2627 N. Third Street, Ste. 100, Phoenix, AZ 85004 | 14418 W. Meeker Blvd., Bldg B, Ste. 102, Sun City West, AZ 85375
AUGUST 2019
602-277-4327 | www.azhear.com
A Bandleader, a Physician, and Me
My Path to Arizona Hearing Center
I don’t know how complicated those at-home DNA testing kits have become, but they wouldn’t need to be hyperadvanced to predict that I would end up a neurotologist/ otologist. My grandfather was a bandleader, devoting his life to creating sounds for people to enjoy. My father was a physician, devoting his to helping people be healthier and feel better. If you add up those two professions, you get something resembling mine. That’s how genetics work, right? All kidding aside, the real formative experience that set me on my path was watching one of my brothers suffer from hearing loss as a result of treatment for a brain tumor. His hearing loss greatly affected his quality of life. Activities my brother had taken for granted became incredibly challenging. His communication faltered, his athletic performance dipped, and his laughs grew less frequent. I saw firsthand just how much hearing loss can hamper a person’s experience. Obviously, it made an indelible impact on me.
considered deviating from pursuing a career in medicine. I double majored in philosophy and biology, and there was a long period where I mulled over becoming an academic and philosopher. Eventually, though, I remembered how much my father enjoyed his profession. He had the chance to work with people, learn about their lives, and make them feel better in a time of need. I also remembered my brother’s experience. I still believe that philosophers help people live their lives in their own way, but the connection is certainly less direct. After residency and fellowship, my main focus was becoming as good a surgeon as I could possibly be. Once I started to see a transformation in patients, I realized exactly why my dad found his job so rewarding. It is amazing to be able to serve others and improve their lives. The way we hear informs every aspect of the way we are. To be able to improve somebody’s hearing is a gift I never take for granted. Eventually, though, I began to wonder if there was a way I could do more to improve those patients’
lives. One of the characteristics of philosophy majors, for better and worse, is that we ceaselessly question everything. When you read Heidegger, for example, you have to relearn what “to be” means. My form of this questioning was an investigation into the system we use to diagnose and treat hearing loss in this country. Over the years, I couldn’t help but cultivate a theory that we weren’t doing enough — that people suffering from hearing loss were not treated at the right time or taken care of in the right way. Like others who strive to provide excellent care, I’ve sought to create a better approach to meeting the needs of patients with hearing loss. That, more than anything, is the goal of Arizona Hearing Center. I’m still learning, and the journey shows no signs of slowing down. Throughout it all, what matters is making sure everyone who can benefit from treatment receives it. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of energy for accomplishing this mission. It’s in my blood, after all, and I take it personally.
My years as an undergraduate were the only ones when I seriously
"His hearing loss greatly affected his quality of life. Activities my brother had taken for granted became incredibly challenging. His communication faltered, his athletic performance dipped, and his laughs grew less frequent."
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On May 15, 2019, more than 1 million students around the world skipped school to call attention to climate change. The effort included over 2,000 protests aimed at legislators in 25 countries, which is no small feat for a bunch of middle and high school students. For businesses, movements like these should be red flags because today’s students are tomorrow’s consumers and employees. Luckily, there are plenty of simple moves you can make to lower your business’s environmental impact. Just be sure to avoid “greenwashing” — a term for marketing initiatives that make companies look environmentally friendly, even when they’re making no effort. Here are some tips to better our planet and help your business attract today’s climate- conscious youth. GO PAPERLESS According to the EPA, the average office worker uses 10,000 pieces of paper per year. Multiply that by everyone in your company, and you have a whole forest in your building waiting to be saved. With advances in technology that provide replacements for products like punch cards and spreadsheets, why not ditch internal paper altogether? INVEST IN A DISHWASHER After China announced in 2018 that it would no longer accept the majority of U.S. plastics for recycling, single-use plastics like cling wrap, water cooler cups, and plasticware became impossible to recycle in most cities. As a result, more than 6 million tons of those plastics end up in local landfills and the oceans each year. Buying a dishwasher for the office kitchen and providing reusable silverware, cups, and plates will cut down on that waste. OFFER ALTERNATIVES TO THE TRASH CAN If your city provides recycling and composting services, this step can be as simple as making sure the bins in your office are visible and educating your employees on what should be tossed where. Barring a local compost program, you can start your own company compost pile for things like coffee grounds, lawn clippings, and lunch leftovers. If you don’t know what can be composted or recycled or are unsure if you are allowed to create your own compost pile, city officials and the internet are there to help. 3 Sustainable Moves Your Business Can Make Today GOING GREEN
WHAT INTERNS CAN OFFER These Young Minds Will Help Your Business Thrive Often utilized as file organizers, envelope lickers, and coffee fetchers, college interns are usually at the lowliest rung on the corporate ladder. But as some of the world’s most successful companies have proven, these young team members can be incredibly valuable to your business. If you haven’t considered offering internship positions before, the following benefits might just convince you. PROACTIVE RECRUITING In today’s competitive job market, recruiting a recent college graduate with relevant experience feels like finding a unicorn. But a coveted hire doesn’t have to be one in a million. An effective internship program can give you the opportunity to bring college interns on to your staff who could potentially become full-time employees. And luckily, unlike regular hires, you aren’t making a long- term, expensive commitment to your interns. During their internships, you can test whether or not they will be a great fit for your company before offering them a permanent position. And if an intern impresses you enough to hire them on after graduation, you can rest assured knowing they will already be familiar with their job by then. FRESH PERSPECTIVES There’s a reason top companies like Facebook and Chevron invest heavily in their internship programs. By bringing in young, innovative minds, you open up your business to fresh, unique solutions. Interns have spearheaded effective social media campaigns, modernized standard operating procedures, and even designed apps to help their businesses run smoother. In a world where remaining relevant is key to growth, businesses can’t afford to be out of touch with the next generation of consumers. So, while interns will likely do much of the grunt work at your business, don’t be afraid to hand them more responsibilities. Bring them into strategy meetings, ask for their thoughts, and treat them as valued parts of the team. Do this and you’ll be in step with some of the biggest players in the business world.
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Beyond the Break
Physical Therapy Helps With Stroke Recovery, Parkinson’s, and More
HAVE A Laugh Parkinson’s disease afflicts the central nervous system and makes movement difficult, and its symptoms can also be mitigated by physical therapy. Denise Padilla-Davidson, a Johns Hopkins physical therapist who treats people with Parkinson’s, recommends PT to her patients for improving their balance, strength, and flexibility. Specifically, bike or elliptical exercises can help those with Parkinson’s remaster In TV dramas, physical therapists often urge the hero back into action. Usually, their patient has suffered some dramatic injury, like breaking every bone in the right side of their body or losing a leg to a rampaging horse. And while many physical therapists do specialize in helping athletes recover from injuries, applications for the practice go well beyond that stereotype. People battling the aftereffects of a stroke or suffering from long-term ailments like Parkinson’s disease can also benefit from regular physical therapy sessions. In fact, the National Stroke Association lists a physical therapist as a vital member of any stroke recovery team, placing them alongside experts like dietitians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and speech-language pathologists. In those cases, physical therapists are on hand to help stroke survivors with movement and balance issues and to recommend exercises that rebuild strong muscles for walking, standing, and other everyday activities.
reciprocal patterns (movements from side to side or left to right). There’s also a form of therapy called LSVT BIG, which involves performing exaggerated physical movements, and it can help those with the disease stave off hypokinesia, which is the decrease of movement that becomes more severe as Parkinson’s progresses. Similar physical therapy programs can be adapted for those with other chronic diseases, like multiple sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease, by slowing the disease’s progress and making the people who have them more capable and comfortable. Of course, treatments vary on a case-to-case basis, so be sure to consult your doctor before starting PT.
PUZZLE
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602-277-4327 | www.azhear.com 2627 N. Third Street, Ste. 100 Phoenix, AZ 85004
2627 N. Third Street, Ste. 100 Phoenix, AZ 85004
14418 W. Meeker Blvd., Bldg B, Ste. 102 Sun City West, AZ 85375
Inside This Edition
1.
A Very Personal Profession
2.
Greening Up Your Business
What Interns Offer
3.
Physical Therapy Is for More Than Injuries
Have a Laugh
4.
The Ingredients for Holistic Health
Perfect Pairing We seek balance through many methods, like morning yoga poses and guided meditations before bed. But another important part of a balanced, holistic lifestyle is diet. When your body is missing nutrients, you suffer from all kinds of physical and mental ailments. Based on a holistic nutrition perspective, here are some foods you can pair together to promote better body balance from the inside out.
Ingredients for Better Body Balance
interesting by creating new combinations with avocado, zesty sauces, cilantro, and radishes. Peas and quinoa is another pairing that completes the essential amino acid profile, and the two work well together in a salad or scramble.
Cherries and Spirulina You may not always think about your blood health, but
you should because your blood distributes crucial nutrients throughout your body and floods toxins out. Iron, folic acid, vitamin B-12, and protein are the building blocks for better blood. You can find these nutrients in dark red foods, such as cherries, raspberries, beets, and kidney beans, and in dark green foods, like spinach, spirulina, and wheatgrass. Holistic nutritionist Sarah Britton, author of “My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes,” suggests starting the day with a refreshing smoothie made with some of these foods. These ingredient combinations bring out the best in each other, so your body can function at its best. Pair them together and enjoy!
Citrus Fruits and Dark, Leafy Greens The vitamin C in citrus fruits helps your body absorb the iron in kale, spinach, and other leafy greens. Unlike the iron found in animal proteins, the iron in leafy vegetables isn’t as easy to absorb. Get the most out of those greens by tossing your spinach salad with a lemon vinaigrette or brush some lemon or orange juice onto your grilled kale.
Beans and Rice This simple staple meal for many Latin
American families is prevalent for a reason. Together, beans and rice make a nutritious and protein-packed meal to fuel your body. Keep this dish
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