Prime Time

POSTED: Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009

Retired psychotherapist finds alternative treatments a path to whole-body wellness

Name: Sara Todd

Age: 72

Hometown: Bellingham

Occupation: Retired transpersonal psychotherapist and yoga teacher

Family: Two daughters, Alexandrea Spaulding, 43 and Laura Todd, 42; divorced twice.

Diagnosis: At 50, Todd was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. "I was in grad school studying transpersonal psychology, working full time as a massage therapist and yoga teacher. Also, I was menopausal so I spent four years trying to get help through Western medicine," she says. "I was overloaded. That's usually what happens to people, often women in their midlife."

Path to help: Todd tried various tests; at least one doctor told her there was nothing wrong with her health. "I couldn't walk up the stairs or wash my own hair. I was beside myself so I kept searching," she says.

Getting it right: In 1990, she began following the advice of Vasant Lad, a nationally known New Mexico ayurvedic physician, who guided her on how to choose correct foods for her body, and overcame the chronic fatigue.

Healthy start: Todd had a strong foundation in healthy living since her mother was a nurse. "My mother exercised a lot, played golf and walked. She lived until she was 97 and a half. She's a legacy for me." Todd's father died at age 90.

A brighter today: In addition to ayurveda, Todd stays on track addressing her aches and pains through kinesthesiology, acupuncture and energy work like chi gong. She has regular massages and meditates.

Good eats: Todd had been a vegetarian but after being diagnosed as anemic, she started eating meat.

New approach to food: Her ayurvedic approach to cooking means she emphasizes fresh foods. In ayurveda, "we don't eat anything older than 24 hours. The idea is that the energy of the food is gone," she explains.

Diet details: Todd enjoys herbal teas; hot cereal with ginger, spices, cumin seed and ghee (Indian butter); and kitchari, a rice and beans dish with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and turmeric, which cleanses the blood, she says.

'What feels good': Occasionally, she indulges in favorite foods, such as dark chocolate and coffee ice cream. "I know my body and I know what feels good. I'm paying attention, and I'm curious about things when they don't feel good," she says.

Balance: Todd encourages everyone to try yoga at any age. "The thing about yoga is that it's so beautiful and you can do it at any level. It involves breathing and your awareness, not just the physical movement," she said.

On the move: To get around, Todd rides her bike and walks frequently.

Up in smoke: A smoker until her mid-30s, Todd used to smoke a half a pack a day. "I would go for a run and then have a cigarette."

Splurges: She occasionally has sugar, alcohol or caffeine. "I don't feel good when I do that. My diet regulates me. I know my body pretty well," she says.

Travels: In the 1990s, Sara visited India, where she studied with a guru and stayed at an ashram to help with her spiritual practice. "In India, people my age are preparing themselves for a good death, that you feel complete with your life," she says. "That's part of being a student in yoga. I'm watching, Who am I? What is my body doing?"

Mind and body connection: After turning her garage into a studio, Todd returned to art and painting, doing what she calls soul collages. "I'm mostly interested in the process of me. I don't necessarily have to sell my work. I'm more interested in the spiritual work," she says. "I just want to see what shows up."

Later-in-life decisions: Eager to retire and be nearer her children, who lived in Bellingham, Todd moved north from California. "I made a gigantic change at 71. I very consciously planned for it," she says. "I think family is an important aspect of life. I wanted to know my children better. Change is not easy for an old person."

New awareness: "I like the unknown. I like the unfolding of the changes that keep happening. I like staying aware," she says. "I don't feel like I'm any different as a 72-year-old than I was as a 42-year-old. This time of life is the time you give back. It's called generativity." Young at heart: Playing with a friend's 3-year-old daughter also keeps Todd on her toes. "She's so spontaneous and fully engaged in life," she says. "That's the way I would like to be."

Jennifer Karchmer is a freelance writer in Bellingham