Implicit Bias – Part 2

Announcements

After a hugely successful blood drive earlier this year, we are continuing to work with the Red Cross to bring you local drives near you!

Donate today!

Join us in welcoming Isabel Vigil, Licensed Massage Therapist, to the Mindset crew! 

Isabel brings her wealth of expertise and passion for holistic wellness to our team. As a full-time massage therapist, she is dedicated to helping you achieve ultimate relaxation, rejuvenation, and overall well-being. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on board, starting next week, Thursday, July 13th!

Mark your calendars! Isabel will be available at Mindset PT every Thursday to work her magic and provide you with a truly blissful experience. Whether you’re in need of a little “me-time” or want to address specific areas of tension, Isabel’s healing hands are here to help you unwind and restore balance. 

Isabel is offering three different durations for her massages, so you can choose the perfect session for your needs:
– 60 minutes: Perfect for a quick escape during a busy day.
– 75 minutes: An extended session to truly melt away stress and tension.
– 90 minutes: The ultimate indulgence for deep relaxation and rejuvenation.

Ready to book your much-deserved massage session with Isabel? You have two convenient options:
1) Give us a call today at 269.447.2672, and our friendly team will assist you in securing your appointment.

2) Hop on over to book directly on her schedule HERE!

Spread the word and share this exciting news with your friends and loved ones who could benefit from some well-deserved self-care. Let’s make Isabel’s first day at Mindset PT a memorable one!

We have been SO blessed to be in her world during her time at Mindset. I know you all feel how intentional she is with every conversation, email and interaction. She lives her life with a genuine kindness that is unmatched.

I know personally, my life is better with her in it.

So please join us in celebrating this amazing woman and mama! Starting Monday, there will be cards for you to sign and share your with for her. Amanda loves hearing the wisdom all of you have learned from being amazing humans who have been through big changes and even possibly parenthood.

In addition, we will be hosting a small Mindset community baby shower for her at 9:30-10:30am on her last day, Thursday July 27th. Please come and give her one last hug before her life changes for the better!

Please feel free to contact me directly with any question (or sneaky ideas!) at Ellen@MindsetPT.com!

Health Tip

Implicit bias is our topic last week and this week for your health tip! We at Mindset believe strongly that health is a multi-layered, multi-faceted concept. Our society is most comfortable with physical health discussions, and thankfully, mental health is becoming more recognized as well. But there is more. Much more. And the more we work on our overall health as individuals, we open more opportunities for the health and growth of our communities. So let’s start the conversation.

What is Implicit Bias:

Thoughts and feelings are “implicit” if we are unaware of them or mistaken about their nature. We have a bias when, rather than being neutral, we have a preference for (or aversion to) a thought, people or perspectives. Thus, we use the term “implicit bias” to describe when we have attitudes towards thoughts, people or perspectives. This also applies to associating stereotypes without our conscious knowledge.

Did you know:

Implicit bias is actually very common, normal, and is technically rooted in physiology. You are the combination of what you have learned. Things you learned from your own experiences. Things you learned from what you have seen. Things learned from what you have read. And things learned from what you have heard.

But where did the information you absorbed come from?  

Take for example: Your mother was attacked by a dog when she was young. She suffered from PTSD and had outward scars as daily reminders of the incident. As you grew up, she held you (and herself) from situations that involved dogs, as well as demonstrated physical aversion to dogs as she was still processing her own trauma. You were then raised to dislike dogs and find them dangerous without even having an interaction yourself. This can lead to your conscious and/or subconscious feeling that dogs are a risk. 

How about this example: You were told early on that you are not a morning person. Therefore you avoided early classes in college, and chose a profession that you didn’t have to be present for by 7am, and even avoided 5:30am workouts.  But all the while, what you actually have been doing is just creating this narrative of self limitation.

We all have implicit biases and act on them constantly. Please know, having these does not make you a bad person. However, GI Joe did have a point when the show said, “Knowing is half the battle.”  

Let’s continue to talk about how to move forward and educate ourselves to improve this one aspect of our health and the health of our community.

Functional Medicine Corner

Last week we discussed inflammation specifically, and how it is beneficial in the short term to help defend and repair our body.  However, if there is persistent exposure to elements that trigger an immune response long term, it can lead to continued signals to the brain to release more cortisol and contribute to other chronic health conditions.  What can we address or avoid to decrease the number of triggers that may irritate our immune system army?

Infections – Bacteria, viruses, yeast, and parasites can all present triggers for persistent inflammation inside the body.   Symptoms such as chronic sinus congestion, inflammation of the gums or long-standing GI symptoms may be a sign that there is presence of microbes that are leading to persistent inflammation.

Environmental factors – Our state has seen its share of environmental concerns that contribute to health, such as the Flint water crisis and PFAS, or the “forever chemical” in Parchment and Grand Rapid’s water tables.  Heavy metals, chemicals, air pollution, chronic cigarette smoke exposure – all of these can lead to continued stimulation for the immune system.

Food additives/highly processed foods – For centuries, our bodies have evolved to use the nutrients from whole foods to nourish and energize our bodies.  It’s just been over the last 50 years or so that we have introduced several preservatives, dyes, and artificial flavors to our food.  Especially if we ingest processed foods frequently, our immune system can react with an inflammatory response.  If something is unknown or not familiar, our immune system errs on the side of caution to defend our health!

Addressing the root cause of inflammation is one of the key components to a functional medicine approach to improve chronic inflammatory conditions.  However, all of us can decrease exposure to inflammatory agents by considering some simple approaches daily, such as using clean water sources, focusing largely on eating whole foods, and considering what chemicals we use in our household.  We will discuss this further next week!

Member of the Month – June

Her relentless determination and unwavering commitment to her fitness goals, even amidst pregnancy, make her a true powerhouse! Her resilience and strength extend beyond the weights, as she effortlessly balances her fitness journey with the joys and responsibilities of motherhood.

Every time Laine walks through our doors, she brings with her a lovable energy. Laine, we salute your incredible work ethic and your ability to inspire others with your unwavering dedication. You are a true embodiment of strength and resilience!

And guess who joined her at 1:14am on June 30th?!?! This beautiful boy!! Join us in celebrating Laine’s remarkable journey and let her be an inspiration to us all.

Community Partners

Green Box: The Farmers’ Market in a Box from Of the Land!

Of the Land is a family and community farm that believes in the power of food and the beauty in sharing the nature that is around us. They provide organic faire, catering, and one of a kind wedding and event experiences. (And it is run by some pretty incredible human beings–Bridgett and Trent Blough!)

One of the great services Of the Land offers is their Green Box–otherwise referred to as the “Farmers’ Market in a Box!” The Green Box is a way to source locally grown produce, meats, eggs, dairy, kitchen staples, complete meals, and much more–all from the Of the Land farm and other local farmers, artisans and producers!

You can access the green box via the virtual marketplace here! In the growing season, they offer weekly and bi-weekly subscriptions–you can also do a one-time order as long as you have an order of at least $35!

Here is a great video to learn more about Of the Land and Green Box!

MRC ARTWORKS

We are overjoyed to announce our partnership with MRC Artworks!

This is an incredible organization! Their mission is to encourage and support individuals living with a disability to achieve the fullest potential through employment, skill building, and active community involvement.

We have 14 pieces for sale! We will be collecting any sales then giving all the proceeds back to MRC. Artists will receive 75% commission on all sales!

Come check them out at our office or at their downtown location!

JUICYLEAF

Another AMAZING partnership we are bringing to you is our very own local juicer – JuicyLeaf!

Come check them out at our office or at their downtown location or schedule a pick up at Mindset every Tuesday from 3-7pm! 

**Place your orders before NOON on SUNDAYS**

Does Juicy Leaf use organic fruits and vegetables?

• We strictly use certified organic or local, organically grown produce unless an item is on the “EWG Clean Fifteen” list; e.g. pineapples, melons, etc.
• https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean_fifteen_list.php#.WlJKyVQ-eHo

What’s the difference between a juice and a smoothie?

• The main difference is fiber. Most of the insoluble fiber is removed in the juicing process.
• By taking the fiber out, you can pack more fruit & veggie nutrients into a juice than you can into a smoothie of the same size.
• The lack of insoluble fiber allows your body to rapidly absorb the nutrients while expending minimal digestive effort.
• Smoothies are made by pulverizing fruit/veggies with liquid in a blender. The insoluble fiber, which helps keep things moving through your system, is maintained in the process.

What are the benefits of juice?

• Several servings of fruit & veg nutrition effortlessly absorbed without energy taxing digestion.
• Easy way to incorporate more fruits and veg in diet than eating produce alone.
• Boosts immunity and energy. Alkalizing, chronic illness prevention, helps aid in weight loss, clear skin, healthy hair.