A University of Toledo mental health counselor says that people aren’t taking time to relax and enjoy life these days, in particular during the hectic holiday season.

While that might seem like nothing new, Thomas Fine, associate professor of psychiatry, said floating is making a comeback as an alternative mode of relaxation.

Thomas Fine

“If you are looking for ways to deal with stress, I would consider floating as a stress management activity,” Fine said. “Floating is so relaxing. The buoyance of the water allows your muscles to relax. As your muscles relax, your mind begins to shut off.”

Fine, who started researching flotation in the 1970s with UT colleague John Turner, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, said that it is promising that this once “hippie thing” is gaining credence as a possible source of relaxation. Fine was recently quoted in a TIME magazine article about floating as a therapy for distress.

Through the ’90s, Fine and Turner published studies on floating. Scientifically known as floatation Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique (REST), their studies looked at subjects who participated in eight 40-minute float sessions in salt water at skin temperature.

“In several studies we saw improvements in blood pressure, mood, pain and muscle tension as a result of the regular experience of deep relaxation that accompanies frequent floatation experiences ,” Fine said.

Isolation tanks, which are lightless and soundproof, designed for floatation relaxation are as close as metro Detroit.

“Interestingly enough, people want to relax, but don’t want to take the time to relax or make the drive to experience the best relaxation of their life,” Fine said. “What makes our research still relevant today is that the stress that humans are experiencing continues to ramp up as we become more immersed in technology. When I first started studying floating, we didn’t have smartphones or emails. We could go on vacation without having to check in at work or respond to questions or concerns. We live in a world filled with stress and overstimulation.”

Fine, who presented at the Portland Float Conference in August 2015, recognizes that not everyone will be able to experience an isolation tank, but yoga and meditation are activities that can produce similar results.

“You could also get into bed and put a pillow under your head and a pillow under your knees and lie there with no light and no sound for 30 minutes,” he said. “If you did that, you would be starting to approach the deep relaxation experienced by those who float.”

HIV doesn’t garner as much attention these days, but with actor Charlie Sheen’s recent revelation that he is infected, a University of Toledo HIV educator hopes that changes.

Danielle Van Fleet

“Charlie Sheen’s announcement comes right as we prepare to mark World AIDS Day on Dec. 1,” said Danielle Van Fleet, HIV testing coordinator for the Ryan White Program on the Health Science Campus. “I hope that the public will realize that HIV does not discriminate and is completely preventable. Even though HIV is not curable, there are medications to help a person live with the virus.”

Van Fleet will share startling statistics during the sixth annual AIDS Awareness Gala at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 in the Student Union Auditorium on Main Campus. The African People’s Association (APA) and UT’s Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) are hosting the gala. UT’s International Student Association is a sponsor.

Young people, ages 15-24, in Lucas County accounted for 31 percent of the HIV/AIDS cases in 2013, Van Fleet said. Young black men and young gay and bisexual men of all races and ethnicities are at the greatest risk.

“College is when students begin to explore their sexuality, which makes them vulnerable for HIV and other sexual transmitted infections (STIs) if they do not take the proper precautions,” Van Fleet said. “I want students to understand that unprotected sex is a leading factor in contracting a sexually transmitted infection. It only takes one time.”

Nnenna Kalu, event coordinator for the African’s People’s Association, said it is important for college students to take HIV and sexually transmitted infections seriously. The UT biology major said students often think they are invincible. They think HIV happens to “other people.”

Van Fleet said she plans to address sexually transmitted infections because Lucas County rates for chlamydia are above the rates of other counties in Ohio. Lucas County also has a high rate for gonorrhea with an average of 1,100 people in the Toledo area contracting gonorrhea each year, she said.

The gala will include free HIV/AIDS testing as well as entertainment and giveaways. Tickets are $12 at the door; $10 in advance (buy them at the Ask Rocky Information Center in the Union); or $5 for APA and SNPhA members. Questions can be emailed to apa.utoledo@gmail.com.

Media Coverage
The Independent Collegian (Dec. 9, 2015)

The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually about shopping. This year, it is about surviving.

The University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living is organizing a tailgate party for cancer survivors and their families before the Rockets football game versus Western Michigan on Friday, Nov. 27.

The free tailgate party will start at 10 a.m. in parking lot 1S in front of the Health and Human Services Building before the noon kickoff in the Glass Bowl.

The Center for Health and Successful Living also is selling discounted game tickets that anyone can purchase for $12 with $2 going toward the center for screening and outreach purposes. Use the code “CHSL” when buying the tickets at http://utrockets.com. Reservations for the tailgate party are appreciated.

“We wanted to thank our survivors for coming to our programs and we wanted to connect our survivors to each other,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, co-director of the center and UT health education professor. “We want to celebrate their survivorship journey and create some awareness about the center.”

Since its inception two years ago, the center has educated more than 5,000 people and screened more than 500 women for breast cancer.

The Center for Health and Successful Living, located on the first floor of the Health and Human Services Building on Main Campus, offers a variety of low-cost health promotion and disease prevention services, including health coaching, health screenings, case management, customized exercise programs and support groups.

“We are an arm of the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center; we are Dana’s survivorship program,” Thompson said. “We do free screenings, mobile units and education in the community. We also do patient navigation. People will call us and say, ‘I need help finding a physician.’ We also help people who can’t afford health services.

“We have known people who have walked 5 miles to get a free mammogram,” Thompson said. “The more we work with people in the community, the more we see the need. Our students were doing health coaching at one point, and we were finding that people couldn’t even identify a vegetable.”

While the center is open to anyone, Thompson said specific attention is paid to minorities, the LGBT community and those suffering from mental illness.

“We try to serve the mentally ill because they live 25 years less on average,” she said. “They don’t get screened because they are focused on their mental health instead of getting a colonoscopy or a mammogram. We try to provide services for everyone, but we try to focus on people who are underserved.”

Thompson started the center with Dr. Tim Jordan, UT health education professor, because her mom, Gladys, had breast cancer.

“My mom had to go to so many different places to get support for her cancer. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have it all in once place?’” Thompson said.

Jordan said a large part of the center’s mission is to recruit and retain high quality students to UT while collaborating with other academic departments.

“We want to create more opportunities for students to gain more skills in their majors,” he said. “We have students in occupational therapy, social work and physical therapy, among other disciplines, who intern and volunteer in the center. We have even had international students specifically come to UT to intern in our center.”

As the center evolves, it has added many social events to its calendar. For instance, the Pink Sneakers walking group meets at 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. The center also hosts a Survivorship Book Club, which is meeting next at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30.

“A lot of these programs are things that people have asked us to do,” Thompson said.

“Last year, we had a Christmas party for survivors at my home. Everyone had to say one thing he or she was grateful for this year. Someone said, ‘I am grateful that I had cancer because I would have never met all of you at the center without this diagnosis.’”

Thompson and Jordan are working to secure more funding for the center, which runs on $10,000 a year, to be able to offer additional services. Thompson and Jordan run the center in their free time.

“This is a labor of love, but if we had more money, we could do more for the community,” Thompson said.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Nov. 28, 2015)
13 ABC (Nov. 28, 2015)

The Ryan White Program at The University of Toledo Medical Center is getting the conversation started about HIV/AIDs prevention with a fashion show slated for 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, at the Radisson Hotel, 3100 Glendale Ave.

“Fashion with the Stars: A tribute to Fashion’s Fallen Stars” will feature Rasheeda, an American rapper, fashion designer, television personality and businesswoman from Atlanta.

“We thought fashion would be a way to reach the black community, which isn’t as accepting of hearing about HIV and AIDS because of a stigma within some churches and families,” said Kennyetta White, minority outreach coordinator for the Ryan White Program.

The fashion show, in honor of World AIDS Day on Tuesday, Dec. 1, is being hosted in collaboration with Priceless Designs in Toledo, which is providing the models and the clothing. During the intermissions, facts about HIV and AIDS will be shared. One of the most startling facts is that the highest risk population for contracting HIV is black men between the ages of 18-24.

“The fashion industry has lost some amazing people to AIDS such as Perry Ellis and Willi Smith,” said Richard Meeker, project director for the Healthy Relationships program in the Ryan White Clinic. “This show is trying to reach a whole new demographic.

“We don’t pay attention to HIV and AIDS like we used to, but it is still a huge problem,” Meeker said. “Besides the risk to the black community, it is on the rise because of heroin abuse. We had a case in Ohio where 26 people were affected by the same needle.”

White said some people look at HIV as a manageable disease these days so they aren’t as careful when it comes to protected sex and drug abuse.

“They think they can take a pill and they will be fine,” she said. “They relate it to something like diabetes.”

While the treatment plans for HIV can lead to a normal and healthy life, each body reacts to the disease differently. It isn’t something you want to contract, just because it can be manageable, White said.

Rasheeda said continuing the AIDs conversation is vital because it has no cure.

“It’s very important that I participate in this cause and use my platform to spread as much awareness as possible,” she said.

To purchase tickets to the fashion show, contact White at 419.266.2853 or email kennyetta.white@utoledo.edu. Tickets are $25 and $35 for VIP seats. Proceeds benefit the Ann Locher Foundation for HIV-related care. Organizers are also seeking sponsorships and other donations.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Nov. 29, 2015)

The best way to prevent Type 2 diabetes in children is to get the whole family involved.

“You can’t just make your Type 2 diabetic child adopt a healthy lifestyle; everyone in the household has to be committed to eating healthily and exercising,” said Dr. Berrin Ergun-Longmire, the new chief of the Pediatric Endocrinology Division at The University of Toledo.

Dr. Berrin Ergun-Longmire

November is National Diabetes Month. During this month, Ergun-Longmire wants families to understand that a healthier lifestyle, which can prevent or reverse Type 2 diabetes, can include an occasional splurge as part of a “normal” childhood experience.

“I always tell parents that their children can have an occasional piece of pizza or cake,” she said. “The bottom line is that children need to know what they are eating and approach it in moderation, but they need family guidance when it comes to that.”

The situation has devolved to the point where children are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes — a disease that is typically found in the elderly — because one-third of the children in the United States are overweight. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, those suffering from Type 1 diabetes can only be treated, not cured, because their body doesn’t produce insulin.

“The trick to understanding Type 2 diabetes is to pretend that your body is a power plant that burns sugar as its fuel,” Ergun-Longmire said. “For your body to remain alive, it initially converts the food that you eat into an energy source in the form of sugar. Then, with the help of insulin, your body will tap into this sugar and carry it inside the body’s cells where it is burned as fuel.”

However, for people with Type 2 diabetes, their insulin cannot transport the sugar from the bloodstream into their cells, according to Ergun-Longmire. This is because these people have an excessive amount of body fat that keeps the insulin from doing its job.

Ergun-Longmire said the key to preventing and defeating Type 2 diabetes is to make sure that your child’s body fat is not excessive. This is where a healthy lifestyle comes into play.

She suggests swapping whole milk for skim and choosing fruit instead of fruit juice. Exercise is a key component, but it doesn’t mean buying a gym membership.

“Your child could join a soccer team or run in the basement or listen to music and dance,” she said. “You need to find ways to incorporate exercise into your child’s life without making it seem like a chore.”

Ergun-Longmire practices at Rocket Pediatrics, in both Toledo and Waterville, with her team: Dr. James Horner; nurse practitioner Janet Moore; staff dietitian Michelle Cleland; and staff nurse Cereda Blanchard. They can be reached at 567.952.2100.

Media Coverage
NBC 24 (Nov. 20, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 30, 2015)

The biggest problem with lung cancer — the leading cause of cancer death in the United States for both men and women — is that it doesn’t generate symptoms until it is advanced.

Willey

That’s partly because there is a lot of space in the lungs where a tumor can expand without causing symptoms.

“It can be growing for more than a year, and the person really has very little symptoms or no symptoms until it is large enough to metastasize to other parts of the body,” said Dr. James Willey, lung cancer expert and University of Toledo professor of medicine.

This is why, during Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, Willey wants to make sure that people at risk for lung cancer are getting screened with a low-dose chest CT scan.

“We highly recommend that people who are 55 to 75 years of age with a heavy smoking history get this screening once a year,” Willey said. “This includes people who smoked at least a pack a day for 30 years and quit smoking less than 15 years ago. In addition, to qualify for screening it is important that their overall health permits them to safely undergo surgical removal of the tumor.”

Willey said lung cancer screenings — a standard of care as determined by the United States Preventive Services Task Force — have been shown to reduce deaths from lung cancer by more than 20 percent. Medicare and Medicaid are now covering the cost of these screenings with private insurance companies expected to follow that example. Even without insurance coverage, the cost is only $99 at the Lung Nodule Clinic at The University of Toledo Medical Center.

The screenings are offered at UTMC the first Tuesday of every month from 4-6 p.m. The visit includes immediate results and optional smoking cessation counseling. To make an appointment, call 419.383.3927.

For people who are screened and lung cancer is detected, it can be treated in 85 percent of cases. Willey hopes this will help with the stigma of lung cancer.

“Historically, lung cancer has had a bad reputation because without screening it is advanced at the time of diagnosis and not curable in more than 85 percent of cases. Consequently, most people die within one to two years of diagnosis.”

Additionally, as part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Willey will present a lecture on lung cancer and these life-saving scans at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19 in the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center at UTMC.

Willey has been funded for many years by the National Cancer Institute to conduct molecular genetic studies aimed at determining why some people are genetically predisposed to lung cancer. This is important because although tobacco use is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer, about 20 percent of lung cancers occur in people who don’t smoke. He will discuss this at the lecture as well.

The free, public lecture is part of the Tie One On Awareness Lecture Series hosted by the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. To reserve a spot, email christopher.kosinski@utoledo.edu.

Media Coverage
NBC 24 (Nov. 19, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 20, 2015)

Hollingsworth

UT women’s golf Head Coach Nicole Hollingsworth was feeling great in the days leading up to calling 911 and being rushed to the hospital. She had walked the LPGA qualifier on Monday and felt fine. On Tuesday, she jogged 2 miles. On Wednesday, she swam 130 laps.

However, by Wednesday afternoon, the 43-year-old wasn’t feeling well. She thought it was something she had eaten. She had diarrhea and felt dizzy. She had just bought a Fitbit a few days beforehand and noticed that her pulse was just 56. Normally, it was 86.

“I called 911 and told them to break down my door because I didn’t think I would make it to the door,” Hollingsworth said. “I got in the shower with my clothes on because I was burning up. I started throwing up.”

When the paramedics arrived they told her she might be having a heart problem. They were right. As it turned out, she had an ulcerated plaque that needed stented and she needed long-term antiplatelet medication.

Hollingsworth will tell more of her story as the keynote speaker at the 10^th annual Go Red for Women Luncheon at noon Friday, Nov. 13 at Parkway Place in Maumee. She will talk about how losing 73 pounds before that fateful day in July helped save her life.

“I was paying more attention to my health by eating a diet high in protein and low in carbs in the months before my heart episode,” she said. “That saved my life. Plus, I had great medical care at The University of Toledo Medical Center.”

UT Health cardiologists Dr. Jodi Tinkel and Dr. Laura Murphy are the co-chairwomen of this year’s luncheon. Individual tickets are $100 each. Tables are $1,000 each.

“Eighty cents of every dollar we raise goes back to the community in the form of research and education,” said Allyson France, executive director of the Northwest Ohio American Heart Association.

Murphy, who assisted in Hollingsworth’s care, said heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths annually. Women must be vigilant about their heart health because they experience different symptoms from men, in particular for heart attacks and coronary artery disease.

“They might suffer from nausea, back pain or fatigue, which on the surface aren’t that shocking or concerning,” Murphy said. “Women might also break out into a sweat without any chest pain.”

Murphy said regular exercise and healthy eating are crucial for heart health, although genetics do play a role. Hollingsworth’s father had a quadruple bypass in his late 50s, but she did not have high blood pressure.

“I was atypical, which shows that anyone can experience a heart episode,” Hollingsworth said. “You can’t rule it out just because you are young and in relatively good health.

“I am now in cardiac rehab three times per week and still coaching and doing my job,” she said. “I feel very fortunate and blessed.”

The luncheon will include a health and wellness fair from 11 a.m. to noon. The event also will include hearing from motivational humorist Kay Frances.

“I believe that humor is at the ‘heart’ of it all,” Frances said. “A light heart is a happy heart and a happy heart is a healthy heart.”

To purchase tickets, contact Allyson France at 419.350.5819 or allyson.france@heart.org.

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (Nov. 9, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 13, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 16, 2015)
The Blade (Nov. 22, 2015)

A neuroscientist at The University of Toledo has received a $500,000 grant to help develop research tools to advance the treatment of medical conditions of the gut, heart, lungs and other organs.

Marthe Howard, professor in the Department of Neurosciences, is one of 12 U.S. researchers to receive this special line of grant money through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Dr. Marthe Howard

“We want to better understand how the nervous system is put together and the specifics of the neural circuitry,” Howard said. “We want to explore how neurons interact with organs, such as the gut, heart and brain, because there is a large interest in using electrical stimulation to control the nerves that affect these specific organs.”

For instance, Howard said people in the medical community want to use electrical stimulation to treat diabetes, obesity, heart failure and Parkinson’s disease. Many of these approaches have failed, though, because scientists don’t really understand the complexity of the roadmap of neuron-organ interactions. Howard’s research will help clarify that.

“One great advantage of using electrical stimulation to treat some medical conditions is that it will not have the side effects that many drugs have,” Howard said. “Also, it will be more cost-effective than many current treatments.

“The idea to use electrical stimulation to treat medical conditions is not really new, but it will be greatly improved by a better understanding of the nervous system combined with better tools to modify its activity.”

Howard has spent 30 years studying the autonomic nervous system, which serves both visceral sensory and motor functions. She has been NIH-funded for the majority of that time.

Howard said it is helpful to understand how the autonomic nervous system works by thinking about how you would respond to encountering a Tyrannosaurus rex while on a walk in the woods.

“What is your response? Your heart rate goes up, you breathe faster, your pupils open up so you can see better and your body temperature rises, which all lead to you running like hell to get away from the Tyrannosaurus rex. The autonomic neurons that I study control these organ responses.”

William Messer, vice president of research at UT, said this grant demonstrates the importance that the NIH places in better understanding the autonomic nervous system, which is Howard’s expertise.

“Dr. Howard is developing a vital set of new tools for characterizing the neurons that control activity in the autonomic nervous system, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract,” he said. “She is using several cutting-edge technologies to help us understand how the nervous system is connected, aid in the development of better models of the autonomic nervous system and point the way toward better treatments for disorders of the visceral organs.”

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (Nov. 4, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 4, 2015)

The scariness of cancer will take a backseat to the fun of Halloween at a party for cancer survivors and their families.

The University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living is hosting a Halloween party at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the Health and Human Services Building, Suite 1100, on Main Campus.

The free event is open to local cancer survivors and their families. The evening will include pumpkin carving, snacks, movies and other Halloween-related activities.

“We wanted to do something fun with family and kids,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, co-director of the Center for Health and Successful Living. “We wanted to give them something else to focus on other than cancer, and provide these families an opportunity to see what we offer at the center.”

Thompson said too often the family members of cancer survivors are overlooked when it comes to getting support. She once had a husband say to her, “I wish you would do something for me.”

“When cancer affects one person, it affects the whole family,” Thompson said.

The Center for Health and Successful Living, which opened in October 2013, offers a variety of low-cost health promotion and disease prevention services, including health coaching, health screenings, case management, customized exercise programs and support groups.

Reservations are appreciated, but they are not necessary. Call 419.530.5199 or email jessica.schulte@rockets.utoledo.edu.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Oct. 27, 2015)
13 ABC and NBC 24 (Oct. 29, 2015)
NBC 24 (Oct. 30, 2015)

The University of Toledo Medical Center is being lauded for providing quality care to cancer patients.

UTMC was recently presented with the 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.

UTMC is one of a select group of only 20 U.S. health care facilities with accredited cancer programs to receive this national honor for surveys performed Jan. 1 to June 30. The award acknowledges cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top cancer centers in the United States,” said Allen Seifert, administrative director of the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. “We take immense pride in offering life-saving care because our patients and their treatment and recovery is always our No. 1 priority.”

The purpose of the award is to raise awareness on the importance of providing quality cancer care at health care institutions throughout the U.S. In addition, it is intended to:

• Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care;
• Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices;
• Encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs; and
• Educate cancer patients on available quality-care options.

Seifert said UTMC specializes in treating a variety of cancers that include blood cancer, lung and respiratory cancer, breast cancer, urinary system cancer and prostate cancer, among others.

UTMC is the only hospital in town offering an innovative non-invasive radiosurgery treatment option using the latest technology.

The Edge radiosurgery system can destroy tumors — smaller than half a centimeter — with high doses of focused radiation beams. The high-dose radiation can target difficult-to-reach tumors, such as those in the brain, with better precision radiation treatments that can be just 15 minutes, compared to one hour for other types of radiation therapy.

“Our 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award solidifies our standing as one of the top cancer centers, but it doesn’t mean we are going to stop improving,” Seifert said. “We always strive to provide the highest level of cancer diagnosis, treatment and support.”