To Your Health!

A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER E OCTOBER 14, 2011

To Your Health!

Statins + CoQ10?

BEAUTY THROUGH HEALTH

Healthier body: healthier hair, nails

By JACKIE LUPO

SENIOR LIVING

Caring for your aging parents

BY MaRY leGRaND

A

dult children may visit with an aging parent every day, once a year or somewhere in between, but it’s still stressful when the realization comes that Mom or dad is having trouble remaining independent at home. The signs are often there, according to Jean dunphy, executive director of Willow Towers Assisted Living, part of the United Hebrew of new rochelle campus of residences, senior apartments and services.

“It’s sometimes very obvious that a parent can no longer live alone, because they need help,” dunphy said. “The adult child at that point, regardless of what’s happening, realizes their parents are aging. And the aging process is painful, because the parents’ lives are shrinking. Maybe they’re losing the ability to drive, which is a huge loss of independence, and with that comes social isolation.”

Families of older individuals often feel isolated themselves when confronted with the need to make decisions about a relative’s care. The options available to them are confusing, to say the least, and it can be difficult to navigate the process of finding help.

One way to start is to go online. The federal government offers a comprehensive checklist at www.usa.gov/citizen/topics/ health/caregivers that includes links to individual states and hundreds if not thousands of websites. new york State and Westchester County’s sites offer similar links to basic and specific information.

Here in Westchester County there are many options, including at Cabrini Eldercare in dobbs Ferry and lower Manhattan. Lorraine Horgan, vice president for external affairs at Cabrini Eldercare, said people’s needs differ when they first call for advice. “Prospective families usually speak with someone in the admissions office,” she said. “Some people call and are looking to place Mom for short-term rehab; others are looking for advice in general. We’re willing to answer those questions of course; that’s what we’re here for.”

Many local facilities offer a host of options for elder care, from home care to long- or short-term care in a facility. United hebrew of new rochelle and cabrini eldercare are both full-service, offering different kinds of home care programs, long-term health care, adult day care, comprehensive medical and social services, and more. One option for adult children whose parents Continued on page 10a

INSIDE: Beauty by accident: Long, dark lashes are a winning side effect .... 3A Optic health: Many options for correcting presbyopia ................... 3A Health Tips: Prevention is the best medicine ....................................... 4A Protein: Are you getting enough in your diet? ..................................... 7A Seniors: Safety updates help seniors live independently at home .............9A

Fitness: These exercise trends have lasting appeal .............................11A

Ah, how we abuse the body parts we try to make the most beautiful: our hair and nails. We use our fingernails to pry open soda cans; we fry our hair with 450-degree irons and cook it with chemicals.

It’s possible to have nails and hair that look beautiful without wreaking havoc instead. We talked to local experts about the problems that can befall nails and hair. These include natural ones — caused by health issues, for example — and problems that can only be called owner-inflicted ones.

By JENNIFER LEAVITT-WIPF

M

arketed since 1987, statins are now the most widely prescribed drug in the united States.

Twenty-five million of us take them to keep our cholesterol in check. They do just that by inhibiting the enzyme hMgCoA reductase, which determines how much cholesterol forms in our livers. Since statins do succeed in significantly improving our blood lipid profile, and because serious side effects are rare, most doctors strongly advocate their use.

Specializing in internal medicine, Oxana Popescu, M.d., of hastings-on-hudson, said that a number of her patients take statins, but very few have complaints. She has been pleased with their results.

Jonathan Wynn, M.d., who practices cardiology and internal medicine in White Plains, said that he himself experiences some myalgia (muscle pain) from taking statins, but, as his own cardiologist said to him, “Would you rather have a cramp in your leg or a cramp in your chest?” (He has strategies to help patients combat statin side effects.)

Cardiologists at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, where Bill Clinton was evaluated for chest pain and shortness of breath back in 2004, include statins as a critical component in their multifaceted approach to helping patients fight heart disease.

Indeed, the consensus in the scientific community is that taking statins is well worth our while.

Healthy, beautiful nails

Nails are made up of layers of a protein called keratin. The growth starts from an area below the cuticle. As the nail grows beyond the cuticle area, the cells get compacted and harder. But there are a lot of things that can happen both during the process of formation of the nail, and after the nail emerges from the cuticle.

In fact, a doctor may be able to tell by looking at your hands that something is wrong somewhere else in your body.

The Mayo Clinic describes several nail problems often found in people with serious health issues: • Pitting on the surface of the nails may exist along with other skin problems, such as psoriasis or some forms of chronic dermatitis.

• nails that curve around the fingertips, a condition called “clubbing,” may be a sign of low blood oxygen levels, found in such conditions as lung disease. Nail clubbing may also occur with cardiovascular, bowel or liver conditions.

• nails with the opposite appearance, sunken in like spoons, may develop in people with iron deficiency anemia.

• dark bands near the nail tips may be a normal sign of aging. They are also sometimes seen in patients with congestive heart failure, diabetes, liver disease or malnutrition.

• Sometimes, severe illness can temporarily affect the formation of the nail, causing horizontal ridges. These ridges, called “Beau’s lines,” may form in patients with malnutrition, uncontrolled diabetes, circulatory disorders, or diseases such as pneumonia, mumps, measles or scarlet fever, in which the patient has suffered from a high fever.

• a fingernail may loosen and fall off due to injury or infection, but there are other reasons that nails can become detached from the nail bed. This condition can sometimes be caused by acrylic nails or as a reaction to nail hardeners.

Nails can also loosen due to drug reactions, thyroid disease or psoriasis.

• discoloration of the nails may indicate a health problem. For example, sometimes people with respiratory problems, such as chronic bronchitis,

Keeping cholesterol in check

Coenzyme Q-10 deficiency

may notice a yellowing of the nails.

Some irregularities in the nail are normal. For example, vertical ridges are no cause for concern, although they do tend to become more pronounced with age.

Some people have nails that are inherently strong or weak. But the way you use your hands can also affect whether nails have a tendency to split or break. Exposing nails to water while dishwashing or bathing can contribute to splitting. Harsh chemicals, such as cleaning products or overuse of polish remover, can also weaken nails. Use a

toluene-free or formaldehyde-free polish remover.

A rough-edged nail can easily turn into a split one. Keep the edges of nails smoothly filed in a gentle arc, without sharp points or corners that can catch on things and cause them to split or break.

If you see the beginning of a split, apply a thin dab of nail glue to the area. Keeping nails covered with clear polish can also protect them from splitting. according to debbie Palmer, d.O., a dermatologist in Harrison, and author of “The dermatologist’s Prescription for a New You” (Authorhouse, 2011),

it’s easy to damage even healthy nails.

“Nail damage can occur from using the nails as tools to pick or pry things like pop-top cans,” said dr. Palmer. “Instead, use an instrument.”

She also urges people not to bite their nails or tear their cuticles. While it’s OK to trim a cuticle that’s sticking up so it doesn’t tear, gnawing and picking are no-nos: “You can get infections in the cuts that can permanently affect how your nail grows.”

Treatments at the nail salon may make nails look strong and healthy, but hazards may lurk at salons that don’t Continued on page 8a

At the same time, researchers have expressed concern about a sometimes silent side effect of this wonder drug — reduced levels of Coenzyme Q10 in the body.

As far back as 1993, the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published “evidence of plasma coq10-lowering effect by hMgCoA reductase inhibitors, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.”

A Columbia University study in New York found that 30 days of statin therapy (at 80 mg per day) cut CoQ10 levels in half, and a study by Kanazawa University researchers in Japan found that after eight weeks of 10 mg a day statin therapy, CoQ10 levels decreased by 40 percent.

The American Journal of Cardiology reported back in 2004 on “The effect of atorvastatin on left ventricular function and ability of Coenzyme Q10 to reverse that dysfunction.”

People particularly vulnerable to statininduced CoQ10 deficiency tend to be over 50 years of age, have a history of diabetes, Continued on page 2a

SPORTS MEDICINE FOR THE MASSES

By JACKIE LUPO

A

major league pitcher. A teenage cross-country runner. An office worker. A great-grandmother.

What do all these people have in common? They may all benefit from research and treatments that originated in the field of sports medicine.

Sports medicine, a subspecialty that first made headlines for the cutting-edge surgeries and therapies developed for elite athletes, now touches the lives of people of all ages. Sports medicine techniques are even being adapted for non-athletes.

Kids have been big beneficiaries of advances in sports medicine. And make no mistake, kids are being injured on the playing field more than ever.

The u.S. consumer Product Safety commission reported that in 2010, more than 414,000 Americans received medical treatment for baseballrelated injuries alone, and more than 282,000 of these patients were 18 or younger. According to the american academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (aaOS), most of these were contact injuries, involving a ball, a bat or another person.

But there are also many overuse injuries to the shoulder and elbow. In fact, injuries to the youngest players are so common that there is even a syndrome, “Little Leaguer’s Elbow,” a painful condition on the inside of the elbow that comes from repetitive throwing. doctors also see little

League pitchers with bone and cartilage injuries that occur when repetitive throwing causes the bones in the elbow joint to smash together.

The aaOS published general guidelines for how many pitches a child can safely throw each week: 75 for 8-10-year-olds, 100 for 11-12-yearolds, and 125 for 13-14-year-olds, including both practice and competitive play. The guidelines also state that young pitchers should play only three to four innings in each game.

High school athletes are also greatly at risk for sports-related injuries. Paul Sethi, M.d., an orthopedist at Orthopaedic & neurosurgery Specialist in greenwich, has been a team physician for the los angeles lakers, dodgers and Angels. Today, he uses a lot of the experience he gained treating professional athletes in his practice, where he specializes in arthroscopic surgery, especially problems with shoulders, elbows and knees. he is also the team physician for greenwich high School, Brunswick School in greenwich and for Iona Prep in new rochelle. dr. Sethi said that he sees many high school age athletes having surgery for injuries that used to be seen only in professionals.

Major-league operations, high school patients

“An example is the increased use of Tommy John surgery for ‘throwing elbow,” Sethi said.

“The ulnar collateral ligament [or UCL] is comCoNtiNued oN page 6a

Page 2A ThE Scarsdale Inquirer c To Your Health!

NEWS NOTES

Friday, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Statins + CoQ10?

New advances for keeping cholesterol in check conditions when making a decision.

Continued from page 1A

Drs. Frank Ennis, Frank Corvino and Paul Sethi are members of ONS.

Conference to focus on children The ONS Foundation for Clinical Research and Education will present Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine Update, a one-day medical conference on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Noble Conference Center at Greenwich Hospital at 5 Perryridge Road. The half-day program will feature presentations by orthopedic, sports medicine and neurosurgery specialists on recent information regarding diagnosis and treatment for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries affecting children through adolescence.

The conference is aimed at professionals in the medical arena: physicians, nurses, physician assistants, physical and occupational therapists, athletic trainers and coaches. Greenwich Hospital Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing education credit for physicians who attend. The conference is being offered free of charge due to an anonymous gift. Lunch and program materials are included. To register visit www.ONS-foundation.org and click the link “Conference Registration” or call (203) 869-3131.

Orthopedic surgeon Frank Ennis, M.D. is the conference program chair-

man. The conference keynote address will be presented by Bob Bigelow, co-author of a book titled “Just Let the Kids Play,” and a former NBA first round draft choice.

“Today’s children have a unique set of physical challenges given the unprecedented level of sports participation,” Dr. Ennis said. “For pediatricians and other medical professionals who treat children, it is important to understand the nature of the injuries that are occurring, and which treatments offer the best chance for full recovery. This conference brings together a unique group of medical specialists who routinely diagnose and treat sports injuries in children. Their clinical observations and experience make this conference an especially valuable learning opportunity.”

The objectives of the conference include a review of the normal function of the musculoskeletal system in children, presentations on the most effective nonoperative and operative management of conditions resulting from injuries related to sports activities and the latest information on injury prevention strategies.

For more information, visit ONS-foundation.org.

To Your Health!

A special section of

The Scarsdale Inquirer P.O. Box 418, Scarsdale, NY 10583 • 914-725-2500 • www.scarsdalenews.com PUBLISHER............................................................................................................................Deborah G. White SECTION EDITOR...............................................................................................................................Todd Sliss ART DIRECTOR....................................................................................................................... Ann Marie Rezen ADVERTISING DESIGN...........................................................................................................Katherine Potter ADVERTISING SALES............... Thomas O’Halloran, Barbara Yeaker, Marilyn Petrosa and Francesca Lynch ©2011 S.I. Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

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and are at risk for heart failure or cardiomyopathy.

In an article published in the journal Biofactors, cardiologist and researcher Dr. Peter Langsjoen said, “The depletion of the essential nutrient CoQ10 by the increasingly popular cholesterol lowering drugs, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), has grown from a level of concern to one of alarm,” adding, “With ever higher statin potencies and dosages and with a steadily shrinking target LDL cholesterol, the prevalence and severity of CoQ10 deficiency is increasingly noticeable.”

Also known as Ubiquinone or Vitamin Q, Coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring compound found in every cell in the body.

CoQ10 plays a key role in producing energy in the mitochondria, the part of a cell responsible for the production of energy in the form of ATP.

Other conditions treated with CoQ10

Controversy over CoQ10 supplements

CoQ10 supplements are available over the counter. A typical CoQ10 dosage is 3090 mg per day, taken in divided doses, but the recommended amount can be as high as 200 mg.

CoQ10 is fat-soluble, so it is better absorbed when taken with a meal that contains oil or fat.

The clinical effect is not immediate and may take up to eight weeks. They are usually orange colored tablets, capsules or gel caps, found at pharmacies and in health food stores. Although it is one of the most expensive, in Japan, it is among the top three best-selling nutritional supplements, and popularity in this country is on the rise.

So, shouldn’t we all be popping gel caps along with our daily statins, just to be on the safe side?

Therein lies the rub. Experts are hesitant to recommend this because of a lack of evidence that CoQ10 supplements will actually improve health. Although it sounds, logically, as though it would, the medical community at large insists on rigorous clinical trials before it will blindly endorse any supplement. And those clinical trials sometimes surprise us. To complicate matters, because supplements are not heavily regulated, the potency and bioavailability of one brand might differ significantly from another.

The Mayo Clinic website explains that, although the levels of CoQ10 in the body can be increased by taking supplements, it

remains controversial as a treatment. The American Heart Association takes the position that, until the safety and effectiveness of CoQ10 is further evaluated, it cannot recommend taking it regularly.

However, some researchers, such as Dr. Nicholas Perricone, author, of “Dr. Perricone’s 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health and Longevity,” believe that CoQ10 is probably one of the best-researched antioxidant, anti-inflammatory vitamins and that studies show that it provides protection to all of the body’s organs. In his discussion about cellular repair, Perricone says that cellular energy production declines as people age and that substances such as CoQ10 are critical in maintaining enough energy in the cell so that it can repair itself.

In their book, “You: The Owner’s Manual,” Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz maintain that the body naturally produces CoQ10 only when it is not lacking in vitamin C, the B-complex vitamins or folate.

In his book “The UltraMind Solution,” Dr. Mark Hyman says that coenzyme Q10 is lowered by common drugs, including the cholesterol-lowering statins, betablockers and hypoglycemic drugs. He says that CoQ10 is made by the same enzyme in our bodies as cholesterol is, thus the lowering of CoQ10 if we take statin drugs.

We literally shut down our production of Coenzyme Q10.

The Outlook Just Got Better At

Roizen and Oz discuss their belief that CoQ10 helps the heart and that it may also help prevent aging of the brain. In discussing studies of Parkinson’s disease and hypertension, they report that high doses seem to decrease symptoms of the disease as well as decrease high blood pressure. Additionally, Roizen and Oz contend that, based on the studies they have reviewed, many additional people could benefit from taking CoQ10 supplements, for various conditions.

A few of Popescu’s patients take CoQ10, and some of Wynn’s use the supplement to control myalgia — which many researchers believe is caused by reduced CoQ10 levels in muscles, due to statin use. The lack of research on a link between statin use and CoQ10 supplementation, coupled with expense, makes Wynn hesitant to recommend it to patients, though he doesn’t consider it dangerous.

The Mayo Clinic does concede that few side effects of CoQ10 have been reported, and that any reactions tend to be mild and stop without additional treatment. Because most health organizations and doctors are not comfortable recommending supplements for specific, unproven applications, though, the decision to take (or not to take) CoQ10 really lies with the consumer, who might want to consider personal health

Countering statin side effects is only one reason that people take CoQ10.

Lower levels of CoQ10 have been found in patients suffering from gum disease, migraines, Parkinson’s disease, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney failure and obesity.

Double-blind research suggests that CoQ10 supplements may reduce symptoms of heart disease, such as shortness of breath, swelling and difficulty sleeping.

In one study, people with heart failure were randomized to receive either CoQ10 (2 mg per kg body weight) or a placebo, in addition to standard treatment. Those who took the CoQ10 had a significant reduction in symptom severity and fewer hospitalizations.

Several small trials have found CoQ10 might be helpful for certain types of cardiomyopathy.

Preliminary research has found that increasing CoQ10 may increase levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is lowered in people with Parkinson’s disease. It has also been suggested that CoQ10 protects brain cells from damage by free radicals.

A small, randomized controlled trial examined the use of 360 mg CoQ10 or a placebo in 28 Parkinson’s patients. After four weeks, CoQ10 provided a mild but significant improvement in early symptoms, as well as marked improvement in visual function.

A larger 16-month trial funded by the National Institutes of Health explored the use of CoQ10 (300, 600 or 1,200 mg per day) versus a placebo in 80 patients with early stage Parkinson’s disease. The results suggested that CoQ10, especially at the 1,200 mg per day dose, produced a major reduction in disability compared to those who took a placebo.

In a 12-week randomized controlled trial, 74 people with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either 100 mg CoQ10 twice daily, 200 mg per day of fenofibrate (a lipid regulating drug), both, or neither, for 12 weeks. CoQ10 noticeably improved blood pressure and glycemic control.

Even though it’s a personal choice, anyone considering CoQ10 supplementation should consult a physician first, especially if there are health conditions or disease at play, as CoQ10 may compound, interfere or interact with other supplements or medications.

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To Your Health! c ThE scarsdale Inquirer Page 3A

Friday, october 14, 2011

Beauty by accident

Trust your eyes to Dr. Cutler.

Long, dark lashes are a winning side effect

optic Health: Many

By SHARON DECKER

Presbyopia is defined as a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of your eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for you to focus at near. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in your early to mid-40s. It is NOT a disease, but an age-related process that cannot be prevented. Eye fatigue and headaches are usually your first symptoms.

Presbyopia can be corrected in many different ways. After a comprehensive evaluation by your doctor, he or she will write you out a prescription for corrective lenses.

Many stores now offer the consumer overthe-counter readers. These lenses are usually not optically correct and may give you added fatigue, especially if you are just guessing at your corrective powers. With other vision conditions like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, your optician can determine the specific lenses to allow you to see clearly.

Reading Glasses: This is the simplest to correct a reading problem. Frames called “half-eyes” are a great choice if you don’t

welcomed by those who use dark shades. It would also be reversible when use of the drops is discontinued, said Dr. Anca Tchelebi, an anti-aging specialist at Park Avenue Medical Spa in Ardsley, Armonk and Rye Brook. She also pointed out that that darker iris color is extremely unlikely with Latisse use, for two reasons: First, each daily application to the lashes involves only 5 percent of the amount prescribed to glaucoma patients. And second, the Latisse application is applied to the lid, not in the eye. If used correctly, little to no medication is reaching the iris.

“I have seen a few patients get some irritation,” said Tchelebi, “but I have not seen any eye color changes. One patient with blue eyes accidentally mistook it for Visine and poured it into her eye, with no changes.”

Using Latisse applicators correctly is critical, for preventing serious infections. One sterile applicator should be used each day, then thrown out.

Because a few people do experience inflammation when they try the solution, Newburger explained that she asks for consent from an eye doctor, just to make sure all is well before applying something new to the eye: “People can come in and ask for a prescription, and all we need to do is make a quick call to the optometrist or ophthalmologist for clearance.” There is no regulated requirement to do this, but it’s a precaution Newburger practices, and recommends.

Dermatology Consultants, who also use the

options for correcting presbyopia

wear any correction for distance. They sit on the lower portion of the nose so they don’t get in the way of your distance vision. Other people may prefer a full frame for their reading glasses depending on the type of work they do.

Bifocals/Trifocals: Bifocal means two points of focus: the main part of the spectacle lens contains a prescription for distance vision, while the lower portion of the lens holds the correction for near. A line separates the two portions. These types of lenses have been around since the Benjamin Franklin era and are used for people who need wide areas for distance and reading only. Golfers really like this type of lens choice because we can fit the bifocal low, so it wouldn’t get in the way of their putting.

Progressive Addition Lenses (PALS): These types of lenses offer you more “natural” vision because they have a gradual transition from distance to reading with NO visible line. This is by far the most popular way to correct presbyopia, but it is VERY important to be properly fitted with a frame that fits well. Too many people have been unsuccessful wearers due to improper fitting

frame or lens choice. There are many different brands of progressive lenses to choose from. They each have a different design philosophy depending on the needs of the patient. A knowledgeable optician will be able to guide you to the proper progressive lens design. The “new digital technology” for lenses has been one of the most significant improvements in lens advancement. This improved technology gives us the ability to customize progressive lenses to the patient’s individual needs and lifestyles. The best part about these custom lenses is that they are much easier to adapt to than ever before.

Occupational Eyewear: This type of corrective lens is perfect for people who spend long hours on the computer. It provides uncompromised clarity for both the near and mid-range vision. This lens is more than a computer lens; it’s for anyone needing edgeto-edge visibility without having to get used to a bifocal or progressive. I highly recommend this specialty lens.

Contact Lenses: The most common way to correct your vision is a technique called “mono-vision.” It’s when one eye is corrected with your distance prescription and

the other eye is corrected for near. There are also bifocal contact lenses that come in both soft and rigid gas-permeable materials. Since these lenses are quite complicated to fit, you should make sure you are being fitted by a qualified contact lens fitter. Since there are many choices in lens manufacturers, it would be best to find an optical professional who has the most expertise in fitting all types of contact lenses and one who has access to many different brands.

Because the effects of presbyopia continue to change through the years, periodic changes in your eyewear may be necessary to maintain clear and comfortable vision.

It is recommended that you have your eyes examined once a year for optimum visual acuity.

Sharon Decker, licensed optician and owner of Eye Designs of Westchester & Eye Designs of Armonk, has been in business for 27 years.

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cause it contained the medication. Allergan later sued for patent infringement.

In 2008, the FDA Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee voted to approve Allergan’s bimatoprost for the cosmetic use of darkening, thickening and lengthening eyelashes. The medical explanation was that bimatoprost treated hypotrichosis (sparse eyelashes), but the approval was purely for cosmetic purposes.

Allergan rebranded Lumigan as “Latisse,” and brought Brooke Shields on as spokesperson. Her results — with time interval photos — can be seen on the Latisse website (www. latisse.com).

The company’s clinical trial had included 280 volunteers, half of whom applied Latisse every night for 16 weeks. Eyelashes on users grew an average of 25 percent longer, 106 percent thicker and 18 percent darker. Side effects were minimal, with some 3.6 percent of patients experiencing itchy, red eyes.

Doctors do warn that side effects from Lumigan, which is the same exact formula, can also include gradual darkening of the skin around the eye, and of the iris. (This is why Latisse is approved only for upper lash use, as darkness under the eyes is something most people like to avoid.) None of the volunteers in the Latisse clinical study experienced these pigmentation side effects, but the study was short term, and not especially large.

A darkening of the upper eyelid could be covered by eyeshadow and might even be

W

Latisse is FDA approved for cosmetic enhancement of eyelashes

Dr. Ellen Cutler of Eye Designs in Scarsdale, a therapeutic optometrist, has been examining and fitting children and adults with eye glasses and contact lenses for over two decades. Her ability to provide contact lenses and progressive lenses to those who have been previously unsuccessful is what has made her a wellrespected choice of ophthalmologists throughout the area. And for those wondering if they are a candidate for laser correction, Dr. Cutler is associated with TLC Laser Vision Center and can screen individuals for this special service.

Eye Designs, celebrating 26 years of quality service, carries the most exclusive and diverse collection of eyewear outside of Manhattan. “We have designs for every personality and style and offer our customers a relaxed environment with the kind of warm and caring service you remember from ‘the good old days.’” says Sharon Decker, Owner of Eye Designs.

Call for an appointment or come in and browse our extensive selection of non-prescription sunwear & receive 20% off your purchase.

TH E

Scientific American once reported that, “like fine wine, personality improves with age.” It’s good to know that there’s at least one silver lining around the growing waistlines and disappearing eyelashes, not to mention side effects of medications that we now take.

Once in a great while though, side effects offer up a pleasant surprise, like when a glaucoma medication — in the form of bimatoprost ophthalmic eye drops — unexpectedly produced long, lush eyelashes. Yes, it’s possible that, with age, our eyelashes can actually increase in pigment and volume, instead of fading into oblivion. Imagine that. And really, these drops improve youthful, voluminous lashes as well. Nearly 100 percent of users see positive results, regardless of the initial condition of lashes.

Allergan — the same pharmaceutical company that turned a little-known muscle paralyzer (Botox) into a popular wrinkle smoother — had patented bimatoprost under the brand name Lumigan, and noticed the long-lash effect during clinical trials on glaucoma patients.

Doctors and patients witnessed the effects as well. “It was really obvious when people using the eye drops came in with a luxurious eyelash on just one side,” said Amy Newburger, M.D., founder of Dermatology Consultants of Westchester, “and sure enough, it was over the eye that was being treated for glaucoma.”

Dr. Arlene Schwartz, of Hartsdale Family Eye Care — who often prescribes bimatoprost for her patients — said she “had a male patient who wanted to stop the medication for his glaucoma because it was giving him these big, thick lashes.”

“It was great for reducing interocular pressure, and people discovered that it caused these long, beautiful lashes as well,” Schwartz added.

During the FDA approval process, doctors began prescribing Lumigan off label for eager patients who couldn’t wait to try out the cosmetic enhancement. Jan Marini Skin Research added bimatoprost to its over-thecounter Age Intervention Eyelash, and was subsequently raided by United States marshals, who seized 12,682 tubes — about $2 million worth — of the lash enhancer be-

drops off label for eyebrows, makes a habit of taking before and after pictures as well, “to document and track changes big and small.”

Bimatoprost reduces pressure within the eye, which prevents optic nerve damage in glaucoma patients. Doctors say though, that small quantities of the drug should not pose any threat to the healthy eye, as slightly lower pressure is not problematic. According to Dr. Andrea Thau, spokeswoman for the American Optometric Association and associate professor at the SUNY State College of Optometry, bimatoprost “has an excellent safety profile.”

For lashes or brows, there are two catches with Latisse. First, it takes up to 14 weeks of daily use to reach maximum length and thickness. And second, to keep lashes in top form, people will need to keep using the eye drops because the solution works by lengthening the duration of the growth phase — keeping hairs on the lid or brow longer before they fall off and get replaced. Without regular use (three times per week for maintenance), lashes and brows will return to their normal, genetically determined length, thickness and color within a few months.

At $120 for a 30-day supply, this form of beauty does not come cheap. (Some patients convince their doctors to prescribe generic bimatoprost “off label” instead though, which garners the same benefits for less money — minus the applicators.)

For those who are impatient with the 14week wait, Newburger recommends using an eyelash undercoat in the meantime, such as Underwear for Lashes, by Origins, followed

by Lancôme’s Ôscillation Power Booster, and a good mascara. She likes Fringe Benefits, by Origins, and Ôscillation PowerMascara by Lancôme. “The look is quite striking,” she said.

Some women, though, give up mascara altogether when they see the Latisse results.

And compared with the $5,000-plus price tag for eyelash transplants, Latisse is a real bargain, at least in the short term (it would take about 10 years of Latisse use to match that cost), and doesn’t require monthly eyelash trimming. Most users are very happy with the product.

“We have many people using it, and they just love it,” said Tchelebi.

“Women are pretty excited about the results,” Newburger agreed. “They typically keep using it indefinitely.”

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Health Tips:

Page 1

Prevention is the best medicine Body Mass Index (BMI) obesity screening

By TRACI DUTTON LUDWIG

M

ost of us would not skip our car’s annual service appointment and regular oil changes, but are we being as diligent with our bodies? For ultimate good health, adults should see their doctors regularly and not just when they’re sick.

An annual physical exam is a good place to start. It enables patients and doctors to develop a productive relationship, establish baseline assessments, and perform recommended screening based on appropriate risk factors.

The benefit to catching conditions early is that they are more treatable, and this can overall increase positive health outcomes.

An internist with Connecticut’s Old Greenwich Medical Group, Dr. Melanie Kelton, M.D., gave an example: “It’s important to find problems early. Many early-stage cancers are curable illnesses, but advanced Stage 4 cancers are not ‌ Even with high blood pressure, if discovered and treated early, patients will significantly lower their risk of complications down the line.â€?

Through rigorous evaluation of clinical research and preventative measures, the U.S. Preventative Task Force has issued screening recommendations, providing information on when and to whom these assessments should be administered. “But most importantly, it’s crucial to follow your doctor’s recommendations related to your own profile based on age, family history, health status and risk factors,� Kelton said.

The following recommendations are meant as guidelines. They should be discussed with a physician who can individualize assessments according to each patient’s specific situation and health.

When: 18 and older (but also measured in children) Frequency: once a year

within a period of one to several weeks in order to apply a diagnosis of hypertension.

High blood pressure increases a patient’s risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, especially when combined with other risk factors. High blood pressure can be treated by medication and lifestyle changes.

Obesity is associated with adverse health conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease. All adults should be screened for obesity; and “Body Mass Index� (BMI) is a widely-used method. BMI represents weight adjusted for height. It follows the formula of either weight in pounds, divided by height in inches squared, multiplied by 703; or weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person with a BMI between 25-29 is considered to be overweight. BMIs of 30 or more constitute obesity. (The National Institute of Health offers an online BMI calculator at www. nhlbisupport.com/bmi.)

Cholesterol screening When: 20 and older Frequency: at least every five years Blood tests measure the amount of total cholesterol, bad cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides and good cholesterol (HDLC). A patient’s values provide insight into lipid disorders affecting metabolism, elevations of bad cholesterol and deficiencies of good cholesterol — all of which increase the risk of coronary disease. High levels of cholesterol are typically caused by genetics, although diet also plays a role. If values are within a healthy range, assessments can be performed every five years. However, shorter intervals are appropriate for results that approach levels requiring therapy.

Whole body exam for skin cancer screening When: 18 and older Frequency: once a year The expert eyes of a dermatologist should perform a whole body visual examination for the early detection of melanoma, basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancer and precancerous lesions. Populations most at risk include fair-skinned men and women older than 65, patients with atypical moles, patients with more than 50 moles, patients with a family history of skin cancer and patients with a past history of sun exposure and burns. Suspicious skin lesions are identified by possibly malignant traits — asymmetry, border irregularities, color variability, a diameter greater than 6 mm and rapid changes in size or appearance. Biopsies of suspicious lesions are warranted.

Complete blood count and blood chemistry panel When: 18 and older Frequency: approximately once a year to once every three years

All Adults

Most physicians order a CBC and a blood chemistry panel as routine assessments at annual physicals. These tests also provide diagnostic information in patients with various symptoms. Additionally, the tests are useful for doctors to catch asymptomatic problems early. For example, these blood tests can pick up on diabetes or prediabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, vitamin deficiencies and some infections. Vitamin D deficiencies are common and can be treated with supplements. The frequency of testing depends on patients’ results and subsequent symptoms.

High blood pressure screening When: 18 and older Frequency: once a year It is routine to check blood pressure at annual physical examinations and sick visits. Physicians strive for a patient’s blood pressure to be lower than 140/90, or there might be a lower goal depending on risk factor profile. Typically, a patient must show two or more elevated blood pressures

Colorectal cancer screening When: ages 50-75; earlier if risk factors Frequency: every 5-10 years, depending on risk factors Colorectal cancer screening is accomplished by either a colonoscopy (performed in a hospital or outpatient clinic to examine the whole colon) or a sigmoidoscopy (perContinued on the next page

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defects, and should be taken at least one month before conception and two-three months into the pregnancy.

Continued from preViouS page

formed in a primary care doctor’s office to examine only the lower portion of the colon). More than 80 percent of colorectal cancers arise from polyps, which can be viewed and removed for biopsy during the screening tests. Most polyps will not progress to cancer. However, 30-50 percent of Americans older than 50 will develop polyps, and between 1-10 percent of these polyps will develop into cancer within 5-10 years. Screening is the best way to detect colorectal cancers while they are early and treatable. Earlier screening is recommended for high-risk individuals including African-Americans, patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease and patients with multiple first-degree relatives or relatives who developed colorectal cancer at an early age.

Women MaMMograMs for breast CaNCer sCreeNiNg When: as early as age 35-74 frequency: every year, if 50 or older; or every one or two years, if older than 40 Many doctors recommend a baseline mammogram starting at age 35 or 40, with follow-up mammograms every one to two years after that. If there is an underlying genetic mutation, a history of chest radiation or a significant family history, a more aggressive screening schedule might be recommended. Age is also a risk factor. There are two types of mammography — traditional film and digital imaging. For women under 50 or for women with dense breast tissue, discuss the benefits of digital mammography with your doctor. MrI imaging is another option for high-risk individuals.

Men prostate CaNCer sCreeNiNg When: ages 50-74 frequency: depends on results and risk factors

osteoporosis sCreeNiNg When: 65 and older for the general population; 60 and older for women with increased risk for fractures frequency: every two years Osteoporosis can affect bone health in post-menopausal women. White women and thin women with a body weight less than 154 pounds are at greater risk for low bone mineral density. Noninvasive bone density tests are effective screening methods for this disease.

Prostate cancer screening can be conducted through a digital rectal exam or a PSa (prostate-specific antigen) blood test. young, healthy men have low levels of PSa in their blood — usually less than 2.5. PSa increases as a man’s prostate enlarges with age and can normally be 4 or less. PSa also increases because of inflammation of the prostate gland or cancer. Temporary increases in PSa level can result from injury, ejaculation or a rectal exam. While the PSa test is not a precise indicator of cancer, it has been successful in alerting doctors to early stage cancers. Age, family history and an African-American background increase a patient’s risk for prostate cancer.

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The Zoster vaccine is used to prevent shingles in adults older than 60, although it has been Fda approved for people as young as 50. Shingles are caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox; however, shingles are more severe. Their discomfort and severity increase with age.

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Page 6A ThE Scarsdale Inquirer c To Your Health!

Friday, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Sports medicine for the masses Continued from page 1A

monly ruptured or torn in pitchers. This is an injury we see on the inside of the elbow.”

Major League pitcher Tommy John was the first person to have a groundbreaking operation to repair his UCL. In fact, the operation was so successful, and his career rebounded so well, that his name became permanently linked with the surgery. Back when he had the operation, it was necessary to cut the elbow wide open and move a major nerve aside. Today, the procedure is done much less invasively, with only a small incision and without the necessity of touching the nerve, so the operation has become almost commonplace.

“It’s now being used across the country on both high school and professional level pitchers,” said Sethi, who said kids are not small adults. “We’re letting our kids pitch too much. High school athletes used to play three different sports during the school year.

But now, many athletes are doing the same sport for 11, 12 months a year. So we see a lot of stress injuries.” Sethi explained that different sports use different muscles, so if a student plays baseball for just three or four months a year, the chance of repetitive injury is less.

“The No. 1 predictor of the need for surgery is the total volume of throwing,” Sethi said. “If you throw more than nine months a year, you increase your probability for having this condition. Perhaps we are setting up the potential for more injuries.”

Sethi said that professional pitchers have come back from Tommy John surgery so successfully that a myth has developed that the surgery actually makes you throw faster.

“A professional pitcher who, three years ago, was throwing at 94 miles per hour, then dropped down to 89 because of ligament damage, but then had the surgery, he gets back to 92, 93. But he is only restored to what he was pre-injury.”

Nevertheless, the myth has become so prevalent that Sethi has even been asked by some parents of athletes whether Tommy John surgery could make their child pitch faster. But, he said, if you have a normal ligament and have the surgery, it won’t make you pitch faster. “You don’t do this on a healthy ligament,” he said.

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For adults, Sethi said, many of the procedures first developed for athletes are now used to help people get back to the activities of daily living: “If a mom or dad has a knee that is giving out just walking around, we might do an ACL replacement.” He explained that the anterior cruciate ligament helps keep the knee from going out of joint; the procedure helps the knee remain stable.

“We do a lot of techniques of sports medicine on our recreational patients,” Sethi said. “We tailor things really delicately.”

He added that for skiing or tennis, lots of people have trouble because the knee gives out, so “we give them a new ligament.”

Sethi said today’s techniques are less invasive: “With ACL reconstruction, it used to be you were in a cast for six to eight weeks.”

Months of therapy would follow. “Now, we get them up and moving and walking right away,” he noted. “The procedure has faster rehab, it is more predictable and has few complications.”

“We do progressively more minimally invasive procedures every day,” Sethi said.

This has proven to be a boon for the baby boom generation: “The baby boomers are more interested in being more active and athletic than their parents were at that age.”

That means that there are more 50-yearolds with sports injuries than in the previous generation.

“Rather than live with them, they get them taken care of,” Sethi said.

Many specialties in sports medicine

Treatment for bone and muscle injuries is what people usually think of when they think of sports medicine. But orthopedists such as Sethi are just one area of specialization in sports medicine. The field also includes exercise science specialists, physical therapists, nutritionists, psychologists, pediatricians and doctors in family practice.

One area that is receiving increased attention is being called the “female athletic triad.” Girls are increasingly involved in competitive sports at younger and younger ages. And although girls and women certainly benefit from sports and exercise, some female athletes develop eating disorders, such as bingeing and purging, restrictive eating, crash dieting and compulsive exercising in an effort to lose weight for sports. Poor nutrition, excessive energy demand, stress and low body fat can combine to make menstruation stop. And when this happens, a girl or woman can develop premature osteoporosis, because lack of periods can interrupt the bone-building process. That’s a recipe for even more injuries.

Coaches, trainers, physicians, psychologists, school personnel and families are all becoming increasingly aware of the risks that female athletes face.

Preventing surgery and chronic pain

As any athlete will tell you, proper technique can prevent pain and injury. That’s just as true in everyday life. Physical therapists who specialize in sports injuries apply this principle to everyone from office workers to the elderly.

Physical therapist Karn Santikul, owner of New York Sports & Spinal Physical Therapy in Scarsdale, often sees clients with repetitive stress injuries that are related to work habits, such as typing.

“A quick cortisone injection might give temporary relief,” Santikul said. “But you have to examine how you’re working at your work station. If you don’t get rid of the

underlying issues, two weeks later you’re back to square one. Shots are not enough if you haven’t resolved the issue of how that pain came about.”

Santikul said the goal of the physical therapist is to prevent surgery, prevent injections and prevent chronic pain.

“What really changes compared to sports medicine is the goal of the patient,” Santikul explained. “For someone with a rotator cuff injury, for example, we’re not trying to build strength to the next stage, we’re trying to bring down pain, restore motion and build strength.”

One therapy that had its roots in sports medicine is called “Graston technique,” a form of massage that can break down scar tissue using specialized tools for massage and create an environment for tissue to heal normally and restore normal motion.

Another sports medicine-based technique is “kinesiotaping.” If you’ve watched professional sports on TV, you may have noticed athletes wearing strips of colored tape on various parts of the body. This is kinesiotape, a flexible tape that allows the person to move.

“The tape is pliable, not rigid,’ said Santikul. “This tape will restore your normal movement. It cues the muscle to fire, to engage the way it should.” Santikul said using a rigid brace simply promotes an existing weakness, while the flexible tape helps the person return to using the body part normally. He said it can be used for conditions such as rotator cuff strain, elder arthritis and a loose kneecap.

“For someone with bad posture such as an elderly person, taping is used to prevent it getting worse,” Santikul said. “They’ll feel a tug on the tape to remind them ‘I’m hunching too much.’”

Santikul said a physical therapist trained in sports medicine can help weekend warriors and seniors exercise more safely, pointing out the imperfections in their technique that can cause injuries. Unfortunately, he said, many people who use a gym do so without the benefit of consulting a physical therapist first: “Most of the time in the gym they’re doing exercises that actually encourage their osteoarthritis.”

Dr. Samar Tannous

Ardsley, New York

(914) 674-9003 Email:

desappts@aol.com

Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and Westchester Community College have announced a new affiliation for students attending the college’s Registered Nurse program. In the fall of 2011, nursing students from Westchester Community College began a clinical rotation at Burke in order to learn the skills necessary for their career as a registered nurse.

Burke offers experience in the acute rehabilitation setting. Nursing administrators and educators at Burke have coordinated with the chair and faculty at WCC’s nursing curriculum to design a program that will be an outstanding partnership between the two facilities. This will merge the highly competitive and successful nursing program at WCC with the exceptional health care services that Burke offers. According to Pauline Jones, RN, FNP, CRRN, the assistant director of nursing education at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, “The new joint venture will allow WCC students to gain valuable practical knowledge about rehabilitation nursing while working directly with Burke clinical staff.”

The plan is to bring the first semester students into the hospital in order to build beginning nursing skills in all areas. In addition, in spring of 2012, it is proposed that the fourth semester students will be involved in a capstone project. This project will enable the senior student to work directly with and be mentored by a staff nurse at Burke. The project will encourage students who are interested in rehabilitation nursing to specialize in this field.

It is anticipated that this initial affiliation of the Westchester Community College nursing curriculum and Burke Rehabilitation Hospital will continue to grow and expand. This relationship will afford nursing students at the college an excellent practical experience during their education and Burke will have the opportunity to work directly with nursing students that are interested in the field of acute rehabilitation nursing.

For additional information about Westchester Community College’s Nursing Program, call 606-6600. For more information about any of Burke Rehabilitation Hospital’s in-patient, out-patient or education programs, call 597-2500.

The new class of nursing students from Westchester Community College receives a medical equipment demonstration from Burke Rehabilitation Hospital Instructor Rosanne Cardi, R.N.

Dr. Tannous has practiced dentistry for over 15 years. She earned her DDS and a diploma in Pediatric and Community Dentistry in 1994. She obtained her DDS from New York University. Known for her high quality and good caring, Dr. Tannous shares her extensive experience and continues her dental education to solve most of today’s dental problems and concerns. She is a member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy Of Facial Cosmetics.

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Friday, october 14, 2011

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Protein: are you getting enough in your diet?

By Dr. KAREN REZNIK DOLINS, EdD, RD, CSSD, CDN

L

isa considers herself to be a healthy eater. She enjoys eating fruits and vegetables, eats mostly whole grains, and has chicken or fish more often than re d meat. She is aware of the need to have enough calcium to keep her bones strong, and eats yogurt most days. She works out with a trainer three times a week. But despite having shredded wheat instead of Fruit Loops and cantaloupe instead of brownies, she still struggles with some extra pounds.

With all the talk about Atkins, South Beach and The Dukan Diet, she wonders if she wouldn’t be better off skipping the fruit with its sugar and brown rice with its starch. Maybe she’d actually be healthier if her plate simply held a protein and vegetables as friends have suggested.

Rob is a 20-something former high school and collegiate athlete. He knows that it’s harder for him to keep his musculature now that he’s graduated into a desk job, but he’s committed to visiting the gym at least four times each week. The word in the college locker rooms was that protein shakes are essential to building muscle and burning fat. He wonders whether protein shakes would help him now.

Lisa and Rob aren’t alone in wondering whether protein should take center stage as they work toward their goals. While the USDA has recently traded in the Food Guide Pyramid for My Plate, which recommends that only a quarter of a dinner plate consist of the protein food, many wonder whether this is the best way to lose weight, and whether this format provides enough protein for an athlete or active person. Fortunately, researchers have asked these questions as well, and have conducted studies to find out the answers.

A number of studies have compared the effects of various diets on body weight, body composition and certain health parameters such as insulin level. Each time the results have been the same: it’s ultimately calories that count. If your breakfast of eggs and bacon, lunch of stir fried vegetables with chicken and dinner of steak and broccoli have fewer calories than your breakfast of oatmeal and blueberries, lunch

of a turkey sandwich, and dinner of brown rice, steak and broccoli, then you will lose more weight and body fat. If not, then you won’t. Health parameters generally follow weight loss, so insulin, blood pressure and cholesterol will generally improve as the number on the scale goes down.

But does protein keep you more satisfied while carbs keep you craving more? This has also been investigated, and the results vary. For many, eating highly sweetened low fiber cereals, white breads including Italian breads and bagels, and sweets like cookies triggers overeating rather than contentment. The more highly processed the food, the more likely it is to have added sodium and sugar with less fiber. This combination makes it difficult to eat a reasonable portion, like a third of a monster-sized bagel or a single cup of pasta. Diets high in minimally processed (whole) grains, fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, are loaded with water and fiber, both of which aid in satiety. In fact, a prominent researcher in the area, Barbara Rolls, has created her popular “Volumetrics” diet around this concept. Her research has shown that people will eat fewer calories when eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables as they leave the dieter feeling more satisfied with fewer calories.

Yet many feel that the higher protein diets work best for them. And there is science to support the benefits of including enough while trying to lose weight. For one thing, protein leaves the stomach more slowly than carbohydrates, maintaining a sense of fullness. Is this more satisfying than eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables? Perhaps for some. One thing is certain, though. The amount of protein you need varies with the amount of calories and carbohydrates you are eating. When cutting back on calories and carbohydrates, some protein will be diverted from its usual functions and used to supply your body with energy and maintain blood sugar levels. Our bodies work hard to keep blood sugar levels steady, as sugar is the key nutrient for the brain and other cells. When available carbohydrate is low, we make sugar in part by converting protein. Sadly, although even the leanest of us has ample fat, we are unable to harness enough of it to keep our blood sugar levels in a healthy range.

Physical activity, of course, changes things. Those of us who are committed ex-

ercisers, perhaps running 30 miles a week, biking for hours or doing heavy duty lifting will need more protein than normally recommended. The majority of us who are exercising for fitness, though, do not. So if you’re walking for an hour several days a week or doing a light workout in the gym, there’s no need to heap more meat on your plate. In fact, even the committed exerciser probably gets enough protein without eating a bigger burger, several pieces of chicken, or a protein shake. That’s because the more physically active you are the more you will probably eat.

So where does this leave the active individual in terms of the new My Plate recommendations? Will a quarter plate of a protein food be enough? Let’s look at a few scenarios:

Breakfast: 1 cup cooked oatmeal with 2 tablespoons raisins and 10 walnuts, 1 cup skim milk Snack: 2 pieces string cheese, 10 crackers Lunch: Turkey sandwich on rye with lettuce, tomato and mustard, 2 ounces pretzels, apple Snack: ½ peanut butter sandwich, low fat chocolate milk Dinner: Chicken breast, 1 ½ cups brown rice, large salad with 2 tablespoons dressing, green beans Snack: 1 cup ice cream

• Scenario 3: Mark (we haven’t met him before) is a teenager who wants to build muscle and lose fat.

Here are plans for each of them:

This menu gives Rob the calories he needs and almost twice as much protein he needs to build muscle. Again, he is able to accomplish this while adhering to My Plate recommendations. If he likes to work out in the morning, he should have a small, carbohydrate-based snack first. An English muffin, toast, fruit or yogurt are all good choices.

Lisa’s plan

Mark’s plan

Breakfast: 1 ½ cups Cheerios with 1 cup skim milk and 2 tablespoons raisins Snack: 6 ounces fat free Greek yogurt with vanilla extract Lunch: Salad with 3 ounces grilled chicken and 2 tablespoons salad dressing Snack: Shake made with 1 cup skim milk and ¾ cup fresh or frozen strawberries Dinner: 3 ounces salmon, baked potato with 2 teaspoons margarine, 1 cup broccoli Snack: 1 cup cantaloupe

Breakfast: 1 ½ cups Honey Nut Cheerios with 1 cup skim milk and 1 banana Snack: Homemade trail mix with 15 nuts, 1 cup shredded wheat and 4 dried apricots Lunch: Turkey sandwich on rye with lettuce, tomato and mustard, 2 ounces pretzels, apple Snack: Smoothie made with ¾ cup fresh or frozen fruit, ½ cup orange juice and ½ cup yogurt, 2 graham crackers Dinner: Hamburger (4 ounces) on bun, large salad with 2 tablespoons dressing, green beans Snack: 1 cup cantaloupe As a teenager, Mark needs more calories and protein than either Lisa or Rob. This plan provides the right amount of calories — enough to lose weight while holding onto his muscle — and more than enough protein.

• Scenario 1: Lisa wants to lose weight.

• Scenario 2: Rob wants to build muscle.

This plan will allow Lisa to lose weight.

While adhering to My Plate guidelines, she is still getting almost twice the recommended amount of protein. She is getting the best of both worlds — more than enough protein to meet her needs with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables help her stay satisfied and provide good nutrition.

Dairy foods are important for Lisa to include, as they are excellent sources of protein, carbohydrate, calcium and vitamin D. Studies have linked dairy foods to weight loss. Those preferring soy, almond, or rice milk should make sure that they are supplemented with calcium and vitamin D.

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Dr. Karen Reznik Dolins is a professor in the graduate program of Nutrition and Physical Activity at Teacher’s College, Columbia University, and is the nutritionist for the Columbia University athletic teams. She helps athletes and active individuals of all ages at her office in Mamaroneck achieve their health and performance goals.

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Beauty through healthier body: hair, nails CoNtiNued froM page 1a

properly sterilize their instruments. Palmer suggests bringing your own instruments to the salon if you’re not absolutely sure how the salon handles theirs. and, adds Palmer, don’t overlook the hygiene of your own tools: keep them clean at home by boiling them in water for 20 minutes.

If your manicures consist mostly of cuticle care, nail shaping and polishing, hazards are minimal as long as everything that’s used is clean. If, however, you choose to get acrylic nails, extensions, UV gel nails — any treatment that essentially involves sticking a new nail onto your natural nail — be aware that the condition of your own nails may weaken over time.

If acrylics, gels, wraps or extensions loosen up or get pulled off, they can take the top layer of your natural nail along with them.

And if the material on the nails loosens up, it needs to be removed to prevent infection.

“Once water gets under long extensions, that’s when fungus grows,” said Charles Anthony, owner of Salon Perri in Pound ridge.

He notes that there are now shellac-type nail polishes that dry to a hard finish under ultraviolet light, and these treatments should be gentler to nails than the old gels or wraps.

But when it’s time to remove UV polish, it should be soaked off for enough time to let the polish push easily off the nail. This can take a half hour or more, depending on how many coats of polish were used. rushing it can result in a layer of your own nail being removed as well, since it’s hard for the operator to tell where the polish ends and your natural nail begins. “don’t let them push it off with a metal pusher,” Anthony said. Any of the removal techniques associated with the old-style acrylics, wraps or gels, such as filing the surface of the nail, pushing with hard tools, or lifting off the polish in one piece, can all result in natural nail thinning.

Hair health how-tos

“Your scalp has 100,000 hair follicles,” said Palmer, adding that “a human hair can be stretched up to 30 percent of its length when wet.” Hair really is an amazing substance. It’s strong, but, like the nails, hair can be sensitive to what is going on inside the body.

Hair has a growing period, or “anagen” phase, of about five years. At any given time, about 90 percent of the hairs on the head are in this phase. Then they fall out and enter the resting, or “telogen,” phase, which lasts a few months. Obviously, not all the hairs are in the anagen or telogen phase at the same time, or we would have periods of extreme hairiness followed by periods of extreme baldness.

Male pattern baldness caused by normal aging is not a cause for concern, at least from a medical standpoint. The progress of this type of baldness can sometimes be slowed down by using a product such as rogaine, but once a person stops using it, the inevitable march toward baldness resumes.

Occasionally, however, health problems, such as malnutrition, some diseases, or a drop in normal hormone levels, can interrupt the normal cycle of hair growth and resting.

This is a condition called “stress alopecia” — a few months after some health-related stressor affects the follicles, hair starts to fall out. That’s why pregnant women often see a spike in hair growth during pregnancy, when hormone levels are high, followed by a greater than normal amount of hair loss a few months after the levels drop. Chemotherapy can cause hair loss as well. The good news is that when health problems, hormone fluctuations or chemotherapy stop, the hair growth rhythm generally returns to normal

because the follicles themselves are still in good condition.

“Traction alopecia” is another story. This occurs when the hair is pulled so tightly, from wearing tight braids, extensions or a ponytail, that the hair falls out, something that is especially noticeable around the temples. If the hair is continually being pulled for a long period of time, the follicles can become damaged and the hair loss may be permanent.

A third kind of abnormal hair loss is called “alopecia areata,” in which hair falls out in coin-shaped patches. This condition is thought to be an autoimmune reaction, but it usually reverses itself because the hair follicles themselves can survive through this type of hair loss.

“There’s no magic diet to grow hair, but if you have poor nutrition your body suffers,” said Palmer. “It’s recommended to eat a wellbalanced diet daily, with foods from all five of the food groups.” Palmer added that “if you have a poor amount of protein in your body, you won’t grow hair as well.”

If you’re not sure you are getting all the nutrients you need for healthy hair, a good multivitamin may help. But there’s no dietary supplement that has been proven to grow hair faster or more lushly, although there are plenty of products out there that make such claims.

Of course, what may seem to be slow hair growth may actually be hair breakage at the ends, making it appear that hair is not growing at the typical rate of a half inch every month. If you’ve taken care of all the health issues that can be affecting your hair from the inside, it’s time to look at what damage you may be doing to the hair that’s already on your head. The three major ways to damage existing hair are thermal, chemical and mechanical.

Mechanical damage is, simply put, rough treatment that breaks the hair shaft. “Hair is more prone to breaking when wet,” Palmer said. That’s why she recommends not going to bed with wet hair; the friction against the pillow can cause breakage. Other potential hair breakers: rubber bands, ponytail holders with metal, barrettes with mechanisms that can catch the hair.

It’s easy to damage the hair’s cuticle, the coating of microscopic scales that makes up the covering of each hair. Chemical damage can occur when hair is overprocessed by coloring or straightening. Some forms of

ddNCW introduces dr. Minano, Zerona® digestive disease & nutrition center of Westchester (ddncW) is pleased to announce the addition of dr. cecilia Minano to the practice. dr. Minano completed her internal medicine residency at New York University, followed by her gastroenterology fellowship at yale university. during her medical training, she published several papers on Helicobacter pylori, portal hypertension and cirrhosis. dr. Minano has special interests in women’s health, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel disease, colon cancer screening and esophageal motility. She is fluent in both english and Spanish. “dr. Minano will be a great asset to our practice,” dr. Jack rosemarin said.

“Her specialties offer an added expertise which will help us serve our patients with the greatest aptitude possible. dr. Minano speaks Spanish and that will help improve access to Spanish-speaking population, help them communicate directly with the physician without the need of a translator and also help protect their privacy better.” digestive disease & nutrition center of Westchester is a White Plains-based medical practice specializing in gastro-intestinal diseases. In addition, ddncW offers a nutrition program that has helped patients and normal healthy people who are obese or consider themselves overweight or who simply want the good feeling of looking better. Toward that goal, the center recently was the first in Westchester County to add Fda-approved Zerona, the stateof-the-art, noninvasive, painless, cold laser that contours the body. during clinical trials, Zerona has been scientifically proven to result in an average of 3.6 inches lost from patients’ waists, hips and thighs. Unlike invasive weight loss surgery, Zerona is a revolutionary method that is applied externally without the dangers associated with surgery or other noninvasive devices which rely on heating the tissue. The new technology has been proven to reduce inches from target areas such as the tummy, back, hips, thighs, buttocks, chin, neck and arms; contour and reshape the body; and tighten and tone loose skin.

The introduction of Zerona to the practice will provide those seeking a safe alternative to surgery with a body contouring program that causes no bruising, scarring or discomfort. The simple procedure consists of six 40-minute treatments over a two-week period.

Zerona uses a patented and clinically proven low-level laser technology developed by Erchonia, the global leader in lowlevel laser health care applications. Zerona underwent rigorous clinical trials. The results were proven significantly effective through a double-blind, randomized, multisite and placebo-controlled study and it received Fda approval.

The mission of digestive disease & Nutrition Center of Westchester is to provide the highest quality of care to its patients, in the best, serene and homey environment. The physicians and nurses are board certified and experienced; the staff is knowledgeable, skilled, compassionate and professional.

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straightening, and all permanent hair coloring, work by applying harsh chemicals that open the cuticle to deposit product within the hair shaft. Permanent coloring products also lift the natural pigment from the hair in the process of depositing color. Once the hair’s cuticle has been opened by chemicals, it’s never as strong again.

“If you get color, get it applied by a trained colorist who won’t overlap color onto colortreated hair,” said salon owner Anthony.

“Overlapping the color can cause it to be too processed. A trained eye is needed to see if there is something happening to your hair.

We can recommend good products to help externally.”

Julius Michael, owner of Julius Michael Scarsdale, recommends using use a low-ammonia color.

“Too much ammonia and peroxide are damaging to hair,” he said. Instead, he recommends a semi-permanent color because it “washes off the hair. I try to get all my clients to use it. There’s no oxidation or brassiness.”

For the most part, semi-permanent color is gentler because it deposits the color on the outside of the hair rather than opening up the cuticle of the hair to deposit color inside.

People who need to touch up new growth, since thes color washes out after a few weeks, probably need to return to the salon in about a month anyway. This kind of color causes less damage and brassiness because it just coats the hair instead of lifting the natural color.

Thermal damage can come from misuse or overuse of straightening or curling tools. “People come in with hair fried from irons,” Michael added. “They use the wrong heat setting and do it in slow motion.” The right way to flat iron? Keep the iron moving quickly through the hair.

Stylists recommend using a protective product made specifically for heat styling before using a flat iron or a curling iron. Moroccan-style hair oil products are great for adding a bit of gloss to hair that has already been heat-styled, but they should not be used before ironing hair, since the oil, combined with extreme heat, can “fry” the hair.

While there are at-home chemical straightening kits available, Michael doesn’t recommend doing any straightening at home: “The first time you do it, it might look good, but the second time it overlaps, and that’s when the damage is done.”

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To Your Health! c ThE scarsdale Inquirer Page 9A

Friday, october 14, 2011

Safety updates help seniors live independently at home Whether you are a senior yourself, or have a loved one who is older, living independently in the home is a priority. With the right precautions and a few necessary safety modifications, many seniors can continue to thrive in their own homes.

The room that poses the most danger to seniors is the bathroom. The potential for slips and falls is greater in this part of the home — 75 percent of fall injuries occur in the bathroom — making it a good place to focus your renovation energy.

• Flooring: Hard floors are a hazard because even a small amount of moisture can make them very slick. Many people choose to install carpet because it does not lift or move like rugs can, plus it is warmer to walk on and softer if there is a fall.

• Bathtub: Walk-in baths and showers like the ones from Premier Care In Bathing are great for seniors who want to take baths or showers, but don’t want to risk slipping and falling when stepping over the side of a tub or entering the shower. Look for features like a walk-in door, a powered bath lift, soothing hydrovescent therapy and easy-to-turn faucets.

• Higher toilet: These types of toilets sit

higher off the floor so that users don’t have to bend their knees as much to get up and down.

• Good lighting: To help seniors see better, it’s important to have well-lit rooms and walkways so that it’s easy to get around

all areas of the house, including the bathroom.

Now that you have a good idea of what types of things should be replaced to help keep seniors safe, it’s time to find the right company who can make the renovation process simple. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of options available, so here are some tips to help you find the right one for you.

Tip 1: Good reputation — Reputation means everything when picking out a company that specializes in bathroom updates for seniors. How long has the company been in business? What is their reputation?

Can they provide you with references you can contact?

Tip 2: Quality products — A good bathroom renovation is an investment, and that’s why you want a product that works well and is long-lasting. After going through a rigorous testing process, Premier Care walk-in baths and easy-access showers were commended as being easier to use and more accessible for people with arthritis by the Arthritis Foundation. These are the first baths and showers to ever receive this prestigious commendation. The company is also recognized as the official specialty

bathing partner for AMVETS, the nonprofit organization for American Veterans.

Tip 3: Free estimate — Avoid any company who will not send you educational materials such as brochures to review prior to purchase. Also avoid any company who will not come to your home to give you a free estimate on the cost of the renovation.

An accurate cost estimate is impossible without seeing a bathroom in person.

Tip 4: Specialized contractors — When updating a bathroom, it’s wise to choose a company that does it all. If they subcontract the work out, you may not get someone who has the necessary insight specifically needed for senior home design.

Look for companies that do it all, from providing the best products to complete installation and renovation.

With a few home improvements and modifications, seniors can stay safe at home and live independently for many years. For more information about walk-in baths, showers or ADA compliant sinks and toilets call (800) 313-1694 or visit premiercareonline.com.

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Willow Towers Assisted Living:

New approach caring for Alzheimer’s, related disorders Willow Towers Assisted Living, part of United Hebrew of New Rochelle campus of services, has announced a year-long initiative of specialized enhanced education for its staff and caregivers. The announcement was made by Rita Mabli, president and CEO of United Hebrew of New Rochelle: “We reviewed many available options for this initiative and we are pleased to announce that White Plains Hospital Partnerships in Dementia Care will be our collaborators in this endeavor.”

Partnerships in Dementia is a newly created program under the auspices of the White Plains Hospital Senior Services Department that trains personal and professional caregivers to help people with dementia improve their quality of life while reducing the burden for the caregivers themselves.

Willow Towers will serve as the pilot site for the newly designed person-centered coaching educational program for caregivers. Willow Towers, which opened in 2003, was the first in Westchester County to be awarded the new Assisted Living Residence (ALR) licensure, with dual certification for Enhanced Assisted Living Residence (EALR) and Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR) by the New York State Department of Health.

“Willow Towers has been committed to making a difference in the lives of people with dementia and indeed in the aging process as a whole,” said Geri Brooks, MSN, RN, CS, GNP, and director of the White Plains Hospital Geriatric Services/Partnerships in Dementia Care program. “They are consistently innovative and are indeed an industry leader.”

Along with Brooks as director of the program, White Plains Hospital Senior Services has also welcomed Kerry Mills, a dementia liaison coach.

“Our goal is to continue our culture of excellence by giving our full staff the educational team building skills for our comprehensive collaborative model of care,” said Jean Dunphy, executive director of Willow Towers. “The Phoenix Alzheimer’s Demen-

rooms, exercise room, putting green, recreation and cultural activities, transportation, a library with internet computers and an art studio. Willow Towers offers three restaurant-style meals daily, prepared by an experienced chef; daily housekeeping; personal laundry; scheduled transportation to medical appointments; and other services.

In addition, residents have access to a beauty salon, barbershop, 24-hour cafe, and a multimedia room. Willow Towers features a two-story glass atrium and dazzling views of the Long Island Sound. Opened in 2003, the not-for-profit community located in New Rochelle offers 126 apartments, from studios to two bedroom suites, 20 of which are in Willow Towers’ Phoenix Memory Support Neighborhood.

About United Hebrew of New Rochelle

The staff at Willow Towers Assisted Living in New Rochelle participate in an aging sensitivity training. Willow Towers Assisted Living has begun a new pilot program with White Plains Hospital’s Partnerships in Dementia Care to enhance its staff training for caring for residents with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

tia unit at Willow Towers will be the main focus of the Partnership in Dementia care initiative.”

The innovative program will give the staff special tools for understanding the perspective of a person with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The training includes sessions on the brain, sensitivity to geriatric issues and team-building exercises.

The White Plains Hospital staff will then visit monthly for practical interventions.

Investing in this type of initiative is seen as essential to the vision and future of United Hebrew of New Rochelle, a leader in the field of long-term care. “We are seeing a strengthening trend towards non-profit operations when people choose long-term care facilities for their parents,” Mabli said.

“In these challenging economic times, people are more comfortable with a successful well-run not-for-profit with a continuum of

care with resources to invest and reinvest in their facilities, rather than a proprietary that may not have resources targeted to the resident. There is a comfort in the not-forprofit model of reinvestment in its operation and employees.”

Dunphy added, “The staff is so energized and the momentum in the building is palpable. We are engaged in listening to each individual’s needs and the residents feel our love. That is our focus each and every day.”

For more information about Willow Towers Assisted Living visit www.willowtowers. com or contact Dunphy at 636-6565.

About Willow Towers

Willow Towers Assisted Living residence, a licensed Assisted Living facility by the New York State Department of Health, is an eight-story state-of-the-art residence with a wide array of amenities, including activity

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Page 10A ThE Scarsdale Inquirer c To Your Health!

Friday, OCTOBER 14, 2011

NEWS NOTES

WJCS Home Health Services make a difference for elderly

Jane Slevin, LMFT, is coordinator of the Family Caregiver Network.

Network offers support, referrals, comfort According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 60 percent of individuals with the disease wander at some point in the course of their illness. Sadly, this point was tragically illustrated with the recent death of an 84-year-old Alzheimer’s patient who recently wandered from her Irvington home.

The Family Caregiver Network (FCN), a program of Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), recognizes the constant level of stress that family caregivers live and deal with on a daily basis.

That’s why FCN provides family caregivers a place to turn to for emotional support and resource referrals. For example, in a situation in which wandering is a concern, FCN may suggest that the family contact the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services (www.westchestergov.com) to learn about Project Lifesaver, a free program that provides elderly Alzheimer’s patients with bracelets that use radio-frequency technology to track them if they wander from their homes.

Also, the Alzheimer’s Association (1800-272-3900 or alz.org/safetycenter) can provide information about specific safety programs such as MedicAlert®+Safe Return® and the Alzheimer’s Association Comfort Zone™. Other resources FCN may suggest include information about adult day centers, home health care services, Meals-on-Wheels, Para-Transit and where to turn for legal advice.

In addition to referrals, the FCN offers individual counseling as well as caregiver support groups. In the Rivertowns, FCN meets on the third Thursday of the month from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at James Harmon Community Center in Hastings to provide assistance to caregivers and, most importantly, to let them know they are not alone on their journey.

Thanks to a generous grant from UJA Federation, WJCS is able to provide these services free of charge. For more information, call 761-0600 Ext. 143 or email Jane Slevin, LMFT, coordinator of the Family Caregiver Network, at jslevin@wjcs.com.

Active aging conference features author Learn how to keep your brain’s “Triple A” rating throughout your adult years at The Wartburg in Mount Vernon, on Sunday, Oct. 30, from 3-6 p.m. A free conference called “Active, Alert Aging: Become Your Brain’s Keynote speaker Best Friend,” will Barbara Strauch feature keynote speaker Barbara Strauch, The New York Times deputy science editor for health and medical science and author of the book “The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain.”

The book reviews for “The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain” indicate that Strauch has uncovered information about the plasticity and adaptability of the human brain as we age. According to Scientific American, “Strauch’s book paints a radically new picture of the brain that goes far beyond making those entering middle age feel better. Instead the newly gained insights into the adult brain should cause us to rethink how we structure our lives….”

Terry Gross, radio host of NPR’s Fresh Air, said, “… not all is lost in middle age.

There are certain cognitive functions that actually improve as a brain grows older.”

The speaker and workshops conducted

by The Wartburg Adult Care Community’s staff will focus on taking charge of your brain’s fitness as you age. Continue the conversation over light supper. The conference is free and advance registration is required.

Call Karen Thomas at The Wartburg Foundation, 513-5308, or register online at alertactiveaging.eventbrite.com.

This conference is sponsored by The Wartburg Adult Care Community and the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Wartburg Adult Care Community is a not-for-profit Lutheran ministry, serving people of all faiths with a full range of residential options and health-related services for older area adults and their families.

The Wartburg offers skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, assisted and independent living, adult day services, home care, memory care, pastoral care and monthly caregiver support groups. The Wartburg is a member organization of the National Center for Creative Aging. For more information about The Wartburg Adult Care Community, call 699-0800, email info@thewartburg.org or visit www.thewartburg.org.

Since 1947, Westchester Jewish Community Services Home Health Services (HHS) staff has been caring for frail, elderly and sick individuals as they would their own family members. WJCS teams of registered nurses and home health aides deliver a level of experience, expertise and empathy that is unparalleled, carrying out their duties with concern and compassion.

“That concern and compassion were evidenced recently as Hurricane Irene came barreling up the east coast,” said Sheila Rabideau, R.N., assistant executive director of WJCS Home Health Services. “Beginning on Thursday before the weekend storm, our scheduling coordinator Vivienne Watson worked tirelessly to ensure that all clients would have service.

“Despite the fact that most of our aides do not drive and all public transportation was suspended and taxi service very limited, our aides were able to get to our ‘must cover’ patients throughout the county and assisted in the evacuation of those people at risk. One aide even walked over an hour in the driving rain to get to his client’s home.

“Although the concern for health and care of individuals in the community dates back to the early Egyptians, it was obvious that that spirit of dedication was alive and well among the WJCS Home Health Services staff during the storm.”

With statistics showing that people are living longer, home health care plays a vital role in helping patients achieve the greatest possible level of health in the comfort and privacy of their homes. For many, home health support makes the difference between living independently in their homes or opting for a more costly and restrictive nursing home setting.

Enlisting home care services can often be overwhelming for people who need care and their families. Some questions to help assess your need include: • Do you require nursing assistance — but not extensive medical care — for treatment or rehabilitation?

• Does difficulty moving around affect your ability to dress, groom, bathe, walk or cook by yourself?

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Each patient’s unique family situation, wellness and illness issues, and internal and external home environment demand that home care professionals, the patient/family and the patient’s physician work collabora-

Aid is available for adults caring for aging parents Continued from page 1A

need help is respite care, in which parents can stay at a facility for a short time while the caregiver goes on vacation or just stays at home for a much-needed break.

Dunphy urges families to discuss elder care issues before the need arises during some sort of crisis. “The real crux of the issue is that we don’t really recognize that now is the time to discuss this, now is when I should be setting up advance directives,” she said. “If you ask anybody, they will say to their children that they want to stay at home for as long as possible. That’s okay. It’s the ‘as long as possible’ that’s the tricky bit.

“If you can deal with the social isolation of living alone and bring care into the home and make sure they’re safe, that’s fine, but try to be brave enough to look at other options, because you have to be brave.”

Help is available to determine if a parent is able to remain at home. One option is hiring a geriatric care manager such as Sue Groppe with Elder Services NY in Yonkers. “People just don’t know what to do,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll get a one-shot assessment, sometimes I do long-term management because family lives out of town.

A lot of families just don’t want to move a parent to another state, but prefer to keep him or her in the familiar environment.”

Geriatric care managers and other elder care experts perform home assessments, which include determining what happened to precipitate the initial phone call for help. “Everything’s done in the home,” Groppe said. “We evaluate physical and cognitive functions. Are they bathing themselves, can they do meal preparation, can they go shopping, can they manage their finances?”

There are indicators of potential problems: a dirty house, empty refrigerator or unpaid bills and mail cluttered about.

Eileen Clayton, director of marketing/ director of home care services at United Hebrew, agrees that an initial home assessment is key, particularly to making the correct placement. “Very often I find that

“The aging process is painful, because the parents’ lives are shrinking.”

Jean Dunphy, executive director, Willow Towers A ssisted Living you can’t get a definite picture over the phone,” she said. “The families are in crisis or they don’t think to provide the fact that a parent has Alzheimer’s. That’s what I do. As part of the home care division I can really assess the patient, the family interactions, the home care situation. Then I come back to the office and speak with the doctor and get a much clearer picture.”

If the patient is not placed in the right situation, “they’re moved frequently,” Clayton said. “Sometimes people come in

Jill T. Silverman, PH.D. Licensed Psychologist

Iyengar

Sheila Rabideau, R.N., and assistant executive director of WJCS Home Health Services, presents a STAR (Standout in Teamwork, Actions and Responsibility) Award to scheduling coordinator Vivienne Watson, recognizing her outstanding efforts in ensuring that all WJCS Home Health Services clients had coverage during Hurricane Irene.

tively to design and implement an individualized plan of care. This plan incorporates cultural parameters, environmental issues, psychosocial well-being, economic factors, spiritual needs and personal health factors and often draws upon the skills of a team of professionals.

As more people find themselves in the role of caregiver for their parents, partners, relatives or friends, many discover that, although rewarding, it can be physically, emotionally and financially demanding. Often the burden of care-giving can be eased by outside services, especially home health care.

For many caregivers who are working and also raising children, enlisting Home Health Services not only ensures consistency of care but it substantially reduces stress. And, for families who are geographically separated, Home Health Services offer the confidence of knowing that a loved one is being properly overseen. Even when caregivers live near a senior family member, home care can help maintain the quality of life for all involved.

For more information, call 761-0600 Ext. 312.

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saying they’d like to be independent, don’t want any part of a nursing home. But we soon realize it wasn’t a good fit, they’re not as independent physically. There’s a lot of fear of nursing home placement. I find meeting clients can address some of these issues.”

For older individuals who are independent or require enhanced assisted living, one new option in Westchester is the Kensington in White Plains. Brenda Moynihan, the Kensington’s director of community outreach, also speaks with family members initially to make an assessment of what’s needed. She said 85 percent of caregivers are women, but more and more men are helping make decisions regarding senior living.

“We really ask a lot of questions,” Moynihan said, suggesting that the designated caregiver visit a number of facilities first, then return with a parent, if the parent is able, once the number of choices is reduced. “Stop by with your parent, talk with the residents,” added said. “We

want people to fully experience the community so they can narrow the decision down to one or two instead of bringing them to 15 different communities. It depends on the cognition of Mom or Dad, but yes, a parent should definitely be in the process if they’re able.”

Experts agree that designated caregivers and family members must know a parent’s financial situation — especially what insurance coverage is available — in order to make a decision on care.

Some parents are only covered by Medicare or Medicaid, which limits one’s choices. Others have more assets and/or long-term health care insurance, greatly expanding the options. Representatives at facilities and geriatric care managers are trained to ask questions to help determine what choices are available.

“It’s hard because we’re the sandwich generation,” said Groppe. “Many are still trying to be parents to their own children and trying to deal with their elderly parents. It’s a hard situation to be in, and parents do not want to listen to their kids because they’re still playing the role of parent.”

No matter the ultimate decision, maintaining an older relative’s pride is key. “You want to give them dignity, even for folks who have a cognitive impairment,” Moynihan said. “Sometimes you really can’t, but you want to provide to them as much dignity as possible.”

Dunphy added, “You would think we had achieved a level of success, but what can we do better, what can we understand better? I have thought about the aging process and how little we know about how it feels to have rheumatoid arthritis and not be able to pick up the mail, or to have glaucoma and have no peripheral vision. Sensitivity training reinforced for us how we can never become complacent, always try to be understanding and try to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, literally. These are bright, competent people who have raised families, had important jobs, lived meaningful lives. It’s important we know how it feels for them.”

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To Your Health! c ThE scarsdale Inquirer Page 11A

Friday, october 14, 2011

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These exercise trends have lasting appeal

By MARY LEGRAND

Fitness is hot — and we’re not just talking about how sweaty an exerciser feels after a workout. Trends — some call them “gimmicks� or “crazes� — drive much of the fitness industry these days.

The business continues to change, seemingly yearly or even seasonally, reacting in consumer-driven ways to ensure the most popular exercise options are there for all who want them.

And Westchester residents seeking the next best, most up-to-date exercise can find a wide range of one-on-one and group classes available countywide. Yoga, Pilates, Lotte Berk, indoor cycling, Kettlebells, Zumba and a host of other often trademarked exercise routines too numerous to mention can be found north and south of the Route 287 corridor.

The real question is, what’s an exercise fad or craze? Andrea Chillemi, owner of On Hudson Fitness and Dance in Hastings-on-Hudson, discounts the notion of trends, saying that people need to find “what works for them.� She cited Americans’ “overall need to get up and move their bodies. The statistics are that we have a huge obesity problem.�

To Chillemi, a gimmick “is something that doesn’t work. So if a certain exercise appeals to a person and, in the end, works, then it’s not a gimmick. Personally, I can’t

stand sitting on a bike in a dark room, but there are plenty of people who really get excited riding a bike for exercise.�

Chillemi said On Hudson’s complementary business, New York Goju Karate, in the same Hastings location and run by her husband, Jim, has classes filled with people of all ages who love getting fit through the martial arts. “Fusion� or “comprehensive� classes have become very popular, according to Chillemi and other exercise professionals in Westchester. “If you can do a comprehensive class, you’re doing cardio, using your core muscles and stretching, and then getting weight training as well, it’s perfect,� she said. “This is great, because who has the time to do three different classes in a row?�

In Mount Kisco at the Saw Mill Club and Saw Mill Club East, fitness director Andrew Guida called fusion classes the way of the future at many studios and gyms. He mentioned Piloxing (Pilates and boxing) as being popular, as is Yogalates (a mixture of yoga and Pilates).

But ultimately, Guida said he is a “big believer� in the fundamentals, “things that are staples and work. Fads come and go, and they’re positive for the industry, as long as you know that they come and go.�

Exercisers need variety in their workouts, if for no other reason than keeping boredom at bay. “But too much variety can be a bad thing,� Guida said. “If you do something different every day, your body

may not necessarily respond in the most appropriate way.�

That said, a person who never changes his or her exercise routine is not doing the body much good either. “With no change in the fitness routine, the body reaches that consistency and doesn’t know how to react,� he said.

A happy medium is the answer, with Saw Mill clients encouraged to try out new routines and classes, “for the social and mental stimulation as much as the physical response,� Guida said. “If you’re just a swimmer, get into the fitness area, get into group classes, and hopefully that will create a better exercise map that you can follow, the exercise pathway to success.�

Lisa Avellino is a personal trainer/instructor at Susan Marlowe Fitness for Women in Scarsdale. “Susan Marlowe Fitness has been in the same location since 1973 and has really been involved through all these decades in those ‘crazes’ we’ve had over the years; and we still have them,� Avellino said. “We still offer step aerobics; we offer yoga and Pilates. Zumba is aerobic dance, just with the fusion of salsa and belly dancing with a Latin flair. It’s really great music.�

Avellino agreed that classes offering more than one type of exercise are beneficial. “What works for you individually is what works for your body.�

Susan Marlowe’s fusion “boot camp� is popular and incorporates “all modali-

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ties into one class,� Avellino said. “A boot camp is where you’re pushed to the highest intensity, with very short recovery periods.

You may find a woman in her 80s next to women who run the New York Marathon, with individual modifications of the exercises for each participant.�

Two new, different routines available at Susan Marlowe Fitness involve using Iso Towels and Kangaroo Shoes. The first is a “fat-burning, toning and stretching class using just a towel,� Avellino said. “You’re balancing the relationship between the opposing muscles and using your own bodyweight.�

Kangaroo Shoe Workout participants wear boots with a plastic bridge in the middle. “The boot comes up about 6 inches off the floor and you’re actually bouncing,�

Avellino said. “It’s great especially for baby boomers who don’t want to jump and have concerns about their knees.�

Iris Cohen, owner of Be True Yoga in Scarsdale, said she does not consider yoga to be a fad that will go out of style. “It’s become much more popular in the West over the past decade or so, and within the last five years it has become much more mainstream,� she said.

Yoga’s spiritual component and its ability to heal the body make it different from other exercise routines, she said. “The reason we’re successful is that we’re not just a place where you’re pushing yourself to the

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Page 12A ThE Scarsdale Inquirer c To Your Health!

Friday, OCTOBER 14, 2011

NEWS NOTES

JCC of Mid-Westchester, sports fitness special

Exercise trends Continued from page 11A

limit, but you’re also finding a place for real healing,” Cohen said.

Quite a few yoga students “look to heal injuries from taking exercise a little too far, especially for those in their 40s and older,” Cohen said. “They find their joints just can’t absorb any more of the ‘weekend warrior’ types of exercise they were able to in their 20s and 30s. They come to yoga as a place where they can find balance, not necessarily replace the other exercise.”

At Pilates and More in Dobbs Ferry, owner Valeria Barreto says Pilates began in the mid-1900s with Joseph Pilates, a German. “It was kind of forgotten for many years,” she said. “Then 15-20 years ago it came up again. Pilates has stayed popular because it’s really the best technique for anybody; it prepares your body to do anything you want, makes you stronger and gives you balance. You feel taller, stronger in your core. And if you’re stronger in your core, then you can do anything you want — run, swim, lift weights.”

Barreto spoke of one client, a woman almost 80, whose “stress test after taking Pilates classes is much better than it was 10 years ago. Pilates is good to give you support and reverse the aging process. I think it’s great.”

Lara Keidel’s Spincycle, which opened in July in Scotts Corners, Pound Ridge, gives exercisers the chance to try new routines.

“People like to stay interested in working out and be excited by what they’re doing,” she said. “Anything that gets people up and moving is great. I have some people who only spin, while others spin and do strength training and yoga.”

Women “love to work out” at Spincycle, Keidel said, “because it’s social and because

they’re accountable to each other.” Spincycle also offers a bar class and TRX Suspension, among other options.

Owner Michelle Lichtman of Bodyfit Studio in Scarsdale said that if one looks back at any craze or phase of exercise, “it’s just cyclical, just like a regular business model for any kind of new product. A craze catches on, keeps going up to its fifth year, and then goes down. Certainly Zumba is not going to be popular going forward; the classes are already dwindling.”

People “get bored of certain things,” Lichtman said. “The only routines I can think of in the history of exercise that have stayed the course is Pilates and the Pilates Berk Method,” which was started in the 1950s by a dancer, Lotte Berk, who went into atrophy, landing eventually in a wheelchair. She exercised using the method she later trademarked, dying at 92 “at the top of the exercise world,” Lichtman said.

Bodyfit classes are based on the Lotte Berk philosophy. In addition, there’s a Tread-X class, “where we just torch calories at a startling rate,” Lichtman said.

Lotte Berk, Lichtman said, “was never a craze. It was just a secret, so ladies who lunch could keep their form.” She calls Tread-X a “breakthrough workout that makes your body sleek and lean in the shortest amount of time.”

It would seem that the exercise “trend” for 2011, such as it may be, is that whatever routines make individuals happy, motivated and fit remain popular.

So to the indoor cyclists, cycle on. Zumba addicts, dance on. Pilates devotees, continue what you’re doing, too. Who knows, you may find Kettlebells, Tread-X, Kangaroo Shoes and other yet undiscovered “crazes” in your long-term future too.

The JCC of Mid-Westchester is offering a new member special through the end of October. Get 20 percent off a four-month trial fitness or health center membership when you sign up by Oct. 31. The JCC Sports & Fitness Center features a variety of options for keeping the whole family fit.

The comprehensive facilities include an indoor heated pool, indoor cycling center, Pilates studio, treadmills, arc and elliptical trainers, Nautilus equipment and racquetball court. A variety of group fitness classes are offered each day to meet a range of interests. The newest classes include Tai Chi Push Hands, a great way to learn how to reduce stress, deal with challenging situations and increase understanding of yourself, and Interval Training, which alternates aerobic intervals with strength training, providing a great way to boost fat loss and increase muscle definition.

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Join expert fitness instructors for cardio sculpt, yoga, stretch & strengthen, body sculpt or step.

The JCC’s teen fitness program aims to educate and promote a healthy lifestyle for young adults, ages 12-16. Each supervised session includes cardiovascular, flexibility and strength training, as well as a sports activity such as racquetball, basketball, dodgeball or football. Sessions are offered Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 4-5 p.m., and participants may attend any or all sessions each week. The Total Access Package provides 16-21-year-olds access to the fitness center, group exercise and studio cycling classes, pool, basketball and racquetball courts at a special reduced rate.

The center also offers a number of wellness programs, including personal training, massage therapy and the JFit personalized fitness program, a comprehensive fitness and nutrition program. The pop-

ular Masters Swim Program provides a great way for adult swim enthusiasts to train with other swimmers while improving their strokes and level of conditioning. Train for your first or 20th triathlon in the JCC Triathlon Club. The program includes swim, cycle and run instruction, open water training, customized coaching, event instruction, goal-setting and more.

The JCC of Mid-Westchester, a proud beneficiary of UJA-Federation of New York, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the community by providing cultural, social, educational and recreational/ fitness programs, human services and Jewish identity-building opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds. The JCC Sports & Fitness Center is located at 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale. For more information visit www.jccmw.org. To schedule a tour or for more information, contact Leslie Murray at 472-3300 Ext. 356 or murrayl@jccmw.org.

Get moving at Center for Movement in Scarsdale Finding the time to exercise can sometimes seem like an impossible feat with today’s fast-paced lifestyle. Believe it or not, for the owners and instructors of three busy Pilates and Gyrotonic studios, it is even hard for them to fit a workout in at their own studio, Center for Movement.

So how do they maintain their Pilates physique in Scarsdale? The good news is, because the Pilates and Gyrotonic methods are so effective and specific, the connections that you make create muscle memory and you get more out of your workout. When taught correctly, the body doesn’t forget

what it’s learned. If you do not have time to take a whole class, even a 15-minute Pilates or Gyrotonic workout will target the entire body while keeping you strong, toned and flexible. What Center for Movement owners and instructors have come to find, from years of practice, is that once you’ve invested in a proven exercise method such as Pilates or Gyrotonic, your muscle memory remains, even if you’ve taken some time off.

The beauty of these types of exercise techniques is that when you want to jump back into the practice, your body and mind instinctively follow because you’ve established

core strength.

Though nothing can replace the need for a full class, mindful movements can be done anywhere. Once you begin to understand the principles of the Pilates Method and Gyrotonic System, you realize that their benefits can be held onto long after you finish a workout. You can practice what you’ve learned in your Pilates and Gyrotonic classes simply by being aware of how you hold yourself. Your posture and alignment are essential elements to looking and feeling better.

Visit www.centerformovement.com.

Trainer Z’s Dynamic Group Workout Classes reopened Zor, aka Trainer Z “The Fitness Motivator,” has reopened his group workout class studio on Cedar Street in Dobbs Ferry, where he once again offers and personally conducts his self-created, dynamically styled group workout classes. After closing up his fitness studio almost two years ago to pursue some out-of-state ventures, Trainer Z is highly excited for the opportunity to come around full circle and once again be able to offer his fitness services and help those in the Rivertowns areas to not only achieve their fitness goals but to also improve their quality of life.

Despite his temporary absence, there are many people who have been eagerly waiting the opportunity to experience Trainer Z’s group workout classes once again or for

the very first time.

“My classes are conducted a lot differently from the way most instructors conduct workout classes because I stand along the sidelines and motivate the participants while they’re performing the exercises,” Trainer Z said. “I interact with each person like it’s a personal training session even though they’re part of a group.”

The classes are also unique because the workout routines and exercises are based on a countdown timing method rather than the usual method of counting/performing a certain number of repetitions.

This countdown time factoring becomes each class participant’s window of opportunity in which to perform at one’s own pace or level of conditioning. Your win-

dow of opportunity allows for you to get out of each class routine what you can or what you want. When all is said and done, each class participant comes away having had the ideal workout for themselves.

Group workout classes created and personally conducted by Trainer Z: Awesome Abs & Legs, Boot Camp Blitz, Boot Camp Kick, KO Kick-BO, Strength-N-Motion, and Strength-N-Stretch.

Are you ready to work it out? If you are interested in joining Trainer Z’s Dynamic Group Workout Classes, or if you would like to attend a workout class orientation, visit www.GroupWorkoutClasses.com or call 1-888-848-6623 Ext. 620.

Yoga instructor Nancy Kardon

Iyengar yoga classes resume

Nancy Kardon welcomes you to a first free class in her yoga studio at 74 Brewster Road. In her fully equipped studio dedicated to yoga, she teaches small group classes and individual sessions for adults. Kardon puts together sessions for kids and teenagers, too.

Kardon began the study of Iyengar yoga in 1994 and was certified in this rigorous method in 2000. In the early ’70s she began the practice of meditation studying with Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, which she shares with interested students.

The studio was established in 1995 and is fully equipped with rope walls for traction work, plus bolsters, blankets, blocks and belts all serving as teacher/aids for movement ease and freedom. These tools were developed by B.K.S. Iyengar to help facilitate this method based on precision of alignment to build strength, flexibility, balance and movement ease. Postures are taught with attention to individual needs.

Well-guided students learn step by step, building integration within each pose in carefully planned sequences of poses that build movement intelligence. Postural balance and ease builds and carries over into activities of daily life, fitness activities, as well as into other methods of yoga.

Beginning with strengthening standing poses, this method teaches a range of sitting, twisting, forward and back bending, as well as inversions, supported and restorative poses. The sequences vary, designed for specific physical and emotional health benefits. They positively affect and transform a student’s health and happiness.

Come and experience Kardon’s knowledgeable and caring teaching in her 74 Brewster Road Scarsdale studio, as well as at other local studios. Visit www.yogascarsdale.com for class details, email nkardon@ gmail.com or call 629-1994.

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