Health & Fitness | Winter 2012 Eastern Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers

Special Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfield Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

WINTER 2012 HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERSHealth&Fitness

It is hard not to notice the increase in the number of bicyclists over the last several years. And it is not just those trim, young, Lycra-clad guys hunched over their sleek road bikes moving at a fast clip. More women are joining the competitive riders, and people of all ages and sizes are riding sitting erect or reclining in recumbents, trav-eling at a more leisurely pace. Reasons vary — health, fitness, environmental, economic, a good family activity — but the resulting pleasure is undeniable.

As an aging baby boomer who resumed cycling three years ago — after not riding other than occasionally for more than 40 years — I’d like to share some of what I have learned, and encourage others to dust off those bikes hanging in the garage and get back on the road.

First, if you have a bike that has not been ridden in a while, take it to a bike shop for a tune-up to ensure it is safe to ride, that the tires and brakes are good and chain is properly oiled and that the seat and handle-bars are at the right height for you. This will generally cost about $60 to $80. If you don’t have a bike and are uncertain as to whether you want to make the investment, check with your friends ... someone is sure to

have a bike you can try out.

If you are buying new, consider how and how often you might use it, and any physi-cal limitations you may have. For example, when I purchased a “comfort” bike about 15 years ago — straight-across handlebars, a cushy seat and fat tires — I was looking for recreation and exercise rather than speed and a workout, plus I wanted to be able ride off-road and have a rack to carry things if desired. As it turned out, I developed osteo-

arthritis in my neck during the time the bike lived in my garage, and now riding a road bike with its dropped handlebars would be difficult.

When shopping for a bike, figure on spend-ing at least $300 to $500 for a “good basic” bike, and then the accessories that you need versus want. A helmet and flashing rear light are a must, however.

Cycling can be a solo endeavor, or very

social. While bike shops generally have regular group rides for established rid-ers, the greatest opportunities in Fairfield County can be found through Sound Cyclists Bicycles Club (SCBC), a 1,500-member orga-nization that, according to its mission state-ment, “provides organized rides and other cycling-related activities for our members and the community, which stress safety, fun and fitness for all levels of riders.”

Riding levels are identified alphabetically — A through E — with the A riders moving at a clip of 20 mph or more, E riders travel-ing at less than 9 to 11 mph, and usually doing shorter routes. The C or intermediate cyclists ride at 13 to 14 mph; most shop rides begin at this level and cover 20 to 25 miles. The other component of a ride is terrain, which can range from flat to hilly, meaning it includes some steep hills.

Sound Cyclists is as welcoming to newbies as it is to experienced riders, and offers skills clinics — handling curves, riding hills — as well as a plethora of regular rides from various locations, and social activities. To access the ride schedule on the SCBC website, soundcyclists.com, you need to be

SO MANY GOOD REASONS TO TAKE UP

Cycling by Janis Gibson

Cycling continued on page 6

Whether riding solo or with a group, cycling is fun for all ages.

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• 2 • • Health & Fitness • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • January 26, 2012 •

American poet Henry David Thoreau retreated to the woods to find some peace and quiet. I often wish I could do the same. Every day there are hundreds of demands upon my time, money and, yes, energy. Moreover, I’m sick and tired of relying on medication that doesn’t work and exercise regimens that don’t deliver on promises for rejuvenation.

For natural healer and educator Elieth Amani Harris, however, the key to a balanced and calm life begins with going inward. A health-care professional, Harris wears many hats: He is an expert on ayurvedic

medicine, a clinical nutritionist, a yoga and qi gong master instructor, a chef and food therapist, and an enzyme specialist.

Adhering to the philosophies of Chinese medicine, Elieth (pronounced Elliot) looks at each client’s symptoms and treats the disharmony within that manifests as a discomforting ailment. The goal of his work is to enhance one’s overall health and vitality by restoring inner balance. This is done by strengthening the flow of one’s energy, or qi, through individual plans and protocols that he designs at his practices in Manhattan and New Canaan.

He also leads yoga and qi gong workshops in Bridgeport, Westport and Trumbull.

Along with having a master’s degree in nutritional counseling from the University of Bridgeport and a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry and business, Elieth also has more than 30 years of experience in prac-ticing yoga and Chinese healing practices, such as qi gong. He sprinkles classes with insights about how food and herbs can affect one’s health, and students hang on his every word.

In a recent class at Westport’s Center for Senior Activities, Elieth explained how a specific qi gong posture could strengthen one’s spleen. He said that when people are filled with worry, they often have a weakened spleen. Elieth also provided exer-cises to help build the immune system. By strengthening your insides, you are able to face any problems that life brings, Elieth said. “There will always be problems in your life, but by releasing blocked qi, you can get to the solution and move on,” he said.

Patricia Eberle of Westport agreed. She has been a student in Elieth’s qi gong and yoga classes in Westport for several years.

She said that she keeps coming to classes because it makes her feel good. Patricia said, “I think it’s healing, extremely so.”

Although student Pat Spoor has only been taking qi gong for a few weeks, she’s reap-ing its benefits. “I’m learning about a whole new way of living,” Pat said. “I’m seeing how doing this movement leads to good health and how the mind, body and spirit are interconnected.”

Elieth’s qi gong class begins with a sitting meditation and discussion of the practice, followed by a series of postures and move-ment exercises. Through deep breathing, inhaling in and out through the nose and visualization, the qi is unleashed. A feeling of relaxation then naturally occurs. Elieth typically ends each session with a medita-tion using one of the qi gong traditional healing sounds.

Patricia likes to take a few extra minutes after the class ends to transition back to the ‘real world.’ “Qi gong puts you in such a state of relaxation,” she explained. “You don’t want to leave.”

Patricia begins every Monday morning with the yoga class that Elieth teaches at the

THE KEY TO A BALANCED, CALM LIFE

Begins with going inwardby Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

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• January 26, 2012 • • Health & Fitness • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • 3 •

Center for Senior Activities in Westport. After a short break, she gets ready for qi gong to begin. When asked how she got started in qi gong, Patricia explained that she “stumbled” into it. “I was supposed to go to a Pilates class but this was going on instead,” Patricia said. “I now love it and come every week.”

Elieth encourages his students to practice at home. The feelings of well-being and health can only occur if these healing exercises are put into action. “It’s as if I’m holding a big, red juicy apple and telling you that it tastes really good,” he said. “I could explain about how delicious it is but unless you make the choice to bite into it and experience it for yourself, you won’t really understand what I’m talking about.”

To better serve his Connecticut clients, Elieth recently acquired office space in New Canaan. He said that he will provide individual consultations ($120 per hour/ $60 per 30 minutes) and yoga and qi gong classes there. “Everyone has specific needs based on their lifestyle and their health challenges,” Elieth said. “I give them indi-vidual protocols and practices that will enhance their well being.” This plan for

living healthy includes yoga, qi gong, self-massage, meditation and nutrition.

Elieth was first introduced to qi gong in 1994 when he was studying in a monastery in Virginia. “One of the monks introduced me to qi gong and the healing sounds and how it could lead to physical healing and managing emotional patterns,” Elieth said. He also studied energy work with leaders in the field — Master Del Pi and Ra Un Nefel Amen.

People of all ages are drawn to the calm-ness, Elieth said. They want the obvious peace of mind that he possesses. He attri-butes the increased interest to a shared frustration with Western medicine. “More and more people are interested in tradi-tional Chinese medicine practices because they’re frustrated with traditional Western care,” he explained. “They want to get well and to maintain their health, so they’re investing in integrative practices that treat the cause of their physical challenges rath-er than the symptoms.”

For more information about Elieth’s classes or to schedule a consultation: 203-685-0450; life-rx.us.

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Corrine “CoCo” Melvin’s paintings of bright-ly-colored, faceless figures make people smile. And, during the winter, when sun-light is minimal and coldness and frigid temperatures prevail, we all could use a boost of happiness. Perhaps it’s the simplic-ity of her circular designs or the way her pint-sized characters hold hands together in a gesture of benevolent unity. Thematic threads of peace, diversity and unity are interwoven in all of CoCo’s artwork — paintings, murals, jewelry — that she’s been dubbed the Ambassador of Happiness is not a surprise.

This summer, Rev. Dr. Hazel Newton, dean of the Zion Christian Academy Bible Institute Inc., presented CoCo with the 2011 Humanitarian Life Time Achievement Award. In a beautiful ceremony held in July, CoCo was recognized by the state of

Connecticut for her outstanding service in empowering people, especially children, to attain the positive effects of creativity. Founder of SMILES (Stimulating Motivating Creative Interactive Learning Enrichment Empowerment Skills), CoCo educates stu-

dents in local classrooms about the impor-tance of creativity. She is currently sponsor-ing a program in a Bridgeport elementary school. She’s also shared her expertise in parochial schools in the Bridgeport dio-cese and will lead an eight-week after-school enrichment program in Fairfield this spring.

“I truly believe that everyone has a gift and a talent, but some people don’t know this,” she said. “Urban school children need to know how powerful they really are. I don’t know what they receive at home, so I try to make them aware of how powerful they can be through their creativity.”

In working with Bridgeport’s fourth graders, CoCo pointed out how they could aspire to work in any profession or industry that

interests them. “I tell them you can be a designer, an engineer, anything you want to be,” CoCo said. “They really listen. I love how they’re completely engaged with me and I, in turn, am engaged with them.”

CoCo displayed some of the hand-crafted jewelry she makes from aluminum foil and cardboard materials. She then chal-lenges the children to create their own designs using old buttons and old jeans. A few weeks later, CoCo returned to the classroom so that the young people could show off their artwork. “When I see their enthusiasm and excitement, it really moves me,” CoCo said. “It’s amazing what they come up with.”

CoCo begins the workshops by showing the children some of her paintings. “I get them

AMBASSADOR OF HAPPINESS ... COCO MELVIN

Peace, diversity & unity are expressed in her artworkby Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

CoCo Melvin’s art radiates happiness.

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• January 26, 2012 • • Health & Fitness • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • 5 •

to have a conversation about the art,” CoCo said. “I say, ‘Tell me what you see. This is my story. You can begin to create your story, too.’”

Though CoCo recalls first falling in love with art in kindergarten, she didn’t actually start painting until she was a single parent. When her 19-year-old son Roeshad was a tod-dler, and CoCo was newly divorced, she looked for colorful artwork to brighten up the walls of their new home. However, after scouring local retail stores for cheerful wall cover-ings, she quickly realized she couldn’t afford very much. CoCo said that it was “an emotional time” for both her and her three-year-old son; he was having regular nightmares. “I wanted to bring some joy and happiness into our home, but I couldn’t afford any of the artwork that I saw in the stores,” she said. “I decided to go out and get some paint supplies. I then started painting all over the house. When Roeshad woke up, I wanted him to see bright, beautiful faces.” It was also important to CoCo that the figures come in all colors, shapes and sizes. “A People United: Designs by Coco” is the outgrowth of this endeavor.

CoCo’s career in creativity has been on an upward trajectory ever since. Along with working as an empower-ment coach and inspiring clients how to achieve their own dreams, CoCo also helps authors of self-published books. CoCo’s Book-A-Book Party operates much like a Tupperware party in that a hostess invites about 10 friends to her house for an author visit. “There’s some unbelievable books out there that are self-pub-lished, so many people aren’t aware of them,” she said. “I wanted to pro-vide a service to these authors and also to help get the word out.”

CoCo is also the author of a novel called L.O.V.E. — Leave Out Various Emotions. She recently completed another book, The Happiness Pledge. “It’s a self-help book that has 10 steps to pursuing your joy in the midst of chaos,” she said.

For more information about CoCo’s work, go to melvinsmiles.webs.com.

“Of all strange and unaccountable things, this journalising is the strangest.” — Henry David Thoreau

About two years ago, I was going to start teaching workshops on journaling. However, a series of personal crises ended the plan. Fortunately, I always turn out to be my own best student, and I took my own advice: I journaled. Penning my emotions, feelings and fears, I muddled through a devastat-ing divorce and financial disaster. Today, I believe that my journaling saved me — along with the extraordinary support of a therapist, family and friends — and I’ve landed right-side up.

Whether you are experiencing upheaval in your life or simply hit a speed bump, or, perhaps, you are inspired to jot down some positive thoughts and affirmations, get your mojo on — in black and white! The results may well be worth the effort!

Rhonda Loft, a Fairfield-based, licensed mar-riage and family therapist, views journaling as a multifaceted tool. “In some respects, journaling can help something not become a crisis,” she says, citing one of its many rewards.

The primary purpose of journal keeping, as Rhonda says, is to “get the emotions out” — simply stated, journaling acknowledges how you feel. Most people who won’t allow their emotions to surface are driven to resort to negative behaviors, such as drinking, drug-ging and self-inflicted injury, such as cutting. Rhonda elaborates, “And when you come from a family where showing your emotions, or airing your dirty laundry, is not appropri-ate, then what are you supposed to do? So, I think that’s a place where journaling can help. It gives you permission to acknowledge the fact that there are emotions going on inside of you.”

For instance, Rhonda says that one of her

clients was undergoing difficulty dealing with his boss’s sudden death that resulted from minor surgery. The man stammered when he tried to discuss the tragedy. Rhonda suggested that he write about his feelings in a letter to his girlfriend, who was his main confidante. Later, he told Rhonda that the exercise was “very helpful” in his grieving process, especially in light of the fact that his sense of masculinity prevented him from crying.

The preceding example illustrates the fact that men can especially benefit from journ-aling. “It works great with women, but with

Journaling for mojo A SIMPLE, EASY WAY TO GET IT BACK, KEEP IT OR FIND IT!

by Anastacia Lytwyn

Journaling continued on page 6

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a member, which costs $20 per year, but the rest of the website is accessible to anyone.

Sound Cyclists also hosts the Bloomin’ Metric, a bicycle tour that offers three scenic rides of 25 miles, 75 kilometers (47.6 miles) or 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) the third Sunday of May. This year’s event on May 20 is the 35th edition and has a new starting point — Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Held rain or shine, it is a won-derful introduction to a large organized ride, which means a marked route and services. You travel at your own pace, there are food and rest stops along the way and a support and gear wagon, as well as volunteers to drive the route to check on rid-ers and provide mechanical and personal assistance as needed. The participation fee is $45, and you do not need to be a mem-ber to ride. It also has a rolling start time between 7 and 9:30; those doing the longer distances should start earlier.

Among the SCBC special events are trips to Block Island, Tanglewood and West Point, as well as picnics after rides during the summer holidays.

Another organized ride is Cyclefest on June 10, sponsored by Hat City Cyclists (hatcity-cyclists.org), which begins at

Bethel Middle School and offers a 13-mile option for children and beginners; routes ranging from 23 to 104 miles, depend-ing on which combination of three loops one chooses (cost not posted as of this writing). Hat City Cyclists also has group rides on Wednesday nights that depart from the Bethel Municipal Center, intersection of School and Wooster Streets, at 6, with optional dinner at a local restau-rant afterward. Non-members and beginners welcome; mem-bership is $20.

A group about to begin its third season is Bike-Up of Greater Danbury, a meet-up group. Now with close to 100 members ($5), the group stuck to a weekend ride on trails the first year and went “on the road” occasion-ally last year, some members participating in Bloomin’ Metric and the Five Boro Bike Tour. This is a great group for newbies. For more information, meetup.com/bike-up-of-greater-danbury.

Also just getting off the ground is the Ridgefield Bicycle Sport Club, sponsored by the Ridgefield Bicycle Company, which took over and expanded the bike shop on Catoonah Street at the begin-ning of last year. The shop served as a starting point for two SCBC rides last summer, and will con-tinue that affiliation as it develops its own activities. For more infor-mation, ridgefieldbicycle.com.

women, it’s easy for them to do it, because we’re so verbal and emotional anyway. For men who really can’t express themselves, it’s a terrific tool,” Rhonda explains, saying that her male clients have related well to the letter-writing process in particular.

Computer-oriented people, too, can rant, rave, and keyboard their thoughts and feelings. In fact, some of Rhonda’s clients have dashed off journaling types of emails to her in the middle of the night. Upon completion, they would tell her, “You don’t have to call me, I’m feeling better.”

Ah, the power of the keyboard or pen. People can utilize journals to quit smoking, eating and self-muti-lation. One way is to keep a before-and-after record of your feelings involving self-destructive behavior, pinpointing the triggers and the effects, and, ulti-mately, jump-starting recovery. Moreover, journals can provide instruments to maintain the positive change by highlighting the progress.

Here’s another way journals can facilitate self-improvement: Rhonda advised a client to write down everything that her abusive boyfriend called her. Rhonda read the journal back to her, asking her, “Is that who you are?”

“No, I am not,” she replied. “And that, among other factors, motivated her to finally end the relation-ship,” Rhonda says.

In her sessions with couples, though, she encour-ages one-on-one conversation. Nevertheless, prior-written thoughts, feeling and ideas can assist to spark the actual process of dialoguing. Since couples tend to argue about money, Rhonda incorporates math journaling ... in other words, creating a bud-get. “I don’t know if you consider that journaling, but it’s still getting stuff down on paper.”

Old journals can also aid in one-on-one therapy. One

of Rhonda’s clients had about 20 years’ worth of journals before she even started therapy. Rhonda’s clients don’t necessarily bring in their written mus-ings to share with her, because, by nature, journals are a private thing. “What’s in your head, you don’t have to share with the world,” she says.

In the past, Rhonda herself has written her share of unmailed letters. If circumstance necessitated it, she, too, would journal. “I think it’s something that everybody can try; just sitting down and writing whatever you feel,” she says.

However, journaling is not a “one-size-fits-all” instru-ment; some people, for instance, may process a situ-ation by using other therapeutic means like walking, meditating or listening to music.

For me, it is the perfect fit: journalizing is “strange and unaccountable,” because it involves matters of the heart lionized by something as common as a pen.

For a list of upcoming journaling workshops held by author, Stacy Lytwyn: 203- 880-4200.

DETAILS

Rhonda Loft, MA, LMFT, 53 Unquowa Place, Fairfield; 203-209-7660; [email protected]; most insurance plans accepted.

With 10-plus years of experience, she works with individuals, couples and families of vari-ous ethnic backgrounds and sexual orienta-tion, helping them find the most appropriate solution to the unique circumstances of their situation/problems. These include, but are not limited to: depression/anxiety, marital and family conflict, low self-esteem, dealing with medical issues, grief/bereavement and gay and lesbian issues.

Cycling continued from page 1 Journaling continued from page 5

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Health & Fitness | Winter 2012 Eastern Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers