OUR STORY
Welcome to our Website......We hope you enjoy your journey into our world of holistic self indulgence & wellness.
The Wellness Store & Day Spa was created in 1999 in Missoula, Montana. When founder, Theresia Kelly was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus in 1998, she embarked on a one-woman crusade to battle the ravages of this insidious illness. In was her belief that this illness had an origin in toxins which women are exposed to through the environment as well as the cosmetics industry and diet.
Knowing numerous people in the holistic health industry, Theresia began to research and seek help and advice from many professionals, beginning with a local vitamin store owner who had vast knowledge of how the human body worked in relation to herbs and vitamins. With his advice and help she embarked on using herself as a guinea pig in experimenting with various supplements and herbs until she achieved her first remission. She also sought the advice of her favorite chiropractor, her massage therapist, acupuncturist and herbalists. The information she garnered through the intenet was overwhelming, but she began to look for specific information, weeding out all the misinformation. She was relentless in her quest and it paid off.
Her own Rheumatologist commented on the remarkable strides Theresia made in normalizing her life and achieving longer lasting remissions over a span of months. At one point this very cool and understanding rheumatologist asked Theresia to take medications for the constant pain and swelling she was experiences between remissions, but Theresia felt the only way to know what was working was to keep her system free of medications.
In addition to experimenting with different herbs and supplements, Theresia went to pure organic foods, and eliminated anything white or processed. She also had already eliminated most meats, with the exception of fish and the occasional free range chicken.
The next step in Theresia's endeavors was to investigate why 96% of people diagnosed with auto immune disorders were women. After much research, she began to scrutinize the cosmetics industry. Afterall, logic dictates, who are the largest purchasers of cosmetics? Of course, that would be women.
This began the second major phase to wellness. Finding out what the toxins were and what damage they may be causing to women's health in general.
What Theresia found out was shocking and discouraging. The cosmetics industry in the U.S. was allowing toxins into mainstream products. The products included skin care, deodorants, toothpastes, shampoos, makeups and pretty much anything with which women were drenching themselves on a daily basis. To top it off, something people rarely think about is their clothing, their sheets, their towels, things we have intimate contact with on a daily basis. These can be drenched in pesticides and petrochemicals as well.
Parabens, (there are about 39 types of Parabens), Petrolatum (yes, a petroleum derivative), Propylene & Butylene Glycols (equivalent to anti-freeze) and numerous other additives which preserved products cheaply and preserved artificial scents within the products. What puzzled Theresia was why these very additives had been banned throughout Europe, yet were allowed by the FDA in our country. This subject is too large for a website and when she finishes her book, it will be published through the website available to anyone who wishes to find the same answers. She does teach seminars on this and will keep customer informed of the next seminar.
In short, the above named products all have some very serious consequences, namely they are bioaccumulative. That means, they never are processed out through our liver. In other words, these toxins stay within your system, coursing through your circulatory system and depositing themselves in your internal organs. They have been linked to autoimmune disorders (as in Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Scleroderma, and a number of other disorders, some new ones being discovered frequently). They also have been linked to neurotoxicity, reproductive disorders, liver damage and numerous other very damaging disorders.
By the year 2000, the Kellys had made a decision to leave Missoula valley as the air quality had serious consequences to Theresia's ability to keep inflammation under control. While in New England on business in January of 2001, Steven fell in love with southern Rhode Island. Within two months, they made the move to Newport and opened their first satellite Wellness Store downtown Newport. During this early venture, they continued to seek a flagship location with a full service spa. This they found in historic Wickford. By spring, they moved the entire store from Montana to Wickford and opened the flagship store/spa.
Their first location was on the corner of Brown & Main, where they flourished for the first two years. They then relocated to 6 Main, and just this past year in July of 2009, they moved to their best location ever at 7 Main Street. This allowed for expansion of space and product and services.
Back to the story........
Once Theresia had achieved what in her mind seemed to be a relatively toxin free existence, she reached full remission. Here is her lifestyle:
*Organic Foods, nothing white, nothing processed (for the most part of course), no red meats;
*A regimen of supplements (which she will be happy to share with visitors to the Wellness Store & Day Spa);
*Yoga (for flexibility and immune system function) and daily walks in the woods and on the beach;
*Organic skincare: Remember, your skin is your single largest organ, everything applied to your skin enters your cells!
*Mineral Makeup: Sun protection, beautiful finish and safe!
*Organic Clothing: Mostly for yoga and exercise, when one perspires, think about the lymphatic system's susceptibility to absorbing harmful chemicals in your clothing, especially when you are perspiring. The hope is that some day all clothing will be pesiticide and chemical free!
*Organic Facials: For detoxification and wellness.
*Massages & Reflexology: For detoxification and pain relief.
Please see our menu for specialized beauty and wellness treatments.
We look forward to seeing you soon! Find us on Facebook!
In wellness,
Theresia & Steven Kelly
And..........in addition to owning and operating the Wellness Store & Day Spa, Steven & Theresia are the regional educators and account managers for ilike organic skin care from Hungary. We represent Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York & New Jersey in providing attentive training and education to spas and salons wishing to carry this luscious Hungarian skin care in their own operations. Contact us if you have any questions on becoming a Spa Partner.
