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By Nancy Marr

Have you ever thought about the ways that our country might change if everybody voted? If all the citizens, young and old, could register their opinions by going to the polls?  Where could we start to make that happen?

It has been estimated that by February 2024 a total of 91,089 New York State teens have pre-registered to vote, an increase of 11.4% since February 2023. The Civics Center (www.thecivicscenter.org) pointed out that represents fewer than 20% of the state’s age-eligible teens (New York State allows teens to pre-register at 16, although they do not vote until they are 18).  

We commend NYS Senator Shelley Mayer from White Plains for writing legislation, New York State Election Law 5-507, signed by Governor Hochul, requiring NYS  high schools and boards of education to adopt policies and procedures by July 1, 2024, to promote student registration. Schools are asked to provide registration access, information and assistance during the school year.

In school districts in New York State, students may work to earn a Seal of Civic Readiness. They learn how to identify and address problems in their community or school and earn at least two points in Civic Knowledge and two points in Civic Participation. Students may also earn points by completing a middle school Capstone project or a high school Capstone project. 

What other methods have high schools and colleges found to be successful in increasing voter registration? In many schools a Civics Day in high schools and middle schools highlights the importance of voting and preparing to vote. In many schools, social studies teachers plan their curriculum around the importance of voting, and offer opportunities to register in school. Many college students arrive at their school already registered. 

But for many students, voting is too abstract. They are more likely to register if they see evidence that their vote might address a problem that they know of. Generation Citizen, a nonprofit organization that works with schools, has been successful in leading student efforts to pinpoint problems in their school or community and find ways to correct them. The students research the source of the problem, and possible solutions, sharing their findings with the student body and faculty. Most often they learn which public officials could help them, and how to reach them.

They learn that they can contribute to a better environment for their school or community through their study and actions, and show other students that they can make a difference. The students in the Patchogue-Medford High School were successful in adding sidewalks in front of their high school.

Most important, perhaps, are efforts to involve young people in speaking up about issues that affect the residents in their community. For instance, a Youth Advisory Board was formed in Islip in 2022 to address the pressing issue of youth disengagement in Brentwood, Central Islip, and North Bay Shore. 

Led by the board of their peers, they have held Youth Town Halls to address the issues of climate change and climate justice, and advocated for a local skate board park. Recently, knowing that many college students from families with low incomes rely on the New York State TAP (Tuition Assistance Program), they led, and won, a campaign to raise the TAP stipends each year. 

Gathering support from other students by working through social media, they made contact with NYS Assemblymembers Phil Ramos and Patricia Fahy and NYS Senator Monica Martinez, convincing the state legislators to raise the family eligibility level for TAP from $80,000 to $125,000 and the amount of the awards to at least $1000. In May, the Youth Advisory Board partnered with the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation to present information on the TAP program at a Youth Town Hall meeting at Brentwood High School.  

In each of our communities we need to reach out to the members of the Board of Education to remind them that we support more civic education in our schools, especially the New York State recommendation that schools find ways to encourage and provide registration opportunities for eligible students.                  

Nancy Marr is Vice-President of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County. For more information, call 631-862-6860.

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Simon Birrer Photo by Andrea Hoffmann

By Daniel Dunaief

When he was young, Simon Birrer asked his parents for a telescope because he wanted to look at objects on mountains and hills.

Simon Birrer.  Photo Studio, Mall of Switzerland

While he was passionate about science and good at math, Birrer didn’t know at the time he’d set his sights much further away than nearby hills or mountains in his professional career.

An Assistant Professor in the department of Astronomy and Physics at Stony Brook University, Birrer uses telescopes that generate data from much further away than nearby hills as he studies the way light from distant galaxies bends through a process called gravitational lensing. He also works to refine a measure of the expansion of the universe.

“All matter (including stars in galaxies) are causing the bending of light,” Birrer explained in an email. “From our images, we can infer that a significant fraction of the lensing has to come from dark (or more accurately: transparent) matter.”

Dark matter describes how a substance of matter that does not interact with any known matter component through a collision or pressure or absorption of light is transparent.

While they can’t see this matter through various types of telescopes, cosmologists like Birrer know it’s there because when it gets massive enough, it creates what Albert Einstein predicted in his theory of relativity, altering spacetime. Dark matter is effectively interacting with visible matter only gravitationally.

Every massive object causes a gravitational effect, Birrer suggested.

When a single concentration of matter occurs, the light of a distant galaxy can produce numerous images of the same object.

Scientists take several approaches to delens the data. They rely on computers to perform ray-tracing simulations to compare predictions with the astronomical images.

The degree of lensing is proportional to the mass of total matter.

Birrer uses statistics and helps draw conclusions about the fundamental nature of the dark matter that alters the trajectory of light as it travels towards Earth.

He conducts simulations and compares a range of data collected from NASA Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.

Hubble constant

Beyond gravitational lensing, Birrer also studies and refines the Hubble constant, which describes the expansion rate of the universe. This constant that was first measured by Edwin Hubble in 1929.

“An accurate and precise measurement of the Hubble constant will provide us empirical guidance to questions and answers about the fundamental composition and nature of the universe,” Birrer explained.

During his postdoctoral research at UCLA, Birrer helped develop a new “formalism to measure the expansion history of the universe accounting for all the uncertainty,” Tomasso Treu, a Vice Chair for Astronomy at UCLA and Birrer’s postdoctoral advisor. “These methodological breakthroughs lay the foundation for the work that is being done today to find out what is dark matter and what is dark energy,” which is a force that causes the universe to expand at an accelerating rate.

Treu, who described Birrer as “truly outstanding” and one of the ‘best postdocs I have ever interacted with” in his 25-year career, suggested that his former student was relentless even after impressive work.

Soon after completing a measurement of the constant to two percent precision, Birrer started thinking of a “way to redo the experiment using much weaker theoretical assumptions,” Treu wrote in an email. “This was a very brave thing to do, as the dust had not settled yet on the first measurement and he questioned everything.”

The new approach required considerable effort, patience and dedication.

Birrer was “motivated uniquely by his intellectual honesty and rigor,” Treu added. “He wanted to know the answer and he wanted to know if it was robust to this new approach.”

Indeed, researchers are still executing this new measurement, which means that Treu and others don’t know how the next chapter in this search. This approach will, however, lead to greater confidence in whatever figure they find.

Larger collaborations

Simon Birrer. Photo by Rebecca Ross

Birrer is a part of numerous collaborations that involve scientists from Europe, Asia, and Middle and South America.

He contributes to the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). A planned 10-year survey of the southern sky, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is under construction in northern Chile.

The Simonyi Survey Telescope (SST) at the observatory will survey half the sky every three nights. It will provide a movie of that part of the sky for a decade.

The telescope and camera are expected to produce over 5.2 million exposures in a decade. In fewer than two months, a smaller commissioning camera will start collecting the first light. The main camera will start collecting images within a year, while researchers anticipate gathering scientific data in late next year or early in 2026.

The LSST is expected to find more strong gravitational lensing events, and in particular strongly lensed supernovae, than any prior survey.

Birrer is the co-chair of the LSST Strong Lensing Science Collaboration and serves on the Collaboration Council of the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration.

Birrer is also a part of the Dark Energy Survey, which was a predecessor to LSST. Researchers completed data taking a few years ago and are analyzing that information.

From mountains to the island

Born and raised in Lucerne, Switzerland, Birrer, who speaks German and the Swiss dialect, French and English, found physics and sociology appealing when he was younger.

“I was interested in how the world works,” he said.

While attending college at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, he became eager to address the numerous unknown questions in cosmology and astrology.

“How little we know about” these fields “dragged me in that direction,” said Birrer.

An avid skier, mountaineer and soccer player, Birrer bikes the five miles back and forth to work from Port Jefferson.

In addition to adding a talented scientist, Stony Brook also brought on board an effective educator.

Birrer is “knowledgeable and caring, patient and at the same time, he knows how to challenge people to achieve their best,” Treu explained. “I am sure he will be a wonderful addition to the faculty and he will play a leading role in training the next generation of scientists.”

In terms of the advice he found particularly helpful in his career, Birrer suggested he needed a nudge to combine his passion for theory with the growing trove of available data. His PhD advisor told him to “touch the data,” he said. The data keeps him humble and provides a reality check.

The friction between thought and data “leads to progress,” Birrer added. “You never know whether the thoughts are ahead of the experiments (data) or whether the experiments are ahead of the thoughts.”

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Orange Butter Sponge Cake

By Heidi Sutton

Citrus cakes are perfect for the summer and what better day to make one of the following recipes than on July 20, International Cake Day!

This Orange Butter Sponge Cake enhances every party’s dessert course with the sweet and tangy combination of citrus and bitters while this fragrant and moist Orange Juice Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest is a proven winner!

Orange Butter Sponge Cake

Recipe courtesy of Angostura Bitters

Orange Butter Sponge Cake

 

YIELD: Makes 2 cakes

INGREDIENTS: 

8 ounces butter, plus for buttering pan

2 cups cake flour, plus for flouring pan

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon Angostura orange bitters

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

powdered or extra-fine sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Sift flour three times and add baking powder and salt. Set aside.

With electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla and orange bitters.

Divide flour mixture into four portions. Set electric mixer on medium low and add flour alternately with orange juice, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until incorporated after each addition.

Divide batter evenly between cake pans and bake 35-40 minutes, or until cake pulls away from sides of pans. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes in cake pans before turning out. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Orange Juice Pound Cake

Orange Juice Pound Cake

YIELD: Makes 1 cake

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh orange juice

Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add orange zest and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice. Beat 2 more minutes. Spoon batter into pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pan onto rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

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By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

When our children were young, our first, primary and most important mission was to make sure they were safe and healthy.

We didn’t sit down at the beach because each of them had a tendency, like me I suppose, to head directly into the water. Sometimes, they weren’t on board with our efforts to protect them.

We would put them in a car seat and, almost instantly, they would arch their backs so far that it was impossible to strap them in.

Or we would try to apply sunscreen and they would wiggle away and giggle, as we dropped a glob of white cream on the floor or sprayed it into the air.

We made them hold our hands even when they didn’t want to touch us. Anyone who read last week’s column can understand why my children, in particular, might not want to hold my intolerably sweaty hand during the heat of the summer.

We also urged them to wear bike helmets, even though they weren’t cool, to wear mittens or gloves in the winter and to get enough sleep so they could function the next day at school or at their numerous basketball/baseball/softball/volleyball/music practices over the weekend or in the evening after a long day of listening to adults talk at them.

One day, after a particularly exciting and challenging basketball game for our son, one of his friends asked if he could bring him to a movie with his family.

“Uh, I guess so,” I shrugged, as I counted the basketballs I shoved into a mesh bag to make sure I had exactly the number the league had given me. “What movie?”

“Hunger Games,” my son’s friend said.

I looked at my wife. I’d heard that the movie was particularly violent and knew that our son, who was under nine, might struggle to make it through a PG-13 movie, particularly one that involved violence among children.

“Are you sure you want to go?” I whispered to our son, hoping that I could encourage him to do something else that evening that might not cost him and, perhaps, us some sleep.

“Daaaaddd,” he said, giving me the can’t-you-be-a-fun-dad-just-this-once look.

My wife and I locked eyes, trying to figure out if either of us should step in and suggest that we’d rather he didn’t go.

We rolled the dice, holding our breath as he jogged away from us across the gym.

We considered taking a nap before he came home, just to prepare ourselves for a restless night.

When he finally returned, he had a broad grin on his face.

“You gotta see the movie, it’s amazing,” he said.

We weren’t sure whether he was just being tough in front of his friend or if he really liked it. Each of the next eight times we asked, he never changed his answer or wavered.

That night, all of us slept well.

Fast forward to today. Our kids are watching and streaming whatever appeals to them. Somehow, one of them asked if we had seen the series “Black Mirror,” suggesting it was a modern version of “The Twilight Zone.”

The first episode, with Salma Hayek, was clever and amusing at the same time. Playing herself, Hayek was particularly funny. Psychologically, it was what we thought and expected.

Then, we watched a few more episodes that became darker and more unnerving. Both of us lost some sleep after watching scenes that exceeded our gore threshold.

We started a text chain with our children, letting them know that we liked the first one and then felt as if the program did a bait-and-switch on us, taking us in a different direction from the psychological into the painful and gory.

They instantly offered their thoughts on different episodes and what they advised was appropriate for mom and dad to watch.

Our kids sent messages like “this one is not scary” and “I think it’s safe to watch.”

At least as far as some TV programs, we’ve come full circle. We are no longer trying to offer them parental guidance, at least where movies are concerned. Maybe they can help establish a new film rating system for sensitive parents.

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Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

In some ways, the 2020s appear to be similar to the 1920s. We humans like to look for historical parallels, I think, in hopes of using the past to predict the future, futile as that might be. Call them coincidences between the two centuries, if you will, but let’s look at them and judge if history is repeating itself.

The most obvious is the raging coronavirus pandemic of this century and its resemblance to the Spanish Flu that began in 1918 and lasted into the early 1920s.The flu killed some 50 million people worldwide, with 675,000 being Americans. Covid killed 6.5 million, including 1.1 million in the United States. 

And although no plans existed for coping with a pandemic in 1918, individual cities did implement  school closings, banned public gatherings, issued quarantines and encouraged social isolation. Public health and medical advances have made huge strides, which account for the global change, although the world population has quadrupled in the last 100 years.

We can compare cultural shifts, too. Liberal views toward equality of women and minorities, drug use and sexuality blossomed then, as well as backlashes to these ideas, setting us up for issues that have followed. Marijuana became popular in what was termed “The Jazz Age,” especially among musicians and those in show business. These themes, along with their inherent tensions, are prominently with us today, even if we consider that we have made significant progress in some ways. 

Geographically, more of the population began to live in cities than on farms then, and that holds true for our cities and suburbs now. But the divide today is not so much physical as generational. Social media and video games are the provenance of the young, while older Americans still read, watch TV and film.

The stock market and the financial world are strikingly similar while a century apart. Stocks are roaring today, much as they did in the Roaring Twenties. America’s wealth more than doubled in the decade of the 1920s. But it was a time of immense economic prosperity for upper-class white American men. Most Americans, with minimal wages, only experienced income inequality. It was also a time of the one percent owning a widely disproportionate share of that wealth, some 23.9 percent. 

Sound familiar? And because the wages of the working class were not brought along with that of the wealthy, as consumers, they could not keep up their vital role. Consumers are responsible for as much as 70 percent of the economy. Depression followed. Again, today the top one percent own some 26 percent, and again income inequality is rampant.  

Then there was Prohibition. In 1920, the 18th Amendment banned the making and selling of alcohol. But alcohol didn’t simply go away. It went underground, making petty gangs who transported and sold liquor into powerful forces in the country. Fast forward 100 years and we have drug lords with the same sort of influence over society as a result of similar incredible profits. The legalization of pot is clearly an attempt to learn from the century-old Temperance Movement. The turnaround in policy toward cannabis has provided a big economic boon, as the product has made its way into fiber, food and medicine.

Technology in the 1920s was dramatic and had a profound effect on people’s lives. Fridges, vacuums, telephones, radios, electricity and automobiles changed daily living. Again, major technological innovations, coming along at an exponentially faster pace, are transforming lives today. Consider internet expansion, 5G connectivity, 3D printing and artificial intelligence among most recent debuts. A few people are amassing unprecedented wealth with these marvels. Here we go again with an ever-increasing wealth gap. Plus, both centuries saw workers worried for their job, first with industrialization and now with knowledge. Advancing technology provides miracles and threats. It is also a crucible for social unrest in both centuries.

And then there is transportation. Lindbergh crossed the ocean in 1927. We are on course to fly to Mars in 10 years. Both centuries’ 20s hosted marvels. But the 1920s set the stage for WWII. 

Are we learning from history?

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Esme
Esme

This week’s shelter pet is Esme, a beautiful domestic short-haired, ten-month-old girl who adorns a stunning gray tuxedo coat. This sweet baby girl had thought she found a forever home months back, only to be returned due to an unexpected change in her family’s living situation. Despite this gut wrenching turn of events, Esme and the team at the shelter are hopeful that her chance at being a cherished forever family member will arrive before her first birthday.

At first she may seem a little shy or reserved when making Esme’s acquaintance.  However, with a little time and patience Esme will warm up to new faces with endless affection and purrs. This exquisite young lady is simply irresistible to any kitten-loving human and would bring a lifetime of joy and memories to one lucky family. Caretakers believe that Esme would be best suited in a home with older children, possibly cats and dogs.
If you are interested in meeting Esme, please fill out an application to schedule time to properly interact with your prospective soul mate in a domestic settingThe Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are 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.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.

For more information regarding animals available for adoption visit:. TownofSmithtownAnimalShelter.com 

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We look forward to it all year. Your kids can’t wait to be free from school and you can’t wait to sip a cool drink by the pool.

But, the sun is a powerful entity. While it is clinically proven to lift your mood and regulate your circadian rhythm, the sun is chiefly responsible for one-in-five Americans developing skin cancer by the time they are 70 — and just five sunburns can double your chances of melanoma.

So, what can we do to continue enjoying the warmth of summer, while also remaining protected? First, let’s break down the forms of skin cancer most caused by sun overexposure.

Melanoma: The most dangerous of skin cancers, it can present itself anywhere on the body. If you are seeing large brown spots with dark speckles, moles that change in color, size or feel, moles with irregular borders and portions that appear black or blue, itching and burning or dark spots on your palms, soles, fingertips or toes, you should seek out a medical professional.

Basal-cell carcinoma: The most common type of skin cancer, usually found on areas of the body most exposed to the sun. This form typically grows slowly and rarely spreads (metastasizes). However, if left untreated, it can invade nearby tissues and cause disfigurement. It often appears as a flesh-colored, scar-like or pearl-like bump and is often shiny or waxy. The edges of the lesion are typically smooth and may have a rolled border. It bleeds easily when scratched. 

Squamous-cell carcinoma: This form presents slightly differently from melanoma and basal-cell carcinoma. Squamous-cell carcinoma occurs on sun-exposed areas as a firm, red nodule or a flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface.

Merkel-cell carcinoma: This type presents as a painless, firm bump or nodule on the skin that grows fast as a red, scaly or ulcerated area on the skin and/or a new mole that changes in size, color or shape.

Sebaceous gland carcinoma: This is a very rare but aggressive form of skin cancer that begins in the body’s oil-producing, sebaceous gland. It can often be mistaken for pink eye, as it usually starts on the eyelid, and can cause growths to ooze fluid. The cancer can also develop in hairy areas of the body due to the fact that sebum is released by the hair follicle.

Luckily, there are many ways to avoid the risks of the beating sun. Here are some tips to stay safe this year. According to Harvard Health Publishing, at Harvard Medical School:

1. Always wear sunscreen, applying it at least every two hours but do not rely on it alone. Seek shade often and whenever available. SPF 30 and up is recommended, with SPF 30 protecting against 97% of ultraviolet B rays.

2. Wear sun-protective clothing, preferably made of polyester, nylon, wool and silk, to block the UV rays.

3. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest.

4. Be aware that some medicines and skin care products can increase your skin’s risk of UV damage. These include certain antibiotics, as well as some prescription medicines that are used to treat mental health disorders, high blood pressure, heart failure, acne and allergies. If you are taking prescription medication, and you normally spend a great deal of time outdoors, ask your health care professional whether you should take any special precautions to avoid sun exposure.

5. Early detection is key, with survival rates up to 99%, when caught. If something seems abnormal, have it checked ASAP. 

Now that you are armed with all this information, get out in the sun and have a safe but great summer.

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By Shannon L. Malone, Esq.

Shannon L. Malone, Esq.
Vehicle maintenance and safety Inspection

Kicking off a summer road trip? Remember, it all starts before you hit the gas. Ensuring your vehicle is in peak condition isn’t just smart; it’s the law. From tire pressure to oil levels, brakes to lights, and that ever-essential air conditioning system—every detail matters. States have their own safety requirements and ignoring them can lead to fines. So, whether you’re leaving from Setauket, NY, or anywhere else, make sure your vehicle meets the legal standards to keep your trip running smoothly.

Emergency kit essentials

Emergencies are the uninvited guests of road trips. A well-stocked emergency kit isn’t just good planning; it’s also about staying legal. Your kit should include basics like a first-aid kit, flashlight, spare tire, and jumper cables. But don’t stop there—some places require reflective triangles, fire extinguishers, and even blankets. Knowing what’s legally required where you’re headed can keep you safe and compliant.

Interstate driving regulations

Think traffic laws are the same everywhere? Think again. Each state has its quirks—different speed limits, seat belt rules, and cell phone use regulations. What’s allowed in one state might get you a ticket in the next. To avoid surprises, arm yourself with the knowledge of the rules of every state you’ll pass through. This isn’t just about power; it’s about taking control of your journey and ensuring a hassle-free trip.

DUI prevention and legal consequences

Driving under the influence: a surefire way to ruin your road trip. While blood alcohol content (BAC) limits vary slightly from state to state, the zero-tolerance message is clear. DUI penalties can be severe, from hefty fines to jail time, and can haunt you long after the trip ends. 

In New York, the legal threshold is .08% alcohol content in your blood, and it is the same in most states. The blood alcohol content is the percentage of alcohol in your bloodstream, measured by blowing into a breath machine or by blood taken by the police. 

However, at Glynn Mercep and Purcell LLP, we emphasize the importance of planning with sobriety in mind. It’s not just about staying out of legal trouble; it’s about keeping everyone safe.

It is crucial to bear in mind that while the recreational use of marijuana is permitted in New York, the legality of marijuana may vary in the states through which you travel en route to your destination or in the state of your ultimate visitation. Engaging in the possession or use of marijuana in non-compliant states could result in the need to retain an out-of-state lawyer and potentially necessitate your presence for subsequent court proceedings, which may entail multiple appearances.

Safe and legal rest stop usage

Rest stops are essential for a comfortable journey, but they come with their own set of rules. Stick to parking regulations to avoid fines and protect your vehicle from theft. Pay attention to posted signs and local laws—some places limit how long you can stay. Respecting these rules ensures a safe, legal break before you hit the road again.

TIP: In some states, such as New Jersey, it is illegal to pump your own gas. A gas station attendant must assist you with refueling.

Driving in summer weather hazards

Summer road trips can bring weather surprises. From heatwaves to sudden storms, staying safe means knowing the legal requirements for your vehicle in different conditions. Some states require headlights in rain or specific tires for wet roads. Prepping your car for weather hazards keeps you safe and on the right side of the law. If you are not sure of a particular state’s rules in this regard, and you don’t have running lights, you should keep your headlights on all of the time.

Environmental protection and legal compliance

On your road trip, don’t just enjoy the scenery—protect it. Littering can lead to hefty fines and harm the environment. Many areas have strict environmental laws to follow. Respecting these rules preserves natural beauty and keeps you from legal trouble, especially in those states where such regulations are actually enforced.

As you plan your summer road trip, remember that preparation is key. We know the importance of safe, legal travel at Glynn Mercep and Purcell LLP in Setauket. If you need guidance or legal help, our experienced team is here to assist. Make your trip memorable for all the right reasons. 

Safe travels!

Shannon L. Malone, Esq. is an Associate Attorney at Glynn Mercep Purcell and Morrison LLP in Setauket. She graduated from Touro Law, where she wrote and served as an editor of the Touro Law Review. Ms. Malone is a proud Stony Brook University alumna.

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Physical inactivity is the greatest risk factor for women over 30

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Heart disease is still the number one cause of death in the U.S., responsible for one in five deaths (1). 

Many risk factors are obvious, but others are not. Family history, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes and smoking are among the more obvious ones. In addition, age can a role in your risk: men at least 45 years old and women at least 55 years old are at greater risk. Less obvious risks include atrial fibrillation, gout and osteoarthritis. 

In practice, we have more control than we think. You can significantly reduce your risk by making some simple lifestyle changes. How much does lifestyle really affect heart disease risk? Here’s one indicator.

In the Nurses’ Health Study, which followed 120,000 women for 20 years, those who routinely exercised, ate a quality diet, did not smoke and were a healthy weight demonstrated a whopping 84 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks (2). Inspired? Let’s take a closer look at different factors.

Does your weight really affect your heart disease risk?

Obesity is always a part of the heart disease risk discussion. How important is it, really?

Results from the Copenhagen General Population Study showed an increased heart attack risk in those who were overweight and in those who were obese – with or without metabolic syndrome, which includes a trifecta of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high sugar levels (3). “Obese” was defined as a body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m², while “overweight” included those with a BMI over 25 kg/m².

Heart attack risk increased in direct proportion to weight. heart attack risk increased 26 percent for those who were overweight and 88 percent for those who were obese without metabolic syndrome.

What does this suggest? Obesity, by itself, without blood pressure, cholesterol or sugar level issues, increases your risk. Of course, those with metabolic syndrome and obesity together were at greatest risk, but without these, your risk is still higher if you’re carrying extra pounds.

How important is physical activity to heart disease risk?

Let’s consider another lifestyle factor, activity levels. An observational study found that these had a surprisingly high impact on women’s heart disease risk (4). Of four key factors — weight, blood pressure, smoking and physical inactivity — lack of exercise was the most dominant risk factor for heart disease, including heart attacks, for those over age 30.

For women over age 70, the study found that increasing physical activity may actually have a greater positive impact on heart disease risk than addressing high blood pressure, losing weight, or even quitting smoking. The researchers noted that women should exercise on a regular basis to most significantly reduce their heart disease risk.

What effect does increasing your fiber have?

Studies show that dietary fiber decreases the risks of heart attack and death after a heart attack. In an analysis using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, results showed that higher fiber plays an important role in reducing the risk of death after a heart attack (6).

Those who consumed the most fiber had a 25 percent reduction in post-heart attack mortality when compared to those who consumed the least. Even more impressive is that those who increased their fiber intake after a cardiovascular event experienced a 31 percent mortality risk reduction.

The most intriguing part of the study was the dose response. For every 10-gram increase in fiber consumption, there was a 15 percent reduction in the risk of post-heart attack mortality. For perspective, 10 grams of fiber is just over eight ounces of raspberries or six ounces of cooked black beans or lentils.

You can substantially reduce your risk of heart attacks and even potentially the risk of death after sustaining a heart attack with simple lifestyle modifications. Managing your weight, increasing your physical activity and making some updates to your diet can lead to tremendous improvements.

How long do you suffer with osteoarthritis?

Traditional advice for those who suffer from osteoarthritis is that it is best to live with hip or knee pain as long as possible before having surgery. But when do we cross the line and consider joint replacement?

In a study, those with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee joints that caused difficulty walking on a flat surface were at substantially greater risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack (5). Those who had surgery for the affected joint saw substantially reduced heart attack risk. If you have osteoarthritis, it is important to improve your mobility, either with surgery or other treatments.

References:

(1) cdc.gov. (2) N Engl J Med. 2000;343(1):16. (3) JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(1):15-22. (4) Br J Sports Med. 2014, May 8. (5) PLoS ONE. 2014, 9: e91286 (6) BMJ. 2014;348:g2659.

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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Texas Cowboy Caviar

By Heidi Sutton

Those summer nights when a cool breeze replaces the warmth of the day have arrived. Gather your family, friends and loved ones for a backyard celebration featuring small bites and sweet treats.

If you’re looking to bring something new to bring to the table and tired of the same boring salsas and layered dips, these two variations of Cowboy Caviar may quickly become a family favorite. 

These potluck dishes can be a hit with loved ones at birthdays, holidays, graduations, reunions and more. They serve well with tortilla chips but can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Plus, they are a breeze to make and can be even simpler when prepared the night before your big event. 

Call it a salsa, a salad, an appetizer, or a vegetable side dish—Cowboy Caviar the perfect dish that will make everyone giddy up and eat!

Texas Cowboy Caviar

Recipe courtesy of Culinary.Net

Texas Cowboy Caviar

YIELD: Makes 6 cups

INGREDIENTS: 

1 can (15 ounces) sweet corn

1  can (15 ounces) black beans

1 bunch cilantro

3 Roma tomatoes

2  jalapenos

1/2 red onion

bell peppers (mix of green, red, orange and yellow, as desired)

tortilla chips, for serving

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon paprika

1 lime, juice only

salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Drain and rinse corn and black beans; dry well. Finely chop and dice cilantro, tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and bell peppers. 

To make dressing: Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, paprika and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Mix vegetables with dressing. Serve with tortilla chips.

California Cowboy Caviar

Recipe courtesy of Tara Axell Rosenthal

California Cowboy Caviar

YIELD: Makes 6 cups

INGREDIENTS: 

1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (11 ounces) shoepeg or sweet corn, drained

1 can (4 1/4 ounces) chopped black olives

3 green onions, diced

1 cucumber, diced

1 large, ripe, avocado, seeded, peeled and diced

scoop-shaped tortilla chips or lettuce cups, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Mix beans, corn, olives, green onions and cucumber. Gently fold in avocado and serve with tortilla chips or spooned into lettuce cups.

Variations: Use fresh corn instead of canned. Add heat with minced chiles like serranos or jalapenos.

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