Get the Skinny on Blood Sugar and How to Manage It!

The media is teeming with articles warning us of the meteoric rise of Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes in the US.  Do you have the most current information?

Do you wonder how you might best prevent blood sugar problems for yourself and/or for your clients and loved ones?  Michael Gaeta LAc, CND, will be offering a Sunday morning micro workshop on Optimizing Glycemic Control.  This class will give you a snapshot of how to deal with blood sugar issues wholistically.   You will leave better educated, and with the necessary tools to maintain healthy glycemic levels for life.

This class is open to student and health care practitioners, as well as the community.

The class is eligible for Continuing Ed credits.

I want to personally encourage you to consider taking this class with us at The Wellspring School.  I can say firsthand that Michael is an inspired and informed presenter.  I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Michael for 22 years. We were Amma Therapy classmates, back in the day, and our professional paths continued to cross over the years. Michael used to travel to Idaho to teach our business classes and was so well liked that he still provides mentorship to a handful of practitioners who graduated from those programs.  Michael has taught for Standard Process and Mediherb all over the United States and is always well received.  We are fortunate to have the opportunity to bring him to the Wellspring.  Let’s give him a cheery Portland welcome!

The class is Sunday, Nov. 4th from 9-1pm $40.

Amma Bodywork Therapy – Portland Program Starts in October!

We are thrilled to launch our professional Amma Bodywork Therapy program in Portland on October 10, 2012. We would love for you to join us! If you have been considering a new career in wholistic health, Chinese medicine or bodywork, or if you are a practitioner looking to expand skills and offer more comprehensive care, read on for more information about Amma Bodywork Therapy and details about the program!

What is Amma Bodywork Therapy?

A classical Asian bodywork style that predates acupuncture, “Amma” is the oldest Chinese word to describe massage. Amma Bodywork Therapy is a specialized form of bodywork that combines deep, circular pressure and acu-point stimulation and utilizes Chinese Medicine principles for assessing and treating imbalances in the body’s energy system.

Why is Amma Bodywork Therapy so unique?

Amma Bodywork Therapy is more than massage.  Brought to the United States by Tina Sohn as Amma Therapy, it also includes Chinese Medicine theory and diagnostics as well as the in-depth study of channels and points used to maintain health and to relieve many chronic conditions. Amma Bodywork Therapy is an extensive, dynamic, and comprehensive form of wholistic healthcare that includes: training in a traditional Asian bodywork form, wholistic nutrition, herbs, supplements, meditation, tai chi, and qigong.

Why study Amma Bodywork Therapy at the Wellspring School?

We are the only school in the United States offering comprehensive training and professional certification in Amma Bodywork Therapy. The Wellspring School’s Amma program is led by senior practitioner Rylen Feeney.  Rylen studied with Tina and Dr. Sohn as well as Faye and Steve Schenkman and has been teaching Amma for 19 years. Honoring the principles of a lineage art, we strive to maintain Amma Bodywork Therapy in it’s purest form.

Our 1000+ hour program is taught over six 15-week segments and takes roughly 24 months to complete. Classes include: Asian Principles and Foundations, Asian Anatomy & Physiology, Food and the Treatment of Disharmony, Asian Clinical Assessment, Complimentary Techniques, and much more. You can find a full list here.

What do students say about the Amma program at the Wellspring School?

“Amma Therapy is a profound healing art.  The Wellspring is founded and run by committed individuals that live what they teach and will teach you to do the same.” Nathan M.

“I can honestly say becoming a student of The  Wellspring School was the best thing I have ever done for my health, happiness and personal growth.” Amy B.

What is the next step?

Contact us to  find out more about our Amma program.  We will also be hosting three upcoming open houses (see below). These are great opportunities to find out more about our programs and classes, meet instructors, past graduates and the school directors.

Tuesday, August 21st (214 SE 18th Ave.) 5:30pm-8:00pm

Tuesday, September 11th (call for location*) 5:30pm-8:00pm

Wednesday, September 12th (call for location*) 11:30am-1:00pm

Please also share this information with people in your personal and professional community who you think might benefit from our Amma program. You can email them the link to this blog post or give them our email address: info@thewellspring.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay current on upcoming classes and events.

*We will be moving in September from SE Portland to NE Portland (2440 MLK Jr. Blvd.) Stay tuned for more details.

Portland Wholistic Nutriton Program – Enrollment & Classes Start in January!

We’ve been waiting a long time to be able to make this announcement! Our Portland school branch is now formally licensed by the Oregon State Department of Education and we are officially opening enrollment for our very first Wholistic Nutrition Program in Portland from January 2nd through February 15th, 2012. We will be accepting applications from students who’ve been taking individual classes with us as well as new students who are interested in pursuing program level certification for this nationally recognized program.

Check out our current schedule of classes and download a copy of the current student handbook that includes all of the required registration and application materials as well as info on pricing, payment plans, etc.

Classes for this program will run January 2012 through June 2013. The enrollment period is in tandem with new classes starting up. There are some really great discounts that we will offer to  this first group only!

The next class is Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine on January 21st & 22nd, 2012. After that we have Wholistic Nutrition I & II in February (25th & 26th) and March (17th & 18th). We still offer our classes to the community as well, so if there’s a topic that’s of interest to you, we welcome you to take the class. Check out the classes page on our website for more information on all of these classes.

The program incorporates Eastern (Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory) and Western principles and is a unique opportunity for acupuncturists, Asian body workers, physical therapists, personal trainers, healthcare practitioners, individuals seeking to start a stand-alone practice, or anyone wishing to expand their knowledge of Wholistic Nutrition!

The 280-hour program consists of 18 classes that meet one weekend a month to accommodate busy work schedules and real life demands! This format is ideal for commuters, full-time jobs and anyone with a busy schedule. Classes can also be taken individually for continuing education credits or personal enrichment.

Our past and current student body for this program include RN’s, PT’s, OT’s, Amma Therapists, Bodyworkers, Teachers, and many folks from different professions, all of whom tell us this program has given them some of the best tools possible in applying the benefits of nutrition.

It’s really a great program that we believe can make a difference. What are you waiting for? Contact us with any questions. 503.688.1482 or info@thewellspring.org.

“Currently I am incorporating the knowledge and wisdom(learned from The Wellspring School Wholistic Nutrition Program classes) to enhance my already established physical therapy practice. The combination couldn’t be better.” 

T. Hindson, CPT, CHN

National Association of Nutrition Professionals December E-Zine – Nutritional Tips, Recipe & Spotlight on The Wellspring School!

This month the National Association of Nutrition Professionals has some great tips on maintaining adrenal health through the holidays and beyond in their December E-Zine. In addition, there is a great recipe contributed by one of our current Boise Wholistic Nutrition Program students, Florence M-R (shown in the pic cooking away!) and yours truly for a pumpkin pudding/pie that’s sure to please for a holiday dessert that’s GF, DF and just plain yummy!

Even more exciting is that we are officially launching our Wholistic Nutrition Certification Program in Portland in January 2012!  We are very pleased to be able to bring this program in its entirety to the Portland community. Contact the school office at 503.688.1482 or send us an email at info@thewellspring.org for more info on how to register.

Rachael Myles

Director, The Wellspring School for Healing Arts

 

Education & Community Service – A Recipe for Success!

Wholistic Nutrition Program Student - Jessica W.

One of my favorite aspects of  The Wellspring School program students is the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of community service activities.  Through Amma students  providing bodywork to a hardworking group of teachers, or nutrition students educating various groups on the benefits of healthy, whole foods based eating, it is exciting to see people become interested in something they might not have had access to previously. Whether it’s through touch, mindful movement, diet or an exciting new recipe, we love seeing our students actively bridging the gap between the community in educating folks on leading healthier lifestyles in a way that is enjoyable.

As part of both Amma Therapy and Wholistic Nutrition students must participate in a minimum of 18 hours of community service. Recently in Boise, a group of Wholistic Nutrition Program students and I participated in a meeting of the new organization, Idaho Cancer Wellness Community, whose charter is to create a place where “people living with cancer can get the comprehensive social, emotional and educational support they need.” The Wellspring School was invited to prepare food for the event, being cognizant of a wide variety of food sensitivities and ensuring fresh, healthy and tasty snacks for the group.

Our menu included roasted root veggies, teff/quinoa & corn polenta topped with roasted red pepper and poblano chili pestos, fresh figs with walnut cream sauce and (DF,SF, GF) brownies and hazelnut cookie drops. While at the event we were  pleased to be able to provide recipes and information about the snacks and nutrition in general. It’s always amazing and satisfying when people discover that food can be healthy and tasty at the same time!

Below some pictures from the evening as well as a recipe for nut cream. The cream sauce is a great recipe to have on hand for the holidays. Substitute for whipped cream on pies, as a thickener for soups and topping for hot cereals or stewed fruits. It’s dairy free and super yummy!

Nut Cream

3 cups walnuts soaked overnight or cashews soaked for 1-2 hours (Whatever nut you like…softer nuts take less soaking time. Make sure to rinse when done and toss out the soaking water.)

½ Tsp. vanilla extract (for sweet cream use)

1 TBS maple syrup (for sweet cream use)

1/4 tsp sea salt (Optional)

3Tbs. coconut oil  (Optional, lends to a thicker texture, like a hard cream.)

Water – quantity depends on desired thickness

Preparation:

1. Put everything in a blender on low speed.

2. Gradually add water until the mixture is smooth and the desired consistency. It may take a few minutes so be patient!

3. Remove to a bowl and allow to chill thoroughly (about 30 minutes)

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What’s Cooking at The Wellspring School?

WHAT A GREAT CLASS!

Last weekend in Boise, Wholistic Nutrition students had the opportunity to don aprons and roll up their sleeves for two days in the kitchen with Tressa Yellig, Executive Chef and Owner of Salt, Fire & Time in Portland. Tressa kept the students going non-stop with two packed days. Topics covered included -cooking with spices, working with ingredients you have on hand, making tasty substitutions (GF, DF, SF, etc.), re-working traditional Thanksgiving dishes, cooking with different meat cuts, and fermentation. Oh, and lots of tasting!

Needless to say, students left tired but happy lugging jars of homemade ginger ale and goji berry sauerkraut, lots of new recipes  and increased confidence in their ability to make healthy and tasty foods for all kinds of dietary needs for themselves and future clients. Cooking classes are part of our nutrition program and an incredible hands on experience. Probably the best “lab” class you will ever come across. We will be offering additional cooking classes in 2012 so stay tuned.

The next nutrition class is this weekend (11/12 & 11/13) in Portland, Western Nutrition I. Check out our website for a complete listing of classes in both Boise and Portland.

Check out some pics from the weekend below.

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Community Classes in Portland Start This Week!

We are very excited about launching our first series of community based self-care classes entitled Nurture Your Soul This Holiday Season & Beyond.  We are bringing together a number of Portland-based practitioners of various modalities and interests to offer a variety of low-cost community classes created to sustain the mind, body and soul through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  Classes are a mix of meditation, self-massage, progressive relaxation, building the immune system and nourishing one’s whole self.  We are excited to bring a lot of great practitioners together and bring a healthy close to 2011. We hope everyone can take advantage of these!

All classes will be held at the Portland school location at 214 SE 18th Street, from 6-7PM unless otherwise noted . Advance registration is requested and payment due at beginning of each class.  You can call us at 503.688-1482 or register directly. 

A brief snapshot of each class is provided below and you can find additional information on our website. 

COMMUNITY CLASS SCHEDULE

NOVEMBER

9th: Progressive Relaxation & Guided Imagery w/ Rylen Feeney – $10.00

14th: Qigong Self-Massage w/ Jennie King LAc & LMT. $12.00

16th: Holiday Health Survival Guide: Renewing your energy and mood to thrive during the holiday season and beyond! w/Elise Schroeder ND. 6–7:30pm.  $25.00

21st: Pivotal points. Using ancient exercises learn how to rehabilitate our joints and keep them healthy w/ Sylas Navar, LMT, Tuina Practitioner.   $12.00

28th: Acupressure and Massage for Hand, Feet and Shoulders w/Jennie King & Rylen Feeney.  6 – 7:30pm.  $20.00

30th: Progressive Relaxation & Guided Imagery w/ Rylen Feeney – $10.00

DECEMBER

5th: Enhancing the Immune System Using Jin Shin Jyutsu (Japanese  Acupressure) w/ Patricia Blakeslee LAc, RN. 6:00-7:30p,. $25.00

7th: Exploring Your Breath & Managing Stress w/ Michael Guida. $10.00

12th: Fertility Awareness for natural birth control, achieving pregnancy, and reproductive healthw/ Leilani Wong Navar, certified Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner. 6 – 7:30pm. $25.00

14th: Progressive Relaxation & Guided Imagery w/ Rylen Feeney – $10.00

19th: Still Points. Exploring your center through movement & standing practices w/ Sylas Navar LMT, Tuina Practitioner. $10.00

Dietary Supplements & Mortality Rate – What’s That About???

Did you all happen to see the somewhat unbelievable slue of articles out earlier this week that stated according to a recent study taking multivitamins could shorten one’s life?   If you missed it, check out the abstract in the AMA Internal Medicine Archives entitled, Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women.  The Alliance for Natural Health has posted a response to the study itself and asks a lot of great questions about the validity of the scientific method applied and subsequent gross generalizations made.

Regardless of your stance on supplementation the bigger issue is how these types of scientifically flawed studies are leveraged in the legislative process and give momentum to the types of bills that would regulate or deny public access to supplementation. We aren’t just talking multivitamins here. These types of studies and corresponding propaganda have the potential to be used against all herbs and supplements.

Below the ANH’s article. Read it!

Shame on AMA’s Archives of Internal Medicine

October 11, 2011

Did you hear the breaking news last night—that multivitamins may shorten your life? Here’s how junk science from the AMA set off the media frenzy.

Bloomberg phrased it this way: “Multivitamins and some dietary supplements, used regularly by an estimated 234 million US adults, may do more harm than good, according to a study that tied their use to higher death rates among older women.” The study’s authors outrageously concluded, “We see little justification for the general and widespread use of dietary supplements.”

Read the rest of the article here!

How To Make Coconut Kefir & Open House!

So what does coconut kefir and an Open House have in common? A lot actually!

As part of our overall Wholistic Nutrition Program, we ask our students to constantly try new things and tackle projects where they can explore firsthand the multiple facets of whole foods nutrition. We’re sharing another one of our student projects at the end of this post on making coconut kefir. Coconut Kefir is an awesome source of probiotics, micronutrients and other essential good things for your body. See how a student literally cracks this project wide open!

Now for the Open House Part. We will be hosting a very informal Open House at our school location (214 SE 18th) in Portland next Monday, October 3rd, from 5:00-7:30PM. Click here for directions!

The focus of the evening is to provide an opportunity for any of you who’ve expressed interest in our Wholistic Nutrition Program and/or classes to meet the school directors as well as other prospective students to learn more about the field of wholistic nutrition, career opportunities and our upcoming nutrition classes (which start October 15th!). Find out how you can get in on the fun too! If this is something you’ve been thinking about this is a great opportunity for you to get more information and perhaps even take the plunge and register for classes! There will be prizes, snacks and great fun overall.

Check out our website for more information on individual fall classes that are part of our Fundamentals of Healthy Living class series.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT KEFIR!

How to Make Coconut Kefir

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Fall/Winter Nutrition Classes in Portland! Sign up now!

 

 

 

 

 

Last weekend kicked of the first in the Fundamentals of Nutrition class series in Portland. There are still 4 more classes coming up, so definitely plenty of time to still register. The next one is October 15th & 16th. You can sign up for one or all of the classes. Each class is $285. If you sign up for 3 classes you get $100 discount. All of these classes are part of our nationally recognized Wholistic Nutrition Program and may be applied towards future certification once the next program level enrollment is offered.  These are great classes for anyone who wants to learn more about nutrition. If you are a practitioner looking for continuing education opportunities or ways to expand your practice, or a person who wants a clearer understanding of nutritional foundations for you and your family, these classes are great!

Check out our website for more information one each class and how to register! Or  simply download our PDX Fall/Winter Classes Registration Form and e-mail (info@thewellspring.org) or fax it to our school office (208.388.0206). Don’t wait! Class size is limited.