HealtHMar

ch 1

, 201

1 The examiner• TRACEYSHAFFERSweet potatoes are good for you all year | Page 4

Care for knees

Amanda Greive, Chrissie Weber, Katie Weber – three of the five daugh-ters of Debbie and Larry Weber – have all suffered from ACL injuries while playing competitive basketball. photo by Justin L. FowLer/Ghns

• NUTRITION 3-4 • WELLNESS 6 • CALENDAR 7

• LARRY JONES Nutrition Month | Page 3

How to prevent ACL injuriesn plyometrics is a rapid, powerful movement that first lengthens a muscle (eccentric phase) then shortens it (concentric phase). the length-shortening cycle increases muscular power. An example would be an athlete jumping off a small box and immediately jumping back into the air after contact with the floor.

n balance training commonly involves the use of wobble or balance boards. on-field balance exercises may include throwing a ball with a partner while balancing on one leg.

n to improve single-leg core strength and stability, athletes perform exer-cises such as jumping and landing on one leg with the knee flexed and then momentarily holding that position.

Page 2 Tuesday, March 1, 2011 cover story

816-561-30032790 Clay Edwards Dr., Ste 600

North Kansas City, Missouri 64116

816-303-240019550 E. 39th Street, Ste. 410Independence, Missouri 64057

Back Row (L-R):Ernest Neighbor, MD

Knees & Hips Trauma, Total Joint Replacement

Alexandra Strong, MDSports Medicine, Knees, Shoulders

Paul Nassab, MDSubspecialty Hand, Upper Extremity,

Shoulder & ElbowRaymond Rizzi, DPM

Podiatry, Foot & Ankle Surgery Christopher Wise, MD

Subspecialty Trauma, Acetabular Hip Fracture

Seated (L-R):Craig Satterlee, MD

Subspecialty ShoulderRobert M. Drisko, II, MD

Subspecialty Spine,Total Joint Replacement

Not Shown:Ann Lee, MD

Physical Medicine & Rehab

Quality Orthopedic Care Providers Risk of ACL injury higher in girls By Dean Olsen GateHouse News Service

Debbie and Larry Weber’s five daughters started playing com-petitive basketball in Taylorville, Ill. Four of them suffered a type

of serious knee injury that plagues many fe-male athletes.

They each tore their ACL, or anterior cruci-ate ligament, which is a part of the knee that helps stabilize the joint during twisting maneu-vers and changes in direction that are common in sports like basketball and soccer.

Biology, hormones and neuromuscular dif-ferences make female athletes more likely than males to tear their ACLs, but doctors say re-search is helping point out specific risk factors and refine techniques that can almost totally eliminate the disparity.

“While we perform very successful surgery and can get the athlete back to high-level com-petition, it is better to prevent the injury in the first place,” said Dr. Diane Hillard-Sembell, an orthopedic surgeon at Springfield Clinic in Il-linois who has conducted extensive research on ACL injuries and hopes to begin publishing the results in medical journals this year.

Emerging researchHillard-Sembell and her colleagues found the relatively weaker hamstrings in females put

them at increased risk of knee injuries.“The hamstrings are a protector of the ACL,” Hillard-Sembell said.In males, the quadriceps, muscles at the front of the thigh, typically are stronger than the

hamstrings, at the back of the thigh, by a ratio of 3 to 2. But in females, the quads may be twice as strong as hamstrings, she said.

But her research uncovered something new, which has since been confirmed by other re-searchers: the importance of muscles at the side of the hips. If those muscles are weak, the pelvis will collapse inward, making it more likely for the thigh to angle inward.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 Page 3nutrition

With parenting comes so many decisions to be made. What to name the baby? What to buy? etc. But a question that should be considered before the baby arrives is whether to breast or bottle feed. Mother’s milk is the food least likely to cause allergic reactions; it helps build immunity; it’s inexpensive and readily avail-able – and always at the right temperature.

Health officials support breastfeeding babies. The American Academy of Pediatrics says breast milk is the preferred feeding for all infants, with rare exceptions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says breast-feeding is one of the most highly effective pre-ventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant and herself. The CDC also says that while 75 percent of babies start out being breastfed, only 13 percent are exclu-sively breastfed 6 months later.

“There is a lot of misinformation out there,” says Jessica Mattingly, a board-certified lactation consultant in The Birthing Center at St. Mary’s. “Whether to breast or bottle feed is a personal choice. While most women believe breastfeeding is good for their babies, it can be challenging.”

Having a resource can make all the differ-ence to a new mom. Kylie Friedrich knew she wanted to breast feed when she had her first baby nearly two years ago. “I’d read a lot and knew it was the healthiest choice for me and my baby,” she says. “It’s free and convenient, but it wasn’t easy.” There wasn’t a lactation specialist available to help when she gave birth

to her first son although, “The nurses did help and we finally made it work.”

When she delivered Wesley in the Birth-ing Center at St. Mary’s last week, Kylie got a visit from Mattingly. In fact, Mattingly visits every new mom delivering in The Birthing Center who wants to breast feed, and she really is an expert. Not only is she board certified as a lactation consultant, she breastfed each of her five children, age 3 to 17. “I come from family that is very supportive of breastfeed-ing,” she says. “The the success rate among mothers who want to breastfeed can be greatly improved with the support of family, friends and the community. I don’t think we have a very ‘breastfeeding friendly’ culture, particu-larly when women go back to work.”

There are many myths associated with breastfeeding, according to Mattingly. One of the biggest is that many women can’t breast-feed, but the instances of a mother not being able to breastfeed are pretty rare. Some women feel as if they’re not making enough milk for their babies, but “If the baby is steadily gain-ing weight and getting enough wet and dirty diapers, the baby is getting enough milk,” says Mattingly.

Another misconception is that if a woman is taking medication or wants to have a drink with dinner, that she shouldn’t breastfeed. There are very few medicines that a mother cannot take safely while breastfeeding and very little alcohol comes out in the milk. “Women have been told for years that they can’t do a number of things if they’re breast-feeding, and it makes life unnecessarily restric-tive for nursing mothers.”

In addition to the benefits to the baby, research has shown mothers benefit from breastfeeding, too. During pregnancy, the uterus increases to about 20 times its normal size. Breastfeeding helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size more quickly. Nursing requires an average of 500 extra calories a day, so breastfeeding helps many moms lose weight after the baby is born. And even more evidence, according to a study published in the American Dietetic Association, moth-ers who breastfed exclusively or partially had significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and were less above their pre-

pregnancy weights at one month postpartum when compared with mothers who fed formula exclusively.

“There are literally hundreds of reasons why breastfeeding benefits babies and moth-ers,” says Mattingly. “Some women choose not to do it – and that’s a personal choice. But my hope is that women make an informed choice and not decide based on myths and misinfor-mation.”

JessicaMattingly

GUEST COLUMNTo contact Jessica Mattingly, board certi-

fied lactation consultant in the Birthing Center at St. Mary’s Medical Center, call 816-427-1710.

Getting a healthy start for babies

Submitted photographKylie Friedrich and Wesley.

816-373-7900The ScoTTSdale cenTer17020 e. 40 hwy., SuiTe 9independence, Mo 64055

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March is National Nutrition MonthMarch is National Nutrition Month. The

2011 theme is “Eat Right With Color.” This refers to both eating a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables as well as an emphasis on “eating all of the colors” of the food pyramid. The food pyramid consists of orange (grains), green (vegetables), red (fruits), blue (dairy products), purple (meats and beans), and a small bit of yellow (oils).

The major focus of the 2011 theme is eating a variety of healthy foods every day.

American Dietetic Association President Judith C. Rodriguez states the theme, “‘Eat Right With Color,’ offers a great opportunity to focus people’s attention on a universal theme that cuts through the clutter of information and gets back to the principles of a healthful diet.”

Trends are indicating that people want to improve their diets, change to a healthful lifestyle and eat better food. An easy way to do

that is to add a color pallet to your plate. This year’s theme encourages consumers to remem-ber to include a variety of fruits and vegetables on their plate. In fact, half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables. The remaining should be whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy.

Committed to improving the nation’s health, many agencies, including public health,

want the focus on the basics of sound nutri-tion.

The recently released 2010 Dietary Guide-lines for Americans recommends an increased focus on a plant-based diet. This combined with including lean meats, fish and poultry, and low-fat milk and dairy products creates a rainbow of colors on the plate that serve as the foundation for a healthful eating plan.

Take time to read the new guidelines. I encourage you to keep a journal and really look at your eating patterns. Then you can begin to make small improvements in your eat-ing habits that will add up to significant health benefits. The old adage that we are what we eat is coming back to haunt us.

For more information and great ideas, visit the American Dietetic Association National Nutrition Month website at www.eatright.org/nnm or call the Independence Health Depart-ment at 816-325-7185 to talk to a nutritionist.

Larry Jones is director of the Indepen-dence Health Department.

Larry Jones

Page 4 Tuesday, March 1, 2011health

Enjoy sweet potatoesTraditionally, sweet potatoes are served at

the holidays, but why not enjoy them all winter long? Not only do they taste like dessert, but they provide some surprising health benefits. Sweet potatoes are bursting with more beta-car-otene than carrots. They are filled with greater amounts of vitamins and minerals than a typical white potato, and provide a unique combination of being low-fat and rich in heart-healthy vitamin E.

Choose sweet potatoes that are firm and do not have any cracks, bruises or soft spots. They should be stored in a cool, dark and well-venti-lated space - like a pantry - where they will keep fresh for up to 10 days.

Try these five simple methods for cooking sweet potatoes.

Boil. Simply peel the sweet potato and cut into chunks. Boil until tender – about 25 to 30 minutes.

Roast. Cut unpeeled sweet potatoes into wedges, toss with olive oil and herbs and roast at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until ten-der.

Bake. Pierce the skin of each sweet potato in several places with a fork, and then bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F, followed by 45 to 60 minutes more at 375 degrees F. They should be placed on a baking tray since sticky syrup is often produced while baking.

MicRowave. To cook, pierce the skin in several places and bake the whole potato on HIGH for 5 to 9 minutes.

GRill. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them lengthwise into _-inch-thick slices. Grill until browned, about 4 minutes on each side.

Quick serving ideas

Sweet potatoes can be substituted for regular potatoes in many delicious side dishes, such as potato salad, or served as French fries or roast-ed, boiled, mashed and baked potatoes. Good flavors for seasoning sweet potatoes include orange, pineapple, apples, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and maple syrup.

n Mash boiled sweet potatoes with a small amount of butter or orange juice for extra flavor and top with brown sugar, cinnamon or nutmeg.

n Layer sweet potato slices with slices of apple. Top with brown sugar and butter and bake in a covered casserole dish at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

n Instead of using pumpkin in pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread, substitute pureed, boiled sweet potatoes.

n Finely dice sweet potatoes and brown them in a pan on the stove. Serve as hash browns for a morning meal.

n Puree cooked sweet potatoes with bananas,

maple syrup and cinnamon and top with chopped walnuts.

n Steam cubed sweet potatoes, tofu and broc-coli. Mix in raisins and serve hot or cold with a curried vinaigrette dressing.

Chile-Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

4 servings, about 3⁄4 cup each.Give ordinary roasted sweet potatoes a big

flavor boost with this quick, Asian-inspired seasoning mix.

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce (see Note)1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce1⁄8 teaspoon ground white pepper11⁄2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed (and

peeled, if desired), cut into 1-inch wedges or pieces

1. Position rack in lower third of oven; pre-heat to 450°F.

2. Combine oil, chile-garlic sauce, soy sauce and white pepper in a large bowl. Add sweet po-tatoes; toss to coat with the seasoning mixture.

3. Spread the sweet potatoes evenly on a rimmed baking sheet.

4. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the sweet potatoes are tender and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Per serving: 177 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber; 348 mg sodium; 586 mg potas-sium.

Nutrition facts: Vitamin A (160% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Potassium (17% dv).

NOTE: Chile-garlic sauce (also labeled chili-garlic sauce, or paste) is a blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and will keep for up to 1 year in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Eating Well, Inc.

Tracey Shaffer, RD, LD, is a Hy-Vee dietitian at the Blue Springs location The information provided should not be con-strued as professional medical advice. E-mail her at1033dietitian@hy-vee.com.

Tracey

Shaffer

FOOd FOr ThOUGhT

Page 6 Tuesday, March 1, 2011 wellness

There’s no easy answer to chronic pain Chronic pain afflicts more than 60 million

Americans and costs $100 billion annually. Chronic low back pain is the most common cause of job-related disability.

This major public health issue, chronic pain, what do you know, T or F?

1. 10 percent of Americans lose at least 20 hours of sleep monthly because of pain.

2. Most chronic pain is from arthritis. 3. Low back pain is the most common site

of chronic pain. The cause of acute pain is usually easily

identified and explained. When there is an injury, specialized nerve cells send signals to the brain for processing and interpretation. As the injury heals, pain signals subside.

Most acute pain is from an injury involv-ing skin, muscle, tendon, ligament or bone. As human beings, we experience varying degrees of acute pain daily. Its duration is limited and there is complete resolution within a few days or weeks.

Chronic pain, by definition, lingers lon-ger than three months. A most unwelcome intruder. According to the National Institutes of Neurological Diseases (NINDS www.ninds.

nih.gov) common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, cancer pain, arthritis pain, neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself) and psychogenic pain (pain not due to past disease or injury or any visible sign of damage inside or outside the nervous system).

Acute pain can be pinpointed to a specific

area. “It hurts right here.” Chronic pain most often is diffused and not easily pinpointed. The pain signals are complicated, emanating from a wider area bombarding the brain with information. Chronic pain is headquartered in the brain, where nerve signals are perceived and processed in three or four distinct areas. There is altered perception and hypersensitiv-ity to pain. Anxiety, depression, fatigue, irri-table bowel disease and other conditions often accompany chronic pain.

Therapies for chronic pain vary from coun-seling to medicines to surgery and everything in between. Analgesics, anti-depressants, anti-seizure drugs (even though the patient may not have seizures) muscle relaxers and opioid narcotics are commonly prescribed. Epidural steroid injections target spinal nerve pain. Skin and indwelling electrical stimulation devices are designed to alter or confuse nerve signals, thereby decreasing pain frequency and intensity.

Counseling and cognitive behavioral ther-apy targets pain perception and psychologic aspects of pain. Acupuncture has been shown to alter the areas of the brain which interpret

pain signals. Manual manipulation offered by osteopathic physicians and chiropractors may be beneficial.

There is no single best method of treat-ment. Rather, chronic pain is often treated using a team of health-care professionals.

Turning down or turning off pain signals is key to long-term management and the focus of current research at NINDS. New methods of stopping signals from reaching the brain are in development. Medicines and micro-surgical procedures that target and even kill pain-relay-ing cells are in our future.

In 1931, the French medical missionary Dr. Albert Schweitzer wrote, “Pain is a more ter-rible lord of mankind than even death itself.”

NINDS believes that the goals of pain man-agement are to improve function, enabling individuals to work, attend school or par-ticipate in other day-to-day activities. For the millions who suffer from chronic pain, newer approaches and technologies cannot be avail-able soon enough.

Answers: 1. F 33 percent 2. T 3. T

Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill can be contacted at lori.boyajian-oneill@hcahealthcare.com.

Lori

Boyajian

O'Neill

SpOrTS aNd wELLNESS

Items for the Health Calendar may be e-mailed to jill.ritchie@examiner.net or mailed to: The Examiner, P.O. Box 459, Independence, Mo. 64051, attention Jill Ritchie. The following items are for March 2 through 8, unless otherwise stated.

SpotlightsBlue SpringsSTrETCh-N-GrOw – for ages 2 to 5, 11:30 a.m.

to noon Wednesdays, March 2 through April 6, Vesper Hall, 400 N.W. Vesper St. Cost, $38. Call 816-228-0137 to register.

TaI ChI, advanced classes from 8:05 to 9:05 p.m. Tuesdays March 8-April 26; beginner classes from 8:05 to 9:05 p.m. Thursdays March 10-April 28, Vesper Hall. Cost for either class, $49. Call to register.

The following fitness classes are offered through Blue Springs Parks and Recreation at Club 7 Fitness, 1241 S. Missouri 7. All classes are $40. To register, call 816-228-0137.

BOdYpUMp, 5:35 to 6:35 p.m. Tuesdays March 8-April 26; 6:35 to 7:35 p.m. Thursdays March 10-April 28.

BOdYVIVE, 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesdays March 9-April 27; 9:05 to 10 a.m. Saturdays March 21-April 30.

YOGa FLOw, 6:35 to 7:50 p.m. Mondays March 7-April 25; 7 to 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays March 9-April 27.

ZUMBa daNCE, 5:45 to 6:35 p.m. Mondays March 7-April 25; 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays March 8-April 26.

IndependenceJEwELrY aNd MOrE fundraiser, sponsored

by Centerpoint Medical Center Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 9; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 10, outside the hospital’s cafeteria, 39th Street and Jackson Drive. Items include designer watches ($12-$15), a wide variety of pictures and more. Most items are $6. Proceeds are used to provide scholarships to students pursuing a medical career and to charities in Eastern Jackson County.

Addiction groupsIndependenceSTraIGhT TaLk, NarCOTICS aNONYMOUS,

8 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, First Baptist Church. Narcotics Anonymous Help Line: 531-2250.

LIVING FrEE – aL aNON meeting, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 1723 Appleton Ave. 461-0039.

COMMUNITY SUBSTaNCE aBUSE COMMITTEE, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Independence Police Building.

Blue SpringsaLCOhOLICS aNONYMOUS, meetings available

daily, most sessions are closed, and there are beginner meetings also, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner). There is a total of 29 meetings per week. For times, call 228-7921.

ChapEL hILL aL-aNON, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday; 9 a.m. Saturday, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner).

BLUE SprINGS aLaTEEN, 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner).

Bereavement groupsBlue SpringswIdOwEd pErSONS support group, 7 to 8:30

p.m. Monday, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Annex A. 224-0677 or 229-8093.

INdEpENdENTS SINGLES MINISTrY grief support group, 7 p.m. Tuesday, First United Methodist Church. 228-3788.

adULT BErEaVEMENT support group,

sponsored by St. Mary’s Medical Center, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. several times throughout the year, Vesper Hall. To register, 655-5490.

OtherINFaNT LOSS GrOUp, sponsored by Carondelet

Health. 655-5582.

MiscellaneousIndependenceMaTErNITY UNIT TOUrS, Centerpoint Medical

Center. Call 751-3000 for dates and to register.FOOd haNdLEr/MaNaGEr pErMIT training

classes, food handler classes, 3:30 p.m. Thursdays at Truman Memorial Building, 1 and 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Independence Health Department. There is a fee. To register, 325-7803.

Blue SpringsBrEak TIME CLUB, sponsored by Shepherd Center

of Blue Springs, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Timothy Lutheran Church. For older adults with some physical and/or mental limitations. A donation of $10 to the cost of the program is suggested. 228-5300.

Prenatal/Infant/Child programsIndependence/Blue SpringswIC NUTrITION prOGraM, for women who

are pregnant, breastfeeding or gave birth less than six months ago, 404-6460 or 257-2335 in Independence, or 220-1007 in Blue Springs.

MOMS & MOMS-TO-BE prenatal and postnatal class, 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, Family YMCA. 224-

9620.

Screenings/ImmunizationsIndependenceEVENING IMMUNIZaTION clinics, 1:30 to 7 p.m.

Monday, Jackson County Health Department, 313 S. Liberty St. 404-6415.

hEaLTh SCrEENINGS for those 50 years and older, 10 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Palmer Center. Screenings for blood sugar, blood pressure and diabetic foot screenings. Free. 325-6200.

Blue SpringsdIaBETIC FOOT SCrEENINGS, sponsored by St.

Mary’s Medical Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Vesper Hall. Free. 228-0181.

Support groupsIndependencedOMESTIC VIOLENCE GrOUp for men, 6 to 8

p.m. Monday, Family Conservancy of Eastern Jackson County. 373-7577.

aLZhEIMEr’S SUppOrT GrOUp, 10 a.m. Tuesday, Villages of Jackson Creek-Memory Care. Free and open to the public. Call Monica Benson, 478-5689.

MULTIpLE SCLErOSIS, 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Red Lobster. 833-4151.

MOMS OFF METh, 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, First Christian Church, Room 206. Free. Terri, 210-9574.

– Jillayne Ritchie

health Tuesday, March 1, 2011 Page 7

healthCALENDAR YourTAkE Do you think social networking sites, including Facebook, are good for one's overall health? Why or why not?

KAitLyN HADfiELD, blue springsi would say that it’s not. i guess they’re good because you can keep in touch with people, but a lot of kids say they get addicted to it.

BrADy PHiLLiPS, blue springsi don’t think they are. From my expe-rience, it interrupted me from the things that i should have been doing, like running or studying.

ALEx ANDErSoNi think they are good because you can reunite with other friends.

– Jeff Martin

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A truly innovative concept in post-acute care, designed especially for women, doesn’t just meet the needs of those re-covering from an acute illness, injury or exacerbation of a disease process.

Carmel Hills Long Term CareOur long term care services are designed for individu-als who need 24 hour nurs-ing care. Theses residents may be chronically ill, frail, or experiencing a very slow recovery from an illness or injury. Our long term care units offer private and semi-private rooms including room furnishings, multiple common areas and dining lounges. We offer respite care or vacation care that al-lows families an opportunity to take a brief break from the demands of round- the- clock care giving.

Sunset Place at Carmel HillsThe dedicated Alzheimer’s Unit offers dedicated, caring and compassionate staff well trained to assist residents in living their lives to the full-est. We offer structured ac-tivities designed to maximize interaction with each resi-dent. Personalized behav-ioral management designed to encourage participation in a calm environment. We provide semi private and pri-vate rooms, complimentary cable television, nutritionally balanced meals and rehabili-tation services.

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