Doc Talk: Persian Spring
by Bahram Ghaderi, MD, FACS
Many of you have asked me about my name and my background. This time of year is an opportune time to share something with all of you aboutmy Persian ancestry. I grew up in LA and am more part of the MTVgeneration (when they actually played music and had no reality shows).
Growing up in LA we celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all theother traditional holidays. But we also celebrated a neat tradition thatapplies to many people with the coming of Spring. This other holidaywe celebrated as a family is called Nowruz (meaning “[The] New Day”)and it is the name of the Persian New Year.
Nowruz marks the first day of Spring, or Equinox, and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical Northward equinox, which usually occurs around March 21st. The moment the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly (down to the minute) every year. Families gather together during this time to observe the rituals associated with the coming of Spring and the New Year. Nowruz is a secular holiday that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths. In 2010, The UN’s General Assembly recognized the International Day of Nowruz, describing it as a Spring festival of Persian origin which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years.
One part of the tradition that I have fond memories of is the special table my mom would set up every year for
Nowruz. Much as we decorate our homes for Christmas, carve pumpkins at Halloween, and put together baskets for Easter, the “table” was part of our Nowruz celebration. The table is referred to as the sofreh-ye haft-sinn (“cloth of seven dishes”). Some of the traditional items my mom prepared on this table were the fragrant scent of Hyacinth flowers to represent Spring, a bowl of goldfish and colored eggs to represent life, a mirror and candles to represent reflection, and seven traditional foods each starting with the letter ‘s’ in Persian. All of these held symbolic significance connected to the beginning of Spring.
The seven traditional foods are:
- sabzeh: lentil, barley, or wheat sprouts growing in a dish, symbolizing renewal
- samanu: a thick sweet pudding made from wheat germ, symbolizing affluence
- senjed: dried fruit of the lotus tree, symbolizing love
- sir: garlic, symbolizing medicine
- sib: apples, symbolizing health and beauty
- somaq: sumac berries, symbolizing sunrise
- serkeh: vinegar, symbolizing age and patience
Although I have not formally celebrated the new year tradition in years, I do have fond memories of my parents and family enjoying the coming of a new year. Hope this was enjoyable to read and the most important message is that Spring is here! Time for rebirth, renewal, and a “New Look”. I had to throw in at least one thing about plastic surgery :).
Enjoy the warmer weather and see you soon.
Hand Rejuvenation
Hands are one of the first places where signs of aging become noticeable. Most people take steps to keep their face and neck looking youthful and avoid sun-damage. But hands do not get as much attention. Veiny wrinkled hands can make you look older than you are. There are a number of effective techniques to rejuvenate your hands and improve your skin while reducing the wrinkling and prominent veins. Most procedures are minimally invasive with minimal scarring, but if you have very loose wrinkled skin you may benefit from surgery to remove the excess skin.
The options include:
Fillers
- The filler is injected into the hand at multiple locations.
- It is placed in layers at multiple levels to reshape and augment the hands.
Fat Transfer or Grafting
- Liposuction is used to remove fatty tissue from other areas of your body, such as the abdomen, hips, back or thighs.
- The fat is then processed for fat transfer and re-injected into your hands.
*You may not be a good candidate if you have poor circulation due to other medical conditions.
Sclerotherapy like treatment of spider veins in your legs
- A solution is injected into the smaller veins with a micro-needle and the vein gradually disappears.
- The vein turns white (blanches) and gradually disappears.
- Laser vein treatment can also treat smaller veins and blood vessels. The laser causes the vessels to coagulate and be absorbed by the body
Superficial chemical peels
- A chemical solution is applied to your hands same as what is done with chemical peels for the face.
Laser skin resurfacing
- Lasers can also be used to injure the upper layer of your skin. As your skin heals, healthier, younger looking tissue comes through.
Skin excision
- Surgery for removal of excess skin is reserved for extreme cases. The incision is typically located at the wrist.
If you are concerned about the appearance of your hands and would like to find out what procedure is best for you, schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon. As always, please feel comfortable to send your questions to me at drghaderi@stcharlesplasticsurgery.com.
Road to the Stage
Gabrielle’s Journey to become an NPC Bikini Competitor
I never knew what it was like to push myself to my limits to accomplish a goal. I never thought girls could have muscle and still look feminine. Boy, was I wrong! This time last year I made a commitment to compete in a bikini competition. I joined the NPC (National Physique Committee) and signed up for the Natural Muscle Classic in Rockford, IL on November 22, 2014. I trained for the next 17 weeks with a strict diet and exercise regimen. My exercise routine included cardio and weight lifting seven days a week for about 2 hours a day. My meals were strategically placed throughout my day and consisted of mainly egg whites, oatmeal, grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, and a salad. When the big day finally came, I was tired, hungry, and dehydrated, but despite all that, I was excited! I showed off all my hard work when I hit the stage for the first time. Out of 15 girls I placed 3rd. By staying committed to my goal I was able to accomplish it— have never felt so proud of myself! Since then, I was approached by an up and coming supplement company, TrueCore Supplements, and was asked if I would be interested in a sponsorship. I graciously accepted! I am aiming to compete again this fall, but right now I am focusing on building more muscle. Though it was tough at times, the entire experience was well worth it. My hope is to be an inspiration to others. If you fully commit to a goal you can achieve it!
Reconstructing the Road to Recovery
Put on your hard hats and become a member of the St. Charles Plastic Surgery Team as we begin “Reconstructing the Road to Recovery” at the 2015 LivingWell Cancer Center’s Bridge Walk to ensure that those who are faced with breast cancer will not have to travel the road alone.
On race day, St. Charles Plastic Surgery will provide pink hard hats to all team members.
And as always, all team members who raise funds of $100 and more will be entered to win the team giveaway.
Saturday, May 16th 2015 8:00am
- How You can Join Us:
- Provide our office with your email address by emailing info@stcps.littlejackdev.com
- You will receive an email with a link to our team page
- You will then be able to join Team St. Charles Plastic Surgery
- Please contact Team Captain Gabrielle Passo if you have questions: 630-762-9697
Local Support
LOCAL This year Dr. Ghaderi helped sponsor Cadence Health’s ‘Fashion for a Cause’. This event raised money for the Cadance Health Auxiliary, which donates thousands of dollars to Cadence affiliated cancer support centers such as LivingWell Cancer Resource Center in Geneva and Cadence Cancer Center in Warrenville. The event also benefited the Ronald McDonald House near CDH that opened in January 2015. The Ronald McDonald House provides a ‘home away from home’ for families of children with complex medical needs. The event put on a fashion show with clothes and accessories from a local fashion boutique. There was a great and incredibly chic turn out for a wonderful cause!
Advice from a Tree
Spring is here and the trees are turning green again! Monica and Gabrielle took a break from the office to ask the tree outside some advice on life. Here’s what it told them:
- Stand Tall and Proud
- Go Out on a Limb
- Remember Your Roots
- Drink Plenty of Water
- Be Content with Your Beauty
- Enjoy the View
Time Mom Saved the Day
- When she went into stealth mode carrying you from the car to your bed without waking you up.
- When she put on a heroic smile after you gave her that macaroni necklace for Mother’s Day.
- When she dipped into her 401K plan to buy you those front row concert tickets to your favorite performer.
- When you were a kid and she risked her life to make sure your closet was monster-free.
- When she bravely defended your honor at parent teacher conferences.
- When she gave up eight hours of sleep “helping” you with your science fair project.
- When she prevented the onset of pneumonia by forcing you to wear a jacket.
- When she became your personal alarm clock after you kept saying “just five more minutes.”
- When she spared you from a ramen-only diet by offering to cook.
A minute with Chef Moni
As you may know I am a vegetarian, but recently I have started to make recipes with meat for my boyfriend. I found a chicken recipe that I made that is super easy, healthy, and delicious! I wanted to share it with you.
- 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 slices
- 1 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers cut into 1 in pieces
- 1 bunch of basil, whole leaves
- 1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9×12 casserole dish. Butterfly the chicken breasts. Sprinkle the inside of the breasts with ½ of the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Stack the roasted red peppers, basil, and 1 slice of the mozzarella in the chicken. Fold over the top of the chicken breast and add more Italian seasoning (you can secure the chicken from spilling out the ingredients with tooth picks). Bake for 30-40 minutes. Then turn oven to broil; add more mozzarella on top of the chicken and broil for 5 minutes. Buon appetito!
