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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2017)
18 Wednesday, October 18, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon In pursuit of wellness By Jim Cornelius News Editor “Wellness” means a lot more than just the absence of illness. True wellness is a state of being that encompasses physical robustness, emo- tional well-being and over- all resilience. Achieving and maintaining wellness requires attentiveness not only to avoiding sickness, but also to eating well, sleeping enough, and coping with the inevitable stresses of day-to-day living. For most people, the pur- suit of wellness requires some lifestyle changes. And that often requires something to give us a kick start. That’s what Zoe Willitts and Kendra Littrell have been trying to provide through Shibui Spa’s annual detox program, held each January in Sisters. Willitts told The Nugget that health retreats were part of the origi- nal vision for the FivePine Campus in Sisters, and each year they move the detox pro- gram a little further toward the dream. While the detox program has always focused on food, this year, Ayurvedic medicine will be part of the program. The ancient holistic practice operates on the principle that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. “It’s whole body; it’s not just the food,” Littrell said. “My favorite part is not the diet; it’s paying attention to myself for 10 days.” Slowing down, taking stock and focusing on your- self is a critical — and often difficult — process, espe- cially for women, who are conditioned to take care of everyone else’s needs before their own. This year’s program is also adding in hikes, bringing physical activity to enhance the detoxification. And it’s a great time to disconnect. “Shut the cell phone off!” Willitts said, and Littrell notes that “it’s hard to force people to detox off their phone.” The term detox can be a little intimidating to folks, Littrell allows. One of the biggest hurdles for some people to access a program like Shibui’s is that “they’re scared that they’re going to be hungry” and that they’re not going to like the food. Detox in this context mainly means cutting out pro- cessed sugar and dairy prod- ucts. The food can be deli- cious — organic meats and vegetables that provide real nutrients as well as flavor. A few days of eating well and living in a more mindful manner is a good break — but something more is required if you’re going to make living better a part of a new way of life. “When you’re in a pro- gram, that’s great,” Willitts said. “It’s the going home time – how do we keep people on that trajectory to health?” One key is desire. “You have to want to change,” Willitts said. “And you can’t give that to anyone.” It’s also important to real- ize that you can’t — and don’t have to — revolutionize your life instantly. “It’s not 100 percent change all at once,” Littrell said. Re-learning to shop and make good food choices is very helpful in maintain- ing good habits outside an See WELLNESS on page 20 STORMS OF LIFE: Sisters woman perseveres through tragedy Continued from page 14 But she holds on to the time she and her daughter Nicole, her “adopted daugh- ter” Jessylyn, and Rick spent together in his last days, con- fronting what the future held. “Our family group was very tight,” Kelly said. “We spent a lot of time talking and discussing how to get through this without him. And he was part of that. He wanted us to continue and help other people.” One thing she wants peo- ple to know is that when you are in mental and emotional distress, “It’s OK to say I need some help; I can’t do this by myself.” It’s not always easy getting the help you need. “Mental health in this country… it needs some work,” she said. Kelly recalled a hor- rible day when everything became too much to bear and she drove herself to the doctor seeking mental health services. Because she was not suicidal, she was put off and sent to other providers in a runaround that she was scarcely in a condition to cope with. Finally she went to a nurse who had helped her when she got cancer and the nurse helped her find the ser- vices she needed. “You learn to kind of step up for yourself in terms of the mental health,” she said. “I need someone today.” Webb says that her tra- vails have given her a greater understanding and tolerance of people’s foibles and life’s vicissitudes. When you’ve weathered storms that seem too intense to survive, the small stuff truly fades into insignificance — and so much of the day-to-day annoyances we all face and the interper- sonal differences we focus on are, actually, insignificant. “You learn to accept a lot more,” Kelly said. Webb’s demeanor and outlook reflect the hard-won grace she has found in car- rying on in the face of pro- found personal loss. And, on the other side of the coin, she finds that “small” bless- ings and pleasures have deep meaning. “Some of the little things in life aren’t so little any- more,” she reflected. “Seeing a friend and saying hi to them is amazing.” Central Oregon Eyecare Doc, I’ve got crusty irritated eyelids, can you help? The crustiness you see on the lashes in the above picture isn’t a critter, but the byproduct of one. Demodex is a mite that lives on most of us. It tends to be most prevalent in our eyelash follicles and eyebrows. If it multiples uncontrolled, symp- toms may start such as itchy, red eyelids or crusty eyelashes. At Central Oregon Eyecare, we employ the lat- est research and products to successfully cure this common problem. The products and procedures we use are for- mulated to kill the Demodex. Controlling the Demodex living in the eyelash follicles greatly improves eye comfort and appearance. For all your eyecare needs — from immediate concerns to regular eye exams, for children and for adults — contact Central Oregon Eyecare. Sisters Barre & Yoga Studio Is your goal to garden, quilt, weave, cook, do your laundry, pick up your babies with proper pos- ture, feeling stronger in your body with no low-back pain? Or is to conquer the mountains, lakes and bike trails? Are you properly engaging your deep core and using intelligence with your body move- ments? Come learn and experience what it means to begin again, build the strong foundation you deserve, and feel the strength from the inside out. Sisters Barre & Yoga Studio offers classes suit- able for any schedule and any fitness level — a safe space for the Sisters community to come and just BE in their body Foundation classes with Carolyn Janke focus on the pelvic floor, deep core, postural alignment, proper exercise alignment and breath. Yoga classes with Becca Touvell emphasize Flow and Yin Yoga. No experience is required. Need childcare? Call to reserve a spot in the stu- dio’s play space.
