Daily Archives: May 5, 2011

A Column of News & Comment by Sen. James L. Seward

Celebrate Mother’s Day by promising to schedule a Mammogram

Also, familiarize yourself with some women’s health resources available in New York State

With Mother’s Day right around the corner it is a perfect time to remind women to get mammograms.

It is also an ideal occasion to highlight a valuable resource available in New York—the Adelphi New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, aside from skin cancer.

The chance that a woman will develop invasive breast cancer at some time in her life is a little less than 1 in 8 (about 12 percent).

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 207,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year with nearly 40,000 women expected to die from the disease.

Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer.

The chance that breast cancer will be responsible for a woman’s death is about 1 in 35 (about 3 percent).

Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50.

These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment.

While the overwhelming majority of breast cancer cases are found in women, about one percent of all cases affect men.

Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.

While mammograms can miss some cancers, they are still a very good way to find breast cancer.

Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a regular exam by a health expert, preferably every 3 years.

While a number of wonderful resources are available to help women learn more about breast cancer, we are fortunate in New York to have one of the best.

The Adelphi New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program is a project of Adelphi University and is the only New York statewide breast cancer hotline.

The mission is to educate, support, empower, and advocate for breast cancer patients, professionals and the community.

The program provides free services to women and men of all ages, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.

About 3,500 calls are made to the hotline each year and another 350,000 people visit the Adelphi website annually.

The Adelphi program has been in existence since 1980, offering emotional support and information to people with and/or concerned about breast cancer.

One feature that really sets the program apart from similar services is that most of the volunteers who staff the hotline are breast cancer survivors themselves.

What this means is that when someone calls the hotline, distraught over a breast cancer diagnosis and not knowing where to turn, she is immediately met with a knowing, comforting voice and a living example that breast cancer is beatable.

Along with the support hotline, the Adelphi Breast Cancer Program also offers diversified support groups, individual counseling, and family counseling, provided by certified social workers and graduate students.

These services are available to women, men, spouses, couples and family members dealing with breast cancer.

Approximately 1500 people participate in the counseling program each year.

A breast cancer diagnosis is frightening and intimidating, but with the help of Adelphi, individuals and their families have a supportive, compassionate resource to lean on and help beat the disease.

To reiterate, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States today.

For additional information, call the Adelphi New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program at 1-800-877-8077 or visit their website, www.adelphi.edu/nysbreastcancer.

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Rains saturate area last week, overwhelming banks and shores

Monitoring agencies describe Fulton Chain region’s precipitation and water levels as ‘historically high’

The current spring season has been unusually wet with flooding being reported throughout the northeastern United States, and the Adirondacks have not been spared, including the Fulton Chain region, according to Ted Riehle who monitors rainfall for the Town of Webb.

Consequently local rivers and streams have been overflowing their banks and causing flooding to nearby areas.

On Friday, April 29, Jeff Auser, a dam safety officer with Brookfield Renewable Power, urged the public to avoid being on or near the Raquette and Beaver rivers and West Canada Creek, due to what he described as historically high and dangerous water levels.

“The combination of rainfall and snow melt has resulted in unprecedented flows in many New York rivers right now,” Auser said.

Ted Riehle said he observed the water level of the Moose River at 52 inches on Wednesday, April 27, according to the water gauge behind the American Legion building.

But with heavy rains continuing, the pond rose to 62.5 inches by Friday, an increase of 10.5 inches.

“I believe that’s as high as it got. It was a huge increase in just two days,” he said.

And the water in the Old Forge Pond was up as well, according to Riehle.

“It was right up to the top edge of the swimming dock at the beach and the boardwalks at the lakefront and Pied Piper,” he said.

Riehle said that, as Webb’s Water Treat-ment Plant Super-intendent, he frequently works with the town’s DPW, which needed to take preventive measures, including the sealing of a manhole, due to the excessive rain.

“The water was exceedingly high. The north branch of the Moose River was flooded right up to the bottom of the bridge beyond North Street,” he said.

At normal levels, canoes are able to travel the river beneath that bridge, he added.

Stuart deCamp, who lives along the Moose River at Thendara, said he remembers the water being this high maybe once since the 1960s.

At McKeever, motorists normally see rocks and small grassy islands in the Moose as it passes beneath the bridge on Route 28.

But last Friday, the river was so high that it stretched uninterrupted from shore to shore, covering any land masses.

Just south of the bridge, crews had blocked off the Moose River Road because of flooding further downstream.

According to the Robert Folton, Chief Engineer for the Hudson River/Black River regulating district, Old Forge received 9.3 inches of rain during the month of April, well above its historic average of 3.6 inches.

The run-off from all that precipitation pushed water levels to a peak that culminated on early April 29th.

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Webb school celebrates National Volunteer Week, honors students

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, an assembly was held at the Town of Webb School on Monday, May 2, to recognize student volunteers and community volunteer organizations.

High school senior, Michael Branch, was master of ceremonies, who opened the program by introducing Samantha Notley and Lizzie Riehle who each read a poem about becoming a volunteer.

Members of local volunteer organizations were called to the podium to talk about the importance of volunteering were.

They were Herb Schmid representing the Inlet Ambulance crew, Chris Gaige of Kiwanis, Martha Denio of the Relay for Life Adult team, and also a member of the Old Forge Fire Department Auxiliary;

Linda Weal of the Arts Center/Old Forge, Bob Baker of the KYAC Board, Gail Murray, director of the Town of Webb Historical Association and Judy Ehrensbeck of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Also accepting awards were representatives from the first grade who had collected pennies for Shriner’s Burn Hospital, fourth graders who sponsored a collection for the local food pantry and fifth graders with an animal shelter dog, who had sponsored a collection for the animal shelter.

Also recognized was the National Honor Society whose members sponsor a number of activities during the year that include helping with blood drives for the American Red Cross and sponsoring the Mother’s Day Flower Sale to help the American Diabetes Association.

In conclusion high school senior members of Key Club were presented award certificates for volunteering 1200 hours of community service during the last four years.

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Outside the Box A Look at Webb Sports

Sophomore Ethan Kress breaks school track record John Best’s mark had stood almost 40 years. New record also set in pole vault by Connor Rockhill

I’ve been spending some time in the gym lately trying to stay true to this year’s New Year’s resolution, having faced the fact that serious attention to diet and exercise was long overdue.

And I’ve been running into old friends who are also “getting into shape” although, in my own defense, I was already in shape—round is a shape, isn’t it?

Among the guys I bumped into was Tim Leach, who was taking some good-natured ribbing regarding the qualifications for coaching track.

“How hard can it be? You just tell ‘em to get out there and run around in a circle as fast as they can.”

While the fellow poking fun surely knew better, others may underestimate just what goes into getting the most out of a track team, be it boys or girls.

This season the boys will be going for an unprecedented Three-Peat as Sectional Champs, so let’s look closer at the coach’s role.

First, as opposed to any of the “team sports,” there are a wide variety of events, each of which utilizes different techniques.

Running events, for example, require participants to consider stride length, pace, and breathing, among other things.

Jumping events such as the high jump, long jump, and triple-jump require completely different skill sets, although running is still involved.

The same can be said for throwing events, which rely heavily on technique and strength.

While pretty much everyone on a soccer or basketball team can benefit from learning the same fundamentals, a track team’s success is quite the opposite.

Then, once you’ve got everyone prepared for their individual events, it’s time for the really hard part—strategizing.

This is especially crucial for coaches with smaller teams such as Old Forge.

Since each athlete may only participate in four events at a meet, a lot of thought goes into who will compete and in which event.

This planning is a misunderstood and underappreciated facet of our track seasons.

A coach might, for example, keep his athletes out of a particular individual race, such as the 800 meters, in order that they be available for a relay which he projects they can score more points in.

Such strategizing requires that you not only know your own athletes’ strengths and weaknesses, but those of every other team you will be facing. That involves a lot of research and number-crunching.

For two years in a row Tim Leach has taken the information at his disposal and led his squads to Sectional titles.

This year he only has thirteen boys to work with—about half the size of recent teams.

Still, he maintains an optimistic outlook.

“We are quite small in number, but we have some truly outstanding athletes,” he said. “We’ll line up, do our best, and see what happens. Honestly, if we can stay healthy, I like our chances.”

With his experience, and the guys recognizing the rare opportunity to bring home yet another title, I wouldn’t bet against them.

Girls Varsity Track

With Spring Break behind them, and the snow finally becoming a memory, the girls traveled south on Wednesday, April 27 to take on Cooperstown and host New York Mills.

Showing very little rust, despite a complete dearth of practice leading into the meet, several of the athletes put up fine performances.

Maddie Phaneuf picked up right where she left off last year, leaving little doubt as to her level of determination to dominate her events, winning both the 800 and 1500.

Another Old Forge standout, Caitlyn Bailey, also took home two firsts in winning the 100 and 400 meter hurdles.

Lauren Holt had a remarkable day as she pointed in three events, including the pole vault (2nd), high jump (3rd), and 400 dash (3rd).

Sarah Branch also had multiple wins, placing third in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Finally, in her very first attempt at the grueling 3000 meter run, Taylor Payne impressed with a second place finish.

Boys Varsity Track

The guys were also in action at New York Mills and had an exceptional outing, losing to a much larger Cooperstown squad but besting Mills 65-62.

As he often does, Coach Leach used this early-season meet to get a feel for his athletes. Clearly, while being competitive on this day was in the plans, his primary goal centered on learning what matchups would provide an edge for later in the season.

If early results are any indication, these guys are going to present Coach Leach wit Continue reading →

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Talkin’ Code with Andrew Getty

Are certain permits designed to keep outsiders away?

Q: We own a portable hamburger and hot dog vending truck. Is a permit required to sell food from such a vehicle in the Town of Webb?

A: Yes, a permit is required for any type of vehicle or trailer that prepares or sells any type Continue reading →

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Nouished Living by Dietician Kelly Hamlin MA, RD, CDN

Good for you? Putting raw food diets under a white-hot spotlight

Raw food diet. Is it really healthy or another extreme food movement? Just like everything else, there are arguments for both sides.

The fundamental principle behind raw foodism, also sometimes called rawism, is that plant foods in their most natural state—uncooked and unprocessed—are also the most wholesome for the body.

There are different ways that people follow a raw food diet.

Some follow a raw vegan diet while others consume raw animal products, such as raw milk, cheese made from raw milk, sashimi or ceviche (raw fish), or carpaccio (raw meat).

Some people eat only raw foods, while others include cooked food for variety.

The proportion of raw food can be anywhere from 50% of the diet to a diet that is all raw.

The raw food diet is a lifestyle choice, not a weight loss plan.

Odds are you would lose weight if you took up this kind of eating pattern, but once “other” foods were added back into your diet you would most likely see your weight increase.

After looking into this type of eating, I believe the weight loss is due in part to how much WORK it takes to eat in this way!

Sticking to a raw food diet isn’t easy.

Most raw foodists spend a lot of time in the kitchen peeling, chopping, straining, blending, and dehydrating.

That’s because the diet is typically made up of 75% fruits and vegetables.

Staples of the raw food diet include: seaweed, sprouts, sprouted seeds, whole grains, beans, dried fruits and nuts. Alcohol, refined sugars, and caffeine are taboo.

Specific methods can be used to make foods more digestible and to add variety to the diet including sprouting, soaking, juicing, dehydration, pickling and blending.

So, isn’t anything cooked? No, at least not by using a traditional stove or oven.

Food dehydrators lend crunch to vegetables and cookies. They are also used to dry out fruits for fruit leather and other raw food recipes.

The dehydrator works with heat, but temperatures cannot be higher than 115 to 118 degrees.

People who follow this diet believe high heat leaches enzymes and vitamins critical for proper digestion.

But according to the American Dietetic Association it is the body, not what goes in it, that produces the enzymes necessary for digestion.

The ADA also says cooking food below 118 degrees may not kill harmful, food-borne bacteria.

And let’s face it, with today’s frequent recalls of fruits and vegetables, this is a concern.

Some foods that are not safe to consume raw are:

Kidney beans, soy beans, fava beans, Buckwheat greens, mushrooms, peas, potatoes, rhubarb leaves, taro, cassava and cassava flour and parsnips.

Is it really healthier to eat raw foods?

There tends to be more research focus on vegetarianism/veganism and the health benefits of a plant-based diet, and research does show a plant-based diet is a healthy way to eat.

A few studies have shown that cooking may destroy some nutrients.

But studies have also shown that cooking vegetables such as tomatoes (yes, I know it’s technically a fruit) and carrots helps the bodies to utilize them more efficiently.

One showed that eating raw, cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale) may reduce the risk of bladder cancer.

Another study that reviewed findings of about 50 medical studies on the raw versus cooked debate showed that eating raw vegetables helps reduce the risk of oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, esophageal, and gastric cancers.

Sounds great, right?

Maybe not. Researchers who studied the impact of a raw food diet found that study participants had low cholesterol and triglycerides.

They also had a vitamin B12 deficiency.

B12 is found naturally only in animal products and is critical to nerve and red blood cell development.

Deficiencies can lead to anemia and neurological impairment.

A German study of long-term raw foodists showed that they had healthy levels of vitamin A and dietary carotenoids, which comes from vegetables, fruits and nuts and protect against chronic disease.

Yet the study participants had lower than average plasma lycopene levels, which are thought to play a role in disease prevention.

They are found in deep red fruits like tomatoes.

Lycopene content is highest however, when tomatoes are cooked (see, I told you!).

Next week I will review the American Dietetic Association’s recommendations for people who choose an eating raw lifestyle.

Have a great week!

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Growing up Adirondack by Mitch Lee

Worm excavation precedes spring fishing expedition

It was early May of 1970 and I was awaiting my father’s arrival home so we could go down to the lake and go fishing.

He had promised at breakfast that we would go fishing when he got home from work. As soon as he walked out the door I began preparing for the expedition.

I went out to the garage and looked over the fishing poles leaning against the wall in the corner.

Somehow my black pole with the Zebco reel had become tangled with the rest of the poles. It took me a while to free it from the others but it was worth my effort.

I rummaged through an old dresser drawer that was brimming with fishing junk and found my worm container and some bobbers.

It was mid-morning and I was ready to go, however it would be hours before my father’s return.

All that waiting was too much for my six-year-old self to handle, so I decided to find something to occupy my time before I burst in anticipation.

I noticed an old rusty garden trowel setting in the well of the cellar window.

Knowing that we would need some fishing worms, I grabbed the tool and scrambled over to the garden on the side of the house.

The dark wintered dirt was easy to turn, but after an hour’s worth of digging I had only found one baby worm and some grubs.

The sky grew very dark. The smell of rain accompanied a light breeze.

I stood up and brushed the clinging mud from my knees. I decided that the worms must have heard me coming and went into hiding.

I slowly backed out of the garden and surveyed the entire area. I tried to determine just the right spot to continue my excavation.

I rationalized that since my initial digging had begun in the middle of the garden that the worms were heading towards the lawn for safety.

“Ha! I got ya now,” I yelled as I tiptoed towards the edge of the garden.

I hit the ground and began digging like crazy. In a matter of minutes I had hit pay dirt and unearthed twelve big fat worms.

The rain held off long enough for my father and me to dangle those wigglers in the cold spring waters of Limekiln Lake.

Mitch Lee, Adirondack native & storyteller, lives at Big Moose Lake.ltmitch3rdny@aol.com

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