High Country Health & Fitness Vol. 1 #2

The High Country’s Source for the Latest Health & Fitness News

HealthHigh Country

MagazineVol. 1, Iss. 2

FREE

Fitness&

In this issue:

Every Woman Should Want HarmonyPage 27

THE Gym Opens Its Doors!Page 29

On the CoverKaren & Fran Petrey

with Ward, Cade, Mary Fran & Evie

Frye’s Heart Center is #1Page 19

A Step Above!Page 13

Home Care Just Got BetterPage 30

Do Your Feet Hurt?Page 11

Dr. Zimmerman

There Is a Better Way ForwardPage 6

Why YOu Should Get a Flu ShotPage 22

Richard Sparks: Our 1st Piedmont Federal Healthcare Hero!

Volume 1 • Issue 22

211 Milton Brown Heirs Road • Boone • Off Bamboo Road

Medical director Specializing in long-terM HealtH care•Qualified licenSed pHySicianS available•licenSed nurSeS on duty 24/7•trained and certified nurSing aSSiStantS•regiStered dietician and Qualified dietary Manager•on-Site dental, opHtHalMology & pSycHological ServiceS•SuppleMental nouriSHMent, iv Hydration, iv Medication •and oxygen tHerapy

cable televiSion and telepHone ServiceS available•private and SeMi-private rooMS available •adMiSSionS and Social ServiceS directorS•tHerapeutic recreational ServiceS•laboratory and x-ray ServiceS•reSpite care•HoSpice & palliative care•pHarMacy ServiceS•on-Site Hair care•

Resident seRvices:

In the race for qualitythere is no finish

line.

828.264.6720

Allison LaBonte Director of Social ServiceS

www.HighCountryHealth.net 3

AdultLevel 3.0-3.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tuesday • 9amLevel 3.5-4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . Wednesday • 9amLevel 2.5-3.0 . . . . . . . . . . . .Thursday • 9:30amLevel 3.5-4.0 . . . . . . . . . . .Thursday • 5:30pm

JuniorMasters (ages 10-14)

Beginner/Intermediate LevelsMonday & Wedneday • 3:30pm

Slams (ages 10-18)Intermediate/Advanced Levels

Monday & Wednesday • 4:30pm

Quickstart (ages 5-9)Beginner Level

Tuesday & Thursday • 3:30pm

Zumba classes are taught by Gwen Dhing & Christie HowellYoga is taught by Hilary Pruett

We are going into winter BUT our

Indoor Tennis Courts, Heated

Indoor Pool, basketball courts,

racquetball courts, cardio room,

weight room, sauna & steam

room are open all year round!!

GreAT resoUrCe for ACTIvITy And fun YEAR-ROund!!

(828) 262-3337 www.deerValleyClub.com

TEnnIS CLInICS:

fITness CLAsses (Child Care Available)

yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monday • 6pmZumba . . . . . . . . . . . .Monday • 10amZumba . . . . . . . . . . . . Tuesday • 6pmZumba . . . . . . . . . . . . . .friday • 10am


Alternative Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Appalachian/Brian Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Appalachian District Health Deparment . . . . . .22, 40Beachbody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Blue Ridge Acupuncture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Blue Ridge General Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Blue Ridge Home Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 30, 33Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 18Boone Podiatry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11, 26Boone Urgent Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Fowler Cooper, MA, LMFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23, 35Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness Club . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 24Dr. Carol Schaffer, DDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Dr. Jerry Butler, DDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Frye Regional Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19, 31Glenbridge Health & Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 13The Gym . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 29Haircut 101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Harmony Center for Women’s Health & Vitality . . . . 27Health & Wellness Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Physicians Age Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 21Piedmont Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14–16Reed Orthodontics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Total Vein Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17, 39WMC Wound Care Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32, 35WMC Sleep Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5WMC Behavioral Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20, 28WMC Rehabilitation Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 36

High Country Health & Fitness Magazine is owned and operated by Better Health Media, Inc.

Reproduction of photographs, artwork, design, and copy is prohibited without permission by Better Health Media, Inc. Articles are advertorial in nature. In most cases, information has been provided and approved by the advertisers. The advertisers, publishers, and Better Health Media, Inc. are not responsible for misprints, typograhical errors or misinformation. ©Copyright 2010.

If you are interested in publishing a similar magazine in your area, please call us at (828) 263-8853.

Thank you for picking up our latest edition of High Country Health & Fitness Magazine!

Inside you’ll find valuable information on some of the finest medical practices and health-related businesses the High Country has to offer! You can also watch

the High Country Health & Fitness Magazine TV show on MTN18 each week fea-turing many of the doctors and businesses in our magazine. Along with over one hundred locations across our area (see page 10), our current magazine and previ-ous edition are available online anytime at www.HighCountryHealth.net.

We have truly been amazed at all the positive feedback and comments we’ve received from our 1st edition of the magazine earlier this year. In this issue, we’re proud to introduce some new doctors and health-related businesses in the area. Please support them, as they make this magazine possible! We’re also excited, along with Piedmont Federal, to introduce our first High Country Healthcare Hero Award winner, Richard Sparks, President & CEO of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, who over the years has worked tirelessly to make sure that all of us have the best possible healthcare available in the High Country. This award will be presented in each issue of our magazine to someone in a health-related field that has gone above and beyond the call of duty for their profession and community in our part of the state. If you know of someone deserving of this award, please complete the nomination form in this issue.

Once again, a special “thank you” goes out to Brad Gross and Carrie Eller of High Country Marketing, LLC, who along with graphic designer Sloane Wilson of Qwrk Design have brought this magazine to life. We’d also like to thank Page Sauder of PS Marketing for all her hard work once again.

The next edition of High Country Health & Fitness Magazine will be published in the spring of 2011. Please feel free to e-mail us at [email protected] or call us at (828) 263-8853 if you have suggestions or comments for the magazine or if you would like to advertise in the next edition.

Our best to you!

Tim and Janice BaxterBetter Health Media, Inc.

Welcome! In this issue:

is easy at Pepper’s Restaurant&Dining Out

Eating HealthyShoppes at Shadowline in Boone

828.262.1250www.Peppers-Restaurant.com

To advertise please call:

(828) 263.8853

And be sure to watch us at various times each week on

High Country Health & Fitness Magazineis available online anytime at

www.HighCountryHealth.net


About 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders, according to the National Institute of

Neurologic Disorders. While there are over 100 different named sleep disorders, they fall into 4 categories:

Trouble Falling and Staying Asleep• Problems Staying Awake• Problems Sticking to a Regular Schedule• Odd Behaviors During Sleep•

The sleep disorder most commonly diagnosed is obstructive sleep apnea, present in 2-4% of adult males. 80% of those with moderate to severe sleep apnea are undiagnosed and are at risk to develop problems relating to their sleep disorder. The most common warn-ing signs for sleep apnea are:

Loud Snoring• Pauses in Breathing and then Gasping for Air• Falling Asleep at Work, Driving or Social Situations• Trouble Concentrating or Problems with Memory• Irritability, Anxiousness and Depression• Morning Headaches• Frequent Trips to the Restroom • Loss of Libido•

To determine whether you have a sleep disorder, and how to treat it, your doctor will typically order an overnight sleep study. In the High Country area, the most advanced sleep center is the Appalachian Regional Sleep Services Center located at Wa-tauga Medical Center in Boone and Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville. These centers perform overnight sleep studies, CPAP studies (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), split night stud-ies that combine diagnosis and treatment into one night, MSLT’s (Multiple Sleep Latency Test) used in diagnosis of a disorder called narcolepsy and MWT (Maintenance of Wakefulness Test) which tests a patient’s ability to stay awake.

Referring physicians, in consultation with area neurologists, utilize results from the Appalachian Regional Sleep Centers to diagnose and treat sleep apnea, RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome), insomnia, nar-colepsy, circadian rhythm disorders and various other parasomnias. The highly trained polysomnographic technologist at the sleep centers welcome you to a home-like atmosphere with adjustable mattress, leather recliners, televisions and handicap accessible bathrooms for your overnight stay. You are encouraged to

bring comforts from home like a pillow, reading materials, etc. You’ll be able to rest well knowing that you are being monitored through-out the night by one of the three registered polysomnographers.

During the night… while you are sleeping, the sleep technicians will monitor brain waves, eye movement, snore levels, muscle movement, respiratory movement, oxygen levels, heart rhythm (EKG), limb movement, and CO2 levels. From the reports produced from all of the monitoring through the night, your referring physi-cian will prescribe a program to address the problems keeping you from a good, restful, full night’s sleep. Patients who have participat-ed in a sleep study and have been prescribed a plan to assist them in getting the rest they need, have shared that the results are “truly life changing.” Most say they did not realize how little “productive” sleep they were getting until they were finally able to get the right amount.

For more information on Appalachian Regional Sleep Services Sleep Studies, ask your physician for a referral or visit www.apprhs.org/services/sleep-services or call 828-262-4175.

Are You Sleepy?Take a look at the situations below and ask yourself how likely you would be to doze off or fall asleep:

0 = Would Never Doze 1 = Slight Chance of Dozing 2 = Moderate Chance of Dozing 3 = High Chance of Dozing

___ Sitting & Reading

___ Watching TV

___ Sitting inactive in a public place (theater, meeting, church, doctor’s office)

___ As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break

___ Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit

___ Sitting and talking to someone

___ In a car while stopped in traffic for a few minutes

If you scored 10 or more, you are considered sleepy. If you scored 18 or more you are considered very sleepy.

Appalachian Regional Sleep ServicesWatauga Medical Center • Boone, NC • (828) 262.4175 • www.apprhs.org/services/sleep-services


Americans once again are leading the way: 70% of Americans are now either obese or overweight and

that percentage is expected to rise to 75% by 2020. Why so important? Because extra fat, especially belly fat, is

positively linked to many chronic or bad diseases. This list includes: Cancer, Heart Disease, High Blood

Pressure, Strokes, Dementia, and Diabetes—it’s no coincidence that these are the top killers in

our society, or at the very least, diseases that rob us of our good quality of life. More im-

portantly, many current overweight/obese people are seeing an early grave or nurs-

ing home admission as a direct result of their unhealthy weight. The simplest

test is the “Mirror Test”: Take a good long look at yourself in the mirror

and see if you like the body that stares back.

But what about those of us who have moved in to our late 30s or beyond, are conscientious about our good food choices and exer-cise regularly, and are still not-ing many age related changes, among others including in-creasing body fat that usually gathers very subtly around the mid-section? The answer is due to HORMONAL AND META-BOLIC CHANGES occurring in our bodies. The reality is you cannot get by with just good diet/exercise habits alone when you pass beyond your mid-30s and expect the same results.

This is why the science of Age Management Medicine concen-trates on four complementary

fields of evaluation/treatment. Without all four, a patient cannot

regain/achieve optimal health go-ing forward to give them the high-

est odds of aging more slowly/lowest risk of succumbing to bad diseases.

These four key areas are:

•ProperAMMnutrition•Targetedefficientexercise(learning

to exercise smarter, not longer)•Science-provennaturalsupplements•Hormoneoptimization

Hormone Optimization specifically: Dr. Bell says a standard con-cern he hears is: ‘I asked my primary doctor about hormone re-placement and he was lukewarm or not in favor.’ Male or female, Bell replies that he is not surprised. “Before I got extra training in this field, I had the same feeling. The reality is that there is noted strong correlation in onset of major age-related disease incidence and declining key hormone levels.” Dr. Bell suggests any naysaying physician attend an age management meeting or two before being guilty of propagating outdated or inaccurate dogma to his/her pa-tients. As important examples of common inaccurate information that Dr. Bell is happy to discuss with interested persons:

The Womens Health Initiative (WHI) had major flaws and •unnecessarily scared many women and their doctors away from hormone replacement. Women should be hormonally optimized (with bio-identical hormones) for their entire life.

“Testosterone replacement •causes cancer, especially prostate cancer in men.” There is absolutely NO published medical data that confirms this. In fact, just the opposite is being shown in recent studies—testosterone is very likely prostate cancer protective.

“Women who have had a hysterectomy do not need pro-•gesterone.” Just the opposite is true.

The just-released report that women from WHI off hor-•mones since study concluded had decreased incidence of breast cancer, omitted important information. These women were taking non-human and/or non-bio-identical sources of hormones. Studies looking at women on bio-identical hormones have NOT shown increased breast cancer risk, and have shown lower risk of heart disease and strokes, plus better scores on quality of life scales versus no hormone.

Standards in medicine change and much has been studied and learned in the emerging specialty of AMM. If you are considering becoming a patient, Dr. Bell suggests you ask yourself these very important questions: How well is your medical care going with “tra-ditional medicine”? How many daily pharmaceuticals are you on? How good are your energy levels, your libido/sexual function, your muscle tone, your exercise strength/stamina, and your sleep pat-terns? Instead, how would you like to have real potential to help reverse unhealthy aging and stop taking yet another medication, feel much better, and actually have a body that you like to see in the mirror? You’re a phone call or click away from more information. Dr. Bell enjoys working with the willing, and his patients learn that the new path forward is safe, NOT driven by the pharmaceutical industry,andnotnearasdifficultasfirstsuspected.

70% of Americans are now either obese

or overweight and that percentage is expected to rise to

75% by 2020

Battling the bulge

Physicians Age Management • Joseph Ty Bell, M.D.Cenegenics© AMM Certified • Boone: (828) 264.4181• Asheville: (828) 367.3488 • www.physiciansagemgmt.com


24 Hour

Access

Work Out When It Works for You

MeMbership rates:

24-Hour Access Membership: $40/month

Regular Hour Access Membership: $35/month

or $90 for three months

Regular Membership

Hours:

Mon-Thurs: 6am – 10pmFriday: 6am – 9pm

Saturday: 9am – 4pmSunday: 1pm – 5pm

Give us a Call: 828-355-9988

THE Place to Get THE Results

You Are Looking For!


(828) 264-3333 • www.brgd.com

Whitening • Bonding • Composite Resin Fi l l ings Porcelain Laminates • Porcelain Crowns

Implants • Porcelain Fixed Br idges

Blue Ridge General Dentistry would like to introduce our newest team members:

Dr. Christopher Gordon graduated from Nova Southeastern Uni-versity ’s College of Dental Medicine in Ft . Lauderdale, FL, in 2004. He continued on to complete a 3-year residency in the ADA-rec-ognized specialty of Prosthodontics and received a Cer tif icate in Prosthodontics from Nova Southeastern University in 2007. He has been in pr ivate practice since in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, focusing on reconstructive, cosmetic and implant dentistr y.

Dr. Danielle Gordon received a Bachelor ’s degree in Chemistr y from Flor ida International University, graduating Magna cum Laude from the Honors College in 2000. She completed her Doctorate of Dental Medicine from Nova Southeastern University in Ft . Lau-derdale, FL, in 2005. She completed 2 years of additional training in Advanced Prosthodontics at Nova Southeastern University. She has been in pr ivate practice in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, focusing on reconstructive, cosmetic and implant dentistr y.

870 State Farm Road • Boone, Nor th Carolina

Call today to schedule an appointment: (828) 264-3333


Blue Ridge Acupuncture & Natural Medicine400 Shadowline Dr. • Suite 205 • Boone, NC • (828) 265.8668 • www.booneholistichealth.com

Oriental Medicine is the oldest continually used medical system in the world, dating back more than 4,000 years ago. Today over 2 billion people worldwide and 18 million Americans use acupuncture, and the numbers continue to grow.

Why? Because acupuncture and Oriental medicine can safely and effectively treat many types of common conditions—everything from headaches and digestive problems to anxiety and pain syndromes.

Simply put, acupuncture encourages the body’s own natural healing responses. Very fine needles are carefully inserted into specific points, stimulating proper circulation, eliminating pain, and improving organ function.

“Acupuncture is useful for almost everything except emergency medicine,” says Torrey Gorla, M.S.O.M., L.Ac. of Blue Ridge Acupuncture & Natural Medicine. “It is especially effective at treating chronic conditions, which often don’t respond well to conventional drug therapies. Acupuncture can not only provide relief of symptoms, but also correct the underlying cause of the problem.” Research has shown that acupuncture regulates the nervous, immune, digestive, and endocrine systems.

“What we do for people is to give them their quality of life back. That is the most rewarding part for me. We change people’s lives by addressing the underlying cause of the problem, and treat-ing from the root level. When the body is functioning at the proper level, symptoms disappear, and true health is restored,” Torrey says.

While acupuncture is often associated with pain control it also has much broader applications. The World Health Organization cites acupuncture

to be effective in the treatment of over 50 conditions, such as low back & neck pain, hypertension, headaches, RA (rheumatoid arthritis), insomnia, asthma, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It can be used alone or in conjunction with conventional medicine.

Blue Ridge Acupuncture & Natural Medicine is the leader in the High Country for acupuncture and holistic medical treatment. Torrey has a unique approach not found at many acupuncture clinics in our area. Years of experience and extensive studies have led him into the realms of Functional Medicine, a Western-science, prevention-based system, which focuses on the underlying function or terrain that allows the disease or condi-tion to exist.

“I have found that as effective as Oriental Medicine is, it is sometimes very beneficial, if not necessary, to use func-tional blood work or hair mineral analysis to obtain optimal results with some patients. I am very passionate about tracking the cause of the health problem, and because of the numerous tools I have in my ‘tool bag,’ I am almost always able to help the patient.”

Torrey has been serving patients in the High Country since 2003. He earned a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine at Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, NM, an esteemed, year-round, 4 year program with intense clinical training. He’s nationally board certified in Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, Oriental Medicine, and holds the state licensure of L.Ac., and Dr. Ac. (RI). He has had extensive trainings with national and world leaders in the field of Oriental Medicine, Functional Medicine, and nutrition. He is currently working on his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medical Science.

Torrey says, “The body is designed to heal itself, and is constantly regenerating on a cellular level. My objective is to track and eliminate the obstacles to healing.”

For more information on acupuncture or to make an appointment with Torrey, please con-tact Blue Ridge Acupuncture & Natural Medicine at (828) 265-8668, or visit their website www.booneholistichealth.com.

East Meets West – Modern Acupuncture


All High Country Food Lion locations in Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk

Harris Teeter in BooneLowes Foods in Boone

All High Country Wilco Convenience StoresIngles in Boone and West Jefferson

Boone MallWatauga Medical Center

Cannon HospitalBlowing Rock Hospital

Paul Broyhill Wellness CenterPost Office in Downtown Boone

Pepper’s Restaurant at Shoppes of ShadowlineThe Gym at New Market CenterDeer Valley Racquet & Fitness

Watauga Country Health DepartmentGlenbridge Health & Rehabilitation

Walgreens in BooneDr. Jerry Butler, DDS in Boone

Piedmont Federal in BooneBlue Ridge General Dentistry

Appalachian/Brian EstatesBlue Ridge Home Care

Blue Ridge AcupunctureBlue Ridge Plastic Surgery

Dr. Carol Schaffer, DDS in LinvilleBoone Podiatry

Reed OrthodonticsHaircut 101

Health & Wellness Initiatives in Banner ElkTotal Vein Care in Boone

Physicians Age Management in BooneMountain Television Network

Backyard Burgers in BooneBoone Drug at King Street in Boone

…and more than 70 medical/healthcare offices throughout Watauga, Ashe and

Avery counties

Pick Us Up at More Than 100

Locations Across the High Country

Including:


Did you know…The 52 bones in your feet make up 1/4 of all of the bones in your entire body?•

The average person walks more than 4 laps around the earth, or 100,000 miles, in a lifetime?•

At times when you are walking the pressure on your feet can be more than 2 times your body •weight, and when you are running it can be 4 times your body weight?

Only a fraction of the population seeks help for their foot ailments because many people think •their feet are supposed to hurt?

So, our feet are the foundation that supports the entire body and if our feet are hurting it will often cause problems with our knees, hips and back. Therefore, it is crucial to reach the core of the problem, and start with the feet. Often foot issues

are as simple to solve as an orthotic insole that is made from a cast of your feet and can be placed in your shoe. Sometimes the issues become more involved like a bunion that changes the structure of your foot itself. The important thing to remember is that if you suffer from pain or discomfort with your feet… it is because your feet are trying to tell you something.

Dr. Paul Zimmerman often sees patients with overuse syndromes, from the weekend ath-lete, to those maintaining a rigorous training schedule. “It is amazing to me how people will suffer through foot pain unnecessarily; they just don’t realize their issue can be resolved. People really do think it is normal to have some level of foot pain,” said Zimmerman. He also shares with us, “Two of the procedures I would really like to make sure people are aware of are Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections and Shock Wave Therapy. PRP is available to help patients suffering from chronic and acute inflammation like achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis (heel pain). PRP injection can restart the healing process. Shock wave therapy is a relatively new non-invasive procedure for chronic overuse syndromes with results compa-rable to surgery.” With one of his interests being sports medicine, Dr. Z wants athletes suffer-ing from foot ailments to know their issues can be resolved. Dr. Z is also a board certified foot surgeon,andperformssurgerybothinhisofficeandatWataugaMedicalCenter.

Besides his interest in sports medicine, Dr. Z has a large wound care and diabetes care prac-tice. Nerve and circulatory problems caused by diabetes can really wreak havoc on the feet. If you have diabetes, it is quite possible to lose sensation in your feet to the point that you wouldn’t even know that you had stepped on a nail. This type of injury and others can leave you with a wound that just won’t heal. This is when meticulous wound care and off weighting an area can be used as a conservative treatment, but sometimes a wound vac or skin graft is necessary to help a wound heal faster, and prevent further damage or infection to an already compromised foot.

The most important thing to remember is that your feet are not supposed to hurt, and whether you have a callus or corn that has developed to protect your foot from fric-

tion, to heel pain, open wounds and everything in between, Dr. Zimmerman can help to repair and maintain your feet providing you with a firm foundation to

support, well… the rest of you!!

Maintaining a Firm Foundation……Feet Are Not Supposed to Hurt!

Boone Podiatry610 State Farm Road • Boone, NC • (828) 265.3668 • www.boonepod.com

Dr. Zimmerman


BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER

Weekend LiftTHE

The Weekend Lift will give you a younger, smoother, natural looking jaw line and neck.

Minimally Invasive • Local Anesthetic • In-Office ProcedureCALL TOdAy FOr A COMPLIMenTAry COnsuLTATIOn

Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery Group and Skin Care Center828.268.0082 • www.BlueRidgePlasticSurgery.net

1 4 1 D o c t o r ’ s D r i v e • B o o n e , n c

Dr. Damon P. Anagnos, MD, FACSBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Formerly with UNC-CH


Glenbridge... A Step AboveAllison LaBonte is the director of Social Services at Glenbridge and has been there for 10 years. Born in Pinehurst, NC, she moved to Asheville and graduated from UNC-Asheville. Allison’s first major was Environmen-tal Science but when she started working in a nursing home during college, she changed her major to Social Work. “I loved it!” Since 1994, she has worked in every department in a nursing home except nursing.

What sets Glenbridge apart from other nursing facilities?

Glenbridge has two full-time social workers and a part-time social worker and offers individualized care plans. Allison explained that the residents have choices of care. The social workers figure out what each resident likes and dislikes in order to tailor their care plans accordingly. Allison explained that when a new patient comes in, the social worker’s job is to help the patient get set up in their room, discuss policies and proce-dures, and answer any questions that they may have.

For patients new to the facility and having to stay long-term, Allison helps with the adjustment issues and she is 100% there for the resident’s emo-tional and spiritual needs, as well as being there for the families. “A lot of times, families need more TLC than the patient!” Allison added.

The social workers also handle the short-term rehab patients, as well as all the discharge planning for services they will need at home. They make all the phone calls and referrals to agencies that will help provide home health for continued therapy. “All the patient has to do is pick up their prescriptions and equipment… we’ll do the rest,” Allison explained.

Each social worker has certain residents that they work with on an individual basis so they know their needs. Allison said that she will even go shopping for residents, if they need something. Another integral part is helping the residents/families deal with the death and dying process and all the emo-tions that come with it.

Allison’s favorite part of her job is interacting with the residents. She smiled and said, “I love sitting down and getting the residents to talking. It is nice for them to reminisce about their past be-cause they like to share their stories with other people so it gives them a chance to feel like their past experiences can make a difference with someone else.”

Allison went on to proudly say, “Glenbridge is the best home away from home.”

Glenbridge Health & Rehabilitation211 Milton Heirs Rd. • Boone, NC • (828) 264.6720 • www.Glenbridge.org

Allison LaBonte with resident Mildred Greene



It all started with a vision to provide the High Country with a su-perior medical facility, close to home while maintaining the com-

forts of a healthcare facility that truly cares. “We have never wanted anyone in our care to not feel truly cared for,” said President and CEO of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, Richard Sparks. “In being selected to receive Piedmont Federal High Country Healthcare Hero award, I feel we have accomplished just that, not just me, but everyone here at Watauga Medical Center. That is the basis on which I accept this award; on behalf of everyone here at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System,“ added Sparks.

Many years ago, at the inception of the vision for healthcare in the High Country, there was not even a doctor in Boone or any of the mountain areas for that matter. So a hospital was established on what is now part of the campus of Appalachian State University to have a place to recruit a doctor.

As the High Country communities grew, each of the High Country areas established their own hospitals and healthcare providers, al-ways attempting to focus on what was best for their community. They all did a good job of establishing excellent care, knowledge-able doctors and as advanced facilities as they could. However, the competition of healthcare “off the mountain” was becoming great-er as many facilities were being bought out by larger hospitals with greater service populations.

Richard explains, “This is exactly what we did not and do not want to happen here in the High Country, so several of the High Country hospitals decided to work together and combine their population bases so that we could maintain our services and grow with the needs of our population. As a result we were able to bring in pro-viders like the Sanger Clinic and the Cancer Center that patients might otherwise have to drive down the mountain for.”

All of the past years prog-ress and future planning for healthcare in our com-munity is why Richard G. Sparks is selected as the recipient of the Piedmont Federal High Country Healthcare Hero Award. Mr. Sparks is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Appalachian Regional Healthcare System and has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Watauga Medical Center in Boone since 1989. He received his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University in Health Care Management in 1976, and in 1978 obtained his MBA from ASU. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and served on the ACHE Council of Regents from 1996 to 2000.

Mr. Sparks is Chair of the John A. Walker College of Business Ad-visory Council, a member of the Board of Advisors for the Health Care Management Program, and the Health, Leisure, Exercise Sci-ence Advancement Board at Appalachian State University. He re-ceived the 2001 Distinguished Alumni Award from ASU. He served two terms on the policy committee for the North Carolina Hospi-tal Association and a 3-year term on the Board of Trustees for the North Carolina Hospital Association. In 1994 he was appointed by Governor Hunt to the North Carolina Health Planning Commission Committee on Community Health Districts. He also was selected by the Duke Endowment in 1994 to study the British National Health Service in London and Oxford, England. Mr. Sparks represented the State of North Carolina at the 1996 National Congress Medicine/Public Health Initiative held in Chicago. He has served as Chair for

the March of Dimes Boone March for Babies in 2007 and 2008, President of the Boone Rotary Club, Chair of the Watauga Chapter of the American Red Cross, and as a member of sev-eral community boards including the High Country United Way and trustee on the Board of Grandfather Home for Children. Mr. Sparks received the 2002 Alfred Adams Eco-nomic Development Award, and in 2008, the distinguished

Alfred Adams Leadership Award from the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Currently, he serves on the

local Wachovia Bank board, and in 2009, he was ap-pointed to the Board of Trustees for the North Caro-lina School of Science and Math.

Mr. Sparks has accomplished great things for our community’s healthcare, always focusing on this community having the highest level of care, close to home.

Richard Sparks, Healthcare Hero

Piedmont Federal Savings Bank1399 Blowing Rock Road • Boone, NC • (828) 264.5244 • www.Piedmont Federal.com

Tim BaxterHCH&F Magazine

Richard Sparks APRHS

Susan NorrisBoone Branch Manager


Strong and Steady

High Country Healthcare Hero Nomination Form

Know someone that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in a health-related field and in serv-

ing their High Country community? Why not nominate them for our next Piedmont Federal High Country Health-care Hero Award to be presented in the spring of 2011? Just fill out this form and drop it off at Piedmont Federal’s Booneoffice.

By submitting a nomination, you’ll be eligible to win a 6-month membership to the

Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center in Boone.

All entries must be received no later than February 15, 2011, in order to give the selection committee ample time to select the recipient.

Winner of the Wellness Membership will be notified by mail and our next Piedmont Federal High Country Healthcare Hero will be featured in our next magazine, due out in April 2011.

Nominee’s name:

Health-related work:

Phone:

E-mail:

Anything else you’d like us to know about the nominee?

Your name:

Phone:

E-mail:

Piedmont Federal Savings Bank1399 Blowing Rock Road • Boone, NC • (828) 264.5244 • www.Piedmont Federal.com

When Piedmont Federal’s founders opened the doors in 1903, their mission was simple: give friends and neighbors a safe

and secure way to own a home. That remains their focus today.

In 1973, Piedmont Federal opened its doors at their first branch lo-cated outside of Forsyth County in Boone and is now located at the corner of Blowing Rock Road and Shadowline Drive.

Piedmont Federal is a strong community partner. They support orga-nizations that reflect their core values. The Boone employees are com-mitted in their support of the community through their dedication to causes such as “Go Red for Women, National Wear Red Day” to sup-port education in heart health, “Stop Hunger Now” to benefit Haiti, supporters of the Second Harvest Food Bank, Big Brother & Big Sister volunteers, support of our military troops overseas, and recently have made a commitment to work with senior services to help the elderly by donating items they need.

Most Piedmont Federal employees are active in their local com-munities on several levels, whether it’s with a school PTA or a local non-profit. They believe in giving back to the community that has given them so much.

Piedmont Federal President and CEO, Ric Wagner, and his commit-ment to prudent mortgage-lending practices has kept their busi-ness strong even in this challenging economy. Currently Piedmont

Federal is one of the only banks in our area with a 5 star rating. Not only do they currently hold a 5 star rating, but they have done so for over 89 consecutive quarters. Their philosophy of maintaining a strong, well-capitalized, mutual fi-nancial institution through their mission and values is at the core of their success.

And, Piedmont Federal was recently honored with their fourth consecutive Winston-Salem Journal Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Mortgage Lender.” In addition to their mortgage prod-ucts, they offer a full range of flexible savings and deposit ac-count options. They invite you to view their product portfolio at PiedmontFederal.com.

Most Piedmont Federal employees are active in their local communities

on several levels, wheth-er it’s with a school PTA

or a local non-profit. They believe in giving back to the community that has

given them so much.


We’re All Smiles!

436 Hospital Drive • Suite 105 Sloop Medical Office Plaza Linville, NC 28646

e: [email protected]

Cosmetic, Implant and Restorative DentistryAccepting new patients

Blending Gentle Care with High-Tech Style

Carol G. Schaffer, DMD, PA

Your High Country Dental Team

Joseph Ty Bell, MD

Total Vein Care, PLLC

Treating Vein Patients Since 2005

The high CounTry’S MoST exPerienCeD Vein SPeCiaLiST

Board Certified, american Board of

Phlebology

141 Doctors DriveBoone, NC 28607

State of the art treatment for VaricoSe VeinS, Spider VeinS & reStleSS legS

828-265-1345 • www.tvcboone.com

• Excellent Cosmetic Results

• FDA Approved Therapy

• In-Office Laser and Injection Procedures

• Superior to Vein Stripping/Saline Injections

• Little to No Recovery Time

• Little or No Pain

• Medicare, Private Insurance, Credit Cards


BEFORE AFTER

BEFORE AFTER

BEFORE AFTER

WeekendLift

THE

The Weekend Lift will give you a younger, smoother, natural looking

jaw line and neck.

Local AnestheticIn-Office Procedure

Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery Group and Skin Care Center

828.268.0082 • www.BlueRidgePlasticSurgery.net1 4 1 D o c t o r ’ s D r i v e • B o o n e , n c

Dr. Damon P. Anagnos, MD, FACSBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Formerly with UNC-CH

CALL TOdAy FOr A COmPLImenTAry

COnsuLTATIOn

The Year of

the Lung

828-262-5656We are your home

Respiratory Care Specialist

Hundreds of millions of people struggle each year for life and breath due to lung

disease. Our goal is to raise public awareness about lung disease.

For early detection, educational materials & screening tools, let us be your resource.

Ask the questions… Get the answers.


Frye Regional Medical Center #1 in North Carolina and among the

Top 5% in the Nation for Cardiac Surgery…

Dr. Cemil M. Purut, his colleagues and their dedicated staff are walking a little taller these days. Why? They have just been named #1 in North Carolina and among the Top 5% in the country for Cardiac Surgery! That’s right— Frye, a 355-bed

private hospital in Hickory, NC, has been rated #1 in Cardiac Surgery in North Carolina. The rating compares Frye to ALL other hospitals, of any size or stature, in North Carolina.

HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization, published the results of the study finding that Frye Regional Medical Center is ranked #1 in North Carolina and among the top 5% in the nation for Cardiac Surgery based on the findings of the nation’s nearly 5,000 hospitals. The criterion for the selection was based on mortality and complication rates from government data from 2007, 2008 & 2009.

Dr. Purut and his staff were not surprised at their own results, but a little shocked to see how they ranked against several of the typically touted facilities nationwide. “We have always strived to be the best we can be, not for awards, but for our patients. It is very rewarding for our doctors and staff to be recognized for their efforts,” said Purut.

Patients can make their own selections for their care. In the time of an emergency it is certainly the patient’s choice as to where they are transported for care, and if you are having a heart attack and need emergency surgery, you can certainly ask to be transported to Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory instead of Charlotte or Johnson City. At Frye you will be treated in the center rated #1 in Car-diac Surgery in North Carolina for the work of the doctors and staff that have earned the distinction.

The pro-active care provided by the Cardiac Center at Frye is also among the best in the nation. Frye is 5-star rated for Coronary Bypass Surgery and Valve Replacement Surgery giving you the assurance you desire when faced with a planned procedure to prevent further complications.

Next time you are facing decisions regarding your cardiac care or the cardiac care of your loved ones, remember the recipient of the HealthGrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award and select the quality care and convenience to the High Country that Frye Regional Medical Cardiac Care Center provides patients and their families.

For more information about HealthGrades, visit them online at www.healthgrades.com.

Frye Regional Medical Center420 N. Center Street • Hickory, NC • (828) 315.3391 • www.fryemedctr.com

Dr. Richard Carlton

Dr. Cemil Purut

Dr. Mark Hennington


When it comes to scheduling an appointment to meet with a mental health therapist, people often have a lot of unneces-sary apprehension. Many people are afraid of getting help. They are afraid of what family and friends will think, that it

could endanger their job or that people will think of them as “crazy.” However, mental health is just as important as physical health to an individual’s well-being. In fact, poor mental health can lead to poor physical health. Unmanaged stress and anxi-ety can be the root cause of many symptoms that have an adverse affect on you physically. Lack of enough sleep, addictions, overeating and other problems can often be traced back to unmanaged mental health.

Nine out of 10 people have a diagnosable mental illness, but only 50% will get treatment to help them work through the problem. Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health Services pro-vides assessment, medication management, individual therapy, group therapy, family thera-py, behavioral planning, and group education services based on the needs of each individual client. The Outpatient Behavioral Health program is there, too, for children and families expe-riencing a variety of problematic behaviors, thoughts and life patterns. The program works to improve emotional stability and increase general functioning, as well as help clients identify, develop and increase the use of effective coping skills by emphasizing the existing strengths of the individual or family system.

Appalachian Regional Healthcare System Behavioral Health Services Include:

•PsychiatricEvaluation

•PsychiatricMedicationManagement

•IndividualizedTreatmentPlanning

•GroupPsychotherapy

•IndividualTherapyforAdults

•IndividualTherapyforChildrenandAdolescents

•FamilyTherapy

•MaritalandCouplesCounseling

•DischargePlanning

•24-HourSupportforActiveClients

Should a patient need an inpatient behavioral health evaluation, the High Country is fortu-nate to be served by a 10-bed Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville for patients ages 18-64 needing short-term inpatient crisis stabilization.

Effective November 1, 2010, ARHS Outpatient Behavioral Health will implement a new pric-ing structure that greatly reduces the cost for their services. Please contact them to find out about the updated fees.

For More Information on ARHS Behavioral Health Services please contact them in their Boone Office at (828) 268-9454 or their Linville Office at (828) 737-7889 or visit www.apprhs.org/services/behavioral-health.

Are you Sad? Lonely? Depressed? Anxious? We can help.

…mental health is just as important as

physical health to an individual’s

well-being.

ARHS Behavioral Health ServicesBoone, NC – (828) 268.9454 • Linville, NC – (828) 737.7889 • www.apprhs.org/services/behavioral-health


There is a beTTer way forward…

The REALLY BAD news: Unsightly body fat (especially belly fat) is positively linked to:

70% of Americans are now overweight/obese, and this number keeps rising. Traditional medicine only attacks this problem with another pill, fat sucking or stomach staple surgery, but does nothing to address the underlying unhealthy causative hormonAl/metAbolic chAnges that just worsen as we age. Winning the battle is easier than you think when armed with the right program based on the science of Age Management Medicine.

Call 828-264-4181 or check out www.physiciansagemgmt.com

Dr. Bell is certified by Cenegenics®, the world’s leader in Age Management Medicine with over 13 years experience

Joseph Ty Bell, M.D.CenegeniCs® age ManageMenT MediCine CerTified

boone: 828-264-4181 • asheville: 828-367-3488 www.physiciansagemgmt.com

1 4 1 D o c t o r s D r i v e , B o o n e n c(No Medicare or Health Insurance Accepted)

A Better WayForward!

Age Management Medicine

DiaBeTes

sTrokecancer

hearT DiseaseDeMenTia

“But I diet and exercise and I just can’t get the weight off!”


Have you ever had the flu?Have you always thought… I’m healthy – even if I am exposed, it couldn’t be that bad.

Do you view the vaccine as something you do not need because you think it’s only the really young, old or unhealthy that really need to worry about the flu?

Did you know that during the 2009 pandemic, most deaths from the flu were among older children and young adults?

Because both the 2009 H1N1 and seasonal flu strains will likely be circulating this flu season, it is important for people of all ages to be protected. Luckily, this year’s flu vaccine includes protec-

tion against three strains of influenza, including H1N1. For most people, that means only one flu immunization is necessary, with children 6 months to 9 years possibly needing 2 immunizations.

It is recommended by both the Centers for Disease Control and the North Carolina Division of Public Health that everyone over the age of 6 months get a yearly flu vaccine as getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself from the flu and since this year’s supply should be plentiful, there will not be a need to limit who can receive it.

While children under the age of six months are at a high risk of serious flu illness, they are too young to be vaccinated; therefore, it is extremely important for those caring for them to be vaccinated to help protect the babies. Another population that is particu-larly at risk if infected with the flu is the elderly. This year there is a special vaccine available for those 65 and older that is intended to create a higher immune response to protect older adults from the flu.

Below are the best habits to practice to protect yourself or others from the flu:

•Alwayscoveryournoseandmouthwithatissuewhenyoucoughorsneeze.

•Throwthetissueinthetrash.

•Washyourhandsoftenwithsoapandwater,especiallyafteryoucoughorsneeze.Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

•Avoidtouchingyoureyes,noseormouth.Germsspreadthisway.

•Stayhomeifyouaresick.Youshouldstayhomeforatleast24hoursafteryour fever is gone, except to get medical care or for other necessities. Your fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

H1N1 reminded all of us last year that influenza, no matter what the strain, is a serious disease at any age. Even if you aren’t hospitalized, it can definitely disrupt your life. Being vaccinated, by injection or nasal spray, is safe and effective and the best way to prevent the flu.

Appalachian District Health Department wants you to continue to keep your family well by practicing preventative health measures and getting vaccinated.

For more information about the the f lu, go to www.flu.nc.gov or cal l the NC CARE-LINE 1-800-622-7030 or contact Appalachian District Health Department at (828) 264-6635.

Protect Yourself from the FLU!!

Appalachian District Health DepartmentBoone, NC • (828) 264.6635 • www.flu.nc.gov


Fowler Cooper, MA, LMFT895 State Farm Road • Suite 210 • Boone, NC • (828) 264.9222

NOT TRUE!!Over the past few years with the economic crunch most all of us have been feeling there may be problems

or challenges that we have faced that, quite frankly, we have not had to face before. All of the stages of life, those we anticipate, along with the surprises we didn’t expect can affect us in many ways. Some situa-tions we go sailing through, while others tend to slow you down and cause you to question… sometimes yourself, sometimes others, sometimes your relationships or all of the above. These are times when having an objective, trained therapist to talk with can be incredibly helpful.

Many people try to talk with their friends or family when they are trying to work out a problem, and what they often do not realize is that no matter how good a friend they have – there is no way for them to truly be objec-tive because they “have a horse in the race”… YOU! A trained therapist can help you work through challenges and problems in your life by looking at the situation from the outside and helping you to find the best path to remedy the issues.

Fowler Cooper, MA, LMFT, is a great example of a therapist with a Christian-based approach. When working with Fowler as a therapist, he will help you to understand more about yourself and your relationships. He will also

offer supportive and practical ideas to help you deal more effectively with your problems. As a result, you can develop the skills to live a more fulfilling and productive life. Getting ideas based on Christian principles that you can put into

practice in your own life or the life of your marriage has changed a lot of people from living life… to LIVING LIFE!!

You Don’t Have to Be “Crazy”…True or False: You have to be “sick” or “crazy” to go to therapy…


What Were You and Your Family Doing Last Winter?

You remember last winter… cabin fever like you could nev-er have imagined, 23 school snow days over 3 months,

children and their parents in need of a place to go and re-lease some energy, and just GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!!

Wouldn’t it be great if you had access to an indoor heated swimming pool, an indoor basketball court, 3 indoor tennis courts, Zumba and Yoga with child care, a racquetball court, cardio workout room, free-weight and Nautilus equipment, ping-pong tables, billiards, sauna and steam room, all in a convenient location close to town? Wouldn’t that have offered some welcome relief for you and your family last winter? All of these can be found at Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness and were real life-savers for many High Country families last winter… and can be the same for you.

Winters in the High Country are often a slow, cold time with-out a lot of organized activities for families. Not so at Deer Val-ley, as year-round tennis activities are at the core of what Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness Club is all

about. Under the direction of tennis pro, Aaron Petersen, Deer Valley offers a complete schedule of tennis clinics, pri-vate lessons, tournaments, and social events. For those who enjoy competing, the club fields multiple USTA League Ten-nis teams ranging from the 2.5 to 4.5 NTRP rating levels for Men’s & Women’s Adult & Senior Divisions, and 5.5 to 8.5 lev-els for Mixed, Combo, and Super-Senior Leagues. Members can also take advantage of organized singles and doubles ladders that offer plenty of playing opportunities.

This year the junior program began competing in area tour-naments as the skills of many of the junior players have ad-vanced to a competition level. The junior programs are di-

vided by age and ability making sure that all of the juniors are able to advance and im-prove with players at their own level.

For those who pre-fer to keep things more casual, the club offers Friday Night Social events as well as weekly men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles round robins, as well as a full calendar of tour-naments and special events. Clinics are another great way to keep up and improve your skills, and they are offered for many different levels throughout the week. While the clinic rates are lower for members, it is important to note that you do not have to be a member to participate in junior or adult clinics.

Deer Valley has recently developed a new fitness schedule with ZUMBA being offer by Gwen Dhing on Tuesday evenings and Friday mornings, and on Monday mornings with Christie Howell, as well as Yoga on Monday evenings with Hilary Pru-ett, and more classes are being added all the time. A personal trainer is also available to work one on one with you and turn those slow months of winter into a “get in shape” time for you!

Once winter is over and we get back to the beautiful days of summer here in the High Country, the club offerings expand with the opening of the outdoor heated pool, 4 outdoor clay and 2 outdoor hard tennis courts, disc golf, and the putting green all in addition to the indoor amenities described above. So, while tennis remains the club’s primary focus, Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness is truly a multi-sport, family entertainment complex, offering something for everyone!

For more information about Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness and all they have to offer, visit them online at www.deervalleyclub.com or come by and visit the club located on Bamboo Road between the airport and Samaritan’s Purse.

Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness507 Bamboo Road • Boone, NC • (828) 262.3337 • www.deervalleyclub.com


Stop Suffering from TMJ & MigrainesAre you dealing with headaches or migraines, TMJ pain,

gum recession or wearing down of your teeth? Did you know that any, or all, of these symptoms can be caused by grinding and clinching your teeth while you sleep? Do you ever wake up feeling tension in your jaw, tight or stiff neck, headaches or migraines? This does not make for a very calm or productive day. Clinching your teeth can also be with you throughout the day as you deal with stressful situations which escalate the symptoms.

Clinching and grinding are often caused by a misalignment of your bite. Very few adults make noise when grinding or

clinching their teeth during sleep, never realizing the cause. This misalignment creates an involuntary attempt to con-stantly try to get your bite and jaw into a relaxed position. If your bite is mis-aligned, when you get your teeth into a comfortable bite, your jaw is out of alignment and when you get your jaw aligned properly, your bite is not comfortable leaving you in a vicious cycle resulting in jaw tension, headaches or mi-graines and any or all of the symptoms mentioned above.

According to Dr. Jerry Butler, DDS, MAGD, the proper way to resolve these issues is with a custom dental bite-guard made

to not only eliminate your grinding and clinching at night, but also prop-erly align your bite and jaw while

you sleep. Dr. Butler has earned his Master’s in the Academy of General

Dentistry and advanced training

in treating tension, head-aches and migraines caused by TMJ misalignment and grinding or clinching teeth. Dr. Butler earned his dental degree at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He continues his advanced training to treat these problems at the renowned Pankey Institute in Key Bis-cayne, Florida. Positive results using their techniques are ex-cellent with very good patient success.

Dr. Butler has developed a dental bite-guard that is custom made by taking an impression of your teeth and bite. The im-pression of the teeth is how most bite-guards are made… but what Dr. Butler does with that impression makes all the difference. He takes the mold of the teeth and places it in a support that replicates the movement of the jaw. Dr. Butler is then able to adjust the molds to the correct alignment for the joints of the jaw and custom make the night guard to posi-tion the bite in the proper alignment for each individual. He

also polishes uneven spots on the teeth, if necessary, to allow for proper fitting result-ing in a comfortable bite for the teeth along with proper jaw alignment. Once the bite and jaw are aligned, continu-ing to wear the bite-guard at night will assure results not

only to eliminate the grinding and clinching at night, but also re-train your bite to eliminate the tension and head-aches. Many people suffering from migraines actually have TMJ problems as the cause.

For more information on dental bite-guards, migraines, TMJ pain or other dental issues, please contact Dr. Jerry Butler’s officeat (828) 264-5858 and ask for Tracie.

General Dentist • Dr. Jerry Butler, DDS, MAGDHwy. 321 – Across from McDonald’s • Boone, NC • (828) 264.5858 • www.drbutler.net

“Dr. Butler recently corrected my bite. I never fully realized how much misery I was enduring until Dr. Butler corrected my bite. What a difference that day made!”

—Mrs. Becky Council, patient


Boone PodiatryS p e c i a l i z i n g i n D i s o r d e r s o f t h e F e e t

Of f ices in Boone & West Jef ferson

(828) 265-3668

Your feet shouldn’t hurt!


If You Are a Woman…

For many mothers, sisters, wives and daughters, it is comforting to know there is a place to go for women’s health needs where they

can be treated like family from a practitioner who is also a mother, sister, wife or daughter. Harmony Center for Women’s Health & Vi-tality on Doctors Drive in Boone is that place. A warm and welcome environment is hosted by women who can not only treat their pa-tient, but sympathize because they have also dealt with many of the same medical issues.

Two generations of the Pe-trey Family have found this to be a perfect fit for them. Fran and Karen Petrey, while dealing with different issues at the different stages of their lives, find great com-fort in the care and concern

the Harmony physicians and nurse midwives have for them. Fran has gone through pre-natal care and every labor and delivery for her children (ages 5, 4, 2 and 3 months) with Carrington Pertalion, nurse midwife, at her side. Fran shares, “Carrington is there from beginning to the very end during all phases of having a child, she is truly part of the family.” Fran’s mother-in-law, Karen, is also a pa-tient at Harmony and commented, “the demeanor and calmness and how they treat me as a person while managing my transition into menopause is why I feel so comfortable trusting my total care to Harmony.”

Certified Nurse Midwives, Lisa Stevens and Carrington Pertalion, located in the Harmony office at 166 Doctors Drive, provide atranquil environment and offer obstetrical and gynecological care for women in the High Country with deliveries at the John Marchese Birthing Center at Watauga Medical Center. According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives the philosophy of nurse-midwifery care focuses on the needs of the individual woman and her family for physical care, emotional and social support and active involvement of significant others with attention focused on cultural values and personal preferences.

Across the street, at 169 Doctors Drive, the other half of Harmony is where Dr. Beverly Womack and Dr. Summer Gilmer operate the full-range practice of obstetrics and gynecology includ-ing preconception and contraceptive counseling, prenatal care of low and high risk pregnant women, preventative health care and complex medical and surgical manage-ment of the full spectrum of gynecological disorders. Drs. Womack and Gilmer now offer some relatively new procedures that many women are going to be very excited about. The first is the Essure permanent birth

control procedure that works with the body to create a natural bar-rier against pregnancy. This gentle procedure can be performed in theofficeinminutes.UnlikesomeotherformsofbirthcontroltheEssure is hormone and incision free; there is no hospital visit nec-essary; it is permanent; does not require general anesthesia; has a rapid recovery, and there is a confirmation test to assure protection from pregnancy.

Another exciting procedure is the Thermachoice Ablation offering relief for women suffering from heavy periods without having to go through a hysterectomy to find relief. In this procedure the lining of the uterus is burned leaving little or no bleeding. This procedure is also performed in theofficewithonlyoneortwodaysofrecoveryrequired.

Full spectrum women’s healthcare is the philosophy the practi-tioners at Harmony follow. They have all found a common thread among the patients they serve… women want women for their care in an environment small enough for them to know their pa-tients,butwithsufficientknowledgeandenoughresourcestotreatany level of disorder.

Because so many women in the High Country trust their care to Harmony Center for Women’s Health & Vitality, the group is wel-coming a new OB/Gyn starting in November. Dr. Nancy Miller will begin caring for patients on November 15th and is excited to con-tinue the Harmony tradition of women caring for women.

Summer, Carrington, Lisa, Beverly, and soon to be Nancy, share a passion for proactively partnering with the women in the high country, to help them live the best life possible through all stages of their healthcare needs. Their goal is to simply make life better.

For more information on Harmony Center for Women’s Health & Vi-tality please contact them at (828) 268-8970 or visit them online at

www.apprhs.org/locations/arma/harmony-center.

Why Not Trust Your Care to Women?

Harmony Center for Women’s Health & VitalityDoctors Drive • Boone, NC • (828) 268.8970 • www.apprhs.org/locations/arma/harmony-center


Appalachian/Brian Estates provides transportation to medical appointments, Watauga Medical Center, the Outpatient Clinic and even the Wellness Center in Boone. Residents sign up in advance for scheduled appointments; while on other days, transportation for shopping and banking are provided.

On this trip, Georgia Lane, Appalachian/Brian Estates’ employee, transports Beatrice Kleinsmith, Joe Hyland and Max Smith.

Make Your appointMents and Leave the driving to us.

Transportation is just one of the many amenities offered in the monthly rent.

APPALACHIAN/BRIAN ESTATES163 Shadowline drive • Boone, nC 28607

teLephone: 264-1006 • toLL Free: (800) 333-3432e-MaiL: [email protected]

transportation to MedicaL appointMents


THE GYM… The name tells it all!!

The Gym is the newest workout facility in the High Coun-try, recently opened at New Market Center in Boone by

7-time National Champion and American Championship weightlifter John Roten. A silver medalist in the World Master Games and holder of two Pan-Am championships, John is a three-decade state champion in three different weight class-es in Olympic style weight lifting. He has also coached three teens to winning at the Junior Olympics and two ASU women to collegiate Nationals, winning first and second places.

Many of you may be familiar with John Roten as he is from this area and is now on his third gym in the High Country, hav-ing opened his first in 1972 and the second in 1992. So, if you were wondering about the experience behind this new gym, THE Gym, most all of your questions should be answered. THE Gym is all about providing a place for you to come and work out at your level at a time that is convenient for you. They offer membership levels allow-ing you 24-hour access, or for a lower fee you can access THE Gym from:

6:00am-10:00pm • Monday – Thursday

6:00am-9:00pm • Friday

9:00am-4:00pm • Saturday

1:00pm-5:00pm • Sunday

They also allow memberships for teens as young as 14 with parents, consent and will work with them on their workout plan so they are not just guessing at how to best reach the results they want. THE Gym offers customized workout plans for all of their members at no additional charge. This is a great offering as

many facilities seem to be done once they have signed you up, leaving you wondering what you really need

to do to accomplish the results you are looking for.

They also have two certified personal trainers available if you would prefer to work

one-on-one with some-one for your

workouts. Their certified male and female trainers, Tim Cook and Max Boutelle have many years of experience working with clients helping them achieve the results they are looking for in the best way. Tim Cook has a degree in exercise science and Max Boutelle is also a licensed massage therapist.

Seniors are also a focus at THE Gym with ex-perience working with cardiac rehab patients. Once you have completed your rehab and been released by your doctor after a cardiac incident they are happy to put you on a program to fit your needs and maintain your health. Cardio strength as well as overall strength are helpful

in preventing a heartattack or stroke.

Personal service, supervision, and training leading to success are the focus of John Roten and everyone involved at THE Gym! So come in and experience the top-quality equipment and training THE Gym has to offer and you too will realize that THE Gym really is that… THE Gym!!

THE GymNew Market Center • Boone, NC • (828) 355.9988

THE Best Equipment… THE Best Personnel… THE Best Trainers…THE GYM!!


Breathe Well, Sleep WellWe know that listening and respond-

ing to our customer needs is a criti-cal part of a successful relationship. Our mission is to provide service(s) which al-lows you to remain in or return to your home where surroundings enhance your security, recovery and provide an opportunity for your family to participate in your care and rehabilitation. We have been serving Western North Carolina since 1984. In 2007 we opened a location in Boone to better serve our patient in Watauga, Ashe, Avery, and Wilkes County.

As a respiratory company we know the importance of early detections. So we’re spreading the word. We all know that in a baseball game you have to get around all the bases to reach home. Although respiratory issues are nothing to play around with, we still have to touch all the bases.

• 1st Base: Early detection

• 2nd Base: Diagnosis

• 3rd Base: Treatment

• Home: Better quality of life

Approximately 42 million people have a sleep disorder; 85% are not diagnosed.

Has anyone ever told you that you stop breathing when you sleep? Did you know daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and loud snoring are signs of sleep apnea? Apnea events are caused by blocked airways lasting > 10 seconds. If you have high blood

pressure or diabetes or are over-weight your risk of having sleep apnea just increased. Don’t ignore the warning signs. Talk with your doctor about your concerns. Ask about having an apnea link /overnight oxime-try screening. These screening tools are used to help diagnose sleep apnea and low oxygen levels that occur during the nightandarecostefficientandcovered by insurance. Sleep apnea/low oxygen levels left untreated can lead to serious

or fatal health problems that include: heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and fatigue related automobile & work related accidents.

While many of you may think that when you lie down your body is at rest, in some cases that may not be true. If your oxygen levels are dropping, you’re putting stress on your body organs making your heart and lungs work even harder. If you’re a smoker, if you have shortness of breath, fatigue, or history of COPD, ask your doctor about an overnight pulse oximetry screening. It’s a great idea to have a baseline study. If your symptoms worsen your physician may order another study and compare the two in order to help make a decision on how to proceed with your care.

With winter coming we are all concerned with those respira-tory problems that come with it. Let us help you with your re-spiratory medication. We will remind you when it’s time to re-order. For our Medicare patients we have convenient monthly delivery of medication and supplies to your home. We have a pharmacist available to answer any questions you might have. We will file Medicare Part B. This will, in return, help you avoid the “donut hole” (coverage gap) and save you money.

We can also meet your home medical equipment needs. We offer a wide selection of mobility and ambulation products in addition to the necessities of adaptive living in the home.

Blue Ridge Home CareHeritage Court • 2348 Hwy. 105, Unit 11 • Boone, NC • (828) 262.5656 • Toll Free: 866.422.5656



The Wound Care Center of Appalachian Regional Healthcare SystemIf you or someone you know has ever suffered the frus-

tration of a wound that just won’t heal, you can relate to the excitement surrounding the opening of this new cen-ter located on the first floor of Watauga Medical Center. The Wound Care Center will be caring for patients with acute

and chronic, non-heal-ing wounds. Wounds of this nature can stem from many different sources such as diabe-tes, vascular issues, sur-gical wounds, pressure ulcers, general lower ex-tremity wound and even infected bug bites.

The Center, which began seeing pa-tients in October, is staffed by nurses who specialize in Wound Care. “It is very unusual to find three certified wound-care nurses on staff for an area of this size, but it demonstrates the commitment Appalachian Regional Healthcare System has made to provide quality care for the people of the High Country”, said Christine Moffett, CWON, CNS, and Wound Care Center Outpatient Clin-ical Manger. The center operates under the medical direction of Harold Frazier, Jr., MD. The clinical team of certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses (WOCN) and the Clinical Nurse Specialist certified in Wound Ostomy Nursing, are part of an in-terdisciplinary team to care for the Center’s patients. The nurs-

es will work with patients one-on-one to treat existing wounds and provide education on preventing chronic wounds. In col-laboration with other ARHS staff to include Physical and Occu-pational Therapists, Registered Dieticians, Certified Diabetes Educators and Home Health Nurses, the patients will receive a full continuum of care for their wounds.

You no longer have to drive off the mountain to receive treat-ment, education and support in resolving chronic wounds. The focus at The Wound Care Center is to work with patients and their families so they also become a part of the team and are able to help maintain wound healing at home. “It is im-portant for patients to see their own successes and become a part of their own healing; it is very empowering,” said Susan Stafford, Wound Care Center nurse. “Christine Moffett, June Smith and I are thrilled to be working together to provide

such a needed service for the High Country,” she adds.

The Wound Care Center provides compres-sion treatment, negative pressure wound therapy, wound irrigation and debridement, therapeutic wound care modalities and Os-tomy pre-op education, Stoma marking and post-op care. Physician referrals are required for an appointment with The Wound Care Center, so please contact your primary care physician for making an appointment.

For more information on The Wound Care Center call (828) 262-9520 or visit www.apprhs.org/services/wound-care-center.

Wound Care Center1st Floor Watauga Medical Center • Boone, NC • (828) 262.9520 • www.apprhs.org/services/wound-care-center

You no longer have

to drive off the

mountain to receive

treatment, education

and support in resolving

chronic wounds.


S l e e p A pn e a S c re e n i n g Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you feel tired all the time? Do you have excessive daytime sleepiness? Are you a loud snorer? Are you a heavy smoker? Has anyone told you that you stop breathing during sleep?

Are you overweight? Do you wake up with a headache? Do you have high blood pressure? Do you take medications for high blood pressure?

If you checked three or more of these questions, you may have a sleep disorder that needs to be

discussed with your doctor.

828-262-5656 • Toll Free: 866-422-5656

To find out more about Sleep Apnea call:

3Good

Night’sSleep…

to a

Take the

stepsBreathe

movenourishThrive

To Obtain Successful Results… Who Can You Rely On?

Polly HumPHreys Consulting HyPnotist, “root Cause” sPeCialist, suCCess & lifestyle CoaCH

Do you smoke or are you overweight? Does your life seem out of balance? Are you unhappy with where you are in life OR unable to progress to the next level?

AlternAtive Wellness & Beyond828-504-2003 • www.AlternativeWellness.net

free Consultation

What the Mind ConCeives - You Can aChieve!

divine innate Capabilities are Given to You bY Your Creator

Know that with desire and expectation YOU CAN create an amazing life and lasting changes using YOUR powerful subconscious mind!• Uncover limiting beliefs and BLAST THROUGH limiting mindsets• BANISH self-imposed restrictions; favorably alter their meanings• Link PLEASURE and FULFILLMENT with healthy behaviors, habits & self-talk• CONFIDENTLY make the right choices–generate required actions to achieve goals• TRANSFORM THE REAL YOU as you make preferred lifestyle changes


A Proactive Approach to Your Health…

We have all been told throughout most of our lives that eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest, and taking vitamin

and mineral supplements will help to keep us healthy throughout our lives. While all of this is true, how do you know what is really going on inside your body? Do you know if you have early markers that indicate you may be in the process of developing a debilitat-ing disease? Do you know what vitamins and minerals you truly are deficient in?

If someone were to tell you that testing reveals that you are show-ing signs of developing a chronic disease but if you followed a customized program designed for you the disease will, more than likely, never surface… would you be interested?

One of the tools Health & Wellness Initiatives uses to do just that is the CRT 2000® Thermographic System. The CRT 2000® Thermo-graphic System is a non-invasive, thermographic tool that evalu-ates pre-determined skin temperature points and is able to detect the changes in the body’s temperature to produce data that can be used for screening certain diseases or markers indicating potential issues in the future. Thermography measures the amount of body heat in targeted areas—such as the breast or the intestines—as de-livered to the skin from a combination of cellular metabolism and the nervous system.

The thermography device converts heat energy on the skin into electronic data signals displayed on a computer monitor. Over 119 different points on the body are scanned and placed into a dis-played image showing 15 major organs and their functions. The thermography device does not send out dangerous rays to pene-trate body tissue to produce an image, it registers skin-surface tem-perature from the capillary heat conducted through the skin. While x-rays give a structural view, thermography gives us a functional

perspective based on physiology and stress response.

This is just one of the areas of service the professionals at Health & Wellness Initiatives provide for their clients. They

help their clients maintain the healthiest life pos-sible. It has been proven that the best

approach for a healthy mind, body & spirit is through focusing on each

individual and putting together a program

that fills the gaps their body indi-cates need to be filled.

At Health & Wellness Initiatives they know that vitamins and min-erals are critical to maximum or-gan function… but do you know whether or not you are deficient in any of them… or do you just take a guess, or “recommended dose,” and assume you need it?

Wouldn’t you rather be informed and have a micro-nutrient defi-ciency test to find out what vitamins, minerals and dosage you re-ally need?

Another area that many clients of Health & Wellness Initiatives are finding great relief in is realizing their food allergies. Did you know that constipation, depression, eczema, fatigue, heartburn, migraines, sinus troubles, and many asthma-type symptoms can be caused by food allergies? Knowing this, do you think you may be taking unnecessary prescription drugs to treat the symptoms when you could eliminate the problem all together by finding the true cause? Eliminating an allergy in which you have been treating only the symptoms will ultimately save you time, money and suf-fering giving you a better, more consistent quality of life.

These are just a few of the ways that Health & Wellness Initiatives helps to eliminate symptoms by finding the true cause of your ail-ment. It is their goal to truly treat the mind, body & soul with a prima-ry focus of working with each person in ways that help them to avoid suffering the symptoms of a debilitating disease by putting together an individualized program based on markers shown in testing.

For more information on the services offered at Health & Wellness Initiatives please contact them at (828) 221-2324 or visit them on-line at www.healthandwellnessinitiatives.com.

Health & Wellness InitiativesAzalea Dr. • Banner Elk, NC • (828) 221.2324 • www.HealthandWellnessInitiatives.com

It is their goal to truly

treat the mind, body &

soul…


Fowler CooperChristian-Based,

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

828-264-9222895 State Farm Road • Ste. 210 • Boone, NC

You Aren’t Alone…


The Rehabilitation Center

When looking for a resource for rehabilitation, it is impor-tant to consider all of the factors when deciding with

whom to entrust your care and build a relationship. The first, or next, time you are in need of physical rehabilitation to recover from an injury, surgery or any other rehabilitative need hav-ing a resource of therapists trained in specific areas is crucial to you having the best opportunity of success in your recovery. It is the same as selecting an orthopedist to deal with musculo-skeletal issues or a pediatrician to care for your children. Hav-

ing a therapist that is specialized in your area of need as opposed to being gener-ally familiar with all areas of rehabilitation provides the greatest success.

Appalachian Regional Healthcare System’s The Rehabilitation Center is located in Boone and Linville and offers physical and occupational therapists with specialized training in many specifics areas such as orthopedics, neurology, gait/balance, lymphedema management/cancer and manual therapy. Their staff has certifications in orthopedics, NDT, McKensie approach, Vestibular Rehabilitation, manual therapy, LANA and Vodder in lymphatic drainage and others giving them the ability to place you with the right therapist for your need.

With The Rehabilitation Center being a part of the Appala-chian Regional Healthcare System their therapists work in many environments, not just outpatient. They are able to see patients in the hospital and follow them through to out-

patient care. This allows you to establish a relationship with your therapist who knows your history and can provide the best plan to recovery for you.

The Rehabilitation Center is located in Boone and Linville and offers most therapy modes at both locations. They also have several therapy resources you will not find at other locations in the High Country. Aquatic Therapy is unique to The Re-habilitation Center and evidence is showing that the pool is an effective means to rehabilitate patients with significant pain and disability, especially those who can no longer toler-ate traditional land-based therapy. The buoyancy of the wa-ter allows impaired muscles and joints to move more easily, decreasing pain and enabling the body to regain movement and strength.

The NeuroCom, at our Boone location, is also unique to The Rehabilitation Center as they are one of only 13 clinics in NorthCarolinautilizingthisresource.Difficultywithbalanceis a common yet, complex problem. This device helps deter-

mine the cause of bal-ance issues allowing the therapist to specifically re-train your body afford-ing improved quality of life as a result. The Neuro-Com provides better data for the therapist which results in improved clini-cal decisions and a better outcome for the patient. Understanding balance and your risk for falling is important, and the good

news is that the High Country has a proven way to identify individuals at risk and can help.

The Rehabilitation Center follows “evidence-based practice”, meaning their methods of rehabilitation are based on treat-ments that are proven effective by research. They are invested in the success of their patients offering them the best of what therapy can offer.

The Rehabilitation CenterBoone, NC – (828) 268.9043 • Linville, NC – (828) 737-7520 • www.apprhs.org/services/the-rehabilitation-center


Who is Beachbody®?

Beachbody® has been producing the nation’s most popular in-home fitness programs for more than 10 years. No matter what your goals are—to lose weight, become totally ripped, take your strength and stamina to the next level, or just get healthy and feel great—our proven-effective DVD programs, workout equipment and top-quality nutritional supplements can get you the results you want.

Why Team Beachbody®?

It’s not enough to just buy a fitness program. To get the best results, you need support, ac-countability, and a commitment to exercise and a healthy diet. That’s where Team Beach-body® comes in. With a unique combination of community support, motivation and helpful tools – such as the all new “My Meal Planner” – Team Beachbody® completes your total fitness package. Local distributors (called “Coaches”), Brad Gross, his wife Linda, and their daughter Lauren Michael, can help you achieve the results you desire.

Brad is the local publisher of The Real Estate Book and uses P90X. He has lost 20 LBS and feels energetic and healthy again! His wife, Linda, also works for The Real Estate Book and

has lost 50 LBS! She maintains her fitness level with P90X. Lauren has completed her third 90-day round of P90X and is in the best shape of her life. She is now using P90X Plus. Together they also use Shakeology as a meal replacement.

What is Shakeology?

This patent-pending daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more ef-ficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. A proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today’s highly processed foods.

At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the more than 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke. For about $4 per day it is healthier and less expensive than most meals it replaces. If you want more information go to our websites listed below, or email us to see a short video.

Workout Routines

There are many Beachbody® Products available to suit your needs. Some of the most popular pro-grams include P90X, Insanity, 10 Minute Trainer, Slim In 6, Body Gospel, and Shakeology (the healthiest meal of the day). Select one of these local distributors to be your coach, and go to their websites to learn more, shop, or contact them with your questions.

Get YOUR Beachbody® this winter!

Disclaimer Copy: Brad Gross, Linda Gross, and Lauren Michael are Independent Beachbody Coaches.

Linda and Brad Gross

Lauren Michael

Buy from Brad: www.BeachbodyCoach/bradley144

Cell: 828-406-0250 Email: [email protected]

Buy from Lauren: www.BeachbodyCoach.com/laurenmichael

Buy from Linda:

www.BeachbodyCoach.com/lindaball


Saving Face…

Everything is connected. The products we choose to use today can affect every aspect of our future, from the planet

right down to our own health and aging. This is why Haircut 101 is pleased to carry Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics, a healthy professional grade mineral makeup free of chemicals.

While there are many “mineral-based” products on the market, it is important to know that all mineral cosmetics are not the same. Founder of Afterglow Cosmetics, Kristin Adams, states “I believe that everything is connected. We pledge to create products that respect women’s bodies and the earth. That’s why we choose to formulate our products with certified organic ingredients, use minimal packaging and manufacture our cosmetics in the USA.” Specifically Afterglow Cosmetics is free of bismuth oxychloride, petro-chemicals, synthetic dyes and fillers found in traditional cosmetics. Also, Afterglow Cosmetics are always paraben, phthalate, nano particle, perfume, mercury, gluten, soy, and talc free, while containing certified organic botanicals, 100% natural formulas and are certified cruelty free. With Afterglow Cosmetics, women no longer have to sacrifice luxury and performance for natural and organic makeup.

The Afterglow Cosmetics line is a full makeup line, offering 20 different foundation shades all containing SPF 20, along with blush, setting powder, concealer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss, lipstick, and 100% vegan cosmetic brushes, including the famous Kabuki Brush. Amanda Studt, the esthetician and manager at Haircut 101, offers Make-up Application Lessons in which she demonstrates how to choose the make-up that best suits the individual and how to apply it. Amanda adds “I pride myself in utilizing and offering our clients the best products on the market and Afterglow is the perfect fit for Haircut 101 and its clientele.”

Haircut 101 was opened in December 1989 to provide their community with the latest in hairstyling techniques, highlighting and color services in a positive up-beat environment. Haircut 101 partnered with leading color, hair care, and makeup manufacturers so they can offer clients superior results in the services they request. Education has always been a big part of the culture at Haircut 101 and keeping abreast of the latest in techniques, styles and products has kept them fresh in the ever-changing industry. John Mena, proud owner of this thriving salon, hires like-

minded, creative individuals to work by his side; stylists who take pride in this chosen profession and most importantly their clientele. Haircut 101 strives for excellence in every way and they are pleased to offer both hair and skin care to the High Country of North Carolina. Haircut 101’s services range from all hair services, colors and waves, to full body hair removal, facials, acne treatments, and makeup.

As Haircut 101 celebrates their 21st year in business, they still hold fast the principles they started with — providing the absolute best to their clientele. The team at Haircut 101 invites you to make a complimentary makeup or hair consultation appointment with one of their stylists to see what a difference they can make in the way that you look and feel.

Call us… email us… drop by to see us…

just make an appointment… your hair and skin will thank you.

Haircut 101174 South Depot Street • Boone, NC • (828) 262.3324 • www.haircut101.com


There’s Help for Varicose & Spider Veins

Dr. Joseph “Ty” Bell started Total Vein Care in Boone in 2005. What prompted him to begin the practice centered around the need

to deliver state-of-the-art vein care to the High Country. Due to inheriting the gene for varicose veins, Dr. Bell developed his own varicose vein (VV) problem. Like most varicose sufferers, his VV just became more and more symptomatic with daily pain and swelling, so he sought out an evaluation and treatment by a modern vein specialist. Wide awake with just his leg

numbed, he watched his own curative VV laser proce-dure being done. Since Bell had extensive surgical and procedural background, he then decided to learn the field of modern vein medicine (called Phlebology). He is now board certified by the American Board of Phle-bology.

Since 2005, he has evaluated and treated hundreds of area patients, performing close to 2000 endovenous laser ablation procedures (and supplemental minor surgical procedures often needed in conjunction with laser) to eradicate the VV problem. Endovenous laser ablation is a superb advancement in VV treat-ment that is much less invasive, safely performed in theofficeusingonlylocalanesthesia,hasminimalas-

sociated post-op pain, and typically only requires 2 days off work after theprocedure.Patientswalkoutoftheofficeaboutanhourafterwardwith the vein problem remedied. And when it heals, it also is very pleas-ing cosmetically, usually without any scarring. Scarring, nerve injuries, long recovery time, and high recurrence rate were annoying problems with the old vein stripping procedure.

Health insurance companies and Medicare will pay for a VV evaluation and usually treatment. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), a very annoying problem that often impairs sleep, is definitely associated with vein dis-ease of the legs, even without visible VV. The venous ultrasound per-formed at the initial visit determines the presence/severity of the vein problem and is necessary to formulate a surgical plan.

The other component of Dr. Bell’s vein practice is treating cosmetically un-sightly spider veins (SV) of the legs. Unlike VV, injection methods are still preferred over laser to treat SV. He offers any interested person a free con-sultation to discuss treatment options available and a general idea of cost and time involved. For more information visit www.TVCBoone.com.

Patients walk out of the office about an hour

afterward with the

vein problem remedied.

Total Vein Care141 Doctors Dr. • Boone, NC • (828) 265.1345 • www.TVCBoone.com

the Flu Gets You!

FLU VACCINATIONBefore

Get Your

Appalachian District Health Department“Promote. Prevent. Empower.”www.apphealth.com

Documents

High Country Health & Fitness Vol. 1 #2