High Country Health & Fitness Magazine

Health FitnessHigh Country

MagazineVol. 1, Iss. 1

&

The High Country’s Source for the Latest Health & Fitness News

FREE

A Smile Can Make Your DayPage 23

Metabolic Testing… Managing StressPage 8 Discover Deer Valley

5

And the People’s Choice Award Goes To…Page 5

A Helping Hand in the Battle to Quit SmokingPage 20

Rehab: The Glenbridge DifferencePage 24

Changing Lives Through Biological MedicinePage 10

Your Secret is Safe with UsPage 6

Dr. Anagnos, FACS

Havin’ a Blast in the OfficePage 17

Dr. Sullivan & Dr. Henson

Turning Back the Clock on AgingPage 27

There’s Hope for Varicose & Spider VeinsPage 7

Dr. Ty Bell

Get a Step Ahead of the FluPage 13

Eat Well on the RunPage 18

HoopsGeri Miller

HealthFOR

See page 8 for more!

In this issue:

Volume 1 • Issue 12

www.HighCountryHealth.net 3


App District Health Department . . . .13, 18, 28

App Regional Health System . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 16

Backyard Burgers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 25

Blue Ridge General Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . 11, 23

Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . .6, 12, 21

Blue Ridge Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9, 17, 26

Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness Club . . . . . . 3, 15

Dr . Adam Hill Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Dr . Mayhew Adult & Child Orthodontist . . . . .9

Glenbridge Health & Rehabilitation . . . . . 2, 24

Health & Wellness Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 19

Neighborhood Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Pepper’s Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Physicians Age Management . . . . . . . . . . 22, 27

Reed Orthodontics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

The Sanctuary Day Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 14

Tobacco Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 28

Total Vein Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 25

High Country Health & Fitness Magazine is owned and operated by Baxter Marketing, Inc.

Reproduction of photographs, artwork, design, and copy is prohibited without permission by Baxter Marketing, Inc. Articles are advertorial in nature . In most cases, information has been provided and approved by the advertisers . The advertisers, publishers, and Baxter Marketing, Inc. are not responsible for misprints, typograhical errors or misinformation . ©Copyright 2010 .

If you are interested in publishing a similar magazine in your area, please call us at (828) 263-8853.

It is with great pleasure that we introduce the 1st edition of High Country Health & Fitness Magazine .

As some of you may remember, we created and published a newspaper version of the Health & Fitness Magazine back in the late 90’s when we owned the Mountain Television Network, along with television interviews and features with the doctors featured in the magazine . We’ve been approached numerous times since to bring it back, so here it is!

This magazine has exceeded our expectations! Inside you’ll find valuable informa-tion on some of the finest medical practices and businesses the High Country has to offer! You can also watch the High Country Health & Fitness Magazine TV show on MTN18 each week, featuring many of the doctors and businesses in our magazine . Along with over one hundred locations across our area, our magazine is available online anytime at www.HighCountryHealth.net .

A special “thank you” goes out to Brad Gross and Carrie Eller of High Country Mar-keting, LLC, local publishers of The Real Estate Book, who along with graphic de-signer Sloane Wilson of Qwrk Design brought this magazine to life . We’d also like to thank Stacey Gibson for all her hard work as well as Page Sauder of PS Marketing for her contributions .

Since 1999, Baxter Marketing, Inc. has been serving the advertising needs of many businesses in the North Carolina High Country and beyond and also handles the day-to-day operations of one of the area’s most popular websites, RealDealsNow.Com, currently celebrating its 10th anniversary . We’re also an advertising agency, handling the creative end of advertising campaigns for our clients, as well as ad buys for television, radio, newspapers, magazines, web and more . Please let us know if we can ever be of service to your business .

The next edition of High Country Health & Fitness Magazine will be published in the fall and then quarterly in 2011 . Please feel free to e-mail us at [email protected] or call us at (828) 263-8853 if you have suggestions or comments for the magazine or if you would like to advertise in the next edition .

Our best to you!

Tim and Janice Baxter

Welcome! In this issue:

To advertise please call:

(828) 263.8853

And be sure to watch us at various times each week on

High Country Health & Fitness Magazineis available online anytime at

www.HighCountryHealth.net


The Sanctuary Day Spa 643-B Greenway Dr. • Boone, NC • (828) 268.0003 • www.sanctuaryinboone.com

The people have spo-ken! The Sanctuary

Day Spa has been cho-sen “Best Spa in the Area” above all of the spas in the High Coun-try . “Winning this honor from the people we take

care of everyday, while celebrating our 10th year, could not have been more rewarding . I am very proud of our exception-al staff and their wide array of training and skills .” said Debra Grosswald, owner of The Sanctuary .

In our day-to-day busy lives, men and women spend a great deal of time taking care of their children, spouses, friends and co-workers . While hopefully squeezing in enough time for a work-out and trying to eat healthy on the run, many of us forget that being the best you can be for others starts with taking care of yourself . It is no longer considered just a luxury to maintain a spa routine, as research has repeatedly demon-strated the importance of these treatments to reduce stress, relax and work wonders toward maintaining your physical and mental well-be-ing . Massage and other spa treatments are just as important to keep in your wellness plan as good nutrition, exercise and regu-lar medical check-ups . A relaxing, nurturing treatment at The Sanctuary is beneficial to your long term health and investing in yourself by rejuvenating your mind, body & spirit will pay divi-dends in every aspect of a person’s life .

This year, The Sanctuary is celebrating “10 Years and 15,000 Clients”, as they have established themselves as a trusted fixture in our community by providing clients with the con-fidence that they will receive the most professional, relaxing and personal spa experience from their highly skilled staff . The team includes a group of fifteen people with a combined ex-perience of over 50 years in spa therapy treatments . Keeping prices reasonable has allowed people to visit The Sanctuary while keeping an eye on their budget .

Chances are you, or someone you know, has had a treatment at The Sanctuary for therapeutic purposes, medical massage, facials, manicures and pedicures, or simply for nurturing and healing . However, you may not know that The Sanctuary’s skilled staff will come to your home or place of lodging in the area and provide their services in the privacy of your surroundings . For a “Girls’ Night Out” gathering at your home or a romantic night sharing a couples massage by candle light, the Sanctuary out-call program will make it a memorable time . They are also open 7 days a week and many evenings for your convenience, and gift cards for loved ones and special events are as easy as a phone call or visit online (www. sanctuaryinboone.com) .

The Sanctuary also offers medical massage for those who may be recovering from an injury or auto accident, and the staff includes a number of therapists specifically trained in medical massage . Massage used in conjunc-tion with physical therapy and/ or chiropractic care has been shown to have better results, and often in less time, as the muscles remain relaxed to complement the ther-apy and adjustments . Chiropractors and Physical Thera-pists often work with Sanctuary therapists in their treat-ments and the professionals at The Sanctuary can help implement a program to ensure a successful recovery .

Whether for therapeutic help or simply relieving stress and feeling rejuvenated, The Sanctuary is there to help with the area’s largest array of healing mo-dalities . In times like these, what greater invest-ment can you make than your own health and wellbeing? Located behind Boone Mall in the Greenway Business Park, The Sanctu-ary is easy to get to from anywhere in the area, and a visit will certainly make a difference in your daily life .

…you may not know that The Sanctuary’s skilled staff will come to your home or place of lodging in the area

and provide their services in the privacy of your surroundings.

And the People’s Choice Award Goes To…

After all, you deserve it.


Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery141 Doctors Dr. • Boone, NC • (828) 268.0082 • www.blueridgeplasticsurgery.net

Your Secret is Safe with Us…

Wouldn’t it be great to walk in to work and have your co-workers wondering what you did to look so much

younger? Did you get a lot of sleep, have a relaxing getaway or find the fountain of youth? They’d be surprised to know that you had a Weekend Facelift at Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery… and your secret is safe with us!!

The “Weekend Facelift” is a modification of the S-lift developed in the 1990’s . Dr . Anagnos makes a small inci-sion from behind the tragus of the ear to the back of the earlobe . Through this inci-sion, he tightens the under-

lying muscle and re-moves excess skin from the jowl and neck ar-eas . Since there is such a small area of disrup-tion to tissue, the re-covery is much quicker than other facelift pro-cedures and the results are amazing!! This is not the O-purse string

procedure that many non-plastic surgeons use and is adver-tised on TV as the Lifestyle Lift .

Dr. Anagnos, FACS, Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, has years of experience with this procedure on men and women in the High Country and may well have performed it on one of your friends or co-workers . Have you seen anyone looking exceptionally younger lately??

While many of us in our younger years always said, “I will NEVER have plastic surgery; I will grow old gracefully”, did not realize that would include sagging jowls and loose neck skin . Fortunately, you have an excellent resource for a minimally invasive Weekend Facelift with Board Certified Dr . Da-mon Anagnos at Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery in Boone . Set up your consultation today and see what little it takes to have your friends staring and wondering what you did over the weekend!!

Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery is also home to The Skin Care Center, staffed by a licensed aesthetician with 26 years of experience . The Skin Care Center offers a full range of services and prod-ucts, like the Obagi system, including facials, peels, derma-planing, waxing, tinting and manual lymph drainage .

Another one of the many areas Dr . Anagnos specializes in is Skin Cancer Excision and Reconstruction . The need for this type of surgeon is great as many of us grew up lying out in the sun . If we only knew then what we know now!! Subse-quently, the diagnosis of skin cancer is continually increasing . Complete removal is the primary treatment for most skin can-cers and that can be quite invasive . What may often look like a very small area of affected tissue on the surface of the skin, can reveal a very large and deep area in need of reconstruction once uncovered . Having the skill and training of Dr . Anagnos for reconstruction insures the best possibility of healing and minimal scarring .

Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery is located at 141 Doctors Drive in Boone and is dedicated to providing the highest standard of surgical and patient care . Dr . Anagnos is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery, Hand and Microsurgery, and General Surgery . His practice is home to his private accredited OR Suite creat-ing a comfortable, relaxing environment for his patients . For more information regarding any of these and the many other specialty procedures Dr . Anagnos performs, please visit their website at www.blueridgeplasticsurgery.net .

Set up your consultation today and see what little

it takes to have your friends staring and

wondering what you did over the

weekend!!


There’s Help for Varicose & Spider Veins

Dr. Joseph “Ty” Bell started Total Vein Care in Boone in 2005 . What prompted him to begin the practice centered around the need to

deliver state-of-the-art vein care to the High Country . Due to inheriting the gene for varicose veins, Dr . Bell developed his own varicose vein (VV) prob-lem . Like most varicose sufferers, his VV just became more and more symp-tomatic with daily pain and swelling, so he sought out an evaluation and treatment by a modern vein specialist . Wide awake with just his leg numbed,

he watched his own curative VV laser procedure being done . Since Bell had extensive surgical and procedural background, he then decided to learn the field of mod-ern vein medicine (called Phlebology) . He is now board certified by the American Board of Phlebology .

Since 2005, he has evaluated and treated hundreds of area patients, performing close to 2000 endovenous la-ser ablation procedures (and supplemental minor surgi-cal procedures often needed in conjunction with laser) to eradicate the VV problem . Endovenous laser abla-tion is a superb advancement in VV treatment that is much less invasive, safely performed in the office using only local anesthesia, has minimal associated post-op pain, and typically only requires 2 days off work after the

procedure . Patients walk out of the office about an hour afterward with the vein problem remedied . And when it heals, it also is very pleasing cosmeti-cally, usually without any scarring . Scarring, nerve injuries, long recovery time, and high recurrence rate were annoying problems with the old vein stripping procedure .

Health insurance companies and Medicare will pay for a VV evaluation and usually treatment . Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), a very annoying problem that often impairs sleep, is definitely associated with vein disease of the legs, even without visible VV . The venous ultrasound performed at the ini-tial visit determines the presence/severity of the vein problem and is neces-sary to formulate a surgical plan .

The other component of Dr . Bell’s vein practice is treating cosmetically un-sightly spider veins (SV) of the legs . Unlike VV, injection methods are still preferred over laser to treat SV . He offers any interested person a free con-sultation to discuss treatment options available and a general idea of cost and time involved . For more information visit www.TVCBoone.com.

Patients walk out of the office about an hour

afterward with the

vein problem remedied.

Total Vein Care141 Doctors Dr. • Boone, NC • (828) 265.1345 • www.TVCBoone.com


Paul Broyhill Wellness CenterBoone Heights Dr. • Boone, NC • (828) 266.1060 • www.apprhs.org/wellnesscenter

When thinking about stress, it is important to know your body does not distinguish between physical or psycho-

logical stress . Whether you’re stressed about finances, family or work, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life or death situation . If your stress level is elevated often and for extended periods of time, your body begins to go in to “stress mode” more easily and has a harder time shutting it down . Long term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems . Chronic stress affects nearly every system in your body and can raise your blood pressure, suppress your immune system, increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, contribute to infertil-ity, speed up the aging process, cause problems with sleep, con-tribute to obesity, exacerbate skin conditions and even re-wire your brain over time increasing your risk of suffering from anxi-ety and/or depression .

Knowing all of this, if you were to be told that your current life-style could lead to any and/or all of the issues just mentioned, but there was a way to help you avoid suffering from any and maybe all of them… would you follow the plan? If it also re-sulted in you looking better, feeling better, losing weight, being stronger mentally and physically and improved your health overall… would you be more enticed? Well, lucky for you, there is such a plan .

Trying to conquer the effects of stress is something that 55 year old Geri Miller has struggled with firsthand . About 5 years ago Geri experienced a huge influx of stress that was wreaking havoc on her mentally and physically, along with being the cause of un-wanted weight gain . While she had always tried to maintain some sort of workout routine, she found it very easy to” talk herself out of it” or “put it off until tomorrow .” Geri’s struggles with manag-ing stress are not unlike many others in that she has a very busy schedule, travels a lot with her job and was not making good nutritional choices . Prior to this increased stress in her life, she had been a 6 day a week jogger, but was not able to manage her stress with that alone .

About 5 years ago Geri and her husband joined the Paul Broyhill Wellness Center in Boone and began working with a personal trainer 3 days a week and on her own for 3 additional days . Geri and her husband joined the Wellness Center for general health & well-being, but Geri describes her results as, “a life changing experience mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally and

psychologically .” In addition to the feelings she felt herself, she is much more healthy and resilient while managing the stress she continues to live with, absent the ill effects unmanaged stress will most likely have over time .

While Geri has continued her workout routine, which includes hula hooping, along with her Wellness Center personal trainer, Michael Darling, she experienced another “life changing” re-sult after participating in Metabolic Testing at the Wellness Center in January . The metabolic testing provided her with a

greater understanding of what her body needs to efficiently burn the calories she takes in . Michael was able to format her workout into an efficient, focused pro-gram giving her a specific plan for each day of the week . For instance, Thursday is her recovery day and Friday she is to get in to zones 2 and 3 for maximum use of her caloric intake .

Zones 2 and 3, recovery day… what does all of that mean? These are the inten-sities of her workout level that she can easily follow with an affordable heart rate monitor . Geri is able to get her heart rate to a certain level for a certain amount of time during each workout to maximize

her efforts every day . It would be best described as getting a prescription for your workout that indicates exactly how long, how hard and how often for YOUR body .

While many may think that metabolic testing is only for su-preme athletes, Geri Miller firmly disagrees . She is an average 55 year old in need of stress management in her life along with wanting to lose weight and feel better . With metabolic testing she has been able to shorten her workout, using her calories in the most efficient way, resulting in a healthier, stronger, more resilient body and immune system and the weight loss she was hoping to achieve as well .

Metabolic Testing is available to both members and non-members of the Paul Broyhill Wellness Center, located on Boone Heights Drive in Boone . For more information, or to schedule your metabolic test call 828-266-1060, visit www.apprhs.org/wellnesscenter or “like” Watauga Medical Center Wellness Center on Facebook to view a video about metabolic testing .

Metabolic Testing… Managing Stress

Metabolic Testing Helps you to:• Achieve real fitness results

• Know your unique metabolic profile

• Establish your personal road map for better health, fitness and athletic performance

• Track your progress

• Take it to the Next Level


Health & Wellness InitiativesAzalea Dr. • Banner Elk, NC • (828) 265.7058 • www.HealthandWellnessInitiatives.com

Changing Lives Through Biological Medicine Health & Wellness Initiatives

“For years I experienced low energy and depression, not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. I had no desire to be part of family activities, had heart palpitations, could not stabilize my blood sugar and I had con-stant bloating and diarrhea. At times felt I would just give up. I was diagnosed with depression, hormone imbalance, diabetes, and hypothyroidism. Conventional tests were taken and medication given, but it just wasn’t working. My first visit to Health and Wellness Initiatives was 1 ½ hours, and felt I was really treated as an individual, like someone finally listened to me, and heard me. I am now walking every day, my energy is up, I enjoy family activities, my blood sugar is stable, my depression is 90% improved and I feel like living again”.

– Mimi in Boone, NC

Mimi is just one of numerous patients who have seen in-credible improvements in their health through Health

and Wellness Initiatives—a new Biological Medicine clinic in Banner Elk, NC . Although relatively new to this country, Bio-logical Medicine has been practiced for over 25 years in Eu-rope . Believing that all disease has a definable and many times treatable root cause and that symptoms are but signs that the body’s regulation is out of sync, Biological Medicine uses so-phisticated testing techniques to uncover causes and design non-invasive therapies . A visit to Health and Wellness Initiatives is an eye–opening and often life-changing experience as their staff walks the patient through the importance of identifying and removing toxic burdens affecting the terrain of the body . Clients are educated in nutrition, pleomorphisms, life-style changes and the relevance of mind body and sprit synergy . HWI introduces the concept that all humans are dynamic and all organs have the capability to rebuild themselves during their lifetime .

Employing Biological Medicine practices, Health and Wellness Initiatives has had successes in treating many chronic condi-tions including dramatically improving the quality of life for cancer patients . Just ask Rick Peters from Hickory . His moth-er, Gloria, endured a 40 year battle with cancer which had reached a point where traditional cancer therapies were in-effective . This battle had left her with colon, liver and intes-tinal metastasis as well as anemia, low energy, poor elimina-tion and no appetite . Nevertheless, she wanted to continue to fight and wanted a program that could cleanse all the toxins and chemicals that had been put in her body over the years through chemotherapy and radiation . In treating Gloria, Health and Wellness initiated an individually designed proto-col encompassing many European therapies . Per her son Rick,

“My mother was referred to Health and Wellness Initiatives to begin therapy to help rebuild her immune function and give her quality life after her 5th bout with cancer . The clinic came highly recommended as we were told one of the practitioners had trained in Europe in immune enhancement post cancer . When we visited the clinic, the program and practitioner were everything we had been hoping for . My mother went through many cancer therapies at some of the finest cancer clinics in the country . Nowhere was she treated as well or received the care, compassion and attention she received at HWI . We were not given doom and gloom nor were we given false hope . We were given the guarantee my mother would have quality of life and that was exactly what she wanted . My wife and I were given quality of time, free of pain and full of love and laugh-ter with my mom . Toward the end, she was admitted to Frye Medical Center through the ER where the on call physician, Dr. David Lowry, stated he could not believe how well my mom had done as he had never seen a case where the patient was in such good overall condition with such a catastrophic diagno-sis . He asked us who had been treating her, and stated it was REMARKABLE!!!”

Health and Wellness Initiatives is indeed changing lives through Biological Medicine . See how this unique clinic can improve qual-ity of life and overall well-being as well as help patients discover vital, vibrant good health at any age by visiting their website at www.healthandwellnessinitiatives.com or calling today .


One of the most important ways to express yourself is through your smile . At Blue Ridge General Dentistry (BRGD), it is the goal of the doc-

tors and staff to make you feel comfortable with your smile in every situa-tion . They strive to provide the highest quality of dental care in a comfort-able and compassionate environment .

Established in 1979, Dr. Michael Taylor opened the doors of BRGD with the purpose of providing the community with quality and affordable dental work . Dr . Taylor graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has practiced for over 30 years in the high country .

At BRGD, patients feel at ease because their relationships are based upon the trust they have for the doctors . Patients know that they will receive the best dental care along with only necessary treatments that will help them achieve a lifetime of excellent oral health . As a prac-tice, BRGD understands that, during these harsh economic times, it can be financially difficult to maintain proper oral health . However, they are dedicated to providing excellent dental care at a reasonable cost . BRGD accepts most dental insurances and offers a wide range of payment options including: check, cash, and all major credit cards . They also participate with the financ-ing company Care Credit who offers personalized payment plans .

Open 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, BRGD is one of the few dental practices in the area open on Fridays with available appointment times for emergency visits . Daily services range from preventive maintenance and cleanings to all phases of re-storative treatment including: extractions, root canals, porcelain crowns, partials, and dentures .

A Smile Can Make Your Day

Dr. Michael Taylor

Continued on page 23

Dr. Larry Cook


Many of us listened closely as we tried to remind ourselves and our loved ones simple steps to avoid H1N1 Flu . We

told our family members and children to cover their cough and sneeze, wash their hands, and to get vaccinated . Every year it seems we hear more about how H1N1 Flu, seasonal flu, and other types of flu that are expected to affect us and our communities . While all of these key prevention steps are invaluable, there is one key way we can build our immunity before the next usual peak of flu season arrives: move more .

The benefits of exercise have been circulating for years . While we know it helps us achieve and maintain a healthy weight, there are clear links to the benefits of regular, moderate exercise and protection for our immune system . Making time for more physical activity is one of the eas-iest, least expensive and most effective ways to strengthen your immune system giving you an-other line of defense against the flu and other germs floating around us all of the time .

In John J. Ratey’s book, Spark – The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, he cites boosting the immune system directly as one of the ways exercise keeps you going . “Stress and age depress the immune response, and exercise strength-ens it directly in two important ways .” He goes on to identify these two ways as rallying the immune system’s antibodies and lymphocytes and activating cells that fix damaged tissue . He concludes the segment by stating, “Exercise brings the im-mune system back into equilibrium so it can stop inflamma-tion and combat disease .”

As a result of the numerous studies confirming the correlation of exercise and a healthy immune system, as well as the countless

other benefits exercise provides, North Carolina formed the Prevention Task Force which devel-oped the “Eat Smart, Move More NC Plan.” The mission of “Eat Smart, Move More NC” is to reverse the rising tide of obesi-ty and chronic disease among North Carolinians by helping

them to eat smart, move more and achieve a healthy weight .

Unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are among the leading causes of preventable death in North Carolina . Knowing this should really move exercise to the top of your “to do” list to help keep disease treatment off of the list . Put yourself back on your priority list by making time to get more activity . Take a walk break at lunch, get out of bed 30 min-utes earlier to get it knocked out before your

day begins, or spend time after work doing your favorite activ-ity with friends, coworkers, or family . Even moderate exercise, 30 minutes on most days of the week, can boost your immune system, helping to fight off the flu and other communicable disease as well as providing a defense from the preventable ones such as heart disease and diabetes . Our kids need to move more too, and this time of year is a great time to incorpo-rate regular family activity time into your routine . Learn more about eating smart and moving more where you live, learn, earn, play and pray at www.MyEatSmartMoveMore.com .

A tremendous resource in our area for learning more about exercise and your immune system is the Appalachian District Health Department, with locations in Ashe, Alleghany and Wa-tauga Counties . The staff are eager to help you design a pro-gram to bring to your worksite, school, church, or group to promote healthy living as well as keep you up-to-date about staying vaccinated against H1N1 flu, seasonal flu, and other diseases . To find the location nearest you contact them via phone at the District Office 828.264.4995 or visit them online at www.apphealth.com .

Get a Step Ahead of Flu

Eat Smart, Move More and Stay One Step

Ahead of the Flu!

Appalachian District Health DepartmentWatauga, Ashe & Alleghany Counties, NC • (828) 264.4995 • www.apphealth.com


Come discover one of North Carolina’s premier tennis, fitness, and family recreation facilities, Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness Club, located right here in the city of Boone! Deer Valley is the family fun and fitness destination in Boone . As a year-round

private club with 6 outdoor and 3 indoor tennis courts, indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, cardio, nautilus, and free weight equipment rooms, fitness classes, indoor basketball, racquetball, and even a disk golf course, this place offers something for just about everyone!

Among the most popular features of the club are the indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools . The outdoor pools, which include both a full-size pool and a wad-ing pool for the little ones, are open from late May to early October and are a great place to hang out with the kids or just work on your summer tan . The indoor pool, which is open all year round, is a fun family option during those long winter months when outside activities can be pretty limited . The club now offers a Summer Pool membership option, for both families and individuals, in addition to their regular and seasonal Tennis and Pool & Fitness membership alternatives .

If a workout is what you’re looking for, over the last year, new club operators Craig & Cynthia Carlson and Richard & Shari Evans have greatly expanded the club’s offer-ing, bringing in instructors to teach classes in Yoga, Pilates, and Cardio Camp, as well as a Cardio Tennis clinic every Friday morning . More classes are on the way, along with new equipment like the club’s 3 new spin bikes . Personal training and nutrition counseling are also available as is child care for those who need it .

The club employs a full-time tennis professional, Aaron Petersen, as well as two assistant pros, and offers an extensive tennis program, from individual and group instruction to a full calendar of clinics, socials, and tour-naments, as well as plenty of singles and doubles playing

opportunities . For those who harbor a more competitive streak, the club sponsors dozens of USTA teams each year, plus a full calendar of interclub matches against other clubs located in and around the high country . Junior tennis is especially big at Deer Valley . With junior clinics available 4 or 5 days a week, the club offers instruction from age 5 on up, from beginner to advanced levels, and is actively involved in developing the next generation of high school and college level players .

The on-site Deer Valley Sports Shop is a fully stocked tennis and fitness pro shop, offering clothing, equipment, and accessories, as well as racquet stringing and consultation services from the club’s Master Racquet Technician . With its comprehensive tennis & fitness facilities and programs, swim-ming, racquetball, basketball, ping-pong, billiards, disk golf, and much more, Deer Valley is truly a multi-sport, year-round, family entertainment and fitness complex, offering both Individual and Fam-ily memberships to the residents of Watauga County and beyond!

Discover Deer Valley . . . One Of Boone’s Best Kept Secrets !

Deer Valley Racquet & Fitness Club507 Bamboo Rd. • Boone, NC • (828) 262.3337 • www.DeerValleyClub.com

Deer Valley is truly a

multi-sport, year-round,

family entertainment

and fitness complex


Blue Ridge VisionBoone Mall • Boone, NC • (828) 264.2020 • www.BlueRidgeVision.com

Maybe that is the draw the newest optometrist in town, Dr. Chad Henson, had to be a part of Blue Ridge Vision . It

could also have been that he and Dr. Sullivan are both alumni of the University of Alabama, Birmingham… or it could be the fact that Blue Ridge Vision “just doesn’t feel like a Dr .’s office,” said Dr . Henson himself .

You see, Dr . Henson grew up here, he went to Valle Crucis El-ementary and is a graduate of Watauga High School, and you’ll find that a lot of people from around here enjoy putting a twist in the way things might normally be done . “Eclectic” would be a good way to describe Blue Ridge Vision as they provide the most professional medical care for the eyes in a fun, funky at-mosphere .

Dr . Henson says, “(He) really likes working with peo-ple and has always been interested in health care .” He spent some time during his college years travel-ing with World Camp and his brother Baker to Africa and Honduras providing HIV education to children in impoverished areas . As an optometrist, Dr . Henson is able to fulfill his dream of helping people while also managing to forgo the often stuffy traditional dr .’s of-fice atmosphere .

In addition to providing a non-conventional experi-ence for your professional eye exam, Blue Ridge Vi-sion also offers their customers an amazing selection of eye glass frames including some styles that are exclusive to their office . In their opinion, your eye glasses should reflect a part of your personality and be worn as an accessory, just like a necklace or a belt . While they will definitely help you show your style with your frame selection, when it comes time for the lenses, the utmost pro-fessionalism comes in to play to make sure that not only do look great in your glasses, but they provide the best and most comfortable vision assistance, completing the package .

The owners of Blue Ridge Vision, Dr . Sullivan, OD and his wife, Heidi, have definitely lived up to the mission of their office . With their sincere care for their patients has created an environ-ment where every patient is given the most thorough medical attention and still have a blast in the office . Their of-fice is home to the latest technology in eye care and fun, professional service is the top priority .

In addition to prescription glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses, the services offered at Blue Ridge Vision include; complete eye exams, laser vision consul-tation, protective eye wear, and on-site optical lab, free adjust-ment and fittings and absolutely the coolest frame selection in town! Heidi travels all over the world collecting the best frames from the most amazing designers in addition to a full selection of more traditional frames .

The designer frames are often showcased in Trunk Shows that Heidi hosts in the office . Patients and customers are able to preview new lines of frames before they are available any-where else . The input from customers at these shows is how Heidi selects the frames to carry in the store .

So if you are looking for a fun experience with a not-so-typical-ly fun eye exam and a selection of stylish, unique frames to top it off… then Blue Ridge Vision is the place for you!

Havin’ a Blast in the Office…


And the People’s Choice for “Best Burger in the High Country” goes to… Back Yard Burgers!! (AGAIN!!)

This is an honor that Back Yard Burgers has received more than once along with winning chili cook-offs and receiving many other accolades . This continues to be the course for Back Yard Burgers because Back Yard Burgers is more than “just a restaurant or business”, it is a family affair the Prewitt family takes great pride in and are involved in the day to day operations to insure your meal and experience at Back Yard Burgers is top notch!

True, grilled burgers are what made Back Yard Burgers so popular with burger choices up to 2/3 of a pound to fill the hungriest appetites . Add to that chicken, all-beef hot dogs, fries, baked potatoes, salads, soups, chili, milkshakes and fresh-baked cobblers and you are sure to please everyone .

For those of you trying (ever so desperately) to manage a busy schedule and watch your weight at the same time, Back Yard Burgers is the choice for you! For those of you using the points system for managing and/or losing weight, here are some good choices… Grilled Chicken Sandwich (7) points, Veggie Burger (8) points, Grilled Chicken Salad (4) points, Chili (4) points, Side Salad (0) points and you can top it all off with an a la carte ice cream with only (4) points .

For over 18 years Back Yard Burgers has been offering great food, served fast with “good for you” options too!! Items such as the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Veggie Burger have been long time favorites of those looking for smarter options on the run .

Eat well… On the Run!!

Back Yard Burgers Blowing Rock Road • Boone, NC • (828) 265.2798 For catering or large deliveries visit www.familyonlyinc.com

…Back Yard Burgers is more

than “just a restaurant or

business”, it is a family affair…


Northwest Tobacco Prevention CoalitionAlleghany, Ashe, Caldwell, Watauga & Wilkes Counties, NC • (828) 264.4995 • www.apphealth.com

The Northwest Tobacco Prevention Coalition, a part of the Appa-lachian District Health Department, covers Alleghany, Ashe,

Caldwell, Watauga and Wilkes counties . Its goal is to eliminate sec-ondhand smoke, promote cessation and prevent youth initiation .

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in North Carolina and the United States . Almost 14,000 North Car-olinians die each year from tobacco use . Total health care costs from smoking equal $2 .46 billion; the portion covered by the state’s Medicaid program (paid for by our taxes) is $769 million .

North Carolina has a great resource for people who want to quit . The NC toll-free Quitline is free, available 24 hours, 7 days a week and provides individual counseling for anyone who wants to participate in the program . Those ready to quit are assigned a “quit coach” and enrolled in a program . They receive encour-agement, tips on quitting and the information about cessation aids . Counselors can provide medication information for further exploration with the caller’s healthcare provider . The Quitline is a valuable resource, both for those ready to quit and those thinking about quitting .

Another helpful option is nicotine replacement therapy . Most types may be purchased over the counter, while others are available by prescription . Studies have shown that tobacco us-ers using a combination of medication and support double their chances of quitting .

An important focus of the Coalition is to eliminate secondhand smoke . The conclusive scientific evidence indicates there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke . It costs North Carolinians approximately $289 million in healthcare costs . This figure does not consider lost productivity, impact on quality of life, long-term care and disability services .

Fortunately, last year an historic piece of legislation was passed by our General Assembly . House Bill 2 prohibits smoking in all bars and restaurants in North Carolina, with very few excep-tions . This bill became effective January 2, 2010 and has been a highly successful initiative .

In 2007 an Air Quality Monitoring Study was conducted in 16 Watauga County restaurants – smoke free, those with designat-ed smoking areas and those allowing smoking anywhere . Air quality was recorded using a machine that measures suspend-ed particulate matter containing the hazardous substances in secondhand smoke . In 2010, the same restaurants previously allowing smoking were re-monitored to compare air quality . The results were striking, as evidenced by the graph in the next column (the maximum safe level of PM 2 .5 exposure is 35):

Jack Pepper, owner of Pepper’s Restaurant in Boone, says, “As a restaurant owner, I am thrilled that smoking is now prohibited in restaurants and bars . My restaurant was one of the first in Boone to go smokefree over 20 years ago . I did not suffer a loss of busi-ness because of that decision, and I am glad to see the playing field is now leveled among the competition .”

Higher tobacco taxes is a proven way to encourage quitting, reduce tobacco consumption and prevent youth from starting . Estimates indicate that every 10% price increase reduces overall cigarette consumption by about 4%, and reduces youth con-sumption by 7% .

North Carolina has the 6th lowest excise tax in the nation, cur-rently at 45 cents, compared to the national average of $1 .42 per pack of cigarettes .

North Carolina would benefit from a $1 cigarette tax increase by keeping 83,700 children from becoming addicted . 51,700 current adult smokers would quit and over 40,000 lives would be saved from premature smoking-related death . It would also bring in almost $327 million in revenue .

The Coalition and its Coordinator, Teri VanDyke, continue the difficult work of cessation and secondhand smoke elimination . “In the eight years I have worked in this position, great strides have been made on all fronts of tobacco issues . However, much is left to be done, and with continued efforts we are confident that tobacco use will continue to decrease and that secondhand smoke will eventually be eliminated from all public places .”

For more information about this program, please contact Teri at 828-264-4995 or [email protected] .

A Helping Hand in the Battle to Quit SmokingComparison of Overall Air Quality

Pre-HB2 vs . Post-HB2 Levels in Watauga County Restaurants

250 .0

PM 2

.5

200 .0

150 .0

100 .0

210.5

8.1

50 .0

0 .0

Pre Law Post Law


Blue Ridge General Dentistry870 State Farm Rd. • Boone, NC • (828) 264.3333 • www.brgd.com

A Smile Can Make Your Day

Whitening:Customized trays are filled with a whitening gel and worn in the mouth for as little as one hour per day . In as little as one week, this process can erase most stains from coffee drinking and tobacco use, as well as, tooth yellowing associated with aging, producing a brilliant, bright white smile . This technique is much more cost effective than other light-whitening, in of-fice treatments .

Bonding:A treatment for chipped, cracked, gapped, discolored or oddly shaped teeth . A dental material, composite resin, is a tooth-colored material that is applied directly to the enamel of teeth and shaped to correct the patient’s aesthetic concern .

Composite Resin:The composite resin material is used to replace old amal-gam, or silver colored, fillings . The old filling is removed and replaced with the tooth colored resin, making your fillings virtually invisible .

Porcelain Laminates: Customized, wafer-thin veneers (also called porcelain lami-nates) are cemented directly onto the front of the tooth . These are used to correct chipped teeth, narrow gaps between teeth or cover discolored teeth that have not responded well to whit-ening . The result reflects a natural appearance that covers any irregularities or aesthetic concerns .

Porcelain Crowns: For teeth that are chipped, cracked, badly decayed or other-wise weakened . Porcelain crowns maintain the aesthetic ap-pearance of teeth by covering the entire visible surface of the tooth, while adding significant reinforcement and protection to the tooth . Porcelain crowns are extremely naturally looking; virtually indistinguishable from other teeth, making them an ideal choice for visible teeth .

Porcelain Fixed Bridges:When a tooth or several teeth are missing, patients may ex-perience difficulty chewing and speaking, dental shifts or an undesirable sunken facial appearance . A porcelain fixed bridge is a prosthetic replacement of one or more missing teeth cemented or otherwise attached to the abutment teeth . Porcelain fixed bridges can improve chewing and aesthetic appearance, restoring the smile with a more permanent solu-tion the dentures .

Implants:When a tooth or several teeth are missing, implants can be surgically placed and covered with a porcelain implant crown . BRGD has been performing implant procedures for over 20 years and implant restorations have evolved to become much more cost-effective . In many cases, implants are a better long-term restoration choice than conventional porcelain bridges .

Blue Ridge General Dentistry is constantly seeking new and updated dental equipment and procedures . They are dedicated to mak-ing sure their patients have an enjoyable experience in a relaxed environment . If you would like to improve your teeth, your smile or your overall dental health, BRGD can discuss all of your treatment needs . For more information on these options or an evaluation to see what options would work best for you, contact Blue Ridge General Dentistry for an appointment with Dr. Michael Taylor or Dr. Larry Cook by calling 828-264-3333 or visiting www.brgd.com .

The following is a brief overview of the most common cosmetic procedures and their benefit:

Before

After

One of the goals of BRGD is to educate patients about proper oral health care techniques so patients can attain and maintain the smile they desire . Having a beautiful smile greatly

improves your self-confidence which provides the foundation to your social and professional lifestyle . If at-home treatments are not as effective as you like, BRGD provides multiple cosmetic options to resolve the areas you worry about . Cosmetic dental procedures can help correct many problems including: stained teeth caused by smoking and coffee, missing teeth from accidents or a build up to fix a chipped tooth .

Continued from page 11


Meet Maria Pruitt, DPT, a physical therapist at Glenbridge Health & Reha-bilitation . She stands apart from most in her field as she is the only PhD

in the area doing rehabilitation .

Her education includes attending Appalachian State University for her under-graduate studies, graduating, working in the workforce for a few years and then going back to get her Masters at Winston-Salem State and then her Doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .

When asked why she picked this kind of work, her response was thoughtful . “I wanted to be able to influence how a person was able to live by making their quality of life better so I chose physical therapy to help them improve in areas that they could have a better quality of life .”

Maria explained that Glenbridge Health & Rehabilitation offers a lot of different therapy services . They include physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy . She said, “Physical therapy sees patients 7 days a week for those who are appropriate for that high of intensity” . She went on to say that Glenbridge has a caring nursing staff, and a very clean and nice facility .

Some of the physical therapy services include stroke rehabilitation, orthopedic programs, fracture and joint replacement therapy, neurological intervention, prosthetic management, and functional mobility programs .

Maria’s staff consists of physical therapy assistants whom are highly qualified, supportive, charismatic, and they work to help you achieve your personal best .

The process when someone comes to Glenbridge for reha-bilitation is simple .

The patient is admitted to the facility and the therapists pre-pare an evaluation of the patient . Each patient is different and the therapy programs are tailored to meet their specific needs and goals . Maria proudly said,

“Glenbridge has many therapy success stories .”

Glenbridge now has the total body exercise machine, the NUSTEP®, backed by scientific research . Maria explained

that this piece of equipment imitates the walking pattern; the arm swings, the leg mo-tions and it works on the reciprocal gait pattern . In addition, they have the electrical stimulation unit that helps control pain, re-educate the muscles to start working again as a functional unit and it can help with edema (swelling), and much more .

Different than in years past, rehabilitation patients are able to get personal attention; they don’t need to travel to Hickory, Winston-Salem or Charlotte anymore to get the type of therapy services that is offered locally .

“I wanted to be able to influence

how a person was able to live by making

their quality of life better so I chose

physical therapy to help them improve in

areas that they could have a better

quality of life.”

Rehab: The Glenbridge Difference

Maria laughed and said, “We love having you at Glenbridge, but ultimately most people’s goal is to get back home… Home is where the heart is!”

Glenbridge Health & Rehabilitation211 Milton Heirs Rd. • Boone, NC • (828) 264.6720 • www.Glenbridge.org


Joseph “Ty” Bell, M.D. is no newcomer to Boone . In addition to being the High Country’s most expe-rienced vein specialist, his roots are in family medicine residency training, and he worked for years

in emergency medicine at area hospitals . In both family and emergency medicine, he recognized a glaring common denominator: The need for a proactive, preventive approach for optimized health that was lost amid the disease-focused traditional system waiting to intervene when diseases like high blood pressure, coronary disease, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cancer were already present . He became more and more troubled by what he consistently witnessed .

Bell says, “For years in primary care and then emergency medicine, I was treating patients in the tradi-tional western medicine model . I knew something was missing just writing yet another prescription to treat disease, yet all the while patients were becoming more unhealthy at younger and younger age .

Instead of truly modifying or preventing disease, in essence, I have just been applying a relatively ineffective small band-aid to combat the very large gaping wound that is unhealthy aging .”

He became intrigued with the field of age management medicine (AMM) at the suggestion of a respected internal medicine colleague . After attending his first AMM meeting, he came away astounded at the amount

of scientific data presented that he was never previously exposed to in med-ical school or other medical education meetings . Since that first AMM

meeting, he has now amassed over 160 hours in AMM continuing education, including 60 hours most recently last fall at Cene-

genics Medical Institute . Cenegenics has the longest track record and largest patient base and proven treatment

protocols, having treated over 20,000 patients since 1997 . 10% of those patients are physicians or their immediate families .

Using a comprehensive in-depth multiple hour eval-uation that is much more detailed and multifaceted than any usual general health evaluation, Dr . Bell can uncover a patient’s health strengths and weaknesses . “In essence, I can pinpoint exactly in what areas a patient is falling off the healthy aging curve compared to their peers, and use that data to customize an age management program to regain and maintain healthier, more youthful living while minimizing age and lifestyle-related disease risk .” A patient’s prescribed program will involve a four pronged approach:

nutrition, exercise, natural supplementation, and hormone optimization .

As for hormone replacement: In recent years it has gotten a bad rap, mostly due to flawed disseminated information from the Womens Health Initiative study and from unmonitored “doping” of some hormones by professional athletes/bodybuilders . Bell

explains, “Bio-identical physiologic hormone optimization for men and women is a critical piece of a successful age management plan, but not the only piece .”

Physicians Age Management uses a team evaluation/treatment approach, with the team consisting of the patient, Dr . Bell, a doctor of pharmacology who is an expert in natural supplements/bio-identical hormones, and an exercise/nutri-

tion counselor who trains Olympic caliber bicyclists . And a patient on this program has ongoing monitoring to assure safe, optimum results .

Bell fully admits he is a patient himself: “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander . I’m 47 years old, and in just a very few weeks on my prescribed program, I began to look/feel/

function like I did in my 30s . Plus, my internal body/fitness re-testing confirms I am success-fully ‘turning back the clock.’ “ It is important to understand that the program is not boot camp

type torture, and easily incorporated in to a busy lifestyle . The only prerequisite for a patient is a realization that they need to more proactively address their health (or lack of it) . “I want

to work with the willing!” the doctor emphatically exclaims .

No Medicare or Health Insurance accepted

“I’m 47 years old, and in just a very few weeks

on my prescribed program, I began

to look/feel/function like I did

in my 30s.”

Dr. Bell Is Turning Back the Clock on Aging

Physicians Age ManagementBoone: (828) 264.4181• Asheville: (828) 367.3488 • www.physiciansagemgmt.com

High Country Health & Fitness Magazine

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