Health in Motion

As a first time yoga student, or an individual with an ongoing practice, enjoy a Yoga Basics class series exploring the foundational principles of the exquisite art and science of the eight limbs of the tree of Yoga.  This class is being offered at the Academy of Performing Arts in Chino Valley beginning April 5, 2010.

More information on our Yoga Page.

Led by Arthritis Foundation Certified Instructors, this 6 class series will be held at The Adult Center of Prescott beginning Feb. 9.

Register by Feb. 5 – More Info Here.

-  Cheryl Van Demark, PT

As the health care reform debate continues to make national headlines, America is undergoing a conciousness raising around the concept of health. Good health constitutes more than just the absence of disease.  Consider the word dis-ease and open to the understanding of good health to include the following additional characteristics: a unified body, mind, spirit; a state of ever-present mindfulness to the wonder of this beautiful world; a joyful, grateful and loving heart; and finally, a life lived to fulfill ones unique purpose and benefit humanity.

Are Americans experiencing this holistic view of good health?  Does our present health care system deliver services in a way that empowers the whole human being on a path to good health?   What are we as indiviudals doing to put our health in motion to get on a right path?  If you want to cultivate this spectrum of good health, do you know how?  Read on and find out about how Health in Motion programs might be a good start. (more…)

What are mindful movement practices and why are they helpful?

Health in Motion programs promote “the science of physical therapy as expressed through the art of mindful movement practices”. The keystone of our Joint Investors Arthritis Program is the Mindful Movement Class. The value of mindfulness training has slowly been working its way into our American culture and health care system as research continues on mind-body medicine.

Simply stated, mindfulness is present moment self awareness without judgment in this very moment … and now again in this moment, and the one after that into an endless string of ever changing present moments. Sounds like a simple enough request! Consider however that mindfulness asks for us to cultivate present moment awareness not only of our physical actions, but also of the activity of our minds.

Mindful movement practices are widely varied, but share a common and very powerful element. They all teach us practices by which we may use our physical bodies, our motion matched with breath, as a vehicle to access the power of our mind. Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Pilates and other movement arts all ask us to learn a way of paying great attention to our movement in a way that invites unification of the body, mind and spirit. This unification is the true foundation of an optimal state of health.

The exciting and wonderful news is that each of us already has all that we need to be successful! Why? Because mindful movement practices take us on a journey through the breath back to a quiet, natural state of being. These soothing forms of movement offer us valuable tools to remove any perceived obstacles that burden or obscure our path back to this natural state of unity (body, mind and spirit). What a relief that we need not seek outside of ourselves, but instead, need to learn to look inward to begin this powerful journey toward well being.

In the creation of Health in Motion, physical therapist Cheryl Van Demark has attracted a very talented and fun group of inspired teachers who are commonly motivated to help each participant gain a direct, comfortable experience with their respective movement practices. I hope you will join us for our second session of The Joint Investors Arthritis program, which features the mindful movement arts class. Open the door to a great opportunity for self discovery and well being. Each and every one of us may begin this journey wherever we are … here and NOW!.

[The following article appeared in the Prescott Daily Courier on March 28, 2009]

A new exercise program aimed at people with knee problems kicks off on April 6 at Prescott’s Center for Physical Excellence. Its organizer, Cheryl Van Demark, says it fills a need in the quad-city area.

“It’s taking all the pieces out there in the scientific literature about non-pharmaceutical ways to treat osteoarthritis and packaging it in a user-friendly eight-week program,” Van Demark said.

As a yoga teacher, she said, she sees how many people with osteoarthritis struggle in regular classes for the general public.

“They try to do right and they hurt themselves,” Van Demark said. “They don’t know how to do right by themselves in the gym and they end up thinking exercise is bad for them.”

She gave it some thought and came up with her Health in Motion program combining water exercises, Chinese martial arts, yoga and health education.

Seventy-three-year-old Sandy Swan, a Prescott resident with what she calls a “blown-out” knee, has signed up for the Wednesday arthritis health education and group movement class, which is part of the Health in Motion program.

She’s taken classes before with two of the instructors participating in the program.

“I’m just delighted to be able to hook up with the two of them again,” Swan said. In the past year she’s taken two bad falls and now wears a knee brace, which she hopes to eliminate after taking the classes.

Lack of mobility and loss of strength and balance are hallmarks of an arthritic joint, Van Demark explained.

Her program uses lots of props like blankets, straps and blocks coupled with “joint-safe” tips that emphasize proper body alignment.

“Pain can be devastating to how you move in the world and can alter your perception of how you feel,” she continued. “In these classes, you learn to feel certain body signals. People have the power to sense these things.”

Aaron Kravetz, a local Chinese Martial Arts instructor, will be teaching chi-gong and tai-chi movements as part of the program. If done correctly, the movements can be very effective at strengthening the muscles around the knees, he said.

“It’s just shy of miraculous,” he added.

The Arthritis Foundation, while not directly endorsing Demark’s Health in Motion program, says on its website at www.arthritis.org that health and exercise professionals have been identifying and developing alternative activities that people with osteoarthritis can do to improve their pain and function.

The foundation says water’s buoyancy allows easier joint movement and is virtually impact-free, making it an excellent choice for people with painful joints.

It also says tai-chi is an ancient movement practice that consists of slow, continuous movements that incorporates strengthening, balance, posture, relaxation and concentration – all of which are important elements for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis.

For more information or to register for any of the Health in Motion classes, contact Demark at 925-4388 or visit her website at www.HealthInMotionAZ.com.

Health in Motion announces the Joint Investors Program, a physical therapist directed holistic program designed for individuals receiving medical intervention for Osteoarthritis.  This eight-week session runs from April 6 to May 29,  2009.

8 Week Program Begins April 6, 2009