Saturday, January 28, 2012

Improving Digestion Part 2 - From the small intestines to elimination.

Holistic Health Discussion Group
Wednesday, February 1st - 6 pm FREE
Teton Healing Arts
25 S. Gros Ventre St.

Darin Rodriguez, holistic nutrition therapist, leads a discussion on ways to improve digestion naturally.

Nutrition therapy is centered around reestablishing a conscious connection not only with what we eat, but with how we eat. Nutrition therapy utilizes dietary and lifestyle changes to relieve overburdened organs and systems. It then applies nutrients and whole foods from as close to nature as possible to provide the building blocks needed for the body to restore health.

Food should pass through the body every eight to eighteen hours. Any food that remains in the gut for a prolonged period can spoil, ferment, form gas, and cause other disturbances that affect the rest of the body. Dr. Bernard Jensen states in his book, Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Better Bowel Care, “The first natural law [of wellness] is to feed the body natural food… When we begin to obey the natural laws again, it is almost like returning to the Garden of Eden... When consuming natural foods and following a more natural way of living, the bowel always responds.”

Last week we talked about the first half of the digestive process from the brain to the stomach. This week we will focus on the last half of digestion from the small intestines to elimination. We will review how the nervous system intimately influences digestion even in these later stages. We’ll talk about the pancreas’ role in facilitating digestion, the importance of pH in the intestinal tract, and the bacterial balancing act.

It’s about time the bowels got the attention and appreciation they deserve. Come learn about what occurs in healthy digestion from the duodenum to the rectum, how and why things go wrong, and how to support this vital system. Dietary adjustments, lifestyle changes, supplemental enzymes, probiotics, and naturally fermented foods will be presented as possible solutions.

Holistic Health Discussion Groups are scheduled every Wednesday evening at Teton Healing Arts, and will cover a wide range of topics that affect people throughout our community. Holistic Health Discussion Groups are free and open to the public. Please contact Teton Healing Arts at 307-734-0222 for more information.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Improving Digestion Part 1 - From The Brain To The Stomach


Holistic Health Discussion Group
Wednesday, January 25th - 6 pm FREE
Teton Healing Arts
25 S. Gros Ventre St.




Darin Rodriguez, holistic nutrition therapist, shares valuable insight on ways to improve digestion naturally.

Nutrition therapy is centered around reestablishing a conscious connection not only with what we eat, but with how we eat. Nutrition therapy utilizes dietary and lifestyle changes to relieve overburdened organs and systems. It then applies nutrients and whole foods from nature to provide the building blocks needed for the body to restore health.
One of the main systems we focus on in nutrition therapy is, of course, the digestive system. Digestion plays a major role in the overall health or disease of an individual. The ability to breakdown food, absorb nutrients, and effectively eliminate waste is directly related to the function or dysfunction of all the other systems in the body.

Hippocrates stated, “All disease begins in the gut.” He believed and taught this principle because he knew that if a person was not absorbing crucial nutrients to maintain structures and replenish biochemicals, every cell, tissue, and organ would eventually be compromised. Likewise, when supporting the digestive system’s ability to function properly, food is more effectively broken down, nutrients are better absorbed and more readily available to nourish the cells that need them, and waste is eliminated more effectively. Supporting proper digestion prevents a host of potential problems in other body systems such as allergies, asthma, diabetes, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders.

This week we will be discussing part 1 of a 2 part series on improving digestion. By attending this talk you will gain a better understanding of the inter-connectedness of the nervous system and the digestive system. You will learn how enzymes and gastric juices act upon food, and how stomach acidity initiates a vital cascade of digestive events. We will address what occurs in healthy digestion from the brain to the stomach, how and why things go wrong, and how to support this vital system. Dietary adjustments, lifestyle changes, HCL and enzyme supplementation will be presented as possible solutions.

Holistic Health Discussion Groups are scheduled every Wednesday evening at Teton Healing Arts, and will cover a wide range of topics that affect people throughout our community. Holistic Health Discussion Groups are free and open to the public. Please contact Teton Healing Arts at 307-734-0222 for more information.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Achieving Balance through Ayurveda


Holistic Health Discussion Group
Wednesday, January 18th - 6 pm FREE
Teton Healing Arts
25 S. Gros Ventre St.






Ayurvedic Health Practitioner-Jennifer Hitch leads a discussion about Achieving Balance through Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science. Ayurveda literally translates into "Science of life", this knowledge originated in India more than 5000 years ago, it is often called the "Mother of all healing."

This has been practiced for thousands of years by millions of individuals to assist the body in journeying back to optimal health. More and more people are discovering that these ancient principles are easily applicable to modern life and that they have the power to create health and contentment.

Dr. Deepak Chopra states, recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure. Known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body. Each of us has a unique proportion of these three forces that shapes our nature. If Vata is dominant in our system, we tend to be thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic, and changeable. If Pitta predominates in our nature, we tend to be intense, intelligent, and goal-oriented and we have a strong appetite for life. When Kapha prevails, we tend to be easy-going, methodical, and nurturing. Although each of us has all three forces, most people have one or two elements that predominate.

Rather than treating the symptoms of disease directly, Ayurvedic treatment aims to rebalance your doshas according to your innate constitution, resulting in a body and mind that is healthy and sound. By becoming familiar with your own unique dosha pattern you can lead a life that is more in harmony with your individual nature.

Health comes when we live in harmony with our true nature as spirit. Ayurveda allows us to get a glimpse of our individual true nature and to find the best ways to live a life of balance. It provides holistic understanding and healing to people on all levels: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Ayurveda uses a multitude of healing modalities including herbs, diet, colors, aromas, sound, lifestyle recommendations, pancha karmai, meditation, and yoga.

Come find out how the achieve balance through Ayurveda! Take the Dosha Quiz to get started on your path to health!

Holistic Health Discussion Groups are scheduled every Wednesday evening at Teton Healing Arts, and will cover a wide range of topics that affect people throughout our community. Holistic Health Discussion Groups are free and open to the public. Please contact Teton Healing Arts at 307-734-0222 for more information.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Eliminating Drama in Your Life



Holistic Health Discussion Group

Wednesday, January 11th - 6 pm

Teton Healing Arts

25 S. Gros Ventre St.




Holistic Life-Coach Christie Watts leads a discussion about effective communication and the possibility of eliminating drama in your life.


Communication is one of our most basic functions as human beings. The numerous conversations we have every day with our family, friends and coworkers fulfill many purposes and they do not always work towards positive aims.

Enter the drama triangle. The triangle is a helpful tool to recognize the different forms drama can take in communication.

The Drama Triangle is a model of dysfunctional social interaction, created by psychotherapist Stephen Karpman. Each point on the triangle represents a common and ineffective response to conflict, one more likely to prolong disharmony than to end it.

We will be addressing:

  • The Drama Triangle and How to Escape It – One of the most dysfunctional forms of communication is the so-called drama triangle. Learn how to spot and defuse these situations for more effective communication.
  • The Story of Our Life – Life Scripts– Many of us have a pre-written script, which we subconsciously refer to when making sense of the world around us. We will explore ways to improve our scripts and make them work for us.
  • The Empowerment Dynamic – Getting Out of the 
Drama Triangle – The Empowerment Dynamic complements the drama triangle’s three roles with positive versions of these roles: the creator, the challenger and the coach.
  • The Games We Play – We may associate games with children, but even adults play many games that are subtle and psychological. We will see how to identify some of the most common games we play and how to potentially defuse them.

The idea is to use this understanding of roles to help you stop playing them. Then it is possible to become more of a neutral observer who can understand all of the roles in the relationship and openly communicate about them. When everyone adopts this point of view, the old patterns of triangle drama can end and the relationship can be unstuck and become more positive and satisfying for everyone involved.

Holistic Health Discussion Groups are scheduled every Wednesday evening at Teton Healing Arts, and will cover a wide range of topics that affect people throughout our community. Holistic Health Discussion Groups are free and open to the public. Please contact Teton Healing Arts at 307-734-0222 for more information.