Inside The Polished Apple

Thanks to Lisa Chepil, Registered Massage  Therapist  with Elan Family Wellness Centre, in Bowness, Calgary, for these  words  of update and  information  on her  upcoming  training.  While away from the clinic, Lisa has been enjoying time with her daughter, gardening, biking and continuing to master her craft by learning new massage and manual therapy skills. She is following up her first course in RAPID Lower Body with an upper body seminar online this in May with an in-person section to follow later in the summer.   What is Rapid NeuroFascial Reset? RAPID NFR, is a neurologically based, active, manual therapy technique that addresses the central nervous systems role in alleviating tension and restrictions within the body.   What are some conditions does RAPID help alleviate? headaches /migraines back pain  carpal tunnel syndrome  shin splints  shoulder pain...

Thank you to Dr Robert Clarke, Network Spinal Chiropractor at Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, Calgary, for this breath exercise to connect with our inner wisdom.  As the days get longer and the warmth of sun grows stronger, we can reflect on how this year/decade has started. Have you developed a trajectory to guide you forward? It’s less about goals, it’s more about direction. How would you like things to be unfolding for you as you move though the next year/decade? With a direction in mind its good to check in with your heart and see if you are on track. Sit with your hands over your heart,  breathe in your nose, out your mouth, bringing the breath to your heart space. While connecting with your heart reflect on your path forward does your path have a positive effect on how your heart feels?  If so great!  If not, how can your course correct to change your trajectory to have your direction be more congruent with your heart? Do this exercise ...

Thank you to these words on novelty from Scott Hutchison, Registered Massage Therapist and Energy Rich Life Coach with Elan Family Wellness Centre, in Bowness, Calgary.  Often we arrive in January all full of hope for the new year.  The previous year gets described as tough or challenging or even a “dumpster fire”.  We look back and get hints of the good stuff… but mostly the rough stuff surfaces and that is where our attention and language to others is communicated.  And then we use hope as a strategy for our coming year.  Hope is lovely… and giving hope to others is fantastic… but it can be a lousy strategy without action and persistence towards something.  Not running away from those things that caused you the pain last year… but towards those hopes and dreams with efficient actions, razor sharp purpose and the ability to use energy to crystallize the thoughts in your head that will lead you down the path closer to your result… every day.  B...

Thank you to Dr Robert Clarke for these words on embracing life. Dr Rob offers Network Spinal Chiropractic at Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness.  On December 24 th   my sister transitioned. It was an honor to be with her as she completed her earth walk. For those of us she left behind, it was too soon, she was only 56. After a number of years with health challenges, she was ready. She found gifts in her illness. There was a great peace about her at the end. The lessons that I take into this new year, is to live each day to its fullest. To find the gifts in my challenges.   Over the past couple of years, I have been able to spend many evenings at my kitchen table discussing life love and the cosmic web of life that we all participate in.  My sister Daphne definitely had some coyote medicine in her. Lots of laughter. The Coyote is a trickster, teaching us to balance the elder within and the child within. To bring playfulness into all aspects of our lives. ...

Thank you to Dr Robert Clarke, Network Spinal Chiropractor with Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, for this article on the Sacred Season of  Transform. During the season of Transform, we begin to create changes in our lives, fuelled by the knowledge of discover. Often these changes are subtle, and sometimes they are very dramatic. The important thing to recognize is that we now have some control in how our lives move forward. At times, changes are needed, yet sometimes the change that is needed most is a change in perspective to have a significant effect on our lives. We also claim ownership of our gifts and our challenges, knowing that this is essential for us to maintain balance, and helping us to move forward. Transform needs energy to shift the patterns in our lives, so knowing yourself and what energizes you is important in these times. In transform, we find acceptance; Acceptance of where we have been, and how we have lived until now. This acceptance, or let...

Welcome to the Elan family Megan! You'll be seeing her as you arrive at Elan for your chiropractic, massage or acupuncture appointment  or you may be speaking to her on the phone. We're looking forward to working with her!  A few words from Megan, "Hello, my name is Megan and I am really excited to be working at Elan Family Wellness. I moved to Calgary about 3 years ago from Saskatchewan and have been in Bowness the entire time. I have no plans of leaving either as I love the community and the people.  I am looking forward to getti ng to know more of you as time goes on. I frequent many businesses in the area, love going to local events and am now a member of the Bowness legion as well, so if you see me around please say hello as it may take me a little time to learn all your faces and names. Thank you and see you soon."

There's lots happening at our office! Here's a new face you will soon be seeing a lot of!  Please welcome to the clinic, Kayley.   You will seeing her behind the front desk during your visits to the office and we are very pleased to have her join us. Pop in and say "hi" next time you are in Bowness!    As some of you know, July 31st was Kim's last day. We will miss her and we wish her well as she goes "BACK TO SCHOOL"! ~ Scott

Thank you to Liz for these inspiring words about Redefin'd Calgary, the group we have worked with for our Patient Appreciation Day this year. They are a local Bowness organization making a big impact! The Redefin’d Recovery Community No outcomes,  only the rhythms of daily life.  Love. Struggle. It’s all the same.  Welcomed. Real.  We dance to that rhythm here, together, when we move forward as one,  no one misses too many beats. We are a trauma recovery community at Redefin’d. A group of people “going it together.” Being normal, being vulnerable and leaning on each other when we need to. We are where healing happens. When the greater community comes to experience Redefin’d, they say things like, “this is becoming my favourite place to be.” or “this is so natural.” Isn’t this what recovery should be? Relationship. The isolation our young people come from, the addiction, homelessness, living at the Drop-in Centre, and...

Thank you to Scott Hutchison, Registered Massage Therapist with Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, NW Calgary, for these thoughts on Appreciation!  They say 10 thousand hours is the magic number to consider mastery in anything. Since the Bowness location of Elan opened in September 2014 we have hit our 10 thousand hours of serving from the NW of Calgary and more specifically... Bowness. Thank you. On behalf of Rob, Josephene, the practitioners and staff... thank you! Many have joined us over that time, some have moved on, and many we see weekly. We are grateful to continue to serve. To those joining us on June 22nd for our Appreciation Day... thanks in advance and vote for my chili during the 3rd annual Chili Cook Off during the event. With appreciations... ~ Scott

~ We'd love to see you at our PATIENT APPRECIATION DAY! Come on down for Chiropractic Entrainments*, Workshops, Food & Fun! All by donation! Enter to win raffle items featuring local Bowness businesses. All proceeds going to Redefin'd Calgary! *all are welcome to attend our workshops or drop by for food & activities; Network Spinal entrainments are for current practice members only. Saturday, June 22nd 48, 7930 Bowness Road NW, Calgary AB 10:00AM-2:00PM Please call us 403 217 5577 to book a time to visit us this day! 

Thank you to Dr Robert Clarke, Network Spinal Practitioner at Elan Family Wellness, in Bowness, NW Calgary, for these insights from his recent Vision Quest. June is our Appreciation Month!  I recently had the honor of doing a Vision Quest, during which I got to sit for 4 days on a Beautiful parcel of land with myself, the earth and the cosmos. I received many insights over those days, one of the biggest gifts was appreciation of my journey and all the blessings I have. My health, my children, my work, my friends and family, this beautiful country and so much more. I am truly grateful for the teachings I have received throughout my life. The vision quest had less than ideal conditions, during the rain and the snow of that weekend I saw the reflections of those challenges and the challenges I have faced in my life. When things are flowing well in my life, I am grateful, when challenges come my way I work to see the lessons. It takes practice and often the wisdom gained, or the gift...

Practice Member of The Week Celebration Dinner Thank you to everyone who joined us on Thursday, May 23rd in our celebration of an array of practice members all dedicated to their chiropractic care. We enjoyed getting to know you and your guests all a bit more and look forward to seeing you again! Thank you to Phil, Barb & the team at Extreme Catering (also in Bowness/ NW Calgary!) for hosting us, another excellent dinner! This program will continue in the Fall & we will be collecting your nominations of who you think deserves the recognition of Practice Member of the Week!   

Please join us for our Annual Patient Appreciation Day on June 22 nd ! It's one of my favorite days as we get to appreciate YOU, our practice members, our North West Calgary community, and local Bowness businesses! We guarantee their will be awesome door prizes, food, and a chance for Network Spinal chiropractic entrainments and educational, inspiring talks! We will be using the day to also increase awareness and raise funds for Redefin'd - a local Bowness group helping young people redefine their life through meaningful work (and amazing food!)  As June is our month of Appreciation, we also get to take the time to share some thoughts on the topic. June is a big month for me as I will be completing my 180 day challenge stretching myself in preparation for the West Coast Trail in July, and I will be turning 45, which is the reason I'm doing so! If you join me NOW, you can finish spring out with a 21 day challenge to bring a new healthy habit in to your life. With all ...

Thank you to Margaret Kennedy, Registered Acupuncturist with Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, NW Calgary, on this article on the benefits of Mindfulness.  Mindfulness  is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. To be  mindful  is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing. There are many ways to practice Mindfulness and even more books that can be obtained either via the internet or library to learn more on the art of mindfulness. Some ways that mindfulness can help you: It reduces overthinking which damages the spleen meridian. It alleviates stress, improves memory, the ability to focus and improves learning. It helps one to be non-reactive to others, so that in the midst of crisis you can remain calm. It allows us to think differently, so de-stressing our lives It enhances our compassion, empathy and kindness to ourselves and others so increasing our ability to be happy. This lessens our...

Thank you to Scott Hutchison, Registered Massage Therapist and Professional Coach, with Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, NW Calgary, on this article on may mindfulness. This I find to be a loaded weapon. When I sink down into a process like mindfulness... or as I know it... now-ness, I am hijacked, to some extent, by the stories I carry around.  And inevitably, I move from mindfulness/now-ness to a painful memory from the past that may pop up on me during my experience. It kinda sucks. To counter this... I have learned to simply give myself permission to come again and again into my mindfulness. Often I would beat myself up about it.  Now, I recognize that when my mind does this... it is doing so as some weird or misguided protection strategy. But giving myself the permission to have a second or two of wandering and gently move my mind back to “now”... I regain control over my mind from a higher level of optimization. Then I practice and practice. Usually ...

Thank you to Dr Robert Clarke, Chiropractor at Elan Family Wellness in Bowness, NW Calgary, for this article on incorporating mindfulness into our daily routine.  In life it is easy to fall into routines and habits. The upside of this is we don’t have to expend a lot of our attention to get many daily tasks done. On the other hand it can become easy to let routines and habits take over too many aspects of our lives, this is where its important to bring mindfulness in our lives on a daily basis. “Take time to Smell the Flowers” Slow down, allow your senses to expand, breath deeper, in doing this we bring more mindfulness into our lives. When paying more attention to all of our senses we begin to understand that not only our sight, smell, sound, touch and taste are more sensitive, but our intuitive senses also improve. Firstly, this helps you know when your body is in a stressed ”Fight or Flight" and when it is in “Rest and Digest” this awareness informs us. Technology has ...

Thank you to the donors and participants of this year's Birthing in Bowness! We have the honour of working with pregnant moms (for prenatal and postnatal care), new moms and young families for care at Elan, and have the support of many wonderful people working in the birth care (and family care!) industry. It was fun to come together for one evening to celebrate this group.  We enjoyed an evening making great connections with other moms and networking with health professionals and perinatal supporters. Thank you for helping us raise funds and food for Made by Momma! Nancy Shadlock , Life & Motherhood Coach Jodey Sharman , Registered Psychologist Emilie Sanmartin , Doula Randi van Wiltenberg , Doula Ropa Muchini , Treevein Anu Rishi , Beautycounter

Thank you to Dr Robert Clarke, Chiropractor with Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, NW Calgary, for this article related to our Mother Earth month.  With Spring here, its great to feel the warmth of the sun and see the budding of new life everywhere. It helps us soften the memory of one of the coldest February's in recent history. Yet Mother nature is wise always balancing elements. We had a milder than usual January, this woke up the Pine beetles and Ticks, so they began to wake from their winter hiding to then be faced with The February Freeze. This helps to control the destruction of our pine forests, and decreasing the tick populations, both good things that we humans could not adequately manage. So take the time to observe the flow of nature from a grander perspective and marvel in the wisdom of Mother Earth. In the same way, monitor your body and your health. Often our body responds in ways that don’t make sense to us. Being sick isn’t always a sign of poor health. In ...

Such a fun evening for our practice members and community members! We started the evening with a meditation with Margaret, our Acupuncturist at Elan. Lisa, Registered Massage Therapist, led us in stretches for Heart Openers-to help open up from our forward bending posture.  Next was Jodey Sharman, Registered Pyschologist, who spoke on the topic: People Pleasing... Is it OK to not be nice? Last up was myself, Dr Josephene Juell, speaking on 3 Myths about Women's Health that will SHOCK you!  We had beautiful gift bags with items donated by a number of local businesses. Thank you to Sage Traditions , Routine Cream , Rumina Naturals, Citrinity , Young Living/ Sandra Catania , Horse and Heart Connection , Naturally Unique and Dr Rob's chocolates! And of course, yummy food and drink and a photo booth.  Mizael from Real Organic Creations with samples of his raw cashew cheese.  Thank you for a wonderful ev...

Thank you to Margaret Kennedy, Acupuncturist at Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, NW Calgary, for this advice on Self Care. Hello Everyone, Spring is coming, the time of year to start nurturing oneself for the coming year. What Self-Care do you make for yourself? You are in charge of your life, so choose to be kind to yourself, make the time for YOU. Value yourself – your time, set limits and priorities, make the time for what is important for YOU. Where are you going with your life? Look at all aspects of your Life: Health, Physical, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual, Relationships. Leisure time - fun, adventure, how do you like to spend  your  leisure time? Career/work related issues. Do you like what you do? List your likes, dislikes, ambivalent – then examine them, and eliminate those that are not necessary. Take one hour per day, quiet time for you and be by yourself – Go for a walk   Meditate Relax Have a bath with candles and music around you Fin...