Locally-written book showcases dancing for better health

Medford, Ore. — A healthy lifestyle can be hard keep up; between diet and exercise, it can be difficult to find the right balance for your daily schedule. A new book written by Rogue Valley doctor and NBC5’s Medical Expert Robin Miller, and local dance instructor Dave Kahn, is making it easier than ever to get into a healthy groove.

“It’s way more fun than a treadmill,” Kahn said.

Dancing is a major part of Kahn and Dr. Miller’s lives.

“You go out dancing, what three or four nights a week generally,” Kahn said of Miller.

“Yes, exactly,” Miller replied. “And he dances almost everyday.”

Not only have they been dance partners for more than five years, they’re now co-authors of a book, ‘Healed,’ on the same topic.

“We were talking about this, and we were saying to each other, if only people knew how great dancing was for you, socially, physically, mentally, it’s all there, and it’s the whole package, and it’s super fun.”

So fun — they say you probably won’t even notice the workout your getting.

“It’s great cardio, it makes you happy, it’s good for your entire body,” Miller said.

In fact, Dr. Miller says there’s a study to back that up.

“Ballroom dancing, if you do it three to four nights a week, reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s by 76-percent,” Miller said.

That risk can also be reduced by reading by 35 percent, but Dr. Miller says there’s something to partner dancing, that really makes an impact.

“When you’re partner dancing, there’s all this interaction that takes place in your brain and your body, and that activity increases neural networks in your brain,” Miller said.

The book also touches on diets, and focuses on easy ways to reset your system.

“Pick any diet, what they’re saying is, ‘cut weight very fast,’ and people do that, and almost everybody will gain it back plus more. and that’s where we’re saying no, there’s a different way to do it,” Kahn said.

The book features real life stories from people in the Rogue Valley. The book is available on Amazon. You can also pick up a copy at Club Northwest. A book signing will be taking place on March 28th, from 5 to 7 p.m.