Category Archives: Restore Motion Friends

Nina Helms: Yoga Instructor

Restore Motion is excited to introduce a twice weekly vinyasa yoga class taught by veteran yoga teacher, Nina Helms. Nina has extensive experience practicing yoga since 1994 and was certified to teach at the White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA in 2002. She combines her yoga expertise with her knowledge from her own struggles with injury and pelvic pain. Trained by the Yoga industry’s luminaries, Helms takes a non-dogmatic approach and is sensitive to body limitations while focusing on integrating strength, flexibility and balance. Nina’s teaching incorporates knowledge of the anatomy, familiarity with pain and the ability to coach to each practitioner’s ability and experience level. Join her every Tuesday at 11:00am or Wednesday evening at 6:00 to create space, healing and strength in your body and spirit.

Photo Credit: http://www.sheintimatefitness.com/about/

Nicole Anzia of Neat Nik

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Nicole Anzia launched her organizing company, NeatNik in 2007. Ever since, she’s used her innate organizing ability and entrepreneurial spirit to help clients all over DC area simplify their lives. She believes that when people feel in control of their surroundings, they are better able to reach personal and professional goals — and they can spend more time doing the things they love. Nicole also writes a monthly organizing column for The Washington Post. Nicole lives in Washington DC with her husband and two daughters.

Spring-cleaning means different things to different people. For some people, this time of year is a chance to de-clutter surfaces, straighten up the home office and clean out their closet. To others, this is a chance to do some serious deep cleaning – windows, appliances, furniture and rugs. There is no right or wrong way to spring clean your house – do what needs to be done and feels right to you.

On my spring-cleaning/to-do list this month
1) Take things out of my kitchen drawers and cabinets and wipe out the insides. And I’m only going to put back the items I need and use.

2) Wipe out the insides of the garbage and recycling cans in my kitchen.

3) Remove things from my vanity’s cabinets and drawers, wipe out the inside and re-organize the contents.

4) Remove everything from the floor of our coat closet, clean the floor, and throw away or donate any shoes or boots that no longer fit or have not been worn in the past 6 months.

5) Clear off my desk and wipe the surface clean. Cull papers and file papers from the past 3 months.

6) Wash my pillows, pillow covers, and mattress cover.

7) Wash throw blankets and have furniture and area rugs deep cleaned.

8) Wipe down baseboards and doors.

9) Throw away old and expired food from my pantry. Wipe off shelves and make a list of what needs to be re-stocked.

10) Discard all old newspapers and catalogues. Remove myself from the mailing lists of at least 5 company’s catalogues.

The change of seasons is a perfect time to clean and organize your home. It’s an opportunity to get things in order and head into the warm spring and summer months feeling in control and refreshed.

RM Friend: Marisa Nickols

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Meet RM Friend MarisaNickols, Co-Executive Director of Baby’s Bounty Montgomery County. Baby’s Bounty MC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) that provides safety, health and wellness essentials to at-risk infants up to six months of age who are born into poverty, homelessness, abuse, neglect, and other disadvantaged situations.

When Marisa was pregnant with her first child she noticed, “my husband and I had lots of support from friends and family. What we weren’t given, we were able to buy–whatever was needed.” Reflecting on her good fortune she “started to wonder what happens to new moms and families that don’t have the resources?” Marisa first heard about Baby’s Bounty when she caught a segment about the charity on the news. “I decided to donate my daughter’s things to the charity when she grew out of them.” She was surprised to hear a few months later the charity was closing its doors.

“I have a background in politics–and I thought those skills could be applied to running a charity.” The needed skills of organizing volunteers and getting a message out to the community overlapped well. Nickols reopened Baby’s Bounty 3 months after the doors were closed. In FY 2015-2016 Baby’s Bounty helped 127 babies, doubled that the next year and in the first 6 months of FY 2017-2018 have helped 220 babies in Montgomery County.

“Some mothers don’t have an infant car seat when it is time to leave the maternity ward.” Babies in need are identified by hospital case workers, Montgomery County or Health and Human Services referrals. Cribs for Kids is an organization that helps purchase Pack-n-plays (portable cribs) at a good price for the charity. Used infant car seats aren’t allowed to be donated; they have to be purchased and donated new. Monetary donations allow the Baby’s Bounty to purchase items for “Safe Sleep, Safe Travel, Health & Hygiene. The charity is funded through a combination of 2 grants from Montgomery County, donations and fundraising efforts. The Baby’s Bounty “Run Rockville 5k and Stroller Derby” will be April 22. Click here for the flyer.

To learn more about Baby’s Bounty of Montgomery County visit their website http://www.babysbountymc.org/

RM Friend: Susan Hurson, MD

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Originally from Long Island, Sue Hurson has been a Washington, DC transplant since receiving her undergraduate education from Georgetown University. She worked at the National Cancer Institute for 6 years before attending Georgetown Medical School. While at the Cancer Institute she worked on projects that developed Taxol and Carboplatin for use in the treatment of cancer. She finished her residency at the Washington Hospital Center.

When asked why she chose OB/GYN, she recalls experience during clinical training drew her to gynecology. “I felt I could make a real difference in women’s lives by taking care of women though the continuum of life; I liked the combination of obstetrics, medical and surgical interventions.” Sue was drawn to medicine early in life. Her father was a physician and she volunteered as a candy striper as a teen. Dr. Hurson has practiced in Washington, DC for 25 years, she discontinued obstetrics in 2015 to focus on gynecology.

Sue Hurson’s practice philosophy is to forge a partnership between patient and physician to guide her patient through to optimal health. “Sometimes patients don’t know what to ask. I try to tell women what to expect, real ‘education and empowerment.’ To tell you what you need to know before you need to know—sometimes, as a patient, you don’t even know what to ask.”

She became interested in integrative medicine because of its focus on mind, body, and spirit. She says, “Functional Medicine is putting it all back together so the systems are connected and integrated because they all impact each other ~integrated specialization.” She uses a team approach with other physicians and practitioners such as acupuncturists, physical therapy, nutrition counseling, mental health and health coaching. She guides and encourages her patients, “Be the best you can be at your age, the body will change, knowledge is power.”

What is her most frequent recommendation for women to stay healthy? Sleep! She adds she more fully appreciated the benefits of sleep first hand after she stopped delivering babies to focus exclusively on GYN. “Get enough good quality sleep. It impacts so many areas of health. Prioritize sleep. There is better resilience and improved immune function with proper sleep.”

As told to Miriam Graham, PT, DPT, MBA

Gail Wetzler PT, DPT, EDO, BI-D

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Reshma and Miriam first met Gail when they attended her Gynecologic Visceral Manipulation class sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in 2005. She has been a teacher, mentor and friend ever since. Gail is a leader and innovator in the development of new courses for women’s health, manual diagnostics, visceral/structural disorders and integrative therapies for animal health. She teaches these courses for the American Physical Therapy Association, The Upledger Institute and Equinology. She is the Curriculum Director for the newly developed Barral Institute of Education Research and Manual Therapy. She also is currently the co-developer of the new MSAR (Masters of Science in Animal Rehab) at Western University.

She established her private practice in 1979. Her fields of study include osteopathic manual techniques, exercise physiology, women’s health, functional assessment, movement analysis, laser/modalities, psychoneurobiology, nutrition/digestive dysfunctions, anatomy, animal rehabilitation and integrated manual therapy.

While Gail loves to talk about physical therapy and all of the new exciting concepts that are improving people’s lives, she is equally passionate about the animals in her life. She loves her new 12-acre ranch in Denver and was able to relocate her two horses when she moved from California. She and her husband are happy to be near their children and grandchildren. She is in the process of setting up a “menagerie.” She now has dogs, cats, and goats, in addition to her horses and humans, so she can enjoy her whole family!

A 1973 graduate from Long Beach State University, Gail gained her orthopedic, acute and administrative background at Hoag Hospital Physical Therapy Department as outpatient clinical supervisor.

Publications include chapters in the following books: Diseases of the Temporomandibular Apparatus by Douglas Morgan, D.D.S., William Hall, M.D. and S. James Vamvas, D.D.S., Visceral Manipulation and Low Back Pain (IFOMT) and Therapeutic Management of Incontinence and Pelvic Pain by J. Laycock, PhD, FCSP and J. Haslam, MCSP, SRP.

Gail’s research includes: “The Effect of Functional Integration on TMJ Disorders”, with Dr. Mark Reese, “The Visceral Relationship to Low Back Pain”, with Dr. Stanley Paris and “The Effects of Manual Therapy on the Brain”, with Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Jean Pierre Barral, and Dr. Alain Crobier.

Ursula Sukinik, Doula and Entrepreneur of Birth You Desire

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Ursula is not only a certified childbirth educator, but is also a birth doula, a birth assistant, a doula trainer, and a mother of two teenage boys. Known for her easy laughter, radiant energy and knowledge of the birthing woman; to say that she is an inspiration is an understatement.

She is a true believer in honoring women’s bodies and the natural process, Ursula not only inspires her students to better understand how choices affect well-being, but she takes the mind-body connection to a whole new level with her practice as a birth worker. Ursula has personally worked with thousands of women during the birthing process.

With this passion, she owns and runs Birth You Desire where you can find a list of doula training, childbirth classes, TENS rentals, workshops and speaking engagements in the DC Metro area as well as choose a doula to support you at your birth.

Ursula’s sons are going to college this fall University of Pittsburg & St Mary’s College of MD. She loves German Shepard dogs and her current dog’s name is Ohana Koa (called Koa, ko-ko, or when bad… Ko-ko loco). She is an avid gardener & hiker in her spare time.

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Our Restore Motion Friend, Ursula Sukinik, doula and entrepreneur of Birth You Desire, suggests how to stack the deck for an uneventful vaginal delivery. Adapted from her BYD blog below, are 10 easy ways to avoid and reduce your cesarean risk.

Prepare yourself. Take a comprehensive childbirth class, learn your choices.
Practice good body mechanics through out your pregnancy.
Have a supportive and educated labor partner. Your partner is your anchor. No matter how wonderful your birth team is they cannot replace the love and security you have from your partner.
Let baby come when they are ready, avoid unnecessary inductions and subsequent interventions.
Build a tool kit of coping methods and practice them. Relaxation is the cornerstone to spontaneous birth.
Labor at home as long as possible with provider permission when applicable.
Avoid continuous monitoring when at your birth place if possible. If continuous monitoring is necessary ask for a wireless monitoring to facilitate coping skills.
Use medications and interventions wisely. There are many tools for labor and they all have their place.
Labor upright and change positions frequently whenever possible. An active mother is an active baby.
Consider hiring a professional Doula to assist you in your birth.

Adapted from intellectual property of Ursula Sabia Sukinik/Birth You Desire. Used with permission. Do not reproduce or distribute without written permission from owner. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

Lowell Weiner, D.D.S., F.A.G.D.

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Dr. Lowell Weiner is board certified Dentist practicing through National Intergrated Health Associates. His interests and studies in Holistic health started in 1969, when he first became interested in how jaw and tooth problems affected swallowing, snoring, breathing, the sinuses and the rest of the body’s total compensating mechanisms from head to toe. Dr Weiner has served either as a consultant, faculty or staff at various universities in the area. He has limited his practice to sleep apnea and dental sleep issues, cranio mandibular dysfunction. He has served as an expert witness and is frequently asked to give second opinions for unusual complex dental medical treatments. The educational and treatment areas on which Dr. Weiner has placed special emphasis are sleep apnea, snoring, the infection and integration of the teeth, head, neck and shoulder with the rest of the body, both as a cause and result of acute and chronic problems.

Outside of work, Dr. Weiner started a fencing club at the University of Maryland and he enjoys cooking.

Restore Motion Friend: Thom Shenk

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Thom Shenk

Meet Thom Shenk, a Rolfer, massage therapist, and longtime friend of Restore Motion. Thom has recently relocated his practice to our Rockville location. We are thrilled to have him here and are thankful for the convenience it provides for patients who benefit from several forms of therapy.
Thom is a Certified Advanced Rolfer and Rolf Movement Practitioner. He combines knowledge of structural integration with licensed massage therapy, craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation, neurofascial release, and acupressure to provide a holistic and energetic approach to patient care.
Thom loves the outdoors. Here are some fun facts you might not have known about him: Thom…

spent 5 years living in a Tipi
worked as an initial attack forest fire fighter
worked as a professional ski patroller.
recently backpacked 45 miles through Olympic National Park

Restore Motion Friend: George C. Branche, III, MD

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George C. Brance, III, MD

Dr. George Branche is an orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine physician, and friend of Restore Motion. He has been offering his services to players at the CitiOpen tennis tournament here in D.C for over a decade. We had a chance to speak with him at the tournament and ask about recent trends in his practice. His specialization and passion lies in arthroscopic surgical treatment of the shoulder and the knee.

“I’m doing more and more revisions,” he says, “as more people are active well into their older years.” Dr. Branche has seen a steady increase in the number of older patients seeking a remedy for knee and shoulder pain interfering with their active lifestyles. “15 years ago if you saw a 60 year old in our office you might ask him if he was lost, ” he jokes. “These days I’m treating people in their 60’s, 70’s, and even 80’s.”

Restore Motion Friend: Kavon Atabaki

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Kavon Picture Blog, May 2016

Kavon Atabaki is an ACA and NSPA certified personal trainer at Functional Fitness VA in Falls Church, Virginia. His specialty certifications as a StrongFirst Bodyweight Instructor, StrongFirst Girya II Kettlebell Instructor, Functional Movement Specialist, and Parkinson’s Certified Trainer give him the ability to work with a wide range of clients to meet their fitness goals.

We’ve asked Kavon to share what makes the approach to personal training at Functional Fitness VA unique.

“Having experience with all sorts of ages, shapes, sizes and body types helps me know that every body is different and unique to a certain degree. Principles of movement are constant across the board, but their application needs to fit the person.

At Functional Fitness VA we believe in two major ideas: we’re here to help people Move Better and Get Stronger. This is a simple process. (Simple, not easy.) We first find where movement needs to be improved, maintained, or just stabilized and address that need. After that we work on improving strength in multiple directions and with multiple energy systems. With this approach we’ve found that our clients experience benefits not only in the gym but also improvements reaching into everyday life.”

–Kavon Atabaki

Written by: Kavon Atabaki
Edited by: Claire Agrawal, PT, DPT

Photo Credit:
http://www.functionalfitnessva.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kavon.jpg