If you’ve never been to a yoga class or a simply a beginner, this seminar will offer an experiential introduction to yoga philosophy and the physical, mental, and spiritual practice. This class will be gentle and restorative, focusing on releasing tension and letting go of daily stress. Any physical ability level is welcome!

Friday, June 1, 2012 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Space is limited, so please register by calling 410-296-4028 or emailing Charissa at charissa@womeninwellnessmd.com

Come out and meet our new yoga instructor and Energy Therapist, Charissa Bowman. During all her yoga classes, Charissa helps students connect and heal body, mind, and spirit. Through her gently-paced classes, students can expect to truly find a place of calm and quiet within themselves.

Weekly yoga classes & workshops starting in June!

1  teaspoon olive oil
3/4  cup sliced mushrooms
3/4  cup chopped zucchini
1/2  cup sliced carrot
1/2  cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2  cup thinly sliced red onion
1  (26-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato basil pasta sauce
2  tablespoons commercial pesto
1  (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
Cooking spray
6  cooked lasagna noodles (about 6 ounces uncooked), cut in half
3/4  cup (3 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375º.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and the next 4 ingredients (mushrooms through onion); cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
Combine pesto and ricotta in a small bowl. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture in the bottom of a 8-inch square baking dish or pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodle halves over tomato mixture. Top noodles with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup tomato mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles; sprinkle with mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
Note: To make ahead, assemble as directed; stop before baking. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before baking as directed.

Yield: 6 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 328(30% from fat); FAT 10.9g (sat 5.4g,mono 3.8g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 18.2g; CHOLESTEROL 31mg; CALCIUM 418mg; SODIUM 491mg; FIBER 3.7g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001

4 cups fresh orange juice (about 8 oranges)
1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 1/2 cups semisweet sparkling wine
3 orange slices, halved (optional)

Place orange juice and raspberries in a blender; process until smooth. Pour juice mixture into a pitcher; stir in wine. Serve over ice. Garnish with orange slices, if desired.

Recipe from Cooking Light

Thermography is a diagnostic tool for clients to better understand their bodies.  Inflammation is a precursor to many diseases such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes. The heat patterns caused by Inflammation can be easily illustrated and analyzed for abnormalities.  During the session a trained professional takes a thermal picture to determine abnormalities or changes in the breast tissue. Thermography can detect irregular patterns years before a mammogram. Best of all, Thermal Imaging is painless, non-invasive, and has no radiation.

Normal Breast Scan	Abnormal Breast Scan

Tuesday, May 15th         Scans are from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Please note: Avoid heavy exercise, deodorant, spicy foods, hot beverages, body creams and lotions, gum chewing, and tight-fitting clothing on the day of your thermogram.

Contact Cara Michele to set up an appointment for your scan 410 296-4028 or cm@womeninwellnessmd.com or register online.

The Best Breast Test
The Promise of Thermography: A guest article from the leading voice in women’s holistic health by Christiane Northrup, M.D.

# 1 You will leave the Strong and Clear One Day Retreat with habits that fit into your goals.  Our professionals know that the little daily habits are what create room and forward momentum in our lives.  Working hand-in-hand with our professionals around cooking, nutrition and understanding your passion and purpose will allow you to learn and implement the rituals that create more energy and ease in your life.  It’s kind of like learning to tie your shoes.  Someone worked with you until you embodied the steps needed to tie your own laces.  After that you began to tie them without any struggle or thought.  It became a habit.  Eating well and knowing yourself as a healer and leader will also become a habit with the right support.

If your habits and rituals are holding you from your goals, join us.  You have nothing to lose and energy and ease to gain.

# 2 Gain the habits and rituals of a holistic life system 

Do you remember the last time that you felt like life was smooth, easy and flowing?  It is likely that you were eating well, exercising, were rested, money was not issue.  You felt great and so even your relationships were easier.  Felt great didn’t it?  How long did it last?

Thanks goodness that we have those moments when life seems to line up perfectly and all is well.  Strong and Clear is here to help you truly embody the right habits every day so that you don’t have to think about them or wait for the tooth fairy to wave her wand your way.  The right daily habits equal the perfect daily flow.

For more information about our STRONG & CLEAR One-Day Retreat Click Here or contact Cara Michele at 443-527-8425 or  cm@womeninwellnessmd.com

Ready to sign-up? Click here to register!

by Kidada N. Fields, M.Ac., L.Ac.

It’s that time again, ladies! Whether you’re a hardcore marathoner looking for a good warm-up or a couch potato looking for your remote, the annual Baltimore Women’s Classic is a 5K (that’s 3.1 mi) run or walk supporting a cause we can all get up and get moving for. The BWC takes place every year at the end of June (Sunday, June 24th in 2012) with proceeds going to provide services to women who are in treatment for gynecological cancers. So, lace up your running shoes and check out the top five reasons why the BWC is so worth your time and effort.

1)      Running or walking in the BWC is a great way to get in shape! Warm summer days are right around the corner and many of us are preparing to show off a little more of our physique. If liquid diets and a new gym membership seem to be on your horizon, why not commit to the BWC and look at it as a jump start to your fitness routine. The Baltimore Women’s Classic offers eight week training sessions led by experienced runners who will pass on invaluable pearls of wisdom when it comes to making your way to the finish line. These voluntary weekly trainings will be held at sites in Baltimore City, Towson, Catonsville and Ellicott City.

2)      Winter is over, so come on out of hibernation! Although we have had a relatively warm winter with very little snow (hmmm…can anybody say, ‘global warming’), the energy of our northeastern region was still down, in and cold. Now spring is upon us and training for the BWC is a great reason to get outside, find a scenic place to train, soak up some sun rays (with the added bonus of vitamin D) and really enjoy the beauties of spring.

3)      Get your girlfriends and get moving! Who says peer pressure is all bad? Having an exercise buddy (or a few for that matter) is great for motivation. Get together with a good friend or a group to train together, laugh together, encourage one another and walk across the finish line together. It will make for a memorable experience!

4)      Take time to meet others of like mind. Supporters of the BWC come from all walks of life. Take the opportunity to branch out and possibly meet people who will become part of your personal or professional network. Who knows, you may find a buddy with whom you have more in common than you think.

5)      Come on out for a great cause! The monies generated from the BWC go to help women whose quality of life has been affected by ovarian, vaginal, cervical, uterine and/or vulvar cancer. Unfortunately, more and more women are being diagnosed with some form of gynecological cancer each year and they are often unable to perform daily tasks such as cooking, shopping, washing clothes, driving, etc. The funds generated from the BWC will go towards assisting and empowering women who are coping with cancer.

So, there it is. From my own personal experience I can say that participating in the BWC (and events with a similar purpose) is truly gratifying and I look forward to being the team leader for the Women In Wellness team once again this year. If you are interested in participating in the BWC as part of our team, please feel free to contact me at Kidada@womeninwellnessmd.com. We’d love to have you!

With its pesto-like flavorings and a bright lemon dressing, this a great way to serve green beans.

Ingredients
3/4 cup hazelnuts
8 cups packed green beans (about 3/4 lb.), stems trimmed and strings removed
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons hazelnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Spread nuts out on a baking pan and bake until golden under skins (break one to test), 10 to 15 minutes. When nuts are cool enough to handle, rub in a kitchen towel to remove as many skins as possible. Chop coarsely and set aside.

2. In a 4- to 6-quart pot over high heat, bring 3 quarts salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until just crisp-tender, 4 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander and plunge beans into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain again and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the mint leaves, lemon peel, lemon juice, and salt to make the dressing. Drizzle in the hazelnut oil, whisking constantly.

4. In a large bowl, gently toss the beans with dressing and hazelnuts. Serve at room temperature.

Prep and Cook Time: About 30 minutes;  make up to 3 hours ahead.

Yield:  Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 188(86% from fat); FAT 18g (sat 1.3g); PROTEIN 2.8g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; SODIUM 197mg; FIBER 2.3g; CARBOHYDRATE 6.2g

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Recipe from Cooking Light

Starting Friday, May 4th - 6:00 -7:00pm.  Every Friday!

End your workweek on a high note, and get your weekend off to a great start!  Receive an ear acupuncture treatment focused at helping you relax and be rejuvenated. The treatment involves the placement of five needles in the ear while you sit quietly with others for 30 minutes. This treatment has been successfully used for years to help soothe PTSD sufferers, support people working through addictions (including smoking) and calm victims of trauma. Many people report feeling calmed, settled and clear-headed, and observe changes in symptoms including reduced pain, with regular treatment. Come see how this treatment can serve you.

SAVE! Register online in advance*:  $20   Click here to register online

Walk-In:  $25 (cash or check only)

Bring a friend and receive $5 off your next treatment.

For more information, contact kidada@womeninwellnessmd.com or call 410.296.4028

by Kidada N Fields, M.Ac., L.Ac.

Although many of us use sex for pleasurable experiences, I am here to tell you that there is more to it than you think.  The energy created by sex and our sexual organs, called jinq qi, is very dense. It is powerful, abundant and the easiest forms of energy to transform in the body.  It really makes sense when you think about it. Of course….the energy that can create another human being must be potent.

Now you may be asking yourself,  “How do I do this and why would I do this? “   If you haven’t read it already, please refer to my first article on cultivating your sexual energy where I share the health benefits and explain how to open your microcosmic orbit – the first step in this cultivation process.   Opening the microcosmic alone is very beneficial. In opening your inner orbit you become more balanced and in tune with yourself before you even begin changing your sexual energy into healing energy.

For women, ovarian breathing is the next step. This active meditation teaches you to use energy gathered from your ovaries and move it in small sips up your body then back down again.  During this process, your dense ovarian energy is transformed into healing energy later to be stored in your organs.

Master Taoist Mantak Chia’s teaches these techniques in his book, Healing Love Through the Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy.   Below I provide a much abbreviated explanation of the beginnings of ovarian breathing.

 Ovarian Breathing 

1. Wearing loose clothing sit or stand.  Relax and begin breathing through the nose. Connect your microcosmic orbit by placing the tip of tongue to roof of mouth.

2. Locate your Ovarian Palace (OP). Create a triangle with your thumbs and index fingers. Rest the touching tips of you thumbs on your navel and place your touching index fingers downward towards your legs. The place where your index fingers touch is the ovarian palace (op).  Your ovaries are located where your pinky fingers lie.

3. Create jing qi.  Stimulate your ovaries massaging the area where  your pinkies lie. At the same time, gently and slowly begin opening and closing the PC (vagina) muscles, like petals to a flower. You may feel warmth, tightness, swelling, tingling, or something different.

4. When you begin to feel something, bring the energy to the Ovarian Palace. Hold it there while keeping the PC muscle secure so that this energy does not seep out.

3. Bring Energy to Perineum (FIrst Station). Inhaling short sip of air, pull energy from the Ovarian Palace  to perineum (the area between the anus & vagina). Concentrate on bringing the energy down to the perineum. Use sort sips of air to move the energy while keeping the perineum muscle engaged.  Then breathe out and allow the energy to move freely to the perineum.  Practice this for several days before moving on.

The remainder of this practice teaches you to bring energy to each transformation station (eg. perineum, sacrum, the 11^th thoracic vertebrae) in steps until the loop is complete and you can return the energy to the navel. 

After one is able to practice ovarian breathing successfully, Mantak Chia teaches how to perform ovarian compressions, perform the orgasmic upward draw and ultimately dual cultivation with a partner.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, I’d love to hear from you!  kidada@womeninwellnessmd.com

Thinking about running or walking the Baltimore Women’s Classic 5K this year? Sign up now and join our Women in Wellness Team to take advantage of our FREE Saturday Morning Shape-up Class every week until race day!

Classes will be held from 9:30 to 10 a.m. each Saturday now through June 17 at Women in Wellness. Have a ball while toning up with classic body weight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups and squats and getting to know your fellow race teammates. We tailor our Saturday Morning Shape-up Class to each individual’s level — whether you’re new to exercise or a fitness buff looking to increase your strength. Classes are FREE for those who register for the BWC as a Women in Wellness team member. This class is a great complement to the running/walking training program offered by the BWC.

Go Team Women in Wellness!

Be a part of our team at the Baltimore Women’s Classic on Sunday, June 24 at 8 a.m. Contact Cara Michele at 443-527-8425 or at cm@womeninwellnessmd.com for more details. Women in Wellness is located at Heart’s Gate Wellness Center, 1014 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson, MD 21204.

About the Baltimore Women’s Classic

The Baltimore Women’s Classic is a 5K race beginning and ending at Rash Field at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The BWC is dedicated to promoting fitness and healthy living among all women while increasing awareness of women’s health issues. They help improve the quality of daily life for families engaged in gynecologic cancer treatment by providing services such as transportation, grocery shopping, meal preparation, house cleaning and prescription drug co-payment. For more information, please visit www.baltimorewomensclassic.com