Inside The Polished Apple

A special treat for April-our Women's Wellness Circle this month will include a Salt Bowl Ceremony. Here's more about it from our Community Herbalist Melanie Stevens Isles.  Spring is here for real for real! As an herbalist spring brings so much hope and planning. I grow a shocking amount of medicine in my tiny city lot. Each spring I dream up what new friends I am going to add to my garden and how I will work with these plants and the clients I support. Working with the plants and the dirt in the sun really fills my cup. I know I have to soak it up over summer to get me through the winters. Connecting with the earth is such an important part of our overall health and wellness. Spending time in nature, listening to birds, watching trees, feeling the warm sun on your face all connect us to a source greater than ourselves. This month the Women's Wellness Red Tent event is on April 28 at 7. We will be connecting to the earth and ourselves with a salt bowl ceremon...

Our April Theme at Elan is Mother Earth. Here's an article on how to view this season from the perspective of a Traditional Chinese Medical Doctor, including info on Earthing from Dr Lynn Hoffman-Tempel.    Spring is here!!!! And while we all celebrate more sunshine, warmer days and the lifting of energy and spirits that come with the change in season – the winds that bring along the change in season can also bring some interesting things with them. In Chinese medicine there is a saying, “the wind is the spearhead of a million diseases.” Spring is associated with the element of wood and the climactic factor of wind. We can be easily impacted by the winds of spring, partly because we have been out of physical contact with the grounding nature or earth. It has been many months since we have had clear and easy access to earth (dirt). The energy of spring can be very busy and ungrounded, it is not unusual to experience disruptions in sleep and emotions – feeling unsettle...

April's Theme at Elan Family Wellness Centre is Mother Nature. Here's an article from Dr  Rob Clarke, chiropractor at Elan, on Chocolate-the Superfood!  Chocolate is a  SUPERFOOD . There! I said it! A bold statement, I know. The Mayans and the Incas understood. The beans were highly valued and were honoured with the ceremonial drinking of a hot and spicy cacao drink. Now science is telling us that cacao/chocolate is an incredible antioxidant, and antioxidants are essential to being healthy. Most people know that kale and blueberries are very good for us as they are both rich in antioxidants. What many don’t know is that one square of high-quality chocolate is, in fact, comparable to a kale salad or a cup of blueberries. Chocolate is also rich in a chemical called theobromine which has relaxing effects, contains a lot of magnesium and has great fats from the cacao butter. We are learning more and more about how the nutrients in chocolate are good for our hear...

Spring has arrived and the world instantly feels better to me. Along with the season's arrival, April always make me think of new beginnings with pregnancies and babies everywhere (the human and animal variety!). Our office offers many services for around the prenatal time and we especially love to see new babies getting entrained with Network care and seeing them learn strategies to release tension in their bodies-whether the tension has built up from development, during birth or in their early days. I find that many babies who have had care in-utero and in their early weeks and months tend to self-correct with ease and have balanced and flexible nervous systems. For the babes we don't see, or if parents are wondering what to look for to decide if they should have their baby examined, here are some things to look for that may indicate a more serious need for chiropractic care.  Torticollis or difficulty turning head in either direction Placiocephaly (head flatte...

Our March Theme at Elan is Nourish and Nature. Here's an article from Melanie Stevens Isles, that we also published in our March Newsletter. Melanie is our Community Herbalist and her personal business is Full Bloom Herbals.  Welcome to March! Personally I am always so happy when this month rolls around. I confess I'm not much of a winter person, the long dark nights and cold days leave me feeling a little weary. March brings the promise of spring and warmth and long sunny days. I work with plants, spring brings back the plants, it's impossible not to get excited when the green starts coming back.   These transition seasons of autumn and spring are the best time to look at clearing the physical and mental cobwebs. Winter and summer are often too busy but are also either too cold or too hot energetically for cleansing. We have many herbs available to us to help support the body at this time of year. Book a session with me this month and we will get you on your way with...

Elan's March Theme is Nourish and Nature. Here's a yummy recipe from our Holistic Reflexologist Sandra Catania-enjoy!   I thought I'd share a recipe this month... in the name of "really quick" nourishment when you are on the go, or before attempting to make dinner on an empty tank. All measurements are approximate. Mix together: 3/4 cup coconut oil 3/4 cup nut butter 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups oatmeal 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds 1/2 cup hemp hearts 1/2 cup shredded coconut Form into balls (between a walnut and a golf ball size) and keep in the freezer for a wonderfully nourishing snack or dessert. Feel free to substitute any other nuts/seeds/dry fruit you have on hand. Makes about 2 dozen. ~ Sandra

Our March Theme at Elan is Nourish and Nature. Here are some words from Dr Robert Clarke on  Nourish Yourself. Dr Clarke practices Network Spinal Analysis Chiropractic with our office, and this article originally appeared in our March newsletter.    The word Nourish is most often associated with food, yet that is only one dimension of nourishing yourself. Certainly, eat well, buy organic foods when possible. Prepare your meals with love, eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Once you have taken care of your nutritional needs, then turn your attention to other ways to nourish yourself. Spend time in nature; research has shown us that as little a few minutes in nature reduces blood pressure. We also know that regular exercise is more effective than medication at improving depression. So take a walk, breath some fresh air. Another important aspect of nourishment is quality connection with others. As social creatures, spending time with friends and loved ones is essent...