Free forum offers health tips
Seniors can learn about holistic practices
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

Local residents will have a chance to discover the potential of integrative therapies as well as the merits of memory exercises and selfcomforting techniques at a forum organized by the Moorpark Active Adult Center next month.

The second annual Healthy Living Forum, "Tending to the Body, Mind and Spirit," is presented by the city in conjunction with Help Unlimited, a local home care provider.

"In a time where many are feeling the increased stress of a tightening economy, it becomes ever more important for people to take a few hours to learn how to better protect their own physical, mental and emotional health," said Peggy Rothschild, director of the Active Adult Center.

The forum is free. It will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Sat., Dec. 6 at the Moorpark Civic Center, 799 Moorpark Ave. The event is open to everyone but is tailored for people who were born between the mid-1940s and the early 1960s, Rothschild said.

Presenters will discuss the benefits of combining traditional medicine with holistic practices, share tips on how to minimize memory loss and review the advantages of self-care, said Marilyn Berman, regional community educator for Health Unlimited.

Dr. Sharon Norling, who established The Mind Body Spirit Center in Westlake Village to practice integrative medicine, will provide an overview of natural approaches to healthy living.

Norling, according to her website, is nationally boardcertified in obgyn, integrative/holistic medicine and medical acupuncture.

Dr. Lorne Label, a neurologist at the Brain Longevity Center in Thousand Oaks, also promotes integrative medicine. His presentation will highlight brain fitness. Memory problems and loss of mental sharpness often occur during the aging process, but certain lifestyle changes can greatly improve memory function, he states on his website.

Label has training in the treatment of neurological diseases of adults and children. "He looks at the whole person and what is impacting their memory and brain," said Berman.

Ventura author Patricia Alexander, who wrote "The Book of Comforts," will share insights on how people can soothe themselves for better balance.

Her presentation will emphasize selfcare for caregivers because they usually have a lot of stress and burn out, said Berman. "Very often, someone who is a caregiver and doesn't take care of him- or herself becomes ill too," she said.

This is important for baby boomers who are in the position of having to care for themselves, their children and their aging parents, said Rothschild.

"We hope to provide boomers with information that will be useful for the present as well as in the future," Rothschild said.

Additional activities at the forum will include guided imagery and relaxation, hand massage and health-related displays.

Preventive care provided by doctors who combine regular medicine with holistic practices can help to prevent sickness and enable people to manage chronic conditions, said Berman.

For additional information about the event, call Rothschild at (805) 517-6261.