The Wellcast

Anyone who has ever learned to play an instrument or who has spent time in dance or concert rehearsals knows there are no shortcuts.

The trick is learning how to structure practice time to make it productive without increasing the risk for pain or injury. As a parent, you can take a few precautions that can help your child prevent injuries when they practice.

Some of their tips include; Know the instructor, try to understand their teaching methods, and provide regular breaks from practice, about every 30-45 minutes.

Dividing practice into manageable chunks of time reduces the risk of overuse injuries and helps to manage mental and physical fatigue.

Paul Schaefer, MD., is here to explain the unique situation that performing artists have when it comes to injuries and how you can let them explore their art with less risk of injury. 

The transition to adulthood for teens with disabilities can be extremely challenging.

The providers at Courage Kenny Kids see kids of all ages that have a range of physical and cognitive disabilities like cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury or disorders, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum and other sensory disorders, developmental delay, communication disorders, and stroke among others.

They also work with kids who have short-term health conditions like concussions or an orthopedic injury. When parents are raising teens with disabilities or mental health challenges, it can feel impossible to get through the teen years.


LeeAnn Mateffy, lead pediatric occupational therapist is here to assist you in aiding your special needs child's transition into adulthood.

Does your child play a competitive sport? Do they play just that sport and possibly risk an overuse injury? 

Sports specific training can put a child at risk for many injuries. 

Dr. Michael Freehill, an Allina Health Orthopedic Surgeon, is here to help give your kids the best sports experience with advice on cross training and avoiding overuse injuries.

Acupuncture is the insertion of very thin, sterile needles into specific spots on the body.  

Acupuncture is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and has been used clinically for literally thousands of years.

Pain and disease occur when there is either too much or too little energy and blood flowing through any particular meridian.

Acupuncture helps to regulate the flow in the meridians, like adjusting the valves in a large plumbing system.

Paul Magee, MaOM, Dipl Ac, LAc, is here to explain acupuncture and how it may be able to help relieve your pain.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is much more than changing a few sleep hygiene habits.

CBT-I involves working with a health care provider trained in the behavioral treatment of insomnia, usually over the course of four to six visits, to change habits, behavior and thinking that influence biological factors affecting your sleep.

Today, both Mary Beshara, MSN, and Michael Schmitz, PsyD, are here to talk with us about the types of therapy used to treat insomnia.

Although they are unique in their own way, both therapies complement each other by providing expanding services that Allina Health provides depending on the patients’ need or desire.

There has been studies that show how powerful journaling can be for an individual looking for an overall lifestyle change, manage emotions- positive or negative -and how to get to know yourself better, too.

The line “Write to release” really helps remind clients what the purpose of journaling is.

There is no right or wrong thing to write about when it comes to journaling.

It can be absolutely anything that is on your mind.

Chelsea Hurst, certified health and wellness coach is here to offer some insight to get you started, or to continue writing for your health!

Gestational diabetes—for many women the first mention of it may be when their girlfriend tells them you will have to drink this syrup-like liquid for your gestational diabetes test.

Other than knowing they want to pass the test, many woman may be very unfamiliar with gestational diabetes risk factors, treatment and implications on mom and baby.  

About 3 to 8 percent of pregnant women in America develop gestational diabetes which occurs only during pregnancy; usually goes away after your baby is born and often does not have symptoms that show.

Today, Donald Wothe, MD, talks about what may a put a woman at a higher risk for developing gestational diabetes and what treatment often looks like.

What are the symptoms of menopause? Is it different for every woman?

While hormone replacement may have a role in helping some women, Dr. Bell recommends that women take
a more holistic approach.

Healthy living is the first step: exercise, sleep, good nutrition, avoiding excessive alcohol
and caffeine.

For many women, this is enough to keep their symptoms in check. For others for whom that’s not enough, there are many treatments that can help.

Debra Bell, MD, is here to help us to dispel menopause myths and to help us take a look at menopause from a holistic approach.

It’s not just your waistline that suffers if you’re not eating well.

Your brain is one of the first organs in your body to feel the effects of poor food choices.

Jamie Carlson, RD, LDN, helps us understand how to eat better to boost our brain power.

Are you looking for ways to boost your happiness?

“Happiness Boosters” are tricks and tips to increase one’s happiness.

Everyone has a different path to happiness, so it is important to find the one that works for you!

Chelsea Hurst, certified health and wellness coach offers some boosters to help you out!