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Written by Stacie M. Waldman

Category: The Goods

Published: 16 October 2013

We all remember the 1918-20 flu epidemic that killed between 3-6% of the world's population, or 50-100 million people, right? No we don't or else we'd all be running to get the flu vaccine, willing to stop at nothing until at least our children were vaccinated.

The annual morbidity and mortality associated with seasonal influenza annually is much less thanks to advances in medicine and healthcare in the last century that have allowed us to lead healthier lives and live longer. Although there is antiviral treatment for the flu if one becomes ill, the first line of defense is to prevent the flu in the first place, or vaccination against the flu. Last season, 90% of children who died from the flu were not vaccinated. Forty percent of these children had no preexisting condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 20,000 children under the age of 5 were hospitalized last year due to complications from the flu.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the CDC, two well-respected organizations that continually develop and promote guidelines based on current scientific data, both recommend that people over the age of 6 months get immunized against the flu via injection or nasal spray every year.

So why are some people wavering on whether to get vaccinated? I'll list the most common concerns I hear and respond to them based on the research I have done. This is by all means not a comprehensive list. Two notes: The research conducted for this article was based on data and comments from the CDC, FDA, AAP, well-respected medical journals, and experts in medicine, it is not based on panic-blogs such as "mom with gut instinct"; and 2. My public health training, at Johns Hopkins and other academic institutions, has enabled me to analyze both scientific and non-scientific data, and I used these skills to perform my research for this article.

• "There are all sorts of horrible additives in vaccines. Aluminum, formaldehyde, mercury...I'm not putting this stuff into my child." Before the use of preservatives, it was much more common for children to have adverse events from contaminated vaccines. Additives that help vaccines work better have helped to prevent millions of vaccine-preventable deaths. All substances are poison; it's the dose and not just the presence that counts. The most common exposure to aluminum is food and water. Make up and anti-perspirant have aluminum in them as well. Formaldehyde is naturally produced and processed by the human body. The amount of naturally occurring formaldehyde in a newborn is 50-70 times the upper limit they could receive in a vaccine. Have you gotten new curtains or replaced the cabinets in your kitchen lately? The highest risk of cancer attributed to formaldehyde is from the air we breathe, including indoor air. The amount of mercury in the influenza vaccine (called thimerisol) is also nominal compared to our mercury exposure from other sources, but high-profile activists like Jenny McCarthy have done such a "good" job of scaring parents about mercury in a panic-driven, unsubstantiated way that it is no longer present in many brands of the flu vaccine. Large clinical studies have shown no link between thimerisol and autism, a false claim Ms. McCarthy continues to drive as truth. (More on where to get thimerisol-free flu shots if you're still so inclined later.)
  
  
• "My kids are 4 and 6. They've never gotten the flu and they've never gotten the flu shot. We take vitamin C during the winter and eat kale powder every day." It may be in part because so many other kids around them have been vaccinated. The school nurse at Fox Meadow said that almost all children there get vaccinated and there were only about 5 cases of the flu last year, a number she recalled was surprisingly low and attributed to high vaccination rates. We put our kids in car seats up to a certain age. We do this because data shows that kids are more likely to survive an accident if properly restrained in a car. If your child ate kale powder the morning of a car accident and walked away injury-free, you may attribute that to the kale powder instead of the car seat, but there is no scientific data to support kale powder being the life saver, yet there is solid data to show that car seats save lives and reduce injuries. Flu vaccines have years of data backing their safety and effectiveness in preventing and attenuating the flu. Our own personal experiences influence our decision making every day. I witnessed a college student who was perfectly healthy develop septic shock and die of complications from the flu. This traumatic event resonated with me and I, personally, will not put my children at risk of getting seriously ill from vaccine-preventable illness.
  
  
•  "Flu vaccines don't work for every strain of the flu. I got the flu even though I got the flu shot." Using the same example of car seats, car seats are not 100% effective. A child can still be hurt or killed in a car crash, but the odds of these outcomes are less when a child is in a car seat. Flu shots are also not 100% effective. Each year, epidemiologists and virologists work to predict the strains of the seasonal flu that will be most prevalent. It is certainly possible to get the flu even if you received a flu shot, however, it may be an attenuated version of the flu.
  
  
•  "There are so many side effects from the flu vaccine." Dr. Fred Bomback, a pediatrician with Westchester Pediatrics who has been in practice for over 40 years and keeps abreast of current guidelines and clinical studies, has yet to see any serious adverse events resulting from a flu vaccine; however, he has seen very serious complications from the flu itself. "It's a risk benefit ratio with the flu vaccine and the data is clearly way on the side of the flu vaccine. What scares me is that kids with no underlying conditions die of the flu each year," said Dr. Bomback. He and his colleagues work hard to educate parents about the benefits as well as the small risks of the flu vaccine. Each year, his practice hears of children who end up in the ICU on ventilators at Westchester Medical Center due to complications from the flu. He feels very, very lucky that he has yet to see a patient death from the virus. "We've seen many kids have complications from the flu, yet not the flu vaccine," said Dr. Bomback. "Parents who don't give a child a flu vaccine often have irrational reasons for not doing so." If a parent has a concern about the risks of a flu vaccine, they should certainly discuss it with their pediatrician; however, they should also be sure to discuss the risks of not getting their child immunized, or "the price of inaction." Dr. Dan Weiser, a pediatric oncologist at Montefiore/Albert Einstein School of Medicine, stresses that the importance of vaccination extends beyond oneself. "By being immunized against the flu, you also protect those around you who may be more vulnerable to infection," said Dr. Weiser. "This includes the elderly, infants and anyone who is immunocompromised, like those undergoing treatment for cancer. Not only do we insist that all of our pediatric cancer patients get the flu vaccine, we have a responsibility to our patients to ensure that all healthcare providers are vaccinated as well. The more people in the community who are immunized, the safer we all are because there's a lower chance that infection will spread." In fact, many medical institutions now require that employees get vaccinated and at no personal cost to them. In New York, institutions cannot fire an employee for refusing the flu vaccine, but they can require that the employee wear a mask during the flu season.
  
  
• "I don't want my kids to get the flu shot. It's traumatizing for all of us!" You can say that again. On my way to getting my own children vaccinated, my 5- year-old attempted to "pre-traumatize" my 3-year-old by telling him over and over again that he was getting a shot, it was going to hurt, and he might cry. When it came time for the vaccination, he hopped up on the table and he received his shot with little drama. Next it was my daughter's turn. She became hysterical and wouldn't get up on the table to get her shot. She eventually did it, and has been telling all of her friends at the bus stop and at school how brave she is and how the flu shot only hurts for a second. For children who do not do well with shots, there are several options: 1. FluMist is available for children over the age of 2 years and is a nasal spray. Although some parents don't like the idea of a live, attenuated virus, which the nasal spray is, Dr. Bomback reminds parents that the side effects are still minimal and both the MMR and varicella vaccines are live, attenuated, and injectable vaccines; 2. A numbing ointment such as Emla may be applied to the upper arm area of your child if you discuss this with your pediatrician and fill the prescription ahead of time. 3. Bring an ice pack to the appointment and hold it on your child's are immediately before the injection for a few minutes. Some pediatricians may even have ice packs available for use if you request it; 4. If your child responds well to rewards, bring them a token gift for their bravery.
  

So, where can you go to get vaccinated against the flu? Your primary care physician, pulmonologist, allergist, OB/GYN, and pediatrician should all have the flu shot available, and your pediatrician may have the nasal spray in stock. Most major supermarkets, superstores like Target and Walmart, and all chain pharmacies offer the flu shot. If you want the whole family to bond over being vaccinated, the CVS Minute Clinic in Eastchester has flu shots in stock for those ages 3 and up. The pediatric vaccine is thimerisol and preservative free, the clinic is walk-in, and a Nurse Practitioner administers the shot. Insurance covers it in most cases, but it's usually never more than $25-30 for the shot. We were in and out in less than 15 minutes and my kids wore their bandaids like badges of honor. For that matter, so did their mom.

Resources:

http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/Children-Should-be-Vaccinated-Against-Influenza-as-Soon-as-Possible.aspx

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/children.htm

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Written by Stacie M. Waldman

Category: The Goods

Published: 24 October 2013

With the kids back in school, perhaps you have two, maybe even three whole hours for some quality me-time. What's the first thing on your wish list? Workouts at the gym! But when you're there, remember it's not all about you. Everyone at the gym is there to get fit and enjoy a workout. So avoid these fitness faux pas to ensure that you don't embarrass yourself and annoy others.

1. Leave sick kids at home: Dylan's nose is oozing and he had a fever at 8:00 AM- that's why you didn't send him to school. So why is he in childcare at the gym? We all know whose kid that is and if we don't, we ask. Always have a home workout ready as backup and stay home. What small child wants to be at a gym childcare when they're sick anyway?

2. Arrive on time: Try to be on time for classes, especially if you need to lug a lot of equipment in with you and if the class is very full. If you easily find a spot, great. If you need to worm your way through and it will disturb others, activate gym etiquette. We all run late and it stinks to miss that one class you live for every week, but know where to draw the line and sit one out.

3. First come, first served: Never ever think you own a spot on the floor in a gym class. You don't. Moving someone else's equipment without asking them first, even if it's poorly placed, is just bad karma.

4. Don't bare it: Those Lululemon pants are transparent. It was in the New York Times, Reuters, Business Week, Time, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, People, on CNN and NPR, and trending on Twitter. You couldn't have missed it. But, if you did, someone reading this article will remember proper gym etiquette and remind you that you have on the recalled Lululemons. Please exchange at your nearest retailer. Now.

5. Respect personal space: Accidentally hitting the person next to you when you're doing jumping jacks hurts. Being back-lunged into never feels good. You should never feel like you need to wear a helmet and shin guards to a fitness class. Try your best to leave an arm's length or two between you and the person next to you and try to be aware of your surrounding gym-mates. (See #5 if you do make contact.)

6. Say excuse me: This should be a given, but apparently it is not. If you bump into someone, (or if you are thrown into someone when someone bumps into you,) say "I'm sorry" or "excuse me," with a smile on your face. Similarly, if you need to reach past someone for equipment, wait your turn or say, "excuse me;" it makes everyone's gym experience better.

7. Talk outside: Save the cell phone conversations for outside the gym. Enough said.

8. Don't tie up the machines: An oldie but goodie is don't rest on a machine or bench in between sets; and definitely don't superset. Avoiding eye contact with the guy you know is waiting is obvious to all, so just let him know that you're buff enough for another set and give him a turn.

9. Clean up after yourself: The eight-pound dumbbells are always missing from the rack. Remember what you're always trying to teach your children...please put things back when you're doing using them.

10. Wipe it down: If the equipment you just used is very shiny in certain areas, it is probably your sweat. Please take the time to wipe it down before the next person uses it. Thanks.

11. Exit gracefully: If you need to leave a class early, politely inform the instructor of this before the class begins. They work hard to design classes for you and may take it personally.

12. Don't strut your stuff: Do you really need to blow dry your hair for 20 minutes naked? Or in a thong? Congratulations on your new breasts, they turned out lovely (and who's your surgeon?), but the most amount of time they should be out in a public locker room is the time it takes to change. You may think you look awesome in a thong, but you jiggle when you blow-dry your hair. Oh, and men, skip blow-drying the privates in public.

The author wishes to thank Webb Travis for providing feedback and suggestions for this article. Webb is an experienced personal trainer and top-notch fitness instructor at Equinox in Scarsdale, and he never uses blow-dryers inappropriately in public locker rooms

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Category: The Goods

Published: 09 October 2013

With the weather cooling and the holidays rapidly approaching, it's the perfect time to begin or enhance your wine education. To help, we interviewed four wine professionals in the Scarsdale area to find their top selling bottles under $10 and $20. Then we asked the people who live and breathe wine on a daily basis what they drink after a long day. (Surprise, the answer is not always wine.) Finally, we asked our experts for the one thing they want the public to know about wine. Want to test drive some bottles without commitment? We've included some upcoming tasting events, most free of charge. We'd love to hear from you with your suggestions for wines under $20 and $10. Enter a comment below to share your suggestions.

Zachys Wine & Liquor Store Inc.
16 E Parkway, Scarsdale (914) 723-0241
www.zachys.com

Top Selling Red Under $10: Barbera Piemonte Berro Pico Maccario 2011 (750ML) #360179 $8.99
Top Selling Red Under $20: Chianti Classico Viticcio 2009 (92JS) (750ML) #350883 $16.99

We asked Brian Mullaney, Director of Operations at Zachys: What he will be drinking tonight and why? "Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (92W&S) (750ML) #371623 $19.99. I'll be drinking this wine because the region this wine comes from (Chile) is emerging and booming. Also the wine is highly rated under $20, so let's see if the wine merits the rating."

"You can feel the freshness of the 2010 vintage in this wine, in its scents of herbs and eucalyptus and its refreshing red fruit flavors - a contrast to the darker fruit ripeness of the Marques 2009. The pointed acidity acts as a framework to hold all the power of the wine's flavors...92" Wine & Spirits 6/13.
What is the one thing you want people to know about wine? "Price isn't indicative of quality. Some of the best wines are found under $20 a bottle."

Upcoming Tastings: Saturday, October 12 12-4 pm (Barolo Greatness Continues! – with Martina Molino of Mauro Molino up-and-comers from Around the World). Saturday, October 19 12-4 pm (Pierre Ferrand Cognac; Italy's Best Sparkling Wines – Berlucchi Winery with Paolo Ziliani)

Vintology Wine & Spirits
2 Palmer Ave, Scarsdale (914) 723-2040
www.vintology.com

Top Selling Red Under $10: Monte Oton, Garnacha, Campo de Borja DO.... an easy drinking, yet fully ripened Garnacha, from a vineyard on the slopes of an extinct volcano in Campo de Borja in Spain.

Top Selling Red Under $20: Chateau Pierrail, Bordeaux Superieur 2010... an outstanding value for a very complex Bordeaux... though young, tastes like it's had some aging... a wallet friendly way of enjoying classic Bordeaux.

We asked Elizabeth, Vintology's Marketing Director what she will be drinking tonight and why? "Some days after an afternoon of tasting 50-60 wines with importers and winemakers, you just want a beer! I really love the local brews, Captain Lawrence and Keegan's. The wine, however, that I have been bringing home a lot lately is Cruz de Piedra, this super big Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. With the weather a little bit cooler, I've been craving full-bodied."

What is the one thing you want people to know about wine? "The real pleasure of wine lies in its stories. Wine is different than soda from a factory... it's about people and places. One bottle I love is from a female winemaker who inherited the vineyards and winery after her husband had a tractor accident on the vineyard. She learned winemaking from scratch, and has become a prominent producer in Piedmont. It's these stories I think about when enjoying a bottle of wine... it gives people a chance to bring a bit of these stories into their dinner table."

Upcoming Tastings: "Taste with the Experts" series Saturday, October 12, 1-5 pm. Tuesday, October 15, 7-9 pm: Circa 1938 Post-Prohibition Wine Class.

Westchester Wine Warehouse
53 Tarrytown Rd, White Plains (914) 824-1400
westchesterwine.com

Top Selling Red Under $10: Arboretto Montepulciano D'Abruzzo
Top Selling Red Under $20: Juan Gil Monastrell

We asked Trueman Haskell, Wine & Spirits Buyer: What will you be drinking tonight and why? "After tasting upwards of 40 wines and spirits during work I usually find myself having a beer to unwind."

What is the one thing you want people to know about wine? "A lot of people wait to be told what good wine is by rating companies, but I think the best approach is to taste everything you can and discover it for yourself. I have tasted a lot of wines that were awarded a high score that I really didn't care for because I perceive the aromas and flavors differently. Just like with music or art, everyone experiences wine in their own unique way. At the end of the day whose opinion is more important?"

Upcoming Tastings: Friday, October 11 4:00 pm Crop Cucumber and Spiced Pumpkin, 4:00 pm Domaine Select, 4:00 pm T Edwards. Saturday, October 12 1:00 pm Apple 1:00 pm Empire Wine/Medco 1:00 pm Hammer & Sickle Vodka 1:00 pm Lieber Bros 1:00 pm Vias 4:00 pm 4:00 pm Gabriella 4:00 pm Liberty 4:00 pm Liv New York Vodka 4:00 pm Magnifico.

Stew Leonard's Wine
1 Stew Leonard's Drive, Yonkers, NY (914) 375-4713
www.stewswines.com

Top Selling Red Under $10: Las Lenas Malbec. The grape variety is Malbec, which has become tremendously popular in the last five years. This is an easy-to-drink red wine with black fruit aromas and flavors. I think of it as a Monday night wine!
Top Selling Red Under $20: Infinity Cabernet. It is a smooth and seductive red from California that goes well with a juicy steak.

We asked Paige, a Wine Specialist, what she will be drinking tonight and why? "Last night I had La Crema Chardonnay, which is one of our most popular whites and tonight I may open a Conti d' Arco