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By Lisa Scott

Bail is a part of our justice system that seeks to ensure that those who are charged with crimes appear in court to be held accountable. When someone is arrested and charged, the court will set an appearance date with a hearing or trial usually weeks or months away. Prior to bail reform, there were no standards and judges did whatever they wanted for any charge to assess the person’s potential to flee and not return to court. Sometimes quantitative tools that can measure “risk” were used, and those have been found to be plagued with bias. 

If the person cannot pay the bail amount, they remain incarcerated until their case is resolved, either through a settlement, a hearing, a trial, or dismissal. If they post bail, the money is not returned until the case is finalized – which can be months or in some cases, years later (less 9% processing fee).

There is an obvious but complex problem inherent in this system. People with good credit or access to funds can post their own bail and go home. People who have no money or credit are held in jail until trial. For those on the bottom of the totem pole, a simple arrest, guilty or not guilty, can destroy a life, or a family. If they had, for instance, a minimum wage job, their incarceration will almost certainly lead to losing it. What happens to the rest of the family? What happens to any stability they may have had in their lives? The collateral damage of an arrest and even a relatively small but unaffordable bail can bring down the house. Average court costs can be over $15,000. 

The question we ask ourselves is not whether the justice system should continue to use bail, but whether or not the bail system is used justly. In America, we are innocent until proven guilty, but the bail system can end up being incredibly punitive even before guilt is established in court. 

New York State’s 2020 Bail Reform Act provided some relief and created uniform standards. For most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies the law now required judges to release people with the least restrictive conditions necessary to reasonably assure the person will come back to court. Previously, the court could impose cash bail on any offense. The reform codified no cash bail and non-monetary bail conditions and provided for a third option of non-secured or partially secured surety bond (a loan due if the charged fails to appear). 

The Reform was amended in April 2020 to include more situations where judges can impose cash bail. They will also have more discretion in setting bail and other conditions of pretrial release. It did not abolish bail but greatly reduced the role of money and enhanced the rule of law in determining whether defendants will be freed or jailed pending trial. 

The new law, however, came under attack during the 2021 mid-term elections, especially from candidates campaigning on a “law and order” platform. Using a handful of instances of bail abuse, some tried to make generalizations about the new bail rules that data does not support. It is important to remember that bail (in its legal conception) was always about making sure people appear before the court, not punishing them before they’ve had their day in court. 

Results of bail reforms so far have been positive. Pre-covid data sets from state level bail reforms in New Jersey, New Mexico and Kentucky as well as reforms in 4 major cities and 5 counties have indicated decreases in pretrial jail population, decreased or unchanged ”new criminal activity” rates and no increase in recidivism. In New York City, data during covid shows that just under 4% of those released pre-trial under bail reform have been rearrested for violent felonies. 

This is a low percentage, yet this number is used to both support and criticize bail reform. As NYS Senator Julia Salazar of Brooklyn said, “It’s not really about facts. It’s about competing narratives about public safety” (City & State NY January 10, 2022). We must remember that bail reform saves lives and families and evens the playing field. The few cases of bail abuse are not enough to outweigh the benefits of these reforms. We support them every time we say the end the pledge of allegiance with “and Liberty and Justice for all.”

For more information: 

–January 18, 2022 article by Steven B. Wasserman in the New York Law Journal

–Brennan Center’s explanation of the NYS Bail Reform law at  https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/new-yorks-latest-bail-law-changes-explained

–True cost of incarceration at https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/articles/who-pays-true-cost-incarceration    

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.

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Make exercise a priority — part of the fabric of your life. METRO photo
In some circumstances, exercise may be as powerful as medications

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Exercise has powerful effects in altering how our genes express themselves and can improve our outcomes with specific diseases. Exercise has effects on diabetes and a host of other chronic diseases, including kidney stones, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and breast, colorectal and endometrial cancers (1).

Despite all the positives, it’s sometime difficult to motivate yourself to realize the benefits. There are, however, simple ways to motivate yourself during exercise. One study showed that those who repeated positive mantras to themselves while exercising were able to persist in their exercise routines for longer periods (2).

Why is this so important now? Because we are too sedentary, and this is the time of the year when we are especially so. According to data from the 2015-2016 National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey, we spend 6.4 hours a day sedentary (3). And this percentage is trending up.

Exercise can alter your genes

While you may be waiting for gene therapy to cure our chronic illnesses, it turns out that exercise may have a significant impact on our genes. No waiting required, this is here and now.

In a study, results showed that thousands upon thousands of genes in fat cells were affected when participants exercised (4). The study involved sedentary men and asked them to exercise twice a week at a one-hour spin class. 

According to the researchers, the genes impacted were those involved most likely in storing fat and in risk for subsequent diabetes and obesity development. Participants’ gene expression was altered by DNA methylation, the addition of a methyl group made up of a carbon and hydrogens. These participants also improved their biometrics, reducing fat and subsequently shrinking their waist circumferences, and improved their cholesterol and blood-pressure indices.

The effect is referred to as epigenetics, where lifestyle modifications can ultimately lead to changes in gene expression, turning them on and off. This has been shown with dietary changes, but this is one of the first studies to show that exercise also has significant impacts on our genes. It took only six months to see these numerous gene changes with modest amounts of cardiovascular exercise.

Do you need more encouragement? Another study showed substantial gene changes in muscle cells after one workout on a stationary bike (5). 

Is exercise as good as drug therapy?

We don’t think of exercise as being a drug, but what if it had similar benefits to certain drugs in cardiovascular diseases and mortality risk? A meta-analysis — a group of 57 studies that involved drugs and exercise — showed that exercise potentially has equivalent effects to statins in terms of mortality with secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (6). This means that, in patients who already have heart disease, both statins and exercise reduce the risk of mortality by similar amounts. The same was true with pre-diabetes and the use of metformin vs. exercise. It didn’t matter which one was used, the drug or the lifestyle change.

Don’t change your medication without consulting your physician.

Reducing the risk of kidney stones

Anyone who has tried to pass a kidney stone knows it can be an excruciating experience. Most of the treatment revolves around pain medication, fluids and waiting for the stone to pass. However, the best way to treat kidney stones is to prevent them.

In the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study, exercise reduced the risk of kidney stones by as much as 31 percent (7). Even better, the intensity of the exercise was irrelevant to its beneficial effect. What mattered more was exercise quantity. One hour of jogging or three hours of walking got the top results. But lesser amounts of exercise also saw substantial reductions. This study involved 84,000 postmenopausal women, the population most likely to suffer from kidney stones.

Does sex count as exercise?

We have heard that sex may be thought of as exercise, but is this myth or is there actual evidence? Try not to giggle. Well, it turns out this may be true. In a study published in the PLoS One journal, researchers found that young healthy couples exert 6 METs — metabolic energy, or the amount of oxygen consumed per kilogram per minute — during sexual activity (8).

How does this compare to other activities? Well, we exert about 1 MET while sitting and 8.5 METs while jogging. Sexual activity falls between walking and jogging, in terms of the energy utilized, and thus may be qualified as moderate activity. Men and women burned slightly less than half as many calories with sex as with jogging, burning a mean of 85 calories over about 25 minutes. Who says exercise can’t be fun?

I can’t stress the importance of exercise enough. It not only influences the way you feel, but also may influence gene expression and, ultimately, affects the development and prevention of disease. In certain circumstances, it may be as powerful as medications and, in combination, may pack a powerful punch. Therefore, make exercise a priority — part of the fabric of your life. It may already be impacting the fabric of your body: your genes.

References: 

(1) JAMA. 2009;301(19):2024. (2) Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013 Oct 10. (3) JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(7):e197597. (4) PLoS Genet. 2013 Jun;9(6):e1003572. (5) Cell Metab. 2012 Mar 7;15(3):405-11. (6) BMJ 2013; 347. (7) JASN online 2013, Dec. 12. (8) PLoS One 8(10): e79342.

Dr. David 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. 

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Camila dos Santos. Photo courtesy of CSHL

By Daniel Dunaief

Pregnancy and lactation can alter genes in specific mammary cells, which may have implications in a defense against cancer.

In mouse models, mice that became pregnant at a young age have so-called epigenetic changes that survive for the animal life span and some of those are linked to a decrease in breast cancer.

In a recent study published in Cell Reports, Cold Spring Harbor Associate Professor Camila dos Santos and her graduate student Amritha Varshini Hanasoge Somasundara found that a protein involved in mammary cells in mice, called CD1d, boosts the immune system after a full pregnancy cycle, protecting it against breast cancer.

“Our research demonstrated that increased levels of CD1d in breast cells serve as a signal to recruit higher numbers of specialized immune cells” called natural killer T-cells, or NKT, “to come and reside within the breast tissue after pregnancy,” dos Santos explained in an email. These NKTs are part of mechanisms that reduce breast cancer risk after pregnancy.

Dos Santos would like to understand the molecular changes that occur from pregnancy and hopes one day to adapt them in the form of a vaccination or pill to decrease the risk of breast cancer.

To be sure, numerous questions about the process of using the immune system to prevent cancer remain, which means that the development of such a preventive pill requires considerable additional research.

Dos Santos has spent the last eight years developing model systems that allow her to discover pregnancy-induced changes that could lead to preventive strategies.

Enhancing the communication between epithelial and immune cells could represent a way to decrease breast cancer development and even treat cases of developed cancer.

To get to that point, dos Santos, the members of her lab, and her collaborators plan to make discoveries like this one to understand the dynamic interaction between the cascade of molecular interactions from pregnancy and the genetic and immunological reactions.

Humans have four CD1 genes, which all play a similar role in immunity. Additionally, there are several types of NKT cells, and each of them has a different immunological function, which means that any prevention or treatment that tapped into this system would need to bring the right CD1 molecule and the right NKT cells.

It is not yet clear whether enhancing CD1 signals protect women who might have a predisposition to breast cancer. Dos Santos is currently exploring this question in animals.

While dos Santos is focusing specifically on pregnancy-driven changes in the mammary gland, she acknowledged that altering CD1d levels in other organs might also decrease other types of cancer.

Dos Santos described pregnancy as being akin to turning on a light. First, during the course of gestation, pregnancy brightens that light to the top. After birth, the dimmer goes to the middle, leaving the system in a different state, which is not only more prepared for the next pregnancy but also to defend itself against alterations like cancer.

In most pregnancy mammary cells in mice, the scientists found a 10-fold increase in the abundance of NKT cells when compared to cells from an individual who had never been pregnant.

When the researchers removed the CD1d protein in mice, they found an association between the absence or low expression and the development of tumors in the breast.

Dos Santos and Hanasoge hypothesize that this protein is recruiting immune cells to monitor breast cells after pregnancy. If the epithelial cells develop cancer, the NKT cells may kill them, preventing the development and advancement of cancer.

In addition to working with mouse models of pregnancy, dos Santos is collaborating with Northwell Health to study cells from healthy women who are undergoing cosmetic surgery. They are analyzing that data, which wasn’t in this paper. 

Dos Santos is investigating several questions, including how the age at pregnancy influences breast tissue. She is creating organoids, which are three-dimensional models of breast cells that react to change in their environment

Joining a family

From left, Amritha Varshini Hanasoge Somasundara and Camila dos Santos

Amritha Varshini Hanasoge Somasundara, who has been a part of dos Santos’s lab for over two years, explained that she felt comfortable and supported instantly when she arrived. She described the atmosphere as extremely collegial and felt as if she were included in a scientific family.

Joining dos Santos’s group was “possibly the best decision I’ve ever made,” said Hanasoge. Dos Santos’s lab is a “really special place” where lab members often have lunch together and support each other’s research.

Hanasoge was drawn to Dos Santos’s mentorship and the overall lab dynamic. Scientifically, she was also interested in the immunology project, exploring NKT cells. Her main project has involved trying to characterize NKT cells further. 

Hanasoge sees plenty of opportunities to address additional questions in this field. “We don’t know if the process of lactation is causing more CD1d and increasing expression,” she said. “We are still trying to characterize what T-cell receptors are being expressed after pregnancy.”

A resident of Syosset, Hanasoge enjoys reading and said she was fascinated by science when she was growing up in Mysore, Kamataka in India. She asked her parents for a microscope when she was around seven and used it to looked at flower petals and leaves. That toy microscope, which her parents purchased from a science museum in Mumbai, is still in her parent’s house.

Hanasoge is eager to combine basic and translational work and hopes her research has a clinical benefit. She is looking forward to the next steps in her research in dos Santos’s lab.

“I learn from her every day by watching how she interacts with people she mentors, both inside the lab and out,” Hanasoge explained in an email. “Her passion and commitment to being a good mentor and her drive to ask the right questions in our research are inspiring.”

 

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By Michael E. Russell

Michael E. Russell

Interest rate hikes are in the forecast for 2022. But how many?

Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve has a perplexing problem: how to curb inflation, while not derailing the economy. Most analysts are expecting 3 to 4 increases, while Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan Chase CEO thinks 6 or 7 are possible.

What does all this mean? The Consumer Price Index rose7% in December from its year ago level. What caused this? COVID, supply chain issues, the government printing money as if there was an unlimited supply?  Maybe. We need to be aware that no mention is made of our 30 TRILLION-dollar deficit that is growing by the hour. It appears that fiscal irresponsibility is the norm in our Capitol.

Another factor that is being ignored is what is called The Misery Index. This index came about during the Carter administration. During the late 70s, stagflation was rampant. We all know about inflation. I have mentioned price increases in my previous article, but little is mentioned in the media as the effects on middle and lower-income Americans.

A problem that will concern us in the coming months is one in which the Fed stops the repurchase of approximately $60 billion of Treasury and Agency securities each month. This means that the market will have to absorb more than $300 billion of maturing bonds in 2022. This may cause liquidity problems.

What about Crypto? Some investors purchased Bitcoin in 2010 at prices hovering around $100. On January 3 of this year, it rose to a price of nearly $61,000. Wow! A reality check has hit some investors. Those making purchases at that level have seen it fall to a level $36,000, a substantial drop.

As I mentioned previously, the lack of regulation and knowledge on the part of Washington warrants concern.

This week, the Dow Industrials lost 4.6%, the S&P dropped 5.7% and the Nasdaq slumped 7.6%. Is this the start of a 15-20% correction, maybe? The Nasdaq highflyers took some hits the past few weeks. Case in point, Netflix.  On January 3, it was priced at $597 a share. This past Friday, it closed at $397, losing 110 points on Friday — loss of 34% in 3 weeks.

This is the time for investors to evaluate their holdings and determine what their short-term liquidity needs are. Several of us have seen the crash of ’87, the Enron fiasco, the attacks on 9-11 and the severe drop of 2008. Those who stayed the course remained patient and had nice gains in their portfolios.

Remember, there are great companies to invest in. This may be an opportunity to start buying at these levels. I will mention a few that look promising. Nvidia, a chip maker with great earnings potential. I am a big believer that our major oil suppliers will make a transition to cleaner fuel, reducing the carbon footprint. Occidental Petroleum and Exxon Mobil are standouts.

Until next month, buckle up your seat belts!!

Michael E. Russell retired after 40 years working for various Wall Street firms. All recommendations being made here are not guaranteed and may incur a loss of principal. The opinions and investment recommendations expressed in the column are the author’s own. TBR News Media does not endorse any specific investment advice and urges investors to consult with their financial advisor. 

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Chicken and Chick Pea Stew

By Barbara Beltrami

Many of you have asked me why I don’t feature more chicken recipes. Good question. I don’t know why because chicken has to be one of the most popular, dependable, versatile, economical and healthful foods out there. It’s high in protein and low in fat (minus its skin), and unless you’re a vegan or a vegetarian, it’s a staple on your every day as well as special menus. So here (fanfare please) by popular demand are a few of my favorite chicken recipes.

Chicken Marbella

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

2 chickens, quartered

1/2 head of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup pitted prunes

1/4 cup pitted Spanish green olives

1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained

3 bay leaves

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS: 

In a large bowl combine chicken, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, vinegar, oil, prunes, olives, capers and bay leaves; cover, refrigerate and marinate, turning occasionally, at least 8 hours. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large shallow baking dish, arrange chicken in a single layer, then pour marinate over it; sprinkle brown sugar on top and pour wine around edges. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, basting frequently. Chicken is done when thigh joint is pierced and releases clear juice. Remove bay leaves and discard. Transfer chicken to serving platter, spoon a little cooking liquid over it and sprinkle cilantro on top; pass remaining liquid in a gravy boat. Serve with rice or couscous.

Chicken alla Romana

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

1 frying chicken, quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

1 slice bacon, diced

2 garlic cloves, halved

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup hot chicken broth

DIRECTIONS: 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat oil and bacon, then add garlic and chicken. Cook over medium high heat, turning once, until the chicken is golden on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Add the rosemary and wine, cover and continue cooking until chicken is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove garlic, stir in tomato paste and broth and cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half. Serve hot with orzo.

Chicken and Chick Pea Stew

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

One 3 – 4 pound chicken, cut up into 8 pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups diced onions

4 garlic cloves, peeled sliced,,

3 cups finely chopped celery

4 cups chopped carrots

4 cups shredded green cabbage

1 dried bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

One 14-ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs

1 cup grated  Parmigiano cheese

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil; add onions and garlic and cook until they are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, bay leaf and thyme and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken, broth, wine, tomatoes and salt and pepper, then cover and place in oven for an hour. Stir in beans and cook for another half hour; remove bay leaf and thyme stems, sprinkle with fresh herbs and grated cheese. Serve with focaccia and a nice chunk of Asiago cheese.

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By Michael Christodoulou

If you’re a certain age, you’ll need to withdraw money from some of your retirement accounts each year. But in 2022, the amount you must take out may be changing more than in other years — and that could affect your retirement income strategy.

Here’s some background: Once you turn 72, you generally must start taking withdrawals, called required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from some of your retirement accounts, such as your traditional IRA and your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored plan. Each year, your RMDs are determined by your age and account balances. This year, the life expectancy tables used by the IRS are being updated to reflect longer lifespans. This may result in lower annual RMDs than you’d have to take if this adjustment hadn’t been made.

If you’ve started taking RMDs, what does this change mean to you? It can be a positive development for a few reasons:

Potentially lower taxes: Your RMDs are generally taxable at your personal income tax rate, so the lower your RMDs, the lower your tax bill might be.

Possibly longer “lifespan” for retirement accounts: Because your RMDs will be lower, the accounts from which they’re issued — including your traditional IRA and 401(k) — may be able to last longer without becoming depleted. The longer these accounts can stay intact and remain an asset, the better for you.

More flexibility in planning for retirement income: The word “required” in the phrase “required minimum distributions” means exactly what it sounds like — you must take at least that amount. If you withdraw less than your RMD, the amount not withdrawn will be taxed at 50%. So, in one sense, your RMDs take away some of your freedom in managing your retirement income. But now, with the lower RMDs in place, you may regain some of this flexibility. (And keep in mind that you’re always free to withdraw more than the RMDs.)

Of course, if you don’t really need all the money from RMDs, even the lower amount may be an issue for you — as mentioned above, RMDs are generally taxable. However, if you’re 70½ or older, you can transfer up to $100,000 per year from a traditional IRA directly to a qualified charitable organization, and some, or perhaps all, of this money may come from your RMDs. By making this move, you can exclude the RMDs from your taxable income. Before taking this action, though, you’ll want to consult with your tax advisor.

Here are a couple of final points to keep in mind. First, not all your retirement accounts are subject to RMDs­ — you can generally keep your Roth IRA intact for as long as you want. However, your Roth 401(k) is generally subject to RMDs. If you’re still working past 72, though, you may be able to avoid taking RMDs from your current employer’s 401(k) or similar plan, though you’ll still have to take them from your traditional IRA.

Changes to the RMD rules don’t happen too often. By being aware of how these new, lower RMDs can benefit you, and becoming familiar with all aspects of RMDs, you may be able to strengthen your overall retirement income situation.

Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. Member SIPC.

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Photo by Tom Caruso

A FLYING LEAP

Tom Caruso captured this fleeting moment on a recent trip to Caleb Smith State Park Preserve in his hometown of Smithtown. He writes, ‘It was a beautiful day. I wandered around the park and saw several deer grazing in an open field. I circled around the field to get a better look when a herd of deer came crashing out of the woods to my right and bounded across the field. I caught this deer in full flight and it was quite a sight.’

Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected]

 

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By Nancy Burner, Esq.

Nancy Burner, Esq.

As we enter a new year, it’s important that there is an understanding of the updated estate and gift taxes on both the federal and state level. 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) increased the federal estate tax exclusion amount for decedents dying in years 2018 to 2025. The exclusion amount is for 2022 is $12.06 million. This means that an individual can leave $12.06 million, and a married couple can leave $24.12 million dollars to their heirs or beneficiaries without paying any federal estate tax. This also means that an individual or married couple can gift this same amount during their lifetime and not incur a federal gift tax. The rate for the federal estate and gift tax remains at 40 percent.

There are no 2022 changes to the rules regarding step-up basis at death. That means that when you die, your heirs’ cost basis in the assets you leave them are reset to the value at your date of death. 

The Portability Election, which allows a surviving spouse to use his or her deceased spouse’s unused federal estate and gift tax exemption, is unchanged for 2022. This means a married couple can use the full $24.12 million exemption before any federal estate tax would be owed. To make a portability election, a federal estate tax return must be timely filed by the executor of the deceased spouse’s estate. 

For 2022 the annual gift tax exclusion has increased to $16,000. This means that an individual can give away $16,000 to any person in a calendar year ($32,000 for a married couple) without having to file a federal gift tax return. 

Despite the large Federal Estate Tax exclusion amount, New York State’s estate tax exemption for 2021 is $5.93 million. As of the date of this article, the exact exclusion amount for 2022 has not been released. It is anticipated to be a little over $6 million in 2022. New York State still does not recognize portability.

New York has a three-year lookback on gifts as of January 16, 2019. However, a gift is not includable if it was made by a resident or nonresident and the gift consists of real or tangible property located outside of New York State; while the decedent was a nonresident; before April 1, 2014; between January 1, 2019, and January 15, 2019.

 Most taxpayers will never pay a federal or New York State estate tax. However, there are many reasons to engage in estate planning. Those reasons include long term care planning, tax basis planning and planning to protect your beneficiaries once they inherit the wealth. 

In addition, since New York State has a separate estate tax regime with a significantly lower exclusion than that of the Federal regime it is still critical to do estate tax planning if you and/or your spouse have an estate that is potentially taxable under the New York State law. 

Nancy Burner, Esq. practices elder law and estate planning from her East Setauket office. Visit www.burnerlaw.com

——————————–

LIVE WEBINAR: Burner Law Group, P.C. presents a free webinar titled 2022: The Year of Trusts on Thursday, Jan. 20 at 2:30 p.m. Attorney Britt Burner will discuss the anatomy of trusts, the types of trusts used in Estate and Medicaid planning and how they can benefit you and your loved ones. To RSVP, call 631-941-3434 or email [email protected].

 

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Apu and Manjula. Photo from the Smithtown Animal Shelter

MEET APU AND MANJULA!

This week’s shelter pets are Apu and Manjula, 8-month- old domestic short hair cats up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. Apu is a black male and Manjula is a brown tabby female. 

These two beauties are low key affectionate sweethearts. They love to get petted and to play with each other. They are not bonded, but do enjoy each other’s company.  The shelter’s preference would be a happy home together, but they may be separated.

If you would like to meet these sweethearts, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with them in a domestic setting.

The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.smithtownanimalshelter.com.

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Moderate exercise is better for weight maintenance than weight loss

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

It’s that time of year again, when exercise product commercials flood the airways. If you have “lose weight” on your list of 2022 resolutions, it’s helpful to consider what the research tells us about the relationship between exercise and weight loss.

Unfortunately, exercise without dietary changes may not actually help many people lose weight, no matter what the intensity or the duration (1). If it does help, it may only modestly reduce fat mass and weight for the majority of people. However, it may be helpful with weight maintenance.

Ultimately, it may be more important to reconsider what you are eating than to succumb to the rationalization that you can eat with abandon and work it off later.

Don’t give up on exercise just yet, though. There is good news: Exercise does have benefits for a wide range of conditions, including chronic kidney disease, cognitive decline, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, fatigue, insomnia and depression.

Exercise may not result in weight loss

The well-known weight-loss paradigm is that when more calories are burned than consumed, we will tip the scale in favor of weight loss. The greater the negative balance with exercise, the greater the loss. However, study results say otherwise. They show that in premenopausal women there was neither weight nor fat loss from exercise (2). This involved 81 women over a short duration (12 weeks). All of the women were overweight to obese, although there was great variability in weight.

However, more than two-thirds of the women gained a mean of 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of fat mass by the end of the study. There were a few who gained 10 pounds of predominantly fat. A fair amount of variability was seen among the participants, ranging from significant weight loss to substantial weight gain. These women were told to exercise at the American College of Sports Medicine’s optimal level of intensity (3). This is to walk 30 minutes on a treadmill three times a week at 70 percent VO2max — maximum oxygen consumption during exercise — or, in other words, a moderately intense pace. 

The good news is that the women were in better aerobic shape by the end of the study. Also, women who had lost weight at the four-week mark were more likely to continue to do so by the end of the study.

Other studies have shown modest weight loss. For instance, in a meta-analysis involving 14 randomized controlled trials, results showed that there was a disappointing amount of weight loss with exercise alone (4). In six months, patients lost a mean of 1.6 kilograms, or 3.5 pounds, and at 12 months, participants lost 1.7 kilograms, or about 3.75 pounds.

Exercise and weight maintenance

However, exercise may be valuable in weight maintenance, according to observational studies. Premenopausal women who exercised at least 30 minutes a day were significantly less likely to regain lost weight (5). When exercise was added to diet, women were able to maintain 30 percent more weight loss than with diet alone after a year in a prospective study (6).

Exercise and disease

Walking the dog several times a week is a good moderate exercise. METRO Photo

As just one example of exercise’s impact on disease, let’s look at chronic kidney disease (CKD), which affects 15 percent of adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (7).

Trial results showed that walking regularly could reduce the risk of kidney replacement therapy and death in patients who have moderate to severe CKD, stages 3 to 5 (8). Yes, this includes stage 3, which most likely is asymptomatic. There was a 21 percent reduction in the risk of kidney replacement therapy and a 33 percent reduction in the risk of death when walkers were compared to non-walkers.

Walking had an impressive impact, and results were based on a dose-response curve. In other words, the more frequently patients walked during the week, the better the probability of preventing complications. Those who walked between one and two times per week had 17 and 19 percent reductions in death and kidney replacement therapy, respectively, while those who walked at least seven times per week saw 44 and 59 percent reductions in death and kidney replacement. These are substantial results. The authors concluded that the effectiveness of walking on CKD was independent of kidney function, age or other diseases.

Therefore, while there are many benefits to exercise, food choices will have a greater impact on our weight and body composition. 

However, exercise can help maintain weight loss and is extremely beneficial for preventing progression of chronic diseases, such as CKD.

So, by all means, exercise, but also focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods instead of calorically dense foods that you may not be able to exercise away.

References:

(1) uptodate.com. (2) J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Feb;29(2):297-304. (3) ACSM.org. (4) Am J Med. 2011;124(8):747. (5) Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010;18(1):167. (6) Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997;21(10):941. (7) cdc.gov. (8) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2014 Jul;9(7):1183-1189.

Dr. David 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. 

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