From The Inside Out Mag.
For Personal Healing, Spiritual Growth & Development

The holistic approach to personal wellness addresses the whole person’s mind, body, and spirit.   It involves the everyday choices we make and actions we take as we strive to reach a higher level of personal wellness.  The holistic approach to creating wellness includes taking charge of our own life by exploring a variety of life enhancing activities until we discover which ones work for us; “Our personal actions for self-improvement”.  The Better Me Luncheon offer the guest a change to meet some of the people that provide services and products in their community in one spot for an affordable price.

 There has been a surge of interest in complementary and alternative approach to personal wellness starting at the end of the 20^th century and beginning of the 21^st century is apparent from the increased use of alternative healthcare therapies by patients. More people are combining conventional medicine and alternative treatments in their search for a more holistic approach to better health and wellness. The increasing demand for these treatments stems, in part, from the public's concerns regarding the accessibility of healthcare, its rising costs, and the view that conventional medicine often has harmful side effects.

Facts:

• A study conducted by the Harvard Medical School has shown that complementary and alternative medicine has become a permanent part of medicine. Harvard reported that visits to  practitioners of alternative therapies, ranging from herbal medicine to energy healing, have increased 47 percent since 1990, propelled chiefly by mature, health-conscious baby boomers. Healthcare professionals, including physicians, trained in oriental medicine, for example, will increase to 24,000 by the year 2010. The number of chiropractors will nearly double from 55,000 to 103,000. (Healthcare Review, March 13,2003 by Todd Hanson)
• According to a survey published in 2001 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the number of Americans using alternative therapies rose from 60 million in 1990 to 83 million in 1997. Many of these therapies have been used for centuries, but they lost favor with the advent of conventional medicine. Today, four out of ten Americans use some form of complementary or alternative medicine, and some projections speculate that by the year 2010 at least two-thirds will. (Psychology Today, March 2001, Guide to Natural Health by Norine Dworkin)
• Most medical schools now offer coursework in alternative medicine, and increasing numbers of managed care organizations provide benefits for such therapies. At Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, for example, alternative therapies enhance each patient's quality of life through healing regimes that address the body, mind, and spirit. Complimentary therapies offered include various types of massage, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, meditation, visualization, music therapy, and nutritional counseling. Patients are also offered classes in yoga, tai chi, and chair aerobics. (Healthcare Review, March 18, 2003, by Todd Hanson)

Today there is an increasing trend in our society to look outside the usual, old, conventional medicine, also referred to as Western or allopathic medicine, to find answers for healthcare problems.  The Better Me Luncheon brings them to you in a format that you can ask questions and meet the practitioners.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies complementary and alternative medicine therapies into five categories:

• Alternative medical systems. These systems are built on complete systems of theory and practice and include holistic medicine and naturopathic medicine; developed in the Western culture and Chinese medicine and Ayurveda medicine; developed in ancient Eastern cultures.
• Mind-body intervention. This uses a variety of techniques to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect the body’s functions and systems. Techniques include cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, prayer, mental healing, and art, music, and dance therapy.
• Biologically-based therapies. These therapies use substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins, and include dietary supplements, herbal products, and natural substances.
• Manipulative and body-based methods. These methods heal using the movement of one or more body parts and may include chiropractic, osteopathic manipulation, and massage.
• Energy therapies. There are two types of therapies that use energy fields. Bio-field therapy manipulates our bio-fields by applying pressure and/or manipulating the body by placing hands in, or through, these fields. Qigong, reiki, and therapeutic and healing touch are included in this type of therapy. Bio-electromagnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or direct current fields. 

Complementary and alternative medicine and techniques are now being accepted and integrated into conventional healthcare. There is an increasing interest by physicians and hospitals in addressing growing consumer demands for non-conventional healthcare practices. But to those unfamiliar with complementary and alternative medicine, the variety of modalities can be confusing. It is difficult to know what is right for you and your particular health challenge. 

This is one of goals with the Better Me Luncheons.  To provide  non threatening way to introduce to its guest some of the different forms of alternative therapies, products and services within your community.  We invite in 4 speakers one speaking in area of Mind, one speaking in the area of Body, one speaking in the area of Spirit and one speaking on Eco friendly Living or Community Service.  We surround these speakers with vendors that provide either a product or service in the area of mind body spirit or eco friendly living/community.  We serve a meal and allow for time to mix mingle network, promote and ask questions.

This past October luncheons where no different, our October 22 luncheon in Livonia Michigan featured Michael Stoller who shared the naked truth about what really goes into some of our skin care products.  Mike Muller a personal trainer reminded us how important it is to keep moving as we get older.  Irene Ivanac a massage therapist explained the benefits of therapeutic massage how it does more than just make us feel good.  Artist Summarah Smith explained to the group how art can help us to get in touch with our feelings and can be used as a vehicle for personal expression.  Dr. Missy Johnson a survivor of a 60 MPH head on collision. How she combine traditional and nontraditional medicine to help heal her.  Closing the out the speakers was Anthony Moses a wellness coach and so much more explained to us why it was so important to work to heal ourselves holistically, that it not only effects us but the world at large; reminding us that we are all connected.   

The next weekend was the Detroit Better Me Luncheon October 29^th.  Stacy Theodossin the Healing Goddess explained Ayurvedic Massage, Aromatherapy and Reiki Healing and got the crowed involved in a short meditation.  Summarah Smith shared with that crowed the important and possibilities of art. Thomas Reinke the Eco friendly living expert shared tips with us on how to save money and get our homes ready for the cold Michigan weather.  Last but not least was Debra Flowers personal trainer who writes a monthly column for this magazine entitled “Fit For Life”.  Debra not only reminded us to get off the coach and get moving at whatever ability we can, she got us up on our feet and got us moving.  lunch Botheons where host by a very talented poet by the name of Malachi London. Malachi not only kept things flowing  she also shared with us her poetry about life and how we must push through the hard times.

The Better Me luncheons are a traveling luncheon moving from community to community reaching people where they are.  We have started in the state of Michigan but it is our goal to other states as well.   If you would like to keep up to date on what’s going on or find out how you can take part in one of the luncheons please visit our website at www.bettermeluncheon.webs.com or may also email me at bettermeluncheons@gmail.com  Please continue to check out the host of vendors that supported us and we support them back and ask that you give your support where ever you can.

 You can see more pictures from the luncheon www.bettermeluncheon.webs.com  we are always looking for speakers, vendors, host for more information visit the website. or email

Comments(1):

1. luncheon

   These luncheons are a good ideal wish they had somthing like this were I live. You have to bring the luncheon out of Michigan too

   Monday, November 14, 2011 Tim