Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010 - North Mississippi - (Page 53)

When Rusty Berryhill of New Albany was ofﬁciating the state championship high school football game, he was shocked when he saw himself on TV. “I didn’t recognize myself,” he says. That was just one event that led the 48-yearold to realize he had to take control of his health before it was too late. He also started to have chest pains. Because he has a family history of heart disease, Berryhill’s family doctor referred him to Cardiology Associates of North Mississippi in Tupelo. There, he had a stress test and other diagnostic tests, all of which came back normal. “They eventually discovered that my symptoms came from digestive issues,” Berryhill says. “My liver enzymes were very out of whack, in addition to high cholesterol, and I was on the verge of having diabetes.” ask about your liver enzymes Mississippi leads the nation in obesity. Along with that comes an array of other problems, including diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and fatty liver. “When people go to their doctor, they need to make sure that in addition to checking their cholesterol and other numbers, that they are getting their liver enzymes checked,” says John Phillips, M.D., a boardcertified gastroenterologist at the Center for Digestive Health who is a Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology. “If liver enzymes don’t get down to normal, you can eventually have cirrhosis, which will mean your liver will never function properly again. Fatty liver is a silent disease, because there are usually no symptoms until it’s developed into something severe. That’s why it’s so important to keep a close eye on liver enzyme numbers.” There’s no proven treatment for fatty liver. In addition to weight loss, control of diabetes and lowering lipids are important. Vitamin E is often suggested as well. a diagnosis Berryhill was referred to the Center for Digestive Health, where he was diagnosed with a condition with fatty liver, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH resembles alcoholic liver disease, but occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol. The major characteristics of NASH are fat in the liver, along with inﬂammation and damage. Most people with the illness feel well and aren’t aware they have a liver problem. However, it can be severe and lead to cirrhosis, in which the liver is permanently damaged and scarred. Carah Edgeworth, certiﬁed family nurse practitioner at Digestive Health Specialists in Tupelo, explained his options to him. “Carah told me exactly what I needed to do,” he says. “I had always blamed being overweight on the fact that I am just a big guy. I had to have my eyes opened to the health consequences of my weight.” And he did. Berryhill has lost more than 60 pounds since his ﬁrst meeting with Edgeworth, and has a few left to go. In addition to bringing his liver enzymes back to normal, Berryhill has seen great improvements to other areas of his life. In addition to ofﬁciating high school football games on the weekends, he is a part owner of Kevin-Charles Furniture in New Albany, “It’s amazing how much energy I have now,” he says. Berryhill, who has been on medications for high blood pressure since he was in his late 20s, has had his dosage cut in half, and no longer has to take cholesterol medication. “I feel 10 to 15 years younger,” he says. “I have two kids in college, and now I know I’m going to get to see them graduate and have their own kids. The fact is, you are what you eat, and I have made a total turnaround.” getting healthy Berryhill made up his mind that he was going to lose 40 pounds. He cut out fried foods and started eating smaller portions. “It’s not about starving yourself,” he says. “You have to feed your body. Now, I eat ﬁve or six times a day, but it’s small, healthy portions. I started seeing results from it, so I wanted to keep it up.” to learn more go The Center for Digestive Health is located on the North Mississippi Medical Center campus at 589 Garfield St., Tupelo. For more information, call 800-THE DESK (800-843-3375), or visit www.tupelogi.com. vim & vigor · s p ri ng 2010 http://www.tupelogi.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010- North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Weight-loss Success Stories
Come See Us
Hit the Links
Excuses, Excuses
Easing the Pressure
Prostate Predicament
On Mended Knees
Imaging IQ
Will Power
Caregiving: A Survival Guide
Form Factors
Wake-Up Call
Stroke of Luck
Weight Matters
History Lesson
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010 - North Mississippi