Night Owl or Early Bird?

You may be familiar with the circadian rhythm, the internal "body clock" which regulates biological processes and the sleep/wake cycle. This rhythm can change with age and is easily disrupted by schedule changes, the amount of light we are exposed to, medication, caffeine, stress, and travel. Receiving adequate sleep profoundly affects energy levels, immune function, our moods, and overall health. Rest is one of my 3 Key Concepts to Live Well and Be Well since without restful sleep...I feel awful, don't you? Whether you are the night owl or early bird, you need sleep! Here are some tips that can help:

Reset your body clock - experiencing jet lag? Feeling the afternoon slump? Instead of a treat for energy, step outside and snack on 5-10 minutes of sunshine to boost energy.

Dim the lights - keep your bedroom dark, and reduce screen time. Light disrupts the signals from your body to wind down and fall to sleep. On the flip side, help yourself wake up byturning on bright lights.

Find a routine - rituals before bedtime can help you wind down and feel sleepy. Habits such as brushing your teeth, taking a warm bath or shower, reading, listening to music, or eating a small complex carbohydrate snack (like a plain baked potato) are soothing and can help you rest.

Be Well! ~ Tiffany

Free Class! Tame Your Pain...

Chat with me in person during my next free class, I'll be discussing tools, tips, and resources to help you manage chronic pain. The class Tame Your Pain will be held at the Natural Grocers store in Ogden, UT on Monday, September 18th, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. See my live event page for address and more details. Prize drawing for those in attendance!

Managing chronic pain has been the focus on my work for decades. I began my career in alternative therapies in 1996, and have assisted clients to better manage...and even eliminate pain by offering professional therapeutic bodywork. I am certified in modalities such as Reflexology, Aromatherapy, and an acupressure technique called Tuina.  I focused on a clinical approach early on and specialize in working with chronic conditions such as arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and PTSD. Bodywork is ideal for those with these conditions. Especially as these specific methods treat the 'whole person' and I often combine health coaching within each session. If you are new to touch therapy, visit my Find Relief & Manage Pain page to learn more about the services I offer, affordable prices, and check my credentials.

Feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns. Email me: tiffany@andersontherapeutics.com.

Be Well! ~ Tiffany

Swelling, bloated, and puffy?

Inflammation can wreak havoc on our bodies. Joints ache, tissue swells, stomachs bloat, and we feel awful. This swelling is often an internal reaction. It might be due to prescriptions we are taking, post-surgical recovery, chronic conditions, our current state of health, even the food and beverages that we consume. Candid conversations with your doctor and pharmacist can help you understand what sets off your inflammation. Be proactive! Combine the care from your medical team with a home routine to help you minimize and perhaps even eliminate inflammation. Here's what works for me...

• Staying well hydrated, I drink plenty of water and I avoid caffeine.
• I limit my salt intake to a daily recommended value.
• Turmeric is a tasty and useful spice - this herb taken in capsule form works wonders to keep reduce the swelling in my ankles.
• Ice packs. I keep a variety of sizes in my freezer to use on shoulders, low back, hips, even ankles and feet.
• Daily exercise. Movement, even gentle exercise like Tai Chi or Yoga, encourages the pumping action of my veins, arteries, and lymphatic system. Think of a kink in a garden hose...when you loosen the hose water flows freely, it works the same way in your body. Stretch, stand, walk, dance, just move to free up the kinks in you!
• Elevate. Raising your feet while seated or while lying down support circulation and relieves tension.

These are simple techniques that can easily be incorporated into your day. Give one or all a try and share your results with me.

Be Well! ~Tiffany

“Balance Is Not Something You Find, It's Something You Create” – Jana Kingsford

Soothe with Therapeutic Bodywork...

Soothe tops the list of my 3 Key Concepts to Live Well & Be Well. Therapeutic Bodywork enables me to avoid prescription pain medication and manage pain, minimize stress, improve my mood, and enhance the quality of my sleep.  Incorporating therapeutic bodywork into your wellness routine can provide you with phenomenal health benefits. Research demonstrates that touch therapies lower blood pressure, enhance immune function, decrease inflammation, lessen pain, and alleviate depression.

Touch is fundamental and necessary to soothe away hurt, for comfort, and for healing.  Even if you spend most of your time alone as I do -- touch should be an important part of your routine.  You can incorporate healing touch easily and on a budget. From self-massage to a friendly hug, to caring for pets to regular therapeutic massage or bodywork, prioritize and integrate touch into your life. You will feel better.

Watch for an expansion of my services coming September 2017! I invite you to browse my newly added Reiki page where I share my lineage and the history of this healing modality. I am a Reiki Master and can help you improve your quality of life. Have questions? Contact me...tiffany@andersontherapeutics.com.

Be Well! ~ Tiffany

Weekend Retreat, Pain Free!

Hello Tribe Members! This past weekend I visited Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and enjoyed a soak in my favorite mineral pool - The Spa of the Rockies. You can read about the healing properties of this specific mineral pool in my book, Butternut to Bionic. Mineral soaks diminish post-surgical pain and are very rejuvenating. I spent over 5 hours at the pool...floating in the immense 1,071,000 gallon 90 degree pool, then rotated to spend 10-15 minute soaks in the 104 degree therapy pool. It was glorious! Many people at the pool shared their healing stories with me, including a local man visiting the pool with his great-granddaughter. He happened to spend part of his childhood in my home town of Salt Lake City while he was a patient at Shriner's hospital. This man was a polio survivor and attributed his good health and longevity to regular mineral pool soaks. Consider visiting a mineral pool to better manage your health. Need more inspiration? Check out additional healing stories here.

My personal results after a 5 hour mineral pool visit? Joint aches and stiffness - gone. Flexibility - improved dramatically. Ankle swelling - gone. Sleep that evening - sound and woke feeling refreshed. Skin - felt and looked amazing! I am still feeling the positive results 4 days later, even after a long drive home that included 45-minutes lying on the sidewalk at a rest stop to watch the eclipse.

One aspect of these pools I have yet to experience is, "Taking the waters" - literally! Guests can drink a mineral cocktail from the mouth of the hot springs and ingest the 15 minerals found in the water for added health benefits. I opted to wait until a future trip in case I wasn't quite prepared for internal results on my drive home the next day! Want to retreat with me on a future trip? I host Goddess Retreats, ladies only trips where we Soothe and Spa like a Goddess, Nourish and Dine like a Queen, and Rest...Sleep like a Princess!

Be Well! ~ Tiffany

August = Harvest Time!

Nourish:

To reach a health goal, it's often easier to succeed when you build sources of support. Nourish is one of my 3 key concepts to Live Well & Be Well - nourishment satisfies, comforts, and restores good health. Specifically when we choose wisely.

• Diversify! Incorporate whole foods into each meal.
• Invest in you! Stretch often and stand on breaks.
• Pencil it in! Schedule a stress buster.

I encourage coaching clients to add rather than subtract. Adding tends to crowd out those things that aren't supporting good health.

Unhealthy choices tend to fade away naturally as a strong foundation is put into place. Increase your fiber and add more nutrients with whole grains, seasonal vegetables, and fruits. Have a health goal you'd like to achieve? Contact me!

Need a brain break? Find water!

People are watery beings - you may know that the average human body is 65% water! Our brain especially loves water. We think more clearly when we are hydrated and spending time near water calms us down.

Step into a shower or bath after a long, stressful day and it feels wonderful, yes? Simply the sound of water offers soothing 'white noise' to our brain. If you are able to spend time near natural bodies of water you combine the added benefits of fresh air, time in nature, and sunshine.

Enjoy a brain break right now, wherever you are! Sit back, breathe deeply, and gaze using the link below.

Be Well! ~ Tiffany