Computer Assisted Dentistry!! Now that is Hi-Tech By Lucy R. Leone, DDS
Posted May 24, 2011 A recent innovation available in some dental practices is CAD/CAM dentistry, or Computer-Assisted Design/Computer Assisted Manufacture of porcelain crowns and inlays. CAD/CAM technology is utilized in technologically efficient practices to offer patients access to the highest levels of restoration precision, durability and aesthetics.
CAD/CAM dentistry can be used for fillings or crowns that are more durable than white composite fillings and traditional porcelain/metal crowns. The longevity of the restorations is increased by utilizing high strength ceramics that are close in composition to natural tooth structure.
This technique enables you to restore any tooth that is decayed, weakened or broken to its natural strength and beauty. The tooth is scanned by the optical scanner that senses the area of focus and automatically captures the digital impression. The precision of the scanner provides the most advanced optical technology to yield precise 3D models. The restoration is designed and milled by a computer to fit precisely.
If you have experienced ill-fitting crowns, or have washed out fillings you may be a candidate for CAD/CAM dentistry. Ask your dentist if this technology is available to enable you to avail yourself of a superior restoration with exceptional clinical performance and esthetically pleasing results. For more information visit drleonedds.com
Help for Busy Moms!
Posted May 3, 2011 As women, our to-do lists look something like this: kids, husband, boss and household chores. So where do we fit in? If you’re like most moms you’re so busy putting your family first that you fall to the bottom of your priority list. (Sometimes we fall off that list completely!) Our intentions are good, but in the process, we don’t take care of ourselves. In honor of Mother's Day, the Blum Center for Health wants to pay homage to nonstop, over scheduled women by offering options for busting stress and nourishing your adrenal glands.
These glands sit on top of your kidneys and pump out the stress hormone cortisol as well as the energizing hormone adrenaline. When you burn the candle at both ends, your adrenals can get tired and so can you. These hormones are needed when there is stress, but it is important that they don’t get stuck in the “on” position. Here, tips to keep them happy and healthy:
Catch your 40 winks. Studies show a minimum of 7 hours of sleep is best. Keep your diet clean. Limit white flour and sugar, fill up on fruits and veggies and eat every 3-4 hours - skipping meals stresses those adrenals! Exercise regularly. Aim for 30 minutes most days of the week, combining cardio, such as brisk walking or the elliptical, and strength training. Mellow your mind. Practice a form of relaxation, such as meditation or listening to soothing music, daily so that you can turn those stress hormones off and bring balance to your system. Eliminate toxins. Eat organic, whole foods whenever possible– especially those that support your liver’s natural detox process like broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens and beets. Watch out for mercury in fish and pesticides in food.
Help for Busy Moms is authored by The Blum Center for Health
Northern Westchester Hospital's Brand New Emergency Wing
Posted: March 3, 2011 The Northern Westchester Hospital has received final approval from the New York State Department of Health for a new emergency wing. Doors will open during the third week of March. Building the new Mary and David Boies Emergency Department took almost five years and $30 million in private donations.
David Boies is the founder and chairman of one of the nation's leading law firms, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, based in Armonk. He and his wife Mary also live in Armonk. Mary Boies is a member of the hospital board of trustees. Boies donated a reported $5 million to the new emergency department.
Upon arrival at the emergency department, patients will be immediately taken to a triage area for a medical evaluation. The hospital has tried to anticipate every need of patients coming into its emergency wing. The new 33,000 square foot facility is open, airy, and very comfortable, with 26 patient rooms. Others areas include a family room, a secluded doctor's consultation room, a bereavement room, an obstetrical emergency room with a full shower, a cozy center for children, and three decontamination showers.
"The patient's need is the center of everything we do," says Mark Vincent, Vice President of Marketing and Communication at the hospital. He says a smooth flow from a patient's arrival to the triage area to immediate medical attention is a big part of the hospital's emergency care. Everything is built around the patient's needs to provide better and faster treatment. Vincent says the Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) has been rated in the 85th percentile of overall emergency room satisfaction. But the hospital strives to be rated in the top 10% in all of its departments. "As we went through the process of redesigning the emergency room, determining the patients' needs, and making improvements, we achieved a rating of between 96% and 99%, and that's with the old 14-room emergency department. It was amazing to watch the scores go up."
Patient surveys are done by Press Ganey, a large national firm specializing in hospital research. They randomly survey patients in the emergency room. "As a third party, they rank national hospitals against one another and report the survey results to us," Vincent says, "which we review to find areas of improvement." Vincent says everything in the hospital is reviewed to see if it can be done more efficiently.
The new emergency wing is set up as a grid with "avenues." The first avenue has private adult treatment rooms, the center hallway is for pediatric treatment and the third avenue is the fast track for minor emergencies such as if a patient needs only a few stitches, or has a sprained ankle, an upset stomach or the flu. In between the avenues are staff and nursing stations. Most of the patients' rooms are equipped with standard monitors and a bed. The staff also has rotating carts that carry specific medical equipment, depending upon an emergency's circumstance and needs. All the adults' rooms have floor to ceiling windows, with a beautiful view of an outdoor garden. The grid system should make the flow of patients through the emergency process more efficient.
NWH's volume has increased substantially over the past few years. "We have to expand our surgery time into Saturdays and early evening hours," Vincent says. In addition to the new emergency wing, NWH has moved into the beautiful Reader's Digest building in Chappaqua. Vincent says this will be for out-patient services such as cardiac rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapy, and other types of rehab. "If you need your hip done or your knee done," Vincent says, "we want to be considered as a place to provide these services. If a patient has a positive experience in the emergency room, he or she might realize that we apply the same process throughout all of the hospital's departments." Vincent says, "In Westchester County we're fortunate to have doctors who keep up with the high standards of medical facilities and doctors in New York City."
Northern Westchester Hospital's goal is to have patients receive the medical attention they deserve in a state of the art facility. The entire hospital is excited to take emergency care to a new level, and to better and faster.
Click here for a three dimensional tour of the inside of the facility.
Armonk Vision Care tells us it is as important to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays as it is to use sunscreen everyday to protect your skin. Read More
Published June 2, 2011 In case you are all wondering why we so strongly advise getting facials on a regular basis, we thought we would explain some of the many benefits.
Facials are, as the name implies, skin treatments of the face, given by licensed aestheticians. The treatment starts with a detailed skin analysis, followed by cleaning, exfoliation, extractions, massage and, finally, a calming mask.
Facials benefit your skin in many ways. The deep cleansing removes build up and excessive sebum, preventing the clogging of pores and formation of comedones. This treatment is especially effective for acne-prone skin. Exfoliation, the removal of dead skin, will speed up the cell cycle and enhance collagen deposition. Black heads and white heads are removed during your treatment. Your skin will become more radiant and supple. The massage stimulates blood circulation, brings more oxygen to the cell, and provides lymphatic drainage, reducing congestion and puffiness.
Our specialized facials have additional health benefits. Antioxidant facials contain free radical fighting products, which prevent free radical damage caused by daily polluants. Hydrating facials use products which penetrate deep into the skin providing moisture, while correcting the skin’s natural pH. Facials can be combined with microdermabrasion, either ultrasonic or crystal, which will further add rejuvenating benefits to your treatment through exfoliation and mechanical stimulation. Alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acids have additional benefits and can be incorporated into any facial you may choose. These products can benefit acne- or rosacea-prone skin, in addition to aging skin.
Facials can regulate the immune system and aid in stress relief. Our aestheticians can guide you in selecting the type of facial that will benefit your skin the most. They can also introduce you to more advanced treatments that our medical spa has to offer.
You may develop some redness, flakiness or even breakouts after a facial. This is a normal reaction and will resolve within a few days, leaving behind radiant, glowing skin. However, it is advisable not to schedule a facial close to a special event, particularly if you have clogged pores. Please call us with any questions you may have.
Your home skin care regimen is extremely important, it will compliment any in-office treatment you chose to have, so do not hesitate to discuss your regimen with your aesthetician. These treatments can be performed on your neck, décolleté or back. Please do not forget these areas as they can be prone to the same problems as the skin on your face! Park Avenue Medical Spa
The Benefits of Functional Medicine By Alice Levine
Posted: February 4, 2010 For those who are sick of being tired or tired of being sick, Functional Medicine offers new hope. Functional Medicine involves identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic illness by treating the whole body and identifying the underlying factors that are causing symptoms and adversely affecting health.
Dr. Susan Blum, an Armonk resident and founder of Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, began her practice in Functional Medicine in 2001, after several years practicing Preventative Medicine. Dr. Blum said, “A Functional Medicine expert is like a medical detective who gathers many clues to a person’s health history, including medical history, stress levels, sleep habits, diet, exercise level and current symptoms. We take this information, as well as the results of a physical exam and detailed lab tests, and we uncover why your body is not functioning the way it should be. The tests we recommend are more detailed and will give us more information than the tests performed at your internist’s office.” Dr. Blum then uses this information to develop a personalized program to help treat chronic disease and get the mind and body as healthy as possible.
Most of us are familiar with Integrative Medicine, which involves complementary treatments to Western Medicine. These treatments include herbal medicines, massage, yoga, biofeedback, detoxification and many other stress-reduction techniques. Functional Medicine utilizes many of the tools of Integrative Medicine and takes it a step further, with the development of a patient-specific treatment plan. The plan is tailored to the individual, since there is no one-size-fits-all approach in Functional Medicine. The goal is two-fold: to improve one’s health and to prevent future health concerns. Read more
Keeping Your Feet Warm and Dry The Key to Staying Warm in Frigid Temperatures By Dr. Frank Lattarulo
With the anticipated snow, rain, sleet, ice and the rest of what Mother Nature will throw at us, most have hats, gloves and coats on, but I see a wide variety of footwear. Many of us take the time to put boots on, and to all of you I say, "Congratulations." But, I have seen some with Uggs, (ugh!), sneakers, and even slippers on. To those of you I say "poor choice" (well not really, but that’s suitable for print). Many people realize that we have a tremendous amount of nerve endings and sweat pores in our scalp and need to keep our heads warm to stay warm, but did you know we have more sweat glands on the soles of our feet? The key to staying warm out in the cold is to keep our feet warm. Once they get wet, you’re done. We have all experienced stepping off a curb into camouflaged puddles of slush. After we curse, we immediately recognize the need to try and change shoes and socks ASAP.
For the elderly, those who have peripheral arterial disease, and especially those with diabetes, keeping feet warm should be the number one priority because if feet are cold and wet, an arterial spasm can occur, and in the at risk population mentioned, frostbite and possibly gangrene is not far behind.
The solution: weather-treat all your winter shoes, stay away from non-insulated shoes and boots, and if you must wear Uggs, please waterproof them and wear cotton or wool socks. Stay away from nylon socks and stockings in the winter as they will increase perspiration, which means your feet will sweat. If your feet sweat and you’re out in the cold it makes it seem like they are in a freezer. The sweat cools down and makes your feet colder. Wear a pair of insulated socks, good insulated weatherproofed boots, and once you feel your feet getting cold, take a break. Go inside and let them warm up gradually. Do not take a hot bath and PLEASE do not stick them in front of a fireplace. Get your body warm, put on a clean pair of good cotton socks and let your feet warm up slowly.
Dr. Frank Lattarulo practices podiatry medicine at Family Podiatry Associates in Elmsford, NY. He can be reached at (914) 345-3400. Family Podiatry Associates is an advertiser with AllAboutArmonk.com.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy By Alice Levine
January 19, 2011 Dr. Frank Lattarulo, an Armonk resident with a podiatric practice in Elmsford and one of the founding members of the Phelps Memorial Hospital Wound Healing Institute, is also a supervisor of hyperbaric treatments at Phelps Department of Hyperbaric Medicine. He works closely with Dr. Owen O’Neill, the medical director of the hyperbaric center. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen while resting comfortably at two to three times the normal atmospheric pressure inside a sealed chamber. Dr. Lattarulo explained, “Hyperbaric treatment increases the pressure of oxygen into the tissues of the body and also increases oxygen transport in the blood. The goal is to increase healing by providing more blood and therefore more oxygen into the tissues of the body. The air we breathe is 79% nitrogen and 21% oxygen; hyperbaric treatment utilizes 100% oxygen in a very closely monitored environment.” Read more
Healthy Living
Fight Fatigue
Jan. 10, 2012 Fatigue is a problem that can affect us all. Armonk resident Dr. Susan Blum, a Preventive Medicine and Chronic Disease Specialist from the Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, addresses this frequent problem using functional medicine. This Friday, Jan. 13th, you can watch her on the Dr. Oz Show. The show airs at 4PM on Fox, channel 5.
Dr. Blum will discuss fatigue and general thyroid health. She will be joined by her medical colleagues Mark Hyman, MD; David Perlmutter, MD; and Wendy Warner, MD. This panel will be discussing the Functional Medicine approach to Fatigue, “Diabesity”, Alzheimer’s and Hot Flashes.
Dr. Blum will also be on Fox New York at 5:00PM to address Fatigue and Thyroid Health with more tip-oriented information.
Dr. Blum says that Functional Medicine solves fatigue (and other problems) by thinking of it "as part of the whole person and not just a symptom that you're experiencing" because "everything is interconnected, and there is usually more than one thing out of balance causing fatique and any other symptoms you're experiencing."
Probelms with thyroid hormones--what Dr. Blum will be talking about on Dr. Oz--can cause fatigue but there are many other possible causes. She has put together a check-list that covers the most common causes of fatigue:
1. Is your diet making you tired 2. Is your body low in key vitamins, minerals or amino acids? 3. Do you have low hormones, looking at thyroid, adrenal and sex hormones? 4. Are you filled with toxins? 5. Do you have chronic infections?
Read here for more information about each symptom as well as Dr. Blum's process.
5 Ways To Fight Fatigue
Susan Blum, MD, MPH, will give a free talk on Wednesday Jan 18, 2012 at 7:00 pm explaining how your body creates energy, and simple steps you can take to reverse fatigue. Space is limited, register now at this link.
Thinking about Retirement? By Jesse Andreozzi
June 14, 2011 With so many Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, some aspects of retirement will change in the near future. Insurance agent Robby Morris, head of The Morris Group in Armonk, says that if you read the first page of your annual Social Security Statement, you will see that by 2016, more money will be going out of Social Security than coming into Social Security. “In the 1950’s, there were 14 people working for every person over the age of 65,” he explains. “Today, there are only four people working for every person over the age of 65.
Morris warns that because of fears of a depleted Social Security fund, the government could raise the retirement age. “In 1983 the government raised the full retirement age beginning with people born in 1938 or later,” he says. “So if you were born from 1943 to 1954, for example, your full retirement age will be 66. If you were born after 1959 your retirement age is 67. But this too will have to change. If not, the Social Security Trust Fund could be exhausted by 2037.”
These concerns show how important financial planning is for your future. The Morris Group offers insurance plans to meet different needs, whether it’s guaranteeing retirement security, funding your children’s college education, or protecting your family during your working years. “Life insurance isn’t just something you need when you’re younger,” Morris says. “It’s something you need all your life.”
By Dr. Fred Tripodi I cannot stress enough the importance of regular dental check-ups--at least twice a year--by your dentist.
Preventive dentistry is the most important defense against caries (cavities), periodontal disease and oral cancers. With early detection you can prevent major dental treatment, loss of teeth and serious illnesses, as well as unnecessary out of pocket expenses.
It has also been determined that regular dental check-ups can screen and diagnose other medical conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
In conjunction with regular check-ups it is important that you maintain good oral hygiene at home. That includes brushing at least twice daily, flossing at least once a day and using a fluoride mouth rinse daily (such as Scope, Listerine, Act or Fluoriguard).
Any signs of inflammation and or bleeding gums are warning signs of poor health and you should see your dentist. Dr. Fred Tripodi was honored to be chosen by his peers as one of Westchester's top dentist for 2010.
Botox is a prescription medicine that is injected into the muscles between the eyebrows to temporarily block nerve impulses and reduce muscle activity that causes lines to form between the brows. The result is elimination or lessening of wrinkles, as these muscles relax. Read more
