WINTER ISSUE 2024
BALANCE MAGAZINE 6
ON THE COVER Photo by Andrew Albright
Home — Mary Ellen Wright Cold winter days are the perfect time to practice the Scandinavian art of cozy contentment at home.
This cozy winter moment with a book, a cup of tea and a blanket by the fireplace is a perfect example of hygge.
12 Fashion — Katina Kauffman Stay on trend by adding the stylish neckerchief to your everyday wardrobe. Here’s a variety of stylish ways they can be worn. 16 Wellness — Mike Andrelczyk What are “functional mushrooms?” Experts educate us about the medicinal value of these funky fungi.
Published by General Manager: Chris Fidler Editor-in-Chief: Lindsey McCallum Art Direction: Andrew Albright Content Editor: Jed Reinert Design: Jenny Althouse, Krystal Hummer, Allie Miller, Amy Rodriguez, Christine Vernon, Bailey Watro Photography: Andrew Albright, Quinn Staley, Vinny Tennis
FROM THE EDITOR Thank you so much for reading our winter issue! I always love to hear your feedback and ideas, feel free to email me at lmccallum@lnpnews.com.
Writers: Mike Andrelczyk, Margaret Gates, Katina Kauffman, Sally Reynolds, Mary Ellen Wright Production: Erica Feltenberger, Joelle Pacheco Subscriptions to LNP|LancasterOnline: Call 717.291.8611 Advertise: Contact advertising@lnpnews.com or call 717.291.8800 P.O. Box 1328, Lancaster, PA 17608-1328
Lindsey McCallum
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When the weather’s cold and gloomy, the Scandinavian concept of hygge can help you cope
BY MARY ELLEN WRIGHT | ILLUSTRATIONS BY BAILEY WATRO
T
he nights are long. The weather is cold. Work and family 2017 to make a life with her husband, Jason. Hygge “is in the Danish culture so much,” Hansen says, “that we responsibilities can be stressful. You could respond by giving in to the winter blues. You don’t think about it. It’s funny, because in the beginning people would ask me on the sign ... what does [hygge] mean? It was so hard could trudge to your bed, and put the covers over your head. Or, you could take a lesson from folks in Scandinavia — where to define, because it’s just so ingrained in the [Danish] culture. “I think it’s ... an approach to life, being happy with what you it gets REALLY cold and dark in the winter — and embrace the have,” she says. concept of hygge. “When I see a really rainy day that’s really gloomy outside Hygge, pronounced (approximately) HOO-gah, is a word people and everyone’s complaining in in Denmark use to describe getting Lancaster, I kind of like it, because cozy at home, making yourself I’m reminded, oh, this is the day to sit comfortable, spending time indoors back on the couch with your duvet with small groups of people you’re and watch some movies you’ve been close to and engaging in simple meaning to watch ... and light some activities. Pronounced (approximately) candles.” The word entered the American In his 2017 book “The Little lexicon in a big way about seven Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to years ago, in part because of an Happy Living,” Meik Wiking — an interest in Scandinavian design. author who researches happiness among various cultures — writes INGRAINED IN THE CULTURE that hygge exists in comfort, relaxation, pleasure, being present Hygge, a word that’s thought to have been shared by Danes and in the moment, having gratitude and spending time together, Norwegians going back to the 19th century, can be hard to define, harmoniously, with your loved ones. Hansen recalls one particular day of the week being her family’s even by someone who grew up in Denmark. Emmy Ullum Hansen, who sells Danish comfort food at her day for hygge back in Copenhagen. “My parents would always do it on a Saturday, and it would be 2-year-old Nord Scandinavian Food & Hygge stand at Lancaster Central Market, grew up in Copenhagen and moved to America in regular thing,” she says. “That’s when we would go to buy a whole
HOO-gah
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- Emmy Ullum Hansen
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bag of candy, and whatever we wanted as far as sweets, chips — licorice especially. “We’d grab a couple of movies and spend the evening hygge — eating candy, watching movies, probably eating food we shouldn’t be eating ... and hanging out by the couch,” she says. Hansen says some things that Danes consider to be “hyggelig” (the quality of being part of hygge) are blankets and pillows, for making yourself cozy on the couch. Candles and ambient lighting are also important parts of hygge, Hansen says. An example of lighting that promotes hygge, Wiking writes, is diffused diffused light from a pendant lamp that illuminates one area of your home. He writes that the light and warmth from a fireplace fireplace are definitely definitely hyggelig, as well. Wiking stresses the importance of having a “hyggekrog,” or nook — a special space in your home where you can curl up with a blanket, a book and a cup of tea. Danish homes tend to be uncluttered, which enhances the feeling of hygge, Hansen says. stuff,” “We don’t tend to like a lot of stuff ,” she says. “At some point you can sometimes feel that your things own you a little bit.” Natural fibers, fibers, things made of wood, ceramics — all these also contribute to the experience of hygge in your home, Wiking writes.
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“Not that you would necessarily call clothes hygge, but it’s a lot about comfort,” Hansen says. “Do you feel at ease when you’re wearing it? Are you happy with yourself? ... I think that is an offshoot of hygge — that whole feeling of being at ease with yourself. “It’s bulky sweaters, comfortable shoes,” Hansen says. “It’s boots. It’s not the outfit that’s going to make you look super sexy. “[In Copenhagen] everybody wears black for winter,” Hansen says. “Slippers are a [hygge] thing, for sure, especially in the winter when it’s cold,” Hansen adds. So are scarves and comfy woolen socks, Wiking writes. Mulled wine, or glögg, is also an important part of hygge in the winter, Hansen says. “Every time it’s served, it’s usually at a get-together, to meet friends at bars, or with family, often,” she says. “My
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grandmother will make a huge bucket of it when we have our get-togethers.” At her market stand, Hansen serves Danish comfort food including Danish hot dogs, mini wienerbrød (Danish pastries) and pretty, open-faced sandwiches called Smørrebrød. “We do like pretty food,” Hansen says. “I think that’s a thing in Denmark.” She says comfort food is also an aspect of hygge. “I think it’s feel-good food,” she says. “It’s comfortable, and it’s something you can look forward to, as well. There’s a joy in grabbing it. “The stuff that’s in my menu … are all things that I gravitated toward back home [in Copenhagen], and that I severely missed after moving here.
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Jess King’s Journey: The Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement ess King grew up in Lancaster County, in a family with deep Amish and Mennonite roots. Her family owned a local paint store where she and her siblings worked, starting in elementary school. The paint store sustained them, taught the lessons of hard work, and enabled the kids to graduate from college, the first in their family to do so. King’s father was killed in a plane crash when she was a baby, but she says this tragic event fostered a narrative in her family that “life is short, and you need to make it count.” These trio of experiences - growing up Mennonite, in a family business and losing her father - have guided King’s life and forged her dedication to Lancaster County. “This place really matters to me,” she says. “I believe in finding solutions for the common good.” To that end, King has worked as the executive director of ASSETS Lancaster, an organization that helps people achieve better lives through entrepreneurship. She ran for the 11th Congressional District, and she served as Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace’s chief of staff for four years. All of these career choices have been guided by her desire to serve the people of Lancaster, and to help make Lancaster a stronger community. King’s newest role is executive director of The Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement, a nonprofit overseen by WITF and funded by a seed donation from The Steinman Foundation. The Institute was created last year “with a lot of care and insight,” King says, in a time of declining support for local news media, and in an increasingly polarized political climate.
The Institute has two main goals: supporting the supply of local journalism in the 19-county footprint of WITF and boosting the community’s relationship with local news media. “Lancaster is a laboratory to see what works in driving demand for local media through innovation, education and civic engagement,” King says. As the Institute finds approaches that work in Lancaster, they will be rolled out to additional communities. The Institute is finalizing a calendar of community events with LNP and WITF to foster civic engagement. “We want to inform and engage the community in service of building stronger communities,” King says. Check Steinmaninstitute.org in early March for more information, including opportunities to give input and get involved.
This all matters to King partly because of her family’s longstanding engagement with local news. They have always been newspaper subscribers and advertised their paint store in the Intelligencer Journal. Local news, King says, “reminds us of our own agency and the ways we can make our community stronger.” The facts back King up. The Local Journalism Initiative in Delaware* found that when communities lose their source of local news, government becomes less efficient and civic engagement drops. Specifically, the cost of government borrowing rises, police clear fewer violent crimes, less federal money gets allocated locally, the number and salaries of government employees increases, and voter turnout drops. All because there is no news media serving as a local watchdog to surface information that might be hidden from the community.
“This is a time of unprecedented change in local media,”
The Institute will also be developing community-facing tools for civic engagement. One Reversing the possibility is an decline of local news online resource where JESS KING is a tall order, but King residents can learn feels up to the challenge. “Growing up more about their government: who’s in Mennonite, I learned that one of our biggest charge, what budgets are being funded and responsibilities is to love our neighbors what decisions are being made that affect as ourselves, across differences, across the people of this county, all paired with ideologies, across divides,” she says. “The local news about those governments and Institute will help advance this type of leaders. thinking, and I’m thrilled to be here at the The Institute also aims to expand the start of it all.” voice of the county’s youth by working For more information or to contact the with local high schools and colleges to have institute, please visit Steinmaninstitute.org students create content that elevates their perspectives. *Ljidelaware.org/why-does-local-news-matter
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February 2024 | BALANCE | 11
NECKER
CHIEFS T e our ut t To ether WITH THIS TRENDING ACCESSORY By Katina Kauffman | Photography by Vinny Tennis & Quinn Staley
W
ould you love to reinvigorate your everyday look with hardly any effort at all? Let me introduce you to one of this year’s most simple and versatile trends — the neckerchief. Although small in size, this accessory packs a big punch, simply because it’s not something you see every day. Despite having several surges in popularity since its debut, the neckerchief has never become a wardrobe staple— and ironically, that’s exactly what makes it so special now that it’s on the upswing in 2024. Combining the practical with a sense of fun and flair, a neckerchief lends itself to seamless incorporation into
The Tr an e o
12 | BALANCE | February 2024
any wardrobe. If you’re ready to give this trend a go, here’s everything you need to know about folding, tying and selecting a print to match your look.
Basic Neckerchief Folds & Knots
One aspect of the neckerchief trend that I find especially fun is how customizable they are. Between the various folding methods and knot styles, there are many different looks that you can achieve with just a single silk scarf. For example, a
The S n e o
front-facing triangle fold is sure to bring out your wild (western) side, while a tightly rolled neckerchief finished with a simple square knot can feel more Parisianchic. Here are three popular folding methods that you can experiment with to find the look that most speaks to you.
The
ou e o
• Reimagined animal print: Abstract, re-colored, or enlarged versions of the original. • Artistic Florals: Think watercolor and other soft, painted florals. • Paisley: Both vintage designs and modern takes on the original are in-style. • Plaid: Especially tartan if you can find it. • Sheer Fabrics: You won’t go wrong with delicate, feminine, see-through styles.
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Other Ways to Style a Neckerchief
Are you someone who appreciates versatility? Then a neckerchief is the perfect accessory for you. Neckerchiefs can be styled in many different ways. Here are a few common options that I’ve seen, but I’m sure there are even more ways: • Head: head wrap or head band • Wrist: wear it as a bracelet • Waist: belt it • Purse: Tie it on your bag as an accessory or purse strap • Shirt: If you have a large neckerchief, you could wear it as a shirt (triangle in the front, tie in the back)
How to Tie a Square Knot
If there’s only one thing you learn about styling a neckerchief, it should be how to tie a square knot. This simple knot style leaves the tails of your neck scarf hanging just right and is as easy to tie as it is to untie. Just remember right over left, left over right.
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Get to the root of the latest wellness craze and learn how mushrooms can help your health BY MIKE ANDRELCZYK | ILLUSTRATIONS BY BAILEY WATRO
W
hen scientists and archaeologists examined the body of Otzi the Iceman - a 5,300-year-old natural mummy discovered in the Italian Alps in 1991 - they found birch polypore mushrooms among his possessions. Scientists concluded the ancient man, and others of his time, used the fungus for its anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties Mushrooms and mankind have been living somewhat symbiotically for millennia (even other animals like red squirrels have been known to stash mushrooms to munch on later), so it’s not like fungus needed some big PR campaign. But the buzzy term “functional mushrooms” seems to have recently taken root in a society keen on consuming the latest (again, thousands of years old) fashionable health trends. The term “functional mushrooms” refers to a mushroom with adaptogenic properties, which help the body respond to stress and anxiety - and promote an overall balanced sense of well-being alongside their nutritional value. Proponents of the health benefits of mushrooms say you don’t need to pay attention to the trendy hype surrounding the
16 | BALANCE | February 2024
fungi, just pay attention to how you feel after ingesting them. “You want to live happy and healthy,” says Casey Spacht, who co-founded the Lancaster Farmacy with his partner, Elisabeth Weaver. “How are you going to get there? To me, you look to the natural world that already provides these things instead of new manmade things that you buy in a pharmacy in a plastic container. It’s always been here, you’ve just got to look for it.” There are a number of mushrooms such as reishi, lion’s mane and turkey tail that can be found growing in the forests of Lancaster County. “Reishi is a very popular mushroom,” says Spacht, who’s taken courses and studied mushrooms and herbal medicines for years. “They say it’s the mushroom of immortality. It has very strong anti-inflammatory and immune supporting properties. It’s very well-known in traditional Chinese medicine. Me and my family, every June, will go out and look for hemlock trees or maple trees and forage our own. We make mushroom tincture, or you can dry them and add them to smoothies.”
The Lancaster Farmacy is a Millersville-based farm specializing in growing certified organic medicinal herbs, flowers and produce. Their offerings include dried herbs, tinctures and teas - some of which, like their chaga chai tea (one of their bestselling items, according to Spacht) include functional mushrooms. “Chaga improves your immune health and has very high antioxidant levels in it,” says Spacht, who also adds that chaga along with reishi, lion’s mane, turkey tail and maitake (also known as hen-of-the-woods) are the functional mushrooms the Lancaster Farmacy most commonly uses in their products. For Spacht, the term “functional mushrooms” extends beyond the current health and lifestyle buzzword and its implied health benefits like lower stress and anxiety and increased focus. It includes mankind’s function in society and relationship to the natural world. And it’s easy to follow the mycelium-like thread of connection between caring about mushrooms and caring about the environment as a whole. Learning and appreciating mushrooms will lead one to learning and appreciating the trees they grow on and the forests those trees thrive in. “The number one benefit, for me, to have people (interested in) the mushrooms is that connection they’re going to have to culture and place,” says Spacht, 49, of Strasburg. “Learning
which trees they grow on and the environment they grow in. You want to support that. So if you find a tree that has some (mushrooms growing on it) maybe share them with a neighbor. To me, that’s what this is all about, being functional in overall health, awareness, connections and all that good stuff.” Drew Zimmerman, 33, started his New Providence-based business Unkle Fungus in 2020, growing nutrient-dense mushrooms to combat food shortages during the pandemic. Zimmerman, who teaches foraging and wild mushroom identification and has a wild mushroom food safety certificate from the company Mushroom Mountain, cultivates and forages for various species of mushrooms to use in his products, which range from mushroom hot sauces to mushroom-infused salt and tinctures.
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‘I take lion’s mane to improve my cognitive health,” says Zimmerman. “It helps me with getting deeper REM sleep. Lion’s mane is also a prebiotic so it helps feed your gut flora. It can act as an antidepressant and help with anxiety and it’s anti-inflammatory. It also can help reduce cholesterol levels as well and promote heart health by increasing blood flow and regulating high blood pressure.” Functional mushrooms may be a buzzword, but Zimmerman says it’s a buzzword he can relate to. “One mushroom I would declare a functional mushroom is cordyceps,” says Zimmerman. “It’s a very functional mushroom in my opinion. It’s pretty much my daily driver. I’ve seen people replace coffee with cordyceps extracts.”
People interested in learning more about functional mushrooms, including health benefits and where to find them locally, or learning about opportunities for foraging can find information on Zimmerman’s Instagram, @unkle_fungus. The Lancaster Farmacy, says Spacht, will occasionally host classes about how to make mushroom tinctures and offer mushroom walks and foraging events. Other regional groups like the Eastern Penn Mushroomers host local events as well. Functional mushrooms may not have the psychedelic properties of psilocybin (slangily referred to as “magic mushrooms”), which has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to the microdosing trend and studies as a treatment for depression and addiction at institutions such as Johns Hopkins Medicine. But after hearing devotees of lion’s mane, cordyceps, reishi and other mushrooms talk about the benefits they’ve experienced, it would be easy to call these functional fungi “magic mushrooms” too.
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BODY, MIND & SPIRIT
lot has changed since the first Lancaster Senior Games in 1989. There have been new venues, new sports and activities introduced, and new faces among the growing crew of volunteers. But through it all, the mission of encouraging an active lifestyle has been a constant. And so has Pat Fellenbaum. Fellenbaum was working with the Lancaster Recreation Commission’s senior adult program in 1989 when she happened to read a pamphlet about a senior games event in West Chester. Thinking she’d like to bring a similar program to Lancaster County, she went to her boss, who told her they would need some help. That help came from the Lancaster County Office of Aging. Together, the two agencies launched the first Lancaster Senior Games that year at J.P. McCaskey High School with about 18 events and over 500 participants. “Of course, we didn’t have computers so we did everything manually,” Fellenbaum says. “It was a lot of work, but it was worth it.” And it’s still worth it, says Fellenbaum, who will again help lead the Lancaster Senior Games as it marks its 34th year from May 6-10 at Spooky Nook Sports and other locations throughout the county. 20 | BALANCE | February 2024
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In the last three-plus decades, the Lancaster Senior Games has blossomed into one of the largest such events in Pennsylvania, says Lisa Paulson, senior center program director for the Office of Aging, which took over sole coordination of the event about a decade ago. “(Lisa) brought us out of the Ice Age into the future, computerizing our systems and always open to new ideas,” Fellenbaum says. Paulson points out that the Lancaster games are also unique in that they are 100% staffed by over 300 Office of Aging volunteers. The games took a twoyear hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, the event was drawing over 1,000 participants. Last year, there were 850 registrants. The 2024 games will include about 50 events - from foul shooting and weightlifting to billiards and javelin throw - along with a selection of non-competitive exercise classes, including line dancing, aerobics, folk and hip-hop.“A lot of people really enjoy doing those classes because they're fun … they get the opportunity to experience a different kind of exercise class,” Paulson says. Also new this year will be indoor horseshoes featuring lighter-weight horseshoes. “We are always trying to present anything that’s new,” Fellenbaum says. “Any new type of activity that comes along we’re willing to look at and offer it.”
• Open to any Lancaster County resident age 55 or over. • Registration is $15, with extra fees for certain events such as bowling and golf. • Each participant receives a T-shirt. • Most of the competition takes place at Spooky Nook, with additional events hosted at Leisure Lanes, Long’s Park, Buchmiller Park, Evergreen Golf
Such was the case some years ago when a committee member shared their experience playing pickleball in Florida and the sport was added to the Senior Games lineup. It now joins bocce as one of the most competitive events at the games, Paulson says. Among the most popular events? Cornhole, shuffleboard and ladder golf. “We think because those are events a lot of people can do.” Paulson says. “You don’t have to have a lot of skill. That’s the whole purpose of the Senior Games is to get people to move in whatever form they want.” Although the event attracts its share of serious competitors, the benefits go far beyond the thrill of victory. “As a person, as you age you need to keep moving, and I’ve always felt that,” Fellenbaum says. “I wanted to encourage people not just to do it for (the Senior Games) but to get engaged and involved in doing something year-round. Even if you get a few people who see different types of activities that are available in Lancaster County … I hope it helps. I think it does.” Perhaps just as important is the social aspect of the event. One year, two former shipmates who hadn’t been in contact since World War II ran into each other at the games. It’s not uncommon to see competitors rekindling old friendships - or forming new ones. “It’s really neat to see when people are starting to form real friendships at the events,” Paulson says. “It’s a lot of friendship, a lot of laughing. It’s not just necessarily about competition. There’s more to it than that.”
Course, Overlook Golf Course and Hempfield High School. • Funding for the games comes from a combination of sponsorships, registration fees and contributions from the Lancaster County Office of Aging. • Participants will be asked to contribute $5 a day toward their lunch due to the rising cost of food.
• Registration runs from Feb. 23 to April 19. Get a $2 discount by registering online at www.lancseniorgames.org, where you’ll also find a complete list of rules for every event. Brochures with mail-in registration forms are also available at gyms and retirement communities throughout the county or by calling the Office of Aging at 717-299-7979.
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160 NORTH POINTE BLVD., SUITE 200 • LANCASTER • (717) 358-0800 ARGIRESMAROTTI.COM 22 | BALANCE | February 2024
Argires Marotti Neurosurgical Associates of Lancaster was founded by Dr. Perry Argires to provide supreme surgical and non-surgical care to patients suffering from neck and spine pain and injury. The practice has sustained excellence due to the legacy of care in coordination with the team efforts by Dr. Perry Argires and Dr. Louis Marotti to create the most award winning spine care team in the county. Our practice and its professionals will reduce the need for traditional pain medicines and instead promote progressive pain management treatments. Call us to schedule an appointment today.
Perry J. Argires, MD, FAANS, FACS Neurosurgeon Specializing in Cervical Disc Replacement and Spine Care Voted as the Best Surgeon in Lancaster County LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon
Louis A. Marotti, MD, PhD, FAANS, FACS Neurosurgeon Specializing in Spine Care Voted as the Best Surgeon in Lancaster County LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon
Steven M. Falowski, MD, FAANS, FACS Neurosurgeon Specializing in Spinal Cord Stimulators LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon
Jarod B. John, MD Neurologist With a focus on elderly care, migraines and MS LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurologist
Jack Smith, MD Pain Medicine
Esther DiGiacomo MMSc, PA-C
Adam Truax MHS, PA-C
Brendan Garrett MHS, PA-C
Aiden Soroko, DPT Physical Therapist Clinic Manager
Laurie Rice, LPN
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