The Benefits of Yoga by Sarah Haug, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist

I discovered yoga while studying for my licensure exam and little did I know then what an important addition to my life yoga would become!  For me, yoga seems to address the physical, mental and emotional demands of life in an integrative fashion that helps me to cope and be healthier overall.  I am certainly not the only person to experience better quality of life through yoga.   

Below are some of the benefits of regular yoga practice that have been revealed through scientific studies:

Physical Benefits

Improved overall strength and muscle tone

Improved balance

Improved joint health

Improved flexibility and range of motion

Increased immunity

Lowered blood pressure and heart health

Pain reduction and prevention (e.g. headaches, low back pain, arthritis pain)

Better sleep

Better control over food cravings and improved eating habits

Better breathing for increased oxygen to the body

Mental Benefits

Stress reduction

Mental calmness and greater control over anxiety

Improved mood

Improved focus

Body awareness and increased comfort in your own body

Reduced effects of traumatic experience

For more information click on the following link for a Mayo Clinic article about yoga:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733?pg=1

How Acupuncture Can Help by Justin Short, L.Ac., Dipl. OM

In my first blog I went over a few of the mechanisms by which acupuncture can help promote health; if you have not read it, you can do so here.  Having explained how acupuncture works, I wanted to continue on and delve into what it can help with.  Over the course of three blogs, I am going to talk about some of the specific issues and symptoms acupuncture can help with as they relate to the five main Chinese Organs.  The five main Organs are the Heart, Lungs, Spleen, Liver and Kidneys.  

Now an important distinction before we continue, when I talk about Organs and organ networks in Chinese medicine, I am not referring to the piece of meat in your body that goes by the same name.  Instead, I am referring to a group of related functions and jobs that may or may not overlap with the functions of the physical organ.  As an example, lungs (lower case “l”) turn air into energy (respiration).  In Chinese medicine the Lungs (capital “L”) are also in charge of turning air into energy, but are also in charge of the skin and fluids and are affected by grief and sadness.  So if I diagnose a patient with a Lung qi deficiency, that does not mean you need to see a pulmonary specialist.  It just means that certain functions or jobs are not being performed as they should be.  By inserting needles into specific points, or prescribing herbal remedies, Chinese medicine helps restore your body’s natural health.

Knowing what we do about respiration, it’s easy to understand how acupuncture could be used to treat such problems as asthma, pneumonia or shortness of breath.  In Chinese medicine, the Lungs do much more and can be affected in a variety of ways.  During the fall and winter, when colds and illness are rampant, the Lungs are often the easiest target (fun fact: in Chinese medicine, the Lungs are referred to as “the tender organ” because they are most easily affected by external conditions).  When first catching a cold, coughing is one of the first symptoms, a symptom often associated with the lungs.  In Chinese medicine though, other symptoms related to the Lungs include sneezing, sore throat and abnormal sweating (because the Lungs control the skin and pores).  Acupuncture can often be used to help speed the recovery from many types of colds and flus and can even help strengthen the body to reduce their occurrence and severity.

This was just a brief overview of what part the Lungs play in Chinese medicine, and while the full picture is a lot more complex, I hope this gives you some idea of a few ways acupuncture can help promote health.  In the following articles I will discuss the Spleen and Liver, and the Heart and Kidneys.

What am I going to do with them ALL summer long???

Selecting a summer camp for your kids:

Written By Sarah Freeman, M.ED.

Have you ever had the experience of dropping your kids off at a camp, looking around and getting back in your car with not much more than hope that the kids will survive and confusion about what you paid for?

Many summer camps are run by teens and young adults who are there for their summer jobs. Don’t discount their enthusiasm, passion for kids or developing leadership skills. Many are there for all the right reasons. Unfortunately they are frequently not set up with the design or resources to be much more than childcare providers successfully.

Wouldn’t it be such a nice relief to know your children are getting the same level of structure and education that they get at school? Not to mention the added bonus of summer fun every day in a summer camp.

If you are looking for some summer fun as well as your child having the opportunity to continue to grow, learn new skills and be engaged throughout the camp, check out the Wellness Connection Summer Camps.

As a Mental Health Therapist at Wellness Connection and a former teacher in Fairfax and Prince William Counties, I have helped design four Wellness Summer Camps. Our camps include a foundation in nutrition, social skills, mental and physical health, and we did not forget to jam pack each week with essential summer fun!

We Make Wellness Fun

Below are only the highlights of what we have planned for your child: 

-   Social Skills – Engage with other peers in age appropriate ways. Learn how to navigate everyday experiences successfully. Understand verbal and nonverbal communication. See social cues, interpret them and interact with ease.

-   Nutrition – Learn that what we put in our bodies is our fuel. Items we consume cause different moods and affect our health. There will be opportunities to try new fruits and veggies, make tasty smoothies, learn healthy snack options and create artwork with fruits and veggies.

-   Mental Health – Improve self-esteem, self-confidence and self-care.  Handle emotions as they come up in healthy ways, including the tricky emotions of stress and anger.

-   Physical Health & Activity – Participate in obstacle courses, trail walks, introductions to Yoga and Zumba and sharing sport skills each child brings to the camp. Learn about listening to our bodies and including play or physical activity every day.

-   Summer Fun – In addition to daily fun and laughter, we have an amazing field trip planned to Great Country Farms every Friday. Kids will experience a working farm and explore fun outdoor activities.

Each of our summer camps is run by Professional Teachers, Mental Health Therapists and Occupational Therapists.  As a Therapist I specialize in working with children, teens and young adults through client centered, cognitive behavioral and art/play therapy counseling approaches. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to incorporate my experience and skills into these educational camps. I look forward to a fantastic, fun packed summer at Wellness Connection. The amazing skills of our passionate professionals have combined to offer endless opportunities for your child this summer!

Visit the camps tab on our website to learn more and sign up.

Hope to see your kids this summer!

 http://wellnessconnectionllc.com/resources/camps-4/