05 Aug 2013

4 Ways to Give Your Teen Some Freedom Without Destroying Your Peace of Mind

By Ginny Grimsley
??Expert Offers Solutions for a Touchy Subject

Teenagers pose many dilemmas for parents, and one of the biggest is determining how much freedom to allow.

"There's such a fine line - they have one foot in childhood and the other in adulthood, so you can't completely trust their decision-making. And yet, you need to allow them some independence because in a very short time, they will be adults," says George Karonis, a location-based services specialist.

"And, let's be honest, life is better when your teen is happy. It's nice to see them looking forward to something like a friend's party or a weekend camping trip."

Figuring out how to balance their need for a measure of freedom and independence against a parent's concern for safety can be difficult.

"It is important for teens to be social, but as teenagers, they have a tendency to test their boundaries, which can lead to trouble. The good news is, there are ways to give your teen the freedom that he or she needs, and the peace of mind you require," Karonis says.

He offers the following solutions for parents:

• LiveViewGPS, Inc.: This new service temporarily turns any cell phone into a location device. It's an economical solution for families that occasionally need to be able to pinpoint someone's location but don't want to download software to their phone or spend a lot of money on hardware, says Karonis, who is the founder and CEO of the company. The service requires the permission of the son or daughter whose phone would be tracked, which adds an element of honesty and transparency. Users pay a minimum of $19.95 for 30 locates and when they need to find the phone - and the person to whom it's attached - they simply log into the website, where tracking is instantaneous and displayed on a satellite-view map.

• Reward Responsibility: If your teen has already proven himself or herself to be reliable and punctual with multiple responsibilities - completing schoolwork in a timely manner; diligent with extracurricular activities like sports, band or theater; or has responded well to after-school employment - it's time to give him or her the benefit of the doubt when it comes to fun. Make it clear, you trusting them to use good judgment because they've earned that trust. But trust can also be lost.

• Set the example of consistency: Predictability is good when it comes to raising children, especially in terms of personifying virtues like honesty, punctuality and reliability. Teenagers are keenly aware of hypocrisy and are liable to use a parent's contradictions against them in rationalizing bad behavior. The "do as I say, not as I do" rule may be convenient, but teens see through it. Use a calendar, perhaps on your refrigerator or synch schedules on your family's smartphones, to encourage everyone to show up at expected times. If someone is going to be late, have a system in place for sending appropriate notification.

• Don't be strangers: Most parents assume they know who their child is, but teens are our most rapidly changing family members. They're eager to establish their own identities and try new experiences in their run-up to adulthood. Who are the most relevant people in their lives, and do you know his or her friends? The more a group of friends knows the teen friend's parents, the more responsibility those friends will feel in honoring the parent's rules.

About George Karonis

George Karonis has a background in security and surveillance, and has specialized in location services since 2005. A self-professed computer geek, one of his chief concerns is balancing the usefulness of tracking with the protection of individuals' privacy. He is founder and CEO of LiveViewGPS, Inc. (www.mobilephonelocate.com)

01 Aug 2013

Post-Recession Optimism Brightens Fall Home & Garden Trends

By Ginny Grimsley
Happy Colors, Simplicity and Sustainability Top the List,
Says Award-Winning Designer

Lighten up!!

That's the buzz phrase for fall as a recovering economy fans a collective determination to put the bad news of recent years - from layoffs to natural disasters - behind us, says Roy Joulus, CEO of the award-winning, design-forward Greenbo, LLC, (greenbo.co).

"We'll see an insistence on hope, optimism and joy in the simple things in life reflected in bright, happy colors and clean designs with strong lines,'' says Joulus, whose innovative new railing flowerbox, Greenbo XL, won the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award for product design in 2012.

As a manufacturer of high-quality products for urban homes, Joulus says he and his team must forecast global style trends two to three years out. That's why their new line of garden containers is made from sustainable and recyclable materials in uber-upbeat colors, with attached drainage trays that can be mixed and matched for custom color combos.

The Greenbo designers also see a growing demand for products whose form is as appealing as their function. That's why the Greenbo XL railing planter is a flowerbox "that you don't have to hide with flowers,'' Joulus says.

"Consumers' desire for sustainability and 'green' products is only going to continue to grow; in fact, that was one reason we launched our company in 2008 even though the global economy was tanking at the time," says Joulus. "The interest in gardening will continue to grow, as will demand for high-grade products that can either be recycled or are made from recycled materials."

The fall colors, which you'll see in everything from fashion to furniture to the garden, include bright greens, deep fuschia, bright orange, fiery red, ochre yellow and violet. How can you brighten your garden with these colors? Joulus offers some tips:

• Forget terra cotta - use containers that offer a vivid pop of color. Colorful containers add a carefree, cheerful element to any garden - whether it's a full yard, a patio, a balcony, or a cluster of plants indoors by a south-facing window. "Plastic containers require less watering than terra cotta or unglazed ceramic, but be sure to get a very high-grade plastic," Joulus says. "Nothing looks worse than plastic that has faded and cracked, which will happen quickly when low-quality plastics are exposed to the elements." Mix up the colors, just as you would wildflowers in a garden, or use all one color for more impact."

• Coordinate plant color and pot color. Play with different combinations to see what you like. One extreme is the monochromatic approach - where container and plants are all the same color, although shades may vary. On the other end of the extreme, a "cottage garden" with a jumble of colors (polychrome) will work beautifully, too. You might try pairing containers and plants from opposite sides of the color wheel, such as red and green, violet and yellow, or blue and orange. Or use colors that reside side by side on the color wheel, such as salmon and violet or fuchsia and bright red.

• Create a pattern of repeating colors and textures. Containers and plants with different colors can create an eye-catching display when arranged so that each color repeats at a regular interval.  For instance: blue, purple, violet, green, blue, purple, violet, green. This technique is sometimes used with border plants, or plants in linear beds. The addition of colorful containers heightens the effect and adds to the options for placement. Create a repeating pattern on a railing, along a patio or even using hanging containers.

About Roy Joulus

Roy Joulus is CEO of Greenbo, which was founded with a focus on simplicity, efficiency and innovation in creating urban agricultural products. Its Greenbo XL flowerbox, designed to hang securely on any balcony railing up to 6 inches wide, won the prestigious 2012 Red Dot Design Award. Greenbo products are manufactured in a multi-cultural Israeli-Arab setting using sustainable and recyclable materials, and with safety the No. 1 priority. Find Greenbo products at garden centers and independent nurseries in the United States and Europe, and online at amazon.com.

31 Jul 2013

Financial Expert Offers Tips for Getting the Most Out of Social Security Retirement Benefits

By Ginny Grimsley

Too many people end up getting less than what's due them from Social Security when they retire because they don't know the rules and the real financial impacts, says independent retirement advisor Gary Marriage, Jr.

"There's a lot of talk about the future of Social Security, but we still have this benefit and if you're 50 or older, you should be planning to make the best use of it," Marriage says.

Marriage, CEO of Nature Coast Financial Advisors (www.naturecoastfinancial.com), which specializes in maximizing retirees' finances, shares important facts to keep in mind as you plan for how Social Security will factor in your retirement:

•  "Can I convince you to wait a few more years?" Many people are understandably eager to retire as early as possible; others fear Social Security retirement benefits will suddenly vanish, so they want to get what they can as quickly as possible - at age 62. But if you're counting on those benefits as part of your income, you should wait until you're eligible for the full amount. That's age 66 if you were born 1943-54, and age 67 if you were born in 1960 and later. If you're in the older group, retiring at 62 cuts your benefits by a quarter; for the younger group it's nearly a third. "Chances are, you'll be better of mentally and physically if you wait anyway," Marriage says. "Many studies show that people live longer and are more vital the longer they remain employed; more importantly."

• The reductions in Social Security add up to a considerable sum. The average retirement benefit in June of this year was 1,222.43, according to the Social Security Administration. People born in the 1943-54 group who are eligible for that amount at age 66 will get just $916.82 a month if they retire at 62. If they live to age 90, that's a total of $308,052.36. By waiting just four years, they'll net an additional $44,007.48. Waiting until age 70 can make you eligible for a bump in benefits - up to 8 percent a year - but there are no increases if you delay longer.

• If divorced, were you married for at least 10 years? Were you married for a decade and aren't currently remarried? You may be eligible to received benefits based on the former spouse's work record. Here are some of the other requisites: you must be age 62 or older, and the former spouse must be entitled to receive his or her own benefits. If the former spouse is eligible for a benefit, but has not yet applied for it, the divorced spouse can still receive a benefit. Additionally, two years must pass after the divorce.

About Gary Marriage

Gary Marriage, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Nature Coast Financial Advisors, which educates retirees on how to protect their assets, increase their income, and reduce their taxes. Marriage is a national speaker, delivering solutions for pre-retirees, business owners and seniors on the areas affecting their retirement and estates. He is an approved member of the National Ethics Bureau, and is featured in "America's Top Hometown Financial Advisors 2011." Marriage is also the founder of Operation Veteran Aid, an advocate for war-time veterans and their families.

31 Jul 2013

Psychological Abuse is the First Warning: Run, Get Out

By Ginny Grimsley
Psychological abuse can be as damaging to the psyche as physical abuse can be to the body, yet little is written about this common problem, which is typically the precursor to physical abuse. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 95 percent of men who physically abuse their intimate partners also psychologically abuse them.

Psychological abuse consists of impairing the mental life and impeding mental development. It creates distorted beliefs, taught by the abuser, about the world. Those beliefs become ingrained in the victim's mind and can interfere with the flexibility that needed to constantly assess the environment and respond appropriately. Knowing the signs of psychological abuse may save women from the physical abuse that so often follows.

I experienced psychological abuse through the eyes of a child -- part of the stories I share in "Believe in the Magic: Let the Tenacity of Mattie Fisher Inspire You," (www.mattiefisher.com), the story of my mother's remarkable journey.

I watched as my father systematically and maliciously attempted to drive my mother crazy. He would constantly move car keys and other items from the places she normally kept them. He would then pretend to find them in odd places, like the refrigerator. After playing the hero for a month or so, my father would start insulting my mom with degrading remarks.

After months of psychological warfare, with her mental state sufficiently weakened, my father would begin the physical abuse. For the rest of her life, my mother was inconsolable and shaky whenever something went missing.

Signs of psychological abuse include :

• Your partner uses finances to control you.
• He often threatens to leave.
• She seeks to intimidate using looks, gestures or actions.
• He smashes things.
• Your partner seeks to control you by minimizing, denying and blaming
• He makes light of the abuse and does not take your concerns about it seriously.
• You are continually criticized, called names and/or shouted at.
• She emotionally degrades you in private, but acts charming in public.
• He humiliates you in private or public.
• They withhold approval, appreciation or affection as punishment.

Effects of psychological abuse on the victim, from the Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness:

• A distrust of his or her own spontaneity
• A loss of enthusiasm
• An uncertainty about how she is coming across
• A concern that something is wrong with him
• An inclination to reviewing incidents with the hopes of determining what went wrong
• A loss of self-confidence
• A growing self-doubt
• An internalized critical voice
• A concern that she isn't happier and ought to be
• An anxiety or fear of being crazy
• A sense that time is passing and he's missing something
• A desire not to be the way she is, e.g. "too sensitive," etc.
• A hesitancy to accept her perceptions
• A reluctance to come to conclusions
• A tendency to live in the future, e.g. "Everything will be great when/after ..."
• A desire to escape or run away
• A distrust of future relationships

If you answered yes to even one, you may be in an abusive relationship. Get help!
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

About Dee Louis-Scott

Dee Louis-Scott is the author of "Believe in the Magic: Let the Tenacity of Mattie Fisher Inspire You," (www.mattiefisher.com), the story of her mother's remarkable journey. Louis-Scott retired after working 30 years as a federal employee. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. Scott has co-chaired the Black Family Technology Awareness Association's Youth STEM Fair for nine years; its mission is to encourage studies in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum in urban communities. Twenty years since the death of her heroic mother, Mattie Fisher, Louis-Scott honors her life, which was experienced in a time in American history when it was a double-curse to be a black woman.

30 Jul 2013

3 Things Every Woman Should Know About Herself & Her Money

By Ginny Grimsley
'It's a Relationship That's Not Going Away,' Advises Female Financial Expert

If you're a woman, chances are good that in the years ahead, it will be you and you alone who's responsible for managing your money.

That could be a problem: Even among the very affluent, many women admit they know little to nothing about bigger-picture money concerns such as financial planning and investment management, according to a recent survey.

"A lot of women cede those responsibilities to their husbands or partners because they say they don't have the time, interest or opportunity to learn," says Luna Jaffe, Certified Financial Planner™, psychotherapist, and author of the new "Wild Money: A Creative Journey to Financial Wisdom" and its companion workbook, "Wild Money: A Financial Field Guide and Journal," (www.lunajaffe.com).

"Things are changing- more women are choosing not to marry or have been devastated by divorce or death of a loved one.  They recognize they can't ignore money any more, but don't know where to turn or who to trust."

But even women with a net worth of at least $1 million concede they aren't especially knowledgeable about money management. In the Women & Wealth Study sponsored by GenSpring Family Offices, only a third said they know a lot about financial planning, and 30 percent said the same for investment management.

Part of the problem is that financial education is male-oriented, catering to how men's brains are wired and what appeals to them, Jaffe says.

"When we approach it creatively and from a more emotion-based perspective, women are not only drawn to learning about it, they have no trouble getting it," Jaffe says.

She offers these three things every woman should know about their relationship to money:

• Your investment decisions are influenced by your emotional baggage.
We all bring baggage into our relationships, and it's no different with money, Jaffe says. When you're not aware of the baggage operating quietly in the background, you may think you're making smart decisions when you're actually simply reacting to past experiences. And those might not have been even your own experiences! "Whether you or a loved one suffered the consequences of a bad financial investment, it can color your thinking in many ways, from destroying your confidence in your judgment to writing off all similar investments as 'bad.' '' Take time to reflect on the experiences you've had with investing, the decisions you made, and the conclusions you made as a result. What stories do you tell yourself because of these experiences?

•  Understand the emotional response with which you receive money, whether a paycheck, a gift or an inheritance. It's important to receive money with grace - to savor it, to be grateful for it, to be at peace with it. But depending on the circumstances by which it arrives, and lingering emotions from past experiences, we sometimes receive money with anger, guilt, resentment, greed, entitlement or any of a host of other negative emotions. This can lead to self-destructive actions. Jaffe shares a story about receiving a small inheritance from her father at a time when she had no money. She loaned the whole sum to a friend, who promptly vanished. "I was still grieving his death, and I received money that represented his legacy, yet it was only a tiny fraction of his estate - his second wife got everything else. Deep inside, I felt ripped off. Perhaps I thought by loaning my inheritance, I could wash the confusion and grief out of the money making it clean and safe to use. "

• Know your Comfort Zone for risk and stay within it. Investment comes with risks; you can assume a lot for potentially greater returns, or less for lower returns. Understanding your Comfort Zone and staying within it will help you stay committed to your financial plan. Would your best friend describe you as a risk taker? If you got $100,000 with instructions to invest it all in just ONE of these options - stocks, a savings account, a mutual fund portfolio of stocks and bonds, or your best friend's start-up - which would you choose? Knowing whether you're very conservative; happy with a little growth; comfortable with some ups and downs; or in for adventure will help you avoid taking financial advice that makes you uncomfortable.

About Luna Jaffe

Luna Jaffe is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Accredited Asset Management Specialist with more than 10 years of financial advising experience. She holds a master's degree in Depth Psychology and a bachelor's in Bilingual Education. Jaffe is a popular speaker whose creative compassionate approach to financial guidance differs sharply from male-oriented approaches. Securities and advisory services offered through KMS Financial Services, Inc.

29 Jul 2013

Can You be the Next Business Thought Leader?

By Ginny Grimsley
Corporate Thought Leader Architect Shares Tips

Plug "thought leader architect" into the title field of a LinkedIn search and only one name pops up: Mitchell Levy, CEO of THiNKaha and author of the new book, "#Creating Thought Leaders Tweet," (www.thinkaha.com/experts2gurus).

"The truth is, a lot of people are trying to become viewed as 'thought leaders' because they recognize that being a well-publicized, well-respected expert in their field is good for business," Levy says.

"But most people have a hard time figuring out how to do it on their own."

Levy, who works with corporations to develop thought leaders among employees, says CEOs recognize that the wide availability of information on the internet has changed how customers do business.

"Customers are quite knowledgeable, and they get that way by using the resources available online," Levy says. "It doesn't take long before they know enough to spot a true expert - someone with vision; someone with a strong track record of success; someone who knows their field so well, they can tell you where it's going, and where it should go."

When we had only the traditional media and its well-guarded access, our thought leaders tended to be people who were already in vaulted positions, such as elected officials, CEOs of major corporations and entertainment personalities, Levy notes.

Today, thanks to the egalitarian nature of social media, anyone can become one. But many people don't know where to begin.

Levy offers these suggestions for developing your reputation as a thought leader.

• Start by zeroing in on an area of your field in which you excel. Focus on one area of your business or profession that excites you. Rather than stepping out as the consummate expert on a broad range of topics, choose one slice of your expertise that you enjoy - that you love to talk about. The beautiful thing about social media is that it caters to niche interests, which is a great way to start building your following. The more focused you can make the space you want to be a thought leader in, the easier it will be for you to reach your audience.

• Develop your own message and share it in a distinctive style. Think about who your audience is and what they want and need - remembering that they don't care about you, they care about themselves. Are there better ways to do something that everyone has been doing the same way for years? Can you solve problems or foresee trends that others seem to be blind to? Craft a message that will resonate with your audience. Share it in a distinctive, authoritative voice. Don't be afraid to show some personality. Do you need to be bigger, tougher, louder, stronger, wiser? You don't need it all, but you do need to set yourself apart.

• Create useful, valuable content that people can use. Online, you can write a blog; create video tutorials on YouTube; share nuggets of information on the various social media sites. Write a book on your topic! By constantly sharing information that solves problems for users and readers, you begin developing a reputation as knowledgeable, helpful and reliable. This should be an ongoing process - which is why you need to be passionate about it! Thought leaders make it look easy, but they work at it every day.

About Mitchell Levy

Mitchell Levy, Thought Leader Architect and CEO at THiNKaha, has created and operated 15 firms and partnerships since 1997. Today, he works with companies who are active in social media to leverage their IP and unlock the expertise of their employee base to drive more business. He is also an Amazon best-selling author with 18 business books, including the new "#Creating Thought Leaders Tweet." Levy is a frequent media guest and a popular speaker. In addition to the companies and joint ventures he has started, he has provided strategic consulting to more than 100 companies, has advised more than 500 CEOs on critical business issues through the CEO networking groups he's run, and has been Chairman of the Board of a NASDAQ listed company.

26 Jul 2013

New Entertainment Company Aims to Give Wing to a Goodwill Movement

By Ginny Grimsley

A team of recognized best-in-class media and marketing professionals joined with a noted philanthropist in May to create Angel Wings Entertainment, LLC, a company on a mission to find and inspire "human angels" across the country.

Angel Wings Entertainment is currently developing a national television series featuring the stories of real-life human angels. These are the everyday people so touched by a need, they devote themselves to alleviating it through personal sacrifice and tireless service. The show will be the lynchpin of Angel Wings Entertainment's multi-media effort to "shine a light on the best of human behavior" and encourage everyone to become an Angel.

"We're all more technically connected than ever today, but we've never been so emotionally separated. We hope to change that," says Angel Wings Entertainment Chairman Jim Lindsey, a renowned brand builder and former vice-chairman of the top advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, as well as a leader of ad agencies McCaffrey & McCall and Hill Holiday/Wakeman & DeForrest.

Lindsey, also known for directing corporate development and acquisitions for a host of clients, from MGM/UA and Orion Films to Sears, Marriott Resorts, Mercedes Benz, and Epson, says the project will include a significant charitable component. "We have to teach people how to give again," he says.

The company's board of directors also includes CEO Tom Keegan, an entertainment industry veteran who has worked on more than 500 productions for ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and national syndication, including the Emmy Award-winning Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus (ABC), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (motion picture for NBC), The Hollywood Reporter, Front Runners and Celebrity Sweepstakes.

"I've waited my entire career to produce a show like this," Keegan says. "This is an opportunity to do something that's good all around - good for everyone."

The production is funded in part by an endowment from John Shimer, a director of the charitable corporation Fortune Family Foundation and a veteran specialist in fundraising for nonprofits.  His work with a "human angel," a woman who established a vocational school in impoverished Uganda, inspired him to launch the Angels Among Us Project, which in turn led to the creation of Angel Wings Entertainment.

"If you want people to be their best, or just better than they are, you need to shine a light on what that looks like," Shimer says. "People tend to become what they see."

The company is actively recruiting nominations for Angels and invites the public to submit candidates for recognition by visiting its website, www.AngelWingsEntertainment.com. Follow it on Twitter: @AngelsNextDoor.

24 Jul 2013

How to Navigate a Cancer Diagnosis

By Ginny Grimsley
Pioneering Psychotherapist Shares Strategies for Managing Anxiety & Maintaining Emotional Wellness

Unlike many of the most important events in one's life - graduation, marriage, having a child - almost no one anticipates a cancer diagnosis.

This year, nearly 239,000 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 232,000 women will learn they have breast cancer, according the American Cancer Society. Over their lifetimes, nearly half of all men can expect a cancer diagnosis, and more than a third of women.*

"Thankfully, we now have many tools for detecting cancers early and treating them successfully. But learning you have cancer remains one of life's most frightening and stressful experiences," says cancer psychotherapist Dr. Niki Barr, author of "Emotional Wellness, The Other Half of Treating Cancer," (canceremotionalwellbeing.com).

"Developing ways to help patients address their emotional well-being throughout their medical journey, still lag behind medical advances, but physicians and psychologists recognize that healing improves when both the physical and emotional needs of patients are served."

In her years of clinical practice working exclusively with cancer patients and their loved ones, Barr developed an Emotional Wellness Toolbox that patients stock with what Barr has found to be the most effective tools.

Here are some of her tools for managing anxiety - a normal and emotionally healthy response to a cancer diagnosis, but one that can spiral out of control.

• Catch your anxious thoughts. Stop anxious thoughts - thoughts about fear, unease and worry -- before they lead to anxiety. Start by writing your thoughts down on individual note cards and identifying the first one that's leading to you feeling anxious.  Then the next one. When you've identified all of your anxious thoughts, go back to the first one and, on the card, write a new thought that will not make you feel anxious. It should be a thought that is confident and empowering. Continue down the list and do the same for each anxious thought.

• Erase 'what if' thinking. What if the cancer has spread? What if the treatment doesn't work? One 'what if' leads to another and often spirals into anxiety. Be aware when you start asking 'what if' and instead ask yourself, "Is this thought helping me or hurting me?" and "Is this thought moving me forward or backward?"

• Ground yourself. Interrupt a chain of anxious thoughts by focusing on details around you. Look at the color of the walls in the room you're in; take in the pictures on the walls, the books on the shelves and the titles on their spines; look at the person you're talking to, the color of their eyes, the clothes she's wearing. Being very focused on external details can derail anxious thoughts.

• Use distraction. Choose a favorite place and visit it. Absorb everything about it - the colors, smells, any people involved, the sounds, tastes, how it feels. Build it up very clearly in your mind, going over and over it, so it can become a distraction tool. When you're waiting for a medical test or procedure, undergoing a procedure, or any other time you need to "be" somewhere else, call up your distraction and visit.

Other tools for your box include meditation CDs that use guided imagery; favorite music CDs; and a journal to record your thoughts and feelings.

"Being able to manage your anxiety enables you to move forward through cancer whether patient, caregiver or family member," Barr says.  "Don't tell yourself you can't handle whatever you're going through. Yes, you can ... five minutes at a time."

*The data does not include non-melanoma skin cancers, the most common diagnosis.

About Niki Barr, Ph.D. (@NikiBarrPhD)

Niki Barr, Ph.D. founded a pioneering psychotherapy practice dedicated to working with cancer patients in all stages of the disease, along with their family members, caregivers and friends. In her book, she describes an "emotional wellness toolbox" patients can put together with effective and simple strategies, ready to use at any time, for helping them move forward through cancer. Dr. Barr is a dynamic and popular speaker, sharing her insights with cancer patients and clinicians across the nation.

24 Jul 2013

Is Bulldog-Face the Next Modern Epidemic?

By Ginny Grimsley
2 Doctors Say Unrecognized Airway/Breathing Issues are
Prompting Facial Changes and a Host of Chronic Problems

What's it like to be an English bulldog? More people are finding out, say integrated health specialists Dr. Michael Gelb and Dr. Howard Hindin.

"A bulldog's airway passages are quite restricted because of the shape of its face, and they are often especially vulnerable to illnesses such as cardiac disease and cancer," says Dr. Michael Gelb of The Gelb Center in New York (www.gelbcenter.com), a holistic dentist known worldwide for pioneering integrative treatments.

Dr. Hindin of the Hindin Center for Whole Health Dentistry (www.hindincenter.com) partners with Dr. Gelb in a multidisciplinary approach to treating chronic disease affecting millions of Americans.

"Our faces are becoming more like a bulldog, with smaller mouths, bigger tongues, misaligned teeth and bigger necks - all of which changes the structures of our mouths and makes breathing significantly more difficult," Dr. Hindin says.

The doctors say that's creating a health crisis.

They say these issues are often associated with Airway, Breathing and Sleep (ABSleep):

• ADHD and other children's issues: Ninety percent of our brains are developed by age 12. Obstructions and even increased effort in breathing cause children to have sleep disorders, and the effect is a range of related problems, from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to obesity and diabetes. The good news is that much of this is preventable - at 6, 18 and 30 months of age, doctors can predict children who are likely to develop behavioral and cognitive disorders due to poor breathing. Treatment is often complex and requires a team approach. Removal of tonsils and adenoids are among preventative measures, along with palatal expansion and myofunctional therapy. Additionally, early intervention can improve the shape of a child's face, lips and smile.

• TMJ: As our faces are becoming pushed in and our mouths are getting smaller there is increased pressure on the TMJ as well as increased muscle tension and clenching.

• Sleep apnea: People with sleep apnea can stop breathing hundreds of times each night. Each time this happens, the brain triggers the person to awaken, ever so slightly, in order to resume breathing. Up to 90 percent of people with obstructive sleep apnea have not been diagnosed, according to the American College of Physicians. Sleep apnea is just one of the disorders that can have serious lifelong consequences. But the causes are easily corrected. Children who snore loudly are twice as likely to have learning problems and are more likely to develop behavior problems and ADHD.

• Chronic headaches: Morning headache is one sign of obstructive sleep apnea. As the face is pushed in, nasal breathing is obstructed and mouth breathing results in a forward head posture. This puts a strain on the muscles and nerves at the base of the neck which increases headache.

• Other sleep disorders: You do not need to have apnea to have a sleep disorder that will interfere with performance and health. Snoring, restless leg syndrome and simple daytime drowsiness can be a signal that you are not getting the proper quantity and quality of restorative sleep. If you are suffering from chronic pain, inflammation, poor performance or behavior problems, consider looking into airway-breathing treatment.

About Michael Gelb, D.D.S., M.S.

Dr. Michael Gelb is an innovator in airway, breathing, sleep, and painful TMJ disorders pioneering Airway Centric. He has studied early intervention for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) specializing in how it relates to fatigue, focus, pain and the effects all of these can have on family health. Dr. Gelb received his D.D.S. degree from Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery and his M.S. degree from SUNY at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. He is the former Director of the TMJ and Orofacial Pain Program at the NYU College of Dentistry and is currently Clinical Professor in the Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology at the NYU College of Dentistry. He is a co-inventor of the NORAD, or Nocturnal Oral Airway Dilator appliance that reduces snoring by positioning the patient's tongue and jaw so that airways stay open. He co-founded the Academy of Physiologic Medicine and Dentistry (APMD) and a non-profit to prevent the proliferation of chronic disease in the U.S. based on airway, sleep and breathing awareness, research and education.

About Howard Hindin, D.D.S.

Dr. Howard Hindin is trained in all aspects of general dentistry. Since the 1990s, his practice has also focused on cosmetic dentistry, temporomandibular joint disorders and craniofacial pain. He is a graduate of New York University College of Dentistry. An acknowledged pioneer in the relationship between dental issues and whole body health, Dr. Hindin is President (2000-present) of the Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine (FAIM). He is also an active member of the American Academy of Pain Management, American Academy of Cranio Facial Pain, American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Academy of General Dentistry, American Dental Association, International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, and the New York State Society of Acupuncture for Physicians and Dentists and is the co-founder of the American Association of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD).

22 Jul 2013

From Pampered Housewives to Comic Heroes, How Media Trends are Made

By Ginny Grimsley
Film Producer Explains the Forces Driving Contemporary
Trends

Take a look at what's offered in media today - did you ever think you'd spend so much time with ice truckers and over-pampered, middle-aged housewives? What about your childhood comic heroes? Did you expect the sense of humor in so many commercials would be so intentionally obtuse?

What accounts for the seemingly drastic differences between what people watch today and what audiences gravitated toward 10, 20 and 30 years ago?

"There are important differences between today's media and that of 1983 - and there will be noticeable differences between what we experience today and 2043 - but underneath the apparent differences are important commonalities and overriding themes," says Vlad Yudin, (vladar.com) a Russian-born media entrepreneur and successful filmmaker, currently juggling multiple projects.

Yudin, a writer, director and producer, reviews five characteristics that feed an audience's media sensibilities at any given time:

• It's messy and organic. The zeitgeist, or the spirit of a time period, is never fully accounted for by any one thing; there are always many influences, including politics, economy, technology and a host of similar factors. For example, Yudin is working with "Game of Thrones" producer Mark Huffam on adapting into a film C.C. Humphrey's historical fiction novel "The French Executioner," which takes place in 1536. Why does there seem to be an appetite for stories set in the distant past? "One reason is that audiences want relief from today's technology and rapidly changing world," Yudin says. "The distant past was a far more dangerous but, on the surface at least, a much simpler time."

• Visceral and emotional content works. Whether a storyteller appeals to the heartstrings of a mostly female audience in a romantic genre or the masculine appetite for violence and action, audiences pay attention to visceral content. One of Yudin's recent projects, a graphic novel titled "Head Smash," has quickly garnered traction among comic fans, and he already plans to turn into a film. In recent years, comics have proven to be part of a winning formula for a film project's success. "Today's audiences have nostalgia for the comics they read as kids, but they gravitate toward darker, flawed heroes," Yudin says. "They're not kids anymore."

• People aspire to ideals. Human beings have always interpreted gods as ideal human specimens, from the grace and beauty of Venus to the power of Hercules. People who look perfect pique attention, which is why Yudin decided to revisit the fascination behind the 1977 hit "Pumping Iron" with his docudrama "Generation Iron," which updates viewers to today's body builders. "Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't become a household name through his acting talent," Yudin says.

• Gravitation toward an inspirational narrative. The ethos of the United States - the American Dream - appeals to contemporary ambitious immigrants, including Yudin. People want to improve themselves, and they like experiencing movies where characters start off low, but end on a high. That's the idea behind Yudin's 2010 film release "Last Day of Summer," about a low-ranking fast-food protagonist who finds his confidence. "Most of us want to root for the underdog, even if his actions for improving his lot are less-than-noble," he says.

• We fancy the fanciful. Ghosts, monsters, fairies, trolls, witches, wizards - our stories are filled with magic. Aliens are a comparatively more recent manifestation that even highly educated scientists believe are a possibility somewhere in the universe. We like to think that what may be impossible is possible, which is why Yudin created "Catskill Park," a film to be released this year. It follows three friends who document an extraterrestrial presence during their camping trip to upstate New York.

About Vlad Yudin

Russian-born writer, director, producer Vlad Yudin is the principal of The Vladar Co., a media and entertainment production company. New projects include the ARCANA Comics graphic novel and film "Head Smash," and the bodybuilding docudrama "Generation Iron," a remake of the 1977 hit "Pumping Iron." Additionally, he is currently working with "Game of Thrones" producer Mark Huffam in adapting into film the historical fiction novel "The French Executioner," the story of the greatest executioner in all of Europe, Jean Rombeaud. Yudin is developing the graphic novel "Head Smash," which is led by Sean O'Reilly, publisher of "Cowboys and Aliens." The sci-fi thriller centers on an orphan named Smash who finds a safe haven with a brutal syndicate, The Horde. Yudin is best known for directing and producing the docufilm "Big Pun: The Legacy" (2008), a critically acclaimed biopic about legendary rapper Christopher Lee Rios, and "Last Day of Summer," which he wrote, directed and produced. Yudin grew up in Russia and New York and is a graduate of Pace University and the New York University Filmmaking Program.

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