Fall 2008

&
Health
Fitness
Beauty
Fun Kuts looks to expand in Heather Skidmore shows her new self with the help of Curves A “Neti Pot.”
Arlington or Marysville by 2009. for Women.

• Karate instructor copes

• Success with Curves
Inside: • Neti pots for allergies
• Kids haircuts - the latest rage

SUPPLEMENT TO THE MARYSVILLE GLOBE & THE ARLINGTON TIMES

Sharon Standish, mother of two and co-owner of the Martial

Arts Club in Marysville.
The Marysville Globe/The Arlington Times Health, Fitness & Beauty • Page 2 September 24, 2008

A life saved, by Botox

Cosmetic drug controls muscle constrictions, transforms world for Marysville mother
by Myke Folger
Special section columnist
Health. It’s the one
thing we couldn’t care
less about when we’re up
and running. Only while
racked under the reign of a
nasty cold or immobilized
by a broken leg do we start
casting about, realizing
our thoughtlessness and
start begging for the sweet
return of good health.
Most the time, it does
indeed return, and we are
grateful for a day.
But when it never comes
back, that’s when we are
struck dumb and life’s
hardest decisions are made.
Two years ago, Sha-
ron Standish began her
descent into ill health, a
measure in time that in
other people might have
proven lethal. But with
Standish’s faith, her active
lifestyle, a chin-up attitude
and access to American
science and drugs, an
otherwise debilitating
situation had become
manageable.
The 42-year-old,
Marysville mother of two
had come home exhausted
after eight hours of
teaching preschoolers.
She summoned enough
strength to drive with her
teen-age daughter, Kate-
lyn, to the martial arts
center the family owns.
But that’s when things
began to unravel forever.
“Then it felt like my
teeth were being ripped
out of my jaw,” Standish
said of her first real heart
attack. She’d had bloody
noses and some chest pain
three days prior, but didn’t
think much of it then.
Three days later she had
shortness of breath and
“it felt like my chest was
going back into my shoul-
der blades.” Still, she didn’t
call 911. Back home, the
pain lingered and then the
chest pain increased and
her daughter called 911.
The paramedics drove
her to Providence Everett
Medical Center’s Colby
campus where doctors
confirmed she had a
heart attack - but only
after another bout with
shortness of breath after
spending six hours in the
emergency room. She
remained at PEMC for
four days.
Standish figured the
busy lifestyle and her
sleep apnea contributed
to the heart attack. Not to
let either slow her down,
she continued to train at
the martial arts center,
participated in a heart
walk to raise money for
heart disease and now she
wears a continuous posi-
tive airway pressure mask
to bed every night. The
CPAP looks like a mask
a jet pilot might wear and
has helped hundreds of
thousands of apnea suf-
ferers across the globe.
Some find the CPAP to be
claustrophobic, but mod-
ern systems have become
far less intrusive.
Things seemed to be
going well for Standish
until one morning she
awoke and noticed her
left arm wouldn’t move.
She could feel it but could
not move it. Her husband
thought she may have
had a stroke because she
couldn’t bend her left side
well, either.
She went to a neurolo-
gist at the Everett Clinic
who sent her to have some
physical therapy which
didn’t do a thing for her.
So the neurologist
examined her again and
this time, gave her some
Levodopa and Carbidopa,
a drug cocktail used for
patients with Parkin-
son’s disease. Standish
responded positively. Her
arm and left side felt better.
She reported that to
the neurologist who then
determined she might have
Parkinson’s, a brain disor-
der that occurs when nerve
cells in the part of the
brain called the substantia
nigra die or break. These
cells make dopamine,
which allow for smooth,
coordinated function of the
body’s muscles and move-
ment. When 80 percent of
these cells are damaged,
Parkinson’s symptoms,
such as tremors, appear.
Even more bad news
Standish went to the
Sharon Standish, mother of two and co-owner of the Martial Arts Club in Marys-
ville, had a triple dose of bad luck, having a heart attack and getting diagnosed
with Parkinson’s disease and a rare muscle disorder. But of all things, Botox, the
drug used to smooth out wrinkles, has saved her life.
Booth Gardner Parkinson’s felt the Dystonia coming
Care Center in Kirkland for on. She told her friend
therapy. It was there that that she was going to start
doctors discovered she did toward the exit. In full
indeed have Parkinson’s force, the Dystonia immo-
and also Dystonia, a rare bilized her and the pain
muscle disorder that causes was near unbearable.
the muscles to contract “I cry when it hits,”
and spasm involuntarily. Standish said. “I lie out on
Her first signs of Dystonia the floor and cry.” Each
were subtle and Standish episode can last up to 20
figured it was just part of minutes. Once, her arm
the Parkinson’s. But then it constricted so tightly that
just got worse, much worse her elbow bent back into
than the Parkinson’s. the middle of her back
“I’d be at the grocery until her shoulder was
store and suddenly I can’t about to pop. “The mus-
walk,” she said. “The cles contract as tight as
worst time was when I was they can go, then contract
at the zoo and the Dysto- more and pull in awkward
nia hit and it took me two positions,” she added.
hours to get to the exit.” Then, the doctor at
She and another preschool her Parkinson’s therapy
teacher had taken their session in Kirkland, sug-
students to the Woodland gested she try Botulinum
Park Zoo when Standish toxin, or Botox as it is
commonly known. The
neurotoxin, which has
MYKE FOLGER Feature Columnist
“It is amazing how you
feel when everything is
going well,” Standish said.
The shots worked, the
muscles no longer con-
stricted. The downside was
that her insurance com-
pany, Regence Blueshield,
didn’t cover the Botox
injections. That aside,
Standish is a new woman.
“Last year at this time,
I didn’t know how I was
going to work, but now I
say, ‘Bring it on!’”
Every three months,
Standish will get a Botox
injection. She goes in for
another dose in Novem-
ber. She also takes other
medication to help with
Parkinson’s tremors.
There are surgeries avail-
able for the Dystonia,
where a pacemaker is
placed in the brain and
sends impulses to control
the spasms. But for now

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Standish is content with
the Botox.
She said she never
dreamed her life in her 40s
would turn out the way it
has. But she has learned to
deal with what life brings
and moves forward. Her
faith and her family are
where she draws support.
She still exercises, still
trains at the martial arts
club and is considering put-
ting on a fundraiser to raise
awareness of Dystonia.
The Marysville Globe/The Arlington Times Health, Fitness & Beauty • Page 3 September 24, 2008

‘Strong Teens’ needs you

by Myke Folger line Brown, the Health ducted each week for more meals together,
Special section columnist and Wellness Director three months then once shop together, take
at the YMCA branch a week for six weeks. turns cooking and to
The Strong Teens in Marysville. The There are currently generally make better
program at the YMCA other possibility is that four teens and their lifestyle choices.
has entered its fourth with September comes four parents signed up “Parents have to
year and area organiza- school and that’s when in Marysville, leaving participate because
tions have once again families are slammed a total of 32 slots (one parents are basically
made sizeable contribu- with homework, house- parent, one teen) open. the ones who make the
tions to fund it. work, and everything Teens must be between decisions at home about
Organizations such in between. Those are 12 and 14 years old and what they’re eating,
as Kimberly-Clark, the only reasons Brown be in the top 95 per- what they’re shopping
Kirtley Cole, Everett can think of as to why centile of their body/ for,” Brown said. “Par-
Clinic, Group Health participation in her city weight mass index. ents have to mentor
and Children’s Hospital has been so low. Brown Getting parents 100 good healthy habits
and Regional Medical has pushed back the percent on board with and lifestyles to have
Center are among sev- class dates to accom- the program has been healthy kids.”
eral that have contrib- modate late comers. an issue in the past,
uted roughly $100,000 The new class times Brown said. She knows
to fund the countywide will be 6-7:30 p.m., family lifestyles are
program that helps Mondays and Thurs- hectic, but counters
teens and their parents days starting Monday, by saying this is an
make healthy diet, Oct. 6. The two 90-min- opportunity for parents
exercise and lifestyle ute sessions are con- and their teens to eat
choices.
The twice-a-week
course is free, too.
The five participat-
ing locations are Marys-
ville, Monroe, Mukilteo,
Everett and Mill Creek.
Interested parents and
teens should go to www.
ymca-snoco.org for more Cascade Rehabilition’s physical and hand therapists are
sign-up information. dedicated to providing individualized treatment programs
The Monroe branch focused on returning patients to their desired level of
is already filled up, but function as quickly and safely as possible.
the other four have
plenty of room, espe-
Physical Therapy and Hand Therapy Services
31 days of fun for less than an afternoon at the mall.
cially Marysville.
• Physical Therapy • General Orthopedics • Work Injury Program
“We think everyone Get more for your hard-earned dollars with a membership at the
• Hand Therapy • Sports Rehabilitation • Soft Tissue Mobilization
knows about the pro- YMCA. Join October 1-31, 2008 and save 50% on joining fees.
• Manual Therapy • Spine Rehabilitation • Aquatic Therapy
gram, but in reality
they don’t,” said Caro- Living healthier is just one of the many reasons to join your local
YMCA. Whether you want to find peace in a yoga class, test your
limits in group cycling, or meet friends for a game of hoops, there’s
a YMCA program to help you stay young and increase energy.
Elaine Andersen, PT Joel Anderson, DPT Jane Galusha, PT
Physical Therapist Physical Therapist Physical Therapist
Clinic Manager Therapy Director And best of all, you get a whole month of fun for less than a night
on the town or an afternoon at the mall.

Marysville Family YMCA

6420 60th Drive NE
David Kalahar, MPT
Physical Therapist
Stephanie Kiel, OTR/L, CHT
Certied Hand Therapist
Robynn Stolte, OTR/L
Hand Therapist
360.653.9622

16404 Smokey Point Boulevard, Suite 101

Arlington, WA 98223 • 360-658-8100 www.ymca-snoco.org
CascadeRehab.com
The Marysville Globe/The Arlington Times Health, Fitness & Beauty • Page 4 September 24, 2008

Children’s Hair Care starting to sprout

by Myke Folger United States receiving bud. One of the more dolphin. And each kid
Special section columnist a haircut an average of notable ones, which can pick from dozens
eight times per year. has yet to surface in kid-friendly movies.
Get them while Any salon from the Northwest, is Snip- In Snohomish County
they’re young, they say. Debi’s Hair & Tan of its. Founded by Joanna there’s Fun Kuts in
And indeed that is Arlington to Smart Meiseles in Framing- Lynnwood and Kids
the case with the chil- Style Family Hair Salon ham, Mass. in 1993, Cuts in Everett. But not
dren’s hair care indus- in Tulalip will take Snip-its has evolved into much yet in Arlington
try, a $5 billion market kids for customers, a haircut adventure. or Marysville. But Fun
with more than 40 but the salons just for Not just swivel chairs, Kuts has Arlington and
million children in the kids is truly starting to scissors and mirrors, Marysville in its sights.
Snip-its has a custom “We’d like to move
cartoon-like interior, up there,” said Fun Kuts
checkerboard floors, co-owner Ian Armijo.
goofy characters and “I’m ambitious with
interactive computer that, and we’ll see in a
play stations. There’s year or so.”
also kids’ line of hair In January, Armijo
care products. and his partner, Tess
In Seattle’s Phinney Lochner, bought the
Ridge neighborhood existing salon and added MYKE FOLGER Feature Columnist

there’s Beachcomber a whole lot of kid-friend-
Kids. The boutique liness to it. They painted
location of fewer than the walls in various col-
1,000-square-feet fea- ors of the rainbow and,
tures checkerboard like Beachcomber, has
tile floors, wicker wait themed stations from
area benches, a massive Hotwheels and speed-
play area where kids boats to kitty cats and
can burn some energy princesses. There are
while they wait their seven stations in all and
turn. There are sea- the plan is to dedicate
foam green walls with one of those spaces to
stencils of ocean waves parents. The co-owners,
and leaping dolphins. particularly Lochner
The three swivel barber who had been a stylist at
chairs are molds of a Fun Kuts before buying
sea turtle, seahorse and the business, noticed a
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919 State Ave., #104 • Marysville • 360-659-8100
The farm and race car are just two of the seven themed
stations at Fun Kuts in Lynnwood. The company wants
to expand in Arlington of Marysville by 2009.
lot of parents were ask- Seattle, but the industry
ing to get their cut while was virtually untapped
their kids were getting in the more suburban,
theirs done. blue-collar markets. So
When the opportu- they agreed to a deal.
nity to buy came up, And business continues
Lochner and Armijo to be strong. The week
had to think about the leading up to the start
market. They both saw of school in the county,
that the industry was saw each of the busi-
growing. There were ness’s three stylists han-
children’s salons in dling up to 18 heads a
Kirkland, Bellevue and day. “It was insane,” said
stylist Lacy Thornhill.
Lochner has contin-
ued her role as stylist
on top of being floor
manager and co-owner.
Armijo will do the books
and payroll. They plan
to focus on the current
store, fine-tuning the
day-to-day system and
capitalizing on ideas
that work. If adding a
station for adults works,
they may lease space in
Arlington or Marysville
as early as next summer.
“I’d love to make Fun
Kuts a household name,”
Armijo said. “It’s work-
ing so now it’s just a mat-
ter of whether it catches
on. At this point we don’t
see why it wouldn’t.”
The Marysville Globe/The Arlington Times
Eating with all our senses
by Timi Gustafson R.D.
One of my most favor-
ite times of the year is
the Farmer’s Market
season. Nowhere is food
more fresh and nutritious
than when it comes from
a farm nearby – and with
your purchases you get
a chance to support your
local economy as well. I
also enjoy the personal
touch when interacting
with the farmers; but
more so, I love to see,
touch, smell and taste
the food I’m buying.
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processed, canned, pack-
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All you get to see is a
photo on a label – and
usually that looks much
more appetizing than the
actual content.
It’s a curious thing that
we don’t taste our foods
anymore before purchas-
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according to visual
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Health, Fitness & Beauty • Page 5
apple or a pear that has
been harvested just a few
hours before.
Most of us have lost
touch with the food we
eat, the region it comes
from, the soil it grows in,
the people who harvest
it and who bring it to our
table. We don’t have the
time or energy to be con-
cerned with all that. Like
everything else, our food
has to be instantly avail-
able and conveniently
served. Of course, the
fact that we have almost
unlimited food supplies
in this country is an
achievement of great
importance and goes to
the credit of the respec-
tive industries. But for
us, the consumers, this
also comes with a sense
of loss and disconnect.
There’s no longer a rela-
tionship between what
we eat and who we are.
I myself have no back-
ground in agriculture. I
grew up in the suburbs
where there were no
farms nearby. But almost
every family in my neigh-
borhood had a small
garden in their backyard
where they planted a
variety of vegetables and
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a few fruit trees. I remem-
ber my mother lining up
tomatoes on the window-
sill to let them ripen in
the sun. What we didn’t
consume right away was
preserved in glass jars
for the winter months. I
learned as a small child
to distinguish between
different seeds and
watched with fascination
the miraculous growth of
beans and cucumbers. I
almost think of it as good
luck that my parents had
to grow much of our pro-
duce themselves because
they couldn’t afford to
buy it in a store. These
memories of my child-
hood still influence my
relationship to food today.
I imagine that these
early experiences have
also generated my life-
long interest in cooking.
The very idea of prepar-
ing a meal from scratch
(as opposed to ready-to-
eat) still gives me great
pleasure. I don’t ever con-
sider cooking as a chore.
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I like the surroundings of working through lunch
a well-equipped kitchen. I break, driving in the car
like handling food – slic- or watching TV is not
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look, the feel, the smell, in the long run anyway.
even the sound of food If we can’t take the time
when it pops and sizzles. to enjoy a good meal or
I like knowing that it’s don’t value the food we
fresh and of good quality eat, then all we do is stuff
without having to rely ourselves to eliminate
on nutrition labels and hunger or fight boredom.
expiration dates. And, On the other hand, if we
most importantly, I like allow ourselves to experi-
sharing my home-cooked ence the pleasure and sat-
meals with friends and isfaction that good food
family. Life would be can provide, especially
much poorer without it. when shared with others,
True, not everyone has it can enrich the quality
the time, skill or inclina- of our lives altogether.
tion to be such a “food
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Health, Fitness & Beauty • Page 6 September 24, 2008
Some natural remedies to consider
by Myke Folger known to prevent early toms. at neighborhood drug ¼ teaspoon non-
Special section columnist infection and the wors- Many classically stores such as Bartell iodized salt
ening of nose symp- trained physicians are and Walgreens. Bartell Tilt head to side,
By now, you have toms. now believers in alter- sells one with pre-mixed put tip of neti pot into
seen and maybe even And now that sum- native, naturopath and salt packets for $15.99. upper nostril, relax and
used the neti pot, the mer is in full complemen- You can get them online let water flow out lower
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and her frequent guest, An alternative to salt water from going
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Using a neti simple soft rubber bulb throat
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The Marysville Globe/The Arlington Times
Weight off their minds and bodies
by Myke Folger
Special section columnist
It’s amazing what
you can lose with a little
stick-to-itiveness.
That’s certainly what
Heather Skidmore dis-
covered a few years ago.
It was the summer of
2005 and her fiancé at
the time, Jason Skidmore,
had just asked her to
marry him. She said yes.
She also decided to get
in shape for the wedding.
She hadn’t really been
big on exercise before.
She enjoyed eating pizza
and drinking beer and
that trifecta contributed
toward her weight – 233
pounds. She wore size
22 pants. Her weight
embarrassed her, dimin-
ished her self concept. In
fact, at work, where she
engages with children,
she purposely avoided
taking leadership roles or
making decisions because
she didn’t want “eyes on”
her. And the ultimate
embarrassment to her
was when she tried to get
on the roller coaster at
the Puyallup Fair.
“There was only
enough room for me
and nobody else,” she
said, recalling the day
she climbed into one of
the ride’s two-seat cars.
“That’s when I realized it.
I just felt that this wasn’t
right and that I didn’t
want to look like this or
feel like this anymore.”
So she signed up with
Curves for Women, the
now well-known fitness
center with franchises
across the country, two in
Marysville and another in
Arlington. She goes every
Monday, Wednesday and
Friday, spending a half
hour working on hydrau-
lic weight machines. She
spends about $35 a month
on membership fees. She
also stopped drinking
beer and has cut down on
pizza, replacing it with
more fruits and vegeta-
bles. The change in diet
and regular exercise has
resulted in a loss of 53
pounds. She now weighs
170 pounds and wears
a size 14. And as is the
case with many people
who work exercise into
their daily lives, she feels
better physically and
emotionally.
“I feel amazing,” she
said. “I have so much
more energy to go out
and do things and I’m
more willing to be a
leader instead of a fol-
lower.” Her boss com-
mented on how Skidmore
is more open with the
children and parents she
works with. Family mem-
bers comment on the
weight loss and the spir-
ited attitude and last year
she was married. “My
husband is very proud of
me and he let’s me know
every day how good I’m
looking. He talks about
my sexy legs,” she added
with a laugh.
That frustration Skid-
more was feeling is a
common element among
the clients at Curves,
according to Arlington
franchise owner, Carol
Sluys. The average
person is probably 20
percent over weight,
frustrated with a lack of
activity, wants to work
out but not at a normal
gym, doesn’t want to be
seen in her “fluffy” state
by people she perceives
as being more fit, and
ranges in age from 10 to
84, Sluys said. Curves
tends to be a place where
women can be them-
selves and not worry
about societal pressure.
“A lot of women come
in their pajamas,” Sluys
said.
Renee Miller is one
of Sluys’ success stories.
Miller was overweight,
had an irregular walk
and her doctor had sent
her to Curves for exer-
Health, Fitness & Beauty • Page 7
Heather Skidmore — Before
cise treatment. She went
with her mother, Pat, and
the two have become reg-
ular attendees. In fact,
Renee Miller has lost 22
pounds (13 of them body
fat), 21.75 inches and
all of that in 78 visits to
Curves. Miller works out
three days a week. The
weight loss and the activ-
ity itself has been a good
thing for her.
“For Renee, this is
probably one of the best
things to happen in her
life,” Sluys said. “She’s
gleeful when she does
her weigh-ins.”
Sluys got her start
at the north Marysville
Curves, but two and a half
years ago branched out
and started the Arlington
franchise. A key part of
her job as owner, she has
found, has been making
encouraging follow-up
calls to women who may
have strayed from their
exercise routine. It’s a
delicate task, because,
clients sometimes growl
about it.
Courtesy photo
Heather Skidmore — After
“Every week I identify
who hasn’t been in the
week before, and I ask
staff about them, ‘are they
sick? Are they gone?’ We
do outreach calls every
Friday morning, and
sometimes they resent it,
they feel embarrassed.”
But Sluys keeps
encouraging women to
get out there and work,
because she wants to be
there for them as well as
keep them as clients. She
also knows that women
50 and older lose 5 per-
cent of their muscle mass
every year.
Many members can
go free of charge, too,
through their Medicare
plans. Sterling Insur-
ance, for example, said
there were more than
300 women in the Arling-
ton area who are insured
through the company,
who qualify for free
attendance at Curves.
And now Sluys is
starting a breast health
program at Curves, giv-
ing new members small
Courtesy photo
silicon bags used for
breast self examinations.
Existing members can
get them too by making
referrals. The promotion
starts Sept. 21 and goes
through Oct. 26.
September 24, 2008
Spooky
Specials
in
October
Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 a.M. to 9 p.M.
Sat. 10 a.M. to 7 p.M.
Sun. 11 a.M. to 5 p.M.
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Arlington
360-435-2845
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The Marysville Globe/The Arlington Times Health, Fitness & Beauty • Page 8 September 24, 2008

9 9 Ye a r s
o f q u a l i t y,
l o c a l , f r i e n d ly
H e a lt H c a r e

Since 1909 Cascade Valley Hospital

has been proud to serve our communities.
If you’re looking for Family Practice, Speciality Care
or our state-of -the-art Imaging Services...
we are here for you.
Looking forward to the next 99 years of caring for you!

330 S. Stillaguamish Ave. • Arlington, WA 98223

360.435.2133 • www.cascadevalley.org

19078 cvh 1909 building ad.indd 1 9/15/2008 3:20:39 PM