“Historically getting a massage was reserved for special occasions for me.  Sometimes I would get a massage on my birthday trip up to wine country or in Santa Cruz on the weekend after we finished our fiscal year.  I enjoyed getting massages but the cost was prohibitive and scheduling was difficult.

When Nourish started the massage program I joined right away.  For about half the cost or less of a typical massage at a resort, I could get a minimum of one massage a month and often more than one a month, for the same low, fixed price.  Scheduling was easy with the friendly and helpful reception staff.  I particularly liked the way they emailed me a calendar invite that automatically blocked out the time on my sometimes crazy busy schedule.  The best part was how much better I felt, mentally and physically, by getting regular massages.

About a year ago I had hip surgery.  At this point I upgraded to the premier massage program so I could get a minimum of two massages a month (for a low fixed price that was lower than the cost of one massage at a resort).  At this point Nourish started making massage schedule changes/openings available on twitter.  Since I was on medical leave from work my schedule was flexible and I was easily able to get one massage a week, sometimes more.  Theses regular massages were instrumental in my healing process.  As I progressed from a walker, to crutches, to a cane, to walking again unaided, I could have the massage focused on whatever part of my body needed it most.  All the massage practitioners were so gentle when I need gentle and more intense when more intense was what my body needed.

Another benefit of the premier program is you can get a 2 hour massage.  There is nothing more relaxing and rejuvenating for me than a 2 hour massage.  I will warn you, after you experience a two hour massage, it’s hard to go back to one hour.  Then my schedule gets crazy again and I’m glad to be able get in a one hour massage on a regular basis.  I’m constantly amazed how much I benefit both mentally and physically from regular massages.  The very reasonable price is also an extremely nice bonus.  Thank you everyone at Nourish for taking such good care of me.”

Try our Basic Massage for only $65 a month or our Premium Massage for only $100 to see what regular massage can do for your health!

“Where do we begin. Dani started going to the Om room and fell in love with Victor’s teaching from the very first class.   When they started Nourish, Dani signed up and convinced me to try it because I was having problems tying my shoes.  Both of us have very demanding careers, her a State Park Ranger and me a San Jose Fire fighter we needed some place that was not only a place for exercise but a place where we could decompress from the stress of our careers.  We had tried the gym membership gig and felt like it was a chore to get there every day.  Nourish is no chore, it is a sanctuary that works on not only our body, but our soul and mind.  We are getting better results then we ever did at the gym, I can not only tie my shoes but can do it standing on my head.

This is just the beginning.  I started seeing Jocelyn about my eating habits and weight and have had for the first time in my life real life changing results.  Not a diet, a change in what I choose on a daily basis.  I feel better inside.  I have lost over 25 lbs and felt like I never went on a diet.  Before I started Nourish, I was taking two different blood pressure medications to control my high blood pressure.  We decided to go on Jocelyn’s cleanse last October and I can truly say that my blood pressure became under control in a matter of two weeks.  I no longer take medication for my blood pressure.

Wait there is more.  When we go into Nourish we feel like part of a family.  We have met and become great friends with other people that all want the same thing in life, and did I mention the music.  While in Yoga class we listen to great music that fits with the yoga teachings.  Nourish rocks!”

Thank you, guys!

So all was well… until that night.  My parents were watching Lily so Jason and I went out for a date to Buzz’s Steakhouse one the most famous and delicious restaurants in Hawaii.  After 28 days of no refined sugar, wheat/guten, alcohol etc I was really ready to enjoy a fun meal.  We had their famous calamari appetizer, fabulous “Freshies” (fresh margaritas), and perfectly grilled mahi mahi.  ONO.  But  way too much for my clean little system… and by 1am I had a headache that would not go away.  One of the main reasons I was on the cleanse was to hopefully improve the frequency of migraines.  I hadn’t had one in over 2 weeks (yay cleanse!) and for me that is a long time as I usually get them every 4-7 days.  I think it was a combination of the wheat/gluten in the calamari breading, possibly some soy was on the mahi, and then the margarita.   You live and learn and now I know if I am going to have one of my possible trigger foods I need to eat clean the rest of the meal and even the rest of the day.

Since then I have been attempting to eat as I did on the cleanse with some success.  No matter how long I go without sugar (my biggest challenge) I think I’m always going to want it and a girls gotta have a little chocolate.  So now that the cleanse is over the challenge truly begins.  On the cleanse I knew I wouldn’t cheat, I was too committed to doing it right.  But now that I can eat what I want it’s much harder to resist.  Reminding myself of how I felt during the cleanse…better mood, better sleep, less frequent migraines… is a huge motivator.  I’m trying to be tuned into more of what my body wants instead of what sounds fun.  It’s not easy… but either was the cleanse and I’m pretty proud of my accomplishment.

Would I do the cleanse again?  Absolutely.  Not only did I benefit from it, but my family did too.  Anything that makes me a better, healthier, happier person..makes me a better mom and wife.  Alooooooha! 

Of course I didn’t cave in but that was sign of what was to come…  I am definitely hungrier than earlier in the cleanse.  Maybe it’s my mom’s cooking or being around some of my favorite foods ever (Buzz’s Steak House shrimp scamp spinach salad!  Los Garcias ahi tacos!!)  but I am sooo ready to eat full meals again.  Fortunately most of what I want is cleanse-friendly, but I find myself wanting bigger portions than I have been content with during the cleanse.  Last night after dinner of chicken and spinach salad, I was perfectly full but I could tell my body wanted something else… for the first time in weeks I was really thinking “hmmm, dessert sounds pretty good right about now”.

With only 2 more days on the cleanse it’s easy to resist temptation, but I will be interested to see what happens on Saturday…  will I want to go straight to Starbucks and get my former favorite Green Tea Lemonade?  Will I have pizza at the birthday party we are going to on Saturday?  Will I have birthday cake?   I’ll let you know… 

Roxanne Gingery

Yes… I will be on this beach by tomorrow afternoon, yahoo!   But this trip was  planned long before I decided to do the cleanse.   I almost didn’t sign up for the cleanse because I thought it would be too hard to be on vacation and have diet restrictions.  Well the last 3 weeks have made me realize that I have underestimated my willpower and my body’s ability to crave the things it REALLY needs.  It used to want sugar and starch almost all the time, and now it seems very happy and content without those terrible two.

Just like the surprise benefit of being on the cleanse over Halloween, it’s nice to know that I won’t be tempted to eat horrible airline and airport food.  I’ve already packed my shake, apple, larabar and almond butter packets.  I will be finishing the cleanse in Hawaii (on Friday the 11th) and am both looking forward to being done but also wishing I could stay on this program for….maybe ever?  I love the results and wonder why I should go back to eating the way I did before.  I really feel like this is the best and biggest step I’ve made in improving my overall health….so thank you again Jocelyn. 

Aloha everyone!  More to come from Hawaii….

Roxanne Gingery

It really is amazing how something that you think you can’t do without (sugar/sweets in my case) is easier than you think to give up.  I’ve always thought that the more sweets I eat the more I crave, so now I wonder if there’s a way to reintroduce them without reverting back to craving them?  Well I guess I’ll tackle that on day 29….

Besides having my first candy-free Halloween last night, I had my first family dinner on the cleanse.  This was the first time I was with all of Jason’s family for a big to-do (Halloween/family dinner) and was a little apprehensive how they would respond to my shake and minimal dinner.  Since they were having enchiladas with wheat tortillas & tons of cheese, I pretty much only had some appetizers of carrots and red bells andthen my shake.  Fortunately no one made a big deal of my empty plate and were impressed that I was keeping this up for 28 days.  WHEW made it through that one.

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

Roxanne Gingery

I do still LOVE my chocolate but on the cleanse I can have a new favorite…. Bija Omega Truffles.  Soooo good you forget they are actually good for you!  I am discovering so many new foods that I probably wouldn’t have tried if I wasn’t on the cleanse.  Like my new favorite breakfast is Amande Almond Yogurt (coconut flavor) with Perky’s Crunchy Flax cereal, shelled hemp seeds, and walnuts.

Yum….so good I’ll be eating this long after the cleanse ends.  That’s one of the best things I’m discovering about the cleanse.  I’m eating foods that are good for my body and that I LIKE enough to keep eating when I can eat anything I want again.  

Roxanne Gingery

Week Two has been a bit more challenging.  We now drink 2 shakes a day in between small meals so it can feel as if I’m always eating or drinking.  It has been a challenge to stay on schedule with the meal/shake/meal/shake/meal.  Like today I had my first shake at 12noon and still need to have my 2nd shake and it’s almost time for dinner.  Drinking all the extra liquid of the shakes and the water we need to drink (half our weight in ounces) has made me feel…puffy?  water-logged?  Not sure I can find a nice word for it…but I’m sure my body just needs a few days to adjust and I’ll be fine.

Overall with one week down and 3 more weeks to go, so far The Cleanse has exceeded my expectations.  I feel GREAT.  My mood is better and more even than ever.   They say your skin glows when you cleanse and I think I’m seeing that!  Love it.  Looking forward to the next 3 weeks!

Roxanne Gingery

1. The Staff- Working at Nourish is unlike any other employment experience I’ve had; each person who works at Nourish genuinely enjoys being there. How many people can truly say that? My fellow receptionists, the yoga instructors, the therapists, our rock star nutritionist… everybody takes a real interest in not only their own well-being, but also in wellness of every person that walks into Nourish.
2. The Health-Conscious Atmosphere-In my experiences, the place you work is not a place to find solace or solutions to your (physical or mental) ailments. On the contrary, working in deli’s and restaurants had driven me to smoke cigarettes simply for the opportunity to temporarily escape work, and to think of nothing more after work than whether or not there was cold beer in my fridge. Being surrounded by health-conscious, fitness-seeking individuals has had a very real impact on the way I think about food, fitness, and well-being in general. Now, my moment of “escape” from work comes in the form of savasana, and I savor the thought of a frozen Bija truffle (who knew getting your daily omega could be so fun and tasty?) in my kitchen rather than a stiff drink.
3. The Variety- Ah, the very spice of la vida. This one may not be so obvious to Nourish students and clients; working at Nourish is the perfect combination of routine and challenge in the workplace. Every task has a process, each process is clearly defined and detailed. The receptionist position is not one that is menial or boring, both of which are unfortunate aspects of most entry-level jobs, and ones that I have endured at every other job I’ve had. Victor and Jocelyn are adept at discerning the individual talents of Nourish employees and applying those individual’s skills to projects that benefit Nourish. The result is that we employees can take pride in the work we do, rather than feel like an invisible cog in a corporate machine.

I’d love to hear reasons that anyone may have as to why they enjoy Nourish, or how Nourish has affected your everyday life in general. Until next time, Nourish Santa Cruz…

Kirsten