Introducing a new columnist
Today, after teaching a yoga class, I dropped into Lee’s market to pick up some Avonaise. That’s mayonnaise- made from avocados! I soon had 65 dollars worth of groceries! After paying, I noticed a flier alerting me that it was Senior Day, which means 5% off of your total bill if you are over 55. An employee saw me reading this and said “if you qualify, go to customer service and they will give you a refund, no problem.” I did as she advised and realized that, indeed, I am a qualified senior! Who knew? So, it makes perfect sense that I should be writing to you, my fellow seniors, on this auspicious day.
Starting this month, I am joining the team of Senior Scope columnists. As a community physical therapist locally for many years, I was privileged to enter your home at the most challenging times of your lives, to help you recover from injury, illness and surgery. One might say that you raised me from young adulthood to the person I am today. I saw you in the face of adversity and I learned some of the most important lessons of my life.
For the last several years, I have been joyfully practicing as a therapeutic yoga teacher. I hope to share some of what I have learned over these last 3 decades or so with you in our collective quest for well-being.
Always interested in the human condition, I often wonder why we do what we do.
As for me, I am the 6th child of Italian-American parents, my paternal grandparents owned a modest Italian delicatessen in Brooklyn. Picture cured meats and cheeses hanging and pasta available by the scoop. My maternal grandparents worked in a shoe factory in NYC. I always had a decent pair of sneakers. After serving in WW II in the South Pacific in the Army Air Corp, my Dad returned home, married and started our family. Despite Mom’s devoted care and cooking, I watched Dad suffer with life-long digestive issues, which I now believe were partly related to PTS (post-traumatic stress). Dad enjoyed order and obedience, which was not abundant in a family of 8! But, when feeling well, he had a twinkle in his eye that I often feel in my own eyes!
Both mom and my beloved Nana endured Alzheimer’s the last decade of their long lives. Though I am made of sturdy stuff, I learned that long lives do not always mean healthy lives. I suppose this is why I decided to become a healthcare professional. Now, with a grateful heart, I will be writing this column for you on various topics of health, wellness and life!
Yours truly,
Nanci Winterhalter
MSPT, Certified Yoga Teacher and Therapist
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