T H E G O O D L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E F R O M S A I N T P E T E R ’ S H E A LT H C A R E S Y S T E M
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BACKYARD
GETAWAY! COOL TRIP: ICELAND! WHO NEEDS LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE? LOX TO LOVE
L k i n sid e f r g reat wa y s t u s e y u r h spit a m a g a zi n e. l
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WHEN KIDS HAVE CONCUSSIONS TotalHealth_2015_final.indd 1
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Saint Peter’s is the only hospital in New Jersey recognized rec e as a Top Performer in the treatment tr t of children’ s asthma. r e v c e h T n s a re p sitid f r y u r e . s v r d e a s re spit a l’s h m/ dia.co cotme fe s n i a i info.w ealthandl h
TO a ChilD wiTh aSThMa, NOThiNg feelS beTTer ThaN a breaTh Of freSh air. At The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, we are proud of the exceptional care we provide to children with asthma. we are also honored to be one of a few hospitals in the country recognized as a Top Performer for the treatment of children’s asthma. our scores reflect that all patients treated by the pediatric specialists at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s have received quality care 100 percent of the time. This type of recognition simply strengthens our commitment to excellence in every area of patient care.
To learn about The Children’s hospital at Saint Peter’s, call 732.565.KiDS (5437) or visit saintpetershcs.com/spchildrenshospital
Top Performer on Joint Commission Key Quality Measures™ 2012 ™
254 eASToN AveNUe, New bRUNSwiCk, NJ 08901 Catholic hospital sponsored by the Diocese of Metuchen Regional medical campus of Drexel University College of Medicine
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732.745.8600
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saintpetershcs.com
State-designated children’s hospital and regional perinatal center Affiliate of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Need a doctor? To find a Saint Peter’s physician who fits your needs, call 855.SP.MY.DOC (776.9362)
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WELCOME LETTER
SAINT PETER’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RONALD C. RAK, J.D. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER PETER CONNOLLY
DIRECTOR, PUBLIC RELATIONS PHIL HARTMAN DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND MEDIA RELATIONS MICHELLE LAZZAROTTI SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
PRESIDENT, MEDICAL AND DENTAL STAFF CHRI STOPHER KOL AS A, M.D. SAINT PETER’S HEALTH AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORPORATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STE VEN S. R ADIN, ESQ.
THE GOOD LIVING MAG A ZINE FROM SAINT PETER’S HE ALTH CARE SYSTEM
RITA GUARNA ED ITOR I N CHI EF ART DIRECTOR STEPHEN M. VITARBO ED I T O R I A L
MANAGING EDITOR CAROL BIALKOWS KI SENIOR EDITOR TIMOTHY KELLE Y EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JACKLYN KOUEFATI CONTRIBUTING EDITORS LIZ DONOVAN, DAVID LE VINE ART
DESIGN CONTRIBUTORS EILEEN CRABILL, Y VONNE MARKI WEB
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA NIGEL EDELS HAIN PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATION CHRI STINE HAMEL PRODUCTION/ART ASSISTANT AL ANNA GIANNANTONIO
PUBLISHED BY WAINSCOT MEDIA C H A I R M A N CARROLL V. DOWDEN P R E S I D E N T MARK DOWDEN S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T S SHAE MARCUS, CARL OLSEN V I C E P R E S I D E N T S RITA GUARNA, CHRI STINE HAMEL
HEALTH & LIFE is published 3 times a year by Wainscot Media, 110 Summit Ave., Montvale, NJ 07645. This is Volume 9, Issue 1. © 2015 by Wainscot Media LLC. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in U.S. outside of Central Jersey: $14 for one year. Single copies: $3.95. Material contained herein is intended for informational purposes only. If you have medical concerns, seek the guidance of a healthcare professional. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To inquire about a subscription, to change an address or to purchase a back issue or a reprint of an article, please write to Health & Life, Circulation Department, 110 Summit Ave., Montvale, NJ 07645; telephone 201.573.5541; email christine.hamel@wainscotmedia.com.
E XC E L L E N C E I N CHILDREN’S CARE S A I N T P E T E R ’ S H E A LT H C A R E SY S T E M T R E AT S M O R E
children in central New Jersey than anyone else for some ver y good reasons. As Bipin Patel, M.D., chairman of Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, so accurately put it: “Our mission is to of fer warm and comfor ting family care to children and their families. We pride ourselves in providing this in a ver y safe manner.” Indeed. Saint Peter’s is not only the largest-volume children’s hospital in the region; we also cover the gamut of children’s ser vices, all with a special brand of exper tise and caring, in areas such as adolescent medicine, cancers of the blood and body, cardiology, craniofacial care, immune diseases, neonatology, neurosurger y, pulmonology, ulmon psychological ser vices, surger y, urology and an nd much more. Please turn to “Inside Look” oo k” (page 8) to learn more. For F r example, how Saint Peter’ss operates the newest and most modern emergency room fo for or children in Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties; or how Saint Peter’s has par tnered with ProCure Proton Therapy ra apy Center in Somerset to of fer a new type of radiation therapy he erapy that is the safest to date in the treatment of childhood od d cancers. Just in time for the new ew w school year, parents can read about how to make sure e kids get nutritious lunches on school days in “seasonal nall Health” (page 12.) Adult medicine shares ess the spotlight at Saint Peter’s, where we recently enlisted istted the ser vices of two of the area’s infoof.wgynecologic finest surgeons in the e treatment t ainscotm tumors. Please turn to “Facess of o Saint Peter’s” (page 12)eto dilearn a.com/ heare althalso more. Speaking of advancements, dvvancements, we andexlitremely f e proud of our new cardiac rdiac catheterizat catheterization h terization lab. Opened in the fall, the lab features the llatest, test safest technology technology, hnology, generating 360-degree images of a patient’s hearr t with a 60 percent reduction in X-ray exposure. See “Tech Sav v y” (page 11) for more details. Please also take a glance at “Up Close” (page 13), about a family whose eight children have been born at Saint Peter’s. So grateful is the grandfather for the caring treatment they received that he has star ted a charity to aid children in need, donating some funds to Saint Peter’s.
n cl u d e a lett e r t h e c m m u n ity fr m y u r C .
RONALD C. R AK , J.D. C HIE F E X E C U T I V E O F FI C E R S A IN T P E T E R’S HE A LT H CA R E SYST E M
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Contents SUMMER 2015
18 DEPARTMENTS 3
WELCOME LET TER
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LOCAL BUZZ
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GATHERINGS Photos fom recent events at Saint Peter’s.
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FINANCIAL BAL ANCE
FEATURES
Insurance you buy today could make life easier in years to come.
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Kids aren’t just miniature adults. Their particular healthcare needs require a specialized hospital.
Find out how this duo of doctors battles cancer in women.
With these 6 apps, health and exercise advice is as handy as your phone.
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Who needs a resort vacation when there’s an idyllic retreat on your own property?
Can we ever get enough salmon? Its great taste and great health benefits get along swimmingly.
EXPERT CARE FOR CHILDREN
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AN EVEN SAFER WAY TO VIEW THE HEART Rotational angiography now allows imaging to be performed with much less radiation.
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PACK HEALTHY! Five back-to-school tips for making kids’ midday nutrition a success story.
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FACES OF SAINT PETER’S
C’MON, GET APPY
POWER FOOD
BACK YARD GETAWAY
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ESCAPES Rugged Iceland is a bit like the moon, but friendlier, cozier—and a lot more convenient.
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UP CLOSE For one family, a visit to Saint Peter’s is an annual tradition.
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LOCALBUZZ CENTRAL JERSEY NEWS
REVIEWS
TIPS
TRENDS
GO ORGANIC? nc
crc
Organic produce is “in” now, but Honey Brook Organic Farm has been dedicated to organic farming since 1991, making it one of New Jersey’s oldest organic farms. It has farming locations in Pennington and Chesterfeld and grows more than 60 organic crops in 350 varieties. Honey Brook’s farmland is certifed organic, which means the farm doesn’t use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, meets strict federal standards and submits to yearly inspections for sustainability and environmental soundness. If that sounds good to you, you can be a part of it. Honey Brook’s community-supported agriculture (CSA) program is one of the largest in the U.S., with more than 2,700 memberships providing organic produce to more than 3,500 people. By becoming a member, you’re in effect partnering with the farm, pre-paying for your season’s produce. Members receive a variety of fresh vegetables, small fruits, herbs and fowers once a week during harvest season (usually May to midNovember). Choose from three membership levels: mini, individual or family. (Quantities are generous; sometimes “individual” works for a two-person family and a “family” membership may be shared by two families who don’t cook fresh vegetables daily.) You can also consider the farm’s boxed share program, which supplies you with full- and half-bushel boxes you pick up weekly at a predetermined site. Honey Brook Organic Farm, Pennington, 609.737.8899; honeybrookorganicfarm.com
editor’s pick
REUSABLE GRILLING SHEET Grilling just got a whole lot easier. Cookina is marketing a reusable barbecue grilling sheet ($12.99) that can be placed right on top of your grill grates when you cook outdoors. The flexible sheet is reversible and 100-percent nonstick—so you can get that smoky BBQ flavor (grill marks too) with less mess. It’s super easy to clean; just wipe or wash. And it’s a cinch to use it to prepare delicious eggs or pancakes.
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LOCAL BUZZ
EXPANDING THE GRAPEVINE
TOOTSIE TALK April is National Foot Care Month—the perfect time to take our quiz and fnd out how much you actually know about your feet. Answers appear upside-down below. 1. WHO IS MOST PRONE TO WARTS? A. Adults B. Teenagers C. The elderly
LOOK YOUNG!
2. MOST SYMPTOMS OF SKIN CANCER OF
Tired of getting older? The folks who make Kiehl’s Precision Lifting & PoreTightening Concentrate can’t turn back the clock, but they do promise to help you appear more youthful— by visibly lifting facial skin, redefning facial contours and tightening and reducing pores, lines and wrinkles. And if you don’t like this clinically tested serum, they say, you’re guaranteed to get your money back. (Of course, there’s no substitute for taking good care of your skin with things like thorough, gentle washing, not smoking and limiting sun exposure.)
THE FEET ARE _____ .
A. Itchy B. Smelly C. Painless 3. ATHLETE’S FOOT CAN SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY FROM _____ .
A. Contaminated bed sheets B. Other people who have the condition C. Sweating 4. WHAT IS ALSO KNOWN AS “PES PLANUS”?
A. Toenail fungus B. Bunions C. Flat feet 5. WEARING _____ DAILY CAN CAUSE YOUR ACHILLES TENDON TO SHRINK.
A. Flats B. Heels C. Flip-fops Answers: 1. B, 2. C, 3. A, 4. C, 5. B Sources: American Podiatric Medical Association, National Institutes of Health
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Vedi vidi vici vino. Gary’s Wine & Marketplace came, saw and is continuing to conquer the New Jersey wine market with the opening of a new location in Hillsborough. Wine lovers have been able to check out a partial selection of owner Gary Fisch’s goods since December, thanks to a “pop-up” location. The pop-up store will be replaced by the permanent brick-andmortar marketplace after construction is completed in May. Fisch has earned national media attention with appearances on the Food Network and CNN. Stay tuned for exciting opening events and appearances by special guests.
Stacie Curtis, left, with Linda Wellbrock, founder of Leading Women Entrepreneurs
WOMEN IN THE
LEAD
At a time when more and more women are shattering the glass ceiling, it’s fitting that Stacie Curtis, founder and president of East Brunswickbased CW Solutions, has been named one of New Jersey’s 2014 “Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs.” Finalists were chosen from hundreds of women business owners who excel in advocacy for women, innovation and community involvement. Winners were then selected by Leading Women Entrepreneurs (LWE), a media and events company based in Hunterdon County. Curtis and fellow honorees were celebrated at a reception in early December. CW Solutions is a national real estate services firm specializing in the utilities and wireless telecommunications industries.
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Nothing could be FINER... than dining in a diner—unless it’s checking out the history of this quintessentially Jersey institution in a special exhibit at Piscataway’s Cornelius Low House. On view through June 2016, the free seven-room exhibit “Icons of American Culture: History of New Jersey Diners” explores the history of the diner and its association with the Garden State (not the diner’s birthplace, but arguably its spiritual home). As diner lore has it, in 1910 Bayonne resident Jerry O’Mahoney and his brother bought a lunch wagon and began selling meals from it. Business was good, and one wagon became seven—and then larger, stationary eateries that evolved into today’s chrome-rich, endless-menu, round-the-clock restaurants. The exhibit devotes a room to diner food (a cuisine of its own!), including the familiar dessert cabinet. The unique architecture of classic diners is celebrated in paintings of five well-known examples. Two mock-ups of diner booths will bring back memories. And there’s an informational packet in the form of a laminated diner menu. The exhibit is open 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1–4 p.m. Sundays (except holidays). Cornelius Low House, 1225 River Rd., Piscataway, 732.745.4177
GOOD VIBRATIONS AT THE STATE
Give the State Theatre in New Brunswick a standing ovation for the highest-grossing fundraiser in its 26-year history. With the help of featured concert performer Brian Wilson, co-founder of rock music’s iconic Beach Boys, the recent State Theatre Benefit Gala brought in more than $803,000. The event also honored several locals, including Louis and Sharon Cyktor, who were lauded for their longtime support of the theater’s mission. Reports Sharon: “It was a wonderful evening.”
SAVE
FACE
You know you’re supposed to wear sunscreen every day— to prevent skin cancer as well as premature aging. But many sunscreens, even some formulated specifcally for the face, leave you appearing shiny and greasy. And who wants to walk around looking like that? We’ve found the solution: Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50+. This broadspectrum sunscreen is lightweight, absorbs quickly and has a wonderful matte fnish—perfect for wearing under foundation. It’s fragrance-free, oil-free and paraben-free too. Bottom line: You might actually enjoy using sunscreen daily.
SUMMER GARDEN IDEAS
Hot weather needn’t keep you from gardening, the experts say, even if you only lately sprouted outed ut that green thumb. We offer th four timely elyy tips: n WATER ER WEEKLY Don’t forget to water— ter— one good od d morning watering weekly can do the tri trick, ck, says Donna Pemberton of the Middlesex se ex County Master Gardener program. To o see if you’ve watered enough, stick your index nd dex finger into the soil. If it doesn’t come out o damp, keep on sprinkling. n CHOOSE OO OSE THESE VEGGIES Our experts say that ha at good produce to grow during the warm m months are tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, pe ers, eggplants, watermelons, cucumberss and squash. Herbs such as parsley and d basil b are great too. n FLOWERS FLO OWERS TO PICK Good summerplanting an nting choices among annuals include marigolds arigolds lds and petunias, p our garden gurus report, while hile among perennials nials it’s it s a good time for cardinals and daisies. i s n MULCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING? “Adding mulch is important because it keeps plants cool and reduces the amount of water they need,” says Rich Weidman, architectural program associate with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County. Place mulch about one inch away from the plants, he says—if it’s too close to the stems it may attract bugs.
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INGOODHEALTH PAT I E N T C A R E AT S A I N T P E T E R’ S U N I V E R S I T Y H O S P I TA L
EXPERT CARE FOR CHILDREN KIDS NEED THEIR OWN HOSPITAL. THE ONE AT SAINT PETER’S IS AMONG THE VERY FINEST.
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MATT RAINEY PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
Stanley Calderwood, M.D., examines pediatric patient Eve Hastings as her mom, Susie Kelly, looks on.
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INSIDE LOOK
HOW MANY OF US FIND TRUE
WHEN KIDS NEED SURGERY
joy when we go to work each day? Bipin Patel, M.D., does, because it’s his job to provide medical care to children. “There is nothing like seeing a child with an illness and knowing you can make that child better,” he says. Dr. Patel is chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital. As such he leads one of the largest pediatric hospitals in New Jersey, and one of only nine state-designated acute-care children’s hospitals. “Our mission is to offer warm and comforting family-centered care to children and their families,” Dr. Patel says. “We pride ourselves in providing this in a very safe manner.” The hospital has 40 pediatrics beds, plus eight more in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and six “step-down” beds designed for the transition from the PICU to the pediatrics unit in the main hospital. “Saint Peter’s also operates the largest neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in New Jersey, with 54 beds,” Dr. Patel says.
Surgery is in the capable hands of pediatric surgeons John G. Gallucci, M.D., and Steven Palder, M.D. They are two of only about 14 specially trained pediatric surgeons in the state. “Kids are not little adults,” explains Dr. Gallucci. “They have their own issues.” That’s why surgeons need special training in treating the young, and also why they handle a wider variety of clinical areas than their adult-surgeon counterparts. “We do it all,” says Dr. Gallucci. “That’s the nature of pediatric surgery.” He and Dr. Palder perform 700 to 900 procedures a year. The mostt c common operations are to treat appendicitis, dic citis, hernias rnias and bowel obstructions, he e says. s They also operate on gallbladders, pe perform erform tumor biopsies and remove masses ses s in the chest and abdomen, often using minimally iniimally invasive laparoscopic techniques. s. Rarer and often more e challenging c cases include repairs of congenital en nital anomalies in the esophagus, heart an and nd bowels. The surgeons’ training prepares es s them to operate on the very smallest of patients, p premature infants who sometimes es s weigh only about 1 pound and face critical ca al health issues. It is satisfying work indeed ed d to be able to surgically resolve these life-threatening ife e-threatening conditions and set these infants nts s on course for many decades of healthy living. ving. g “In In a different time or place,” says Dr. Gallucci,i “many of these e baba bies wouldn’t make it. But our success rate ate is high. And the variety we see! In the same day I can operate on a 450-gram micropreemie and then a 300-pound teenager.” “Dr. Gallucci and I provide 24/7 availability to our patients and their families,” says Dr. Palder. “Every family who comes into my offce leaves with my cellphone number. I’d rather have them call me for what turns out to be a small problem than not call and later wish they had.”
EMERGENCY CARE Saint Peter’s was one of the frst hospitals in the state to have a separate emergency department just for children, the doctor adds. “It is staffed by physicians and nurses who are specially trained for all pediatric emergencies,” he says. “We upgraded the facility just last year. It is now a brandnew, state-of-the-art unit with 16 beds and accommodates about 25,000 pediatric patient visits a year.” Along with doubling the space, the environment was remodeled to help children and their families feel more comfortable. The Dorothy B. Hersh Pediatric Emergency Department now features special child-friendly décor and spacious private rooms, and the hospital employs a fulltime child life specialist whose job it is to use toys, iPads and other distractions to ease the stress kids experience in a medical emergency.
CANCER IN THE YOUNG The pediatric cancer program in The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital draws patients from all over the
HOW PROTON RADIATION WORKS Since summer 2013, Saint Peter’s University Hospital has been affliated with Somerset-based ProCure, providing medical management for the cancer patients it treats with proton radiation, which is now available in only fve places in the United States. Patients have traveled from as far away as the Netherlands, Israel and Central America for this treatment. Understanding the difference between proton radiation and traditional photon radiation takes a bit of physics. But Stanley Calderwood, M.D., director of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology in The Children’s Hospital at O Saint i t Peter’s Peter University Univ Hospital, says that photons essentially are re waves wav of highwa energy, electromagnetic ra radiation ad that are shot “like a laser beam” at a cancerous tumor. They are aimed fro from om different angles to collide at the tu tumor, um but they must travel through heal healthy lth tissue to get there. “Everything in the e path p is affected by the radiation,” he say says. ys Protons, on the othe other er h hand, are particles that don’t rele release eas their energy until they hit the target target. t. ““They are more like bombers than lase lasers,” ers he says. “There is a lot less collateral en energy delivered, and thus fewer side effects. eff e This is a distinct advantage for fo or children, because conventional radiation radiatiion can impair bone growth or cause si sign signifcant disruption in other facets t of devel development.” Children receive their proton therapy at ProCure and get all their other cancer care from Saint Peter’s. “We work collaboratively with referring hospitals in the area and around the globe,” says Dr. Calderwood. “We review each case and develop an overall treatment plan.”
world to receive its cutting-edge treatments, some of them in collaboration with the ProCure Proton Therapy Center, provider of a new type of radiation therapy that is
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INSIDE LOOK
WHEN YOUR CHILD NEEDS A SPECIALIST
Caring for very young patients requires special sensitivity.
Top-quality subspecialty care is provided at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in a number of areas, including:
the safest to date. (See “How Proton Radiation Works” on page 15.) Stanley Calderwood, M.D., directs the hospital’s Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. “Cancer care in children is a continuum, from diagnosis through treatment and into long-term follow-up to deal with any consequences later in life,” he says. “We continue to see our patients regularly to monitor their growth and look for any side effects of treatment.” The division, comprising three physicians, a nurse practitioner, a social worker, a child life specialist, three nurse/case managers and a clinical research associate, “provides the full range of surgical, radiation and chemotherapies, a full diagnostic imaging department and all the supportive and ancillary services that patients and their families might need,” Dr. Calderwood says. (These include nutrition counseling, insurance advice and help with temporary housing for out-of-towners.) “We also belong to the Children’s Oncology Group, a national clinical trials association,” says the doctor. “And we are
an approved test site for National Cancer Institute trials of new treatments.” That resource, he says, means that some patients for whom traditional therapies haven’t succeeded can fnd another hope for a cure. When children come from afar to be treated at ProCure, that facility helps them fnd low-cost temporary housing. And Saint Peter’s offers supportive care and counseling to deal with the physiological and psychosocial aspects of treatment. “We view pediatric oncology in terms of its impact not just on the patient but also on the family,” says Dr. Calderwood. “It can be devastating for a family to have a child diagnosed with cancer.” He and his team do all they can to help. He remembers a 6-year-old boy from the Netherlands who was treated for a brain tumor. “He had a number of medical issues with diffcult side effects and socialemotional needs as well—and he didn’t speak English,” Dr. Calderwood says. “Our child life specialist and social worker got involved, and within a few days he was very comfortable. The family left us with
adolescent medicine anesthesiology audiology and occupational, physical and speech therapy cardiology craniofacial surgery critical care developmental/behavioral pediatrics Dorothy B. Hersh Child Protection Center endocrinology and diabetes care For KEEPS acute behavioral program gastroenterology genetics evaluation and counseling hematology/oncology immunology/allergy infectious disease neonatology nephrology neurology and epilepsy neurosurgery orthopedics otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) pediatric surgery psychological services pulmonology sports medicine and concussion urology
a nice portrait—and a sincere thank you.” (The boy is now in remission back home.) Says Dr. Calderwood: “When these families come here, we embrace them and treat them like part of our family.” Nobody hopes for encounters with a children’s hospital. But if and when the need arises, residents of central New Jersey can have confdence in the care available at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s—whatever the nature of their youngster’s illness or injury. “Instead of taking your child into Manhattan or Philadelphia,” says Dr. Gallucci, “you can stay here closer to home and get the absolute best care.” —DAVID LEVINE
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SERVICES AVAIL ABLE FOR YOUR CHILD AT THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, PLEASE CALL 732.565.KIDS (5437) OR VISIT SAINTPETERSHCS.COM.
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A technology called rotational angiography has improved imaging of the heart, says George J. Saviano, M.D., associate director of the Saint Peter’s University Hospital Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.
TECH SAVVY
AN EVEN SAFER WAY TO VIEW THE HEART NEW TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERS RADIATION EXPOSURE DURING ANGIOGRAMS. A N YO N E W I T H A PA S S I N G
MATT RAINEY PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
interest in medicine knows what an angiogram is by now. Used to identify and assess heart disease, the procedure involves injecting contrast dye and sending a small catheter into the heart. X-ray images then record blood flow in the coronary arteries and the heart’s chambers, how well the heart valves work and any defects in the way the wall of the heart moves. This test has been around for decades and, according to George J.
Saviano, M.D., associate director of the Saint Peter’s University Hospital Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, “It has not changed in many years.” But the technology behind it has—and Saint Peter’s has opened a new, state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory that Dr. Saviano calls “a very big thing.” He’s excited about a new machine that offers what’s called rotational angiography. This includes a camera that captures a 360-degree, multidimensional view of
a patient’s heart in i just fo four X X-ray ray image shots, rather than the eight orr m more that are required with older techno technoloolo gies. Fewer images means a 60 p percent pe or greater reduction in radiation e expoex sure for patients, a level of expos exposure su that is lower than what patients get w with any wit other cardiac catheterization lab b iin Middlesex and Somerset counties.. N Not only are procedures safer with this ne new technology, they are faster too. Physicians’ and technician technicians’ s’ own exposure to harmful X-ray rad radiation dia is markedly reduced as well. In n fa fact, when this equipment was used in a hospital in Denver, which Dr. Saviano vvis visited while researching hing its effectivenes effectiveness, ss he learned that radiation di tion detection ba badg badges worn by the staff were reporting such low doses “they thought the monitors were malfunctioning,” he says. An additional advantage, says Dinesh K. Singal, M.D., director of the cardiac cath lab, is that with fewer images needed, less contrast dye is required. “In a traditional lab we have to turn the camera around to get different views of the structures and each time we inject more contrast dye,” he says. The dye has to be filtered by the kidneys. “A normal kidney has no problem with this, but for older patients or those with diabetes or kidney disease, the process can put stress on the organs.” Cutting down the number of injections from as many as seven to 10 to only two or three greatly reduces the chance of kidney damage. The new angiography technology also features the most advanced flat panel monitor imaging, enabling clearer images of the heart and arteries. Dr. Saviano and his associates at Cardiovascular Interventionalists of Central Jersey—Gary Avendano, M.D., Lawrence Chai, M.D., and Josh Blog, M.D.—have been using the new equipment since last fall for all their angiographic studies at Saint Peter’s. The procedures themselves, as he said, aren’t new. “We do what all other cardiac cath labs do—but we add a lot more in terms of patient safety,” says Dr. Singal. — D. L .
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SERVICES AVAIL ABLE AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, PLEASE CALL 732.745.8600 OR VISIT SAINTPETERSHCS.COM. TO SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH A FRIEND OR TO RECOMMEND IT ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE, VISIT CENTRALJERSEYHEALTHANDLIFE.COM.
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SEASONAL HEALTH
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MAKE IT FUN. It helps if children see a healthy lunch as something enjoyable, says Bibina Varughese, a pediatric dietitian tian affiliated af with Saint Peter’s University Hospital, so help get them m “on board” by giving them choices—letting them help assemble assemblle a lunch, perhaps, or discussing regular cafeteria options in the morning m before school. “The eyes and nose influence kids’ eating,” eatin ng says Varughese, “so packaging a meal the right way counts.” co ou Perhaps your picky eater will enjoy selecting a speci special ia lunch box that features a favorite superhero or cartoon character. charac cte You can trade in aluminum foil for small Tupperware containers conta ain that hold bite-sized pieces. As for the lunch itself, Varughese Varugh hes suggests cutting sandwiches into fun shapes. Or try an “inside “in ns out” sandwich, with mustard on deli turkey wrapped around arou un a bread stick. And make the lunch colorful, with bright items item ms such as cherry tomatoes, grapes and carrot strips. BE A GOOD MO MODEL. OD The “do as I say, not as I do” model of parenthood parenth hoo is as obsolete as the 8-track. “If the parents aren’t modeling ng a healthy lifestyle, it will be hard for the kids to develop elop one,” say says Susan Brill, M.D., Director of Adolescent lescen scent Medicine Medicin for The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital. And that doesn’t just mean eating your Univ spinach. Dr. Brill suggests taking your kids to the farmers’ market regularly and exploring together, sampling new fresh-grown varieties of fruits and vegetables. When your child sees your pleasure in preparing—or ordering, when you eat out—a meal that’s both healthy and tasty, that pleasure may rub off. USE A GRADUAL APPROACH. Let’s face it: If kids try to reject a food at home dinners, they’re sure as heck not going to eat it from a brown bag when they’re beyond your gaze at school. Varughese recommends introducing an unfamiliar food at home frst, in small amounts and in a no-pressure atmosphere that allows them to give the new item a tentative taste, before adding it to a packed lunch. Don’t give up if a child discards a new food once; the second time could be the charm. SEEK BALANCE. Aim to represent the food groups as you pack a lunch, just as you do with a dinner at home. Emphasize fruits and veggies over meats and cheeses—the latter are nutritionally important, but tend to be overrepresented on our plates. “Whole-grain is better than white, mustard beats mayonnaise, and turkey is healthier than more processed meats such as salami and bologna,” says Dr. Brill. PROMOTE SMART SNACK FOODS. The government has announced new standards that will take effect in the 2014–15 school year for snack foods sold in school vending machines and a-la-carte cafeteria lines. Gone will be doughnuts, candy bars, high-fat chips and sugar-filled sodas, while granola bars, light popcorn, low-fat chips and fruit cups will be favored. But why wait for 2014? Whether your kids carry their lunches or order from the school cafeteria, your positive guidance and good example can help prepare them for a lifetime of healthier food choices, starting now. —BRITTANY TENPENNY
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PACK HEALTHY!
5 BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIPS FOR MAKING KIDS’ MID-DAY NUTRITION A SUCCESS STORY FOR MANY PARENTS, THE HOSTESS TWINKIE’S
recent return to the marketplace sparked a smile of nostalgia—and a frown of concern. We may recall that spongy treat from our own childhoods, but it’s not on our nutrition plan for our kids. And during their school day, their food consumption happens out of our sight—and beyond our full control. But don’t despair: With a resourceful, creative approach, you can guide your young scholars to sensible mid-day eating, whether it’s from a home-packed lunch box or in a cafeteria line. Here are five ways:
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TO FIND OUT ABOUT NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES AVAIL ABLE FOR YOU OR YOUR FAMILY AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, PLEASE CALL 732.745.7930.
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UP CLOSE
CELEBRATE THE ‘YEAR OF THE CHILD’
To help support the “Year of the Child” campaign by the Marriah Foundation, of which JoAnne Diaz’s father is president, go to marriahfoundation. org. You can also follow the adventures of JoAnne Diaz and her brood at her blog, camaraderiemom.
Even though they lived an hour away, JoAnne and Nicholas Diaz kept returning to Saint Peter’s University Hospital for new additions to their family. Here’s the brood today.
EIGHT YEARS, EIGHT BABIES THE HOSPITAL WAS AN HOUR AWAY, BUT FOR ONE COUPLE, HAVING A CHILD THERE BECAME A CHERISHED ANNUAL CUSTOM.
THINK ONE HOSPITAL IS PRETTY much the same as the next? You’d get an argument from JoAnne and Nicholas Diaz. They’ve proven their devotion to Saint Peter’s University Hospital. When JoAnne’s frst pregnancy began, the Diazes were Raritan residents and her obstetrician-gynecologist practiced at Saint Peter’s. But in her frst trimester the family moved to Easton, Pa. After checking with her doctor to see if traveling that far to give birth would be safe (the answer was yes), JoAnne had her frst baby at Saint Peter’s. “It was the best possible experience,” she recalls. Apparently it was. In the next seven years, she had seven more babies at Saint Peter’s. What has led this family to have such faith in Saint Peter’s? Faith itself, for one thing. Devout Catholics, the Diazes appreciate the hospital’s religious affliation.
“The chaplain, Father David, is a family priest we know well,” says JoAnne. “To be able to receive the sacrament of confession and celebrate Holy Mass with him, and to have him give each baby his or her frst blessing, is very special. And it’s a comfort to have him there in case there is any problem with me or a baby.” JoAnne, now 38, also has two close friends who work at Saint Peter’s—Ann Scotti, director of Care Coordination, and Linda Khalil, a nurse—and her stints in the mother-baby unit there have been a chance to catch up. Today the Diazes have six boys and two girls, including 3-year-old twins who were delivered by Cesarean section. Most of the children’s births were uneventful, but one of the twins did have to stay briefy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where, as JoAnne recalls, “I loved the staff and how good they were about supporting my desire to breastfeed.”
The busy mom has a sense of humor about the family’s experience. “Going to Saint Peter’s is like a vacation for us,” says JoAnne. “Each time, we know we’ll get a few nights away, have a chance to sleep, and have great people bring us food—and a baby! During my last delivery I was Facebooking my whole labor, saying we were at our annual resort.” The family’s devotion to Saint Peter’s now includes JoAnne’s father, 72-yearold Mike Mahar, who lives in Cresco, Pa., with his wife, Bel-Mehr, 74. (The Mahar family has five children, 21 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.) He worked at Johnson & Johnson for 16 years before forming his own healthcare sales and marketing g company. Now retired, he is president de ent off the Ma Marriah F Foundation, a charitable tab ble organization started t d by h his daughter terr Jeanne Murphy in 2014 to raise funds to o assist the needy, especially children, in the mid-Atlantic region. “When Wh en we decided to name this our ‘Yearr of o the Child,’ I thought, well, my daughter gh hter had eight kids in eight years at Saint nt Peter’s,” he says. He contacted the Saint ntt Peter’s Foundation to offer his support. rt.. “It was the right karma,” he says. The he Marriah Foundation has several fundraising aisiing events planned for 2015–16. A for the Diazes, they say they would As like ke e to have more children at Saint Peter’s. Pe eter’s. But right now they are considering ng g a possible po move to Warren County, N.J., J as Nicholas, now 34, 3 , takes a new job as superintendent d nt of the FrelinghuyFrelinghuy li ghuysen Township School District. Their i new house has to be within an hour’s drive of Saint Peter’s University Hospital, JoAnne says. “People still say I’m crazy to go that far,” she says. “But it’s totally worth it.”—D.L.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SERVICES AVAIL ABLE FOR YOU OR YOUR FAMILY AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, PLEASE CALL 732.745.8600 OR VISIT SAINTPETERSHCS.COM.
JOHN O’BOYLE
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FACES OF SAINT PETER’S
CANCER-FIGHTING TEAM “YOU CAN’T MAKE THE WORD ‘cancer’ less scary,” says Marie Welshinger, M.D., a gynecologic oncologist with Saint Peter’s Healthcare System. “But you can help women understand it and make them feel as
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comfortable as possible while treating it.” That sums up the philosophy she and her partner, Michael J. Worley, Jr., M.D., follow when caring for patients at their office on Easton Avenue in New Brunswick. The two doctors, leading experts in the
treatment of female reproductive cancers, joined the healthcare system’s network of Saint Peter’s Physician Associates last August. Dr. Welshinger, a former clinical and research fellow at Memorial Sloan-Ket-
MATT RAINEY PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
IN THE BAT TLE AGAINST GYNECOLOGIC TUMORS, TWO WELL-MATCHED PHYSICIANS COMBINE SKILL WITH COMPASSION.
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FACES OF SAINT PETER’S
Michael J. Worley Jr., M.D., and Marie Welshinger, M.D., share mutual respect—and a deeply compassionate approach to treating women with cancer.
“IT’S ESSENTIAL TO TREAT PATIENTS WITH COMPASSION AS YOU GUIDE THEM THROUGH A TOUGH TIME.” —MICHAEL J. WORLEY JR., M.D.
tering Cancer Center in Manhattan and formerly chief of gynecologic oncology at New York Hospital, Queens, is boardcertified in obstetrics and gynecology and gynecologic oncology. Dr. Worley completed a fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts and before that was a resident at New York Presbyterian
Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The two doctors have more than their initials in common. As a resident, Dr. Worley sometimes rotated at New York Hospital, Queens, where he often came into contact with with Dr. Welshinger. “I love working with Dr. Worley,” she says. “When he was a resident, he was the nurses’ favorite. He’s smart, he’s a good surgeon and he never loses his temper. Patients love him.” Dr. Worley was hired by Saint Peter’s first, and when the hospital began looking for a m more senior physician to join him, he was tth thrilled to learn she was the choice. “She’ “She’s ’s wonderful,” he says. “I enjoyed work working kin with her as a resident, and I knew ssh she would be an excellent senior ment mentor tor to me.” Both doctors doc ct have extensive experience in m minimally invasive surgery, min often using g the da Vinci® Si™ Surgical System, w wit with which surgeons perform com complex mp and delicate robotically assisted pr procedures through small incisions jjus just 1 to 2 centimeters in size. The ben benefits nef of laparoscopic and robotic surge surgery ery can include significantly less pain, b blood loss and scarring, shorter blo recovery recove ery time and a faster return to normall d daily activities. dai Gynecologic cancers affect a woman’s reproductive organs: cervix, fallopian tubes, uterus, ovaries, vagina and vulva. “We have several ways to treat these cancers and when choosing the appropriate technology—open, laparoscopic or robotic surgery—we tailor our approach to the cancer, the procedure and the patient,” Dr. Welshinger says. With endometrial cancer, on the other hand, “the biggest benefits are usually seen with minimally invasive surgery, either laparoscopic or robotic,” Dr.
Worley says. “When women have this cancer, they often have other medical problems too, and minimally invasive techniques limit complications and trauma to the body. We are both highly trained in all minimally invasive approaches.” Besides performing cancer surgery on the reproductive organs, the two gynecologic oncologists are also trained in procedures on the other organs of the pelvis and abdominal area. “We do complex, benign gynecologic cases that are outside the scope of general gynecologic surgery,” Dr. Worley says. For such demanding surgeries, specialists like these two doctors have years of surgical training that general gynecologic surgeons lack. Both doctors understand that their surgical skills are only part of the story. Bedside manner is also critically important. “There are often a lot of unknowns at the beginning, and it’s especially important how you present information to patients,” Dr. Worley says. “You always have to be optimistic but truthful, and it’s essential to treat patients with compassion as you guide them through a tough time.” Dr. Welshinger concurs. “When patients come in they are anxious and nervous, whether they have a known cancer or a possibility of cancer or are not sure what they have,” she says. “We treat every patient as if she were a member of our family. We always remember: It’s not just an operation, it’s a person.” —D.L .
DR. MARIE WELSHINGER, M.D., AND MICHAEL WORLEY JR., M.D., ARE SEEING PATIENTS AT 78 EASTON AVE., NEW BRUNSWICK. THEY CAN BE REACHED AT 732.828.3300.
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GATHERINGS AT SAINT PETER’S
ATHLETES COME OUT FOR KIDS WITH CANCER The Rutgers University Men’s Lacrosse Team stands in support of pediatric cancer patients and nd their eir families famili at The e Children’s dren s Hospital H at Saint Pe Peter’s ete U University Hospital during an April 2 20 party to launch “Beads of Courage,” a pro program og
ve l s r e R ea di n g s”! Sh wd r n “Gat hres, d ct rs aat d n h e r V s s. t nt e v e r y u edia.com/
that gives children with cancer various color beads as they pass key milestones in their cancer treatment—for example, a chemotherapy session (white bead), a day of radiation therapy (glow-in-the-dark bead), or a lumbar puncture (tortoise-shell
bead), to name a few. Children use the beads to create necklaces or bracelets, marking their progress. The members of the Rutgers Men’s Lacrosse Team were special guests for the day and spent several hours with the children.
CELEBRATING CELE EB NURSES
Nicole Burdick, secon second nd from left, a patient care technician in the Saint Peter’s E Emergency Department, was the 2015 third-place w winner of the annual Saint win Peter’s Healthcare System C Cupcake Challenge, held Cup every year during National Nationa al N Nurses Week. Joining her are nurses Ruby Ym Ymbong, mb nurse manager, Emergency Department; Linda a Carroll, chief nursing officer, Saint Peter’s Healthcare eS System; Tracy Vitale, tmnurse manager, Labor o assistant Labo or & Delivery/Perinatal c s n i a fe dliTreatment, and S Ste Stephanie Peluso-Riti, info.wEvaluation anand h t l a e hEmergency Department. Depart epartment. Each M May, National Nurses Week eek rrecognizes th the contributions of nurses and the significant work they perform.
THE VOLUNTEER SPIRIT Volunteers Anastasia Glyantseva, Nizmi Ponery and Laurette Telemaque are all smiles at the annual Saint Peter’s University Hospital volunteer brunch held April 27 in the Sister Marie de Pazzi Conference Center. Saint Peter’s honors its hundreds of volunteers each spring for their devoted and unselfish service throughout the year. Ronald C. Rak, J.D., president and chief executive officer, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, noted: “Our volunteers are indispensable to our mission as a Catholic institution. Furthermore, they embody the meaning of why we are here: to care, to heal, to give.”
FOR INFORMATION ON UPCOMING EVENTS SPONSORED BY SAINT PETER’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, GO TO SAINTPETERSHCS.COM/COMMUNITY-CALENDAR.
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FINANCIAL BALANCE
THINKING
LONG-TERM MOST PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT to imagine themselves ever needing long-term care. But it’s a fact that as modern medicine helps us to live longer, more of us reach a stage when daily help becomes a necessity. Long-term care (LTC) insurance pays for things that traditional health insurance doesn’t cover, including personal and custodial care in your home or another facility, such as a nursing home. Statistics show that of people who buy LTC insurance, roughly half will use it someday. That’s actually a high percentage — we buy fire and flood insurance, for example, to guard against possibilities that are much more remote. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 70 percent of people turning age 65 will need long-term care at some point in their lives. Yet only 8 percent of Americans have long-term care coverage. On average, women require longterm care for almost four years, while men need it a little more than two. So three- or five-year policies could make sense. But this care can be costly, and Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance don’t provide nearly enough to make it affordable for those of modest means. Having a way to pay for professional in-home care may make life easier for you—and your family too, since they would be caring for you if you became ill or incapacitated. If you don’t have long-term care, your children may have to bear the financial, as well as emotional, burden of your condition. Another positive of being covered
INSURANCE YOU BUY TODAY COULD MAKE LIFE EASIER IN YEARS TO COME.
is that your long-term care policy may allow you to protect your assets, and ultimately pass them onto a spouse or children, instead of using them up. So what’s the downside of longterm care? “It’s expensive and not everything is covered,” says Andy Cohen, president and CEO of caring.com, a leading source of information and support regarding long-term care issues. “Policies are all different, and there are lots of exclusions.” In addition, if you don’t use it you lose it; in other words, you die without needing it. An additional factor keeps people from signing up for the insurance: Very few of us think we’ll ever end up in a nursing home. Yet aging is a fact of life, and so is inflation. Luckily, there’s a range of choices in policies, from no-frills to luxury. It’s a good idea that a rider be included with your contract to cushion the effects of inflation. Still, the bottom line is the bottom line. Few people can afford a policy outright based on their income, but if you have an IRA or long-term investment, you may be able to take the money from that and not have to touch your monthly income. What’s the best age/stage in life to sign up? It varies, but a few years before retirement age is typically a good time. “Most people sign up in their 50s or 60s,” says Cohen. “If you’re older you may not get a policy, and if you’re younger it may not pay.” That’s because rates are based on your age and health. The earlier you get it, the cheaper it is, but you will likely be paying longer. Inquire at your job, as some workplaces offer
options for long-term coverage. As you get older, you’re more likely to have pre-existing conditions, which could disqualify you from coverage. In fact, people with certain conditions may not qualify for long-term care insurance at all. But don’t give up hope: Standards vary between different insurance companies, so if one company denies you, it’s possible that another one will accept you. Get started the same way you would shop hop for life or auto insurance. “You’re e going to have e to do your y homework,” w ork,” says Cohen. That includes s gathering information, talking to sales le es reps and asking questions. “But you y ou need to be careful,” he says. “Make ke e sure you understand what is covered er ed and what is not.”
LONG-TERM CARE L C CAN BE EXPENSIVE Care in a nursing home, as well as your C own home, can be costly. Consider these median rates for the state of Massachusetts when deciding whether to invest in long-term t rm care insurance: in $353 per er day or $128,845 45 per year for a semi-private room in a nursing ing home. $382 per day or $139,580 per year for a private room in a nursing home. $5,300 per month for care in a onebedroom unit in an assisted living facility. $25 per hour for a home health aide. $24 per hour for homemaker services. $65 per day for adult day care services. Source: Genworth 2015 Cost of Care Survey
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BACKYARD GETAWAY
WHO NEEDS A RESORT VACATION WHEN YOUR OWN HOME IS AN IDYLLIC RETREAT?
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Life style feat u re lik e t his n e va ry s pa ce f r rea d e rs t h e keep the m enga a n d g ed. info.wai
nscotme healthan dia.com/ dlife
Warm-weather weekends don’t get much better than this—a comfy poolside perch and a perfectly grilled meal shared with your closest family and friends. Four-legged ones included.
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Fireside cocktails aren’t just for wintertime. If you can spare the space, consider creating a cozy “living room”—perhaps under a shady pergola— for entertaining guests or simply winding down on a cool summer night.
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DESIGN THE GARDEN OF YOUR DREAMS
ARAPAHOE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS arapahoelandscaping.com
The websites of many landscape design firms in and around Bergen County include inspiring “galleries” that can help you shape your outdoor space. Here’s a sampling:
B&B POOL AND SPA CENTER bbpoolandspa.com
APRIL 2015 SUMMER 2015
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BERGEN BRICK, STONE & TILE bergenbrick.com
CIPRIANO LANDSCAPE DESIGN njcustomswimmingpools.com GREENLAND LANDSCAPE greenlandlandscape.com PENNELLA’S LANDSCAPE DESIGNS pennellaslandscape.com
THOMAS FLINT LANDSCAPE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT thomasflintlandscape.com TODÉ, THE ARTISTRY OF LANDSCAPE todelandscape.com
BERGENHEALTHANDLIFE.COM
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Tall, graceful arches can be used to define areas of your property as well as to add height. When planted with climbing vines they also provide dappled shade and privacy for peaceful pursuits.
BERGEN HE ALTH & LIFE HE | ALTH APRIL& 2015 LIFE
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ESCAPES
THE EDGE OF
THE WORLD
RUGGED ICELAND IS A BIT LIKE THE MOON, BUT FRIENDLIER, COZIER—AND A LOT MORE CONVENIENT. BY EVERETT POTTER
NOTHING CAN REALLY PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR FIRST
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glimpse of Iceland. I vividly recall my frst trip to this rugged island in the North Atlantic. As my plane landed at Kefavik, the international airport that lies outside the capital city, Reykjavik, all I could see was a seemingly endless expanse of jagged black lava rocks surrounding the airstrip—a landscape utterly jarring and sublimely beautiful. Had we gone off course and landed on the Sea of Tranquility? Iceland is the world’s eighth-largest island, with 3,100 miles of jagged coastline and fjords. Its settlements date back to the ninth century A.D., when Norwegian chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson came ashore in his longboat. The terrain can be wild and stark, a wonderland of hot springs and geysers, with steam drifting over rocky ground. Reykjavik is a city of 120,000 that appears to have been assembled from colored Lego blocks and is known for its all-night party scene. There are art museums and a Viking Village with special themed architecture and year-round music festivals in this compact city where everyone seems to speak perfect English. It’s a great walking town, flled with shops and boutiques, and it prides itself on local designers of clothes and jewelry. Stroll along the waterfront and up to the Church of Hallgrímur, with its 244-foot steeple, for a bird’s-eye view. Or venture out of town to the Blue Lagoon, a mineral-rich geothermal spa set in a lava SUMMER 2015
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feld, and soak in the deep blue waters, which are said to be therapeutic. And if you’ve got stamina, hit the club scene at places like Kaffbarinn that crank until dawn. If you visit in winter, you may see the aurora borealis, the Northern Lights, which to me look like shimmering multicolored harp strings rippling across the sky. But I actually prefer summer days, when daylight lingers nearly ’round the clock. They’re perfect for hiking or salmon fshing in Iceland’s wild rivers. About an hour from Reykjavik is Thingvellir National Park, a rift valley where the Icelandic parliament frst convened in 930 A.D. Ten minutes from there is the Ion Luxury Adventure Hotel, situated on the slopes of Mt. Hengill and surrounded by natural hot springs, with a view of Lake Thingvallavatn and the surrounding peaks. Designed to ft into the landscape, the Ion features a minimalist exterior of glass panels and concrete walls and pillars. And its Silfra restaurant showcases local ingredients, especially Iceland’s famed lamb, arctic char and abundant shellfsh. I found the Ion a wonderful base for exploring—and for a spa treatment and a hot spring soak. Oh, and when was the last time you stayed at a hotel that would ring your room—upon request, of course—to announce the appearance of the Northern Lights?
This page, from top: One of Iceland’s top attractions, the man-made Blue Lagoon was formed over a natural geothermal spring whose warm, mineral-rich water is said to be therapeutic for those with psoriasis; a bather plies the Blue Lagoon; the jewel-like interior of an ice cave on Iceland’s Vatnajökull Glacier draws intrepid visitors. Opposite: A “lunar’ Icelandic landscape is touched with special magnifcence by the aurora borealis, the Northern Lights; Reykjavik’s soaring Church of Hallgrímur, the tallest church in Iceland, evokes the feel of basalt lava fows and boasts an organ with 5,275 pipes.
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BE A HOSPITAL MARKETING SUPERHERO With content marketing Solutions from Wainscot Health Communications Content marketing ranks as the hottest trend in marketing today. Why? Because savvy marketers have learned that it works. Wainscot Health Communications creates skillfully blended education and marketing programs that marry medically authoritative content with strategic promotional messages. Let us take some weight off your shoulders and help you soar (even leap tall buildings in a single bound!). Together we can achieve your most important marketing goals. Learn how you, too, can be a content marketing superhero at info.wainscotmedia.com/superhero or call 201.746.7800 or email healthcommunications@wainscotmedia.com
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CONTENT MARKETING OPTIONS Custom magazines and newsletters Service line programs Digital magazines A content library Social media marketing Search engine optimization E-newsletters Video production Online reputation management Mobile apps
info.wainscotmedia.com/superhero
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C’MON, GET
APPY
WITH THESE 6 APPS, HEALTH AND E XERCISE ADVICE IS AS HANDY AS YOUR PHONE. THESE DAYS, APPS ARE EVERYWHERE— and they’ve become widely used for tracking and improving your health and ftness. According to the analytics blog Flurry, there are some 6,800 health-related apps—that’s more than twice the number of calories in a chocolate cake. And most of them are either free or very inexpensive. Of course you don’t have time to test all 6,800, so here are a half-dozen of the bestreviewed and most-downloaded. Happily, none of them require a device or tracker beyond your smartphone.
n BREATHING ZONE
n NOOM COACH
One of the top 10 free medical apps on iTunes is recommended by the Harvard Health Letter and many doctors. It offers a fve-minute therapeutic breathing technique that is said to improve mood, lower blood pressure and help you feel energized. For iOS and Android; visit breathing.zone.com.
It has the seal of approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to present its National Diabetes Prevention Program. The idea here is weight loss through fun, motivating techniques—popup messages, a daily list of customized challenges, a built-in pedometer and inapp support groups. Available in four languages, Noom Coach has 28 million users around the world. For iOS and Android; visit noom.com.
n MOTION X 24/7 It monitors not only activity (steps taken, intervals between idle time and active time) and heart rate but also sleep (cycles, wake events and more). The app will provide white noise to help you sleep, sound an alarm to wake you at the optimal time in your sleep cycle, provide comparative stats for your particular demographic and much more. All you need to do is carry your iPhone in your purse or pocket. At just $0.99, it’s the top paid medical app on iTunes. For iOS; visit 24-7.motionx.com.
n KURBO Based on the renowned Stanford Pediatric Weight Control Program, this app is designed to help kids, teens and parents learn to eat healthier and get ft together. Rather than counting calories, it uses a “traffc light” (red/yellow/green) food classifcation system. Kurbo, which incorporates a free food and activity tracker app along with a subscription to live coaching, claims that 85 percent of its users have reduced their body mass index and lost weight. Plans start at $25 a month. For iOS and Android; visit kurbo.com.
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A rticle s fr c nt e nt libr m u r be re-d e sig a ry ca n y r m a g an ed f r zi n e.
info.w n YOGA STUDIO Take a yoga studio and instructor wherever you go with the number one-ranked yoga app in the U.S. It offers 280 poses and 24 hours of ready-made HD video classes. For iOS; visit yogastudioapp.com.
ainsco t health media.com/ andlif e
n POWER 20 It’s an award-winning, simple 20-minute, full-body workout with versions for beginners and expectant moms, and including core workouts and butt workouts. Its tagline, “Badass workouts for busy people,” should give you an idea of what to expect. For iOS and Android; go to power 20method.com.
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LOX Xto LLOVE
POWER FOOD
WITH SALMON, BIG TASTE AND BIG HEALTH BENEFITS GET ALONG SWIMMINGLY. SALMON ISN’T THE ONLY “TASTES good, good for you” food, but it just may be the dinnertime champ. Ironically for a “fatty” fsh, this low-calorie, protein-packed standard is actually a lean, mean fghting machine that protects against cardiovascular disease. It’s also a source of vitamin D, which is proven to help prevent cognitive decline. And with all its benefts, salmon is an easy-toprepare palate pleaser that goes deliciously as an entree with all kinds of side dishes.
POWER UP When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is second only to sardines. The specifc fatty acids in salmon—eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA— have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. They also protect against high blood pressure and cholesterol, irregular heart rhythms, diabetes, certain types of cancer and even conditions such as depression, attentiondefcit hyperactivity disorder and Alzheimer’s. A 2011 study of Alaskan Yup’ik Eskimos who were overweight or obese but had a diet high in fatty fsh found that they were at lower risk of heart disease than were overweight
people in the contiguous United States who ate fewer EPA- and DHA-rich foods. In fact, study participants’ levels of triglycerides and infammation (potential indicators of heart disease) were about the same as those of normal-weight individuals in the lower 48. Furthermore, salmon is a better and less fattening source of vitamin B12, which helps the body form red blood cells, than red meat. Other vitamins in the fsh include A (which protects your skin and vision), D (which— besides its brain benefts—maintains bone health), and E (an antioxidant, which also helps prevent heart disease).
DID YOU KNOW? The fesh of salmon is widely recognized by consumers as red or pink, but it actually starts out white or grey. The fsh gets its pink color from its diet of crustaceans (tiny shrimp, for instance), which are rich in carotenoids. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, some
King salmon have a genetic difference that prevents them from absorbing the pigment, and their fesh remains white. Also, farmraised salmon that don’t get the fsh’s natural diet appear lighter pink or orange—this comes from an additive in the feed the fsh are given.
BUYING TIPS There are fve major species of Pacifc salmon (King, Coho, Sockeye, Pink and Chum, in order of richness) and one farm-raised Atlantic species, the type of salmon most commonly consumed in the United States. Much debate has focused on the issue of wild versus farmed salmon. The wild fsh is lower in saturated fat and calories and higher in iron and calcium than the farmed variety. That’s not to say that all farmed salmon is bad. Today, higher consumer demand for sustainability and accountability has made U.S.–based fsh farmers up the ante. Whole Foods, for example, says it sells farmed fsh that has passed a strict vetting process, which prohibits antibiotics, added growth hormones, pesticides and fsh that are genetically engineered. —LIZ DONOVAN
HE ALTH & LIFE
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In the battle against lung cancer, early diagnosis can be a real life saver.
Hea lt h ife is ex cl u sive A low-cost, low-dose CT scan reduces death ea ath ratesabyn20%! ve hicle f r y u r wn a dve rtisi n g.
Saint Peter’s is the first hospital in Middlesex County to offer low-dose CT screening een ning for the detection and treatment of lung cancer. With low-dose CT (computed tomography) screening, physicians nss are able to see inside the human body to diagnose disease at its earliest stages, increasing patients’ chances for curative urative treatment and long-term survival.
Are you at risk for lung disease?
Patients who meet the following criteria are recommended to participate e in n our Healthy Lung Screening Program: i
nfo.wa
inscotm From 55 to 74 years of age edia.com hefor / alt15 ■ Have a 30-pack-a-year history of smoking (1 pack/day for 30 years hayears) ars rs or 2 packs/day ndlife ■ A current smoker or one who has quit within the past 15 years ■ No previous diagnosis of lung cancer ■
Our team and yours. Saint Peter’s team will be there for you every step of the way. Our patient navigator starts by scheduling your low-dose CT lung screening and then shares the results with you and your primary care physician. Once a course of treatment is recommended, our expert panel of physicians will work to tailor a program to your specific needs.
The cost of the low-dose CT lung screening is only $99. For more details or to participate in our Healthy Lung Screening Program, call our patient navigator today at 732.339.7747
254 EASTON AVENUE, NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ 08901
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732.745.8600
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saintpetershcs.com
Take a quick survey to discover important information about your risk of developing lung cancer. saintpetershcs.com/lungassessment TotalHealth_2015_final.indd 28
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