WHITESTONE – The Order of AHEPA Andreas T. Stamboulidis Parthenon Chapter #495 of Whitestone hosted a presentation by Dr. Nicholas Kaloudis in the Vasilios and Athanasia Kartsonis Hall at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Whitestone on December 2 following the Divine Liturgy. The presentation focused on serious health issues and the foods we eat.
Chapter President Dimitrios Skartsiaris thanked all those present for attending and supporting the chapter, noting that they hope to conduct more such presentations in the coming weeks and months.
Presiding priest of the Holy Cross community Fr. Dionysios Anagnostopoulos gave the welcoming remarks and AHEPA District 6 Governor Demi Pamboukes spoke about the achievements of the organization, specifically District 6 and the Andreas T. Stamboulidis Parthenon Chapter #495 of Whitestone. Pamboukes noted that District 6 was awarded as best in the nation at the AHEPA National Convention this summer, adding that the credit is due to the dynamic chapters including Whitestone and Ted Stamas, his predecessor as District Governor. The Empire District, as it is also known, again led the nation in membership, but its contribution to AHEPA’s core national projects, including St. Nicholas at Ground Zero, Oxi Day, Saint Basil Academy, the Greek Independence Parade, and the establishment and re-activation of chapters played a significant role in its selection as the best in the nation. Pamboukes also pointed out that visiting the chapter was a bit of a homecoming since he grew up in Whitestone and his grandparents lived on Clintonville Street.
Dr. Kaloudis began his presentation by noting that many of the diseases and ailments affecting people today are caused by the foods they eat. Simple changes in the diet for those suffering from health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease can be life-saving. The doctor pointed out that a healthy diet and exercise 3-4 times a week could help people to such an extent that they might no longer need to take medications to manage their conditions. Losing weight helps lower blood pressure, for example and can have positive effects for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer as well. “Losing one pound can result in lowering blood pressure by two points,” Dr. Kaloudis said. Of course, there are those with a genetic predisposition to certain illnesses which require early screenings, Dr. Kaloudis noted, adding that each person should consult their physician for their individual issues. Some medications interact with certain foods as well, so while eating leafy green vegetables is a healthy choice for many, those taking blood thinners are advised to limit their intake, for example.
A lively Q&A session followed the presentation with questions concerning the effects of stress on health, and if dairy products and alcohol can be included in a healthy eating plan. Dr. Kaloudis pointed out that the fat can be removed from dairy products but the sugar remains, so while eating a non-fat yogurt might seem like a healthy choice, it still contains a great deal of sugar. Concerning alcohol he said that one glass of wine a day is beneficial, if there are no problems with the liver.
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