Rejuvenate

Positive Psychology & Your Heart

By Stephen E. Walker, Ph.D.

In the second quarter issue of 2005, research was presented by Alan Rozanski in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology Journal¹. This article focused on developments in the field of Behavioral Cardiology currently evolving and representative of a good many things we can actually do to keep heart disease at bay in this day & age.

Rozanski offers a strong review of the literature that illustrates how depression, anger, anxiety, marital stress, occupational stress, and “Type D” personality traits are associated with those emotional catalysts that hurry us along toward a heart attack. We all have some kind of a “genetic set point” for heart disease that comes from our family history. As for stress and the role that emotions play, it is clear that emotions are the culprits that trigger chemical shifts in our blood so it becomes toxic to the endothelium that lines the arterial walls.

Love Your Heart

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together and wipe out heart disease. Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the country, the color red and the red dress have become linked with the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.

Taking care of your heart is more important than you might know. Too few people realize that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American women — and of men. But the good news is that heart disease can largely be prevented. Go Red For Women empowers women with knowledge and tools so they can take positive action to reduce their risks of heart disease and stroke and protect their health.

Sponsored by Macy’s with additional support from the PacifiCare Foundation and Bayer Aspirin, Go Red For Women began in February 2004, and has since grown into a vibrant national movement as more women, men, celebrities, healthcare professionals and politicians embrace and elevate the cause of women and heart disease.

The movement gives women tips and information on healthy eating, exercise and risk factor reduction, such as smoking cessation, weight maintenance, blood pressure control, and blood cholesterol management.

Find out more about this powerful movement and the people and companies behind it.

The Good Wife's Guide

From Housekeeping Monthy-May 13, 1955

• Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

• Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

• Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables.

Better Results – How BOTOX Makes Other Treatments More Effective

Medical Director, RenewSkin Clinics
By Dr. Greta McLaren

Options for improving the look and condition of skin have increased dramatically in recent years. Lasers, pulsed light and injectable treatments all offer the promise of younger-looking, smoother, more beautiful skin. From FotoFacial and laser skin tightening to BOTOX and Restylane, medical skin care treatments have never been better. And while any one of these treatments holds the power to dramatically improve skin’s appearance, strategically combining them with one popular cosmetic treatment promises even better results.

BOTOX has long been touted for its ability to dramatically soften the appearance of wrinkles, particularly frown lines between the eyes, crow’s feet at eye’s corners, horizontal lines on the forehead and lines above the lips. With 3.8 million BOTOX procedures in 2005, it is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the country. And now BOTOX promises even more. Safe and effective, BOTOX also has the ability to complement other facial treatments and provide even smoother skin than either treatment could provide alone.

BOTOX with Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers, such as Restylane, Radiesse and collagen, effectively return skin to a natural, more youthful appearance. They can treat a variety of facial concerns, including reducing wrinkles, smoothing scarring and replacing volume loss. And results get even more impressive when these fillers are combined with BOTOX under the care of a qualified medical professional.

Research has shown that using BOTOX treatments prior to dermal fillers such as Sculptra or Restylane can help the filler results last longer.

Three Dimensions of Beautiful Skin

Medical Director, RenewSkin Clinics
By Dr. Greta McLaren

One of the first things people notice about you is your skin. Putting your best face forward requires diligence and perhaps a little help in the form of skin care technology. Skin care technology has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years, making it possible for almost anyone to achieve a smooth, clear complexion. Now, a combination of three proven skin-care treatments promises even more impressive results. Triple Dimension Rejuvenation uses Fotofacial, Fraxel and Skin Tightening to simultaneously improve the three facets of beautiful skin – tone, texture and tightness.

Skin’s appearance is determined by three main factors - tone, texture and tightness. Skin tone refers to its color, which can be even or irregular due to age and sun spots. Skin texture is the condition of the surface of your skin, which can be marred by wrinkles and scars. Skin tightness is its level of elasticity and firmness, which decreases with age to cause sagging and droopiness.

Inspire yourself and others using common sense skills and a focus on the "Now".

Dr. Stephen Walker is a licensed healthcare professional who has served as a therapist, health psychologist, athletic & personal performance consultant for the past 31 years in the Rocky Mountain Region. His research at the University of Colorado brought together the fields of psychology, integrative physiology, biofeedback and human performance in response to stress and recovery. His counseling practice focuses on the effective treatment of stress disorders, cardiac & health psychology, emphasizing the protective effects of positive emotions and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

As a consultant and professional coach, Dr. Walker trains peak performers, business professionals and athletes in the mental conditioning skills employed by Olympians, their coaches and sports psychologists. He diligently works to support the parents of young athletes in addition to those individuals wanting to take their own performance to the next level.

Ooutside of his consulting work, Dr. Walker is also an accomplished public speaker and facilitator of clinics and corporate workshops.

Restoring Volume and Improving Facial Contours

Sculptra™, manufactured by Dermik, is Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLA). PLA has been safely used in orthopedics since the mid-nineties and has been used in Europe since 1999 for cosmetic correction of scars and wrinkles.

Sculptra™ is used for restoring volume and improving facial contours. Sculptra works differently from other injectable products such as botox, collagen and restylane injections. With Sculptra, tiny particles of PLA are diluted in a suspension of sterile water, carefully implanted in the skin, and then molded for optimal results. The particles of PLA stimulate the formation of new collagen in the skin, adding volume over time.

Do You Know How To Brush Your Teeth? Silly Question? Not Really!

By Jacqueline Fulop-Goodling, D.M.D.

It is absolutely amazing how many patients have no idea how to brush their teeth. I am always surprised by this huge number--as many as 75 percent--because improper brushing can result in as much damage to your teeth and gums as not brushing at all. 

Everyone should brush his or her teeth three times a day: in the morning, in the afternoon and before going to sleep. The proper way to brush your teeth is at a 45 degree angle holding the bristles toward the gums.

The most important time to brush is before going to sleep because the body does not produce enough saliva to fight against the sugars in their mouth. All bodily functions slow down while sleeping; therefore, bacteria grows rapidly, causing cavities and infection.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2005 Statics

The Aesthetic Society has been collecting procedural statistics since 1997, allowing media professionals, industry and other interested parties the opportunity to trend the most popular cosmetic procedures. This year, we added silicone breast implants to our list of procedures in order to trend their market acceptance if these devices are approved by the FDA. 2006 marks the ninth consecutive year that multi-specialty data has been collected on these procedures.

To collect the data, more than 14,000 surveys were sent to board certified surgeons and physicians
in the following specialties:

• Plastic Surgery
• Dermatology
• Otolaryngology

Final figures are projected to reflect nationwide statistics. The survey portion of this research has a standard error of +/- 3.91% at a 95% level of confidence.

Photodynamic Acne Treatment

Everyone remembers the anguish of teen-age acne, but it’s not only teens who suffer from those painful, disfiguring blemishes. Acne can affect anyone, male or female, well into maturity. For years acne sufferers have applied drying ointments and creams, avoided certain foods, and even squeezed the lesions — with disappointing results. If you have been living with acne, now there's a safe, effective cure.

Photodynamic acne treatment is a breakthrough in acne treatment technology. By combining a non-laser visible blue light device with Levulan®, a topical photosynthesizing agent, the treatment shrinks oil glands, decreases oil production and kills the bacteria that cause acne. The result is clearer, smoother skin in just a few months.

How it works
Acne results from abnormal shedding of cells in the skin’s oil glands. When pores are clogged, they become a perfect environment for bacterial growth, which gives rise to unsightly lesions on face, neck, and back. The non-laser, visible blue light device used in photodynamic acne treatment targets these bacteria in overactive oil glands.

When combined with a topical photosensitizing agent called Levulan, results improve, making this an appropriate drug-free option for moderate and severe acne. After application, targeted cells become more sensitive to light, increasing the skin’s response to treatment. The treatment is pain-free — clients simply sit in front of a blue light, wearing eye protection.

The typical treatment is a series of three to five 15-minute sessions under the blue light, preceded by 30 minutes to six hours incubating with Levulan on the affected area. The incubation period depends on what area of your body is being treated. RenewSkin will adjust the treatment plan to fit your specific situation. While results vary, most clients see positive results within a few weeks after the first treatment. Treatment is generally complete after three to five sessions, spaced two to four weeks apart.

It is important to remember that this is an aggressive acne treatment that will provide long-lasting relief of acne. Current research suggests results can last at least two years for many clients. Following treatment, your skin will be red and peel. These effects will subside within about a week. Your RenewSkin medical professional will work with you to make you more comfortable. You also should avoid sunlight for 48 hours following each treatment, while the photosynthesizing agent is active.

Who should use it
Photodynamic acne treatment is appropriate for those who suffer from all types of acne. It is also an effective treatment for skin that has been damaged by overexposure to the sun. Photodynamic acne treatment is an effective alternative to medications that treat acne, including Accutane, which has significant side effects. Photodynamic acne treatment is a safe alternative to acne medications that works with light, not drugs.