Tag Archive for: Health

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Your Teen’s Secret Life: Under 13 Too Young for Smartphones

Camas, WA — During this past weekend’s Camas Wellness Festival, event organizers held a 90-minute panel called “Your Teen’s Secret Life at School and Outside Your Home” in which they addressed questions about social media addiction, online bullying, effects of technology in the classroom, and when to give a child a smart phone.

Panel members Kimberly Berry, Alan Chan, and Jennifer Ireland answered questions. Berry is the founder of Being UnNormal, a consulting and advocacy group for mental health issues. Chan has worked in Clark County for six years providing services to at-risk youth with chronic and complex mental health needs. Ireland has a Master’s degree in K-12 Special Education, and is a 22-year veteran public school teacher (at Skyridge Middle School).

We report their responses to each question.

Question: Can social media be addictive?

Berry: “Yes, of course, anything can be addictive. We know that teens are spending a lot of time on their phones. Teens that spend five hours or more a day on their smart phones are more prone to be depressed. Ten percent of teens check their phone at night at least ten times per night. Chances are they’re checking it when you don’t realize it.”

Chan: “In my experience, the social media and cell phone usage is a huge conflict in their lives. The phones and social media become a social status among kids.”

Ireland: “Addiction comes with all the time children are spending on these devices. Self-esteem and confidence relies upon what they see on social media. It’s problematic.”

Question: How does social media affect mental health?

Berry: “We see the escalation of bullying being carried into the home. It also leads to isolation.
They start to get anxious about not measuring up to false standards.”

Chan: “I think the concern I have with social media is that it creates a false reality. Often times we only see all the great things. You feel like you’re missing out. It’s the fear of missing out. You feel like you’re different, like you can’t connect, like you’re a bit of an outcast.”

Ireland: “We can’t shelter them completely from it. We make sure we limit how they use social media, and monitor their usage. Parents should be on all the accounts. We have to be with them step by step, and start them with training wheels. Instagram is safer than some of the others. On Snapchat, things disappear. As a parent, look at their posts together. Have conversations with your children about the posts.

“Social media is a photo album of all the good things in life, and doesn’t represent all the reality, like the negatives and struggles. You can’t put it away, it’s everywhere now. Talk to your child about it. It’s for their health.”

Chan: “Kids have become so reliant and dependent on social media to connect with friends that it’s hard to put away.”

Berry: “I encourage parents to look beyond posts, and to look at DM’s and IM’s. Dig into social media accounts. There is often a lot of stuff happening on the back end. The social media impact on young girls is they are comparing themselves, which is creating more eating disorders. Remember that our girls are comparing themselves to the unattainable. As parents, we have control over social media, so take control of that. You are empowered.”

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Question: What is online bullying?

Berry: “People send negative messages to our kids, and it’s coming from other kids. Half of teens have reported they’ve been bullied online. Twenty-five percent of those reports are coming through their cell phones. One in five children get sexual messages.

“Eighty percent of teens use cell phones regularly. The phone is always with you. It’s in your house. Your house is supposed to be a safe place, but now the bear is everywhere. You’re constantly feeling anxious. It’s really problematic because it is destroying our children’s hearts and hope. We need to responsibly reduce access. Ask your kids about whether they’ve been bullied at school.”

Ireland: “If you ask your child the R’s of bullying they will you. It happens in the halls and in the lunchroom, but the online bullying is becoming more prevalent. The kids have gotten really good at doing this in the school setting.”

Question: In general, how has school life changed in the last 10 years?

Ireland: “I feel like I’ve been in school my whole, as a student and teacher (she teaches 6th grade).
It’s changed drastically, and the big shift is the increased anxiety and mental health.
It’s a whole different ball of yarn with increases in standardized testing. As a kid, I don’t remember hearing about my results, and now these standardized tests are stressing kids out. She’s concerned about the pressure. Some kids might need five years to graduate from high school, and they shouldn’t be counted less or as not being successful. The stress of all that goes back into the education system. The teacher success is being tied to those scores. They’ve cut out music, art and recess in the middle schools. They don’t get to move, they don’t get to be outside. All those coupled with social media is causing problems. Lack of food and sleep contribute to their pressures and stresses.

“Too many parents aren’t happy with less than a 3.5 GPA. They get upset when a child gets 96% on a math test. Parents put unrealistic expectations on their kids, and that shows up in the classroom. What can we do to make good enough good enough?”

Secret

Your Teen’s Secret Life Panel spent 90 minutes discussing a variety of mental health issues.

Question: How as parents can we manage the academic stress they’re facing?

Ireland: “Talk to your kids. Talk to them about how to manage their time. Talk about their schedule and make sure they schedule in down time. Exercise and fitness are key. Cultivate friendships that aren’t online friendships. Ask what they’re going to do when they hang out.

“Make sure your child knows they need to make good, positive connections with teachers or counselors. Parents need to reach out to their teachers.”

Chan: “People learn in different ways. Be attuned to barriers and challenges that kids have.”

Berry: “We can’t blame our teachers. We need to approach teachers as allies, and not obstacles.”

Ireland: “Kids need to have chores. It seems so little, but having a job contributes to making a home run more efficiently. Praise them for the work they do. The satisfaction of a job well done is something many kids don’t have today.”

Question: At what age is a smartphone appropriate?

Ireland: “13 or older. It seems to be a middle school milestone. It’s better for their health to wait until 8th or 9th grade. It’s a major distraction at middle school and it’s not healthy for them. Too many 6th graders have cell phones. Sixth graders don’t need smartphones. There are different types of phones you can get. Give them a simpler phone at first and see how they take care of it.”

Berry: “Phones are a status symbol. It’s an intentional projection coming from home. It creates problems in the schools. Find out how do they feel when they’re away from the phone from an extended period of time.”

Teachers in the room agreed that smartphones for kids under 13 isn’t a good idea, and that it leads to more kids leading a secret life that parents aren’t aware of.

To learn more, visit www.CamasWellnessFestival.com

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Events: Camas Wellness Festival Addresses Mental Health Issues

Camas, WA — Organizers for the upcoming Camas Wellness Festival see a growing need for communities to address mental and emotional health issues, so they’re taking action.

The festival, which is set for October 13, from 10 am-5 pm at multiple Downtown Camas locations, was organized by Kimberly Berry, Erika Levy, and Aspen Tufares.

The festival provides resources for empowering families. There is an Adolescent Mental Health Summit, sessions for Early Learning Wellness, Postnatal Wellness, Dance and Yoga and Embody Love workshops that empower girls to find their inner beauty, commit to kindness and make meaningful change in the world. The festival also serves as a fundraiser for Dance Evolution, a 501c3 nonprofit, promoting health and wellness in Camas.

Berry is the producer of the Adolescent Mental Health Summit, which takes place in Camas, and will tackle tough subjects like suicide and depression.  Levy is a yoga instructor at Empress Yoga (www.empressyoga.com)and will teach the benefits of her work to parents and children at the festival, and Tufares is teaching “Mindful Movement for Disabilities,” which is a workshop for parents or caregivers and children — and she is also teaching “Moving Meditation” for adults.

Berry is also the founder of Being UnNormal, a consulting and advocacy group that assists parents navigate the world of mental health through a peer support model. She is also the host of the podcast Being UnNormal which explores issues within the mental health community with a specific emphasis on children’s mental health issues.

Community

www.McKeanSmithLaw.com

Together, they approached local mental health professionals that will tackle tough topics during the daylong festival, which has workshops, yoga classes, and forums that are designed to take the stigma out of mental health issues.

The Adolescent Mental Health Summit has multiple sessions at the Camas Public Library that will address anxiety, depression, mindful parenting, youth suicide prevention, performance culture, academic stress, stress management, coping skills, and more. These workshops are presented by professional counselors and mental health advocates. All of the sessions are free.

You can pre-register for the festival at: www.CamasWellnessFestival.com

“We had five local suicides last year,” said Levy. “That’s five too many, and once we started to reach out to teachers and members of the community we saw a great need. Teachers will discuss what they’re seeing in schools. Parents aren’t always accepting or understanding so we’ll have open and honest discussions about what is happening. They may not understand what it is, and don’t have the tools to know how to identify mental health. This festival will help with understanding.”

The festival also provides several yoga and dance sessions, which will be held at Dance Evolution, Flow Hot Yoga, Evolutions Preschool, Lisa Le Properties, A Boutique Experience. These sessions are free.

“We’ve turned it into a community-based team focus, that will empower parent-child relationships to help them flourish,” said Berry. We’ll also teach how to identify drug issues. And did you know that 50 percent of the student population has tried Adderall? The parents feel shame and guilt, and my role is to bring everybody together to educate our community. We can actually make a change.”

Teachers can get Washington Clock Hours for attending 3+ hours of the Adolescent Mental Health Summit. They can even get a STEM credit for attending the session Inspiring Children in STEM. Details will be posted to the website soon.

The festival also has a CLOSING CEREMONY at Salud! Wine Bar, which includes a raffle with some great prizes donated by local businesses. This is the fundraiser for the festival.

To learn more about the festival, and to register for the session, please visit: www.CamasWellnessFestival.com

 

 

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Ask An Expert: Can An IUD Help Manage Menopausal Hot Flashes?

Question: Can an IUD help manage menopausal hot flashes and bleeding?

Menopause is a normal a part of a woman’s life cycle—just like puberty and pregnancy. Yet it is a dynamic change for the person experiencing it, and is different for every woman. Some women will have very few or relatively minor symptoms. Others will experience multiple symptoms, some of which may be disruptive enough to daily life to require treatment.

Decreases in the female hormone, estrogen, commonly cause:

  • Abnormal bleeding (irregular bleeding, long periods, and heavy bleeding)
  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Mood changes
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Sleep disruptions
  • Sexual desire or enjoyment changes

A progesterone IUD can help with some, but not all, of these symptoms. Progesterone is “the other female hormone” and is important for regulating the endometrial lining of the uterus—the layer of cells inside the uterus that builds up each month and is then shed, causing a period. Supplementing progesterone with an IUD can help with irregular bleeding that often occurs during both perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause) and menopause itself. An IUD often decreases and may even stop menstrual bleeding.

Unfortunately, the progesterone IUD alone will not stop vulvar or vaginal changes or vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats—these symptoms are typically treated with nutritional supplements or hormone replacement therapy. That said, the progesterone IUD can play an important role during hormone therapy.

If a woman has an intact uterus (she had not had a hysterectomy) and needs estrogen replacement therapy, she’ll also need a progesterone replacement to protect the lining of the uterus and prevent postmenopausal bleeding or endometrial hyperplasia (an overgrowth of uterine lining which can become cancerous over time). For women needing estrogen replacement, a progesterone IUD can protect the uterine lining during hormone therapy.

While an IUD doesn’t provide complete relief from perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms, women in these stages may still want to use one for pregnancy prevention. During a woman’s transition from her childbearing years to the time in her life when she is no longer at risk for pregnancy, periods may become irregular, lighter, heavier, and generally less predictable. While pregnancy is less likely during this time, a woman is still at risk for unplanned pregnancy until she has gone a full year without a period.

IUD

Experiencing hot flashes.

 

 

Everyone has heard a story about a woman who was surprised to find herself pregnant in her late 40s or even early 50s because she was sure she had been through “the change” and could not get pregnant anymore. While some women may choose to delay pregnancy until their 30s or even 40s, pregnancy after age 40 carries significant risks to the mother and baby. The risks are even higher for unintended pregnancy. Numerous women’s health care groups recommend women continue birth control until menopause is complete.

Certified nurse midwives care for women throughout the lifespan, including during menopause. If you have questions about perimenopausal changes, signs of menopause, or treatment of symptoms, or if you are considering a progesterone IUD for contraception or treatment of menstrual concerns, we’d be happy to talk with you.

Christine Weinmeister is a certified nurse midwife at Vancouver Clinic. She strives to help all her patients feel informed and empowered in their health care decisions.

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Health: Do You Suffer From Medication Overuse Headache?

Vancouver, WA — Headache pain medication ads are everywhere – from glossy magazine spreads to flashy TV commercials. The message is simple: Your headache deserves a strong painkiller, which will instantly cure the problem. Pain should not slow you down, since there’s an easy, swift solution. But is there really?

Doctors of chiropractic, such as your doctor at Davis Family Chiropractic, wholeheartedly disagree with advertisers’ quick-fix pill solution. What the ads don’t mention is that the strategy often backfires: The pills can eventually cause more pain that they cure. When this happens, a condition called medication overuse headache (MOH) ensues.

What is MOH?

MOH is a relatively new term for a long-standing “unnamed” and largely unrecognized condition caused by taking painkillers – daily or on a regular basis – for migraines or other headaches. Sadly, this condition is common. Your doctor at Davis Family Chiropractic and massage often cares for individuals with MOH. About one in 50 people develops this problem at some point. It affects five times more women than men.

How Does MOH Happen?

The Dependency Dilemma

Headaches flare up in response to physical or emotional stress. As a “solution,” many people take painkillers frequently. Initially, the first doses may provide relief, which reinforces the idea that painkiller consumption is helpful. On a psychological level, what’s known as “positive conditioning” spurs the sufferer to continue reaching for painkillers for relief.

But what’s going on may have more to do with chemical changes in the brain that psychological conditioning. Your doctor at Davis Family Chiropractic and Massage wants patients to be aware that the side effects of painkillers, such as sedation, mild euphoria and stimulation, may lead to dependency.

Painkillers with caffeine, barbiturates, codeine and other opioids are the most likely to have this effect. For example, caffeine increases alertness, relieves fatigue and improves performance and mood. Caffeine-withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, nervousness, restlessness and headaches, all encourage patients to continue their abuse.

Abused drugs, from painkillers to alcohol, activate a “pleasure pathway” in the brain and reinforce the behavior. The pleasure pathway, which is called the “dopamine reward circuit,” is connected to areas of the brain controlling memory, emotion and motivation.

The pleasure pathway undergoes actual chemical and anatomic changes that create and prolong addiction, affecting a physiological hold on a person’s ability to function. This is why addiction is often referred to as a brain disorder and isn’t as easy to kick as simply mind over matter.

Like drugs such as cocaine or heroine, some painkillers trigger the release of the brain’s natural “feel-good,” pain-fighting chemicals called endogenous opioids or endorphins. As with any addictive drugs, the more often they are used, the less the sensitive the brain becomes to them. These drugs literally alter the brain.

Withdrawal Woes

After a period of regular painkiller doses, the body becomes used to the pain medication. When the sufferer doesn’t take painkiller within a day or so of the last dose, then “rebound” or “withdrawal” headaches develop. What the sufferer thinks is just an especially persistent headache is actually a symptom of medication withdrawal.

Not recognizing that the medication is the culprit, he or she may take another dose. When the effect of each dose wears off, a further withdrawal headache develops. In time, sufferers will develop regular headaches that may appear on a daily basis. Some people resort to taking painkillers “routinely” to try to prevent headaches, which only makes things worse.

Which Painkillers Cause MOH?

If you think that only one prescription medication can cause MOH, you’re wrong. Almost any pain medication that provides rapid headache relief can cause MOH. Culprits include simple pain relievers like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, Aleve®, and Midol®).

Mixed analgesics, which include over-the-counter and prescription drugs containing caffeine, aspirin and acetaminophen, are especially known as MOH instigators. Other offenders include migraine-specific medications, such as Ergomar®, Miranal®, Imitrex®, Zomig®, and opiates, such as Tylenol 3®, Vicon®, and Percocet®.

Children and MOH
Although children are smaller in stature, their migraines or headaches can be just as big as adult’s. And, studies show that children and adolescents are as susceptible to MOH as adults.

One inquiry reviewed the histories of 79 children and adolescents who sought care from outpatient clinic of the Department of Neurology of the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. All of the children were younger than 16 years old and headaches 15 days or more each month.

Although the quality, severity and location of the youngsters’ pain varied, the majority (76 percent) used analgesics to solve the pain. Ten patients used more than one type, and 13 used analgesics daily.

Fifty-seven (72 percent) children had chronic daily headaches for more than six months, which for most lasted more than four hours a day. In one-third of patients, the headaches led to frequent school absences and sleeping problems.

The authors conclude that “chronic daily headache in children is a serious disorder. A relatively large number of patients overuse medication and it leads to frequent school absenteeism and sleeping problems.” (Headache 2005;45:678-83.)

MOH and Emotions

Doctors of chiropractic don’t see the body separate from the mind. They realize that the body and the mind have a direct relationship in which both affect each other. That’s why chiropractors avoid treating symptoms and instead focus on encouraging patients to seek both physical and emotional wellness.

As you imagine, doctors of chiropractic weren’t surprised by research, performed in France, that strongly linked MOH to anxiety and depression. The study included 41 MOH sufferers and 41 patients with chronic migraines.

The scientists found that MOH participants were especially apt to have substance abuse problems and endure mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Migraine patients with emotional problems were more likely to develop MOH that emotionally stable migraine sufferers.

According to the researchers, “MOH patients have greater risk of suffering from anxiety and depression, and there disorders may be a risk factor for the evolution of migraine into MOH.” (Cephalalgia 2005;25:519-22.)

MOH May Be a Precursor to Other Disorders

Although research into this area is still preliminary, scientists speculate that MOH may be precursor of more serious conditions. Researches hypothesize that the same brain changes and chain of events that lead to MOH may trigger other disorders, if medication overdose continues. Besides emotional problems, these disorders may include other forms of chronic pain, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chiropractic Lifestyle Solution

For doctors of chiropractic, the solution to headaches isn’t in a pill. In addition to spawning MOH, pain medication does nothing to prevent future pain and is often accompanied by multiple side effects. The solution is the chiropractic lifestyle, which involves stress reduction, chiropractic care, healthy diets and exercise. All of the components of this lifestyle are proven ways to eliminate head pain and are free from side effects.

Dr. Marc Davis and Dr. Christina Alvira adjust patients at Davis Family Chiropractic & Massage, a thriving wellness-oriented office located next to Fred Meyer in Fisher’s Landing. For FREE monthly tips and community events like us on Facebook or become a member of our website www.davisfamilychiro.com. To schedule a time to meet with Dr. Davis or Dr Christina, or to get information about having him speak at your club, church group or workplace, call (360) 823-2225. Mention “LacamasMagazine” and “Free Scan” to get your Computerized Back and Neck Scan (regularly $95) for FREE (limited time offer).

Dr. Marc Davis, Dr. Christina Kulesz, Dr. Andrew Wade
DAVIS FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC AND MASSAGE, PLLC
www.davisfamilychiro.com
2415 SE 165TH Avenue, Suite 105
Vancouver, WA 98683
(360) 823-2225

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A Modern Orthodontics Approach: Meet Dr. Gretchen Schnepper

Vancouver, WA — From the moment you walk into The Modern Orthodontist (TMO) it is quite clear that this isn’t your average orthodontics office. The space boasts bright colors, unique architecture, interesting art pieces, and friendly, smiling faces.

Dr. Gretchen Schnepper opened The Modern Orthodontist in its current location, at 2702 NE 78th Street Suite 106, Vancouver, WA 98665, in July 2010.

“I think the space in general is unique, said Schnepper. “When I decided to create my own private practice, I wanted it to look like a modern art museum.”

Schnepper has an art minor and uses her eye for art in creating a beautiful space, as well as in the practice of orthodontics.

She is a firm believer in the importance of the arts and has made it a part of her practice to encourage and facilitate her patients and the community to take part in art. Electronics is the one thing that you will not see in The Modern Orthodontist to entertain waiting patients. Instead there are puzzles, doodle pads, color pencils, crayons, and various art projects for patients, their siblings and children of patients to work on while they are waiting. For six years now, The Modern Orthodontist office has created and hosted an art show featuring art from local middle school students.

“We invited all of the middle schools in the area to participate in the art show. This year we had six middle schools participate. I think their art is amazing!” said Schnepper.

The art show is kicked off each year with a reception for the artists and their families to come in and view all of the art on display — complete with appetizers and beverages. Community support and involvement is a big part of what Schnepper does. She sponsors four to five sporting teams each year, including a large sponsorship for this year’s Clash of the Border soccer tournament, which had over 1,000 participants. The TMO is also a premier sponsor for the Vancouver Girls Softball Association.

“It’s all about being part of the community,” said Schnepper.

She gives credit to her dad, who was a dentist, for her belief that it is her duty to develop relationships with the community. Schnepper comes from a long line of dental professionals. Both her grandfather and her father were dentists, and her mother was a dental hygienist.

Being the daughter of a dentist and a hygienist, Schnepper says dentistry is in her DNA. She first studied Bio Chem in college, then switched gears and entered dental school at Loma Linda University, where she would eventually specialize in Orthodontics. She prides herself in being on the forefront of orthodontic technology. For Schnepper, Modern isn’t just the name of her practice, it is how she runs her practice.

Modern

Dr. Schnepper minored in art in college. Her office is filled with artwork made my local youth.

“We truly are modern in every way — with 3D X-rays, digital impressions (no goopy impressions that Orthodontists are known for), and customized self-ligating bracket,” she said. “We are the top Invisalign practice in the area, and we’re very specialized.”

Schnepper is rated by Invisalign as a Diamond Provider. She is one of only two practitioners with this ranking in the entire Portland/Vancouver metro area. She has earned this ranking by participating in a series of Invisalign training sessions and by treating more patients than anyone else in the area with Invisalign. Often times she is able to treat malocclusions with Invisalign that patients have been told by other providers aren’t treatable with aligners. She has been able to treat these patients with aligners and is able to achieve a result that is equal to that of a braces treatment. Her expertise in Invisalign has made her a popular provider with adult patients, with at least 30% of her patients being over the age of 18.

Her practice strives to use her training and advanced technology to make treatment affordable – as it provides patients with more options. For example, costly surgeries can be avoided by using temporary anchorage devices. Bite correcting devices help many patients avoid extractions. She is also trying to remove barriers to treatment by offering extended payment plans. She is all about using current technology to maximize efficiency.

“I take triple the CE (Continuing Education) required each year,” said Schnepper. “I’m part of a number of study clubs. One study club meets monthly. We go on four trips a year, including the annual meeting of the American Association of Orthodontics. I go to 6-10 specialized courses a year, one is abroad.”

Orthodontic treatment is not just a cosmetic treatment.

“A healthy smile contributes to the longevity of teeth,” said Schnepper. “Teeth that are easier to clean have a reduced risk of cavities. In adult patients difficulty to get teeth clean can lead to gum disease and require the intervention of a periodontist. In addition, a healthy smile contributes to overall health. With a good bite you can talk better, you can chew food better, and teeth that fit together well wear down less. Finally, a good healthy smile looks great, which leads to improved self-confidence.”

Modern

The Modern Orthodontist uses the latest technology.

Schnepper recommends bringing children as young as 7 in for pre-Orthodontic screening. Why so young?

“It does sound very young,” she said. “Most children will not need treatment at age 7, but there are some that will. With early exams we are given the possibility of early intervention with issues that would be more difficult to correct later.”

The Modern Orthodontist offers a complimentary Growth Guidance program in which patients are followed with visits every six months to a year to monitor growth and to see if treatment may be needed in the future – typically beginning between ages 9-14. Sometimes these kids come out of the Growth Guidance program not needing treatment but Schnepper takes pride in knowing she was able to offer the peace of mind to parents by keeping an eye on the growth and development of their children.

Schnepper shared some indicators that you or your child may need Orthodontic work:
• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Thumb sucking
• Crowding, misplaced or blocked out teeth
• Jaws that shift or make sound
• Biting the cheek
• Lower front teeth that push into the roof of the mouth
• Teeth that meet abnormally or not at all
• Facial imbalance – causes asymmetrical growth
• Jaws too far forward or too far back
• Grinding or clenching teeth
• Social concerns

To learn more, visit www.TheModernOrthodontist.com

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Health: Cancer is Like Weeds in the Garden — Dr. Cynthia Bye

My three-phased approach to a healthy garden (also a great way to understand complementary cancer care).

Phase 1 – Identify factors that allowed cancer to grow in the first place.

Cancer is a multifactorial disease. I see some common threads. I liken the body to a garden and cancer cells as weeds in the garden. We are all making some weeds every day; the question is, why is the garden letting the weeds take over to form tumors? At Journey to Wellness, we treat the multiple factors that allowed it to grow in the first place with a multifactorial approach.

Phase 2 – Help cancer patients while they are going through treatment.

The standard of care says pluck some weeds out with surgery, put some herbicide on them with the chemotherapy, and radiate some. All necessary, but standard of care diminishes the viability of the garden. This is where my training as a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO) comes in. My job is to help with side effects, reduce the chance of metastasis and protect the garden without interfering with the effectiveness of the treatment. 90% of cancer patients are going on the internet and taking natural products and not telling their oncologist. This is dangerous.

Phase 3 – Recover and reduce the drivers of cancer.

After treatment, we need to amend the soil and help the garden to recover and stop producing so many weeds. The unfortunate truth is our standard of care makes us more vulnerable to letting the weeds grow back. We need to amend the soil help it recover and address those things that allow weeds to grow. Whether in remission or if you still have some residual cancer, we must help you reduce its drivers.

Studies show that when patients participate in their care they have better outcomes. As I tell all my patients, the only person in charge of your health is you. It is vitally important that we all participate in our healthcare. If you are battling cancer or recovering from treatment, your Naturopathic Physician can help.

Yours in health,

Cynthia Bye, ND, FABNO
Board Certified in Naturopathic Oncology
Call 360.695.8800

www.CynthiaBye.com

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Monthly Advice Column: Julie Russell Addresses Child Anger, Porn Addiction

This is the first of a monthly advice column with Julie Russell, a licensed family therapist.

Question 1) My eight-year-old son has had major behavior issues his whole life. He’s angry, mean, lashes out at other kids at school, hits his little sister, and speaks harsh words to me. Until just a couple years ago, he fixated on washing machines. We’ve had him tested for autism, and he’s not autistic. His father is a good man, but is frequently absent due to his work. We’ve lived in 15 places during our nine-year marriage, and I think that’s caused some insecurities. He even stopped wiping his backside after using the bathroom. He tells all the kids he’s better at everything when he’s really not. I’ve taken away all his privileges because of this behavior, and so now there’s nothing left to take away. What am I supposed to do?

“Leslie,” a frustrated mom in Washougal.

Response:

Hi Leslie, First it sounds like 15 moves in 9 years is a lot of transition for an adult, and can be even more difficult for children. So I hope the rest of the family is adjusting well to the move, and hopefully those moves will slow down in your future. Remember that change is hard for children and they like routine it gives them security. So try to create a routine that your son knows what to expect of each day. It might be helpful to create a poster with times and pictures of items happening during the day. I would also recommend a medical checkup with a pediatrician to rule out any medical issues.

Some of the issues sound like your son may have some Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms or some Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. I would recommend talking with the teacher and school counselor and creating a plan for school, if that has not already happened. I would also recommend finding a Licensed Professional who specializes in working with children. They will be able to identify the problem and help with your son’s behavior. It is also important to catch your child being good and praise more of the behavior you would like.

Russell

Close-up image of woman texting and drinking coffee outdoors

Question 2) I caught my 15-year-old daughter looking at porn images of men, and she thinks there’s nothing wrong with that. She says the human body is a beautiful thing. I’ve told her to stop looking at those things, and even took away her iPhone for a while, but I still think she’s looking at this stuff. I didn’t realize girls could have this problem. How do I change this behavior?

“Jennifer” in Camas

Response:

Hi Jennifer, Try to remain calm and realize it is a normal behavior to be interested in sex and porn. But do some research and have some discussions explaining that sex is normal and feels good, but should be kept within the boundaries of committed relationships and what your family morals define. A recent publication from the American College of Pediatricians outlines the risks of pornography for children and teens. These can include, but are not limited to: 1-Feelings of disgust, shock, embarrassment, fear & sadness, 2-Symptoms of trauma including anxiety and depression, 3-Distorted views of sexuality and personal relationships, 4-Increased perception that everyone is having casual sex. 5-The belief that abstinence is abnormal and unhealthy.

According to a 2009 Cyber Sentinel poll, many 13 to 16 year-olds spend almost two hours a week viewing pornography. Mothers have reported finding their children as young as eight watching porn. Today the question is not if your child will be exposed to porn, it is when. Talking with your children about porn is difficult and emotional. Wendy Maltz, a sex therapist and notable researcher believes porn is creating a national health problem that harms our emotional and sexual relationships. Several states have passed resolutions declaring pornography a public health concern.

Specifically, these declarations state:

“Pornography is a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms.” The state resolution further called for a united recognition for “the need for education, prevention, research, and policy change at the community and societal level in order to address the pornography epidemic that is harming the people of our state and nation.”

Here are a couple of websites that list tips for parents about talking with your child about porn, research and the impacts of porn on the brain. The websites also suggest resources for recovery if you feel your daughter is spending too much time viewing porn.

https://fightthenewdrug.org/
https://protectyoungminds.org/

You could also seek a professional counselor who has sexual addiction training, and works with teens. There are also support groups available for those trying to overcome sexual addictions. I would also recommend installing a filter at the router level, limit screen time and require every person in the house hold to charge your phones in separate a room (not the bedroom). Spend time with your daughter doing things you both enjoy.

About Julie Russell

Russell

Julie Russell

Julie has many years of experience working with families and children. She has volunteered in schools, the community and worked at homeless shelters. Julie is a graduate of George Fox University with a Masters Degree in Marriage, Couples and Family Therapy. She uses an integrated approach, she specializes in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Sandtray Therapy, Play Therapy and some Jungian techniques. She is currently serving as a private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients.

In addition to being a prominent relationship therapist, Julie has presented at conferences and to general audiences speaking on the topics of child/parent relationships, addiction, child development, depression, anxiety and adult relationship issues.

Julie is an interactive, solution-focused therapist. Her therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. She integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.

To contact Julie directly, go to: julierussellfamilycounseling.com

You may also email your questions to: [email protected] Your identity will remain confidential.

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Health and Fitness: Effort Must Match Expectations — What Are Yours?

I have a question for you: How are your 2018 health and fitness goals coming along?

At this moment, I would like you to ask yourself a few questions.

  1. Are you seeing RESULTS?
  2. Are you happy with how you look and feel?
  3. Have you seen changes in the last three to four weeks? If you said “NO” to any or even all of the above questions, it’s time to re-examine your 2018 health & fitness goals.

First of all, your EFFORT must match EXPECTATIONS. You can even reverse this and say that your EXPECTATIONS must match EFFORT. There are several reasons that could cause a problem. Maybe it’s family, work, friends, time, an injury or even a lack of focus and consistency.

I’m going to ask you to rate the following items from the most important to the least important in your life: Family, job, money, health, friends and faith. Now that you’ve done the ranking, please allow me to rank what I feel it should be:

  1. Health – If you don’t have your health, nothing else matters. Some people will say that family is the most important or that their job is the most important. The reality is if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. If someone wants to say that their faith is the most important, I can’t with argue that. But health better be #2.
  2. Family – If you don’t place health or faith here from the above example, then the next most important after health should be family. We know that family is very important, but if a person’s health isn’t where it should be, how could they be there for their family?
  3. Job & Money – We know that it’s important to provide for ourselves and for our family. But again, if your health isn’t where it should be, how can you work and provide for yourself or for your family? Take care of your health first and then you’ll be able to also then provide for yourself and for your family. Otherwise, they’ll be having to provide for themselves if a health issue arises.
  4. Friends – We all need friends, right? But in regards ranking the importance, this is where I would rank them. Now there may be a time where a friend needs to be the highest priority and that’s fine. But we’re talking an everyday mindset.
Results

Effort must match expectations.

To make sure that your EFFORT matches EXPECTATIONS, ask yourself how often you can include exercise into your daily/weekly schedule. Be sure to set yourself up for success. I’ve had clients and members ask me how many days a week they should they be exercising. Before I can answer that question, I ask them a question of how many days a week they can incorporate it into their current schedule. I believe that this initial question will help a person be set up for success. Then we’ll discuss what their goals are. After having these questions answered, I’m then able to an answer their question.

For example, let’s say you have time for two to three days a week when you start your program that you can dedicate an hour to your health and fitness goals. Without collecting information, I say that you should be exercising four to five days a week. Hearing this, you might think that you can’t do this on a consistent basis and then I’m not setting you up for success. But if after asking the questions and collecting the data, I can help you start your program and structure it in a way where you feel successful and you start seeing RESULTS, you’ll want to add more days to your current routine. This creates a win/win situation instead of someone not being able to keep up with their expectations, leading to frustration and quite often, quitting.

Make your health a priority. Set a plan. Be consistent. Be patient. Visualize it as a marathon and not a sprint. Take it one day at a time. Day after day over time leads to consistency and that will lead to lifestyle changes.

If you need help with setting realistic goals and a plan to achieve your goals, you can schedule a free consultation with me by making a quick phone call or by sending me an email. I’d be happy to give you a few minutes out of my day to make a difference in yours! Everyone’s first class is free!

Thanks for your time and in best health.

Scott Binder
Owner, Results Fitness Training
resultsfitnesstraining.com
360-910-2450

19206 SE 1st St. Suite 112
Camas, WA 98607
Located by Costco

Invite

Workout time!

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Health and Fitness Q & A Spotlight: Is This Just a Trend or a HIIT?

One of the biggest fitness trends that is going to make its mark in 2018, according to CNN.com, is high intensity interval training or HIIT. This type of training is different than just going to the gym to lift weights or doing cardio for an hour. This type of training combines aerobic (cardio), anaerobic (like sprinting), and resistance training (free weights) exercises that are programmed to deliver the maximum amount of caloric expenditure burn and fitness results — within a short period of time.

How is it different than traditional group classes?
HIIT classes can range from 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the group fitness studio you belong to. Some studios will only do body weight, but others will incorporate all three components mentioned above to deliver the maximum results within your class time.

If you are an avid cardio goer, love yoga, dance, just run, walk or hike, then HIIT is definitely going to take you out of your comfort zone. In the fitness world, we use the term planes of motion. With cardio movements, like biking or running, your body goes in one direction. When you take a HIIT class, you are moving in all the planes of motion. This means you are moving forward, sideways, backwards, at angles, up, down and sometimes all around. As humans, we are not meant to stay in one place, so if we can exercise to mimic real life movements, it helps tremendously. We call this, functional training movements. With HIIT, those movements are elevated to a higher level with out-of-the-box workout routines that are meant to get you leaner and stronger throughout your entire body, especially your core. In addition, the programmed rest cycles are meant to make your heart & lungs recover quicker, so that you can bounce back faster after every exercise sequence.

HIIT

A 45-minute session at Burntown Fitness.

Why is this important?
The magic with HIIT training is that your muscles are constantly guessing. No one wants to hit a plateau and have their bodies become stagnant. With these classes, we are constantly confusing the body with various movement patterns, different exercises and resistance levels. The end result is an increase in calories burned, better muscular endurance, a stronger and leaner body, and better recovery between exercises.

Why can’t we just do cardio?
Cardio is great, but it does little in maintaining our muscle mass. The problem with cardio addicts is their muscle mass will suffer in the long term. The goal is to maintain or increase that lean body mass through resistance training because we will lose muscle at a faster rate as we get older. In addition, you have the bone density benefit. Lifting weights and constantly challenging your muscles with various resistances and dynamic movements will help maintain bone density, especially in women who are predisposed to higher levels of osteoporosis as they age.

Final Words
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If you feel that you have reached a plateau, it just means you need to train at a higher level and be challenged. You don’t have to leave your current fitness place, but at the end of the day, if you aren’t getting results anymore, you need to crosstrain with other modes of exercise. The question to you is: Are you going to give HIIT a try? Don’t limit yourself with comfort, you only get one body, why not get the most out of it and Make Every Move Count.

by Kisar S. Dhillon, Partner, Burntown Fitness

Burntown.com

HIIT

Working out.

 

HIIT

A 45-minute session at Burntown.

 

HIIT

Sweating it out.

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Five More Tips for Raising Resilient Kids — With Julie Russell

We spent some time with Licensed Family Therapist, Julie Russell, about proven tips on how to raise resilient kids. This is the second part of three articles that discuss this issue.

Raising kids today is certainly challenging, but Russell said these are things parents can do immediately to have more peace in the home. Russell based her discussion on Margarita Tartakovsky’s proven methods to raise resilient children.

Tip #6: Don’t provide all the answers

When given a challenge, don’t solve your child’s problem. Ask them what they will do about it instead. This teaches them to think for themselves, and they can propose solutions.

Tip #7: Avoid talking in catastrophic terms

“Don’t tell your children ‘You’re going to make us go broke or you’re going to make me go to the crazy house,’” says Russell.

Doing this gives them anxiety because when parents speak that way they think scary things will happen to them, which can lead to other challenges.

Tip #8: Let your kids make mistakes

Often times, says Russell, we don’t allow our children to fail.

Some common mistakes are re-doing their homework for them. Don’t do that.

When your child tries to fix something, don’t jump in and help them fix it when they don’t ask for help. If they appear frustrated a good question to ask is: “What would you have me do?”

Tip #9:Help them manage their emotions

Russell says emotional intelligence is a big factor in being successful in life, which is why socializing is so important. She recommends being an emotional thermostat. If your child throws a temper tantrum, don’t raise your voice. Don’t escalate the noise level.

Tip #10: Model resiliency

Children constantly watch the adult role models around them. When something is hard in your life, be the example and show them how to handle it. Require children to do work around the house, and when they’re older to get jobs. Make them work. Teach them to work. Make service a big part of their lives.

“Serving others is essential to happiness,” says Russell.

To read part one, go here: First Five Tips

Russell also serves as a Washougal City Councilor. She was elected to their first term on the City Council last November.

Washougal

Julie Russell signs her oath of office at the conclusion of Monday’s Washougal City Council meeting.

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