Health Watch January 2012

IN THIS ISSUENumber of older moms increasingpage 16

Dental implants can replace missing teethpage 2

HEALTHWATCHHEALTHWA

North Georgia’s Health & Prevention Magazine

Don’t let New Year’s Resolution leave you ‘strained’page 4

FEATURING

Pages 12-13

� Sunday, January 29, 2012 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

By Megan [email protected]

Looking for a way to fix yourbrokentooth?Maybeyouwouldlike to secure your dentures tokeep them from easily fallingout.Ifyouareinanyofthesesit-uations, dental implants may bethesolutionforyou.

“Dental implants are titaniumscrews that go down into thebone,” Dr. Michael Vetter, den-tist at the Gainesville DentalGroup,said.

A dental implant consists ofthree parts, according to Vet-ter. The first part is the actualimplant thatgoes intothebone.Thesecondpartiscalledanabut-mentthatgoesontopoftheim-plant and on which a crown willsit. The third part is the crown,whichlookslikeanormaltooth.

“You can use it to replace asingletooth,multipleteethortosecuredentures,”Vettersaid.

Otheralternativesforreplacingteeth include removable partialsand bridges. However, the treat-mentscanmakeithardtoflossinthe affected areas.You can flossaround dental implants.The im-plantsalsolooklikenaturalteeth,sonobodycanreallytellthatyouhadtheproceduredone.

“They function well,” Dr. Vet-ter said of additional benefits ofimplants.“There is a 96 percentsuccess rate. They are very suc-cessful.”

The process of putting in theimplant has many steps. Thefirst step includes removing anyremainingtooththatiswheretheimplantisbeingput.

Second, an osteotomy is per-

Dental implants can replace missing teeth

SCOTT ROGERS | The TimesA x-ray from The Gainesville Dental Group shows a dental implant placed in a patients mouth

KRT Infographics, Philadelphia Inquirer/ KIRK MONTGOMERY

Individual anchors are embedded in the jaw. In about six months, the jawbone grows close against the anchors, holding them firmly in place.

A small metal piece, called an abutment, is attached to each of the anchors.

A false tooth attaches to the abutment. This usually requires several fittings and may take one to two months to complete.

How dental implants workAbutmentAnchor

Falsetooth

5/25/92

Please see Dental page 3

Sunday, January 29, 2012 �gainesvilletimes comThe Times, Gainesville, Georgia |

formed. Dr. Vetter said this in-cludes “…making room for theimplantwithasetofdrills.”

“Implants will come in differ-ent sizes,” he said. “You custommake the bone to fit the im-plant.”

Youcanalsoaddabonegraftifyouneedit.Thelaststepincludestheplacingoftheimplantintothebone. In all, the process takesabout an hour to an hour and ahalf.

“You let it sit 8-12 weeks toheal,” Dr. Vetter said. Some-times,ittakesalittlelonger.

For those who have complexsituationssuchassealinginden-tures, or who are nervous and

prefer sedation, an oral surgeoncan install the implantwhileyouaresedated.

The procedure can be costly,rangingfrom$4,000to$5,000fora single implant. However, Vet-tersaidtherearesomeinsurancepoliciesthatwillcovertheproce-dure,andsomedentistsallowforpaymentovertime.

Vettersaidyouhavetolookatitasalongtimeinvestment.

“Worst case scenario, you haveto replace the crown once ev-ery 15-20 years, but most likelynever,” he said. “Every patientthat has done it has been satis-fied.”

The risks include infectionaroundtheimplant,andsomepa-tientswhogettheimplantinthelower jaw can experience somenumbness. However, Vetter saidthatonlyhappenstoabout1per-centofpatientswhoundergothe

procedure.“The risks are very minimal,”

hesaid.Vetter said if you are healthy

andhaveagoodbonequality,youcanbeacandidatefordentalim-

plants.“They are fantastic ways to re-

storetheteeth,”hesaid.“Ifitwasme in the situation, I would getthe implant because it’s in thereforgood.”

DentalContinued from page 2

SCOTT ROGERS | The TimesA dental implant from The Gainesville Dental Group.

By Savannah [email protected]

This year you’ve resolved toloseweightandgetinshape.

You’ve joined a gym, boughtsomesnazzythreadsforyournewactive lifestyle and are ready tohitthegroundrunning.

Ofcourseyouexpecttobesoreafter your intense workouts, butshould you be this sore? Shouldyoubeinpain?

“Generally speaking, musclesoreness due to a new activitywillgoawaywithin72hoursevenif you continue the activity. If itdoesn’tgoawaywithin72hoursit’s not because your musclesaren’t used to the activity,” saidDr. Amy Borrow, orthopedic sur-geonwithOrthopedicsandSports

Medicine at The LongstreetClinic.

Borrow said she sees an in-crease in “overuse injuries” this

timeofyear.“Those are injuries that you

don’t actually have a traumaticevent … they are more injuries

whereyoucan’tpinpointthetimeit actually happened,” Borrowsaid.

Youdon’tactuallyhavetobeanathleteorevenexercisetogetanoveruseinjury.

“Anyonecangetanoverusein-jury and not all overuse injuriesare related to athletics. Tenniselbow is something very com-monthatpeoplegetandyoudon’thavetoplaytennistoget it,youcanget it fromusingahammer,”Borrowsaid.

Other injuries that are com-mon among athletes are strainsand sprains, which can happenwhenasuddenmovementover-stretchesor tears theconnectivetissue around a joint or muscle.

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Don’t let your resolution leave you hurting

Please see Hurt page 5

SCOTT ROGERS | The TimesDr. Amy Borrow meets with patient Blake Stewart at her Buford office of The Longstreet Clinic Orthopedics and Sports Medicine.

www.trinitylifestyles.com


A sprain occurs in the muscleor tendon(theconnectivetissueconnecting muscle to bone). Astrain involves overstretchinga ligament (the connective tis-sue connecting bones to otherbones).

Depending on the activity orsport there are specific jointsthat are more susceptible to in-jurythanothers.

“If you’re playing more sports,anklesprainsaremorecommon.Ifyou’remoreworkingoutinthegym,shoulder;moreonthefield,ankle and knees are more com-mon,” said Dr. John Vachtseva-nos, orthopedic surgeon withSpecialty Clinics of Georgia Or-thopaedics.

Ifyoususpectthatpaininyourankle might be from overuse orbecause of a sprain or strain,thebestplanistotakeiteasyfora while. Borrow recommendstreating your slight injury athome with RICE (rest, ice, com-pression and elevation) and tak-ing an over-the-counter painreliever like Tylenol or ibupro-fen,thoughshecautionsagainsttaking medication you’ve nevertriedbefore.

“If you have significant swell-ing, if it’s more pain rather thansoreness, if it’s persistently pain-ful, that would be a red flag. Ifyoucan’tbearweighton itafteracoupleofdaysthat’stypicallyabadsign,”Vachtsevanossaid.

Dependingoftheseverityoftheinjuryitcouldtakeafewdaystosixmonthstoheal,butmostoftenitwilltakeaboutsixweekstogetbacktoworkingoutatthesamelevel.

“We sort of use that six weeks

asanaverage,butitdependsontheseverityandotherhealthfac-tors like age and diabetes,” Bor-rowsaid.

A lot of people abandon theirplans for a healthy year afterthey suffer an injury. While thetimeittakestohealcouldbenchyour plans for a while, there arethingsyoucandountilyourbodyisreadytopickupthepace.

“We usually try to get peopletocrosstraininsomeway,shapeorform.Let’ssayyouinjureyourankle and you’re a runner. Youcan ride a stationary bike orswim,”Borrowsaid.

It is importanttostayactive insomewaywhilerecoveringfroman injury if you intend to keepyour resolution. Borrow said foras long as a muscle is immobi-lized,eitherinacastoraboot,ittakesfourtimesaslongtoregainthatstrength.

“People would be surprisedhowmuchfitnessyou lose insixweeks,”Borrowsaid.

The best way to keep your fit-ness resolution and to achievetheresultsyou’relookingforistoavoidaninjuryinthefirstplace.

Vachtsevanos said people whomay have been very athleticin the past who are just return-ing to a regular fitness routineshouldn’texpecttopickupwheretheyleftoff.Thebodytakestimetoadjusttoanyincreaseinphysi-calactivity.Healsorecommendsthat people who have a chronicmedical condition see their doc-tor before beginning any exer-ciseprogram.

“Ifyouhaven’tbeenexercisingforalongtimegraduallygetintoit,”Vachtsevanossaid.

“Make sure you warm up andstretchoutbeforeandcooldownafterwards. Start slow and workup slowly rather than going fullforceyourfirstdayinthegym.”

HurtContinued from page 4


BY MEGHAN [email protected]

Dr. J. Jeffrey Marshall of theNortheast Georgia Heart Centerhasbeenelectedasthenextpres-ident of the Society for CardiacAngiography and Intervention(SCAI).

Voted as one of U.S. News andWorld Report’s“Top Doctors” for2011-2012andselectedasoneoftheBestDoctorsinAmericafrom2003-2012, Marshall carries im-pressive credentials to back hisnomination. Marshall has beeninvolvedwithSCAIformorethan15 years, including membershipontheexecutivecommittee.

Working his way through theranks, Marshall was selected aspresident-elect by a nominationcommitteecomposedofdoctorsfromaroundtheworld.

“ThegoalofSCAIistopromoteeducation and research for lessevasive treatments, for fellowsand doctors as well as the pa-tients,”explainedMarshall.

SCAI’s mission focuses on de-veloping more and better waysto treat cardiac patients withoutopen heart surgery, such as car-diac catheterization and angi-ography. The organization alsofocusesonadvocacyandsettinghigh quality standards and per-sonalized care for patients elect-ingthesenewerprocedures.

“In catheter-based procedures,atubeisthreadedtotheproblemareathroughanincisionmadeinthewristor leg.Weuseballoonsand stents to clear the block-age and prevent from recurrentbuild-up,”saidMarshall.

“It cuts recovery time, which iswhy less evasive procedures are

the preference, especially forolderpatients.”

As president of SCAI, Marshallwill serveasexecutive leader for4,000doctorsacrosstheworld,aswellasactingasliaisonfortheor-ganizationandattendingnumer-ous conferences in both the U.S.andabroad.Hesaidheisgratefulto have the support of his peersat Northeast Georgia Heart Cen-ter.

“They’ve been very magnani-

mousaboutlettingmedothis.Mypartnershaveto takeoverwhenI’m out of town on society busi-ness,” Marshall said. “They havetotakeextracallsandworkextrashiftswhileI’maway.”

Founded intheearly,60s,SCAIstrives to provide educationand information to its membersaroundtheglobe,holdingconfer-ences inadditionto releasing itsownpublicationandjournal.Thismonth,Marshallwillbetraveling

to India for the largest confer-ence for India and New Delhi,sharingnewtechniquesfromthestates.

“SCAI is an important, worth-whileorganizationthatwillmakea difference in the future,” Mar-shallsaid.

Marshall will begin his year-long term as president in May.For more information aboutSCAI, visit its website: www.scai.org.

Local doctor to head international medical organization

SCOTT ROGERS | The TimesJ. Jeffrey Marshall, MD. Medical Director of Cardiac Cath Labs, Northeast Georgia Medical Center.


2061 Beverly Road • Gainesville, GA 30501 • GainesvilleEye.com • 770.532.4444

Bladeless, breakthrough technology has come to Northeast Georgia at Gainesville Eye Associates, the rst practice in Georgia to offer state-of-the-art laser cataract surgery.

One of the safest, most accurate and effective cataract-surgery procedures performed today, it is virtually pain-free and offers a faster recovery. This laser surgery is performed to exact individualized speci cations, unlike any other cataract-removal techniques.

Like traditional cataract surgery, an incision is made in the eye, the natural clouded lens is removed and a new lens is inserted. The laser replaces the traditional hand-held blade to allow the most precise and smallest possible incision, about 1/18th inch.

Gainesville Eye Associates is able to offer even more options in cataract lenses with this bladeless surgery that correct not only your cataracts, but your overall vision as well. That means improved-quality distance vision and decreased dependency on glasses.

Only a few ophthalmology practices across the country provide this high level of technology, with fewer than 100 LenSx lasers in the world. You can nd it right here at Gainesville Eye Associates.

Stephen J. Farkas, M.D. Jack M. Chapman Jr., M.D. Clayton G. Blehm, M.D. Lori C. Lebow, M.D. S. Michael Veach, O.D.

Gainesville Eye Associates introduces bladeless laser cataract surgery

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Ulcer? Blame bacteria, not stressBy Savannah King

[email protected]

Certain pain medications and bac-teria called Helicobacter pylori, notstress or spicy cuisine, are to blameforpainfulpepticulcers.

Peptic ulcers are small holes inthe protective lining of the stomach,esophagus and upper portion of thesmallintestine.

The majority of ulcers come frombacteriathatliveinthestomachcalledH. pylori.The bacterium disrupts themucosalliningofthestomachandanulcer forms. Acid from the stomachthen irritates the ulcer and causes aburning sensation. The bacteria canalso put patients at an increased riskforstomachcancer.

“The bacteria is pretty common inthe United States and worldwide. Ifyou look at it probably 40 to 50 per-centofthepopulationhaveH.pyloriin their stomachs but most of themare asymptomatic or don’t developulcers,” Dr. Stephen Moors, gastro-enterologist at Gastroenterology As-sociatesofGainesville,said.

Ulcers can also develop as a resultof taking certain medications includ-ingaspirin,ibuprofen,andothersthataretypicallyintendedtoeasearthritispain.However,80percentofpatientswith ulcers test positive for H. pylori,Mooresaid.

Moore said the lifetime risk of de-veloping ulcers in the U.S. is aboutfiveto10percent.

Themostcommonsymptomsofanulcer are pain that can be better orworsewithfood,possiblynauseaandvomitingorweightloss.

Thereareafewwaysdoctorscheckfor the presence of H. pylori in thebody. Doctors can use a blood test,stool test or breath test to check forthe bacteria. Depending on the situ-ationthedoctormaydecidetodoanendoscopy,aprocessinwhichasmall

tubewithalensispassedthroughthethroatandintothestomachtovisuallycheckforthepresenceofulcers.Yourdoctormayalsorecommendanx-rayoftheupperdigestivetract.

If leftuntreatedulcerscandevelopcomplications thatcould requiresur-gery.

“Themostcommoncomplicationisbleeding, where they actually vomitorpassblood,orperforationthroughthe wall of the intestine,” Mooresaid.“You can get obstruction whereanulcercausesscarringandpreventsfoodfromleavingthestomach.”

As bad as that sounds, most ulcersare treatable with antibiotics andothermedicationsthatinhibitthepro-duction of stomach acids.The ulcershealafterafewweeks.

“Wehavebettermedicinenowthanintheolddays.Weseea lot lesssur-geriesnowthanwedidintheolddaysbeforesay1980,”Mooresaid.

Though the bacteria H. pylori hasbeen know to cause ulcers for thelast 30 years, there is still plenty ofoutdated information being passedaround.

“Stress is not a big factor. It wasthoughtitwasafactorinthepastbutthathasprettymuchbeendisproven.The majority of ulcers we see todaycomefrombacteriaandtoalesserex-tentfrommedications,”Mooresaid.

Smokinganddrinking,thoughtheycanraisetheriskofdevelopingulcersslightly, have been discredited withcausingthem.Spicyfoodisn’trespon-sibleeither.

“Intheolddaysbeforewehadulcermedicinespeopledranka lotofmilkto try and help their ulcers and treattheir ulcers. Milk has a lot of proteinand calcium and probably providestemporary relief but it may increasethe amount of acid in your stomachand may make it worse in the longrun,”Mooresaid.

Today there are several over-the-

countermedicationsthatcaneaseul-cer symptoms and prescription anti-bioticsthatcaneliminatethecause.

“We all have little stomach achesfrom time to time so unless yoursymptoms are persistent you reallydon’tneedtoseeadoctor.That’swhy

youseewhenyoubuyover-the-coun-ter Prilosec it’ll say don’t take formore than 14 days without seeing adoctor.That’s really justsoyouknowifyouhavesymptoms that lastmorethan14daysyououghttoseeadoc-tor,”Mooresaid.

SCOTT ROGERS | The TimesDr. Namita Pareek checks over a patient’s file Jan. 17 inside the offices of the Gastroenterology Associates of Gainesville.


Heritage welcomes Jeffrey Ward, MD, to the practiceDr. Ward received his Medical Degree from

Mercer University, and he is a member of

the American College of Obstetrics

and Gynecology. Dr. Ward has over a

decade of experience practicing OB/GYN.

Call to make your appointment:

770 531-1515

theheritageobgyn.com

668 Lanier Park DriveGainesville, Ga 30501

Clayton L. Cox, MD Stephen Little, MD

D. Holt Harrison, MD Francis T. Lake, Jr., MDTiffany Tucker, CNM

NEW OFFICE:2695 Old Winder Hwy | Suite 250

Braselton, Ga 30517

By Jeannine SteinLos Angeles Times

Men who are narcissists mayhave inherently higher levelsof the stress-related hormonecortisol even when they’re notunderpressure,astudyfinds.

Cortisol, which is releasedby the body during intense ac-tivity or stress, can have somebenefits — lending an energysurge, helping the body burnfat, and boosting memory. Buttoomuchcortisol fromchronicstresscancausesuchproblemsashigherbloodpressure, lowerimmunity and higher levels ofabdominalfat.

Researchers tested the salivaof 106 undergraduate students(79 women, 27 men) twice in

a laboratory setting to checktheir cortisol levels. At thosetimesthestudentswerenotun-derstress.

They also filled out a 40-question narcissism test thatfocuses on different aspectsof the personality trait, withquestion such as,“I know thatI am good because everybodykeeps telling me so,” and “If Iruled the world it would be abetter place.” Healthy narcis-sism (acceptable levels of self-worth) was distinguished fromunhealthy narcissism (exagger-ated self-importance, low em-pathy). Those with unhealthynarcissism may feel stress andact more aggressively, the re-searchers said, when they feeltheiregoandperceivedauthor-

ityarethreatened.The tests revealed that nar-

cissism was linked to higherlevels of cortisol, especially inmen, after adjusting for factorssuch as general stress levels,mood, social support and rela-tionshipstatus.Whenresearch-ers compared healthy and un-healthy narcissism, they foundan association between highercortisol and unhealthy nar-cissism in men, but in womenthat relationshipwasonlymar-ginal. There was no link foundbetween higher cortisol andhealthy narcissism in men orwomen.

“Narcissisticmenmaybepay-ingahighpriceintermsoftheirphysical health, in addition tothe psychological cost to their

relationships,” Sara Konrathof the University of Michigan,co-authorofthestudy,saidinanewsrelease.

The authors noted that moreresearch is needed to deter-mine why men who are narcis-sists have higher cortisol levelscompared with women. In therelease, Konrath said, “Givensocietal definitions of mascu-linity that overlap with narcis-sism—for example, the beliefthat men should be arrogantand dominant—men who en-dorse stereotypically male sexroles and who are also high innarcissism may feel especiallystressed.”

The study was released thismonth in the journal PLoSOne.

Narcissism may be hazardous to men’s health

www.ngheartcenter.com

www.theheritageobgyn.com

10 Sunday, January 29, 2012 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

By Rex HuppkeChicago Tribune

Have you heard about thehighlycontagiouskoalafluthatturns people into horrifying,albeit adorable, zombie mar-supialswhosubsistonlyonhu-manthighmeatandeucalyptusleaves?

No, you haven’t, because ithasn’t happened — yet. Whenitdoes,we’reprobablyallgoingtogetitbecauseofannoyingco-workerswhoinsistoncomingtotheofficewhenthey’resick.

Yep, humanity will meet itsend thanks to Marge down inaccounts receivable, who fig-ured,despitethebadfeverandhunger for human flesh, she’dsuckitupandcometowork.

That apocalyptic scenariomight be slightly exaggerated,but itgets to theheartofa re-cent question from a readerwhohashaditwiththesocialistredistributionofgerms:Whatisit about the modern-day workenvironment that encouragesdisease-carrying co-workerstocome inandspread theirvi-rusesaroundtheofficepark?

Turns out there are a couplethingsatplayhere.

First, there’s an illogicalsense in most workplaces thatcomingtoworkwhenyou’reun-der the weather demonstratesthat you’re a strong, devotedemployee. That “I can workthrough anything” sensibilityisoftencoupledwithafearthatcalling in sick will be viewednegativelybymanagement.

A 2010 study by the National

OpinionResearchCenterattheUniversity of Chicago foundthatnearly40percentofwork-erswhosecompaniesgavethempaidsickdaysstillreportedgo-ing to work with a contagiousillnesssuchastheflu.

That’sbadenough.Butoftheestimated 43 million U.S. work-erswhodon’tgetpaidsicktime,55percentwillgotoworkwhileill.

To put that in slightly morestomach-turning terms, ac-cording to the National Part-nership for Women & Families,paidsickleaveisunavailabletonearly 80 percent of food ser-viceandhotelworkers.

Blech.“At the core, this is a public

health issue,” said Vicki Shabo,director of work and familyprograms at the National Part-nership for Women & Fami-lies. “This is about people notserving food while they’re sick

andnot takingcareofchildrenwhen they’re sick. But the rea-

sonthatit’sapublichealthissue

Many employees are on the job even when sick

Please see Sick at work page 11

www.georgiahealthplansnow.com

Sunday, January 29, 2012 11gainesvilletimes comThe Times, Gainesville, Georgia |

is there’s an economic impera-tive for people to be going towork,especiallyinthisbusinessclimate. People can’t afford tostayhomeandtheycan’taffordtomisswork.”

There’s a growing nationalpush to require companies, atleast those of a certain size, toallow workers to accrue sicktime.

In 2007, San Francisco be-came the first U.S. city with apaid-sick-leave ordinance, al-lowing workers to accrue fiveor nine paid sick days a year,

depending on the size of theircompany. Seattle’s City Coun-cil passed a similar ordinancein September, and Connecticutpassedastatewidesick-daylawlastyear.

“There’s definitely a move-ment,andit’sanissuethatalotofgroupshavechosentofocuson,” said Kevin Miller, a seniorresearch associate at the Insti-tute for Women’s Policy Re-search.

Miller’s group did a recentstudy of the San Francisco or-dinanceandfoundthatthetyp-ical worker used only three ofthe available sick days, and 25percent didn’t use any. That’sa good indication that peoplearen’t taking advantage of thesystem.

Employees also reported thattheir companies become moresupportive of sick days being

used when necessary, and sixoutofsevenemployerssaidim-plementing the ordinance didnothurtprofitability.

Granted, that’s one study ofone city. But it certainly seemslogicalthatacompanycanben-efit fromallowingworkerspaidtimeoff:Youreducethespreadof illness, which could ham-per other workers; you buildworker morale and can betterretain good people; and, dare Isay, it’s simply the right thingtodo.

At the heart of all of this,whether you receive paid sickdaysandareafraidtousethemor get no sick days, is trust. Aworker should never feel likehe has to drag his weary bodyintotheofficejusttobemarkedpresentfortheday.Andaman-agershouldbeabletotrusttheworkersheorsheoverseesand

believe that when they call insick, they’re truly sick, or haveasickchildtotendto.

Easy to say, difficult toachieve,Iknow.Butit’sanidealworthstrivingfor.

Ifyouworkinanofficewherethere’s a sense that calling insickwillbefrownedupon,bringituptoyourboss.There’sagoodchance that the perception isinaccurate and the boss caresmorethanyouthinkaboutkeep-ing employees healthy. And anupfront and honest discussionabout a disconnect betweenmanagement and employeesisn’tgoingtodoanyharm.

Nobody wants to sit next to,or near, a coughing and hack-ing co-worker spewing germslike a confetti cannon. So usethose sick days if you need to,and fight for them if you don’thavethem.

Sick at workContinued from page 10

www.scgpain.com

1� Sunday, January 29, 2012 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

Sunday, January 29, 2012 1�gainesvilletimes comThe Times, Gainesville, Georgia |

www.ghvg.net


By Shari RoanLos Angeles Times

After a 30-year, record-shatter-ingrise,U.S.obesityratesappeartobestabilizing.

New statistics cited in two pa-pers report only a slight upticksince 2005 — leaving publichealth experts tentatively opti-mistic that they may be gainingsome ground in their efforts toslimdownthenation.

Manyobesityspecialistssaythenew data, from the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention,areasignthatefforts toaddressthe obesity problem — such asplacing nutritional informationon food packaging and revisingschoollunchmenus—arebegin-ningtohaveaneffect inacoun-

trywheretwo-thirdsofadultsandone-third of children and teensareoverweightorobese.

“Agoodfirststepistostoptheincrease, so I think this is verypositive news,” said James O.Hill, director of the Center forHuman Nutrition at the Univer-sity of Colorado Health SciencesCenterinDenver.“Itmaysuggestoureffortsarestartingtomakeadifference. The bad news is westill have obesity rates that arejustastronomical.”

Historically, there was littlechange in Americans’ sizes from1960 through 1980. But obesityrates soared from the mid-1970sthroughtheendofthecentury,forreasonsthatarestilldebated.

Thenewstudiesreflect2009-10data, the most recent available,

from the government’s NationalHealth and Nutrition Examina-tion Survey, which examined6,000 adults and 4,111 children,measuring their body mass in-dex,amongother items.Thougha number of organizations mea-sure obesity rates, the survey’sdata are considered among themostaccurate.

Thestatisticsshowedthatmorethan35percentofU.S.adults(78million people) are obese, de-fined as having a body mass in-dexof30orgreater.That issimi-lartothe2005-06rate.Calculatedas weight in kilograms dividedbyheight inmeterssquared, theBMI is not a perfect measure offatness but is still viewed as thegoldstandardinassessingpopu-lation-widetrends.

Anadditionalthirdofadultsareoverweight, the analysis found,also similar to the rates in 2005-06.

Likewise, data in children andteenagers from birth to age 19reflect little change from thesurvey’s 2007-08 data, accordingto the reports, which were pub-lished online in the Journal ofthe American Medical Associa-tion.Almost17percentareobeseand32percentareoverweightorobese.

But though obesity rates maybe flattening overall, increasesanddisparitiescanstillbe foundin specific racial and ethnicgroups.

Rates have risen to 58.5 per-

Obesity rates in U.S. finally leveling off

Please see Obesity page 15

Tracking a health problemU.S. obesity rates have climbed for men and boys and stabilized for women and girls.

© 2012 MCT

Child and teen obesity rates2 to 19 years of age

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health and Nutrition Examination SurveyGraphic: Los Angeles Times

Õ99-00 Õ03-04 Õ09-10Õ60-62 Õ71-74 Õ76-80 Õ88-94 Õ99-02 Õ05-08 Õ09-10

18.6%

15%

Boys GirlsMen Women

NOTE: Obesity is defined in children and teens as being at/above the 95th percentile of body mass index for age growth charts.

Adult obesity rates Age 20 and older

10.7%

35.5%35.8%

15.7%

0

10

20

30

40

50%

0

5

10

15

20

25%


Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic is pleased toannounce the addition of Dr. Richard Blatt to theDepartment of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Blatt earned his undergraduate degree from theUniversity of Georgia in Athens, GA. He completed hismedical degree at the Medical College of Georgia inAugusta, GA. Dr. Blatt completed his Internship and

Residency training in Internal Medicine at Emory University School ofMedicine in Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Blatt is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and is a member ofAmerican Medical Association and American College of Physicians.

New patient appointments withDr. Blatt can be

scheduled now bycontacting our office at

770-536-9864.

Richard E. Blatt, MD, to joinNortheast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic Department of Internal Medicine in April 2012

1240 Jesse Jewell • Suite 500 • Gainesville, GA 30501770-536-9864 • www.ngdc.com

cent among non-Hispanic blackwomen and to nearly 45 per-cent among Mexican Americanwomen since 2004, for example.And among children and teens,about 21 percent of Hispanicsand 24 percent of blacks areobesecomparedwith14percentofnon-Hispanicwhites.

The report also found thatgender differences appear tobe fading, with percentages ofoverweight males catching upwithorevenovertakingthoseoffemales.

Amongmalesunder19,obesityrose from 14 percent in 1999-2000to18.6percentinthelatestsurvey; in adult men, the ratejumpedfrom27.5percentto35.5

percent.In addition, more adult men

are now overweight or obese ascompared with women — 73.9percent to 63.7 percent. Severeobesity remains more commoninwomen,however.

“We found no indication thatthe prevalence of obesity is de-clininginanygroup,”theauthorswroteinoneofthepapers,whichlooked at obesity rates amongadults.

It’s not clear why obesity ratesare still rising in some groupswhile stabilizing in others, saidCynthia L. Ogden, a co-authorof the papers and a researcherat the CDC.“All we can do is tobe happy that there are no in-creases.”

But thebestbetofsome lead-ingobesityexpertsisthatobesityprevention initiatives in somepockets of the country are pay-ingoff.

The Let’s Move! programfounded by first lady MichelleObama has raised nationalawareness through actions suchas persuadingWal-Mart to stockmore healthful foods and work-ingwithprofessionalsportsorga-nizationstocreatepublicserviceannouncements encouragingchildrentoexercise.

Certain states, including Cali-fornia, have made obesity pre-vention a major health goalthrough measures to reduce ac-cess to sugary drinks and high-calorie, unhealthful snacks inschools.

A University of California, LosAngeles, study released in No-vember showed obesity ratesticking down in some parts ofthestatebetween2005and2010,including a decline of 2.5 per-cent inLosAngelesCounty.Andresearch published last monthfound obesity rates in NewYork

City children fell 5 percent be-tween the 2006-07 and 2010-11schoolyears.

Since obesity contributes tojointdamageaswellasdiseasessuch as diabetes, heart diseaseand certain cancers, the epi-demic truly is a national crisis,said Patrick M. O’Neil, presidentoftheObesitySocietyanddirec-tor of the weight managementcenter at the Medical UniversityofSouthCarolinainCharleston.

“Even if the statistics stay atcurrent prevalence rates, I seelittle good news in that,” O’Neilsaid.

Peopleshouldlooktotheirownlivesand individualexperiences,andstriveforprogressbyeatingmore healthfully and exercisingmore,hesaid.

“Onapopulationbasisyouaretrying to turn an aircraft carrier,andit’sgoingtotakealongtimeforittochange,”hesaid.

ObesityContinued from page 14

www.ddsga.com


By Harry Jackson Jr.St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Becoming pregnant at age 47wasn’t a worry for Robin Brus-sel. “I enjoyed every minute ofbeingpregnant,”shesaid.

Still, it was a surprise. “IthoughtIwasgoingthroughpre-menopause,” she said. “It justhappened.”

Brussel, now 48, gave birthin December to a 6-pound, 10-ounce boy named Noah shecarried for 39 weeks. He wasa cesarean birth, as were herfour older children, ages 18 to28.Noahwasthefirstchildbornto her and her husband, MarkBrussel, 56. They’ve been mar-riednearlyfouryears.

Their family includes Robin’schildren, plus Mark’s two chil-dren;hisoldestis36.

“When Noah came home, allthe kids were there; everyonewanted to hold him,” she said.“Hewasverywelcome.”

She chuckled that the newbaby already is an uncle to thecouple’s grandchildren who areintheirmid-teens.

Noah’s arrival wasn’t the mosttryingpartofherrecentlife.

In recent years, she has hadsurgery to remove a vascularcondition, similar to a brain an-eurysm, and surgery to removean abdominal tumor that costheronekidney.

Duringthepregnancy,shede-velopedgestationaldiabetesanda rapid heartbeat. She has cho-sennottobreast-feedbecauseofthemedicationsshe’staking.

“None of that was a threat tothe child,” said Dr. Raul Artal,Brussel’s physician during her

pregnancy.“Wejustkeptacloseeye on her, and the child washealthythroughout.

“Ithinkwemeteveryweekandshe followed every instructionto the letter,” said Artal, head ofthedepartmentofobstetricsandgynecologyandwomen’shealthat St. Louis University.“She wasanidealpatient.”

Artal called Brussel’s caseunique. Any pregnancy over 35is defined by the National Insti-tutesofHealthashigh-risk.But,“All pregnancies are risky,” Ar-tal said. As a woman gets older,theriskincreasesforissuessuchasgeneticdisordersandmiscar-riage.

Brussel’s pregnancy passedall of the tests trouble-free, hesaid.

“I can’t say this happens a lot,but I have seen a few in my ca-reer,”hesaid.

Artal is a specialist with riskypregnancies.

Many pregnancies later in lifetendtobethroughinvitrofertil-ization,hesaid.Butstatisticsarevague because record keepersoftendon’tdistinguishbetweennaturalandassistedconceptionssuchasinvitrofertilization.

The National Vital StatisticsReport,issuedbytheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,saysthenumberofwomenhav-ing children after age 45 is theonly U.S. birth rate that has in-creased, trending upward since1992. Other ages for birth rateshavedecreased.

Birthstowomenages45to49rose3percentfrom2008to2009.In context, however, that stillamountedtoonlyafewhundredtotalbirths.In2009theyounger

age groups accounted for 4.3millionbirths.

“When she told me she waspregnant, I said, ‘Unbelievable.It’sgottabeamistake,yougottago to the doctor,’” Mark Brusselsaid.

“My concern was that theywere healthy,” he added.“Whenthe doctor said that, I was ex-citedaboutit.”

Being a dad at this age willhelp keep him young, he said.Teaching Noah how to throw abaseball and other sports, “I’msuregonnatry,”hesaid.

He is looking forward to fa-therhooddutiesdespitehisage.“I like it,” he said. “... I lost adaughterwhenshewas18yearsoldinacaraccident.MaybethisisGod’swayofrepayingme.”

Pregnant at 47? She enjoyed every minute

Robin Brussel, 48, holds her five week-old son Noah Brussel as she checks on her granddaughter Joey Fowler

www.trinitylifestyles.com


AdvertorialGainesville Eye Associates

Cataractsare the leadingcauseofvisionlossinadultsage55andolder,buttechnologicaladvancesoverthe last30yearshavemadethe surgery to treat cataracts amuch simpler and safer proce-dure.

Today, the ophthalmologists atGainesville Eye Associates per-form the surgery in less than 15minutesat theirGainesvilleprac-tice, and recovery time is a mat-ter of hours. As recently as the1980s,cataractsurgerywasdonein a hospital with recovery timeinvolvingweeksof limitedmove-ment.

Just how far have we come intreating cataracts? GainesvilleEye Associates ophthalmolo-gists Dr. Jack Chapman Jr. andDr. Clayton Blehm recently per-formed the first bladeless lasercataract surgeries in the state ofGeorgia.

The bladeless surgery uses acomputer-controlled laser thatallows the eye surgeons to planand perform the surgery to ex-act, individual specifications notattainable with other surgicalprocedures.

“Thenewlasertechnologygivesus more precision than manualtechniques. It’s much less inva-sive when removing the cataractfromtheeye,andithelpsimprovelens placement,” Chapman said.“Thebenefittothepatientisthatlaser surgery is safer, more accu-rate, and it offers a faster recov-ery. It also minimizes changes torefractory vision, meaning fewer

patients develop astigmatism orother vision problems after thesurgery.”

Some 30 years ago, a cataractsurgerypatientmightspenduptofive days in a hospital with sandbagsoneachsideoftheirheadtolimit movement. Recovery timewouldcontinueforuptosixweeksathomewithlimitedmovement.

Today, the outpatient proce-dure typically takes fewer than15 minutes, and the majority ofpatients experience little to nodiscomfort. They are often ableto resume normal activities, in-cludingdrivingacar,bythenextday.

During the outpatient surgeryat the Gainesville Eye Associatesstate-of-the-art surgery center,the diseased optical lens is re-placed with an intraocular lensor, if necessary, a multifocal in-traocular lens to correct near ordistancevision.

Cataracts are a fact of life formillionsofpeopleworldwideandcan be brought on by any num-ber of factors including heredity,trauma, poor nutrition, over-ex-posure to UV radiation, the useof steroids, diabetes, or (in mostcases)simplygrowingolder.

A cataract is a clouding of thecrystallinelensoftheeyethatcanoccur slowly or quickly. Symp-toms include decreased vision— both at a distance and near—aswellasglareorhalosaffect-ingvision.Somepeoplenoticetheonsetofcataractsquickly;butforothers, it is a gradual process. Ineithercase,itisimportanttohavethesituationaddressed,asignor-ingthesignsofcataractscanlead

toblindness.Cataract surgery is one of

many optical services providedby Gainesville Eye Associates.The largest ophthalmology prac-tice in the area, Gainesville Eyeoffers the full spectrum of sur-gical, medical and optical care.For more than three decades, ithas provided exceptional patientcare and strived to stay on theleading edge of optical technol-ogy. Fifteen years after bringingLASIKsurgery toourcommunity,GainesvilleEyeAssociates isnowthe first practice to offer blade-lesslasercataractsurgery.

Gainesville Eye Associates hasoffices in Gainesville, Cornelia,Blairsville, Hiawassee, Clayton,Braselton and Hayesville, N.C.ItsnewestclinicsarenowopeninSylva, N.C., and Franklin N.C. Tofind out more about GainesvilleEyeAssociates,or toscheduleanappointment,contacttheofficeat770-532-4444.You can also learnmore about the services offeredby Gainesville Eye Associatesby visiting its website at www.gainesvilleeye.com and follow-ingonFacebook(www.facebook.com/gainesvilleeye) and Twitter(@GainesvilleEye).

Gainesville Eye Associates takes lead in new bladeless laser cataract surgery

BladelessLaserCataractSurgeryFacts

•GainesvilleEyeAssociates is the firstGeorgiapractice toofferblade-less laser cataract surgery. Fewer than 200 practices worldwide providetheprocedure.

• Bladeless laser cataract surgery is safer and recovery time is fasterthantraditionalcataractsurgery.

• With bladeless laser cataract surgery, fewer patients develop astig-matismandothervisionproblemsaftersurgery.

•The bladeless cataract surgery uses a computer-controlled laser thatallows theeyesurgeons toplanandperformthesurgery toexact, indi-vidualspecificationsnotattainablewithothersurgicalprocedures.

• The bladeless cataract surgery minimizes changes to refractory vi-sion,meaningfewerpatientsdevelopastigmatismorothervisionprob-lemafterthesurgery.

•Cataractsareacloudingoftheeye’snaturallensthatoccursinpeopleages 55 and older. Nearly all Americans will have cataracts or have hadcataractsurgerybyage80.


By Delthia RicksNewsday

Persistentpainthatlastsweeksto years is an overlooked medi-cal problem that affects morethan 116 million people nation-wideandneedstobethefocusofa public health campaign, doc-torssaidthismonth.

Physicians reporting in theNew England Journal of Medi-cinecitedalonglistofconcerns,including lack of access to pain-management specialists and in-adequate consumer educationabout pain treatment,that theybelieve iscausingpeopletosuf-ferneedlessly.

Authors of the report are call-ing on the medical communitytoeducatemoredoctorscapableof treating people experiencinglong-term,intractablepain.

“That’s like1 in3Americans inpainandthatestimate isnot faroffthemark,basedonwhatIamseeing,” said Dr. Brian Durkin,director of the Center for PainManagement at Stony Brook(N.Y.) University Medical Cen-ter.

“It’sa littleshockingwhenyouthinkabout1outof3peoplebe-inginpain.ButIamgettingcallsevery day,” added Durkin. “Peo-plearenotlookingfornarcotics;they’relookingforpainrelief.”

Dr. Philip Pizzo, dean of Stan-ford University’s medical school,wrotethereport,whichisbasedon research he led last year aschairmanofan InstituteofMed-icine panel. The institute is thehealth division of the NationalAcademyofSciencesandischar-teredbyCongress to investigatehealthconcerns.

Pizzo said round-the-clockacute and chronic pain affectsadults and children, and thatthere is misunderstanding andinsensitivity about persistentpainbyphysiciansandthepub-lic.

Withfewerthan4,000painspe-cialistsnationwide,Pizzosaidit’stime for primary care physicianstostepupandhelpaddresswhathecallsanationwideepidemic.

Durkin said about 50 millionpeopleundergosurgeryannuallyintheUnitedStates,andmanyofthosepatientsaccount forthoseinacutepain.

Thevastnumberofpeoplewhomakeupthemillionsinlong-termdiscomfort generally suffer frompersistent headaches, and neckandlower-backpain,hesaid.

“So116millionisnotthatcrazya number,” Durkin said. “Ourpopulation is getting older, andpeoplearehavingproblems.”

Dr. Lewis Nelson, an emer-gency medicine specialist andclinical toxicologist at NewYorkUniversity Medical Center inManhattan said he doesn’t buythe estimate that nearly 1 in 3Americans are in pain. He alsodoesn’t think there’s a shortageofpainmanagementspecialists.

“If there is so much pain, whyarewejustnowfindingoutaboutit?Whyweren’tpeopleinpain25yearsago?”Nelsonasked.

Nelsonsaidtheestimateofmil-lionsofpeopleinchronicpainisnotonlyoverblown, itoverlooksthe epidemic of prescriptionpainkillerabuse.Hesaidthepainepidemiccanbeplottedalongagraph that also shows a rise inthe worldwide proliferation ofnarcoticpainpills.

Nelson said he too often seesthe flip side of pain treatment:people who have overdosed onprescriptionpainmedication.

“Tosaythatpeople inpainarenotbeingtreatedoverlooksthosewho are being overmedicated—anddying,”hesaid.

Study finds up to 1 in 3 Americans suffer from chronic pain

www.winderpainmanagement.net


www.gastrogainesville.com

�0 Sunday, January 29, 2012 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

By Savannah [email protected]

With today’s economic difficul-ties it comes as no surprise thatmany small businesses close upshop.

When several small local phar-macies recently closed, customersfoundthemselvessuddenlyhavingto pick up their medications fromanotherpharmacy.

“When a pharmacy closes it isrequired by law to transfer thoseprescription records to anotherlicensed pharmacy,” CVS spokes-personMikeDeAngelissaid.

DeAngelis said CVS acquiresthe files of about 200 pharmaciesa year. Last year, CVS purchasedtheprescriptionfilesofthree localpharmacies.

“The process is designed to beseamless for customers,” DeAnge-lissaid.

When a pharmacy closes, thecustomersarenotifiedofwheretopick up their prescriptions in thefuture.

“Someonehastobethecustodianof those prescriptions,” said EddieMimbs, managing pharmacist ofDixie City Pharmacy in Gaines-ville.

Two Dixie City locations closedlast year and sold their prescrip-tionfilestoCVS.

Since the law doesn’t allow filestobegivendirectlytothepatient,the closing pharmacy ensures pa-tientswillhaveaccesstotheirmed-ications through another licensedpharmacist before the store actu-allycloses.

The files contain the patient’sprescriptionhistoryforatleastthelast five years, their age and gen-der,addressandphonenumber,al-

lergies,themedication’snameanddosageandphysicians’namesandcontact information. Some phar-macies may require additional in-formation.

Because the files are only trans-ferredbetweentwolicensedphar-maciesandtheinformationiskeptconfidential, the contents of thepatient’s file are compliant withprivacyregulations.

Oncethepatient’sfileshavebeentransferred,theyarefreetochooseanotherpharmacyiftheyprefer.

“The patient is under no obliga-tions,”Mimbssaid.

Many pharmacies offer incen-tives to encourage customers totransfer their prescriptions. Someoffergiftcardsanddiscountswiththe transfer of a prescription,while others offer a larger supplyforfewerrefills.

No matter where a customerdecides to get their prescriptionfilled, the transferring process isveryquickandeasy.

“Thepatientcaneitherbringthebottle in,orwecancall thephysi-cian, or we can call the pharmacyand have it transferred to us,”Mimbssaid.“It’snotabigdeal.Wedoitanawfulloteveryday.”

Many of the bigger chain phar-macies can transfer their prescrip-tionsonline.

One complication that couldcome from transferring prescrip-tionsistransferringcontrolledsub-stancesacrossstatelines.Depend-ingonthetypeofmedicationandthestatesinvolved,thereisgener-ally a limit on transfers.The phar-macistwillbeabletohelpansweranyspecificquestions.

Mimbs said pharmacists don’tmind getting on the phone andtransferringprescriptions.

“Weallhaveagoodworkingre-lationship because the customer

is our primary concern,” Mimbssaid.

When pharmacies close, records are moved

SCOTT ROGERS | The TimesDixie City Pharmacy Owner Eddie Mimbs fills a prescription at his Jesse Jewell Parkway pharmacy.

www.myheartfeltcare.com

Sunday, January 29, 2012 �1gainesvilletimes comThe Times, Gainesville, Georgia |

KEEPING YOU IN THE GAMEThe Sports Medicine specialists at SCG-Orthopaedics have over 60 years combined experience, and each sportsmedicine physician is fellowship trained in sports medicine. Our team members have expertise in the latestarthroscopic surgery techniques for injuries to the knee, shoulder, ankle and wrist. Our surgeons also treatorthopaedic trauma, injuries to the hand and spine, and offer joint replacement surgery and general orthopaedics.We work with all local athletic trainers to help athletes get back into the game and perform at their peak.

Call us at 770-532-7202 to learn more.Guilford Clinics South Entrance | 1240 Jesse Jewell Parkway

Suite 300 | Gainesville, GA 30501

289939 10-23

By Alexia Elejalde-RuizChicago Tribune

Confused about which carbo-hydratesyoushouldbeeating?

Welcometotheclub.“It’sthebiggestlack-of-consen-

sus issue in the U.S. diet today,”said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian,associate professor of epidemi-ology at Harvard School of Pub-licHealth.“Wedon’thaveastan-dard method for assessing theirquality.”

Carbohydrates, the most com-monofthethreeenergysourceswegetfromfood(theothersarefat and protein), reside in thevastmajorityofourfood,promi-nently in grains, vegetables, le-gumes and fruits. They are es-sentialtogoodhealth—aslongasyousticktothegoodsources

and steer clear of the bad ones,which are linked to obesity anda host of chronic conditions, in-cluding diabetes and heart dis-ease.

Mosthealthexpertsagreethatprocessedfoods,sweetenedbev-erages and refined grains suchas white bread, pasta, flour andrice (which are stripped of theirnutrients) are among the worstkindsofcarbohydrate-richfoodsyoucaneat.

Your digestive system breaksthem down too easily, floodingthe bloodstream with simplesugars (glucose), which in turnpromptsasurgeofthehormoneinsulin to carry the glucose intothe body’s cells, said MichaelRoizen, chairman of the Cleve-landClinicWellnessInstituteandco-founder of realage.com. Too

much blood sugar and insulinfortoolongcanbedangerousonseveral levels: more fat storage,less fat burning, malfunctioningproteins that eventually lead toorgan damage, even cancer cellgrowth, Roizen said. Your brainalsogetsaddictedtothehighglu-cose levels, leaving you cravingmore.

What constitutes a good carb,however,canbetrickier.

It’snotasbasicas“simple”ver-sus “complex,” as fruits containsimple sugars but are a highlydesirablecarbsource.

Rather, four main factors de-termine the quality of a carb,Mozaffarian said: dietary fiber(themorethebetter);howfastitmakesyourbloodsugarrise(akaglycemic index, the lower thebetter);whole-graincontent(the

more the better); and structure(if it’s liquid, milled or pulver-ized,it’snotasgood).

So Cheerios, which are madeof100percentwholegrainoats,getathumbsupforwholegrainandfibercontent,butthepulver-ized nature of the oats makes itinferior to intact whole grains,such as steel-cut oats, Mozaffar-iansaid.

And pasta? It seems like thequintessentialfatteningcarb,butinfactithasalowerglycemicin-dexthanriceorpotatoesandisa“reasonablechoice,”hesaid.

Speaking of potatoes ... thewhiteoneshaveahighglycemicindex, and studies have shownthemtocontributetoweightgain,soMozaffarianbanishesthemto

Good carb, bad carb issue confusing for everyone

Please see Carbs page 22

�� Sunday, January 29, 2012 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

Jennifer John-Kalarickal, MD

Cacia Soares-Welch, MD, FACE

Matthey Harris, MD, FACE

Eniki Mack, MD

January is Thyroid Awareness MonthNortheast Georgia DiagnosticClinic’s Department ofEndocrinology has four boardcertified endocrinologists whouse a collaborative approach incaring for patients. As part of theDiagnostic Clinic’s commitmentto providing the best care for ourpatients, we provide comprehen-sive endocrinology services forthe treatment of endocrine disor-ders including diabetes, thyroiddisease & parathyroid disorders.

1240 Jesse Jewell • Suite 500 • Gainesville, GA 30501770-536-9864 | www.ngdc.com

the“bad” list alongside Skittles.But other nutrition profession-als, such as Stephanie Dunbar,director of nutrition and clinicalaffairs and the American Diabe-tes Association, gives potatoesthethumbsupbecausetheyhavenutrients.

And then you have JonathanBailor, a health and fitness re-searcherwhoadvisesyousourcecarbohydrates from citrus fruits,berriesandahostofnonstarchyvegetables,suchasspinach,andstay away from starches alto-gether—includingwholegrains.Thebestfoodstoeat,Bailorsaid,are those with greater water, fi-ber and protein content relativetotheircalories,soyougetmore

bangforyourbuck.“It’s not that whole grains are

evil; it’s just absolutely not asgood for us as nonstarchy fruitsand vegetables,” said Bailor,who recently published “The

Smarter Science of Slim” (Aavia;$34.95),theresultofadecadeofreviewing more than 1,000 dietstudies.

Readingthenutritionlabelcanhelp guide people through the

morass. Choose items with lesssugar — Roizen says to aim for4 grams or less — and more di-etaryfiber.Andno,brownsugar

CarbsContinued from page 21

Please see Carb list page 23

www.caremedicalsouth.com

Sunday, January 29, 2012 ��gainesvilletimes comThe Times, Gainesville, Georgia |

Life is not for spectators...Join in.

770-534-0110 | ObesitySolutions.com

We’ve helped thousands of people conquer obesity through the most advanced surgical procedures and medically supervised weight loss programs. We can help you. Are you ready to join in?

Find out more at www.longstreetclinic.com or www.obesitysolutions.com!

and honey aren’t metabolizedany differently than the whitestuff. But sugar doesn’t tell thewhole story, as refined starcheswith little sugar are still terribleforyou.

Asageneralruleofthumb,Mo-zaffarian recommends that youlook at the ratio of total carbo-hydrates in a serving to dietaryfiber,asthatcapturesbothsugarandstarchcontent. Iftheratiois10:1 or more, avoid it. If it’s lessthan5:1,it’sverygood.

If all the confusion makes youwanttoreachforabowlofmac-and-cheese, rest assured thateveryonecanagreeon this:Eat-inglotsofnonstarchyvegetablesdoeseverybodygood.

BADCARBS:SoftdrinksSportsdrinksFruitdrinksBeerFrenchfriesWhitericeWhitebreadSugar-sweetenedcerealsBagelsBaguettesCroissantsPotatochipsPastriesCookiesWhitecrackersBrowniesCakesPiesCandySugar

••••••••••••••••••••

BrownsugarHoney(Debatable)CornPopcornWhitepotatoesPasta100 percent fruit juice(limitedquantities)

GOODCARBS:

SpinachKaleTomatoesMushroomsBeetsBrusselssproutsBroccoli

•••••••

•••••••

OnionSquashArtichokeBerriesOrangesTangerinesMelonsMangoesPearsPeachesLow-fatGreekyogurtSweetpotatoesPeasBlackbeansKidneybeansLentilsBrownriceBarleyAmaranthQuinoaWhole-grainbreadWhole-grainpasta

••••••••••••••••••••••

Carb listContinued from page 22

�� Sunday, January 29, 2012 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) is rated Georgia’s #1 heart hospital for the seventh consecutiveyear (2006 –2012). In fact, for 2012, NGMC is to rank #1 in all fourcardiac categories measured by HealthGrades®:

#1 in Georgia for Overall Cardiac Care #1 in Georgia for Coronary Interventional Procedures#1 in Georgia for Cardiac Surgery #1 in Georgia for Non-Surgical Cardiac Services

NGMC is also home to some services that aren’t available anywhere else, including a technique that means . Watch a video and hear from

real patients at .

So why choose a heart hospital with less experience than NGMC? Avoid Atlanta traffic and follow the signs toNortheast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Georgia’s #1 Heart Hospital!

Northeast Georgia Medical Center770-219-3840 | www.nghs.com/heart

Documents

Health Watch January 2012