HealthyLife October 2012

body. mind. spirit.

A Times Union Publication

Got a Craving?

We’ve got solutions

October 2012

Defying Gravity

Taking yoga to a new level

The Web of Deceit Handling liars in your life

Plus...

• Meatless Mondays • Pregnancy fitness • Brain health

Game On!

Why family game nights make sense

Who has the Finest, Most Experienced Heart Care Team in the Region?

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Every day, our expertise and collaboration provide the best outcomes for you and your loved ones.

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body. mind. spirit.

Publisher George Hearst III Editorial Janet Reynolds, Executive Editor Brianna Snyder, Associate Editor Rebecca Haynes, Contributing Editor

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Design Tony Pallone, Design Director Colleen Ingerto, Emily Jahn, Designers Krista Hicks Benson, Contributing Designer Contributing Writers Molly Belmont, Beth Cooney, Laurie Lynn Fischer, Jayne Keedle, Elizabeth Keyser, Carin Lane, Merci Miglino, Lee Nelson, Wendy Page, Cari Scribner, Brianna Snyder, Emma Tennant, Melinda McGarty Webb

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Contributing Photographers Krista Hicks Benson, Suzanne Kawola, Carin Lane, Tyler Murphy Sales Kathleen Hallion, Vice President, Advertising Tom Eason, Manager, Display Advertising Craig Eustace, Retail Sales Manager Jeff Kiley, Magazine Sales Manager

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HealthyLife is published eight times per year. If you are interested in receiving home delivery of HealthyLife magazine, please call (518) 454-5768 or email magcirculation@timesunion.com. For advertising information, please call (518) 454-5358.

HealthyLife is published by Capital Newspapers and Times Union 645 Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12212 518.454.5694 The entire contents of this magazine are copyright 2012 by Capital Newspapers. No portion may be reproduced in any means without written permission of the publisher.

Capital Newspapers is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hearst Corporation.

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40

body

mind

every issue

24 Star Power

50 Constant Cravings?

8 talk back

Moving veggies to center stage in your cooking

28 Meatless Mondays

Why giving up meat one day a week matters

33 Pregnancy & Exercise

Keeping fit helps you and baby

36 It Takes Two

Exercising with your spouse can help your body and relationship

40 Defying Gravity

Taking yoga to a higher level

Here are some healthy alternatives

53 Web of Deceit

12 editor’s note

57 Is Letter Writing a Dying Art?

18 fit & fab

Perhaps not, say the experts

61 Want a Healthy Brain?

Follow these 10 tips

22 did you know 49 ask emma

The rescue fantasy

spirit

65 my word

67 Game On!

74 cover model Q&A

70 Gluten-free Makeup?

Necessary or a con?

healthylife

14 news & views

Handling the liars in your life

Family game night matters

6

10 on the web

The first of lasts Up close with Theresa Marangas

Hair and makeup by Kimberley’s A Day Spa, Latham, (518) 785-5868. Select clothing available at Boscov’s Clifton Park, Clifton Park Center, (518) 348-0800. On the cover: Sweatshirt by Calvin Klein, animal-print pants by N.Y.D.J., scarf and jewelry by Ashley Cooper. Photos taken by Suzanne Kawola at the law firm of Wilson Elser in Albany.

october 2012

On the outside, we’re Goodyear “Thank blue and gold... War

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talk back

The story behind the story from our contributors Molly Belmont  I came across gravity yoga and was immediately intrigued, but when it came time to try it (and I mean throw myself backward off a swing) I realized how scared I was. I haven’t taken a class that scared me, and I think that was a really good exercise for me. Afterward, I was so proud of myself. Overcoming that fear was a huge accomplishment for me, and that added a new dimension to the experience. After that I went tubing down the Esopus, and I will soon attempt zip lines in Vermont. This experience made me want to seek out other situations where I can be “weightless” for a while. I’d highly recommend it! See Molly’s story on page 40.

Meatless Mondays Laurie Lynn Fischer  Until I wrote about Meatless Monday, I didn’t know that greenhouse gases from industrial meat farming — including methane from cow burps and farts — contributes more to climate change than transportation.

See Laurie’s story on page 28.

join the conversation!

! n i w s for a Like u to win e chanc ds of k l l a in uff! free st

facebook.com/ HealthyLifeNYmagazine

“There’s a saying, ‘the truth hurts,’ but lies can do more harm.”

Cari Scribner  Writing this story made me realize that even little white lies can be barriers to relationships.

People can tell when you’re not being entirely truthful, and it can instill a sense of mistrust that over time can weaken the friendship. There’s a saying, “the truth hurts,” but lies can do more harm. See Cari’s story on page 53.

It Takes Two Melinda McGarty Webb  I guess I’ve always viewed exercise as a solitary activity or one I do with my friends — but never with my husband.

Writing this month’s story about exercising with your spouse made me realize how spending time together in the gym, on the tennis court, or wherever we choose to exercise, can really help us continue to grow together as a couple. See Melinda’s story on page 36.

healthylife

Jayne Keedle  There’s no doubt that people tend to romanticize letters, even though many of those that end up in historical collections are as poorly written and as short as a text message might be. What I found most interesting talking to stationers in particular was that there seems to be a retro movement when it comes to letter-writing, with a growing demand for personalized stationary hand-printed on an old-fashioned letter press. So while we may be getting fewer letters in the mail, the ones we’re getting are really something special. See Jayne’s story on page 57.

Constant Cravings Brianna Snyder  One of the nutritionists I talked to for this story on controlling your cravings told me that eating a bagel is pretty much like eating three or four pieces of bread. You wouldn’t just eat four pieces of bread, would you? Well, actually, that sounds kind of awesome. Regardless, now I’m terrified of bagels. See Brianna’s story on page 50.

We asked, you answered!  Do you have a Halloween costume picked out yet?

Maura: Katniss Everdeen!!

Colleen: I’m either going to get a wig and be Anna Wintour, or stuff pillows in my pencil skirt and be Joan (Christina Hendricks) from Mad Men. Tim: It’s gonna be snowed out again.

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Is Letter-Writing a Dying Art?

Web of Deceit

 What do you do for dinner when you just can’t bear to cook anything?

Linda: I eat breakfast for dinner — oatmeal or cereal or a few eggs Rachel: Boxes of Tasty Bites Indian food and couscous. So fast and so few dishes!

Melissa: Order Chinese.

Or eat cereal.

Alicia: Thick slices of whole wheat toast with chunky peanut butter and raspberry jam. Glass of chocolate rice milk.

Sue: Have popcorn!

Photo: Cereal bowl, © iStockphoto.com/Sava Alexandru.

Defying Gravity

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on the web facebook.com/ HealthyLifeNYmagazine

check out the healthylife channel

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

behind the scenes Read our Q&A with cover model Theresa Marangas on page 74, then head online to check out our exclusive Behind the Scenes story and photo gallery.

healthylife

blogs

gravity yoga Check out our exclusive video introduction to gravity yoga with instructor Jessica Lubin, and read the story on page 40.

Midlife Mom

pay it forward Read our online-only story about the benefits of doing good deeds.

Rebecca Haynes, editor of HealthyLife Connecticut, offers her perspective on life and motherhood while she navigates the teen years and beyond.

Writer and freelance editor Beth Cooney scans the Web to bring you the latest info and tips for healthy living.

VEGGIE DELIGHT Get this recipe for Roasted Ratatouille Tart, from Susie Middleton’s Fast, Fresh and Green, after reading the story on page 24.

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healthylife

Healthy Life Writer and designer Carin Lane shares her success stories with losing weight her way — without a gym membership, a personal trainer, or special foods.

Couples exercise Check out our exclusive online video demonstrating three different exercises to do as couples, and read the article on page 36.

Got a smartphone?

Scan the QR code at right to link directly to our HealthyLife videos page on YouTube. 

Illustration: Computer mouse, ©Irina Iglina/Dreamstime.com.

Healthy Tips

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editor’s note

Family Games

I

Photo by Krishna HIll.

grew up in an era in which parents really didn’t “play” much with their kids. Our mothers — most of whom stayed at home — were only too eager to shoo us out the door on a Saturday with vague references to when dinner would be served. I may have played cards with my parents a few times over the years but I certainly never engaged in hours-long games of Monopoly or Scrabble.

As a mother of three, I fully get why they wanted us out of their hair. If we didn’t get out of the house, we would be with them all day, every day — and no parent, I don’t care how dedicated she is, can really do that without snapping.

One of the pluses of the two-working-parent families I’ve experienced, though, is that connecting takes more planning, and sometimes the best place to connect is over a game board. Our family has had epic Monopoly games over the years as well as hours of charades, Go to the Head of the Class and Scrabble. Not a bad upside to busy, two-career families, don’t you think? Let the games begin.

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news and views compiled by beth cooney

Weighty findings on Vitamin D Vitamin D, otherwise known as the sunshine drug, just keeps grabbing headlines for its role in promoting long-term health and fitness.

Research now reported by the National Institutes of Health suggests that the vitamin that plays such an essential role in bone health may also keep aging women svelte.

A comprehensive five-year study of more than 4,500 women ages 65 and older found that those with inadequate D levels in their blood typically weighed about two pounds more than their peers with healthy levels of the bonebuilding vitamin. Who knew your daily supplement just might be nature’s diet pill?

Arm length and vision We’re seeing all that stuff about women being the weaker sex in a completely different light after learning the latest research on why women tend to need reading glasses sooner than men. A new study suggests it’s not that our eyes fail us sooner, but that our arms are shorter, making focus a more challenging issue for women.

Focus harder here: tinyurl.com/oct12vision

Beware the pretty face

Who do you trust? According to new research, it turns out that most of us are a sucker for a nice (read: really attractive) face. New research suggests that even when study subjects had serious negative or unflattering dirt on someone, they were more likely to trust them with important matters — including investment monies — if they perceived the person had a “nice” face.

The takeaway: Think twice about leaving your laptop with the cute guy sipping a latte in the coffee shop. Just because he’s cute doesn’t mean he won’t run off with your MacBook Pro. Read more at tinyurl.com/oct12pretty

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healthylife

Photos: © Dreamstime.com; Vitamins, © Twoellis; Eyes, © Carloscastilla; Woman, © Eric Simard; Woman with baby, © Monkey Business Images. All others, © iStockPhoto.com; Pregnant woman, © Marta Benavides; Pill bottle, © Michael Krinke.

More to swallow at tinyurl. com/oct12vd

Blogging is a good thing

Mommy blogs have become a staple in the online parenting world. Turns out that all that virtual sharing about diaper changes, co-sleeping and breast-feeding dilemmas gives a boost to the writers. Researchers have found blogging helps reduce the social isolation that plagues many a new mother.

“It looks like blogging might be helping these women as they transition into motherhood because they may begin to feel more connected to their extended family and friends, which leads them to feel more supported,” says Brandon T. McDaniel, graduate student in human development and family studies at Penn State. “That potentially is going to spill out into other aspects of their well being, including their marital relationship with their partner, the ways that they’re feeling about their parenting stress, and eventually into their levels of depression.” So get writing, Mama!

For more info, check out tinyurl.com/oct12blog

Take a load off Put those feet up, Mom-to-be. New re-

search suggests there’s really something to be said for that good oldfashioned advice to put your feet up (or at least get off them!) during pregnancy.

European researchers have determined that expectant women who spend a lot of time working on their feet (or just put in long hours on the job), are affecting the uterine growth and development of their infants. The result?

They often give birth to smaller babies. The researchers concluded it’s essential for women with physically demanding jobs to take a load off during pregnancy.

Read those

warnings Ever roll your eyes when watch-

ing those prescription drug advertisements (or scanned one in a magazine) and had to listen to those ad infinitum risk warnings?

Well, researchers at Kansas State University have concluded most of us need more warning.

Turns out that the older we get, the more likely we are to need loud and clear warning labels and careful instructions on the risk of medications and their possible interactions with other drugs. Indeed the researchers have concluded warning labels need an overhaul to better capture our attention lest we ignore them. Of course, all of us should use this study as a reminder to discuss potential interactions and the risks of our prescription medications, vitamins and natural supplements with our medical practitioners.

Read (carefully) here: tinyurl.com/oct12 labels

Take a load off and read more here: tinyurl.com/oct12onyourfeet

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

15

news and views

No joyful noise?

If you think splurging on fancy vacations and trendy events (like that One Direction concert for your teenage daughter) will make you happier, think again. Researchers are reporting in the Journal of Happiness that such big-ticket en-

tertainment items are not an investment in our long-term joy, especially if they’re bought to impress others.

Read more (for free!) at tinyurl. com/oct12cash

More good news for the gym

Teeth get you noticed Want to really stand out in the crowd? Well, flash your pearly whites. New research suggests that be it a toothy grin or an angry snarl, what gets noticed most in a sea of faces are people who show their choppers, a study in the Journal of Vision reports.

More at tinyurl.com/oct12smile

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healthylife

If hot flashes have you in an uncomfortable lather there may be a healthy way to work it out: Hit the gym.

Researchers at Penn State University have concluded that women experiencing bothersome hot flashes note their symptoms dissipate for 24 hours following physical activity. This research is particularly interesting because it dovetails with prior research that suggests obese and sedentary women have more trouble with hot flashes than their active counterparts.

What’s particularly interesting about these findings is that they are counter-intuitive. Researchers considered it possible that the elevated heart rates that accompany a vigorous workout could warm their subjects, stimulating more hot flashes. But the contrary occurred.

As the researchers noted, increasing exercise is generally a powerful antidote to the physical insults and declines of aging. So this research is yet another incentive for maturing women to invest in activity that strengthens their heart, bones and physical agility.

Wait! There’s more! at tinyurl.com/oct12gym

Tropical paradise photo, © Dreamstime.com/Ahmad Faizal Yahya. All others © iStockPhoto.com; Smile face, © Yael Weiss; Woman exercising, © Dean Mitchell; Woman eating on couch, © Berc; Pregnant woman, © Stígur Karlsson.

It’s all in your head Craving fatty foods again? Well, maybe you just need to close your eyes or shut off the television.

Researchers at the University of Southern California have confirmed that looking at images of greasy, fatty eats such as cheeseburgers actually triggers a significant desire to binge on them. Look at those pictures while sipping on a sugary drink and the cravings are that much worse.

The researchers noted that during MRI imaging they could actually see the brain reward centers in the test subjects — all obese women — light up as they were shown pictures of burgers, cookies and cakes. Their brains did not respond the same way while looking at images of healthier fruits-and-veggies-type fare. When the test subjects were asked to drink a substance containing 50 grams of glucose (the equivalent of a can of soda) their responses were heightened even more.

Dieters may want to use this research to remind themselves those hankerings for fatty snacks really are all in their head!

Still not satisfied? Go to tinyurl.com/oct12cravings

Delivery is academic

How long a baby stays in its mother’s womb may play a role in academic achievement, according to a new study reported in the journal Pediatrics.

While pediatricians and parents have long known that premature infants are at risk of developmental and social delays that can affect their performance in school, the same seems to be true for babies whose delivery falls within the range of “normal.” Researchers have found that infants born at weeks 37 and 38 of gestation (considered full-term by most clinicians) have a much higher incidence of poor performance in school than infants born between weeks 39 and 41.

This information may help convince expectant mothers eager to deliver before their actual due dates not to push their doctors for early cesarean sections or inducement.

Read more at tinyurl.com/oct12prenatal

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

17

fit and fab ▶ Party in Pink cargo pants: Calling all Zumba fanatics! It’s high time you ditched those baggy sweats and start looking the part. These fun cargo pants feature hot pink tassels, an inner ribbon and snap to roll up one or both legs to create instant capris when things get hot. Finish the look with a brightly colored tank, headband, shimmy hip scarf or a pair of Z-Kickz II shoes. 30 percent of sales of the Party in Pink merchandise goes to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. $60. Visit zumba.com.

by carin lane

▲ Gaiam Freestyle Cowl: Cooler temps require a comfy coverup that looks as good as it feels. Made of 60 percent rayon from sustainable bamboo, this cowl easily converts from a wide neck, which doesn’t choke like most pullovers, to a hoodie. The large cuffs have thumb holes to keep everything in place and your digits toasty. $68.

Available in bright rose, show, or castlerock. Visit gaiam.com.

Time for a new fall fitness wardrobe?

This Fit and Fab features gear to keep you toasty and fashionable.

For more Fit and Fab goodies, go to timesunion.com/ healthylife. Have a new product you’d like to share?

E-mail Carin at clane@timesunion.com.

You can visit Carin on facebook at facebook.com/carinlane. healthylife or follow her on twitter @tiredorinspired and Pinterest at pinterest.com/carinlane

▲ Adidas

Adizero Feather 2.0: Get rid of those old, heavy kicks and step into these 5.6 ounce “featherweight” durable shoes that help propel you forward and increase your stride efficiency.

The upper air mesh helps prevent any embarrassing odors. These were “The Shoe” of the Olympic games in London this past summer. $85. Available at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority.

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▼ Under Armour ArmourBra: Big or small, this bra will keep the ladies high and tight because it’s the first bra to fit for both band and cup size. Support is superior and the bonded seams prevent painful under arm chaffing. For a snug fit, it’s recommended you purchase a size down. If you are a 36B, you may want to order a 34B. $57.99. Visit underarmour.com.

▼ Lululemon Run:

Team Spirit Long Sleeve: Be chic and well-ventilated at the same time with this terrific top. Sexy shoulder cutouts and other details turn from a plain purple workout tee to something special. The “antistink” fabric fits loosely so choose a smaller size for a tighter fit. You’ll love the little pocket on your back hip and the thumb holes to keep the sleeves from hanging down.

Choose from black or power purple, shown. $78. Available at Lululemon stores or visit lululemon.com.

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People who exercise ➺ in groups are more

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Alexander Novikov.

likely to stick with their programs because it increases accountability, prevents boredom, and forces you to make a time commitment to fitness.

body Did You Know? 22 Star Power 24

Meatless Mondays 28 Pregnancy & Fitness 33 It Takes Two 36 Defying Gravity 40

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

21

fast facts

did you know?

1916

In 1916, Margaret Sanger opened America’s first familyplanning clinic, in Brooklyn.

It shut down within 10 days — contraception had been criminalized in the U.S. in 1873.

Then, in 1921, Sanger founded the American Birth Control League, which later became the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

compiled by brianna snyder

7.3

About 7.3 million Americans are vegetarians. source: tinyurl.com/ oct12veg

source: tinyurl.com/oct12famplan

Most people only score about 50 percent or slightly higher when asked to guess whether someone is lying. That includes police officers. Those odds are good, but they’re not that good.

We’re practically just guessing. source: tinyurl. com/oct12liars

An Atlanta businessman named Asa Candler — co-creator of Coca-Cola — created the first coupon in 1887. His hand-written tickets offered consumers a free glass of Coca-Cola, then priced at five cents.

Between 1894 and 1913, an estimated one in nine Americans had received a free Coca-Cola, for a total of 8,500,000 free drinks.

By 1895, Coca-Cola was being served in every state. source: tinyurl.com/oct12coupon

1926

The oldest known board game is “The Royal Game of Ur,” discovered in 1926 by Sir Leonard Woolley in royal tombs in what is now Iraq. source: tinyurl.com/oct12games

22

healthylife

Photos: Vegetables, © Enrique Gomez/Dreamstime.com; Woman, © Alexandre Miguel Da Silva Nunes/Dreamstime.com; Vintage Coke bottle, © iStockphoto.com/serts.

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cookbook

Star Power moving veggies from the wings to center stage by janet reynolds photos by annabelle breakey/chronicle books

I

f you’re interested in moving vegetables from the side of the plate to the center — at least once in a while — but aren’t sure quite where to start, The Fresh & Green Table is the cookbook for you.

Written by Susie Middleton, editor-atlarge of Fine Cooking magazine and the author who brought us Fast, Fresh & Green, the book is a primer on making vegetablebased main meals. The book is divided into 20 different kinds of main dishes, everything from warm or grilled salads to frittatas, gratins, savory rustic tarts and rice and veggie combinations.

Each chapter opens with tips about the best way to make a particular kind of food work.

In the chapter on hearty soups, for instance, Middleton outlines the basic principles on which a successful soup is created.

• “A soup is built on layers of flavors,” she writes. “Start from the bottom up with pungent aromatics such as onions and shallots and fresh herbs, brown veggies for deeper flavor, add interesting liquids and finish with fresh herbs and a crunchy contrast of nuts or croutons.”

• “Season as you go, starting at the very beginning but never be afraid to season at the end, too. Nothing picks up the flavor of a soup like a squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar once the soup comes off the stove.”

The recipes in the book are quite detailed, more so than most cookbooks. In the recipe for broccoli and cheddar frittata, for instance, she offers this tidbit about cooking the broccoli: “Cover and cook for 2 minutes (the florets will be bright green and starting to brown on the bottom). Uncover and cook, stirring, until the florets are mostly brown on all sides and have lost much (but not all) of their stiffness, 3-4 minutes more.”

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Get the recipe for this Roasted Ratatouille Tart at timesunion.com/healthylife.

On the phone from Martha’s Vineyard, where she operates a farm stand in between testing recipes and cooking ideas, Middleton talks about why this book was a logical offshoot of her first book. “The first book offered nine different approaches to cooking veggies,” she says. “I decided to scootch veggies to the center of the plate. This is now a starring role and things carnivores would eat … and the vegetarians would be happy, too.”

Middleton is married to a meat-and-potatoes man, so she knows firsthand the importance of creating a vegetable dish that will satisfy a carnivore. “The vegetable dish is the most interesting thing on the plate most of the time and then we grill something meatwise to have on the side,” she says of the reversed sizing most common around her dinner table.

“There are veggies on our plate in every meal.”

HL

Tips for Picking the Best Veggies • Buy what’s in season right that minute, ideally at local farmers markets.

Be open-minded to what’s the most fresh. Don’t be afraid to ask.

• If you’re at the grocery store, remember this: Size is not necessarily the best indicator. “I pick zucchini small and young because when they are cut there is a higher proportion of skin to flesh,” Middleton says. “Summer squash gets more watery as it gets bigger.”

• Smell the vegetables. “Smell is a big thing for me. In my recipes I tell people what to look for and how things should feel and what they smell like.

I don’t buy stone fruit in the grocery store because I can’t get a scent out of them.”

• Check for soft spots and browning at tips of any stems.

Health & Wellness

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• At the grocery store, look for the place of origin. “If your asparagus is coming from Chile, it’s way out of season,” she says. “If it’s coming from California, that’s fine, because it’s not that long from when it’s cut.” continued on page 26 

The Fresh & Green Table, Delicious Ideas for Bringing Vegetables into Every Meal, by Susie Middleton, photographs

by Annabelle Breakey, Chronicle Books, 224 pages, $24.95

Find a Hannaford dietitian near you and see their monthly schedule of events. You can also email a nutrition question to our on-staff Hannaford dietitian. Visit hannaford.com/dietitians.

cookbook

continued from page 25

Warm Wheat Berries with

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Toasted Walnuts and Dried Cranberries Serves 3 or 4 Ingredients • 3/4 cup winter or hard red wheat berries • kosher salt • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered lengthwise • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons orange juice • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces • 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries • 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts • 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley method In a pasta pot, Dutch oven or other large sauce pot, combine the wheat berries, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 10-12 cups water, enough to cover the wheat berries by three fingers.

Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer (it can be a rapid simmer or a low boil) and cook, partially covered, until the wheat berries are tender. Begin checking after 50 minutes, although this may take up to 90 minutes. (Most are usually

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done between 60 and 70 minutes.) The berries should be pleasantly chewy. If you taste early and often, you’ll get a sense of what “done” feels like. Drain the berries in a colander, shaking the colander and tipping it around to remove as much excess water as possible. Return the wheat berries to the pot, cover and set aside off the heat. They will stay warm for 10-15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 475 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Arrange the sprouts in a single layer in a 13X9-inch baking dish. Roast until brown and tender, stirring once, if you like, 18-22 minutes. If the sprouts finish ahead of the wheat berries, keep them in the pan, loosely covered with aluminum foil.

In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, and lemon zest and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring, just for about 15 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, one or two pieces at a time, whisking after each addition until the butter is melted and creamy. (Don’t reheat the mixture, or the butter will break and the sauce will not be creamy.) In a large mixing bowl, combine the wheat berries, Brussels sprouts, and cranberries; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour the sauce over them. Stir gently but thoroughly. Add half of the walnuts and half of the parsley and stir well again.

Serve warm, garnished with the remaining walnuts and parsley.

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Learn how to make this dish and your favorite recipes gluten-free.

Check out our gluten-free sampling demos with your local Hannaford dietitian.

To see a full list of dates and times, visit hannaford.com/dietitians.

eating right

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, an estimated one-

third of common cancers could be prevented through eating a healthy diet.

Meatless Mondays a way to live longer and help the environment by laurie lynn fischer

28

healthylife

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Y

ou’ve heard of Black Friday and Superbowl Sunday. Welcome to Meatless Monday, a simple way to benefit your health and the planet’s.

Meatless Monday originated as an Allied Forces rationing measure during the world wars, says Peggy Neu, president of the nonprofit Monday Campaigns organization. Sid Lerner of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Center for a Livable Future revived the practice in 2003 after the U.S. Surgeon General recommended that Americans reduce their saturated-fat intake by 15 percent, Neu says.

“You get into the routine and it becomes a habit,” Neu says. “If you do it once a week, maybe you’ll want to experiment with plant-based options and do it other days as well.”

In upstate New York, the initiative has caught on with individuals and businesses. Silvia Sivley of Schenectady submitted her Crock-pot chili recipe to MeatlessMondays. com, saying, “Not only does this chili taste wonderful, it is pretty also!” Swoon Kitchenbar in Columbia County has been offering four-course Meatless Monday menus for more than two years.

“We have a good group of regulars that we see every Monday,” says owner Jeff Gimmel. “Even people who aren’t vegetarians like to try it. When you’re done, you feel good about it. It’s a good, healthy way to start the week.”

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/ansonsaw.

T

he federal government and the American Cancer Society recommend less meat than most of us consume, says Christine Compton, physician specialist with the Albany County Department of Health. “Years ago, meat was the mainstay — the centerpiece of the meal,” she says. “Vegetables were the sideshow. The focus now is making vegetables, fruits and whole grains the main show. Meatless Monday is a viable way of getting people to move toward these dietary guidelines.”

In a recent survey, only 24 percent of Albany County adults reported eating the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and 63 percent were overweight or obese, Compton says.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, an estimated one-third of common cancers could be prevented through eating a healthy diet, being physically active and weight control, says Compton, a cancer survivor who has chosen to eat less meat and more plant foods.

“When I went through my cancer experience, from the perspective of what I could potentially control and do to improve my long-term outcome, I chose to make some changes in my diet,” she says.

Charcoal grilling meat and processed meats such as hot dogs, sausage and bacon can contribute to the formation of chemicals that cause cancer in animals, she says, so it is recommended to limit consumption of these foods. continued on page 30 

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eating right

Fruits and vegetables contain many beneficial nutrients, whereas saturated fatty acids in meat are associated with so-called “bad cholesterol” — a heart-disease risk factor, Compton says.

“We’ve kind of had a mindset that eating meat is the way to get protein in our diet, but there are other healthy sources, such as nuts, seeds and legumes,” she says.

Observed in 22 countries, Meatless Monday works, says Neu. Since the Sodexo food service company — which feeds 10 million people per day — began promoting vegetarian options every Monday, 49 percent of facility managers say they’ve purchased more vegetables and 30 percent say they’ve bought less meat, she says.

“A year ago, 50 percent of the people surveyed were aware of Meatless Monday,” Neu says, “and 27 percent said it influenced them to cut down on meat.”

EARTH-FRIENDLY EATING While improved health is still people’s primary impetus for limiting their meat intake, making this choice also conserves limited resources and reduces pollution associated with climate change, says Monday Campaigns President Peggy Neu. “Industrial farm animal production uses so much grain and water, it’s not really sustainable,” she says. “It also generates more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation, accelerating climate change worldwide.” She is citing “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” a 2006 UN report. The gases include

methane from cattle belching and passing wind, nitrous oxide from fertilizer and manure, and carbon dioxide from clearing land and feeding cattle plants.

“Meat consumption is up around the world in places like China and India,” Neu says. “As they develop economically they want to eat more meat. What happens in 2050? Can the earth sustain all this meat production? A lot of experts say no. Comparatively, plantbased foods and soy are much less resource intensive.”

Here are some statistics on the environmental impact of plant-based versus animal-based food production, compiled by the Meatless Monday campaign.

■ It takes more water to raise livestock than edible plants. This comparison from California is expressed in gallons of water per pound: beef, 2,500; almonds, 1,282; cheese, 896; chicken, 660; eggs, 447; rice, 401; pasta, 287; tofu, 220; yogurt, 156; orange juice, 90; catsup, 50; cantaloupe, 40; broccoli, 42; lettuce, 21.

■ As global meat demand increases, almost 1/5 of manmade greenhouse gas emissions, which exacerbate climate change, originate from the meat industry — more than from transportation — according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

■ Roughly 20 times as much fossil fuel energy is used to produce one calorie of beef than is used to produce one calorie of plant-based protein.

HL

In a recent survey, only

24 percent of

Albany County adults reported eating the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and 63

percent were overweight or obese.

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healthylife

Why Monday?

Meatless Monday has a nice alliterative ring, but that’s not the main reason organizers chose the first of the week. Meatless Monday is one of many Monday initiatives, including Caregivers’ Monday, Kids Cook Monday, Healthy Monday, Quit and Stay Quit Monday, Move it Monday and Man Up Monday.

Monday has a psychological edge over other days, says Alison Neu, president of

the Monday Campaigns. Just as people make New Year’s resolutions around January 1, people push the reset button on Mondays, she says.

“A majority of people view Monday as an opportunity to get their act together,” she says “We call it the January of the week. Research shows healthy behaviors spike on Mondays. People start diets, schedule doctor appointments and disease screenings and search for healthrelated information. Our slogan is it’s the day when all health breaks loose.”

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Tracy Hebden.

continued from page 29

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staying fit

Exercise

& Pregnancy why keeping up with a routine can keep you — and baby — healthy

by lee nelson

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Carey Hope.

P

regnant women like using the phrase “eating for two.” But what about “exercising for two”?

Whether or not you exercised a lot, a little or not at all before your pregnancy, exercising wisely throughout the nine months can provide you and your baby many benefits. “Most pregnant women who come to see me are often mystified about how their bodies are changing,” says Debbi Goodman, a licensed manual physical therapist in Albany. She teaches The Pregnancy Workout at her studio to women in all stages of pregnancy.

“Women are not really taught about exercise in their prenatal care, and many people are really afraid to work with pregnant women,” she says. “But pregnant women are not broken and can exercise quite vigorously. When they do the right kind of exercise, they can be so strong and so amazing.”

BRING ON THE BENEFITS

All the miraculous things happening to your body for nine months can take a big toll on your balance, heart rate, blood pressure, flexibility, body temperature, stamina and overall well-being. Many of these changes can be eased or helped with regular exercise, even for beginners.

“If you don’t do much exercising during pregnancy, it will come back to bite you,” says Karen Wolanin, registered nurse and perinatal fitness educator at Albany Medical Center. “There are just so many emotional and physical benefits for both you and the baby.” continued on page 34 

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

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staying fit

Swimming during pregnancy has many benefits, including taking excess weight off the joints, working many muscles and helping reduce excess swelling.

She teaches basic fitness to moms-to-be. She encourages them to do what they can, drink water throughout their workout and to listen to their bodies. Physicians have to sign an approval worksheet before women can come to her class.

The benefits can be extraordinary, she says, especially for keeping weight down, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, keeping muscles flexible and toned, energy level up, and mind clear and happy. You can also regain your pre-pregnancy shape back more quickly if you continue exercising throughout the pregnancy. “Regular exercise can also help reduce the risks or onset of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, swelling, backaches and leg cramps,” she says.

Exercise can decrease constipation problems by accelerating the intestines’ movement, give you a better night’s sleep by easing stress and anxiety, and relieve backaches and other pains by strengthening muscles, she adds.

Working out releases endorphins that make you feel better overall. And if you are feeling a little unattractive about your ever-expanding body, exercise can increase blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow from head to toe.

Prenatal yoga is an increasingly popular exercise choice for moms-to-be, who tout the experience as relaxing and

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toning, says Linda Hill, certified prenatal yoga teacher at the CNY Healing Arts Wellness Center and Spa in Albany. “They can get a good workout, but they also learn the whole bodymind connection. It lets them go through pregnancy more aware of their body and really in tune with all the changes going on,” she says.

The breathing exercises can be calming to the baby, too, and help during delivery. When the pain intensifies, using the breathing methods typical of yoga can help calm the body and mind. Practicing yoga poses also helps moms-tobe find their center of gravity as their belly grows.

“Any exercise you stick with in pregnancy is very important to keep your body toned and keep it flexible,” Hill says. “Pregnancy can be a very awkward period. In yoga, we do a lot of squatting to help the hip opening and make it stronger.”

What’s good (and not so good)

A recent recommendation from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) tells women that they should exercise at least 30 minutes nearly every day to help them get through their pregnancy healthier. The organization also warns women that certain sports and exercises

Photos: Dreamstime.com. Woman swimming, © Marek Pilar; Woman with exercise ball, © Dmitiy Melnikov.

continued from page 33

could unnecessarily put them and their baby in harm’s way.

Those include horseback riding, gymnastics, water skiing, scuba diving, downhill snow skiing, and contact sports such as hockey and soccer.

Depending on what you and your doctor discuss for your exercise routine, the possibilities are endless. You can do the type of exercise you are comfortable with or have been doing before you got pregnant. “In terms of cardiovascular exercise, pregnant women have a lot of choices. I recommend low-impact, such as walking, swimming, biking, water aerobics, or using an elliptical machine in the gym,” Goodman says. “Running can put a lot of impact on the body especially with the extra weight of the baby.”

Arm and shoulder strength will be very important once the baby is born. You will do a lot of lifting and holding. Your upper back and arms will get a good workout just lifting a car seat with the baby in it. Strength training can come from working on machines, dumbbells, resistance bands or using your own body as resistance in yoga.

When to stop Your body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy. Exercise can help you and your unborn child in so many ways. But stop exercising and call your doctor if you see any of these warning signs:  Bleeding or fluids leaking from vagina  Dizziness, shortness of breath or chest pain  Headache, calf pain or swelling  Uterine contractions  Decreased fetal movement Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

“You’ll be doing a lot of repetitive actions, such as nursing, lifting a stroller,” Goodman says.

“You’ll need tons of upper body strength plus you’ll be using your wrists a lot more than you do now.”

Being comfortable during exercise is important especially as you get further into the pregnancy. Wearing the right clothing and shoes can help ease discomfort. Clothing that helps with cooling, such as gear typically worn by tennis players or golfers, is perfect for pregnant women.

The sweat gets evaporated from the clothing, and you stay cool. Also important? A good sports bra for your growing chest.

Be Aware

Your pregnant body is constantly changing to prepare for labor and delivery. The pregnancy hormone relaxin, for instance, allows your ligaments and joints to get looser to allow for delivery. Your hips are spreading. This loosening means that other joints that stabilize you such as your ankles are getting more relaxed, too. That can increase the risk of ankle rolling, falls and general awkwardness, Goodman says.

She also warns that abdominal strengthening is very different but important during the gestational period for women. “It can be somewhat dangerous to do the wrong way. The abdominal muscles stretch over 50 percent more than their original length. That makes them weaker,” she says.

Goodman teaches women how to strengthen the correct abdominal muscles to help close the diastasis recti after the baby is born. Diastasis recti is a natural occurrence during pregnancy when the fibrous membrane (linea alba) that runs down the middle of the abdomen separates. This can cause a lot of lower back pain and other discomforts during pregnancy and after the birth.

“Women who suffer from large separation will continue to look pregnant even seven months after giving birth,” Goodman says. “That feels uncomfortable, and they feel so bloated all the time.”

ACOG recommends not doing exercise on your back after the first trimester of pregnancy. The excess abdominal growth restricts blood flow to the fetus especially after the first trimester and can restrict the amount of blood the heart beats. Lying on the back only increases that risk.

“I see these pregnant women come to my class month after month and gain so much confidence in themselves,” Hill says. “They become very strong, and they are amazing to watch as they do all these yoga postures with their huge bellies, and they get it. They understand what it is doing for them and their babies.”

HL

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

35

fitness

The Couple That

Sweats Together

working out with your spouse can be healthy for your bodies and your relationship by melinda mcgarty webb | photos by tyler murphy

W

e all know exercise is good for our bodies. But did you ever consider how good it could be for your relationship? You can tighten your abs and your marital bond at the very same time. That’s onestop shopping at its best.

Rebecca and Chris Williams of Troy exercise together at least two nights a week on average, either at the gym or at home. They also partner up to compete in “CrossFit” competitions, a form of exercise now done worldwide that focuses on constantly varying functional movements — many of which people would do over the course of their daily lives — done at high intensity.

“When we’re at the gym it’s like a team-building exercise,” Rebecca says, adding she has two main reasons she likes exercising with her husband. “There’s the partnership piece,” she says. “When I have Chris there, I automatically feel better, like he’s supporting me and helping me do my best. Plus,

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healthylife

it’s just nice to see him.”

As the parents of a 2-year-old son, the couple uses their workout time as a date night of sorts. “Parenting, marriage, they’re not the easiest things in the world,” Rebecca says.

“But how we work together in the gym — that partnership — we bring that (to) some of life’s other struggles.”

That’s not uncommon at all, says Debbie Mandel, an author, radio show host, and creator of turnonyourinnerlight. com, a website offering advice on health, fitness and stress management. “Everyone’s stressed,” she says. “Anyone who tells you we can live stress-free is selling you snake oil. But the most effective way to rid your body of stress is by working it out.”

Exercise actually flushes the stress hormone, cortisol, from the body. So the next time your spouse makes you angry, don’t scream. Walk it off — literally, Mandel suggests.

Moving your body may calm you down and allow you time

to think of the situation from your partner’s perspective. (Or it may just give you more time to brood, but it’s worth a shot.)

Exercise helps people improve their focus and promotes more attentive listening, which generally makes for a better partnership. Exercising regularly and improving physical health and appearance also allows couples to inhabit their bodies in a more sensual way.

“One of the great points of working out is the endorphins that are released,” says Jason Ackerman, owner of Albany CrossFit and CrossFit Clifton Park. “You feel better about yourself, and your spouse winds up looking better to you.”

In addition to making you both feel better about your bodies and therefore possibly loosening some inhibitions, working out actually has a chemical effect on your sexual desire. Exercising the large muscle groups increases testosterone production in both men and women, which then increases libido.

“Sex is very important for health and vitality,” Mandel says.

“And you can’t have good sex if you’re not healthy and you don’t have good blood flow.”

In fact, couples can do specific exercises couples to improve blood flow below the waist, such as lunges, squats and pelvic tilts, which may then improve sexual performance, she explains.

Improved sexual performance also burns more calories.

THE BOX JUMP 1. Bend the knees low and jump with both feet 2. Land on the box with your feet flat 3. Atop the box, straighten up and stand erect before jumping or stepping back off BEGINNER

A less challenging version of this exercise is to step on and off the box instead of jumping.

B

ut for those looking for a workout that can take place outside of the home, the options are virtually limitless.

The key is to find something you both love that’s in keeping with your dynamic as a couple.

“Some couples like competition,” Mandel says. If that describes you, consider playing tennis match, golf, a pick-up game of basketball, racquetball, or even a road race for two.

Bear in mind, though, that the line can be thin between healthy, supportive competition and cut-throat contention.

If you’re prone to chest-bumping and irrepressible outbursts of “In your face, loser!,” then maybe you should dial it back a bit when your partner lags behind you across the finish line or fails to bench press as much weight as you.

If therapy is out of the question, then maybe walking or yoga would be a better shared activity for the two of you.

Even the hyper-competitive will garner little satisfaction from saying, “My downward dog is better than your downward dog.”

“I think it’s wise to avoid competing with your spouse,” Ackerman says. “You don’t want to tell your wife or girlfriend you just beat them at something.”

One possible downside of exercising together could be if one partner becomes a little too enamored of his or her own physique, Mandel says. It could be unhealthy for the relationship if that person becomes too obsessed or if the other partner begins to feel inferior as a result. “Virtue is in the middle — you don’t ever want to overdo it.”

No one really needs a relationship expert to explain that rubbing your physical superiority in your spouse’s face is not wise.

At least, not if you prefer your bed to the living room couch.

 Chris and Rebecca Williams exercise together at least two nights a week.

They also partner up in “CrossFit” competitions.

continued on page 38 

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

37

fitness continued from page 37

Instead, it’s important to be your spouse’s cheerleader when he needs a little encouragement to get up and get going. That’s where having a partner really comes in handy. Being accountable to someone else can be a huge motivator.

“There are days when even I am tired, and don’t want to work out,” says Ackerman. “But even on those sluggish days, if you get your body moving, you’ll be glad you did.”

Rebecca and Chris Williams see the truth in that. “Exercise can be so healing, just getting moving and taking care of yourself,” Rebecca says. “We’re coming off a couple years of infant- and toddlerhood. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in that whole thing. It’s easy to forget about yourself and your partner.” Exercising together regularly is one way they ensure that doesn’t happen, and that a relationship stays strong.

Like the Williamses, many couples enjoy functioning as a team during their workouts. For those people, bicycling together, jogging and going to the gym together might be good options. Helping each other stretch or taking a Zumba class might also all be a good fit for the less competitive.

“Fortunately, with exercise, there are so many options,” Mandel says. “It’s really fun to choose, and you can find out what resonates with you as a couple.”

Regardless of what activity you choose, keep it positive and, above all else, fun. “Whenever you have something in your life that you can share with someone, it only deepens your relationship,” Ackerman says. “I’ve seen nothing but positive things come from exercising together.”

Also, let’s be honest. Losing periodically to our spouses teaches us that we can’t always win — in sports or relationships. Sometimes, you’ve just got to suck it up and be a good sport.

HL

AB MAT SIT-UPS This exercise requires the cooperation of a partner and the use of a medicine ball.

1. Get in sit-up position.

Press the soles of your feet together and hold medicine ball above your head.

2. Recline all of the way down so that the ball touches the ground above your head before returning to a seated position.

3. Once in the upright position, pass the ball to your partner and have your partner pass it back.

4. Keep control of your movements and tighten up your core as you repeat the exercise.

38

healthylife

Visit timesunion.com/healthylife for our exclusive online video demonstrating three different exercises to do as couples.

Got a smartphone?  Scan the QR code at right to link directly to our HealthyLife videos page on YouTube.

Are you more fit than your spouse?

Jason Ackerman of Albany CrossFit offers these suggestions for working out with your partner if he or she is less physically fit than you: • Be patient. Working out should be enjoyable for your partner, too. (But it won’t be if you yell at him.)

• If you have a coach, let him do his job. Not only are partners more likely to listen to a coach, but advice from a coach won’t cause a fight between the two of you.

• Offer encouragement and positive reinforcement. Make sure you tell your partner how proud you are of him, and that he’s doing a good job.

• Let him make new friends. Encourage your partner to branch out and meet new people. The gym will be more fun for you both if he has other people with whom to socialize.

• Reward your partner. As he hits goals, buy him something he’ll love — maybe even new clothes to show off his newly toned body.

• Find physical activities you enjoy doing together and experiment with new activities that neither of you excel at. For instance, try tennis, running, swimming or biking.

RING ROWS This exercise requires straps or rings hung a few feet above the floor and shoulder width apart for each hand.

1. Hang on to the rings with your body stretched out beneath facing the rings.

2. Stand with your heels on the ground and your toes raised. Keep your core tight and shoulders back.

3. Pull up your upper torso with your arms. Return to original position ADVANCED

The exercise becomes more challenging the closer your feet are to the wall and the lower your shoulders are to the floor.

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

39

exercise

Defying

Gravity

taking yoga to a higher level 40

healthylife

by molly belmont | photos by tyler murphy

L

aura Schultz had always had a difficult time getting into and holding yoga poses — until she discovered anti-gravity yoga, a form of yoga that incorporates a silken swing for deeper, more aligned stretches. “It just seems like with the swing you have a lot more give and flexibility,” Schultz says. Plus, nothing compares to the sensation of floating around the room like a trapeze artist. “It’s fun. It feels whimsical, swinging around like that,” she says.

“I was amazed by how easy it was.”

Part acrobatics, part meditation, anti-gravity yoga, or aerial yoga as it’s also known, was developed by dancer and choreographer Christopher Harrison in New York City and became a trademarked practice in 2007. Classes are taught locally at the Good Karma Studio in Albany, where studio owner Jessica Lubin leads students through a series of swing-assisted poses that sometimes feel more like playground stunts than ancient Ayurvedics — and that’s what makes it fun.

Fun is an essential part of the classes, says Lubin, who uses an upbeat playlist and a gentle hand to help guide students into poses they never expected to find themselves in, including handstands and headstands.

Inversions are the “mother pose” or asana of yoga, says Lubin, and they are what brought her to anti-gravity yoga.

A yoga teacher recommended the swing yoga to Lubin because she had a bad back that made her beloved headstands painful. The new yoga allowed her to turn upside down with zero compression to her neck or spine, and she could stay upside down longer, maximizing the benefits of inversion, which include refreshment for the circulatory system, respite for the organs, lymphatic drainage, and hormone stimulation.

Being upside down can also shift your perspective on the world. “It’s an emotional thing. It’s about overcoming your fear. That gives you a sense of being in yourself,” says Lubin.

“I always say it’s OK to throw your world upside down every now and again.”

Many of the gravity yoga poses are an exercise in trust — trust in yourself and trust in the swing. And that’s what Lubin tells students as they are climbing into their cocoon-like hammocks at the start of the class. The swings feel surprisingly safe, and being in them, partially obscured and cradled softly above the ground, feels restorative. As students move through the class, the swings take on different roles. They become a stabilizing force for warrior and crescent poses, a launch pad for headstands, a source of resistance during forward bends. By the end of class, I have developed a fond, if slightly antagonistic, relationship with my swing. When I tell Lubin this, she smiles and nods. It’s not unusual for people to develop strong bonds with their swings, she says. “I sometimes nap in my swing,” she admits. continued on page 43 

Being upside down can also shift your perspective on the world.

L

ubin speaks from experience. Three years ago, she left a corporate job in New York City to build a bottle school in Guatemala, where citizens are using trash and plastic bottles to construct new buildings. This eye-opening experience led her to India, where she took yoga training. Two years ago, the Albany native returned to her hometown to open Good Karma Studio on Wolf Road. This spring, she moved into a new space on Vatrano Road, and the brandnew studio with its spring green walls and birch tree accents has quickly become her home, she says.

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

41

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exercise

continued from page 41

Enthusiasts like Diane Nardicci enjoy the sense of weightlessness they find in class. “It’s a relaxing, free-floating feeling,” says Nardicci. But it’s not without its challenges. A trained Zumba and Tabata instructor, Nardicci recognizes the strength these poses build. “It takes a lot of upper body strength,” she says.

The poses, especially the inverted ones, require a lot of core and upper body strength, and anyone who mistakenly believe the swings provide a shortcut to Zen will quickly learn the truth: These poses take work. That being said, the class is a great way for experienced yogis to take their yoga practice to a new level, or a point of entry for people like Schultz, who say conventional yoga just never did it for her.

Schultz, who also bikes and works out regularly at the gym, says these classes are a welcome departure from the norm. “It’s something completely different. I like the challenge of it being completely different,” she says.

And I have to admit that when you do attain that ultimate asana, and see yourself in the mirror, body gracefully suspended above the earth, legs tangled in silk above you, there is an undeniable jolt of pleasure. “Is that me?” you think. “How am I doing that?”

“It’s all about patience,” says Lubin. “Patience in yourself, because it does take time to make that connection, to see where you are upside down, and to relax into it.”

HL Good Karma Studio is located at 3 Vatrano Road, Suite #3B in Albany. Gravity yoga classes cost $18, with discounts given for multiple purchases. Space is limited, so reserve your place in advance. For more information, visit thegoodkarmastudio.com.

Visit timesunion.com/healthylife for our exclusive online video demonstrating traditional yoga poses using a gravity swing. Got a smartphone?

Scan the QR code at left to link directly to our HealthyLife videos page on YouTube.

 Jessica Lubin, owner and instructor at Good Karma Studio

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

43

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

Have you heard about this new technology that is FDA cleared, and non-surgical treatment for back pain?

Herniated Disc?

Non-surgical spinal decompression may be the last back pain treatment you will ever need. And you may be able to forget the pills, getting endless shots, struggling through exercise programs...and...risky surgery...because with this amazing new technology...if you are a candidate... they may be a thing of the past. You’re about to discover a powerful state-of-the-art technology available for: Back pain, Sciatica, Herniated and/or Bulging discs (single or multiple), Degenerative Disc Disease, a relapse or failure following surgery or Facet syndromes. Best of all -- you can check it out yourself for FREE! CALL 518-300-1212

I

magine how your life would change if you discovered the solution to your back pain.

In this article you’ll discover powerful new back pain technology that has the potential to be that solution for you.

This incredible technology is Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression and the DRX 9000.

Here’s the amazing story how it was discovered and why it has a chance to help YOUR back pain...

How Science Helps Back Pain The lower back is a series of bones separated by shock absorbers called “discs”.

When these discs go bad because of age or injury you can have pain. For some the pain is just annoying, but for others it can be life changing...and not in a good way.

It has long been thought that if these discs could be helped in a natural and noninvasive way, lots of people with back and leg pain could lower the amount of pain medication they take, be given fewer epidural injections for the pain and have less surgery.

Recent medical breakthroughs have led to the development of advanced technologies to help back and leg pain suffers!

Through the work of a specialized team of physicians and medical engineers, a medical manufacturing company, now offers this space age technology in its incredible DRX 9000 Spinal Decompression equipment.

The DRX 9000 is FDA cleared to use with the pain and symptoms associated with herniated and/or bulging discs. . . even after failed surgery.

What Conditions Has The DRX 9000 Successfully Treated And Will It Help YOU? The main conditions the DRX 9000 has success with are: • • • •

Back pain Sciatica Spinal Stenosis Herniated and/or bulging discs (single or multiple) • Degenerative disc disease • A relapse or failure following surgery • Facet syndromes A very important note: The DRX 9000 has been successful even when NOTHING else has worked.

Even after failed surgery.

What Are Treatments On The DRX 9000 Like?

After being fitted with an automatic shoulder support system, you simply lie face up on the DRX 9000’s comfortable bed and the advanced computer system does the rest.

Patients describe the treatment as a gentle, soothing, intermittent pulling of your back. Many patients actually fall asleep during treatment.

The really good news IS... this is not something you have to continue to do for the rest of your life. So it is not a big commitment.

Since offering the DRX 9000 in my Colonie office, I have seen nothing short of miracles for back pain sufferers who had tried everything else. . . with little or no result.

Many had lost all hope.

Had herniated disk operation 8 years ago another disc became herniated. Doctor wanted to operate have arthritis from 1st one (did not want to go under knife again) very grateful to DRX9000 (thank you Dr. Claude D. Guerra, DC) Very happy camper.

Raymond F Niskayuna, NY Age 55 This treatment was a miracle for my cervical disk herniations. Only other alternative was surgery, which I no longer have to face.

William I Schenectady, NY Age 63

I was told by a doctor I wouldn’t be able to work. I cannot afford to not work so I tried Dr. Claude D. Guerra, DC, and not only did the pain go away but I never missed a day at work.

Rick S Clifton Park, NY Age 42 I would love to shake the hand of the person who invented this machine. It was a life saver for me and a lot better than going under the knife. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone with chronic back pain.

Dawn H Colonie, NY Age 49 Before the DRX 9000 treatment. I had no quality of life.

Couldn’t do anything for myself. Thank God for Dr. and the DRX machine. I can live again.

Yvette K Schenectady, NY Age 47 I suffered for three years, before I received treatment on the DRX 9000. Today, I can sleep and get out of bed like a normal human being. Before, I couldn’t even drive my car because the pain in my hips, legs and feet were so bad from the sciatica nerve being pinched by my Herniated Disc L4 and L5, which also prevented me from sitting in a chair or even using my computer lap top at any time. Today things have changed due to advance technology therapy on the DRX 9000. They always try

A DV E R T I S E M E N T I would definitely refer people to your office. Dr. Guerra and his staff have made this experience a pleasure.

Ed H Hoosick Falls, NY Age 70 Pain free, numbness in the left foot is gone. DRX 9000 is GREAT and does work.

Sal L Niskayuna, NY Age 50

Dr. Claude D. Guerra, DC demonstrates the DRX 9000 to a patient

to regulate the treatments that work. What is up with this taught process???? The world is changing and so have I. Frank A Troy, NY Age 52 Before receiving the DRX treatments, my quality of life was very poor. I could hardly do anything other than going to work and going to bed.

After the DRX treatments my quality of life has improved 90% which has resulted in me being able to go for long walks without a cane and go shopping.

Anne P Burnt Hills, NY Age 70 I am so appreciative of this method of therapy because when I came to the office I had to use a cane and had muscle pain in walking. After 2nd treatment sciatica nerve pain was gone in my left leg.

Judith W Albany, NY Age 64 Prior to this treatment my only options appeared to be invasive pain management, or surgery. After receiving 24 sessions on the DRX, I am markedly improved, relatively pain free and am able to function as I had in previous years. Highly recommend to anyone with disc issues.

Alan P Scotia, NY Age 53 I would choose this therapy again! Painless treatment that gets your life back to

normal. Stick with it-it works!

Linda G Broadalben, NY Age 53 I am so happy I came to Dr. Guerra. I was in a lot of pain and after being on the DRX I tell you I do not have pain. I feel wonderful and the staff are very nice. Dr. Claude D. Guerra, DC is wonderful. If you are in pain try the DRX it really helps.

Edith C Schenectady, NY Age 71 I think more people should know about this procedure before considering any surgery. Medications help the pain but they don’t cure the cause. I am back to my old self again.

Lorraine B Scotia, NY Age 78 I highly recommend this machine. I had my doubts but it really and truly works. Dr. Claude D. Guerra, DC is a wonderful doctor and his staff is great too.

Linda D Clifton Park, NY Age 46 I was extremely skeptical at the beginning of treatments - Progress was slow in coming - But... then it worked!

What a relief!!!

Joan K Delmar, NY Age 71 I had no where else to go with this problem. The DRX 9000 was just what I needed. Many thanks!

Burton S Mechanicville, NY Age 50

I’m able to go on long walks and get all night sleep (I’ve had 3 surgeries since 2006) Without the DRX I would be in for a 4th back surgery. I’m getting back to doing activities with my 10 year old son.

Lisa V Catskill, NY Age 45 I wish to thank you very much for all the help I received with the spinal decompression therapy. Your entire office was very helpful and compassionate. No longer do I sit at night with my heating pads, moving them from sore spot to sore spot. My knees are no longer on fire and I’m able to go up and down the stairs much easier than before.

Mable D Ballston Lake, NY Age 68

SPECIAL OFFER Call Dr. Claude D. Guerra, DC’s office at 518-300-1212 and mention to my assistants that you want a FREE back pain/DRX9000 qualification

consultation. It’s absolutely free with no strings attached.

There is nothing to pay for and you will NOT be pressured to become a patient.

Here is what you will receive: • A consultation with me, Dr. Claude D. Guerra, DC to discuss your problem and answer the questions you may have about back pain and the DRX9000 • A DRX9000 demonstration so you see for yourself how it works! Due to current demand for this technology, I suggest calling today to make your appointment.

The consultation is free.

We are staffed 24-hoursa-day, 7-days-a-week. Call 518-300-1212 right now!

It’s absolutely FREE with no strings attached.

There is ONE Big Problem: My busy office schedule will limit how many people I’m able to personally meet with... so you will need to act fast.

Call 518-300-1212 right now... to be sure you are among the first callers and we will set up your free consultation today. We have the phones answered 7 days a week 24 hours a day so call now...

518-300-1212. (Free consultation is good for 45 days) 2016 Central Ave., Colonie

www.healthsourcechiro.com or www.albanyDRX.com

The end of cancer

begins with research.

Members of the NYOH staff, clockwise: Dr. Lawrence Garbo, Chairman, Research Committee; Sharon Krause, RN, Director, Research Dept.; Carrie Kreitner, RN, Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner; Dr. Karen Tedesco, Director, Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment Program; and Debra Yelenak, MT, Laboratory Supervisor.

As the region’s leading provider of community based cancer care, New York Oncology Hematology plays a pivotal role in the FDA approval process of cancer fighting drugs. Through its affiliation with The US Oncology Network, as well as participation in National Cancer Institute sponsored research projects, NYOH offers access to the most advanced research and treatment options, including clinical trials not available elsewhere in the region.

For information, call the award-winning NYOH Research Department at 489-3612, ext. 1342.

www.newyorkoncology.com Albany • Amsterdam • Hudson • Latham • Rexford • Troy

mind

Ask Emma 49 Constant Cravings? 50 Web of Deceit 53 Is Letter Writing a Dying Art? 57 Want a Healthy Brain? 61

➺

Photo: © Elena Elisseeva/Dreamstime.com.

Is there something in your life that you want to change but feel like you can’t? Try changing your outlook instead. Both good and bad are around us and we have the ability to choose which one we let in. Changing your mental attitude toward the outside world can help you have more control over your life.

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

47

Enroll in Cancer Prevention Study-3.

By enrolling in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study (CPS-3), you can help us understand how to prevent cancer, which will save lives and create a world with more birthdays for everyone.

Enrollment appointments taking place:

10.18.12 · 10am-2pm Hilton Garden Inn across from Albany Medical Center, 62 New Scotland Ave., Albany, NY

10.19.12 · 7am-2pm Harriman State Office Complex, Bdlg. 8A, Dept. of Tax and Finance, Albany, NY

10.21.12 · 9am-2pm Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event, Washington Park, Albany, NY For more information about enrolling or volunteering, please visit cancer.org/cps3 or call 1-888-604-5888.

©2009, American Cancer Society, Inc. No.080131-Rev.10/10

ask emma

Rescue Fantasy The

who — or what — are you waiting for? by emma tennant

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Lise Gagne.

W

hen I was in elementary school, I was in love with Tommy Laughlin. He was a couple of grades older than me and he drove to school on his bike, with the metallic green banana seat. I used to fantasize that the school was being flooded, and then Tommy would ride his bike down to the water’s edge, and then swim toward the windows of my classroom — I was trapped because the door was jammed or something. He would crash through the window and take me to safety. That was the extent of my fantasy. I’d be saved, and then something vaguely wonderful would happen and things would never be the same again.

Pathetic, right? Perfectly innocent? I’ve been thinking about that fantasy lately as I have encountered so many versions of the rescue fantasy alive and well in many of clients, male and female, young and old.

From Elizabeth, who lives at home with her widowed father: “I don’t want to move. That would be a failure, to move and live around here. If I move I want to go somewhere like California, or France, and I don’t want to go alone. “ Elizabeth dates on the Internet but never meets anyone who quite measures up, no one who can whisk her away to a better life.

Or Olivia: Olivia was abused by her uncle. It’s pretty clear that the family turned a blind eye to it. She is single, and spends most of her energy redecorating her home, making it perfect. She wants to get it just right. Everything will be perfect when her prince comes along.

All of us have some version of a rescue fantasy that runs on a channel of our brains 24/7. In some cases it is easy to recognize it. In other cases, it is more subtle — a vague expectation that we are going to win the lottery; that we will be taken up in the rapture; that we will be promoted at work for all the wonderful things that we do — one day, they’ll notice how great we are.

In some ways it can be a perfectly innocent diversion from our humdrum lives, but very often the rescue fantasy is the major block that prevents us from taking steps to change our circumstances. Neither Elizabeth nor Olivia do very much about establishing a relationship, working through the anxieties, the doubts, the inevitable failures, the disappointments. They don’t want to do that. What they want is for someone to drop in from a helicopter and save them from themselves, though it goes without saying that everyone

who does drop in on a helicopter would be too old, too bald, too skinny or too rude, to suffice.

S

o why do we do this? Let’s go back to Tommy and me in the third grade: As I analyze that fantasy now, I recall how trapped I felt in my childhood, my oppressive parents, my dull school. I was also lonely, as children often are. Fantasy presented me with alternate versions of my life, and Tommy — well, he was handsome and decent. I could be adult with him. He and I would never be separated.

But we have to go back further in our histories. Remember that in the most critical years of our formative life — from infancy through early childhood — we are entirely dependent on being rescued from just about everything: If we are hungry, we need to be rescued by food supplied from above. If we are frightened, we need big strong arms from above to encircle and protect us. Even when we are enraged and overwhelmed by our own emotions, we need outside intervention to create a soothing environment that we internalize. Our infancy is nothing but rescue — and also failed rescue. Why was there nobody there when we woke in the dark? When our friends reject us, why is there nobody to fix it and make it right?

In other words, we are formed as dependents — and then have to suffer through the disillusionment as we discover that we cannot depend, not entirely.

Hence the rescue fantasy. It is a residual of early childhood that carries over into adult life, a perfectly understandable desire to have things made right by someone who is looking over us, who is as desirable and loving as we believe our parents might have been. It’s a tough fantasy to give up, because to do so means recognizing how alone we are and how responsible we are for taking charge of our own lives and shaping them the best we can. But if you are waiting to be rescued, only two things can happen. One, you’ll keep waiting. Or two, you’ll project unrealistic expectations on everybody who comes along and offers you their hand. HL Emma Tennant (not her real name) is a practicing psychotherapist and a former waitress. All advice offered here is simply that. If you have a pressing concern, you should see a specialist in person. If you have a question you’d like addressed or a comment for Emma, send it to askemma@timesunion.com. Inquiries will be treated with confidentiality.

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

49

eating well

Constant can’t curb it? try these healthier alternatives

Craving? by brianna snyder

P

eople do crazy things to quiet cravings. The feeling can overwhelm, plague, harass or drive you to irrational behavior.

A friend of mine sheepishly admitted she once finished a half-full bag of Doritos she took from a trash can in her apartment building. The bag was sitting on top, she rationalized, its contents uncontaminated by what was beneath it. Yes, she wanted them that badly! The shame and embarrassment from her George Costanzalike behavior still haunts her today.

But why do these cravings happen?

According to Jane Trinidad-Hennes of Better Living with Jane, “It’s an emo-

tional thing.”

“When we crave something, what are we trying to cover or hide or trying to fulfill?,” Trinidad-Hennes says. “I look at what emotion it could be tied to.” Sadness, stress — even happiness — can make us want to eat certain foods associated with those feelings.

“Everything has a meaning,” she says.

Nutritionist Deborah Arneson wrote in Today’s Chicago Women that cravings can be a product of giving in to previous cravings and experiencing the feel-good histamines that are released. “Over and over you crave, give in, release histamines, get the buzz and on and on,” she writes. You rein-

force the cycle of craving.

So how do we break the cycle? The danger in trying to subvert the craving by eating a healthy alternative is that the healthy item might not exactly fulfill your desire, so you end up eating the unhealthy item too. To avoid this, Trinidad-Hennes says to give in just a little bit, but do it intelligently. Think about what that food really means to you, “look deeper into your life,” she says. Find out what you’re neglecting or missing, and start to try to fill those voids with more healthful choices.

Here are some substitutes for the days when your cravings are biggest and baddest.

Want ice cream or a milkshake?

Substitute it with low-fat milk, frozen bananas and good-quality unsweetened cacao powder. 

Why? This low-fat alternative to the creamy cold

texture and sweet flavor of ice cream is lighter and much healthier. Spring for the better, higher-quality cacao powder — it’s stronger, so you won’t need as much of it.

Jonesing for potato chips? 

Have baked kale chips instead.

Why? Our experts tell us kale chips are

even becoming popular with husbands and college boys. They’re crunchy and salty, which satisfies that texture craving, but are low on carbs and fat.

50

healthylife

e Rip apart th leaves, dress w ith olive o il an d sea salt an d ba ke until crispy.

This is

seriously good!

Need Skittles? 

Try dried fruit instead.

Why? If you need that sweet, chewy fix, dried

In vest in a dehydrator an d make your own!

fruit from an organic store is the best way to go. Our experts caution against dried fruit with preservatives: those chemicals negate the good nutrients in raw dried fruit.

Craving pizza? 

Try making a whole-grain English-muffin pizza.

Photo: @ Dreamstime.com; Ice cream bowl, © Msphotographic; Potato chips, © Sommai Sommai; Pizza slice, © Bjørn Hovdal; Bagel, © Pipa100; French fries, © Johnfoto; Sweet potato fries, © Elena Elisseeva. All others by Krista Hicks Benson..

Why? Sometimes the yearning for pizza can reach

desperation levels. These whole-grain alternatives are much healthier for you, and give you that e cheesy, bready fix. Some pizza places are even Spread sauc in ra -g le o h w a n o serving whole-wheat-crust pies. Keep an eye n, top En glish muffirella out, because those are better for you, too. za w ith moz an d to ast.

Want soda? 

Have a glass of seltzer.

Why? People tend to crave soda for the bubbles. A

light-flavored seltzer (lime, raspberry, orange) — or even plain — can quench your thirst and cut out those extra calories. It also cuts back on artificial sweeteners*, for all you diet soda junkies. *Aspartame, an artificial sweetener (NutraSweet and Equal are two brand names), has been linked to nervous system and cancer issues in some studies.

Just on e ba gel is the equivalent of 4 pieces of bread!

Hungry for that morning bagel? 

Try cinnamon-raisin mochi instead.

Why? Mochi is a Japanese rice-based product sold at

local health-food stores, often as a frozen treat. But it comes in other, non-frozen forms, too — cinnamonraisin, chocolate and almond. A slice of cinnamon-raisin mochi with low-fat cream cheese gives much of the same satisfaction as a bagel, according to our experts.

Craving French fries? 

Substitute with sweet-potato fries.

Why? A sheet of baked sweet-potato fries with a

bit of sea salt is every bit as tasty as a carton of McDonald’s floppy potato fries, and gives you that sweet and salty combo you’re craving.

HL

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

51

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relationships

Web of Deceit

how to handle the chronic liar in your life by cari scribner

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Cihan Taşkın.

L

ies. They’ve made Pinocchio’s nose grow and apparently can set pants on fire.

Bending the truth. Embellishing.

Fibbing. Bluffing. Telling tall tales and half-truths. Be honest; we’ve all done it. I know I have. I’ve lied about my age to a few acquaintances, added an inch to my height on my driver’s license, and looked a waitress directly in the eye and said my entrée was delicious even though the salmon was dry.

Most people accept the fact that a distinct difference exists between those little white lies told to bolster someone’s confidence (“Your butt doesn’t look big in those jeans”), versus lies of epic proportion (Bill Clinton’s “I did not have sexual relations with that woman … ”). Young children lie to test boundaries with their parents or to avoid getting in trouble.

But what’s up with adults who lie about issues a bit larger than how someone’s derriere looks in new jeans? And how do you handle it when it’s someone you know? Do you confront them? Do you let it go?

“If it’s a friend, definitely bring it to their attention because there may be something deeper going on, like depression,” says Donna Bjorkman, a licensed social worker with Karner Psychological Associates in Guilderland and Clifton Park.

“People with addictions feel the need to lie constantly to get out of hot water and not have to be held accountable.”

Like most of us, Bjorkman has encountered friends who haven’t been entirely truthful on more than one occasion.

“When I first realized I was lied to, it was a surprise,” Bjorkman says. “But after a while, even though she was still a friend,

I had very limited trust in her to ever tell the truth.”

But what about co-workers who might lie? Again, a distinction should be made between little white lies and mistruths that could affect you or your job.

According to careerbuilder.com, some of the most prevalent (but minor) mistruths told in the workplace are: ➺ Saying “I’d be happy to” to an assignment, when you’re already over-extended. ➺ “My alarm didn’t go off,” when the truth is, you stayed up late the night before and slept through it. ➺ “Everything is under control,” when you’re actually way behind schedule. ➺ “I’m sick,” when it’s an 80-degree day and you want to go to the beach. ➺ “Let’s get together soon,” when the last thing you want is to spend time with co-workers after hours or on the weekend.

These statements are, for the most part, fairly inconsequential, and while they may build up and cause stress to the individual, most aren’t going to cause a domino effect among other employees. But it’s another story entirely when a co-worker purposefully misrepresents facts in a way that could reflect badly on you. For instance, what do you do if you’re working on a team project and one co-worker doesn’t do her fair share, and when presenting it to the boss, takes credit for the best ideas? continued on page 55 

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relationships continued from page 53

Lin Murphy, a certified life coach in Saratoga Springs, says the most common reason people stray from the truth is to build themselves up in the eyes of others. “When someone tells a lie, they’re overcompensating,” Murphy says. “They lie to make a good impression. But that shouldn’t come at the expense of someone else in the workplace.”

Rather than being unprofessional by blowing up at the liar, Murphy suggests taking the person aside and being direct about the misrepresentation. Ask him to speak to the boss to clarify the situation. If this isn’t done in a timely manner — say, within one business day — then it’s time to talk to the boss yourself, or, even better, bring other members of the project team to see the boss. It takes a strong backbone to do this, but you may not be the first to catch the co-worker in a lie. “Chances are good this will already be a pattern, and it will be known to others,” Murphy says.

Remember, the goal is to give your boss a fair and complete assessment of the group’s work, not to tear down the person who fibbed. Bad-mouthing anyone, even with good reason, is never wise on the job. It’s up to the person in charge to handle the co-worker who lied, and you have to trust they will. You may not see what happens, such as the employee being demoted or fired, but once you’ve called it to the boss’ attention, let it go and get back to your own work.

Lies can happen in a competitive workplace, so keep records of your accomplishments. It will be good for your selfesteem and also proof of what you’ve done in case anyone ever asks.

I

f you’re in the habit of stretching the truth in the office and in your daily relationships, Murphy suggests asking yourself some questions, including “Why do I feel the need to lie?” and “What’s my payoff for lying?”

“There may be a benefit to lying, but there’s also a high cost,” Murphy says. “People can sniff out a lie. They’ll have

SIGNS SOMEONE MAY BE LYING TO YOU Not sure if your spouse or co-worker is telling you the truth? You can trust your intuition, of course, but looking for a few universal clues can be helpful, too. Here are some signs to watch for: 1. Body language: Someone telling a lie will usually avoid making eye contact while lying. They typically look up and toward a corner of the room while constructing a story.

2. Inconsistencies in the story: In retelling the story, it will change slightly each time. The liar may forget a word, add something completely new or remove something that had previously been mentioned.

an idea that something’s just not right, and relationships will suffer.

Marian Barbara, a former teacher at Ballston Spa High School, says she’s encountered plenty of teenagers spinning tales about why their homework wasn’t done, but says lies between adults, in the workplace or in personal relationships, are another thing altogether, often with one lie leading to the next.

“Lying is a burden on your mind; you can’t feel good about yourself, and then you have to remember what you said,” she says. “It’s like dyeing your hair. You have to keep up with the roots.”

Of course, liars who deceive deliberately to harm other people are often reinforced by obvious payoffs. High-profile scammer Bernie Madoff is just one obvious example (who, of course, also finally paid the price when his lying caught up with him). But for the rest of us, a bit of fibbing may go hand in hand with being a sensitive human being.

“Everybody has told lies to be nice and create relationships,” Murphy says. “If someone’s putting themselves down, saying, ‘My hair looks bad,’ you don’t have to feed into their self-doubt by agreeing with them.”

Bjorkman says that while lies often begin with a desire to please someone else, they can quickly begin to accumulate.

“I find people lie because they fear disapproval, but one lie often leads to another,” she says. “The more it becomes a habit, it becomes part of your character, and it will have an impact on how you feel about yourself. From my observation, people can also start to believe their own lies.”

If you find yourself becoming a habitual liar, make a pact with yourself to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. When it’s all said and done, honesty is, after all, the best policy.

“It’s a practice; it’s not easy to be truthful all the time,” Murphy says. “But try at all times to be impeccable with your words. Be real.”

HL

3. Obvious nervousness: Almost anyone who lies feels anxious. The person may shuffle from foot to foot, wring her hands, drum her fingers on a table, or even sweat.

4. Avoiding the subject: A person who wants to hide something will usually try to avoid bringing it up in the conversation.

5. Lack of assertiveness: The person lying will appear to be less confident and may flounder for words.

6. Speaking slowly: When telling a lie, the person will usually make up events as he goes along. This usually results in a slower talking speed or in stopping many times while talking in order to figure out what to say.

SOURCE: 2knowmyself.com

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

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communicating

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/BrAt_PiKaChU.

a n n o G t h m ’ g I it Ri and S own D

W

e t i r f l e W ys er M Lett a

hen was the last time you sat down to write a letter? Not an e-mail, not a text message you stabbed out with two thumbs, not a greeting card with a printed sentiment that you signed your name to, but an honest-to-goodness letter that you wrote on paper with a pen, sealed with a kiss, and mailed?

If you’re like most people, you probably handle most of your correspondence electronically and don’t think twice about deleting e-mails. Yet chances are you’ve got a box of letters stashed away somewhere that fill your heart with joy every time you dig them out and reread them.

“I think letters are so much more than communication,” says Cora Burns, owner of Paper Dolls, a stationary and paper store in Saratoga Springs. “It’s the touch of the paper, the feeling you get when you open it. I have a box of letters that I put in a closet and every few years I come across it.

really? In the time of texts and twitter? by jayne keedle

It’s amazing how you can relive those moments with a letter.

With an e-mail, it doesn’t have that same feeling. Letters are just really personal, so hopefully it’s not a dying art.”

Letters Are History

Letters may be fading into history but they have always been one of the best ways to preserve history. “They’re vastly important,” says Melissa Tacke, librarian at the Schenectady County Historical Society. “The content of the letters tells us so much about people’s business and lives and thoughts and ideas.”

For museums, letters from the past penned by people both famous and unknown are an important part of any collection, and it’s not just the content of the letters that matters. “One of the real joys I take from looking at a handwritten letter is not just the content but the way in which

timesunion.com/HealthyLife

57

communicating

Texts and e-mails aren’t just outstripping letter writing as a form of communication, they’re also changing the language we use to communicate.

Do u need an example?

As an English professor at University at Albany, Martha Rozett says her students sometimes turn in papers that are written in the same kind of shorthand they use for text messages.

“Especially using the letter U instead of you, and occasionally you get that from students in a written paper and it’s jarring,” she says.

And though it’s encouraging that students are doing a lot more writing in their leisure time than they ever did before the days of texts and e-mails, Rozett says it doesn’t necessarily follow that their writing ability is improving as a result. “There’s generally a degree of informality and an unedited quality to e-mails,” she says. “It’s writing with very informal shorthand and, in some cases, a whole other vocabulary.”

This is also a problem for businesses.

deals with letters my parents sent back and forth. They would write to each other every day (when they were apart).

It was too expensive to use the telephone in the ’40s.”

“All I have are my father’s,” she adds, “because my mother saved them but my father did not.”

Still, Rozett says she frequently hears from people who can’t bear to throw out old letters, even letters written by their immigrant ancestors in languages that they don’t understand. “There’s a sense that these are treasures,” she says. “They’re part of our history and you don’t want to throw them away.”

In contrast, Rozett says, e-mails “aren’t being saved and they’re not really worth saving, because they’re very short and not terribly well-written or terribly informative.”

What is Lost, What is Gained

While many people mourn the demise of the letter, it doesn’t necessarily follow that texts, tweets and e-mails herald the end of meaningful communication.

“If you look at other forms of electronic communication, texting or tweeting is more akin to speech than it is to writing in the traditional sense,” says Professor William Husson of University at Albany’s communications

“I have a couple younger employees and they’ll write e-mails to customers and I’ll have to say you can’t use slang, hey, or yeah,” says Cora Burns, owner of Paper Dolls in Saratoga Springs. “With a letter you never seem to have those conversations. A letter is just more formal.”

“The way people communicate to friends and family (in email) is writing in a more free-form way versus what might be expected in professional communication, which is more formal and rule-bound,” says Professor William Husson of University at Albany’s communications department. “There does tend to be kind of a migration of what is acceptable into more professional types of communication, and that is a bit of a problem. People who run businesses, it really rests with them to set the standard of what is an acceptable form of communication.”

The medium may have changed but in the business world, the same

What Do U Mean 2 Say?

58

healthylife

letter-writing conventions still apply.

For now, at least, a business letter sent via e-mail should be formatted and written in the same way it would be if you wrote it on paper and it should be proofread with equal care.

On a personal basis, Burns adds, situations still exist where etiquette demands a hand-written note.

“You will probably always write a thank-you note,” she says.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Eldad Carin.

they’re writing. If you’re conveying some information typed out in an e-mail it doesn’t really have the same immediate emotional impact as when you see someone’s handwriting expressing those same thoughts,” says Tacke. “For people who are interested in local history and genealogy, to be able to see their ancestors’ handwriting can feel really immediate and special for them.”

No one knows that better than local author Martha Rozett.

She recently turned her personal collection of family letters that had been passed down through five generations into a book, When People Wrote Letters: A Family Chronicle.

“I’ve run into an awful lot of people who have family letters in their possession, too,” Rozett says. “At a talk I was giving in Clifton Park, two different people had letters from the Civil War. People treasure these letters. They belong to a past time.”

Rozett’s letters also show how times have changed. “I have correspondence from a young man who was my great-greatgrandfather who went from Maine to Key West to work as a carpenter,” Rozett says. “He knew the letters he sent could take as much as a month to arrive.” Just a generation later, Rozett says, her great grandfather in Boston could send a local letter in the morning saying ‘I’ll pick you up at 7 o’clock tonight,’ and rest assured that the person he sent the letter to would be ready and waiting in the evening.

Many of the letters in Rozett’s book are part of a regular ongoing dialogue that lasted for years. “Part of my book

Is there a future for the post office?

Find out at timesunion.com/ healthylife.

department. “If you want to talk about letter-writing as a dying art, you might want to make a distinction between using pen and paper, which probably has to a large extent died out. I have a friend I’ve known for almost 40 years. For a long time we’d communicate by letter and now we use e-mail to do the same kind of thing we used to do via letters.”

There’s also a tendency to romanticize those red letter days of yore. While published collections of letters would suggest all of them were beautifully worded and written with an elegant hand, Tacke says far more letters in the historical society’s collection have random spellings and poor grammar, and quite a few are the equivalent of a text saying, “send money.”

University at Albany Sociology Professor Richard Lachmann, who specializes in the “digital divide,” also points out that while people are more inclined to see letters as tangible, permanent and worth saving, e-mails and texts are, if anything, more permanent because they exist forever in the digital world.

“We imagine that erase means erase, but it doesn’t; it’s still sitting there. The person we send it to may not erase it,” he says. “It should make people careful but they’re not. If someone sends me a letter and I make 20 copies and send it along to friends, that’s an extreme act, but if someone sends me an e-mail and I forward it, people get that all the time. People are sending all sorts of stupid things that are showing up again and again.”

Some people worry that e-mails, texts and tweets are distancing us from each other more than we were in earlier times. It’s easy to see why. How many times have you seen a group of people ostensibly out together, all looking down at their smart phones and texting other people rather than talking to each other? Certainly, the constant bombardment of text messages can be distracting and many of these quick exchanges aren’t particularly meaningful, but, as Lachmann sees it, social media does for the most part live up to its name.

“Electronic communication allows people to stay in touch with many friends and acquaintances that otherwise they would have lost contact with. I’d say it’s adding another form of communication in terms of people feeling a sense of connection, of thinking they have a group of friends they can turn to and who can turn to them,” Lachmann says. “It’s a positive development. It gives people many more reminders that they’re part of a social world.”

HL

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Limit use of cell phones, which emit radio frequency fields declared by the World Health Organization to be a possible carcinogen.

2

Want a

Healthy Brain?

Relax every day through reflective writing, meditation, breathing exercises, yoga or whatever works for you.

4

Avoid isolation and connect to others.

5

Be mentally active and challenge yourself to do something new every day. Brush your teeth with the “wrong” hand to challenge your brain to build new connections. Take a college course, organize a book club or learn to play an instrument or speak another language.

follow these 10 tips by elizabeth keyser

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3

Exercise at least three times weekly for 20 minutes or more, which lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, helps with mood, washes away stress and keeps your brain sharp.

N

ew Yorkers fare so-so when it comes to having healthy brains.

America’s Brain Index ranked the state 17th in the nation for 2011 — the same spot the state held in the last index done in 2009. The index looks at four factors that contribute to a healthy brain: diet, physical exercise, and being socially and mentally active. New Yorkers score above the national average in eating fruits and vegetables and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. But we have a high incidence of diabetes and gestational diabetes. And we need to participate more in the life of our communities, according to the study.

ABHI is funded by Life’s DHA, maker of plant-based omega-3 supplements, and The Center for Creative Aging, a nonprofit based at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. HealthyLife spoke to two Capitol Region experts, getting their advice on how to achieve optimum brain health. Following are tips from Dr. David O. Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, and Dr. Michael Wolff, a geriatrician and doctor of internal medicine in Troy.

6

Eat a highprotein diet based on veggies, healthy fats and whole grains.

8

7

Eat omega-3 fatty acids, found in seafood, many nuts and leafy vegetables.

Choose locally grown food over out-ofseason fruits and vegetables, which Limit TV expose us to more watching, chemicals. Always which is bad for wash produce.

Limit alcohol, which brain health. causes dehydration

10

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Gluten-Free Makeup? 70 Cover Model Q&A 74

Behind the Scenes Hair and makeup by Kimberley’s A Day Spa, Latham, (518) 785-5868. Select clothing available at Boscov’s Clifton Park, Clifton Park Center, (518) 348-0800. Dress

by Jones NY, jewelry by Ashley Cooper. Photos taken by Suzanne Kawola at Angelo’s 677 Prime, Albany’s premier steak house restaurant, located at 677 Broadway in Albany. Visit facebook.com/ healthylifenymagazine to view our Behind the Scenes photo gallery, or scan the QR code at right to link to our HealthyLife photos page on Facebook.

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The Return to

november 17&18 To purchase your tickets, visit

www.timesunion.com/harvestfest

my word

The First of Lasts by lee nelson

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/mustafa deliormanli.

W

hen we send our little ones off to kindergarten on their first day, our emotions swell with hopes and dreams of success, anticipation and adventure. They have 13 years ahead of them before they graduate.

Then, suddenly, it’s here. They’re seniors, and the emotions are just as tricky. As my youngest journeys through his last year of public school, I find myself focusing on all those moments that he (and I) will experience for the last time sadly and gladly. I will not be sad, for instance, to stop our daily morning prompts — “Got your homework? Got your phone?

Got your lunch money?” Those are old for both of us.

But it’s all those good moments we parents find so hard to bid adieu —the excitement in their voices when they got a part in the play, they did their personal best in a crosscountry meet or they got an A on a project that took all weekend. Not all of us are raising the stars of their classes.

But we are raising kids who find their victories as managers of the wrestling team, photographers for the yearbook staff or as peer mentors of their fellow students.

My son Brett’s last homecoming is nearing with its floatbuilding, crazy dress-up days, parade, football game and, finally, dance. He’s involved in choir and theater this year, so that means he will be up front and center for events such as riding on a float and singing with the swing choir at the afternoon game.

As he dresses that evening for his dance, I will watch this once awkward, shy boy look like a confident young man in his suit and tie. I will be proud to know him and proud that he has come this far. Being a teenager is a tough road. They question who they are, what they want to be or do, and how they fit into the whole scheme of high school. Brett has often asked me through his most tumultuous days, “What is normal?” I hope when he’s older he can answer that from his own perspectives and experiences.

A

s seniors, our kids have experienced so much — bad teachers, good friends, first loves, first heartbreaks and first jobs. They understand so much more about life than they did as those scared freshmen.

I will miss being the person he comes home to every day to hash out what happened at school. The lasts will mount up as the school year comes to a close — the last time he scrambles to fit all his notebooks and papers inside his book bag, the last time he rushes out the door (and slams it) to catch the bus and the last time he goes straight to the refrigerator to find a snack after a long day at school.

I hope, as the months go quickly now, I will remember to cherish my son’s last performances on stage, belting out a tune or dancing the cha-cha. I always thought he was a drama king growing up. Now he does it in front of others for applause rather than attention from his mom. The change has been good for him. Whether he has a small part in the play or he’s dancing, my heart swells with pride. If these are his last experiences as a performer, I’m glad I get to be there in the auditorium for every moment.

And when May rolls around, the “lasts” will suddenly escalate — his last prom and all of its hoopla, his last final exams and the stress of wondering every time if he studied at all and if his grade will go up or down. There will be the end-of-the year senior honor programs, the baccalaureate ceremony and, of course, graduation. Hearing “Pomp and Circumstance” will make me cry just as it did for his older brother. Seeing my baby all grown up in a cap and gown will be the ultimate “last” to experience of our full-time time together.

I’m not quite sure what Brett plans on doing post-graduation; the military has been high on his list. Whatever he does, I will support him. He will, as every young adult does, struggle with some things and soar with others. And I will watch and wait, as he begins his life of more firsts on his own.

HL

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page family header time

What’s a Three-Word Example of

Fun?

family game night!

by wendy page

“I

t’s Wednesday,” a daughter says excitedly to her mother from the top of the stairs. “It’s Wednesday,” the father repeats happily, opening the fridge, mimicked by the son smiling in a cafeteria line. So begins a 2009 television commercial. “Got Family Game Night on the brain?” it asks as people laugh raucously while playing Monopoly. “Hasbro Family Game Night. Bring home the fun.”

It’s a scene that can seem quaint in the go-go-go technological times of today. It’s hard to get children and parents to let go of their smartphones/tablets/laptops long enough to eat dinner, much less play a game. But adding family game night to your family’s schedule can, experts say, be worth the effort and initial groans.

“So often we’re involved in the logistics and planning of life — who’s driving the kids to practice and who’s doing what — and there’s no enjoyment in that,” says Philip Rainer, director of clinical services at Family and Children’s Service of the Capital Region. “(Game night) creates an opportunity for fun interaction.” continued on page 68 

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family time

TOP 10 FAMILY BOARD GAMES No official list of top-selling board games really exists; instead each manufacturer (Mattel, Hasbro, etc.) and store has its own list of the best new games, the top selling classics, etc. But if you’re not sure where to start, here’s the Top 10 family board games according to Amazon.com at press time (the list changes daily): • Qwirkle Board Game • Say Anything Family • Wits & Wagers Family • Farkel Party Game • Smart Ass • Apples to Apples Party Box • Family Business • Table Topics (more a conversation starter than a board game) • Say Anything • Blokus Classics Game Trouble Board Game, Curses, Set, Sort It Out Family Game, and Spot It come next. Other favorites in the top 50 include Jenga (16), Uno (20), Sequence (21), Monopoly (44), and Sorry (47). continued from page 67

Since each family member has differing interests and responsibilities, “among the benefits of Family Game Night is bringing people together to share an activity that they have a mutual interest in and that’s not overly serious,” Rainer continues. “It allows you to interact in a friendly, lighthearted way, but is engaging enough to keep everyone at the table.”

Game night gives everyone something to look forward to and provides an outlet away from responsibility.

It’s also inexpensive; most board games costs between $5 and $40. “In this economy — as opposed to bowling, movies, the racetrack, ice cream — it’s goal-oriented and involves fun and costs no money,” says Sherman Stovall Jr., therapist at Vitality Physicians Group Practice. “With a deck of cards, you can have game night.”

Game night can also be a way for various ages and abilities to join together. Many games have age-appropriate versions and are designed to be multigenerational. As your children age, more challenging games can be added.

Games can be chosen to fit a particular family need at a particular time. Laugh-out-loud games, for instance, are perfect when a good dose of silliness is what the family needs, while buzzer-beater games can help everyone deal with competition. Question-and-answer games, meanwhile, can reveal unknown details to family members about each other.

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“Quite simply, games are entertaining,” Stovall says. “They also have the chance of being educational, which is important.” Because of the entertainment value, children are often unaware they’re simultaneously learning (it’s an unwitting education — dexterity, counting, strategy).

Games are not just educational for the child. “As a parent, you have the opportunity to watch your kids play socially, to see them formulate their thought process,” Stovall says. “Are they solely focused on winning? How do they react when they win? How do they react when they lose?” This awareness offers the parent an ability to see where their kids are cognitively and socially, and is a great way to promote good sportsmanship and improve social skills.

“You can catch negative thinking patterns and see what they’re focusing on,” Stovall continues. “It prepares them for other areas in life.” It’s an opportunity for parental rolemodeling within a context where everyone can let loose and be comfortable doing so.

“Sometimes family members can see areas of strength that they’re not otherwise aware of in each other,” Rainer says. “‘How does my son know about Ming Chinese vases?’”

You can learn about each other, plus inside jokes can arise because you played a game together, and these jokes do bring your family closer.

Photos: Game boxes courtesy Amazon.com; family, © iStockphoto.com/kristian sekulic.

I

n general psychologists, sociologists, parents, teachers and others are increasingly concerned with the amount of time people spend on electronics. While we can connect electronically anywhere in the world instantaneously, too many of us are living under the same roof and not connected to each other. “(Game night) forces everyone to put the phone down, put the computer down, and to socialize,” Stovall says.

Sometimes the smartest option is to join your kids where they are rather than trying to beat them. Not every game night has to involve board games. What about a family game of Wii bowling or Band Hero? According to the Entertainment Software Association’s “2012 Essential Facts Report,” 40 percent of parents play video games with their children at least weekly, 66 percent of parents believe that game play provides mental stimulation or education, and 61 percent believe games encourage their family to spend time together.

Family Game Night doesn’t have to focus solely on games, nor does it have to include just your immediate family. While sitting down to watch a movie doesn’t afford as much social interaction, the benefit of the family being together can be just as meaningful. Opening up your game night to others close to you can be wonderful, too, as long as you ensure

OUR READERS WEIGH IN

We asked our Facebook fans for their thoughts on family game night.

Here’s what some of them had to say: (My husband) loves to play Monopoly with the kids. He teaches them about money — saving, mortgaging, investing all in one place vs. diversifying.

— Bethann (whose husband is an investment adviser)

your guests share your view of competition and don’t inhibit your family playing together.

Whatever route you take, be sure to involve your children in picking the night’s activities. “It makes them feel more like they’re part of a family,” Stovall says, “that they’re validated.” It also conditions kids from a young age not to view family time as something draining or as a chore, and often rather something to look forward to. Game on!

HL

into the living room and he takes our tickets and shows us where to sit. After that we can buy candy.

I’m thinking his first job will be in a movie theater.

— Kristine

We like to have movie night where we sit back with some popcorn and pick a family fave from our DVD rack or movies OnDemand on cable. — Martha

Yes, we have family game night. Life, Monopoly, Yahtzee — a lot of the traditional games in addition to Guitar Hero, etc. The fun part is raising the winning trophy (which we purchased from Toys R Us). I believe it’s a replica of the Monopoly Man in “gold,” sort of like an Oscar. Nothing like waving that bad boy around after the game.

Winner gets to keep it on their dresser until the following week. — Marianne

We do the same with movie night, only [our son] will make movie tickets and set up a candy and popcorn stand. We have to walk

We always do family movie night (each person takes a turn each week). We all eat in the living room and cuddle on one couch! We also

do have some game nights. We play HeadBanz, checkers, chess, Goldfish, and Electronic Monopoly.

— Vidia We used to. We stopped due to our hectic schedules. Now we have random game nights and play Taboo, Boggle, What If, or watch a movie.

We still love playing games and try to play during the holidays now. — Lisa Apples to Apples is timeless and generation-proof …

— Dina We do movie night, game night — Apples to Apples, Blokus, Tens and Twos, Kings Rule — Cheryl You can join the conversation too. Just become a Facebook fan at facebook.com/ healthylifenymagazine.

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beauty

is gluten-free makeup necessary?

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by melinda mcgarty webb

alk through most grocery stores these days and it’s not difficult to find a wide variety of gluten-free foods. From pancake mixes and pretzels, to breadcrumbs, crackers and pasta, a host of products are designed for those who live a gluten-free lifestyle — whether by prescription or choice.

But what about the products people put on their bodies? It can be a little more challenging to determine whether beauty products are free of gluten — a protein composite found in wheat, rye and barley — or whether it’s even necessary for them to be.

People who avoid gluten fall into two groups: those who are allergic to wheat, rye or barley, and people who are sensitive or intolerant to the gluten found in those grains.

It’s believed that one out of every 133 Americans has a severe form of gluten intolerance called celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune disorder in which eating gluten triggers an immune response in the small intestine and can lead to serious complications.

According to many physicians, a celiac patient must ingest gluten in order for it to cause a problem. So while it must be eliminated from a patient’s diet, many say if has no effect if applied topically.

“Gluten-containing skin-care products and cosmetics aren’t a problem unless you accidentally swallow them,” writes Dr. Michael Picco of the Mayo Clinic on that institution’s website. “For this reason, avoid using such products on your lips or around your mouth. Also, avoid using gluten-containing dental products, such as certain mouthwashes and toothpastes.

“If you use a cosmetic or skincare product that contains gluten and you develop a skin reaction, see your doctor or dermatologist to identify the cause,” he continues. “It is possible to have an allergy to wheat or another grain that could cause a skin reaction.”

But even that is rare, ac-

Gluten Free Beauty Facial Moisture Serum photo by Ben Galland/ H2O Creative Group LLC..

Skincare Controversy

cording to Dr. M. Asghar Pasha, an associate professor in the division of Allergy and Immunology at Albany Medical Center. Symptoms such as hives or a rash rarely occur when patients with wheat allergies touch wheat — even if it’s in a concentrated form like a loaf of bread. He says a systemic allergic reaction to topical contact with wheat has never been reported, to his knowledge.

What he has heard of, however, are patients who react to wheat the same way some people have a skin reaction to the nickel in earrings.

“Some patients who are not allergic to wheat will develop contact dermatitis from topical contact with wheat,” he says. “But that’s in very rare instances.”

Pasha says there is no such thing as a gluten allergy, although people often use that term. They may have a gluten intolerance, or sensitivity, but not an allergy.

“It’s a misnomer used to describe a wheat allergy,” he explains. “A gluten allergy is not something we test for — there is no skin test available.”

continued on page 72 

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D

r. Peter Green, director of The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, agrees that topical contact with gluten shouldn’t pose a problem. “We think you have to ingest it,” he explains. “So lipstick, or anything you could ingest, should be avoided.”

Still, legions of consumers are looking for gluten-free products of all kinds. Trolling any of the many websites devoted to this topic reveals notes from people who say their skin and health improved after they stopped using beauty products with gluten.

Afterglow Cosmetics’ founder Kristin Adams started her company after watching her mother and sister — both of whom have celiac — struggle to find natural, gluten-free cosmetics. As a result, each and every one of her company’s products is gluten-free. The vitamin E she uses (tocopherol) is derived from organic cottonseed oil and organic olive oil.

“We have countless customers with celiac disease that do react to the gluten in their bodycare and makeup products,” the company’s website states.

Gluten-free beauty products are big business, and many patients swear that what they put on their skin affects the way they feel. Among them is Gluten Free Beauty owner Kristen Campbell, whose company offers a line of serums, cleansers, body butters and more. “For years, I knew that there were certain makeup products that I couldn’t use, especially eye liners and mascaras,” she recalls. “They made my eyes practically swell shut.”

beauty continued from page 71

Yet Campbell couldn’t pinpoint precisely what was causing the reactions — until she was diagnosed as severely intolerant to gluten more than five years ago, she says. At that point, she also was experiencing severe acne breakouts on her chest and back, and rosacea on her face.

“That night after my diagnosis, I went through every makeup, skincare and haircare product in our bathroom, trying to weed out all that contained gluten,” she says. “The next day I started calling companies and learning more about which ingredients could contain gluten. “ That’s not always as easy as it sounds — in part because the rules for labeling food and cosmetics are different. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2006, requires food labels to clearly identify wheat and other common food allergens in the list of ingredients.

But when it comes to personal care products, things get a little murkier. The problem is that some cosmetics manufacturers don’t even know where their raw ingredients come from, or how they’re handled.

Vitamin E is an excellent example. Much of the vitamin E used in cosmetics is derived from wheat, which contains gluten. Sometimes the source of the vitamin E will be noted on the ingredients list; other times, it’s not. A manufacturer may not even know the source.

The FDA’s legal authority over cosmetics is different than the other products it regulates. In fact, other than the color additives some products contain, cosmetics are not subject to FDA pre-market approval. It’s the companies and individuals who market the products who are responsible for their safety and labeling.

Any product intended to cleanse or beautify generally falls into the category of “cosmetics,” according to the FDA. These include skin moisturizers, perfumes, lipsticks, nail polishes, shampoos and conditioners, toothpastes, deodorants and hair colorants. Some cosmetics are also classified as drugs, and then the degree of FDA oversight is different. “(The) FDA does not have regulatory requirements specifically addressing ‘gluten-free’ or other allergen-related claims for cosmetics,” FDA cosmetics spokesperson Tamara Ward wrote in an e-mail. “However, cosmetic label claims,

Ingredients to watch for The following list of glutencontaining ingredients was compiled from information provided by Maybelline Cosmetics and Gluten Free Beauty. It is not meant to be exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start.

Remember that some ingredients are referred to by more than one name.

• Amp-isostearoyl hydrolized wheat protein • Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran • Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour • Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract • Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil • Avena Sativa (Oat) Protein • Barley • Barley Extract • Barley Lipids • Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydro-

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lyzed Wheat Protein • Cyclodextrin • Dextrin • Dextrin Palmitate • Disodium Wheatgermamphodiacetate • Fermented Grain Extract • Hordeum Vulgare Extract • Hydrolyzed Malt Extract • Hydrolyzed Oat Flour • Hydrolyzed Oat Protein • Hydrolyzed Oats • Hydrolyzed Wheat Flour • Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten • Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein • Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer • Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch • Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein • Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein • Malt Extract • Maltodextrin • Phytosphingosine Extract • Rye

• Samino Peptide Complex • Secale Cereale (Rye) Seed Flour • Sodium C8-16 Isoalkylsuccinyl Wheat Protein Sulfonate • Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acid • Steardimonium • Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract • Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil • Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Gluten • Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Starch • Wheat Amino Acids • Wheat Germ Glycerides • Wheat Germamidopropalkonium Chloride • Wheat Protein • Wheatgermamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate • Xantham Gum, (may be derived from wheat) • Yeast Extract

Dermatitis Herpeti-what?

All photos on this spread courtesy of Afterglow Cosmetics. Clockwise rom left: Pure Soul Mascara, Mink; Organic Lip Love Lipstick, Merlot; Organic Mineral Foundation, Sable; Organic Triple Eye Treamnent.

Dermatitis herpetiformis is an itchy, blistering skin rash that affects 15 to 25 percent of people with celiac disease. The rash usually occurs on the elbows, knees and buttocks. Many people with DH have no digestive symptoms of celiac disease.

DH is diagnosed through blood tests and a skin biopsy. The rash is treated with an antibiotic, and the patient is placed on a gluten-free diet. And contrary to what you might think, the rash is not exacerbated — or caused — by topical products containing gluten. The gluten must be ingested, doctors say.

including ‘gluten free,’ are subject to the requirement under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that labeling be truthful and not misleading.”

Many people with allergies and intolerances rely heavily on this labeling. When determining whether something contains gluten, it’s not enough to look for the terms “wheat,” “rye” or “barley.” Instead, you have to familiarize yourself with the laundry list of ingredients that could signify gluten. (Or make it easy and cut out the sidebar to this story, pop it in your wallet for quick reference — it’s a good place to start.)

However, even if no gluten-containing products are listed on the ingredients, the potential for cross-contamination always exists if even one of those ingredients was manufactured in a plant that also makes a product containing gluten.

It’s also important to remember that just because your last tube or bottle didn’t contain any gluten, that doesn’t mean the product always won’t. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to change their formulas, so it’s important to check — each and every time.

Full Disclosure

ucts, but instead offers a list of ingredients. That way, it’s up to the potential buyer to scan the ingredient lists and make the call themselves.

“All the ingredients we use in a product are listed on the package or on the label of the product itself,” wrote a Maybelline Consumer Care Center representative. “Comparing the list of ingredients containing wheat and other grains with the ingredients listed on our products will help you to identify the ingredients you would like to avoid.”

Badger Cosmetics makes certified organic moisturizers and balms, body oils, bug repellents, sunblock, lip balms, massage oils and more. According to its website, its products are sold at local stores including Youthful Trends in Clifton Park, Paradise Natural Foods in Albany, and Uncle Sam’s Good Natural in Troy.

“Badger does not use any gluten or gluten-derived ingredients at our facility in New Hampshire, so our balms, oils, Anti-Bug Shake & Spray and Anti-Bug Stick are filled on machinery that has not processed gluten materials,” their website says. “However, Badger is not a certified gluten-free facility, so there cannot be a 100% guarantee.”

Many companies, including Kiss My Face, will provide a list of their gluten-free products upon request. Kiss My Face, kissmyface.com, offers almost 40 gluten free products, including all its Olive Bar Soaps, Vitamin A&E Moisturizer, Honey and Calendula Moisturizer and all its Liquid Moisture Soaps.

The products are sold at grocery stores including Stop-nShop and ShopRite, and numerous natural foods stores. HL

Some companies don’t produce entirely gluten-free lines, but make it easy to find out which products are safe.

“Most of our products are gluten-free,” states the site of “100% Pure,” for example. “One common ingredient that contains gluten is Vitamin E. But the Vitamin E we use is gluten-free because it’s derived from cold pressing rice bran.”

At the Arbonne Cosmetics site (arbonne.com), click on “The Products,” then the drop-down “Arbonne Ingredient Policy.” Go to the bottom right of that page and download the PDF, “Gluten-Free Product List.”

BareMinerals’ website provides a list of products made without wheat, oat, rye and barley. It’s a lengthy list that contains blush, mascara, faux tanning products, foundations and more. Their products are sold at Bare Escentuals Boutiques and Sephora.

Yet the website clearly states, “While the list below shows the Wheat, Oat, Rye and Barley free products, please keep in mind that these products may be made in an environment that handles Wheat, Oat, Rye and Barley derivatives.”

Maybelline doesn’t maintain a list of gluten-free prod-

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cover model q&a

up close with...

Theresa Marangas by brianna snyder | photo by suzanne kawola

T

heresa Marangas is the mother of three “delightful, intelligent children” and she leads “a thriving law practice,” she says, at Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP in Albany.

She also belongs to the Women Presidents’ Organization, where, she says, “I have access to a personal board of directors made up of highly successful women. These inspirational women walk the walk of paying it forward with a variety of charities.”

Marangas lives in Loudonville with her 11-year-old son Steve and their dog Lily. Her other son Francis, 23, graduated in 2011 from Cortland and lives in Las Vegas working as a public relations coordinator. Marangas’ daughter Ciara graduated in 2012 from Marist and is working in New York City as a law assistant.

The 51-year-old says she loves being this age. “It’s so much fun being blessed with good health and being in your 50s,” she says. “It’s easier at this stage in life to make choices that expand my way of thinking and embrace my values.”

How do you live a healthy life?

For me, a healthy life focuses on family, fun and likeminded friends. I’m part of a large family who loves the outdoors, embraces hard work and cares about others.

Staying healthy is both mental and physical for me. I try to keep it simple when life gets challenging by embracing an “attitude of gratitude” and letting go of the enigma known as “a balanced life.”

What are your favorite ways to exercise?

I vary my exercise routine based on the season. Yearround I enjoy Nia dancing, which involves yoga, tai chi and modern dance. It’s a great way to stretch, laugh with other women, enjoy fabulous music and exercise barefoot. Depending on the season, I hike, bike, swim, ski, walk, play tennis, lift weights and use an elliptical machine.

Your favorite book?

I read a variety of genres — mostly fiction, business, travel and spiritual. I’m always asking people to tell me what books they’ve enjoyed reading. And I have been known to succumb to reading what I call “stupid summer books.”

The last book I enjoyed reading was The Help.

HL

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Photo by Collen Ingerto.

What’s your favorite movie?

I have two: It’s a Wonderful Life and Life Is Beautiful.

Both focus on the silver lining in extremely challenging moments of life.

Behind the Scenes Hair and makeup by Kimberley’s A Day Spa, Latham, (518) 785-5868. Select clothing available at Boscov’s Clifton Park, Clifton Park Center, (518) 348-0800. Above: Blouse and skirt by Premise, jewelry by Ashley Cooper.

Photos taken by Suzanne Kawola at the Albany offices of Wilson Elser, a top-ranked international law firm. Visit facebook.com/ healthylifenymagazine to view our Behind the Scenes photo gallery, or scan the QR code at left to link to our HealthyLife photos page on Facebook.

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