boiMAG.com "Chad Brittian"

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12 boiMAG.com

CHAD BRITTIAN

Exclusive Interview

In our next issue we are going to introduce a How has your skill-set grown over time?
new feature on the topic of business marketing With our industry you have to constantly work
called Ask Chad, where readers can have towards being on the forefront of technology,
their questions answered by an experienced and trends. I work hard to listen and our team
industry professional. Before we launch this does their best to work towards gaining as
new column, we have a few questions in this much knowledge as they can to ensure we stay
interview for us to get to know Chad Brittian. relevant. We provide our clients with the hottest
How did you get started in your career? and most successful ways to grow their business.
I started as an Architectural Sign Designer I think over time you also learn to not sweat
after I graduated from college at Ball State the small stuff and learn how to adapt, along
University. This position is what landed me with the ability to cope with stressful situations
in Indianapolis. I also would occasionally more effectively and efficiently. I try to address
work on freelance graphic design and web- all issues head-on and have gotten much better
development. Within a few years of moving at developing a plan to remedy any situation to
to the Circle City I found myself working for a where everyone involved is satisfied.
company helping to design product labeling What do you consider to be your core
for General Motors. I still felt quite unfulfilled strengths?
in my industry of choice so I made the decision I believe that communication is a strength that
to start NVS Design. We are now celebrating I embody. This is something that I have always
our 11th year in business and have had the prided myself on. You can’t have a clear solution
pleasure of working with clients all over the if you can’t communicate the issue at hand. I
world. also feel that we are adaptable. In our industry
What makes you passionate about this work?  terms and budgets change all the time, so you
One of the main things that has always drawn have to have a backup plan to ensure you get to
me to this industry and the services we provide the finish line proudly. I work hard to keep my
is the ability to bring an idea to life. We often integrity both in business and personally.
have clients that have a vision that we have What do you consider the goal of marketing?
to make a reality. I have always found that Marketing is essential to ensure a product
interpretation is something that drives me or service succeeds. We all have a story, the
and my team to create truly unique visuals question is, does anyone care to read about
and ideas that not only make our clientele yours? You have to standout in today’s business
standout, but also memorable. The ability to world no matter what industry you are in. There
convey a message through creative thinking is a lot more competition, so what are you doing
and visual imagery has always been something different from that of your competitors to ensure
that I find very powerful. that you stay ahead of the pack?

What can you tell us about our company? What strategies and tactics do you use to
NVS Design started in 2010 and has grown achieve that goal?
tremendously over the last few years. We We work hard to gain a full perspective into the
are a full-service advertising, graphic design clients industry and understand where they
and web development agency with our are coming from, and where they want to go
headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. with their business. We are always up-front and
  transparent about what realistically should be
Our agency works hard to provide our clients expected. Our team also works hard to highlight
with detail-oriented work that speaks for other services that may be viable options to
itself. You not only get a fresh new look, you the initial service we were contacted about.
get creative one-of-a-kind concepts that will Sometimes our clients think they know what
make your competition envious. We offer a they want, but it’s our job to figure out if that is
wide range of services and products to our the best solution for their end goal. Not every
clients. Whether you need a fresh new logo, a campaign is going to be a home-run. We work
beautifully designed website, or help with your hard to ensure our clients at the very least, score.
presence online, feel assured NVS Design will
make you a true standout in your industry. At To “Ask Chad” a business marketing question to
NVS Design you are our top priority! We work be answered in an upcoming issue, e-mail him
closely with our clients so we can ensure their at [email protected]. Follow Chad on
new marketing and design efforts will be a Instagram @chadbrittian. 2nvs.com.
complete success.
boiMAG.com 13



boiMAG.com 15



THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE

Promises and Pitfalls of Technology

By Dr. Charla Waxman We can go to school, church and work via a
computer screen. We shop for groceries, we
BS, MBA, EdD. Community Liaison play games, and we watch hours of videos with
Technology. You can’t put that genie back in blue light glasses and ear buds. Have our virtual
the bottle. We are a new people because of it. connections hurt us as much as helped us?
It has caused a re-ordering of how we behave, As adults we have worried about our kids
think and feel. It has been a dramatically spending too much time online playing games
re-orienting process within our personal and and visiting friends. We have researched and
professional relationships, our work lives, our looked for solutions to self-imposed isolation,
at-home lives… our entire lives. We have been impulsive behaviors and lack of emotional filters.
called upon to re-examine and re-shape our We found real physical health-related issues like
lives according to a new set of values that repetitive injuries (like carpal tunnel), chronic
define a new version of ourselves. Social media neck and back pain and blurred vision. For adults,
is a series of smiling people with great lives, sitting for hours at a time at a computer has been
eating great food and visiting great places. We known to cause health issues like heart disease,
compete with pictures that make our own lives type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. Loss of
seem small. We meet people on line who aren’t cognition and information overload has become
even real who leave a trail of human wreckage part of the screen time experience. Weight gain
as hearts are broken and bank accounts are and sleep disorders add to the mix of symptoms
emptied. We say things to others online that of a sedentary society. Our investment in being
we would never say person to person. We don’t connected to some online experience and
have to see hurt register on someone’s face or the isolation it has caused, has led to a host of
risk a conversational comeback that will do us obsessive behaviors and addictions. Shopping,
the damage that we dished out. game playing, gambling and alcohol and drug
We have watched as children have been use have become dangerous mental health
injured by online bullies whose words can endeavors due to our investment in a host of
never be erased. In some cases, the victims virtual worlds.
could not imagine a way around the feelings of So here we have it, the potential addictions,
humiliation and anxiety and suicided; ending overwhelming emotions and isolation are
a young life and future. Hate groups pop up frightening enough, but add to these increased
like weeds with credible recruitment tactics; physical concerns and you have the perfect
inviting others to join for righteous reasons storm for long term health conditions, perhaps
and validating anger to fuel their own needs. even life-long health problems.
It is an easy search to find what you want. There is hope and promise and we can find it in
These groups are convincing and trap their ourselves. Here are some tips for finding health in
victims with what appears to be friendship and a world bent on technological engagement and
some level of human intimacy. But intimacy continuous innovation:
is not to be offered on a machine. Intimacy is Unplug: Create a screen-free space. Create a
a developed process of engagement. Words screen-free time every day. Get up and get out:
and pictures cannot suffice for a real person to Move your body. Breath fresh air. Stay in faith:
person relationship developed over time and Whatever that means to you. Have gratitude:
face to face. Be aware of positives in your life. Be mindful. If
Of course there are positives with technology. you need help, seek it: If negative feelings and
We are connected. There are places we can compulsions outweigh the positives in your life,
reach, people we can see, and things we can it’s time to find a new way.
do like never before. People gather together to
fund charities and people in trouble. People If needed, Lake Behavioral Hospital has people there help
who are not mobile can attend churches you begin to balance those life scales. A free assessment
and school. They can shop and play and visit will identify the level of care that you need. By walk-in or
places virtually. Our remote capabilities are appointment, 24/7/365, the team at Lake Behavioral is
extreme. We can zoom, we can hang-out, and ready to help. Reach out, it’s a great first step.
we can face-time family members, friends and
colleagues. boiMAG.com 17

18 boiMAG.com





HEALTH & WELLBEING

How Much Is Too Much Alcohol?

By Dr. Charla Waxman of control over drinking and the phrase, “I can
quit whenever I want to”, may ring in your ears.
BS, MBA, EdD Sometimes denial creeps into the behaviors
Community Liaison of friends and family who are uncomfortable
Organized by the National acknowledging the seriousness and reality of
Council on Alcoholism how much alcohol has taken over the behaviors,
and Drug Dependence, thoughts, and feelings of the person they now
Alcohol Awareness Month hardly know.
has, as its goal, to increase
outreach and education A national survey on drug use and health
regarding alcoholism and the many dangers (NSDUH) estimates that more than 14 million
related to alcohol. April, 1987, marked the Americans ages 18 and older had an alcohol
beginning of this annual venture. Initially, use disorder (AUD) in 2018. In addition, it is
the campaign began targeting college-aged reported that 26.45% individuals 18 and older
students who might be drinking too much, indicated that they engaged in binge drinking
thinking that drinking was a rite of passage in the past month with typically 4 drinks for
for people in college. But it has become so women and 5 drinks for men in 1-2 hours and
much more than a college student targeted 6.6% engaged in even heavier alcohol use
undertaking. It has become a national crusade with binge drinking 5 or more days in the past
encouraging everyone to pay attention to the month.
causes and effects of alcoholism and to learn
how to help those who live with the effects of a Alcohol related deaths are preventable, yet each
deadly disease. year, nearly 90,000 people die from alcohol-
related causes such as alcohol-impaired driving
The first weekend of April has as its history fatalities which account for 31% of overall
encouragement from the National Council on driving fatalities (National Institute on Alcohol
Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) Abuse and Alcoholism) This makes alcohol the
to support abstinence from alcohol use. Many third leading preventable cause of death in the
communities offer an Alcohol Screening Day United States encompassing all genders and
creating awareness for those who may be cultures.
addicted to alcohol, helping them take their first
steps toward recovery. Understanding ways to recognize when alcohol
is problematic can help. Here are a few signs
Now some of you will finish the first paragraph and symptoms:
of this article and think, ”I don’t need to read • Having the desire to stop drinking but are
an article on alcoholism. I am not an alcoholic.” unable to stop.
Chances are you are not; but chances are you • Plans for a one-drink dinner or outing that
know someone who is and the more you know, turns into multiple drinks.
the better their chances are because you will • Drinking negatively affects work and
have the knowledge to get them the help relationships and activities that were enjoyed
they need. If you recognize a friend or family before alcohol now seem much less important
member in the signs and behaviors discussed and enjoyable.
below, know that there is hope and help. • Increased feedback and concern from friends
and family.
Probably the most common attribute signaling • Isolation and increased drinking while alone.
difficulty with drinking is denial. Those in • Thinking about, hiding, and lying about
trouble with alcohol often underestimate the alcohol.
quantity they drink, the length of their drinking
problem, the effect it has had on their life and (continued on a following page)
those who love them. Denial creates this feeling
boiMAG.com 21

HEALTH & WELLBEING

(continued)

• Embarrassing behaviors or risk taking due to the broad spectrum of emotions, poor decision
or during alcohol consumption. making, and racing thoughts.
• Using alcohol along with other substances to Eating disorders are quite prevalent and
enhance feelings or bolster confidence. seeking substances to intensify the weight loss
• Managing feelings with alcohol. experience may be one form of addiction within
• Utilizing substances or alcohol to reduce this broad framework of disorders.
stress, mitigate trauma, or to forget about past Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome is frequently
situations/events linked to addictions and many military
experiences lead to alcohol abuse as the most
There are many factors in a person’s life that can common substance connection.
lead them to alcohol abuse and as use increases, The National Council for Behavioral Health
some people resort to enhancing the alcohol provides 18% as the number of adults in the
experience with other substances, increasing United States who experience Generalized
the dangers of overdose and addiction. In Anxiety Disorder. Substances are often one way
addition to the substances, a mental health those with GAD try to cope with the stresses
disorder may be part of the struggle. and worries that typify this mental health
disorder.
This is called dual diagnosis. The NSDUH, (listed Borderline personality disorder is often
above) indicates that 45% of people who have connected to behaviors that may include
an addiction also have a co-occurring mental extremes in emotion and overall emotional
health condition. The interconnectedness of the instability, feelings of worthlessness, lack of
two issues is what creates the “dual diagnosis”: confidence and insecurity, impulsivity, and
one issue “feeds” the other. There are some impaired relationships. These behaviors go
diagnoses that seem to connect to addiction hand in hand with many types of addiction.
and vice versa. Sometimes the disorder is The anxiety and depressive symptoms that are
caused by the addiction and other times the linked to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder may
addiction serves as relief for the condition. Here cause so much stress, loneliness and confusion
are a few of the conditions often seen in concert that substances may seem like the only way to
with mental illness: deal with this disorder.
Those with Schizophrenia may find themselves
Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit homeless or without strong family support
Hyperactivity Disorders may be linked to and looking for comfort in substance use
substance abuse as the person may use the may alleviate the many fears and anxiousness
substance (alcohol or other kinds of drugs) for caused by delusions and hallucinations related
relief of the feelings of hyperactivity, the loss of to this disorder.
confidence, and the inability to concentrate and Seeking treatment for a substance use disorder, an
control anger. addiction, or for a dual diagnosis will help you have
the best chance for recovery. A free assessment at Lake
Depression can cause those who experience it Behavioral Hospital will help you understand the best
to experiment with a variety of drugs to reduce level of care for what you are experiencing. Walk-ins
the extreme emotional lows and feelings of or appointments 24/7/365 assure you of support and
isolation that may occur. Feeling hopeless and assistance right when you need it. One call to 855-990-
helpless and worthless may initially be reduced 1900 or a walk-in to our facility may be just the start you
by using substances; but that is often not the need toward feeling better and doing better.
case when the “high” loses impact over time.
The emotional highs and lows of bipolar
disorder may cause a real struggle in one’s life
leading to the desire to medicate away from

22 boiMAG.com





by: Joe Salvador Health & welLbeing

Foods That Cause Inflammation

(continued from last issue)

Inflammation can be good or bad depending Ancient humans consumed high fiber,
on the situation. On one hand, it’s your body’s unprocessed carbs for millennia in the form
natural way of protecting itself when you’re of grasses, roots, and fruits. However, eating
injured or sick. It can help your body defend refined carbs may drive inflammation.
itself from illness and stimulate healing. Refined carbs have had most of their fiber
On the other hand, chronic, sustained removed. Fiber promotes fullness, improves
inflammation is linked to an increased risk blood sugar control, and feeds the beneficial
of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and bacteria in your gut. Researchers suggest
obesity. Interestingly, the foods you eat can that the refined carbs in the modern diet may
significantly affect inflammation in your body. encourage the growth of inflammatory gut
Here are 3 more main causes of inflammation. bacteria that can increase your risk of obesity
Vegetable and seed oils and inflammatory bowel disease.
Some studies suggest that vegetable oil’s Refined carbs have a higher glycemic index
high omega-6 fatty acid content may (GI) than unprocessed ones. High GI foods raise
promote inflammation when consumed blood sugar more rapidly than low GI foods.
in high amounts. However, the evidence is In one study, older adults who reported the
inconsistent, and more research is needed. highest intake of high GI foods were 2.9 times
During the 20th century, the consumption more likely to die of an inflammatory disease
of vegetable oils increased by 130% in the like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
United States. Some scientists believe that In a controlled study, young, healthy men who
certain vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, ate 50 grams of refined carbs in the form of
promote inflammation due to their very high white bread experienced higher blood sugar
omega-6 fatty acid content. Although some levels and increases in levels of a particular
dietary omega-6 fats are necessary, the typical inflammatory marker. Refined carbohydrates
Western diet provides far more than people are found in candy, bread, pasta, pastries, some
need. cereals, cookies, cakes, sugary soft drinks, and
In fact, health professionals recommend all processed foods that contain added sugar
eating more omega-3-rich foods, such as fatty or flour.
fish, to improve your omega-6 to omega-3 Excessive alcohol
ratio and reap the anti-inflammatory benefits Heavy alcohol consumption may increase
of omega-3s. In one study, rats fed a diet with inflammation and lead to a “leaky gut” that
an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 20:1 had drives inflammation throughout your body.
much higher levels of inflammatory markers Moderate alcohol consumption has been
than those fed diets with ratios of 1:1 or shown to provide some health benefits.
5:1. However, evidence that a high intake of However, higher amounts can lead to severe
omega-6 fatty acids increases inflammation in problems.
humans is currently limited. In one study, levels of the inflammatory marker
Controlled studies show that linoleic acid, the CRP increased in people who consumed
most common dietary omega-6 acid, does not alcohol. The more alcohol they consumed, the
affect inflammatory markers. More research is more their CRP levels increased.
needed before any conclusions can be made. People who drink heavily may develop
Vegetable and seed oils are used as cooking problems with bacterial toxins moving out of
oils and are a major ingredient in many the colon and into the body. This condition,
processed foods. often called “leaky gut” can drive widespread
Refined carbohydrates inflammation that leads to organ damage.
High fiber, unprocessed carbs are healthy, To avoid alcohol-related health problems,
but refined carbs raise blood sugar levels intake should be limited to two standard drinks
and promote inflammation that may lead to per day for men and one for women.
disease.

Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rap.
However, the truth is that not all carbs are
problematic.

boiMAG.com 25

by Jack Santo

Future Technology Tactile virtual reality
Self-healing ‘living concrete’ Researchers from Northwestern
Scientists have developed what they call University have developed a prototype
living concrete by using sand, gel and device which aims to put touch within
bacteria. VR’s reach, using a flexible material
Researchers said this building material has fitted with tiny vibrating components
structural load-bearing function, is capable that can be attached to skin.
of self-healing and is more environmentally The system, known as epidermal VR,
friendly than concrete, which is the second could be useful in other cases as well,
most consumed material on Earth after water. from a child touching a display relaying
The team from the University of Colorado the gesture to a family member located
Boulder believe their work paves the way for elsewhere, to helping people with
future building structures that could “heal amputations renew their sense of
their own cracks, suck up dangerous toxins touch.
from the air or even glow on command”. In gaming, it could alert players when
Living robots a strike occurs on the corresponding
Tiny hybrid robots made using stem cells body part of the game character.
from frog embryos could one day be used The team’s design features 32 vibrating
to swim around human bodies to specific actuators on a thin 15cm by 15cm
areas requiring medicine, or to gather silicone polymer which sticks on to the
microplastic in the oceans. skin without tape or straps and is free of
“These are novel living machines,” said large batteries and wires.
Joshua Bongard, a computer scientist It uses near-field communication (NFC)
and robotics expert at the University of technology, which is used in many
Vermont, who co-developed the millimetre smartphones for mobile payment today
wide bots, known as xenobots. to transfer the data.
They’re neither a traditional robot nor a “The result is a thin, lightweight system
known species of animal. It’s a new class of that can be worn and used without
artefact, a living, programmable organism. constraint indefinitely,” says Professor
These are the world’s first living robots. John A Rogers, who worked on the
The new creatures were designed on a project.
supercomputer at UVM and assembled Scientists hope that the technology
by biologists at TuftsUniversity. These tiny could eventually find its way into
“xenobots” promise advances from drug clothing, allowing people with
delivery to toxic waste clean-up. prosthetics to wear VR shirts that
26 boiMAG.com communicate touch through their
fingertips.



28 boiMAG.com

MICHAEL JACKSON
Billie Jean

In The Magic & The When Michael Jackson talked about
Crazy, The Whole “Billie Jean” in Moonwalk, he said “A
Story, Michael musician knows hit material. It has to
Jackson’s biographer  feel right. Everything has to feel in place.
J. Randy Taraborrelli It fulfills you and it makes you feel good.
promoted the theory
that “Billie Jean” was You know it when you hear it.
derived from a real That’s how I felt about ‘Billie Jean.’ I knew
life experience that it was going to be big while I was writing
Michael faced in 1981. it. I was really absorbed in that song.
He documents that a girl had written One day during a break in a recording
Michael Jackson a letter claiming that session I was riding down the Ventura
he was the father of her child. Michael Freeway with Nelson Hayes, who was
used to receive letters of this kind working with me at the time. ‘Billie
regularly and he would just ignore Jean’ was going around in my head and
them. But this woman continued to that’s all I was thinking about. We were
send Jackson more and more letters, getting off the freeway when a kid on a
she also stated that she loved him motorcycle pulls up to us and says, ‘Your
and they will make a happy couple car’s on fire.’ Suddenly we noticed the
together raising the claimed child. She smoke and pulled over and the whole
pondered how Jackson could ignore bottom of the Rolls-Royce was on fire.
his own flesh and blood. The letters That kid probably saved our lives. If the
she wrote were very disturbing to car had exploded, we could have been
Michael to the extent that he suffered killed. But I was so absorbed by this tune
nightmares. floating in my head that I didn’t even
One day Michael received a parcel focus on the awful possibilities until later.”
from her containing her picture, a gun
boiMAG.com 29
and a letter.
In the letter
she asked that
Michael kill
himself on a
certain day and
at a specific
time and that she would do the
same once she had killed their baby.
She wrote that if they could not be
together in this life, then they would
be in the next. Michael was horrified
and he rarely spoke about this woman,
but he had a very hard time dealing
with this unwanted attention, the song
was his way of expressing his feelings
without addressing her directly.