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Christine Ackerman on Being Open & Engaged

October 22, 2017 by The Inside Press

An Avid Runner, the CCSD’s New Superintendent also Goes the Extra Mile to Emphasize Communication, Transparency and Supporting District Wide Initiatives in STEM, Health – and Social Justice, too.

PHOTO BY GRACE BENNETT

BY GRACE BENNETT

Maybe I’m just getting older, but upon meeting new Chappaqua school district Superintendent Christine Ackerman this past summer, I could not help but marvel at how youthful she seemed; I was certain she was young enough to be my daughter. Ok, well almost! And so I asked her how her youth might lend a reinvigoration of sorts and fresh perspective to our schools while taking on 21st century challenges.

First, some background: Ackerman, only 39 years old, comes to Chappaqua after three years as Superintendent of the Greenwood Lake Union Free School District, following four years as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Pupil Personnel Services with the Millbrook Central School District, where she had served as its high school principal for a year and a half. Prior to that, she was Assistant Principal & Director of Social Services at Valhalla Middle/High School, Dean of Students at John Jay High School in Katonah, and a teacher and Dean of Students in the New York City school system.

A native of Vernon, New Jersey and one of four children, she credits her decision to take an unorthodox route for an educator – going directly from college to graduate school to receiving her PhD – as the reason that doors opened very quickly and enable her to compile such an impressive and varied resume for someone so young.

A New and Broader Outlook

“I think I have a fresh perspective. I’ve had a lot of different experiences in various roles within a school district,” Ackerman explained when asked what she brings to Chappaqua. “I’ve been a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal, an assistant superintendent for special ed, for curriculum and instruction, and superintendent, so I think I have a large frame of reference, which I am able to use when I’m looking at different issues, whether they’re instructional or social/emotional.” She elaborated that she will be able to draw from her experiences in diverse districts, “from high-performing districts to the inner-city,” enabling her to work with different constituent groups on a wide range of issues.

She also stressed the value of having her own children (a third grader at Westorchard and a fifth grader at Seven Bridges) enrolled in Chappaqua schools. “I can’t underscore the importance of having my own kids here: it’s very, very important,” said Ackerman, a single mom in the district. “I want people to have confidence in the fact that I feel that this is the best place for my kids to receive an education. I think it speaks volumes, it speaks more than anything I could ever say to have my own children to be able to experience what I feel is one of the best educational experiences they could have in the state, if not the country.”

“When you have children that go through the district, it gives a different perspective, not only as an administrator, but as a mom,” Ackerman continued. “You get real time experience when you’re a mom – the homework, the assessments – you have a different lens because you’re not only looking at it in terms of how the structure and the education and social program are operating, but you’re looking at it in terms of how your own child is experiencing it.” She added that “it lends a different credibility” when people know that decisions she makes as an instructional leader will directly impact her own children too.

As an example, Ackerman described transitioning one of her prior district’s anthology reading program to a writing workshop program – what currently exists in Chappaqua – as the literacy instructional base. Not surprisingly, there were many questions, and she was able to “very clearly say it benefits [the children, including my own] and why these are the practices I’ll be doing with my own children at home to support what’s happening in the classroom.”

Ackerman does not sense any real discomfort of her kids or their teachers in her dual position as Superintendent and classroom mom. “I think [my kids] are proud of their mom, and they see me because I’m very present in the buildings with the kids. For them it’s normal to have their mom walking around the building and going in and out of their classes,” she said. She added that in her prior Superintendent position, if “any initial unfamiliarity with me existed, as time went on and the frequency of my interactions with the people increased, I think that any kind of trepidation dissipated. It would be my goal, though, that people would feel comfortable interacting with me as a colleague, not necessarily as a supervisor, because I think that’s where the best collaboration happens for kids.”

Ackerman’s children, like their mom, however, are most excited about the opportunities available to them in Chappaqua. “The facilities and the extracurricular program in Chappaqua is unbelievable; when it’s all you’ve experienced, you don’t really have a broader perspective of what else is out there for kids,” she said, noting the difference in other schools her children have attended. “When we pulled up to Seven Bridges and my son saw where he was going to school, he was amazed, and so was I,” she added.

“All of our facilities are so thoughtful and designed in a way to really support instruction differently. The opportunities here are endless for our kids, and I am just so privileged that my kids are going to be able to have that same opportunity as other students.”

Full STEAM Ahead: Collaboration and Technology

Emphasizing the high level of instruction in our district schools, Ackerman hopes to even further enhance technological and collaborative tools to even better prepare our students for college and beyond.

“I’m extremely passionate about educational technology, because I feel that we need to prepare students to leave here ready to interact and integrate into a society that is focused on web-based interactions,” she said. “And I also feel that, if you look at college and career readiness standards, we exceed many of the academic standards, but one of the things that businesses really focus on is the ability of kids/employees to work collaboratively to solve real-world problems.”

Ackerman has been very impressed with CCSD’s work with collaborative spaces.

“I think one of the smart, visionary decisions that the previous Superintendent had was the concept of these maker-spaces, because they really have kids applying content in real-life application.” She points to the district’s redesign of school spaces to support STEAM work.

“We have our iLab in the high school, and we’re beginning to think differently in our elementary schools by incorporating some of the practices in our high school. We’re looking at spaces differently.” She described a pilot project at Westorchard “where we’re really looking at our classroom design in a way that supports student collaboration.”

Challenges Ahead

As Superintendent, Ackerman is an integral part of the CCSD Board of Education. “It’s a partnership, so every meeting I’m there with them, preparing the agenda, preparing reports for the community, for the Board of Education on our progress and what we’ve been focused on. We have a very dedicated group of individuals from all sorts of constituencies. I feel so fortunate to be able to work for this Board of Education. They’re really focused on the kids.”

Upon arriving in Chappaqua, Ackerman has had numerous “entrance meetings” with different constituent groups, all confirming the CCSD’s strength. “The faculty, staff, and administrative team are extremely strong, very professional, and devoted to our kids in a way that’s probably unique compared to other districts,” she said. “You have some of the top people in their profession working in this district with our students. This is where you want to teach: the professional development, the commitment of the community towards providing the best education for the children here, is unparalleled.”

One of the biggest challenges facing the district that she has been asked to focus on is communication and transparency. “Some of the things that we’re already in the process of engaging in will be re-designing our website, thinking about how we’re structuring our board meetings, talking about what can we share versus what can’t we share, and just being really cognizant of making sure that people feel comfortable with the processes that we have in place,” Ackerman explained.

“We have a lot of committees – including communications – that look at a lot of many different aspects of our program,” she continued. “I look forward to leveraging some of those committees to talk about what I heard in entrance meetings. One of the things that we’ve been talking about in terms of communication is our social media presence – we really don’t have one. Can we have a voice on social media? These are all things that are important but they’re a process and they take time,” she added.

Ackerman thinks that the team in place is up to the challenge, brushing aside the idea that a consultant or public relations firm might be needed. “I just think we need to work with the people that we have and work with our parents to all be comfortable, because I think, in terms of people feeling like they want more communication from the district that can get that feedback from our community and use that to figure out how we’re going to move forward.” Ackerman is on it.

She noted that she has already engaged in some outreach with local publications, this one included. “I think we need to look at that,” she said. “I’ve already made some contact with our local media providers, I’ve tried to build relationships with our newspaper, because I think there’s a lot going on here that we can highlight as well. I feel like it’s an opportunity for us.”

Ackerman also recognizes that there is work to be done as far as instilling strong values in students of an affluent district. She recalled that one of the focus areas of this past summer’s administrative retreat was the social and emotional growth of students, which she described as an integral piece of the academic program and “one of our responsibilities.”

“I know that there’s been a lot of work done in individual buildings around this particular issue with staff members and under the leadership of the administration, so one of the areas that I know we’re going to look at collaboratively as a district K-12 is how we’re all working collectively on that important component of the academic program,” she said.

She also noted the need to help the student body appreciate diversity and build tolerance. “I support social justice [and was] trained by the Social Justice Institute,” Ackerman said. “I find that it has to be embedded in the curriculum and that it’s something that happens on a regular basis in the classrooms through teachers interactions with kids, but I also know there’s value in having teacher-student connections and individual conversations that focus on these issues specifically.” She is working on figuring out how to structure the school day around promoting “common values that we all value as humans and that we need to partner on and complement each other from home to school.”

Shown here with Christine Ackerman (L-R): Georgia Rappaport, Sara Albert, School Board member Vicki Tipp, Luke Leopold and Jared Saiontz

Nutrition and Fitness

Ackerman, an avid runner (five to seven miles every morning before going to work), is an advocate in fitness and healthy eating, for herself, her children and the students in the district. “I think it’s important for my own kids to see me valuing my health and to be healthy, so I am committed to making sure that our kids [do the same],” she said. She also notes the evidence that supports how nutrition affects school performance; “there’s so much research that supports how students come to school, and what happens in the morning, particularly around what they’re eating in terms of preparing them for instruction, so I think how our kids spend their lunch breaks and what they eat during their lunch breaks are important, absolutely.”

First Impressions

One of Ackerman’s early experiences as the CCSD Superintendent was marching in the town’s Memorial Day Parade and meeting Hillary and Bill Clinton and Governor Andrew Cuomo. “It was amazing for me to be able to be in the presence of the former President and the Secretary of State. They took time with me to find out where I was from, and offered their assistance with any support that I would need. They affirmed to me how great the community was. I was honored,” she said. However, what impressed her even more was that the Board of Education immediately followed these illustrious residents in the parade. “What I found most telling though about that experience, and this really for me put in perspective how much this community values education, was the parade order was the President, Secretary of State, the Governor, and the Chappaqua Board of Education. That was amazing to me.

To see that level of commitment that this community has toward its schools and respect,” Ackerman recalled.

The school year got off to an exciting start, too, with a packed-house September 8 community event celebrating the new Greeley track and field under the newly-installed lights. “This community event was designed to foster a sense of togetherness amongst our K-12 students and community,” she said. “We also wanted to take a moment to truly celebrate our new facility that will be used by all facets of our community.” Indeed, the event was attended even by Chappaqua’s youngest residents and enjoyed by all.

An emotional and inspiring event on that same field followed several weeks later, as the Greeley boys’ varsity soccer team dedicated a home game to one of its own who tragically passed away this summer. “One of my most memorable moments so far was watching the boys’ soccer team honor Casey Taub [who had worn uniform number 22] by leading the crowd in a standing ovation as they played during the 22nd minute of a recent home game,” Ackerman recalled. “The senior captain even scored a goal at 22:22 – it was such a moving tribute to this young man. I continue to be impressed by the quality of instruction and the caliber of students who are members of the Chappaqua Central School District community.”

PHOTO BELOW (Left to Right): State Assemblyman David Buchwald, Superintendent Christine Ackerman, CCSD Board Member Vicki Tipp, Senator Terrence Murphy, Jared Saiontz at the mic, Stacey Saiontz, Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein, Liz Rappaport, Luke Leopold, Sara Albert, Georgia Rappaport (holding white bag). Additional people who have helped advocate for the bills and traveled to Albany who are not pictured are: Patty Albert (mom), Elliott Saiontz (older brother of food allergic child); Heather Brown (mom) and Spencer Brown (food allergic child); Jill Mindlin (mom) and Maya Mindlin (food allergic child); and Jon Terrry (advocate whose sister passed from allergic reaction to a bee sting).

She is also impressed with the philanthropy and advocacy of student and parent groups. For example, “our students and parents worked together to advocate for legislation that would allow bus drivers who are not employees of the District to administer EpiPens.” She added that “we are currently working to develop a Board of Ed policy in conjunction with Chappaqua Transportation to support our students in this way.”

To that end, Ackerman wanted the community to be aware that the District will be engaging in “a strategic cohesive planning process to identify long and short term goals in relation to the Board of Education’s strategic questions over the course of this school year.” And most importantly, Ackerman stressed that she is available to talk with anyone about any issue.

“I am available and people can feel free to contact me if they need help, if they want to talk to me, they have ideas, I’m open. They can email me at chackerman@ccsd.ws or they could set up a meeting. I’m here, I’m open, and I’m here to be their partner. I’m really looking forward to those experiences with people here.”


Bus Drivers Get Green Light to Administer EpiPens

At her first press conference for the district at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School, Christine Ackerman joined parents and students and Westchester sponsors of a new law passed to protect and save the lives of students who suffer from severe allergies. Assemblyman David Buchwald and State Senator Terrence Murphy co-sponsored the legislation which now allows school bus drivers and others employed by firms providing services to schools to administer epinephrine when a child suffers anaphylaxis shock.

Christine Ackerman: “Our students and parents worked together to advocate for legislation that would allow bus drivers who are not employees of the District to administer EpiPens.”

David Buchwald: “The New York State Department of Health will need to move quickly to issue the regulations necessary for the timely implementation of this act.”

Terrence Murphy: “When a child experiences anaphylaxis, there is little time to wait for emergency personnel to arrive. Every second is crucial.”

Advocate Stacey Saiontz: “Recently, a school bus driver in Massachusetts saved a student’s life when emergency personnel could not arrive on the scene in time. I am so pleased New York school bus drivers will be able to do the same.”


Grace Bennett is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Inside Chappaqua Magazine. This interview was edited by long time Inside Press contributor Debra Hand. Special thanks as well to intern Amanda Kraus for transcribing.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Administration, Bus Drivers, CCSD Superintendent, Chappaqua Central School District, Christine Ackerman, EpiPen, health, nutrition, school

FarmOn! Advice: Think Carefully about your Food’s Origin

October 8, 2015 by The Inside Press

Back to front: Barry Graziano, Chappaqua & Armonk Manager, Houlihan Lawrence; Roselyn Harburger, Katonah Manager, Houlihan Lawrence; Leslie Lampert, Owner, Cafe of Love; Amanda Gomolka, Manager, Cafe of Love; Jackie Graziano; Westchester Ambassador, FarmOn! Foundation; and Tessa Edick, Executive Director, Founder, FarmOn! Foundation
Back to front: Barry Graziano, Chappaqua & Armonk Manager, Houlihan Lawrence; Roselyn Harburger, Katonah Manager, Houlihan Lawrence; Leslie Lampert, Owner, Cafe of Love; Amanda Gomolka, Manager, Cafe of Love; Jackie Graziano; Westchester Ambassador, FarmOn! Foundation; and Tessa Edick, Executive Director, Founder, FarmOn! Foundation
Program in Poughkeepsie Highlights “Edible Education” Efforts

A recent gathering of support for the FarmOn! Foundation at Café of Love in Mount Kisco offered an instant reminder of what constitutes the most ideal farm to table food. Just because something states “farm” does not mean a food is healthful, reminds FarmOn! Foundation founder and Family Farm advocate Tessa Edick.

Edick said it’s critical to distinguish between food from “factory farms” versus “family farms; each one of us needs to give careful thought to where the food on your plate came from, and also, at least once a day, choose a local ingredient!”

“It can make a big difference in your family’s healthy development when you eat fresh food acquired directly from a family farm,” said Edick.

While learning about FarmOn!, attendees enjoyed a platter of family farm fresh veggies and also Café of Love’s signature fried chick peas and beverages from the café’s beautiful lounge area while learning about FarmOn!. The event was sponsored by Houlihan Lawrence.

Wescthester Ambassador for FarmOn! Jackie Graziano of Katonah has embraced the group’s efforts to not only bring family farm fresh ingredients into area schools but to also teach the value of farm fresh eating to kids. Programming is intended to be fun and innovative, says Edick. One program “celebrating local farms and local foods” is described below. Notes Graziano: “I love the idea of an “edible education” in schools; it brings everything together!” — Grace Bennett

“Back to the Farm” Series in Pougkeepsie

FarmOn! Foundation in partnership with the Poughkeepsie Farm Project and local support in the Poughkeepsie School District is presenting “Back to the Farm,” this month, a month-long series of events in the Poughkeepsie School District celebrating local farms and local food.

FarmOn! Staff explain that there’s a missing link between farms and schools and that it’s essential that we bridge it for the health of our children and our communities.

FarmOn! Foundation is sponsoring the school cafeterias to serve a locally-sourced dish featuring Slope Farm to School New York State Ground Beef to more than 4,000 students district-wide throughout the month. Students at all four elementary schools will also enjoy tastings of local raw vegetables provided by the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, local milk provided by Hudson Valley Fresh, local apple taste tests lead by the Dutchess County Department of Health’s nutrition educator, and cooking demos and tastings of locally sourced vegetable dishes presented by chef interns from the Culinary Institute of America.

Every 2nd grader district-wide will visit the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, seeing how food is grown, harvesting and tasting fresh vegetables straight from the ground. Every 4th grader district-wide will visit a Hudson Valley Fresh dairy farm and see how cows are milked, tasting fresh milk and yogurt. Other interactive activities and demonstrations are also planned.

MORE ABOUT FARMON! FOUNDATION:

FarmOn! Foundation is a non-profit organization of professional farmers, educators, influencers, supporters, nutritionists, students, and community leaders invested in the future of local agriculture and building local economies. FarmOn! Foundation creates and funds youth educational programming and is working to preserve family farming in America with an edible education. Some of FarmOn! Foundation partners include TasteNY, John Varvatos, Bronx Zoo, NYS Department of Ag & Markets, Local Economies Project, Hudson Valley Fresh, Maple Hill Creamery, Yelp, Whole Foods Market, Modern Farmer, Cornell University CALS, NBA, Disney, and SUNY. In the first-ever partnership of its kind, students at SUNY Cobleskill, Morrisville State College and the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will be able to live and work at the Foundation’s working farm– FarmOn! at Empire Farm in Columbia County in New York State gaining real life experiences in the food production field. Learning will range from seed and soil crop planning to growing food, harvesting it, producing, and cooking food in a commercial teaching kitchen and extend all the way to custom growing for New York’s institutions, caterers, retailers and chefs.
For additional information, please visit www.farmonfoundation.org.

Filed Under: Westchester Tagged With: farm-to-table, farming, Food, nutrition

Dina Khader Nutrition

May 27, 2015 by The Inside Press

khaderNutrition consultant Dina Khader, celebrating her 25th year of practice in Mount Kisco, recently had a wonderful opportunity to be a part of father & son wellness when longtime client Tom Harrison introduced his adult sons to the practice. “They have seen me follow a plan over the years to create wellness, and said, ‘You know, we want part of that too.’ They love the protocol, it has helped them, and we get to enjoy wellness together.” He added, “I have spent the last 20 years keeping this body as healthy as it can be, and Dina has helped me immensely.”

Filed Under: Words & Wisdoms From Our Sponsors Tagged With: Dina Khader, nutrition, wellness

The Khader Center: Celebrating 25 Years of Offering Outstanding Nutrition Consultation

May 26, 2015 by The Inside Press

dina_headshot2015_smallA Commitment to Individualized, Integrated Nutrition has Helped Thousands to Better Health

The Khader Center, Westchester County’s premier integrated health and nutrition provider, is celebrating founder Dina Khader’s twenty-fifth year of private practice in Mount Kisco. In her quarter-century of serving Westchester residents with targeted, highly personalized nutrition consultation, Dina Khader, MS, RD, CDN, MIfHI, has built a reputation as a dedicated, caring, knowledgeable health care practitioner and a source of inspiration to clients and colleagues alike.

Ms. Khader is a registered dietitian, holding a Master of Science degree in nutrition from New York Medical College. She is a Master Fellow and featured presenter with the Institute for Human Individuality, and works closely with the European Institute of Personalized Prevention. She is the author of The Food Combining/Blood Type Diet Solution, and is frequently sought as a lecturer, author, and expert commentator for radio, television, and print media.

“I began offering nutrition consulting in 1990, with a real commitment to getting to know the specific needs and preferences of each client, so that I could provide customized nutrition plans fine-tuned to each individual,” explains Ms. Khader. “Right away, people were surprised how effective a carefully-tailored nutrition solution could be, and how much easier it is to stick to a plan that works so well. A lot has changed in the last twenty-five years, but that dedication to individual care hasn’t wavered, because it has made such a big difference for so many people.”

Ms. Khader’s unwavering dedication, as well as the considerable success her clients have experienced and the word-of-mouth reputation that success has generated, has been a major factor in her success. In 2009, she founded The Khader Center, a full-service integrated nutrition center that offers a number of targeted holistic health solutions, including Ms. Khader’s expert nutrition advice. The Khader Center quickly gained popularity as a friendly, welcoming place to achieve optimal health.

For more information about Dina Khader and The Khader Center, visit www.DinaKhader.com.

About The Khader Center

Founded in 2009 by Dina Khader, MS, RD, CDN, MIFHI, The Khader Center is Westchester County’s premier integrative nutrition center. Offering a wealth of natural, cutting-edge health solutions, The Khader Center is a warm, friendly place to achieve optimal health.

Filed Under: Lifestyles with our Sponsors Tagged With: diet, Food, Inside Press, nutrition, personal care, theinsidepress.com

Inside a Chappaqua Health and Wellness Retreat

December 4, 2013 by The Inside Press

By Grace Bennett

Paula Barbag
Paula Barbag

In the fall, I was invited to experience an all morning health and wellness retreat inside a beautiful Chappaqua home. The offer was courtesy of Paula Barbag, owner of “Consulting for a Cause,” which “provides organizational development consulting services to assist non profit organizations to strengthen their impact.”  In other words, Paula’s team helps out non profits by providing extra services that enhance employee health and also meet other organizational goals. I do think it’s a brilliant concept and you can learn more about it by visiting consultingforacause.com

It happens the retreat took place the morning after Consulting for a Cause was awarded a Chamber Champs award for Best New Business–the first time award ceremony sponsored by the Chappaqua Millwood Chamber of Commerce took place just the night before at Crabtree’s Kittle House.

Consulting for a Cause launched a “Behavioral Health and Wellness Program” for non profits which Paula said helped shape her idea for a similar retreat she felt would benefit local moms too…like yours truly–which brings me to the workshop itself. After a brief introduction to the program, we were divided into four, small rotating groups to visit with individual workshop leaders.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Jodi Baretz
Jodi Baretz

My group of moms (given the heavy women’s health theme throughout, it was all moms!) took off first to meet with Jodi Baretz, LCSW, HHC, a psychotherapist and certified health coach, for insights into mindfulness and meditation. Jodi has been embarking on eight weeks of studying the teachings of Jon Kabat Zinn, one of this country’s most eminent experts on mindfulness. Mindfulness, Jodi explained, is “an awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose to how the experience unfolds in a non judgmental way.” Toward that end, Jodi explained the reasoning behind meditation, pointing out that our “monkey minds” are possessed of thoughts that go from one to the next, “and that it is very difficult to quiet the mind and be still….the benefit will be living in the moment.”

She led the group through a meditation that heavily focused on “coming back to the breath.” She described it as “a process of clearing and steadying the mind that is natural and needs no determined effort.” Anyone interested in joining a mindfulness meditation and stress reduction group with Jodi can contact her: jodi@consultingforacause.com

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines and More

Dr. Corinne Menn
Dr. Corinne Menn

Next our group visited with Dr. Corinne Menn, a Chappaqua-based certified gynecologist, and herself a cancer survivor. She expressed concern about the mixed messages women receive about breast cancer screening. She does support recommendations of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology and The American Cancer Society which include mammograms annually starting at age 40; an ultrasound in conjunction with a mammogram for high risk patients (such as those who are  who perimenopausal, have fibrocystic breasts, or have a palpable mass) and an MRI for high risk patients too.

In addition, Dr. Menn urges that a comprehensive family history be taken to potentially identify red flags that would alert the doctor to a patient at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. At risk patients should be offered BRCA genetic testing. The test is a simple saliva sample and most insurance companies cover it. Family history for uterine, colon, prostate and pancreatic cancer should be explored as well, since these cancers can be linked to BRCA and other genetic mutations. All women deemed high risk, including those who are negative for the BRCA mutation, benefit from increased surveillance, nutrition and lifestyle counseling. Some patients may be candidates for prophylactic medication to reduce their risk as well.

Screening guidelines need to be personalized for each patient and women should be their own health advocates by staying informed, emphasized Dr. Menn. “In my practice, I do BRCA testing and I utilize a high risk prevention program to follow and care for my patients at risk for breast, ovarian cancer and other cancers.” For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Menn, call 238-0350.

Stefanie Schwartz
Stefanie Schwartz

Disease Preventing Nutrition Advice

The session that followed was with Stefanie Schwartz…arguably one of Chappaqua’s most popular nutritional consultants in town.  Stefanie proved to be an information powerhouse for every question that came up.

Over the course of the workshop, she highlighted key suggestions surrounding best diets for anti-inflammation, breast cancer prevention, and for weight loss. She noted that inflammation is at the heart of most disease states, so keeping a diet that reduces inflammation in the body is critical for long term health, and for disease prevention, from cancer to heart disease and all autoimmune diseases.

White refined carbohydrates (pasta, bagels, bread, potatoes, rice, crackers), sugar and red meat are three of the most inflammatory foods in the diet. And the foods that reduce inflammation in the diet are: blueberries, walnuts, salmon, sardines, ground flax meal, chia seeds, tart cherry juice, cinnamon, turmeric, and curry powder. “Incorporating these foods into ones diet on a regular basis is an incredible way to prevent disease.”

As far as breast cancer prevention goes, being overweight, and drinking alcohol are clear risks. Also: If you have had or are at high risk for estrogen dependent breast cancer, it’s probably best  if you stay away from different soy based foods (protein powders, tofu, edamame).

Great choices for preventive efforts: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts, garlic, apple skin, walnuts, salmon, ground flax meal, parsley, celery, and blueberries.

Weight loss is very individualized, Stefanie said. What works for one person, doesn’t necessarily work for another. For additional info and a private consultation, call 238-6415.

Yoga for Breast Health too!

 Intentional Wellness & Yoga Center’s Susan Kullman

Intentional Wellness & Yoga Center’s owner Susan Kullman

To enhance an already heightened sense of well being, we enjoyed a wonderful session of yoga with Susan Kullman, the owner of the new Intentional Wellness and Yoga Center in Katonah. intentionalwellnessandyogacenter.com

“During the yoga portion of the wellness retreat I was able to convey the importance of balancing out the normal “high momentum” daily experience,” said Susan, who had all of us performing poses that opened up our hips and spines. “I focus on the psoas muscle group of the body (part of the hip flexors),” she explained.

“It can greatly affect digestion, breathing, and an overall feeling of safety in the body.  The condition of the psoas is one of the determining factors in how grounded we feel in our body.” In addition, Susan led us in opening up our armpits, to help target all our different lymph glands which are responsible for keeping our breasts healthy.

Well, all this talk and activity inspired a solid appetite. I was delighted that a healthy and delicious home cooked lunch immediately followed and allowed for more conversation amongst ourselves. I went home having made a couple new friends and feeling relaxed and healthfully sated.

Grace Bennett is Publisher and Editor of Inside Chappaqua Magazine.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: meditation, nutrition, wellness, Yoga

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