Insights from a Holistic Health Coach

The true “KEY” to healthy, happy, permanent weight loss that no one can sell you on the shopping channel? Your thoughts! 

Alexandra Geneva is a Certified Health Coach who specializes in supporting individuals who’ve struggled with food or weight to end that struggle for good and cross off their highest goals in health and happiness. Through her healing work with clients across the country she has seen that, though diet culture convinces many of us that our greatest obstacle to health is a lack of discipline, the truth is, “willpower” is always limited and finite; only a true alignment between our goals and our thoughts and beliefs around those goals can create the consistent action we seek.

Alexandra loves guiding clients to find the best nutrition, fitness, and accountability solutions for their individual goals and lifestyles. HOWEVER, she wants people to know that, in this age of information abundance, most of us already know enough to create meaningful change, and the solution we need most, which will make all our other solutions work more easily, happily, and sustainably, is a focus on mindset. Because what ultimately dictates our choices? our thoughts and beliefs about those choices. And trying to change to new patterns with old, limiting stories is setting ourselves up for difficulty and doubt.

So how can we understand the prescriptive role of our thoughts? It starts by asking questions like: 

• Do you feel genuine enthusiasm for your healthy behaviors or do you feel obligated?

• What are the stories you’ve told yourself about your body and weight in the past? 

• Do you truly believe your efforts will result in your goal?

• What thoughts do you go to when you don’t feel motivated? 

• What’s usually the conversation in your head that talks you into abandoning your goals?

• Do your chosen rules ever feel mean or exhausting? 

• Do you know how to truly satisfy an emotional hunger cue?

Alexandra Geneva and the Feed Your Freedom Coaching mission:

With a BA from Columbia University, a Health Coaching Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, a Yale University Coursera Certification in the Science of Wellbeing, and years of successful coaching cases, Alexandra uses specialized methods in habit and mindset change to help clients move beyond their obstacles and reach their highest health goals with joy and support.

Alexandra’s deep commitment to her clients’ successes stems from her personal experience, wrestling throughout her teens and twenties with yo-yo dieting and emotional and disordered eating. It was only through her extensive search for the right nutrition, exercise, and mindset tools, and support from a health coach, that she was able to heal and enjoy a forty pound weight loss as well as a healthy and happy relationship with food and body. Alexandra’s transformative experience with coaching is what motivated her to get certified herself – to save others the years of private struggle and help them attain the lives they want faster with an experienced partner.

Check out the Feed Your Freedom Coaching website OR shoot Alexandra a text or email to schedule a FREE ten-minute discovery call and see if coaching could serve your goals. Tel: 347-265-7127 | Email: feedyourfreedomcoaching@gmail.com

Supporting Your Metal

In Chinese medicine, Autumn is the season of the Metal element and Grief is the emotion of the Metal element. We all experience loss, separation, feeling of grief as we ‘let go’. Grief cleanses us of what is no longer needed in our lives.

There is more to this season than “letting go”, it is also a time to take in the pure. Think of waking up on a brisk fall day and filling your lungs with that clean, cool autumn air. Our lungs enable us to take in the pure, the new. They grant us the inspiration of a breath of fresh air. In classical Chinese medicine, the Lung is described as “the receiver of the pure Qi (Chi) from the Heavens.”

Just as metals give value to the earth (gold, silver, etc.), the Metal element within us gives our sense of self-worth. Each of us has a unique and priceless contribution to make to the world around us. When our Metal energy is imbalanced, we cannot sense our value, so it is imperative to include practices in our daily lives to support the energy of our lungs and the metal element that is within all of us. 

Below are 3 easy ways to support the Metal element in your body:

-A Morning Meditation Specific to Lung channel

As you wash your hands 

Focus especially on your thumbs

Sense or imagine Energy and blood 

Flowing freely through your thumbs

Balancing and strengthening your Lungs

Releasing any pent-up grief and sadness

Boosting Qi, blood and oxygen flow

Bringing a sense of freshness and vitality

To your day 

-Simple, Delicious Soup

Homemade egg drop soup: simply stir a beaten egg into a hot bowl of chicken stock or broth and sip slowly to reap the moisturizing benefits so as to combat the dryness that comes with Autumn season. 

-Acupressure Point

Point highlight: Lung 7

This time of year there are always all sorts of colds and viruses floating around now that we are cooped up indoors with the colder weather.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine, before our more modern understanding, colds were thought to be the result of an "invasion of an external pathogen."  This pathogen then became trapped in our bodies and the ensuing battle between our bodies and the pathogen resulted in what we experienced as colds. 

One of the functions of Lung 7 is to "release the exterior", which essentially means to open the door and help to show the invading pathogen the way out of the body. We can interpret this as activating the immune system so that it can better fight off the cold. Lung 7 also "benefits the head and nape of the neck" as well as the lungs themselves. Since this is often where we experience many cold symptoms, Lung 7 is a useful point to help clear up that nasty head cold. 

So next time you are feeling a cold coming on, feel free to show Lung 7 a little love by pressing on this point with some pressure - even doing small, circular movements.

We're Hiring - Amazing Opportunities:

COVID changes have created wonderful opportunities for the right individuals! We are seeking a few exceptional practitioners to add to our Team of Excellence. This is a positive and supportive work environment, with a collaborative mission to create a healthier community through complementary, holistic treatments. Seeking passionate practitioners and support staff who are self-motivated, yet understand the value in collaborating with a team, and have a positive, winning attitude. We work hard at Therapeutic Bodywork - but when you’re doing what you love, it should feel like FUN.

Please submit resume to: massagecapecod@gmail.com No phone calls, please.

Holistic Esthetician: Seeking an experienced Esthetician who is self-motivated, dependable, passionate about skin care and must align with our health and wellness brand. Using high-end, organic, but results driven products - these are not your ordinary facials. We are all about cultivating an experience - so if you like working on an assembly line, this position is NOT for you. Offering Facials, including Peels and Dermaplaning, Gentle Hair Removal, Eyelash/Eyebrow Tinting, Body Treatments.

Part-time position available and highly coveted Friday + Saturday shifts open.

Massage Therapist: Seeking experienced and passionate Massage Therapist to join our team. Turning business away year-round, we are always recruiting the highest of excellence to work with us. While we value and appreciate diverse styles of bodywork, our clients are typically seeking ‘therapeutic and deep’ work. A solid understanding of Anatomy & Physiology is mandatory. This is NOT an ‘assembly line’ kind of operation. We emphasize connection with each client and schedule time accordingly. Opportunity to be as busy as you want!

Reflexologist: Our Reflexology program is booming and we are ready to add another extraordinary Reflexologist to our roster. Must be well versed in using Reflexology to treat chronic and acute health conditions and have the ability to educate clients and community about the benefits of Reflexology. Must be self-starter and take an active role in collaborating for the overall success of the practice. Seeking an experienced Reflexologist who is ready to grow with us.

Raise Your Stress Tolerance

Our bodies were designed to handle a moderate amount of stress. But stress, when experienced for a prolonged period of time, can wreak havoc on our health, well-being and ultimately lead to dis-ease. Building up your tolerance to handle stress will better support your body against the negative effects of chronic stress. That’s right. With a few small tweaks you can build up a better defense to support yourself in stressful situations and beyond.

5 ways to Raise Your Stress Tolerance:

1. Quality Sleep - when we talk about health and well-being, there’s not much that doesn’t start with ‘get a good night’s sleep’. Our sleep is absolutely paramount to raising our stress tolerance. If you have trouble sleeping, try ending your screen time 30-60 minutes before bed and practice a bedtime ritual. A Magnesium supplement or our Sweet Dreams Magnesium Cream may help bolster a sound sleep.

2. Strengthen Your Vagal Tone - The vagus nerve is the largest cranial nerve in the entire body and is an integral part of activating the parasympathetic nervous system - where healing takes place. The vagal tone indicates the ability for the vagus nerve to activate itself. Like a muscle, the more we trigger the vagus nerve, the stronger it gets and therefore, your body is more readily able to trigger a relaxation response. For details on how to increase your Vagal Tone - click here to watch our video.

3. Spend More Time in Nature - get outside, breathe the fresh air, soak in some Vitamin D. Studies have shown a myriad of positive health benefits to spending more time in nature. A walk in the woods, time in your garden, an afternoon by the ocean - however you enjoy the outdoors, make more time to do it.

4. Decrease Alcohol and Sugar - give your nervous system the best chance to fight stress by decreasing your alcohol and sugar intake. Regular consumption of alcohol and sugar will negatively effect your hormones and ultimately increase your cortisol levels, actually creating stress on your body’s physiological balance. Build your body’s reserves by fueling it with a healthy diet, so it has the proper energy to draw from during stressful times.

5. Develop a Mindfulness Practice - cultivating a Mindfulness Practice on a daily basis is one of the most effective ways to build your stress tolerance. Start with 5-10 minutes a day and build up to 20-30 minutes of a seated, deep breathing practice. Taking deep breaths sends a message to the brain to calm and relax.

Another simple Mindfulness Practice is to start or end each day writing down 5 things you’re grateful for. Recognizing and stating the beauty in each day will help your mind naturally shift to a more positive perspective overtime. It’s a practice.

Join Our Team! We are Hiring!

We are growing and looking for a few exceptional practitioners and support staff to add to our Team of Excellence. This is a positive and supportive work environment, with a collaborative mission to create a healthier community through complementary, holistic treatments. Seeking passionate practitioners and support staff who are self-motivated, yet understand the value in collaborating with a team, and have a positive, winning attitude. We work hard at Therapeutic Bodywork - but when you’re doing what you love, it should feel like FUN.

Generous commission, benefits package included and full office support make TB an exceptional place to work.

Please send resume and cover letter to: massagecapecod@gmail.com. No phone calls, please.

Massage Therapist: Seeking experienced and passionate Massage Therapist to join our team. Turning business away year-round, we are always recruiting the highest of excellence to work with us. While we value and appreciate diverse styles of bodywork, our clients are typically seeking ‘therapeutic and deep’ work. A solid understanding of Anatomy & Physiology is mandatory. This is NOT an ‘assembly line’ kind of operation. We emphasize connection with each client and schedule time accordingly. Availability on Saturdays is required - opportunity to be as busy as you want!

Reflexologist: Our Reflexology program is booming and we are ready to add another extraordinary Reflexologist to our roster. Must be well versed in using Reflexology to treat chronic and acute health conditions and have the ability to educate clients and community about the benefits of Reflexology. Must be self-starter and take an active role in collaborating for the overall success of the practice. Seeking an experienced Reflexologist who is ready to grow with us.

Reception Help: We are seeking 6+ hours a week for Reception Help, weekday evenings. Must LOVE attention to detail, have the ability to multi-task and thrive at customer service. This position can lead to more responsibilities that can be done remotely or with flexible hours.

We look forward to hearing from you!