Alborzi Orthodontics - March/April 2020

Alborzi Orthodontics - March/April 2020

235 N. SanMateo Drive, Suite 300 SanMateo, CA 94401-2672 Tel: (650) 342-4171

705 Purissima Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1934 Tel: (650) 726-6321

The Alborzi Standard

March/April 2020

STARTING FRESH WITH PERSIAN NEW YEAR

I love spring. Everything is fresh and new — new flowers, new growth, and new changes. On top of that, the Persian New Year, called Norooz, is celebrated in the spring. Norooz is a little bit like a combination of Christmas and New Year’s Day. The holiday has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years, and it isn’t religiously oriented in any way. Instead, Norooz is all about cultivating hope for the future and shedding the past. It’s a celebration of all things new. An important part of this celebration is setting the table, called the Haft-Sin table. My family would always place on the table seven symbolic items that start with the Farsi letter S: wheatgrass, herbs, dried food, and vinegar, to name just a few. Everything on the table represented a different aspect of life, like health, prosperity, and knowledge. At the moment of vernal equinox, which we celebrate as the new year in Iran right when the sun crosses the equator, the whole family would be there to welcome the new year by gathering around the Haft-Sin table. Sometimes, it was 2 a.m. Still, we would be there, dressed in the fresh new clothes that are traditionally worn for Norooz, to welcome back the light. Since Norooz is all about starting fresh, it’s traditional to do a deep-clean in preparation for the holiday. My family would open every cabinet and scrub every corner of our house top to bottom for Norooz. This is also a

wonderful time of year to come together as a family and clean out the stuff you accumulate over the past year. Plus, you can figure out what to donate to charity, either directly or by having a garage sale and donating the proceeds. Once the new year has started, most people in Iran have a week or two off of work, and just like Christmas break in the U.S., most Iranians spend that time visiting family. Growing up, my family would always go to Isfahan, which was the historic capital of Iran before Tehran became the capital, to visit family.

In Isfahan, the older members of our family knew we were coming. They would be at home waiting for us to stop by, ready to give us the gold coins the older members of family traditionally gave younger family members. They would have pastries and other nice foods ready to share with us. To this day, I still have the small gold coins I collected over the years during Norooz. Some Persians I know in the U.S. still keep up these traditions, but I have been in the U.S. since I was 15 years old, and these days, I mostly just celebrate Christmas. Still, every year when spring comes around, I think about Iran and Norooz, and I try to focus my energies on starting fresh. How will you start fresh this spring?

Back home, it’s traditional for the younger members of the family to make the effort to visit the older members of the family as a sign of respect. Since my father was younger, we would always travel.

–Dr. Alexa Alborzi

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SLEEP APNEA MISINFORMATION

You don’t have to be an elderly, overweight male to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Unfortunately, genetics don’t discriminate, and if you are genetically predisposed to this condition, then you can be thin and fit and still suffer disrupted sleep. The stereotype of OSA only affecting a certain type of person is just one of many that abound. To ensure you don’t miss a serious problem because of misinformation, here are a few of the most common myths about OSA, debunked. Myth: Obstructive sleep apnea is no big deal; it’s just snoring. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, that means you fully stop breathing up to 400 times a night. Your breath can stop for as long as 30 seconds and is likely followed by a snort as your body tries to replenish its oxygen supply. These snorts can be violent enough to disrupt your sleep cycle and leave you worn out and tired the

next day. In fact, worse than just leaving you tired, sleep deprivation associated with OSA has been linked to increased risk for car accidents, heart attacks, and strokes. Myth: Only old and overweight people suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. While sleep apnea is more common in people over the age of 40, it is caused by genetic predisposition and can affect people of all ages. In fact, according to WebMD, as many as 10% of children are affected by OSA! Myth: Obstructive sleep apnea requires surgery. While some people get relief from OSA by getting surgery, it isn’t the best option for everyone. Some people use a CPAP machine, but they are a noisy and cumbersome option. Dr. Alborzi specializes in custom-fit mouthpieces designed to keep

airways open and prevent disrupted sleep. Avoid the pain and suffering of a CPAP or surgery, and give us a call today to see how Dr. Alborzi can help!

WE OUR WINNERS AT ALBORZI ORTHODONTICS

REFER A FRIEND AND YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED TO WIN! Here’s how to enter! 1. Think of a friend who needs braces or Invisalign and who you think would be a good fit for Alborzi Orthodontics. 2. Invite your friend to schedule a free smile evaluation by calling (650) 342-4171 or by visiting GotToSmile.com and clicking Schedule An Appointment Now.

3. You’ll be entered in our raffle for a chance to win tickets to Six Flags.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? SHOW THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS!

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INTRODUCING TARA MOTHER, TRAVELER, AND FISH OWNER Tara is the front office concierge at Alborzi Orthodontics. She greets people, schedules patients’ appointments, and helps check people in. Tara moved to the San Mateo area in 2003 and previously lived in the Bay Area. Tara has always been a dog person, but for the time being, her family makes due with their lone beta fish, Ronan.

Tara has three children, ages 16, 13, and 11, and she has devoted herself to raising them. Prior to having children, Tara was a legal assistant for 10 years, but once her kids came along, she took a 12-year break to focus all her energy on raising them. She recently reentered the workforce, again as a legal assistant, but she knew she wanted a change of profession. Tara’s son was one of Dr. Alborzi’s patients, and when she heard the office was hiring, she was quick to apply. She already knew she liked the office environment, and the rest is history.

When Tara’s not busy greeting patients at Alborzi Orthodontics, her weekends are spent supporting her kids as they pursue their interests in soccer, softball, flag football, and track. She loves being outdoors and traveling, both internationally and domestically. Her favorite country to visit is New Zealand, and her favorite state is Idaho, where her parents live in the small mountain town of McCall.

Laugh Out

LOUD!

Ingredients • 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided • 4 boneless and skinless chicken • Salt and pepper to taste • 1/4 cup whole-wheat panko • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese Directions 1. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil. 2. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and add it to pan. Cook chicken for 5 minutes on each side, then remove pan from heat. 3. In a bowl, combine panko, Parmesan cheese, and butter. 4. Spread pesto over chicken and top with panko mixture. PESTO CHICKEN WITH BLISTERED TOMATOES breasts, pounded to a 1-inch thickness

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted • 6 tbsp spinach pesto • 2 cups cherry tomatoes • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced • 1 tsp red wine vinegar

5. Broil chicken for 2 minutes on high heat until browned. 6. In a skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. 7. Add tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes. 8. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. 9. Season tomato mixture with salt and pepper, and add red wine vinegar. 10. Serve tomatoes with broiled chicken.

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Give us a call! TEL: (650) 342-4171 FAX (650) 342-8748

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

235 N. SAN MATEO DRIVE, SUITE 300 SAN MATEO, CA 94401-2672

Issue INSIDE THIS

Happy Persian New Year! PAGE 1 Sleep Apnea Misinformation Winning at Alborzi Orthodontics PAGE 2 Introducing Tara Pesto Chicken With Blistered Tomatoes PAGE 3 Stay Stateside With These Little-Known St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations PAGE 4

There’s no place quite like Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day. What was once a purely religious holiday to honor the legend of St. Patrick chasing all the snakes out of the country has turned into a global celebration. But if a trip to Ireland isn’t in the budget, check out these three little-known stateside destinations that are just as festive. STAYING STATESIDE FOR ST. PADDY’S?

Short and Sweet in Arkansas Thanks to the clever thinking of some Irish friends meeting for a pint at a bar on one of the shortest streets in the world, Bridge Street in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the First Ever 17th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade will travel 98 feet once again this year. Don’t assume the turnout isn’t robust just because the distance is staggeringly low. The parade lasts for hours, drawing thousands of people to watch celebrities, musicians, bands, floats, and Miss Arkansas glide by. The event also features a Blarney stone kissing contest and a parade king and queen.

A Little Luck in America’s Heartland O’Neill, Nebraska, is home to the world’s largest shamrock and more unique St. Patrick’s Day traditions. This Irish community doubles down on its heritage every March with a traditional parade, music, and Irish dancing. But the town also hosts a popular dodgeball tournament and donkey basketball. What could be better than pummeling your opponents in dodgeball and outpacing the competition while riding a donkey in the school gymnasium? Perhaps enjoying a pint or two with your teammates afterward. And O’Neill is just the spot to do it.

Ohio’s Little Piece of Ireland You may not be able to fly to Ireland, but you can visit a little piece of it right in the U.S. Head to Dublin, Ohio, this St. Patrick’s Day for a traditional celebration sure to put a wee bit o’ pep in your step. Partake in a traditional Irish breakfast or enjoy a parade complete with bagpipers and Irish dancers. Boasting one of the largest celebrations in the U.S., Dublin is an affordable alternative for those looking to celebrate the Irish way.

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