Wellness Seeds

Tell Me You Love Me

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

It’s short and sweet today folks, but very, very important.

As I’ve said before, all we have are moments and before we know it many moments have passed before we realize how long it’s been since we’ve seen a dear friend or called a distant relative or thanked someone for helping us when we needed it.

So!

Tell the people you love that you love them! Freely and Often!

And if you are with them, give them a hug too! Don’t think I need to add too much more here, do I?

With Love,
Gwyn

 

Here’s the Good News

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

Earlier in the summer I heard a great program on Radio Times, here in Philadelphia.

The topic was stress and the news and each of the guests had valuable information about how the media can affect our everyday lives and stress levels in both positive and negative ways.

As we all know, we are surrounded by media of some kind or another, and it takes a conscious effort to avoid becoming overwhelmed. The challenge is finding the balance between being informed about and engaged in our world, be it at the local or broader level, and taking control of the content that we allow in to our minds and bodies. Much of what goes on in the world is intense, violent and heartbreaking. And with an endless news cycle we are hearing and seeing these things repeatedly.

Research has shown that this inundation of stressful news events can cause as much or even MORE stress than if you were actually at the traumatic event. Let’s say that again:

Research has shown that this inundation of stressful news events can cause as much or even MORE stress than if you were actually at the traumatic event.
 Wow. That stopped me in my tracks, people.

So, what to we do with that information? 
Well first, please listen to that fantastic broadcast. Second, turn off the news today sooner than you did yesterday. Don’t read every tragic story in the newspaper. Check out the comics page first thing instead of last.

Join a group in your local community and volunteer at their next event. And check out The Good News Network.
Publisher and editor of this network, Geri Weis Corbly was one of the guests on that excellent radio show. She worked in the news industry for many years and at some point realized that while there were many wonderful things happening in the world, they weren’t grabbing the headlines like she thought they should. The Good News Network has been around for years and I’ve recently started to check it out on a regular basis. It’s very cool!
Don’t be fooled, it’s not fluff or blind to the realities of the world.
It’s just reminding us about balance. Reminding us that we have a choice in how we live our lives everyday. And of the goodness in the world and the power of the human spirit to love, support and be kind to one another, every day, over and over and over.

Now that is a cycle worth repeating!

For more on how to find balance in a stressful world, check out Voices in the Family with Dr. Dan Gottlieb. His archive is filled with some fantastic guests and conversations on this very topic.

 

How to Reboot Your Healthy Living Mindset

Posted by Judy Moon

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By Judy Moon and Associates Guest Blogger: Ali M. Shapiro, MS, CHHC

“The week before my period. For. Get. It. Chips. Chocolate. Fries! Working out? Blah. I know what I should do. But I don’t do it. I have no clue why.”

This confession—delivered in a tone weighed down by shame, sadness, and frustration—comes in the early weeks of my Truce with Food program. This participant (let’s call her Andrea) has been conditioned to expect more confusing nutrition facts, a detox, or to be prescribed yet another strict diet.

But what Andrea needs is not more information, she needs more understanding.

For veteran dieters like Andrea, the fall season feels like a second New Year. Another chance to get it right. And yet, lasting results? Elusive. Willpower? Most burn through reserves in two weeks. Rinse and repeat. But why?

One culprit: The same mindset of restriction and vigilance around food (that feeds the dieting-shame cycle) persists.

A good first step in stopping this cycle is to reboot your healthy living mindset. To do this requires a multi-pronged approach.

Here is a snapshot of how I guided Andrea (and what lessons you can draw). To frame this, I’ll borrow inspiration from another client who described me as the Swiss Army knife of wellness, “You’re like a nutritionist, trainer, and psychologist in one package!”

Nutritionist: Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy.

Many women believe PMS just comes with the territory. Nope. You can drastically lessen or eliminate “symptoms” when you learn to eat and exercise with your body’s rhythms.

Andrea was diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). What she thought she “should” eat was actually aggravating her condition.

One culprit: Luna bars. The soy protein isolate in these added excess estrogen, aggravating her PMDD. We swapped in KIND bars and homemade trail mix containing nuts. One root cause of PMDD is deregulated blood sugar; the real fat from nuts served to stabilize this.

Andrea didn’t need a complicated plan, she needed to get back to basics with real whole foods. Soon, Andrea’s symptoms and period week no longer caused her such distress and her cravings and moods improved. Because she felt these shifts internally—and wasn’t chastised by some plan or authority figure—her motivation to stick with these changes lasted.

For you: Add in more whole foods to crowd out processed ones (no packages). Eggs with the yolks. Full-fat yogurt. Vegetables. Fruits. You know, the perimeter of your grocery store. Cringed reading the words “full-fat”? You’re not alone. In my program, I dispel nutrition myths keeping you right where the food companies (and the diet industry) want you.

Trainer: Context Is Everything.

Most people hire trainers for accountability. Yet many trainers ignore context: Your body is a machine and they’re the mechanics.

Andrea traveled frequently for work. She was constantly “on.” Despite being exhausted—especially during the last two weeks of her menstrual cycle—she forced herself onto hotel gym treadmills. Physiologically, the excess cardio further aggravated her blood sugar. Psychologically, exercise became punishment for bad food choices. But then those same “bad” food choices became a (secret) reward for exercising.

For you: Are you bored? Need a new exercise routine or creative outlet? Do you need lighter workouts like yoga and walking to help your body heal? Contextualize what’s right for you at this moment.

Psychologist: I’m Not Where I Want to Be.

Diets fail for many reasons, but mainly because they don’t address the deeper beliefs guiding our behaviors.

One of the ways to delve into these beliefs is by exploring the concept of growth mindset. Coined by Dr. Carol Dweck, this strategy focuses on rewarding yourself for effort versus outcome to paradoxically exceed your goals.

With food, this means replacing judgment with curiosity. Instead of beating yourself up, you learn to ask the right questions to figure out why you did what you did. And when you succeed? You’ll know what worked.

Over time, Andrea discovered much of her secret eating during the last two weeks of her cycle came from resisting feeling “emotional.” She felt bad for feeling bad! She closed off this side of herself from the people she needed the most. The solution: She expressed her needs to her loved ones. When she needed the courage and support, she had me and the other strong women in our group on standby.

For you: Next time you self-sabotage, tell yourself you haven’t figured this out…YET! Adding “yet” shifts you onto a learning (not punishment) curve that will serve as the bridge to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

The strategies introduced in this short post are necessarily just the tip of the iceberg. If you’d like a deeper dive, click here to receive the first lesson of my Truce with Food program for FREE! You have nothing to lose (other than another season of dieting) and stand to gain more than you ever thought possible.

Ali Shapiro, MS, CHHC, is a health coach, speaker, and author. She combines her background in functional medicine, holistic health counseling, and Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania in her Truce with Food® program. Ali is also a 22-year cancer survivor.

Ali has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Shopping, Huffington Post, Redbook Magazine, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine, and was a regular health contributor to the NBC 10! Show. She’s also appears on popular wellness sites such as KrisCarr.com, MindBodyGreen, and Tiny Buddha.

 

Pop the Champagne!

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Judy Moon

Happy Birthday Wellness Seeds! You are officially one year old! You might be saying to yourself… soooo????

Well, It’s a big deal for me. It took a lot of coaxing from someone very special to me and that California Girl knows who she is!

I am creative in a lot of different ways – in my garden, with cooking, I knit, I even play with colored pencils and a Mandala coloring book, I love crafts, I like to paint, – you get the picture, if there’s glitter or a glue stick involved – count me in!

But writing – that took me out of my comfort zone. It was personal, it was exposing, just to name a few of the million excuses I gave to not start a blog. Probably my biggest excuse/fear was- “Who wants to hear what I have to say? Who cares?”

Well to my surprise – people do care- who knew?!

The other big surprise – drum roll please…

I enjoy writing! Yes, I said it out loud for the whole universe to see.

So my anniversary Wellness Seed for you today is –

Step out of the box, do something new and different, something that makes you a little uncomfortable, It doesn’t have to be big. Change is the essence of our life. 

You might be surprised. It may even turn out to be something that you really enjoy and puts a smile on your face and that is good medicine in my book.

Cheers!

 

Enjoy Every Sandwich!

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

Well, it’s official! I’ve had my first “best summer sandwich”. Best in my opinion at least! I know I’ve mentioned it before, maybe in the first ever post I wrote for this blog, the one about cucumbers, but the sandwich I wax poetic about is so simple and satisfying and SO summer it couldn’t be anything but the best.

Cukes, tomato, sweet onion, mayo, salt and pepper on bread/toast of your choice. That’s it folks. My summer memories are full with these perfect lunch delights. With the grandparents, the aunts and uncles and mostly with my parents, especially my Mom. 
I say “official” for today, but it’s more like pure. I’ve created a few variations in mid and late July, but the tomatoes weren’t that luscious and sweet yet and I think I added some cheese and maybe a few pickled something or other. Don’t get me wrong, all lovely lunches! But today’s sandwich was special. It tasted like the ones I remember my Mom making with veggies from the garden, warm with the mid-day sun that shone on us as we gathered them.

Today I used a stunning orangey/yellow tomato and a thin, Asian variety of cucumber that we had purchased on Sunday from the Headhouse Farmer’s Market (Thank you fabulous Farmers!!!). A sweet Vidalia onion, some mayo (whatever your favorite happens to be), fresh ground pepper and some lovely sea salt from McClellanville, S.C. from Bulls Bay Saltworks. The Charleston Sea Salt is the variety I happen to have (Thanks Aunt Linda!) but the smoked one looks lovely too.

I lightly toasted some sourdough bread, slapped it all together and… Wow! SUMMER! Pure, sweet summer flavors. What more can I say….

…I’ll let that wild man and sage storyteller/songwriter Warren Zevon send us off here with some words to live by;
 “Enjoy EVERY sandwich!”

 

Get Outside and Play!

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

This past weekend I spent time with my nephew. He recently turned 13 and he is super fun to hang around with. We have similar senses of humor and ways of being in the world and I always feel refreshed after a visit with him. A few years ago he told me that both my husband and I are kind of like big kids. “Do you mean immature?” I asked. “NO!” he said, “because you both love to play, silly!” Heeheehee.

As I mentioned in my last post I have started a more focused exercise routine to get myself back in shape. Since one of the days of my weekend visit was a workout day I decided to recruit my nephew in the activities as well. He was totally into it! And… he made it way more engaging since we spent a good portion of the routine giggling and teasing each other between gasps for breath and sips of water.

After the real workout we made a “fake workout” video that was, I must say, completely ridiculous and hilarious! My Mom, who was sitting nearby in the yard (another bonus to the workout…OUTSIDE!), was cracking up – always a good sign of quality entertainment.

While I am serious about exercising, making it more playful made it seem more do-able and not just another chore on my list. We forget how important play is in our everyday lives. Focusing on the things we have to get done is important but it can drain our reserves when we don’t get a break from the “work first” mentality. Not only is it fun to play, it stimulates portions of our brain that have to do with creativity, structure, organization, imagination and concentration. Adding in a bit of playfulness may even boost your productivity.

Throw in laughter and WOW! There’s a recipe for great health!

So… get out there and play! With the kids, the dog, your spouse, friends, whoever! Add a game night in every once in a while. Skip down the street for a block or two, swing around each street sign you come upon (or tree), go to the park and SWING! Doesn’t have to be for hours, just a few moments can shift your energy and mood.

Ready…set…GO!!!!!

My Secret Weapon For De-stressing

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Judy Moon

Everyone experiences stress at some time in his or her life. It’s not fun, but it’s part of life here on this planet earth. The cool thing is that we came equipped with choice. We have the ability to choose how we handle stress.

There are tons of options for stress management available to us ranging from aromatherapy sprays, meditations, CD’s, Mindfulness classes, the list goes on…

My favorite way to instantly de-stress is the 4-7-8 breath. It was recommended to me years ago and it’s literally like a secret weapon I can whip out at any moment and experience an immediate shift. Like when the bus is running late in the morning, I could choose to get myself all twisted about it, or I can do a few rounds of 4-7-8 breathing instead.

I learned about it Dr. Weil’s website, he’s a big fan of it as well. Here are his instructions:

The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise
This exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the exercise. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.

1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply. This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.  Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass.

Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything upsetting happens – before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep. This exercise cannot be recommended too highly. Everyone can benefit from it.

Give it a try, right now, start with a big whoosh exhale:
1. Breath in – 1.2.3.4
2. Hold – 1.2.3.4.5.6.7
3. Exhale – 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8
4. Don’t you feel better already?

The only thing that would make it even better is adding some Infinite Love and Gratitude at the end.

Let us know how it’s working for you!

 

Clean It Like You Mean It

Posted by Judy Moon

Posted by Judy Moon

Spring is in the air! Nature around us is exploding.In Chinese medicine, Spring is a time of renewal after the long dormant winter. Bulbs are pushing their way through the soil making their long hard journey towards the nourishment from the sun.

Just as the sap in the trees shifts its flow upward, emotions and energies in our bodies can make their way towards the surface and express themselves sometimes unexpectedly. We also know it as “Spring Fever”.

I have been “swept up” by Spring Fever. I was feeling the urge to do some spring cleaning. This past weekend I washed all of the windows in my house and all of the curtains. I was cleaning holding the intention of “inviting more clarity in to my life”. It stirred a question in me –

“How can I Spring Clean My Mind and My Life?”

Spring cleaning is all about taking inventory, clutter clearing, organizing and refreshing.

1. Take stock – what’s working and what’s not? What really rocks in your life right now? Do more of that. What is draining you? Eliminate those things

2. Clutter clear – get rid of bad habits, unhealthy relationships, negative self talk and beliefs

3. Organize – make some lists and get a game plan. How will you accomplish some of that clutter clearing? Set goals, write it down make it happen, get a buddy to keep you accountable, shut off your phone and take a break from your email occasionally.

4. Try something new/plant new seeds – now that you have created some space in your mind, body and spirit there is room for some growth- try a new recipe, try a new cuisine, walk to work a different way, take a class, or do absolutely nothing if that’s a new concept for you.

Spring is a great time for bodywork and acupuncture – it can help with balancing of the spring energy and facilitating relaxation.

What’s your favorite Spring Cleaning ritual?

Sources:
Acupuncture Today
Huffington Post
Acufinder.com

 

Massage Therapist Insider Series: How Can I Make the Most of Each Massage Treatment?

Posted by Judy Moon

Image Map Posted by Alicia McCarthy

This post is a continuation to my previous post about making massage a more affordable practice. Making the most of your massage can be as easy as, practicing stillness immediately following your treatment. Combining massage with other forms of bodywork can accelerate the healing process even further.

My personal model for health includes chiropractic care, acupuncture, yoga, running, and of course massage. That might seem like a long list of healing modalities, but hey, I’m also “in the biz” and that amount of self care makes the most sense to me as an individual. Pairing one of those activities with massage can open up a world of possibilities. As a practitioner, I love collaborating with other healers. It’s a fun way to gain useful information that I try to implement with each person I encounter.

Having a chiropractic adjustment, an acupuncture treatment, or practicing yoga before a massage can allow the body to be more open and supple to receive that extra level of healing. I try to encourage clients to try everything when it comes to caring for their bodies, minds and spirits.

Do The Hustle and Other Good Medicine.

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Judy Moon

Merriam Webster defines medicine as – noun ˈme-də-sən, British usually ˈmed-sən
:a substance that is used in treating disease or relieving pain and that is usually in the form of a pill or a liquid
:the science that deals with preventing, curing, and treating diseases Native Americans have a different definition for medicine. Native American medicine is an all encompassing way of life. “Medicine means the presence and power embodied in or demonstrated by a person, a place, an event, an object, or a natural phenomenon. Medicine may be good or bad according to the intent with which we use it or how it affects people.  A kind word is good medicine, and an insulting or a discouraging word is bad medicine.” Medicine is all around you, for example, “the sun is shining today- that’s good medicine.” I really love this concept of medicine.

I recently read a way cool book also addressing medicine that goes on to my list of “life changers.”

Mind Over Medicine, Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself by Lissa Rankin M.D.  was one of those “I can’t put it down” books for me. Lissa is a mind-body medicine physician. Her story is similar to a lot of others who have written these types of books, where the physician is sicker than the patients they are treating. She chose to figure out why.

She shows us the connection between our emotions and our health. clearly proving we store issues in our tissues. “She shows how thoughts, feelings and beliefs can alter the body’s physiology.  This is not your typical positive thinking “woo woo” kind of book. The book sites scientific studies, the end notes in the back show where all of the studies are found. She doesn’t suggest that you ditch your doctor. She encourages you though to listen to your “your inner pilot light – the radiant, sparkly spirit of you … It’s that part of you that is a little piece of divinity fueling your life in human form. It’s that 100 percent authentic, never extinguished, always-shining-though-sometimes-dimmed part that lights the way back to wholeness, happiness, and health.”

My favorite part of the book was writing my own prescription – how cool is that???!!!! I went to her website www.lissarankin.com and downloaded the free Whole Health Self Healing Kit. I answered all of the questions in each section – belief, support, inner pilot light, relationships, work/life purpose,creativity, spirituality, sexuality, money, environment, mental health, physical health. Some of them I must admit were hard to answer. I literally had to take a mental break about half way through. For example, she asks questions like – “what truth am I unwilling to face in my life right now?”, “am I clear on what my soul wants to create?”  – Yikes! Those are not things I usually think about, but I did and then based on your answers you come up with your prescription. Genious!

I carry mine around in my purse and do my best to look at it daily. There are things you might expect to see – eat more plant based foods, go to bed earlier, meditate daily, but there’s also fun things like knit more frequently, start composting and my favorite one of all – dance daily. Which is where ” the hustle” comes in. Sometimes after I work out, I will do the hustle, yes, I am admitting this publicly. It makes me happy – for no other reason –  and THAT is good medicine.

Just in case you need a refresher – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W08g2DLyTt4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

See you on the dance floor!

Sources:
International Journal for Healing and Caring, Mind Over Medicine by Lissa Rankin, Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson

 

Witch Hazel Happiness

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

In the midst of this “real”winter we are having here in Philadelphia, it would be understandable to think ”No, we’ll never see spring again”. We all know it’s not true, but all the gray can sure make it feel that way sometimes. (Mind you, as I write this it is in the 40’s, raining and some serious thunder just shook my kitchen walls! Mother Nature is a trickster!)

To beat these winter’s almost over blues, may I recommend an aromatherapy treatment? It costs nothing and will boost your spirits instantly!

It’s called…Witch Hazel!

This lovely shrub that we see here in Philly (usually hamamelis x intermedia, a group of hybrids between H. japonica x H. mollis), begins to bloom late January/early February to late March and depending on the variety has an INCREDIBLE scent. Slightly sweet, fresh, a touch of citrus and spice and maybe a pinch of gardenia. Most often seen with varying shades of yellow or orange flowers. I find this plant to be very uplifting. So bright and cheery it just washes those winter blues away from me.

In the few blocks around our office in Washington Square there are three favored spots that I frequent to find this little lovely. Kahn Park at 11th & Pine has 3 or 4 varieties. Locust street close to the 10th street side and the Jefferson campus. And the medicinal garden at Pennsylvania Hospital on 8th & Pine. (Yes, I do stalk the witch hazel!)

When you find them, step in close and inhale deeply… Oh yes, the birds are starting to sing their early spring song…oh look the sun is peeking out from behind the gloom… ahhhh.., smile!

At the moment we are fortunate enough to have several branches of witch hazel gracing our office with it’s fabulous fragrance (thanks Dad!). We have a garden shed/garden musings display in our foyer for the Philadelphia Flower Show window contest and the hazels are doing their thing! Stop by and check it out!

Happy Witch Hazel hunting!

Fun Fact:
The native witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana or common witch hazel blooms in the fall to early winter and can be found all over the Wissahickon park and surrounding areas. It ranges from Canada to Georgia and west to Nebraska and Arkansas. The witch hazel astringent we use as a skin care product is an extract distilled from the young roots and stems of this plant.

Massage Therapist Insider Series: How Can I Make Massage a More Affordable Practice?

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Alicia McCarthy

Preventative care is on the tips of everyone’s tongue these days. Treating your body with kindness can sustain longevity, as it simultaneously creates a baseline for a truer sense of health. However, regular maintenance through bodywork can, for some, create a financial burden.

Much of this is perspective. Massage can be viewed as a luxury; something that in its extravagance, should be reserved for special occasions. Treating yourself once or twice a year to a celebratory massage is a lovely tradition, but seeing that tradition turn into a monthly ritual, will yield transformational results.

Getting to the point where you feel comfortable with adding massage to your health routine can be a simple as scheduling shorter sessions. If paying for an hour of massage every two weeks seems daunting, try booking a half an hour massage instead. These shorter sessions can provide results if you schedule them closer together. Communication with your massage therapist about the goal you want to achieve with a specific area of the body can make this possible. Once the area that you strive to change feels better, then you can reduce the frequency of massage.

Another way to experience bodywork without it draining your budget is to research promotional deals that massage therapists advertise. As licensed professionals, MTs are consistently required to add to their skill set. Often that means that they are looking for people on which to practice their new techniques. That way, you both benefit from learning a new way to bring your body to a better state of health!