5 Questions for Jena LaFlamme, founder of Jena Wellness
I'm excited to present today's interview with Jena la Flamme. She's the founder of Jena Wellness, a holistic health center in NYC that offers nutritional and lifestyle counseling, bodywork, private yoga, as well as seminars and corporate wellness programs. Jena Wellness integrates Eastern traditions and cutting-edge Western nutrition perspectives with their clients' need for a satisfying lifestyle, guiding them to create vitality and health in their life.
Jena is also a professional speaker offering talks on the most important things people can do to increase their energy and experience a greater sense of well-being and work-life balance. She has worked with clients as diverse as Time, Inc. and the Human Rights Watch.
What's your philosophy behind diet, exercise and wellness, i.e., how should people eat and exercise to have the body and health they want?
I have a few guiding philosophies regarding diet, exercise and wellness. First is the notion of thinking of food on three levels. At the base is the Standard American Diet, officially know as SAD (chuckle, chuckle) which seems to describe it all. This level is low in nutrients, high in calories and devoid of much imagination.
A step up from that is what I call the "I eat pretty healthy" level, also known as the "soup-sandwich-salad-sushi-smoothie" level. It's composed of fairly healthy choices for the most part. The step up from that is what I call "Therapeutic Eating" or "Performance Eating." At this level food embodies a whole lot more than filling for the stomach! The food is medicine.
For example, there are foods that promote a good night's sleep, others that assist healthy digestion, others that fire up the metabolism to aid weight loss and so on. When we think of how the food can actually heal the body, as opposed to considering it s a potentially harmful thing that causes weight gain etc., it is very empowering to create a meal that you know nourishes, balances and heals you on many levels.
"Performance Eating" is great for New Yorkers or anyone who is busy and wanting to do it all. It's all about eating to have consistent physical and mental energy to do everything you want to do. So many of us want to "perform" well across the board in our lives, and here we look at which foods will support that mission.
Primary Foods
On another tangent one of our philosophies emphasizes the link between the foods we put in our mouth and the other metaphorical "primary foods," those foods that feed us in what I consider a primary way, that is, relationships, career, spirituality and exercise, as depicted by the diagram used by The Institute of Integrative Nutrition (see their home page).
Their pyramid is a symbol for one's individual healthy way of eating, that varies dependent on any number of personal factors, and around it is the primary food circle representing lifestyle factors. we describe the relationship between the two - if your food pyramid is not established and well formed then there is not support for the circle and it falls in.
Conversely if the circle is distorted and misshapen then there is no room for the pyramid even to fit! So nutritional change without lifestyle change is superficial by nature, and lifestyle change without nutritional change is also superficial by nature. So our philosophy is to always go back and forth between the two to address health goals such as weight loss, low energy, poor sleep, digestive issues, anxiety, depression and so on.
Furthermore our philosophy encompasses an appreciation of the intelligence of the body, and recommends tending to the body's instincts and including pleasure, relaxation and enjoyment of life as part of any well-rounded health and wellness routine. We are quite a philosophical bunch, but also very practical!
If people don't live in NYC and can't come and see you, how can they find a good nutritionist and trainer on their own?
I would point you towards the graduates of the The Instituted of Integrative Nutrition who are certified holistic health counselors. Through them you can search by ZIP code in their graduate directory. There are great counselors all over the country. And of course if you'd love to work with Jena Wellness, we also see clients and are available for nutrition counseling via telephone.
There are a zillion yoga classes out there even my small community has at least four teachers that I know about. What should one look at when evaluating a yoga class and teacher?
I think, like in dating, a little bit of experience and experimenting can go a long way. Try several different schools and teachers at first and then see who you are naturally drawn towards. My experience is that there are way more good teachers than bad ones out there, so the numbers are on your side for finding quality. When I first started yoga I had two teachers: one taught me sweaty, vigorous Vinyasa Ashtanga yoga and the other taught me very gentle postures, chanting and meditation. Both were equally valuable and the entirety gave me a balanced practice. So when evaluating a class, look for a teacher that makes your heart and body glow with inspiration. Whomever compels you to come back is doing something right!
A nutritionist, a trainer, yoga classes, massage, organic foods, etc. sounds expensive and just for the Hollywood set. How can us "just folks incorporate all of this without breaking the bank?
I think taking it step by step and learning to be autonomous over time is key. For example what's great about yoga is that once you have learned some sequences and have a sense of how to practice them correctly, you can do it anywhere. The idea is that after you have made the initial investment that you don't have to continue with so many classes if it is proving to break the bank.
With a nutritional counselor and trainer I'd say the same. Work with an expert for a concentrated period of months, and then implement what you have learned by yourself with self-created support circles. After time, see your nutritionist or trainer as suits you. If you don't have the support of a nutritional counselor and/or trainer, the key to making it work is to get the support from somewhere. While anything can be accomplished alone, reassuring support makes it lot easier to sustain long-term.
When it comes to massage, if money restrains your ability to receive from a professional then learn to give it to your friends and encourage them to practice on you. This is how I first learned how to give and receive massage - on the living room floor with a good friend, taking turns. We each have hands after all - learn to use them! Then when you can afford a professional massage you will automatically pick up new techniques for you to use, and so it all gets recycled!
As far as organic food, the best way around this is to go to JustFood.org and join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture.) This means that you buy a share in the farm's crop and receive weekly supplies for several months a year. Otherwise track down food coops near your home that often have very competitive prices, or frequent the farmer's market, which even if not entirely organic, is at least local which is of benefit to your own body and the body of the Earth.
What's your favorite recipe for the fall holiday season?
Maple-Ginger Glazed Yams and Parsnips
Yields about 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds yams, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces (Long slender yams work best for this recipe)
- 2 pounds parsnips, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 c maple syrup
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450F. Cut yams and parsnips into bite sized pieces. In large bowl, toss yams and parsnips with oil, salt, and pepper until well coated; transfer to two large baking sheets.
- Roast vegetables on 2 oven racks 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring once.
- Place syrup, 1 tablespoon warm water, and ginger in a blender. Puree until nearly liquefied. Strain into a small saucepan. Set aside.
- About 5 minutes before serving the roast vegetables, add vegetables to maple-ginger mixture in a big bowl and stir until well coated.
- Turn up the oven 50 degrees (to 500F). Place vegetables back on baking sheets; drizzle with maple-ginger glaze. Broil until vegetables are slightly caramelized, about 3 to 5 minutes.
For more recipes from Jena Wellness, click here.
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