See also: Eating Smart & Woman's World
By Roy Carter
Mmmmmmffffffff!!!!!!! Get off of me! Get off of me!!!! Pheewww… It’s getting worse all the time.
Believe me, being at this end of your body is not all that it’s cracked up to be. As a matter of fact, it’s becoming more and more of a bummer, every day.
Now, what exactly are you doing? Nothing, as usual, I suspect. Look at me!! I used to be thin and svelte. My shape used to be nice and round and contoured, and you could slip me into any old pair of jeans…and I’d look good, too. I really didn’t mind all the looks I got as we walked down the street. We even managed to get a few of those cat calls.
But that was then…and this is now. Look at me, I’m…well, to put it bluntly, I’m fat! Look at all of this cellulite, I can’t get away from it. And those jeans we used to wear, forget it, you can barely squeeze me into those ugly polyester pants. What have you done to me?
We’ve come to this sorry state in our relationship because you don’t get off of me most of the day.
We sit in your car to go everywhere, even to the corner store.Then you’re on me almost all day at work behind that desk. The only time you push us away from it is for coffee breaks or lunch. And what about when we finally get home from work? Do we do anything then?No! The only exercise then is looking for the TV remote! Oh, I know, we occasionally cut the grass, and you think that’s exercise; but not on a riding mower!
You look surprised that I’m talking to you this way; but, man, we need to reverse this trend and get back into shape. I hate being this way: jiggling when we walk, squeezing into oversized clothes, the butt of all the jokes. Let’s do something about it. It’s never too late.
All we have to do is be a little more careful about how we eat, and increase our activity level. Put out more than we take in. Simple math.
And we don’t have to do everything all at once. We’ll begin slowly, a few changes at a time. Let’s start by eliminating those sodas (even diet sodas contribute), donuts and pastries. Substitute water for sodas. Eat fresh fruit. And cut back on portions. Use sectioned plates to limit how much food you can get in one serving. I said, “One serving.”
Let’s go for a walk in the evening. Maybe we’ll get to meet some of your neighbors. Walk on errands instead of driving. Try short walks at work, instead of that cup of coffee and doughnut. Instead of looking for that closest parking spot to the supermarket, park in one of the end spaces and walk the extra distance. Instead of squeezing into the elevator with everyone else, walk up those two flights.
Start out like this, and eventually we’ll take a more serious look at our diet and a good exercise program. Remember, we don’t have to do everything all at once. Change the little things first.
So get off of me, and let’s get going!
(Mr. Carter is a physical therapist for Bayada Nurses. He can be reached at 781-831-0347.)
By Carol Charpentier, MS
Far too often, images of people with mental illness are negative. Most of us have watched movies or television programs that portray a person with mental illness as less intelligent. We have heard comedians making fun of people with mental illness, using disparaging words like “crazy,” “lunatic,” or “nuts.” Almost all of us have read a newspaper article about a criminal in which a history of mental illness is highlighted.
Such images have created a bias in many minds of what a person with mental illness is supposed to be like.
As a result of these misperceptions, people with mental illnesses may experience ridicule, discrimination, hostility or even violence, instead of receiving compassion, acceptance or, most importantly, the help that they need.
“This is the last great stigma of the 20th century,” Tipper Gore, the former vice president's wife has said. “Initially, we wouldn't talk about cancer or AIDS, either. But now we do.”
With proper education and understanding, we can end this stigma. Below are some commonly held misconceptions about mental illness:
Myth: Mentally ill people are dangerous.
Fact: Statistics show that people with mental illness commit no more acts of violence than the rest of the general population. [Editor’s note: Cape mental health care specialists were appalled last year when a local radio station broadcast hysterical “lock your doors, get off the streets”-type warnings about a schizophrenic being “loose” in the community.]
Myth: A person who is mentally ill can never be normal.
Fact: Mental illnesses are highly treatable. Most individuals with mental illness can recover and resume normal activities such as working and actively participating in their communities.
Myth: One needs to behave differently with a person who has mental illness.
Fact: A person with mental illness wants and deserves to be respected and treated with the same dignity as anyone else.
Myth: People who suffer from mental illness are weak or lack the willpower to overcome their illness.
Fact: Many mental illnesses are known to have biological causes, just liked cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Genetic factors, family history, chronic medical illness, substance abuse and severe traumatic life crises may create a predisposition to mental illness.
Hopefully, learning about mental illness will help all of us become more sensitive to people who live with mental illness. The next time you hear people make a false or negative statement about mental illness you can help break the stigma by providing them with accurate facts and information
(Ms. Charpentier is director of Bayview Associates, a program of South Shore Mental Health, with offices in Brewster and Hyannis. She can be reached at 508-862-0514.)
By Catherine Thomas, LICSW
Cape & Islands Emergency Services (CIES) is a 24-hour crisis intervention program that is accessible to anyone in the community who is experiencing a mental or emotional health crisis.
Requests for services may come from consumers, their families, community agencies, schools and other Massachusetts Department of Mental Health programs.
Telephone triage initially determines the level of risk, type of service needed, and the most appropriate safe setting for crisis intervention. Our mobile team provides assessment and evaluation in hospital emergency rooms, DMH residential housing and schools, as well as service at our office in Hyannis.
Our philosophy is to provide a readily accessible, comprehensive, organized system of emergency mental health services to the community. We provide these services in the least restrictive environment possible, affording the safety, dignity and the least disruption from normal community life to the consumer.
Emergency Services provides a comprehensive array of Acute Care services to the community.
For individuals and families:
24-hour crisis telephone response
24-hour crisis intervention, assessment and evaluation.
Resource referral and advocacy
Hospital pre-screening
Screening and referral to our Crisis Stabilization Unit
In response to disasters:
Referral to Cape & Islands Community Mental Health Disaster Team
Referral to Cape & Islands School Crisis Response Team
Special occurrences such as services to Katrina evacuees.
CIES provides a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. Our team includes 12 highly experienced master’s-level clinicians, which is comprised of social workers, addiction and substance abuse specialists, children’s specialists, psychiatric nursing and allied mental health professionals. All evaluations include a consultation with a team psychiatrist to assist in determining the most appropriate referral, linkage or placement.
CIES works closely with the May Institute Crisis Stabilization Unit, which is a community-based short-term treatment alternative to hospitalization, offering psychiatric assessment, counseling, advocacy, psycho-education, medication, referral and support.
CIES provides services to all members of the community regardless of their ability to pay or lack of insurance.
(Ms. Thomas is Program Director of Cape & Islands Emergency Services. The 24-hour crisis lines are 508-778-4627 or toll-free 1-800-322-1356.)
By Denise Dever
Touch is a very powerful communicator, so it’s no surprise that seniors who become widowed miss it the most in their personal life. Physical touch is one of The Five Love Languages Dr. Gary Chapman has identified in his book by the same name. According to Dr. Chapman, many people find that physical touch makes them feel valued.
But touch doesn’t always need to be related to romance. There are many ways you can feel fulfilled in the absence of a relationship with a mate. Why not pamper yourself on a regular basis? Many women enjoy frequent-even weekly-visits to the hair salon. There’s nothing like a scalp massage and shampoo or having your hair trimmed or styled to brighten the day.
How about other services of a salon that also can help you experience the benefits of touch? Manicures, pedicures and massages are also relaxing and enjoyable.
Contact with friends also can go a long way toward helping you fill the void of your mate’s absence. Why not get involved with a church, community or volunteer organization in your town? Call the local senior center or area agency on aging for ideas about what you can do.
Many people subconsciously disconnect from others during the grieving process. If that’s what’s happened to you, it may be time to reconnect. Cultivate a friendship with a neighbor or go through your address book to find a friend or relative with whom you’ve lost contact.
By reaching out, you will find others who may be looking for the same type of human contact you’re missing. It’s often not easy to take that extra step, but it will be worth it in the long run.
(Ms. Dever is President and Co-Owner of Home Instead Senior Care of Centerville, providing home care for seniors, 508-778-8613 or www.homeinstead.com.)
By Jamie Neithold-Nash, DC
Have you heard the latest talk about how life is more fulfilling when you take risks and move out of your comfort zone?
How can being uncomfortable be a means to leading a happier life? I don’t understand why anyone would want to stretch a comfort zone into a zone of discomfort? Do you? Could stepping out of my comfort zone mean that I should wear smaller shoes? I’m positive I will not even need to take a step to know how uncomfortable I am in tight shoes.
As I hobble around my living room I think, “Perhaps being willing to be uncomfortable demands a darn good reason.” Peeling off my shoes I note that I will not put those tight old shoes back on unless I get some sort of reward for wearing them. Motivation can come in a colorful variety of forms. For example, an athlete is motivated to hurt because he is striving to be the best at his game. Most parents are driven to do whatever it takes for a child who needs them. I am motivated to burn my tight shoes because then I won’t be reminded of how much they hurt my feet.
In the movie The Polar Express, Tom Hanks states that where the train is going is less important than the decision to get on the train. Deciding to get on a train (especially alone) can be uncomfortable and scary the first time out, perhaps because it would require bravery, trust and certainly motivation to step out of your comfort zone.
Even if your choice to do something different isn’t on the best seller list, it may be just what you need to get out of your comfortable rut. Taking a chance can be as simple as trying out a new restaurant or backing into a parking space you always pull into. Remember it’s the little things in life that make a difference, that keep us alert and alive…on our toes...in our shoes.
It is not the destination; it is how you decide to ride. So burn those old tight shoes and do something completely different (preferably healthy and kind) today. Trust that life will give you a reward just because you decided to show up and step out of your comfort zone.
But be sure you can turn you neck before you back into your parking spot. And if you have trouble there, I can probably help.
(Dr. Neithold-Nash is a Certified Network Chiropractor in South Dennis, 508-394-9355.)
This is Allen White’s story.
A local entrepreneur with many connections in the health care community-think Whitehalls, as in nursing homes-Dr. White (a Phd) slipped in the snow this past December, threw out his left arm to break the fall and suffered a painful shoulder injury.
The diagnosis was a damaged rotator cuff and surgery was scheduled. But an important business trip to Florida intervened. Here a business associate couldn’t help but notice Dr. White’s excruciating pain, and, of course, his arm was in a sling. So he suggested “this place down the street,” where they seemed to be getting remarkable results with a new device from South Korea for pain relief.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained and with nothing to lose, he gave it a try. After one 30-minute session, the pain was gone. Another 30-minute session, and full pain-free mobility was restored to the injured shoulder. (Dr. White may not have his fastball back, but four months later he was twirling his arm overhead with obvious ease.)
Returning to the Cape, his first step was to cancel the delayed surgery; second, contact the company to see about getting in on what he terms “this remarkable machine.”
And so, this month, in partnership with Robert Franey, former owner of Franey Medical Laboratories, as regional franchisee, this month they are opening Migun of Cape Cod and the Islands on South Street in Hyannis.
What’s a Migun (pronounced meegun)? Dr. White says it means “beautiful health” in Korean.
The device, a “thermal massage bed system,” was developed in South Korea in 1997 and introduced into this country a year later. The company says it combines Eastern practices with Western technology to achieve its results, namely the use of jade massage heads heated by helium gas bulbs that enable infrared rays to produce deep heat to 368 acupuncture points throughout the body.
“You lie on it, listen to music and at the end of a 30-minute session, you’re relaxed and your aches and pains have disappeared,” says Dr. White, his own best salesman.
Trial visits to the demonstration centers are free, the idea being to sell units for home use at $2,400 or $3500, depending on the model.
Following its development in Korea, Migun massage bed centers can be found in 39 additional countries, from Argentina to Yemen.
And now on Cape Cod.
Difficulties with verbal communication and social interaction that start in childhood can haunt some of us for a lifetime. That’s why the Eileen M. Ward Rehabilitation Center at the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and Islands for Children in Sandwich has taken steps to address this issue.
RHCI now is offering Friends*Speak, an eight-week language and social skills class for boys and girls, ages nine to eleven, as well as one for boys only. A girls-only course is planned for this summer.
Led by RHCI speech-language pathologist Heather White, SLP, the Friends*Speak program will offer group therapy focused on developing peer interactions and social language skills, such as participating in conversations and managing emotions, in a non-threatening setting.
"This is a great way for kids to learn the language and social skills they need to have successful peer relationships so important to this age group,” Ms. White says. “With professional guidance, they can experience this first-hand as they make friends in the process."
Friends*Speak groups are limited to a maximum six participants. A parent group runs concurrently for support and networking.
For more information or to schedule an evaluation, call 508-833-1060.
Cape Cod Community College’s Massage Therapy program has opened a public clinic staffed by its students in newly renovated space adjacent to the College’s Life Fitness Center. Under the direction of Program Coordinator Virginia Riordan, students are offering three types of therapeutic massage in the late afternoon and early evening two days a week.
Students prepared to open the clinic by offering members of the campus community “sample” massages in the cafeteria. As word spread around campus, lines started to form almost immediately. With the new facilities, more comprehensive services are offered in a more clinical, private setting.
Wednesday and Thursday, 4-8 p.m., students perform half-hour sessions of foot reflexology for a $15 fee; 15-minute seated chair massage of the head, neck, and shoulders for $5; and a one-hour full-body massage for $25.
Walk-in service is discouraged. The public is asked to make an appointment and indicate the type of massage being requested. This way, students can work with faculty to be even more prepared when the client arrives for the appointment. Call the program office at 508-362-2131, extension 4346, for further information or to make an appointment.
By Carol Penfield RN, MS, NPc
For decades health has been referred to as ?the absence of disease.? Health care providers specialized in treatments and cures. Active preventive health care came to the forefront when the United States Surgeon General promulgated the landmark report on tobacco use and its effects on health. Now the emphasis for achieving health has shifted to patient behaviors requiring life-style modifications.
A new era of incentives for healthier living is dawning. Although the focus of the health care industry remains remedial rather than proactive, preventive care is beginning to be respected enough to be considered reimbursable. Insurance companies initially became involved by covering preventive care such as screening tests and vaccinations.
Unfortunately they did not cover weight gain and inactivity in the same fashion. Recent evidence is clearly showing that healthier people are more productive employees and file fewer insurance claims. However, Medicare in 2004 finally broke new ground and recognized obesity as an illness. This allowed Americans to file medical claims for diet counseling, medications, and obesity-related surgery.
HMOs, other health insurers, corporations and governmental agencies now are getting into the act and initiating incentive programs. For example, last year physician-prescribed remedial exercise programs for specific health issues qualified for a tax write-off as a medical expense. Some states such as Michigan and Washington have developed smoking cessation, weight control and improved disease management programs. In addition, some health insurance plans have begun offering $150-$200 discounts toward longer-term health club membership fees.
The fact that four out of five individuals are relatively inactive and two out of three Americans are overweight is finally being recognized as a national concern.
It is surprising how many health club members are unaware of the potential for an insurance benefit for club utilization. Members should check their policies, and clubs are happy to provide the necessary receipts for those eligible because any opportunity to reduce barriers to fitness must be pursued.
Fitness facilities can be a critical component for future improvement in the health of our society. Opportunities abound for education about health, diet, and improved lifestyle along with exercising.
Integration of medical professionals into the fitness industry further benefits the health of their patients.
Ultimately, the cost of remedial health care can decrease throughout society.
(Ms. Penfield is a nurse practitioner and certified personal trainer and proprietor of the Chatham Health Club, 508-945-7761.)