January is here and we're all asking ourselves the same questions. How can we create our best self? How can we be better? For me, 2018 will be no different. I will sit down with my family to set our goals for the year. Personally, my focus isn't just about the lbs (of course that wouldn't hurt), but having more energy and happiness to give to my family, friends, and this blog.
As a teacher, I am a big proponent of education. I repeatedly tell my students they should never stop learning, even when they are finished with school. If your goals this year are health and well-being related, now is the time to get educated and get started.
Wanna know the great news?
We have amazing places RIGHT HERE to help you achieve your 2018 goals. In light of our January theme, Set the Tone, our first GO destination is Health, Wellness & Nutrition Center. Hopefully, after reading, this new information will help you (or a friend) GO and find your new local spot to learn and grow.
When I started my research on this topic, I did what every good investigator does...I went to Google. When I googled "wellness" and "nutrition" in Jefferson City, MO, one of the first hits was the Health, Wellness & Nutrition Center, which has been around since 1998. I had no clue what this was or where it was located. Of course, I was interested. I went to their webpage to find out more and was immediately surprised. When I looked at the About page, I was intrigued to see how qualified Dr. Dianna Richardson is to work in the field of health and wellness. Not only does she have a Master of Science in Public Health Education and a Doctorate in Naturopathy, but she is certified in many other aspects of health and wellness. Her educational resume was one of the most impressive I have seen. When I went to talk to her, she jokingly said her husband calls her a "professional student." From what I read...he is right and that's inspiring!
The first thing I did when I entered was to stop and look around at all there is to offer in this small building located on Dix Rd. Dr. Richardson and Victoria Hanrahan, their Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher and Certified Energy Teacher, told me people have called it a one-stop-shop. It's not an exaggeration. There's a small retail store with bulk food items such a dried plants and herbs to mix teas (Dr. Richardson's specialty), a room for counseling sessions, a yoga studio, and a place for massage therapy. To be honest, the outside of the building does the inside no justice.
Since there is so much on the inside, I was interested in hearing about all the services they offer. They offer naturopathic services, health education, wellness management, energy healing, stress management, yoga classes (Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Haha, Vinyasa), and massage therapy to name a few. They also take their services around the city. They do yoga in the park, as well as, go to different business locations and speak with employees about nutrition, special dietary needs (gluten-free, diabetes), stress management, and general "healthier eating" in the work place. They have a lot going on.
I sat and spoke with Dr. Richardson and Victoria for over a half and hour and the same topic came up over and over. They are all about people educating themselves on how to be well. Victoria told me she, "believes in teaching the whole person, mind, body, emotional, and spiritual". Their mission is to give people the tools they need to be better as a whole. With so much information available, they want to help decipher what is true and good information so people are healthy for the long haul, not just one month out of the year. At one point Dr. Richardson said, "There is no such thing as perfect health. All we can strive for is to be as well as we can humanly possibly be."
Before I left, I asked Dr. Richardson to help me with my cough. I had this cough for about a month and the over the counter medicine was not helping. Surprisingly, she asked me many different questions about my cough. She asked when and how it started, what did it feel like, was there mucus, etc. After I answered her questions, she went in and started mixing different plants for tea. As she put in the different plants, she explained to me what each one was and how it would help. It was fascinating. When she finished mixing, she put it in a little brown bag and wrote the dosage on the outside. This was my prescription and I was happy to take it. On the third day of drinking my tea, my cough stopped. I loved knowing that I could use whole, natural products to be better and feel well again.
In addition to the services and classes mentioned previously, the Health, Wellness & Nutrition Center offers Making Your Own Wellness Products and Essential Oils with Dr. Dianna. Again and Victoria offers one-on-one yoga classes. They pride themselves on giving people the knowledge they need to be their best self. They are all about giving you the tools to create a healthy, well-balanced life. Their motto is "Achieving Wellness Through Awareness" and I am excited to see what they can teach me in 2018!
