Check out our November newsletter!
TexanENT.com
512.550.0321
NOVEMBER 2018
Satellite Offices:
601A Leah Avenue San Marcos, TX 78666 Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
1009 W San Antonio Street Lockhart, TX 78644 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month
‘EAR, NEWS, AND THROAT’
The Best ThanksgivingMemories MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY
I s there any kid who would say that Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday? With no costumes, presents, or fireworks, I know I didn’t think Thanksgiving was all that exciting. As an adult, my priorities are different. Now I love any occasion when I get to spend time with my family and have permission to overeat great food. Today, Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday, and I really cherish those Thanksgiving memories frommy childhood. My dad’s parents lived in the city where I grew up in Virginia, so our Thanksgivings were spent at their house. My grandparents’ table was always full of the Thanksgiving staples, though the turkey took a back seat to the ham. I’ve never been a huge fan of ham, but my grandfather’s country ham was something else. Granddad used only Smithfield hams — a Virginia delicacy — and would spend two days before Thanksgiving getting it ready. I don’t know how he made it, but the end result was a cross between ham and bacon with a rich salt flavor that had me coming back for seconds. Granddad passed away a long time ago, and though my uncle has made his recipe a few times since, I haven’t had real country ham in at least 20 years. When you’re a kid, it’s hard to imagine howmuch things will change. Back when I was eating bland turkey and great ham at my grandparents’ house, I never would have thought one day I’d celebrate my Thanksgivings in Texas with my wife and our beautiful daughter. Renee’s family lives here, and they “Back when I was eating bland turkey and great ham at my grandparents’ house, I never would have thought one day I’d celebrate my Thanksgivings in Texas with my wife and our beautiful daughter.”
all come over to our house for Thanksgiving dinner. My parents like to come down to our house too, because the weather in November is much nicer here in Texas than it is in Virginia. Even if we did have frozen winters, I think my parents would still come down in order to spend more time with their granddaughter.
This will be Audrey’s first Thanksgiving, and it’s exciting to think about how she will remember this holiday. She’ll certainly have memories of a much better turkey! A few years ago, Renee took a cooking class and learned how to roast the perfect Thanksgiving turkey. It’s a highlight that might even outshine country ham. I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. The first year with my daughter has been so crazy and awesome; I love
Renee’s famous turkey!
Audrey with all my heart. I’m thankful the family is in good health and able to come together for Thanksgiving in this beautiful city I get to call home. And I am also thankful for all the great people I work with. The patients I get to see day in and day out are the best, and they make all the hard work worth it.
I wish a happy Thanksgiving to you all. I hope you are able to spend the day with people you love while eating good food and making memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime. –Dr. Seth Evans
PAGE 2
512.550.0321
TexanENT.com
BALANCE IN THE BELLY
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
Throughout November, everyone is eagerly looking forward to Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, but you shouldn’t let the rest of the month slip past you! Enjoy these other fall activities with the whole family. Homemade Caramel Apples Homemade treats are no doubt far better than their store-bought counterparts. Try your hand at making your own caramel apples for the whole family to enjoy. You can also add a number of toppings to liven things up, such as nuts, white or milk chocolate, coconut, sprinkles, or pecans. Backyard Bonfire During these cold months, you may be tempted to stay indoors, but heading outside for a bonfire is a great way to spend time with your family while enjoying the brisk weather. If you have a fire pit in your backyard, now is the perfect time to take advantage of it by bundling up with some hot chocolate and s’mores. Autumn Arrangements It’s time to get crafty! Creating your own fall arrangements will ensure that your home has the seasonal decorations you want. Making beautiful fall flower arrangements for your kitchen table or wreaths for your front door to greet guests will create the desired autumn vibe you’ve been searching for. Movie Night Gather your loved ones in the living roomwith popcorn, blankets, and a great film. Make the most of your autumn evenings by cozying up and spending quality time with each other while watching some family holiday favorites, like “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” or the Thanksgiving comedy-drama “Pieces of April.” Home-Cooked Food When autumn rolls around, pie and warm cider may be high on your list of tasty treats you’re eagerly anticipating. This fall, encourage your family to take part in making annual goodies and sharing themwith your neighbors. Nothing warms the heart more than receiving a loaf of freshly baked pumpkin bread during these increasingly cold days. Knitted Scarves If you’re handy with knitting needles, now is the season to put them to work. Hand-knitted scarves are great gifts to give throughout the fall and winter, and you can also make it a family activity! Take some time to teach your kids how to knit and crochet to create scarves of their very own.
WHY GOOD GUT BACTERIA DIE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT Probiotics play a critical role in your digestive system. These good gut bacteria help your body digest food more efficiently and protect your overall health. However, these microorganisms are susceptible to many negative influences that can cause them to die. More often than not, probiotics die off due to a disruption in the balance of your digestive tract. One of the harmful things to your gut bacteria is antibiotics, which is self-explanatory when you think about it. Antibiotics attack all forms of bacteria in your body, good or bad. In some cases, people who take too many antibiotics or take them for longer than prescribed experience significant damage to their intestinal flora, leading to digestive issues. Another big threat to probiotics is medication in general. When you start or stop a medication, probiotics in your system can be adversely affected. Taking new supplements or changing your dosage can have the same effect. A major change to your diet can also harm your gut flora. If you introduce new foods or alter your diet significantly, it can shock your system with the sudden change, resulting in a die-off. In this case, even an insignificant die-off can cause you to feel under the weather. For most people, simple and small changes to medications or diets will not have much effect on existing gut flora. After all, the average person has roughly three pounds of gut bacteria in their system at any given time — that’s about 100 trillion microorganisms working for your body! But when they do die off, all they need is time to repopulate and restore balance to your digestive system. You can help speed up this process by consuming probiotics like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha.
TexanENT.com
512.550.0321
PAGE 3
GOTWAX IN YOUR EARS?
Don’t Use a Cotton Swab
and infections. It’s a naturally occurring protective barrier for your ear. Too much earwax can cause problems, but a medical professional will help you judge the best and safest way to remove excess wax. The Opposite Effect It might be satisfying to see the amount of wax you can pull out of your ears, but you may not actually be doing anything. When you stick an object into your ear canal, what you’re really doing is pushing the wax farther back. So, while the cotton swab may show some yellow on the end, you’re just pushing the majority of the wax away. This buildup can gather near your eardrum, creating a literal wall between you and the sounds of the world. Essentially, this limits your hearing and prevents the wax from doing its job. If extra wax is causing you problems — or if you’ve gone too far with the swab — schedule an appointment with Texan ENT by calling 512.550.0321.
Cotton swabs can come in handy around the house. With their help, you can clean tile lines, remove nail polish, or delicately clean out a wound or piercing. But cotton swabs should not be used for another common chore: cleaning out your ears. Take a gander at the harm a swab can do, and reconsider sticking one in your ear. Hearing Loss and Severe Pain Rupturing your eardrum is a well-known side effect of sticking a cotton swab in your ear, but do you really understand what happens when it breaks? You could experience constant pain and ringing, and there’s a possibility your ear will begin leaking — yuck. Injuring your eardrum can result in permanent hearing loss and may have to be treated with antibiotics, a patch, or even surgery. Is a cotton swab worth those medical bills? Wax Is Good A healthy amount of earwax can actually be beneficial for your ear. The wax protects it from dangerous invasions and can prevent diseases
LAUGH! HAVE A
Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters These crispy, savory fritters are the perfect main course option for a vegan Thanksgiving. You could also use them as patties for a fall-flavored veggie burger.
Ingredients
Inspired by Healthy.Happy.Life
• • • •
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• • • • •
1 can chickpeas, drained
1–2 teaspoons flour, for binding (optional) 1 cup panko bread crumbs, for coating 1/4–1/2 cup safflower or canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup organic pumpkin purée
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic granules
Directions
Pat into flat cakes and carefully drop into hot oil. 5. Fry fritters, flipping once, until golden and toasty, about 2 minutes per side. 6. Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel to dry and cool. Serve 5 minutes after cooking.
1. In a large mixing bowl, mash together chickpeas and pumpkin purée until the majority of peas are mixed with purée. 2. Add sunflower seeds, apple cider vinegar, spices, and flour to mixture. Fold until fully integrated. 3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high. 4. Form mixture into golf-ball-sized spheres and roll to coat in panko breadcrumbs.
PAGE 4
512.550.0321
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1180 SETON PARKWAY, SUITE 330 KYLE, TX 78640
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Page 1 How Things Change
Page 2 Caramel Apples, Knitting, and Bonfires
Page 2 Achieve Balance in Your Belly
Page 3 The Dangers of Cotton Swabs
Page 3 Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters
Page 4 Word From the Westies
A CANINE THANKSGIVING Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Healthy Human Food for Your Pets
Dangerous Treats
Mmmmmm— oh, sorry! Izzy and I were distracted by all these wonderful smells in our home! This month, our humans will gather with family and friends for a large feast, and our temptation to snag a treat will be overwhelming. As the good dogs we are, Izzy and I wouldn’t dare steal from our family. But if they want to share with us, hopefully they know these dos and don’ts for feeding pets human food. Some human foods are great for our nutrition! Turkey can be a “paw-some” and yummy source of protein for our growing bodies as long as our owners make sure the meat is bone-, skin-, and seasoning-free. Humans can also mix some raw pumpkin or unseasoned sweet or mashed potatoes into our kibble for a Thanksgiving treat. A spoonful of cranberry sauce is another hearty and healthy addition to our meals. Many mild vegetables and fruits are great sources of nutrients for us. Plus, they are like doggie candy! Be sure you know your doggo’s limits before feeding them human treats. As tiny Westies, we can’t handle as much as our greyhound friends. But we can certainly take more than our Chihuahua pals. Treats We Love
Despite how good everything smells, there are some foods we can’t digest. Don’t give us any side salads, as most contain ingredients we should avoid (such as grapes, raisins, garlic, and onions). We also can’t have any desserts. Chocolate and sugars — especially artificial sweeteners — can actually be poisonous to us.
No matter howmuch we beg, be sure you’re only giving us food that’s good for us. Izzy and I recommend visiting the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ website for more information on pet dos and don’ts this holiday season.
Now, we’ll get back to the smells. Happy Thanksgiving!
Izzy & Emma
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online