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“Because the Past Is Just a Goodbye”

–Graham Nash

For centuries, explorers like Ponce de Leon have searched for it. Today, pharmacists, sports clubs, and plastic surgeons make their livings catering to people in pursuit of it. Heck, even dentists are in the “youth” business.

For me, music has always been a way to regain a youthful feeling. Songs transport me back to when I first heard them.

Perry Como and Betty Hutton’s 1950 tune “I Love You a Bushel and a Peck” still takes me back to the loving hugs of my Grandma Mollie and Aunt Hilda, her sister, who both sung me the tune while embracing me. To this day, whenever I hear the song, I feel warm, snuggled, and secure.

If I want to transport myself to the ’60s, all I need to do is listen to “Alice’s Restaurant” or

the Country Joe and the Fish refrain, “And it’s 1-2-3, what are we fighting for?” I used to have such favorites from the ’70s, too.

But that fountain of youth, for me, has been tainted.

A few weeks ago, we decided to try and recapture our youth by going to a concert. After all, as teens and young adults, that’s what we did. In fact, Laurie and I met only several miles away from Woodstock in 1969. We were camp counselors and were forbidden from leaving the grounds to attend the festival. Too many hippies and too much “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.”

Anyway, when we heard that Chicago and the Doobie Brothers were going to be in concert on those hallowed grounds, we had to seize the opportunity.

In the car, going up to Bethel Woods, the site of the original Woodstock Festival, we felt like it was 1969 and all we could do was sing Crosby, Stills, and Nash’s songs about the event. The radio played Beatles, the Stones, and Hendrix.

We were eager to recapture the feelings of the late ’60s and early ’70s when songs by Chicago and the Doobies wafted through the air in our car, dorm room, and apartment. In fact, one of the Doobie Brothers’ songs in particular was one that I always played while shopping for stereo systems, something my friend Todd and I did while trying to decompress from the stress of dental school in Boston in the early ’70s. That album was well-worn.

I must admit, the closest I came to taking a sip from the fountain of youth that weekend was on the trip up. The anticipation was exhilarating. As we approached the concert grounds, we began to see signs that this was NOT going to be the Woodstock-like experience we had hoped for. In the parking lot, we were surrounded by a sea of SUVs with handicapped stickers. People had campers parked and football game tailgate-like setups serving all kinds of artery-clogging foods.

The lines to get in through the gates and past security were filled with modern-day Ponce de Leons, many wearing clothes that must have been dug out of some cedar closet after about five decades. Do kids even know what bell bottoms are? Canes and walkers far outnumbered backpacks.

It’s a good thing the security guards only hand-searched things. A metal detector would have been constantly ablaze with noise triggered by the artificial joints in the crowd.

The smells were different, too. Grass, indeed, but it was from the neatly mowed lawns many in the crowd were to sit on. I guessed there would be no “Rocky Mountain High” on this night.

Bladder control issues were obviously anticipated as portable facilities were more common than trash receptacles, and the lines there were longer than those in front of the stalls hawking concert trinkets and memorabilia. I kept looking for a Depends or Dulcolax stand.

Everyone knows the

Louvre and the Smithsonian, but

you might be surprised to learn about some of the stranger museums around the world. For nearly every passion, there is a building somewhere dedicated to it. Take a look at some of the weirdest.

Sulabh International Museum of Toilets Delhi, India

A functioning toilet is something everyone takes for granted until they don’t have access to one. In India’s capital, you can explore the fascinating history of commodes. Divided into three sections — ancient, medieval, and modern — you’ll be shocked at how much you can learn about history and culture through an examination of the ways a society flushes (or doesn’t).

The Museum of Bad Art Dedham, Massachusetts

There are plenty of museums dedicated to exceptional artwork from history, but only one dedicated to less successful artistic endeavors. The Museum of Bad Art, or MOBA, promotes itself as the home of “art too bad to be ignored.” A trip to MOBA will leave you smiling, laughing, and feeling a little better about the fact that you’re not Picasso.

Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum Osaka, Japan

It’s not just college students who love ramen. Since the invention of the instant noodles by Momofuku Ando in 1958, ramen has evolved into a beloved dietary staple from Japan to Jamaica. In addition to viewing some of the wilder examples from around the world, you can even design your own packaging. Bring along some chopsticks, as there are plenty of samples to slurp up.

The Kansas Barbed Wire Museum Rush County, Kansas

Plenty of museums are hands-off, but that’s usually to protect the precious objects held within. At the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, not touching the exhibits is just sound advice. The development of barbed wire was instrumental in settling the American West, and this museum pays tribute to its invention and evolution.

The Fountain of Youth PAGE 1

Cover continued ... PAGE 2

Why Can’t You Buy Decent Dental Insurance?

One-Pan Harvest Pasta PAGE 3

The Museum of What? PAGE 4

Sept/Oct 2017635 Madison Ave, 19th FloorNew York, NY 10022 212-928-1000 www.MANHATTANDENTALHEALTH.com

117 Kinderkamack Rd. Suite 200 River Edge, N.J. 07661 201-881-0660 www.MANHATTANDENTALHEALTHNJ.COM

The Museum of What?

The Fountain of Youth

The World’s Strangest Museums

HAPPY

Inside

2 • www.MANHATTANDENTALHEALTH.com www.MANHATTANDENTALHEALTHNJ.com

212-928-1000 • 3201-881-0660

Ingredients• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)

• 1 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped (2 cups)

• 2 tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1 cup)

• 1/3 cup chopped red onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

• 13/4 cups “no-chicken” broth

• 1 cup dried whole grain elbow macaroni

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• Kosher salt

• Ground black pepper (optional)

Recipe adapted from DamnDelicious.net.

HARVEST PASTA

HA

VE

A L

AU

GH

This easy, healthy, hearty recipe is a delicious way to employ the harvest from your vegetable garden.

Directions1. In a very large skillet, heat

oil over medium heat. Add eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, and garlic. Cook, uncovered, 7–10 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Add beans, broth, pasta, and

crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 7–10 minutes more or until vegetables and pasta are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper; top with basil and serve.

I get asked this question all the time. It shows the frustration people feel with the current state of health care and dental insurance. I completely understand.

First, dental coverage is not really insurance, at least not in the sense people are used to with their medical coverage or automobile insurance. In these programs, you, or your employer, pay a premium, there’s a deductible (co-pay), and once met, the insurance will cover most of the cost, regardless of how much. With dental insurance, there’s a limit to the benefit you receive. So, rather than “insurance,” it’s actually a limited rebate program.

Second, insurance companies are in the business of making money. They’ve analyzed and crunched the numbers. They know that if you’re looking for insurance, you need it. And, they base their projections on what they call the “rate of utilization.” That means that the more people use their plans, the less profit they make. So, if you’re part of a large group whose members don’t use dentists a lot, your premiums would be less and/or your benefits would be greater.

It sounds crazy. If you need it or use it, it’ll cost more or you’ll get less. But that’s insurance, and that’s the problem with insurance companies controlling health care, especially dental care. The odds are stacked against you. Just like in Vegas, the “house” always has the advantage.

So what’s the answer? How can you beat the house?

Stay healthy. That’s the best policy.

Don’t roll the dice with your health.

I’m not trying to be smug, but what I’ve seen in my 40 years of practice is that people who keep their mouths clean, come in regularly for preventive visits, and agree to care when needed spend relatively little on their dental care in the long run. Plus, their overall health is better too, especially as they get older.

People who stay healthy and get the best dental care have a tremendous advantage as they age.

Here’s another secret. Good dentistry lasts. It’s a great investment. Insurance companies know that too. What they’re afraid of is that if someone buys insurance and uses it to get the best possible care, they will no longer need insurance, and they’ll cancel the policy. So, the upfront premiums would reflect that risk and hence be unaffordable.

To them, it’s just math. To you, it’s your health.

I look at my dad, who had always maintained his teeth and who always did what I told him to despite the cost (of course, he paid nothing). He enjoyed the benefit of healthy, functional, and trouble-free teeth until he passed away a week shy of 90.

Conversely, I see people who either didn’t care for their teeth well enough, didn’t start young enough, or didn’t agree to recommended treatment, and are now suffering. My father- in-law never received preventive care as a child and had teeth issues throughout his life. In his 70s, after suffering a heart attack, I recommended we fix things. He refused because he was “too old.” When he passed away at age 94, he was having all sorts of trouble with his teeth. I was barely able to keep ahead of all his problems.

And there’s a good deal of research that connects the health of your mouth to your overall health. In the elderly, it can mean respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia from changes in the bacteria found in the mouth.

And our teeth have to last longer than ever as life expectancies creep up into the 90s and 100s. So, excellent dentistry is more important now than ever before.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It’s really the case with health care. And Manhattan Dental Health has always been on the forefront of prevention.

We’ll design a preventive program, customized for your particular needs, designed to keep you healthy, functional, and smiling.

To everyone’s excellent health and wellness,

Why Can’t You Buy

Michael

One-PanCOVER CONTINUED ... The Fountain of Youth

DECENT DENTAL INSURANCE?

When the concert began, a bunch of old men took to the stage and began playing songs that were vaguely familiar, but had a slightly musty sound as if an album had just been found, dusted off, then played on a vintage turntable.

I had to wait until their encore to hear the Doobie Brothers play my favorite tune, “Listen to the Music.” I was not transported at all. By that time, I was already somewhat depressed.

Looking at the stage, seeing all the 60- and 70-somethings, then panning around and seeing more of the same gave me a feeling similar to the one I had visiting my father in the assisted living facility.

This was just another form of memory lane. The linkage was ruined.

Laurie and I had a good time. It was an adventure, and we giggled as we passed some of the places in the Catskills that we associated with the summers of ’69 and ’70. Those were good times, indeed.

Now, the question remains: How do I regain those feelings?

Though music is still a great time machine, songs from Chicago and the Doobie Brothers have lost that potency for me. Certainly, I won’t be going to any “oldies” concerts anymore. While some associations with the past are nostalgic and exciting, interacting with those

younger than me, rather than hanging out with peers my same age or even older, seems preferable. Spending time with my kids and grandkids is one answer, as long as they’ll let me into their lives as an active participant.

I know how old I am. I know it when my prostate wakes me up in the middle of the night. I know it as I creak, rolling out of bed in the morning, and I know it when I open some of the childproof containers that are now a part of my daily routine.

Yet, when I smile, I still feel and see glimpses of my youth. Yep, I still feel the aches. I see the wrinkles and spots. But when that smile looks back at me in the mirror, they seem to fade away.

How about YOU? Does your smile betray your age? Does it sing in concert with the other signs of maturity? Or does it convey signs of vitality and play a more youthful harmonizing role?

I’d like to help you keep or regain that youthful smile. I know what it means to me. I appreciate it more after my recent Woodstock experience.

We offer a complimentary smile analysis. Let us tell you how we can help you find that fountain of youth through your smile.

Michael