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Forever Young “A NEW YOU” MAKEOVER The Journey Back to Joie De Vivre! By Nancy Jo Eckerson Getting to know Helen Dinero, Forever Young’s “New You” Makeover winner has been an absolute delight.
This past August, Helen lost the love of her life to Parkinson’s disease. She told of the slow and painful progression of the disorder and of the torture that her husband of 43 years suffered. During the last five of the 16 years since his diagnosis, Robert, a former science teacher in the Williamsville District, required round-the-clock care. Helen was the main provider. She was by his side morning, noon and night, making sure he was safe and cared for. “He is at peace now and that gives me great peace, also,” Helen said. Helen is still in a vulnerable state, grieving and exhausted from the trauma of those years. But rather than succumb to the sadness, she has chosen to pursue a different path. One that requires her to surmount the guilt of carrying on, when half of her reason for living is no longer with her. One that requires effort and energy, at a time when she feels so depleted. One that relies on faith. When asked how she won the Forever Young Makeover, Helen’s smile returned, and her whole demeanor perked up. “The day I saw the contest details in Forever Young,” said Helen, “I jokingly suggested to my daughter that she might want to enter me in the contest. It was just a silly thing to do. I never thought I’d win it. I was shocked!” Helen has 12 (soon to be 13) very good reasons to move forward in her life. Her children, starting with twins, Julie, a comptroller, and Lori, a medical secretary; Debbie, co-owner, with her husband Rich, of the Superstars Live Performance Company; Amy, a paralegal; Rob, a US Marine; and Jamie, a musician and medical secretary, are the stars in her life. There are also six granddaughters share her heart. Forging ahead with courage and a positive outlook, Helen is determined to become the best she can be for herself and for the sake of her children and grandchildren. “I’m hoping this makeover will give me a push-start on taking better care of myself. I am going to thoroughly enjoy being pampered,” said Helen. “Moms, just by the nature of the job, often put themselves last. So this will be a really fun thing to do. Oh, and I also hope to learn a few make-up tricks. I would love to find an eyebrow pencil that gets the color on my eyebrows!”
It’s a makeover that will begin at the very core of her being — her spirit and mind, as well as her body. And the Women’s Wellness Center of Western New York, 835 Hopkins Road in Williamsville, is the perfect place to start! Right from the entrance, the plush green carpet, light tones and lush greenery, inspire comfort and peace. Dr. David Kurss, founder and director of the center, is a dedicated physician with a golden heart and a great love for his patients. With a deep sense of pride, Dr. Kurss offered these words, “The Women’s Wellness Center is about more than just eating right, more than fitting into your clothes. It’s about changing from the inside out.” The Women’s Wellness Center incorporates a holistic approach, an integrative process, with the goal of reaching maximum potential in health and wellness. “Toning and refining the body’s inner beauty will reflect externally in a more radiant and healthy persona,” said Dr. Kurss. “Helen will gain confidence, self-esteem and an inner strength to complement the external exercise training.” Dr. Kurss has designed a program tailored specifically to Helen’s body and particular health issues. The four areas of concentration for the next six months will include the complete medical and health examination, which uncovered a history of arthritis, scarlet fever and menopausal symptoms; an exercise program designed by Chuck Pelitera, striving for overall fitness including weight management, resistance training, and an anti-osteoporosis program; nutritional counseling including a body composition analysis, education in healthful eating practices, coupled with the use of all-natural supplements where indicated; and the application of suitable complementary modalities, such as massage therapy, chiropractic, or Gemini Laser treatments, to round out Helen’s complete transformation. Helen’s hot flashes have seriously affected her sleep patterns, which have, in turn, affected her daytime schedule and her eating habits. Dr. Kurss will be working with her on adding supplements and herbal or traditional hormone therapy to regulate her body and relieve her of these menopausal symptoms. They will then work on establishing a good eating schedule and making wise choices at the dining table. She will be given a list of alternative snacks, which will satisfy her urge for a late night nosh, while decreasing calories and fat.
The myriad of offerings at the Women’s Wellness Center of Western New York is astounding. From Reiki to reflexology, chiropractic to cranio sacral, eastern medicine meets western medical techniques in this unique environment where women are revered and pampered. Dr. Kurss has also designed a meeting area where health seminars, such as “Time Management” and “How to Create a Healthy Home Environment” are periodically offered for a nominal fee. Call for more details or consult the calendar of events on their Web site, www.womenswellness.com. No need for the men to feel slighted here, though. Not only can they enroll in wellness counseling, and take advantage of many of the complementary modalities, but they are welcome to work out at The Buff Fitness Facility located in the Women’s Wellness Center. Co-owner and personal fitness trainer, Chuck Pelitera or one of his many qualified trainers, is always on hand to coach and encourage clients to make the most of this state of the art facility. After her first day at the Women’s Wellness Center, Helen’s expectations had been greatly exceeded. “I just love Dr. Kurss. I feel like I have known him for years. He is warm, open and very easy to talk to. I am more excited than ever. “I think I will gain a lot of self-confidence by the time I am done. I’m looking forward to the whole thing, even the laser treatments for spider veins. I hope to lose about 12-15 pounds so I can fit in all my favorite clothes again.” Her eyes sparkling with excitement, Helen declared, “I can’t wait to be the new me. But, I must confess I am a bit nervous, no, make that really nervous, about being on TV.” Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contests | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
