Click to Watch "Pause is Power"
 

Powerade (a sports drink) put out this video of very successful, very talented and skilled athletes. It was done soon after Simone Biles censored herself at the summer Olympics. She knew she wasn’t feeling 100% and she pulled herself from competition. She received praise and she received criticism. She protected herself, physically, mentally and emotionally by not participating when she felt – knew- she couldn’t compete safely. And I wish I had her courage at any age.
 
I appreciate the video and its message of realizing your limits, taking control of your situation and finding coping mechanisms. Sometimes we need an outlet – resting, celebrating, dancing, knitting, self-care – something aside from our stressor. Taking those moments for ourselves.
 
That is my greatest challenge, making time for something I WANT to do and not HAVE to do. I stress about finding the time. Then I stress when I do take a minute for me. I deserve time for fun, relaxing, a hobby. And I need to use the word ‘no’ more often. I can’t be all things to all people. I need to be me for me, then I will have more for you.
 
And when we are overwhelmed and can’t find an outlet, we need to ask for help. I did. If you read my blog from last May, you know I am seeing a counselor. I am more grounded. I am more focused. I celebrate me and the daily things I accomplish. In turn, I have a better outlook on the bigger things on my plate.
 
If you aren’t able to cope. If you aren’t able to find time for you. If you aren’t able to pause, please check out the resources available here in PA (link below) or in your area. Check with your doctor, friend, family, co-worker, someone you can ask for a name or referral. Pause IS Power. How do you pause?

Mental Health Resources for Everyone

Stacy Ford, ATC, LMT is Co-Founder of Complete Wellness. An athletic trainer and a licensed massage therapist.  Her passion is to help people feel and function better. She is available by appointment only Monday-Friday at Complete Wellness, Quakertown.  
To schedule with Stacy or any other CW Practitioner Text/Call 267-509-7717 

Why I love the salt room. An Essay by Stacy.
 
About six years ago, my friends found a new business, a salt cave, and wanted to visit. So, as a group, we descended upon this business one evening. Not sure how many of us there were, but probably close to 20. I go with the flow. Curious to try new things. I had no idea what a salt cave was but again, curious.
 
There was pink Himalayan salt everywhere in the room. The owner told us the wonderful benefits of salt and how relaxing it would be.
Me: Still the skeptic, but fun evening out with my friends.  
Get settled in a comfy chair with a cozy blanket. Relaxing music playing. I sit back and ahhh…. *cough, cough, cough*… sit back upright.
As I started breathing in the salt that was mixed in the air, my sinuses started to drain, my lungs were clearing, my breathing was freer. I had no idea my respiratory system was so strained. Wow. This room of salt was doing something. I wasn’t just sitting quietly relaxing for 45 minutes like my friends, I was having an experience of my own.
 
Fast forward 45 minutes… the music ended and my friends all slowly start stretching and moving like they are awakening from a long hibernation. I walked out of there like I had a nebulizer treatment. No one else had coughing and throat clearing. They were totally relaxed and had that sleepy-head look. I was breathing freely and deeply. It was WONDERFUL.
 
I have seasonal allergies, plus dust, mold, this, that, and the other. I have post-nasal drip most days. When it’s my allergy seasons, mainly spring and fall, I have a risk of bronchitis and sinus infections. My chest can feel heavy from coughing. My sinuses can feel stuffy or runny or both. TMI I know, but I’m  painting a picture. The salt room helps keep all of this at bay. Seriously.
 
We tell clients and customers all the time – we don’t have anything at CW that we haven’t tried ourselves and have a testimonial. We added a salt room to CW services because it worked for me. It is relaxing, has anti-inflammatory benefits, supports immune function, improves mood and sleep. It’s a wonderful thing. But most importantly for me, I truly get relief and I can breathe.    The End.
 
Is your allergy season coming up? Are you stressed? Your immune system strained? Have a chronic issue? Experience the salt room and write your own testimonial.

Stacy Ford, ATC, LMT is Co-Founder of Complete Wellness. An athletic trainer and a licensed massage therapist.  Her passion is to help people feel and function better. She is available by appointment only Monday-Friday at Complete Wellness, Quakertown.  
To schedule with Stacy or any other CW Practitioner Text/Call 267-509-7717

New Year – New location – New…

 "Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction."
—Germany Kent

It’s the New Year and we all wait for that designated starting point to kick off the list of things we want to better ourselves and our lives. Why do we wait? How many expectations do we have? And how grand are those expectations?   


"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

Let’s give ourselves some grace. We don’t have to start them all on January 1st. Spread them out over a couple weeks or months even. You have set the intention and the goal. Now give yourself some leniency, some compassion. Be sure to add a few small goals to achieve and check off. Get the feeling of accomplishment which will give you some confidence and encouragement to continue.   


 "The future depends on what you do today." —Gandhi

CW has moved to our NEW location and I know I have had some unrealistic expectations for unpacking and setting up our space. But, the excitement of the ‘new’ keeps me motivated. Seeing the space transform little by little inspires me to continue. Knowing we have new classes, larger salt room and more services coming, I can’t wait for you to visit. Keep tabs on us as we launch our new plans.    


"Focusing on one thing that you are grateful for increases the energy of gratitude and rises the joy inside yourself.' 
– Oprah


So all this new – new year, new location – what’s your new? Set goals, set intentions, make plans – then take one small step at a time. Start. Begin. And after a while, your new will be the norm. Walk, skip, tiptoe, dance, just get going!    


"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." —Ralph Waldo Emerson



Stacy Ford, ATC, LMT is Co-Founder of Complete Wellness. An athletic trainer and a licensed massage therapist.  Her passion is to help people feel and function better. She is available by appointment only Monday-Friday at Complete Wellness, Quakertown.  
To schedule with Stacy or any other CW Practitioner Text/Call 267-509-7717
​

​Lots of talk lately about boosting our immune system. Is it a thing? Is it possible?
 
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, immunity is a condition of being able to resist a particular disease especially through preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting the effects of its products. Or their kids’ definition being the power to resist infection whether natural or acquired (as by vaccination.)
 
It further defines the immune system as the bodily system that protects the body from foreign substances, cells, and tissues by producing the immune response and that includes especially the thymus, spleen, lymph nodes, special deposits of lymphoid tissue (as in the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow), macrophages, lymphocytes including the B cells and T cells, and antibodies. Or, again, the kids’ definition as the system of the body that fights infection and disease and that includes especially the white blood cells and antibodies and the organs that produce them.
 
Blah, blah, blah… boring, boring, boring. Ok, so what do we need to know?
 
The VERY basics are when a bacteria, virus, fungus or other pathogen (bad guy) invades our body, the military response of our immune system fights for us. We have a couple types of white blood cells (leukocytes) that go to work. Phagocytes destroy invaders on contact and lymphocytes from bone marrow – B-cells and T-cells – do the long term work. The B-cells are like fighter planes. They find, target and lock on to the invaders. They also read the invader plans and keep them on file in our system in case the same or similar antigen comes calling again. We already have a plan in place for this bad guy and can act quickly. The T-cells then hone in on the B-cell targets and destroy the invader.
 
We have 3 types of immunity – innate, adaptive and passive. Innate being born with a level of immunity to certain things. Adaptive is we have been exposed, environmental or vaccine, and created a response/anti-body production. And passive is considered temporary protection that has been given to us, we didn’t produce them ourselves, like an infant through breast milk or infusion (1).
 
So, can we help all this along? Do these military grade cells need our assistance? Sure, who would say no to help, but I think the answers you’ve heard before. The key is listening and acting.
 
Big surprise!

• Sleep. Get good sleep. 7-8 hours a night of restful, regenerative sleep.
• Reduce stress. Stress releases cortisol which messes with our body’s ability to function properly from blood pressure to blood sugar to hormone levels. Pure havoc. (Think "What can I do at Complete Wellness?"  This is kinda our wheelhouse people. :)
• Healthy diet. Eat the rainbow of colorful fruits and veggies. Get your nutrients. Don’t overdo the supplements but use them if you are deficient especially vitamins C, B and E. Recently, vitamin D has been shown to reduce the risk of infection for COVID (2).
• Exercise. Yup, you have to move. And if you sweat a little, or a lot, BONUS. It helps with circulation, helps with stress levels, and can lower blood pressure along with promoting overall good health.
• Good hygiene – wash your hands, cover your cough and sneeze, avoid sick people.
• Attitude. From the Cleveland Clinic, “Research shows that positive thoughts reduce stress and inflammation and increase resilience to infection — while negative emotions can make you more susceptible to the common cold and flu” (3).

 
Like the treadmill in the corner. It only works if you use it. You can only help yourself if you make the effort. Need a little support? All of us at Complete Wellness can sincerely and honestly help. Reflexology, massage, the biomat and the salt room can help with stress reduction and sleep assistance. We have vitamin supplements, CBD, essential oil creams and magnesium creams for stress, mood and body systems*. Michelle offers many tools to help your mind and emotions get in line with the cause. CJ offers energy work to help regulate hormones and reduce stress. And have you met us? We are the most positive people to share our happy with you. Attitude is everything and we sincerely care about you and your well-being.
 
 
1 https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/immune.html
2 https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vitamin-d-covid-study
3 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/strengthen-your-immune-system-with-simple-strategies/
* Tracy and I don’t offer anything we haven’t tried and believe can help. Yes, we have tried everything we carry and recommend.

Reading this in June of 2021?  Click here for the CW June Special.
Wanna be amused while learning more about your immune system?  Click Here

Stacy Ford, ATC, LMT is Co-Founder of Complete Wellness. An athletic trainer and a licensed massage therapist.  Her passion is to help people feel and function better. She is available by appointment only Monday-Friday at Complete Wellness, Quakertown.  
To schedule with Stacy or any other CW Practitioner Text/Call 267-509-7717

​

​Wow. What a year. We have been saying that for a whole year. And some of us have been dealing with many changes including working or doing school from home, being apart from family and friends for safety precautions, limiting our travel and down time due to safety restrictions, reducing physical contact (I’m a hugger), and being overwhelmed by statistics and concerns. Add those things to the every day stuff we deal with and, whew! We are holding it together. Or are we? Are you? I am not.
 
May is Mental Health Month. And we all know that doesn’t apply to us. Those poor souls having mental health issues… that friend of mine who lost her job and is depressed, my poor great-aunt stuck in that assisted living and is lonely, that person dealing with addiction again… these people are me, I am having a mental health issue. I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge, my business is still here, wonderful friends and family, a loving dog who idolizes me (ok, he idolizes my husband), and all the creature comforts. What do I have to be depressed about?
 
Doesn’t matter. Those things don’t matter when it comes to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, addictions, PTSD or the genetics we are born with. Mental health can be affected by trauma, family history, a chemical imbalance in the brain, stress, abuse, just about anything. It is how your body and your emotional self deal with the factors. And many times, you need assistance whether it’s counseling, medication, stress reduction, or other therapies. Take the first step, like I have, and call your doctor. Talk with her/him about how you are feeling. They will do a physical, maybe a lab test, and ask you questions about your feelings and anything that could be contributing. Plus, they will help you decide if a mental health professional (counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist) may be necessary.
 
Friends and family are great and are there and want to be supportive, but have you told them how you are feeling? Have you given them the opportunity to help? Are they qualified or prepared to help? Consider professional help as well. They are trained and educated for this. Do you ask you friend about that weird shaped and colored mole, if it’s cancer, or do you go to the dermatologist, the professional? Yes, I ask my friend, then I call the dermatologist.
 
But there is such a stigma about mental health. You must be crazy. You must be out of control. You must be handled with kid gloves. You must be talked to in a quiet and concerning voice so you don’t lose it. Right? Is this how your friends talk to you about your possibly cancerous mole – is it contagious, are you going to die from the mole, do we not talk about it because it is so concerning? We don’t need to acknowledge my depression every time we speak. But it is also ok to ask me how I am, just like you always would. I will probably say, “good, how are you?” just like I always do. Don’t treat me differently. Don’t avoid me because you are afraid of upsetting me. Don’t think I am so fragile. It isn’t your job to fix me. It isn’t your job to walk on egg shells. I am getting help and your job is to continue to be my friend or family member or client or neighbor, just like we have been.
 
 
One in five Americans experience mental illness. Almost one in 25 has a serious mental illness. Keep in mind, different people deal with issues differently. I am sad. Some have anger. Some turn to drug use or other addictions. Some have eating disorders of overeating, stress eating or anorexia/bulimia. Some are genetic or the chemical imbalance is significant now.
 
I am dealing with depression, not directly COVID related. I have a lot of loss in my world and am processing it differently this time. Not sure about you, but I ride a simple roller coaster of emotions sometimes for a week or so (sad, frustrated, happy, hopeful, hopeless, etc.) but always come back to being ok. This time it has been 6 months. Time to find some help. The roller coaster has been running too long and way too many dips and turns. Need to level off and regroup. And I am taking this opportunity to share my experience with you. Maybe you know someone dealing with something similar. Maybe they are having a difficult time. Maybe they have been blue for too long. Maybe significant, unhealthy weight gain or loss. Maybe severe mood swings. Talk with them. Tell them you care. Offer to help make the call for a doctor’s appointment. Remind them you love them and this is important to you and for them. They will probably deny it. After all, the stigma is strong. Be stronger for them. But also, don’t get sucked in. You can only offer help, they have to accept it.
 
If someone you know is having a tough time and has made statements about harming themselves or others, please call their doctor or 911 immediately. Take it seriously. Don’t wait for it to pass. Help them get help.
 
Some resources I found to share. This month I challenge you to assess your mental health. Take inventory. Be safe, stay well and strive for healthy – mind, body and spirit.
 
National Council for Behavioral Health - information
https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/mental-health-month/
 
Depression and BiPolar Support Alliance – confidential online screening questionnaire for depression and anxiety (No personal information needed. No registration.)
https://www.dbsalliance.org/education/mental-health-screening-center/
 
MedLine Plus – general mental illness information
https://medlineplus.gov/mentaldisorders.html
 
Mayo Clinic – symptoms of mental illness
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968?p=1


Stacy Ford ATC, LMT, Co-Founder of Complete Wellness

​Birds are chirping, Peepers are peeping, a few buzzing of bees already and an “a-choo.” Ahh, the sounds of spring.
Yellow daffodils, purple crocus, jeweled tulips, red eyes. Ahh, the colors of spring.
Hyacinths, fresh grass, fragrant blooms. Ahh, the scents of spring… wait, if you are like me, about three sniffs in and I can’t smell a thing.
 
It’s my favorite season of the year! Spring is finally here! I love the smells and the growth and the way nature comes alive. But, with all those wonderful things, I am one of many who suffer, and I mean suffer, with seasonal allergies. Without medication, I can’t smell a thing. And if you can’t smell, you can’t taste. And the itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, running nose… just like the commercials say, I am miserable.
 
Right, so what is there to appreciate about spring? I love to see the animals and their offspring like the CW ducks and their soon to be ducklings in our back pond. All the blooms warming up the landscape after the cold winter. The way the greenscape comes to life. I love the warm sunshine on my face and how it comforts me. To me, the newness represents hope. Every year, every spring, there is hope for a new beginning - new shoots, new blooms, new life, new growth.
 
How do I cope with seasonal allergies? How do I appreciate the wonder and splendor of spring’s renewal? Yes, medication. I have tried most everything and on my worst days, I still need some help. But, there are other alternatives I have discovered and use including our salt room. The negative ions help reduce my inflammation and the salt in the air that I breathe helps open my sinuses and airways. (Psst… we have a seasonal allergy salt room special right now. See our page for details.) CBD sublingual drops help my inflammation and I give local honey a try. Also, I have switched many of my personal care products to natural options which has helped reduce my sensitivities.
 
So my challenge this month is to get out there and find what part of spring inspires you. And if allergies are holding you back, what are you doing to find a way to enjoy this most amazing season ?

Stacy Ford, ATC, LMT is an Athletic Trainer, Licensed Massage Therapist and Co-founder of Complete Wellness, LLC.  She is available for Therapeutic Massage appointments Monday - Friday.  To Schedule Text/Call 267-509-7717