The following blog is about our previous Women's Retreat. If you're interested, stay tuned in your emails about any retreats in the near future!

There are many reasons for attending a wellness retreat - needing a getaway, looking to connect with like minded individuals and even for the knowledge provided. Well, those that attended our Leasure Retreat last October received all those things and more!! It’s our hope we will be able to again hold our retreats in person - in the meantime I hope you can relive our last one through this post!

We had a private estate on Lake Como filled with inspiring, fun and energetic women from the northern suburbs and downtown Chicago. We brought in a private chef that doubles as a wellness coach and we got to work.

Our retreat started on Friday night with a welcome “cocktail” provided by Kombuchade - a local wellness company providing organic kombucha - a thousand year old drink of fermented tea. If you haven’t had it,...

The following blog is about our previous Women's Retreat and our vision behind its inception. If you're interested, stay tuned in your emails about any retreats in the near future!

Over the course of my almost 25-year wellness career I’ve worked with patients individually, I’ve led workshops of fifty and I’ve lectured to hundreds in a corporate setting. I’ve discussed health with toddlers (thanks to Parker’s preschool), taught stretching to the elderly and infirmed and even worked with attorneys looking to live healthier, happier lives.  I have had the opportunity to work with clients from Chicagoland to Austria (unfortunately not in person - yet!). But something was missing…

For those of you that have had the chance to visit our clinic in the Chicago suburbs it was envisioned fifteen years ago while I was finishing up Chiropractic school. I wanted somewhere clients would feel comfortable. Somewhere that didn’t scream “doctors...

I’m a physician not a chef. The following are my personal collection of a handful of easy and portable meals. Since the arrival of Mr Parker I knew it was my responsibility to raise a happy and healthy human being - and diet played a HUGE role in my goal. Actually that responsibility started the minute I found out I was pregnant. I minimized sugar, grains and dairy and cleaned up my diet at home and on the road.

We bring food with us everywhere (except maybe the grocery store). And always in glass containers. More on the dangers of plastics in a later blog.

This is what I made this last weekend - in just a few hours we had breakfasts and dinners taken care of for the week. I added in frozen veggies to compliment some of the meals as well as frozen cauliflower rice. Leftovers can be used for lunch.

Pan Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables - 

I literally grabbed everything that looked good in the produce section of Whole Foods; rough chopped it and threw it in...

Have you ever been tired, irritable, restless and have a hard time sleeping?? These can be possible signs that you are burned out!!! People are busier than ever with work, children and everyday life. Sometimes we forget when to take breaks and just relax and take one thing at a time.

Here are some signs and symptoms that you may be burning out:

• Problems with concentration, memory or the ability to think clearly
• Changes in eating habits (overeating or loss of appetite)
• Unable to complete tasks
• Feeling sad, overly worried, worthless
• Irritability and restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities that you have enjoyed in the past
• Withdrawn or disconnected from others
• Changes in energy or sleep patterns

Well what can you do about it?

• Talk to your chiropractor, doctor, friends and family
• Local mental health centers
• Employee assistance programs
• Churches or worship centers
• If you or someone needs immediate crisis intervention then call 1-800-273- TALK (8255)

Signs that require immediate...

I’m a big fan of healthy habits. I even created a FREE facebook group to help manage stress & wrap up the year on a high note - simply by instilling a few healthy habits. If you’ve found yourself doing these things and still struggling to lose weight the answer may be in your gut! Did you know your gut bacteria impacts what you crave, how hungry you are and how well you absorb the nutrition from the foods you consume? It may be the key to your weight loss struggles!

It’s been a stressful few months for a lot of us and if you’re holding onto a few extra pounds that you’d like to lose the answer may be below.  I’ve done them all and find them easy to implement and notice great results when I follow my plan.

• Intermittent Fasting - there are many ways to integrate fasting. I like the 16 off and 8 on plan. For instance, I eat dinner about 6:30pm and do not consume any food after 8:00pm until I eat lunch the next day after...

Author: Jorell Ellazar

Like any other person during the quarantine, I have found ample time to sit on my couch and watch some Netflix. Of these shows, my favorite is Ugly Delicious with chef Dave Chang where he spends each episode delving into a particular dish and explores its cultural, and social impact on a national and international level. For example, in the episode Fried Rice, they discuss the humble nature of the said dish and uses this as a platform to discuss the complex nature of authentic Chinese cuisine as he also compares this against our Westernized knowledge of Chinese American food. But in each episode Dave Chang goes into the reason why the discussion of each titular dish is important. Of course, the research and exploration into all of these foodways and dishes are done with conversing with multiple people in different restaurants and different countries which is something not possible during the age of social distancing.

People who adhere to...

As the weather is changing and you are spending more time outdoors, you’ll be noticing those pesky critters biting your exposed skin. Especially after a nice rain, mosquitos are everywhere and it’s hard to find a good repellent that keeps them away!

If you are tired of putting chemicals all over day after day, you are in luck! There are some natural remedies out there that actually work!

If you are an essential oil pro, or novice, there are some great ways to use them to avoid bug bites. The first way to keep the mosquitos at bay is to create your own bug spray. Grab or buy any glass spray bottle, add witch hazel, water, and a tbsp of vodka as your base. Then you can add a combination of oils that not only smells great but that bugs hate! A good combination is Rosemary, Peppermint, Citronella, Lemongrass, and Cedarwood. 

If you currently use or have thought of using an essential oil diffuser at home, they are fantastic to take outside! You can diffuse the same oils...

Data based on the National Health Interview Survey of the National Center for Health Statistics show that the common cold annually causes 35.6 acute illnesses per 100 people. Many viral infections we fight off everyday without evening knowing it! Very few viral infections cause a significant number of deaths, most commonly in people who have underlying health conditions or are immune-compromised.

There are a few steps you can take to ward off viruses starting today!

1. Manage your stress – Get 20-30 minutes of daily exercise.  Keep a gratitude journal.  Practice abdominal breathing.
2. Increase Your Vitamins – D3/K2, Zinc, Vitamin C, Probiotics and Elderberry should be taken prophylactically to help boost your immune system.
3. Improve Diet & Reduce Sugar – Eating clean by decreasing sugar, alcohol, gluten and dairy may be one of the easiest things to increase immunity.
4. Get a Chiropractic Adjustment – Your nervous system modulates...

For those of you that live near our brick and mortar office, you’re spoiled and you have access to incredible pre-made paleo meals by Real Clean Paleo.  This recipe is for the rest of you. Or for those of you that LOVE what RCP does and want a chance to expand the offerings for dinner at home.

What is Paleo? Essentially the “Paleo Diet” is one of the easiest to follow. If you picture what a hunter/gatherer population would eat - those are the foods allowed on a Paleo Diet.

Paleo is what existed before the agricultural way of eating came about. Prior to mass farming and the development of more processed foods, we ate very simply. Think fruits, vegetables, and meats/fish. 

I made this recipe this week and everyone LOVED it!  #MrParker was a huge fan and felt it paired well with corn on the cob and peas. (his personal favorite).  I hope that my take on Paleo Italian Meatloaf is a win at hour house as well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs 85% lean...

Now that summer is wrapping up, lets talk exfoliation.  Skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays an important role in elimination.  Fall is a great time to set the refresh button and remove that dead skin, unblock pores due to sweating and sunscreen, and get in a little bit of self care. 

The best way to start is with a good dry brushing session. The mechanical action of dry brushing is wonderful for exfoliating dry winter skin. It also helps detoxify by increasing blood circulation and promoting lymph flow/drainage. Dry brushing unclogs pores in the exfoliation process. It also stimulates your nervous system, which can make you feel invigorated afterward. 

The best way to dry brush is to always move upwards and in towards your heart. This shouldn’t take long, a few minutes max. That’s when we get to move on to the fun part.  I love mixing up my own sugar/salt scrubs with some essential oils...