Friday, march 13, 2015

Valley HealtHMontrose Press

Vol. 2, issue 3

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77800 South Third Street, Montrose, CO 81401

9 7 0 - 2 4 9 - 2 2 1 1

Montrose Memorial Hospital has been privileged to deliver healthcare services to our friends and family for over 65 years. We are thankful to the community for its support, and look forward to working together with

you as we expand our services.

Sticking Together – it’s what Friends and Family do!

Montrose derMatologist offers hair care tips

the biggest probleM with alcohol is not what you expect

Montrose dentist’s dreaM coMes true

the benefits and pitfalls of your Morning cup of joe

Make your hair look its best

Do the benefits of indulging in alcohol counteract the negatives?Page 4

Pros and cons

Valley HealtHPublisher

Vincent Laboy

Managing editorJustin Joiner

advertising DirectorDennis Anderson

For advertising information, contact Dennis anderson at 252-7022

or via email at dennisa@montrosepress.com

Valley Health is a publication of the Montrose Press. It publishes monthly on the first Friday.

If you have a health-related news tip, contact Justin Joiner, managing editor, at editor@montrosepress.com.

a Publication of tHe Montrose Press

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www.Montrose.Hamptonlnn.com 970-252-3300 Next to the Airport

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and compassionate, always eager to lend a helping hand.

We are

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dear pharmacist

Dimethylaminoethanol occurs naturally in sardines and anchovies and may increase your memory hormone.

As I sit back and reflect on an-other successful health fair, I think about all of the incredible people who make the blood draws and health fair work. I am very blessed to stand beside these people who work very hard to make the events as efficient and informa-tive as possible. As Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much,” and this team plans and works incredibly well togeth-er to provide this great service.

Starting with the seven days of early blood draws, I thank the phlebotomists, lab techs, nurses and all who work diligently to draw blood. They are skilled, kind, friendly, patient and very good at their craft. We performed over 3,400 blood draws this year in five different locations. That’s a lot of blood draws!

Next, we must acknowledge the volunteers who generously donate their time to do “anything they can” to make the engine run. Start-ing with the marvelous Health Fair volunteer coordinator Evelyn Small and over 65 other volunteers who arrive at 6 a.m. each day to register, cashier, direct, serve food, alphabetize, stuff results to mail out and so much more. Their energy, enthusiasm and substan-tial gift of time cannot be admired and appreciated enough. Many of them come back every year to help,

and we are fortunate each year to have people call and ask, “How can I help you next year?” The yellow vested Lions club members have

helped us at the Fair for over 20 years and we ap-preciate their assistance and smiling faces very much.

As I continue to think of the support, I include the great people at MMH who work to uphold this huge event. Muffins, juice and bananas are ordered and delivered, supplies and equip-ment are delivered and retrieved, results are mailed out and lots of phone calls and ques-tions are answered. We appreciate everyone

who donates their time to staff the informational booths at the Fair, provide health screenings and the physicians who volunteer to answer questions and share their knowledge.

And last but not least, the pro-fessional and helpful staff at the Montrose Pavilion. We work very closely with Kara and the gentle-men during the blood draws and the Health Fair and we couldn’t ask for a better team.

MMH has offered the annual Health Fair for more than 25 years and we are thankful to the com-munity, volunteers and staff for its support. Sticking Together — it’s what friends and family do!

Leann Tobin is the director of marketing and public relations for Montrose Memorial Hospital. l

hospital happenings

Leann TobinMontrose Memorial Hospital

Tips to improve your memoryYou don’t get alarmed when you

lose your keys, but what if you con-stantly forget what you were trying to say a few seconds ago. Full blown dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is disabling and difficult on family members. Today I am of-fering suggestions from my func-tional medicine standpoint which should protect your brain and help you regain memory molecules.

Eliminate harmful foods. We know that certain foods and addi-tives can slow down brain func-tion, or harm your cells. We know them as excitotoxins because they ‘excite’ or vibrate your cell to death. So it’s better for your brain cells to eliminate artificial sweet-eners, colors and preservatives. This pretty much means no more junk food or sugar substitutes. Ani-mal studies prove the presence of brain damage in mice that ate junk food for only 9 months. I bet some of you have been eating this stuff for decades.

Eliminate drugs that mess with your mind. First on the list is alco-hol. Yep, you didn’t know alcohol was a “drug”? Well, it can kill your brain cells over time. The more hangovers, the worse for you. Also, antihistamines (allergy medicine) can leave you with morning brain fog and cognitive fatigue. In par-ticular, diphenhydramine, or any drug with that ingredient in it, will leave you a little messed up in the morning. Drugs that end in “PM” sometimes have this ingredient in

it.Exercise. One very fast way to

increase brain-derived neurotropic factor or BDNF. The more BDNF you have, the stronger and tighter the connections are between your brain cells. This means less brain fog, sharper memory, better focus and heightened alertness. Supple-ments raise BDNF, but exercise does it rapidly and for free. Get moving!

DMAE. Dimethylaminoetha-nol. Our brain makes it and it occurs naturally in sardines and anchovies. Yum! You can also get supplements. It’s iffy as to whether it increases your acetylcholine, a memory hormone, but some people claim benefit.

Which is better, standardized or whole herb?

It’s kind of personal. The stan-dardized extract is thought to be more potent and faster acting, but when you pull one compound out of a whole entire plant, you lose the beautiful synergy of that herb. It’s like listening to drums, instead of the whole song with all the instruments playing. Before trying anything on this list, ask your doctor what is right for you. These herbs and nutrients have interactions and may affect your medications. Please do not dismiss the effects these things have on your mind, it’s a precious thing to play with.

Suzy Cohen, RPh has been a pharmacist for 26 years. l

What makes the health fair a success?

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Taking new patients!Colorectal Cancer Facts

Quitting caffeine cold turkey can cause headaches, depression and constipation.

Modern science has quite a few good things to say about caffeine, but research-ers have also issued a number of warnings about overdoing it. We have both sides of the story from phar-macist Stan Grigg, the pharmacy manager at the downtown City Market.

Most people know that caffeine comes in liquid and tablet forms, and is very efficient at waking you up in the morn-ing. However, it can do a lot more than that, Grigg said. For example, if you are experiencing sleep deprivation, “it can be used in tablet or liquid form to help somebody who needs to stay alert during driving periods when they are sleepy.”

That probably doesn’t surprise you, but Grigg talked about some positive effects of caffeine that might.

It can boost memory, according to a recent-ly published study.

Caffeine can relieve post-workout muscle pain, and increase stamina during exer-cise.

Caffeine has been shown to relieve asthma symptoms, in some cases.

It doesn’t matter

whether you consume it in a drink or a pill, said Grigg. However, he does urge people to be cautious about so-called “power drinks.” Some of those “pow-er” or “alert” drinks have three or four hundred milligrams of caffeine. An aver-age cup of normal

coffee has about one hundred milligrams. Most of the pills that you can buy contain one hundred milli-grams of caffeine, so it’s about one cup of coffee.

“The danger of tak-ing those really high powered drinks is that they can affect your

heart. The caffeine increases your heart rate,” Grigg said. “Some people have pulmonary hyperten-sion (high blood pres-sure in the arteries around the heart). That’s very danger-ous for somebody who takes caffeine.”

He wouldn’t be

surprised to see more government regula-tion of mega-dose “power drinks.”

“They have re-stricted some of them already; they were on the market and the FDA took them off because of health issues that came with kids drinking just two

or three of them.”Your body can

develop a tolerance for the stimulant ef-fects of caffeine, he said. “After you take a cup of coffee, it lasts maybe an hour or two. Then you drink another cup of cof-fee. If you keep doing this on a daily basis, it will get to the point where the caffeine’s effect as a stimulus will work for only 15 or 20 minutes. And then what you get is “rebound sleepiness.” That causes more sleepiness than before you started drinking that much caffeine.

Caffeine over-consumption might even lead to a shorter life-span, Grigg said.” Some studies have shown that men who drink more than four cups of coffee a day have a 21 percent in-crease in all (illness-related) causes of mortality.”

“High doses of caffeine can cause headaches” including migraines, the phar-macist warned.

Quitting caffeine suddenly can cause headaches, too, along with other with-drawal symptoms like depression, irritabil-ity and constipation. Check with your doc-tor before going “cold turkey.”

Pros and cons of caffeine

by dave segal

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by dave segal

Alcohol is liquid irony. Obviously, it can turn your life into a train wreck if you over-do it. But, a variety of scientific studies have found that low to moderate drinking may actually be ben-eficial to your health.

Patsy Boyle, chief operating officer of the Cen-ter for Mental Health, in Montrose, comments on the pros and cons.

“I think the biggest pro — and the biggest con- — is that it works. It does relax you. It alters your state of mind, and that’s what people are looking for when they drink.”

The key is knowing when to stop, Boyle said. “Like anything, too much can cause problems.

The kinds of problems we see are family prob-lems,” such as parenting issues, and keeping a marriage together. The center also helps a lot of alcohol abusers with problems keep-ing a job and with the law.”

The Mayo Clinic takes a cautious ap-proach to the possible positive effects of drinking. The clinic says moder-ate drinking may have some health-ful effects, but also warns that even a little drinking can be harmful to

some people. Bottom line: if you don’t drink, don’t start, because the risks outweigh the pos-sible benefits, the clinic says. If you do drink, keep it to a moderate level.

Here’s how the clinic defines the latter: “For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.” One drink means one beer, one glass of wine, or one shot of distilled spirits.

Research from various scientists indicates that moderate alcohol consumption might have the following benefits for some people:

• Increase in HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels• Lower risk of gallstones• Reduced risk of dementia• Lower risk of type 2 diabetesAs for the dark side of drinking, you risk:• Addiction, suicide attempts, and other mental

health problems• High blood pressure, leading to heart failure• Liver and/or pancreas damage• Increased risk of cancer of the mouth, throat,

esophagus, stomach, and intestinesBinge drinking among young people gets a lot

of media attention these days. Boyle said the center doesn’t see much binge

drinking. “While we do have substance abuse services for

adolescents, we don’t have a lot enrolled. There are other organizations in Montrose that deal with kids who get caught experimenting.”

The center only treats people who have a de-fined, diagnosed disorder.

“I do believe with all my heart that there are kids who are abusing, and have that

level of a problem, but we don’t see many of them,” Boyle said. “I think a lot of

kids do drink, but stay out of trouble, or just get their hand slapped by someone and either mend their ways, or don’t get caught the next time.”

weighing alcohol’s benefits, pitfalls

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by dave segal

You might be sur-prised to learn how many types of ar-thritis exist — more than 100, according to medical experts. The many types all have one thing in common, however.

“Arthritis is basi-cally inflammation of a joint,” explained rheumatologist Dr. Jennifer Mears, of the Arthritis Center of Western Colorado, in Fruita.

All of the forms can be placed in three categories, according to rheumatologist Dr. Bruce Faber, of Ar-thritis Rehabilitation Services, in Grand Junction. They are:

• Degenerative joint diseases. “The classic of that is osteoarthri-tis,” Faber said.

• Autoimmune diseases, in which joints are mistak-enly attacked by the patient’s own immune system. “The largest part of what we do are autoimmune-based diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc.,” Faber said.

• Various other dis-eases that inflame the joints, including fibro-myalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

The most prevalent type is osteoarthritis, the “wear and tear” disorder that affects an estimated 33 mil-lion Americans. This is often an age-related disease. It also shows up frequently in cer-tain types of athletes, such as runners. “We see a lot of wear and tear arthritis in the knees of runners,” said Mears.

“So, make sure you’re wearing ap-propriate footwear, stretching before-hand, and keep-ing those muscles

strengthened; anytime we have osteoarthritis in a joint, we like to strengthen the mus-cles around that joint to keep it stabilized and prevent pain.”

She advises patients to keep their weight down, too. “We see certain arthritic conditions — not just osteoarthritis — that are more predominant in patients who are overweight. Exercise and diet are always important, regardless of the type of arthri-tis.”

Faber said that, “Even simple things like oral hygiene can have an effect. Smoking precipitates inflammatory changes

in spots.” Mears said there

are several types of inflammatory arthri-tis. “That is arthritis that is occurring be-cause something has gone awry with the immune system. The most common ones that you’ll see would be rheumatoid arthri-tis, psoriatic arthritis (which includes a skin rash called psoriasis), and gout. Lupus and ankylosing spondy-litis (inflammatory arthritis of the spine) can fall under that category, too.”

The ultimate cause of arthritis is a mystery, but there are clues, according to Faber.

“We don’t know what causes it in order to stop it, but we know there is an extreme inflamma-tory cascade in the autoimmune diseases that have a genetic ba-sis or pre-disposition. And, we know that the degenerative forms are genetically based, as well, and typicaly occur with aging or trauma,” Faber said.

The tendency toward autoimmune disease can be inher-ited, Mears said.

“You may not see the same autoimmune disorder in family members, but you may see an autoim-mune disorder. Mom might have rheuma-

toid arthritis, the daughter might have lupus, and then maybe there’s a cousin with psoriasis.”

Most people will get some degree of arthri-tis as we age.

While age is a major factor, there are forms of arthritis that can strike kids, accord-ing to Mears. “If they have an inflamma-tory type of arthritis, in general it will be called ‘juvenile idiopathic arthritis;’ under that category, we get a little more specific. The specific disorder depends on what joints are in-volved, how many joints are involved, what other manifesta-

tions of the disease we see.”

Exercise can help slow down degenera-tive changes. “We say ‘use it or lose it’, but it really depends on your family history as to how soon some of that is going to hap-pen,” Faber explained. “It would certainly be nice to avoid injuries that tear up cartilage, ligaments, and ten-dons.”

As for medications, Mears said, “We have preventive medica-tions to prevent the pain, the joint swell-ing, and the joint stiff-ness and destruction. This does not include osteoarthritis; we don’t have anything to prevent osteoarthritis. But for the inflamma-tory types of arthritic conditions, we have a wide variety of medi-cations.”

However, they are not without potential side-effects.

“They all have side effects. They all should be used within the therapeutic guide-lines,” Faber said. “My biggest peeve is the ‘natural, herbal’ things. You never know what you’re getting in a capsule, you never know if something is really in there. Certainly, you can’t pinpoint 50 pieces of bark and nuts and seeds in one little capsule and tell somebody it’s thera-peutic. Most of that is wasted money,” in Faber’s opinion.

Of course, there are also surgical treat-ments available for some severe arthritic conditions, including hip and knee replace-ments. These are often quite successful. However, many doc-tors say they should only be used as a last resort.

Nearly everyone will get some degree of arthritis

There’s no magic formula for parenting a newborn. Parents do their best to prepare for the moment they bring their new son or daughter home for the first time, but it’s only through trial and error that most parents learn which child-care techniques work on their children.

One condition new parents often face is in-fant colic. Spells of crying mixed with discomfort and inability to get settled can make for worn-out babies and equally frazzled moth-ers and fathers.

“Colic” is a term used to

describe uncontrollable crying. Babies who are younger than 5 months old and who cry for three or more hours per day during a period of three or more days a week, with such episodes lasting for at least three weeks, are classified as having colic. “Colic” is a term, not a specific disease.

Parents often find that colic arrives when a baby is two or three weeks old, according to Baby Center. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it is quite common for episodes of col-ic to occur between 6 p.m. and midnight, right when

parents are looking to wind down themselves. Roughly one-fifth of all babies will develop colic.

Distraught parents may think there’s no end in sight when facing an infant with colic. But many cases of colic resolve by the time the child is three or four months old. In extreme con-ditions, colic may last until the child is six months old.

Parents who suspect their child has colic should first rule out any other medical conditions, such as acid reflux, hernia or another illness. If the child is oth-erwise healthy, one or more

of these methods may help soothe a colicky baby.

· If you suspect gas, gas-relief medications can be administered under the ad-visement of a pediatrician. Probiotics also may help maintain a natural balance of good bacteria in a baby’s digestive tract.

· Hold the baby as upright as possible during feedings and burp him or her often.

· Avoid potential allergy-inducing foods if you are breastfeeding. Consider switching formulas to one with broken down proteins which are easier to digest.

· Use white noise, such as

a fan, running clothes dryer or another steady, rhythmic sound, to help the baby fall asleep.

· Some children like to be held closely and comforted. When you cannot hold your baby, try swaddling.

· Rocking motions or riding in the car can soothe some children.

· A warm bath may help calm a crying baby.

· Infants may sense if their parents are tense. So if you are feeling anxious, leave the room and ask a family member to sit with the baby for a little while until you can calm down.

Eight tips for soothing your colicky baby

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by drew setterholM

Jillian Horkan, DDS, has joined Hansen and Amundson Dental Group in Montrose, and for the young dentist, living on the Western Slope of Colorado is a dream come true.

Horkan grew up not far from Colorado, in Sidney, Neb. She spent her time away from home traveling the I-70 corridor to explore Colorado’s mountains, climbing, fishing and hunting.

After completing her educa-tion at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., Horkan moved with her husband, Chad, to Grand Junction. When an op-portunity arose for the couple to move to Montrose, they jumped on it.

“When we were looking at Colorado and where to move, Montrose was our first pick,” Horkan said.

Horkan had set her sights on living near the San Juan Moun-tains after visiting the south side of the range, hunting elk just south of the Colorado bor-der in New Mexico.

“It’s been like a dream come true to be able to look out and see the mountains that I had always wanted to live by,” she said.

Montrose offers the lifestyle and community values Horkan and her husband appreciate.

“We’re both from fairly small towns, and that’s how we want to stay and, eventually, raise our family in a smaller commu-nity,” she said.

“As I’m finding out, it’s a great area. Obviously everybody likes the weather, but I like to hunt and fish and go hiking, so all of

that is here, as well as the out-door sports for my husband.”

Professionally, Horkan worked her way into dentistry to be able to work with people — a variety of people, including adults and children in all walks of life.

“After getting into dental school, I just tried to keep an open mind about what I wanted to do. I realized that I really liked working with a bunch of different people and helping them not only in dental health, but relating that back to their physical health and getting them healthy and on the right track.

“I think that, in itself, is very rewarding to help people do that.”

Horkan is settling into her new work environment and embracing the opportunity to learn from experienced den-tists, including Drs. Doug Han-sen and Peter Amundson.

“Dr. Hansen and Dr. Amund-son have a lot of years of

experience behind them, and they’re really good teachers and mentors. I’m really excited to be working with them,” Horkan said.

As an introduction to the community, Horkan has been speaking at local schools to familiarize young students with dental health practices and the role of dentists in their overall health. Horkan is a proponent of preventative dentistry and removing children’s fears of visiting dentists.

Horkan and husband Chad, a pharmacist, are in the process of moving to their new Mon-trose home and both are excited to branch out in the community.

“We’re excited to be here and meet a bunch of people and get into the community,” Jillian Horkan said.

Hansen and Amundson Den-tal Group is located at 629 East Star Court in Montrose. The office can be reached by phone at 249-3330.

Dentist’s ‘dream come true’ to practice in Montrose

“After getting into dentAl school, i just tried to keep An open mind About whAt i wAnted to do. i reAlized thAt i reAlly liked working with A bunch of different people And helping them not only in dentAl heAlth, but relAting thAt bAck to their physicAl heAlth And getting them heAlthy And on the right trAck,”

jilliAn horkAn, dds

Jillian Horkan joins the Amundson Dental Group in Montrose.

Dental braces have been used for decades to correct various alignment and spacing issues in the teeth. Braces can be crucial to the future of one’s oral health and prevent serious issues down the line.

Roughly 25 percent of the people in North America who get braces are adults. But braces still are geared toward young people and getting them on the road to straight and properly aligned teeth early on.

Braces correct a number of problems, including realigning the jaw and allevi-ating overcrowding of teeth. Crooked teeth can trap food and debris between them, making it harder to floss and brush. Wearing braces also corrects the bite. If teeth or jaws are not aligned cor-rectly, it can lead to difficulty chewing food or create jaw muscle pain. Braces also may boost self-confidence because they can remedy appearance issues that may prove embarrassing.

Parents eager to get their children on the road to straighter teeth may wonder when is the right time to get their kids braces. Many kids are getting braces earlier and earlier, but when to get braces typically depends on the child and the shape of his or her teeth.

The American Association of Ortho-dontics recommends that children see an orthodontist for an evaluation by age seven. The best time for braces will be when the orthodontist and parents collectively decide it’s time to correct the misalignment of a child’s teeth.

Some orthodontists prefer a two-stage approach to orthodontic treatment. They may use a dental appliance or a preliminary amount of braces to begin moving the teeth while a child still has most of his primary teeth. The second stage begins when all the permanent teeth are in. The thought is to shorten the overall duration of treatment.

Other orthodontists follow the tradi-tional approach of putting on braces once all the primary teeth have fallen out. This occurs between ages nine and 14. This is often a less expensive approach because braces need only be applied and removed once.

A number of studies have shown that, for common problems alleviated with orthodontic work, youngsters are better off waiting until all of their permanent teeth have come in. Antonio Secchi, a professor of orthodontics at the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania, notes that if parents choose to treat crooked teeth too early, the child may need another phase of intervention a few years down the road.

Some problems, like crossbites, over-bites or severe overcrowding, warrant early intervention. Scheduling an orth-odontic visit early on means children can get the care they need when they need it. The orthodontist will be able to monitor how teeth are growing in and map out the best treatment plan for all.

Braces can help fix an imperfect smile and alleviate oral health concerns. Par-ents should speak to a dentist or make an appointment with an orthodontist to evaluate their children’s treatment needs.

What is the right age for braces?

8

Monday - Friday Appointments Available • 7:00am - 5:00pm

629 East Star Court • Montrose, CO 81401 • 970-249-3330 www.HansenAndAmundson.com

Dr. PeterB. Amundson

Dr. Jillian T. Horkan

Dr. DouglasL. Hansen

News to Smile About...Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jillian T. Horkan

to our Of� ce and to Montrose!

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Over 40 years of combined experience.

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by dave segal

If you want your hair to look good, you need to keep it healthy. There are a number of things that you should do, and others that you should avoid doing, according to Doctor of Nursing Practice Brooke Larsen, of Montrose Dermatology.

Larsen says you must wash your hair with appropriate frequency. “People often ask how often they should wash their hair,” she explained. “The answer is, if you have oily hair, more frequently; if you have really oily hair, you may need to wash it every single day. If you have dry hair, less frequently--even as infrequently as once a week.”

Larsen also cautions patients not to waste money on fancy, expensive shampoos and conditioners. “Regardless of cost, many shampoos and conditioners provide the same benefit.”

Speaking of conditioners, Larsen says they should be used after every shampoo. “When you do wash your hair, we recom-mend just massaging the shampoo into the scalp, and not really treating the rest of the hair. But, when you use a conditioner, that’s when you should focus on the ends of the hair, not the scalp as much.”

How you dry your hair is also important, according to Larsen. “Instead of rubbing your hair with a towel, it’s best to just wrap your hair in the towel and let the water be absorbed that way. If possible, let your hair air-dry; don’t use a blow dryer.” She said that blow dryers can damage your hair by getting it too dry.

Those of you with straight hair should let

it dry a bit before combing it. “We recommend a wide-tooth comb,” Larsen said. “If you have curly hair, or textured hair, it’s always better to brush it when it’s a little damp.”

If you’re going to use a curling iron, “It’s again best to let your hair air-dry when possible. Use the lowest setting, and try to limit the amount of time that the curling iron touches your hair.” Larsen recommends using the device no more than once a week.

The type of hair spray or gel you use also makes a difference. “You want to avoid products that offer a long lasting hold. It can be more damaging to the hair,” she explained.

Your hairstyle can also affect your hair’s health. “Try a hairstyle that doesn’t require as much product,” she advised.”Avoid pulling your hair back tightly, as in a pony tail or a bun. That can cause hair breakage and dam-age, as well.”

You have to be careful with weaves or extensions, too. “You want to wear ones that are light and don’t pull on the hair too harshly,” Larsen said.”And, you want to make sure that you have a salon that spe-cializes in that service do it. Also, you only want to wear the weave or extension for two or three months at a time.”

Perms and coloring can also damage your hair, so Larsen cautions against doing them too often.

How to keep your hair healthy

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Top books for heaLThy Living

‘whole-body dentistry’

by mark A breinerBreiner’s book

aims to provide easily to follow information about traditional dental procedures and their effect on whole-body health. The book looks at new diagnostic tools and treatment protocols and explains the energetic paradigm of dentistry. it also provides readers with resources, such as websites for finding dentists, physicians, products and services.

‘taste the truth’

by barb ravelingThe goal of the book

is help people create a new, positive habit in 21 days. Getting through 21 days of a new routine or change in lifestyle can be difficult, but the book looks to help. “Taste for Truth” will help you get through those first few weeks when you’d like nothing better than to give up. “Taste for Truth” offers 30 days of Bible study and hands-on renewing of the mind as way to help. its advice will help readers take off the lies that make people overeat, while putting on the truth that will make you actually want to eat with control.

‘Quiet: the power of

introverts’by susan cain

susan Cain argues that people dramatically undervalue introverts. she says we lose in doing so. in her book, she charts the rise of the extrovert ideal throughout the 20th century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. she also introduces the reader to successful introverts. The book is filled with research and stories of real people who showcase the power of introverts. The book aims to change how you perceive and relate to introverts.

‘spring chicken’by bill gifford

spring Chicken examines the latest research, popular mythology and ancient wisdom on mankind’s oldest obsession: How can we live longer? Bill Gifford takes readers on a funny and interesting journey through the science of aging. He takes readers to cutting-edge labs where scientists are working to “hack” the aging process, and he reveals why some people live past 100 without even trying. Gifford also aims separate fact from fiction as far as aging secrets.

‘lose the clutter, lose the weight’

by peter walshA houseful of

clutter may not be the only reason people pack on extra pounds, but research proves that it plays a big role, this book contends. A recent study showed that people with homes that were extremely cluttered were 77 percent more likely to be overweight or obese. This book’s author Peter Walsh says it is because people can’t make their best choices or their healthiest choices when their home and their life is cluttered, messy and disorganized.

Building a home gym inside your home can motivate you to workout more often and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Fitness experts advise that homeowners building a home gym in their homes emphasize lighting in the room that will soon transform into a gym.

A well-lit room, whether the light is coming from several win-dows, a door or recessed lighting in the ceiling, can help men and women maintain their energy levels throughout their workouts, whereas darker rooms can lead to feelings of sluggishness, which can compromise workout routines. In addition, when building a home gym, keep the room free of clut-ter and unnecessary items that will only be a distractions during workouts.

Potentially valuable additions to

home gyms include plants, which can increase oxygen levels in the room, and at least one mirror, which can help men and women focus on their movements and en-sure they are performing exercises correctly.

Homeowners building a home gym also should consider finding room for a wall-mounted television to make time spent on elliptical machines or treadmills less mo-notonous. If possible, homeowners should connect a streaming device to the television so they can catch up on their favorite shows or watch movies as they burn calories.

It’s also good to find space for a mini refrigerator in the gym, which should be kept well stocked with water. This can prevent runs to the kitchen in the middle of a workout.

More to building home gym than good equipment

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According to the National Sleep Foundation, changes in sleep patterns are a part of the aging process. Many people experience difficulty falling asleep and then staying asleep as they age, and that difficulty can make men and women over 50 feel more tired dur-ing the day.

But even though difficulty sleep-ing may be a part of aging, that does not mean men and women over 50 cannot take steps to im-prove their sleeping patterns. For example, certain snack foods may help to improve quality of sleep, especially when these foods replace less healthy snacking op-tions. While men and women over 50 should always consult with their physicians before making any changes to their diets, the AARP notes that the following are a hand-ful of snack foods that promote better sleep.

• Almonds: Magnesium is a min-eral with muscle-relaxing proper-ties, and almonds contain enough magnesium to help men and women get a better night’s sleep. A small amount of almonds before bed might be enough to make fall-ing and staying asleep easier.

• Bananas: Much like almonds, bananas provide a substantial amount of magnesium. Bananas also contain the amino acid trypto-phan, which many people associate with Thanksgiving turkey. While tryptophan might be most often as-sociated with the sleepiness people feel after eating a holiday meal, it also has been linked to better sleep quality, so a banana shortly before bed might be just what you need to fall and stay asleep.

• Cheese and crackers: One more traditional snack may just help you get a better night’s sleep.

Cheese and crackers contain tryp-tophan and carbohydrates, which can induce a better night’s sleep and help you fall asleep sooner.

• Cherries: Cherries contain the sleep hormone melatonin, and the AARP notes that recent studies

indicated that participants who drank tart cherry juice on a daily basis fell asleep more quickly and slept longer and better than par-ticipants who did not.

• Hummus: The primary ingredi-ent in hummus is chickpeas, which

are loaded with tryptophan, folate and vitamin B6. Folate has proven especially beneficial to older men and women who need help regu-lating their sleep patterns, while vitamin B6 helps the body regulate its clock.

• Peanut butter: Peanut butter is another snacking item loaded with tryptophan. Spread some peanut butter on a carbohydrate, whether it’s a slice of toast or some crack-ers, before going to bed, and you may enjoy a better, longer sleep.

• Walnuts: Like cherries, walnuts contain melatonin, which can contribute to a longer, more restful night’s sleep. Walnuts also can help regulate stress, which is a leading cause of sleeping difficulty.

Many men and women experi-ence difficulty sleeping as they age. But the right foods may just help combat such problems and help men and women get a more adequate night’s sleep.

want to sleep better? snack on this

Chickpeas, which are the primary ingredient in hummus are chocked full of tryptophan, which can help you sleep.

bAnAnAs provide A substAntiAl Amount of mAgnesium. bAnAnAs Also contAin the Amino Acid tryptophAn, which mAny people AssociAte with thAnksgiving turkey.

Much like their owners, dogs benefit from healthy diets in a variety of ways. A healthy diet provides the energy dogs need to be active, and that activity allows them to maintain healthy weights. Dogs that eat healthy diets also are less susceptible to illness.

The American Soci-ety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals notes that many high-end commercial dog foods already boast the nutrients dogs need to live long and healthy lives, but dog owners may not know which ingredients to look for when reading pet food labels. Ac-cording to the ASP-CA, the following are a handful of essential nutrients that should be included in dogs’ diets.

• Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are a valuable source of energy for dogs’ body tissues and play a role in intestinal health. Fiber is a good source of carbohydrates for dogs, but the fiber must be a moderately fermentable fiber, such as beet pulp, for dogs to get the most benefit. Highly fer-mentable fiber can lead to flatulence and excess mucus, while low fermentability can lead to poor devel-

opment. The ASPCA recommends that dog owners avoid feeding high-fiber foods to dogs with high-energy requirements, which include young and growing dogs.

• Fats: Fats are a great energy source for dogs, providing more than twice the energy of proteins and carbohydrates. Fats also play an essential role in the production of hor-mones, and they are necessary to absorb and utilize fat-soluble vitamins. A dog’s diet must include essen-tial fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, as dogs cannot synthe-size them in sufficient amounts on their own. Replacing some omega-6 fatty acids with omega-3 fatty acids can reduce in-flammation resulting from allergies, arthri-tis, intestinal issues, and kidney problems. The ASPCA notes that the optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is between 5 and 10 to 1 and that it is impossible to determine this ratio when feeding dogs homecooked foods, as only fixed-formula foods can guarantee an appropriate ratio.

• Minerals: Miner-als help dogs develop strong bones and teeth and maintain

fluid balance. Dogs cannot naturally syn-thesize minerals, so minerals must be pro-vided in dogs’ diets.

• Protein: The ASPCA notes that proteins are essential to dog health, playing a vital role in their growth, ability to re-produce and ability to repair and maintain their bodies. Numer-ous food sources can provide dogs with adequate protein, but the ASPCA warns against giving dogs raw eggs, which contain a potentially

harmful anti-vitamin known as avidin, which can interfere with a dog’s ability to properly metabolize fats, glucose, amino acids, and energy. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and those known as essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by dogs, meaning they must be provided in a diet.

• Vitamins: Vita-mins promote normal metabolic function in dogs, and most vitamins cannot be synthesized in dogs’

bodies. While vita-mins are essential, the ASPCA notes that vitamin supplements should only be given to dogs on the advice of a veterinarian, as excess vitamins in the body can weaken dogs’ bones and result in bone and join pain as well as dry skin.

• Water: Fresh, clean water should be available to dogs at all times. Dogs will get some water from the food they eat, as the ASPCA notes that dry dog food has up to 10 percent moisture and

canned dog food has up to 78 percent mois-ture. But an adult dog still needs more water than its food can provide. Water ac-counts for anywhere from 60 to 70 percent of an adult dog’s body weight, and a 15 per-cent decline in that body water can cause death, making it imperative that own-ers routinely refill their dogs’ bowls with fresh, clean water.

More information about healthy dog diets is available at www.aspca.org.

Finding healthy ingredients for your dog’s diet

Minerals help dogs develop strong bones and teeth and maintain fluid balance. Dogs cannot naturally synthesize minerals, so minerals must be provided in dogs’ diets.