Assembling Your Healing Entourage

Your Own Entourage

Entourages are not just for celebrities. People, like us have them too. Our “entourages” tell a lot about us. A person concerned with external beauty and the physical body will assemble an entourage that may include a hairstylist, a manicurist, a dentist, a medical doctor and a dermatologist. This is very common when we are teenagers, as we are less aware of our internal life.

As life changes to focus on our careers and performance, our entourage may include a Massage Therapist, Medical Specialists, Psychiatrist and perhaps a Naturopath or a Traditional Chinese Doctor.

As we mature those of us who take time to reflect become more aware of our spiritual dimension and its profound effect on our mental and physical health. Your entourage reflects your complexity and sagacity to include an Ayurvedic Doctor, Reflexologist, Colon Therapist, Psychotherapist, Reiki Master, Cranial Sacral Therapist and any of the alternative professionals of choice in Vitality Magazine. (link to Vitality Magazine at http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/ )

“Entourages” can evolve organically as your personal needs and beliefs systems change.

You can also redesign your team with a set of goals in mind . Spell out your goals. Take inventory of the current situation of which can include your available time, your health concerns. Then devise a plan on how you can achieve it. Assemble your team of advisors paid and unpaid. Monitor your progress.

A large “entourage” does not indicate declining health or old age. More often these are times of transition or of acute illness. Size can change as needs and life situations change. It may grow to temporarily include a psychotherapist if you feel the need to better understand a complex relationship experience or so call irrational behavior. Connect with a colon therapist (my favourite includes Deborah at Oasis Health) and an herbalist (drop into Thuna’s on the Danforth (416-461-8191), Roger + Evelyn are a very knowledgeable team) when embarking on a detox program.

The nature of the entourage changes as your life changes. As I matured I have become more complex and healing is on more dimensions. I like my boomer friends have found healing from many diverse natural healing modalities. They have helped us be rid of common and chronic ailments like allergies, poor digestion, and low energy along with more acute and life changing ones like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

What make a healer more effective for us more multidimensional beings? We of the Boomer Generation have experienced more changes in ways of life than past generations. Our numbers have made holistic health, environmental concerns and organics popular. Therefore as we age we need healers that are not just good at healing but ones that are as creative problem solvers as we are.

My focus on external beauty has changed from physical perfection to having it help me communicate with my internal body and mind. Dry skin cautions me on dehydration and my kidneys as well as too much stress or worry. Water retention warns of fatigue or of a slower metabolism or circulation and perhaps a tendency to be resistant or possessive. Undue redness in my skin warns of over consumption of salt or protein and a need to find out why I am irritable or too competitive.

So I visit my Acupuncturist, Dr Shan Wu, (http://www.asian-acupuncture.com/)weekly to balance my body’s main energy flow which energizes me. I bring up any concerns so she may take care of them with my visit. She starts to prepare my stressed out body for acupuncture with a rigorous (her tiny size does not prepare you for the intensity) shiatsu treatment. My acupuncture changes each week according to my current state, my complaints and my time of the month. After acupuncture, I get cupping as I have a sluggish lymphatic system. I walk out refreshed and ready to take on the next week with a positive energy. My visit is $95.00.

My poor digestion has been part of my life and causing other health concerns since teenage. My daughter Kristen insisted I see her Ayurvedic Doctor, Dr Sharma,
( http://ayurvedatoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 ) to correct it. Each visit includes his focus on my mind body spirit as he balances my busy mind with scents of saffron, jasmine and juniper. I usually see him in the morning so the smell of camphor wakes up my senses and clears my lungs. He feels my pulse to detect any imbalances in my energies and customizes my body treatment. Then he sends me home with herbs to take until my next visit. Each visit is a well deserved regular rate of $80.00. A comfort for us who are apprehensive of the unexpected charges of some Naturopathic visits.

A real treasure is Yim To ( 41 Grange Ave 416-971-5850) , a kung fu master who applies his knowledge of healing sore and damaged muscles and ligaments to relieve chronic pain. He doesn’t speak English but if you can point out your pain he will get to the root of it and in days repair what you were told only surgery could. For $20.00 you can experience for yourself how simple and humble healing can be. My partner had severe back pain. He tried expensive back treatments where they stretch your spine, acupuncture, physiotherapy and cortisone treatments with no luck. His medical doctor advised back surgery as the only solution. So as a last ditch effort he agreed to go see Yim. Skeptical but not wanting to leave any stone unturned before accepting surgery he visited Yim at his humble home in Toronto’s Chinatown. After a couple of visits, he experience pain relief not achieved with any of his earlier therapies. With back pain decreasing, he had Yim add patches to his shoulders and elbows increasing his visit to $40.00. After a couple of weeks of daily visits, he now only visits Yim periodically for a muscle tune-up.

My new best friend is Reflexolgist, Jean Louie (jean.reflexology@gmail.com 905-773-6748). She totally accommodates my needs as she volunteers to come to my home late in the evening after I have taken a relaxing hot sea salt bath. For one hour twice a week she balances my health by stimulating the pressure points in my neglected feet. I am especially a good candidate for reflexology as my leg circulation is sluggish and I have a tendency for swollen feet and ankles. Now my sleep is more restful and the next day is fabulous as my organs are in top shape.

If your entourage is minimal and you have some minor discomforts like some digestive concerns or if your energy is waning, head over your local Supplement Plus (3 locations in Toronto). Staff armed with certification in homeopathy or naturopathy so are equipped to help in a pinch. For digestive irregularity Supplement Plus have a wide range of natural solutions from Genestra’s Acidophilus to “Metagenix Ultra Inflam” to chewable digestive aids like, DGL Licorice. Energy boosts can come in homeopathic drops or vitamin ampoules.

So start managing your entourage towards a healthier you -----and enjoy life!

Please feel free to contact me at jean@pureandsimple.ca if you want to learn more about the above.