2 ~ Body & Soul | BUSINESSWoman

hen Diane Hawkinjured her back ina bicycling acci-dent, she went the

traditional route – using musclerelaxants and painkillers. But inaddition to not really helping the pain,they also had side effects, and Hawkfelt she couldn’t think clearly.

Open to trying something else, theformer immunologist, with a PhD inpathology, tried acupuncture andchiropractic medicine. When thechiropractor also gave her herbs, shefound them effective.

“I started reading about herbs anddabbling in them,” says Hawk. “Theyhaven’t gone through clinical trials, butthey have been used for thousands of

years in a lot of different countries.Thirty to 50 percent of prescribedmedicines came from plants originally,but their components have beenisolated.”

Hawk believes that whole herbshave fewer side effects, and the “bodyseems to know what to use—so thedosage is not too high or too low”—unlike what may happen withconventional pharmaceuticals.

She also became interested innatural healing and ended up goingback to school for a doctorate innaturopathic medicine.

Based in York, the practitioner usesnatural, noninvasive remedies such asherbs, homeopathy, nutrition,hydrotherapy, and vitamin and mineral

supplements to treat patients. “They’ve gone the traditional route

and not gotten enough relief, or maynot like taking medications long term,”she says. “They want to make changesin their lives.”

Among the conditions treated byHawk are type-2 diabetes mellitus,menstrual irregularities, menopausaldifficulties, fibromyalgia, fatigue, pain,irritable bowel syndrome, foodallergies, eczema and skin issues,reflex disease intolerances, andinsomnia.

She has worked with MDs andODs collaboratively, like somecomplementary-medicine specialistsdo.

“Naturopaths treat patients asindividuals, by addressing theenvironmental, lifestyle, attitudinal,and emotional aspects of health,” saysHawk. “Our ultimate goal is to teachpeople how to heal their bodies andkeep them healthy.”

Natural forms of healing—used inconjunction with conventionalWestern medicine or alone—arebecoming more popular. ManyAmericans realize that good health isnot merely the absence of disease, andmany of these have seen acomplementary-care practitioner.

Women, in particular, tend to seekthe services of these practitioners,often for menstrual or menopausaldifficulties.

Some universities have researchdepartments that coordinate thefindings of Western and alternativemedicine; the National Institutes ofHealth has a complementary medicinewebsite.

“C o m p l e m e n t a r y - m e d i c i n epractitioners give patients moreattention, more treatment time, and a

broader selection of healing therapies,”says Linda D’Agostino, a registerednurse for 33 years (now retired) whois a licensed acupuncturist inPennsylvania.

D’Agostino works out ofPinnacleHealth’s Fredricksen OutpatientCenter in Mechanicsburg as well as FoxChase Cancer Center at OsteopathicHospital.

Trained at the International Instituteof Chinese Medicine in Albuquerque,D’Agostino is also certified in Orientalmedicine by the National CertificationCommission for Acupuncture andOriental Medicine.

After moving to Albuquerque in1996, she saw an ad in a local yogajournal about a school that granted aDoctor of Oriental Medicine degree. “Itfelt like a calling,” she says.

Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) has been in existence for about3,000 years and is used to treatsymptoms of pain, stiffness, stress,anxiety, and grief. Among theconditions TCM has been used for areallergies, arthritis, colds and flu,depression, headaches, infertility,neck pain, obesity, sexual dysfunction,and toothache.

TCM has several modalities—nutrition, herbal medicine, acu-puncture, and lifestyle—includingmeditation, all based on getting energyback into balance

D’Agostino teaches Qigong, whichare postures that help build energy,prevent illness, boost the immunesystem, calm the mind, and regulate thehormones. Mu Ming, one specific typeof Qigong, is particularly targeted tobreast cancer prevention. Qigong canbe done in a group or individually; nospecial clothing or equipment isrequired.

W

Herbs and Needles

Complementary medicine

gaining in popularity,

especially among women

By BARBARA TRAININ BLANK

Dr. Hawk can help

relieve pains from

conditions such

as a pinched

nerve with

acupressure or

herbs.

Herbal

tinctures can

be added to

water and then

drank. They

are used for

treating a

broad range of

symptoms.

3

“The ancient Chinese discoveredthat patients’ Qi, or energy, flowedalong 12 pathways called meridians,”says D’Agostino. “They learned a wayto manipulate the flow of Qi.”

Acupuncture involves theinsertion of special hair-thin needlesinto specific points on a givenmeridian. Their purpose is to redirect

Qi so it flows properly.“With good Qi flow, blood

circulation is improved, essence isnourished, and healing begins,”D’Agostino says. “The patient mayexperience warmth, pressure, ortingling during acupuncture but willnot ordinarily feel any appreciablediscomfort.”

Traditional Chinese medicine alsooffers insights about nutrition. Apractitioner can make dietaryrecommendations: Different times ofyear are considered the optimal timesto eat certain fruits and vegetables.Some plants, such aschrysanthemum, can help withvarious health conditions, including

skin and eye disorders, respiratoryallergies, tension headaches, and theearly stages of upper-respiratoryinfection.

Since women tend to seek outmedical help for chronic and acuteconditions more than men, they areoften also the ones to suggestcomplementary medicine totraditional physicians.

“In Central Pennsylvania, going tocomplementary-medicine practition-ers tends to be consumer driven,” saysD’Agostino. “Usually it’s the patientwho asks the doctor, ‘What do youthink of this?’”

Note: In Pennsylvania, naturopathicdoctors and TCM practitioners are notlicensed, though acupuncturists are. Only15 states at present license naturopathicdoctors as primary care physicians.Therefore, most insurance companies won’tcover the visits, although people withhealth-savings accounts or flexible-spendingaccounts can get reimbursement, Hawkstates. There are currently four schools inthe United States and two in Canada thatoffer the four-year program leading to aDoctorate in Naturopathic Medicine.

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BusinessWomanPA.com ~ Body & Soul

Left: Linda D’Agostino

demonstrates a Qigong pose.

Below: A patient uses

acupuncture, which places

needles in specific points, to

treat certain conditions.

4

‘Ditch the

Workout, Join

the

Party!’

iet and exercise areimportant compo-nents of a healthylifestyle, but just as

dieting often bears negativeconnotations, exercising is rarelydescribed as a fun experience. UntilZumba, that is.

With a name as exotic-sounding asZumba, some might be wary. Otherssimply may not know what it is—knowledge that instructor SandyStotsky is only too happy to share.

Zumba, said Stotsky, is adance/fitness program created byMiami-based choreographer Alberto“Beto” Perez. Although it began in the1990s, Zumba has experienced arecent surge in popularity.

Because of its South Americanorigins, Zumba utilizes a variety ofLatin musical genres. Stotskyexplained that the songs arechoreographed, and each hour-longlesson teaches easy-to-follow moves.These moves are based on whatStotsky termed as four “basicrhythms” and their accompanyingdance styles: salsa, merengue, cumbia,and reggaeton.

Stotsky also added that Zumba hasrecently added many more rhythmsto include flamenco, tango, bhangra,belly dance, African rhythms, andothers.

“Zumba follows a ‘formula,’ whereeach part of the song encompasses achoreographed move or combinationof moves, i.e., every time you hear thechorus, you do this; every time youhear the verse, you do that, etc.,”Stotsky explained. “This allowspeople to learn the routines quicklyand almost without realizing it.”

Many people around the worldhave tried the distinctive fitnessprogram, which basically consists ofdancing to fast-paced music. Afteryears of running, Stotsky, whoinstructs Zumba classes at Hempfield

Rec Center in Lancaster, has finallyfound an enjoyable means of exercise.

“It’s a blast!” said Stotsky. “‘Fun’and ‘exercise’ don’t belong in the samesentence for most people, but they dofor Zumba enthusiasts. Zumba’smotto is, ‘Ditch the Workout, Join theParty,’ and I believe that is exactly whyit has been so successful. It’s designedto feel more like you’re in a clubdancing with friends and less likeyou’re taking an aerobics class in agym.”

And, more than just being fun,Zumba also burns calories withoutputting too large a strain on the body.According to Stotsky, it’s possible toburn between 600 and 1,000 caloriesin a one-hour Zumba class, due to theconstant movin’ and groovin’ theprogram requires.

“It is definitely a heart-pumpingworkout, but because you use yourwhole body to do the dances, yourmuscles will benefit and becomemore toned,” Stotsky said.

Additionally, people of all ages canparticipate. “I’ve had classes with 16-year-olds dancing right next to 65-year-olds,” said Stotsky. “It really runsthe gamut.”

Each class varies, as instructorscan decide whether or not they wantto add new songs and differentchoreography. And in addition totoning muscles and burning calories,Zumba offers other health benefits.

“Like most forms of exercise,Zumba can reduce stress levels. It’s agreat program for weight loss and canimprove sleep. What it does betterthan most exercise classes, however, iskeep people coming back for more,”said Stotsky.

Jennifer Rowland, of Lancaster,can attest to the draw of Zumba.Rowland said she was looking for anexercise class that “didn’t feel likeexercise” when she saw an ad forZumba.

“I wanted to try somethingdifferent, and I didn’t reallyknow what it [Zumba]was, but I decided totry it,” she said.

Giving Zumbaa go is somethingRowland hasn’tregretted. “It’sexercising, it’sdancing, and it’sfun,” she said.“It’s kind of likeyou’re having aparty, in a way!”

Rowland enjoysbeing around the otherpeople in her Zumba class,and she also enjoys herinstructor, Stotsky. “Ifyou saw Sandy—well, she’s amazing,”Rowland laughed.

More than just asocial event, though,Zumba is an all-round routine thatburns calories, pro-vides fun, and relievesstress.

“You’re sweaty when youget out of there, so you’redefinitely getting a workout,”Rowland explained.

Both Stotsky andRowland emphasizedthat stellar coord-ination and dancingskills are notrequired to enjoyZumba.

By ALYSSA GERACE

D

Sandy

Stotsky,

black top

and red

pants, is

shown leading a

Zumba class.

~ Body & Soul | BUSINESSWoman

5

“A lot of people that aren’t reallycoordinated tend to just stand in theback, but as long as you’re moving,you’re gonna get something out ofit,” Rowland explained.

Stotsky admitted she felt a littleawkward when she first triedZumba, but was soon hooked and“shaking it with the best of them.” It

seems that not having professionaldancing skills is no excuse to shun

Zumba. “I have people of all ages, all fitness

levels, and all dance abilities in my classes.It’s more about having a good time and less

about performing well,” said Stotsky. “And youneed not worry that everyone is looking at you.

Everyone is watching the instructor and having a greattime.”

Stotsky, who said she’s spent “nearly a lifetime” as a fitnessdevotee, has never experienced a more “captivating” workout. “I neverfound myself saying at the end of a 12-mile run, ‘If only I had time to do 5more,’” she said. “But you will frequently hear me say at the end of aZumba class, ‘You wanna do one more song?!’”

By all accounts, those looking to get some fun out of exercise might aswell give it a try: “Ditch the Workout, Join the Party.”

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