Category: Blog Post

I had really been feeling anxious and off this week. It all started before the equinox with body aches, congestion and some serious lethargy. Luckily some rest and immune support – elderberries – were perfect for clearing the rogue virus. Immune system back on track, but I was still left feeling buzzy, racey and had seriously achey legs. Classic signs of my root chakra needing some serious attention! Following the impeachment saga and getting frazzled about downed internet were doing absolutely nothing to support me feeling grounded.

I’m thinking – OK this really is anxiety- and it feels crazy. Knowing that it is hard for me to give myself advice, I literally had to think ‘ok what would I tell a client to do if they were feeling like this’. hmm I would say “legs up the wall yoga posture immediately for 20 min”

Legs up the wall is the perfect nervous system reset. In 10 min I can feel my adrenals throbbing and then I immediately got the hit that in addition to my normal meditation routine, I really need to connect more with nature to attune to the seasonal change- barefoot on the grass preferred…imagine myself rooting just like the trees send their energy down into their roots this time of year. Now is the time for more self care and even a ritual to honor the change of season. I’ve been spending 10-20 min barefoot outside in the mornings and what a huge difference it has made.

This is a perfect time of year to invest in ourselves in terms of self-care. When all of nature is slowing down and rooting, we humans tend to get busier – back to school schedules followed by holiday train. It’s hard on our bodies and it weakens our immunity. It’s not uncommon to feel edgy, irritable, lethargic or experience digestive woes or upper respiratory symptoms as we adjust to fall.

Consider ‘falling’ into some self care with a healing session for some grounding support, AND when you refer a friend you will receive 50% off a facial or massage with my friends at Ladan Holistic Spa!

I hope this finds you all well with the transition to these cooler, shorter, ‘back to school’ days..

For those of you who may not know, I have moved back to the East Coast!  I made the long cross country trip with my 2 cats in their carrier and arrived late August in time to get a dose of heat and humidity.  

After living 2.5 yrs on the beautiful Northern CA coast, I honestly had had enough  🙂  Hard to believe – California is a beautiful and healthy place to live, but after 2.5 years in a small sleepy coastal town, I was ready for more activity – I had also had enough of the cold weather and fog.  (Think UGG boots and puffy jackets year round !)

The time I spent out West was fruitful for personal healing on many levels. Having all that extra space enabled me to see patterns and make changes that I wouldn’t have been able to had I stayed in my routine here.  I also had the opportunity to expand my horizons in the healing arts.  I took several myofacial release classes and am able to offer that approach in combination with my craniosacral therapy for an added approach for pain relief.  I also am now certified in Past Life Regression – it’s great for sensitive people and healers who want to address patterns from those deep and ‘hidden’ place.  I tend to span the spectrum when it comes to healing – there is no ‘one sized fits all approach’

I want to extend a warm thank you for your support during these past couple of personal healing/transition years.

To that end, I am offering a 10% discount on your next visit – through November 2019.

This time of year is perfect to treat yourself to some self care to support grounding and adjusting to the change of season.  I always get a bit anxious in the fall and benefit from practices and therapies to support my nervous system and digestive system in adjusting.

I am offering healing sessions in person and over the phone and I am maintaining office hours at the same locations in in DC and VA.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Warmly,

Dr.  Marie

Doesn’t  it seem like life only gets busier and that there is more and more information coming at us all the time? There is too much information out there to take in and process! The human nervous system has never had a physiologic ‘upgrade’ to be able to handle this level of over-stimulation.  As a result, a lot of us feel overwhelmed, anxious, and have difficulties concentrating and sleeping well.

Because the nervous system isn’t fully developed until age twenty-five, the impact of our modern lifestyle is felt even more deeply by children and adolescents.  A striking example – digital screens affect the frontal cortex of the brain and alter dopamine levels much in the same way that stimulating drugs like cocaine affect the brain.   This level of sensory data in combination with the added burdens of environmental toxicity and nutritional deficits are compromising children’s nervous system health.  They are at a disadvantage for todays’ rigorous (and often unreasonable) classroom demands.  It’s not surprising at all that attention, focus and behavior are common concerns.

As a naturopathic physician in practice for over 15 yrs, I have seen just how dramatically the lives and health of children have changed.  Anxiety levels in little ones have risen remarkably.  In supporting children and adolescents to feel clearer, calmer and more focused, I like to focus on boosting brain health,  managing daily stressors, and building nervous system resilience.

In supporting overall brain health – I encourage parents to eliminate foods with additives, dyes, processed sugars and taking a look at potentially  inflammatory foods that can impact focus, energy and mood.  I encourage parents to take a look at protein content of foods – making sure there is protein at each meal.  This balances blood sugar – which works wonders for balanced energy and moods.  The developing brain requires a plethora of natural plant based vitamins and minerals for repair and essential fatty acids for optimal nerve cell membrane function.

I love making nature prescriptions to help children and families manage stress – children thrive in the outdoors!  There is so much great information out there about the healthy benefits of earthing – or connecting our body’s electromagnetic field with that of the earth’s.  It is powerful for discharging stress and reseting the nervous system.  Think bare feet in sand or grass for 10-15 minute daily.

Because children and adolescents are so open and sensitive, they respond really well to energetic bodywork.  I incorporate craniosacral therapy in my practice – a gentle system that eases the nervous system out of fight or flight and back into the restorative parasympathetic state.  This modality in combination with guided visualization is really effective for improving adaptation to stress, boosting concentration and improving sleep quality.

Our children don’t have to be at a disadvantage as we life life in the fast lane.  We just need to implement wellness strategies at a much earlier age.  Gone are the days when kids could get away with fast foods as a nutritional mainstay, and no one is too young to begin a daily mind body practice for calming and strengthening the nervous system.

In traditional Mayan culture, the ‘womb’ or uterus is considered to be the center of a woman’s power. If her womb was out of balance her life would also be out of balance. For this reason, ancient Mayan women took great care to maintain the health of their wombs, and as a result, they rarely experienced cramps, fibroids, PMS, or even menopausal symptoms!

One of the treatments they utilized was the vaginal steam – also known as the ‘yoni’ steam. This ancient herbal hydrotherapy treatment involves steaming a variety of herbs that are cleansing, nourishing, promote circulation, improve moisture and hormonal balance. I have seen many of my female clients heal from painful periods rather quickly by simply incorporating this ancient ritual once or twice a month.

The first steam I did has a powerful effect, I could feel a palpable sense of groundedness rise up me as the steam rose. It felt like I was tapping into and re-activating an ancient part of myself. I also had zero PMS symptoms the cycle that followed! That is worth it’s weight in gold.

Here’s how to do you first yoni steam:

You will need a chair with perforations, or you can sit at the edge of a chair – they make special chairs with holes in them, but for beginners it may be easier to work with what you have
one large thick blanket, comforter or quilt
Put 1 cup herbs – I like the blend by DeviSteam – in 2-3 cups water and simmer for 15 minutes until steam is rising – do not boil
Place pot under chair (if there is a hole) or right at the edge of the seat
Undress from waist down, sit over steam ‘path’ and wrap your blanket completely around you for a steam tent effect
Sit for 20 min and enjoy