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For Better Health THE NEWTOWN BEE, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

Kevin Corey, a Newtown Senior Center member, Pilates balls can be used in many different forms to replace gym equipment in a demonstrates one way to use a kettle bell for exercise. —Bee Photos, Cross pinch.

Beating The Winter Blues With Movement

By Sam CroSS “Movement is medicine,” that is what Dr Chealsea Barnes of Monarch Physical Therapy says anyway. During the winter, it can be hard to get up and going. Oftentimes people find themselves going to work in the dark and coming home from work in the dark. Most of what little daylight there is during the winter is spent in the office or in school. That can make it hard to find motivation. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is defined as “a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year” by Mayo Clinic. Matthew Ames, primary instructor for fitness classes at Newtown Community and Senior Centers, calls it the “winter blues.” Ames said, “Seasonal depression, or what we call ‘the winter blues,’ are very real. The isolation, despair…When you do exercises…it releases dopamine, oxytocin, and a myriad of other neural chemi-

cal, which I like to call ‘the happy drugs.’ The idea is just by doing [exercises], [people are] going to be able to moderate seasonal depression. Not resolve it fully, but moderate it.” Barnes noted that everyone goes through a “season of change” during the winter. Barnes said, “The exercise in the winter, for a lot of us…instead of just physical health, which is great to just maintain, of course, but the effect on your mood, your stress, your sleep, your mental health… It’s more about the sense of accomplishment and maintaining a routine.” Newtown Wellness Collective, located at 75 Glen Road, is a healing space that offers yoga, reiki, massage, therapy, and more. Jen Rizza, founder of Newtown Wellness Collective, knows all about the importance of mental health and how a good yoga practice can help set a person on a happier path. Elaine Gallas, Rizza’s business partner and therapist/yoga instructor at Newtown Wellness Collec-

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tive, said, “Yoga is accessible, no matter where you are. And it’s more than just the body, it’s bringing in the mind and awareness of our experience across body, mind, emotion, energy. And so I think what can be especially helpful through the colder months is that if there is any shift in any of those areas of our life, it can help us support the mind as well as the body.” Finding The Right Workout — Low-Cost Equipment Ames said the only bad workout is “the one you won’t do.” Working out can be intimidating for some people, so finding out where to start is important. Ames takes a bit of a different approach to working out: he “gamifies” the workouts. He turns the workout into play, like turning the game “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” into a workout. It tricks the (continued on page FBH-2)

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The Newtown Bee — October 9, 2026

There are several ways to use resistance bands to get a quick at-home workout in.

Beating The Winter Blues With Movement

(continued from page FBH-1) body into going through the full range of motion while keeping everything fun and playful. This aids in mobility. “Keep it super simple,” Ames said of an exercise routine. “There are four things that you can do with your body: you can push vertically, push horizontally, you can pull vertically, and you can pull horizontally. That’s all you can do. So the idea is we just need to find creative and fun ways to do those four actions.” Ames suggested using everyday items, like the kitchen sink, as a way to workout and stretch. One way to use the sink is as an anchor during squats. Another way is to pretend the countertop is a barre and do barre exercises. Everyone’s body is different, but the countertop is an appropriate height for most people to use. Bath towels can be folded and rolled into a type of resistance band. Ames suggested pulling on the bath towel to engage the muscles and create resistance. “All workouts come down to time under tension — how long each muscle is being used,” Ames said. “We want to take…cardio and we want to mix it into our strength training. And what that creates is what is called an ‘afterburn effect.’” This afterburn effect, or excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption, is when the body is “afraid” to cool down because it was just doing exercise. This is what helps burn calories, which is needed during the winter when people “hibernate,” in a sense. There are four low-cost, easily stored exercise equipment pieces Ames suggested people should have and use. They are resistance bands, kettle bells, a Pilates ring, and a Pilates ball. Barnes said she also uses resistance bands in her fitness routine because they can be used in a million ways. They can be tied in a loop and around doorknobs. Resistance bands give people the four motions Ames discussed, pushing and pulling horizontally and vertically, in several ways. Pilates balls have a little weight to them and can be used like a thigh master, support the body during crunches, or turned into a game like bouncing it on the knees like a soccer ball. Pilates rings can also be used as a thigh master placed between the ankles or the knees. Kettle bells, which come in various weights, can replace a dumbbell in some ways. They can be lifted

Matthew Ames (left) guides a participant on how to use a Pilates ring to exercise at home. —Bee Photos, Cross over the head or off the ground, they can be pushed or pulled across the floor, or they can be used as weighted resistance in exercises like squats. All four of these equipment pieces grants people the ability to move through the full range of motion while keeping the exercise fun and playful.

able moving someone’s own body weight and practicing mobility. Barnes considers herself a “big mobility girl” and a “big body weight girl.” “Mobility is humbling for people,” Barnes said. She added that a lot of people think it is challenging. Mobility is not a static stretch — it is movement for the joints. She offered the example of some people never being able to touch their toes because they have tight hamstrings. Barnes pauses the stretching and works on hip, ankle, and knee mobility. “That translates so much better for people than just static stretching,” Barnes said. She thinks active mobility is something that people should incorporate into their daily practices and that it is “very underrated.” For those who need some assistance with mobility, Barnes suggested a foam roller. The round shape allows people to roll into exercises or find extra support. Barnes explained that static stretching can sometimes lead to injury risk because the muscles are not warmed up. Research suggests that if someone wants to stretch, they should do it at the end of the workout and that warm-ups should be “dynamic or active.” Barnes’ approach to strength training is individualized and “relative” where people are at. She said, “We want the muscle to fatigue,” so aiming for eight to twelve sets of an exercise is ideal. Rizza explained that in yoga, the intention behind the practice is crucial. “Meeting yourself moment to moment. So like, I might step on the mat and be like, ‘I need to increase my heart rate,’ and that could be my intention. But I could also step on the mat and be like, ‘I need to clear my mind,’ and movement helps clear my energy to just have a stronger focus,” Rizza said. Newtown Wellness Collective puts a strong emphasis on community and community building throughout the healing space at 75 Glen Road. The collective does offer some virtual options, but suggested Yoga With Adriene on YouTube for those who want to get started at home and do not know where to start.

Finding The Right Workout — Mobility And Body Weight If purchasing exercise equipment is not in the Accountability And Routine books, Barnes explained that there are plenty of other options. Barnes said that people can get “so Rizza emphasized that Newtown Wellness Colleccreative” with indoor workouts, noting resistance tive is “a community first,” and shared that doing bands, doorways, and chairs as exercise equipment yoga with other people promotes “co-regulation” people can use. The other option is to feel comfort- and a “felt experience of safety.” The unique offer-

The Newtown Bee — October 9, 2026 ings Newtown Wellness Collective offers gives people the ability to connect with others in a healthy, safe, and intuitive way, like through the monthly “Ecstatic Dance” events, yoga therapy, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (assisted stretching). Barnes and Ames agreed that accountability and consistency are key in keeping a happy, balanced mood in the winter. “Consistency is more important than duration,” Barnes said. She added that working out for 15 or 20 minutes three times a week is better than forcing oneself to commit to an hour. “You’re gonna see more results and bang for your buck and cortisol lowering, and all the benefits of exercise than being like, ‘Oh my God I have to do an entire hour workout and I’m going to do it just on

Saturdays.’ I would argue that it’s more beneficial to try Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and it can be like a lunchtime walk, and that’s going to fill your cup more,” Barnes said. Ames has an entire formula that he uses to “get rid of winter blues.” He commits to three days a week of lifting something heavy. This could be body weight or a kettle bell. Ames said he also commits to “sprinting” three days a week. “Sprinting” in this context does not mean getting out and running as fast as possible — it means getting the heart rate up through short duration, almost peak intensity workouts. He suggested running in place, jumping rope, or dancing as hard as possible for 15-30 seconds, “and then I’m done.” Ames rests, and then he does it again. His last piece of the formula is to commit one day a week to “play.” This means any physi-

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For Better Health 2026 - FBH-3 cal activity that brings someone joy. It could be getting down on the floor and playing with a child or a pet. Ames sets all of this to music, which helps remove the barrier to working out. He commits himself to one song, which is about three to five minutes long. A five-minute workout is much easier to handle than a full 60-minute block. Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.

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The Newtown Bee — October 9, 2026

Strengthening The Immune System, Tips And Tricks From Newtown Center Pediatrics

By Sam Cross Newtown Center Pediatrics, located at 10 Queen Street, has been serving Newtown and neighboring communities for over 25 years. Recently, Pediatric Physician Assistant Emilie Koepke Gibbs and Nurse Alyssa Ciraolo sat down with The Newtown Bee to offer some tips and tricks on keeping the immune system happy and healthy during the respiratory illness season. The immune system is the human body’s natural defense against diseases, whether those are viruses or bacteria. The immune system is pretty good at handling what is thrown its way, but there are ways to help it along and prevent spreading germs to others. “Eat a healthy, balanced diet,” Ciraolo said. She and Koepke Gibbs recommended eating fruits and vegetables daily, choosing protein from nutritious sources, and limiting sugar. The two said that they recommend trying to get nutrients from the source rather than using supplements. The staff sometimes will discuss individualized plans with families due to circumstances in which a child is missing necessary vitamins. In that case, supplements may be recommended. “Drinking enough water,” Koepke Gibbs chimed in, is another great way to help the immune system and the body. Another way to help keep the immune system strong is by getting enough sleep. Children 10 and under should be getting about 10-12 hours of sleep a night, and those 18 and under should get between 8-10 hours of sleep. Koepke Gibbs said, “For teenagers, your natural sleep cycle shifts. It’s not that you’re staying up too late … they can’t lay down at eight o’clock, nine o’clock, like a little. They can’t have

Newtown Center Pediatrics is located at 10 Queen Street. Some staff include Nurse Kayla Christiansen (left), Pediatric Physician Assistant Emilie Koepke Gibbs, Nurse Alyssa Ciraolo, and Nurse Elizabeth Bonis. —Bee Photos, Cross that eight o’clock bedtime. It’s not natural.” Another great way to help out the immune system is by practicing good hygiene.

of this would be making a bowl of popcorn for each person gathered around the TV instead of one communal bowl that is shared. Koepke Gibbs said to also “[cough], [sneeze] into your elbow, not your hands … it all comes back to those hands!” Ciraolo noted that “showering is not always readily available,” but daily showers in general are good. Koepke Gibbs said that “keeping the whole body clean” helps prevent against skin issues. Caring for the skin, which Koepke Gibbs pointed out is the “natural barrier,” is also important. She suggested using a good cream, not lotion, to moisturize the skin to keep it healthy and strong.

and pregnant moms after 32 weeks. Helping The Community And Stopping Germs Koepke Gibbs explained that the f lu shot is not only to protect the child, “but their community. “Whether it’s siblings, grandparents, parents, their friends. Getting that f lu vaccine means you’re not missing out on school or play dates or Christmas with grandparents,” Koepke Gibbs said. Ciraolo noted that it is not a “perfect vaccine,” but it limits complications, length of sickness, severity of symptoms, and can keep people out of the hospital. Ciraolo said, “If you are sick, stay home! If you have a fever or are actively coughing, you’re spreading germs. So stay home.” The two recommended not going to school or work if someone is experiencing f lulike symptoms. Wearing a

mask is recommended for those who have to go out when they are sick. It helps limit exposure to others. “If you’re the person who lives with family who is at high risk, or yourself have asthma or any respiratory comorbidities, then you might consider wearing [a mask] when the height of the season is,” Koepke Gibbs said. People who have respiratory comorbidities can get sicker for longer, and respiratory illnesses can pose a real threat to those individuals. The f lu virus can incubate in a person for up to four days, and during that time, they are spreading that virus to others. Koepke Gibbs said that if someone has some “sniff les,” it “might be nice to wear that mask if you’re gonna be around others.” Koepke Gibbs and Ciraolo said that if people have questions, they should call their doctors rather than do their own research. If someone wants to do their own research, they suggested going to trusted sources like AAP and World Health Organization. While Koepke Gibbs and Ciraolo work with children, these are things adults can do, too. Parents can set good examples by implementing these practices into daily life. Children learn by watching and observing behavioral patterns from the adults in their lives, and then the children mimic these behaviors. Keeping the immune system in check will not only benefit the individual, as mentioned, it will also help the communities they live in be safe and healthy. “We have to take care of each other,” Koepke Gibbs said. “This is just another way to help take care of our communities.” For more information about Newtown Center Pediatrics, go to newtowncenterpediatrics.com. Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.

Forming Good Hygiene And Healthy Habits Washing hands is still one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs. Ciraolo suggested washing hands for 20 seconds. A good way to measure this is by singing “Happy Birthday” or the “ABCs.” Ciraolo said that there should be “vigorous scrubbing with soap.” The two also noted that after people blow their noses, they should go wash their hands, as well as after using the bathroom. After washing hands, it is important not to touch the face. This includes eyes, ears, The Flu Shot And Other nose, and mouth. Koepke Recommended Vaccines Gibbs and Ciraolo also said Koepke Gibbs explained to to not share drinks, utensils, one child at a recent f lu clinor finger foods. An example ic hosted by Newtown Center Pediatrics that the f lu shot “teaches” the immune system what f lu viruses are. “It teaches all that immune system to make warriors who know when you get the real thing what it looks like so that it can fight it,” Koepke Gibbs explained. “Warriors need to learn, just like you learn at school.” Newtown Center Pediatrics follows American Academy of Pediatric (AAP) guidelines. AAP recommends the f lu shot every year after the age of six months, and this year is recommending the COVID vaccine for those 6-24 months as they are at On Tuesday, September 15, Newtown Center Pediat- “highest risk,” and anyone rics held a flu clinic. There were 125 children signed who is “high risk.” The RSV antibody inject- Kaden Charles Shaker sits on his mom, Carlota’s, lap up to get their flu shots that day. Vail Gudonis was a very brave 3-year-old and sat completely still while able is also recommended for as Kayla Christiansen gives him a flu shot. He was newborns to 8 months old, very excited to receive his free ice cream afterwards. Nurse Kayla Christiansen administered a flu shot.

The Newtown Bee — October 9, 2026

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The Newtown Bee — October 9, 2026

Improve Your Routine For National Dental Hygiene Month

By JENNa VISCa With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be easy for someone to neglect their hygiene. There are many important habits people have to balance, whether it be maintaining a healthy diet or getting a good night's rest. An invaluable aspect of personal hygiene is oral care. It is a key part of life, as oral health can affect a person's ability to eat, speak, and smile. Despite that, it can be easy to overlook. Maybe someone forgets to brush their teeth one night, but then it happens the next night, and the night after that. Before they know it, they feel they have fallen behind and start to neglect dental care. However, it is never too late for someone to take care of their teeth, and what better way to start than with National Dental Hygiene Month. Celebrated annually in October, National Dental Hygiene Month is a collaboration between Colgate and the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA). The month celebrates dental hygienists and teaches people of all ages about the importance of good dental hygiene. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many children

strengthen teeth. The ADA recommends people to stay hydrated with still or sparkling water, as water helps wash away cavity-causing bacteria and weakens acids. It also encourages people to eat a variety of nutritious foods, including: whole grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy with no added sugar, and protein from animals (eggs, poultry, seafood, and red meat) and plants (beans, peas, lentils, legumes, and nuts).

Everyone deserves to feel confident when they smile, so get into the habit of brushing and flossing in October, which is National Dental Hygiene Month. —© Viktoriia / Adobe Stock and adults experience poor oral health due to common oral diseases such as cavities and periodontal (gum) disease — both of which are the leading causes of tooth loss. It also notes that oral health affects more than people's ability to eat or smile; it is actually connected to a person's overall health. The CDC notes a 2022 study published by Cochrane Library, which reports that poor periodontal

health can worsen glycemic sugars are found in many control, or blood sugar level, in packaged and highly processed foods, such as soda, people living with diabetes. energy drinks, candies, cookies, breakfast cereals, flavored A "Mouth-Healthy" Diet The American Dental Asso- milk and yogurt, according to ciation (ADA) recommends a the ADA. nutritious, balanced diet, one However, it notes that natuwith healthy foods and drinks ral sugars can be a part of a that has vitamins and miner- healthy diet. This is because als for strong teeth and gums. food and beverages with natuA "mouth-healthy" diet has ral sugars, such as fruit and people avoid added sugar that milk, also have sources of puts their teeth at risk. Added nutrients like calcium that

Brushing And Flossing When it comes to dental care, Newtown Smile Dentistry owner Dr Sean Lee said brushing and flossing have "always been the gold standard." He added, "If patients can add more to that, like [water flossers] and rinses, it's only going to be a plus, but the bare minimum of brushing and flossing thoroughly would be helpful." Lee encouraged people to brush their teeth twice a day. As for when people should change their toothbrush, he said it depends on the person. Changing toothbrushes every three months is ideal, but some people might need to switch theirs out sooner, according to Lee.

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The Newtown Bee — October 9, 2026 "A good way for people to remember is to change [their toothbrush] every quarter. So it’s September, I just changed mine, and the next time I change it will be at the end of the year, and then March, June, and so on," Lee said. "Or, I’ll change it whenever my toothbrush looks like it's not doing so well, because the bristles are all bent and so on." Lee said he sees overbrushing — when someone brushes their teeth too long, too hard, or too often — more than people might think. While it can technically be a good thing, since it means the teeth are clean, Lee said people can damage their teeth or gums if they overdo it. "So at the cost of not having a lot of bacteria in the mouth, which is nice, you're also eroding and damaging your tooth structures and also the gums, because they can be brushed away," Lee explained. "That can result in some sensitivity and other unwanted consequences." Lee said this can happen with people who use a manual toothbrush and underestimate the power of their gums and arms. For cases like these, Lee recommends electric motorized toothbrushes, specifically one that has a builtin sensor. When the sensor detects someone is brushing too hard, it will slow down and turn red in color.

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and by prescription, can help reduce or control plaque, gingivitis, bad breath, and tooth decay, according to the ADA. Lee said mouthrinses come in a variety of flavors, but if someone is very sensitive to them, he recommends getting one that is alcohol-free. He added that gargling with mouthrinse can even help make someone's breath smell a little better. While water flossers such as Waterpik do not replace flossing entirely, Lee said that they are very good at flushing away bacteria at the gum line.

Gum Disease Someone patients tend to overlook with hygiene, Lee said, is that gum disease rarely causes pain. Sometimes, it can cause pain if a person touches their gums. However, if it is naturally causing pain, then Lee said it means the gum disease has gum far. This is importance because if someone has pain when they brush or floss their teeth, then they might avoid the dentist or not clean their mouth as well as they should. "That means they're going to be even more compromised, because we need to keep [our teeth] very clean, and pain upon touching usually means there's something going on. And if that doesn't get professionally cleaned out, then a small problem can snowball into a bigger problem," Lee explained. He said pain is the least Mouthrinses And Water reliable indicator of good Flosses Therapeutic mouthrinses, health, adding people to get available over-the-counter their teeth looked at profes-

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sionally at least every six months. "A lot of things can happen in six months, and the sooner we detect problems, the easier the fix," Lee said. A common example of gum diseases Lee has seen is gingivitis, defined by Mayo Clinic as a common and mild form of gum disease that causes irritation, redness, swelling and bleeding of the gingiva, the part of the gum around the base of the teeth. Lee called gingivitis the easiest gum disease to address. He said a normal routine and professional cleaning usually take care of it, adding that, even if somebody does a very good job brushing and f lossing at home, there is a limit to how good homecare products can do. Lee noted people with gingivitis generally do a good job at home and, at least six months or so, experience some issues with gums due to the limitations of toothbrushes and f losses. These are the ideal cases to address gingivitis, but Lee said gingivitis can eventually evolve into periodontitis.

This, he noted, is a more involved gum disease; it usually involves a lot of bacteria in the mouth both above and below the gum line. Lee said this also results in bone loss around the teeth. It can turn into a chronic situation where people lose bone over a long time, such as decades, because they cannot clean too deeply inside the gums with a toothbrush. "These bacteria will continue to cause issues inside the gums, where it's hard to clean from the outside, and years go by. You start to lose bone around it," Lee explained. "Bone loss doesn't cause pain. So folks with periodontitis likely won’t know that they have periodontitis, which can be overlooked." Lee said there are many different kinds of treatment to address these problems, depending on the severity of periodontitis. These range from more of a routine regular cleaning to non-surgical periodontal therapy, where people have their mouth numbed so a dentist can

remove bacteria far below the gum line. If the periodontitis gets any worth than that, Lee said there is a limit to how far they can clean under the gums. In that case, they will look into a surgical periodontal therapy, which Lee called "something [they] try to avoid if [they] can." While surgical therapy may sound scary, it has made a lot of progress in the last 15 years or so, according to Lee. He said there are surgeries that can be done with lasers now, albeit there are only over 3,000 doctors in the world who are certified to do it. "Rightly so, because this is still evolving and technology is always getting better," Lee said. "Even if somebody you know had an advanced gum disease, back in the day, a lot of times patients had to have their teeth removed to fix it. But if it's something that can be managed with some of these really modern treatments, then we may be able to save a lot of teeth as well." Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.

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The Newtown Bee — October 9, 2026

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Ocular Disease Residency Trained Optometrist

25 Church Hill Road Newtown 203-426-5586 dr.eyefit.nt@gmail.com Medical Complaints Can Be Covered Under Medical Insurance Most Vision & Medical Insurances Accepted

Contact Lens Specialty Large Optical Dispensary

• Comprehensive Eye Exams

We provide in-depth testing for:

• Contact Lens Evaluation & Medically Necessary Contact Lenses

• Eye Strain - Overuse of computers (eye discomfort, dryness or headaches)

• Monitoring for Medical Conditions including glaucoma, macular degeneration, dry eye, neurological ocular conditions, and binocular conditions

• Myopia Control

25% OFF

All Glasses Upgrades Expires 12-31-2026

FREE

Optomap Expires 12-31-2026

• Binocular Vision/Double Vision • Floaters/Flashes of Lights • MiSight Contact Lens Evaluation • Pre-Op & Post-Op LASIK Co-Management

149

Single Vision Glasses

thinner lenses, AR Coating included Expires 12-31-2026

349

Progressive Glasses

thinner lenses, AR Coating included Expires 12-31-2026