in the winter months

By Julie Young

It ’s cold outside and the winter temps can wreak havoc on our skin, hair and nails. The crisp air may lead to rosy cheeks, but it also leaves us feeling itchy, flaky and full of elec tric sparks that have nothing to do with our personal charisma How can we take charge of our beaut y regimen to combat winter ’s effec ts and look our best throughout the season? We reached out to area exper ts for their best tips.

Any change in temperature has an effec t on the sk in and the winter weather is famous for dr ying out the epidermis and worsens any condition we may already suffer from According to V indhya L Veerula, MD at For t Wayne Integrative Dermatology, tak ing care to moisturize, indulge in special treatments and make dietar y adjustments are just some of the ways we can battle back

“A hydrating mask and moisturizer are essential to combat dr y sk in, but adding a humidifier to your home can be helpful, as well, ” she said

Dr Veerula said one of the most common mistakes people make is not wearing sunscreen in the winter Even if the sun isn’t out, wrink le-producing UV rays can still affec t the sk in on the cloudiest of days, and while a hot shower may sound heavenly on a cold winter day, it will ac tually dr y out the sk in

“Our diet also affec ts the sk in, ” she noted “During the winter months, it is easy to overindulge in sugar, processed foods and alcohol, which can cause dehydration and increase sk in inflammation.

Moderation is the key, as is drink ing plenty of water. Tr y to get in a few ex tra ser vings of fruits, veggies and omega fatty acids like avocado ”

Dr yness also creates big issues for our nails and nail ridges Britney Kleinhans, a cosmetologist at Southwest Hair & Day Spa, said keeping your nails and cuticles moisturized will help prevent hang nails from becoming brittle She recommended CND Solar Oil as a great produc t to fight against the cold

“I t ’s super-penetrating formula of jojoba oil and V itamin E will moisturize your sk in and protec t your nails Repeated use will drive the oil deeper into the nails, and you can top this off with a great hand lotion to keep your sk in soft and refreshed, ” she said

When it comes to one’s hair, Tonya Andrews at 5 Elements Salon and Spa, said there are several cold weather treatments that can help minimize winter damage

“Regular trims, deep conditioning treatments, shampooing less frequently and using leave-in conditioner can help keep your hair looking healthy during the winter, ” she said. “Use hydrating shampoos and conditioners, and when styling your hair, use a heat-protec ting produc t to fur ther prevent damage ”

If you take care of your body, then the season will not get the best of you. You’ll look and feel great and be the envy of all during the coldest months of the year a photos: shut

Resources:

5 Elements S alon & Spa, For t Wayne, 260 969 6955, 5elements-spa-salon com

S outhwest Hair & Day Spa, For t Wayne, 260.459.2739, southwesthairspa.com

Vindhya Veerula, MD, For t Wayne, 260 450 1313, dr vskin com include temporary redness, swelling, blanching, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cra m. It is also FDA-cleared to l abdomen mping,cra ar submenta ww.coolsculpting.com. w p procedu rocedure is not a treatment for re from agglutinin disease, or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria. The CoolSculpting® procedure is not a treatment for obesity. Ask your doctor if CoolSculpting® is right for you. To learn more about what to expect, visit www.coolsculpting.com.

*CoolSculpting® is the treatment doctors use most for non-invasive fat removal. Photos courtesy of Flor Mayoral, MD. © 2018 Allergan. All rights reserved. COOLSCULPTING® and its design are registered trademarks of ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc., an Allergan affiliate. IC03669-A

By Jaclyn Youhana Gar ver | Photo by Zack Kittak a

One wall in Bett y Stein’s house is taken up with built-into-the-struc ture, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. There’s John Galswor thy ’s “ The Forsyte S aga, ” which she called one of her favorite books t wo years ago in the book column she used to write There’s Thornton Wilder ’s “Our Town, ” which supplied the lesson she says she tried to teach her students at Fair field Junior High School in the 1960s: “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it ever y, ever y minute?”

And on the dining room table? A book by Stein herself.

Stein became a column writer for the News-Sentinel in November 1982, and she freelanced for the paper until this past August, when it moved to a full-time staff of one and stopped paying freelancers. Star ting this month, however, nor theast Indiana can once again find Stein’s literar y thoughts in print: For the monthly On Her Nightstand column in glo, Stein will inter view local women about what they ’re reading

“Recently, I went through the drawer in which I kept all (my columns), and I was shocked with an exclamation mark, ” said Stein, who turned 102 years old in December “ Two exclamation marks I was really shocked how far they went back ”

Her favorites from those columns are collec ted in her new book, “By the Way : The Columns of Betty Stein.”

Blake Sebring, whom Stein met through her work at the NewsSentinel, had been encouraging her for years to publish her work, she said.

“Her writing has drawn such a loyal following that a book seemed like a natural thing to suggest, ” Sebring said.

He provided “the muscle for her brains, ” he explained, typing up the columns and organizing the book

While Stein loves to talk books and education, she glosses over her accolades with a, “ That ’s boring, ” even when it ’s clear she’s proud of her accomplishments There’s the Father Tom O’Connor Light of Christ Award from the Diocese of For t Wayne-South Bend in 2014 The award honors those of faith whose life and work reflec t the values of O’Connor, former pastor at St. Mar y ’s Catholic Church in For t Wayne.

There’s her Sagamore of the Wabash, one of highest awards given by Indiana’s governor, for distinguished ser vice to the state Since its star t in the 1940s, the award has also gone to Indiana mayors, senators, professional athletes and David Letterman.

And then there’s one of Stein’s favorites: the honorar y doc torate from the University of St Francis, where she received her master ’s in education after her children were in high school and college. She is 15 credits shy of her doc torate from Ball State.

“ They wanted me to concentrate on curriculum, and I wanted just plain English, so I stopped, ” she wrote in an email “But in the back of my mind remained the dream of someday becoming ‘Dr. Stein.’ Kind of rolls off your tongue, doesn't it?” a

By Deborah C Gerbers | Photo by Zack Kittak a

Leo S enior Alaina Ganser is in the top five of her class, has a medical internship at Parkview Regional Medical Center, is ac tive in youth group at St Vincent de Paul Church and teaches several classes at Projec t Ballet.

Beth McLeisch, founder and ar tistic direc tor of Projec t Ballet, said she is amazed by Alaina and her accomplishments

“In a profession where I work with talented, hard-work ing and mature teens ever y day, Alaina stands out, ” she said “She is responsible and beloved by the children ”

Before focusing exclusively on ballet, Alaina danced competitively in tap, hip-hop, jazz, contemporar y and various other styles of dance But she found herself exhausted by the level of commitment in competitive dance and decided to focus on her schoolwork, as well as her ballet technique

“I star ted at an intermediate level, and slowly climbed into the advanced program, ” Alaina said. “I was in the advanced program for two years before chronic injuries set in, causing my current break in my senior year ”

When Alaina’s injur y prevented her from her own ballet training, McLeish said she immediately thought she would be an excellent teacher at Projec t Ballet. As the organization’s only student faculty member, Alaina teaches 10 ballet classes per week to young students In addition to her ballet instruc tion, she has a medical internship in the pediatric depar tment at PRMC, maintaining high grades to keep her in the top five of her graduating class, and also has two other jobs: one for her family ’s company, T A G Ar t Company, and also at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception where she teaches religious education classes

Balancing such a hec tic schedule would be tough for anyone, let alone a teenager, yet Alaina somehow manages to keep her head about her

“In addition to those commitments, I have smaller commitments like my parish’s giving tree program and tutoring grade school-aged children, ” Alaina said “I love to spend time with my family and friends, and I find much comfor t in my youth group at St V incent ’s In my busiest of times, I feel my sleep and exercise schedule get the butt end of my attention, but I hope once finals have concluded, I can find my balance once again!”

After graduation from Leo Jr/Sr High School, Alaina plans to attend either Indiana University Bloomington or the University of St Francis nex t fall

“I’m hoping to keep up with my love for dance after this yearlong break in pursuit of a contemporar y minor in addition to a degree in child development or relative area, ” she said a

Take care of yourself with a new year’s resolution to get your annual mammogram! Breast cancer will affect an average of one in eight women during their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, 100 percent of stage 1 breast cancers can be effectively treated, so early detection is KEY!