Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/599442
6 | PULSE W i n t e r 2 0 1 5 E D I T O R ' S L E T T E R CONTRIBUTORS LAURA ROE STEVENS Laura is a South Bay freelance writer, yoga teacher, budding novelist and mom of two adorable boys. CAROLE JAKUCS, RN, BSN, PHN Carole is a freelance writer, certified public health nurse and health/fitness enthusiast who writes for a variety of publications. NANCY SOKOLER STEINER Nancy is a freelance writer specializing in health, medicine and human interest. Her work has appeared in Los Angeles Times Magazine, Southbay Health and other publications. H ere in the South Bay, we're in the midst of an unseasonably warm autumn, so for many, the idea of winter sports is not top of mind. But chances are Torrance Memorial Medical Center anesthesiologist Stanley Chang, MD, the subject of this issue's "Healthiest Person I Know" article (page 26), has already planned his winter escapes. For most of us, being dropped from a helicopter onto a mountaintop and then urged to ski to the bottom does not a relaxing vacation make. But for Dr. Chang and his skiing partner Ramin Mirhashemi, MD, heli- skiing, as it's called, is bliss. "It's fantastic to be out in nature," says Dr. Chang. "It's very peaceful doing your own thing—you have a sense of freedom. It's very serene and meditative. We're not thrill seeking by any means. We try to minimalize the danger, not seek it out." For those of you who prefer to seek inner peace in a comfortable room without the fear of avalanches, perhaps now would be a good time to remind you of the many different yoga classes Torrance Memorial has to offer at both the Health Education Center in Torrance and the Center of Healthy Living (Malaga Cove) in Palos Verdes, including chair yoga, yoga basics, restorative yoga, yoga therapy and more. Offerings rotate throughout the year. For more information, see our Calendar (page 22), visit torrancememorial.org/classes or call 310-517-4711. Wishing you and yours a healthy—and peaceful—autumn and holiday season. —The Editors INNER PEACE, TWO WAYS