Holistic Nutrition: What is it and what I do

It can be difficult to navigate the plethora of diets and advice offered in the media and through social networks these days. What we eat and WHY we eat is the key and in a world of quick fixes, I offer real-time advice backed by the science of Symptomatology. There is no diet that is right for everyone all the time, nor is there miracle nutrients that will cure all the world's illnesses. Each of us is unique in the way our body processes nutrients and we all get to where we are by the way in which we were taught to nourish ourselves. This is in no way a dig at our parent's or grandparents’ generation. We all do our best with the knowledge that we have at the time, that which is taught to us. Now as adults we have the right and the responsibility to gain our own knowledge about our bodies and how what we put in them affects our physical and mental health. 

Nutritional Symptomatology is simply the study of symptoms as they relate to nutrition. This is the most valuable tool at my disposal for the assessment of nutritional deficiency and for disease prevention. I use your active participation and insight into your own daily habits to assess your own personal nutrient deficiencies as they relate to the current state of your health and embodied experience. In addition, I evaluate your current lifestyle habits and how this affects your mind/body connection. I offer suggestions and insight into where changes can be made in all sectors of your life move toward balance. Optimal health at all levels of being physical, mental, and spiritual. 

“The road to better health will not be found through more drugs, doctors, and hospitals. Instead, it will be discovered through better nutrition and lifestyle changes” Dr. William Crook

My background in PT is with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and I use the Integrated training Model in workout design. This is a concept that combines all forms of exercise into one system, inclusive of Flexibility, cardiorespiratory, core, balance, Plyometric, speed agility, and quickness and resistance training. This all-inclusive approach to exercise leads to improvements in overall health and wellness as well as athletic performance. Of course, your program is detailed around your specific needs and desires. All programming is safe and effective and based on your personal needs using a structured scientifically based program design model. Integrated training is evidence-based and proven to decrease injury and improve performance. 

Our first assessment will take you through a series of static and dynamic postural assessments. This will help me to see exactly where muscle imbalances exist that can compromise joint mobility. Through focused exercise programming we address these imbalances and movement impairments. Your programming will include flexibility exercises for stretching the overactive muscles and strengthening the underactive muscles. We will work on core, strength, and balance and make sure you're having fun while you get fit.

Train at my home studio, at the Perfect Balance studio space, at Prime Kelowna (subject to $15.00 fee per session) or online.  

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga is a form of yoga that has a flow about it. As we begin, a gentle awakening of our mind-body connection is developed and fostered. You are encouraged to follow the flow of class with your in breath and your out breaths. We flow through a different variation of postures each class and no one class is ever the same. Sometimes the flow is more fast paced and sometimes it is more relaxed. Class can be tailored to suit any need. We work on strength and muscular endurance, balance and mindfulness. If we get moving fast enough there is even a bit of cardiovascular system involvement. We explore how different postures feel in our bodies and how we form and develop reactions to different stimulus and how those reactions feel in our bodies. From there we can delve deeply into how we can be at cause for choosing to move from reaction into mindful response.

Yin Yoga

Yin yoga in essence Is very allowing. In yin we use the poses to get into our bodies, not our bodies to get into poses. I received my Yin Yoga teacher training with Bernie Clark and I teach with much of the same style. There is a functional theme to our yin practice in that we go far enough into the pose that we are feeling a stress to the tissues in the targeted area, but not so far into the pose that you are feeling any pain. That is not to say that yin is a comfortable fluffy practice. There are times where you will not be comfortable physically and it will stretch your yin mind muscles. You again will learn a lot about your reactions and the way you think as well as talk to yourself. You will be shown alternate options in how to talk to yourself in a kinder, gentler way, alternate ways in which to feel and think. You will teach yourself how to cause the pause. To allow uncomfortable feelings and emotions to arise and to simply sit with them. In the Yin style of practice we get deep in to the Yin tissues, we stress the Ligaments, tendons and fascial bags surrounding the muscles with deeper, longer held postures that mainly focus on the spine and hips, and lower body. Stressing the tissues is necessary in order to make them stronger and more resilient. By stressing the tissues and bones we cause a reaction in the body at a cellular level, and the cells in the body, upon being stressed go in and create more collagen fibers, more bone, making these areas more usable in the future.

Ask me about group rates and inquire about the studios I teach in currently or book your own private session.