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are you sick?

A PublicAtion of the times

ALSOBreakthroughs in Breast Cancer

Is Your Produce Safe?The Fear Factor

NOvemBer/DeCemBer 2010NwI.COm/geTheALThY

DrS. LOverA ANDDAvID mILLerhusband-and-wife doctor team write uplifting book about menopause

women’s health

Graceful aGinG, naviGatinG

the chanGe . . . and lots of chocolate

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2 GET HEALTHY | nwitimes.com/gethealthy

8what’s new

New programs on the local health care scene, and innovative

healthy products

10survivor spotlight

A Merrillville woman finds relief from rheumatoid

arthritis simply by changing her diet and

exercise habits

12the body

shop

Thyroid disorders in

women, spinal surgery made

easy, and mighty magnesium

14on your mind

Women tend to fear the worst, but there is a

way to alleviate those fears

28food & fitness

An alternative way to train for a marathon, and the wonderful, healthy benefits

of chocolate

30green life

How to recognize common household

poisons, and lessons on

produce safety

32ask the expert

Wanda Barney, RN, gets to the root of stress—

and suggests ways to make

it go away

4 letter from the editor | 6 health care advisory council

what’s newBy Kathleen Quilligan

HEALTHY PRODUCTSPASTA FOR DIABETICSA diagnosis of diabetes can be heartbreaking, especially if it means not being able to eat some of your favorite foods, such as pasta. But Dreamfi elds pasta encourages you to put that broken heart back together with its special-recipe pasta, formulated to be healthy for everyone. Dreamfi elds is a specially made pasta with about the same high fi ber as whole wheat pasta and fewer digestible carbohydrates. It also has a lower glycemic index than traditional pasta, which means it breaks down more slowly and releases glucose into the bloodstream at a slower rate, making it ideal for those with diabetes. Available in shapes such as spaghetti, elbow, rotini, lasagna and angel hair, Dreamfi elds is available in local supermarkets as well as online at dreamfi eldsfoods.com for a suggested retail price of $2.49.

SAFE AND GERM-FREEThe last thing you want to do when disinfecting your hands is worry about what harmful chemicals may be in the disinfectant. That’s where CleanWell’s All-Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes come in.

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EMERGENCY ASPIRIN DISPENSERWhen suffering a heart attack, seconds count. That’s why Advent Consumer Healthcare, LLC, has developed a way to fi ght heart disease that fi ts in the palm of your hand, preventing you from having to open bottles or dig around in medicine cabinets. In August, the company rolled out the At

Heart emergency aspirin dispenser, available in CVS pharmacies for under $5, to help fi ght heart disease. The dispenser is only three inches, making it the perfect size to attach to a keychain or slip into a purse, making the two blister-sealed 325 mg aspirin tablets easy to access. At the fi rst onset of heart attack symptoms, the American Heart Association recommends calling 911 and chewing on a regular strength aspirin tablet. When that aspirin tablet is readily available via the At Heart dispenser, a life could be saved. For more information about At Heart, visit at-heart.com.

READ THE HEATWant to be treated with the same technology used at Grey’s Anatomy’s Seattle Grace Hospital? Ask and you shall receive. The same thermometer used by the doctors in the popular television medical drama is available for you to check your temperature. The Exergen TemporalScanner is an infrared thermometer that reads temperatures in just two seconds by capturing the heat emitted from the skin over the temporal artery on the forehead. A red LED light and soft beep let the user know the temperature has been read correctly. The thermometer is available at stores such as Walmart, Walgreens, Costco, Babies R Us, Toys R Us and Sam’s Clubs for a suggested retail price of less than $50. For more information, visit temporalscanner.com

Local Health News

At the age of 51, Linda Stubblefi eld was resigned to living out her life miserably. She didn’t think she had a choice. Diagnosed some fi fteen years earlier with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the Merrillville resident had been through the wringer trying to combat it. She had spent time on steroids and pain medications whose side effects were worse than the relief they provided.

She’d fi nally found relief through the nutraceuticals (pharmacy-grade nutritional supplements) a doctor had prescribed, but the journey had taken a toll. The previous steroids and pain meds had left her overweight. She had hypertension, was not sleeping well, and had little energy.

In a routine visit to Kelly Oney, a nurse practitioner at Innovative Women’s Health of St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, Stubblefi eld relayed her feelings of frustration and helplessness. Oney, part of a growing cadre of people who practice “functional” medicine, took note. “We go back to the basics of biochemistry,” she explains. “What’s the original function of the cell? How does the cell function in the organ? How do the organ systems function together?” The belief is that the body can correct itself if given the right tools.

Oney worked out a plan of diet and exercise and asked Stubblefi eld to work with her on it. She wanted Stubblefi eld to think of her food as medicine, switching out unhealthy items and replacing them with healthy ones. To help readjust her metabolism, she began a liver detoxifi cation—a supplemental preparation combined with elimination of certain foods. “There’s quite a bit of literature out there indicating that when the body is overloaded with toxins, its entire metabolism is not effi cient,” Oney says. “It’s like putting bad gasoline into the car. The whole machine can’t run well.”

Between the RA and her job as an editor, Stubblefi eld led a pretty sedentary life. Oney asked for twenty minutes of exercise each day. She added fi sh oils and other nutrients. Body fat tends to turn the body estrogen-dominant, so she monitored Stubblefi eld’s hormone levels, too. And, she asked for a weekly report. “What

seemed to be hard work at the beginning is such a normal lifestyle for me now,” Stubblefi eld says. “It’s enjoyable.”

Stubblefi eld has lost—and kept off—forty-two pounds in the fi ve years since she began her “journey.” Her exercise routine is now an hour a day—a twenty-minute two-mile walk at lunch, a twenty-minute bike ride with her husband in the evening, and another twenty minutes on the treadmill. Her blood pressure is normal, her RA is under control, and she has more energy. “I don’t even care that I can’t have cake and candy anymore,” she says. “There’s a greater good, and I know how much better I feel.”

The cure seems simple enough—though simple is not always easy. “Linda changed her food intake a lot,” Oney says. “She was on a junky diet. She was getting a lot of empty calories [and] was eating a lot of white fl ours and sugars. These are very infl ammatory to the body. My effort was toward decreasing infl ammation. She has been faithful with her diet. She is a faithful

exerciser. That kind of faithfulness goes a long way.”Stubblefi eld, on the other hand, credits Oney’s encouragement and patience.

Taking things in small increments made them manageable. Watching herself go from a size 1X to a size 12 has been incredible. “I never thought I’d see the day of another size 12 in my life,” she says gleefully, adding that her goal is to lose another twenty-fi ve pounds, and perhaps another size or two.

Oney is, of course, pleased with Stubblefi eld’s progress, and the part functional medicine played in it. “It’s pretty exciting. We are on the edge of a medicine that goes back to basics, adds the best of what we’ve learned, and looks to the future,” she says. “I don’t want to give the impression I’m anti-medicine. I’m not. We give medicine when people need medicine. I just want to help them feel better. If I can get them to make one or two changes that lead to one or two changes more, then we have an outcome like we have with Linda.” –Terri Gordon

THE LIFESTYLE

EFFECT

survivor spotlight the body shop

Thyroid Disorders in Women Common But Highly Treatable

In fact, women in their reproductive years—particularly those who have recently had babies—have a higher risk of developing infectious thyroiditis or infl ammation of the thyroid gland, says an area internal medicine specialist. This gland, located in the front of the neck, is an important organ of the endocrine system. It produces the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which control metabolism, or the way all cells use energy.

However, “thyroid symptoms can be very nonspecifi c,” says Snezana Zubic, MD, with Porter County Primary Care in Valparaiso. “There is no cookbook approach, and one size doesn’t fi t all. Care needs to be personalized.”

An overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, is more unique and dramatic than hypothyroidism, or an underfunctioning thyroid gland, Zubic says, adding that both disorders need to be treated. “If you see a constellation of symptoms that can’t be explained by lifestyle changes, you should see a doctor,” she says.

The proliferation of medical information on the Internet can actually be a deterrent to proper care, Zubic says. “Patients should fi nd a doctor they are happy with instead of coming in with a

diagnosis already in mind and a list of medications they want,” she says. “The kind of information on the Internet can mislead or guide you in the wrong direction.”

The most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are muscle weakness, trembling hands, rapid heartbeat, intolerance to heat and increased sweating, diarrhea or frequent bowel movements, irritability and anxiety, vision problems, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, weight loss and infertility. “These symptoms often cannot go unnoticed,” Zubic says.

Fatigue is also a symptom of hypothyroidism. Other common signs include mental depression, sluggishness, feeling cold, weight gain, dry skin and hair, constipation and menstrual irregularities.

A variety of treatments for thyroid disorders are available, the physician says. These include synthetic hormones, natural extracts and medications that suppress excessive hormone production. “I prefer the synthetic hormone over the natural extracts,” Zubic says. “The natural extracts show no benefi ts over the synthetic. In fact, the extracts are harder to dose, not as reliable and not regulated for potency.” A Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone test will ensure that the proper level of medication is being taken, she says.

“Pay attention to yourself,” Zubic advises. “Follow your inner voice and communicate with your doctor.” – Lu Ann Franklin

icensed clinical social worker Kass Cooper, an adult and adolescent therapist at New Leaf Resources, a professional counseling agency in Lansing, doesn’t believe that women worry any more than men. It’s just that women tend to process things externally and men process

things internally. In a nutshell, women talk about it and men keep it inside.

Her advice to women? Keep doing what you’re doing. Talk it out with a trusted confi dante. Processing fears and worries by talking it out is healthy, Cooper says. Talking it out allows you to outwardly process and articulate an internal struggle, which makes for better problem solving, she says.

The only problem is that we may often have to edit and fi lter what we say to family and friends who may be connected to our struggles. In this case, a therapist is an objective listener who doesn’t judge or criticize. Cooper points out that a therapist can help uncover how a person came up with a particular belief system and then the real problem solving can begin.

Cooper’s female clients struggle with similar fears and worries. They commonly ask themselves, “What have I accomplished? Am I needed? Am I validated? Am I appreciated? What is my identity?”

Women also worry about their looks and aging, Cooper says. They have fears of an empty nest and marital strife that may accompany the kids’ leaving. They fear being alone or in an unhealthy relationship.

Whatever the worry, Cooper says there are some things you can do to ease anxiety and better cope with whatever you’re worried about, including maintaining balance in your life, prioritizing and taking time for yourself. Regular exercise, a balanced diet and enough sleep are also critical to keeping worries in check as well as avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption.

Above all, be a good listener when you are on the receiving end of a friend who is full of worry. “Even if you think it’s irrational fear,” Cooper says, “just listen so they feel heard . . . They get all the fears off their chest, they can take a deep breath and say, ‘Okay, thanks for listening, because I’m just really afraid.’”

Cooper says women should defi nitely seek professional help when their worries interfere with their daily function, mood and family or there are physical symptoms. Also, it’s a good idea to be evaluated by a professional to make sure there is no underlying depression or anxiety disorder that may be treatable with medication. –Erika Rose

on your mind

There’s a prevailing opinion that women, by nature, grapple with worry and fear more than their male counterparts. Fretting about things out of their control, fearing a catastrophe, anxious about all of life’s “what ifs,” many women are occasionally guilty of feelings of impending doom. • Are women truly bigger worriers? Or is it that they are simply a little more out there with their fears and anxiety?

Plagued by Worry?TALK IT OUT

food & fi tness

An alternative way to run a marathon

Why do women love chocolate so much? In addition to the fact that it’s just so fabulous tasting, medical research has shown that chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains the mild mood elevator phenylethylamine (PEA).

“That’s the one that’s released in your brain when you fall in love,” says Tina Buck, owner of the Chocolate Garden in Coloma, Michigan. “And chocolate is loaded with this. New studies come out all the time about properties of chocolate, not only for emotional health but physical as well. One study [conducted at the University of Helsinki, Finland, in 2004] showed that pregnant women who ate chocolate every day had happy babies that smiled and laughed more.”

Another study in Sweden showed that middle-aged and elderly women who regularly ate a small amount of chocolate (one to two servings per week) had lower risks of heart failure.

It’s important to note that the higher density dark chocolate is the better choice, because it’s not as sugary nor is it as calorie-dense as the milk chocolate.

Buck says the popular belief that guys don’t like chocolate is a myth. “We are [located] down the road from a winery and women will often say, ‘I was dead set on the winery but he insisted on the Chocolate Garden fi rst.’ Men are just as passionate about chocolate!” – Sharon Biggs Waller

Running a marathon seems to be on many people’s “bucket list,” but for most of us, it remains unchecked. Several of the reasons why people never try include time, knowledge, injuries and motivation.

The Galloway Run-Walk-Run method is a revolutionary way of running that not only gets runners through a marathon, but in a way that’s injury-free, fun and even fast. The founder, Jeff Galloway, is one of the premier experts on running in the United States. A member of the 1972 Olympic team and a top fi nisher in prominent U.S. races, Galloway began this new way of training runners after his father asked him to develop a running program for him. He suggested his dad walk a little, then run a little.

“The big difference is that a Galloway marathoner can have a life outside of running,” says Ed Burns, program director for Jeff Galloway Productions, Indiana. Burns, from Valparaiso, has been an avid marathon runner since the ’80s, but found he was sustaining too many injuries. He discovered the Galloway method in 2005 and has run 23 marathons since then, all injury-free.

“Most marathon runners have a fi ve-day training schedule,” Burns says. “Galloway is three days—two shorter runs

and one long run. The two short runs are from 30 to 40 minutes. The long run starts at 3 miles and we slowly work up to 26 to 29 miles. We suggest cross-training in between, such as walking or biking. Our fastest runners fi nish a marathon in around three and a half hours. Most runners average four and a half to six hours.”

To determine the run/walk ratio, a runner determines his “magic mile.” Run hard for one mile and then use the time to predict long-distance time. The run/walk ratio corresponds to the training pace used. For instance, a 10-minute mile equals 3 minutes running followed by one minute walking. No speed walking in between. The object is to recover.

Galloway runners stay fresher throughout the run, because different muscles are used in walking and running. The same muscle used repeatedly creates fatigue. When you change, you give the muscles a chance to rest and recover. Galloway runners fi nd they can pick up speed toward the end of the race when others are slowing down. And many runners recover quickly after a run.

The Galloway method embraces runners of all fi tness levels and all ages. The Indiana program is on a 29-week schedule, culminating with the Chicago Marathon and benefi ting the charity Opportunity Enterprises. The Galloway method can be used for shorter races or for general fi tness running. – Sharon Biggs Waller

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Women and CHOCOLATE

green life

In the 1970s, the Pittsburgh Poison Center created Mr. Yuk, a chartreuse-green colored sticker depicting an icon, tongue sticking out, to place on hazardous chemicals in the home. They even created a public service announcement to accompany the campaign with the Mr. Yuk song. “Home is full of lots of things that children shouldn’t touch. Home is full of bad things that can hurt you very much,” sang Mr. Yuk, the new replacement for skulls and crossbones to warn of poison. Now Mr. Yuk is gone, reportedly more of an attraction for kids than a deterrent. But the danger of household poisons still remains.

Erin Pallasch, pharmacist and certifi ed specialist in poison information at the Illinois Poison Center, says they receive calls every day regarding poisons around the home. “The top three things we get called on are household cleaners, cosmetic items, and over-the-counter medications or drugs prescribed to another family member. Eighty percent of the time it’s Mom calling because the child got into something around the house. The other 20 percent are from the emergency rooms themselves,” Pallasch says.

She says that things normally put in the mouth can be dangerous if not used properly. “Table salt or baking soda, even one tablespoon, can cause seizures in a child or instability in the blood, which causes horrible changes in the body and major

problems. And mouthwash contains alcohol, so it too is dangerous,” she says.

According to Pallasch, the following additional household items pose the highest threat:

• Household cleaners can cause burning and intestinal problems.

• Visine can drop blood pressure.• Cigarettes and nicotine can cause

tremors, nausea, vomiting and even seizures.

• Lamp oil and baby oil can aspirate into lungs and coat them, causing drowning.

• Muscle rubs can create aspirin toxicity from using too much, or if ingested are very dangerous.

• Antifreeze and windshield washer fl uid are dangerous, even in small doses. “People put them in bottles to store, like Gatorade bottles, and it can be deceptive and dangerous if kids are playing in the garage while Dad is working.”

On that note, Pallasch adds, “Child resistant packaging does slow down kids but they fi nd a way to get in. Plus, people hide things in other packaging all of the

time and other family members don’t know, so keep things in original

containers, locked up, and out of reach.”

For your nearest poison center, call the national hotline at 800.222.1222. –Heather Augustyn

This past summer, Chef Albert Abrams of Methodist Hospitals went to Monterey, California, to attend a produce safety seminar, which focused on everything from where produce grows to where it is processed. Abrams visited fi elds and factories to

learn how produce is planted and produced, and also attended meetings to learn about produce issues, such as sustainability. The seminar provided Abrams with valuable knowledge about food safety.

“I know for sure that the produce we receive is safe, because I saw fi rsthand how it was produced in the factories. Everything was triple washed,” says Abrams, who has been working for Methodist Hospitals for 10 months.

Produce safety is important for those in large facilities such as Methodist Hospitals, as well as in the home, and Kevin Johnson, director of food service at Methodist Hospitals, offers some tips to keep safe in the kitchen. “Hand washing is defi nitely a top priority when it comes to food-borne illnesses. Product rotation is also important. Remember ‘FIFO: First In, First Out.’ This means you want to use bananas from yesterday fi rst before bananas bought today to ensure product quality and freshness. If keeping food out for service, temperature needs to be maintained, as well as the temperature of the food storage area,” Johnson says.

The FDA also offers the following tips when preparing produce: “Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing. All produce should be thoroughly washed before eating. Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it fi rst. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended. Scrub fi rm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush” and then dry it, in order to prevent further development of bacteria. –Heather Augustyn

KEEP ITCLEANCOMMON HOUSEHOLD POISONS

ask the expert

Q: What particular stressors do women face? Women are traditionally the major caretakers for others. That can be good or bad—bad, because when it gets to the extreme, we can become overwhelmed with others’ problems. Others come to us with problems. That in itself might not be stressful, but putting others’ needs before our own too often can cause stress.

Q: That’s been true for a long time; what has changed? Many more women are in the work force, so we’ve added another facet to what we as women do. We try to balance all these things—and we’re capable of doing that—but these things can eventually lead to more stress for us. We’re dealing with the workplace, deadlines, our own performance, and what we want to be as professionals. So now we have an outside force in addition to our families and those close to us. We’re adding to the stresses that women have always had to deal with.

Q: How do women become more susceptible to stress? We sometimes don’t realize that we’re becoming overwhelmed. Women put themselves last on the list, and that makes us more susceptible. We don’t say, “No, I can’t do this for you.” We more often say “Yes,” and we don’t take care of ourselves.

Q: Why is that so important? Because there’s a lot of research showing there’s a mind/body connection. Our body responds to stress in the

same way, regardless of what the specifi c stress is—a relationship, or a deadline at work. Our bodies perceive it as a threat and release hormones that can have detrimental effects.

Q: Isn’t stress sort of inevitable? We are all going to experience stress; that’s our heritage from ancient times. What we have to do is learn how to deal with the stress, to control and minimize it.

Q: And if we don’t? When stress continues, it can cause us to have chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. It causes our immune system to become less effective, and it can facilitate the development of depression.

Q: What constitutes chronic stress? All the research I reviewed for my work in cardiac rehabilitation said stress lasting longer than two weeks can be considered chronic. It affects blood pressure, memory and higher cognitive functioning. It increases infl ammatory response in the body. Some characteristics of chronic stress are seen in something called the sickness syndrome: You may feel unwell, you may feel like you have a cold or fl u, but you don’t have the typical symptoms; there may be foggy memory or no energy.

Q: So if that’s how we feel, we can assume it’s stress? I don’t want people who feel ill to attribute it to sickness syndrome and not see a doctor. If you’re having symptoms of illness, don’t say, “Oh,

it’s just stress,” because these things can mimic an illness. You need to check with a physician.

Q: How can women de-stress? While men might use other ways, like escape activities such as golf or fi shing, women tend to care for others, and they’re also very social beings. It’s a double-edged sword, because social interaction can be good for us, but it can also stress us. Reaching out to help others, to be nurturing, can be a way of helping our stress. But at the same time, women also need to include other ways to de-stress.

Q: What are some examples of other ways? Writing poetry or journaling, putting feelings into words can alleviate stress; think about what happened today and how it bothered you. Then try to focus on the good things. If you’re fi nding it really diffi cult to untangle stress, individual therapy and support can help. To relax, take leisure time for yourself, do what you enjoy: meeting a friend for lunch, listening to relaxing music, spiritual refl ection, a cup of your favorite tea—not being responsible for another person for awhile.

Q: Relaxing doesn’t really sound that hard! It’s not hard, but you have to take the time for it. Relaxation training can help, including deep breathing, meditation, yoga, exercise, even a long, uninterrupted bath can help you relax. You have to care for yourself just like you care for others. – Julie Dean Kessler

WANDA BARNEY, RN

Getting to the root of stress

november/december 2010

16 WHAT WoMeN WANT We tackle the topics women want to know about but never admit it—from vanity to embarrassing questions to menopause.

21 BReAST CANCeR BReAKTHRoUGHS A special report on the many new developments and resources available for breast cancer patients and their loved ones.

Changes By: Michelle CurryChanges Requested: pick up ad key# 10387812 and change the pics to new ones featuring 18-23 year oldsChanges Submitted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 15:55:18

GREEN=PMS445Burgundy=PMS221

Should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

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Women want things to be easy. Somehow the female gender inherited

a massive list of responsibilities, which can be overwhelming at times. So if any of those responsibilities—especially the health-related ones—can be made easier, then we’re all for it. This issue features a plethora of advice for simplicity-seeking gals: ways to make menopause a smoother transition (page 19), a super easy way to train for a marathon (page 28), advice on how to ask your doctor embarrassing questions (page 18), and much more.

Women want less stress. Because of the aforementioned to-do list, along with overall financial and social pressures, women are feeling a boatload of stress these days—and it shows in the skin, eyes and waistline. We give ways to fight and prevent stress (page 32), plus insight on why

women tend to fear the worst—and how to keep that fear from taking over (page 14).

Women want to be pretty. This is especially true of breast cancer survivors, who may feel disconnected from their bodies or have difficulty connecting with their partners after treatment. Marylyn Rosencranz, D.o., offers some suggestions on how to overcome such struggles on page 26. You might also change your mind about exercising for the sole purpose of looking good, after reading “Health

or Vanity?” on page 17.Women want chocolate. We can’t help it, we were born with this vice. But chocolate does a whole lot more than just taste good. It also benefits our physical and emotional health. Read all about chocolate’s gratifying goodness on page 28.

Also, it’s no secret that october is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and to honor that, we’ve added a special feature dedicated to breast cancer. It’s a must-read for any woman, whether you have breast cancer or know someone who does, so check it out on page 21.

We hope this issue helps you get a little more of what you want. See you at holiday time.

Julia Perla Huismanmanaging editor


letter from the editor

The headline for our feature this month is “What Women Want.” And when brainstorming possible articles for this issue, our annual Women’s Health issue, we asked ourselves, “What do women want?” • Here’s what I think . . .

Publisher — BILL MASTERSON, JR.Associate Publisher/Editor — PAT COLANDER

Managing Editor — JULIA PERLA HUISMANDesign Director — BEN CUNNINGHAM

Designers — APRIL BURFORD, ALLy DAvISAsst. Managing Editor — KATHRyN MACNEIL

Contributing EditorsHEATHER AUGUSTyN, ASHLEy BOyER,

TyLER LENNOX BUSH, JULI DOSHAN, ROB EARNSHAw, LU ANN FRANKLIN, TERRI GORDON, SETH “TOwER” HURD,

STEvEN LONGENECKER, BONNIE MCGRATH, KATHLEEN QUILLIGAN, ERIKA ROSE, SHARON BIGGS wALLER

NiCHE PubLiCATioN SALESAccount Executives

MIKE CANE, ANDREA wALCZAK

Advertising ManagersDEB ANSELM, CHRIS LORETTO,

FRANK PEREA, JEFFREy PRECOURT

Production ManagerTOM KACIUS

Advertising DesignersRyAN BERRy, KATHy CAMPBELL, JEFF FOGG, MATT HUSS, JAyME JULIAN, DAvID MOSELE,

JACKIE MURAwSKI, JEFF OLEJNIK, KATHLEEN STEIN

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from Get Healthy magazine.

Get Healthy magazine is published six times each year by Lee Enterprises, The Times of Northwest Indiana, Niche Division, 601 w 45th Ave, Munster, IN 46321.

volume 5 | issue 6

CHeCk out nWi.Com/getHealtHy, WHere you’ll find:Our comprehensive calendar of Well-Being Events • Fresh new articles and information every day

• Health advice from local and national experts • The place to sign up for our weekly email newsletter to receive advice and ideas on nutrition, fitness, mental health and health care

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tHe emPloyment outlook for nortHWest indiana’s

HealtH Care seCtor

Growth is a trend that’s bound to continue as services evolve more efficiently, training becomes increasingly focused and the technology providing the support for the system gets smarter and smarter and pushes the workflow along.

Where are we going to get the young professionals to fill these positions? That’s a big category for all categories of employment. Brain

drain from Northwest Indiana is an old story, but it used to be you had to leave NWI to get a good job—at least here that doesn’t seem to be the case in the health services category. The health care sector is presently working diligently to recruit and prepare teachers to train the next generation of service providers.

And there are young people out there (and more and more of them are men) who are seeking to be care providers, support staff for physicians, communicators and counselors. These are the people we need to nurture and grow and support along with our great institutions of health care. Going forward we will be doing panels on job categories, speaking with representatives from various levels of service providers, while also trying to build knowledge bridges by continued open communications with the public relations specialists on our GH board.

Hope you are blessed with an active fall and much good health.

Pat ColanderassoCiate PublisHer and editor

nortHWest indiana

HealtH Care advisory CounCil

John gorski Community Healthcare System

donald fesko Community Hospital

lou molina Community Hospital

mary ann shachlett Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana

Joann birdzell St. Catherine Hospital

Janice ryba St. Mary Medical Center

gene diamond Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc.

david ruskowski

Saint Anthony Medical Center

daniel netluch, md Saint Anthony

Medical Center

Carol schuster, Cno Saint Anthony

Medical Center

thomas gryzbek St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers

Jim lipinski St. Margaret Mercy

Health Centers

James Callaghan, md Saint Anthony

Memorial Hospital

trish Webber, rn, mba Saint Anthony

Memorial Hospital

Jonathan nalli Porter Hospital

ian mcfadden Methodist Hospitals

denise dillard Methodist Hospitals

lilly veljovic Pinnacle Hospital

beverly delao Hammond Clinic

rob Jensen Hammond Clinic

C.d. egnatz Lake County Medical Society

John king, mdCrown Point

anton thompkins, md Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute

Willis glaros Employer Benefits Systems

adrianne may Hospice of the Calumet Area

debbie banik, Coo Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute

tom keilman BP

John doherty Doherty Therapeutic and Sports Medicine

dr. alex stemerMedical Specialists Center

of Indiana

Paul Chase AARP

dr. Pat bankston Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest

College of Health and Human Services, Indiana University

Northwest

Phillip a. newbolt Memorial Health System

nitin khanna, mdOrthopaedic Specialists of

Northwest Indiana

seth WarrenSt. James Hospital

and Health Centers

state representative Charlie brown

state senator ed Charbonneau

state senator earline rogers

______________

marketing and

Community relations

mylinda Cane Community

Healthcare System

angela moore St. Catherine Hospital

kelly Credit Porter Hospital

mary fetsch St. Mary Medical Center

marie forsztCommunity Hospital

Joe dejanovic Saint Anthony

Medical Center

ellen sharpe Saint Anthony

Memorial Hospital

maria ramos St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers

stacey kellogg LaPorte Regional Health System

sister m. aline shultz Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc.

Colleen Zubeck Medical Specialists Centers of Indiana

Over 60 percent of jobs in Northwest Indiana are directly related to health care, and that’s not even counting the indirectly related jobs, like the construction work associated with building the next generation of facilities needed to support the new types of care and services we will be needing as the population ages.

Head to SoulDr Platis is excited to welcome Shannon Quante, RN

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By Kathleen Quilligan

HEALTHY PRODUCTSPasta for diabetiCsA diagnosis of diabetes can be heartbreaking, especially if it means not being able to eat some of your favorite foods, such as pasta. But Dreamfields pasta encourages you to put that broken heart back together with its special-recipe pasta, formulated to be healthy for everyone. Dreamfields is a specially made pasta with about the same high fiber as whole wheat pasta and fewer digestible carbohydrates. It also has a lower glycemic index than traditional pasta, which means it breaks down more slowly and releases glucose into the bloodstream at a slower rate, making it ideal for those with diabetes. Available in shapes such as spaghetti, elbow, rotini, lasagna and angel hair, Dreamfields is available in local supermarkets as well as online at dreamfieldsfoods.com for a suggested retail price of $2.49.

safe and germ-freeThe last thing you want to do when disinfecting your hands is worry about what harmful chemicals may be in the disinfectant. That’s where CleanWell’s All-Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes come in.

Available in original and orange vanilla scents, the wipes use a formula made from plant essential oils to meet FDA standards and kill 99.99 percent of germs. The wipes are alcohol and Triclosan free, important to note because Triclosan is a synthetic chemical that when absorbed in the body can mimic or block hormones, disrupting the body’s functions. CleanWell’s All-Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes are available for $4.99 at Whole Foods Market, diapers.com, drugstore.com and cleanwelltoday.com.

emergenCy asPirin disPenserWhen suffering a heart attack, seconds count. That’s why Advent Consumer Healthcare, LLC, has developed a way to fight heart disease that fits in the palm of your hand, preventing you from having to open bottles or dig around in medicine cabinets. In August, the company rolled out the At

Heart emergency aspirin dispenser, available in CVS pharmacies for under $5, to help fight heart disease. The dispenser is only three inches, making it the perfect size to attach to a keychain or slip into a purse, making the two blister-sealed 325 mg aspirin tablets easy to access. At the first onset of heart attack symptoms, the American Heart Association recommends calling 911 and chewing on a regular strength aspirin tablet. When that aspirin tablet is readily available via the At Heart dispenser, a life could be saved. For more information about At Heart, visit at-heart.com.

read tHe HeatWant to be treated with the same technology used at Grey’s Anatomy’s Seattle Grace Hospital? Ask and you shall receive. The same thermometer used by the doctors in the popular television medical drama is available for you to check your temperature. The Exergen TemporalScanner is an infrared thermometer that reads temperatures in just two seconds by capturing the heat emitted from the skin over the temporal artery on the forehead. A red LED light and soft beep let the user know the temperature has been read correctly. The thermometer is available at stores such as Walmart, Walgreens, Costco, Babies R Us, Toys R Us and Sam’s Club for a suggested retail price of less than $50. For more information, visit temporalscanner.com.

Local Health NewsFIGHTING ARTERIAL DISEASE, SUPERBLYCommunity Hospital is the first in the region to participate in the SUPERB study, which helps fight peripheral arterial disease, a painful and debilitating condition of the arteries in the lower leg.

The study uses the SUPERA stent and is a prospective, single-arm trial of up to 258 patients at up to 40 sites across the country. The trial’s goal is to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the SUPERA stent, which uses a unique, super-elastic interwoven design. Stents are a less invasive alternative for some conditions, but problems—such as stent fracture and not enough strength and flexibility in the stent—sometimes occur with current stent technology.

The success of the trial will be determined by checking if a vessel remains open 12 months after the procedure is performed, determined by blood pressure measurements in the leg and sound waves. Peripheral arterial disease occurs when the arteries in the leg become blocked or narrowed by plaque. According to the American Heart Association, the condition affects between 8 million and 12 million Americans.

KICK THE WINTER BLUES OF FLUWith winter comes flu season, and the Indiana State Department of Health wants everyone to stay healthy by preparing for respiratory diseases.

Along with the flu, pertussis (commonly known as the whooping cough) is expected to be seen in high numbers over the winter season, thanks to a rise in the number of whooping cough cases in the state compared to 2009. Pertussis is a contagious illness caused by bacteria, usually spread by contact with an infected person’s nose or throat secretions. The disease is usually the most severe in infants, and adults with milder symptoms can transmit the disease to infants and children. Influenza is caused by viruses. Dr. Gregory Larkin, Indiana’s state health commissioner, says parents with children 6 months to 18 years old should get their children vaccinated with the flu vaccine, and adults shouldn’t shy away from the vaccine, either. Larkin also reminds everyone to wash their hands properly and frequently, cover their coughs and sneezes, and stay home from school or work if they become sick.

MEDICAL FACILITY GOES GREENFranciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster, a hospital partly owned by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc., is enhancing its energy conservation efforts and recycling program to minimize waste. The hospital has implemented a program to recycle every product possible, including bottles, paper and plastic along with alkaline batteries and fluorescent bulbs, while also utilizing reprocessed compression sleeves in the recovery room. Cleaning chemicals with the green seal of approval are also

being used. Employees are encouraged to turn off lights and nonessential equipment.

The hospital utilizes resources as part of a ministry-wide effort to raise awareness about global climate change being undertaken by the Catholic Health Association. Part of the Sisters of St. Francis Inc. network of facilities, faith and respect play a key role in how the hospital operates on a daily basis. The hospital plans to continue its environmentally friendly efforts.

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at the age of 51, Linda Stubblefield was resigned to living out her life miserably. She didn’t think she had a choice. Diagnosed some fifteen years earlier with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the Merrillville resident had been through the wringer trying to combat it. She had spent time on steroids and pain medications whose side effects were worse than the relief they provided.

She’d finally found relief through the nutraceuticals (pharmacy-grade nutritional supplements) a doctor had prescribed, but the journey had taken a toll. The previous steroids and pain meds had left her overweight. She had hypertension, was not sleeping well, and had little energy.

In a routine visit to Kelly Oney, a nurse practitioner at Innovative Women’s Health of St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, Stubblefield relayed her feelings of frustration and helplessness. Oney, part of a growing cadre of people who practice “functional” medicine, took note. “We go back to the basics of biochemistry,” she explains. “What’s the original function of the cell? How does the cell function in the organ? How do the organ systems function together?” The belief is that the body can correct itself if given the right tools.

Oney worked out a plan of diet and exercise and asked Stubblefield to work with her on it. She wanted Stubblefield to think of her food as medicine, switching out unhealthy items and replacing them with healthy ones. To help readjust her metabolism, she began a liver detoxification—a supplemental preparation combined with elimination of certain foods. “There’s quite a bit of literature out there indicating that when the body is overloaded with toxins, its entire metabolism is not efficient,” Oney says. “It’s like putting bad gasoline into the car. The whole machine can’t run well.”

Between the RA and her job as an editor, Stubblefield led a pretty sedentary life. Oney asked for twenty minutes of exercise each day. She added fish oils and other nutrients. Body fat tends to turn the body estrogen-dominant, so she monitored Stubblefield’s hormone levels, too. And, she asked for a weekly report. “What

seemed to be hard work at the beginning is such a normal lifestyle for me now,” Stubblefield says. “It’s enjoyable.”

Stubblefield has lost—and kept off—forty-two pounds in the five years since she began her “journey.” Her exercise routine is now an hour a day—a twenty-minute two-mile walk at lunch, a twenty-minute bike ride with her husband in the evening, and another twenty minutes on the treadmill. Her blood pressure is normal, her RA is under control, and she has more energy. “I don’t even care that I can’t have cake and candy anymore,” she says. “There’s a greater good, and I know how much better I feel.”

the cure seems simple enough—though simple is not always easy. “Linda changed her food intake a lot,” Oney says. “She was on a junky diet. She was getting a lot of empty calories [and] was eating a lot of white flours and sugars. These are very inflammatory to the body. My effort was toward decreasing inflammation. She has been faithful with her diet. She is a faithful exerciser. That kind of

faithfulness goes a long way.”Stubblefield, on the other hand, credits Oney’s encouragement and patience.

Taking things in small increments made them manageable. Watching herself go from a size 1X to a size 12 has been incredible. “I never thought I’d see the day of another size 12 in my life,” she says gleefully, adding that her goal is to lose another twenty-five pounds, and perhaps another size or two.

Oney is, of course, pleased with Stubblefield’s progress, and the part functional medicine played in it. “It’s pretty exciting. We are on the edge of a medicine that goes back to basics, adds the best of what we’ve learned, and looks to the future,” she says. “I don’t want to give the impression I’m anti-medicine. I’m not. We give medicine when people need medicine. I just want to help them feel better. If I can get them to make one or two changes that lead to one or two changes more, then we have an outcome like we have with Linda.” –Terri Gordon

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Thyroid Disorders in Women Common But Highly Treatable

Thyroid disorders affect some 27 million Americans, and women are five times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.

In fact, women in their reproductive years—particularly those who have recently had babies—have a higher risk of developing infectious thyroiditis or inflammation of the thyroid gland, says an area internal medicine specialist. This gland, located in the front of the neck, is an important organ of the endocrine system. It produces the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which control metabolism, or the way all cells use energy.

However, “thyroid symptoms can be very nonspecific,” says Snezana Zubic, MD, with Porter County Primary Care in Valparaiso. “There is no cookbook approach, and one size doesn’t fit all. Care needs to be personalized.”

An overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, is more unique and dramatic than hypothyroidism, or an underfunctioning thyroid gland, Zubic says, adding that both disorders need to be treated. “If you see a constellation of symptoms that can’t be explained by lifestyle changes, you should see a doctor,” she says.

The proliferation of medical information on the Internet can actually be a deterrent to proper care, Zubic says. “Patients should find a doctor they are happy with instead of coming in with a

diagnosis already in mind and a list of medications they want,” she says. “The kind of information on the Internet can mislead or guide you in the wrong direction.”

The most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are muscle weakness, trembling hands, rapid heartbeat, intolerance to heat and increased sweating, diarrhea or frequent bowel movements, irritability and anxiety, vision problems, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, weight loss and infertility. “These symptoms often cannot go unnoticed,” Zubic says.

Fatigue is also a symptom of hypothyroidism. Other common signs include mental depression, sluggishness, feeling cold, weight gain, dry skin and hair, constipation and menstrual irregularities.

A variety of treatments for thyroid disorders are available, the physician says. These include synthetic hormones, natural extracts and medications that suppress excessive hormone production. “I prefer the synthetic hormone over the natural extracts,” Zubic says. “The natural extracts show no benefits over the synthetic. In fact, the extracts are harder to dose, not as reliable and not regulated for potency.” A Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone test will ensure that the proper level of medication is being taken, she says.

“Pay attention to yourself,” Zubic advises. “Follow your inner voice and communicate with your doctor.” –Lu Ann Franklin

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it’s estimated that about half of American women get less than 70 percent of the magnesium required for good health. Magnesium, the main component of epsom

salt, is easily absorbed through the skin, which means bathing in epsom salt can help reduce inflammation, improve heart and circulatory health, flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, and help the body to eliminate harmful substances.

Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels

in the blood. Magnesium is also necessary

for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well-being and relaxation. Magnesium is

also available in the form of a supplement at Baums Natural foods, which has locations in Merrillville, Munster and St. John.

Taken daily with food, the P-5-P/Mag capsules promote immune system function, support nervous system function and offer significant benefits for heart

health—an important asset for women.

–Sharon Biggs Waller

How to avoid the pain of an unhealthy spine

mighty magnesium

A revolutionary procedure called interlaminar lumbar instru-mented fusion (ILIF) helps some people avoid painful insertion of rods and screws used to correct stenosis or compression of spinal nerves, says Nitin Khanna, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Orthopaedic Specialists of Northwest Indiana in Munster, who is pioneering the technique in Northwest Indiana.

This minimally invasive surgery uses a high-powered micro-scope, through a small incision, to visualize the compressed nerve. Once the nerve is freed from the compression, a spacer is positioned to keep the bone from pressing on the nerve again.

Patients recover much more quickly and with shorter hospital stays, Khanna says. –Lu Ann Franklin

SPINAL SURGeRY MADe eASIeR

13november/december 2010 | GET HEALTHY

Licensed clinical social worker Kass Cooper, an adult and adolescent therapist at New Leaf Resources, a professional counseling agency in Lansing, doesn’t believe that women worry any more than men. It’s just that women tend to process things externally and men process

things internally. In a nutshell, women talk about it and men keep it inside.

Her advice to women? Keep doing what you’re doing. Talk it out with a trusted confidante. Processing fears and worries by talking it out is healthy, Cooper says. Talking it out allows you to outwardly process and articulate an internal struggle, which makes for better problem solving, she says.

The only problem is that we may often have to edit and filter what we say to family and friends who may be connected to our struggles. In this case, a therapist is an objective listener who doesn’t judge or criticize. Cooper points out that a therapist can help uncover how a person came up with a particular belief system and then the real problem solving can begin.

Cooper’s female clients struggle with similar fears and worries. They commonly ask themselves, “What have I accomplished? Am I needed? Am I validated? Am I appreciated? What is my identity?”

Women also worry about their looks and aging, Cooper says. They have fears of an empty nest and marital strife that may accompany the kids’ leaving. They fear being alone or in an unhealthy relationship.

Whatever the worry, Cooper says there are some things you can do to ease anxiety and better cope with whatever you’re worried about, including maintaining balance in your life, prioritizing and taking time for yourself. Regular exercise, a balanced diet and enough sleep are also critical to keeping worries in check as well as avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption.

Above all, be a good listener when you are on the receiving end of a friend who is full of worry. “Even if you think it’s irrational fear,” Cooper says, “just listen so they feel heard . . . They get all the fears off their chest, they can take a deep breath and say, ‘Okay, thanks for listening, because I’m just really afraid.’”

Cooper says women should definitely seek professional help when their worries interfere with their daily function, mood and family or there are physical symptoms. Also, it’s a good idea to be evaluated by a professional to make sure there is no underlying depression or anxiety disorder that may be treatable with medication. –Erika Rose

on your mind


there’s a prevailing opinion that women, by nature, grapple with worry and fear more than their male counterparts. fretting about things out of their control, fearing a catastrophe, anxious about all of life’s “what ifs,” many women are occasionally guilty of feelings of impending doom. • are women truly bigger worriers? or is it that they are simply a little more out there with their fears and anxiety?

Plagued by Worry?TALK IT OUT

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For most women, implementing a healthier

lifestyle is as much a mental overhaul as it is physical. You need

motivation to work out, courage to ask your doctor embarrassing

questions, and fortitude to go through life’s

more difficult phases (read: menopause). We

talked with local experts about these obstacles,

which can be overcome with grace and ease.

womenwantwhat


THe ReAL ReASoNS WoMeN SHoULD exeRCISe

or healthvanity?

If a slimmer, sleeker physique is actually a lesser priority when you hit the gym, local experts suggest, you might actually stick with it longer and end up making more headway in the vanity department, too.

Julia Ladewski, a performance coach at Parisi Speed School, located at Omni 41 Health and Fitness Connection in Schererville, says discontent with the way their body looks is what draws women to the gym initially, but ultimately, it’s the mental benefits that keep them coming back. She says “every single woman” she talks to experiences more energy, more patience and less stress in her daily life with regular exercise.

Ladewski offers a program called “Women and Weight,” which helps women shed misconceptions, avoid boredom, and, ultimately, increase their body’s at-rest calorie burning ability through resistance training.

Dr. Candice Yu-Fleming, a family practice physician with Porter Health System, sees exercise as a potential cure for many of her patients’ health problems, though they are often reluctant to accept it. “You don’t want to go to the doctor and have them tell you what your best friend is already telling you or what your husband is telling you,” she says. Yet after ruling out an underlying condition like depression or a hormonal deficiency, Yu-Fleming often tells her patients to exercise to get them out of a funk. “Exercise is kind of like an antidepressant,” she says.

If a happier, less stressed, more energized self isn’t enough reason to get moving, Yu-Fleming also cites huge benefits for one’s bones, brain and heart. “What we don’t realize is that bone goes through breakdown and buildup over time,” she says. “The more you use your bones, the more your body realizes, ‘Okay, we need to keep building up.’” This means giving your bones weight to bear, like through resistance training or walking.

As for the brain, Yu-Fleming says studies have shown exercise plays a role in reducing brain atrophy with age and improving memory. Of course, the heart and the need for cardiovascular activity gets ample attention, but it bears repeating. “The heart certainly is in the center of our chest for a reason,” she says. “It is in charge of spreading out all the oxygen and nutrients. It is a muscle, a large muscle. Just like any muscle, the more you work it out, the bigger it is and the more efficient it becomes.”

The bottom line is that women need to stop viewing exercise as a guilty pleasure and start seeing it as necessary for health, happiness and longevity. “You sleep better. You wake up happier,” Yu-Fleming says. “You probably will look at things a lot differently. You probably don’t react to things with as much negativism.” –Erika Rose

What is the number one reason women start working out? Most likely it’s to lose weight, tone up and look great. • Here’s a wild idea: why not start exercising for your happiness, your stress level, your bones, brain, heart, immune system, and a longer life?

Questionsyou’re

AfrAidAre you embarrassed? A lot of women do shrink away from asking questions like the ones to the left when they visit their doctor, according to Karen Keltner, marketing and communication manager at Porter Health System in Valparaiso. In fact, the foregoing questions were culled from many embarrassing questions Porter doctors receive on a regular basis, and were compiled recently (along with the answers) in an issue of Porter’s StayHealthy magazine.

But what are patients—and more importantly, their doctors—supposed to do when embarrassing questions are on women’s minds? Should doctors try to draw them out and answer them? Should women refrain from asking these kinds of questions to

“save face”—even if it means ignoring potential health problems that worry

them? And, most importantly, is there a way for doctors

to create an atmosphere where women feel totally comfortable asking about absolutely anything?

Dr. Pamela Goodwin-Cole, who practices internal medicine in Griffith, says many of her female

patients will sheepishly bring up embarrassing questions

at the end of their exam. And many of those questions have

to do with incontinence. Goodwin-Cole says she calmly explains the reasons: lowered estrogen, which thins the bladder wall; less muscular support of the bladder, often due to hysterectomy; over-hydrating with too many fluids, including too much alcohol or coffee; and even possible neurological problems.

“Many women are also embarrassed to discuss depression,” Goodwin-Cole says. “They feel it is a sign of weakness and they want to appear strong. They see it as a stigma, and want to feel that they can handle all the problems in life.”

Goodwin-Cole says it’s important to create a comfortable and talkative environment, and to be on the lookout for uneasiness during the whole exam with a patient, so that embarrassing questions are more likely to be presented and answered. And she has found that sometimes a somewhat “objective” approach can be implemented in order for embarrassing questions to be asked—and answered.

She uses medical history questionnaires, which she feels can be very significant in getting women to talk about what is really on their minds. Goodwin-Cole presents lists of questions for patients suffering from particular conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, as well. Patients can easily check off areas in which they feel they have problems, and that often leads to embarrassing questions, including often buried queries about all of the medications a patient is taking.

All in all, this checklist approach will often move right into topics that cause patients to be nervous and aloof, according to Goodwin-Cole, from foot odor to constipation to hemorrhoids.

Sometimes, though, a doctor’s experience is very important. “There are some topics that patients won’t talk about,” Goodwin-Cole says, “unless I talk about them first.” –Bonnie McGrath

askDr. Pamela Goodwin-Cole

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Dr. Lovera Miller, who started practicing obstetrics and gynecology in 1977—several years before her husband entered medical school and became an anesthesiologist—used to come home with all kinds of stories about

women coping with menopause. The stories made an impression on the couple, and somewhere in the back of their minds, through their years of medical practice and raising two daughters, they planned to write about it.

Thirty years later, they sat down together and began writing the book they always had in mind: Womenopause—Stop Pausing and Start Living [O-Books]. In the new book, they lay out a fairly com-monsense approach to living a happy, healthy and productive life before, during and after menopause. (Approximately 6,000 women reach menopause every day, they say.)

They claim that men like the book as well as women in terms of learning about productive ways to understand and help the women in their lives. And on a recent media tour to promote the book, more than half the callers during radio show inter-views were men.

Basically, the book gives advice on ways to prevent illnesses that often accompany female aging, from osteoporosis and dementia to diabetes and depres-sion. The best way to start, the doctors recommend, is with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. And perhaps the best way to reduce hot flashes? Dress in layers, use a fan, dunk your hands in cold water and go outside. Vaginal dryness? Start by applying mineral oil, they advise. It all does sound easy.

But all in all, the doctors admit it might not all be that simple. In fact, the couple does believe strongly in what used to be called “hormone re-placement therapy,” which has been controversial in recent years. Now called “menopausal hormone therapy (MHT),” Dr. Lovera Miller explains that the study that so abruptly gave such therapy a bad name was faulty.

“They started women in that study on the hor-mones after the age of 65, and women of that age are not candidates for starting this type of medication,” she says. “It has to start sometime within 10 years of menopause in order to work properly. If they ever conduct a study like this again, they have to do it very differently.”

The couple says death and illness decrease dra-matically for women who utilize hormone therapy, administered at the right time in their lives.

In addition, successful hormone therapy is not to be taken by mouth, say the couple, but rather should be administered in a number of other ways—a patch on the stomach, a gel, a spray, even a ring within the vagina.

There are very few women who should avoid MHT, say the doctors. Women with undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, breast cancer, liver disease and recent strokes or heart attacks would not be suitable candidates—but for other women, the doctors insist that MHT does improve the quality and longevity of life. –Bonnie McGrath

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It’s not often that doctors will tell you that you can help yourself better than they can. But two LaPorte doctors, Dr. Lovera and Dr. David Miller, a married couple who are experts on the topic of menopause, will tell you just that—when it comes to women facing “the change.”

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The campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer has been a successful one, and the general public is perhaps more educated about this form of cancer than any other. As a result, much research has been done on the disease that affects 1 in 8 women. In this special section, Get Healthy is happy to report the groundbreaking developments and resources available locally that lead to recovery and longer life.

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THe HeReDITY BATTLe

Television commercials about genetic testing available only in recent years prey on this fear, urging women to find out whether they’ve inherited a harmful mutation on genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2.

According to the latest statistics, in the general population, about one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and the vast majority of those are not the result of a genetic disposition. However, for women who do carry a mutation on one of these genes, the risk of developing breast cancer by age 70 is 70 percent, and the risk for developing ovarian cancer by age 70 is 40 percent.

With numbers like that, it’s no wonder these genetic tests are getting so much attention. But is testing appropriate for everyone and is determining one’s genetic predisposition and knowing how to respond to the results really as simple as the TV commercials make it sound?

Dr. Janice Zunich, director of the Genetics Center at Indiana University School of Medicine–Northwest, located at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, discusses the complexities involved in testing, why it’s so critical to seek genetic counseling before testing and why, despite the small percentage of women this affects, the ability to identify a gene mutation is overwhelmingly significant.

POSSIBLE ANSWERS, OPTIONS TO CONSIDERZunich says the test will yield one of three answers: First, a woman could test positive for a “deleterious mutation,” which means a mutation that is certain to cause harm. A positive result yields many options, including increased, early surveillance with mammogram and breast MRI; and medications such as tamoxifen, which has shown to significantly reduce the development and recurrence of breast cancer. Zunich says removing both breasts in this case can reduce

a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by 96 percent. Removing both ovaries and tubes reduces her risk of ovarian cancer by 94 percent with an additional 50 percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer if she does this before age 40.

Another test result could be a “variance of unknown significance,” which Zunich says is very confusing. It means there has been a change in the gene, but it is not clear if the change will do harm or not. Ninety percent of the time, the change is found to be benign.

The third answer is the one everyone desires: “negative,” but this is possibly the most frustrating and confusing answer of all. In fact, Zunich warns that without an extensive look into a family’s pedigree, a negative result could be meaningless.

As one example, take a young woman whose mother and a few aunts all died of breast cancer at a very young age. Her negative result means nothing if it is unknown whether the gene mutation had been present in the family members she lost.

“This is why I’m so concerned about direct-to-consumer testing,” Zunich says. “Because there will be women who have these awful family histories who will get negative test results and think they are safe,

[so they’ll] stop screening or not do the increased screening that we normally would recommend for them. They’ll think they are alright, but you haven’t proven that.”

Because of all these scenarios, Zunich emphasizes how critical it is for women to seek genetic counseling up front. “The best thing is to hook up with a genetics professional who can look at your personal medical history, your personal family history and determine, does it appear that there is a hereditary family cancer syndrome present and then who would be the best person to test,” Zunich says.

The test, performed at only one laboratory in Utah, costs more than $3,000. Therefore, only those with a compelling reason to look into one’s risk are tested. Determining just who is at risk involves many factors, many of which risk-calculating computer models can’t extrapolate.

REAPING THE BENEFITSA few years ago, dramatic proof came out that removing the breasts and/or ovaries could reduce the risk of the disease by 96 and 94 percent. And in the past, a woman with an alarming family history might decide to remove her breasts or ovaries just because of fear. But with BRCA1 and 2 testing, that decision can be made based on evidence rather than fear alone.

“Now, you can look at [a patient’s family history], you can test to see if there is a mutation present, and now the woman does not run and get those bilateral prophylactic mastectomies just because she is scared,” Zunich says. “Now she knows, ‘If I carry the mutation, this is a good option for me, but if I don’t, I don’t have to do this.’

“Now I can actually empower my patients. Okay, she had breast cancer at 37, but if I find it is because of a mutation, instead of having a lumpectomy, she may choose mastectomy . . . or she may choose in-creased surveillance. And when it comes to ovaries, if

she is done with them, she can now choose to take them out, reduce her risk for ovarian cancer. And that was something I didn’t have for her before.”

Zunich adds, “By identifying those women with mutations, identifying who is at risk, we are offering them options that will allow them to have essentially the very same lifespan they would have had if they didn’t have a mutation. Now, that is a statement.” –Erika Rose

The alarming prevalence of breast cancer in the population has women frightened, but perhaps none more affected than those who’ve watched a close friend or relative do battle with the disease, leaving them wondering, Can this happen to me, too?

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Roughly one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. With that kind of prevalence, efforts to step up research for a cure and campaigns for early detection are exploding.

But the fight is giving rise to another industry—the fashion-

meets-function needs of women who have undergone a mastectomy.

Slattery’s Health Appliance Center in Highland and ABC Medical Services in Lansing are two suppliers that provide women with breast prostheses, bras, compression garments and more, but with a woman-to-woman touch.

ABC’s co-owner Deborah Parra, a registered nurse, has been trained as a certified mastectomy fitter and

will sit for the exam this fall. In the privacy of her office, she shows women their options in a one-hour consultation. Basic products are covered by many insurance plans and Medicare.

Certified mastectomy fitter Judy Bradshaw of Slattery’s says that in recent years post-mastectomy bras have become available in lacy, racy, pretty, colorful styles, even with matching panties. There are bathing suits and camisoles, too. “A lot of this stuff wasn’t readily available even a couple of years ago,” Parra says.

Parra says technology of breast prostheses continues to improve, with lighter silicone and liquid silicone for prostheses and improvements that address body temperature, moisture and all the issues that arise for women wearing prostheses.

Women can now get special camisoles to wear immediately following their surgery that are made of

stretchy material that can be stepped into because the arms can’t be immediately lifted overhead. Special pouched garments also enable surgical drains to be contained inside the blouse.

Bradshaw makes it a priority to put the women at ease, during what can be a psychologically difficult time. “They look at themselves and feel like they are whole again,” Bradshaw says. –Erika Rose

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We know that your time is as valuable as your health. That’s why Methodist Hospitals offerssame-day mammogram screening appointments and convenient hours at both NorthwestIndiana campuses. We also know that the early detection and treatment of breast cancerbegins with regular mammography screenings. Recognized by the American College ofSurgeons as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center every year since 1974, MethodistHospitals offers digital screening mammograms at both campuses. In October, those paidwith cash, check or charge card are just $99. Call 219-981-5440 to schedule yourappointment. Walk-ins are welcome, too. Methodist: Leading the way to better health.

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Don’t let breast cancer catch you by surprise.catch you by surprise.Mammogram ScreeningOctober Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer. But statistics show more women survive this diagnosis when it is detected and treated early. If you are 40 or older, or are considered to be at risk, the American Cancer Society recommends a screening mammogram each year. Do it for yourself. Do it for your family. Do it now.

Please call 219.263.4999 to schedule your mammogram today. For more information, visit www.porterhealth.com.

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A physician order is not required, but you must provide your physician’s name when you make an appointment. If you do not have a physician, a list will be provided for your selection. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician and follow-up is the patient’s responsibility.

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Getting through breast cancer treatment is a milestone. The

physical aspects of cancer are becoming a distant memory, but somehow the emotional side effects linger. Although medicine has improved in huge measures, with women surviving up to 30 years longer, sexual health and the well being of

women survivors remains uncharted. Often women feel disconnected

from their bodies after treatment, and many report

feelings of low self-image and difficulty reconnecting with their partners.

Marylyn Rosencranz, D.O., of the Indiana Breast Center in Crown Point, says a good support system is very important in allaying self-esteem issues. “It also depends upon the woman’s age and if she’s married,” she says. “A girl in her twenties without a partner is going to have more self-esteem issues, because she doesn’t have anyone telling her she’s beautiful no matter what. And then when she meets someone new, she’s going to have to share that part of her. If someone has a strong, kind partner or even family and friends who believe she is beautiful no matter what, she’s going to have few problems.”

Dr. Rosencranz says she recommends plastic reconstruction, which can be done immediately, for women undergoing mastectomies. “They can look and feel good about themselves then right away. It’s not such an issue with lumpectomies, because surgeons have those down pat these days and there are no deformities.” –Sharon Biggs Waller

Mind GamesDealing with the emotional side effects of breast cancer

GET HEALTHY ONLINE:To read more about exciting breakthroughs in breast cancer treatment, please visit nwitimes.com/gethealthy.

The American Cancer Society thanks the Northwest Indiana community for supporting the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events in October.

Funds raised from this inspiring event support the lifesaving work of the American Cancer Society. Your donations enable us to offer free services to breast cancer patients in our community including Reach to Recovery®

which pairs trained breast cancer survivors with people facing the disease to offer hope, knowledge, and moral support and Look Good…Feel Better® which helps patients cope with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.

There is still time to contribute to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Visit cancer.org/stridesonline or call 219-793-1030 to help us save more lives and create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays.

©2010 American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division, Inc.

Cheryl Short M.D., FACOG

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An alternative way to run a marathon

Why do women love chocolate so much? In addition to the fact that it’s just so fabulous tasting, medical research has shown that chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains the mild mood elevator phenylethylamine (PeA).

“That’s the one that’s released in your brain when you fall in love,” says Tina Buck, owner of the Chocolate Garden in Coloma, Michigan. “And chocolate is loaded with this. New studies come out all the time about properties of chocolate, not only for emotional health but physical as well. one study [conducted at the University of Helsinki, finland, in 2004] showed that pregnant women who ate chocolate every day had happy babies that smiled and laughed more.”

Another study in Sweden showed that middle-aged and elderly women who regularly ate a small amount of chocolate (one to two servings per week) had lower risks of heart failure.

It’s important to note that the higher density dark chocolate is the better choice, because it’s not as sugary nor is it as calorie-dense as the milk chocolate.

Buck says the popular belief that guys don’t like chocolate is a myth. “We are [located] down the road from a winery and women will often say, ‘I was dead set on the winery but he insisted on the Chocolate Garden first.’ Men are just as passionate about chocolate!” –Sharon Biggs Waller

Running a marathon seems to be on many people’s “bucket list,” but for most of us, it remains unchecked. Several of the reasons why people never try include time, knowledge, injuries

and motivation. The Galloway Run-Walk-Run method is a

revolutionary way of running that not only gets runners through a marathon, but in a way that’s injury-free, fun and even fast. The founder, Jeff Galloway, is one of the premier experts on running in the United States. A member of the 1972 Olympic team and a top finisher in prominent U.S. races, Galloway began this new way of training runners after his father asked him to develop a running program for him. He suggested his dad walk a little, then run a little.

“The big difference is that a Galloway marathoner can have a life outside of running,” says Ed Burns, program director for Jeff Galloway Productions, Indiana. Burns, from Valparaiso, has been an avid marathon runner since the ’80s, but found he was sustaining too many injuries. He discovered the Galloway method in 2005 and has

run 23 marathons since then, all injury-free.

“Most marathon runners have a five-day training

schedule,”

Burns says. “Galloway is three days—two shorter runs and one long run. The two short runs are from 30 to 40 minutes. The long run starts at 3 miles and we slowly work up to 26 to 29 miles. We suggest cross-training in between, such as walking or biking. Our fastest runners finish a marathon in around three and a half hours. Most runners average four and a half to six hours.”

To determine the run/walk ratio, a runner determines his “magic mile.” Run hard for one mile and then use the time to predict long-distance time. The run/walk ratio corresponds to the training pace used. For instance, a 10-minute mile equals 3 minutes running followed by one minute walking. No speed walking in between. The object is to recover.

Galloway runners stay fresher throughout the run, because different muscles are used in walking and running. The same muscle used repeatedly creates fatigue. When you change, you give the muscles a chance to rest and recover. Galloway runners find they can pick up speed toward the end of the race when others are slowing down. And many runners recover quickly after a run.

The Galloway method embraces runners of all fitness levels and all ages. The Indiana program is on a 29-week schedule, culminating with the Chicago Marathon and benefiting the charity Opportunity Enterprises. The Galloway method can be used for shorter races or for general fitness running. –Sharon Biggs Waller

foR MoRe INfoRMATIoNRunners can find information as well as e-coaching and pace calculators at jeffgalloway.com.

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In the 1970s, the Pittsburgh Poison Center created Mr. Yuk, a chartreuse-green colored sticker depicting an icon, tongue sticking out, to place on hazardous chemicals in the home. They even created a public service announcement to accompany the campaign with the Mr. Yuk song. “Home is full of lots of things that children shouldn’t touch. Home is full of bad things that can hurt you very much,” sang Mr. Yuk, the new replacement for skulls and crossbones to warn of poison. Now Mr. Yuk is gone, reportedly more of an attraction for kids than a deterrent. But the danger of household poisons still remains.

Erin Pallasch, pharmacist and certified specialist in poison information at the Illinois Poison Center, says they receive calls every day regarding poisons around the home. “The top three things we get called on are household cleaners, cosmetic items, and over-the-counter medications or drugs prescribed to another family member. Eighty percent of the time it’s Mom calling because the child got into something around the house. The other 20 percent are from the emergency rooms themselves,” Pallasch says.

She says that things normally put in the mouth can be dangerous if not used properly. “Table salt or baking soda, even one tablespoon, can cause seizures in a child or instability in the blood, which causes horrible changes in the body

and major problems. And mouthwash contains alcohol, so it too is dangerous,” she says.

According to Pallasch, the following additional household items pose the highest threat:

• Household cleaners can cause burning and intestinal problems.

• Visine can drop blood pressure.• Cigarettes and nicotine can cause

tremors, nausea, vomiting and even seizures.

• Lamp oil and baby oil can aspirate into lungs and coat them, causing drowning.

• Muscle rubs can create aspirin toxicity from using too much, or if ingested are very dangerous.

• Antifreeze and windshield washer fluid are dangerous, even in small doses. “People put them in bottles to store, like Gatorade bottles, and it can be deceptive and dangerous if kids are playing in the garage while Dad is working.”

On that note, Pallasch adds, “Child resistant packaging does slow down kids but they find a way to get in. Plus, people hide

things in other packaging all of the time and other family members

don’t know, so keep things in original containers, locked up, and out of reach.”

For your nearest poison center, call the national hotline at

800.222.1222. –Heather

Augustyn

This past summer, Chef Albert Abrams of Methodist Hospitals went to Monterey, California, to attend a produce safety seminar, which focused on everything from where produce grows to where it is processed. Abrams visited fields and factories to

learn how produce is planted and produced, and also attended meetings to learn about produce issues, such as sustainability. The seminar provided Abrams with valuable knowledge about food safety.

“I know for sure that the produce we receive is safe, because I saw firsthand how it was produced in the factories. Everything was triple washed,” says Abrams, who has been working for Methodist Hospitals for 10 months.

Produce safety is important for those in large facilities such as Methodist Hospitals, as well as in the home, and Kevin Johnson, director of food service at Methodist Hospitals, offers some tips to keep safe in the kitchen. “Hand washing is definitely a top priority when it comes to food-borne illnesses. Product rotation is also important. Remember ‘FIFO: First In, First Out.’ This means you want to use bananas from yesterday first before bananas bought today to ensure product quality and freshness. If keeping food out for service, temperature needs to be maintained, as well as the temperature of the food storage area,” Johnson says.

The FDA also offers the following tips when preparing produce: “Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing. All produce should be thoroughly washed before eating. Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it first. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended. Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush” and then dry it, in order to prevent further development of bacteria. –Heather Augustyn

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he physicians at Community Spine and Neurosurgery Institute use their vast experience in neurosurgery to help diagnose and treat disorders of the nervous system affecting the whole body; the spine, brain, hands, legs, arms and face. Neurosurgeons Marc Levin, MD, Wayel Kaakaji, MD, and

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ask the expert

Q: What particular stressors do women face?Women are traditionally the major caretakers for others. That can be good or bad—bad, because when it gets to the extreme, we can become overwhelmed with others’ problems. Others come to us with problems. That in itself might not be stressful, but putting others’ needs before our own too often can cause stress.

Q: that’s been true for a long time; what has changed? Many more women are in the work force, so we’ve added another facet to what we as women do. We try to balance all these things—and we’re capable of doing that—but these things can eventually lead to more stress for us. We’re dealing with the workplace, deadlines, our own performance, and what we want to be as professionals. So now we have an outside force in addition to our families and those close to us. We’re adding to the stresses that women have always had to deal with.

Q: How do women become more susceptible to stress? We sometimes don’t realize that we’re becoming overwhelmed. Women put themselves last on the list, and that makes us more susceptible. We don’t say, “No, I can’t do this for you.” We more often say “Yes,” and we don’t take care of ourselves.

Q: Why is that so important? Because there’s a lot of research showing there’s a mind/body connection. Our body responds to stress in

the same way, regardless of what the specific stress is—a relationship, or a deadline at work. Our bodies perceive it as a threat and release hormones that can have detrimental effects.

Q: isn’t stress sort of inevitable? We are all going to experience stress; that’s our heritage from ancient times. What we have to do is learn how to deal with the stress, to control and minimize it.

Q: and if we don’t? When stress continues, it can cause us to have chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. It causes our immune system to become less effective, and it can facilitate the development of depression.

Q: What constitutes chronic stress? All the research I reviewed for my work in cardiac rehabilitation said stress lasting longer than two weeks can be considered chronic. It affects blood pressure, memory and higher cognitive functioning. It increases inflammatory response in the body. Some characteristics of chronic stress are seen in something called the sickness syndrome: You may feel unwell, you may feel like you have a cold or flu, but you don’t have the typical symptoms; there may be foggy memory or no energy.

Q: so if that’s how we feel, we can assume it’s stress? I don’t want people who feel ill to attribute it to sickness syndrome and not see a doctor. If you’re having symptoms of illness, don’t

say, “Oh, it’s just stress,” because these things can mimic an illness. You need to check with a physician.

Q: How can women de-stress? While men might use other ways, like escape activities such as golf or fishing, women tend to care for others, and they’re also very social beings. It’s a double-edged sword, because social interaction can be good for us, but it can also stress us. Reaching out to help others, to be nurturing, can be a way of helping our stress. But at the same time, women also need to include other ways to de-stress.

Q: What are some examples of other ways?Writing poetry or journaling, putting feelings into words can alleviate stress; think about what happened today and how it bothered you. Then try to focus on the good things. If you’re finding it really difficult to untangle stress, individual therapy and support can help. To relax, take leisure time for yourself, do what you enjoy: meeting a friend for lunch, listening to relaxing music, spiritual reflection, a cup of your favorite tea—not being responsible for another person for awhile.

Q: relaxing doesn’t really sound that hard!It’s not hard, but you have to take the time for it. Relaxation training can help, including deep breathing, meditation, yoga, exercise, even a long, uninterrupted bath can help you relax. You have to care for yourself just like you care for others. –Julie Dean Kessler

WANDA BARNeY, RN

Getting to the root of stress

When did life go from being a rush to being in a rush? As women’s roles have become more complex, the likelihood of becoming overwhelmed with responsibilities has increased, says Wanda barney, rN, program manager of behavior

health services at St. catherine Hospital in east chicago. barney, who recently received a doctorate in clinical psychology, says women face factors that leave them susceptible to stress—and chronic stress can take a serious

physical toll. Here, barney explains the risks of stress and how to de-stress for a healthier—and happier—life.

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