The University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness will host "Resolve to Get Healthy: A Community Day Focused on Wellness, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, at the Kingsgate Marriott Conference Center, 151 Goodman Drive.
Presentations, discussions and hands-on demonstrations will be offered to help participants understand the benefits of tai chi, yoga, mindfulness, food as medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation, stress reduction, a healing space and other topics, says Sian Cotton, PhD, director of the UC Center for Integrative Health and Wellness and UC Health Integrative Medicine.
The event is open to the public; costs range from $25 for a half day to $50 for the whole day with lunch served. VIP admission of $75 covers all activities including a post-event reception. Forty tickets have been purchased by the Cincinnati-based nonprofit Interact for Health and will be made available to low-income residents for free.
"We wanted to create a day where community members could come at very low cost and really experience many of these therapies and healing traditions, says Cotton, also a research associate professor in the UC Department of Family and Community Medicine. "The community can enjoy our healing space, understand the therapeutic power of music through our drumming circle and personally experience the benefits of mindfulness.
"Mindfulness is an ancient practice that is an integral part of tai chi, yoga and meditation. Its nothing fancy. Its just paying attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental way with acceptance and awareness. Its about bringing yourself into the present moment and not worrying about whats coming next or what has happened in the past. We are starting to utilize mindfulness in health care settings all around the country and the globe. It is increasingly used in major medical centers to address stress, pain, and other chronic conditions.
Cotton says there are mindful eating programs that address obesity, and mindful parenting and birthing groups.
"How often do you sit and just eat and you really arent paying attention to it? asks Cotton. "What if you actually ate mindfully? What if you actually thought before you put something in your mouth? Its not a new concept. This is a Buddhist concept that is thousands of years old. Whats new about it in the last 20 years ago is bringing it into the health care setting and using it to promote health and wellness.
The sense of smell can also promote healing, explains Angela Fitch, MD, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and a presenter of a session on aroma therapy at the symposium.
"Our sense of smell and reaction to smells is important in our lives, says Fitch, also a UC Health physician. "We smell something that might remind us of home, cause us to relax or even make us feel less sick such as using the smell of peppermint to decrease nausea after surgery.
"Essential oils have been used to help with disease treatment since ancient times. Essential oils can be used as aroma therapy by rubbing them on the skin, diffusing them in the air and ingesting them as well. We will discuss different uses for different types of aromatic oils and how they can help us live healthier and happier and balanced lives.
The events keynote speaker is Brad Jacobs, MD, who is trained in internal medicine and has studied acupuncture, nutrition, herbal medicine, stress management, yoga and martial arts. He will discuss his "Six Pillars of Healthy Living.
Other presenters and speakers listed for the event include several University of Cincinnati faculty including: Sarah Couch, PhD, of the College of Allied Health Sciences; Rekha Chaudhary, MD, Department of Internal Medicine; Eleanor Glass, MD, Department of Family and Community Medicine; and Richard Sears, PsyD, John Sacco, MD, Mehran Attari, MD, and Geraldine Wu, MD, all from the Center for Integrative Health and Wellness.
The event is being co-sponsored by the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine. UC Health is a presenting sponsor, which other supporters include: Mayfield Education and Research Foundation, Turner Farm, Rooted Juicery + Kitchen, Natural Awakenings, Functional Formularies, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, 80 Acres, Beckett Springs Hospital and Alliance Integrative Medicine.
