New Paths The Natural Way

So, I was unable to work out this week due to my shoulder… sad face.  But, I definitely had to listen to my PT Cliff at Atla (they are so awesome there).  I could have done just leg work at As One, but I know myself, i would have done the entire work out regardless.

I’ve also been feeling kind of foggy lately, just not fully dedicated and a little slow (no jokes needed).  So, I asked someone who I trust – Evan – if he knew any holistic doctors and he gave me the name of someone he swears by; Janna Siegel, L.Ac. who owns Thrive Acupuncture in NYC.  I was so excited to set up this appointment, I have become such a serious believer in trusting the Earth and what it gives us for our daily and health needs.  I mean we have all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrition we need right in front of us constantly and it all comes from the soil, not from a factory or a science lab.  That’s not to say that I don’t have my cravings or my days where I eat processed items etc, but I REALLY REALLY love the thought of eating incredibly clean, food from the Earth or animals that only eat from the Earth (grassfed etc).

So, Thursday, I had my first appointment with Janna.  I walked in honestly having no idea what to expect, the first appointment is 1.5 hours long and it includes going over your history and then you get an acupuncture treatment.  Janna was absolutely lovely, she made me feel completely at ease and, of course I forgot my paperwork on my desk at home, so I spent the first 10 minutes re-filling it out.

In the first hour, we went through what I had filled out, my history, what I wanted to get out of our sessions and, she also talked a bit about her practice.  I really felt like we were on the same page with so many things and one of the things she discussed was seasonal foods.  We discussed buying locally and it always kind of made sense to me, but after meeting with Janna, it all seemed to align.  It isn’t just about supporting your local farmer – which of course is amazing to do – but it is really about eating what your body needs in the geographic area you are in.  When you think about it that way, it makes so much more sense.  Before, it made sense to me to purchase amazing strawberries from CA in the winter because they are healthy and unavailable in my area (and I probably still will purchase fruits from time to time that are unavailable due to the season), but then ask yourself, why are they unavailable in my area?  I mean, without getting into it, they are unavailable because it’s just too damn cold.  But, let’s take it a step further.  Let’s think about what is available during what seasons and why.  A lot of it is due to what we need for our bodies.  In the summer, fully hydrating and light fruits and veggies are available like watermelons and cucumbers because it is hotter and we need lighter water based foods that will get us through the season.  But, come winter, we have heartier, more filling foods like squash and potatoes.  The colors also tend to match the seasons.  In the summer we have brighter, beautiful fruits and veggies, come winter, we have deep oranges and purples.  This is the Earth paying attention to what season we are in and what our bodies need to get us through them properly and naturally.  Janna also talked about what we need according to our body temperatures based on the seasons.  I will have to get into that more with her because it all seemed to make so much sense and were all things that I had never thought about when it came to eating well.  Just absolutely fascinating to me.  And because of me listening more to what my body’s needs are and realizing I was not fulfilling those needs with what I doing, I want to turn to more TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).

I talked a lot about how I have just been feeling stuck, I’ve been feeling like my chakras are blocked or like I’m just not functioning properly due to stress and just feeling a little out of whack.

So, when we did my acupuncture it was interesting to me that the place at first I felt a little ouch (no, acupuncture does not hurt, it is amazing) Janna told me that was a center source for my chakras and where the stress holds.  We put needles in from my forehead to my ankles and then I was able to rest and let them do their magic.  I know I sound a little coo-coo, but it was a very spiritual lifting experience getting the treatment.  I don’t think I will be able to truly get the full effect of her treatment until after a few sessions, but I am so looking forward to going back next week.

The whole experience was wonderful, I’m hoping to start discussing some nutrition with her.  I’ve been trying to keep my food journal because I notice that I am very sensitive to certain foods, but when I try to realize what they are I just don’t remember.  Some foods completely exhaust me, others make me super cranky and some pump me with energy.

I can’t wait to share more of my experience with you.  It was awesome and I can only imagine that it will get better.

xx

Julia

#FITJ