Staying Healthy with the Season!
With so much focus in the news about the flu and sickness, With so much focus in the news about the flu and sickness, we thought we would focus on how to nurture and nourish ourselves-- the ultimate preventive medicine. Doesn't that make you feel better already?
There are so many options for staying healthy. We hope that our Health Matters Newsletter encourages you to focus on how healthy you can be and what you can do to maintain your optimal wellness, inside and out!
Be Well, Be Happy
The Staff at All That Matters |
 |
|
posture in practice
BALASANA - CHILD POSE
by Kendall Sheldon, E-RYT
The child pose (Balasana) is a classic pose for nurturing ourselves on many levels. Balasana can stretch your hips, thighs and ankles, open tight backs, necks and shoulders (especially lower backs), and calm the brain, relieving stress and fatigue. It is often done in between postures for balance and rest, but can be practiced on its own with support for a deeper experience and restorative practice. Just 3 to 5 minutes of Balasana is enough to feel the nurturing and realxing effects of this gentle pose.
To read Kendall's step by step instruction for Balasana click here to our Media Library on our Website.
Kendall Sheldon is the founding teacher of the All That Matters yoga program and has over 30 years experience in the practice of yoga. She offers weekly yoga classes at All That Matters. Read more about Kendall...
|
|
|
optimal health.....naturally
Options for staying healthy and feeling your best.
Sunshine and warmer weather have unfortunately not brought the end of flu season. Dr Keri Layton, All That Matters Naturopath, shares some safe, evidence-based natural things you can do today to protect yourself and your family:
~ Prevention is the best treatment. In addition to hand-washing, if you've been around someone who is sick or has been exposed to the flu, use a Netti-Pot or other nasal saline rinse to reduce the amount of virus you are exposed to. (see side bar)
~ Take a high quality multi-vitamin, get a good profile of amino acids every day from high quality proteins, and eat lots of fruits and vegetables to keep your vitamin C levels high.
~ Gargling green tea three times a day greatly reduced the incidence of flu and flu symptoms in a study done on elderly residents of a nursing home in Japan. Keep a fresh cup by your side if you need to spend your day in a high risk environment.
~ Stress suppresses good immune responses.Take a walk on the beach, get enough sleep, meditate or do yoga to keep stress levels low and immune function high.
Keri Layton is a licensed, board certified Naturopathic Physician. She sees patients at All That Matters on Mondays and Thursdays. Look into the free talks and classes Dr. Layton is offering this May and June. Next class May 14 Natural Medicine and Menopause.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine point of view, Dr Beth Quinn shares a few points on how acupuncture can balance the flow of Qi (energy) within the body so that we may maintain our optimal wellness.
From a Western perspective:
~ Acupuncture affects higher brain areas, stimulating the secretion of beta-endorphins and enkephalins in the brain and spinal cord. The release of neurotransmitters positively influences the immune and antinociceptive systems.
~ Acupuncture stimulates the release of norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and several types of opiods, affecting changes that normalize the autonomic nervous system and reduce pain.
~ Acupuncture affects the blood concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospolipids, suggesting that acupuncture can both raise and diminish peripheral blood components thereby regulating the body toward homeostasis, balance and wellness.
To read Dr Beth Quinn's article TO THE POINT, The Truth about Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Much More........ click here
Come meet Dr Beth Quinn, All That Matters Acupuncturist, and discover what acupuncture is during a Free Talk and demonstartion May 13.
|
|
|
ask our teachers
At All That Matters we like to say "nourishing ourselves is not a luxury, it's a necessity"
So in the spirit of this quote, we asked some of our teachers: How do you nurture yourself?
"You know, I think nurturing yourself takes some serious maturity. Or I am a just a late bloomer. I was always good at productivity and being aware of others needs but utilizing precious resources like time and money to care for myself came later in life.So how do I nourish myself now that I am old and wise... let me count the ways:
I pack myself good grain based lunches and snacks, take Fridays off, keep weekends sacred for family and fun, take hot baths, read good books till late at night, watch crappy TV if I feel like it (but avoid all TV news), plan get out of dodge (or RI) trips as often as I can to broaden my perspective, shop, read cook books, listen to loud music in the car, write, bug my children and husband, have folks over for dinner, meditate......"
- Joan Dwyer, owner/co-founder All That Matters
"Two things I like to do to nurture....Get out into nature, walk the beach or in the woods, and if I don't have time for that a simple 5-10 minutes of sitting quietly."
~ Amy Hagan, yoga instructor.
"I nourish myself by walking in nature, being around water and wildlife, daily practice of meditation, good friends, reading inspiring books, silence."
~Alan Seale, PCC,MSC inspirational speaker and author. Alan is back at All That Matters for Spirit Circle and Manifestation Wheel June 5-7 "In my Making Peace with Food & Your Body program, I talk about nourishment as consisting not only of food but also of non-food elements, including relaxation, nourishing the senses, intellectual stimulation, fun, stretching and exercise, and connection. In my own practice, I begin most days with meditation, qi gong and breathing; these help me start the day centered which makes it easier to catch and make adjustments when life (or my thoughts and reactions to life) throw me off. I also build breaks and pleasures into my day which I look at as mini-retreats."
~Barbara Holtzman, MSW, LICSW, is the author of Conscious Eating, Conscious Living.
Barbara's next Making Peace with Food & Your Body program is June 13
"Because I do deep work with people, I care for myself by being light-hearted and surrounding myself with beauty."
- Judith Hendin, Ph.D., Somatic Therapist
"Of course, one of the best ways I nurture myself is through classes at All That Matters--NIA and Svaroopa yoga. I also try to toss in a few nurturing things that I can do with my boys--dancing or singing or music together class.
And lately I've been meditating in the mornings while my husband gets the boys breakfast. That has really helped my health, attitude and well-being. I can feel the difference.
Baths are a big one for me--with essential oils and special salts. And, being in nature, though I have not been doing enough of that--a walk along the beach, or even in my neighborhood, admiring the spring gardens rejuvenates me and relaxes both my mind and nervous system.
Oh, and I almost forgot--WRITING! That's very nurturing for me, because I always feel connected to the cosmos when I write. Writing in nature is a double win. "
Lisa Tener, book coach and published author
Join Lisa May 16 for Writing in the Zone "For me this can be different at different times but consistently I would have to say I love to be with friends that make me have a good belly laugh, walks with my very happy dog, "Fenway", good food that makes me smile with satisfaction, quiet mornings all to myself, being silly with my 2 teenagers, being in the beauty of nature, a lazy day at the beach on a hot summer day, and oh yes....being in meditation and dialog with my guides and angels, that is really nurturting every time."
Stephanie Marisca,Certified Life Coach and All That Matters Program Director. Stephanie offers her popular Angelspeake class again May 11. |
| |
|
eat pray laugh
Recipes, Mantras and Jokes to Feed Your Spirit
eat
Joan Dwyer's Date-Nut Bars
These are such a yummy dessert or even breakfast treat, no one will know that they are actually good for you!
Dates are one of the best natural sources of potassium. Potassium is needed to maintain a healthy nervous system and to balance the body's metabolism. Dates also contain a variety of B-complex vitamins - thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins have a variety of functions that help maintain a healthy body.
1 cup dates, pitted or pieces
3/4 cup water
1 orange, juiced and grated rind
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts or pecans)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
pinch of sea salt
For the complete recipe click here...
To get your own great healthy recipes like this, check out Joan's popular WHOLE FOODS 101 class May 30. |
FOR LONGEVITY AND HEALTH
OM. Tryambakam yajamahe
Sugandhim pushti-vardhanam
Urvarukamiva bandhanan
Mrityor mukshiya mamritat
This mantra may seem too long and too hard to say but with repetition you can learn this mantra and gain it's powerful benefits. The individual words of the mantra convey its nourishing quality, with the sense that a great force of goodness is at work within us, supporting our growth, lifting us up during times of trouble, and helping us recall, even in the midst of our busy lives.
To read a complete article about this powerful mantra by spiritual teacher and author Rolf Sovik click here... To hear this mantra click here
Recommended reading:
HEALING MANTRAS
by Thomas Ashley-Farrand
available at the Store at All That Matters. |
|
laugh
This fellow was climbing a tree when suddenly he slipped. He grabbed a branch and was hanging there. After an hour or so passed, he was feeling exhausted. He looked up to the heavens and cried out: "God, help me, please, help me."
Suddenly the clouds parted and a deep voice resounded,
"Let Go!"
The guy paused and looked up at heaven once more, and said: "Is there anyone else up there?" |
|
|
browse and
be inspired
A Healthy Nose, Knows Best- Using a Neti Pot
The nasal passages contain one of our body's first lines of defense against disease. A neti pot, is used to pour a warm, saline solution into one nostril with the head tipped forward and to one side. The water drains out of the other nostril along with mucus, dust and other impurities out of the body that block the nasal passages. Sound weird? Maybe but with practice, using a neti pot can become a relaxing and pleasant experience with many health benefits.
This ancient healing practice became popular with practitioners of yoga in India and was later adopted by those practicing Ayurveda. Yoga practitioners were trying to develop clear and expanded consciousness on the basis of a strong, healthy and energetic body, and found that a key was the taking in of "prana" the "life energy" which comes in with the breath.
Neti Pots are always available in THE STORE at All That Matters. To view a video demonstration
Check out our SALE this Weekend 20% off all Weleda and Dr Haushka Natural Skin Care products.
|
|
|
