Gentle Yoga at Moab Yoga

Surely you have noticed all the big changes happening at Moonflower Community Cooperative.

The coop is using local contractor Monty Guerrero of Guerrero Construction to create radical efficiencies to our store.

The new bright green stucco façade of the building has been accessorized with the famous signature carrot, along with sloped sidewalks now leading to automatic sliding doors.

We have knocked down walls for an open floor plan and poured concrete for level floors throughout. Customers will enjoy air-conditioning this summer! We have all new shelving, 28 feet of produce and fruit, with a remote refrigeration rack making the store quiet and food cool.

We are still progressing with our construction on the Deli; A single pitch roof with lofted high ceilings over a commercial kitchen and community meeting and eating area.

The new deli space will be great for sitting and enjoying our local and organic cuisine. The new modern kitchen will have space for a range of cooking demonstrations and healthy sustainable lifestyle based classes. The deli will provide more of the same delicious fare, now having deli space to consistently offer shoppers their favorite items along with new; such as fresh baked goods and hot coffee.

Also, stay hydrated and fill your water bottles at our new filtered water dispenser.

Thanks again for supporting us during our progress. We have invested in many more years of providing healthy local and organic foods at affordable prices for our community.

Moonflower’s mission is to provide socially responsible foods, goods and education to promote a healthy, sustainable community.

Moonflower is Utah's only natural food co-op and is a non-profit owned by over 600 of our community members. With only a small mark-up on items we can offer affordable healthy food to our community, along with free health education, supporting local non-profits, and supporting our local farmers, ranchers, practitioners, herbalists and artisans in our community.

We invite the community to join us on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17th for prizes, food and fun during our Grand Re-Opening! Co-op owners will also receive an additional 15% off their purchase!

You Know The Drill: Health and wellness depend on a healthy physical lifestyle that includes healthy eating habits, a regular routine of exercise, and at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Despite your best attempts to change eating habits you know aren’t good for you, to exercise more, and to get a good night’s sleep, do you:
- Count on caffeine and sugar to get you going out of your fatigue?
- Have regular bouts of pain, anxiety, depression, or poor sleep?
- Experience multiple physical symptoms no one can quite figure out?
- Feel perpetually overwhelmed with a relentless sense of dread and stress over the never ending to-do list of personal, professional, and family responsibilities?

As important as healthy routines of diet, exercise, and sleep are, they may not be enough for optimum health. No amount of “superfoods,” nutritional supplements, and regular workouts can counterbalance the toxic effects on the body of chronic repetitive stress in all its incarnations:
- Unhappy in your job or relationships?
- Haven’t found your community of like-minded people?
- Feel spiritually disconnected?
- Don’t like where you live?

It’s all connected. What many of us in the healing fields have known intuitively for years now has 25 years of hard science to PROVE it. The field of psychoneuroimmunology unequivocally demonstrates the connection between stress and our emotions, immunity, mood, cognitive function and hormones. When the body is in a state of stress – FOR WHATEVER REASON- the natural self- repair mechanisms of our beautifully engineered systems flip off, making it impossible for the body to heal optimally.

Where to begin? My 38 years of clinical work and training to help people heal holistically inform me that calming the repetitive stress responses and soothing the nervous system – to recognize when we are charged up and learn how to reclaim our calm – is the critical first step in any journey to heal. Relaxation exercises, meditation, music, nature, a hot bath, prayer, laughter, a pet are just a few examples of where you can begin.

For a more comprehensive look at stress, its impact on the body, and specific tools and practices that can help you learn to calm your own nervous system and respond differently to stress, join my 3 session class on Wed. March 15, 22, and 29, 2017 from 6:00-7:30 PM at 150 E. Center St. Call me for the details and to register at 937-284-2190.
And look for my monthly article on integrated health and wellness information, practices, and classes.

Research has proven that our human bodies were made to move, and when we become more sedentary we begin to break down. You may think this information doesn’t pertain to you because you are active or only sit as needed throughout the day- but read on. These tips will combat aches and pains of daily living including sitting at your computer, looking at our phones, and reaching forward while driving our cars. At times, you may be required to sit for a prolonged duration. It could be due to your commute into town, your current job, or while streaming movies and binge watching Netflix. I have some simple exercises that we can all do every day to feel ready to go and keep the blood flowing, as well as strengthen muscles on the backside of your body (referred to as the posterior chain in the medical field). Next time you go to sit down - get ready to sit with your arms straight out in front of you, squat down as far as you can but don’t SIT just yet, hold that position for 5-15 seconds (depending on your strength), and then squeeze your bottom and stand back up. Repeat this twice before you actually sit down during the day. Be safe- have a chair behind you if you need to sit and can’t hold the position as shown to the right. You will notice a difference in your strength and stability when you are upright and walking around.

The next exercise you can do while sitting is called the Bum Squeeze. This will cause the muscles in your bottom to fire. While being seated, squeeze your bottom as hard as you can, and focus on the contraction, while still breathing (as shown in bottom left picture). You should feel yourself rise up a bit in the chair and then sink back down on the release. Hold this for 5-15 seconds, relax and repeat 5-10 times. These simple tips can keep your blood flowing and your muscles strong. This exercise could help you to perform daily cooking, cleaning, and even walking out to the mailbox.

Please feel free to contact our clinic with any questions. We will be happy to help schedule you for an evaluation if you need more great exercises to keep you moving! (435) 210-1985, We are located 83 East Center Street near the visitor center.

Moab Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation is proud to announce a new provider has joined our staff!

Mrs. Chloe Hollis, physical therapist assistant, will be helping Dr. Rhonda Cowern in healing our community one patient at a time! Check out our updated website at: moabphysicaltherapy.com to read Chloe’s bio and like us on FACEBOOK.  We look forward to working with you!

And be sure to mention you read about Moab Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation in Moab Happenings.