Donna Gallers Holistic Health
Nourishment For Your Whole Life
October 2009 Newsletter: Are You Too Busy?
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Greetings!,
The seasons are changing again; we're well into autumn and settled into our busy lives. In this season, we may find ourselves bustling like squirrels gathering acorns for winter. There's so much we want to get done! But it's also important to slow down and take time for ourselves in the process.
I'm pleased to invite you to a 3-part Easy Steps For Health workshop series designed to jump-start you on a healthy path as we head into the holiday season and the new year. More details are below or here.
I am also now offering Clinical and Process Acupressure integrative bodywork sessions in my home office on the Lower East Side and at Path For Life Center near Union Square. Please contact me for more information or click here.
Holistic health counseling offers you a chance to take a
look at your food and lifestyle with support and guidance to make changes that
will work for you for the rest of your life.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or to set up your
free initial consultation. Happy Halloween!
Warmly,
Donna
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Please join me for a 3-Session Workshop
beginning Nov. 11
EASY STEPS FOR HEALTH:
Jump-start the New Year with
Increased Health and Energy
Do you want to:
· Improve your eating, exercise and self-care habits?
· Kick cravings and start eating delicious food that really nourishes you?
· Feel confident in choosing and preparing healthy food for yourself and your family?
· Experience increased energy and vitality?
· Maintain your ideal weight and feel better in your body?
· Enjoy the holidays without gaining weight, getting sick, or stressing out?
Imagine
what your life would be like if you had clear thinking, energy and
vitality every day. You deserve it, so why wait? This is a great
time to jump-start the holiday season and New Year with increased health, happiness, and
balance.
You will:
· Understand and learn to reduce cravings (especially if you have a sweet tooth!)
· Enjoy healthy eating without deprivation
· Learn how to incorporate whole foods, including greens and grains, into your diet
· Focus on increasing nourishment in all areas of your life
· Receive healthy shopping, eating out, and snack tips
· Get strategies for enjoying the holiday season and entering the New Year feeling healthy and vibrant
This 3-week health counseling workshop
will help you take simple and achievable steps to improve your health,
nutrition, and overall well-being-in ways that are flexible, fun, and
free of denial or discipline. Each session is 90 minutes, in a small
group size that allows everyone to get support in meeting their goals.
You will receive handouts, recipes, food samples, and other
resources-along with discounts on bodywork sessions and individual
health counseling.
Dates: Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 PM
November 11, November 18, December 2
Location: Path For Life Center, 80 East 11th Street
Just south of Union Square (between Broadway & University)
Cost: $125
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Register by Wednesday, October 28 at midnight to receive a special rate of $99 for the whole series-that's a 20% discount.
Click here to register now -- space is limited
For more information, please contact me at dgallers@yahoo.com or (917) 239-5777.
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Help! I Have Too Much To Do!
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This is a busy season. Many of us have a multitude of activities, projects and responsibilities on our plates. It's truly astounding what we try to get done--and what we DO get done. Kudos to all of us for our many achievements (and our juggling skills)!
However, sometimes it can feel like too much. Are you feeling the stress of a daunting, seemingly endless list of things to do? Sometimes I feel like Milo in the children's novel The Phantom Tollbooth, who, in the quest of something already impossible (rescuing the banished Princesses of Rhyme and Reason), encounters obstacle after obstacle. At one point he meets a friendly, faceless man who asks for help with a few small jobs, including moving a huge pile of sand to a new location using only a tiny tweezers. The man turns out to be a demon called the Terrible Trivium, and Miles has to run for his life or get stuck in the sand pile forever.
We all have to look out for this. I'm not saying that everything on our to-do lists is trivial--far from it! But it's easy to get caught in the mind-racing sensation that the list is never-ending and the tasks insurmountable. When this happens (and ideally, before it happens), it's important to build in time to take a break and slow down.
 One great way to do this is with a regular meditative practice, which can include mindfulness meditation, conscious breathing, qigong, tai chi chuan, yoga, or many other techniques that help us to center the body, quiet the mind, and regain balance and focus. Many of these are easier to learn than you think. It may seem like yet another thing to add to a long list of daily "to-do's", but it's an investment in time, and in yourself, that really pays back. Even a few minutes a day can make a huge difference in your energy level, ability to cope with stress, and the quality of attention you have for getting things done.
I've been practicing the qigong form Pan Gu Shengong daily (okay, with occasional lapses--that's part of any practice!) for over three years, and it's been a lifesaver. The other day, for example, feeling immobilized by everything I had to do to get this newsletter out, I did one round of qigong (20 minutes) and felt the tension leave my body. The feeling that everything was an emergency passed and I knew exactly what I wanted to write this month--in fact, immediately afterward I was able to sketch out the entire draft of this very article.
Some health benefits of regular meditative practice include: increased circulation, lowered heart rate (can help normalize blood pressure), relaxation, decreased anxiety, reduced muscle tension or headaches, improved mood, and increased immunity.
So, when you feel caught in the mind-race or the juggle-struggle, consider breaking the spell with some form of meditation, breathing, or conscious movement. Give it a try even if it feels like you can't find the time--and watch your time expand.
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| Food Focus
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Root Vegetables 
The roots of any plant are its anchor and foundation;
they are the essential parts that support and nourish the plant. Root
vegetables lend these properties to us when we eat them, making us feel
physically and mentally grounded and rooted, increasing our stability, stamina
and endurance. Roots are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates,
providing a steady source of necessary sugars to the body. Instead of upsetting
blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods, they regulate them. Since they
absorb, assimilate and supply plants with vital nutrients, roots likewise
increase absorption and assimilation in our digestive tracts.
Long roots, like burdock, carrots, parsnips and
daikon radish, are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation
in the body and increase mental clarity. Round roots, like turnips, radishes, beets and
rutabagas, are nourishing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive
organs and can help regulate blood sugar and moods, and alleviate cravings.
There are many delicious ways to prepare root vegetables. Carrots, beets, and radishes are delicious sliced or grated into salads, and can add a colorful snap of sweetness to a stir-fry. Root vegetables can also be prepared easily by steaming, baking, or roasting (yum!).
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| RECIPE OF THE MONTH
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Carrot-Ginger Soup
This creamy, savory soup spices up the sweetness of carrots and onions with a ginger kick. Easy to make and completely vegan, it is delicious served either warm or chilled, and brightens the table with its gorgeous orange color.
Prep & cooking time:
Approximately 55 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8
servings
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced
Chunk of fresh ginger root (approx. 2 inches long), peeled and chopped
8-10 large carrots, chopped into large chunks
6 cups water (or vegetable stock)
1/2 tbsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper (optional)
Directions:
In a large pot, saute onions for about 5 minutes until they are soft and translucent. (If using olive oil, I add a small amount of water when sauteing). Add ginger and saute another 1-2 minutes.
Next add the carrots and water (or stock) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt in the last 5 minutes.
Puree the cooked mixture in a blender or food processor until creamy -- you will probably have to do this in 2-3 batches. Return to the pot, stir in black pepper and serve.
You can garnish the soup with finely chopped chives, dill or parsley, or add a dollop of plain yogurt or fresh cream. For a sweeter taste, I like to add a pinch of cinnamon before serving.
(Adapted from the Kripalu Cookbook by Atma JoAnn Levitt)
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ABOUT ME
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 I am a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, Licensed Massage Therapist, and
Qigong Instructor. I work with clients individually or in
groups to learn how to eat and live well, address health issues
naturally and holistically, and set up their lives for optimum health
and happiness.
Nutrition, diet, exercise, mind-body
awareness, stress management, and detoxification have transformed my
life, helping me in the process of healing from rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain,
allergies, and digestive problems. I've moved from worrying about my
health all the time and fearing the worst, to knowing that I'm in
charge of my life and have the power to create my own well being. I am
passionate about sharing my knowledge and especially that experience of
transformation and empowerment with you.
Warmly,
Donna Gallers, LMT, CHHC
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