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Why Straight Teeth are about more than a Pretty Smile
Dental professionals focus so much attention on routine brushing, flossing and exams because your mouth is literally teeming with bacteria. Don't panic. It's a perfectly normal result of eating, drinking, breathing and otherwise being human.
Luckily, you have a built-in defense system that battles these microscopic infiltrators which would like nothing better than to set up a thriving community in your mouth:

Your teeth are covered with tough enamel to protect their softer, inner tissue from decay-causing bacteria.

Healthy gums form a tight barrier that fits snugly against your teeth and help prevent bacteria access to vulnerable structures under the gum line.

Even your saliva plays a role by helping wash these bacterial invaders away.

Daily brushing and flossing assist by removing sticky debris and plaque-causing bacteria before they get comfortable. Routine dental exams and professional cleanings ensure that cavities, gum imperfections, tartar buildup and other issues undergo treatment before they cause long-term problems.

But it's not a perfect system, especially when your teeth are crooked or misaligned. Straight teeth are easier to clean. They also help your gums fit better, which increases their ability to fight off gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. When left untreated, advanced gum disease (periodontitis) and other oral infections may increase your risk of developing:

Endocarditis, which is an infection of the inner lining of your heart (endocardium) that typically occurs when bacteria from another part of your body, including your mouth, spreads through your bloodstream.

Cardiovascular disease, which includes clogged arteries and stroke that may be linked to the systemic inflammation and infections caused by oral bacteria.

Now may be the best time to consider straightening your teeth to improve your oral health and capture that award-winning smile you've been dreaming about.
Santa Clarita Advanced Dentistry 200-0677

When You Overdo It, Go Under 200 Degrees
Use too much weight on "Leg Day?" Push yourself to the limits at the 10K? Pull a muscle while showing off to the kids on the trampoline? No matter how you've stressed your soft tissues, if you're sore, you're dealing with inflammation, micro-damage to muscles and tendons and more. The fastest way to get back to 100 percent? Two to three minutes at -220+ degrees. That's right: "Freezing" in a cryotherapy chamber for a few minutes will provide you relief that lasts and lasts. Inflammation markers are moved from the site of pain and eliminated naturally; newly-oxygenated and revitalized blood cells rush to do repair work where it hurts; and the cold on your skin generates a whole-body healing response that will give you a renewed pep and vigor. Yes, it's chilly - but you can do it! And you'll want to do it again and again after you feel the results for yourself.
Mend Cryotherapy 294-7898

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TARGETED THERAPY 101: A PRIMER
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation have traditionally been the three pillars of cancer care, and they are still important treatments. But in recent years, newer "targeted therapies" have come on the scene. These fine-tuned treatments target cancer cells more specifically than traditional chemotherapy, explained George Hajjar, MD, an oncologist based at City of Hope's Santa Clarita location.

Traditional chemotherapy is designed to kill cells that divide rapidly. That includes not only cancer cells, but also many healthy cells throughout the body. As a result, chemotherapy usually goes hand-in-hand with significant side effects such as nausea and hair loss.

Targeted therapies, on the other hand, are designed to target specific molecules that are unique to a certain type of tumor or cancer cell. Those molecules are essential for those cells to survive, grow and spread, Hajjar explained. Targeting those molecules can stop the tumor from growing.

A variety of targeted therapies have emerged so far, Hajjar said.
Those treatments include:

Hormonal therapies Some diseases, such as breast cancer, depend on hormones to grow.

Angiogenesis therapies Tumors need a blood supply to grow, and they are capable of making their own blood vessels through a process called angiogenesis. "If we target that capability, the tumors will have not enough blood and they eventually suffocate," he said.

Apoptosis therapies Cancer cells can grow and divide indefinitely, instead of dying when they should. These medications can program "death sentences" into the cells.
Immunotherapy treatments New immunotherapy treatments harness the body's own immune system to recognize and attack cancerous cells.

Monoclonal antibody therapy Antibodies are proteins that circulate normally in the body, seeking out foreign substances like viruses or bacteria. Researchers are working to design monoclonal antibodies that will stick to cancer cells, delivering radioactive molecules or cell-killing toxins directly into the tumor.
City Of Hope 799-1999

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PRP for the Foot & Ankle
Plantar fasciitis, cartilage injuries, arthritis of the ankle, tibialis tendonitis and more all respond to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment - and the results can be outstanding. PRP is totally natural and perfect for your body - because it's made from your own blood! After a quick blood draw, your blood is placed in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets, small kernels in your blood that boast special healing powers and growth factors. These concentrated healers are then re-introduced to your body where you need it the most to stimulate healing. In cases of inflammatory disorders like arthritis, they also reduce inflammation and can even reverse the degradation of joint tissue. It's all done with minimally-invasive methods to get you back on your feet, happier and healthier than you were before.
Valencia Foot & Ankle Center 288-2321

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Your Next-level Fitness Solution will get You Drenched
What's it like working out in a heated room? Says a Drenched client: "It's an amazing workout! The heat brings a next-level fitness that you really have to experience yourself to understand. My body and joints just flow so easily in the space. I love it! And yes, by the time we're through, I'm drenched!" Drenched offers a wide variety of classes for every fitness level and goal. No matter which you choose, you'll light your metabolism on fire; engage more, and deeper, muscle fibers; burn more calories; and build more endurance than traditional cold-room workouts.
Drenched 713-2601

Why Megaformer Workouts are Wonderful for Women
The team at Motivate strive to create an open class environment where women of all fitness levels are welcome to come and sweat. Visiting a new place can feel intimidating at first, but know that at Motivate, everyone is shaking and burning on the Megaformer with you! Classes are delivered on the cutting-edge M3 Megaformer and focus on slow, resistance-based movements designed to stimulate fat-burning muscle fibers, torch calories and sculpt the body from head to toe. As women get older, it is important to incorporate resistance training; they lose bone density as their bodies age and their balance and stability also declines. Strength training helps improve bone density - and the Megaformer classes are designed to incorporate strength training, cardio, endurance, flexibility, balance and core not just in one workout - but in each and every move! Let's be honest, no one likes the idea of getting older, right? Embark on a journey to keep your body healthy, strong, lean, and fit for years to come.
Motivate 713-8099

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When the Community Needs Help, She Hears Them
When you invest decades of your life to listening to your community's needs as the largest provider of hearing aids and resources, you hear important things - like how there are a wonderful number of local nonprofit organizations committed to serving the community and people you cherish. And, if you're Nola Aronson of Nola Aronson's Advanced Audiology, you get involved in supporting them. Two this month needing note: Soroptimist International, which works to empower women through education and outreach here - and across the globe. And Circle of Hope - a cancer-care org - works with Aronson to connect her with women who need help because they lost their hearing from their chemotherapy treatments. "Being part of the community doesn't just mean providing my neighbors with the best in hearing aids; it means partnering with them to improve life for everyone. I'm grateful for every story I've heard, because it has empowered me to help and grow," says Aronson.
Advanced Audiology 425-9330

IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE
Caring for someone with dementia or Alzheimer's disease often requires a great deal of time and patience - and it can cause great stress to family caregivers as they see their loved ones experience serious changes in memory, personality and behavior. Home Instead Senior Care has gathered together the most experienced experts in the field to create caregiverstress.com, a website devoted to family caregiver assistance.

You'll find training and resources on how to manage and care for a loved one with dementia. In addition to learning more about this vicious disease, you can also learn how to deal with the emotional and logistical problems created when family members must come together to agree on a loved one's care plan. Explore the website, then add your voice to the thousands who make up our Home Instead caregiver community. And, when you need a helping hand at home, reach out.
Home Instead 254-8701

An All-female Staff Beautifies & Empowers You from Head to Toe
Aesthetic Center of Santa Clarita is dedicated to women's health, sexual wellness and female aesthetics. Their all-female staff is keenly tuned into the needs of their patients and clients, offering a compassionate confidential style that is next to none. A new highlight of our practice: The use of platelet-rich plasma. This plasma is used on the scalp to stimulate hair growth, a common issue that arises with aging and after child birth. They also use it "downstairs" to rejuvenate intimate tissues and increase bladder control. An aesthetician has also been brought on board who uses plasma for their very own needle-less Vampire Facial.
Aesthetic Center of Santa Clarita 312-0497