The Wellness Center

Massage is definitely an investment. So how do you maximize your return? Follow the five simple steps below and you will get more than what you pay for!

1. Arrive early – take a couple minutes to sit quietly to start slowing down the body and the mind
   
2. Communication is key – the more specific you can be about the intention of your session and insights into your individual history, the more tailored your treatment will be. And please speak up, let your therapist know if you’d like softer or harder pressure, if the room is too warm/cool, or if you have any other concerns during the session.
   
3. Breathe – Deep breathing helps to facilitate relaxation. It is common to stop or tighten your breath when having a sensitive area massaged. If you realize you are doing this, simply take a deep breath to move the energy through your body.
   
4. Make sure to drink plenty of water after the massage to help continue to flush toxins that were released during the session.
   
5. Massage works best over time. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often you get a massage, the better you will feel and the more quickly your body will respond.

I am leaving for California tomorrow, driving there and flying back.  After some debate I finally decided not to bring my laptop.  Why was this such a big decision?  Well for one, I generally never travel without my laptop.  My laptop bag has become my second purse.  In many ways my laptop has become my security blanket.  If I ever need to work, find a document, jump onto facebook, blog, or check my e-mail it is at my finger tips.   Granted I do have a Blackberry so if I do go through a laptop withdrawal I can always use my Blackberry.  For whatever reason I have become extremely attached to my laptop.

I finally decided, that since I was having a hard time leaving my laptop behind is exactly why I should leave it behind.  Anything that you can’t pull away from, generally means you should create some distance for yourself.  I have to admit that I consciously try not to work all the time, and believe me I have come a long way from my 12 hour days 6 days a week.  But as an American it is hard to not feel guilty if you don’t work all the time.  This is definitely something that I have been working on and it is a daily battle.

So I leave tomorrow, sans laptop, but I will have my blackberry.  To California to see Marianne Williamson at her weekend workshop, Sister Giant.  I am super excited and also look forward to turning off my brain to technology while I am gone.  Hopefully it will bring greater clarity, creativity and insights.  Look forward to writing about my experience when I return.

Sharon

For the past 2 years I have been on a quest to simplify my life.  Because there is so much information, stuff, gadgets, technological advances, it really requires thoughtfulness to create a more simple, less stressed and balanced life.   It seems to be the theme all around, books and magazines are focused around simplicity.  Even this months edition of Oprah magazine, it is all about purging, simplifying and letting go.

Here is my journey… this will probably be written in several posts.

The first place that I started was my home.  Systematically I have been going through each room at different phases letting go of what didn’t serve me.  To make things easier on my I decided that my criteria for keeping stuff was that each item needed to fall into one of two categories.

1) It had to be functional and useful, on top of that I needed to have used or worn it in the past year.

2) If it is not functional, then it needed to make me feel good and provide some aesthetic value.  If it sat in the closet and was a memento from a trip (ex: the Tibetan dress that I thought was beautiful when I purchased it, but haven’t worn it once since being back.  I put it on, took a picture of myself in it and have it stored in my photo memories.  Taking pictures of things are a great way to remember memories without having to physically hang on to things that are taking up space (physically and energetically).

With those two criteria my journey towards simplification began.

I first started with the bookshelf in my office.

I can’t believe how tied I am to books!  I mean the one motivation book that I read 6 years ago, I can’t let go because I might read it again!?!  Or I may need it as a reference in the future?  After awhile this got to be absurd.  We live in the age of the internet.  Where #1 if you need a reference it is at your finger tips, #2 if I ever want to re-read a book there are over 5 libraries within a 5 mile radius of my home, not to mention there is a Barnes and Nobles, Amazon.com and Craigslist.  If I do need to track down a book.  You get my drift.

If you find yourself hanging on to books, really ask yourself why am I hanging onto this?

The other thing that helped me was a set a date for a book exchange at my house.  All my friends would bring their old books and we would swap, and whatever was left I donated.

After about a month of purging books, I moved to my office desk where I went through each drawer and tossed what I didn’t need. I also took off the none essentials on top of my desk, so each time I would walk into my office, I would generally have a nice desk clutter free desk.  Or course new piles would form but now I just have to go through the piles once a week or so.  I still have my filing cabinets to go, but that will have to wait.

Another tip, simplifying and purging takes much longer than you would every expect.  As you go through things you reminisce and look through things.  It can be a fun trip down memory lane.  Set aside a few quiet hours each week, do to your sorting.  For me Sundays were a good day.

The the next room was my bedroom… which will be in my next posting…

To your life!

Sharon

“As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, you should keep it.” Mahatma Ghandhi

I think one of the biggest battles that we face as Americans is the battle of not feeling like we are doing enough.

What I mean by that, is I have moments after I have been working, where I get stricken with this feeling that I am wasting time. That there is more to do and I am not doing it. I am not working enough, not striving enough and I am going to fall behind.

Do you ever feel this way? You feel guilty if you take a pause in your workday and even after a productive day you still feel like it is not enough.

You are not alone, I experience it and I know many others do also.  The best solution that I have found for this mental sickness,  is to stop, reflect and write. It really helps me to write out my thoughts, because if I keep them in my brain then I would probably go crazy.

While I would like to think that in many ways I am different from the average Joe, I am acutely aware of how human I really am. I have very human desires toward laziness, that I have to fiend off with to do lists and goal setting. I can also become unmotivated or undisciplined, which I combat with groups, support systems.  I exercise my own self discipline through daily habits of putting things away, eating certain foods, and maintaining a certain level of activity.

We are all human, and our natural inclinations toward pleasure and laziness we all feel and desire. 

How do stop falling into the pleasure trap?

1) Learn more about spirituality and philosophy (learn life lessons from our spiritual teachers decide what works for you)

2) Turn off the TV and start reading and learning new things

3) Reflect on your daily actions and what drives you to do the things you do

4) Define your purpose and goals

5) Give yourself spaciousness and time to think, reflect and be mindful

We are driven culture and I believe that in many ways we have been led off course by mainstream values that have taken away our time to think for ourselves and live full lives. We are constantly running around feeling like what we are doing and who we are is not enough. But when we can change our lifestyles to give us more space, then we can reflect on these crazy, non helpful beliefs and choose to live a different way.

I am definitely still a work in progress. What I find is after I write out my thoughts, it helps to allow myself to honor the work I have done, give gratitude to my health and ability to stop, reflect and process. To do a brain dump and hopefully then be able to enjoy being human and surrender into relaxing, rather than worrying that I haven’t done enough.

Here is to winning the battle of not enough, because everything you do is exactly enough for the moment.

To your health,

Sharon

Why should we deprive ourselves for 11 days of foods that we love and enjoy?

This is a question that I ponder frequently especially when I am actually doing a cleanse.  Every time I do a cleanse, I remind myself that this is 11 days where I cut out sugar, alcohol, dairy, wheat/pasta/rice, processed foods, and caffeine.   All of the other 354 days I get to eat all of that in moderation, or even in excess.  So it feels good to give my body a break and do a cleanse.  At the end of it I always feel lighter, more energetic, and my cravings actually shift.

Now I know many of you think that a detox is all about deprivation, but it doesn’t have to feel like that.  In a country with wide abundance it is easy to give into fast and processed foods, but our bodies don’t know how to process it.  Back in the caveman days where more people lived off the land a typical person would consume 20 teaspoons of sugar a year, today we eat over double that amount of sugar in one day! (Hormones and Inflammation. (2009, July/August). Experience Life Magazine)

It is no wonder why we have so many health issues and obesity is becoming a wide spread epidemic for Americans.  Cleansing for me is a personal commitment to my body, to help keep it on track since the other days I splurge and generally eat whatever I want.  As I sit here writing this I am having a chai tea and Chinese pastries (YUM) in celebration of Chinese New Years.

I just read a great article in Natural Health Magazine in their most recent issue (March 2010).  They have a great article on nutritional cleansing and detoxing which is not about deprivation but about transformation.

Here are a few tips that I will highlight from the article, on how to detoxify safely.

1) Think fresh, whole, organic foods eat plenty of vegetables, (choose sweet potatoes over white potatoes (white potatoes are basically table sugar so I would make the switch for the long haul), fresh fruits, nuts, seeds and beans, lean organic poultry and wild fish.

2) Drink plenty of water, make sure you stay hydrated.  I majority of time our bodies will feel like they are hungry, when in reality they are thirsty.  Drink lots of filtered water, electrolytes, fresh vegetable juices, and herbal teas.

3) Steer clear of dairy, gluten, sugar, alcohol, flour, and processed and refined foods.

4) Move your body and sweat!  The body can detoxify through the skin, so go to a hot yoga class, or sit in the steam room, take a hot bath.  Try to do some gentle form or movement everyday if you can.

5) Get plenty of sleep and relaxation time.  Your body is working hard to detoxify.  Take time to journal, mediate, read a good book, get a massage.  Do something that helps you slow down and connect with your body.

There is so much to learn about nutritional cleansing and what program is the best for you.  If you are interested in a doing a cleanse please feel free to contact our office to set up a complimentary consultation to see if and which nutritional cleansing program is right for you.

Happy Cleansing to your health!

Sharon

Merry Christmas everyone.

I hope everyone is staying cozy at home with good friends and family around.  This holiday seemed to be bustling with lots of people running around and while it is time of the year that should be filled with slow, quiet, moments.  Generally those seem to be lost in the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, parties, cards, cooking, while also maintaining our work schedule.  Many times the holidays can be even more stressful than day to day life.   Here is a 10 day plan to help you de-stress after the holidays.

Day 1: Create space for yourself… don’t schedule anything for one whole day.  Not even social activities.  Give your body and mind time to rest.  Don’t get out of better before 9am, relax and allow yourself to just melt in your sheets and think of all the things that you are grateful for.  Take some time to journal and do some leisure reading.  Try not to turn on the radio or the television.  Give yourself space for quiet activities that will help you reflect and get ready for the next 9 days.

Day 2: What does your social support system look like?  Many times when we are stressed it is helpful to reach out to people we care about who can lend an ear.  Take time to reflect on who are the support people in your life.  Try to schedule a weekly walk, tea, lunch with that person or people.  That way you have something scheduled every week that supports you in a healthy way.  Also pay attention to people who are energy drains on you.  Who after spending time with you feel depleted rather than energized.  Try to limit the time you spend and talk with these people.

Day 3: Stretch and Breathe!  It is amazing what even 10 minutes of stretching can do for your body.  If you have time go to a yoga class and try to go at least once a week.  If you don’t have the time, just take 5-10 minutes a few times a day to stretch and move your body.  If you feel stressed, take a deep breathe and focus on your breathe.

Day 4: Get out in the sunshine.  20 minutes in the sun will help keep your spirits up.  Serotonin levels increase when you’re exposed to bright light and it helps prevent depression.

Day 5: Get a massage.  Even if it is a 15 minute chair massage.  Massage will help you reduce your stress levels and calm your nerves.  Touch therapy is also very calming to the body.  Many times we can go days without touching someone else.  Exchange massages with a spouse, friend or co-worker.  If that doesn’t work make it a weekly routine to get a chair or table massage.

Day 6: Go on a date with yourself.  Light some candles and plan a night where you do something that you enjoy that is just for yourself.  Maybe it is a hot bath, taking a steam, reading a good book, talking on the phone with a good friend, watching your favorite sitcom.  Put on some music and dance!  Make this a night to celebrate you!

Day 7: Laugh.  Research shows that when you laugh feel good endorphins are released into your system that boost your mood.  Watch a funny movie, read some jokes, go to a comedy club, or just laugh with your friends.  I recently tried riding the unicycle with my boyfriend and we both laughed and laughed.  Now when I need a boost I go outside for 10-20 minutes and practice riding the unicycle.

Day 8: Declutter a room in your house.  It is amazing how much stuff we accumulate.  We will sometimes forget we bought something because it gets stuffed away in a corner never to see the light of day.  I find that having too much can be suffocating.  I have to make a conscious effort to keep my house clutter free.  I constantly have a donation pile that I am contributing to.  Start with your closet.  If you haven’t worn something in a year donate it, give it away or host a clothing exchange party.  Everything that we keep that we don’t use is stagnate energy that can stifle us.  Start small and work your way up.

Day 9: Stop rushing and take the scenic route.  Many times we drive to work and we are on auto pilot for most of the day.  Try to take a different route to work, through the neighborhood.  Road rage can easily spike your stress levels early in the day, try to avoid the busy highways.  Give yourself extra time so you are not rushed.  It is actually nice getting to work or an appointment and having an extra 10 minutes to just relax.

Day 10: Congratulate yourself for making a small changes for your well being and health.  Take the last day to reflect on what are some things that you can do on a daily basis to help you manage stress from today forward.  Write them down to remind yourself what you can do to self soothe when you find yourself stressed.  Maybe even create a mini mantra.  Which could be just one word that you think of when you are stressed.  You just keep repeating that word.  Mine has been Peace.  Yours can be anything that feels good to you.

Here is to you living a better life for yourself and those around you!  Happy Holidays.

Sharon

I find myself waking up at 4:00 or 5:00am with my mind racing.  Well first I generally have to pee, then find that I can’t seem to go back to sleep.  So I toss and turn for awhile before I finally turn on the light and write down all the “to dos” that I have to do the next day.

This actually allows me to fall back asleep which is nice.  When I got out of bed this morning, I stared down at my tasks to add to my “to do” list and thought to myself does it ever end?

I suppose writing and following “to do” lists are a choice.  No one is holding a gun to my head.  Every success book I read talks about goal setting, and writing down your tasks.  I suppose if you want to be successful in life, especially in a western culture you do need to write down a “to do” list.

When I lived in Nepal, as a Peace Corps volunteer (over 10 years ago Egad!) I never wrote “to do” lists.  I had a certain routine each day that I followed but life in general was extremely mellow.  But in the same breathe I lived in a mud hut, and took public showers by the river.  Life was very different.

I do appreciate all the finer things that western culture brings.  I think there is a fine balance to working smart and working hard.  The “to do” list is just another tool to help you work smart hopefully not too hard.  I find when I ask myself will the “to do list” ever end?  Most likely it is an indicator that I am burning out and probably need to take a break at least for the day.

So I decided to write on the blog, which today which was not on my “to do” list and I have a feeling the day will go just fine.  What needs to get done today will get done.

Here is to putting your “to do” list to the side for a day.

Happy Holidays,

Sharon

I was recently reading an article in Green American - www.greenamericatoday.org about re-claiming the streets of your community.  One of the main points was the benefits of buying from local businesses.  They quoted that when $100 is spent in a big store/corporation of that $19 stays in the local community.  Versus $100 that is spent in local small businesses of that $47 stays within the community.

Shopping at local small businesses also creates stronger community ties and connections.  Where you are not just a face.  Generally small business owners get to know their clients personally and chit chat when you come in.  When you buy local, such as at a farmers market or a group share you are not only supporting the local economy but also making the least environmental impact with your shopping choices.  A group share is when you commit in advance to a weekly delivery of local fresh veggies from a local farm, much of it is dependent on how fruitful the growing season is but is a tremendous support to local farmers.

With the holidays around the corners this got me thinking about green gift ideas for the holidays.  Some are “green positive” where if used by the recipent can contribute to a greener, lower impact lifestyle.  For example, buying someone a low flow shower head as a gift.  If they use it. then they will be reducing their water consumption. and ultimately their environmental impact.

There are also gifts that are “green neutral” that don’t have a positive impact on the environment, but don’t have a negative impact.  Generally these are items that are service based, not material goods, such as a gym membership, spa gift card, massage gift card etc.  Also if you choose to buy a material item, if you can buy it used locally (such as a book at a local used book store) that is also “green neutral.”

Then there are gifts that are “green negative” these are the most common gifts that we buy for our loved ones over the holidays.  These are gifts generally require the most energy to produce and transport; they are generally shipped from foreign manufacturing plants to arrive in Denver, They have an excessive amount of packaging (mainly to help market the product better), and use all new materials to create.

Until recently, many of my gift choices were “green negative” and I never really put too much thought into.  I was raised tearing open new gifts at the holidays and on my birthday.  It is part of the American way to buy new and consume material goods in excess especially during the holidays. This season I am trying to think a little differently.  Here are some green gift ideas please feel free to share any of your ideas, as I would love to hear them.  Happy Holiday Shopping!

1. Stainless steel water bottle
2. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)
3. Reusable fashionable bags, there are some great ones on Amazon.com
4. Plants and flowers
5. Membership in a CSA (community support agriculture)
6. Donation to a charitable organization on the receiver’s behalf
7. Movie tickets, a music class, or concert tickets
8. Gift card for a massage, spa, or facial
9. Gift card for a car detailing, oil change
10. Yoga classes

Happy Holidays!

Sharon

I was recently working on an article on the benefits of taking vacations, and I read an interesting statistic. “40% of women feel guilty when they take time off.”

This really intrigued me, because I experience guilt myself when I take time off or if I feel like I am not working hard enough. Many of my girlfriends feel the same way. They feel like if they take a day off from work they feel guilty, and end up checking voicemail, e-mails and doing a little bit of work anyway.

I know intellectually that for the most part I work very efficiently and when I am in my work “mode” or “zone” I am highly productive. I also know that I do not run at that pace 24/7 probably not even close to 5 days a week. I know that my body has “off” days where I am not as productive and just need to give myself a break. Many times instead of taking the break, I hear this voice in my head that tells me I need to push through it. Then I end up pushing through it, but at the expense of generally making poor decisions that end up becoming costly.

Why we feel this way? Is it our culture, genetic make up, socialization? How do we get rid of the guilt and start valuing the idea that if we take care of ourselves, we have more energy and joy for all those around us that depend on us.

I think a big part of it is cultural. Which means that we don’t need to buy into mainstream cultural constructs for our life and that we can choose how we want to live. The challenging part, is breaking out of the mainstream belief systems and generally living more of a renegade, non-traditional lifestyle.

Changing a cultural belief or ingrained conscious or sub-conscious thought process is something that requires everyday awareness and introspection. The first part to eradicating guilt, is to notice every time you feel guilty. Ask yourself what is triggering the guilt. This one step will help bring more awareness into the decisions you are making. Then you can have fun with it. For example, today I was not really in the mood to work, but I went into the office and got some things done. When I got home in the early afternoon, my first inclination was to start thinking about work again. Instead I caught myself, and decided instead that I should go for a walk, then when I got home, once again I was thinking I “should” work (as an entrepreneur your work is never done), but I just put that guilty thought to the side and connected to what I was really desiring to do in that moment. Then it hit me, “I want to take a bath!” I spent the evening in the bath with a good book.

Let me just warn you that connecting to your desires and pushing guilt off to the side, is not something that will happen overnight. The first time you actually put yourself first and say “no” to something, it will be a daunting process. But I guarantee you, like with any change whether it is eating healthier, exercising, saving money, it is all about creating a new patterns. Letting go of guilt is deeply rooted in your being, so it is going to be tough in the beginning especially if it requires that you say “no” to someone or something.

I always have to remind myself that tomorrow is a new day, and that life is a journey not a “to do” list.

Take some time off, guilt free, I give you permission.

To your health,

Sharon

I just recently finished reading a book called The Pleasure Trap by Douglas Lisle, Ph.D. and Alan Goldhamer, D.C. and it was about mastering the hidden forces that undermine our health and happiness.  Which has always been an interesting topic to me.

Why are there are there all these easy and pleasurable things that exist today that are not good for health?  Fast food, drugs, alcohol, coffee, refined carbohydrates, and sugar.  On top of that even if we are eating healthy, such a lean meats and veggies.  Much of our meat today is laden with hormones and synthetics.  Our vegetables have 1/12 of the nutritional value that they had 30 years ago. Modern foods are tastier that ever before, as the chemicals that cause pleasure activation have been isolated and artificially concentrated.  Meats that were once wild game, with perhaps 15 percent fat are now genetically engineered and growth hormone controlled that they routinely carry as much as 50 percent or more fat.

Similar to drugs, people that consume a diet high in fat, sugar and processed foods generally are addicted to the flavor and fat in many of these foods.  Feel as though if they move toward a diet of whole and unprocessed foods they will somehow suffer and deprive themselves.  Over time consuming these addictive foods are killing our society slowing through obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and much more.

Like any addiction, if you have been eating high fat, highly processed, fast, and sugary foods for many years it will take some work, self displine and a support system to recalibrate your body.  Amazingly with commitment, desire and the right tools you can be on your way to better health within 30 days.  Generally I find that it takes at least 30 days to break a bad habit.  I generally tell my clients commit to eating right or doing a cleanse for 30 days.  This will re-set your system, convert your body from a sugar burner to a fat burner and reduce or eliminate your cravings.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone that is interested in making a lifestyle change and taking control of their own health and well-being.  If you are interested in learning more about the liver cleansing system that I recommend to our clients go to: http://www.readytocleansenow.com/sharon_hwang.html to watch a great video or go to www.wellnessdenver.isagenix.com.

Until Next Time.

To your health,
Sharon