Everything old is new again….
at THREE TREASURES Health and Wellness in Bethel Park.
Yoga originated 5000 years ago, modern tai chi probably about 300 years ago, and Pilates…the baby of the group, was developed over 100 years ago.
What do these three modalities have in common? Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates don’t merely strengthen and stretch the muscles, but they also enhance our brains and our emotional wellbeing.
They are all perfect examples of the Mind-Body-Spirit connection. Add a nutritional component into the mix and you have a powerful, life-altering, anti-aging combination.
Located at 5822 Irishtown Road in Bethel Park, THREE TREASURES Health and Wellness began as a passion project for Chris Hitchens. Recently retired from Peters Township High School, doctors recommended a regimen that would help reduce stress. Yoga just didn’t seem to resonate and neither did meditation. How about tai chi? Well, who could resist studying kung fu?
What is Tai Chi?
Tai chi is a wonderful way to meditate while moving your body. With movements modeled after ancient Chinese martial arts, tai chi incorporates deep breathing and allows the participants to connect the movements of their body to their breath. These deep deliberate breaths, along with the gentle fluid motions signal our parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body down. It allows people to manage stress responses and helps decrease anxiety, fear, racing thoughts, and a rapid heartbeat. It helps neutralize the “fight or flight” response while reducing stress.
Stress
Stress is wonderful....if you are in the boxing ring. It increases adrenaline, gives us energy, dulls pain receptors, and sharpens reflexes.
Sugar Ray Leonard was quoted as saying, “Your body, your brain….to protect yourself, adjusts. There is no pain.”
Chronic stress causes the body to produce the hormone cortisol. Cortisol wreaks havoc on the immune system and is the underlying cause of many autoimmune disorders. Cortisol can be responsible for chronic joint pain and chronic fatigue. It also contributes to high blood pressure and hypertension, which can lead to heart disease. It lowers the metabolism and causes weight gain and is a major contributor to anxiety and depression.
In the Beginning
Disappointed with a number of tai chi instructors, Hitchens came across David-Dorian Ross and his TaijiFit method. DDR, as he is known, and TaijiFit embodied everything that a wellness and mediation practice should include. It was fun and easy to follow, welcoming to all abilities, and most importantly it produced noticeable results. After several years of study, Hitchens earned his TaijiFit teaching credentials and conducted tai chi classes in the South Hills.
Tai Chi for Veterans (TC4V)
With the passage of the MISSION Act, the Veterans Administration now allows veterans to request tai chi as part of a prescribed treatment plan. Although veterans may be a small percentage of the clientele, this was enough of a motivating factor to open the THREE TREASURES studio doors.
Along with tai chi, THREE TREASURES offers yoga, Pilates, meditation and mobility sessions with instructors Jessica Eddins, Heather Gaussa, and Jason Turko, along with counseling with certified nutritionist Laura Cordero.
For more information call (412) 532-8248, or go to www.threetreasureshealthandwellness.com
at THREE TREASURES Health and Wellness in Bethel Park.
Yoga originated 5000 years ago, modern tai chi probably about 300 years ago, and Pilates…the baby of the group, was developed over 100 years ago.
What do these three modalities have in common? Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates don’t merely strengthen and stretch the muscles, but they also enhance our brains and our emotional wellbeing.
They are all perfect examples of the Mind-Body-Spirit connection. Add a nutritional component into the mix and you have a powerful, life-altering, anti-aging combination.
Located at 5822 Irishtown Road in Bethel Park, THREE TREASURES Health and Wellness began as a passion project for Chris Hitchens. Recently retired from Peters Township High School, doctors recommended a regimen that would help reduce stress. Yoga just didn’t seem to resonate and neither did meditation. How about tai chi? Well, who could resist studying kung fu?
What is Tai Chi?
Tai chi is a wonderful way to meditate while moving your body. With movements modeled after ancient Chinese martial arts, tai chi incorporates deep breathing and allows the participants to connect the movements of their body to their breath. These deep deliberate breaths, along with the gentle fluid motions signal our parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body down. It allows people to manage stress responses and helps decrease anxiety, fear, racing thoughts, and a rapid heartbeat. It helps neutralize the “fight or flight” response while reducing stress.
Stress
Stress is wonderful....if you are in the boxing ring. It increases adrenaline, gives us energy, dulls pain receptors, and sharpens reflexes.
Sugar Ray Leonard was quoted as saying, “Your body, your brain….to protect yourself, adjusts. There is no pain.”
Chronic stress causes the body to produce the hormone cortisol. Cortisol wreaks havoc on the immune system and is the underlying cause of many autoimmune disorders. Cortisol can be responsible for chronic joint pain and chronic fatigue. It also contributes to high blood pressure and hypertension, which can lead to heart disease. It lowers the metabolism and causes weight gain and is a major contributor to anxiety and depression.
In the Beginning
Disappointed with a number of tai chi instructors, Hitchens came across David-Dorian Ross and his TaijiFit method. DDR, as he is known, and TaijiFit embodied everything that a wellness and mediation practice should include. It was fun and easy to follow, welcoming to all abilities, and most importantly it produced noticeable results. After several years of study, Hitchens earned his TaijiFit teaching credentials and conducted tai chi classes in the South Hills.
Tai Chi for Veterans (TC4V)
With the passage of the MISSION Act, the Veterans Administration now allows veterans to request tai chi as part of a prescribed treatment plan. Although veterans may be a small percentage of the clientele, this was enough of a motivating factor to open the THREE TREASURES studio doors.
Along with tai chi, THREE TREASURES offers yoga, Pilates, meditation and mobility sessions with instructors Jessica Eddins, Heather Gaussa, and Jason Turko, along with counseling with certified nutritionist Laura Cordero.
For more information call (412) 532-8248, or go to www.threetreasureshealthandwellness.com