Healthy

March 2015

Reiki gains
new respect
in the medical
community

LIVING

page 4

Claremont club
urges seniors
to Get Walking
page 8

Claremont Human
Services drives
message home
page 13

Courier
Claremont

claremont-courier.com

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

Healthy
2015

LIVING

Healing hands by Angela Bailey

Reiki gains new respect in medical community.

...................................4
Walking together by Sarah Torribio
Local club encourages seniors to exercise, socialize.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Wrap party by Angela Bailey
SUV promotes city programs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

A Reiki session, like this one with practitioner Lori Bleich, is a whole-person holistic approach to healing that shares some similarities with acupuncture.

Human touch is good for your mind, body, spirit

lthough there seems to be no

shortage of evidence, we dont
need scientific studies to tell us
about the profoundly positive effects
of human touch. Simple contact stimulates our brains to release endorphins,
our bodies natural opiates. This is
why we find comfort in the arms of a
loved one in times of sorrow and joy
and can have our spirits lifted by
something that seems as insignificant
as a pat on the back for a job well
done. The positive energy emitted
from these simple acts are what feed
the human soul.

Lori Bleich knowsand wants you to know,

toothat feeling good on the inside is an integral
part of living a happy and healthy life.
When youre in a good emotional state, you
feel great, says Ms. Bleich. When youre holding in your emotions such as anger, and not speaking your truths, it manifests in physical ways. A
bad back, sore shoulders: its those areas where
the energies are blocked.
Reiki, a holistic, bioenergy therapy gaining new
respect within the medical community, gently balances life energies and brings health and well
being to the recipient. Practitioners place their
hands lightly on or just above a person, with the
goal of reducing stress in order to promote wholeness of mind, body and spirit.
Reiki is about balancing your inner energy to
get it to move, raising whats too low, lowering
whats too high, explains Ms. Bleich. Your body

is better able to heal when the energy within it is

able to move freely.
In 2013, Ms. Bleich experienced the power of
Reiki first-hand and it changed her life. After 25
years of working as a medical transcriber, she
found herself burned out, stressed out and in need
of a change.
A friend suggested I try Reiki, and I went into
my first session very skeptical, she admits. What
sold me on it was that I woke up for the first time in
weeks almost happy, not with the usual sense of
panic that Id had before. I went back for a couple
more sessions and got to the point where I wanted to
learn this and offer it to friends and family.
Two years later, she has completed all four levels of Reiki training (Usui Shiki Ryoho) and is
now a Reiki master, offering her services through
Aromatique Skin and Body Care in the
Claremont Village.
REIKI/continues on the next page

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

Lori Bleich uses her hands to help Celeste Palmer relax during a Reiki session recently at Aromatique in Claremont. Ms. Palmer says the sessions help her clear away the
fog of everyday life and assist in healing physical ailments.

Lori Bleich has

been a Reiki
practitioner for a
year and a half
and says that
some clients fall
asleep during the
treatments,
which she takes
as a compliment.

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff

Celeste Palmer has been coming to Lori Bleich for Reiki treatments for over six months to help with relaxation and healing.

REIKI
continued from the previous page

Shes also a certified canine massage therapist.

I incorporate Reiki into my work with dogs and
have found that they are incredibly receptive, she
says. Animals are highly sensitive to the energies
of their surroundings.
Recognized by hospitals as a therapeutic massage technique, Reiki is used as a collaborative,
supportive addition to conventional medical treatment of illness and injury, alleviating pain and
stress, aiding soft tissue healing and revitalizing
the body.
It can be used with either Eastern or Western
medicine, much like acupunctureboth work with
energies, says Ms. Bleich. People have a hard
time wrapping their brains around something they
cant see.

Like acupuncture, Reiki is customized to fit the

needs of the recipient. Generally, each session
begins with the client lying on his or her back,
fully clothed, on a comfortable table with as much
support as needed. The practitioner will place their
hands on or slightly above the body from head to
feet in a respectful manner and will remain in each
position for approximately two to five minutes.
Energy manifests itself as heat. You can feel the
pattern of energy in a person, explains Ms.
Bleich. The bad energy takes weeks and months
to build and it can take that long to get rid of it.
Different people bring different energies and Im
learning to work with each of those. Every day I
learn something new.
During a Reiki session, many people experience
sensations such as warmth, tingling and pulsation,
says Ms. Bleich. Pain may diminish even if the
affected area has not yet been touched. Others

may experience emotional releases.

Sometimes magic happens in my rooma
client will start crying for no reason, she says,
adding, Thats a release. It helps.
Many people simply experience a deep relaxation, almost a meditative state, or even fall asleep
on the table.
I consider it a compliment when a client starts
snoring, says Ms. Bleich.
According to Ms. Bleich, most people will see a
benefit in one session, particularly a good nights
sleep. After two to four sessions, they are able to
hold the benefits of Reiki longer.
Ive had clients who have been able to decrease
their pain medications after three or four sessions, she says proudly.
REIKI/continues on the next page

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HEALTHY LIVING/2015

Research, over 800 hospitals around

the country, including the Cancer
eiki has been used to treat
Resource Center at Citrus Valley
headaches, reduce side effects Medical Center in Covina, now offer
of chemotherapy and radiation, Reiki sessions as part of their hospitaland to speed surgical recovery. Many
sponsored programs.
The Herbert Irving Child and Adolescent
people have sought Reiki treatment
Oncology Center at Morgan Stanley Children's
from Ms. Bleich to better cope with a
Hospital of New York-Presbyterian began using
wide range of conditions including
Reiki in 2009 as part of their Integrative Therapy
for children with cancer. Recognized by the
osteoarthritis, cerebral palsy, attention
National Cancer Institute for itsf excellence, the
deficit disorder, cellulitis and chronic
center was the first of its kind to integrate complepain. While Reiki does not treat the
mentary medicine with conventional surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
symptom or condition directly, it does
Reiki has this very New Age, negative percephelp to re-establish balance.
tion, explains Ms. Bleich. In fact, it has nothing to
REIKI
continued from the previous page

Celeste Palmer has been a client of Ms. Bleich

for nearly 10 months and can attest to the benefits
of Reiki. In May 2000, a car accident left her with
a traumatic brain injury and severe muscle pain
that continues almost 15 years later.
Sometimes the muscles in my body contract
and they dont remember how to relax, explains
the 64-year-old mother of three. Id tried everything to get some relief from the pain and, at the
recommendations of friends, I tried Reiki. It has
been life-changing. Its not only been a physical
release, but its been an emotional one, too. Im
not carrying any extra stress.

ecause Reiki promotes relaxation, mental calm and the quieting of a racing mind, the
complementary practice is becoming
more widely accepted nationwide.
According to the Center for Reiki

do with anything New Age. The traditional practice

of Reiki originated in Japan early 1900s. When it
came to Hawaii in the 1950s, and as it spread in the
70s and 80s, it became diluted by New Age practices like the use of crystals all over you and a person
telling you about your past lives. Thats not Reiki.

For Ms. Palmer, an open mind and a willingness to try alternatives to traditional medicine
have aided her on a path to wellness. She hopes
that others will see the value of integrative therapies and do their research with the hope of
achieving the same goal.
Doctors know pills. With procedures like acupressure, meditation and Reiki, you have to understand what it is youre getting into, she says.
Talk to more than one person and talk to the practitioner youre going to be working with. With
Reiki, especially with Lori, there was a confidence
I felt with her to let her do her job. When you find
those things that help you reach a place of calm
and balance, it needs to be in your life. Reiki
needs to be in mine.
For more information on Reiki or to book an
appointment with Lori Bleich, visit
loribleich.handsontrade.com or call (909) 626-7422.
Aromatique Skin and Body Care is located at
319-A W. First St., Claremont.
Angela Bailey
news@claremont-courier.com

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

Exercise group gets Claremonters walking, enjoying their city

ommenting on the
benefits of a good
stroll, the English
historian G.M. Treveylan
said, I have two doctors,
my left leg and my right.
The members of the Get Walking
Claremont group, who join together
each week to get fit in a social setting,
agree. Residents, most of them 50 and
older, meet in parking lot of Rhino
Records (235 Yale Ave. in Claremont)
on Tuesday mornings at 8 a.m. From

there, they walk through the Village to

the Claremont Colleges and back.
After the hour-long jaunt, some of
the walkers continue on to the
Village Plaza Public Square, where
they enjoy a cup of java from The
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or Le Pain
Quotidien. Its an invigorating way to
start the day.
On Thursdays, the group convenes
in the parking lot of the Thompson
Creek Trail (2471 N. Indian Hill
Blvd.) for a trek through the local
wilderness paths. The walkers also
occasionally veer from their usual

A trio of walkers cross Yale Avenue at Bonita on Tuesday during the twice-weekly
meeting of the senior walking group in Claremont. The group meets on Tuesdays in
the Village and then on Thursdays they walk on Thompson Creek trail.

path, gathering instead for a special

event like a potluck.
The Sunday ptanque games that
have been held from 1 to 4 p.m. at
June Vail Park since the start of the
year also fall under the auspices of
the Health & Fitness Committee.
There is no cost to join the Get
Walking group, which is advertised
via the Senior Clicks email newsletter and the citys Recreation &
Activities Guide, and walkers of all
levels are welcome.
Some of us make sure were at the
back of the line so, if we get someone
new who maybe hasnt walked as
much, we dont leave them in the dust.
We always have a caboose, Barbara
Mowbray, vice chair of the Committee
on Aging and a member of the Health
and Fitness Committee, said.
Some people have been doing it
for three years and other people have
been doing it for three days, said
Mike Eschleman who, along with
Lynne Matute, is co-chair of
Claremonts Committee on Aging.
Andrea Gordon is one of the members with a three-year tenure. A
retired optometrist, she began hoofing it with Get Walking after she
moved to Claremont from the San
Fernando Valley. It has kept me

exercised and Ive met a lot of people, she said.

Mr. Eschleman launched the Get
Walking group in January of 2011
with the help of the late Gary Troyer,
a longtime Pomona-Pitzer swimming
coach. One of the things Mr.
Eschleman enjoys about the Get
Walking forays is you get to see
things that you wouldnt see if you
just drove by the Village.
Most days, 20 or more people
show up for the walks. At the start of
the year, when New Years resolutions are in full effect, as many as 34
people have showed up, according to
Ms. Mowbray.
The groups extensive membership
caught the attention of Claremont
Councilmember Larry Schroeder, Ms.
Mowbray noted. Larry said, If you
keep doing this, youre going to need a
parade permit.
Ms. Mowbray is kind of a workout
person. She exercises at the
Claremont Club along with gathering
with her Get Walking Claremont
friends. The group is definitely onto
something because, according to the
American Heart Association, walking
is the exercise routine with the lowest
GETWALKING CLAREMONT
continues on the next page

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

Group organizer Mike Eschleman, center left, leads the senior walking group down Bonita Avenue at the beginning of their walk around the Village and the Claremont
Colleges on Tuesday. The group also walks along Thompson Creek Trail on Thursdays. Both walks start at 8 a.m.

Several of the walkers Tuesday morning were sporting

their official T-shirts including Mike Eschleman, above.

GETWALKING CLAREMONT
continues on the next page

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

10/11

The walking group is reflected in a shop window as they start their Tuesday morning walk along Bonita Avenue.

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

Members of the senior walking group pass Bridges Auditorium on Tuesday during their weekly walk around the Village and the Claremont Colleges. The group started about three years ago and has grown steadily to become a popular activity.
GETWALKINGCLAREMONT
continued from the previous page

dropout rate of them all.

The AHA website says walking or engaging in
moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day has many
benefits, including: a reduced risk of heart disease;
improved blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels; a reduced risk of osteoporosis, breast and colon
cancer and type 2 diabetes; a lower risk of obesity
and enhanced mental well-being.
Another thing Ms. Mowbray likes about the Get
Walking Claremont excursions is they give her a
chance to immerse herself in a city she loves, one
she wasnt able to explore as much before retiring

after 45 years as an RN. When I was working, people kept saying, where are you going to go after you
retire? the longtime Claremonter shared. I said
home. Why would I want to leave?
The walkers vary their route a bit to change things
up. On Tuesday, March 24, the group walked past
the regal Bridges Auditorium, the drought-tolerant
landscaping of Pitzer College and the futuristic
floating water feature in front of Claremont
McKenna Colleges Kravis Center. The mini-parade
route continued up 12th Street, left on College
Avenue and right on Bonita, concluding where the
group started.
It is this kind of scenery that prompts Ms.
Mowbray to put on her sneakers morning after

morning. Just look ahead of you, and then look

over there, she said, indicating a rolling lawn leading toward Pomona Colleges column-propped
Carnegie Hall.
There were four first-time walkers on Tuesday,
five if you count the canine contingent. Get Walking
regular Rocky Harvey brought her springer spaniel
Mercedes along on the walk.
One of the newbies was Steve Sarnicola, 59, who
just three weeks ago retired from his position as a
US Marshall with the Pasadena 9th Circuit Court of
Appeals. Having so much time on his hands is such
a new experience that Mr. Sarnicola joked, Im still
not sure whats happening.
He has been to the library a few times and, with

his wife urging him to get a hobby, he decided to try

out the walking club. Only time will tell if Mr.
Sarnicola will decide to stick with it, earning the
free orange T-shirt that sets the group members
apart from your usual pedestrians.
Ms. Matute wears her shirt with pride.
I love the camaraderie, and I like the fact that I
get out and walk, she said. Its a little harder to
motivate yourself when youre on your own. Its
really a fun group.
For more information, email
getwalkingclaremont@hotmail.com.
Sarah Torribio
storribio@claremont-courier.com

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

12

Lecture to focus on food preservation

aster food preserver Liisa Primack

will discuss Food Preservation as
Art and an Art Form at the
Rembrandt Clubs next lecture and tea on
Thursday, April 2 at 1:30 p.m.
Ms. Primack has been working in school gardens
demonstrating healthy soil, growing techniques, nutrition
and food preservation. In addition, she has led classes with
seniors, womens groups and at farmers markets. Tea follows at Seaver House. The lecture takes place at Lyman
Hall, 340 N. College Ave., Claremont. For more information, call or email nwilson614@gmail.com.

Audubon offers beginners bird walk

uests are invited to join the Pomona

Valley Audubon Society on a beginners bird walk at Rancho Santa Ana
Botanic Garden on Sunday, April 5 at 8 a.m.
The two-hour walk is led by Fraser Pemberton. Attendees
are encouraged to bring binoculars. Meet at the front
entrance. There is no charge to enter the garden with the
Audubon group. Families are welcome.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden is located at 1500 N.
College Ave., Claremont.

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

13

Human services department aims to reach more

residents through purchase of new vehicle

ity staffers pulled out all the stops

for an open house on March 17,
joining with program instructors
and residents to celebrate the launch of the
Claremont Human Services Departments
new logo and activities guide.
Greeting guests and residents as they approached the
building was human services new vehicle, a 2015 Ford
Explorer wearing the departments new logo and eyecatching colors with pride. The SUV was recently purchased at a total cost of $32,695 to replace the departments previous vehicle, a two-passenger 2002 Ford
cargo van that, according to City of Claremont Finance
Director Adam Pirrie, had been scheduled for replacement in the current budget.
As well as having been utilized beyond its scheduled replacement life, the van was also replaced due to
issues with functionality, explains Mr. Pirrie. It had
no side or rear windows, which created some visibility
issues. It was used primarily for transporting materials
and supplies for special events, which involves driving
only short distances, but aside from that the functionality was quite limited. The new Explorer has passenger
seating as well as the ability to transport supplies,
which will meet the departments needs much better
and allow for more consistent use.
Given that the previous vehicles mileage was only
at 16,878, it could be argued that the cargo van had
more life to give but, according to Mr. Pirrie, it just
wasnt the right fit.
Because of the previous vehicles limitations, it
was not used extensively, he said. It was only used
for special events. The Explorer will better serve the
human services departments needs.
According to Director of Claremont Human Services
Anne Turner, the new vehicle will get plenty of use.
Well use it for all kinds of things like tours, transporting items for events, conferences and meetings,
the upcoming Spring Celebrationeven the mail

COURIER photos/Peter Weinberger

Claremont Human Services new vehicle will help transport supplies to and from events plus aid in various other
ways including tours and community promotion.

On display at the Claremont Human Services party at the

Hughes Center were dozens of drawings and letters from
children who had participated in programs run by the city.

run, she says. Its just another way for us to let people know who human services is and what we do.
Residents will have a hard time missing the message.
At a cost of $1,786, the white vehicle has been
wrapped with the departments new logoa symphony
of green, orange and blueprominently displayed for
all to see. The SUV continues its public relations duty
even as it heads away, with its back window emblazoned
with the human service departments motto and the
URL to the citys website on the bumper. City staff
shopped hard for a good price, looking at several designs

and quotes before selecting a winner to do the job.

Human services staff proposed to wrap the vehicle
in order to promote the programs and activities of the
department, and to increase the visibility of human
services programs in the city, explained City of
Claremont Finance Director Adam Pirrie.
At the open house, guests were welcomed into the
Hughes Center with a colorful balloon arch. Once
inside, Councilmember Sam Pedroza and Ms. Turner
were on hand to distribute goodie bags including a
HUMANSERVICES/continues on the next page

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

14

COURIER photo/Peter Weinberger

John and Beulah Ozias of Claremont attended the citys human services open house to find out more about the programs offered for seniors. They are regulars at the Joslyn
Senior Center for lunch.
HUMANSERVICES
continued from the previous page

shopping tote, Frisbee, water bottle and sunglasses

featuring Claremont Human Services new logo:
Creating Community. People. Parks. Programs.
City Manger Tony Ramos, Mayor Corey Calaycay
and additional city staff joined in the festivities.
Tables were peppered throughout the Hughes
Center halls, displaying literature explaining the
many programs and services and providing the
roughly 200 guests the opportunity to speak with
instructors about opportunities offered through
Claremont Human Services.
Snacks, beverages and a fun photo booth were
also available to visitors. At the center of it all were
colored flyers that asked people of all ages to
describe their favorite Claremont memory.
My favorite Claremont memory is Halloween
when we go to the Village, wrote 13-going-on-14year-old Kiara Mariscal. The shops hand out candy
and I volunteer and help with the games.
Hayley Page, 22, wrote, My favorite Claremont
memory is getting to work with the youth of
Claremont through Camp Claremont, the YAC and
various city events.
My favorite Claremont memory is when I went
to a concert with my friends, wrote 7-year-old
Silvia Rodela.
The human services department oversees not just
city-wide events, but a host of activities and services
provided through the citys senior centers, the Joslyn
and Blaisdell Centers. For more information about
classes and services, visit claremontrec.com.
Angela Bailey
news@claremont-courier.com

Claremont residents who attended the Claremont Human Services open house at the Hughes Center were able to get
the latest news and information about the city services and classes, and snacked on treats being served at the event.

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

15

Get Connected! The city of Claremont offers a wide

variety of social, support groups free to local seniors
veryone needs a little support from
time to time. If you, a family member or someone you know is in
need of a helping hand, please call the
citys Senior Program at (909) 399-5488.
The city hosts a variety of social and support groups for seniors. All groups meet at
the Joslyn Senior Center, 660 N. Mountain
Ave., unless the Blaisdell Center is noted
after the listing. The Blaisdell Center is
located at 440 S. College Ave.

Thursdays
Blood Pressure (Blaisdell)

Support groups
Mondays
Blood Pressure Screening
Tuesdays
White Cane Society
Speechreading

12 p.m.
9 a.m.
10:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m.

Fridays
Overeaters Anonymous
Computer Workshop

12 p.m.
1 p.m.

Saturdays
Parkinson's Explorers Group (second Saturday) 10 a.m.

Social
groups
Mondays
Claremont residents were able to meet and greet city
officials that included Jerry and Maury Feingold talking
with city manager Tony Ramos outside the Alexander
Hughes Center during an open house last week.

Wednesdays
Health Insurance Counseling (HICAP) By appointment
Breathing Buddies first Wednesday
12 p.m.
Bereavement Support Group
4 p.m.
Caregivers Support Group
6:30 p.m.

Mahjong
Needle Art
Card Making (Blaisdell)
Movies Matinee (Blaisdell)
First and third Monday
Shakespeare Speakers (second Monday)
Book Group (third Monday)
Genealogy Workshop (fourth Monday)

9 a.m.
9 a.m.
10 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
1:45 p.m.
2 p.m.
2:45 p.m.

Tuesdays
Pinochle
Knitting Group
Bridge (Blaisdell)
Wednesdays
Writing Group
Bingo
Bridge
Chess Club
Poetry N Such (last Wednesday)

12 p.m.
1 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
9 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
12:30 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.

Thursdays
Current Events
Knitting Group
Duplicate Bridge

10 a.m.
12 p.m.
1 p.m.

Fridays
Art Group
9 a.m.
Bingo (Blaisdell)
12:30 p.m.
Folk Dance
1:30 p.m.
Movie Matinee (Second and fourth Friday) 12:30 p.m.
Poetry
3 p.m.

Exercise
Classes
Active Adult Chair Exercise
55+ MWF Ongoing 9:35 a.m. Free Hughes
Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program
55+ Mon Ongoing 11:30 a.m. $2 Joslyn
55+ Tue Ongoing 10 a.m. $2 Joslyn
55+ Thu Ongoing 11 a.m. $2 Blaisdell
Chair Ballet
55+ Thu Ongoing 10:30 a.m. Free Joslyn
Easy Yoga
55+ Mon Ongoing 3 p.m. $5 Joslyn
55+ Thu Ongoing 9:50 a.m. $5 Joslyn
Meditation & Imagery
55+ Tue through May 51:30 p.m. $5 Joslyn
Easy Dance Aerobics
55+ Wed Ongoing 10:30 a.m. $5 Joslyn
Tai Chi & Qi Gong
55+ Wed Ongoing 1 p.m. Free Blaisdell
Pilates - Beginning
55+ Mon Ongoing 8:30 a.m. Free Joslyn
Pilates - Intermediate
55+ Mon Ongoing 9:45 a.m. Free Joslyn
Walking Group
55+ Tuesdays 8 a.m. Free Village (Yale and Bonita)
55+ Thursdays 8 a.m. Free Thompson Creek Trailhead

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

When healthy eating becomes dangerous

iet buzzwords are

everywhere these
days, from eating
clean to pure to paleo to
raw veganism. Although
these terms have nebulous
definitions, many people
take up the banner of their
personal food plan, encouraging others to do the same.

For some people, eating better

means buying whole foods and
organic produce when possible. But
for others, eating a perfect diet
becomes an unhealthy obsession that
takes over their lives. At its worst, it
can result in malnourishmen and
mental, behavioral and health issues.
Its ironic that an effort to eat better
could compromise health, but thats
what Dr. Steven Bratman noticed in
the 1990s when he coined the term
orthorexia, derived from the Greek
for correct eating. Before he was a
doctor, Mr. Bratman lived on a commune with people who argued
against cutting vegetables for fear of
losing nutrients. Others avoided
plants from the nightshade family,
such as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplants. Although many of his friends

?
?

and eventually patients touted their

healthful diets, Dr. Bratman observed
their health declining.
As a registered dietitian who works
with eating disordered patients, Ive

seen the effects of orthorexia firsthand. People with orthorexia tend to

focus on what they eat rather than
how much they eat, as in cases of
anorexia nervosa. The results, howev-

16

by Claire St John

er, are similar. Both the anorexic and

the orthorexic tend to be dangerously
underweight, and their labs show low
iron and low total protein.
Its important to know that someone can start out with orthorexia and
slip into the psychological symptoms
of anorexia, said Tamson
Overholtzer, director of Bright Road
Recovery in Claremont Village and a
licensed marriage and family therapist. When this happens, the focus is
not just on the perfect diet, but also on
fear of weight gain.
Unlike anorexia, orthorexia can hide
in plain sight, and is often unwittingly
encouraged by friends and family who
admire the orthorexics willpower and
dedication to diet. The disorder can
begin innocently, with something as
simple as a resolution to eat better.
Magazine articles, news segments
and a billion Internet sites constantly
promote the hot, new diet. People
cut out gluten without knowing what,
exactly, it is. Dairy is demonized daily
and sugar and carbohydrates are
called poison by people with PhDs.
Its no surprise that people dont
know what to eat, and as the headlines pile up, they might cut foods
HEALTHYEATING/continues on the next page

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

HEALTHY EATING
continued from the previous page

out of their diet almost randomly.

Eliminating entire food groups can
lead to nutrient deficiencies but, as
health fails, the obsession with
healthy eating can intensify. Feelings
of fatigue are assumed to be due to
toxic foods lingering in the diet.
Insatiable cravings for forbidden
foods are chalked up to the addictive attributes of the American food
supply instead of simple hunger and
undernourishment.
Because the diet is so restrictive, it
becomes difficult to eat at restaurants. The orthorexic might carry his
food around with him, because
restaurants and stores cant meet his
high standards.
Eating at friends houses is out,
because its burdensome listing all
the foods he cant eat. People dont

seem to understand anymore. They

say hes lost too much weight, but
losing weight is a good thing, right?
When the right foods arent available, the orthorexic will skip meals
rather than contaminate his body.
Oftentimes, neither the orthorexic
nor his family and friends realize
there is a problem until it becomes
very serious. Because healthy eating
has taken on nearly religious status in
our culture, those who eliminate
bad foods are celebrated.
When someone comes to me for
help with their restrictive eating patterns, I start them on a meal plan that
includes starches, proteins, fats, fruits
and vegetables in amounts that will
support their bodies. In Meal Support
sessions, we eat together, allowing
me to help each client through the
anxiety of eating forbidden foods.
In these sessions, I usually remind
my clients of the basic nutrition

information that theyve replaced

with an ornate structure of food
rules, misinformation and fear.
Yes, she knows essential fatty acids
are necessary for survival, that protein is required for life, that carbohydrates are the best source of energy
and the brain runs on glucose, but
their diets were so healthy!
Treatment isnt always necessary if
early intervention is possible. If you
or someone you love might be slipping into orthorexia or anorexia, a
meeting with a therapist or registered
dietitian who understands eating disorders can be life-changing.
Its hard to overstate the importance of early intervention, Ms.

17

Overholtzer said. The sooner the

symptoms are addressed with a dietitian or therapist, the more likely you
are to have a positive outcome and
avoid needing additional treatment
intervention.
Many people just need a reminder
of what healthy eating looks like,
what the body needs for peak performance and some real information
about food and nutrition.
[Claire St John, MPH RD, is a registered dietitian at Bright Road
Recovery in the Claremont Village.
For more information about professional nutritional counseling, visit
brightroadrecovery.com]

HEALTHY LIVING/2015

18

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center to open

new rehabilitation service center

omona Valley Hospital Medical

Center (PVHMC) recently
announced it will honor
Charles Magistro, a pioneering physical therapist and professional icon, by
naming the Rehabilitation Services
Center in the soon-to-be opened
Robert and Beverly Lewis Outpatient
Pavilionthe Charles M. Magistro
Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation
Center.
Mr. Magistro led the effort in establishing
PVHMCs physical therapy and rehabilitation services department more than 60 years ago. Throughout
the years, he played an integral role in its success
and growth, serving as director for 35 years.
We are delighted to honor Charles Magistro for
his longstanding professional relationship with
PVHMC, as well as he and his familys generous
philanthropic support for the hospital over the
years, said Richard Yochum, president and CEO.
It is absolutely fitting that that the Rehabilitation

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center will honor

Charles M. Magistro dedicating its rehabilitation center
to his more than 60 years of service to the hospital.

Services Center will bear Charles Magistros name.

PVHMCs rehabilitation services department,
built in 1954, was the first of its kind in Southern
California. Today, it is one of the largest outpatient
rehabilitation programs in the tri-county area, serving tens of thousands of patients each year.
The new center, housed in the Outpatient
Pavilion, is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, designed to deliver the very best in treatment
and patient experience.
I am proud of the physical therapy department at
Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, and the
tremendous impact it has had on the region, said
Mr. Magistro, PT, FAPTA. The department has
always stayed on the cutting edge of what the profession is doing as a whole, with the singular goal
of providing exemplary services to inpatients and
outpatients alike.
Mr. Magistro remains active in the field of physical therapy and at PVHMC, both in a professional
capacity and as a benefactor. When asked what
inspired him to give back, Charles said that the hospital provided him the opportunity to accomplish
all that [he] did over the years. It seemed right to
contribute where there was a need.
For more information, visit pvhmc.org.