Ellwood City Pa Physical Fitness, Health, Wellness Information

Health & Wellness

Building Strength After Cancer
By: Barbara Russo
July 2010

For many years, the medical community has recognized the need for physical and occupational therapy for patients who have had surgeries such as cardiac bypass or knee replacement. The same hasn’t been true for post-treatment cancer patients – until recently. “After cancer treatment, patients face many of the same problems as after surgery – weakness, pain, fatigue,” says Julie K. Silver, MD, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and a breast cancer survivor herself. “When I went into treatment, I was in my 30’s and felt great. When I finished, I felt terrible.” Dr. Silver says that though her oncologists were wonderful, they didn’t focus on healing her body after her treatments were done. “Rehab has been a really important missing piece of the puzzle in cancer care,” she says.

It is also the reason that Dr. Silver recently co-founded Oncology Rehab Partners (oncrehab.com), a company dedicated to helping cancer centers and hospitals develop rehab services for post-treatment cancer patients. This goes hand in hand with a recent global initiative to focus not only on cancer treatment but also on what happens to people after they survive cancer. She encourages patients to talk to their doctors about building a rehab regimen.

Patients should talk about letting Curves be a part of your workout program. Studies have shown a significant improvement in the quality of life of people who began a regular exercise program as part of their post-cancer treatment. Amanda, a member of an Oregon Curves, is proof positive. After being diagnosed with breast cancer at 21, Amanda gained 60 pounds during her treatment. Then she started exercising and eating a well balanced diet. “The Curves program helped me get my body back. I’m as fit as I was before cancer.”

Lori, 53, a member of an Iowa Curves, says her Curves workouts helped her get through her cancer treatments. “I’d been going to Curves for about four years when I was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram,” she says. “I had a bilateral mastectomy and was back at Curves two weeks later! I think the regular exercise I’d done before my surgery helped me bounce back much quicker than I would have otherwise.”

Giving Heart Health A Brighter Look
By: Barbara Russo
June 2010

Have you “taken to heart” a don’t worry be positive attitude? According to a recent study led by Hilary A. Tindle, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the American Heart Association, it’s true: Optimism may help protect your heart health.

During the study, which tracked participants for eight years, optimists were less likely than pessimists to develop heart disease or die of it. “Women who were the most cynical or mistrustful of others were more likely to die during the eight years of follow-up,” says Dr. Tindle. Optimists are always apt to follow other healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as staying physically active and eating right. “It will be interesting from future studies to see if increasing a person’s level of optimism, or decreasing the level of pessimism, actually improves health,” says Dr. Tindle. “My hypothesis is that it would.” How can you reveal your sunnier side? “Certain people can change their ways in thoughts, feelings, and actions,” suggests Dr. Tindle. “Speaking as a physician, regular exercise is a fantastic way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is unclear if regular exercise actually boosts optimism, but people do generally feel much better when they exercise, and they are better able to regulate their moods.” Being part of an exercise group, as the community feeling at Curves, may give your spirits a boost too. “Feeling like you are a part of a healthy, positive group of people promotes good health,” Dr. Tindle says. And of course, studies have proved the link between exercise and better heart health.

Making Sense Of Bio-Identical Hormones
By: Barbara Russo
May 2010

“In the past year, there was a flurry of media activity about bio-identical hormone replacement therapy,” says JoAnn V. Pinkerton, MD, the Midlife Health Center’s medical director who is also president of the North American Menopause Society’s board of trustees. “They have often been endorsed by self-proclaimed experts or media stars but the truth is this: Bio-identical hormones are no magic bullet. They’re simply hormones that are chemically similar to those produced by women.” That does not make them better, or safer than other types of hormones, though a recent study found that women have many erroneous beliefs about them. “Many women believe they pose no risks or that they are more natural or effective. In reality, ALL hormone therapy products – bio-identical, compounded, or synthesized (man made) have risks,” says Dr. Pinkerton, who says she prescribes both traditional and bio-identical hormones. (Examples of synthetic hormones include the prescription drugs Premarin, Prempro, and Provera. A few of the FDA approved bio-identicals are Climara, Estrasorb, Estrace, and Prometrium.)

Dr. Pinkerton explains that while many bio-identical hormones are FDA approved for use in treating symptoms of menopause, many others are not. “The concern with hormones that are custom compounded by pharmacists is that there’s a lack of scientific data on their safety and effectiveness,” says Dr. Pinkerton. Bottom line: If you decide to try hormones, make the decision with your healthcare provider as to which one and for how long. Such decisions should be based upon many factors, including what your menopause-related symptoms are, how much they bother you, and whether you’ve had success using any other therapies. “If you do decide to try hormones, you need to work with your doctor to find the lowest dose that relieves your symptoms and be re-evaluated regularly afterward.” To find a certified menopause practitioner, go to menopause.org.

A number of women’s health studies show that physically active women are less likely to suffer from many common symptoms of menopause, such as heavy bleeding and cramping, weight gain, and poor mood and sleep. Maintaining good workout habits can lessen the severity of those symptoms you do have. Regular exercise can also help offset the role midlife hormonal changes often play in weight gain and increases in body mass index.

Heart Health – The Weight Factor
By: Barbara Russo
April 2010

When women carry extra weight, they put themselves at a much greater risk of heart disease, says Mary Ann Bauman, MD, spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement. That’s because additional pounds force your heart to work harder to pump blood through the body, and this strain will eventually take its toll. Factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, lack of exercise, and a family history of diabetes have been shown to contribute to the growing number of women who experience heart-health issues, says Dr. Bauman. Go Red’s aim is to bring about a 25% reduction in heart disease and stroke risk by the end of 2010.

The best way to manage all of these serious risk factors is through regular exercise. “Exercise is absolutely critical,” Dr. Bauman says. “it will lower your blood pressure, decrease your weight, and keep diabetes away. Or if you already have diabetes, it will keep your blood sugar under control.”

Curves is especially effective for strengthening the heart, says Cassie Finley, Curves director of training and research, because it addresses “the cardio, resistance, and nutritional components of heart health.” Working out on the circuit, for example, raises the heart rate to a “training zone” that “strengthens the heart, lungs, and vascular system,” she adds. Your circuit coach helps you find your training zone and reach it at every visit.

Although the entire Curves circuit is heart healthy, the squat, shoulder press/lat pull, and chest/back machines are the ones that elevate the heart rate the most, she says. “The recovery board is also important because it encourages sustained heart rate elevation,” she adds.

Finley also stresses the significance of lifestyle choices such as following a heart healthy diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking. Making sound decisions like these will benefit your heart in the long run.

“The most important thing members can do is follow the proven system that includes a three to five minute warm-up, a 16 to 20 minute sustained cardio workout and a three to five minute cool down period followed by flexibility stretching,” Finlay says. “The elevated target heart rate validates that they are in the training zone and are achieving maximum aerobic benefit from their workouts.”

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Expert Bio's

Nathalie Kuffer

Bio:

Can Fit Pro Certified
Personal Trainer Specialist (PTS)
Fitness Instructor Specialist (FIS)
Nutritional & Wellness Specialist (NWS)
Mobile Wellness Directory Developer

Nathalie is an internationally experienced Fitness Expert who has a passion for helping people find their personal fitness solutions in a busy world. She has a versatile combination of experience, qualifications and innovation that excludes her from the rest.

This Canadian born former gymnast graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Social Sciences, majoring in both Sociology and Leisure Studies from the University of Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. Shortly after graduating college, she pursued her dream of traveling and embarked on a journey to study various forms of message therapy. Her voyage began in Japan, where she taught English to fund her education in the ancient form of massage therapy called Shiatsu. She continued her travels to Thailand to further expand her knowledge of health and wellness. There, she studied another form of message therapy called Thai massage. She went on to Australia where she began exploring a variety of forms of other holistic health practices.

Her travels continued another two years when she was employed with Club Med in Mexico, then sailing the Caribbean aboard a Cruise Ship and lastly, in the Bahamas. It was in the resort city of Cancun that she began attending and then teaching aerobic classes to visiting tourists. Upon her return to Canada, she went back to school for yet another year and became a Certified Personal Trainer Specialist (PTS), Fitness Instructor Specialist (FIS) and Pilates Matwork Instructor. A few years later, she added the certification of Nutritional & Wellness Specialist (NWS).

In 1999, she founded the company Fun ‘n Fit, a mobile fitness service with a mission statement of “…creat[ing] an environment which encourages and facilitates individuals to incorporate holistic health into their daily routine by providing a variety of mobile and online fitness and wellness services to people of all ages and fitness levels in order to foster a healthier lifestyle.

In 2007, she founded a subsidiary company, called WellnessToYou which has become the #1 resource for locating and advertising mobile wellness services. WellnessToYou has a mission of: …provid[ing] a variety of mobile wellness services to clients through a network of certified wellness professional who will conveniently deliver their services at the location of choice in order to assist Americans complete holistic health.

Her many skills, work ethic, dedication and commitment to the fitness industry led the Canadian Government to sponsor her endeavors, sending her to school (for business management and marketing) and financing a 2 month trip to Cameroon (Western Africa) with a non-profit organization to instruct local Fitness Instructors and Personal Trainers new fitness techniques, teach physical education classes to school children as well as conduct Health Consultations and Wellness Seminars in rural villages. Soon thereafter, she relocated to beautiful Bermuda when she accepted a position at a leading fitness club. It was there that she met and married her husband of 9 years.

Nathalie currently resides in Ellwood City with her husband Luke, a high school Physics teacher at North Allegheny High School and their two beautiful children, Chloe (8) and Max (6).

Barbara Russo

Bio:

Barbara Russo is the manager and fitness technician at the Ellwood City Curves, a position she has held since the club’s opening on January 19, 2004. Barbara is certified as a personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise and received Cooper Institute Circuit Training and Weight Management Certification with special emphasis on nutrition and kinesiology. She regularly attends ACE council continuing education courses. Her mission at Curves is to provide her guests with the safest, most effective, most inspired workout every visit. Barbara is the mother of two daughters and resides in Shenango Twp. with her husband, Michael. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially her awesome grandsons, knitting, and “changing stations now”.

Kristen R. Warzynski

Bio:

Kristen R. Warzynski is a licensed Physical Therapist with Keystone Rehabilitation Systems in Ellwood City. Kristen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Gannon University. She specializes in gait and balance training, back injuries and dysfunction, sports injuries, and home care. She particularly enjoys treating patients who are having difficulty with gait and balance, which affect every aspect of a patient’s life. She believes helping to improve a person’s balance and ambulation can really make a positive impact in their overall function and safety.

Kristen believes in a treatment program that involves hands on therapeutic techniques with strong patient communication and education. She feels each patient is an individual with unique issues and should be treated as such. Kristen has been active in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life and enjoys reading, sports, and swimming.

Dan Zelch

Bio:

Dan Zelch, a licensed physical therapist, is the owner of AIR Physical Therapy & Fitness on Lawrence Avenue in Ellwood City. He has been a resident of the Ellwood City Area for 11 years, originally from the south hills of Pittsburgh. Dan received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Penn State University in 1990 with emphasis on physiology, he then received his masters degree in physical therapy from Duquesne University in 1993. Since then Dan has been practicing physical therapy as an inpatient and outpatient physical therapist treating primarily neurological and orthopedic diseases and injuries for rehabilitation. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ “Campaign of steps to a Healthier US”, and APTA’s Orthopedic section. He has been appointed Adjunct Clinical Instructor in the Duquesne University Department of Physical Therapy’s Rangos School of Health Sciences. He is Ellwood City's only Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS). Dan is Direct Access Certified (DAC) - allowing Dan to see patients without referral from a physician. He has clinical special interest, and has developed programs in fall prevention for the elderly as well as treatment of peripheral neuropathy. He has certificates of completion in “Integrating Pilates into Physical Therapy”, “Improving Balance and Decreasing Fall Risk Using T’ai Chi”, “Job Analysis and Ergonomic Assessment”, “Examination and Intervention: Balance Disorders in the Elderly”, “Anatomical Perspective of Management of Common Shoulder Pathologies” and “Manipulation/Manual Therapy of the Spine”.