers walk during the day if they need to create spreadsheets and pre-sentations? That’s where the TrekDesk comes in. By plac-ing a desk over the treadmill, the worker can continue to perform while walking.

While the idea is simple enough, there is still some hesitation to “exercising” while on the job. People don’t want to sweat. That seems to be the common misconcep-tion, says Bordley. He adds that you only walk about 1 to 1.5 miles per hour while using a treadmill and associated desk.

A person can walk the 10,000-step minimum put

Staying active at work is key to staying healthy

Creators.com photo courtesy of Steve Bordley

TrekDesk’s treadmill desk allows workeras to be active while work-ing.

Please see TREADMILL, Page 23

Specializing in the Treatment of: Neck and Back Pain • All Joint Injuries TMJ Dystunction • Vertigo • Pelvic Pain Sports, MVA and Work-Related Injuries

Post-Surgical Rehabilitation • Incontinence Pre- and Post-Partem Therapy

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1919 Lathrop St., Suite 222

456-5990 www.willowpt.com

Home Fitness for Elder Care

Karla Zervos Lifespan Home

Modifications Founder (907) 457-5433

www.homemodification.com National Association of Home Builders

Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist

Our thanks to Karla Zervos for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

Every day a growing number of Alaskans become caregivers for people who are Aging In Place. Some caregivers are professionals but most are informal caregivers who are “just helping” aging parents, spouses, family members, friends and neighbors. Caregivers work hard and usually without pay to preserve or restore dignity, independence and quality of life so older adults can remain in their own home and community.

Caregivers often assist a person with essential activities of daily living like eating, dressing, bathing, toileting and transferring or shifting from one position to another. They help a person sit and stand, walk or move around and transfer in and out of bathing areas or on and off the toilet. Caregiving requires physical and emotional strength and sometimes the work strains caregivers and jeopardizes their own health and wellness. Finding ways to reduce caregiver stress helps caregivers as well as those they care for and should always be part of a home health care plan.

One often-overlooked way to reduce stress is to adapt the house so these vital services can continue with less effort. Caregivers report that bathroom activities are the most physically demanding. In before and after demonstration projects where bathrooms were modified, caregivers reported that the changes enabled them to assist more easily and safely in a room that is filled with hazards. The most helpful bathroom modifications usually include:

• Fastening grab bars so they are appropriate for the wall structure near the toilet and bathing area to meet the unique transfer needs of the person

• Installing height adjustable, handheld shower heads for easier independent or assisted bathing

• Replacing bathtubs with curbless, roll-in showers to eliminate the need for transferring in and out of a bathtub

• Adding a built-in bench or seat in the bathtub or shower for seated bathing

• Raising the height of the toilet so sitting and standing requires less effort and assistance

• Allowing enough floor space on one side and in front of the toilet for mobility equipment and / or for caregivers to comfortably assist a person transferring to and from the toilet

Taking care of an older person requires good health as well as a supportive home environment. Modifying a home can reduce the cost of elder care, delay moving or institutionalization and create a safer environment for seniors and their caregivers. Learn more about home modifications for better caregiving at www.thiscaringhome.org/ virtual_home.

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out by the surgeon general in two to three hours while on a treadmill.

TrekDesk’s treadmill desk has a price tag of $479, and to use it, one has to have a treadmill and, more impor-tantly, the space to put a treadmill in an office. If your cubicle doesn’t allow this, there are other ways to stay active while at work.

According to the Mayo Clinic, one suggestion is to look for opportunities during the day to stand. This could include standing while on the phone (a technique Bordley suggests for everyone) or even getting a standing desk (where you stand instead of sit).

Another good idea is to take regular breaks and move around during the day; avoid extended periods of time sit-ting at your desk. Instead of hanging out at the water cooler, take a walk around the office or down the hall. Climb a few flights of stairs to get your heart rate up. If you have colleagues who are up for it, create walking meet-

ings, where instead of sitting around a conference table, you take the meeting to the sidewalks and enjoy the sun-shine.

Bordley believes that walk-ing is the magic pill that

we’ve all been looking for to become healthier, happy indi-viduals.

“TrekDesk doesn’t cure cancer, but walking does. The magic is in movement,” he says.

TREADMILL: Stay active at your deskContinued from Page 22

By DENISE GRADYNew York Times News Service

More and more retired people are heading back to the nearest classroom — as students and, in some cases, teachers — and they are find-ing out that school can be love-lier the second time around. Some may be thinking of second careers, but most just want to keep their minds stim-ulated, learn something new or catch up with a subject they were always curious about but never had time for.

For many, at least part of the motivation is based on widespread reports that exer-cising the brain may preserve it, forestalling mental decline

and maybe even Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Is there any truth to it? And if there is, what type of learning is best suited to the older brain?

Many studies do find that being mentally active is asso-ciated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. But the standard caveat applies: asso-ciation does not prove cause and effect, and there is always the chance that the mentally active people who never got Alzheimer’s simply had health-ier brains to begin with.

Even, so, researchers say, there is no harm in telling people to try to stay engaged.

“When you and I are having

this conversation, you’re tak-ing notes, thinking, remember-ing pieces of it, trying to relate it to other things,” said Arthur Toga, a professor of neurology and director of the laboratory of neuroimaging at the Univer-sity of California, Los Angeles. “You’re changing the circuitry in your brain. That is because you have changed something in your brain to retain that memory.”

Toga elaborated: “The con-versation requires nerve cells in the brain to fire, and when they fire they are using energy. More oxygen and sugar must be delivered, by increased blood flow to those regions.

Retirees using education to exercise their brains

Please see RETIREES, Page 24


2301 South Cushman – 452-6000 514 Old Steese – 456-8686

3574 Airport Way – 479-8688

1800 Airport Way – 452-5415 Wal-Mart Location – 374-7817

UAF Location (732 Yukon Dr., Fairbanks) – 458-1012

227 N. Santa Claus Lane (North Pole) – 488-7444 Fort Wainwright (8703 Neely Road) – 356-1481

Eielson AFB (451 Broadway) – 372-1166

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“Why would that be good? If you are vasodilating, deliv-ering more blood to certain regions of the brain, that is important. It increases the lon-gevity and the health of those circuits. In adults, if I ask you to perform tasks you’ve never done before, the amount of brain it takes for you to try and do it is far greater than the amount of brain it takes for you to do something you’re already good at. So yes, exer-cising the brain is good.” Play-ing video games probably qual-ifies as a type of brain exercise, he said, though older people might not sharpen their skills as fast as younger ones do.

But Toga warned that while

using the brain might help avert some of the mental slow-ing that normally comes with aging, it had its limits. “I do not believe that it forestalls degenerative disease, how-ever,” he said. “That’s a differ-ent process.” There is a “little bit of snake oil,” he added, in the various products and pro-grams that are being marketed with the implied promise that they will ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

But research continues. Dr. William Jagust, a professor of public health and neuroscience at the University of Califor-nia, Berkeley, said there were two main theories that tried to explain why exercising the brain might make it more resistant to disease.

One is the “cognitive reserve” theory, which says that if the brain is in the best possible shape with extensive neuronal connections from being used a lot, it may be able to withstand the onset of Alzheimer’s disease for a while and symptoms may take lon-ger to develop.

A hallmark of Alzheimer’s is deposits in the brain of an abnormal form of a protein called amyloid.

“A paper we published showed that people who were more cognitively active over their whole life span had less amyloid,” Jagust said.

Animal research, he said, shows that neural activity actually releases amyloid into the brain. How, then, could

mentally active people have less amyloid?

“My interpretation is that people who are more cognitive-ly active have more efficient brains,” Jagust said. “What seems to happen in aging is that older people seem to have less efficient brains.” A scan of brain activity on a 20-year-old being asked to remember something will show less activ-ity needed than in an 80-year-old asked to perform the same task.

“Older people seem to acti-vate or bring on line brain areas that young people don’t use,” Jagust said. “They have to work their brains harder. So people who stay cognitively active may use their brains more efficiently.”

That way, they may gener-ate fewer amyloid deposits. But he emphasized that being mentally active throughout life — not just in old age — was what mattered.

“It has to do with lifelong patterns of behavior,” Jagust said. “We tend to focus on what people do at 75 in terms of dementia. But there is more evidence that what you do in your life, at 40 or 50, is prob-ably more important.”

Nonetheless, Jagust acknowledged, “this is all theo-retical.”

As to what kinds of things older people tend to be best at learning, the researchers said there were no hard and fast

RETIREES: Older people heading back to school to stay mentally fitContinued from Page 23

Continued on page 25


1867 AIRPORT WAY Urgent Care Center next to Wendy's

452-2024

Dr. John Cobbett, O.D.

Call to make your appointment today:

452-2131 CVO, Inc next to Image Optical on Airport Way

(Urgent Care Center next to Wendy's)

Dr. Cobbett is now scheduling patients

with Dr. Chad Personett and Dr. Matthew Riley.

Clear Vision Optometry welcomes

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Central Health Fair: Saturday, May 19, 8:00 a.m. to Noon Held in the beautiful Central Museum

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Free health screenings Free health education Low cost blood tests

Chemistry/Hematology . . . . . . . . . . $45 (Panel of 27 different tests. Please ( fast for 12 hours prior)

Thyroid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30 Prostate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25 Vit D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50 A1c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25 Must be 18 to have blood drawn.

Please drink lots of water prior to blood draw.

Come join us, visit the exhibitors, chat with a nurse,

take charge of your health!

Nenana Health Fair: Saturday, March 31, 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sponsored by WIN—Wellness in Nenana

Held in the Nenana Civic Center

Please contact us for more information:

374-6853 [email protected] www.alaskahealthfair.org

Presenting sponsor

Salcha Health Fair: Saturday, April 14, 8:00 a.m. to Noon Sponsored by Salcha Fire & Rescue

Held in the Salcha Elementary School

Copper River Regional/ Glennallen Health Fair:

Saturday, April 21, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sponsored by Copper River

Regional Health Network Held in the Glennallen High School

Fairbanks Health Fair: Saturday, April 28, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Pioneer Park, Civic Center Alaskaland

Eagle Health Fair: Saturday, May 5, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Held in the Eagle School C

LIP

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CLIP

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rules. Memory usually does diminish, even in people who do not have dementia, and reaction time slows.

“You’re not going to learn to hit a fastball,” Jagust said.

Over time, he said, the best-preserved abilities seem to involve vocabulary and knowl-edge about the world, what researchers call “crystallized intelligence.” Problem-solving and math ability, part of “fluid intelligence,” do not seem to stick as well.

The slippage in memory may make it tough to learn a

new language. But people who already know more than one language may be more adept than others, because the pro-cess of learning different rules of syntax and grammar, espe-cially early in life, seems to program extra skills into the brain, ones that people appear to retain.

Toga said that the senso-rimotor parts of the brain that control the senses and muscle movement did not tend to shrink later in life the way the cognitive centers did. So in theory, learning physical skills like dancing ought to come easily. But nature can be cruel: where the brain is strong, the flesh may be weak. Failing eye-sight and hearing, weakened

muscles and stiff joints may all sabotage the signals the brain needs to choreograph smooth moves on the dance floor.

“Everything is sliding downward, unfortunately,” he said, laughing.

But it is still a good idea to try something new.

Columbia University has had a program for “lifelong learners” since 1986. About 200 participants take regular Columbia courses. They are expected to keep up with the reading, but there are no term papers, homework, exams or grades.

The older students tend

toward history courses, renowned professors and lan-guage classes that they hope will help in their travels.

Programs geared to older people also exist at many other colleges and universities. An organization based in Califor-nia, the Bernard Osher Foun-dation, supports lifelong learn-ing programs at 117 colleges and universities, at least one in every state, based on the idea that many older students go back to school for the joy of learning.

One of the largest programs for retirees is at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay (it

is not associated with Osher). Called Learning in Retire-ment, it is sponsored by the university, with more than 1,000 members and more than 240 courses a year. Classes — mostly short, a few two-hour sessions — include paint-ing, jazz, travel, eBay, osteo-arthritis, Zumba, the periodic table, the history of the earth, building with straw bales and “motorcycling and aging awareness.” Most require no outside reading, homework or exams. Some are taught by col-lege faculty, some by members of the group or others in the community.

RETIREESContinued from Page 24

Wellness

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MARCH OF DIMES Susan Churchill, Community Director 3209 Denali Street Suite 200 Anchorage, AK 99503 907-276-4111 http://www.marchofdimes.com/

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CHUCK NORRISCreators.com

One self-proclaimed nomadic Internet philosopher wrote, “I want to lose weight by eating nothing but moon pies, which have significantly less gravity than earthier foods such as fruits and veg-etables.”

Now that’s funny. And wouldn’t it be great if it were true?

When it comes to gravity, however, the truth is closer to what Hall of Fame basketball legend Michael Jordan once said: “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. ... My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.”

That’s the key in revers-ing and utilizing the power of gravity. Gravity grips all our lives and seeks to pull us down, literally. But gravity is free, so why not also use it to our advantage by turning it from a perceived weakness into a strength?

Let me show you how two people — a fellow health enthusiast and I — have done that.

A prolific author and our friend, Rick Newcombe testi-fied to my wife, Gena, and me how at 60 years of age — though in great physi-cal shape — he was lifting a heavy briefcase into the pas-senger seat of his car, when he felt a painful pop in his shoul-der. An orthopedic surgeon told him that he had a tiny rotator cuff tear. So he tried many things — including physical therapy, acupuncture, light dumbbells and a couple of cortisone shots — but noth-ing provided ultimate relief.

While considering surgery, Rick read about the natural remedies in “Shoulder Pain? The Solution & Prevention,” by Dr. John Kirsch, a board-

certified orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing medi-cine and surgery for 35 years. Rick tapped into Wolff’s law, developed by German anato-mist and surgeon Julius Wolff (1836-1902). It states that bone in a healthy person will adapt to the loads it is placed under.

Rick discovered that he could remodel his shoulder through his own hard work, as opposed to a passive solu-tion, such as surgery or massage therapy. Using grav-ity and his own weight, he followed Dr. Kirsch’s advice and started hanging from a bar for 15-20 minutes a day. Rick sometimes would use his full body weight, but most of the time, he put his feet on a stool, hanging com-pletely for only the last five to 10 seconds of a 30-second hang. After just 30 days, Rick noticed remarkable improve-ment. He had a full range of motion in his shoulder, and the impingement had been reduced dramatically — all because he investigated and took advantage of gravity and natural healing alternatives.

The utilization of gravity and free weights (including ourselves) is one reason I’m a big advocate of resistance training. Livestrong.com says resistance exercise “can be done using the body parts in opposition to each other or another static force — or by using weights or machines.” In a former article, “Resis-tance Training: A Fountain of Youth?”, I discussed how there are multiple benefits of resistance exercise besides muscular ones, including improved executive cognitive function (i.e., abilities neces-sary for independent living) and even economic savings on health care.

One of the reasons I have endorsed the Total Gym since 1976 is it utilizes body weight and gravity to produce some of the best resistance training I know.

Chuck Norris’ weekly column on health and fitness, “C-Force,” can be found at creators.com.

Gravity: Is it an enemy or ally?

Keeping Fairbanks Healthy

D I R E C T O R Y

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AESTHETIC TREATMENTS S. GAYLE KAIHOI, D.O. Midnight Sun Family Practice 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 106 455-7123 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FAIRBANKS NATIVE ASSOCIATION 3100 South Cushman Street 452-6251 BREAST SURGERY JON LIEBERMAN, M.D. DENALI SURGICAL SPECIALISTS, LLC 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 205 907-456-3100 CLINICS ALASKA SLEEP CLINIC 1901 Airport Way, Suite 201 374-3063 FAIRBANKS PSYCHIATRIC AND NEUROLOGICAL CLINIC 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 220 452-1739 HOLISTIC MEDICAL CLINIC 222 Front Street 751-7100 www.HolisticMedicalClinic.us TANANA VALLEY CLINIC Multiple Specialties Available 1001 Noble Street 459-3500 www.tvcclinic.com COUNSELING TURNING POINT COUNSELING 374-7776 DENTIST, PROSTHODONTIST DR. STEVEN SCHELLER, DDS Prosthodontics 4001 Geist Road, Suite 12 452-7955 DENTISTRY JAMES R. MIEARS, D.D.S., P.C. RON M. TEEL, D.D.S. 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 211 452-1866 www.smilefairbanks.com DR. ANDREW WAPPETT, DMD P.C. Family Dentistry 515 7th Avenue, Suite 230 456-8100 DIABETES SUPPORT AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION 457-1557 EAR NOSE & THROAT EAR NOSE & THROAT CLINIC 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 207 456-7768 FAMILY PRACTICE S. GAYLE KAIHOI, D.O. Midnight Sun Family Practice 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 106 455-7123

WEST FAIRBANKS FRED MEYER Winter 7 AM-11 PM • Summer 7AM-Midnight 3755 Airport Way 474-1400 • Rx 474-1433 PHYSICAL THERAPY JAMMIN’ SALMONS’ GEORGE SALMON PT 828 Crossman Road 457-6688 NORTH POLE PHYSICAL THERAPY 157 Lewis Street, North Pole 488-4978 www.NorthPolePhysicalTherapy.com WILLOW PHYSICAL THERAPY 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 222 456-5990 www.willowpt.com RADIOLOGY NORTH STAR RADIOLOGY MRI, CT, Ultrasound, & X-ray 2310 Peger Road, Suite 102 459-6555 www.northstarradiology.com JEFFERY ZUCKERMAN, M.D. FAIRBANKS ULTRASOUND LLC 3419 Airport Way, Suite B 374-4644 www.fairbanksultrasound.com SPORTS MEDICINE SPORTS MEDICINE FAIRBANKS 751 Old Richardson Hwy, Ste. 200 451-6561 www.SportsMedicineFairbanks.com URGENT CARE LARRY HARIKIAN, M.D. 1867 Airport Way, Suite 130B 452-2178 VARICOSE VEINS DENALI SURGICAL SPECIALISTS, LLC JON LIEBERMAN, M.D. 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 205 907-456-3100 LASER VEIN CENTER – DON IVES, MD Varicose Vein Treatment 1405 Kellum Street, Suite 300 452-8346 www.dynamiclegs.com WALK-IN HEALTH CARE 1st CARE CENTER No Appointment Necessary 1101 Noble Street 458-2682 www.tvcclinic.com WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY JOHN MAYER, M.D. 1867 Airport Way, Suite 120B 457-5050

OB/GYN PETER D. LAWRASON, M.D. Specializing in high & low risk 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 219 452-1622 OPTICAL GOLDEN NORTH OPTICS Licensed Opticians & Distinctive Eyewear 1521 Stacia Street 456-4822 www.2020ak.com OPTHALMOLOGY ALFRED DeRAMUS, MD PC Ophthalmology Surgery 4001 Geist Road, Suite 9 328-2920 MOUNTAINVIEW MEDICAL CENTER Ophthalmology and Surgery 2485 Chief William Drive 328-2920 OPTOMETRY JOHN COBBETT, O.D. CLEAR VISION OPTOMETRY 1867 Airport Way, Suite 150A 452-2131 CHAD PERSONETT, O.D. CLEAR VISION OPTOMETRY 1867 Airport Way, Suite 150A 452-2131 MATTHEW RILEY, O.D. CLEAR VISION OPTOMETRY 1867 Airport Way, Suite 150A 452-2131 WEST VALLEY VISION CENTER, INC. 570 Riverstone Way, Suite 3 479-4700 www.akwestvalleyvision.com ORAL HEALTH D R. CHRISTOPHER HENRY , D.M.D., M.S. Practice Limited to Orthodontics 114 Minnie Street, Suite B 457-7878 www.alaskabraces.com ALASKA ORAL & FACIAL SURGERY DR. STEPHEN SUTLEY 1275 Sadler Way, Suite 202 452-4101 www.alaskasurgerycenter.com ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY DR. ROBERT DINGEMAN M.D. Fellow, American Academy Orthopedic Surgeons 751 Old Richardson Hwy, Suite 101 452-2663 FAIRBANKS ORTHOPAEDIC Hand, Hip, Shoulder & Knee Surgery 1405 Kellum Street, Suite 101 374-4636 www.orthofairbanks.com PHARMACY EAST FAIRBANKS FRED MEYER Winter 7 AM-11 PM • Summer 7AM-Midnight 930 Old Steese Hwy 459-4200 • Rx 459-4233

GENERAL SURGERY ARLENE KIRSCHNER, M.D. 3419 Airport Way, Suite B 474-4745 MARK KOWAL, M.D. 1275 Sadler Way, Suite 102 Steese Medical Building 451-5507 JON LIEBERMAN, M.D. DENALI SURGICAL SPECIALISTS, LLC 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 205 907-456-3100 JOHN MAYER, M.D. 1867 Airport Way, Suite 120B 457-5050 WILLIAM MONTANO, M.D. 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 204 Medical Dental Arts Building 452-8151 DANNY ROBINETTE, M. D. 1275 Sadler Way, Suite 102 Steese Medical Building 451-6142 TIMOTHY TESLOW, M.D. 1275 Sadler Way, Suite 102 Steese Medical Building 457-7874 HEART CARE DANA M. FINCH, MSN, APN-BC Specializing in Cardiology Porter Heart Center at FMH 907-458-6540 DR. JOSEPH JOHNS, MD Specializing in Cardiology Porter Heart Center at FMH 907-458-6540 DR. RICK LATHAM, MD, FACC, FACP Specializing in Cardiology Porter Heart Center at FMH 907-458-6540 DR. DAVID STIEBER, MD, FACC Specializing in Cardiology Porter Heart Center at FMH 907-458-6540 DR. CARSON WEBB, MD Specializing in Cardiology Porter Heart Center at FMH 907-458-6540 HOME HEALTH ACCESS ALASKA 526 Gaffney 479-7940 MENTAL HEALTH SAMARITAN COUNSELING CENTER 3504 Industrial Avenue 452-4673 www.Samaritanalaska.org MIDWIFERY ALEXANDRIA MONTGOMERY,ANP, WHNR Specializing is low risk 1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 219 452-1622

27Wednesday, March 14, 2012


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SHARON NAYLORCreators.com

Cardiovascular exercise builds endurance, strengthens muscles and can help you lose weight, and rowing is one of the most effective cardiovas-cular exercises.

In addition to the aerobic workout, a rowing session builds muscle in low-impact form, making the rowing machine one of the most popular stations at the gym,

as well as a popular purchase for a home gym.

You might think that row-ing is an exercise meant to tone just the upper body, including shoulders and arms, but proper form in rowing actually works the quadriceps, hamstrings, back and abdomi-nal muscles, as well.

While some gym machines work just the upper or lower body, the rowing machine works both at the same time, creating a more complete workout in less time.

According to the Mayo Clinic, while exercising within your target heart rate, you can expect to burn 511 calo-ries during an hour of rowing if you weigh 160 pounds.

An hour of rowing burns about 637 calories if you weigh 200 pounds and 763 calories if you weigh 240 pounds.

Rowing machines allow you to use and adjust levels of resistance, increasing the aerobic and muscular benefits depending on your fitness level.

Rowing machine workouts

Before you hop onto a rowing machine at the gym, always seek the guidance of a gym’s personal trainer, who can assess your fitness level, advise you on your target heart rate and help you choose the best type of machine for you. Some are manual with hydraulic resis-tance, and some are elec-tronic — much like elliptical machines — with programma-ble or programmed workouts, timers and other indicators.

Your fitness professional will also help you adjust the machine to your height and reach, and show you how to adjust the resistance. You’ll then learn how to position your back and engage your

Rowing is an effective overallcardio workout

Please see ROWING, Page 29

Creators.com photo courtesy

of Exercise Bike Super-

store

A low-impact cardio-

vascular workout.


abs as you pull back smoothly and complete the range of motion.

Elizabeth Quinn, the About.com guide to sports medicine, says, “Using the rower safely is an excellent workout, but using improper form can stress the lower back.”

Common mistakes on rowing machines

Novice rowers often make the following mistakes when using a rowing machine with-out instruction and guidance:

• Leaning too far forward at the start position.

• Leaning too far back at the finish position.

• Jerking the handle back with the arms.

• Pulling using the back instead of the legs.

• Starting without warm-ing up.

• Rowing for too long.Quinn advises starting out

by rowing no more than 10 minutes on your first day, and aiming for a mastery of prop-er form instead of breaking a big sweat.

“Keep the movement fluid and controlled, rather than jerking through each motion. Push with your legs, and avoid hunching forward to protect your back. Keep a slight bend in the elbows and knees, rather than locking the joints at full extension.” Technique matters more than strength, says Quinn, espe-cially at the beginning of a rowing training regimen.

As you practice more and build endurance, you might put together a schedule of rowing four times a week for up to 30 minutes.

Rowing workouts at home

Once you master rowing form at the gym, you could decide to invest in a rowing machine for your home. Some fitness enthusiasts buy new machines; some buy used ones from friends who don’t use the ones in their basements;

and some find free rowing machines through sites such as Freecycle.com, where people list items they no lon-ger want and recycle them to those who wish to come get them.

Without a fitness expert at home to observe you, it’s essential to maintain proper form as you exercise. If you can position your rowing

machine in front of a full-length mirror, that can help you see your own body posi-tion and remind yourself to maintain proper back and neck angles.

Keep track of your work-out sessions using a fitness journal or chart, advises Ed McNeely, author of five books, including “Training for Row-ing” and “Skillful Rowing,”

and consultant to profes-sional Canadian sports teams. “Training without monitoring your progress is like driving with your eyes closed. You’ll get somewhere, but you can’t be sure where or what shape you’ll be in when you arrive.”

On the horizonIf you find rowing at home

to be boring, a new class may be on the way to invigorate your workouts. The ECA One Body One World 2011 fitness convention in New York City revealed that group rowing classes are growing in popu-larity. Called “indo-row” class-es, these high-intensity work-outs are much like spinning classes, except everyone’s on rowing machines.

ROWING: Proper form is important for effective exerciseContinued from Page 28


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Sharon NaylorCreators.com

Fitness enthusiasts are get-ting a grip — on kettlebells.

If you haven’t seen a ket-tlebell, imagine a small can-nonball with an arched handle on top. It’s quite different from the sideways-I-shaped hand weights you may be familiar with. Exercising with the kettlebell delivers various muscle-toning and balance results because the kettlebell allows for safe and comfort-able positioning of the weight directly above your center of mass, while dumbbells or barbells must be held in front of the body. As you move the kettlebell up and down, the motion activates different muscles than traditional hand weights.

When you hold a kettlebell

aloft or direct it through rang-es of motion in each exercise, your hands and wrists remain in neutral alignment. This means a sustained workout and greater comfort, espe-cially for those who have wrist issues.

The benefits of kettlebell training

According to the Inter-

national Kettlebell and Fit-ness Federation, some of the benefits of kettlebell training include:

• Improved strength.• Improved endurance.• Enhanced flexibility, coor-

dination and balance.• Weight loss.• Injury prevention.• Lean and functional

muscle mass.• Strengthening of the

entire posterior chain.• Core strength.• Sport and combat

enhancement.Kettlebell training originat-

ed as a Russian workout and has been used by elite military units, sports teams and law enforcement.

Over the past decade, kettlebell training has entered the fitness mainstream for the everyday workout enthu-

siast. Physical therapists have encouraged their patients to work with kettlebells to increase strength and range of motion.

According to Colin Cooley, an American Kettlebell Club Coach and CrossFit Level 1 kettlebell instructor, kettle-bells combine many different planes of motion simultane-ously to stabilize the core, since almost all movements are done in a standing sequence and emphasize range of motion in the joints.

“Kettlebell training devel-ops strength in all planes of movement,” Cooley says. “We live and play in a three-dimensional world, and we should train accordingly. Since the kettlebell lines up with the body’s center of gravity, the athlete must work harder to balance and stabilize the

weight.” This not only leads to strength in different large and small muscle groups but also engages both the upper and lower body.

Taking kettlebell classes

Because this particular fit-ness tool requires proper form and works muscles you may not be used to working, it’s wisest to locate a kettlebell gym, find a kettlebell class at a fitness center or hire a personal trainer certified in kettlebell fitness. Under the watchful eye of a trainer, you’ll learn how to safely lift and lower the correct weight of kettlebells for your fitness and endurance level. You’ll be instructed and spotted in your positioning and range of motion, maximizing the benefits of your workout and helping to avoid injury.

Find kettlebell gyms at LiftKettlebells.com, which provides listings of accredited kettlebell gyms by state. And check with your local fitness center or YMCA to inquire about existing kettlebell classes.

Kettlebell training at home

After receiving kettlebell training courtesy of an expert, you may wish to continue with workouts at home. You’ll find plenty of kettlebell DVDs, with workouts designed for beginners, arthritis sufferers, athletes, bodybuilders and more.

When shopping for your kettlebells, seek the advice of your trainer to help you choose the correct weight for your abilities. It can be smart to purchase a lower weight than you think you need, since a too-heavy weight can cause injury. A range of weights, perhaps in a set of three kettlebells, may be ideal for you. Visit Gaiam.com for expert-reviewed kettlebell DVDs and equipment, and check out product reviews on well-known fitness magazine websites.

Kettlebells provide a safe, innovative workout

Creators.com photo courtesy of www.leisurefitness.com

Lift kettlebells for strength and flexibility.


West Valley Vision Center, Inc. 570 Riverstone Way, Suite 3 • 479-4700 • www.akwestvalleyvision.com

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Dr. Barbara Keys, Dr. Colleen Personett, Dr. Michael Mavencamp

KRISTEN CASTILLOCreators.com

When Erin Buckingham wanted to tone and sculpt her arms, she chose The Hundred Pushups program, which, she says, “seemed like a great way to challenge” herself “and get results.”

She completed the six-week exercise challenge, which required participants to do sets of pushups at least three days a week, each time increasing the number of repetitions.

Buckingham often did the program four or five days a week.

“It takes about five min-utes tops a day and is so easy to fit into your schedule,” she says. “I usually did them before I went to bed, just on my floor. No gym needed.”

Buckingham recommends the program, which she still does a few times a week.

“You cannot just go for six weeks, stop and still expect to look the same,” she says. “It’s a thing that you need to do somewhat consistently.”

Quick fixes?Whether you want to lose

weight or tone up, quick-result workouts can be tempting.

Aside from The Hundred Pushups program, there are many other quick-result pro-grams to consider, including the Hula Hoop Workout, a 30-minute workout in which you try to get fit while hav-ing fun twisting and turning with a hula hoop; The Fifty Pull-Ups Challenge, which involves seven weeks of training that results in being able to do 50 pull-ups; and playing Wii Fit Plus video games to help you get in shape while also gaming.

“We are an instant grati-fication society,” says per-sonal trainer Amy Mac. “We want to work hard at the gym today and slip into our skinny jeans tomorrow.”

These programs may be intriguing, but fitness experts say that fast rewards are not always a good thing.

“You don’t get out of shape overnight, so you can’t get in shape overnight,” explains Jonathan Ross, author of “Abs Revealed” and spokesman for the American Council on Exer-cise, a nonprofit organization that promotes safe and effec-tive exercise.

Ross explains that many quick-result programs have too narrow a focus, which doesn’t provide long-lasting results.

Mac agrees, saying, “If you don’t make fitness a priority in your daily life, you will always find your-self looking for these ‘quick fixes.’”

Benefits and drawbacks

Quick-result programs may be short-term, but they could spark lasting change. “It can be a stepping stone to greater things,” says Ross, who finds some quick pro-grams can be fun, challeng-ing and motivating.

Still, there’s the risk of injury from over-exercising a certain muscle or part of the body.

For example, a workout that targets the shoulders could strain that area, poten-tially resulting in injury.

“The end result is usually getting hurt by the second or third day and thinking that exercise is evil,” Mac says. “This is unhealthy because overdoing exercise by going too hard and too fast can really cause an injury.”

Ross recommends choos-ing “a small variety of move-ments that provide a total body response,” including exercises that entail pushing, pulling, squatting, lunging and twisting.

“We can’t just focus on one movement,” he says. “Human movements are complex. We move in differ-ent directions.”

Workouts that workSo what workouts are

worth the effort?

“If you are looking for a total body transformation and think you can stick to working out a bunch every day, then P90X is great,” says Mac. “If you have the money, then a good personal trainer will help you achieve your specific goals in the least amount of time.”

On its website, the Ameri-can Council on Exercise details the most effective exercises — including lung-es, planks and dips — to tar-get the body’s three “trouble areas”: the glutes, abdomi-nals and triceps.

“Train everything from the hips to the pits,” says Ross, who reminds clients to add lots of variety to their workout to keep the body and the mind from getting bored.

The most important thing is to keep moving.

“In order to get fit, we need to up the activity lev-el,” he says.

As for Buckingham, she’s happy she mastered The Hundred Pushups: “My arms and shoulders looked great, I felt stronger in my core, and I was proud of myself for completing a challenge that I never would have thought I could have before.”

‘Fast’ programs have benefits, drawbacks

Creators.com photo courtesy of Alex Weber

Erin Buckingham has made pushups a regular part of her exercise routine.


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The Original Sportsmedicine Center Serving Alaska’s Athletes and

Orthopedic Patients since 1986

Cary S. Keller, M.D., FACSM Official Team Physician for

UAF Nanooks

www.sportsmedicinefairbanks.com

751 Old Richardson Hwy. Suite 200 Schedule your appointment today:

451-6561

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Ross N. Brudenell, MD, FAAOS Duane A. Frampton, PA-C

MARILYNN PRESTONCreators.com

Dining out has become our national pastime. So has pork-ing up. Is there a link between them? You bet your Krispy Kremes. We’re a fast-food nation of overeating eater-out-ers, and if you want to trim down and stay healthy, you’ve got to wise up when it comes to ordering a restaurant meal. Fish before steak; veggies over carbs. Eating out isn’t the enemy. Spacing out is.

Menu aerobics is all about activating your awareness and exercising good judgment. Take the following strategies to heart and not only will your whole body benefit but also you’ll save money:

• Forget fried. This is basic. Stop ordering fried foods. Just say no to fried chicken, fried fish, fried potatoes and all their high-fat friends. And when you have a lapse — you will — at least pull the bread-ing off before you chow down.

This is extremely challeng-ing in the case of crispy french fries, so if that’s your weak-ness, eat five of them, slowly, and move the rest out of reach. If you’re not sure whether the item is fried — I am speak-ing to the boys now — ask. A chimichanga is fried. Anything parmigiana is fried.

If giving up fried foods sounds impossible and even

un-American, just postpone your next fried meal until the next time you eat out ... and then the next time ... and soon you’ll discover how delicious baked and broiled foods taste.

• Focus on starters. Next to sharing an entree, this is my favorite tactic when eating out, especially in an upscale res-taurant. Open the menu, and

ignore the entrees. Go imme-diately to the appetizers, sides and salads. And rejoice.

Great taste, smaller por-tions. You’ll save hundreds of calories each time you make a meal of a soup (not creamy or cheesy) or salad and an appe-tizer.

If you’re worried that you won’t feel full, tell yourself

you may order something else, later.

I’ve done this dozens of times, maybe thousands, and I can pretty much guarantee that “later” never will come. Don’t worry about what your dining partners will say. Chances are they’ll start ordering the same smart way.

• Wet stuff on the side. Memorize and use the follow-ing phrase and you can save zillions of unwanted fat calo-ries: “Please bring the sauce (or salad dressing) on the side.” Is that so hard? Practice at home, and say it with a smile in every restaurant you visit.

I’m all for tasty sauces and dressings, but most restau-rants just pour it on without thinking, and without think-ing, you take it all in. So get the wet stuff on the side; dip your fork in, and sprinkle on modest amounts.

The difference between 1 1/2 tablespoons of a dressing and the typical quarter-cup portion can be 20 grams of fat or more.

• Split dishes or love your leftovers. When did portions in restaurants explode? It’s obscene. Europeans gasp at our supersize meals. Asians faint.

Research proves the obvi-ous: The more food on your plate the more you eat. So tac-tic No. 1 is to share an entree

with a pal. A tummy-trim-ming alternative is to order an entree yourself, eat half and then take the rest home.

If you have a problem leaving food on the plate — as a charter member of the Clean Plate Club, I know this syndrome well — then do something daring and order a doggie bag when you order the meal.

When it arrives, put half your entree into the bag, and try not to forget it when you leave. Yes, this is a drastic measure. But portionwise, these are crazy times.

• Bread and water. To avoid temptation, ask your waiter to remove the bread from the table. Take a roll, if you must, but don’t slather on the butter. Drink a glass of water before you begin your meal to jump-start that full feeling. Limit alcohol to one drink, and toast your good judgment.

• Dessert! The healthiest desserts are fruits and ices. If you can’t resist that chocolate cream pie or peach cobbler, share it — and then limit yourself to a few mindful bites. Slow down, and focus on the yumminess of whatever you’ve chosen. Pass it around. Then kiss it goodbye.

Marilynn Preston — fi tness ex-pert, personal trainer and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues — is the creator of “Energy Express,” the lon-gest-running syndicated fi tness col-umn in the country. It can be found at creators.com.

How to eat out without pigging out

Creators.com photo courtesy of Ariadna

One way to avoid calories when dining out is to eliminate fried foods.


Building Bridges

Photo by Tony Westmoreland

Building Bridges is an adolescent treatment program providing outpatient services for young adults ages 12 through 18 with alcohol and/or drug related problems.

We accept Medicaid, third party insurance, and private pay based on sliding fee scale.

Contact Family Center Services of Alaska at (907) 474-0890

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By JOHN HANCNew York Times News Service

Tormented by pain from two decades of lower back problems, Don Cook was nearly at his wits’ end. Opera-tions, traction, drugs — noth-ing seemed to work. At the behest of his family, he signed up for an exercise program for older people at Wichita State University, near his hometown, Derby, Kan.

“I had very little faith that exercise would help,” said Cook, now 61. “But we needed desperately to do something different.”

Under a supervised program at the university’s Center for Physical Activity and Aging, Cook at first couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without his back pain flaring up. Now, 13 months later, he strides briskly and confidently for 50 minutes at a time, covering about 2 miles around the center’s one-eighth-mile indoor track.

His back feels better, his posture is better, he is off pain medication, and he has dis-carded his cane. But he also accrued another, unexpected benefit: “I fall asleep quickly and sleep through the night,” Cook said. “Which is unusual

for me.”Parents since time immemo-

rial have known that children allowed to run around all day will usually conk out at night. But only recently have researchers begun to look at the effects of physical activity on sleep for a group that seems to have the most difficulty with it.

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than half of adults ages 60 and over have trouble sleeping. And while it may not be the first thing that pops up when older adults list their health com-

plaints, getting adequate sleep is an important part of main-taining physical and cognitive well-being. One of the most effective — not to mention cheapest — remedies may be the same thing that Cook used to help his back: exercise.

In a 2011 study at the Uni-versity of Massachusetts, activ-ity habits of 22 adults (11 men, 11 women) ages 65 to 81 were followed over 10 days by the use of accelerometers — pager-size devices that measure body movements.

Fatigue and sleep quality were then assessed through the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, two ques-tionnaires commonly used by sleep researchers.

“There was definitely a strong correlation between sleep quality and physical activity,” said Jane Kent-Braun, a professor and physi-ologist who supervised the study. “Those who were more active each day reported fewer problems sleeping than those who were sedentary.”

That was not surprising. But the amount of activity needed to improve sleep was. “Those who had better qual-ity of sleep were moderately

active,” she said. “These were people who were out there just moving around, gardening, walking the dog.”

Findings similar to those of this study, which was pre-sented in June at the annual conference of the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis, have been report-ed by other investigators. A 2011 study at the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion concluded that physical activity was a “promising strat-egy” to decrease frequent sleep interruptions among those with arthritis.

Another study, done at Oregon State University and published in December in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity, looked at activity and sleeping habits of 2,600 men and women 18 to 85 years of age. Those who fol-lowed the federal Department of Health and Human Services guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week reported a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality.

The implications for retirees who are tossing and turning?

“It’s another reason to get active, if you aren’t already,” said Dr. William O. Roberts, a professor at the University

of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. “I’ve seen it help a large number of my older patients who’ve had sleep issues.”

That level of activity need not be of Ironman proportions to help improve the quality of sleep. “It doesn’t take much,” Kent-Braun said.

“Here’s another good reason to follow the national guide-lines,” said Michael Rogers, an exercise scientist and the clini-cal director at the Center for Physical Activity and Aging at Wichita State. “A lot of seniors think that sleep difficulties are just a part of getting old. Some of the research we’re seeing now suggests that this may not be the case.”

Cook is a believer. He trains at Wichita State during his lunchtime, three times a week. He also does core strengthen-ing exercises under the tute-lage of the center’s coordinator, Nicholas Walton, an exercise physiologist. “Like any 61-year-old, I have days where things hurt,” he says.

Still, he feels much bet-ter, and people are noticing. Recently, he said, his oldest daughter, Emily, said, “‘You used to look drowsy all the time.’ Not anymore.”

To fall asleep, first get off the couch

“There was def-initely a strong correlation between sleep quality and physi-cal activity.”

— Jane Kent-Braunprofessor,

physical therapist


CATHERINE MCNULTYCreators.com

With the recent news that nitrates have been linked to causing cancer (goodbye, cured meats and hot dogs!), you might wonder whether any-thing is safe to eat anymore. Fortunately, the answer is a resounding yes, and certain foods can even help prevent cancer. But what are they? And once you’ve found them, how should you prepare them?

Not surprisingly, the most effective cancer-preventing

foods are fruits and vegetables. Foods rich in antioxidants (such as berries) and beta carotene (such as carrots and sweet potatoes) have been proved to help prevent cancer. Doctors also recommend cru-ciferous vegetables — such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cau-liflower and kale — for fiber and their antioxidants.

Other foods that help out on the cancer-prevention front: tomatoes, garlic, avo-cados, figs, red wine, green and black teas, and flax. Even spices such as cinnamon, tur-

meric and rosemary are in on the fight.

Now that you’ve loaded up on fruits, veggies and other healthy stuff, what’s next? Try adapting the dishes you regularly make to incorporate cancer-fighting foods. For example, if you usually eat oat-meal or cereal in the morning, toss in some flax and berries to make breakfast a super-healthy and filling meal.

For a quick side dish, kale can be sauteed with onions and garlic. It can also be easily added to soups and curries to give them a healthful boost.

Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are excel-lent roasted or steamed. But plain roasted vegetables can be boring. Dress them up with a sauce, but use it sparingly; too much and you might cancel out any health benefits you gain from eating your veg-gies! If you like spicy, here’s a quick, delicious dressing that goes with almost any roasted vegetable:

CHILI MINT DRESSING

1/4 cup water2 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons chili garlic

sauce, e.g., Sriracha2 cloves garlic, minced1 to 2 teaspoons lemon or

lime juice1 teaspoon brown sugar1 teaspoon rice vinegar1/4 cup chopped mint or

Thai basilMix all ingredients in a

bowl. Pour over roasted veg-etables, or serve on the side as a dipping sauce.

Carrots and sweet potatoes lend themselves to rich, hearty soups. Here’s a recipe for a perfect rainy-day soup that includes two excellent sources of beta carotene:

CARROT SWEET POTATO SOUP

2 medium sweet onions, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil2 cups carrots, peeled and

chopped4 cups sweet potatoes,

peeled and chopped4 to 6 cups chicken or vege-

table broth, depending on how thick you prefer soup to be

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt and pepper, to tasteHeat oil in a soup pot over

medium heat. Add onions and carrots, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add sweet pota-toes, and cook for another

minute or two. Then add broth and ginger. Salt to taste, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender enough to be pierced by a fork. Blend until smooth (immersion blenders are won-derful for jobs like this), but be careful, because it’ll be very hot.

This soup gets better the next day, so make it in advance. You can also add a few squeezes of lemon or lime juice to brighten it up or add 1/2 cup of heavy cream to make it richer.

Eating healthily doesn’t mean you have to skip des-sert; it just means you need to make the right choices. Both dark chocolate and figs have antioxidants, which are known to help prevent cancer. Figs are excellent roasted or baked in a tart. A few squares of dark chocolate and a glass of red wine are a perfect end to a healthy meal.

Eating healthily can be a great way to explore new dish-es and cuisines. Don’t lament what you can’t have; think of all the new and delicious ways you can keep yourself clean and cancer-free!

Catherine McNulty is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu.

Changes to diet may help prevent cancer Creators.com photo courtesy of Catherine McNulty

Carrot sweet pota-to soup combines two vegetables that are rich in beta carotene, which is helpful in prevent-ing cancer.

Opt for fruits, vegetables over processed meats

35Wednesday, March 14, 2012 Health & Wellness 12393249 3-14-12 H

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1 Mile Goldstream Road

• Natural Burgers & Chicken • Gluten-free Buns & Condiments • Red Bridge Beer

Attention: Celiacs!

Open every day at 11 A.M.

455-6666 Free Parking

Restaurant • Bar • Discount Liquors


Water is essential to nearly every function of the human body. It regulates our temper-ature; cushions and protects vital organs; aids in digestion; and acts within each cell to transport nutrients and dispel waste.

According to the American Council on Exercise, water constitutes 75 percent of muscle tissue and 10 percent of essential fatty tissue, con-tributing to good health and strength. Since the brain is 75 percent water, being moder-ately dehydrated causes head-aches, dizziness, and, accord-ing to some reports, mental fogginess.

Water is also required for healthy lung function, moist-ening oxygen so that you can breathe better. The Interna-tional Bottled Water Asso-ciation says that adequate hydration helps convert food into energy and cushions joints. And the nutrition site HealthyCrush.com points to good hydration for healthier skin, hair and nails.

Are you dehydrated?Headache and feelings of

thirst are often the first signs that your water levels are too low. Other signs include:

• Dry mouth.• Sleepiness or fatigue.• Extreme thirst.• Confusion.• Feeling dizzy or light-

headed.• No tears when crying.• Little or no urine or

urine that is darker than usual.

Pay careful attention to your urine color. A pale shade of yellow is often a good indicator that your body is functioning with an optimum amount of hydration.

When it’s hot outside or when you are exercising, have a fever or are ill with vomit-ing or diarrhea, your rates of dehydration increase, and you must take extra steps to replenish water lost through these extreme conditions.

On an everyday basis, you lose water simply by normal perspiration, going to the bathroom and even breath-ing. When you don’t replenish your body’s water content, dehydration sets in.

How much water do you need?

Several medical stud-ies have challenged the old formula of drinking eight glasses of water a day, totaling 64 ounces. According to the American Council on Exer-cise, a healthy woman should aim for 2.7 liters of water per day, and a healthy man should aim for 3.7 liters, through both beverage and food sources. It’s best, however, to consult with your doctor or licensed nutritionist to assess your own body’s hydration needs.

Some medical conditions require intake of more or less water. For instance, according to the American Council on Exercise, those with bladder infections or kidney stones may be advised to drink more water to aid in flushing out toxins and obstructions. If you’re pregnant or breastfeed-ing, your physician or nutri-tionist can advise you on ideal water intake for your weight, body temperature and fitness levels.

What to drink for better hydration

Water is the best option for hydrating the body. Juices that are 100 percent fruit, milk and herbal teas also help hydrate you, but be sure to avoid juices with high sugar content.

Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, tea and soda, con-tribute to water intake in moderation. But be careful: Overdoing it with caffeinated beverages can actually dehy-drate you, since such drinks often act as diuretics.

Low-sugar sports drinks can provide hydration, elec-trolytes and carbohydrates to prevent low blood sugar.

But the American Council on Exercise suggests checking the serving size of a sports drink bottle, as one bottle may contain several serv-ings, caffeine or high levels of sodium.

What to eat for bet-ter hydration

According to the Interna-tional Bottled Water Associa-tion, 80 percent of hydration usually comes from bever-ages, and 20 percent comes from the food you eat. Fruits, vegetables and broth-based soups perform wonderfully in the delivery of water to your system.

To better hydrate yourself, add to your diet more foods with higher water content. According to the American Dietetic Association, here are some foods with high levels of water content:

• Lettuce (1 1/2 cups): 95 percent water.

• Watermelon (1 1/2 cups): 92 percent.

• Broccoli (1 1/2 cups): 91 percent.

• Grapefruit (1 1/2 cups): 91 percent.

• Milk (1 cup): 89 percent.• Orange (3/4 cup): 88 per-

cent.• Carrot (1 1/2 cups): 87

percent.• Yogurt (1 cup): 85 per-

cent.• Apple (medium size): 84

percent.HealthyCrush.com’s list of

hydrating, healthy foods fea-tures grapes, peaches, toma-toes, berries, watermelon, lettuce, celery, pineapple, cucumber, pears, peppers and cantaloupe.

Don’t overdo itDrinking too much water

can cause a potentially deadly condition known as hypona-tremia, a water intoxication that can shut down your organs. Physicians advise dividing up the amount of water you need each day rath-er than drinking it all at once, and drinking before, during and after workouts.

Want to stay cool, calm? Drink water

Creators.com

Stay hydrated for optimal health.

Tai Chi for Health and Relaxation

Tai chi is a balanced and self-regulated activity that can be started at any age and from almost any physical condition. Tai chi’s slow, rhythmic movements alternate muscle stretching and contraction while moving the major muscle groups through their full range of motion. Tai chi builds strength, improves balance, and promotes deep, relaxed breathing while it relieves muscle tension, expands flexibility and increases endurance.

Initially, tai chi requires focused attention that improves concentration but is soon done with relaxed awareness, much like a moving meditation, thereby reducing stress and creating a sense of well-being. It is appealing because it is inexpensive, requires no special equipment and can be done indoors or out, either alone or in a group.

Modern studies demonstrate the health benefits of tai chi. Research shows that tai chi reduces the risk of falling and promotes tendon elasticity, stronger knee flexors and extensors, and improved posture. Tai chi improves balance and coordination through awareness of one’s center of gravity as weight is shifted from one foot to the other. People with arthritis who began practicing tai chi strengthened abdominal muscles, improved balance, and reduced pain during daily activities. Doctors recommend tai chi to address fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, Multiple Sclerosis, and other health issues because it reduces joint swelling, and improves range of motion, flexibility, strength, and balance.

Tai chi is traced to Li Tao-tzu, a Taoist sage of the 9th century, and to Chang San-feng, an 11th century Taoist monk who used the ideas of Taoist internal alchemy to create tai chi chuan. Tai chi chuan was used to achieve “tai chi,” the state of balanced yin and yang energies to transform the body and mind for health and longevity. From an Eastern perspective, tai chi promotes health by circulating the intrinsic energy of the body, or “chi.” Tai chi is still practiced today because it works.

There are several venues for learning tai chi in Fairbanks. Choose a class where you feel comfortable. You will have found the right class when you are smiling along with the rest of the class and instructor as you learn the set. Classes should be fun.

The Taoist Tai Chi Society

of the USA

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Our thanks to the Taoist Tai Chi Society for contributing this column. This article is intended to be strictly informational.

The Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA, a charitable, nonprofit organization ( http://www.taoist.org/ ), has offered classes in Fairbanks since 1991. A weekly class of the seated tai chi set is open to those with reduced mobility who want to improve their health. For more information contact mailto:[email protected] or call the Fairbanks branch of the Taoist Tai Chi Society at

456-8827.

Stay Vibrant and Well this Spring...

As we flow into the fluid brilliance of our Fairbanks Spring, we feel the release of the weight of the frozen arctic winter drop from our shoulders like a heavy coat. We turn our gaze to the Sun and feel joy in the renewal of the Earth that its warmth inspires. Also, as we shed our coats, we may look down at the added roll around our waists and the crumple of cellulite on our pale white skin. We may scramble to find our sunglasses in our trash- laden cars only to retrieve them from under a thick film of dust. The melting snow reveals grime and garbage. As we emerge into the light, our body systems may feel as dusty as the inside of our cars. Therefore , spring is an awesome time to turn to the purifying tools of yoga to release the toxic excess within our bodies ; kissing the residue of the winter heavy diet, inactivity, rich deserts, and holiday drinks “goodbye”. Practicing yoga of all varieties creates an environment of complete attention. It does not matter wh at pose you are doing or what style you practice. Yoga draws you inward and focuses “attention” with “intention” . Yoga teachers encourage students to pay attention to how they feel in each pose, from the very base of th e spine to the crown of the head. It shines the light of awareness on the self; which is the primary basis of h ealing on all levels. This is called the practice of mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness helps us to make positive choices in all areas of our lives; perhaps choosing a home made salad over fast food, listening to music instea d of watching TV, or saying no to situations that create stress, aggravation or aggression. In yoga, we like to merge breath with movement. Dropping the breath deep into the belly and allowing it to drift over the throat is a breath called ujjayi. When done correct, it sounds like the waves of the ocean crashing on the beach. This breath calms the limbic system and reduces stress. Other breath forms or “pranaya ma”, such as Skull Shining Breath ( kapalabhati), can heat the inner core. This breath looks a lot like panting but it fires abdominal muscles creating internal heat and strength. Lions breath, or simhasta breath involv es the student inhaling deeply and exhaling while sticking their tongue to their chin. This fierce faced br eathing technique encourages deep internal detoxification. Yogic systems such as ayurveda combine daily habits of cleansing such as brushing the skin, tongue s craping, and oiling the body with individual and customized food choices based on that persons energetic nata l make up or, dosha. Just following some of these self care techniques on a daily basis aids in the transit ion of seasons. And finally, there are yoga poses or asana that help with the elimination of toxins and produce flui dity to our movement. Tensions and stressors often manifest and lodge in our bodies in the form of stiffness, in flexibility of the body and mind and even illness. Most all yoga poses encourage detoxification on some levels by creating heat. Forward folds and twists wring the internal organs or temporarily slow blood flow to overburdened organs and joints. Upon releasing twists, blood flows and surges deeper into the tissue s creating a wave of cleansing fluids. Sun salutations, not only remind us of the returning Sun, but teach us h ow to get up and down off the ground with ease and grace; a practice useful as we age. Yoga asana practiced in heated rooms helps eliminate toxins faster and more completely much like a sauna is used for cleansing alt hough the benefits of yoga asana do not require added ambient heat. A 2-3x/week practice of yoga asana, under the guidance of a compassionate and well-trained instructo r, can guide the student in techniques that will chip away at the edges of long held Winter stress and toxi c patterns of behavior. And, like the snow that melts and forms rivers of clear water, we can move from frozen to fluid emerging new and whole into the Spring season with the help of yoga.

Yoga from Winter to Spring

DONNA LANNI

Prana Flow® Instructor & Co-Owner of

Heart Stream Yoga www.heartstreamyoga.com

(907) 474-8108

Our thanks to Donna Lanni for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

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Taoist Tai Chi ®

Health Recovery Class

®

This class is open to all, but focuses primarily on the seated Tai Chi set for those who are not able to stand easily.

907-456-8827 • www.alaska.usa.taoist.org e-mail: [email protected]

12393366-3-14-12H&

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5:30 – 6:30 PM on Wednesdays Wheelchair accessible site at: "The Music Room" in the

Paskvan Building corner of 1st and Noble

The Taoist Tai Chi Society is a volunteer charitable organization dedicated to making the health benefits of

Tai Chi available to all.

Heart Stream Yoga... Classes offered in Beginner Basics, Ashtanga,

Restorative, Prana Flow ® , HOTvinyasa, YIN YOGA, Power Lunch, Qigong, $5 Fridays,

Chakra Balancing A community based studio for yoga and mind

body experiences. We offer workshops and special events. The Creative flow of yoga & art

is our passion.

email: [email protected]

3550 Airport Way Suite #206

474-8108 www.heartstreamyoga.com

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Y OGA C LOTHING • J ADE ™ M ATS

Across the street from HomeGrown Market

206 Driveway St.

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O PEN T UES . – S AT .

Julia's Solstice Cafe

474-0001 We proudly serve Organic Ethically

Traded Air Roasted on site

Premium Coffees by Diving Duck.

Vegan, Vegetarian, & Gluten-Free options. Visit us on Facebook

Stay Vibrant and Well this Spring...

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DAPHNE OZCreators.com

Recently on ABC’s “The Chew,” we did some health food myth blasting. It was especially exciting for me to be able to share these tidbits, because when I learned them, I realized I’d been depriving myself all along and for no good reason! Part of the fun of hanging around in the nutri-tion nerd pool is you start to realize how misleading adver-tising can be — and how easy it is to be tricked into wasting money (and willpower) on foods that are actually no bet-ter for you in the long run. So get ready; you’re about to be a very happy health food myth blaster!

• “Low-fat dairy is bet-ter for me.” Myth blasted! For years, I suffered through bland, watery iced coffees made with skim milk. Never again! Stripping the fat out of milk is problematic on many levels.

First of all, fat carries with it delicious flavor and helps you stave off hunger by keep-ing you full for longer. Even better, having some fat in your milk actually helps to keep milk’s carbohydrates (the sugar in milk, otherwise known as lactose) in balance so that they don’t get dumped into your bloodstream all at once.

Eating a diet rich in foods that spike your blood sugar (i.e., simple carbohydrates without enough fiber or fat to help delay the flow of sugar into your blood) may be linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and dia-betes down the line because of the way these foods force your body to work overtime to maintain a proper blood sugar balance.

The good news is that new studies point to trans-palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid

found in higher quantities in whole milk than other variet-ies and a nutrient that the human body cannot make for itself, as potentially helping to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

Now, fat does carry calo-ries, so moderation is always the best rule of thumb. But I would so much rather enjoy a guilt-free, full-fat ice cream cone now and then than the fake, processed junk every night of the week. Wouldn’t you?

• “Diet soda will help me lose weight.”

Myth blasted! Studies have shown that drinking diet soda may actually help you gain weight. The artificial sweeteners in these drinks, in addition to being potential carcinogens, are hundreds of times sweeter than naturally occurring sugars (maple, hon-ey, cane, etc.).

This super-sweet taste can be very addictive, plus your body is an incredibly intel-ligent machine that expects

Ice cream may be healthier than diet soda

Creators.com

Daphne Oz, a co-host of “The Chew,” blasts some popular diet-related myths.

Please see MYTHS, Page 38


DR. DAVID LIPSCHITZCreators.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that more than 1,000 food-borne dis-ease outbreaks occurred in 2008, the latest year infor-mation is available.

This led to more than 23,000 illnesses; nearly 1,300 were reported hospitalized, and 22 people died. The actual number of food-borne illnesses is almost certainly higher, as the vast majority of them go unreported. The CDC believes that more than 48 million infections occur annually.

Salmonella is the most common type of bacteria that contaminate beef, poultry and fish; it also can be found in fruits, vegetables and nuts. Salmonella infections cause abdominal pain, fever, nausea and diarrhea. This usually occurs 12 to 72 hours after contamination and resolves within four days to a week.

On rare occasions, sal-monella can spread to the bloodstream, leading to a life-threatening illness.

Recently, the deadliest food-borne outbreak in the past decade occurred because of contamination of canta-loupes with listeria. Accord-ing to the CDC, at least 139 illnesses and 29 deaths have been reported in 18 states in the West and Midwest.

Listeria is the deadliest type of bacteria contami-nating food. The current outbreak is the worst on record. In 1985, cheese con-taminated by listeria led

to 28 deaths, and in 1998, listeria-contaminated hot dogs caused 21 deaths. This organism is particularly dangerous, as it can survive in the refrigerator for pro-longed periods and remain viable in many heated foods. Unless you are assured that recently bought melons are not from a contaminated source, the Food and Drug Administration recommends that they be discarded.

Listeria is most seri-ous in those older than 70 and in those with underly-ing illnesses impairing the immune system. The first evidence of illness may occur within a few days to as long as two months after the ini-tial infection. In most cases, the illness is mild — abdomi-nal pain and diarrhea that spontaneously resolve. In susceptible people, listeria can enter the bloodstream, causing flu-like illness with

fever, headache and muscle pain. The organism may then invade the nervous sys-tem, resulting in meningitis or encephalitis, which can cause a severe headache, confusion and disorientation, gait and balance problems, and convulsions.

For reasons that are not well-understood, listeria infections are more common in pregnant women. Though listeria causes only mild symptoms in the mother, the bacteria frequently infect the fetus, leading to miscar-riage, premature delivery, permanent brain damage and death.

In those with a serious ill-ness, identifying the organ-ism in the stool, blood and cerebrospinal fluid and treat-ing with antibiotics may pre-vent serious adverse effects. Patients always require hos-pitalization. Antibiotic treat-ment is given for two weeks or, if the brain is involved, for four weeks.

Clearly, contaminated foods are a serious health threat. There is, however, much that can be done to reduce the risk of food poisoning. The way food is handled is particularly important.

When shopping, separate raw meat, poultry and sea-food from other foods in the grocery cart, and place them in plastic bags to prevent their juices from contaminat-ing other products. Separate these foods at checkout, and keep them in separate gro-cery bags.

When refrigerating foods, place raw meat, poultry and seafood in containers or sealed plastic bags to pre-vent their juices from drip-ping onto other foods. Do not leave eggs, meats or milk for extended periods of time at room temperature.

Promptly refrigerate left-overs and food prepared in advance. Do not consume food that has been refriger-

ated for too long, and never consume outdated foods or liquids.

Always wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after handling food. Prepare animal prod-ucts on clean cutting boards, and use separate utensils. Cook foods to the recom-mended temperature prior to eating, and beware of under-cooked or rare meat.

Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables under run-ning water rather than in a bowl or sink, and ensure that they do not come into contact with other raw foods or unclean surfaces. Never cut meat with a knife and then immediately use it to chop or slice vegetables.

In relation to the food we eat, cleanliness and compul-sive attention to appropriate preparation are the keys to preventing serious illness.

Dr. David Lipschitz’s weekly column, “Lifelong Health,” can be found at creators.com.

Cleanliness key when preparing food

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some nutrients when it tastes something sweet, because in nature, sweetness signals a nutrient-rich food source. (Think fruit.)

Instead of getting real sugar that it understands how to use for energy or store, your body is confronted with a chemical cocktail that pro-vides no nutrients (except, perhaps, sodium — which you get plenty of from your foods). To compensate, your body tries to get you to eat more — it needs to get fuel from somewhere! — meaning you get stuck with the double whammy of being addicted to a drink that you hope will help you lose weight but that instead biologically works against you to get you to eat more.

Don’t get sucked in. Try a fruit juice flavored seltzer, or make your own lime rickey from lime juice, a little sugar

and soda water — and add some green or white tea to the mix if you need a caffeine hit.

Of course, too much of even the good stuff can be a bad thing, and limiting refined sugar in your diet overall is an important part of weight maintenance. Wean-ing yourself off super-sweet drinks is a great place to start.

• “Trail mix is a low-calo-rie, low-fat healthy snack.”

Myth blasted! Traditional trail mix is basically just a deconstructed candy bar, load-ed with saturated fat and tons of salt and sugar. Plus, I don’t think it tastes like much.

Instead, either go ahead and get that candy bar you’ve been eyeing — because you’re really not doing yourself any favors by skimping and choos-ing the trail mix at the office vending machine.

Even better, make a much healthier and poten-tially much cheaper version

at home using air-popped popcorn, walnuts or almonds, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, some dried fruit — such as apricots or dates, which also add good fiber — and a hand-ful of semisweet chocolate chips, which will give your sweet tooth a hit without the extra fat and sugar of a milk chocolate alternative.

You can completely change the flavor of your homemade trail mix by seasoning the popcorn. Try a healthy kettle corn made with maple syrup, sea salt and coconut oil, or add curry seasoning for exotic variety — or even strips of nori and soy sauce or shred-ded coconut with sesame oil and tamari; the list goes on and on. Pack a bag for work, and make sure you bring enough to share!

Daphne Oz is a co-host of ABC’s “The Chew.” Her weekly column, “Food for Thought,” can be found at creators.com.

MYTHS: Diet soda may make you eat moreContinued from Page 37

Creators.com photo courtesy of Scott Bauer

A recent outbreak of listeria in cantaloupes killed more than two dozen people.


you know me...

All my life people have underestimated me.

Ric NelsonUAA Student and Member, Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education

Having cerebral palsy has never slowed me down. Early intervention helped get me on the right path and with hard work I’m fulfilling my goals. I graduated in the top 10% of my high school class, earned a full tuition college scholarship and today I’m a business major at UAA.

Intervention is most effective before age three, while the brain is rapidly developing. Early intervention services, such as speech and hearing services, family training and physical therapy, for children with developmental delays or disabilities increase their opportunities for leading successful lives.

For early intervention resources contact:

The Alaska Mental HealthTrust Authority

www.mhtrust.org(888) 269-8990 or

http://hss.state.ak.us/gcdse


One of the new buzzwords in nutrition is “flexitarian.” According to Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of “The Flexi-tarian Diet,” “the term means a ‘flexible vegetarian,’ which refers to a vegetarian who occasionally decides to eat meat.” Often, says Blatner, this decision is in response to a social situation, such as a vegetarian who decides to eat turkey on Thanksgiving or a hamburger at a barbecue.

Along the same lines, meat eaters who decide to eat more vegetarian options — for example, a meatless meal several times a week — also count as flexitarians. Accord-ing to fitness advocate Carole Carson, an estimated 30 to 40 percent of meat eaters opt occasionally for vegetarian meals.

“Really, a person who wakes up in the morning wanting to be more vegetarian can be called a flexitarian,” Blatner says. “It’s a personal choice. A vegetarian may decide to occasionally have steak or chicken in a salad, and a meat eater may decide to opt more often for bean faji-tas rather than steak fajitas.”

At the center of flexitari-anism is being pro-plant, not anti-meat. Blatner says there are tremendous benefits to decreasing meats and increas-ing plant-based foods.

“With a greater consump-tion of healthy plant-based foods, disease risk decreases,” she says. “That can help pre-vent cancer, diabetes (and) heart disease and lower cho-lesterol and high blood pres-

sure. It’s exciting news, very powerful stuff.”

When physicians suggest healthier diets, it’s often easier for people who eat pri-marily meat-based meals and unhealthy snacks to make the change by easing into the flexitarian lifestyle. And many vegetarians enjoy allowing themselves the freedom to enjoy a salad with chicken on it, taste a relative’s signature

dish at a special celebration or have a hot dog at the ballpark.

According to Blatner, there are three main steps you should take if you would like to try flexitarianism:

1) Eat what you currently eat, but re-portion your meals. “Eat half as much as your usual portion of a meat-based meal, and add more vegetables to your plate,” Blatner says. A small amount of meat remains to allow you to enjoy the taste you’re familiar with; it’s just paired with healthy greens and vegetables.

2) Reinvent your old favor-ites. “If you normally have turkey meat in your pasta sauce, replace the turkey with white beans,” Blatner says. The spices in your recipe turn this into a delicious new option. Instead of a beef bur-rito, choose a black bean bur-rito to be more plant-based. Blatner shares the formula for optimal meat replacement: “For every ounce of meat you take out of a dish, substitute a quarter-cup of beans.”

3) Refresh your repertoire of favorite recipes. Variety makes flexitarianism easier and more enjoyable, and fam-ily members will be more will-ing to sit down to pro-plant meals when you’ve added a

dash of creativity to them. “Check out new vegetarian

magazines, and talk to friends and family members about their favorite meatless reci-pes,” Blatner says.

Ask about homemade dish-es, as well as what vegetarian and flexitarian friends order at local restaurants. You may find that a veggie burger at a local eatery is quite amazing, especially when topped with guacamole. Expanding your horizons with food options is immensely easy on recipe web-sites, such as Allrecipes.com.

It’s empowering to take charge of your health, and a flexible approach to add-ing more plant-based foods gradually into your diet can be more successful than a dras-tic elimination of meats. “If I said ‘no meats anymore,’ my husband would be sneaking off to fast-food restaurants,” says retiree Anne Pasteur. “He’s not going to give up his steaks, but what he has noticed is that he’s happy with a few slices of sirloin and a half-plate of steamed broccoli and cauliflower with a lemon vinaigrette on it.”

Each pro-plant decision you make can improve your health.

Adopt a ‘flexitarian’ diet to boost health

Creators.com

Get flexible with meat and vegetarian options.

health and wellness - spring 2012

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