Happy Places, Healing Spaces

Hello Friends,

My heart feels so full! 

Personally, I’m visiting extended family in the Northwoods of Minnesota enjoying time on the lake with cousins, aunts and uncles just like I did when I was a child. My 4 year old daughter is getting pulled behind the boat, fishing from the dock, running back and forth from the sauna to the lake, cooking hot dogs over the fire, living the summer time dream with her generation. She’s also spending time connecting with my mom’s generation. She’s hearing the family stories and enjoying the fruits of the seeds planted by my great-grandmother who had a vision that her descendants would gather in the summer and enjoy time together here. 

I had the privilege of seeing a patient whose MoCA score improved from 8 to 13 out of 30.

Professionally, I feel grateful for technology that allowed me to see patients from Minnesota this week. I had the privilege of seeing a patient whose MoCA score improved from 8 out of 30 to 13 out of 30 over the last 6 months. She is a walking, talking miracle! It was so inspiring to see her family rally behind her through this process. Her husband and daughters join all her visits and they each play a role in helping her to stay on track from cooking to organizing supplements to providing transportation and brainstorming ways to keep her getting the movement she needs to get even better. It was a delight to see them come together and celebrate the progress she has made. 

There are many ways you can support a loved one on their journey to improved cognition – and it all starts at home. One of the first places I begin is by Creating A Healing Environment At Home. Three actions you can take are:

1. Create a non-toxic environment: Take your shoes off at the door and open doors and windows for at least an hour a day to let fresh air in. 

2. Prioritize clean air: Test your home for mold and use air filters can help remove toxins from the air you breathe. By purifying the air and eliminating impurities like dust and pet dander, you can enhance cognitive function and overall well-being.

3. Minimize non-toxic materials in the kitchen: Avoid using plastic for food storage and instead choose glass containers. Additionally, using safer cookware options like cast iron or stainless steel can help prevent harmful chemical leaching.

For more detail on how to turn any home into an optimal healing space read this article.

Marama, our residential living facility in Vista, California, is carefully designed to provide the best possible healing environment for those that are living there to improve their cognitive health. We are always working to make it an even better environment and recently started some renovations. We will be sure to share photos as the work progresses. 

Warmly,

Dr. Heather Sandison

P.S. If you want more in-depth information on creating a healing space and lifestyle, I’m offering a free, 4-part live webinar series starting this week. This Wednesday, July 12 at 5 pm Pacific time, I will be covering detoxification and organic lifestyle. Register here to join us live or get access to the replay.

Image credit: Dr. Heather Sandison, a lake in Minnesota