02 Feb 2015

Governor appoints Director of IEMA; Names Members of State Boards of Education, Investment and Gaming

By Catherine Kelly

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has appointed the new director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. In addition, he has filled vacancies on the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois State Board of Investment and the Illinois Gaming Board.  

 

Name: James Joseph

Position: Director - Illinois Emergency Management Agency

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected James Joseph, 33, as the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Joseph will also serve as the Illinois Homeland Security Adviser. He brings nearly 15 years of experience in both the private and public sector to the position.

Since 2010, Joseph has worked for DuPage County in various roles within the Emergency Management Department. Currently, he is the Director and oversees three county departments, and is responsible for the Emergency Operations Center. For nearly two years, he served as Chief of the Security Division. He also was an Emergency Management Coordinator, where he managed county-wide emergencies and disasters.

Joseph also founded his own private security company called Center for Security Intelligence. He provided services in security operations, workplace violence prevention and emergency management. Clients included the Lake County Government, the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois and numerous businesses in the private sector.

Prior to owning his own business, Joseph worked at HSBC - North America as its Vice President of Security and Fraud Risk. He created and implemented security protocols for corporate offices, data centers and field offices. He also created security awareness strategies for the 70,000 employees of HSBC based in North America.

Joseph also holds a number of volunteer positions as a resident of Carol Stream. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners. He also is the Chairman Pro-Tem of the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Joseph earned his bachelor's degree in law enforcement from Oakton College. He also holds various certifications from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Experience:

·         DuPage County - Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

o   Director (2013-Present)

o   Chief of Security Division (2011-2013)

o   Emergency Management Coordinator (2010-2011)

·         The Center for Security Intelligence, Owner/Consultant (2009-2010)

·         HSBC - North America, Vice President - Security & Fraud Risk (2003-2008)

·         Glenbrook Security Services, Account Manager, HSBC - North America (1999-2003)

Volunteer Service:

·         Carol Stream Board of Police and Fire Commissioners, Chairman

·         Carol Stream Planning Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals, Chairman Pro-Tem

Personal Information:

·         Age: 33

·         Hometown: Carol Stream

 

Board of Investment

Name: Mark Cozzi

Position: Member - State Board of Investment

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Mark Cozzi to the Illinois State Board of Investment. Cozzi brings more than 25 years of private investment experience to the position.

Currently, Cozzi is the managing partner and founder of Lincoln Park Capital Group, and he provides consulting and advisory services to a wide-range of companies. He founded the company in 2008 and worked there until 2011. He rejoined the firm in 2014.

From 2011 to 2014, he was the senior managing director of the Electrum group, which is a private investment firm focused on the mining sector. He managed the company's portfolio of investments.

Before Lincoln Park Capital Group, Cozzi was the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Leor Exploration and Production. In that role, he took a $22 million investment and transformed it into a $2.2 billion dollar equity stake in just three years for a 100 percent return on investment. He grew the company from two employees and $15 million in assets to 30 employees and $300 million in assets.

Cozzi holds an MBA from Northwestern University. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin in business administration.

 

Name: Marc Levine

Position: Member - State Board of Investment

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Marc Levine, 51, to the State Board of Investment. Levine brings more than 25 years of investment and business experience to the position.

Most recently, Levine was the co-founder and managing partner of Chicago Asset Funding, LLC. He worked at this boutique investment banking and asset management firm for eight years until 2012. Levine was able to use the company's unique structure to successfully invest during the 2008-2009 financial crisis.

Levine has a wide range of experience from companies and banks in Illinois, California and Florida, where he oversaw financial transactions at a number of levels. He also served on the Board of Directors of General Motors, Navistar, and other technology startups and communication companies.

Levine is a certified public accountant, and earned his degree in accounting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He also has an MBA from Northwestern University.

 

Name: Shari Reiches

Position: Member - State Board of Investment

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Shari Reiches, 52, to the Illinois State Board of Investment. Reiches has more than 30 years of experience in finance and capital management.

Reiches is currently a member, manager and principal of Rappaport Reiches Capital Management, which assists families and non-profit corporations with investment and financial planning. She co-manages the firm with other partners, and is the co-chair of the firm's investment committee.

From 1999 to 2005, Reiches was the vice president of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc., where she worked as a financial adviser. Prior to that, she worked for U.S. Bank and its predecessor institutions, eventually working her way up to the president of private banking. In that role, she managed the private banking division.

Reiches earned her bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned a master's degree in banking from the University of Wisconsin.

 

Board of Education

Name: Lula Ford

Position: Member - Illinois State Board of Education

Governor Rauner has named Lula Ford, 71, to the Illinois State Board of Education. Ford brings 34 years of experience as a teacher, principal and assistant superintendent to the position. She also served the State of Illinois as an Illinois State Commerce Commissioner and as the Assistant Director of Central Management Services.

Ford began her career as an elementary school teacher in Chicago Public Schools. Throughout her three decade career at CPS, she was also a counselor and principal. Ford earned the Principal of Excellence Award from 1992-1994. She also served as an Assistant Superintendent and the Chief Instruction Officer.

Most recently, Ford was an Illinois State Commerce Commissioner. She served on that board for 10 years until 2013. Before that, she was the Assistant Director of the Illinois Central Management Services.

Ford earned her bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. She also holds two master's degrees in inner city studies from Northeastern Illinois University, and vocational counseling from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

 

Name: Craig Lindvahl

Position: Member - Illinois State Board of Education

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Craig Lindvahl, 57, to the Illinois State Board of Education. Lindvahl brings more than 35 years of experience in education and business to the board. Lindvahl is an award-winning educator earning the prestigious Milken National Educator Award, and has twice been a finalist for Illinois Teacher of the Year.

Lindvahl is currently the Executive Director of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, which is a company that educates future business leaders. He oversees the CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program. He speaks across the country about CEO, millennials and economic development.

Lindvahl spent 34 years in the classrooms of the Teutopolis District 50 Schools. He taught music, band, television production and entrepreneurship programs. Some of the accomplishments during his tenure include tripling the size of the district band program and the creation of a television production program. He also led a group of students to the Marshall Islands to produce a student-led documentary about the country and culture. The product was distributed to 5,000 schools through the Peace Corps.

Lindvahl is also an award-winning filmmaker, having earned 12 Mid-America Emmy Awards and 11 Telly Awards for his writing, producing, camera work and editing. Projects have taken him all over the world, and given him the ability to work with students from more than 25 countries. He currently owns Callan Films Corporation, which produces documentaries and corporate projects.

 

Name: Roberta Parks

Position: Member - Illinois State Board of Education

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Roberta Parks, 64, to the Illinois State Board of Education. Parks brings more than 35 years of experience to the position.

As the Vice President for UnityPoint Health Methodist|Proctor Foundation, she oversees the $27 million foundation, which benefits two hospitals and doctors in the system, along with Methodist College.  This also includes fund development; donor relations; and the communications of major gifts, planned giving and special events.

For 15 years until 2013, Parks was the President of the Peoria Chamber of Commerce. She was responsible for all operations of the 1,100 member organization. Parks was directly responsible for government affairs, education, transportation and community development programs.

Parks has also worked for the City of Peoria as the Intergovernmental Coordinator. She worked in tandem with the Mayor and City Council to serve the people of Peoria.

Parks is a graduate of Bradley University, with a bachelor's degree in business management.

 

Name: Eligio Cerda Pimentel

Position: Member - Illinois State Board of Education

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Eligio Cerda Pimentel, 49, to join the Illinois State Board of Education. Pimentel has a demonstrated track record of supporting education in underprivileged communities through his work in the community. He brings nearly 20 years of professional experience, both as an attorney and engineer, to the position.

 

Currently, Pimentel is an attorney and board member at McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd. He joined the firm as an associate in 1996, working his way up to a member of the board. Pimentel is a patent attorney, focusing on litigation; and he maintains a transactional practice focusing on intellectual property rights.

Pimentel is an avid-supporter of providing educational opportunities to economically disadvantaged children. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Cristo Rey High School, serving students on Chicago's southwest side who could not otherwise afford a private college-prep education. Pimentel also served on the Board of Directors of the Mary Crane Center, which promotes early-childhood education on Chicago's west and northwest sides.

Pimentel is the son of migrant farm workers from California's Central Valley. He went on to Stanford University, earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He worked for three years as an engineer at the Bechtel Corporation, and then decided to go to law school, earning his Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota.

 

Gaming Board

Name: Don Tracy

Position: Chairman - Illinois Gaming Board

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Don Tracy, 54, to become Chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board. Tracy's background as an attorney and business owner gives him the experience necessary to lead the board dealing with an important industry in Illinois.

Tracy is currently a partner at Brown, Hay & Stephens LLP, which is the state's oldest law firm and the former firm of President Abraham Lincoln. Tracy currently practices corporate law, including acquisitions and business litigation. He represents a number of closely held and family businesses. Tracy is also general outside counsel to Dot Foods, Inc., which he owns with his 11 siblings. Dot Foods is the nation's largest food re-distributor.

Prior to joining Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP in 1995, Tracy was a partner at Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen for six years. He also owned and operated his own law firm for nine years. Tracy also has experience as in-house counsel at the Illinois National Bank of Springfield. He began his law career at Baker & Donelson in Memphis, Tenn.

Tracy serves on a number of boards in the Springfield area, including the Abraham Lincoln Association, the Dana Thomas House Foundation and the Illinois National Guard & Militia Historical Society. He also was appointed to the Oak Ridge Cemetery Board in 1992 and served on it for four years.

Tracy is a graduate of Arizona State University and has a bachelor's degree in business administration. He earned his law degree from the University of Memphis.

 

Name: Thomas Dunn

Position: Member - Illinois Gaming Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has named former Will County associate judge and state Senator Thomas Dunn to become a member of the Illinois Gaming Board. Dunn, 72, was instrumental in bringing riverboat gambling to his district of Joliet, which brings a different perspective to the board.

Dunn served the people of Joliet and Will County as a state senator from 1972 to 1997. He was a ranking member of the judiciary committee, and also served on the public health, welfare, corrections and revenue committees.

Most recently, Dunn served as an associate judge for Will County. He was appointed in 1997 and served for eight years until 2005. He is a graduate of St. Ambrose College with degrees in political science and history. He earned his law degree from DePaul University.

02 Feb 2015

Type 2 Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction

By Everyday Health
There is a confirmed link between erectile dysfunction and type 2 diabetes, but the right diabetes treatment could lessen the chance you'll have problems with impotence.

Diabetes doubles or even triples the chance that you'll have erectile dysfunction (ED) and that you could develop it a decade earlier than other men. In fact, the two conditions are so closely linked that some experts believe that for men younger than 45, impotence, or ED, could be an early warning sign of diabetes. The good news is that diabetes treatment, especially if you identify type 2 diabetes early, can also ease ED.

Connecting Erectile Dysfunction and Type 2 Diabetes

At first glance, it's not obvious why higher than normal levels of blood sugar would cause erectile dysfunction. However, the relationship is undeniable: Somewhere between 20 and 75 percent of men with diabetes also have erectile dysfunction.

The problem is that uncontrolled high blood sugar damages the blood vessels, big and small, throughout your body. The blood vessels in the penis are already very tiny, so when uncontrolled diabetes starts to undermine your blood vessels, your penis may experience the consequences early on.

And diabetes affects more than the blood system. "Diabetes also results in nerve dysfunction and, in the penile shaft, [eventually] the muscle starts to atrophy and is replaced by scar tissue or collagen rather than smooth muscle. That's the ultimate end result in men," explains urologist Ajay Nehra, MD, professor of urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. That scenario ? damage to all the tissues that support your penis ? is what could happen if you do not get and keep your diabetes under control.

Are You at Risk for Impotence?

Knowing your risk factors will help you make the best health decisions. Men who are most at risk for erectile dysfunction related to type 2 diabetes:

  • Have high blood sugar (glucose)
  • Know they have diabetes, but are not meeting the goals for their A1C, or average glucose results
  • Have high cholesterol
  • Have high blood pressure
  • Have low testosterone
  • Are overweight or obese
  • Are 40 or older
  • Smoke cigarettes
  • Do not exercise

Breaking the Erectile Dysfunction-Type 2 Diabetes Link

Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to live with erectile dysfunction. The right diabetes treatment can help. Follow these guidelines:

  • Get your diabetes under control. According to Dr. Nehra, the most important number you need to stay on top of is your A1C, which is a blood test that lets you know how well your blood sugar has been controlled for the past few months. Lifestyle changes can help and so can medications. Diabetes medications do not add to your risk for erectile dysfunction, says Nehra.
  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and getting enough exercise will help both your diabetes and your erectile dysfunction.
  • If you smoke, quit.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. If you're overweight or obese, losing even a small percent of your body weight will help control diabetes. Obese men might also benefit from gastric bypass surgery, which has been shown to relieve both erectile dysfunction and diabetes in some patients.
  • Seek treatment for erectile dysfunction. There are many ways to treat erectile dysfunction, including pills, injections, vacuum pumps, and surgery. Talk to your urologist about what you can do for erectile dysfunction even while you are working to control your diabetes.
  • Get heart disease risk factors under control. Work with your doctor to lower blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which can contribute to erectile dysfunction.

The connection between impotence and diabetes is undeniable, but that doesn't mean you have to accept this outcome. Taking steps to control your diabetes and reduce erectile dysfunction will improve your quality of life.

 

02 Feb 2015

Two Skip-a-Long Child Care Centers Receive Highest Quality Rating in IL

By Liz Dierolf

SKIP-A-LONG CHILD DEV SERV-MOLINE CAMPUS RECEIVES EXCELERATE ILLINOIS GOLD CIRCLE OF QUALITY DESIGNATION

Shows Continuous Quality Improvement Commitment to Children in Moline and Rock Island

Moline, Illinois - January 21, 2015 - Skip-A-Long Child Dev Serv-Moline Campus and Rock Island Campus both received the Gold Circle of Quality designation from ExceleRate Illinois, the state's new quality rating and improvement system for early learning and development providers.

"Every early learning and development provider who participates in ExceleRate Illinois makes quality a priority,"
said Theresa Hawley, executive director, Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development. "The higher the
designation, the higher the program's demonstrated quality and comprehensiveness in meeting children's early learning needs," she said.

"We are proud to receive the Gold Circle of Quality," said Julie Allen, Skip-A-Long Child Dev Serv-Moline Campus. "Providing quality in early learning and development will help our children in Moline be better prepared for success in school and in life."

ExceleRate Illinois helps families make more informed choices about their children's early learning. It establishes standards to help infants, toddlers and preschoolers develop intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally. Additionally, it provides a framework for early learning and development professionals to identify opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills.

Research in science and brain development shows that children who are more meaningfully engaged in early
learning experiences from infancy through the first five years of life are more likely to be successful in school and in life. With the right engagement, children can form a healthy foundation of neural pathways in the brain, which impact their ability to think, react, process and grow.

ExceleRate Illinois is a comprehensive system that includes Licensed Child Care Centers, Preschool for All and Center-Based Prevention Initiative Programs, Head Start and Early Head Start Programs. Licensed Family and Group Child Care Homes will be included next year.

For more information or to find a Child Care Resource & Referral Agency in your area, visit:
www.ExceleRateIllinois.com.

ExceleRate Illinois is administered through INCCRRA under the joint direction of the Governor's Office of Early
Childhood Development, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Illinois State Board of Education.

# # #

02 Feb 2015

Looking for a UNIQUE Summer Job? Join the Youth Corps Team!!

By Davenport Parks & Recreation

Youth Corps is an AmeriCorps program designed specifically for youth ages 16-25. AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages individuals in intensive community service work with the goal of "helping others and meeting critical needs in the community. In 2009, the Iowa legislature passed a bill prioritizing the development of Iowa Summer Youth Corps programming. Such programs would involve disadvantaged youth (ages 16-25) in meaningful service opportunities that enrich learning experiences, teach civic responsibility, and fulfill unmet community needs. 

Davenport needs kids ages 16-19!  CLICK HERE to see if you apply!

02 Feb 2015

State Fair Award to Recognize Iowa's Farm Families

By Lori Chappell

DES MOINES, IA (02/02/2015)(readMedia)-- The Iowa State Fair, Tractor Supply Co. and WHO News Radio 1040 are searching for six farm families to recognize with the Way We Live Award at the 2015 Fair, August 13-23. These families must exemplify farm values derived from hard work and a love for the occupation of farming.

To enter, submit an entry form along with a 500-1500 word essay describing how living on a farm and choosing the occupation of farming has shaped the family's life. All entries must include a family picture that illustrates the family's commitment to their farming operation. Entry forms can be downloaded from the Iowa State Fair website: http://www.iowastatefair.org/competition/the-way-we-live-award/. All entries must be postmarked or e-mailed to ewynn@iowastatefair.org by May 1.

Nominated families should show dedication to animal agriculture in their daily lives and in the lives of their family members. Winners will receive a prize package including $250 cash, Fair admission tickets, parking, Fair food vouchers and recognition during the Fair in the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center.

Eligible families must be residents of Iowa whose farming operation is centered on animal agriculture and may nominate themselves or be nominated by others.

Send entries to:

The Way We Live Award

Iowa State Fair

PO Box 57130

Des Moines, Iowa 50317-0003

Or e-mail all materials to ewynn@iowastatefair.org

For questions about the award, contact Emily Wynn at 515.262.3111 x244 or ewynn@iowastatefair.org.

"Nothing Compares" to the 2015 Iowa State Fair, August 13-23. The Fairgrounds are located at East 30th and East University Avenue, just 10 minutes east of downtown Des Moines. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit www.iowastatefair.org.

* * *

02 Feb 2015

The 21st annual Iowa Illinois Regional Auto Show features announced

By Carol Slaughter

The nation's largest auto show producer, Motor Trend Auto Shows, announces the 21st

Proceeds from the Auto Show benefit the Iowa -Illinois Regional Auto Show Scholarship Fund. Over $280,000 has been given to college bound and trade school students to date. $30,000+ is expected to be given at this year's VIP Premier Event.

For more information, visit www.quadcityautoshow.com or call Nissi Marketing at 563) 388-6744

annual Iowa Illinois Regional Auto Show, coming to the Davenport RiverCenter Friday through Sunday, Feb. 6-8. The event, which showcases 2015 vehicles, and some 2016 models is a joint effort of auto dealers of 18 counties in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.

Show times are:

  • Friday-Saturday, Feb. 6 & 7 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.

  • Sunday, Feb. 8 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Special events during the show include :

  • Friday is Quad City Times Day at the show. Special promotions are planned.

  • Saturday there will be face painting, balloon artists and a meet and greet with Pete the Purple Bull from 12p-4p

Sunday: B100 Family Day -- Kids 12 and under free with paid adult. Get your picture taken with Bubba the Alligator and other exotic animals from 12p - 4p. There will be professional balloon artists making animal characters for kids, performing magic tricks, and a jumpy house.

  • 27 Domestic & Import Manufacturers - over 150 vehicles

  • "Luxury Row Showcase"

  • Every guest can sign up for a free one year subscription to Motor Trend Magazine Subscription

  • FREE opening day tickets and coupons at participating Hy-Vee locations. While supplies last, restrictions apply.

  • More info, discount tickets and coupons online at Quad City Auto Show.com

02 Feb 2015

Upcoming Bettendorf Library Event

By Joan Mauch
Feb. 11, 7-9:00 pm. Bettendorf Library, 2950 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf. Quad-Cities Waterkeeper Art Norris and Joan Mauch, author of "The Waterkeeper's Daughter" will give a presentation as part of the library's "Read Local" program. Light refreshments will be available. Free.
02 Feb 2015

WINTER CLASSES FOR KIDS & FAMILIES

By Marc Heinzman

ZOO TOTS CLASSES.

Head out to the zoo with your 2 or 3 year old for an hour of Zoo Tots class.

The winter rate is just $6 for zoo members and includes the class for one child and one adult.

Feb 5 and 7

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Click here to register or call (309) 799-3482 ext. 222.

 

HOME-SCHOOL CLASS.

Learn about wild animals and wild places in a home-school class for 5-12 year olds. The winter rate for one child is $8 for zoo members or $10 for the general public.

Feb 11

9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Click here to register or call (309) 799-3482 ext. 222.

 

BACKYARD BIRDS CLASS FOR FAMILIES.

Bring your whole family to the zoo on Saturday, February 7 to learn about birds that call your backyard home. We'll learn to identify common birds and make treats that can help attract them to your yard. Cost is $2 per person.

Feb 7

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Click here to register or call (309) 799-3482 ext. 222.

 

ROMANCE AT THE ZOO

Enjoy dinner with your sweetheart at the zoo while you learn about the strange and fascinating mating rituals of the animal kingdom.

This 21 and older dinner will be held indoors in the zoo's Jungle Trek rainforest area.

Friday, February 13

6:00-6:30 p.m.

Cocktails

6:30-7:30 p.m.

Buffet dinner

7:30 p.m.

Live animal presentation with multi-media show

RSVP by February 9 to (309) 799-3482 ext. 222 or click here to e-mail.

$40/person or $75/couple includes a buffet dinner and one complimentary drink. Cash bar available.

02 Feb 2015

Senior Star at Elmore Place Hosts Dinner Seminar on Long-Term Care Insurance

By Christina L. Maggio-Kellerstrass

Davenport insurance agent on hand to help understand long-term care coverage

 

 

DAVENPORT, IA (February 2, 2015) - Senior Star at Elmore Place will host an informative dinner seminar on long-term care insurance at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10 at 4500 Elmore Avenue.

The seminar will be presented by local State Farm agent, Matt Hayes, who will discuss important information about long-term care insurance.  Hayes will help attendees understand if long term-care insurance is right for them and the reasons to consider this type of insurance.  He will also share the misconceptions of purchasing long-term care insurance so participants have all the facts prior to making a decision as to whether or not this will meet the needs of their personal situation.

"There is so much information to dissect when it comes to long-term care insurance," said Marc Strohschein, executive director of Senior Star at Elmore Place.  "We are pleased to have Matt Hayes offer his time and expertise so that people can make an informed decision."

Seating is limited.  Please RSVP no later than February 9 by calling 563.484.5114.

For more information about Senior Star at Elmore Place or to schedule a tour, call 563.484.5114 or visit the website at www.seniorstar.com.

About Senior Star at Elmore Place

Senior Star at Elmore Place, a Senior Star community, features 236 modernly decorated apartments spanning across 20 acres of beautifully landscaped property with many customized amenities to offer its residents three distinctive living experiences:  independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For more information, visit www.seniorstar.com.

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02 Feb 2015

6 Healthy Habits To Implement In February, American Heart Month.

By Ginny Grimsley
Misconceptions Are Among The Greatest Obstacles
For Heart Health, Says One of the 'Best Doctors in America'*

Despite decades of medical research and public campaigns to ease the problem, heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States and throughout the Western world.

One of the problems driving heart disease is the messaging, says Robert Thompson, M.D., an integrative medicine specialist deemed by his peers to be in the top 5 percent of U.S. physicians. While there's plenty of good research to indicate good advice, the general public, and many of his peers in the medical community, are stuck with faulty conclusions, he says.

"Perhaps the biggest misconception is that an overabundance of calcium, which may include supplements, is very good for people, especially women, but that's simply not true," says Thompson, author of "The Calcium Lie II: What Your Doctor Still Doesn't Know," (calciumliebook.com), a new book that details the roles minerals play in overall health and how to identify and correct deficiencies and imbalances.

Calcium is just one of 12 substances, as well as traces of 64 other minerals, that make up our bones. Excessive amounts of calcium hurt our bodies in many ways, especially the heart and the brain, he says. We cannot possibly replace minerals with just calcium, which hardens concrete and makes bones more brittle.

One study, published in the British Medical Journal in 2008, was meant to assess the effect of calcium on bone density and fractures in postmenopausal women. Researchers found that participating women were significantly more likely to suffer heart attacks while taking calcium supplements.

"This is far from an isolated study - there are others, including 15 studies combined into a meta-analysis yielding similar heart-health results, which show an increased risk of heart disease by at least 30 percent," says Thompson, who offers practical recommendations for what individuals can start doing for better overall health in recognition of American Heart Month, celebrated in February.

•  Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. As a general rule, we need to drink half of our bodyweight in ounces of water daily. For a 150-pound individual, that's 75 ounces of water. Those who are overweight, or are heavy exercisers or live in warm climates may need more. Take care to drink quality water. Get a quality filtration system at home, which can range from $200 to $3,000.

•  Take ionic sea salt-derived minerals. We all need a diverse range of minerals and virtually none of us get enough. Ionic minerals are the only ones that are completely available for our bodies to use because they are water-soluble and they naturally carry an electrical charge that allows them to be carried through the cell membranes. All sea salt-derived trace mineral products are recommended - at least three grams per day.

•  Use only vitamin supplements made from 100 percent organic whole foods that have been vine-ripened. Almost all of us need supplements because contemporary food supplies lack adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, thanks to soil depletion. Most store-bought vitamins include just one component of the many complex molecular elements contained in the naturally occurring vitamin source. You need all of the nutrient components to get the full benefits.

•  Get your fill of essential fatty acids; raw nuts and/or seeds are a good source. In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration approved the following health claim for seven kinds of nuts: "Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 oz. per day of most raw nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." Omega-3 and Omega-6 are considered essential because humans can't manufacture them within our bodies. Research has now shown that plant-derived Omega 6, and not fish oil, is the best oil for humans.

•  Eat high-quality proteins. Seafood, eggs, beans, chicken, game meat, duck and turkey are excellent sources of essential amino acids that are the building blocks of every protein molecule, hormone, neurotransmitter, cell membranes and immune molecules. Proteins can also be obtained from grains, sprouted grains, raw nuts and raw seeds. Vegetarians and vegans need to play close attention to combine protein sources to get the full complement of amino acids.

•  Walk at least 30 minutes every day. This activity has a huge effect on relieving the physiologic effects of stress on the human physiology. Exercise is good, but walking is amazing. No other single activity will more significantly or more rapidly affect the adrenal stress response in humans than walking, which probably works so well because it slows us down. And, it is an incredible way to build relationships.

"Also, I recommend ingesting essential monosaccharides, which is new and unknown territory for most people," he says. "They are the simplest form of carbohydrate molecules found in the body, are essential for protein molecules and can be found in maple syrup, sweet potatoes, parsnips, beets and onions."

*Robert Thompson, M.D., was added to the peer-reviewed directory, "Best Doctors in America," in 1996.

About Robert Thompson, M.D.

Dr. Robert Thompson is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, and a nutrition specialist who helps patients get long-term relief from chronic disease, including obesity, diabetes, hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue. His newest book, "The Calcium Lie II," is available for free at calciumliebook.com. Dr. Thompson received his medical training at the University of Kentucky and has been a leader in medical advances for more than 30 years.

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