Herbal Focus: Healing Herbs vs. Pharmaceutical Drugs

CONGESTION

Chinese herbal medicine has been around for centuries and is complimented excellently with acupuncture to help aid in the healing process when treating a variety of medical conditions.  Over the past 5,000 years, Chinese herbal formulation has evolved into a powerful, therapeutic tool that trained practitioners can use to help their patients.  Formulas are prescribed here at Jade Integrated Health in the form of herbal teas, or if you’d like, capsules.  When you come into our office you will work closely with John, our acupuncturist, who has extensive herbal training to find the most effective herb to target your individual disharmony.  This is the exact opposite of what you would expect to fid on your local drug store shelf, where medications mask symptoms instead of healing the body, and are not individualized as with herbs.

Chinese herbal medicine is a safe, effective, and drug free way to become well and stay healthy, naturally!

Congestion, whether it be nasal or chest, is often the predecessor of infection.  As busy people we think to ourselves, “Great!  I’m coming down with a cold!,” and then continue to blow our nose until it is raw.  While expelling the mucus into your tissue is all well and fine, what we really need at this point is some internal immune support, as well as something to try and fight the festering infection.  We generally put up with this for a while because we aren’t getting any sicker.  (This is where pharmaceuticals get left in the dust and herbals shine brightly).

If congestion is present in the nose, it will ultimately spread to the ears, throat, and lungs if not treated.  We see elevated complaints of congestion around the change of the seasons because of temperature changes that affect our immune systems.  Its usually damper around this time of year and the sun is not as strong so we find more moisture in our environments lending to increased mucus production.  Herbs in conjunction with acupuncture are great to help reduce inflammation and increase fluid circulation.  To combat both bacterial infections, like the common cold, or even allergies, a person can use an herbal tea to help reduce symptoms and increase the body’s immunity.

If you visit Jade Integrated Health complaining of common cold symptoms, (redness around the nose, mucus, redness in the eyes, inflammation,) your treatment may include herbal therapy and acupuncture.  An herbal prescription of Cang Er San, (don’t let the name fool you…it’s yummy,) may be prescribed for it’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties.  (An astringent is a toning herb that helps to tighten the tissues to decrease the histamine response.)  This yummy concoction mixed up here in our office just for you by John, contains mint, magnolia flower, and other herbs that work to restore balance within the body.

If you are currently dealing with cold symptoms and want a more natural approach to clearing mucus, please call us to schedule an herbal consultation with John at (207) 773-5778.

We're Moving!

Thanks for joining us for the 4th Annual Sandsations. We had a blast with everyone who came out to play at the beach. There was a lot of really great creativity on display, and you helped us support a wonderful non-profit Birth Roots!  

A big thanks to everyone who came out for Portland Trails Trail to Ale 10k Race/Walk. This was our second year providing pre-race as well as post-race yoga & massage. It was great to see so many of our friends out there participating.

We're excited to let you know that our big move is going along swimmingly. We've made some really terrific progress. The new location is looking beautiful and we can't wait to share it with all of you. Here's a sneak preview:

Our New Space is Coming Together.

We Can't Wait to See You at our New Location.

September is National Yoga Month. Are you doing something to celebrate? It doesn't matter how you practice or what kind of style of yoga you practice, the important thing is to stay active and enjoy all the health benefits yoga can offer.

New and Improved Yoga Classes

We've expanded our offering of yoga classes, with new drop-in times that don't require any pre-registration and a FREE week of yoga to celebrate our move, as well as National Yoga Month. From September 24-28th, we'll be offering free yoga classes. Check out our schedule.

All Levels Yoga Drop-In: A class that's great for a variety of levels. Whether you're just getting started, getting back into the game, or are a seasoned pro, you can receive one-on-one attention from teachers and move at your own pace.

Gentle Yoga:

A class that emphasizes the mind-body connection, while gently taking you through a variety of poses. Great for lower back pain.

Hatha Yoga:

Focus on flow, strength, endurance and range of motion in this class designed for practitioners already familiar with basic yoga poses.

Mommy and Baby Fitness:

A great class for new mothers looking to get active again in a dynamic way that gets baby in on the fun, too! Great for all levels of experience.

Mommy Baby Yoga:
An intimate class for women and their infants with lots of individualized attention as you learn great poses for postpartum recovery and enjoy a serene space to bond with your newborn.

Pilates:

Master the fundamentals of mat Pilates from basic to intermediate exercises, getting a total body workout as you learn.

Prenatal Flow Yoga:

Pregnancy doesn't mean you have to stop your practice! Prenatal yoga helps you stay active in a safe way that caters to the needs of your changing body.

Prenatal Yoga:
Another great class for expectant mothers that focuses on strength and flexibility, improving circulation, aiding digestion, exercising the spine and increasing overall comfort during pregnancy.  

Yoga flow:

Follow creative sequences that will keep your body and mind engaged,build endurance, strength, and flexibility with exercises that promote balance and relaxation.

Yoga for Athletes:
A great way to recover or prepare for any athletic event. Increase your core-strength, balance, flexibility and recovery time as you decrease your risk for injury with these specially targeted poses.

Yoga for Guys: Boost your energy, alleviate sore muscles, and reduce your chance of injury with this class especially designed for physically-active guys. A great way to reduce post-work stress!  

Yamuna Body Rolling:

Optimize all your body's functions while you improve your balance, alignment and posture. A terrific way to tone and elongate muscle as your work to recover from or to prevent injury from other physical activity.

Celebrating Wellness in September

The Jade Integrated Health team celebrates wellness each month with some really great activities to stay active, happy and engaged in our community.

This month we volunteered for Portland Trails and did an afternoon of trail maintenance on the Bayside Trail (between Marginal Way and Somerset Street behind Planet Dog and Trader Joe's). Our projects included cleaning up and weeding rain gardens, trash pick up and removing invasive plants. Looking to get involved and help keep our trails beautiful and safe for everyone? Sign up now to help in October!

John and Nancy are glad to be able to offer workplace wellness for their entire team. They truly believe that the benefits are many, including lower levels of stress, better communication with fellow employees, improved physical fitness, and increased well-being, self-image and self-esteem.

Over the past year, Jade Integrated Health has offered activities that appeal to our wide range of employees and look forward to expand the range of topics over the next year, as we feel it's important to regularly practice the healthy lifestyle choices we recommend to our patients and clients by spending time together in a natural setting.

How Yoga Aids Digestion

We're celebrating the benefits of yoga all month, and we hope you are too by practicing at home and joining us for drop-in classes. Remember, all classes are FREE from September 24-28th! Need another reason to get moving on the yoga mat? Here's something to chew on: yoga can actually help with digestion.

EmpowHer has a great article on how Yoga can aid in dealing with digestive ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome. If you've ever dealt with cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, a healthy dose of yoga may just be the best prescription for you. Learn more about how yoga can help digestion.

Squeezing in a bit more Summer in Maine

Summertime is winding down in Southern Maine. Before the cold months descend upon us, it's time to catch those warm  rays and enjoy some rest, recreation and relaxation. Here are some great activities you can enjoy with friends, family (or even on your own!) to squeeze in a bit more of summer fun before we head into fall.

Summer in the Parks Concerts
The Sunset Folk Series at the Western Prom Park was really fun and relaxing activity to wind down a busy summer day. The Friends of the Eastern Promenade Concert Series has a few dates left. Bring a picnic, some lawn chairs, and maybe a blanket or two so you can lay out while you enjoy music from Rock My Soul or the roots reggae group Royal Hammer. It's a terrific way to enjoy the outdoors and listen to great music with family or a group of friends. You can't beat the price, either (free!).

Go for a Run or Walk
There are so many incredible trails to run, walk or explore at your own pace in Portland. They're all picturesque, well-maintained, and safe ways of taking in some of the best sights Portland has to offer. If you haven't explored them yet, what are you waiting for? Here are three to get you started.

Black Cove/Eastern Prom Trail

Peak Island Loop

Harborwalk Trail

You can find even more suggestions at Healthy Maine Walks.

Explore Portland by Bike
Here's a fun day trip if you're looking for something more active and adventurous. This particular tour lets you see five of Portland's historic lighthouses. It's a five hour bike trip, so it may not be for the faint of heart. If you love being active, this should be right up your alley! Besides getting a nice workout, you'll learn a lot about Portland's history and enjoy a gourmet picnic along the way. If lighthouses aren't your thing, check out a dozen other bike tours.

Take in a Rooftop Film
You've heard of drive-in movies; now it's time to check out a walk-in movie theater! The rooftop of the Free St. Parking Garage in downtown Portland is a prime location for this summer series of totally free movie screenings. On Sunday, Septmeber 16th, you can enjoy a screening of The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).

Here are more ideas on how to get the most out of your last weeks of summer.

Breaking News: We're Moving!

We wanted YOU to hear it first!
We're getting ready to move to a new location

(just over the hill near the new Ocean Gateway).

100 Fore Street

It will be a larger space with more room for yoga classes and brand new treatment rooms. Did we mention great parking?

Why are we leaving our old location behind? We saw an opportunity to offer our patients better access to more natural therapy services.

With the larger space, we'll be holding additional classes with options like pilates, parent/child yoga, and drop-in yoga times.

We also anticipate adding more services this fall. Stay tuned via Facebook and look for savings in this newsletter as well as our next one!

Portland Trails Trail to Ale 10k Race/Walk

We're proud to be one of the lead sponsors for

Portland Trails Trail to Ale 10k Race/Walk

Sunday September 16th

Due to overcrowding on the course last year, the race's route has changed. This year, we're kicking things off from the Eastern Promenade to make sure everyone has plenty of space to run and walk at their own pace.

Ready?.... Set?... Go!

The race will end at East End Beach and with a short walk over to the Ocean Gateway you'll find a fun party with beer, pie and massage!

This is our second year providing pre-race yoga, as well as post-race yoga and massage. It's not too late to sign up. We're looking forward to you stopping by our tent.

We hope to see you all there!

Sustainable Farming, Sustaining Yourself

With a rich agricultural history like Maine’s, it shouldn’t be a surprise that lots of our own farms are leading the way when it comes to re-integrating sustainable farming techniques and moving away from the harmful model of modern agribusinesses.

Weston’s Farm and Markets is a Maine-based farm that has been sustainable since 1799! Their practices are  a reflection of how stewardship for the earth naturally translates to healthier bodies and better quality of life for the people who live off it. Weston serves as a retailer for Peppermint Fields, a farm that specializes in raising premium all-natural angus beef.

Their practices include:

• No antibiotics in feed for livestock, only the best whole grains.
• No steroids, or growth hormones. Animals are allowed to develop naturally.
• No artificial ingredients.
• Lots of room for livestock to roam and graze. Animals are pasture grown & "grain-finished."
• Daily exercise for animals, with covered and open areas.
• Animals are treated with care and respect.

Get Real Maine is a terrific resource for finding other Farms in Maine that follow Weston Market’s model of responsible farming. You can search by county or city, or even find the best livestock that’s nearest your zip code. You can search for a variety of livestock and fowl, including chickens, beef, hogs, goats fish/seafood. You can check the ‘certified organic’ box before you search to make sure you turn up the healthiest and freshest food options.

Eating out? Why not try one of Jade Integrated Health’s favorite restaurants, El Rayo Taqueria. They use local produce whenever possible and order over 200 pounds of sustainably raised pollock a week to make their famous fish tacos. You can check out their menu, including lots of helpful nutritional information, on their website.

Have any suggestions on delicious, sustainable, healthy food? We want to hear from you! Share your best tips on our Facebook page or Tweet us with your fresh food ideas.

Taking Stock of the Problem

What are some of the effects that factory farming techniques can have on our health? The website Factory Farm map has a terrific break down of some of the ways we’re hurt by agribusiness every day. It also has some great tools to help you easily visualize areas in Maine where practices are the worst.

With a corporate, profit-driven model for raising livestock, you can expect the consequences to be negative for both the environment and our bodies.

- With a focus on mass production of livestock, farms are creating an unmanageable amount of waste that goes untreated. Noxious manure can sit in large lagoons for long periods of time before being spread back onto fields as fertilizer. Some of it seeps its way into our water systems.

- Grazing is also a big issue. With so many animals to feed, green areas are rapidly consumed. Without a focus on keeping land fertile and full of nutrients, good soil can become useless and farming land becomes barren.

- Living conditions for animals aren’t just inhumane, they also breed disease. It’s hard to imagine that some of the animals we consume hardly ever see the light of day. With so many animals in close contact, disease is more easily spread through livestock. Remember the swine flu pandemic?

- Our treatment of animals is also creating resistance to antibiotics in ourselves. Through our exposure to antibiotics in the livestock we consume, we’re killing off weaker bacteria and allowing superbugs to thrive and reproduce.

Join Our Discussion on Sustainable Livestock

This month we’re continuing to explore issues of sustainable farming, this time with a focus on raising livestock in ways that keep both our environment and our bodies healthy. To kick off the conversation,  the Jade Integrated Health staff decided to screen Food Inc. as part of our Workplace Wellness program. It’s a documentary about industrial farming techniques in the United States that outlines the great damage factory farming is doing to our environment as well as our bodies.

If you’ve never seen Food Inc., it’s a great introduction to the industrial farming crisis. It paints a dire and sometimes painfully honest picture of the state of agriculture in the United States. It’s a call to action that we hope you’ll heed with us! You can check out the trailer here.

The first part of the film focuses on approaches towards raising livestock. Behind the pastoral facade that some companies try to market their products with, there is a  grim reality in which animals are treated inhumanely all the while being pumped with hormones, steroids and antibiotics that we later end up consuming, many times without a label to give us fair warning.

This clip from Food Inc. shows  how many modern farms go about raising chickens. It’s a harrowing scene that shows how mass production has distorted farming techniques for the worse in our country. Through hormone treatments,  farmers have been able to tamper with the natural maturation process of animals so that chickens reach adulthood in just seven days! This accelerated growth means that their bones are never able to fully develop, so chickens end up crammed together in tight spaces unable to move, wallowing in each other’s filth. It’s no wonder many chickens end up sick. Startlingly, under current farming standards, unhealthy fowl are just as likely to be processed for food and end up on our plates.

If you have Netflix streaming, you can catch the entire film online. Let us know what you think and if it’s changed your mind about your own attitudes towards food and how it makes its way from the farm to our tables.

Here are a few thoughts from our team about the movie:

The most vivid impression I got was from the cattle processing plant vs. the cattle farmer with grass fed beef.  The processing plant’s environment appeared a dead desolate place with brown flat lifeless earth...toxic.  By contrast, the grass fed farm was an image of what farm’s have always been portrayed to the people of this country, picturesque like children’s toys and books, with lush green hills and a variety of farm animals.  I like meat, but not from a place where I feel the five second rule doesn’t apply throughout the entire processing plant.  Local is the way to go. - John

My biggest observation about the movie is that the corporatization of our food culture is bad news for many reasons...educate yourself, vote every time you make a choice about your food, and support local agriculture! -Heather

What struck me is how far reaching our food choices are.  These choices affect everything from our health, our environment, big business, small business, immigration and politics.  It only makes sense that supporting local agriculture offers us a level of transparency with the food we consume.  For example, we can visit the farms that are at our local farmer’s market.  On that visit we are likely to see more responsible farming practices and a more positive culture for the workers on that farm.  - Nancy

Watching Food Inc. I initially experienced a range of emotions from shock to frustration about the way much of the food industry is run.  The lack of concern about the short and long term ramifications on us a society and the environment for the quest to maximize profits is disturbing.  One of the teachings of yoga is called Ahimsa, which is a Sanskrit word meaning non-harming or non-killing, and teaches us to be compassionate to all living beings.  It is not simply passiveness, but a way to positively approach decisions in daily life.  Through mindfully approaching decisions, there is a call to be conscious, aware, and educated in our choices.  Living with compassion is not about following a set of rules or trying to fit a certain label. What we choose to buy and eat makes a statement about our ethics and our view of the world, about our very humanity.  After my initial feelings of shock, disempowerment, and anger, I have begun to think about and implement some changes that I can make that will be in line with being compassionate and mindful.  Last week, as I was preparing to host a small 4th of July party, I decided to prepare all vegetarian: bean dip, salsa, shish-kabobs, and fruit deserts.  It was a pleasure seeing our friends enjoying all vegetarian fare, and knowing that the food was nourishing, cruelty-free, fresh, and made with love. Hope you had a great weekend!!  -Maura

Back in 2009 when Food Inc. was released I was fast to watch it and faster to feel overwhelmed with how to make significant change.  In the years since then I’ve participated in local Broadturn Farm's CSA, shopped at local farmer's markets, visited local farms for Maple Sunday and Strawberry Picking.  I've switched to locally grown and small farmed livestock and spend time appreciating the lives that are grown and die for my sustenance.  That's my upside.  My downside was stated in this article years ago, "But Food Inc.’s most lasting impression is that big business controls the government, and that without millions of dollars to use as weapons against it, Monsanto will take over the world." - Jodi

Joke of the Month

Who said laughter wasn’t therapeutic? Try to stop smiling. We dare you!

Things to Do in Portland this Month

What better city in which to live then Portland?  Add our amazing city with a dash of warm June weather and you have a fun time waiting to happen. At any moment, and on any day, there are a variety of local events that are sure to capture your interests and allow you to enjoy both our city and its dwellers.

Join your loved ones or meet new friends at Movies at the Museum or at Andy’s Old Port Pub for live music. And on every second Saturday, you can shake up your exercise routine by joining Mayo Street Arts for their monthly Swing Lesson and Dance.

While both of the aforementioned events are sure to be interesting, these are not the only events for the month.  For more information and event schedules, please visit www.mainetoday.com, www.visitportland.com, or www.portlandmaine.com and you will be sure to find something that peaks your own interest.

Good times await you. Take full advantage and enjoy!

Top 10 Summer Health Myths Debunked

As a means to better prepare you for a summer of worry-free fun, we are debunking these top ten summer health myths:

Myth #1: Going in and out of air-conditioned buildings can make you sick.
According to Neil Schachter, M.D., pulmonologist and author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu, congestion or sniffling is often a sign of allergies, as opposed to a cold. "People who have allergies -- even small sensitivities -- may be affected when moving from a clean-air environment into one that's full of Mother Nature's irritants," he says. To defend against allergies, stay inside on humid days, when allergies are strongest, and keep your home dust free by cleaning your AC filter once a month. (Women’s Health)

Myth #2: A Sunburn Will Fade into a Tan
“Sunburn is a burn, not a prerequisite stage for a tan” (CBS News). Sunburns only result in skin damage, leading to premature aging and an increased risk for skin cancer.  Even “healthy” amounts of sun exposure can damage the skin and put you at greater health risks. To avoid sunburn, use protective lotion with a high SPF number, even when in the shade. If it is too late, and find your skin to be burned, treat it with aloe vera or another soothing lotion. (CBS News)

Myth #3: Mosquitoes are Attracted to "Sweet Skin"
While mosquitoes are in fact attracted to some people over others (generally, mosquitos are attracted to one-out-of-ten people), there is no such thing as “sweet skin.”  Mosquitos do, however, prefer sweet, flowery, or fruity scents and dark clothing.  Unless you want to attract mosquitoes, stay away from perfumes or heavily scented lotions, deodorants, and hair products and wear mosquito repellent for extra protection. (CBS News)

Myth #4: Campfire/Grill Smoke Is Not Dangerous
“Smoke inhalation increases your risk of cancer, and unfortunately, the type of smoke doesn't really matter.  According to Clean Air Revival Inc.'s website, the Environmental Protection Administration estimates that wood smoke is 12 times more carcinogenic than equal amounts of tobacco smoke, and that it stays active in the body up to 40 times longer than tobacco smoke” (CBS News).

Myth #5: "Wait a half hour after eating before you can safely go swimming."
Our mothers were wrong. The likelihood of someone drowning from swimming right after a heavy meal is the same as the likelihood of someone dying from blinking too much. “As with any exercise after eating, swimming right after a big meal might be uncomfortable, but it won't cause you to drown” (Medicine Net).

Myth #6: "Dark-skinned people don't need sunscreen."
“People with lighter skins have less melanin, the pigment that absorbs UV radiation and protects skin, than darker-skinned people. While light-skinned people will be very sensitive to the effects of UV rays from the sun, those with darker skin can still be affected by damaging UV radiation.” (Medicine Net). To prevent skin damage, The American Academy of Dermatology recommends regular use of a sunscreen with at least an SPF 15 for dark-skinned people.

Myth #7: Flip-flops are kind to your feet.
The average flip-flop does not provide the proper support for your feet, according to Manhattan-based foot doctor Jacqueline Sutera, D.P.M. “Wearing them all summer, every summer could lead to pinched foot nerves, heel pain, tendinitis, and strained arches. If you can't quit flops entirely, buy ones that have at least a three-quarter-inch semi-cushioned sole and built-in arch support” (CBS News).

Myth #8: Saltwater Helps Wounds Heal
Have you ever been told to dunk a wound in salt water while at the beach for faster healing? Doing so is counterintuitive and can lead to other health concerns. “The sea is FULL of bacteria that can enter your cut and cause sores or even lead to infection. Not only does saltwater not help heal a wound, it does NOT clean it out properly, either.” (CITE SOURCE). While gargling with salt water may sooth a sore or swollen throat by helping the cells in your mouth release water, the salt does not act as an antibacterial agent, according to The British Dental Journal (2004).

Myth #9: Urinating on a Jellyfish Sting Helps Ease the Pain
If you have done this in the past, we’re sorry to inform you, this is a myth.  “It doesn't help at all, and in some cases, could even make it worse by setting off the remaining stinging cells, increasing the discomfort. Urine is too much like freshwater, and freshwater will react to the chemicals in the tentacles, increasing the likelihood of greater pain” (CITE SOURCE).  Wiping the site of the sting with vinegar is much more productive.

Myth #10: A dip in the pool can do double duty as a shower.
Unless you don’t mind the thought of diarrhea, infection, or rash-inducing bacteria all over your body, you should rinse with soap after taking a dip in the pool.  Because the average person does not shower or rinse before entering a pool, personal-care products, makeup, and sweat mix with chlorine, deactivating its bacteria-killing properties (ABC News).

Staying Healthy This Summer

Summer is fast-approaching, and the relentless heat, while enjoyable, can cause unwanted health concerns to rear their ugly heads. The most common health conditions brought on by summer weather and activities are dehydration and heatstroke, poison ivy, food-borne illnesses, mosquito bites, swimmer’s ear, and sunburn.  Although all of these occur frequently during the summer months, the following two conditions are most common:

Sunburns

The most common and prevalent health concern people face is over exposure to the sun. Sunburns and tanning do not just change your appearance physically; they cause pain and discomfort, premature aging and wrinkles, and skin cancer.  

If you do get sunburnt, we recommend that the following holistic health remedies:

• use aloe vera gel and white vinegar topically to soothe sunburns and help heal wounds
• soak tea bags in cool water and apply them to decrease pain and swelling if you have sunburnt eyelids
• wrap dry oatmeal in gauze and run water through it for a few minutes before removing the oatmeal, soaking a cloth in the leftover liquid, and applying the cloth to your skin every few hours.

Also, remember to remain hydrated by drinking plenty of water and take cool baths to soothe skin. You can always, however, avoid the trouble and protect yourself by using a sunscreen with a high SPF number.

Food Borne Illness

Bacteria thrives in hot, moist places, so summer weather is a breeding ground for bacteria. To eliminate the illnesses that occur as a result of food preparation or storage, clean your hands before and after handling food, separate raw meat from food that you consume, and store your food in cool places immediately after use.  Not doing so can result in illnesses with unpleasant flu-like symptoms.

Ginger and coconut water are both known to ease the pain of an upset stomach. In case you find yourself with a food borne illness, boil freshly chopped ginger and cinnamon sticks to make a ginger tea, or buy some coconut water at your local health food store to soothe your stomach.

Follow these tips and have a happy and healthy summer.

The Complimentary Benefits of Yoga

The physical benefits of yoga are a wonderful way to compliment whatever sport or physical activity you love.  Yoga stretches, strengthens, and invigorates the entire body and internal organs.  It increases core strength, flexibility, range of motion, and improves balance.   Practicing yoga as a form of cross-training will increase your performance and reduce the risk of injury.  The postures and breath control in yoga are complimentary to athletes in increasing the longevity in their game.   Yoga combines strength and flexibility, creating balance within the body.

The pain many athletes experience (bad backs, knees, tight hamstrings, sore feet) is not from the sport itself, it's from the imbalances that running or a repetitive movement cause.  If you're off balance, your muscles are forced to work harder in compensation in each step you take, thus enforcing strong muscles to become stronger, and weak muscles to become weaker.   This compensation puts strain on the muscles, joints, and the entire skeletal system.  Athletes can use a consistent yoga practice to bring balance into all muscle groups, which will support and stabilize the skeletal system.  This will allow the runner/athlete to be able to handle the force of impact and to avoid injury.

Mental Benefits of Yoga

• Stress Relief

• Prevention and Relief of Stress-Related Disorders

• Increase in Memory

• Greater Control of Emotions

• Greater Ability to Focus and Concentrate

Physical Benefits of Yoga

• Improved Flexibility and Balance

• Improved Cardiovascular Endurance & Efficiency

• Improved Core Strength

• Increased Energy Levels

• Increased Lung Capacity

• Increased Blood Flow

• Reduced Heart Rate

• Enhanced Overall Muscle Strength

• Enhanced Immune System

• Improved Digestion

• Relaxation of Muscles

• Weight Control

- Maura Hintlian RYT

Joke of the Month

If he can do it so can you!

Eating Local / Seasonal Foods

What is the true mark of the Spring/Summer season? The outdoor farmers markets that sprout up in cities all over the country. Our local farmers market is heading back outdoors at the end of April, and it could not be more perfect timing!

Although the indoor winter market was great, we could all use some sun in our face and wind in our hair--in addition to fresh, delicious, and locally grown food, of course. Starting on April 28 through late November, the Maine Farmers Market will offer a variety of goodies (everything from meat and honey to fragrant flowers) from over 35 Maine farmers. The food sold is sure to be a healthy and enjoyable beginning, middle, and end of each of your days.

If you are planning to start your spring/summer cleanse, now is the perfect time.  Visit the farmers market on the following days and in the following locations for Spring’s finest inspiration:

Saturdays at Deering Oaks Park in Portland from 7:00am-12:00pm
OR
Wednesdays in Monument Square in Portland from 7:00am to 2:00pm

Health Benefits of Therapy Animals & Pets

"Having a facility-based service dog takes time and commitment, but it results in lasting friendships. With their unconditional and non judgmental love, facility-based service dogs give a wonderful and life-changing gift," says Marcia Fritzmeier, a therapy dog trainer and caretaker at The Mayo Clinic.

It is this life-changing gift that we are hoping to share with our patients at Jade Integrated Health. For this reason, we have decided to welcome Dash as our new “staff member.”

According to Therapy Dogs International Inc., research suggests dogs have “quality of life benefits” on adults, which appear on psychological, physical, social, and behavioral levels.  While their research showed dogs benefit people by decreasing blood pressure and increasing physical mobility, the areas they often affect most are patient alertness, verbalization, and socialization, as well as positive mood alterations.

Delta Society, a nonprofit organization, has also found similar benefits that prove patient interactions with animals improve patients’ health and well-being. Dash will help our patients work through their physical activity and increase their positive energy. Dash is a wonderful new addition to our staff, and we look forward to our patients working with her.

Introducing our Newest Jade Integrated Health Employee—Dash!

Please join us welcoming our newest and perhaps most loveable member of Jade Integrated Health—Dash, a Portuguese Water Dog. She has black hair, heart-melting round, dark eyes, and a tiny black nose. At maximum she will reach between 20 and 23 inches in height and between 42 to 60 pounds.

Although Portuguese Water Dogs are natural swimmers and, therefore, are sometimes used to assist fishermen at sea, Dash will join the Jade Integrated Health team in a different capacity. She is an extremely friendly and loyal curly-haired dog of exceptional intelligence that will assist our patients through the therapeutic process.

Her particular breed is highly trainable, obedient, and good with adults and children, meaning she will not only fit in our atmosphere, but she will be easily trained to work our patients. Affectionate and spirited, she offers mental and emotional support. Along with the support she offers, her warmth and good nature are sure to bring smiles to our patients’ faces, as well as improved health.

We look forward to you meeting Dash.