NUMBER TO KNOW
Health
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This year, tobacco will kill nearly 6 million people, including some 600,000 MILLION non-smokers who will die from exposure to tobacco smoke. By 2030, it could kill 8 million. – World Health Organization
DID YOU KNOW? Uruguay requires health warnings that cover 80 percent of the surface of tobacco packages. – World Health Organization
Health watch TIP OF THE WEEK
Minimize migraines If migraines are interfering with your daily life, it’s a good idea to visit a doctor who can suggest the best ways to combat your headaches. But there are also some practical steps you can take to avoid migraines. Here are a few ways you can minimize the onset of migraines: • Get good and regular sleep. Migraines often fol-
low sleepless nights. Do what you can to establish a consistent sleep schedule. If you’re having trouble sleeping, remove distractions such as TV and radio. • Try relaxation techniques. Stress is a major
cause of migraines, so anything you can do to eliminate stress from your life will help. In addition, you may want to try deepbreathing exercises and muscle-relaxing routines designed to help your body deal better with stress and tension. • Get regular exercise. Perhaps nothing reduces stress and promotes good sleeping habits more than a good workout on a regular basis. Being physically active for at least a half hour a day can go a long way toward reducing headaches. – ARA
Going for the
KNOCKOUT Teacher fights back against Parkinson’s disease with boxing By Danny Henley GateHouse News Service
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o watch one of Mike Crager’s vigorous training sessions, a person would think he is preparing for the fight of his life. And in a way, he is. However, instead of facing another fighter, Crager’s battle is with Parkinson’s disease. Crager, 47, of Monroe City, Mo., was diagnosed with the disease in 2005 after his wife, Marla, and his parents noticed concerning changes. “I didn’t notice anything, but my wife did, and my parents saw a change in me as far as how fast I moved. And when I walked, my left arm stayed somewhat still. It just didn’t swing naturally,” he said. Crager’s family encouraged him to see a neurologist. After a handful of tests came the shocking diagnosis, which Crager had confirmed by two other physicians. “I wasn’t sure what that was exactly, but I knew it wasn’t that good,” said Crager. “I always thought it was an old man’s disease. I knew (actor) Michael J. Fox had it, but it didn’t occur to
me that I’d get it that young in my life. “I was about 40 years old. I thought I was still young and vibrant. I still had a lot of things to do in my life, and then to get struck down with this. It took me off guard.” The news was also hard to accept for Crager’s best friend and workout partner, J.R. Derksen. “I cried,” Derksen said. “He’s like a brother to me.”
Fighting back
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rager credits his wife with coming up with a means for him to regain control of his life after the diagnosis. “My wife was at lunch one day just surfing the Internet for Parkinson’s treatment and therapies. She came across this Rock Steady Boxing,” he said. Based in Indianapolis, Rock Steady works with people battling Parkinson’s disease through non-contact boxing training. After learning more about the program, Crager decided to make the long trip to Indianapolis. There, he met professional boxer and full-time physical therapist Kristina Rose Follmar. “She’s the toughest person I’ve
Mike Crager, a teacher and coach in the Monroe City, Mo., school district, works out daily in an effort to keep his Parkinson's disease at bay. Photo by Danny Henley/GHNS
met in my entire life,” said Crager, who described the workout that Follmar put him through as a “living hell for about 90 minutes.” Crager, accompanied by Derksen, returns to Rock Steady about three times a year. “You take a trip out there, and it’s like a shot of adrenaline,” he said. “Every time we go out there’s something new.”
Training hard
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he workout regiment that Crager and Derksen perform together is not for the uncommitted. Workouts consist of weight training designed to build core body strength and a variety of boxing-related cardio exercises. Workouts are performed seven days a week.
“We do weights on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. We do cardio Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday mornings,” said Crager. “We try to mix it up so it’s not the same thing day after day.” Derksen says he thinks their workouts help Crager fight Parkinson’s disease, which has no cure. “Boxing is a great work out for Mike because it is a true ambidextrous sport that challenges both sides of your body’s motor skills, and that is vital to prevent Parkinson’s disease from taking a toll on the body,” said Derksen. “I think the challenge of fighting Parkinson’s is not unlike a boxing match. Every morning the bell rings and Mike gets up and fights Parkinson’s. He chooses to take back what Parkinson’s is trying to steal from him. He is the very picture of courage.”