Panache Vue' Tampa Bay Magazine November 2015

THE CLINICAL OPTION OF

November 2015

HCG

WHY I'M

BREAKING UP WITH A GOOD MAN DARE TO GO ALL

WHITE

FAMILY MEAL TIME RETHINKING ENERGY DRINKS www.PanacheVue.com

PINPOINT WRINKLES WITH COLLAGEN INDUCTION THERAPY PANACHE VUE’

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HEALTH

IT'S TIME TO FOCUS ON HEALTH CARE...

Not Sick Care

T

here has become an inexhaustible amount of medical technology and natural cures claiming to either get you well or enhance your health in some way. But although billions of dollars are being spent and more and more doctors and specialists are going into practice every year, the amount of illness, depression, disease and the number of people on prescriptions dramatically increase every year. America has become one of the sickest countries in the world. When it comes to health, medical technology and natural cures obviously are not working out.

The failure of our health care system has made alternatives to medicine very popular. Studies done at Harvard show that more visits were made to alternative health care providers during the last several years than were made to medical doctors. The vast majority of these visits were made to chiropractors.

Chiropractic schools are beginning to open up at major universities. Today, chiropractic’s scientific and clinical research has become recognized and published in leading medical and scientific journals.

Most professional and Olympic teams now either hire or work with a chiropractor to improve performance, recover from injury, and keep their players healthier.

For someone to say they do not believe in chiropractic just shows ignorance of a

chiropractor’s training, methodology, research, and proven success rate.

The spine and nervous system totally control all function and healing in a human body. The reason you can eat, breathe, hear, see, sleep, and walk is because the spine and nervous system transmit the commands from the brain to the body. If you think about it, the body is actually kind of stupid. The body does not know what to do unless it is told what to do. This being the case, the best way to hurt someone is to hurt his or her spine and nervous system. Slips, falls, accidents, childhood mishaps, sports injuries, poor posture, hard work conditions, stress, and even the birth process can cause spinal misalignment that leads to damage or interference within the nervous system. Research has shown that these misalignments are the leading cause of many of the unwanted conditions, illnesses, and diseases people suffer from every day.

While prescriptions and over the counter medications have become the leading cause of death in America, chiropractic is safe. It is so safe that doctors of chiropractic pay only a fraction of what medical doctors pay for insurance (As little as $900/yr for chiropractors vs. $25,000 – 125,000/yr for medical doctors).

There is only one healer. It is not a pill, a shot, a vitamin, an herb, a magnet, a medical technology, or a doctor of any kind. It is the body. Chiropractic does not treat the symptom or the disease. Chiropractic does not cure the disease because this can be done only by the natural intelligence from within. Nature needs no help to get you well or keep you well. It just needs no interference. Chiropractic seeks to remove this interference.

Today, more than 6 million chiropractic adjustments are performed on families each week making chiropractic the leading alternative form of health care and the number one profession in the world for

Dr. Carl Conforti, D.C. restoring well being to mankind.

In our offices throughout Tampa Bay, our doctors work together to ensure that all of our patients receive whole health chiropractic care. Regular adjustments are very important to providing your body the ability to function and heal at 100%, but we also focus on whole health roles of nutrition, exercise, avoiding toxins, and maximizing your mental balance.

(Credit: Maximized Living) By providing whole health wellness care our patient are truly WELL. Let us show you the difference in tradition chiropractic care and corrective chiropractic care today.

$27 NEW PATIENT EXAM

($295 value) Includes exam, x-rays (if necessary), and consultation with our team of doctors.

CHIRO OFFER EXPIRES 12-15-15.

THE PATIENT & ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS A RIGHT TO REFUSE PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT, OR BE REIMBURSED FOR ANY PAYMENT OR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT WHICH IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE FREE, DISCOUNTED, OR REDUCED FEE, SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT.

Conforti

CHIROPRACTIC

AND WELLNESS CENTER, INC. www.confortichiropractic.com

WITH 6 TAMPA BAY AREA LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU 4040 Tampa Road Oldsmar, FL 34677

813.818.7499

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1811 Healthcare Drive Trinity, FL 34655

727.376.9611

10935 N Dale Mabry Tampa, FL 33618

813.969.2225

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813.994.6111

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813.574.9206

1502 S. MacDill Ave. Tampa, FL 33629

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TAMPA

NOVEMBER 2015

FEATURES

18 08/TAMPA BAY DOCTORS OFFERING NON-SURGICAL ALTERNATIVE FOR SPINAL SURGERY PATIENTS 15/THE CLINICAL OPTION OF HCG In Your Journey To A

20

Healthier And Thinner You

18/HOUSE OF DALI Thankful

THE CLINICAL OPTION OF

20/WHY I’M BREAKING UP WITH A GOOD MAN

WHY I'M

28/FAMILY MEAL TIME

DARE TO GO ALL

32/HEALTHY EATING TRENDS

FAMILY MEAL TIME

34/RETHINKING ENERGY DRINKS 4

PANACHE VUE’

November 2015

HCG

BREAKING UP WITH A GOOD MAN

WHITE

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RETHINKING ENERGY DRINKS www.PanacheVue.com

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PANACHE VUE’

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DEPARTMENTS NOVEMBER 2015

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 9 NOVEMBER 2015 Publisher | Editor In Chief Nina Stanley Executive Art Director Shaun Drees Fashion Editor Dali Hernandez Photographer | Photo Editor Lisa Sibley

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38

HEALTH & WELLNESS

23/Have You Ever Thought About Recycled Sea Shells For Countertops?

11/Rejuvenate Yourself For The Holidays

24/Tame A Looming Room With Color And Light

07/Let’s Get Something Straight

16/Sleep Is A Dreamy State For People With A Brain 30/Social Media Unplugged 31/Dine Hard 36/A Recipe For Hope…Learn To Cook!

37/Yogurt, The Siggy Way

HOME

22/Dare To Go All White

6

Media Consultants Tallia Keene Milinda O’Daniel Erica Turchin

PANACHE VUE’

25/Matching? A Decorating Idea That Died Of Boredom

FASHION

12/Do’s and Don’ts For Buying Handbags

BEAUTY

13/Ask Andrew Ashton 17/Pinpoint Wrinkles With Collagen Induction Therapy

TRAVEL

38/Black Pearls and Blue Lagoons Beckon To The Cook Islands

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Andrew Ashton Dr. Laurie De Luca Dr. Paul Duryea Valerie Kelley Dr. Cesar Lara Dr. Larry Lieberman Dana Martinez Gene McDonald Panache Vue’ Magazine PO Box 14033 Clearwater, FL 33766 Telephone: 727- 459-2361 Letters to the Editor: editor@panachevue.com Advertising Inquiries: advertising@panachevue.com www.PanacheVue.com Panache Vue’ Magazine is published by Panache Group. All rights reserved. Copyright 2008-2015.

Reproduction of or use of editorial, pictorial, digital, advertising or design content in any manner is strictly prohibited without written permission of the publisher.

Panache Vue’ Magazine is not responsible for statements made by advertisers and writers.

HEALTH

LET'S GET SOMETHING STRAIGHT

I

really can’t believe Halloween is over and Turkey day is just around the corner. I can smell the Turkey and the rest of the trimmings we have at this time of year. I would like to first thank everyone that made the final year of the Mansion of the Macabre such a memorable event. And as you all know for a fabulous cause Hospice. I will miss the many new friends that stop by for the event and hope we have entertained you all with our efforts. Everyone asks what am I going to do in October, SLEEP! Way too many nights burning the midnight candle to make sure it’s all up and running.

Thanksgiving as mentioned is upon us with the gathering of Family and friends that lead to the Holiday season no matter what Holidays you celebrate. Put a smile on your face and keep an open heart, and if you are not happy with that smile call us we can help. Whether its aligners or braces we have a solution that will help. Please call us for a complementary evaluation and don’t waste another day not having the smile you deserve.

Dr. Paul R. Duryea, DDS, MS

Happy Thanksgiving

Let’s Get Something

Straight!

Dr. Paul R. Duryea, DDS, MS Practice Limited to Orthodontics

Schedule Your Complimentary Consultation Today!

We offer Metal • Gold Ceramic & Invisible Braces Preferred Provider for Invisalign

(727)785-8847• www.duryeaortho.com • 2595 Tampa Rd. • Suite l www.PanacheVue.com

• Palm Harbor PANACHE VUE’

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Dr. Carl Conforti, D.C. Dr. Todd Bodanza, D.C. & Dr. Damien Rogers, D.C.

AVOID UNNECESSARY SURGERY:

Tampa Bay Doctors offering Non-Surgical Alternative for Spinal Surgery Patients DRX9000

B

ack pain is one of the top reasons people go to the doctor, and the fastest growing treatment is spinal fusion. More than 465,000 spinal fusions were performed in the United States in 2011. In fact, spinal fusion surgeries grew 70% from 2001 to 2011. It is estimated that patients spent over $200 million on those surgeries. Shockingly, on average, the United States performs up to 4 times more back and neck surgeries than any other nation. It leaves us to wonder, DID ALL OF THESE PATIENTS REALLY NEED SURGERY? As chiropractors in the Tampa Bay area for more than 14 years, Dr. Carl Conforti, D.C., Dr. Todd Bodanza, D.C., and Dr. Damien Rogers, D.C. have been fighting to reduce those numbers and provide a safe, surgery free options for patients who truly want to be well.

LET ME SHARE A STORY:

Unfortunately, we have patients that walk into our offices every day with stories of failed neck and back surgeries. Some come in with stories of years of struggle, some with recent trauma from a motor vehicle accident,

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but they all have one thing in common. They want relief from the pain that prevents them from living their lives and they do not want to have to go under the knife, or take harmful shots and pills to mask the pain.

After consulting with various doctors and reviewing his treatment options, one of our most successful patients told us that a spinal surgeon told him after he questioned the finality of surgery that spinal decompression “couldn’t hurt, but more than likely wouldn’t help.” In fact, the surgeon told this patient that he wished him luck and would see him in a few months for surgery. WELL HE WAS WRONG! We could not understand why a surgeon would wish surgery upon a patient that had other options that would prevent him from going through the pain and suffering associated with back surgery. Not to mention the risk associated with the spinal fusions including infection and even paralysis.

Luckily our patient took charge of his own health and continued researching our spinal decompression with the DRX9000.

The DRX9000 that we have in our offices is used to treat neck and back pain caused by

• Back pain due to weight issues • Spinal stenosis

LET’ SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR TREATMENTS!

disc problems.

Our patient came into our office, we completely reviewed his MRI’s, x-rays, and medical history and determined that not only did he qualify, but he was the perfect candidate for the spinal decompression treatment.

After his treatments, our patient was able to stop taking his medication. He walked into our office one day and said “Doc, I feel like myself for the first time in 15 years. I do not have that groggy feeling I became accustomed to while taking my medication. And on top of that, I am finally able to get a restful night sleep!” And he was only half way through his treatment plan!!

AND HE DIDN’T HAVE TO TAKE A HAND FULL OF PILLS WITH EVERY MEAL!

So now you are wondering, how do I know if I would be a great candidate for your treatment?! Well, typically we treat people who experience the following: • Back pain due to sciatica • Sleepless nights • Back or neck injury as the result of an accident • Back or leg pain when seated • Numbness in your hands or toes • Degenerative disc disease • Herniated and bulging discs • Toothache like pain that goes down your leg or in one of your buttocks • Relapse of neck or back pain following surgery

“I went to Conforti Chiropractic Centers and met with Dr. Bodanza. They recommended spinal decompression. At the time I could barely walk and after only two treatments I was pain free and was able to do normal activities. By the end of the treatment, I could not believe the improvement in not only my health, but my relationships. I was the old me! The care and professionalism exhibited by these Doctors was amazing. I was a doubter but I would recommend this to any person suffering from back pain.” Terry O. – Trinity, FL “Spinal decompression saved me from another back surgery. I suffered through my first surgery and recovery only to find myself back in severe pain within a year. After my relaxing treatments in the Benttree Clinic, I no longer have pain, and I did not even have to suffer to get pain free. In fact, after most of my treatments, the staff would have to wake me because they create such a relaxing setting. Check it out, Dr. Rogers has something special going here.” –Tim S. – Tampa, FL “As a person who was involved in sports and fitness my entire life, the pain and agony I experienced after my car accident in June 2009 nearly ended me. I was no longer able to be active and I quickly found my health deteriorating. I wanted to do something about it, but everything I did hurt. A friend of mine told me he had seen some machine at his chiropractors office that could help.

I called and scheduled a consultation. Dr. Conforti started me on treatment that day. He could feel the desperation I was experiencing. Long story short, Dr. Conforti saved my life. He made sure each treatment provided relief. He followed through with his word.

He relieved me of the pain that was literally killing me. Thank you, Carl.” – Scott M., Palm Harbor, FL

NOW IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE A SUCCESS STORY OF YOUR OWN!!

The DRX9000 is a very specific technology that uses your spinal condition, your current body weight, and precise angles and measurements to customize the treatment for each patient. We believe that every person that suffers from back pain, neck pain, spinal stenosis, sleepless nights, and numbness in the extremities deserves the opportunity to learn as much as they can about the treatment alternatives to painful surgeries. My team and I want the opportunity to review your current condition and provide you with the knowledge that the surgeons do not want you to know about. We will provide you with a consult, exam, and x-rays (if necessary), and provide you with the knowledge that will ultimately change your life forever.

SINCE WE ARE DETERMINED TO PUT AN END TO UNNECESSARY NECK AND BACK SURGERIES, WE ARE OFFERING

THE FREE BULGING AND HERNIATED DISC ASSESSMENT

($195 VALUE)

NO CHARGE AT ALL!! And we WILL determine if you qualify for this state of the art technology. We do not let anyone leave our office wondering if our treatment could have helped you get rid of your pain.

During your candidate assessment, we will target all of the factors necessary to qualify you for the treatment that will save you from harmful shots and surgeries.

THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATIONS OR TREATMENT WHICH IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE DISCOUNTED SERVICE.

OFFER EXPIRES 12-15-15

WITH 3 TAMPA BAY AREA LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU: Pinellas Conforti Chiropractic & Wellness 4040 Tampa Rd Oldsmar, FL 34677 www.PanacheVue.com

813.749.8331

Pasco Conforti’s Crossroads 1811 Healthcare Dr Trinity, FL 34655

727.376.9611

Hillsborough Benttree Clinic 10935 N. Dale Mabry Tampa, FL 33618

813.969.2225 PANACHE VUE’

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THE CLINICAL OPTION OF

November 2015

HCG

WHY I'M

BREAKING UP WITH A GOOD MAN DARE TO GO ALL

WHITE

FAMILY MEAL TIME RETHINKING ENERGY DRINKS www.PanacheVue.com

PINPOINT WRINKLES WITH COLLAGEN INDUCTION THERAPY PANACHE VUE’

1

HEALTH

REJUVENATE YOURSELF FOR THE HOLIDAYS

T

DEBBIE AND LARRY LIEBERMAN

his is the time of the year that most of us look forward to all year. But instead of joy many of us feel dread. Do you have that stressed, worn out look by the time the holidays arrive? In one visit to our office we can give you a fresh, relaxed "looks like you just got back from a vacation" look.

In our 30 years of dentistry we have offered many solutions to the question, "How can I rejuvenate my smile to help me look and feel younger? "We are now able to offer you a long lasting, non-invasive, non surgical technique that will keep your appearance looking younger too. Botox, Juvaderm and the newest filler Voluma naturally give back the youthful appearance you once had. Botox

& Juvaderm smooth out the aging lines and wrinkles while Voluma subtly adds volume to the sagging cheek area. These treatments are a natural extension of the cosmetic treatments we already provide to help ease the aging process, and sustain one's youth Do you have a frown that doesn't go away, wrinkles on your forehead, a gummy smile, thin lips or creases around your mouth and nose? Botox is a protein famous for reducing the appearance of unwantedsigns of aging by temporarily blocking muscle movement. Facial fillers (dermal fillers) temporarily correct and smooth facial folds and wrinkles as well as enhance the lip area.

My philosophy is a natural, youthful look – less is more.

I realize you do have many choices as to where to get these services. I often hear why should I go to a dentist to have this done. As a dentist I have been extensively trained on the anatomy of the face, on what the mouth and smile are supposed to look like and on injection techniques. I feel offering these services to you is my honor and pleasure.

Now when you visit us for your routine cleaning appointment you can easily add these injections to your dental visit and leave our office looking younger and refreshed.

To add some additonal sparkle to your holidays why not consider one of the following quick dental fixes: • tooth colored bonding - to reshape your teeth, reapir small cracks & fill in some gaps • crowns & veneers - to conceal spaces, crooked, chipped or discolored teeth • teeth whitening - to instantly brighten and rejuvenate your smile • Snap on Smile - to instantly snap on a beautiful new smile over your existing teeth Whichever option you choose, we are available and happy to help you find the right one. Wishing you and your family a holiday season, filled with good health , happy times together and lots of smiles!

Larry Lieberman,DDS

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO LIVE AND WORK IN SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY! We Thank You For Your Continued Loyalty And Support And Wish You A Very Happy Thanksgiving.

Debbie & Larry Lieberman *REJUVENATE YOUR LOOK BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS - ASK ABOUT OUR SPECIALS.

PROUDLY PROVIDING STATE OF THE ART, COMPASSIONATE DENTISTRY SINCE 1984 To learn more about us visit our new website and facebook page

Larry Lieberman,DDS www.dentist-lieberman.com

35691 US 19 N, Palm Harbor (Next to the Longhorn Steakhouse)

727-785-8017

THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS A RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT, OR BE REIMBURSED FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT THAT IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED FEE, OR REDUCED FEE SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT.

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PANACHE VUE’

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FA S H I O N

DO'S AND DON'TS FOR BUYING HANDBAGS JOSEPH PUBILLONES

W

hen a new fashion season arrives, chances are a new handbag is on your shopping list.

But before you snag a bag that's all wrong for you, check out these do's and don'ts for wearing the all-important accessory that goes everywhere with

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you -- day in and day out.

--Do think opposites when buying handbags. Body shape, that is. OK, if you're average, then just about any handbag will look good on you. But tall and slender? Check out a handbag that's a little on the big and slouchy side. Short and petite? Think skinny straps and a bag that rests above your waist. Curvy girls should stick to more structured styles.

--Don't forget to consider function.

You may be carried away with the red suede bag flowing with fringe, but if you need a handbag that's all business for client meetings, you may want to stick to a more tailored satchel that easily stows away all your electronics. Then, if you have cash left over, go for the boho fringe for that outdoor concert.

--Do collect colors. So you think you have to have a brown bag, a black bag, a camel bag or a navy bag to cover the basics? Not necessarily. A colorful handbag can give your everyday outfits a dash of personality. Take a look at your wardrobe and choose a "non-traditional" color that will mix and match with a variety of your clothes. An oversized turquoise clutch is one of my "fun" accessories; another friend brightens up her outfits with a vivid orange drawstring bucket bag.

--Don't weigh yourself down. Some of us may use our purses as our offices, diaper bag, makeup kit, etc. But don't forget to clean out those handbags occasionally and get organized. Yes, you can pare it all down to the bare essentials.

There are tons of small bags that may work just as well and save your shoulders and your back.

--Do switch out day and evening bags.

If you don't have to haul your iPad to a party, don't. Leave your briefcase-style handbag at home and make the switch to a clutch. There are lots of smaller, embellished bags available for more festive occasions that don't require huge handbags.

(See above.) Take a break from the big bags and have a little fashion fun.

--Don't be afraid to make an investment. It's true that good quality designer handbags can be expensive, costing thousands of dollars. If you've got the money to invest in one of the more classic styles like a structured, top-handle purse, go for it, if you know that you'll use it for years. However, many of us tire easily of handbags and want something new. There are plenty of quality handbags at affordable prices, even in many designer collections. Check out discount stores for more values. Vintage stores can also be a source for gently used designer bags.

--Do break the rules. There really are no "rules" anymore on when to wear what when it comes to handbags. You can break out the sequins and metallic clutches day or night. However, heavy leathers are probably not the best party companions. Slinging your suitcase over your shoulder on the dance floor is a major DON'T!

BEAUTY

ANDREW ASHTON LaPosh Salon

Andrew Ashton LaPosh Salon

D

ear Andrew Ashton, I was wondering about the difference between lipsticks, liners and glosses. My daughter told me I'm too old to be wearing lip-gloss. Is there a certain age to stop and what colors do you recommend for a more natural and mature look?

Michelle, Clearwater Dear Michelle, There are main reasons for lipsticks, liners and glosses. Gloss is great for women of all ages. One of the things that happen

as we age is that lips loose a bit of their fullness. This is normal and a result of decrease in collagen production. You can go for fillers or you can create the illusion of fullness with lip gloss. This is a great way to plump up lips. Although the older the woman, the darker shades may not be as flattering anymore. If you have dark skin, darker shades are good. Applying glosses and lipsticks are different also. When applying lipstick, you want to go from left to right, top to bottom. But with gloss, you apply gloss to the middle of your bottom lip only. Rub lips together. This will add the perfect amount of gloss while keeping the gloss from getting goopy on you. For even less application of gloss or Lipstick, use a small makeup brush to apply. Lip liners are a great tool for adding color and outlining the lips. Lip liners also help keep lipstick and glosses to have a longer last-

ing power. If you are having problems with your glosses coming off too quickly, a simple trick is to use your lip liner and line the entire lip. Now blot with a bit of powder and then apply your lip gloss. As far as colors of lipstick, glosses and liners, my simple rule to a natural (but with color) look is choose a shade or 2 darker than your natural lip color. Fair-skinned women look best in pinks, beige and light colors.

Women with medium skin tones should try brown based shades of rose, mauve and berry. Dark-skinned women look great in deep plums, chocolates and reds. Hope this helps a little with lipstick, liners and glosses. Come check out lots of many tones in our Andrew Ashton Faceworks line at LaPosh Salon.

Happy Glossing!

Andrew Ashton

class, elegance and luxury...

727.726.1600

Follow us on Facebook www.salonlaposh.com

www.PanacheVue.com

2566 D McMullen Booth Road - Clearwater

PANACHE VUE’

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HEALTH

THE CLINICAL OPTION OF HCG In Your Journey To A Healthier And Thinner You. DR. CESAR LARA

W

ith the summer months approaching and longer sun filled days enticing us all to enjoy the beach, our desire to get our bodies fit for swimsuits is

very real.

There is a clinical tool available to facilitate a more robust start or restart in the losing of inches. Consider this option not only for swimsuit season, but as one begins to implement a long-term strategy of lifestyle modification and ultimately, transformation. The option is the use of HCG. HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, which is a hormone that women produce in significantly high levels during pregnancy (500,000 to 1,000,000 units / day). It is generally believed that its purpose is to ensure that regardless of whether the mother eats or not, the unborn baby will get its nutrition via a facilitated and more direct breakdown of fat, hence creating a constant source of calories.

HCG in small amounts (100 to 300 units / day) has been used in both genders since the mid 1950s to aid in weight loss. Thousands of persons swear by the results that they have achieved. However it has been very controversial, as the original Italian physician who first promoted it for weight loss also tied it to an extremely low calorie diet of 500 calories / day.

The scientific community has done studies that showed that the amount of weight lost with a 500 calorie plan was similar between groups of people taking HCG and those not taking HCG, hence a large majority have concluded that HCG is no better than a placebo. Further clinical evidence advices against such restricted 500-calorie diets due to potential starvation mode elicited in the body, in addition to concerns of safety.

On the other hand there is now clinical evidence that it is not just the amount of weight loss that needs to be compared; but also the source of weight loss that is important. Specifically it is the desire to lose the “ FAT” weight and not the “MUSCLE “ weight, and if someone is put on a very low calorie diet, the problem is that the person will lose too much muscle, (lean body mass) which is in direct proportion to that

www.PanacheVue.com

person’s metabolic rate. In addition, recent studies have clearly concluded that improving and increasing lean body mass directly decreases insulin resistance, which is the culprit in obesity. HCG treated patients have shown that the amount of muscle loss is half the amount as those following a similar diet but without HCG. The story that we hear and see often is that a person on an HCG protocol will noticeably see inches shrink on the areas of their body where the fat accumulates the most. It is especially helpful in persons with the “pear shaped” body where the weight is accumulated in the hips and thighs. With many diets, the “pear shaped” body type will many times find their upper body, especially their face, begin to look “too thin” despite the fact that their lower half still has significant excess. The volume of a pound of fat is significantly larger than the volume of a pound of muscle, and hence, as more fat is released, the more volume or inches one’s body shrinks.

HCG is a regulator of hormones, which is of great value in patients with excess weight, as their condition is an expression of an imbalance in their hormonal state. Specifically, HCG regulates many hormones including thyroid and the sex hormones, most notably testosterone. It is used clinically in males to help increase their own production of testosterone, and it is also used in females seeking treatment for infertility. The improvement in the testosterone levels of those on HCG most likely is the reason why muscle weight loss is minimized as the testosterone turns on an anabolic state in the body whereby it promotes muscle development.

In our practice we use mainly the injectable type of HCG. There has been controversy regarding the use of oral forms as recent studies have shown there are no detectable levels of HCG except when the injectable type is used.

The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has been warning consumers that the Homeopathic HCG products typically marketed as weight loss aids, and sold via the Internet and stores, usually in the form of drops and pellets, are illegal and unproven.

As in any nutritional plan that helps shed of the excess weight, keeping it off is the real story. In our practice, we see a large amount of patients that had done what they thought was HCG in the past and obtained good results, but were not maintainable and they regained their weight plus more. Of course this story resonates with all nutritional plans as most people doing diets only focus on “you can eat this and not that “ for a certain period of time. Afterwards they resume their usual and customary habits, which lead them to gain weight initially and will continue to do so always.

However with those patients doing a very low calorie diet on their own and taking what they thought was HCG, it would make sense that they would initially lose the weight dramatically as 500 calories is drastic. The problem is

their weight was lost not only in fat, but also in larger amounts of muscle, which subsequently lowered their metabolism and predisposed them to insulin resistance. That in turn, primed them for quick and unhealthy regain, even though their caloric intake was still low.

In my experience, when HCG is used with close medical management of a very low calorie nutritional plan, it can facilitate a great start. It is used in cycles of four or six weeks; and in between cycles, the nutritional plan is adjusted.

Some people do a cycle to get a good start and develop the confidence to be on their journey to a healthy weight. Others use a cycle once they reach a plateau in their weight loss journey, and many see the benefits of helping reshape their body by facilitating the loss of inches in the stubborn areas of their body.

A healthy lifestyle transformation is the goal of any nutritional plan that helps release excess weight, and is ultimately the true measure of success. A successful plan should not only focus on the amount of pounds lost, but more importantly on its inherent ability to help transition into a healthier and maintainable weight.

This requires the understanding that it is not a quick fix but a long-term commitment where education, guidance and support are paramount.

Although there are many tools to help aid in our journey to a healthier thinner self, the tool that is the most important is your mind and the thoughts that are elicited every single day.

Hence despite great opportunities to help in the rebalancing of our hormones, and improvement in insulin resistance, in my humble opinion, the real goal is the ability to maintain that healthier weight, not a quick fix. That goal can only be achieved if you give yourself the love and commitment to change your lifestyle and recognize that all is possible. You just need to visualize, believe and work at seeing it actualize.

César A. Lara, M.D. is Board Certified in Obesity Medicine as well as certified in Advanced Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy by Worldlink Medical, the Academy for Preventative and Innovative Medicine. For more than 25 years, it has been Dr. Lara’s César A. Lara, M.D. passion to become a positive force in America’s ever-growing obesity crisis…one patient at a time. Dr. Lara’s dream of helping men and women overcome diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and other chronic conditions related to obesity was realized with the emergence of the César A. Lara, MD; Center for Weight Management as a premier weight loss center in Tampa Bay. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Dr. Lara is known for his strong personal faith and his generous contributions to the Tampa Bay community. Dr. Lara regularly appears on television as a medical contributor to Brighthouse Network’s Bay News 9 en Español and WTSP-TV Studio 10. He frequently participates in corporate health fairs promoting an active lifestyle and healthy weight loss options. He is the founder of St. Michael’s Free Clinic and Weight Away Tampa Bay, charitable organizations that provide free medical treatment to those who cannot afford it. Call 727.446.3021 or visit www.bestmedicineforweightloss.com

PANACHE VUE’

15

WELLNESS

SLEEP IS A DREAMY STATE FOR PEOPLE WITH A BRAIN

BY SCOTT LAFEE

S

leep is the new black. It's trending up, and if you haven't woken up to how essential it is -- for your physical and mental well-being -that's probably because you're not getting enough of it.

And what is enough? Aim for eight hours or more a night. WHAT? It was easier before, when humans just naturally rose with the sun and bedded down with the moon, but now we're living in an electrified, digitized, brain-fried 24/7 world.

And for many reasons, it's getting in the way of our deepest, most restful sleep.

It's up to you -- your awareness, your actions -- to change that dynamic. At least sleep on it.

Because the science is clear: Five, six, seven hours isn't enough. Your body and your brain need time to rest, to restore, to nurture, or else, over time, they break down in unpleasant ways.

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When you're chronically sleep deprived all your regulatory systems are compromised, including your entire central nervous system. You're susceptible to many unpleasant problems including heart disease, cognition screw-ups, diabetes and high blood pressure. Your immune system grows weaker and your risk of a serious accident goes up.

And now this, according to a growing body of research: Getting too little sleep can make you fat. Personally, I see it as the body exploding in anger: "You're working me to death," says the liver and stomach of Mr. 4-6 Hours a Night. Next thing he knows, he's gained 10 pounds, he's spilling sugar, and he can't remember if he fed his Great Dane.

So here are some tips to help you get to sleep: Just remember, reading is not the same as doing. You can avoid the nightmarish consequences of too little sleep, but it's up to you to find your way. I know I'm repeating myself: 1. If you wake up, don't look at the clock. This engages the brain in a way that moves it toward wakefulness, instead of sleep. Hide the screen, and if you can eliminate all light-emitting screens from your bedroom, even better.

2. Don't sleep with your devices. All that technology too close to your brain can corrupt and interrupt normal sleeping cycles. For purists, this includes all forms of phones. If you can't separate from tweets,

texts and emails to give your self a good night's sleep, consider yourself addicted, and seek help.

3. If you wake up, relax your body with your breath. There are many breathing relaxation patterns to play with, to help you bring on the z-z-z-z's. Here's a good one: Slowly inhale to a count of three, and gently exhale to a count of four, focusing on the sweetness and rhythm of your breath.

If your mind grasps a thought, let it go and return to your breath.

4. If you wake up, don't panic. If your Inner Voice starts acting up -- "Oh no! I'm awake. I can't sleep. I've got so much to do tomorrow! ..."-- interrupt it with a kinder, more positive one.

Comfort yourself: "I'm fine. This is OK. My body is resting. It wants to sleep.

I'll help." Then turn off the inner dialogue completely and return to your calming breaths.

5. Sleep in the darkness. Sleep experts always advise people make their bedrooms as dark as possible for optimal sleep. Of course! But too often that means blackout shades or elaborate taping schemes around the windows. If that works for you, fine, but it never has for me. Besides, I love skylights.

Then I discovered the best sleep improver of my life. Keep reading.

6. Wear a sleep mask. I heard this on NPR one day, and for some reason I tried it that night, and I love it. A sleep mask.

It shuts out the light and invites sleep in a delightful way. Beware of the cheapo, ill-fitting sleep mask. Shop around for one that feels good on your skin and adjusts easily to your face.

7. Tuck in with gratitude. Sweet dreams come more easily if you end your day with expressions of gratitude and feelings of love. To get there, think of two or three things that happened that day that you're grateful for. By my count, this is about a million times better for you than a sleeping pill.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! THE MYSTERIOUS LINK BETWEEN DAY AND NIGHT "A well-spent day brings happy sleep." -Leonardo da Vinci

BEAUTY

PINPOINT WRINKLES

with Collagen Induction Therapy

BY VALERIE KELLEY

W

e go through quite a lot to get our skin to regenerate and rejuvenate collagen, from topical products to lasers to surgery and every cream imaginable. But new advancements in an age-old procedure make collagen stimulation easier than ever to achieve.

“Collagen Induction Therapy, or micro-needling, is a very old technology that goes back to ancient times,” says Dana Martinez, owner of Lecada Medical Artistry in South Tampa. “What brings it into the 21st century is the fineness of the needles and ability to control the depth of penetration.”

Think of it like acupuncture, but for wrinkles and scars.

Although that may sound a little aggressive, it is actually much more gentle than you may think. This is because, unlike treatments like chemical peels and laser resurfacing, Collagen Induction Therapy does not harm the epidermis, the very top layer of skin.

As the small, handheld wand travels gently over the skin, it creates microscopic, pinpoint punctures into the dermis – the majority of which are simply pushing your pores open temporarily. This is perceived by the body as damage, which stimulates the release of growth factors that trigger the production of collagen and elastin. The human body reacts to any injury by initiating the healing process, but usually it will only heal as far as it must to keep you healthy – which is different to healing to a cosmetic level. By persistently triggering the healing process, you encourage your body to continue healing until the job is finished.

The treatment is not painful. Typically, it is the length of the needle used which determines whether or not a numbing agent is used prior to treatment. The length of the needles also determines the results gained.

Essentially, the rule of thumb is longer the needle the better the results — although it’s not quite that simple as the depth of the skin in the area to be treated, its current

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BEFORE

AFTER

condition, the area, the client’s lifestyle must all be taken into consideration.

"The therapist has complete control, choosing to lightly prick the top of the skin to help treat fine lines and wrinkles, allowing topical products to seep in better, or to go deeper to treat stubborn scars and stretch marks. As the skin heals, these small punctures form new collagen for healthier-looking, smoother skin,” says Martinez.

Vitamin serums, oils and preparations are applied immediately after C.I.T., as the micro-channels the needles have made into the skin allow for greater penetration and absorption of the products. This will significantly aid the success of the treatment.

In fact, clinical studies have shown that the skin's ability to soak up nutrients increases by a whopping 3000% for an hour after treatment.

Micro-needling is safe for all skin types and ethnicities. In addition to the many corrective benefits provided, C.I.T. is a natural and effective anti-aging treatment. When used in conjunction with injectables, such as Botox, it will improve the look of the skin while increasing the time necessary between injections. It works at the root of what is causing the skin to age, making it a long-term, healthpromoting skin treatment. While results vary, the new collagen produced by C.I.T. should last for years.

Further, C.I.T. treatments will help accelerate the results of your existing skincare program. Benefits of the treatment are maximized when combined with chemical peels or microdermabrasion. So, if you have not had success reducing the look of deep acne scars or wrinkles, C.I.T. may be a good choice for you. Patients report visible signs of skin repair and rejuvenation,

BEFORE

AFTER

within weeks with continued improvement over 3-9 months.

Benefits of Medical Skin Needling: • Stimulates the production of collagen, tightening the skin • Reduces the appearance of crow’s feet and lip lines • Reduces the appearance of forehead lines and frown lines • Reduces the appearance of wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage • Treats acne scars and chicken pock scars • Reduces the appearance of scarring and stretch marks • Reduces the appearance of enlarged pores • Helps with rosacea by strengthening the skin • Assists in the absorption of cosmetic products • Helps increase the absorption of hair growth products • Helps increase the absorption of cellulite and stretch mark creams • Improves skin tone and texture • Restores UV damaged skin • Results in a healthy, vibrant glow Contact Lecada Medical Artistry for a complimentary consultation to determine a customized treatment plan recommendation. When your skin is healthy, it will look its best and so will you.

The aestheticians at Lecada Medical Artistry can create a specially tailored skincare regimen for you to ensure your skin’s optimal health. Lecada is located at 3710 West Azeele Street in Tampa. Call 813.874.2332 to schedule your appointment.

PANACHE VUE’

17

HOUSE OF DALI 18

PANACHE VUE’

THANKFUL

I

recently picked up some thank you cards and this grabbed my attention “There is always something to be THANKFUL for”. I ask that you wake up daily and have an attitude of gratitude. Stop reflecting on what is wrong and start reflecting on what is right. You would be surprised how changing your mindset can change your life. We shouldn’t have one day that we all celebrate and feast. I believe

we should strive everyday to be thankful. As you gather around the Thanksgiving table this year, have everyone right down one thing they are thankful for and go around the table and share it with each other. Instead of giving money to a homeless person go and buy them food. I do it all the time because I care. Enjoy some of my favorite picks for this thanksgiving season! #beblessed #thanksgiving

Dali Hernandez is the Creative Director and head designer for House of Dali. She is also a Real Estate Agent operating in the Tampa Bay area.

Dali’s arrival to the fashion industry has been making numerous headlines; however designing is nothing new for this NY native. She recalls her childhood’s obsession with fashion magazines, and with the help of a pair of scissors, she would cut various designs to mix and match and ultimately transform her bedroom walls into the latest fashion show.

The days she went fabric shopping with her mother gave her an early perspective on quality variation and how the same design can be completely altered due to fabric choice.

Dali’s fashion line is for the woman who still maintains her social status and is not afraid to make a fashion statement. She feels that there shouldn’t really be a target age or group for her line, because she feels that women are sexy and edgy at any age.

Dali was featured on FOX13, What’s Hot Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Pulse, Vocess International, Creative Loafing, tbttimes, St. Pete Times, Panache Vue, Remark Magazine, Libertine Magazine, Envie, and was Semi Finalist for “Fashion Star” NBC. Follow me Website: www.houseofdali.com Instagram: @houseofdali Facebook: www.facebook.com/dalifashiondesigner Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/houseofdali Twitter: twitter.com/HouseofDali E-mail: dali@panachevue.com

www.PanacheVue.com

PANACHE VUE’

19

FEATURE

WHY I'M BREAKING UP WITH A GOOD MAN

BY LISA M. BLACKER

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M

y sweetheart and I just broke up, except we don’t like that term for us. It doesn’t seem right that two people who love each other, who discuss rather than argue, and who share romance, fun and tenderness can “break up.” We need a better expression for what we did, what we’re doing.

In the previous month or so, we analyzed, discussed and agreed that our goals are mutually exclusive, so we can only be on separate paths. As I shared in a previous article, John is content with his low-stress lifestyle and wants for nothing much more than what he already has. His priorities are well placed close

to home, in being a single father raising his younger two sons. I am an emptynester eagerly and energetically climbing to reach my goals. The combination makes for a certain level of incompatibility not conducive to what either of us has in mind as a true partnership.

My choosing an incompatible life partner is nothing new and is at least partially due to my unresolved father issues. Between the notable exceptions of my ex-husband, and now John, I used to pick men who had my father’s qualities more often than not. Sadly, my father was not exactly a good man. He could more accurately be described as a “bad boy” and trouble-finder.

Through some intense personal

growth work, I gained an awareness of my unhealthy relationship patterns. I discovered that–in the years since my divorce–I made every attempt to subconsciously reconcile with my father in my brief relationships with men. I had involved myself with men who were active alcoholics and had character traits similar to my father. Alan’s laugh was so much like my father’s that hearing it in a dream startled me awake, both literally and consciously. When Alex walked away without breaking up, I realized that I had once again selected my father instead of a worthy mate.

I began reading The Good Men Project sporadically last year. The more I’d read, the more I would check men–all men– against the title “Good Man.” I would practice awareness that required me to be honest with myself about the qualities of a man that I found attractive as well as our potential compatibility. Were the qualities attractive to me because they were familiar, either reminding me of my father or a previous not-so-good relationship? Once I got honest with myself, I started noticing and connecting with good men in all areas of my life: one teacher, one new friend and client, a couple other good friends… and John.

John and I met at work eight months ago when I noticed he was reserved, kind, helpful, and soft-spoken. He seemed to be paying close attention to me, not in a creepy way, but clearly demonstrating that he was ascertaining my character, our compatibility and whether I was noticing him. I was. He wasn’t my type; I thought, but somehow I kept observing.

At that time, I was in transition, and he was in a holding pattern of a sort, quiet about the details until we agreed to get better acquainted. John was an inventor awarded a U.S. Patent years ago. His intelligence and creativity intrigued me.

I’ve long involved myself with entrepreneurial projects, so this side of him was attractive. It seemed John and I had business potential together if we should decide to devote our resources to that path.

He consistently demonstrated good man qualities yet I kept thinking he wasn’t my type, darn it! One day I came to my senses, realizing that the men who were “my type” were those who were fawww.PanacheVue.com

miliar, with qualities similar to my father or men from my failed romances.

John and I took the time to get acquainted naturally over three-plus months at work. The more I learned, the more I liked about him. He was a single father for 16 years with custody of two boys, and the third had recently left home. He had longevity at previous jobs if only to provide for his sons. He was kind and demonstrated compassion.

He had good social filters and appropriate behavior in mixed company.

He seemed to be an excellent candidate for the instant grandfather to my young grandchildren. My grandchildren–with their healthy intuition for judging character–warmed up to him right away when we finally agreed to be a couple.

John is a good man in every way that is important to me. Breaking up with a good man is more difficult than breaking up with a man like my father. We communicate, we cuddle, and we laugh! He keeps his word; he is helpful, he is kind and loving. He is trustworthy and respectable. He loves me, and it seems nothing is wrong.

The last four chaotic months of my transitional life would have been unbearable without John. He was my rock. My helper, my cheerleader, and my solace.

John tells me that while we no longer have a commitment to a long-term romantic relationship together, he will be here for me.

I believe him.

This path I’m on to improve my life, to step up to my full potential, is one that John supports for me because he knows my credentials and how I have been working persistently and consistently toward my goals.

Although he’s not interested in participating in the activities my path requires of me and my partner, he is thoughtful and generous enough not to impede my progress on the path. Instead, John is being a good man, a good person, and mostly a good friend to say, “I support you and encourage you to pursue your career and will do so from the sidelines.”

Instead of “breaking up”, let’s call what we’re doing “being mature, good adults who choose to be best friends.”

Originally published by The Good Men Project at: http://goodmenproject.com/ featured-content/why-im-breaking-upwith-a-good-man-kcon/

Lisa M. Blacker is a creative en-

trepreneur-academic with diverse skills and interests, claiming the

title "The Profound Generalist in Life and Blog". She is educated in

biomedical sciences, psychology and business administration and loves projects that involve the combination.

In the last 6 years since drop-

ping out of medical school, she has enjoyed eclectic projects in business development with an emphasis on promotional marketing and

ghostwriting. She is thrilled to have

added writing and publishing under her own name for sites including

Entrepreneur (http://www.entrepre-

neur.com/author/lisa-m-blacker) and GoodMenProject (http://www.

GoodMenProject.com/author/lmblacker)

Lisa's latest project calls upon

her education in psychology, her personal experiences as a Fatherless Daughter, a single mother, and

as an advocate for non-residential fathers: She is writing a book for

Fatherless Daughters and their fa-

thers and mothers. You can follow

her work in this area at http://www.

FatherlessDaughter.info

A native of suburban Chicago,

Lisa currently enjoys a slower pace in rural Central Illinois.

PANACHE VUE’

21

DÉCOR

DARE TO GO ALL WHITE? JOSEPH PUBILLONES

Q

: I've always wanted an all-white living room but just had to wait until the grandchildren had grown old enough! My question is about buying white carpeting. Would doing so be a mistake?

A: Not if you shop wisely and choose the right fiber and, ideally, the right protective finish. A good place to research is on the website of the Carpet and Rug Institute, an industry organization that is all

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about educating the consumer.

Meanwhile, a practical suggestion: Consider nixing wall-to-wall carpeting in favor of a white area rug, which would be easier to handle when/if your all-white scheme begins to look a bit dim. Not only that, carpeting wall-to-wall is old thinking, according to today's top tastemakers.

Professional designers have come to prefer area rugs that show off the flooring beneath -- in the photo we show here, that's hardwood stained dark to add dramatic contrast to the mostly white color scheme. Even the artwork on the whitepainted paneled walls is hushed. But look twice and you'll see other color notes, like the silvered chair and gold tones in the tables, and the dark throw over the tufted

white stool (furniture from Ethan Allen's "Melrose" collection).

Always fresh and soothing, white can be very right -- and sophisticated -- in any room in the house. For more inspiration, have a look at a lovely book called "Brilliant: White in Design" by Linda O'Keeffe.

A former editor at the late, lamented Metropolitan Home magazine, she explores the many reasons white has always been a favorite color for living rooms.

Q: Up against an ugly wall?

A: Think brick ... thin brick, the real thing but only an inch thick so it can be applied to walls, floors and fireboxes with no major reconstruction required.

From a Connecticut company aptly entitled Stone Farm, Reclaimed Thin Brick comes pre-used and pre-mellowed from old factories, mills and schools around New England, and goes up with troweled-on mortar, just like the real, thick version. Have a look at reclaimedthinbrickveneer.com.

Q: Want a peek at tomorrow's homefront?

A: We got an eyeful of the future from industrial designer Vittorio Cascianelli of the Electrolux Industrial Design Center, who studies how the world lives and works at home and helps create products to make life easier and better.

Here's a sample of what his ethnographic research turned up at the latest Consumer Electronics Show and Housewares trade show: --Invisible products, that is, technology that is hidden, say, a marble countertop with integrated cooking technology -- you don't see the range until you turn it on -and stainless-steel refrigerators that tell their interior temperature so discretely the readout looks like part of the door design.

--3-D printers that use sugar-based materials instead of plastic. Kids can print their own cookies.

--Robotics on the homefront. Would you kill for a robot that washes windows automatically -- on both sides?

Still, as Victor himself observed, "How much technology is too much?

There are way too many inputs in our lives today!" (Maybe, but you have to love that window washer!)

GREEN LIVING

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT recycled sea shells for countertops?

BY GENE MCDONALD

L

ike many of the countertops I make, it’s always something different. I love the recycled products and designs out there, but this request was something that really got me excited. The customer asked if I can remove some sea shell mulch from her driveway and make countertops with the shells.

Of course I said yes, and then figured out if it is possible or not. We actually went to her home with some empty buckets and a shovel and removed the shell mulch. We cleaned the shells in our shop and removed twigs. We then dried out the shells and were ready. We templated her existing countertops and came back to our shop to build the new molds. It was exciting watching another way of using recycled materials.

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Many people think recycled materials for countertops are boring, bland and just out right ugly. But looking at these countertops, those three words never cross your mind. I also think they are not over the top like some other creations I make where they may be too personalized. These shells look great and can be used for beach homes, condos, and even seafood restaurants. But the real concept of diverting all these shells from the landfill has an inner happiness as well. Now you can talk about a story behind the surface, it’s a wonderful conversation piece. These shells were poured into a premium super durable epoxy which is stain and scratch resistant. Much like quartz type maintenance, you cannot cut on it but

the non-porous surface gives super resistance to everyday stains. What other materials would do you guys think would be a great idea for countertops, table tops, and similar applications?

Gene McDonald, aka “The Counter Top Rock Star” is the President of Refresh Interiors Design.com. To schedule an appointment or Visit his showroom, visit www.ReFreshInteriorsDesign.com or Call 727.527.0206.

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DÉCOR

TAME A LOOMING ROOM WITH COLOR AND LIGHT JOSEPH PUBILLONES

Q

: Much as I love our new house, I'm uncomfortable in the living room because the ceiling is twostories high. It's a wonderful space, but I need a way to make it just a smidge cozier. Any advice will be helpful.

A: Illusion is all, in decorating. Yours is a nice problem to have: High ceilings are among the ultimate luxuries in

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life. And, yes, there is a magic bagful of decorating tricks that fool the eye -- and psyche -- into feeling less lost in space.

Basically, you want to fill that space, visually and emotionally. You can do it with color -- dark colors overhead make the ceiling feel closer; ergo, the room, cozier.

You can fill it with tall furniture, say, a highboy, grandfather clock or an arrangement of artworks that close up a looming wall. Think of the giant tapestries woven for the huge castles of yore.

They were there to help warm things up, in more ways than one.

You can also fill overhead space with low-hanging light fixtures. By bringing their spread of light down to more human scale, you'll focus attention on the living area itself, not on the soaring void overhead.

Imagine the room we show here without that amazing Baccarat chan-

delier. Designer James Rixner (james. rixner.com) needed both a roommaker and a space-taker when he decorated this, the Grand Salon of Blairsden, the New Jersey mansion that housed this year's Mansion in May (fundraiser for the Morristown Hospital).

We're looking into one corner of the enormous room. The other end (you saw it in last week's column) was a mirror image of this arrangement, featuring a second giant crystal chandelier. Not many of us are in the market for even one Baccarat masterpiece, but you can create the same space-filling effect with any hanging light fixture. Just install it low enough to embrace the seating group below.

Q: Need help choosing a color scheme for our split-level. The rooms kind of flow into each other. I don't know where to end one color and begin the next.

A: Do you really want to? If the space itself is on-flowing, perhaps wall colors should be, too. When you can see several adjoining spaces at one glance, you risk creating too much visual busyness by abruptly juxtaposing different colors.

It can be done, I hasten to add. Designer Alexander Julian famously used some 50 different paint colors in the sprawling country house he and his wife built in Connecticut. But keep in mind that Alex is a pro who made his mark early on with his fashion line called "Colours."

The rest of us should tread lightly when it comes to abutting different colors with no clear line of demarcation. I saw the blend handled beautifully on the Westhampton Garden Club's House & Garden Tour last week in the swellegant little village of Quogue, Long Island.

The homeowner chose colors that "duplicate and enhance the hues seen at first light on the horizon and its reflection in the water." Think softest blue-gray, barely pink, gentlest green, the hues quietly blending as you walk from one space to the next.

Nature, the great exterior decorator, also holds a clue or two to great interior decorating.

DÉCOR

MATCHING? A DECORATING IDEA THAT DIED OF BOREDOM JOSEPH PUBILLONES

Q

: When we remodel our kitchen, is it OK to mix cabinet woods and colors? I want white- or creampainted cabinets and an eat-on island. Can I choose a different wood or color for it? How about the countertops?

Should they match, too?

A: Matching in interior design -- and in apparel fashion -- is an old and tired idea that went out years ago. It simply died of boredom, proving yet again that it is possible to have too much of a thing, however good that thing may be.

Better to stimulate the eye with a variety of visual experiences, as designer John F. Troxell Jr. does in the kitchen we show here. Director of design at WoodMode (wood-mode.com), a top manufacturer of custom cabinetry, John says there are no more "suits" of furniture in decorating today.

The concept of matching "suits" came in with the upper-class fad for French furniture in the late l9th century and quickly caught on with mass producers, who convinced middle-class home decorators that matching was the way to go in furniture, as well as china and silver, pocketbooks and shoes.

Before then, John says, people would have lived with an accumulation of heirlooms and new pieces in a merry mix of styles, woods and colors, "a collection of a lifetime, a heritage of travel, of personal interests ... " We've gone back to living with such a "merry mix" today. In this kitchen, for example, John deliberately mixes hardwood

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and painted cabinets. The island is walnut -- "almost a furniture piece" -- surrounded by painted cabinets. Look closely, and you'll see that he's repeated the walnut inside the glass-fronted cabinets, a subtle designer touch that ups the ante on elegance and adds "drama," John says.

More mixology: he uses different hardware on the cabinets and combines different styles of cabinet doors: The island cabinets have raised center panels; the wall cabinets, flat panels.

And, yes, it's OK to mix countertops, too. The counters you see here are made of engineered quartz (Caesarstone), but as John points out, he also installed one countertop that's made of mahogany (just outside the picture).

Matchless design? In every sense of the word!

Q: We have to make over our tiny guest room for my niece, who's going to

be living with us for the next year while she finishes college. It was the maid's room -- we have an old Victorian -- so there's a private bath. But that and a small window are its only good features. How can we decorate to make the room more appealing to a 20-year-old?

A: Find out her favorite colors and paint them in wide horizontal stripes around the room. Automatically, the space will look larger -- and livelier.

Carpet the floor wall to wall in a darkish compatible color. Dress the window in something unfussy, say, a Roman shade or plantation blinds. Stand a bookcase behind her bed as a useful headboard. Provide WiFi and ample wiring for all her devices.

Then squeeze in as many of the following as space permits: 1. Desk; 2. Good reading lamp(s); 3. Sprawl-able chair.

Coolest additives: a mini fridge and microwave.

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25

Concerts in Tampa, St. Pete & Clearwater

THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA

SHARE YOUR STORY & INSPIRE SUPPORT

APPLY TODAY! wedu.org/bemore

Tampa Bay Times Masterworks

The Bells & Pictures at an Exhibition

Michael Francis, conductor The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay James Bass, music and artistic director

Nov 6 -8

Tampa Bay Times Masterworks

Brahms’ Violin Concerto Michael Francis, conductor Tianwa Yang, violin

SAVE THE DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2016 at Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

Nov 13 - 15

Raymond James Pops

Curtis Stigers Celebrates Sinatra

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Jeff Tyzik, conductor Curtis Stigers, vocals & saxophone

Nov 20 - 22

Tianwa Yang, violin

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727.723.9777

FISHING

Grouper Fishing

BY CAPTAIN STEWART AMES

M

This healthy grouper ate a frozen sardine in 20 feet or water and was repeatedly thwarted in its efforts to get to the rocks

id to late November can be a challenging time for inshore fishermen on the West Central Coast of Florida. In most years, the redfish thin out a bit in late fall. The outstanding large sea trout fishing may or may not have begun yet either….so, if not, what other actionid istoavailable?

One can One would expect that, to catch a late November fish to target is gag be grouper.

Thought a challenging time for decent grouper close to shore, it would of most often as an inshore offshorefishermen fish, gags on the probably be necessary to sort through a Central Coast of significant number of short fish. This will move in towardsWest the beach in catchFlorida.

In most years, the up redfish able numbers every fall to fatten on thin isn’t the case however as there is not an out a bit lateshore fall. bait The before outstanding overabundance of smaller fish in these the abundance of in near large sea trout fishing may or may not depths. Typically, the number of overall retreating to the depths as winter’s cold have begun yet either….so, if not, what settles in.other In action recentisweeks, fishing hasto tarthere appear to be more short fish out a available?

One fish been excellent with many quality fish little deeper. These near shore bites are get is gag grouper. Thought of most ofbeing hooked inside of twenty five feet. ten as an offshore fish, gags will move as in likely to be keeper as a short fish, within a fewno miles the beachhisin catchAs a matter of fact, yearofin recent but bites are fewer and farther between. fatten up on tory has able beennumbers as goodevery fromfall thistoguide’s This translates into a real need for pathe abundance of near shore bait before perspective.

A logical explanation for tience when fishing shallow. Expect to retreating to the depths as winter’s cold the “better than average” fishing is the set up on a spot and work it for a while. settles in. In recent weeks, fishing has more restrictive grouper regulations of fish Key West Grunts are usually the first fish been excellent with many quality 2012. With regulations as tight as they hooked and are a good indication that the being hooked inside of twenty five feet. a matter of fact, year in recent were, it As appears more fishnowere left to hisboat is positioned over the right kind of tory been asthis good from this guide’s move into thehas shallows year. bottom…the small limestone patch reefs perspective. logical In past years, a Agood dayexplanation of “in- for that dot the coastline. Occasionally, the “better than average” fishing is the shore” grouper fishing might be catch- the first or second bait dropped will get more restrictive grouper regulations of With grouper so close to the beach, there’s ing a keeper or two in the 22 to 26 inch hammered by a nice grouper, but usual2012. With regulations as tight as they usually time to add other species to the cooler, range in were, two to three hours ly it’ssuch only after as this 26 the inch grunts redfish. have created it appears more of fishfishing. were left to This year,move numbers have doubled this on somewhat of a commotion and torn up a into the shallows this year. bites is lessbefore but thethe percentage of bites In past years, anotable good day of “innumerous trips.

Another trend bunch of baits larger grouper from legal sized is usually grouper fishing regardingshore” this shallow water might fishingbeiscatchroll in.

If agrouper do fish show, they’llhigher gendeeperinwater…30 – 50%.

This ing aof keeper or two in the 22 to 26 inch the number unstoppable, large fish erallythan be in caught a fairly short period range in two to three hours of fishing. requires some concentration on the hooked. On back to back trips, there of time so, if a few are caught, and then This year, numbers have been double part of the angler as the action may be were 6 and large fish the action settles down,allit’s a bit slow and then, of aprobably sudden, a this 5onvery numerous trips.hooked…

Another notafish that pulled line out at will from reels time to move.

All of the usual grouper are ble trend regarding this shallow water big fish is on. Key West Grunts with “bolted down” drags. baits will get the job done with frozen are a fishing is the number of unstoppable, usually the first fish hooked and goodand indication thetop boat is posihooked.

One large wouldfish expect that,On to back catchtoa back sardines pinfish that being choices. tioned over the kind way of bottom… trips, there were half dozen very large decent grouper close to ashore, it would Frozen sardines areright a good to get hooked…fish that pulled line out small limestone patch reefs. Occasionprobablyfish be necessary to sort through a the party started as they are oily and get at will from reels with “bolted down” ally, the first or second bait dropped significant number of short fish. In fact, scentwill distributed in the area being fished. result in a nice grouper, but usually drags.

M

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OUTDOOR SPORTS

FALL “INSHORE” Fall GROUPER FISHING “Inshore”

it’s only after the grunts have created somewhat of a commotion and torn up a bunch of baits before the bigger fish move in. All of the usual grouper baits will get the job done with frozen sardines and pinfish being top choices.

Frozen sardines are a good way to get the party started as they are oily and get scent distributed in the area being Generally, these fish are here from fished.

October into December but here early,from strong Generally, these fish are October December but early,For cold frontsinto can shorten this “season”. strongwith coldinshore fronts can this the “sea-best those or shorten bay boats, son”. For those with inshore or bay days are those with light winds, preferboats, the best days are those with light ably out of the east. The real beauty of winds, preferably out of the east. The these fish being sofish close is so that, after real beauty of these being close catching a few grouper, there’s still is that, after catching a few grouper, to there’sinstill time to come back inshore come and throw a few trout or redand in throw few trout redfish inlate thefall fish the acooler.

So,oralthough cooler. So, latebe falldifficult, fishing can, fishing can,although at times, there at times, be difficult, there are many are many November and early DecemNovember and early December days ber that excellent provide action. excellentGood action. thatdays provide Good luck and good fishing. luck and good fishing. n Captain Stewart Ames Gone Fishing Charters (727) 421-5291 www.Tampa-Fishing-Charter.com

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NUTRITION

FAMILY MEAL TIME

BY CHARLYN FARGO

S

tudies continue to suggest that family dynamics have an impact on children's body weight, especially when it comes to certain parental strategies, according to research by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The group recently held its annual meeting in Nashville. Parenting strategies that can have an impact on children's body weight include restricting food intake, using food as a reward and having strict rules about exercise, as well as a parent's own eating pattern and family dynamics.

People often tell tales of how their dislike of asparagus or creamed spinach originated, many claiming they couldn't leave the dinner table until they finished their veggies. Yet, in order to get kids to eat right, some parents force their children to eat, which tends to decrease

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their liking of that food altogether. What parents may think is a good strategy for getting children to eat nutrient-rich foods can often work against their greater goal.

Labeling foods as "bad" or forbidding foods may only increase a child's desire for the food. Parents who tightly control their own eating -- "restrained" eaters -may not notice they exert such excessive control over their children's food habits, which can lead to the risk of overweight children. And, using food as a reward, such as giving a child a cookie for completing his or her homework, can also lead to an increased desire or preference for that food. Forceful tactics for eating healthfully also apply to strict rules about exercise, often having the opposite effect: Children may end up exercising less.

Instead of using control, the Academy suggests trying to provide your child with healthy foods and a positive atmosphere for dining, and let the child select the foods and amounts. Remember, a child's appetite fluctuates during childhood, so once they communicate they are full, don't push kids to clean their plate. Encourage

an active lifestyle, but let your child pick his or her preferred activity -- dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking the dog, helping with lawn care and working in the family garden all count toward physical activity.

Finally, family dynamics can have a positive (or negative) effect on a child's weight. Try to cultivate a supportive environment. Through research findings, the family patterns most related to a healthy body weight include family closeness, a democratic-style of parenting, support and mind-stimulating activities in the home. Negative family patterns associated with overweight children include overprotectiveness or possessiveness and lack of parental support.

The bottom line? Aim for balance and openness around food and mealtimes.

Include children in meal planning, shopping and preparation to encourage a healthy weight. To help your children maintain a healthy body weight, stay away from using food as a reward and don't forbid specific foods. Provide fair

attitudes toward feeding and create a warm and open family environment at mealtimes.

Q AND A Q: I understand that it is healthier to get calcium from food rather than supplements.

Does the calcium added to almond milk count as a food or a supplement? Is there any risk of getting too much in this form?

A: Food is preferred over supplements as the source of calcium, says Dr. Bess DawsonHughes, director of Tufts' Bone Metabolism Laboratory. She considers calcium added to foods as being of food origin, although technically, "a hybrid." The recommended daily calcium intake is 1,000 to 1,200 mg for adults. This includes calcium from natural foods, fortified foods and supplements. The total intake should not go much above the amount recommended, Dawson-Hughes says. It can be tricky to determine exactly how much calcium is found in products, such as almond milk, because the nutrition facts panel typically lists calcium content only as a percentage of the daily value. The DV for calcium is 1,000 mg. A typical onecup serving of almond milk contains 20 to 45

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percent of the DV, depending on the brand, which translates into 200 to 450 mg.

Information courtesy of the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter.

RECIPE Don't put away your grill yet. Here's a recipe for honey-chipotle pork and sweet potato kabobs, from the National Pork Board, that is low in fat and high in vitamin A. HONEY-CHIPOTLE PORK & SWEET POTATO KABOBS • 1 pound pork chops, about 1-inch thick, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1 sweet potato (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes • 12 ounces small red or white potatoes, about 1-inch in diameter • Salt, to taste • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce • 1/2 cup honey • 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced • 12 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

• 8 (12-inch) wood or bamboo skewers (presoaked in water) Place sweet potatoes and red or white potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch and season water with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are cooked but still firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce, honey and chipotles. Divide mixture and half and set both batches aside. Thread pork, sweet potatoes, potatoes and scallions onto 8 skewers. Prepare a grill to medium-hot heat and thoroughly oil the grate. Cook 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side, brushing with one batch of sauce each time you turn, cooking until all 4 sides are browned and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Transfer skewers to a plate and set aside to rest 3 minutes. Sprinkle skewers with cheese and cilantro. Serve with remaining sauce on the side. Serves 4 (serving size: 2 skewers).

Per serving: 530 calories, 83 g carbohydrate, 29 g protein, 10 g fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 560 mg sodium.

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WELLNESS Coleen Boyle of the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities said there really is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, that women simply should not drink any alcohol while pregnant. "It's just not worth the risk."

COUNTS

47: the estimated maximum percentage of the edible U.S. seafood supply that is wasted annually through poor handling, storage, processing, distribution and simply tossing it away, uneaten.

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future

SOCIAL MEDIA UNPLUGGED

develop regular bedtimes or to lengthen the time in bed would seem to be able to compensate for the disruption that this can cause."

BY SCOTT LAFEE

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

I

t's well-documented that teens need a good eight to nine hours of solid sleep each night to perform well in school and develop healthfully.

But even parents successful at getting their kids to bed at a decent hour and get up at a reasonable one struggle with what happens in between: A new study out of Cardiff University says more than 1 in 5 teenagers surveyed say they "almost always" wake up during the night to look at or post messages on social media.

More than a third of 12- to 15-yearolds say they do so at least once a week.

The researcher say that beyond disrupting sleep, the use of social media in the wee hours also seems to affect teens' overall levels of happiness and sense of wellbeing.

"Having a regular wake-time and using social media during the night appear to be more important in determining whether a young person is always tired during the day than the time they go to bed, how long they spend in bed and having a regular bedtime," said study author Kimberly Horton.

"It seems (very) important to discourage adolescents from using social media during the night. No amount of effort to

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The average duration of a single blink of the human eye is 0.3 second. The average person blinks 25 times per minute, or about 13.14 million blinks per year.

NUMBER CRUNCHER

One glazed doughnut from Dunkin' Donuts contains 180 calories, 72 from fat.

It has 8 grams of total fat, or 12 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

It also contains zero milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium (10 percent), 25 grams of total carbohydrates (8 percent), 1 gram of dietary fiber, 6 grams of sugar and 3 grams of protein.

STORIES FOR THE WAITING ROOM

Alcohol use during pregnancy is linked to birth defects and developmental disabilities in babies, not to mention an increased risk of problems during pregnancy, including miscarriage, stillbirth and prematurity.

And yet, according to new Centers for Disease Control findings, one in 10 pregnant women say they drink alcohol. About one-third of them say they binge drink (four or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion).

PHOBIA OF THE WEEK Linonophobia: fear of string.

NEVER SAY DIET

The Major League Eating record for soft tacos is 48 in 11 minutes, held by Sonya Thomas.

BEST MEDICINE

During a physical exam, a doctor remarked on a new patient's extraordinarily ruddy complexion. The patient replied, "High blood pressure, doc. It comes from my family."

"Your mother's side or your father's," asked the doctor.

"Neither," replied the patient. "My wife."

OBSERVATION

"Exercising would be so much more rewarding if calories screamed while you burned them." -- Unknown

MEDICAL HISTORY

This week in 1900, American physician Jesse Lazear, 34, was bitten by a mosquito carrying yellow fever while conducting experiments in Quemados, Cuba, to investigate the transmission of that disease.

His death two weeks later proved that the mosquito was the carrier of yellow fever.

LAST WORDS

"Too late for fruit, too soon for flowers."

-- English poet Walter De La Mare (18731956)

WELLNESS

DINE HARD

BY SCOTT LAFEE

T

he motto of the Center for Science in the Public Interest is "Transforming the American Diet." The group strives to do this through such efforts as improved nutrition labeling, food safety education and getting rid of bad stuff -- e.g., trans fats -- in commercial foods.

Once a year, CSPI goes on a binge and partakes of fare proffered by the nation's restaurant chains. The postdining result is called the Xtreme Eating Awards. This year's top "dishonoree" is Red Lobster, with its "Create Your Own Combination" offer of assorted shrimp entrees, pasta, Caesar salad, french fries and a cheese biscuit washed down with a 24-ounce margarita. Total calorie count: 3,600, or nearly twice the recommended daily calorie allotment for an average person hoping to live an average life span.

Other dubious winners: Steak 'n Shake's 7x7 Steakburger, featuring seven beef patties and seven slices of cheese (plus fries); IHOP's chorizo fiesta omelet (1,300 calories), which comes with three pancakes and 42 grams of saturated fat; Sonic's large pineapple upside-down Master Blast shake, weighing in at 2,020 calories, or the equivalent of four Dairy Queen banana splits; and Louisiana chicken pasta (2,370 calories, 80 grams of saturated fat and 2,370 milligrams of sodium) from The Cheesecake Factory, a perennial contender in our enduring effort to eat ourselves to death.

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE Hair today, gone tomorrow. The average person loses 60 to 100 strands of hair each day, part of the natural process of recycling follicles. The rate is affected by factors such as season, pregnancy, illness, diet and age. The life span of a hair is three to seven years, on average.

GET ME THAT, STAT! Nearly 1.3 million people die in road

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crashes each year, according to the Association for Safe International Road Travel. (Roughly 37,000 are in the U.S.) More than half of the fatalities involve people between the ages of 15 and 44.

COUNTS 250: number of gallons of water the average American family uses daily.

5: number of gallons used daily by the average African family.

Source: "Troubled Water," by Anita Roddick (2004).

MANIA OF THE WEEK Entheomania: abnormal belief that one is divinely inspired.

OBSERVATION "Never eat anything at one sitting that you can't lift." -- Miss Piggy MEDICAL HISTORY This week in 2004, the British Medical Journal published the first study quantifying the health damage of

smoking over a lifetime. Researchers looked at 34,439 male British doctors who smoked, following them for 50 years. They found that almost half of persistent cigarette smokers were killed by their habit, and a quarter died before age 70. Those who quit by age 30 had the same life expectancy as a nonsmoker.

Even quitting at age 50 saved six years of life compared with those who continued smoking. At age 80, 65 percent of nonsmokers were still alive, but only 32 percent of smokers were.

CURTAIN CALLS In 1998 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the Bena Tshadi soccer team was hosting Basanga, lightning struck the field. Half of the players immediately collapsed to the turf, some writhing while holding their ears and eyes.

According to reports, all 11 members of the visiting Basanga team died, but no Bena Tshadi players were hurt. Thirty other people -- coaches and spectators -suffered non-life-threatening burns.

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NUTRITION

HEALTHY EATING TRENDS

BY CHARLYN FARGO

C

lean eating, healthy makeovers for packaged products, probiotics, sprouted grains -- those were some of the hottest foods trends at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo, the world's largest meeting of food and nutrition professionals. Over 11,000 dietitians met in Nashville recently to learn about the latest nutrition news and food trends.

Here are some of the trends you can expect to see more of in your grocery stores: More clean, minimally processed foods.

Manufacturers are getting rid of artificial colors and flavors as consumers want real and unprocessed, more sustainable foods.

Transparency. Manufacturers want to be open and honest with consumers about where their food comes from -- whether it's

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milk in the dairy cooler or tuna in a can.

Pulses. Pulses include legumes, peas, dry beans, lentils and chickpeas. 2016 has been named the International Year of Pulses. Pulses are in a variety of hummus products as well as baked into chips and pastas.

Sprouted grains and seeds. Bread made from sprouted grains also has less carbohydrates and higher protein and vitamins and minerals and is thought to be easier to digest. Now we are seeing sprouted watermelon and pumpkin seeds as snacks. Kashi has a sprouted grain cereal and Panera sells sprouted bread with its soup.

Healthier on-the-go snacks. FNCE's big expo of products included singe-serve salads -- with ingredients packaged separately -- as well as new, healthier frozen meals, globally inspired.

Options for full-fat dairy as well as lower fat. The idea is to give consumers more choices in the marketplace. Research still supports a lower fat diet is best, but consumers who need extra fat in their diet want manufacturers to give them options.

Gluten-free remains popular for new

products. It's not that more people have celiac disease, but more consumers want a choice to go gluten-free if they desire.

Probiotics. Beyond yogurt, you're seeing probiotics in beverages like Kefir. GoLive also offers a probiotic in the lid that will come alive when mixed in a drink.

Q AND A

Q: I keep hearing about "sprouted grains."

What are they and what's all the fuss about?

A: Sprouted grains are whole grains that are soaked and then put under controlled conditions until the heat and moisture prompt development of a small sprout.

The wet sprouted grains can then be pureed and used to make bread or other grain products. The sprouted grains can also be dried for use as a cooked grain (just as you would cook rice) or ground into sprouted grain flour. Many different types of whole grains are available as sprouted grains, including brown rice, wheat, millet and buckwheat.

Much of the interest in sprouted grains involves potential for increased amount and absorbability of dietary fiber and some

nutrients, including vitamin C and several B vitamins (including all-important folate).

Grain products normally only contain small amounts of vitamin C. In sprouted grains, enzymes are activated that break down a compound in whole grains called phytic acid. Since phytic acid can tie up iron, this means that more iron from the whole grains and other plant foods eaten at the same time may be better absorbed.

However, research supporting nutritional benefits is not as established as some headlines may make it seem. Health benefits that headlines tie to sprouted grains are often referring to studies in rats and mice, or short-term studies of less than 20 people eating the sprouted grains in multiple servings every day. And some studies compare sprouted grains to refined grains, which could reflect the well-established greater healthfulness of whole grains in general compared to refined grains (like white bread and white rice). If you want try sprouted whole grains, they have potential to offer extra nutritional benefits. Nevertheless, if you are choosing whole grains and eating

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a wide variety of plant foods, those are the most important steps for getting bountiful nutrients and protective compounds.

Note: Raw, uncooked sprouts can pose food safety concerns and the Food and Drug Administration recommends children, the elderly, pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems avoid eating raw sprouts.

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

RECIPE

If you want more whole grains in your diet, try this recipe for whole-grain cornbread, from Cooking Light's new Holiday issue.

Make it a day ahead of your Thanksgiving meal and use it for cornbread dressing or it eat fresh with dinner.

WHOLE GRAIN CORNBREAD

1 1/2 cups whole grain yellow cornmeal 1 cup white whole-wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups nonfat buttermilk 1/4 cup canola oil 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in oven.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (leave pan in oven as it preheats). Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and eggs stirring with a whisk. Add to cornmeal mixture; stir just until batter is combined. Cut butter into pieces. Carefully place butter in hot skillet in oven; bake at 450 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes or until butter melts and begins to brown. Carefully remove pan from oven and pour butter into batter, stirring just until combine. Immediately pour batter into pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned on edges and lightly browned on top. Cook 5 minutes before slicing; serve warm. Serves 12 (serving size: 1 wedge).

Per serving: 185 calories, 5 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 9.1 g fat, 39 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 301 mg sodium.

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NUTRITION

RETHINKING ENERGY DRINKS

BY CHARLYN FARGO

W

e may need a new warning on those oh-so-popular energy drinks: They may be harmful to your health, especially if you're a teenager. A team of researchers from the World Health Organization says increased consumption of energy drinks may pose a danger to public health, especially among young people. The researchers posted their warning in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

Energy drinks are classified as nonalcoholic beverages that contain caffeine, vitamins and other ingredients such as taurine, ginseng and guarana. They are typically marketed as boosting energy and increas-

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ing physical and mental performance.

"From a review of the literature, it would appear that concerns in the scientific community and among the public regarding the potential adverse health effects of the increased consumption of energy drinks are broadly valid," writes Joao Breda, lead researcher with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. He and his colleagues reviewed literature on the health risks of energy drinks.

In Europe, energy drinks first hit European markets in 1987, and the industry has since boomed worldwide. In the U.S., sales increased by around 10 percent per year between 2008 and 2012, and almost 500 new brands hit the market in 2006. The European Food Safety Authority estimates that 30 percent of adults, 68 percent of adolescents, and 18 percent of children below 10 years consume energy drinks.

High levels of caffeine are one of the major risks with energy drinks. Because energy drinks can be consumed quickly,

(unlike hot coffee), researchers say they are more likely to cause caffeine intoxication.

Caffeine intoxication can lead to heart palpitations, hypertension, nausea and vomiting, convulsions, psychosis, and in rare cases, death. In addition, researchers found that adolescents who often take energy drinks are also more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as sensation seeking, substance abuse and binge drinking.

Researchers also found that over 70 percent of young adults (aged 18 to 29 years) who consumed energy drinks mixed them with alcohol.

"As energy drink sales are rarely regulated by age, unlike alcohol and tobacco, and there is a proven potential negative effect on children, there is the potential for a significant public health problem in the future," the authors concluded.

Q AND A

Q: What do you suggest for healthy choices

when tailgating?

A: There are many options for tailgate parties that promote good health by providing plenty of plant foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans and limiting high calorie foods. If you grill, choose chicken and include some vegetable kebabs.

If you like make-ahead dishes, chili, sloppy joes, lasagna and enchilada casserole can all be lean and healthy when prepared with lots of vegetables and beans. Try them with lean ground turkey if you don't want to make them vegetarian; if the dish includes cheese, limit the amount and use reduced-fat options.

For options that let you do the prep work in advance, stir-fry some vegetables and chicken, and let people create their own fajitas by rolling them up in whole-wheat tortillas, with or without some reduced-fat cheese. If your tailgates tend toward sandwiches and subs, make them lean with fresh meat such as turkey or a lean roast beef and load them with vegetables. Cut the sand-

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wiches into small sections to make portion control easier for people, and make some with whole-grain bread and rolls. Since it's easy to go through more chips than intended, provide a range of vegetables instead; add some whole-wheat pita bread wedges and hummus. Grapes and melon chunks on skewers or toothpicks make a healthy way to finish off the tailgate with a sweet note.

Since drinks can add unwanted calories, make sure to offer one or more calorie-free selections, such as water (plain, sparkling water, or infused with fruit or cucumber and basil) and tea (iced, plain or hot chaiflavored tea.

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

RECIPE

Here's a great autumn salad, crunchy apple and fennel slaw, that goes well with roasted or grilled meats. It's from Seasons magazine from Hy-Vee.

CRUNCHY APPLE AND FENNEL SLAW • • • • • •

21/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 11/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 small fennel bulbs 2 firm crisp eating apples such as Pink Lady, Jazz or Gala, cored

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

For apple vinaigrette, in a medium bowl, whisk together cider vinegar, tarragon and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in olive oil; set aside. Trim stalks from fennel; cut bulbs into thin strips and chop enough fronds for 1 tablespoon. Add fennel strips and fronds to dressing. Cut apples into julienne strips; toss with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

Per serving: 120 calories, 1 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 0 cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 40 mg sodium.

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WELLNESS

A RECIPE FOR HOPE. Learn to Cook!

JOSEPH PUBILLONES

P

icture this. You're feeling crummy so you call your family doctor for a checkup. The next day, he shows up at your house and asks to see your kitchen pantry, fridge and freezer. You're astonished. He eyes your stash of cola and Oreos, smiles warmly, and wanders over to your pots and pans (assuming you have some.)

"Do you own a grill pan?" the good doctor asks.

"What about a food processor?"

"How many meals do you cook at home every week?"

What? Welcome to the world of culinary medicine, a delicious new movement in health care that recognizes and celebrates the importance of real food -- especially cooking it at home -- when it comes to quickly, substantially, improving your health.

Dr. Rani Polak is a teacher of culinary medicine, a physician-chef at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He knows that people who cook at home tend to be healthier. They consume more fruits and veggies, eat healthier fats and have easier portion control. As a re-

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sult, they are less overweight, with better digestion and stronger hearts. But here's the problem: People aren't cooking nearly as much as they used to. (Let's hear it for bringing back home economics.)

"There's been a 42 percent increase in eating away from home in the last 40 years," reports Polak, who has devoted his practice to getting people cooking again, including doctors themselves, who spend most of medical school eating from vending machines.

Here's the bitter truth: Most doctors in the U.S. know next-to-nothing about nutrition. It's still not part of the training in about 75 percent of medical schools.

This is in spite of a recent JAMA article acknowledging that a poor diet is the No. 1 risk factor for disease and death in the U.S. Sick patients are desperate for nutritional counseling. Doctors aren't equipped to give it. This is a disconnect the size of Rhode Island.

And it's one reason why culinary medicine started percolating back in 2008, when chef-physician John La Puma published his book called "ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine." It's still a great resource and guide to building a "culinary medicine chest" with 50 foods that help prevent and control a variety of health issues, from Arthritis to Zits.

Currently, there are about 30 institutions around the country teaching Culinary Medicine, including Polak's. I recently sat in on one of his classes and here

are a few highlights: ANY KIND OF COOKING IS BETTER THAN NONE. Good news, Dear Reader: You don't have to master healthy meal making to make a big improvement in your well-being. "It almost doesn't matter what people cook at home," Polak reports. The important thing is that you cook. Any style of cooking is better for your health than no cooking.

EXPECT OBSTACLES. Finding the time to cook is a common problem people wrestle with. Get over it. If you're being true to yourself about improving your health, then you'll make the time.

Cook multiple meals at one session and store them in the freezer. (Lentils freeze well. So do chickpeas and rice.) Two other obstacles are poor skills and low confidence. Most grown-ups just don't feel secure in the kitchen (or, like my own dear father, aren't sure where it is.)

Once you do have a taste of success preparing simple, tasty meals, your confidence will sizzle.

IMPLEMENT YOUR PLAN "Buy a grill pan and use it," Polak advises.

Add a little olive oil, and it's perfect for stovetop grilling vegetables like eggplant or asparagus that don't need to cook through), chicken breasts, fish fillets, thin sliced beef. He much prefers an iron grill pan, and recommends against a non-stick because it usually scratches and becomes toxic.

FOOD OVER SUPPLEMENTS. Polak talks to clients about eating fish, not omega-3. He'd rather you get fiber from vegetables, not fiber pills. Sometimes supplements are necessary but it's better to think in terms of food -- lean meats, healthy fats, nuts and seeds -- than nutrients.

If culinary medicine spreads, more patients will come home from their doctor's office with prescriptions for spinach-feta frittatas, and America's health care crisis will fizzle faster than a deep-fried corn dog.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! CHEW ON THIS "I had fewer than four hours of nutrition training in the 3,000 lecture hours of medical school." -- Dr. John La Puma

WELLNESS

YOGURT, THE SIGGI WAY

BY CHARLYN FARGO

S

iggi Hilmarsson was raised in Iceland on a traditional Icelandic diet -- fish, potatoes, dense rye bread and plenty of skyr yogurt. After moving to the U.S. in his mid-20s to attend Columbia Business School, he become homesick for skyr, the traditional Icelandic yogurt he grew up with. He found yogurts in the U.S. too sweet and with too many ingredients.

So he got busy and made his first yogurt batch in his apartment kitchen. That was December 2004.

"My great-grandma used to make skyr," said Hilmarsson, who spoke at the recent Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual meeting in Nashville. "I had to call her to find out the secret. I became obsessed with making it."

His goal was to replicate his childhood skyr -- with simple ingredients, not a lot of sugar -- which became his motto. He feels that philosophy applies to a lot of other foods as well.

Hilmarsson kept experimenting with his homemade yogurt, soon moving his operation to a local agricultural college in upstate New York. Within a year, he had quit his corporate job, set up yogurt production with a small dairy farm in Chenango County, New York, and started selling his products at an outdoor farmers market in New York City.

"Yogurt has a sugar problem," said Hilmarsson. "Coke has 39 grams of sugar; traditional U.S. yogurt can have 29 grams in a 6 ounce serving. The difference is people don't think about Coke for breakfast or as a health food, but they do yogurt. There's a disconnect with the amount of sugar."

He expanded the market for his highprotein, low-sugar yogurt to Whole Foods.

In 10 years, his company is one of the fastest growing yogurts in the U.S., with 27 percent less sugar than any other brand, and in 90,000 stores.

"My philosophy is to eat food that

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makes you feel good, not just when you eat it, but 30, 79, 90, 120 minutes after you eat it -- a delayed gratification," said Hilmarsson. "We went through a lot of painful years to get where we are today. We're going to stick with what we know -- simple ingredients, not much sugar."

Q AND A Q: How often should I weigh myself to lose weight and then keep it off?

A: How often is likely different for each person, but overall research suggests that regular weighing can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. A recent analyses of studies concluded that checking your weight somewhere between daily and weekly helps prevent weight gain and supports weight loss. Regular weighing can act both as a reminder to continue behavior changes you make and as a way of catching and reversing small weight gains before they become big ones In one study of people trying to lose weight, those who checked their weight daily lost more weight and changed more eating and exercise habits even compared to people who checked several times a week.

However, in studies like this, it's not clear whether checking weight more often led to more behavior change and weight loss, or whether the people more prepared to change behavior were the ones more consistent in weighing themselves. But it does no good to weigh yourself more than once a day; all you see are shifts in water balance. For some, this behavior can be a sign of developing an unhealthy obsession with weight.

Many factors influence whether weight checks help you. Don't use weight checks as fuel for self-criticism, but as feedback on the effects of recent eating and activity choices.

In other words, it's not just getting a number that is helpful, but what you learn as you take a few minutes to think about why your weight did or did not change. Then make plans accordingly for behavior choices you want to make over the next few days.

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

RECIPE Here's a recipe using Siggi's yogurt that's high in fiber and low in sugar.

PUMPKIN & SPICE OVERNIGHT OATS • 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats • 1/3 cup almond milk • 1/3 cup Siggi's 0 percent plain yogurt • • 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon • Sprinkle of nutmeg to taste • Pinch of salt • 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup Combine all ingredients in a container.

Make sure it is mixed well. Cover and store in the refrigerator until the oats absorb all the liquid, at least four hours or overnight. Can be served warm or cold.

Makes 1 serving.

Per serving: 190 calories, 12 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 7 g sugars, 3.5 g fat, 0 g cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 330 mg sodium.

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T R AV E L

BLACK PEARLS AND BLUE LAGOONS Beckon to the Cook Islands

BY DOUG HANSEN

A

s our overnight flight from Los Angeles neared Rarotonga, the main island of the Cook Islands, I felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension. The 15 islands of the Cook Islands, tucked halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii in the South Pacific, had left an indelible impression on me 34 years ago. I recalled calm, azure lagoons, sandy beaches, angular mountains and affable, English-speaking people. Had my enchanted island changed since then?

Thankfully, it had not. There were still no mega-resorts, no buildings taller than a coconut palm and no stoplights on the sole two-lane road that snakes around the island's 21-mile circumference. With its small population -- around 10,000 -Rarotonga felt uncrowded, and the light amount of traffic drove politely, Britishstyle, on the opposite side of the road. The island appeared clean and tidy (due in part

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to the Ministry of Health's monthly inspections and fines imposed for unsightly trash).

A short drive from the airport brought us to our hotel on one of the nicest lagoons on the island, Muri Beach. From our upstairs balcony we gazed upon an idyllic tropical island scene: Coconut palms framed the waist-deep lagoon and a motu, or island, a couple of hundred yards away. Small tour boats ferried visitors to the island, and the sounds of drumming and laughing filled the air as people ate, swam and played games.

The rainy weather brought strong winds that propelled kite-surfers across the lagoon with breathtaking speed. The friendly dogs that frequented the beach prompted our Muri Beach Club Hotel to sponsor a whimsical contest to see which guest could carry the most of them across the lagoon on a kayak (the winner had four). On a more serious note, I was delighted to learn that our hotel participated in the "Safe Passage" tagging program that monitored humpback whales as they passed through the Cook Islands' waters on their annual migration.

From beachside cafes to more upscale venues, we found the food to be excellent, especially the seafood. At the popular Mooring Cafe, with tables on the sand, I had my all-time favorite blackened tuna tacos. My wife savored the FOB (fresh off the boat) mahi-mahi sandwich. During

the Highland Paradise cultural evening we not only sampled traditional Polynesian foods, but we also learned a great deal about the island's tribes, customs and ancient battles. An American couple on their honeymoon raved about their progressive dinner tour that introduced them to a variety of traditional foods in local peoples' homes.

I particularly enjoyed my morning bike tour with the Storytellers Eco Cycle Tours. Our small group pedaled behind a local tour guide, Ani, who led us through the village where she grew up. She shared insights about how her uncles, aunts and cousins lived, farmed and divided ownership of the land. Two dominant themes in the Cook Islands, she explained, are religion and land ownership.

Most of the Christian faiths have established churches in the Cook Islands, yet the blending of old and new traditions was demonstrated by the above-ground tombs in front of many homes, allowing deceased loved ones to remain close to the family.

Though we're not big shoppers, my wife and I were captivated by the island's iridescent black pearls, found mainly in the Cook Islands and French Polynesia; we bought a few as special mementos of our trip.

One of the more unique and memorable people on Rarotonga was a nutritionist-healer-trekker-extraordinaire named

Pa. We joined him on his nature walk, during which he extolled the virtues of noni and other local herbs from his garden before setting off on a hike through the countryside and a brief detour straight up a steep hillside, which he traversed barefoot. Next time we want to do Pa's renowned cross-island trek -- a "must-do" for visitors who hike.

One of our goals was to explore other parts of the Cook Islands, so we flew on Air Rarotonga to neighboring Aitutaki, which Tony Wheeler of the Lonely Planet Guide called "the most beautiful island in the world." Only a 45-minute flight away, Aitutaki's fragmented coral atolls form a necklace around its 20-square-mile, brilliantly colored lagoon. I agreed with a tour book that proclaimed, "The view of Aitutaki when approaching by air is one of the most stunning sights that travelers to this part of the world will experience."

Aitutaki was indeed so appealing that three days there wasn't enough. We felt fortunate to have stayed at the Tamanu Beach Hotel in a thatch-roofed bungalow because the hotel's location on the west side of the island meant that the strong winds from the east were blocked, which resulted in calm water and gorgeous sunsets. The nearby lagoon was not only a work of art to behold, but it also offered the best snorkeling of our trip. The shallow, warm waters contained coral formations teeming with small fish of every hue,

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blue starfish and countless sea cucumbers on the sea floor. In the early morning, I kayaked out to the distant coral reef, where I observed the near-mystical manner in which the thrashing ocean was transformed into a placid lagoon.

One of the highlights of our visit was the five-hour boat tour of the vast Aitutaki lagoon. Despite the strong winds, the sunlight painted the water with a palate of blue hues that defied description. Our boat stopped at beaches where we swam or explored the land nearby, but when we anchored in the middle of the lagoon, we watched in amazement as two giant fish with basketball-sized mouths emerged from the depths to devour the pieces of fish that our guides has tossed nearby.

Our weeklong visit to the Cook Islands had met and exceeded our expectations.

When I thought back to my earlier travels across Asia, I had been inspired by a travel motto "Be inspired, be adventurous and be yourself." This is exactly what we experienced in this South Pacific paradise, the Cook Islands. It was worth the wait.

WHEN YOU GO Muri Beach Club Hotel Rarotonga: www. muribeachclubhotel.com; 682-23-000.

Tamanu Beach Hotel, Aitutaki, hosts a fun Polynesian dance and fire dance show: www.tamanubeach.com; 682-31-810.

Storytellers Eco Cycle Tours: www. storytellers.co.ck; 682-23-450 or 682-53-

450.

Highland Paradise Cultural Center offers a "Drums of Our Forefathers Extravaganza Evening" and village tour: www. highlandpradise.co.ck; 682-21-924.

Pa's Treks: www.pastreks.com; 68221-079. Pa is a unique herbalist and trekking tour guide. Try his cross-island trek.

The Akirata Cultural Dance Troupe at the Islander Hotel is a first-class performance: www.islanderhotel.co.ck.

Te Vaka Cruise, Aitutaki: www.thevakacruise.com. The five-hour tour ends at One Foot Island with the world's smallest post office amid a tropical paradise.

Bergman and Sons and Moana Gems are trustworthy black pearl stores.

For good food, there's Mooring Fish Cafe at Avana Harbor and Tupuna Cafe, one of Aitutaki's most popular casual restaurants (try their mud crab).

Aitutaki Village restaurant by the sea is romantic and has a great view: www. aitutakivillage.com.

Nautilus Resort Muri Beach: www. nautilusresortrarotonga.com. Brand-new and elegant, perfect for honeymooners.

New Zealand Airlines offers weekly nonstop flights from Los Angeles: www. airnewzealand.com or 800-262-1234.

Air Rarotonga provides interisland flights: www.airraro.com For more information: www.cookislands.travel or www.paradiseincookislands.com

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