Theresa Franklin, NCTMB, LMT, RYT, CMT

Olivia Kelly, NCTMB, LMT

 Please pay in cash or checks made out to Charles Whitten.   

You can read more about Jerry Whitten and Chen Tai Chi Chuan in the July 2011 newsletter.  

Check out our updated schedule of all yoga classes. Call Be Well Now at 462-3900 for the cost of classes  

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Can't lose weight or keep it off? Join Dr. Jacob Sherer for a weight loss talk Monday June 18 at 6 p.m. Dr. Sherer will be discussing the pitfalls of not only losing weight but keeping it off. There is no charge to attend but it is limited to 10 people. Sign up today to reserve your spot!        

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Don't end the summer looking like the infamous "tanning mom!" As you prepare to show more skin, get ready to face the sun's rays with our summer skin tips!   

Keep skin hydrated

How: Up your regimen's level of hydration with intensive masques, perfect for use one to two times a week. Boosters are a great fit, working best when layered underneath a moisturizer. Toners are a refreshing moisturizer prep, working to even out skin porosity. Refresh with a revitalizing toner spritz at your desk, in the car, at the gym, on the plane!

Make friends with H20

Why: Higher temperatures and more time outdoors leads to internal dehydration which can result in headaches and dizzy spells!

What you can do: Eight 8-ounce glasses of plain, filtered water every day helps maintain critical moisture balance of the body and skin and assist in detoxification.

When in doubt, apply (and reapply!)

Why: It's not enough to just apply sunscreen. You must apply enough and apply frequently. Studies indicate that most people do not apply nearly as much daylight protection as they should.

How often: Re-apply every two hours. Tip: Stay out of the midday sun from mid-morning to late afternoon whenever you can.

Repair and treat sun damage

What causes skin damage: UV light causes photoaging in the form of brown spots, coarse skin and wrinkles, whether you have burned your skin or not. When sunlight comes in contact with skin a cascade of damage results (including the stripping of barrier lipids) causing inflammation, production of reactive oxygen molecules that affect healthy cell growth, and stimulation of collagen destructing enzymes.

What to do: A tan may be a popular summer look, but it indicates damage. Bombard your skin with age-fighting ingredients to help undo any damage that may occur and to further protect it from the aging effects of UV.

Contact Kristi Watson at 462-3900 today for help in protecting your skin this summer!  

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Yoga can protect your knees 

It's not often we think about our knees. We just know they are functioning properly when we can run, walk, jump, twist, bend....all without pain. Our knees provide us with stability and strength to support our body weight.

Using a chair for support can also help with knee problems. A variation of Warrior I allows the practitioner to get the full benefits of this traditional yoga pose without putting extra stress on the knees.

International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 2006 (79-94) The Role of Yoga Therapy in Knee Rehabilitation

Chair Pose     

The blueprint

The yogi stands with knees bent, thighs parallel to the floor, with a slight natural curve to the lower back. The arms are raised overhead; the palms can touch or not.   

How to do it

1. Stand in Tadasana. Inhale and raise your arms perpendicular to the floor. Gaze up to your palms.     
2. Exhale and bend your knees, bringing the thighs parallel to the floor.  
3. Firm your shoulder blades against the back. Tuck your tailbone down and in to keep the lower back long.
4. Stay for 30 seconds to a minute.  
5. To come out of this pose, straighten your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through the arms. Exhale and release your arms to your sides. 

• relax your shoulders and slide them back and down away from your ears  
• raise your arms only as far as you can if you experience shoulder pain  
• keep your abdomen pulled in against your spine 

Don't:  

•  lean your weight too far forward
•  round the lumbar spine; this puts stress on the discs between the vertebrae
• look up if you are feeling dizzy or have neck pain 

Benefits

• Strengthens the ankles, thighs, calves, and spine
• Stimulates the abdominal organs, diaphragm, and heart
• Reduces flat feet
• Strengthens the hip flexor muscles, the front of your thighs, you adductor muscles of your inner thighs and the gluteus muscles of your hips.
• Strengthens and stretches your calf muscles.

Contraindications  

• Headache
• Insomnia
• Low blood pressure

Beginners tips and modifications

To make this pose less challenging, place the hands on the knees.   

If you have a knee injury, you can perform this pose against a wall. Stand against a wall and bend your knees only as far as possible without putting a strain on the knee joint. Don't bend them more than 90 degrees. Feel your muscles working, not your knees. When you come out of the pose, you can put your hands on the wall to take some of the weight off your legs.

Advanced practitioner variations 

As you bend your knees, lift up onto the balls of your feet and sit your buttocks down on your raised heels. Extend your arms forward, parallel to each other and the floor, palms down or facing inward.

 Bring the hands into a prayer position at the heart. Twist to the right side, bringing the left elbow outside the right knee. Stay low in the pose and keep the knees pressing together. Come back to center and then do the left side.