Universal Children's Day

The world's children need regular healing touch.

November 20th is Universal Children's Day. In 1954 the United Nations established this day to encourage all countries to institute a day to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children.

The Liddle Kidz Foundation is hard at work year round to empower caretakers to use infant and pediatric massage to promote the health and well-being of children who have a harder start to life. Not all of these children are fortunate enough to find themselves in an orphanage and many are forced to live rough lives on the street. The group the video below traveled to Vietnam to educate caregivers in orphanages about providing massage to the kids in residence. In some instances this was the second visit by Liddle Kidz to a few orphanages and the caregivers recount their first-hand experience of how the incidence of sickness has decreased, requiring less intervention of acute medical care, thus showing that touch has an important role in health and well-being.

This group went overseas "not to start a fire, but to pass a torch" and it appears that they have done just that by sharing their skills and knowledge. This foundation's work empowers communities to use positive touch to promote health and happiness of their liddlest members. This video sheds some light on an incredible program that I hope to one day soon participate in.

I have written more elsewhere in this blog about the necessity of touch, please have a read and don't neglect to reach out today and touch someone who is special to you.

See you in the clinic,
Dana

Sweet or Salty Body Scrub

Just the other day I recommended to a client to try using a sugar body scrub. She had an unfortunate reaction to the chemicals used in a pool that left her swim suit discolored and her skin rough and scratchy feeling. Sounded like the pool maintenance crew added too many additives! She was already well versed in kitchen cosmetics, even sharing with me her favorite hair repair recipe that she used weekly during her platinum blonde phase that included mayonnaise, raw egg, and an avocado. This is what I shared with her to help regain her usual silky skin texture:

Basic Body Scrub

You already have the ingredients in your
pantry for luxuriously soft skin.

• 1 cup sugar or sea salt
• 1/2 cup oil (olive, almond, canola - whatever is in your cupboard)
• essential oils, if desired 

The ratio of oil to sugar/salt will depend on the consistency you like most.  Start with a little bit of oil and gradually add more depending on your preferences.
If you have eczema or another dry and cracked skin condition, stick with the sugar. You will find that the salt will irritate your already sensitive skin.
Olive oil leaves the most nourishing effect on the skin, but leaves you smelling a tad like olives. Almond and canola oil have no scent, but are lighter and less moisturizing.
Experiment to find what suits you best.

And some tasty variations:

Coffee Body Scrub

• 1/2 cup coarsely ground coffee
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 8 drops vanilla essential oil

Lemon Mint Body Scrub

• 1 cup sugar or sea salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbs lemon zest or 5 drops lemon essential oil
• 1 Tbs dried mint or 5 drops peppermint essential oil

How to Use

After your initial shower wash down, with your bowl of scrub concoction poised tub-side, turn off the water and begin your scrub. Take a scoop of the mixture in your hand and begin massaging it into your skin in gentle circles. Try to massage distally on your limbs toward your core in order to promote venous return, there by aiding your circulation, i.e: ankle to hip, wrist to shoulder. Don't forget to exfoliate your lips too! Conveniently, the scrub dissolves before you can over exfoliate. Rinse thoroughly - without soap to keep all the moisturizing goodness on your skin - then towel off and enjoy your newly lustrous integument.

The shower floor gets a bit slippery, thanks to the oil, so please be careful! There's nothing wrong with sitting down to perform your exfoliation.

See you and your gleaming epidermis in the clinic,
Dana




Sources:
http://yeswecoupon.com/diy-sugar-scrubs-makes-a-great-gift/
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/homemade-sugar-scrub.html
http://petitelefant.com/how-to-make-homemade-sugar-scrub/

'Tis the Season For Gratitude

In a world that sells dissatisfaction, it’s almost heretical to feel happy about your body. And on the rare occasion when body satisfaction is socially acceptable, it’s usually in the context of “Hot dang, I look amazing in my wedding dress/tailored business suit/unitard/bathing suit/whatever I just spent a lot of money on in order to make me feel this way for a couple of hours.” For all the sunshiny Facebook messages telling you “You’re beautiful!” there’s not much to make us feel legitimately joyful to be in our own skins.

So where does happiness come from anyway? Psychological studies show that happiness stems not from being the best, most successful, or sexiest but from gratitude. So telling yourself over and over that you’ve got a great body is less likely to leave you feeling happy than feeling grateful for the body you’ve got. 

Still, it’s the season of giving thanks and if there were ever a time be thankful for the bodies we inhabit it’s now. You can give thanks that your body:

• honours your parents simply with its presence and the features it received from them 
• is young and healthy and strong
• has taught you important lessons about pain and the mental and emotional strength you have in bearing it
• has the senses to know beauty, the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings of the world around you
• includes a mind that can think, imagine, and dream
• has built, dug, cooked, sewn, planted, and otherwise influenced the world around it
• has given rise to new life
• has survived the ravages of disease and/or injury
• has seen you through many long years of life
• has touched, held and taught the bodies of others around you
• while it may contain the seeds of the disease that may one day kill it, it will not die today

Massage therapists get to see the wonder of the bodies around us every day. It’s an honour and one I am perpetually grateful for. On Thanksgiving Day, give thanks for food and family and friendship, those standards of the season. Express your gratitude however you do: through writing in your journal, phone calls to your loved ones, a reflective walk in the woods, or prayer. But don’t forget that inimitable body of yours which has accomplished so many things throughout your life. If we all inhabited our bodies with an attitude of gratitude, who knows what might happen? Maybe that whole peace on earth business wouldn’t seem so far away.

See you in the clinic,
Dana

Look Sweet, Smell Sweet, Be Sweet: Rosy Glow Toner

Rose extract has been known to reduce the damage of UVB
rays to skin's elastin fibers which causes lines in your skin.

In this part of the northern hemisphere there are only a couple parts of our bodies that are exposed to the elements year round and our face is one of them. Soothing our skin is paramount in maintaining a radiant visage. Consider using rose water as a toner in your natural skin care regime. I do and I love smelling like a rose.

Benefits of using rose water topically:

• Soothes irritated and inflamed skin due to acne, psoriasis, shaving, and exposure to the elements
• Reduces puffiness around the eyes
• Evens skin tone and texture
• Lightly moisturizes
• Aroma-therapeutic indications: depression, eczema, mature skin, menopause, stress.

"On the skin it is most effective for moisturizing and hydrating, while having a general stimulant and antiseptic action which is good for all skin types, but especially so for dry, mature, and irritated skin. It is used to repair broken capillaries, inflammation as well as skin redness and is useful in eczema and herpes. Rose water can also be used for conjunctivitis." Quoted from this essential oil supplier.

Using Rose Water as a Skin Toner

Where Turkish delights, saffron, and dates are sold
you will also likely find rose water.

I keep a small spray bottle on my bathroom shelf for toning my face between cleansing and moisturizing. Applying it with a cotton ball also works as a quick midday boost.

Store the remainder of the rose water in the fridge for quick refills as needed. Keep in mind that if your rose water smells sour it's time for a fresh bottle.

Rose water is a by-product of the steam distillation process by which rose oil is procured from the flower's petals for perfume. It has been used as a gentle astringent and anti-inflammatory cosmetic product for centuries.


Rose water is commonly used as a food ingredient used in Middle Eastern cuisine and can be found in Persian and Indian markets.

If you are blessed with an abundance of fragrant rose petals in your spring garden, consider making a stove-top still to distill your own rose water. The Woodwife's Journal explains in detail how to go about this. It's easier than you think!

Links to the rest of my natural skin care regime are found here.

See you and your glowing face in the clinic,
Dana



Sources:

• http://health.yahoo.net/experts/skintype/rose-water-gentle-skin-care-option
• Image:  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rose-oliv.jpg 
• http://www.auracacia.com/auracacia/aclearn/eo_rose.html
• Image: http://parsmarketcolumbia.wordpress.com/2013/01/
• http://www.news1130.com/2013/02/04/can-vancouvers-little-india-district-survive/

2-in-1: Evening Cleanser & Make-up Remover

I've learned to fight oil with oil and this cleanser is my latest discovery. I have used olive oil as an eye make-up remover for years, but never considered cleansing my whole face with oil until recently. This concoction removes the residues of the day - including waterproof mascara - by gently drawing out impurities from the pores and lashes. Open comedomes - or blackheads - come to the surface for gentle extraction. Because your skin's natural oil balance is not disturbed by harsh cleansers, moisturizing is not necessary after using this cleansing oil.

Ingredients:

1 part castor oil
1 part extra virgin olive oil

Shake vigorously in a small bottle. Store out of direct sunlight.

Play with the ratios of castor to olive oil to establish what is best for your skin. If your skin tends to be oily, add more castor oil. If it's on the drier side, add more olive oil.
I tried a batch using almond oil in place of olive oil with inferior results. The extra virgin olive oil gives the elixir a delightful silky texture. Castor oil, extracted from the castor bean, is readily found in pharmacies, and extra virgin olive oil should already be in your kitchen cupboard.

Travel-sized cosmetic bottles work great for
storing small batches of DIY skin care products.

How to use:

• Massage a small amount of cleansing oil all over your face, working out the grime of the day.
• Carefully work into your lashes to gently remove eye make up.
• The use of a warm wrung-out face cloth is key. The temperature should be warm enough to open your pores, but not so hot that you damage the delicate blood vessels on the bridge of your nose and cheeks. Once the cloth is wrung out, drape it over your face for a few seconds to allow the steam to open your pores and for the warmth to soften the oils. Carefully wipe the oil off with the cloth, using more specific wipes around the eyes if removing makeup.
• Mist your face and décolletage with a toner and apply a moiturizer if your skin is particularly thirsty, but you will likely find that this cleanser will help your skin find its natural oil balance.

For me, this cleanser is best used at the end of the day because of it's deep cleansing and moisturizing effect on my skin. Use the Gentle Daily Exfoliation Powder for a more astringent morning cleansing in the shower.

If you would like to learn more about oil cleansing from another blogger, read this.

Find links to my entire natural skin care regime here. I will be releasing all of my secrets over the course of the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

See you in the clinic,
Dana




Sources:

• Image source:  http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Smart-Bottle-Set/dp/B004HCECVA/ref=sr_1_10?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1379957832&sr=1-10

Empower Your Epidermis - Beware the Parabens

Parabens are hiding not only anti-antiperspirant and make-up
but shampoo, body wash, hand soap, and baby care products, too.

The integument - or skin- is the largest organ of the body, making up 16% of body weight. It is a physical barrier from the outside environment that encapsulates and protects the body. It contains sensory receptors that aid our perception of the environment and it absorbs and excretes substances to and from the body. That's right folks, your epidermis absorbs what you put on it - both the good and the bad.

Parbaens have been making plenty of news these days and for good reason. These chemical compounds are widely used as anti-microbial agents in cosmetics, skin care products, pharmaceuticals, and even foods. Used as preservatives to extend shelf-life of various products, once in the body, act as estrogen imitators, meaning that they trick the body into thinking they are helpful hormonal bodily substances, and congregate in tissues where estrogen is high - often the breast tissue.

Adolescent girls and women have been found to have highest levels of these compounds in their systems, which could be linked to the liberal usage of cosmetic and personal care products that this demographic tends to use. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in North America (after skin cancer). Parabens have been found in high concentration in most breast tumour biopsies. The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer during her life is about 1 in 8. Yikes!

When these substances are known to be present in tumours, even if not yet deemed carcinogenic, my instinct is to avoid them. The problem is that most personal care products do contain parabens to help them stay fresh on the shelf for longer. I look carefully on the labels - sometimes requiring a magnifying glass - for ingredients that end with 'paraben'. For example: Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben.

It is intimidating trying to make the healthiest choices for personal care products; there is so much to watch out for! Read the infographic below to learn about some commonly used nasty ingredients. Hopefully you, unlike myself, are able to feel empowered by your new found knowledge instead of overwhelmed and dumbfounded. To counter my anxiety, I make my own natural skin cleansing products.

Over the course of the next several posts I will be releasing the recipes for my own skin care regime that I have been developing over the past decade. All the ingredients used are found easily in grocery stores or pharmacies, are natural, incredibly inexpensive, and when used as described, very effective. You will look radiant, and your conscience can rest knowing that you are making the healthiest choices. Plus, there is another sweet bonus: you will be saving loads of money.

Dana's Natural Skin Care Regime

My skin care regime includes the following items, and I will release all of their top-secret recipes to you over the next few weeks. Links are provided here to the recipes already published.

• Gentle Daily Exfoliating Powder
• Evening Oil Cleanser & Make-up Remover
• Calming Facial Toner
• Firming & Nourishing Facial Mask
• After Sun Gel 
• Recommended Products

Find Dana's Gentle Daily Exfoliating Recipe here.

I feel empowered sharing this info with you, since putting it out there makes me accountable to someone, reaffirming my commitment to live as lightly and naturally as possible.

Take care of that epidermis until I next see you in the clinic,

Dana

This infographic was found here

Sources:

• http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/radiation-chemicals-and-breast-cancer/parabens.html
• http://courses.washington.edu/bioen327/Labs/Lit_SkinStruct_Bensouillah_Ch01.pdf
• http://www.sheknows.com/sheknows-cares/articles/823419/10-most-common-cancers-in-the-us
• http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2012/06/parabens-breast-cancer-2299994.html
• http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/overviewguide/breast-cancer-overview-key-statistics
• http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5971/12-Toxic-Ingredients-to-AVOID-in-Cosmetics-Skin-Care-Products-Infographic.html

Gentle Daily Exfoliation Powder

Regular exfoliation keeps your skin smooth and glowing.

Avoiding chemicals in my skin care products has been a bit of a personal quest for the past decade or so. This has lead to a lot of experimentation with a few winning results. This is based on an Ayurvedic recipe that I came across in my reading many years ago. Try mixing up a batch of this long-lasting and easy to use powdered facial scrub for daily cleansing.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Chick pea flour (A.K.A. gram flour, chana flour, besan) 
• 1/2 cup Powdered milk 

Sift together, then transfer to an airtight container. This will make enough exfoliating powder to last you a long time, so keep a container filled for use in the bathroom and store the rest in a cool dark place.
I have found both ingredients in the bulk section of a Punjabi market in my neighbourhood. When shopping in this environment look for 'chana flour.

Keep your exfoliating powder within
arms reach of the shower.

To use:

Sprinkle a bit of the powder (approx. 1 tsp) in your palm, add a dash of water, then emulsify into a thin paste. Some little lumps will remain but that's okay, consider them your little exfoliating helpers. Massage your face, neck, and décolletage gently in small circles using the soft finger pads and palms of your hands. Rinse with warm water, pat dry, tone, then moisturize. Avoid getting in your eyes, not because it's toxic, but simply because it feels awfully gritty. If you do, however, rinse thoroughly.

I use a re-purposed spice shaker for my exfoliating powder that lives just outside my shower for quick and easy dispensing. I prefer to use this one in the shower since it can be a little sloppy.

Go get scrubbing and I'll see you in the clinic with a glowing complexion,
Dana

Rubbed The Wrong Way - RMT Pet Peeves

How's the pressure?
Drawing by Claude Serre

A massage can be an incredibly wonderful experience. It could also be an experience that would turn you off of the entire form of therapy for good. No doubt I love a good massage; I receive them regularly - one of the perks of being in the biz - and every massage I get is a major learning experience and good reminder of how it feels to be on the table and not working next to it.

Let this blog post inspire you to speak up for what it is you want out of your treatment if you are not receiving it. Sounds like good practice for all sorts of situations in life, doesn't it?

Things massage therapists do that drive me crazy:

• Talk too much when I've not prompted them to do so. Sometimes I like to chat, sometimes I don't. Please follow my cues. If my eyes are closed and I respond to your queries in mere nods or grunts, take that as a signal that I'm not into chatting.
• Assume that they know exactly what I am feeling. I'm the only person experiencing my body; please don't assume that my body is the same as yours or anyone else's. We've all been on both sides of this type of communication at one time or another, but let's remember that it really sucks to be treated this way. 
• Wrong pressure. I've had a lot of massages from all sorts of people; many were fabulous, some were mediocre, and a select few were absolutely awful. Thank goodness the terrible ones are few and far between. One massage that falls into the awful category was so painful that even when I asked them to lessen the pressure because I was gasping for air and couldn't breathe calmly, they didn't and instead chuckled masochistically while I writhed on the table. Another treatment felt like they were afraid to touch me; their touch was imperceptibly light on my body. That treatment left me feeling more irritated than when I arrived after not being able to find parking. All practitioners have their own methods for tapping into their client's bodies but if it is irritatingly light or infuriatingly painful the positive experience is lost. It takes a bit of bravery to speak up and ask for what you want. Massage providers, please be receptive to this feedback.
• Don't explain their rationale for treating the way they are. Ummm, excuse me, why are you treating my butt when I clearly asked for a neck treatment? Believe me, I understand that the body is a very complex system, and sometimes a practitioner must treat peripheral areas in order to restore balance to the area of concern, but please be sure that I understand this before you begin treating areas that I didn't consent to. This is known as Informed Consent. Don't forget about the informed part.
• Answer my questions when they clearly have no clue what to say. My respect for a person's knowledge grows when they have the ability to admit they don't know the answer. Saying that you don't know is actually really, really smart.
• Talk about themselves when I didn't ask them to. Pardon moi, but haven't I hired you to think about me for 60 minutes? A huge part of receiving a massage is fulfilling the need to be nurtured. This is lost when you are telling me about the pants you recently bought on sale.
• Have scratchy hands or fingernails. I've had a massage where through the entire treatment I was unable to fully relax because I was anticipating when their snaggy finger nail would turn and scratch me again. I wouldn't be offended if my client informed me that I had a hang nail that was scratching them. I always have a file, I can fix the problem in seconds, please don't suffer through the entire treatment enduring it like I did!
• Use too much oil. I especially despise excess oil in my hair, especially if I am planning to do things after my massage. I make plenty of sebum on my own, I don't need your scented massage oil to help, thanks.
• Employ sketchy sheet draping techniques.  I'm not overly concerned with maintaining my physical modestly. After all, we are all naked under our clothes. I've even been known to lounge at clothing-optional beaches so I am comfortable in the buff beneath the massage table sheets - usually. But there is something about unpredictable or inconsistent draping that makes my skin crawl. It's almost like it would be better if there were no sheets at all, then at least I'd know what we were dealing with boundary-wise.

Remember, it is perfectly acceptable to kindly ask your massage therapist to modify the way they are providing treatment. I would like to think that they will receive the feedback graciously and will be happy to make your treatment as comfortable as possible. After all, it's your time.

Do you have anything to add to the list?

See you in the clinic,
Dana

Massage is the study of anatomy in braille.

"Massage is the study of anatomy in braille."
Jack Meagher

Extended Health Coverage - You're Already Paying For It...

Take care of yourself!
Painting by: Wayne Thiebaud

Fortunate we Canadians are to have universal healthcare but blessed are those who can afford complimentary therapies for preventative care. You may have an extended health care plan to help you cover the expenses for dental, prescriptions, chiropractic, physio, acupuncture, massage therapy, et cetra. If this plan is available to you through your employer then you are likely making a contribution to it in the from of a deduction from your pay. 

That's right, folks, you are already paying for your extended healthcare plan. Your employer has arranged for this so their employees are happy and healthy. Don't waste your hard earned money, put it to use in the form of self care.

How to use your plan:

If you have no idea what your plan covers or how to claim for the services you've received, give your insurance provider a call. Every provider is a bit different. Often plans cover a certain number of treatments or a dollar amount to use toward treatment per year. When I say 'cover' I mean that you will be re-reimbursed by the insurance company when you prove to them that you received and paid for treatment. This is why the receipt I issue to you is so important; it's like money in your pocket (or at least an IOU) so don't lose it! You'll likely be required to submit your receipts once or twice a year in order to receive the re-reimbursement.

It's already more than halfway through the year!

It's always notoriously busy in the clinic through December, with our clients scrambling to use up their benefits before year end. Why not figure out how much yearly coverage you have, which modalities are covered by your plan, and then book a series of appointments spanning through the year? I know, it sounds very adult and responsible, doesn't it?

If you are looking to maximize your plan, the practitioners at Oceanside Wellness Centre can work together to formulate a treatment plan that will promote your overall well-being while putting your benefits to full use. For example: If your plan covers five each of chiro, acupuncture, and massage treatments per year, you could be receiving some form of therapy every three weeks. We are big fans of prevention and would much rather help you steer clear of injury than have to help you recover from one. It's just no fun seeing people in pain. Plus the benefits you will experience by receiving regular treatment are too many to name!

Some other great reasons to use up your plan:

• If you don't use it, you'll lose it. If employees don't use the plan, it may be scaled back or removed. Yikes!
• Be a leader. Show your employer and colleagues that your health is important to you by making self-care a priority. You will find that the little bit of effort to get into the clinic will be worth the outcomes.
• Support local small business. If not for yourself, then do it for your local private practitioner who is building their business in your area.

From someone who doesn't have any extended health insurance and pays out of pocket for treatments for all members of my family, please don't take for granted the services you have access to.

I look forward to seeing you in the clinic before December!
Dana