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OCT 2018
BULLETIN
Balancing the Chaos
HowWe’ve Survived Half a Year of Raising Twins While Opening a Clinic
Six months ago, our family grew by two — and all at once. We welcomed twins Michael and Michele into our home, expanding our family from four to six. We could not have been happier to welcome these two bubbly, fun babies into our world, and we celebrate each day in the midst of balanced chaos. Michael and Michele were born about a month premature, so, as far as twin births go, they were pretty healthy. Michael does have a few more health issues than his sister, and since his head is too flat, he has to wear a cranial band to reshape his skull. Since I’m an avid Washington Redskins fan, we plan to have the band airbrushed with the team’s logo and get our 3-year-old son, Jack, a helmet to match. The only concern is making sure Jack doesn’t try to head- butt his baby brother, but Jack is growing more responsible with his twin siblings every day. He’s still learning that “being nice” to the twins does not mean patting them on the head, but he’s been phenomenal with the transition. Our eldest daughter, Lia Grace, 7, has been our shining star throughout the process. She’s like a second, mini-mom to the twins, and she helps whenever she can. Of course, it’s Lisa who keeps the sanity levels in the house at a normal level, making sure our home and our kids have everything necessary. I can’t wait to continue our traditions with her and the kids as the 2018 holidays begin. I’m already thrilled to begin decorating with my kids for one of my favorite holidays: Halloween. The day is an awesome holiday for me, and I’m excited to share this with my new twins. But I’m not sure I could do any of this without Lisa — I know she’ll do a great job getting their costumes organized this Halloween. I’m thankful she and I have been afforded this opportunity to be parents together to our four kids. With the opening of our new clinic, the addition of twins, and balancing my political life as a city councilman in Hoboken, life has been anything but boring. We are carefully working through the financial strain of opening the new clinic and acquiring two more
mouths to feed, but we keep pushing forward each day. I come from humble beginnings, and I understand and appreciate the value of hard work. I know there’s the potential for learning and expansion of NJIB with this additional clinic, and that’s why we took this leap in the middle of a big family change. I’ve always placed huge value on family, and watching my own family grow to six has been an absolute pleasure. Life is messy, complicated, stressful, and exhausting — but looking at those four little faces I get to raise and the strong, beautiful woman I get to share this with, I know it’s all worth it.
–Dr. Michael Russo
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Best in Show or Halloween Hazard? For many kids, picking out a costume is the best part of Halloween. Will they be a spooky witch, a wildcat, or their favorite superhero? There are so many options! But in all the fun, it can be easy for parents to overlook certain risks that Halloween costumes can pose. Here are important safety tips to remember when choosing the best Halloween costume. Administration. Before letting your child cover their face in makeup from the Halloween store, test their skin for allergic reactions by putting just a little bit on the back of their hand first. Practice prop safety. Costume Safety Tips for Kids
Look for fire-resistant costumes.
What’s a Jedi Knight without her lightsaber or a wizard without his magic wand? The right accessories can really bring a costume together, but it’s important that props — especially weapon props, like swords, knives, or guns — are not mistaken for the real thing. Choose props that are obviously fake, with round edges made from soft, flexible material. And if your child wants to wear their Halloween costume to school or some other event, check the rules on props beforehand to avoid any trouble.
Candles inside jack-o’-lanterns and other open flames are everywhere on Halloween night, so make sure your child’s costume isn’t a fire hazard. Most store-bought costumes are made from fire-resistant materials, but you should still check the labels on all costumes, wigs, and accessories. The same goes when you’re buying fabric for homemade costumes. And remember, fire-resistant is not the same as fireproof. While fire-resistant material takes longer to burn and can be put out quickly, it can still catch fire and cause serious injuries. Remind your child to use caution around open flames and avoid costumes with flimsy, hanging components, like flowing sleeves, long skirts, and capes.
Halloween is a night for ghosts and goblins to come out to play, and with these tips, your kids can safely dress up and join in the fun.
Test makeup first.
Halloween is a great time to have fun with face paint, and makeup is a good alternative to masks, which can obscure a child’s vision. However, a lot of costume makeup isn’t approved by the Food and Drug
Patient Success Stories
“Before coming to NJIB, I was in so much pain, on a scale of 8 1/2 to 10 daily, and I was walking with a cane. Since getting therapy with Dr. Mike, I do not need a cane, and my pain has decreased greatly. I am
“I had developed a lot of pain in my shoulders and couldn’t pinpoint the reason for it. So, I decided it was time to see Dr. Russo. He planned a series of exercises for me, followed by massage,
feeling much better, and my quality of life is different — much better. I am so happy I came to NJIB for therapy, and I would recommend this office to anyone and everyone.” –Pam T.
manipulation, and stim therapy. After several sessions, I started to regain mobility and the pain lessened. Finally, I was able to stop my treatments and travel to Spain to see my sister, pain-free!”
–Linda G.
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Understanding Your Rotator Cuff Injury What You Need to Know to Get Back to Your Healthiest Self
you hurt your rotator cuff, your bursa — a sac that helps your shoulder move freely — becomes inflamed.
Reaching the top shelf, brushing your hair, reaching into the back of your vehicle, and playing catch are all activities you rely on your shoulder for daily. If you have a rotator cuff injury, these tasks become nearly impossible, and, unfortunately, these injuries are some of the most common among people over 40 years of age and those who regularly lift heavy objects.
What can physical therapy do? If you choose to ignore a tear or strain, you will lose your range of motion, your muscles will become tighter, and the pain will worsen. Your physical therapist is trained to make the opposite happen. Physical therapy will work all parts of your arm to safely keep your shoulder moving. You should also develop a routine with your physical therapist to help you keep the exercises going at home, giving your shoulder round-the-clock care. How do I heal? There are a variety of ways you and your physical therapist will work through your shoulder injury. Light weights will add some resistance to your exercises, and ice and proper sleep will help your shoulder recuperate. Remember to always consult with your physical therapist before adding another regimen to your routine, and take your time throughout the process. If you’re looking for solutions to your rotator cuff injury, let the New Jersey Institute of Balance help. Call 908-353-0500 or visit NJIB.org for more information.
Understanding your injury and how to heal from it is imperative to getting you back to normal, so learn how to do just that with these tips.
What is it? Your shoulder is comprised of three bones: your upper arm bone, shoulder blade, and collarbone. The ball of your upper arm fits into the socket of your shoulder blade, and your arm is kept in place by your rotator cuff, which consists of four muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder and help
you move. When you experience shoulder pain due to a rotator cuff injury, these muscles and tendons become strained. Additionally, when
Spiced Pumpkin Seed Crunch
HAVE A LAUGH!
Ingredients
• • •
1 large egg white
• •
1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds 1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 teaspoon light agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder
• •
• •
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
Directions
1. Heat oven to 300 F. 2. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg white, agave, salt, and spices. Add nuts and seeds and toss until evenly coated. 4. Using a slotted spoon, strain spoonfuls of mixture over bowl and transfer to baking sheet. Discard excess egg white mixture. 5. Bake 20–25 minutes, tossing once. 6. Let cool and serve.
Inspired by Bon Appétit Magazine 3 www.NJIB.org
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INSIDE This Issue
Balancing Life’s Chaos
What Parents Need to Know About Halloween Costumes
Patient Success Stories
Healing From a Rotator Cuff Injury
Spiced Pumpkin Seed Crunch
The Surprising Origins of Trick-or-Treating
Why There Are Kids on Your Porch Asking for Candy
The History of Trick-or-Treating
leaking into our world, young men donned flowing white costumes and black masks — a great disguise when ghosts were about.
As Halloween looms and you load up your grocery cart with candy, you may ask yourself, “Why do I provide these spooky gremlins with a sugar high every Oct. 31, anyway?”Well, when your doorbell starts ringing around 6 p.m. this All Hallows’ Eve, you can thank the Celts for this tradition of candy and costumes. Halloween itself is a kind of mishmash of four different cultural festivals of old: two Roman fêtes, which commemorated the dead and the goddess of fruit and trees (not at the same time); the Celtic Samuin or Samhain, a new year’s party thrown at the end of our summer; and the Catholic All Saint’s Day, designed to replace Samuin and divorce it from its pagan origins. Long before there were young’uns on your porch dressed as Thanos with candy-filled pillowcases in hand, the Celts believed that Samuin marked an overlapping of the realms of the living and the dead. To trick the spirits
The Catholic Church was never a big fan of these pagan traditions, so they renamed it “All Saints’ Day” and gussied it up in religious garb. By the 11th century, people were dressing up as saints, angels, and the occasional demon instead of spirits. Eventually, costumed children started tearing through town begging for food and money and singing a song or prayer in return — a practice called “souling.” But when did they start dressing up as Minions? Starting in the 19th century, souling turned to “guising,”which gave way to trick-or-treating in mid-20th-century America, and the costumes diversified. So put on some clown makeup and a big smile, scoop up a handful of sweets, and scare the living daylights out of ‘em— ‘tis the season!
4 908-353-0500
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