March/april 2012

Gardening for fruit, owers and tness

Can sick celebrities make you better?

GOTaFAITH? It does body good

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT AUTISTIC KIDS

BEHealthySETX.com | March/April 2012 1

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focus on health

PeelD

MedicalNEWS

to

Each edition, BE Healthy Medical Adviser Dr. Garrett K. Peel will cut through the previous months medical and health news and bring you the most relevant and interesting tidbits to help you make informed health decisions.
The study will be published in the March edition of the journal, Steroids. Participants were tested for insulin, glucose, lipid and ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite. During an initial 16-week period, the average weight loss in each group was identical about 32 pounds. But in a 16-week follow-up, people on the dessertwith-breakfast diet lost an additional 13 pounds on average; while the others gained back all but 3.5 of the pounds they had lost. Blood levels of certain hormones play a large role in appetite suppressant and portion control. The study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests the stroke risk was decreased by 7 10 percent with black tea consumption. three or more servings of fish a week were 33 percent less likely than women in the lowest fifth to have adenomatous polyps, a type likely to become cancerous. This study further suggests the anti-inflammatory benefit of omega-3s, and the protective role they might play against colon cancer. nificant in improving health, tended to be on the same teams. Those who reported a higher level of social influence by their teammates increased their odds of significant weight loss by 20-percent. Team captains lost more weight. Couples working at it together were more successful in weight loss efforts as well. Peer pressure is key to keeping the mind trained on a common goal.

The CakeA Small PieceMay Help Lose Weight

If we can eat what we like, in small portions, perhaps this can decrease cravings, reports The New York Times. Researchers have found that a low-calorie meal plan that includes dessert with breakfast might help dieters. Scientists randomized 144 obese people, ages 20 to 65, to two low-carbohydrate diets providing 1,400 daily calories for women and 1,600 for men. The diets were identical except that one included a high-carbohydrate, protein-enriched breakfast with a choice of cookies, chocolate, cake or ice cream for dessert. A new study shows that people who drank three cups of black tea a day lowered their blood pressure levels by an average of 2 to 3 points. A new study has found that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish is associated with a reduced risk for one kind of colon polyp, but only in women. After controlling for age, race, body mass index, smoking and other factors, the researchers found that women in the highest fifth for omega-3 consumption those who consumed

Black Tea Linked to Lowering Blood Pressure

Fish Helps Reduction Risk of Pre-Cancer Polyps in Women

Peer Pressure Works! There Is No I Found in the Weight Loss Team

A new study, appearing in Obesity, shows that people who were part of a weight loss team had an initial 5-percent weight loss, as compared to those who tried to go-it alone. Those who said their teammates played a large role in their weight loss were more likely to lose a significant amount of weight. People who lost at least 5-percent of their body weight, which is an amount that is thought to be sig-

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BE Healthy | November/December 2011 | Volume 2, Issue 5

Contents
6 10
PReventiOn HOLY HOLISTIC
Does a healthy body make for a healthy soul? By Cheryl Rose

BE
Editorial Contributing Editors CHRISTOPHER CLAUSEN ELAINE WIKSTROM Contributing Writers CATHLEEN COLE MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER CHERYL ROSE Medical Adviser DR. GARRETT K. PEEL Photography Contributing Photographers GIUSEPPE BARRANCO DAVE RYAN Art Graphic Design AFFINITY EXPRESS Graphic Design Consultant KRISTEN FLORES Advertising To advertise in BE Healthy 409.880.0700 Contact Us BE Healthy 380 MAIN ST. BEAUMONT, TX 77701 409.880.0700 AT YOUR BUSINESS LOCATION PLEASE CALL 409.838.2829 TO SUBMIT AN EVENT, ORGANIZATION OR PERSON FOR CONSIDERATION IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE, SUBMIT BY USPS AT ADDRESS ABOVE.
A DIvISION Of HEARST NEwSPAPERS SUBMISSIONS TO DISPLAY THE MAGAZINE

14
MeDiCal aDviCe CELEBRITY PATIENTS
When the famous suffer, can it help everyone else? By Margaret Gardner

HealtHy living GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

Start a spring garden for physical and mental health By Cathleen Cole

Publisher BILL OFFILL

EDITOR

TIMOTHY M. KELLY COPYRIGHT 2012 THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE Visit us online at BEHealthySETX.com Be part of keeping Southeast Texas green! Recycle this magazine.
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8 13
Fyi TIPS ABOUT AUTISM
10 things parents want you to know about their kids By Cheryl Rose 4 March/April 2012 | BE HealthySETX.com

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Encouraging kids to play will avoid obesity problems

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On the cover

Photography by Dave Ryan Janice Prestridge of Beaumont in her back yard garden. Find out in this issue about all the benefits of cultivating your own patch of earth.

3 9 8 19

Peeld To The News Innovations Calendar Crossfit puzzle

at Christus womens conference

Academy award-winning actress Helen Hunt will be the keynote speaker for the fifth annual Christus LiveWell Womens Conference May 3 at Ford Park. Registration for the 2012 Christus LiveWell Womens Conference begins March 26. Go to www.christushospital. org/conference or call (409) 899-7700. The annual conference is held in May in conjunction with National Womens Health Week, which encourages women to make their health a top priority and take simple steps for a longer, healthier and happier life. The day-long conference will feature more than 25 workshop sessions covering areas including Extreme Couponing, Learning to Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage, Self Defense Hands-On training, Social Security planning, and the latest in womens health and technology from leading physicians. Christus Hospital will offer a variety of health screenings during the day. Hunt received a Best Actress Oscar for the 1997 comedy As Good As It Gets with Jack Nicholson. She won three Golden Globes, four Emmys and three American Comedy Awards for her portrayal of Jamie Buchman on the popular television sit-com Mad About You. She shares the distinction of winning a Golden Globe, Oscar and Emmy in the same year, 1998. Hunts film credits include Twister, What Women Want, Pay It Forward, Cast Away and Bobby.

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Healthy Living

Spring Greening
Gardens can soothe the mind and sustain the body
By CathlEEn ColE

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. Alfred Austin

6 March/April 2012

BE HealthySETX.com

pring fever: the feeling of excitement and energy that comes with warmer and longer days. It makes you want to throw open the windows, clean out the dust and gloom of winter, and stay outside breathing in fresh air and soaking up sunshine. Its a physical and psychological phenomenon. You want to be active outside, and nature can offer peace and tranquility. Thats why so many people cant wait to start their spring gardens.
When youre in your garden, youre a thousand miles away, Kit Ohmstede with Down to Earth Landscaping in Beaumont noted. Its very therapeutic. If youre new to gardening, just walking into a nursery can be overwhelming. Dont try one of everything keep it simple. When choosing plants, be sure to read the information that comes with them regarding their lighting and watering needs. Pick herbs, flowers and vegetables that will be compatible together if you want to put them in the same plot of earth or in one container. And dont forget to buy high-quality potting soil with time-released nutrients for your potted plants and top-quality humus or landscapers mix to till in with your garden soil. J.R. Smith of Beaumont grew up on a farm in Alabama in the 1930s and 40s where his father planted hundreds of acres of corn and cotton, and his mother always had a big vegetable garden. Today, Smith still makes time for gardening in his yard. His spring garden includes tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and peppers. Jalapenos grow real good in the springtime, he said. He gets his root vegetables radishes and onions in the ground by early March. It takes 65 to 70 days to produce, he explained. By May, hell start harvesting his crop. For spring flowers, Smith likes petunias and impatiens. For the 80-year-old retired industrial painting contractor, gardening offers physical and mental benefits. It helps him stay active and improves his mood when hes down. It really helps, he explained. It makes me feel 10 times better. I like to watch plants grow. Another healthy benefit of gardening is the crop. The U.S. Department of Agricultures

Artistic touches
Grace your peaceful setting with some garden art classic, country or kitschy whatever suits your tastes. Theres nothing wrong with a plastic pink flamingo or a ceramic garden gnome. A gurgling fountain offers a touch of tranquility too. Add comfortable outdoor furniture to relax in after youve worked in your garden, and youve got a little patch of heaven right outside your back door.
Food Guide Pyramid recommends eating three to five servings of vegetables a day. And flowers can be part of your healthy harvest too. A 2006 behavioral research study conducted by psychologist Nancy Etcoff of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School revealed that people feel more compassionate toward others, have less worry and anxiety and are less depressed when freshcut flowers are in their homes. The Home Ecology of Flowers Study also found that flowers at home can provide a boost of energy, happiness and enthusiasm at work. Texas A&M University professor Roger Ulrich found that simply viewing certain types of nature and garden scenes significantly reduces stress within five minutes. Viewing nature for longer periods not only helps to calm hospital patients but can also foster improvement in clinical outcomes such as reducing pain medication intake and shortening hospital stays. Joseph Johnson, director of horticulture at Shangri La Botanical Gardens & Nature Center in Orange, previously worked at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Ulrichs research, Johnson said, spurred a lot of redesign there. Parking lots were taken out around the buildings and replaced with gardens and landscaped areas. Its all part of the patient-care experience, he said. Darrell Troppy of Beaumont is a master gardener and an artist who specializes in flower themes. He recently completed 39 paintings mostly of flowers and trees for the newly opened Outpatient Diagnostic Center. He believes in the power of flowers and their message, which is, he says, Look at me. I can show you the beauties of the world in an instant.

TRIM

YouR HeDGeS AnD YouR BoDY

Get fit through Gardening by Jeffrey Restuccio is written for people who dont like traditional forms or exercise or playing sports. The gardening fitness guru estimated the amount of calories burned during 30 minutes of common gardening activities. Here are a few:

Push mower with motor Push mower watering lawn Trimming shrubs (power) Trimming shrubs (manual) Raking Bagging leaves

182 calories 243 calories 61 calories 142 calories 182 calories 162 calories 162 calories

Planting seedlings Planting trees weeding Digging, spading, tilling Laying sod Gardening with heavy power tools

162 calories 182 calories 182 calories 202 calories 202 calories 243 calories

Source: ritecode.com/aerobicgardening
BEHealthySETX.com | March/April 2012 7

Parents: Act now to prevent future couch potatoes

John Freeman, Christus Health & Wellness Center tness supervisor, answers your questions:

BE Healthy calendar
MARCH 12-23
Christus Health & Wellness Center
Spring Break Sports Camp, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. for 7- to 10-year-olds, 11 a.m.-noon for 11- to 14-year-olds. (409) 899-7777 www.christuswellnesscenter.org

Over the past several decades, there has been a monumental shift away from exercise and activity in our lifestyles. In many schools now, physical education classes are optional, and video games have all but eliminated the days of going outside to play after school with friends. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years in children of all ages. Obese children, starting as early as age 6, already run the risk of having future problems such as cardiovascular issues and diabetes, just to name a couple. Everyone worries about healthcare costs, and wonders why this issue is not being resolved. We are setting ourselves and our children up for failure.

Q. Why is it important for children to exercise? A.

Parents need to take responsibility early in their childs life, and stress the importance of physical activity. Set aside time to interact with your child. Go outside and play catch, go walking with them, or simply get them moving around. If possible, get them involved in a sport, or find an activity they enjoy and do it with them. Find community activities such as parks, bike trails, or camps. These ideals need to be instilled in children early in life. Waiting until they are pre-teens or even older and deciding that it is time to get active is too late. Taking action and responsibility now will help with healthcare costs, and save countless children from having health issues later in life.

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medical guide

SE Texas Medical Innovations

medication. That is only one part of what a physician should be doing for his patients. At the Pain Institute (740 Hospital Drive, Suite 150, Beaumont, 409-212-6900), Dr. David Adrian Olveras approach is to attack pain from several different avenues. Pain not only affects the patients themselves but changes their moods, affects, and even their interactions with others. His philosophy is to treat the patient with a medical, interventional, physical and psychological approach. Prescribing medications forms an integral portion of any pain practice, but there are so many other parts of a person that need to be addressed. At the Pain Institute we perform an initial evaluation to take inventory of the key areas. We look to see how pain has affected your mood and your social life, and how we can get you back to your pre-pain status. We offer a multitude of treatment modalities, from psychological counseling to screening for depression accompanying pain. Most often patients in pain fear movement and require physical therapy to regain strength and confidence with activity. Dr. Olvera understands his patients concern with medical management. He will take the time to counsel you on the best course of medication, as well as side effects to watch for, and he will start with medications that have less addictive side-effect profiles. The overall goal of the Pain Institute is to provide an integrative approach to pain management that doesnt just focus on injections, medications, or psychological medicine, but rather on the whole patient.

Did you know that Beaumont has some of the most innovative surgical and medical treatments available anywhere? The medical community of Southeast Texas is comprised of highly trained, skillful physicians available to make a difference in your care. Each edition, with the help of Medical Adviser Dr. Garrett Peel, we will introduce you to some of these innovative procedures.

Attacking pain on all fronts

The International Association for the Study of Pain states that pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. However, pain is a more encompassing phenomenon that involves more than what the patient experiences or feels. At the newly formed Anesthesia Associates and Baptist Hospital Pain Institute, we look at how pain affects all aspects of a patients life, as compared to just what the patients themselves experience. Most people think that dealing with pain involves going to a doctors office and having him prescribe

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Phone: 409-892-2991 Toll Free: 877-892-2991

Prevention

Holy Health Club?

Looking at connections between faith and wellness
By ChERyl RoSE

R
There is a large body of evidence that suggests that there is an association between faith/spirituality/religion and good health outcomes, said Dr. Nathan Carlin, an assistant professor in the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. In the last 20 years, thousands of studies have attempted to measure links between faith and diverse health issues. As examples, there have been studies that question whether religious faith can speed recovery from surgery, lower blood pressure or delay death. Even allowing for problematic variables and contradictory reports, Carlin said the weight of evidence shows the relationship between health and faith to be a positive one. According to Carlin, there are three contributing factors that scientists can point to as reasons for this effect: temperate living, social support and coping mechanisms.
10 March/April 2012 | BE HealthySETX.com

eligion and medicine have been tied together for thousands of years, sometimes in harmony, but more often at odds. In recent years, researchers have shown a renewed interest in establishing whether and how these separate doctrines work together for a holistic approach.

Temperate living Religions tend to promote healthy behavior, Carlin said. In many religions, an emphasis on dietary restrictions, prohibition of alcohol and stimulants, fidelity in marriage and a strong reverence for life may all contribute to general health and well-being. For example, Carlin noted that ritual hand-washing in Jewish tradition provides a dual purpose of serving God and promoting hygiene. History has tied this ritual to the greater survival rates of Jewish communities over non-Jewish communities during the cholera epidemics in Europe. Rabbi Joshua Taub of Temple Emanuel in Beaumont said that though rituals such as hand-washing or dietary laws may have an influence on health, particularly historically, the unifying factor among religions may be treating the body as an expression of faith. A person of faith may very well be adopting a healthier lifestyle because things

are done in moderation, he said. In Western religions, you recognize yourself as being created in a divine image, being a divine vessel. >>

Rabbi Joshua Taub of Temple Emanuel in Beaumont

A Suggested List for Further Reading

The depth of this topic can only be skimmed in this article, but if your interest is piqued, there are many comprehensive books on the topic covering years of thoughtful research. Listed below are a few of the more well-known in the field. The Handbook of Religion and Health by Harold Koenig, Dana King, Verna B. Carson The Healing Power of Faith by Harold G. Koenig, M.D. (Koenig, a pioneer in this field of research, has published more than 60 books on the topic.) God, Faith and Health by Jeff Levin, Ph.D. Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Understanding and Addressing the Sacred by Kenneth I. Pargament, Ph.D. (Pargament will be the guest lecturer on April 18 at the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center in Houston) A Time for Listening and Caring: Spirituality and the Care of the Chronically Ill and Dying by Christina M. Puchalski, M.D.

Social support The second factor Carlin cited was the social network that a religious association offers. People have a place they belong, a place for help with very practical matters of life, so that if you have any kind of problem, you go to the church or similar organization, he said. If you arent a member of a group and have a problem, you are more isolated and problems become bigger. Taub concurred, pointing to how congregations will mobilize for a suffering member, bringing food, comfort, prayers and any assistance they can offer. >>

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Cindy Smiley, a licensed professional counselor and the owner of local Awareness Health, works exclusively with people in severe physical pain. In 22 years of therapy work, she has repeatedly seen the differences between patients who embrace spirituality and those who do not. She also noted the impact of social support. You have relationships, an external support network, beyond immediate family, she said. This is going to sound NewAgey, but you get a lot of positive energy that comes from that external support that you would not typically have. Coping mechanisms The last common denominator Carlin presented was the emotional peace that faith can offer.

trials and tribulations in their life with less stress and anxiety. From her experience, Butler-Owen believes there is a positive connection between faith and mental health, and that mental health affects physical health. I think faith gives us better mental health, therefore we have less stress, for example, she said. Stress can cause tremendous physical problems in the long run, such as high blood pressure and stomach problems. It all flows together. Butler-Owen said that a large percentage of her patients are grieving for some loss a death, a lost job, divorce. The definition of depression is hopelessness. Without spirituality, they lack hope, so continue in the emotions of grief, anger, isolation, she said. The ones that dont have faith, that dont believe in something, those are the ones that struggle with mental health issues, including depression, anxiety and addictions. Addictions are examples of mental health issues with physical health implications. Linking this to spirituality, she pointed to 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

is guiding and directing their lives, their healing is often more complete because they can get to that forgiveness phase, forgiving themselves and others. It all comes under spirituality and faith. When faith can be unhealthy In balance, Carlin also noted that there are occasions where religious doctrines can be interpreted at the individual level in unproductive ways, including religious delusions, fatalism and feelings of guilt, shame or punishment. He gave an example that if a child is born with a severe disability, it would be viewed in some Buddhist and Hindu traditions as karmic punishment, resulting from moral failings in a previous life. There are also religious traditions that refuse medical attention or intervention. Putting God under the microscope Though there appears to be a positive connection between faith and health, Carlin cautioned it is important not to overstate the claim. People are wondering about theological or mystical connections, something supernatural, he said. Those questions are legitimate, but they are not for secular intellectuals to answer. Theres no scientific data that you can put toward that type of question. Smiley also recognizes it is a nebulous area. I can see where it is difficult to come up with empirical evidence to back up the point of view, she said. Faith can mean so many different things to so many different people how do you to quantify faith? There are a lot of conflicting studies and opinions, but from my perspective, I think that faith absolutely has a positive correlation with health.

If I have cancer, how do I make sense of that? If I dont have religion, then its just how the universe rolled the dice and Im just alone, he said. If I do have religion, it can provide an interpretive framework. Denise Butler-Owen, a clinical mental health therapist in private practice in Beaumont for 20 years, agrees with this connection between faith and health. People who have faith and can focus on their faith are able to walk through the

Its very foundational to those programs for people to begin to have faith in something, even if they dont believe in God. Another valuable connection for mental health and faith traditions is the concept of forgiveness, according to Butler-Owen. Forgiveness is crucial for people who have been abandoned, rejected, abused. Without forgiveness, we hold onto bitterness, which produces depression and anxiety. If people believe that something bigger

In Cindy Smileys clinic, patients often arrive once medicine has done all that it can. I work with things outside of pills, outside of the medical model, and thats where faith comes in to play, she said.

What is Faith?

Part of faith is a willingness to accept that many things are beyond our control and that we are not individually the center of the universe, Rabbi Joshua Taub expressed. He believes anyones ability to remain positive in the face of adversity has some faith element at its core. I think there are a lot of people of faith in the world who dont relate to organized religions, but do have faith, he said. If you see value in yourself, see value, purpose, meaning you are ultimately a person of faith.

I really look in terms of faith being a very broad spectrum thing; where it comes from isnt really an issue for health and well-being. Your faith in your ability to overcome that is what gets you to a more positive outcome.
12 March/April 2012 | BE HealthySETX.com

1. Its not a cookie-cutter condition Autism is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, encompassing a variety of brain development disorders that present uniquely in each individual. In the autism community we say, If youve met a child with autism, youve met one child, said Liz Mabry, mother of 8-year-old Alex. She said that though autistic children might have certain things in common, such as delayed speech, delayed motor skills, hand flapping or sensory overload meltdowns, similarities end there. 2. Communication is challenging When you say that a child has a difficult time communicating, that doesnt really translate its vague, said Daphne Bell, mother of 10-year-old Walker. But if your child cant tell you when hes hurting, when hes sick, and hes taking information into his brain but cant speak out to you what he knows, how can I respond? Speaking in full sentences, understanding idioms, reading facial expressions and picking up verbal cues are all challenging for her son and often for other autistic children, Bell said. 3. We dont know why it happened Current research is leaning toward genetic predisposition or mutation as factors for the occurrence of autism, but science doesnt have a definitive answer yet. Bell said she is often asked why her child has autism, particularly since he has a twin brother who does not. I wish I knew, but I dont, she said. 4. Genuine curiosity is OK, not advice The advice is abundant, Bell said. I try to think about where they are coming from; if they are caring and sweet and they mean well, I take it in that spirit.

10 THInGS wITH PARenTS of CHILDRen

FYI

AuTISM wAnT You To Know

By ChERyl RoSE I appreciate that. Because there is greater public awareness of autism, Bell has experienced being grilled at the checkout line of the local store about which treatments shes tried for her son. Therapies, treatments and medications for autism are complex personal topics that arent casual or public conversations for these parents, Bell said. 5. Be friendly Even if the child doesnt respond, acknowledge and greet him or her, advised Julia Collins, mother of 10-year-old Denton. Mabry also encouraged people to be friendly but anticipate it may be a one-sided conversation. The problem comes when the adult doesnt get the response they are expecting, she said. The adults may take this as rudeness on the childs part, she explained. If a child doesnt speak, it doesnt mean they dont have something to say, Mabry noted. They may not verbalize it, but they may be able to type it or write it down, she said. 6. Include us We feel isolated a lot, Collins said. Although some social situations might be overwhelming for children with autism, parents still appreciate the offer of inclusion. We would love to

with 1 in 91 American children diagnosed with autism, the odds are increasingly likely that a family you know has an autistic child. Learning to parent a child with autism requires creativity and infinite patience. A supportive community makes a huge difference to these moms and dads. Here is some information and advice from three Lumberton families based on their experiences with an autistic child.
have them invited to a party. If we have questions, well ask and make the decision that is right for our child. 7. We feel you watching All three mothers have felt social pressure in public places when a child is acting oddly. Bell has felt compelled to diffuse the interest by announcing her sons disability. Ill just say out loud, its hard to have autism so everyone in earshot can hear and I dont have to look directly at the person who is staring at us. Bell said that if you witness an episode, please trust the parents. Be patient, be caring and be non-judgmental, she urged. 8. Its not lack of parental discipline On one grocery shopping outing, seeing an 8-year-old sitting in a shopping cart and crying loudly was too much for a fellow shopper. He came over and told Alex to stop being a crybaby and be good for his mama.

Collins and Bell have experienced many similar scenes. The older your child gets, the more awkward it gets, Bell said. Mabry said offering a helping hand rather than assuming bad parenting will ease the situation, at least for the parent. 9. A kind word works wonders Bell vividly remembers a day when a similar scene was playing out with her son, Walker, in a store. She was embarrassed, trying to calm him, and could feel someone watching and approaching her. The woman told Bell, I just want you to know that you are doing a great job. Then she walked away. Bell said that verbal pat on the back was spectacular and helped renew her spirits. 10. Being different is OK

We believe that God put us all here for a reason, Mabry said. Its really hard sometimes to see people dismiss those with disabilities, especially my son, because I think he is fabulous and wonderful. Collins said Although Mabry was sure this parents can set the example for individual meant to be helpful, their kids. If your children see his intervention ratcheted up Alexs anxiety and brought tears that you treat all kinds of people with compassion and dignity, to Mabrys eyes as she tried to they will lead others as well, she explain autism and pay for her groceries amid the chaos. said.
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Medical Advice

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By MaRGaREt GaRDnER

TARS TRuCK
and author who has practiced integrative medicine for more than 30 years, agrees. Its always necessary to be careful when a celebrity comes out saying they were cured by something that is controversial and may have worked for them but may not work or may even harm others, Sinatra said. So its a careful mix, but in general I think its a good thing. Then theres Paula Deen. When the celebrity chef announced in January that she has Type 2 diabetes, few people were shocked. Deen is, after all, the Butter Queen. But many were surprised to learn that she was diagnosed with the illness in 2008 and chose to not announce it publicly until, that is, she cut an endorsement deal with the makers of diabetes drug Victoza. >>

Celebrities can bring a lot of attention to a disease, but the public should keep their advice in perspective

elebrities are people. They get sick. They die. But unlike the rest of us, they can use their fame to help raise awareness about their disease and even money to fight it.
Witness the early days of AIDS/HIV. It was considered a plague and something those other people got. But when stars like Rock Hudson and Magic Johnson went public with their diagnoses, attitudes started to change. Another example is The Michael J. Fox Foundation, a fundraising powerhouse that brought in $57 million dollars in 2010 and has funded more than $240 million in Parkinsons disease research since its founding 10 years ago. Of course, MJFF has something other organizations dont Michael J. Fox. Since announcing his diagnosis in 1998, the Canadian actor who rose to fame in the U.S. mainly for his role in the iconic sitcom Family Ties and the Back to the Future film franchise has gone from beloved film and TV star to international symbol of courage, persistence and hope.
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It just makes sense that in a society that sucks up celebrity gossip like mothers milk, we would be swayed when a famous face tells us to get a mammogram or check for testicular cancer or eat a piece of fruit once in a while. It brings more attention to the illness. For the public, the benefit is the research and the amount of money the celebrity brings to the table, said Randy Robin, owner of Better Living Medical, in Nederland. But (celebrities) are not doctors so its important to keep a proper perspective and listen to the experts. Healthcare professionals agree that celebrities can build a buzz around diseases but, in many cases, they know as much or as little about them as any average person who is dealing with the condition. Celebrities can focus a spotlight on the illness and bring forth more awareness, which is very good, said Norma Cates of Nederland, a retired nurse with 30 years experience. And yes, it does encourage people to get tested, see their doctors, etc. Unfortunately, some people tend to idolize celebrities, so they may be more apt to listen and be more receptive to a celebrity than they would their own doctor. Its good for them to raise awareness unless they try to sway people away from seeking professional care by doctors who can treat the illness, Cates said. Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a nationally recognized cardiologist, nutritionist, educator,

Certainly Deens health is her own business. And while one can debate her (or any celebritys) obligation to the public, theres no denying that the opportunity to make a difference is there. Randy believes Deen has an obligation to be responsible about her diabetes by pointing her fans toward more healthful eating. Joe Colburn, of Nederland, who also has Type 2 diabetes, finds Deens announcement irrelevant. His feeling? Ultimate responsibility for our health falls on no one but ourselves. People tend to blame everyone else, the doctor, the pills, the food but we are responsible for our individual eating habits, Colburn said. If the doctor says you have diabetes, take it to the prayer circle and do what the doctor says. In the beginning, doctors told me to watch what I eat, take my medicine and get some exercise. I did exactly that. Now I am being told they cant find proof of diabetes in my body. We werent aware of the causes before, but as soon as we were informed, we denied or ignored all the signs of diabetes or good eating habits until we wound up in the doctors office, he said. So now I ask myself, Whats good for Joe? and I follow through.

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The Debate Over Deen

Paula Deen seems to have a cavalier public attitude toward a disease that has become nearly an epidemic in the united States and brings with it the threat of many dire conditions. Amid a maelstrom of outcries from the food as medicine coalition, Deen basically flipped the world the bird, declaring that she doesnt blame herself for her condition and doesnt intend to give up eating the way she likes to eat. while Deen might eventually become a face in the fight against diabetes, itll be as an endorser of a drug rather than of mindful eating and healthful living. That has been the crux of much of the criticism hurled at Deen since her announcement. nederlands Sharon Moore, who also has Type 2 diabetes, agrees. Paula Deen would not make a difference in how I manage the disease, because Ive found that changing my diet to eat less fried food and less sugar, even gluten-free, and increasing the amount of fruits and veggies I take in works better for me. I am taking half the diabetes medicine I was taking, and my sugar is well-balanced now. In the wake of Deens announcement, social media sites like facebook and Twitter blew up, and much of the commentary took the chef to task for her choices.

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2012 LiveWell

Womens Conference

Womens Network

WOMEN.

ITS ALL ABOUT

YOU.
THURSDAY, MAY 3 FORD PARK / BEAUMONT, TX 7:00 am4:30 pm

ITS ALL ABOUT

Keynote Speaker Helen Hunt

Mark your calendar now to enrich yourself both personally and professionally at the fth annual CHRISTUS LiveWell Womens Conference presented by the LiveWell Womens Network. The allday conference includes keynote luncheon, fun and educational workshops, healthy cooking station, tness demonstrations, health screenings, and Market Square shopping. Learn more at www.christushospital.org/conference or call 409-899-7700.

REGISTRATION OPENS MONDAY, MARCH 26

16 March/April 2012

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