Garden Views: Feeding the Need
One of Baltimore City’s most bountiful urban gardens is now on display right in front of City Hall (Fayette & Holliday St.). This is not the typical ornamental garden of petunias and begonias that cover many city plots, rather the City of Baltimore has invested in a vegetable garden to feed the homeless with fresh in-season produce. Created by landscape designer Angela Treadwell-Palmer, this garden was also made possible by numerous donations of plants and volunteer support. To date, Angela calculates that 1,500 pounds of vegetables have already been harvested and donated to Our Daily Bread, a local soup kitchen that serves 700-800 meals per day. You may want to add this to your ”list of attractions” as you tour visitors around Baltimore this summer!
Do you have a garden story to share? Please send a photo and any comments about what inspires you to keep growing to dremilytelfair@gmail.com.
Add comment June 22, 2009
Share YOUR Story
If you have a healing story that you would like to share, please e-mail me your testimonial to dremilytelfair@gmail.com. You are welcome to remain anonymous. Remember that we all benefit from these exchanges of wellness that come through words, thoughts and intentions. Your story may inspire someone else to renew a sense of hope in the possibility of healing.
Add comment June 10, 2009
Reclaiming Wellness: Jim’s Story
When Jim first came to see me a year ago to redeem his gift certificate for a one hour massage, neither of us had any idea of the healing and transformation that we would witness together during the months to come. At that time, Jim’s doctor had recommended shoulder replacement surgery to ease the suffering of his chronic pain as a result of rheumatoid arthritis. As he describes, ”In May 2008, I was in crisis. The pain overpowered my barrage of analgesics. I could not sleep. I could not think. Every moment was unbearable….But pity the pain that meets Dr. Emily, for its time has come.”
Jim’s pain was so severe when he first arrived in my office that he could barely move his right arm twenty degrees from his side. After just several massage sessions, his range of motion drastically improved and now he can reach up to touch the ceiling in the shower! Not only has Jim incorporated almost weekly massage sessions as part of his wellness plan, he has also made adjustments in his diet and shifted to a more positive state of mind for viewing the world and the challenges it presents.
Jim wants his story to be shared so that others may benefit from his transformation.
“I am very grateful I found this source of wellness. Slowly, I am able to turn away from embracing my illness to embracing my Wellness. I have adjusted my budget to assure this is part of my life.”
Add comment June 8, 2009
Great Soul Closing End of June
Sadly, I announce that Great Soul Wellness Studio will be closing its doors at the end of the month. The challenging economic times added a heavy strain to the business which celebrated its first birthday in February.
I want to thank and honor all those who invested time, energy and resources to keep the wellness community going over the course of the last year – especially the co-owners Stacey, Wendy and Stacy. They shared a beautiful vision to bring experiences of wellness and healing to the Lauraville community and hopefully that vision will continue to manifest in new and lifegiving ways.
The change this means for my individual practice is that all of my patients and clients will now see me exclusively at Seeds in Hampden. Thankfully, my practice is still steady and growing. For those who have not yet seen me in Hampden, it may be helpful to know that most patients express a sense of peace and comfort when entering the space at Seeds.
I appreciate your patience during the transition. My hours for seeing patients at Seeds may fill quickly, so please try to schedule soon for any upcoming follow-up appointments. I will be seeing patients at Seeds on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and I may be adding time Wednesday mornings and some Saturdays (temporarily) by appointment only. Please contact me directly at (443) 226-7665 or via email (dremilytelfair@gmail.com) for scheduling all appointments.
Add comment June 8, 2009
When Life Gives You Lemons…Just Add Stevia!
Beat the Baltimore heat this summer with a refreshing treat that will help balance your blood sugar level and curb your craving for sweets. Stevia-sweetened lemonade is my favorite new beverage for quenching thirst after digging around in the garden. The sour taste from the lemons balances strong sweet-tooth cravings and the plant stevia ,which grows easily in most gardens, is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. Fortunately, the sweet taste of stevia does not come with the calorie count or blood sugar spiking effects of the sugar cane plant. In fact, stevia is safe for use in diabetics since it actually helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. The key to using stevia is knowing that a little goes a LONG way. A small pinch is enough to sweeten a cup of tea and when baking with powdered stevia preparations, 1/4 cup of stevia can often replace 1 cup of sugar. Using too much stevia can shift the experience on your palate from sweet to bitter. Stevia is available at most health-food stores and through Dr. Emily’s dispensary.
Stevia-Sweetened Lemonade Recipe:
- Juice 3 lemons and add to 10 cups of filtered water
- Dissolve 4 tsp of powdered stevia into a small amount of warm/hot water
- Add dissolved stevia to water and lemon mix. Stir and chill.
Entire mixture contains approximately 36 calories
(source: Omnivite Nutrition, Inc.)
Add comment June 1, 2009
It Takes A Village
The city of Baltimore often feels like a small town, and in some pockets it can feel even more like a village. When I first moved here, I was struck by how quickly I felt part of the wellness community, and then by how valuable this became as I began to build a practice. The future of healthcare may have just as much to do with the relationships that patients share with their practitioners as it does with the relationships that practitioners experience between one another. And while modalities such as naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and other “alternative therapies” all take into account the whole person, they each do so through a different lens and from historically unique traditions. There is great value in seeing the whole from these varied perspectives which is why I am so grateful to work with such a talented team of healers – both at Great Soul and Seeds where I share office space and in the greater Baltimore area.
Ultimately it is the patient who benefits from this team approach – from the network of connection that may occur behind the scenes when colleagues reach out to each other for guidance and support. We all have a role in this village with the patients guiding the learning for the practitioners and the practitioners in turn passing along knowledge to the patients. In this cycle we all grow, we are all transformed and somehow, we are all connected.
(pictured left to right: Seeds practitioners Gina Corso, acupuncturist; Andrea Wenger, nutritionist & Reiki practitioner; Sarah O’Leary, acupuncturist; Emily Telfair, naturopath)
Add comment May 20, 2009
Adventures in Detoxing
I was first introduced to the practice of detoxification while in school for naturopathic medicine. As students we were encouraged to experience an “elimination diet” so we could better understand the challenges that would face our future patients. I remember scouring the internet for gluten-free, dairy-free recipes, the all-natural cookies I made that fell apart due to lack of a binder, and somehow developing a taste for foods that most normal humans would classify as “unpalatable.” Those days are all revisiting me now as I practice solidarity with the class of 8 willing participants who volunteered to take my Spring Detox Class. We have reached Day 11 of our 21 day detox program which consists of a progressive elimination diet and the incorporation of other naturopathic modalities such as exercise, hydrotherapy and mindful self-reflection.
When it comes down to it, detoxification is about coming back to what is simple and natural about living in this world. Unfortunately, it can take a lot of effort and planning to arrange for simplicity – waking early enough on a Saturday to make it to the farmers’ market, baking granola from scratch because all store-bought granola contains sugar, stopping to read labels at the grocery store and putting back on the shelf what you cannot pronounce. I am grateful for this time to remember the wonder of the human body and how it can rise to the challenge of the complex world we have created. It remains to be seen if my gluten-free baking skills have evolved as brilliantly as the liver’s detoxification system!
Add comment May 11, 2009
Eating Well at the Waverly Market
Treat yourself to the “taste of wellness” at the Waverly Farmers’ Market by paying a visit to Don and Renee Gorman. As former restaurant owners they are skilled in offering warm and hospitable service as well as serving up delicious whole foods cuisine. A rare find in Baltimore – Don and Renee have many WHEAT & GLUTEN FREE and DAIRY FREE items available. From quinoa muffins and vegan brownies to spelt-crusted pizzas and veggie burritos with rice tortillas, you are sure to find fresh food made with love and healing intention. This dynamic duo enjoys sharing their passion for healthy nutrition as part of a holistic lifestyle rooted in wellness.
The Waverly Farmers’ market is open year-round on Saturdays from 7am-12pm at the 400 block of 32nd Street. Visit www.32ndstreetmarket.org to learn more.
Add comment May 6, 2009
Naturopathic Doctors Lobby for Healthcare Reform
On Monday May 4th a group of approximately 100 naturopathic physicians, medical students and supporters of natural healthcare ventured to Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of all those touched by dis-ease in this country longing for a new approach to healthcare. We met with staff members from the offices of Senators and Congressmen/women throughout the day bringing the message to include an emphasis on prevention and wellness in any upcoming proposals for healthcare reform. The event which takes place annually was organized by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, an organization that works very hard to ensure that licensed naturopathic physicians and our patients have a voice in federal legislation.
I participated in meetings at the offices of Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski and Representative John Sarbanes (Maryland’s 3rd District). In both meetings our messages were well received. It was a great pleasure to join forces with my Maryland colleagues to represent both our current and future patients with the hopes that our efforts will increase awareness about naturopathic medicine on a state and national level.
Add comment May 5, 2009
A Wellness Retreat in Costa Rica
It has already been several weeks since I’ve returned from my “well-cation” to Costa Rica. This rainy spring day in Baltimore has me dreaming back to the sunny skies just ten degrees from the equator in the Guanacaste Province. This was my second year retreating to the peace-filled resort of Panacea de la Montana where I was greeted with open arms by the gracious hosts Mary, Debbie and Peter. Together they have created an calming oasis for rest and rejuvenation. Days at Panacea begin with a warm greeting from the early rising sun into your private cabina, followed by yoga class guided by Mary’s soothing and supportive instruction. Debbie meanwhile has prepared a delicious vegetarian feast that awaits your now growling stomach. The rest of the day may find you lounging by the pool, catching a ride to the nearby beach, joining in water aerobics class, heading off for an adventure in zip-lining, receiving a restful reflexology session from Peter, and enjoying more phenomenal whole foods cuisine. Sharing this experience with my mom and sister only brought more joy, laughter and peace to my stay at Panacea. Visit: www.panaceacr.com to learn more…
You don’t have to journey all the way to Central America to experience a “well-cation” of your own. Honoring yourself with a several hours or a long weekend designated as time to reconnect with your own wellness can serve as a personal retreat without going far from home. Try a new yoga or meditation class, visit a park that you’ve never been to before, or create a small space in your home that nourishes your spirit. Retreating allows your own well of health and vitality to replenish so that you can give more fully to the people and projects that support and inspire you.
Add comment April 20, 2009
