The Four Seasons of Integrated Care

I came across this article today and couldn't wait to share it with you.  

Practitioners at Well Within, two in particular, very much embrace and understand the deep connections between the physical and emotional changes that occur with the changes of the seasons.  

In the article, the writer Tracy Marciano says: "Western medicine has traditionally recognized the emotional and physical aspects of life divided into two separate categories; an approach believed to have originated from French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) who argued that intangibles like (religious) faith have no place in the physical world. His theories about dualism implied the body worked like a machine and the mind and/or soul were “nonmaterial entities that lacked extension and motion and did not follow the laws of nature.” This approach has left the western world fragmented because it usually lacks symmetry and balance between the mind and body when medical care is sought out"

She goes on to explain the principles of traditional Ayurvedic medicine and the five element theory derived from Chinese medicine.  

Well Within pracitioner, Janel Houton, has developed a highly unique form of bodywork called Seasonal Stone Massage which uses the Chinese Five Element system as a point of departure.  Each of the five elements carry a corresponding season, and organ systems which are vulnerable.  Treatment sessions are designed around this concept.  Essential oils traditionally appropriate for the season are used in a myofascial and swedish based massage followed by a hot stone meridian layout based on organ systems and acupressure points.  Ayurvedic Marma points and a moon stone fascial massage may also be included.  The Seasonal Massage aims to boost the body’s inherent vulnerability as the season’s change.  Clients find the combination of different modalities extremely relaxing and grounding, reconnecting our bodies to natural and environmental cycles.

Marciano also addresses nutritional shift that occur with the change in seasons.  She notes "We begin to have less interest in lighter refreshing foods and beverages such as cucumbers, watermelon and cold mint tea and begin gravitating to toward foods such as butternut squash baked with cinnamon and nutmeg and warm chai tea."   

At Well Within (and in her anticipated daily food tips on Facebook) , Holistic Health Coach Susan Altman educates clients about seasonal shifts in eating based on our bodies unique needs during these times and also on what is most abundant and fresh each season.  A recent post from Susan: 

Susan Altman Health Coach

Many people I speak with are having a hard time getting into the fall routines. In order to be as healthy as we can, we need to get into our fall rhythms. To do this, focus on setting a bedtime, and sticking to it. Cook more, eat out less. Try and exercise 4-5 times a week. Lastly, nourish your adrenal glands with good self care. Healthy adrenals will support you on the inside when seasons change on the outside.

She also hosts both spring and an autumn cleanses that help your digestive system transition from one season of eating to the next.  I participated in the last Spring cleanse (and plan to participate in the upcoming Autumn cleanse as well).  I felt a tremendous difference in my energy level and in the types of food I was craving as a result of this experience.

This understanding of seasonal shifts in wellness is just one (of many) layers of thought that makes integrated care such a rich and dynamic model for helping people get well and feel their very best.

Do you notice any physical or emotional changes in yourself when the seasons change?  

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If you haven't yet experienced one of our award winning services (including massage, acupuncture and more), come on over to http://www.bewellwithin.com today and book your first appointment in our Newton, MA office online!

Massage Playlist

Music during massage is a very personal thing.  I have clients who love mellow jazz mixes and I have clients who hate. jazz.  Some clients prefer classical, some like classical guitar, some like Hawaiian slack key guitar (yup.)  Really, honestly, truly most people don't love "massage music" (read: Enya or other new age equivalent)...but some DO.  Some people want no music at all.  

Music (or no music) can make or break a massage for some clients so I feel like its worth paying attention to as a therapist.

As a massage therapist who has listened to every type of music there is during my seven years of working with clients (even hip hop for a 12 year old boy I worked with), I don't care what kind of music plays as long as it is good for the client but also mixes up a bit every now and then.  Pandora Radio can be really good for this purpose but the absolute best is when a client chooses to stick their OWN iPod on the dock. 

Awhile back the practitioners at Well Within participated in a music swap.  Everyone who participated made a mix of some of their favorite music to work to and burned a copy for everyone else.  This was fantastic, because at the end I had about six new, full playlists of music to put on my iPod.

My mix consisted of lyrical but mellow tracks.  Among them:  

M. Ward - Here Comes the Sun Again 

Madeleine Peyroux - J'ai deux amours

The Weepies - World Spins Madly On

The Shins - New Slang

Jaymay - Autumn Fallin' 

Badly Drawn Boy - The Shining

Elliot Smith - Between the Bars

Pinback - Loro

Ingrid Michaelson - Keep Breathing

and others...

This mix has gotten lots of compliments from clients such as "you always play the best music".  Love that.

A massage is about so much more than realigning your pelvis or getting rid of your migraine causing neck and shoulder tension.  Its about more than simply relaxing.  It is about those things but this is a valuable time that you set aside to take the very best care of yourself and it should be just the way you need it to be from the amount of pressure to the temperature in the room and music can be a great way for a session to feel like it really belongs to you.

The next time (or the first time!) you come in I encourage you to let us know what kind of music you want to hear or better yet, bring in your favorite music to relax to on your iPod or CD and we'll play it for you!

So what is your favorite music to listen to while getting a massage?  We would love to know!

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If you haven't yet experienced one of our award winning services (includingmassage, acupuncture and more), come on over tohttp://www.bewellwithin.com today and book your first appointment in ourNewton, MA office online!

Autumn Cleanse and Fitness Jumpstart at Well Within

Please join us for a five day cleanse offered to the Well Within family that will be running from Monday, October 24th to Friday October 28th.

By participating in this cleanse offered at $99, you will receive three different cleansing options, as well as two workouts with personal Trainer Leanne Benson.

After doing a five day cleanse, your body will feel lighter and more energized, your skin and eyes will be brighter, you will sleep better, and most importantly, you will gain valuable knowledge about what foods work best for you, and the ones that don’t work for you.

The cleanse, hosted by Holistic Health Coach--Susan Altman,  will run on Monday, October 24th through Friday the 28th. There will be three different types of cleanses (more on this in a second) and an optional grocery store tour. The tour will be held on Sunday, October 23rd at 10am at the Whole Foods on Washington St near Well Within.

Throughout the cleanse, you will be on an email forum with Susan and all the other cleansers, so you can ask questions or post comments about how you are doing and what you are learning about your body and your habits. This support is the key piece to your successful cleanse, and I am sure you will enjoy the sense of community.

The three different types of cleanse, are as follows:

Option #1 (designed for first time cleansers, or anyone who is looking
for a less structured, "easier" cleanse)

You will follow a vegan diet, eliminating the seven potential allergens that may or may not effect you. By following this cleanse, you will be able to eat as much as you want to keep you satisfied, so hunger should not be a problem. This is not a cleanse for weight loss, although that is a possible side effect. This cleanse is geared more towards detoxifying your body, lightening up, and allowing you to understand that you can survive without animal products.

Option #2 (designed for a repeat cleanser, or someone who does better with a bit more structure).

During this cleanse, you will be required to follow a specific breakfast, lunch and snack menu, with a flexible (within the confines of the cleanse) dinner. Your calories will be reduced with this cleanse, so if you are interested in losing a few pounds safely, this is the jumpstart cleanse for you. This cleanse is challenging, so choose this only if you have more aggressive detoxing needs.

Option #3 (designed for the repeat cleanser who is interested in keeping up with exercise the entire week, and may need a few more calories)

This cleanse is the same as option #2 with the only difference being added lean animal protein 1-2 meals per day, depending on workout intensity.

As part of your cleanse, you will meet with Well Within's trainer, Leanne Benson to jumpstart your metabolism. The first 30 minute session will involve a series of tests (cardiovascular, upper body strength and flexibility) and measurements. You will have this assessment at the start of your cleanse to track the progress you are making throughout and going forward.  The second 45 minute session will focus on your core, your trouble spots and finding the cardio exercises that work best for you.

Nutrition and exercise are the perfect team and with this cleanse you will see the results for yourself.

The good news about all three options is that they are interchangeable. Option #1 is the baseline, so if you are struggling at any point, you can always come back to "home." Or vice versa: if you are feeling great and want to push yourself a little harder (since is only 5 days), they by all means, follow option #2 or #3. When you sign up for the cleanse, you will receive instructions for all three options, so you may come and go as you please. The goal of the cleanse is to detoxify your body. By eliminating the 7 potential allergens, and becoming extremely mindful of our eating habits, this happens naturally over the five days. Believe me when I tell you many people cleanse for two weeks (or more!) because they love the way the look and feel.

If you sign up before October 1st, the cost for the cleanse is $89. If you sign up after October 1st, the price is $99.

Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to get yourself back on track with your health!

If you have any questions about the cleanse or the personal training, please feel free to email
Susan  or Leanne.

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If you haven't yet experienced one of our award winning services (including massage, acupuncture and more), come on over to http://www.bewellwithin.com today and book your first appointment in our Newton, MA office online!

Guest Post on School Lunches By Our Very Own Health Coach--Susan Altman

It’s that time of year again – back to school for the kids and back to structure and routine for the parents. The fall brings not only a temperature change, but also a change in foods available. This fall, for all the parents out there, let’s consider what we are feeding our kids while they are at school. There are hundreds of options out there. Let’s think about how we can get healthy, nutritious food into our children’s bodies, through the delicate game of give and take, while planting seeds for lifelong patterns of healthy eating.

In most schools, kids are required to pack a snack and either pack or buy a lunch everyday. The giant food companies like Kraft, Frito-Lay, are aware that America is becoming more health conscious and have started making their foods in 100 calorie packs in an attempt to appeal to parents and give the sense that their snack are "healthier" than before. All you have to do is throw it in their backpacks! There are also those little gems like “Lunchables,” that have made it easy for parents to give to their kids for lunch. My goal is to show parents that there are other choices out there, even though they aren’t as convenient, that your kids will learn to appreciate.

Before I get into the choices, it is important to bring up the subject of bought school lunches. This is a huge topic, one very near and dear to my heart. There is a big movement going on in this country to get healthier choices to kids in the cafeterias throughout the United States. Generally speaking, there are healthy options for the kids, but your challenge as a parent will be getting your kids to make these choices while they are at school – without you encouraging them. If you are a parent who has your kids eat from the cafeteria, I urge you to be an active participant as to the choices they are making. Ask them questions about their choices, without being pushy (a delicate balance). If possible, early in the school year, try and take a quick trip to the cafeteria when you drop them off to school and have a conversation with the lunch staff. If you have ever done this, they really do enjoy talking about what is going on with the food, where it comes from, and how the kids make their choices.

Moving forward to the lunch makers, I have one food rule that I encourage all of you to impress upon your children. At every meal or snack, there must be at least one “live” or “growing” food. This teaches the kids the value of fruits and vegetables, and for you, you’ll know the kids are getting important nutrients in their bodies. A favorite snack of mine is popcorn (air or stove popped, not microwave) and an apple. Popcorn is a whole food, and an apple is a perfect mid-morning snack to compliment it. They will get plenty of fiber, filling them up allowing them to focus and concentrate until lunchtime. On the other hand, if they were to eat one of those 100 calorie packs of whatever, it may only have 100 calories (who cares?) but is filled with 15 plus ingredients that will not only leave them unsatisfied, but may also send them into sugar shock. Of course this leads to a hard time focusing and concentrating on their schoolwork.

As for lunch, try as hard as you can, to not pack the same thing every, single day. Parents can get in the habit of this, and it is not in the best interest of cultivating a healthy eater. I do believe in giving your kids foods they will be successful with. So if it starts the first few weeks that all they will have is a turkey sandwich, so be it. Just rotate the live or growing food you match with it (if you have kids that like fruits and vegetables). I always give in a bit with potato chips at lunch, but I almost never pack them dessert. There is really NO need for them to be having something sugary after they eat. Believe me, by eliminating this habit; your teachers will thank you, and your kids will become calmer more efficient students.

If you have a child who will not eat vegetables, no matter what, stick with fruit at school, and work on getting vegetables in their bodies at dinner. Start slowly, experiment, be patient, and before you know it, there should be at least one veggie he/she likes! Remember that concept that it takes 15-20 tries before a child learns to like a new food.

Moving forward, a few “out of the box” lunchbox ideas for the kids are:

-Burrito (whole wheat tortilla, black beans, salsa, grated cheese), cucumbers, tortilla chips

-Turkey sandwich on whole wheat, carrots or bell peppers, popcorn

-Almond and apple butter sandwich on whole wheat, green beans, potato chips

-Whole wheat pita filled with hummus, celery and veggie chips.

I know some of these may be a bit of a stretch for your kids, so start slowly. Enforcing healthy eating habits takes a long time, so stay committed, be patient, and feel confident that you are creating life long health habits.

I wish you all a successful transition into the school year. If you have questions about this blog, please contact me at susan@susanaltman.com. Also, please visit my website: susanaltman.com. Lastly, if you are on Facebook, “like” my Susan Altman Health Coach page. Every weekday I send out a “tip of the day.”

Thanks for reading!

To you health,

Susan Altman

 

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If you haven't yet experienced one of our award winning services (including massage, acupuncture and more), come on over to http://www.bewellwithin.com today and book your first appointment in our Newton, MA office online!