30 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • AUGUST 5, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Active and energized: Registered dietitian shares how
eating right in the morning fuels energy throughout the day
With health and wellness top
of mind for many Americans,
fi tness has become a top priority.
Whether you’re extremely active
or just starting on a wellness
journey, incorporating wholesome,
nutritious foods into your
diet plan can help give your body
the fuel it needs to thrive.
“Studies suggest that eating a
healthy breakfast before a workout
improves your performance
both inside the gym and out,”
said Marissa Meshulam, registered
dietitian nutritionist and
founder of MPM Nutrition. “By
fi lling up on vitamins and nutrients
fi rst thing in the morning,
you set yourself up for success
throughout the day.”
Meshulam shares tips for creating
a fi lling and fueling breakfast
that supports an active lifestyle,
helps you maximize your
workout potential and extends
your energy throughout the day:
Start with hydration
Your body craves hydration
aft er sleeping all night, so start
your day by drinking a tall glass
of water. Consider making it a
habit to drink water while you
wait for your morning cup of
coff ee to brew. While coff ee and
other beverages such as fruit
juice can help you hydrate, it’s
important to be mindful of their
sugar content, as that can cause
blood glucose levels to spike,
causing a short-lived feeling of
energy before a mid-morning
crash.
Choose nutrientdense
foods
Give your body a wellness
boost by making breakfasts that
include ingredients loaded with
essential vitamins and minerals.
Many berries, for example,
are full of vitamins and antioxidants
and pair well with a
breakfast dish. As a base, choose
nutrient-packed eggs to act as
the star of the plate. Keep in
mind, not all eggs are created
equal. Eggland’s Best eggs are
the only eggs that provide superior
taste, freshness and nutrition
compared to ordinary eggs,
such as more than double the
Vitamin B12 and Omega-3s, 10
times more Vitamin E and six
times more Vitamin D. Th ese
vitamins perfectly compliment
an active lifestyle, as they can
help boost energy and aid in
muscle recovery aft er a strenuous
workout.
Add in healthy carbs
Healthy carbs are also important
to keep in mind for a fueling
breakfast, especially if the day
calls for a more intense workout.
Carbs help you sustain energy
for longer so the body and
mind can focus and excel. Some
healthy carbs to try adding to
your breakfast include whole
grain cereal or bread, bananas
and sweet potatoes. Grains
like quinoa, oats and buckwheat
are also good options. Overnight
oats, protein pancakes and egg
bakes are all popular breakfast
options that fuel an active lifestyle
by helping you stay satisfi ed
throughout the day.
Looking for recipe inspiration?
Try this nutrient-fi lled breakfast
that will fuel your body and help
you maximize your day:
Farmer’s Hash
Ingredients:
• 2 Eggland’s Best Eggs, large
• 1 parsnip, cubed (1 cup)
• 2 cups of brussels sprouts,
halved
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Fresh thyme, chopped (2 tbsp.)
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
On a large baking sheet, toss
the vegetables (parsnips, brussels
sprouts and sweet potato)
with 2 tbsp. of olive oil and the
fresh thyme. Add a little bit of
salt and pepper. Mix well. Place
in the oven for ~30-35 minutes
or until crispy. Toss the veggies
halfway through the cooking
process.
While the veggies fi nish cooking,
make sunny-side-up eggs in
a skillet using cooking spray.
Once the veggies are done,
scoop into two bowls and top
each bowl with 1 egg each. Top
with fresh scallions and enjoy!
Recipe notes: You can cook
the eggs however you prefer
(poached, scrambled, over easy).
— Courtesy of BPT
Elder Law Minute TM
Britney Spears case off ers lessons on guardianships
BY RONALD A. FATOULLAH, ESQ.
AND EVA SCHWECHTER, ESQ.
Current depictions in the media, including Britney
Spears’s legal fi ght to regain control over her personal
and fi nancial aff airs and Netfl ix’s popular movie “I Care
a Lot,” have put the legal concept of guardianship in
the spotlight. It is important to know the parameters
and objectives of a guardianship in order to establish
whether it is the appropriate path to take in each specifi
c circumstance. While a full guardianship may be
necessary for many individuals who are incapable of
managing their own aff airs due to dementia or intellectual,
developmental or mental health disabilities,
the Spears case and Netfl ix fi lm underline the option
of more limited alternatives.
Every adult is assumed to be capable of making
his or her own decisions unless a court determines
otherwise. If an adult becomes incapable of making
responsible decisions, someone can petition the
court to appoint a substitute decision maker, usually
called a “guardian.” Guardianship is a legal relationship
between a competent adult (the “guardian”) and
a person whose incapacity renders him no longer able
to take care of his own aff airs (the “ward”). The guardian
can be authorized to make legal, fi nancial and/or
health care decisions for the ward. The National Center
for State Courts says that about 1.3 million adults are
living under guardianships or conservatorships with
ELDER LAW
some $50 billion in assets.
It’s easy to see why guardianship, which takes away
a person’s right to make decisions about signifi cant
aspects of his own life, is considered among the most
restrictive legal remedies in the American judicial system.
For this reason, courts are legally required to seek
alternatives that will safeguard the ward’s fi nances
and well-being but with the fewest restrictions, in an
eff ort to protect that person’s rights.
Within the guardianship courts, there are various
approaches that provide protection without stripping
the person of control over all decisions, as in Spears’
case. Many people in need of help can make responsible
decisions in some areas of their lives but not others,
such as making major fi nancial decisions. Families
might consider setting up what’s called a “limited” or
“special” guardianship. Most states, including New
York, allow judges to appoint guardians with limited
powers that are specifi cally tailored to the alleged
incapacitated person’s needs. For example, a court can
appoint a guardian to oversee a person’s housing and
health care, but not to manage the person’s bathing,
eating and socialization. Guardians can be appointed
to handle the fi nancial aff airs of someone who is
not good with money, without having any power to
manage health care decision making — the options
are almost infi nite.
Sometimes, guardianship isn’t the answer at all.
There are those who are concerned about entering the
guardianship arena to begin with. Although it is not
the norm, there are some weaknesses in the guardianship
system that make it possible for an unscrupulous
guardian to take control of an elderly person’s
life and bleed their resources dry, as portrayed in the
movie “I Care A Lot.”
Trying an alternative to guardianship can be important
for several reasons. First, it prevents a court from
ruling that someone is “incapacitated,” which carries
with it a stigma that can be hard to undo, as Britney
Spears is fi nding. Second, it puts the person in the
driver’s seat. Third, it is much less expensive and timeconsuming
than a guardianship proceeding.
If a person has the requisite capacity to execute
estate planning documents, she can sign a durable
power of attorney and a health care proxy, which
allow someone to assist the individual with decisions
without court involvement. Another option is a revocable
or “living” trust that can be set up to hold an individual’s
assets, with a relative, friend or fi nancial institution
serving as trustee. Alternatively, a person can
elect herself co-trustee of the trust with another individual
who will take over the duties of trustee should
the older person become incapacitated.
If you have questions about what type of guardianship
may be right for your family member, or if
you are currently under guardianship and are looking
to gain control of your aff airs, talk to your elder
law attorney today.
Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq. is the founder of Ronald
Fatoullah & Associates, a law fi rm that concentrates in
elder law, estate planning, Medicaid planning, guardianships,
estate administration, trusts, wills, and real
estate. Eva Schwechter is an elder law attorney with
the fi rm. The law fi rm can be reached at 718-261-
1700, 516-466-4422, or toll free at 1-877-ELDER-LAW
or 1-877-ESTATES. Mr. Fatoullah is also a partner with
Brightside Advisors, a wealth management fi rm with
offi ces in New York and Los Angeles.
This summary is not legal advice and does not create
any attorney-client relationship. This summary
does not provide a defi nitive legal opinion for any factual
situation. Before the fi rm can provide legal advice
or opinion to any person or entity, the specifi c facts at
issue must be reviewed by the fi rm. Before an attorney
client relationship is formed, the fi rm must have
a signed engagement letter with a client setting forth
the Firm’s scope and terms of representation.
RONALD FATOULLAH
ESQ, CELA*
/WWW.QNS.COM
