Silke Printz Steps OutAfter Her Successful HipReplacement from MMHAstute and particular, and after looking into surgeons and hospitals, Silke choseto have her hip replacement surgery at Montrose Memorial Hospital.

“The procedure went beautifully. I knew from the beginning that I wanted the surgery done close to home at Montrose Memorial. The Joint Replacement Center has an excellentpre-surgery class that thoroughly explained everything I needed to know and it was veryimportant to me that MMH has a significantly lower infection rate than other western slopehospitals. Also, Mountain View Therapy provides focused, specialized care to get patients backto the highest level of performance in the shortest time possible.”

Call Montrose Memorial Hospital today to learn more about the area’s most innovative Joint Replacement Program at 970-252-2995.

MONTROSEM E M O R I A L H O S P I T A L

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The benefi ts of fl ossing are clear, but getting children in that preventative habitat can be challenging. See some tips for getting over the hump. Page 9

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VALLEY HEALTHPublisher

Francis Wick

General ManagerTisha McCombs

Managing EditorJustin Joiner

Advertising directorDennis Anderson

For advertising information, contact Dennis Anderson at 252-7022

or via email at dennisa@montrosepress.com

Valley Health is a publication of the Montrose Press. It publishes monthly on the first Friday.

If you have a health-related news tip, contact Justin Joiner, managing editor, at editor@montrosepress.com.

A PUBLICATION OF THE MONTROSE PRESS

2

The Montrose Press welcomes you to our new section, Valley Health

We have unveiled our new and improved website at www.mon-trosehospital.com. We invite you to go out and take a look. More than 2,000 of you made your early blood draw appointments on the site, and now we encourage you to dig in a little deeper. You will see local photos and faces of people you may recog-nize.

A listing of our medical services is available, with contact information and a brief overview. If you are looking for a physi-cian, or would like to learn more about yours, this is a great place to look. Under the Careers link you can see what jobs are available and ap-ply online. This is one of the most visited pages on our site.

We would like this site to be one of the first places you go to for health information. Our online Health Library is a great resource to explore a variety of health topics, or to research a disease or condition. A different health topic is featured each day. There are also easy to follow photos and inter-active tools like calculators and quizzes which you can complete and take a more active role in your

health. Under news and events, we’ve

archived the Hospital Happening’s monthly columns and posted our press releases and other articles. You can also view the approved Board of Director’s meeting min-

utes and the hospital’s monthly financial state-ments. Other questions about hospital gover-nance and leadership can be answered on our site.

Hopefully you have had the opportunity to eat in our fabulous Lobby Grille and enjoyed some cedar planked salmon, spicy tuna spring rolls or a Jamaican bacon chicken sandwich. The menu for the Grille is listed on our site and you can even or-der before you leave and your food will be ready

when you get here. Take a moment and check out the fabulous meal options.

Go to www.montrosehospital.com and see what the site offers. If you have any comments or suggestions, we encourage you to contact us and let us know. There is a contact but-ton at the bottom of the home page.

Leann Tobin does marketing and public relations for Montrose Memo-rial Hospital.

Hospital Happenings

Leann TobinMontrose Memorial Hospital

Welcome to the first edi-tion of Valley Health.

Our goal when crafting the section was to take a deeper look at health in the Uncompahgre Val-ley. While not everyone will connect to a story on sports, government or cooking, health is some-thing everyone should be able to relate to. That doesn’t just mean let-ting you know when and where to get your flu shots. For this section we wanted to dive deep into all aspects of health.

In this issue, among many other stories, is a piece on the science

of sleep. The article by Senior Writer Katharhynn Heidelberg surprised me with information I had not heard before. It is well worth the read, especially if you are like me and plan to catch up on sleep when you are dead.

Valley Health will come out once a month. So until next month’s issue, I invite you to dive in, kick the tires and write me with any health-related story suggestions.

Justin Joiner is the managing editor of the

Montrose Press. He can be reached at editor@montrosepress.com.

Justin JoinerMontrose Press managing editor

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3

Eyes on health: What your eyes can tell doctorsPeople who have

been putting off eye examinations may want to call their opthalmologists to schedule an appoint-ment. That’s because vision checkups can do more than protect your eyes. By examin-ing the eyes, doctors may have a window into health problems affecting other areas of the body.

Researchers re-cently discovered a link between de-tected retinal amyloid plaques and the onset of Alzheimer’s dis-ease. While evidence was found in lab mice, autopsies of at least eight Alzheimer’s disease patients have also shown amyloid plaques, which are known to interfere with memory and other mental func-tions, present in the retinas. Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospi-tal in Los Angeles,

Calif., are gearing up for larger studies of humans to determine if an Alzheimer’s im-aging technique can be perfected.

Dementia is not the only thing that doctors may be able to detect through an eye exam. Jaundice in the whites of the eyes may indicate liver disease, and early warning signs of diabetes may be detectable in the eyes. The American Acad-emy of Opthalmol-ogy says the eye is the only place where doctors can see veins, arteries and a nerve without surgery, and eye examinations are increasingly being relied on to gauge overall health.

The following are a few additional con-ditions that may be detected through the eyes.

AllergiesPatients may be

referred to an allergy specialist if they exhibit dark under-eye circles. While this can be a sign of aging, dark circles, sometimes referred to as “allergic shiners,” also may indicate cer-tain allergies. When clogged sinuses cause a blockage of blood fl ow in the nasal pas-sages around the eye, darkness may result.

This symptom in con-junction with persis-tent nasal congestion could be a sure sign of allergies.

High cholesterolThe presence of

bumpy, yellowish patches on the eyelid, known as xanthe-lasma palpebra, is a warning sign of high cholesterol, which is often initially diag-nosed during a rou-

tine eye exam.

CancerSome cancer metas-

tases can be detected during an eye exam. The presence of a bump or brown spot on the eyelid also may be indicative of skin cancer. Many malignant eyelid tumors are basal-cell carcinoma. If the spot is brown, it’s more likely to be malignant melanoma.

Thyroid issuesWhen the outer

one-third of the brow (the part closest to the ear) begins to disap-pear on its own, this is a common sign of thyroid disease. The thyroid helps regu-late metabolism, and thyroid hormones are essential to hair production. Hair loss may occur elsewhere, but is much more vis-

ible in the brows.

Clogged arteriesBlockages in the

smaller veins in the retina may indicate clogs caused by arte-rial plaque. This will show up as a retinal occlusion in a visual exam. If blood ves-sels in the eyes are blocked, clogged ar-teries may be present elsewhere in the body, so a cardiology work-up may be ordered.

Bell’s palsyThe inability to close

one eye or to control tear production in that eye may be a sign of Bell’s palsy. This is a condition of the ner-vous system that con-trols facial muscles, causing temporary paralysis in one side of the face. Sometimes Bell’s palsy follows a viral or bacterial infection.

Though it might once have been considered a trend, yoga has long since moved on from trendy ter-ritory to become a more widely accepted discipline that is prac-ticed by millions for its positive impact on mental and physical health. Though yoga is an ancient practice, only recently has it become so popular in the western hemisphere, where Sports Market-ing Surveys found that roughly 20 million Americans over the age of 18 practiced yoga in 2012. That’s a considerable increase from just four years earlier, when just under 16 million Americans admitted to practicing yoga.

The growing popularity of yoga likely comes as no surprise to its many practitioners, who often credit yoga with relieving stress and improving overall fi tness. In addition, yoga can also help allevi-ate chronic pain and, according to the Mayo Clinic, reduce risk factors for chronic conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

While yoga is benefi cial in many ways, it’s important that men and women not mistake yoga for medical treatment. Though yoga may be part of an individual’s treatment plan, it’s still necessary that men and women with medi-cal conditions rely on their health care providers for treatment. For example, doctors may recommend yoga to individuals dealing with elevated stress levels, but doctors also may want their patients to take certain medications in or-der to lower those stress levels. Yoga on its own may be effective, but men and women should still seek professional medical treat-ment when dealing with health problems.

It’s also important that men and women beginning a yoga regi-men not take it lightly. Though the atmosphere in a typical yoga

studio tends to be serene, yoga is a physically demanding discipline, and those unprepared to deal with such demands often fi nd them-selves suffering from injuries. Ac-cording to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, injuries to the neck, shoulders, spine, legs, and knees are possible when practitioners of yoga do not exercise proper technique and caution. So it pays for beginners to heed the following warn-ings when beginning a yoga regimen.

• Work with a pro-fessional. No matter how long your neigh-bor insists he or she has practiced yoga, it’s still best that you learn the dis-cipline from a certifi ed instructor.

Your neighbor might know all of the poses, but an instructor with credentials can help men and women with preexisting medical conditions avoid poses that can exacerbate such conditions. Nov-ices might not know that certain poses can increase injury risk for

sufferers of osteoporosis, spinal problems and high

or low blood pressure. When trying yoga for

the fi rst time, always work with a profes-sional, making sure to discuss any preexisting medical conditions before your initial session.

• Take things slowly. Its reputa-

tion as a calming discipline

often gives beginners

the mistaken impression that yoga is an easy discipline to grasp. How-ever, it’s best for beginners to take things slowly before attempting to perform diffi cult stretches and poses. Yoga is not a competition, so give yourself adequate time to learn proper breathing techniques and fi gure out ways to maintain your balance. Once you have mastered such techniques, you can then begin to try your hand at more advanced poses.

• Warm up before each session. Men and women should warm up before beginning any exercise regimen, and yoga is no exception. Stiff, cold muscles can lead to seri-ous injury whether you’re playing basketball or stretching into a yoga pose. Warm up your muscles with a few minutes of light cardio-vascular exercise before beginning a yoga session to reduce your risk of muscle tears or pain when you start stretching or posing.

• Dress appropriately. Flexibility is essential when practicing yoga, so make sure your clothing is not restrictive. Women can buy pants made specifi cally for yoga that stretch easily, making it easier to perform various poses and stretch-es. Men may also be able to fi nd pants made specifi cally for yoga, but if not, athletic shorts or track pants can work just as well.

• Stop if you feel any physical problems. It is not uncommon, especially for beginners, to ex-perience feelings of dizziness or feel as if your body is becoming overheated during yoga. In such instances, stop immediately, as yoga is supposed to be a pain-free discipline. Ask the instructor for help the moment you start to feel faint, dizzy, overheated, or injured. Physical problems during yoga may be a byproduct of dehydra-tion, so be sure to begin your ses-sion fully hydrated and remain so throughout your workout.

exercise proper technique and caution. So it pays for beginners to heed the following warn-ings when beginning a yoga regimen.

• Work with a pro-fessional. No matter how long your neigh-bor insists he or she has practiced yoga, it’s still best that you learn the dis-cipline from a certifi ed instructor.

or low blood pressure. When trying yoga for

the fi rst time, always work with a profes-sional, making sure to discuss any preexisting medical conditions before your initial session.

• Take things slowly. Its reputa-

tion as a calming discipline

often gives beginners

Getting into yoga easier than it appears

Certain medical conditions can be detected early during routine eye examinations.

4

Help your noggin

Regular exercise can benefi t the body in many ways, helping men and women maintain healthier weights and lower their risks for developing potentially deadly dis-eases. Though many people are quick to associate exercise with its physical benefi ts, those hours spent on the tread-mill also can boost brain power.

According to Dr. Barry Gordon, pro-fessor of neurology and cognitive sci-ence at Johns Hop-kins Medical Institu-tions and coauthor of “Intelligent Memory: Improve the Memory That Makes You Smarter,” exercise has a direct impact on the brain. That’s because exer-cise works directly on brain tissue, im-proving the connec-tions between nerve cells, creat-ing new synapses, growing new neurons and blood vessels, and improving cell energy effi ciency. So while many people may begin an exercise regimen with a goal of trimming their waistlines or toning their bodies, they might be happy to know that those physi-cal benefi ts are accompanied by several cognitive benefi ts as well.

As the American Psychological Association acknowledges, the connection between exercise and mental health is hard to ignore, and the APA notes that the follow-ing are just a few of the mental benefi ts men and women might reap from regular exercise.

Improved moodMany people feel great after

exercising, especially if that exer-

cise comes at the end of a particu-larly stressful day. However, those extra laps on the track or those hours spent on the treadmill don’t just pay short-term dividends.

In a controlled trial overseen by Duke University researcher and clinical psychologist James

Blumenthal, seden-tary adults with

major depressive disorder were assigned into one of four groups: supervised exercise, home-based exercise, antidepressant therapy, or a pla-cebo pill. Those in the exercise and antidepres-sant groups had higher rates of remission than those in the pla-cebo group, and

Blumenthal con-cluded that exercise was general-ly comparable to antidepressants for men and women with major depressive disorder. In addition, in following up with patients a year later, Blumenthal found that those who continued to exercise had lower depression scores than those participants who were less active.

Blumenthal’s study was not the only one to conclude that exer-cise can have a positive impact on mood. In a review of 11 stud-ies that examined the effects of exercise on mental health, Boston University professor of psychol-ogy Michael Otto and his col-leagues found that exercise could be a powerful tool when treating clinical depression, and even rec-ommended clinicians include ex-ercise as part of their treatment plans for depressed patients.

New research suggests exercise preserves brain over time

Some researchers, Otto included, have begun to examine the effects of exercise on treating and possibly preventing anxiety. The body’s nervous system responds quickly when people feel frightened or threatened, often causing the body’s heart rate to increase and sweating and dizziness to occur.

Regular exercise benefi ts the human body in numerous ways, not the least of which is its impact on the brain. (Courtesy photo)

How to prepare a wholesome, colorful snackBy Ellen Sussman

Nutritious and delicious, these juice recipes can keep you supplied with a handy, ready-to-serve snack for a couple of days.

They’re not just for morning pick-me-ups. They also provide a nourishing, wholesome and colorful snack when mid-day cravings kick in.

A blender and strainer are needed. Prepara-tion is the same for each recipe. Each recipe makes two, one-cup servings.

Combine all fruit in the blender until smooth, scrap-ing down sides as needed. Strain juice. To make mix-ture thinner add a bit more water. Garnish with a slice of recipe fruit. Refrigerate up to two days. Shake be-fore serving.

ANTI-OXIDANT SUPREME1 cup fresh blueberries, or

frozen/thawed1 cup halved strawberries,

or frozen/thawed2 cups peeled, coarsely

chopped mango from a one-pound mango¼ cup water Nutritional information

per serving:Calories 151Protein 2gCarbohydrates 38gCalcium 27mgFiber 5gSodium 3g

IMMUNE BOOSTER1 14-oz. grapefruit, 2 oranges – 10 oz. total

3 golden kiwis – 12 oz. total

Peel and cut fruits into chunks.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 156Protein 3gCarbohydrates 38gCalcium 79gFiber 6gSodium 5g

TOTAL HEALTH BOOSTER1 8-oz. apple2 soft pears – one pound

total½ cup cherries – fresh with

pits removed or frozen/thawed

Core and cube apple and pears.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 192Protein 1gCarbohydrates 51gCalcium 29mgFiber 8gSodium 2mg

Recipes from health.com

5

BY ELLEN SUSSMAN

TOP BOOKS FOR HEALTHY LIVING

“What Are You Hungry For?”

by Deepak Chopra

Holistic guru Deepak Chopra focuses on bringing one’s weight under control by connecting it to personal fulfi llment and fi nding one’s awareness of why they overeat.

Most people use food as a substitute for real fulfi llment. When that problem is solved, normal eating falls into place naturally, he says.

“The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a

Healthier Life,”

by Rick Warren, Mark Hyman and Daniel Amen

Megachurch pastor Rick Warren decided to lose weight and asked his congregants to join him. Instead of a hoped-for 200, 15,000 signed up and lost more than 260,000 pounds in one year. The diet plan is designed to be done in a group and shows how the power of faith, fi tness, food and friends can lead to a healthier life.

“The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living

Gluten Free,” by Jules E. Dowler Shepard

Celiac disease is an auto-immune disorder where the body lacks abil-ity to digest gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains and affect about 1 in 130 people.

Diagnosed with the disease, the au-thor explains how it affects the entire body and how to avoid hidden glu-tens. She includes tips for dining out and recipes for gluten-free baking.

Delta hospital offers childbirth preparation classes

Childbirth education is available at Delta County Memorial Hospital. The obstetrics department is offering ongo-ing childbirth preparation classes at no charge.

The class focuses on:• Stages of labor• Relaxation during labor• Options for birth experience• Newborn feeding options• Concerns that must be reported to

your provider• Personalized consultation• Department tour, etc.The classes are held once a month at

Stork’s Landing, on the second fl oor of the Delta hospital.

Pre-natal classes are held Tuesday evenings from 6-8 p.m.

Scheduled classes:• March 11, 18• April 1, 8, 15• May 6, 13 20To sign up for classes call the DCMH

Obstetrics Department at 874-2255 or register when parents-to-be tour “Stork’s Landing” during a preadmis-sion visit.

DCMH Home Health Department passes CMS and state surveys

Delta-Montrose Home Health Servic-es, a department of Delta County Me-morial Hospital, recently passed both the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Survey and the Colorado State Survey with no defi ciencies.

“We are very proud of our registered nurses, physical therapists, occupa-tional therapists, medical social worker and certifi ed nurse aides who all pro-vide such excellent, professional care to our patients,” says a news release from Delta County Memorial Hospital.

The offi ce staff excels in maintaining medical records, billing requirements and insurance verifi cation, the news release says.

“We thank everyone, including our director who ensures we follow regula-tions, policies and procedures set by the State and CMS,” the release says. “We are happy to care for patients from newborn to the elderly and those with Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance or those who wish to pay privately.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of serving the community, including Montrose, Delta and the North Fork.

If you have any questions regarding our services, please phone 970-874-2463.

Area health briefs Delta hospital announces health fair Delta County residents should

notice improvements in 2014 with community health fairs making it easier for residents to register and spend less time waiting in line, said a spokesper-son with Delta County Memorial Hospital.

The Lion’s Club in Delta, Cedaredge and Paonia will be partnering to produce health fair events as in past years.

The fair aims to offer greater convenience with online reg-istration through the hospital website, deltahospital.org

Being able to set appointments through online registration or by phone for health fairs re-duces wait times eliminates long lines.

Four new health screens will be offered in 2014 including blood work to analyze B12 levels, gluten sensitivity and testoster-one levels for women and men

Dates for health fairs in Delta County

• March 19 – Paonia – DMTC Voc-Tech Building, 6:30-10 a.m.

• March 20 – Delta at Bill Heddles Rec Center, 6:30 – 11:00 a.m.

• March 21 – Cedaredge, Town Hall, 6:30-10 a.m.

Online registration is available starting this year through the hospital’s website at www.delta-hospital.org. Residents just click on the health fair heart artwork on the left hand column of the home page and they will imme-diately be connected to an online registration process that is user friendly. Residents may select a location in Paonia, Cedaredge or Delta.

As in past years, the health fairs in March will offer blood draws for health screens, free blood pressure screenings, body mass index analyses, hearing and eye tests. The health fair in Delta on March 20 will also have health related services and companies with displays at Bill Heddles Recreation Center.

This year four new health screens will be offered in ad-dition to the list of blood work that has been offered in previous

years: • Vitamin B12 and Folate

analysis, Gluten sensitivity anal-ysis – Gluten/Spru Test, Testos-terone Level analysis, total men, Testosterone Level analysis, toal women, Fasting for 12 hours is required for all health screens requiring blood draws. Drink plenty of water, one cup of cof-fee is permitted, and take medi-cations as usual.

List of health screens• Healthscreen, $40 • CBC (Complete Blood Count),

$20 • PSA (Men over age 40), $30 • Hemoglobin A1C, $35

• Vitamin D (Sunshine Vita-min) D2, D3 and Total, $40

• Cardio CRP(C-Reactive Pro-tein), $40

• Insure Fit Colon Screening Kit, $35

• Gluten Sensitivity (Celiac/Spru Test), $45.

• Vitamin B12 Levels and Fo-late Levels, $40

• Testosterone, Total Male, $45 • Testosterone, Total Female,

$45Please note that insurance is

not accepted so bring cash or a check made out to DCMH (Delta County Memorial Hospital).

For additional information and details please refer to the Delta County Memorial Hospital website www.deltahospital.org.

Delta county health fairs are coming up this month. Visit www.deltahospital.org for more information. (Courtesy photo)

SLEEPLAST YEAR THE MONTROSE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SLEEP LAB PERFORMED 576 STUDIES. YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED WHAT THEY SHOWED. Story by Katharhynn Heidelberg

e’ve all heard that early to bed, early to rise, leaves a body healthy, wealthy and wise. When it comes to a good night’s rest, there’s a lot of truth to that adage, at least as far as health goes — and good health increases quality of life, while enough shut-eye increases alertness. But be-tween 30 and 36 million Americans suffer from the sleep disorder, apnea, which interferes with their ability to catch enough Z’s and presents direct health risks, as well.

Montrose Memorial Hospital’s sleep lab stands ready to help diagnose and treat sleep disor-ders. Last year, its technicians performed 576 studies — more than any other such facility on the Western Slope, said Michael “Duke” Richardson, head of respiratory care at MMH. Lab staffers performed an additional 700 screens as well, he said.

“For a small hospital, they’re ahead of the times,” said Dr. Jimmy Gilbert, who is a board cer-tified in pulmonology and sleep medicine.

“ ... We get a wealth of information as to what happens when you’re sleeping, or more impor-tantly, what happens when you’re not sleeping or not able to sleep.”

The hospital’s sleep lab is far from cold and clinical. It consists of two bedrooms, with comfy Sleep Number beds, television and en suite bathroom. The only real difference between the two lab rooms and your bedroom is the size; they are more spacious than the rooms Gilbert has in his own home, he said.

Of course, there is the monitoring equipment that can make the somnolent patients look “a little like The Mummy,” Gilbert noted.

This includes electroencephalography (an EEG), eye ocular movement equipment, monitors for nasal flow, oral flow and chin movement, plus bands placed across the chest and stomach to measure movement, and an oxygen measuring device for the finger.

Only one stage of sleep — REM, or rapid eye movement — should see the chin move, Gilbert explained.

Lack of movement is easily spotted via the bands, and indicates when breath has stopped, is labored, or rapid, all of which point to sleep disorders.

It is considered normal for adults to have up to five episodes an hour of temporary breath

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THE SCIENCE OF

SLEEP

cessation during sleep, Gilbert said. More than that indicates sleep apnea.

“I had one woman who had 120 episodes in an hour. That’s pretty bad,” he said.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the No. 1 sleep disorder, and refers to when facial structures impede or halt breathing. There is also cen-tral sleep apnea, in which the brain behaves as though it has proper oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, so it sends the message to stop breathing. A third type, complex sleep apnea, is both central and obstructive.

Cheyne-Stokes syndrome is a respiratory ailment characterized by recurring abnormal breathing patterns. It can point to heart trou-ble.

“We worry about people with heart disease,” Gilbert said.

The sleep lab is also used to diagnose such disorders as narcolepsy and insomnia (of

which there are 11 known types) — and a patient with sleep apnea may also suffer from insomnia, he said.

While the sleep lab primarily sees obstruc-tive apnea, other disorders include and para-somnia. Parasomnia is characterized by such behaviors and teeth-grinding, screaming, night terrors and muscular disorders; it is more commonly seen in children than adults.

“There are things we can do to help,” Gilbert said. “There’s a lot of people whose lives have been changed.”

That includes the afflicteds’ significant oth-ers, who lose sleep when their partners do.

The downside of the light bulbLosing sleep brings with it a host of next-day

consequences. “Your oxygen is down. You don’t think

clearly. Your quality of life is really bad,” Gil-bert said. “People don’t think well the next day. They’re exhausted. It just goes on and on.”

Some people are dangerous in their sleep. In REM behavioral disorder, people can move about during the deep sleep that keeps most of us completely relaxed and safely in bed. Those with the abnormality, though, do things while sleeping that they cannot remember doing upon waking, including choking an intimate partner during a nightmare, having sex or eat-ing — even, in exceptionally rare cases, leaving their home and killing another person.

The disorder is treated with medication.Sleepiness itself can actually kill: Gilbert

said that during his career he has lost two night-shift colleagues due to sleep problems, including a nurse who fell asleep while driv-ing.

Treatment options for the No. 1 disorder, ob-structive apnea, include procedures to mitigate or remove nasal obstructions such as polyps. In some cases, dental surgeons may be able to help by placing a mandibular advancement device that moves the tongue forward to keep it from obstructing the airway, though this does not work for severe apnea, Gilbert said.

“The CPAP (continuous positive airway pres-sure) mask is the gold standard. It’s not inva-

“Somewhere along the lines, someone invented the light bulb. It’s the worst thing that ever happened to sleep,”

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Continued on page 8

sive,” he said.Even mild sleep apnea should

be treated if the sufferer has such medical issues as high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, diabetes or has had a stroke, Gil-bert said.

Still others suffer from periodic limb movement disorder; Gilbert said he has tracked a patient who was kicking 70 to 90 times per hour in their sleep. The patient unsurprisingly awoke exhausted.

Our 24-hour world has also played havoc with natural cir-cadian rhythms. Throughout human history, we’ve been largely up with the sun and down with it, too.

“Somewhere along the lines, someone invented the light bulb. It’s the worst thing that ever hap-pened to sleep,” said Gilbert.

Artificial light allows human beings to be up, active and work-ing at all hours, he explained. A person who works nights is likely to have difficulty compensating during his or her days off, he said. About 25 percent of people have problems making that kind of adjustment; Gilbert says he is surprised there aren’t more.

Rest well, feel wellThe benefits of a good snooze

include refreshment, normalized oxygen levels and alertness — think of sleep as a sort of volun-tary, temporary coma with restor-ative powers, counsels Gilbert.

“Why do we sleep? The theory is, it’s rest for the brain. There’s something physiological that if you don’t get rest, you don’t do well.”

Not all mammals, or even hu-man beings, sleep the same. El-ephants require only two to three hours of sleep for optimal func-tioning; whales can sleep with part of their brain still “awake,” Gilbert said, and most people with cats know that their furry, crepuscular companion naps almost constantly during the day — conserving energy, just as his predator cousins in the wild do.

Human beings require at least seven or eight hours of shut-eye a night; teens, even more, and technology such as smart phones is seen to be interfering with that, as adolescents spend time they should be sleeping using the de-vices to text or for social media.

Older adults, however, need as much sleep as other adults; the idea that they don’t is a myth, Gil-bert said. But the elderly might sleep poorly because of physical pain, for instance. The appropri-ate response in such instances is to diagnose the source of pain and treat it.

“If I can help someone get a good night’s sleep and they have a better quality of life, I think that’s a good thing,” Gilbert said.

“... Sleep is so important.” l

8

Healthy sleep habits

Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life. Having healthy sleep habits is often referred to as having good “sleep hygiene.” Try to keep the following sleep practices on a consistent basis:

• Stick to the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. This helps to regulate your body’s clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.

• Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep. Avoid naps , espe-cially in the afternoon. Power nap-ping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can’t fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help.

• Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep.Evaluate your room.

• Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool – between 60 and 67 degrees. Your bedroom should also be free from any noise that can disturb your sleep. Finally, your bedroom should be free from any light. Check your room for noises or other distractions. This includes a bed partner’s sleep disrup-tions such as snoring.

• Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expec-tancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses.

Information from www.sleepfoundation.org

Director of the Respiratory and Sleep laboratory at Montrose Memorial Hospital Michael Richardson, right, attaches sensors to medical assistant Dannyelle Weller during a demonstration at the sleep lab. (Nate Wick/Daily Press)

IMMUNIZATION

NATIONMONTROSE SCHOOL POLICIES REGARDING IMMUNIZATIONS DIFFER. OPPONENTS SAY MORE PARENTAL CHOICE NEEDED

9

By Nathan Meacham

Enrolling a child into a Montrose public school comes with immu-nization requirements, but those requirements vary in the private sector. .

The Montrose County School District has to follow state regulations set by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Those include requiring six types of vaccines for students and recommending three more.

Five are required for children entering kinder-garten. Those are the DTaP vaccine for diphthe-ria, tetanus and pertussis, the polio vaccine, the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, the varicella, or chickenpox vac-cine, and hepatitis B.

Tdap, which is a variation of the DTaP, is for children from sixth through 12th-grade, and another dose of varicella is required for stu-dents from eighth through 12th-grade.

Roxann Lane, the regis-tered nurse coordinator for the Montrose County School District, said the requirements can be self-explanatory for parents as their children start school, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t questions.

“Sometimes you get some that don’t want to do it for personal or religious rea-sons,” she said.

There are medical, reli-gious and personal exemp-tions that can be signed as a waiver for the vaccinations.

“I don’t like to take drugs or immunizations unless I have to, either,” Lane said. “They certainly have revolutionized health in our country since polio.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most childhood vaccines are 90 to 99 percent effective in preventing diseases.

All vaccines are tested by the Food and Drug Administration, as well as reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the AAP, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

But parents in Montrose have options if they are not-comfortable with vaccinations.

Private schools can have different immuniza-tion requirements for their students.

Pope John Paul II Academy in Montrose, which has students in kindergarten through fourth-grade, does not require vaccinations, ac-cording to Principal Jacinta Scheetz.

The Colorado West Christian School, which is for kindergarten through eighth-grade students, follows the state requirements, and the Maslow Academy of Applied Learning has to follow the standards of a childcare center because it offers pre-school and child care.

“Because we provide extended care year round, we’re licensed as a child care center as well; we have to follow mandated child care center regulations,” said Amber Gardner, the

founder and president of the Maslow Academy, which teaches students through fi fth-grade.

Students who are not vac-cinated for medical, reli-gious or personal reasons, or who are out-of-date on shots, must be removed from the school if there is an outbreak of some kind.

“They can return to school when the outbreak is over,” Gardner said.

Vaccinations can still be a controversial topic.

Susan Terry, of Montrose, said she is concerned about the lack of education for parents on what is being put into their child’s body.

“Parents should have full control over whether their child is vaccinated or not,” she said. “They also should have full information of what’s in these shots.”

What she supports is the precautionary principle, which states that if there

is a possible risk of causing harm along with a lack of scientifi c support proving otherwise, then the action should not take place.

“We have a right to know and should make decisions on what goes in and out of our bodies, or into our children’s bodies,” Terry said.

The most visible vaccine is for the seasonal fl u, or infl uenza. The Montrose County School District does not require its students to be vac-cinated for the fl u.

Lane said it’s important to talk to personal doc-tors and get recommendations.

“It is very crucial and it is safe,” Lane said. “It’s amazing if we don’t stay vaccinated how things could turn to the worst.”

Immunization by the numbers

Percent of children 19-35 months old receiv-ing vaccinations for:

• Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (4-plus doses DTP, DT, or DTaP): 85 percent

• Polio (3-plus doses): 94 percentMeasles (MMR) (1-plus doses): 92 percent

• Haemophilus infl uen-zae type B (Hib) (primary series plus booster dose): 80 percent

• Hepatitis B (Hep B) (3+ doses): 91 percent

• Chickenpox (varicella) (1-plus doses): 91 per-cent

• Pneumococcal conju-gate vaccine (PCV) (4-plus doses): 84 percent

“We have a right to know and should make decisions on what goes in and out of our bodies, or into our children’s bodies,”

Susan Terry of Montrose

How to make fl ossing easier for kidsIt is well known that a combi-

nation of brushing, fl ossing and periodic dental checkups are essential to oral health. Some par-ents teach their children to brush thoroughly early on, even taking them for dental visits at young ages so youngsters can become ac-climated to the dentist’s offi ce. But fl ossing is one component of oral hygiene that may be overlooked because many kids don’t enjoy it.

Flossing is one of those tasks that people understand they must do regularly, but many still do not. According to Humana Dental, fl ossing cleans bacteria and trapped food from between the teeth. Brushing only reaches the surface of the teeth, but fl oss is required to get into the small crevices to prevent bacteria from turning into plaque buildup. The American Dental Association recommends fl ossing at least once per day. It is far better to fl oss once

a day and do a thorough job rather than several times a day and miss areas of the mouth.

Children should be urged to fl oss regularly in addition to brushing. However, fl ossing can be cumber-some for youngsters who have yet to develop the dexterity needed to manipulate dental fl oss. There are many products available and tech-niques that can be used to assist children with cleaning between their teeth. The following are some fl ossing tips for kids.

• Begin the introduction to fl oss early.

• Show visual proof of the ben-efi ts of fl ossing. Oftentimes, chil-dren are more likely to respond to something they can see. Show pictures of dental decay and what occurs when proper oral hygiene is not followed. This may help make the concept of fl ossing more attractive.

• Get the proper tools.• Let kids choose.• Lead by example.

Benefi ts of fl ossing• Removing bacteria and trapped food from teeth has a number of benefi ts. Bacteria can cause bad breath, but fl ossing and brushing helps to keep breath smelling fresh.• Dirty teeth can lead to dental carries. Children may be more inclined to fl oss if they know they’ll be preventing cavities and avoiding potentially painful trips to the dentist. • Plaque trapped between the teeth and along the gum line that leads to periodontal disease puts a person at a greater risk for heart disease. There are some studies that show bacteria from the mouth can end up in the bloodstream. • Flossing is a necessary component of good oral hygiene. Everyone should fl oss, no mat-ter their age, and children should begin fl ossing as soon as their mouth starts to fi ll out with pearly whites.

MONTROSE’S DEADLIEST DISEASES

Fortunately, Montrose County residents avoided in 2013 any cases of botulism, cholera, Dengue fever or diphtheria, as well as plague, polio or Typhoid fever. The county was far from disease-free, though, as several commu-nicable illnesses made their rounds.

Twelve Montrose residents were hospitalized with infl uenza-like illnesses in 2013, ac-cording to a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment report. A more recent report, updat-ed Feb. 22, showed seven cases of fl u in the county this season, the most common strain being the H1N1 vari-ant.

The H1N1 strain of infl uenza is the same variant that caused the 2009 fl u pandemic. This season’s fl u vaccina-tion protects against H1N1, Department of Public Health and Environment Communications Director Mark Salley said in a release. In 2009, a single-week high 355 hospital-izations were reported in mid-October.

Montrose kept its fl u incidence rate relatively low, at rate of 17.1 cases per 100,000 persons. Statewide, 1,524 hospital-izations were reported from 52 counties. No infl uenza-as-sociated pediatric deaths were reported as of Feb. 22. The fl u season peaked in the fi rst week of January with 317 fl u-

related hospitalizations statewide. A few other diseases made their

presence known in the Montrose pop-ulation. The extremely contagious respiratory disease pertussis, also known as whooping cough, reached eight people in 2013. Campylobactero-sis affected 11 county residents, and one unfortunate patient was diag-nosed with cryptosporidiosis — both are diarrheal illnesses. Campylobac-teriosis is a bacterial condition, while cryptosporidiosis is parasitic.

Salmonellosis and E. coli each appeared three times in the county’s disease report in 2013. There were also 38 re-ported animal bites, but no instances of rabies.

In historical context, Montrose has run the gamut of deadly and debilitating diseases.

Newspaper records claim the Spanish Flu claimed two to three lives daily for several weeks in the Uncompahgre Valley in 1918.

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A typhoid epidemic struck the town of Olathe in 1910, forcing a much closer inspection of the area’s water sources. Records from the Olathe Criterion at the time report 43 cases of typhoid that year.

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“Those early days, there were so many,” said Dorothy Causey, presi-dent of Fore-Kin Trails Genealogical Society. Causey has assembled records from local press detailing the spread of particular disease outbreaks.

A typhoid epidemic struck the town of Olathe in 1910, forcing a much closer inspection of the area’s water sources. Records from the Olathe Cri-terion at the time report 43 cases of typhoid that year, including at least five deaths in the small community. Typhoid continued through 1911 and 1912 until a domestic water system slowed the spread.

Montrose was struck in 1918 with influenza, likely the nationwide af-fliction of Spanish flu. Records show drastic action was taken to stop the progress of the disease — on Oct. 14, 1918, the city and county of Montrose, their respective health officers and authorities enacted a full quarantine. Schools, theaters, churches and all public gathering places were closed to reduce person-to-person contact.

One of the area’s most famous vic-tims of the influenza epidemic was Allen Fender, husband of local ma-triarch Anna Fender. Anna Fender, a longtime nurse, and Allen Fender began treating the influenza patients in the area by necessity. Allen Fender became ill and passed away in 1918; Anna Fender continued on treating patients.

Newspaper records claim the Span-ish Flu claimed two to three lives daily for several weeks in the Uncom-pahgre Valley in 1918, until the quar-antine seemed to halt progress of the disease.

While at its height in 1918, Spanish Flu had grisly effects; in nearby Sil-verton, there were 52 recorded deaths from influenza in just 10 days and 500 total cases reported.

“The situation is most critical and graves cannot be dug fast enough to bury the dead,” the Daily Press re-ported.

The Spanish flu outbreak became a worldwide pandemic, and lasted through spring 1919 or 1920, accord-ing to varying sources. l

12

Above: Dorothy Causey, genealogical society president, shows a funeral record from a 1918 influenza death, just one of many such records from the epidemic’s peak year. (Drew Setterholm/Daily Press)

At left: An ad in the newspaper for Limodex tablets that were said to prevent the Spanish flu. (Drew Setterholm/Daily Press)

The Montrose Daily Press records, from October 1918, show a cancellation of training servicemen during World War I due to Spanish influenza. (Drew Setterholm/Daily Press)