Healthy Options

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

Why is this topic & program relevant for people of all ages?
What is Aging Maine?
What is the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Project?
What is dementia?  What is “dementia worry”?
What do we need to do to maintain brain health– and why is exercise & diet so important?
How can we create new neural paths in our brains?
What is neural plasticity?
What does it mean to have meaning in our lives?
Why are social connections so important?
What are/were the effects of loneliness and isolation, especially during the pandemic- and currently?

Guest/s:

Susan Wehry, M.D., geriatric psychiatrist and director of AgingME
www.susanwehrymd.com
agingme.org

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

1  How does the Trauma Resiliency Model and Community Resiliency Model work to calm the nervous system?
2  How can Trauma Resiliency aid individuals & communities in the recovering process, after mass shootings?
3  What are some new strategies being used globally to treat trauma?
4  What is a simple technique we can try right now to relax our nervous system?
5  How does our nervous system respond to stress?
6  What is second-hand trauma?
7  What are some ways to assist someone who has directly experienced trauma?
8  What is the “resilient zone”? How do we know if we are no longer regulated emotionally?
9  What do we mean by “understanding our physical body at the level of sensation”?
10 What is the amygdala and what part does it play in trauma & PTSD? What are we learning from neuroscience & neuropsychology regarding trauma?
11 How do the steps of the Community Resiliency model work? What does it mean to use the techniques of Tracking, Grounding, Finding a Resource, Gesturing, Getting Help Now, and Stay & Shift, and how can they help us deal with our own responses to stress and trauma?
12  Does the Community Resiliency Model work with children? How can we teach children to self-regulate themselves emotionally?

Guest/s:

Elaine Miller-Karas, LCSW, is a trauma therapist, co-founder and former Executive Director of the Trauma Resource Institute, and key developer of the Community and Trauma Resiliency Models. She is the author of “Building Resiliency to Trauma, the Trauma and Community Resiliency Models”, the host of the weekly podcast, “Resiliency Within”, and a contributor to Psychology Today.

FMI: 
The Trauma Resource Institute (TRI) is a nonprofit organization devoted to cultivating trauma-informed and resiliency-focused individuals and communities throughout the world.
www.traumaresourceinstitute.com

“Resiliency Within” podcast:
www.listennotes.com/podcasts/resiliency-within-elaine-miller-karas-lcsw-dH7ZjesXLAx/

“Resiliency Within” Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/resiliency.within

VoiceAmerica- “Resiliency Within”:
www.voiceamerica.com/show/3997/resiliency-within

Reflections of a Trauma Therapist in the Russo-Ukraine War
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/building-resiliency-trauma/202212/reflections-trauma-therapist-in-the-russo-ukraine-war

NAMI -National Alliance on Mental Illness
www.nami.org/Home

988 Crisis Line
988lifeline.org

Previous Healthy Options programs on the Trauma Resource Institute can be found at:
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2021/03/healthy-options-3-3-21-building-resiliency-to-trauma/

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

How do we hear?
What can cause hearing loss?
Are there differences in sensitivity in how individuals react to loud sounds?
How can we protect our hearing?
How do you know that you are experiencing hearing loss?
What are some detriments to delaying or not getting hearing aids when they are needed?
How would an audiologist assess your hearing ability? 
How is the hearing of infants & young children assessed, & addressed?
What are the differences between prescription and over-the-counter hearing aids?

Guest/s:

Kate Weiss is an audiologist in Minnesota, & currently an independent consultant, after a 40-year career spent mostly in pediatrics. She worked for many years at Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota, and in the Minneapolis Public Schools’ home-based birth-to-three program, Early Childhood Special Education preschool program, and with deaf and hard of hearing students and their families and teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools. For several years, she worked with both children and adults of all ages at St. Paul Rehabilitation Center. She was co-chair of the task force that developed protocols for universal newborn hearing screening, infant hearing assessment, amplification fitting, and parent advocacy for the State of Minnesota’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program.

FMI: 
From CONSUMER REPORTS online (& the May/June 2023 magazine article, HOW TO HEAR BETTER NOW).
Check out the other links they also list, on ratings of both prescription and over-the-counter hearing aid brands & retailers.)

1. Your Guide to Hearing Helpers
www.consumerreports.org/health/hearing-aids/your-guide-to-hearing-helpers-a2688068457/

2. A Complete Guide to Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
www.consumerreports.org/health/hearing-aids/complete-guide-to-over-the-counter-hearing-aids-a3898239010/

3. This Quick Quiz Can Screen You for Hearing Loss (Note: Not a “hearing test” to screen for hearing loss, but a good tool to help people screen for how much hearing issues interfere with their social/daily life, and about the possible need for hearing aids.)
www.consumerreports.org/health/hearing-ear-care/self-hearing-test-for-auditory-wellness-a4832177815/

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

How does quantum physics play a role in our health & well-being?
What is heart coherence?
What is vibrational medicine?
How does our breathing affect our nervous system?
What is the importance of our being aware of our nervous system?

Guest/s:

Diana Maria Chapin, one of the founding members & president, of The Healing Garden. She is a Reiki Master and works with energy healing & meditation, helping clients to develop wellness skills.

Michele Walker, entrepreneur, Transformational Life Coach, and Self-Healing Mentor. She has a master’s degree in counseling psychology, and is a certified facilitator of the Energy Codes, a self-healing system developed by Dr. Sue Morter.

FMI: TheHealingGardenMaine.org

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

What legislation has been proposed or passed in Maine to protect & strengthen reproductive health?
How has Maine been affected by the reversal of Roe v. Wade?
Maine is not considered a “safety state” due to its distance to other states, but have we seen an increase in out-of-state clients, due to restrictions elsewhere?
What are reproductive rights, and what is reproductive justice?
What other health resources are provided at clinics, aside from reproductive health?
How are the overall health services negatively affected, when reproductive choice & abortion services are curtailed or eliminated? When clinics shut down, how does this directly impact clients?
What are the risks and dangers which can & do arise from restricting medical services for clients (of any gender)?
What are various methods of family planning which are used in clinics?
What are the issues relating to “late-term” abortions? What is a medication abortion? How does this work, and how effective is it? How is this method being opposed now by those who favored the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade?

Guest/s:

Lindsey Piper is a nurse practitioner specializing in sexual and reproductive health, and is the Lead Clinician for the Center for Reproductive Health at Maine Family Planning, providing direct abortion services as well as guidance & training, for health care providers.
Lindsey also sees clients in her Belfast, Maine clinic for gynecologic visits, gender-affirming hormone treatment, abortions, and vasectomy. She has been in this field for over 20 years, working for independent, feminist health care clinics, and Planned Parenthood.

Mareisa Weil is Maine Family Planning’s Vice President for Development & Community Engagement. She has a Master’s degree in Policy, Planning and Management from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine, and has worked with Colby College, the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care, and the Homeless Services Center in Santa Cruz, California.

FMI: mainefamilyplanning.org

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

What is the Alexander Technique?
How can our physical structure be affected by the way we breathe? What does stress have to do with it?!
What are a couple of simple examples we can try, to practice the Alexander Technique?
What is the difference felt in our body when we gently allow our lungs to inhale and exhale, versus straining to take a deep breath?
How do our physical and emotional habits inhibit or enhance our posture & poise, and the ways we move?
How can we become aware of our natural breathing so we can be more relaxed as we move through our day?
How might these techniques help us to be more confident and productive, in performing and/or other areas of our lives?

Guest/s:
Tracy Van Fleet is a Grammy Award winner, mezzo-soprano and voice teacher based in the Los Angeles area. As a soloist, she performs with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and has appeared with some of the most prestigious orchestras around the world. She is a Level 3 Total Vocal Freedom coach, and is in the process of qualifying for certification as an Alexander Technique Teacher.

Lisa Rogers Lee is a chamber singer, oratorio soloist, and voice teacher with a private studio called Voice for the Whole Singer. She has appeared with numerous opera companies throughout the United States, and is an educator and mentor of singers of all ages. She recently became a Level 2 Total Vocal Freedom coach, teaching Alexander Technique principles to singers.

Lisa Lee and Tracy Van Fleet are the founders of the Ageless Singer, a program designed to support and empower female singers over the age of 50.

More information on The Alexander Technique.

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

Where are ticks found & how can we identify the ticks we may find, in their different life cycles? What size are they right now?
What is Lyme disease and why is it often difficult to diagnose- and treat?
What are co-infections? What are the different illnesses which are showing up now?  What is Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Borrelia, Alpha-gal, & Powassan Virus?
What are the ways that we do treat tick diseases? Is there an effective way to prevent Lyme after a tick bite? Is using a single dose of antibiotics a valid and effective strategy to use right after a tick bite?
Why should we not wait if we have symptoms after a tick bite? What are symptoms we might experience?
What does clinical diagnosis mean?
What are some preventative techniques we can use to minimize our risk of getting a tick-borne illness?
What kinds of clothing, and repellent, are effective to try to prevent tick bites?
What is permethrin and what are the benefits to using it on our clothes, socks and shoes?
How do we check for ticks? Why do a tick check and why is it a good idea to shower after we’ve been outside?
Why should we check our pets for ticks? What about people who come visit and may bring ticks?
If you get a tick bite, how do you remove the tick safely? What might we do next? How long does a tick have to be imbedded for it to be able to transmit disease?
Should you send a tick to a lab for analysis?
Do we have decisive testing for tick diseases? Are there any vaccines yet?

Guest/s:
Dr. Beatrice Szantyr, Internist and Pediatrician who lectures on Lyme disease and related tick-borne disorders in Maine and nationally, to both professional and community groups. She is an active member of the Maine CDC Vector Borne Disease Work Group, and a member of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.  Dr. Szantyr also had served on the 2022 Federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, Access to Care and Education Subcommittee. 

Additional Information:
EPA info on effective repellents
www.epa.gov/insect-repellents
www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you

University of Maine Tick Lab
Protect Yourself from ticks & tick-borne diseases:
extension.umaine.edu/ticks/

Tick testing Amherst MA. (tests for more diseases):
www.tickreport.com

Lyme Disease Association
Research, Education, Prevention and Patient Support   
lymediseaseassociation.org/

Lyme disease.org
Powered by patients. Home of Lyme Times and My Lyme Data:
www.lymedisease.org/

Maine CDC Lyme disease Frequently Asked Questions
www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/vector-borne/tick-messaging.shtml

Maine Tracking Network: Tickborne Diseases
Improving public health with better information
data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking/data-topics/tickborne-content

University of Rhode Island Tick Encounter
Tick-borne Disease prevention Education
web.uri.edu/tickencounter/

This article is brief enough for a patient to bring to a doctor’s visit for them to consider:
The Management of Ixodes scapularis Bites in the Upper Midwest
wmjonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/110/2/78.pdf

For clinicians:
LymeCME
Free, Evidence-based, AAFP-Accredited Courses that Physicians Can Trust
www.lymecme.info/

Previous Healthy Options programs on ticks & Lyme, with links to other websites of interest, can also be found at:
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2022/10/healthy-options-10-5-22-the-ticks-are-still-here-what-you-need-to-know/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2022/05/healthy-options-5-4-22-yearly-update-on-ticks-lyme-and-tick-borne-illnesses/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2021/05/healthy-options-5-5-21-ticks-those-blood-sucking-parasites/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2020/06/healthy-options-6-3-20-ticks-and-tick-borne-illnesses/

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

1. What’s different this year about where we might find browntail moths (BTM),
and how has the weather affected their population so far this year?
2. Which areas of Maine have seen more of the BTM nests this year, and which are seeing less?
3. What is the life cycle of the browntail moth?
4. How do we identify BTM nests, the caterpillars, and the moths?
5. What are all the ways that we can manage these nests when we see them, and how do we safely get rid of the caterpillars? Would stepping on them and squishing them (!) be of any benefit?
6. What are the toxic parts of the caterpillars and why should the toxic hairs not come in contact with clothing or skin?
7. What does a BTM caterpillar rash look like?
8. What is the best way to take care of trees that have BTM nests & caterpillars?
9. Which trees are more susceptible to the nests? Do trees recover after a BTM infestation?
10. How do you clip nests and when is the best time to do so? What do you do with the nests after they are clipped? Is it enough to place clipped nests in soapy water to dispose of them?
11. Why is it crucial to not leave the nests on the ground? Why shouldn’t you mow nests which may be on the ground? Why mow when the grass is damp/wet?
12. How would you treat trees where the nests are so high we cannot reach them? When should you consider hiring a licensed arborist to clip nests?
13. Why would people consider using chemicals/toxins on the trees, rather than cutting off the nests within reach, hiring an arborist, or even using drones to clip them?
14. Why should we check under the eaves of houses, under porches, and even in wheel wells of our cars, when we have been in an area with the caterpillars?
15. What other caterpillars and moths can be confused with BTM? Why should we take care to identify BTM versus other beneficial insects?
16. Is it helpful to turn off lights at night from late June through August when the adult moths are congregating and “looking for love”?
17. Why are using bug zappers detrimental?

Guest/s:
Tom Schmeelk, Maine Forest Service entomologist

Additional Information:
“Knock Out Browntail” with info & links on the Maine Forest website.
YouTube video: Tom Schmeelk illustrates browntail moth overwintering webs, offers tips for identification, and gives instructions for removal and destruction of webs within reach from the ground.

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download