Resuscitate Your Resolve

Coaches vary in their specializations -- business development, entrepreneurship, creativity, spirituality, relationships, time management, career change, life purpose, even nutrition and health. San Francisco- based coach Jen Dalton says coaches are there to believe in you, collaborate with you, and offer new ideas you may not have thought of.

"I keep you on track and encourage you to take that leap and have the integrity to do what you say." Coaching is usually done over the phone in weekly half-hour sessions. Many coaches offer free 30-minute trials, enabling clients to try out a few until they find the right fit. For more information and to find coaches near you, go to www.sfcoaches.org or www.-coachfederation.org. Jen Dalton can be contacted for appointments and referrals at 412-8784 or jen@p4coaching.com.

GETTING HEALTHY

Lots of people are looking at their health through a different lens these days and exploring alternative (and sometimes ancient) approaches. It's clear that the concepts have hit mainstream America when Newsweek does a cover story on alternative and complementary medicine and Time devotes an entire issue to the subject. Here is some information about two such practices.

Ayurveda

If this year's commitment to yourself is to lead a healthier life, an ayurvedic consultation is a good way to start. What is it, you ask? Think Deepak Chopra and you're getting warm. Ayurveda (pronounced aye-yur-vay-da) is the world's oldest continually practiced holistic healthcare system, originating in the ancient traditions of India more than 5,000 years ago.

The word is derived from Sanskrit and means knowledge or wisdom of life. Ayurveda recognizes that all bodies are unique, and while one diet or herb might work for one person, it may not have any positive effects on another. Vedic science seeks to achieve harmony of the body, mind, spirit, and senses with nature.

An initial consultation consists of detailed questions about your health, habits, medical history, and (very important) your daily routine. The practitioner then determines what type of constitution (or dosha) you have, which is based on both physical and emotional traits. There are three types of dosha that correspond with the elements of the earth: vata (air and ether), pitta (fire and water), and kapha (water and earth). After discovering which group you belong to, the ayurvedic advisor can begin to develop a plan for you to create an environment in your body for optimum health and healing. This might include herbs to aid digestion, a rejuvenating tonic, self-massage oil, aromatherapy, or recommendations for changes in your routine and diet. The practitioner often custom blends herbs to treat the whole body -- clearing out toxins and restoring the balance of elements. The treatment is individualized based on your dosha and level of dedication to the plan.

Ayurvedic consultant/massage therapist and owner of Gaia Tree, Holly Zoffoli likes to educate her clients on concepts of ayurvedic medicine that she says are easy to grasp. "I want to give them tools to use and help them make good decisions to achieve balance." An example? "The wrong foods can cause imbalance," she says. "Remember, food is our medicine." For more information on ayurveda check out www.holistic-online.com/ayurveda or www.ayurvedic.org. Gaia Tree: 575 Hayes (at Octavia, 255-4848).

Acupuncture

Resolve not to tolerate pain this year! Years of bartending and catering left me with serious back problems and chronic pain. The journey to healing my back has been long and arduous. For years I shuffled around from my general practitioner, who prescribed Vicodin, (gee, thanks, I'm still in pain but now I just don't care as much about it), to a podiatrist (who gave me $200 custom-made orthotics that did nothing), to physical therapists (lots of great theory and exercises, but no results), a chiropractor (kind of a hack -- no questions or advice, he just cracked my back, then was on to the next patient before the examination table was cold). I had an MRI and tried specialized yoga classes and massage, anti-inflammatory drugs and salves, ice packs, and hot baths, all without any relief.

Finally, on the repeated advice of a friend, I went to see an acupuncturist. I knew it was different right away. On my first session with Jamie Goodman, I filled out a detailed intake form with specific questions about my symptoms, digestion, elimination, quality of sleep, menstrual cycle, food choices, daily routine, and habits. Jamie spent half an hour going over the questions with me, asking more, and taking notes. Then she took my pulse, looked at my tongue, and massaged my stomach. While I kept wanting to get back to the reason why I came -- my aching back -- she seemed interested in all kinds of other stuff: Did I eat ice cream? Wheat? Raw vegetables? Drink coffee? Icy drinks? Smoke? She coached me on a breathing technique, then strategically stuck me with the pins (which didn't hurt -- a tiny pinch). Afterward, she gave me Chinese herbs to take home. I began to feel some relief after the first session, and within a couple of months my pain level decreased by about 80 percent.