health and wellness - spring 2015

Focus on eye health

ISTOCK PHOTO

EYE ANATOMY

Do you know your iris from your cornea, or your retina

from your lens? » PAGE 3

WEAR YOUR SHADES

Protect your eyes from ultraviolet light in sunny,

yet still white Fairbanks spring. » PAGE 4

Too much sugarUN says world needs to cut sugar consumption dramatically. » PAGE 10

Healthy weightJapan group aims to

promote world obesity standards. » PAGE 14

OvershareingWill ‘over-sharenting’

end our children’s privacy. » PAGE 16

IN OTHER HEALTH NEWS

2 Wednesday, March 25, 2015Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Keeping Fairbanks Healthy

D I R E C T O R Y

EAR, NOSE & THROATEar, Nose & Throat ClinicDoctors Raugust, Hammond and Kim1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 103456-7768www.FairbanksENT.com

HEARING SERVICESFairbanks Hearing & Balance Center At The Ear, Nose And Throat Clinic Doctors Mathisen and Lewis1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 104456-7768www.fairbankshearing.com

HOSPITALSFairbanks Memorial Hospital1650 Cowles Street452-8181

INTERNAL MEDICINENick Sarrimanolis, M.D.1867 Airport Way, Suite 145B451-1174drnicksarrimanolis.com

MATERNITY CARETwo Bear Midwifery Service LLCKaty Adams CDMVanessa Jackson CDM, CPM3550 Airport Way Suite 4978-2868www.twobearmidwifery.com

MEDICAL HAIR LOSS Leslie’s Beauty Supply418 3rd St. Suite 1B451-8070

NATURAL MEDICINEHolistic Medical Clinic

451-7100www.holisticmedicalclinic.us

CHIROPRACTICLife Sprout ChiropracticAlexandra Swenson, DC505 Illinois Street, Unit 4451-7000www.lifesproutchiro.com

CLINICSChief Andrew Isaac Health Center1717 Cowles451-6682

COLONOSCOPY/ENDOSCOPY Arva Chiu, M.D.Alaska Medicine & Endoscopy, Llc452-2637www.akmedicine.com

COUNSELINGDellie Dickinson, LPC460-2166Turning Point Counseling Services374-7776 North Wind Behavioral Health1867 Airport Way, Suite 215456-1434www.northwindbehavioral.com

DENTISTRYAlaska Dental ArtsHank Jensen, DDS570 Riverstone Way, Suite 1455-4350www.alaskadentalarts.comHelmbrecht DentalMichael J. Helmbrecht, DDS421 3rd Street456-1237www.helmbrechtdental.comJames R. Miears, D.D.S., P.C.Ron M. Teel, D.D.S.1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 211452-1866www.smilefairbanks.com

OPTHALMOLOGYEye Clinic of Fairbanks116 Minnie Street456-7760www.eyeclinicoffairbanks.comDr. Katherine JohnsonMountain View Medical Cente R2555 Phillips Field Road328-2920mountainvieweyes.com

OPTICALImage Optical1867 Airport Way, Suite 100452-2024

OPTOMETRYEye Clinic Of Fairbanks116 Minnie Street456-7760www.eyeclinicoffairbanks.comWest Valley Vision CenterBarbara Keys, OD; Michael Mavencamp, OD; Brannon Mills, OD570 Riverstone Way, Suite 3479-4700www.akwestvalleyvision.comChad Personett, O.D.Clear Vision Optometry1867 Airport Way, Suite 150A452-2131Matthew Riley, O.D.Clear Vision Optometry1867 Airport Way, Suite 150A452-2131Colleen PersonettClear Vision Optometry867 Airport Way, Suite 150A452-2131

ORGANIZATIONS American Diabetes Associationdiabetes.org/alaskaBreast Cancer Detection Center of Alaska1905 Cowles St.479-3909

ORTHODONTICS Fairbanks Orthodontic GroupDoctors Woller And Babula 1919 Lathrop St., Suite 102452-2939www.myalaskabraces.com

ORTHOPEDICDenapoli Orthopedic Care, LLCcoming soon

PAIN MANAGEMENTIntegrative Pain CenterDr. Nancy Cross1275 Sadler Way374-6602www.alaskapaincenter.com

PHARMACY Medical Center Pharmacy1867 Airport Way Suite 105452-2328

PHYSICAL THERAPYWillow Physical TherapyAisha Wilbur DPT2555 Phillips Field Road, Suite 202456-5990www.willowpt.com

SPINAL SURGERYSpine Care Specialists Of Alaska2310 Peger Road, Suite 106456-3876www.spinecareak.com

WELLNESSHeartstream Yoga3550 Airport Way Suite 206474-8108

VEIN SURGERYDr. Lieberman’s Varicose Vein Center1626 30th Ave. Suite456-3100

3Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

HEALTH & WELLNESS

WHAT’S INSIDEEYE HEALTH» Cornea, pupil, iris, lens, retina: Get to know the anatomy of an eye ................ 4» Ultraviolet eye protection important in bright, white Fairbanks spring ...... 5

MORE ON HEALTH» Some moms prefer not to hear opinions about breastfeeding ...................... 6» Survey show parents increasingly are asking doctors to delay vaccines ..... 17

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Importance of a Healthy Smile

Regular dental visits are more than just keeping that gorgeous smile of yours sparkly. Regular dental visits can help you stay healthy. A dental checkup can help your dentist evaluate your overall health, along with helping diagnose early onset of diseases such as diabetes or oral cancers.

The Academy of General Dentistry states that there is a direct correlation between cardio vascular disease and periodontal disease. Managing your oral health can decrease the risk of cardio vascular events. Women with gum disease also show higher rates of pre-term and low birth-weight babies.

Poor oral hygiene can lead to other health problems, such as pain, malnutrition and an array of systemic illnesses. For instance, infections in the mouth can travel to the heart and brain leading to life threatening situations.

There are ways to prevent these problems from occurring; Brushing twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time, daily

dental check–ups can decrease your chances of oral disease and systemic disease.

Submitted byContributing Community Author

Dr. Hank Jensen, DDSAlaska Dental Arts

570 Riverstone Way, Suite 1Fairbanks, AK 99709

455-4350www.alaskadentalarts.com

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Dr. Hank Jensen for contributing this column. The article is intended

to be strictly informational.

Phone: 456-3100 1626 30th Ave. Suite 201Fairbanks, AK 99701

Dr. Lieberman’sVaricose Vein Center

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Cornea to retina: Get to know the anatomy of an eyeBy Robin Wood [email protected]

Most people know the basic components of an eye: cornea, pupil, iris, lens and retina. These tissue types, and others, start

a complex process that results in sight, one of our most useful senses.

The American Optometric Association’s website provides further detail on how eyes work their magic.

After light bounces off a build-ing, or any other object, it first enters the eye through a thin trans-parent coating called the cornea. The cornea bends or refracts the rays, directing them through the pupil. The iris — the colored part

of the eye — surrounds the pupil and regulates the amount of light that enters. The next gate is the lens, which further bends the rays.

Finally, photons are focused on the retina, a thin layer of tissue coating the back of the eye that is

responsible for translating light into nerve signals. The retina is part of the brain and is dedicated to the eyes early in fetal develop-ment.

ANATOMY » 7

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Ultraviolet eye protection most important in Fairbanks’ springBy Sam FriedmanSFRIEDMAN@

NEWSMINER.COM

Sunglasses aren’t just for summer.

With reflective snow on the ground and longer days, this is the most important time of year to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light, according to Mike Maven-camp, an optometrist at the West Valley Vision Center.

With prolonged sun exposure, people are at risk of photokeratitis, a type of sunburn to the eye’s cornea that can cause serious pain and even vision loss.

“The cornea is one of the most innervated tissues in the body and when the

(ultra violet) damages that cornea, the cornea becomes inflamed,” he said.

The condition is also known as snow blindness. Mavencamp said he’s seen a handful of Fairbanks cases in the winter, although peo-ple who spend lots of time outdoors are usually good about wearing eye protec-tion.

It’s also possible to get photokeratitis in summer, especially on reflective bodies of water, although Mavencamp hasn’t seen any cases from summer outdoor activities. Welders know the effects of photokerati-tis especially well because they can suffer the burns from using a welding torch without appropriate eye

protection. The condition is sometimes called arc eye.

When outside, people can prevent photokeratitis by limiting their exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light with sunglasses or ski gog-gles. Not all sunglasses are equally protective. Consum-ers should look for glasses that absorb most ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B light and which provide protection around the sides of the eyes, Mavencamp said.

“If you buy the ones from the gas station, that’s better than nothing, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not going to block 100 percent of that (ultraviolet) wavelength,” he said.

SHADES » 7

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Varicose VeinsMore than 40 million people in the United States alone have varicose veins. How do you know if you are a part of that 40 million? Varicose

Varicose veins are caused by the absence of valves or faulty valves in

tissue breakdown.

The way we accomplish treatment is tailored to the patient’s individual circumstance which may or may not include procedural intervention.

pressure in the venous system. 98 percent of varicose vein procedures

activities immediately. Varicose vein treatment yields excellent cosmetic

other cosmetic procedures are NOT considered a medical necessity by most insurance companies.

that is about the size of a hair. The needle is used to introduce a few drops

cosmetic results.

they do not require hospitalization which results in an expedited recovery.

healthier lifestyle decisions.

Submitted by

Jon Lieberman, M.D.

Varicose Vein Center1626 30th Ave. Suite 201

(907) 456-3100

Our thanks to Jon Lieberman, M.D., for contributing this column. The article is intended to be strictly informational.

MEDICAL INSIGHT

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a cycling event. It’s a life-changing event. A day

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join forces in the fight to Stop Diabetes® and raise

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advocacy in support of the American Diabetes

Association. Tour de Cure is back in Fairbanks!

Join us this year. Get more information at diabetes.org/fairbankstour


HEALTH & WELLNESS

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If you’re not my baby, I don’t want to hear your opinions on breastfeedingBy Emily Kaye LazzaroSPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

Last week, I took my 5-month-old son to Whole Foods. We bought a few things (bread flour, a chicken who’d led a happy life). After paying, he seemed

hungry, so I grabbed a seat at a table in the café area to feed him. A well-meaning older woman walked over and said, “It’s so nice to see a nursing mother. It’s so important to breastfeed.”

I found this incredibly annoying.I am (mostly) breastfeeding my

baby, but not for philosophical reasons. I am doing it because it’s cheaper than formula and more convenient, most of the time. And because breast milk doesn’t have a million unpronounceable ingredients, like crypthecodinium cohnii oil, which is in the organic

formula in my pantry. Addition-ally, I have the luxury of working from home and having all my parts and my baby’s parts ana-tomically suited to breastfeeding.

But listen, lady at Whole Foods: I’m not doing it because I believe very deeply in the health ben-

efits or because I want to bond with my baby in a special way or because it’s natural. We do lots of bonding when he’s not sucking all my body’s nutrients out of me, thanks.

BREASTFEED » 9

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The retina, from the Lat-in word for “net,” contains approximately 125 million tiny light-sensing nerve cells called rods and cones. The most important dis-tinction between rods and cones is sensitivity.

Cones provide clear sharp detail in bright conditions and detect color and fine detail. Rods are responsi-ble for peripheral vision, motion detection and low-light sight. Rods and cones — so named because of their shape — convert light into electrical impulses that travel along the optic nerve to the brain, where an image is produced.

Rods are far more abun-dant than cones, but cones carry the bigger workload. In the center of the retina, where fine-vision detail is best, only cones are found.

Rods, and some cones, are found everywhere else in the retina.

David Hubel, co-recipient of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, stated the eye is “A machine that is self-focusing, adjusts automatically for light intensity, has a self-cleaning lens, and feeds into a com-puter with parallel-processing capabilities so advanced that engineers are only just starting to consid-er similar strategies” in his 1995 book “Eye, Brain, and Vision.”

Hubel expanded on the role of rods and cones in his book. Three types of rods and one type of cone exist. Each of these nerve cells contains a pigment that absorbs one wave-length better than others. When that pigment absorbs a photon of light, it simulta-neously changes shapes and releases energy. That ener-gy ultimately secretes the

chemical transmitter that travels to the brain.

The cornea and lens are responsible for focusing, which is accomplished by the bending of light. More-over, the lens makes adjust-ments for distance focusing by pulling or relaxing the tendons that hold it at its margins, “so that it goes from more spherical for near objects and flatter for far ones,” Hubel wrote.

Ciliary muscles are responsible for the changes in shape, but as people age, they lose control of those muscles, compromising their ability to focus — the underlying reason Benja-min Franklin developed the bifocal lens.

The concept of sight seems simple — taking input from visual stimuli to create a picture of our sur-roundings. But the truth is infinitely more complicated and still under investiga-tion. So as you read this,

think about those photons bouncing off the page or computer screen, slipping through the cornea, past the pupil and lens before being registered by millions of nerve cells, then instantly uploaded to your brain to be interpreted. It all happens while the eyes are preparing for the next input. Contact staff writer Robin Wood at 459-7510.

ANATOMYContinued from 4

Optometrists diag-nose photokeratitis by looking at the eye with a microscope. But for people experiencing it, the painful condition usually makes itself obvious, Mavencamp said. People who get

photokeratitis should try to get out of the sun. They may find tempo-rary relief with artificial tears or a cold compress over the eyes, but they should see an eye doctor for additional treat-ment, he said.Contact staff writer Sam Friedman at 459-7545. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMoutdoors.

SHADESContinued from 5

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MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Brannon Mills, OD, for contributing this column. The article is intended


Another eye exam? But I see fine.Patients who wear correction, whether it be glasses or contact lenses, are well aware that one of the purposes for seeing their eye doctor is to have a refraction in order to see better. But there are many health related reasons for having regular eye exams. The eye doctor diagnoses and treats a variety of ocular diseases and maladies including glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. Some of these patients have symptoms that drive them to the eye doctor, but others are symptomless. Early detection for these patients can assist in preservation of vision and long term prognosis. Additionally, patients with infections, inflammations, injuries, foreign bodies, and allergies of the eye seek care and resolution of their difficulties at the eye doctor.

There are also a number of systemic diseases that can be detected and evaluated by the eye doctor during an annual exam. Patients with diabetes should have yearly eye exams because the eye doctor can view and assess components of the vascular system in the eye. What is or is not occurring in the eye is also likely occurring or not occurring in the rest of the body. This allows them to communicate those findings, both good and bad, with the patient’s primary care provider. Hypertensive (high blood pressure) patients should also have annual eye exams for similar reasons, as well as patients with high cholesterol and those at risk for stroke. The eye care professional is also able to view and evaluate the optic nerve head. This is the eye’s connection to the central nervous system. There are irregularities that arise there that may show evidence of tumors in the brain, neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, or possible elevated cerebrospinal fluid. Sometimes those patients have symptoms like headache and vision loss and sometimes the patient doesn’t associate their troubles with the eye. It is the eye doctor who often detects that something is amiss in the eye, and possibly the body, as a result of that patient having their yearly eye exam.

It has been said in literature that the eyes are the window to the soul. But from a tangible perspective, the eyes can be the window to the body. Having a yearly eye exam is about much more than updating glasses or contact lenses. It is also a part of a preventative model of healthcare. One that might save your vision, reveal the evidence of systemic disease process, or even save your life.

Submitted by Contributing Community Author

Brannon Mills, OD Optometric Physician

West Valley Vision Center, Inc.570 Riverstone Way, Suite 3

Fairbanks, Alaska 99709(907) 479-4700

www.akwestvalleyvision.com

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Mothering the MotherWelcoming a new baby is an incredible event for families around the world. Preparation and celebration for a baby begins early in pregnancy and, for many cultures, continues for several weeks after the baby is born. Nurturing and supporting the mother is revered as essential to the health and wellness of the baby. In our culture, much emphasis is placed on pregnancy and the birth of the baby, while the postpartum mother can be overlooked or given less importance.

The postpartum period or fourth trimester is the special time from the birth of the baby to 6 weeks after birth. During this very important time, the mother’s overall health is to be replenished from the depletion that has occurred by growing and birthing her baby. The care and support she receives helps restore her strength, vitality, muscle tone, mental clarity and overall sense of wellbeing.

Recovery for the mother is physical and emotional. Healing of the uterus and uterine wall—especially for caesarian sections, vaginal restoration and pelvic

place over several weeks and months. The cardiovascular, respiratory, urologic, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and nervous systems all also return to a nonpregnant

breasts occur.

Emotional healing and transformation are also taking place. During the weeks after birth, the mother will bond to her baby, deal with the new emotions of motherhood, experience hormonal changes, adjust to relationships with others, learn new things, process her birth experience and start the process of separation from her baby who she has been carrying in her body for nine months.

It is well known that how she recovers may have a life long effect. Also, it is a fact that her recovery and wellbeing have a direct impact on her baby and how her family functions. Therefore, is would seem obvious that the support and nurturing of a new mother are essential.

Here are some tips to remember for the postpartum mother:

have a “food tree”

provider, non judgmental family member or friend

Submitted byContributing Community Author’s

Vanessa Jackson, CDM, CPMKaty Adams, CDM

Serving the Interior of Alaska www.twobearmidwifery.com

MEDICAL INSIGHT

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HEALTH & WELLNESS


HEALTH & WELLNESS

Don’t force me into a conversation in which I must thank you for sup-porting my lazy choices.

The next day, an art museum in Boston was offering free admission. My son and I strolled through for about an hour and

then got ready to go. After retrieving our coats and getting packed up, my son fussed and I decided to feed him before we went outside in the snow. I took out a contraption I refer to as my “shame apron,” covered myself up and fed him on a bench near the exit.

About 10 minutes later, an employee of the muse-um came over to me. “I

think you might be more comfortable doing that in the living room,” she said. The living room is in a dif-ferent part of the museum, further from the entrance.

“That’s okay,” I replied, thinking she was concerned for my comfort. “We’re just about done.”

The woman stalked away and did an elaborate shrug gesture to somebody I

couldn’t see. That’s when it occurred

to me she might have been suggesting I shouldn’t breastfeed on that particu-lar bench.

I live in Somerville, Mass., a rapidly gentrifying, hip, young area just outside Boston. Baby-wearing, breastfeeding and baby-led weaning are big here. Being shamed for breastfeeding

was a completely foreign concept to me.

Somebody doesn’t want me to breastfeed? I found myself wanting to do it in defiance, free of the shame apron, just to spite the museum lady.

Then I thought maybe my ideas about breast-feeding were offensive to people, maybe I was too exposed? A friend said I

was completely covered and what she was asking of me was illegal anyway. But I couldn’t shake the idea I was doing something wrong.

The fact I’ve made it five months without encoun-tering this sort of thing is an indication that attitudes about breastfeeding have changed a lot, and that’s probably a good thing.

BREASTFEEDContinued from 6

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UN: World should cut sugar to 5 percent to 10 percent of dietBy Maria ChengAP MEDICAL WRITER

LONDON — New guidelines from the World Health Organization are enough to kill anyone’s sugar high. The U.N. health agency says the world is eating too much sug-ar and people should slash their intake to just six to 12 teaspoons per day — an amount that could be exceeded with a single can of soda.

So, put down that doughnut. And while you’re at it, skip the breakfast cereal, fruit juice, beer and ketchup.

The guidelines, released Wednesday, finalize draft advice first released last year and are focused on the added sugars in processed food, as well as those in honey, syrups and fruit juices. The advice does not apply to naturally occurring sugars in fruit, vegeta-bles and milk, since those come

with essential nutrients.“We have solid evidence that

keeping intake of (added) sugars to less than 10 percent of total energy intake reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay,” Francesco Branca, director of WHO’s nutrition department, said in a statement.

Experts have long railed about the dangers of sugar and studies suggest that people who eat large amounts of the sweet stuff are at higher risk of dying prematurely from heart problems, diabetes and cancer, among other conditions.

To meet the lower threshold set by the new guidelines, Americans, Europeans and others in the West would have to slash their average sugar intake by about two-thirds.

Americans get about 13 per-cent of their calories from added sugar, or 268 calories a day, the equivalent of about 18 teaspoons. One teaspoon of sugar is about 15

calories. In Europe, sugar intake ranges from about 7 percent in Hungary and Norway, to 17 per-cent in Britain to nearly 25 percent in Portugal.

Some experts said the 10 per-cent target was more realistic for Western countries than the lower

target. They said the 5 percent of daily calories figure was aimed mostly at developing countries, where dental hygiene isn’t good enough to prevent cavities, which can lead to serious health prob-lems.

Last month, a U.S. government advisory committee recommended that sugar be limited to 10 percent of daily calories, marking the first time the U.S. has called for a limit on added sugars. The Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments will take those rec-ommendations into account when writing the final guidelines, due by the end of the year.

WHO had previously suggested an upper limit for sugar con-sumption of around 10 percent, but issued the 5 percent guidance based on the presumed additional health benefits from cutting intake even further, though it said it had no solid evidence to support that.

“To get down to 5 percent, you wouldn’t even be allowed to have orange juice,” said Tom Sanders, a professor of nutrition and dietet-ics at King’s College London who wasn’t part of the WHO guide-lines.

He said it shouldn’t be that dif-ficult for most Europeans, Amer-icans and others in the developed world to get their sugar intake to 10 percent of their diet if they limit things like sugary drinks, cereals, beer, cookies and candy.

“Cake is lovely, but it’s a treat,” Sanders said.

The Sugar Association slammed the new recommendations, arguing the advice was based on “poor quality, weak and inconsis-tent data.” It noted WHO itself acknowledged the evidence for the 5 percent target was “very low quality.”

SUGAR » 11

AP PHOTO/BEBETO MATTHEWS


HEALTH & WELLNESS

The International Council of Beverages Associations echoed those concerns and said beverage makers can help people cut back on sugar through smaller por-tion sizes, as well as no- and low-calorie drinks and pro-viding nutritional informa-tion on labels.

Coca-Cola, for example, has been more aggres-sively marketing its “mini cans” and has launched a reduced-calorie version of its namesake soda called Coca-Cola Life that’s sweetened with a mix of sugar and stevia, a natural sweetener. Companies have also been working on new technologies to reduce sugar. Senomyx, based in California, makes ingre-dients that interact with taste receptors to block or amplify sweetness. They

have no taste or smell and are listed as artificial fla-vors.

Last year, the U.S. pro-posed new nutrition labels that would be required to list any sugars added by manufacturers.

Sugar is just one of a number of ingredients that have come under attack, such as salt and trans fat. However, WHO pointed out that when it comes to sugar, most people don’t realize how much they’re eating because it’s often hidden in processed foods not considered sweet. For example, one tablespoon of ketchup has about 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of sugar and a single can of soda has up to 40 grams (10 teaspoons).

“The trouble is, we real-ly do like sugar in a lot of things,” said Kieran Clarke of the University of Oxford,

who said the global taste for sugar bordered on an addic-tion. “Even if you are not just eating lollies and candy, you are probably eating a fair amount of sugar.”

Clarke noted that there’s added sugar even in pasta sauces and bran cereals. She said fruit juices and smoothies were common dietary offenders, because they have very concentrated amounts of sugar without the fiber benefits that come with eating the actual fruit.

Clarke welcomed the new WHO guidelines but said people should also consider getting more exercise to bal-ance out their sweet tooths.

“If you do enough exer-cise, you can eat almost anything,” she said. “But it’s very hard to avoid large amounts of sugar unless all you’re eating is fruits and vegetables.”

SUGARContinued from 10

WHO’s sugar guidelines online » http://bit.ly/UNsugarGuide

What is Digital Breast Tomosynthesis?A Better Mammogram.

Pretend you are holding a closed book in your hands. You can read the spine and the front and back covers but you cannot read the pages inside. What if there was an x-ray technology that allowed you to read the pages of a closed book?

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, or 3D Mammography, is the latest in breast cancer screening technology. Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2011, Tomosynthesis generates images the breast from a series different angles. Specialized software uses the digital images to assemble highly focused 3-dimensional images for the radiologist to view. Visualizing the breast this way reduces superimposition of tissue, and makes it easier to identify areas of concern.

Clinical screening studies have shown the following results with use of Tomosynthesis when compared to conventional 2D mammography:

Early detection increases a patient’s chances of successful treatment and survival. When Tomosynthesis is used, breast cancer can be detected earlier. Improvements in accuracy allow for precise diagnoses for patients with all breast types and fewer call backs for further examination.

older should have a mammogram every year. Encourage the women in your life to get annual mammograms and lead by example. When it is time to schedule your appointment, insist on Digital Breast Tomosynthesis…. because it is a better mammogram.

Submitted by

Odette ButlerExecutive Director

Breast Cancer Detection Center of Alaskawww.bcdcofalaska.org

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Odette Butler for contributing this column. The article is intended

to be strictly informational. F11515364

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

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By Yuki SatoYOMIURI SHIMBUN

TOKYO — With one survey claim-ing that 2.1 billion people in the world are obese, the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity has started a campaign to promote early treat-ment and raise awareness about the global disease.

Japan defines obesity as a disease, but it is not generally not considered as an illness overseas. Measures taken by Japan to combat obesity have proven to be effective and other countries are taking notice.

Osaka-based JASSO will propose making Japan’s definition of obesity as a disease a global standard at international conferences.

Masato Kasuga, president of National Center for Global Health and Medicine, said it would be sig-nificant if Japan’s definition became the global standard.

“The number of obese people has

been increasing around the world,” Kasuga said. “It (obesity) is con-sidered to be a risk factor in other countries, but people don’t think of it as a disease, even though it is under a certain criteria.”

In those countries, diabetes and hypertension are treated, but there will never be a fundamental solu-tion because obesity itself is not treated, he added.

The World Health Organization hopes to stem the increase in the number of obese people around the world by 2025.

According to a survey by the Uni-versity of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, there are about 2.1 billion obese peo-ple in the world whose body mass index, or BMI, is 25 or more. This means one out of three in the world’s population is obese. This compares with 857 million people who were


HEALTH & WELLNESS

Japan aims to promote world obesity standard

OBESITY » 15

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considered obese in 1980.Some countries are tak-

ing measures to reduce obesity.

In 2013, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where 30 percent of the population is obese, gave one gram of gold for every kilogram lost in weight to people who lost two kilograms or more over a certain period of time.

In 2014, Mexico, where the rate of people suffering from diabetes is the high-est among the 34 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, start-ed to regulate TV ads for high calorie drinks and food, including sodas and snacks.

In 2008, Japan began to introduce specific medical checkups focusing on met-

abolic syndrome for those aged 40 to 74 and provides specific health guidance.

According to an inter-im report by the Health, Labor and Welfare Min-istry in 2014, people in all age brackets succeeded in reducing abdominal girth and weight after receiving such guidance. Their blood sugar and blood pressure also improved. During a one-year period from fiscal 2008, about 30 percent of men and about 40 percent of women recovered suffi-ciently to be rid of meta-bolic syndrome.

These measures help prevent obesity as a dis-ease. According to the ministry, about 5,000 people went to hospital for treatment of obesity as a disease in 2011.

JASSO will describe Japan’s experience in addressing obesity with the aim of making Japan’s definition of obesity as a

disease as the global stan-dard, hoping that it will prompt other countries to implement countermea-sures.

This country’s health awareness shown through its food and other areas has drawn attention from around the world. JASSO aims to lead the world in measures against obesity.

JASSO plans to spread Japan’s definition of obesi-ty as a disease first in Asia. It will propose a standard for obesity as a disease at the Asia-Oceania Confer-ence on Obesity, which is scheduled to be held in Nagoya in October in the hope of incorporating it in the Nagoya declaration to be adopted at the confer-ence.

JASSO will compile a draft for the declaration by the end of this month and call on participating countries to adopt it at the conference.


HEALTH & WELLNESS

OBESITYContinued from 14

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Evan L Wheeler, D.D.S., PC, for contributing this column. The article is intended


An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Preventive dentistry has become increasingly more prevalent in the past 20 years, and with good cause. It is extremely important to get frequent (every 6 months) dental hygiene cleanings and exams, in order for your dentist to diagnose the small problems and treat them before they become big problems. Left undiagnosed or untreated, what is a minor dental issue will turn into something that will be more costly and could actually result in tooth loss.Home oral hygiene care and diet also play very important roles in preventing tooth and gum disease. Once you leave your dental office, preventive care continues at home with diligent daily brushing and flossing. I recommend brushing twice a day for two full minutes and flossing at least once daily. Brushing alone is not enough. Without flossing, you cannot remove food and plaque (thin white film) from between your teeth. Fluoride rinses are also helpful in reducing the possibility of cavities. Limiting your consumption of sugary foods and drinks and replacing them with more fruits and vegetables, as well as drinking more water will help reduce your risk of decay.The number one cause of tooth loss in people under the age of 25 is decay (cavities). For a cavity to start, three things must be present: 1. Tooth, 2. Sugar, 3. Bacteria or plaque. If any one of these things is not present, decay cannot start. Plaque imbeds itself into the grooves of the chewing surfaces of your teeth. Dental sealants are a very effective way to help reduce cavities from starting. Sealants are simply a thin plastic coating applied to the surface of back teeth. Sealants are an effective and inexpensive way of blocking plaque from forming on hard-to-reach areas with your toothbrush. They are also recommended by the ADA and United States Public Health Services.There are some warning signs that may indicate you have a potential dental problem. Hot or cold sensitivity, a dull ache, spontaneous pain, sensitivity to sweet or sour, or any biting sensitivity are all symptoms that need to be checked by your dentist. If left untreated, any of these symptoms tend to escalate into more serious issues. Another sign there could be a problem is bleeding when brushing or flossing. This is an indication you could have gun disease. It’s possible there is calculus (tartar) buildup that is causing gum irritation and or inflammation. Once the tartar is removed the gums will begin to heal and with consistent and thorough oral hygiene care, a healthy mouth can be attained. If ignored, gum disease (gingivitis), will lead to bone loss and result in the loss of your teeth.


Evan L Wheeler, D.D.S., PCFamily Dentistry

3691 Cameron StreetSuite 101Fairbanks, AK 99709907-479-8123 ph907-479-0685 fax

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Will the rise of ‘over-sharenting’ mean the end of privacy for our children?By Abby PhillipTHE WASHINGTON POST

Your toddler vomited in the car on your way to the dentist. Fraz-zled, you post a status on Face-book about the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day.

Your newborn has decided that sleep is for the birds and you seek late-night company among the other moms. Oh, and doesn’t she just look like an angel when her eyes finally close?

Social media has made “shar-enting” easier than ever. But just because you can do it, should you?

A new national survey from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital found that more than half of mothers and a third of fathers acknowledge that they share the ins and outs of raising their children online. We’re talking everything from cute photos and anecdotes to

pleas for help raising their little monsters.

And more parents who share information about their children online are more interested in the ways “sharenting” can help

them cope with parenting con-cerns than they are concerned about the potential negative consequences for their children, according to the survey of 569 parents with children who are 4

or younger.It’s easy to understand why sha-

renting has become so pervasive. Sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other platforms has made communicating online easy - even for parents whose time is a scarce commodity. And for parents who may be dealing with new or difficult challenges associ-ated with their children, comfort is never too far away.

It’s no wonder that tweens and teens are now turning away from the social media platforms that their parents are beginning to infiltrate. Take Facebook: For much of the last 11 years, parents have shared the ins and outs of their children’s lives on that plat-form with impunity, leaving teens to live in a world where they are inheriting a social media identity that they had no hand in creating (beyond acting out during the terrible twos and sitting still for mortifying grade-school photos).

“By the time children are old enough to use social media them-selves many already have a digital identity created for them by their parents,” Sarah J. Clark, associate research scientist in the Univer-sity of Michigan’s Department of Pediatrics, said in a statement. “On one hand, social media offers today’s parents an outlet they find incredibly useful. On the other hand, some are concerned that oversharing may pose safety and privacy risks for their children.”

According to the survey, par-ents seem willing to call out other parents who over-share online. Three-quarters of parents say they know someone else who shares too much information about their child. More than half of those people classify the information as embarrassing or divulging too much about the child’s location.

OVESRHARE » 19

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Dr. Hank Jensen and his wonderful staff would like to welcome you to their Fairbanks office. Dr. Jensen received his dental training from New York University College of Dentistry. He brings with him all of the latest trainings and experience to offer you and your family outstanding results. Prior to attending dental school he earned a bachelor’s degree in human biology from the University of Montana.

As a dentist, Dr. Jensen looks to establish lasting personal relationships with his patients and to become an active member of the Fairbanks community. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Omicron Kappa Upsilon and continually seeks to further his education to ensure his patients receive the most comprehensive and advanced dental care. We offer flexible scheduling and same day emergency services.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Survey: Parents increasingly ask doctors to delay vaccinesBy Lindsey TannerAP MEDICAL WRITER

CHICAGO — Parents have increasingly pres-sured doctors to delay vaccines for young children, making their kids and others vul-nerable to preventable diseases, a study sug-gests.

The findings are in a national survey of pediatricians and family doctors asked about parents wanting to postpone some of the many shots recommended for children younger than age 2. Nearly all doctors said that at least some parents had requested vaccine delays in a typical month; and 1 in 4 said those numbers had increased since the previous year.

More about the survey in Monday’s Pediat-rics and delaying childhood vaccines:

The studyThe researchers surveyed 534 doctors by

email or regular mail in 2012. Participants were doctors who are members of the Amer-ican Academy of Pediatrics and the Ameri-can Academy of Family Physicians — the

two leading groups of doctors who treat young children. One in 5 doctors said at least 10 percent of parents had requested vaccine delays by spreading them out over more

months than is recommended.Most doctors said the practice puts kids at

risk for getting vaccine-preventable diseas-es and might lead to disease outbreaks, but

most also said they at least sometimes agreed to the delays. Only 3 percent said they often or always tell parents who insist on vaccine delays to seek care from another doctor.

The concernsThe potential repercussions are worri-

some and are happening “right now with the measles outbreak,” said Dr. Allison Kempe,

CDC vaccine schedule » http://tinyurl.com/cxvfm82 American Academy of Pediatrics » www.aap.org

Kim Taylor chose to space out the vaccinations for her children, including her son Noah, 14. Noah was diagnosed with autism at 3. Pushed by her insurance company to combine the shots, she opted to pay out of pocket for separate trips to the doctor. PHOTO FOR

THE WASHINGTON POST BY MARY F. CALVERT

VACCINES » 23

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MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Dr. Chad Personett, O.D, Dr. Colleen Personett, O.D.,and Dr. W. Matthew Riley, O.D., for contributing this column.

The article is intended to be strictly informational.

Dry Eye Syndrome:What You Can Do Now

Have you been frustrated with that dry, scratchy feeling in your eyes lately? Well, the cause isn’t simply a Fairbanks winter. According to a study by Harris Interactive, 48% of adult Americans regularly experience dry eye symptoms. And while living in a dry climate can be a major cause, here are some other factors to consider:

Age: The majority of people over 65 experience symptoms of dry eye. Gender: Women are more likely candidates due to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and menopause. Contact use: Long term use of contact lenses can cause decreased tear production. Medications: Certain medicines including antihistamines, decongestants, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants can reduce the amount of tears produced.

Never switch or discontinue your medications without consulting with your doctor first, but definitely discuss your medication usage with your optometrist. If medications are the cause of dry eyes, discontinuing the drug generally resolves the problem. But, in this case, the benefits of the drug must be weighed against the side effect of dry eyes.

So, what can you do about dry eyes? Start by using a humidifier. Excessive movement of air is extremely drying. Home furnaces, ceiling fans, and car defrosters are the biggest culprits for Fairbanksans. Also, if you notice dryness while using the computer or TV, take frequent breaks and remember to blink regularly. You can also use heat compresses directly on your eyelids. Use a warm, damp washcloth and a gentle massaging motion on your eyelids for five to ten minutes. The heat warms up the oil in the oil glands, making it flow more easily. There are even new sleep masks that incorporate heat and moisture to increase tear production. Also, the occasional use of baby shampoo to scrub the lids can eliminate bacteria growth which sometimes blocks your glands.

If you are not finding relief through any of these methods, your next step is your optometrist’s office. Doctors have a number of remedies including artificial tears and lubricating eye drops, overnight eye ointments and gels, and anti-inflammatory medications such as steroids or omega-3 fatty acids. In some cases, your optometrist may recommend the use of punctal plugs - a procedure that blocks the hole in your eyelid where tears drain so that tears stay in the eye longer. Ask your optometrist which one of these treatments is best for the health and comfort of your eyes.

Clear Vision Optometry, Inc.1867 Airport Way, Suite 150-A

Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907)452-2131

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Submitted byContributing Authors

Dr. Chad Personett, O.DDr. Colleen Personett, O.D.Dr. W. Matthew Riley, O.D

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

But what really amounts to too much sharing online? Is there a difference between sharing stories intended for the consumption of Grandma and Grandpa and exposing children to future embarrassment?

And are we handing over the privacy of our children for the instant gratification of online comfort, even as some parents lobby social media platforms to do more to protect their children?

Unless parents are care-ful about guarding their children’s privacy, it is easy for well-intended sharing to go wrong.

A recent Fast Company report highlighted the dis-turbing trend of Instagram users “role-playing” with stolen baby photos.

And stories about the

perils of over-sharing are easy to come by.

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012, writer Liza Long told her painful and personal experience about raising a child who suffered from mental illness. The post was orig-inally written on her blog Anarchist Soccer Mom and accompanied by a photo of her son, who was given the pseudonym “Michael.” It quickly circulated across the Internet as “I am Adam Lanza’s Mother,” after a line Long had written: “I am sharing this story because I am Adam Lanza’s mother. I am Dylan Klebold’s and Eric Harris’s mother. I am James Holmes’s mother. I am Jared Loughner’s mother. I am Seung-Hui Cho’s mother.”

Later, Long noted that the words were intended to be more of a semiprivate diary. It just didn’t stay that way:

“I wrote the words, ‘I am Adam Lanza’s mother,’ not to the world, but to myself. Before I could get help for my son, I had to admit how desperately I needed it. That first step — acknowl-edging to myself the gravity of my family’s situation, our tenuous and faltering grip on the external trappings of normalcy that I so des-perately craved — is what ultimately allowed my son to get the help he needs.”

While that may have been her goal, Long’s essay was roundly condemned by other mothers who viewed it as exploitative and dam-aging to her son’s future thanks to the Internet’s haunting permanency.

The recent conviction of noted mommy blogger Lac-ey Spears in the death of her young son Garnett is also perhaps an extreme case that shows how sharenting can enable exploitative

behavior. Spears, who was convicted of poisoning her son with salt, had blogged and tweeted about the dif-ficulties of coping with her son’s health challenges.

The University of Mich-igan researchers note that parents may be divulging not just their struggles in raising their children, but also their child’s physical

location and habits, which can be fodder for preda-tors. And perhaps most saliently, parents who think they fully understand how to protect themselves and their children online often don’t, and they accidentally open the door for inad-vertent disclosures. The ever-changing landscape of online privacy means that

what you think you’re pro-tecting today might be “fair game” tomorrow.

“Parents are responsible for their child’s privacy and need to be thoughtful about how much they share on social media so they can enjoy the benefits of cama-raderie but also protect their children’s privacy today and in the future,” Clark added.

OVERSHAREContinued from 16

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Why Do Hearing Aids Cost So Much?Consumers seeking solutions for their hearing problems are often

by an audiologist, for example, can cost $1,700 to $3,700 for each device. Why is something so small so expensive? The purpose of this article is to discuss the 4 main reasons why this may be the case.

1. Hearing aids are medical devices. As a result, those who manufacture hearing aids are required to adhere to a large number of regulations governed by the FDA, FTC, and FCC. The time, energy, and costs

United States spend roughly $500,000,000 annually on research and development in order to provide the FDA with enough evidence to get

put this into perspective, the Apple Company also produces state of the

and development.

2. Hearing aids are one of the only medical devices that involve using an electronic device to supplement the function of a sensory organ. This is not an easy task. As a result, hearing aids need to be sophisticated and the technology isn’t cheap.

3. Hearing aids have a low market penetration. Only 1 in 5 people who have a hearing loss actually wear a hearing aid.

4. The price quoted for hearing aids typically includes the services and time provided by the audiologist, repair warranties, loss and damage insurance, and an initial supply of batteries.

Even though hearing aids can be expensive as a result of these factors, it is important to remember that hearing loss is a medical problem and needs treatment. Unmanaged hearing loss can increase the probability of developing dementia, depression, social isolation, as well as an overall

and treatment are critical to improve long-term prognosis and success. The State of Alaska recommends that you be seen by a physician as part of this process to ensure that the hearing loss isn’t a result of some other underlying medical condition.

Submitted byContributing Community Author

Dr. Steven LewisAu.D. CCC-A F-AAA

Fairbanks Hearing and Balance Center1919 Lathrop Street, Suite 104

Fairbanks, AK 99701

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Dr. Steven Lewis for contributing this column. The article is intended

to be strictly informational. F17513443

MEDICAL INSIGHT

Our thanks to Alexandra Swenson, DC, for contributing this column.The article is intended to be strictly informational.

Pediatric Chiropractic Care“EXPERIMENTAL” OR A “DRUG-FREE” ANSWERED PRAYER

Chiropractic care for children and infants has for many years been placed in the box “experimental and investigational.” However, a recent review of the literature and commentary published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health Chiropractic in January of 2015, has done much to debunk this claim and offer research and evidence that supports chiropractic care of children. In particular, asthma, infantile colic and asthma have been identified as the conditions with the most research to back the use of chiropractic care as an effective, and drug free treatment option. Chiropractic care, by definition, provides health care to patients of all ages and genders with a focus on the inherent ability of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. With the spine as the protector of the master controller of the body—the central nervous system—the focus of chiropractic care is on the spine’s proper position and function. If an area of the spine does not move correctly or is mal-positioned, it can affect the nervous system and nerves at this level. Chiropractors often call this condition subluxation. Following are more details on what current research shows on the use of chiropractic care for the pediatric population.Asthma: Recent reviews of the literature have found 36 peer reviewed studies, spreading the full gamut of the accepted hierarchy for acceptable research, involving chiropractic care and asthma in children. All three randomized clinical control trials (the research gold standard) found those receiving chiropractic care had increased quality of life, decreased symptom severity, and lower medication usage.Otitis Media (OM): The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has deemed observation without antibiotic use as an acceptable form of treatment for OM, due to antibiotic ineffectiveness in recent years. A review of 49 articles on chiropractic and OM concluded that there is evidence suggesting improved quality of life, decreased frequency of infection and less medication use in children receiving chiropractic care for OM.Infantile Colic: Several clinical controlled trials have been published and reviewed showing chiropractic care decreased crying hours in colicky infants compared with those who did not receive chiropractic care. Chiropractic care offers far more than relief from back and neck pain! While research can be a long time coming, it is there and shows that the impact chiropractic care can have on children is nothing but positive.


Dr. Alexandra Swenson, DC Family, Pediatric & Pre/Post Natal Chiropractor

LifeSprout Chiropractic 505 Illinois Street, Unit 4

Fairbanks, AK 99701(907) 451-7000

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

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a University of Colorado researcher and a member of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee. Kempe is the study’s lead author. More than 150 people in several states have been infected with measles, including infants too young to be vaccinated. Most cases are tied to an outbreak at Disneyland in Califor-nia, which likely began with a traveler who

brought it in, as has been the case in other U.S. outbreaks. The exact source of the Disn-eyland-linked cases is not known.

Doctors are concerned about unvaccinat-ed or under-vaccinated children becoming ill and spreading disease to others.

Vaccine recommendationsVaccinations against 14 diseases are rec-

ommended for children younger than 2, starting at birth and given every few months. Some shots combine vaccines against more

than one disease; the measles shot also pro-tects against mumps and German measles. Even so, young children may get five shots at once under the recommended vaccine schedule.

Some parents want to delay shots by spac-ing them out, partly to spare their kids from getting jabbed so many times at one sitting. Doctors surveyed said other reasons include worries about possible long-term complica-tions and other risks from vaccines, which medical experts say are unfounded. The study didn’t ask doctors which vaccines par-

ents asked to delay.The recommended vaccine schedules are

based on research on timing shots to be most effective at preventing disease. Delay-ing shots meant to be given at a certain age means they may be less effective. It also makes it more likely that children will never get vaccinated, because parents get too busy or forget to schedule another doctor’s visit, said Dr. Robert Frenck, an infectious diseas-es specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He was not involved in the new study.

VACCINESContinued from 17

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