January-February 2014

Michelle & Alex Rehm Malvern, PA

Is Your Trainer Up to Par? Gynecomastia –

a male ‘problem’ more common than you may realize.

Winter Smoothie Recipes!

4 1 0 2 YEAR!

W E N Y P HAP

et G o t e m i T It’s Your s! u o l u b a F Fit &

1 | PHILLYFIT

Month/Month | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

Joseph Kepko, D.O., Board Certified

● Physician Supervised Weight Loss ● Laser Hair Removal ● Tattoo Removal ● Skin Rejuvenation and Resurfacing ● Brown Spots and Redness Reduction ● Acne and Pore Reduction ● Botox and Fillers

10% OFF

Any Initial Treatment With this ad. Expires 2/15/14 Services for MEN, too!

2 | PHILLYFIT

215-945-8181 1 Red Rose Drive • Levittown, PA

215-245-7140 1556 Bristol Pike • Bensalem, PA

Month/Month | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

The area’s FIRST Veinwave™ provider!

(As seen recently on NBC, FOX NEWS, BBC, SKY, GMTV)

The Center for Vein Medicine has been treating men and women with varicose & spider veins for over 28 years. Board Certified General Vascular Surgeon and licensed Physician Assistant specialized in the treatment of varicose veins and their associated illnesses.

Specializing in Sclerotherapy, non-surgical vein removal, phlebectomy, ligation, excision, Veinwave technique, compression stockings and other services available to treat and eliminate painful, problem veins.

No pain. No surgery. No loss of time at work.

BUCKS COUNTY CENTER FOR VEIN MEDICINE

215-750-7442 Call for your FREE BROCHURE or to schedule a consultation!

www.veinmedicine.com Nasal Telangiectasia Veinwave™ has been FDA APPROVED in the U.S.

Suite 106, St. Mary Medical Building, 1205 Langhorne-Newtown Rd. Langhorne, PA 19047

Almost every Insurance accepted, even HMO’S.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 3

UNIQUE 10,500 SQ FT GROUP TRAINING FACILITY FOR ALL FITNESS LEVELS Boot Camp

TRX

Boxing

Yoga

NEW CLIENT SPECIAL

for 5 Class $29 Package

Obstacle Course Pilates Kickboxing

Child Care

267.645.9139

UFI_GeneralAd_121413.indd 4 | PHILLYFIT

1

1150 Bethlehem Pike, Hatfield PA 19440

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyямБt.com

UrbanFitInc.com

12/15/13 8:05 PM

Publisher’s Page

So I’m writing this on the day of the Philadelphia Marathon. I woke up this morning and had an epiphany. What if I drafted my own hypothesis and tested it? Hmmmm. I wanted to unearth the answer to: Why do people run? Plain and simple, I truly wanted to understand the motivating factor or factors behind why certain people lace up their sneaks.

My gut told me that the answers would vary, and I had a funny feeling that those who ran for the sole purpose of keeping in shape might be the minority. I polled a few unsuspecting sweaty people (clad in my PhillyFIT garb so that the runners didn’t think I was creepy). Remaining objective, I mustered up the courage to approach and query about twenty or so people as the race ended. The answers of strangers amazed me. My hypothesis was: People run for many reasons but at the root, there is a thirst for escapism – a respite from our current lives and possibly a means to cope with dark clouds. I believe pain builds character, the kind from the gym or from the guy or gal who just dumped you (or you just dumped) – these things make you stronger and more self-aware.

Pain is a funny thing. It really hurts while you’re going through the thick of it, but down the road, it’s like – “yeah, been there done that – ain’t no thing.”

I approached all sorts of individuals in pursuit of a good cross-section sampling. Young, old(er), underweight, overweight, different ethnic backgrounds, those alone, those in groups – it was definitely a mix of folks with varying socio-economic levels from all over the region. The experience was both terrifying (a bit out of my comfort zone) and astounding. One of my subjects in particular helped shape this very article. His name was Norman and he was eightythree years old…more on him later.

The weather was ideal for runners.

There was a spirit of optimism and unity that was, but my biggest take-away from

the event was just how eclectic the participants were and how many different answers I got to my single question. In fact, none of the responses were the same!

How could that be?

First I had to ask my self why I ran. The short answer? Well, it just makes me feel good (I actually do a lot more walking than running, but in my fantasies, I graduate to full-blown runner sooner rather than later). Probing deeper, I’d have to say that I run because I find it to be very liberating.

I enjoy running outdoors – breathing in fragrant, burning-wood-laced cool air.

I like the kinship aspect too.

There’s just something about seeing another runner out on a country road when the mercury reads forty degrees. There’s something very special and validating in that quiet, passing moment. Do you agree?

That got me thinking.

What about those people who have hit rock bottom in some way. You know, people who have had issues with alcohol, homelessness, abusive individuals, those who have suffered a devastating loss, an irreversible health issue, drug addiction, depression, anxiety, money problems, divorce - you name it. How do all of these people cope?

Do they all run? Or, do they all run away?

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

k bottom

Why toning your tush just might be easier than climbing out of an emotionally draining abyss.

roc

PHILLYFIT | 5

~~~ Back on My Feet (BoMF), which started in Philadelphia in 2007, is now a national organization that uses running to help those experiencing homelessness change the way they see themselves so they can make real change in their lives that results in employment and independent living. I’ve met a few of these folks over the PhillyFIT years, very cool people indeed.

The organization’s mission is not to create runners within the homeless population, but to use running to create self-sufficiency in the lives of those experiencing homelessness. The program’s success is measured by how many members achieve independence through employment and housing.

Through dedication and hard work, residential members of the program (those experiencing homelessness) earn the opportunity to create a new road for themselves. Running leads to personal transformation and dedication to the program leads to access to training, employment and housing resources. Through community and corporate support, the program strives to change the perception of homelessness.

Back on My Feet has received incredible media support, including attention from NBC Nightly News , ABC World News, CNN, and The Today Show for its ingenuity in tackling this difficult social issue. Does it work? Well, forty-six percent of residential members (those experiencing homelessness) move their lives forward with a job, housing or both. To me, that’s just incredible.

So, back to my question…Why do people run? Here are a smattering of responses from my non-scientific results. I’ve changed the names to protect the privacy of my kind subjects.

PhillyFIT Wants To Know: Why Do You Run? Cyndi from Rydal: “I run because my son ran. He passed at age eighteen from a sudden brain aneurism. It’s a way for me to feel close to him and in the moment and a means to preserve his memory. I feel like by running in marathons, I’m honoring him in a small way. Every step hurts my sixty-six year old body, but it would hurt more if I just stayed home.”

Tamir from Center City: “Really? Oh man, just look around! There are thousands of people doing the same exact thing. Where else are you going to see that? It’s an awesome feeling being in the company of other runners. It’s like we’re all in it to win it. It levels the playing field. I also like knowing that nearly every one hurts the day after, not just me.”

Norm from Mt Airy (eighty-three years-young): “Well, I’m not working on my time. I just wanna finish. I look forward to it every year. I don’t train I just eat right and stay active. I don’t feel my age.

Age is just a number. Today my number is 8,431. See? (He points to his runner’s registration.) Let me tell you something. You lay around, your brain goes dead. You do things, stay active, then you don’t stare out the window waiting to die. You just keep goin’. Energy begets energy my dear. I’m gonna write that on my tombstone! Ha.” Joe and Meryl from Bensalem: (Meryl) “We actually met at the Marathon eight years ago. We were running the same pace the entire way and realized that shucks, maybe we run the same pace in life too. He was single, I was single, and so we decided to see if we could race through life together. I always tell my friends that this Marathon is the best place to meet a nice guy! I did.”

(Joe) “I’m not that nice. Yeah, she’s a keeper. We run together during the week instead of eating fattening meals out together. We call it The Dating Diet. It works for us and it’s kind of fun. She has the cutest running outfits too! (smiling)”

Life Itself Is Actually A Marathon With Lots Of Hurdles Many of us run…away. At the core, that’s why this topic of why people run is so fascinating to me. Both metaphorically and literally, running is cathartic, healing and a stress reliever. Running is also a way to escape – there is a different sort of suspended reality that runners enjoy. It’s a zone that is “safe” and private with one’s own thoughts, problems and yes, sadness. It’s almost impossible to be depressed when one runs because the energy is spent on burning up calories not lamenting over could have’s, would have’s, should have’s. “Why me’s” turn into moments with music and the iPod provides a vehicle for escapism as rubber souls hit the pavement.

And for me? Admittedly, I married way too young (barely twenty) to probably the nicest guy in the world. I know he loved me with all he had, now that I have a more keen perspective. Man, how I didn’t appreciate what I had. I was just a babe and hadn’t experienced anything in life yet.

It took many years (about ten) to stop beating myself up over it (quitting on a good guy). I even settled for a rebound relationship that I never should have entered into in the first place, granting a deeply flawed man way too many chances and “make goods”. I was vulnerable and impressionable and suffered from so much guilt from leaving my first knight in shinning armor. I eventually got out of that and came to terms with it all by being totally true to myself. I became productive in other areas, launched PhillyFIT and found my way again. My own way, in every aspect as a single mom with no intentions of meeting a so-called “Mr. Right” again. And yes, I did eventually met suitor number three but that’s a whole other story not for today.

My point? Well, love’s journey made me feel like I hit “rock bottom” thrice. But in reality, each experience gave me strength, courage and an overarching epiphany to trudge forward on life’s journey on my terms. The thing is, wisdom and perception come later in life. While you’re going through bumpy rides, you just get rattled and shaken so much that you lose your way. Hindsight is in fact twenty-twenty but you almost have to hit rock bottom go bet back on top.

Ironically, when I decided to take full control of my tattered emotions, focused on my career, family and regained control of my own household miraculously, my health, (the mysterious, painful, unexplainable red-eye problem I had been living with for those couple of years) got better. The redness lessened and the devil that haunted me went packing. True story. I am only just recently experiencing this newfound eye relief and I take it as a symbol of sorts. It was time to close the painful chapter of my life and to start walking. Time to stop blaming myself for mistakes, turning red flags into green ones, at any cost along the way, and time to brush myself off. Rock bottom is a dreadful place and if you let it, it will swallow you whole, or so I hear. So I started running.

When my father (my best friend and rock) died not too long ago, he sort of ‘slipped through my fingers’ if you will. Diagnosed, then gone, before we even had a chance to realize this was it. Very bad news can be a brutal shock to the system that manifests itself in crippling physical ways. I stopped running, even walking.

Check out the local fitness scene @ PHILLYFIT.com 6 | PHILLYFIT

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

The loss decimated me (and to an extent, still does). I remember trying to type and work on my computer during my periods of deepest grief. My own sobbing and pathos was so intense, I just sort of slithered down my chair on to the floor, and dropped, crying in a heap of sadness for about an hour, I think. The exhaustive pain was such that I knew I had to (again) find my way. My kids saved my life. I literally lived for them and found new meaning through their eyes. Hitting emotional rock bottom in a valley of grief is hard to dig out of, but somehow I managed to do so through the love and support of others. Life must go on – it’s true. Thank goodness it does, there’s so much joy in being a parent, being bummed out is such a waste of time. ~~~ So, if you’ve ever had a rock bottom or if you’ve ever hit rock bottom, one thing’s for sure – SH*% hurts if you let it. Our body, mind and soul are all sharing the same frequency and are all impacted when we are rattled to the core. What should you do if you’re experiencing rock bottom right now?

Well, take solace in the fact that it will pass, eventually. And when all is said and done, hopefully it will make you that much stronger to handle the next curve ball life throws you. If all else fails, you just might want to take that run - maybe even have a personal goal of participating in next year’s Philadelphia Marathon. I just may be the blonde running alongside of you!

All the best,

PhillyFIT Family

Published by: Jalynn Concepts, LLC Publisher: Jami Appenzeller Copy Editors: Heather Hoehn Publishers Page: Photo of Jami by Joe Chielli, Church Street Studios, Philadelphia, PA.; Hair cut: Maria at Best Impression Hair Salon in Blue Bell, PA.; Hair Style by Stephanie at Fresh Hair Studio, Southampton, PA.; Makeup by: Jacqueline Marie Calendar Of Events: John Beeler Art Department: John Paone Ad Sales: Jami Appenzeller, Rita Henry Distribution Manager: R.I.P. Jim Appenzeller All inquires are welcome...Call us NOW! (267) 767-4205 www.phillyfitmagazine.com Jami@phillyfitmagazine.com Advertising Deadlines: Reservations for the March/April 2014 issue: Ad Reservations Due By: Feb. 5, 2014 - Ad Copy Due By: Feb. 10, 2014 Cover Photography: Cover photo of Michelle and Alex Rehm by Reg Bradford, NJ. PhillyFIT Magazine is a news magazine with emphasis on health, fitness and leisure. PhillyFIT Magazine is printed bi-monthly, distributing 45,000 magazines to more than 800 locations in the Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. We also email over 3,000 copies to folks who have opted-in on our website to receive the online magazine. Address all submissions of advertising, calendar entries, photos, inquiries and letters to the above address. PhillyFIT Magazine does not assume responsibility for unsolicited materials. PhillyFIT Magazine will assume that all unsolicited materials are being submitted for possible publication and should the material be published, no fee is due to the submitting party. It is our understanding that the submitting party holds models’ releases on photographs submitted. PhillyFIT Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. PhillyFIT Magazine reserves the right to edit letters to the editor and other submissions for clarity and space availability, and to determine suitability of all materials submitted for publication. Before implementing any exercise or diet modification mentioned in PhillyFIT Magazine, readers are advised to consult with their physicians. No reproductions of printed material are permitted without the consent of the Publisher. All rights reserved. plus.google.com/u/0/104869413385959199641/posts www.facebook.com/PhillyFITMagazine www.twitter.com/PhillyFITMag

The next time you hit rock bottom (or close to it), think about my H.E.A.L. method to renewing & repairing your spirit.

— Happiness is something to which everyone is entitled. The trick is to define it for yourself and try to carve your way back to a state of joy little by little. Don’t let anyone else “sell” his or her idea of happiness to you. Don’t settle. Happiness is pure and it’s organic. It comes in little gifts and isn’t always obvious. For me it’s a whiff of homemade chicken noodle soup cooking on the stove or a hug from my kids at the end of a hard day. Happiness isn’t a privilege. It’s a dose of something required daily, much like a multi-vitamin. You feel better, you look better and you radiate the real you when you allow yourself to be happy – even when sorrow feels more natural or comfortable given a certain situation.

H

— Eat healthfully and exercise. Sorry. I know, I had to get this in—this is a fitness and well being magazine after all. Emotional eating is a coping mechanism for many (especially women), but research says to opt for Kale instead of cake. Ben and Jerry might feel good going down, but when your body is fed rich nutrients, your brain just works better.

And when your brain works better, you make better decisions, see things more clearly and reaching for that inner-strength you need to dig yourself out of rock bottom becomes less wearisome.

E

— Allow your self the appropriate time you need to get over it (whatever it is). This is a big one. Grant yourself permission to take a mental week off from what ever is ailing you. Emotional devastation is exhausting. Sometimes taking a vacation from your problems is the key to recovery. I’m not suggesting to hightail it to Miami (although that would be nice). Escape a little each night in a book or listen to music or talk on the phone with an old friend. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes weeks and sometimes months, but eventually, hurt, fear, contempt and anger all fizzle as the calendar days march on.

A

— Love. Cliché I know, but love is really key to getting back to life, as you once knew it. Funny thing is, the love I’m talking about is self-love. I mentioned earlier that my kids got me through the hard time, but if I didn’t think I was worthy of receiving their love, that would not have worked. Believe that things will improve and believe that you have what it takes to pull yourself out of the hard stuff. Love is an emotion that we’re all born with. It’s amazing how it can change and morph over time. The love we have for ourselves, and the love we have for alleged soul mates seem to evolve and get a bit complex. In the end, it gets down to loving yourself.

L

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 7

letterstothepublisher Hi PhillyFIT!

tion and really strive to reach

job with PhillyFIT. It's always

ally do a great job. Keep up the

First off, you guys do a great inspiring to read the stories

and articles of those who have

out to the community and you reamazing job with the magazine!

Matt Weik

chosen the true path to health and wellness!

Hi Jami

Josh Zelkovitz

~~~

I love the magazine as is, you all

do a great job! My vote is don’t

Jami,

I always leave your writings

(Publisher’s Page) with a message that makes me re-think

and ideas” readers have for your magazine).

Renee Girifalco

Nerium Brand Partner PhillyFIT,

~~~

You guys have a great publica-

ME PhillyFI NTION T for ad dit savings ional !

about my own life. Thank you.

Kit Gerdelmann

change a thing! (In reply to your

email blast polling what “changes

~~~

Jami,

~~~

Hi there, I just saw the new

NEW & PRE-OWNED COMMERCIAL-QUALITY HOME & COMMERCIAL FITNESS EQUIPMENT

PhillyFIT Jan/Feb edition.

Thanks for being “Jami” (Your Pub Pages!)

Phil Chebook

North Penn YMCA

TRADE INS WELCOME

FitnessExchange.com 1004 RIDGE PIKE | CONSHOHOCKEN, PA 19428 | 610.397.1780

You’re Invited to the 15th

andour

 at

At Nu You Skin Care, our mission is for your skin to be truly healthy and beautiful.

If your skin is healthy... then your true beauty can show!

Our services include:

120 Pheasant Run, Newtown, PA

Call PhillyFIT TODAY!

for date, vendor opportunities & attendee registration for the workout-a-thon!

8 | PHILLYFIT

Nourishing organic facial treatments ▪ Rejuvenating peels Micro Diamond Dermafile ▪ Reiki treatments ▪ LED Therapy All Natural Waxing Services for Men and Women ▪ Anti-aging and acne treatments

We are also Certified Oncology Estheticians

for clients undergoing and recovering from chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

All of our products and services are all natural, organic, vegan and free of hazardous chemicals.

Let us help you look and feel amazing!

We invite you to make an appointment for an Unforgettable Experience!

215-847-5659

7 South Ridge Ave., Ambler, PA 19002

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

www.nuyouskincare.com

         MentallyFIT

By Solomon Brenner

L

“

et’s say an old friend called you today and said, “I have a couple of extra tickets for a group trip to the Bahamas. My boss is flying us down on his private jet. We’re staying at his villa right on the beach and you can bring a friend. It won’t cost you a dime.”

Right now you’re thinking, “Okay, let’s go!”

But then your friend says, “We leave tomorrow morning at 8 am.”

Your brain immediately starts thinking about all the things you’d have to do before you can leave and you ask your friend if you can call him back and let him know.

You wonder how you’ll possibly get it all done in time. Right away you start making a list of all the things you have to do; then rank them in order of priority. You delegate some of the responsibilities to others, and plan out how and when you can get the rest done.

You call your friend back and say, “You know what, my schedule just cleared up for tomorrow. See you on the tarmac!”

If this scenario were true, you would probably accomplish more in one day than you usually do all week. So, why don’t you go to the Bahamas tomorrow, or everyday while you’re thinking about it? Make a list of all the things you have to do in the next three days and act as though you only have one day to get it all done. This will force you to think, plan and delegate before you start working.

People often complain about a lack of time, but what they are really lacking is direction. By changing general goals or “to-dos” into specific self-direction, you can accomplish so much more than you usually do, allowing you to go to the Bahamas, or anywhere else you want to go in the tomorrows of your life.

Procrastination is a habit, but it only takes three weeks to create a new habit or break an old one. Why don’t you think about creating a new habit that involves getting the most out of every day; breaking an old habit of procrastination at the same time. By prioritizing and immediately taking care of the things you have to do; you will have much more time to

”

do the things you want to do. Time can be an ally or an enemy; it all depends on your determination to use it to its greatest potential.

I find that writing things down such as goals, to-do lists, and reminders keeps me organized and makes it possible to achieve more. Be as specific as possible in your goals and set a timeline for yourself. No one else is going to hold you accountable; you have to be your own referee, coach and cheerleader. That means admitting to yourself when something didn’t work; figuring it out on your own how to do it better next time; and giving yourself a pat on the back each time you make progress; rather than punishing yourself have a set-back.

This kind of self-discipline takes a lot of practice, and for that reason it’s something you should try to teach your children at a young age. For kids, pretty much everything they do is based on someone else holding them accountable. They do their homework because if they don’t, their teacher will fail them. They do their chores because if they don’t, their parents will punish them.

When they grow up, however, there won’t always be someone there to hold them accountable. That’s why it’s important to set examples for our kids; showing them that if you do things you are supposed to do, not necessarily the things you want to do, you’ll benefit in the long run. Teach them that doing schoolwork may not be what seems like a thing they want to do right now, but doing well in school leads to doing well in life. If you live every day striving to be as productive as possible, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to sit on a beach and do nothing, or that special something you really want to do someday. Remember this: “the hard way in the beginning, is the easy way in the end and the easy way in the beginning is h hard way in the end.” Live by these words, and someday, you’ll easily be finding your place in the sun. ~~~ Contributed by Solomon Brenner, Master Instructor for Action Karate and coach for Zen-10 Fitness. For more info call (215) 355-5003.

    

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 9

MaleFIT

Reprinted with permission of Philly.com. Article first appeared on Sunday, November 24, 2013.

Male Breast Growth and Pot Weed advocates call the link a myth lacking scientific support.

But doctors see evidence in their practices.

Images of a patient before (l) and after breast reduction. Surgeon Adrian Lo says that of the 100 men who come to him for surgery each year, more than a third report regular marijuana use.

DAVID SWANSON / Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Photographer

A

By Melissa Dribben Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer

s legalized medical marijuana gains acceptance across the country, a long-smoldering question burns a little hotter.

In the vernacular, stoners ask, “Do doobies make boobies?” Plastic surgeons phrase it more scientifically. “Does marijuana cause gynecomastia?”

Speculation that men who smoke pot are prone to develop abnormal breast tissue or “man boobs” has been around for decades. The first scientific paper examining the clinical impact of the drug’s active ingredient, THC, on hormonal systems was published in 1972 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

This was about the same time Brewer & Shipley stoked Spiro Agnew’s ire with the hit single “One Toke Over the Line.” The drug’s ability to stoke controversy has not abated. The 1972 study found that the drug has “widespread effects on multiple hormonal systems, including gonadal, adrenal, prolactin, growth hormone, and thyroid hormone regulation.” When the drug throws off the normal balance of hormones, estrogen levels rise and stimulate breast tissue growth.

Subsequent studies have been few and their findings conflicting. As a result, marijuana’s advocates call the association a myth, asserting that there is no solid scientific proof.

They have a point, says Adrian Lo, a plastic surgeon at Pennsylvania Hospital who specializes in breast reduction for men. Because marijuana is illegal in most states, he explains, it’s hard to conduct research.

But this does not make the link a myth.

“What we’re left with are doctors, endocrinologists, and surgeons with clinical acumen saying we notice a trend,” he says. Of the 100 or so patients who come to him for breast reduction surgeries each year, more than one-third report regular marijuana use.

12 | PHILLYFIT

“Some men are more susceptible to gynecomastia than others,” he says. Smoking pot can lower testosterone levels for 24 hours, he says. After just one joint, patients have reported feeling swelling and puffiness around the nipple, while regular users may have no reaction, at least in their breast tissue.

“We can’t predict who it’s going to happen to,” Lo says.

“I wouldn’t say I was smoking seven days a week, but it was close,” says a 23-year-old patient who recently underwent breast reduction. Worried about the legal ramifications and his job security as an actuary, he agreed to speak identified only by his middle name, Michael.

He first developed enlarged breasts when he was going through puberty, a few years before he started smoking. His mother took him to the pediatrician, who said the condition was normal and temporary. But Michael was among the small percentage who did not grow out of it.

For years, he would avoid baring his chest. “In games where the choice was shirts vs. skins, you never wanted to be skins,” he says.

Once he started having relationships with women, he worried about how they judged his body. At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he was not overweight, and worked out three or four times a week at the gym. “I benched and lifted,” he says. “Underneath, I had pecs.” But no amount of exercise made his breasts turn to muscle.

He had heard that pot could cause man boobs. “When I was high, they felt a little more noticeable,” Michael says. “But I don’t know if it was my state of mind at the time.” Since he had had them for so long, he did not think quitting would make a difference.

“This is, of course, an inflammatory topic. There is skepticism either way,” says Lo. “But in my experience, it’s very simple. If you’re a guy and you’re worried about gynecomastia, you shouldn’t smoke pot because there’s a link.”

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

“That is the prevailing opinion,” says Robert X. Murphy Jr., president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, noting that it matches his own clinical experience. With the recent increase in men seeking breast reduction surgery, he says, empirical evidence is mounting.

In 2012, the society reports, 20,723 gynecomastia procedures were performed, a 5 percent increase from the year before. The number of these surgeries had fallen from their peak in the late 1990s, when more insurers were willing to cover the procedure. Patients now pay between $3,000 and $8,000 out of pocket for the operation. Since 2006, it has been among the top five cosmetic surgical procedures for men.

Emily Pollard, head of plastic surgery for Lankenau Medical Center, now performs one gynecomastia surgery a month, twice as many as the year before. The increase, she believes, is partly driven by direct marketing by companies that manufacture liposuction equipment.

The largest percentage of gynecomastia cases have no clearly identifiable cause, says Murphy. The rest are caused by a constellation of conditions. It is common for boys like Michael to develop tender and enlarged breasts during puberty, although, as his pediatrician said, most outgrow the condition. Additionally, more than 90 drugs have been linked to gynecomastia, including some antidepressants and antibiotics and ulcer, heart, and HIV medications. Men who are obese are susceptible. So are bodybuilders who use anabolic steroids, men who use Propecia to prevent hair loss, and those who self-administer testosterone, which the body breaks down into two compounds, one of which is similar to estrogen. Because people may be exposed to multiple risk factors, it can be difficult to identify which are to blame.

“We can’t paint with a broad stroke,” says Murphy. But when young men come to him to remove their breasts, and they are neither overweight nor taking any other of the trigger medications, he says, it is reasonable to deduce that pot is the likely cause.

“It is one of those things that you ask about,” he says. “Whether people admit it or not is another matter.”

Surgeon Adrian Lo discusses before and after images of a male breast-reduction patient.

DAVID SWANSON / Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Photographer

Living with gynecomastia can be a psychological burden. “I was scared of relationships,” says a patient who gave his middle name, Andrew. “It really was a strain, every day.”

A 26-year-old drug and alcohol counselor, he says he rarely took off his shirt at the beach and would layer T-shirts to hide his body. “My friends would tease me. They thought I could make it go away with exercise.”

Unable to afford the surgery, Andrew borrowed the money for the $5,500 procedure. He had his surgery last month. “I’m thrilled with it,” he says. “It’s such a relief.”

The surgery is normally an outpatient procedure that takes about an hour to complete, says Lo. The surgeon cuts around the nipple, removes 90 to 95 percent of the glandular tissue, and contours the chest.

The remaining tissue can still be stimulated to grow, Lo says. “So we obviously advise to avoid the factors that caused it in the first place.”

Marijuana, he says, is one of them.

“I’m not hating on pot,” Lo says. “Everyone who does what I do has seen it, whether you choose to believe it or not.”

Call Dr. Adrian Lo for a free consultation at 215-829-6900.

New & Pre-Owned Home & Commercial Fitness Equipment Trade-Ins Welcome

ME PhillyFI NTION T for ad dit savings ional !

FitnessExchange.com

1004 RIDGE PIKE | CONSHOHOCKEN, PA 19428 | 610.397.1780 January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 13

NutritionFIT

Chocolate Chip Soft Style Scone Ingredients: • 1/3 cup light whipped yogurt butter (like Brummel & Brown) • 1 cup whole-wheat flour or (coffee grinder mix of 1/4 cup whole oats, ½ cup white whole wheat and ½ cup drained black beans) • 1/3 cup Splenda baking mix – or – Domino light sugar with Stevia • 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats • 2 tsp. baking powder • 1/8 tsp. cinnamon • 1/8 tsp. salt • 1/3 cup no-sugar-added applesauce or split this total with pumpkin and applesauce • 3 tbsp. low-fat buttermilk (2 tbsp. for dry scone) • 3 tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or (70% or more dark chocolate shavings) Directions: Spread butter into a playing card size layer on a piece of parchment paper or. Freeze until solid - several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie Ingredients

Methodology:

• 1 tbsp. unsweetened dark cocoa powder • 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (using 3-4 squares of 70% cocoa chocolate) or whey powder (more protein) • 3 tbsp. natural peanut butter (I used organic Powdered Peanut Butter – PB2 – which is much lower in fat & calories than regular peanut butter.)

• 1 cup low-fat milk, unsweetened almond milk is optional • 1 frozen banana, pre-sliced calories (can use ripe banana) • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, fat-free • 2 tbsp. coconut palm sugar, honey is optional • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract • ice as needed for consistency

Add applesauce/pumpkin and buttermilk, and stir until a firm dough forms. Fold in chocolate.

Form dough into a circle on the baking sheet - 1 inch thick. Evenly slice into 6 wedges, separate wedges slightly.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean, 14-16 minutes.

Let cool completely on wire rack. Once cool, separate wedges, and enjoy!

Nutritional Information: Makes 6 Servings; Serving Size: 1 scone Calories: 194 | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 27g Fiber: 3g | Sugars: 8g | Protein: 4g Regular Scone Serving Size: 1 scone Calories: 505 | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 64g Fiber: 2g | Sugars: 30g | Protein: 8g

14 | PHILLYFIT

* Also can use flaxseed or rolled oats to boost nutrients Nutritional Information: Yields: 3 servings | Serving Size: 1 cup Calories: 116 | Total Fat: 2 g Carbohydrates: 21 g | Dietary Fiber: 3 g Sugars: 14 g | Protein: 7 g

Tropical Mango Strawberry Protein Smoothie Ingredients: • • • • •

Instructions:

1/3 cup AllWhites® egg whites 3/4 cup fresh or frozen strawberries 1/2 cup peeled, chopped mango 1 container (6 ounces) low fat coconut yogurt 1/2 cup coconut almond milk

In a large bowl, combine flour mix, sugar, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Cut frozen butter into very small cubes. Using pastry tool, integrate butter into the dry mixture - mixture will resembles coarse crumbs.

Blend for 15 seconds, shake container and return to blender for 15-30 seconds. I recommend the Nutribullet or the Magicbullet.

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.

Nutritional Information: Nourishes: 2|Calories: 156|Fat: 1 g Carbohydrate: 26 g|Dietary Fiber: 2 g Protein: 11 g

All recipes created and tested by John Fairchild, Chef/Nutritionist www.weightlosscoaching.org (267) 273-6552 kickaerobox@yahoo.com

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING.

On Germantown Pike in Plymouth Meeting, convenient to the PA Turnpike, Northeast Extension, and the Blue Route.

Book online at: www.17massage.com

By appointment only – available 6 days a week, 8 am to 8 pm **Licensed Massage Therapists: Jean McLenigan PA lic # MSG005606 ● Jackie Ruffing PA lic # MSG007210 Bill Ensminger PA lic # MSG004509

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

Dr. Fisher’s Medical Weight Loss & Aesthetic Centers

BOARD CERTIFIED - AESTHETIC PHYSICIAN MEMBER OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BARIATRIC PHYSICIANS

157-161 Bustleton Pike, Feasterville

7516 City Line Ave. Suite 11-12, Phila.

6248 Tabor Road, Phila.

2543 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA

FISHERNow

Body by

www.BODYBYFISHERNOW.com

Call for an appointment: 215-642-2512 INFORMATION HOTLINE 1-866-930-DIET (3438) FACIAL COSMETICS #2103 • MESOTHERAPY #2303 • WEIGHT MGMT. #2903

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 15

SeniorsFIT

Get Fit Over Fifty?

Absolutely – Here’s Why and How!

By Fernando Paredes, CPT (NASM) and Axel K. Olsen, PhD, CPT (NASM) Why focus on the over fifty year old segment of the population? Several points lead to the obvious conclusion. According to the 2010 US Census Report, The population aged forty-five to sixty-four grew at a rate of 31.5 percent. The large growth in this age group is primarily due to the aging of the Baby Boom population, those between the ages of fifty and sixty-six. In addition, the population aged sixty-five and over also grew at a faster rate (15.1 percent) than the population under age forty-five.

What does this all mean? Well the first obvious point is there are a lot of people in the United States that are fifty plus. The second important point is that as the population age’s medical problems increase. A study conducted in 2007 by the American Hospital Association reported several important findings: As Baby Boomers age, they will require more health care services than any other generation of Americans.

The prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing among Boomers.

They have different needs and expectations than past generations.

More medical services and technologies are available to them than ever before.

So what are we going to do about this?

The answer lies in the fact that improving fitness and nutrition can make a difference!

Evidence has shown that prescribing exercise for chronic diseases can actually treat hypertension, type 2 diabetes and many others. As reported in a review published in the Scandinavia Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports by Pedersen and Salten in 2006.

Where do we go from the here?

First a fitness and nutrition program needs to be individualized; one size does not fit all. Due to the physiological law of Genetic 16 | PHILLYFIT

Variation, different people will respond differently to the same program. So what works for one individual may not necessarily work for another. (See the checklist associated with this article)

Table 1. Program Checklist • Get an individual assessment • Set realistic goals and visualized what that looks like • Start slowly • Do the right kind of cardiovascular exercise • Get strong • Vary your workouts • Increase flexibility • Challenge your senses • Use total body exercises • Keep a fitness and nutrition log 1. Assessment ~ The first step is to assess each individual’s needs and goals. It is very important for everyone to have a measurable and attainable goal and be committed to reaching the goal. After assessing the goals one should look at the physical capabilities and limitations in order to understand the best fitness approach.

2. Goals ~ Goal setting is an area that is frequently misunderstood. A wish list is not a set of goals. Attainable and measurable realistic goals are the way to go. So don’t fall into the trap of believing the commercials for quick fix solutions. Look to set both short-term and long-term goals. A short-term goal could be changing one thing for a week, then do it again and again for one week after the next and then it is a long-term goal. So your longterm goal is a series of short-term steps in the right direction. An important aspect of the goal setting is visualizing the results. Many studies have shown that visualization helps with successful performance.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

3. Go Slowly ~ The great temptation is to jump right into a rigorous exercise program.

You have heard about athletes doing twice-aday workouts for training. Well guess what; they are athletes in training and if they are doing that kind of workout it is part of a whole training program that is designed for maximum performance in a specific sport.

That is not the average Baby Boomer!

Thus a person who is more deconditioned or who has not exercised in a while should start off slowly and start at the lower intensities at fifty or sixty percent of your maximum heart rate. Believe us, doing fifteen to twenty minutes of that two to three times a week would be very demanding on a person just starting out.

4. Do the Right Kinds of Cardiovascular Exercises ~ Regardless of whether your cardio session are twenty, thirty, forty-five minutes or whatever, the higher intensity training equates to more total calories burned and more fat that you will burn. And you’ll do it in less time.

Remember our start slowly point? Would a person who never exercised before, be able to jump into high intensity cardio?

No, their conditioning and overall cardio-respiratory fitness would not allow it.

In time, as the person’s conditioning improves, it would be better to increase the challenge and work at a higher intensity instead of increasing the time. People a lot of times focus on increasing the duration before increasing intensity. Depending on the person that can be a major error.

5. Get Strong ~ Muscles burn calories. Active muscles burn more calories. Bigger active muscles burn the most calories.

Men can typically eat more calories than women without gaining weight. Men usually have more muscle on their frame and more muscle means more calorie burn. Women still somehow mistakenly believe that strength training will build muscles that are too big and make them look like a man. Not true! Regardless whether you are a man or a woman, you need to perform resistance-training exercise.

6. Vary Your Workouts ~ The human body is an amazing machine and it learns to be as efficient as possible. So doing the same exercises repeatedly will result in your body learning to do that work with the least amount of fuel being burned. As your body accommodates to the exercise, you will use less energy than when you started. So change things up. Keep your body from accommodating to what you are doing 7. Increase Flexibility ~ It is a fact that as we age we lose flexibility in our joints and tendons. Thus to combat that fact of nature, be sure to include flexibility exercises in your program.

8. Challenge Your Senses ~ Another fact of aging is that our vision changes, our hearing worsens, and so does balance and our mental faculties. Some call it the mind-body connection, some call it neuro-muscular activation, and others call it proprioception. They are all different ways of describing the same thing - exercise that affect the body AND the brain together. Today there are more and more studies being done emphasizing the benefits of keeping your mind active to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and many other related problems. When you combine mental exercise with physical exercise you get a “one-two” combination that completely activates mind and body.

more talk in the fitness world about changing your routine, trying different exercises, incorporating balance work and using the stability ball than ever before. People are finally starting to become more aware that an exercise program needs to be well rounded and include all the physical components of fitness, not just a few. When you do incorporate them all, something very interesting happens, the body responds.

And it responds faster.

10. Keep a Log ~ It is a proven fact that a key success factor in any fitness and training program is keeping a log of your activities. If your program includes a nutrition/weight loss component, then keep a nutrition log.

In conclusion, it is a fact that there is a huge over fifty “bulge” in the population of the United States that is continuing to age and impact the health care system. This bulge will be developing chronic conditions the treatment for which could well be enhanced through fitness and nutrition programs. We recommend individualized programs that include a variety of whole body exercises to help stave off the inevitable as we age. When you are ready to start or need a reboot on your training program consult with a professional who understands the need for individualized training for the unique needs of the over fifty-age group. ~~~ About the authors: Fernando Paredes (above) is the owner of the Fusion Fitness and Performance studio and Axel K. Olsen is a specialist in senior fitness (NASM). Together they have developed a unique fitness program focused on the over fifty client.

9. Use Total Body Exercises ~ Functional exercise is one of the best human anti-aging methods of exercise you can find. There has been

Do business with a professional because all painting contractors are not equal!

www.DoylestownRide.Com A new highly modern spinning studio located in historic Doylestown borough.

Exclusively at Call today 215-880-5438 to schedule your

FREE

No obligatioN EstimatE!

Ray Paparo Owner/President

ray@aspenpaintingpa.com

www.aspenpaintingpa.com

139 South Main Street | Doylestown, PA 18901 215.340.SPIN (7746) www.DoylestownBikeWorks.com

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 17

Aerial Yoga~Acro Yoga~Aerial Silks~Aerial Lyra

Philly's ONLY Dedicated Aerial Yoga Studio is the “Cutting Edge in Urban Yoga”

Beginner to Advanced Classes Daily!

Please see online schedule for details

Kaya Aerial Yoga Philadelphia 225 Quarry Street, Philadelphia, Pa 19106

kayaaerialyogaphiladelphia.com https://www.facebook.com/kayaaerialyogaphiladelphia

Nicole Weeks-Boyers

Competition Diet, Training & Posing Coach Get ready for the stage (or just look like you are) Online or in person Your gym or mine

www.nicoleweeks.com 610-494-4594

Top 3 Figure Pro in all-natural organizations since 2005!

BS in Dietetics from ADA-accredited university 7 years experience as a personal trainer

TIMING TECHNICIANS FOR RUNNING RACES (part-time weekends, contract) Work with cutting edge race timing technology for SpectaSport. Will train. Great Pay, lousy hours, opportunity for advancement.

Must be extremely reliable, punctual and self-motivated. Should have own car (min. 4-door to fit equipment) and have basic knowledge of PC computers. Prefer candidates who live within a half-hour of offices in Conshohocken, PA. Networking knowledge a plus, but not required. KenG@SpectaSport.com.

Superior Care Every Step Of The Way

1 | PHILLYFIT

Month/Month | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT| 19 |1 PHILLYFIT

PHILLY’SFITTEST Our readers’ inspirational images and stories

The Urban Fit, Inc. (Hatfield, PA) Trio (l-r): Christine “Ab Queen” Reimel, Fitness Instructor and Certified Personal Trainer; Carl Beigler, Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Advanced TRX instructor and Co-Owner; and Jamal Lewis, Group Fitness Instructor and Certified Personal Trainer at Urban Fit, Inc. in Hatfield, PA.

Kristen & Michael Nosal, Gloucester Twp, NJ. Kristen took 5th place in her first physique show at the 2013 NPC Eastern USA Championships.

Sheila Royce Garcia, an advocate for living a healthy professional as well as personal lifestyle, doing an Ardha Matsyendrasana Yoga Pose.

20 | PHILLYFIT

Get your picture in Philly’s FITTEST!

Email jami@phillyfit.com your high-quality photo and caption, including your name, age, hometown, and where you are or what you’re doing in the photo! It’s that easy!

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

Nicole Weeks-Boyers Personal Training, Competition Diet, & Figure Coaching DFAC, IFPA, NGA & USBF Natural Pro Figure Champion former WNBF Natural Figure Pro NPC National Level Competitor

The Thomas family, who maintain a vegetarian diet, ran In the Philadelphia marathon/half marathon. Cherron (mom) was the first to run marathons starting in 2009, she has completed eight including the ING NYC marathon.

Dad Dewey followed in 2011 finishing 4 half marathons and one full. The girls (Amma, 16 & Mandisa, 22) have started this year with their first half.

Photo by Raymund Kubassek RK Fitness & Lifestyle Photography

Martial artists & CrossFit trainer, Deneen Raysor, Grand Champion Women’s Mixed Martial Artists in the Southern Shaolin Temple Mixed Martial Arts Tournament. She recently accepted a rank of professional Mixed Martial Artist with the Twin Towers, Executive Edge under Mr. Lee Ireland at the age of 36.

Johanna Dones, 41 Certified personal trainer Philadelphia

Leyna Schaeffer, Philadelphia (bottom), Owner/Aerialist at Kaya Aerial Yoga. Above her is Eva Rodriguez, Cinnaminson, NJ, a circus arts teacher and performer.

Anthony Gonzalez, 46, Northeast Philly, at home lifting.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 21

HealthFIT

J ust

By Mary Nearpass, MA, MS

Breathe!

“Additionally, I had a shoulder surgery from r. Mike Davis a bone spur cutting my was diagnosed rotator cuff, and Greg with emphysema and rehabbed it for me.

Chronic Obstructive PulHe also rehabbed my monary Disease (COPD). wrist after reconstructive You may have seen the surgery from arthritis commercials on television bridging from my wrist to describing this feeling as my hand”. having an elephant sitting Over the summer, on your chest.

Mike was rehabbing a knee His primary care phythat is bone on bone, and his sician sent Mike over eight doctor told him he needed years ago to The Temple Unito have a knee replacement. versity Hospital Lung Center.

“I couldn’t do one squat with U.S. News and World Report any weight a few months ago; has repeatedly recognized now I’m dead lifting 225!

Temple as one of the nations’ top Also, since I started, Greg put hospitals for pulmonary medime on a high protein diet rich in cine. It is one of the largest lung lots of vegetables which complihospitals and pulmonary surgery ments my workouts, and I started centers in the nation. losing weight quickly.”

Mike wasn’t quite fifty years According to Greg, “ I put old when he received this devasMike on a primitive based diet, tating diagnosis of COPD. Mike consisting of high amounts of satuwas blown away since he had quit rated fat from one hundred percent smoking over ten years before. He grass-fed sources, pastured poultry, e ... ... and after! is a hard working business owner of is befor v a D e ik wild caught fish, large amounts of M First State Mechanical, married and green leafy vegetables, very little in the father of five children. the way of fruit, and absolutely no grains, corn, or legumes. The anti-nuIf you were to meet Mike, you would know right off the bat that trients in these foods trigger an inflammatory response within the body. he wasn’t going to just lay down and die. He is 5’10” tall and was 220 There is a major misconception with regard to real saturated fat sources. pounds at the time, and joined a gym trying to lift weights to “get in It is without question one of the healthiest nutrients we can consume. shape” just so he could breathe. He couldn’t even walk up a flight of Human beings have been using them as a primary fuel source for over steps without stopping to catch his breath. two and half million years. Let’s compare fat and carbohydrates and see While at the gym, Mike couldn’t help but notice a certified trainer what a better fuel source is. When humans eat a high carbohydrate meal, by the name of Greg Murphy. “When I first met Greg Murphy at a gym it raises our insulin levels, which signal the body through various enzyin Havertown, a.k.a. “Murph”, I signed up to have him train me three matic reactions to turn on triacylglyceride synthesis (fat), and cholesterol to four times per week. After watching him shadow box in the gym, he synthesis. At this point, the body derives all of its energy from sugars moved so strong and fast that I couldn’t believe it! Initially I just signed ingested. When a person eats fat/protein and limits carbohydrate intake, up for weight training, because I really did not think I would ever be glucagon levels rise. In turn, this signals the body to break down fat able to do anything that required any cardio or sustained movement. I stores (beta-oxidation), break down glycogen stores (glycogenlysis) and had to rest for a few minutes between sets while lifting!” create blood sugar from protein (i.e. the ones we eat, gluconeogenesis).”

“After a month or so of weight training, “Murph” told me to come “The food industry has successfully spread mis-information about to his house, where he provided one-on-one, personal training, and he fat so they can trick people into buying large amounts of grains that are would train me to see if he could get me in better shape”. toxic to the human body, which they can grow extremely cheap in very “When I started a high intensity cardio regimen, I couldn’t do large amounts. They also push low or no fat products that contain high more than fifteen to twenty seconds of movement at a steady pace, fructose corn syrup, and trans-fats. Do we really need to wonder why without stopping to catch my breath. But, after a few months of blood, the population is getting sicker in mass numbers?” sweat and tears, I started being able to move, shadow box and train in “If anyone has watched the documentary “Food Inc.”, the food martial arts. I started an eclectic mix of exercises, including running industry manipulates information put out by the mainstream media, the and lifting and my breathing got better and better, stretching my good education doctors and nutritionists receive, and former employees that are lung tissue.”

M

22 | PHILLYFIT

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

in high positions in government agencies such as the FDA, and USDA. For example, Margret Miller was the chemical lab supervisor at Monsanto 1989-Present and went on to be a FDA Branch Chief from 1989-1991.

She is now the Deputy Commissioner for policy in the FDA.” “The biggest culprit for the rapid increase in disease has a direct link to the current, western diet; consisting of high amounts of processed and genetically modified foods; large amounts of grains, corn, legumes, and soy. All are huge triggers for the body’s inflammatory response. The immune system can only handle so much inflammation before it is overburdened. When your inflammatory response gets triggered, it moves through your blood and directly affects your muscles, organs, joints, connective tissue, and nerves.

At the start of Mike eating this way he had blood work taken, as he was concerned about his cholesterol going up. At the start his total cholesterol was 235, and his blood pressure was 140/85; and after eight months when it was taken again, his total cholesterol was 165, and blood pressure was 130/70. This is extremely significant since Mike has had high cholesterol and high blood pressure since his early twenties.

In October 2013, Mike had a body scan and X-ray of his lungs, which was compared to one he had done over eight years ago. The astounding results show that the good part of his lungs grew more than twice their size from when he was first diagnosed with COPD and emphysema!

“In closing Greg Murphy saved my life! It has been almost nine years since I started with Greg.

I now have three of my kids training with Greg as well. Today, I can work out without stopping for 60 minutes, I have weighed between 178 and 183 (a consistent weight loss of forty pounds) for the last few years. I am fast, I hit hard, and I am strong. I feel and look better than I did at thirty! Those doctors at the Temple Lung Center pretty much told me I was a goner, and in most cases where patients are diagnosed with COPD, it can be at the very worst, a life threatening disease with no known cure, and at the very best, learning to walk around all the time

with an oxygen tank for the remaining of your life. If they could see me now! I owe it all to Greg! His belief in me helped me begin to believe in myself. I plan on being around for a good long while.”

If you want to “save your life,” remember that all life begins with the breath. The human body can survive without food for several weeks and without water for several days, but if breathing stops for three to six minutes, death is likely. Just like we cannot see the wind, we know when it is here because we hear it, we feel it, and we can see the results.

Next time you take a good long walk, bike ride or jog, really take the time to notice the sheer inspiration of new clean air, and expiration of all of your troubles. So breathe, just breathe!

Greg Murphy can be reached in the following venues: primitiveathlete@yahoo.com, (610) 329-9488 or www.Primitive-Athlete.com. He is by appointment only at his private gym in Ridley Park, or he will travel to your location. He covers Philadelphia, Delaware and Chester County.

Greg has trained in the martial arts for over twenty years, and specializes in armed/unarmed self defense. He has been a certified strength and conditioning trainer for over fifteen years, completing his first training course at Cabrini College. He also spent two years becoming certified at the American College of Healthcare Sciences studying alternative medicine and holistic nutrition. He is married and the father of a very active toddler. ~~~ Mary has been working in the health care field most of her career. From hospital administration, consulting and teaching college, to currently providing motivational speaking, working in a physicians practice and freelance writing. She enjoys the flexibility of her schedule, which allows her to keep her daughters her main priority and focus. Mary holds two Master’s degrees and her passion is prevention of addictive behaviors, especially at the adolescent level. After many recent surgeries from an automobile accident, she is blessed to be back swimming laps, practicing yoga and free weight training.

Traditional Definition, Signs & Symptoms of COPD & Emphysema

COPD is a progressive, respiratory disease that makes it harder to breathe over time. It includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema; some people may have both. It affects your life and the lives of those closest to you. Asthma is different from COPD in that the symptoms are generally reversible; however, obstruction in COPD is generally progressive and is usually only partially reversible. Although COPD is a serious and progressive disease, there are medications that can help you manage its symptoms.

Many COPD medications are inhaled, many include gaining an oxygen tank as a new best friend unable to leave its side, but some can be taken as pills or syrup.

Some of the major signs of having emphysema and/or COPD are: • Constant coughing, sometimes called “smoker’s cough” • Shortness of breath • Not being able to take a deep breath • Wheezing and tightness in your chest when you breathe in and out • Excess production of mucus in your lungs You may even have the disease(s) and not even know it. There are four stages of COPD ranging from mild to very severe; often life threatening. Some of the major contributors to developing COPD include the following:

Smoking is the largest contributing factor for developing COPD. COPD occurs most often in people age forty and over with a history of smoking (either current or former). Cigarette smoking causes about eighty to ninety percent of all COPD. Environmental exposure- COPD can also occur in people who have had long-term exposure to things that can irritate the lungs, like certain chemicals, dust, or fumes in the workplace. Heavy or longterm exposure to secondhand smoke or other air pollutants may also put you at risk for developing COPD. Genetic factors A small percentage of people with COPD may have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an inherited disorder and COPD is a common disease among patients with this deficiency.

History of severe childhood respiratory infections (e.g. asthma) is often associated with breathing problems later in life, including COPD. If you want to reduce your chances of developing COPD, the sooner you quit smoking, the better. If you already have COPD, quitting smoking may help you regain some lung function. Following the path of Greg Murphy and Mike Davis can and will change your life.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 23

COLONICS - COLON HYDROTHERAPY WHAT CAN IT DO FOR ME?

ASSISTS WITH WEIGHT LOSS, FLATTENING OF THE TUMMY, SHRINKING OF THE WAISTLINE.

OPEN HOUSE NEW YEAR! NEW LOOK! NEW YOU!

Laser Hair Removal ● IPL Photofacial ● Teeth Whitening ● Fractional Re-surfacing Our Open House is a great opportunity to get all the information you need about True Skin’s services. In addition to multiple demos, we will also be launching our VIP Customer Rewards Program, True Rewards. Stop by during our Open House and get your Customer Rewards Card. Get 50 Points just for attending!

Join us on JANUARY

25, 2014– 6-9PM–for...

Lite refreshments ~ Intro to TRUE REWARDS ~ Door prizes ~ Laser demos

523 Bethlehem Pike, Erdenheim, PA 19038 ● 215-410-0636 ● www.trueskin4u.com

15% off of any packages purchased during oPEN HoUSE

PhillyFIT’s GUIDE TO SPRING FEVER If your business offers something that our readers could use as a

“spring clean up” for their body, then you qualify for this special section!

Cost is a nominal $250 (Savings of $125) for the color, 1/8H ad space.

Call 267-767-4205

or email jami@phillyfitmagazine.com 24 | PHILLYFIT

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PhysicallyFIT FitnessFIT

Rug Work

— More on Improvisation

By Charles Peeples

T

Hamstring Curl

Abductor/adductor

Chest Fly ~ Shift bodyweight to make harder or easier

hey’re plastic disks with rubber on one side, and they’re for sliding furniture across carpet.

You can pick up a four-pack of them for under ten dollars at one of the Marts. Or you can pay several times that amount for a pair of them from one of the fitness-gear purveyors who’ve sprung up in recent years like so many mushrooms after this past June’s wetness. But give some credit to Valerie, a woman who stamped “Valslide” on this simple hardware-store item and threw in a video to make her big mark-up fortune ( a la TRX). Admit it, you probably wish you’d thought of stuff like this. But you could probably use plastic saucers almost as easily. My point here is that if you understand the kinesiology of an exercise movement, what you use to achieve that movement is limited only to your ability to improvise. These can substitute handily for many of the machines in your health club, and you can do them in the living room with no clutter at all.

But in the manner of many bodyweight exercises like pushups, pull-ups, squat variations, ab-wheel rolls, etc., they‘re not easy. And you can make them ever harder by adding weight or easier by shifting your center of gravity. You can even experiment with the friction-coefficients of different carpets. Be thankful shag went out with the seventies!

We’ve all seen the adductor/abductor machines where so many women spend time fluttering out high reps with low weights, mistakenly believing they’re somehow “toning” the inner thigh. Years ago the Thigh-Master pretended to emulate that as an at-home solution. It brought wealth to Suzanne Somers and a few others, but didn’t do much for anyone’s thighs. Those adductors and abductors lie so deep you won’t see them, and they require far more intensity than most people are using. It’s been proven best to focus on developing lean muscle — everything else you want will follow. ~~~

Hip flexion/extension Photos courtesy of Julia Schoonover, WC Eagles www.wcfieldhockey.com and The Training Center www.thetrainingcenterpa.com

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

Charles Peeples, LMT, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, NCTMB, has written for numerous fitness and bodybuilding magazines, and is a wellknown proponent for girls’ and women’s physical advancement (www.teamvalkyries.org). He is a nationally certified Personal Trainer and Massage Therapist (www.chesterspringsmassage. com). Contact him at Charles@ PhillyFitMagazine.com PHILLYFIT | 25

MotivationFIT

What are Your Julia Anthony, 22 & Adam Cerretani, 22 West Chester, PA How long have you been together?

We have been friends for four months and have been dating for a month.

How does your partner help with your fitness regime?

Julia: It’s nice to have partner that shares my passion for fitness.

Adam: Training solo is harder. I enjoy a little competition while working out, it helps me step up my game.

In what way do you support your partner in helping with their fitness regime?

Julia: Watching Adam workout makes me want to do the same.

Adam: Julia keeps me motivated by

pushing me to workout harder.

How is working out with your partner better?

Adam: Sometimes Julia does like to workout solo, but I believe working out with a partner is better most of the time.

Can love be found in the gym?

Absolutely! We met in the gym.

Can working our with your partner bring a closer relationship?

Yes, we both feel more connected when we work out together. We are working together right now to get ready for a competition. Julia has dropped fourteen pounds and I have lost ten pounds so far. While training for competition, our diets are focused on high protein and low carbs.

Photography and essays

by Sean Gomes Heather Bixby, 23 and Bryan Bowers, 25 Susquehanna, PA How long have you been together?

Ten months.

How does your partner help with your fitness regime?

Heather: When he lived in NJ, in the Air Force, he used to send me progress photos of him in the gym, which motivated me to workout. I thought if he is putting in the time and effort, so should I. He taught me how to work specifics in my workouts so that I can maximize results.

He motivates me to run with him, which is a fun way of getting cardio in.

Bryan: I used to send her photos of my workout DVD’s and show my progression, when I lived far away. When I moved back home, it allowed us to workout together in my home gym. She helps me eat a cleaner diet, and show me how to get more fruits and vegetables and protein in my diet. I find myself wanting to get in better shape and stay healthy just for her.

How is working out with your partner better?

Julia: I think its better because when I workout by myself, I don’t have someone that workouts with me. If he’s there with me, I don’t want to stop and take a break, I want to show him that I can keep going. It’s motivating knowing that he’s there. If he’s putting in hard work in the gym, and I’m just sitting there, I make sure that I 26 | PHILLYFIT

stay on track so I can work just as hard as him. Working out with him also allows me to get any questions answered.

Bryan: Working out with Julia motivates me to try new things. I’ve also heard that working out with females present boosts my testosterone levels, which is kind of cool.

Can love be found in the gym ?

Julia: I guess so! I believe love can be found anywhere, but I definitely found my love of fitness in the gym. If you are into being fit, you are able to find like-minded individuals in the gym.

Bryan: Yes, I think so. You can also grow closer by workout out with someone you love.

Can working out with your partner bring a closer relationship?

Julia: Yes. Bryan: It keeps things interesting. If two people are helping each other out, they get to know each other a little better in different ways.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

Goals for 2014?

Anh Wetzel, 30 Philadelphia, PA

Fernando Hernandez, 22

What are your goals for 2014? My goal for 2014 is to get in the best shape of my life!

How long have you been into fitness? I have been heavily involved in fitness for the last eighteen months.

Do you work out alone or with a partner? I don’t have a lot of friends that are into fitness, so I workout solo.

How do you plan to achieve your goals? My plan includes sticking to diet and eating clean as well as including a lot cardio and weight training, biking, and kickboxing. I have completed a half marathon, participated in the Irish Pub Shore Tour that included biking sixty-five miles from Philadelphia to Atlantic City, 10K and Mud Runs. I am motivated by my own personal goals; when I run I get into “a zone” that keeps me striving to do more.

Why do you do feel it is important to set goals? I believe in setting goals and striving for progress not perfection.

What advice do you have for the average person and how do you feel that it would benefit them in helping them achieve goals for them? I encourage others to start small, just get up and do something.

It does not matter how small you start. I started riding a bike, which I love, to get in fitness and lost twenty-five pounds! I started slow running and now I’m running marathons, lifting weights and kick boxing!

What are your goals for 2014? My goals are to stay lean while building muscle. Specifically, building more muscle mass in my legs. I will also work on my weakest parts, which are my shoulders and legs.

How long have you been into fitness? I played basketball in high school. I currently work at a Planet Fitness. When I started I weighed 140 pounds, eighteen months later I have gained twelve to fifteen pounds of muscle. I enjoy working out and recently achieved my personal training certification. I enjoy my job and helping others increasing their understanding of what is possible through fitness in a gym.

How do you plan to achieve your goals?

I will achieve my goals through dedication and consistency. I work at a gym so I do not have any excuses. I get motivated by watching others workout.

Why do you do feel its important to set goals? It’s important to set goals by setting smaller goals and taking things steps by step. You will ultimately achieve a larger goal.

What advice do you have for the average person and how do you feel that it would benefit them in helping them achieve goals for them? Don’t limit or doubt yourself; everybody is different and you have to find what is right for you.

Brad Kammerer, 29 Philadelphia, PA What are your goals for 2014? My goals for 2014 include continuing my healthy lifestyle and nutrition. I want to take my diet to next level with clean eating including more fruits, vegetables and juicing. I’m not too focused on organic versus non organic.

For me, it is more about feeling better.

How long have you been into fitness? I have been into fitness since I played basketball and football in high school.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

How do you plan to achieve your goals?

In the past I was focused more on bulking up, however, this year I will try to just maintain where I am right now. I would like to compete at some point!

What advice do you have for the average person and how do you feel that it would benefit them in helping them achieve goals for them? I recommend not looking at the fitness ads. Appearance is not the ultimate motivator, it has to be about feeling good. To me, that is much more important.

PHILLYFIT | 27

Jenna Biel, Philadelphia, PA How long have you been into fitness? I have participated in athletics since childhood. I played soccer until I graduated from college in 2010, which is when I began to focus on distance running and eventually weightlifting. I’ve completed several half marathons and will be running my second marathon in January 2014.

My current focus is on Crossfit and I supplement my weightlifting with running. I participate in distance races because of the adrenalin rush and charity.

What are your fitness goals for 2014? My fitness goals for 2014 may be different than most. Instead of focusing solely on myself, I would like to focus on helping others reach their optimum health and fitness levels. In 2013, I received my personal training certification and I plan on utilizing my education to make a difference in someone else’s life. On the other hand, I want to continue to focus on weight training and hit some new PR’s in Crossfit!

How do you plan to achieve your goals? An expression I like to repeat is, “Stop wishing. Start doing!” Many of us dream about where we’d like to be in life or what we’d like to accomplish, but never get any farther than just that - a dream. In 2014, I am going to step outside my comfort zone and chase after my dreams. I am the author behind a health and wellness blog called ‘Crazy Healthy Fit’ (www.crazyhealthyfit.com). My blog has come a long way since it was launched in July 2012. While it still needs some work, I am building this blog into a professional platform where I can offer my services to others and provide motivation and support to anyone who may need it. I want to make a positive impact in the health and fitness community.

How do you handle setbacks? No one is perfect. In order to succeed, often times you must first fail and learn

from your mistakes. Very rarely do we get things handed to us these days. Failure is a blessing in that it teaches us what not to do the second time around. If you encounter a setback in life, no matter what it may be, keep your head high and try again. Don’t give up. Regarding nutrition, maybe you had a bad day, which then led to a huge food binge (it happens). Instead of beating yourself up over it, start fresh the next day, drink a lot of fluids and get yourself right back on track! Life happens and one setback is not going to ruin your entire life.

What advice do you have for the average person in helping them achieve goals for them? Find an accountability partner! It makes a world of a difference when you have someone to lean on, someone who understands your goals and can relate to your particular lifestyle. An accountability partner does not have to be a family member, it can be an absolute stranger - someone you connected with online, for example.

I also like to physically write down my goals each month on a piece of paper and leave the paper out in the open somewhere to reference at least once a day.

Keep yourself accountable for those goals. Don’t be afraid to try something new. If you aren’t seeing results from a certain workout routine, the problem could be as simple as a lack of variety! Think about how you would feel if you ate the same exact meal every single day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Chances are you’d get pretty bored of the food after a while, right? This is the same principle with your exercise routine. Your body will become accustomed to the same routine over and over again and you won’t see results because of the lack of variety. Change up your routine every once in a while. Not only will you begin to see results, but your confidence level and energy will increase as well!

Lily Otieno, 32 Wilmington, DE What are your goals for 2014? My goals include adding more muscle mass and increasing my endurance.

How long have you been into fitness? I have been into fitness for three years.

How do you plan to achieve your goals? I have started eating the Paleo Diet that is focused on eating clean foods. I have also started adding weight lifting to my routine.

What do you feel will be better in 2014 than in 2013?

My goal is to get a better understanding of the gym with regard to the variety that I can add to my own routine. I regularly observe other peoples’ routines and also participate in endurance classes to try to learn new things.

Why do you do feel it is important to set goals?

Goals give you something to work towards.

28 | PHILLYFIT

How do you set goals? I now set monthly goals, but started by setting weekly goals. When I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted on a weekly basis it was de-motivating.

By setting monthly goals, I have given myself enough time to see good results and believe that monthly goals are the way to go. I am much happier with my progress now! Working out makes me feel great!

What advice do you have for the average person and how do you feel that it would benefit them in helping them achieve goals? Start slowly, set small goals and work your way up. The most important thing is to be persistent in finding things that you love to do, like running with your dog. It has to be a life style change. I vary my routines and enjoy trying different things in the gym. I workout solo, but would love to have a partner to workout with at times because I enjoy the energy of a fitness class.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

NutritionFIT

Resveratrol T

C HEERS

TO

G OOD H EALTH

he recent holidays bring family and friends together for reflection of the days and years that have passed, as well as what the future holds for everyone. Stories are told and memories are made. Cheer and excitement fills the room and you can feel the love between everyone. These times are ones that will never be forgotten. Drinks are poured out and toasts are made to good health and prosperity and everyone has a great time. What if those drinks that are being poured out could possibly help your overall health?

This shouldn’t come as a shock to you but research surrounding red wine and the health benefits has been popping up everywhere over the years. While drinking in moderation can bring some health benefits, using the old “well if one is good, then two must be better” motto can also be damaging and dangerous. Red wine when paired with the right foods can enhance any dish and bring out the flavor of the wine and overall enjoyment of the meal. That being said, it is recommended to drink wine with a meal rather than by itself as alcohol can stimulate the appetite, which could cause overconsumption of food and alcohol to combat that appetite stimulation. Five ounces of red wine is the ideal amount of wine someone should consume per glass. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommends one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Red wine contains antioxidants (polyphenols), but not as high of a concentration as most people may think.

The main antioxidant to be noted is resveratrol—found in the skin of the grapes used to make the red wine. This powerful antioxidant can help reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol, help prevent blood clots, help prevent damage to blood vessels, and can help increase HDL “good” cholesterol by as much as twenty percent in some cases.

Another startling fact is that a study conducted in 2010 found that individuals who regularly drank moderate glasses of wine each week were forty percent less likely to catch a cold. These benefits all stem from the antioxidants found in red wine which are believed to protect the body against free radicals and to help protect the cells from infections.

Another health benefit that comes from moderate consumption of red wine is that it has been shown to possibly lower the risk of heart disease. This heart healthy benefit might raise some eyebrows, but this does not mean to over consume the beverage thinking the more you drink the more protection and benefits will come

By Matt Weik

from it. In fact, it is recommended that if you aren’t currently drinking red wine that you shouldn’t start simply to gain some of the heart health benefits as this can lead to possible addiction and can worsen health problems. Along those lines, don’t drink alcohol if you are pregnant, have a weak heart or heart failure, are at a high risk of breast cancer, or if you are taking aspirin.

If you choose not to drink red wine or cannot consume alcohol, you have nothing to worry about or feel like you are missing out on the benefits of the powerful antioxidant. Resveratrol can be found in red or purple grapes, blueberries, cranberries, and also peanuts. If none of those agree with your tastes, you can always find a resveratrol supplement at your local grocery or nutrition store if you feel this antioxidant is something you would like to bring into your diet.

There are also many misconceptions that blame the consumption of alcohol with making an individual fat. While it could contribute to overconsumption of calories, this certainly is not the cause. Wine consumption in moderation will have very little effect on weight. As mentioned above, drinking it by itself can increase appetite which could cause you to overeat, but the beverage itself will not make you gain weight. The old saying “calories in versus calories out” comes to mind. If you are aware of how many calories you need to fit your caloric needs for a day, you can easily figure out if the consumption of a glass of wine would have you spill over your calories for that given day. If you find that you’re already at your limit for the day and plan on having a glass of wine at night, by simply expending calories through a quick workout or cardio will help you free up some calories so you can enjoy your favorite beverage.

So drink and be merry and enjoy all the amazing benefits found in red wine. Living a healthy lifestyle that includes eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly is always recommended. The greatest wealth is health—don’t take it for granted. Cheers my friends! ~~~ Matt Weik – BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN Fitness Expert/Author/Model – has been in the fitness industry since 2002. He is currently the Manager of the MET-Rx Team Sports division. He works with colleges and professional sports teams all across the US to supply them with recovery and nutritional products for their athletes. He has worked with everyone from middle school athletes all the way up to pro athletes and celebrities. More information can be found on his website: www.

MattWeik.com.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 29

FitnessFIT

A re You A S corpion ?

By Solomon Brenner

There was a scorpion and a frog on the banks of a river. The scorpion said to the frog, “Let me ride on your back so that I can reach the other side safely.” “No way!” said the frog. “If I let you on my back, you’ll sting me and I’ll die.”

“I won’t sting you,” said the scorpion, “because if I do, then I will drown in the river and we’ll both die.” The frog thought over this logic and decided it made sense. He agreed to give the scorpion a ride across the river. The scorpion climbed on and they started into the water. About halfway across the river the frog felt a sharp stinging pain that could mean only one thing.

“You stung me!” the frog cried. “You fool, now we will both drown in the river! Why would you do that?” The scorpion replied, “I’m a scorpion. It’s in my nature.”

▐▐▐▐▐▐▐ How often do we categorize ourselves like this? When a friend invites you to a morning workout you say, “That’s too early! I’m not a morning person,” or, “I can’t do that, I’m too out of shape.” We look at our past behavior and let it become a label of who we are rather than changing our ways to become the person we want to be.

If you think of yourself as an unhealthy or out of shape person, then that’s what you are. Before you can change anything physically, you have to change it mentally. You must think of yourself as a healthy person.

If you think of yourself as a fat person on a diet, do you think that healthy eating plan will ever last? Instead of thinking of food in terms of, “I’m on a diet,” think, “I’m a healthy-eater.” This makes it a more permanent part of who you are, and not something you are just trying out or doing temporarily.

Don’t just stick to what you’ve done in the past. The definition of

insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. If your past endeavors at a healthier lifestyle have been unsuccessful, try something new. Step outside of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ve never been a morning person, but once you try that morning workout you discover it’s the best time of day for you to get it done so that you don’t have time to talk yourself out of it or say you’ll get to it later. Once you start seeing yourself as a healthy person, the behavioral changes you make are more likely to stick. You choose fruits and vegetables not because some diet plan tells you to, but because it makes you feel good to make those healthy food choices. That doesn’t mean you won’t still crave the junk food you loved before, but in your mind they become more of a once-in-a-while treat versus part of your everyday menu.

Don’t limit your potential by labeling yourself in a negative way. If you envision yourself as having already made your fitness goal a reality, the steps you take to achieve it are just details that you’re filling in. ~~~ Contributed by Solomon Brenner, Master Instructor for Action Karate and coach for Zen-10 Fitness for more info call (215) 355-5003.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 31

PetsFIT

Cancer Treatment for Pets: The C-Word Can Also Mean Courage

By Dr. Rachael Gaeta, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)

A

merica’s devotion to their companion animals is outstanding. For many, pets are no less than a part of the family. Over the past few decades, this devotion has contributed to continual improvements in veterinary care, which has paid dividends in improved life spans and quality of life for dogs and cats. However, in spite of high quality preventative care and owner devotion, pets who live into their middle or older years often develop many of the same illnesses and conditions that people do, including cancer, one of the leading causes of death in cats and dogs.

HOW A VETERINARY SPECIALIST CAN HELP

A cancer diagnosis can be emotionally devastating, but it’s important for pet owners to know that they don’t have to face it alone. If your primary care veterinarian suspects or diagnoses your pet with cancer, speak with him or her about consultation with a veterinary oncologist, a veterinarian who specializes in the treatment of cancer. Veterinary oncologists have had extensive training, which includes completing an undergraduate degree, a veterinary doctorate degree (VMD or DVM), and at least another three to five years of internship and residency, during which they focus almost exclusively on the treatment of dogs and cats with cancer.

After their training, board-certified veterinary oncologists have to pass a difficult certification exam and publish at least one scientific paper to qualify for the title of Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM).

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A VETERINARY ONCOLOGIST

At your first meeting with an oncologist, you will discuss your pet’s medical history and the diagnosis made by your primary care veterinarian. Often, additional diagnostics will be performed to determine precisely what sort of cancer is afflicting your pet as well as whether it has spread (this is referred to as “staging” the cancer). Once these assessments have been made, your oncologist will discuss prognosis and treatment options. Depending on the cancer type, treatment options may include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation therapy. For some cancers, especially those that appear to be good models for cancers that occur in people, clinical trials are available. Clinical

trials are research studies to determine the safety and efficacy of medications and treatments. Pets enrolled in veterinary clinical trials may benefit from treatment options not yet available in mainstream medicine and the trial findings may help other animals or people in the future.

QUALITY OF LIFE IS THE GOAL

For many people, “cancer treatment” conjures up terrible thoughts of nausea, discomfort, and hair loss associated with the symptoms that human cancer patients may endure. Understandably, people are often hesitant to pursue cancer treatment for their pets, but in most cases they needn’t be. Veterinary cancer treatment is designed to treat cancers as effectively as possible while minimizing side effects and maximizing quality of life. With these goals in mind, treatments for pets tend to consist of lower chemotherapy doses, less frequent administration and fewer combinations of chemotherapy agents than are used in human chemotherapy protocols, and for these reasons veterinary chemotherapy protocols are typically well tolerated by pets.

Veterinary oncologists work closely with pets’ primary care veterinarians to coordinate care and constantly monitor quality of life. Most treatments are provided at regular trips to the specialist on an outpatient basis to ensure that whenever possible pets can be home with their families instead of spending their time in the hospital. In many cases these treatments can extend pets’ lives by months or even years without negatively impacting their quality of life, and provide pets with comfortable, pain-free moments with their families.

Sadly, not all pets’ cancers have effective treatment options. Oncologists work with primary care veterinarians to help keep these pets as comfortable as possible; oncologists are trained to help pet owners monitor their pets’ quality of life and can help pinpoint when quality of life is declining, helping to avoid any unnecessary suffering. Oncologists can also help families cope with their loss when a pet succumbs to cancer by referring them to a grief counselor or pet loss support group.

WHERE TO GET HELP

If you’re facing a cancer diagnosis for one of your pets, talk with your veterinarian about seeing a veterinary oncologist. There may be several viable treatment options to help your pet lead the longest, happiest life

ABOUT VSCD — The Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware (VSCD) is a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital offering advanced and urgent care to companion animals. The main hospital receives specialty and emergency patients and is located just off of US I-95 in New Castle, DE, with a satellite location in Dover, DE which sees only specialty appointments. Both buildings sit just off major highways and are easily accessible to Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey clients and patients. VSCD specialists are trained in the world’s most advanced treatments and techniques in the specialized areas of cardiology, CT imaging, critical care, dentistry and oral surgery, dermatology, internal medicine, oncology, ophthalmology, pain management, anesthesia, acupuncture, physical rehabilitation therapy, radiology/ultrasound and surgery. Twenty-four hour a day emergency staff veterinarians are highly skilled to treat and manage all emergencies from trauma to chronic ailments. Our collaborative care approach ensures that the owner, referring veterinarian and VSCD team work together to provide the most specialized and compassionate care for our patients and their families.

32 | PHILLYFIT

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

possible despite its disease. Your primary care veterinarian may be able to recommend an oncologist, and you can research options in your area by visiting the websites of the Veterinary Cancer Society (www.vetcancersociety. org), the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (www.acvim. org) or the American Animal Hospital Association (www.healthypet.com). ~~~ Dr. Rachael Gaeta, DVM, is a board-certified veterinary oncologist at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware. Dr. Gaeta graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 followed by a rotating internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery also at the University of Wisconsin in 2009, followed by completing a residency in oncology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She brings to VSCD special interests in thyroid tumors and hematopoietic malignancies.

Dr. Gaeta sees patients Monday through Thursday at VSCD.

10% OFF

All Natural, Human-Grade Treats, Toys, Clothing, Gifts!

Your First Boarding Visit

1804 Chestnut St. I 215.988.9876 I www.jdgphilly.com

Emergency/Critical Care - 24 Hour Service Jeffrey Barnet, VMD Elizabeth Bukowski, DVM Michelle McClain, DVM

Masha R. McCarthy, DVM Laura Pell, VMD Kelly Saverino, DVM

Specialty by Appointment

24/7 Emergency/Critical Care

Special Friends. Special Care.

Providing comprehensive state-of-the-art urgent and advanced veterinary care to Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania pets.

Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware

VSCD NEW CASTLE @ 290 Churchmans Road |I New Castle, DE 19720 VSCD DOVER @ 1482 East Lebanon Road |I Dover, DE 19901 www.vscdel.com

Surgery

Ophthalmology*

Mark Cofone, VMD, DACVS Art Jankowski, VMD, DACVS Scott Roberts, VMD, DACVS

Jeffrey Bowersox, DVM, DACVO Kathryn Wotman, DVM, DACVIM, DACVO

Dentistry

Reid Groman, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC

Paul Orsini, DVM, DACVS, DAVDC

Internal Medicine* Jeremy Diroff, DVM, DACVIM Carrie Goldkamp, VMD, DACVIM Eric Walsh, DVM Practice Limited to Internal Medicine

Cardiology* Michael Miller, MS, VMD, DABVP Practice Limited to Cardiology

Oncology

Critical Care Radiology Rafe Knox, VMD, DACVR Yael Porat-Mosenco, DVM, DECVDI, DACVR

CT Scan Radiologists and Anesthesiologist

Rehabilitation* Natalie Campbell, VMD, CCRP

Acupuncture & Anesthesiology Laurie Sorrell-Raschi, DVM, DACVA, RRT

Rachael Gaeta, DVM, DACVIM *some Saturday specialty hours available

OPENING JANUARY 2014 Our new 1,000 sq. foot Rehabilitation Center will open its doors officially in January 2014. Services include: underwater treadmill, heated therapy pool and exercise room in addition to Class IV cold laser, thermotherapy, massage, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound, therapeutic exercise, and treadmill.

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 33

PetsFIT

Enhance and Restore Functional Ability & Quality of Life Through PM & R

By Dr. Woodcock Did you know that the most common sign of degenerative joint disease in a cat is reduced jumping? Did you know that chronic pain can make your once loving dog anti-social or even aggressive? Did you know that with proper treatment your pet can act and feel years younger? When I first started training in canine physical therapy and rehabilitation I was cautiously optimistic about the benefits. Over the years, I have been more than pleasantly surprised by the reports I receive from our clients. Cats are now jumping on the kitchen counters. Dogs can jump into the car. All patients are feeling better and acting happier. To me, as an eighteen-year veteran of the veterinary profession this is amazing; one of the greatest gifts I can give my patients and their families. Physical rehabilitation is for every pet with decreased mobility (seventy to eighty percent of cats over the age of ten years have degenerative joint disease), recovering from surgery or injury, or suffering from a chronic disease (cancer, dental disease, joint disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and of course arthritis as well as much more). Dog patients love the time and attention that is lavished on them during a session. Cats, believe it or not, make wonderful patients, especially in a quiet, cat-friendly environment.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), also known as physiatry or rehabilitation medicine, is a branch of medicine that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. A practitioner having completed training in this field is referred to as a physiatrist or rehabilitation medicine specialist. Physiatrists specialize in restoring optimal (not normal

34 | PHILLYFIT

but as close as possible) function to patients with injuries to the muscles, bones, tissues, and nervous system. People have benefitted from treatment for years, now so too can our furry family members.

We offer a variety of treatment options, none of which are painful and all of which are tailored to the individual needs of the friend and the family. Our services include manual therapy (massage, manipulation, mobilization: improves circulation, relaxation, and mobility), electrical stimulation (TENS/NMES: increases joint range of motion, muscle strength, and circulation; decreases muscle atrophy, spasm, and pain), ultrasound therapy (provides deep heating, reduces pain and spasm, increases circulation and flexibility), class IV laser therapy (reduces pain, edema, and inflammation and enhances healing), pulsed electrical magnetic fields (to reduce pain and swelling and promote tissue regeneration), thermotheårapy (both heat and cold to reduce pain, swelling, and spasm, trigger point work (to eliminate focal intense muscle spasm and pain and improve mobility) as well as therapeutic exercises and traditional and advanced pain management programs. Treatments start at one to three visits a week for a few weeks and then taper out to monthly or every other month treatments as needed for maintenance. Treatments can be combined with a more classic pain management program, diet, and nutraceutical support system. Pets that feel better move better; pets that move better feel better. Our programs combine in-hospital treatments with at-home support. We design each program around the individual and the family because every pet and every family is unique.

It is important to remember that we often underestimate pain in our pet family members. The signs can be very subtle and are often

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

attributed to aging rather than discomfort. We now know that chronic pain affects multiple organ systems as well as our friend’s sense of overall well-being. These effects in turn play a role in longevity as well as quality of life. You, as family members play an essential role as advocates for your friends.

When an animal comes to the veterinarian they are in a state of heightened awareness (fight or flight) and will very often mask pain. The most important indicator of pain is what you, as family members, observe in your pet. It is you who will be the judge of how successful a treatment program is. When in doubt, treatment is always advisable.

Effective control of chronic pain requires a commitment - to follow up appointments, at home care, and lab work to make sure medications are safe. But the benefits outweigh the costs by far. I have been told by clients that, “They have their friend back,” “The last months of a friend afflicted with cancer were the best he had in years,” and that, “He loves coming to his appointments.” Working together we can keep your friends jumping on the countertops and chasing squirrels for years to come. ~~~ Dr. Woodcock has been in veterinary practice since 1996. She has worked in general practice, emergency medicine, and most recently has focused on the management of chronic pain and immobility. She became a certified canine Rehabilitation Practitioner in 2011. She is also certified in chronic pain management, a member of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM), the International Association of Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy (IAVRPT), and the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians (AARV).

She has a child with chronic pain and mobility issues resulting from a traumatic injury so these problems are very near and dear to her. She has a passion for making your pet’s life better through the control of pain and the preservation of mobility. You can find her at VCA Wellington Animal Hospital in Newtown Square, PA. She loves her patients and their families and recognizes that the Rehabilitation Team includes the practitioner, the pet, and the people. Without you, no therapy will be successful.

get A FRee FiRSt exAm!* It’s a risk-free way for you to see the care and special attention we give to each pet.

We provide a people friendly environment with dedicated, caring professionals. Count on us to care for your pet.

Because good health matters at all life stages! n

n n n n n n n n n

VCA Supports Animal Shelters Nationwide

Rehabilitative services: (physical rehabilitation, trigger point release, advanced pain management) Acupuncture (alternative medicine) Complete wellness care Early disease detection Surgery including spays & neuters Dentistry Urgent care VCA Best Care Packages Doggie day care Concierge service

*For new clients only. Not to be combined with any other offer. Up to 2 pets per household. Exp. 03/31/14. Cashier Code. 700.50 700.500

VCA WelliNgtoN ANimAl HoSpitA pit l pitA & FAmilY mil pet ReSoRt milY 3921 Miller Road • Newtown Square, PA 19073

610-466-5271 610-466-5277 (pet ReSoRt) BUSiNeSS HoURS: Mon-Fri 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM Sat 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sun 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Pet Owner Empowerment:

facebook.com/VCAanimalhospitals

celebrate and Showcase

pinterest.com/VCAhospitals

pet ReSoRt loBBY HoURS: Mon-Fri 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sat 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sun 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

vcAwellington.com vcAfamilypetresort.com

Open Every Day Free Evaluation All Breeds Welcome Dogs Must Be Social

Now accepting

EASTER GROOMING

Appointments

$10 OFF GROOMING SERVICE

200 King Manor Drive King of Prussia, PA

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

www.perfect-pooch.com

Call for a Tour!

610.337.7698 PHILLYFIT | 35

In home/office massage, bodywork, & skincare services Nicki Dekunchak 610-405-0041

& Best of “Be Well Philly” 2012

2009 & 2013

Nicki@handsathome.com Handsathome.com

Athlete Development / Cardio Kick Boxing / Functional Training Zumba / Ballroom Dancing / Wing Chun Kung Fu

Thanks to everyone for their business in 2013 and we look forward to serving you again in 2014!

Two G Ser reat One vices G Loca reat tion

36 | PHILLYFIT

November/December | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfi t.com

PHILLYFIT | 33

JAN/FEB

calendar of events

JAN. 4

Distance Training Program Prep for the LOVE Run, the Hot Chocolate 15K, or Broad Street Run. Time: 7:30 am Place: 1501 Lower State Rd., North Wales, PA. Phone: (215) 997-9898

JAN. 4, FEB. 1, AND MARCH 1

Athlete’s Closet Winter Series 5K run/walk through town with massage from Paoli Chiropractic Clinic. Costume themes: January, New Year’s; February, wear something red or pink; March, St. Patrick’s Day green.

Time: January and February, registration 8:30 am, race 9:30 am; March, registration 2 pm, race 3 pm Place: The Athlete’s Closet, 11 N. Five Points Road, West Chester, PA Cost: $25 eight days prior; $30 day of.

Phone: (610) 692-4922 Web: www.athletescloset.com

JAN. 18, FEB. 15, MARCH 15

Winter Pickle Run Series Choice of 3-mile run or 4.4-mile trail run.

Time: January and March, registration 9 am, race 10 am; February, race 3 pm Place: Ridley Creek State Park, Section 17, 1023 Sycamore Mills Rd., Media, PA Phone: (610) 328-3979

FEB. 8

Cupid’s Cranium Run 5K run/1-mile walk for CHOP’s Brain Tumor Research Program. Snow date: Feb. 22.

Time: Registration 9 am; run 10 am Place: Pope John Paul II High School, 181 Rittenhouse Road, Royersford, PA Cost: Advance, $20/person and $50 for family of 4; day of, $25/person

Race day registration: $25 per person (shirts while supplies last) Phone: (610) 792-0430 Web: www.atleastkids.org

FEB. 15

Cupid’s Undie Run A mile run, more or less, in your underwear to raise money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

Time: Registration, 12 pm; race 2 pm Place: Xfinity LIVE!, 1100 Pattison Ave., Phila., PA Phone: (215) 450-8706

FEB. 22

Fireside Frostbite 5-Miler Limited to 1,500 runners.

Time: Registration 7:30 am; race 9 am Place: Wissahickon High School, Houston and Dager Roads, Ambler, PA Web: www.aarclub.com/frostbite

MARCH 30

Julianne’s Journey 5K Run/Walk Time: Registration 7:30 am; race 9 am Place: Spring-Ford High School, 350 S. Lewis Rd., Royersford, PA Cost: $20 per person by March 23, $25 per person on run day, $15 Kids Fun Run, $70 for Family 5K Run/Walk Pre-Registration (4 or more). Registration includes a race T-shirt and refreshments. T-shirts are guaranteed to all who register before March 16.

Remaining shirts will be issued on a first-come, firstserved basis on race day.

Phone: (610) 909-8784 Web: juliannesjourney.com

PLACE YOUR CALENDAR LISTING BOXED LISTINGS MARCH 30

Nicole Gallo Sunshine & Bubbles 5K 5K run, 5K walk, and 1-mile kids’ run (ages 12 and under). Post-race celebration.

Time: Registration 12:30 pm; kids’ run 1:30 pm; race 2 pm Place: Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast High School, 403 N. Lansdowne Ave., Drexel Hill, PA Cost: Advance, adults, $25; ages 12 and under, $15.

Advance deadlines: mail, March 23; online, March 27. Day of, $30. Payable to: Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast High School, memo: Nicole Gallo Sunshine Scholarship. Please forward donations to Lindsay Wolf, 4025 Sommers Ave., Drexel Hill, PA 19026. Non-participant donations welcome.

Phone: (610) 608-1397 Web: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/155875511278392

APRIL 5

Run for Hope 10K & 5K Race and 1 mile Fun Run/Walk. Stroller decorating station for the 1 mile race.

Time: Registration 8 am; race 9 am Place: Ridley Creek State Park, Pavilion 17, 1023 Sycamore Mills Rd., Media, PA Phone: (267) 546-3600 Web: www.hopecenterpartners.org/events/index.html

APRIL 6

Art and Sole 5K run and 1-mile fun walk.

Time: Registration 7:30 am; run 9 am Place: Abington Art Center Sculpture Park and Alverthorpe Park, Jenkintown, PA. Enter from Fox Chase Road or Forrest Avenue. The event will begin and end at the Picnic Pavilion in Alverthorpe Park.

Phone: (215) 887-4882 Web: www.abingtonartcenter.org

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

FOR ONLY $75 CALL 267-767-4205 Kevin Cain Make My Day 5k Run to fight cancer.

Time: Registration 1:30 pm; race 3 pm Place: Annunciation BVM Parish Hall, 401 Brookline Blvd., Havertown, PA Phone: (610) 789-7243 Web: kevincain.org

APRIL 13

Bucks County Half Marathon Time: Registration 7 am; race 8 am Place: 10 Stable Mill Rd., Richboro, PA Phone: (267) 574-1325 Website: www.buckscountymarathon.com

APRIL 19

“Empower the Children” 5K Run/Walk Time: Registration 7 am; race 8:30 am Place: Westgate Hills Park, Oxford Hill Lane, Havertown, PA Phone: (484) 454-8700, ext. 1148 Web: www.cgrc.org Rick’s Run Time: Registration 8 am; race 9 am Place: Ridley Creek State Park, Areas 11A and 11B, 1023 Sycamore Mills Rd., Media, PA Phone: (610) 960-1774 Web: https://www.facebook.com/RicksRun?ref=hl

APRIL 27

Philly Run Wild – Save the Orangutans 5K Run/Walk Time: Registration 7 am; race 8:30 am Place: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA Phone: (609) 217-3608 Web: www.phillyrunwild.com

PHILLYFIT | 37

Advertorial

The RealRyder® Indoor Cycle Ushers in A New Era In Indoor Cycling with a Stationary Bike That Tilts and Leans After two decades of stationary cycling, it’s time to get “unstationary” with RealRyder® Indoor Cycling. Finally, you can train in a way that’s both functional and fun, while working your entire body as a cohesive unit on an indoor bike. This is the way our bodies are designed to move and ride!

The RealRyder® Indoor Cycle turns, tilts and leans as you ride, providing the fluid sensation of an outdoor road bike. As you move through an expanded range of dynamic, functional movements, you get a more comprehensive, functional total body workout with special emphasis on activating essential core muscles.

Spark change in your body to lose those last few pounds or gain your competitive edge to achieve an athletic goal with a joint-friendly workout that delivers results quickly and efficiently.

Propel your body to the next level with a RealRyder® by taking an indoor cycling class at Fit Ryde in West Chester: • Increase endurance and stamina with a cardio workout that’s fun • Activate core muscles the entire time you ride • Build upper and lower body strength • Burn 20% more calories per hour compared to traditional stationary bikes • Improve speed and power with a variety of dynamic, functional movements Fitness can be fun, fantastic and a fabulous workout at Fit Ryde! Do you wish fitness was fun and not a chore? Would you feel motivated to get fit, if fitness was a fun time for you? If you could burn five hundred plus calories in forty-five minutes with great music and motivating instructors with your friends

38 | PHILLYFIT

and others who too want to have fun and get fit, would you then decide to get FIT? You can increase endurance and stamina with a cardio workout that’s fun! You will learn to activate core muscles the entire time you ride to build upper and lower body strength! The music will move you, the time will fly by and you will burn the calories but above all else you will have FUN! You can enjoy a first free RYDE at www.fitryde.com.

Whether you are a beginner or an outdoor cyclist or just want to have some fun and get fit, this is the place. You control the resistance dial and therefore you own your own Ryde, thereby setting your own pace. The only requirement is that you come with a smile and be ready to have fun! Did you hear the new skinny is STRONG! You want to be strong so you can lift groceries, children, and anything else properly. Therefore take the challenge and decide to have some fun while you get FIT and RYDE my awesome team of instructors and me at Fit Ryde Indoor Cycling and Fitness Studio in West Chester, PA. Located on route 202, classes start as early as 5:45 am and go as late as 8:15 pm. There are no excuses and there is always time to get fit, healthy, and strong!

Fit Ryde has a pay as you go concept and the ability to make all of your reservations online. It is easy and hassle free. Your cycle is guaranteed when you make your reservation online. There is no annual fee and no money down to join.

You can drop in for a class, become a monthly member, or purchase packages of cycling punch passes. Make your reservation today at www.fitryde. com for a dynamic

January/February | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

workout! My amazing team of instructors is trained to give you that full body workout with minimal breaks and maximum results!

Fit Ryde, LLC owner and instructor, Erica Burns, relocated with her family in August 2012 to the suburbs of Philadelphia area from Long Beach, New York. She is a nationally certified AFAA group fitness instructor with over seven years of experience. She has been teaching cycling, boot camp, body sculpting, kettle bells and her signature “Pedal and Pump” classes at various fitness clubs and studios on Long Island. Erica is Real Ryder certified, has experience with Soul Cycle and is always ready to embrace the latest and greatest fitness trends. She brings enthusiasm and fun to all her classes. While being a mother and raising her three babies is her most rewarding job, her commitment to fitness and instructing fitness classes is her passion. Erica loves to motivate and inspire people to get healthy and fit. Her motto is, “Keep your eye on the prize. Being healthy and fit is the goal. Feeling and looking great is the guaranteed result!” Please come join Erica and her Fit Ryde team of instructors for a Real Ryder cycling class that promises to be challenging, motivating, and energetic.

Fit Ryde Indoor Cycling and Fitness Studio 1572 Wilmington Pike (route 202) West Chester, PA 19382 (516) 425-3289 work/cell erica@fitryde.com www.fitryde.com

Interested in hiring someone to do your in-house email blasts?

You know you should be doing it but no one “has the time?”

Keeping connected with your clients is as important as engaging with them when you are doing business with them!

PHILLYFIT Magazine has offered marketing services, through our sister company Jalynn Concepts, to businesses in our area for over seven years.

Hire and trust us to build effective, interesting and engaging email blasts that are from you, to your own customer base.

It‛s a win/win for both your business & your client base.

Call or email us for details.

Promote your upcoming specia ls & new trends, y our clients will appr eciate being in your loo p!

3 | PHILLYFIT

Month/Month | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

267-767-4205 Jami@phillyfit.com

4 | PHILLYFIT

Month/Month | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com