Let's be honest, every Midwesterner knows that Winter is simultaneously beautiful, long, necessary, celebratory and a struggle. Winter is the time when nature rests, conserves energy and prepares to begin again come Spring. Winter is the time when our fore mothers and fathers prepared for shorter days and longer nights with food that would last, allowing for more rest and prepping the earth to blossom again. It requires an annual hunkering down into our coping strategies for stress, isolation and longer periods without sunlight or extended time outside. Every year we all adjust in some way. We tap into our resilient spirit, just like nature has taught us. Yet, I cannot help but feel that this Winter season will require a mixture of the tried and true along with the new and slightly different. We need intentional preparation.

As most things go with stress relief strategies and wellness trends, gratitude is picking up speed and visibility. Honestly, it is about time. In a culture that is often looking for more to spur happiness in place of taking stock of what we already have in people, places and things, gratitude can feel like a naive, goody, goody way of thinking. But just what do we mean when we say “gratitude practice?” Is it as simple as being thankful for certain people, places or things in our life? Or is it something more than traditional thanksgiving?

written by Melissa Schleicher-Park It is safe to say that we all realize the magnitude of what is transpiring across our cities, country and throughout the global community. Our lives have gone from 60 to 6 in a matter of days and this is, truthfully, going to cause shock. Feelings of anxiety, grief, sadness, anger and disbelief are normal for this rapid change of pace and interruption to our communal social routine. Many of us are asking, “What do we do to feel safe?

We accept that many things need the occasional break. We reboot out computers, we rotate tires, we take small children to quiet spots when they’re over stimulated, we rotate crops to give soil a break. We do this because we know that it’s better to provide these breaks than to wait until the computer collapses, the tires blow, the child has a meltdown from over stimulation, or we deplete the soil beyond usability. And yet, we often insist that our bodies and minds go, go, go until they collapse.

I am not a swimmer. I can paddle along, but that’s about it. I do not have a special affinity for the water. I do, however, love massage. Regular massage has been an integral part of my self-care regimen for years as a way of combating stress, promoting healing, and decreasing chronic joint pain. I’ve always been intrigued by Watsu but hesitated to venture away from massage.

One of the many great benefits of being a Medical Fitness Facility is that we are not only able to help people become healthier but we're also able to help people ease the burden of illnesses and injuries.

The power and importance of human touch for physical and mental well being throughout life.