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February 2018 Newsletter

What´s New at Savon

Quote Of The Month:   “My boyfriend and I broke up. He wanted to get married and I didn't want him to.”  (Rita Rudner, American comedian, 1953 - present)


Congratulations To:

S. Steinbicker of Phoenix, Arizona,  Winner of our January early payment drawing for 1 free additional year of membership.

Congratulations to our winner and thank you to everyone that entered the drawing.


To Your Health With Jourdin Hendershot:

Swollen Legs

Jourdin
There is no mistaking the feeling of swollen legs.  It feels like an unpleasant tightness in the calf muscles or a heaviness and the legs can be warm to the touch.  Most people realize their legs are beginning to swell because their shoes feel tight or they may have puffy ankles.

Swollen legs are something everyone experiences at some point in their life whether it‘s after a long day on their feet; maybe after a long car ride or after a hot day or even bad eating habits (i.e., salty food).  Some women experience swelling during pregnancy. Not all swollen legs have these ordinary causes.  Many different illnesses (minor or severe) can cause swelling.

The medical term for swelling is “edema”.  This means there is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in certain tissues within the body.  The location of edema can provide important clues to a health care professional as to the underlying cause of fluid accumulation.

Normally, your body maintains the right amount of fluid in the tissues by performing a delicate “balancing act”.  This means the amount of fluid that enters the body is usually the same amount that the body disposes.  Edema occurs when too much fluid stays in the tissues.  This is what causes puffiness or major swelling.

Above I listed some of the ordinary causes of swollen legs but let‘s talk about the more serious causes of swelling in the legs:
  • Blood Clots – A clot in the veins of the leg can cause blood to pool, which keeps fluid from leaving the tissue.  Swelling can occur suddenly and be very painful along with discoloration.

  • Weakened Veins – Deformed veins (varicose veins) can cause blood to pool in your blood vessels, causing swelling.

  • Lymphedema – If the lymph channels become blocked, they will not be able to drain properly.  Blockage of the lymph channel can cause infections and scar tissue.

  • Infection and inflammation – Infections in the leg tissue can lead to inflammation, which causes increased blood flow in the vessels and may increase the movement of blood through them.

  • Inflammatory disease – Rheumatoid arthritis and gout can lead to swelling.

  • Organ Failure – Disease of the organs can affect blood pressure and fluid movement into and out of the tissues.  These organs may include the heart, kidneys or liver.
A major question people ask: “Should I see a doctor every time I have swollen legs?”  It‘s hard to say because the amount of swelling is not a good indicator of when you need to seek medical attention.  However, if your swelling is sudden, painful, persistent, discolored and accompanied by shortness of breath, you should see your doctor promptly.  Remember:  It is always better to error on the side of caution!  If you have any doubts, contact your doctor!

If you have questions you would like to discuss with Jourdin, feel free to drop her an email by clicking here.

The above health material is provided as an information service.  It should not be used for diagnostic purposes nor is it intended to take the place of the important relationship between you and your doctor.


Grandma's Kitchen With Grandma C.:

Hearty Mexican Style Stuffed Bell Peppers

Grandma C.
Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey or beef 1 small can green chili
1 medium onion, chopped 1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup shredded cheddar and Monterey jack cheese blend ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 red, yellow or green bell peppers, halved lengthwise 1 tsp chili powder
1 TBSP Jalapeno peppers, (tamed, from a jar) 1 tsp paprika
1 tsp minced garlic Salt and pepper

Cook rice according to package directions.

Cut bell peppers in half, lengthwise.  Remove stem and seeds.  Set aside.

In large skillet, brown ground turkey or beef with chopped onion, salt and pepper.  Add rice, cilantro, green chilies (with the juice), jalapeno and spices.  Stir to mix.  Let it simmer in the skillet for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.

Lightly grease sides and bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish.  Place bell peppers inside, cavity side up.  Fill each pepper with meat and rice mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, top with shredded cheese and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Garnish with sour cream and sliced scallions and serve!

Enjoy!  And remember, if it looks and smells good, eat it!!

If you have a recipe that you would like to share with Grandma C., drop her an email by clicking here.


spotlight

Winning Smile Dentistry

Dr. Darian and Staff
Our spotlight for February goes to the city of Glendale, Arizona and shines on Dr. Darian & the staff at Winning Smile Dentistry

Dr. Ghasem Darian graduated from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.  He has been practicing in the valley for over 20 years and most of his staff have been with him for years.  All are highly skilled professionals with the shared goal of providing exceptional services for their patients.  Their friendly and competent staff is dedicated to patient comfort and quality care.

The practice is located at 20165 N 67th Ave #103, Glendale, AZ 85308.  The phone number is 623-931-5467.  We also invite you to visit them on the web.

Say thank you to your dental office for the excellent manner in which you are treated by nominating your dentist!


Fun Facts:

Fun Facts About Valentine's Day We Bet You Didn't Know

confused
  • In Victorian times it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine‘s Day card.

  • Based on retail statistics, about 3 per cent of pet owners will give gifts to their pets on this day.

  • If you‘re single don‘t despair. You can celebrate Singles Awareness Day (SAD) instead.

  • In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine.  They would wear this name pinned onto their sleeves for one week for everyone to see.  This was the origin of the expression "to wear your heart on your sleeve."

  • Physicians of the 1800s commonly advised their patients to eat chocolate to calm their pining for lost love.

  • The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

  • 220,000 is the average number of wedding proposals on Valentine's Day each year.

  • Every Valentine's Day, the Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet.-
Come back for more in next months issue!


Dental Talk - A Member Blog Forum:

Blogging
Come blog with us!  Dental Talk with Savon is a fun forum to post your interesting topics!  Your comments are welcome, it‘s free to use and no membership is required.

Some of the topics include;

These are just a few of the topics.  Our blog site contains many other interesting topics.  Please join us!!


Here’s Your Answer

Questions From Our Members

E. Munds of Stockton, California asks: 

“I have been told that since I have diabetes it is really important to have regular dental check-ups.  Is this true?”

Savon’s Answer

Keeping in mind that we are not dentists, we did some research and for the best information at Northgate Dental and Dr. Catherine Cox.

Dr. Cox says:  “Yes, if diabetes is left untreated, it can take a toll on your mouth. Here‘s how:
  • You may have less saliva, causing your mouth to feel dry (dry mouth is discussed above)

  • Because saliva protects your teeth, you‘re also at a higher risk of cavities

  • Gums may become inflamed and bleed often (gingivitis)

  • You may have problems tasting food

  • You may experience delayed wound healing

  • You may be susceptible to infections inside of your mouth

  • For children with diabetes, teeth may erupt at an age earlier than is typical
Regular dental visits are important.  Research suggests that treating gum disease can help improve blood sugar control in patients living with diabetes, decreasing the progression of the disease.  Practicing good oral hygiene and having professional deep cleanings done by your dentist can help immensely.”


Tooth Talk With Tommy The Wisdom Tooth

Vitamin D May Prevent Tooth Decay

(A reprint from everyday Health® 12/4/2012 by Annie Hauser)
Tommy
Vitamin D might help prevent tooth decay, a new review of existing studies published in the journal Nutrition Reviews found.

The review includes data from 3,000 children enrolled in 24 clinical trials published from the 1920s to the 1980s.  Overall, the trials showed that vitamin D supplementation led to a 50 percent drop in the incidence of tooth decay, perhaps because vitamin D helps the body absorb the tooth-building calcium it needs.

In the trials, the vitamin was delivered either via supplemental UV radiation or by diet products, such as cod liver oil, which contain it.

Philippe Hujoel, PhD, DDS, of the University of Washington, conducted the trial, saying his main goal was to summarize the existing research, so dental professionals could "take a fresh look at this vitamin D question."
But Hujoel's results come as no surprise to researchers who have also studied vitamin D and dental health.  "The findings from the University of Washington reaffirm the importance of vitamin D for dental health," Michael Holick, PhD, MD, professor of medicine at the Boston University Medical Center told Science Daily.  He went on to say that children who are vitamin D deficient experience late teething and a risk of tooth decay.

Dental caries, or decay, among children are increasing while vitamin D levels among many populations have dropped, Hujoel said in the study.  "Whether this is more than just a coincidence is open to debate," he said.  "In the meantime, pregnant women or young mothers can do little harm by realizing that vitamin D is essential to their offspring's health," also noting that systematic reviews do have some flaws based on possible biases in some of the clinical trials that damaged the results.

In recent years, vitamin D has gained a reputation as sort of a vitamin cure-all.  Most recently, women with the highest levels of vitamin D were shown to have the lowest risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by researchers at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis.  A second separate study found that low vitamin D levels results in a greater Alzheimer's risk, even when isolating for other lifestyle and health factors such as body-mass index, diet, and cognitive performance.  Other strong links have been identified between low levels of vitamin D and cancer and low levels of vitamin D and heart disease.

Until next time; brush, floss and keep smiling!

The above material is provided as an information service and is not intended as medical advice.

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