Vitamins:

Vitamins are natural substanc-

es found in living things such as

plants. Vitamins must be obtained in

the body from foods or supplements as

they cannot usually be produced by

the body.

Minerals:

Minerals are found in plants.

Plants get their minerals from the soil-

soil gets minerals from water washing

over rocks. For vitamins to do their

job, they require minerals. Minerals

must also be obtained from food or

supplements.

Antioxidants:

Antioxidants are specific vita-

mins or minerals that protect body

cells from damaging effects of Free

Radicals. Free Radicals come from or

are caused by smoking, sunlight,

stress, exercise, etc., and are one of the

primary causes of premature aging,

sickness, and disease.

Supplements:

Supplements are vitamins

and minerals that have been extracted

from a plant or created in a laboratory

and put into a form that can be ingested

and used by the body.

There are effective supplements,

ineffective supplements, and hazardous

supplements.

Uneducated consumers are at

risk from two sides:

1. Consumers know they should sup-

plement but don’t know how to ef-

fectively. Therefore, they waste their

money, time, and health.

2. Consumers are uninformed (or given

bad advice) on the need to supple-

ment and sacrifice their health.

P o t a s s i um “ Th e Hea r t D ep en d s o n i t ”

L y m p h e d e m a I n f o r m a t i o n S u p p o r t G r o u p

V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2

I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e :

Minerals (Potassium)

1-6

Dietary Corner 7

First Hand

by

Manjot Kaur

8

Care of Garments

9

Treat Lymphedema

Skin

10

Requirements for a bone fide Lymphedema

Therapist

11

Complete Lymphedema

Care

12

F u l l S e r v i c e

F o o t C a r e :

O f f - t h e - S h e l f

O r t h o t i c s

S h o e s f o r C o m f o r t

By Appointment

(408) 782-1028

LISG

How Do Vitamins and Minerals get in the Body? Vitamins and minerals get into your body when you eat plants such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and spices or when you take a vitamin/mineral supplement. You can also get some vitamins and minerals into your body by eating meat as most animals eat plant food.

Digestive Tract Where do Vitamins/Minerals go in the

Body?

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 2

Vitamins and minerals go from your stom-ach to your intestines. They then go through a very complex allocation system whereby the body dis-tributes certain vitamins and minerals to parts of your body based on its own priority system. (see image). If a nutrient is needed in a certain organ that the body deems more important, it will take the nutrient from a less important organ, and allo-cate it to a more important organ. Sort of a “rob Peter to pay Paul” action. That’s why it is critical to maintain proper vitamin and mineral levels. Vita-mins and minerals in your body should not be viewed as independent substances, but rather as a cooperative network of nutrients working together. If one nutrient is missing, it throws the entire net-work of nutrients out of balance.

“A deficiency of a vitamin or mineral will cause a body part to malfunction and eventually break down - and, like dominos, other body parts will follow”

-James F. Balch, M.D Prescription for Nutritional Healing

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 3

Continuation from page 2

How Do Vitamins/Minerals Leave the Body?

Vitamins and minerals are “used” by the

body. As they perform their function, they often use themselves up in the process, which is the case with most of the critical diseases fighting antioxidants.

Even thinking uses vitamins and minerals.

Exercise and stress use a lot of vitamins and minerals; the use of diuretics (substances that increase the discharge of urine) such as drugs, alcohol, coffee, tea and sodas - wash away vitamins and minerals out of the body creating deficien-cies - this can create a major health prob-lem!

Tobacco and alcohol can also inhibit the ab-

sorption of vitamins and minerals, or ac-celerate the loss of them.

Your Health, Your intelligence, Your energy Your appearance are dependent upon you replenishing your vitamins and

minerals every day.

Vitamin & Mineral Supplementation

is necessary for these reasons:

1. Crop nutrient losses - soil has been de-

pleted of nutrients 2. Poor digestion - indigestion reduces ab-

sorption 3. Over-cooking - destroys nutrients 4. Microware cooking - alters structure of

nutrients 5. Food storage - length of time stored and

freezing deplete nutrients 6. Food selection - limiting food selections 7. Food omission - dieting and allergies re-

duce or omit sources of nutrients 8. Environmental factors - herbicides and

pesticides reduce nutritional values 9. Antibiotics - interfere with intake of nutri-

ents 10. Poor Lifestyle - smoking, alcohol and caf-

feine inhibit absorption of nutrients 11. Stress - increases body’s requirements 12. Out of balance - missing nutrients create

an out of balance situation in the body 13. Nutrient variance - some foods have

greater amounts of certain nutrients.

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Potassium “The Heart Demands on it”

Potassium performs countless vital

functions in the body:

1) Helps nerves transmit messages, aids

digestive enzymes in their work, guides

normal growth and serves as an

electrolyte.

2) Potassium may act as a shield against

sodium-induced high blood pressure.

3) Lower the rates of hypertension. “We’d

probably see some dramatic changes in

the incidence of hypertension if Ameri-

cans cut their salt intake to less than 3

grams a day and started eating an

equivalent amount of potassium.” states

Harold B. Battarbee, PhD., an associate

professor of physiology at Louisiana

State University School of Medicine.

4) Maintains your energy on a hot day. Our

bodies acclimate to heat, automatically

conserving sodium. Potassium, howev-

er, is lost during a heat wave making

you feel tired and uncomfortable. Dur-

ing the next hot spell, forget the sodi-

um and instead boost your intake of

high-potassium foods.

5) Necessary for proper body function.

Potassium is substantially lost when

foods are canned or frozen.

6) Diuretic drugs for high blood pressure

flush potassium out of the body. Potassium is

one of the minerals you need to keep your

blood pressure under control. How can you

escape a potassium leak? By eating plenty of

lean meats, fruits lie dried apricots and can-

taloupe and vegetables like lima beans and

potatoes.

7) Cardiac muscle appears extremely sensi-

tive to potassium content. Sudden drops in

potassium can cause cardiac arrhythmias to

occur. Those increased and irregular heart-

beats can bring the heart’s work to an abrupt

and fatal halt.

8) Your heart isn’t the only muscle that de-

mands potassium. Even a slight deficit can

sap all your muscles of strength-leaving you

tired, weak, and irritable.

9) In chronic potassium deficit, muscular

weakness may persist for many months and

be interpreted as being due to emotional dis-

ability.

10) Stay on a potassium-rich diet! Take ad-

vantage of our fresh food bounty and eat lots

of salad greens, vegetables, and fruits-all

excellent sources of potassium.

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S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 6

Potassium-rich foods listed in

order of potassium content

Dietary Corner

Tuna, Artichoke and Basil Stuffed Potatoes Ingredients 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed

2 5-to 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna, drained

3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons

chopped fresh basil, divided

1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts,

drained and chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup shredded provolone cheese

1 plum tomato, finely chopped

Preparation 1. Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave on Medium, turning once or twice, until

soft, about 20 minutes. (Or use the “potato setting” on your microwave and cook according to

manufacturer’s directions.)

2. Meanwhile, combine tuna, yogurt, 1/2 cup basil, artichoke hearts, scallions, capers (if using),

salt and pepper in a large bowl.

3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, carefully cut off the top third. Scoop out the

insides and add to the bowl with the tuna. Place the potato shells in a microwave-safe dish.

Mash the potato and tuna mixture together with a fork or potato masher.

Evenly divide the tuna mixture among the potato shells. (They will be very well stuffed.) Top

with cheese. Microwave on High until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted, 2 to 4

minutes. To serve, top each potato with a little tomato and some of the remaining 2 tablespoons

basil.

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 7

From a young age, I was exposed to the work of physicians in

diagnosing and treating young children like myself. I suffered from

constant high fevers, fatigue, and chest pains which took numerous

physicians to finally diagnose as valley fever. While not life-threatening,

this fungal infection had disseminated a large part of my lungs by the

time it was diagnosed and required months of regular hospital check ups,

blood tests, and CT scans. The inner workings of hospitals and

dedication of my infectious disease specialist inspired me to choose to

pursue a career in medicine.

At the Ginger K. Center, I’ve been given an invaluable educational

opportunity for understanding and treating lymphedema. Once

unknown to me, lymphedema’s prevalence and potential harm to the

body is something I have had the chance to learn about alongside the

functions and structure of the lymphatic system. Not only have I had the

chance to use a gradient sequential pneumatic pump for treating

lymphedema, but am also constantly being educated on living a healthy

lifestyle from working on the seasonal newsletter offered by the Ginger

K. Center.

Under Phyllis’ guidance, I finally have the on-hands experience I

need for my future career aspirations. I am currently a senior at Ann

Sobrato High School and will be applying for college this fall. As a result

of interning at the Ginger K. Center, I’ve been able make the decision of

applying for a pre-med undergraduate program and later matriculate to

medical school in order to become an oncologist. I aspire to attend the

University of California San Diego with a pre-med major in the fall of

2017 and hope to progress to Stanford for medical oncology.

In the next 8 to 10 years as I’m pursuing my goals, I will remember

the experiences I’ve had while interning at the Ginger K. Center and will

apply it in my clinical practicum.

If you have any questions or comments, contact me at

manjot.23kaur@gmail.com.

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 8

F i r s t H a n d b y

M a n j o t K a u r

T h e p e r s o n a l v i e w s o f a n i n t e r n

Care of Compression Garments

1. Compression garments are washed in tepid water every day after

wear, using a mild liquid detergent such as Ivory or Dreft - NO

WOOLITE - no soap powder

2. Wash inside out

3. Rinse garment thoroughly in tepid water & squeeze out excess wa-

ter – do not twist or wring

4 Roll garment in thick fluffy towel to get all excess water out – hang

to dry overnight

5. Purchase at least 2 garments – wear one while the other is laun-

dered.

Never sleep in gradient compression garments unless otherwise

advised by lymphedema therapist.

6. If you’re wearing one garment daily, it will

maintain its compression for approximately 3 months - replace

every 3 - 4 months

7. Purchase a new garment before the old one has lost its

compression.

8. Before applying garment first time, put the day’s date on inside

band with an indelible pen

9. Apply garments with rubber gloves to avoid any ripping or

snagging – making sure weave of fabric is even up the limb

10. Do not overstretch the garment when applying it.

Make sure weave of garment is smoothed out from end to end.

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 9

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 1 0

Treat Lymphedema Skin as a Wound

Since waste fluids exist just under the surface of the skin,

the skin is not healthy. The “old skin” is sloughed every 28 - 30

days and “new skin” comes from healthy tissues of the subcuta-

neous layer, just under the surface of the skin. Then we can con-

clude that the skin cannot be healthy if the underlying tissues are

not healthy.

Steps in Caring for Lymphedema Skin

1. Cleanse - wash with mild soap,

rinse, remove excess water

2 . Treat - while skin is still moist,

apply a water base cream

3. Protect - apply special creams &

protection to open or traumatized areas

before donning gradient compression garments

Skin care

should be done in the AM before donning garments

and

in the PM after removing garments.

A bona fide Lymphedema Therapist

must have/be:

1. A medical professional with solid background in

anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system

2. Completed 140 hrs. of education in the field of

lymphedema with -

3. Approximately 2 x’s that amount of time in

practicum preparation

4. 5 years’ experience in the field of lymphedema

treatment and care

5. Pass the LANA Test to become a Nationally Qual-

ified Lymphedema Therapist

(Ginger-K Center meets all these criteria)

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 1 1

Ginger-K Lymphedema & Cancer Care Center

16360 Monterey Road, Suite 270

Morgan Hill, CA 95037-5406

Phone: 408-782-1028

Fax: 408-782-1061

Hours: By Appointment

Tues-Fri 10am-6pm

Sat: 12pm-6pm

phyllis@gingerkcenter.com

www.gingerkcenter.com

Phyllis Tubbs-Gingerich, Director

R.N., B.S.N., L.E., CLT-Lymphedema & Cancer Care Specialist

Skin and Wound Care Specialist

Medical Esthetician

Board Certified Mastectomy & Orthotic Fitter

CA. Licensed DME Fitter & Supplier

Certified Burn & Gradient Compression Garment Fitter & Supplier

Exclusive Medical Wig Fitter for Alopecia

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 , V o l u m e 6 I s s u e 2 P a g e 1 2

C o m p l e t e Ly m p h e d e m a C a re