Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester
We can teach you how through our Mindfulness program Living Balance…a unique method offered as a 4-week workshop developed by a licensed psychotherapist and yoga master that incorporates scientific information and group sharing with gentle yoga and meditation.
Saturdays (3-4:30)
11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17
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914-262-9898
By Janine Crowley Haynes
On Wednesday night, the Mental Health Association of Westchester (MHA) held its third annual event, Get on Your Mat for Mental Health. The mega yoga event was to take place outdoors on Court Street in White Plains, but due to inclement weather, the venue was changed to the gym at Woodlands High School in Hartsdale.
Dr. Amy Kohn, CEO of MHA of Westchester, expressed having to move the event indoors was a bit of a letdown, but as the event got underway, she–and over 400 supporters–were not disappointed in the least.
The band, Answer the Muse, played while supporters blanketed the entire gym floor with yoga mats and waited with excitement for renowned yoga teacher, Matthew Sanford.
Matt is the author of the award-winning book, Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence. He shares his story of the devastating car accident which claimed the lives of his father and sister and left him paralyzed from the chest down at the age of 13. Now, at 45, Matt is an inspirational trailblazer in the health care community.
He is the founder of the nonprofit organization, Mind Body Solutions, whose goal, amongst many, is to “transform trauma, loss, and disability into hope and potential by awakening the connection between mind and body.”
Since MHA’s mission statement is, Recovery for All, it seems only natural their organization shed light on the benefits of mind-body connection through the practice of yoga, and MHA could not have found a better teacher.
“Your body is the best home your mind will ever have,” says Matt, as the crowd collectively transitions from downward dog into child’s pose.
What yoga does for the mind-body connection, MHA seems to be doing on a broader scale–extending its reach to promote health and wellbeing to connect us to each other, thereby, creating a deeper sense of community. Namaste.
Janine Crowley Haynes of Chappaqua is the author of My Kind of Crazy: Living in a Bipolar World.
By Grace Bennett
In the fall, I was invited to experience an all morning health and wellness retreat inside a beautiful Chappaqua home. The offer was courtesy of Paula Barbag, owner of “Consulting for a Cause,” which “provides organizational development consulting services to assist non profit organizations to strengthen their impact.” In other words, Paula’s team helps out non profits by providing extra services that enhance employee health and also meet other organizational goals. I do think it’s a brilliant concept and you can learn more about it by visiting consultingforacause.com
It happens the retreat took place the morning after Consulting for a Cause was awarded a Chamber Champs award for Best New Business–the first time award ceremony sponsored by the Chappaqua Millwood Chamber of Commerce took place just the night before at Crabtree’s Kittle House.
Consulting for a Cause launched a “Behavioral Health and Wellness Program” for non profits which Paula said helped shape her idea for a similar retreat she felt would benefit local moms too…like yours truly–which brings me to the workshop itself. After a brief introduction to the program, we were divided into four, small rotating groups to visit with individual workshop leaders.
Mindfulness and Meditation
My group of moms (given the heavy women’s health theme throughout, it was all moms!) took off first to meet with Jodi Baretz, LCSW, HHC, a psychotherapist and certified health coach, for insights into mindfulness and meditation. Jodi has been embarking on eight weeks of studying the teachings of Jon Kabat Zinn, one of this country’s most eminent experts on mindfulness. Mindfulness, Jodi explained, is “an awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose to how the experience unfolds in a non judgmental way.” Toward that end, Jodi explained the reasoning behind meditation, pointing out that our “monkey minds” are possessed of thoughts that go from one to the next, “and that it is very difficult to quiet the mind and be still….the benefit will be living in the moment.”
She led the group through a meditation that heavily focused on “coming back to the breath.” She described it as “a process of clearing and steadying the mind that is natural and needs no determined effort.” Anyone interested in joining a mindfulness meditation and stress reduction group with Jodi can contact her: jodi@consultingforacause.com
Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines and More
Next our group visited with Dr. Corinne Menn, a Chappaqua-based certified gynecologist, and herself a cancer survivor. She expressed concern about the mixed messages women receive about breast cancer screening. She does support recommendations of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology and The American Cancer Society which include mammograms annually starting at age 40; an ultrasound in conjunction with a mammogram for high risk patients (such as those who are who perimenopausal, have fibrocystic breasts, or have a palpable mass) and an MRI for high risk patients too.
In addition, Dr. Menn urges that a comprehensive family history be taken to potentially identify red flags that would alert the doctor to a patient at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. At risk patients should be offered BRCA genetic testing. The test is a simple saliva sample and most insurance companies cover it. Family history for uterine, colon, prostate and pancreatic cancer should be explored as well, since these cancers can be linked to BRCA and other genetic mutations. All women deemed high risk, including those who are negative for the BRCA mutation, benefit from increased surveillance, nutrition and lifestyle counseling. Some patients may be candidates for prophylactic medication to reduce their risk as well.
Screening guidelines need to be personalized for each patient and women should be their own health advocates by staying informed, emphasized Dr. Menn. “In my practice, I do BRCA testing and I utilize a high risk prevention program to follow and care for my patients at risk for breast, ovarian cancer and other cancers.” For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Menn, call 238-0350.
Disease Preventing Nutrition Advice
The session that followed was with Stefanie Schwartz…arguably one of Chappaqua’s most popular nutritional consultants in town. Stefanie proved to be an information powerhouse for every question that came up.
Over the course of the workshop, she highlighted key suggestions surrounding best diets for anti-inflammation, breast cancer prevention, and for weight loss. She noted that inflammation is at the heart of most disease states, so keeping a diet that reduces inflammation in the body is critical for long term health, and for disease prevention, from cancer to heart disease and all autoimmune diseases.
White refined carbohydrates (pasta, bagels, bread, potatoes, rice, crackers), sugar and red meat are three of the most inflammatory foods in the diet. And the foods that reduce inflammation in the diet are: blueberries, walnuts, salmon, sardines, ground flax meal, chia seeds, tart cherry juice, cinnamon, turmeric, and curry powder. “Incorporating these foods into ones diet on a regular basis is an incredible way to prevent disease.”
As far as breast cancer prevention goes, being overweight, and drinking alcohol are clear risks. Also: If you have had or are at high risk for estrogen dependent breast cancer, it’s probably best if you stay away from different soy based foods (protein powders, tofu, edamame).
Great choices for preventive efforts: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts, garlic, apple skin, walnuts, salmon, ground flax meal, parsley, celery, and blueberries.
Weight loss is very individualized, Stefanie said. What works for one person, doesn’t necessarily work for another. For additional info and a private consultation, call 238-6415.
Yoga for Breast Health too!
To enhance an already heightened sense of well being, we enjoyed a wonderful session of yoga with Susan Kullman, the owner of the new Intentional Wellness and Yoga Center in Katonah. intentionalwellnessandyogacenter.com
“During the yoga portion of the wellness retreat I was able to convey the importance of balancing out the normal “high momentum” daily experience,” said Susan, who had all of us performing poses that opened up our hips and spines. “I focus on the psoas muscle group of the body (part of the hip flexors),” she explained.
“It can greatly affect digestion, breathing, and an overall feeling of safety in the body. The condition of the psoas is one of the determining factors in how grounded we feel in our body.” In addition, Susan led us in opening up our armpits, to help target all our different lymph glands which are responsible for keeping our breasts healthy.
Well, all this talk and activity inspired a solid appetite. I was delighted that a healthy and delicious home cooked lunch immediately followed and allowed for more conversation amongst ourselves. I went home having made a couple new friends and feeling relaxed and healthfully sated.
Grace Bennett is Publisher and Editor of Inside Chappaqua Magazine.
By Michelle Berman Marchildon
“As humans, we are given the gift of choice.
It is a powerful gift.
People often ask me how long I’ve been practicing yoga, and the truth is I became a yogi when I was 10 years old. It was a turtle that led the way.
Of course, I didn’t yet know it. Becoming a yogi back then was about the furthest thing from my mind. I was pretty occupied with boys and Barbie and Bobby Sherman. My world had seemed important then, but soon I would have to choose if I would stand up for another being that had no voice at all.
Choosing between the easy thing, and the right thing, is yoga.
My father had taken us on vacation to the British Virgin Islands. It was a confusing time in our lives, so if you are confused then by all means take along a pre-adolescent. At dinner, the waiter mentioned the resort’s famous turtle soup.
“What makes the soup so good?” my Dad asked.
“We use our own turtles,” the waiter replied.
We sat speechless. There are turtles in turtle soup? I thought it was like chocolate “turtles” are caramel and welsh rarebit is just cheese, no rabbit.
After dinner we walked down the beach to a stone wall. I started tip toeing along the top when I saw something splash. Then I saw a flipper, and when I bent down closer, I saw a face.
“Dad,” I screeched. “There are turtles in here!” We stared in silence.
Until that night my world had been all about me, but looking into the turtle’s face made me realize I was not walking alone in this life. I had a responsibility to make the world better.
For the next few nights we worked quickly and precisely. One by one we freed the turtles. On the last night, there was a sign that said anyone caught poaching would be imprisoned. Ending the vacation in jail was not the bonding experience Dad had in mind.
By now, only the largest turtles remained, particularly one giant turtle. He looked extremely sad to me, as if he knew he was just too big to get over the wall. I started to cry.
“All right,” Dad said. “We will try to set him free.”
A choice is not often obvious. There may not be anyone else on your side. But you know you have done the right thing when you cannot live with yourself having done anything else. That night, we chose the turtles over the law.
Together we coaxed the largest turtle to the sandy edge of the pen, and then we somehow managed to boost him up and over. The turtle tumbled into the water and then he turned and gazed at us. I thought he might have said thank you for not giving up.
As humans, we are given the gift of choice. It is a powerful gift. We choose what to believe. We choose who we love. We choose when to fight, and when to lay down our sword. We choose our path.
Yoga is only a little bit about the postures. The postures reveal who we are when things get difficult. Yoga is about being who we were meant to be.
Neither I nor my Dad had heard of yoga in 1970. But that night we became yogis. If yoga is about leaving the world a better place, then in that moment there was no question but that we had to save the turtles.”
Michelle Berman Marchildon is The Yogi Muse. This is an excerpt from her book, Finding More on the Mat: How I Grew Better, Wiser and Stronger through Yoga (Wildhorse Ventures 2013). Her father is the veterinarian Dr. Lewis Berman, who if given a choice, would still free a turtle today.
