moementum magazine

A little of this and a little of that, but its all good!

Publisher's note

I feel just like Mary J. Blige when she sang, "All I Really want is to be happy…" but sometimes I kill myself trying to do way too much in my pursuit of happiness. Funny thing is that I thought it was a part of my constitutional rights along with life and liberty. I guess I thought for some strange reason that attaining and maintaining my happiness was going be an easy feat, boy was I ever wrong! The road to happiness was a rocky road but one that I'm grateful for having traveled because it has opened my eyes and I don't think I'll ever be blind again. Over the course of my journey I have come to realize that my happiness is what I make it and that no one under the sun can determine what makes me happy or when I should be happy. Too many times I've had people tell me "awwww man you got this or you got that…you should be happy". How would they know when they've had the same things and in many cases even more and they still weren't happy? I have never been one to measure my happiness by how many material possessions I have accumulated. I measure my happiness by how many REAL and positive relationships I have been able to accumulate. This takes me back to college when I was essentially living in poverty just like every other red-blooded college student. The thing is that I was having so much fun that I didn't even realize that I was poor until I saw a report on the news! I never felt poor because I had really good people around me and we studied hard, partied hard, laughed hard and had a good time every day. But silly of us to think that we were happy because Peter Jennings was on television telling us we shouldn't be happy because we were poor. Another realization that I came to a long time ago was the fact that what you eat don't make me grow so in order for me to grow and be happy I need to nourish my mind, body and soul on a regular basis. This is a process that I find is best done alone. I've found that people always want to know what or whom I believe in and I want to know how that information is going to benefit them. See I don't feel like they want that information to assist in my happiness but they want that information so that they can be able to either destroy what makes me happy or somehow try to prevent it from ever happening. In most cases its not a conscious effort to destroy others happiness but something we do out of envy. There is a brilliantly penned phrase (I wrote it myself) that I can prescribe to that goes, "The worth of a plan is not measured by the plan itself but by its implementation". I am a man of many words and of many actions but words don't always get the job done. That is one major obstacle in my life is dealing with people who are all talk and no action. I have learned to distinguish between the talkers and the doers and now my life is back on the right course. I still get a little impatient with people at times as I believe that time and opportunity waits for no one and while I'm waiting on you to deliver on your promises someone else is out there taking over the world. I have also noticed that if you want to lead a stress free life keep your happiness to yourself because other people don't wants to hear about how good your life is. So while others are living beyond their means trying to beat the Jones' my little happy ass is feverishly at work building my empire while the Jones' have their eyes on me. 2000&4MOE

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Ask Dr. Mick

Dear Dr. Mick, When is a Colposcopy necessary, and what are its benefits? Interested Dear Interested, A colposcopy is necessary as one of a few options to consider when there are changes on a Pap smear. These tests aid in the screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer or pre-cancerous lesions. Since these tests have been implemented as routine preventive care, they have aided physicians, health systems, and -most importantly- families in saving many lives. The huge difference in success for this type of cancer is EARLY diagnosis and treatment. Most commonly, there are no symptoms early in the disease process, and this is exactly why regular screening with proper follow-up is so important. A common misconception among patients is that the Pap smear or colpscopy evaluates for other diseases like sexually transmitted infections (STI's); and that if these tests are fine, then that equates to a "clean bill of health." In many cases, screening tests for STI's requiring a sample from the vagina/cervix are done at the same time as the Pap smear, but they are not the same thing. Depending on the abnormality found on the Pap smear, there are several options to consider. The possibilities can be as simple as re-testing with closer follow-up, or surgery may be required for further diagnosis or treatment. After with the appropriate evaluation by the primary care physician or gynecologist, the plan of action can be made and often includes colposcopy. This is an office-based procedure done by either a primary care physician or a gynecologist. With the aid of a colposcope and the cervix in proper view, the cervix is visualized. Commonly, acetic acid (vinegar) is applied along with several other solutions that will aid either in visualization or in the control of bleeding or infection. The information obtained from the colposcopy results can then be considered with the Pap smear and the overall patient in deciding what the appropriate next step will be. Whatever the case, following the plan is often crucial. Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths both nationally and globally, and it doesn't have to be that way. Although many lives are currently being saved, we have much room for improvement. The difference that EARLY diagnosis and treatment makes in outcomes for patients is tremendous. This is one of the leading preventable causes of death today! Thank you for your interest in this topic. Peace and Blessings, Dr. Mick E. McKinley Fourte' (Dr. Mick) is currently a physician in training in Family and Community Medicine in Chicago, IL. He has a deep and burning commitment to both patients and to the community and is truly eager to address topics and concerns pertinent to our community.

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Fitness Tip

Dear Chicago B. Fabulous, I am a thirty something year old professional and I spend most of my day sitting at a desk answering telephones and shuffling papers. I have started eating right and have cut down on my carbohydrate and caloric intake now I have to focus on exercise. By the time I get off of I am to exhausted and not in the mood to travel to the gym to work out. I have three-pound dumbbells at my workstation that I to do exercises with but I've run out of ideas. Can you please advise me of some exercises that I can do at my workstation? Stuck In a Rut Dear Stuck in a Rut I commend you on your low carb, no sugar way of eating. Eating is 60-70 % of the pie. If you are consuming a lot of junk food the results you are looking for will not appear. As far as different exercises you could do at your desk or in your cubicle, here are a few tips. First, if you recall from my previous article "Stretching" you'll remember that I am a big fan of stretching, one because it's easy to do, and two when you elongate your muscles and also contract those same muscles you are helping to condition that area. Plus you feel so good afterwards. Second tip, of course, is breathing exercises. People tend to take their lungs for granted, don't. Start with good posture, shoulders back sitting upright. This helps to maintain a functional ribcage. For instance, osteoporosis can limit your chest development and thus, affect your ribcage and therefore the effectiveness of your lungs. A large belly can also restrict your respiration. You do not need expensive equipment or a large amount of time all you need to do is inhale and exhale as much air as possible. As with other exercises, full range movement will enhance the conditioning process. Third tip, isometric exercises. These are very popular with people who have to spend a lot of the day sitting at a desk. They're very popular because they're easy to do and you can do them anytime anywhere. The next time your sitting there on the phone try contracting your abdominal muscles and holding them for ten seconds before releasing them. Repeat this several times with the abdominals and other muscles groups throughout the course of the workday and you're sure to see positive results. Isometric exercises train your muscles and help to increase the blood flow to those areas increasing your metabolism thus aiding the fat burning process. Also continue to use your dumbbells. I would suggest if your body has already adapted to the weight you are now using, increase your weight to 5 or 8 pounds. You should do 15 reps or so to fatigue that particular muscle group and burn calories faster. So breath long to stay strong, and you won't go wrong. Chicago B. Fabulous

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Disclaimer

moepourri is filled with topics not necessarily pertaining to entertainment but that our staff felt was either really cool or really relevant and warranting positive attention. Sometimes the topics will be fun and jovial and other times very serious in nature. If you have something or someone that you think could use a lil shine feel free to drop us a line and let us know. Please keep all entries under 50 words and include a good color photo of your subject.

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