The American Dream. This phrase draws people to our country by the thousands. The idea that greatness can be achieved, even when starting with nothing, is the touchstone of our Western culture. We live in a society where great value is placed on the external, somewhat elusive notion of “success.”

My family’s history is one of lack — not of money, food, or possessions — but of self-love. This history has manifested in heart disease and related conditions, as this lack of self-love was compensated for by food, taken in abundance or denied in extreme. Our hearts ached as our bodies became ill; yet we barely recognized this, so disconnected were we from the very thing that was meant to nourish us. This legacy is one shared by many today: a malnourishment in both body and heart, which is, in effect, a starvation of the soul and an act of great harm against ourselves and others.

They’re all around us: fountain-of-youth products, pills, drugs, exercise regimens, and diets. But can any antiaging strategy really improve physical fitness, range of motion, muscle tone, and posture?

Bodyworker, aromatherapist, and yoga instructor Yamuna Zake thinks so. In fact, she suggests we can prevent many of the unwelcome characteristics often associated with aging, such as rigidity and structural problems, simply by being more on the ball — literally.

Some of the most rewarding work for massage therapists and bodyworkers is interacting with people afflicted with dementia. What makes it so rewarding is how beneficial it is to the clients.