What's Happening
(Upcoming Events)
November
November 8th, 2008
AHI will be at the Sharp Health Fair
December
Annual Fundraiser Dinner at Old Venice. TBA
Recurring Events
Wednesdays: Jin Shin with Barbara Clark
Fridays: ASRT with Dr. Charlene Penner
Got Pizza?
Join the AHI Team, Clients, Friends and Family at the acclaimed Pizza Port in Solana Beach on Sunday, November 16, 2008 from 12-5pm.
Happy Birthdays
We'd like to give a shout out to our peeps on their annual anniversary!
Contribute to Us
Help Awakenings Health Institute bring your dreams and others closer by donating today!
Sponsor a Client
Support clients by making monetary donations to their accounts. Read More.
We're here to Pick You UP!
|
Dear Valued Clients & Supporters,
Welcome to the Fall edition of the AHI newsletter.
Enjoy:
Aligning Ourselves with Autum
By Adam Gries
We are such small creatures on this enormous planet. We can understand the power of the changing seasons by looking at how drastically they affect our landscape. So, to think we do not need to respect these changes and make the appropriate adjustments, is a bit naïve and definitely disrespectful of nature’s power.
Autumn is beginning to reveal itself, even here in San Diego. The outward expansion of summer with its long days full of heat, activity, and sharing laughs with all of your friends and family, has faded. The summer fruits have fallen from the trees as the days grow shorter, and the nights grow colder. It is time to size back our activities as we let go of the growth and dynamic energy of spring and summer. Now is the time to allow our body, mind, and spirit the chance to incorporate what we have gained thus far this year, as we reign in our outward activity and prepare for the deeper rest and rejuvenation of winter.
It is important to keep the nervous system stimulated when dealing with many degenerative neurological disorders and spinal cord injuries. However, it is more important to respect the time that is necessary for your body to rest and recuperate. This occurs on a daily basis every evening and night while you sleep. On a yearly basis, this occurs every autumn and winter. Now is a good time to restructure your workouts and healing therapies to focus on inner strength and the restorative abilities of your body.
Introducing….. New Trainer, Zach
Hey everyone, there’s a new trainer in town…and his name is Zach. Let’s all make him feel welcome and at home. Zach comes to us from Utah. He’s only been in the ‘hood 6 months but has already caught the surfin’bug. When he’s not training at AHI, Zach can be found droppin’ in at Blacks on a big day or relaxing at sunset with sushi or a nice merlot. He is a Taurus with brown hair and brown eyes and likes to chill’ with Bob Marley at his favorite neighborhood watering hole, The Kraken’. Sounds like he’s a true San Diego native.
You’ll see some other new faces around AHI. Be sure to say “hi” and introduce yourself. Welcome aboard the AHI family Lillian Heller, Lenora Figeuroa, and Nate Tauzer. We’re so glad you’re here with us.
ACUPUNCTURE IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRAINING (Article 1 of 4)
By Adam Gries
In order to get the most out of your body and reach the goals you have set, it is vital to:
- Ensure your body is working with maximum efficiency and effectiveness
- Speed up recovery time between workouts
- Ensure your mind is 100% focused on the task in front of you.
- Have your Spirit lead your efforts.
Acupuncture can effectively help you with each one of these variables. Today, we are focused on the state of your Spirit. The deepest and most profound of these variables is the state of your spirit. Without your Spirit working towards your goal, you have little chance of tapping into your true power to accomplish any task set before you. This applies to all facets of life. We all know how easy it is to get something done when our “heart” is in it, and how difficult things become when our Spirit is not invested in what we are doing.
Acupuncture was developed thousands of years ago with the ability to reach us on the physical, emotional, AND spiritual levels. An imbalance in any one of these levels will directly affect one or both of the others. Therefore, if you are focused on changing your physical body but you are not at peace on the inside, you MUST take the time to bring the inside into balance before you can expect to see major lasting changes on the outside.
If you are interested in learning more about how acupuncture can help you on any level, please call Awakenings at 858.794.9952 and ask for Adam; He will be more than happy to discuss how acupuncture can benefit you. Be on the look out for the second installment of this series in our next Newsletter.
Speaking of Acupuncture . . . Congrats to . . .
 Andrea Plichta! We send out a heart-felt congratulations to Andrea for attaining her Acupuncture license. Well done Andrea!!! The girl is now legal and joining our Acupuncture team headed up by the talented Adam Gries. Some of you Acu-regulars may be seein’ Andrea hangin’ around the treatment rooms, armed with needles and ready to apprentice with Adam while building her own practice.
Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Bike
Friends, we are pleased to offer the FES bike as part of your training here at AHI. Some of you may already be familiar with it, incorporating a session or two into your normal weekly routines. However for others, it remains just the elusive machine in the corner of AHI.
 We are changing that . . . For the remaining months of the year
we are offering
FES sessions
for just $25.00, discounted from $75.00.
We encourage you to come in even on your days off to use the FES as the benefits are plentiful. Not only will it stimulate muscle contraction, reduce spasms, and decrease atrophy, the FES provides a great cardiovascular workout, building strength, and endurance, while improving overall range of motion. If those aren’t reasons enough to start utilizing the FES, how about adding a greater sense of body awareness and an increased sense of well-being to that long list of health benefits. With continued use and a strong mind-body connection, significant strides can be made. Don’t wait, call today and set up your sessions. Seriously, the FES is at your disposal….just do it.
More Jin Shin
 In our last issue of Awakenings Health News, we introduced you to Barbara Clark and an amazing form of bodywork called Jin Shin. As previously mentioned, Jin Shin comes to us from the ancient Orient as one of the oldest forms of natural medicine around. Similar to Acupuncture in nature and theory, but uses no needles, Jin Shin is performed by lightly touching, not massaging, 2 points on the body, encouraging the inherent healing energy to flow freely. As a result, the vital life force is reenergized, and recharged, leaving one with a greater sense of body awareness as lost signals are reconnected. Not to mention, a wonderful state of relaxation to boot.
We have seen amazing results incorporating Jin Shin treatments into client therapies. So much so that we are extending the offer further. While clients have the opportunity to work with Barbara, Jin Shin practitioner extraordinaire, for one-time-a-week sessions, our own amazingly talented Chris "Cappi" Capitelli will also be giving Jin Shin sessions, free of charge, during our normal hours of operation. Now, we know some of yous maybe skeptical or reluctant. But hey, it’s free, so what do you have to lose? Try it. Don’t delay, call today to set up your appointment and with it being offered 5 days a week, we can surely find a time to fit your busy schedule. 858.794.9952
Are you Aware of your body . . . Learn How???
 Speaking of increased body awareness, how about taking advantage of the incredible massage services we offer. Nothing’s better than a good rub-down. We have some talented folks on staff, skilled in the various forms and techniques of massage, ready to ease the tension and restore the spirit. You may recognize them from the training floor. With Cappy going Jin Shin on us, Andrea Plichta and Matt McCall are heading up the massage department and are at your service. Now we all know the benefits of periodic bodywork, but in case you need a reminder here’s a small list of the many good effects that come from massage therapy:
- Decrease in excessive muscle spasms, tension, aches, and nerve pain
- Increased sensation and overall mind-body connection
- Improvement in circulation
With more than one person to schedule, there is plenty of opportunity to receive. Again we encourage you to come in even on your day off. We know your lives can get hectic and crazy, but every-once-in-a-while taking time out for a massage may be just what the body needs.
Do something nice for yourself, set your appointment today. 858.794.9952
Eating for the Season
Hello fall. With the change of season comes an opportunity to mix up the menu a bit. Autumn represents a time for harvest, warming foods to nourish and support the body while preparing for the long hibernation of the coming winter months. While many fruits and veggies are available year round, we enjoy some only briefly throughout the year, giving us the opportunity to experiment with foods that we might not otherwise consider. Opting for seasonal fare means enjoying foods at the height of their natural harvest time; they are ripe and brimming with nutrients offering bountiful health benefits. Not only that, choosing foods in season gives back to the community by supporting the local guy, family farms, and co-ops who transport their responsibly-grown produce the shortest distance to your plate. Think colorful, bright hues of yellow, orange, and red adding a mixture of spices to flavor and engage the senses. Veggies to consider for your fall menus include carrots, squash, pumpkin, onions, cauliflower, and swisschard. And don’t forget the sweet potatoes which, by the way, are actually a starch not a veggie. What’s fall without apples? There is an amazing array of apples to choose, in a variety of flavors from sweet, red Jonathans, to crisp, tart Granny Smith’s. Other fall fruits to add to the shopping list include pears, cranberries, and pomegranates.
Soups are a staple for cooler, fall temperatures. Now I’m not one for the confines of following a recipe exactly as it states so the following is a soup you can just throw together, leave on the stove for about an hour, and enjoy.
Recipe: full of substance and oh so delish.
 Start with 4 pieces of chicken. I prefer dark meat as it gives the soup more flavor and heartiness. Saute, with skin, in a bit of coconut oil or grapeseed oil for about 20 min. or until tender. Set Chicken aside.
In the same pan, sauté 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 green apple, an onion, and clove of garlic for about 5 minutes. Be sure to cut all the veggies and apple into bite-sized pieces. Add 1 butternut squash that’s been peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces. Add 6 cups of water or chicken stock (I like the organic chicken stock by Pacific Natural.) Pull chicken off bone and add back into pan with veggies and liquid. Bring this to a boil and then let simmer for about 30 or until the butternut squash in tender when pierced with a fork. Add salt –n-pepper for taste if desired.
For added flavor, try combining cinnamon and cumin with a pinch of nutmeg. You can also try a dash of Thymes and Rosemary for a different flair. Experiment with a variety of veggie combinations.
AHI & The ever so popular CAF Triathlon
 Awakenings Health once again participated in the annual Challenged Athlete Foundation’s Triathlon on October 26, 2008. You may remember that last years race had to be cancelled on account of those devastating fires we experienced here in So Cal.
In all, 650 people participated in the annual San Diego Triathlon Challenge at La Jolla Cove. Lauren Hinton, the organization's director of marketing, said the event raised nearly $1.2 million for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, a San Diego-based nonprofit organization founded in 1994.
If you don’t know of CAF, they are an awesome organization, dedicated to athletes with disabilities. Their mission is clear: give those with the desire to live active, competitive lifestyles every opportunity to compete in the sports they love. Equipment and adaptive measures can be costly. CAF helps make it possible for physically challenged people to gain access to this equipment and to the enhanced self-esteem that comes from participation in sports by providing funding, programs and a growing endowment fund.
 This organization is getting challenged athletes off the sidelines and into the game to realize the dreams and will continue to do so into the future. For more information or to donate, visit www.challengedathletes.org. You may also call at 858.866.0959 for details.
Congrats Joe Radzikowski
 Hey, do you know Joe? He’s a client here with us at AHI. On May 21, 2006, Joe sustained traumatic injuries as a result of a severe car accident. He had a collapsed lung and several broken ribs, and his 4th and 5th cervical vertebra were dislocated. Unfortunately, a surgery to realign those bones did not go well and left Joe paralyzed from the neck down, worse off than before.
But that doesn’t stop him. With amazing determination, drive and courage, Joe submerged himself into rehab efforts and continues to make improvements. To help with the costs, Joe put on a fundraiser on Saturday October 18th. . We had a blast on the 5k and with the generosity of family and friends, were able to raise some cash. If you would like to donate to Joe's cause, go to
http://www.awakeningshealth.org/clients/joe-radzikowski.html
Or call 858.794.9952 |
