Simple Health Ideas

Roasted Veggies Recipe

2012-01-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

Roasting your vegetables in the winter is a great way to get in your vitamins and minerals while still enjoying a hearty, warm, comforting meal. You can roast almost any veggie, but here is my favorite combo!

2 sweet potatoes

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 carrots

2 beets

½ winter squash

2 potatoes

2 turnips

Chop all into similar size pieces. I usually cube everything into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Toss all in a large bowl with 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 35-45 minutes. Stir half way through. Cooking time will vary depending on how big your cubes are, so check it regularly, and cook longer if needed.

Do You Massage Feet Too?

2011-12-22T06:53:00.000-08:00

I see a lot of clients who come in regularly to keep work or recreational repetitive stresses from flaring into issues. This usually means that we work on the same areas each week, either neck and shoulder focus, or low back, or forearms and hands. Every once in a while one of these clients will ask if I can do anything else.

The answer is yes! One of my regular clients, whom I have been seeing for some time now, usually has a 45 minute treatment focused to upper back, neck and sometimes forearms and hamstrings. The other day she came to see me and asked if I ever work on feet, to which I replied absolutely!

We proceeded to do an entire 45 minute session to feet and calves. I did a little reflexology work, and some massage. She totally loved the session, actually had the same treatment the following week! The reflexology still helped loosen and relax her upper body, and well as areas that we never get to work on, plus she had the relaxing effects of TLC on her tootsies!

Another client who normally comes for deep tissue work asked if I could do relaxation massage one day, as she was feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. We spent the entire hour doing a session that you might get in a spa setting. I even used an oil blend perfect for relaxation. We spent the last 20 minutes working scalp and face, and the results were fantastic. She left feeling calm, and very relaxed.

So if you are ever feeling like a slightly different treatment is what you need, please ask! I have many tools under my belt as a registered massage therapist, from active assisted stretching, to craniosacral therapy. Even though I joke about giving a crummy relaxation massage, I am actually a pretty good at it!

Baby Step Your Way to Health

2011-11-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the road to health can seem overwhelming. You see these fit people and think they are freaks of nature, or just lucky somehow to be gifted with time to exercise or eat right.

Well I am here to tell you that the road is a little bumpy, but you too can one day be one of those people that others look to and wonder how you find the time.

The secret to success is to simply move in that direction, one little step at a time. This can be as simple as eating one less spoonful of cereal, taking one more flight of stairs, or adding one more leaf of lettuce to your salad.

Each step you take towards health means one step farther away from your previous unhealthy habits. For every celery stalk you eat, you will have less room in your tummy to fill with cookies. For every after dinner walk around the block you take, you will have less time to get hooked on yet another TV sitcom.

There are so many opportunities in a day to do something healthier than you did the day before; you just have to make the choice. Every time you reach for your morning bowl of cereal, ask yourself, “is this the best choice for my health?” Maybe you should read the label and measure what an actual portion size is. Maybe you should try the cereal with just a little more fiber and a little less sugar today. Maybe you should have a green smoothie today and not have cereal at all!

These are all options that most likely won’t make you late for work, but they do make you step out of routine just a tiny bit. This is where most people get caught in habits. It isn’t that there isn’t time, it is that you have to think – it isn’t automatic. We are all running our lives on autopilot so much now that I think routine itself is becoming a bad habit!

Shake it up a bit! Make a commitment to adding one tiny new healthy habit every week.

Eventually these little tiny things add up to major lifestyle changes, until suddenly you are leaner, have more energy, and therefore more time to do the things you love, and become a role model for those around you.

Forearm Stretch

2011-10-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

Many of you work at computers all day long, only to go home and work on them all night too. Excessive keyboarding can cause discomfort in the hands and forearms. Many of the muscles that control finger movements are located in your forearms, so stretching out the forearms is a great thing to do during your busy work day.

Start by extending your right arm out in front of you with palm facing down. Using your other hand, hold your right hand just below the wrist and gently pull it down so that your hand is pointing down toward the floor. You should feel a gentle stretch only. Hold for 20 seconds (or longer if you like)

Next turn your outstretched arm with palm facing up, and this time, using your other hand, hold across your right fingers, pulling them down so they point to the floor. Again, keep the stretch gentle and comfortable, holding for 20 seconds.

Self Help for Neck Pain and Stiffness

2011-10-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever woken up and not been able to turn your head? If this has happened to you, you know how uncomfortable this can be.

Sometimes it is painful, and sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes you have an idea what might have caused it, like sitting at a table with your head turned to the right or left for two hours chatting with someone at your side. Or maybe it started the morning after you were hit in the side of the head with a football. But sometimes there just doesn’t seem to be any logical reason whatsoever.

No matter what the cause, it can be quite distressing to be unable to turn your head one way or the other. Many cases of neck crick clear up on their own, within a few days or weeks, but sometimes, like anything in the body, things don’t go quite the way you planned.

So what can you do if your neck is painful and/or immobile? Start with good old heat. Any kind of heat will do, hot shower, hot pack, sauna, hot tub, even some warming liniment can help relax tight muscles and trigger points around the area.

Next do some self-massage. Gently work the tight areas with your fingers, working up the back of the neck in the groove between the spinous processes in the back of your neck and the transverse processes in line with your ears. Stop and hold some pressure on any big lumps in the muscles you feel.

Using finger tips, gently run over the sides of your neck, working down in little 1 inch sections. Then, using a pink pearl eraser, or fingers, work the ridge along the base of your skull, frictioning side to side in small sections, again holding on any tight, tender spots.

It is a great idea to mobilize your neck in pain free range after loosening it. Try doing shoulder checks side to side, repeating a minimum of ten times each side. Then drop ear to shoulder, alternating side to side, again minimum ten times each side.

Lastly, try to keep your neck warm for a few days. Wear a hoodie or scarf outside, be cautious of sleeping by an open window, as cool breezes at night can often flare neck tension, and possibly be the cause of it in the first place!

With these few simple techniques you can help decrease down time and get back to normal neck function!

Nectarine and Swiss Chard Smoothie

2011-08-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

1 cup water

2 nectarines – make sure they are ripe!

1 banana

½ to ¾ cup blackberries

½ bunch Swiss Chard – about 10 leaves

Blend well and enjoy! You can add a few ice cubes too!

Hamstring Trigger Points

2011-07-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

The hamstring muscle group is made up of three muscles, the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. They run from the ischial tuberosity (sit bones) down to the sides of the knees, just below the joint. The semitendinosus and semimembranosus attach on the medial side, and the biceps femoris attaches on the lateral side.

The hamstrings function is mostly to extend the hip and flex the knee. They help keep you upright against gravity by holding your body from flexing forward at the hip.

These muscles are crucial for most upright activities, including dancing, running, walking, jumping and as already mentioned, and bending forward.

Trigger points can flare in the hamstring group due to prolonged bed rest with flexed knees, or from sitting in a chair too long, especially if the front edge of the chair is pressing into them. They can also be overloaded with repetitive movements.

Trigger points pain is usually felt in the lower buttock and posteromedial thigh, and even down to the medial upper half of the calf. The biceps femoris will refer pain to the posterolateral side, and usually doesn’t extend as far into the calf.

Pain is often worse when sitting and walking, and can disrupt sleep.

Be cautious when choosing your chairs, especially lawn furniture that has a wooden or metal frame with a soft webbed or woven cushion on top, or bar stools without a footrest. Children are also at risk if sitting in a firm chair without the ability to rest their feet on the floor or footrest.

Try to change positions whenever possible during long car rides. Drivers can use cruise control if they have it so that they can change leg positions slightly at regular intervals.

Keep your hamstrings loose by stretching them out, rolling them with a foam roller, or kneading them with a tennis ball (just sit on it and roll around a little).

Warm baths are a great place to do a seated hamstring stretch!

Side slides

2011-06-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Side slides are an excellent and fun exercise to tone your inner thigh muscles. They are best done on a smooth surface such as tile or laminate, wearing good work out shoes. Start in a standing position, feet together with toes turned out slightly (Charlie Chaplin type stance). Lunge out to the right side into a half squat, and then lightly drag your left foot over to the right, as you straighten up to starting position.

Repeat the same to the left side. Do 1 to 3 sets of 12 reps, and feel the burn!

Sit Less, Live More

2011-06-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

We all know that sitting for prolonged periods of time is not good for us. It puts pressure on our spine, compresses the backs of our legs, and often means we are also slouching over a computer or into a couch. Did you know, however, that just the act of sitting for hours on end, aside from ergonomic issues, increases your chances of having a heart attack by about 50%?

According to a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, lifestyles of 17,000 people were followed for 13 years, and it found that there was a 54% higher chance of dying from a heart attack for those who sat for long periods of the day.

It didn’t make a difference if the people smoked or exercised; the results were still the same.

As soon as you sit down, your leg muscles literally stop firing, and calorie burning drops to 1 calorie per minute. This means that during an eight-hour shift at work, you burn only 480 calories.

It’s not just the sluggish metabolism that is affected, however, as sitting also causes reductions in enzyme activity, drops good cholesterol levels, and reduces insulin effectiveness, not to mention the flat butt!

In all seriousness though, if you work at a desk all day you might be feeling a little helpless right now, but there are things you can do!

First of all, any time you can stand up, do it. Even if you literally just stand up and then sit right back down again. Stand up when you are talking on the phone, march in place if you can, take frequent short breaks to walk the stairs, or just stretch and mobilize your body.

Even tapping your toes or doing calf raises at your desk while sitting will make a big difference if done regularly through the day. We were always told not to fidget as children, but it is actually a great thing to do! Move your torso in the chair, move your legs around, do shoulder circles, just keep moving.

If you have regular meetings at work, see if you can have everyone stand either during the meeting, or before and after. Make it a company policy to add a little movement to your day. It will actually boost productivity.

There are even little rubber discs (Sissel Sit-Fit) that you put on your office chair to help you engage muscles while in the seated position. Another option, although more cumbersome is to use a physio ball to sit on, again your core muscles must be active to keep you upright on them while seated.

After work, please don’t go home and sit in front of the computer or television. If you must watch TV, stand up and fold laundry, clean, sweep the floors, do gentle exercising, or march in place. Use TV time as catch up time on chores, or exercise time.

We all have to sit, but if there is an option to stand, or walk, or move, think of your health and take the opportunity!

Favorite Snack Recipes

2011-06-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

Many people are more active as the weather gets nicer, and so your appetite increases. If you don’t have wholesome snacks on hand, it can be too tempting to grab something quick and processed. Keep a few of these ready, and you don’t have to worry about blowing your healthy eating this summer, just because you are starving and want food NOW!

1) Lettuce leaves or celery sticks spread with almond butter

2) Date (pitted), stuffed with a couple of almonds or walnuts

3) Carrot and broccoli sticks dipped in hummus

4) Chia seed, hemp seed and buckwheat groats (1 TBSP each) mixed with coconut milk – allow to sit for a few minutes to let chia expand and thicken. Mix and enjoy! Try with fresh berries or banana – yum!

5) Plain organic yogurt mixed with berries and hemp seeds or freshly ground flax seeds

6) Rye crisp crackers with sardines or salmon and fresh sprouts

All of these options will give you a nice mix of protein, carbohydrate and fat to keep you going during active spring and summer days! Just remember to drink your water too!

Repetitive Strain Injuries

2011-05-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

Almost everyone has suffered with repetitive strain injuries at one time or another. Conditions like rotator cuff tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel and iliotibial band syndrome are very common and end up becoming a chronic issue for many people.

According to Paul Ingraham (http://www.saveyourself.ca), there are 5 important facts about repetitive strain that everyone should know. These tips will help you in understanding what exactly you are dealing with, and therefore aid in your recovery!

First and foremost, most of the conditions we consider tendinitis (meaning tendon – inflammation) have nothing to do with inflammation! The tendon is degenerating due to overuse, but isn’t actually inflamed. This means that common treatments, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, topical creams and ice have little or no effect on the problem.

Second, although it is often thought that many overuse issues develop due to biomechanical abnormalities (leg length discrepancies, tilted pelvis, scoliosis), the real issue is overuse of the body part, plain and simple.

I can’t tell you how many times someone has come into my office and told me that another health care professional told them that their right shoulder is lower than their left, as if this somehow proves that their entire body is out of alignment. Usually all it proves is that they are right handed, and have hung their purse or back pack off their right shoulder for years. If we were meant to live our lives with perfect posture, we would all be ambidextrous.

This doesn’t mean that you can do any activity you want without paying attention to proper form, but you aren’t predisposed to injury just because you have a mild curve in your spine.

Third, overworked, degenerating tissues need time to heal. Rest and avoidance of the repetitive activity is required (in most cases) if you want the area to heal. Basically repetitive strain injuries occur when the break down of tissues from activity exceeds your body’s ability to heal it. The logical way to reverse this then is to allow your body time to heal, while avoiding anything that contributes to the break down.

This simple fix can be very hard to implement in many cases, because if it is work related, most people can’t easily take weeks or months off work. If it is activity related (running or tennis, as examples), it can be difficult to stop doing the things you love the most. Think about it this way, you can either take three months off now, and then work your way back up to your current level of fitness, or you can suffer for years possibly, thereby never really enjoying the activities you used to love. Seems like a no-brainer to me!

The fourth point to consider is that every tendon is connected to a muscle, and those muscles can harbor trigger points, which can mimic, predispose to or exacerbate symptoms of repetitive overuse injuries. Muscle tightness and trigger points can also be exacerbated themselves by repetitive strain injuries. This can be an interesting little cycle – sometimes a tight muscle can predispose you to developing a repetitive strain injury, which then causes muscle tightness!

The final point to consider when tackling your tendinitis is that it is frustrating, scary, and stressful, and this emotional component can actually make the severity of the pain increase. Remember last month, when I was talking about the brain controlling pain. It isn’t just that your brain interprets pain as more intense, anxiety can actually change the way your central nervous system perceives pain, making you more sensitive to it.

So what is the take home message here? If you are suffering with a repetitive strain injury, rest the area for as long a period as possible, realizing that full recovery could take months. Try getting some muscle and trigger point massage to help alleviate tight unhealthy muscles around the area. Finally, keep yourself as healthy as possible, and know that your body will do what it needs to in order to heal itself.

Balance Exercise

2011-04-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

Improve your balance by standing on one leg whenever you can. This helps keep all of your little stabilizing muscles strong, helps maintain the arches in your feet, and obviously helps improve your balance!

Practice standing first, and then progress to squats, lean forward and back, and even do little hops. Don’t forget to work both sides!

This is a great exercise if you have weak arches or have ever sprained or broken an ankle (just don’t try it until you are fully healed!).

Quinoa Salad

2011-04-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

This salad is a meal unto itself.

· 1 cup quinoa – cooked

· ¼ small red onion – chopped

· ¼ bunch cilantro – chopped

· 1 can black beans – drained

· 1 mango – chopped

· 1 small head broccoli – chopped into small pieces

· 2 TBSP olive oil

· 1 TBSP lemon

· pepper to taste

Simply mix all ingredients in a big bowl. Add anything else you think might taste yummy. This can also be used as filling for a wrap, either in lettuce leaves, tortilla shells, or nori sheets. Leftovers can be lightly stir fried in olive oil if you don’t like having the same things two days in a row!

The Brain Controls your Pain

2011-04-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have all noticed how when you do something like accidentally poke your finger with a pin, it takes a few seconds for you to actually feel the pain. This is because the impulses from the injury are sent to the brain via nerves in the tip of your finger. These impulses are then analyzed and interpreted, and it is only when your brain decides that yes, this is a threat, that it will send the pain response down to your finger so that you react accordingly. In this case that reaction would be to pull your finger away from the pin, and not do it again!

So technically, your finger doesn’t hurt until your brain tells it to. It is the brain that controls the pain.

You can see this phenomenon with young children. Toddler A falls down, bumps his or her head on a chair, and simply carries on with whatever it was they were doing without much reaction at all.

The nerve endings in the area of the head that was bumped sent signals to the brain, but the brain can tell by the nerve impulses sent that there is no open wound or internal tissue damage warranting an inflammatory response, and the child has no reason to interpret the incident as a threat yet, so his/her brain simply dismisses the incident with no further communication.

This same incident happens to Toddler B and a bawling breakdown ensues. This can be due often times to an over reactive grown up, either scaring the child with the way they handle a simple little bump on the head, or a learned reaction stemming from the way they dealt with a previous incident. Also, if there was an incident earlier in the child’s life where actual injury did occur, they may interpret this much lesser, trivial bump as a much larger concern.

This can also explain to some degree why people in the heat of battle, or athletes in competition can do amazing things while obviously injured. Their brain either hasn’t had time to assimilate all the stimuli it is receiving, or possibly has some way of shutting down the communication in times of extreme peril. There isn’t much point in knowing your toe hurts when you are in danger of being caught by a crocodile!

So what I am trying to say here is that your brain controls pain. It either tells you that something hurts, or it doesn’t. And the brain is a crazily complex neurological marvel, which can take learned behavior, personal beliefs and ideas and mix those up with innate programming, and spit out a completely unique personal interpretation of any given situation. Which basically means that no one experiences the same situation in the same way.

So what is painful or scary or stress-full to you might be a walk in the park to someone else.

It is plausible then, that some cases of pain are actually manifestations of our own interpretations of a situation. We assume that things will hurt in certain situations; your neck will be sore after a car accident, your back will hurt if you shoveled gravel all day, your knees should hurt because you were told there are arthritic changes showing on X Ray.

If you believe statements such as these, your brain will use that information when interpreting signals it receives constantly from different parts of your body. You may actually be setting yourself up for pain that isn’t even there! Sometimes that old saying “It’s all in your brain” could actually be true!

Simple Soup Recipe

2011-02-28T11:01:00.001-08:00

Have some vegetables left in the crisper that you don’t know what to do with? Chop ‘em up, put ‘em in a pot, and make some soup! This recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes to cook, and that’s it! Who says you can’t make a healthy home cooked meal in minutes!

3 carrots – chopped

½ head cauliflower – chopped

¼ head cabbage – chopped

4 potatoes – cubed

19 oz can tomatoes

4 cups water, or vegetable or other stock

pepper to taste

Mrs. Dash, Montreal Steak Spice, or your favorite spice mix

That’s it – put it in a pot and simmer until tender. You can add anything you want to this, onions, garlic, beans, lentils, leftover meat, tofu, other veggies, anything you want. Or just enjoy as is, simple fast and yummy!

Self Massage Muscle Aches and Trigger Points

2011-01-23T20:12:00.000-08:00

I wanted to tell you today about the Acuball, which is now have available in the office. The Acuball is a fantastic tool to have in your home care kit to self massage muscle aches and trigger points, and they can be heated!

The large ball can be heated either in the microwave, or in a pot of boiling water. The heat provided is not super hot, but a very comforting warmth that slowly penetrates into your muscles, soothing and relaxing the outer layers of musculature, while the knobby curves of the ball stretch and release trigger points and tight tissues.

The large ball has a small groove in the middle of it, allowing you can lie down on it, placing the groove along your spine, so that you can work the muscles on either side of the spine without putting pressure on your spinous processes. This is a great way to release the tissues in your low back. Simply lie on your back, knees bent and feet on the floor. I recommend starting on a soft surface such as a bed or sofa, or you can try a carpeted floor or yoga mat if you want a more intense release.

Get the ball into position by lifting your hips off the floor, and place the ball in the small of your back, making sure that the groove is running parallel along your spine, and slowly relax down onto it. Take a few deep breaths as you relax onto the ball, and stay there for a few minutes. This is intense, so relax and give it a few minutes to let the muscles loosen. If you have instability issues with your lower spine, please check with a health care professional before trying this.

This technique works well between the shoulders and neck level also. My favorite thing to do is start with the ball at the base of the skull, take a few deep breaths, feel the release, and then move your body up just slightly, so that you creep up on the ball and it thereby moves slightly further down your spine. Relax again, and continue moving up, and inch or two at a time, as the ball slowly moves down your spine, releasing segment by segment. In ten minutes it will feel like you have had an hour massage!

The large ball is also great for releasing tight hamstrings. Simply place it under your leg while sitting on a firm chair, and feel those trigger points melt away!

The Acuball Mini is wonderful for more specific work between shoulders, feet, temples, forearms, hips, pectorals, or practically anywhere! You can put it into a long sock and lean against a wall onto it, lie on it, or simply press it into areas such as quads or forearms. Use is just like you would a tennis ball.

The Mini is heated in boiling water for 10 minutes, but cannot be used in the microwave.

They both also work great without being heated, so you can take them with you anywhere!

These ingenious little trigger point terminators are fantastic, and I highly recommend picking yourself up a pair soon. I will be re-ordering soon, but do still have a few left in stock if you don’t want to wait!

Green Cleanse Smoothie

2011-01-11T13:41:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, time for another smoothie recipe! This one will be the perfect remedy to an overindulgent season! It is chock full of cleansing, alkalizing fruits and veggies to help clear out those pipes and get you out of the rich food blues!

1 apple – core and chop

1 lemon – I put the whole thing in, but if you are a little apprehensive then just use the juice

½ cup blueberries

½ cucumber

½ head romaine lettuce

½ bunch parsley

Just drop it all in the blender, add a tiny bit of water if needed, and blend until smooth. It is like taking a scouring pad to the inside of your body – you will feel pure and clean after!

Note: this is a fairly advanced smoothie, as far as taste and texture go. If you have been making them regularly then you will enjoy this one. If you are new to smoothies, you might want to break yourself in slower, and try banana, blueberry and romaine to start. Once you acquire a taste for green drinks, you can cut back on the higher sugar fruits, and increase the veggies for even more health benefits!

If you would like more great green smoothie recipes, please visit Simple and Scrumptious Green Smoothies

Health Prevention and Maintenance

2011-01-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Our society is so “cure-fixated”, that we seem to forget

that we can actually prevent things from happening in the

first place.

It is well known that many of today’s diseases are at least

partially lifestyle related. Many forms of cancer, Type 2

diabetes, heart disease, digestive disorders, and obesity,

just to name a few, are more prevalent in developed Western

societies.

Our reliance on the drug industry allows for abuse. It

doesn’t matter what we eat, drink or do anymore, because if

we get sick, there is a drug for that.

But our health care system is going to reach a breaking

point soon (or has it already?) And will there be a “cure”

for that?

I have many clients who come in for massage therapy on a

regular basis, not because they are in pain, but because

they want to avoid it. So many times we will find tense

tender muscles, and release the tissues before they get to

the point that they become an issue.

The other approach is to wait until you are feeling pain,

and then come for treatments. Although this works too, it

often takes many more treatments to get things back to

normal.

This process works the same in other health situations.

Lets use type 2 diabetes for example. If you eat a low

glycemic diet with emphasis on fresh vegetables, fruits,

nuts and seeds, have regular meals and exercise regularly,

you should be able to avoid ever having to worry about

diabetes.

If, on the contrary, you eat the way most do in this part of

the world, you are a diabetic ticking time bomb. Once the

disease has taken hold, it is much harder to maintain or

improve through diet and exercise alone.

Think about all the things in your daily life needing

regular maintenance to prevent deterioration. Garden beds,

vehicles, relationships, homes, appliances, teeth, muscles,

bodies, the list is endless. Just imagine what would happen

if you stopped maintaining these things. They might

continue to function for a while, but all will fail sooner

or later, and take much more energy to get back to its

original state, if it is even possible!

In this time of excess, please take a step back and ask if

what you are about to do or ingest might help preserve your

health, or contribute to its slow destruction.

At Your Desk Hip Flexor Stretch

2010-12-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

If you are stuck at your desk and know you need to get up and mobilize your hip flexors, but just can’t get away, this is the next best thing.

Shift over to the right in your chair so that both sit bones are still on the chair, but your right leg can hang down. Now just let the leg hang, upper leg perpendicular to the floor, lower leg and foot behind you (on your toes). Sit up straight and hold a few minutes.

Switch sides and repeat. If you have a chair with armrests this is obviously not going to work, but as long as your chair has no sides, you can stretch out tight hip flexors while still being productive!

Muscle Health 101

2010-10-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Maintaining muscle health is one of the most important things you can focus on, as it benefits overall health just as much as it does your muscles!

Here are 6 simple things you can do to help your muscles stay pain free!

1) Avoid overuse. If you use a particular muscle or group of muscles repeatedly, they will become over worked and possibly tear and/or develop trigger points. Try to take breaks, or mix up your activities so that you aren’t doing the same thing over and over. Also, if you work on a computer all day, going home and spending all night online might not be the greatest idea.

2) Ice is a great help to tired or overworked muscles. If you are on your feet all day, soak them in a bucket of cold water. If it is forearms, fill a sink and plunge them in. Use a garden hose on calves and legs after a vigorous workout, or put an ice pack on an overworked shoulder.

3) Eat anti-inflammatory foods and avoid pro-inflammatory foods. This means choosing food like fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts, seeds, fish, and turmeric, and avoiding food like sugar, processed snack foods and meat, refined grains, trans fats and dairy as much as possible.

4) Strength train. Stronger muscles can withstand much more repetitive use, are more resistant to trigger point formation, help maintain your metabolism, posture, and just look good too! Research has shown that working your muscles to fatigue even once per week is helpful, so no one has an excuse not to anymore!

5) Move. Your body needs motion to lubricate joints, pump blood back to the heart, oxygenate and feed nutrients to cells, and keep all your systems functioning. Maintaining full range of motion helps keep muscles and joints loose and limber too.

6) Get regular massage! Massage therapy helps relax muscle, alleviate trigger points, maintain range of motion, reduce stress, and the list goes on!

Fundraiser for Nanaimo Loaves and Fishes Foodbank

2010-09-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

"Heat to Eat" October fundraiser:

During the entire month of October, 30% of ALL Thermal Palm sales will be going to Loaves and Fishes, in plenty of time for the busy Christmas season.

This is a great opportunity for you to try Thermal Palms heated massage during your October visit, and support a great organization at the same time.

The Nanaimo Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank helps feed the hungry of Nanaimo, providing survival rations consisting of a combination of five to seven non-perishable items selected to meet the basic nutritional guidelines.

Thermal Palms are silky soft bundles that are heated up and held in the therapists’ hands during a massage treatment. They are similar to hot rock therapy, but unlike rocks, these super pliable bundles can be massaged right over bones, providing for a fluid, seem-less warm massage.

Applying heat over the spine is very relaxing, and having a thermal palm run from your neck down the spine to the low back could very well make you drool! It is a great way to warm tissues prior to deeper work, and helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is your “rest and repair” mode.

This is definitely a win-win fundraiser, so book your thermal palm treatment in October, have the most relaxing massage ever, while helping fill the tummy’s of Nanaimo’s citizens in need!

If you already have an appointment booked in October, and would like to add thermal palms to it, just give me a call or email to set it up. If you don’t have an appointment yet then let’s get it booked!

I will let you know in the November newsletter how much was raised!

Quinoa Salad Recipe

2010-08-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

I just made this salad the other day for a barbeque. Quinoa is a great grain (it is actually a seed, but used like a grain) to make a summer salad with. It is high in protein, calcium iron, and fiber.

Salad:
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber or zucchini, diced
1 yellow pepper, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
1 head broccoli, chopped
½ head cauliflower, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
pepper to taste

Toss and enjoy!

Exercise: Sprints

2010-08-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

Have you hit a plateau with your cardio training? Are you getting bored with your workout, and not getting the fat burning results you want? Add some sprints to your workout.

Sprint intervals (also known as fartlek’s) are a great way to increase your fitness level, boost your muscle strength and kick up your fat burning!

All readers who do not run – fear not!

I want you to speed up your routine, whether it is walking, running, skipping, hiking or biking.

Start with a ten second pick up. If that feels OK, try another one. Work up to three sprints of ten seconds, and then increase the time, working up to three sets of 30 seconds.

Sprints are effective, and super fun! Get a friend and race each other. Make it a game and enjoy!

Habit Guide: How to be Healthy and Happy

2010-07-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

This is a quick message from Mike Kinnaird, author of the Habit Guide,

I hurt for 13 years. It was hell... torture... feeling very bad for a very long time. And that had a

devastating effect on every aspect of my life.

With the little energy and focus I had, I hunted for answers. In fact I spent twenty YEAR

S trawling for answers. You can just imagine the trying, and stumbling, the desperation and frustration...

But now I've seen BOTH extremes of life... from wanting to die every day to the joy of health and happiness. The truth is that all my suffering drives me with a passion to help you not to suffer. Why I can't say, because it's just there, in me.

So don't make the same mistakes I did. Life is too short... I want you to feel good without falling into the pitfalls. I have this knowledge now and I would love you to have it.

It's all laid out for you in a free weekly email guide...

Click here to enjoy a happier, healthier way of life

Best wishes,
Mike Kinnaird

I am sharing this with you because this is a great resource for helping

make lifestyle changes that will last forever, not just a three day cleanse, or 6 week diet. Please check it out and start living a healthier, happier life!

Cheers,

Denise

Raw Smoothie “Ice Cream”

2010-07-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

You know how much I like smoothies! I made one for my son the other day that was so thick and creamy it was more like ice cream, so I had to share the recipe.

2 ripe bananas – peel and freeze overnight
1 cup frozen mango chunks (or blueberries)
1/2 to 3/4 cup almond milk
2 teaspoons green powder (optional – you know I have to get the greens in somehow!)

Place all in blender and blend on low or medium, adding just enough milk to get it blending. Be patient, as it might take a couple of minutes to blend into a nice consistency. This is when a more powerful blender helps. This is a dish best served immediately, but if you store it in the freezer just let it sit for about 10 minutes and then give it a stir before enjoying. Just a note, if you use green powder, the color of the ice cream will be interesting, but it still tastes yummy!
Perfect on a hot summer afternoon.
Enjoy!

Superman Exercise for back strength

2010-06-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite exercise for building back strength.

You can perform this exercise from a few different starting positions, depending on what is comfortable for you. Start either by lying forward over a physio-ball, with hands and toes touching the floor to stabilize you, on the floor on your hands and knees, or lying flat on your tummy, with arms outstretched overhead.

Now raise your right leg a few inches of the floor, while at the same time raising your left arm up off the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, and then repeat with opposite leg and arm. Repeat 10 times.

The more advanced version is to lie flat of your tummy, and raise both arms and legs off at the same time, holding as long as you can – up to 2 minutes.

Keep your neck neutral during this exercise, and maintain a strong core while performing it – that means belly tight.

A Brief Introduction to Fascia

2010-06-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Fascia is a connective tissue in your body that surrounds and supports every single structure, including bone, organs, muscles, blood vessels and even individual cells. It runs from top of your head to the tip of your toes, in a 3-D web, literally providing the framework off which everything is contained, separated, supported and protected.

Fascia is tough yet pliable, but can become solidified and shortened through poor posture, trauma and inflammation. (Fascia has lots of nerve supply, but not as much blood supply, making it slower to heal, but more painful than some tissues when injured.)

This tightening and shortening in one area will pull on the rest of the fascial web, causing distortions and strain within the body, not to mention more pain and decreased range of motion.

To break it down on a smaller level, lets take a muscle. Fascia surrounds the muscle itself, separating it from other muscles near by. It also surrounds everything that makes up the muscle: every muscular fascicle, fibril, mycrofibril and cell within the muscle. If there is a restriction in one part of the fascia within this muscle, it will place tension and pressure on the entire muscle, causing it to work harder to contract and relax, leading to fatigue, and potentially more trauma.

The restrictions within this single muscle will cause tension on surrounding structures as well. Think of it like a pull in a knit sweater. If you tug on the pull, it will tighten the weave of the garment, causing scrunching and bunching not just at the pull site, but way up at distant spots also.

So sometimes your neck pain isn’t coming from your neck at all!

Vegetarian Low Carb Sushi Recipe

2010-06-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

California rolls are filled with white rice, fake crab, and sometimes mayo, along with some veggies (like the smallest piece of avocado on the planet, and a tiny sliver of cucumber). Not a great choice for someone trying to eat healthy. I want to share with you an alternative that is much more nutritious, but just as yummy.

Dee’s Veggie Sushi

Nori sheets – 4, can be purchased at most grocery stores.
Cabbage – about 1/2 small head, shredded finely – replaces the rice
Carrot – 3, shredded
Lettuce – 3 leaves, chopped into strips
Asparagus Spears – 4 (one for each roll)
Avocado – 1
Sprouts – any kind

Put a bit of each veggie across one end of a nori sheet, add a dash of curry powder and turmeric, and roll it up. Wet the end to seal, and let sit a few minutes before cutting into bite sized pieces.

You can purchase a bamboo mat to help with the rolling, and they are great. You can find them right beside the nori sheets at most grocery stores.

I will sometimes put a drop or two of soy sauce on each one (rather than dipping them into sauce), but they taste pretty good as is too!

This makes 4 rolls, which cut into about 5 or 6 pieces each. I would eat this all myself for lunch. It looks like a lot of food, but other than the avocado, it isn’t much in the way of calories. You can split this between a few people, and have it with some lean protein, or double the batch and make it a stand-alone meal!

Exercise: Wall Squat

2010-06-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

Wall Squat

This is a fabulous exercise for building leg strength, and anyone that has a wall can do it! You might want to have a chair close by also, just in case you need the support.
Start by leaning your back against a wall, with feet shoulder width apart and about a femur length away from the wall (Just my cheeky way of saying that when you squat down, you want your knees to be stacked over your ankles).
Now press your low back into the wall, and slide down the wall until you are squatting! Just go as far as is comfortable – remember that you have to get back up again! Hold the squat position as long as you can, up to a minute or two, and then slowly rise back up, supporting your back on the wall.
If you didn’t feel that you are either in need of further instruction, or you are amazing!

Protein Bar Recipe

2010-05-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

No time to make lunch? No problem, just grab a protein bar, a few precut veggie sticks (because you all have those ready in your fridge, right), and lunch is done! We make these every couple of weeks, so that there is always something quick and easy to grab that is still good for you!

Dee’s Protein Bars

1 cup protein powder
½ cup buckwheat flour
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup oat bran
½ cup brown sugar*
½ cup chocolate chips, raisins, currants, gogi berries, chopped dates, etc.
1 cup mixed nuts and seeds (my favorites are pumpkin and sunflower)
½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup organic peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla

This is a one-bowl creation, so just put everything in a big bowl, mix it up, and spread it into an oiled 9x11 cake pan. Don’t use a non-stick pan, because after you bake this at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, you need to cut it into bars, and move them onto a cookie sheet. Then bake another 15 minutes! I often individually wrap mine and store them in the freezer. They thaw in a couple of minutes at room temperature.

*Just a note, if you use dates or prunes rather than sugar if you like. I have even made them without sweetener, but the boys don’t like them as much that way!

5 Super Tennis Ball Self Massage Spots

2010-04-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a muscle ache right between the shoulder blades, just out of reach? It can be so frustrating, unless you have the secret weapon – a tennis ball!

Tennis balls are great because they are firm yet give a little under pressure, so they contour nicely while at the same time applying a decent amount of pressure to achy muscles. I have heard of people using golf balls and baseballs, but you need to be careful not to run over bony prominences with them – they are much too hard and could cause injury. If a tennis ball isn’t firm enough you can also try a Kong dog toy.

Once you have found the perfect massage tool, all you need to do is place it into a long sock. This will be your handle. Now you can toss the massage ball behind your back, holding onto the top end of the sock, and position it wherever you need it.

Next up is the final piece of equipment – a wall or floor!

Now that you have all the pieces of your self-massage tool assembled, lets get on with the treatment!

Super Spot #1
Between the Shoulder Blades

Stand with your back to a wall, and place the tennis ball behind your back. Lean against the wall, and position the ball so that it lies in the groove between your spine and shoulder blade. Move yourself up and down, and side to side while leaning against the wall to massage the area. If you feel a specific tender spot in the muscles, hold on that spot for a few seconds, and take a couple deep breaths.

Feel better? Now do the same thing on the other side of your spine and shoulder blade.

Super Spot #2
Neck

You can work your neck with a tennis ball while relaxing in your favorite chair, as long as the back of the chair is high enough! Simply place the ball into the groove between your spine and the side of your neck, and below the base of your skull, and rest your head back onto it. You can even put two tennis balls into one sock, and work both sides of your neck at the same time. Pure heaven!

This technique can be done lying down as well.

Super Spot #3
The hip

This is a fairly large area, and so you have some freedom to move the ball around wherever it feels good. Work all around the hip joint, and into the tissue of the gluteal muscles. You can do this by lying on your side, or leaning against a wall. If using the wall, bending forward and pressing your hip and gluteal area into the wall will help increase pressure and really get those muscles!

Super Spot #4
The hamstrings

Tight hamstrings are a common and tender area. Simply place the ball on a chair and sit on it. You can then roll forward and back on the chair, and side to side to work the muscles from the sit bones down to just above the knee. Please be careful not to put pressure behind the knee joint.

You can also put the ball on the floor and sit on it there too. Either way works well.

Super Spot #5
The feet

All I can say is Oh Ya! Place the tennis ball on the floor, and roll it around on the ball of your foot. You can do this while sitting at your desk, or if you feel that you need a little more pressure, just stand up. Stabilize yourself if needed by holding onto a wall, back of a chair, etc.

Don’t’ forget to work the other foot too!

These are just a few of the spots you can self-massage with a tennis ball. Try some other spots out like calves, forearms, and quadriceps.

Do it on a regular basis and feel your aches and pains melt away!

3 Great Ideas for Staying Motivated with your Health and Fitness Goals

2010-03-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we have a puppy, now almost 10 months old, who needs a lot of exercise. I have had to work her walks into my schedule, and therefore have only certain windows of time allotted. Obviously the weather doesn’t always cooperate with my schedule, and there have been days when I pick the only torrential downpour of the entire day as the walk break. After getting soaked to the core one too many times, I went to MEC and purchased some great breathable waterproof pants and jacket, so there could be no excuses.

I have to admit to you though, even with the activity scheduled into my day-timer, the perfect all weather outfit, and a pure bred Doberman puppy who either goes for a walk or becomes nasty and chews my slippers, I still have motivation issues – even on the nice days!

I guessed that if I am having motivation issues, there is a good chance that others out there are too. So how do you stay motivated? Here are 3 ideas.

1) Just for the Health of It

Using health as a motivator often doesn’t work for a lot of people. This is because the approach is wrong, as many of us are relatively healthy, or at least think we are, and so feel we don’t need to improve. It is the same reason we still eat sugar and refined flours. This stuff is truly toxic to our bodies, and yet we keep on eating it. Somehow we think we are invincible to degeneration.

I think one of the biggest issues is the fact that it often takes years of neglect for our bodies to become diseased. So we think in our 20’s and 30’s that we are fine, and must be somehow genetically gifted and not affected by eating crap and lack of exercise. Then by the time we are in our 40’s and 50’s and have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and degenerative diseases, we think we are genetically doomed and there was nothing we could have done anyway.

What does the previous important paragraph have to do with staying motivated, you might ask? To use health as a motivator, you need to look at where you are heading, not where you are now. If you have relatives with diabetes, digestive disorders, cancer, obesity, and other degenerative conditions, picture them as your outcome for not getting off the couch, or eating another doughnut. Actually take a picture of them and put it on your fridge.

Then take a picture of someone who inspires you with their health, and put that picture up too.

Now every time you chose to go to the movie with a friend, rather than asking them to go for a walk, you know which destiny you are choosing. Is your choice the picture of Uncle Albert, who has congestive heart failure, and needs a walker because his knees are riddled with arthritis, or is it the picture of your cousin Joe, who eats well and looks great in his 60’s.

This might seem cruel or drastic, but you need to make your health motivations real and precise. It is a fact that most degenerative diseases are avoidable, so we need to avoid them. The medical industry is so busy trying to find “cures” for everything, that they have ignored the fact that many of them are preventable in the first place. We don’t need cures, we need prevention, and you have the power to prevent your own health issues.

If that doesn’t motivate you, I don’t know what will!

2) For the Love of Money

Money is another big motivator for many people. If you pay for something, you are more likely to utilize it. This works great for some, and not at all for others, so you need to know for yourself if this is a motivator that will work for you.

You can use this a few different ways. The most obvious is to pay for fitness classes, weight watchers, or a gym membership.

You can also team up with a few friends or coworkers and play a game. Everyone throws $5 or $10 or so into a kitty, and you set a goal, which could be to lose 5% of your body weight, loose 1 inch on your waist, train to run 5 km, etc, and the first one to achieve the goal wins the kitty.

This is fun because it involves friends, keeps you accountable, and might just reward you financially for your hard work! So you could end up making money to stay motivated rather than spending it – cool!

3) Write it Down

Journaling is a vital tool for staying motivated. You can purchase a traditional diary, a sport or food specific journal, or just use a notepad or spreadsheet.

Writing down what you eat and what activities you perform (or don’t) each day can really open your eyes to where you are at and where you need to go.

Try this for a week: keep track of EVERYTHING you eat, down to the cream in your coffee. Also write down what you are doing and feeling when you are eating (especially snacking), and what times you are eating.

Next write down any exercise you do, from walking up flights of stairs to gardening, washing floors, as well as the “exercise” we do every day, like walking, running, lifting weights, etc.

Next, keep track of the hours you spend sitting, either watching TV, playing video games, working on the computer or doing crafts.

Review these lists at the end of every day and decide one thing you are going to improve on the following day, be it to cut out the muffin at 7pm, eat more at lunch so that you aren’t starving and binging by 3pm, cut out 30 minutes of TV, or add a few pushups during that 30 minutes of TV.

When it is written down in front of you it is very apparent how everything adds up, and your progress is also very clear for you, which keeps you moving forward.

Pick one of these ideas and implement it today, or try all three!

Yummy Green Smoothie

2010-02-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, I just made the most yummy green smoothie, and I had to share it.

2 cups water
1 apple - cored and quartered
3/4 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh - I buy a gallon or two in the summer and freeze them)
3 leaves kale - stems removed - the kale will make it a little chunky, so omit and add more spinach if you are new to the green smoothie thing - the spinach blends well and keeps the smoothie smooth! You can also use swiss chard, romaine, or any leafy green.
1 handful spinach (I added more, but start with less, you can always add more!)
1 handful parsley

Put water and fruit in blender and blend. Then add greens and blend - you might have to add a few at a time, or give them a little push in with a spoon (TURN BLENDER OFF BEFORE YOU DO THIS!!!)

Pour into a glass and enjoy! It will be a lovely dark green, and taste surprisingly sweet! This is packed full of vitamins, minerals and fiber, and a great way to get a couple of glasses of water down too!

Have one of these every morning, and face the day with loads of energy. How cool is that!

If you want more great green smoothie recipes, check out this link:
https://denisemackinnon.com/Green_Smoothies.html

Make the Connection

2010-01-16T11:41:00.000-08:00

We were in a restaurant the other day, and I overheard a conversation at the table next to me. One lady was asking the other how a mutual friend was doing, and the response was that he had recently been diagnosed with diabetes. She then said that he had been fighting it for a long time, but had finally lost the battle.

This response was a perfect example of how disconnected we have become to our own health and well-being.

It is now pretty common knowledge that there is a direct connection between our Western diet of excess and most of today’s chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, just to name a few. There have been many studies over the years to back these ideas up, and yet we continue to overeat the wrong types of foods, somehow thinking it won’t affect us.

If that man the ladies in the restaurant were talking about had truly made the connection and fought the onset of diabetes, he almost definitely would not have “caught it”.

Our “normal” way of eating in this country is not normal at all. We were never intended to eat man made edible oil products, chemical preservatives, food coloring, gluten-laden, sugar-laden and fat-laden foods, and food with a shelf life until next Christmas.

If you are struggling to maintain your weight, or have been slowly increasing your weight over the past few years, you need to make the connection (and no, it is most likely not your genes, or your thyroid). If you have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, allergies, autoimmune disorders, GI disorders, you need to make the connection (and no, you are not predestined to these conditions, you were most likely preconditioned through familial food choices). If you think you are eating healthy, but still feel fatigued all the time or get cold and flu’s easily, you need to make the connection (and no, healthy eating doesn’t mean you buy things at the health food store, or with the health check mark on them – many of these things are still filled with junk).

Here is the connection: There is a direct correlation between what you eat and how your body functions, in both the short term and long term.

It doesn’t matter if it takes 5 minutes, or 50 years, the fact is it will happen. Our bodies are so resilient to attack and can adapt to an incredible degree, which has helped us flourish on this planet for so long. But this amazing ability has also allowed us to treat our bodies horribly for decades, and although it might not look like our ridiculous food choices have an effect, there effect is profound and deadly.

Our bodies give us little clues along the way that we usually ignore. Hives, rashes, bumps on the arms and legs, acne, eczema, fatigue, poor sleep, excess weight, allergies, gas, bloating, arthritic pain, heart burn, depression, and the list goes on. These are all things that can occur or be exacerbated by the food choices we make. They are warning signs that we are not treating our bodies the way the need to be treated.

After years of dietary neglect, our bodies just can’t cope anymore, and begin to severely falter. Heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and no doubt many other degenerative processes like some forms of arthritis and bowel disorders are preventable.

We have all heard the warnings for white foods – white sugar, white flour, white rice and potatoes, and of course the zero trans fat crusades which are now underway. This is a step, and it is great, but it will not solve the weight issues nor chronic diseases we face. You can’t start making cookies with whole-wheat flour and brown sugar and think you are OK. These might have a few more nutrients than their white counterparts, but they are still junk foods that will bog down your system, set you up for inflammation within the body, and set the stage for degenerative processes.

If you are serious about taking back your health, and correcting the issues you currently have, while also helping to prevent the chronic conditions that plague our society, you need to make the connection.

You cannot continue the lifestyle you currently live, and expect this to happen. You can’t drink a green smoothie in the morning, then eat French fries for lunch, and wonder why you have a heart attack 15 years from now. If you never want a heart attack, you should never eat fries. Yes, I said never. Do you seriously think there is anything healthy left in something that you dip into boiling oil?

And why waste your money on a multivitamin if your system is so inflamed that you can’t absorb them anyway?

Another personal favorite of mine is the after-binge cleanse. You go on holiday and binge on all your favorite fat and sugar laden treats, and then go home to a three-day cleanse. I have done this myself, and it is ludicrous. That crap you ate will affect you on a cellular level for the next 6 months, no matter what you cleansed after. It doesn’t erase the fact that you filled your body with inferior fuel. A cleanse might be a good idea if you are about to embark on a new clean eating life plan, and want to jump start the process, but using it as a vacuum to allow you to eat garbage and then somehow nullify your indulgences is a joke.

Have you ever watched shows like “The Last 10 Pounds”? They go into your house, and throw out all the garbage in your cupboards. This is the only way to do it. Get rid of all the crap and don’t replace it. Ever. We have gotten to the point where we need to think of ourselves as addicts.

We need to make lifestyle changes, and stick with them. You need to eat whole foods as close to their natural state as possible. Enjoy lots of vegetables and moderate amounts of lean meat, legumes, plain nuts, seeds gluten-free grains and fruit every day.

You need to decrease your reliance on grain products. Whole grain cereal for breakfast, a low fat bran muffin at snack time, a veggie sandwich on multigrain for lunch, and whole-wheat pasta with tomato and meat sauce for dinner is probably a healthy sounding “diet” for some, but it is not. This much grain bogs down your system, and robs your body of important nutrients (due to the slowed digestions, and the fact that you don’t have room for nutrient rich foods when you eat this much gluten-laden food).

You need to exercise every day. I don’t care what you do, or how long you do it for, just consciously do something every single day. 10 squats at lunchtime, a 20 minute walk tomorrow, a flight of stairs the next day, a half marathon on Thursday. Don’t get hung up on the details, or you will never start. Everyone has time to do something, no matter how crazy your schedule might be, you just have to make it important enough.

Our lives have become so fast paced and out of our control, that we have almost become bystanders to our own existences. We just let things happen and then usually blame someone or something else when the walls start to fall in.

Take back your power. You can make your life anything you want to. Put your energy and intention into the things you want, and become a bystander to all the other garbage we are surrounded by.

Fill your body with clean fuel and it will run beautifully. Don’t accept anything less. When those leftover butter tarts are staring at you, admit to yourself that you are addicted, and walk away. Remove yourself from the situation. Grab some celery sticks, and think about your arteries with clean blood flowing smoothly through them. It is your choice whether to make that the reality, or to make your blood vessels inflamed, plague laden and sluggish.

Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity are your choice, but so is health. The question is how bad do you want it?

Make 2010 the year to create a your new lifestyle, one of prevention rather than provocation. It will be the toughest, most rewarding thing you could do for yourself, and it could just save your life.

hip flexor muscle pain and trigger points

2009-12-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

The iliopsoas (also known as the hip flexor) is a muscle with important functions, but is hard to access and often harbors painful trigger points. It is located in the front of your body, but often causes low back pain (as well as pain in other areas, discussed shortly.)

This is often the cause of misguided self-treatment, because it would seem logical that if you are feeling an ache in your low back, you should place a heating pad on the low back. This might help relax some trigger points in the no doubt taxed muscles in that area, but if your problem is also iliopsoas trigger points, you need to heat the abdomen and inner thigh area to relax this prankster’s tissues.

The iliopsoas muscle is made up of the psoas major and iliacus muscles (and sometimes the psoas minor). The psoas major attaches to the sides of the lumbar vertebrae and intervertebral discs, and runs down into your inner thigh, attaching to the inner surface of the femur (thigh bone). The iliacus runs from the inside of the iliac crest down to join with the tendon of psoas major. Some of its fibers also attach directly to the femur (upper inner surface).

The main function of these muscles is to flex the thigh at the hip (thus the name hip flexor), and they are important in helping maintain upright posture. They are active during sitting, standing, and walking. The iliacus portion is active when the thigh is flexed during running, and during the last 60 degrees of a sit-up.

Trigger points can flare due to prolonged sitting, especially if sitting with your legs flexed more than 90 degrees (knees higher than hips). Lying on your side with hips flexed up in fetal position also exacerbates iliopsoas trigger points, and can cause pain upon rising out of bed. Trigger points are also commonly flared in these muscles secondarily to trigger points in other surrounding muscles.

Symptoms of iliopsoas trigger points include pain running vertically along the spine from as high as the shoulder blade (but not necessarily that high) down to the sacroiliac region, and sometimes into the sacrum and medial buttock. The iliacus can also refer pain to the groin and front of the thigh.

Pain is worsened with weight-bearing and relieved/reduced by lying with hip flexed slightly. It can often be difficult to get out of a deep chair with iliopsoas trigger points, and sit ups become difficult.

There are many other muscles that refer pain into the back, thigh and groin, so it isn’t a guarantee that your back pain is coming from the iliopsoas (wouldn’t it be nice if it were that simple!)

It should also be noted that iliopsoas trigger points are rarely present on their own. Weak abdominal muscles can lead to overworked iliopsoas muscles as they compensate for the lack of abdominal strength. The quadratus lumborum (QL) muscles in the low back act with the iliopsoas to support the torso, and are often involved with iliopsoas trigger point syndrome. Tight quadriceps can pull and shorten iliopsoas muscles, and tight hamstrings can overload them as they fight to deal with the pull of the hamstrings on the pelvis.

Tight and trigger point laden iliopsoas muscles can also affect posture, as you position yourself to ease tension on them. This leads to overloading and trigger point formation in back and neck muscles.

It is absolutely fascinating just how interconnected the muscles in our body are. It is like pulling a thread at the bottom of a sweater, and watching the fibers tighten and scrunch up at the top.

Home care then, should include not only treatment for the iliopsoas, but also muscles in the thigh, back and even neck! Roll out thigh muscles with a rolling pin, foam roller, tennis ball or other hand held massage tool. Use the tennis ball trick (tennis ball in a long sock), to treat back and neck muscles by leaning on the ball against a wall. (Hold tennis ball behind your back by holding the sock, and lean back so that the ball applies direct pressure to tight spots.)

Self massage for the iliopsoas itself isn’t easy, and I recommend having it worked on by a professional. You can perform gentle stretching yourself by lying on your back on a surface high enough to let the leg to be stretched dangle off the end of the surface. (Bed or countertop) Position yourself so that you are sitting on the very edge of the platform. Hug the unaffected leg up to your chest, and lie back so that the stretch leg is hanging freely off the platform. Hang out and relax, letting gravity take the leg into a stretch. If this is too intense, move up on the platform so that your thigh rests on it. This will lessen the extension at the hip and therefore decrease the stretch.

Heat application to the abdomen, down along the front of the iliac crest and into the upper thigh area can help relax iliopsoas muscles also.

Avoid sitting or lying with your hips flexed beyond 90 degrees, or sitting for excessively long periods of time. If you find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning due to back pain, try rolling out onto the floor on all fours, and crawl for a minute. This will slowly stretch the hip flexors before you stand upright.

Runners should use caution when increasing mileage, or doing hill work. Increase distance and intensity slowly to allow your muscles time to adapt.

With a little precaution and care, you will avoid feeling this pranksters tricks!

Exercising in the Rain and Cold

2009-11-29T19:41:00.000-08:00

I know it is hard when you look out at the cold dreary dark damp day and have to think about how you are going to get out there and exercise, but weather is no excuse to get lazy!

If you prefer to exercise outside then you might have to make some adjustments to your program, but unless you are in below 20 degree weather conditions, you should still be able to accomplish your goals, or at least maintain your current level of fitness through the winter, while getting fresh air.

If you absolutely refuse to go out in the wind and rain then you still have no excuses, as I will share some easy fitness ideas for indoors too!

Lets start with the beautiful outdoors. Often the hardest part of exercising outside in the winter is just getting out the door. The rain almost always looks much worse from the comfort of your warm cozy living room. Once you are out there, however, it is surprising just how refreshing a little rain can be.

You should definitely invest in appropriate clothes tailored to your activity of choice (Mountain Equipment Coop in Victoria is a great place to start, or your local running or athletic store). A good rain jacket, shoes/boots and a pair of gloves and toque are all essentials. Layering is a really great idea, as you will be amazed how quickly you warm up once you get going on a hike, run or even a brisk walk.

The next step is to find a buddy to work out with. It is so much easier to get out the door if you know someone is going to be suffering along with you! Find a friend, neighbor, coworker, or family member and set a schedule. Make it an appointment, write it on the calendar, and be there. Your health is a serious matter, and shouldn’t be canceled on a whim because someone else calls and invites you for coffee – tell them you have an appointment that can’t be canceled.

Darkness doesn’t cut it as an excuse either. My husband has a light on a headband, and he goes out and runs the lake after dark. It takes a bit of getting used to, but he finds it quite exhilarating. If that doesn’t sound like fun to you (I am scared of the dark, and would be huddled in the bushes crying if I tried the headlamp thing), then find an area that is well lit. Some tracks stay lit into the evenings, and there is nothing wrong with a 20 minute jog around the track, followed by a few reps up and down the bleachers. Many neighborhoods are also well lit, and if yours is not then drive to one that is!

If you really don’t like going out after dark, then set up a circuit in your back yard, or have a family game of soccer – you will be soaked and laughing and muddy and having the time of your lives! Use whatever is available – rest your hands against the doghouse and do pushups, run or walk up and down the stairs, do lunges across the lawn, play catch, whatever you can think of!

We are blessed on the coast with temperatures mild enough to be able to exercise outside year round, but if you are not so fortunate, it doesn’t take much to get a decent workout inside the comfort of your own home.

Obviously you can purchase fitness equipment such as treadmills and weights to use at home, or purchase a gym membership, but I want to tell you about some things you can do for free with no equipment at all, and start right now!

Stairs are a favorite of mine – walk or jog up and down the stairs for 15 minutes, or during commercial breaks of your favorite program. Stairs are also great for doing calf raises and incline pushups on.

Do animal walks down your hallway – on all fours like a bear, and then on all fours on your back like a crab. These are full body workouts that get your heart pumping, but you might feel funny doing them anywhere but at home where no one can see!

Try some good old jumping jacks, squats, lunges, pushups and situps. Even 10 minutes of activity helps maintain fitness levels, so don’t think that because you can’t do an hour that it isn’t worth it. Every little bit adds up.

That is seriously all you need to get your heart pumping, break into a sweat, and keep you healthy over the winter, but you have to do it!

To Ice or to Heat, That is the Question

2009-10-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ice and heat applications are one of the most inexpensive, easy and effective home care modalities you can employ, and yet still one of the most misunderstood.

My goal with this article is to make it very clear and simple for you. Now keep in mind there are always those exceptions to the rule, but 90 % of the time, what I am about to tell you will work.

Let’s start with ice. Ice is for acute inflammation and chronic overuse injuries that are inflamed. If you have swelling, redness, pain, and or bruising following an injury or repetitive activity, you are probably suffering from the affects of acute inflammation. Ice will help by constricting blood vessels, lessening the amount of bleeding into the injured area, slowing metabolic processes and scar tissue formation, and blocking pain receptors.

It is important to ice within 36 hours after injury (otherwise the inflammatory process is well under way, and ice won’t do much except temporarily decrease pain), and to ice often for up to 72 hours post injury. Apply ice either by massaging an ice cup or cube on and around the area, or applying an ice pack. Duration should be at least 10 minutes, or until the area feels numb, whichever comes first! Then elevate the area if possible, and reapply when the pain returns.

Heat is NOT for inflammation. Heating inflamed tissues will increase inflammation, making the area more painful and swollen – not the desired outcome.

Heat is for trigger points and tired achy muscles. Heat application will help ease the pain of trigger points, increase overall relaxation, aid circulation, and ease joint stiffness. If you are feeling achy, but have no accompanying swelling or redness, hop into the bath, sauna or pop a heating pad on the area. Follow up with some stretching or mobilizing, and a bit of self-massage. Fast, cheap, easy pain relief!

Heat and cold applications can be combined in a process known as contrast bathing for injured tissues that are no longer acutely inflamed, but still healing. To contrast you alternate between heat application and cold application. With elbow tendonitis, for example, you can fill double sinks (or two containers big enough to immerse your forearms in) with water – one warm/hot and one cold. The warmer and colder each is the better, just use common sense not to injure yourself with extremes. Place your arms into the hot for 3 minutes, and then remove and dunk them into the cold for 30 seconds. Repeat this process 3 times (if you have the time), ending in cold.

You can also do this with hot and cold packs on the injured area, or in the shower with a removable showerhead. Contrasting helps speed recovery time, and feels great!

So to recap – Ice is for acute inflammation – swollen, red, tender injuries.
Heat is for muscle aches and trigger point pain, but NOT inflammation.
Contrasting with both ice and heat is for aiding the healing process in tissues that are injured but no longer acutely inflamed.
Simple, right!

Blow out the Candle and Light a Fire!

2009-09-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

I am sure for many of you a typical day looks something like ours:

We wake up at 6am to make lunches, get ready and run out the door by 7:25. Work a long day, race to daycare to pick up our son (unless I am working until 8:30, in which case my husband gets our son). Then it is off to swimming, skating, or dance, home for a quick supper, bath, book and bed for the little one, and back to work for me to do paperwork, phone calls, laundry, and prep for the next day. (Or maybe write another article!) I can maybe get in a fitness video, or make some protein bars before the end of the night, then flop into bed by 10:00, only to start all over again!

But is doesn’t stop there now does it! Enter the weekend, when you run around to yet more activities, get groceries, mow the lawn, garden, clean the house, and the list goes on.

Sometimes it can feel like the weeks just roll into each other, and a month or two can go by while you are trying to get off the hamster wheel.

You can only burn the candle at both ends like this for so long before something starts to falter – you get grumpy with family, frustrated with work, feel tired all the time, and start wondering if there is more to life.

This summer we decided to blow out the candle. We packed some clothes, toys and food, and took off to a little tiny campsite in the middle of nowhere. There were no amenities other than an outhouse. We had no internet, no phone service, no television, no timetable, no agenda.

On our drive in we saw three black bear – more than some people see in a lifetime. When we saw them we knew this was going to be a special weekend.

We camped right on a big river, where fishermen were catching fish right off the shore. We spent our days hiking the river trails, swimming in the shallows, and relaxing by the campfire.

We played road hockey, soccer, read books, snuggled and chatted, played cards and reconnected. We had nothing to do but be together as a family and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings. I was amazed at how fast life’s “necessities” slipped into obscurity.

It is too easy in this crazy world to get caught up in routines and materialism, and forget to appreciate the simple things like the people you love, the sound of a waterfall, the thrill of bathing in a river, the beauty of the sun sparkling off the water, the intricate dance of the campfire flames.

We jumped out of the fast lane and for three days embraced the peace and tranquility of pure simplicity.
We have carried this feeling back into our daily lives. For example, I am truly viewing my emails in a different light – it just isn’t as important to me anymore to check it three times a day. I would rather take a walk through my garden. Nothing on television is as entertaining than watching your child run free in the outdoors, where there are no limits to their imaginations.

So I challenge you to blow out your candle and just be for a while, even if only for an hour. Pack a lunch and hike to a beautiful spot with someone you love. Take in the smells, sights and sounds, and don’t forget to shut off the cell phone – you can always check messages later.

7 Tips to Help Low Back Pain

2009-08-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

7 Tips to Help Low Back Pain

Many of you have no doubt suffered from bouts of low back pain. It often arrives without direct trauma, or can seem more severe than the minor incident that caused the pain.

The tendency is to assume that you have slipped a disc, pinched a nerve (both of which are less common that you would think), or that your degenerative joint disease is getting worse. The tendency then is to slow down, stop exercising, and protect the area at all costs.

It is common knowledge now that immobilizing your neck with a cervical collar is not beneficial following a whiplash incident, so why assume it would be a good idea following a suspected back injury.

Now I am not saying that you should ignore your back pain and go do something extremely physically taxing, but I am suggesting that you not panic, and proceed with your normal activities of daily living. What you don’t want to do is be fearful of your back as being a delicate little stem that could snap at any minute. This idea is just not true!

So here are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with back pain.

1. Degenerative changes in your spine are common, and not necessarily painful. Almost anyone over the age of 40 can probably find degenerative changes on an X-ray. It doesn’t mean you are destined to a life of back instability and pain. It doesn’t really mean much of anything, except that you have probably been walking and bending for about 40 years or so!

2. Only about 4 percent of back pain sufferers have an actual structural problem, such as a herniated disc. (1) Of these, many will heal without medical or surgical intervention. It should also be noted that many people with structural problems in their spine don’t even have pain! (2)

3. Almost all back pain complaints can most probably be attributed to muscle pain to some degree, (3) with myofascial trigger points being the biggest factor. (4) There are even trigger points whose referral pain can mimic sciatic nerve pain, making you even more scared that
something very serious is going on.

4. There is a strong correlation between stress levels and bouts of low back pain. (5) Some researchers believe stress is the biggest factor. Makes sense when you take into account that there is often no logical physical explanation for a low back pain flare up.

5. It is possible to have a major injury to your back, but it is also accompanied by a major and obvious cause, such as strenuous pulling or lifting, followed by immediate and severe pain. In cases such as this, you should seek medical attention.

6. Heat application often helps ease low back pain. This is due to the fact that there is usually no inflammation happening in the area (unless you did accomplish #5 above, in which case hold off on the heat), and the heat helps relax the spasm and trigger points in the muscles.

7. Treatments that focus on relaxing and oxygenating the muscles can help with low back pain. Massage, chiropractic, mobilizations, and yoga, are just a few examples.

The next time you are dealing with low back pain of unknown origin, take a moment to think about these tips. The chances of your pain being from a severe structural issue are actually a lot less likely that most people think.

Your best approach is to view your condition with an open mind, do some self -assessment to see where you are at emotionally, do what you need to help relax the muscle tissue, take a deep breath and stop stressing about it, because the stress could just be making it worse!

Do you see how easy it is to get into a pain cycle – you are stressed, and tense your tissues more than normal, which constricts blood vessels and leads to oxygen deprived tissues. These unhealthy tissues start to form trigger points and send pain signals, alerting you that there is
something wrong. You feel the pain, and think you have “put your back out”. You don’t know how you did it, but are scared that if you do too much it will go out even more, so you tense up more. This causes even more blood restriction, more pain, and yup, yet more stress. And so the cycle continues.

Break the cycle, and get back to your life!

PS – as mentioned above, there are times when a serious low back injury can occur and if you think this might be the case, please see your family doctor. Also, if your pain is progressively getting worse, causing neurological deficits, is accompanied by other strange but seemingly unrelated symptoms, or has continued for well over a month, please seek medical advice.

Notes:
(1) Deyo et al. N Engl J Med. 2001
(2) Splithoff. J Am Med Assoc. 1953 Sarno (p23)
(3) Evans. N Engl J Med. 2001
(4) Davies et al. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, p 24
(5) Waters et al. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2004

Getting the Most out of Your Next Massage Therapy Treatment

2009-06-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

How to get the Most out of Your Next Massage

Having a massage therapy treatment can be one of the most relaxing and rejuvenating things you can do for yourself, and a good massage therapist is vital to the success of your
session.

Don’t leave your needs entirely in the hands of your therapist, however. There are many things you can do before, during and after your session to improve the entire experience.

BEFORE

Time – Give yourself an extra 10 to 15 minutes to allow for unexpected delays in traffic on the way to your appointment. There is nothing worse than speeding frantically to your
massage appointment, causing yourself undue stress and anxiety, on the way to a session, which is supposed to be reducing your stress!

Prep – A warm bath, hot tub, infrared sauna, walk, or stretching before your massage appointment can warm and prepare your tissues for massage therapy, allowing your
therapist to work deeper into the muscles almost immediately, thereby giving you the most time possible on the knots that need it the most!

DURING

Relaxation – Relaxation is an important part of any massage. There are a few things to consider which allow for greater relaxation.

• Comfort - Make sure you are in a comfortable position. Most therapists have a supply of bolsters, pillows, blankets, and even adjustable massage tables, so if you are too cold, too hot, not comfy on the table, or want to change the music playing, or dim the lights, speak up and let your therapist know so that you can be comfortable during your session!

• Breathing - Another important part of relaxation is breathing. Breathe deeply and fully during your treatment, allowing your body to become heavy and sink into the table. Most people find they can help release muscle tension by focusing or “breathing into” an area.

• Mindfulness – One of the great things about visiting a massage therapist over some other health care providers is the personal attention you receive. Because of this
one-on-one attention, it is common to build a more personal relationship with your therapist, which often means you enjoy the company and discussion almost as much as the treatment. While this can be very rewarding and enjoyable, it might at times not be the most beneficial, especially if your therapist is talking about themselves and their life, and not paying enough attention to what is going on with you! If you are feeling like you need to be more focused
and mindful during your session and your therapist is on a verbal tangent, please tell them nicely to shut it!

It is also important to let your mind relax as well as your body during a treatment. Thinking about all the errands you need to run, or worrying about finances during your massage
therapy treatment won’t help reduce your tension headache!

Communication – I know that I just told you that you might want to hold off on conversation to improve relaxation during your treatment, but sometimes communication is vital.
If you have a question or feedback about your massage, it is important to ask your therapist. Massage is a great way for you to find out more about what is happening in your body: which muscles are tight or painful, or how pain in one area is often due to problems in a separate area. If you are experiencing discomfort or other symptoms during your treatment, please report it.

It is also important to let your therapist know what is happening for you at the start of each session. If you usually have a focused treatment on shoulders and neck, but your low back is bothering you that day, please let your massage therapist know so that they can address the areas of your body that need it the most!

Most massage therapists also have a vast array of techniques that they can use, depending on the condition being treated, so if you feel one technique isn’t working for you, talk about it so that your therapist can find the style that works best for you!

Speaking of techniques, there is a big difference between therapeutic and relaxation massage. Although many therapists love doing focused, therapeutic work, there are times in your life when a relaxation massage is just what your psyche needs. I can literally spend an hour working
trigger points out in one shoulder, but if you need a full body relaxation session on a particular day, just say the word!

Treatment Length – The length of your massage therapy session is an important and often overlooked aspect. If you book a 45 minute appointment once a month, and at the end of each session you are still rubbing your neck, you should consider trying a 60 or 90 minute appointment, to fully release all the tension that builds up through the course of the month.

In times of stress or when you need to relax deeply and fully, a 60, 90 or 120 minute full body massage therapy session may be the most nurturing gift you can give yourself.

Additional Services – The only thing better than a massage is a massage with heat. Heat penetrates into the muscles, increases blood flow, and helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing you to completely relax and get the most out or your massage. Many therapists provide infrared sauna, hot rock or Thermal Palm massage, and heating pads/ blankets. Ask your therapist what options are available, and take your massage to the next level!

AFTER

You are relaxed and pain free after a great massage therapy session, so what is next on the agenda? If the answer is digging up four old trees in the back yard, lifting hay bales, or going to the gym for an intense work out, you might want to reconsider. It is important to let your body
adjust to the changes made during the session, and allow your body some time in the parasympathetic state to recoup and repair.

Going to work after a massage is OK, as it can actually increase productivity and make your day start off on a good note.

Optimally, a nice walk outdoors, accompanied with water intake, and finished with some gentle stretches or range of motion exercises will leave you feeling amazing!

5 Ways to Self-Treat your Tension Headache

2009-05-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

It seems that you either suffer from tension headaches, or you don’t. Some of you will have no use for this article, as you aren’t bothered with headaches. If you are one of those people, please share this article with a friend or co-worker who does experience headaches, and then take the three minutes it would take to read the rest of the article and do some squats!

There is no conclusive cause of tension headaches, but it seems to have a relation to muscle tension and trigger points within the muscles of the neck, shoulders and jaw.

Repetitive strain, overuse or muscle guarding and clenching can all cause muscles to fatigue and tighten, reducing blood supply and leading to a buildup of metabolic toxins. This can lead to pain, and trigger point formation, shooting pain in and around the head.

So what do you do when a headache hits?

Here are 5 ideas you can try to reduce or eliminate that nasty tension headache, so that you can get on with your day!

1. Mini Break

If your headache hits when you are working at something for a period of time (computer, reading, knitting, dealing with a crying baby, etc), take a break from the activity for a few minutes. Get up, mobilize your neck, head and shoulders, and move your body to get some blood flowing (go grab yourself some water, take a quick walk, or do two of your favorite yoga poses). Close your eyes and let them rest for a few minutes. Dim the lights if possible during your mini break. These are just a few ideas of what to do on a mini break. Some of these might not be options if you are working in a busy office, but do what you can.

2. Stretch

A common headache culprit is the upper trapezius muscle, which is the big bulk of muscle between your shoulder and your neck. Trigger points in this muscle will often shoot up the back of your head and sit behind the eye. An easy way to stretch this muscle is to drop your ear to shoulder. (If your headache is more on the right side, drop left ear to left shoulder – this will stretch out the right upper trapezius, and vice versa).

Drop your chin down to chest, and use your hands on the back of your head to apply gentle pressure, increasing the stretch. Open your mouth wide a few times to stretch out the jaw muscles (many people clench their jaw muscles when concentrating or tense).

3. Massage

Using your fingertips, work in a circular motion over the upper trapezius area, back of the neck, base of the skull, jaws and temples. If your fingers get tired, use your knuckles. An eraser can be very effective to work the muscles in the jaw and base of the skull. Place the tip of a Pink Pearl eraser at the groove just under the back of your skull (slightly to the left or right of centre), and move it back and forth, up and down. This will work the attachments of many muscles that refer pain into the head.

Massage your scalp, as if shampooing your hair. Hair pulling can also help release the fascia of the scalp. Just grab small sections of your hair and give a gentle but firm pull. You can even add a little twist to it!

4. Hydrotherapy

A cool compress to the forehead can be very soothing, especially if you add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to the cloth.

A heating pad or Warm Buddy hot pack to the shoulders and neck can help relax muscle tension, and can be combined with the cool compress to the forehead.

A warm bath, especially if you can dim the lights, and add some essential oils (see #5) might be just what you need to rid yourself of a headache – give it a try!

5. Aromatherapy

Some of the most popular aromatherapy oils for headaches are lavender, sandalwood, peppermint, eucalyptus and rosemary.

Remember to mix your essential oils in a carrier oil (you can even use olive oil!) Use 8 to 10 drops of essential oil to 20 ml carrier oil.

You can use a combination of essential oils, or just one.

Massage oil directly onto your temples, shoulders, or neck, add them to your bath, place a few drops of essential oil onto a tissue and place it under your pillow, by your computer, in your car, or shirt pocket (no need to mix it with a carrier oil for this).

The Definition of Insanity

2009-04-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

The Definition of Insanity

As a massage therapist, I need a lot of energy to perform my job at the level I pride myself on. For the past few years, however (since my boy was born), I had been struggling with dwindling energy levels, especially in the afternoon. I initially chocked it up to being so busy with work and family life, and not being 20 anymore.

As my energy dropped, so did my activity level, as I just didn’t have the energy to work out after a long day at the office. Then my food intake actually increased, probably due to the fact that I was sitting around more! Then I was more tired and so the cycle went!

I was also inundated with food allergies after the birth of my son, and this affected my energy levels as well. I started working on the allergies on my own by eliminating foods, and eating a mostly raw, vegan diet.

These measures helped me greatly with my allergies, and also improved my energy levels, and that is when I started really looking at what I was putting into my body, and expecting to get back in return.

So I took it a little further, slowly adding or subtracting things from my life. I gave up caffeine, increased my activity level every day (no matter how tired I was), cut out almost all processed foods (not an easy task!), and began paying more attention to what my body was telling me.

All I can say is wow! I honestly don’t think I have ever felt better. I am still tweaking things, and of course I have my “oops” days (like the bag of Reese peanut butter/chocolate bunnies), but for the most part my diet and exercise plan has been completely transformed. Along with it, my figure, energy, skin, and outlook have transformed also. I have even noticed a reduction in my chronic pain levels, even though I am working more. (Yes, I too suffer from chronic pain – I kinda abuse my body doing my job, and it lets me know!)

So why am I telling you all this? It is because I kept eating and drinking the same things, wondering why I was so tired all the time, thinking it must be my thyroid, or chronic fatigue, or some other disease affecting the way I felt. I just couldn’t accept the fact that it could be all my doing, as I wasn’t eating “that bad”.

I have heard before that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again expecting different results.

The links between diet and chronic disease are well documented, and yet we go on eating and drinking whatever we want, not realizing we are slowly poisoning ourselves, and wondering why we are gradually getting worn down and developing “age-related conditions”, blaming everything else and looking for answers external to ourselves.

We wouldn’t even think of putting bad fuel into our vehicles, and yet we put bad fuel into our bodies every day, and expect them to run clean for years and years. It just isn’t going to happen! (We also overfill our tanks, which whether it is with good or bad fuel, slows everything down and uses up too much energy.)

So stop. Take a step back and really look at your health plan, and start making changes today, one by one.

Here are a few simple things to start with:

1) Clean out your cupboards. You can’t clean out your body if you have trash calling you from your cupboards. Store bought cookies, granola bars, crackers, chips, white flour products, white rice, most breakfast cereals, muffin and cookie mixes, and almost all processed foods should not regularly inhabit your kitchen.

2) Now that your cupboards are clear of bad fuel, fill them up with clean burning fuels. Fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains (try brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, or wild rice), beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, lean meats and low fat dairy.

3) I know I have said this before, but you should always have a supply of veggie sticks in the fridge. Put them in a zip lock on the top shelf (so they are the first thing you see), and have a yummy hummus right beside it so that you have a quick healthy snack always at hand. Peppers, asparagus, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, radishes, carrots, celery, and rutabaga are a few examples.

4) Exercise every time you think of it for 30 seconds. Do jumping jacks, run in place, do a few sit ups while watching TV, take a brisk walk around the block after dinner. Just add a few short, high intensity spurts of activity into your day. Everyone has 30 seconds to walk up and down the stairs a couple of times while waiting for their toast to pop, or their popcorn to cook.

5) Think about the stimulants you are putting in your body. Coffee, tea, pop, sugar, chocolate. They all give you a temporary burst of energy, but all inevitably end in a crash, leaving you wanting more. Sounds like a drug, doesn’t it? I admit that I am an addict. I love white flour, sugar and chocolate. It is a daily struggle to stay away from those things, but I know that they are literally poisons, and I am so much healthier without them, not only now, but in the future.

6) Before you grab something to eat, take a second and think about what you are about to put in your body. Is it filled with vitamins, minerals, or amino acids, or is it filled with sugar, fat and processed carbohydrates. Fill your tank with real nutrients, and then top it up occasionally with a little junk food if you like.

You need to switch your way of thinking. Sure lots of people drink coffee, eat sugar, and hardly exercise, and look perfectly healthy. Look at the bigger picture though. More and more people are getting cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis, even people who “looked perfectly healthy”.

If you feel like you are out of energy by midday, and can’t accomplish the extra things you want to do, just think about how this lack of energy is affecting the things your body wants to do to help itself heal and maintain optimal function.

You are investing in your health every time you ingest empty foods and sit watching television; you are just investing in a bad stock. That’s insane!

Achy Hamstrings

2009-03-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

Achy Hamstrings

I am sure most of you have, at one time or another experienced achy hamstrings. Hamstring trigger points elicit a very annoying, dull, achy pain, often in the gluteal region, down the back of your thigh, and my all time favorite, the back of the knee.

Hamstring trigger points are often exacerbated with walking, rising out of a chair, or sitting. The pain can also make sleeping difficult.

Some common causes of hamstring trigger points are weak gluteus maximus muscles, compression of the muscle at the front edge of a chair, lying in bed or sitting for long periods with knees bent, riding a bike with the seat too low, and swimming the front crawl.

If your gluteal muscles are weak, the hamstring become taxed, as they have to work harder than usual to help extend your thigh (normally a job done primarily by the gluteus maximus, and aided by hamstrings and adductor magnus, which is an inner thigh muscle. This is a good reason to keep your gluteals nice and strong –not to mention a perky butt!

Compression and lack of oxygen to the hamstrings is a very common side effect of prolonged sitting, especially in a chair with a hard, squared off front edge. Solid wood kitchen chairs with no padding are a prime example. This affects shorter people more (and children), because their feet cannot touch the floor, so the entire weight of their legs is pushing into the front of the chair.

Patio furniture is another common culprit in compressing the hamstrings, even in taller folks. Patio chairs made with a metal frame, covered with soft fabric or plastic lining will sag when you sit in them, causing your hamstrings to be squished by the metal frame.

Using a footrest to take the pressure off your hamstrings will help – you can use a phone book, pillow, rolled up towel, whatever works! It is a good idea to use booster seats for small children on hard kitchen chairs, so that they can sit in the booster with their feet on the seat of the chair for support.

Keeping your hamstrings in a shortened position for prolonged periods can also flair trigger points. Lying in bed sick for a few days, curled up in fetal position is a sure fire way to experience hamstring pain. Long car and airplane trips are hard on the hamstrings also, so try to get up and move around as frequently as possible in situations like this.

With spring just around the corner, we will all be hauling our bikes out of the garage. Please check to be sure that your seat is high enough. I often see people cycling down the road and want to roll my window down and tell them to raise their seat. When sitting on your bike, your leg should be almost but not quite straight when bottom pedal is at 6:00 and the top pedal is at 12:00. You need a slight bend in the knee, just to reiterate.

Tight hamstrings can also lead to low back pain. Because the hamstrings attach to the ischeal tuberosities (sit bones), at he back of the pelvis, they can pull the pelvis backward, causing the lumbar spine (low back) to be stretched and flatten the natural curve of the low back. In order to maintain balance, your head moves forward. Other muscles are then activated to maintain this posture, such as the quadratus lumborum muscles in the low back, lumbar spine erector muscles, and even the abdominals. These muscles in turn become overworked and develop trigger points. Guess where they refer? Yup, the low back.

This is one reason why I often also work hamstrings when someone comes in complaining of low back pain. If you focus only on the low back muscles, the pain may ease temporarily, but unless you relax the pull on the pelvis, those low back muscles will just tighten up again.

The bathtub is a great place to stretch your hamstrings. The warmth of the water will ease tension, and relax you in preparation. Sitting in the tub with your legs out in front of you, flex your feet and lean your upper body forward over your legs, just until you feel a gentle sensation in the back of your legs. Hold there, breathing, letting gravity take you slowly further into the stretch. When you no longer feel the stretch, come back up for a second and then repeat. Remember to keep your stretching gentle. No pain no gain is not a motto for proper stretching!

Another great way to stretch your hamstrings is lying on your back, with affected leg stretched up (you can use a strap or belt to help, as shown in the picture, or hold your leg at calf or ankle with your hands). The goal is to straighten and lengthen your leg, relax, breath, and take your time.

If someone you know is feeling pain in the hamstring area, please share this article with them. Their problem could be resolved with nothing more than a footrest or a higher bike seat!

A Brief Introduction to Essential Oils

2009-02-10T12:33:00.000-08:00

Essential oils are compounds in herbs, flowers, leaves, seeds, roots, bark, fruit and wood. They are extracted and bottled undiluted, ready to be mixed with a carrier oil, and used in a variety of ways.

Essential oils are absorbed through the skin into your circulatory system, or inhaled and connect with nerves in your nasal cavity, sending signals to the limbic system. The limbic system controls things such as heart rate, blood pressure, and memories! That is why a certain smell can trigger a fond (or not so fond) memory.

If you are in doubt of the power of oils to penetrate your skin, try standing on a clove of garlic for 5 minutes, and then check out your breath. Yup, garlic!

Each essential oil affects your body in a slightly different way, thereby causing different reactions within the body, like antidepressant, sedative, or energizing. They can help aid digestion, ease stress, and boost the immune system.

A few words of caution on essential oil use:

Do not use them directly on your skin. Always dilute them in a carrier oil (I do use tea tree oil directly on my skin, but just a dot on blemishes).

Please do not ingest essential oils, and keep them away from children and pets.

Many oils are not recommended during pregnancy, including camphor, clary sage, jasmine, and wintergreen. There are many more, but these are some of the more common ones. Chamomile, geranium, lavender and peppermint should not be used in the first trimester. (Peppermint is not recommended for the first 20 weeks).

A few oils that are great during pregnancy include bergamot, ginger, grapefruit, lemon, orange, and neroli.

There are so many ways to use essential oils. You can add them to oil and use them for massage, place a few drops on a tissue and put it in your pocket, purse, or under your pillow. Try adding a few drops into your vacuum cleaner bag, or place some on a cotton ball and leave it in your sock or underwear drawer. Drop a little lemon or tea tree oil onto you dishcloth. Add a couple of drops to a spray bottle of water and use it as a refreshing body or room spray. Place some in your bath water. And we can’t forget the vaporizer – add some to a bowl of hot water and lean your head over the bowl with a towel over your head, breathing deeply (great with Eucalyptus)!

Four of my favorite essential oils are:

· LAVENDER - good for burns, would healing, immune support, helps with sleep.

· PEPPERMINT - helps with indigestion, respiration, headaches, and fatigue.

· EUCALYPTUS - assists breathing, and has anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and antiseptic qualities.

· ROSEMARY - stimulating, eases muscle aches, headaches, depression, arthritis, and fatigue.

These are just a few of the many ways you can use essential oils, but even this brief introduction should give you some ideas to play with.

How I quit Coffee

2008-12-07T12:40:00.000-08:00

With a Starbucks on every corner nowadays, it is no wonder that many of us have caffeine addictions. “But I only have one or two cups a day” is a very common excuse for caffeine-a-holics, and one I myself used for a long time.

While I think some people are probably fine with a cup of coffee a day, I knew that I was not one of them. I could feel my heart palpitating after coffee, and could not drink a cup after 3, or else I would never sleep.

I tried to quit a few times over the years, usually by cutting back on the amount per day, until I was down to a couple of sips, but for some reason I could just never completely drop it.

Then I realized that I was trying to stop a bad habit without acknowledging the intentions associated with the habit. What I mean by this what I was getting out of the ritual. I was trying to give it up because I didn’t think caffeine was good for me, but it is amazing how little regard we really give to something not so good for us if it is fulfilling another purpose.

What was caffeine’s purpose for me? The reason I still had my coffee every morning was because it gave me an excuse to sit back and relax for a couple of minutes before starting my busy day.

So, what I really wanted by drinking coffee was a few minutes to relax before making lunches and getting my boy off to daycare. My next step, therefore, was to think of some ways I could accomplish this other than coffee. The interesting thing about this is that I couldn’t just sit in the same chair and watch the news without my coffee, as that was also part of the habit, and so the craving was too strong. So I decided that, rather than go out to the living room and sit in my rocker, I would sit for a moment in the bedroom. We moved a chair into the bedroom, and I sit for a few minutes when I wake up, taking a couple of nice deep breathes with my eyes closed. I am then able to go about my morning with no real thought of coffee at all.

I was told a long time ago that it takes 21 days to break a habit, so with the intentions behind my habit figured out, I marked 21 days off on the calendar, and quit cold turkey. I had a headache the first afternoon, and again the next day, but that was it! Day three was definitely the worst, not for headaches, but for cravings. I really wanted a coffee. I reminded myself of why I was doing this. I was pretty scared by the heart palpitations, and a good night sleep is pretty important to me. (There is also mixed research on the affects of caffeine on the body, especially on cortisol levels (stress hormone), which could lead to many long term side effects, from heart disease to diabetes, but that is a topic for another day!)

Then I did what most people do when trying to break a habit like this, I ate to take my mind off it. OK, so I am not proud of that fact, and no I didn’t eat carrot sticks, I had some yummy creamy yogurt and a couple of cookies. It was really good, and it helped my get through day 3. This is when you have to be careful not to trade one habit for another one! There are many ex alcoholics who are now obsessive marathon runners. They simply traded one addiction for another. It is especially easy to go back to an old habit (like over eating for me), so be mindful of this during the first few weeks.

So to recap, if you want to break a bad habit, you first need to be sure of why you want to give it up. This process will take some will power and focus, so if you are wishy-washy on why you want to quit a habit, you will have a much harder time quitting.

Next, figure out what you are getting from your bad habit – what need is it meeting. You must then find some other ways to achieve this need, and make it easy to do the new activities.

Then just go for it. Even if you slip up and revert back to the old habit once or twice, just move forward from there with the new activity, until all of a sudden it becomes habit for you, thereby replacing the bad habit.

Sounds so easy, doesn’t it! It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it!

Nocturnal Calf Cramps

2008-11-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

There you are, snug in bed, dreaming soundly, recharging after a long day when BOOM!

You are jolted awake by the biggest, most angry pain you have ever felt. You are so out of it that for a split second you are frozen with pain, then you realize it is your calf, and panic a bit, as you know it should be stretched out, but going even slightly into the stretch seems to increase the already excruciating agony.

Have you been there? If so you know I haven’t exaggerated the description just for effect. It can be a frightening and very painful experience. So what on earth could cause such a thing?

Well, believe it or not, nocturnal calf cramps are frequently a symptom of good old trigger points, specifically of the gastrocnemius muscle in your calf. (This is not the only possible cause, however. Nothing is ever that simple!)

It is quite a common occurrence too! All it takes is for you to stay in a position of plantar flexion (foot pointed away from you, thereby tightening the calf muscles) for a prolonged period of time. This is common if you are sitting without your feet flat on the floor, but instead supporting yourself up on your toes, sleeping on your stomach or back with toes pointing down the bed, climbing or running steep hills, or wearing high heels.

Nocturnal calf cramps are also common in pregnant women, which could be due to postural changes to compensate for the change in centre of gravity. As the centre of gravity moves forward and down, there is more stress placed on the calf muscles to help maintain balance. (Although electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, low magnesium or calcium levels, and possibly diabetes are just a few other possibilities, not just for pregnant women, but for anyone suffering from nocturnal calf cramps.)

Therefore, if you are suffering from nocturnal calf cramps, it is a good idea to see your physician and have these possibilities ruled out.

Calf trigger points can also be provoked by a forceful contraction when the muscle is in a shortened position, or if the muscle gets fatigued or chilled.

Your calf muscles have an important job through the day (other than helping you walk and stand upright.) They also work as a pump to squeeze blood back up veins in your legs. At night when you are sleeping, this mechanism is also at rest, possibly causing a lack of oxygen to the area. This might help explain the reason these cramps seem to occur at night.

Treating a nocturnal calf cramp is important; otherwise it could be in spasm for 30 minutes or more! Ouch!

STRETCH
Start by stretching the calf out. You can do this by drawing your toes towards your nose, with knee straight (if you are sitting up in bed), or by standing facing a wall, with hands on the wall at shoulder level, and the leg to be stretched behind you (full foot on the floor, knee straight), with your other leg in front (foot flat on floor, knee slightly bent). Then gently lean your body toward the wall, keeping the back knee straight, foot on the floor, and bending at the knee on the leg in front. Go just until you feel a gentle stretch, and then hold, breathing deeply, for a minute or two. Then stretch the other side too, just to keep things even!

HEAT
Warmth is great too, and might help you get back to sleep after the episode! A warm buddy, heated up and placed on your calf will help with blood flow, and keep the muscle from getting chilled. You can also heat your calves before bed, if calf cramping is a common occurrence for you.

POSITION
At night, try to avoid having your feet in the pointed position. This can happen if you are sleeping on your stomach, with your feet pointing down the bed, or lying on your back with heavy covers pulling the toes down. You may need to adjust your covers, or even have your feet out of the covers (with some socks on to keep ‘em warm). If you are a back sleeper you can try putting a pillow or rolled blanket at your feet, to stop them from pointing down. If you are a tummy sleeper, you can place a pillow under your shins (like I do on the massage table), or even have your feet hang off the end of the bed.

MASSAGE
Relieving calf trigger points can go a long way to alleviating nocturnal calf cramps. Focus on the medial (inside) of the gastrocnemius muscle, as trigger points here seem to be the most common culprits. You can use a rolling pin to roll up the muscle, and hold on the tender points until they release (please be gentle). You can also use a tennis ball or Kong, or just knead your calves with your hands. Or come in and I’ll do it for you!

OTHER
Low potassium and calcium levels are possible factors in muscle cramping, as well as vitamin E. Please talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

I hope this gives you some ideas of how to deal with or avoid this painful and frightening situation. Sleep tight!

Foiled by my Own Trigger Point

2008-10-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

Like everyone, I have my daily dose of aches and pains. And, like everyone, I do a pretty good job of ignoring them and getting on with my day! So I have been having an intermittent pain in my left hamstring for a few months now, but never mentioned it to my massage therapist, as I just didn’t want to take time away from my precious neck and shoulder treatment!

It would come and go, and was a dull achy pain that ran pretty much the entire length of the hamstring muscle belly, and I could sometimes feel it right at the attachment to the ischial tuberosity (sit bone).

Now you know I am the queen of self-massage, so I of course worked on the hamstring with a tennis ball and the Stick, on a number of occasions. I stretched it many a time, especially if it was bothering me at bedtime. Nothing really seemed to be helping though, but I just wasn’t concerned enough about it to give it much critical thought.

I can promise you that if someone came to see me with “hamstring pain”, I would not immediately assume it was hamstring, but for some reason my mind was set that I had done something to my hamstring, and that was that. To be honest, trigger point referral never even crossed my mind. Can you believe it!

It was starting to be a little more uncomfortable, and just happened to be bothering my at my last massage visit, so I decided to mention it to my therapist. I told her that my hamstring had been bothering me off and on for a few months, and would she mind just poking around a bit before she worked on my neck and shoulders (which is usually all I want worked on).

So my massage therapist; lets call her Sheila (because that’s her name!), starts working on my gluteals. Well, I am thinking to myself, “don’t waste time there, just get into the darn hamstring and then work on my shoulder”. Not a second later, she lands on a massive trigger point in my piriformis muscle, and voila, a perfect replica of my hamstring pain!

Talk about an “I’m such an idiot” moment. I immediately realized how obvious it was that what I had been feeling for so long was referral pain, and not only did I completely miss that fact, but almost got upset with my therapist for not working right on the painful spot like I had asked! (Sorry Sheila!)

So the next time you are having issues with your body, tell your therapist about it first and foremost, and then let them work their magic, even if you think they are working the wrong spot!

7 Ways to Have Fun With Your Veggies!

2008-09-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

We all know how important it is to get more fruits and vegetables into our diets. I believe that it is also important to eat more RAW vegetables, so I thought I would give you a few ideas on how you can have some fun them!

1) DIP – I love dipping raw veggies into hummus, guacamole, or a yummy raw rutabaga dip I adapted from one of Frederic Patenaude’s recipes: http://tinyurl.com/2edp2e

2) BLEND – ah yes, I am sure you know I am a smoothie lover. How awesome is it to be able to have an entire spinach salad blended with some fruit first thing in the morning! You have just had more greens than most people get in their entire day, before even heading off to work! Try blending two fresh mangoes, some strawberries and a few romaine leaves together with a little water. Yum! You can find more recipes like this one here: http://tinyurl.com/22go96

3) TOSS – make one of your daily meals a big salad. Be creative! I add nuts and seeds, sprouts, cherry tomatoes, peppers, chopped raw asparagus, beans, grated beet, avocado, radicchio, and arugula to salads. You can also add salmon, chicken, boiled egg, or cheese if you like (feta is great), or just keep it green! Beware of fattening dressings, however. I quite like a squirt of lemon or mango juice, or will often top my salad with salsa or a touch of hemp oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix some up in a spray bottle (translucent glass bottle is best), and just give a spray or two.

4) SHRED – grate or shred veggies in a food processor or grater, and sprinkle on top of soup, chili, or pasta. Shredded carrot, cabbage, spinach, basil, beet, turnip are just a few examples. They not only add nutrition and texture, but also make your meal pretty!

5) SLICE – I love making veggie sandwiches. Take two pieces of your favorite bread, (or lettuce or kale leaves to keep it raw), spread ripe avocado on them (that’s right, no butter or mayo!). Then layer with thinly sliced tomato, orange and yellow pepper, cucumber, lettuce, sprouts, and even shredded carrot. Oh my goodness, I am drooling just typing this.

6) CHOP – homemade salsa is the best thing on the planet. You can put it on fish, chicken, salad, or even eat it with a fork! Although a food processor is the quick and easy way to make it, I love the taste and texture of hand chopped salsa. If you don’t have time to make it then try to find some fresh made at a deli (Delicado’s in Nanaimo makes great salsa!)

7) ROLL – think a sushi lunch is healthy? If you go for things like California rolls, then you are eating way too much white rice, fake crab, and often gobs of fattening mayonnaise! Then it gets dipped into high sodium soy sauce. And don’t even get me started on Tempura! So how can you enjoy sushi without the hidden calories? Shred some cabbage and carrot, and place a bit of each on a nori sheet. Then add a chunk of avocado, a few sunflower sprouts, and just a touch of curry powder. Roll it up, wet the edge of the nori sheet to secure it, cut it into bite sized pieces and voila! Your very own veggie sushi! You can find recipes like this one at http://tinyurl.com/2edp2e

And there you have it! So the next time you are staring into your crisper with bewildered boredom, just think of one of these options, and start having some fun with your nutrition!

Trigger Points are Toxic!

2008-08-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

I have always explained myofascial trigger points as areas of stagnant, toxic, acidic tissue, mostly because that is what I was told in school, and it just made sense that if your tissues aren’t getting enough oxygen, and being used incorrectly or simply too much, then inflammation and metabolic toxins will build up, all of which trigger pain receptors to “red flag” the area. Well, I am learning that the “because they said so” scientific method just doesn’t cut it. But it turns out there is actually some research confirming this theory!

Trigger points are painful spots in muscles that can refer pain into other areas, cause your muscles to feel weak and tired, and affect range of motion, and often mimic other conditions, therefore getting misdiagnosed more often than not. They affect millions of people, can be very debilitating, and yet have been ignored and misunderstood by the medical community for far too long.

New research is therefore both exciting and imperative.

There has been a theory for many years that trigger points are perpetuated via a feedback loop, where tight muscle tissue becomes tighter and unhealthier, as it uses oxygen and deposits metabolic byproducts produced during use. This excess tightness impedes blood flow into the area, leading to insufficient oxygen supply and further chemical buildup (metabolic, inflammatory and immune), causing pain and further muscle tightening, and yet more byproducts, and so the cycle continues.

A recent study by a group of scientists (1) has now shown that there are indeed large amounts of inflammatory and immune chemicals in tissues adjacent to active trigger points, as compared to latent trigger point and normal muscle tissue. This helps validate the feedback theory.

I believe this also helps to validate massage therapy as a treatment for trigger points (besides the unscientific fact that it just works)! If you can break this feedback loop somewhere along the line, you should be able to relax the trigger point. If you can get more oxygen into the area, relax the tight muscles, and/or flush out the toxins, tissue health will improve, and the feedback loop could be disrupted. Hmm, sounds like a great theory for a research study!

(1) Biochemicals Associated With Pain and Inflammation are Elevated in Sites Near to and Remote From Active Myofascial Trigger Points
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Volume 89, Issue 1, January 2008, Pages 16-23
Jay P. Shah, Jerome V. Danoff, Mehul J. Desai, Sagar Parikh, Lynn Y. Nakamura, Terry M. Phillips, Lynn H. Gerber

You Can Fit in Fitness

2008-07-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

It’s the most overused excuse in the fitness world, “I just don’t have the time.” Here is my question to you – do you have time to brush your teeth, watch a 30 minute TV show before bed, or go have coffee with a friend at lunch? If you said yes to any of these, then you have time in your day to exercise.

I can already hear the next excuse forming in your brain, “but I need to watch TV for an half hour to calm down before bed.” Well, watching TV is one of the worst things you can do before bed, as it stimulates the brain, so you actually take longer to fall asleep after. Better idea? How about shut of the tube, and enjoy a few minutes of relaxing yoga, or even just lying in a dark room to take a few deep breaths. You will sleep better, and feel more energized the next day.

But I digress, let’s go through a day and see just how many times you can sneak in an extra squat or two!

Your first opportunity is before you even get out of bed in the morning. When you wake up, take a moment to roll onto your back, take a nice deep breath and stretch out. Then bend your knees and place your feet on the bed, and tilt your pelvis back and forth a couple of times (push your low back into the bed as you lift your pubic bone toward the ceiling, and then arch your low back up as you push your tailbone into the bed). Next turn over onto all fours, and do a cat stretch (arch your mid back up toward the ceiling, and then relax). Repeat a couple of times.

OK, so how long did that take – two minutes? If you don’t have time for that, then set your alarm clock two minutes earlier. You aren’t going to notice a two-minute decrease in sleep.

I am sure you have all adjusted your morning routine to give yourself time to sit and have at least a quick breakfast (and if not, you better adjust your alarm clock a tad more)! Sitting gives another great exercise opportunity, as you can do some quadriceps strengthening! This is one of the easiest exercises – simply straighten your legs out, one at a time, and contract your quadriceps muscles when your leg is fully extended. Then relax and repeat on the other side.

No time to sit? No problem, just do some calf raises while you are brushing your teeth, because I assume you have time to brush your teeth!

Even Driving to work provides chances for fitness. You can stretch out your neck and forearms (great idea if you do computer work all day) at red lights. You can even do bicep curls.

It’s not a new idea to park further from wherever you are going, so why are we not doing it? I have caught myself driving around scoping out the closest spot. It is simply a bad habit, but habits can be changed!

Ok, so now you are at work. Definitely no time for fitness, right? Wrong! Go for a walk at break or lunch – take a coworker with you. Don’t take a lunch? Remember those quadriceps exercises I told you about, well you can do those at your desk too, or calf raises if you are standing. Of course there is always the stairs/elevator controversy. Work on the 17th floor? Walk up to floor 5 and then take the elevator. Maybe next week you will walk to floor 6, etc. You can even do squats while talking on the phone.

Back home at the end of a long day, and you are exhausted! Now it is time to make dinner, get the family fed, clean up the kitchen, get the kids to bed, and hopefully have a little quiet time for yourself. Sounds like there is no way you can exercise. Well I hate to say it again, but wrong! Our family goes for a walk around the block after supper most nights. This gives everyone some exercise after supper, lets us spend some quality time together, and also poops out our boy, so that he is ready for sleep!

You finally have a couple of hours to yourself, and what do you do? Many of us are guilty of sitting down to watch TV, read a book, or play on the computer. So sit for an hour and do it, and then take 15 to 20 minutes to run up and down the stairs, do squats, sit ups, pushups, some bicep or triceps curls, just something. Then sit back down and do whatever you want again. You will be much more productive after the short break, and probably end up getting more accomplished than if you hadn’t stopped! You will also use up some of that stored energy so that you can fall asleep better. I find I get restless legs at night if I have a week of non-exercise, I think it is my bodies way of telling me to move!

The bottom line is, most of us are awake for about 15 to 16 hours a day. You can find 20 minutes to exercise (not necessarily all together either), you just need to think about it and make it a habit. If you decide to do a lunchtime walk, then recruit a friend and put it in your schedule.

I now do calf raises every time I brush my teeth, I run up the stairs rather than walk, I do stretches at work between appointments, and every morning before I get up. I do squats and pushups during commercial breaks, and we have a family walk after supper. I also regularly do yoga, fitness videos, and run, but the information I am providing is how to get going. You can add the hour-long workouts once you start to like the feel of fitness, and I know you will!

How to Love Exercise

2008-05-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

I just finished my favorite workout DVD, the New York City Ballet Workout. I had borrowed this workout video from a friend years ago, and just loved it, but had to return it. With every intention of purchasing it for myself, I got a little side tracked - for about 5 years! I finally asked for it this past Christmas, and my sister bought it for me!

With every intention of doing it, the DVD sat unopened since Christmas, until I finally took the 20 seconds it takes to load it up in the DVD player! I had such a great time - the music is wonderful, and it is a total body workout. I can't believe it took me so long.

So why am I telling you this? Because, although I have done many other videos and forms of exercise over the past few years, I really loved this particular one, and deprived myself of the joy it brought me during exercise.

We all know how important exercise is for overall health, and yet it is still such a struggle to fit in for many of us. So please, if you find that one thing you love about exercise - be it a video, particular class or activity, or a special someone you love to workout with, then don't deprive yourself of that experience. Make time for it, and take the 20 seconds it takes to get started on it.

I have now made Wednesday mornings my official "ballet workout appointment" - yeah for nice toned legs this summer!

Self Massage for Tired, Achy Feet

2008-05-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

It can be such a challenge to keep a smiling face while standing on sore, fatigued feet. This is especially true if it is only 11 in the morning, and you still have 6 hours of work left!

So let’s talk about a couple of things you can do to help your poor abused feet feel a little better, so that you can get on with the day!

It is important to note that, if your foot pain is something new, severe, accompanied with inflammation or edema, or progressively getting worse, you should seek medical attention. If it is attributable to overuse and abuse, then some self-treatment is in order!

COLD THERAPY:
There is nothing more invigorating for tired, overworked feet then to immerse them in cold water. I know this might sound nasty, but just try it! My hubby and I run at a local lake, and our favorite thing to do after our run is take off our shoes and wade in the lake. Don’t have a lake nearby? No problem, you can fill up a tub, bucket, sink, or even stand outside and run the garden hose over your feet.

If you only have 10 minutes between coming home from a long work day, and going out to dinner in high heels, then a one minute cool foot soak is just as important as fixing your hair!

HEAT THERAPY:
Ah yes, warmth on the tootsies is so very relaxing. I recommend heat if you have some time to relax, and your feet are not inflamed. A 10 to 20 minute soak in warm water can help you calm down after a busy day, and also help soothe and relax all those achy muscles in your feet. A portable foot massage/bath unit is lovely, or you can even sit on the side of the tub with your feet in!

A great thing to do after your footbath is some massage, so let’s discuss that next!

MASSAGE:
A tennis ball is the cheapest and easiest way to self massage your feet. You can simply place the tennis ball on the floor, and stand on it with one foot, rolling it up and down, back and forth and all around.

From a seated position, you can also cross one foot over the opposite thigh, and use your thumbs to work into the muscles on the bottom of your foot. Don’t forget to give each toe a little squeeze and gentle traction.

There are also many different massage tools out on the market specifically designed for feet, so feel free to experiment!

STRETCH:
A simple stretch is to sit with legs out in front of you (knees bent), and draw your toes toward your nose with your hands. It is best to hold your toes at their base with your fingers, and gently extend them up.

Please remember that stretching should not be painful. It should feel like a gentle taut sensation, and melt away after a few seconds. At that point, you can increase the stretch until you feel the taut feeling again, and hold until it releases.

MOBILIZE:
Mobilizing is another great tool, similar to stretching. When you mobilize a joint you basically take it through its entire range of motion many times. This helps relax ligaments, gets nutrition moving into the joint, and keeps everything limber and oxygenated.

To mobilize your feet, you need to move the ankles and toes. This is best done sitting with your calves supported on a footstool, but feet hanging off the end. You can also lie with your feet hanging off the end of your bed. Simply roll your ankles both clockwise and counter clockwise, and flex and extend them. Then flex and extend your toes, as well as spread them apart as far a you can. Repeat each move 20 times.

This should give you just a few ideas to help your achy feet feel a little better. There are most definitely other factors to consider, such as leg muscles, and preventative measures, but this will at least get you started!

Being Selfish Can Be Good For Your Health

2008-04-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

“You are being selfish” is normally a phrase meant as negative criticism, but I want to talk about selfishness as a positive trait today.

As a mom, and a massage therapist, I know what it is like to give of yourself: both physically and emotionally. It can be very rewarding, but also extremely draining – sometimes to the point that you begin to resent your situation, and break down on many levels.

And as a mom and a massage therapist, I have had to learn that when you get to this point there are two choices:

1. Opt for martyr status and push yourself through, continuing at a self-depleting pace, until you break down, either physically or mentally. This usually leaves you absolutely useless to everyone, and therefore not helping those that you worked so selflessly to help in the first place.

2. Take a break, be it an hour, a day, or a week, to take care of yourself, so that you can once again help others with the empathy and energy you pride yourself on.

I know for many of you, taking time for yourselves feels selfish, embarrassing to admit to, and just plain wrong, but I know every one of you has opted for choice number one before with dismal consequences.

I am not going to go into much description of the self depleting things we do, as it is different for everyone, and chances are you know what they are: working too many hours, not taking holidays, never leaving the kids with babysitters, caring for ailing parents, volunteering all of your spare time away.

Obviously these are extremely important activities, but is your child really going to grow up differently if you hire a babysitter for an hour a week so that you can go to yoga class? Well, they might, because that hour to yourself could just give you the balance and energy you need to be a more calm and patient parent!

If you feel great working 40 hours a week and volunteering another 20 hours a week; feel energized and ready to give each job 100% every day, then you are probably doing things right for you. If, however, you feel depleted at the end of the day, and have to drag yourself to work, or have feelings of bitterness toward your daily tasks, then you are not giving yourself enough to recharge with.

So how to recharge? You might need time off, or better nutrition, or more sleep, or even to find yourself a partner to share things with. What ever it is, listen to your inner voice telling you what you are lacking in, and be selfish and go get it!

Being selfish could be as easy as giving yourself 20 minutes of uninterrupted time every day to enjoy your lunch – no cell phones, no book work, just peace and quiet. It could be turning off the TV 30 minutes before bed to do some yoga or meditation. It could be taking a day off work once a month to spend more time with your kids, or leave them in daycare for the day and go for a three-hour hike with a friend, or get a massage, or even sit in your pajamas all day and read a good book. It could even be as drastic as changing jobs, or taking early retirement.

The bottom line is, if you are feeling that a certain situation is too much for you, either on a mental, physical or spiritual level, you owe it to yourself to do something about it.

Even a small change can help – obviously if you are a single mother of two with a full time job and an ailing parent at home, you are in a tough spot. But all too often in a situation like this you completely give up on yourself. Instead, make it a house rule that Friday night from 8 to 9 is your time to have a hot bath with no interruptions. Hire a sitter or call a friend in if you need to. If that goes well for a few weeks, then see if you can add another bit of “me” time in the week. If you don’t, and have a nervous breakdown, or heart attack (yes these things happen), then who will you be helping?

That’s why they tell parents on an airplane to put your mask on before your child’s. You won’t be much help to your child if you have already passed out on the floor. Think about that the next time you are putting someone else’s need in front of yours and risking your own health in the process.

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Do you want to use this article on your website, blog or e-zine? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: “Denise Mackinnon is a registered massage therapist and health and wellness advocate. You can get your free subscription to her “simple health ideas” newsletter by going to http://www.denisemackinnon.com/

Wake up Your Posture Pathways

2008-03-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

One of the primary reasons that poor posture can develop over time is because so many of the movements we do every day become automatic for us. This means that we do not need conscious control to do them anymore. So, when we do things like hunching over the keyboard, slouching on the couch, and clenching our jaw enough times, our brain pathways accommodate these movements so that we can do them without thinking.

As this adaptation is occurring, we also weaken the pathways that control the things we don’t do as often anymore, such as sitting up straight with our shoulders comfortably back. We therefore loose conscious awareness of the muscles needed to perform these actions, and they then become difficult for us to actively use.

So now the incorrect positions we are in all day become ingrained, and the better postural choices become more difficult to hold.

It is therefore necessary to re-awaken the nerve pathways that control the muscles necessary for correct posture. One way to help the body remember what it feels like to be properly aligned is to perform slow, controlled mobilizations into and out of the positions we are trying to reconnect to.

Let’s use the upper shoulder muscles as an example. It is very common to hold your upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles in a contracted position during times of stress, or when working at a desk. These are the muscles that raise your shoulders up toward your ears. After years of holding them tight, many people end up adopting this as normal.

I am sure many of you have had a massage therapist or other health professional tell you that one shoulder is higher than the other, as if it is some kind of amazing discovery. This is usually nothing more than chronically contracted upper shoulder muscles, often from things such as holding a purse on that shoulder, and contracting the muscles to counter balance the weight of the purse, or from working with a mouse for hours on end. Eventually, you hold the shoulder up without even realizing it, whether or not you are at the computer, or have a purse on your shoulder!

Ok, so I have drilled in the adaptive process, but how do you retrain the brain to once again hold these muscles in a relaxed state?

First of all, really contract the already contracted muscles. So, in the case of the upper shoulder muscles, raise your shoulders up to your ears, as hard as you can. Hold them in this position for a few seconds, and really pay attention to how it feels to have them tight like this. Then relax them down, and take a few deep breaths, noticing how the muscle feels when it is relaxed, and also the position of your shoulders. Repeat this a dozen times, each time bringing your mental awareness to what your body is feeling. This will help dust the cobwebs out of the nerve pathways to the brain. Do this a few times every day, as the process takes a long time to become automatic.

Now you can adapt this to any area you have posture issues. If you slouch, then exaggerate your position for a few seconds. Hunch forward, rolling your shoulders forward and dropping your head down. Then extend your spine up straight and tall, rolling your shoulder back and raising your head up and back slightly, so that you are looking straight ahead.

Performing exercises like these regularly will, overtime, help them once again become automatic for us.

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Do you want to use this article on your website, blog or
e-zine? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it:
“Denise Mackinnon is a registered massage therapist and
health and wellness advocate. You can get your free subscription to her “simple health ideas” newsletter by going to http://www.denisemackinnon.com/
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Self Help for Sore Forearms

2008-02-23T20:31:00.000-08:00

Many of us overuse our forearms for a living, and repetitive overuse is one common cause of sore forearms. So anyone who types, uses a mouse, hammers, crochets, paints or grips for hours a day will want to read this!

Forearms can become sore due to muscle fatigue, spasm, trigger points, direct trauma, tendinitis, or a combination of these.

If your pain is something new, severe, or accompanied with edema, please seek medical attention. If it is progressively getting worse, or you think it might be tendinitis, you should also have it checked out. If it is attributable to a repetitive or straining task you know caused it, then some self treatment is in order!

ICE:
In general, and if you only have a few minutes to give yourself some relief, ice is key. You can either dunk your arms into a sink of cold water for a minute, run them under a cold tap (making sure to get right around the elbows also), wrap an ice pack around them, or use a frozen water filled Dixie cup to massage around the elbow and forearm. Just one simple ice application can make your forearms feel alive again, and ready for another day of abuse!

You don’t need to wait until you are sore to apply ice, either. If you have been doing a stressful task, such as painting a room or hammering, it is a great idea to apply some ice when you are done whether your forearms are sore yet or not. It might just ease the severity of symptoms before they even set it!

If you have a little more time, it is a good idea to spend some extra time to massage and stretch your forearms before the ice application.

MASSAGE:
It is important to note that trigger points from the neck, shoulder and even chest can all refer pain into the forearms, so you should address all these areas with massage.

The easiest way to self-massage these areas is by placing a tennis ball into a long sock. You can then hold the tennis ball behind your back and lean against a wall to treat the shoulder and back areas. Move your body up and down and side to side, applying pressure against the ball (by pushing it into the wall) to massage each area.

To work the muscles in your forearm, rest your arm on a table, palm facing down. Press the tennis ball into the meaty part of your forearm (just below the elbow), and roll it down towards your writs. Repeat this a few times, changing your position slightly to get other sections of muscle.

If you need to work a little deeper, you can even use the elbow of your opposite arm and press it firmly but gently into the muscles your forearm. Be cautious not to overdo it.

Stretching and mobilizing your forearms is an important preventative measure to keep them loose and mobile.

STRETCH:
A simple stretch is to hold your right arm out straight in front of you, palm facing down, and elbow straight. Place your left hand on top of the outstretched one, and flex the right hand down at the wrist, so that your fingers are pointing towards the floor. You should feel a nice gentle pulling sensation in your forearm muscles. Hold this for at least 30 seconds, and repeat on the left.

Next, turn your right outstretched arm palm up, and, using the left hand, gently pull your right hand down at the wrist so that your fingers are pointing to the floor. You should feel this in the wrist and inside of the elbow. Again hold for 30 seconds, and repeat on the left.

Please remember that stretching should not be painful. It should feel like a gentle taut sensation, and melt away after a few seconds. At that point, you can increase the stretch until you feel the taut feeling again, and hold until it releases.

MOBILIZE:
Mobilizing is another great tool, similar to stretching. When you mobilize a joint you basically take it through its entire range of motion many times. This helps relax ligaments, get nutrition moving into the joint, and keeps everything limber and oxygenated.

To mobilize your forearms, you need to move the wrists and elbows. Start with your arms outstretched in front of you, palms facing up. Bring your fingers into a fist, flex your wrists up, and then curl at the elbows, coiling your arms up and into your chest. Then uncurl them until your arms are again outstretched with wrists extended and fingers pointing towards the floor. Repeat this 20 times.

Next, with arms again outstretched in front of you, palms up, roll your wrists in so that palms are facing each other. Keep rolling until they are facing the floor, and then keep rolling until they can’t go any farther. They should be facing away from one another. Now roll them back out, twisting as far the other way as possible. Repeat 20 times.

Lastly, from the starting position, roll your wrists in circles in both directions, with hands in a fist 10 times each way, and with fingers extended 10 times each way.

These strategies should not only be performed when you are experiencing sore forearms, but you should also employ them as part of a health maintenance program, to keep healthy arms from becoming a problem in the first place!

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Do you want to use this article on your website, blog or e-zine? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: “Denise Mackinnon is a registered massage therapist and health and wellness advocate. You can get your free subscription to her “simple health ideas” newsletter by going to http://www.denisemackinnon.com/

Simple and Scrumptious Green Smoothie Recipe Book is Here!

2008-02-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

Those of you who are subscribers to my newsletter know how much I love my green smoothies. They provide an amazing array of vitamins and minerals to help fuel and protect the body, and taste so yummy that I feel like I am eating desert for breakfast every day!

I have had many requests for green smoothie recipes, and so I decided to compile them all in one place!

“Simple and Scrumptious Green Smoothies” is a great little book for anyone interested in getting their 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Every recipe contains only raw fruit and vegetables, so they are all very low fat, high in nutrients, easy to digest, and so simple to make!

Please check out my new e-book now at http://tinyurl.com/22go96

Yours in vibrant health,

Denise Mackinnon, RMT
Registered Massage Therapist

PS – For anyone wondering what an “e-book” is, it is simply
a book that is delivered to you immediately electronically.
You download it right to your computer, and can access it
any time you want. You can print up any pages or sections
you want, or simply view it on your computer!

Simple and Scrumptious Green Smoothies is available in a
beautiful full color version with pictures, or a printer
friendly version so that you don’t use up all of your ink!

Here is the link again, http://tinyurl.com/22go96

Massage for Anxiety

2008-01-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

We all know that massage therapy is great at working out
trigger points, regaining mobility to stiff joints, and
easing scar tissue contracture, but the effects of massage
go so much deeper than superficial tissue.

There are more and more studies supporting the use of
massage therapy for decreasing anxiety, lowering blood
pressure and heart rate, and even enhanced mental alertness!
(1) (2) (3)

When I give my boy a massage, he gets so calm and relaxed.
His eyes just stare off into space, and there is such a look
of peace on his face, that it actually relaxes me too!

One study of massage therapy in asthmatic children (4)
showed a decrease in cortisol (stress hormone) and anxiety
levels, as well as improved pulmonary functions following
treatment. Anyone who has or knows a child with asthma has
seen how stressful this condition can be –not only for the
child but the parents as well!

Another study of mothers who received massage (5) showed
decreased depression, anxiety, and pain. They also
experienced shorter labors, and shorter hospital stays.

Fibromyalgia patients who received massage reported better
sleep, lower anxiety levels and less depression. (6)

Anyone who has had a massage treatment knows that it feels
good, and that you feel relaxed after, but it really does
affect your health on a much more profound level!

So don’t wait until you have shoulder or low back pain to
get a massage. If regular massage therapy can help blood
pressure, cortisol levels, hear rate and anxiety then it
should be just as important to your health maintenance
program as eating right and exercising! Everyone should
have regular treatments, just for the health of it!

References:
(1) Field T, Ironson G, Scafidi F, Nawrocki T, Goncalves A,
Pickens J, Fox N, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. 1996a. Massage
therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of
alertness and math computations. Int J Neurosc 86: 197-205
(2) Mok D, Woo CP. 2004 Nov. The effects of slow-stroke back
massage on anxiety and shoulder pain in elderly stroke
patients. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 10 (4): 209-16
(3) Moyer CA, Rounds J, Hannum JW. 2004 A meta-analysis of
massage therapy research. Psychological Bulletin Jan;
130(1): 3-18
(4) Field T, Henteleff T, Hernandez-Reif M, Martinez E,
Mavunda K, Kuhn C, Schanberg S. 1998b. Children with asthma
have improved pulmonary functions after massage therapy. J
Pediatr 132:854-858.
(5) Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Taylor S, Quintano O, Burnam
I. 1997c. Lavor pain is reduced by massage therapy. J
Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 18:286-291.
(6) Sunshine W, Field T, Quintino O, Fierro K, Kuhn C,
Bruman I, Schanberg S. 1996. Fibromyalgia benefits from
massage therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation.
Journal of Clinical Rheumatology 2(1): 18-22.

Getting It Done

2008-01-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

A New Year is upon us, and with it come the expectations of what can be.

Did you set a goal for yourself this year? And if you did, was it the same thing you said last year?

This is an extremely common problem. Let’s say your resolution was “I want to loose weight this year”. This is probably the same resolution you have had for the last 5 years. Why do you suppose you haven’t achieved your goal yet?

First of all, it is just too vague. A goal is much easier to achieve if it is very specific and focused. So it is better to set a goal such as “I will lose 5 pounds by February 14.”

Did you also notice the difference in language? Rather than “I want”, the second goal said, “I will”. Focus and intention are very important. If you keep your perspective positive, you will achieve positive results. If your perspective is focused on the negative or indifferent, your results will match. I know everyone has heard about the law of attraction, and this is a great example.

So now you have a specific, positively stated goal. Next you need to decide on some smaller steps to help you achieve this goal, and then take action and start accomplishing them, one by one.

Let’s look at our weight loss goal. To accomplish this, it would be a good idea to cut back on calories, incorporate some exercise, use some visualization techniques, and establish some form of accountability.

Now this sounds like a lot of work to do all at once, and is probably an overwhelming task for many, so guess what happens – nothing. You go back to your same old eating and exercise habits because they are comfortable and easy.
You need to break things down more, and schedule yourself (use a calendar or that funky Blackberry you have!) So tomorrow, plan to have one piece of toast for breakfast, rather than your usual two. That’s it – that’s your goal for the day! The day after, plan a 20-minute walk with a coworker over your lunch break (while still only having one piece of toast).

That night, while brushing your teeth, look at yourself in the mirror and compliment yourself on your beautiful eyes, or your great posture, or whatever you see. You can also visualize what your ultimate goal will look like, feel like, be like. See yourself slim and fit, running up the stairs two at a time. Really put yourself in the moment.

The key is to accomplish little mini goals, which all eventually add up to your big goal.

I have used weight loss as an example, but this process is the same no matter what your goal, be it learning a new language, training for a marathon, or organizing your photo albums. Break the big goal up into little mini goals, and then take action on them and nock them of your list, one by one.

Before you know it, you will have accomplished your goal or goals, and be looking forward to what 2009 will bring!

6 Tips for a Healthy Holiday

2007-12-22T21:13:00.000-08:00

6 Tips for a Healthy Holiday

Ah, yes, the butter tarts, shortbread, stuffing and my sisters amazing chocolate martinis are just around the corner! I am almost drooling on my keyboard as I type this!

So how do you control your holiday eating and maintain your exercise routine (because we all have one, right?)

Here are 6 simple ways to keep your waistlines in check and your energy abundant through the holidays.

1. Before your big feast, have an apple and a glass of water. This way you won’t be starving, and can avoid binging on appies before dinner is even served! And please, do not go for that second helping. If you can’t fit it on the first plate then you can’t fit it in your belly either.

2. Spend some special time with family EVERY DAY by going for a neighborhood walk, have a snowball fight, or just put some Christmas tunes on and dance together. Get everyone up and involved – go ahead – get ‘em up!

3. Eat a green smoothie for breakfast every day. You stock up on lots of vitamins and minerals, and can save the fat and carb calories for later. Start all of your other meals with fruit or vegetables as well. This will fill up your tummy a bit on the good stuff so that you don’t eat quite as much of the bad stuff! For some great green smoothie recipes go to http://tinyurl.com/2edp2e

4. You just know that I have to talk about those chocolate martinis! Please be kind to your bodies and drink responsibly. If you drink alcohol, really savor it. No gulping allowed! Take your time and enjoy every sip. Let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing it, and really experience the flavor and sensation it provides. Once you are done, move on to a glass of sparkling water with a splash of lemon. Drink it in a fancy glass, and know you are giving your body a special gift – health!

5. Speaking of chocolate, lets talk about sweets. The holidays just aren’t the same without all those yummy, gooey, and decadent treats. Be picky about your treats. If your favorite thing is shortbread, then enjoy a piece of shortbread. The same goes here as for alcohol – really enjoy it. Don’t eat it quickly in one bite because you feel guilty about it. You won’t have time to really savor it and then you will need another (and maybe another). Set a limit for yourself per day, and stick to it. Butter tarts might look great on the plate, but they aren’t so pretty on the hips!

6. Let yourself sit back and enjoy the season. Watch the kids playing with their new toys, chat with your friends or family. Stop doing and just be for a little while. Sit and watch the fire, or the lights on the tree. No one is really going to care if two napkins don’t match (or if you use paper towel for that matter,) so let a few chores slide this season and spend that time doing something that makes you happy!

I hope these suggestions help you have the healthiest holidays ever! Enjoy the season, just savor every treat, and take advantage of your days off to add in some exercise. Give yourself the gift of health this year – you deserve it!

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Do you want to use this article on your website,
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with it: “Denise Mackinnon is a registered massage
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Self Massage for Tension Headaches

2007-12-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

There is nothing worse than trying to get through your work day with pain at the base of the skull, shooting up the back of your head and maybe even behind your eye. This is a text book referral pattern for an upper trapezius trigger point, and is the most common type of headache I treat every day.

So lets discuss how you deal with this and get on with your day! The first thing you should do, if at all possible, it to take a quick break from whatever it is you are doing. Take a couple of deep breaths, and mobilize your head and neck (turn your head side to side, ear to shoulder, and front and back.) Repeat this a few times, and always stay in pain free range – ie – if it hurts, make your movements smaller, or stop.

Next, you need to massage the area – in the case of an upper trapezius trigger point, you want to kneed the bulk of muscle between the neck and shoulder – you might even feel the headache intensify briefly while you work this area, that’s OK – it means you are on the right spot! You want to apply just enough pressure to feel slight discomfort (it kind of hurts and feels good all at the same time), but not so much that you are cringing in pain. You can pinch the muscle between your thumb and fingers and roll it, or use flat fingers and apply direct pressure, or a rubbing motion.

Follow the muscle from the shoulder area all the way up the back of the neck to the base of the skull. You want to work between the spinous processes at the very back of the neck (you can feel the bumps they make) and the transverse processes at the sides (in line with the ears). Be sure not to apply direct pressure over these areas, but work in between them.

Because the upper trapezius attatches to the base of the skull, it is important to work this area as well. You can use your fingers along the ridge, working back and forth and up and down in small “frictioning” movements, or you can also use an eraser to help if your fingers get tired. Again, be sure to use moderate pressure.

After massaging the area, it is important to stretch the muscle out. If you want to stretch the right upper trapezius muscle, you need to sit nice and tall, looking straight ahead, and bend your neck to the left, dropping your left ear to left shoulder. You should feel a gentle pulling sensation along the right side of your neck and shoulder. Hold here, taking a couple of deep breaths. If you don’t feel anything, you can use your left hand on your head to gently guide the stretch further.

Heat can also be applied to the muscles, either before you start your self-massage, or in lieu of massage, and in conjunction with the stretch just described.

This should be enough to alleviate the average tension headache. If your symptoms do not improve, it might be time to seek some professional help!

I hope this helps you with your tension headaches!

Important Note:

The above information is for tension headache, and may not be appropriate for cluster, migraine or other types of headaches. If your headache symptoms seem unusual or more severe than normal, please contact your M.D.

Do you want to use this article on your website, blog or e-zine? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: “Denise Mackinnon is a registered massage therapist and health and wellness advocate. You can learn more by going to http://www.denisemackinnon.com

The material in this article is intended for information purposes only and should not be used in place of consultation with your medical doctor or other health care professional. Denise Mackinnon RMT is not responsible for errors, omissions, or inconsistencies with respect ot the information contained in this article and does not accept any liability whatsoever for reliance by the reader on the information contained herein.

Ice Therapy for Acute Trauma

2007-11-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

Ice is an extremely useful tool, and it is, in my mind, essential after acute trauma. Ice can slow bleeding in an area, decrease inflammation, reduce muscle guarding, and provide an analgesic effect (decrease pain).

If you injure an area, by events such as tearing a muscle due to overuse, or direct injury like spraining your ankle, you break little blood vessels in and around the area. Blood then flows into the area, transporting products and chemicals needed to help repair the injury. This extra blood and other products cause the characteristic redness, tenderness and inflammation associated with acute injury.

This inflammatory process is vital to proper tissue repair, but if too much blood enters the area, you can have severe pain and loss of use due to the pressure built up by inflammation, and excess scar tissue formation.

This is where ice comes into play! Ice helps in three major ways:

1. Vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) – this slows bleeding into the area.
2. Decreased Metabolism – slows inflammation and scar tissue formation
3. Analgesia – blocks pain receptors from firing, so you don’t feel as much pain.

It is crucial to apply ice within the first 36 hours following injury, otherwise the process I just described above will be well underway and you will be too late! You can continue to ice the area for up to 72 hours, depending whether swelling and pain persist.

A great way to apply ice is to freeze some water in a Dixie cup, and then massage the “ice pop” over the injured area. Applying ice for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 hours, combined with compression and elevation (if possible) will give great results. If this isn’t possible, even a quick application is better than nothing.

If your injury is severe, you can apply ice more often. If your injury is relatively minor, or is an acute flare-up of a chronic condition, then you might be fine with just a couple of applications. You are the best judge of what your condition needs.

A few words of caution:
- do not fall asleep with any type of ice on you, as it could damage your skin or other tissues.
- use caution with gel ice packs, as they cool to below freezing. It is best to have a layer between your skin and a get pack – a thin damp tea towel is fine.
- be careful when icing over areas where nerves are close to the surface, such as the unlar nerve in the elbow (funny bone), and the peronial nerve on the outside of the knee.
- you should also be careful if you have a sensitivity to cold, poor circulation, or hypertension.

Low Back Pain - Not Always a Disc to Blame!

2007-11-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

There are many causes of low back pain, so I will start by reminding you to see your doctor if you are experiencing sudden, severe or unusual pain the low back area (or anywhere for that matter). This article is focusing on one possible cause – muscular.

There are many reasons for the muscle around the low back to become unwell, leading to pain in and around them. Just a few examples are overuse, repetitive strain, guarding other injured tissues, sports injuries, and muscle imbalances. The most common problematic muscles producing low back pain are the gluteus medius, multifidi and iliopsoas muscles. These names might mean nothing to you right now, but you will have a better understanding of them soon!

Gluteus Medius

The gluteus medius muscle is located in your hip, running from the iliac crest down to the top of your femur (the upper leg bone). If you put your hands in your rear pockets you are pretty much over the gluteus medius muscle.

Gluteus medius helps to abduct your thigh (lift your leg laterally out to the side), and it also helps stabilize your pelvis when you are standing on one leg.

If you have trigger points in this muscle, pain is often felt in the low back area, along the iliac crest and sacrum, and in your gluteals. Pain is often felt with walking, lying on the problematic side, or on your back, and when slouching in a chair.

Here are a couple of tips to help alleviate gluteus medius trigger point pain:
* don’t cross your legs
* avoid sitting for long periods without moving
* sleep on the unaffected side with a pillow between your legs
* do not sit on a wallet.
* self massage the area by leaning into a tennis ball (either against the wall, or while lying on back or side) and gently roll over tight muscle fibres.

Iliopsoas

The iliopsoas, or hip flexor muscle, is a tricky one, as it is mostly hidden in the front of your pelvis. It runs from the sides of the lumbar vertebrae, along the inside of the iliac crest, and attaches in the inner thigh. It is actually two muscles, but for the purposes of this article we will discuss them as a single muscle.

The hip flexor muscle, for obvious reasons, helps to flex your hip (bring your knee up toward your nose), it is also used during a sit up, and it helps you stand upright!

Trigger points from iliopsoas can cause pain in the mid to low back (the pain kind of runs down your back – or up, depending on your perspective!), upper gluteal area, and front of the thigh and groin. Pain is often worse when standing, and lessened with lying down with support under your knees (slightly flexes the hips to take a bit of tension off the iliopsoas).

If you suffer from this type of pain, It is a good idea to avoid sitting for long periods, especially if your hips are flexed more than 90º, be cautious when embarking on a new abdominal workout, and try to reposition yourself if you tend to sleep in fetal position with your hips flexed tightly.

Multifidi

The multifidi muscles are part of the group know as the paraspinal muscles. These muscles run along your spine, as the name implies, and they refer pain along the spine as well.

The multifidi muscles help the other paraspinals to rotate and extend your spine, and are used when lifting objects, bending, stooping, and twisting. (They can therefore be injured doing these movements!)

Pain from trigger points in the multifidi is often described as a deep constant ache in the spine, no matter what position you are in.

Movements to avoid if you suspect multifidi problems include side bending, rotating and extending the spine. You should also avoid sitting for prolonged periods, and use care when lifting objects: hold the object as close to you as possible, and lift with your legs, keeping a straight back.

Did you notice the common theme with all three of the muscles just discussed? They are all exacerbated by prolonged sitting! A great reason to go for a lunchtime walk!

Massage therapy is very effective in releasing trigger points in these muscles, and I can also show you ways to treat them yourselves! Speaking of home care, warm buddies hot packs are perfect for warming up your muscles at home any time you need to ease those nasty trigger points! Check them out at https://www.denisemackinnon.com/Warm_Buddies_Hot_Packs.html

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Do you want to use this article on your website,
blog or e-zine? You can, as long as you include this blurb
with it: “Denise Mackinnon is a registered massage
therapist and health and wellness advocate. You can learn
more by going to http://www.denisemackinnon.com
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Omega 3 Buyer Beware - Don’t be fooled by processed omega 3 products

2007-10-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of years, many processed foods have been boasting the label *trans fat free*, as consumers became more aware of the health concerns of ingesting trans fats. The interesting thing is that almost all of these products still contain trans fats, although it must be less than .2 grams per serving to be labeled as trans fat free. (still not good enough, in my books)

In recent months, however, labeling is changing from *trans fat free* to *with omega 3*. This change is in response to media reports on the health benefits of omega 3 fats (which are true).

Sounds like processed food manufacturers are finally taking health to heart, right?

WRONG

Never, ever believe labeling on the front of a package – If a manufacturer can get you to buy something with omega 3, they no longer need to try to persuade you with a trans fat free statement, and therefore many don’t worry about making it trans fat free!

So you purchase some cookies which are enriched with omega 3’s, thinking you are eating healthy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I checked a package of omega 3 enriched cookies the other day, and the third ingredient was modified palm oil (yup, trans fats). Whole flax seed, and flax seed oil were the ninth and tenth ingredients – almost last!

There are three major problems with this:
1. There are more trans fats then omega 3’s, so it kind of defeats the purpose (ingredients are always listed in order of amount included – the more of an ingredient in something, the sooner it is listed.

2. Flax seeds really need to be ground for us to digest, otherwise they just go right through us, so there is no point spending the extra buck for the fancy omega 3 products if they contain whole flax seeds.

3. Ground flax seeds and flax oil go rancid quickly, and spoil if heated at high heat. If you bake it into something, you could create free radicals, which are very harmful to your health. Now your healthy food isn’t so healthy after all.

We are blessed to have nutrition labels on our food in Canada, and we need to read them. I am not saying that all food labeled with omega 3’s are bad, but many are, and you need to be a savvy shopper! The bottom line is you should question anything that is processed, regardless of the whole grain, fat free healthy label you see on the packaging.

Here are a few tips for healthy shopping:

* Anything with trans fats in it should be considered junk food and off limits, even if it appears to be healthy, or is boasting to be filled with omega 3’s. Trans fats go by the terms modified, hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or vegetable shortening.

* Keep your purchases of processed foods to a minimum (this means anything in a box or package). Make your own cookies, granola bars and muffins, so that you know what is going into them.

* If you do buy pre-made, processed food, please read labels and check for sugar, salt, fillers, MSG, hydrogenated fats, and preservatives. The more you realize how much junk is in your food, the more you will begin to appreciate a good old apple!

* Remember that nothing beats whole foods. If you are looking to up your omega 3 intake, eat some fatty fish like salmon, sardines, or anchovies. Grind up some fresh flax seeds in a coffee grinder and sprinkle them on your salad, cereal or yogurt. Always try to eat the food itself containing the nutrient you are looking for, rather than a supplement or expensive product that has it listed in the last three ingredients.

Balancing Body, Mind and Spirit

2007-10-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

There is always a lot of talk in the media about balancing body, mind and spirit for optimal health, yet it is still a very confusing and misunderstood field.

Many of us just ignore the “mind, spirit” components,dismissing them as too *granola* and too weird. Although only focusing on diet and exercise might make you look healthy from the outside, for some people it just provides a beautiful shell, holding inside it nothing but an emotional wreck. On the flip side, there are people who have very balanced spiritual lives, but
do not take care of their physical bodies, which, in my opinion, is just as bad.

Human beings are made up of an amazing mind, capable of doing very complex things; an intricate body, filled with organs, muscles, ligaments, nerves, etc; and energy, spirit, life force,
call it what you will. Without any one of these things we cannot exist. In order to live to our
full potential, then, we must support and nurture each one of these parts equally.

Why bother, you may ask? Lets look at an example – a flower. It is made up of roots, leaves, stem and flower. You might think if you just give it some soil, water and sun it will be fine. In fact, however, there needs to be a correct balance of these things for the flower to flourish. If the plant gets too much water the roots might rot. If it gets too much sun it may wilt and die, and if it is planted in the wrong type of soil, with insufficient nutrients, it may not flower. It is only when all these elements are in balance that the flower can bloom to its full potential. Often times if you move a plant you will “stress it out”, and it may not flower for years after, even with water and nutrients.

Humans are just like flowers (our needs are just a little bit different). We can survive for many years with insufficient exercise, nutrition, mental stimulation and little or no spiritual or emotional support, but we live like a dandelion that seeded itself in a crack in concrete: small, weak and pale. Pardon me for a minute while I get up on my soapbox, and tell you that you need to take care of yourselves – your entire selves. Stop hiding your emotional issues behind your marathon running (I could write an entire report on this one!), stop blaming your lack of exercise on your busy job, stop pretending your over eating is because of your genes. Take responsibility for your body, your mental health, and your spirit.

In our society we seem to view people as weak and crazy if we hear that they are seeing a councilor, or taking a meditation class. If we see someone eat salads for lunch everyday and order dressing on the sides, we look at them and think, “who do they think the are?” Well, these are people who are taking their health into their own hands, and maybe, just maybe, understand the power of prevention – a concept not well known in Western Civilization.

Wow, are you still with me? I hope so – I don’t mean to rant, but we have been handed so much in this part of the world that I think many of us have forgotten that not everything is free or easy, and we just can’t take our health for granted anymore.

So turn off the computer, go for a walk to a beautiful spot, sit down and take 5 minutes to soak it all in. Let your mind wander as your body relaxes, and just “be” in this miracle of life! This is an example of the perfect balance!
See how easy it is!

If you just can't slow down, and need some great music to help you calm down and relax, check out Mark Romero's site at http://tinyurl.com/29nopj

Trigger Point Talk - An Introduction to Myofascial Pain Syndrome

2007-10-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

I am sure that many of you have heard of (and experienced)
myofascial trigger points. They are those nasty little
painful spots in muscles that refer pain into other areas,
cause your muscles to feel weak and tired, and generally
make you want to cry!

As a massage therapist, I loooove trigger points, because
they are fun to locate and release. It is so satisfying to
find one hiding within a taut muscle. You can often tell
they are there, because the tissue will give a little jump
when you land right on the trigger point. The skin around
a trigger point can also break out in goosebumps or sweat,
and if you palpate one bang on, the referred pain pattern can
flare up too, like a beacon saying "here I am - come and
get me!" But I am certain that most of you do not share my
sentiment!

Myofascial trigger points are extremely common. One
research article (Drugs. 2004) states that an estimated 44
million Americans suffer from myofascial pain. Pain of
musculoskeletal origin, (which includes trigger point pain)
is reportedly the main cause of disability in the
working-age population, and one of the leading causes of
disability in other age groups as well. (Am Fam Physician.
2003 Jan 1)

Muscle stress due to acute strain, repetitive overuse,
direct chilling and direct trauma seem to be major factors
in development of active trigger points. (South Med J.
1984)

You can probably have a trigger point in any muscle (or
tendon, ligament, scar tissue) in the
body, but they do occur more commonly in the muscles of the
neck, shoulder, and pelvic girdle.

Trigger point pain is often misdiagnosed as joint or nerve
pain (South Med J. 1984), due to its referring nature, and
the fact that it is not at the forefront of a physicians
mind when making a quick diagnosis!

Trigger points can cause tension headaches, tinnitus
(ringing in the ears), jaw pain, low back pain, and
torticollis (Am Fam Physician. 2003
Jan 1). They can mimic the pain and symptoms of sciatica,
tennis elbow, arthritis, and even angina. (These are just
a few examples, not a complete list)

Trigger points can be effectively treated my massage
therapy, and you can even treat them yourself by applying
gentle pressure to the trigger point, and then stretching
and/or mobilizing the muscle(s) out after. (You can search
for a trigger point by palpating around the tender area
until you feel a spot that increases your pain. Then back
off your pressure a little and hold until the pain
disappears)

Home care is important to prevent reoccurrence. Applying
heat to the area following treatment is important. A hot
bath is great!
Simple stretch, range of motion and strengthening exercises for
involved muscles helps to keep them healthy and avoid
reactivation of trigger points. It is also important to
avoid chilling the area following treatment, as cold can
flare them up again!

Welcome to Simple Health Ideas!

2007-09-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are! This is my first post on the new blog, and I want to say hello to everyone interested in better health and wellness! I have been a registered massage therapist for over 11 years now. Being a massage therapist takes a lot of energy, both physically and emotionally, and I have had to learn to take care of my health, and balance my work and personal life to avoid burn out, which is a common occurrence in this profession.

I think I have accomplished this pretty successfully, and so want to share some of my tips and tricks, so that you don't have to try and figure it all out for yourselves!

If you have been struggling to maintain your health and happiness in todays crazy fast paced world, then please come back to this blog again soon and read some simple ideas to make your life and health just a little bit better!

You can also sign up for my free Simple Health Ideas newsletters at http://www.DeniseMackinnon.com