How Can I Help?

March 23, 2020

This is a question many of us are asking ourselves, especially if we are strong and healthy. I’m lucky to have support from multiple sources, including the Essentrics Instructor Group on Facebook. A number of Level 4 teachers are learning new technology to offer live classes on FB through special ‘closed’ groups–and I support them in those efforts.

But I have to pass. This crazy time of ours is an opportunity, and for me, it’s not to learn new technology and have more screen time. And likely more stress. So…sorry if I’m disappointing my fabulous regulars in classes for the past eight years, but my contribution will be different and you have excellent choices for Essentrics workouts. If you haven’t tried the many wonderful workouts on EssentricsTV, it’s time! They are offering two weeks free right now as a trial and you will love how they have categorized the workouts to easily find exactly what you’re looking for; short or long workout, serious toning or pain-relief, full-body or emphasis on certain problem areas, or you have a preference for a certain Master Trainer or founder, Miranda Esmonde-White.

And Miranda herself is offering a daily, live 10-minute workout with her via Facebook that I for any and all who search under Classical Stretch on FB. Not only some great stress-relieving workouts in her country home outside of Montreal, but positive encouragement in potentially-depressing times.  I suggest passing on this link to anyone to anyone you think can use a virtual hug. This is happening at 4:30 PM EST daily, and she sometimes has a Master Trainer step in.

As for me? I feel confident you have great exercise choices at home, so instead of live classes online I will go back to my roots of being an herbalist and health coach since 1996. But I have been blessed to have a number of mentors in herbal medicine with much more experience that I, so i decided to search for Susun Weed’s thoughts on this current pandemic.

I like her approach of helping us strengthen our immune system by using food (especially lacto-fermented vegetables) and herbal remedies.

She mentions four of my favorites in the video, two of which are ideal for preventing any bacteria or virus from taking hold; elder berry and echinacea root, both in tincture form. I just found this video today and ironically, I had just shifted from daily echinacea (which I’ve been taking for 2-3 weeks) to daily to daily elder berry.

My additional daily habits for strong immune function include 1 tsp. cod liver oil (with lemon), one or more fresh garlic cloves and 1-3 cups of nourishing herbal infusion

Plus, naturally, 30-60 minutes of daily Essentrics. I mix it up daily, and could tell after a week at home that I had only been doing standing and barre  My body craved side leg lifts and some stretches on the mat today; my hips and back are saying thank you.

More soon.  Be safe, be well and be wise by practicing serious social distancing. This too shall pass.