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By Matthew Kearns, DVM

Dr. Matthew Kearns

The first week of May is National Pet Week and it reminds us to spend a little more time with our pets. While my sister, Jenevieve, was spending time with her cats and talking to me on the phone she used the word “zoomies.” It was the first time I heard the word and she was describing a brief burst of energy. Her cat, Saulie, was running around the room chasing who knows what. My sister was very amused. 

Turns out that zoomies are not only fun to watch, but also could be good for our pet’s health. A study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that just 75 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or 11 minutes per day can help all sorts of medical conditions in humans including depression, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. The same is true for our pets.

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Pet obesity in America is a problem. It is estimated that 35-50% of pets are considered obese. Obesity has been linked to arthritis, respiratory issues, diabetes and other diseases. Exercise reduces weight, increases ranges of motion, and improves pet mental health acting as a bonding experience. In one study, exercising your dog 30 minutes per day has been shown to decrease compulsive disorders such as tail chasing, excessive licking, and spinning behavior. This reveals exercise addresses both physical and mental health of pets to not only extend their quantity of lives, but also improve their quality of life.

Exercise can be a variety of walks, runs, playing with other dogs, or chasing a ball or toy. 

Keep in mind that some precautions should be taken. Remember dogs have a permanent winter coat on and regulate their body temperature by panting. The coat and obesity increase the risk of heat stroke. Certain breeds called the brachycephalic breeds (a smooshed in face) can naturally have difficulty breathing and regulating body temperature. 

First do not try to lose the weight all in one day. Consider a short, brisk walk around the block, rather than a five-mile run and slowly increase the duration of your walk. Throwing a ball in the backyard involves a lot of changing direction and rapid rise in body temperature. This could possibly lead to orthopedic injuries or heat stroke. Start by throwing for a shorter period of time and consider shorter exercise times more often staggered throughout the day. 

Cats instinctively stalk and “kill” their toys so feathers on a string or stuffed toys one can drag around are great exercise (especially for indoor only cats). 

Let’s all enjoy National Pet Week by exercising with our pets and zoom, zoom, ZOOM all around!!! 

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

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Ashley Brooke and Bel Powley in a scene from 'A Small Light'. Photo from NatGeo

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

‘But even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can, within their own small ways, turn on a small light in a dark room.’ — Miep Gies

No figure is more iconic than Anne Frank. Whether seen as an ordinary girl in extraordinary times, or a remarkable individual robbed of her potential, her short life and terrible death epitomize the darkest era of the twentieth century. And while her memory transcends decades, she should be remembered as a person with hopes and aspirations, feelings, and foibles. Anne Frank was not a symbol; she was a human being.

The Diary of a Young Girl—often called The Diary of Anne Frank—appeared in its original Dutch in 1947. The first English translation, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, was published in 1952. 

Bel Powley shines in her role as Miep Gies in A Small Light. Photo courtesy of Nat Geo

The diary was given to Anne as a thirteenth birthday present on June 12, 1942. She chronicled her life in this book and two school exercise books. On March 29, 1944, she listened to a London radio broadcast by the exiled Dutch Minister for Education calling for the preservation of “ordinary documents … simple everyday material” as a testimony to the plight of Dutch civilians under the Nazi regime. She began revising the entries with this in mind. Her final entry was on August 1, 1944, three days before her arrest and deportation. Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl, two of the brave people who helped hide the Frank family, saved the loose pages of the manuscript. After the war, they gave the papers to the only surviving occupant of the attic, Anne’s father, Otto.

A stage adaptation premiered on Broadway on October 5, 1955. Adapted by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett (supposedly handpicked by playwright Lillian Hellman), the well-received production emphasized the hopeful aspects, highlighting (but perhaps ignoring true context) the signature quote: “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.” 

In 1959, this version was brought to the screen in the equally lauded version. It was not until 1997, when Wendy Kesselman revised and re-envisioned the play, there was an Anne Frank properly representing the true darkness and struggle, divesting itself from the earlier incarnation’s occasional saccharine. The BBC produced a television film in 2019 with an entirely new script.

Of the cinematic incarnations, the most powerful is Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001). Due to a conflict between the producers and the Anne Frank Foundation, the creators were denied access to quote Anne Frank’s writings. Instead, according to producer David Kappes (in a private interview), the ninety-year-old Miep Gies was used as a primary source to tell Frank’s history. (Gies passed away in January 2010 at 100.) This account takes Anne beyond the annex, following her through deportation to the Westerbork transit camp, transport to Auschwitz, and finally, her death in Bergen-Belsen.

Gies told her story in the memoir Anne Frank Remembered: The Story of the Woman Who Helped to Hide the Frank Family (1987). Subsequently, she was featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary Anne Frank Remembered (1995). 

[The following is based on a viewing of the first two episodes of A Small Light.] 

Now, National Geographic has produced A Small Light, an eight part miniseries streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. This begs whether there is a need for another screen version of the story. If it is A Small Light, the answer is a resounding “yes.” 

Masterfully directed by Susanna Fogel (from a screenplay by Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, William Harper, and Ben Esler), A Small Light takes Miep Gies from the sidelines. It presents her center in a wholly realized and beautifully dimensional account. The series is an inversion of previous Anne Frank stories. Rather than the claustrophobic fear of being surrounded by the horrors of the outside, this is the terror of living day-to-day in a world with danger at every corner and every turn.

Episode one opens in 1942. Miep Gies (Bel Powley) bicycles with a frightened Margot Frank (Ashley Brooke) through the streets of an idyllic Amsterdam festooned with Nazi banners interspersed with “Resist” graffiti. Miep is attempting to get Margot through a Nazi checkpoint. The scene is taut, tense, and done in quick, sharp cuts.

Before they reach the front of the line, the action shifts back to 1933. After a night of drinking, Miep joins her large, adopted family for lunch, having slept until 2 p.m. Her frustrated parents suggest that if she cannot find a job, she marry her adopted brother (who, unbeknownst to his parents, is gay). Miep lives a leisurely, almost bucolic life. 

After an awkward interview, Otto Frank (Liev Shreiber) engages the unskilled Miep as a secretary. Brash and temperamental, she still learns the business and begins to find her place in the organization. Life goes along with Miep meeting her eventual husband, the shy Jan (Joe Cole), in a bar. 

On May 10, 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands. Within five days, they had taken over the country. Laws change, and the harsh Nazi abuse transforms into greater crimes. (It is not until the middle of episode two that we see the brutality of the round-ups.) The infamous yellow star appears on clothing. 

Eventually, Otto shares the plan of taking his family, along with his employee Hermann Van Pels’ family, into hiding and asks for Miep’s help, to which she immediately agrees. However, Otto changes the moving date when his older daughter Margot receives deportation papers. The first episode returns to the opening scene as Miep gets Margot through the checkpoint and into the annex, the first glimpse of the hiding place.

The second episode shows the earliest days of the new life. On the inside, attitudes are already fraying as the Franks attempt to adapt. Miep must deal with the already frustrated and often frustrating individuals living like prisoners. She also faces the challenges of keeping the secret as well as finding food, ration books, etc. Husband Jan aids Miep but also begins his own journey to help the persecuted. This episode ends with the dentist, Fritz Pfeffer (Noah Taylor), completing the members of the attic.

The cast is uniformly exceptional. Liev Schreiber makes for a slightly mercurial but effective and compassionate Otto. Amira Casar’s Edith Frank is a stronger, more demanding Edith. Billie Boullet is an exceptional Anne, shining and passionate but grounded in reality. Ashley Brooke hits the right gentle notes as the reserved Margot. Joe Cole grows Jan throughout, going from reticence to strength with a charm that comes through.

But the center is Bel Powley’s exceptional Miep. She grows from the lackadaisical party girl and reluctant employee to a ferocious, committed portrait of real courage. Whether flirting with a butcher to get a better chicken or resigned to revealing the true situation outside the attic walls, her reality and depth are flawless.

From an educational standpoint, the series is invaluable. The current curriculum rightfully deals with turning bystanders into upstanders and changing the bullying narrative. Miep Gies reminds us never to stand by; as individuals, we must choose to make a difference. We must do more and must do better. For that alone, her story is beyond important. The fact that A Small Light is art presented with raw integrity elevates the message to a higher level.

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ARIAS AND DUETS St. Paul’s United Methodist Church hosts a night of opera on May 12. Photo courtesy of Opera Night Long Island
Thursday May 11

Lunch & Learn

Huntington Historical Society continues its Lunch & Learn series with a presentation by Bill Bleyer titled The True Story of the Culper Spy Ring at Matteo’s Restaurant, 300 Jericho Turnpike, Huntington from noon to 2 p.m. $55, $50 members includes a gourmet three-course meal, dessert and house wine. To register, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org or call 631-427-7045.

Friday May 12

An Evening of Opera

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 270 Main St., Northport hosts a concert by Opera Night Long Island at 7:30 p.m. featuring opera, operetta, art songs and musical theater excerpts by ten artists including Puccini’s “La Boheme” and Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Refreshments will follow. $10 donation at the door. For more information, call 631-261-8808 or visit www.operanight.org.

Saturday May 13

Birdwatch-Architecture Tours

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will offer an early morning Birdwatch and Architecture Tour with the Vanderbilt’s director of curatorial affairs at 8 a.m. Participants will enjoy the unique opportunity to view the Vanderbilt estate in the early dawn hours, when the grounds are still closed but the birds are active. Sturdy hiking footwear is strongly suggested. Participants are asked to bring their own binoculars. Tickets are $12 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Greenway Trail Clean Up

In conjunction with the Town of Brookhaven’s 2022 Great Annual Clean Up, the Three Village Community Trust hosts a cleanup of the Setauket and Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail at 9 a.m. Meet up with Friends of the Greenway volunteers at trailhead at Hallock Ave. and Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station. For more info, email [email protected].

Pottery and Craft Show

The Brick Clay Studio & Gallery, 2 Flowerfield, Suites 57 & 60, St. James will hold a Spring Outdoor Pottery and Craft Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring one of a kind hand-made pottery, artwork, crafts and live music. Proceeds from bowl and raffle sales will be donated to World Central Kitchen/Ukraine. The  Gallery Shop will also be open. Admission is free. Visit www.thebrickstudio.org or call 833-THE-BRICK for more info.

Spring Craft Fair

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Northport High School, 154 Laurel Hill Road Northport hosts an outdoor Spring Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with over 125 artisans featuring one of kind creations and designs including original art, photography, jewelry, crafted candles and natural soaps, artisanal foods, textiles and select gift items with live music and refreshments. fFree admission. Event will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather. For more info, call 631-846-1459.

Saturdays Poetry Reading

All Souls Church in Stony Brook presents a virtual Second Saturdays Poetry Reading via Zoom from 11 a.m. to noon. Hosted by Suffolk County Poet Laureate Richard Bronson, the featured poet will be Weslea Sidon. An open-reading will follow; all are welcome to read one of their own poems.  For more information, please call 631-655-7798.  Participants can access the program through the All Souls website https://www.allsouls-stonybrook.org/

Mother’s Day Painting Workshop

The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite #6 & 9, St. James will hold a Mother’s Day Silk Painting workshop with artist Genevieve Jezick from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn how to paint silk and create a beautiful piece to give as a gift or keep for yourself. $75 per person. To register, call 631-250-9009 or visit theatelieratflowerfield.org.

Beyond the Boat Walking Tour – this event has been canceled 

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St. Cold Spring Harbor hosts a Beyond the Boat Walking Tour at noon and again at 2 p.m. Join them to celebrate and explore the women and mothers of Cold Spring Harbor’s Historic Main Street. Hear about what life was like in a 19th-Century coastal village when many of the men were out at sea. Discover the struggles these women faced, along with the challenges historians have when reconstructing their stories. Tour includes a stop at the Old Methodist Church on Main Street for a brief complimentary talk by Preservation Long Island. $15 participant; $10 museum members. To register, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.

Spring Farm Festival

Smithtown Historical Society, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown presents a Spring Farm Festival from noon to 4 p.m. with children’s games and crafts, pony rides, petting zoo, sheep shearing, food trucks, local vendors and more! $5 per person. Call 631-265-6768 for more information.

Old Burying Ground Tour

Join the Huntington Historical Society for a tour of Huntington’s earliest public burying ground, established soon after the Town’s 1653 founding, at 4 p.m. You’ll view stunning folk art and beautiful epitaphs while listening to stories of Huntington’s residents and rich history. All tours begin at The Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main Street Huntington. $15 per person, $10 members, $5 children. To register, call 631-427-7045.

Grounds and Sounds Concert

Grounds and Sounds Cafe at the Universalist Unitarian Fellowship, 380 Nicolls Road, East Setauket welcomes Toby Tobias and his ensemble in concert at 8:45 p.m. Toby and his band play modern folk and jazz, influenced by funk and world rhythms. The fantastic arrangements and joyful, exhilarating sounds of the band inspire and entertain. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for an Open Mic session. Tickets are $15 per person, available in advance at www.groundsandsounds.org and at the door. Light refreshments for sale. For further information, call 631-751-0297.

A Night of Comedy

The Comedy Club @ Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson returns with another outrageous night of stand-up comedy on the Second Stage at 8 p.m.  Come early and enjoy a glass of local wine or beer from the bar’s extensive selection. Then sit back, relax and enjoy an evening of non-stop hilarious fun with comedians Matt Burke, Jim Dailakis plus a surprise guest. Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Sunday May 14

Mother’s Day at the LIM

Celebrate mom with a visit to the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook today from noon to 5 p.m. with free admission  for all mothers and grandmothers. Spend the afternoon exploring the museum’s beautiful 9-acre campus featuring a world-renowned Carriage Museum, Art Museum, historic buildings, vibrant herb garden, one-room schoolhouse and outdoor art installations. For more information, call 631-751-0066 or visit www.longislandmuseum.org.

Monday May 15

TVHS lecture

Three Village Historical Society continues its lecture series at the Setauket Neighborhood House at 7 p.m. with a presentation titled Smallpox in Washington’s Army: Disease, War and Society during the Revolutionary War. Guest speaker SUNY Empire State College Professor Dr. Ann Becker will discuss the impact of this dreaded disease on both armies as well as the civilian population in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War. Suggested donation/free for members. To register, visit www.tvhs.org. For more information, call 631-751-3730.

Tuesday May 16

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a screening of the documentary A Walk Up Broadway with David Hartman and Historian Barry Lewis at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 631-928-3737 for more information.

An evening of Swing Dance

Swing Dance Long Island, a non-profit social dance club, holds weekly dances every Tuesday evening at the  Huntington Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Rd. Greenlawn with beginner swing lessons at 7:30 p.m. and dancing from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Singles and beginners are welcome.  No partner necessary. Admission is $15 on DJ night,  $20 on band night on the third Tuesday of the month. Call 516-521-1410.

Wednesday May 17

TVHS Awards Dinner

Old Field Club, 86 West Meadow Road Setauket hosts the Three Village Historical Society’s 43rd Awards Dinner and Celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. with entertainment by the Suffolk Trio. Each year the Three Village Historical Society Board of Trustees and Award Committee awards local businesses, residents, homeowners, Society members and youth who have made significant contributions in helping with Preserving our Shared Heritage within the Three Village area. Tickets are $75 per person, $65 members. To order, visit www.tvhs.org or call 631-751-3730.

Thursday May 18

Atelier lecture

Join the Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite 15, St. James for a free “Seascape Plein Air” lecture and demonstration by artist Kirk Larsen from 2 to 4 p.m. Larsen, whose exhibition “WOW! You’ve Gotta See This” is currently on view at Atelier Hall, will demonstrate his “en plein air” technique. For more information, call 631-250-9009 or visit www.theatelieratflowerfield.org/lectures.

Walking Tour and Pub Crawl

The Huntington Historical Society presents a Walking Tour and Pub Crawl at 6:30 p.m. Led by Town of Huntington Historian, Robert C. Hughes, these walking tours will guide you through the notable buildings and events in the history of Huntington Village. Along the way participants will stop at local establishments, (with a great history or in a historic building) to enjoy some refreshment before continuing the tour. The tour will begin at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Building, located at 228 Main Street in Huntington Village. $25 per person, $20 members. Call 631-427-7045  to reserve your space. 

Vanderbilt Museum lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its lecture series with a presentation titled Coastal Playland: Developing the Sound with Kara Murphy Schlichting  at 7 p.m. in the Planetarium. Schlichting’s lecture will draw heavily from her 2019 book New York Recentered: Building the Metropolis from the Shore focusing not on Robert Moses and grand scheme planning but on the lesser-known local businesses, developers, and government officials whose efforts profoundly shaped coastal communities throughout the metropolitan region. Tickets are $10, members free, at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Theater

Summer Shakespeare Festival

The Carriage House Players kick off the 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) on May 12, 13 and 26 at 8 p.m. and May 14 and 21 at 7 p.m. Three Shakespeare enthusiasts attempt to do the impossible: Act their way through all of The Bard’s 37 plays in one night. They comedically stumble their way through in a hilarious race against the clock, and what they don’t remember, they simply make up on the spot! Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘Cabaret’

Star Playhouse, Stage 74 at Suffolk Y JCC, 74 Hauppauge Road, Commack, presents Cabaret on May 13 and 20 at 8 p.m. and May 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. Daring, provocative and exuberantly entertaining, Cabaret explores the dark and heady life of Bohemian Berlin as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Tickets are $32, $25 seniors and students. Call 631-462-9800 x-136 or visit www.starplayhouse.com to order.

‘The Sound of Music’

Up next for the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is The Sound of Music from May 18 to July 2. The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Something Rotten!’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage productions with Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24.  Living in the shadow of Renaissance rock star The Bard, two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being to thine own self be true—and all that jazz! Contains adult humor and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Class Reunions

•Ward Melville High School Class of 1973 will hold its 50th reunion at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket on Sept. 9, 2023 from 6 to 11 p.m. For ticket information, contact Tibo Dioguardi at [email protected]

•Save the date! Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17, 2024. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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A scene from 'Peter Pan and Wendy' Photo from Disney +

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Peter Pan traces his roots back to 1902. Created by Scottish author J.M. Barrie, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up first appeared in The Little White Bird before being placed center stage in Barrie’s play, Peter Pan (1904). In many stage incarnations, Peter was most often played by a young-looking actress, notably Maud Adams, Mary Martin (the 1954 Broadway musical broadcast on television), Sandy Duncan, and Kathy Rigby. 

Alexander Molony as Peter Pan. Photo from Disney +

There are dozens of cinematic adaptations, both animated and live-action. The story has been revisited and reinvented from the 1924 silent film, spanning Disney’s memorable (and, for many, definitive) 1953 cartoon, to Robin William’s grown Peter in Hook (1991). Captain Hooks have included Boris Karloff, Hans Conried, Jason Isaacs, Stanley Tucci, and Dustin Hoffman.

Now, Peter Pan and Wendy arrives on Disney+. Based on the Barrie source and Disney’s animated feature, the film’s first half covers no new ground, with the opening scene remain predictably problematic. The standard exposition remains the same, showing the Darlings in the early nineteenth-century nursery. The children play pirates, resist bedtime, the mother sings a lullaby, etc. The new piece is Wendy, the eldest child, being sent away to boarding school, something in which she has no interest. Wendy is frustrated by life’s changes, and she makes the wish never to grow up. A vague nod towards the theme of time threads through the opening and carries lightly throughout. 

Ever Anderson as Wendy in a scene from ‘Peter Pan and Wendy’. Photo courtesy of Disney +

The first half of the film feels like a musical without the songs. Each section builds but never quite reaches a climax before shifting to the next moment. Because it offers little original to the well-trod story, the action treads water. However, director David Lowery (who has penned the screenplay with Toby Halbrooks) accelerates the plot by having the pirate’s capture of the children moved to their arrival in Neverland. This allows for a slightly more original second half with a new point of view. 

The emphasis in Peter Pan and Wendy is a message of female empowerment, with the most self-actualized Wendy to date. Here, the protagonist works with a misunderstood Tinker Bell and a re-envisioned Princess Tiger Lily. This Peter Pan is truly the story of Wendy Darling, and where it places this focus, it soars. In addition, there are as many girls as boys in Peter’s tribe, and even a few female pirates. The creators present an overall welcome diversity that feels in no way forced and celebrates both the freedom of fantasy and the changing times.

Jude Law as Captain Hook. Photo from Disney +

Also introduced is a revised history of Peter and Captain Hook. Revealed is the friendship between the young Hook—James—and Peter. James left Neverland to search for his mother, creating a schism between them. Hook failed to reconnect with his parent and was rescued and recruited by the pirates, quickly ascending to captainship. The narrative is a bit convoluted, but once clarified, it provides a certain understanding between the enemies and an almost cathartic resolution.

Alexander Molony is a subdued Peter Pan, stronger in the quiet moments but hesitant in the more bombastic. Perhaps, Lowery chose this approach to highlight Wendy’s independence and maturation. Ever Anderson’s Wendy starts hesitantly but builds in power, stature, and depth in the character’s arc. Anderson easily avoids precociousness, offering a likable, humorous, and resourceful center.

Jude Law presents a less flamboyant Captain Hook but cleverly mines the subtlety. His Hook is smoothly wicked yet introspective, genuinely bloodthirsty, and wholly believable, finally owning the character in his unique approach. The underlying sadness enriches his Hook/James. Barely recognizable, Jim Gaffigan eschews the expectation of an over-the-top Smee and leans towards charmingly underplaying. Alyssa Wapanatâhk and Yara Shahidi do their best with the underwritten Tiger Lily and Tinker Bell, with Shahidi’s final interaction with Wendy strongly resonating.

Jim Gaffigan as See. Photo from Disney +

The almost traditional screenplay has flashes of wit, but more would have been welcome. Peter Pan and Wendy is visually striking, with a darker but evocative palate provided by cinematographer Bojan Bazelli and production designer Jade Healy. The flying effects feel natural, and the sword fighting well-staged. Daniel Hart composed a score that neatly blends traditional “Disney adventure” with a hint of New Age. Cleverly, a running joke makes use of The Pirates of Penzance.

It remains to be seen where this version will land. Compared unfavorably to the popular Robin Williams — Dustin Hoffman Hook? Placed ahead of the disastrous 2014 live event (with Allison Williams and Christopher Walken)? Or left in the forgotten netherworld of the 1976 television special (with Mia Farrow and Danny Kaye)? In the meantime, a handsome, mostly engaging, but somewhat uneven Peter Pan and Wendy will fly across screens for the present.

Rated PG, the film is now streaming on Disney +.

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Bone health. METRO photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

The medical community doesn’t universally agree about the value of milk and dairy consumption for preventing osteoporosis and fractures later in life. The prevalence of osteoporosis in the U.S. is increasing as the population ages. If you are over 50, your risk for osteoporosis should be on your radar. Fifty percent of women and 25 percent of men will break a bone due to osteoporosis in their lifetimes, according to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation (1).

Hip fractures are most concerning, because they increase mortality risk dramatically. In addition, more than 50 percent of hip fracture survivors lose the ability to live independently (2).

Does dairy consumption make a difference for osteoporosis risk?

The importance of drinking milk for strong bones has been drilled into us since we were toddlers. Milk has calcium and is fortified with vitamin D, so milk could only be helpful, right? Not necessarily.

The data is mixed, but studies indicate that milk may not be as beneficial as we have been led to believe. Even worse, it may be harmful. The operative word here is “may.”

The results of a large, observational study involving men and women in Sweden showed that milk may actually be harmful (3). When comparing those who consumed three or more cups of milk daily to those who consumed less than one, there was a 93 percent increased risk of mortality in women between the ages of 39 and 74. There was also an indication of increased mortality based on dosage.

For every one glass of milk consumed there was a 15 percent increased risk of death in these women. There was a much smaller, but significant, three percent per glass increased risk of death in men. For both men and women, biomarkers that indicate higher levels of oxidative stress and inflammation were found in the urine.

This 20-year study was eye-opening. We cannot make any decisive conclusions, only associations, since it’s not a randomized controlled trial. It does get you thinking, though. The researchers surmise that milk has high levels of D-galactose, a simple sugar that may increase inflammation and ultimately contribute to this potentially negative effect.

Ironically, the USDA recommends that, from 9 years of age through adulthood, we consume about three cups of dairy per day (4).

Previous studies show milk may not be beneficial for preventing osteoporotic fractures. Specifically, in a meta-analysis that used data from the Nurses’ Health Study for women and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for men, neither men nor women saw any benefit from milk consumption in preventing hip fractures (5).

In a 2020 meta-analysis of an array of past studies, researchers concluded that increased consumption of milk and other dairy products did not lower osteoporosis and hip fracture risks (6).

Does calcium supplementation reduce risk?

We know calcium is a required element for strong bones, but do supplements really prevent osteoporosis and subsequent fractures? Again, the data are mixed, but supplements may not be the answer for those who are not deficient.

In a meta-analysis involving a group of observational studies, there was no statistically significant improvement in hip fracture risk in those men or women ingesting at least 300 mg of calcium from supplements and/or food daily (7).

The researchers did not differentiate the types of foods containing calcium. In a group of randomized controlled trials analyzed in the same study, those taking 800 to 1,600 mg of calcium supplements per day also saw no increased benefit in reducing nonvertebral fractures. In fact, in four clinical trials the researchers actually saw an increase in hip fractures among those who took calcium supplements. A weakness of this large study is that vitamin D baseline levels, exercise and phosphate levels were not considered in the analysis.

Does supplementing vitamin D reduce risk?

Finally, though the data are not always consistent for vitamin D, when it comes to fracture prevention, it appears it may be valuable. In a meta-analysis involving 11 randomized controlled trials, vitamin D supplementation resulted in a reduction in fractures (8). When patients were given a median dose of 800 IUs (ranging from 792 to 2,000 IUs) of vitamin D daily, there was a significant 14 percent reduction in nonvertebral fractures and an even greater 30 percent reduction in hip fractures in those who were 65 years and over. However, vitamin D in lower levels showed no significant ability to reduce fracture risk.

Where does that leave us?

Our knowledge of dietary approaches is continually evolving. Milk and dairy may be an example of this. No definitive statement can be made about calcium, although even in randomized controlled trials with supplements, there seemed to be no significant benefit. However, the patients in these trials were not necessarily deficient in calcium nor vitamin D.

In order to get benefit from vitamin D supplementation to prevent fracture, older patients may need at least 800 IUs per day, which is the Institute of Medicine’s recommended amount for a population relatively similar to the one in the study.

Remember that studies, though imperfect, are better than tradition alone. Treatment and prevention approaches should be individualized, and deficiencies in vitamin D or calcium should usually be treated, of course. Please, talk to your doctor before adding or changing any supplements.

References:

(1) www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org. (2) EndocrinePractice. 2020 May;26(supp 1):1-46. (3) BMJ 2014;349:g6015. (4) health.gov. (5) JAMA Pediatr. 2014;168(1):54-60. (6) Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(10):1722-1737. (7) Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Dec;86(6):1780-1790. (8) N Engl J Med. 2012 Aug. 2;367(5):481.

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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Ruth Signorelli (center), with her 500 hour Gold Volunteer Award, with members of the RMHC NYM team. Photo from RMHC NYM

Ronald McDonald House Charities NY Metro honored more than 100 loyal RMHC New York Metro volunteers recently at its Volunteer Recognition Dinner, with awards for their selfless work on behalf of families with a sick child in the hospital. The event coincided with the close of National Volunteer Month in April.

Awards were given for individuals who had given various levels of their time and energy, divided into Gold, Silver and Bronze levels, representing thousands of hours of effort and energy.

Matt Campo, CEO, RMHC NYM, takes a selfie with volunteers and members of the RMHC NYM staff. . Photo from RMHC NYM

Ruth Signorelli, of Bayport, was the lone Gold Award recipient, having volunteered more than 500 hours of her time at the Ronald McDonald House Family Room at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.  Ruth worked multiple hours every week, delivering free snacks, beverages, and smiles from the RMHC NYM Hospitality Cart. The Family Room Recently reopened, having been forced to close to observe State Health Department guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is all about the families, that need our help and support so much,” said Ruth. “We’re just there to lend a hand or be a shoulder to cry on if they need.”

The Silver Award, given to volunteers who have donated between 250 and 499 hours of their time, was given to 10 people. Twenty-nine people received the Bronze Award, given to volunteers who have donated between 100 and 249 hours of their time to Ronald McDonald House.

“The power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, can never be underestimated. Each has the potential to turn a life around,” said Matt Campo, CEO of RMHC NYM. “The kindness, generosity, and compassion displayed by our volunteers has touched the hearts of many and have made a lasting impact.”

About Ronald McDonald House Charities NY Metro 

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) New York Metro provides free lodging, meals and emotional support to keep families seeking medical treatment for their sick children near the care they need and the families they love.

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Artificial Intelligence. Pixabay photo

By Michael E. Russell

Michael E. Russell

Two weeks ago I had the scary experience of watching 60 Minutes on CBS. The majority of the telecast pertained to A.I. (artificial intelligence). Scott Pelley of CBS interviewed Google CEO Sandar Pichai. His initial quote was that A.I. “will be as good or as evil as human nature allows.” The revolution, he continued, “is coming faster than one can imagine.”

I realize that my articles should pertain to investing, however, this 60 Minutes segment made me question where we as a society are headed.

Google and Microsoft are investing billions of dollars into A.I. using microchips built by companies such as Nvidia. What CEO Sundar has been doing since 2019 is leading both Google and its parent company Alphabet, valued at $1.3 trillion. Worldwide, Google runs 90% of internet searches and 70% of smartphones. It is presently in a race with Microsoft for A.I. dominance. 

Two months ago Microsoft unveiled its new chatbot. Google responded by releasing its own version named Bard. As the segment continued, we were introduced to Bard by Google Vice President Sissie Hsiao. The first thing that hit me was that Bard does not scroll for answers on the internet like the Google search engine does.

What is confounding is that with microchips built by companies such as Nvidia, they are more than 100 thousand times faster than the human brain. In my case, maybe 250 thousand times faster! 

Bard was asked to summarize the New Testament as a test. It accomplished this in 5 seconds. Using Latin, it took 4 seconds.  I need to sum this up. In 10 years A.I. will impact all aspects of our lives. The revolution in artificial intelligence is in the middle of a raging debate that has people on one side hoping it will save humanity, while others are predicting doom. I believe that we will be having many more conversations in the near future.

Okay folks, where is the economy today?  Well, apparently inflation is still a major factor in our everyday life. The Fed will probably increase rates for a 10th time in less than 2 years.

Having been employed by various Wall Street firms over the past 4 decades, I have learned that high priced analysts have the ability to foresee market direction no better than my grandchildren.

Looking back to May 2011, our savvy elected officials increased our debt-ceiling which led to the first ever downgrade of U.S. debt from its top triple A rating from S&P. This caused a very quick 19% decline in the S&P index.  Sound familiar?

It appears that the only time Capitol Hill tries to solve the debt ceiling impasse is when their own portfolio is affected.

This market rally has been led by chatbot affiliated companies. These stocks have added $1.4 trillion in stock market value this year. Keep in mind that just 6 companies were responsible for almost 60% of S&P gains.  These are the 6 leaders: Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platform, Salesforce and of course, Nvidia.

In the meantime, the Administration states that inflation has been reined in.  What stores are they shopping in? Here is the data release from Washington. Year over Year changes March 2022-March 2023:

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages up 8.1%

• Bread and cereal products up 10.8%

• Meat and seafood up 4.3%

• Electricity up 15.7%

When 1 pound of hot dogs rises from $3.25 to $7.50, that is not 8.1%. When Froot Loops go from $1.89 to $5.14 we are in trouble. The bureaucrats in D.C. make up numbers worse than George Santos.

On a positive note, the flowers are starting to bloom, the grass is starting to grow and we live in a special place. Of historic significance, we happen to be home to the second oldest active Episcopal Church in the United States. This year Caroline Church in Setauket will be celebrating its 300th anniversary. Congratulations.

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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MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC The Whitman String Quartet (clockwise from left, Manaka Matsumoto, Dr. Joenne Dumitrascu, Dr. Stephen Gorgone and Wei-An Hung) present a free concert at All Souls Church in Stony Brook on May 6.
Thursday May 4

SCCC Spring Concert

Suffolk County Community College’s Ammerman Department of Music, 533 College Road, Selden invites the community to a free spring concert in the Shea Theatre, Islip Arts Building at 7 p.m. featuring orchestra, guitar ensemble, Suffolk Singers and college choir. No tickets required.

Friday May 5

First Friday at the Heckscher

Celebrate First Friday at The Heckscher Museum of Art from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Explore the exhibitions including the Museum’s annual high school juried exhibition Long Island’s Best during extended viewing hours and enjoy a special performance by Huntington High School student musicians at 7 p.m. Free admission. Questions? Call 631-380-3230.

Vanderbilt Evening Birdwatch

Join the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport for an Evening Birdwatch and Architecture Tour with the Museum’s director of curatorial affairs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will enjoy the unique opportunity to view the Vanderbilt estate at dusk, when the grounds are closed but the birds are active. Bring binoculars. Walks will also be held on April 7 and 21, and May 5 and 19. Tickets are $12, free for members. To register, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

SCCC Spring Concert

Suffolk County Community College’s Ammerman Department of Music, 533 College Road, Selden invites the community to a free spring concert in the Shea Theatre of the Islip Arts Building at 7 p.m. featuring a contemporary music ensemble, jazz ensemble and symphonic band. No tickets required.

Saturday May 6

Outdoor Thrift Garage Sale

Rescheduled from April 29. Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown hosts an Outdoor Thrift Garage Sale fundraiser from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. around the double garage in the Sweetbriar parking lot. Featuring household items, bric-a-brac, antiques, collectibles and other treasures! Money goes back into the wildlife center. Call 631-979-6344.

Tree Fest in Setauket

Join the Four Harbors Audubon Society for its 2nd annual Tree Fest on the grounds of the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Educational activities, face painting, live animal presentations, native plant sale and more. Rain date is May 7.  Free. For more info, visit www.4has.org.

Tag, Bake and Plant Sale

Stony Brook Community Church, 216 Christian Ave., Stony Brook hosts a Tag, Bake and Plant Sale fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shop for gently used items and crafts from local vendors, pick up a baked item for dessert and choose a plant for your garden. Call 631-751-0574.

Spring Festival at the Hatchery 

Rescheduled from April 29. Join Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor for a Spring Festival fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy music, games, kid’s fishing, food, environmental exhibitors and live animal encounters. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. Call 516-631-692-6768 for more information.

I Love My Park Day

Drop by Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown for I Love My Park Day from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meet at Nature Museum. The project is placing wood chips on the walking trails. Bring work gloves and wear long pants and socks. Call 631-265-1054.

Civil War Encampment

Farmingville Historical Society invites the community to a Civil War Encampment at the Bald Hill School House, 507 Horseblock Road, Farmingville from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with soldiers from the 9th Virginia Infantry, Co. C; 30th Virginia Infantry Co. B; and 67th NY Co. K. See how life was during the Civil War at the one-room school house with drills and musket firing, period food demonstrations and much more. Free. Visit www.farmingvillehistoricalsociety.org.

Fiber Days at Benner’s Farm

Join Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket for Fiber Days today and May 7 from noon to 4 p.m. Watch the sheep being sheared for the summer on Saturday only and enjoy demonstrations on how to clean and card the freshly sheared fleeces, how to spin those fibers into yarn, how to knit and weave the yarn to make clothing. Walk around the farm to meet the many farm animals and take part in a Baby Animal Circle. Garden plants will be available for sale. $10 adults, $8 children and seniors. Call 631-689-8172.

Little Shelter Anniversary Party

Rescheduled from April 29. Join Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center, 33 Warner Road, Huntington in celebrating its 96th anniversary with a sweet-treat extravaganza and Garden Party at 3 p.m. Held rain or shine. Call 631-368-8770.

Whitman String Quartet in concert

All Souls Church, 61 Main St. Stony Brook continues its Saturdays at Six concert series with a performance by the Whitman String Quartet, doctoral music students and graduates from Stony Brook University, at 6 p.m. Program will include works by Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Piazzolla, and Borodin. Free. Please bring a can of food to be donated to a local food pantry. Call 631-655-7798.

Huntington Men’s Chorus concert

St. Francis of Assisi R.C. Church, 29 Clay Pitts Road Greenlawn hosts a concert by the Huntington Mens Chorus at 7 p.m. Conducted by Henry McDonagh III, the program will include a tribute to Frank Sinatra. Tickets are $18 adults, $16 seniors and students in advance at www.huntingtonmenschorus.org/$20 at the door. 

Sunday May 7

Fiber Days at Benner’s Farm

See May 6 listing.

Car Show & Swap Meet

The “Long Island Cars” Car Show & Swap Meet returns to the LICH Amphitheater at Bald Hill, 1 Ski Run Lane in Farmingville form 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hundreds of classic and collectible automobiles including street rods, muscle cars, antiques, exotics and imports will be on display along with a vendor swap meet, cars for sale, food and more. Admission is $10 per person, children under 12 years of age are free. Free parking. Call 631-567-5898 or visit www.LongIslandCars.com.

Spring Village Craft Fair

Rescheduled from April 30. Smithtown Historical Society, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown hosts a Spring Village Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with over 100 vendors featuring crafts, home décor, jewelry and more with festival food and live music. Free admission. Call 631-846-1459.

Spring Craft & Vendor Fair

The Polish American Independent Club Ladies Auxiliary will host a Spring Craft & Vendor Fair at the Polish Hall, 35 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with over 30 vendors, Polish food, raffles and more. Something for everyone. Free admission. Questions? Call 516-383-3456.

Sheep to Shawl Festival

Join the Huntington Historical Society for its annual Sheep to Shawl Festival at the Dr. Daniel Kissam House, 434 Park Ave., Huntington from noon to 4 p.m. with live sheep shearing demonstrations, carding, spinning, weaving, knitting, food, games, music and crafts. Free admission. For more information, call 631-427-7045.

Muster Day at the Arsenal

Step back in history for a day in 1775 as the Huntington Militia hosts a Muster Day at the Arsenal and Village Green, 425 Park Ave., Huntington in conjunction with the Sheep to Shawl Festival from noon to 4:30 p.m.  Featuring a Men-at-Arms drill, firing of muskets, firing of canon, and cooking over an open campfire. The Arsenal will be open for tours on a schedule through the day. Free. Questions? Call 631-223-8017.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Stony Brook University’s Wang Center, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook presents its annual Sakura Matsuri: Cherry Blossom Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Welcome spring to Long Island with the blooming of sakura (cherry blossoms), the sounds of taiko drums, Koto plays, Japanese traditional dances, martial arts demonstrations, calligraphy workshops, ikebana flower arrangement, tea workshops, manga drawing, origami paper folding, kimono dress-ups, and cosplay for all ages. Held rain or shine. Admission of $30, $20 students/seniors, $10 children ages 6 to 12 includes all film viewings, workshops, and theater presentations. For tickets, visit www.thewangcenter.org/events.

Silver Chords concert

The Silver Chords presents a free concert, The Times They Are A-Changin’, A Journey Through the Changing World of Music and Culture, at the  Bates House, 1 Bates Road, Setauket at 2 p.m. The program features  Amazing Grace, The Music of MGM, This Land Is Your Land, Sumer Is Icumen In, Louder Than Words, and many more. With fabulous gift basket raffles/handicap accessible. Call 631-235-3593 for details.

Sip & Shop For a Cause 

The Gino Macchio Foundation hosts a Sip & Shop event at the Port Jefferson Moose Lodge, 37 Crystal Brook Hollow Road, Mount Sinai from 3 to 7 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping with creative vendors, hors d’oeuvres, raffles, plus DJ & dancing. Tickets are $60 per person. Funds raised will support the foundation’s Recovery to Work Program and Oyster Project. To purchase tickets, visit www.ginomacchiofoundation.com. For more information, call 631-496-6179.

Dance Theatre of Harlem at SBU

One of the premier companies performing today, Dance Theatre of Harlem comes to Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Art’s Main Stage, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook to captivate the hearts and minds of audiences with their incredible performances at 7 p.m. Its signature company of 18 dancers performs a forward-thinking repertoire of traditional works and contemporary pieces. Tickets range from $42 to $75. To order, call 631-632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

Monday May 8

Rocky Point BOE Forum

The Sound Beach Civic Association will hold a forum for Board of Education candidates in the Rocky Point School District at the Sound Beach firehouse, 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach at 8 p.m.  Doors will open at 7 p.m. to give everyone the chance to submit questions. All are welcome. For more information, call 631-744-6952.

Tuesday May 9

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station welcomes licensed private investigator Don Longo for a presentation titled “Scam Alert: Don’t Be A Victim” at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 631-928-3737 for more information.

Civil War presentation

The Bates House, 1 Bates Road, Setauket hosts a presentation by Cliff Eastman and Rob Walker on the equipment and uniforms of the Union soldiers during the Civil War along with the history of Company H of the 119th New York, organized in the Town of Hempstead at 7 p.m. Eastman and Walker are members of Company H, 119th New York Volunteers, “Willis Company,” based out of Old Bethpage Village Restoration. $10 per person. To register, visit www.frankmelvillepark.org.

An evening of Swing Dance

Swing Dance Long Island, a non-profit social dance club, holds weekly dances every Tuesday evening at the  Huntington Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Rd. Greenlawn with beginner swing lessons at 7:30 p.m. and dancing from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Singles and beginners are welcome.  No partner necessary. Admission is $15 on DJ night,  $20 on band night on the third Tuesday of the month. Call 516-521-1410.

Miller Place BOE Forum

The Sound Beach Civic Association will hold a forum for Board of Education candidates in the Miller Place School District at the Sound Beach firehouse, 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach at 8 p.m. Doors will open at 7 p.m. to give everyone the chance to submit questions. All are welcome. For more information, call 631-744-6952.

Wednesday May 10

No events listed for this day.

Thursday May 11

Lunch & Learn

Huntington Historical Society continues its Lunch & Learn series with a presentation by Bill Bleyer titled The True Story of the Culper Spy Ring at Matteo’s Restaurant, 300 Jericho Turnpike, Huntington from noon to 2 p.m. $55, $50 members includes a gourmet three-course meal, dessert and house wine. To register, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org or call 631-427-7045.

Theater

Summer Shakespeare Festival

The Carriage House Players kick off the 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) on May 5, 12 13 and 26 at 8 p.m. and May 7, 14 and 21 at 7 p.m. Three Shakespeare enthusiasts attempt to do the impossible: Act their way through all of The Bard’s 37 plays in one night. They comedically stumble their way through in a hilarious race against the clock, and what they don’t remember, they simply make up on the spot! Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘Pride@Prejudice’

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, presents the Long Island premiere of Pride @ Prejudice from April 7 through May 6. Watch Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fall in love all over again — this time filtered through the world of the internet. Five actors play nearly two dozen roles in this hilarious and moving homage to Jane Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘The Sound of Music’

Up next for the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is The Sound of Music from May 18 to July 2. The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Something Rotten!’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage productions with Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24.  Living in the shadow of Renaissance rock star The Bard, two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being to thine own self be true—and all that jazz! Contains adult humor and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Film

‘Soul of the Ocean’

Join the Four Harbors Audubon Society for movie night screening of Soul of the Ocean at the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown on May 5 at 6:30 p.m. The film explores the complexity of ocean ecosystems and highlights the critical role biodiversity plays in maintaining a healthy ocean. Free and open to all.  Reservations required by calling 631-766-3075 or 631-360-2480, ext. 232.

‘Harry Chapin’

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will hold a special film screening of the documentary Harry Chapin: When in Doubt, Do Something which celebrates the extraordinary life and activism of LIMEHOF inductee singer songwriter Harry Chapin from Huntington Bay on May 6 at 2 p.m. Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Please bring a non-perishable food donation for Long Island Cares. The screening is free with admission to the museum. To order, visit www.LIMEHOF.org.

Class Reunions

•Save the date! Port Jefferson Class of 1964 will hold its 60th high school reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17, 2024. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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METRO photo

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Father Frank Pizzarelli

What will it take for the country to push the pause button and then reset? We are a nation that is out of control. The pandemic has only underscored how out of control we are.

We are losing hundreds of young people every day due to fentanyl, heroin and suicide. The nation has declared that we have a national heroin epidemic but what is being done to address this tragic health concern that is killing more than 100,000 lives a year?

Yes, we are making Narcan more available but what about holistic residential treatment beds? There are no beds anywhere. Yes, a few for-profit programs have emerged in the midst of this crisis but what about the working class and working poor? How do they pay for evidence-based treatment for their children?

No one wants to challenge the insurance empire that is sentencing so many of our at- risk people to death. It is scandalous that an insurance gatekeeper with no training decides whether or not your son or daughter gets treatment! So many of these gatekeepers are clueless about addiction; our silence in this regard is deafening

How many more young people have to die before we say enough? If human life is such a priority, then challenge our paralyzed leadership to work together for systematic change in the treatment of substance use disorder and mental health.

Our social welfare system in Suffolk County needs to be overhauled department by department. Instead of empowering the broken and wounded to healing and change, our system is setting people up for failure. Your tax dollars are being wasted on a system that is inept and incapable of breaking the cycle of poverty and dependence among the people they are supposed to serve.

For more than 40 years in the trenches I have seen firsthand our destructive system at work I have seen countless homeless men set up for failure because we have no real transitional housing for them. We do not have enough case managers and social workers to assist them for so many of them are mentally ill and dependent.

The state is once again using fancy rhetoric to trick us with their new initiative to keep troubled youth at home. These troubled youth are young people between the ages of 12 and 17 who already have stolen cars, assaulted people and some are even in dangerous gangs. We have few to no mental health services in our local communities to support these young people and their families.

The few programs that do exist are being forced to close; soon we will have no help and no resources for families in need.

We are blessed to have a dynamic commissioner of social services in Suffolk County in the person of Frances Pierre. She is a talented and gifted professional who is being shackled by a legislature that lack the vision and commitment to the most vulnerable and broken among us. Our commissioner needs to be free to do her job. We need to raise our voices in support of her!

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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We still have a lot to learn with diabetes, but our understanding of how to manage lifestyle modifications, specifically diet, is becoming clearer. METRO photo
Soy puts less stress on the kidneys than animal protein

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

There are many myths about managing type 2 diabetes that circulate. Fortunately, our understanding of diabetes management is continually advancing, and some older guidance deserves to be retired. Let’s review a few common myths and the research that debunks them.

Should fruit be limited or avoided?

Fruit in any form, whether whole, juiced, or dried, has been long considered taboo for diabetes patients. This is only partly true.

Yes, fruit juice and dried fruit should be avoided, because they do raise or spike glucose (sugar) levels. This includes dates, raisins, and apple juice, which are often added to “no sugar” foods to sweeten them. The same does not hold true for whole fresh or frozen fruit. Studies have demonstrated that patients with diabetes don’t experience sugar level spikes, whether they limit whole fruits or consume an abundance (1). In a different study, whole fruit was shown to actually reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (2).

In yet another study, researchers looked at the impacts of different types of whole fruits on glucose levels. They found that berries reduced glucose levels the most, but even bananas and grapes reduced these levels (3). That’s right, bananas and grapes, two fruits people associate with spiking sugar levels and increasing carbohydrate load, actually lowered these levels. The only fruit tested that seemed to have a mildly negative impact on sugars was cantaloupe.

Whole fruit is not synonymous with sugar. One of the reasons for the beneficial effect is the fruits’ flavonoids, or plant micronutrients, but another is their fiber.

Do all carbohydrates raise your sugars?

Fiber is one type of carbohydrate that has distinct benefits. We know fiber is important for reducing risk for a host of diseases and for managing their outcomes. This is also true for type 2 diabetes. 

In the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHS II, two very large prospective observational studies, plant fiber was shown to help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (4). Researchers looked at lignans, a type of plant fiber, specifically examining the metabolites enterodiol and enterolactone. They found that patients with type 2 diabetes have substantially lower levels of these metabolites in their urine, compared to the control group without diabetes. There was a linear, or direct, relationship between the amount of metabolites and the reduction in risk for diabetes. So, the more they ate, and the more metabolites in their urine, the lower the risk. The authors encourage patients to eat more of a plant-based diet to get this benefit.

Foods with lignans include cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower; an assortment of fruits and whole grains; flaxseed; and sesame seeds (5). The researchers could not determine which plants contributed the greatest benefit. They wrote that they believe antioxidant activity drives this effect.

Should you avoid soy when you have diabetes?

In diabetes patients with nephropathy (kidney damage or disease), soy consumption showed kidney function improvements (6). There were significant reductions in urinary creatinine levels and proteinuria (protein in the urine), both signs that the kidneys are beginning to function better.

This was a small, randomized control trial over a four-year period with 41 participants. The control group’s diet consisted of 70 percent animal protein and 30 percent vegetable protein, while the treatment group’s diet consisted of 35 percent animal protein, 35 percent textured soy protein and 30 percent vegetable protein.

This is very important, since diabetes patients are 20 to 40 times more likely to develop nephropathy than those without diabetes (7). It appears that soy protein may put substantially less stress on the kidneys than animal protein. However, those who have hypothyroidism and low iodine levels should be cautious about soy consumption, since some studies suggest it might interfere with synthetic thyroid medications’ effectiveness (8).

Is bariatric surgery a good alternative to changing my diet?

Bariatric surgery has grown in prevalence for treating severely obese (BMI>35 kg/m²) and obese (BMI >30 kg/m²) diabetes patients. In a meta-analysis of 16 randomized control trials and observational studies, the procedure illustrated better results than conventional medicines over a 17-month follow-up period in treating HbA1C (three-month blood glucose measure), fasting blood glucose and weight loss (9). During this time period, 72 percent of those patients treated with bariatric surgery went into diabetes remission and had significant weight loss.

However, after 10 years without proper management involving lifestyle changes, only 36 percent remained in remission with diabetes, and a significant number regained weight. Thus, even with bariatric surgery, altering diet and exercise are critical to maintaining long-term benefits.

We still have a lot to learn with diabetes, but our understanding of how to manage lifestyle modifications, specifically diet, is becoming clearer. Emphasizing a plant-based diet focused on whole fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes can improve your outcomes. If you choose a medical approach, bariatric surgery is a viable option, but don’t forget that you need to make significant lifestyle changes to accompany the surgery in order to sustain its benefits.

References:

(1) Nutr J. 2013 Mar. 5;12:29. (2) Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Apr.;95:925-933. (3) BMJ online 2013 Aug. 29. (4) Diabetes Care. online 2014 Feb. 18. (5) Br J Nutr. 2005;93:393–402. (6) Diabetes Care. 2008;31:648-654. (7) N Engl J Med. 1993;328:1676–1685. (8) Thyroid. 2006 Mar;16(3):249-58. (9) Obes Surg. 2014;24:437-455.

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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