Essential Healing Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork

Keep it Clean!

2015-06-12T15:11:00.002-07:00

We all know that what we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in it, but do we REALLY stop to consider how much of an impact that items we use on a daily impact could have on our health? One of the simplest and easiest ways to live a healthier, most sustainable lifestyle starts right in your shower, with the soap that you use. Your skin is your first line of defense against harmful toxins – it covers up to 20 square feet of your body! It is a protective barrier between your organs and substances that could harm them. Your skin secretes waste material and absorbs useful vitamins. But even our skin, that is an AMAZING organism designed to protect and nurture your body, cannot keep all of the bad toxins out and these are sometimes absorbed after contact with chemical-laden soap products.

Soap is as complex as it seems simple. Did you know that soap is actually made up of tiny salt crystals that grew in oil droplets? When you mix oils, alkali and water, they chemically react and turn into soap and glycerin. Soap is a very unusual and unique molecule – the oily part of it hates water and the alkali part loves the water. When you mix soap and water – it causes the soap to lather! In it’s most basic form, soap is exactly what your body needs to stay clean and wash away the toxins you are exposed to in the air on a daily basis. However, it’s the chemicals that are added by many companies that cause soap to be harmful.

There are several common chemicals that carry health risks from prolonged exposure to them, that are found in many body soaps. Benzaldehyde can depress the nervous system, which brings on dizziness, vomiting and sudden drops in blood pressure if inhaled. Benzyl Acetate is an eye and lung irritant and a known carcinogen associated with pancreatic cancer. Dove Beauty Bars contain Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) which is a suspected carcinogen, as well as formaldehyde.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) breaks down fats and impairs the skins ability to maintain moisture. SLS is classified as a “mutagen” because it can alter genetic material in cells. SLS is found in Ivory products and in many common household-cleaning products.

Another common chemical, Ethanol, is on the EPA’s hazardous waste list. Ethanol can irritate the respiratory tract and cause vision impairments and loss of muscle control. Ethanol can be found in Ponds and L’Oreal products. Linalool is a narcotic substance that can harm your respiratory system and motor activity.

This and other chemicals are in the soap that you use on your skin on a daily basis. I challenge you to go into your bathroom and read the ingredient list on the soap that you use and investigate the chemicals that are listed.

The good news is that there are now companies that are creating products that are good for your skin AND the environment. First, skip the scents. Unless those are added with natural oils – they are chemically based. The best types of bar soap are made from vegetable oil blends (not mineral) and have the glycerin added back in to protect your skin’s moisture barrier. If you’re looking for a foaming soap, try liquid castile soap.

The most important thing is for you to be aware of what you are putting on your body. Do your research before picking a product that works best for your skin type and that is environmentally friendly. Treat your skin like the valuable asset that it is and only use products that protect it!

Self Care

2015-05-08T07:33:00.001-07:00

We hear a lot about self-care – articles behooving us to practice it and entire lines of products dedicated to it. But what IS self-care? Is it just another trend that will pass in a year or two?

Self-care is the act of improving or restoring personal health by making yourself a priority and attending to your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. WHEW! That sounds like quite a bit of “caring” going on. Simply put – it’s making sure you are a whole and happy individual.

Too often, we forget to focus on ourselves; whether it’s our children, our career, our significant other, or our commitment to family members or the community, we forget to take time for ourselves. This can lead to unnecessary stress on your body, weakened immune system, shortened life, inflamed joints, and so many other unpleasant things. Your body is your vessel that will carry you through your life, and when you aren’t taking care of yourself mentally and physically, your vessel gets run down. Consider self-care as routine maintenance, much like you would schedule oil changes every three months on your car; you must make self care a priority as well.

This is the point where you’re thinking to yourself “I simply don’t have time.” I’m challenging you to MAKE TIME for it. Start simple – set aside 10 minutes a day to focus on yourself. An hour a week. An afternoon a month. Once you accomplish that, you can start fitting “you” into your schedule more.

Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Think about what it is that you liked to do, before the kids or career or community involvement. Think about what it is that you’d like to do now. Be reasonable with your expectations and goals and set a time line and activity that you know you can meet. However, I think it’s important to have big goals as well. Don’t worry if they seem far away or implausible. Feel free to dream and dream as big as you possibly can. Make a bucket list that contains all of those great dreams and teeny goals and start checking them off. Nothing feels better than placing a checkmark next to a goal! Once you start, you’ll find that you enjoy it and you are ready to work toward the big dreams.

Self-care suggestions and ideas:

Start an art journal, set aside a little time every day or every week to work on it.
Read a book for pleasure. You might have a “100 Books To Read” list like I do that contains everything from sci-fi to literary “greats”. But you might also enjoy romance novels or a good murder mystery. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks of what you are reading; read simply for the joy of it.
Take yourself out for the afternoon. Go see a movie or browse a bookstore. Meet a friend for coffee and catch-up. Set aside an entire stretch of time to merely focus on you.
Allow yourself to cry. Do you have a tearjerker movie that gets you every time? Pop it in and grab the tissues. Crying can release tension and help you feel more balanced and ready to take on the world!
Reframe your mind with positive affirmations. A positive affirmation is something spoken aloud that you want to believe or want to be true. Repeat this affirmation daily and it can help to shift your internal dialogue from negative to positive.
Take a class and learn something new. Whether it is a cooking class, a foreign language, or government policy course – your brain LOVES to soak up new information.
Get a massage or a facial. Set aside a little money to treat yourself. You won’t regret it!

Self-care, in the end, is all about you. Figure out what will help you to recharge and DO IT.

Pregnancy or Prenatal Massage is a big help for Mom's to be

2015-03-25T14:01:00.002-07:00

Prenatal Massage to the rescue!

Pregnancy can be an amazing journey for a woman; a journey that allows them to feel their child as it grows and flourishes within them. However, it can be stressful on a woman’s body at the same time – the body is suddenly meeting the demands of two beings rather than one. Studies show that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can help reduce some of this stress as well as reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.

Hormone regulation is a key benefit of prenatal massage. With massage during pregnancy relaxation increases and stress decreases leading to mood regulation and improved cardiovascular health. “Stress hormones” such as cortisol and norepinephrine are reduced and “happy hormones” like dopamine and serotonin are increased. Low levels of dopamine and serotonin are associated with depression during and post-pregnancy. These changes in hormone levels can lead to fewer complications during birth. Studies have also shown that there are fewer complications for the newborns, such as low birth weight.

Another benefit of prenatal massage is a reduction of swelling. How often have you heard (or experienced yourself) a pregnant woman’s concern with their swollen joints? Swollen joints are the result of reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels by the heavy uterus. Massage can relieve this swelling by stimulating soft tissues to reduce the collection of fluids in the joints. This can also help to improve the removal of tissue waste that are carried by the body’s lymph system.

Even without all of these benefits, prenatal massage has an additional benefit for a pregnant woman – it just plain feels good. Reward yourself and your body during those times when it is stressed and struggling to carry extra weight and provide for two rather than one and schedule a weekly massage. Your body will thank you for it!

Want to learn more about our new equine coaching?

2015-02-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

The bond between horses and humans is a truly beautiful thing to witness and experience. Horses have, for centuries, travelled and learned alongside their human companions.

But how often do we stop and listen to what THEY are teaching us? Really stopped and watched how horses interact with the world? Horses are naturally intuitive creatures that trust their instincts to guide them at every moment and in every encounter. We humans have suppressed our intuition, our empathy, and our openness to learning from the world around us.

With Equine Guided Education (EGE) the focus is on “being in the world”; guiding you back to yourself, to what really matters, and to an openness and understanding of the word around us. The Equine Guided Educator will help individuals to identify their future goals and to develop a healthy self-knowledge and responsibility.

Horses guide individuals toward a healthier sense of self during the course of the education. Because horses experience the world in a way that is truly unique to them, they are able to react to each experience without doubt in their abilities and their place in the world. By opening themselves to the horse’s way of experiencing life, individuals open themselves to an education in life itself.

The guide, horse, helps find paths through previously unexplored territory; unexplored territory such as healthy thought processes, awareness of goals, and connection with the world. Learning methods like kinesthetic learning are employed with hands on activities to help individuals feel what the horse is feeling and to connect physically with their guide.

EGE can be useful in many different life arenas – building workplace confidence, parenting, therapy, leadership development, etc. The Equine Guided Educator is trained to recognize each individual’s strengths and weaknesses and to plan a unique educational experience with these in mind. The horse, Educator, and individual, will embark on a journey together toward a healthier and happier life.

Stop the self-abuse, silence the critic!

2015-02-26T09:58:00.002-08:00

We all have that little voice in our heads. You know the one – that inner critic that nags at you and worries away at your confidence and happiness, that pipes up with sneering remarks after a silly blunder or before a big step in life. Don’t you just HATE that inner voice? When we let that inner critic influence our decisions or our daily life, that’s called self-sabotage. Self-sabotaging in a nutshell is simply acting against your own best interest. It’s that little critical voice in the back of your head that tells you that you aren’t smart enough, funny enough, pretty enough, lacking in SOME way.

We all self-sabotage in one way or another; whether its in some small way, such as thinking you’re not good enough to ask for a promotion or in a bigger way such as picking an argument with your significant other for no reason when everything is going “too well”. The good news is, you don’t have to listen to your inner critic. You can change your thought patterns, and thus your self-sabotaging behavior. As Roderick Thorpe, the American novelist, puts it: “We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies.”

The first step to becoming your own best friend – confront the inner critic. Okay, I know this is the scary part but to overcome it, you have to face it! Imagine yourself as a knight armored to face a fire breathing dragon if that helps, or imagine the inner critic as a grumpy Muppet (that’s what I do J ). Listen to all of those terrible untrue things the inner critic is telling you. Write them down. All of them. Read them again. Maybe twice, if necessary. This could be as little as a ten minute process for you or you might consider taking a few days – carry a notebook with you and write down every negative thought that comes to mind.

NOW KILL THE INNER CRITIC! Slay the dragon! Burn the paper where you wrote down the negative thoughts! Flush it down the toilet! Bury it! Maybe just throwing it away will suffice, but acknowledge that the inner critic is wrong, that you are good and worthy, and then make up your mind to never let the inner critic triumph again!

Which leads us to the second step (hey, this should be fairly easy after you just slay a dragon, right?!), relearning how to think about yourself. Cognitive therapists recommend keeping a negative thought journal where you track the thought and then refute it with evidence as to why it’s not true and why you won’t listen to it. For example: “I think I look fat in this dress BUT my husband thinks it looks great on me and I received several compliments while wearing it so that must not be true”.

A negative thoughts journal may not be the right choice for you, just keep in mind with whatever method you choose that the point is to confront the inner critic and nip it in the bud before it leads to self-sabotage. Relearning how to think about yourself is as simple as recognizing the fallacy of your negative thoughts.

Never forget: YOU ARE AWESOME, AMAZING, AND WONDERFUL.

It's Just a Massage

2014-04-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

"You're just a massage therapist, gee-whiz, why do you take everything/ it / rude comments / not funny jokes / etc so personally?"

Skipping past the maniacal obsession that all business owners must possess in order to be in business for themselves, cuz the money sure ain't there (can we talk about the tax rate in this great state??)... and
hop-skipping over the latent, though recovering, bout of perfectionism I have suffered from ALL MY FREAKING LIFE (seriously, I only liked milk from the left tit), and jump skipping over the fact that I am totally with Meg Ryan by 'wondering what is so wrong with taking things personally, surely it should all begin by being personal' etc...

I take 'massage' so personally because it should be the basis of human interaction, touch. It leads to understanding, love, nurturing, and elevates us to the highest level of human expression. It is an art. It is a science. It incorporates all intuition about being a person, standing witness to someone's life, and trying to help.

I have put my hands on four generations of people that all came through my door looking for something. I have worked on people in all seasons of their life and in all stages of their experience on this planet. Celebrities to homeless, babies to octogenarians. Just born to dying. I have worked on social welfare workers, many of whom had filed bankruptcy, get this.... in order TO KEEP WORKING and one was sleeping in her car to help feed her clients. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Their words echo in my head for years.

To me, massage is a response that is life affirming and natural and celebratory and soothing.

I have given my best to those in need when I was breaking inside, past breaking, broken. I know I will continue if blind, battered, or limbless. It is a calling and my religion. My door is open to those in need and I will continue to be grateful for this opportunity.

Buried in Plastic!!

2013-05-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

In my last post I mentioned that plastic exudes an exogenous estrogen... This affects reptiles, fish, birds, mammals, and us.

In fact I was part of the original study based out of Shawnee National Forest to catch and study Leopard frogs and record anomalies (extra legs or other obvious physical mutations) and ratio of sexes. You can tell a male by looking at his larger.... ears. Seriously. At the time, I was a high school student volunteering, and certainly wasn't enlightened as to the seriousness of the research. I just knew it was great fun to skip school, wade through ponds, and play with froggies. It wasn't until I caught up with the state biologist years later that I found out the point behind those blissful, school-free days. We were studying the effects of exogenous estrogens, whether this was causing mutations, and if the populations were being skewed to female. This was in the 1980s! It has been known that plastic impacts health negatively for almost THIRTY YEARS!

What's the main component of plastic? Petrochemicals. What are petrochemicals? Chemicals made from petroleum and distillates. Can't imagine why plastics are endemic.

So... leaving politics, global economies, and social response behind... how do YOU eliminate plastic from your life and that of your family's? It is by far cheaper and not that much harder to start making your own products - future blog post might cover this if there is an interest. Below assumes all goods to be purchased and some of the best places to do so.

General house: carpets, upholstery, clothes, or other fabrics that are made from recycled plastic bottles are great from a recycling standpoint - but terrible for your health!!
Choose wool, wood, concrete, cotton, glass, metal for flooring, furniture, and building material.

Laundry room: Use glass milk bottles (save the cap!!) and refill from the bulk aisle (make sure you label). You can also buy decorative glass jars - but unless you spend some money and get a thick, SOLID jug, it will break easily. If you iron - use a glass spray bottle and make your own spritzer.

Bathroom: Use bar soap, wood toothbrushes, powdered cleaners. Many bodycare products only come in plastic: make sure the plastic is PET-, Paraben-, BPA, and PVC free, and always be on the lookout for alternatives.

Pets: Buy kitty litter and pet food in bags, use stainless steel bowls.

Living room: for candles or scented products, use a canning jar and poke holes in the lid - use a decorative square of fabric and screw on the ring (use wide mouth jars). Coasters can be ceramic, wood, or glass.

Dining room: Use only glass, wood, or metal to eat from. Use fabric placemats (easier to wash than those made from rushes) and fabric tablecloths.

Kitchen: Glass tupperware, canning jars, and parchment paper will be your friends. Textured olive oil bottles with a spout work for dish soap, dishwashing and most cleaners can be bought in powdered form, or in bulk.

When you buy goods: look at the packaging - many times it is indicative of the product quality. Use baskets, canvas bags, and cotton bags when you go shopping. Old pillowcases make great veggie bags. Eggs can be bought in cardboard boxes. If you can buy your meat from a butcher it will be wrapped in paper. Buy bread and keep it in a bread box (good ones available from King Arthur's Flour).

If you have any questions or would like suggestions of how to keep plastic out of YOUR house, feel free to post here.

Help the girls...

2013-05-01T08:47:00.004-07:00

Breast cancer is such an emotionally charged topic for so many, please keep in mind these posts are only made public with the best of intentions and a sincere desire to help.

There are many possible culprits that can contribute to breast cancer. Among them are pure genetics, environmental toxins, individual health and lifestyle choices. These causative factors can be so interlinked and dependent on one another, it can be difficult to separate them. This post is a primer about breast cancer, how life style and environment can affect cancer growth, and some preventative measures that might prove helpful.

It seems that there are several genetic markers that can indicate an individual is more susceptible to cancer. BRCA 1 and 2 tumor suppression genes produce proteins that are the main two markers in use for breast cancer. A DNA profile array shows mutations in these tumor suppressor genes. If found, this means you are more susceptible to cancer, and more susceptible still if you have close family members that have had cancer. However, not a lot of research has been done to show what percentage of women present with mutations in tumor suppression genes, but do not have cancer. Genetically caused breast cancer has been around, and documented as tumors, from the 1600s by Europeans or as early as 1500BC with the Egyptians. However, even if someone is predisposed to cancer, there are many life style changes and choices that can be made to help mitigate cancer proliferation. Further, Myriad Genetics now owns these genes... making it difficult to get second opinions or other treatment options.

Environmental toxins are widespread and endemic, they have been found in polar ice caps, breast milk, and infant chord blood. However, there are ways to help protect yourself. Do not subject yourself to environmental contaminates! Look at the ingredients of everything you come into contact with. Especially body care products, especially body products that go right on the girls. Avoid phthalates, parabens, triclosan, aluminum, denatured alcohol, propylene glycol, 'fragrance,' ethanolamine, etc. My husband likes to keep things simple, and reminds me that not everyone shares my weird and twisted hobby of looking up MSDS (material safety data sheets) on everything, so if you don't know what an ingredient is - don't use it on your body or in your house.

As far as plastic bottles or packaging causing cancer... I will say that in my lab cell cultures were grown on plastic petri dishes and did well. When those same cells were switched to glass dishes, the cells died out. It was surmised at the time that plastic supplied some kind of nutriment that glass (being inert) did not. Later it was discovered that plastic is an exogenous (meaning: a source from outside the body) estrogen. So plastic acts as an extra hormone to anything it comes into contact with...frogs, fish, reptiles, humans. There are many types of cancer that respond to estrogen. So...

Individual health and lifestyle choices are a little harder to nail down and change. For example there have been many studies linking women that work third shift to an increased incidence of breast cancer, or that having children gives you a protective factor over those that cycle every month, or the negative health factors associated with smoking. These are life style choices that might require more thought and effort to totally change.

On the flip side, there is good evidence that increasing lymph circulation to breast tissue helps tremendously and it is relatively easy to go bra-less while at home. The underwire bras are notorious for cutting circulation - go without them when possible. Breast exams are extremely important for early detection, but don't stop there! Do breast massage at home on a regular basis - 'Phluff the Girls' by Cheryl Chapman might be one of the easiest things you can do to help promote your own breast health. As soon as I can figure out how to post a pdf, I will share that directly on here. Diet is relatively easy to change - go Mediterranean and organic as much as possible. Look up super foods, circle your faves, and go to town. Carte blanche for extra servings? Ok!

Hope this gives you ideas and questions. Inform yourself.
Here are some of the links that might be helpful. Thank you and blessings.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/Organic/organickids020303.cfm
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/night-shift-sleep

Disclaimer:
As with so many of these posts, they are birthed out of anger. And questions. And a continued search for answers. Please take all ideas with a grain of salt and do your own research, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on t.v.

Running out of Time?

2013-04-10T10:28:00.002-07:00

Ever feel like the weekend is never long enough? Or do you wish Monday morning didn't dawn so quickly?

Yeah, I think we all have been in that boat. Sometimes I am the Captain, first mate, and bo'swain.

So I started wondering, besides the fact that we are all working our buckets off and dealing with crazy families...jobs...debt...etc... Why are we all so T.I.R.E.D all the time? With a little research, I found some good information that seems valid regarding our time usage (or abuse?).

Did you know that we need different types of time off to feel fully refreshed and restored?
For real.

Its not enough to just veg in front of the TV or drink yourself senseless over the weekend. Neither of these (non)activities fulfill your requirements as a human being. Neither does staying home and working around the house.

The point of time off is to get prepared for your next work period and to be restored for life. So to do that you need a relaxation period, a rejuvenation period, and a recharge period. It doesn't seem to matter what amounts of time you assign to each type or in what order you approach them... as long as it feels right for your body.

Relaxation period is a time to veg - but withOUT external pressures. You may sit outside, get a massage, lay in your pool, stare out the window, meditate. This is for quiet time and to let your thoughts slide and sink down. To let your body completely relax, breathe deep, let your tummy pooch out... no thoughts... no holding yourself in. Some studies have suggested 4hrs a week. I leave the amount up to you. Tip: you know you need more of this when you can't be quiet or be by yourself.
Rejuvenation period is a time to do something you enjoy! Go for a hike, get in a yoga class, do something active that you like. Studies suggest an hour a day.
Recharge period is a learning activity that you want to do. This does not have to be a big deal - reading a new book, working on a new painting technique, trying a new recipe... just something new that you can take a small amount of pride in.

Do each type until you feel completed in that area. If you can manage this over a weekend, Monday shouldn't look so grim. Keep me posted with what you find out!

Livin' Fabulous with Fibro

2013-03-07T08:46:00.001-08:00

For the longest time, I didn't want to admit that there was anything wrong with me. For even longer I hated, I mean HATED talking about it. Someone would sidle up to me in public, lean toward me, and talk out the side of their mouth like we were CIA spies or at least discussing something illicit. 'Psst hey buddy, the wind is out of the west and the birds are going home (subcontext: how are you feeling?)' Usually I would just grunt as raining a rant of swear words down on their head is considered socially unacceptable. Go fig. I guess this year has finally brought another layer of healing and I would like to share a little of my story in hopes that it might help someone else.

As some of you may know, I have fibro (as in fibromyalgia). I may have contracted it during my graduate studies and as a side result of toxoplasmosis from overexposure to the birds I was using in my research... but we'll never know. I do know that the four years it took me to recover was the hardest and loneliest time of my life. My husband and I were baffled, angry, and at sea.

Fibro is unique to each person and is usually coupled with another dis-ease, making it hard to diagnose - so they say. Mine was a definite grab bag mix that included advanced COPD, lethargy, depression, hot and cold flashes, flu symptoms, dizziness, severe GI distress (I mean... SUH-VERE), confusion, diminished appetite, rashes, tender skin, skewed menstrual cycles, (and as a result of medications) extreme weight gain, hair loss, and muscular tremors. Doctors weren't giving us answers and my professors thought I was shirking my work. Needless to say, I wasn't skipping exams because I was too busy partying. I lost my voice, and my struggle for each breath would fill the house.

I can laugh at it now, but there were nights when I was so tired and scared to sleep I would pace and cry, lemme tall ya - kinda dumb when you can't breathe in the first place. Breathing was a colossal act of will, and if I didn't bring everything I had to the process of survival, I knew that would be it.

You hear about these survival stories, where people recount heroic tales of their will to keep living - on a mountainside where their plane had crashed, or on a raft in the middle of an ocean after their ship had sank. Mine was fought on a couch, that was my humble, everyday raft, and those moments were... untranslatable to anyone who has not been there.

Flashforward seven years. I am completely off medication, I am training for my first 5k since I got sick. I work a full time (well over full time actually) physically demanding job. I am healthy and happy and driven again. There are so many things that I know now that could have made my road to recovery shorter and smoother. Here are a few of those hard won nuggets:

Find a reason for your existence. I can hear ya now, 'Are you f#@%ing crazy? I can barely (insert blank) and I am supposed to go all metaphysical?!!' Short answer: yes. What else can you do but watch t.v. and think? This is the one part of fibro that I am thankful for. It allowed me time and space to completely change my life's course and find a path forward that makes sense. If you believe God made each of us for a purpose, great, here's where you get to discover that. If you don't believe in god, great, here's a chance for you to not waste your time here. Do it.
Find something that you enjoy doing while stationary. I taught myself embroidery, knitting, and took up creative writing again. You might wish to blog or write letters, or start up a dog re-homing website. Whatevs. You need something to keep your mind active while your body is not. Sitting on your ass, doing nothing, is easy. But so much harder to come back from. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face (my mom's saying) and you aren't hurting anyone but yourself by being obstinate and depressed (my saying).
Find something you enjoy doing physically. Could be walking your dog, gardening, using an elliptical machine. It needs to be something that you can do long or short, that can end abruptly as needed and that you love to do. I decided to go work for a small landscaping company. Bless her, I wasn't much help in the beginning - I couldn't even lift a bag of mulch, had to rest all the time, and never got all the crabgrass roots out. However, it built my strength up, got me outside, and kept me engaged. You must do this! It seems like 'normal people' can just do whatever, whenever with no planning - good for them. You are smart enough to figure this out and understand your energy patterns - promise.
Lastly, try different therapies. You don't know if they will help until you have tried. Keep a journal of everything you do/don't do and learn about yourself. For me, I now know what I have to do to keep myself in working order - no excuses for when I slip up. Its like a teenager with diabetes, doesn't matter how they got it or who was responsible. Doesn't matter that it's not fair. When you skirt by what you 'should' be doing, that's a choice, and you will end up paying for it. Move on. Choose to move on. Massage, hydrotherapies, energy work, reflexology are modalities that I use regularly. When I travel I research the area and see if there is something else that I can hit up. (Hint hint, check with your CPA, some of this might be tax deductible as a health maintenance cost.)

There are many other things that I do, some more subtle than others. Hope this provides help and inspiration to my fellow fibs out there. Any suggestions, questions or comments?

Therapeutic Uses of Aromatherapy

2013-02-05T08:35:00.001-08:00

Lavender is a great oil to have around.

Hand sanitizer + lysol + flu vaccines = super bugs...
Evidence underlines this simplified equation as the CDC categorized the last part of 2012 to be above the level of an epidemic due to flu outbreaks, with the highest amount of public provided sanitizers. Obviously I am not saying don't ever use hand sanitizer again, I am saying there are better ways out there to stay healthy.

What does this mean for me and my family? Are we doomed to hacking, coughing, and shivering our way through til spring? Or potentially (and more seriously) encountering a fatal outcome?

Absolutely not! However, it does mean that you should be looking for alternatives for you and your family's war on bugs. Don't know anything about aromatherapy besides the fact you like the candles at BodyShop?

No problem. This blog post will be a quick crash course in essential oils to help protect you from bugs, naturally and effectively. Rosemary, Lavender, Tea tree, Eucalyptus, Clove, Thyme, Lemon, Cinnamon, Ginger (fresh source), and Oregano are the heavy hitters when it comes to germ murderers. (Let me mention two caveats here: internal use of essential oils is not recommended without extensive research and is beyond the scope of this blog. Also, make sure you buy your essential oils from a reputable source, organic or wild harvested are best. Unfortunately some companies are now using the term 'Therapeutic Grade' to dupe newbies, so educate yourself about the company and the founder, it will reveal worlds.)

Some businesses like ours will mix oils to your direction so you don't have to buy each individual oil, or suggest a blend based on what you want. Its important to use the correct concentrations, so don't hesitate to ask for numbers!

Rosemary and Lavender are used in French hospitals in place of our standard sanitizer, because it works better and lasts longer! However, they fall short on yeasts and fungi (so get a good mix.)
Thyme has been shown to be effective against e.coli and salmonella.
Eucalyptus, Lemon, and Cinnamon have been shown to be effective against some fungi and viruses, and many bacterial strains (some deadly). This is also the base of the 'Thieves Blend' - worth another blog for its pros and cons.
Oregano effective against anthrax and penicillin-resistant strains.
Clove most effective antioxidant known, also effective against 60 kinds of bacteria.
Tea tree has been shown to be effective against viruses, fungi (also molds and mildew), yeasts, and bacteria in concentrations greater than 4%.
Ginger is effective against salmonella and parasites.

Try this easy list to incorporate essential oils into your life and home:

A whole home diffuser is a great idea ~ don't set it up close to expensive wood, otherwise this is the best investment for your money.
Use the cup on top of your humidifier to hold a blend of oils ~ cheaper alternative to the diffuser and more localized.
Try your own spritzer 'sanitizer' ~ definitely worth it, cheap, easy to make, and lasts a long time.
Make your own wipes ~ use handkerchiefs, cut squares from old sheets or towels, make sure you include one in your child's lunch box or coat pocket (put it in a ziplock bag to keep moist).

I hope this blog article gives you enough of a base to start using aromatherapy for your health, rather than just pleasing your nose! Essential oils are incredibly safe, cheap, accessible, and come with fewer negative side effects than most chemicals on the market. If you have any questions, feel free to visit our facebook page.

Rather than post all my sources and making this article super long, look them up yourself at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

Balance, elusive balance

2012-11-06T07:40:00.002-08:00

Most of us feel like we are walking a fence - desperately trying to balance all of the needs of our families, the demands of our jobs, the upkeep of our homes and material goods, and still maintain some semblance of self... mind, soul, and body.

... And then the Holidays hit... making everything more complicated and giving you even less time to do it in.

So how do you keep from going absolutely insane? I mean really loosing it and checking in as a long term ward at a mental institution?

I rely on a few steady standbys. Productive lists and backtracking, purposefully scheduling me-time, deliberate sense of humor and humanity, and strong focus on joy.

Wait! Don't stop reading yet, many of these things will be familiar to you. However, you might just be familiar with them but not actually be practiced in applying them to your life. Kinda like watching someone bake or decorate a cake - you are familiar with the process but the experience is not in your own hands and you are clumsy when you try to do it yourself the first several times.

1) Productive lists and backtracking. Take ten minutes the next time you feel panic rising. WRITE down, yes, physically, what it is you are scared of, overwhelmed by, and work to understand it. Look at it from several angles. Ask someone you trust, two heads are better than one. Are they tasks? - break it down into steps - WRITE those down and give each one a due date. Is it an event? - Is there anything you can do about it? WRITE it down. The actual secret is to WRITE it down so it is visible - generally humans do better with visual clues (and cues). Trust me, this one is huge. When I was in the Navy, everyone carried a little jot journal. It was about 2 by 4 inches and always accessible. The base commissaries sold thousands of them. Make your thoughts tangible, by making them visible, then dealing with them productively, you will have freed up mental space and so much energy.

2) So you have successfully got your lists of what to do, and when, planned it on a calendar by backtracking, and now you can see your time available. DON'T WAIT, plan yourself some downtime. Know you need your hair done, think you want a new Christmas dress, suspect you will be desperate for an escape with your honey, know a hot stone massage would restore flagging spirits, have you scheduled in physical exercise? PLAN IT ahead of time. Put it on your calendar, book it, and know that you have these rewards sprinkled throughout your month. (These tips work for any time of the year, but I find I need all my skilz this time of the year.)

3) This is the silly season, you have no idea what someone else's life is like on the inside. Look for humor, deliberately focus on how something could be funny. Don't take slights personally, you have no idea what that person might be going through. I have had people deride my business and me until I felt like the lowest untouchable... only to get a peek into their lives and realize that they were responding from a pit of despair. Things can always be worse, there is always something to laugh at, know your worth, and that you positively affect those around you.

4) Keep joy in your heart, sometimes this is hard, really hard. You will have to trust me on this one too. A little Pollyanna-attitude never hurt anyone, find joy in every little thing. Your life will be richer, you will be happier, you will make others around you happy, it is an upward spiral that takes a little work but is definitely worth it.

Please feel free to add your suggestions as well at the end of the blog.

Kiss of Death

2012-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

How appropriate that we are bearing down on Halloween and this article is about toxic sludge slowly poisoning our bodies, twisting our minds, causing blindness and disease...

Sounds like science fiction right? Or at least one of those B-movies where the lead is given to some chick purely for how loudly she can scream and bonus for a modicum of sex appeal. However, let me introduce you to an alternate reality, that will probably make you angry and shocked, or leave you completely agog...

Like thrusting your hand into a dark box... no telling what you will pull out - maggots? (white rice), worms? (cooked spaghetti), how about eyeballs? (peeled grapes) - because many cosmetic companies don't include these compounds on the label for two reasons. One, some of these chemical inclusions are a mistake, meaning they are 'accidentally' added as contaminates, and companies don't label what is unintentionally added. Kinda like meningitis being 'accidentally included as a contaminate' with anesthetics? Second, because make-up is not intended to be ingested, there is no legislating body that specifically requires cosmetic labeling. Also companies claim that it is proprietary information (there is now a move for more kiss-and-tell labeling but... we shall see when that transpires).

Ok... so who thought that loophole was a good idea? Because any woman knows that you end up eating your lipstick, your mascara and eye liner run into your eyes, and thanks to the amount of times you exfoliate your face so that the foundation will lay right, those chemicals have an easy way in too.

Foundation cream or powder is meant to smoothe the complexion, cover imperfections in the skin, and set a neutral color across your face for the other colors to be applied atop of. It usually includes; arsenic, cadmium, BHA/BHT, coal tar dyes (p-phenylenediamine and other colors listed as 'CI' and followed by 5 numbers), DEA/TEA/MEA, any pthlalate, formaldehyde (which comes in an incredible range of compounds), all parabens, PEG compounds, petroleum, fragrance/parfum/perfume (many of these are distilled using hexane), antibacterial compounds, SLS, and more!

The cadmium is what really astounded me, I used cadmium for several research projects in grad school to illustrate it's effect on reproduction and general health. I almost find this laughable, I specifically chose this toxin because of it's wide ranging effects, the incredibly low effect-dosage, and it's benign reputation... most will think, 'Hey that cadmium is in my daily vitamin, it's gotta be fine, right?' For crying out loud, OSHA recognizes it as a toxin and possible carcinogen, says route to exposure is absorption through the skin or respirable, and that the dosage necessary to observe an effect is low.

Unfortunately in this case it's not as simple as buying high-end cosmetics and assuming you will be fine, as Clinique and L'Oreal are some of the top offenders. You also have to watch out for 'green washing,' a term describing how advertisers use words like 'natural,' 'eco-,' 'bare,' 'free'... to give a false sense of safety. (I.E. L'Oreal's mascara, Bare Naturale, has arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, and a host of supporting actors.)

On the positive side? There are good brands out there, you just have to shovel through some... information. I love my 100%Pure that we carry in the shop and, in my humble opinion, it is easier to control for contaminates in fruit than minerals (think you are safe with a mineral make-up? Just a quick google please...) Miessence is a good line as well. Just one last cliffhanger to leave you with: why do more women then men go blind? Why do more women suffer from senility than men?

*That's it for now folks, and I apologize for the abrupt end... had fully intended to cover most of the cosmetics in this blog, however there is so much information to share I feel several shorter articles are the way to go.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2104453/Cadmium-mascara-lead-lipstick-arsenic-eyeliner-The-ugly-secrets-beauty-industry-isn-t-telling-you.html
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals/
http://www.national-toxic-encephalopathy-foundation.org
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0020.html

Cold Season Care

2012-10-07T20:45:00.000-07:00

Cold Season Care

The fall leaves are beautiful, the air is crisp, sweaters are cuddly, and football means that there is finally something watchable on tv most days of the week. What's not to love? How about the onslaught of sneezing, sniffling, coughing, watery eyes, aches, and pains? In other words the cold and flu season** is here and going to keep us company until next spring.

Last winter I made the commitment not to buy any conventional OTC cold/flu medications. I hated the way they made me feel, I hated the price, I hated the taste, I hated the companies that made them, I hated how I always seemed to have to go out and buy more just when I felt the most punk... So last winter I decided to put my foot down and tell my long-suffering husband that we were jumping off the cold care bandwagon. It felt right, but I wanted to know for sure, so I did a little research into the ingredients lurking in those iridescent bottles of blue (or green or orange) syrup.

Ah. Well then. Prepare to have your mind blown. Did you know that acetaminophen is a by-product of the coal industry and that during the process of metabolization turns into a cannabinoid? Yep, what you're thinking. Dextromethorphan HBr is what is listed on several brands' bottles but the body breaks it down further into levorphanol which is a pain killer 5x more powerful than morphine. Amazingly just 12x the normal dose can give you psychedelic highs. Doxylamine succinate is a sedative more powerful than most prescription hypnotics and is the second strongest antihistamine (behind benadryl). Information regarding guaifenesin varies widely (irrespective of dosage or isomers) from low toxicity to very toxic to specific organs when taken internally... So no worries there... Let's not even delve into the artificial colors, corn syrup, thickeners and preservatives.

Even if you are a proponent of better living through chemistry and have complete faith in our regulating government body, the FDA, you have to ask yourself what these compounds are actually doing while they are swimming around in your system? The answer is that they only mitigate the symptoms, they don't support the body, they don't decrease the length of your cold/flu.

So what's an informed consumer to do? Arm yourself with knowledge and then make an informed decision about your health! There are many good books on the subject of helpful herbs for internal use.

Once a cold has reared its ugly head some of my tried and true internals include: echinacea, golden seal, garlic, ginger, citrus fruits, zinc, cayenne powder, cinnamon, and marsh mallow. An easy way I have found to dose myself is by taking a cup of tea an hour. I like the Seasonal Herb Sampler by Traditional Medicinals (no I am not being paid an endorsement fee). To ease breathing I like steaming, either over a bowl of water with a towel over my head to keep the steam in or Vicks makes a great electric personal steamer. The trick is to use an effective essential oil mix, I use 100%Pure Eucalyptus vapor bath, its easy, strong, natural and already mixed. Neti pots are also helpful. Find foods that are loaded with vegetables and strong flavors, think blazing Thai, that will help clear nasal passages and increase circulation. Now there are some good eucalyptus and camphor natural cough lozenges.

For aching muscles a hot soak in a tub is great, add anything that has a detox action or works for sore muscles. I like rosemary (again 100%Pure has a great rosemary muscle soak) and mustard. A massage can be very helpful, but it varies person to person.

Proper rest, hydration, diet, and stress-management are all important factors in preventing and caring for colds/flus. During school and the holiday season it takes even more self-care to stay on top of your game. Make sure to sanitize your hands during the season and do NOT touch your face unless your hands are clean.

Ironically paper tissues are more abrasive to nasal tissue than cloth and are not any more sanitary when proper hygiene guideline are followed. The plus side is you won't resemble Rudolf and you can save trees at the same time.

**Incidentally did you know that it is now believed that both flues AND colds are caused by viruses, the only difference being the severity? http://nccam.nih.gov/health/flu/ataglance.htm
***I used many sources, including MSDS write-ups of all compounds listed. As with any thing I write, don't take my word for it - look it up yourself. Remember, READ THE INGREDIENT LIST ON EVERYTHING YOU BUY. If you don't know what it is, don't buy it. At the very least find out what the unknowns do, how they are made, and what the body does with them.
**** I am not a doctor, I am not prescribing medicine, dosages, or suggesting that you stop your doctor prescribed medications.

2012-08-12T12:31:00.002-07:00

Multi-Use Cups

Cupping improves lymphatic flow and look of cellulite

Originally an ancient Chinese technique, cupping as a body therapy spread to the Egyptians, then the Greeks, and on into Europe. Traditionally, flame and animal horn were used to suction up several inches of tissue to release stagnation within the body. While the efficacy as a self-care technique never caught on in the Western world, breast pumps today utilize the application of negative pressure.

Cupping massage can be applied using glass cups with flame or an attached synthetic pump, either wet (involving blood-letting) or dry. Cups are applied to the skin and either left in place (static) or moved across the body with oil.

Cup kisses from static cupping

Static or deep cupping can leave bruises behind, called cup kisses. If the user is attempting to break down cellulite, widespread bruising may occur. However, a lighter, more thorough touch is appropriate for lymphatic work and does not typically cause any bruising at all.

Cupping should be done once a week to give lasting results.
Stay tuned for Cupping #2, including photos from our Cupping Workshop August 26th. If you would like to learn more about cupping and how to apply this technique at home, feel free to register on this page.

2012-07-09T12:41:00.002-07:00

Need to Brush Up on Dry Brushing?

Dry brushing has been credited with everything from 'curing' cellulite and adrenal fatigue to turning people into paragons of wellness (seriously... check out Samson, the Saxon Giant, in the 1920s).

So what is dry brushing?

During dry brushing you are literally taking a brush, made for people, and intentionally stroking your skin with it. Dry brushing enthusiasts believe that different strokes, varying pressure and direction, and aftercare all conspire to effect wide ranging outcomes.

So what's the truth?

I personally feel that any type of alternative or complementary medicine is only applicable on an individual basis. Our great-grandparents understood that part of a person's journey on this planet was to discover their bodies, what worked, what didn't, and what made them feel the best. Western medicine has inserted itself between a person and their body, no longer allowing effortless communication between the two closest entities.* It's like two people sitting side by side on the couch, and instead of talking to each other, they text. The cell phone is standing in for the simplest, truest communication.

What's your point?

You need to try dry brushing (like any other natural method of health) and see. I can tell you from a toxicology standpoint that dry brushing every day makes good sense. I believe that dry brushing, used a minimum of 6 times a week over the long haul, will aid circulation. I have noticed that clients who dry brush have finer textured skin, and seem to have less noticeable cellulite and spider veins.

Where can I find out more?

Funny you should ask... Essential Healing is holding two Dry Brushing Workshops July 18th at 5pm and 6pm. The cost is $25 if you register by tomorrow and includes a dry brush to take home as well as a $15 service voucher to be used with me (Becky).

*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, I do not have a medical degree, I am not diagnosing or prescribing drugs/treatments/or the cessation of either.

New Workshops

2012-06-07T10:09:00.001-07:00

This is our new lovely downstairs room that I hope to fill with workshop attendees most Wednesday nights. I realized I had reached a breaking point with some people's unhealthy fixation on scalpels when a gentleman told me that he was soon to be missing a digit (!!!?)

Evidently his finger had been hurting since he strained it in a work-related injury and the grand solution to this manual laborer's problem was to remove the offending bit, forever, from his body.

Call me crazy, but maybe a simpler solution should be attempted first? I have always shied away from public speaking venues, but after this last straw, I want to help people to my limit.

Cue our workshops! Examples of workshops that I would like to hold include our Carpal Tunnel June 13th (ahem - seats still open), plantar, sciatica, Fabulous with Fibro, breast health, cancer education, and general ones focusing on low back pain, neck pain, office yoga, detox, etc etc

So check out our classes page on our website and feel free to suggest topics!

Benefits of Swedish Massage or Relaxation Massage

2011-07-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

As I was running around this last week, all I could think about was Saturday night after I had finished work. Not because I had a fun night planned with the girls, or that I was going out on the town with my husband, or we were going to see a movie together for the first time in five years... Nope. I was excited because I could put my feet up and relax, finish the carload of laundry, and actually eat supper before midnight. Hmmm, the next question is, did I actually accomplish any of those items on my highly charged Saturday night to-do list? Well, I made a start on the laundry, ate supper before midnight, and put my feet up but everything was fit and squashed around sorting files, email, writing web content, maximizing search results, blah, blah, blah, work, work, work, work!

How often have you looked forward to something relaxing and then denied yourself that time to recharge? This is where the value and the sanctity of the Swedish Massage or Spa Massage comes in. By it's very nature you can't multi-task, work, do chores, be everything to everyone. Did you know that the Roman elite visited the baths and received massage as often as once a day, whereas the poor and the slaves would only be free to go once a week! It certainly puts the once a year vacation or the rare 'treat' massage in perspective, and underlines how necessary it is to find easily accessible stress busters.

What else can you do when you are dog tired and short on time? Taking an hour, an hour and a half, or two hours to receive a Swedish massage is a sound and easy investment in your health that should be regularly scheduled to keep your body and mind ticking along optimally.

Several published studies that have trialed massage* have drawn several relevant (and hopeful) conclusions.

There were significant decreases in

tiredness,
pain,
anxiety,
depression (1 and 2)

There were significant improvements in

vitality,
general health,
energy,
mood,
ability to sleep,
movement,
health,
general health and physical health. (3)

The cost benefit ratio for Swedish massage is unbelievable, why not try it for yourself and reap the benefits of Swedish Massage, a natural solution for stress and anxiety.

*All articles can be found on pubmed, may need subscription to read full article.

How to get the most out of a massage

2011-07-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Now that you have found your therapist, there are a few things you can do to stretch out the enjoyment of your session and maximize the long-lasting benefit of massage.

It starts with booking your session - don't wait too long between appointments if you are trying to make progress with any particular issue. I know, we all know, from personal experience how easy it is to get caught up in life, chores, work, household needs, etc, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. However the harsh reality is all that stuff will still be there, waiting, regardless of whether you deny yourself basic maintenance and try to continually push through it. Ergo, you might as well carve yourself out some mental 'me' time to thoroughly enjoy and experience without the pointless guilt.

Next is showing up at your appointment - just do it! It would be best if you could show up a few minutes early for decompression time, wearing comfy clothes, and being well hydrated. But seriously, the most important thing is just to show up! The number of times I have had clients that desperately need their appointment but decide at the last minute that they have too much work to do and cancel- over and over again. In the end they are sabotaging their own health, making the lives of those around them hell, and ultimately not ever getting 'caught up' or 'done' with work that continually stresses them out.

So now that you have made your appointment, and have arrived, just relax. Use the restroom if you can and have some water. Take two minutes to tell your therapist how you are feeling, if you have any requests, concerns, or want special attention paid to any certain area of your body. Do this to get the session you want! While most therapists are somewhat intuitive, or have a great sense of what the body is saying, your wants have to be addressed as well for you to relax.

During the session, breathe, and let yourself go. Don't worry about hairy legs, falling asleep, snoring, or anything else - trust me, therapists have seen it all before. The one exception is if something is bothering you or you are uncomfortable - SPEAK UP! Don't waste the whole session and your $$ by suffering in silence, you are doing both yourself and your therapist extreme disservice. If you don't like the music, if the temperature isn't right, if you are getting a cramp, if the pressure needs to be adjusted - say something so the session can be righted for you. Then return to your dreamlike state. A mental trick dealing with wayward thoughts is to say to yourself the phrase, 'be present.' Let yourself really be there in that moment, listen to the fountain and music, feel the massage strokes, and smell the silky oil - allow yourself to fully exist only in that moment. A pure definition of sensual without sexual connotations, is: of the body / of the senses. How often do we take small pleasures and experience the world through our senses? How often do we confine our bodies to merely carry our head and frustrations around? 'Be present.'

Finally, after your massage - drink water, perhaps have a mint. Don't rush to get dressed, make use of the towel to wipe your skin if you wish. Try to still exist in the moment. Depending on your session type there may be some aftercare suggestions that should be followed for maximum results. Rebook to decrease your chance of letting self care get away from you, and drive carefully.

What to look for in a massage therapist... and how to find the goods.

2011-07-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

Firstly, a massage therapist has the potential to be a complete aid.
Someone that: encourages you on your journey to health,
                      is nonjudgmental about any dietary or general life goof-ups,
                      is glad to see you and rejoices with your triumphs,
                      is in tune with what your body says,
                     and listens to the verbal communication as well.
In short, a massage therapist is your body and wellness coach and should be utilized to s/he's full capability.

(This of course does not mean a massage therapist should be a door mat or taken advantage of and there will be a whole follow-up post on rights and reponsibilities between client and therapist. Instead this is one of the most positive, equal, upfront, dual responsibility, honest, legal relationships allowed in today's society.)

Therefore your new body and wellness coach should be:
1) Personable, presentable, and professional and maintain the same in their environment.
2) Knowledgeable in the areas of bodywork important to you and in anatomy/physiology.
3) A listener and accessible.
4) Reasonably priced, neither the highest nor the lowest in the area.

Now that you have some basics in mind, start cruising the local talent. This may take some time, personal referrals from friends and colleagues help, but view this process as a necessary step to finding a treasure.

Anyone in the biz should know that as soon as their information is in front of a client's eyes they are being evaluated for a possible gig, and should market accordingly. A quick trawl through a therapist's website will tell you a lot about them and their approach to massage. It may sound harsh, but a therapist without a website is a big no-no these days. It says they don't take their profession seriously, or possibly, have been around so long they aren't interested in new clients. Note the posted hours, services, and pay attention to your gut - if something seems fishy keep searching.

Next, call for a quick phone interview. Don't be surprised if you get voicemail or an answering machine as many therapists are trying to cut costs and may no longer have an answering service. Don't give up yet, use it as another measuring stick by leaving your contact information and see how long it takes for them to get back to you. If its over 24hrs move on. When you do get to speak with them, pay attention to their voice, how they answer your questions, if they seem knowledgeable, and if you feel comfortable with them. If everything seems kosher, schedule an appointment and show-up to check out the premises and their touch firsthand.

The room and office should be clean, comfortable, and quiet. You should be greeted with a smile and ushered into the treatment room for paperwork and the start of your session. It is a good idea to mention any areas that you want more time spent on, or areas to avoid. Extra touches are always appreciated, but pay attention to the massage and if your therapist listened to you. To talk or not to talk is completely up to you and your therapist should follow the lead you set.

Finally, after your massage, are you still being treated as a VIP or are you kicked out the door? If you walk back to your car with a smile or feel less pain than you went in with, chances are - you found the goods.