In Brookfield the wellness and stress relief feature a chiropractic backbone.
“The wellness and stress relief industry is booming,” said Rachel Van Scoy, holistic health counselor and licensed massage therapist at Brookfield Family Chiropractic and EMSA Hyperbaric & Wellness Center in Brookfield. “I hear it every day, everyone is stressed.”
The stress-relief portion of business has expanded so much that Dr. Bonnie Zschunke, the primary practitioner at Brookfield Family Chiropractic, has with her husband, Michael Zschunke, and Van Scoy opened up a separate wellness shop next to the current location on Federal Road.
Van Scoy said people are finding it harder to escape from the stresses of the office.
“The majority of those unable to deal with stress on their own are that way because of work and the economy,” said Van Scoy. “They”™re looking for a way to relax but can”™t escape the constant presence of what”™s going on.”
Van Scoy said holidays and winter weather continue to prove to be the worst times of the year for stress.
“I practice a holistic approach to nutrition,” said Van Scoy. “It means that I look at how all areas of your life are connected. Does stress at your job or in your relationship cause you to overeat? Does lack of sleep or low energy prevent you from exercising? As we work together, we look at how all parts of your life affect the whole.”
Van Scoy said not all diets are for everyone and looking at your age, health, activity level, blood type, metabolic rate and personal preferences all affect dietary needs.
“Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and a spiritual practice are essential forms of nourishment,” said Van Scoy. “When these ”˜primary foods”™ are balanced, what you eat becomes secondary.”
“People need assistance de-stressing,” said Van Scoy. “There are thousands of ways to de-stress but people sometimes need a hand. It”™s amazing how hard it can be to do nothing and escape.”
Van Scoy said cell phones and emails have crept into time people once spent unwinding.
“Being stressed becomes a way of life,” said Van Scoy. “I try to get people to slow down and take time for themselves; that”™s most important. Massage therapy and touch is very relaxing and helps release those endorphins” ”“ source of the famous “runner”™s high.”
Van Scoy recommended while at the office to practice deep breathing, brief walks or stretching.
Being stressed is probably a way of life now, she said, and with technology people can”™t escape their work easily.
Some of the most immediate and common effects of being overstressed are digestive issues, and bone and heart issues.
Van Scoy also said eliminating clutter allows individuals to deal with stressors more readily. She also recommends being close to windows and having plants in the office place.
In addition to Van Scoy”™s massage and counseling services the wellness office also offers use of a hyperbaric chamber to increase oxygen in the tissues of the body. Such chambers are used to help burn victims heal and athletes train. Van Scoy said it helps the average person feel refreshed.
Zschunke began to work on the idea for the center after using the chamber for use with her own multiple sclerosis and Lyme disease.
“It’s not a cure for anything, it’s about body maintenance,” said Zschunke.
Sessions for the chamber are usually an hour long, cost an average of $80. Patients read, watch movies, and talk on the phone while in the chamber.
