CELEBRATING LINDA KETRON
Grand Strand’s Patient of the Month
BETTER BALANCE WITH THE INTERNAL MARTIAL ART When you think about martial arts, a few images come to mind: Mr. Miyagi, possibly nunchucks, and people breaking objects using impressive disciplined strength. But one of the most powerful martial arts you may not immediately picture is tai chi. This ancient Chinese form of combat in slow motion is an internal martial art that works from the inside out by developing the body’s internal energy, known as qi, or “chi.” In Chinese medicine, balanced qi is essential to good health. Hundreds of studies demonstrate the mental and physical benefits this quiet martial art provides. Because of its focus on posture, tai chi is particularly helpful for balance. In Harvard’s analysis of 20 different studies, tai chi was shown to improve cognitive function and slow the progression of dementia more than other forms of exercise. While the movements appear mild, the practice of tai chi requires discipline and strength. That’s part of the reason why it provides a powerful punch of health benefits and also why less than 5 percent of people stick with it. Some teachers say it takes three years to learn the I have the pleasure of serving so many wonderful patients, and I want to take every opportunity to show my appreciation for them and everything that they do. This month, I want to shout out Linda Ketron, who has been as dedicated to serving her community as her spinal health. Linda has been a patient at Grand Strand Health and Wellness for over 11 years, and every day she visits the office is a good one. I met Linda at a Senior Forum event at Horry Georgetown Technical College. I had a booth set up promoting Grand Strand, and she was promoting the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for Coastal Carolina University (CCU). She decided to stop by our booth, and the rest is history. Linda is a one-in-a-million kind of trailblazer and go-getter. She doesn’t waste time just talking about problems in our community — she gets out there and solves them! Linda finds countless ways to serve people in the bike paths of Bike the Neck, through the Friends of Waccamaw Library, or with the Moveable Feast. She sees herself as a person with lots of energy who can help anyone in any situation. “I have no special gift,” Linda said, “but I do love this community, and one of the things I have is a lot of energy. Since there’s nothing I particularly
want, why not direct the energy into what other people want?” Linda’s boundless energy belies her peaceful nature. I always feel calm and at home
when she visits the office. She exemplifies the holistic approach to health that chiropractic is all about by
committing to regular appointments, leading water aerobics classes, and investing in a treadmill desk, so she can work while staying on the move. Her commitment to consistent chiropractic care is absolute. About three years ago, Linda started a program called the Kimbel Concert Series which offers quarterly concerts featuring blues legends and beach music favorites. She loves how the care she receives through Grand Strand Health and Wellness enables her to boogie and feel the exhilaration of movement without pain or strain. In her spare time, she loves reading and weeding.
Why Tai Chi Is Cooler Than You Think
basic movements of tai chi — and more than a lifetime to master. Physical training, combined with the internal meditative aspect of tai chi, are the reasons martial arts legend Jet Li has turned to the exercise in recent years, even campaigning to make it an Olympic event.
In an interview, Li explained his push to make tai chi a more widely recognized and accepted exercise: “In our attempts to push ourselves, we’ve lost sight of an important part of the sporting mindset: balance.” For anyone setting out on a mission to age gracefully, tai chi can help reduce your risk of falling with its focus on posture. An ounce of preventive tai chi may be worth a pound of cure; the Center for Disease Control reports that people pay an average of $35,000 in health care costs every time they fall. Many community centers and health and wellness facilities offer opportunities to learn tai chi, from free community classes to entire tai chi facilities. Go see for yourself why this is the martial art everyone should practice.
2 GRANDSTRANDCHIROPRATIC.COM
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