The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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The Truth About Crunches

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Pallof Press

A crunch is one of the most common abdominal exercises, but it fails to accomplish the two most common goals of abdominal work: protecting your lower back from injury and toning your mid-section.

If you can perform one single crunch, you have a six pack. Whether you can see it is a matter of body fat. Decreasing body fat is a function of cardiovascular exercise and sound nutrition. Crunches may enhance the appearance of your rectus abdominus, but this comes with some risk.

To understand the risk, let’s talk about your core–which is designed to stabilize the spine. Comprised of the transversus abdominus, deep spinal extensors, diaphragm and pelvic floor, your core acts to minimize movement of your spine. This is a positive for your spine because a stable spine is a healthy spine. Crunches and pelvic tilts require flexion of the spine (think of slouching in front of the computer): the opposite of stability!

Plank

Crunching and slouching place your spine in nearly identical positions. We know slouching is not good for our spine, but crunches remain a very common exercise. The repeated flexion of your spine produced by crunches places stress on your vertebral discs and ligaments. Over time, this cumulative stress can increase your risk for lower back injuries, including disc herniation and lumbar radiculopathy, commonly referred to as sciatica.

Instructing proper engagement of the transversus abdominus is beyond the scope of this article, but a good starting point is to focus on pulling your belly button inward, toward your spine. This should be done without holding your breath and without moving your spine (no pelvic tilts!). Try to hold your contraction for 10 seconds and repeat 5 times.

It might take a few weeks of practice to become proficient with this movement, but it is worth the investment because it is the foundation of true core exercise. When you feel as if you are getting the hang of it, start engaging your core for 10 second intervals during different activities, such as walking or sitting in your car for the duration of a red light.

Exercises like planks, side planks and pallof presses correctly emphasize stability of the spine. You can even work your core by keeping your stomach firm while performing other exercises, such as pushups, rows, or squats. The difference is that your ability to keep your stomach tight should be the limiting factor for these exercises. For example, if you can perform 15 pushups with good form, you are doing a great job of strengthening your chest and triceps. However, if you want to focus on your core, you would perform only as many pushups as you can with your transversus abdominus engaged. If you feel your stomach fatigue at seven repetitions, the exercise is done because you have fatigued your core.

Bottom line: If your goal is to work your core or decrease your risk of lower back problems, you can do far better than a crunch!

Weight Watch

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Ultra-processed foods & increasing screen time have fueled rise in the obesity epidemic, putting more people at increased risk of heart disease.

When the World Health Organization recognized obesity as a global epidemic in 1997, less than 20% of Americans were considered obese, with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30. Less than three decades later, the numbers are staggering. Obesity rates in the United States have doubled to 40% according to a 2021-2023 report by the Centers for Disease Control. As rates continue to rise, it’s predicted more than 250 million Americans will be obese or overweight by 2050.

“Obesity is one of the most common conditions I see in patients,” says Dr. Angel Rodriguez, Medical Director of Primary Care at White Plains Hospital Physician Associates. “Over the past several decades, we’ve seen a shift toward high-calorie diets comprised of processed foods that are full of salt, sugar, fats, and artificial colorings. They are designed to entice people to eat more, but they’re not very healthy and lack nutrients.” Though Westchester’s obesity rate sits well below the national average at 24% of the population, residents still report overindulging in ultra-processed foods. In the most recent Westchester County Community Health Assessment, 20% of adults self-reported consuming one or more sugary drink daily and 23% said they ate less than one fruit or vegetable daily.

Increasingly sedentary lifestyles also contribute to weight gain–a trend that’s been exacerbated in
recent years by increased screen time and work-from-home culture. “COVID brought that out more than anything. Now we sit in front of the computer eating and talking,” Dr. Rodriguez says. “I can relate. As with everyone else, I gained weight during the pandemic and am working hard to get back to a healthy weight.”

Shedding excess pounds has a positive impact on heart health. “Carrying extra weight is like carrying a backpack full of rocks,” Dr. Rodriguez says. “Your heart has to work harder, and the extra weight causes added stress in the whole body, including on the joints and liver as well.” Obesity is also tied to increased incidence of other chronic conditions, including hypertension, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and diabetes–all risk factors for heart disease–as well as inflammation and joint pain.

Dr. Rodriguez recommends this commonly prescribed regimen for reaching a healthy BMI:

  • Follow a healthy diet and swap those processed foods for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
  • Aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.
  • Eat slower to help with portion control.
  • And drink lots of water – it’s good for you and filling.

Before starting an exercise regimen, patients should visit their primary care physician for a physical–a step Dr. Rodriguez notes is often overlooked. A comprehensive exam confirms the heart is healthy enough for cardio and can identify other factors linked to weight gain, like genetics, hypothyroidism, and in young women, polycystic ovary syndrome. “Most patients who are obese are relatively sedentary,” he notes. “You want to have a sense of what their heart can handle before they go run on a treadmill.”

Physicians can also advise on injectable weight-loss (GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists) medications for appropriate patients to help with weight loss and lower the risk of heart attack. “You still need to eat right and exercise, but the good thing is that these meds are working for the right patients,” says Dr. Rodriguez.

To combat this growing epidemic, small, sustainable changes to diet and lifestyle can make a significant impact over time. With the right support and resources, maintaining a healthy weight and reducing heart-disease risk is within reach, Dr. Rodriguez notes.

Purple Plains Prospers

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Starting a business is never an easy task – but specializing in what was for the majority of its existence considered a dangerous, schedule 1 controlled substance, can be a uniquely overwhelming and difficult process.

Similar to the prohibition of alcohol in the 20s, marijuana use was not only highly illegal in the United States but also thought to be addictive, harmful and void of any medical potential whatsoever. Whereas alcohol made its way back into American supermarkets after only 13 years, it took the cannabis industry decades to establish any legitimate foundation and only became recreationally available in some states as recently as 2021.

Today, despite a seemingly endless range of complications, it’s growing at incredible rates and shows no sign of slowing down as it continues to evolve and become more accessible.

In Pound Ridge NY, Mark Buzzetto and Sophia Mortell are capitalizing on this widespread cultural trend with their new dispensary, Purple Plains. Getting this now thriving business off the ground was an incredible undertaking that started back in 2022 when the two co-founders first took a leap of faith and pivoted their careers into the unknown.

Mark had decades of experience in the cannabis industry pre-legalization and also co-owned a flower shop with his father where he took immense pride in the presentation and quality of his arrangements. Sophia, on the other hand, brought a high standard for customer service and experiential design from her time spent in the world of hospitality. Last week I had the pleasure of not just speaking with these local entrepreneurs but also visiting their beautiful and sophisticated storefront located just off Westchester Avenue.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was a sense of elegance. Many classic depictions of marijuana users/sellers are far from flattering – often presented as dingy, unclean and unmotivated. Instead of bean bag chairs and empty pizza boxes though, Purple Plains manages to feel more like the cross between a high-end restaurant, car dealership and a museum all at once.

You might not expect as much from the outside with its charming façade, even I nearly drove past it, but everything on the interior looks sleek and brand new. The extremely knowledgeable and accommodating staff is there to help customers through the entire shopping process, answer questions, educating, and ultimately provide people with product suggestions specific to their unique needs and lifestyles.

Co-founder Mark Buzzetto added, “I like to think of it almost like pairing wine with different types of food – a nice dark red with a steak for example. I love having conversations with my customers to help understand what they’re looking for and then guide them in the right direction.”

With the dispensary not just finally up and running but becoming increasingly popular, this exciting team and their vibrant young business have nowhere to go but up. Attracting customers not just locally but from across Connecticut and the tri-state area, their prices are affordable, their products are elite, their staff is extremely accommodating and knowledgeable, and as a result, their success is as unsurprising as it is well earned.

“Our reviews are all five stars,” said Sophia, “so it seems people are overwhelmingly happy with the experience they have in the store which is amazing.” Here is a perfect example of hard work and determination paying off within our community and something else for the town of Pound Ridge to be proud of.

From Wall Street to The Weight Room: Building Strength & Resiliency in Midlife

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Kathy Joyce, NASM Certified Personal Trainer

If you had asked Kathy Joyce 20 years ago if she would work in health and fitness, the answer would have been a definite no. After all, Kathy was a CPA for 12 years, rising the corporate ladder in Manhattan and working at Big Six accounting firms, investment banks, and hedge funds. However, after a painful personal loss, priorities shifted, and Kathy left the banking world to stay home after the birth of her first child.

A difficult transition morphs into a second career

Kathy found the transition to being a stay-at-home mom challenging and isolating. She had gained 70 pounds during her pregnancy and lost a sense of clear direction in her life. She began working with a personal trainer, lost weight, and discovered she had a new passion and purpose. Weightlifting and movement were like medicine for her, building resilience and allowing her to heal. This inspired Kathy to embark on her second career of personal training, focusing on helping women in midlife like herself.

Holistic Approach to fitness for women in midlife

Kathy Joyce Fitness focuses on pre and post menopausal women’s health and fitness (although she has clients who are teenage children and husbands of clients):

I understand what women at this stage of life are going through because I am going through it, too. So, I am uniquely equipped to offer women the understanding, support, encouragement, and know-how they need to achieve their goals and feel good.

Kathy’s approach to fitness and wellness is holistic. In addition to certified personal trainers, her team includes a Physical Therapist, Chiropractor, Acupuncturist and Health Coach. This comprehensive approach empowers women to navigate midlife with strength, health and confidence.

Ready to learn more? Visit www.kathyjoycefitness.com or call 914-529-1454. Kathy Joyce Fitness is located at 501 Marble Avenue in Pleasantville, NY.

The Link Between Alcohol and Several Types of Cancer

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Most of us are aware that smoking is a leading cause of cancer, and that drinking alcohol can also have deleterious effects on our health. But the U.S. Surgeon General recently published an advisory underscoring that alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity – and increases the risk for at least seven types of cancer.

While scientific evidence for this connection has been growing over the past four decades, less than half of Americans recognize it as a risk factor for cancer, according to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. Alcohol is responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths each year in the U.S. – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic-related fatalities per year – “yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Dr. Murthy said upon releasing the advisory on Jan. 3.

In addition, more than 220 million Americans over the age of 12 have reported drinking alcohol at some point in their life, with 16.4% reporting they drank heavily, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). For adults ages 18 and older, 23%, or 60.4 million, reported that they were binge drinking, according to the NSDUH.

The advisory outlines the scientific evidence for the causal link between alcohol consumption and increased risk for such cancers as breast (in women; 16.4% of total breast cancer cases are attributable to alcohol consumption), colorectum, esophagus, voice box, liver, mouth, and throat. The type of alcohol being consumed – beer, wine, or spirits – does not matter, the Surgeon General states.

The Surgeon General’s Advisory includes a series of recommendations to increase awareness to help minimize alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths, including updating the existing Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages. The present required warning labels, last updated in 1988, state that women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol due to the risk of birth defects. They must also state that “consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery and may cause health problems.”

Dr. Murthy, noting that changing the label requires an act of Congress, maintains that an updated label should be “more visible, prominent, and effective in increasing awareness about cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption.”

Just as there is no “safe” number of cigarettes you can smoke per day – any number of cigarettes can increase your risk of developing cancer – any amount of alcohol consumption can also raise your cancer risk. Alcohol can damage your DNA in multiple ways as your body works to break it down, possibly resulting in mutations and DNA strand breaks which ultimately increase the risk of cancer, especially in tissues exposed to high levels of alcohol like the mouth and throat.

Medical oncologist and hematologist Dr. Yael Zack, who founded and leads the Young Women’s Program for Cancer Care at White Plains Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care, has long advised against alcohol consumption and applauds the Surgeon General’s latest move. “For cancer prevention, we should avoid alcohol altogether,” she says, “but my general guidelines are to limit alcohol intake to 1-2 times per week, or even less frequently.”

Dr. Zack says that she recommends the following tips she learned from White Plains Hospital Registered Dietitian Cheryl Leslie:

  • Have alcohol-free days
  • Find other outlets for relaxation instead of having an alcoholic beverage
  • Don’t make having a glass of wine part of your food prep
  • Limit alcohol consumption to only when socializing
  • Alternate every other drink with a glass of water or seltzer
  • Have a wine spritzer instead of a glass of wine
  • Offer to be the designated driver at gatherings
  • Enjoy many of the alcohol-free options that are now available

These recommendations underscore how, for many people, one’s alcohol consumption can be prudently self-regulated. “Essentially I tell patients that since we have control over this risk factor, we should definitely take control,” Dr. Zack says.

Of course, self-management may not be sufficient in some cases. For those patients, Dr. Zack recommends consulting a therapist; a list of local facilities can easily be found online.