We are pleased to be part of the Chamber of Commerce Better

Health Wabash Valley Coalition that received funding from the An-

them Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation for mid 2014.

We will be collaborating with St Mary-of-the Woods College and

Union Hospital to provide low cost Lifestyle Education with pre and

post health screening for adults and children with a focus on the

Western Vigo County population next fall.

Healthy Lifestyle Programs for Children

An active collaborative committee of people are working together

to create a healthy lifestyle program for children with Riley Hospi-

tal’s Power Up Program as a foundation. The group includes repre-

sentatives from The Maple Center, UAP pediatrics, Union Fitness

Center, ISU professors of nursing, nutrition, and physical education,

the Terre Haute Center for Medical Education, Vigo County School

Corporation, and the community.

Our plan is to present a pilot program at Farrington Grove’s after

school program this spring and an evening program concurrent with

the LEAF program for adults in the fall. Encouraging the involvement

of families with children is part of the vision for the LEAF program.

Kathleen Stienstra, MD

I N S I D E

T H I S

I S S U E :

Maple Center for

Integrative Health

Awarded Grant via

1

My Story 2

Wabash Valley

LEAF Chats—Pilot

Class

Discovering Music

Therapy

3

Wabash Valley

LEAF Chats—Pilot

Class

4

Wabash Valley

LEAF Chats—Pilot

Class

5

Monthly Matters

Reflection 6

How to Survive

and Thrive This

Holiday Season

7

Happy Holidays 8

December Calen-

dar

9

Maple Center for Integrative Health

Awarded Grant via Chamber of Commerce

The Maple Center Monthly Matters Newsletter

December 2013 V O L U M E 1 3 , I S S U E 1 2

P A G E 2

Community Resources

Compassionate Friends

Indiana Wabash Valley

Chapter

4th Thursday of Each Month

6:30-8:00 PM

1875 South Fruitridge

(Universalist Unitarian)

Information, memorial tributes,

donations, and free e-newsletter

subscription, please contact us

at: tcfwv@googlegroups.com.

Facebook: Type Compassionate

Friends of the Wabash Valley.

The Breastfeeding Coalition

of the Wabash Valley

Meeting: Dec 2, 6:30 PM

Union Hospital Professional

Office Building (POB) Room

352, Corner of 7th Street and

8th Avenue For more

information call The Maple

Center

(812) 234-8733

Terre Haute Birth Network

Advocacy organization to promote

“normal, mother/baby-friendly birth”

For more information:

Terre Haute Birth and Beyond

Network on FACEBOOK Or

https://sites.google.com/site/

thbirthandbeyondnetwork/

My Story My name is Cindy Schrader

and I am honored to be

working part-time for The

Maple Center. Dr. Stien-

stra has been my doctor

since the spring of 2012 and

I graduated from CHIP last

fall. In 2001, I was diag-

nosed with Type Two Dia-

betes.

Chapter One; my story:

I never thought that I, a

once fit, happy and healthy

young woman would re-

ceive a call from my former

doctor with the news that I

had Type Two Diabe-

tes. You can imagine my

dismay the day that call

came in the fall of 2001,

even though I had bal-

looned to 190 pounds and

barely had the energy to

move. I remember standing

there, after I hung up the

phone, and just crying. My

world as I had known it had

come to an end. Flashbacks

of my parents, who had

acquired adult onset Diabe-

tes, much later in their lives,

quickly came to

mind. How could this be, I

wasn’t even 50 years old?

I stood unable to wrap my

head around the words I had

just heard, recalling the

sadness I felt seeing my

parents prick their fingers,

squeezing for that drop of

blood. The needles, the

test kits, the ups, the downs,

this was not a path I envi-

sioned for myself. I could-

n’t put the pieces together

of how I ended up

here. Granted, I had suc-

cumbed to occasional fast

food when schedules were

hectic and time was scarce,

but doesn’t everyone? And

exercise was not a priority,

as a working mother, wife,

and grandmother; who had

time for that?

My sugar was over 400

when I was diagnosed, I

believe it was 415. I can

remember, before my diag-

nosis, sitting in a meeting,

making a presentation, and

panicking at the thought of

having to speak without

having a glass of water. It

was very difficult to keep

my thoughts organized and

focused. In retrospect, I am

amazed that no one seemed

to notice the obvious stupor

I was functioning in.

It is remarkable how our

bodies compensate for the

abuse we have imposed on

them. The sugar in my body

could no longer get into the

cells which is why my sugar

level had increased to such

a toxic level. I had an un-

quenchable thirst, and

started losing weight very

quickly, too quickly.

Determined not to follow

down the road of insulin

and all of the other diabetic

related complications, I

quickly followed my doc-

tor’s instructions and made

two trips to meet with a

Dietician and Nurse Educa-

tor. I watched and recorded

every morsel of food that

went into my mouth and

began exercising six days a

week. Within six months, I

was down to 145 pounds

and my blood sugar was

normal. All of my friends

were asking for copies

of my diet, which I was

happy to share. My doctor

called to tell me I could quit

taking the oral medication

for diabetes and I was

“cured”. It all sounds great

and perhaps too good to be

true. You remember that

saying, “if it sounds too

good to be true, it probably

is”, in this case that was

100% accurate.

I gained a false sense of

accomplishment and secu-

rity. As I continued to

loosely follow “my diet”

and exercise regime I was

slowly falling off the wagon

without even realizing there

was a wagon to fall off of.

In the months ahead I hope

to share “chapters” of my

12 year journey with Type

Two Diabetes. The ups and

downs along with the new

things I have learned and

continue to learn with Dr.

Stienstra and The Maple

Center by my side. To-

gether, we can share, grow,

support, encourage, and

challenge each other to

have happier, healthier, and

more fulfilling lives. My

mother always said “if you

have your health, you have

everything” and today I

understand exactly what she

was talking about!

Cindy Schrader

T H E M A P L E C E N T E R M O N T H L Y M A T T E R S

Wabash Valley LEAF (Lifestyle Education

and Food) Pilot Class

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 3 , I S S U E 1 2

The Wabash Valley has sprouted a new approach for Healthy Lifestyle

Education which teaches changes that are sufficient to prevent, arrest

and REVERSE atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, diabetes, high

blood pressure, obesity and many other chronic illnesses.

The Maple Center LEAF Lead-

ership team consists of Karen Cunningham as coordinator,

Kathy Stienstra as medical di-

rector, Betty Hopf, Julie Fine,

Linda LeCour, Ruth and

Gordon Pleus, JoAnn and Tom

Orman, Debbie Stevens,

Melissa Schollaert, Miren Ber-

istain, Susan and Brad Spice.

This team of enthusiastic vol-

unteers/instructors took their experience teaching the Wabash Valley

CHIP program which had become too expensive for our community and

created LEAF (same great information in a different wrapper and at a

much lower cost.) We are extremely grateful to the Physicians Com-

mittee for Responsible Medicine’s Nutrition Curriculum program and

Dr. Michael Greger’s Nutritionfacts.org website materials from which

we drew heavily.

The pilot LEAF classes met weekly

for 8 weeks and finished with a

commencement potluck celebra-

tion. We started with a health

screen that measured height,

weight, body type, body fat per-

cent, blood pressure, pulse and

labs (lipid or cholesterol profile

and fasting blood sugar) which was

repeated 7 weeks into the class.

Each class included talks, DVDs, demonstrations, exercise tips and best

of all—food samples. Optional grocery store tour/classes and a Sunday

afternoon “Applied Nutrition Workshop” added to the fun and learning.

Discovering Music

Therapy

“Discovering Music Ther-

apy” by Tracy Richardson

will take place on December

11, 2013 at the Landsbaum

Center from 1:30—3:00 pm.

Tracy Richardson, Ph.D.,

Director of Music Therapy at

Saint Mary of the Woods,

will give an overview of mu-

sic therapy and how it is

geared not only for individu-

als with special health needs

but also to help facilitate

wellness for all individuals.

Her undergraduate degree is

in Music Therapy with a

Masters and Ph.D. degree in

Counseling. Dr. Richardson

who is a singer and song-

writer will provide an experi-

ential musical opportunity

for those in attendance.

Improvements in labs and meas-

urements occurred, and we

learned that many other amazing

things happen in our bodies when

we stop eating processed, high fat,

high sugar, high salt foods and in-

stead learn to enjoy unrefined

high fiber whole foods, exercise

more, learn stress management

techniques and experience

friendly group support. Not only

does the thickness of our blood

improve, but the unstable plaque

that lines blood vessels becomes

more stable with a thicker smoother top that is less likely to rupture and create the

abrupt blockages that cause heart attacks and strokes. Over time with a lower fat con-

centration in our bloodstream, the cholesterol in the plaques comes out and the plaques

shrink, improving blood flow to the heart and the entire body. Gene expression can be

modified, and we can turn off genes for inflammation and cancer promotion. Heartburn,

pain, constipation, gout improve.

This class was unusual in that nearly half the class started in the ideal body weight range

and many had normal numbers to start. We love the opportunity to help people prevent

chronic illness and/or to reduce medication needs.

Wabash Valley LEAF Pilot Class (continued)

Quality of Life measurements all showed positive improvements:

Group data was presented at the Commencement celebration—here are a couple of ex-

amples.

Kathleen Stienstra, MD

P A G E 6

Monthly Matters Reflections We all have a "pickle jar" or a place where we

throw our loose coins. We can probably all remem-

ber where our parents or folks that raised us kept

theirs. I am not sure to who I should credit this

story to but thank you for the “Pickle Jar”. The pickle jar as far back as I can remember sat on

the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bed-

room. When he got ready for bed, dad would

empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar.

As a small boy I was always fascinated at the

sounds the coins made as they were dropped into

the jar. They landed with a merry jingle when the

jar was almost empty. Then the tones gradually

muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and

admire the copper and silver circles that glinted

like a pirate's treasure when the sun poured

through the bedroom window. When the jar was

filled, dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the

coins before taking them to the bank. Taking the coins to the bank was always a big pro-

duction. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box,

the coins were placed between dad and me on the

seat of his old truck. Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, dad

would look at me hopefully. “Those coins are going

to keep you out of the textile mill, son you‟re going

to do better than me. This old mill town's not going

to hold you back.” Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of

rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward

the cashier, he would grin proudly and say, “'These

are for my son's college fund. He'll never work at

the mill all his life like me.” We would always celebrate each deposit by stop-

ping for an ice cream cone. I always got choco-

late. Dad always got vanilla. When the clerk at the

ice cream parlor handed dad his change, he would

show me the few coins nestled in his palm. “When

we get home, we'll start filling the jar again.” He

always let me drop the first coins into the empty

jar. As they rattled around with a brief, happy

jingle, we grinned at each other. “You'll get to

college on pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters,” he

said, “„but you'll get there; I'll see to that.”

No matter how rough things got at home, dad con-

tinued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even

the summer when dad got laid off from the mill,

and mama had to serve dried beans several times a

week, not a single dime was taken from the jar.

To the contrary, as dad looked across the table at

me, pouring catsup over my beans to make them

more palatable, he became more determined than

ever to make a way out for me. “When you finish

college, son,” he told me, his eyes glistening,

“'You'll never have to eat beans again - unless you

want to.”

T H E M A P L E C E N T E R M O N T H L Y M A T T E R S

The years passed, and I finished college and took a

job in another town. Once, while visiting my par-

ents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed

that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its pur-

pose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot

beside the dresser where the jar had always

stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never

lectured me on the values of determination, perse-

verance, and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all

these virtues far more eloquently than the most

flowery of words could have done. When I married,

I told my wife Susan about the significant part the

lowly pickle jar had played in my life as a boy. In

my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how

much my dad had loved me. The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was

born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After

dinner, mom and dad sat next to each other on the

sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild.

Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her

from dad's arms. 'She probably needs to be

changed,' she said, carrying the baby into my par-

ents' bedroom to diaper her. When Susan came

back into the living room, there was a strange mist

in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to dad before taking my

hand and leading me into the room. “„Look,” she

said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the

floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there,

as if it had never been removed, stood the old pickle

jar, the bottom already covered with coins. I

walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my

pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins. With a

gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins

into the jar. I looked up and saw that dad, carrying

Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes

locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions

I felt. Neither one of us could speak. This story truly touched my heart. I hope it has

yours as well. Sometimes we are so busy adding up

our troubles that we forget to count our blessing

and remember all the sacrifices that others gave for

us.

The best and most beautiful things cannot be seen

or touched - they must be felt with the heart

~ Helen Keller Happy Holidays and a happy bright shiny new year!

Martha Reed—CHIP Program Graduate

and Volunteer

P A G E 7

The Holiday season is approaching faster than I can get these words on the page, and if you are anything

like me, the holidays can mean added stress and added calories. We work hard all year and the short holi-

day season can sabotage much of our healthy efforts. Well, not this year my friend. I am here to offer some

practical tips to lighten up that holiday load, while still enjoying all the festivities.

Drink Up And I don’t mean booze. Carry an aluminum or glass water bottle around at all times.

Often times during winter months we tend to slack off, but the weather is very dry and

hydration is just as important now as in the summer. Aim for about 3 liters each day to

keep well hydrated (bonus- it’ll keep your skin looking young). Drink a full glass of wa-

ter between each alcoholic beverage. You’ll stay hydrated, feel better, and end up drink-

ing less alcohol.

Eat Normally

Even when you have a big holiday dinner that day, you can eat a bit lighter than normal, but it’s impor-

tant to keep your metabolism going, so no skipping breakfast (or lunch!) End result; you won’t be so

ravenous come dinner time that you end up eating everything in sight.

Breathe

So often we race through the Holidays frazzled and really disconnected. The holidays are meant to be a

time of connection to family, friends, spirituality, and even some relaxation. Slow down, look around,

and enjoy the scenery. Take a long deep breath and remember what’s really important. This also works

with eating. Breathe, be mindful, and eat only the treats you REALLY want.

Bonus Recipe:

Parsnip Mashers

6 medium to large parsnips, peeled, cored

and cut in chunks

3 cups low sodium vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Snipped chives and/or fresh parsley

Option: 3-6 cloves garlic

Directions:

Boil parsnips 12-15 minutes, remove from heat, drain. Add remaining ingredients to food processor or

blender spin until creamy, and enjoy!

How to Survive and Thrive this Holiday Season

Melissa Schollaert, HHP, RDH

P A G E 8

The Maple Center

Calendar Connection

Integrative Medical Consultation and

Medical Acupuncture Monday through Thursday

By Appointment Kathleen A. Stienstra, MD

Clinical Appointments Call 812-235-4867

Healing Touch Mondays: By Appointment

Margaret Moga, PhD Call 812-240-3302

Music Therapy By Appointment

Fee: $50.00 : 50 Minute Session Tracy Richardson, PhD, MT-BC Clinical Appointments

Call 812-249-4290

Neuromuscular Re-education

Tuesdays & Wednesdays By Ap-pointment

Fee: $60.00: 1hr. Treatment Penny Money

Call 317-670-3764

Nutrition and Health Thursday Mornings: By Appoint-

ment Fee: $50.00—First Consultation

Melissa Schollaert, HHC Health Coach

Call 916-792-4218

Massage Therapy Fridays & Saturdays By Appoint-

ment Nancy Humphries, LMBT

Call 812-251-9190

Yoga Call the office at

812 234-8733 for more information.

Zumba Gold! Classes are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening from 5:45 PM to 6:45

PM. Call the office at

812 234-8733 for more information.

V O L U M E 1 3 , I S S U E 1 2

DECEMBER 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

7

8

9

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

10

11 1:30-3:00

Discovering

Music Ther-

apy

5:45pm

Zumba Gold

12 13

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

14

15

16

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

17

6:30pm

LEAF

Alumni

Dinner

18

5:45pm

Zumba Gold

19 20

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

21

22

23

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

24 25

5:45pm

Zumba Gold

26 27

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

28

29 30

5:45pm

Zumba

Gold

31

P A G E 9

*Symbol of life and visible connection among women involved in the fight against cancer.

*Donated more than $1.5 million to cancer research, education, and care.

We will continue the fight against cancer…. With your support.

Newsletter article submission due by the 22nd of each month.

Email article to dferguson@themaplecenter.org

How do I find the book from The Maple Center library

collection online?

If you click on the link available on the John Black Memorial Li-

brary’s page (www.themaplecenter.org, click on Resource) or

copy and past the following link, you will be taken to the collec-

tion directly: http://books.google.com/books?

Uid=108073147105936153925&source=gbs_1p book-

shelf_listg8u.

When you get three, you will have the option of searching within

The Maple Center’s collection, or the entire world of Google

Books.

Bring a vegetarian dish

and recipe to share,

Contact Debbie Stevens at

debbiestevents53@gmail.com

Phone: (812) 234-8733

Website: themaplecenter.org

E-mail: Dferguson@themaplecenter.org

For update on programs and clinical services

“like” us on Facebook!

The Maple Center is a non-profit integrative health

center, started in 2004, that offers classes and

workshops in mind, body, and spirit approaches to

optimal wellness. We offer workshops in preventive

strategies to maintain health, and unique programs

for those challenged by cancer and chronic illness.

The center offers professionals trained in acupunc-

ture, health coaching, integrative medicine, neuro-

muscular integration, nutritional counseling, thera-

peutic massage, and therapeutic touch.

For more information on our program, workshops, or

professional services contact us at (812) 234-8733 or visit

our website: themaplecenter.org

The Maple Center for Integrative Health

1801 N. 6th St, Suite 600

Terre Haute, IN 47804

Dr. John Black Memorial Library

“Optimizing individual health thru

community education and clinical services.”

We are on the web!

www.themaplecenter.org

Monthly Vegetarian Dinner