Philosophy
It’s a symbol that is clean yet draws you into its depths. There is more to it than meets the eye, just as there is more to each of you than meets the eye. When creating the logo, I envisioned three components: The “S†shape, the deep dark red circle and thirdly, how they both engage each other. The “S†represents the yoga position called the “camelâ€. In this position your heart is open fully to the universe, representing an openness to change, an openness to loving oneself and an openness to all that is possible. Amusingly, the shape of the camel position likens itself to an “S†form for Solaris, my last name. The golden color of the “S†represents the color of the third chakra (or energy center of the body) which is located in the abdomen. It is in this chakra that emotions are held and released. Combining the shape and the color is meant to represent a release of the old, a receiving of a new way and a journey towards wholeness. If you look closely there is a fragmentation to the “S†shape. The fragmentation signifies that the journey is not perfect; we at Solaris strive for progress not perfection, resulting in long term success. The deep, dark red circle represents the first chakra, or energy center, located at the base of your spine and trunk. This energy center symbolizes those things necessary for survival; like family/community, food, shelter, water, safety etc. Food is necessary and energetically is not linked to emotion. However bio-chemically and habitually food and emotions are linked together all the time. It is here at Solaris that you will learn to understand the connections and break the habits that have been holding you back; allowing you to become your “best selfâ€. The gradation of the deep red color is symbolic of the internal depths and richness which a person must undergo to create change. Finally, much thought was put into putting the “S†shape inside or outside of the circle. I chose to have it spread outside the circle, representing the personal growth that can be possible outside the confines of what is necessary in life.
Angie’s Story
Sleepwalking and constant fatigue had been serious problems for me for a few years. I was also dealing with daily headaches and sugar cravings! I was prescribed Valium after participating in a sleep study at a New York City Hospital. I wanted to try some other options first, so I decided to go see Stephanie. Within three days of starting the recommended vitamins and structured nutrition plan, I had more energy during the day and I slept better at night. No more sleepwalking. Working more in-depth with Stephanie, I learned how stress and my genetic predisposition to blood sugar instability were affecting my daily life and sleep patterns. In addition to my nutrition plan, Stephanie suggested I lighten up my running regimen. Considering what a great stress-reliever running was for me, even temporarily pulling back seemed counter intuitive. However, after Stephanie explained that stopping running would actually cut down on my fatigue, I decided to try it. Now, after using the proper nutrition and supplementation, I’m able to sleep again and I can run with more energy than before! Solaris Whole Health has not only benefited my life, it has given me life.
Meet Bob: A SWH Success Story
Meet Bob – automobile enthusiast, entrepreneur, and this month’s Solaris Whole Health Client Success Story. This month Solaris Whole Health is bestowing its “Client Success Story†honor on Mr. Robert Spock for a job well done!  Bob, as we so affectionately call him, has been an SWH client since October of 2008 and has had one of the quickest and most impressive health turnarounds we’ve seen so far. When Bob first came to us, he had extreme fatigue, restlessness and insomnia, severe chronic headaches, food cravings, high blood pressure, and felt out of shape.  As a busy entrepreneur and CEO of Quality Lab Accessories, LLC., Bob knew that he could not continue running a successful business under his current lifestyle and eating habits. He was taking part in something we call “food pornâ€.  (Definition: Food porn is essentially, food that is “dirtyâ€â€“ in that it’s bad for your body, but tastes “oh so good’ to eat at the same time.)  Because of the graphic nature of “food pornâ€, we need to censor exactly what Bob ate as “mealsâ€.  However, we will tell you this – he was subsisting on what many people do – fast food, take out, candy, and drinking soda to stay awake. The pizza place down the street knew Bob’s name and order by heart. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Bob’s blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides were through the roof.  He was not able to function at the level he wanted and knew he could not continue living under these conditions.  It was then that Bob came to Solaris Whole Health – to fulfill the desire to live life to hisfullest potential. Sleepless in New Jersey “I remember when Bob first came in, he was very focused, determined, and wasn’t afraid to see the current state his body was in, which I found very interesting,†recalls Stephanie Solaris, owner and director of Solaris Whole Health.  “He was very resolved and embraced the plan whole- heartedly.  I was very impressed.†The first health concern Stephanie attacked was Bob’s extreme fatigue, “As a busy professional, Bob could not afford to be tired.  So we worked on both his insomnia and day time energy levels.†Before the plan, Bob was having trouble getting up in the morning and when he was up, had trouble concentrating.  He was constantly tired and wired.  This was causing him stress.  Stress was making it hard for him to sleep, creating this endless cycle.  “By boosting his energy through nutrition and supplementation,†says Stephanie, “we were able to get him sleeping again.†Living Large – In the Not So Good Way The next step was tackling his weight loss.  Bob had metabolic syndrome as characterized by the American Heart Association.  Metabolic syndrome is usually identified when at least 3 of the following criteria are present: elevated waist circumference, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high fasting blood triglycerides and glucose.  Bob had all 5.  According to the American Heart Association, a potential risk of this syndrome is coronary heart disease. “I addressed this by putting Bob on a macronutrient nutrition plan tailored to his body’s particular needs. I also put him on a specific medical food that would decrease the risk factors and help him lose weight at the same time. Bob was very diligent about the plan; and because he was, saw improvements in his health very quickly,†says Stephanie. Stress Free is the Way to Be After making the necessary changes in his nutrition and lifestyle, Bob saw vast improvements in not only his physical appearance, but energy and day vitality as well. His cholesterol went down by 20%.  His triglycerides went down 147%.  His blood pressure dropped and he lost 27 pounds of pure fat and is headache free. In fact, when Bob went on vacation – he stuck to his health plan 80% of the time, came back, and still lost weight! “My doctor couldn’t believe I was the same person from 6 months ago,†Bob exclaims. We picked Bob’s story for this month because it is truly inspiring. His dedication to improving his health manifested in life enriching changes – in his business, relationships, and quality of life. Bob has integrated new hobbies and healthy habits into his life, the most recent of which is his participation in a 5K run – certainly a long way from where he started! “I believe that Solaris Whole Health has saved my life and enabled my life moving forward to be much more healthy, productive, and fulfilling,†says Bob. We are proud to have Bob as part of the Solaris family and we wish him continuing success in life.
Meet Skip: A SWH Success Story
Meet Skip Sports Performance Director at TEST Sports Clubs, husband, father, active community member and POP Warner Coach. Skip is a busy man who likes staying active. The Contest Here’s the 411 on Skip…As the Sports Performance Director at TEST Sports Clubs, being fit IS Skip’s job description. So, as you can imagine, looking and feeling healthy is extremely crucial. However, after years of wear and tear from playing football during his formative years, Skip’s body was at less than optimal health. He was stressed, tired, irritable, overweight – and those were just the visible symptoms! Not the type to sit around and wait for miracles to happen, Skip tried out several fad diets, including the Atkins Diet on which he lost 100lbs (half of which was muscle, not actual fat). Of course, as we at Solaris Whole Health have advocated time and time again, diets don’t work – individualized nutrition does! Low and behold, Skip wasn’t able to sustain his weight loss, eventually gained it all back and it was in this condition that he found himself at our doorstep. In the spirit of athletic competition to which Skip is so accustomed, he proposed a friendly wager with a fellow compatriot (the wager being bragging rights, of course). The contest was simple – see who could lose the most weight and keep it off. Skip’s weight loss weapon would be Stephanie Solaris, founder and director of Solaris Whole Health and his opponent’s would be low-calorie dieting.  To the victor go the spoils! The Plan of Attack When new clients join Solaris Whole Health, the first piece of data we collect from them is a form they fill out called the “Health Profile Questionnaire†(HPQ). On the HPQ form is a long list of potential health issues that a client might be experiencing (i.e. indigestion, headaches, bloating, chronic cough, etc.). Clients rate each symptom according to severity (scale of 1-4, 4 being the most severe). The more severe the symptoms or health issues are, the higher the scoring will be. Skip scored an 52. He was experiencing fatigue, mood swings, very sore muscles and joints, and presented with metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, cholesterol, high fasting glucose and triglycerides). The first health concern Stephanie addressed was Skip’s mood and stress levels. After years of physical and mental stress, Skip’s adrenals were extremely fatigued and his biochemistry was off balance. His body was craving certain foods, specifically chocolate, to give him a quick burst of energy. “After we addressed his mood and stress through supplementation and food/mood awareness, we worked on his body composition,†says Stephanie. “We usually see the symptoms decrease first.  Once this happens, the body is ready to start letting go of the fat.  As you can see in Skip’s HPQ progress (see chart below), his symptoms decreased immediatey with the proper supplementaion and nutrition; and his weight followed.†Two weeks into the program, they began work on Skip’s body composition. Much to his chagrin, he actually gained scale weight. “I was gaining weight and said, ‘Whoa, whoa, I think we’re going the wrong way!’ †Skip recalls.  Even though the scale said Skip was gaining weight, he was actually losing pure fat and water, and developing more muscle (which we all know weighs more than fat). For Skip’s body composition chart, see below. Eventually, Skip began losing scale weight as well.  “I had to get him to eat a potato,†recalls Stephanie, “After the Atkins Diet, he had developed a fear of starches. We need quality starches to feed our brain and keep our energy up during the day.  It was very difficult to get him to start eating starches again, but he eventually succumbed.  Skip lost even more weight, and had increased energy and vitality!†The Outcome “Within 4 months I saw my blood pressure go down, stress level go down, body weight and body fat percentage go down, and my joint pain disappear!  The biggest thing is,  I have ENERGY ALL DAY LONG,†says Skip.  “My whole family is eating better and they are all losing weight and feeling better.  Other than looking good and feeling great, there was an amazing added bonus: I was able to ride on a roller-coaster with my son. It was the first time I had been able to fit on one since middle school.†Needless to say, Skip won the contest.  He lost 54 pounds of pure fat and water and gained 4 pounds of muscle mass. Congratulations to Skip on his double win – to his good health and beating that other guy in a contest!