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HEALTH&WELLNESSSpring Edition

2010

TURNING THECORNERAH-CHOO!BUILDING AN IMMUNITYDURING ALLERGY SEASON

FARM TEAMBUY FRESH, GET HEALTHY

SLEEP APNEAYOUR DENTIST MAY BE

THE FIRST TO DIAGNOSE IT

HOW FAST FOOD & LACKOF EXERCISE HAVE CREATEDA CHILDHOOD OBESITY EPIDEMIC

FREE

‘LET’S MOVE’

8

PUTTING AN END TO THE NATIONWIDE CHILDHOOD OBESITY EPIDEMIC IS A SIMPLE MATTER OF EATING LESS AND MOVING MORE.

3 FROM THE EDITOR An introduction to Health& Wellness Hampton Roads

11 LIFESTYLESHandle your tissue issues

this spring with a stronger

immunity to allergies.

12 GENERAL HOSPITALGet caught up on the

latest healthy happenings

and news.

14 WISDOM TOOTHThink you have sleep

apnea? The dentist may

know before you do.

4

SPRING IS IN THE AIR AND A CORNUCOPIA OF SEASONAL FOODS ARE AT THE MARKET.

NUTRITION INTENTION

HEALTH&WELLNESS

Take an active role in putting food on the table.6 SEED TO STORE

Published by

Pilot Media Cos.Phone757.222.5350

Mail150 W. Brambleton Ave. Norfolk, VA 23510www.healthyinhr.com

Sales ManagerBill Blake (757.222.3165)(sales@healthyinhr.com)

Hampton Roads EditorMary Flachsenhaar

(editor@healthyinhr.com)

Managing EditorCraig Ramey (editor@nccoast.com)

Graphics ManagerKim Moore

Design/LayoutAmber Csizmadia

Hampton Roads Health & Wellnessis a quarterly distributed throughout Hampton Roads in high-traffic loca-tions including many doctors’ offic-es. Entire contents, ad and graphic design and www.healthyinhr.com copyright 2010 by Pilot Media Cos. Reproduction of any portion of this publication or its website without the publisher’s written consent is strictly prohibited. Information found herein is as accurate as pos-sible at press time but should be solely used as a guide. For more specific advice, please consult your family physician.

Vol. 1, Issue #1Spring 2010HEALTH&WELLNESS

From the Editor

H ealth care – it’s the hot topic nationwide. The piece of health care that this new publication intends to tackle is nonpartisan and personal, based on the assumption

that most of us weigh more than we should, eat more than we should and exercise less than we should.

The big stories in this issue speak to a universal audience. The cover piece on childhood obesity (Page 8) has take-home advice not just for families with young children but for everyone who needs to get moving. The farm market story (Page 4) speaks to all of us who shop for fruits and veggies, or should.

We want to hear from you. What stories would you like to see on these pages? If you are a health care, nutrition or fitnessprofessional, we invite you to submit columns on topics that will appeal to a wide local audience.In this issue, Dr. Roxzanne Amos, who has a private dental practice in Chesapeake, ad-dresses sleep apnea. Her piece on Page 14 reveals that often the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are first detected during a dental exam. Who knew?

Four times a year, you’ll find Hampton Roads Health & Well-ness in more than 400 locations throughout Hampton Roads, including free-standing racks in high-traffic areas and doctors’ waiting rooms. More good news: It’s free.

Enjoy this issue and look for us again in July. Meanwhile, stay in touch, stay well and get off the couch.

Mary FlachsenhaarEditor, Hampton Roads Health & Wellness

editor@healthyinhr.com

S P R I N G 2 0 1 04

Nutrition IntentionProduce Availability in VirginiaSource: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and virginiagrown.com

Local Farms & Farmers MarketsSource: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and virginiagrown.com

Apple Berry Manor 2601 W. Landing RoadVirginia Beach(757) 426-7390

Bay Breeze Farms1076 Sandbridge RoadVirginia Beach(757) 721-3288

Blackwater Vineyards 4280 Blackwater RoadVirginia Beach(757) 421-9161

Bright’s Produce643 Princess Anne RoadVirginia Beach(757) 426-7832

Brookdale Farm & Market 2133 Mount Pleasant Road Chesapeake(757) 721-0558

Clayhill Farms 5165 Mineral Spring RoadSuffolk986-3209 suffolkjanice@aol.com

Cotton Plains Farm, Inc. 696 Cherry Grove Road, North Suffolk(757) 255-4724 Vegetables, herbs and fruit

Cromwell’s Produce3116 New Bridge Road Virginia Beach(757) 721-6226cromwellsproduce.com

Crown Cashew PO Box 3019, Suffolk(757) 925-6001

Cullipher Farm Market 1444 Princess Anne Road Virginia Beach(757) 721-7456

Dutch Pond Farm 604 Dutch Road, Suffolk(757) 777-5605 dutchpondfarm.com

Faith Farms 2170 Joshua Lane, Suffolk(757) 620-8677

Farmer Frank’s Farm Market 6144 Holland Road, Suffolk(757) 657-9730 farmerfranksfarmmarket.com

5 Points Community Farm Market2500 Church St., Norfolk(757) 640-03005PtsFarmMarket.org

Flanagan Farms Princess Anne Road and N. Muddy Creek roads, Virginia Beach(757) 426-5585

A Tasty Dayin the Neighborhood April: apples, asparagus, greens/spinach, herbs, onions, strawberries

May: asparagus, beets, greens/spinach, herbs, onions, strawberries

June: asparagus, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, cucumbers, green beans, herbs, onions, potatoes, raspberries, squash, strawberries

July: apples, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, herbs, nectarines, peaches, peppers, potatoes, raspberries, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons

August: apples, Asian pears, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, green beans, herbs, nectarines, peaches, peppers, raspber-ries, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons

September: apples, Asian pears, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, green beans, herbs, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries, squash, tomatoes, watermelons

October: apples, Asian pears, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, grapes,green beans, greens/spinach, herbs, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, raspberries, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes

November: apples, Asian pears, beets, broccoli, cabbage, greens/spinach, herbs, peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes,

December: apples, greens/spinach, herbs, sweet potatoes

W ith spring here and summer around the corner, most of us are chomping at the bit to get outside and play in our vegetable garden … or take

advantage of someone else’s. Spring is a time of awakening and the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables abounds. Growing or buying local foods is a great way to get in the taste of fresh, nutritious foods, support the local economy and be mindful of nature’s welfare.

While it may be a challenge to adhere to an all-local diet, just being mindful as to where your produce is coming from can be helpful – local can mean as close to home as possible. It is estimated that the average grocery store’s produce travels nearly 1,500 miles from where it is grown to your refrigerator and that 40 percent of fruits come from overseas. In contrast, growing and purchasing from local food systems produces 17 times less CO2 emissions.

Buying produce that is in-season is another way to ensure that you are eating foods at their peak taste and nutrition quality, most abundant, and least expensive. Freezing produce during this time of year is a way to carry over into nonpeak or winter months.

You can also join a CSA (community supported agriculture) program or visit local farm produce stands/markets to capture local products. This also ensures that your food dollars are sent directly back to the farmer, therefore increasing their income and making sure the money is spent locally to run their busi-ness and home.

Remember, knowing part of the story behind your food can be a powerful element of enjoy-ing a meal.

By making a little effort to find food pro-duced nearby, you are joining a worldwide movement. Start small and don’t expect to change all of your eating habits overnight. Commit to purchasing one type of food lo-cally each week or month and you are sure to go back for more once you discover

how easy and tasteful it is.

Shannon Guthrie, RD, LDN

5w w w. H e a l t h y i n H R . c o m

Full Quiver Farm 2801 Manning Road, Suffolk(757) 539-5324 www.fullquiverfarm.com

Green Pastures Fruit and Livestock Farm 1474 Copeland Road, Suffolk(757) 925-0997

Greene’s Strawberry Farm Raleigh Drive, Suffolk(757) 539-8033

Henley Farm and Henley Farm Market 3513 Charity Neck RoadVirginia Beach (757) 426-7501

Horsley’s Blackwater Farm 3169 Land of Promise RoadVirginia Beach (757) 421-3625

Hunt Club Farm 2400 London Bridge Road Virginia Beach (757) 427-9520

Lilley Farms and Nursery, Inc. Bennett’s Pasture Road, Suffolk(757) 484-3448 lilleyfarms.com

Lilley Farms and Nursery, Inc. 2800 Tyre Neck Road, Chesapeake (757) 483-9880

Mansfield Farms 3053 Nansemond Pkwy., Suffolk(757) 538-4581

Old Beach Farmers Market19th Street and Cypress AvenueVirginia Beacholdbeachfarmersmarket.com

Olde Towne Curb Market 115 Main Street, Smithfield(757) 375-3502 visitsmithfieldisleofwight.com

Oliver Farms LLC 18222 Longview DriveSmithfield(757) 255-4563

Parkers Produce 2681 Desert Road, Suffolk(757) 539-6960

Poor John’s Farm914 Dominion Blvd. , Chesapeake(757) 485-3656, 485-7743

Portsmouth Olde Towne Farmers MarketMiddle Street, Portsmouth

Pungo Blueberries Etc. 3477 Muddy Creek RoadVirginia Beach (757) 721-7434

Pungo Produce 1585 N. Muddy Creek RoadVirginia Beach(757) 426-3276

Red Mill Green MarketRed Mill Commons, Virginia Beach

Skipper Farms 3640 Dam Neck Road Virginia Beach (757) 368-0355

Suffolk Farmers Market 326 N. Main St., Suffolk(757) 514-4131 lwhite@city.suffolk.va.us suffolk-fun.com

Vaughan Farms Produce1258 Princess Anne RoadVirginia Beachvaughanfarmsproduce.com(757) 615-4888

Virginia Beach Farmers Market3640 Dam Neck RoadVirginia Beach(757) 385-4395

Wood’s Orchards Farm Market 183 E. Mercury Blvd., Hampton (757) 722-2873

Woodland Trail Farm 11398 Raynor Road, Smithfield(757) 357-1792

Local Farms & Farmers MarketsSource: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and virginiagrown.com

S P R I N G 2 0 1 06

Seed to Store

Eat Your Veggies!CSA Programs Make Vegetables Easy to Swallow and Help the Farmer TooBy Kathryn Barrett

On a recent Saturday morning, Tanya Banks was preparing young plants for their move from the greenhouse to the tilled 5 acres at New Earth Farm in

Virginia Beach. Her son Mareck, 14, was moving rocks and tossing bales of hay while River, 7, was busy feeding chickens in the henhouse, nicknamed the Coop da Villa.

Hard work? Yes. Fun? Yes. “I like to get my hands dirty,” said the

Norfolk mother, who adds that it’s good for kids to do something productive and digging in the dirt helps her sons under-stand where food comes from.

More than that, the Banks family feels connected to the food they eat and the farmer they support.

That’s right. They and 34 other families actually help support New Earth Farm by participating in the farm’s community-supported agriculture program, or CSA. The program helps local farmers with the

cost of growing crops and in exchange members receive a portion of the harvest.

At New Earth Farm, members pay a fee of $600 in advance, or slightly less if they volunteer hours working at the farm like the Banks family does.

In return, they receive shares of “Farmer John’s” bounty each Saturday throughout the growing season of 20 weeks. Each member receives a box that provides enough produce for an average family of four for the week. In addition, mem-bers receive the satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production.

“You sign up for the vegetables, but you also sign on for the concept,” Banks explained.

Most members join a CSA because

FARMER JOHN WILSON/PHOTO BY HARRY GERWIEN

7w w w. H e a l t h y i n H R . c o m

they believe strongly in buying fresh, lo-cally grown food. Produce plucked from the field that morning is fresher than anything in the supermarket and that means it’s tastier and more nutritious.

Banks said, “It’s important to sup-port an individual farmer, particularly an organic farmer, and (we love) the quality of the food.”

CSA programs are also good for the local economy – buying directly from family farmers helps America’s small farms stay in business.

“I like the idea of supporting a local farmer,” said Kate Burns, an original member of Farmer John Wilson’s CSA program. “Most of the food in the gro-cery store is shipped from thousands of miles away and it loses a lot of nutrition.”

Burns, owner of Hot Yoga Studio on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach, added, “We’re all going to want to support that local farmer before there aren’t any more small farms.”

“It’s definitely worth it,” Banks said. “I don’t think we’re getting a bargain at the grocery store.”

Perhaps because it has just been picked, Burns says produce from the farm seems to last longer than grocery store produce, which, she believes, may make CSA pro-grams more cost-efficient in the long run. “If I don’t get to my lettuce for a while, it’s OK,” she said.

Since the CSA concept came to the United States in the 1980s, the program has grown like a weed.

Approximately 3,515 active com-munity-supported agriculture programs nationwide are listed in the directory of Local Harvest, a 12-year-old organization based in Santa Cruz, Calif., and a leading resource for the Buy Local movement.

“There’s a large and rapidly growing desire for fresh, healthy local food and it’s

really nice to see the change occurring,” said Wilson.

With only 35 members, New Earth Farm is one of the smaller CSA programs in the country. Burns joined the CSA when it began five years ago because she was searching for locally grown organic produce.

“You are what you eat. You have to put good stuff in your body,” she said. “Most of our food is trucked in from thousands of miles and it loses a lot of nutrition.”

Buying locally not only helps keep dol-lars circulating in Hampton Roads, local farmers offer varieties of produce that are grown for taste and freshness and not de-signed for shipping and a long shelf life.

At New Earth Farm, tucked away off London Bridge Road not far from a flight path at Oceana Naval Air Station, Wilson grows the traditional tomatoes, cucumbers and leaf lettuce but delights in surprising customers with kohlrabi, which reminds this writer of a giant rad-ish, lamb’s quarters, a green that’s similar to spinach, and arugula, a green used in salads and on pizza. Yes, pizza!

“If you’re eating locally grown pro-duce, you’re eating what God intended you to eat for that time of the year,” Burns said.

That connection with the land helps form a special bond between CSA mem-ber and farmer.

“It’s rewarding,” Wilson said. “People are connected to the food. They almost adopt me as a farmer.”

Adopting the benefits of locally grown organic produce also means adopting the risks that come along with farming. Risk is part of the agreement between farmers and CSA members.

“If we do have a big problem – weather or flooding, for example – they agree to ride through the season with me,”

Wilson said. If need be, he’ll extend the season by a week. On the other hand, if the harvest is bountiful, his members reap the benefit.

At New Earth Farm, Saturday morn-ings starting in mid-May and going through the summer are a time of celebration. Members arrive early to share coffee, pastries and conversation as they pick up their boxes of produce. Some of the vegetables are so fresh they’re still covered in dirt.

“I love getting my box of produce!” Banks said, knowing it has been picked that very morning.

The morning marks the end of Farmer John’s week and the beginning of another week of local, lush, as-fresh-as-you-can-get produce at the tables of 35 Hampton Roads families.

Kathryn Barrett is a medical journalistin Hampton Roads.

Kids and VeggiesAnyone with children knows it’s not always easy to get them to eat their vegetables, even if they’re locally grown and fresh from the farm. Even Kate Burns admits that her son Tucker, 18, wasn’t always a fan of veggies when he was younger. “You’d be surprised how many vegetables you can camouflage in a child’s smoothie,” she suggests.

New Earth Farm is located at 2280 London Bridge Road, Virginia Beach; 757-427-6515; newearthfarm.org; newearthfarm.blogspot.com. New Earth

Farm’s CSA membership is already filled for this season. However, its organically grown produce is available for purchase at Red Mill Green Market in

Virginia Beach from Memorial Day though Labor Day.

For more information on CSA programs throughout Hampton Roads, visit buylocalhamptonroads.org or localharvest.org.

For More Information

S P R I N G 2 0 1 088

W e hear about it almost every time we turn around these

days – from television news to the old mullet wrapper we skim with our morning coffee. We’re overweight, ladies and gentle-men. And not only that – we’re raising overweight children as well. We may be living longer than our predecessors, but the quality of our health during those extended years is directly related to how we lived

the first 50. Were you a smoker? A heavy drinker? Did you eat a diet high in fats and sugars? Were you a chubby kid? Bingo.

The statistics are staggering. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past three decades childhood obesity has more than doubled for children age 2-5 and adolescents age 12-19 and more than tripled in ages 6-11. About 16 percent of children in the US (more than 9 million) are overweight or

obese. Those youngsters, the study goes on to say, have a 70 percent chance of becom-ing overweight adults; 80 percent if one or both of their parents are overweight. Even more startling – the Institute of Medicine wrote in a 2005 report that 60 percent of obese children age 5-10 had at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor, such as elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin or blood pressure. Twenty-five percent had two or more risk factors.

Toward Curing the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

Let’s Move

9w w w. H e a l t h y i n H R . c o m

Even the first lady, Michelle Obama, has taken notice of the epidemic with her announcement in February of the Let’s Move campaign. According to a White House release, the program will “combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that builds on effective strategies, and mobilizes public and private sector resources. Let’s Move will engage every sector impacting the health of children to achieve the national goal, and

will provide schools, families and com-munities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better and get healthy.”

Through Let’s Move, the nation’s leading children’s health foundations are coming together to create the Partnership for a Healthier America which the government hopes will accelerate existing efforts address-ing childhood obesity and facilitate new commitments toward the national goal of solving childhood obesity within a genera-tion.

But why? How did this happen? How did we get here? What are we doing differently as parents? What can we do to help our children lead healthier lives?

While there are myriad diet fads and ex-ercise regimens to encourage us to maintain a healthy weight, one basic fact remains true: our intake must not exceed our out-put. If you ingest too many calories without the benefit of exercise to work them off, your body is going to store the excess.

“The energy balance is a central con-cept,” said Dr. David Collier, director of the Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center at East Carolina Univer-sity. “It really comes down to that right bal-ance of calories in, calories out. And a very small imbalance day in, day out can cause large weight changes over time.”

Dr. Collier uses a regular child-sized juice box as an example. If a 6-year-old child is offered two juice boxes a day over and above his nutritional requirements, it can translate to 7 or 8 pounds of extra weight over the course of a year. It’s a subtle balance, he explained, finding the right amount of calories for growth, development and energy without exceeding the allowance we need.

“Generally, most people underestimate calories coming in, particularly with bever-ages,” he said. “So it’s important to under-stand how to use that calorie balance. In theory, it’s a simple concept – but it’s very complex. There are a lot of influences on your energy balance and a subtle difference in behavior can have a sustained effect.

In addition to socio-economic factors, peer pressure and youngster’s sway toward those foods that just taste better, there are a variety of variables to take into consider-ation, Dr. Collier said.

“We’ve got $12-14 billion spent on ad-vertising directly to kids by fast food, high sugar, high fat, low fiber fun foods – that influence kids’ thought patterns – which influence the buying patterns of families,” Dr. Collier continued. “Families are up against a pretty significant vested interest

Cont. on page 10

Remember the Date“Weight of the State” is a Virginia statewide summit on childhood obesity to be presented May 17-18 in Richmond by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and Prevention Connections. Inspired by the Centers for Disease Control’s “Weight of the Nation” conference held last year in Washington, DC, this summit aims to help forge new state and regional partnerships and collaborations around the topic of childhood obesity and set an agenda for what the next steps should be to combat this public health epidemic in the commonwealth.The conference will target public health professionals, educators, community leaders, policy-makers and health care professionals.Held at the Westin Richmond, the summit begins Monday, May 17, at 1pm and closes at 5pm Tuesday, May 18.For more information, and to register or become a sponsor, visit preventionconnections.org.

S P R I N G 2 0 1 010

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who doesn’t necessarily have your best interest, your health interest at heart. There are very large social, cultural and governmental pulls that individual families are up against.”

How do chemicals and pesticides used on food interact with our cellular make up? How much exercise is really necessary? Should physical education be required in schools? How much responsibility does our child’s school system have for his nutritional needs? Are some of us genetically predisposed to be-ing overweight? Is there one simple plan that works for everyone?

Absolutely not. In fact there are hundreds of ongoing studies at any given moment. But there’s no time to waste in our reaction to what Dr. Collier calls the “number one public health challenge in the world.”

“We all want to have the best data, the best evidence, but we really can’t wait for the best evidence so we have to work with what we do have,” he said. “We have the blunt tools at hand. No matter what the problem, no matter how we got here, the tool at hand is still our energy balance and that’s what we need to work with.”

Historically, it’s easy to see how the evolution has occurred. Maybe not our parents, but for our grandparents and beyond, exercise was part of daily life. That doesn’t mean they had a great gym membership with a private trainer and a cute new pair of sneakers, but rather participated in some sort of physical work on a regular basis. They walked more and rode less. They worked in the garden or on the farm. They did their own laundry, often by hand.

Television wasn’t a household staple until the 1950s, so even most recreational pursuits had some level of activity involved.

So our ancestors were definitely moving more. They also ate much better. Eating out was what they did on special occasions

– and it hardly ever included fast food. In-stead, on a daily basis, they ate home-cooked fresh food, much of which came from their own gardens or nearby farms. No pesticides, no growth hormones, no artificial flavoring.

The routine of today’s typical family is a stark contrast. Our transportation is motor-ized, our food is processed and our schedules are packed so tight that just planning a home cooked family dinner seems like an impos-sibility.

Add television, DVDs and video games to the mix and we’re literally technologically

advancing our children into obesity. Is this really progress? It is … we just have to be equipped to handle it.

So what can we do now? According to Dr. Collier’s clinic:• Be a role model. Eat smart and move more. Children learn

by watching parents make healthy choices. Encourage healthy food choices without being too restrictive.

• Limit sugar-sweetened beverages. Drink water, sugar free beverages or low fat milk. Sugar-sweetened drinks like soda, sweet tea, Kool-Aid and sports and energy drinks provide no nutritional value yet the extra calories promote weight gain.

• Eat five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day. Try to include one at every meal or snack.

• Eat a healthy breakfast every day. Eating breakfast has been shown to increase test scores, attendance and class participa-tion. Healthy choices include fruit, whole grain cereals and oatmeal, toast, yogurt and low fat milk.

• Limit eating out, especially fast food. Children are more apt to eat fruits and vegetables when dining at home with the family. Make it a goal to dine together at least 5-6 nights per week. Turn off the television and sit together at the table.

• Limit portion size. When you order food, always choose the ‘kids meal’ or small regular sized portions. Allow the nutri-tion information to guide your way.

• Limit screen time to less than two hours a day with no TV in the bedroom. When your child is watching TV or playing video games he isn’t using many calories. Encourage children to do something active instead, like riding a bike, playing basketball or dancing.

• Engage in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily. Get active with your child – go for a walk together, go for a bike ride or play.

• Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep. Experts rec-ommend that children 18 months-3 years get 12-14 hours; 3-5 years, 11-13 hours; 5-12 years, 10-11 hours; and teens, 9.25 hours per night.

• Reward your child with nonfood items. Give him a hug, buy him a book or just spend time together.

By Amanda Dagnino

Cont. from page 9

11w w w. H e a l t h y i n H R . c o m

LifestylesThe Tissue IssueFinding Relief During Allergy Season

A s the winter snow melts, the long-awaited sun seems to shine a little longer and that’s when the buds-to-blossom routine begins. For many allergy sufferers, however, the beauty of

spring means running immediately to the nearest drugstore to pick up a few extra boxes of tissues and maybe a box of antihistamines.

Environmental changes are often tagged as the culprits that cause allergies because they introduce some guilty particle to our biological systems, causing our bodies to react negatively, and we want to take guard. The distress seems to be brought on by nature, or we blame an adorable pet.

John Sheffield, assistant professor of Physician Assistant Studies at South University, worked as a physician assistant in the US Army, and he has seen a lot of combat against the body’s struggle with allergens. He currently teaches courses on allergy and immunology, and diseases of the head and neck at South University’s campus in Savannah, Ga.

“Generally people with allergies understand how they evolve,” said Sheffield. “A trigger, or what we call an allergen, enters the body and causes a symptom. So, when the nose starts running, the eyes start watering or a skin rash appears, what we really want to know then is how can I stop this?”

We want to understand why our bodies feel they are under attack, and we want to figure out how we can be free of whatever plagues our respiratory system. Genetics and environment are traditionally fingered as the culprits and, in some cases, the solutions to under-standing allergic reactions. Since allergies are clearly a cause-and-ef-fect reality, a natural tendency is to start to examine the problem from the outside in.

“Timing is very important,” Sheffield says. “Pay attention if you are having an allergic response and notice if the reaction happens at a specific time of the year. Simple observation can help narrow down a probable allergen, especially when it comes to seasonal allergies.

“Drinking alcohol and smoking is common, and whether you directly participate or not, we all experience to some degree the ef-fects of toxicity on our planet. This exposure to chemical agents that can cause allergies also predisposes us to cancers of the head, throat, mouth, voice box and sinuses,” he explains.

With this thought in mind, allergists to holistic healers typically recommend the best approach to long-term relief is avoidance. The natural healing process often requires avoiding highly processed foods, alcohol, tobacco and other direct or indirect toxins the body ingests from the environment. Often, health care practitioners will urge the avoidance of the allergen itself. However, given poor air quality and other toxins in the environment, personal avoidance of allergens can become a nearly impossible recourse for the average person.

“When you are suffering and need instant relief, what works the quickest and what most allergists will prescribe readily these days are antihistamines and steroidal nasal sprays. A quick dose of steroids has become a cornerstone of therapy to decrease inflammation in the

nose almost immediately where the chain reaction of events begins,” Sheffield continues. “This type of therapy brings the patient complete and almost instant relief even though it may be temporary. The sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, itching and rashes, all the signs that an allergen has created greater inflammation within, is stifled until the next round.”

So, what can we do to prevent “the next round?” Build immuni-ty. This is why allergists prescribe taking controlled doses, or injections, of the allergen in order to mount a defense within the body so it no longer reacts to the al-lergy-causing agent in a violent manner. Alternative healing methods recommend detoxifying the liver, the internal organ where many allergy-causing toxins in the body reside and go to be eliminated.

Ultimately with allergies, lowering susceptibility to the allergen through avoidance and a healthier lifestyle will keep us moving and breathing without agony through life’s seasonal changes. Please consult with a physician prior to taking medication or beginning any manner of allergy treatment.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

“Fitness Together is a great place to go when working towards achieving your fitness goals. The trainers really work with you as an individual by providing one on one training, discussing better eating habits and providing accountability to achieve your goals. The FT trainers know how to balance accountability for your results without making you feel pressured. I would recommend Fitness Together to anyone that is looking to lose weight, get in better shape or is just looking to feel healthier overall.”

Margaret Wiley,

S P R I N G 2 0 1 012

General Hospital

Home Away from HomeSentara Life Care recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a

Portsmouth site for the PACE senior day program, at the Churchland Shopping Center. PACE is an acronym for the federally supported

Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. PACE provides transpor-tation to and from this center, along with meals and activities. There is a health clinic, with a physician on site, a rehab room, social workers, a beauty parlor and a cyber café. Shown here are, from left to right,

Colette Ashuira with the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services; Jose Rodriguez MD, Portsmouth Public Health director; Bruce

Robertson, vice president, Sentara Life Care; Alverta Robinson RN, director of clinical operations, Sentara Life Care; and Michael Gentry,

vice president, Sentara Healthcare.

GRANT AWARDED FOR DIABETES RESEARCH

Researchers at the Eastern Virginia Medical School Strelitz Diabetes Center have been awarded a $1,076,250 grant by the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program to develop new ways of reversing the underlying causes of Type 1 diabetes.

Dr. David Taylor-Fishwick, associate professor of internal medicine and direc-tor of the Cell, Molecular and Islet Biology Laboratory, leads the team whose research applies to both regenerative and autoim-mune medicine.

“Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoim-mune attack that destroys the insulin-pro-ducing beta cells, and the body does not automatically regenerate or replace these cells,” Dr. Taylor-Fishwick said in a pre-pared statement. “The unique challenge in reversing Type 1 diabetes is to regenerate the insulin-producing beta cells and to stop the body’s autoimmune attack.”

Insulin is the hormone that helps the body convert glucose from food into energy. When the beta cells are destroyed, no insulin can be produced.

Dr. Taylor-Fishwick’s research on beta cell regeneration has focused on Islet Neogenesis Associated protein, branded as Exsulin, the discovery made by Dr. Aaron I. Vinik, direc-tor of research at the EVMS Strelitz Diabetes Center, and Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg of McGill University.

The DoD grant will fund the next phase in the team’s research – finding a way to neutralize the immune system’s attack of the beta cells. This immune attack occurs at the

onset of diabetes and may continue after Type 1 diabetes has appeared. The benefits of this research may also apply to other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

TIME FOR ‘HEALTHY LIVING’This is the sixth year for the Week of

Healthy Living, a fundraiser presented by Jewish Family Service. The event will begin with a run/walk on Sunday, May 2, followed by education programs later in that week. All are open to the public.

• The 6th annual Run, Roll or Stroll on May 2 at Neptune’s Park at 31st Street and the Boardwalk in Virginia Beach begins with registration from 6:45 to 7:45am. The 8K Run and 5K Run/Walk begin at 8am and the 1-Mile Run/Walk at 9:15am. For more information, call JFS at (757) 321-2222 or visit tidewater-striders.com or active.com.

• On Tuesday, May 4, an exhibitor fair and presentation on hearing called “Ear 101: Hearing Loss Throughout Life” begins at 11am at the Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community, 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach. The speaker will be Dr. Brad Kesser, associate professor and director of the Division of Otology/Neurotology at the University of Virginia. The program is free; registration is required. Call 321-2222 or visit jfshamptonroads.org.

• On Thursday, May 6, JFS and sponsor TowneBank present a panel discussion on nutrition, with a focus on nutrition and

chronic illness, at 10am at the Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community. Following the discussion chef/owner Phillip Craig Thomason of the Vintage Kitchen will provide a cook-ing healthful demonstration. The program is free; registration is required. Call 321-2222 or visit jfshamptonroads.org.

RUN/WALK FOR KIDSThe King’s Daughters, founding organiza-

tion of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk, will present the 5th annual RunWalk for the Kids on Saturday, June 19, at Town Point Park in Norfolk. All proceeds from the event, which is sponsored by New York Life, will benefit CHKD.

This year’s event will include an 8K run at 7:30am, a 2-mile walk at 7:32am and a 1-mile Fun Run at 9am. Families and friends are encouraged to form teams.

The RunWalk was created to promote fitness in children as well as adults. In the weeks leading up to the race, children are encouraged to participate in the Children’s Marathon training program using a training log consisting of 26 steps, each representing one mile. Each time a child exercises for 30 minutes, it counts as one step or “mile” in their marathon. The goal is to complete 25 miles in the weeks leading up to the race, with the final mile being the 1-mile Fun Run on June 19.

Early registration continues through May 22 at $25 for adults, $12 for children under 18. For more information on the race and the Children’s Marathon training program and to register, visit runwalkforthekids.org or call 668-7098.

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Wisdom ToothLacking Sleep?Your Dentist May Be the First to Ask YouBy Dr. Roxzanne Amos

D o you wake up peacefully, even a few minutes before the alarm goes off? Do you sleep eight glorious hours, feel rejuvenated and ready to take on all

opportunities and challenges of the day? While you are cer-tainly aware of the impact that a good night’s sleep (or lack thereof ) can have on your daily performance and outlook, did you know that your ability to have adequate restful sleep on a regular basis is crucial to your overall health? The consequences of poor sleep include not only fatigue and poor work performance, but also an increased risk for work-related accidents, motor vehicle accidents, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

A major medical cause of poor sleep in Western cultures is the interruption of sleep due to sleep- related breathing disorders. This is a spectrum of disorders that includes everything from very mild snoring to sleep that is disrupted because the patient stops breathing hundreds of times while sleeping. When the airway becomes blocked during sleep and the patient stops breathing for more than 10 seconds, this is called an apneic episode. When you stop breathing during sleep, your brain is deprived of oxygen and wakes up your body just enough to breathe again. The result is poor, fragmented sleep that can lead to daytime symptoms such as excessive sleepiness and impaired concentration and systemic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, bronchitis and depression. In addition, morning time is one of the most common times for heart attacks, especially in males due to low blood oxygen levels and added stress on their heart all night long.

You may even know someone who has been diagnosed with a disease on this spectrum called obstructive sleep apnea. Twelve million Americans suffer from some degree of it, which robs them of critical sleep, putting their health in danger. Most people see their dentist more routinely than their physician, so often the signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can be first detected during a dental exam. Dentists can also diagnosis bruxism, a type of teeth grinding now associated with disruptions in sleep patterns.

Diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders is a complex

task. The diagnosis must be made by a properly trained sleep physician. An all-night sleep study at a sleep disorder clinic (a polysomnogram) must be completed in order to obtain a diagnosis. Treatment decisions should be made as a “sleep medicine team” with the sleep physician, the dentist and the patient. For the last 25 years, continuous positive air pressure or CPAP has been used as the standard of care to treat sleep apnea patients. Today, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine advocates the use of oral appliances in patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

Sometimes people are inappropriate candidates for CPAP treatment or simply prefer a less obtrusive oral appliance over the CPAP. Dental appliances can also be made to use as a backup treatment option for patients on vacation or in case the CPAP machine breaks down. Dentists can work with you and your physician to prescribe and deliver an oral appliance to ensure the best possible solutions for you.

So how do you know if you may be at risk for a sleep breathing disorder? There are some simple screening questions that your dentist or health care provider can ask you. While it is possible to have these risk factors without sleep apnea, some common screening questions include: Do you snore? Have a large neck size or high blood pressure? Has someone witnessed you stop breathing during sleep? If you have a positive response to even one of these questions, you should discuss the matter with one of your health care providers. Your life could depend on it.

Dr. Amos maintains a private practice in Chesapeake, at The Center for Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry. She is one of a select group of dentists who has completed the core curriculum at the prestigious Dawson Academy. Recently she received the 2010 Health Care Heroes Award from Inside Business magazine. She can be reached at info@tccrd.com or 757-546-5262.

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