mountain news€¦ · institutions are turning to more holistic alternatives to alleviate suffering...

2 Healthy Living | 2019

Table of Contents

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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

The Forest and the Trees: The Yin and Yang of Modern Medicine

New Doctor in Town-Dr. Shareef

Reiki Healing - Be Your Own Guru

Accessible Construction in Lake Arrowhead

Sun Safety

Financial Health

Spider Plant and its Health Benefits

Publisher Harry Bradley Project Manager Angela Yap Design/Production Brenda Buffalin Contributing Writers Lucas Hausler, Lisa Reavley, Angela Yap Advertising Angela Yap On the Cover Acupuncturist Lucas Hausler doing cupping treatment on his patient Photo By Angela Yap

Published by Mountain NewsP.O. Box 2410, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 • (909) 336-3555

Healthy Living is published by the Mountain News. The next publication date is August 2019. For more information on editorial suggestions, submissions and advertising, contact Angela Yap at (909) 337-6145 ext. 255 or email [email protected]

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA (OSA)

A Messagefrom YourLake ArrowheadDentist:

Hugh A. Bialecki, D.M.D.LakeArrowheadDentist.com

909.337.0705Grass Valley Road at Club House Drive

Hugh A. Bialecki, D.M.D.

Most people are aware that a good night’s sleep contributes greatly to overall physical and mental health; for those folks experiencing sleep diffi-culties, the chances of suffering serious health consequences, as well as acci-dents and poor performance due to daytime sleepiness are greatly increased.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a relatively common chronic condi-tion in which a sleeping person’s breathing either becomes shallow, or stops entirely anywhere from ten seconds to a minute or longer. This interrup-tion of our breathing can occur hundreds of time per night, preventing restful, deep sleep from occurring. Many people are not awakened during this sleep interruption and may be unaware of OSA occurring, while the condition goes undetected for long periods of time.

OSA causes oxygen starvation and may contribute to a variety of ail-ments including hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, sexual dys-function and depression. The fragmented sleep is the most common cause of daytime sleepiness and the effects of sleep deprivation including prob-lems with memory, reaction times, sex drive and hormonal changes.

A recent study conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimated that over 29 million Americans, or 12% of our adult population suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). About 6 million adults are diag-nosed with OSA, with 80% of people remaining diagnosed.

Many dental offices are now performing screenings for OSA during your new patient examination, and annual updated exam appointments. Several key questions are :

- Do you snore in your sleep ?- When you wake up in the morning, do you still feel tired ?- Are you sleepy during the day ?- Do you wake up throughout the night ?The most common symptom of OSA is loud snoring caused by the

tongue falling back into your airway and blocking your air intake. Ask your Doctor about the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, or other screening tools to assess your risk. Potential treatment recommendations can include weight loss, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oral appliances, made by your dentist.

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for your long term health and well being. Talk to your Doctor if you think you might be at risk. Live long and prosper !

Yours for better dental and overall health,

2019 | Healthy Living 3

The Forest and the Trees: The Yin and Yang of Modern Medicine

We are entering an exciting time in the practice of medicine. Integrative and evidence-based medicine (EBM), are combining the technological power of conventional medicine with the wisdom of time tested traditional healing systems. In the US we are now seeing top hospitals, such as the Mayo Clinic, using acupuncture for pain, rehabil-itation, and for optimizing physical performance (1). This is in large part due to the modern research proving acupuncture to be a safe and effec-tive, drug-free therapy.

This is particularly important now, as we are currently facing an opioid and pharmaceutical drug abuse crisis in this country (2). Individuals and institutions are turning to more holistic alternatives to alleviate suffering and empower people towards better health and well-being. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is coming to the forefront and providing holistic solutions for greatly improving people’s quality of life, and in preventing chronic disease. When facing simple health challenges or in finding solutions to complex problems, often what is required is a shift in perspective. We must strive for a more holistic approach to under-standing and optimizing our health that is not overly focused on isolated symptoms, and works to restore function instead of blocking the symp-toms of dysfunction. The very power of conventional medicine ,which makes it so effective in acute and critical care, along with the precision of diagnostic technology, has created a focus on symptoms and disease that too often loses sight of the overall health and well-being of the indi-vidual. That is, we are often missing the forest for the trees.

At its very core, the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to treat-ing disease, restoring health, and optimizing well-being is to treat the whole of an individual. This holistic perspective views the body as an ecosystem striving for balance. Our inner balance between body, mind, emotions, and spirit, better equips us to be in harmony with our external environment. With this inner orientation and aspiration, TCM excels at treating and preventing chronic disease, and in improving quality of life.

In joining the power and perspective of conventional and tradition-al medicine, the modern medical milieu is beginning to offer a great-er choice for individuals seeking more holistic remedies to empower themselves for better health. Together, we can walk tall amongst the forest and the trees. As acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine gain more traction through research and proof of efficacy, we are now seeing many prestigious medical institutions, such as Johns Hopkins creating integrative medical centers, and using TCM not just for pain, performance, and physical rehabilitation. In fact now the broader heal-ing potential of TCM as a holistic system for treating mind and body, is being fully harnessed in a wide range of conditions, including digestive, respiratory, cognitive and energy problems, neurological, gynecological, immune, auto-immune conditions, and inflammatory conditions. (3,4,5)

But HOW does acupuncture even work? Let us briefly look at how the holistic approach of Traditional Chinese Medicine works through the lens of yin & yang. First let’s understand the ‘local and global’ effects of acupuncture on the body, then we can step back and look at acupunc-


ture’s effect on balancing the two complimentary parts of the autonomic nervous system. In this way we can better understand the perspective of TCM in treating the ‘root and branch’ of pain and pathology.

Acupuncture stimulates the body’s self-healing mechanisms both at the site of treatment, and throughout the body as a whole. Since TCM has always viewed the mind and body as a single unified system, it comes as no surprise that we can have both a ‘local and global’ effect of acupuncture treatment occurring simultaneously. With acupuncture stimulation of specific points on the body, locally there is increased blood flow and nerve conduction, delivering vital nutrients and healing stimuli, as well as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect to the site of injury (13, 14). Globally, acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system to release neuropeptides. These are our body’s endogenous opioids, our own natural feel good neurotransmitters. The release of these signaling molecules throughout the body are responsible for acu-puncture’s effect of regulating pain, mood, and emotions (8,9). In this way, acupuncture works to activate our body’s internal pharmacy to restore physiological function on the path to greater health and well-be-ing. This global effect of acupuncture has a further restorative function on deeper layers of our nervous system, and organ function. (12) By balancing the complimentary sympathetic and parasympathetic branch-es of our autonomic nervous system, acupuncture can harmonize the yin & yang aspects of our physiology.

In a stressful world, we find the ‘fight or flight’ mechanism of our sympathetic nervous system overly stimulated, ramped-up, and out of balance. This in turn will suppress our ‘rest, digest, and restore’ mechanisms of parasympathetic nervous system (10,11). Acupuncture

restores the balance and turns up parasympathetic tone, allowing the body to naturally decrease inflammation, and create the internal state in which the body’s capacity to heal itself is strengthened. Traditionally this was thought of as the mind and body coming into alignment, allowing for spirit to flow, in order for healing to occur.

We now understand that acupuncture helps the body regulate stress response by balancing the autonomic nervous system. This is why we see such positive effects of acupuncture on conditions of the cardio-vascular system, blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, sleep quality, digestion and metabolism, and inflammatory conditions. Complementary treatment with acupuncture and TCM can help in treating many chronic and inflammatory conditions. Chronic inflammation, has a role in a host of common diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, digestive and metabolic conditions including diabetes, and even cognitive conditions such as depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s (15, 16).

As modern medicine expands to incorporate a more holistic, ‘sys-tems approach’ of traditional medicine, we also find traditional medicine utilizing modern research methods to better understand the mechanisms of action in the body, as well as incorporating more modern technol-ogies into treatment. This can be seen in the application of infrared, thermal, ionic, cold-laser photon therapies, and electro-acu stimulation, in common use in acupuncture clinics here in the US, and around the world. However, as the tools and technology of acupuncture treat-ment advance, the goal of TCM treatment to resolve both the ‘root and branch’ of disease remains the same. That is, treating the underlying cause of a condition while simultaneously relieving the patient’s present-ing symptoms.

In recognizing that the traditional wisdom of TCM is as important and relevant now as ever, for restoring our individual and collective health, we are better equipped to understand our place amongst the forest and the trees. The future of medical practice is in working toward a more comprehensive model, which looks at a person as a functional whole, within the context of our larger environment. In this way we can find greater balance within our own lives, so we can be of service to bringing greater harmony to our families, our community, and our world. Please visit my website for references, citations and weblinks.This article was written by Lucas Hausler, DACM.

Doctor of Acupuncture & Chinese MedicineLake Arrowhead Acupuncture and Holistic Health(MCHC) Master of Chinese Herbal Medicine(DCCM) Diplomate of Canonical Chinese Medicine(Dipl. OM) National Diplomate of Oriental Medicine(L.Ac) Licensed Acupuncturist of California StateFormer Integrative Immersions Director for Aman Wellness, Vietnam and Thailandwww.LakeArrowheadAcupuncture.com

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR1mJ2NPTY4ujKR3eRuPDirH42sUS_e54QRQUPgq25-rkxHct-DzmtIe-5yM&v=dz2AqkupfPc&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop; 2. https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epi-demic/index.html; 3. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/acupuncture; 4. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/integrative_medicine_digestive_center/services/acupuncture.html; 5. https://www.iama.edu/OtherArticles/acupuncture_WHO_full_report.pdf; 6. https://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/fulltext/S0166-2236(02)00006-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2F-pii%2FS0166223602000061%3Fshowall%3Dtrue; 7. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-ab-stract/184479 Federoff HJ, Gostin LO. Evolving From Reductionism to Holism: Is There a Future for Systems Medicine?JAMA. 2009;302(9):994–996. doi:10.1001/jama.2009.1264; 8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166223602000061; 9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16082232; 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3188868/ Koopman FA, Stoof SP, Straub RH, Van Maanen MA, Vervoordeldonk MJ, Tak PP. Restoring the balance of the autonomic nervous system as an innovative approach to the treat-ment of rheumatoid arthritis. Mol Med. 2011;17(9-10):937–948. doi:10.2119/molmed.2011.00065; 11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16269319; 12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19743552/; 13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3388479/ ; 14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2396473/ Uchida S, Hotta H. Acupuncture affects regional blood flow in various organs. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2008;5(2):145–151. doi:10.1093/ecam/nem051; 15. https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/770-nervousst36p5p6; 16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20204829


New Doctor in Town: Dr. Tahseen Shareef

Story and Photo by Angela YapDr. Tahseen Shareef, who currently has a

private practice in Loma Linda, has taken over Dr. Kyi Kyi Win’s practice of 20 years in Lake Arrowhead.

Dr. Shareef has been practicing medicine for 23 years and specializes in internal medi-cine. She graduated from Medical College Of Pennsylvania in 1993 and completed her residen-cy at SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital & Medical Center in 1996.

She was then recruited by Loma Linda University Medical Center as an attending physi-cian and she worked for Loma Linda Hospital for 12 years.

In 2008, Dr. Shareef opened her own private practice in Loma Linda. Her 23 years of medical experience includes inpatient, outpatient, hospice care and nursing home care. Dr. Shareef is mar-ried and has three boys.

Having more than 23 years of diverse expe-riences, especially in internal medicine, Dr. Shareef saw Dr. Win’s departure as an opportuni-ty for her to practice medicine on the mountain.

“I want to keep Dr. Win’s patients stable and offer continuos care during this transition,” added Dr. Shareef.

“I want to help the clinic grow,” said Dr. Shareef, who has applied for admitting privileges at Mountains Community Hospital. Current she is affiliated with Loma Linda Hospital.

“I had a great meeting with hospital adminis-trator Charlie Harrison and am looking forward to serving all of Dr. Win’s loyal patients starting in June,” said Dr. Shareef.

“I am excited to meet all the patients and I hope that the existing patients will give me a chance and together we can keep mountain health care local.”

“I would like to get involved in the community as I transition to Lake Arrowhead next month,” said Dr. Shareef.

Although she specializes in adult and senior health care, Dr. Shareef also focus on women’s health. She sees patients age 14 and above.

Personal HistoryDr. Shareef’s family migrated to the United States from India when she was 6 year-

old. When asked if cultural issues was a challenge to her, she said she was raised in the United States and completed all of her education and training in the United States. “I am an American,” said Dr. Shareef.

She further stated that there is no cultural barriers in her profession. Her passion is to take care of her patients, men and women, and is not hindered by any cultural barriers.

Her personal hobbies include cooking, watching movies, listening to 80‘s music and watching basketball games.

Professionally she finds it rewarding to teach aspiring medical students by shadowing her at her practice. “I want to teach them things that they cannot learn from textbooks.”

“I am pleased to have Dr. Shareef taking over my practice,” shared Dr. Kyi Kyi Win. “The mountain needs a woman doctor and someone specializing internal medicine.”

“I met with Dr Shareef and am very impressed with her outlook on providing healthcare in a rural environment,” said Charlie Harrison, Mountains Community Hospital administrator. “She stated that she will be a member of our Medical Staff and be very active in her practice. We look forward to her presence in our community.”

Dr. Shareef accepts multiple insurance plans including Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, and MediCal to name a few.

For more information, call (909) 337-0059.

Dr. Win sold her private practice to Dr. Shareef effective June 1.


In an effort to demystify it somewhat, Reiki simply put is an inclusive holistic healing system that works via channeling the universal energy. Typically through hands that are placed on or slightly above a person to balance mind, body and spirit.

Without the shackles of alignment to any one group of people, Reiki belongs to any and all who seeks a state of wholeness for themselves and unlike tradition-al medicine and other healing modalities, there are no contraindications for use other than the receiver being open to the possibility of their own healing and being accepting of energy. You don’t even have to believe in it for it to work, you only have to be open to the chance that it could.

It is taught that Reiki was discovered by Dr. Mikao Usui in Japan at the end of a 21 day fast which he had embarked upon because, it is said, his life and emo-

Reiki Healing- Be Your Own Guru

Life is full of ups and downs and if you are anything like me, there is some amount of stress in your life, some bag-gage from the past that weighs you down and even some anxiety about the future and what it holds. These elements are often the root cause for our bodies to become out of kilter and if left can eventu-ally lead to dis-ease in our physical bod-ies. Research is acknowledging more and more that this dis-ease in our energetic selves is behind many of today’s most wide-spread and sometimes deadly phys-ical diseases.

With that said, what, if anything, can we do about it? Too often we look outside of ourselves for some kind of Guru to fix our problems. We buy or buy into the latest fad, exercise regime, lotion, potion, diet or supplement in an effort to regain that inner harmony we seek. If, like many, you have done most of these things but still haven’t found that inner balance and feel you are at odds with yourself and your body, try something new, be your own Guru. Try a Reiki session or even learn Reiki for yourself and literally put your well-being back in your own hands.

While Reiki is no silver bullet or cure all, it can and does had profound effects on people’s lives. As a massage ther-apist, I stumbled across Reiki when I discovered some strange symbols under another therapist’s treatment table. When I quizzed her about it she gave me a brief explanation of what Reiki is, how it works and what it can do. I like to think that the Universe lead me to that moment so I could discover the beautiful gift that Reiki is for myself.

Reiki isn’t as mysterious as some would have you believe however, some-times the details are kept under wraps in order to maintain the integrity of the prac-tice and respect for it’s origins.

tions were in disarray. Well traveled and tutored in America, Europe and China, Usui was completing his fast when he was literally hit by a stream of pure light and thereafter had the gift and ability to do Reiki healing. Some say this “light” was the opening of his crown Chakra which directly connects us to the universal source.

Usui’s fast was in the late 1800’s and this makes Reiki, relatively speaking, quite a modern healing modality compared to mas-sage and other therapies which have been around for thousands of years. In part, this is why I personally believe that this opening up to the energy wasn’t just discovered by Usui but maybe more accurately re-discovered. I believe this was a gift our ancestors proba-bly knew and used, a gift we lost along the way similar to how we have lost the art of building pyramids.

Shortly after his fast Usui returned home, he then began to share this new-found gift with family but realizing it’s importance, Usui began to share it with others. Quoted as saying “It is much better to give this power widely to a lot of people in the world and enjoy it among them than to keep it exclu-sively”.

So what exactly is Reiki? Simply put it is the channeling of the universal energy via a conduit (the Reiki Practitioner) to the recip-ient. The practitioner and recipient can also be one in the same if you have been taught, or “attuned” as we say in Reiki. This flow of energy allows us to release energy that is no longer needed or blocked and to soak up a little extra when lacking. Reiki is akin in some ways to meditation or Yoga by provid-ing a state of deep relaxation during which our bodies are given the opportunity to do what they do best, heal themselves.

How does it work you may well ask. Well, energetically speaking it brings about that balance, or homeostasis of our ener-gy system. Is there more to it? Yes indeed there is. Clinical and hospital studies are


29099 Hospital Road • Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352

Dr. Shareef is a 12-time Winner Most Compassionate Doctor, Patients Choice and On Time Award

She has over 26 years of outpatient and inpatient medicine, nursing home and hospice experience. Not only does Dr. Shareef have great medical knowledge and bedside manner, but she takes care of each patient the way she would take care of her own family!

Dr. Tahseen Shareef

Dr. Shareef has taken over Dr. Win’s office and will start seeing patients in June.

For your next appointment, call (909) 337-0059

4.4 stars rating in Vitals4.2 stars rating in Healthgrades

showing that this gentle, yet very effective, Complementary Therapy is becoming more widely accepted in Western traditional circles as research and proof of efficacy grows. In fact, it is now being used in over 800 hospitals around the country and is growing throughout the rest of the world.

What conditions can Reiki help? I say the possibilities are end-less but for those of you that need proof and facts, studies show that the stress hormone Cortisol is a major factor in serious illnesses such as Cancer, Heart Disease, increased weight gain, low immunity and even depression. Clinical research into Reiki has shown that there is an immediate effect after receiving a therapy session on heart rate variability, cortisol levels, and body temperature, all for the better.

According to David E. McManus, PhD “viewed collectively, these studies provide reasonably strong support for Reiki being more effective than placebo. From the information currently available, Reiki is a safe and gentle “complementary” therapy that activates the parasympathetic nervous system to heal body and mind. It has potential for broader use in management of chronic health condi-tions, and possibly in postoperative recovery.

The New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Campus conducted one of the first studies ever performed to deter-mine the effectiveness of Reiki treatments on the autonomic nervous system and it showed positive results that lead the team at the hos-pital to recommend larger studies into the biological effects of Reiki. Their initial test results within the Reiki treatment group showed a lowering of heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. The facility was one of the first hospitals to offer Reiki as part of their Integrative Medicine Program (CIMP).

The noted and now famous surgeon, Dr. Mehmet Oz, even invit-ed Reiki practitioners to treat patients during open heart surgeries and heart transplant operations and is quoted as saying, “Reiki has become a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals.”

Clients I have worked with have had an array of experiences most commonly including a state of deeper relaxation than they have found before, a sense of being “held” and “comforted” by the energy and a feeling of complete peace. There are a few typical physical sensations people experience during treatments such as heat, tin-gling or waves of energy like the ocean. When people ask me what to expect, I often say to have no expectations. Reiki, being a univer-sal energy much bigger than ourselves, knows what healing is need-ed for our highest good and sometimes that can be slightly different from what we think we need. Reiki can vary person to person but also from session to session since no two days or people are alike.

Reiki can often open us up to new pathways in our lives, new directions we hadn’t considered. The changes, I have found, are not only physiological ones but frequently the energy moves us to alter our course in the way we live our lives, be that deciding to change a relationship, move to a new career or shift our perspective on some-thing. The changes can be dramatic at times, subtle at others but the one thing that is common is after the dust of the new journey has settled, whatever we felt guided to do, it usually brings about a new found peace where it didn’t exist before.

Quick Facts:Reiki is translated as Universal Light Force EnergyReiki is done by putting hands on or just above your body and channeling the universal energyReiki can be done distantlyReiki has 3 levelsReiki level 1 is for self healingReiki level 2 is practitioner levelReiki level 3 is Master level and includes the ability to teach or more

accurately pass the gift to another

Written by Lisa Reavley, Massage Therapist and Reiki Master, wife and Mom, not necessarily in that order. Lisa qualified at the American Institute of Massage Therapy in Florida in 2001 and since then has gone on to study other modalities including SweThai Massage, Cupping, Reflexology, Crystal Healing, Reiki and is currently studying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Having been a Reiki Master for over 10 years, she has seen first hand the benefits of Reiki in her own life and that of oth-ers. Lisa, originally from England, now lives in Lake Arrowhead and has a private holistic practice and also teaches Reiki. Lisa can also be found at the Spa of the Pines at the Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa. Lisa can be reached via her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mountain-massagereiki or email [email protected]


Accessible Construction, Inc. Bringing Capabilities to Those Who Need it

Most in the Lake Arrowhead Area.By: Kyle J. Lindsey

For years, Accessible Construction has been determined to provide everyday quality-of-life comforts to anyone who has an accessibility need. Their mission is to help seniors and people with disabilities remain safe and independent. The company specializ-es in constructing everything from ramps, to lifts, affordable home elevators, and stairlifts; uniquely tailoring household modifications which ensure safe accessibility of every area of a home. They also offer a full line of accessibility products such as water retainers, toilevators, safety grab bars just to mention a few. Other medical items such as scooters, power chairs, and vehicle lifts are provid-ed in complement to the construction modifications customized, designed, and built to the unique needs of the homeowner and design of the home. Accessible Construction is truly a premier accessibility consultant.

The original company name was Accessible Design & Consulting which was started in 1998 in Sausalito, California by Mr. Adam Fine. Mr. Fine had the vision to help people with acces-sibility challenges become independent. Through the years, he has seen the needs in this area and as a true entrepreneur has created several other entities such as Accessible Construction, Accessible Bathrooms Inc and recently Mountain Tram and Elevator, Co. All of them specializing in accessibility products, home assessments, ADA consulting, and effective project man-agement of accessibility retrofits of residential and commercial structures.

These companies’ resources and expertise are now available to the mountain community. Mr. Fine is excited to put his criti-cal services to work around the Lake Arrowhead area. Mr. Fine has owned a home in the Blue Jay area for six years now and has enjoyed being a member of the mountain community during this time. He enjoys spending his time on his boat on the lake. He is a member of the local building association. The company is registered as a local vendor in the Arrowhead Lake Association directory. He speaks in regard to Lake Arrowhead by stating, “I love the Lake Arrowhead community. We are here to stay. We truly and sincerely want to help people up here live safer and be more independent and accessible in their homes.”

Mr. Fine and his team love what they do, and they have an incredi-ble passion for helping those who need their years of proven expertise in the accessibility industry. His team is up to the challenge of building these customized housing modifications for the unique needs of moun-

tain homes and very excited to now offer affordable home elevators to the community at large.

Mr. Fine discusses the wide range of products and service his medi-cal construction company provides when he says “We are so diversified in what we do. We would find a solution to your accessibility need and truly save you money…”

Mr. Fine goes on to describe how they can effectively meet the needs of their clients when he discusses their approach to accessibility consulting, “We (build) as their (the customer’s) physicality changes. Lets say someone first lets go of their wheelchair and (move) to a walk-er, or a walker to a wheelchair, and they need to go up stairs with a stairlift or an elevator. It really depends on the situation. Truly it is very


customized work. Everyone’s house is different.”All his companies provide unique products and services that cre-

ate a “one-stop shop” for clients needing these services. Many of their products help with the everyday needs of the individual. In regard to the products they offer the company website states, “if your daily home or vacation property is built on a hill, we have the safest and most com-fortable solution for getting family and friends to the top or bottom of the hillside walkway,”

The outdoor incline lift tram elevator is the most viable solution that Accessible Construction provides for those who live on hillside property. Their website states, “The most popular option is to install a stair lift, but those only work for shorter distances, and can only carry one person at a time. When you need to transport multiple people and groceries or gear, the best alternative is an incline elevator. These go by many names, such as lift trams, hillside lifts, elevator trams, and even funicu-lars.”

Accessible Construction is a part of the Marine Innovations Dealer Network. Marine Innovations, Inc. is an industry leader in the manufac-turing of these incline elevators for over 25 years.

Trams and funiculars especially, “really are the best solution for getting down to the lake,” added Mr. Fine, for those who own lakeside property. There really is no terrain that is too rugged for this construc-tion/consulting company.

But the accessibility challenges go beyond elevators, modifica-tions or even lifts. Mr. Fine also addresses other areas by saying “We have amazing products that help people get on and off toilets, in and

out of beds, up and down the stairs, in and out of a car, on and off a sofa. Those are the major challenges sometimes needing to build iron railing or wooden bannisters (in support of the primary components of the installation)…we are truly are a one-stop shop. With Accessible Construction, it is easy to only need to call them once because they specialize in designing solutions that holistically create improvements for peoples’ lives.

Accessible Construction website has a great selection of their prod-ucts and examples of past projects for customers to view at https://www.accessibleconstruction.com/.

Due to the immediacy of the needs of this particular company’s client base. They will usually be able to meet a client 24 to 48 hours within contacting them and should be able to start the work within one week.

Mr. Fine speaks with a confidence that comes from years of expe-rience in his industry when he says, “We are different from most other contractors out there because we will think outside the box, we won’t say no, we will find a solution. 80% of the people who contact us work with us.”

Having a life changing health condition or old age doesn’t have to be as challenging with safe and comfortable accessibility to your home and its amenities. Check out all the great products and services this company has to offer. They are giving a 15% discount if you contact them and mention you heard about them through this article. Arrange a consultation by phone or email today! (866) 902-9800 or [email protected].


The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. Follow these recommendations to help protect yourself and your family.

ShadeYou can reduce your risk of skin damage and

skin cancer by seeking shade under an umbrella, tree, or other shelter before you need relief from the sun. Your best bet to protect your skin is to use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re outside—even when you’re in the shade.

ClothingWhen possible, long-sleeved shirts and long

pants and skirts can provide protection from UV rays. Clothes made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection. A wet T-shirt offers much less UV protection than a dry one, and darker colors may offer more protection than lighter colors. Some clothing certified under international stan-dards comes with information on its ultraviolet pro-tection factor.

If wearing this type of clothing isn’t practical, at least try to wear a T-shirt or a beach cover-up. Keep

in mind that a typical T-shirt has an SPF rating lower than 15, so use other types of protection as well.

HatFor the most protection, wear a

hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck. A tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin from UV rays. Avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through. A darker hat may offer more UV protection.

If you wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15, or by staying in the shade.

SunglassesSunglasses protect your eyes from

UV rays and reduce the risk of cata-racts. They also protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure.


Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best pro-tection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States, regardless of cost, meet this standard. Wrap-around sunglasses work best because they block UV rays from sneaking in from the side.

SunscreenPut on broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15 before you

go outside, even on slightly cloudy or cool days. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all parts of exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like your back. And remember, sunscreen works best when combined with other options to prevent UV damage.

How sunscreen worksMost sunscreen products work by absorbing, reflecting, or scatter-

ing sunlight. They contain chemicals that interact witih the skin to pro-tect it from UV rays. All products do not have the same ingredients; if your skin reacts badly to one product, try another one or call a doctor.

SPFSunscreens are assigned a sun protection factor (SPF) number that

rates their effectiveness in blocking UV rays. Higher numbers indicate more protection. You should use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15. Reapplication. Sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.

Expiration dateCheck the sunscreen’s expiration date. Sunscreen without an

expiration date has a shelf life of no more than three years, but its shelf life is shorter if it has been exposed to high temperatures.

CosmeticsSome makeup and lip balms contain some of the same chemicals

used in sunscreens. If they do not have at least SPF 15, don’t use them by themselves.

www.cdc.gov


Financial health is the state of one’s personal financial situation and it refers to how one manages his or her money and plans for the future. There are many dimensions to financial health, including the amount of savings one has and how much is allocated for retirement, and how much of the income is spent on fixed expenses.

Financial experts often present the following questions for one to do a self-assessment:

• What is your net worth?• Do you have an emergency fund?• What kind of credit card debt do you have?• Do you have health insurance?• Do you have a retirement account?

An individual’s financial health can be calculated in a person’s sav-ings and overall net worth against debt such as credit cards, mortgages and other loans. In addition, an individual’s financial health is based on that person’s liquidity and assets. Financial advisors help people decide how to manage their money and reach their financial goals.

The right financial advisor can help. A financial advisor helps clients on how best to save, invest, and grow their money. Some of them spe-cialize in retirement and estate planning, others offer investment strate-gies. Some of the tips in choosing a financial advisor include:

• Decide what financial services you want• Check out qualifications and standards• Look for an Advisor who is LICENSED and REGULATED.• Does the financial advisor earns money based on commission or

a flat fee?


Betty Marzec started her career as a financial advisor for Edward Jones three years ago. Relocated to Lake Arrowhead almost a year ago, Betty is passionate about helping individuals and families to invest in a level that’s comfortable to them in terms of risks and returns.

Working out of her office in Lake Arrowhead Village, Betty is hosting a Womens Financial Seminar on Thursday, July 25th from 4:00-5:45. “I

want to help women in understanding and gaining financial health,” said Betty Marzec. The seminar will start at 5pm, and attendees will enjoy pizza and salad while listening to Betty’s presentation.

“This seminar is designed for women and I welcome anyone with or without any prior investment knowledge,” added Betty. “Please call my office at 909-337-8188 to RSVP by Monday, July 22.”


Do you remember the scientific news that spider plants seem to do a spectacular job of cleaning the air? The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), which tested the abilities of three com-mon houseplants to remove formaldehyde from the air, found in pre-liminary tests that spider plants were the champs, removing 95 percent of the toxic substance from a sealed Plexiglas chamber in 24 hours.

Spider plant, also known as Chlorophytum Comosum, is an orna-mental indoor plant that offers many health benefits. Spider plant has its indoor air purifying capacity and it is good for both homes and office space.

Spider Plant Serves as an Indoor Air PurifierSpider plant is a useful indoor plant with air purifying quality. Spider

plant absorbs indoor air pollutants like toluene, formaldehyde, ozone and hydrocarbons.

Spider Plant Removes FormaldehydeIn an extensive study done by NASA, it was found that spider plant

can absorb formaldehyde from a sealed chamber. Formaldehyde is one

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)Air Purifying Plant with Health Benefits

of the common indoor air pollutant which is mainly release form paints, wooden polish, particleboards, plywoods, garage items, etc.

Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong smelling chemical gas and has a potential of causing both long term and short term health hazards. Short term health effects includes burning or nose, eyes, throats and skin irritation. Whereas long term health side effects includes cancer.

Spider Plant absorbs TolueneAnother harmful indoor air pollutant which is absorbed by spider

plant is toluene. Gasoline, solvents in paints, plastic and soda bottles, paint cosmetics and other organic chemicals are the major source of tol-uene. Toluene exposure is harmful to both children’s and adults.

Spider Plant removes OzoneSpider plant efficiently absorbs ozone from the indoor atmosphere.

Studies done on three indoor plants namely snake plant, spider plant and pothos plant showed that all are very efficient in absorbing ozone from the environment therefore are capable of reducing air born con-tamination. Exposure to ozone also results in pulmonary edema, hemor-rhage, inflammation, and extensive lesions on the lung tissue, trachea, and upper bronchi.

Spider plant reduces HydrocarbonsHydrocarbons are volatile organic compounds emitted from various

sources like fossil combustion and other activity. Hydrocarbons are car-cinogenic in its nature. Spider plant can helps in absorbing hydrocar-bons thus provides a clean fresh indoor environment.

A healthcare study conducted in a hospital also shows that patients with indoor plants in their recovery rooms often recover faster and have a more positive outlook and vibes. In addition, Spider plant is safe for children and pet.

mountain news€¦ · institutions are turning to more holistic alternatives to alleviate suffering...

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