"My family learned about the Heatherwood life-style... and now I'm living it!" 1/4 Young Adult Slims Down, Reaches Out RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER N s‘*** **e. Come in for a tour, have lunch with us & receive your complimentary gift basket! MONTHLY INCLUDES: RENT • Full activities program • Individually controlled heat & air • Scheduled transportation • Fully equipped kitchen • Putting green, walking trails • Beauty and barber salon • Meals served in our elegant dining room • Weekly housekeeping & linens • Cable TV accessible • 24-Hour emergency system • Library, game and card rooms gl a k 0 - 6ATHERWOOD /bC RETIREMENT COMMUNITY NO ENTRY FEES NO ENDOWMENTS r NAME ADDRESS CITY L PHONE STATE ZIP ) MAIL TO: 22800 Civic Ctr. Dr. Southfield, MI 48034 Or call (810) 350-1777 DEMENTIA (ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE) EARLY DETECTION Recent studies reported in the journal Neurology indicate that selected neuropsychological tests can predict who among older people will develop dementia. We are now able to offer this testing. The results can be used to estimate the likelihood of developing dementia over the next four years. This information may be useful in personal and family planning, and in obtaining early prevention and/or treatment. This screening measure is not covered by insurance or Medicare. For further information and/or an appointment, call: Kenneth M. Axelrod, Ph.D. Clinical Psychology Consultants, P.C. 30300 Northwestern Highway Suite 280 Farmington Hills (810) 539-9711 Advertising in The Jewish . News Gets Results Place Your Ad Today. Call 354-6060 amison Pollack, 21, grew up with nicknames like Fatso and Chubs. He remembers pulling a long, black over- coat around his body not so much to ward off the January cold as to hide his extra poundage. Then one day, Jamison decid- ed that enough was enough. He didn't want to be overweight. Far- fel and fries gave way to vegeta- bles, fruit and low-fat frozen yogurt. He started exercising reg- ularly. Over 2 1/2 years, Jamison, 5 feet 6 inches, dropped from 215 pounds to 135. The weight loss corresponded with a grade-point average that went from 1.9 at Southfield-Lathrup High School to 3.4 at Oakland Communi- ty College. Now Jamison wants to send a message to other young people grap- pling with obesity and image problems: Don't give up hope. "Maybe I can be an inspiration to an- other young kid or young adult who has gone through experi- ences similar to mine," he says. When Jamison was 6 years old, his mother and father divorced. Living for a time with his aunt and grandmother, he became accus- tomed to a very "Jewish" diet. Food, lots of food, and then some. "I remember blaming the adults in my fami- ly for letting me get like that," he says. "I always looked to blame someone else." Blame, however, didn't burn calories and it didn't build mus- cle. At the suggestion of a rela- tive, Jamison joined support groups and weight-loss clinics, but rebelled against the struc- ture these programs tried to im- pose on his life. He was, after all, a teen-ager. After high school, when most of his friends left for studies out- of-town, Jamison enrolled in OCC. He began waiting tables at a local restaurant and, out of boredom, hung around Vic Tan- ny. It clicked. "Exercise was key in the be- ginning," he says. Desire overcame the inconve- Above: Jamison couldn't remember ever being thin. Left: Jamison has goals beyond brawn. nience of sticking to routine, and pretty soon Jamison was biking, running and lifting weights. He liked to cook and be- gan preparing healthy meals for himself. "Maybe I can be an inspiration to another young person." —Jamison Pollack "I'd make my own pizza with English muffins and fat-free cheese," he says. "I'd mix tuna with mustard rather than may- onnaise. It's actually pretty good." Although Jamison read books on nutrition and weight loss, he didn't become dogmat- ic or obsessive. Common sense, he stresses, is the best diet plan, although medical conditions re- quire some young people to con- sult physicians before changing their lifestyles. The 21-year-old also advises contemporaries against expect- ing weight loss to affect miracles. Shedding 85 pounds and devel- oping his pectorals didn't allevi- ate all of his insecurities. He still considers himself shy and would like to feel more comfortable with women and his impending career. Aiming at journalism and possibly theater, Jamison says it's important for young people to focus on goals that define who they are, not what they look like. Buffed arms and toned thighs won't eliminate the challenge of sculpting one's fu- ture. "Looks don't mean anything," he says. "They're just an outer shell. Look beyond people's looks, including your own. Get to know their souls." ❑ Et Jamison Pollack intends to form a weight-loss support network for teen-agers and young adults. He encourages interested parties to call him at (810) 354-2266.