Masterpiece Smiles - December/January 2020

DEC/JAN 2020

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Renaissance READER

Traditions, Connections, and a Few Indulgences IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

The end of the year is always a whirlwind of meaningful celebration and reflection for us all. It’s a time to look back on how far we’ve come, appreciate everything we currently have, and look forward to a bright new year.

Dr. Jan and the bird dog trainer before hunting season opened

To that end, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say this time of year holds a special place in my heart for an additional reason. We’re officially in the midst of quail- and pheasant-hunting season! The weekend kicked off in mid-November and runs through the end of January. You can bet we were out there on opening weekend, and we’ll spend every spare weekend we have doing one of the things we love most. Hunting season always signifies a meaningful time because of the moments it affords us to spend with close friends. On opening weekend, we were joined by dear friends of ours at our cabin just outside Wichita. Hunting always brings about such a great sense of camaraderie. It’s a wonderful chance to connect with friends, feel the invigorating spirit of being in nature, and indulge in a warm meal of tender quail at the end of a long day. If that’s not something I can be thankful for, then I’ll be the first to say I have a lot more reflecting to do. As we head into another new year and a brand-new decade, I really am thankful to be able to take a step back and look with gratitude on the life I lead. I have a wonderful family, a meaningful career, and passionate friendships that all contribute to a fulfilling life. I’m excited to discover what 2020 has in store.

Masterpiece Smiles had its annual open house in early December, and it’s something we look forward to every single year. It’s a chance to spend time with our patients without having to write it into the calendar, meaning it’s a genuine moment to open our practice and our hearts to those who allow us to contribute to this wonderful community. We saw a lot of familiar faces, heard some favorite stories, and learned so many new things. We broke bread and cheered glasses with the people who have helped us get where we are today, and we couldn’t have been more thankful for that opportunity. I’m also thankful that the good tidings will continue through Christmas, when Susie and I will head out to San Francisco to spend the holiday with our daughter and grandson. It’s not every year that we get the privilege of traveling to see them, so we’re really looking forward to sharing this season with both of them. It truly is a treat to spend time with family and reflect on the year we’ve all had, witnessing how much my grandson seems to grow every time we see him. Time marches on for all of us, and we can either sit still and hold on tight or enjoy the ride and indulge in the passage of time by living life to the fullest.

Dr. Jan taking a break with hunting buddy, Ken

From all of us here at Masterpiece Smiles, we wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year!

–Dr. Jan L. Cobble

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MEDICAL MIRACLE OR HEALTH HOAX?

3 Red Flags to Watch Out For

CURE-ALLS CURE NOTHING A “cure-all” is any product, treatment, or diet that claims to cure a bunch of unrelated medical problems. Cure-alls have been a problem for centuries, claiming to help with weight loss, migraines, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and even baldness! This isn’t how medicine or the human body works. One change cannot magically fix many different, sometimes unrelated, problems. A good way to determine if something is a cure-all is to check if it claims to help treat, prevent, or cure cancer. That’s a big red flag you want to avoid.

don’t need to spend extra money to keep your insides clean. A healthy diet is enough.

The new year is a great time to make your health a priority again, and there are a bunch of workouts and diet plans to choose from. Too many, some might say. It can be difficult to determine exactly which health plan will help you reach your goals, but there are some pretty obvious red flags that you’ll want to avoid. BEWARE THE DREADED ‘DETOX’ Plenty of diets, supplements, and products claim to “purify” your body by removing unspecified “toxins.” These “detoxes” conveniently forget that your kidneys and liver are already removing substances your body doesn’t need! The human body has been capable of cleansing itself for thousands of years. It doesn’t need a special smoothie or footpads to get the job done. Most detox products are nothing but snake oil, and some of them can leave you feeling worse than you did before you started using them. Unless you have been diagnosed with a disease that would impair your liver or kidneys, you

CELLULITE ISN’T REAL In 1968, Vogue magazine introduced

American women to the word “cellulite,” warning them of a terrible “diagnosed” condition women suffered from. They encouraged the use of a special rolling pin to banish the little lumps of fat on women’s thighs and buttocks. Since then, cellulite has been used as shorthand to mean “bad body fat you need to remove.” But cellulite is not an indication of poor health. Furthermore, there’s no cure for cellulite because it’s not a disease. It would be like using a special lotion that claims it can remove the wrinkled skin on your knuckles! Most people, especially women, have cellulite. It’s perfectly natural! If you want to get in shape this year, avoid diets or products that claim to melt cellulite. This is a clear indication these treatments aren’t based on real medical science.

Dr. Jan and Dion trading stories

Dion and Donna at their granddaughter’s wedding

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Dr. Jan and Marcy celebrating Marcy bringing OsteoStrong to Tulsa

Dr. Jan and Sheron discussing her new business venture, Dragonfly Design

Is Stronger Than Ever In a previous newsletter, we detailed the opening and rise of OsteoStrong right here in Tulsa. It’s been such a successful program for so many members of our community that we want to continue to bring awareness to it in any way we can. Nearly 54 million Americans above the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis and low bone mass. It keeps them from being active and hurts their quality of life. There are pharmaceutical routes to take in counteraction, but these have varied results, unpredictable side effects, and just don’t provide a sense of measurable progress. So when Marcy Smith first opened OsteoStrong Tulsa in April 2019, she made it her mission to restore quality of life to her patients by different means. “OsteoStrong is a facility that uses a circuit of four robotic musculoskeletal development machines to load the skeletal system and trigger bone growth naturally. It’s a once-weekly, 15-minute session specifically designed to strengthen the skeletal system,” Marcy says. The facility’s one-on-one training has a one-track goal but not a one-size-fits- all approach. The outcome is always to deliver stronger bones but through technology that can be implemented on a patient-by-patient basis. They’ve already accumulated over 200 patients in under one year and are only expecting that number to grow. Many patients in the Masterpiece Smiles office have visited OsteoStrong, and the consensus is inspiring: It’s a facility that helps them to once again start thinking about the life they can lead, rather than continuing to think about the life they can’t lead. People are stronger, healthier, and more confident for having taken part in the services OsteoStrong provides, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to continue showing our support for it. Learn more by attending an “Osteogenic Loading” presentation at the OsteoStrong facility. Reserve your seat by calling 918-528-3828 or by sending an email to TulsaMidtown@OsteoStrong.me. We promise you’ll be glad you did. OSTEOSTRONG

POTATO LATKES

INGREDIENTS

• • • •

2 tsp kosher salt

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed

1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp black pepper

1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters

Safflower or vegetable oil, for frying

• •

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Using either a food processor with a coarse grating disc or the coarse side of a box grater, grate potatoes and onion. (If using a food processor, halve or quarter potatoes.) Once grated, wrap in a clean dish towel or cheesecloth to wring out as much moisture as possible. 2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix in eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper. 3. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan containing 1/4-inch of oil over medium- high heat. Use a heaping tablespoon to drop batter into the hot pan, working in batches. Use a spatula or spoon to form them into discs. Fry about 5 minutes per side, until deeply browned. 4. Transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack to drain, and serve alongside applesauce and sour cream.

Inspired by The New York Times

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3920 E. 91ST ST. TULSA, OK 74137

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 | Our Favorite Time of Year

2 | These Health Hoaxes Will Sink Your Resolution

3 | OsteoStrong Tulsa Is on the Rise

3 | Potato Latkes

4 | Real Winter Wonderlands

Chill Out in These Frosty Destinations ESCAPE TO A WINTER WONDERLAND

northeastern Italy, this stunning mountain range is home to some of the best skiing in Europe, as well as many historical sites. The secluded villages that dot the mountain valleys are an attraction in their own right, especially for the rustic cuisine you’ll find there. Don’t expect pasta though. This region is a melting pot of flavors from Austria, northern Italy, and the local Ladin people. Ricotta and sauerkraut pancakes, anyone? THE ANTARCTIC This is the one entry on this list that is best enjoyed during the summer months, which is December–February in the Southern Hemisphere, because that’s when the freezing temperatures of the southernmost continent are at their most hospitable. The Antarctic has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, with cruises taking adventure seekers through the vast, untouched beauty of this far-flung destination. Some tourists even enjoy kayaking or cross- country skiing through this icy paradise.

No. 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it a popular attraction for domestic and international tourism. The crowds and school tours die down during the winter, however, which also happens to be when Bulguksa is at its most pristine. The iced- over lotus ponds and snow-dusted pagodas add to the sense of tranquility this site naturally exudes. THE DOLOMITES, SOUTH TYROL, ITALY If you want the feel of a ski trip to the Alps without the packed slopes and ritzy resorts, the Dolomites are just for you. Located in

Snow is magical and gorgeous — unless you have to commute in it. If you want to enjoy all the wonder that winter has to offer without the hassle, why not turn it into a vacation? Here are a few breathtaking, snow-covered destinations that any winter lover can enjoy. BULGUKSA TEMPLE, SOUTH KOREA Above the city of Gyeongju, this ancient Buddhist temple has stood on the slopes of Tohamsan Mountain since the eighth century. Bulguksa, or “Temple of the Buddha Land,” is South Korea’s

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