Eating Healthy Should Not Be Intimidating

By Liz Skalka
The Health Nuts in Bayside aims to make healthy eating accessible regardless of goals.

The health food store, and a Bayside staple, with locations in Westbury, Great Neck and Manhattan, is located in the Bay Terrace Shopping Center off Bell Boulevard. It offers a variety of healthy foods for people with different diet goals.

The Health Nuts is located in Bay Terrance Shopping Center.

The goal of the store is to make healthy eating and its products user-friendly, and not to intimidate anyone who is new to the store, said Jen Babaian, whose parents own the Health Nuts chain, though the store also has shoppers who have been coming there for 30 years.

“[New customers] feel a little overwhelmed coming into a store like this,” Babaian said, adding that the staff is always available to answer questions and direct people toward products.

The store has a variety of foods for people following vegetarian, vegan, raw and glutton-free diets, or for people with allergies. Their foods also contain few preservatives and additives.

For people following these types of diets, the store offers a wide variety of imported nuts and seeds, some from Brazil and Tibet because the soil there is very rich, Babaian said.

“It’s not your generic nuts and seeds,” she noted, adding that nuts and seeds are a staple for people who follow a raw foods diet consisting of nothing cooked over 80 degrees.

For these people the store also sells raw chocolate, which is far healthier than chocolate with added sugar. “Chemically, it’s one of the most complex foods in the world,” Babaian said, “you get so much energy from it.”

Besides a wide variety of health products, the store also has a section in the back of baked goods and prepared foods. Many of the baked products sold are vegan, meaning they have no honey, eggs or dairy, as people following a traditional vegan diet have cut out all products originating from animals. The store offers vegan chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies and muffins, as well as tofu and soy yogurt.

Babaian pointed out that healthy and alternative eating habits are becoming more accepted.

“It’s becoming so mainstream,” she noted. “It’s actually becoming more acceptable.”
The Health Nuts also sells low-mercury tuna, low-fat chicken and vegetarian barbequed ribs.

One of its most popular products, however, is its juices, which target detoxification and healthy skin and nails, among other health goals. juice mixtures are made to order to target these specific goals.

“We do the research so we know what’s good for what,” Babaian said.

Babaian describes the Health Nuts experience as “healthy food the way it should be” by not ostracizing anyone. She also said the store’s customers are a mix between those who are very serious about healthy eating and those who take it more casually.

For more information about the Health Nuts, visit them at 211-35 26th Ave. at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center, or call them at (718) 225-8164.

Meditation Methods Vary Based On Religion
By Noah C. Zuss
For five millennia humans from across the planet have used meditation and meditative techniques to promote health and wellbeing.

The Mastering Meditation workshop series in Jamaica Hills promotes meditation through the teachings of the late Sri Chinmoy, a spiritual guru that made Queens his home base.

The workshop series is free and begins Saturday, March 8. The series is a four-week tutorial on the teachings of Chinmoy and features “a journey of self discovery,” to achieve healthy living. The workshops will also feature sessions on practical exercises in meditation, ways to find true happiness, using music and mantras in meditation and instruction on spiritual paths and mastery of the mind.

Serial meditators swear by the practice. They claim the exercises provide health benefits that enhance both mind and body. Participants report experiencing clearer focus of the mind after completing meditative sessions.
Shephali Burke is one such proponent. She owns a vegetarian restaurant near the Chinmoy center and credits the meditative lifestyle for improving her and her community.

“We see the workshops as providing a community service so that people can have a positive outlook on life,” she said.

Burke also credits meditation for improving her individually. “From my own life I think it helps to spend time on what’s inside us. Meditation helps a person stop and attend to what’s inside you. It helps give you perspective and gives me energy, and an uplift.”

During his lifetime Chinmoy used varied activities to promote fitness of mind and body. Chinmoy advocated Meditation, athletics and art to promote health and wellbeing.

To learn the teachings of the late Chinmoy, those interested can attend the meditation sessions or log onto his website that promotes this tradition.

The spectrum of meditation is as vast and varied as the myriad religious traditions of the world.

In fact, all three major religions of the world, Islam, Judaism and Christianity use meditative techniques in some form to promote the health of followers; Kabbalah is a meditative field of study in the Jewish religion, Christians use monastic traditions, the rosary, and the Adoration (focusing on the Eucharist), Islam employs Sufi meditation, which is largely based on mystical exercises to promote spiritual health.

Western meditation is built on the religious practices of older, Eastern religions. Meditation has been a major component of Eastern religious practice for over 5,000 years.

The main components of any meditative technique include two constants: mindfullness meditation and concentration meditation.

Mindfulness meditation involves the meditator sitting comfortably and silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or process, the breath, a sound, a mantra, or riddle evoking question.

In concentration meditation the meditator holds attention on a particular object, or a repetitive prayer, while minimizing distractions and bringing the mind back to concentrate on the chosen object.

Meditation in its modern sense refers to Yogic meditation that originated in India. In the late nineteenth century, practitioners adopted the word meditation to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and other Eastern religions. Thus the English word, meditation, does not exclusively translate to any single term or concept.

To learn about the life and teachings of spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy, log onto www.srichinmoy.org. To register for the mastering meditation workshop series, or for more information, call 718 408 1442.


Astorian Wants To Improve Health Holistically
By BRAD GROZNIK
It worked like a miracle drug, except there was no drug and she had the power all along.

In six weeks Suzanne Barker can improve your health.

Suzanne Barker discovered holistic health in 1999 when after years of skin problems and recurring infections she listened to a friend who told her to consult a holistic health counselor.

“In six months all my health problems were cured,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Holistic health is a term that means taking a broad look at health. Instead of only focusing on aliments, holistic health takes a preventative approach.

Surprisingly, Barker said taking a holistic approach to her health made her realize she wanted to go back to school for a fine arts degree.

Working a day job, holistic health became Barker’s passion in life. She said she read everything she could get her hands on and eventually enrolled in the Institute for Integrated Nutrition in Manhattan to become a certified holistic counselor herself.

In June, the Astoria resident will graduate and proceed to coach others through changing their health outlooks.

Barker is quick to note that holistic health counseling is not about trying a new diet or hitting the gym everyday for six months, it’s a gradual change of lifestyle.

“It’s not about being good,” she said. “It’s about trying to find what’s good for you.”

The initial consultation with a holistic health counselor is a survey in an individual’s overall health.

“I talk to them about their career, their relationships, how they sleep at night, what they eat and how often they exercise,” she said.

Over the six months, Barker said she introduces clients to new, healthier foods, easy exercise routines and other ideas to improve one’s overall health.

“You can eat all the brown rice you want but if you’re not exercising, you’re not going to be healthy,” she said.

Barker also said she is not going to turn clients into vegetarians, like one might think.

“My husband would freak if he couldn’t eat red meat,” she said. “And that’s why a lot of diets don’t work. We have so much information about diets, by not every diet is right for everyone.”

Clients would continue to meet with Barker individually twice a month for six months to observe what is working and what is not. Phone interviews are fine but she said she is happy to try and meet in person.

Dr. Laura Lefkowitz, who runs her own medical practice in Manhattan, said the medical community has begun take holistic health more seriously in recent years.

“Since I’ve was in Medical School the community is becoming much more open minded,” she said. “Really, it’s just teaching people how to eat right and no doctor is going to argue that’s bad for you.”

Dr. Lefkowitz said the biggest leap for the medical community is that traditional medicine is based on facts, that is, if you take this pill then it will cure this aliment. Holistic Health has not been studied in that way so it is taking some time for MDs to jump on board.

“A lot of it doesn’t have scientific proof,” she said. “But people have been doing a lot more research and alternative medicine is really being looked at by nutritionists.”

Dr. Lefkowitz’s training is in treating cancer but she has since left the field to work on the holistic side.

“I just felt like I was chasing disease,” she said. “I wanted to start preventing it.”

In the end, Lefkowitz and Barker agree it is up to the individual to take control of their health.

For more information on Holistic Health or consulting with Barker visit suzannebarker.com or call (917) 519-4357.

Jamaica Hospital Serves Community With New Additions
Jamaica Hospital’s mission has always been to serve the community in a way that is second to none— and its facility and services do just that.

What began in a rented four bedroom home has transformed into a 387-bed teaching hospital that serves a population greater than 1.2 million in Queens and eastern Brooklyn. To this day, the hospital continues to grow and currently presents a wide variety of specialized services for infants and children, adults, as well as seniors.

The hospital in Jamaica started as a four bedroom facility.

Most recently, the Department of Radiology installed a new 64-Slice CT Scanner, the latest in non-invasive digital imaging. The department currently offers state-of-the-art diagnostic and specialty services, including ultrasound, mammography, fluoroscopic procedures, diagnostic radiology, vascular laboratory, nuclear medicine, and interventional radiology. For more information, contact (718) 206-6127.

The Trump Pavilion, which recently completed its first phase of construction for the new state-of-the-art adult nursing and rehabilitation center. The new 226-bed facility will accommodate 40 additional beds and is scheduled to be completed in 2009. For additional information, contact (718) 206-5000.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s State Designated Stroke Center, established to provide comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment- from arrival time to discharge- for patients who have suffered a “brain attack.” JHMC also offers a full range of rehabilitative services through “The Brady Institute,” a nationally recognized traumatic brain injury & coma recovery unit, and a complete array of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services. Contact (718) 206-6595 for additional information.

The hospital’s Emergency Medicine Department— a level 1 Trauma Center and one of the busiest in New York. The department has a Fast Track Center and Chest Pain Center, a Queens first, as well as a wonderfully decorated, state-of-the-art Pediatric Emergency Department. The ER is accessible 24 hours, 7 days a week. For more information, contact (718) 206-6066.

With the addition of new and modern Labor, Delivery, and Recovery suites and Women’s Health Center, Jamaica Hospital steadfastly addresses the growing needs of women within the community. For information on the OB/GYN Department, contact (718) 206-6808; contact (718) 291-3276 for information on the Women’s Health Center.

The Dental Department at Jamaica Hospital, an impressive 19 chair, 11,000 square-feet state-of-the-art facility. The department provides a wide variety of services for children, adults, and seniors, with experience in oral examinations and x-rays, oral cleanings, periodontics, pedodontics, orthodontics, and oral surgery, to name a few. For more information, o r to make an appointment, contact (718) 206-6980.

Bayside Hypnotist Helps Cure Addictions
By Brad Groznik
She was asked to hold the pendulum, resting her elbow on her knee and have it swing from one end of the room to the other using only her mind.

Holding the crystal ball suspended by a small chain and keeping her hand as still as possible it began to swing; slowly at first, but gaining momentum with each sway. In moments, the ball was in full motion from one end of the room to the other.

Hypnotist John Parada has stopped people from smoking and helped others lose weight.

She was then asked to slow the curve and have the pendulum rotate in a circle. Carefully, and with her arm perfectly still, the ball slowed and began orbiting a fixed point.

Jaws dropped in the room during the informative meeting hosted by Bayside hypnotist John Parada.

The pendulum trick works because the many nerve endings at the tips of fingers can control the sway of the attached ball, Parada explained.

“It’s a simple experiment but it shows the power of the mind,” he said.

Parada then had the group of 11 close their eyes and hold out their arms perpendicular to their chest. He had the group imagine a heavy book in one hand and a helium filled balloon tied to the wrist of the other. After about a minute of describing the heavy, heavy book and the balloon rising to the ceiling, he had the group open their eyes.

To the astonishment of some of the participants, their arms were uneven; their mind played a trick on them.

These experiments, Parada told the group, were just to show how strong a person’s mind can be and as with anything that works hard, it can also use a rest.

Resting the mind is the basis of hypnotism. Still having a Scooby Doo stereotype of an evil mind controlling hypnotist, Parada explained people can find themselves hypnotized on a daily basis without know what to call it.

“When you’re riding the train and don’t really know what’s going on around you,” he said, “and your mind’s completely blank, you’re basically hypnotized.”

In that state, Parada said, the mind is open to suggestion. In normal practice, Parada works with people to lose weight, relieve stress and quite smoking.

In fact, Parada was first turned on to the idea of hypnosis after years of trying to put down his pack of cigarettes.

“I went to a hypnotist and the moment I left I reached for my cigarettes,” he said. “But it was like I was looking at them for the first time. For the first time, I had a choice.”

Parada said he crushed that pack of cigarettes 15 years ago and has not picked up one since.

Building on a degree from St. John’s University, Parada received a Ph.D. from The American University of Holistic Theology.

“I like to take people who are well and make them feel even better,” he said.

Renee Wagner attended the Saturday evening meeting because she heard hypnosis could help her relax.

“You can use it in so many facets of your life,” the Bayside resident said.

Wagner brought Michael Schleff, an oncology nurse.

“I’m always looking for ways to reduce stress,” he said referring to his high-stress job.

Parada offers consultations and appointments. for more information, call (718) 747-1135. His office is located at 44-16 Francis Lewis Blvd.

Elmhurst Serves The Borough’s Diversity
Elmhurst Hospital Center (EHC) is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The hospital is comprised of 525 beds and is a Level I Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station and a 911 Receiving Hospital. It is the premiere health care organization for key areas such as Surgery, Cardiology, Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation Medicine, Renal and Mental Health Services.

Queens Level I Trauma Center at Elmhurst Hospital.

Elmhurst Hospital Center, located at 79-01 Broadway, serves an area of approximately one million people. Last year, EHC received 664,199 ambulatory care visits as well as 178,437 Emergency Room visits making it one of the busiest ERs in New York City. Over 5,000 babies were delivered at Elmhurst last year alone-the most in this region. Ensuring accessible health care is our priority.

Elmhurst Hospital Center utilizes the latest in medical technology to ensure optimal diagnosis and treatment. The hospital also employs some of the finest medical staff in the country, offering patients a full complement of primary and specialty services.

At EHC you will receive the highest quality care in a newly renovated, state-of-the art facility. It is our longstanding objective to ensure that we provide essential health care services to our patients while maintaining the fabric of our community.

EHC is one of the few organizations in the country that has consistently met the challenges of a rapidly changing health care environment without compromising the integrity and quality of care we deliver.

Elmhurst Hospital Center is affiliated with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and is a member of the New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation.

For more information call (718) 334-4000.

The Queens Health Network (QHN) is the largest health care provider in the borough of Queens. QHN provides over a million ambulatory care visits annually to the residents of Queens. Consisting of two leading acute care facilities, Elmhurst and Queens Hospital Centers, 15 community-based medical centers and practices, and six school-based health centers, QHN has reached across this vast borough of two million to provide preventive and health care services where they are needed.

While QHN has integrated its mission to serve the whole community with its commitment to deliver the highest level of care, it has also taken on the bold challenge of improving the vitality, well-being and active learning of the communities it serves.

QHN is dedicated to building a great health care organization with a far-reaching vision. As a member of the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation and long-time affiliate of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, QHN honors its commitment to improving community health as well as to advancing clinical knowledge.

QHN’s 27 Residency Programs serve as the training ground for the country’s finest young physicians. Many of these physicians in training continue their alliance with the network after graduation by developing practices in the community. QHN’s hospital-based services are ranked among the top in the nation and have become the borough’s major resource for specialized care.

The Best Medicine, A Cliché But True
By MICHAEL CUSENZA
Laughter is the best medicine.

We’ve heard that old adage countless times, but is there any empirical evidence to support its claim? Just what kind of impact does the act of laughing have on our overall physical and emotional well-being?

A University of Maryland School of Medicine study showed that laughter actually helps blood vessels function better. Researchers used movies to document the effect of emotions on cardiovascular health. After volunteers were shown funny films, researchers discovered that “laughter appears to cause the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to dilate or expand in order to increase blood flow.”

The same group of volunteers was also shown movies that tend to spark stress or tension in audience members.

Researchers found that while watching these kinds of films, the volunteers’ “blood vessel lining developed a potentially unhealthy response called vasoconstriction, reducing blood flow. That finding confirms previous studies, which suggested there was a link between mental stress and the narrowing of blood vessels.”

According to WebMD, while more research on the subject needs to be done, laughter also affects several other physiological functions, including immune response, blood sugar levels, and relaxation and sleep.

A couple of Queens comedians said that, in their professional experience and opinion, there definitely is a link between laughter and health.

“I absolutely believe this to be true. It’s the easiest way to get through life,” said comedian, “Colbert Report” writer and Astoria resident Mark Malkoff. “Also there’s scientific research that laughter can sometimes help people suffering from disease and illness. Doing comedy, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone in an audience that looks miserable and then having them laughing for the next hour and a half.”

Comedian Ted Alexandro, also a resident of Astoria, concurred. He said laughter may help people cope with emotional and physical ills because it’s “cathartic, a complete surrender.”

“It takes you outside of yourself, outside of your own thoughts - not to mention the communal element of laughing at a comedy show with hundreds or thousands of people, which is unique,” Alexandro explained. “You can’t laugh and focus on your problems at the same time. You basically have to put that aside when you go to a comedy club and be open to surrendering to joy for that hour and a half. Then, after the show, you can go back to being miserable if you so choose.”

That said, Alexandro feels that if there is a correlation between laughter and medicine, one should be made between comedian and physician.

“Doctors generally prescribe the best medicines. If laughter is the best medicine, then I should be making a lot more money,” he deadpanned.

LIJ To Open Forest Hills Specialty Center
In an effort to bring the same high level of ambulatory care services it established in Nassau County to the borough of Queens, the North Shore-LIJ Health System has launched a new initiative that brings a fully integrated roster of outpatient services to its already impressive inpatient presence in the nation’s most ethnically diverse community.

The North Shore-LIJ Health System’s new Specialty Medical Center on Austin Street in Forest Hills will include neurology, cancer, orthopedic, urology, gastrointestinal and a range of other clinical services.

The Specialty Medical Center at Forest Hills will open in mid-March at 68-60 Austin St. to provide Queens residents with high-quality, disease-centered outpatient services from a single location. Robert Dubicki, the health system’s senior vice president for ambulatory care, explained that the new center — easily accessible from major road ways, subway and bus lines — has been designed to emulate its sister facility, the Center for Advanced Medicine in Lake Success.

“The Austin Street location is similar to the Center for Advanced Medicine in that it offers convenient access to high-quality physicians and ambulatory services. It provides comfort, convenience and quality under one roof, complementing our inpatient programs and services in Queens,” he said. “Responsiveness to patient and physician needs will be paramount and supported by our ambulatory care management team.”

The Queens ambulatory team is staffed by multilingual professionals representative of the Queens community, including 24 doctors in 15 specialties. With a two-phased implementation program centered on disease-focused subspecialty care; the first phase of implementation encompasses the following services: The Institute for Orthopedic Science; The Harvey Cushing Institutes of Neuroscience; Cancer Care; Kidney Transplant; Vascular Center; Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Urology, Cardiology; North Shore-LIJ Laboratories Patient Service Center; STARS – Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Services.

The second phase of expansion is in development and will likely include services such as diagnostic imaging, Schneider Children’s Hospital ‘s Pediatric Subspecialty services, walk-in urgent care and additional medical office space.

“We pride ourselves on delivering high quality care and paying attention to the details that make for a superior patient experience,” Mr. Dubicki said. “We’re confident that both physicians and patients alike will come to view the Specialty Medical Center as one of the most vital healthcare resources available in the Queens community.”

For more information, call the center at (718) 925-6200.

Care After Hospitalization Is Important
Your doctor recommended Parker’s sub-acute care program to help you optimize function, regain the greatest degree of independence possible, and facilitate a rapid return to home.

“Sub-acute care is specifically designed for adults who no longer need hospitalization but do require additional inpatient treatment before returning to home. Sometimes called “post-acute” or “transitional” care, it is often advised for patients recovering from falls, fractures, amputations, strokes, bypass and vascular surgery, joint replacement and a host of other surgical procedures, acute illnesses and disease.

The Parker Jewish Institute specializes in sub-acute care.

Parker’s teams of physicians, nurses, therapists, dietitians and social workers are specially trained to care for patients with a variety of diagnoses, and are widely recognized as national leaders in sub-acute care.

Sub-acute patients at Parker benefit from comprehensive patient assessment, continuous review of the clinical course, and truly individualized treatment plans.

For the sub-acute patient, there is no gain without strain. Working with rehabilitation therapists and other members of the treatment team, patients engage in a carefully planned, often intense program of restorative therapy.

The first facility of its kind in the nation to offer short-term rehabilitation to older adults, Parker leads all adult sub-acute rehabilitation centers with approximately 1,500 patients discharged back to home each year. This impressive rate of success is built upon the experience and expertise of Parker’s interdisciplinary treatment approach as well as the renowned “can-do” spirit of the greatest generation.

For further information, including admissions, call (718) 289-2163.

Morning Sickness Relief with Acupuncture
Morning sickness is one of the first clues of pregnancy as well as one of the first discomforts. With acupuncture, women can safely modify these inconveniences with a natural solution. Acupuncture treatments can ease the severity of the condition as well as lessen the frequency with which it occurs.

In a 2004 study conducted by University Hospital in Sweden, 36 women were divided into four groups. The results revealed that 90% of the women involved in the acupuncture groups had a positive antiemetic (vomit prevention) outcome. The doctors concluded that both acupuncture and acupressure (the act of applying physical pressure to acupuncture points with hands, elbows, or other devices) were extremely effective in the relief of morning sickness and overall nausea.

Needles are inserted in to a patient’s skin to relieve ailments.

Dr. Donnica Moore, a doctor and advice columnist of women’s health, also addressed the efficacy of acupuncture for morning sickness. She states “There is clear evidence that needle acupuncture is efficacious for adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting. Many practitioners use it for nausea of pregnancy as well.” She cites a recent study conducted by the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management in which the effects of active acupuncture could be seen ‘often within minutes of stimulation.’

In his article, “Acupuncture During Pregnancy,” Jonathon Hardcastle takes acupuncture’s benefits a step further and discusses pregnancy in the later trimesters. Acupuncture can help women with more problems than just morning sickness. Hardcastle states “Acupuncture has been used to successfully treat heartburn and hemorrhoids in the second trimester...In the third, it can provide relief from sciatica (which is inflammation or pain in the sciatic nerve of the back - often the baby will be pressed against it), joint pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome, which many women develop later in pregnancy.” In fact, acupuncture has even been known to help turn a breech baby in the womb, and can also help to stimulate labor for an overdue baby. Many women find that acupuncture-induced labor is easier than labor induced by drugs such as Pitocin.

A primary concern of mothers and doctors alike is the vulnerability of a fetus to medication and its adverse effects. Acupuncture is a safe, healthy, and natural means of reducing pain and discomfort for a variety of afflictions during pregnancy. When performed in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular medical appointments, acupuncture can help women to reach their goals of a healthy baby and a smooth pregnancy.

For more information on how acupuncture can alleviate morning sickness and help other pregnancy discomforts, please contact Pacific College of Oriental Medicine at (800) 729-0941, or visit www.PacificCollege.edu.