School Days, School Days

School Days, School Days!  I hope everyone is getting settled and that reentry into reality after summer vacation has been smooth sailing.  Temperatures seem to be falling and the fall football season has returned, along with all of the pumpkin-spiced lattes!  I just hope we are able to escape any more storms this hurricane season.

This fall we will likely be inundated with political rhetoric and TV ads (disrupting our football-watching)!  The election makes me think of this amazing and apropos music video by Tears for Fears. 

It will likely be a contentious time, starting with tonight's debate, and the eruption of riots on college campuses over the war in the Middle East has already been worrisome.  It would be nice if we could have less vitriol and more civil discourse.  Social media has made it all too easy for people to hide behind their hurtful posts.  I can only hope that the American electorate can truly educate themselves on the issues at stake during this election cycle and that voting day decisions are made on facts and not emotion.  Sadly, the major networks and cable news outlets have more and more become propaganda arms for both parties, but luckily, with access to podcasts and online journals, people can educate themselves through alternative outlets (if motivated to do so), more easily than ever before on the details of proposed policies, and not just the 30 second sound bites.  

Unfortunately, the process of becoming educated takes time, which seems to be in short supply as we juggle family and work obligations.  Our busy lifestyles also make it appealing to take shortcuts with our dietary choices with fast food and packaged and processed options.  The medical complex has in large part focused on treating problems once they arrive, versus looking at the cause of disease.  A perfect example of this is the advent of drugs like Ozempic for diabetes and obesity, which are being used in school-aged children.  While the drugs are effective in combating these diseases, why are we not looking into fighting the development of obesity in kids in the first place?  The importance of gut health is increasingly being linked to not only cancer, but neurological diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS.  Gut health is paramount to a strong immune system, and the Covid pandemic and the spike in autoimmune disease illustrate the importance of a strong immune system.  

Taking time to take care of yourself cannot be over-emphasized.  This includes not only eating well, but also sleep, stress reduction, and meditation.  Many find the beach their relaxation spot, whether taking a walk (my choice) or an afternoon of sitting and reading a book at the water's edge.  Unfortunately, even with the best sunscreen, sun exposure can take its toll on your skin.  And while prevention of sun damage is important (ie sunscreen), sometimes we need some corrective measures.  The fall and winter months are a great time to undertake such procedures as CO2 laser treatments, chemical peels, and microneedling to undo the damage from the sun's rays.  For the month of September, we are offering 25% off of all CO2 laser services!

I'd like to end this week's blog with some housekeeping notes.  We have been sending announcements for our upcoming event on the 25th at the Gibbes Museum, where we are partnering with Charleston Magazine and the Charleston Opera Theater.  I can't believe it is right around the corner!  The event is filled, but we do have a cancellation list if anyone is still interested, since we know that "life happens" and that late cancellations may arise.  Next, we are also offering a Botox special for all teachers for the month of September to show our appreciation.  Lastly, we are making some additional changes to our participation with insurance plans.  Market forces caused us to drop our participation with a number of plans earlier in the year, and additional changes are coming due to the healthcare landscape.  Please call the office with any questions if you think these changes may affect you.  Since this last announcement may elicit some angst for some, and I don't want to end on a bad note, I want to leave you with a fun song that makes me smile. Think of it as my "bonus track!".  

Have a great week, and 'til next time,

Heidi Williams