dr. jess portsmouth nh – Healing Hands Community Chiropractic

March 26, 2015

What are you missing from your workout?

By Guest Blogger , Michele McCauley

What are you missing from your workout? Is it flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, cardio, mental peace? With one session of Pilates, you can achieve all of this….so why aren’t you doing Pilates?

Joseph Pilates, born in the late 1800’s, is credited to his strong work in sports and fitness. After WWI, Joseph Pilates developed exercises for the military using bed springs and beer keg rings, which simulate todays’ current equipment like the Reformer and Magic Circle.

Pilates came to NY in the late 1920’s with his wife Clara. Ballet dancers have practiced Pilates, as they found the exercises are effective in keeping core muscles strong, increased flexibility for long limbs, and better posture. These exercises are currently used today to make athletes stronger in sports like cycling, swimming, running, surfing, golf, tennis, and Yoga tooJ

Just an hour of Pilates is far more effective than an hour in the gym. Why? The body utilizes more muscles in one Pilates exercise than in most weight bearing workouts. Also the most crucial benefit of Pilates being, that there is no impact on the joints.

Many physical therapists are now using Pilates exercises as part of their rehabilitation program. The exercises are performed with muscular control with emphasis on drawing energy from the core. And again, no impact on the joints!

Many people suffer from back pain. Tight hamstrings, weak hips, and no core strength are often the contributing factors to back pain. Pilates focuses on building core strength and spinal alignment, the end result is better posture and no back pain.

I started practicing Pilates a decade ago, during my third year of running road races. After practicing Pilates for just one year, I was the second place female finalist in a local 5 mile road race. This was astonishing to me and I credit Pilates for my increased performance in skiing, cycling, and swimming too!

Since 2008, I have instructed Pilates to an outstanding number of people. Each client is designed an individually, customized program to help regain flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, cardio, and mental peace. We work together to maximize their abilities and limitations to reach their fitness goals. I am quite accustomed in working with clients of all ages and fitness levels.

If you would like to learn how to intensify your mat practice in Pilates or Yoga, become stronger and faster in your sport, eliminate back pain, and discover the other numerous benefits Pilates has to offer, then visit MBM Studio for a demo or log onto www.movementbymichele.com.

Hope to see you soonJ

Hope to see you soon!

About Healing Hands Community Chiropractic

Our mission at Healing Hands Community Chiropractic -Portsmouth, NH is to promote and support the overall health, well-being and highest quality of life of all individuals and families in our community through affordable chiropractic care.

Healing Hands Community Chiropractic is a health -care model intended to increase access to chiropractic care by offering adjustments in an open setting and fees on an affordable sliding-scale, without income verification. By doing so, we offer the people of our community the opportunity to receive treatment as often as they need, to get the results they deserve with no insurance hassles -simply paying what they can for only $20- $40!

Click here to book now!

May 13, 2014

4 Healthy Tips for Busy Moms

By guest blogger, Denise Pettigrew, RN, Certified Holistic Health Coach

As Moms, we all have the hardest job in the world. We take care of the kids, the husband, the

house, the pets, and, on top of all that most of us have our own busy careers. Unfortunately, we

always seem to end up last on the list and put our needs on the back burner. The best Mother’s

Day present you can give to yourself is to stop putting yourself last! I know, I know, who has time

for locking the bathroom door and reading your favorite romance novel in a luxurious bubble bath

with lavender candles, over a glass of wine. Here are five easy tips that we can all incorporate in

our busy lives by honoring ourselves !!! And if you take care of yourself you will have more

energy and joy to take care of everyone else.

#1 Find Gratitude and Joy

I know how busy and stressful being a Mom can be. But just remember, these days will be gone in

the blink of any eye and one day we look back longingly at the days when our children were

young. We have been blessed to raise these amazing little girls and boys and watch them grow day

by day from little children into young adolescents and young adults. Try to savor the joy in those

moments. Find something to be grateful for every day.

#2 Avoid Sugar

Sugar is one of the most unhealthy, yet widely consumed foods. It is highly processed, has

absolutely no nutritional value and is destructive to our bodies. It is found everywhere. Not only

in sweets like cookies and candies, but in places you wouldn’t expect it like ketchup, salad dressing

and peanut butter. Avoiding sugar is one of the most healthful things you can do for yourself.

Sugar causes weight gain and obesity. About 20 years ago researchers concluded that the fat in

our diet was making us fat and sick, but recent research has proven that it is not the fat, it is the

sugar. We know that sugar causes type 2 diabetes and contributes to many diseases including heart

disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Sugar also ages us more quickly through a process called

advanced glycation end products (AGE’s). Sugar is extremely addictive (and food manufacturers

know this), so, the more you eat or drink, the more you want. The best strategy is to jump the

canyon and dramatically cut down on eating excess processed sugars and sweetened foods. Our

taste buds are very adaptive. After a few days off of sugar you will start to become more sensitive

to the taste of sweet things so that the sweetness of an apple becomes a delicious dessert. And,

once you stop eating or drinking sugar, you will no longer crave it. So, enjoy your healthy fats, but

ditch the sugar !!

#3 Eat Whole, Unprocessed Foods

Processed foods are an illusion. They often appear to be healthy with claims like low fat, low carb,

vitamin fortified, no trans fat, contains whole grains, etc. But go ahead, read the label on any food

that comes in a box, bag or can. Can you understand, or even pronounce, most of the ingredients?

If you can’t understand the ingredients chances are your body can’t either. Processed foods are

making us unhealthy, sick and fat. Food is information to our bodies. The food we consume

interacts with every cell in our body and actually impacts the expression of our genes. Eating a

diet of healthy whole foods has the ability to turn on our good genes and turn off our bad genes.

So, just because you have a family history of heart disease, cancer or Alzheimer’s disease, does not

mean that has to be your destiny. Eating whole foods and fruits and vegetables that contain

valuable phytonutrients can dramatically decrease your risk of disease, help you lose weight and

increase your energy. Our bodies were designed to eat whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts,

legumes, and healthfully raised dairy, chicken and meat. So go ahead, eat some real food!

#4 Learn to say “No”

This last tip is especially important for Moms. There is no shortage of demands and requests being

placed on our already overloaded schedules. We can take a lesson from our toddlers – just say

“no”. You know the usual requests volunteering at our school, social engagements, creating the

perfect Halloween costume from scratch, or baking homemade cookies for the school bake sale.

Just remember – you don’t have to make everyone happy (trust me you couldn’t anyway, even if

you tried), don’t feel guilty, you don’t have to say yes to everything everyone asks you to do. You

only have so much time and energy. Learn to prioritize how you are going to spend those precious

I specialize in helping women in midlife overcome weight loss resistance, fatigue, and hormonal

imbalance issues. It is my goal to help women find their optimal health and vitality through

nutrition and lifestyle.

I offer a free one hour health history consultation. Call or email to schedule your appointment.

Denise Pettigrew, RN

Certified Holistic Health Coach

67 Willard Ave.

Portsmouth, NH 03801

(603) 988-2544

http://www.denisepettigrew.com/

healthcoachdenise@comcast.net

About Healing Hands Community Chiropractic

Click here to book now!

April 15, 2013March 20, 2013

Home Remodeling That’s Good For The Environment

by Guest Blogger, Nathan Johnson of Visions Kitchens

“It’s been a lot of learning and fun since the day we’ve started this company, it keeps getting better thanks to the people we keep working with. I love being able to do the good things that we do. Saving lots of waste from going to landfills, giving back to local non-profits, donating time and money to local groups making positive change in our communities. It’s great, I love it and am thankful that this is how I can live my life. I’m thankful I am able to always act and be a person I want my children to be. I couldn’t do that when I worked for other design center companies; it was all about get the money and move on.” – Nathan Johnson

Whether you are building a new home, remodeling an existing one, or are looking to reface your cabinets and counter tops, at Visions Kitchens you will receive exceptional design services and high-quality products. We work with you to create your dream kitchen, bathroom, office, closet or any other room in your home that you always wanted, while keeping the ideas and concepts of green design at its core.

Your new kitchen will benefit from our knowledge of both new construction and remodeling, and we will engage you in our consultative design and selection process. We will assist you in considering all the finer points and details to meet your specific individual needs and desires providing a truly customized interior space that is designed and constructed specifically for you! You are sure to be delighted upon the completion of your project with Visions Kitchens.

With our wide range of stock and custom cabinetry experience, we jump into your design project feet first saving costly time. providing to you valuable knowledge, superior products, integrity and performance, Visions Kitchens is the right choice to deliver the quality and value that suits your discerning and distinctive style of living.

By utilizing Visions Kitchen and Design’s computer based design services, you can avoid costly design errors and mis-communication that can occur. 20/20 design software is incredibly accurate and flexible-allowing us to be as detailed as your design situation requires.

With a simple conversation to go over your notes, we’ll start drawing while you get back to your daily life. Rest assured knowing that we are constantly applying a critical eye to ensure proper fit and function of the cabinetry design, and will notify you of any potential issues we identify.

You will receive your completed drawings in a timely manner. Need it faster? We do everything possible to meet those tight last minute deadlines for design plans and revisions. We can get cabinets in as quickly as 2-3 business days or same day pick up at our off site location.

Green Specialties

At Visions Kitchens we believe that green means products that are good for the planet and safe for your home. To be good to the planet cabinets should be made of materials that are sustainable, renewable and/or recycled. The lumber should be legally harvested, legally exported and FSC Certified if applicable. Lastly the cabinets/countertops should be manufactured with care to minimize waste and pollution.

Along with being good to our planet we think that your cabinets and countertops should to safe for your home and family. Chemicals like urea-formaldehyde are frequently used in products around the home including the plywood, particle board and glues used in most cabinetry. The finishes on most cabinets will off-gas volatile hydrocarbons into your home for a long time after the cabinets are installed. Green cabinets and counters contain no added urea-formaldehyde in the lumber or glues and the finishes contain no or very low VOC’s.

Green cabinets and counters are actually increasing being made with renewable and salvaged/recycled materials. Bamboo is becoming more and more popular as a cabinet choice for it’s obvious advantages – incredible strength and extraordinary renewability. Stranded bamboo makes a dramatic statement as when used in flooring, countertops or cabinets. Standard and carbonized bamboo are popular cabinet choices. Newer products like Dakota Burl, made from sunflower seed husks, and Kirei Board, made from sorghum stalks, use waste products to make beautiful materials for cabinetry. DuraPalm is another product that takes an agricultural waste product and turns it into a beautiful material for cabinetry.

Another exciting material is salvage lumber made from century old submerged logs and disassembled old farm buildings and factories. First growth lumber has an unmatched beauty with extraordinary grain. It’s the most beautiful “recycling” you”ll ever see.

LEED Design and Credits

LEED Credits have become an important consideration for many of today’s building projects. One of the things that some people don’t consider are the abundance of LEED credits that can be attained through your kitchen and Visions can certainly help you take full advantage of them.

What sets us a part from the other options?

* Offer products sourced from companies which practice sustainable harvesting

* Specialize in low or no VOC products

* Personal attention to each customer

* Experienced and professionally trained in design

* Products include bamboo and other sustainable woods

* Because they don’t have a traditional showroom, their business has much smaller carbon footprint and less waste

* Make use of reclaimed or recycled cabinet or countertop materials

* Design expertise utilized to achieve points towards LEED certification

* Donates and works with local non-profit groups and organizations

What People Are Saying About VK:

“When we were thinking about remodeling the kitchen in our 1930’s era home, it was our great, good fortune to meet Nathan Johnson. After a complimentary consultation in our barely functional kitchen, Nathan came up with an awesome and unique design. Although I love the range angled in a previously useless corner and the tons of storage the new design created, my favorite feature is the island with six drawers (including a dish drawer) and gleaming quartz top. Nathan recommended products that fit our needs and preferences without breaking the bank. I would heartily recommend Nathan to anyone with a challenging kitchen redo!” -K Pearce

We would truly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you in person, learn more about your needs and wants, and more fully describe our services. Please don’t hesitate to contact us today with any inquiries you may have. Sample drawings are available by request.

About Nathan Johnson – VP / Senior Designer:

Nathan has more than 8 years of experience in both residential and commercial design working with homeowners, architects and contractors. He has a degree in Interior Design with a focus on sustainable design. Nathan is also a member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, the Green Alliance and is on the committee for the U.S. Green Building Council, NH Chapter. He is a member of the Black Thunder Singers a Native American Singing group (Native American Music Award winners), was in the movie “Crooked Arrows” and is Hunka Lakota. He and his wife Danielle are raising their two sons using Traditional Native values. Danielle operates her own business providing organizational assistance to corporations and businesses.

Vision Kitchens is located at 70 High St Hampton, NH 03842

603-601-7459 office

866-428-8037 fax

603-531-7221 cell

njohnson@visionskitchens.com

www.visionskitchens.com

facebook.com/visionskitchens

About Healing Hands Community Chiropractic

Click here to book now!

March 15, 2013March 13, 2013

Spring detox for the skin

by Guest Blogger, Jane Balshaw of Euchlora

While the calendar says spring is almost here, we are still under a bit of snow here in the Northeast. Nature has its own calendar ways, dumping snow & rain when it feels the need to eliminate, raising and lowering temperatures on a whim and tricking our senses into thinking we are all together in a different time and place. It’s these sensory changes that regulate our skin.

Our bodies are a mirror of the world around us, with our internal waters ebbing and flowing in sync with the tides of the ocean, expanding and contracting with temperature, and our skin measures it all. Loaded with sensory nerves like a mass of diodes, our skin registers and displays the information from our external environment (think windburn or suntan) but it also measures the information from our internal environment as well; what goes into our bodies and what our body manufactures itself.

“You are what you eat” is an old adage that would be more aptly stated as, “What you eat creates what you are” because food as fuel only stimulates the functions of our body to do what it should do, to release hormones that tell guide it. In fact less than 20% of what we eat ever makes it outward to the skin but the hormones that food stimulate always make it there. Chocolate does not cause acne (like the old school dermatologists used to claim) but the overindulgence of any stimulant will spike the adrenaline hormone which in turn can cause acne.

After a winter of cold temperatures our body has stored up composites of our food including all those not-so-good concentrates like chemical additives that mimimic misdirected hormones. This storage of toxic waste in the body can contribute to toxic inter-cellular waste in the skin as well, triggering malformation of the cells which in turn creates early aging and breakouts. So with spring and the warmer weather nearly here, it is time to think about deep cleansing and detoxifying the whole body to improve your skin.

The old-ways wisdom of “taking a tonic” in the spring was in fact true. Drinking “juiced” blends of spring greens is detoxifying because nature knows to pack itself full of what we need this time of year. Getting a lymphatic drainage or aromatherapy massage as well as chiropractic adjustments will aid the body in releasing waste. And also getting a detoxifying facial will have amazing results; all of these practices working hand in hand are ‘tonics” for your skin.

I am a skincare specialist and make-up artist practicing for over 30 years with a holistic approach in caring for the skin and am now located in Portsmouth at Strawbery Banke. My clients see me for reasons as simple as customized skincare products for home use, a custom-blended cosmetic color or for on-going help with problematic skin through consultation and facials.

This spring I am offering:

The SPRING FIZZ FACIAL

Awaken your skin from it’s winter slumber with this invigorating fizzy facial. Your skin’s circulation will be tickled with effervescent herbal tonics and warm/cold massage will help to tone muscles & detoxify cellular waste built up through the slumber months. The result is smoother, more colorful, deeply cleansed skin that is recharged for the warm weather to come. Includes a free-of-charge hand/arm fizz massage.

70 minutes $85.00

My daughter Whitney Bakaleinikoff is a certified Holistic Diet Counselor and she offers this detoxing juice blend recipe for us all this year. Yum!

Blend the following ingredients in a high powered blender until you have a bright green sweet, zingy shake.

a handful of organic spinach
1/2 peeled Meyer lemon, plus a bit of zest
1/4 c. fresh pineapple
1/4 c. pineapple juice or orange juice
1/2″ fresh peeled ginger
sprinkle of cayenne
a small handful of chia or flax seeds
fresh water to cover the ingredients

These ingredients are rich in antioxidants, enzymes and essential fatty acids to reduce inflammation, enhance cellular respiration and aid in overall body detoxification. Great for spring allergies, sluggish digestion, joint/muscle pain and inflammation, immunity and overall increased vitality.

About Jane Balshaw:

From stage and camera makeup artistry to skincare innovation and spa development, Jane is firmly established as a master aesthetician. When Jane developed the renowned California spa and skin remedy center Dom Ivana, which featured the full spectrum of her skincare and makeup creations, Departures Magazine called her “a skincare genius.” She sold Dom Ivana at its peak and now Jane is at it again. Euchlora is her newest creation, offering her passion and expertise in a scaled down setting perfect for inclusive, individualized care. Her Euchlora line of skincare, make-up and services bridges the gap between science and art, blending her dermaceutical knowledge with an innate understanding of fundamental aesthetic principles. This balance of function and form translates into the colour of beautiful skin.

Contact Jane:

Euchlora Custom Skincare and Color Cosmetics

454 Court Street, ste. 203 & 204

Strawbery Banke

Portsmouth, NH 03801

603-491-7305

jbalshaw@comcast.net

www.Euchlora.com

Euchlora on FaceBook

About Healing Hands Community Chiropractic
Our mission at Healing Hands Community Chiropractic -Portsmouth, NH is to promote and support the overall health, well-being and highest quality of life of all individuals and families in our community through affordable chiropractic care.

Click here to book now!

March 1, 2013February 23, 2013

Increasing Body Awareness Through Massage Therapy

By Guest Blogger, Tamar Thomas. LMT- Massage Therapist/Owner at Inner Truth Massage

Receiving regular massage therapy as part of a preventive wellness regimen has so many health benefits. You’ve surely heard the list: Increased circulation, improved immunity, removal of lactic acid and toxins, relief from headaches and muscle soreness, faster recovery from injury, etc. The documented research includes not only physical benefits, but a mind body connection as well.

In my opinion, the most important benefit massage provides is an opportunity to go inward and be aware of oneself in the moment. To “climb out of your head and into your body,” as my anatomy instructor used to say. It is a magical hour where you are not sleeping, but not moving; just observing being present in your body. Going inward during bodywork helps us connect with our highest self, with who we really are, and to experience the way we would ideally feel every day- relaxed, centered, happy, and healthy.

The state of deep relaxation that a massage delivers helps us “hear” our body’s signals more clearly, whether it is an awareness of hidden stress or the need for more or less of something in our lives. Have you ever come down with a cold or flu, and realized that you have been demanding too much of yourself? If you had been listening to the signals, to slow down and nurture your body’s demands for rest, you could have possibly prevented the illness. You were probably feeling stressed, tired, and overworked.

So many of us go through daily life completely disconnected from our body. A dull ache in a joint, throbbing between the shoulder blades, or a tension headache, and we tend to pop an ibuprofen before considering the cause. We have such constantly busy minds catering to the tasks at hand, the to-do list, and to others’ needs that it is easy to overlook the messages our bodies are sending us. Massage therapy provides the perfect opportunity to turn off the internal chatter and just listen. Once we have slowed down and are tuned in to our physical self, it is so much easier to recognize and take the steps needed to heal. Be it more sleep, hydration, stretching, mindfulness of habits, applying ice for inflammation, or making that appointment for chiropractic care, awareness is the first step.

Massage also helps us bring awareness to subconscious holding patterns or tension. It is so common for a client on my massage table to announce, “I didn’t even know I was sore there until you started working on me!” We can hold chronic muscular tension in our neck, shoulders, back, and/or hips, often without an awareness that we are doing it. Here’s a test: Take a few deep breaths and ask yourself as you’re reading this, “Am I holding tension anywhere in my body right now?” Pause and breathe. Do a mental scan from head to toe and ask for feedback from your body. Where are you holding your stress? What did you find?

Another way to connect our mind and body is through exercising gratitude for the parts of us that do feel good and that unconsciously keep us alive and thriving. Donna Gates from Positively Positive writes, “How many of us are thankful for our health and for the body itself? The body, with all its senses, strength, and flexibility, is the one thing that we could be most grateful for. Many times we forget about the many miracles that the body performs on a daily basis. Because our bodies are always with us, keeping up with the tempo of life, we have a tendency to take the body for granted. Only when something goes wrong with the body do we appreciate it.” I find the following exercise really helpful for communicating with subconscious holding patterns in my body and to remind myself to be grateful for where I feel good.

Awareness and Gratitude Exercise

Focus on the rhythms of your breath. Are you taking short, shallow breaths or long, deep ones from your chest or belly? Take a few breaths to fall into your own rhythm.
Consider how your entire body is feeling. Any areas that you’ve been neglecting? How do they feel? Take note of any pockets of tension, tightness, soreness or fatigue. Where does discomfort live in your body – your head, neck, shoulders, back or feet, perhaps?
Where does your body feel relaxed, content, and comfortable? Take a moment to be thankful for this feeling. On the in-breath think, “I am” and on the out-breath think, “At peace.” No matter what is going on around you, it is always possible to find an inner sense of peace and calm.
Say the following aloud or to yourself now and throughout the day: “With each out-breath, I am releasing pent-up tension and stress. With each in-breath, I am restoring physical well-being.” Just this act of attention and awareness has the power to bring you more energy and reduce stress.

You may be wondering how I can help you as a massage client to be more in the present moment and bring your consciousness into your body through massage. Here are a few things I do in my practice:

I take the time to ground myself and to create a safe space for allowing you to just “be”, leaving my own “stuff” out of the session with 100% attention on you and your needs.
I really listen to you before the massage – taking into consideration your personal preferences for pressure, temperature, favorite aromas, past injuries or tension patterns, current needs and energy level, etc
During the massage, I am always tuned in to the rhythm of your breathing and I use it to guide the pace and depth of my pressure and flow. Slow, calm breathing is an indication that your body is welcoming in the work, while holding the breath is a sign that the work is too deep.
Your body knows exactly what it needs to heal itself, so by listening to your body and connecting with your higher self, I am able to listen as well, and can adjust my work so that you receive exactly the kind of session that you need at that time.

Here is a challenge for you: Be a little bit more aware of your body today. Slow down and be mindful of your body’s needs. Take a moment to really be still and listen. You may be surprised at what you hear.

About the Author:

Tamar Thomas, LMT is a licensed and nationally certified massage therapist. She has owned and operated Inner Truth Massage since 2008 and has recently moved her practice to 40 Pleasant St in downtown Portsmouth- Across the hall from Healing Hands Community Chiropractic. She is thrilled to be collaborating toward Healing Hand’s motto “Wellness for All” and has extended an exclusive ongoing offer to HHCC patients: A 25-minute back and neck massage on a scale of $20-$40. Manage your massage appointments online at www.innertruthmassage.com or call Tamar at (603) 616-2828 for more information.

Click here to book now!