The name of an organization or business can say a lot about its outlook and its intent. That is the case with A New Start Counseling Center, Inc., whose wide array of services is geared to meet needs and help transform life’s trials and into life’s triumphs.

By Greg Moffatt
Special to The Citizen

Independence Day is just a few days away. In the difficult times we live in right now, it is easy to be discouraged. Our retirement accounts are looking meager with the trouble in the stock market, the national debt is out of control, housing values are down, and there are troubles overseas with our allies and enemies alike. No matter what one’s political orientation, there are things to be discouraged about - conservatives are unhappy with the current administration and liberals are discouraged with the huge challenges they believe they inherited from the previous administration.

By Dr. Marilyn Durden
Special to The Citizen

The patients and staff at Durden Chiropractic Clinic (DCC) are so glad to be settled into our clinic. It has been a productive year since we made Grove Park Commons our home in June 2008.

You don’t need to wait until a doctor’s visit to keep tabs on your blood pressure. Home monitoring is important, particularly if your doctor has suggested you check your blood pressure regularly.

By Dr. Andrew Waits
Special to The Citizen

We’ve all heard the saying “use it or lose it.” It applies to hearing as well as your mind and other parts of your body.

By John L Henahan,
OD, FAAO

Just as we take extra care to protect our skin from the intense sun of summer, we need to protect our eyes from the unique conditions of summer.

Dr. Neil S. Gladstone, a local Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, has practiced since 1975. He recently opened SKINaesthetics, which is, in part, a dream come true, in that he has fantasized through the years about offering spa services to his mothers-to-be while they sat in his waiting rooms.

By Dr. Marilyn Durden
Special to The Citizen

Many of us have experienced intermittent neck pain that surfaces when we are under stress. Our patients, who come in due to chronic neck pain, usually started out that way. Looking below the surface (at x-rays), we usually find spinal joints with wear and tear from an old injury. After an accident the body miraculously compensates and the spinal joints shift to protect our nerves. This biomechanical shift often causes premature aging of the joints that shows up years later as degenerative disc disease.

A New Start Counseling Center, Inc., a privately owned outpatient counseling center located in Fayetteville, Ga., in the metro Atlanta area, is proud to announce that Damafing Keita Thomas, Ph.D. has joined our professional staff. Damafing is originally from Mali, West Africa, and she grew up mostly in southwest Georgia. She earned her Ph.D in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University in 2008.

John L Henahan, OD, FAAO
Special to The Citizen
 
20 percent of school-aged children have an undetected vision problem that can hinder their school performance. Since 80 percent of everything your child learns will be through their eyes, healthy eyesight is crucial for academic and sports success.

Peachtree City resident Allen Russell was scared to death when he learned he was suffering from Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, a genetic disorder that can cause liver and lung disease in children and adults, and would need a liver transplant. What he found on the internet from people who had suffered from the same disease or had organ transplants did nothing to calm his fears.

Dr. Elizabeth Cantrell and Dr. Brenna Murphy of Elements Alternative Health Solutions are Board Certified Naturopathic Medical Doctors. They are the only two Board Certified Naturopathic Medical Doctors in South Georgia.

By Gregory K. Moffatt, Ph.D.
Special to The Citizen

A study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project was released this month that showed nearly all children play video games.  As the story was reported in many news outlets, the conclusion was that these children were not the loners and social outcasts as they have often been portrayed to be.  They are very “social people” one researcher was reported as saying.

By Greg Moffatt
Special to The Citizen

One afternoon several years ago, my daughter noticed something at home that my wife had done which my daughter knew was an irritation to me. More than once she had heard me fuss about it. She made a sarcastic comment about the issue and then looked at me for approval. Sadly, she thought that a way to win my favor was to be critical “like Dad.” My response to her was this: "Sweetheart, do you know who you sound like? You sound like daddy when he is being unkind to mommy."

The idea of Immediate Care Centers of Georgia started as a vision for Dr. Glenn McKenna nearly two years ago. The goal would be to create an urgent care center in the Tyrone and Peachtree City area, focusing on family and emergency medicine. In 2007, the work began and, though the facility has been open for a while, on Saturday, Apr. 26 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Immediate Care Centers of Georgia will have their grand opening.

Oncology patients can now receive treatment close to home

Piedmont Fayette is expanding its cancer services, and soon cancer patients can receive treatment closer to home. Piedmont Fayette Hospital (PFH) has received approval to provide radiation therapy. The Certificate of Need (CON) application for a linear accelerator was recently approved by the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Health Planning.

Who would have thought that laughter can help ease ailments? Research has shown that laughter/humor is very beneficial for a well functioning body. The Chiropractic lifestyle stresses the importance of having laughter and a positive emotional outlook in your life. At Durden Chiropractic Clinic we acknowledge this important fact. We work on removing the vertebral subluxations caused by three major stressors: physical, chemical and emotional; this is done by using the Atlas Orthogonal Technique.

Fayette Senior Services will sponsor AARP’s 55 Alive Driver Safety Program classes on Tuesday, April 8 and Thursday, April 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at their new life enrichment center located at 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville (across from the Fayette County Justice Center).

There are approximately 2,200 Georgians on the transplant waiting list. For those waiting for a transplant, the newest member of the Piedmont Hospital Transplant Services, Miguel Tan, M.D., a specialist in pancreas transplant surgery with world-class experience, will help local and regional patients stay closer to home.

The physician owners of Southern Orthopaedic Surgery Center of Fayetteville LLC have announced the opening of their single-specialty ambulatory surgery center. The facility was licensed by the state of Georgia on September 25, 2007, to perform Orthopaedic outpatient surgical procedures. Conveniently located on the first floor of a Medical Office Building on the campus of Piedmont Fayette Hospital, the center maintains a staff of professionals skilled in Orthopaedic surgical care.

Emory Healthcare has launched CarePages, a free Web-based service for patients to help them stay connected and easily communicate with friends and family during a hospital stay or through a lengthy medical experience.

As of today, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is a tobacco-free health care system. The decision follows the trend of many hospitals nationwide, but Children’s is taking extra steps to provide a healthy environment and lifestyle for patients and staff alike. The tobacco-free initiative encompasses all Children’s-owned facilities and grounds.

Everyone's talking about autism, and for good reason. According to a 2007 Centers for Disease Control report, one in 150 children in the U.S. has autism, a neurological disorder that affects development and social functioning and can cause even a precocious child to disappear into his or her own self-contained world. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the U.S. It is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.

The blemish may be gone but it has left behind a not so friendly reminder. Acne scars or discoloration left on the skin can be treated with lasers and fading creams, but dermatologists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston say prevention and time are the best ways to handle the problem.

There are battles being fought in households across the country. The enemy: millions of germs and bacteria thriving blissfully on moist surfaces in your bathroom, ranging from countertops and cups to toothbrushes and towels.

By Greg Moffatt
Special to The Citizen

Working with children who have emotional problems is a challenge. Like any specialist, I see some of the most extreme cases. When everyone else has done what they can do, parents bring their children to me.

By Dr. Marilyn Durden
Special to The Citizen

The trees are budding, which means that pollen will soon be in the air.

By Gregory K. Moffatt, Ph.D. February 2008

I open my eyes in the morning and the sun is up, but in my head it feels like darkness. I have no energy and even though I know that I’ve had plenty of sleep I still feel exhausted. I can’t remember what it was like to wake up happy and I can’t remember what it was like to go to bed and not think it would be OK if I never woke up.

Kimberly Steinberg a native of Peachtree City is the author of the book “Back to the Basics of Healthy Eating.” Both of her children have been diagnosed with disabilities. They have sought help for their children in many different ways, one of them being Brain Balance Therapy. This is a program that integrates physical and cognitive exercises along with dietary changes.