Uncategorized

For So Long…

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

(A Response to the Asian American violence in our country)

I got used to feeling part of the group; maybe a little shorter than the rest with black hair and almond eyes, but for a period, the introduction and acceptance of different cultures entered the mainstream and discriminatory language was policed by political correctness. Being different was cool. And in the 00’s and 10’s, I believed the word “exotic” meant alluring not kinky and “brown is beautiful” was positive, body affirming, and real. Discerning these definitions from the past, I thought, was evolution.  

Growing up in a Southeast beach town whose roots were farmland only two and a half decades before I was born, many times me and my family stuck out like the brown kernel in a box of white rice. We were easily spotted at the park, the grocery store, and the beach. I grew up in a Filipino home with highly educated parents guided by their strong internal compasses. I would never change my upbringing as being different meant embracing two cultures as well as the struggles that go along with it.

Last week, I asked my mother if she had taken her usual evening beach stroll.

“Oh no. Oh no. I can’t do that anymore. All of us older people can’t do that anymore. We are all scared someone might hurt us.”

I froze.

I felt the stings I had long buried from the 80’s and early 90’s; the wounds I thought had scabbed over were now being pulled and prodded with the pointed actions of countless individuals singling out Asians all around the country. Every Asian immigrant kid no matter what ethnicity, is an easy target. And as much as their parents want to preserve their unique culture, all the kids I knew felt a need to assimilate. No matter how well intentioned the questions are: Why do your eyes slant like that? Do you live on top of a trash heap? (Probably after watching documentary videos of the poorest areas of Asia), What is that smell in the kitchen? As a kid, another’s ignorance can feel like a tidal wave of criticism.

Amidst the shocking anti-Asian violence and ignorance sweeping the country today, I once again hear very clearly what my father said when I was a child.

“No matter what you learn in your head, the degrees you attain, the status you earn, others will first see and judge you from what you look like. This is why it is so important for you to know who you are and where you come from.”

His words spurned weeks of waking up at 3am thinking about the social constructs of our society and the overall consensus of pandemic resentment and anger towards Asians. My first instinct was to blame the verbiage of the past administration but then recognized a pattern. It seems by default, humans immediately blame without pause similar to the same individuals I was angry towards who quickly misdirected their fury. I thought of our response to the French’s lack of support during the the Iraq war and our need to change French fries into “Freedom fries”. Although we are fighting a virus and not another country, judging someone’s nationality/ethnicity echoes a similar sentiment regarding HR 908, the bill passed by Congress to eradicate the term “Chinese Virus” because of the undeniable attacks on Asians. The added distinction is that Asians are easier to identify in a crowd.

Confusing an entire race of human beings with the actions of foreign governments is wrong. It is not one and the same.

It’s inspired me to look at my life and my children’s lives in full context, knowing we were born after many of the fights were fought for us. However, today, as Asian Americans of varying ethnicities are being savagely assaulted and when two days ago yet another Filipino American woman in NYC was beat and hospitalized for being in the “wrong country”, I knew the chapter, The Model Minority had long ended.

I fully acknowledge a lack of mental health support or the failings of the incarceration system or even genetics may have played a hand in these attacks.  But in the end, there are NO excuses. People have been killed. Others have been severely hurt. Needless suffering abounds. Quite frankly, whether it’s happening directly in a community or not, many in the Asian populace are apprehensive to downright scared.

I can’t help but think their actions may point to what was never healed from the past and is now being stirred in a cauldron so quickly, the settled debris can only rise.

Now is the time to filter what’s been released, to fully identify it for what it was and may still be. We are in a remarkable place in history, where Asian Americans have a platform to highlight the inequalities and years of discrimination our ancestors once swallowed. 

Today we walk on the shoulders of what past generations have built. The difference is all Asian Americans can now speak openly about their own wounds, anger and resentment. Without repression, we create an outlet for healing.

My hope is that the Asian community is supported by other allies in all communities to end the current violence and misdirected rhetoric towards Asian Americans.

We must not let the past dictate the future.

_____________________________________________

To learn more about Asian-American History:

Watch

https://asiasociety.org/education/who-we-are

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/04/01/no-no-boy-1975-julian-saporiti

https://www.fahns-national.org

For Kids:

https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2020/min-jees-lunch

To become more involved in Local, State, and Federal Initiatives for Asian-American Issues:

https://www.npr.org/local/305/2021/03/29/982279622/virginia-state-legislators-create-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-caucus

www.philippineculturalcenter.com

https://www.vaab.virginia.gov/

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/908/text

Bring More Joy, Less Pain: Benjamin Goldberg Foundation

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

MORE JOY. LESS PAIN. That’s what everyone wants.

Acute medical treatment + Chinese Medicine theory = Acknowledgement of the physical, emotional and spiritual body.

Acupressure & Kids

A quick overview of acupressure points for inpatient and at home use.

Check out http://peaceoutportal.org and go to the Meditation Garden to learn more about Acupressure and how it can help children. The interactive learning site introduces kids to different healthy modalities. In addition to their online website, the organization has opened the Benjamin Goldberg Playroom on the oncology unit of the Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters in Norfolk, Va.

I’m excited and honored to contribute to the Benjamin Goldberg Foundation’s efforts in helping parents and kids of greater Hampton Roads learn ways to help kids during inpatient treatments at The Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters and online.

I’ve attached the video above for easier accessibility. The video was lovingly made with two of my daughters, Sophie and Suzanne. Suzanne was so relaxed after the session she fell asleep. I had to tap her head on Bai Hui, (DU 20– A point midline between the ears on top of the head to wake her up. It’s a great point to revitalize and raise Qi.)

More Joy. Less Pain.

Flu-Like Viruses and Traditional Chinese Medicine

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

(Modified from 4/1/2020)

Before microscopes and antibiotics, Traditional Chinese Medicine was a predominant way to sustain youth and to heal the sick. Chinese Medicine, a medical art form more than 2,500 years old, is comprised of Acupuncture, Chinese Medical Theory, Herbology, Nutrition, and Martial Arts.  From its foundation, other medical systems branched forth with similar acknowledgement to the mental, emotional, and spiritual connection of all living things. Today we find ourselves able to see the microscopic structure of Covid-19, but what about prevention and long-term effects?

Chinese Medicine differs from Allopathic (Western) Medicine because its foundation is based more on qualitative rather than quantitative analysis. To diagnose a patient requires specific awareness of details a practitioner can only see if trained to see them. Historically, without the consistent reliance of today’s diagnostic tools, in order to make a diagnosis Chinese medical doctors have to feel the nuances of a patient’s pulse quality in addition to its rate or rhythm, analyze a patient’s tongue coat, color and size, and place heavier importance on the overall characteristics of a patient’s mannerisms: smell, color, the way they communicate. An in-depth study of hundreds of individual herbs and their synergistic qualities are also learned and then matched according to a patient’s tongue, pulse, and symptom presentation. Although many Chinese Medicine practitioners today combine the best of both Eastern and Western medicine, TCM practitioners are trained to diagnose based on tiny gradations not typically noticed in the Western medical model.

In my experience and what I’ve encountered with other colleagues, both the prevention stage and the early stages of COVID-19 can be greatly helped utilizing the Chinese Medical theories, Shan Hun Lun (Cold-Induced Disorders) and the Wen Bing (Warm-Diseases), which are unparallel to anything in current modern medicine.  Cold induced diseases have been explained to me as more viral in nature and warm induced diseases as more bacterial and fungal in nature. However, this does not discount their mutual presence in either cold or warm temperatures.  The Shan Hun Lun was created during the Three Kingdoms around 220 AD, the bloodiest time in Chinese history, where constant invaders brought new diseases and with it much death. In this environment, Dr. Zhang Zhong-Jing was inspired to create the theory of external pathogens attacking the body from the outside and traveling inward to different levels listed accordingly in the body: Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang, Taoyin, Shaoyin, Jueyin. Dr. Ye Gui created the Wen Bing (Heat-induced disorders) which addresses the geographic differences of diseases caused in warm weather conditions: Wei stage, Qi stage, Ying stage, Xue stage.

What is most important, is for a trained practitioner to identify which stage the patient is currently in, as each stage has a parallel herbal formula and treatment protocol.  Not identifying the correct stage and administering the wrong formula would delay or worsen the symptoms. (The early stage is both the Taiyang and Yangming levels of the Shan Hun Lun and the Wei and Qi stages of the Wen Bing.) The further the pathogen travels, the worse the patient’s symptoms become.

The EARLY STAGE is divided into three stages in the order of which the pathogen begins to travel from outside to inside the body.  Each level has a specific corresponding herbal formula. Note here, the reason “Damp Cold in the Lung” is number 3 signifies the pathogen is now just beginning to affect the lung.

  1. Wind-Cold Invading the Interior: onset of low-grade fever, aversion to cold, chills, headache, ticklish throat, soreness of muscles, no sweat or just night sweats
  2. Toxic Heat Attacking the Lung: fever, aversion to cold, sore and dry throat, scanty sputum, sore and painful muscles in limbs, weakness, headache
  3. Damp Cold in the Lung: Aversion to cold, absence or presence of fever, dry cough, dry throat, fatigue, weakness, chest stuffiness, epigastric distention, nausea, diarrhea, tongue will be pale with a greasy coat.

Once a flu-like virus starts to affect the lung lining and begins to significantly replicate within the lung cells, the body has reached the next stage: PNEUMONIA or the Shaoyang Stage or Ying stage. This stage is divided into four levels with those listed from the beginning signs of pneumonia to the more severe. Herbal formulas tailored to each stage are given but at this point Western pharmaceuticals and hospitalization are in place.

  1. Shaoyang Syndrome with Damp: alternating fever/chills with worse fever in afternoon, cough, absence of wheezing, bitter taste in mouth, dry mouth, chest stuffiness, stifling sensation in chest, chest and hypochondriac distention, nausea or vomiting, no appetite, weakness, CT scan now reveals obstructions in the lung (GGO’s)
  2. Damp-heat Afflicting the Lung: low grade fever or absence of fever, dry cough or scanty sputum, dry and sore throat, fatigue, weakness, poor appetite, chest stuffiness, epigastric distention, nausea or vomiting, loose stool, CT scan reveals both lungs with GGO’s.
  3. Toxic Stagnation obstructing the Lung: Cough, stifling sensation, stifling distention in chest, asthma/wheezing worse upon exertion, accelerated respiration, thirst, irritability, reddish/yellow urine, CT scan reveals GGO’s and fibrotic changes to the lung, possible ICU status
  4. Closed Interior/Abandoned Exterior Syndrome: Mental incoherence, burning or heat sensation in the chest and abdomen, cold extremities, accelerated respiration and need for assisted breathing, multiple organ failure, ICU status

When patients are discharged from the hospital, Western patients don’t have an additional plan of care other than to rest and to continue isolation at home. However, the patient still has lung inflammation and needs to recuperate from the toxic load contributed by pharmaceuticals and the excess energy expended. 

Here, TCM shines as herbal formulas, acupuncture and whole food rebuilds the patient. While home, patients are given herbal formulas to restore their overall physical energy and Lung yin, essentially, the thin layer of fluid on its pleura which helps expand and extract the lungs with each breath. As the yin of the body is severely depleted in the later stages of this flu-like virus, repairing and restoring the body is paramount to healing.

Announcement!

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

Hello Patients and Friends,

A bundle of Love came into this world on March. 31st and her name is Suzanne Grace Gantous.   Over the last few weeks, I’ve been hibernating and bonding with the little one as we’ve been enjoying the wee hours of the morning together. Her two older sisters are doting on her: lucky girl!  Thank you all for the beautiful well wishes of love and support.  They’ve truly meant so much.  

I look forward to hearing from many of you soon.   

With love, Vivianne & Suzanne

File_000 (1)

 

The Sweet Taste of Halloween

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

halloween-vector-art-pack-vol2-M

Happy Halloween Everyone!

This week we explore the taste behind the word “SWEET,” share recommendations for the DAY AFTER, and give alternatives to table sugar.

Patients always ask what I do with my children on Halloween.  First, I want to say that I wholeheartedly believe in celebrating life’s  triumphs, being silly, and enjoying the feeling of freedom.  This is life.  For kids, Halloween is just that…utter and absolute freedom: running around being someone else and laughing with your friends.           

So, people are surprised to hear that on the night of, I let them eat as much Halloween candy as they want!  The week of, I make sure they take their probiotics every day and the day of I increase their vitamins and minerals to keep their immune systems strong given the onslaught of Halloween sweets.

Although it is always hard (I am literally wincing inside) to watch them devour so much sugar in one night, they learn the consequences of their actions with upset stomachs and stuffy noses the next day. In turn, they also feel some sense of autonomy with boundaries in place and memories they can share with their own children one day.   

Of course, every child reacts to sugar differently.  Your knowledge of what and how sugar affects the body and particularly your child, will determine how you plan out your personal Halloween plans.

The next day we collect the leftover candy and give it away (after they keep their favorite 5 pieces).  We have given candy to homeless shelters, to my husband’s workplace, and to others who recycle them for pinatas.

EIMG_3221njoy your weekend.  Have Fun!

-Vivianne

BEHIND THE SWEET TASTE

-Vivianne Gantous, LAc, RN

Lying on the surface of our tongues, taste buds are our gateways to the glorious taste of “sweet.”  This sensation is associated by many with the happiest times of our lives, saturated with receiving sweet things to celebrate, reward, and cheer us up.  As a society, we all agree it feels good.

As we know, the taste of sweet also has a dark side.  From conquered territories to being carried on the backs of sugar cane workers to the birth of highly processed foods, it is a powerful flavor that is as much political, addictive and toxic to the body as it is enjoyable to experience.

Enjoying the flavor of sweet is just like anything in life.   Just like riding a bicycle on the side of the street rather than in direct oncoming traffic, or being shown how to appreciate wine with food instead of pounding a few glasses without acknowledging its taste; it’s about being aware of the flavor and impact it has on our bodies, wholly.  

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-sugar-affects-the-brain-nicole-avena

The key is understanding the difference between how different types of sugars are broken down and learning about better sugar options.  Yes, all fruits and vegetables have some forms of glucose, sucrose, and fructose, yet once we produce these sugars into highly processed forms, we produce “too much too soon.” 

According to the American Heart Association, 2 tablespoons of added sugar for women and 3 tablespoons for men is recommended, or no more than 100 calories a day from added sugar.  If each tablespoon is equivalent to 12 grams of table sugar, we are looking at 24 grams and 36 grams of sugar respectively.  This is equivalent to between 1 and 1½ servings of fruit juice, or 1 and 1½ sodas per day.

For children, the American Heart Association recommends:

A study conducted by the AHA found children as young as 1-3 years consume around 4 tablespoons a day, 4-8 year olds consume an average of 7 tablespoons  a day, and by the time they reach 14-18 years old they average about 11 tablespoons per day.  This is 3x-4x the recommended allowance of sugar per day.

BREAKDOWN:

Glucose is metabolized by just about every cell in the body and insulin is secreted by the pancreas to break it down.

Sucrose is quickly metabolized in your intestines and absorbed into your blood, where it stimulates the release of insulin.

Fructose is metabolized by the liver and causes more work for the body than consuming glucose.  The biggest culprit for childhood obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and chronic inflammation, is highly processed fructose.  Fructose is metabolized twice as fast as glucose, thus it is absorbed faster by the bloodstream.  The key here is that unlike glucose, fructose does NOT cause the release of insulin from the pancreas; there is no manager.   For example, after eating 120 calories of glucose, one calorie is stored as fat.  After 120 calories of fructose, 40 calories are stored as FAT.  Yes, fruits and vegetables have fructose, but it’s the processed fructose, such as high fructose corn syrup and table sugar (50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose), that we need to be aware of.

My favorite alternatives to table sugar and high fructose corn syrup are: 

  • Pure raw honey: local pollen help us adapt to our environment, promote immunity, and are antimicrobial.
  • Stevia: made from herbs, no calories, and ideal for maintaining blood sugar balance and weight loss (but do not confuse with Truvia, which is highly processed and uses GMO plants).
  • Date Sugar: high in fiber (which slows metabolism and flushes toxins), good source of potassium, vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
  • Coconut Sugar: measures equally to sugar (i.e., 1 cup sugar to 1 cup coconut sugar/palm sugar), and a good source of potassium.
  • Blackstrap molasses: most nutritious grade of molasses, moderate glycemic index, rich in iron, and high in calcium and magnesium.

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/sugar-hiding-in-plain-sight-robert-lustig

SUMMARY:

In the end, SUGAR is SUGAR; from the sprouted Ezekiel ancient grain slice of bread to the candy bar, sugar ends up in our bloodstream.  The difference is how it is metabolized and how quickly our body needs to assimilate these added calories.

Lastly, if we remember that for children 4-8 years of age, the recommended serving per day of sugar is 1-3 tablespoons, then according to this graph made by Jenny Sugar’s blog:

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Calories-Halloween-Candy-Fun-Size-Treats-5452936

a pre-schooler/kindergartener/first grader/second grader would ideally eat 3-4 fun sized candy bars.

As most of us can attest to, Halloween night is the antithesis of moderation: a tradition of surprise, comedy, and lots of sugar.

After the night is over, enclosed are some helpful suggestions by Crystal Holmes, Boundless Well-Being’s patient advocate.

-Vivianne Gantous

THE DAY AFTER

– Crystal Holmes: Boundless Well-Being Patient Ally

131006-269057-Halloween-candy-infusions-candy-pile

So, after the fun is over, the costumes off, and the kids have finally settled into bed after the sugar rush, what do you do with all that candy? That enormous pumpkin, bag, or pillow case full of sugar?

Here are some ideas you might want to try.

  1. The Switch Witch. A friendly witch who comes to your house once the children are asleep and exchanges leftover mounds of candy for a new toy.
  2. Participate in a candy exchange. Some dentists and orthodontists (dentists who specialize in braces) offer candy exchanges. You turn in some candy and get healthy treats in exchange. Or you turn in some candy, and they pay you $1 per pound. They donate the candy to soup kitchens or to troops overseas.
  3. Wouldn’t it be cool if some of your candy went halfway around the world? Your Halloween candy could be included in care packages that are sent to soldiers serving their country far from home. Here are two organizations that ship packages to the troops. (Heat-resistant candy only. Chocolate melts, you know! And don’t forget to include a handwritten letter of support to really put a smile on a soldier’s face!)
    Operation Gratitude
    Operation Shoebox
  4. Try reverse trick-or-treating! With a parent, make a trip to one or more local charities that accept candy donations. You’ll feel great, and you’ll sweeten someone else’s day too. Some ideas include your local Ronald McDonald House, nursing homes, food pantries, children’s hospitals, veterans’ homes, or women’s shelters.
  5. Ask your parents if you can exchange your candy for something else — like a book or a toy. Make it fun by using a scale to weigh your stash — for example, maybe you could earn a book for every pound of candy you trade in.
  6. Reduce by recycling. If you have a birthday or other party coming up, offer to use your candy to fill up goody bags.
  7. Buy fun chocolate molds at a craft store, melt down your extra chocolate bars, pour into the molds, let cool, and voilà — decorative, delicious gifts!
  8. Glue candy pieces to an unfinished wooden picture frame (you can buy them at the craft store). Add a photo, and you’ve got a really sweet present for someone special.
  9. Use the candy to fill a piñata for someone who has a fall or winter birthday.
  10. Donate your candy to…science? Yep, you can do lots of great candy experiments at home using Skittles, Lifesavers, Starbursts, M&Ms, and more. Plus, you just might want to see what happens when you leave a gummy bear in water…
  11. Create a board game using candy as pieces. Or you can use candy in a sweet game of checkers or — dare we say it? — Candyland.
  12. Build a candy city. With some glue (ask a parent for help if using a hot glue gun), some toothpicks, and a whole lot of imagination, you can design and construct a scene that even your Legos will envy. And it’s never too early to start planning this year’s holiday gingerbread house.
  13. Send it to work with your mom or dad. That’ll really make it disappear fast!

Back to School Lunch Ideas

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

To All Parents,

Welcome to the new school year!  One of the most popular questions I get from parents is what to pack their kids for lunch when they test for food sensitivities and/or allergies.  As I do my best to combine what my kids love to eat with what nourishes them, the fact is that food sensitivities are not a consistent issue in my family.  To add to current advice given to patients, I asked Boundless Well-Being’s Patient Ally, Crystal Holmes, to share her tried and true experiences for kids with alternate needs.  I have seen firsthand her commitment and creativity to food choices that have created a world of difference for herself and her family.

The one thing I’d add is to buy your kids thermoses for hot food.  Once Fall hits, eating stews, soups, and bone broth will greatly aid in your child’s immature digestive system and foster healing of the gut on a daily basis.

Love, Vivianne

FullSizeRender (11)
In hopes of making the transition back to school flow smoothly, I hope this information will leave you inspired and prepared for the busy back-to-school days ahead.

  1. Leftovers – This is by far my favorite way to prepare lunches. Make a little extra food at dinner time and you have lunch for the next day (or two!) Check out this great resource for make-ahead meals and diet-specific menus: onceamonthmeals.com.
  2. Soup – Another great make-ahead option that will provide several main dish lunch servings. Nothing beats a simple chicken soup that can be customized to use vegetables that you have on hand. Here’s one of my favorite recipes: http://lindawagner.net/blog/2014/01/easy-chicken-kale-vegetable-soup-paleo-gluten-free-dairy-free-low-carb-the-magic-of-bone-broth
  3. Smoothies – packed with fruits and vegetables, and easy to transport in a thermos, these are another great nutrient-dense choice.
  4. Fresh fruits & veggies – these are a common choice, but try to mix it up and use seasonal options. Serving with a healthy homemade dip makes them more fun to eat! Try mashed avocado with lemon juice and sea salt or check out this Tahini Dressing – use less water to make a thicker consistency. http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/06/18/open-sesame/
  5. Salad – for my family, this is much easier with one child than the other. Some crisp romaine or “cute” (as my daughter would say) micro-greens with a few cut up veggies and a side of homemade dressing is a great side dish. If you don’t have the time for homemade, check your local grocer for Tessemae’s dressings (or tessemaes.com) that are truly natural and use only healthy oils. Our favorite is the French Vinaigrette.
  6. Tuna/Chicken/Salmon salad – These are a favorite in my home and can be customized in so many ways! Skip the mayo and use olive oil, celery seed, salt, and pepper for an egg-free version. Instead of using bread try: romaine lettuce boats, wraps with Bibb lettuce or collard greens, serve with celery sticks or apple slices as a “dip”, rice crackers, make cucumber sandwiches, rice flour tortillas…or just eat it right out of the dish!
  7. Veggie chips – kale chips are all the rage right now, and for good reason. Kale is a super-food and baking it into chips makes it more palatable and fun to eat! Brussel sprout leaves, carrots, or zucchini slices also work well! Here is a great recipe for kale chips: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/2648091289/baked-kale-chips
  8. Dehydrated fruits & veggies – Let your imagination go wild with this one! You can dehydrate any fruit or vegetable (even meats, fish, and herbs) and make a healthy snack that is easy to pack. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven, set on the lowest temperature setting, or simply leave the light on and the door ajar. http://www.weedemandreap.com/dehydrator-recipes/
  9. Gummies/Fruit Snacks – these are a super easy on-the-go snack that provide gut-healing yumminess! http://paleoparents.com/2014/gelatin-why-we-love-it-and-60-delicious-family-friendly-recipes-using-it/
  10. Assorted finger foods and treats –
    1. Hard boiled eggs, olives, pickles
    2. Almond/cashew/sunflower seed butter (Try Justin’s brand individual serving packs)
    3. Mini muffins http://www.paleocupboard.com/blueberry-muffins.html
    4. These are great for peanut-free schools and there is even an egg-free option! http://predominantlypaleo.com/peanot-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
    5. There is also a lot of great lunch box inspiration here as well: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/59118514268/paleo-lunchbox-roundup

-Crystal Holmes, Boundless Well-Being Patient Ally

Love for Techie Pelayo Brown

Aside ~ ~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ 2 Comments

13049

On March. 7, 2015, our front desk and great friend, Techie Pelayo Brown, went Home.  After a long month of pain, she passed peacefully with her husband, Ronnie Brown, by her side.

It has been exactly a month since the funeral, and today, I am able to express words that have been stuck deeply in my chest to commemorate Techie’s life as it meant not only to me but for the patients at Boundless Well-Being.
We saw Techie as steadfast, compassionate, loving and wise.  She was a private person who beamed love and goodwill to all who walked through the door.  Techie lived her life the way she wanted to live it.  No one and nothing could stop what she chose and how she chose to express it.  To witness a person who listened and then acted upon her absolute faith at every turn was a gift to behold.
Very early on, I recognized she was not a typical administrative assistant.  I later learned she was a missionary.  As Boundless Well-Being’s front desk for the last three years, she brought amazing possibilities to the clinic, the patients, and myself.  She had an unyielding faith in God and love for humanity which became a lighthouse for many who were sick, imbalanced, and felt “lost at sea”.  Upon her passing, many patients shared their stories with me of their time with her.  They told me that after their treatments, sometimes they lingered as they thought about their condition. Techie recognized this right away, offered an ear, and if she sensed they were open and willing, would offer to pray with them.  These gestures opened a door that allowed patients to speak about their illnesses and loved ones.  The common thread I heard from every story, was that she brought a great sense of peace and gave people strength to walk onward.  She told me this was the most fulfilling part of her job.
I called her “Tita”, which means aunt in Tagalog.  I did this out of respect in that we not only worked together, but we were friends.  She selflessly gave shade when there was too much to bear, a wise ear when there were forks in the road, and unconditional love when love was scarce.
She is one of my greatest teachers.
Tita Techie, we miss you.  Thank you for sharing your life and wisdom with all of us. 
Our ride together has truly been a gift.  I am forever grateful.
 lighthouse2

 

-Vivianne Gantous

Re-creations and Introductions

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

Dear Friends,

The intention behind “Boundless Well-Being” is to support families and the individuals that make up those families.  Here, the hope is that parents are reminded of their true gifts in life and supported to share them.

Introducing Boundless Well-Being’s “Patient Ally”, Crystal Holmes: a mother, a wife, and a former teacher whose passion lies in helping her family in any way possible using natural and healthy alternatives.  R0002583At Boundless, she will contribute to the Blog with tried and true family recipes/health tips, while helping to answer your concerns.  She will direct your questions to me as efficiently as possible.  I have treated Crystal and her family for the last two years and have utmost confidence in her ability to communicate from a place of empathy and compassion.  Her great interest in nutrition and natural health coupled with her experience as an educator, will help many patients and friends.  Below, find her first post on the “Honest Kitchen”.

Also featured for sale at Boundless Well-Being this month, are natural balms by LIVI!  Lovingly homemade by Yolinda Humphries, a mother and new entrepreneur, the balms consist of Philippine Coconut oil, Shea butter, Beeswax, Vit. E and Essential oils.  They help soothe dry, cracked skin and make this winter more bearable!  LiviMy current favorite is “Calming Balm” which relieves dryness and calms the nervous system.  Yolinda creates safe & natural products for all ages, including baby. Check out her FB page: https://www.facebook.com/balmsbylivi

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Vivianne

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself”.

 -George Bernard Shaw

The First Post

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to the Boundless Blog, a place friends and patients can visit for inspiration and insight on Greater Health.

The following post is the catalyst behind “Boundless Well-Being”.

This month’s topic is, “Honest Beginnings”: whether it’s starting a new journey towards health…..or making a few changes.

Until we meet again…may the rest of your month be filled with welcomed surprises.
-V.H.Gantous

The Threshold

~ Vivianne H. Gantous ~ Leave a comment

st.kitts2Quiet fills my chest.  I watch my children splash with their cousins and my husband walks toward shore after a swim with sea turtles.  It’s April and I’m in St. Kitts for a wedding with family and friends.

The water crashes on coral as the sun illuminates droplets of color in mid-air, freeze framed for posterity sake before joining the ocean again.  It’s been a long time since we felt the hot sun warm our bones.   As I look towards the water’s edge, I feel an inherent urge to be in the water.  Grabbing goggles, I walk, then run towards the ocean’s mouth and dive in.   The acceptance is immediate, and the warmth of the Caribbean envelops me completely.  With each stroke, I shed a layer.  And then a next, with each one exponentially larger than the last:  the week’s frantic office push to get there, waking my kids up at 4am so we can get on the 6am flight, rechecking my packing list to make sure I have enough 3 year old “diversion toys” in-flight, conversations with my accountant for the inevitable office income tax returns….

Suddenly, time widens into an everlasting underwater galaxy and I am reminded why people take vacation.  Daily, the LIST can run through our minds like the sound of the ticker that is appointed to count people as they walk through the door.  The metronome of seemingly necessary errands clicks along until robotic, we are either so frantic we think we can’t keep up, or so exhausted we’re left painfully numb.

Experience has shown that the heart will tell you it’s time for a reprieve if you acknowledge it and listen.  And when you don’t, your body will.  Through premature greys, restlessness, an extra inch or 2 around the middle,… our bodies go on strike.

I’d like to say, that since I’ve committed to helping others toward better health, that I’ve always listened.  But as the common denominator of being human is my reality, I haven’t.   Today I give my honest best, but sometimes, like everyone else, I push because I feel that I need to.  Kids need parenting, older parents need assistance, significant others and friends need mindful attention, and work is always a spiral of more…if you let it.   Inevitably, when this happens, I get tired, feel off, and if I am aware of it and don’t listen…sick.  Working for me, is a self-imposed passionate reinforcement of practicing what I preach.  And some days I fail.   But I do what I know to keep my body sustained, healthy, and in the interim help those who need it.  There’s a healthy threshold in each person; that line between pushing yourself, and pushing yourself even though you have nothing left to give.  The key is getting to know your threshold way before becoming “empty” and stopping to fill yourself back up. Learning when and how is a commitment to keeping your body and mind well.  

We daydream about escaping after that morning rush of packing lunches and dressing kids, when the Xerox machine gets stuck again after a recent tune-up, during the extra long red light when you’re late, and when the toddler has the late evening tantrum after a day focused on everything other than yourself.  WHY? Because we forget to breath, and live life holding our breath believing that we can only exhale when we’re blowing bubbles on vacation.  The truth, is that we lose our center: who we really are, amidst the checking of lists and obligations.  It is being reminded of our true gifts and purposes in life that brings us fully breathing again.       

In the ocean, my body is lighter now.   I realize that even in “paradise”, I struggle with unraveling the identities I impose on myself; the mother, the wife, the practitioner, the “wanting to do it all” human being who in the end wants to say, “why did I schedule another thing?”.  As I look towards shore and see my children’s faces with loved ones, I pause.   I acknowledge that what I’m feeling now should not be “because I’m on vacation”, but carried into myself to share once home with family, friends, and patients.  And some kept just for me.  Giving myself permission, I take a slow inhale, and dive deeper.

Underwater it is gloriously silent and a few kelp strands float aimlessly through my fingers.  I realize that here I AM.  Holding my breath in daily life I have muted life’s experience, and yet here I am, holding my breath underwater, eyes wide open, feeling more alive than I have in months.

© 2013 V.H. Gantous