September as the Catalyst for Change

Sunshine filled days, a carefree spirit and a full social calendar can make the summer season a favorite for so many. It is a season full of fun and a sense of freedom. Some of us may take this sense of freedom to the next level and let some of our more healthy habits fall by the wayside for the two months. Perhaps we end up drinking more alcohol than we typically allow, or indulge in gluten and sugar laden foods that we usually avoid, and of course, we can’t skimp on the ice cream cones on those hot summer days. Hopefully we are doing all of this without a feeling of guilt. In fact, most of these indulgences are probably happening at a time when we are experiencing a great amount of joy; a family BBQ, a wedding, a night out with our families. It is a wonderful time to let go and have fun, but by the time Labor Day rolls around, we may be feeling that it's time for some healthy changes.

Here are some practical and gentle ways to ease the body, mind & spirit back into a healthy routine and purge some of that excess summer fun:

1. Add in Ginger Tea - ginger is one of the best digestive aids and helps remove some of the dampness that accumulates in the liver after weeks of too much sugar and alcohol. Sip ginger tea before and after meals to help ignite your digestive fire.

2. Get Moving – the lymph system is your best friend when it comes to detoxifying, but it needs movement to get going. A walk, a dance class, a tennis match, jumping rope - whatever it is that brings you happiness, do that!

3. Dry Brushing - another excellent way to stimulate the lymph is to dry brush your body before your morning shower. Dry brushing exfoliates the skin, but it also increases circulation and helps detoxify your organs.

4. Decrease Sugar and Alcohol - give your liver a break with efforts to eliminate your sugar and alcohol intake. It doesn't have to be big, but even cutting out that second glass of wine at night, or eliminating the chocolate chip cookies for a week will make a big difference.

5. Drink Bone Broth - High in mineral content and known for it's immune boosting and gut healing abilities, drinking Bone Broth is one of most nourishing things you can do for yourself. Organic, store bought versions are available at Whole Foods and I Love Rory’s and are great options for those weeks when the hours are limited.

6. Schedule some Self-Care - with the kids out of school and company coming and going, our own self-care can quickly fall to the bottom of the list during the summer. September is a perfect time to recommit to yourself - get back to yoga, make your Acupuncture appointment, schedule a facial - whatever it is that takes care of you in the healthiest, most nurturing way. Check out our September Reboot Offerings

7. Get a Good Night's Sleep - our bodies have the opportunity to heal and rejuvenate when we get a solid, restful night's sleep. As we enter the fall, Vata season, routine is essential to our good health and wellness. Try to get into bed at the same time every night and develop a nighttime ritual that allows you to start unwinding an hour before you get into bed.

Most importantly, have fun implementing a few of these healthy tips into your life. Your self-care should feel exciting and good, not overwhelming and daunting. Before you know it, some of these healthy practices will become a regular part of your lifestyle and you will love the way you feel!

Reflexology Keeps You Happy

Hormones are chemicals that are produced by glands in our endocrine system. They travel through the bloodstream, to tissues and organs, delivering little message of instruction to tell the organs what to do and when to do it. They are essential for most bodily functions and when out of balance, can be disruptive to our health and well being.

The secret to a happy and energized life is to have our hormones in balance, namely; endorphins, serotonin/melatonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. The great news is that Reflexology is a great way to help our bodies release these ‘happy hormones’.

So, sit back, relax and get HAPPY.

Endorphins: are literally pain blockers in the body and promote a natural ‘high’. You may have experienced an ‘endorhphin rush’ after intense exercise or attending a joyous social celebration. There are our ‘feel good’ hormones and are synthesized in the pituituary gland. The pituitary gland reflex is stimulated in the pads of the big toes and when worked, help make us feel blissful.

Serotonin: is a neurotransmitter that actually gets transformed into melatonin, a hormone that helps us sleep. When these two are in balance, we feel happy and content; getting restful sleep and feeling less irritable. Serotonin is found in the pineal gland which is located on the side of our big toes and in our thumbs.

Dopamine: is known as the ‘pleasure’ hormone and is activated when we want to achieve a goal. Dopamine can be found in the hypothalamus reflex, which is located in the big toe, on the lateral side of the phalangeal joint.

Oxytocin: is the ‘love’ hormone that is secreted when we have physical contact. A good hug releases oxytocin - so get hugging. Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland. These reflex points are in the big toe and are worked to help produce and release oxytocin during a Reflexology session.

Working these reflexes can help your body to produce these “happy hormones” making you feel good all over! Whenever you need a mood boost, grab your big toes and give these reflex points a work over. Or, schedule your next Reflexology session, sit back, relax and feel HAPPY.

Charlene Shea is a Reflexologist who studied under Michelle Becz and completed over 200 hours of study in 2018. Having had a strong interest in holistic and complementary therapies her whole life, Reflexology has become a tool she uses to enhance her own health and the health of her clients. Charlene loves working with clients to assist them in feeling their best so they can live their best life.

Charlene is available on Tuesdays + Thursdays + Saturdays.

You are the Ocean

The ocean casts a spell on all of us to some degree or another – as evidenced by the thousands who make pilgrimage year after year to our little corner of the world surrounded by sea.  

And it need not be surprising!  The human body is comprised of about 70% water and a half percent salt.

We are the ocean.   

Through the lens of Chinese medicine and Five Element Theory the Water Element reflects this very truth –often referred to as our essence or “source qi”, the life force with which we are brought into the world.  And in which depending on how it’s nurtured, informs the ability to sustain us throughout our years.

Although the Water Element as ruled by the season of winter, as our foundation, it is indeed at the forefront of our wellbeing year round– and is represented by the Kidney and Urinary Bladder organs and their corresponding energetic meridians.

The Water Element flows freely when in balance and relative harmony with Earth, Metal, Wood and Fire.  And in this optimal state may manifest physically as strong bones, teeth and hair, optimal brain function and hearing, healthy growth, development, reproduction and overall vitality.   Emotionally it can allow us to access will power, motivation and courage.

Conversely, when the Water Element is depleted or out of harmony, we may feel excessive fear, a sense of hopelessness, or lack ambition and drive.  And may experience physical manifestations such as infertility, low libido, fatigue, vertigo, salt cravings, low back pain and hearing loss – to name a few.

Regardless of season then – your Water Element may indeed be in need of some TLC to restore vitality, promote a sense of consolidation and relieve physical and emotional pain.

Acupuncture, Chinese herbal formulas, food therapy and lifestyle counseling can all play a part in nurturing and restoring harmony to the microcosmic sea of our own being~ in the same way we aspire to treat our great mother ocean – with tenderness, respect, and deep care.

It is my honor to ride the wave with you.  

Karen Hayes holds a Masters Degree from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, CA, is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist in the Commonwealth of MA and a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine nationally. She brings with her 12 years of clinical experience. Meditation and Mindfulness practice, as well as Buddhist study are foundational to her life and inform her approach to patient care. She has a warm, heart-centered and gentle approach to her practice. Her treatments are comprehensive and holistic.  In addition to acupuncture, Karen may use cupping, moxa, gua sha and Chinese herbal medicine as part of her treatment protocol. She works with a full scope of health conditions including but not limited to: Mental Health, Addiction Recovery Support, Sleep Disorders and Insomnia, Asthma/Allergies, Digestive Disorders, Pain Management, Women’s Health, Fertility and Preventative Medicine. .

Book with Karen on Tuesdays, Fridays + Saturdays

Detox with Reflexology

In the slower, colder, winter months, our bodies tend to store more toxins since our detoxification organs are impacted by inactivity. Spring is the season of reawakening and a perfect time to kick start your detoxification system.

A Spring Detox Reflexology Session focuses on your lymphatic system, kidney, lungs, liver and colon and will jump start your detoxification system, starting you on your way to an internal spring cleaning.

But how does Reflexology, a therapy working on the feet, detoxify the whole body? It's all about the blood flow.

-With over 7,000 nerve endings per foot, Reflexology deeply relaxes our bodies - allowing the blood vessels to dilate, promoting increased blood flow to the whole body. With increased blood flow, the detoxing organs and the lymphatic system are able to function at their peak.

-When the body is in a state of stress, the blood flow is sent to key areas of the body, diverting it away from other areas such as the intestines and gut. While this hardwired body response was intended for short duration, many people are now experiencing a chronic level of stress to some degree. As a result, detoxification is not priority, so these organs are given less blood flow and cannot perform optimally. In a Reflexology session, the cleaning organs and lymphatic system are flushed with the proper amount of blood flow and can perform the job nature intended.

-Each 'relex area' on the foot is a system of nerve endings that correspond to an organ, gland or part of the muscuolskeletal system. Reflexology studies (using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology) have shown that when a reflex area is worked, there is increased blood flow in the region of the brain related to the body part the reflex corresponds to. With our Spring Detox, we will focus on your detoxification system (lymphatic system, lungs, kidneys, liver and colon) to bring more blood flow to these organs and jump start your internal cleanse.

We invite you to shake off winter, jump start your detoxification system and see how incredible you feel with a Spring Detox with Reflexology.

Spring Renewal

Spring is here and nature is coming alive after a long, winter slumber. Maybe you can feel that natural transition from the yin (restful) energy, to one of the yang energy (active) within your own bodies. Maybe you’re feeling a little more energized as you begin to wake up and shake off your own winter slumber.

According to Chinese Medicine, Spring is a time of renewal and an ideal time for creating, cleansing, and moving. It is associated with the Liver and Gallbladder organs, which means it is a great time to release emotions that no longer serve you and help support the function of these two organs. When the liver is out of balance it may show up in symptoms such as; headaches, depression, digestive disorders, menstrual disorders, and high blood pressure, to name a few. With simple lifestyle adjustments, we can harmonize our liver and ensure we are living in sync with nature, which will allow our own health to thrive.

1. Get Moving: Just like nature, we too should feel the energy of Spring season and get moving! Movement helps support the Liver energy and get blood, lymph and circulation going. Walking, yoga, daily stretches are all excellent ways to support your body this spring.

2. Detox: Everything we eat and drink is processed by the liver. Thought of as the commanding general in the body, the liver has over 500 responsibilities in the body and is our main organ for detoxification. Support this detoxification process with some epsom salt baths, take to an infrared sauna, soak your feet in epsom salt/baking soda, get a reflexology session to help support the detoxification process.

3. Get Outside: Let nature rejuvenate you this spring and get outside. Reconnecting with Mother Nature not only soothes the liver energy, but it has been proven to decrease stress. With the warmer temps, Spring is a wonderful time to take in your fair share of fresh air and let nature revitalize you.

4. Think Green: One of the best ways to support your liver is with green foods. Leafy greens like chard, lettuce, kale, dandelion are all beneficial for detoxification and helping support the liver. Moving away from the heavy, winter foods, Spring is a great time to lighten up your diet by introducing a few raw or lightly cooked meals.

5. Let Go: In addition to filtering everything we physically consume, our liver is also the filter for our emotions. When the liver is taxed, frustration, anger, resentment, and jealousy, can show up more frequently. Practice letting go of emotions that no longer serve you by meditating, journaling, or any other ritual that resonates with you to practice the release of emotions.

6. Acupuncture: Regular Acupuncture treatments will help support the smooth flow of Qi and stuck energy and support the function of the Liver/Gallbladder. Acupuncture will help support your body’s natural ability to heal and decrease debilitating symptoms associated with the Spring Season.