Health Fair brings awareness of alternative healthcare

Recently, the City Park in Malad was host to a health fair organized by Rhiannon Smith and Kristy Evans.  The two are in the process of finding a location for a planned center, which will allow for classes, events, and practitioner space for local providers.  The weekend fair was a chance for those practitioners to introduce themselves to the community, and Smith and Evans an opportunity to move further along on their project.  

Smith explains, “After Kristy Evans and I began talking about working together toward opening a health and wellness center, we decided that we should start with a fair to let the community know who we are and what we do. We hoped to educate the community of the alternative healthcare resources right here in Malad.  This fair was a collaborative event between Kristy Evans and myself. She did most of the advertising and organizing of the event including inviting individuals to participate. But the idea and the structure, including the speakers, was a joint effort. We decided to not only include practitioners from Malad but also from surrounding areas such as Lava Hot Springs to show that you don’t have to travel too far to find the support you may need.”

“Alternative healthcare” is something of a catch-all term, and includes many practices that don’t necessarily have a corollary in conventional medical environments, although many aspects of the fields have very long histories.  For many people, alternative health practices have an important role alongside what we think of a standard western medicine.  

As Smith explains, “We were hoping to educate and empower the community to take a more active role in their healthcare. We feel that all types of medicine have a valid role in healthcare and we have many various practitioners within the community. We wanted to explore the theme of whole person health and wellness where all systems of the body are addressed. For us, this includes diet and/or gastrointestinal health, effective stress management, spiritual health, mindful awareness of personal perceptions of one’s life (i.e. how you view yourself and your personal value), how energies of the body work and move, and the importance of exercise, to name a few.”

In her case, Smith primarily focuses on a few specific practices:  “As one of many holistic providers in Malad, I am a Master Reiki Teacher/Practitioner as well as a Shadow Work mentor. Reiki is a healthy living modality that promotes relaxation and a stronger energy system in the body. Shadow work is a type of self introspection that removes negative thought patterns and creates a confident authentic mind set. I will also soon be offering Restorative Yoga for relaxation and stress relief specific to locations of the body that retain stress such as upper back and hips to name a few.”

There is a certain amount of skepticism on the part of some people about the concepts involved in alternative practices, or at least the potential efficacy.  Smith notes again that there is no need to think of alternative healthcare as a replacement for standard medicine.  “All of the services promoted at the fair are complementary to regular healthcare and can potentially increase the overall ability of the body to heal and/or stay healthy.”

One of Smith’s messages is that people should pay attention to factors that affect health in a less obvious but ongoing way.  “Environmental pollutants, the effects of untreated/unmanaged stress on the body, and a proper sense of self worth. These may not seem important but it is the overlooked things that can lead to bigger issues.” 

There is no announced schedule moving forward, but Smith and Evans are hoping to get things in place in the near future, and would love community help.

“We would love community support in building a successful holistic health center where all forms of medicine are welcomed, understood, and practiced. I have been in communication with healthcare providers such as DOs or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine to gain backing from modern medicine practitioners. So far I have been met with enthusiasm for what Kristy and I are attempting to do. Some of the types of holistic practices available here in Malad, many featured at the fair, are Foot Zoning, Massage, Epigenetic hair analysis, Reiki, Yoga, Nutritional support, Exercise and Personal Training, Spiritual Health support, Mental Health support such as Counselors/Therapists, and Mental Health Mentoring aka Shadow Work,” Smith says. 

“Currently Kristy and I are looking for a location in which to open a center where we can start offering classes, holistic appointments, and offer space to other practitioners looking to grow their own business in holistic healthcare. We hope that by bringing awareness of these healthcare options to the community we can build a healthier and happier Malad.”