The Aware Body
THE AWARE BODY NEWS                                                        June 2009top
"Take care of your body, it's the only place you have to live"
- Jim Rohn
Greetings!

Welcome to the first edition of The Aware Body Newsletter!
 
Mary SerphosThe Aware Body is your resource to help you de-stress and find balance.
 
The Aware Body started in October 2008 as a small retail business designed to help those struggling with health concerns.  By offering custom designed "Wellness Boxes" filled with items to help our bodies heal and recover naturally, The Aware Body is serious about creating a "self-care revolution" and increasing overall body awareness. 
 
 
Currently, The Aware Body caters not only to those who want to boost their health but also to women and men who need to slow down, de-stress and spend time on self care. Wellness Boxes have been created for celebrations, like birthdays, graduations, Mother's Day gifts and anniversary's and most recently, we have designed gifts for new mom's, brides and bridal parties, a couple faced with the loss of their father/father-in-law, and women in Marin faced with cancer.   
 
In addition to creating custom designed Wellness Gifts, we will also be providing personalized phone and face-to-face Wellness Consultations to help you de-stress and find your way back to a more balanced life.  After battling numerous health concerns, The Aware Body founder, Mary Serphos has based her life around self care for the past 2 years and has truly found her way back to health and vitality.  She has spent time attending classes, lectures and has learned how, with self-discipline and time, our bodies can heal. Through this disciplined self-training she has accumulated a wealth of knowledge based on the art of self-care and is ready to share this information with others.  Mary has a background in psychotherapy and counseling and is licensed psychotherapist with eight years experience in the field.  She has recently started a private practice and has realized that counseling and helping other's heal is most effective when there are goals directed at healing the emotional mind as well as the physical body.    
 
The coupon below entitles you to either a FREE 30 minute initial consultation or 25% off a Wellness Box. For more information about our Wellness Boxes, please visit www.theawarebody.com.
 
The goal of The Aware Body is to help you find your way to relaxation and well-being even when you are saturated with to-do lists, stress, worry and a general feeling of being overwhelmed. It is our mission to help you find the vitality that is inherent in your body by tapping into your inner resources.   
 
For more details about how an Aware Body Wellness Consultation can help you feel your best, please contact Mary at 415-412-5490.
5 Tips to Increase Body Awareness
by Mary Serphos
 
The Aware Body 
1. Monitor the effects of food on your body and mind
Take note of how you feel after eating breakfast/lunch/dinner or a snack and remember that food has a direct and immediate connection to your mood, concentration, and energy level.  As a good first step to help boost your energy and mood, start by substituting refined sugar and chemical sweeteners with honey, unrefined cane juice, maple syrup or agave nectar.
 
 
2. Take a moment to step away from the chaos
Breaking away from the whirlwind of life is a big step towards self-care even if it's just for a minute or two...inhale deeply, jump up and down to get the blood flowing, stretch your arms, take a walk around the block, call or touch base with a friend or coworker who makes you laugh, and feel the joy. 
 
3. Notice what your body is telling you
Do you have a headache?  A stomachache?  Do you feel great?  Care for those parts of that are aching and celebrate mindfully when you feel good. Listen and slow down when you're "off" and switch things up if you notice a pattern. i.e. do you often have a headache after eating salty foods or after spending too much time indoors?
 
4. Emphasize the good in your body
Instead of focusing on what you don't like about your body or what is hurting, dedicate time to reflecting on what is working. Appreciate the fact that you are able to walk, eat, see, etc.  Keep a journal or small notebook on hand and write down one sense or body part that you are grateful for.
  
5. Find a refuge
Light a candle and take a bath with soothing oils, take a long walk on the beach or in a park, put on some music and dance either alone or with a partner, a friend, a child. Create a ritual in your life that honors your body whether it's something you do to slow you down or energize you.
  
Healing Food of the Month...Mint!
by Mary Serphos
Mint
Ahhh, the cooling sensation of mint.  We love mint: mint chocolate chip ice cream, Peppermint Patties, and Junior Mints. Yes, those sweet treats do please but fresh mint is pure and equally sweet without all the sugar. Fresh Mint is a perfect summertime addition to sweet and savory dishes.
 
Try it picked right from the garden- wash it and curl it into a tight ball and slice away. Toss it on fruit salad, blend it in plain yogurt with honey, and add it to dips and sauces for a zingy bite. Mint not only cools and refreshes but also has properties that heal and soothe the body. Here are a few that will perk you up.

Digestion:  Mint stimulates digestive enzymes and blocks the growth of harmful bacteria. Try some mint tea before or after a meal.

Relief from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome):  One capsule of whole leaf peppermint oil extract after a meal will help soothe cramping and aches associated with IBS.

Stimulate the senses:  Mint Essential Oil is a wonderful way to help with headaches and nausea. Mix one drop of peppermint essential oil into a teaspoon of olive or almond oil and rub it on the temples.

Cooling Sensation: On a hot summer day add a few sprigs of mint to your water and get the sensation. Add a few drops of mint essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water, chill, and spritz it all over your body!
Product Review
 Sweet Relaxation
 
We invite you to a preview of our smaller scale Wellness Box: Sweet Relief Relaxation Kit.  Filled with wonderful goods to help relax, restore, and renew...perfectly contained in either a tin box with a lid or a sustainably crafted bamboo tray.
 

Menu of Goods:
  
  • Luxurious Body Oil  (locally made by Naya Organics in Mill Valley, CA).  $6 each
  • Dreamy Eye Pillows filled with natural lavender and flax.  $12-14 each.
  • Soy Tin Candles in an array of natural scents.  $8 each.
  • Framed "Sweet Relief" Photos.  $12- 25 each.
  • Aromatherapy Patches. $2 each.
  • Mini Journal. $2 each.
  • "Listen from Within" Journal.  $12 each
  • Urban Nature CDs - a local Marin, CA duo, excellent world music for relaxation.  $12 each.
  • Costa Rica Ocean DVDs - soothing images and sounds of the ocean, tastefully choreographed to pop into your computer or your TV to help you escape the chaos.  $20 each.
To order a "Sweet Relief Relaxation Kit" and/or to find out more details please call 415-412-5490 or email mary@theawarebody.com.

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Call us today to schedule your FREE 30 minute consultation!
We look forward to hearing from you.
 
Sincerely,
 
Mary Serphos
The Aware Body
415-412-5490 
Forward this issue
In This Issue
5 Tips to Increase Body Awareness
Healing Food of the Month...Mint!
Product Review
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