The annual Northern Medical Center Health Fair drew local residents, medical professionals, and wellness advocates together on May 16 for a full day of seminars, free wellness services, and discussions focused on improving physical and emotional well-being.
Held in Middletown from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the event featured lectures on anxiety, nutrition, processed foods, weight management, and holistic wellness. Visitors also had access to free services including acupuncture, hydrogen therapy, acupressure, wellness consultations, and health screenings.
Organizers described the fair as an opportunity to help residents “take better care of their health and wellness” through prevention, education, and community support.
Processed foods and the hidden impact of sugar
One of the featured speakers was Dr. Michael Scarano, whose presentation, “Practical Ways to Reduce Additives and Improve Well-Being,” focused on the growing health concerns surrounding ultra-processed foods and excessive sugar consumption.
Scarano, who grew up in Middletown and now travels across the country giving wellness lectures, said many Americans consume large amounts of sugar without realizing it.
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
“I think number one is sugar, all forms of sugar, whether it’s just sugar or in the form of high fructose corn syrup,” he said. “There’s a direct correlation to chronic disease, autoimmune disease, diabetes, hypertension, since we’ve added a ton of sugar into our processed foods.”
He encouraged people to return to “whole foods,” including fresh chicken, beef, fish, rice, and grains instead of heavily processed deli meats and packaged products.
“The breads and the deli meats and all those things have hidden sugar in them,” he said. “It’s literally killing us.”
Scarano also compared U.S. food regulations with Europe, saying European countries maintain stricter standards regarding preservatives and food additives.
“We use poisonous dyes, poisonous ingredients in our food for preservative reasons,” he said. “Europe has much stricter laws than America.”
Asked about practical solutions for families, Scarano emphasized gradual lifestyle changes rather than drastic dieting. “Healthy food tastes good,” he said. “Whole foods taste good.”
Functional medicine and energy health
Another featured speaker, Dr. Damon J. Noto, discussed “New Ways to Lose Weight” and the growing interest in functional medicine.
According to Noto, many people suffering from low energy overlook underlying digestive or hormonal problems.
“Some very common ones are that there’s a problem with their GI tract, their stomach and intestines,” he explained. “The other problem is usually hormone-based.”
Noto contrasted traditional medicine with functional medicine, saying the two approaches differ significantly in philosophy.
“Traditional medicine more looks at disease,” he said. “Functional medicine is more about making your body more healthy, more optimized.”
He added that functional medicine examines environmental factors, diet, air quality, and lifestyle habits to understand how they influence overall health and resilience.
Dr. Jingduan Yang, MD, FAPA, CEO of Northern Medical Center & SY Aesthetics, speaks at the Northern Health Fair, sharing insights on integrative medicine, mental health, and holistic wellness. (Image: Courtesy of Northern Medical Center)
Addressing anxiety and emotional well-being
Mental health was another major focus of the fair. Dr. Jingduan Yang delivered a seminar titled “How to Deal with Anxiety, Feeling Angry or Hopeless.”
Yang, who has practiced psychiatry for more than 30 years, said modern anxiety and depression often stem from multiple interconnected causes, including financial stress, relationships, biochemical imbalances, lifestyle habits, and loss of purpose.
“Depression, anxiety, panic attacks — they are all symptoms,” Yang said. “They’re reflecting some deep-level inside problems.”
He explained that Northern Medical Center uses integrative approaches such as Chinese medicine, neurofeedback, quantitative EEG, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to address emotional and neurological imbalances.
“A lot of people feel depressed because of lack of direction, purpose of life,” he said. “They’re spiritually feeling confused, lost.”
Yang encouraged people to maintain healthy daily routines, including regular sleep, exercise, balanced meals, and positive social interactions.
“Be kind to yourself, and be kind to other people,” he advised.
He also praised meditation and mindfulness practices as effective tools for reducing stress.
“Meditation is a wonderful way to de-stress yourself,” he said.
Community resources and support networks
The health fair also featured community vendors and nonprofit organizations. One participating organization was Infinite Heart Initiative, which provides wellness coaching, advocacy, and autism support resources for families.
Vendor representative Meredith Kyer explained that many families seek guidance on where to begin when navigating services for children with autism and developmental challenges.
“They’re looking for services to figure out where to go,” Kyer said. “How to help their children, and these are some of the directions they can go to get the services.”
She emphasized the importance of mental wellness and community support.
“Always stay calm,” she said. “Most important is mental health.”
Visitors engage in conversations with vendors at the Northern Health Fair, exploring wellness resources and community health services. (Image: Sarah Shao / Vision Times)
Visitors appreciate practical advice
Visitors said they appreciated the event’s practical focus and accessible presentations.
Jane, a local attendee, said she stopped by after noticing the event while passing the center. She expressed particular interest in learning about sugar reduction and nutrition.
“I struggle with sugar addiction,” she admitted. “I love bubble tea. I love sweets. I love ice cream.”
Jane said modern lifestyles make healthy eating difficult despite widespread awareness about nutrition.
“Processed food is everywhere,” she said. “It’s hard when you have a busy schedule.”
She praised the speakers for making complex health topics easy to understand.
“Very layman-friendly,” she said of the presentations. “They don’t use big terms.”
Another attendee, Tina, a retired nurse who currently receives acupuncture treatments at the center, said she attended out of curiosity and professional interest.
“I always go to seminars,” she said. “It perks my interest.”
Tina reflected on the limitations of conventional approaches to mental health treatment she witnessed earlier in life.
“Traditional medicine is just like another pill, another pill,” she said. “It needs more mental care.”
Visitors engage in conversations with vendors at the Northern Health Fair, exploring wellness resources and community health services. (Image: Sarah Shao / Vision Times)
Building a healthier community
Throughout the day, the Northern Health Fair emphasized a common theme shared by many speakers and attendees alike: improving health requires not only medical treatment, but also lifestyle awareness, emotional support, education, and community connection.