Call: 508-693-6100

and at the inns and hotels.

in The Martha’s Vineyard Times, on the boats
Issue Dates: May 26, June 30, July 28, 2005,

FOOD
2 0 0 5

Island Health

restaurants and cuisine. Lively articles and a colorful design make

Covers New

this special section the perfect way for you to tell Island residents
and visitors what distinguishes your establishment from the rest.
Ground
THIS SUMMER!
OF OUR THREE ISSUES
EXPOSURE IN EACH
4 WEEKS OF PREMIUM
ONE LOW PRICE FOR
ADVERTISERS:

By Nelson Sigelman

I sland Health Inc. arose more than three years

ago out of the work of the Dukes County
Health Council, an Island-wide committee cre-
ated by a group of Vineyard residents, many
with professional health-care backgrounds, who
were interested in bringing a community focus
to health-care issues.
Energized by a series of successful grant ap-
plications and guided by Vineyarders with pro-
Health and Fitness
“FOOD” features the best in Island
fessional skills and backgrounds, the non-profit
corporation that is Island Health started its life
with a full-time paid director and ambitious for a Healthier Community
goals: The creation of a home-grown insurance There is lots of health and fit- prove and protect our health.
plan designed to provide affordable access to ness information available to Among the subjects under
health care for uninsured and underinsured Americans today. But health consideration are the efforts to
a trifle divine

Vineyard residents and the establishment of a

food

care issues that may be of ex- integrate conventional and al-

rural health-care clinic.
Coming Soon!
ceptional concern to Vineyard ternative health care, a progress
profiles: cook

In July 2004, the first rural health clinic of its residents are not so widely dis- report on the Island Health
the tomato: po

kind in Massachusetts opened its doors in rent- cussed. Plan, and the importance of
hostess with

ed office space adjacent to the Triangle Pharma-

sto

In this premiere issue of bone density scans. A photo of

ck

cy off Upper Main Street in Edgartown. The

ing around th

Health and Fitness, The such a scan appears above. One

ing

clinic is designed to provide people with access Martha’s Vineyard Times focus- of the lighter topics is the versa-
a
pular and proli
su

to quality medical care irrespective of their in- es on several matters of specific tility and health benefits of
in
the mostest

surance coverage.
mer fridge

th

interest to Island residents. In lemons, also pictured here.

e Island

is

Island Health has been less successful bring- these pages, readers will not We hope you find the stories
iss

ing insurance to those who need it, having en-

ue

find material on the latest na- in this publication interesting

fic

countered several time-consuming legislative

:

tional diet and exercise trends. and helpful, and as always we

june 26–july 30

and institutional hurdles. Still, Island Health

restaurants
recipes

Instead, the goal is to report on welcome your comments and

menus
tips

chefs

leaders remain optimistic. “We expect to be of-
fering insurance very soon,” said Cynthia
Mitchell, Island Health director, “ It has been a
long process, but we are confident we are closer
Continued on Page 9
On the Ferries • In The Times • At the Terminals • On the Ferries • In The Times
serious issues in health care,
introduce Vineyard health care
practitioners and share stories
about their work, and describe
ways in which we can all im-
suggestions.
Amy Simcik Williams, Times
Supplements Editor.
Page 2 The Martha’s Vineyard Times 2005 — Health & Fitness

5 simple steps to finding

the perfect 30-minute workout
Contents
ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE
Island Health Covers New Ground (cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
By Nelson Sigelman
A look at recent efforts to improve Island health-care services.

Integrating Health Care, One Conversation at a Time . . . . . . . . . . . 3

By Amy Simcik Williams
Why collaboration between conventional and alternative medical practi-
tioners is necessary.

Addressing Students’ Needs: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

New High School Counselor to be Hired Soon
By Duncan Pickard
Support for mental and emotional issues will be offered.

Understanding Long-term Care Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

By Joseph A. Marshall
Tips on selecting and buying.

HOW THEY SERVE

Dr. Ganong and the Whole Tooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
By Joyce Wagner
If mercury in tuna and old thermometers is a health hazard, should we
allow it in our dental fillings? A Vineyard Haven dentist raises concerns.

PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
Got Bones? Drink Milk! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
By Julie Lindland
Nutrition and testing combine for good bone health.
000-000-0000
000-000-0000
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Local 000-000-0000
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Local
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Address Local Address
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Local Address Just Do It…But How? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
508-696-3030
Local Address
000-000-0000
000-000-0000
Local Address
000-000-0000
Local Address By Anna Marie D’Addarie
395 State
Local
Local Address Rd.
AddressLocal Address Tips for keeping on the exercise track.
000-000-0000
Local 000-000-0000
Address Haven,
Vineyard 000-000-0000
MA
Local Address
Local Address
02568
Local Address Local Address
Local000-000-0000
Local Address Just Breathe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
000-000-0000
000-000-0000
Address 000-000-0000
Local Address
Local
Local Address
Local Address
AddressLocal Address
LocalAddress By Nancy LeBlanc
Local Address AddressLocal Address
LocalAddress
Local curvesinternational.com Ahhhhh…this simple, basic activity can help relieve stress.

Over 8,000 locations worldwide. ON NUTRITION

Free week may be redeemed on first visit or exchanged for special membership discount. Not valid with any other offer. Lemons—A Versatile and Healthy Fruit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
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By Elizabeth Germain
Pretty and tangy, lemons are good for you too.

POINT OF VIEW
Keeping Fit with Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
By Russell Hoxsie
A retired family doctor reflects on moving through the decades.

LIGHTEN UP

BUSINESS
Cartoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
By Karen MacKay

STATS & INFO

The Hospital Emergency Room By The Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
A new, improved business publication By Nelson Sigelman
Statistics give a clear picture of what goes on in the E.R.
(previously Meet Your Merchant) that reports the issues,
Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
the numbers, and the information consumers want to know.
Covering Watch for our
upcoming issues
Economic Trends May 12
August 11
Finance November 3

Real Estate
Tourism
Health Care Health and Fitness
is published by

Retail and More! The Martha’s Vineyard Times Corporation

P.O. Box 518, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568

Circulated in The Times, throughout the Island, Health and Fitness is also online: www.mvtimes.com

on the ferries and online. To advertise, call Carrie Blair or Barbara Ronchetti at 508-693-6100.

Amy Simcik Williams, editor

Tamar Russell, production
Don’t Miss Out! Whit Griswold, copy editor/proofreader

On the Cover:
If you are in business, you’ll want to be in Doing Business Photo by Ralph Stewart
Graphic design by Tara Kenny and Tamar Russell
To Advertise, call 508.693.6100 We welcome comments and story ideas. E-mail: amy@mvtimes.com.
Health & Fitness — 2005 The Martha’s Vineyard Times Page 3

Issues in Health
Integrating Health Care, One Conversation at a Time
By Amy Simcik Williams
On a Tuesday morning you awake with a
dull headache. By noon your temples are
throbbing, your eyes hurt, and you worry that
the pain won’t allow you to focus on an im-
portant mid-afternoon meeting. Do you pop a
prescription migraine pill, or call a chiroprac-
tor? Maybe you do both.
In addition to conventional care, many Is-
land residents seek other approaches to
health care. According to findings in the
Health Report of Martha’s Vineyard, the final
statistical and summary report compiled last
fall for the Foundation for Island Health Inc.,
“almost half of full-time residents and a small-
er percent of part-time residents had seen an-
other kind of practitioner for health care.”
Who are these practitioners? The report
names therapies they provide, including
acupuncture, massage, homeopathic, and
naturopathic treatment.
Many of these providers are members of the
Martha’s Vineyard Whole Health Alliance,
which is composed mainly of complementary
and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners.
There is a difference between the two. Accord-
ing to the National Center of Complementary
and Alternative Medicine, a federal agency
that conducts and disseminates scientific re-
search on CAM, complementary medicine is
used in conjunction with conventional (West-
ern) medicine. Alternative medicine is used in
place of it.
The distinction between complementary and
alternative medicine is not determined by the
Health
Fitness
Care
PHOTO BY JJ GONSON
Dr. Ilene Klein, primary care physician
at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, speaks at
a recent health-care forum.
characteristics of a particular therapy. Rather,
the terms relate to a certain health care path
or course of treatment a person chooses. For
example, acupuncture could be considered
complementary medicine if used with conven-
tional care, or alternative medicine if used in-
stead of conventional care. However, “alterna-
tive medicine” is the term used more widely to
denote any modalities or treatments that are
not associated with conventional medicine,
whether or not both types of medicine are
used together.
Why Integration?
Since more people are pursuing alternative
options in health care, there is a greater need
on the part of both the conventional and alter-
native medical communities to better under-
stand the role that each plays in the health of
the Islanders. “People have very complex and
multiple needs, and so it really requires a
team, because that always enhances patient
care,” says Dr. Ilene Klein, a primary care
physician at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital
who routinely works with all types of health-
care professionals.
In addition, patients have different expecta-
tions of allopathic or medical doctors and al-
ternative providers. They may rely on conven-
tional medicine for acute care but explore
alternative therapies for sub-acute or chronic
health complaints. Also, according to one na-
PHOTO BY RALPH STEWART
Executive director of Hospice Catherine
Brennan, R.N., is an advocate for integrating
health care.
tional survey, patients may not be inclined to
inform their conventional caregivers about al-
ternative therapies they are trying.
Published on the National Center for
Biotechnology Information web site, the same
study, “Perceptions about Complementary
Therapies Relative to Conventional Therapies
Among Adults Who Use Both,” indicates that
more than half of the 831 respondents “did
not disclose at least one type of CAM therapy
to the medical doctor.”
Ironically though, 79 percent of the 831 re-
spondents surveyed “perceived the combina-
tion [of conventional and alternative medicine]
to be superior to either one alone.”
If this is so, how can doctors offer best care
if they are missing important health-care in-
formation from their patients?
On the other hand, the survey highlighted a
concern among patients: “Adults who use
both [types of health care] appear to value
both and tend to be less concerned about
their medical doctor’s disapproval than about
their doctor’s inability to understand or incor-
porate CAM therapy use within the context of
their medical management.”
Gaps in communication and misunder-
standings between the conventional and alter-
native medical communities exist partly be-
cause each speaks a language unfamiliar to
the other. While the goal of helping people is
similar, their orientation toward medicine
varies, as do educational backgrounds and
the perceptions of each other.
“There is a willingness or resistance to
Continued on Page 14

WOMEN’S INTENSITY
HEALTH
SERVICES
Obstetrics
Uniquely comprehensive
Gynecology

Midwifery
care meeting the needs
High Risk Pregnancy
of women of every age,
Well Woman Care by a dedicated group
Family Planning of professionals you Coming Soon
Adolescent Health probably already know... Boxing Room!
Basic Infertility Care Martha’s Vineyard Hospital’s Women’s
Health Services provides caring, family-centered
STDs • PMS
obstetrical, gynecological and well-woman services
Sexual Dysfunction in a safe and comforting atmosphere. We offer the
most comprehensive continuum of women’s health
Female Incontinence care on the Island.
Osteoporosis The entrance to our office is located at the rear of
the Windemere Building. Please use the Eastville Ave.
Menopause Emergency entrance driveway and proceed straight
through to the back of the Hospital. The parking area
Laparoscopic and entrance for our office, which
Gynecological Surgery we share with Surgical Services, is
clearly marked.
◆

S. Patrick Donegan, MD
Board Certified in OBGYN
Fellow of the American
College of Surgeons

Cathy Chase, MSN

Certified Nurse Midwife

508 696-7294
At the Airport 508-696-8000
www.marthasvineyardhospital.org
Page 4 The Martha’s Vineyard Times 2005 — Health & Fitness

Issues in Health
Addressing Students’ Needs:
New High School Counselor to be Hired Soon
By Duncan Pickard
The guidance department at Martha’s
Vineyard Regional High School will be hir-
ing a new counselor to address mental and
emotional health issues among the student
body.
The new full-time support services coun-
selor will be responsible for diagnosing,
treating, and referring students with social
and emotional needs that require interven-
tion for their long-term health, according to
Michael McCarthy, director of guidance.
“In the past, we have referred these stu-
dents to the Island Counseling Center (ICC)
or to private counselors,” said Mr. Mc-
Carthy. “Having one person on campus will
allow us to solve many problems in-house
and streamline the referral process.”
Becca Prager, a social worker who has
worked with Island youth at the Martha’s
Vineyard Public Charter School and
through the local YMCA, has encountered
professionally many of the issues that the
new high school counselor potentially will.
“There is a broad range of issues that can
affect youth, including drug and alcohol
use, family problems, self-mutilation, suici-
dal tendencies, feeling of isolation, difficult
peer relationships, eating disorders — any-
thing that is an issue off-Island can just as
easily reach Martha’s Vineyard,” she said.
“The root cause of all of this is lowered self-
esteem, whether it be a girl wanting to sleep
Health
Fitness
Care
PHOTO BY JJ GONSON
Michael McCarthy, director of guidance at
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.
around with guys or a student wanting to
look skinny for validation.”
“The main component of social work and
counseling is tapping into students’
strengths to increase their feeling of self-
worth,” said Ms. Prager. “The [support serv-
ices counselor] must be an advocate for
students to parents and teachers.”
“Isolation is another potential cause of
mental health issues,” said Ms. Prager. “So-
cial workers must make direct personal
contact with affected students, which is
why it is so important to have someone like
this on campus.”
The student services counselor will also
develop focus groups to address issues that
may develop into larger problems later on.
Such groups may include students having a
difficult time with the transition from ele-
mentary school, or victims of bullying, ha-
rassment, or hazing.
“Now, we periodically have five guidance
counselors referring five different students
to the same organization,” said Mr. Mc-
Carthy. “The new counselor can now devel-
op a fluid relationship with the organiza-
tions as they make more and more
referrals.”
“We have worked regularly and coopera-
tively with the high school for 40-plus
years,” said Tom Bennett, ICC’s program di-
rector. “The new [support services coun-
selor] will help the guidance department
with the referral process and enhance our
relationship.”
Mr. Bennett cited ongoing mental health
counseling and crisis intervention among
students as two of the issues that the ICC
has attended to in the past that the support
services counselor may now address.
“The [support services counselor] will play
a major role in community resource teams,
which consist of key players in the Island
counseling community,” added Mr. Bennett.
“The [support services counselor] will be a
great resource in determining the course of
action for major cases needing to be re-
viewed by a [student’s] family.”
Such action could include weekly meet-
ings with students and outside referral to
ICC specialists or state mental health and
social services departments.
“We have a particularly unique system on
Martha’s Vineyard where we incorporate a
technical school into the regular high
school,” said Mr. McCarthy. “Normally, a
technical school will shave off ten percent of
the high school’s population. The vast ma-
jority of kids on the Island go through the
high school. That means we deal with more
kids, and more potential [mental health] is-
sues.”
The school will hire the new counselor by
the end of the spring and will begin work
over the summer to build a caseload.
“We at ICC couldn’t be happier with our
relationship with the high school,” said Mr.
Bennett. “The guidance counselors there do
tremendous work, but we look forward to
working with the new [support services
counselor].”
“School is a focal point for students creat-
ing relationships,” said Ms. Prager, “which
is why an in-school social worker is so im-
portant.”
“Many of these affected students may feel
disconnected in a school environment,” said
Ms. Prager. “It is important for these stu-
dents to have a positive advocate in school.”
Duncan Pickard is a junior at the Martha’s
Vineyard Regional High School and an edi-
tor-in-chief of The High School View, a page
published weekly during the school year in
The Martha’s Vineyard Times.

Vineyard Physical – Free-weights, Cardio Equipment &

Resistance Equipment
Therapy, Inc. – Personal Trainers
Karen A. Kukolich, P.T., owner of – From Daily to year-round memberships
Vineyard Physical Therapy, has been – Wide Selection of Classes including:
serving the needs of patients on the
• Yoga • Pilates • Spinning
Vineyard for over 30 years. Located on
North Summer Street in Edgartown,
• Kickboxing • Karate • Step
Vineyard P.T. offers a variety of • Athletic Challenge
treatments in a quiet, private setting • Low Impact and More!
with direct, one-on-one attention.
Various modalities are available,
Highly motivated and professionally
including customized exercise trained and certified staff
programs and consultation for anyone – Air Conditioning – Parking
with a physical problem affecting their
ability to function. Visits, in the office
or at home, are covered by most “Your fitness is our priority”
insurances, including Medicare,
BC/BS and Harvard Pilgrim.
508-627-5066 508-627-3393
Open Year-Round • Post Office Square, Edgartown

Do you have osteoporosis?

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Enriching Women’s Lives SM

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Gentle Yoga For Better Bones ........At your service
Stand and walk taller! This program is a unique and integrative
Ruth Britton • 508-693-5470
approach to yoga that is beneficial for all, and highly recommended Cathy Campbell • 508-693-6755
for individuals with osteoporosis or osteopenia. Colleen Corr • 508-696-0061
Diane Couture • 508-696-3881
TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS 4:00 pm
Gail Craig • 508-627-3754
Co-Housing Community Room, Jennie Gadowski • 508-989-1231
Red Arrow Road, West Tisbury Susan Sellers Glyman • 508-627-9627
(same road as Chicama Vineyard) Gretchen MacArthur • 508-693-8782
Janine Milakeve • 508-627-1497
$14 per class or 10-class punch card for $120
Daria Podra • 508-696-8898
Instructor: Carol Vega, Kripalu Certified Riccie Tucker • 508-939-9364
Sponsored by Vineyard Complementary Medicine, Inc.
Call for a FREE makeover session!
and Susan Sanford, P.T., L.Ac. For more information, 508-693-3800
Health & Fitness — 2005 The Martha’s Vineyard Times Page 5

Health
Preventative Medicine
Fitness

Got Bones? Drink milk!

By Julie Lindland
You don’t have to be over the hill to be at
risk for osteoporosis. According to the Na-
tional Institute of Health (NIH), in the
United States today 10 million individuals
have osteoporosis (porous bones) and 34
million more have low bone mass (osteope-
nia).
While the majority of people affected by
osteoporosis are over age 50, the onset of
the disease can begin decades earlier. Be-
tween the ages of 30 and 35 your body’s
ability to store calcium declines drastical-
ly. Bone re-absorption begins to exceed the
rate of bone formation. Bones become
more porous and prone to fracture.
In fact, one out of every two women and
one in every four men over age 50 will have
an osteoporosis-related fracture in their
lifetime. Osteoporosis is responsible for
more than 1.5 million fractures annually,
including 300,000 hip fractures, approxi-
mately 700,000 vertebral fractures,
250,000 wrist fractures, and more than
300,000 fractures at other sites. Of the
80,000 men that suffer a hip fracture each
year, one third die within a year.
The disease does more than cripple peo-
ple. The estimated national direct expendi-
ture (hospitals and nursing homes) for os-
teoporosis and related fractures is $14
billion annually.
Osteoporosis risk factors include heredi-
ty, low calcium intake, hyperthyroidism,
radiation, chemotherapy, kyphosis (Curva-
ture of the spine /scoliosis), post
menopause, and steroid use. People with
malabsorption problems such as lactose
intolerance, Crohn’s disease, and irritable
bowel syndrome are also at risk.
A lesser-known risk factor affecting
young women is the use of Depo-Provera, a
birth control drug. Youths who have low
body weight, anorexia/bulimia, or who are
extreme athletes with a low percent of
body fat can also be susceptible to the dis-
ease.
Testing for Osteoporosis
At the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital we
test for osteoporosis by doing a bone den-
sity scan. Recipients usually get an order
from their doctor. Most insurance compa-
nies cover the screening, especially if you
fall into any of the risk categories. If you
are currently being treated for osteoporo-
PHOTO BY JJ GONSON
sis, most insurance companies cover one
scan per year. Bone density technician Julie Lindland reviews vertebrae measurements while Christine
The hospital has a new, state-of-the-art Absten, 23, remains still during the screening.
machine made by General Electric called
Prodigy. A typical test consists of a laser
scan of the lower spine (L-1 through L-4) from previous bone density tests, recali- crowd took part. Most were between the
and both hips. The test is totally painless. brate them and print out a trending graph ages of 40 and 70. A year before, partici-
Patients preparing for the scan should not that depicts the percentage of change from pants were 65 years old and up.
take any calcium supplements the day of older scans. Osteoporosis is easily prevented and can
the study, and should not wear clothes At the Hospital’s annual health fair this be treated. The NIH recommends 1500 mil-
with buttons or zippers. past March, we screened 38 people in 4.5 ligrams of calcium per day with 400 IU of
The Prodigy unit can also import data hours. It was nice to see that a younger
Continued on Page 12

Willow Song Rehabilitation &

Sound Healing Wellness Services
Channeled Readings
Land & Home Cleansing/ Blessing
Back Rehab
“Back School” & Lumbar
Stabilizaion Programs
Physical,
E verything in the universe is in a state of vibration, a living sound. There is no
◆ Occupational
part of the human energy system that sound cannot penetrate and change
the vibration. Healing sounds are strong medicine. Sacred sound makes you
Manual Therapy
◆
& Speech Therapy
Rehabilitation therapies are a vital part of
feel and dance from inside and moves the energy strongly and quickly. Sound Craniosacral
regaining and maintaining wellness.
brings you back into the heart and opens the vastness of your possibilities. Therapy
◆
We provide expert, comprehensive care for
Sound penetrates your Soul and allows you access to the wisdom of your Soul.
those with acute and post-acute injuries
Sacred sound instruments used in sessions include multiple chakra tuned Balance & from sports, work and automobile accidents
quartz crystal and Tibetan bowls, Native American flutes and drums, digeridoo,
Dizziness Rehab as well as therapy for post-surgical patients,
◆ Parkinson’s disease, strokes and other
conch shell, tuning forks, voice trained in sacred sound traditions.
neurological disorders.
Hand Therapy &
Splinting MVH is a “Planetree”
C y n t h i a P a r e j a has a profound understanding of the power and use of
◆ Hospital. Planetree is a
sound and its force as a source of healing. She has trained with internationally patient-centered model
Speech & Voice of care, value-based
acclaimed Jonathan Goldman, Saruah Benson and Zacchiah Blackburn.
Therapy and holistic; it
Cynthia has done, and continues, spiritual, shamanic and Kabbalah training in
◆ integrates the
the “healing university” of Foster Perry and Kristos Tsompanelis.
Dysphagia Rehab best of western
J u d e V i l l a is trained in hands-on energy healing and works with the power- (Swallowing) scientific
ful gift of mediumship to help connect you to your higher self and evolve on medicine with
◆
time-honored
your spiritual path and soul purpose.
Prenatal Programs healing practices.
◆
Call for more information and to be put on our mailing list for sacred

s o u n d e v e n t s a n d w o r k s h o p s . 5 0 8 - 9 3 9 - 9 0 2 2 . m v w i l l o w@v i n e y a r d . n e t
Tai Chi
(Medically Based)

508 693-0410
ext. 247
www.marthasvineyardhospital.org
Page 6
Dr. Ganong and the Whole Tooth
By Joyce Wagner
Dr. David Ganong’s brown eyes flash with
the excitement of his mission as he inserts a
DVD into his computer. After a bit of tech-
no-temperament on the computer’s part, the
image of a silver amalgam-filled tooth ap-
pears in silhouette. A green screen glows be-
hind the tooth, showing the mercury gasses
emanating from it. A definitely noticeable
fine shadow of vapor fills the screen. When
the tooth and filling are heated to the tem-
perature of an average cup of coffee or tea,
the “smoke” emerges thicker and faster.
Rubbing the tooth, even gently, to simulate
chewing, produces a similar result. The
amalgam filling in the tooth is 25 years old.
The film, “Smoking Teeth = Poison Gas,”
was produced by the International Acade-
my of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT),
of which Dr. Ganong is a member.
Mercury vapors once drove hat makers
mad. They used the element, sometimes
called “quicksilver,” to coat top hats. Preg-
nant women are advised not to eat certain
types of fish because the environmental
mercury can be passed through the placen-
ta and affect the development of the fetus.
Mercury in certain childhood vaccines has
recently been linked with autism. Govern-
ment and dental trade associations careful-
ly outline safety procedures for mixing and
removing mercury-intensive amalgam fill-
ings to prevent poisoning of dental office
staff and pollution of the air and ground
waters. Yet, the American Dental Associa-
What’s More Important
Than Your Health?
Craig Yuhas, Heather Neal
Certified Personal Trainers
Over 10 years experience
508.693.5478
Email: boa1@adelphia.net
References available
The Island’s Helping Hand Since 1961
508-693-7900
• Early Childhood Programs, ext. 280
• Island Community Resources, ext. 207
• Island Counseling Center, ext. 225
• Visiting Nurse Service, ext. 230
• Women’s Support Services, ext. 221
• The Thrift Shop, 508-693-2278
111 Edgartown Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
The Martha’s Vineyard Times
Health
How They Serve
Fitness
tion insists that it’s perfectly safe to wear
mercury in our mouths.
Dr. Ganong, DDS, of the year-old Luce
Tooth in Vineyard Haven, practices “mercu-
ry-free” dentistry and sees a mission in
convincing other Island dentists to follow
suit. “Mercury is a super-toxic substance,”
he says, “that’s why it’s now banned in
thermometers and everything else in this
state. They want you to dispose of it (safe-
ly), don’t touch it, yet it’s still allowed to be
put in a person’s mouth.” In addition to the
“Smoking Teeth” video, he has an extensive
library of information that supports his be-
liefs.
A Needham native and a 1974 graduate
of the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Ganong
practiced in Situate, Norwell, and Hanover
before settling in the 200-year-old Luce
House on Beach Road.
Dr, Ganong used mercury amalgam fill-
ings in his practice until 1981 when he
read some research that mercury from fill-
ings could enter the body. “Around 1985 I
found out that some persons who had some
illnesses responded to removing mercury
silver fillings and got better,” he recalls.
Mercury comprises 50 percent of the
composition of “silver” dental fillings. In
fact, silver constitutes only 25 to 35 per-
cent of most fillings named for it. Accord-
ing to a report from the New England Zero
Mercury Campaign cited in a recent Boston
Globe article, “More than half the mercury
currently being used in America resides in
silver amalgam dental fillings.”
Offering:
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2005 — Health & Fitness
PHOTO BY JJ GONSON
David Ganong, DDS, in his office at Vineyard Haven’s historic Luce House, for which his Luce
Tooth practice is named.
While the American Dental Association Mercury is also believed to pass through
(ADA) continually denies any adverse af- the placenta of the expectant mother, caus-
fects of mercury in the mouth, organiza- ing developmental defects — even miscar-
tions like the International Academy of Oral riage and stillbirth — in the fetus. It’s also
Medicine and Toxicology; New England Zero alleged to pass from mother to infant
Mercury Campaign; Consumers for Dental through breast milk.
Choice; DAMS, Inc.; and the Holistic Dental Unlike some of his more adamant col-
Association vehemently disagree. The ADA leagues, Dr. Ganong admits that mercury
either ignores or discredits studies that link is only a co-factor in any illness. He does-
mercury out-gassing and ingestion from n’t preach that a complete oral restoration
dental fillings with such medical maladies is necessary — unless the health is very
as Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis compromised — but rather insists that
(MS), migraine headaches, auto-immune keeping the body chemistry balanced is
diseases, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Continued on Page 7
Heather C. Rynd, R.P.P.
Derived from the principles and practices of ayurveda,
eastern spiritual philosophies, and quantum physics, the
art of Polarity Therapy provides an energy-based process
supporting a deeper and clearer understanding of our
unfolding human and spiritual journey. Through an
educational, therapeutic, and intuitive approach, the
practitioner facilitates the interrelationships of our
psychological, emotional, physical, nutritional, and
spiritual dimensions of health and disease, as well as
viewing our environment, our relationships, and our
creative work as a reflection of our inner process and self-
transformation. Polarity utilizes both counseling and
subtle bodywork to facilitate this approach.
Heather Rynd is a registered polarity practitioner
with the American Polarity Association and has dedicated
over 30 years to the exploration of a natural and energy-
based approach to health. She has maintained a private
practice on Martha’s Vineyard since 1985. Heather is
co-founder and director of Natural Therapeutics Center, a
non-profit educational organization founded in 1995.
Please call 696-0030 for a consultation.
Betsy Shands
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Health & Fitness — 2005 The Martha’s Vineyard Times Page 7

The whole tooth
Continued from Page 6
the best defense against dental toxicity.
“There are lots of people that have mer-
cury fillings that don’t show any signs,” he
says. “They may be having sub-clinical
damage — they’re all getting poisoned —
but they’re doing something different than
some of the other persons.”
Dr. Ganong credits a high-sulfur diet
with protection against mercury poisoning.
“Anyone with mercury fillings should be
eating eggs,” he says. “Eat foods with high
sulfur groups in them. They bind up with
mercury and tend to help remove the mer-
cury. “Eat lots of green leafy vegetables,
and stay away from foods that turn you
acid.”
He also recommends replacing silver
amalgam fillings with resin-bonded ceram-
ics and other non-toxic fillings, as the old
amalgams need replacing. He also advises
against chewing gum, drinking coffee, and
chewing ice. If the extant amalgam fillings
are old, avoid eating crusty bread, frozen process of debating legislation to ban the ting off the ground. “There are so many
candies, and hard nuts — anything that use of silver mercury fillings altogether. other restorative materials to use, silver
might break the filling or tooth. Other New England states, including Mass- mercury fillings do not have to be used any-
Luce Tooth is only one practice in a achusetts, are encouraging the use of more,” he says. “I would like to show (the
growing trend towards “mercury-free” den- equipment that safely disposes of used Island’s dentists) this video. Anyone who
tistry. In spite of the ADA’s insistence on amalgams for environmental protection, ig- would see this video (“Smoking Teeth = Poi-
the safety of silver mercury filings, many noring the issue of safety in the mouth. son Gas”) could not say that silver mercury
dentists are reading the research and mak- “Other countries,” says Dr. Ganong, “like fillings are a good thing — unless they did-
ing up their own minds. According to Sweden and Germany, have taken the lead n’t actually look at it.”
Charles G. Brown, spokesman for Con- to try to reduce the amount of exposure to
sumers for Dental Choice, one third of mercury by reducing the use of silver mer- Joyce Wagner is a freelance writer and
American dentists no longer use any mer- cury fillings.” former Island resident who now lives in
cury fillings, and more than two-thirds of Dr. Ganong’s Island mission is just get- Canaan, New Hampshire.
all the fillings used in the United States
now are mercury-free.
Environmental concerns regarding the
disposal of used fillings and mercury
scraps from the filling process have
prompted many states to discourage the
use of silver mercury fillings. Maine leads
the nation in its crusade against environ-
mental and dental mercury. It is the first
state in the nation to pass legislation in-
suring that patients are informed of the
risks of the different filling materials.
Lawmakers in Maine are currently in the

An array of homeopathic remedies from which Dr. Ganong may choose for treating
his patients. Dr. Ganong at his microscope.
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We can help. Each year we help over 1,000 Islanders get the health care
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Page 8
Lemons — A Versatile,
Healthy Fruit
By Elizabeth Germain
Native to Southeast Asia, lemons have
been cultivated for approximately 4,000
years. In the first century, the Romans dis-
covered a sea route to India and brought
this citrus fruit to the Mediterranean.
Columbus carried them to the new world in
1493. They flourished in the Caribbean and
Florida for centuries, but it was the Califor-
nia gold rush in 1849 that gave birth to the
commercial lemon industry — miners were
deficient in Vitamin C and lemons provided
it. Demand skyrocketed and now southern
California produces nearly a third of the
world’s production.
Celebrity chef Alice Waters expresses my
sentiments about this precious yellow fruit.
“Cook without lemons? Unthinkable!” Lemon
juice and zest finds its way into dressings,
sauces, soups, salads, and desserts. The zest
is the yellow part of the skin, home to the
flavor-rich, aromatic oil. Sometimes lemon is
the featured flavor, as in the accompanying
recipe for Lemon Honey-Mustard Dressing.
Other times, it’s used to brighten or balance
other foods. Squeeze lemon juice on greens,
fish, or in tea to experience how it perks up
flavors. Or give gremolata a try, a potent
tasting condiment that combines the zest
with parsley and garlic.
Enjoy the Vineyard
all year long!
...with a subscription to
The Martha’s Vineyard Times
❏ $110 First Class, one year
❏ $65 First Class, six months
Senior Discount:10%
Please enclose check or money order and mail to:
The Martha’s Vineyard Times
P.O. Box 518, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
508-693-6100
(Note: The Times will discontinue Third Class Subscriptions as of June 30, 2005.)
The Martha’s Vineyard Times 2005 — Health & Fitness
Health
On Nutrition
Fitness
The list of the health benefits of lemons is
impressive. While chefs avoid the bitter
pith, the soft white spongy layer that lies
between the zest and the flesh is extolled by
health and nutrition experts. Both the pulp
and the pith contain calcium, magnesium,
and phosphorus, according to Elson Hass,
M.D. Further, lemons are a great substitute
for salt, and they contain no fat and negligi-
ble calories. They are loaded with vitamin C
and provide potassium and folic acid.
The lemon’s antiseptic, astringent and
anti-microbial nature nurtures our bodies’
healing capabilities; as does its alkalizing
characteristic, which may be surprising PHOTO BY RALPH STEWART
since this fruit tastes acidic. According to
Oriental Medicine, lemons’ sourness detoxi- The stuff of beautiful still-lifes, lemons are as useful as they are decorative.
fies and rejuvenates the liver. Simply
squeeze some juice in water or try my fa-
Lemons
vorite therapeutic beverage, the master
cleanser. Lemons help metabolize fat,
strengthen our immune systems, and cool
our bodies.
Lemons’ highly acidic quality makes
them a strong cleaning agent and their
uses around the home are many. Rub a
cut lemon on a wooden cutting board to
sanitize it. Combine the juice with baking
soda to remove stains and clean counter
How to Purchase Extracting
tops and sinks or mix it with salt to clean & Store Juice & Zest
Purchase lemons that are firm Room temperature lemons yield
Continued on Page 13
and bright yellow in color. Heavy more juice than chilled ones. Roll
lemons are the juiciest. A coarse the fruit under your palm on a
and excessively thick skin indi-
cates less flesh and juice. Buy or-
ganic if planning to use the zest,
countertop until softened. An old-
fashioned reamer works well, or
try placing a small strainer over a
or citrus fruit that have not been bowl and use a fork or tongs to
waxed and then plan on washing ream the center of a lemon half by
and drying them. Lemons will twisting and squeezing.
keep at room temperature for To get zest, the finer sides of a
about one week. Store in refriger- box hand grater works well, as
ator for up to four weeks. Avoid does a vegetable peeler for wide
lemons that are too soft or green and long strips. A zester will re-
tinged. move very fine thin strips, without
the pith, and is ideal for perfect
looking garnishes. Microplanes, a
relatively new gadget, have razor-
sharp edges that easily remove
lemon peel into lacy shreds.
Vineyard
Complementary Medicine
Inc.
Physical Therapy
Acupuncture
Massage Therapy
Susan Sanford PT LAc • Joe Corbo PT
508-693-3800
508-693-7473 Fax
395 State Road, Vineyard Haven
(To be relocated this summer to 489 State Rd, W. Tisbury, formerly the Wellness Center)
Health & Fitness — 2005
Island Health
Continued from Page 1
to the mark.”
At this point, Island Health is waiting for a
Medicaid waiver from the federal government
said Ms. Mitchell. “It is one more administra-
tive piece in a chain of pieces,” she said.
The work of Island Health to change the
health-care landscape on Martha’s Vineyard
has attracted the attention of others. On
April 8 at the elegant Westin Copley Place in
Boston, Island Health received a community
leadership award at the 20th anniversary
celebration of Health Care for All, a health-
care interest group that describes itself as
“building a movement of empowered people
and communities with the goal of creating a
health-care system that is responsive to all
people, particularly the most vulnerable.”
The two projects that Island Health has fo-
cused on for the past several years have
been the Island Health clinic and the Island
Health Insurance Plan.
A Rural First
The opening of the state’s first rural health
clinic last year immediately improved the
availability of health-care services for low-in-
come and uninsured Islanders. The clinic
was made possible in part thanks to a three-
year, $500,000 federal grant and a commit-
ment among local health-care leaders to im-
prove access to affordable health care on the
Vineyard.
The federal government declared the Vine-
yard a health professional shortage area in
2001. The new clinic is modeled after similar
rural health clinics in Maine, Colorado, and
Texas.
According to Island Health there are ap-
proximately 3,000 uninsured Islanders and
an additional 1,000 who have insurance yet
cannot break into an existing private medical
practice. The clinic’s goal is to provide quali-
ty health care for residents and visitors, re-
gardless of their ability to pay.
The clinic is housed in 800 square feet of
rented office space adjacent to the Triangle
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508.627.3400
Inspired
Gifts & Home
Accessories
The Martha’s Vineyard Times
Island Health Clinic staff Carol Forgione (left) and Carol Anne Lindsey (right) and
Cynthia Mitchell, Island Health director, were in attendance when Island Health was
honored in Boston for the nonprofit’s community health-care initiatives.
Pharmacy in Edgartown. There is a reception
area, a lab for routine tests such as urinaly-
sis, pregnancy, pap smears, and strep, and
two exam rooms.
The clinic is not intended to function as an
emergency room or a walk-in clinic. Patients
are expected to make appointments, even if
only an hour ahead to avoid long waits. The
eight-person staff is a mix of full-time and
part-time workers. Dr. Gerald Morris, a fami-
ly practice physician, is the medical director;
his role is primarily supervisory.
The clinic fields both sick and well visits,
with an emphasis on preventative care and
works closely with the Martha’s Vineyard
hospital. Patients without health insurance
seeking reduced fees must come in for a dis-
cussion regarding income eligibility, which is
defined by the sliding scale of full and partial
free care program.
Under the clinic’s current state and federal
designations, patients who make less than
twice the federal poverty level, approximately
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$38,000 for a family of four, are eligible for
care at no cost. Those with higher incomes
pay according to a sliding fee scale. A family-
size to annual income table acts as a guide
for the clinic in determining patients’ eligibil-
ity and various co-pay amounts.
The clinic is reimbursed by the state as a
community health center. So when a patient
doesn’t pay, or pays at a reduced rate, the
clinic bills the Commonwealth’s uncompen-
sated care pool.
According to Ms. Mitchell, the clinic will
not withhold care if someone is treated prior
to completing the application process. “The
presumption is made that the application
will be approved,” she said.
Island Health Plan in the Wings
Last year, it appeared the Island Health
Plan was very close to reality when the state
legislature overrode Gov. Mitt Romney’s veto
of legislation that would allow the creation of
A safe place to explore your inner landscape.
workshops •
classes • retreats
healthy lifestyle & private consultations • healing arts sessions
Sacred Circle of Yoga
Page 9
the Vineyard’s homegrown insurance plan.
Since then, numerous snags have continued
to stand in the way. The latest centers on
the inability of Island Health and the
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital to agree on how
to handle people now covered by Medicaid.
Once all of the details are worked out, the
Island Health Plan, in partnership with the
Neighborhood Health Plan of Boston, plans
to offer an affordable insurance product to
small employers and the self-employed who
previously were unable to qualify for govern-
ment subsidies designed to help bridge the
insurance affordability gap.
Estimates place the number of uninsured
people on the Island at between 3,000 and
4,000. According to current guidelines, a
single person earning up to $35,920 would
qualify for the plan, while a family of four
could earn up to $73,600. A state, and in
some cases federal, subsidy would defray the
costs of the premiums, based on a sliding
scale.
For all intents and purposes, the Island
Health Plan is a test case. Once it is estab-
lished on the Vineyard, the goal is to provide
a similar plan for Nantucket and Cape Cod.
The plan is partnering with the Neighbor-
hood Health Plan (NHP), a non-profit, man-
aged-care organization servicing both the
public sector and private employees. It was
founded in 1986 by the Massachusetts
League of Community Health Centers and
the Greater Boston Forum of Health Action.
The Island Health Plan is a registered
501-C corporation. The chairman of the Is-
land Health Plan is Peter Oberfest of
Chilmark, a professional hospital consult-
ant and co-publisher of The Martha’s Vine-
yard Times.
For more information on the clinic or to
schedule an appointment, call 508-939-
9358. For more information on the Island
Health Insurance Plan, call 508-693-5090.
Nelson Sigelman is the news editor of The
Martha’s Vineyard Times.
MJ Bindu Delekta
508.696.4513
www.sacredcircleofyoga.com
Page 10
Just Do It…But How?
By Anna Marie D’Addarie
Morning Routine A
The alarm clock rings and you roll out of
bed, trip over the dog, fumble making coffee,
pick up your mug of Joe and drop onto the
couch with an exhale. You have just finished
your morning exercises.
Morning Routine B
The alarm clock rings and you roll out of
bed, put on your sneakers and sweats, zip
up your jacket, pet the dog, and head out for
your morning exercise.
What keeps person A on the couch and
person B on the trail? Does person B know
some secret or possess a special exercise
gene? What can person B teach us that will
get us off the couch and into the exercise
habit? Plenty.
I asked the experts: fitness professionals,
successful losers (not an oxymoron; it de-
scribes those who have won the weight-loss
battle), and regular exercisers, to tell me
what gets them up and moving when they
would rather lie around like third base.
Excuses Stop Here
You know the routine by heart. Decide to
live healthier, begin an exercise program,
miss a few days, feel like a failure, and give
up. Plop. You’re back on the couch. The
litany of excuses — some old some new —
are ready to be recited to whomever asks.
“It’s been so cold, I just can’t get out of bed
in the morning.”
“I can’t lose weight since I hit menopause.”
“My cat left a hairball in my Nikes and I
can’t wear them.”
I’ve actually used this last one with much
success. It prevents any follow-up questions.
Norma Sigelman walks four miles a day.
Period. No matter what the weather, rain,
snow, sleet…you get the picture, Norma
walks. Her advice is, “Give it three minutes.”
Put on your sneakers and start to walk. If
you still feel like quitting after three minutes,
go home. She guarantees you won’t go
home.
The hardest part, according to Norma, is
dressing and getting out of the house.
Another piece of advise from this regular
on the West Chop circuit is to find a partner
to walk with. Many mornings the thought of
keeping her walking partner waiting gets
Norma out the door. One more thing: walk-
ing reminds her how beautiful this Island is.
Fitness Clubs Keep You on Target
“You leave feeling better then when you
came in,” says Bud Raymond about those
who have the exercise habit. Bud is the gen-
eral manager of the Mansion House Inn,
Health Club, and Spa in Vineyard Haven.
Bud has been in the fitness industry since
1985 and has seen exercise fads come and
go. He remembers with amusement the
pounding and jumping of the 1980s aero-
bics classes. “The exercise high keeps you
coming back,” said Bud. Plus, the energy
you get from being around other people at
the gym is a great motivator.
The Mansion House is one health club
where you may not be able to slip away and
back to the couch. Bud always calls to check
up on people he hasn’t seen for awhile. This
one gesture may be all it takes to get the
person back to the gym. Bud’s inspirational
message is, “Put one foot in front of the other
and start the program. You’ll use that foot to
kick yourself for not starting sooner.”
The Martha’s Vineyard Times
Health
ActiveFitness
Living
PHOTO BY SUSAN SAFFORD
Phyllis Kugler (left) keeps her fitness class at
Vineyard Tennis Center Workout and Spa
motivated with her “you can do it” style.
Spend five minutes with Phyllis Kugler
and she’ll have you believing you can do
anything. Phyllis is the fitness director at
the Vineyard Tennis Center, Workout and
Spa near the airport in West Tisbury, and
motivation is her specialty. She is a certi-
fied personal trainer with a dozen years ex-
perience so don’t try to give her any excus-
es for not working out. Not only has she
heard them all before, but excuses just
don’t work on Phyllis. She will turn them
around to find a positive in your negative
and the next thing you know you’re exercis-
ing.
The challenge for trainers and fitness
clubs is to keep people on track, or on the
track. Phyllis says, “Exercise must be enjoy-
able. If not, it becomes a chore.”
The tennis center offers many different
PHOTO BY JJ GONSON
Curves, a club for women, provides a fun,
fast-paced, 30-minute workout. Cathy
Campbell (left) steps to the beat of lively
music at a recovery station while Susan
Johnson uses one of the machines.
classes and the instructors make people feel
at home in the class. More importantly,
classes offer support, something Phyllis be-
lieves is essential to success. The spirit of
friendship one finds in an exercise class
may keep you coming back.
“Exercise is a mind-body experience” says
Phyllis. Set a goal and find someone who
can help you achieve it. If you can’t find the
motivation to get off the couch, just ask
Phyllis. She has plenty to spare and a desire
to see you achieve. Phyllis encourages
everyone to “make exercise part of the circle
of your life.”
Where Everyone Knows Your Name
The new kid on the block is Curves in
Vineyard Haven, a workout system for
women only. Just ask any of the over 600
members and they will tell you the tiny gym
is just right for them. With an almost cult-
Walking the chop are Kathy Tate (left) and Norma Sigelman. Hav-
ing a partner makes exercise fun.
like allegiance, members describe the suc-
cess of the program. The friendly atmos-
phere makes you feel at home from the very
first day. The pulsating music with the 30-
second prompts moves you from station to
station. Before you know it, the 30-minute
workout flies by.
Looking closer, the Curves success is no
secret at all. Working out with other people
in a small space gives you the spirit of an
exercise class with all the benefits of friend-
ly reinforcement and support. The staff,
usually one person, is able to welcome
everyone and monitor their workout. Goals
are set when you sign up and monthly mon-
itoring keeps you on track. Success is meas-
ured with ribbon tails attached to your
name on a tiny kite and hung around the
room. Members are surrounded by success
and all the positive energy keeps women
coming back. No matter when you visit
Curves, you are sure to be greeted by some-
one who’s glad you came.
Fitness Begins Young
Catie Fuller, owner of Triangle Fitness in
Edgartown, says of exercise, “If it were
easy, everyone would do it.” Her own moti-
vation for keeping fit is that she doesn’t
want to have to start over. Ms. Fuller is very
persuasive. She almost had me convinced I
could join a spinning class, and survive.
Triangle Fitness is the only club on the Is-
land to offer spinning, a rigorous exercise
program on stationary bikes.
Triangle Fitness is also the home of a
large martial arts school. Ms. Fuller spoke
with enthusiasm about the Island students
who have advanced through the ranks to
the highest levels of the sport. Many young-
sters travel off-Island for competitions and
testing.
As with any sport involving children, the
teachers are a very important part of the
process. Ms. Fuller, like a proud parent,
showed off photos of the children who take
lessons at Triangle Fitness. Her example as
someone who lives her fitness philosophy is
the best lesson she can give to her stu-
dents.
Begin With Just One Step
Is there any place nicer than Martha’s
Vineyard for walking? “Walking Trails of
2005 — Health & Fitness
PHOTO BY RALPH STEWART
What You Need
to Succeed
• Listen to the experts. Ask your fit
friends for advice. Read articles and
books for inspiration.
• Set a goal. Keep it simple and attain-
able, like, “I want to walk from the
Vineyard Haven library to the West
Chop lighthouse.”
• Find out what types of exercise you
enjoy. Take different classes. Try dif-
ferent things. If it’s not fun, you won’t
do it. Clubs offer trial memberships
and most will let you in free to see if
you like it. They want you to succeed.
• Ask yourself what you need to suc-
ceed. If you can’t get yourself to the
gym, find a friend to go with you. If you
need positive feedback, tell a friend or
family member that you need to be en-
couraged.
• Treat yourself to a session with a per-
sonal trainer. He or she will help you
get started, set goals, and give you
valuable information. Ask for a person-
al training session for your birthday.
• Get a physical. Listen to the doctor
when he or she tells you the risks of a
sedentary lifestyle.
• Put one foot in front of the other.
Repeat. You are now walking.
Martha’s Vineyard” by William Flender is a
pocket-size, comprehensive guide to some
of the most beautiful spots on the Island.
Buy a copy and walk them all.
Does the thought of walking hand in
hand with the one you love on a sunset
beach fill you will happiness? You can do
that any night of the week. Ignore the dour
naysayers who predict you will be back on
the couch before the next full moon. Smile
at them like you have the secret to exercise
success. You do.
Anna Marie D’Addarie is the associate cal-
endar editor at The Martha’s Vineyard
Times. Writing this article has inspired her to
begin exercising.
Health & Fitness — 2005 The Martha’s Vineyard Times Page 11

Health The Vineyard Wellness Center will undergo new and

Point of View
Fitness
exciting renovations. Vineyard Complementary Medicine Inc,
owner Susan Sanford, P.T., L.Ac. and newest associate, Joe
Corbo, P.T., will be relocated to a newly refurbished space.
In addition, a new Yoga and dance studio will be
constructed. In order to allow this to occur the center will
Keeping Fit with Age be temporarily closed beginning April 11. Please contact
individual instructors for updated schedules and locations
By Russell Hoxsie of classes.

I am over my deadline, having promised

the editor a piece on how we elders try to
Vineyard
keep fit with added years. That ought to be
an easy task since I have added a few my-
Complementary Medicine
self. The first that comes to mind is that I Inc.
have had my share of trouble and probably
should not be around to have the question
asked of me. Friends meet me on the street
and often say in a loud voice, “You look won-
derful, just great; or, “My goodness, how do
you keep yourself in shape?” Those remarks
Meg Knapp
usually tip me off to some indiscretion or
blundering into a forbidden topic by the Certified Birth Doula
speaker. I know what I look like when I
shave each morning, when I remember to
shave. I know how I feel every time Ticker, Providing physical,
my year-old springer, pulls me up the hill
past the Noyes’s house on Flanders Lane: emotional, and informational
heavy breathing, tired calf muscles. support to the mother before,
PHOTO BY RALPH STEWART
To save face with the editor I have swung
into action and called a friend of similar if Sheila Morgan works out at the Cardio during, and after childbirth
slightly fewer years to see if she would submit Rehab Unit at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
to a photo of herself at the hospital rehab
unit, which she attends regularly several There are certain things in the past histo-
times a month. She seemed pleased I’d asked. ry of my illnesses, which bespeak of a skill Sliding scale rates
Perhaps that is a better approach than saying at survival, which is a good thing. If you’re
how well she looks. Actually she looks terrific. not willing to fight the good fight a lot can go
I am suddenly confronting my genetic inheri- really wrong. I am embarrassed to say that I
tance. Father died a year younger than I am smoked cigarettes for 30 years with a few 508-645-3611 • 1-508-341-4226
now. Mother lived to 98. I’ll have to toss a coin months off for a non-inhaled pipe and six
although it’s late for that. Continued on Page 12 Email: meggiemorrow@hotmail.com

Emergency
Traditional Chinese Medicine D E PA RT M E N T
Acupuncture
Chinese Herbs T he Emergency Room may be the last place you
hope to visit, but if you need medical attention
we’ll make sure you are evaluated and seen as
quickly as possible. Our “Fast Track” program is helping
Massage Therapy us minimize the wait for patients with minor injuries or
illness without compromising life-saving care for those
who are critically ill.
With immediate access to Radiology, CAT and MRI

Harry Beach Lic. Ac. diagnostics in affiliation with Massachsetts General

Hospital, and on-site airlift capabilities, Martha’s
Timothy Tsai, M.D.
Director of Emergency
Services
508-560-0760 Vineyard Hospital is the Island’s lifeline to the mainland. Board Certified in
Emergency Medicine

Carroll A. Biesecker, M.S., NCPsyA

Licensed Psychoanalyst
62 Main Street, Vineyard Haven, MA Peter Laursen, M.D.
Karen Casper, M.D. Stuart Kendall, M.D.
Board Certified in Board Certified in Board Certified in
Emergency Medicine Internal Medicine Family Practice and
Counseling and Psychotherapy for Adults, Emergency Medicine

Adolescents, Children and Couples.

Mood Disorders, Anxiety, Trauma, Addictions, Dual
Diagnosis, Marital Problems.
Twenty years experience in private practice.

Please call to schedule an appointment: Simon Roy, M.D. Gerry Yukevich, M.D. Jeffrey Zack, M.D.
Board Certified in Board Certified in Board Certified in

508-693-6339 Emergency Medicine Internal Medicine Emergency Medicine

One Hospital Road • 508 693-0410 • www.marthasvineyardhospital.org

Page 12 The Martha’s Vineyard Times 2005 — Health & Fitness

Bone density
VINEYARD MEDICAL SERVICES Continued from Page 5
Walk-in for Quality Urgent Care vitamin D (for better calcium absorption)
but not exceeding 500 milligrams of calci-
Affordable Alternative to the ER um per dose. Thus, 500 milligrams of calci-
Walk-In Hours um needs to be taken at three separate
times per day.
Monday~ Friday · 8:30 a.m. ~ 2 p.m. The best source of calcium is dietary, but it
is hard for most of us to consume the
Doctors Available Daily and by Appointment amount needed. But there are many calcium
State Road · Vineyard Haven supplements on the market. Speak with your
Opposite Cronig’s Market doctor about the one that is right for you. If
you are taking Fosamax or any other pre-
scription drug for osteoporosis, it is impor-
Michael Jacobs, M.D., Director Board Certified in Internal Medicine & Gastroenterology tant to make sure you are getting about 1500
Carol Forgione, A.N.P., Clinical Director Board Certified Nurse Practitioner mg of calcium per day as well. Be sure to
check with your doctor regarding the amount
Laura Reid, M.D. Board Certified in Ambulatory Medicine recommended for you as an individual.
Alan Abrams, M.D. Board Certified in Internal Medicine & Geriatric Medicine PHOTO BY JJ GONSON
Julie Lindland is a certified bone density A patient’s upper thighs are rotated to get a
Tel: 508 693-4400 Fax: 508 693-2098 technician at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospi- clear view of the femoral neck, the upper
tal. For eleven years she did private duty part of the thigh bone close to the hip joint
nursing and is now an EMT and a para-
that is a common site of osteoporotic
medic student.
fractures.

Allegheny Acupuncture
Frances Desmone, LicAc., MAc has her Acupuncture Practice, Allegheny
Keeping fit
Acupunture, at the office of Dr. John Campbell and Continued from Page 11
Martha’s Vineyard Chiropractic Center at 2 Ryan’s Way, Oak Bluffs.
years of quitting cold turkey followed by
A native of Pittsburgh, Penn., Francie attended Duquesne University, graduating more smoking. I’ve been clean for 30 years.
with a degree in Philosophy and Art History. Continuing her education at the That’s a plus.
Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, Cal. I’ve never been a heavy alcohol drinker ex-
Francie completed her masters of acupuncture at the cept for a couple of years at college when
New England School of Acupunture in Watertown, Mass. once I had a true blackout of several hours
with no accounting for them ever. It was a
Frances has a general practice helping people with a wide variety of ailments, scare that lasted me in good stead.
including stress, pain management, and the prevention of illness. I try hard to be a good driver although my
She is also trained to treat pets and horses. wife feels I am too unaware of potential deer
strikes along North Road. I have been struck
twice in flight but fortunately for both me
Please call and the deer there were no injuries, just a
508.292.5036 bit of hair on my fender and probably an ac-
celeration of my own balding.
for an appointment My memory for public health statistics is
poor, but I remember a wise physician
telling me long ago that the measure of a
healthy community is not always dependent
on the skill or intensity of medical care
available. Nevertheless, I would not be com-
Helps: Neck and shoulder pain fortable without a good physician or hospital
nearby.
Chronic tension On the other hand we have come through
and past the era when the average patient
Posture/alignment problems put his entire well-being into the hands of
the physician and never doubted that he
Recovery from injury would receive the correct care. I hope I shall
always have the courage (and it takes some
courage) to question my very good physician
if he prescribes a new drug, especially one I
Restorative Bodywork am not familiar with, or advises therapy
that is newly on the medical scene. I want to
be responsible for my own care to a degree,
and The Alexander Technique whether I know much about the details or
not. And I want my doctor to be responsive
to my inquiries and to listen to my doubts
Margaret Knight with respect. It is never too much to ask.
The field of medicine is a peculiar blend of
Above all, avoid insulin reactions and let the
patient “spill” some sugar in his urine. The
eventual outcome would be no different
than if you controlled his blood sugar to the
milligram.
How anachronistic that sounds today. In-
terestingly, a physician must become a sa-
vant in the science of diabetes as well as be-
come the master of discipline, empathy and
encouragement to hold the whole situation
together.
If my prostate cancer ever becomes un-
controllable I want my physician to know
the proper treatments but, more important-
ly, I want him to understand the horror that
I will go through, be willing to listen and en-
courage, and not close the door of my room
so he will forget to visit me as he walks by
every day at the hospital or rest home.
I have lived through the era when a sur-
geon on my residency service did exactly the
latter after his patient returned from sur-
gery with a hopeless diagnosis. When the
time comes I want my doctor to let me die as
comfortably as possible, treat me for any-
thing that is painful; or causes me short-
ness of breath, if there is hope I can contin-
ue to be nourished spiritually by my family
and friends. I have never seen a dying man
or woman feel hungry or thirsty while they
are in the last throes of an illness.
Something I have come to in recent years
is that I shall never have a complete trans-
formation. Naïve? I guess so but I can modi-
fy some negative attitudes and ways of
thinking. Reinhold Niebuhr’s “12th step
prayer” is a saving grace in the middle of the
night when I cannot sleep:
“Give me the grace to accept the things
I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.”

508-627-8894 • 508-645-7870
science and art. I want my physician to
know the best and newest approach to dia- Russell Hoxsie is a retired family physician
*De-stress *Relax *Energize betes if my family history decides to visit
that disease upon me. I was taught 50 years
and long-time Vineyarder. He is the author of
“Let’s Walk, Lilly,” and a columnist for The
ago to ride the patient gently with insulin. Martha’s Vineyard Times.

Islanders Read

L e t ’ s Wa l k , L i l l y – By Russell Hoxsie

Hardcover $22.95
Explore the Vineyard with Russell Hoxsie
Available at

T he Island’s beloved Dr. Hoxsie, author and

retired family physician, writes about his
favorite places to walk on Martha’s Vineyard.
· The Martha’s Vineyard Times
office on Beach Road,
Vineyard Haven
www.mvtimes.com
· Bunch of Grapes Bookstore,
Vineyard Haven Published by
· Edgartown Books, MV Times Press
Edgartown
Vineyard Haven, MA
Health & Fitness — 2005 The Martha’s Vineyard Times Page 13

Just Breathe
By Nancy LeBlanc
Today’s busy lifestyles offer many opportunities to
confront stressful situations. They in turn invite many
strategies for coping with stress. Yoga, biofeedback,
meditation, even acupuncture are alternative ways to
deal with stress and its harmful effects on the body.
The ancient practice of deliberate breathwork has re-
cently been enjoying a renaissance as a way to manage
stress.
Andrew Weil, M.D., has been instrumental in popu-
larizing the use of breathing techniques as a tool toward
achieving wellness. The popular author of self-healing
books and director of the Program in Integrative Medi-
cine at the University of Arizona, he has led patients in
healing breathing exercises for 20 years and has seen
the results firsthand. In his recording, “Breathing: The
Master Key to Self Healing,” he states, “There’s no single
more powerful — or more simple — daily practice to
further your health and well-being than breathwork.”
Breathing techniques and their relationship to health
and well-being have been known for thousands of years
in India and elsewhere in Asia, according to Island yoga
instructor MJ Bindu Delekta. In many ancient lan-
guages, she points out, the word for breath is also the
word for spirit, life force or health, and proper breathing
is vital to the practice of yoga.
On a Saturday morning that holds the promise of
spring, half a dozen people gather for a two-hour work-
shop focusing on breathing techniques for stress man-
agement. MJ offers this and similar workshops on a
regular basis at her home and studio tucked away in
the woods off the Vineyard Haven-Edgartown Road.
The workshop begins when MJ instructs students to
turn inward, think about breathing in and out, and get
in touch with how they feel. This focuses attention on
the present moment, minimizing distractions and free-
ing the mind from extraneous thoughts. Such concen-
tration encourages breathing to become “deep, slow,
quiet, and regular.”
The session emphasizes the use of breathwork as a
tool in stress management. The body’s reaction to
stress is to release hormones such as cortisol and
adrenaline, which can become destructive. “Stress is an
aggravating [factor] of most illness in the body,” MJ
says. But deep breathing acts as an antidote to stress,
she adds, by bringing more cleansing oxygen to every
cell.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD., runs the Stress Reduction
Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Cen-
ter. He teaches meditation and breathing techniques to
Health
ActiveFitness
Living
PHOTO BY RALPH STEWART
Yoga is one exercise that involves concen-
tration on breathing.
people suffering from hyperventilation and anxiety at-
tacks. “Mindfulness” is the term he uses in his book,
“Full Catastrophe Living,” to describe the attention paid
to breathing as part of the healing process. This means
being aware of the breath as it moves in and out and
how it feels in one’s body, not actually thinking about
it, which can be counterproductive if it leads to an effort
to control breathing. Mindful breathing should help you
locate a peaceful center within yourself.
MJ recommends daily breathwork — not only to cope
with life’s stresses, but also to promote relaxation and
improve physiological well-being. While no one can fully
control the forces unleashed during the course of a day
in today’s busy world, you can learn to influence your
immediate environment by controlling your inner bal-
ance. When you feel balanced, you project that inner
calm visibly.
MJ, who has been practicing and teaching yoga for 36
years, the last four full-time on the Island, has devel-
oped her own unique style. After so many years, she
says, it has really become a way of life for her with daily
meditation along with her yoga practice.
And yes, she encounters stressful situations just like
the rest of us and uses controlled breathwork to combat
them. But the kindness and sincerity radiating from her
eyes endorses the benefits of her pathway to peace and
balance.
Nancy LeBlanc is a freelance writer living in Oak
Bluffs.
Exercises
The following breathing exercises are adapted from Dr. Andrew
Weil’s CD “Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing” available
through Sounds True, 1-800-333-9185.
Preparation — Find a quiet place with no distractions. Pick a
comfortable chair and sit with your back straight and your head
in a comfortable position. Regularity is more important than the
amount of time spent on the exercises.
Following Your Breath — This is a good exercise to begin your
session. Bring attention to your breathing without trying to influ-
ence it. Just follow it with your mind as you breathe in and out. If
your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath. Observe
where your breath goes — nostrils, nose, throat, chest, abdomen.
You may observe it at any of these places. Do this for two or three
minutes to start.
Beginning With Exhalation — Start by observing breathing as
you usually do — in, out, in, out. Now reverse your conception of
the cycle by beginning with an exhalation. Do this for a few min-
utes without trying to influence it.
Squeezing More Air Out — The secret of increasing breath is to
increase exhalation, not inhalation. You have greater muscular
control over exhalation. By squeezing more air out, you automati-
cally take more air in. Take in as deep a breath as you can
through your nose. Let it out through your mouth, and when you
get to the end, squeeze a little more air out, then a little more, and
a little more. Feel the effort in your intercostal muscles (between
your ribs). Now let the air expand your lungs normally.
Making Your Breathing Deep, Slow, Quiet and Regular — In re-
sponse to anger, fear or upset, breathing becomes rapid, shallow,
irregular, and noisy. Relaxation and harmony bring deep, slow,
quiet, and regular breathing. This shows clearly how the voluntary
aspect of breathing influences conditions we may consider beyond
our direct control. Begin by relaxing. Stretch and shake out mus-
cles. Take a deep breath, just observing it at first. Then focus con-
sciously on making it deeper, slower, quieter, and more regular.
Do this a few times and notice how you feel.
The following is adapted and reprinted with permission from Dr.
Andrew Weil’s Self-Healing newsletter. Subscriptions available from
(800) 523-3296. Copyright May 1998 by Body and Soul Omnime-
dia, Inc.
The Relaxing Breath — This exercise is recommended as a very
powerful relaxation method. Any lightheadedness will disappear
with time. Begin by exhaling through your mouth completely.
Then inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four, hold
your breath for a count of seven, then exhale through your mouth
for a count of eight. Repeat for no more than four cycles at first.
The ratio of four-seven-eight is the most important aspect of this
exercise.

Lemons
Continued from Page 8
copper. Add pulp-free lemon juice to
brighten white clothes. (For more eco-
friendly alternatives to commercial clean-
ers go to ems.org, the web site of the non-
profit organization, Environmental Media
Services.)
Lemons bring beauty and a refreshing
scent. A bowlful is attractive, and their
juice tones and exfoliates skin as well as
lightens hair. No matter how I use them,
lemons lift my spirits like the sun bursting
through the clouds on a dark and dreary
day.
Elizabeth Germain is a year-round resi-
dent who provides personal chef services
and offers cooking classes. She is a con-
tributing editor to Cook’s Illustrated and her
articles have also appeared in Natural
Health Magazine and will soon appear in
Body & Soul.
Lemon Recipes
Master Cleanser
(adapted from Dr. Elson M. Hass’s
“Staying Healthy with the Seasons”)
This natural “lemon–aid” is so delicious
and addictive that I forget it is a healthy
beverage. Lemon cleanses the liver,
cayenne improves circulation, and the
maple syrup adds minerals and balances
flavor. Use Grade B maple syrup rather
than Grade A — it is less refined, contains
more minerals and flavor, and is cheaper.
Serves One
8 ounces water
2 Tbsp. fresh
squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients in a glass. Stir and
drink immediately.
Lemon Honey-
Mustard Dressing
Lemon and olive oil is a classic combi-
nation. Here, I have added mustard to
emulsify the dressing and honey to bal-
ance the sour, pungent flavors. Try
adding two tablespoons of minced herbs,
like parsley, dill, or mint. Or blend in
minced shallots, garlic, or drained capers.
Experiment to see what pleases you. Left-
overs will keep in the refrigerator for up to
two weeks. Add fresh herbs just prior to
using. Use on salads and steamed vegeta-
bles, or try with cooked and cooled grains,
beans, chicken, or fish.
Makes about 3/4 cup
3 Tbsp. fresh
squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
fresh ground pepper
Gremolata
Typically paired with osso buco, a clas-
sic Italian recipe for braised veal shanks,
this dynamic condiment offers sprightly
flavor and healthful benefits. A little goes
a long way, especially since it contains
raw garlic. Sprinkle on top of stew, fish,
or chicken or mix into pasta, beans, or
grains. Add a squeeze of lemon juice or a
dash of olive oil or both.
Makes about 1/3 cup
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. pressed garlic cloves
Place ingredients in a small bowl and
mix with a fork until blended. Store in the
refrigerator in a covered container for up
to four days.

In a small bowl, whisk together all in-

gredients, including salt and pepper to
taste. Refrigerate in a covered container.
Page 14 The Martha’s Vineyard Times 2005 — Health & Fitness

Issues in Health
Understanding Long-term Care Insurance
By Joseph A. Marshall
The age of America is changing. Life ex-
pectancy at the beginning of the 20th cen-
tury was about 48 years. Today, the esti-
mate has increased to over 77 for men and
greater than 80 for women, and by the year
2050, more than 4,200,000 Americans will
live to be age 100.
The Medicaid system cannot support ex-
tended skilled and custodial care. The sys-
tem will have to be more restrictive and re-
quire applicants to spend down most of
their assets to qualify. The best solution lies
in long-term care insurance (LTCI).
Long-term Care Insurance
LTCI has been sold in the United States
since the 1970s, when it was known as
nursing home insurance and only paid for
nursing home care not covered by
Medicare. Today LTCI covers a broad range
of services, including home care, adult day
care, and assisted living. It can also include
other features, such as caregiver training
and home modifications. In addition, in the
past, LTCI was purchased exclusively by
people 65 and older. Today people under
age 65 purchase one in five LTCI policies.
LTCI is a product people are encouraged
to buy long before they will need to use the
benefits. By doing so, premiums are gener-
ally less expensive, and applicants are less
likely to be turned down because of health
conditions that may develop later. The ben-
efits are designed to pay a pre-selected
amount when an insured person has a cog-
nitive disorder and needs supervision or,
because of a physical or cognitive impair-
ment, cannot perform the ordinary tasks of
daily life (called “activities of daily living” or
ADLs), such as bathing or dressing. This
type of care is often provided by family
members or paraprofessional workers (such
as nurses’ aides) and is not the type of
skilled care that nurses and doctors are li-
censed to provide or that Medicare and oth-
er health insurance will usually cover for a
short period of time.
The majority of LTCI policies are stand-
alone products sold to individuals or mem-
bers of groups. They pay benefits only for
long-term care. A smaller number of prod-
ucts combine long-term care benefits with
benefits of a life insurance policy sold to in-
Health
Fitness
Care
dividuals. Life insurance policies with a
long-term care benefit typically advance
death benefits that would otherwise be paid
to a beneficiary. Instead these benefits are
used to pay the covered long-term care ex-
penses of the insured person. Some policies
also include a rider for continued LTCI ben-
efits once someone’s death benefit has been
exhausted.
You may purchase life insurance with
long-term care benefits by making one very
large premium payment or by making peri-
odic premium payments, depending on how
the policy or contract is structured.
Life insurance products are complex fi-
nancial planning instruments that can have
both estate and income tax implications. If
you are interested in these products, you
should consult with a trusted financial ad-
visor in order to fully understand how these
policies work, to determine the suitability of
one of these products based on their unique
financial circumstances, and to get help
with their tax and estate planning ques-
tions.
Buying Long-term Care Insurance
Buying LTCI is an individual choice based
on many factors, such as health, income,
marital status, and resources. There are
various suitability guidelines for the mini-
mum income and assets a person should
have before buying one of these policies.
You should be able to afford to pay for this
type of insurance for the rest of your life,
with a comfortable cushion against any fu-
ture increases, and have enough resources
to justify the cost.
Many experts advise people to limit annu-
al premiums for LTCI to no more than sev-
en percent of their net income to avoid an
adverse impact on their standard of living.
Consumer groups often advise older people
to buy only if their annual income is above
a certain threshold, such as $35,000, and
they have resources of more than $75,000,
excluding a house.
The amount of income necessary before
buying LTCI is a relative amount often used
to ensure that the insured will be able to
comfortably afford premiums over their life-
time, including modest rate increases. LTCI
is often purchased to protect an asset, such
as a house, when that asset may already be
exempt under Medicaid.
Selecting Long-term Care Benefits
LTCI policies are legal contracts that
specify when, how and under what circum-
stances a policy will pay benefits for long-
term care services. LTCI policies pay bene-
fits when a person has met the specified
“benefit trigger” in the policy. In most poli-
cies sold since 1997, benefit triggers are ei-
ther the inability to do two or three ADLs or
the existence of severe cognitive impairment
measured by standardized tests.
Purchasers generally select individual
benefits and other optional features they
want when they apply for a policy. Those
choices (described below), combined with
their age, determine the premium they will
pay.
Applicants choose the dollar amount
they want the company to pay for each
day they need care, called the daily ben-
efit amount. Some companies use an in-
demnity method, meaning that they will
pay the entire daily benefit amount even
if the cost of care is actually less. Other
companies use a reimbursement method
and will pay the actual cost of care but
not more than the daily benefit amount
selected. Some companies will pay out
benefits on a monthly basis either at
home or in a nursing home or assisted
living facility. People often need more
care in their homes at times than the
policy allows, and less care or none on
other days of the same week. Paying a
home care benefit on a monthly basis is
particularly helpful to families organiz-
ing intermittent care, and it helps
smooth out payment for that care.
Applicants choose the number of years
they want the company to pay once ben-
efits begin, referred to as the duration of
the policy benefits. This is the total
length of time benefits will be paid once a
person meets all of the qualifications for
receiving benefits. Companies may offer
policies that pay for as little as one year
of care or as much as a person’s entire
lifetime. The longer the duration, the
more expensive the premiums are likely
to be. Increasingly, companies measure
benefits by a total dollar amount, not
years. This is called the pool of money
method.
Applicants select the number of days
they are willing to pay for their own care
before the company will pay, usually
called an elimination period. This period
begins when the person is first deter-
mined to be eligible for benefits and ends
after a pre-selected number of days for
which the insured person will pay for
their own care. Applicants can choose to
have no elimination period, which means
that the company begins paying on the
first day they qualify for benefits, or they
can choose to pay for their own care for
the first 30, 60, or 90 days or longer.
When selecting an elimination period,
applicants should carefully calculate how
many days they can afford to pay for
their own care before their benefits begin.
They should also anticipate that the cost
will probably double every 14 years.
Applicants choose whether or not to have
inflation protection or cost-of-living bene-
fits. This is a feature that allows the daily
benefit they choose to keep up with the
rising cost of care. It can be built into the
policy so that the daily benefit amount
increases by an annual percentage (usu-
ally five percent compounded). With this
method, the cost is already built into the
annual premium. The daily benefit in-
creases each year automatically without
a corresponding increase in premium.
Adding inflation protection to an LTCI
policy is expensive; the younger the ap-
plicant, the more expensive it will be.
However, without this feature, the daily
benefit will buy less and less protection
each year. In approximately 14 years, the
selected daily benefit will lose half its
purchasing power, leaving a substantially
greater out-of-pocket cost for the insured
person to pay.
These four choices — the dollar amount,
the duration of benefits, the elimination pe-
riod and inflation protection — plus a per-
son’s age will determine the annual premi-
um for a particular policy.
Premiums
Premiums for a LTCI policy can be paid
in several ways. Most people pay their pre-
miums on an annual basis for the rest of
Continued on Page 15

Integrating health care gists. She says consulting and collaborating Since that time the Whole Health Alliance
with other practitioners who participate in her has offered educational programs and oppor-
Continued from Page 3 patients’ care is valuable. “It’s the best of both tunities for both conventional and alternative
working with one another, and that’s on both worlds for the patient,” she says. practitioners to meet and exchange ideas. Its
sides,” says Dr. Klein who believes that Like Dr. Rames, Dr. Klein has also estab- members also work with other Island agencies
health-care professionals must work together lished working relationships with other practi- to build partnerships in health care.
whenever possible. “We’re all in this soup to- tioners. “I know the quality of [their] work, we
gether. When you put the patient first, it’s go- communicate, and we really put the patient The Planetree Model
ing to force us to develop a more common lan- first. I enjoy working with them, and I respect
guage and figure out how we can work their experience, so it’s really easy for me to Whole Health Alliance members are also
together.” make those referrals. I have very good rela- encouraged by Martha’s Vineyard Hospital’s
Cathy Brennan, founding member of the tionships with some alternative practitioners, newly established affiliation with Planetree, a
Whole Health Alliance, a registered nurse, and and with a patient’s permission we’ll commu- non-profit organization that advances the
PHOTO BY MAE DEARY
the executive director of Hospice, says, “In or- nicate with each other and come up with a goals of those who would integrate conven-
der to give optimal care, communication has team approach.” tional and alternative health-care strategies. Bud Macy, mental health counselor and li-
to go both ways.” “We find that the Planetree hospital model censed marriage and family therapist, is the
Building Bridges dovetails very much with our work,” says president of Whole Health Alliance board.
Working Together Bud Macy, president of the Whole Health Al-
“Over the years, Whole Health Alliance has liance board. and a team approach between alternative
Oceana Rames is a board member of the quietly and consistently continued to be a According to Planetree’s mission statement, practitioners and allopathic caregivers. I’m
Whole Health Alliance and a naturopathic voice for the integration of complementary its model involves implementing health care excited about broadening the options for pa-
doctor who has practiced on the Island for and alternative and conventional health care “that cultivates the healing of mind, body, tients and the options for caring for people.”
about five years. She says patients may see on the Island,” notes Ms. Brennan. She and and spirit; are patient-centered, value-based, While there is still a long way to go, Ms.
her because they are not progressing under Kathleen Fitzgibbons, a colleague, began a holistic, and support patients through active Brennan is also hopeful. “The great global goal
conventional medical care. “While an initial conversation about health care that led to the involvement in their own care.” is that one day there will be an open exchange
problem may have been cleared up,” she says, organization’s establishment 10 years ago. “Planetree opens up the door to the inclu- between patients and all of their caregivers.”
“a person may still feel unwell.” Because of their knowledge of both conven- sion of complementary and alternative practi-
Dr. Rames doesn’t work alone, however. She tional and alternative health care, they set out tioners that has not been the formal model in Amy Simcik Williams is the supplements
refers patients to conventional doctors, “to serve as bridges between the two medical hospitals,” says Dr. Klein. “And an integrative and web editor of The Martha’s Vineyard
acupuncturists, chiropractors, and psycholo- communities.” approach means that there is communication Times.
Health & Fitness — 2005 The Martha’s Vineyard Times Page 15

Health Health
Lighten Up
Fitness
Stats and Info
Fitness
The Hospital Emergency Room
by the Numbers
By Nelson Sigelman
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital leaders last
year unveiled a design for a new three-story
150,000-square-foot hospital building. The
completed facility has a price tag of $42 mil-
lion that still has yet to be raised.
Plans call for the existing 1974 wooden
hospital building to be renovated and used
for doctors’ offices, hospital administration
offices and outside health care providers
such as Hospice and the Vineyard Nursing
Association. The new hospital building
would include private patient beds, state-of-
the-art medical facilities, and electronic
links to Boston medical facilities and spe-
cialists and a new modern emergency de-
partment.
The current emergency room is located in
cluttered, cramped quarters in a section of a
hospital building that all agree is badly in
need of replacement. Despite the physical
surroundings, the ER gets plenty of use.
The following information provides a pic-
ture of the hospital ER.
The Emergency Room by the Numbers
• 15,607 people visited the ER in the 2004
fiscal year (April to March), up 689, or more
than four percent, over the previous year.
• There were 846 visits in February and
2,404 in August.
• 303 patients were transferred to another
medical facility, approximately 200 of them
by helicopter.
CARTOON BY KAREN MACKAY
• Of the total number of people who visited
the ER in FY 2004: 2668 were under 14
years of age; 9,796 were between 15 and 64;
874 were between 65 and 74; 785 were be-
tween 75 and 84; and 281 were 85 or older.
• There were approximately 200 ER medical
transfers by helicopter including approxi-
mately 35 by the Coast Guard during bad
weather.
• A total of 540 people were admitted to the
hospital through the ER (331 female, 209
male). Of that number, more than half, 280
patients, were 75 or older.
• Of those admitted, nine patients died, 325
were discharged and 206 were transferred
to another medical facility, which included
Windemere.
• The number of people treated for specific
complaints included: 123 Lyme disease; 258
strep throat; 7 drug withdrawal; 107 mi-
graine unspecified; 15 cardiac arrest; 26
atrial fibrillation; 34 pregnancy complica-
tions; 12 sunburn; 232 fever; 77 painful
respiration; 57 concussion without coma; 9
amputation finger; 2 amputation thumb; 10
buttock contusion; 1 poisoning heroin; 2
child sexual abuse; 1 child physical abuse;
273 acute bronchitis; 290 urinary tract in-
fection; 303 lumbago; 230 ankle sprain; 229
open wound of finger; 55 insect bite trunk;
28 toxic effect venom; 2 persons feigning ill-
ness.
• ER expenses* (physician, nursing, over-
head) totaled $4,500,000 in FY 2004.
• ER net revenue* totaled $3,420,000 in FY
2004
* These figures do not include the cost and
revenue generated by associated tests and
procedures.

Long-term their lifetime and leave room in their budget

Continued from Page 14
their lives, or for as long as they keep the
policy. Some companies allow applicants to
pay a higher premium each year over a 10-
or 20-year period so that the policy is fully
paid up at the end of the period. Younger
people may be able to buy a policy that will
allow them to make higher monthly or an-
nual premium payments for a policy that is
fully paid up at age 65.
Couples may be able to get a discount if
both spouses qualify for coverage. Some
policies issued to couples may include a
feature that gives one spouse a paid-up pol-
icy if the other spouse dies. In other cases,
people may be able to pool policy benefits to
cover both spouses at a lower premium
than if each of the spouses had their own
policy. The danger of this arrangement is
that one spouse could deplete the policy
benefits, leaving nothing for the other
spouse.
A note about premium increases: While
premiums generally don’t increase based on
changes in their age or health, premiums
can increase for all policyholders of a par-
ticular company in a state. State insurance
departments generally approve these in-
creases if the company can demonstrate
that their cost increases exceed a certain
percentage. During the last few years, pre-
miums for new policies have gotten more
expensive, and premiums have increased
on older policies due to substantial under-
pricing of these policies by many companies
in previous years.
More than 20 states have adopted or are
in the process of adopting standards that
will make it much harder, but not impossi-
ble, for companies to increase premiums in
the future. Applicants would be wise to an-
ticipate some increase in premiums over
for that contingency.
Choosing a Company
Consumers considering the purchase of
an LTCI policy should look for large, well-
capitalized companies that have extensive
experience with this type of product, have
had few if any rate increases, and do care-
ful medical screening before accepting an
application. Rating organizations such as
AM Best, Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s,
Fitch and Weiss Ratings all rate the finan-
cial strength and solvency of insurance
companies. These company ratings also
may provide some information about the
ability of the insurance companies to pay
claims.
Where To Go From Here?
Don’t plan in a time of crisis. As you turn
the corner (between age 50 and 55) and
move toward retirement, reassess the premi-
um cost to you for your insurance protection
(life, disability, auto, homeowners) to see if
you can rebalance those premiums to better
protect those assets that you have accumu-
lated and to see if LTCI is the best choice for
you.
Joseph A. Marshall, is a certified senior ad-
visor and president of J. Marshall Associates,
a financial services firm whose main office is
located in Fall River. Mr. Marshall has been in
the financial services industry since 1975
and has specialized in senior clients since
1989, when he started his own firm. Mr. Mar-
shall is a consumer advocate and has provid-
ed consultation services to numerous pro-
grams and agencies throughout southeastern
Massachusetts. For more information, call
866-577-1300.
Directory of Advertisers
Allegheny Acupuncture .......................................................................12
Betsy Shands Reflexology......................................................................6
Carol Vega, Yoga Instructor ...................................................................4
Carroll A. Biesecker, Licensed Psychoanalyst ......................................11
Craig Yuhas / Heather Neal, Personal Trainers .....................................6
Curves ..................................................................................................2
Heather C. Rynd, RPP ...........................................................................6
In Harmony ......................................................................................... 7
Kathy Cerick, CHHC, AADP...................................................................9
Meg Knapp, Certified Birth Doula........................................................11
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services ................................................6
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Emergency Dept. .....................................11
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Surgical Services .....................................16
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Physical, Occupational,
and Speech Therapy ..........................................................................5
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Women’s Health Services .......................... 3
Mary Kay Cosmetics..............................................................................4
Provence ...............................................................................................9
Restorative Bodywork..........................................................................12
Sacred Circle of Yoga.............................................................................9
Sanctuary .............................................................................................9
Traditional Chinese Medicine ..............................................................11
Triangle Fitness ....................................................................................4
Vineyard Complementary Medicine ............................................ 4, 8, 11
Vineyard Health Care Access Program.................................................. 7
Vineyard Hearth, Patio, and Spa .........................................................16
Vineyard Medical Services ...................................................................12
Vineyard Nursing Association ...............................................................7
Vineyard Physical Therapy, Inc. ............................................................4
Vineyard Tennis Center.........................................................................3
Willow Song ..........................................................................................5
Page 16 The Martha’s Vineyard Times 2005 — Health & Fitness

SURGICAL REJUVENATE SORE

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