Back to School Massage Special

Now that the kids are back in school you probably have a little more free time. So go ahead and squeeze an hour in your day to take care of yourself.

 

Mindful Eating 

Mindful eating is about restoring our relationship with food. "Restoring" because we've gotten away from our food in so many ways. Not just seeing food as something to gulp down before we get back to our busyness, but because we often don't know where our food came from.
 
Jenni Grover is a registered dietician in North Carolina. She's a firm believer that finding ways to slow down and eat intentionally are all a part of developing a truly healthy food culture. And some early research into mindful eating would seem to back this up. One study,  for example, tracked more than 1,400 mindful eaters and showed them to have lower body weights, a greater sense of well-being, and fewer symptoms of eating disorders.

Here are some of her tips for eating more mindfully:

• Eat slower. You'll chew your food more and digest it more easily, which is healthier. Plus you may find yourself noticing flavors you might otherwise have missed.
• Savor the silence. Set aside just a few minutes during the dinner hour for a couple of minutes of silence when you can reflect on what you're eating and really appreciate it. If that isn't possible try to have a snack or cup of tea alone when you can have complete quiet.
• Silence the phone and television. Turning off the ever-present electronic distractions brings our awareness back to not only our food, but to those we're sharing the meal with.
• Pay attention to flavor. A lemon has a different taste than arugula, certainly. Even as we rush through a meal we're likely to notice that. But what about the more subtle differences of avocado and hummus? Both are smooth but have totally different tastes.
• Know your food. Eating locally with the seasons and knowing where your food comes from creates a connection with the people who grew or harvested it. Having a greater awareness of that makes us more appreciative of their efforts.

For more information about mindful eating, visit thecenterformindfuleating.org.

 

 

Qi Infused Yoga Workshop  

Yoga teacher and author Brenda Schnable will present Qi Infused Yoga at Be Well Now Saturday, Sept. 27, 1:30-3:30 pm. Pre-registration is $25; $30 same day registration.

During the  workshop, you'll learn to detoxify your body naturally by increasing your life-force energy and focusing on energy as well as strength and flexibility.

Schnable is an E-RYT500 with Yoga Alliance. She is certified in 24 Postures of Therapeutic Qigong and is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

The former Wood River resident's own medical challenges led her to develop a style of yoga that incorporates the principles of qigong, a life-source energy found in different cultures. Along the way she wrote two award-winning books.

"Access Your Inner Power: Awakening Your Health and Vitality" (2012) explains the energy models of the body from the Western, Ayurvedic (Indian medical science), yoga, and qigong perspectives. "Qi Infused Yoga" (2014) combines qigong movements and yoga postures into one flowing practice, creating a unique and innovative mind/body practice. The book won International Book Award's Best Cover Design - Nonfiction Category.

Email or call to pre-register. Payment is accepted by check, credit card or PayPal on our website.