MyLife Magizine

My a guide to healthy living

November 2009 - FREEVolume 1, Darke County Edition 2

MAGAZINE

Special Feature Inside:Special Feature Inside:Dealing with EB:

A young boy’s story offighting a rare disease

Sarah’scows

A story of

Knowingthe signs of

COPD

Winter fitnessmade easy

a family dealingwith their

daughter’ssuicide

Dr. Kuhn could have practiced medicine anywhere. As a cardiovascular surgeon, his skills are definitely in high demand. But Dr. Kuhn chose to practice at a hospital known for its exceptional team — a team that has helped Reid Heart Center gain a reputationas one of the best heart programs in the region. Yes, Dr. Kuhn could have been a surgeon anywhere.

And he chose Reid.

Dr. John KuhnHeart Surgeon

www.ReidHospital.orgreid heart center | 1100 Reid Parkway | Richmond, IN 47374765.983.3042 | www.eaton.md

meet Dr. Kuhnand his reasons for choosing Reid.

H1N1 VACCINE AVAILABILITY

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rec-ommends certain priority groups receive the H1N1 vaccine assoon as it becomes available. Right now, health care and emer-gency medical services personnel are able to receive availablevaccine. As more vaccine becomes available, others in the pri-ority groups outlined below will be able to receive the vaccine.Once enough pandemic H1N1 vaccine becomes available, oth-ers will be able to receive it.

Ohio placed its first order was for 61,500 doses of H1N1 vac-cine from the CDC last Oct. 2. While many different forms ofH1N1 vaccine are being produced, the initial shipment of Flu-Mist is intended for use in healthy people ages 2 to 49.

On Oct. 9, ODH submitted an order for more than 152,000doses of H1N1 flu vaccine to the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC). The order includes 58,300 doses ofnasal-spray vaccine and 94,400 shots of H1N1 flu vaccine.

Because of the first doses are in mist form, they will bemade available to health care and EMS workers whoprovide direct patient care.

The vaccine will be provided through hospitals and localhealth departments.

Nasal-spray vaccine is approved for use only in healthy peopleages 2 to 49, while the shots will be given to high-risk individu-als including pregnant women; people who live with or care forchildren less than 6 months; all people 6 months to 24 years;and people 25 to 64 yearswith chronic medical conditions. Thevaccine will be shipped directly to providers and could arrive byOct. 20, according to CDC.

To find out when H1N1 vaccine will be available in your com-munity, contact your local health department, call the ODHH1N1 Information line at 1-866-800-1404 or visit the onlinelocal clinic finder.

OOhhiioo DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt ooff HHeeaalltthhpprreeppaarriinngg ttoo sshhiipp HH11NN11 vvaacccciinnee

- VACCINE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR THIS GROUP -Health care and emergency medical services personnel because infections among health care workers have been reported and thiscan be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism among health care professionals could reducehealth care system capacity.

Children 6 months through 18 years of age because there have been many cases of pandemic H1N1 flu in children and they are in closecontact with one another in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread.

Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because there have been many cases of pandemic H1N1 flu in these healthy young adults andthey often live, work and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population.

Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

SEASONAL FLU VACCINESeasonal flu viruses circulate each year from fall through spring. Seasonal flu vaccine is available. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH)urges everyone who would like to protect themselves from the flu to receive a seasonal flu vaccination. The seasonal flu vaccine will notprotect you from pandemic H1N1 virus, but it will help you fight infection from other seasonal flu viruses.

4 My Life Magazine

Table ofContents

Published byThe Brown Publishing Company

Publisher:David Compton

EditorsChristina Chalmers, Eddie Mowen

Lead Graphic DesignerDarci Ditmer

Contributing staffAmanda Rodeheffer, Linda Moody, Marc Saluk, Lisa Mehaffie, Clinton Randel, Ryan Peverly, Ruth Williams, Gina Waddle, Kyle Akers

My Life MagazineVolume 1, Darke County Edition 2

COVER STORY

Sarah Whittaker 6

A family struggles after sixteen year old Sarah Whittaker takes her own life. Now a year later, the family has began to move on and do positive things tohelp other kids who face depression.

FFeeaattuurree ssttoorriieess::

New booster seat law Will your child be riding safely? 19

Suicide warning signs Signs your teen may need help 26

Women and cholesterol risks What to pay attention to for a healthier life

COPD sufferer reaches out Knowing the signs 28

Winter fitness made easy 38Staying in shapeduring the holidays

MMaaxxxx GGrreeggggDealing with EB:A young boy’s story of fighting a rare skin disease 20

Healthy eating during the holidays 10Nutritious guidelines for the family

13

Send story ideas or submissions to [email protected]. To advertise in MyLife, contact Aaron Hoblit at (937) 548-3151.

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6 My Life Magazine

Special Feature

By Christina Chalmers

“All it takes is one bad moment,” said Allen Whittaker, a fatherwho lost his daughter Sarah to suicide. “If the situation is right and thetools are there - that’s all it takes.”

“If she could have waited another 10 or 15 seconds,” he said as hesighed with a somber look on his face.

It was Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008, when 16-year-old Sarah AnnWhitaker, a junior at Greenville High School, took her own life inthe barn on her family’s farm.

Stepmother, Karen Whittaker recalls the day.“Sarah had been caught sneaking out of her room two days before

[Friday] and was grounded because of it. On Sunday morning around8:30 a.m., I opened the door to her room and said ‘Sarah you need todo your chores [take care of the cows]’ and then I left to go scrapbooking,” Karen said.

Allen is a semi-truck driver by profession and was out on the roadat the time.

“When I came home, I couldn’t find Sarah. She was not in thehouse. I hollered at Jacob [Sarah’s then 17-year-old brother] to see ifhe knew where she was. He said that she never came back from thebarn. I told him to go check on her. I remember thinking that it wasstrange because it was cold outside, it was winter time,” she contin-ued.

What happened next would change her family’s life forever.“Jacob came running out of the barn screaming down the lane that

she was hanging there. All I could say was ‘Get her down, get herdown’ as I ran towards the barn. I was there right after and franticallycalling 911 on my cell phone. The reception was bad; it took me sev-eral attempts to get through,” she said.

When Karen’s call finally did get through to EMS responders, theywalked her through several steps to check out Sarah.

“I knew Sarah was gone,” said Karen with tears streaming down

daughter’ssuicidewith theirA family

coping

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My Life Magazine 7

her face. “When you had seen what I had tosee, you can only imagine. I’ll never get thatout of my head.”

“She had put the hay in the manger [for thecows] and started the water,” said Allen.

The water was still running when theyfound Sarah. She had used the twine from thehay to hang herself.

“Kids don’t think of the finality of the situ-ation [suicide],” said Allen. “The first thing Idid when I came home was go out to the barn.”

Karen said it’s hard for her to talk about thatday. Some days are harder than others for heras she struggles to keep the vivid memory fromher mind.

“Sometimes you think you’re not going tomake it through the day,” she said.” It’s [sui-cide] the most selfish thing you can do, but

Sarah was not selfish. She just wasn’t think-ing.”

“This was a surprise for everybody thatknew her,” Karen continued. “She was a beau-tiful girl - she was so good. She had a heart ofgold. She loved her family, she loved herfriends.”

“There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do foryou. She was the first one to volunteer,” saidAllen. “She loved kids. She wanted to be aschool teacher.”

After her death, the Whittakers receivedoverwhelming support from her friends, theadministration at her school and her 4-H fam-ily. Over the past year and a half, severalevents have been held in her memory.

Sarah was a well-loved teenage girl, whohad lots of friends and was an avid 4-Her, saidher parents. She volunteered her time at the

Brethren Retirement Community inGreenville. She had been very involved withthe 4-H Beef Club, raising and showing Charo-lais cattle at the Darke County Fair.

“She forked manure, drove the skid loader -she was a hard worker,” said Allen. “She couldget a halter on every one of those cows. Shehad a knack for it.”

“She loved to mow the yard with her Ipodon. She wasn’t afraid of work, she liked tohave a good time. Everyone loved her,” re-called Karen.

For the past two years, her brother Jacoband some of her friends have continued toshow Sarah’s cows at the Darke County Fair.This year, a cow named “Angel” won as thechampion Charolais heifer.

Allen has been taking care of Sarah’s cowssince they day she passed. He has 11 cows on

I knew Sarah was gone...When you had seen what I had to see, you can only imagine.

I’ll never get that out of my head.”

“

Special Feature

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8 My Life Magazine

You’ve got to make a positive out of a negative,grieving only keeps you in the moment. If you helpsomeone, it’s more worthwhile. Do positive things.You’ve got to move on a little bit.”“

his farm today.“When I’m out in the barn, I’m

spending time with Sarah. That washer and me. That was us,” said Allen.

Since his daughter’s death, Allenhas become a spokesperson on thetopic of suicide. He has met with stu-dents from both Tri-Village in NewMadison and Greenville High Schoolin Greenville, teaching them aboutsuicide.

“You’ve got to make a positive outof a negative,” he said. “Grievingonly keeps you in the moment. If youhelp someone, it’s more worthwhile.Do positive things. You’ve got tomove on a little bit.”

“Just talk to your kids,” offeredAllen. “You’re not going to get every-thing out of them, but just be there forthem to listen.”

Allen said that signs of depressionis often a precursor to suicide. He saidwatch for any change in a person’sbehavior. It could be eating, sleeping,hanging around different friends,lying, being withdrawn, not hangingaround friends, he said.

“Sarah wanted to be a teacher, wejust have to help her out,” said Allen.

My Life Magazine 9

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Special Feature

Allen Whittaker decided that his daughter should be re-membered with a scholarship fund through the HOPE Foun-dation of Darke County that would help out kids just like her,and in raising funds to support the scholarship, he’s also rais-ing awareness of teen suicide and reaching out to those whoneed help.

For the past two summers, the Sarah Run, a poker motor-cycle run, has been held to raise money for the fund in thehope that it exceeds $25,000. It then becomes a permanent en-dowment fund and remains in place forever.

Applicants must have a background in 4H or FFA and nohigher that a B grade point average.

Sarah’s scholarship fund, established in her loving mem-ory, is focused on assisting other Darke County students whodesire to become teachers, as Sarah did.

For more information go to http://www.hopedarke-county.com or call (937) 548-HOPE.

TThhee SSaarraahh WWhhiittttaakkeerr

MMeemmoorriiaall SScchhoollaarrsshhiipp

HHeerr MMeemmoorriieess SSttiillll LLiivvee OOnn

With the holidays approaching and many partiesin the making, guests are going to be tempted tooverindulge when it comes to partaking of the food.

It is okay to have some holiday treats, but peopleshould spend their calories wisely and then enjoy theright food.

“Watch your portion sizes,” advised Carolyn Do-enges, MS, RDLD, registered dietitian at WayneHospital in Greenville. “You will see a lot of extrafoods that you don’t usually eat. Just watch howmuch you eat.”

Doenges said studies have shown that a persongains 5 pounds on the average over the holidays.

“Once you do that, you are prone to keep on gain-ing,” she said. “Overindulging is the wrong way ofthinking. When you’re thinking about watching yourintake, it’s a lifetime commitment.”

She advises people to eat something light beforegoing to a party.

“If you have one bad day, fit in extra exercise bywalking around,” she said.

At the party, she encourages guests to focus ontalking with the people instead of the food.

“Chew on a piece of gum,” she suggested.Doenges also warns people to think about what

they’re drinking as well, because beverages, too,have calories. She suggests those who are going to aparty and making a dish to make something healthy,such as fruits and vegetables.

“Make sure you make something you can eat, es-pecially if you’re diabetic,” she said.

For those having cholesterol issues, she advisesto substitute cholesterol-free products for certain in-gredients.

“Make more things with reduced fat,” she said.“Avoid sticks of margarine and anything fried. Picksomething broiled, baked or grilled when it comesto entrees. Avoid anything in white sauces; a tomatobase is much better.”

People having heart problems would be wise tostay away from sodium and any processed foods.

“Stick more with fresh foods,” she said. “And,

10 My Life Magazine

Family LifeGuidelines for healthy

eatingHow do you maintain your healthyeating habits during a family feast?How can you make sure that the

turkey is the only one stuffed duringthe holiday season?

Here are some guidelines to helpmake healthy food choices and limittempting, high-calorie foods during

the holidays.

Holiday food choicesChoose more often:

Turkey breast, chicken breast, min-eral water, plain potatoes, tossedsalad, steamed vegetables, fresh

fruit and plain rice.

Choose less often:Beef prime rib, pie, cake, stuffing,sugar-sweetened beverages, high-calorie alcoholic beverages, gravy,bread pudding, candy and eggnog.

Here’s how to modify holiday recipes

Fruit pureeSubstitute an equal amount of fruitpuree (for example, applesauce) foroil in cake, brownie, bread or muffinmixes. The fruit adds flavor, moistureand tenderness to baked goods

when the oil is omitted.

Egg whites or egg substitutesReplace some of the whole eggs ina recipe with egg whites or a com-mercial egg substitute. One egg

equals two egg whites or 1/4 cup ofegg substitute.

Cocoa powderUse 2 tablespoons cocoa powderplus 1 tablespoon regular or diet

margarine in place of every 1 ounceof unsweetened baking chocolate.

Fat-free milk, yogurt, sour creamor cream cheese

Use these in place of the whole-fatproducts. A dollop of vanilla fat-freeyogurt makes a nice substitute forwhipped cream on some desserts.

Light or diet margarines Be careful when using light or dietmargarines to replace regular mar-garine or butter. These substituteshave a higher water content and canchange the texture of baked goods.Experiment — you may need to re-duce some of the liquid in a recipewhen using light or diet margarine.

Healthy eating for the holidays

More tips from Doenges:• Survey the entire table before taking any food. Decide what foods are

worth eating and what can be ignored, and then stick to that decision. Whywaste calories on food that don’t bring pleasure?

• Eat your calories instead of drinking them. Stick to lower calorie or calorie-free drinks diet sodas, water, light beer or wine spritzer) insteadof punches, eggnog and mixed drinks that can have up to 500 calories

per cup.

• Sip a large glass of water between every alcoholic drink or non-alcoholic punch or eggnog. This will keep a person hydrated andhe/she will drink fewer calories by the end of the night.

• Hosts or hostesses should include nutritious and lower-calorie foods like fruits, vegetables and lean meats on themenu.

• Try not to hang out near the food. Find a comfort-able spot across the room and focus on people in-stead of eating.

• Don’t cover your plate completely with food.

• Drop out of the “clean plate club.” Leave afew bites behind every time you eat, espe-cially if you are eating something you don’treally care for.

• Enjoy the favorite holiday treatsbut take a small portion, eat slowlyand savor the taste and texture ofthe foods of the season.

Carolyn Doenges, registered dietitian at Wayne Hospital (Greenville)

�

keep an eye on how much liquid you drink. Stayaway from salty snacks, such as chips.”

Those dieting during the holidays are encouragedby Doenges to focus on small, obtainable goals.

“Start out small,” she said. “The same with exercise.”

The Food Pyramid,A balanced diet is onethat includes all the foodgroups. In other words,have foods from everybox, every day.

My Life Magazine 11

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Family Life

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It is never too late to stop smoking, according to Shelly Acker, di-rector of the Cardiopulmonary Department at Wayne Hospital. Stop-ping smoking still has health benefits regardless of how long a personhas smoked.

“During the Great American Smokeout, we encourage all Ohiosmokers to put out their cigarettes for at least one day - and perhapsfor a lifetime,” she said. “Within 20 minutes after you smoke thatlast cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue foryears.”

Acker listed statistics provided by the American Cancer Society that show the benefits of quitting:

20 Minutes After QuittingYour heart rate drops.

-----12 Hours After Quitting

The amount of carbon monoxide in your blood drops to normal.-----

2 Weeks to 3 Months After QuittingYour heart attack risk begins to drop. Your lungs begin to work better.

-----1 to 9 Months After Quitting

Your coughing and shortness of breath decrease.-----

1 Year After QuittingYour risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

-----5 Years After Quitting

Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker’s 5-15 years after quitting.

-----10 Years After Quitting

Your lung cancer death rate is half that of a smoker’s.

Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.

-----15 Years After Quitting

Your risk of heart disease is like you never smoked.

Stop Now!It Is Never Too Late

12 My Life Magazine

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Family Life

By Robert Imler

Radiation — radiological therapy — forcancer can save lives, but applied to neck andjaw cancers, radiation can set up problems forthe future.

“Extracting a tooth or teeth from a previ-ously radiated jaw accounts for nearly nineout of 10 cases of trauma-induced mandibularosteoradionecrosis,” said Dr. Robert Bartlett,senior medical advisor for National HealingCorporation’s Wound Healing Centers aroundthe nation.

“Mandibular osteoradionecrosis” is theterm given the progressing damage that canbe done to a jaw by a course of radiation treat-ment. While cancer survivors measure suc-cess in the passage of time, there is more riskof mandibular osteoradionecrosis, ORN, afterfive years than after one, Dr. Bartlett ex-plained.

“It seems counter-intuitive, but the degen-erative process triggered by the radiation isprogressing beneath the surface without any

outward sign,” he said, adding, “Micro-or-ganisms begin to attack the surface of irradi-ated bone in the mouth. This makes ORN amatter of wound healing rather than infection,and these problematic wounds do not requirethe same type of topical management.”

Reid Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Med-icine Center, a National Healing CorporationWound Healing Center, uses leading edge hy-perbaric oxygen therapy to treat ORN, anddentist chairs have no role.

Patients recline on a bed encased in a large,see-through plastic shell, which maintains a100-percent oxygen atmosphere at slightlyhigher-than-normal pressure.

Patients relax and watch movies duringtreatment. The therapy saturates the bloodwith oxygen, which allows more oxygen mol-ecules to pass through plasma to tissue andbone, speeding healing.

Complications from ORN can include in-tractable pain, difficulty opening the mouth,bone fractures, nutritional deficiencies causedby difficulty eating, chronic wounds and theloss of large amounts of soft bone and tissue.

Reid Wound Healing experts recommendthese precautions for preventing, identifyingand treating ORN:

ORN is often not visible and may be diag-nosed by X-ray, CT scans, MRI or biopsy.

The doctor might ask for radiation therapyrecords to determine exact location and doseof radiation received.

Patients considering head or neck radiationtherapy should consider a pre-radiation dentalconsultation to guard oral health.

ORN risk factors include inadequate heal-ing time between undergoing oral surgery andstarting radiation therapy, extractions withinirradiated bone, alcohol and tobacco use andnutritional factors.

Quit smoking. Radiation is successfullyused to treat many head and neck cancerscaused by tobacco use. The jawbone is themost common site of ORN because teeth andbone density mean low blood flow.

The most common symptom of ORN isbone pain. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy canhelp manage pain if it is due to ORN and notto recurring cancer or other causes.

Patients on chemotherapy must have athorough review by a hyperbaric physicianbefore treatment; some drugs could have ad-verse affects.

For more information about ORN andtreating and preventing chronic wounds, con-tact Reid Wound Healing and HyperbaricMedicine Center at 1380 Chester Boulevard,across from the old Reid Hospital site. Call(765) 983-3306

Wound healingservices at

Reid Hospital

Women’s Life

My Life Magazine 13

Susan Brooker thought she was doing all she could totake care of herself. The 60-year-old exercised, atehealthy, and stayed active. As an avid softball player,she spent months training to play in the August 2009National Senior Games. In preparation for the competi-tion, Susan went to see her doctor for a routine checkup.After a thorough physical and blood tests, Susan was di-agnosed with high cholesterol.

“I was really surprised. I had family members whosuffered from high cholesterol, so I knew a little aboutthe disease. My physician assistant, Ronnie Diem, PA-C, took the time to explain that because of my elevatedcholesterol, I developed atherosclerosis, which is thebuildup of plaque in the arteries.”

“Atherosclerosis can develop silently over manyyears and may have no symptoms,” Diem said. “Ele-vated cholesterol increases your chances of developingbuildup of plaque in the arteries. Patients like Susan maybe unaware of the problem because they can’t see or feelthe disease.”

In addition to Susan’s elevated cholesterol, she hadother risk factors, such as her age and family history.“My total cholesterol levels were too high — over 200mg/dL. And since my grandfather had a history of heartdisease, Ronnie explained that I was considered to be inthe ‘at-risk’ category,” Susan said.

Ronnie told Susan she was going to have to makesome lifestyle adjustments if she was going to be in peakcondition for competing in the Senior Games. “I wantedto get Susan eating right and exercising differently,” hesaid. “In addition to these lifestyle changes, based onher elevated cholesterol and additional risks, I felt a cho-lesterol-lowering statin medication was necessary.”

The goal was to reduce her LDL (bad) cholesteroland raise her HDL (good), so Ronnie prescribed Crestor(rosuvastatin calcium). “In clinical trials, Crestor hasbeen proven to be a highly effective cholesterol treat-ment option. It is the only statin approved by the FDAto slow the progression of atherosclerosis at any stage ofthe disease as part of a treatment plan to lower choles-terol to goal,” he said.

CHOLESTEROLRISKS

Since Susan was diagnosed, her total cholesterol has dropped, and her LDL andHDL levels are where they should be. “My experience has taught me that even ifyou think you’re healthy, you should exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and getyour cholesterol checked.”

Susan recommends finding support from others working to maintain their tar-get cholesterol goal and joining programs that help you set and achieve these im-portant goals. “I joined the Crestor 360 support program, which showed me howto prepare healthy foods low in cholesterol and saturated fats, gave me tools tostay physically active, coupons for my Crestor prescription, and great advice onhow to meet the cholesterol goal my doctor set.”

You should know statins aren’t right for all patients with high cholesterol. Forinstance, Crestor is not right for anyone who has had an allergic reaction to it, orthose with liver problems, women who are nursing, pregnant, or who may becomepregnant. Doctors perform blood tests before and during treatment to monitor liverfunction. Crestor has not been approved to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, orstrokes.

As with any medications, you should always monitor side effects. Unexplainedmuscle pain and weakness could be a sign of rare but serious side effects andshould be reported to your doctor right away. Some other side effects can includeheadache, muscle aches, abdominal pain, weakness, and nausea.

Remember to talk to your doctor about your cholesterol. For more informationabout Crestor, the full prescribing information and the Crestor 360 support pro-gram, call 1-800-CRESTOR, or visit Crestor.com.

Atherosclerosis can develop silently over many years

and may have no symptoms, elevated cholesterol increasesyour chances of developing

buildup of plaque in the arteries.”

“

Women’s Life

14 My Life Magazine

Eating healthy is a goal for many people. Regardlessof a person’s age, the trend toward adopting a morehealthy lifestyle is here to stay, and it often begins withaltering our diets.

But what are some ways we can tinker with our dietswithout having to completely remove the foods welove? Fortunately, there are several easy ways to trimsome fat from a daily diet without having to say good-bye to our favorite foods.

You can still eat meat, just choose wisely. Lots ofpeople, particularly when they get a little older, arequick to assume a diet void of red meat is a healthy diet.However, red meat can still be enjoyed, but it’s best tochoose extra-lean cuts of red meat and to eat meat inmoderation. Even when you purchase extra-lean cuts,it’s still a good idea to trim all visible fat from both meatand poultry.

Supplement soups without adding fat. Particularly inthe colder months, soup is an appetizer and even an en-tree of choice. However, garnishing soups with bacon,high-fat creams or fried croutons can make an otherwisehealthy soup a lot less so. In lieu of the traditional gar-nishes, choose enhancements like fresh herbs or saladleaves. They’ll add extra flavor but won’t add any fat.

Use marmalade or jam instead of butter. Fat can betrimmed from your morning breakfast as well. Instead ofbuttering your muffin or toast, choose healthier optionssuch marmalade or jam. It’s also a good idea to avoidadding butter to snacks.

Make desserts healthier as well. Eating healthierdoesn’t have to involve deserting dessert either. Dessertscan still be enjoyed by just changing some ingredients.For example, fat can be reduced in most cake recipes

Trim some fat from your daily diet

Use egg whites

instead ofwhole eggs

simply by cutting the amount of butter in the recipe. Use half the amount of recom-mended butter, and replace the other half with a dried fruit puree, which can be pur-chased at most grocery stores. The cake will stay just as delicious and you’ll be ableto enjoy it, confident that it’s better for you.

Use egg whites instead of whole eggs. Most cooking recipes include whole eggs.However, replace whole eggs with egg whites, which have no fat and can be whiskedinto most recipes. You won’t notice a difference in the taste, but you’ll be healthier forhaving made the change.

My Life Magazine 15

Women’s Life

Migraines - allergies or teeth?Most people tend to think sudden migraines are caused by

seasonal allergies; however, the problem could very well be yourteeth. Many people, especially those over the age of 40, sufferfrom headaches caused by worn-down teeth and bad alignment.Grinding and clenching make the wear of our teeth even worsebut age alone will deteriorate our mouths and can be a leadingcause for severe migraines.

Since people tend to be far more petrified to see a dentist,they’ll consider other concerns such as asthma, allergies, etc.According to the American Dental Association, one-third of thepopulation in the U.S. does not see a dentist whatsoever. What’sworse is there are 78 million people in the U.S. over the age of50 with missing teeth, yet over 30 percent of them do not see adentist.

The poor economy doesn’t help - studies show people overthe age of 40 are the biggest worriers and people are grindingtheir teeth, clenching their jaws, etc.

For many, teeth might not seem like a necessary health con-cern but what they don’t understand is that neglecting their teethcan snowball bigger, painful problems. Aside from the fear ofpain, many people especially seniors can’t afford to see a dentistdespite how painful their headaches may be.

By Jennifer CombsIf you are like most people, you think that heart disease is a prob-

lem for other folks. But heart disease is the leading cause of death inthe United States and is a major cause of disability. Almost 652,091people die of heart disease in the U.S. each year. That is about 27 per-cent of all U.S. deaths.

There are many different forms of heart disease. The most commonheart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which canlead to heart attack. Coronary heart disease occurs when the coronaryarteries, that supply blood to the heart muscle, become hardened and

narrowed due to the plaque buildup. The plaque buildup and the nar-rowing and hardening of the arteries is called atherosclerosis. Plaquesare a mixture of fatty substances including cholesterol and otherlipids. Blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart can be reduced oreven fully blocked with a growing plaque. Plaques may also ruptureand cause blood clots that block arteries.

Some conditions as well as some lifestyle factors can put people ata higher risk for developing heart disease. Some risk factors can bemodified, treated or controlled, and some can not. The more risk fac-tors you have, the greater your chance of developing heart disease.

Major risk factors that can not be changed include increasing age, gender, race and heredity.

Age - Over 83 percent of people who die of coronary heart dis-ease are 65 or older. At older ages, women who have heart attacksare more likely than men are to die from them within a few weeks.

Gender - Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do,and they have attacks earlier in life. Even after menopause, whenwomen’s death rate from heart disease increases, it’s not as great asmen’s.

Race - African Americans have more severe high blood pressurethan Caucasians and a higher risk of heart disease. Heart disease riskis also higher among Mexican Americans, American Indians, nativeHawaiians and some Asian Americans. This is partly due to higherrates of obesity and diabetes.

Heredity - Children of parents with heart disease are more likelyto develop it themselves. Most people with a strong family history ofheart disease have one or more other risk factors. Just as you can’tcontrol your age, sex and race, you can’t control your family history.

Behavior factors include:Tobacco Use - Tobacco use increases the risk of heart disease and

heart attack. Exposure to other people’s smoke can increase the riskof heart disease even for nonsmokers.

Diet - Several aspects of peoples’ dietary patterns have been linkedto heart disease and related conditions. These include diets high insaturated fats and cholesterol and high salt or sodium.

Physical Inactivity - Physical inactivity is related to the develop-ment of heart disease. It also can impact other risk factors, includingobesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Obesity - Obesity is excess body fat. It is linked to higher choles-terol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Alcohol - Excessive alcohol use leads to an increase in blood pres-sure, and increases the risk for heart disease.

Additional information regarding heart disease can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association websites at www.cdc.gov and www.americanheart.org.

Preble County General Health District: Heart Attacks

In tough times some of the first things to get cut from per-sonal budgets are those little luxuries and pampering. Some ofus eliminate expensive coffee drinks, while others cut out spatreatments or expensive outings.

But everybody needs to spend some time taking care of them-selves. Here some creative ways to pamper yourself on a budget:

Create an At-Home Spa While spa treatments, bath beads and lotions can be costly,

you can use inexpensive replacements — such as Epsom Salt andpetroleum jelly — to create at-home pamperings.

For a relaxing soak add two cups of Epsom Salt to water in astandard-sized bathtub and soak for at least 12 minutes. Add afew drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent. Your favoritesoft music and a scented candle can make the experience trulyrelaxing. For a foot scrub, mix a quarter cup of petroleum jellywith two cups of Epsom Salt and a few drops of essential oil. Foran inexpensive exfoliating facial, combine common cleansingcream with Epsom Salt.

Give Yourself the Gift of TimeThis can mean many things. Plan a day to spend at your fa-

vorite museum, park or landmark. Or, clear out the kids and thechores so you can spend quiet time alone with a favorite book ormovie. Consider making it permanent by getting a subscription toa favorite magazine and putting aside time alone each month toenjoy reading it.

Make a Special Garden PackFlowers and plants can do wonders to soothe and relax. Make

yourself an inexpensive gardening basket with packs of your fa-vorite flower seeds or tasty herbs. Don’t forget to include plantfood or fertilizer. Inexpensive options like Epsom Salt also will

Pamperingyourself on

a budget

work well here. It helps seeds germinate, makes plants grow bushier, pro-duces more flowers and deters pests. When preparing the garden, sprinkleone cup per 100 square feet before planting.

Taking good care of yourself doesn’t have to mean dipping deeply intoyour wallet; with a little planning and some wise choices, you can spoilyourself on a budget. (Source: Statepoint)

Women’s Life

16 My Life Magazine

Individuals who get less than seven hoursof sleep per night appear about three timesas likely to develop respiratory illness follow-ing exposure to a cold virus as those whosleep eight hours or more, according to re-search recently reported in the “Archives ofInternal Medicine” journal.

Previous research indicated that thosewho sleep approximately seven to eighthours per night have the lowest rates of heartdisease illness and death. However, therehad been little direct evidence that poorsleep increases susceptibility to the commoncold.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon Univer-sity now have found this link after studying

sleep and colds for four years. Not only isless sleep linked to increased likelihood ofgetting a cold, the more efficiently you sleephelps. People who spend less than 92 per-cent of their time in bed asleep are five anda half times more likely to become ill thanthose whose efficiency is 98 percent or more.

“A possible explanation for this finding isthat sleep disturbance influences the regula-tion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, hista-mines and other symptom mediators that arereleased in response to infection,” suggestthe authors of the study.

The results of the study indicate thatseven to eight hours of sleep per night is areasonable target.

It’s just like your mother always told you...

YOU NEED YOUR REST

Kids’ Life

My Life Magazine 17

According to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention, each year in theUnited States more than 200,000 people, onaverage, are hospitalized from flu complica-tions.

Twenty thousand of those hospitalized arechildren younger than 5 years old. In south-west Ohio peak flu season is Novemberthrough April.

The pediatric experts at Dayton Chil-dren’s provide the following accurate, up-to-date information on both H1N1 and theseasonal flu. Young children may not havetypical symptoms, but may have troublebreathing or not be as active as usual. Chil-dren younger than 5 years are more likely tohave serious illness than older children. Fluinfections can be severe in children with achronic medical condition.

How is the flu spread?Seasonal flu and H1N1 s is spread person

to person by direct contact, through the air orby a person with the flu contaminating ob-jects with the virus. A respiratory illness nor-mally causes the flu or influenza.

The virus is spread by coughing, sharingof personal items and contamination of thehands. It is normally spread within the firstseveral days of the illness.

Is it the flu or the common cold?

FLU:High fever, chills, muscle aches,

headache, cough (sometimes severe), ex-haustion, loss of appetite and sore throat

COMMON COLD:Low fever if any, runny nose, little

coughing; child’s appetite and energy levelare usually not affected.

The “stomach flu” is not the flu. You mayhear people use “stomach flu” to describe agastrointestinal illness with nausea, vomit-ing or diarrhea. These symptoms can becaused by other viruses, bacteria or evenparasites.

Who should be vaccinated for the flu?

All children who are 6 months to 18 yearsold, with an emphasis on vaccinating thoseaged 6 to 59 months.

The seasonal flu vaccine is available now.Check with your pediatrician, family doctorto determine if the flu vaccine is appropriatefor you and your child.

Children younger than 6 months cannotreceive the flu vaccination. Those in closecontact with children younger than 6 monthsof age should be vaccinated.

This includes older children and adoles-cents, child care providers, household mem-bers, etc. How is the flu

prevented?1. Wash hands often. Use soap and water

for 15-20 seconds-about as long as it takes tosing Happy Birthday twice. Alcohol-basedhand cleaners are OK if soap and water arenot available.

2. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tis-sue. If children don’t have a tissue, teachthem to cough or sneeze into their shirtsleeve.

3. Keep sick children at home includingout of school or day care until they are bet-ter-usually seven days after the illness starts.

4. Teach children to stay at least six feetaway from people who are sick. Avoidcrowds and public places.

5. Teach children not to touch their eyes,nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

6. Eat healthy and find healthy ways todeal with stress and anxiety.

How do you treat the flu?

Go to your pediatrician, family doctor orurgent care if you have concerns about theflu. Children typically run a mild fever be-tween 100 and 102 degrees. Lots of rest andfluids is the best treatment. Keep your chil-dren home from school and day care at least24 hours after they havenot had a fever to re-duce the spread of infection.

Parents can give children an acetamino-phen or ibuprofen for the fever and aches,but should not give their children aspirin. Insome cases, it is normal for the flu to last aweek or longer.

In October 2008, the Consumer Health-care Products Association announced thatchildren younger than 4 years old should notbe treated with over-the-counter (OTC) coldand flu medicines.

Protect yourself and your children against the flu

What are the symptoms?Symptoms of the seasonal flu and H1N1 include:

• Rapid onset of fever • Headache • Body aches • Chills and fatigue • Cough• Sometimes vomiting and diarrhea

Kids’ Life

18 My Life Magazine

Submitted by Preble County DD

A recent study by the UNC School of Social Work compared ex-periences of material hardship, including food insecurity, housing in-stability, and health care access, in families raising children with andwithout disabilities.

According to the results, families of children with disabilities ex-perienced significantly greater hardship than families with nondisabledchildren. As family income rose above the federal poverty level, hard-ship declined sharply for families of nondisabled children but not forfamilies of children with disabilities. Thus, the US federal povertylevel was found to be a particularly poor predictor of hardship for fam-ilies whose children have disabilities.

The United States government defines poverty using an absoluteincome-based threshold devised in the early 1960s (the poverty levelwas set at three times the annual cost of a basic food budget). Exceptfor adjustments for inflation, the federal poverty level (FPL) has re-mained unchanged since it was established, despite the fact that hous-ing, child care, and health care inflation in the United States have faroutpaced food-cost inflation. Thus, today’s families spend less of theirincome on food and a much greater proportion on housing, health care,and other necessities.

Furthermore, the FPL fails to account for regional differences in thecost of living, costs of child care and transportation, or receipt of non-cash benefits such as Medicaid and food assistance.

What factors affect material hardship in familiesraising children with disabilities?

As compared with 16% of children without disabilities, 28% of USchildren with disabilities live below the federal poverty threshold.Families of children with disabilities have additional financial ex-penses related to their child’s disabilities, such as therapy costs, spe-cialized day care, and adaptations and modifications of the home.Financial concerns are further exacerbated by the fact that mothers fre-quently must reduce their work hours or quit altogether to stay homeand care for their children with disabilities.

Children with disabilities and their families were significantly morelikely to have experienced food insecurity.

These families were nearly 2 times more likely to report that theyhad worried food would run out, that food bought did not last, or thatthey skipped meals because of lack of money. Among families with in-comes up to 2 times the FPL (up to $36,200 for a family of four), chil-dren with disabilities and their families were more than twice as likelyto have accessed emergency food sources than were other families.

Children with disabilities were more likely to have access to healthcare but less likely to receive medical services.

Children with disabilities were both significantly more likely tohave a usual source of care and less likely to have been uninsured atany time in the prior year. However, despite having better potentialaccess to health care, children with disabilities had to delay necessarymedical and dental care more often. Families raising children with dis-abilities reported greater instability with rent and telephone payments.These families were 72% more likely than other families to have beenunable to pay their rent in the prior year. Furthermore, they were 81%more likely to have had phone service disconnected for more than aday during the prior year because of nonpayment.

Each year, an average of 2,096 children, ages 14 and younger, die as aresult of a home injury. Parents who have taken safety precautions aroundthe home need to make sure their babysitters are familiar with these meas-ures.

“If you’ve installed smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, prac-ticed your fire escape plans, stocked a first aid kit and put safety latches oncabinets and toilets, that’s great — but these precautions can all go to wasteif you forget to mention them to your babysitter,” says Jessica Saunders, in-jury prevention coordinator at The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton andSafe Kids Greater Dayton coordinator.

“Even after you find the right babysitter — a reliable, experienced sitterwith references, at least 13 years old, preferably trained in first aid and CPR— you need to provide a safety tour of your home,” says Saunders.

Take the time to do the following five things:

Show your babysitter where to find the phones, first aid supplies andflashlights. Post emergency numbers by every phone (don’t forget poisoncontrol, 800-222-1222), along with your cell phone number and itinerary.

Go over your fire escape plan and backup plan. Make sure the sitterknows what to do if the smoke alarm or CO detector goes off (get everyoneout, meet at a predetermined spot and don’t let anyone go back in).

Tell your sitter what areas or activities are off limits. If your children will beplaying in or near a pool or playground equipment, taking a bath, cooking ordoing anything else that requires active supervision, discuss your expecta-tions; make sure the sitter understands that active supervision means keep-ing the child in sight and in reach at all times under undivided attention.

Instruct your sitter never to leave your child alone — even for a second.There is no substitute for constant supervision.

Review and discuss safety guidelines about childproofing, swimming, fire,falls and playground equipment. Make sure your babysitter knows what to doin an emergency.

Home safety is everyone’s responsibility

HARDSHIPin raising

children with disabilities

Kids’ Life

My Life Magazine 19

In October, Ohio joined 47 other states which already havelegislation protecting children older than four in vehicles.Ohio’s new booster seat law requires federally approvedbooster seats for children ages 4 to 8-years-old and who areless than 4 feet, 9 inches in height.

“Children, 4 to 8-years-old, are too small to be protectedadequately by the car’s seat belt system, which is designedfor an adult,” Thomas Krzmarzick, MD, medical director ofthe Soin Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center at The Chil-dren’s Medical Center of Dayton. “Booster seats are designedto simply lift the child up so the child fits in a vehicle seatbelt system more like an adult.”

In a recent six-year-period in Ohio, from 2002 through2007, motor vehicle crashes killed 89 children ages 4 to 8-years-old and injured more than 21,000 (21,327) in the sameage group, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

“If the seat belt doesn’t fit a child, he or she tends to moveaway from the vehicle seatback creating space behind thechild which may allow for the child to be ejected,” says Krz-marzick. “Some children may also tuck the shoulder belt be-hind their back leaving no upper body protection which couldresult in severe injury to the abdomen, neck and head.”

“In addition, without a booster seat, an adult seat belt canactually cause injury in the event of a crash rather than pre-venting it,” says Krzmarzick. “For instance, if the lap beltrests on your child’s stomach, which typically happens with-out a booster seat, your child could suffer liver, spleen, orspinal cord damage in a crash.”

Boosters are designed to keep the lap belt low across thechild’s hips, and many have a shoulder harness guide to keepthe shoulder belt on the center of the child’s shoulder.

“A seat belt should rest on the harder parts of the skeleton– the hip and the shoulder – to spread the crash force to thoseareas instead of soft tissue like the abdomen,” says Krzmarzick.

What many parents don’t know is that once a child out-grows a car seat, the next step for safety isn’t the adult seatbelt—it’s a booster seat. Once children outgrow their front-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), theyshould ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicleseat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap beltlays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits acrossthe chest (usually at age 8 or when they at 4’9” tall).

Booster seats come in many types and styles. Check the label for the weightlimits and always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Combination child seat/booster seat: This seat converts from a five-point har-ness system to a belt-positioning booster seat. Check instruction manual or the carseat label for exact weight and height limits.

No-back booster: Must be used with a lap/shoulder-style seat belt. It is best ifyour car’s seat back or headrests come above your child’s ears when he or she issitting in the booster seat. This model is easy to pack up and move from car to car.

High-back booster: Must be used with a lap/shoulder style seat belt. A high-back booster protects against whiplash in cars with low seat backs. It can be usedin cars with or without headrests. The high back also supports a sleeping child. Ahigh-back booster may also have seat belt guides to help position the seat belt.

New booster seat lawWill your child be riding safely?

Choosing the right kind of booster seat

20 My Life Magazine

Sometimes they’re called butterfly children; othertimes, cotton wool babies.Some even refer to them as crystal skin children. The

slang depends on where you come from and where youcall home. Not sure what label they’ve been brandedwith in southwest Ohio, but it doesn’t much matter —just call them unlucky.Approximately 10 in every 1 million people have

epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare genetic skin disor-der caused by a mutation in the keratin gene, a toughand insoluble protein that’s function is to toughen theskin. Those afflicted with the disease shed skin likesnakes when there’s any sort of friction between thetwo layers of their skin, the epidermis and dermis. Theresult of the friction is constant blistering, openwounds and painful sores akin to third-degree burns.Maxx Gregg is six years old, and he’s a butterfly

child. Instead of wings, though, he’s got blisters,wounds and sores. He’s one of the unlucky ones.

Feature story

Dealing withEB:Ayoung boy’s

story of

skin diseasefighting a rare

By Ryan Peverly

A joyous occasion was marred somewhatwhen Lindsey Gregg and her husband, Jason,gave birth to Maxx. The newborn was birthedwithout any skin around his right eye oraround the area of one of his thumbs betweenthe back and palm of his hand.

“It looked like someone had scraped theskin off—it was real raw—and his eye wasblistered on the inside,” Lindsey remembers.

“The doctor said the area of his thumbmight have been affected by [Maxx] suckinghis thumb in utero, and his eye could havebeen affected by pressure in the birth canal,so we left [the hospital] thinking it was no bigdeal.”

What was thought not to be a big deal,however, absolutely was. Over the next twoweeks, on a daily basis, Maxx would lay inhis crib with blood on his sheets because theskin around his knuckles was peeling away.The Greggs were in shock at what was hap-pening to their baby boy.

“I just remember being so alarmed,” Lind-sey says. “We were just so alarmed by whatwas happening.”

EB has only been in the public awarenesssince 2004, when Channel 4 in the UK aireda documentary about a man with the disease.It should come as no surprise, then, that thefirst doctor the Greggs took Maxx to, a pedi-atrician, was baffled by the boy’s condition.

“[The pediatrician] said she’d never seenanything like this,” Lindsey says. “She did-n’t know what to do.”

Clueless, she referred to the Greggs to adermatologist, who showed the family a pic-ture in a book of a child with a similar condi-tion. With a lead on what Maxx’s conditionmay be, the dermatologist suggested Maxx

see a specialist at Children’s Hospital inColumbus.

By this time, Maxx’s condition had wors-ened. It wasn’t just the skin on his knucklesthat was peeling; the rest of his hands, alongwith his elbows and feet, were also sheddingskin. The team in Columbus had a hunchMaxx had been born with EB, but tests hadto be run to find out just what exactly thebaby—not even a couple of months old at thispoint — was suffering from.

Doctors at Children’s did an electron mi-croscopy to make sure their hunch was cor-rect, and after waiting three weeks for results,the Greggs learned what the doctors had al-

ready suspected — their son, not yet threemonths old, has one of the rarest skin diseasesin the world.

To be precise, Maxx was diagnosed withepidermolysis bullosa dystrophica, or dys-trophic EB (DEB). DEB is caused, morespecifically, by defects or mutations in theCOL7A1 gene, which encodes the alphachain of VII collagen. DEB can either bedominant (less severe) or recessive (more).Maxx has dominant DEB, which leaves himsusceptible to more severe blistering thanother types of EB, as well as scarring, possi-ble obstruction of the esophagus and possibleiron-deficiency anemia.

Feature story

My Life Magazine 21

The pediatrician said she’d neverseen anything likethis.....she didn’t know

what to do.”

“

Maxx is also at risk of acquiring squamouscell carcinoma (SCC), a type of carcinomacancer that occurs in many different organs.Typically, those with SCC die before theyreach age 30, either by the cancer or of otherDEB-related complications.

For the first year of Maxx’s life, theGreggs were unaware a team of doctors hadbeen treating and caring for people with EB atChildren’s Hospital in Cincinnati. Patientsfrom all over the United States, actually, weregetting treatment at the facility.

Now, every six months to a year, Maxxsees a team of 12 doctors at Children’s inCincinnati. He sees a physical therapist, adermatologist, a dentist, a surgeon, a dieti-cian, a psychologist, a—well, you get the pic-ture. The family and the doctors refer toMaxx’s trips to Children’s as “going toclinic,” aptly titled considering the circum-stances.

The constant blisters, wounds and soresforce Maxx into a different lifestyle than thatof a normal six-year old. He has to wear spe-cial bandaging over his affected areas, simi-lar to what a burn victim would wear, and hecan’t wear sticky bandages or anything thatis moist or adhesive to the skin.

He also swims in pools a lot and bathes oc-casionally in water filled with Clorox, sug-gested by his doctors because chlorine andbleach help dry the skin out and heal his blis-ters. If it’s humid out, Maxx tries to stay in-side in the air conditioning.

The Greggs always have to be preparedtoo.

“We definitely have to be on our toes andexpect anything can happen anytime, any-where,” Lindsey says.

“This has helped us to be a little more or-ganized, because we have to make sure wehave all the materials we need wherever wego. We’ve made kits for school, for the car,for grandma’s house, for anywhere we go.

Anything can happen, and it’s importantfor us to have those things ready.”

Maxx’s disease is also genetic, havingbeen passed on from his father. The Greggs’daughter, Anna, just missed being born withthe disease herself—it’s a one-in-two shot,according to doctors, which means Maxx alsohas a fifty percent chance of passing it ontohis kids. But Maxx, as one might expect, isn’tconcerned about that just yet. After all, he’sonly six years old, and he has other questions.

“There’s times when he’s asked us why hehas EB and why we don’t, and if he’ll have itforever,” Lindsey says.

“Those are hard questions to address, butthey’re things we have to talk about as a fam-ily. But he understands it better now, as he’sgotten older. For the most part, I don’t thinkhe knows any different, because this is some-thing he’s lived with all his life.”

All that said, Maxx’s situation could actu-ally be worse.

“Maxx does pretty well with his EB com-pared to other children. His life will be prettynormal compared to other kids [with the dis-ease],” Lindsey says. “He just has to dealwith blistering and things like that, that nor-

Feature story

22 My Life Magazine

mal people don’t have to deal with on a regular basis.“It’s just a nuisance, because he’s not able to do the things that nor-

mal kids do. We try hard to keep things as normal as possible for himand keep him in normal activities. We don’t want to hold him back. Wewant him to be able to enjoy those kinds of things, but he understands[his condition] better as he’s getting older, and he understands there’scertain things he just can’t do.”

As a first grade student in the Twin Valley South school district inWest Alexandria—where Lindsey teaches middle school — Maxx isat the age where his peers are curious about his condition. But Lind-sey knows that won’t always be the case, and any sense of normalcythey’ve tried to instill in Maxx could be for naught because of hispeers.

“[Other students] are really curious why he has bandages,” Lindseysays. “They think it’s cool and want to wear them too, and they wantto help him, but it makes me feel sad because I teach middle schooland I know how kids can be [when they get older].”

“We felt very alienated at first,” Lindsey says. “Basically everydoctor we talked to didn’t know anything about [Maxx’s condition] atfirst. Insurance companies thought we were making it up. It was frus-trating for us. We felt alone.”

Seeking support, the Greggs went online and found a communityforum for families dealing with EB. They were able to talk to otherparents of children with the disease and gain a better understanding ofit. They also found the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research

My Life Magazine 23

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Feature story

Association of America, or DebRA. Findingthe organization was a relief for the Greggs.They were able to further connect with otherpeople dealing with EB, as well as lend a help-ing hand of their own. In fact, every time anew baby is born in the United States with EB,a DebRA representative contacts them, and theGreggs send the family a care package, full ofbandages, diapers, blankets and ointments.

Faculty and students at Preble ShawneeHigh School, where Lindsey taught prior toTwin Valley South, also got into the act, or-ganizing a senior talent show to raise moneyfor EB. They coined it “Maxx Madness Tal-entpalooza for EB,” and to date had raisedover $12,000 for DebRA.

Lindsey is also using some newfoundcelebrity as a platform to speak out about EB.In May, she was selected as Mrs. Ohio Inter-national for 2009 at a pageant in Zanesville,where she competed to raise awareness for EBand on behalf of DebRA.

“It was a feeling of accomplishment—anoverwhelming feeling of accomplishment,”Lindsey says. “But I felt like I wasn’t only

speaking on behalf of my son, but on behalfof all the families who have wanted to speakup and be heard and recognized because theirkids are dying due to this disease.”

Lindsey was sponsored in the pageant byHollister Woundcare, and in mid-October, shepresented a plaque of recognition to them onbehalf of DebRA at the organization’s 11th an-nual Mats Wilander Celebrity Tennis/GolfClassic in Rye, New York. The event was or-ganized over a decade ago by Wilander, a for-mer professional tennis player whose son hasEB. Hundreds of celebrities have attended theevent, and this year’s guests included actorWill Ferrell, tennis legend John McEnroe andbroadcaster and former professional footballplayer Ahmad Rashad.

The family has also had a chance to go toWalt Disney World in Orlando with other fam-ilies with EB children. The experience, ac-cording to Lindsey, was positive for Maxx.

“It was great because he got a chance to seekids who have more severe cases [of EB], shesays. “It was good for him on so many differ-ent levels.”

Lindsey will relinquish her Mrs. Ohio titlein May 2010, but she won’t soon relinquishher ability to use the platform she put herselfon six months ago.

“I love being able to have the opportunityto talk to people about [EB],” she says, “and Idon’t think I’ll ever stop taking that opportu-nity.

“… In the beginning, I thought ‘why mykid.’ I don’t think that so much now. I think ofit more as a blessing in disguise. God worksin mysterious ways, and if none of this wouldhave never happened, we wouldn’t have beenable to help all the people we’ve helped.

“It’s terrible for Maxx, and he’s going tohave to live with this the rest of life, but thereis a little bit of good that’s come out of it.”

24 My Life Magazine

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Feature story“God works in mysterious ways, and if none of this would havenever happened, we wouldn’t have been able to help all the

people we’ve helped.”

My Life Magazine 25

Teens’ Life

My brother UriahBy Clinton Randall

My younger brother Uriah was one-of-a-kind. He was just like mein some ways, but very different in others. Since we were half broth-ers, I think that is where our differences came from. His motherabused alcohol and many drugs, while I lived most of my childhoodin a good christian home. Uriah’s mother did not pay much attentionto him, unless it was to yell or have him look after our younger brotherScott. I have always believed a combination of the verbal abuse andlack of love contributed to his low self-esteem as a teen.

When we were both in our mid-teens we began spending muchmore time together. He spent the night at my house more than his own.I can’t say I blame him. His mother and step-father did not like himbeing around any of our dad’s side of the family, including me.

He often confided in me his feelings of worthlessness, sadness ofhow he was treated and how he could not stand many of the kids at thehigh school. I gave it no thought to letting him wear, and even keep,a lot of my nice clothing. I gave him haircuts and helped clean him upa bit, in hopes of raising his confidence.

I did seem to work. Uriah began feeling good about himself andeven got some pretty girlfriends. One in particular was named Holly,I believe. He was in love with her very much , maybe too much.

He and I had stopped hanging out as much after he was with thisnew girl. He got into some trouble and ended up in home for boys. Onweekends, he got to go home and visit with his mom, brother and hisgirlfriend. He began having problems with his mom and girlfriend.

On Sept. 29, 1991, six days shy of his 18th birthday, a mutual friendof Uriah and mine came over to my house while I was mowing theyard and asked me if I had heard the news. I had no idea what he wastalking about. He informed me that my brother had died early thatmorning at Wayne Hospital after ingesting a lethal amount ofpainkillers.

I felt my stomach knot up and my heart was heavy. He went on totell some of the details of what happened that was relayed to him fromUriah’s girlfriend, Holly. We both hugged each other and cried beforeI went inside to call my dad in Tennessee.

At my brother’s funeral, it seemed like the entire high school at-tended to show their respect. I never knew he had made so manyfriends and touched so many lifes. It was bitter sweet. He was a greatfriend, a loving brother and was nice to see all the people that got toknow this side of him.

My father blamed Uriah’s mother for neglecting to rush him to thehospital fast enough. I could not feel this same remorse. Though, I didknow Uriah and his mother often had huge arguments and that is pos-sibly why he decided to take the overdose of medication. I could notblame anyone, I just missed my brother!

After burying Uriah, I had a hard time accepting things and felt likeI could have done more with him towards the end and maybe hewouldn’t have ever thought about suicide. Eventually, I knew therewas nothing anyone really could have done differently, it was God’swill. I do, however, still feel today it was tragic and senseless andknow in my heart he did not want to die, just wanted to be loved wascrying out for help.

My father changed many of his bad habits not long after Uriah died.He stopped all the drinking and became close with God. He died ofcancer in October of 2008 and I made sure he was laid to rest besidehis son.

My younger brother Scott and I often talk about Uriah and laughabout all the crazy things he used to say and do. We both miss him andour dad, but know one day we will be with them again. My only re-gret is that my only daughter, Chelsea could have met her uncle Uriah.She would have loved him like I do.

This story is dedicated to all the survivors of suicide victims. For-give that person, but never forget them!

26 My Life Magazine

Teens’ Life

Suicide notesThese are a very real sign of danger and should

be taken seriously.Threats

Threats may be direct statements (“I want todie.” “I am going to kill myself”) or, unfortunately,indirect comments (“The world would be betterwithout me”, “Nobody will miss me anyway”).Among teenagers, indirect clues could be offeredthrough joking or through comments in school as-signments, particularly creative writing or artwork.Younger children and those who may have somedelays in their development may not be able to ex-press their feelings in words, but may provide in-direct clues in the form of acting-out, violentbehavior, often with threatening or suicidal com-ments.

Previous attemptsIf a child or teenager has attempted suicide in

the past, there is a greater likelihood that he or shewill try again. Be very observant of any friendswho have tried suicide before.

Depression When symptoms of depression include strongthoughts of helplessness and hopelessness, a

child or adolescent is possibly at greater risk forsuicide. Watch out for behaviors or comments

that indicate that your friend is feeling overwhelmed by sadness or pessimistic

views of their future.“Masked” depression

Sometimes risk-taking behaviors can includeacts of aggression, gunplay, and alcohol/substanceabuse. While your friend does not acted “de-pressed,” their behavior suggests that they are notconcerned about their own safety.

Final arrangementsThis behavior may take many forms. In adoles-

cents, it might be giving away prized possessionssuch as jewelry, clothing, journals or pictures.

Efforts to hurt oneself Self-injury behaviors are warning signs for

young children as well as teenagers. Common self-destructive behaviors include running intotraffic, jumping from heights, and scratching, cutting, marking the body.

Inability to concentrate or think clearly

Such problems may be reflected in classroom behavior, homework habits, academic perform-ance, household chores, even conversation. Ifyour friend starts skipping classes, getting poorgrades, acting up in class, forgetting or poorly

performing chores around the house or talking ina way that suggests they are having trouble

concentrating, these might be signs of stress and risk for suicide.

Changes in physical habits and appearance

Changes include inability to sleep or sleepingall the time, sudden weight gain or loss, disinterestin appearance or hygiene.

Sudden changes in personality, friends, behaviors

Parents, teachers and friends are often the bestobservers of sudden changes in suicidal students.Changes can include withdrawing from friends andfamily, skipping school or classes, loss of involve-ment in activities that were once important, andavoiding friends.

Death and suicidal themesThese might appear in classroom drawings,

work samples, journals or homework.Plan/method/access

A suicidal child or adolescent may show an in-creased interest in guns and other weapons, mayseem to have increased access to guns, pills, etc.,and/or may talk about or hint at a suicide plan. Thegreater the planning, the greater the potential forsuicide.

Suicide Warning Signs

What can you do tohelp a friend?Know the warning signs!

Read over the list above and keep it in a safe place.

Do not be afraid to talk to your friends.Listen to their feelings. Make sure theyknow how important they are to you, butdon’t believe you can keep them fromhurting themselves on your own. Preventing suicide will require adult

help.

Make no deals. Never keep secret afriend’s suicidal plans or thoughts. Youcan not promise that you will not tell—you have to tell to save your friend!

Tell an adult. Talk to your parent, yourfriend’s parent, your school’s

psychologist or counselor— a trustedadult. And don’t wait! Don’t be afraidthat the adults will not believe you ortake you seriously—keep talking untilthey listen! Even if you are not sure yourfriend is suicidal, talk to someone. It’sOK if you “jump the gun”—this is defi-nitely the time to be safe and not sorry!

Ask if your school has a crisis team.Many schools (elementary, middle andhigh schools) have organized crisisteams, which include teachers, coun-selors, social workers, psychologists

and principals. These teams help train all staff to

recognize warning signs of suicide aswell as how to help in a crisis situation.These teams can also help studentsunderstand warning signs of violenceand suicide. If your school does nothave a crisis team, ask your StudentCouncil or faculty advisor to look into

starting a team.

Researchers compared oxy-gen levels in 200 newborns whilein a hospital crib, car bed and carseat.

They found that babies seatedin car seats for 60 minutes hadlower oxygen levels in their bloodthan those lying on their backs inhospital cribs.

But parents shouldn’t use theresults of the new research as anexcuse not to use car seats whentraveling with small children or toposition them in the seats in in-correct ways.

Car safety seats have beenproven to protect babies andsmall children from injury anddeath, stress experts.

My Life Magazine 27

Baby’s Life

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Having a baby is generally one of the hap-piest days in any mother’s life. But that happi-ness can be put on hold in the case of prematurebirth.

According to March of Dimes.com, morethan half a million babies are born prematurelyeach year in the United States.

42 to 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered tobe full-term, with anytime before that fallingunder the umbrella term of premature birth. Ba-bies born before the 37 week mark are at higherrisk of disabilities, including mental retarda-tion, as well as learning or behavioral prob-lems. Premature birth may also lead toproblems later in life such as increased risk ofdiabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease.

Women who wish to reduce their risk forpremature delivery should see a doctor as soonas possible once pregnancy is confirmed, asprenatal care is crucial for the health of an un-born child.

Beginning a daily multivitamin before con-ception is also a great idea for women who aretrying to get pregnant according to March ofDimes.com.

Women who have had previous prematurebirths, are giving birth to multiple children atonce (twins, triplets), or have uterine or cervi-cal abnormalities are at greater risk of deliver-ing prematurely.

While there are many lifestyle factors thatcan lead to premature birth, in many cases, doc-tors cannot determine the reason a woman de-livered prematurely.

March of Dimes says some contributing fac-tors in premature births include: Late or no pre-natal care, smoking, drinking alcohol, use ofillegal drugs, domestic violence, lack of socialsupport, high stress levels and standing for ex-tended periods of time while working.

For more information on premature birthand prevention, contact your family doctor orvisit www.marchofdimes.com.

Are you at risk ofdelivering prematurely?

Car safety seats are one ofthe most effective ways to protectchildren from injury and death inthe first years of life.

For the best protection in acrash, car seats require infants tobe placed in an upright position.However, this posture can par-tially compress the chest walland reduce airway size, resultingin lower levels of oxygen andbreathing problems, according tonew research published in themedical journal, “Pediatrics.”

Never use a car seat as a re-placement for a crib and onlykeep infants in these safety de-vices for protection during travel.

How long should infants be left in carseats?

By Amanda Rodeheffer

28 My Life Magazine

Mature Life

Carolyn Mobbs is spearhead-ing the formation of a supportgroup so she can get help for othersthat was not available to her.

Mobbs had trouble breathing,sought medical attention and wassubsequently diagnosed withChronic Obstructive PulmonaryDisease (COPD) seven years ago.

COPD is a chronic lung condi-tion that gets worse over time.

“I have emphysema and chronicbronchitis,” she said. “And, sixmonths ago I was diagnosed withasthma. When you can’t breathe,it’s scary.”

According to the website, thecommon feature of chronic bron-chitis is the lungs always becomenarrowed when they get tight,swollen and filled with mucus,changes which limit airflow in andout of the lungs. Common featuresof emphysema? “The tiny air sacs(alveoli) in the lungs are damaged.Like old balloons, they getstretched out of shape and breakdown. Old air gets trapped in themand there’s no room for new air toget in.

She has had to learn muchabout her ailments via the com-puter, which a grandson had givenher.

“I found out more on computerand researching myself,” she said.“COPD primarily happens in

smokers, but that’s not just so. Istarted working in the fields when Iwas 6 or 7. There were insecticidesin the fields.”

Yes, she had smoked about allof her life, and quit eight years ago.But, she also noted that she drovediesel truck for 18 years.

The former Carolyn Burden isnow on oxygen 24/7 and has beenfor the past year and a half. Beforethat, she was only on it at night forfour years.

“I always will be,” said the 72-year-old. “I have no energy. I can’tbreathe and I can’t lift. I can hardlydo anything and it’s getting worse.”

That’s where she feels that asupport group could help herselfand others like her.

“A support group perhaps willhelp you through difficult timeswhere I’ve had no one,” she said.“When I found out what it is I had,I could handle it.”

She did admit to having beendepressed for three weeks becauseshe couldn’t do anything.

“I’m an active person,” shesaid.

She has five children, three intown, who help out. She also haseight grandchildren and threegreat-grandchildren with anotheron the way.

“I was a pretty healthy kid,”said Mobbs, who was still workinguntil this past February, when shequit with Red Cross. “I was takingbreathing treatments twice a day,and that was it.”

She has gotten help for herselfthrough various methods.

“I got hold of Med 4 Home onTV and they send me breathingtreatments,” she said. “I got hold ofLincare out of Richmond for myoxygen. They send a nurse here tome to check me overnight. Some-one contacts me every week.”

She said she is taking bloodpressure medications as well asSingular and Asmanex, but indi-cated she is on very little othermedications.

These are the kinds of thingsthat Mobbs is hoping to share withthose who take part in the supportgroup.

“You don’t know what to doand, until you find out, it will scareyou to death,” she concluded.

Symptoms of COPDCough that produces mucus (may be streaked with blood)

FatigueFrequent respiratory infections

HeadachesShortness of breath (dyspnea) that gets

worse with mild activitySwelling of the ankles, feet or legs,

which affects both sidesWheezing

Tips to help improvebreathingQuit smoking

Avoid tobacco smoke, including secondhand smoke.

ExerciseHelps strengthen the body. When the

body is in better shape, one may be more ac-

tive with less shortness of breath.Nutrition

Eating healthy food may help one staystrong. Being overweight can put a strain on the heart and lungs, making it harder

for a person to breathe. If underweight, one may have less en-

ergy and the body may be less capable of fighting off infections.

Avoid triggersWhen possible, avoid conditions thatmake breathing difficult. Some peoplefind hot, humid air makes it harder tobreathe, while others have a hard time

with the cold.

In addition to smoking, other risk factors areExposure to certain gases or fumes in the workplace

Exposure to heavy amounts of secondhand smoke and pollutionFrequent use of cooking gas without proper ventilation

More facts aboutCOPD

COPD sufferer reaching out to help others

Carolyn Mobbs,

does research on the

computer about her COPD.

Mobbs is willing to share

with others her experiences

by starting up a support

group.�

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Disruptive changes in memoryParticularly in its early stages, indicators of

Alzheimer’s is forgetting recently learned in-formation. Other memory disruptions thatcould indicate Alzheimer’s are forgetting im-portant dates or events, routinely using mem-ory aides such as notes or asking forinformation more than once.

Difficulty planning or solving problems

Some people begin to struggle with plan-ning, both developing a plan for a given taskor following another’s plan. This can includedifficulty with daily responsibilities such as fol-lowing recipes or monthly tasks like makingsure the bills get paid. Tasks that once took afew moments might now take a lot longer aswell.

Difficulty performing familiar tasksFamiliar tasks often seem foreign to peo-

ple with Alzheimer’s. This can include drivinga car, understanding a favorite game or clean-ing the house.

Losing track of time or placeSeniors who begin to lose track of time, for-

get what season it is or where they are mightbe suffering from Alzheimer’s. Many times,people with Alzheimer’s only understandthings that are happening immediately.

Problems with vision and spatial relationships

While many people are quick to assume vi-sion loss is a standard sign of aging, suchloss could also be indicative of a larger prob-lem such as Alzheimer’s, which can make itdifficult for seniors to read, judge distance ordistinguish between colors. In addition, some-one with Alzheimer’s might walk past a mirrorand think someone else in the room, unawarethe person in the mirror is their own reflection.

Difficulty with conversationSometimes, people with Alzheimer’s have

trouble maintaining or joining a conversation.Some people might struggle with vocabulary,such as calling things by the wrong name,while others might stop in the middle of a con-versation and not be able to continue. Mosttypical is when a person cannot find the rightword to express a given idea.

Misplacing items and being unable to retrace steps

Nearly everyone misplaces an item fromtime to time. However, this is more commonamong those with Alzheimer’s, who might puttheir car keys in the refrigerator or routinelylose items such as the remote control or theireyeglasses. When such items are misplaced,a person who could have Alzheimer’s will findit nearly impossible to retrace their steps.

30 My Life Magazine

Mature Life

By Ron Griffitts

Remember the oldsaying, “If you don’tuse it, you lose it?”That ‘s true for ourmemory and ourminds. And insteadof investing moneyin computer memory games, why not read abook. Pick something out that you like butmaybe always wanted to read but never did, andthat is a little bit difficult and read a little eachday. Even though you may not like it at first,like listening to classical music, you will de-velop a taste for your subject as you continue.

Start out easy. Don’t tackle War and Peace orDickens’ longer novels - but, maybe one ofDickens’ shorter works, or a section of the KingJames Version of the Bible. You might even trysome classical literature, poetry or history; de-pending on your interests.

I am reading Anthony Trollop’s “The War-den and Barchester Towers,” a Victorian novelpublished around 1850. Even though I haveread during much of my life, I had never readTrollope. So, I decided to tackle one of hisbooks and as that is the one I had in my library,I chose it.

Trollope starts out slowly but the book growson you, and that is good because it is over 700pages long. It deals with the workings of the An-glican Church between the bishop, archbishop,curates and deans; detailing the behind thescene maneuverings of the various church mem-bers. He uses the church as metaphor for societyas a whole. Trollope develops characters show-ing their likes, dislikes, strategies and failings.His insight is remarkable, especially since hewrote before the discovery of modern psychol-ogy. He is also a good storyteller and writes insmall chapters which makes for easy reading.The novel has greed, avarice, romance andvirtue. It also gives the reader a feel for whatlife was like in 1850’s England.

If you read a little each day, making sure youdo some every day, you will be surprised howfast a book can be read. Read while watchingTV, flip the mute on during commercials andread. You will be surprised how much you cando just by reading during commercials.

Reading good literature is good discipline,keeps your mind sharp, provides enjoyment anda sense of accomplishment. If you don’t alreadyhave a book, get one from a local library - free!They’ll even give you advice on what you mightenjoy.

Memory building tips As persons age, many understand there

are certain things that are changing andneed to be accepted. Someone who wasonce a night owl might now realize theywork better on a full night’s rest. Thosewho tended to spend long days at the of-fice might realize they now need to headhome at quitting time to better preservetheir energy.

While both of those realizations mani-fest themselves physically, another moretroubling problem occurs mentally.Alzheimer’s disease affects as many as 5.3million people in the United States alone,and Alzheimer’s and dementia triple

healthcare costs for Americans age 65 andolder according to the 2009 Alzheimer’sDisease Facts and Figures report from theAlzheimer’s Association.

Part of the fear associated withAlzheimer’s disease is the uncertainty sur-rounding it. While seniors might be will-ing to admit they can’t burn the midnightoil like they once did, few can accept orare willing to admit they might be suffer-ing some mental side effects of aging aswell.

Therefore, it’s often up to friends andfamily to look for the warning signs ofAlzheimer’s.

If you see or suspect any of the following signs in a friend or relative, consult a physician immediately.

Warning signs of Alzheimer’s

My Life Magazine 31

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Mature Life

Senior citizens are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. pop-ulation and many are healthy, vivacious individuals. However, it isestimated that 16 million elderly people in this country haveAlzheimer’s Disease, a debilitating condition marked by memoryloss, confusion and trouble communicating.

Common to Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia,plus other conditions, such as Parkinson’s Disease, is the propen-sity for the elderly to wander. Wandering can help relieve anxietyand restlessness and may serve as exercise when the individual canwander in a safe, contained area. However, too often confused eld-erly wander away from home, caregiving centers, or may leavetheir beds at night. A person can easily get lost or injured.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, about half of thosewho wander and are not found within 24 hours may suffer seriousinjury or even death. These statistics have led individuals to findways to safeguard elderly loved ones who tend to wander.

Assess home security and make changes to ensure exit is difficult for seniors

Use doorknob covers that make it difficult to turn the knob. Placelocks and latches on windows. Install a security system or elec-

tronic chimes on doors.

Clarify rooms of the homeTo avoid confusion, put pictures on the doors to rooms, such as atoilet on a bathroom door and a bed on a bedroom door. This waythe senior has a visual reminder of the purpose of each room.

Enroll in a program that will alert safety personnel if a loved one is lost

The Alzheimer’s Association has the nationwide Safe Return pro-gram, which provides an identification bracelet or necklace andtoll-free phone number. Project Lifesaver is a program that en-ables primary caregivers to outfit their elderly relatives with aradio transmitter worn on the wrist. Police can usually track a

missing person within minutes.

Petition for a “Silver Alert” program in your stateLike the Amber Alert for missing children, a Silver Alert broad-casts a media bulletin and posts notices on highway signs of amissing elderly person. Only a few states currently have SilverAlert programs, including: Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, NorthCarolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Florida, and Virginia.

Alert neighbors of your loved one’s propensity to wanderThe more people who can keep watchful eyes on an individual

the better.

Keep updated pictures and a piece of clothing availableThese items can help police track down your loved one more

quickly.

Keep car keys locked awayWandering by walking is one thing, however a disoriented senior

who is driving is a recipe for disaster.

Wanderinga common problem

for elderly

When it comes to our bodies, age has nobearing on how attentive we should be withrespect to what we eat. No one is ever tooyoung or too old to disregard their diet.

However, a healthy diet is perhaps moreimportant for seniors than any other agegroup, with the exception of infants. For sen-iors, a healthy diet can strengthen the im-mune system and promote bone health,making seniors less susceptible to sicknessand less likely to suffer harmful injuriesshould they slip and fall. The following diettips can help seniors stay healthy, strong andcomfortable.

Include fiber in your diet — Seniorscommonly suffer from constipation. Thoughuncomfortable, this condition is often pre-ventable. So why such a common problem?Oftentimes, foods that are high in fiber arecrunchy or more difficult to chew, which isproblematic for seniors with dentures. How-ever, dentures don’t have to preclude seniorsfrom enjoying a diet with a healthy amountof fiber. Instead, seek alternate sources offiber, such as fresh fruit or cooked or bakedvegetables.

Remember to drink fluids —As we age,we start losing our sense of thirst. However,fluids don’t become any less important sim-ply because we’re less thirsty. Doctors rec-ommend seniors have between six to eightglasses of fluids per day. Drinking water, forinstance, helps us maintain energy while alsohelping the body perform a variety of func-tions, including transporting oxygen and nu-trients to cells and building new tissue and

cell membranes. Drinking enough can alsohelp prevent constipation. So it’s importantfor seniors to remember the importance ofdrinking fluids each day, even if one is notfeeling thirsty.

Include protein in your daily diet —Protein is integral to a healthy diet, regard-less of a person’s age. But seniors can espe-cially benefit from protein’s ability tostrengthen the immune system, hence lessen-ing their likelihood of falling victim to coldsor other ailments that can act as gateways tobigger problems. Fish, poultry, eggs and leanmeats are all good sources of protein.

Reduce, but don’t eliminate, fat fromyour diet— Because our metabolism slowsas we age, it’s important to reduce the amountof fat in our diet as we age. However, reduc-tion is not synonymous with elimination. Fatshould not be eliminated from seniors’ diets,as it can still prove a valuable energy source.But seniors should reduce the amount of fatin their diet to combat their slowing metabo-lism.

Don’t forget about calcium— Calcium isessential to bone health, and too little calciumin a senior’s diet can increase susceptibilityto osteoporosis, which weakens the bonesand increases the likelihood that a fall canlead to a broken bone. For seniors with di-gestive problems who cannot comfortablydrink milk, consider including non-fat pow-dered milk in recipes. Also, lactose-free milkcan enable people to drink milk and get valu-able calcium. If none of these options workout, consult a physician to discuss calciumsupplements.

Mature Life

32 My Life Magazine

By Ruth Williams

The news of several schools in other areashoping to enforce strict dress codes on studentslets me know it has to be very difficult to pur-chase clothing for kids nowadays, especiallywhen some schools forbid stripes, paisleys anddesigns on T-shirts, and even the “swoosh” em-blem on shoes. Having seen some of the teenfashions offered in stores, I wonder how mothersdeal with it.

Each generation seems to have its own styles.In my day (many, many moons ago), it was thestyle to wear dirty saddle oxfords — the dirtier,the better — but the shoestrings had to be clean.A friend told me her mother wanted to be niceand polished her daughter’s shoes one evening,and the daughter cried for days.

When my children went to school, peggedjeans were in style for a while, and the boys justhad to have the legs of their jeans so tight it wasa wonder they could get their feet through thesmall openings. Even though the legs came slim,mothers had to stitch them up even slimmer. Butthe boys were neatly dressed.

In the ’70s when my daughter was in highschool, it just wasn’t heard of for girls to wearjeans, or even nice slacks. I dreaded the thoughtof August and purchasing school clothes; everyarticle had to be just perfect. I don’t envy themothers of today — if school shopping with theirdaughters is the chore I remember.

A friend was telling me about her grandchil-dren and their school shopping. The grand-daughter just couldn’t make up her mind — “Idon’t know if I really like that.” “Maybe I’drather have some other color.” “I don’t think thatwill be what others are wearing,” while thegrandson, when showed the items purchased forhim in his absence, was asked if he liked certainitems, he never even looked up from the backseat and replied, “Whatever,” “It’s fine with me,”and “Yeah, I’ll wear that.”

But then I remembered our younger son. Healways looked nice and was very neat. But oneyear, I begged for days for him to go shoppingfor clothes, and he finally agreed to go to a Day-ton shopping center. I had planned to make a dayof it, and even take him out for lunch.

We walked into the first store and he foundthe young men’s department. We hadn’t beenthere five minutes when he quickly sortedthrough the rack of shirts, pointed, and said, “Ilike this … this … and … this. Now, Now let’sgo home!”

Dietary tips to keep seniors going strong

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34 My Life Magazine

Edward Jones

Of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,” the only one still in exis-tence is the Great Pyramid of Giza. This tells you something about thestrength of the pyramid structure, but it also suggests that the pyramid maybe a good metaphor for other endeavors that you wish to endure — such asyour investment strategy.

In fact, by creating an appropriate “investment pyramid,” you could ad-dress your key financial needs and goals. What might this pyramid look like?Consider the following “layers”:

• Cash and cash equivalents — The “base” of your pyramid should con-sist of cash and cash equivalents — short-term investment vehicles that arehighly liquid. Without sufficient cash available, the rest of your pyramid couldcrumble because you might be forced to liquidate longer- term investmentsto pay for short-term or emergency needs.

• Income — The next level up of your pyramid might contain income- ori-ented investments, such as bonds and Certificates of Deposit (CDs). Whilethese investments may not offer sizable rates of return, they can offer reliableincome.

• Growth and income — The middle layer of your pyramid should includeinvestments, such as dividend-paying stocks, that offer the potential for bothgrowth and income. (Keep in mind, though, that companies are not obligatedto pay dividends and can reduce or eliminate them at any time.)

• Growth — The second layer from the top of your pyramid is reserved forgrowth-oriented investments, such as the stocks of companies whose earn-ings are expected to grow at an above average rate, relative to the rest of thefinancial market. As you’ll note, though, the key word is “expected,” because

growth stocks can, and do, produce negative returns as well as positive ones.

• Aggressive — At the very top of your pyramid are the most aggressiveinvestments. While these investments may offer the highest growth poten-tial, they also usually carry the greatest risk level.

Your total investment mix may include investments from every part of thepyramid, but how much should go into each layer? There’s no one right an-swer for everyone. In filling out your investment pyramid, you’ll need to con-sider your risk tolerance, time horizon/ short- and long-term goals and otherfactors. So, if you are a fairly conservative investor, you might place fewer in-vestment dollars in the “aggressive” layer than someone who was willing totake more chances in exchange for potentially higher returns.

However, the various weightings within your investment pyramid will likelychange over time. As you near retirement, for example, you may want tomove some — but certainly not all — of your investments from the “growth”layer to the “growth and income” or “income” layers. An investment profes-sional can help you review your evolving family and financial situations andmake recommendations on whatchanges you may need to make to yourpyramid.

Pyramids last a long time. And if youbuild and maintain your investment pyra-mid with care, you can keep it workingefficiently for many years to come.

This article was provided by your EdwardJones Financial Advisor with offices inGreenville and Eaton.

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Pet’s Life

My Life Magazine 35

AlcoholAlcohol has the same effect on a dog's liver and brain

that it has on humans. But it takes far less to do its dam-age. Just a little can cause vomiting, diarrhea, centralnervous system depression, problems with coordination,difficulty breathing, coma, even death. The smaller thedog, the greater the effect.

Coffee, Tea, and Other CaffeineCaffeine in large enough quantities can be fatal for a

dog. Symptoms of caffeine poisoning include restless-ness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, muscle tremors,fits, and bleeding. In addition to tea and coffee - includ-ing beans and grounds - caffeine can be found in cocoa,chocolate, colas, and stimulant drinks such as Red Bull.It's also in some cold medicines and pain killers.

Milk and Other Dairy ProductsIt may be tempting to share your ice cream cone with

your dog. Milk and milk-based products can cause diar-rhea and other digestive upset as well as set up food al-lergies (which often manifest as itchiness).

ChocolateMost people know that chocolate is bad for dogs. The

toxic agent in chocolate is theobromine. It's in all kindsof chocolate, even white chocolate. The most dangerouskinds are dark chocolate and unsweetened baking choco-late. Eating chocolate, even just licking out the icingbowl, can cause a dog to vomit, have diarrhea, and beexcessively thirsty. It can also cause abnormal heartrhythm, tremors, seizures, and death.

Fat Trimmings and BonesTable scraps often contain meat fat that a human did-

n't eat and bones. Both are dangerous for dogs. Fattrimmed from meat, both cooked and uncooked, cancause pancreatitis in dogs. It may seem natural to give adog a bone, a dog can choke on it. Bones can also splin-ter and cause an obstruction or lacerations of your dog'sdigestive system.

Raw Meat and FishRaw meat and raw fish, like raw eggs, can contain

bacteria that causes food poisoning. Certain kinds of fishsuch as salmon, trout, shad, or sturgeon can contain aparasite that causes "fish disease." If not treated, the dis-ease can be fatal within two weeks. The first signs of ill-ness are vomiting, fever, and big lymph nodes.Thoroughly cooking the fish will kill the parasite andprotect your dog.

SaltIt's not a good idea to share salty foods like chips or

pretzels with your dog. Eating too much salt can causeexcessive thirst and urination and lead to sodium ion poi-soning. Symptoms of too much salt include vomiting, di-arrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature,and seizures. It may even cause death.

Sugary Foods and DrinksToo much sugar can do the same thing to dogs that it

does to humans. It can lead to obesity, dental problems,and even diabetes.

Yeast DoughBefore it's baked, bread dough needs to rise. And, that's exactly what it would do

in your dog's stomach if your dog ate it. As it swells inside, the dough can stretchthe dog's abdomen and cause severe pain. In addition, when the yeast ferments thedough to make it rise, it produces alcohol that can lead to alcohol poisoning.

If you are going to feed your dog ‘people food’, it’s suggested to stick to leanmeats, be sure to remove all visible fat - including the skin on poultry. Also be surethat there are no bones in the meat before you give it to your dog.

Fresh fruits, such as slices of apples, oranges, bananas, and watermelon. Removeany seeds first, though, seeds, stems, and leaves can cause serious problems.

Some vegetables such as carrot sticks, green beans, cucumber slices, or zucchinislices.

What a pet ownershould NEVER feed

their dog

36 My Life Magazine

Career Life

By Leslie Collins

From gunshots ringing out in a lobby of apolice station to not-so-veiled threats againsta coworker, violence in the workplace cantake on many forms.

According to the Occupational Safety andHealth Administration (OSHA), workplaceviolence is violence, or the threat of it,against worker. It can occur at or outside theworkplace, and range from threats and verbalabuse, to actual physical assaults and homi-cide — one of the leading causes of job-re-lated deaths. However it manifests itself,workplace violence is a growing concern foremployees and employers nationwide.

Eaton Police Chief Phil Romeo says hedeals with workplace violence in two waysin his position — both as an employer and asa law enforcement officer.

His staff has consistent training and thedepartment is “very clear” on it’s policy onharassment, whether sexual harassment orworkplace violence in nature.

“They have to know what it is, what to doif they suspect it’s happening,” he said of hisown staff. “As an employee, they have toknow it’s not going to be tolerated.”.

Threats of violence are not tolerated.“We’ve been fortunate we’ve not had any

incidents,” Romeo said of the Eaton PD.All businesses need to have such policies

in place for their own employees, and ac-cording to Romeo, “It starts at the top.”

Supervisors have to make it clear it is un-acceptable, he said, and it is important thepolicies and procedures to deal with it are inplace.

“Early in my career, when I was with myformer employer, someone walked into thelobby of the Reynoldsburg Police Depart-ment and shot his wife,” Romeo said.

“It made a lasting impression on me.”On the job, Romeo says the PD treats in-

cidents in the workplace as they would thoseat a school. Officers are trained to respond,and take positive action.

The most common type of incidents he’sdealt with in workplaces is those that beginas a domestic disturbance.

The Preble County Sheriff’s Office worksvery closely with the human resource direc-tors of Preble County employers when anyviolence or threat of violence takes place, ac-cording to Sheriff Mike Simpson. Luckilyfor Preble County, this does not happen veryoften Simpson notes.

“We normally find ourselves respondingto the threat and investigating the crimeand/or making an arrest when a situationarises.”Zero tolerance

A policy of “zero tolerance” is the bestprotection for employers to provide their em-ployees, according to OSHA officials. Evenwhat seems as minimal threats should betaken seriously.

Take “Ginger” for example, blindsided bywritten threats from a coworker on a My-space page.

With threats of “I might just give you theback of my hand to knock a few teeth outtayour face,” and “I would gladly go to jail forbusting you the $%^& up,” brought to her at-tention, Ginger took the matter to her super-visor, who at first did not react or make any

decisions regarding the situation.After a second coworker, who was upset

management had not dealt with the issue,took the matter to law enforcement officials,the local police department got involved —and the situation was resolved by the resig-nation of Ginger’s coworker.

It is critical to ensure that all employeesknow the policy and understand that allclaims of workplace violence will be inves-tigated and remedied promptly, according toOSHA.The Dangerous Worker

According to the US Department ofHealth and Human Services, National Men-tal Health Services, some work forces willinclude a worker who is truly dangerous.

This individual is the man (rarely awoman) who is both belligerent and unbal-anced, who voices threats that are only toobelievable, and who makes managers andfellow workers uneasy.

“Bringing such workers to the attention ofcounselors is sometimes difficult. People feeluneasy dealing with him. An anonymous callmay be made to management about a workermaking threats, but management may be re-luctant to direct the worker to counseling,”NMH explains.

It is essential that firms have policies inplace regarding treatment of potentially dan-gerous workers, before an event occurs. Thepolicies should provide criteria for identify-ing troubled workers, and should give thefirm the right to direct workers to evaluationand counseling. Although such workers maynot see themselves as requiring treatment, askillful counselor often can gain the cooper-ation of an initially uncooperative client, ac-cording to NMH officials.

Homicide is the second leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the UnitedStates. Nearly 1,000 workers are murdered and 1.5 million are assaulted in theworkplace each year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) NationalCensus of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), in additional information about work-place violence, there were 709 workplace homicides in 1998. These accountedfor 12 percent of the total 6,026 fatal work injuries in the United States. Of these709 workplace homicide victims in 1998, 80 percent were shot and nine percentwere stabbed.

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), 2 million as-saults and threats of violence against Americans at work occur annually. The mostcommon type of workplace crime was assault with an average of 1.5 million a year.

There were 396,000 aggravated assaults, 51,000 rapes and sexual assaults,84,000 robberies, and 1,000 homicides reported. These figures likely fall short ofthe actual number of violent acts occurring in workplaces as not all acts of work-place violence are reported.

Facts about homicide

VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

My Life Magazine 37

Men’s Life

While many nutritionists say that it is a myth that the averageAmerican gains 5 pounds during the holiday season (Weight Watch-ers says it is more like two), all that extra time off and those parties

can still be tricky to navigate for those looking to remain on their fit-ness regiment. The following is a collection of tips from NancyZwick, nutritionist with the American Dairy Association and fromseveral leading men’s journals and websites.

WAYS TO BEAT HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN

GENERAL THINGSTO KEEP IN MINDKeep in mind, diet-busters are everywhere

during the holidays.

AVOID THESE HEAVY HITTERS WHENPOSSIBLE

One slice pumpkin pie = 320 caloriesOne cup stuffing = 350 caloriesOne cup eggnog = 342 calories.

An exercise tip for shoppers: park farther awayfrom the mall or store because the longer walkwill keep your heart rate up.

HAVE A PLANWrite down your plan for maintaining your eatingand exercise goals. Post the plan where you cansee it every day.

DON’T WEAR ELASTIC-WAIST PANTSWear your “skinny” jeans to the party so youwon’t feel like pigging out at the buffet line. Dressin clothing that fits properly and is not over-sized.

STAY FLEXIBLE Shorter days and a busy calendar can play havocwith your fitness routine. Be ready to substitute abrisk walk at the mall for a trip to the gym.

PICK YOUR INDULGENCES CAREFULLY

Of course you are allowed your favorite splurgesat the holidays. But don’t waste the calories onmindless office munching when you can usethem for foods you really crave at this time ofyear.

REALIZE THAT ALCOHOL COUNTSLiquor, beer and wine are free of fat, but they allcontain calories. And drinking alcohol can lead toovereating. Dilute wine with spritzer or alternatean alcoholic drink with a glass of water.

AVOID MINI-APPETIZERSMany of these are loaded with fat and calories.Eat a light meal of vegetable soup or a baked po-tato before the party. Choose two or three of yourfavorite items, put them on a plate and walk awayfrom the food.

KEEP IT OFF DURING THE NEW YEAROnce you’ve made it through the holidays with minimal weight gain and fitness loss, be sure tokeep your guard up during the new year. Here are some general tips to a healthier lifestyle

DRINK WATER Dehydration slows metabolism. Most people confuse thirst with hunger. Drink water regularly. Do notuse thirst as a gauge for when to drink water. If you feel thirsty, it is too late. You are already dehy-drated. Your goal should be to drink 80 to 96 ounces per day.

EAT SMALL FREQUENT MEALSWhen you wait too long between meals, your blood sugar level drops too low. When that happens, youfeel extremely hungry and you eat more than you should. Your body can only process about 30 gramsof carbohydrates and about 40 grams of protein in one sitting. Anything over that is stored as fat.

EXERCISE IN THE MORNINGStudies have shown that weight-bearing exercise can burn calories for several hours after the work-out. Why not take advantage of that extra burn and allow your body to burn throughout the rest of theday?

FOCUS MORE ON THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAN THE FOOD Food is the fuel that your body needs to function properly. Don’t make food your friend or confidant.Change your relationship with food for healthy weight management.

MINIMIZE STRESS Stress causes your body to release chemicals that cause you to store fat. Relaxation techniques suchas massage and meditation can help you minimize and manage stress and potentially keep the weightoff.

MINIMIZE ALCOHOL Alcohol stops your body from burning fat. Your body can handle 0.6 ounces of alcohol in one hour. A12-ounce beer contains about 0.6 ounces of alcohol. If you consumed 5 of these, your body wouldbe inhibited from fat burning for up to 6 hours. This is aside from the fact that your body will actuallybe storing fat during these 6 hours!

EAT PROTEIN Protein (like chicken, turkey, fish, etc.) signals the body that “the hunting is good.” This signal tellsyour body to release stored body fat. Protein is also the building block of muscle and muscle allowsyour body to burn more calories at rest.

By Marc Saluk

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38 My Life Magazine

Men’s Life

Winter is a tough season to maintain yourfitness level. Enthusiasm for outdoors fitnesstraining is understandably weak and exercis-ing at home never seems to work out, whatwith all those chips and a nice comfy couchnear by. So your options boil down to this:hole up until spring and pack on some winterpudge, or get creative. Look at winter as anopportunity to add new twists to your regi-men and stay ahead of the game headed into2010.

Fitness experts recommend mixing thingsup when the temperature plummets by tryingsomething new that will challenge your bodyin ways it’s not used to. Train for a triathlon,perhaps. If you have strong running skills butare weak in one of the races other two com-ponents (biking or swimming), winter is theideal time to set up a program that will im-prove your weakest link.

WINTER FITNESS

MADE EASY

You might also consider learning a newskill. If you haven’t mastered a winter disci-pline, try snowshoeing or cross-country ski-ing. Exercise physiologists say that they’retwo of winter’s best cardio activities. Eithersport is a great way for runners and cyclists tomaintain their conditioning. Even outdoorchores like chopping wood and shovelingsnow can get that heart pumping. For thosereluctant to change, consider moving your fa-vorite summer sport inside. Take indoor ten-nis lessons, a spinning class, or try rockclimbing at an indoor facility.

If you’re already a regular at the gym, trychanging things up during the colder months.Hop on a cardio machine, like the elliptical,treadmill, or bike. To keep boredom at bay,split a 60-minute workout among three ma-chines, spending 20 minutes on each. Justwhen you’re starting to get bored, you’reready to move to a new machine. Or read abook magazine, tune in to your iPod, or watchTV as you sweat.

Whether you run or bike, you should alsoconsider putting strength training higher onyour to-do list during the winter months. First,determine your weaknesses—core? upperbody?—then focus on those areas. If neces-sary, hire a personal trainer to help you iden-tify those shortcomings, and then focus onyour routine, building a strong, balanced bodyfrom head to toe.

And don’t forget to continue your otherhealthy habits: Maintain your nutrient-richdiet, get plenty of sleep, and minimize stress.Experts say that, during the winter months,you need to be even more focused on theselifestyle habits so your body can help fightany germs it encounters. Don’t let winterforce your fitness into hibernation. Fitness isyear-round.

By Marc Saluk

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