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This Month in 30 Seconds
If you're short on time, here's what's happening...
First access to tickets for the Autumn Yoga Luncheon at Laurentian Lodge.
Of The Oaks Merchandise is finally here and ready to order!
Two fresh summer recipes to enjoy.
Summer movement inspiration, wellness tips and a beautiful Summer Bucket List.
 
Welcome
TO 
JUNE & JULY NEWSLETTER – 
OF THE OAKS
with Michelle

A Note from Michelle
Well… this newsletter decided it wanted a summer vacation before it was even finished!
If you've noticed this is a combined June & July edition, you're absolutely right. But it is JAM PACKED…
this newsletter took a little longer than planned…and blah blah blah…excuses. 
Thank you for hanging in there.
But here it is—filled with everything I wanted to share with you, and bit of a new look and feel. Let me know what you think.
 
Summer has arrived.
The windows are open. The gardens are growing. The lake is calling. The evenings stretch a little longer, inviting us to linger outside just a little more.
 
This season reminds me that wellness doesn't always happen inside a studio.
Sometimes it's an early morning paddle across still water. Sometimes it's dirt under your fingernails from the garden. Sometimes it's laughing around a campfire, swimming with grandchildren, reading in the shade, or simply sitting quietly on the dock watching the sunset.
Summer gives us permission to live a little lighter.
Take the trip.
Plant the flowers.
Go swimming.
Read the book.
Watch the stars.
Your health isn't built only through workouts and appointments.
It's built by fully living your life.
 
With care,
Michelle
Yoga Therapist + Movement Specialist

This Month’s Insights
Living the Season Well
Summer invites us outdoors, slows our pace just enough to notice what matters, and reminds us that health isn't only built through exercise—it grows from how we move, nourish ourselves, connect with others, and experience the season. Let's make the most of it.

Movement Insight - Move Where Summer Takes You
 
Summer has a wonderful way of making movement feel less like exercise and more like living.
Rather than asking yourself, "What workout should I do today?" ask instead, "How can I enjoy moving today?"
Go for a swim. Explore a lake by canoe or kayak. Try stand-up paddleboarding. Walk the beach. Wander a nature trail. Ride your bike into town. Pull weeds, plant flowers, or spend an afternoon tending your garden.
These simple activities improve balance, mobility, cardiovascular health, strength, and coordination—all while connecting you to nature and reducing stress.
The best movement is often the one you don't have to convince yourself to do.

Science Insight
Water First, Always
When temperatures rise, hydration becomes one of the simplest—and most powerful—things you can do for your health.
Your brain is approximately 75% water, and even mild dehydration can affect concentration, mood, energy, memory, and physical performance. Many of us spend the day slightly dehydrated without even realizing it.
Before reaching for electrolyte drinks or the latest wellness trend, remember the foundation:
Drink water.
Keep it visible.
Keep it nearby.
Sip consistently throughout the day.
If you're gardening, hiking, swimming, paddleboarding, or simply enjoying a hot afternoon outdoors, your body needs even more.
Sometimes the greatest improvements to our health don't come from doing something extraordinary.
They come from doing the basics, really well.

Whole-Person Wellness
Summer is Meant to Be Lived
There is a quiet kind of medicine found in summer.
It isn't bottled or prescribed.
It's found in long conversations on the porch. Fresh herbs picked just before dinner. Wind through open windows. Bare feet in the grass. Children laughing in the lake. Watching hummingbirds visit the flowers you planted.
These aren't interruptions to wellness.
They are wellness.
Allow yourself to slow down enough to notice them.
The most memorable summers aren't always the busiest ones.
They're the ones where we were fully present.

Mindful Moment
The Luxury of Stepping Away
We've become very good at filling every spare minute.
But your mind wasn't designed to stay "on" all the time.
Research continues to show that stepping away—even for a few minutes—helps your brain process information, improve creativity, solve problems, and restore focus.
Take the walk.
Sit by the water.
Watch the clouds.
Listen to the birds.
The pause isn't time wasted.
Sometimes, it's where clarity quietly finds you.

 
June Momentum
This season, don't wait until September to feel healthier.
Swim because it feels good.
Walk because the evenings are beautiful.
Drink more water.
Say yes to the invitation.
Plant something.
Watch the sunset.
Move your body every day—not because you have to, but because you get to.
Summer isn't asking you to be perfect.
It's inviting you to participate.

RECIPES THIS MONTH

NO-COOK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
BABY IT IS HOT OUT THERE
 
🍋 Craving a new summer drink? Look no further. Try this viral refresher, if you haven't already. Andrea Buckett is a Canadian Chef, and this is her version from Instagram. Her Essential Cottage Cookbook is also a favourite of mine.
 
This Brazilian lemonade is tangy, creamy, icy, and checks every box ✅

Brazilian Lemonade! 🍋🍹

Ingredients: 
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 limes, trim only end tips
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 handfuls of ice, plus more for glasses

    Directions: 
    In a blender, combine the water with the whole limes, peels and all. Short pulses until limes are broken up (if too long it will be bitter). Strain into a jug, and press out all the juice. Pour back into blender and add sweetened condensed milk (some recipes say to add ½ cup of sugar but why), and ice. 
    Blend until smooth.

    Pour into ice filled glasses and my gosh, so refreshing…ENJOY!

    (adults: optional to add rum, malibu rum, tequila, vodka, you know)

Closing Thought❤️ With Gratitude
Summer has a beautiful way of reminding us that life doesn't have to be rushed to be meaningful.
May these long days encourage you to move with joy, rest without guilt, gather with people you love, and notice the simple moments that quietly become the memories we carry for years to come.
May this season fill your heart as much as it fills your calendar.
With warmth and gratitude,
Michelle
Of The Oaks | Health Gains

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Yoga classes that are for every BODY ~ really. My classes are very approachable and friendly with lots of instruction. Want to move your body, come back to it or try it for the first time, then this is for you.
Use the Jane app to sign up for class or use the QR code or go to the website www.oftheoaks.ca

🌿 Until Next Month...
 
 
 
"Take what you need, leave what you don't, and may you always find moments of beauty in ordinary days."
 
 
 
— Michelle

✨ Let’s Talk
Curious if yoga therapy could help with your stiffness, pain, or movement challenges? I offer 1:1 sessions for people just like you.
Book a Free Consultation
Let’s explore what’s possible.

🫶 Stay Connected
Whether you’re looking to:
return to regular yoga classes
deepen your movement practice
explore yoga therapy
organize a corporate wellness day
bring workplace movement sessions to your team
or simply reconnect with your well-being
…I’d love to work with you.
Movement, mindfulness, nervous system care, and community all matter — and there are many ways we can support that together.
Thank you for continuing to read, follow, and support this journey. 🌿
— Michelle | Of The Oaks & Health Gains
 
Michelle Deschenes
Yoga Therapist + Movement Specialist
Of The Oaks | Health Gains
www.oftheoaks.ca
📧 moftheoaks@gmail.com
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17 River Drive
Blind River, ON P0R1B0, Canada