H&W October 2011

HW +

BE STRONGER. LIVE LONGER.

GAM BIT’S HEALTH & WELLNESS > OCTOBER 2011 >VOLUME 3 > NUM BER 10

G A M B I T ’ S H E A LT H + W E L L N E S S

well

HEALED Physical therapy helps millions heal injuries and live pain-free.

WHOOPING COUGH CASES ON THE RISE

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GENETIC TESTING FOR BREAST CANCER RISK: WHO NEEDS IT?

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GET YOUR PROBIOTICS WITH

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

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HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

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Sponsor Reception begins at 6 pm

Come try and compare dozens of quality beers from national, regional and micro-breweries.

Enjoy music by Bag of Donuts and food from local favorites including Drago’s char-grilled oysters!

All proceeds go to the East Jefferson General Hospital Foundation and their program to enlarge and update the EJGH Infusion Center for the care of cancer patients in our community.

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A limited number of tickets will be sold – Call today!

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C

nTEnTs

ExpERT AdviCE

Whooping cough booster shot recommended for adults

BOdy EquiTy Performance-oriented exercise classes

HEAlTH FEATuRE

How physical therapy can restore a body

wEllspRing Health news in brief

O CTO B E R 2011

pOwER up

How to keep energy levels high all day

THE JuiCE

A simple, healthy sauerkraut recipe

THE sOuRCE

Dr. Patricia Braly on genetic testing for breast cancer risks

MEg FARRis

Advances in breast cancer treatment HEALTH & WELLNESS > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OCTOBER 04 > 2011

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Touro is launching a movement to spread the word about breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

We hope you’ll join us.

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f r o m t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l s o f e a s t j e f f e r s o n g e n e r a l h o s p i ta l

to Contain a Cough The LA. DepArTmenT of heALTh AnD hospiTALs encourAges ADuLTs To geT whooping cough boosTer vAccinATions.

by KATie KiDDer crosbie

Y

ou may have noticed a recent public awareness campaign for the adult whooping cough vaccination. The current push for more vaccines, especially for adults, is a direct result of the nationwide increase in whooping cough outbreaks. Louisiana epidemiologists are trying to control outbreaks in the state by educating the public on the importance of the vaccine, not only for infants and children but also for adults.

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a respiratory disease marked by a high-pitched cough. The disease often seems like an ordinary cold at first and sometimes goes undiagnosed in adults. It can be dangerous in infants, however. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that most infants under 1 year old who become infected with the disease must be hospitalized. One in five gets pneumonia, and for one in 100 infants, it can be deadly.

“People don’t always take a cough seriously, but pertussis can cause such severe fits of coughing it can lead to vomiting, pulled muscles and even broken ribs,” says East Jefferson General Hospital infectious disease physician, Dr. Richard Witzig. “The disease can cause pneumonia and can become quite serious for infants and malnourished children.”

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) recently issued a mandate requiring all birthing hospitals to educate the public on pertussis. According to DHH, whooping cough steadily declined over the past 30 years to fewer than 10 cases a year but now is on the rise again. A recent DHH report states: “There is a resurgence of pertussis in Louisiana and across the U.S. with no clear explanation for the increase.” The report goes on to explain that the disease trends in two-

to five-year cycles. Although immunization has significantly reduced incidents of the disease, it has not affected the cycles, suggesting the disease, while controlled, continues to spread.

“Whooping cough is an airborne, droplet-spread disease caused by bacteria called Bordetella pertussis,” Witzig says.

“Patients with pertussis who cough within the first three weeks of the disease are highly infectious to others in their immediate vicinity. Patients who need to be admitted to the hospital must be placed on respiratory isolation to prevent its spread to others.”

The best way to protect yourself and your family from whooping cough is to get immunized. Often, people mistakenly think the need for immunizations has passed once they enter adulthood.

However, parents, grandparents, teens and anyone else who will be around

a new baby should get up to date on their immunizations.

The vaccine for whooping cough is called Tdap because it protects against tetanus and diphtheria as well as pertussis. Infants should receive five doses of Tdap before entering kindergarten. Most schools will not accept children who are not fully vaccinated unless they have a doctor’s note. A booster shot is recommended (and sometimes required for school) between ages 11 and 12. It is also recommended that adults younger than age 65 receive a Tdap vaccine in place of a 10-year tetanus booster shot.

“Failing to vaccinate or to stay up to date on vaccinations can endanger adults and children around you,” Witzig says.

“You or your child may weather whooping cough without severe repercussions, but it may put the infant you held at a birthday party in the hospital.”

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

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HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

e x e r ci s e fo r li f e

exercising for

show performance-oriented dance classes offer a fun way to get fit and flaunt it.

By missy wilkinson

A

including Storyville Starlettes and Reverend Spooky & Her Billion Dollar Baby Dolls, or start their own.

“When I first started doing this, I had this big dream of doing shows and having student showcases,” Blue says. “I didn’t really think of it as a stepping stone for girls to perform with other troupes. But I like being able to give them that platform and that exposure and letting them see if it is something they want to do.”

The classes, which meet twice weekly at Crescent Lotus, culminate in student revues held at the AllWays Lounge. In addition to friends, family and titillated passersby, Blue says the audience has included representatives from burlesque troupes like Fleur de Tease, Bustout Burlesque and Slow Burn who come to check out her new crop of talent.

“It is really fun for me to watch them grow into becoming these little performers, especially the ones who end up doing it really well,” Blue says.

Among Blue’s star pupils is Tulip Kiss, who prefers to go by her stage name. Kiss started taking Blue’s class in the summer of 2009. “It sounded like a fun way to exercise, and I have always loved dance,” Kiss says. “(At the time) I didn’t know (Blue) was adding a performance aspect to class. I never thought I would perform burlesque — ever. But after seeing the girls in the class do their number, I totally changed my mind.

The atmosphere just opened my mind up to a new side of myself.”

After getting a few student showcases under her garter belt, Kiss started her own burlesque troupe, Crescent City Cupcakes, in January 2011.

The six performers and the MC are all alumni of Burlesque 101, and they perform regularly at 3 Ring Circus’ The Big Top Gallery and have been been featured at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse’s Burlesque Ballroom.

While Kiss has become a seasoned performer, other students see dancing on stage with a hip-hop or burlesque troupe as something to try once before crossing it off the bucket list.

Though different students have different mo-

Bella Blue and her Burlesque 101 sTudenTs saluTe a successful show. phoTo By michael siu

tives for attending, Blue and Joseph agree that many of them benefit from the experience of overcoming obstacles like stage fright and personal doubt.

“As soon as we hit the stage, the inhibitions go away,” Joseph says. “They get over those hurdles and everyone just feeds off each other’s energy, so the dance troupe is another way of overcoming your fears. And you can take those things and relate them to your everyday life.”

A looming performance date also motivates some students to adhere more strictly to workout routines. For those who prefer to eschew the spotlight and take these dance classes purely for exercise, there’s the benefit of a fun workout.

“Dancing, you definitely use a lot of muscles you don’t normally use in cardio classes, especially when you have a routine,” Joseph says. “A lot of times after we finish dancing, (students) say their thighs are on fire.”

“You sweat, you work your body, you do a warm-up and cooldown. You know, it’s a dance class,” Blue says. “We don’t just stand there. I make them work.”

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

lthough most women take dance exercise classes as a means to an end (a fitter body, better cardiovascular endurance), a growing number of New Orleanians are signing up for classes as a means to access a stage.

“I was teaching (hip-hop) exercise classes first, and one of my students made a comment about taking our classes to the street to start doing performances in the community,” says Marissa Joseph, who teaches hip-hop dance classes at Crescent Lotus Dance Studio (3143 Calhoun St., 382-5199; www.crescentlotus. com). “That’s how our first performance last January came about.”

Since then, the NOLA Hip Hop dance troupe has performed at Freret Street Gym’s Friday Night Fights, the AllWays Lounge’s Queerlesque show and at The Howlin’ Wolf for a New Orleans Ladies’ Arm Wrestling match. All the dancers were students of Joseph’s. Some had dance and performance experience, others had none.

“The response is always, ‘You put on a great show,’” says Joseph, who has 12 years of dance experience and writes her own choreography, fielding occasional input from her students. “We surprise many people because they expect us to come out and do something simple or something that doesn’t have too much thought to it, when it is really hard work we put in.”

Auditions are not required to join NOLA Hip Hop Dance Troupe, though Joseph suggests all her dancers start by taking the beginner hip-hop dance class. “Anyone is welcome,” she says. “I ask them to start off by seeing how comfortable they are (in the beginner class), and if they want to kick it up a notch, come to one practice.

It might be that this is the type of class that inspires you.”

Burlesque performer Bella Blue has taught her Burlesque 101 class, which covers everything from stage presence to pastie making, since 2008. Though she originally intended the class to be a one-time workshop, it has become a sort of incubator for aspiring burlesque performers, many of whom have gone on to join troupes,

The nola hip hop dance Troupe performs a highenergy rouTine.

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FIghtIng shape Physical theraPy got an injured boxer back in the ring — and helPs millions of PeoPle live Pain-free lives. by russ lane

B

not pick up a pencil. “That was the hardest part ... at that point I couldn’t grab a glass of water. I work with my hands; I build for a living. I’m an artist, a craftsman. I was pretty pissed off, but what are you going to do? I just had to go with it.

“But it came back. That’s the beauty of it. It’s amazing what the human body can do.”

In July 2004, shortly after the surgery, Bertuccelli began therapy for his arm and the resulting nerve damage in his hand, setting a goal to fight by the next year. He attained that goal in July 2005, placing second in his weight class at the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, Mo. He now works as a boxing coach for a dozen clients at his Mid-City gym, Rebirth.

With foam rollers, resistance bands, small weights and treadmills scattered about, Magnolia Physical Therapy’s (839 Spain St., 943-8026; 5606 Jefferson Hwy., Harahan, 733-0254; www. magnoliatherapyla.com) offices do not appear drastically different from Bertuccelli’s gym. This difference is intent. Lisa George, who co-owns the business with Elizabeth Winkler-Schmit, says they want to show what therapists can do beyond post-surgery treatments.

The clinic consults with patients about their needs and provides a combination of at-home and in-clinic exercises to target substantial injuries or even make simple actions, such as picking up a pencil, pain-free.

“Our profession is evolving a little bit into the wellness arena and helping people maintain (health) through our knowledge of kinesiology and … pathology and how that incorporates into someone’s life,” George says.

“Whatever that means for them — how to better help them tackle the stresses and strains of everyday life, and do it in a healthy manner.”

In most circumstances, physical therapists provide an evidence-based formula to patients’ injuries: manual therapy (when the therapist looks at

Physical theraPy helPed boxer Jonathan bertuccelli recover from inJury and go on to Place in a national chamPionshiP. Photo by grey cross

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

oxing coach Jonathan Bertuccelli is no stranger to injury. Taught to box at age six by his father, a prizefighter in Italy, the 46-year-old designer runs his design warehousecum-private gym in Mid-City. His boxing ring is tucked amid his works in progress, which include tall statues and half-built floats.

Bertuccelli is a case study in the school of hard hits. He can rattle off the various injuries he has acquired: broken ribs, a torn meniscus in his left knee, a broken nose or two.

“Well, I did have a little surgery to get my nose in the middle of my face,” he says nonchalantly.

Broken noses are one thing, but when a 2004 injury popped a tendon in his arm that separated his bicep from the bone, a year-long process of physical therapy was necessary before Bertuccelli could return to the ring.

“I will say this: The therapy is as important as the surgery,” he says. “People need to keep that in mind — just because you have surgery, you’re only halfway there.”

October is Physical Therapy Month, a campaign by the American Physical Therapy Association to educate the public on what the country’s roughly 200,000 licensed physical therapists are capable of achieving for their patients.

This year’s focus revolves around sportrelated injuries, an ongoing issue in student athletics but something that affects all ages, according to National Physical Therapy Association president Scott Ward.

“Whether it’s Little League or the Masters, participating in sports helps promote physically active lifestyles,” Ward writes in a physical therapy newsletter. “Despite the documented health benefits of physical activity (weight management, cardiovascular endurance, improved muscular function, increased self-esteem, etc.), we know the potential for sports-related injuries exists.”

In Bertuccelli’s case, his injuries affected him to the point that he could

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"the (physical) therapy is as important as the surgery. People need to keep that in mind — just because you have surgery, you’re only halfway there."

-Jonathan Bertuccelli

GET A

physical therapy can help people ranging from injured athletes to women recovering from childbirth.

MASSAGE

RELAX. RENEW. RECONNECT.

R

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Patients interested in physical therapy beyond injury treatment can request a prescription from their doctors, George says. If one-on-one treatment is preferable, they should tell their doctors. She recommends patients ask about their physical therapists’ qualifications: Ph.D.s in physical therapy are common, and the most experienced practitioners have an additional manual therapy certification.

Bertuccelli suggests patients make sure they can trust their physical therapists’ judgment. This tactic worked well for him.

“I started doing my therapy and boxing a year after that surgery,” Bertuccelli says. “By the third round (of the championship), I was making a comeback.

I was rallying but didn’t have enough time to score. The guy just out-hustled me. But I was very happy.”

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HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

the alignment of joints and tendons and determines how best to repair it) and medically supervised exercise to complement the therapy, George says.

That formula can apply to boxers and amateur athletes, women who have recently given birth, workaholics feeling the strain of desk work, grandparents lifting their grandchildren and people recovering from major surgery.

George says one of the biggest challenges is proving to patients what results are possible.

“They have no idea what life would be like without pain until we show them,” George says. “Just today, a patient commented that (Magnolia physical therapist) Robin Silverman was … a magician. So now he has a different perspective. He knows what life can be like without pain, and he knows that is possible.”

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W ll spring breast CanCer Month

by k a n daCe p oW e r g r ave s

Painting with a Purpose fundraisers on Thursday, Oct. 6, benefiting Slidell Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, and Oct. 22 benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

On those nights, a portion of proceeds from the painting class will go to the cancer foundations. Participants in the Oct. 6 class will paint a cherry blossom. For the Oct. 22 class, there will be a special image featuring a peony, which symbolizes hope.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) holds its signature Relay for Life fundraiser Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8-9, at Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church (5600 Read Blvd.). The event starts at 2 p.m. Saturday, and teams will have their members take turns walking around the track during the two-day event. There will be food, entertainment, games and more. For additional information, visit www.relayforlife.org.

A week later, the ACS holds its 2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at the Roosevelt Mall in City Park.

The walk starts at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 15.

Making Strides aims to celebrate those who have survived breast cancer, as well as helping to end the disease by funding research and services. Last year the ACS raised more than $60 million through Making Strides events across the country that drew 800,000 participants.

Entertainment and refreshments will be available. For more information, visit www. makingstrides.acsevents.org.

The 15th annual Komen Race for the Cure starts at 8 a.m. Oct. 22 at Roosevelt Mall in City Park. The event features a survivors recognition program, a onemile fun run/walk that starts at 8:30 a.m., followed by a 5-kilometer run/walk at 9 a.m. Participants can register as an individual or join a team and gather pledges to benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation. There also will be food, drinks and entertainment. To register or for more information, visit www.komenneworleans.org.

breast CanCer Month speCials

Lakeview Regional Medical Center (95 E. Fairway Drive, Covington, 985-8673800; www.lakeviewregional.com) is commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness Month by offering digital mammographies and bone density scans for $50 each during the month of October. A screening breast MRI is $475.

The hospital also is hosting a Breast Cancer Wellness Workshop from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 21, in honor of National Mammogram Day. At the workshop, Dr. Marilyn Pelias will discuss breast health and early diagnosis of breast diseases at 1 p.m., followed at 2 p.m. by Dr. Kelly Burkenstock, who will talk about disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment and other women’s health issues.

To register for the workshop or to schedule a mammogram or bone density screening, call (985) 867-4019.

seCond line for Mental health

New Birth Brass Band will lead a 1.8mile second line walk through Audubon Park Saturday, Oct. 8, to raise funds for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Orleans chapter and make people aware of the services available for the mentally ill and the people who care about them. Walkers should meet at Audubon Park Shelter No. 10 (on Magazine Street across from the Audubon Zoo), with registration at 9 a.m. and the walk starting at 10 a.m. There is no registration fee, but donations are recommended.

The New Orleans event is part of NAMIWalks for the Mind of America, with fundraising/awareness walks being held in more than 90 communities nationwide in conjunction with National Mental Illness Awareness Week the first week of October. All funds raised by participants in New Orleans will be used for local programs. Walkers raised $94,000 during the inaugural walk in 2010. For more information, call Ally Dever at 896-2345 or visit www.namineworleans.org.

teChnology grants

Five New Orleans health agencies each received $100,000 grants last month to help equip health centers with information technology to develop and share things such as electronic medical records. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the grants to the New Orleans Health Department, Jefferson Community Health Center, Excelth, St. Charles Community Health Center and St. Thomas Community Health Center from $8.5 million made available for programs nationwide under the Affordable Care Act. The grants are intended to help 85 health centers across the nation adopt information technologies that can improve the quality of health care and bring down costs. The grants are part of a program to demonstrate that the use of information technology can transform local health care systems.

Move and live longer

Finally, some good news for people hovering one step above couch potato: Doing only 15 minutes of exercise a day — just one-and-three-quarters hours a week — could add three years to your life.

A study published in The Lancet Aug. 16 showed that even a minimal amount of intense exercise reduced a person’s risk of death from all medical causes by 14 percent and increased life expectancy by three years.

Researchers made their assessments based on a medical screening program in Taiwan that included 416,175 people between 1996 and 2008, with an average follow-up of eight years.

On the downside, individuals in the inactive group in the study had a 17 per-

cent higher mortality risk than patients exercising for 15 minutes a day. People who exercised longer than 15 minutes a day had even more benefits. For every additonal 15 minutes a day of exercise, there was an additional 4 percent reduction in risk of death from all natural causes and a 1 percent reduction in risk of death from all cancers. Researchers said the results apply to all age groups and both sexes.

health Care for the uninsured

The Interim LSU Public Hospital (ILH) and New Orleans Faith Health Alliance (NOFHA) have expanded access to affordable health care for the uninsured.

A health care provider from the ILH will see uninsured patients from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Monday at NOFHA (First Grace United Methodist Church, 3401 Canal St., 486-8585) for primary health care. Appointments are required, and service fees are calculated on a sliding scale depending on income.

NOFHA also offers health care from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday of every month.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, a partnership between ILA and the March of Dimes provides a mobile health center for mothers, pregnant women and their children up to 2 years old. For an appointment at the mobile center, call 235-1706.

Minding your body and spirit

The New Life Center opened this week at Christ the King Lutheran Church (1001 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, 469-4740), with programs to help optimize people’s physical, emotional and spiritual health.

All activities at the wellness center are open to the public.

Every Monday through Nov. 7, the center will offer the Your Life Your Health series. The classes start at 5:30 p.m. The six-week series is aimed at people who have chronic diseases or those who care for them. A light dinner will be served at the weekly meetings. The series is free, but pre-registration is required.

trapido for president

Dr. Edward Trapido, deputy director of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, has been elected president of the American College of Epidemiology (ACE). He will serve a one-year term as president-elect before becoming president for a year.

Trapido is associate dean for research at LSUHSC and the Wendell H. Gauthier Chair of Epidemiology at LSU’s School of Public Health.

ACE is a national group that addresses professional concerns of epidemiologists, sponsors scientific meetings, publications and educational activities, recognizes outstanding contributions to the field and advocates for relevant issues.

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and New Orleans has several opportunities for residents to have some fun while raising funds for research into treatments and cures, as well as support services for breast cancer patients and their families.

NOLA Goes Pink for Komen is a chef-driven fundraiser in which 31 New Orleans restaurants offer $31 prix fixe dinners or entree specials every day during October, and 10 percent of those sales will be donated to the local chapter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Participating chefs also will wear pink chef’s coats and focus on healthy menu options at their restaurants.

Chefs and restaurants taking part in NOLA Goes Pink for Komen are chefs Mark Quitney at 5 Fifty 5, Andrea Apuzzo at Andrea’s, Tommy DiGiovanni at Arnaud’s, Susan Spicer at Bayona, Ricky Cheramie at The Bombay Club, Darin Nesbit at Bourbon House, Duke LoCicero at Cafe Giovanni, Zach Tippin at Capdeville, Vinny Russo and Emily Dillport at The Davenport Lounge and M Bistro, Alfred Singleton at Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Rebecca Wilcomb at Herbsaint, Chuck Subra at La Cote Brasserie, Diana Chauvin at La Thai, Michael Farrell at Le Meritage, Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing at MiLA, Susan Spicer and Cindie Crosbie at Mondo, Gus Martin at Muriel’s Jackson Square, Ben Thibodeaux at Palace Cafe, Richard Hughes at The Pelican Club, Chip Flanagan at Ralph’s on the Park, Michael Gottlieb at Red Fish Grill, Darryl Reginelli of Reginelli’s (seven locations), Chris Foster at Ste. Marie, and Alex Harrell at Sylvain.

Visit www.komenneworleans.org for more information, or look on the websites of individual restaurants for NOLA Goes Pink specials.

Xavier University goes pink Oct. 5, asking students, faculty and visitors to dress in pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Susan G. Komen On the Go van will be on campus to deliver information about breast cancer, and the Xavier Health Center is sponsoring music, games and prizes during the day. That night, the Xavier Gold Nuggets women’s volleyball team is dressing in pink jerseys and dedicating its matchup against the University of New Orleans to breast cancer awareness.

The Women’s Council of Realtors New Orleans chapter is hosting its third annual Pretty in Pink — Bras for a Cause cancer research fundraiser. The event is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Southport Hall (200 Monticello Ave., Jefferson) and features a buffet, open bar and an auction. Tickets are $35 (advance only), and can be purchased by calling 452-2622.

Painting with a Twist (2132 E. Gause Blvd., Slidell, 985-641-6433) is hosting

h e a lt h n e Ws b r i e f s

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A 24-hour EnErgy PlAn Tips for powering up your parental performance.

By sandra Gordon

Distributed by Featurewell.com

P

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

arents have more to do than ever, with hundreds of emails flooding their in-boxes, kids who need help with homework, loads of laundry piling up, a new baby and a puppy to boot.

Maximize your energy level by tweaking your daily habits. This hourly guide can help you power up your day so you can multitask more efficiently and feel peppier doing it. Use it to help you peak your performance as a parent.

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7 a.m.: Let in the Light.

When you wake up in the morning, your circadian rhythm, an alertness cycle, peaks. Cells in your brain that influence vigilance fire rapidly. “They tell your brain: ‘Get going! Get things done,’’’ says Dr. Alejandro Chediak, medical director of the Miami Sleep Disorders Center. Still, it takes an average of 25 minutes to go from groggy to fully awake. To speed the process so you can get the kids up and at ’em, open the shades and turn on the lights. When sunlight or bright artificial light enters through your eyes and travels to the suprachiasmic nucleus — your brain’s internal clock — it triggers alertness at any time of day. Morning light exposure is especially important, because it sets your 24-hour circadian cycle so you’ll be sleepy at bedtime.

8 a.m.: eat protein for breakfast.

Breakfast raises blood sugar (glucose), which fuels your brain and body. But a low-fiber carb-fest of donuts or a plain bagel can cause glucose to spike. A subsequent surge in the hormone insulin will then pull too much glucose from your system. “Glucose peaks and valleys can make you feel tired,” says Dr. Douglas J. Paddon-Jones, a nutrition researcher at the University of Texas in Galveston. To stabilize that energy-zapping hormonal roller coaster, pack a protein punch at breakfast. Paddon-Jones recommends 25 to 30 grams at every meal, in addition to high-fiber carbs like oatmeal and healthy (unsaturated) fats. Easy grab-and-go protein picks include lowfat cottage cheese (which has 11 grams of protein in 4 ounces), a tall nonfat latte or cup of skim milk (10 grams), a protein bar (8 grams), low-fat yogurt (7 grams per 6 ounces), or an egg (6 grams). Keep in mind that kids who eat breakfast can concentrate better and have healthier diets.

So emphasize how important breakfast is and be a role model. “If you’re not eating breakfast yourself, it’s going to be hard to get your child to value it,” says dietitian Elizabeth Ward, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler.

9 a.m.: get your first caffeine fix Caffeine is as potent as breakfast to get you going. According to a recent study in the International Journal of Neuroscience, those who consumed a 440-calorie breakfast or 200 milligrams of caffeine

(roughly two cups of coffee) had more mental energy and performed better on two separate computerized cognitive tests than those who didn’t have either. But don’t gulp down your daily dose in one sitting. A study involving U.S. Navy Seals found that an average of 300 milligrams of caffeine (equivalent to three cups of coffee) consumed throughout the day is optimal for mental and physical performance. Have one cup now and more later, if necessary. Besides boosting brain power and memory, caffeine makes you feel more vigorous and improves mood, says Harris R. Lieberman, a research psychologist with the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass.

10 a.m. to noon: tackLe a-List of to-do’s All morning, your circadian cycle is on the rise, so take advantage of your natural alertness and tackle your most mentally challenging projects before lunch, whether it’s organizing your child’s toy room or doing a first draft of a report for work. Need a motivation lift?

Get another 100 milligram hit of caffeine or head to a window or a bright light. Studies show that even 50 seconds of light exposure throughout the day can jolt your brain and make you feel more attentive. noon: eat protein, high-fiber carbs for Lunch Your goal is to keep your blood sugar constant. So it’s time to eat again, especially if it has been at least three hours since your last meal. For lunch, think lots of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruit and a small amount of healthy fat.

1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: nab a short nap From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., your circadian rhythm will take a dip whether you eat or not, so you’ll feel a natural drop in alertness. “The need for a short nap is actually part of our hardwiring,” Chediak says. So nab at least 20 minutes of shut-eye now if you can. or take another dose of caffeine If napping isn’t an option, a 100 milligram caffeinated beverage like a cup of coffee or a diet cola can help power you through the slump. Caffeine generally takes eight to 12 hours to get out of your system, so cut yourself off after this so it doesn’t disrupt your sleep later.

Blood levels of caffeine peak about 30 to 45 minutes after you’ve consumed it. Another option is to get light exposure or do some physical activity. Exercise will pep you up because it increases your body temperature and the release of epinephrine, the adrenaline level in your brain.

3 p.m.: take a water break.

By now, your circadian cycle is rising again so now’s the time to dive back in to mentally demanding projects if you haven’t already. Need a motivation boost? Try drinking some water. Being mildly dehydrated — losing 1 percent to 2 percent of your body weight, which can happen if you go for long periods without drinking — can sour your mood and contribute to fatigue and

confusion, according to a recent study in Perceptual and Motor Skills. “Even if you’re just sitting at your desk and feeling a little droopy, drinking a glass of water couldn’t hurt,” says Kristen D’Anci, the study’s lead researcher and a research associate in the psychology department at Tufts University. In general, women need 2.7 liters (roughly 11 cups) of fluid daily, which you can get by consuming anything watery, including coffee, soup, oranges and watermelon.

4 p.m.: sniff rosemary.

To help yourself power through the rest of the afternoon, keep a bottle of rosemary essential oil handy and give it a sniff. In a recent study in the International Journal of Neuroscience, subjects who sniffed a cotton ball doused with the essential oil reported feeling more alert with corresponding brain activity to back it up. “What you smell goes directly to the brain, so you get an immediate effect,” says Miguel A. Diego, the study’s lead researcher at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils may be equally effective.

The purest essentials oils have the most potent effect, so buy the most concentrated you can find, Diego advises.

5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: get in a major workout.

Initially, a vigorous workout will make you tired because it depletes glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrate in your muscles and the liver, and muscles require energy for repair. “But in the long run, as you build up more muscle and stamina, exercise gives you more energy,” says Susan Roberts, professor of nutrition at the USDA Nutrition Center at Tufts University in Boston and author of The ‘I’ Diet. Ideally, it’s best to get a major fitness fix in this time window — four to six hours before going to bed. “Falling asleep is easier when your body is internally going from warm to cold,” Cediak says. “That happens about four to six hours after exercise.

6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: dinner time.

Eating dinner now is important because you’ve just exercised. “Eating within 30 minutes of working out helps your muscles refuel and repair so you won’t feel depleted the next day,” Carlson says. It also ensures you won’t go to bed on a full stomach, which can interfere with a good night’s sleep — the ultimate fatigue fighter.

7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.: wind down with a hot bath — or power up with a coLd shower.

Now, after the kids are in bed, is the perfect time for a hot shower or bath. Like exercise, hot water raises your body temperature. As it falls, you’ll feel sleepier and primed to hit the sack in an hour or so. On the other hand, if you need to burn the midnight oil, take a cold shower.

“It gets you going because cold water causes your brain to release epinephrine, which increases vigilance,” says Dr. Kingman P. Strohl, director of the Center for Sleep Disorders Research at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.

9:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.: get your zzzs By around 9:30 p.m., your circadian drive plummets and the pressure to sleep, which builds up the longer you’re awake, is strong. Go with it and hit the sack. “Even just a single night of disrupted sleep or a few hours of chronic sleep loss each night can influence how vigorous and how alert you feel the next day,” Lieberman says. Aim for seven to nine hours of solid shut-eye each night. A recent study in the journal Sleep suggests you can get in the extra energizing sleep your brain craves by simply turning off the TV 40 to 78 minutes earlier. It worked for Maureen Brady, a stay-at-home mom of two boys, ages 4 and 7. “I used to go to bed around 10:30 p.m., but because both my kids still wake me up occasionally ... and they’re both early risers, I now go to bed at 9:30 p.m. or earlier. I decided that getting enough sleep was more important than staying up to watch my favorite shows.”

e at to li ve

Kraut with Clout easy-to-make, low-calorie sauerkraut enlivens a multitude of dishes while packing a probiotic punch. by russ lane

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them but don’t wash them … grate them together. It will tie the whole kraut up.”

When making homemade sauerkraut with a healthy bent, one can omit the bacon from Preuss’ recipe or rely on bacon substitutes, but this approach is not much fun. Instead, veer in new directions: Employ pork’s affinity for Asian flavors by blending jicama, ginger, carrot, garlic and sweet potatoes using Chef Preuss’ techniques. Why replace bacon when you can transcend it?

Generally, I prefer to prepare a plain batch of sauerkraut in bulk and make creative ingredient additions to smaller batches. A ping-pong match between sweet and sour flavors transforms sauerkraut in the following dish: Pork tenderloin medallions are topped with traditional sauerkraut, drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction and finished with a raspberry garnish. Serve with sweet potatos and broccoli.

Formerly a 350-pound music critic, food writer Russ Lane lost (and kept off)more than 200 pounds by exercising, following a healthy diet and challenging his assumptions about weight, cooking and himself. See more recipes at www.ikeepitoff.com.

wHat porK medallionS witH SauerKraut and raSpberry ServeS 3-4

porK medallionS

&

How

1 porK tenderloin, exCeSS fat trimmed 1 teaSpoon olive oil 2 CupS SauerKraut, juiCe drained 2 CloveS garliC, SliCed (SubStitute roaSted garliC CloveS for a Sweeter taSte) 1 red onion, SliCed

SauerKraut 2-5 Cabbage HeadS (2 HeadS maKeS one quart; 5 maKeS approximately one gallon) 3 tableSpoonS Sea Salt

1. Shred cabbage using a knife or mandoline and combine it with salt in a bowl.

2. Tightly pack salted cabbage into a Crock-Pot or stock pot in small batches, mashing each one with a heavy object (a can or the bottom of a wine bottle works well).

3. Once the cabbage is packed, place a plate inside the pot and weigh it down with cans or rocks. Cover and check every two or three days, skimming out impurities and bloom (mold) with a ladle each time.

Sauerkraut can be ready in a week, but a longer fermentation period will deepen the flavor.

Once it has achieved its desired taste, can the sauerkraut and/or store in the refrigerator.

1 bay leaf 3/4 Cup balSamiC vinegar 1/2 baKing potato, peeled, unwaSHed, SHredded (optional) raSpberrieS for garniSH Salt and pepper to taSte

1. Lightly salt and pepper the tenderloin and let it rest at room temperature. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until an internal thermometer reads 150 degrees. Remove pork from oven.

2. Add olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until softened, then add onion and cook until softened and lightly browned.

3. Add sauerkraut, bay leaf and potato. Reduce heat to medium-low to allow flavors to meld.

4. While the sauerkraut cooks, add vinegar to a separate saucepan or skillet and cook over medium heat until its volume reduces. Then cook at high heat until the vinegar gains a syrup-like consistency. Remove from heat.

5. Remove the bay leaf from the sauerkraut. Adjust the flavor with pepper to taste.

To serve, slice tenderloins into medallions and top with sauerkraut. Drizzle sauerkraut with leftover pork drippings and the balsamic vinegar reduction. Top with raspberries. Reserve extra sauerkraut and vinegar reduction for another use.

Per serving (3-ounce portion of meat, with garnishes, potato omitted): calories 162, calories from fat 31, total fat 4g (saturated fat 1g, monounsaturated fat 1g), cholesterol 47mg, sodium 173mg . Total carbohydrates 16g (dietary fiber 3g, sugars 8g), protein 15g.

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

omemade sauerkraut adds a thoughtful touch to Oktoberfest revelry. Crisper than store-bought varieties and easy to prepare, homemade sauerkraut merely requires salt, cabbage, a large container and some sitting time.

Sauerkraut is one condiment applauded by foodies and health advocates alike. Like yogurt or Korean kimchi, the German-based dish is considered a probiotic, or food with beneficial live bacteria. A report from Harvard Medical School’s Division of Nutrition at its 2006 Annual Postgraduate Nutrition Symposium summarized the benefits of some probiotics, which include supporting gastrointestinal health and alleviating allergies and irritable bowel syndrome. From a weight standpoint, the condiment provides massive flavor for few calories.

In preparation for Broussard’s Oktoberfest festivities, the restaurant’s chef, Gunter Preuss, prepares traditional German sauerkraut for an array of meats. He lightly sautes (but does not brown) bacon and onion, layers in sliced Granny Smith apples and adds sauerkraut, a garlic-salt mash, spices and chicken stock.

“Toward the end, you peel some fresh potatoes, preferably those big baking potatoes,” he says. “Peel

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reast and ovarian cancers have both been linked to mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Named one of the best doctors for women by Good Housekeeping magazine, Dr. Patricia Braly of Women’s Cancer Care in Covington has treated ovarian and breast cancers for more than 30 years. Here, she addresses the link between these cancers and the benefits and misconceptions associated with BRCA genetic testing.

If a woman has been diagnosed with breast cancer, is she more likely to develop ovarian cancer?

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

Breast cancer is very common. It occurs in about one in eight women, so many women with breast cancer do not have an increased risk of ovarian cancer. But the younger patients who develop breast cancer before age 50 do have a potentially significant increased risk. We encourage young patients with breast cancer to undergo genetic testing.

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Aside from young women with breast cancer, who else do you encourage to undergo genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer?

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Patients with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer or those having a relative with bilateral breast cancer (cancer in both breasts). That is a red flag. If you have a family history of cancer or a member with the genetic mutation, you should consider being tested.

What kind of information does the test provide?

When we do testing, if the (patients) are positive (for the mutation) we get a report back based on the specific mutation and information as to what their individual risk is for ovarian and breast cancer. It can be as high as 40 to 50 percent for ovarian cancer and as high as 70 to 80 percent lifetime risk for breast cancer.

What is the procedure for BRCA genetic testing?

There is only one lab in the country that does it, Myriad (Genetics & Laboratories) in Salt Lake City. You send either a tube of blood or a swab from inside the cheek.

It goes to the lab, and the lab checks with the insurance company to see if (the expense) will be covered. It costs around $3,500. Some cover it completely, some not at all. If family members have a (previously identified)

BRCA mutation and you want to get tested for just that one mutation, it (costs) considerably less.

How can knowing their lifetime risks for ovarian and breast cancer help patients stay healthy?

If a 35- or 45-year-old woman was diagnosed with breast cancer, if she knows she has the mutation, she may very well want to have her ovaries (taken) out. That is called risk-reducing. She may opt for a bilateral (both breasts) mastectomy instead of a unilateral (one breast) mastectomy, because she may have a high chance that she will develop a second breast cancer. With ovarian cancer patients, we routinely take out the ovaries, but with breast cancer patients, it is important for them to know early in their disease process if they are positive for the mutation.

What if patients prefer not to know whether they have the BRCA mutation?

Occasionally patients, especially those who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, say they can’t concentrate on other issues, so it is not something we push immediately at the time of diagnosis, although it can help patients decide on treatment.

Are there any misconceptions around the BRCA mutation or genetic testing?

A lot of people think the only family history that matters is the maternal side, but that is not true. When a man has the mutation, he has an increased risk of breast cancer, which is otherwise rare in men — also (an increased risk) of prostate cancer. One misconception is that patients are afraid to get tested because they think it may have an impact on insurance, but there are federal and state laws preventing using genetic testing information to have a negative impact on insurance or hiring. It is illegal to fire someone because they have a genetic mutation.

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THE NEW DRUG, T-DMI, IS BEING TESTED FOR TREATING ADVANCED HER2POSITIVE BREAST CANCER.

cancer for longer. When Elizabeth Esposito was diagnosed, she feared her time as a healthy, vibrant adult was coming to an end. “‘I’m going to not be able to do anything anymore.’ That’s what I thought,” Esposito says. “I thought I was going to be bedridden, which was completely not true.”

Esposito has lived with advanced breast cancer for nine years. She hopes this study will prove to be a major advancement for others in her position.

“I’m keeping my faith in just being strong and keeping myself healthy,” Esposito says. “I do feel that there’s more and more progress with developing new treatments and new drugs that have been able to treat this cancer, and I’ve had a lot of good results.”

• • •

EMILIA Study Sites

•

To see if you qualify for the EMILIA study, visit www.-emiliaclinicaltrial. com or call or email one of the following local sites.

•

Hematology & Oncology Specialists (4228 Houma Blvd., Suite 130, Metairie, 885-8220) Study Coordinator: Mary Ann Ostroske (mostroske@cancercareofla.com) Cancer Center of Acadiana at Lafayette (1211 Coolidge Blvd., Suite 100, Lafayette, 337-232-2520) Study Coordinator: Rebecca Donohue (rbdonohue@lgmc.com)

Look for Meg Farris’ Medical Watch reports, including “Weight Loss Wednesday” and “Wrinkle Free Friday” stories, weeknights on WWL-TV Channel 4 and anytime on wwltv.com.

•

Specialized Burn Dressings Wound Care Skin Grafting Infection Control Scar Revision Reconstructive Surgery Pain Management

For more information or to schedule an appointment: Call 504-988-8102 Tulane– Lakeside Hospital Suite 100 Metairie

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

hen caught in its early stages, breast cancer is curable. However, once it metastasizes, treatments can only control its spread and manage symptoms.

T-DM1, a new drug currently being tested in a clinical trial called the EMILIA study, is showing promise for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread. There are currently 913 women enrolled in the study, which has 107 sites in 37 cities, including the Hematology & Oncology Specialists in Metairie and the Cancer Center of Acadiana at Lafayette.

“In the phase one study, the appropriate dose was discovered,” says Dr. Melody Cobleigh, an oncologist and internist at Rush University in Chicago. “And then in a phase two study, where everybody received the drug — these were patients who had had a lot of prior therapy — it showed significant activity. So now it’s moving to phase three, where it’s being compared with standard therapy.”

The study is currently recruiting both male and female participants.

Qualifying patients who are over age 18 and have been diagnosed with HER2-positive, metastatic (advanced) breast cancer will receive all tests and the new drug free.

“The type of trial we are talking about here is one where the agent has already proven to be effective,” Cobleigh says. “Now we have to go one step further and do a larger study to compare it with standard therapy to show if it’s better than traditional therapy.”

The doctors running the study believe the new drug will be better and safer than traditional treatments, but that has to be proved.

However, developments in medicine mean breast cancer patients are able to live with advanced

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Ochsner Baptist delivers –

Quality care and exceptiOnal service

HealtH & Wellness > bestofneworleans.com > october 04 > 2011

- 24-hour full-service, fully renovated emergency room - All private inpatient rooms, benefiting you and your family - Expanded Intensive Care Unit - State-of-the-art Imaging Center - Skilled team of physicians and specialists – loyal to Baptist and to our community

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Talk to our CEO, Bradley R. Goodson, and learn more about our commitment to the Uptown community. Call 504-897-5998.

Most insurance plans accepted.

ochsner.org/baptist

©2011 Ochsner Health System (ochsner.org) is a non-profit, academic, multi-specialty, healthcare delivery system dedicated to patient care, research and education.

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