What is that quaint, little portside town with the glistening steeples and lovely, historic homes and architecture? This is a question I would ask myself so many times as we crossed the Piscataqua River on our way to Maine and back. Considering I have such a love of seaport towns, it was amazing that I hadn’t found my way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire many years before. But finally, one year we stopped…and I’ve been going back ever since. For me, Portsmouth has it all. Locally sourced, fresh and imaginative cuisine; historic buildings; cozy sidewalk cafes; art galleries; jazz clubs;...

I recently logged onto the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals website, and found numerous types of bodywork. Far too many to mention or to list in one short article, let’s just say the list had 26 choices one for every letter in the alphabet, plus a few more. I can totally understand why clients don’t choose to consider massage therapy or bodywork when it is far too overwhelming. How do you know what to choose? How do you know whether or not a type of bodywork is good for you? At this time I would like to define for...

Quintessential New England… that was my first thought as I drove through the picturesque, winding, maple and oak tree-lined roads into Kennebunkport. Passing by quaint little shops, luxurious hotels and charming inns, enticing restaurants and the coolest directional signs I’ve ever seen, I could feel every muscle in my body relax. Having been to Maine dozens of times, somehow I’ve always missed this place. And if you’ve ever been, you know I was definitely missing out! Maine in October would not be my first choice of places to visit, being that my motto is “the hotter the better!” But,...

“In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.” – Mark Twain People either love or hate the spring. For some, the gusts of wind, the spots of sun, and the ubiquitous mud puddles are welcome signs that winter has come to a close – it’s time to be reborn after a long, cold winter. Plant life begins pushing up from the soil long before it seems warm enough. Bright yellow daffodils, crocuses, and fiddleheads appear overnight, reminders to put on some boots and get outside for some fresh air. For others, the...

With a tagline like “Luxury comes Naturally,” you can be sure I was looking forward to my stay at the Inn by the Sea in Crescent Beach, Maine. So often when we hear the terms “ecofriendly” or “green hotel,” I think most people’s perceptions are…scratchy, uncomfortable bedding; low pressure showers; dim lighting; less comfort and inconvenience…all this for a higher price! It couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, a recent study found that many green hotels were actually less expensive than other comparable hotels. And you can definitely find luxury at an ecofriendly hotel. Voted one of...

The leading cause of obesity in America is low-calorie weight-loss programs. Americans will spend more than $60 billion this year on weight-loss programs and diet products, according to a consumer research firm. Ironically, obesity in America is more prevalent today than ever before. The fact is that for 98% of the people coming off such programs, the weight loss was due to a loss of muscle, not necessarily loss of fat. It is a huge misconception that “weight-loss” means losing fat. The diet industry would like us to believe that all weight loss is fat loss. In most calorie...

Before defining Integrative Medicine, an overview of the current health care system is in order.  Over the last half century, we have seen dramatic changes in the delivery of health care.  The coming decades promise even greater changes.  Science and technology shed insight into our understanding of disease and provide specialized treatments.  Technological breakthroughs, such as the development of immunizations and the discovery of antibiotics, pasteurization, sterilization, and antiseptic techniques represent just a few examples.  Over the course of the 20th century, these amazing advances contributed to a gain in life expectancy of over 30 years.  With this increased...

Most people think of bone as hard, sturdy and never changing. Actually, this could not be further from the truth! Bones are constantly changing, being remodeled, replacing old and brittle bone with strong and healthy tissue. As we age, the rate of bone loss (resorption) out-paces the rate of formation of bone, and we become susceptible to osteopenia and osteoporosis. What are osteopenia and osteoporosis? Both osteopenia and osteoporosis refer to loss of bone mineral density, with osteoporosis representing the greater loss of bone mass. The significance of bone loss is that fragile bone is more susceptible to fracture....

In greening up your home, it’s natural to turn first to the rooms you and your family fully live in, like your kitchen and den, but it’s just as vital to detoxify your bedrooms. Maybe even more so. After all, according to The National Sleep Foundation, experts recommend adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, which means you should spend about one-third of your life in bed. Harmful ZZZs: Sleeping with the Enemy                               While you sleep, your immune system is designed to recover so your body can repair itself and prepare for the coming day. But if...

Let’s begin by defining fascia. Covering all the muscles and internal organs of our body as well as between our bones is a very thin layer of connective tissue known as fascia. It is one complete interconnected web. When you pull the skin off a chicken breast, the fascia is that thin transparent layer underneath that we like to get rid of before we start cooking. However, in our bodies we want to keep it and we want it to function properly. Fascia gives our muscles and organs support. Ideally it is able to slide freely over our muscles;...

There’s an expression often heard in corporate America that goes as follows: “If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.” This phrase is advantageous to the company, but what about the hardworking individual whose large platter is already overflowing? The pressure to perform, produce and achieve is enormous and it doesn’t just apply to the workplace. The double-edged expression filters down to our day-to-day activities; be it at home, within the extended family unit, volunteering, at our places of worship, our kid’s schools, and even with our closest friends and significant others. Somewhere along...

Approximately 1 out of every 5 people in the US suffers from symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. These symptoms can be debilitating and can include cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation.People experiencing these symptoms on an everyday basis know the difficulties associated with it, embarrassment of smelly gas, constant worry and awareness of the location of the nearest restroom. A proper investigation in to the cause of these symptoms is necessary and should include an examination of personal history, family history, dietary habits, medications/supplements, stress levels and triggering events. One of the major problems with the conventional medicine approach...

Now that spring is finally here and warmer weather hopefully not far away, many people are itching to get out of the house, kick the dust off the sneakers and hit the pavement. There are many factors that attribute to running longer distances or at a faster pace. Some of these factors can be controlled, like: sleep, nutrition, proper foot wear, training, desire/passion for running, overall muscular strength and proper mechanics. However, sometimes the most important factors like natural athletic ability, VO2 Max (how much oxygen your body is able to consume), pain threshold and economy of motion (the...

In today’s on the go, fast paced lifestyle, inevitably, we will become injured or experience sore or stiff muscles. As winter is slowly exiting Maine, we might have fallen on the ice, possibly fell skiing, shoveled a little too often, or worked out a little too hard after being house bound with all the snow. Regardless, there is no reason to live in pain. As humans, we are unique in our own individual biology, physiology, and anatomy. For this reason, pain is also unique and should be dealt with at its source. These are the 2 guiding principles of...