My Mother would give her life for mine if it came to that
but then I would never know my own power and destiny.
As we reflect on the love of our Mother and ourselves as
Mother’s, let us bow to Mother Earth with a grateful heart.
What a blessing to share this unique and powerful time together
as we re-define our roles and Mother our Mother.
My Mom and I Feb 29th, 2020
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you, and your Mother’s.
A huge shout out to my mother, who has a heart of gold.
During these days, weeks, months in quarantine, she has brought us a
dessert for each day. If you don’t recognize us when we finally meet in person again, we have her to blame. Always the mother’s fault right?! Lol…
We love you mom!!!!!!
As we continue this time, Sheltering in Place, there have been lots of opportunities for growth.
Not all that I like, while others are sweet surprises.
After many days of clashing and snarling while trying to adjust to each other’s differences, we have had some honest, deep appreciation for each individual’s needs, and have learned how to best understand our similarities and differences. Despite our differences, I’m grateful to have two of my children sheltering in place with us.
One day, Renée, an 8th grade science teacher and a psychology major, pointed out the problem we were dealing with during one of our family disputes. She brought up the fact that we each have our own pattern of being in the child versus parent role. When together, we tend to fall back on the patterns that we grew up with. Until we redefine what that is, we will continue to repeat these same patterns of non-functionality and frustration. I say non-functionality, instead of dysfunction, because they are different. Our role as parents served a basic need for the children while they were depending on us during their first years. Although we were teaching them about independence, we still assumed the care taking role without thinking about it. Generally, that was what we learned from our parents, so we never shifted the roles. Once you have actually seen it, then you can make an internal shift to change it. It took a pandemic to change my pattern.
With the circle of trust we have all established, we all have to check in with each other and make sure that we are comfortable with exactly how things are done and what we are doing.
Emotions are high. This invisible virus seems to have taken over our rational thinking at times but, to be honest, it’s not something any of us can wrap our heads around. We’ve had tears, many words, hurt feelings etc. I’m sure you have all experienced similar things. After many disagreements, and conversations, we have naturally fallen into place, if you will. We have hashed it out, and come up with some more agreements. We have all sort of shifted the way we interact with each other during these times, and, as a result, this has allowed us to grow individually and together as a unit.
There is a freedom in having no expectations, no family dinners, no obligatory places to be.
I didn’t know the kids could cook, and, honestly, I don’t think they did either. We eat at 9:00 or 9:30, and they say that’s too late. They have decided to start cooking, so that we can eat earlier.
On Easter Sunday, Gregg and I went on a walk and came home to 2 bags with a sign that said, “Let the egg hunt begin.” We hadn’t had that much fun in years. Renée organized egg decorating, boiling eggs, and getting coloring dyes all set up. It was simple but fun, and so nice to have the roles reversed. I even plan Mother’s Day every year. Why? It’s the question that I now wonder, and I am waiting to see what we do on the day. And, of course I will be thinking about my mom and how lucky I am to have her in my life.
The few highlights I’ve learned thus far:
- If you change how you do things, other people will adapt and step up.
- I’m done waiting on people and organizing all of the family dinners.
- There doesn’t have to be cards, chocolate eggs and bunnies on the counter for the kids, and I don’t have to be the one to make everything happen.
With Love and Light at the end of the tunnel,
Cindy
Service Menu:
We are still seeing clients 6-10 ft distance and on Zoom.
There is NO MASSAGE during this COVID time.
Livestream classes are up and running and we’d love to have you.
Look for your invite on Sunday, for those who have been coming.
If you would like to receive invites, contact me.
Chillax with wine, water, or beverage of choice and your family members including your furry friends. New Wines are featured every week. This is a complimentary class in place for as long as the quarantine is in place.
Wine and Wellness
By Geri Wohl, CNC
Pinot noir, Malbec, Zinfandel, Shiraz or Cabernet — which of these are your favorites? Wine has been part of our culture for thousands of years. Wine and tea were ways to consume fluids without the waterborne organisms that can make us sick. Tea prevents illness due to killing these organisms by boiling. But wine and other spirits perform this function by fermentation.
History suggests that winemaking began in the Mesopotamia region between 6000 and 4000 BCE. However, the origin of modern-day winemaking comes from ancient Greece. Wine has been documented throughout history in many societies and plays important roles in various religions even today.
Many of us may have experienced the relaxing effects that wine has on us. It is important that if you choose to consume wine (for those over 21) that you do so in moderation and never drink and drive! Wine, like all alcoholic beverages, can inhibit good decision making. While I will share the positive benefits of wine, in particular red wine, I will offer some of the negative consequences of imbibing wine as well.
Wine is typically made from different varieties of grapes. Once the grapes achieve the correct sugar content, they are harvested and prepared for fermentation. For red wine production, the must (or pulp) of red or black grapes are used in addition to the skins. The addition of the skin is what gives grapes their deep red color as well as some specific health benefits. For white wine, the grapes are fermented without the skins. Rose wines are produced from red grapes that are in contact with the skins for just enough time to impart the pinkish color. The quality of the grapes is paramount in the quality of the wine. The quality is affected by a variety of factors including the weather, the terroir or soil conditions, the time of harvest, and the pruning of the vines.
Red wine contains some important antioxidants that appear to be heart healthy. According to the Mayo Clinic, red wine contains more antioxidants than white wine and other types of alcohol. These antioxidants play a role in keeping us healthier by protecting the body from free radical damage and thus our cells. The antioxidants in red wine may increase the good cholesterol (HDL). Also, the compound in red wine called resveratrol may inhibit clot formation and thus reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. Resveratrol may reduce heart attack risk by up to 30-50%. Note that the amount of resveratrol in wine is actually lower than the amount found in whole red grapes and berries. Of course, eating a heart healthy diet and exercising are just as important to obtain additional cardiac benefit.
The effects of drinking red wine are a mixed bag when looking at its effects in cancer. While moderate intake of red wine may be associated with a reduced risk of some cancers, imbibing too much can be harmful. Alcohol has been shown to increase estrogen in the body which may have cancer-promoting properties. However, there are other compounds in red wine called aromatase inhibitors that may lower estrogen levels resulting in less association with breast cancer. More studies will obviously be needed. For men, red wine consumption may be slightly protective in their prostate cancer risk according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (June 2019). And in the journal, Nutrients (Nov. 2017), resveratrol was shown to inhibit cancer cell growth and promote cancer cell death in patients with lung cancer.
The polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) of which resveratrol is one, in red wine and grapes may support our digestive system by increasing the beneficial bacteria of our microbiome and preventing the harmful bacteria from proliferating. In addition, components in red wine act as prebiotics, providing nourishment to the healthy microbiome. So, a glass of red wine may actually be of benefit in aiding digestion and the other important functions of the gut microbiome.
Each 6-ounce glass of dry red or white wine has between 100-175 calories with about 3 grams of sugar. Wine is comprised mostly of water with about 1.5% coming from solid pieces. The rest of wine is alcohol and carbohydrates (sugars). If one is binge drinking or drinking on an empty stomach, the alcohol is metabolized very quickly and can enter the blood stream and brain and negatively affect your mental function. Since wine is primarily empty calories, it can contribute to extra pounds as more fat is deposited into the blood stream and then stored as fat.
Furthermore, the liver as the organ that needs to detoxify all the toxic material in our bodies has added stress when we consume wine or other alcoholic beverages. The Chinese believe that the liver is the master organ of the body. The liver’s role is to cleanse and filter the blood so that every cell in the body can be bathed in healthy, nutrient-rich blood. With all the chemicals (and pathogens) in our environment in addition to its normal functioning of cleaning the waste by-products of our metabolism, the liver already has an extra burden. Adding wine to the mix creates extra stress. If you have some type of liver disease, it is probably best to avoid wine and alcohol of any sort. In order for the liver to function optimally, we want to ensure the liver-supporting nutrients and avoid a sluggish liver and potentially trapping the fat-soluble chemicals in our adipose (fat) cells which can remain in those cells for years. Antioxidants in the forms of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E-rich foods are important compounds to allow the liver to do its job. Also, liver supporting foods can strengthen its abilities. If you feel want more information about specific ways to detoxify and foods that are liver supportive, please contact Cindy to set up a session with me. We can even do it virtually!
As you can see, wine has been around for quite a long time and may provide some benefits, but each person needs to weigh whether it is the right choice for him/herself. If you decide to drink wine, please remember to do so in moderation!
In health,
(c) Geri Wohl, CNC
The Crazy Cat Lady
Good News… After finding my Feral cat on Halloween 2 ½ years ago and feeding her outside twice a day, I brought her in the house on January 2nd and Stargazer, our once feral cat is now domesticated and an indoor outdoor cat.
With much trepidation I let her outside for the first time the day after Easter without her harness. After 18 months of being inside and watching all of our other animals come and go she longingly watched and desperately wanted to be part of the pack. It was inevitable that at one point or another a door would be left open and she would get out anyway so I figured I better teach her the rules of outdoor living. At this point she had been sleeping with me every night and followed me around like I was her mother and had adjusted to the other animals.
They aren’t friends but they coexist fairly well when Ollie doesn’t stalk her.
She looked longingly at the fence line where Hunter used to chase her down the hill and she would jump the fence to get away and my heart sunk knowing she could flee and I might never see her again.
I remembered if you love something you must let it go free and if it comes back, it is meant to be and if it doesn’t it was not meant to be. She was outside in her stopping grounds eating grass, exploring every nook and cranny eating grass and hunting for lizards and mice happy as a clan and I was a nervous nellie. Everyday she has gotten a little more brazen and extends the boundary a little more. She has not wanted to come back in for fear of not getting out and I have to coax her in. One day she went up to the barn and I grabbed her because I was getting nervous and she was not happy about it and tried to get away. This is something you should never do with a feral cat or they might flea for good but I let my fear take over. Everyday we are getting more and more comfortable with coming in and out and we’re finally able to relax a bit. Having a GPS collar tracking her whereabouts helps a great deal as well.
May
- American Stroke Awareness Month
- Arthritis Awareness Month
- Better Hearing and Speech Month
- Clean Air Month
- Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
- Food Allergy Action Month
- Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
- Healthy Vision Month
- Hepatitis Awareness Month
- International Mediterranean Diet Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
- Mental Health Month
- National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
- National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
- National High Blood Pressure Education Month
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
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