Be Who You Really Are

By Jennifer Troyan

This month we have a modality to introduce (or something to add to your personal tool kit). Are you familiar with Somatic Body-Oriented Coaching?

Somatic comes from the Greek word, soma “body” or somatikos “bodily.” It is different than traditional therapies or coaching in that it is not about your mind and what you are thinking, or how you use logic, or thoughts to know how you are feeling. It pertains to your physical body.

There is an excellent book we recommend if you want to explore this topic in more detail titled, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

Dr. Maria recommended the book to me. I learned so much from itin addition to what she helped me discover. Side note: You can get trained by her to learn this or to do some sessions and experience it for yourself.

I thought it might be good to share my first-hand experience as one who has been doing Somatic Coaching with her for a while now. You can do one session or many.It is a great way to self-regulate, be independent and responsible for yourself. The fact is most people have experienced trauma of some sort along the path of life. It is pretty much inevitable and can be very minimal all the way to very difficult and sensitive.

Here’s what I didn’t know - that your body holds trauma, and it comes out in subtle or stark ways. As someone who “has done the work” and continues to do so, I can say this concept was difficult for me to grasp at first because I thought I was in tune with my heart, body, and soul. I soon realized there was a whole world I had closed myself off to.

Somatic Coaching helps you connect with your natural neuroplasticity. Positive Psychology defines it as the ability of the brain to form new connections and pathways and change how its circuits are wired. I don’t know about you, but I found this fascinating.

I want to share some of my story with the intention that it is helpful and to give you my real-life example of how Somatic Coaching (SC) is helping me. We are all works in progress and my journey continues, so this is my account of what has transpired thus far.

At first, I was really struggling with SC because I am a logical thinker, trying to justify things in my mind and it was hard because I felt like I was so in tune with myself,yet I came to find that when it comes to my body I am not. SC helped me become aware of this and I am learning how to talk to and experience my body in a new way. Until recently, I hadn’t thought to include my body in the process of healing past traumas. As with other forms of coaching or therapy, there are many ways to help someone, and this is one of them.

In SC, you ask your body questions and the focus shifts from using logic to finding out where things are landing in your body. For instance, I feel like I can easily tap into my emotions, but I hadn’t considered that my body is feeling something too. I equated understanding my emotions with understanding my body; they are separate.

I thought I had awareness of my body. For example, if I’m craving a steak, I’ll eat that, so I know what my body wants/needs and I’m connected to it. Yes, it’s a part of it but not, “Where do you feel this in your body? What are your sensations?Where does this land in your body?”A foreign concept to me.

While you are going through SC, you might see a shape or a color or feel a pang somewhere and I always dismissed it. I did not know my body was talking to me. I was so in my head that I could not even comprehend very basic questions (which is OKAY!). Dr. Maria tried different things with me until we found a good path or starting point. I love that she is so patient, gentle, and kind through this process. She did not give up on me. One day she did a body scan meditation with me. That was the key to unlocking this process for me. I am a meditator so that helped me to let go of my logic and drop in to what she was helping me sort out. There was an immediate shift. I had my first “aha” moment. My point is, she met me where I was at.

Maria asked me, “So now you are open to exploring those metaphors, how is it different for you now?”

I had to think about that for a few seconds and said, “I feel more at ease. It has helped me accept myself and things more.”

She went on to ask, “What is ‘it’ your accepting?”

I replied (after searching my mind for how to explain this to her), “Just being ok seeing what my body has to say rather than trying to figure out what it means. Just listening to my body, being ok with what I am sensing rather than just walking away and disregarding what my body is trying to tell me.”

I am learning to be open to the process and let it take me down another path. Not being afraid of it or blocking it out saying that feelings in my body are not related. It has nothing to do with what I thought versus logically going into the emotion and being the emotion - not knowing what my anger was about. I just hadn’t considered the connection or that they related to each other. It’s helping me get to the root of things so I can acknowledge it and move past it. Accept it and work on how to move forward.

In the first few sessions, I could not even understand basic things she was asking me, and I was getting so frustrated (I did have enough sense to know that I needed to pay attention to what was coming up). I would say, I don’t understand what that means (when she’d ask me ANYTHING). It was like I was completely blocked off from any questions she’d ask me about where or how I felt something in my body.

Dr. Maria shared, “People who are disconnected from their body don’t know how to navigate those questions.” I would be so upset with myself, why can’t I get this?? I am an intelligent woman; I have practiced many modalities and I “should” be able to breeze through this! What the heck??!!??

She was giving me a guided pathway to look inward, step out of my conceptual meaning and drop into my body. It’s frustrating when you have not known that all your life. Why didn’t I know that? I should’ve have known! Dr. Maria gave me the example of it being like learning to ride a bicycle all over again - a different bicycle you never had before. A different way of expressing.

This conversation made me think of something I heard in an interview with Author and co-founder of Omega Institute, Elizabeth Lesser talking about her book Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow and she talked about the concept of being broken open - a new awareness or awakening arising from something difficult or traumatic; reframing heartbreak to heart-opening.

There is so much more I can share about this and maybe we will address this topic in future blogs. I think I shared enough to give you a view into the process. It is remarkable and if you are interested in learning more about this, get a coach to guide you. I highly recommend Dr. Maria Chah. I offered to share some of my story in the hopes that it helps you in some kind of way. You deserve the best of life and even if you have experienced tough times, you will get through it. Take it from me, YOUR BODY IS WORTH EXPLORING.

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To learn more about our services, please contact our office at 561-249-0447 for a consultation on how to start your annual wellness optimization. During the consultation, we can provide guidance on the best treatment modalities to improve or enhance your state of wellness the TCM way.

Your health team: ChahAcutherapy - We are here for you.

Your Body is a Gift!

By Maria Chah, DOM, AP & Jennifer Troyan

This month we are introducing a very important topic: Body Memory & Somatic Coaching (more on this another time). Are you thinking about your body and the gift that it is? It is our vessel or vehicle that we require to be in this world, and we use this vehicle much like a car. Just like you get in your car to arrive at an appointed destination, our body works much in the same way. You do regular maintenance for your car to keep it running smoothly. If you are reading this there is a good chance you are doing something to take care of your body. Pat yourself on the back!

Consider honoring yourself, remembering your body, and your process along with your body’s natural functions:

• Everyday cells in our body are dying. Not to worry, this sounds ominous however it is how the body operates. Our bodies work every day to continue serving us. As many cells that are dying are being reproduced.

• Your body’s cells rejuvenate. They are always changing. If you think about it, the body you have now is not the same body you had when you were a baby, toddler, teenager, a person in your 20s, 30s, 50s, 80s and on. It is always changing. Your hair changes color. You may have been born with blonde hair, yet it turns dark. Then maybe gray.

• This is a factor in why an Acupuncturist checks your pulse. It informs them of things happening in the body. They can detect meridian imbalances (aka silent issues) or help with prevention or as I like to think of it, preservation.

• TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is based on nature. For example, your knees might hurt when it rains. Your body is retaining water, feels heavy, and might be more stiff. We like to compare it to nature - think of a tree. Certain tree types thrive in specific environments. We are the same. A tree that grows in an environment that is damp and cold is typically going to be stiff. Palm trees are flexible so they can handle the wind. Factor in eating different foods and understanding that your environment is shaping you. Remember: being flexible is best.

• Always try to keep “YOU” in the present moment - with your cells and your energy. One can learn about the expression of cells with a hair analysis.

• Trees are shaped and designed from the seed and the roots. They are shaped by their environment: the air, rain, water, and sun all contribute to their shape and health. Same for us!
  • Merriam-Webster defines Yin & Yang(or 陰 and 陽 in traditional Chinese characters) as: of, relating to, symbolizing, or being the Chinese principles of yin and yang.: being or comprising opposite and especially complementary elements.

As we approach a wonderful holiday this month that is Mother’s Day, let’s take a moment to honor them. Happy Mother’s Day! We can mothers by giving a gift of wellness and knowledge. For all the mothers out there, it’s time to nourish yourself. You can have regular biweekly or monthly acupuncture maintenance. This is a great natural resource for soothing stress, reducing rapid aging as well as contribute to your overall health and peace.

Let’s honor ourselves too! We can work towards being in balance, accepting our worthiness and giving our bodies a chance to thrive.

A special message from Dr. Maria...

Mother Earth’s nature is a forever forbearing, life-giving energy. So are our mothers who are the primary internal containers for all human birth. Mothers of human life equally are Yin nourishing elements continuously planting thoughts of goodness, grooming our soul’s innate state of wisdom, and always cultivating safe space for that deeper sense of belonging. A mother is the Yin quality which by nature obtains and maintains nourishing energy for her birth seeds of life to flourish. Mother’s Day is our time to place attention and gratitude for our mothers who have and continue to share their unconditional nourishing nature of Love and devotion.

Remember:

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To learn more about our services, please contact our office at 561-249-0447 for a consultation on how to start your annual wellness optimization. During the consultation, we can provide guidance on the best treatment modalities to improve or enhance your state of wellness the TCM way.

Your health team: ChahAcutherapy - We are here for you.

Dad Bods are a Gift!

By Jennifer Troyan & Maria Chah, DOM, AP

This June we are focusing on men/fathers. Yes, we are talking about Yang energy. Fathers are known as manifesters, procreators, generators, and protectors. Men use all these qualities. They roam our territories for safety, protection, and provisions. This is innate within them or once could say it is in their DNA. They also manifest independence for self and others. Men can show the expansion of things (taking us away from the bosom).

Think of the sun – the father and the son. The sun warms us, just like fathers do. This is a powerful energy in our lives, and we want to honor that energy and their presence. No one is perfect and we expect so much from our fathers. Sometimes they are present and sometimes not. Sometimes they don’t know about us (it is different than being a person who can actually give birth). This is where the energies are balanced out. Fathers help us grow up and out.

The Yin and Yang of things – like the sun, it is something we cannot touch.

Merriam-Webster defines Yin & Yang (or 陰 and 陽 in traditional Chinese characters) as: of, relating to, symbolizing, or being the Chinese principles of yin and yang.: being or comprising opposite and especially complementary elements.

Sometimes, it’s men taking action and it’s Dads doing something to root us on. In the military its men sacrificing their lives to provide and protect (yes, other people take on this role too).

Loving fathers build confidence and motivate us to do our best. Yang energy is about expansion. Summertime is a great example of Yang energy. We (and nature) are flourishing from the hard work of spring. This is the time to take clothes off (well, wear less of them), go swimming and play. This is right up Dad’s alley! It is time to reap the fruits of our labor. This is the time to think about cooling foods such as cucumbers and watermelon. Maybe we ease up on our stress a little and take some much needed vacation time.

Let’s be kind to men. They generate a lot of heat, have more muscle mass and are meant to pull twice their weight. They need massage and acupuncture too. You can give this to your dad as a gift! Help them learn or continue to honor and nurture themselves.

What’s the opposite side of nurturing? Men can be out of balance and can be aggressive. It comes back to cultivation. Often men are expected to be strong, and I think their feelings may go unacknowledged at times. Anything left unchecked goes awry. In today’s culture it is not as unchecked as it used to be yet there are cultural and societal norms that we cannot ignore. We are encouraging you to help men and not just “expect” they are ok or don’t need support. We all do at points in our lives.

Men (or anyone reading this article): Consider honoring yourself, remembering your body, and your process along with your body’s natural functions.

Father’s Day is this month, so let’s take a moment to honor them. Happy Father’s Day! We wish you the best and most of all happiness and peace. Continued strength. Know who you are and honor that.

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To learn more about our services, please contact our office at 561-249-0447 for a consultation on how to start your annual wellness optimization. During the consultation, we can provide guidance on the best treatment modalities to improve or enhance your state of wellness the TCM way.

Your health team: ChahAcutherapy – We are here for you.

Spring Into Detox

By Maria Chah, DOM, AP & Jennifer Troyan

If you think about Springtime and what that means, it is a time for renewal, preparing for the new (you can see the best example - watch what nature does). Spring is the perfect time to clear your mind and clean your body. Detox can assist with clearing your lungs to take out excess pollen that is so prevalent in Spring.

Spring is all about preparing for the new. Detox wakes up new cells within your body. Letting go of the old to take on the new.

This is in line with even cleaning your home. We have all heard of spring cleaning. Well, detox is spring cleaning for your body which helps your mind too. At the bottom of this article, we share a link to access a free download for a 7 Day Detox. We recommend this detox for Spring & Fall.

I had a chance to sit down with Dr. Maria and she explained this in a straightforward way to understand.

“

Think of Spring as all new blooms. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) there are 5 elements and each element represents something specific. The Spring element is Wood. Think of it this way, in Spring there are all new blooms, new seeds breaking through the soil and little saplings following the sun to be a big tree or whatever it wants to be. It is ready to bear new fruit, new everything. So, when we detox, just like when a tree needs to grow, it has to push itself through the soil and push past things to break through. Think of your body full of blockages (like a sprout’s passage through soil) with all the winter build up and stagnation inside.

Most of us Americans, we don’t stay still, we drink more and party more during the holidays, we eat more, and we are more sedate, sitting down more. We are supposed to go within in Winter, retreating inside. Now, we are coming back out of our shells, shedding our old skin, shedding the excess weight and blockages. Now it is time to move.

The Wood element is about planning and doing, preparing for the new things in our life. You might be thinking about the new bathing suit you are going to wear in Summer or the new car you are going to buy or rent for your summer vacation. This is the time for planning new ideas. You want to do this with a clear mind and a clean body, so you have the energy to go into your Yang - moving up, out and forward; like the Sun, which is high in the sky, living its fullest expression. Spring is the Wood that feeds the Fire element (which is the heart) in Summer.

We are preparing for a time of high activities, fueling our bodies with new soil, and fresh soil (detox metaphor). The Spring Air and all the elements that are going to make us strong, ready and prepared to do what our Yang demands from us. Our super cells start to get charged. The detox is very important to make sure that when you have new blood forming, old cells being shed, and new ones being formed, you want to feed it healthy energy, so it works at its fullest vibration. Vibrational frequencies are important. The lighter we feel, the freer and more vibrant we are but if you’re eating heavy foods in the Summertime your body gets foggy and hot easily, wanting to sweat out the excess heat.

Then, you are collecting heat, which your body is holding onto because it is already accumulating internal food heat along with receiving external heat. Together, this creates a hot toxic internal soup of body heat. This can only lead your body straight to, what they call “swamp ass”, I mean excess heat. It’s not uncommon when people begin to experience sunstroke, nausea, sudden high blood pressure, pounding headaches, profuse sweating, and many other things due to this factor. When you drink too much alcohol, you get dehydrated, or you are eating things that will rob you of nutrients and vitality by eating fatty foods like cheeses, breads, and butter, particularly during summer season.

You know, the body really does not take kind pleasure in this type of excess heat and that’s why we start to grab a salad instead or perhaps even crave it! Our body naturally desires hydration and fruits bear in the Spring because it is time to eat food types that prepare you for the demands of Spring and Summer. Plus, fruits have antioxidants which help the human cells rid unwanted energy plus hold structured water to keep our body temperature at healthy hydrated homeostatic levels during extreme demands.

Fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables also have an important role in assisting internal organs to rid pollution and poisons in our foods such as processed foods or pesticides on produce, as well as added hormones and preservatives. These added elements do help us keep food safe but can overheat and/or stagnate proper energy flow that is vital to help us survive without extreme healing crises. They help your body get rid and secrete all the bad stuff.

So, however you can help your body, detoxing is one of the best ways to assist the body’s natural process of elimination. Once you clean out and detox all the heaviness, the sluggishness of the cells and you wake up new cells, you will feel invigorated, and less dense. Think of it like this, the earth is giving you nice, fresh fruits, new green plants, antioxidants, and veggies to help nourish and prepare us for the hot Summer where we can be our most alive and vibrant healthy self.

In Chinese Medicine, a pathogen can be anything the wind blows your way. A pathogen does not refer to cancer which is caused by years of a buildup of toxins. It’s about eating the wrong things during the wrong seasons or not doing the same things in the right seasons, like the right types of exercises. Sometimes we overdo exercising in the Winter time when we are supposed to be resting. There is a reason and season for everything. When we are talking about our detox, we are letting go of the old to be prepared to take on the new. The new also brings irritants sometimes. Some people are not genetically prepared for it and a lot of times our bodies are not being properly prepared for the seasons. Like the saying, April showers bring May flowers. The wind roars when March comes in. That is because the earth is pollinating, it’s shaking up all the trees, getting it ready for things to blossom and pollinate.

Things are pollinating and our lungs are taking this in, which is good (think of using flowers, honey, and essential oils as a natural defense for allergy season). Essential oils can prepare you for these external pathogens. When you detox, you are going to detox not only your gut, but you are also helping your five major organs: liver, heart, kidneys, and GI tract (large intestines, stomach and spleen) and lungs. These organs do most of the work. There are also a lot of assistant organs like your pancreas, gallbladder, and appendix (which help keep good flora in your gut). We have two kidneys because it is a major filtering system and plays a role in eliminating salt, metals, and all the fluids we take. Everything is structured in water, particularly in fruits and vegetables, so this is the most important time to eat them.

Let’s speak into the importance of Structured water which hydrates 60% intracellularly, and 40% extracellularly. Most of us are drinking dead chlorinated water that just passes through our body. It’s know wonder why Many people say they are drinking lots of water, but it just gets peed right out of their body. Why is this?

Your intra- cells are not drinking it that’s why. It does not recognize it as structured living water. Fruits and vegetables primarily consist of hydrated live structured water best for all living cells especially for your organs. Which, by the way, love it and need it for optimal detoxification processing.

And, You poop better too.

”

Here is a little more information to add to what you have learned so far and educate yourself with some helpful tips:

DID YOU KNOW? Your body loves structured water. What is that? Structured water is water naturally found in fruits and veggies, such as watermelon, celery, cucumber, strawberries, spinach, raspberries, carrots, cabbage, grapefruit, to name a few. Your liver loves that kind of water. It gives you nutrients that drinking water does not. Also, if you are drinking a lot and still feeling thirsty it might be that your body is craving structured water. Structured water is absorbed more slowly and can stay in your body longer which is why it is a major source of water and hydration. It is found in nature as well, such as untouched mountain springs, streams, glacier melts, water running over rocks and the like.

Spring is the right time to detox your body because it will support your liver health. We are going to talk about your liver a lot because it is a very important organ in TCM. In Chinese Medicine, your liver regulates your Qi or life force, blood going to your organs (especially your digestive tract) and helps the flow of energy throughout your body. It reduces inflammation, breaks down drugs, and detoxifies chemicals in your body. Your energy needs to flow freely otherwise it causes imbalances and can lead to many health issues and cause sleep issues. Our livers get rid of what we don’t need. You can think of it like the processing unit of our bodies, much like the CPU (central processing unit) of a computer.

Your liver likes sour things and green foods. Healthy greens nourish the blood, store nutrients and help your liver’s energy. It is also responsible for the regulation of emotions. It nourishes and stores your blood.

As you can see, the liver is a particularly important organ. Incidentally, the liver helps your eyes too by maintaining your vision - literally and figuratively.

Check out this blog post, Preparing for Fall Detox. It contains an excellent 7 Day Detox. You can download the PDF (for FREE here!). I have done this detox myself. It is a wonderful aid to detoxifying your body and certainly helps clear your mind as well. It is nice to focus on the detox and dedicate yourself to something different for a week. You feel so good when it is done!

Listen to this audio clip from Dr. Maria to get you started with this detox program:

May you feel inspired to try this or to do it again. Your body will thank you.

Side Note: You can help your pets live their best lives by doing a little detox for them too. You must research this or consult your veterinarian first but there are many fruits and vegetables you can incorporate into their diet too. It helps them in the same ways it helps us. Wheatgrass is a great example of a good detox food for your cats and dogs. It is something to do together! 😊

In fact, invite your family and friends to join too! This is a wonderful way to encourage you to all stay on track and support each other during the process. You got this!

Additional Resource: This article is a great starting point for learning about The 5 Tastes in Chinese Medicine and it is a nice companion piece to this article.

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To learn more about our services, please contact our office at 561-249-0447 for a consultation on how to start your annual wellness optimization. During the consultation, we can provide guidance on the best treatment modalities to improve or enhance your state of wellness the TCM way.

Your health team: ChahAcutherapy - We are here for you.