Health Beat, May 2013

BeatHealthMAY 2013 A PUBLICATION OF

THE RICHMOND REGISTER

MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE

Feeling theBurn with Burns

Working inworking out

May is

Women’sHealth Month

Body weightor body fat

What is moreimportant?

TheTALEof TWOSISTERS

Keepingkids safe whenplaying sports

Using techto monitorteens’

moods

What’s thebest way ofknowing?

MENTAL MORSELS:

2 Richmond Register HEALTH BEAT

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MAY 2013

By Marilynn MarchioneAP Chief Medical Writer

A tiny magnetic braceletimplanted at the base of thethroat is greatly improving lifefor some people with chronicheartburn who need more helpthan medicine can give them.

It’s a novel way to treat severeacid reflux, which plagues mil-lions of Americans and can raisetheir risk for more serious healthproblems.

It happens when a weak mus-cle doesn’t close after swallowingas it should. That lets stomachjuices splash back into the throat.Drugs like Nexium and Prilosecreduce acid. But they don’t fix theunderlying problem, calledGERD, or gastroesophagealreflux disease.

Rodd Foster had it so bad he

used to sleep sitting up to keephis dinner down. Tricia Carrworried she would develop com-plications like the one that killedher mother.

Both Californians got helpfrom the new device, approved ayear ago by the federal Food andDrug Administration and alsosold in Europe.

The treatment was “life-changing,” said Foster, a 61-year-old plumbing contractor fromCanyon Country, Calif. “It’s been30 years since I’ve been able toeat normally and now I can eatanything anytime.”

The Linx device, made byTorax Medical Inc., of St. Paul,Minn., is a ring of titanium beadswith magnets inside. Doctorsplace it around the weak muscleat the base of the esophagus in ahalf-hour operation using a

scope and “keyhole” incisions inthe belly. The ring reinforces theweak muscle to keep it closed, yetis flexible and expands to let foodpass when someone swallows.The ring comes in multiple sizes;it is about a half-inch in diameterand expands to about 1.5 inches.People don’t feel it once it isimplanted.

The device costs $5,000; theoperation can run $12,000 to$20,000 depending on hospitalcharges, said Dr. John Lipham, asurgeon who offers it at theUniversity of SouthernCalifornia and at Hoag MemorialHospital Presbyterian inNewport Beach. Many insurerscover it for patients who are nothelped enough by antacid medi-cines.

“It is a clever device,” saidanother doctor who has used it —

Dr. Donald Castell, a gastroen-terologist at the MedicalUniversity of South Carolina inCharleston. The magnets “justbolster a little bit the pressure thatis normally there” and help sealoff the stomach juices, he said.

Both doctors consult for Torax.A third expert with no financialties to the company — Dr. DanielDeMarco of Baylor UniversityMedical Center in Dallas — saidearly results with the device havebeen “very impressive.” But onlytime will tell if they hold up formany years, he said.

As many as 20 millionAmericans have GERD. It’s notjust a quality-of-life issue:Chronic acid reflux can raise therisk of a condition calledBarrett’s esophagus, which inturn can raise the risk of throatcancer.

Implanted ‘bracelet’ helpstreat chronic heartburn

AP PHOTO/DAMIAN DOVARGANES

MAY 2013 HEALTH BEAT Richmond Register 3

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CHRISTIE GREEN’S COLUMN ON PAGE 8-9

FEELING THE BURN WITH BURNS: Working in working out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 4GROWING UP: Using tech to monitor teens’ moods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 5Early number sense plays role in later math skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 6CHIROPRACTIC CORNER: The tale of two sisters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 7FDA approves return of drug for morning sickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 11MENTAL MORSELS: What’s the best way of knowing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 12THE BREAKING POINT: ‘Martial arts taps out obesity’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 13DR. JACK RUTHERFORD: Body weight or body fat: What’s important? . . . . . . . . .page 14MEDICAL MINUTE: Keeping kids safe when playing sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 15

AllergiesEye allergies are a common condition

affecting millions of Americans. InKentucky, communities are known for mak-ing the top 10 lists of worst allergies in thecountry!

Pollen, mold, dust and pet dander arejust some of the things that cause irritated,stinging, scratchy, teary eyes. Those symp-toms may seem like mild irritants, but if leftuntreated, can lead to chronic irritation,potential corneal scarring and other seriouseye damage.

Up to 80 percent of seasonal allergy suf-ferers also have eye symptoms and unfortu-nately, many allergy medicines make thoseworse because they actually dry out theeye.

The time to monitor and control eyeallergies is before allergy season starts. Youreye doctor can prescribe many therapiesand prescriptions to eliminate suffering andcontrol those allergies. A treatment plan isespecially important for people who wearcontact lenses to prevent eye damage.

Dry EyeThe tears your eyes normally produce

are important for your overall eye healthand vision. When your eyes don’t produceenough tears or the tears you do producedon’t have the right chemical composition,you may experience stinging, itchy, scratchyeyes.

Dry eye can be the result of the normal

aging process, exposure to environmentalconditions, problems blinking or a reactionto medications such as antihistamines, oralcontraceptives or antidepressants.

Dry eye can’t be cured, but the use ofartificial tears or tear substitutes can beused. For more severe cases, ointments canbe used at bedtime, or small plugs may beinserted in the eyes’ tear drainage canals toslow the loss of tears. In addition, nutri-tional substitutes may be recommended,and prescription medicine may be given toreduce inflammation and improve the pro-duction of tears.

Just like with eye allergies, a treatmentplan is especially important for people whowear contact lenses to prevent eye damageand prolong contact lens wear throughoutthe day and over a person’s lifetime.

Allergies and Dry EyesWhat you should know about ocular surface conditions

May isWOMEN’SHEALTH MONTHNational Women’s Health Week

begins each year on Mother’s Day, aday for celebrating the women in our lives.

Ithink I speak for mostpeople when I say one of

the biggest enemies of aworkout routine is “time.”

You can’t make time. It’snever the right time. It’s timeaway from your children.Waking up in time is a hassle.

I’ve faced all these difficul-ties with time, and I’ve used itas an excuse not to exercise.

Sure, I have a full-time job,my man is a full-time studentand my 2-year-old is a full-timehandful, but I’m trying to get inshape to add more years (possi-bly decades) onto my life. If Ikeep it in that perspective, Istay motivated.

But because of my mother’spassing four years ago, I’ve alsolearned that staying healthymay not always add more timeonto your life.

She ate good foods, workedout every day, never smoked ordrank, but she succumbed toLou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) onher 55th birthday.

However, I also learned thatmore time doesn’t necessarilymean “quality time,” and that’swhat I want with my son,Ryker. Getting fit will give myfamily a more fun-filled lifetogether. Mom would’ve want-ed it that way.

One thing I’ve started to doto better integrate exercise into

my daily routine is to use my 2-year-old (and his infinite ener-gy) as a dumbbell or a dancepartner.

My friend Tinsley alwayssaid her arms were in the bestshape ever because her daugh-ter Eden always loved to becarried. Ryker is the same way.

Carrying around a wriggly35-pound toddler is no easytask. Sometimes, I’ll hold himsideways and do bicep reps. Allthe while he’s giggling uncon-trollably. I also ask him tocount with me, so I can workon his early childhood learningtoo. I’m exercising, he’s havingfun and he’s learning.

He loves to dance too. Andhe loves it even more when hismomma dances with him.Sometimes we’ll waltz as I holdhim in my arms and some-times we’ll just flail about tosome techno music.

Now that the weather hasgotten to be more springlike, Itake every opportunity to gethim on the playground. Myheart skips a beat when heclimbs to the top of some ofthat playground equipment, soI’m usually climbing to the topwith him.

This summer, I plan toattach a child trailer to theback of my bicycle and carthim around town. Before Ibecame pregnant with him, Iused to tackle every hill inBerea on my bike — and any-one who lives in Berea knowsyou must go up some sort ofhill to get most anywhere. Iwant to do that again.

I’ve always felt accomplishedafter getting in a good workout,which I have the privilege ofdoing with Neil two to threetimes a week.

When I’m pushing throughsome reps at the gym, we talkabout life and his experiencemotivates me, too.

Neil didn’t start his weight-loss journey until he was 42, sohe missed out on a lot with hisson Tyler.

Because Neil was 680pounds, Tyler helped himthrough a lot of his daily rou-tine and therefore their qualitytime was restricted by Neil’slimited mobility. Now Tyler is ateenager and is in the earlystages of leaving the nest.

Neil has to live with thatregret, but my life with my sondoesn’t have to be that way, healways says. I can’t wait untilI’m 42 to take my life back.

Ryker can’t wait until I’m 42for me to start taking him hik-ing, swimming in the ocean oron roller coasters at an amuse-ment park (it’s hard to fit inthose restraints if you’re a bigperson).

Although I want him tounderstand that all peopleshould be valued, no matterwhat body shape or size, I alsowant him to be proud that I’mhis momma, so I’ve got to beproud of me, too.

For me, that means gettingback into my prepregnancyclothes and making everymoment with him count.

4 Richmond Register HEALTH BEAT MAY 2013

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well-being with every step

FEELING THE BURN WITH BURNS

Working inWORKING OUT CRYSTAL

WYLIE

FEELING THEBURN WITH

BURNS

Editor’s note: The Registerfeatured Richmond native Neil

Burns three times over the course ofhis incredible weight-loss journey.In 2010, Burns was a 680-pound

backhoe operator who began to loseweight “the old-fashioned way”

through healthy eating and exer-cise. Today, Burns is a personal

trainer at First Step Fitness and ishelping others make their ownincredible weight-loss stories.

“Jenny is in one ofher moods again,”

said her mother. “I just wishshe would let me know what isbothering her. Every time I tryto ask her about what is goingon, she just growls and stormsup to her room.”

The teen years can be a diffi-cult transition from childhoodto adulthood. There are a lot ofchanges as adolescents becomemore aware of their feelingsand social relationships. Throwin puberty and adolescents’moods can change as frequent-ly as the weather.

The difficulty for parents isto spot the difference betweenordinary teen moodiness andwhen there are more signifi-cant issues developing.

For example, it is typical forall teenagers to spend a fairamount of time alone in theirbedroom. Some of this alonetime allows them to sort out allof the new experiences andfeelings they are going through.

However, there comes apoint where the alone timebecomes too much. Depressioncan be a real concern forteenagers. It is estimated that11percent of adolescents willexperience clinical depressionbefore the age of 18.

Given the fairly high fre-quency of depression, the ques-tion becomes at what point isteens’ alone time too much? Itcan be difficult to gauge partic-ularly when parents have busylives of their own.

Now there is a way to moni-tor adolescents’ moods usingtechnology. Mood 24/7(www.mood247.com) is a freesite that uses text messaging tosurvey an adolescent’s mood.

The website provides teensthe capability of having dailytext messages sent asking

about their mood. The teenresponds and the site thentracks the teen’s mood overtime. The results can then beshared with family membersthough they don’t have to be.

The advantages of usingMood 24/7 are that it uses anappealing formatthrough text messaging,and it is quick and easy.

In addition, the dailyfeedback and graphingover time can make adoles-cents more aware of theirmoods and may evenencourage them to seek outhelp earlier if they see theirmood trending towards depres-sion.

I think teens will like thistechnology as it can supple-ment activities such as writingin diaries. It can help themwork through the issues theyare experiencing on their wayto adulthood.

Some teens may even feelcomfortable enough to let theirparents be involved in themood monitoring, which givesparents one more way to tracktheir teen’s feelings.

While technology will neverreplace an in-person heart-to-heart talk, it can give parentsvaluable insights and aware-ness of ongoing issues. Thenwhen it is time to have the talk,teens will feel like their parentsare really listening to their con-cerns and will be more open totalking in the future.

Dan Florell, Ph.D., is an assis-tant professor at EasternKentucky University and has aprivate practice, MindPsi(www.mindpsi.net). PraveenaSalins, M.D., is a pediatrician atMadison Pediatric Associates(www.madisonpeds.com).


DAN FLORELL, PH.D. AND

PRAVEENA SALINS, M.D.

G R O W I N G U P

Using tech to monitorteens’ moods

By Lauran NeergaardAP Medical Writer

WASHINGTON — We know alot about how babies learn to talk,and youngsters learn to read.Now scientists are unraveling theearliest building blocks of math— and what children know aboutnumbers as they begin first gradeseems to play a big role in howwell they do everyday calcula-tions later on.

The findings have specialistsconsidering steps that parentsmight take to spur math abilities,just like they do to try to raise agood reader.

This isn’t only about trying toimprove the nation’s math scoresand attract kids to become engi-neers. It’s far more basic.

Consider: How rapidly canyou calculate a tip? Do the frac-tions to double a recipe? Knowhow many quarters and dimesthe cashier should hand back asyour change?

About 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.lacks the math competenceexpected of a middle-schooler,meaning they have trouble withthose ordinary tasks and aren’tqualified for many of today’s jobs.

“It’s not just, can you do well inschool? It’s how well can you doin your life,” says Dr. Kathy MannKoepke of the National Institutesof Health, which is funding muchof this research into math cogni-tion. “We are in the midst of mathall the time.”

A new study shows troublecan start early.

University of Missouriresearchers tested 180 seventh-graders. Those who laggedbehind their peers in a test ofcore math skills needed to func-tion as adults were the same kidswho’d had the least numbersense or fluency way back whenthey started first grade.

“The gap they started with,they don’t close it,” says Dr. DavidGeary, a cognitive psychologistwho leads the study that is track-ing children from kindergartento high school in the Columbia,Mo., school system. “They’re notcatching up” to the kids whostarted ahead.

If first grade sounds prettyyoung to be predicting math abil-ity, well, no one expects tots to bescribbling sums. But this numbersense, or what Geary more pre-cisely terms “number systemknowledge,” turns out to be a fun-damental skill that students con-tinually build on, much morethan the simple ability to count.

What’s involved?Understanding that numbersrepresent different quantities —that three dots is the same as thenumeral “3” or the word “three.”Grasping magnitude — that 23 isbigger than 17. Getting the con-cept that numbers can be brokeninto parts — that 5 is the same as


Early numbersense playsrole in latermath skills

AP PHOTO/JOHN MINCHILLO

Turn to MATH, page 10

Helping your child withthe building blocks of math

• Don’t teach your toddler tocount solely by reciting numbers.Attach numbers to a noun — “Hereare five crayons: One crayon, twocrayons...” or say “I need to buytwo yogurts” as you pick themfrom the store shelf — so they’llabsorb the quantity concept.• Talk about distance: How manysteps to your ball? The swing is far-ther away; it takes more steps.• Describe shapes: The ellipse isround like a circle but flatter.• As they grow, show children howmath is part of daily life, as youmake change, or measure ingredi-ents, or decide how soon to leavefor a destination 10 miles away,“We should be talking to our chil-dren about magnitude, numbers,distance, shapes as soon as they’reborn,” she contends. “More thanlikely, this is a positive influence

on their brain function.”


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About a month ago I waswalking through a parking

lot when I heard, “What are youdoing out of the office?”

As I turned around, I saw afamiliar chubby face with aninfectious smile that was a littlebigger than normal with her,proud to give Doc a hard time,line out in the open.

This lady has been a patientfor years. She has always dealtwith weight issues and has beenup and down the scale, but herheart has always been just theright size.

This meeting, although start-ing out on a light note, ended updisturbing me greatly. Alongwith her, she had her motherand another lady with whom Iwas familiar but initially did not

recognize. However, her identitydid sink in a few minutes later.

As she continued talking tome about some shopping funniesmy mind started processing theidentity of the third lady. Andthat is when the shock set in.

Let’s flip back about 10 yearsand you’ll understand my shockduring this encounter.

I walked in to the room togreet the new patient. I see alady who is fit but in noticeablepain. She is slightly tilted to theright sitting uncomfortably witha distressed look on her face.

Everything seems normal sofar. The process went normallyand after a few adjustments shewas feeling much better. She hadnoticeably improved energy, herposture was better and she felt

that her life was being handedback to her.

After about a month of care,she brings in her sister. Her sis-ter was in rough shape, kneesbad, overweight, smoked, atejunk food, drank soda and hadpain in all areas. She comment-ed that it would be easier to tellme what wasn’t hurting. Thislady had a good sense of humorbut did not know how, or wasnot able, to take care of herself.

Jump ahead one year. I havecalled the first sister (who hadgreat results) several times withno answer after she had missedseveral appointments. When thesecond sister (who has also hadgreat results and is healthier)comes in, she is a little less perky,and you can tell she has a lot on

her mind. The tension

in her neckand shouldersis very bad,and she ismuch quieterthan usual. As we get further intothe adjustment, she vents a littleabout how her sister, who is goingthrough a divorce, has been reallybummed out. The pain in her sis-ter’s back is returning.

I suggested the second sisterreverse their initial roles andbring her in. We will startworking on getting her stress tocome down and get her bodyfunctioning so she can dealwith this easier.

The

ROBERTBOARDMAN

C H I R O P R A C T I C C O R N E R

TALE of TWO SISTERS

Turn to SISTERS, page 10


National Women’s HealthWeek begins each year on

Mother’s Day, a day for celebratingthe women in our lives. ForMother’s Day, someonemight choose sentimen-tal cards, sweet-smelling flowers, or adelicious meal tohonor moms, wives,sisters, and otherwomen special tothem. We canalso honor thewomen who areimportant to usby encouragingthem to takesteps to sup-port theirhealth.

Most things are easier if taken insmall parts. That’s why we frequent-ly talk about “steps” to good health,

because it doesn’t happen allat once. It happens

bit by bit as weadopt one

good habit after another. ForWomen’s Health Week this year,think about a few small things that

you or the woman youlove can easily do

to help ensuremany more

happy,healthyMother’sDays tocome.

May isWOMEN’S

HEALTH MONTHCHRISTIEGREEN, MPH

MCHD PUBLIC

INFORMATION

OFFICER


Schedule a YearlyPreventive Exam

One of the best and easiest ways forwomen to keep themselves healthy is to

make sure they get recommended exams,screenings and immunizations. Screenings forbreast and cervical cancer save thousands ofwomen’s lives each year in the U.S. During ayearly preventive exam, a doctor may recom-mend screenings for other diseases, such asdiabetes or colon cancer, that could help findsmall things before they turn into big prob-lems. Under many health insurance plans, ayearly preventive exam is free. If you don’thave insurance, start by contacting your localhealth department to see if you qualify for orlow cost women’s cancer screening services.

M A D I S O N C O U N T Y H E A LT H D E P A R T M E N T

Know Your Numbers Keep track of your numbers for blood pressure,

blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index(BMI), and other health conditions. These numbers,in combination with your health history, can pro-vide a glimpse of your health status and risk forcertain diseases and conditions. Be sure to ask yourhealth care provider what tests you need and howoften. You can avoid significant health problems bykeeping track of your numbers and getting regularscreenings. For example, knowing your fasting glu-cose scores, cholesterol levels, and blood pressurecan help you make diet and lifestyle changes beforeyou develop diabetes, heart disease, or high blood

pressure.

Ask Questions Don’t be afraid to ask questions and even take notes

during your doctor’s visit. A good health careprovider wants you to have all the information you needto take an active role in protecting and improving yourhealth. Before your appointment, write down all of yourquestions and bring that list with you to the visit. Makesure all of your questions are answered before you leaveand that you know exactly what the next steps are. It’sok to ask the provider to repeat or clarify anything thatyou didn’t understand. The same is true at the pharma-cy. Make sure your understand how to take your medi-cine, what side effects to watch for, and any potentialinteractions with other medications. Health information

can becomplicat-ed. Don’triskinjury orotherproblemsbecauseyou arenot clearon what todo.

Take Folic Acid Ican’t stress enough how important is for women

of childbearing age to make sure they are gettingenough of this B vitamin in their diet. If a womanhas enough folic acid in her body before and whileshe is pregnant, her baby is significantly less likelyto have a major birth defect of the brain or spine,like spina bifida or anencephaly.

Because having enough of this nutrient in thebody at the time of conception and during earlypregnancy is so important, all women who couldpossibly get pregnant should take 400 microgramsof folic acid every day. Folic acid is included in mostdaily vitamins. Many foods are fortified with folicacid, and it is found naturally in foods such as darkgreen leafy vegetables, black beans, and lentils.

Folic acid also has benefits for individuals. Studieshave shown that it protects cells from damage, possi-bly helping prevent some cancers. It has also beenfound to support mood and brain function.

Check Your Eligibility Many private health insurance companies offer pro-

grams like case management or health coachingthat can help you make health care or lifestyle decisionsfor yourself and your family. Some may even offerincentives or discounts for enrolling in these programs.Your workplace may also have wellness programs thatcan help you improve your health. These programsoften offer products, like gym memberships or nutritioncounseling, for free or at significant discounts.

Other programs offer support for those who havelower incomes. For example, the WIC program providessupplemental food and nutrition counseling for pregnantwomen, infants, and children up to age five. Familiesmay not realize that they could qualify for WIC. In fact,a family of four can make up to $3,500 a month or$42,600 a year and still qualify, and the WIC benefitscan provide as much as $75 month in nutritious foods,including fresh fruits and vegetables. Taking advantageof services like these help us stretch our resources andmake good choices even when money is tight.

This Mother’s Day, take a few minutes to think aboutwhat you can do to bring the gift of good health to thewomen in your life. It’s small steps like these that bringbig rewards in the long run.

2 and 3, or 4 and 1. Showing on anumber line that the differencebetween 10 and 12 is the same asthe difference between 20 and 22.

Factors such as IQ and atten-tion span didn’t explain whysome first-graders did betterthan others. Now Geary is study-ing if something that youngsterslearn in preschool offers anadvantage.

There’s other evidence thatmath matters early in life.Numerous studies with youngbabies and a variety of animalsshow that a related ability — toestimate numbers without count-ing — is intuitive, sort of hard-wired in the brain, says MannKoepke, of NIH’s NationalInstitute of Child Health andHuman Development. That’s theability that lets you choose theshortest grocery check-out line ata glance, or that guides a bird tothe bush with the most berries.

Number system knowledge ismore sophisticated, and the

Missouri study shows childrenwho start elementary schoolwithout those concepts “seem tostruggle enormously,” says MannKoepke, who wasn’t part of thatresearch.

While schools tend to focus onmath problems around thirdgrade, and math learning disabil-ities often are diagnosed by fifthgrade, the new findings suggest“the need to intervene is muchearlier than we ever used tothink,” she adds.

Exactly how to intervene stillis being studied, sure to be a topicwhen NIH brings experts togeth-er this spring to assess what’sknown about math cognition.

But Geary sees a strong paral-lel with reading. Scientists havelong known that preschoolerswho know the names of lettersand can better distinguish whatsounds those letters make go onto read more easily. So parentstoday are advised to read to theirchildren from birth, and manyyoungsters’ books use rhymingto focus on sounds.

Likewise for math, “kids needto know number words” early on,he says.


Timothy D. Wiley, DMDHighland Dental

A VeryHard

DecisionThis will be the last article in the series I have been

writing for the past year. I have really enjoyed creatingthese articles to inform the public about what is goingon in dentistry. It has made me focus on my professionand really think about what patients need to know thatcan help them with their dental health. Some of the ar-ticles have also talked about the relationship betweenthe patient and their dental office. A part of this has todo with dental insurance. This is where I continue tohave to make, “A Very Hard Decision.”

The hardest part of dentistry for me has always beenthe business side. I got into dentistry to help people. Ialso planned to provide for my family by being part ofa noble profession. That is pretty much how it hasworked out. In the last few years the influence of dentalinsurance companies on our profession has changedeverything.

Dentists are constantly under pressure to become“providers” for the various companies. The dental in-surance companies expect the dentist to do “discount”dentistry, (their word not mine) as part of this relationship.I’m not comfortable with this idea of discount dentaltreatment.

When dentists are put in the position of discountingtheir fees to be part of a dental group some things aregoing to change. Insurance patients pay different feesthan fee-for-service patients. I disagree with this. Thetime allotted for the dentist to provide treatment getsshortened. The need to find less expensive materialsand labs to do the work is constant. The time thehygienist gets to spend with each patient may beshortened. Overall, the quality of what is being donegoes down. I refuse to let that happen. This is whatleads to my hard decision. I am going to focus on whatis best for my patients. I am not going to let the in-surance companies have control. My office will workwith your insurance but not for them.

I have lost some patients due to this insurance situationover the years. It hurts every time. I still feel I must dowhat is best for the patients that remain. My office willcontinue to focus on quality first. If this sounds like theplace for you, please call us at Highland Dental. Ournumber is 859-625-0204.

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MATHContinued from page 6

A couple of weeks later, thesecond sister came in againsaying her sister had beengoing to her medical doctorand was getting meds. A coupleof months after asking and get-ting the same answer, it wasobvious the first sister just did-n’t want to get adjusted.

After a few more months, Iguess I just quit bugging thesecond sister, who at this timewas coming in every otherweek and actually looked 10years younger.

Over the last seven years, Ihave seen her smiling faceabout two times a month, andshe is walking and workingand taking care of her self a lotbetter. During this time, shehas been divorced, remarriedand lost her husband. In thetrying times, she just gotadjusted more and dealt withthe emotional issues withhumor and chiropractic. Herweight is still too much for herheight, but her laugh and smilestill shine.

Flash to the present, as youmay have guessed, the thirdlady looks 20 years older. Herhair is brittle, her face is gauntand there is little or no shine inher eyes. Each step she takeslooks painful, and she didn’tlook up until she stopped walk-ing because she was having somany balance issues.

She has been on 10 to 12meds over the last few years. Inessence, she has been robbed ofher life because of the choicesshe has made over the last fewyears. The second sister is nowlooking younger and alwaysupbeat. Although she has beenthrough more emotionally, shechose not to go the drug route.

They both have the samesupport group but in essencehave changed roles. In fact,they have switched roles. Thehelper has become the helpee.The sister who was fit, andcould have been expected to bethe healthiest, is now the onewho needs help and the onewho looks older and feeble.

I was sorry to see it. Now asa warning to all my patients, ifyou thought I was passionatebefore about your health, afterthis epiphany, watch out.

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By Lauran NeergaardAP Medical Writer

WASHINGTON — Talk about a come-back: A treatment pulled off the market 30years ago has won Food and DrugAdministration approval again as the onlydrug specifically designated to treat morn-ing sickness.

That long-ago safety scare, prompted byhundreds of lawsuits claiming birth defects,proved to be a false alarm.

THe FDA decision means a new versionof the pill once called Bendectin is set toreturn to U.S. pharmacies under a differentname — Diclegis — as a safe and effectivetreatment for this pregnancy rite of pas-sage.

In the intervening decades, the treatmentis widely believed to have undergone morescrutiny for safety than any other drug usedduring pregnancy.

“There’s been a lot of buzz about this.Nothing better has come along” to treatmorning sickness in those 30 years, said Dr.Edward McCabe, medical director for the

March of Dimes, who welcomed the step.“We know safety-wise, there’s zero ques-

tion,” said Dr. Gary Hankins of theUniversity of Texas Medical Branch inGalveston, who headed one of the company-financed studies of Diclegis that led to itsapproval.

U.S. sales of Diclegis are expected tobegin in early June, according to Canada-based manufacturer Duchesnay Inc. Thecompany has long sold a generic version ofthe pill in Canada under yet another name,Diclectin.

For all the names, the main ingredientsare the same: Vitamin B6 plus the over-the-counter antihistamine doxylamine, foundin the sleep aid Unisom. U.S. obstetricianshave long told nauseated pregnant womenhow to mix up the right dose themselves.

In fact, in 2004 the American College ofObstetricians and Gynecologists issuedguidelines calling the combination a first-line therapy.

The difference that prescription-onlyDiclegis would offer: Combining bothingredients with a delayed-release coating

designed to help women take a daily dosebefore their nausea sets in.

The return of an FDA-cleared treatmentis needed, said ACOG spokesman Dr.Jeffrey Ecker, an obstetrician atMassachusetts General Hospital who was-n’t involved in the study of Diclegis.

“It’s not magic,” Ecker cautioned, sayingfew women see their symptoms completelydisappear with the medication. “But forsome it allows them to be much more func-tional.”

In Hankins’ study, about 260 U.S. womenwith morning sickness were given eitherDiclegis or a dummy pill for two weeks. TheDiclegis users missed on average 1 1/2fewer days of work than their counterparts.

Duchesnay wouldn’t reveal a U.S. price.About three-quarters of women experi-

ence at least some nausea and vomitingwith the hormonal surges of early pregnan-cy. Although it often occurs upon waking,some women have trouble all day. It usuallyends by the second trimester.

About 1 percent of women undergo dan-gerously severe vomiting called hypereme-

FDA approves return ofdrug for morning sickness

Intellectual history and thesearch for truth in the west-

ern world has long-vacillatedbetween two extreme method-ologies.

One is “rationalism,” theidea that truth can be reasonedout by thinking, such as figur-ing out that if A = B and B = C,then A = C.

The other is by “empiri-cism,” or that the truth must beobserved or experienced direct-ly. This is the approach thatsays you can know a fire is hotonly if you burn your hand init.

The two strategies haveexisted in a tense relationshipsince antiquity, and even untothis very day you’ll find propo-

nents of one trying to devaluethe contributions of the other.Americans, in particular, arevery empirically-oriented, veryexperiential.

In the counseling world, itisn’t at all uncommon for ourclients to accuse us of notknowing what we’re talkingabout, because we haven’t per-sonally “been there.”

In fact, a fully functioningintelligence will try to utilizeBOTH methods to figure outwhat life is all about. I do per-sonally believe one shouldinteract with the world a bitand use observations to makerational conclusions.

However, there are somepools of experience that are so

big, we simply don’t haveenough days in a lifetime to beone with them all firsthand.

This is where reason takesover. We can take experienceswe learn from others and makeour own conclusions aboutthem.

An example: I was recentlyhaving a discussion with somepeers about the struggles ofchild-rearing. Now, let it besaid, I don’t have children, don’twant children and do not workwith them as clients.

But I have 15 years of profes-sional experience with relation-ships and communicationissues that are pretty universalto ALL human interactionsregardless of age. Although Iwas the only counselor in thegroup, I was surprised at howquickly my contributions weresummarily dismissed from thediscussion.

Why? The general responsewas, “If you don’t have kids,you don’t know anything aboutthem.” In other words, onlydirect parental experiencemakes one competent to sayanything on the matter, andthat’s that.

I’ve always suspected thisreaction is an easy way to havethe last word in an argument,but I consider it ultimatelyimpractical. Harried parentscan sometimes use an out-sider’s perspective, even if saidperspective doesn’t include allthe ins and outs of parenting.

We can also find the flaw inthis empiricist argument if weapply it to something moreextreme than child-rearing.

Would you, for example, dis-miss a surgeon’s recommenda-tion for heart surgery unlesssaid surgeon had undergonethe surgery herself?

Would you insist on onlyusing maps for trips you’dalready taken and charted onyour own?

In the most extreme form,would you only listen to a per-son’s warning that throwingyourself off a tall cliff wouldkill you, provided they them-selves had the prior experienceof having first thrown them-selves off a cliff and died?

Really, it seems rather sillywhen applied to these other,less emotional experiences,doesn’t it?

Of course, I would neverpresuppose to understand par-enting from the inside, withoutmy own experiences of it.Those with experience havemore credibility, to be sure.

Nevertheless, that doesn’tmean those speaking from theobservations of people whoHAVE experienced it, or fromprinciples of all relationships,are automatically wrong either.We still have something valu-able to add, provided it iswoven into direct experienceand then applied to the prob-lems parents – or other directexperiencers – have every day.

The lesson is this: Everyonehas a perspective on life fromtheir own frame of reference.We’re all human, and thatmeans all experiences touchupon each other to somedegree. Wisdom means notbeing too quick to dismisssomeone’s frame without firstconsidering how it mightenrich and apply to one’s own.

Thomas W. Thornberry, M.A., isa mental health professionalwho has worked extensivelywith those suffering lifestylestress and communicationissues. His interest is in languageand the power of words to cre-ate change. Thomas welcomesyour feedback:[email protected].

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Let’s say at this very momentby the grace of the gods of

luck you are given your dreamcar/truck.

It has all the features you likeand could dream of. The color,interior, height, speed, soundsystem, model, even smell is theway you want it. Yes, this is yourdream car.

My question is how wouldyou take care of it? Would youfill it up with the finest gasoline?I’m sure you’d have it checkedregularly for maintenance, flu-ids full, scratches quicklyrepaired and overall being pre-ventative instead of reactionaryor worse yet, negligent. Right?

I think we’d all agree youwould treat it with the respectand attention it deserves sinceit’s your dream choice. So whydo we treat ourselves and ourown bodies differently? Why dowe feed our bodies sub-par gaso-line? Why do we not get check-ups regularly or exercise regu-larly?

And fluids, how many of usput water and good liquid in ourbodies instead of pots of coffeeeach day, the daily got-to-haveMountain Dew and Pepsi, orworse, the new energy diedrinks?

I say die drinks because weall know how we feel once therush wears off and your body lit-erally crashes.

Now that I have your atten-tion, what’s the solution? Thereare many, my favorite is martialarts.

You may ask, “Why martial

arts? I thought they just prac-ticed death touch and said sir allthe time.”

Hardly. The martial arts havebeen around for over 2,000years! In the ancient days in theOrient, the martial arts weredeveloped by monks to keeptheir bodies healthy and bloodflow strong from their hours ofmediating. Later, they becamean important line of defense fortheir villages against invadingarmies.

Today, many people beginmartial arts training for healthand fitness in addition to themany other benefits the artshave to offer. Did you know theaverage real kickboxing classburns 800 to 900 calories (Yes,that’s a lot of adult beveragesand fast food)?

Did you know most top-notchmartial arts schools include con-ditioning and cardio in all kids’classes? In fact, for all you UFCfans out there, lots of schoolsnow focus on timing rounds(like a UFC or boxing round)when drilling kicks, strikes orbasics.

Where else can you learnhow to defend yourself and getin the best shape of your life, allin one program?

In Krav Maga classes (Israeliself-defense), fitness is one of thecornerstones of training. TheIsraelis believe that one must befit to fight. Each class consists oflots of fitness and fight condi-tioning before getting into actualescapes and counters. After

class, you leave feeling sweaty,sore and wanting more.

I knew a gentleman years agowho was your typical, over-weight salesman. He sold carsduring the day, came home andsmoked cigarettes and ate fastfood each night. He didn’t trainhis body or his mind and bal-looned up to a tight 40-inchwaist.

After about a year and a halfof martial arts training, he wasdown to a loose 32-inch waist!This was a normal guy. He had awife, son, career and was in his50s. Who said you can’t get bet-ter with age?

With all the national andlocal dialogue on fitness andobesity, why not give martialarts a try? In fact, most of the fadworkouts you see on TV (somewill be here for a while) – P90X,Insanity, TaeBo, and others –incorporate traditional and mod-ern martial arts as a huge part

of their train-ing.

Why notgo to thesource andget all thebenefits foryou and yourfamily? Treatyour body like the car of dreamsand you’ll have more fun andlive longer.

Master Will Schneider is the CEO ofElite Martial Arts & Fitness inBerea and Richmond. He holds aseventh-degree black belt, certifiedKrav Maga and Muay ThaiKickboxing instructor, former exec-utive director/CEO of theLondon/Laurel County FamilyYMCA, and 1996 World MartialArts Hall of Fame inductee. He is apopular speaker on BullyProof,Adult Fitness, Kid Safe, andWomen’s Self-Defense. Schneidercan be reached at www.EliteMa.org

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Turn on the TV and you can’t help butsee plenty of commercials pitching

products that supposedly will help youlose weight. But is it weight you reallywant to lose or body fat?

Most people know how much theyweigh but relatively few are aware of theirbody fat percentage. This is the amount ofbody fat a person has relative to their totalweight.

That which isn’t fat is composed of bone,muscle, connective tissue, blood and otherbody fluids as well as other tissues, collec-tively called fat-free mass or sometimeslean body mass.

Body weight is considered an importantfactor when it comes to measuring a per-son’s health, but many experts think thatbody-fat percentage should replace weightas the measuring stick.

Consider for example that the aver-age NFL middle linebacker weighsroughly 250 pounds, overweight byall health standards. However, thesame middle linebacker is likely farlower in percent body fat than theaverage 150 pound male.

So it’s possible to be high in bodyweight but low in body fat. Bodybuilders are another example. Theytend to be heavier than the averageperson but their body fat levels aremuch lower.

The following chart summarizesbody fat percentage categories formen and women of different groups.

Knowing what cate-gory you are in can be a useful tool inhelping to manage your body compositiongoals.

Notice the difference in terminologybetween body composition goals andweight loss goals. Until you first knowwhat your percent body fat is, you reallydon’t know what your body composition isand how much fat you should set as a goal.

For example, a woman who thinks sheneeds to lose 30 pounds may need to loseonly 20 pounds if she knows she is 38 per-cent body fat, just a few percentage pointsinto the obese category.

It is also important to remember thatthe goal is fat loss, not weight loss. Long-term fat loss can be achieved by eating alow-fat, balanced diet, getting enough restand exercising using a combination ofresistance training and aerobic condition-ing.

Consider the fact that 70 percent ofAmericans are overweight or obese and

most of that excess weight istoo much fat.

Do you know what yourbody fat percentage is? Findout at your local gym, YMCAor university. Knowing thisinformation can help youtoward your body compositiongoals and ultimately betterhealth.

What’s important?DR. JACK

RUTHERFORD

D R . J A C K O N H E A L T H & F I T N E S S

Body weight or body fat

Body Fat CategoriesClassification Men % Fat Women %FatEssential Fat 2-4% 10-12%Athletes 6-13% 14-20%Good Fitness 10-20% 17-28%Marginal 21-25% 29-35%

Obese 26%+ 36%+


For the Matthews family, Saturday is ahectic day. Sonya has a soccer game at

9 a.m., but it’s not over when Andrew’sbasketball practice starts at 10:30. In theafternoon, Andrew plays soccer whileSonya works out with her lacrosse team.

Although the parents have a rough timekeeping track of it all, the Matthews chil-dren are doing quite well. During a timewhen childhood obesity is rampant, theyare fit and healthy. And they really have notime or energy for teenage acting out.

Young athletes reap many other bene-fits–making friends, learning teamwork,understanding the intricacies of competi-tion and cooperation, improved emotionalhealth and self-esteem. They are, however,putting themselves at risk of sportsinjuries, some of which can cause long-term problems if not handled properly.More than 3.5 million children age 14and under suffer sports injuries eachyear, according to the National SAFEKIDS Campaign.

Elementary age children are stilldeveloping coordination, but they arealso smaller and don’t move as fast oras forcefully. As kids get older and gainstrength, collisions become more of anissue.

Growth patterns vary, however, sogrouping young athletes by age doesnot adequately take into account big dif-ferences in size, strength, coordinationand skill. Many injuries occur whenchildren who are small for their age tryto keep up with their peers. Parentsshould look for organized programsthat take these differences into account.

An adult who participates insports–and, unfortunately, many coach-es–may not realize that children aremore susceptible to injury than adults.The bones of a child or adolescent con-tain growth plates, areas of cartilagewhere growth is taking place. These arerelatively weak and particularly vulner-able to injury. Injuries to growth platesare potentially serious and should betreated by a an appropriate pediatricand musculoskeletal orthopedic spe-cialist.

Whether in games or in practice,young athletes should be watched close-ly for signs of pain or fatigue. Andcoaches should be careful not to pushyoung athletes into playing withinjuries or over training.

Overuse injuries are common in adultsas well, and the old adage of “workingthrough it” nearly always results in a moreserious injury. In a young person, theseinjuries are a big concern because they canhave a negative effect on bone growth.

In addition to excessive training, overuseinjuries can be caused by improper tech-nique, poorly selected or worn out athleticshoes, playing the same sport year roundor playing multiple sports in the same sea-son.

When overuse injuries do not respondpromptly to RICE treatment (Rest, Ice,Elevation, Compression), the child shouldbe examined by a doctor.

Coaches and parents should avoid push-ing their child back into action too quickly

after any kind ofinjury. Any return toactivity should begradual allowing themuscles, tendons andligaments a properchance to adjust.

One very importantprecaution involveshead and facialinjuries. If a child suffering such an injuryexperiences a headache, impaired vision,ringing in the ears or nausea, he or shemay have suffered a concussion even ifthere was no loss of consciousness. Theathlete should be cleared by a physicianbefore returning to action.

You can help keep your kids safe byfollowing some simple guidelines.Make sure your young athletes:

HAVE THE PROPER GEAR: Most sportsrequire standard protective gear, and it’simportant for parents and coaches toensure that the right helmet, mouthguards, eye protection and pads are used.Make sure it’s the right helmet for thesport and that it fits snugly and comfort-ably.

WARM UP before getting into vigorousactivity and cools down afterward withproper stretches to maintain flexibility.

STAY COOL AND DRINK plenty ofwater. Children perspire less than adults,and sweating starts at a higher body tem-perature. Be wary of the signs of heatexhaustion (nausea, dizziness, weakness,headache, pale and moist skin, heavysweating, weak pulse, disorientation) andof heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, andskin that is hot and dry).

Heat-related injuries are dangerous andoften occur because of a deficit in body flu-ids. Be sure young athletes have access towater and sports drinks.

Keeping young athletes safe simplyrequires some common sense. Actually,injuries are not all that common and thebenefits that kids get by participating insports far outweigh the risks.

To learn more about sport-related injuriesand prevention, contact Thomas Cervoni,M.D., Advanced Orthopaedics and SportsMedicine at Baptist Health Richmond at859-624-4110 or visitBaptistHealthRichmond.com/Cervoni.

THOMAS

CERVONI, M.D.ADVANCED

ORTHOPAEDICS AND

SPORTS MEDICINE

BAPTIST HEALTH

RICHMOND

M E D I C A L M I N U T E

Keeping kids safewhen playing sports

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Health Beat, May 2013