Healthy fare, top notch workout equipment, and insider skincare tips help you build beauty from the inside out

by Jessica Jones Gorman

NATURE BOY
Offering a full line of health conscious meals, Nature’s Grill Café, which has two locations in Brooklyn, opened a Staten Island restaurant last year. Its meats are grass fed, its poultry free range, and all fare is organic produced using sustainable agricultural practices. Founder Anastasios (Taso) Verteouris, a first generation Greek American, has dedicated his life working in and around the restaurant business, and opened the first Nature’s Grill in Bay Ridge in 2001.

“We serve a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of certain diseases and to help maintain a healthy weight,” the eatery notes on its website.

Popular menu items include the Bella Chicken Wrap fi lled with grilled chicken, Portobello mushrooms, sweet bell peppers, non fat mozzarella, and lettuce; the Grass Fed Angus Burger topped with red onion, pickles, and melted cheddar cheese; and the Grilled Salmon Platter, served with mango salsa dipping sauce on the side. 4115 Hylan Boulevard, naturesgrillcafe.com

KURZMAN’S CORNER
It’s summer, and skincare is center stage for those of us looking to protect and brighten our complexions. Dr. Michael Kurzman, a board certified dermatologist practicing in Staten Island, highlights a few of his most popular and latest procedures.

MICRONEEDLING Performed in dermatologists’ offices and spas to tighten skin and eliminate fi ne lines and wrinkles, this has long been a staple in the beauty industry. But now, the practice is being performed with radiofrequency.

“It’s like micro needling on steroids,” Kurzman said. “It’s great for fine lines and acne scars and it does wonders for crepey skin on the neck and abdomen.”

Radiofrequency, or RF, adds heat to the micro needling process, which damages the collagen under the skin, allowing new collagen to form and so helping skin’s deepest layers contract and tighten.

BELLAFILL An FDA approved dermal filler for permanent implantation into the skin for the correction of nasolabial folds (or smile lines). Kurzman calls it one of the industry’s best kept secrets.

“People know about Restylane and Juvederm, but few are familiar with Bellafill,” he said. “It’s used for both women and men and is non resorbable, meaning it does not require frequent reinjection,” adding that results last for approximately five years, compared to only months for other fillers.

BOTOX FOR HYPERHIDROSIS Excessive sweating can be a real issue during warm weather, but Kurzman said that there is a solution. “We do a lot of Botox injections in the underarm region he said. “Once it’s injected, the patient will stop sweating in that area for about six months. It’s a great solution for an embarrassing issue. This treatment gives me great satisfaction because it makes such a di erence in people’s lives.”

SUNSCREEN These are frequently at the center of debate. Are the chemicals harmful? What SPF is sufficient? So, Kurzman has on hand a variety of respected brands. “We offer mineral brands and others with iron oxide, which is very helpful,” he said.

Citing Melasma as a common skin problem that worsens in summer, causing brown and gray skin patches on the face, Kurzman suggests using these lotions year round.
“Sunscreen should be a vital part of anyone’s morning routine,” he concluded.

401 Bloomingdale Road, Suite 2, Rossville, drkurzman.com

CLEVER TREADMILL
Treadmill classes are currently all the rage, spicing up the otherwise mundane task of indoor running. But now, DIY gym rats are getting the same experience at home with the Peloton Tread, a springy treadmill with a 32 inch touchscreen display that transmits live classes and on demand workouts. Created because of the popularity of the Peloton stationary bike, it lets users tune into Peloton’s NYC headquarters, where classes are offered by the city’s top trainers. $4,295, plus an extra $39 a month for membership. onepeloton.com