Yearly Archives: 2018

Stony Brook train station gets modern additions

by Rita J. Egan - August 29, 2018

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The MTA is currently updating the Stony Brook train station, which will lead to modern amenities and more security. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is giving the Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road train station a makeover.

The MTA began renovations on the station’s train house July 23 and will continue working on the station into the fall. In addition to being renovated, the station house will receive modern enhancements and upgrades, according to Aaron Donovan, MTA deputy communications director.

The station house was built around 1888,
according to the book “Images of America: Stony Brook,” and rebuilt in 1917, according to the MTA. The one-story structure will be completely renovated inside and out, and there will be the addition of a Wi-Fi network and charging ports, according to Donovan. Commuters will soon see improved signage and digital information displays, including electronic information columns, and bicyclists will have new bike racks.

The station platforms will be updated with new lighting and closed-circuit television security cameras, according to Donovan. Plans also include sidewalk improvements and a new sculpture in the plaza area.

The MTA has upgraded the station throughout the decades, Donovan said, including the station’s high-level platforms being installed in 1985 and targeted renovation work done to platform railings, lighting and platform shelters in 2011.

Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) said in a statement she was pleased that work began this summer.

“The Stony Brook train station is one of the most recognizable community landmarks in the Three Village area,” Cartright said. “There have been requests for upgrades over the years. I am pleased that the MTA saw the importance of meeting with community members including civic leaders, town Historic District Advisory Committee members and government officials to collaborate and develop a renovation plan. It is important that renovations to the station are in keeping with the historical character of the area while meeting the needs of modern travelers.”

Robert Reuter, a member of Brookhaven’s Historic District Advisory Committee, said he provided input but not officially on behalf of HDAC.

“We encouraged them to preserve the existing and familiar green and beige color scheme, locate planned new ticketing machines away from the bay window, improve handicap accessibility both at the station and crossing the tracks, and minimize signage,” Reuter said.

In 2017, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) introduced a proposal to invest $120 million to provide state-of-the-art enhancements to 16 LIRR stations, including Stony Brook — and also at Port Jefferson. The MTA covered $35 million of the investment to the railroad stations, according to its website. It is estimated by the LIRR that 2,330 customers use the Stony Brook train station daily.

Ask the Vet: Otitis externa — The bane of all veterinarians

by Matthew Kearns - August 29, 2018

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By Matthew Kearns, DVM

This time of year (actually throughout the summer and fall) we have an uptick in ear infections. To call every dog or cat that comes in with itchy ears an ear infection is misleading. Otitis externa means “inflammation” (not infection) of the external ear canal. The bacteria and yeast we treat with medications fall into the category of “normal flora,” or organisms found in low numbers in healthy ear canals.

Usually some other trigger is involved and the normal flora overgrow. Parasitic infections (ear mites), pets that swim a lot/get water in their ears, or ear trauma (plucking hair, etc.) are triggers for acute, or nonrecurring problems that are easy to treat.

Chronic, recurrent infections are almost always secondary to allergies. I actually consulted with a veterinary dermatologist and she estimated that between 80 and 90 percent of all recurrent otitis externa in dogs is related to allergies.

The anatomy of the ear plays a role in predisposing patients to ear infections. The normal canine and feline external ear canal have and “L” shape, with both a vertical and horizontal component to it leading to a greater distance from the opening of the ear canal to the ear drum. Additionally, clearing the healthy ear canal occurs through a slow process called migration.

The ear canal contains epithelial cells (those similar to skin), ceruminous cells and apocrine cells (cells that produce earwax). Epithelial cells will turn over, or be replaced every few days and, along with a small amount of earwax, migrate toward the entrance of the canal. Once at the entrance a good shake of the head sends it out to the world. If the lining of the ear canal becomes inflamed, it narrows due to swelling (most likely due to some sort of food or environmental/seasonal allergy) and excessive ear wax is produced. This combination not only overwhelms the ear’s ability to clear the wax, it also leads to a warm, dark and moist environment and allows the normal bacteria and yeast to go crazy.

Certain breeds such as Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, cocker spaniels, shar-peis and mixed breeds of this type have predisposing factors such as hair in the ears, floppy ears, narrow ear canals or a combination.

Now, this does not mean that every member of these breeds is guaranteed to have chronic ear infections, rather it means that if you have a member of these breeds and they have even low-grade allergies, the ears can spiral out of control quickly. We are also starting to encounter antibiotic strains of bacteria (such as Staphylococcus) in chronic recurrent otitis in veterinary medicine.

The main point of all of this is if your pet has chronic, recurrent ear infections, it is important to look for an underlying allergy and treat the allergy. Sometimes it can be a veterinary-approved prescription diet or sometimes the newer, safer allergy medications. Remember to discuss this with your veterinarian.

Dr. Kearns practices veterinary medicine from his Port Jefferson office and is pictured with his son Matthew and his dog Jasmine.

DogVinci visits the Long Island Museum

by Heidi Sutton - August 29, 2018

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RENAISSANCE DOG Long Island Museum educators, from left, Lisa Unander, Emma Backfish, Beth Chiarelli, Kristin Cuomo and Jessica Pastore, pose with artist and star of the day, Dagger II, aka DogVinci, at the Stony Brook museum’s Summer Thursday event on Aug. 16. Dagger painted a work of art and then attendees created their own masterpieces to take home. Join the museum for its final Summer Thursday event of the year, a free outdoor screening of “Back to the Future,” on Sept. 6. For more information, call 631-751-0066 or visit www.longislandmuseum.org.

Major sanctuary renovation underway at Island Christian Church

by TBR Staff - August 29, 2018

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ICC Renovation 2018. jpg — Photo from Island Christian Church Demolition begins as workers clear out the old materials in the sanctuary of Island Christian Church. Photo from Island Christian Church

Construction is currently underway at Island Christian Church of East Northport for the total renovation of its sanctuary. The original building, now the youth center of the church, was built in 1965. In the mid-1980s, a major addition was undertaken, adding classrooms, offices and a 10,000-square-foot multipurpose auditorium, which is where Sunday services have been held since it opened in 1987. Since that time, another addition occurred in 2008, which increased lobby space, classrooms and offices.

Over the last few years, it became apparent that the sanctuary space was in need of a face-lift, after 30-plus years of continual use. Called RENEW 2018, the project will entail new staging and lighting, wall covering, carpeting and HVAC. New audio, visual and lighting equipment will also be installed.

“This is such an exciting time for Island Christian Church,” said senior pastor the Rev. Mike O’Connor, adding, “We have had so many milestones in this auditorium, including over 3,000 Sunday services, 759 baptisms, over 100 weddings almost 300 baby dedications. Now, we get to see it fully renovated for this and the next generation — for the next 30 years, the Lord willing.”

“All the funds needed for this renovation were generously provided for by our congregation, so there is no debt,” he said.

Completion is expected sometime before Christmas 2018. In the meantime, Sunday services will be taking place in the church gymnasium, which served as the sanctuary in the original building.

“We’ve come full circle it seems, but we are blessed to be able to have the space to accommodate our congregation during construction. In fact, the community is always welcome to check it out. Sunday service times will remain at 9 and 10:45 a.m.,” said O’Connor.

Island Christian Church is located 400 Elwood Road in East Northport. For further information, call 631-822-3000 or visit www.islandchristian.com.

Fallen Commack airman’s family receives ‘promised’ puppy

by Kyle Barr - August 29, 2018

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By Kyle Barr

Fallen U.S. Airman Christopher Raguso, who perished in a March 15 helicopter crash, promised his Commack family he would get them a dog upon his return. Although he never came home, a local organization has stepped in to fulfill his pledge.

Paws of War, a Nesconset-based nonprofit that helps connect dogs with veterans and retired law
enforcement as companion animals or to be trained as service dogs, gifted a 4-month-old black Labrador named Calvin to the family Aug. 24.

“I didn’t sleep at all last night I was so excited,” Raguso’s wife, Carmela, said. “We needed this — we’re wounded, our dad was a warrior, our hearts are broken and maybe this dog can help us.”

Carmela Raguso told her two daughters, Eva, 5, and Mila,7, when the truck rolled up it was just their family friend, Joe Bachert, a retired member of the New York City Fire Department, bringing his own dogs for them to play with. Instead, Bachert came out of the vehicle with Calvin cradled in his arms.

Eva ran forward with her arms outstretched, screaming with delight, and started to hug and kiss the young pooch. Mila asked her mother if the dog was theirs, who responded that of course he was.

“I’ve been dreaming about this,” Eva said, as she held Calvin’s head close to hers. “I like him so much.”

Raguso’s wife said Eva took the death of her father hard. The couple’s youngest had taken to sleeping in bed with her, “to keep her father’s side of the bed warm.” Now, with the addition of Calvin, Eva said she will be sleeping in her own bed with Calvin always at her side.

“To have this dog be her buddy and especially be her sleeping buddy, maybe she’ll sleep well,” Raguso’s wife said. “It’s been tough, but we put one foot in front of the other — we honor the dead by living.”

Raguso was one of seven members of New York’s 106th Rescue Wing killed in the line of duty when a H-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed while carrying out a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, an American-led mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

“One can’t even imagine what the family is going through, and we hope that this adds a little sunlight to their lives because they’ve been in darkness for some time,” said Smithtown resident Robert Misseri, a co-founder of Paws of War.

The black Lab was just one of a litter of 11 puppies that Paws of War’s sister organization and nonprofit rescue group Guardians of Rescue saved from a high-kill shelter in Louisiana, days before they would have been put down, according to Misseri. The rest of the dogs will be given to other veterans and veterans’ families either as a companion animal or be fully trained as a service dog.

The Nesconset nonprofit provided the Raguso family with a puppy starter kit that included everything from food to toys, and even a cage. Calvin is already leash trained and housebroken, and Misseri said the rest of the dog’s training will be provided for free.

“The goal is just to make their lives better and put smiles on their faces,” said Bachert, who is a member of Paws of War and served as Raguso’s drill instructor in the Commack firefighter academy.

By all accounts, Calvin was excited to be with his new family, but he was still nervous of new places. As the family tried to bring him into the house the young puppy shied away from the door.

It was only when Eva went inside, suddenly upset by a rush of emotions, that Calvin darted after her. He instinctively knew his role with the family, to comfort them in their continued grief.

11-year-old found in hot car in Coram dies

by Alex Petroski - August 29, 2018

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New-cop-car-2w — File photo by Victoria Espinoza

The late summer extreme heat wave likely contributed to the death of an 11-year-old girl in Coram Aug. 28.

Suffolk County Police Homicide detectives are investigating the death of the girl who was found unresponsive in a vehicle on Kathleen Crescent in Coram Tuesday at about 3:45 p.m., police said.

The girl’s mother had been running errands with the 11-year-old and two other children, according to police. After returning home, the girl’s mother went inside believing all of the children were out of the car. Sometime later, the mother could not locate the 11-year-old girl and checked inside of the car where she found the girl. The mother carried her inside the house and called 911.

The girl’s mother began CPR. Police arrived in less than two minutes. Police and rescue personnel from Coram Rescue continued CPR and transported the girl to Stony Brook University Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

How stone survives: Mario Tribuzio and Rocky Point Statuary

by Kyle Barr - August 29, 2018

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Rocky-Point-Statuary-Statues-7-082218_Kyle-Barrw — Rocky Point Statuary on Route 25A has been owned by Mario Tribuzio since 1966. The business continues to sell statues made from concrete by Tribuzio despite it being down to a one-man operation. Photo by Kyle Barr

Mario Tribuzio, the 87-year-old owner of Rocky Point Statuary on Route 25A, sat in his chair among gods and angels and wondered how the deer survive the winter.

“They have to drink out of people’s bird baths and they go in other people’s gardens,” Tribuzio said. “You’re tucked into a nice warm house and they’re surviving out there in the winter, rain, ice and snow. Incredible, eh? But I feel bad for the deer. The deer got to make a living too.”

Rocky Point Statuary on Route 25A has been owned by Mario Tribuzio since 1966. The business continues to sell statues made from concrete by Tribuzio despite it being down to a one-man operation. Photo by Kyle Barr

Somehow, despite the cold and the frost, year after year they survive, just like the statuary. Every winter the business slows to a crawl, but every spring Tribuzio is there, in his chair, awaiting the next customer to walk through his gate.

Every weekday morning, he walks from his house, just across the street, and opens the gates to the sound of rushing traffic. Every day he gets customers who come to him saying they had driven by so many times, wondering at the hundreds of Jesus, Mary and Buddha statues out front, but having never decided to stop in.

That wonderland of monsters, gods and animals is something the old statue maker has been building since 1966, when he first opened. In the workshop there are hundreds of statue molds lying in heaps on worn wood shelves and floors. In his paint studio, really a small shed to the rear of the statuary property, Tribuzio gives attention to his own deer. They’re concrete and painted with an airbrush and a well-practiced hand. Without close scrutiny, a passing figure might think they’re real.

“That’s why I’m still around — because I’m making them, but I can’t pick up a bag of cement no more,” he said. His face grew into a smile as he commented on his waning strength. “I never knew it was so heavy — a bag of cement, it’s like they’re making them heavier today, something’s going on.”

Tribuzio got his start as a young kid, carving shapes and figures out of soap. Later, a newly married Tribuzio was driving by the property on Route 25A and saw a man was selling statues on his front lawn. He bought the property in 1966 and moved in. Later, he bought a house just across from that property and has lived there ever since. From his perch behind the chain-link fence he has seen things change, and he said he questions if there is still a desire for crafts like his.

“People are running too far too fast, the pace of living today is just too much,” Tribuzio said. “Once people entertained themselves at home doing sculpting — carving stuff.”

With the majority of his family living in Maine, most of the time he is alone, even if he remains in the company of his stone brothers and sisters.

“Even the smell of a bag of cement brings back so many memories,” Tribuzio’s daughter Marjorie Adams said. “Statue making is in his blood, and he’s been doing it his whole life.”

Though all three of Tribuzio’s children moved up to Maine, several of his children and grandchildren still take the trek south periodically to help him in his workshop and also learn the art of statue making. Tribuzio’s granddaughter Megan Tribuzio said some of her family has continued their grandfather’s trade and made a small statuary in the town of Northport, Maine.

“I’m proud of his business, and I hope there is some way to keep it open,” Tribuzio’s granddaughter said. “No matter where you are, a lot of people like those statues, whether it’s a mermaid, a dolphin or a deer, people like to have them in their yard.”

Where in earlier decades he had young people working with him to make the statues, now it’s just him. He said the liability insurance has pushed out any hope of hiring anybody new. And as he ages he finds it near impossible to lift the bags of concrete to poor into the molds. He’s contented himself by making smaller statues like his deer, or the small ornaments designed to look like bread, donuts and Italian bread real enough to eat.

David Perry, who now lives in Brentwood, worked in the statuary for nearly 25 years before heart issues forced him to stop. Tribuzio called him one of the best statue painters he ever saw, painting beautiful work on images of Jesus or Venus, back before it became too expensive to use the glossy lacquer paints.

“He was more than just a boss, he was a good friend, and he’s about the only thing that I have that resembles family anymore,” Perry said. “He’s very fair, that’s the best way to put it, he’s real old school.”

Tribuzio remains the last thread that is currently holding the statuary together, and despite the family’s desire to maintain the business it would be hard for any of them to leave Maine and take it over.

Still, the old statue maker has cement in his blood, and for now he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

“I’m fortunate, real fortunate,” Tribuzio said. “I started out dedicated to do something like this and I can’t believe how it worked out myself.”

PJSD taking steps to further implement 2017 ‘wellness’ policy

by Alex Petroski - August 29, 2018

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BOE approved changes in 2017, slow transition to full compliance to continue into ’18-19 school year

healthy foodsw — A BOE policy is increasing healthy food options in PJ schools. Stock photo from Metro

Port Jefferson School District is looking to become a healthier place.

Students and parents returning this fall should expect to see further changes to foods offered in cafeterias, sold for team and club fundraisers, and even those foods allowed at school celebrations for the 2018-19 year to meet standards set in a May 2017 board of education policy change.

In a July letter addressed to parents from Danielle Turner, the now-departed district director of health, physical education and athletics, the policy was enacted to address nutritional concerns as well as increase students’ physical activity throughout the school day, a move designed to keep the district in line with state and federal regulations.

“Elements of the policy went into effect last year,” Superintendent Paul Casciano said. “We chose a path of gradual compliance starting with last year so our students and advisers could plan accordingly going into the 2018-19 school year.”

Under the policy, school meals in the district now must include fruits, vegetables, salads, whole grains and low-fat items, adherent to federal standards. In addition, food and beverages sold in vending machines and school stores must meet nutrition standards set by federal regulations. Food and beverages sold by clubs and teams for fundraisers, both on school grounds and off, will also be subject to the same regulations. The policy also impacts in school celebrations and parties where food and drinks are provided, saying building principals will “encourage” parents and staff to follow the guidelines, and restricts the use of food “as
an incentive or reward for instructional purposes.”

“As a school community, it is important that we model what we teach about health,” Casciano said.

Student body president and Port Jefferson senior Reid Biondo said clubs and teams were made aware the policy change was coming last year and started to make preparations to adhere to the changes when it comes to fundraising.

“The fundraisers are very important for clubs and teams,” he said. “Not being able to fundraise by selling food is a source of concern but the students at Earl L. Vandermeulen are very creative and are already coming up with solutions. Last year, one of the classes hosted a volleyball tournament in place of a bake sale. There are plenty of alternatives to bake sales but students and teams are going to need to work a little harder for their money.”

Despite the challenges created by the policy, Biondo said he sees the district’s point of view in trying to foster a healthier school environment.

“I think they are right to encourage a more healthy lifestyle and I think it is a step in the right direction,” he said. “Students should have access to healthy eating options and that part of this change in the school district excites me. However, I do not think removing the unhealthy choices entirely is the solution.”

Biondo pointed out that CVS is less than a five-minute walk from the school’s front door, and he suspects many of his peers will go there to purchase an unhealthy after-school snack. This would mean the revenue from bake or candy bar sale would be going to an outside source, while students continue making unhealthy choices. The senior also suggested the district should provide additional education about healthy lifestyle choices and consuming snacks in moderation, to encourage students to lead a healthy lifestyle in and outside of school.

Casciano said the district took the fundraising obstacles for extracurricular organizations into account when crafting the policy and suggested healthier alternatives can still be sold to raise money. He added the district’s hiring of Adam Sherrard to take over for Turner will have no bearing on the implementation of the policy.

The full board wellness policy can be found at www.portjeffschools.org under “Community” tab.

Legally Speaking: Is long-term insurance the way to go?

by Linda Toga, P.C. - August 28, 2018

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long term insurance — The older you are when you buy a long-term insurance policy, the higher the premium. Stock photo

By Linda Toga, Esq.

THE FACTS: I am in my late fifties and am thinking about purchasing a long-term care insurance policy.

THE QUESTION: What are some of the factors I should consider before I purchase a policy?

THE ANSWER: Long-term care insurance can be very confusing and may not be the best option for some people. Although about 50 percent of people who reach the age of 65 will likely need long-term care during their lifetime, the best way to pay for that care depends on a number of factors, not the least of which is the size of your nest egg and how much of your savings are being used for your current living expenses.

If you are not living off your savings, and those savings are significant, you may opt to private pay for your care if/when it is needed. If that is the route you decide to take, it would be wise to segregate the money you may need for long-term care from the funds you use for your daily living expenses. That way if you are admitted to a nursing home, the funds will be available to cover the cost of your care.

If you do not have significant savings or the income needed to cover the cost of long-term care, you may be eligible for Medicaid benefits. However, Medicaid is only available to those who can establish that they are “impoverished.” While Medicaid planning strategies may increase your chances of being eligible for government benefits, if you have made gifts or otherwise disposed of your assets through “uncompensated transfers,” you will likely be required to pay for your own care for a period of time before you become eligible.

If you purchase long-term care insurance, the benefits paid by the insurer could pay for your care during the penalty period. If you are still institutionalized at the end of your benefit period, Medicaid may pick up the tab.

If you do not feel comfortable with the idea of private paying what could very well be in excess of $450 a day for your care, and do not believe you will be eligible for Medicaid, long-term care insurance may be an option for you. However, insurance is not cheap. Policies can run as much as $3,000 or more per year. The older you are when you buy a policy, the higher the premium. That being said, if you can afford the coverage, it may be the best way to go.

When shopping for a policy, look at the daily benefit amount, the period for which benefits will be paid, the waiting period between when you file a claim and when benefits will begin and the type of coverage that is provided (home care, institutional care, care provided by family members, etc.). Since the cost of care is likely going to increase, you should buy a policy with an inflation rider.

If you do not want to purchase a traditional long-term care policy, you can look into hybrid policies that combine life insurance with long-term care coverage. Unlike traditional policies that only pay benefits if you need long-term care, hybrid policies guarantee a death benefit regardless of whether you are institutionalized. In some cases it is easier to qualify for a hybrid policy than a traditional long-term care policy. However, you will pay more for a hybrid policy because of the flexibility it provides.

When shopping for long-term care insurance, you should talk to an independent insurance agent who sells policies from more than one insurer. You should also discuss your options with an experienced estate planning attorney who can advise you as to whether long-term care insurance is the best option for you based upon your overall estate plan.

Linda M. Toga provides personalized service and peace of mind to her clients in the areas of estate planning, wills and trusts, Medicaid planning, estate administration, marital agreements, small business services, real estate and litigation. Visit her website at www.lmtogalaw.com or call 631-444-5605 to schedule a free consultation.

Medical Compass: Treatment and prevention of kidney stones

by David Dunaief - August 28, 2018

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The best protection against kidney stones is a combination of low sodium and high fluid intake. Stock photo

Calcium from supplements may increase risk of kidney stone formation

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Kidney stones are relatively common, occurring more often in men than women (1). I have seen many patients who have a history of forming these stones. Unfortunately, once a patient forms one stone, the incidence of another increases significantly over time. However, there are several ways to reduce your risk.

Kidney stones, or nephrolithiasis, can be asymptomatic (no symptoms at all) or may present with the classic symptoms of blood in the urine and colicky pain. Pain can be intermittent or constant, ranging from dull to extremely painful, described by some as being worse than giving birth or being shot or burned.

The pain may radiate from the kidneys to the bladder and even to the groin in males, depending on the obstruction (2). Stones are usually diagnosed through clinical suspicion and abdominal X-rays and/or noncontrast CT scans.

Unfortunately, the first line treatment for passing kidney stones — at least small ones — involves supportive care. This means that patients are given pain medications and plenty of fluids until the stone(s) pass. Usually stones that are <4 mm pass spontaneously. Location is an important factor as well, with stones closest to the opening of the urethra more likely to pass (3).

Prevention is the way to go

The good news is there are lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of kidney stones. First, it is very important to stay hydrated, drinking plenty of fluids, especially if you have a history of stone formation (4).

One of the easiest methods is to significantly reduce your intake of calcium supplements, including foods fortified with calcium. There are two types of stones, with calcium oxalate being the dominant one, occurring approximately 80 percent of the time (5). Calcium supplements increase the risk of kidney stones. When physicians started treating women for osteoporosis with calcium supplements, the rate of kidney stones increased by 37 percent (6).

According to findings from the Nurses’ Health Study, those who consumed highest amount of supplemental calcium were 20 percent more likely to have kidney stones than those who consumed the lowest amount (7). It did not matter whether participants were taking calcium citrate or calcium carbonate supplements.

Interestingly, calcium from dietary sources actually has the opposite effect, decreasing risk. In the same study, those participants who consumed the highest amount of dietary calcium had a 35 percent reduction in risk, compared to those who were in the lowest group. Calcium intake should not be too low, for that also increases kidney stone risk. However, the source of calcium is a key to preventing kidney stones.

Another modifiable risk factor is sodium. It’s important to reduce sodium for many reasons, and this provides one more. Again, in the Nurses’ Health Study, participants who consumed 4.5 g sodium per day had a 30 percent higher risk of kidney stones than those who consumed 1.5 g per day (7). The reason is that increased sodium causes increased urinary excretion of calcium. When there is more calcium going through the kidneys, there is a higher chance of stones.

Animal protein also seems to play a role. In a five-year, randomized clinical trial, men who consumed small amounts of animal protein, approximately two ounces per day, and lower sodium were 51 percent less likely to experience a kidney stone than those who consumed low amounts of calcium (8). These were men who had a history of stone formation. The reason that animal protein may increase the risk of calcium oxalate stones more than vegetable protein is that its higher sulfur content produces more acid, which is neutralized by release of calcium from the bone (9).

Some medical conditions may increase the likelihood of stone formation. For example, in a cross-sectional study (a certain population during a specific period) with Italian men, those with high blood pressure had a two times greater risk of kidney stones than those who had a normal blood pressure (10). Amazingly, it did not matter if the patients were treated for high blood pressure; the risk remained. This is just one more reason to treat the underlying cause of blood pressure, not the symptoms.

The most productive way to avoid the potentially excruciating experience of kidney stones is to make these relatively simple lifestyle changes. The more changes that you implement, the lower your risk of stones.

References:

(1) Kidney Int. 1979;16(5):624. (2) emedicine Jan 1, 2008. (3) J Urol. 2006;175(2):575. (4) J Urol. 1996;155(3):839. (5) N Engl J Med. 2004;350(7):684. (6) Kidney Int 2003;63:1817–1823. (7) Ann Intern Med. 1997;126(7):497-504. (8) N Engl J Med. 2002 Jan 10;346(2):77-84. (9) J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988;66(1):140. (10) BMJ. 1990;300(6734):1234.

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

٭We invite you to check out our new weekly Medical Compass MD Health Videos on Times Beacon Record News Media’s website, www.tbrnewsmedia.com.٭

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