Health
St
Fitness
COVER STORY Genetic from page 16
Shaarey Zedek Rabbi Joseph Krakoff .
keeps a stack of her pamphlets in a draw-
er in his office.
"After Pauline brought them to me, I
started to give them to couples who I
counsel before getting married;' Rabbi
Krakoff said. "I tell them the importance
of _genetic testing so they know what they
might be dealing with in the future. I have
had a few couples who have come back
and told me the tests revealed they were
carriers of genetic illnesses:'
What About Carriers? .
Once tests determine that both spouses
are carriers of a genetic disease, they have
several options if they want to have chil-
dren. Some decide to adopt; others
choose not to have children. Some pro-
ceed with pregnancy, having a one in four
chance of having a baby with the disease.
Others opt for in vitro fertilization.
"It has been successful in prodgcing
healthy children:' Weill said, referring to
couples who carry the gene for FD or for
some other genetic illnesses. If one
spouse is not a carrier, these genetic ill-
nesses can be ruled out.
The IVF procedure has been touted as
a preventive opportunity for carriers to
produce their own biological children,
"with single cell biopsy and gene assess-
ment before placing the fertilized — and
unaffected — embryo into the uterus:'
Dr. Gonik said.
Weill suggests those with questions
about genetic testing consult their physi-
cians.
"We are happy to counsel patients
regarding carrier status:' Dr. Gonik said.
"We commonly see folks for consulta-
tion who have tested positive either
before or during pregnancy:' he said.
"It gets a bit complicated if they are
already pregnant. Prenatal testing is avail-
able on the fetus, but, of course, you can-
not correct the condition if you find it. It
becomes a very personal decision
whether they choose to terminate or con-
-
tinue with the pregnancy.
"Obviously, there are many non-med-
ical issues related to being Jewish and
abortion that need to be individualized','
he said. "Many Orthodox individuals who
are already married choose not to be test-
ed at all, although having the information
may be important to them later on."
Fine is ecstatic about the 2001 discov-
ery of a test to determine carriers of FD.
"There was no test when I was plan-
ning to have children',' she said. "And
there wasn't even a test for my daughters:
They had to wait until their children were
born to find out they were OK.
"But for my granddaughter and her
fiance — who just got engaged this
month — there finally is." ❑
Trendlines
What's new at the club?
the health club at the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan Detroit in West
Staff Writer
Bloomfield, also is seeing a marked increase
in younger clients using personal trainers.
lthough health clubs won't intro-
"Nine- and 10-year-olds are a bit young,
duce much in the way of new
but
when they get 11,12 or 13, definitely
equipment this year, Metro Detroit
they're
starting to notice their awkwardness
workout aficianados will notice an increase
and
their
sense of self-esteem:' she said.
in workout combination classes, small-
Twenty
personal trainers are available at
group personal training sessions and fitness
•
the
JCC.
programs offered for a wider age range.
.
Levy
also
noted
"crossing
programs:'
Cardio Lite courses for beginners, older
including
the
one-hour
spinning/muscle
adults and people struggling with illness or
jam class that com-
injury are offered at the
bines 30 minutes of
Sports Club of West
spinning followed by
Bloomfield.
30 minutes of upper-
The session starts
body
weight training.
with a low-impact
The
class
is offered
workout followed by
three
times
a week.
strength training to
Itzi
Saar,
fitness
improve balance, pos-
director
at
the
Franklin
ture, coordination and
Athletic
Club
in
mobility and is offered
Southfield, said lower-
twice a week.
impact workouts, like
.Sports Club fitness
pilates and yoga, are
director Eileen Kruse
still popular, "but we
said there has been a
still have kick boxing,
"huge increase in per-
•
step classes and
sonal training in the
cycling."
past two months."
Franklin offers 25
The 18 personal
personal
trainers and
trainers on staff are
six
physical
therapists.
also seeing a bigger age
Pilates
mat
classes
are
range in clientele, from
offered,
as
well
as
four
pre-teens to senior citi-
pilates "reformer"
zens.
training machines.
Kristy Levy, group
Powerhouse Gym "sultry aerobics"
"We can do one-on-
fitness coordinator at
teacher Niya Jackson
one training,'up to guar-
Harry Kirsbaum
Denise David, Itzi Saar and Renee Lesser with Denise Navarro at
Franklin Athletic Club
tet training',' Saar said. "People realize the
benefits of pilates, lengthening the muscles
and opening up the body"
Small-group personal training is also a
trend at Bally's Total Fitness clubs around
the country said Steven Todd, Bally's
regional personal training director in Metro
Detroit.
"It's usually groups of 3-6 people and it
contains the same motivational compo-
nents of one-on-one training," Todd said.
"Since you're splitting the hour between
three to four people, it reduces your cost
significantly."
The average cost is less than $200, which
provides twice-a-week sessions for four
weeks.
Beth Hyland, program director at
Powerhouse Gym in West Bloomfield, offers
combination kick box/yoga and spin/boxing
sessions. Powerhouse also has a new,
unusual but popular class. "Sultry aerobics"
is based on a strip-tease workout that is
popular on the West Coast. It is offered on
Thursday nights:
Desperate Housewives' Teri Hatcher
showed it on Oprah, Hyland said. ❑
11N
January 26 • 2006
19