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community & life
WH! Highland Park
May 2013
School Happenings Wescott Fifth Graders Prepare for Broadway Wescott School fifth graders perform a Broadway-style musical titled “Trouble at the Tony’s” at 7pm May 22 and 9:15am May 23 at 1820 Western Avenue in Northbrook. The production is written by music teacher Bill Vaananen. Fifth graders performed his original musical “Blackout on Broadway” in 2003, which Vaananen said was the inspiration for this year’s show. District 70 School Team Headed to Globals A Libertyville Elementary District 70 team involved in the Destination Imagination international problem-solving program is set to compete on the global level – the highest possible – this month. Awarded second place in state on March 2 was Highland Middle School’s “That Team Over There” for the “In the Zone” challenge. The competition takes place May 22-25 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Bottled Water Needed for Lew Blond Run Donations of bottled water are being accepted for the 13th annual Lew Blond Memorial 5K Run/Walk, taking place at 8am June 1 at Maple School in Northbrook. Cases of
small or large bottled water are handed out to participants on race day. To donate one or more cases, call the school at 847-400-8900. There is still time to take part in the event, which raises funds for ALS research and high school scholarships, as well as supporting special District 30 school projects. Sign up at district30.org/lewblondrun and visit the Lew Blond Run on Facebook.
Modern-Day Yoga Beneficial for All Ages
$ 49 Whopper
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Breakfast Sandwich Croissant
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29 2 Original Chicken
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$ Taco
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2 2 Chicken Wraps
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2 Fish Sandwich
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90 Skokie Valley Road, Highland Park 847-831-2790
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You may think that you can’t start yoga after 50, but you’d be wrong and terribly remiss not to. Hear me out. Yoga’s not just hippy-dippy, chanting youngsters throwing their legs behind their heads anymore. More straightforward, modern-day yoga offers a myriad of invaluable, practical health benefits to aging bodies willing to give it a chance. The practice of yoga is more than 5,000 years old and its benefits are vast and varied. It promotes better sleep, increased flexibility, strength and balance, as well as helping to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Yoga is to joints what oil is to the Tin Man – a counter to the stiffening effects of age on formerly supple bodies. If you’re not 21 anymore and think popping into your local yoga class to imitate the twisted shapes around you sounds daunting and dangerous, you’re probably right – and not alone. “It’s intimidating for someone who is a little older, say over 50, to enter a ‘regular’ yoga class, as well as potentially dangerous,” says Paula Kout, owner of White Iris Yoga Therapy in Evanston. “Unfortunately, there are not a lot of classes taught by older teachers, or younger ones who get it.” Brimming with seniors, White Iris Yoga seems to get it right. Kout, 66, specializes in yoga therapy – a more specific application of yoga techniques that address the individual. It’s the opposite of your typical one-size-fitsall yoga studio. Instead of jumping into a class off the street, you set up a consultation to determine your physical capabilities, health issues and goals. If Kout thinks she can help you – and she’s helped a lot of people, including the Chicago Bulls circa Michael Jordan – she prescribes a personal routine or classes with a maximum of six students. WH! What is the age range of your students? PK: 27 to 76. 27 is unusual. Late forties, fifties, sixties – that’s my crowd. WH! Is muscle pain or soreness worse with older clients? PK: I’m not a big fan of classes hurting and making one sore – I feel something was wrong if you are hurting afterwards. WH! There are testimonials on your website from people told that surgery or pills were their only treatment options. Then they came to practice with you and report improvement or that they’re pain-free. Why do you think yoga therapy is so effective? PK: I think it has to do with where the
medical field has gone – tests, pills and surgery. Some doctors don’t touch or spend a lot of time with you. We seem to have lost a common sense approach. You certainly should go to a doctor if you have cancer. If you have no cartilage, get your knee replaced. I’m certainly not against Western medicine, but (you often hear,) “We’ll give you a muscle relaxant; we’ll give you a painkiller.” That’s not finding out what the cause or the source is – that’s not actually fixing anything. We discuss family history and habitual postural habits that might be contributing to your condition. I listen and look at the body and try to hear what’s going on. WH! How has yoga helped with your scoliosis? PK: My body is more in balance – I’m not so off-kilter. I was wearing out my right shoe more than my left. Now, I’ve balanced out the two sides of my body. WH! Can you imagine how your life would be different without yoga? PK: (Laughs) Yes. I would be really clueless! It would just be, I think, a lot more on the surface. I think I would still be looking for that stuff that’s going to make me happy. I think yoga has given me a grounding, anchor and perspective. Even if I do that stuff, I know what it’s really about. I know that that pair of shoes won’t make me happy, but I want them anyway! 1822 N. Ridge Ave., Suite 200; 847-864-9987; whiteirisyoga.com. Contributed by Carrie Levi