Vestavia Teen Lives Active Life Despite Severe Blood Disorder

August 26, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Healthy Living

19-year-old Arielle McFarland enjoys painting, attends Lawson State Community College and is a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. She lives a very active life despite having a severe blood disorder called sickle cell anemia hemoglobin SS. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited gene from both parents. Sickle cells are abnormally-shaped red blood cells that can stick to blood vessel walls causing blockage and preventing the cells from carrying oxygen through the body. When this happens, it causes a pain crisis.

Arielle was diagnosed with the disease by a screening at birth. “Her father and I knew we had the sickle cell gene, and there was a one-in-four chance for each pregnancy that our child could be born with it,” said Arielle’s mother Sophia McFarland. Arielle was six months old when she had her first pain crisis. “She developed dactylitis, which causes swelling of the hands, and is very painful,” said Sophia. Arielle was treated at Children’s of Alabama, which would be the first of many hospital visits to come. “It has been difficult, but everyone at Children’s has always been so sweet to us through all of this,” said Sophia. “We have always had a very good relationship with everyone on the staff.”

Arielle’s condition continues to be high risk and complex, but she manages her disease well with medication and a monthly red blood cell exchange. As for Arielle’s care at Children’s, her mom said, “The support, the attention and information they have provided us has been invaluable. They are like family to us.”

-Children’s of Alabama

www.childrensal.org

July 13, 2021June 30, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Healthy Living

The humidity of an Alabama summer can make it tough to keep your hair looking its best but the team at T. Fox SalonSpa has three great ideas on how to beat the heat!

Treat your hair to an Express Keratin Smoothing Treatment

Benefits:

Prevents Humidity
Reduces Frizz
Strengthens and Repairs

Only a 1-hour process time and the results last up to six weeks!

2. Add a Smooth Infusion Style Prep Smoother to your hair care regimen

Benefits:

Locks out humidity for 12 hours
Reduces frizz for a smoother style

3. Make the most of your natural curl, with Aveda Texture Tonic

Use on wet or dry hair to define natural curl
Adds a flexible hold and shine

For more ideas on how to best care for your hair visit the T. Fox Salon Facebook page where every Tuesday the team posts a Tuesday Hair Care Tip www.facebook.com/TFoxSalonspa. The team also invites you to stop by the SalonSpa on Valleydale Road in Hoover to learn more.

-Brought to you by T. Fox SALONSPA, Top 200 Salon in North America by Salon Today

2080 Valleydale Road, Hoover, AL 35244

205-403-8369

www.tfoxsalon.com

T- Fox SalonSpa is offering a Readers’ Reward for the month of July! A $20 Gift for first time guests! Check it out here!

June 22, 2021June 2, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Healthy Living

COMPACT is a collaborative community initiative designed to address the full spectrum of substance misuse in Shelby County through prevention, intervention, and education.

Prevention. The team is implementing strategies aimed at reducing substance misuse and promoting mental wellness by:

raising awareness & educating citizens on risk factors;
identifying at-risk youth and building mentor relationships with students;
promoting available resources;
implementing new prevention strategies; and
using community-based law enforcement approaches.

COMPACT’s volunteer led prevention teams educate, engage, and empower their local communities. The teams include representatives from different sectors of the community including youth, parents, schools, businesses, media, law enforcement, local government, faith-based organizations, healthcare, and civic organizations.

Intervention. COMPACT’s Intervention Team is comprised of law enforcement officers assigned to the unit from participating municipalities across Shelby County. COMPACT’s Intervention Team identifies juveniles who are exhibiting at-risk behaviors or who are already involved in substance use.

COMPACT utilizes valuable resources to proactively help parents who need an added layer of support for their child. Families can contact COMPACT to inquire about options and resources available or voluntarily schedule a family intervention meeting for the parent and child. An intervention meeting will provide your child the opportunity for a brief mental health and substance use assessment with a licensed counselor. Together we will discuss the issues your child faces along with the resources and other alternatives available.

Education. COMPACT’s educational outreach is designed to provide information and support to all citizens throughout Shelby County. Our goal is to raise awareness and create change to prevent youth substance use and promote mental wellness. Below is a list of some of our most requested presentations.

Current youth drug trends
Vaping
Digital Safety
Mental Health
The Teenage Brain

Presentations can be customized based on the audience and your specific needs. If you or a group is interested in having a COMPACT presentation, please contact us at (Parent Talk Line) 205-605-1827, (Teen Talk Line) 205-605-1830, www.COMPACT2020.com. Visit facebook.com/compact2020 for weekly resource videos on topics like summer safety.

May 27, 2021May 25, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Healthy Living

Navigating the mental health care system is challenging for patients, families and providers. A new resource based at Children’s of Alabama helps to bridge this gap for parents. The Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC) is a collaboration between Children’s of Alabama and the Anne B. LaRussa Foundation for Hope. PIRC Director Cindy Jones says, “PIRC provides resources to any adult caller and we have more than 1,300 resources in the state of Alabama.”

The PIRC is only one of three of its kind in the country. When a parent has concerns about their child, they are able to call PIRC confidentially. Licensed mental health clinicians trained to assess a child or teen’s emotional and behavioral needs answer the calls. “If someone calls the PIRC, we are able to briefly assess the situation and point them in the direction of resources in the community,” Jones says. PIRC does not provide over the phone diagnoses.

Jones says parents should watch for signs of mental distress:

Isolating themselves
Changes in eating habits
Weight changes
Changes in sleeping habits
Mood swings

Children and teens shouldn’t suffer alone. There are hundreds of resources available in the state of Alabama to help families navigate through difficult situations and offer them support. PIRC is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Any adult with a mental health question or concern regarding their child is encouraged to call 205-638-7472. In the event of a crisis situation, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. †

April 15, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Healthy Living

Proverbs 17:22 is one of my favorite Bible verses. We even put it on every receipt that leaves our pharmacy! It says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” At first glance, that may seem a little counterintuitive for a pharmacy to have that on their receipt. After all, we do have to sell medicine to make a living, but medicine can come in more than just a pill! Having a joyful heart affects not just your mental health, but your physical health as well. How?

1. Immune system booster. A study exposed 300 healthy volunteers to the common cold through nasal drops. The least happy people were almost three times more likely to contract the virus compared to their happier counterparts.

2. Reduces stress and its effects. Stress increases the amount of the hormone cortisol which can lead to weight gain, sleep disturbances, and heart disease. Studies have demonstrated that happy people tend to produce lower levels of cortisol in response to stressful situations.

3. Keeps your heart healthy. A number of studies have shown that being happy is associated with a 13- 26% lower risk of heart disease.

4. Leads to better pain tolerance. It is well known that low expectations of impending pain can actually lower a person’s perception of it. One study found that positive expectations produced about a 28% decrease in pain ratings. That’s about equal to a shot of morphine!

5. May lengthen your life expectancy. A long-term study followed 32,000 people over 30 years and found that the risk of death was 14% higher in unhappy people compared to their happier counterparts.

Sometimes it takes effort to have a positive outlook, but it all starts with a smile. A University of Kentucky study found that smiling – even fake smiling – reduces heart rate and blood pressure during stressful situations. A few other practices shown to increase positivity and happiness include expressing gratitude, increasing your physical activity, getting a good night’s rest, spending time outside, and spending time in prayer. Luke 2:10-11 says, “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Did you catch that? The angel brought good news of great joy to the shepherds watching over their flock the night Jesus was born. While happiness is of the moment, joy is unwavering through the ups and downs of life. Jesus desired for all to experience His joy, so much so that He embraced the greatest anguish. Even the night before his crucifixion, He prayed to God in John 17:13, “But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” I hope this article finds you filled with joy – the best medicine I could give someone.

-Joseph Feick, Pharm.D