Q | October 2011

QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH HEALTH

October 2011

Strollers welcome A FITNESS ROUTINE THAT INCLUDES THE KIDS

How much wine is good for you?

DON’T LET INTERRUPTIONS DRIVE YOU CRAZY

Q

WHAT'S IN HEALTH

4 If one drink can benefit your health, what will

more do?

10 Exercise strengthens your mind as well as your body.

BEAUTY

5 Cleanse, moisturize and pamper yourself with

natural products.

FITNESS

6 Moms take the kids along for the ride in this workout class.

12 Dancing classes that make exercising fun.

WEIGHT LOSS

Q

EDITOR Ellen Modersohn 284-8324 emoderso@dmreg.com PRESENTATION EDITOR Nathan Groepper

STAFF WRITER Patt Johnson

DESIGNER Amanda Holladay COPY EDITORS Joe Hawkins Kimberly Isburg

PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrea Melendez Rodney White

8 How a doctor lost 50 pounds and kept it off.

ADVERTISING SALES Kimm Miller 284-8404 Des Moines Register Magazine Division VICE PRESIDENT CONTENT Rick Green PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Laura Hollingsworth © 2011 Des Moines Register and Tribune Co. Quality of Life through Health is published monthly by The Des Moines Register and Tribune Company. Our offices are at 715 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309.

EASING STRESS Johanaa Determann teaches pilates at the Bell Center.

ANDREA MELENDEZ/THE REGISTER

14 Interruptions can’t always be avoided, but maybe the stress can.

No Surgery Required New foot treatment can get rid of foot pain

By Kirk L. Wehrspan, D.C. Wehrspan Chiropractic

Dr. Kirk L. Wehrspan

We are proud to announce that there is now a very effective non-surgical technique to minimize e foot and arch pain right here in West Des Moines.

Our treatment uses both gentle techniques to realign the 26 bones of the feet and ground breaking technology to create custom foot orthotics.

Weight gain, sprained ankles, and improper shoes mixed with hereditary factors can cause one or all of the three major arches in the foot to collapse. Realigning the bones that make up the arches restores more normal functioning of the foot allowing for proper nerve, blood, and energy flow to resume to abnormal arches. Once the fallen arches are unlocked and more normal functioning is restored, the three arches begin working together in unison giving the springy feeling back to the patients step. The healing process is often enhanced further by custom made orthotics done with an in-office state-of-the-art foot scanner.

On the cover: Sara Albright, of Des Moines, who created her Stroll Fit, with Elliott, 4, front, and Sam, 18 months, at Colby Park in Windsor Heights. PHOTO BY BOB MODERSOHN/SPECIAL TO Q

Foot pain can be caused by uneven weight bearing.

Call Wehrspan Chiropractic to realign the bones of your feet and get fitted with the proper orthotics.

224-9999

A foot scan can show which structures on the bottom of your feet are carrying the most weight.

The information is used to digitally create custom fit orthotics that ensure a balanced center of gravity.

We are able to visualize what structures on the bottom of the feet are carrying most of the weight and compare that to a normal foot scan.

A digital image of your foot is used to create a trim orthotic insert that ensures a balanced center of gravity and even weight bearing along the entire bottom of both feet for maximum comfort and correction.

So many poor “soles” go through life without taking health care matters into their own hands. They wind up having surgery without exploring their options, only to regret it later. We work with many disorders of the extremities and have been revising and refining our techniques over the last 13 years. The combination of arch and foot adjustments with the use of high quality custom made orthotics has allowed many of our patients to have significant relief of their chronic and acute foot complaints.

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FREE SCREENING Dr. Wehrspan is now offering a free screening to the public now through October 31th at his West Des Moines clinic. You can contact the clinic to reserve your appointment by calling (515) 224-9999. Wehrspan Chiropractic is located at 924 4th Street, West Des Moines, one intersection west of the intersection of 63rd and Grand.

2 | OCTOBER 2011

Wehrspan Chiropractic has a Foot Leveler state-of-the-art arch scanner.

Call today to make an appointment for a free screening.

Adjustments to the bones of the feet are crucial in restoring proper arch functioning and minimizing foot pain.

Q IOWA GIRL EATS

Pumpkin, spice and everything nice

SEASONAL IDEAS FOR A HEALTHY, ACTIVE AUTUMN

By KRISTIN PORTER Special to Q

U

sher in the chilly breeze and changing leaves this month with sweet, seasonal recipes and fun outdoor activities.

Pumpkin Power: Pumpkin is one of the most Kristin Porter nutritious fruits available yearround, but its festive hue and rich flavor make it perfect for fall. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, pumpkin provides a healthy and delicious boost to my sweet and creamy pumpkin pie oatmeal. Bake this autumn-inspired treat for a filling breakfast or dessert.

Pumpkin + Spice: One of my favorite treats this time of year is a warm and satisfying pumpkin spice latte. I’ve borrowed its signature, fall spice mix and blended it with pumpkin puree and a frozen banana.

The result is a velvety, vitaminpacked pumpkin spice smoothie that’s perfect any time of year. For one smoothie, blend together one frozen banana, ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, ½ cup pumpkin puree, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon each pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, and a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Outdoor October: Many people think summer is the ideal season for outdoor fun, but I’ll trade high temperatures and humidity for a crisp, fall breeze any day of the week. Resolve to spend some time outdoors this month, doing any of these fun fall activities: apple picking, visiting a pumpkin patch or corn maze, throwing a football around, walking dogs at a local animal shelter or taking an invigorating hike.

PUMPKIN PIE OATMEAL Serves 2

INGREDIENTS 1 cup old fashioned oats 2 tablespoons brown sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon allspice ⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg

1

Pinch of salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ cup pumpkin puree ¾ cup almond milk (or skim) Topping: 2 tablespoons sliced almonds 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon butter

DIRECTIONS Pumpkin pie oatmeal is an autumn-inspired treat for a filling breakfast or dessert.

Find Kristen Porter’s blog — Iowa Girl Eats — at DesMoinesRegister.com/ Life and discover what nutritions meals Kristen is making this week.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all the oatmeal ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Spray two, individual-sized baking dishes with nonstick spray, then divide the oatmeal mixture evenly between them. Bake for 10 minutes.

2. Combine the topping ingredients in a separate, small bowl, then divide and sprinkle evenly over the top of the oatmeal.

Return to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Pumpkin spice smoothie made with a frozen banana, almond milk, pumpkin puree and spices. KRISTIN PORTER/ PHOTOS SPECIAL TO Q

October 2011 | 3

Q HEALTH

DRINKING DILEMMA

ONE OR TWO GLASSES OF WINE CAN BE HEARTHEALTHY. MORE THAN THAT MAY BE HARMFUL.

By PATT JOHNSON patjohns@dmreg.com

E

The tannins in red wine provide antioxidants and resveratrol, which can have heart-healthy benefits. SPECIAL TO Q

4 | OCTOBER 2011

verything in moderation, the saying goes, will lead to a long and healthy life. That includes indulging in a glass of wine. Rejoice!

But when is the Merlot or Cabernet too much?

“It can be a slippery slope,” says Dr. Michael Bates, a heart surgeon at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. “If done in moderation, there is a health benefit to drinking red wine, in particular.”

The tannins in red wine provide antioxidants and something called resveratrol, which can have heart-healthy benefits, he said.

The antioxidants have been shown to help protect the lining of the heart’s blood vessels. “It can slow the progress and formation of plaque in the arteries,” Bates said.

Resveratrol, some studies show, helps reduce “bad” cholesterol and can prevent blood clots.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women, and an overall healthy lifestyle is recommended. That includes a diet low in carbohydrates and fried foods and getting plenty of exercise, Bates says. A glass of red wine may be helpful, too,

but is not the cure.

Overindulging in wine, or any alcohol, can also be dangerous, Bates warns.

Excessive drinking can lead to alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which is a weakening of heart muscles.

“Too much of a good thing can be bad,” he says.

The National Cancer Institute cites studies showing that alcohol, including wine, can increase a woman’s chance for developing breast cancer.

It’s also been linked to liver and colon cancer.

Wine (a 6-ounce glass for women a day, and two for men) may contribute to heart health, but beer and other alcohol hasn’t been added to the list, says Dr. Melita Schuster, an assistant professor of family medicine at Des Moines University.

“No alcohol is really the best,” she says.

Especially for someone

who previously didn’t consume wine.

Even with the known heart-healthy benefits of red wine, there are some people who should simply not drink, said David Kaptain, manager of the Powell Chemical Dependency Center.

“There is a subset of the population that has a predisposition to addiction,” he says. “And anything done to excess can be damaging.”

State statistics show that 54 percent of people aged 12 and older consume alcohol in Iowa and the Midwest, compared with 51 percent nationally.

A glass of wine or an ounce of liquor a day might be fine, Bates says.

But there always is that potential for dependency and abuse, he says.

“It’s hard to prescribe it for” medical use, he says.

WHAT EQUALS ONE DRINK? Moderate drinking is defined as one alcoholic drink per day for women and two for men. » 12 ounces of beer » 5 ounces of wine » 1.5 ounces of alcohol

K1

Q BEAUTY

NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS HELP CLEANSE, MOISTURIZE AND PAMPER YOUR SKIN AND HAIR. FRUITY, HERBAL SCENTS PROVIDE A TANTALIZING PICK-ME-UP, TOO. Q STAFF

Fragrance-free products are growing in popularity.

Olivina's natural olive oil-based products smell and feel like luxury. Soap, $16, and lotion, $20, at eden.

Handcrafted soaps in a variety of natural scents ($10 each), at eden.

Two Rivers Soap Company uses local ingredients, such as Iowa-produced honey, and creamy shea butter purchased from a Fair Trade organization. Find the company’s products at tworiverssoaps.com.

Clark's Botanicals lip balm comes in natural or in several tints, $19 each, eden.

Prairieland Herbs creates bottles, labels, packages and ships your orders entirely by hand, right out of its Woodward home base. The company’s herbal products are made in small batches, using fresh, natural, food-grade ingredients.

Available at prairieland herbs.com and at the East Village Spa.

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October 2011 | 5

Q FITNESS

STROLL FIT

MOMS GET EXERCISE, KIDS GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE

Story and photos

by Bob Modersohn

S

ara Albright briskly pushed her newborn son in a stroller to improve her fitness three years ago and created a routine that she now shares with other moms.

Stroll Fit seems to be a way for moms with newborns, toddlers — even older tykes — to have their cake and eat it, too.

When she first became a mom, Albright, 36, of Des Moines, had trouble fitting regular workouts into her schedule. She worked full time as a teacher and had been leading four to six fitness classes per week.

“After Elliott arrived, I barely got in three or four of my own workouts,” Albright said. “I struggled with the guilt of leaving him behind to do something for myself, even though it is something that I valued and that I knew would make me a better, healthier mom.”

So she started her own fitness routine with a stroller and some exercise bands, then invited friends and friends-of-friends to join in.

The sessions became Stroll Fit. Perfect for parents who would rather not leave their children in child care so they can work out.

“The children like the ride and the fresh air, and older kids socialize with one another. It’s fun. It’s a great opportunity to connect with other parents,” Albright explains.

It’s such a good program, she even has clients who participate without children and still report getting a good workout.

6 | OCTOBER 2011

Sara Albright, second from left, leads a group of moms in an exercise during a Stroll Fit session at Gray's Lake Park.

The routine Here’s the routine she now performs with sons Elliott, 4, and Sam, 18 months, riding tandem in a stroller: A session is 45 minutes, meeting in outdoor locations, usually parks (she tried winter skywalk sessions but attendance was low). She accommodates various fitness abilities by offering modifications and versions of each exercise. They warm up, walk and run while guiding a stroller, perform resistance intervals using elastic fitness bands, a medicine

ball and gravity (weightbearing) exercises. They’ll move into cardio intervals with bursts of walking faster or running, or other higher intensity drills. And finish with a cool-down and stretching.

Good for kids, too One mom agrees that Stroll Fit is a way to sweat without leaving her kids.

Janet Albanese, 34, a stay-at-home Clive mom who also teaches at Drake University and DMACC, says of her kids, “They are not used to day care or sitters — plus, I don’t have

to pay for a sitter.”

Sarah Voss, 34, of Des Moines, calls Stroll Fit “a blessing” and an “effortless success.” She wants her kids to love being outdoors and appreciate and enjoy the benefits of exercise and fresh air.

“Stroll Fit has allowed me to get out there with both my kids. I’ve taken them from 6 months old up to 3 years, spent time with girlfriends and got a great workout from an experienced instructor who really knows how to kick your butt,” Voss said.

And the kids, especially

Sara Albright, who created the Stroll Fit fitness program, walks with Elliott, 4, and Sam, 18 months, at Colby Park.

the older ones, are not bound to the stroller.

Sometimes they get out of the stroller and race the moms — until they get tired and return for a ride.

Sometimes they join in with Mom in exercises, like Gretchen Axness, 4, did during a recent outing with her mom, Deanna Axness, 41, of Des Moines.

Kids often can get together to play at a playground afterward, too.

‘Not too indimidating’ For Stroll Fit regular Lindsay Fredregill, 35, who never was much of an exerciser before her first pregnancy, it was a way to get back in shape and fit into her old clothes again.

She was seeking an exercise program that was “not too intimidating,” she recalls.

She had never been a fan of cardio, but the way Albright breaks up the cardio with a mix of strength-building exercises and drills makes the cardio less daunting to her and keeps the workout from getting monotonous, Fredregill said.

An added bonus, she found, was interaction with other moms.

“I felt that I had a lot of support from them not only in exercising, but also in my new role as a mother, Fredregill said.

Sara Nichols, 27, a Des Moines North High School English teacher and mother of 8-month-old Owen also is happy to be pushed through workouts

by Albright.

Run, walk, run, stop, grind out intervals, repeat.

“And she does this all herself, pushing her two children!” Nichols says of Albright.

Sara Albright, left, with sons Sam and Elliott, and Sarah Bierce, right, pushing daughter Eleanor, warm up during a Stroll Fit session at Gray’s Lake.

STROLL FIT Stroll Fit leader Sara Albright also is a group fitness instructor at the Walnut Creek YMCA and Des Moines University, where she teaches standard classes that include step aerobics, yoga and cycling.

Contact: strollfit@gmail.com Learn more: www.strollfit.blog spot.com

Sarah Bierce works through an exercise under the watchful eye of daughter Eleanor, 6½ months.

Gretchen Axness stretches along with the moms at the Stroll Fit session at Gray’s Lake Park.

October 2011 | 7

Q WEIGHT LOSS

More than just a diet program D.M. DOCTOR LOST 43 POUNDS WITH TAKE SHAPE FOR LIFE Name: Cheryl Child, Des Moines Age: 58 Occupation: Osteopathic physician Height: 5 feet, 11 inches Weight lost: 43 pounds in five months Background: I’ve raised four children, and pregnancy-related weight gain, stress and emotional eating had taken their toll.

Six years ago, I was alarmed to find that my weight had crept up to 230 pounds. I’m a physician and am very interested in nutrition and prevention, and I was convinced I knew how to lose weight myself. So I proceeded to try to do just that by eating well and exercising.

One year later I had lost 10 pounds and was still classified as “obese.”

At that point a friend told me about Take Shape for Life (a weight-loss program using Medifast meals). Truthfully, of all the things she told me about the program, the only thing I heard was the

word “fast.”

The program involved a few meal replacements, and I had felt that meal replacements were really a cop-out. I thought I should have been able to lose weight simply by making the right food choices.

There are many forces in our society that make it difficult to change the things we need to change, and Take Shape for Life made it amazingly easy for me to deal with those forces.

Taking stock: I lost 43 pounds in five months and have stayed there, within about five pounds, for the past four and a half years.

My next goal is to lose another 15 pounds, decrease my body-fat percentage and increase my strength.

Motivation: I had made some other positive changes in my life, and was just so completely ready for this weight issue to be over that I decided to take the plunge.

Exercise regimen: Exercise is discouraged — AFTER: Cheryl Child lost 43 pounds in five months with the Take Shape for Life program. MARY CHIND/THE REGISTER

8 | OCTOBER 2011

Food factor: I learned how to shop for lowglycemic foods and about many other aspects of optimal health. But it’s not all about food; one of the

things that really attracted me to this program is that instead of being a diet, it’s a comprehensive and complete optimal health program.

Pleasant surprises: One of the ways I’ve been successful in keeping the weight off is in becoming a health coach in the program. Many clients do it this way; they “pay it forward!” It’s very motivating for people when they have to walk the walk in order to talk the talk.

For me, personally helping other people learn habits of health is — next to having my children — the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

Temptations: Some of the new habits I have learned

have to do with portion size, and dealing with triggers. The first lessons in our workbook have to do with identifying those “triggers” and planning new ways to deal with them. For instance, I love wine, and if a bottle is sitting on the counter, I can easily have four or even five glasses. That also usually lowers my inhibition to eating, so I’ll overeat, too. One way I’ve learned to deal with that is to not buy bottles of wine to keep in the house.

Eating out: That takes care of itself; it’s too expensive to order more than one or two glasses of wine in a restaurant.

Best advice: My best advice for someone who

wants to lose weight: Just as a smoker will not be successful in quitting smoking until he or she first makes the decision to become a non-smoking person, a person will not lose weight and keep it off until he or she makes a fundamental choice to become a healthy person.

Bad habits are hard to break, but new habits, added one at a time over time, will make all the difference.

Also, surround yourself with like-minded people.

Nothing is quite as powerful as the support and accountability of a network of others who have also chosen to become healthy.

TAKE SHAPE FOR LIFE According to its website, www.Medi fast1.com, Medifast is a “portion-controlled, nutritionally balanced, low-fat and clinically proven program that helps people lose weight faster and more effectively than traditional diet plans.”

The program began in 1980 and offers prepackaged meals. Take Shape for Life (www.tsfl .com) is a “total health” program that incorporates Medifast meals.

For more information, visit the websites or call (800) 209-0878 (Medifast) or (800) 572-4417 (Take Shape for Life).

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BEFORE: Cheryl Child, before she lost 43 pounds on the Take Shape for Life program. PHOTO SPECIAL TO Q

or its frequency and intensity are reduced — during the first three weeks of the program.

Then it slowly increases over time. Because it’s virtually impossible to “out-exercise” overeating, the focus, at first, is on the “calories-in” side of the equation. For maintenance, however, exercise is imperative, and I recently increased my aerobic workouts to almost one hour of brisk walking five to six days a week. I’ll be adding strength training in the next couple of weeks.

October 2011 | 9

Q HEALTH

MIND AND BODY

EXERCISE CAN IMPROVE BRAIN FUNCTION, REDUCE DEPRESSION

By ESTELA VILLANUEVA-WHITMAN Special to Q

Johanna Determann teaches pilates at Drake University’s Bell Center .

ANDREA MELENDEZ/ THE REGISTER

L

ooking for that extra push to complete your daily workout?

Take note of the added benefit of exercise — not only is it good for the body, it’s good for the brain.

Julia Moffitt, associate professor of physiology and pharmacology at Des Moines University, said how exercise affects the brain is a hot research topic. While the endorphin 10 | OCTOBER 2011

hypothesis has never been proven, she said, studies have recently focused on the emotional or runner’s high — that feeling of euphoria that comes during a run.

“It’s actually been shown it’s most likely through the activation of our endocannabinoids, the same receptor system that cannabis, or marijuana, works on,” she said. “It’s a receptor system that when activated gives you a

sense of well-being, pleasure. It also controls our appetite and motivation system.”

If researchers knock out these receptors in mice, the mice don’t want to run anymore, she said.

Moffitt’s own research has investigated the reverse, physical inactivity.

An animal placed in a deconditioning mode shows signs of depression.

By using this model, she’s looking at the interplay

between the heart and the brain, specifically cardiovascular disease and depression.

“There have been some studies indicating that the antidepressant effects of exercise are nearly equivalent to that of pharmacologic drug therapy for mild to moderate effects of depression. So as a first-line treatment, it does quite well,” she said.

Studies show that exercise increases neuro-

genesis in the brain by creating more synaptic connections and stronger connections, especially in the areas of the brain that control mood and our emotional brain, Moffitt said.

Antidepressant medications have a similar effect. Whether the endocannabinoid receptor system is part of that has yet to be determined.

“We used to think you had ‘X’ number of neurons

and that was it,” she said.

“Now they’re finding in specific areas of the brain, for instance the hippocampus, which is involved in learning, memory and part of your emotional brain, that’s not the case.

We see increased nerve growth in those areas and exercise can help stimulate that.”

Johanna Determann, assistant director of wellness for Drake University, said exercise also

helps increase levels of serotonin, which can improve mood and help with mild depression.

Those are the chemical reactions and neurotransmitters that fire when you exercise, she said.

“It helps boost self-esteem. Usually people who are exercising have some sort of goal or have some sort of purpose.

When they continue to exercise and accomplish any goals they have, it helps them feel better both physically and emotionally,” she said.

Exercise can help with memory and improve thinking as you age by helping new brain cells grow and possibly slow down the aging process, she said.

Most of the research

has focused on aerobic or endurance activities — walking, running and large muscle group exercise.

The same regimen folks would follow to improve cardiovascular health would also work to improve your mood, Moffitt said.

“You don’t have to train for a marathon to receive these benefits,” added Determann. “The important thing is do what you’re interested in doing, do what you like and try to do that every day if possible. If not, four to five times a week is good.”

Yoga can also help spiritually and emotionally, she said.

Determann works with Drake staff members who are looking for a break from their desk job, or

students seeking the social aspect of being part of an intramural activity.

“There’s a variety of reasons why people exercise and I think it’s a great stress reliever. The people who add it to their daily routine can manage other things better because they’re taking that extra time for themselves,” she said.

When Moffitt talks with medical students, she lists the benefits of exercise and asks how readily they would prescribe a drug that can do those things.

“It’s absolutely amazing the number of systems it targets with very few side effects compared to drugs.

“You might get tired or sore muscles. There’s no price tag on going out and getting a walk,” she said.

Johanna Determann says you don’t have to train for a marathon to receive benefits from exercise. ANDREA MELENDEZ/THE REGISTER

We Treat People, Not Symptoms

Your whole family will benefit from the state-of-the-art medical care our expert doctors provide. We’re dedicated to your overall wellness and committed to preventing future illness.

Injury and illness care Pediatric care Preventative care / check-ups Osteopathic manual medicine

Treatment of acute medical conditions Treatment of chronic diseases Comprehensive physical exams

Doing a World of Good 3200 Grand Avenue | Des Moines, IOWA | 271-1710 | www.dmuclinic.org DM-9000272121

October 2011 | 11

Q FITNESS

DANCE REVOLUTION FOUR WAYS TO GET YOUR GROOVE — AND YOUR FITNESS — ON WITH DANCE-BASED EXERCISE

By JENNIFER MILLLER jenmille@dmreg.com

You gotta exercise. You know you do.

But if stepping up and down on a plastic step for an hour; running in Iowa’s often unfriendly elements; or swimming a mile and ending up where you started has lost its luster, think jazz hands, think booty-shaking, think crunk. Heck, think stripping. Think dance.

Kristin Johnson, a 48-year-old Des Moinesarea attorney by training, has been teaching some form of aerobics for seven 12 | OCTOBER 2011

years and the dance-y kind since 2006. She was teaching kickboxing when she was asked to train for BodyJam, a now-worldwide aerobic dance program begun by New Zealand athlete Les Mills.

She also teaches Zumba, a Latin-inspired, all-therage class taught at several local gyms.

Johnson thinks the ever-increasing popularity of danced-based exercise programs is due to the simple fact that most people exercise because they should, not because they really want to.

“I think the main

appeal of a class like BodyJam is that the time goes by quickly, and you don’t really feel like you’re ‘exercising.’ People who keep track of their calories in and out are often surprised at how many they’ve burned in 55 minutes,” she says. (An average of 530 by the way.)

The reason that people take classes like hers is the same reason people dance at all, she says: “It’s fun.”

Here’s a sample of dancing-for-exercise classes available in central Iowa:

Kristin Johnson teaches Zumba at Gold's Gym in West Des Moines. Several dance-based fitness options are available at central Iowa clubs and gyms. MARY CHIND/REGISTER PHOTOS

BodyJam Famous New Zealand athlete Les Mills competed in four Olympic Games in the 1960s and ’70s, and in 1968 opened his first gym in Auckland.

In the 1980s, Mills’ son, Phillip, joined his father in the gym business and began developing fitness programs. By 2009, 13,000 clubs were licensed through Les Mills to teach BodyJam and several other branded programs.

Classes are offered at several area clubs and gyms, among them: Aspen Athletic Clubs, www.aspenathleticia.com; Gold’s Gym, www.golds gym.com; and area YMCAs, www.dmymca .org. Other gyms may offer the class, too.

For more information about Les Mills’ programs, go to www.lesmills.com.

Jazzercise In 1969, Judi Sheppard Missett turned her love of

dance into a worldwide dance exercise phenomenon and founded the Jazzercise dance fitness program, now an international franchise available in 32 countries.

Classes are offered at Jazzercise in West Des Moines. Check availability at other gyms, too. Go to www.jazzercise.com for more information.

Pole dancing Modern pole dancing of the erotic variety is thought to have evolved from African tribal betrothal rituals and/or the maypole dance, a pagan fertility ritual. Pole dancing started moving from strip clubs to gyms in the early to mid-2000s, and has a contingent of followers who are pushing for it to be recognized as an Olympic sport.

Classes are offered at Kees Camp, www.kees campstore.com and TGR Fitness, www.tgr fitness.com.

Zumba According to www.zumbawithhope.com, Colombian celebrity fitness trainer Beto Perez stumbled upon the concept of Latin inspired fitness in the mid-1990s.

He forgot his tapes for class one day. So he grabbed whatever tapes he could find in his car.

The tapes were all traditional Latin salsa and merengue music. This improvised class soon became the most popular class at his fitness facility.

Zumba classes are offered at several area clubs and gyms, among them: Aspen Athletic Clubs, www.aspenathletic ia.com; Fitness World West, www.fitnessworld west.com; Gold’s Gym, www.goldsgym.com; Mercy Wellness Center, www.mercydesmoines .org; TGR Fitness, www tgrfitness.com; and area YMCAs, www.dmymca .org. Check availability at other gyms, too.

Pole dancing at Kees Camp in Carlisle is more than just a sexy dance, it's a full-body workout that hits core muscles and helps you shed pounds. SCOTT KEES/PHOTO SPECIAL TO Q

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Kristin Johnson teaches Zumba classes at Gold's Gym in West Des Moines. MARY CHIND/REGISTER PHOTOS

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October 2011 | 13

Q EASING STRESS

MASTER INTERRUPTIONS DON’T LET DISTRACTIONS DERAIL YOUR LIFE

By BETH HAVEY Special to Q

H

ow would you describe the normal flow of your day?

Seamless and free-flowing, or bumpy and frustratingly slow?

Often it just depends, right? Sometimes the tasks we assign ourselves are accomplished in no

14 | OCTOBER 2011

time, and often we get nothing done or very little.

Why is that?

Interruptions. They come in all forms and all phases of our lives.

Message interruptions: Phone calls from people you were not expecting, emails, voice mails and text messages that force you to leave your current task.

People interruptions: A friend, colleague, salesperson or delivery person at the door of your home or office starts to chat.

Mechanical interruptions: Internet access is down; the printer isn’t working properly; your hard-drive crashes; batteries to operate any number of things in your day have lost their charge or burned out and you have no replacement or battery charger; your car breaks down; your bike gets a flat.

Life interruptions: The stuff of nightmares — auto accidents, ER visits, death; people in your life suddenly ill, depressed, lost and needing you.

The following methods can help you handle the normal, and in-the-longrun, insignificant interruptions of your day: » Take a deep breath and try to relax. Stretch as you contemplate how to fix the printer, when to call IT for help, or how to shorten the call from Sharon who will talk forever about her relatives. » Think. There’s opportunity in meeting someone new: the person on the phone or at the door could become someone who will expand your life or you could help brighten their day; be open to that.

» Allow yourself to learn something. The voice on the phone, the email asking for help, the colleague at your office door could possibly teach you something. None of us has all the answers — if you did, your life would always be free-flowing. » Relish surprise and free time. The interruption could bring a nice surprise into your life or just break up a boring task you can’t seem to complete; let the interruption clear your mind and later you’ll be ready for that boring task. » Learn to postpone.

This is a hard lesson, but we all need to master it.

Moms and caregivers should have activities at the ready while taking necessary phone calls; office workers need pen and pad handy to jot down where the letter, or thought process or row of figures was paused. Be prepared so it will be easier to get back to the task after you had to postpone it. » Use time wisely despite long-term interruptions. The best example of this is businesses that have to rely on good weather conditions. In some climates a business would fail if not allowing for inclement weather, so a

lawn care service uses rain days to draw up estimates for hardscape, painters paint inside and out, and athletes use indoor facilities when they cannot be outside.

All of this requires a mindset — the ability to adjust, to be flexible, to use time wisely when it is uninterrupted and yours alone.

Mastering these more minor interruptions can prepare you to handle the truly big interruptions in life.

— Beth Havey is a nurse, educator and blogger on issues of health and aging at BethHavey.wordpress.com.

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