Health & Fitness, East Edition - Hersam Acorn Newspapers

May 26, 2011

by Robin E. Glowa

“I want people to be able to embrace their body at every stage of life,” says Elizabeth Reed. “Different periods of life put different demands on the body, and people often need help addressing their various physical needs.”

Elizabeth, a clinical nutritionist who earned her master of science degree in clinical nutrition from the University of Bridgeport, teaches nutrition at UB as an adjunct professor. A certifi ed Pilates instructor and a certifi ed National Acad-emy of Sports Medicine personal trainer, she is the owner of BodySmart in Monroe.

At her studio, Elizabeth works with clients to improve their overall health with a balanced approach that incorporates healthy whole foods and exercise. Formerly a bodybuilder, Elizabeth became profoundly interested in how whole foods and exercise could signifi cantly improve and enhance her own health and the health of her clients.

She is convinced that food can be thought of as medicine. As Hippocrates said centuries ago, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” “Yes, yes, that’s it,” Elizabeth says. “Health can be controlled tremendously with diet and exercise.”

Elizabeth offers a full complement of services at BodySmart, including nutritional counseling, private personal training and Pilates classes. With her incisive approach to balanced and customized recommendations, Elizabeth’s clients will learn to eat healthier and live better based on their personal biochemistry and body type.

Nutritional consultation services begin with a complimenta-ry introductory session, which determines the client’s needs. This discussion will reveal whether or not a client should fi rst

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Fitness&

Bodysmart A healthy approach to life

Everywhere Elizabeth Reed travels, she searches for foods that contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

BodySmart continued on page 5

Special Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfi eld Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

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• 2 • • Health & Fitness • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • May 26, 2011 •

by Robin E. Glowa

Feeling run down, lacking the energy you once had? Are you finding that your mus-cles are not as tight and toned as they once were, or you’ve reached a plateau with your fitness routine? Perhaps you need a new edge on fitness.

Coming this fall, the Edge Fitness Clubs will open a spectacular, new fitness club in Derby. The Edge Fitness Clubs, which have been voted Best Health Club by the Fairfield County readers poll, 12 times in a row, will open a multi-million-dollar facility at the for-mer Staples store, 600 New Haven Avenue in Derby.

The new facility joins a family of six other locations in Greenwich, Norwalk, Fairfield, Stratford, Shelton and Milford. Nicole Falco, marketing director for the clubs is ecstatic about the new one.

“This is an amazing loca-tion,” she says. “ We have tons of parking and we are right on Rte. 34, so easy and convenient for people! We’re thrilled to be bringing one of our beautiful clubs to this area.”

Nicole continues, “We pride ourselves on building clubs that offer a high-end experi-ence for an incredibly reason-able price. For $19.99 a month, our mem-bers have unlimited access to such group classes as Zumba, group cycling (spinning), kickboxing, Pilates and yoga, as well as spe-cialty classes like TRX and kettlebells. We also offer memberships that will allow ac-cess to all the clubs’ locations.

“Members also have access to unlimited tanning, as well as unlimited use of the ma-chines,” Nicole says. “If you want to run on a treadmill for three hours, go for it!! There are no ‘one-hour limits’ at the Edge Fitness clubs. Childcare services are available. Our child care is a great service for busy parents. They can grab a little time for themselves to

work out and know that their kids are in a good, safe place having fun.”

“Our staff is made up of extremely quali-fied individuals,” Nicole says. “Our trainers are all 100% certified and nationally ac-credited. Our fitness director Greg D’Inatale is terrific; he plays a huge role in a unique program we created called the Edge Revolu-tion. This is a program completely unique to the Edge Fitness Club that we developed as an eight-week, body-change challenge.

“The revolution has produced awesome re-sults for tons of the participants,” she says. “We begin by photographing each partici-pant the first week. This photo is kept strict-ly confidential, but people often stress out a little because they are not happy with the way their body looks. What they find out is, when the program is followed, the results are fantastic. The ‘after’ photo at the end of the eight weeks shows exactly what they were able to accomplish.”

“The Edge Revolution makes you a winner in two ways,” Nicole says. “First you win by accomplishing your weight loss and fitness goal, but we sweeten the pot by awarding cash prizes as well. We have awarded over $4,000 to men and women in different age groups — it’s awesome!”

“The Edge Fitness Club’s biggest priority is that you get results,” says Nicole. “We have created clubs that are affordable, while of-fering all the amenities members want. We

want you to stay with us; we want you to use our classes, create a routine, a habit, something that becomes a consistent part of your lifestyle.”

Vincent Sansone, company president of the Edge Fitness Clubs adds, “We are excited about building this new club. Our current members have been requesting that we add a club in the Valley area, and we believe we have found the perfect space with direct access to Rte. 34, making it a completely convenient stop from New Haven, Orange, Woodbridge and all the surrounding towns. The Edge Fitness Clubs are high-service fa-cilities at the affordable price of $19.99 per month,” he says. “Rather than eliminating services in order to keep prices low, we take the opposite approach. By offering more services and keeping our prices reasonable, we are able to please more members and keep them engaged in our workout pro-grams to reach their fitness and healthy-liv-ing goals.”

All of the clubs offer a wide range of group classes on a daily basis, designed to strength-en, tone, enhance cardiovascular and mus-cle endurance, improve balance, flexibility, agility and mental focus. Conditioning class-es utilize a Reebok cardio board. Edge flex classes implement resistance training with barbells, tubing, physio balls and dumbells. Cardio classes include spinning,

kickboxing and step. Pilates includes Pilates Mat and Pilates Plus, both of which improve

A new edge on fitness! CLUB TO OPEN IN DERBY

The Edge Fitness Clubs, which offer a high-end experience at a reasonable price, have group classes in Zumba, group cycling, kickboxing, Pilates and yoga. A specialty is the Edge Revolution, which is a program that offers an

eight-week, body-change challenge. Childcare service is also available. — Tom McGovern Photos

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• May 26, 2011 • • Health & Fitness • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • 3 •

by Stacy Lytwyn Maxwell

Stressed? Mental, physical, perhaps spir-itual adversities? On empty?

Well, then fill ’er up at the Total Life Care Center (TLC Center), an oasis of holistic health services and a resource center in Norwalk, replete with seminars, work-shops and more than 90 health-care professionals, business leaders and like-minded community members who rec-ognize the benefits of holistic healing and alternative health care. Chances are your motor will, if not purr, at least get a jump-start.

“I don’t know of any other centers like ours in Fairfield County,” says owner Beth Prins Leas. When Beth opened the center in 1997, most people did not even know how to pronounce “reiki,” a form of energy healing with the laying-on of hands to reduce stress and promote re-laxation. A plethora of alternative and metaphysical services in a homey atmo-sphere, which is highlighted with softly painted walls and subtle decorating ac-cents, are part of the center’s appeal.

Reiki, for instance, falls under the cat-egory of energy work, also characteristic of Jin Shin Jyutsu and acupressure. Inte-grative medicine, which includes natu-ropathy, homeopathy and acupuncture, is another popular choice at the center. Bodywork such as massage and reflexol-

ogy coupled with mind-body practices, such as psychotherapy, shamanic heal-ing and yoga, complete the bill. Environ-mental remedy components also help facilitate positive life changes. These

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body alignment, significantly strengthen the core muscles and develop a well-toned, long, lean, definition to the body.

Both mind and body benefit from yoga classes, which promote strength and mus-cle definition, while bringing about a relax-ing sense of calm. And for an exciting twist on exercise classes, try NIA (which com-bines elements of martial arts and yoga in a dynamic dance workout) or Zumba, simple but wildly fun dance routines done to Latin and international music.

The new Derby Edge Fitness Club will also feature a large spinning studio with win-dows and fresh air and the latest technol-ogy in cardio equipment, with individual television screens, heart-rate monitors and iPod docking stations.

Find your new edge at these Edge Fitness Clubs: Greenwich, 203-637-3906; Norwalk, 203-849-0166; Fairfield, 203-255-2582; Mil-ford, 203-874-3343;

Shelton, 203-929-2582; Stratford, 203-378-4242; theedgefitnessclubs.com. TLC continued on page 6

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by Karen Dydzuhn

Children should not have to endure pain from dental problems because preventive treatment is readily available and affordable. Dental disease is totally preventable when sound oral hygiene is practiced. In keeping with the state’s Home By One program, ad-ministered by the Office of Oral Health, par-ents are urged to have their infants seen by a dentist during the first year so that educa-tion about good oral hygiene can be offered and dental problems avoided.

“There is no reason for children to have dental pain because there is preventive care that can be implemented from the time they’re babies,” said Anna Washington, manager of dental practice at Bridgeport’s Southwest Community Health Center. Even before Connecticut started to promote the state-wide program calling for all children to have a “dental home” by age one, South-west’s pediatricians were routinely referring its youngest patients to the dental clinic for exams. “We want to do everything we can to prevent dental caries,” said Dr. Dana Richards, senior pediatrician at Southwest Community Health Center. Also known as “cavities,” dental caries could potentially lead to more serious medical issues, such as infection and dental surgery, which would require children to be sedated. Since she talks with parents every three months, be-ginning at the baby’s birth, she has the op-portunity to refer them to Southwest’s den-tal clinic for an initial exam.

Ms. Washington said, “Ideally, we want to see them when they’re babies and then fol-low them as they age. Our goal is to educate parents so that they understand that bring-ing their children in for regular dental visits is as important as getting their immuniza-tions.”

Meredith Ferraro, executive director of the

Southwestern Area Health Education Center, said that its Oral Health Bridgeport Initiative (ORBIT) has, since 1999, partnered with community organizations, such as South-west Community Health Center, to improve dental care for children. “Southwest is really a local model for how to put Home By One into action,” Ms. Ferraro said. “They have a wonderful reciprocal referral program so that their dentists, too, often refer patients to the medical providers. They also work with their OB/GYN department so that preg-nant women learn about the importance of good oral health and that neglecting one’s teeth could potentially impact their unborn child.”

Southwest Community Health Center of-fers comprehensive dental services, such as dental exams, cleanings, fillings, sealants, fluoride treatments and extractions. Ms. Washington said that HUSKY insurance is accepted and, if a patient isn’t eligible for the state-insurance plan, a sliding fee is ar-ranged.

Moreover, Southwest makes it easy for families to physically meet with both their medical and dental providers since the two departments are located down the hall from each other. There are at least one or more dentists and dental hygienists on staff, and seven chairs in the dental practice, said Genoveva Miranda-Torres, the dental billing coordinator and 15-year employee of South-west Community Health Center. She said that every effort is made to ensure that the child is comfortable and relaxed so they will want to return. “For years now, we’ve had immediate referrals from the pediatricians to the dentists,” she said. “The dentists are great. Sometimes they just meet with the kids to say, ‘Hello.’ We never keep them for a long time. We also give out goody bags when they leave.”

Dentist Dr. Danielle Pannese agreed that it’s important to let the children get to know her. Sometimes she will even take off her white dentist’s coat to make a child feel at ease. Working with parents, Dr. Pannese offers these tips for maintaining healthy teeth:

• Don’t put a baby to bed with a bottle. The sugar in the milk will stay on the teeth and cause dental caries.

• Avoid bottled water and use only tap wa-ter with fluoride.

• Use a gauze pad or special baby tooth-paste to clean infants’ gums and newly erupted teeth.

• Decrease the child’s intake of juice, as it is full of sugar.

• Encourage children to brush twice a day.

“In the four years that we have been see-ing one-year-olds for their first dental visit, the parents have learned the importance of taking care of their baby’s teeth and mouth early,” Dr. Pannese said. “They begin the regularly scheduled dental check-up visits every six months and implement good oral-hygiene habits.”

As Home By One’s coordinator for Con-necticut’s Department of Public Health, Tracey Andrews has been actively touting the program’s benefits by training parent advocates and encouraging dentists to ac-cept HUSKY patients. She recently joined the Southwestern Area Health Education Center’s program manager, Joan Lane, at Bridgeport Hospital to provide an overview of the importance of the Home By One pro-gram to local pediatricians.

Ms. Lane spoke about ORBIT’s Give Kids A Smile program, an ADA-endorsed initiative that pairs children who do not have dental insurance with volunteer dentists in Fair-field County, who agree to provide compli-mentary dental care. “This one-day event, typically held in February, often extends past the initial visit because the children need additional appointments to have cavi-ties filled or other restorative work done,” Ms. Lane explained.

By the time some children are seen by den-tists participating in Give Kids A Smile, den-tal caries are already present. “It’s not fair for the children to be in pain when we could teach parents the steps to avoid this,” Ms. Washington said.

Ms. Andrews noted that there are now four dental practices in the Greater Bridgeport area committed to seeing children at age 1, and there are numerous dentists accept-ing patients insured by HUSKY. For more information, contact dental care specialist Karina Reininger of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership at 860-507-2321.

For more information about Southwest Com-munity Health Center, 203-332-3000. To learn more about Give Kids A Smile and Home By One, call Southwestern Area Health Educa-tion Center at 203-372-5503.

Home by One FINDING A DENTAL HOME, THAT IS

Dr. Danielle Pannese believes that the road to good oral hygiene begins at an early age.

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• May 26, 2011 • • Health & Fitness • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • 5 •

meet with a medical practitioner as clinical nutritionists do not diagnose or treat medi-cal conditions.

If it is appropriate to move forward, Eliza-beth will then guide clients through a consul-tation that develops a profile of the client’s needs, lifestyle and objectives. She can then develop a healthy eating plan with menu suggestions, a nutritional supplements plan with recommended dosages, if applicable, as well as educational materials.

Clients who are new to a regular fitness rou-tine, as well as experienced fitness athletes, will benefit from private, personal training or Pilates instruction. “For those who want something different than a gym environ-ment, this is the ultimate in private, person-alized exercise,” says Elizabeth. “It’s your space, it’s your session. It’s a great way for all ages to get moving and lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugar and reduce weight.”

Personal training sessions assist with

strength/weight training integrated with functional training, focusing on the core and balance, corrective weight-training and stretching. Pilates can provide such benefits as developing agility, balance and coordina-tion, endurance, flexibility and strength. “Pi-lates is all about alignment,” she says. “It is fantastic for developing core strength, while bringing about relaxation and tension re-lease.”

Elizabeth is committed to providing a source for achieving and maintaining balance through healthy living. “I love what I do,” she says, “and hopefully I can lift people into lifestyle changes that will give them a won-derful, healthy life. Through food and exer-cise, you can change your body and your life. People are living longer lives now,” Elizabeth adds, “and we need to take excellent care of ourselves to ensure a superior quality of life as we age.

“This is my lifelong dream to improve my health and learn all I can about human well-ness,” Elizabeth says. “I am also a devoted traveler and student of other cultures. Wher-ever I go, I make it a point to speak with chefs, cooks and wellness and health-care people. I

keep studying and asking questions, particu-larly about the food of other cultures.”

“I recently went to India and explored Delhi, Mumbai and Agra. I have gone to Japan and China numerous times. These cultures really embrace healthy foods and emphasize the use of healing foods to maintain good health. They are less apt to prescribe medicines and do their healing naturally. I am so lucky to be able to share new information with my clients!”

Elizabeth adds, “I find that as a population, we are moving away from whole foods. There is interest in whole foods on some lev-els, but overall, whole foods need to become much more the norm in our country. When we emphasize a whole-food lifestyle, we in-fluence our health, reducing cholesterol and balancing blood sugar, for example.”

“I’ve had great success working one on one with clients, but now it is time to expand and share my information with the general public. I want to help people heal,” she says, “and to that end, I am now presenting lec-tures at the BodySmart studio. I have also launched a series of corporate lectures at lo-

cal companies, promoting healthy lifestyle changes and in-house wellness programs for employees.

“I find that people are often confused about whole foods — understanding what whole grains are, how to read food labels and how to prepare these foods. They may not know anything about juicing and all of its potential health benefits.”

“We’ll be exploring a lot in these lectures and educational seminars, such as how to read an organic label, talking about pre-packaged food and discussing what’s the deal with low-fat versus fat-free foods. People don’t re-alize there are actually consequences to eat-ing fat-free foods.

“I’m designing these seminars to be fully functional. If people take just one point from each lecture and apply it to their lives, they will see positive changes,” Elizabeth says.

BodySmart is at 115 Main Street, Unit 11, in Monroe; bodysmart.cc.

For more information or for a schedule of lec-tures, 203-767-0623.

BodySmart continued from page 1

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offerings include environmental medicine, aromatherapy/essential oils and feng shui.

Beth herself is a reiki master and Jin Shin Jyutsu self-help instructor, not to mention a devoted healer, revered tarot reader, accom-plished teacher and writer. Post-corporate world client demand had prompted her to provide full-time energy work at her home in 1993. In these early years, Beth’s treat-

ments successfully helped a breast-cancer survivor manage the adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation. The client, a professional psychotherapist, Beth recalls, “spread the word like wildfire and, shortly thereafter, a lot of my clients were people with life-challenging illnesses, such as can-cer and HIV.”

“When push comes to shove and traditional Western medicine doesn’t have as much to offer in the symptom relief of chemothera-

py and radiation ... there’s a lot of tools that Eastern medicine has to offer,” Beth says. “Actually, the Eastern techniques work re-ally well hand-in-hand with Western medi-cine. It’s not an either/or kind of thing.”

The center’s success and stream of repeat customers are indicative of the national trend in which more Americans are incor-porating complementary alternative-medi-cine (CAM) practices into their health-care agenda. Beth says that CAM therapies are more mainstream now than when she first opened her center. To her delight, hospitals have jumped on the CAM bandwagon, but she hopes for a better integration of West-ern and Eastern medicine under one roof. Last year, augmenting everyone’s satisfac-tion at the center, the famed guru of mod-ern medicine, Dr. Oz, who has been a reiki proponent for decades, endorsed the CAM practice on his TV show.

Beth says that in the last three or four years of the economic downturn, a growing num-ber of people have begun to meditate and incorporate other alternative lifestyle chang-es. For instance, a family meditation class is available on the TLC Center’s monthly schedule. The cost is $40 for the entire fam-ily, says Beth, proving that CAM options need not be costly. In addition, especially with regard to health concerns, she tries not to refuse anyone due to financial restraints, and is as accommodating as possible.

For those who are CAM shy, it’s important to note that plenty of skeptics walk through its doors. “I don’t think that you have to be-

lieve that it works; I think you have to be open to the experience. Some of the people who have the best results are people who are skeptical,” Beth says.

Wilton resident Jane Alexander, who was stressed and not feeling up to par, was open to the experience when she first tried reiki a year ago. Little did she think that she’d become a devotee. After her sessions, Jane compares her body to liquid. “I get into this relaxed state that I can’t seem to duplicate anyplace else. It’s like a real mini-vacation in an hour.”

As Jane lies fully clothed, with Beth, not massaging but laying her hands on certain parts of her body, Jane experiences, among other positive forces, the release of bad en-ergy and a body balance. “It doesn’t make any sense, how somebody touches you and makes everything right, but it does. Having had it several times — it works!”

“I see the center as helping people empow-er themselves, to get more in touch with things they can do to facilitate metaphysical health, to create more emotional well-being for themselves, to find peace of mind, to connect with their spiritual power. It’s re-ally about empowerment,” Beth says.

The good news is a little TLC can go a long way, and it’s right in the neighborhood.

Total Life Care Center is at 152 East Avenue in Norwalk. For further information, a special-events calendar and course offerings: 203-853-4852, tlccenter.com.

TLC continued from page 3

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Health & Fitness, East Edition - Hersam Acorn Newspapers