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The cover of the first issue of The Village Times in 1976 by Pat Windrow

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

On Monday. April 8th, there will be two miracles: the eclipse of the sun in North America and the 48th birthday of The Village Times, the flagship paper of TBR News Media. While not in the same category, one being macro and the other micro, they are both remarkable in their own way. 

If someone had told me I would be sitting here, writing this column on my computer 48 years after we had sent that first issue to bed, I would have been both stunned and yet not surprised. When we started, I never thought we would fail. Such is the necessary optimism of the entrepreneur. By the same token, where have all those years gone? They can be recaptured in 2,496 issues since so far; we never missed a week.

As for the total solar eclipse, this is the second time in seven years that the moon’s pathway will come between us and the sun, totally blocking out the light on the Earth beneath for as much as four minutes, depending on location. It will take 70 to 80 minutes for the eclipse to become total and the same amount of the time for the moon then to recede from the face of the sun. The route of darkness will begin on the west coast of Mexico and move northeast diagonally to exit off the east coast of Canada.

One way for us to think about all those intervening years since 1976 is by remembering how old our children were and what they were doing then. My sons recall our having a table at the July 4th Bicentennial celebration sponsored by the Three Village Historical Society at which we gave out copies of the three-month old newspaper. It was a great setting at which to introduce ourselves, and we produced a special section for the event. My sons were 10, 8 and almost 7 at the time, and I’m sure I had them moving through the crowd offering newspapers.

My husband, who was an accomplished photographer, had taken the pictures of costumed patriots for the supplement, so the occasion was, for us, a family affair in addition to an historic one.

You might ask how the moon, which is 400 times smaller than the sun, could obscure that solar surface. The answer is that the moon is about 400 times closer to us, and so when the moon is in the right spot, they seem the same size. And when the Earth gets between the moon and the sun, which happens a couple of times a year, we have a lunar eclipse, an occurrence less spectacular than a solar eclipse.

You might also ask how a newspaper started by a handful of housewives and 10 minor investors could possibly compete with established weeklies that had deep-pocketed owners and long histories of publishing. That, truly, was something of a miracle. 

Our editorial staff was made up of smart mothers who felt captive in their kitchens and were looking for some sort of additional role in the community. They were willing to accept $5 for an assignment that they would then load their children into the station wagon and go cover, writing up the article after their children were asleep in the evening or their husbands came home to help with the family duties. 

And that was after we were able to pay them the fee. Now they were “professionals.” For the first couple of years, we couldn’t pay them anything. Without too much hubris, I want to salute their intelligence and dedication to starting something we felt was of value and would serve our community and ultimately our democracy. 

A prominent message of the Bicentennial was the need for accurate information in order for people to govern wisely themselves. That is why the first amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of the press and the national treasury partially subsidizes newspapers with discounted postage rates to this day.

We at TBR News Media continue to consider it a privilege to serve you by casting light on current issues. 

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Pixabay photo

As the vibrant hues of blossoming flowers herald the arrival of spring, we are reminded of the beauty of change and growth. Just as nature undergoes a transformation during this season, so too can our community benefit from a renewal of spirit and purpose. 

Spring cleaning is more than just a household chore — it is an opportunity to breathe new life into our surroundings and reaffirm our commitment to the well-being of our community. As we shake off the cobwebs of winter and open our windows to let in fresh air, let us also take stock of the areas in our neighborhood that could use a little extra attention. 

Whether it’s organizing a neighborhood cleanup event, like that of the Great Brookhaven Cleanup or the Setauket-Port Jefferson Greenway trail cleanup, or the several town recycling initiatives, picking up litter on our daily walks or simply taking the time to tidy up our own front yards, every effort counts toward creating a cleaner, more inviting community for all.

Recycling initiatives are a crucial component of our spring cleaning efforts, providing us with a tangible way to reduce waste and protect the environment. As we sort through our belongings and declutter our homes, let us also be mindful of how we dispose of unwanted items. 

By recycling paper, plastics, glass and other materials, we not only conserve valuable resources but also help to minimize the burden on our landfills and reduce pollution. Let us make a concerted effort to incorporate recycling into our spring cleaning routines, setting aside items that can be repurposed or recycled rather than discarded.

In addition to traditional spring cleaning tasks, let us also consider other ways to preserve the beauty of our community and foster a sense of connection among residents. Planting native species in our gardens, supporting local environmental initiatives and advocating for sustainable practices are all ways in which we can contribute to the health and vitality of our community. By working together toward common goals, we can create a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.

As we embark on this season of renewal, let us seize the opportunity to make a positive impact on our community and the world around us. We can make a difference — one clean street, one recycled item, one act of kindness at a time.

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From left, Juan Jimenez and Sanjaya Senanayake in front of CO2 and Methane Conversion Reactor Units in the Chemistry Division at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL

By Daniel Dunaief

If we had carbon dioxide glasses, we would see the gas everywhere, from the air we, our pets, and our farm animals exhale to the plumes propelled through the smokestacks of factories and the tail pipes of gas-powered cars.

Juan Jimenez. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL

A waste product that scientists are trying to reduce and remove, carbon dioxide is not only a part of the photosynthesis that allows plants to convert light to energy, but it also can be a raw material to create usable and useful products.

Juan Jimenez, a postdoctoral researcher and Goldhaber Fellow at Brookhaven National Laboratory, has been working with carbon dioxide for the last 10 years, in his undergraduate work at CUNY City College of New York, for his PhD at the University of South Carolina and since he arrived at BNL in 2020. 

Jimenez contributed to a team led by engineers at the University of Cincinnati to create a way to improve the electrochemical conversion of this greenhouse gas into ethylene, which is an important ingredient in making plastics as well as in manufacturing textiles and other products.

University of Cincinnati Associate Professor Jingjie Wu recently published work in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering in which they used a modified copper catalyst to improve the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide into ethylene.

“I’m always looking out to collaborate with groups doing cutting edge research,” explained Jimenez, who spearheaded the research at the National Synchrotron Lightsource II. “Since the work on CO2 is a global concern we require a global team” to approach solutions.

Jimenez is fascinated with carbon dioxide in part because it is such a stable molecule, which makes reacting it with other elements to transform it into something useful energy intensive.

A modified copper catalyst helped convert more carbon dioxide, which breaks down into two primary carbon-based products through electrocatalysis, into ethylene, which has been called the “world’s most important chemical.”

“Our research offers essential insights into the divergence between ethylene and ethanol during electrochemical CO2 reduction and proposes a viable approach to directing selectivity toward ethylene,” UC graduate student Zhengyuan Li and lead author on the paper, said in a statement.

A previous graduate student of Wu, Li helped conduct some of the experiments at BNL.

This modified process increases the selective production of ethylene by 50 percent, Wu added.

The process of producing ethylene not only increases the production of ethylene, but it also provides a way to recycle carbon dioxide.

In a statement, Wu suggested this process could one day produce ethylene through green energy instead of fossil fuels.

Jimenez’s role

Scientists who want to use the high-tech equipment at the NSLS-II need to apply for time through a highly competitive process before experimental runs.

Jimenez led the proposal to conduct the research on site at the QAS and ISS beamlines.

Several of the elements involved in this reaction are expensive, including platinum, iridium, silver and gold, which makes them prohibitively expensive if they are used inefficiently. By using single atoms of the metal as the sites, these scientists achieved record high rates of reaction using the least possible amount of material.

The scientists at BNL were able to see the chemistry happening in real time, which validated the prediction for the state of the copper.

Jimenez’s first reaction to this discovery was excitement and the second was that “you can actually take a nap. Once you get the data you’re looking for, you can relax and you could shut your eyes.”

Working at NSLS-II, which is one of only three or four similar such facilities in the United States and one of only about a dozen in the world, inspires Jimenez, where he appreciates the opportunity to do “cutting edge” research.

“These experiments are only done a few times in the career of the average scientist,” Jimenez explained. “Having continuous access to cutting edge techniques inspires us to tackle bigger, more complicated problems.”

In the carbon dioxide research, the scientists drilled down on the subject, combining the scope of what could have been two or three publications into a single paper.

Indeed, Nature Chemical Engineering, which is an online only publication in the Nature family of scientific journals, just started providing scientific papers in the beginning of this year.

“Being part of the inaugural editions is exciting, specifically coming from a Chemical Engineering background” as this work was published along with some of the “leading scientists in the field,” said Jimenez.

New York state of mind

Born in Manhattan, Jimenez lived in Queens near Jamaica until he was 11. His family moved into Nassau County near the current site of the UBS Arena.

During his PhD at the University of South Carolina, Jimenez spent almost a year in Japan as a visiting doctoral student, where he learned x-ray absorption spectroscopy from one of the leading scientists in the field, Professor Kiyotaka Asakura. Based in Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, Jimenez enjoyed touring much of the country.

A resident of Middle Island, Jimenez likes to run and swim. He enjoys cooking food from all over the world, including Spanish, Indian and Japanese cuisines.

As a scientist, he has the “unique luxury” of working with an international audience, he said. “If you are having lunch and you see someone eating amazing Indian food, you can talk to them, learn a bit about their culture, how they make their food, and then you can make it.”

As for his work, Jimenez explains that he is drawn to study carbon dioxide not just for the sake of science, but also because it creates a “pressing environmental need.”

He has also been looking more at methane, which is another potent greenhouse gas that is challenging to activate.

Ideally, at some point, he’d like to contribute to work that leads to processes that produce negative carbon dioxide use.

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METRO photo

By Nancy Marr

Food is one of the more important factors in our lives. Food insecurity troubles many Americans, but for low-income consumers, especially, factors beyond their control affect their nutrition. Many low-income consumers can find lower prices, but consumers with very low incomes may not be able to get to stores that offer these low prices or fresh foods. 

Here in Suffolk County, both school and summer feeding programs funded by the Department of Agriculture are making a difference by providing nutritious food for children from homes with food insecurity.  

School lunch in America dates back to the late 19th century, when the passage of compulsory education laws and child-labor bans led to more kids in school for more hours per day than ever before. Health screenings in schools gave rise to concerns about malnutrition, which in turn sparked privately funded nutritious school meal programs in many cities. The programs were popular, but most were wiped out by the Great Depression. 

In 1946, the federal government passed the National School Lunch Act which provided a way for the USDA to purchase surplus agricultural commodities for use by the schools in the feeding programs they agreed to fund.

The act created a three-tiered system: children in poverty received a free lunch, children whose families were above the poverty line but earning less than 130% of the federal poverty line got a price reduction, and everyone else paid full price. Millions of children have participated in the program. 

The Federal USDA now funds the following child nutrition programs: the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and After-School Snacks and Meals, using the same distribution system.

During the recent pandemic, when schools closed, the federal government funding made it possible for schools to continue the lunch program and changed it to one that served all the children at no charge. Schools arranged for the pick-up of lunches by the students. The USDA pandemic funding ended in June 2022, with an extension through the summer of 2022. 

Schools and summer lunch providers then returned to the payment schedule that divided the children. The universal offering of free meals to all students had raised the level of participation by removing the stigma often associated with means-tested school meals and opened the program to children from families who would have struggled to pay the reduced-price copayment. 

But so far, there’s no momentum in Congress to bring the free meals back, except for the CEP Program (Community Eligibility Provision) which provides breakfast and lunch free of charge to all the students who are enrolled. Eligible for CEP is any district or school with 25 percent of students who have been identified as in need, and children who are certified for free meals without an application because they are homeless, migrant, enrolled in Head Start, or in foster care.

Food policy councils, appointed by local government or organized independently of government, have proven to be effective in educating community members about local food and nutrition, as well as other issues related to health, such as walkability. 

The funding during the pandemic showed how universal feeding encouraged children to participate in a nutritionally sound breakfast and lunch program which provided free food for all children. Federal or New York State funding would make that possible. For more information, go to www.schoolnutrition.org.

And write to Governor Hochul and your State Senator and Assemblyperson, and our United States senators, Senator Charles Schumer and  Kirsten Gillibrand. 

Nancy Marr is Vice-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 my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.

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Double Lemon Cheesecake Bars

By Heidi Sutton

Still on the fence of what to make for Easter dessert? Try this recipe for Double Lemon Cheesecake Bars or add the rich flavor of caramel to your dessert table with a recipe like this No Bake Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake for a tempting, tasty treat.

Double Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Double Lemon Cheesecake Bars

YIELD: Makes 16 servings

INGREDIENTS:

52 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

4 eggs, divided

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons), divided

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS: 

Heat oven to 325°F. Line 13-by-9-inch pan with parchment paper, with ends of paper extending over sides. Mix wafer crumbs and butter until blended; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. 

Separate 1 egg; refrigerate yolk until ready to use. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add egg white and remaining 3 whole eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each until just blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate 4 hours. Mix cornstarch and remaining sugar in medium saucepan; gradually stir in water and remaining lemon juice until blended. Bring just to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir until clear and thickened. Lightly beat reserved egg yolk in small bowl with fork until blended; stir in 2 tablespoons of hot cornstarch mixture.

Return to remaining cornstarch mixture in saucepan; stir until blended. Cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly. Cool slightly. Spoon lemon glaze over cheesecake. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Garnish with 1/2 cup blueberries, lemon peel and fresh mint leaves. Use parchment handles to remove cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

No Bake Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

No Bake Chocolate Caramel Cheescake

YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

10  graham crackers, crumbled

7 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

caramel sauce, divided

16 ounces cream cheese

7 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 cup whipping cream

chocolate covered caramels like Rolo

DIRECTIONS: 

Place graham crackers in re-sealable plastic bag. Using rolling pin or soup can, roll graham crackers into fine crumbs.  

In medium bowl, add cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon; stir until combined. Press into bottom of pie plate. Drizzle caramel sauce over crust; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and whipping cream. Pour over graham cracker crust. Refrigerate 24 hours. Place chocolate caramel candy pieces around pie. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

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METRO photo
There are alternatives to sealing yourself indoors

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

It is officially Spring! Locally, trees are budding, and flowers are beginning to bloom in full force.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies – also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever – going for a walk is probably a little less enjoyable.

Roughly 25 percent of U.S. adults and 18.9 percent of children were diagnosed with seasonal allergies in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1).

There are quite a few triggers for seasonal allergies. They include pollen from leafy trees and shrubs, grass and flowering plants, as well as weeds, with the majority from ragweed (mostly in the fall) and fungus (summer and fall) (2).

What causes allergic reactions? Seasonal allergy sufferers experience a chain reaction when they inhale allergens (pollen, in this case). The pollen interacts with immunoglobulin E (IgE), antibodies that are part of our immune system and causes mast cells in the body’s tissues to degrade and release inflammatory mediators. These include histamines, leukotrienes, and eosinophils in those who are susceptible. In other words, it is an allergic inflammatory response.

The revved up immune system then responds with sneezing; red, itchy and watery eyes; scratchy throat; congestion; sinus headaches; postnasal drip; runny nose; diminished taste and smell; and even coughing (3). Basically, it feels like a common cold, but without the virus. If you have symptoms that last more than 10 days and are recurrent, then it is more likely you have allergies than a virus.

If your allergic rhinitis is not treated properly, you can experience complications like ear infections, sinusitis, irritated throat, insomnia, chronic fatigue, headaches and even asthma (4).

Do medications really help with allergies? The best way to treat allergy attacks is to prevent them, but this means sealing yourself inside. You will need to close the windows, use your air conditioning and, when you do go out, use the recycling vents in your car.

On the medication side, we have intranasal glucocorticoids (steroids), oral antihistamines, allergy shots, decongestants, antihistamine and decongestant eye drops.

The guidelines for treating seasonal allergic rhinitis with medications suggest that you use intranasal corticosteroids (steroids) when your quality of life is affected (5). Two well-known inhaled steroids are triamcinolone (Nasacort) and fluticasone propionate (Flonase). While inhaled steroids are probably most effective in treating and preventing symptoms, they need to be used every day and can have side effects, like headaches.

If you experience itchiness and sneezing, then second-generation oral antihistamines may be appropriate. These can be taken on an as-needed basis. Second-generation antihistamines, such as loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (Allegra), have less sleepiness as a side effect than first-generation antihistamines, like Benadryl, but they don’t work for everyone.

Are there alternative treatments for allergies? Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), an herb, has several small studies that indicate its efficacy in treating hay fever. In one randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 131 patients, results showed that butterbur was as effective as cetirizine (Zyrtec) (6).

In another RCT, results showed that high doses of butterbur — 1 tablet given three times a day for two weeks — was significantly more effective than placebo (7). Researchers used butterbur Ze339 (carbon dioxide extract from the leaves of Petasites hybridus L., 8 mg petasines per tablet) in the trial.

A post-marketing follow-up study of 580 patients showed that, with butterbur Ze339, symptoms improved in 90 percent of patients with allergic rhinitis over a two-week period (8). Gastrointestinal upset occurred as the most common side effect in 3.8 percent of the population.

There are several caveats about the use of butterbur. First, the studies’ durations were short. Second, the leaf extract used in these studies was free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). This is very important, since PAs may not be safe. Also, the dose was well-measured, which may not be the case with over-the-counter extracts. Finally, there are interactions with some prescription medications.

Can you treat seasonal allergies with diet? While there are no significant studies on diet, there is one review of literature that suggests that a plant-based diet may reduce symptoms of allergies in teens, specifically rhinoconjunctivitis, affecting the nose and eyes, as well as eczema and asthma (9). In my clinical practice, many patients with seasonal allergies have improved and even reversed the course of allergies over time with a vegetable-rich, plant-based diet. This might be due to its anti-inflammatory effects. Analogously, some physicians suggest that their patients have improved after removing dairy from their diets.

While allergies can make you miserable, there are a significant number of over-the-counter and prescription options to help. Diet may play a role by reducing inflammation, although there are no formal studies. There does seem to be promise with some herbs, like butterbur, although there are caveats. Always consult your doctor before starting any supplements, herbs or over-the-counter medications.

References: (1) CDC.gov. (2) acaai.org/allergies/types/pollen-allergy. (3) J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003 Dec;112(6):1021-31.. (4) J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Jan;125(1):16-29.. (5) Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Feb;2:197-206. (6) BMJ 2002;324:144. (7) Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004 Dec;130(12):1381-6. (8) Adv Ther. Mar-Apr 2006;23(2):373-84. (9) Eur Respir J. 2001;17(3):436-443. 

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 or consult your personal physician.

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METRO photo

By Michael Christodoulou

Michael Christodoulou
Michael Christodoulou

We all hope to remain healthy and independent throughout our lives — but life can be unpredictable. If you were ever to need some type of long-term care, would you be financially prepared?

Long-term care encompasses everything from the services of a home health aide to a stay in an assisted living facility to a long residence in a nursing home. You may never need any of these kinds of care, but the odds aren’t necessarily in your favor: Someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and support in their remaining years, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

And all types of long-term care can involve considerable financial expense. The median annual cost for a home health aide’s services is more than $60,000 per year, and it’s more than $100,000 per year for a private room in a nursing home, according to Genworth, an insurance company. Furthermore, contrary to many people’s expectations, Medicare usually pays very little of these costs. 

Of course, some people expect their family will be able to take care of their long-term care needs. But this may not be a viable strategy. For one thing, your family members simply may not have the skills needed to give you the type of care you may require.  Also, by the time you might need help, your grown children or other family members might not live in your area. 

So, you may need to protect yourself and your loved ones from the potential costs of long-term care. Basically, you’ve got two main choices: You could self-insure or you could transfer the risk by purchasing some type of long-term care insurance. 

If you have considerable financial resources, you might find self-insuring to be attractive, rather than choosing insurance and paying policy premiums.  You may wish to keep an emergency savings or investment account that’s earmarked exclusively for long-term care to help avoid relying on your other retirement accounts. But self-insuring has two main drawbacks.  First, because long-term care can be costly, you might need to plan for a significant amount. And second, it will be quite hard to predict exactly how much money you’ll need, because so many variables are involved — your age when you start needing care, interest rates or inflation, the cost of care in your area, the type of care you’ll require, the length of time you’ll need care, and so on. 

As an alternative to self-insuring, you could purchase long-term care insurance, which can provide benefits for home health care, adult day care and assisted living and nursing home facilities. However, you will need to consider the issues attached to long-term care insurance. For one thing, it can be expensive, though the younger you are when you buy your policy, the more affordable it may be. 

Also, long-term care policies typically require you to wait a certain amount of time before benefits are paid. But policies vary greatly in what they offer, so, if you are thinking of buying this insurance, you’ll want to review options and compare benefits and costs.

In any case, by being aware of the potential need for long-term care, its cost and the ways of paying for it, you’ll be able to make the appropriate decisions for your financial situation, your needs and your loved ones.  

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

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

 

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

I hope my television is well rested.

Sure, we’ve watched movies here and there. We’ve gone through all the episodes of “Succession.” We’re also looking forward to the next chapters in the Keri Russell political drama “The Diplomat.”

My television, however, gets a different kind of attention during the upcoming baseball season. No, I don’t watch every Yankees game, even though, if I had the time and access, I probably would catch some of each game.

As a passionate Yankee fan, I have glared at the TV, barked at it (well, and the players on the screen at any given time) and even threatened to pick it up and throw it out the window once in a while.

Incidentally, I’ve never damaged a TV during a baseball season, no matter how frustrated I might get at the number of runners left on base, at the manager for taking someone out or at the players for not driving in a runner from third with fewer than two outs.

Long ago, I watched Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, when the Mets came back from a seemingly insurmountable deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox for a win that sent the series to a final game. Surrounded by gloating Red Sox fans, I watched as the game unraveled.

With my roommate in tow — we were both rooting for the Mets because he had placed a bet he couldn’t afford to lose and, as a Yankees fan, I had to support any team that played the Red Sox — we walked silently out of a room filled with furious fans.

Just before we opened the door to leave the apartment, the TV we had been watching crash-landed at our feet, exploding into numerous pieces. That night, we joined a small band of New Yorkers cheering “let’s go Mets,” while we stayed far from TV projectile range.

In this millennium, of course, the Red Sox have faired far better than both New York teams, winning four titles compared with one for the Yankees and none for the Mets.

Returning to this season, I’m sure I’ll watch the slow motion replay of a pitch that dives well outside the strike zone that will cause one of the monster hitters on the Yankees to look like they are swinging a fly swatter at an evasive insect.

At that point, I’ll tell the TV how I had told the hitter not to swing and that he should have listened to me.

Yes, I will blame the TV for not communicating somehow with the batter that I knew it.

Fortunately for me, the TV will never remind me of the times I instructed the hitter not to swing at a pitch, only to celebrate when that player crushed a game winning hit into the gap in left center field, scoring the runner sprinting home from first.

The TV will undoubtedly also hear me affix blame at its electronic feet when the channel suddenly doesn’t come in, becomes pixelated or freezes just as a critical full count pitch reaches the plate.

I could check online to see what happened, but I’d rather watch it unfold live, excruciating as the result may be when the Yankees lose yet another winnable game.

The TV knows baseball is a wonderful, miserable experience for me on some days, while it’s a miserable, wonderful one on others.

As I watch an enormous Yankees lead dissolve slowly, the TV and I both know that any opponent – even, gasp!, the Red Sox – can still win.

On the other hand, the Yankees can take a few hard punches to their solar plexus and do the same, setting a comeback record.

If you could ask my TV, he’d tell you that I’m nervous about this season. We have a few important parts, but not enough depth, particularly among our pitchers.

My TV knows that the marathon baseball season will be filled with numerous dramatic rises and falls. It also knows my tendency to turn the channel as soon as the other team records the final out against the Yankees.

Fortunately, my TV gets a break during All Star weekend and in November. The TV should fasten its seatbelt. It’s a long and likely bumpy ride between now and then.

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Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

The bride was beautiful. The groom was handsome. The scene was appropriate for a fairy tale. There was love all around. That is the short version of my oldest grandson’s wedding this past week’s end.

Now for the details.

The bride and groom worked out all the specifics themselves. They had plenty of time to do so since he proposed in December of 2021. The magic day, when they would be officially united, was set for 3/23/24. At the time, it seemed a universe away.

Then together they began to plan. And in planning, they enjoyed every prenuptial tradition on the way to the ceremony. 

They decided on a venue. Since they were moving to Orlando, Florida, that seemed like the most appropriate location for the wedding. They visited a number of sites before selecting a grand hotel in an Eden-like setting, with flowering gardens and sculpted waterfalls alongside a lake. They checked out the scene, the food, the rooms and the quality of service before committing. The hotel’s availability then determined the date.

Next, they sent out word of their engagement and charming save-the-date cards that they designed themselves. The cards were uniquely attractive and foretold the creative details that were to follow.

A shower for the bride was a delight last year  in a waterside club in Massachusetts, where the bride grew up. Her childhood friend organized the event that gave both sides of the family a chance to meet, along with some gifts for their home It was postponed once, when the bride-to-be came down with COVID, but was successfully rescheduled for later in the year. Bachelor and bachelorette parties followed.

The actual celebration was to be a four-day affair, fitting for a destination wedding for the guests, 100 of them, who were arriving from different parts of the country. The weather would predictably be warm in Florida, so the festivities would begin with a backyard barbecue at their new home. 

As it turned out, the barbecue changed to a food fest when they realized some 60 people had arrived early and were coming to their house. We sat around in the sunshine (and for me, the shade) in the backyard and inside the screened  porch, enjoying the warmth of both the weather and the company. The event brought the family together, some of whom we had not seen in years. Everyone’s palate was provided for, from southern fried chicken to a limitless selection of salads and vegetables. And delicious cupcakes. The only thing missing was their dog, who was spending the weekend at the kennel.

Next came a welcoming cocktail party Friday night, for which I wore a flowery floor length dress that I bought in Charleston on the way to the wedding. Shopping for it was great fun as we toured the city, my two good friends with whom I was traveling, helping.

And then the big day. The morning and early afternoon were spent in a flurry of hairdresser and make up appointments. Then photographs were snapped. The guests were seated outside, under a covered pavilion next to the lake, and at 5:30 sharp, the wedding procession began. 

I entered on the arm of my second grandson, feeling so fortunate to be there. We were followed by the grandfather of the bride and the bride’s mother. The bride and her father walked around a corner of the lake to the belvedere, and the temperature was perfect, although the breeze was a bit mischievous, blowing off the bride’s headpiece as she was reciting her vows. 

In a move that laid waste to the mother-in-law stereotype, the much loved and respected mother of the groom was asked to be the officiant, and she did a wonderful job, explaining parts of the ritual and leading the ceremony. The vows the couple then read to each other referred to the love they have shared over the past seven years since they met in college. There were not many dry eyes by the end. My son, a new father-in-law, beamed.

We, the onlookers and well wishers, basked in the affection they offered  each other and marveled at the miracle and the sweetness of love.

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A lack of exercise may rewire our brains. METRO image

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Are 20-somethings more quick-witted than people over 60? You might be surprised by what the research actually tells us. Fear of — and assumptions about —cognitive decline as we age are common. They’re so common that entire industries focus on selling us supplements and games to keep us sharp. Ageism is also a growing concern in society and in the workplace.

What do we really know about the brain? We know that certain drugs, head injuries and lifestyle choices can have negative effects. Numerous neurological, infectious, and rheumatologic disorders and diseases can also have long-term brain effects. These include autoimmune disorders, psychiatric mood disorders, diabetes and heart disease.

Of course, addressing the underlying medical issue is critical. Fortunately, several studies also suggest that we may be able to help our brains function more effectively with rather simple lifestyle changes: sleep, exercise and possibly omega-3s.

What is brain clutter?

Let’s return to our question comparing those in their 20s with those over 60.

German researchers put this stereotype to the test. They found that educated older people tend to have a larger mental database of words and phrases to draw upon when responding to a question (1). When this was factored into their simulation analysis, the difference in terms of age-related cognitive decline became negligible.

The more you know, the harder it becomes to come up with a simple answer to something.

What if we could reboot our brains, just like we do with a computer? This may be possible through sleep, exercise and omega-3s.

How does sleep help with brain functioning?

Researchers have identified a couple of specific values we receive from sleep: one involves clearing the mind, and another involves productivity.

For the former, a study done in mice shows that sleep may help the brain remove waste, such as beta-amyloid plaques (2). When we have excessive plaque buildup in the brain, it may be a sign of Alzheimer’s. When mice were sleeping, the interstitial space (the space between brain structures) increased by as much as 60 percent.

This allowed the lymphatic system, with its cerebrospinal fluid, to clear out plaques, toxins and other waste that had developed during waking hours. With the enlargement of the interstitial space during sleep, waste removal was quicker and more thorough, because cerebrospinal fluid could reach much farther. A similar effect was seen when the mice were anesthetized.

In an Australian study, results showed that sleep deprivation may have contributed to an almost one percent decline in gross domestic product (3). Why? When people don’t get enough sleep, they are not as productive. They tend to be more irritable, and their concentration may be affected. While we may be able to turn on and off sleepiness on short-term basis, we can’t do this continually.

In one small study, sleep deprivation was compared to alcohol impairment (4). It found that subjects’ response time and accuracy with assigned tasks after 17-19 hours without sleep were comparable or worse than their performance when they had a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .05 percent. With more than 19 hours of sleeplessness, performance equaled .1 percent BAC.

Earlier studies showing similar results led my wife to insist on picking me up, rather than letting me drive home, after 24-hour call hospital assignments during my residency. 

Does lack of exercise rewire your brain?

One study with rats suggests that a lack of exercise can cause unwanted new brain connections. Rats that were not allowed to exercise were found to have rewired neurons around their medulla, the part of the brain involved in breathing and other involuntary activities. This included more sympathetic (excitatory) stimulus that could lead to increased risk of heart disease (5). 

Among the rats allowed to exercise regularly, there was no unusual wiring, and sympathetic stimuli remained constant. This may imply that being sedentary has negative effects on both the brain and the heart. We need human studies to confirm this impact.

Do omega-3 fatty acids improve brain volume?

The hippocampus is involved in memory and cognitive function. In the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, results showed that postmenopausal women who were in the highest quartile of measured omega-3 fatty acids had significantly greater brain volume and hippocampal volume than those in the lowest quartile (6). 

Specifically, the researchers looked at the levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in red blood cell membranes. The source of the omega-3 fatty acids could have been from either fish or supplementation.

It’s never too late to improve brain function. Although we have a lot to learn, we know that there are relatively simple ways we can positively influence it.

References:

(1) Top Cogn Sci. 2014 Jan.;6:5-42. (2) Science. 2013 Oct. 18;342:373-377. (3) Sleep. 2006 Mar.;29:299-305. (4) Occup Environ Med. 2000 Oct;57(10):649-55. (5) J Comp Neurol. 2014 Feb. 15;522:499-513. (6) Neurology. 2014;82:435-442.

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 or consult your personal physician.

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