Take a look at the latest edition of The Monthly Renewal!
The
Monthly
Renewal
3700 Joseph Siewick Dr., Suite 400 • Fairfax, VA 22033 (703) 620-4300 • www.eyeplasticmd.com
JANUARY 2021
We Can Make It Through This KEEP HANGING IN THERE
Two summers ago, my wife, daughter, son, and I took a family vacation to Switzerland. We had an amazing time, and it’s definitely the type of vacation we want to have again. Unfortunately, we couldn’t travel this past year due to the pandemic. I know many people had to cancel their travel plans in 2020, but even though last year might not have turned out the way we planned, activity and fun is on the horizon. We just need to hold out a little longer. For a couple of months now, I’ve had a number of conversations with my patients about the necessity of being exceptionally careful in the homestretch of this COVID-19 pandemic. At the time I’m writing this article, cases are on the rise, and while that might be discouraging, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The positive news is that we have two, and possibly three, vaccines that will be rolled out over the next 6–9 months. While it may be another 9–12 months away, the end of the pandemic is in sight. Currently, there is a reported 95% success rate for the two currently approved COVID-19 vaccines. This means that if, for example, 20 people were to get a vaccine, only one person would not create the antibodies needed to avoid getting sick. Even so, this is great news for everyone! When 70%–80% of people locally and around the globe have been vaccinated and have had a chance to develop these antibodies and vaccine-induced immunologic defenses, it creates herd immunity for the entire world. Therefore, someone who does not develop these vaccine-induced antibodies/defenses will be exposed to fewer infected individuals, and if they do get sick, fewer people will be at risk (to get infected due to their illnesses), and the hospitals will have more staff available to devote to curing them. As we enter into this new year, I want to encourage everyone to tighten their resolve and efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I know many of these efforts have become exhausting. All the standard steps we’ve taken up until now — mask wearing, hand washing, social distancing — are tedious, and it’s easy to drop our guard. The holidays were particularly challenging, but it is so important that we continue taking these safety steps. It is better to do a Zoom or FaceTime call than put our loved ones at risk. Once the population in the United States has been broadly vaccinated, we can again enjoy the blessed company of our loved ones.
I am reminded of World War II when Americans saw a similar loss of life over the course of four years — with great personal hardship across the country. Now is the time for us to redouble our efforts to adhere to preventive measures and make sure we keep each other as healthy as possible until we,
as a country and as a united world, can be protected. If all of us do our very best, we can get back to our regular lives and enjoy life to the fullest. We can pick up our plans to travel with our family and friends — if we keep up our efforts for the next 9–12 months. It might be hard, but I know we can do it. Let’s go full-out in this last stretch, toward that bright horizon.
—Dr. Kevin Scott
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Is Deep Focus the Secret to Success? HOW TO FIND YOUR FLOW IN 2021
Have you ever started working on an important project and looked up at the clock after what felt like minutes only to find that hours had passed? If you have, you’ve probably experienced “flow state,” aka the Holy Grail of concentration and achievement. WHAT IS A FLOW STATE? Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes a flow state as a “focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback.” That sounds complex, but you can also think of flow as being “in the zone.” And it might be the key to achieving your New Year’s goals. That’s because a flow state almost always coincides with tackling a difficult task, and when you’re in a flow state, even the most challenging things feel relatively easy. WHYARE HIGH ACHIEVERS OBSESSED WITH FLOW? Flow state doesn’t only happen for people with desk jobs. You can get it while running, playing chess, dancing, or climbing a mountain, and it’s considered the Holy Grail because it has a host of benefits. According to the meditation app Headspace, those perks include heightened focus (goodbye,
distractions!), a sense of clarity, feelings of happiness and pleasure, and the impression that all obstacles ahead of you have disappeared. That makes accomplishing your goals feel like less of a struggle. It’s no wonder high- achieving hobbyists, workers, and creatives crave the feeling! HOW CAN YOU GET IN A FLOW? Usually, a flow state isn’t planned — it just happens. In a BBC article, author Steven Kotler describes flow as “a happy accident.” But he also notes that we can make ourselves “more accident-prone.” To set yourself up for a flow state, find a quiet place to work and choose an activity that’s difficult but meaningful for you. Ideally, it should be something you’ve already put work into perfecting. If you’ve never tried painting before, you probably won’t find flow on your first attempt, but an experienced painter could achieve it while mastering a new technique. Some people claim that being in a flow state is a form of meditation and that learning how to meditate can help you reach it. To that end, apps like Headspace and Evenflow (for iPhones only) are great places to start! Before you know it, you’ll be finding the flow like a pro.
MEET YOUR TEAM!
Dawn, a Key Component of Eye Plastic Associates
After four years with Eye Plastic Associates, Dawn, our office manager and surgical coordinator, has had countless interactions with patients and knows how important it is to ensure that our patients feel comfortable understanding every step of their surgery and recovery. Her goal is to ensure her surgical patients have all of their questions and concerns addressed, and she makes herself available to them before and after their procedures. Dawn first entered the medical field 23 years ago, but it would be nearly 19 years before she found her way to Eye Plastic Associates. It was her passion for patient care that brought her to this practice. She states, “Our team works as one unit and sees itself as a close-knit family. I enjoy working with everyone so much. It’s rare to find a team that is so caring with our patients and each other. This team is really one of a kind, and it makes me so happy to work with such wonderful individuals.” As surgical coordinator, Dawn walks patients through the entire process of their surgeries. This has actually become one of her favorite aspects of the job. “When a patient comes into our medical office to discuss their procedure, they’re always a little bit nervous, understandably, because it’s surgery around their eyes,” Dawn says. “But when I talk them through the process, I see those nerves ease up. I put myself in their shoes and know
how anxious I would feel. It always makes me smile when they come in for their post-operative care and, remembering my name, they say, ‘Hi, Dawn. Thanks so much for all the information; it made a difference.’”
Knowing Dr. Scott’s experience, and how much he and our staff care, made it an easy decision when her mother needed oculoplastic surgery. She knew she could entrust her to Dr. Scott. Dawn continues, “Dr. Scott working with my mom was such a great experience. I was with her through the whole process. Afterward, when I saw how excited she
was with the end result, it made me so happy. It’s the same feeling I get when I see our patients with the same expression. What we do here is really life-changing for people.”
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Eyelid Plastic Surgery: Are You a Good Candidate? HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
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Individuals with a positive outlook about the surgery and realistic expectations
Any person who is considering eyelid plastic surgery should speak to an oculoplastic surgeon about whether or not they are a good candidate for eyelid rejuvenation surgery. An oculoplastic surgeon is first trained, then board certified in ophthalmology, and then has gone on to do extended fellowship training specifically in eyelid plastic surgery. During an oculoplastic consultation, time is set aside to go over an individual’s specific concerns and review the various surgical and nonsurgical options. Before making that final decision, you should feel well informed and have plenty of time to research that decision on your own. Lastly, if you’re not certain of the surgeon’s recommendations, you should not hesitate to get a second opinion. If you’d like to book a consultation or a second opinion to discuss whether you’re a good candidate for oculoplastic surgery, call our office. Dr. Scott and the rest of our team here at Eye Plastic Associates will be happy to answer any questions you might have regarding our procedures.
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Generally healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions that impair healing, like excessive ocular dryness or a history of poor healing with hypertrophic scarring or keloid formation Individuals who have excess skin, muscle or fat on the upper or lower eyelids, drooping of the lower eyelids, or bags under the eyes
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If your eyes make you look older or tired, you may have considered eyelid plastic (oculoplastic) surgery. But, are you a good candidate for this type of surgery? At our medical office, new patients come in daily for consultations because they don’t like the appearance of their eyes. Many of them are good to excellent candidates for eyelid rejuvenation surgery, especially if they meet certain criteria. The following is a list of characteristics that make someone a good candidate for eyelid plastic surgery:
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Nonsmokers (heal much faster)
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Persons who thoroughly review the preoperative documents/consents and commit to carefully following the postoperative instructions
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People who understand that some asymmetries will persist postoperatively
Easy One-Pot Lentil Soup
Inspiration “If you have the character to hang in there when it’s tough, you will develop or acquire every
Inspired by MinimalistBaker.com
INGREDIENTS
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2 tbsp coconut oil
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3 cups red potatoes, cubed 4 cups vegetable broth 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme, chopped 1 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, diced
4 large carrots, sliced thin 4 stalks celery, sliced thin
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Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
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2 cups chopped kale
other characteristic necessary to WIN in the game of life.” –Zig Ziglar
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and sauté garlic, shallots, carrots, and celery for 4–5 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. 2. Add potatoes to pot, along with more salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes. 3. Add vegetable broth and herbs, then bring soup to a simmer. 4. Add lentils, stirring until soup returns to a simmer. Then, turn the heat to low and cook soup uncovered for 15–20 minutes. 5. Finally, add kale and additional salt and pepper as needed. Cook for 3–4 minutes, thin soup with additional vegetable broth as needed, and serve!
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
3700 Joseph Siewick Dr., Suite 400 • Fairfax, VA 22033 (703) 620-4300 • www.eyeplasticmd.com
Inside This Issue
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We Can Make It Through This
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How to Find Your Flow in 2021
Meet Our Team!
Eyelid Plastic Surgery: Are You a Good Candidate?
Easy One-Pot Lentil Soup
How Habit Tracking and Daily Resolutions Could Transform Your Life
HOW HABIT TRACKING AND DAILY RESOLUTIONS COULD TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
Yearly resolutions are so last year … if they’re your only resolutions, that is.
on yourself if you miss a day, but know that sticking to a new habit is serious work, so starting small might help you out.
Having long-term goals isn’t a bad thing, but do you have a daily plan to reach them? The huge boost of motivation in January isn’t always enough to sustain you all year long. That’s why there are major benefits to starting new healthy habits, whether you increase your weekly exercise time, eat healthier foods, or work on getting better or more sleep.
Another important aspect of forming new daily habits is
Luckily, sticking with these habits might be as easy as making daily resolutions to complement your yearly goals.
rewarding yourself. Bad habits, like smoking, have an inherent reward. However, healthy habits can have rewards too! Try consuming a bit of dark chocolate after a workout or treating yourself to a fresh beverage or relaxing to a podcast after tackling an important task. Find ways to reward yourself, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your new habit. Certain daily resolutions don’t have to be related to exercise or diet to majorly improve your life. For example, having a gratitude journal might boost your long-term happiness by 10% and improve your blood pressure. Don’t hesitate to improve your quality of life! Just start small, and you’ll be amazed by how far you’ll go.
BJ Fogg, a Stanford University professor and author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything,” notes that tiny habits can make a new habit easy to implement into your daily ritual. For example, taking a short daily walk could lead to an exercise habit, or keeping an apple in your bag every day could encourage healthier snacking. It’s important that you stick with it because habits take a long time to create. One study published by the European Journal of Social Psychology asked people about a simple habit they wanted to form, like drinking water at lunch or taking a walk before dinner. They found that the average amount of time it took before the action became automatic was 66 days! Don’t be too hard
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