Unlike a visit to the doctor's office, a trip to a wellness center is likely to include softly piped music, scented candles and soothing earth-toned walls. That's because, above all, a wellness center is a place to let down your guard, ask questions, relax, find balance and achieve all-around health.
Several wellness centers in the Maple Grove area provide a wide range of alternative and holistic treatments designed to address your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. "We take care of people and help them feel better in the most holistic way that we can. We're not as concerned about your outward appearance as we are about your inner beauty," says Sharon Saunders, co-owner of Healthy Measures in Maple Grove.
This month discover what wellness treatments would be perfect for you and where you can find them right here at home.
Acupuncture
Offered at: DC Wellness Center
Helps to treat: A variety of concerns including carpal tunnel, fatigue, tennis elbow and addiction.
How it works: Tiny needles are inserted into the body at different energy points. The needles stimulate the body's energy prompting healing. "Our clients us acupuncture in conjunction with their chiropractic care. It helps treat pain in the knee, elbow or other body parts," Says Niki Anderson of DC Wellness Center.
Reiki
Offered at: Orion Wellness Center and Healthy Measures
Helps to treat: An imbalance of energy that might have been caused by disease, stress, pain or depression.
How it works: Reiki is not massage. Instead, it is the clearing, realignment and stimulation of the body's energy centers, or chakras. Clients lie down on a massage table while fully clothed, says Sharon Sunders of Healthy Measures, for a 60-to 90-minute session. (Orian's sessions run 45 or 60 minutes each.) In addition, says Paulie Skaja-Bell of Orion Wellness Center, "Every Reiki session is different; plus, no two moments are the same. Your energy, at any given moment, is going to be different. Sometimes you feel like you are floating, sometimes you feel a tingling."
Chiropractic Care
Offered at: DC Wellness Center
Helps to treat: Migraines, digestion, neck and back pain.
How it works: By paying special attention to the spine, a chiropractor realigns bones. "Our patients range from just a few days old to beyond retirement. For children, chiropractic can help with colic, ear infections or digestion," says Niki Anderson of DC Wellness Center. "A lot of adults come to us for relief from neck and back pain caused from computers or stress. We work with a lot of pregnant women too. Chiropractic care throughout a pregnancy can lead to quicker deliveries, less pain and healthier children."
Cymatherapy
Offered at: Orion Wellness Center
Helps to treat: An imbalance in the body that might have caused a variety of health complaints including general pain, depression, swelling, arthritis and planter fasciitis
How it works: "The theory behind cymatherapy is that every part of the body has a frequency. If just one of those frequencies is off-balance, it had the potential to create pain," says Paulie Skaja-Bell of Orion Wellness Center.
Cymatherapy sessions last about an hour. before a session begins, clients complete a survey with a practitioner in order to identify areas of imbalance. While wearing his or her clothing or a provided robe, the client lies down on a massage table. The practitioner turns on a small machine that rings and beeps in various pitches and tones. As the client relaxes, the therapist moves a paddle over the client's acupuncture points, pausing to hold it over areas of concern and the body's chakra points. This allows the frequencies to register with the organs and energy centers to rebalance the entire body.
Ion Cleanse Foot Bath
Offered at: Healthy Measures
Helps to treat: a build up of toxins in the liver lymph nodes, joints and other areas of the body.
How it works: feet soak in a warm tub for 30 minutes while the Ion Cleanse machine sends positive and negative electronic charges through the water. The charges are absorbed through the feet and circulated throughout the body attracting toxins as they pass. The ions carry the toxins back out of the body through the pores of the feet and deposit them in the tub, turning the water ugly shades of orange, brown and black. The procedure is relaxing and non-invasive. Once finished, feet feel scrubbed, tingly and light.
Body Wrap
Offered at: Orion Wellness Center and Healthy Measures
Helps to treat: sagging skin, build up of toxins and stimulates weight loss.
How it works: "The body wraps are our most popular treatment says Sharon Sunders of Healthy Measures." Clients lose between 4 and 14 inches during each treatment. We recommend it for those on a weight loss plan. After every 5-10 pounds lost, a body wrap can help restore elasticity and firm the skin."
The procedure takes two hours. Clients disrobe leaving on their undergarments. Next, a special cream, laden with herbs that break down toxins and stimulate circulation, is rubbed into the skin. Then plastic is snugly wrapped around the body. before the wrap is removed, the client relaxes for an hour on a warm bed. "Client usually fall asleep," Sunders says. "it is cocooning."
Orion offers detox body wraps, such as its relaxing Lavender wrap or the hot-spiced wine wrap. Aromatherapy also plays a role in Orion's wrap therapies.
Ear Candling
Offered at: Orion Wellness Center and Healthy Measures
Helps to treat: Chronic congestion, sinus infections, headaches and ear infections
How it works: "Ear candles are hollow in the middle like a straw," says Sharon Sunder of Healthy Measures. "They are made of linen that has been dipped in a wax. The candle is placed in the ear and as it burns down, the warmth and smoke soften any build up in the ear that then gets drawn up through the center." An ear candling lasts about 45 minutes, and in that time, two candles are used on each ear, Sunders says. A paper plate-like disc fits around the candle and next to the ear, protecting the skin and hair.
