What a great year we have planned for InHealthNW. Luke Baumgarten has signed on to do a series of articles about his search for better health. Despite being basically happy with his life, Luke struggles to find time to exercise, has trouble consistently making healthy choices in his diet, feels over-committed and stressed, and has trouble sleeping. Sound familiar? In this issue, Luke outlines his goals for the year and begins the journey. Don’t expect a perky report on how great it is to get healthier, though — Luke’s story is a frank look at how difficult and ultimately rewarding it is to make lasting changes.
Nothing says more about a person than their smile, and in this issue we bring you a special section devoted to the latest developments in dentistry; I hope you’ll take time to learn more about your pearly whites.
As the war in Afghanistan continues, many more members of the military will unfortunately be exposed to events most of us would consider horrifying. And those events may occur on a near-daily basis for some. In Alt Medicine, you’ll learn about a new way to help returning soldiers deal with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
I also want to clarify a story in our last issue about WSU’s advanced nurse practitioner program moving toward a doctorate-level degree in the next few years. DNPs will be clinical specialists, as opposed to nurses with PhDs, who specialize in research. Regardless of the initials and degrees, though, we’re certainly indebted to all types of nurses for their competence and compassion as the front line of the health care system — as you can read more about in this issue’s Guest Editorial (link) on page 8.

To your health!