3elementsny's Blog

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. ~Jim Rohn

3elementsny — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:03:56 +0000

“The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.” ~B.K.S. Iyengar, Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health

“The best and most efficient pharmacy is within your own system.” ~Robert C. Peale

“Our bodies are apt to be our autobiographies.” ~Frank Gillette Burgess

“To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” ~Buddha

5-year Anniversary Specials and Personal Story of Recovery

3elementsny — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:10:18 +0000

“3 Elements brought me near-immediate physical and emotional relief, while simultaneously helping me understand what keeps me healthy, what makes me ill, and what helps me heal. I am so eternally grateful for finding this center. It brought me back to life, and changed my ideas about what it means to live.”
-Diana Castaldini, writer and student

3 Elements Healing Arts Center is thrilled to celebrate its 5-year anniversary this September. The Queens community has embraced us as a leading holistic health-care center and we’ve been honored to serve it, bringing internal harmony and relief to so many of our clients. We want to thank all of you for your continued support and for allowing us to be instrumental in your process of healing.

In honor of such a milestone, we’re going to be offering special anniversary discounts throughout the month of September which include:

20% off the exclusive 3 Elements AcuFacial (one session only)
$10 off a 60 min. massage therapy or acupuncture treatment
not to be combined with any other offers or packages

___________________

My Personal Transformation by Diana Castaldini

“Although I did not know it at the time, walking into 3 Elements and applying for a job was the beginning of my healing process and as well as my introduction to the language of energy. I had just completed my bachelor’s degree in English and was mentally and physically exhausted from 2 jam-packed years of coursework, internships and part-time jobs. But those were merely the outward stressors. Family turmoil and the negative mental patterns it created over the course of my life had depleted my energy and generated a profound feeling of powerlessness within me. I was emotionally unstable, stuck in painful past experiences and afraid of my future, fixated on the issues of family members and my strong desire to “fix” them, and then resentful when I realized I was entrapping myself in their issues. At this same time, and by no coincidence, I developed a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is marked by an imbalance of the sex hormones and causes a woman to stop producing eggs. PCOS one of the leading causes of infertility. I had daily anxiety, back pain, neck pain, mood swings and depression, and had lost my menstrual cycle. I had no idea where to turn or what to do.

Despite that my inner world and physical body was a mess, I was still able to interview well enough to get hired here – a testament to how skilled I’d become at naturally masking or pushing down my pain (and possibly a testament to how the Western mind will push itself past reasonable limits to achieve a goal, almost involuntarily). Within a few short weeks, I learned of the inextricable relationship between every thought and feeling we have, and the state of our bodies. I had no idea how out of whack I was until I began massage therapy with Chris and acupuncture with Nan – both of whom knew exactly where my life-force energy (qi in Chinese medicine) was stagnated and the kind of toxic energy I was holding onto. With each massage, I began to feel movement in areas that had long been lifeless or painful, and with each acupuncture treatment, I felt more calm, centered and balanced. Nan’s expertise in herbology is so precise that she is able to custom-make herbs according to each person’s individual biological state, and she put me on a regimen to release my blockages and restore my hormonal balance.

As time progressed, I found myself releasing tears of unresolved pain, sleeping well, eating from hunger and not emotion, feeling like a ton of weight had been lifted off my chest and even genuinely laughing again. I learned from both Nan and Chris not only how to help along my own physical healing, but how to detach from objects, situations and people who were drawing the strength right out of my body. In only my 2nd month of treatment, eggs were released from my ovaries and my menstrual cycle returned. Now at the end of my 3rd month of treatment, I feel more happy, peaceful and alive than I’ve ever been, and twice as many eggs were released from my ovaries.

What’s so unique about the treatments at 3 Elements is that they provide healing, not a quick fix or even a “cure”. Curing a physical illness doesn’t necessarily mean that the emotional and psychological stresses that were a part of that illness are also gone.
3 Elements brought me near-immediate emotional and physical relief, while simultaneously helping me understand what keeps me healthy, what makes me ill, and what helps me heal. I am eternally grateful for finding this center. It brought me back to life, and changed my ideas about what it means to live.“

We hope you take a moment today to reflect on your own body, mind and spirit and are reminded to care for yourself.
We look forward to serving you, your family and our community
for many years to come!

Wishing You Health and Awareness
~Christofer Lovrin

Living with the Seasons ~ Late Summer

3elementsny — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:10:48 +0000

“The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.”
- James Taylor

The late, or Indian summer, is a time of transition in nature and of adjustment in our lives. The outward, free-flowing expression of the spring and summer is now tempering off as we shift into the more inward focus of autumn and winter, so although it is a short season in itself, it can be a period of great transformation in the world and within ourselves. Because late summer has some aspects of all seasons and weather, it can often be very hot, cold, humid or some other extreme. During transitional periods, it is especially important to stay centered and balanced, qualities associated with the element Earth, which is connected to fertility, stability and feeling grounded.

While things are in a state of motion and change over these next few weeks, try these simple, effective ways to nourish and ground yourselves.

1. Rest and replenish. Centering means finding a balance between the polarities of yin (receiving) and yang (doing), the left (logical) and right (intuitive) brain, the inner and outer world. Our actions, relationships, work, children, etc. take us away from this “home”, or our own inner voice and wisdom, but it is crucial to always return to rest, relax and replenish. Today, take a moment to ask yourself: what do I need to do to take loving, responsible care of myself? This is going to be different for each person, and it can range from a formal practice of meditation to open the heart’s wisdom or reading to stimulate the mind, to more casual activities like dancing, walking, running, making love, listening to music, engaging in prayer or drawing a picture.

2. Get inspired. The Earth element gives us the power to manifest, or bring into being. Labor and creativity, such as writing to produce a poem, following through with an idea, painting a picture or even working the mind or body to produce money, all foster this element’s energy. Birth something this September, right before the autumn harvest.

3. Observe yourself. The digestive organs and their functioning reflect our diets, mental activity and emotions – thus, the state of your emotions is closely linked to your eating habits and ability to process food. Emotionally taxing or stressful things will upset or alter appetite and nourishment, while feeling happy and clearheaded stimulates healthy hunger, digestive ability and proper absorption of nutrients. Be mindful of your eating habits and also what makes you feel powerless and more prone to overindulgence. Spend a day observing, or logging, how (and with what) you “feed” yourself.

4. Sit down and leisurely enjoy a meal. Too often we grab food on the go or snack as we’re rushing to prepare dinner. Taking time out to relax, prepare, sit and savor a meal -without overeating-is often a sign of a balanced, content human being. After eating and twenty to thirty minutes of relaxation, move the body a bit. Take a walk or dance lightly; this movement will aid digestion and the distribution of nutrients in the body.

5. Eat for a happy tummy. Food-combining involves the proper separating of foods at meals to allow for the best digestion, which aids in natural weight loss. Although this may seem infeasible in our fast-paced culture, the standard American diet leaves us prone to poor digestion, gas, bloating and poor absorption – which is why dietary aids like alka-seltzer and tums are sold in bulk nowadays. A day of proper food-combining might look like this: Breakfast. Fruit in the early morning, a grain cereal or other protein eaten a half-hour after the fruit (if you wish – and beware of sugar-laden packaged cereals!). Lunch. A salad with fresh veggies and a dairy, meat (organic and free range) or whole grain. Dinner. A whole grain with cooked veggies or a raw salad. Meat, cheese or egg dishes also combine well, instead of the grain.

6. Switch from refined to naturally-occurring sugars. Now that the cool weather is settling in, we may feel inclined to reach for warming comfort foods, including fried or baked goods. Excessive use of sugar, especially the refined kind, diminishes our energy levels and overworks the pancreas – leading to insufficient insulin or a weak insulin response. Good, tasty alternatives for white sugar include honey, pure maple syrup and agave syrup, in small amounts, and a wonderful substitute for milk chocolate is carob or cacao beans – all of which are available at health food stores and don’t stress the hormonal system quite as much.

7. Make your own high-calcium nut milk. One half of the population find cow’s milk indigestible, in that they don’t have the proper enzymes in their bodies to process it. Indeed, the heated, pasteurized, homogenized “milk” seems be mucous-forming and congesting for everyone. For a simple, homemade milk that you can pour over cereal or add to your morning cup of tea or coffee, put ½ to a pound of almonds, coconut pieces or shredded, unsweetened coconut into a blender. Cover with twice as much water, add 1 tablespoon of honey or pure maple syrup, a dash of sea salt, and blend. Strain, keeping the liquid, then reuse the nuts with the same amount of water, and blend. Combine the two liquids and enjoy your nut milk!

8. Stay loose and open. As Nature starts moving inward, you may find yourself contracting as well, as it gets cooler. To temper this and remain physically resilient and emotionally open, do loosening and stretching exercises like forward bends, toe-touches, backward-arches and side-to-side stretches. Now would be a great time to start or resume yoga, as its main aim is to open the heart, still the mind, and cultivate centeredness and endurance (both mentally and physically).

9. Note the alkalinity & acidity of your food. When metabolized in the body, each food breaks down into either acid or alkaline elements. The body is normally alkaline and wants to stay that way, as our blood pH is 7.41. If a diet too rich in acid-forming foods is eaten, such as meats, eggs, milk products, processed foods and sugars, the body becomes too acidic and illness results. Try to eat more alkaline-forming foods, with your goal being 70-80 percent of the time, and watch your body change and your energy rise. Some staples to have on hand include: buckwheat, millet, lima beans, most fruits and vegetables, almonds and brazil nuts.

10. Tonify your organs with herbs. For gas, indigestion, or hyperacidity, drink a seed tea like fennel, anise or cardamom seed. Licorice root is a calming aid that also soothes the digestive tract and works as a mild laxative. To keep the spleen healthy and build immunity, try fresh romaine, parsley and celery juice, which also calms the nerves. Chamomile tea is also great for calming the nervous system, so brew some and kick your feet up at the end of a long day.

We hope these tips help remind you to care for yourself.
Wishing You Health and Awareness
~Christofer Lovrin

Ask Your Mind, Body, Heart and Soul: What do I need to do to take loving, responsible care of myself?

3elementsny — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:23:02 +0000

From The Language of Letting Go, Melody Beattie, page 240 & 241

Self-Care

When will we become lovable? When will we feel safe? When will we get all the protection, nurturing, and love we so richly deserve? We will get it when we begin giving it to ourselves.
- Beyond Codependency

The idea of giving ourselves what we want and need can be confusing, especially if we have spent many years not knowing that it’s okay to take care of ourselves. Taking our energy and focus off others and their responsibilities and placing that energy on to ourselves and our responsibilities is a recovery behavior that can be acquired. We learn it by daily practice.

We begin by relaxing, by breathing deeply, and letting go of our fears enough to feel as peaceful as we can. Then, we ask ourselves: What do I need to do to take care of myself today, or for this moment?

What do I need and want to do?

What would demonstrate love and self-responsibility? Am I caught up in the belief that others are responsible for making me happy, responsible for me? Then the first thing I need to do is correct my belief system. I am responsible for myself.

Do I feel anxious and concerned about a responsibility I’ve been neglecting? Then perhaps I need to let go of my fears and tend to that responsibility.

Have I been working too hard? Maybe what I need to do is take some time off and do something fun.

Have I been neglecting my work or daily tasks? Then maybe what I need to do is get back to my routine.

There is no recipe, no formula, no guidebook for self-care.

We each have a guide, and that guide is within us. We need to ask the question: What do I need to do to take loving, responsible care of myself? Then, we need to listen to the answer. Self-care is not that difficult. The most challenging part is trusting the answer, and having the courage to follow through once we hear it.

Today, I will focus on taking care of myself I will trust myself and my Higher Power to guide me in this process.

Living with the Seasons

3elementsny — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:30:31 +0000

“What do I want to take home from my summer vacation? Time. The wonderful luxury of being at rest. The days when you shut down the mental machinery that keeps life on track and let life simply wander. The days when you stop planning, analyzing, thinking and just are. Summer is my period of grace.”
- Ellen Goodman

Summer is nature’s season of growth and maturation. The changes in nature mirror the change in our bodies, since the long, sunny days allow us to engage in more outdoor activities that increase movement and energy. We must learn to flow harmoniously through nature’s seasons, as well as the seasons of our lives, as tension and illness occur when we resist these changes. Follow these simple tips to boost your energy, and cultivate openness, receptivity and health during the summer months.

1. Eat lighter. Foods have yin and yang qualities, and fruits and veggies are the most yin-meaning wet and cooling. Integrate more fresh fruits and juices, and multicolored salads and vegetables into your diet. Eat some seeds, nuts, and grains, and fewer dairy products and meats.

2. Mind the clock. Heavier meals should be eaten in the mid to late afternoon, with a couple of hours devoted to rest afterward (if this isn’t realistic for you, just make sure to rest after dinner). This will promote better energy in the evening and allow for more restful sleep, since your body will have finished digesting by bedtime.

3. Be kind to your liver. If you’ve had a little too much fun at outdoor gatherings and are feeling sluggish from alcohol or processed foods, start your day with a liver flush. Squeeze the juice of one or two lemons (use some seeds and white pulp from the lemon as well), add a tablespoon of cold-pressed olive oil (which is hydraulically pressed, not heat-processed), and one of two cloves of garlic (if this is too strong, use a small piece of ginger root). Add a little warm water, blend and drink first thing in the morning. This is a great tonic and cleanser for the liver.

4.Try a blended breakfast shake. This will digest more easily since the body doesn’t have to break it down. Add together in a blender two tablespoons of yogurt* (try goat’s milk yogurt), one ripe banana, apple or pear; four ounces of orange or apple juice, or water; one to two tablespoons of good tasting nutritional (brewer’s) yeast (high in B vitamins); one tablespoon of olive oil; and one tablespoon of blackstrap molasses (high in iron and vitamins). Blend and drink!

5. Don’t believe the hype. Beware of packaged cereals or snacks that appear healthy. Plenty of these foods are high in sugar and high fructose corn syrups, even when they claim to promote nutrition. Instead, try whole grains and natural cereals, like rolled oats, brown rice, millet, buckwheat or rye.

6. Free yourself of dull fitness patterns and try a new physical activity. This will strengthen your Fire element (which characterizes summer and is connected to circulation and heating). We’re all aware of how crucial it is to eliminate toxins from the blood through the skin, and although most people claim to be “too tired” to exercise, it will actually alleviate tiredness and give you more energy! The stretching exercises found in yoga and tai chi can especially aid in flexibility and mental/emotional stress relief, which have been proven to generate miraculous healing effects on the body.

7. Move to a slower rhythm. Often, lack of peacefulness and inadequate sleep are the biggest factors that contribute to our aches and pains, and getting our circadian rhythms back on track is all we need to feel substantially better. Allow yourself to slow down without feeling guilty about it. Take naps, get to bed early, act leisurely — be gentle with yourself.

8. Tonify your organs with herbs. Ginger root, cayenne pepper and garlic improve circulation and cleanse and strengthen the blood. Ginger is especially helpful for indigestion, diarrhea and nausea and can be purchased at most health food stores in its natural form. Add 6-10 thin slices of ginger root to two cups of boiling water and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drink like a tea!

9.Take a fifteen-minute break, wherever you are, for some stretching. Sitting upright in a chair all day tightens up the muscles, stiffens the neck and can even stagnate energy. Walk outside and try Warrior I pose, which will open up your torso and stretch the stomach channel to improve digestion and calm the mind.

10. Let your inner child play. Life doesn’t have to be so serious! It may be tough at times, but it sure isn’t permanent. Take a deep breath and then take an aimless walk. Sing at the top of your lungs in the shower or along to the radio on the way to work. Get your hands and feet in the dirt under the warmth of the sun, and don’t rush to clean yourself up. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and stars!

We hope these tips help remind you to care for yourself.
~Wishing You Health and Awareness~

Christofer Lovrin

Oh, the Glories of Summer!

3elementsny — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:59:31 +0000

“Then followed that beautiful season… Summer….
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.”

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“The summer night is like a perfection of thought.”

-Wallace Stevens

“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.”

-Celia Thaxter

“Live in each season as it passes. Breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.“

-Henry David Thoreau

Spiritual Insight from author and guide Elizabeth Lesser

3elementsny — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:21:49 +0000

“While I am here, contained within bones and muscles, organs and skin, I want to take care of the gift of my body. I want to feed it well, move it gracefully and rest it deeply. I know that the life force beats on, even when the heart has stopped, but while I have a heart and lungs, I want to treat them with sacred awe. And while I dwell with others who are just like me, I want to see them for who they really are, in all of their fragility and all of their majesty.”

–Elizabeth Lesser, Broken Open

East Meets West in Our Restorative AcuFacial!

3elementsny — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:11:41 +0000

A comprehensive mind and body enhancement

Do you look and feel spent? At 3 Elements, we understand that all superficial conditions are manifestations of an internal disharmony in the body. We unconsciously hold emotion, tension and stress in the body, which then blocks our flow of energy (chi in Chinese medicine) and causes exhaustion, fatigue and illness–all of which begin to show on the face.

In enthusiastic alignment with our mission statement, 3 Elements is one of the first places in the borough of Queens to introduce the AcuFacial, also known as cosmetic acupuncture. This healing cosmetic treatment is ideal for anyone looking to rejuvenate their appearance while treating the underlying causes of physical stress and fatigue. Combining ancient Chinese medicine and techniques with modern skincare technology, the AcuFacial can provide the appearance of a nonsurgical face lift, a therapeutic acupuncture treatment and a soothing facial all in one. It has been seen to relieve stress, lift and tone the skin and reduce puffiness. Facial rejuvenation via acupuncture is a safe alternative to plastic surgery as it works from the inside out to help you achieve balance in the body, improving the flow of energy and increasing circulation in just one treatment. It is safe, painless and requires no downtime.

Nan Ni Gilbert, licensed acupuncturist and herbologist and certified cosmetologist, performs this procedure in a calming, nurturing environment and uses soothing masks and creams that target your individual skin type. She then conducts an analysis to determine where there is stagnation in the body and inserts tiny needles along the meridians, or energy channels, to release blockages and tonify where there are any deficiencies.