December 2019
JEL INEK JOURNAL
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THANK YOU, PATIENTS! Patient Support, Continuing Education, and the End of a Decade
As we close another decade, I want to take this opportunity to thank the patients who have trusted us over the years. I believe there is truly no greater honor than serving other people. We are a referral-based practice, and we always look forward to treating patients as kind as you. While we have had many highs and lows over the years, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve each one of you. Nothing in my career will ever compare to the opportunities I have had to help longtime pain sufferers find relief. When you can tell someone who has been struggling with daily head pain that you can relieve it, it’s like watching a weight physically fall from their shoulders. It’s very rewarding to eliminate the pain that has wreaked havoc on a person’s life for a number of years. In many cases, they have been struggling with this for their entire lives. Treating pain and finding a real solution to someone’s problems creates powerful bonds. Oftentimes, I fondly look back on some of my favorite memories, and one that sticks out is the time I was extracting a tooth on a teenage patient. I had just given the girl anesthesia when the power went out. I turned to her father, who was a retired Marine colonel, and I said, “Dad, if you can hold the flashlight, I can take the tooth out.” Together, we were able to get the job done! To this day, we still have a big laugh about it whenever we see one another, and this happened more than 10 years ago. Of course, you don’t enjoy a life well-lived without a few lows. It’s always a sad day around the office when we discover a patient has passed away or is going through something devastating. We mourn every patient we lose. I’ve been a dentist for many years now — 32 to be exact — and what motivates me most is that the field is constantly changing. There is always some new technology coming down the pipe, and because of this, educational and improvement opportunities abound. Dentists must complete 15 hours of continuing education each year, and I usually hit 150 hours each year because I want to know as much as I can to help my patients. I take each educational opportunity to heart.
Throughout the years of continued commitment to my education, I’ve picked up on a few trends. For example, there’s a huge overlap between sleep apnea patients and those with temporomandibular joint disorders. By understanding that these two chronic conditions are firmly linked together, I can better treat a patient who is seeking relief. I firmly believe in treating the root cause of each issue, not just the symptoms. Treating the symptoms is like treating cancer with a Band-Aid. I am already looking forward to many more years treating you and your loved ones. I feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity, and I look forward to continuing to help you find relief.
Have a very merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a great new year!
– H. Charles Jelinek, Jr., DDS
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HowDr. Jelinek Can Help YouMeet Your 2020 Goals New Year, New You? Some people use the new year as an impetus for making improvements to their life, while others view New Year’s resolutions as a pipe dream. Research into this yearly trend reminds us just how difficult these goals can be to accomplish. A study published by Psychology Today magazine found that only 55% of participants were still working on resolutions by the end of January. Despite this disheartening statistic, it is possible to meet your New Year’s goals! All you need is a little support in your corner. Here’s how Dr. Jelinek and his team can help you meet your goals this new year. GOAL: BE HEALTHIER If you have promised yourself a healthier 2020, you may want to look to your bed for help. The truth is that sleep is a vital part of your well-being. Your body utilizes this time to repair tissue, give your heart a break, and improve cognitive function. If you’re making a resolution to get healthier, consider the quality of sleep you are getting. The exercise routine and diet you commit to are moot if you don’t focus on your sleep. Sleep apnea limits the amount of oxygen your body takes in while you sleep, causing your body to jolt awake and never fully drift into meaningful sleep. Jaw problems or teeth grinding can also prohibit good sleep, but viable solutions to your sleep troubles do exist. Dr. Jelinek and his team will consult with you to find the solution that fits your life and allows you to drift off to (healthy) sleep. headaches are common, but they are not normal . You do not have to live with daily headaches or chronic jaw pain. Both can limit your ability to lead a healthy, happy life, and while there is a litany of causes that can contribute to each, there are also many solutions. Whether you need therapeutic techniques or a custom-made oral appliance, Dr. Jelinek can help you find relief, so you never have to worry about when daily head pain will strike again. Don’t muddle through another new year. Meet your goals and overcome the obstacles that are plaguing your life by making an appointment with Dr. Jelinek. Call us at 703-584-5996. GOAL: LIVE PAIN-FREE If you’re an avid reader of this newsletter, you already know that
MORE THAN JUST ‘YOU’LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!’ Lessons Families Can Learn From ‘A Christmas Story’
In 1983, one movie introduced Red Ryder BB guns, fishnet-clad leg lamps, and bright red bars of soap into America’s everlasting Christmas mythos. Now, over 35 years later, “A Christmas Story” continues to delight audiences every holiday season with timeless lessons for viewers of all ages. In a story where kids are clever and kind, and parents are bumbling and wise, “A Christmas Story” has more lessons to offer families than just, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” YOUR KIDS ARE LISTENING TO YOU (OH, FUDGE!). They aren’t always obedient, but that doesn’t mean they’re not listening. After Ralphie lets slip the “queen mother of dirty words” in front of his father, the narrator reminisces about first hearing that word from his old man — possibly when he was trying to get their furnace to work. He doesn’t admit this to his mother, but it’s a lesson for parents everywhere that kids may hear more than they let on. KIDS WON’T BELIEVE IN MAGIC FOREVER. Magical stories about Santa or even “Little Orphan Annie’s” Secret Society fill children’s hearts with wonder but won’t enchant them forever. Belief in certain parts of the Christmas season can fade slowly or die as quickly as the spin of a decoder pin, but parents can always be there to remind children about what’s really important during the Christmas season. SOMETIMES ‘DISASTERS’ LEAD TO NEW ADVENTURES. Christmas Day can be hectic, and, in the hubbub of it all, sometimes disaster can feel inevitable. Ralphie’s parents certainly experience their fair share of disaster in hilarious fashion when the Bumpus Hounds destroy their holiday turkey and leave nothing but the heavenly aroma. But, when Ralphie’s father takes them out to eat at a local Chinese restaurant, it creates a whole new Christmas tradition for the Parker family. Our holiday mishaps, no matter how tragic, are rarely the end of the world.
Consider one final tip: Do not stick your tongue to any flagpoles this winter! Happy holidays!
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Don’t Leave Your Benefits on the Naughty List!
Don’t wait until the new year! Your dental benefits expire at the end of the year! Now is the time to schedule an appointment because once your benefits are gone, they’re gone for good. Remember all the money you paid to your insurance premiums this year? Failing to use your dental benefits means all that money goes to waste. You paid for it, now use it! Call us to schedule your appointment today! This time of year, appointments fill up fast. Reserve your spot before it’s too late. The longer you wait, the more you’ll risk having to spend time away from the things you love most this holiday season. You can even call us after hours. Leave a message, and we’ll take care of you. Take advantage of your dental benefits today. If you don’t use ‘em, you lose ‘em!
B y scheduling today, you will be ready for holiday parties and the photo opportunities that come with them. If that’s not enough incentive, here are a few of our top reasons to smile: • Peppermint-flavored everything • Dec. 26 holiday sales • Nostalgia! Where did this wonderful year go? • Winter activities for every skill level, from snowman building to extreme skiing • Cozying up with your favorite hot beverage • The three holiday F’s: family, friends, and food • Above-freezing temperatures most days • Generosity! Did you know charitable giving increases by 150% during December? • Your dental benefits haven’t expired yet, but they will soon! Don’t forget your benefits expire on Dec. 31. It will be here before you know it! There are 100 reasons to smile this holiday season.
Call our office as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on your ideal appointment time and run the risk of wasting all your hard-earned dental benefits.
The Sleep of Your Dreams
THE LINK BETWEEN SLEEP APNEA AND REM SLEEP
A key function of deep NREM sleep, which predominates early in the night, is to do the work of weeding out and removing unnecessary neural connections. In contrast, the dreaming stage of REM sleep, which prevails later in the night, plays a roll in strengthening those necessary connections. As you sleep, the amount of time you spend in REM sleep increases. You have most of your dreams during REM sleep. Researchers have linked REM sleep with your ability to effectively process emotions and handle traumatic events. Others suggest that REM sleep can influence your response time during frightening situations. There are even tenuous links between poor REM sleep and chronic brain disorders and conditions, such as depression and dementia. ( Note: No causation link between these conditions and REM sleep has been definitively found, but the possible link is worth noting.)
It’s difficult to nail down what makes REM sleep so powerful because researchers are just scratching the surface of what it offers, but they know one thing for sure: The more REM sleep you get, the better you’ll feel the next day. You could sleep for 15 hours, but if you never reach REM sleep, you will wake up exhausted. For those with sleep apnea, it can be near impossible to reach REM sleep due to the inability to fall into a deep, long sleep. With sleep apnea, your body struggles to get the air it needs, which causes your brain to panic and force your body awake to get the air it needs. This cycle continues throughout the night, and instead of lulling you into a deep sleep, your body hovers in the light sleep stages. Achieve restful sleep with help from Dr. Jelinek. Schedule a consultation by calling 703-584-5996, or visit NorthernVirginiaDental.com to learn more.
Wherever you went in your sleep last night, the time you spent in dreamland may have been the most influential part of your night. In the first half of the night, the vast majority of your 90-minute cycles are consumed by deep non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and very little rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. But as you transition into the second half of the night, the seesaw balance shifts, with most of the time dominated by REM sleep and very little, if any, deep NREM sleep.
Bacon-Wrapped Chestnuts “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” is an iconic image of Christmas, but we’re willing to bet most people reading this have never eaten a chestnut. Change that this year with this awesome paleo-friendly appetizer.
Sudoku
INGREDIENTS
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1/4 cup coconut sugar
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2 8-oz cans water chestnuts
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1 lb sliced bacon, quartered
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Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce), but can substitute with coconut aminos
DIRECTIONS
4. Drain tamari, roll each chestnut in coconut sugar, wrap with bacon, and spear on toothpick. 5. Place chestnuts on prepared rack. Bake for 30–35 minutes. 6. Plate and serve.
1. Heat an oven to 400 F. 2. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment and set aside. 3. Drain liquid from canned water chestnuts, add tamari to cover, and let soak for 15 minutes in the cans.
Solution on Pg. 4
Inspired by “Paleo Happy Hour” by Kelly Milton
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INSIDE
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Dr. Jelinek Reflects on the End of a Decade Lessons Families Can Learn From ‘A Christmas Story’ Setting the Stage toMeet Your New Year Goals Fall Into Powerful REM SleepWith Sleep Apnea Treatment Bacon-Wrapped Chestnuts
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The History Behind Christmas Lights
Why DoWe Hang Christmas Lights? Light Up the Night
The first string of twinkling lights illuminating your neighbor’s house is
them around a Christmas tree in his parlor window. A passing reporter saw the spectacle and declared in the Detroit Post and Tribune, “One can hardly imagine anything prettier.” Johnson continued this tradition, increasing the number of lights each year and eventually putting them up outside. But because electricity was still a new concept, many years passed before the fad took off for regular Americans. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began the tradition of lighting the National Christmas Tree, which spurred the idea of selling stringed lights commercially. By the 1930s, families everywhere were buying boxes of bulbs by the dozen. Today, an estimated 150 million Christmas lights are sold in America each year, decorating 80 million homes and consuming 6% of the nation’s electricity every December. Whether you’ll be putting up your own lights or appreciating the most impressive light displays in your neighborhood or town, let the glow fill you with joy this season. Just don’t leave them up until February!
always a telltale sign of the upcoming seasonal
festivities. Christmas lights are a holiday staple, but have you ever wondered where this beloved tradition started?
The tradition of hanging lights on the tree originally started with candles. Because this posed an
immense fire hazard, Edward Hibberd Johnson, a close friend of Thomas Edison and vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company, vowed to find a better way to decorate Christmas trees with light. In December 1882, three years after Edison’s invention of the lightbulb in November 1879, Johnson hand-wired 80 red, white, and blue lightbulbs together and wound
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