• spirits • fun She began networking, and learning as much as she could about alternative medicine. She found out that Chinese medicine, especially acupuncture, could restore the flow of "Qi" energy to the left side of her body. She took classes in yoga to improve her balance and studied the Alexander Technique to learn how to use her body without pain. All the while, Weisman kept her doctor informed of what she was doing. The first acupuncturist that Weisman saw was a physiatrist (an M.D. specializ- ing in physical medicine). She went to regular acupuncture sessions for a year, and paid for them herself One of the most helpful things for Weisman was the Alexander Technique, an extremely powerful method of using your body effortlessly. Today, at age 51, Weisman feels 95 percent recovered. She can use her left arm and leg normally, and types at a reg- ular speed. Although she still struggles with some of the fine motor skills need- ed to play the cello and the piano, by and large she feels healthy. Weisman credits her recovery to her "fork-in-the-road" moment. Virtually every person that she interviewed for her new book, Own Your Health: Choosing the Best from Alternative & Conventional Medicine (Health Communications; $16.95), had a similar experience. Each chapter of the book tells the story of people who have ventured out- side of conventional medicine to find additional ways to recover from serious illnesses or symptoms. "This is the book that I wish someone had given me when I woke up in the hospital with half my body paralyzed," Weisman said. She hopes it will provide information about complementary med- icine that she did not have access to in the early days of her stroke. In addition to the personal health dispels many common myths and tEVERLT- misconcepdons COS.)4tTIC Sti about proce- dures for the face and body. Dr.> Kolter speaks, as part of 'Women's Health Awareness Day, 11 a.m. Friday,Nov, 14, at the JCC; i.n West Bloomfield; free. anecdotes, the book profiles doctors, sci- entists and alternative practitioners who share expertise about what to do for many health problems, including chronic pain, cancer and menopause symptoms. Co-written by Dr. Brian Berman, director of the Complementary Medicine Program at the University of Maryland, the book also summarizes the scientific evidence about alternative medicine, including research on acupuncture, yoga, massage, nutrition and herbal medicine. It tells what works, what doesn't and what may be danger- ous. The final chapter talks about finding reputable practitioners, finding insur- ance companies to subsidize the cost and including conventional doctors. "I don't feel angry at my [convention- al] doctors," Weisman said, "I feel very profound gratitude for high-tech medi- cine because it saved my life. But the other feeling is frustration that conven- tional medicine could only take my recovery so far, and I needed to look outside [conventional medicine] to find what I needed in order to recover." El Roanne Weisman speaks as part of Book Fair's Women's Health Awareness Day 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at the JCC in Oak Park, free; and 1 p.m. the same day at the JCC in West Bloomfield, free. The day includes a Healthy Luncheon (no author appear- ance) 12:30 p.m. in West Bloomfield, $18; reservations required: (248) 432-5577 There also will be an American Red Cross Blood Drive from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the West Bloomfield JCC. Info: (248) 432 - 5577. ice-4444z * • • Winter Hours: Tuesday-Friday: Lunch and Dinner. Saturday: Dinner Sunday Brunch: & Dinner 4 dee 17546 Woodward'Ave. idokude (2 blocks north of NIeNichols) Detroit 313-865-0331 Closed Monday • Enter rear • Vcdet parking 7705-2,-D ' *„. Best of Crain's Business Detroit 3Y *s Oakland Press 3*s - Macomb Daily Detroit News/ free Press Come See What We've Been Up To! @LUNCH & DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK 6 FULL CARRY-OUT MENU STARTING CO $7.95 6 LIVE ENTERTAINMENT TUESDAY-SATURDAY 6 PRIVATE PARTIES 2555W. 12 Mile Rd. '0 ' sw corner of Coolidge t RA41 TUe"sday 248-399-6750 www.omaras.net Fri. , 4th • , 1, ,v..60occo. t 25 cov er • Sandy Koufax: A Leftys Legacy: g_acT: or ane an award, winning ormer sportswriter and feature f =,caree icx Hof focu s i ng trnpa gam e ase and what means to American Jews , highlighting his refusal to pitch the opening game of the World Series on Yom ippur in 1965. Lea4.1 v. 12, at the JE Expires 11/30/03. \*. , i‘h 10/24 2003 85