Issue 162 September 2017 Myrtle Beach, South …...1 Issue 162 September 2017 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577 “It’s great to be alive – and to help others!” President: Dan

1

Issue 162 September 2017

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577

“It’s great to be alive – and to help others!”

President: Dan Dallaire (704) 796-0628

Pres. Emeritus: Roger Brewster (843) 281-9808

Vice President: Ruth Keilen (843) 685-3378

Hospital Liaison: Jamie Herman (843) 692-1885

Secretary: Sunday Reiser (843) 685-7680

Treasurer: Bob May (843) 742-5085

Sunshine Committee: Angela Pride (803) 341-2811

Visiting Captain: Dennis Tummino (843) 236-7369

Greeter: Bob Kilby (864) 542- 4487

Speaker Scheduler: Allen Migliaccio (843) 390-4272

Newsletter Editor: Mary Lou O’Brien (843) 742-5085

Inspiring hope and improving

the quality of life for heart

patients and their families

through ongoing peer-to-peer

support

*If you have information

of interest to our members for our

next newsletter, you can call me at

(843) 742-5085 or email me at

[email protected]

2

Dear Mended Hearts members:

Here we are in September, the year is rolling along quickly and the AHA Heart Walk will be here in

October. Our email reaches over 1,000 people. Can you imagine if each person donated just $2. Let’s all chip

in and support our chapter. Our goal is to eliminate HEART Disease.

This is a request for all future generations. Research is required but like everything else cost is an issue.

Below is a link to our donation page. I set our goal at $450 but would love to surpass it. Let’s stand up and be

counted by supporting this great cause.

Thank you all in advance for your support. Hope to see a lot of you at our September 11th

meeting.

Michelle Bessett will be discussing the Heart Walk.

Here is the link.

http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=2434&pg=team&team_id=253133&s_hasSecureSession=true

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” - Randy Pausch

Monthly Visits GSMC

August:

Patients: 75 Families: 35

Days Missed: 0

a.m.

Mended Hearts Meetings

for September and October

Mon. September 11, 2017

Mon. October 9, 2017

11:30 a.m. at Mercy Care east on 82nd, R. on Nigels, L. on Devon Ct.

Our President’s Letter for September 2017

Mended Hearts Member Birthdays

September

9/26 – Robert May

October

10/03 - Mary Lou O’Brien

10/4 - Ken Kushen

10/17 - Mary Lou Bates

Photo: Donation of 20 scales to Grand Strand

Heart Failure Clinic at GSMC from Mended

Hearts Chapter 117. Accepting the donation from

is Jeff Weeden. The scales will be given to

patients in need.

Dan Dallaire, President MH Chapter 117

Myrtle Beach, SC

3

South Strand/Georgetown Satellite of Mended

Hearts Chapter 117

will hold its monthly meetings at 12 noon on the

fourth Tuesday of the month at Tidelands Health

Waccamaw Hospital, Murrells Inlet (1st floor

classroom). For more information contact Ruth

Keilen at (843) 685-3378 or by email at

[email protected].

Contact Information for your Mended Hearts

Mid-Atlantic RD and ARD:

Gerald H. Kemp, Jr.

Assistant Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic Region

215 Oakwood Ave., York, SC 29745

Tel: (803) 684-9512

[email protected]

Bill Carter

Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic Region

2222 Cardigan Drive, Aiken, SC 29803

Tel: (803) 270-2496

[email protected]

The Horry County Literacy Council is in

the process of moving to its permanent location at

923 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach on the First

United Methodist Church campus.

Training is available for volunteers who

wish to tutor those who have a learning disability

such as dyslexia or for those who want to learn to

speak English. For more information email

[email protected]. Volunteering extends your

lifetime!

Don’t forget to Save-the-Date for the 2017

Waccamaw Heart & Stroke Walk!

To sign up to walk, click on this link:

http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=2434&pg=team&team_i

d=253133&s_hasSecureSession=true

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Festival Starts at 8:30am I Walk Starts

at 10:00am I Activities thru 1:00pm

North Myrtle Beach Park &

Sports Complex

FREE PARKING!!

MICHELLE BESSETT

Director of Development - Waccamaw Heart & Stroke Walk

1113 44th Avenue N Suite 200I Myrtle Beach SC 29577

[email protected] I www.heart.org

P 843-282-2903 I F 843-626-2856

My dad is why

SAVE THE DATES:

October 21, 2017 – Waccamaw Heart & Stroke Walk

(November 1-5, 2017 – AHA Beach Ride)

4

At-Home Exercise Program Helps

Treat Chronic Fatigue

A simple self-help program that encourages

exercise provides relief and improves physical

function.

A simple self-help

program that encourages

walking and exercise

provides symptom relief

for patients with chronic

fatigue, based on results

of a study published in

The Lancet.

Known as the GETSET trial (Graded

Exercise Therapy Guided Self-help Trial), this

study explored the added benefits of a low-cost

exercise program as part of treatment for chronic

fatigue. The goal was to see whether an at-home

exercise program, rather than a more costly

intensive program, is both safe and effective for

patients with chronic fatigue.

Chronic fatigue is characterized by

unexplained, disabling fatigue and affects up to

2.6% of the U.S. population.

The GETSET trial was conducted from

2012–2014 and included 211 adults treated for

chronic fatigue at two clinics in the UK. To qualify,

patients had to have at least four months of

unexplained fatigue and at least one of ten common

symptoms, including difficulty sleeping, headaches,

cognitive dysfunction, flu-like symptoms, painful

lymph nodes, sore throat, worsening symptoms with

physical or mental exertion, dizziness or nausea,

heart palpitations and muscle or joint pain.

For three months, half of participants were

assigned to standard treatment, while the remaining

half received standard treatment plus a self-help

exercise program. The self-help program included a

booklet describing a graded exercise program, as

well as four visits with a physical therapist. During

these visits, therapists provided guidance on

exercise and helped answer any questions

participants had. To help minimize costs, the first

session was offered in person, while the three

additional visits were offered by phone or skype.

Overall, the self-help program encouraged

starting a daily routine, stretching, choosing a new

type of physical activity, and increasing the activity

in duration and intensity over the course of twelve

weeks. It also advised patients to maintain, rather

than increase their physical activity, for a period of

time if their fatigue worsened.

After tracking participants’ health over the

course of the study, researchers found that the self-

help program helped significantly reduce symptoms

of fatigue compared to standard care. The self-help

program also significantly improved participants’

overall physical function and was just as safe as

standard care.

What findings show, according to authors, is

that self-care may be a useful addition to standard

treatment for chronic fatigue. Not only is the

program lower cost than more intensive programs, it

was both safe and effective for participants in this

study. Authors hope findings promote future

research to further evaluate self-care programs and

help improve treatment for patients with chronic

fatigue.

Question for You to Consider

What is fatigue?

Fatigue is often described as extreme tiredness

and can affect either physical health, mental

health, or both. Most often, fatigue is caused by a

number of factors such as diet or lack of sleep

and exercise. In some cases, however, fatigue

may be a sign of underlying conditions, such as

depression, sleep apnea, heart disease and

diabetes. It’s important to discuss feelings of

fatigue with a doctor to help identify the cause

and relieve symptoms.

Find this CardioSmart article and more cardiologist-reviewed

news, patient tools, and videos at www.CardioSmart.org.

New Food Nutrition Labels

Now List Added Sugars'

The useful nutrition labels on foods now

contain a new element: Added Sugars.

The listing now allows consumers to tell

how much sugar is naturally occurring and how

much is added.

This can be important when comparing

products.

One example,

according to the Tufts

University Health &

Nutrition Letter: Compare

12 ounces of lemon-lime

5

soda to 100 percent pineapple juice. Twelve ounces

of either drink contain 38 grams of sugar. The

difference is that all of the sugar in soda is added,

while the pineapple juice contains all naturally

occurring sugars that are also good sources of

vitamin C, Thiamin, folate and vitamin B6.

The information can also help with food

choices. Higher intake of added sugars has been

associated with heart disease and metabolic

syndrome, according to Alice Lichtenstein of Tufts.

So you want to keep your consumption of

added sugars low. On the new labels, you will be

able to see the percentage of daily value of the

added sugars. If the value of added sugar is 5

percent or less, it is a low-sugar food. If the value is

20 percent or more, it is a high sugar food.

It's a good idea to limit the added sugars to

less than 10 percent of daily calories.

In evaluating nutrition, first look for the

total gram weight of sugar in the product. Below

that total sugar number you will find the amount of

sugar that was added. So a product with a total of

12 grams of sugar might be comprised of 10 grams

of added sugar. This means that only 2 grams of

sugar naturally occur in the product itself.

Added sugars are not just cane sugar, but

also ingredients like concentrated fruit juices, maple

syrup, molasses and even honey -- anything that is

added to the food to create extra sweetness. These

always raise the calorie count but may not

necessarily add nutrition. Pages: September issue

15 Active Minutes a Day for Longer Life

Exercising just 15 minutes a day increases life

expectancy by 3 years.

Doctors recommend at least

150 minutes of physical

activity each week to

promote good health.

Regular physical activity

has been shown to have numerous health benefits,

including reduced risk for heart disease and heart

attack. So whether you’re cleaning your house or

going for a run, engaging in at least 150 minutes of

any type of physical activity has been proven to be

beneficial to your health.

But what about those who exercise less than

the recommended 150 minutes each week? Do they

achieve any health benefits, or is it all or nothing?

A study published in medical journal The

Lancet followed over 416,000 individuals for an

average of 8 years to see if engaging in some

physical activity (92 minutes/week or 15

minutes/day) was associated with any health

benefits. They found that exercising for just 15

minutes each day helps reduce risk for death by

14% and increases life expectancy by 3 years. And,

for every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise,

risk for death decreased by 4%.

Based on these findings, those people

exercising less than the recommended 150 minutes

each week still benefit from physical activity.

Although risk for death, among other health

conditions, decreases with increased physical

activity, this study helps reinforce the saying that

“some is better than none.” Whether you fit 15, 30,

or 45 minutes of activity into your daily life, every

bit counts and can help improve your cardiovascular

and overall health.

Questions for You to Consider

What is the difference between physical

activity and exercise?

Physical activity is any type of movement that

causes your muscles to exert energy. Exercise, on

the other hand, is a planned and repetitive

movement sustained for a prolonged period of

time. Both physical activity and exercise get the

body moving, helping to burn fat and promote

good health.

Do those getting more than the recommended

150 minutes/week achieve greater health

benefits than those just meeting the

guidelines?

Yes. Based on this study, risk for death decreases

by 4% with every 15 minutes of exercise each

day beyond the minimum of 15 minutes/day. And

other study findings agree — the more often you

exercise, the greater the health benefits.

Find this CardioSmart article and more cardiologist-reviewed

news, patient tools, and videos at www.CardioSmart.org.

6

Shoes Make the Difference in Foot Pain

Any day can seem long when your feet

hurt. Podiatrists at the Temple University School of

Podiatric Medicine give this advice:

Heels - Notoriously

bad for your feet, heels cause

a painful knot on the back of

the heel, according to

WebMD. Wearing heels

constantly leads to a

permanent, bony protrusion

called the pump bump. Although ice, orthotics and

heel pads may provide some relief, only lower heels

will really help since they put the feet in a more

natural position. Try heels no more than 2 inches

high and even these should be used in moderation.

Ballet flats - Since these ultra-flat shoes

have no arch support, they lead to knee, hip and

back problems. Wearers can also get plantar

fasciitis, a very painful, though correctable,

condition. Orthotic inserts can help.

Flip flops - People with diabetes should

not wear them since they lead to minor foot injuries

that can become major. They also have no arch

support.

Steel-toed shoe wearers - Try a soft over-

the-counter sole, or see a podiatrist for a custom-

made orthotic insert.

Diabetics - Get your feet measured so

your feet won’t become crowded. Good foot

coverage protects against minor cuts.

Pregnant women - When your feet

expand, buy a larger size shoe.

Everyone should buy shoes at the end of

the day when feet are naturally larger.

Podiatrists recommend these exercises:

Sitting with feet on the floor, first lift just your toes

and hold 10 seconds. Then with heels on the floor,

lift the rest of the foot and hold for 10 seconds.

To stretch the Achilles tendons, stand

away from a wall with feet shoulder width apart and

toes pointed straight ahead. Lean forward into the

wall, bending the elbows. Hold for 10 seconds.

Keep Your Feet Happy

Pages: September Issue

Ravens Rival Apes

Humans are capable of planning for the

future, though some might think it is a talent rarely

used. But humans aren't the only creature on earth

that can do this: Ravens can, too.

The large, black-feathered bird with the

big beak has long been known for its intelligence. A

recent study, published in the July 2017 issues of

the journal Science, shows the bird is not only

intelligent, but wise.

The study, by Lund University in Sweden,

trained ravens to get a tasty reward (a bit of dog

food) by using a tool to open a box. Later, the box

was removed and the ravens were offered a choice

of three possibilities: a treat (but a less desirable

one); a variety of interesting items; the tool to open

the box. In 86 percent of the cases, the ravens chose

the tool and, when the box was returned to them 15

minutes later, they used it to open the box.

The ravens were also taught to barter for

treats using a blue cap as currency.

Interestingly, great apes have also

demonstrated the ability to barter and plan for the

future.

The researchers said the study begins to

show that these talents are not uniquely human as

was once thought.

Pages: September Issue p. 151*

Did You Know? - Lifetime National Park

Passes for Senior Citizens

To celebrate the transition from working

life into retirement, many groups and businesses

offer discounts and special programs to the nation's

senior citizens to better allow them to enjoy their

time on a sometimes

limited income. The

AARP (American

Association of Retired

Persons) highlights a

perk that allows

people to travel all

around the country and visit every national park for

one low price. Although the price for the lifetime

access increased from $10 to $80 in August, it still

represents a fantastic deal for those interested in

exploring the natural splendor of America.

7

Some of the most popular parks, such as

the Grand Canyon, can cost up to $30 for one visit.

If a senior visits one of these parks just three times

in their life, they will have paid back the cost of the

lifetime access. Anyone aged 62 or older should

jump on this opportunity before another price

increase hits the pipeline!

Pages: September Issue

Ways to Deal with Huge Medical Bills

When it comes to personal expenses,

medical bills are often something that people are not

prepared to deal with, and during the emergency,

costs are the last thing on the priority list.

According to the American Journal of

Medicine, these expenses can leave many people

with an insurmountable debt that caused 62 percent

of all bankruptcies in 2009. Although medical

insurance helped in these situations, insured people

still struggled to pay their bills in many cases.

At The Simple Dollar, they highlight a

couple of strategies to help deal with medical bills

before they become a problem.

After confirming that

all of the bills are

indeed accurate, they

recommend trying to

negotiate a payment

plan with the hospital.

This could allow a big

bill to be broken up into smaller payments so that it

doesn't fall into collections while the money is

being saved up. Another option for those with cash

on hand is to ask for a cash discount. Often, deals

can be made that can save 5 percent or more on the

original charges. When the total amount due is

high, any discount can be a lifesaver.

Before you panic, remember that if you

don't own a home, and you don't have a high

income, most hospitals can refer your account to a

charity care program for high bills.

Pages: September Issue

Perhaps many of you retired from teaching or some

other area in the field of education. If so, this should

put a smile on your face:

School Answering Machine

This is a message that the “”Maroochydore High

School, Queensland, Australia” staff voted

unanimously to record on their school telephone

answering machine. This came about because they

implemented a policy requiring students and parents

to be responsible for their children’s absences and

missing work. The school and teachers are being

sued by parents who want their children’s failing

grades changed to passing grades, even though

those children were absent 15-30 times during the

semester and did not complete enough school work

to pass their classes. (This is an actual message at a

school in Australia.)

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRing:

Hello, you have reached the automated

answering service of your school. In order to assist

you in connecting to the right staff member, please

listen to all the options before making a selection:

To lie about why your child is absent:

Press 1.

To make excuses for why your child did not

do his or her homework: Press 2.

To complain about what we do: Press 3.

To swear at staff members: Press 4.

To ask why you didn’t get information that

has already been enclosed in your newsletter and

several flyers that have been mailed to you: Press 5.

If you want us to raise your child: Press 6.

If you want to reach out and touch, slap or

hit someone: Press 7.

To request another teacher for the third time

this year: Press 8.

To complain about bus transportation:

Press 9.

To complain about school lunches: Press 0.

8

If you realize this is the real world and your

child must be accountable and responsible for his or

her behavior, classwork and homework; and it’s not

the teacher’s fault for your child’s lack of

effort…please hang up and have a nice day. If you

want this in another language, move to a country

that speaks it. Thank you for your interest in public

education.

Retirement Choices

You can retire to Phoenix, Arizona where

1. You are willing to park three blocks away from

your house because you found shade.

2. You've experienced condensation on your butt

from the hot water in the toilet bowl.

3. You can drive for four hours in one direction and

never leave town.

4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.

5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what

hits you in the face when you open your oven door

at 500 degrees.

6. The four seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot,

and ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? OR:

You can retire to California where...

1. You make over $450,000 and you still can't

afford to buy a house.

2. The fastest part of your commute is going down

your driveway

3. You know how to eat an artichoke.

4. When someone asks you how far something is,

you tell them how long it will take to get there

rather than how many miles away it is.

5. The four seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud and

Drought. OR:

You can retire to New York City where...

1 You say "the city" and expect everyone to know

you mean Manhattan.

2. You can get into a four-hour argument about

how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park,

but can't find Wisconsin on a map.

3. You think Central Park is "nature."

4. You believe that being able to swear at people in

their own language makes you multilingual.

5. You've worn out a car horn. (IF you have a car.)

6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

OR:

You can retire to Minnesota where...

1. You only have three spices: salt, pepper and

ketchup.

2. Halloween costumes have to fit over parkas.

3. You have seventeen recipes for casserole.

4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than

eight buttons.

5. The four seasons are: almost winter, winter, still

winter, and road repair.

6. The highest level of criticism is "He is

different," "She is different," or "It was different!"

OR:

You can retire to The Deep South where...

1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same

store.

2. "Y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.

3. "He needed killin" is a valid defense.

4. Everyone has two first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy

Bob, Joe Bob, Betty Jean, etc.

5. Everything is either: "in yonder," "over

yonder" or "out yonder.”

6. You can say anything about anyone, as long as

you say "Bless his heart” at the end! OR:

You can move to Colorado where...

1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your

$500 car.

2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his

way home, so he stops at the day care center.

3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.

4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a

pony tail. OR:

You can retire to Nebraska or Kansas where...

1. You've never meet any celebrities, but the mayor

knows your name.

2. Your idea of a traffic jam is three cars waiting to

pass a tractor.

3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on

the same day.

4. You end sentences with a preposition; "Where's

my coat at?" OR:

FINALLY.....you can retire to Florida where...

1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.

2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -

even houses and cars.

3. Everyone can recommend an excellent

cardiologist, dermatologist, proctologist, podiatrist,

or orthopedist.

4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the

state.

5. Cars in front of you often appear to be driven by

headless people.