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Donald M. Cepiel Sr.Founding Partner

Mark SlocumPublisher/ Consultant

Cheryl HislopCreative Director

Casey SlocumProduction Manager

Shea SummerCassandra AndersonNicole SciottiAccount Executives

Brittany LaurenBrooke GraceContributing Writers

Randall PerryMike SlocumStanley BlanchardContributing Photographers

American Media Group LLC279 Troy Road

Suite9-267Rensselear, NY 12144

518-328-6757www.americanmediagroupllc.com

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s it gets colder, it is time to start thinking about keep-ing yourself health for the winter! Influenza, or “the flue” is spread by contact with infected individuals while they may be coughing, sneezing or simply by be-ing in close proximity of infected individuals.

Once infected, symptoms can begin abruptly with head-ache, fever, chills, muscle aches and general malaise. Other symptoms include cough and sore through. Some folks can develop much more sever symptoms, and yet others just have symptoms similar to the common cold. The illness of-ten resolves itself in two to five days and most people start to feel better after one week. Unfortunately, influenza can lead to pneumonia in severe cases. In the United States, 36,000 people die annually from influenza.

The influenza vaccine is a major public health measure to prevent influenza. It uses a part of inactivated virus derived from the influenza virus from the previous sea-son. Generally, 50% to 80% protection is expected. The vaccine is updated every year, so an annual injection is recommended. It will not prevent “influenza-like” illness caused by other viruses. The protective antibodies will develop within two weeks after vaccination. It is best to receive the vaccine in October or Novem-ber. Peak influenza season usually takes place in February, however it can occur anytime between November and May. Those at a higher risk should receive their vaccines earlier.

Who should receive the influenza vaccine?Inactivated influenza vaccine can be given to people 6 months of age and older. It is recommended for people who are at risk of complications from influenza and for people who can spread influenza to those at high risk (including all household members):• People 65 years of age and older• Residents of long-term care facilities housing persons with chronic medical con-ditions.• People who have long-term health problems with: heart disease; lung disease; asthma; kidney disease; metabolic disease, such as diabetes, anemia and other blood disorders.• People with certain muscle or nerve disorders (such as seizure disorders or sever cerebral palsy) that can lead to breathing or swallowing problems•People with a weakened immune system due to: HIV/AIDS or other diseases affecting the immune system; long-term treatment with drugs such as steroids; cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs•People 6 months to 18 years of age on long term aspirin treatment (these people could develop Reye Syndrome if they got influenza)•Women who will be pregnant during influenza season

Protect yourself from THE FLUby Dr. Lynn Hickey, MD

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• All children 6-59 months of age and children 9 years of age receiving their first shot will get two doses, a month apart

People who can spread influenza to those at high risk:• Household contacts and out-of-home caretakers of infants from 0-59 months of age.• Physicians, nurses, family members or anyone else in close contact with people at risk of serious influenza• Influenza vaccine is also recommended for adults 50-64 years of age and anyone else who wants to reduce their chance of getting influenza

A yearling influenza vaccination should be considered for:• People who provide essential community services• People living in dormitories or under other crowded conditions, to prevent outbreaks• People at high risk of influenza complications who travel to the Southern hemisphere between April and September, or to the tropics or in organized tourist groups at any time.

This information is proved for you courtesy of Family Medical Care. Family Medical Care is located at 7 Culligan Drive in Scotia, NY. They can provide primary care for your entire family and are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Dr. Lynn Hickey is cur-rently accepting new patients. Call today at 518-377-9444 and schedule appointments for your family’s influenza vaccine and annual physicals.

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Accent on SkinOur skin may not be the fabric of our life, but it is the fabric we live in. Our skin protects us from the dangers outside (e.g. Airborne toxins, UV rays) and with a little help can look and feel good into our senior years.

Protect it - we should!The anti-aging revolution is upon us. As such, non-invasive tech-niques and skin care pharma-cology to repair, preserve and enhance aging skin have grown explosively in recent years. These include topical agents such as Retin A, bleaching creams, vi-tamins C and E, exfoliates, and, of course, sunscreen. Chemical peels and lasers are the corner-stones for lessening facial veins, brown spots and unwanted lines. Skin fillers and Botox are also very important minimally invasive techniques to smooth the lines of facial aging. we were the first Plastic Surgery practice in the area to recognize the value of so-phisticated skin care and provide a full time medical esthetician in our office. For over 15 years, our patients have had available aesthetic services to guide them through the maze of skin care options and tailor a customized plan for their skin rejuvenation.

Non-invasive techniques ad de-scribed above serve to enhance the multitude of surgical proce-dures available for facial rejuve-nation. The goal of surgical facial rejuvenation should always be to create a balanced, harmoni-ous, natural look for our patients.

When planning cosmetic surgery for patients, we are guided by our understanding of artistic con-cepts of facial beauty as well as what the industry standard dic-tates.

In analyzing patients for surgical facial rejuvenation, we divide the face into upper, middle and lower thirds. Patients with upper facial aging often have a tired, concerned or angry appear-ance. This occurs due to descent of brown skin and redundancy of the eyelids. Typically a minimally invasive endoscopic Browlift in combination with upper eye-lid surgery will create a relaxed, youthful appearance with imper-ceptible scars. Botox used at 3-6 month intervals will help maintain the benefits achieved by surgery.

The middle third of the face usu-ally includes the lower lids and cheeks. Often lower eyelid sur-gery (to remove skin and fat) with a volume enhancing midface lift can yield dramatic, natural results. For many years, plastic surgeons have overlooked the importance of midface (cheek) rejuvenation in establishing a truly balanced, harmonious res-toration of facial youth. When

by Victor A. Schingo, Jr., M.D.

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you smile your cheek elevates and this essentially mimics the effect of surgical midface lift. In our practice, we use a minimally invasive technique with hidden incisions to achieve midface re-juvenation and the result can be very dramatic!

Finally, when patients come to our office asking for a “face lift”, what they are really asking for is a correction of the neck and jaw-line (jowls), which represents the lower third of the face. This region of the face is often the most trou-blesome for patients and is the primary motivation to seek cos-metic surgical consultation. The typical facelift tightens underly-ing muscles, re-suspends de-scended facial fat and removes unwanted lax skin, especially in the neck and jawline. Incisions are carefully hidden in the hair-

line and around the ears and are virtually invisible. a clean, well-de-fined jawline is the foundation for facial youthfulness.

A word of caution- new products and techniques are becoming available on the market (e.g. “thread lifts”). They claim to yield similar results to traditional facial surgery, but with no scars, bruis-ing, pain or downtime. If it sounds to good to be true... these prod-ucts are new no one has any long term data to support their safety and effectiveness. Most plastic surgery literature suggests that results are short-lived (less than on year) and that unusual facial contours can result which are difficult to correct. Don’t fall victim to the marketing hype that surrounds new proceeders until they have adequately been test-ed. Buyer Beware!

As a final work, we would invite you to join the anti-aging revolu-tion either through non-invasive skin care or through artfully done time-honored traditional cosmet-ic facial surgery. If you do noth-ing else to improve your appear-ance, keep your skin clean and moisturized, avoid excessive sun exposure, stop smoking (better yet, never start) and then early on add exfoliates, antioxidants and sun-block to your basic regimen and you will keep the fabric of your life healthy for years.

Call Accent on Skin and Fox an Sch-ingo Plastic Surgery and let us guide you out of skin care confusion and into the glow of youthfulness.

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•Try a new physical game or activity. Sign up with a team to play basketball or volleyball. Challenge a friend to a racquetball tournament. Or prepare yourself for a marathon. Whatever the event, make sure it is an activity you enjoy, and set a realistic goal to ensure you stay with the activity throughout the entire year.

But most of all, see if you can’t have a friend or family member join you in your resolution so you can hold each other accountable.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

If you resolved to get healthier this year, you’ve probably started evaluating exercise programs and healthy foods to eat. But don’t forget to include fun and enjoyment in your resolution, because that is the best way to keep it going all year long.

Here are some suggestions to start your wellness reso-lution off on the right foot:

•Incorporate your exercise pro-gram into activities you’re already doing. For example, if you drive to work every day, instead of parking as close to the door as you can, try parking a long distance away, or better yet, bike to work. Once at work, instead of e-mailing or calling a coworker to discuss some-thing, get up and walk over to her desk and have an in-person conversation. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Dance to the radio while brushing your teeth at home - anything to increase the amount you are moving without changing your entire routine.

•If you already cook, go online, purchase a new cookbook or sign up for a cooking class and find some new healthy recipes. If you don’t cook, con-sider learning how. You can challenge yourself to learn one new recipe every week, or turn your learning into a social event by inviting friends over for one of your meals.

•Relax with a cup of tea. Natural tea can help you reduce body fat and in-crease your metabolism rate. Studies have shown that Oolong tea leaves contain rich amino acids and cellulose, which lowers cholesterol and boosts metabolism. Green tea leaves contain vitamins C and E, as well as high fiber. And black tea leaves help with digestion. Having a cup of hot tea - with-out sugar or cream - after each meal will help you to slowly dissolve fat in your body. Look for premium tea leaves through Teawan, (www.Teawan.com) quality tea and teaware products from Taiwan.

To brew Kung-Fu Tea, follow these steps: 1. Use purified water. Heat it to between 180 and 200 degrees. 2. Swish some of the heated water through the teapot and discard. 3. Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of tea leaves in the tea pot. 4. Pour heated water into the tea pot and swirl two to three times in a horizontal circular motion to rinse the leaves of shreds. Pour the water out into a pitcher immediately. 5. Rinse all the tea cups with the remaining heated rinsing water. 6. Brew the first pot of tea by filling the pot entirely to the lid. Steep the leaves between 40 seconds to a minute. Strain the leaves using a filter and pitcher. Enjoy your health tea.

Fun, tasty ways to get fit in 2010

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Ending Physician BurnoutNew research led by MichaelS. Krasner, M.D., associateprofessor of ClinicalMedicine, University ofRochester Medical Center,indicates that meditationreduces physician burnoutand facilitates enhancedpatient care. Dr. Krasnernotes that, “From thepatient’s perspective, we hearall too often of dissatisfaction in the quality of presence fromtheir physician. From the practitioner’s perspective, the oppor-tunity for deeper connection is all too often missed in thestressful, complex, and chaotic reality of medical practice.”Dr. Krasner suggests that by meditating regularly physicianscan communicate better with colleagues and patients “withoutjudgment and with a sense of curiosity and adventure––all ofwhich greatly reduces stress and burnout.”

Improving LongevityAccording to a new seven-teen year study conducted bythe Transcendental Meditationorganization, people whopractice mantra-based medi-tation experienced a lowerincidence of free radicals andlonger lifespan than did thosein the control group.Researchers concluded that adaily meditation practice notonly keeps people alivelonger but also makes themless susceptible to stressrelated conditions like highblood pressure, weight gainand memory loss.

MIND-BODY NEWS

Judy Collins on MeditationIn her latest book, The SevenT’s, singer Judy Collinswrites about finding hope andhealing through meditationafter the devastating loss ofher son to suicide. “A dailymeditation practice comfort-ably fit into my life,” writesMs. Collins. “It immediatelyallowed my whole body andmy mind to be balanced,focused and calm. I’ve beenmeditating now for about 30years, so it’s really becomepart of my life. For me, itprovides an emotional stabil-ity that I really need.

Karan’s Gift of Yoga Fashion designer DonnaKaran recently donated$850,000 to Beth IsraelMedical Center for a year-long experiment that com-bines traditional Easternhealing methods with mod-ern cancer treatments. TheNew York Times reportedthat “The Karan-Beth Israelmedical project will offerboth meditation and hathayoga as part of a compre-hensive program to enhanceregimens of chemotherapyand radiation.”

Building a Bigger BrainMeditation can build a biggerbrain. That’s the finding froma group of researchers atUCLA who used high-resolu-tion magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) to scan thebrains of people who medi-tate. According to a new studyin the NeuroImage journalclaims that certain regions inthe brains of long-term medi-tators were larger than in asimilar control group.Specifically, people who med-itated regularly showed sig-nificantly more brain activityin those regions of the brainknown for maintaining posi-tive emotions.

Compiled by the American Meditation Institute, Averill Park, New York • www.americanmeditation.orgMIND-BODY 101 By Leonard Perlmutter

What is Mind-Body Medicine?Mind-body medicine is an approachto healing that uses the power ofthoughts and emotions to positivelyinfluence physical health. AsHippocrates wrote, “The natural

healing force within each one of us is the greatest force ingetting well.” Mind-body medicine focuses on the inter-actions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior, andon the powerful ways in which mental, emotional, social,and spiritual experience can directly affect health. TheU.S. Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta acknowledgethat 53% of illness is attributable to lifestyle choices. This suggests that the practice of mind-body medicine can bean immediately effective way to boost the immune system and reduce health care costs.

Is Yoga Science a Mind-Body Medicine? Yes. In fact allmodern mind-body medicine is based on the same holistic principles as Yoga Science. Yogic techniquesinclude meditation, gentle yoga stretches, diaphragmaticbreathing, mind function optimization and Ayurvedicnutrition. Yoga Science respects and enhances a person'scapacity for self-knowledge and self-care. Yoga Scienceviews illness as an opportunity for personal transforma-tion, and health-care teachers as catalysts in this process.

How Does Yoga Science Work? The key to any mind-body medicine is training the mind to focus without distraction. As individuals practice Yoga Science and skill-fully apply the tools they learn, they will experience astate of focused, one-pointed concentration that enablesthem to choose positive changes for their health.Researchers have found that stress hormones are associ-ated with particular unhealthy emotions. For instance,stress related to hostility and anxiety can result in disrup-tions in heart and immune function. Similarly, depressionand distress may diminish the body's natural capacity toheal. In contrast, emotional expression that encouragesdetachment, discrimination and skillful action helps stabilize and enhance the immune system. Certain emotions have been linked to disease. Hostile attitudes,for example, may increase your risk for coronary heartdisease, obesity (particularly having excess fat around thewaist), insulin resistance (which can lead to diabetes),and abnormal cholesterol (specifically, high triglyceridesand low levels of high density lipoprotein or HDL––thegood kind of cholesterol). Generally, research shows that

being stressed and not being able to handle negativeemotions can result in serious medical consequences suchas high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. How aperson processes thoughts, desires and emotions alsoaffects how long they may survive a chronic illness. Thegoal of mind-body techniques such as meditation, hathayoga and diaphragmatic breathing is to reduce the stressresponse while activating the relaxation/healingresponse. When you feel relaxed, the levels of hormonesrelated to stress are reduced and your immune system ismore efficient.

What Problems Can Mind-Body Medicine Help?Mind-body techniques are helpful for many conditionsbecause they promote relaxation, improve coping skills,reduce tension and pain, and lessen the need for medica-tion. Many mind-body techniques are used (along withmedication when appropriate) to successfully treat anxiety, high blood pressure, arthritis, asthma, coronaryheart disease, obesity, cancer (easing the pain and nau-sea and vomiting related to chemotherapy), insomnia,diabetes, stomach and intestinal disorders [includingindigestion (dyspepsia), irritable bowel syndrome, con-stipation, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, heartburn, andCrohn's disease], fibromyalgia, and menopausal symptoms.Leonard is a philosopher, educator and founder of theAmerican Meditation Institute (americanmeditation.org).

Eric Hoffer Award, ForeWord Magazine Award, 2 Benjamin Franklins Awards, Nautilus Book Award,

Independent Publisher Award

ByLeonardPerlmutter

Winnerof 6 MajorBookAwards

A Comprehensive Manual forHolistic Mind-Body

Medicine

MIND-BODY 101

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Based on Yoga psychology, Self-TherapyCounseling is a powerful tool in mind-bodymedicine. With over 32 years of practice,Leonard will teach you how to experience per-sonal contentment, creativity and health. AMI HOME CENTER, By appointment. $125 /hr.

BHAGAVAD GITAThe Perennial PsychologyLeonard and Jenness Perlmutter

LEVEL II: The Gita is a practical spiritualhandbook for daily life. It enhances the under-standing of all mind-body medicine.

LEVEL I: Our entry-level, six-week course presents a comprehensive training in the world’smost effective holistic mind-body medicine. You’ll learn how to boost your immune system, putan end to stress and enhance your ability to express your life’s true purpose. Excellent for first-time or experienced meditators, physicians, nurses and therapists. Course components include:

This class is the ideal way to get acquaintedwith the AMI’s holistic mind-body medicineprogram. If you desire good health and freedomfrom everyday stress, you will learn the basicsof how to unify the inherent power of body,mind and spirit.

THURSDAY NIGHT, 6:30 - 7:30PM, each class $15.DEC 17; JAN 14; FEB 18 OR MAR 18

Directions to AMI 60 Garner Road, Averill Park • 674-8714

I-90 Exit #8 (Rt. 43 E). Take Rt. 43 for 4 1/2 miles. In W. SandLake, go right at light onto Rt. 150. Go 1 mile. Left on Cnty Rd#52/Sheer Rd (at stone wall). Go 1 mile on Sheer Rd and bear

AMERICAN MEDITATION INSTITUTE • Comprehensive Training in Mind-Body MedicineAMERICAN MEDITATION INSTITUTE • Comprehensive Training in Mind-Body Medicine

THE CURRICULUM AT THE AMERICAN MEDITATION INSTITUTE IS ENDORSED BY:

LEVEL I: For beginners and experienced students. Without difficulty or pain, you’ll learnthe simple, therapeutic pleasures of relievingstiffness and stress, detoxifying the lymph system, toning the joints, stretching muscles andinvigorating internal organs.

MONDAY NIGHTS, 6:30 - 8:00PM

NOV 9 - DEC 14; DEC 21 - JAN 25; FEB 1 - MAR 8 6 week course, $90. Drop ins welcome, $20.

MONDAY NIGHTS, 6:30 - 8:30PMNOV 30-JAN 4; JAN 11-MAR 1; MAR 8-APR 19 $150

PHYSICIAN ACCREDITATION (12 CMEs)The Albany Medical College designates this educational activityfor a maximum of 12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physi-cians should only claim credit commensurate with the extentof their participation in the activity.

Albany Medical College is accredited by the AccreditationCouncil for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to providecontinuing medical education for physicians.

NURSING ACCREDITATION (12 Contact Hours)This continuing nursing education activity was approved by theNew York State Nurses Association, an accredited approver bythe American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission onAccreditation.

AMI MEDITATION: THE HEART & SCIENCE OF YOGAAccredited by the American Medical Association (AMA) for Physicians

Leonard Perlmutter –– AMI Founder

EASY-GENTLE YOGAKathleen Fisk––Certified Yoga Instructor

LEVEL I: This course provides a detailed un-derstanding of the anatomy and function of theseven major chakras. By learning to“balance” the chakras, you will increase yourvitality, enhance your powers of concentrationand rediscover your inner source of physical,emotional and spiritual well being.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, 6:30 - 8:30PMMARCH 17 - 31 (3 weeks, $150)

BALANCING THE CHAKRASLeonard and Jenness Perlmutter

INTRODUCTORY LECTUREMary Holloway and Doreen Howe

YOGA SELF-THERAPYLeonard Perlmutter –– AMI Founder

Int’l. Association of Yoga Therapists

ADVANCED MIND-BODY HEALINGTantra’s Healing Energy

With Breath & Guided ImageryLeonard Perlmutter

LEVEL II: Learn how to employ the subtle en-ergy healing of the mind and body. Each weekyou will be taught new skills that reduce the ef-fects of stress, illness and physical exhaustionby purifying the mind and body. These advancedTantric practices minimize tension, facilitateenergy flow, calm and train the mind, awakencreativity, enhance memory and retard the dis-ease process by boosting the body’s innatehealing wisdom.

SATURDAY MORNINGS, DEC 5 AND 1210:00AM-12:00PM. Registration: $95. (2 weeks)

DEAN ORNISH, MD, author of “Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease” and MEHMET OZ, MD, noted surgeon, author and host of “The Dr. Oz Show”

LEVEL I: Would you like to learn how to prepare healthy and delicious foods? At this all-day workshop you will prepare and eat breakfast,lunch and dinner, and you’ll benefit from thePerlmutters’ 33 years of research, experimenta-tion and practice with nutrition, vegetarianism,Ayurveda, and alkaline and vitamin therapies.Menu preparation will respect your Ayurvedicbody-type and dietary restrictions. SATURDAY, FEB 207:30AM - 5:30PM. Registration: $125.

KITCHEN YOGA: FOOD AS MEDICINELeonard and Jenness Perlmutter

Registration Includes: a Guided Meditation CD, asubscription to Transformation AMI’s bi-monthlyjournal of practical Yoga Science and lifetime support for your practice. Two required texts: TheHeart and Science of Yoga, Art of Joyful Living,

TUESDAY NIGHTS, 6:30 - 9:00 PM, $400.DECEMBER 8 - JANUARY 12 (6 WEEKS)JANUARY 19 - MARCH 2 (6 WEEKS, NO CLASS JAN 26)MARCH 9 - APRIL 13 (6 WEEKS)

YOGA SCIENCEAn educational body of knowledge for health and healingHow to use the super-conscious mind for the best choicesHow to change and create new, healthier habitsUnderstanding pain as an agent for healingThe transformative power of sacrificeIncreasing energy, will power & creativityThe power of desire and attentionCreative actions rather than reactionary responsesAntidotes for worry, stress and depression

MEDITATIONSystematic procedure for meditationHow to diminish distractionsTraining one-pointed attention for creativity and nutrition Learning to use the mantra and the 1-minute meditationUsing meditation skills throughout the dayBuilding focus, fearlessness, and strength

BREATHINGThe meaning of prana (life force)How breathing irregularities foster dis-easeDiaphragmatic breathing for pulmonary healthComplete (three-part) yogic breath

YOGA PSYCHOLOGYHow the mind functions for optimal healthThe power of the present momentBuilding and healing relationships

EASY-GENTLE YOGAYoga stretches and exercises for:

muscles, joints, glands and internal organs

MIND/BODY CARE PLANCreating a therapeutic care plan for home and workIntegrating spiritual beliefsAyurveda and alkaline therapy

Classes: DEC 2009 –– MAR 2010 • www.americanmeditation.org

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How many of us genuinely follow through on our

New Year’s resolutions?

I have struggled with my weight and size for as long as I can remember. Last New Year’s I was a 290lb Chef and definitely not happy about it. It was on January 4, 2008 when the resolution to change my entire life started. I joined Gold’s gym again and firmly decided to change my lifestyle. I felt I needed a push to really lose the weight that had been plaguing me on and off my entire life. I changed my food consumption to include fish and seafood, worked out on a regular basis, and held steadfast on the idea of a thinner, healthier me.

While working as a Chef for the past 16 years, my food decisions were usu-ally in the form of fried, fatty and too much. I was in a food rut; I ate what was expedient, easy and gave me a sense of instant gratification. When I started the Gold’s Gym Transforma-tion, it was a complete shock to my system. I began to eat a lean 2000 cal-orie-a-day diet, based heavily on fish and seafood, started an intensive cardio regimen and relentless weight training. I was determined and disciplined to do this everyday. I did this to my body and it was time to fix it!

As a Chef I have the advantage of knowing the right things to eat and in what amount. Eating more seafood was a convenient and natural decision as I am the Executive Chef of The Reel Seafood Company. It is a known fact that heart health, weight control, illness prevention and overall body function-ing are all affected by what we eat. Eat-ing seafood is one way we can aid in improving our diet and overall health.

Many studies about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids lay focus on fish as the primary source. Salmon, sardines, tuna and shellfish are rich in omega-3 fatty acid content, and I have begun to incorporate these into my diet.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that you eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week to reap specific health benefits. “We recommend eating fish (particu-larly fatty fish) at least two times a week. Fish is a good source of protein and doesn‘t have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty ac-ids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)” (The American Heart Association).

Within the polyunsaturated fat cat-egory, or essential fatty acids (EFAs), there are two important subclasses of fatty acids: omega-3s and omega-6s. Both are essential to an overall human health, but are not readily made by the human body and must be obtained from food. If one was to become deficient in EFAs, it could lead to dermatitis, the inability to fight simple infections and even infertility. Vegetable Oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, and most Americans unknowingly get plenty of them in their diet.

Unfortunatly, the over consumption of omega-6 fatty acids can contribute to heart disease, depression and cancer, which is why the AHA recommends a diet that consists of a 3:1 diet of omega-6 to omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are primarily found in fish, shellfish, tofu, flax, nuts, canola

A Reel Seafood Diet One Chef’s Story

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and soybean oils, are generally lack-ing in our diets, given how abundant omega-6 is. Omega-3s appear to have a positive effect on heart rhythm and ac-cording to one recent study, may even reduce the incidence of the most com-mon type of stroke. They also have the remarkable ability to reduce the nega-tive impact of overly consumed ome-ga-6 fatty acids. In fact, on the basis of the current research, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a quali-fied health claim for the use of dietary supplements rich in omega-3 fatty ac-ids, stating that they reduce the risk of heart disease. Another intriguing area of research on omega-3 fatty acids per-tains to their role in brain and visual function, as some research suggests they may have a role in preventing macular degeneration which is a com-mon form of blindness. Continuing research involves the role of omega-3 fatty acids and the immune system, and suggests a positive influence on rheu-matoid arthritis, asthma, lupus, kidney disease and cancer as well as promis-ing research at the National Institutes of Health on depression.

As a Chef, I am well aware that fish and shellfish are excellent sources of protein that are low in fat. A 3-ounce cooked serving of most fish and shell-fish provides about 20 grams of protein, or about a third of the aver-age daily recommended protein intake. The pro-tein in fish is of high quality, containing an abundance of essential amino acids, and is very digestible for people of all ages. Seafood is also generally lower in fat and calories than beef, poul-try or pork. Seafood is

also loaded with minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium. I have taken all that I have learned, from my Gold’s Gym Challenge and extensive studies of healthy eating and incorporated them into the restaurant I currently run. For example, at Reel Seafood Co, I am cer-tain to have at least thirteen varieties of fish, seven varieties of oysters and a plethora of shellfish. My menu chang-es every two weeks to add variety and stay current in culinary and dietary trends.

My health journey is far from over. I want to lose another 25 pounds and reach my goal of 185 pounds. Having lost and gained so many times, this is the closest I’ve ever come to that goal. This experience has tested my life mentally, physically and emotionally and yet I wouldn’t change a thing. This was the hardest thing I have ever done. With the addition of seafood, proper diet and exercise I have a feeling of accomplishment, pride and determina-tion that I’m becoming the man I feel like I should be and I know that noth-ing can stop me.

Chef Luca Brunelle CECExecutive Chef

Reel Seafood Company

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Smell your way to an energetic or calming ambiance.

With household chores, family gatherings, school events and work activities, life can get a little hectic this time of year. So, when you ac-tually have time at home, you either want to unwind and relax or use the free moments to bolster more energy and finish the day’s to-dos.

“Scented candles, diffusers and sprays work very well to bring a calming, positive essence to a house, or to add a bit of ener-gy to the air,” says Dr. Rachel Herz, a scent expert from Brown University and the author of “The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell.” Here are some of her tips to keep your household energy levels on an even keel during the winter months:

• Research has shown that orange scents reduce anxiety and increase calmness in stressful situations and increase posi-tive mood overall. For a lift that can help you cope with holi-day stress, try spritzing Febreze Air Effects in the Citrus & Light scent.

• One way to help you resist extra sweets is by infusing the room with a lovely vanilla scent. Try lighting a Febreze Vanilla and Refresh candle after dinner or in the hours between fes-tivities.

(ARA)

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14 The Independent, Friday, February 29, 2008PROGRESS

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