Silk - A Magazine for women

www.silkthemagazine.com 3

Table of ContentsEditor’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5A Weigh of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7It’s Easy Eating Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8A Woman of Substance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Garden Essentials for Spring . . . . . . . . . . . .10Spring Is Picnic Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Reflexology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Hormone Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Swimwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Let Your Green Thumb Bloom . . . . . . . . . .19Images Woven in Silk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Ask A Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Covered In Silk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25-30

Shana Adkisson, [email protected]

366-3532

Cathy Hanselman, Advertising [email protected]

366-3563

Shana Adkisson, Editor

Aaron Wright, Writer

Nanette Light, Writer

Michael Kinney, Writer

Kevin Ellis, Photographer

Jerry Laizure, Photographer

Marise Boehs, Designer

Jason Clarke, Webmaster

Saundra Morris, Advertising Director

David Stringer, Publisher

Silk is a publication of The Norman Transcript

with offices at 215 E. Comanche,

Norman, OK 73069

4 www.silkthemagazine.com


There are certain things in this world I wish I could do. I’ve always wanted to be able to sing. Wait. I’ve always wantedto be able to sing and have people enjoy hearing me sing. I can sing. But, and you’ll have to just trust me on this one, youreally don’t want to hear my voice climb up and down the vocal ladder. I also wish I could eat a bucket of carbohydratesand not gain the weight. But one of my biggest dreams is having a green thumb. My thumb is more of a pale yellow.

Every spring I get these odd notions. I want to plant. Something. Anything. One year it was watermelons and can-taloupe. Go ahead and laugh, everyone else did.

At the first signs of spring I usually spend one weekend cleaning the house from top to bottom. We donate clothes tocharity. A couple of dead appliances find themselves on the curb ready for trashcollection or nosy neighbors. There are strict guidelines for cleaning the garage.And there seems to always be a paintbrush involved in the scenario.

When the curtains are cleaned, the floorboards are dusted and the paint hasdried, I look outside at my yard. It’s there I don’t see the dead grass or the treesthat have yet to bloom. I have beautiful visions of rhododendrons, chrysanthe-mums and lilies. In my mind the blooming beauties would be capped off with akoi pond. And a fountain. And cute little statues of garden gnomes. Then realitysits in. Deep inside I know those rhododendrons would rot, the chrysanthemumscould cry and the koi would be eaten by the two dogs that would traipse throughthe previously mentioned pond. I also shouldn’t forget the rabbit that keeps invit-ing himself into the yard. He really enjoyed those watermelon plants a few yearsago.

The former owner of our home was blessed with the ability to plant somethingand have it thrive. When we took ownership of the house there were flowers andplants busting out of our yard. It was a sight to behold that’s for sure. I think we’dlived in the house a month when all outside vegetation realized the new owner

hadn’t a clue as to how to care for them. I was like the wicked stepmother you’ve seen in fairy tales — hated and feared.The only survivors are two rose bushes and a crepe myrtle. I can’t take credit for any of these surviving specimens.

They have to do it all on their own. I’m afraid to go near the plants for fear they will wither under my control. Seems as ifthey have this thriving and surviving thing figured out without my help.

I’ve tried, too. For the first two years of home ownership, I gave it my all. I weeded. I fertilized. I planted. I watered. Ialso ached. I moaned — a lot. And that’s where the story ends. Usually by the time my body would stop aching is aboutthe time the plants and flowers would die.

If killing a plant were a crime I’d be doing life without parole by now. I’ve given up the idea of ever having a lush land-scaped yard. Now I just drive through neighborhoods and dream. It’s like looking at Christmas lights, only this time Iadmire your peonies, hydrangeas and your daffodils.Keep on blooming.

Sincerely,

Letter from the Editor


On the north lawn at West Point, poised on a tip of landoverlooking the Hudson, is a cauldron full of stones encircledby an enormous steel chain. Visitors often pause there to takepictures. It reeks of significance. People video the stonesand muse about their origin as if, perhaps, they might havebeen carried there from Plymouth Rock itself. It’s funnythough, the cauldron and the rocks aren’t important in theleast. It’s the chain that has a story.

The 114 lb. links were actually strung together back in the1700s to prevent British ships from passing through the chan-nel. The natural S curve of the Hudson in this area wouldforce the ships to slow enough that an ingeniously designedunderwater barricade would thwart their passage onto theHudson. The chain in its entirety was 600 feet in length. It’stotal weight was 65 tons. It was like an inanimate Red Roverwall taunting the British to try to break through if they dared.

While the creativity behind the chain was definitely what wenow like to call “outside the box” thinking, the actual imple-mentation of the concept was off the charts. I can see thepioneers in a big roundtable meeting: “Great idea guys! Loveit! Now who’s going to carry this one end over there to theother side?”

Ultimately, an elaborate system of ropes and pulleys thatnot only enabled assemblage but also allowed for adjustmentsto tides and currents was employed. Each link in the chainwas placed on a wooden raft and floated across the channelto be anchored to its neighbor thus constructing a web of steelprotecting American turf.

And it did exactly what it was designed to do. Withoutdoing anything at all.

See, no ship ever tried it. Tests performed much laterrevealed that the chain was actually incapable of stopping aBritish vessel, regardless of its speed.Had any ever dared pass, they couldhave, despite the ingenious Americanplan.

The chain worked without working.

And it’s proudly displayed at our United States MilitaryAcademy as a result. I find that ironic and enlightening anddownright funny all at the same time. We think of ourNation’s Army as brawn and guts personified. And the chainis certainly that. But its effectiveness came not from what itdid but from what the opponent feared it could do.

And it made me think of Stacey Dales and the way she usedto warm up before basketball games. Many an opposingcoach lost color to her face just watching Dales maneuver

around the court before the opening tip. She justhad this confident air about her that made oppo-nents think and re-think. And while they werethinking about what she might do, we usuallyjumped out to a sizeable lead. Weird but real. We

used to giggle as wewatched it take place.

A fair of amount of suc-cess is stunting. Are great poker players greatbecause they always get the best cards or are theygreat because they make the other guy believethey’re holding the best cards? Hard to say. Maybe alittle bit of both. There are lots of ways to win. Youcan out think, you can out muscle, you can outmaneuver. Or you can bet the house on the otherguy not having enough moxie to beat you.

One thing is for certain: perception can be reality.In battle, in sport, in competition of any kind, “whatis” really matters. But maybe “what might be” mat-ters just as much.

The Power of Perception

A W e i g h o f L i f e

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Toni Viles, RD, LD, community dietitian at NormanRegional Health System, gives healthy salad tips to followas the temperatures rise and our thoughts turn to eatinggreen.

• Get plenty of greenleafy vegetables likeromaine, spinach ormixed salad greens.Remember that the dark-er lettuces offer morevitamins than pale ice-berg.

• For more fiber, vita-mins and bulk without alot of calories add fruitsand vegetables. Trychopped apple, oranges,blueberries, blackberries,sliced strawberries or afew raisins (rememberthat dried fruit is healthyfruit but it’s a condensedversion so keep the por-tions small). Toss insome veggies like red bellpepper, tomatoes, car-rots, snap peas, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini,asparagus and cucumbers.

• Add heart-healthy nuts and seeds, but remember thatevery two tablespoons adds 100 calories so don’t get toowild. Beware the candied nuts on some restaurant salads— they can have double the calories.

• If the salad is a main dish, be sure to add some leanprotein to help keep you full longer. Skip the fried orbreaded chicken and opt for the grilled or roasted chick-en or turkey, fish, lean beef, a hard-boiled egg or beans.You also can add some cheese but choose reduced fatversions and keep the portions to about 1/4 cup to limitthe calories and the artery-clogging saturated fat.Picking the more flavorful varieties of cheese like parme-san, feta or pepper jack can make it easier to go easy onthe cheese.

• Skip the thick, creamy dressings and go for a lighteroption like balsamic vinaigrette, plain vinegar or limejuice. It’s important to remember that most salad dress-ings are high in fat and sodium so limiting the portions

is essential to keeping your salad healthy. It’s commonfor restaurant salads to be tossed with 1/3 cup of dressing;this could add an extra 350 calories. Keep the dressing on

the side and try justdipping your fork in itbefore getting a bite tohelp limit the amountof dressing you eat.

• Don’t go overboardon the starchy garnish-es like fresh-bakedbread, breadsticks,muffins and biscuits.Soft breadsticks haveabout 150 calories eachand the bread (withoutthe dipping oil) hasabout 100 calories for amedium piece. Havingtwo or three pieces canmake the calories addup quickly and defeatsthe purpose of having asalad in the first place.

By Aaron Wright

It is easy eating green

Fancy That’s Strawberry Blue Cheese Salad (containing mixed greens, sliced strawber-ries, blue cheese crumbles and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing) — estimated 245 caloriesfrom calorieking.com.

Local salads nutritional information:Panera Bread Classic Cafe Salad — 170 calories,

according to its Web sitePanera Bread Salmon Caesar Salad — 480 calories,

according to its Web siteQuiznos Steak and Blue Cheese Salad — 230 for the

small salad and 510 for regular, according to its Website

Quiznos Classic Cobb Salad — 420 for the smallsalad and 830 for regular, according to its Web site

Coach’s Peppered Turkey Spinach Salad (containingpeppered turkey, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, mush-rooms, parmesan cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette) —estimated 345 calories from calorieking.com.

Pink Elephant Cafe’s Pink Elephant Salad (containingstrawberries, kiwi, pineapple, feta cheese, toastedalmonds, berry-cinammon vinaigrette over organicgreens) — estimated 245 calories from calorieking.com


When crisis erupts, Judy Hatfield is on the receiving end,trying to lessen the quake’s aftermath.

An organizer of chaos — as she likes to call herself —Hatfield, president and CEO of the commercial real estatefirm Equity Realty, launched her career as a receiver beneaththe rubble of the oil bust in the 1980s.

“When I was growing up, women were either teachers,nurses or secretaries.That didn’t really fitmy M.O. I alwaysknew I wanted to ownmy own business, but Iwanted to learn how-toon other people’sdimes” said Hatfield, aself-made businesswoman, who hasworked as a plant con-troller for a local elec-tric company, vicepresident of FirstNational Bank ofNorman and presidentof a public relationsfirm, before breakingout into real estate.

“I’ve got lots of jeansand cowboy boots butparty dresses, too. Youname it; I’ve probablydone it,” said Hatfield,a University ofOklahoma financemajor who positionedherself on the job mar-ket at age 2 when shesold her father’s busi-ness cards.

Hatfield, known for her 20-year plans (her current one isto control Norman’s commercial real estate market), comesfrom a lineage of entrepreneurs: Her dad and grandfatherwere in the furniture business and her oldest son sells com-mercial real estate in the Dallas area.

After graduating college, Hatfield was certain of one thing:She was going to own her own business — and it wasn’t goingto be furniture.

As Hatfield pulled out her one-page resume, admitting thehumbling task of limiting her accomplishments to one sheet,she began answering the hanging question: How did shechart her path?

“Back in the oldendays, I had this gruffgrandpa that was reallycool. He always saideverybody zips theirpants the same way,you’ve just got to learnhow,” Hatfield said.

Hatfield, who grewup in Pauls Valley, did-n’t have a mentor orcounselor outlining herroute. She schemed hercareer climb solo.

“I love to do strategicvisioning,” saidHatfield, adding thather innate ability toread people and for-ward thinking steeredher course. “It’s like apuzzle for me. I lovemath, and I’m verymath oriented. When Iwas little, I didn’t drawpictures, I drew funkynumbers.”

And though Hatfield,who initially markedthe course toward

being a developer, didn’t plan for her numbers to add up toreal estate, realized that numbers don’t lie. Her carefullyderived career formula proved “X” equaled the commercialmarket.

“And to think, all this started from the bust,” she said.

Judy Hatfield is sweeping the marketA W o m a n o f S u b s t a n c e

By Nanette Light

Photo by Jerry Laizure

Judy Hatfield


Leverage Assisted Trimmers:These shears increase the efficiencyof cutting while reducing the effort,due to these tools’ ratchet-drivenability that makes cutting throughbranches easier, if you lack strength.The secret to these trimmers is thehandle, which thanks to its between-the-handles cam and off-centerpivot, rolls when you squeeze.

By Nanette Light

Garden essentials for springWhen the calendar flips to spring, the green thumb in many begins to bud.Here, Silk has streamlined a list of gardening tools to make gardening — forthe novice to the expert — open to full bloom with ease.

7-in-1 Planter Buddy:This multi-purpose gar-dening tool functions as atrowel blade for planting;its serrated edge can openbags of mulch and soil;the sharpened, straightedge is used to cut sod andtwine; its cutter tip rips upweeds; and poly tampertamps down stakes, mark-ers and fertilizer spikes.

Select-a-spray nozzle: Here’s a nozzle with multi-personalities.

The seven spray pattern positions,let you adjust

from a full spray — in either a cone, sharp steam, or full flow — flood,

mist, jet and shower.

Garden kneelers or knee pads:Whether you prefer to strap on or gostrapless with the kneelers, these padsmake hours of kneeling while plant-ing and weeding more breezy andprotects pants from large mud stains.Available in packs of three at Acehardware. The pads and kneelers aremade of soft foam with a moisturewicking fabric liner.

Gloves: Available in leather,canvas and jersey varieties,gloves protect hands fromthorns and other unforeseenobjects when digging throughdirt.

Garden Netting: If you have problemswith birds and animals tearing throughyour vegetables and flowers, try gardennetting. This mesh netting protects gardens from thosethat fly and walk on fours and is available in avariety of sizes.

Photos provided by acehardware.com and amazon.com



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Not too cold, not too hot. Flowers are blooming. Cabinfever has set in. Spring is the perfect time for picnics. Beloware some tips to make your outing more enjoyable.• Keep leftover condiments from fast food restaurants onhand. They are easy to bring along. • Pick the spot according to your guest list. For instance, fora family picnic, you may want to go to Andrews Park inNorman, where there is playground equipment, tenniscourts, basketball courts and a skate park. Or NortheastLions Park, where there is a fishing pond and a Frisbee golfcourse. For a more romantic picnic, consider renting thegazebo at Lions Park. There’s electricity in the gazebo whereyou can plug in music and a lamp for a twilight romanticdinner for two. • Make a list of all the food and other things you will needon the picnic. You don’t want to get stuck in the park with-out bread for sandwiches or something to drink.

• Bring or brainstorm activities to entertain children duringthe picnic. Food can only hold their attention so long. • Check the weather before heading out. Mother Nature isfickle. • Plan for emergencies. Bring umbrellas in case it decides torain, bring bug repellent, Band-Aids, extra plates and anti-bacterial spray. • Double-check to make sure your picnic area of choice issafe for both you and the natural environment and wildlifearound the spot. Is it really safe for you to bring food whereyou are?• Consider investing in apicnic pack or basket if youare frequent picnic-goers.Many times, these packsinclude all the utensils youneed for an easy-outing.

Spring is picnic timeBy Aaron Wright


Jan Allison is at that age, she said.For her, it’s a time catapulted by an onslaught of headaches,

mood swings and hot flashes. “I know I’ve got a hormone imbalance,” said Allison, 52,

who attended a seminar on bioidentical hormone replace-ment therapy, held by Dr. Amy Gregory of First GlanceMedical Spa, 3000 S.Berry Road, in January.Gregory is a board certi-fied family physician whospecializes in bioidenticalhormone replacementtherapy.

“I just wanted to checkit out and see what shehad to say,” said Allison,who’s a nurse.

And so did 80 otherwomen. In fact, Gregoryhad to tack on anothersession for these women,exhausted in their searchto alleviate the aches ofaging.

“I do seem like the lastditch effort sometimes,”said Gregory, who toutedthe benefits of bioidenti-cal hormone replacement therapy, as opposed to traditionalhormone replacement therapy. “They go to everybody elsebefore they come to me.”

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy summed upAlso known as natural hormone replacement, bHRT

replaces a woman’s hormones with identical, natural hor-mones that are tailored toward each woman’s specific needsand amounts.This means there is a balance of natural estrogens, proges-terone, DHEA, testosterone, melatonin and other hormones.Natural hormone replacement therapy is derived from theDiascorea composite of a wild yam, which is converted intomolecules identical to estrogens, progesterone, testosteroneand other natural hormones.

Gregory said the treatment is deemed natural because thechemical formula of these hormones matches the hormonesproduced by the body.

“No chemist on the planet can tell the difference betweenwhat God gave you and bioidentical hormones,” Gregorysaid.

Bioidentical hormones versus synthetic hormonesTraditional hormone replacement has been around since the

early 1970s. According to informa-

tion provided byGregory’s office, the mostwidely used hormone,premarin, is made frompregnant mares’ urine.

Gregory said premarincould cause complica-tions such as headaches,vaginal bleeding, highblood pressure, nauseaand irritability, since itdoes not act the same in awoman’s body as naturalestrogen.

How to know if bHRTis the right treatment

Gregory said bioidenti-cal hormones, while not acure for a hormone

imbalance, can help reduce hot flashes; improve sleep, mood,concentration and memory; improve the sex drive; and bet-ter maintain muscle mass and strength.

“I get headaches a lot. I take Advil PM, but I’d like not tohave to take it,” Allison said after the seminar.

Stagnant weight also can begin to drop, for women — frus-trated by lack of diet success — who are trying to lose weight.Kathy Oden-Hall, who started bioidentical hormone replace-ment therapy in September 2009 and manages public rela-tions for Gregory, said she has dropped 20 pounds since shebegan treatment.

“I was trying every diet in the book and exercising, andnothing would happen,” she said, adding that within threeweeks, the therapy also had wiped her hot flashes, raised herenergy levels and ensured sound-sleeping nights. “I still havemore to go, but it helps me stay motivated. It’s not a magicbullet.”

Feeling balanced. . .By Nanette Light

Dr. Amy Gregory

Photo by Jerry Laizure


Gregory said hormone imbalances can strikeat all ages and includes:

• Long and heavy menstrual cycles

• Irritability

• Bloating

• Hot flashes

• Insomnia

• Unexplained weight gain

• Headaches

• Lack of sexual interest

Prospective patients of Gregory’s must fill out an in-depthhealth survey. Patients then meet with Gregory to determineappropriate tests, administered usually through saliva testsbut sometimes urine, blood or stool.

“I need you to listen to yourself. I’m just the guide,” shesaid.

Gregory will then recommend hormones, supplements orboth.

In the beginning of treatment, Gregory meets with patientsonce a month for three months.

“I’m not going to just hand you a bag of goodies and say,‘have a nice life.’ If you have purple eyes, come back and seeme,” Gregory said.

Cost of the treatment Gregory said the first visit is $500, and the first set of hor-

mones, which she prefers to administer through drops, isabout $100. From there, she said the replacements run muchless, she said.

“I think it’s worth trying, but it’s kinda expensive,” Allisonsaid.

“This is an investment in yourself,” Gregory said.

When IIonka Vos’s clients havesinus problems, they hand overtheir feet. When their shouldersare sore from stress, she relaxestheir feet. When their digestivetract acts up, she helps them findrelief through their feet.

Vos has been practicing reflexolo-gy for more than five years. Shecurrently rents office space fromHealthy Solutions in Moore.

“It’s so interesting how that cor-responds to your body and whatyou’re feeling and what’s goingon,” she said about reflexology.“I’m just amazed by the science ofthis.”

Reflexology, a growing trendamong those seeking relief forhealth issues, is a science focusingon the principle of linking all ofthe glands, organs and parts of thebody with areas on the hands andfeet.

For instance, Vos said the toesrepresent the top of the body, thehead and brain area.

“I love checking the brain reflexand telling people, ‘You’ve got abrain, and it feels good,’” said Vos.

The practice of Reflexology canbe traced back to ancient Egyptiandays. Modern day reflexology isthought to have stemmed from theZone Theory in the early 20th cen-tury.

Different than a massage, Vossaid she uses accupressure to guidepeople in a type of preventativemaintenance. During each session,Vos starts by rubbing powder on

Reflexology connects body people’s feet. This dries them so she can rub them with-out slipping. Then she begins rubbing the feet, focusingon specific areas that relate to parts of the body. In thisway, she said, the feet talk to her, telling her if there areissues in the client’s overall body.

Vos stressed that she never diagnoses people; she willmerely tell people if she observes knots or unusual tensionin specific areas of the foot. Mostly, Vos recommends peo-ple follow up with their doctor on what the issue couldbe.

Sometimes, though, she said people will report to herthat they immediately see effects on their body after hav-ing a reflexology session. Vos said when clients with sinusissues come, oftentimes, within 20 minutes after a ses-sion, they will experience congestion clearing and otherside effects related to the issue.

One of Vos’s clients, Tim Orndorff, goes to Vos forproblems with his feet. Ordorff said the reflexology ses-sions keep his feet relaxed.

“It’s working out really well for me,” he said.Although the footwork is helping his feet, he said the

whole science of reflexology is interesting to him.“She can hone in what’s hurting you — it’s kind of

odd,” he said.James Henson, a therapist at Integrative Health Center

in Norman said that he thinks reflexology is a way to treatpeople before they have to turn to treatments that requireextra medication. Although Henson said he only per-forms a couple of reflexology sessions a month, he seesthis science growing as more people find out about it andas it becomes more easily available. He especially sees thisa viable option for those interested in holistic healing.

Vos admits that reflexology is not a solution for every-one. Some people experience no difference after a sessionor even several sessions. Others actually have negative sideeffects. Vos said she had one client that would experiencenightmares after sessions. She attributed it to toxic chem-icals released in his body after being stimulated fromreflexology.

Vos doesn’t get discouraged when her craft is not effec-tive for a client. She said she originally got into reflexolo-gy because of how it helped her several years ago. Shewants to share the relief with others and said she getsenough positive stories to keep her motivated.

“I still have that kind of child-like, that’s-fabulous-that-you-got-what-I-wanted-you-to-get feeling,” said Vos.

For those who are interested, but have fears of surren-dering their ticklish feet over, Vos wants to put their wor-ries to bed.

“I’ve only met one client who laughed the entire time Iworked on her feet,” she said.

Reflexology can be used to:• reduce stress• increase energy• improve blood circulation• aid digestion and sinus issues, among others• further maternity wellness• facilitate healing

with feet, hands

Ilonka Vos

By Aaron Wright

Photo by Kevin Ellis

17www.silkthemagazine.comwww.silkthemagazine.com16

When IIonka Vos’s clients havesinus problems, they hand overtheir feet. When their shouldersare sore from stress, she relaxestheir feet. When their digestivetract acts up, she helps them findrelief through their feet.

Vos has been practicing reflexolo-gy for more than five years. Shecurrently rents office space fromHealthy Solutions in Moore.

“It’s so interesting how that cor-responds to your body and whatyou’re feeling and what’s goingon,” she said about reflexology.“I’m just amazed by the science ofthis.”

Reflexology, a growing trendamong those seeking relief forhealth issues, is a science focusingon the principle of linking all ofthe glands, organs and parts of thebody with areas on the hands andfeet.

For instance, Vos said the toesrepresent the top of the body, thehead and brain area.

“I love checking the brain reflexand telling people, ‘You’ve got abrain, and it feels good,’” said Vos.

The practice of Reflexology canbe traced back to ancient Egyptiandays. Modern day reflexology isthought to have stemmed from theZone Theory in the early 20th cen-tury.

Different than a massage, Vossaid she uses accupressure to guidepeople in a type of preventativemaintenance. During each session,Vos starts by rubbing powder on

Reflexology connects body people’s feet. This dries them so she can rub them with-out slipping. Then she begins rubbing the feet, focusingon specific areas that relate to parts of the body. In thisway, she said, the feet talk to her, telling her if there areissues in the client’s overall body.

Vos stressed that she never diagnoses people; she willmerely tell people if she observes knots or unusual tensionin specific areas of the foot. Mostly, Vos recommends peo-ple follow up with their doctor on what the issue couldbe.

Sometimes, though, she said people will report to herthat they immediately see effects on their body after hav-ing a reflexology session. Vos said when clients with sinusissues come, oftentimes, within 20 minutes after a ses-sion, they will experience congestion clearing and otherside effects related to the issue.

One of Vos’s clients, Tim Orndorff, goes to Vos forproblems with his feet. Ordorff said the reflexology ses-sions keep his feet relaxed.

“It’s working out really well for me,” he said.Although the footwork is helping his feet, he said the

whole science of reflexology is interesting to him.“She can hone in what’s hurting you — it’s kind of

odd,” he said.James Henson, a therapist at Integrative Health Center

in Norman said that he thinks reflexology is a way to treatpeople before they have to turn to treatments that requireextra medication. Although Henson said he only per-forms a couple of reflexology sessions a month, he seesthis science growing as more people find out about it andas it becomes more easily available. He especially sees thisa viable option for those interested in holistic healing.

Vos admits that reflexology is not a solution for every-one. Some people experience no difference after a sessionor even several sessions. Others actually have negative sideeffects. Vos said she had one client that would experiencenightmares after sessions. She attributed it to toxic chem-icals released in his body after being stimulated fromreflexology.

Vos doesn’t get discouraged when her craft is not effec-tive for a client. She said she originally got into reflexolo-gy because of how it helped her several years ago. Shewants to share the relief with others and said she getsenough positive stories to keep her motivated.

“I still have that kind of child-like, that’s-fabulous-that-you-got-what-I-wanted-you-to-get feeling,” said Vos.

For those who are interested, but have fears of surren-dering their ticklish feet over, Vos wants to put their wor-ries to bed.

“I’ve only met one client who laughed the entire time Iworked on her feet,” she said.

Reflexology can be used to:• reduce stress• increase energy• improve blood circulation• aid digestion and sinus issues, among others• further maternity wellness• facilitate healing

with feet, hands

Ilonka Vos

By Aaron Wright

Photo by Kevin Ellis

17www.silkthemagazine.comwww.silkthemagazine.com16

18

Whether we like it or not ladies, it’s almost bathing suit sea-son. We’ve hid under those lumpy sweaters long enough. Andafter the rough winter we’ve had we deserve to bare a littleskin and hit the pool to soak up some warm sunshine.

Swimsuit shopping can be a daunting task. But with a lit-tle know-how and lots of patience the perfect swimsuit is outthere. Honest.

For a short torso, when your body is short in proportion toyour legs, try a bikini with a halter-top. This will emphasizeyour bust and shoulders. Paired with a bikini bottom that sitslow on the hips and you’ll be swimming in compliments.

Ladies with a long torso should try a one-piece swimsuit orbikini with high-cut legs. A high-cut style suit will shortenthe torso and lengthen the legs.

If being pear shaped is your body’s main flaw, you are notalone. The pear shape has often been the plague of women.In order to draw attention toward your more appealing char-acteristics try pairing an eye-catching bikini or tankini topwith subdued bottoms in a dark color.

When swimsuit shopping, large busted women should lookfor a straight across cut at the top of your swimsuit with wideset straps to minimize your bust. Another helpful tip mightbe to look for a bikini top with a hidden underwire for extrasupport.

Small busted women can add curves and subtle cleavage bywearing a bikini top with triangle-shaped cups and a tie-front. Both features can add shape to any small bust.

In general, plus-sized women should purchase swimsuits indarker colors. Darker colors, such as reds and blues, can offeran overall minimizing effect. Look for a fitted swimsuit witha defined waist and high percentage of Lycra/spandex. Ahigh-cut leg also will slim your legs and hips.

When camouflaging a flabby stomach tankinis work betterthan a bikini or one piece. Bikinis totally expose a jiggly belly,and trying to squeeze into a one-piece will not slim yourstomach, only emphasize it.

Other tipsCheck the swimsuits out. After you have chosen a few swim-suits to try on, try to view them in as natural light as possi-ble. Dressing room lights are often harsh and very unflatter-ing.

Buy what fits well. Overall, you should choose the swim-suit that you feel most comfortable to display around yourfamily and friends. One of the best-kept secrets of sexiness isfeeling comfortable within your own skin.

Source: www.wikihow.com

Be a bathing beauty

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By Shana Adkisson

Wish you had a green thumb? Join the club. Take baby steps and startby caring for these hard-to-kill indoor and outdoor plants.

Indoor variety:• Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) —“Basically, it’s castiron,” said TraceyPayton, horticulture agent from theOklahoma State University extensionoffice in Cleveland County. • Mother-in-law tongue or snakeplant — “I’ve had the one I havesince my freshman year of college,”said Payton. These plants are ever-green perennials with tall, stiff leaves. • Philodendron — Payton suggests atype of ivy with heart-shaped leaves.

Outdoor variety:• Cone flowers — perennial flowers that come in a variety of colorsand are native to Oklahoma. • Crepe myrtles — “Crepe myrtles do great in Oklahoma; they’re pret-ty resilient,” said Payton. Crepe myrtles are shrubs that bear colorfuland long-lasting flowers, generally pink or purple in Oklahoma. • Gaillardia — the state wildflower. These blanket flowers are drought-tolerant annuals and perennials that are part of the sunflower family. • An arrangement of ornamental grasses — From pink muhly to zebragrass, these grasses are easy to take care of and come in a variety ofstyles, colors, textures and sizes.

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To advertise call Cathy Hanselman @ 366-3563


IMAGESWoven In Silk

Do you have a picture of a glorious Oklahoma sunset? How about a flower that is in beautiful bloom in your yard?Why not share your picture with Silk? Send your 8X10 (2400 X 3000 pixel) photo to [email protected] for future publication. Please include your name, location of photo and a brief story about thelocation. If you would like to mail the photo send it to P.O. Drawer 1058, Norman, OK 73070, Attention Silkeditor. If you would like your photo mailed back please include a self address stamped envelope.

Lauma Redin submitted these photos of a sunrise and sunset at

Judy Hatfield’s ranch in Blanchard.Lauma writes “I loved the fluffyclouds with the prairie — very

Oklahoma.”


By Michael Kinney

A s k A M a n

Dear Ask a Man: Sports Illustrated and othersports magazines seem to be more into showingwomen’s bodies than talking about sports. Aresports magazines sexist? And if so, should I beupset that my husband looks at them?

If you look hard enough, anyone can findcontroversy. The latest example is the Feb. 8issue of Sports Illustrated. On the cover,American downhill skier Lindsey Vonn isshown in what some are calling a extremelyprovocative pose in a skintight skiing outfit.

Detractors of the cover feel that SportsIllustrated is just using Vonn’s attractiveness tosell copies of their magazine.

According to womantalksports.com, “Whenfemales are featured on the cover of SI, they aremore likely than not to be in sexualized posesand not in action and the most recent Vonncover is no exception.”

I agree with them. It’s sexist and exploitative.But I don’t think there is anything wrong withit. Putting a beautiful woman on the front ofalmost any magazine will sell more. It’s adver-tising 101.

The fact is, Vonn is not the first athlete to usesexuality to sell magazines. Gabrielle Reece,the 2002 Brazilian women’s soccer team andfigure skater Katarina Witt posed for Playboy.Not to mention that Sports Illustrated starteda trend that turned into a monster with itsannual swimsuit edition.

In 2009 ESPN the Magazine featured SerenaWilliams, Adrian Peterson and DwightHoward nude in its “Body Issue.” Even thegreat Jim Brown posed fully nude for Playgirlin 1974.

Vonn is doing nothing new or even close to

as provocative as her counterparts in othersports. But it looks like she will be the targetfor those who want to keep sexuality out ofathletics.

The same thing happened to BrandiChastain. After the U.S. soccer star ripped offher jersey during the 1999 women’s world cupand celebrated in her sports bra, the photolanded her on the multiple magazine coversaround the world. Discussions about feminismand sexism popped up on the media and ontelevision.

“For me, my basic comment to anyone whoasked me about it was that I was actually excit-ed to have the conversations,” Chastain recent-ly told NBC. “It gave us a chance to talk aboutissues, and it always came back to soccer. So itwas an open-door invitation to talk about thepicture but also other things.”

And for a brief moment in time, Americansactually cared about professional women’s soc-cer. The players who came before Chastainmay have hated the spectacle she made, butthey could not argue with the attention thatwas drawn to their sport.

While it may ruffle a few feathers, we all haveto agree that sex sells.

As far as if you should be upset, that’s a bigno. Regardless of how any wife or girlfriendfeels, men will continue to look at beautifulathletic women. It’s in our DNA.

So even if you took the route of outlawingSI, GQ, Maxim, etc., in your house, it maynot work. If a man wants to look, he will findsomething to look at. Better in a magazinethan when you two are out on the town.

If you have a question for Ask a Man, [email protected].



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Assistance League • Norman Chamber of Commerce • East Main Place

Silk

Covered in


Chamber of CommerceMarketplace

Embassy Suites HotelPhotos by Jerry Laizure

Cheryl Jackson and Jessica Henning,

Michael Bendure, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, left, and Jeff Lester, Eide Bailey

Brian Burks, Hey Day Entertainment Center and Pat Givens, Norman Chamber of Commerce ambassador

Tiffany English, Fowler Productions, left, and Charles Johnson, Johnson and Assoc.

Sally Shauberger, center, and David Attaway, right, of GreatNations Bank and Matt Mann of Gray, Blodgett and Co.


28th Annual Firehouse Art Center’sChocolate Festival

Photos by Kevin Ellis

Sugar, a bakery in Norman, had cakes at this year’s festival

Allison, left, and Tate Hammontree build some clay sculpturesin the Firehouse Art Center activity room

The Pink Elephant Cafe's ErinSmith works on making somechocolate wontons

Amy Cakes table

Michelangelo's Coffee & Win Bar's Paula Palermo hands out a sample to Susan Hinson



Norman Parks and RecreationDaddy Daughter Dance

Embassy Suites Hotel


John McHughes and his daughter Shelby Sean Murphy and his daughter Hannah

Scottie Bacon and his daughter Jadelyn


Jungwoo Lee, bottom let, Yejin Choi and Boram Kim. HelenDuchon and her husband Claude are standing.

Vicki Jansing, Denise Heavner, Amy Million and Felecia Farha, (seated)

Guests glance at auction items.

Barbara Wright and Leah Jackson.

Wendy Tecumseh, HeatherCook,Jennifer Nett, Nikki McBride and

Crystie Shebester.

Crystie Shebester serves up some spaghetti and salad.

Central Oklahoma Business Women’s16th Annual Spaghetti Dinner

and Silent AuctionStepBrothers


Available April 25th atThe Norman Bridal Show

Sunday 1 am - 5 pmOU Memorial Union Ballroom

900 Asp Ave.

For information on advertising, contact Cathy Hanselman at 366-3563 or 740-3248.

BRIDE’S GUIDE

TheBestDressfor YourBudget$1000? $800 $500? Less?Check out the chic styles at every price point

GET A GRIPSANITY CHECK!

How to keep your calm in a crazy time

OUR WEDDINGOUR WAY

YOUNG, BROKE AND READY

TO WED

PLUS:PERFECT-MATCH COLORS

5 QUESTIONS WITH PRESTON BAILEYSAMANTHABROWN’S HONEYMOON SECRETS

THE RIGHT WINE FOR YOUR WEDDING

Silk - A Magazine for women

Documents

green thumb bloom

shana adkisson

garden essentials

norman transcript

outside vegetation

dead grass

signs of spring

watermelon plants