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Forever Young “A NEW YOU” MAKEOVER Winner!!! Onward and Upward! By Nancy Jo Eckerson
With the help of the professionals at the Women’s Wellness Center of Williamsville, Dr. David Kurss, M.D., Dr. Scott Beres, chiropractor, and Chuck Pelitera, fitness trainer, Helen has isolated her most pressing health issues. Helen’s honesty is refreshing. She has admitted to her addiction to sweets. Her courage is inspiring and her willingness to change old patterns and habits has earmarked her for success. “I feel younger already,” she said. “I can’t believe it. I feel forty, not seventy. It’s rejuvenating me.” Helen came to Dr. Kurss with a strong desire to lose weight. She also wanted to learn guidelines to increase the likelihood of living a healthy and happy life. He began counseling her on nutrition and wellness: “Our number one goal, Helen, is to encourage you to be happy with who you are and what you are achieving,” said Dr. Kurss. He considers the patient/doctor relationship to be a cooperative effort, a common mission, on the path to health. “Your doctor is your partner. He or she is here to educate, to listen and to help patients reach their goals by developing a unique approach tailored to fit each individual.” Together, Dr. Kurss and Helen reviewed her eating and sleeping habits, and her general lifestyle. He applauded her choices of varied and nutritious meals, and gently pointed out areas likely to produce a less than satisfactory feeling of wellness, like late-night snacks and too much sugar. He recommended that she drink more water, eat more grains, and substitute more healthy snacks for the Tootsie Pops and candy bars that keep her company during her late night TV watching. Carrots, nutritional bars, and powdered protein drinks were some of the alternatives offered. Also, Dr. Kurss suggested she simply cut down on some of her less healthy snacks, rather than eliminate them, if this was too overwhelming. In keeping with a hands-on approach to healthcare, Helen also visits chiropractor, Dr. Scott Beres, of North Suburban Family Chiropractic, located at the center. Helen had some reservations at first. When she was young, chiropractic was avant garde and not generally well accepted by the public. Fortunately, Helen has friends who have tried chiropractic with good results, and willing to explore uncharted territory, she opted for the consultation. She is thrilled with the results already. Dr. Beres, through a series of tests, including the use of a state-of-the-art subluxation machine that employs heat and electrical impulses to detect misalignment in the spine, has determined that Helen has upper and lower spine imbalances and “rotator cuff syndrome.” Treatment begins with adjustments that encourage the spine to return to a balanced position. After the realignment, the blood flow and nervous system are restored, and the body can heal. Because chiropractic trains the body to stay in balance, multiple weekly visits, lasting 10-15 minutes per session, may be necessary initially. “Eventually the body will stay in balance, and then patients may choose to maintain a wellness schedule of periodic check-ups,” said Dr. Beres.
Working in collaboration with Drs. Beres and Kurss is certified fitness trainer and Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction Chuck Pelitera. Pelitera works with the clients at the Women’s Wellness Center’s state of the art Buff Fitness Center. The center is private, professional and caters to their clients’ personal needs. Pelitera is also assistant professor in the Department of Physical Education, Health and Sport Studies at Canisius College, and he is pursuing a doctorate in public health. Upon completing Helen’s initial evaluation, Pelitera felt she did very well. “She has several minor ailments she is dealing with: rotator cuff, right knee pain from arthritis, left ankle and neck pain. “While she leg pressed 190 pounds, above average for someone her age and gender, Helen’s upper body strength is limited because of shoulder pain. Overall, she is not drastically out of shape. Her regimen of resistance training will be to work out three days a week and I have also suggested she complete a cardio-workout five days a week.” “Creating a lean body mass increases metabolism and provides more energy. Weight-bearing exercise is a great preventative for osteoporosis,” said Pelitera. Mirrors on the wall are purposeful in intent. They’re an aid in proprioception, or seeing how your body is moving in relation to how you perceive it to be moving.
And what is the best form of exercise to most effectively keep you healthy? There are many to choose from: biking, rowing, kayaking, swimming, walking, or cross-country skiing, to name a few. “The best form is which ever one you are going to do,” said Pelitera. “Making your workout interesting and enjoyable is just smart thinking — otherwise, you will find yourself making excuses to get out of doing it.” Helen’s Progress Helen confessed that she didn’t care to snack on the health bars at night. They just didn’t do the trick. And, she didn’t give up all her junk food and candy. Being alone now, she finds the weekend nights especially difficult. So, she is going to compromise. “We want to help you change your life, but not to the degree that it wreaks havoc,” said Dr. Kurss. He playfully bartered with Helen, “No more health bars and protein drinks at night, in exchange for drinking more water and moderating your sweet tooth.” Helen’s chiropractic treatments have made a difference. The grinding noise she had experienced when turning her head is completely gone and she is now frequently able to lift both legs without pain. She practices her exercises at home for better posture. “I like the chiropractic treatments,” said Helen. “They take so little time, and I can feel the difference.” The fitness schedule created by Chuck Pelitera consists of three, one-hour sessions per week at the Wellness Center’s Buff Fitness Center. Pelitera has already seen great progress in Helen. “She is doing fine! Everything is positive and she is getting stronger.” Helen’s major worry, the Channel 7–TV interview, is now over. On Tuesday, January 31, coincidentally her 70th birthday, Helen became a star. She took to it like a duck to water and now looks forward to her next appearance. “I feel so excited and so honored. After the loss of my husband, I had no idea how I would get through this first winter alone, but this whole makeover has certainly helped.” Helen will be flying to Nevada next month to be present for the birth of grandchild number seven. We wish Helen and her family the very best. We have also given her some tips for staying on task with her health and wellness program. Watch for travel tips! Dr. Kurss’ Sweet Tooth Remedy Tasty, Tahini Banana Sandwich Tahini Peanut butter Banana slices Honey Spread on wholegrain bread. Yum! Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contests | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
