A Blank Slate Media Special Section • January 3, 2020
26 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, January 3, 2020
Why you might R be better off exercising at a gym than at home
outine exercise benefits minds and bodies in various ways. Studies have shown that physical activity can improve mood and lower people’s risk for various diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. As beneficial as exercise can be, many people simply don’t make physical activity part of their regular routines. Recent studies and reports from the United States’ National Center for Health Statistics and Statistics Canada, conducted separately from each other, found that roughly 80 percent of adults in both the U.S. and Canada are not meeting the minimum physical activity requirements recommended by their respective governments. While a host of factors can influence a person’s decisions on physical activity, where to exercise is one factor that could go a long way toward determining just how much adults exercise. Basements, attics, spare bedrooms, or two-car garages may seem like the perfect places to create home gyms. However, the benefits of working out at a gym may outweigh the convenience of working out at home. Workout partners and/or other gym members may improve your chances of losing weight. People who exercise at home tend to work out alone. In so doing, they may be removing a potentially strong motivator that could keep them exercising. A 2016 study published in the research journal Obesity found that increasing contacts and interactions with thinner individuals, and declining contacts and interactions with heavier individuals, were
linked to actual weight loss. In other words, working out with a fit friend or simply interacting with fellow gym members who maintain healthy weights can benefit people who are trying to lose weight through exercise. Gym memberships have a way of paying for themselves. The cost of a gym membership is one factor many people cite as a reason for not exercising more. However, many health insurance plans now offer sweat equity rebates that reward policy holders for working out. Such rebates can greatly reduce the cost of a gym membership, if not remove it entirely. For example, a sweat equity program that offers a $200 rebate every six months for policy holders who exercise 50 times during that period can make a $30 monthly gym membership free. In that example, gym members would pay $180 for six months but get all of that money back if they work out 50 times in a six-month period. Gyms can make it easier to diversify your workouts. Exercise boredom is something even the most ardent fitness enthusiast can relate to. Exercise boredom refers to the disinterest that can develop over time as people do the same workouts for weeks, months or years at a time. A home gym may not be spacious enough to include too many machines, whereas gyms typically include enough machines and classes to allow people to diversify their workouts as often as they’d like. Working out at home may be convenient, but people looking to make exercise part of their daily routines may get better results by exercising at a nearby gym.
BAMisisProud Proud BAM toto -\SS ZL[ VM 4LUÂťZ >HZO Announce Our New Announce Our New OPNOSPNO[Z ZJPZZVY J\[ )SV^ +Y` Stylist/Colorist Stylist/ColoristMARK MARK " #$ %& " #$ %& Over Over30 30years yearsofof making makingyour your hairstyles hairstyles come to life! come to life! Formerly from the Formerly from the Port Washington Port Washington and andareas. Floral Park
Floral Park areas.
Come in and see Come anddosee what heincan forhe you! what can do
for you!
* '
" #$ %& '
+ (KKP[VUHS JVZ[ MVY SVUNLY OHPY +VLZUÂť[ PUJS [VULY -YLL JVUKP[PVUPUN [YLH[TLU[ 5L^ J\Z[VTLYZ VUS` 6MMLY L_WPYLZ
5L^ J\Z[VTLYZ VUS` 6MMLY L_WPYLZ
+VLZUÂť[ PUJS J\YSPUN PYVU 5L^ J\Z[VTLYZ VUS` 6MMLY L_WPYLZ
We Are A Full Service Unisex Salon Full Body Waxing Professional Mani/Pedi Stations Full Line of Keratin Services
1528 Union Tpke., New Hyde Park (in Lake Success Shopping Center) 516-437-3003 OPEN 7 DAYS - Mon.-Fri. 9am-8pm, Sat. 9am-6pm, Sun. 11am-5pm bamstylenewyork.com • Instagram: @bamstyleny
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, January 3, 2020
27
28 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, January 3, 2020
(+=,9;690(3
7KH 7UXWK $ERXW $JLQJ %\ 'U .HOO\ 0DWWRQH $JLQJ LV LQHYLWDEOH RI FRXUVH KRZHYHU EHIRUH ZH FDQ WU\ WR ÀJKW LW À[ LW RU JDVS DFFHSW LW LW·V LPSRUWDQW WR XQGHUVWDQG WKH URRW FDXVH RI DJLQJ :KHQ \RX VHH YLVLEOH VLJQV RI DJ LQJ VXFK DV GU\QHVV OLQHV ZULQNOHV MRZOV RU HYHQ VDJJLQJ VNLQ ZKDW \RXU ERG\ LV H[SHULHQFLQJ LV D ORVV RI FROODJHQ DQG K\DOXURQLF DFLG &ROODJHQ LV D SURWHLQ WKDW SURYLGHV WKH VWUXFWXUDO IUDPHZRUN RI \RXU VNLQ DQG NHHSV LW VPRRWK ÀUP DQG UHVLOLHQW ZKLOH K\DOXURQLF DFLG +$ LV D FDUERK\GUDWH ZKRVH MRE LV WR DEVRUE ZDWHU LQWR \RXU VNLQ WR NHHS LW SOXPS VRIW DQG K\GUDWHG 7KHUHIRUH WKH JRDO RI DOO DQWLDJ LQJ WUHDWPHQWV LV WR LPSURYH WKH VNLQ·V DSSHDUDQFH E\ LQFUHDVLQJ FROODJHQ DQG K\DOXURQLF DFLG :KLOH WKHUH DUH PDQ\ RSWLRQV DYDLODEOH 8OWKHUDS\ LV FRQVLGHUHG WKH JROG VWDQGDUG DV LW LV WKH RQO\ SURFHGXUH WKDW FDQ UH JURZ EUDQG QHZ FRO ODJHQ LQ \RXU VNLQ 8OWKHUDS\ LV D QRQ VXUJLFDO SURFHGXUH WKDW XVHV WKH SRZHU RI XOWUDVRXQG WR ZRUN GHHS EHORZ WKH
VNLQ·V VXUIDFH WR UHYLYH DQG FUHDWH QHZ FROODJHQ GLVWLQJXLVKLQJ LW DV WKH RQO\ )'$ FOHDUHG SURFHGXUH WR /,)7 DQG WLJKWHQ \RXU EURZV MRZOV DQG QHFN ,W LV QRQ LQYDVLYH DQG WKHUH LV QR GRZQWLPH 0LFURQHHGOLQJ LV D YLUWXDOO\ SDLQ OHVV VNLQ UHMXYHQDWLQJ SURFHGXUH WKDW UHVXOWV LQ WKH UHOHDVH RI JURZWK IDFWRUV WKDW LQFUHDVH FROODJHQ DQG HODVWLQ OHYHOV UHVWRULQJ \RXU VNLQ·V QDWXUDO HODVWLFLW\ DQG JORZ )LEUREODVW VNLQ WLJKWHQLQJ LV D UHYROXWLRQDU\ PHWKRG RI IDFLDO UH MXYHQDWLRQ WKDW VWLPXODWHV FROODJHQ SURGXFWLRQ DQG VLJQLÀFDQWO\ WLJKW HQV OLIWV UHVXUIDFHV DQG UHJHQHUDWHV WKH VNLQ 'HUPDO ÀOOHUV VXFK DV 5HVW\ODQH DQG -XYHGHUP DUH K\DOXURQLF DFLG JHOV WKDW DUH LQMHFWHG GLUHFWO\ LQWR WKH VNLQ WR DFW DV \RXU RZQ QDWXUDOO\ RFFXUULQJ K\DOXURQLF DFLG 7KHVH +$ ÀOOHUV VRIWHQ ODXJK OLQHV DQG HQ KDQFH FKHHNV DQG OLSV LPPHGLDWHO\ $ FRQVXOWDWLRQ ZLWK \RXU FRVPHWLF SK\VLFLDQ LV WKH EHVW ZD\ WR GHWHU PLQH ZKLFK SURFHGXUH LV ULJKW IRU \RX
)ROORZ PH RQ VRFLDO PHGLD #GUNHOO\PDWWRQH
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, January 3, 2020
Kelly Mattone, M.D. Aesthetic Medical Studio Where Science Creates Beauty Let Dr. Mattone Help You Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful... • • • • • • • • • •
Botox Fillers Ultherapy Emsculpt Fibroblast Skin Tightening Microneedle PRP Hair Loss Laser Coolsculpting Facials and Peels
4+
%(67 %272; 35$&7,&( %(67 '$< 63$
%21' 67 *5($7 1(&. 1< ZZZ DHVWKHWLFPHGLFDOVWXGLR FRP )ROORZ PH RQ VRFLDO PHGLD #GUNHOO\PDWWRQH
29
30 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, January 3, 2020
The relationship between eating and exercise
D
iet and exercise are each vital components of a healthy lifestyle. While these components tend to be looked at separately, diet and exercise are actually interconnected. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adequate food and fluid should be consumed before, during and after exercise. Following that advice can help men and women maintain their blood glucose concentration during exercise, which allows them to maximize their performance and improves their recovery time. Some people understandably may feel that eating before exercising seems counterintuitive, as food may contribute to feelings of sluggishness that would make it hard to maximize a workout. But what people eat, and drink, prior to working out is important, as the right foods can make a positive impact while the wrong foods can have the opposite effect.
The American Heart Association and the ACSM recommend hydrating with water prior to working out. The ACSM recommends drinking between two and three cups of water two to three hours before exercising. Adults accustomed to working out in the early morning can try to wake up earlier so they can give their bodies time to hydrate before they begin exercising. It’s also important to continue hydrating during a workout, as the ACSM recommends 1 drinking between ⁄2 and one cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes during a workout (amounts can be adjusted based on variables such as the weather and individuals’ body sizes). After a workout, the ACSM recommends drinking two to three cups of water for every pound lost during the exercise session. Food also plays a vital role in maximizing a workout and improving recovery time. The AHA
Respect. Tradition. Compassion. For four generations, New York’s Jewish Community has turned to Sinai Chapels for guidance and comfort in their time of need. We honor and respect all Jewish traditions and customs, attending to every funeral detail according to each family’s personal and religious preferences.
To learn more, contact us today:
718.445.0300 | 800.446.0406
recommends fueling up on healthy carbohydrates, such as whole-grain cereals, whole-wheat toast or lowfat or fat-free yogurt, two hours before exercising. Doing so might pose a problem for early morning exercise enthusiasts, and in such instances the AHA advises eating a piece of fruit such as an apple or banana five to 10 minutes before beginning a workout. Avoid saturated fats and a lot of healthy protein prior to working out, as it takes longer for these fuels to digest in the stomach. Until foods are digested, muscles may not get all of the oxygen and energy-
delivering blood they need during a workout, so it’s best to stick with foods that the body can digest more quickly. The Mayo Clinic notes that it’s also important to make food a part of your post-workout routine. Eating a post-workout meal that contains both carbohydrates and protein can aid muscle recovery and replace glycogen stores that help increase energy levels after working out. The most effective way to exercise involves healthy foods, which can improve performance and lead to quicker post-workout recovery.
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, January 3, 2020
The relationship between the Mediterranean diet and mental health
31
75($7 <285 &+521,& )227 3$,1 :,7+ 1(: 5$',$/ 6+2&.:$9( 7+(5$3< 7KH R൶FH RI 'U 0DU\ &DUOVRQ LV LQWURGXFLQJ WKH HQ3XOV V\VWHP WR KHOS WUHDW SDWLHQWV ZLWK FKURQLF VRIW WLVVXH SDLQ 7KLV DGYDQFHG V\VWHP LV D JUHDW DOWHUQDWLYH WR VWHURLG LQMHFWLRQV ZDONLQJ ERRWV DQG HYHQ SK\VLFDO WKHUDS\ &RPH DQG VHH KRZ WKLV QHZ WHFKQRORJ\ FDQ KHOS \RX RU D ORYHG RQH 5DGLDO 6KRFNZDYH 7KHUDS\ LV DQ )'$ FOHDUHG WHFKQRORJ\ SURYHQ WR LQFUHDVH WKH UDWH RI KHDOLQJ IRU VRIW WLVVXH WHQGLQRSDWK\ ,W LV DQ DGYDQFHG QRQ LQYDVLYH DQG KLJKO\ H൵HFWLYH WUHDWPHQW PHWKRG WKDW HQKDQFHV EORRG FLUFXODWLRQ DQG DFFHOHUDWHV WKH KHDOLQJ SURFHVV FDXVLQJ GDPDJHG WLVVXH WR JUDGXDOO\ UHJHQHUDWH ,W LV XVHG WR WUHDW FRQGLWLRQV VXFK DV 3ODQWDU )DVFLLWLV $FKLOOHV 7HQGLQLWLV 6KLQ 6SOLWV )RRW 8OFHUV DQG PRUH 7KLV IRUP RI WKHUDS\ KDV D SURYHQ VXFFHVV UDWH WKDW LV HTXDO WR RU JUHDWHU WKDQ WKDW RI WUDGLWLRQDO WUHDWPHQW PHWKRGV LQFOXGLQJ VXUJHU\ ZLWKRXW WKH ULVNV FRPSOLFDWLRQV DQG OHQJWK\ UHFRYHU\ SHULRGV 7KHUH DUH QR LQFLVLRQV DQG QR ULVN RI LQIHFWLRQ RU VFDU WLVVXH OLNH ZLWK VXUJHU\ 7DNH DGYDQWDJH RI 'U 0DU\ &DUOVRQ¶V FXUUHQW 5DGLDO 6KRFNZDYH 7KHUDS\ 3DFNDJH DQG UHFHLYH VHVVLRQV IRU 'RHV QRW LQFOXGH FRSD\V RU R൶FH YLVLW FRVWV :KHWKHU \RX DUH D ORQJ WLPH SDWLHQW RU VLPSO\ ZDQW WR VFKHGXOH \RXU ¿UVW DSSRLQWPHQW WKH R൶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൶FH VWD൵ WKDW LV GHGLFDWHG WR KHDOLQJ
N
utritious diets have long been touted as essential components of healthy lifestyles. Many people have a tendency to view diet as something that’s purely physical, associating the foods they eat with how they look and how much energy they have. While accurate, it doesn’t paint the full picture of just how big and positive an impact healthy diets can have on overall health. In regard to healthy diets, it’s hard to dispute the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based foods and, as a result, includes lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and olive oil. The diet is so healthy that the World Health Organization even recognizes it as a healthy, sustainable dietary pattern. Long touted for its ability to promote heart health and reduce risk for heart disease, which the WHO notes is the number one cause of death across the globe, the Mediterranean diet has also been found to protect against cancer and type 2 diabetes. Each of those benefits makes the Mediterranean diet worthy of consideration at the very least, but the benefits of this approach to eating don’t stop there. In fact, people unfamiliar with the Mediterranean diet, or even those
who subscribe to it, may not realize that the diet can have a positive effect on mental wellness. A 2015 study published in the scientific journal Ageing Research Reviews found that strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a 40 percent reduced risk for cognitive impairment. Another study from researchers in Spain found that older adults who supplemented their Mediterranean diets with extra olive oil or nuts had superior cognitive function, including better memory and thinking skills, than those who ate low-fat diets. Reasoning, attention and language were better among the former group as well. In addition to improving cognitive function, the Mediterranean diet also may improve mental wellness by reducing adherents’ risk of developing depression. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging found that people who followed the Mediterranean diet most closely were nearly 99 percent less likely to develop depression that those who followed the diet the least closely. While diet is often thought of in physical terms, the Mediterranean diet can benefit mental wellness while also helping people maintain healthy weights.
&RQWDFW 'U 0DU\ &DUOVRQ DW DQG VFKHGXOH \RXU DSSRLQWPHQW WRGD\
SUFFERING WITH HEEL PAIN? NEW TECHNOLOGY NOW AVAILABLE TREAT YOUR CHRONIC FOOT, HEEL AND ANKLE PAIN: RADIAL SHOCKWAVE THERAPY PACKAGE INCLUDES
Heel & Arch Pain • Fungal Nails • Corns, Calluses & Warts Ingrown Nails • Pediatric Footcare • Diabetic Care Bunions & Hammertoes • Ankle Sprains & Tendonitis Routine Foot Care For Seniors We Accept Medicare & O ffer A VIP Program For NYSHIP Members Call us today for details! Most Major Insurance Accepted! House calls available!
WE OFFER LATE EVENING HOURS F I R E , P O L I C E , E M T, A N D EMERGENCY WORKERS RECEIVE V I P T R E AT M E N T W I T H N O WA I T ! CSEA MEMBERS WELCOMED
SERVING WILLISTON PARK AND SURROUNDING AREAS FOR OVER 14 YEARS!
as seen and heard on...
Dr. Mary Carlson, DPM 516.248.8188 637 Willis Ave., Suite E • Williston Park, NY www.DrMaryCarlsonDPM.com
32 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, January 3, 2020
The benefits of working with personal trainers 2015 report from U.S. News indicated that 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions don’t survive to see the second week of February. Fortunately, there are ways to clear the hurdles required to make significant lifestyle changes, particularly those associated with physical fitness. Whether they’re looking to lose weight, improve their overall health and/or simply hoping to look better in the mirror, many people find working with personal trainers is a good way to get on track and stay on track. People on the fence about hiring personal trainers can consider these benefits to working with these highly trained fitness professionals.
G
oals can be a motivating force that help people realize their full potential. When it comes to personal fitness, goals are often an essential component of getting healthy. Achieving fitness-related goals is not always so easy. A 2018 survey from Cision and Varo Money found that 45 percent of respondents resolved to lose weight or get in shape in 2018. Many of those people made those efforts part of their New Year’s resolutions, which various studies have found have a high failure rate. In fact, one
• Knowledge: Gyms often require their personal trainers to earn their personal training certifications, and many universities now even partner with specific certification programs so people who want to become personal trainers can earn both their degrees and their certifications. Knowledgeable, certified personal trainers can help their clients tailor their workouts around clients’ individual goals. After meeting with a client and learning about the client’s goals, trainers can design workout regimens specific to the individual. That personalization is not possible for people who design their workout regimens around generalized advice they find online or elsewhere. • Motivation: Personal trainers also can provide the motivation their clients need to keep going. That’s valuable for anyone, but especially for people new to exercise of those who haven’t been physically active for some time. Trainers can motivate clients to finish sets when weightlifting, but also track clients’ progress between workouts. When
What is body mass index? P
eople who are attempting to improve their physical fitness may hear a lot about body mass index, or BMI, and wonder just how important a good BMI is to their overall health. That can be hard to determine, especially for people who are unsure just what BMI measures. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his or her height in meters. For those unfamiliar with the metric system, that explanation of BMI might not be too helpful. So how is BMI used and what purpose does it serve? BMI might be most useful in a screening capacity, as the CDC notes it is an inexpensive and easily performed method of screening for weight category. For example, by calculating a patient’s BMI, doctors can quickly
delivered by a trained fitness professional, such progress reports can motivate people to keep working, especially during those times when they might be questioning their commitments to exercising. • Variety: Many people quit working out due to something often referred to as “exercise boredom.” That’s the boredom that can set it when people perform the same exercise routine for weeks, months or even years at a time. Personal trainers can use their experience to create exercise regimens that change often enough to prevent exercise boredom from settling in. • Avoid injury: Perhaps the biggest benefit to working with a personal trainer is that doing so can reduce risk for injury. Personal trainers know the appropriate ways to use exercise machines and watch their clients closely to ensure their form is always correct during a workout. Poor form or misuse of machines can lead to injuries that can quickly derail fitness goals. Personal trainers can be invaluable assets for people looking to get or stay healthy.
determine if the patient is underweight, has a normal or healthy weight, or is overweight or obese. Conditions associated with being overweight include heart disease and diabetes, so an easily calculated index determining if a person is overweight (or underweight or obese) can be an effective tool in combatting some potentially dangerous conditions. But physicians won’t base their opinions on patients’ overall health based on BMI alone. In fact, if physicians determine a BMIs is a health risk, they will likely perform further assessments, including skinfold thickness measurements and evaluations of things like eating habits, physical activity and family history. So while BMI might be somewhat confusing, it can still be a valuable tool for people looking to determine just how healthy or unhealthy they are.