Healthy Living is a monthly special supplement published by Anton Media Group by Anton Community Newspapers

AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL

AUGUST 10 – 16, 2022

IMMUNIZATION AND TITERS CHECK Breastfeeding Lipid Apheresis WORLD CLASS VISION AND EYE CARE

GENTILE RETINA QUESTIONS? 516.882.3080 212.979.4120

SERVICES

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Long Island 200 Old Country Road Suite 366 Mineola, NY 11501

2B AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 • HEALTHY LIVING

2022

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2022 8:30 AM KIDS FUN RUN 9:15 AM WOMEN’S MILE RACE 9:40 AM MEN’S MILE RACE Certified 1 mile course in Farmingdale Village

Post-race buffet at That Meetball Place

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$34 pre-registration

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11 am- 1 pm

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$40 late registration and on race day

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Incredible raffle with many great prizes!

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Includes tee-shirt and goodie bag

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$15 admission in advance, $20 at door

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Awards in 40 categories!

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Includes 1 raffle ticket, 1 free beer, special SWAG bag!

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Kids fun run and virtual race option available!

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Proceeds benefit Companions in Courage Foundation

Meet hockey legend Pat LaFontaine! Jim Douglas of 103.1 MAX FM will also be on hand!

Proceeds benefit pediatric patients through Companions in Courage Foundation Register online at www.runnersedgemainstreetmile.com For more information contact Runner’s Edge at 516-420-7963

HEALTHY LIVING • AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 3B

Check Your Titers

There are vaccines you need as an adult

ou need vaccines throughout your life. Adults need to keep their vaccinations up to date because immunity from childhood vaccines can wear off over time. It is important to have your titers checked annually during your annual doctor’s visit. A titer test is a blood test that detects the presence and levels of certain antibodies in an individual’s blood stream. The test is often done to determine if the individual is immune to a certain virus or if they require a vaccination to increase their immunity. You may already have immunity to the virus that is being tested due to previous vaccinations or if you had contracted the disease in the past. If a titer test reveals that your antibody count is lower than the acceptable immunity threshold, you may require a vaccine or booster to increase your immunity to that virus. You are also at risk for different diseases as an adult. Vaccination is one of the most convenient and safest preventive care measures available. All adults should get: • Flu vaccine every year to protect against seasonal flu • Td/Tdap to protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) Based on your age, health conditions, vaccines you received as a child, and other factors, you may need additional vaccines such as: • Chickenpox • Hepatitis A • Hepatitis B • Human Papillomavirus (HPV) • MMR • Meningococcal • Pneumococcal • Shingles

natural defenses to lower the chances of getting certain diseases as well as suffering complications from these diseases. Vaccines lower your chance of spreading certain diseases. There are many things you want to pass on to your loved ones; a vaccine preventable disease is not one of them. Infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems (like those undergoing cancer treatment) are especially vulnerable to vaccine preventable diseases. Vaccines are one of the safest ways to protect your health. Vaccine side effects are usually mild and go away on their own. Severe side effects are very rare.

GETTING VACCINATED

3 REASONS FOR ADULTS TO GET VACCINATED

risk for other diseases due to your age, job, lifestyle, travel, or health conditions.

1. You may be at risk for serious diseases that are still common in the U.S. Each year thousands of adults in the United States get sick from diseases that could be prevented by vaccines — some people are hospitalized, and some even die. Even if you got all your vaccines as a child, the protection from some vaccines can wear off over time. You may also be at

3. You can protect your health and the health of those around you by getting the recommended vaccines. Vaccines lower your chance of getting sick. Vaccines work with your body’s

2. You can’t afford to risk getting sick. Even healthy people can get sick enough to miss work or school. If you’re sick, you may not be able to take care of your family or other responsibilities.

Adults can get vaccines at doctors’ offices, pharmacies, workplaces, community health clinics, health departments, and other locations. To find a vaccine provider near you, go to www.vaccine. healthmap.org. Most health insurance plans cover the cost of recommended vaccines. Check with your insurance provider for details and for a list of vaccine providers. If you do not have health insurance, visit www.healthcare.gov to learn more about health coverage options. Talk with your healthcare professional to make sure you are up to date with the vaccines recommended for you. For more information on vaccines, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults or use the AdultVaccine Assessment Tool at www2.cdc.gov/nip/adultimmsched/ to find out which vaccines you may need. —Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

August Is Psoriasis Action Month Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease (a disease with an unclear cause that is characterized by inflammation caused by dysfunction of the immune system) that causes inflammation in the body. There may be visible signs of the inflammation such as raised plaques (plaques may look different for different skin types) and scales on the skin. This occurs because the overactive immune system speeds up skin cell growth. Normal skin cells completely grow and shed (fall off) in a month. With psoriasis, skin cells do this in only three or four days. Instead of shedding, the skin cells pile up on the surface of the skin. Some people report that psoriasis plaques itch, burn and sting. Inflammation caused by psoriasis can Plaques and scales may appear on any part impact other organs and tissues in the body. of the body, although they are commonly People with psoriasis may also experience found on the elbows, knees, and scalp. other health conditions. One in three

people with psoriasis may also develop psoriatic arthritis. Symptoms often start between ages 15 and 25, but can start at any age. Men, women, and children of all skin colors can get psoriasis. Psoriasis can appear anywhere on the body, even on the eyelids, ears, lips, skin folds, hands, feet, and nails. Plaques can be a few small patches or can affect large areas. It’s possible to have psoriasis plaques and scales in more than one location on the body at a time. There are five types of psoriasis. It’s possible to have more than one type of psoriasis at one time and more than one type in a lifetime. Treatments may vary depending on the type and location of the psoriasis. While scientists do not know what exactly causes psoriasis, we do know that

the immune system and genetics play major roles in its development. One thing we do know: psoriasis is not contagious. You cannot catch psoriasis from another person. Usually, something triggers psoriasis, causing symptoms to appear or worsen. Triggers vary from person to person. As with other chronic diseases, psoriasis may affect areas of your life other than your physical health. Psoriasis may affect your emotional health, your relationships, and how you handle stress. It could even affect areas of your life that you wouldn’t expect, such as the clothes that you choose to wear. For some people, living with psoriasis can be a challenge. However, there are ways to handle those challenges so you can thrive with psoriasis. Visit www.psoriasis.org to learn more. —National Psoriasis Foundation

4B AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 • HEALTHY LIVING

COVID And Monkeypox

OVID and monkeypox are frequent topics of conversation. Many questions remain regarding what these infections can cause. This column will discuss the current knowledge of these infections on the liver. COVID infections remain common in our area with the number of actual cases being much higher than the reported cases due to the widespread availability of home testing. The dominant strain in the U.S. is BA.5 and this is reported to be the most contagious of all the COVID strains to date. Super-spreading events are up as people seem to be more comfortable attending these events without masking. While infections are up, hospitalizations and severe outcomes from this strain on down, which is good news. Widespread vaccination and boosters, while not eliminating the risk of acquiring COVID, can be credited for lessening the impact of the disease on those infected. When COVID was first described, the data showed the fifty percent of infected individuals developed abnormal liver tests and some developed chronic liver disease with some even requiring liver transplantation. This does not appear to be the case with the newer strains. Whether this is a vaccine effect or that this strain is less liver toxic is unknown. It may simply be that the majority of COVID infected patients

THE SPECIALIST David Bernstein, MD

currently stay at home and do not go for laboratory testing while in the beginning of the pandemic, these patients were seen in the hospitals and labs were obtained. Regardless, this is good news for the liver. When people with liver disease become infected with COVID, they do not have worse outcomes than those without liver disease. A recent report described no increased risk of poor outcomes in people with fatty liver and since this is about thirty percent of the American population, this comes as good news. For people with cirrhosis, COVID is associated with poor outcomes so it is essential that this group be vaccinated, take boosters when available and consider masking when entering indoor public places. Treatments are available for COVID

although most patients can recover without these therapies. Monoclonal antibodies are widely used and have been shown to be safe for liver patients and not to cause abnormal liver tests when given to the general population. Paxlovid, however, due to its ritonavir component, has been described to cause abnormal liver tests and therefore should be given with caution in patients with underlying chronic liver disease. Monkeypox is a virus that is similar to smallpox and is not related to chickenpox.

It is typically spread through close personal and intimate contact and is more commonly spread in men having sex with men. Monkeypox typically causes fever, headaches, muscle aches, a lack of energy and a rash resembling pimples or pus-filled blisters. Monkeypox is rarely fatal and significant liver issues have not been reported to be associated with this infection. There is no specific treatment. A vaccine is available to prevent infection. —David Bernstein, MD, MACG, FAASLD, AGAF, FACP

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AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 • HEALTHY LIVING

PARKER CARE. THE BEST. FOR THE BEST.

THEY GAVE YOU THE BEST

NOW IT’S YOUR CHANCE TO GIVE THEM THE BEST

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6B AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 • HEALTHY LIVING

Northwell Pioneers Lipid Apheresis BY ANTON MEDIA STAFF

specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

igh cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease including heart attack, stroke and peripheral arterial disease. Though elevated cholesterol (lipids) may be due to dietary indiscretion, it can also be due to genetic predisposition, called Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH). Patients are born with very high levels of cholesterol due to a genetic mutation of the cholesterol receptor in the liver and are less responsive to medications intended to lower lipid levels. This diagnosis can be made through routine cholesterol blood tests and a physical examination. Patients with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) possess one normal, and one abnormal cholesterol receptor gene and this occurs in 1 out of 250 people. Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) have two defective cholesterol receptor genes and this is seen in 1 out of 300,000 people. HoFH patients can have cholesterol levels above 400mg/dl and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels above 300mg/dl. Patients with FH can develop early coronary artery disease and are at greater risk for heart attacks and strokes and have a shorter life expectancy. Overall, patients with FH are 20 times more likely to develop heart disease. Cholesterol reduction in these patients require more than diet and exercise modifications to achieve target cholesterol levels. Lipid lowering therapy is required and statin drugs are the preferred treatment. However, 7 to 20 percent of patients maybe statin intolerant. Many of these patients treated with maximally tolerated dosages of statins may not achieve their cholesterol

Guy L. Mintz, MD target and require multiple lipid lowering therapies. Patients who are at very high risk for cardiovascular events with persistent elevated cholesterol despite medical therapy may be candidates for Lipid Apheresis. Lipid Apheresis is a treatment indicated for patients with coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease or elevated Lipoprotein, and elevated cholesterol despite medical therapy. It is reserved for patients with atherosclerosis or at very high cardiovascular risk in whom medical treatments have been ineffective, or those with HoFH who have had a limited response to standard cholesterol lowering therapies. Lipid Apheresis is a lifelong procedure in which venous blood is filtered through an apheresis machine that removes the bad lipids and returns the “clean” blood back to the patient. The duration of the procedure ranges from two to four hours. The process

Apheresis machine significantly reduces total cholesterol components 70 to 80 percent, and lipoprotein 60 to 70 percent. The procedure is performed bi-weekly or weekly based on post procedure lipid levels. North Shore University Hospital is the only center on Long Island and is just the third center in New York to offer this cutting-edge procedure. The first procedure on Long Island was led by Dr. Guy L. Mintz, FACP, FACC, FNLA, and his team at North Shore University Hospital. “Lipid apheresis slows the progression of atherosclerosis, reduces vascular inflammation and in doing so, reduces the patient’s chances of a heart attack,” Mintz said. Mintz is the director of the lipid apheresis at Northwell Health and the Director of Cardiovascular Health & Lipidology at North Shore University Hospital. “The longer patients are exposed to very

high levels of cholesterol, the earlier they develop heart disease,” Mintz said. “This is especially true in patients with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia.” Mintz emphasized the importance of reducing high cholesterol as early as possible and seeking a treatment that is best suited to reduce a patient’s cardiovascular risk. For some patients that might be as simle as diet and exercise. Other patients may need medical therapy. And for some, lipid apheresis might be the best option. “We have brought new hope to a group of patients whose medications have failed,” Mintz said. “Apheresis is another important tool in our toolbox for treating these high-risk patients; early evaluation and intervention is an opportunity for cardiac prevention.” Mintz can be reached at Northwell Health System (1350 Northern Blvd,, Suite 202, Manhasset) or by phone at 516-482-3401.

Breastfeeding Benefits Both Baby And Mom Breastfeeding has health benefits for both babies and mothers. Breast milk provides a baby with ideal nutrition and supports growth and development. Breastfeeding can also help protect baby and mom against certain illnesses and diseases.

Breastfed babies are also less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs. 3. Breast milk shares antibodies from the mother with her baby. These antibodies help babies develop a strong immune system and protect them from illnesses. FIVE GREAT BENEFITS OF 4. Mothers can breastfeed anytime and anywhere. BREASTFEEDING. Mothers can feed their babies on the 1. Breast milk is the best source of nutrigo without worrying about having to mix tion for most babies. formula or prepare bottles. When traveling, As the baby grows, the mother’s breast breastfeeding can also provide a source of milk will change to meet her baby’s nutricomfort for babies whose normal routine is tional needs. disrupted. 2. Breastfeeding can help protect babies against some short- and long-term illness- 5. Breastfeeding can reduce the mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 es and diseases. diabetes, and high blood pressure. Breastfed babies have a lower risk of Breastfeeding has health benefits for the asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and mother too. Some cancers, type 2 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Breast milk antibodies help protect a baby from illness. and high blood pressure are less common among women who breastfeed. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about six months, and then continuing breastfeeding while introducing

complementary foods until a child is 12 months old or older. You can read the full recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics. —Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

HEALTHY LIVING • AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 7B

To register, please visit give.cancercare.org/lungcancerwalk22

Sunday, November 6, 2022 COME BACK TO THE LUNG CANCER WALK!

Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course Woodbury, New York Celebrate Survivors, Remember Loved Ones and Support People With Lung Cancer. SPONSORS & PARTNERS PLATINUM

CONTRIBUTORS

PHYLLIS SOBEL COMMUNITY PARTNERS

drink water, not sugar

Proceeds benefit CancerCare’s free support services for people affected by lung cancer.

AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 • HEALTHY LIVING

DISCOVER THE FINEST IN SENIOR LIVING

The Bristal Assisted Living has been serving seniors and their families in the tri-state area since 2000, offering independent and assisted living, as well as state-of-the-art memory care programs. We are committed to helping residents remain independent, while providing peace of mind that expert care is available, if needed. Designed with seniors in mind, each of our communities feature exquisitely appointed apartments and beautiful common areas that are perfect for entertaining. On-site services and amenities include daily housekeeping, gourmet meals, a cinema, salon, plus so much more. Discover a vibrant community, countless social events with new friends, and a luxurious lifestyle that you will only find at The Bristal.

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For a list of all locations in the tri-state area, visit: THEBRISTAL.COM

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