Archive for April, 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.
The Healing Power of Weeds
You may want to think twice as you find yourself wrestling with the weeds cropping up in your garden this spring. In an effort to maintain aesthetics, you may be tossing valuable natural remedies in to the compost bin. Mother Nature has a way of surrounding us with medicinal plants even in urban settings. Weeds are persistant by nature and can grow under conditions of immense stress which gives testiment to the highly protective nutrients and antioxidants that they often possess. Here are a few “medicinal weeds” you may find growing in your own backyard:
Dandelion: Save money on toxic weed killers which will cause harm to your liver and instead dine on dandelions which protect your liver cells from free radical damage! Dandelion leaves add a bitter quality to salads which stimulates healthy digestion. Dandelion greens also have historic use as a mild diuretic for lowering blood pressure and the roots are often found in liver tonic formulas.
Chickweed: Creeping along close to the ground, this plant is another great addition to your salad bowl as it was used as a nutritious food by populations in Southeast Spain. Chickweed is often used in anti-itch formulas for treating eczema and other skin eruptions. Create a chickweed poultice by soaking the weed in hot water briefly, then removing it to apply to the affected area of skin once partially cooled.
Plantain: Usually found in the cracks of sidewalks and in park lawns, plantain has a broad flat leaf with a thin spoke-like flower rising from the center. Plantain is a great first-aid remedy for insect bites and stings. Just chew up a piece of the leaf and then apply directly over the inflamed area or chop up several leaves, soak in hot water and then apply to the skin.
Spring Detox Class at Seeds in Hampden
The cleansing energy of spring is a reminder to nurture and tend to our livers. The liver has the ever important task of filtering through all of the toxins that we encounter in our food and environment.
The term “detox” is often misused as a means of simply clearing out the digestive tract. Detoxification is rather a holistic process that recognizes all systems the body uses to release and reduce toxins – through the breath, digestion, skin and urinary tract.
The Spring Detox class is designed as a holistic approach to detoxification which will address diet and lifestyle factors that impact wellness. Each week will have a different focus:
Week 1: Love your Liver
Week 2: Healing the Gut
Week 3: Calming Down the Troops (lowering inflammation)
Week 4: Bringing it all Home – Detox in the Everyday
Each week different food groups will be eliminated from the diet to support the immune system and promote healing in the gastrointestinal tract.
Price of the class includes handouts, a rice-based protein powder which will enhance detox pathways in the liver, and an Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook.
Dates: Wednesdays April 29th, May 6th, 13th and 20th
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Location: Seeds Center for Whole Health
3600 Roland Ave Ste 4
Baltimore, MD 21211
To Register: Call Dr. Emily at (443) 226-7665
Class Limit: 10 participants (Minimum of 6 to hold the class)
Cost: $250 ($75 deposit required to hold your space)
