Don't Call Me Names

Let's make an important distinction:
Massage Therapists work in clinics.
Masseuses work in parlours.

I am a massage therapist. I am not a masseuse.

I've been called a bodyworker (though this term makes my skin crawl due to the the combination of the words "body and "work"). My profession doesn't need any help with misleading the public about what services are provided in a massage; enough people are already confused. I tolerate bodywork as a term for soft tissue manual therapy because the non-registered massage providers who understandably didn't want to be called masseuses had to come up with something that represented their field of work. There are some very gifted non-registered practitioners at work. Some of the people who most inspired me to study massage therapy were of such status. Because they chose not to take the registered road they have a different type of practice but I do not have any less respect for their lifelong commitment to helping others through touch.

As a massage consumer it is difficult to anticipate the quality of services provided by a non-registered provider. Anyone can hang a shingle and say they give a good massage but there is no regulation on training requirements and this is why the profession of registered massage therapy makes such a stink about defining what their profession is and does.

Our clinic.

I understand that there may be a generational difference in the meaning of the term masseuse. I can never bring myself to correct my 90 year old grandfather on this flub. But I want people to begin to understand what massage therapy currently is. Not everyone has caught wind of this, as I recently experienced at the clinc where I work alongside physiotherapists, a chiropractor, a Chinese Medicine practitoner, and another massage therapist. Our centre is bright, spacious, and inviting to those who are looking for a serene environment to tackle their health issues. Regardless of our clinic's appearance and branding, a gentleman dropped into the clinic to inquire if we did *wink-wink* "special massage". I clearly informed him that we did not ever provide that type of massage. I assure you that no seductive neon signs were luring him to our clinic, he just saw our sandwich board and inquired. This happens; massage may be associated with sexual touch. Massage has such a vast variance of interpretations worldwide that we are fighting an uphill battle in distinguishing the difference in types of hands-on techniques.

Let me clarify how it works. In order to be permitted to practice within a plethora of clinical settings my registered massage therapist colleagues and I have obtained extensive schooling (3000 hours), taken board exams, pay yearly dues to the college with which we are registered, obtain yearly continuing education credits, and adhere to CMTBC by-laws & The Health Professions Act. The reason these reserved title specifications are in place is to protect the profession. When the public talks about getting a massage we want their language to reflect the type of treatment received and leave no grey area about the therapeutic value of the services.

I don't intend to be hung-up on terminology but the differences in connotation between the terms massage therapist, bodyworker, masseuse are significant. I think it's fair to say that pretty much all of us in this profession consider this terminological variance a pet peeve. Please help us clarify this difference by using the appropriate terms.

In British Columbia the profession of massage therapy has claim on four titles that are not to be used by anyone other than their registered members. If you provide massage in this province but are not a registered member of the College of Massage Therapists of BC you may get some heat from our organization about what you are calling yourself; yes, there are people keeping an eye on such things.

The reserved titles are:

1. Massage Therapist
2. Registered Massage Therapist
3. Massage Practitioner
4. Registered Massage Practitioner

It's a minor linguistic difference to those who may not have a decent grasp on the English language and I'll forgive them and those who are simply ignorant until they know better. But for the rest of you, please don't interchange the word "masseuse" with "massage therapist". While my clients usually leave the treatment room happier than when they arrived I absolutely do not consider this providing them with "happy endings".

See you in the clinic (not the parlour),
Dana

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

The Shape of Sound

The maleus, incus & stapes bones are so small
that they all fit on the face of a penny.

A Little Background on Sound

As you may already know, deep within the human ear are the smallest bones in the body: malleus (mal'-ee-us) or hammer; incus (in-kus) or anvil; stapes (stay-peez) or stirrup. They percuss on delicate auditory membranes in response to sound vibrations in the environment. Perception of sound is a complicated matter involving the fields of physiology, neurology, psychology, and acoustics.  In the human auditory system invisible sound waves become noise that is perceived as language, music, emotions, and memories.

How Does it Work?

Sound waves travel down the ear canal, hit the eardrum which stimulates the vibration of the smallest bones in the body that

The ear has sensory receptors for both sound and balance.

causes a chain of events through a densely anatomically populated area behind the temporal bone culminating in signals sent to the brain via the auditory nerve. After arriving in the brain (very much unlike taking an elevator up a couple of floors, but more like fireworks in the night sky), synapses in various parts of the brain take this info from the outside world and turn it into our auditory perception of the world.

Good Vibes Are For Real

Sound is vibration and vibration affects the physical form. Chanting in the spiritual practice of yoga is thought to influence how the physical and spiritual bodies function. Since these practices have been around for a few millennium, you'd think there must be something to it. Perhaps these yogis fine tuned their senses so that they could feel the effects of sounds on their bodies. The following video backs up what I'm trying to explain here. Just watch how the sand dances and then settles into various patterns depending on the tone of the resonance. If we surround ourselves with or create certain vocal frequencies why wouldn't our bodies shift in response to this?

Visual Patterns of Audio Frequencies

Please watch this astounding video. It depicts the patterns formed by varying tones of sound and it blows my mind. Honestly, after seeing this video I had to come up with some legit anatomical reason for sharing it with you, hence this blog post. The comments on Youtube are wonderfully nerdy. It makes me so happy to know that some folks use math to quantify beauty such as this. I'm fulfilled by knowing that beauty simply exists whether or not we know how or why.

See you in the clinic,
Dana






Sources:

• http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/06/the-visual-patterns-of-audio-frequencies-seen-through-vibrating-sand/
• http://www.gallaudet.edu/clerc_center/information_and_resources/info_to_go/hearing_loss_information/hearing_loss_for_older_children.html
• http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/sound/u11l2d.cfm

I Heart Myofascia

I talk about fascia with my clients a lot, mostly because I often work with this tissue and I want my clients to be informed about what I'm doing to their bodies so that they understand my treatment rationale and get behind my approach. I also do this because I'm a fan of informed consent. 

Many people are not aware of what fascia is, and until fairly recently - the past couple of decades- mainstream medicine has not really appreciated it's importance either. Fascial connective tissue surrounds every tissue in the body and is completely continuous throughout. It's contribution to bodily biomechanics and physiology has been historically underestimated. Scientists are now looking very closely at the importance fascia which is really exciting for manual therapists because it helps to give our profession more quantitative evidence that further validates the medical importance of fascial release techniques and massage therapy in general. 

Don't let fascial adhesion interfere with your jazz hands.

So what is it?

Fascia is tough connective tissue that creates a 3-dimensional web extending without interruption from head to toe. Fascia surrounds every muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel, and organ all the way down to the cellular level.

The fascial system acts to support, stabilize, and cushion the structures of the body. Fascia creates separation between vessels, organs, bones, and muscles. It creates space through which delicate nerves, blood vessels, and fluids can pass.

Trauma, repetitive motion, inflammation, or poor posture can cause the fascia to become solidified and shortened. These thickened areas are referred to as a fascial restrictions which can cause pain and dysfunction. Fascial restrictions do not show up on common standardized tests such as x-rays, MRI, or CAT scans and are therefore often overlooked as a cause of dysfunction.

Analogy #1: The Unitard

Sometimes I use the metaphor of a full body unitard as an example. I know - great image to conjure up. If your unitard gets all bunched up at the knee - maybe you snagged it while prancing about - it can affect your ease of movement at other areas, perhaps pulling in the groin or even as far north as the shoulder or neck. Fascial adhesion can affect bodily function in a very similar way. If left for long periods of time, these adhesions can lead to postural imbalances, movement restrictions, and the sequelae of dysfunctions that can follow these. It is possible to reverse the damage of fascial adhesion with the skillful application of myofascial release. But remember, it is always better to prevent injury rather than having to recover from one!

Analogy #2: Chicken Skin

Superficial fascia lies beneath the skin & surrounds the muscles.

Another example I use to explain this tissue to my clients is chicken skin. (Yes, more lovely imagery.) If you have ever skinned a chicken - or watched someone else - you may have noticed a slippery spiderweb-like tissue beneath the skin that surrounds the muscles of the bird. It is durable and dynamic, easy to lift in some places but adhered firmly in others. This is chicken fascia and our bodies have tissues just like this.


Please understand that this is a massive topic to address, and in no way am I trying to encompass all significant fascial topics, nor sound like any sort of expert on the matter. (My brilliant uni-tard analogy certainly boosts my credibility as a near-expert, no?) This is simply an introduction.

Videos to Deepen Your Understanding:

Gil Headley's entertaining "Fuzz Speech" explains - with great enthusiasm - how fascial adhesion can accumulate due to lack of movement. *Just a little warning: Human cadavers are used for demonstration in this video, but don't let that deter you.

This next video explores fascia magnified 25x. Subtitles explain what is being viewed, and is a great addition to Dr. Headley's previous talk.

Take care & I'll see you in the clinic ready to answer your questions about fascia,
Dana





Sources:

• A great link to Overview on fascial mechanoreceptors written by Robert Schleip, PhD., who I had the pleasure of very breifly meeting while he was in Vancouver for the Fascia Congress a couple of years back. 
• Website full of useful links to fascia research articles - http://fasciaresearch.de/
• image - http://tarhearted.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/04/my-life-is-unitarded.html
• image - http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipes/cooking-tips/remove-chicken-skin#slide-1
• http://loseandimprove.tumblr.com/post/40846187585/handmadehealth-from-anatomy-in-motion-on-fb

DIY After Sun Gel

aloe + lavender + vitamin e = skin happiness

Since it's been so delightfully sunny in these parts lately, it seemed the perfect time to share with you my all-natural, skin saving, after-sun lotion recipe.

After-Sun Lotion

• 1/2 cup aloe vera gel
• 1 Tbs vitamin E oil
• 15  (+ or -) drops lavender essential oil

Pour all ingredients in a small bottle or jar and shake vigorously for several minutes until well incorporated.  Apply some and adjust lavender oil to your liking (perhaps add lavender conservatively if using on children). Rub into sunburned skin frequently especially if badly burned. All three ingredients are readily available in natural pharmacies.

Adding witch hazel to the concoction will make a watery version that can be poured into a small spray bottle. (Add a splash at a time until it's the right consistency.)

Why Does it Work?

• Aloe is cooling to the skin, replenishes lost moisture and acts as an antioxidant, providing electrons for free radicals to bind to, saving your healthy molecules from becoming depleted.
• Lavender essential oil is known to be a powerful skin healer for all types of burns that can even be applied undiluted to acute burns to speed healing, and act as an antiseptic.
• Vitamin E is extremely important in skin healing, and also acts as an antioxidant.
• Witch hazel is a distilled liquid that has soothing, anti-inflammatory properties on irritated skin. It is also a useful facial toner as part of cleansing regimes.

This lotion can also be used after shaving/waxing, and to recover from other types of burns or abrasions.

Take care of your skin so I can see you this summer for a massage in the clinic,
Dana

Gas - This Too Shall Pass

Thermal image of flatulence.

Dogs do it unapologetically. Cats do it occasionally. I bet if I ever spent time with a monkey, I would discover that they do it too. I'll confess that I did twice while writing this blog post. Be it symphonic, percussive, silent, or abrupt farting is part of every mammal's existence. Colloquially known as a fart, toot, fluff, or passing wind, we appreciators of Latin like to call this act flatus or flatulence.

I have been in the middle of massage treatments when my clients fart. Sometimes they are aware it has happened, sometimes not. Either way I continue working and they continue receiving the massage. This is normal and no big deal.

Just last week I saw a cyclist with this image tattooed
on his low back. I'm assuming he's flatus proud.

During a massage, the body relaxes and the parasymathetic nervous system takes action. Among other things, this response stimulates the digestion and absorption of nutrients, which often results in borbarygmus, or rumbling noises made by gasses passing through the intestines, or even the escape of gas at the end of the tunnel, resulting in a flatus expelled through the anus. The scientific study of this area of medicine is termed flatology.

According to my friends at Wikipedia, the number of flatus episodes per day is variable, the normal range is given as 8-20 per day. Given these numbers, there is a good chance that you may rip one during your massage treatment. Hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane are all produced in the gut and contribute 74% of the volume of flatus in normal subjects. But how the flatologists deciphered what a "normal" farting subject is is beyond me.

My lovely treatment room has large opening windows
to air out the room as needed.

Know that if you do happen to fart during treatment, there's no need to be mortified. Sure, the result can be unpleasant for those nearby, but this too shall pass.

And if need be, I can open a window.

See you in the clinic,
Dana


P.S. I've included a couple of fun videos to entertain and inspire.








I wonder if Ok Go were thinking of passing gas while designing their Rube Goldberg machine? After all, digestion is a chain if events each only occurring when something has come before it. Watch this incredibly brilliant music video called This Too Shall Pass (preferably a couple of times) to be amazed. You never know, it may inspire the expulsion of a fart or two.

This next video is adorable, quirky, and great commentary on social smoking. Had to share it - I mean really, how many blog posts will a person write on flatulence? It's a perfect fit!

Sources:
http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/health_and_safety/hazard_symbols/restricted_products/
http://www.hotlikesauce.com/2009/11/14/the-most-beautiful-fart-ever/

Nocturnal Neck Advice - How to Use Your Pillow

Your pillow should support the natural
curve at the back of your neck.

Are you using your pillow correctly and is it the best pillow for you? The most common mistake people make  is to place their pillow beneath their shoulders so that it slopes down and provides no support for the delicate curve of the neck.

Ideally, the cervical spine lordosis - the little curve at the back of the neck - should be supported while you sleep so that your head is aligned with the torso. If it is not supported, the neck muscles are forced to rest for long periods of time in a shortened position.This can lead to muscle imbalances, trigger points, myofascial adhesions, reduced circulation to the brain, and possible compression of nerve pathways. Hopefully not all at once, but the correct pillow choice and position can keep these health issues at bay.

This illustration shows how to snuggle your pillow in around your neck
and shoulders in order to provide decent nocturnal neck support.

There are many types of pillows on the market - buckwheat, chipped foam, shaped foam, poly-fill, feather, wool. This image shows how to use a filled pillow (not shaped foam) to your advantage. Not sure which one is for you? Read a review on  natural fibre pillow options.

Are you a side-sleeper like me? Take a look at yourself in the mirror noting the distance between your outer shoulder and the side of your head. For me, this is about 15 centimeters (6 inches). When I sleep on my side, the distance between the side of my head and the bed is a bit shorter than this measurement, due to the rolling in of my body, but there is still a significant distance to be taken up by a pillow in order to achieve ideal sleeping alignment.

I happily use a buckwheat pillow. This variety works for me because I don't mind shifting my pillow around as I reposition my body throughout the night. I find special satisfaction as I turn to my side and stuff my pillow in around my head, neck and shoulder filling that head to bed discrepancy I spoke of. Yes I know, I am a posture nerd, even at night.

If you are a dead-to-the-world sleeper, who wakes with your pillow as shown in diagram B or D, consider using a shaped foam pillow to provide the needed support while you are out for the night. But take care in choosing this type of pillow as exposure to common petroleum based chemicals (as are found in most common foams) have been shown to weaken or damage the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems. Yikes! Read more about the hazards of polyurethane foam here. Fortunately, there are non-toxic natural latex foam varieties available on the market, just be sure you know what you're getting.

Rest well, choose natural, and I'll see you in the clinic,
Dana



Sources:

• Illustraion from page 326 of Travell & Simon's Trigger Point Manual Vol.1
• http://www.drkarencann.com/2011/08/31/do-you-suffer-from-cervical-lordosis/
• http://blog.remakehealth.com/blog_Healthcare_Consumers-0/bid/9046/What-does-an-MRI-scan-of-the-cervical-spine-upper-neck-show

Inflicting The Good Pain - The Ins and Outs of Trigger Point Release

Inflicting the good pain.

Almost daily people come to me with discomfort in one area and to get at the origin of their pain I treat supplementary areas that they didn't even know were involved. Sometimes this treatment approach is used to create whole-body myofascial balance and other times it is because they are experiencing referred pain from active trigger points.

A muscle becomes injured from causes such as over use, immobilization, nutritional, metabolic or endocrine inadequacies which result in a myofascial trigger point. Trigger points are often experienced as aching or super-tender areas within a muscle, often with a referral pattern of discomfort that affects other areas that are seemingly unrelated to the injured muscle.

Trigger points in the gluteus minimus can present with symptoms
all the way to your ankle!

Because of this intramuscular damage the body responds with an inflammatory response to protect the injured muscle cells and speed  recovery. Unfortunately, when a cell is damaged it creates more metabolic waste in the process of healing itself but because of the swelling it is incapable of attaining the nutrition required nor is it able to get rid of the waste it has created because the vessels in the damaged area are compressed by the inflamed tissues. This only results in the perpetuation of the problem: an increased need for circulation but a decreased supply. It is thought by some that pain is perceived in trigger points far from the source injury because the swelling and metabolic waste irritates nocioceptive (pain perceiving) nerve endings in that area.

So you've injured a muscle, developed a tender trigger point, and booked an appointment with your RMT, now comes the skillful application of trigger point therapy. Imagine that your muscle is a sponge that has soaked up liquid. When the correct pressure (ischemic compression) is applied to the muscle (sponge) the fluid (blood and lymph) is squeezed out. When pressure is released, the sponge draws in fresh blood and lymph allowing the needed exchange of wastes and nutrients that your sore tissues require. Often the ischemic compression causes an increase in your symptoms until the intramuscular waste is squeezed out of the tissue, which can take several seconds to minutes of steady pressure.

I often encourage my clients to visualize the muscle as they are breathing through the release of a trigger point. With acute and chronic pain overwhelming feelings of anger, helplessness, and even claustrophobia can arise. It is thought that visualizing what is happening in the body can help it to heal while allowing the person experiencing the pain to accept the sensations but still feel in control. This is not only an effective coping tool but it also helps me avoid gaining a reputation as a pain inflicting masochist of a massage therapist.

The stretch to use following a gluteus minimus TrP release

Although it may seem like your RMT has super-human intuitive skills when easing your suffering, but often a trigger point referral is a textbook symptom of the underlying culprit. While he or she may indeed be extremely intuitive, when it comes to trigger points, referring to the attained banks of rote knowledge is often the secret massage therapy tool.

Following a trigger point release it is not uncommon to experience residual pain or discomfort. The application of heat - by taking a hot epsom salt bath, shower, or using a hot compress - combined with specific stretches of the treated muscles are used to promote full recovery and lasting results of the treatment. I always leave my clients with an arsenal of tools to help them recover from a trigger point release. So if this is what you are dealing with, be prepared to be taught stretches and other homecare techniques for use after your massage.

These interactive wall accents were designed for stylish in-home
self-administered trigger point release.

German design house, Touchy-Feely has created heated plaster wall nodules for self treatment.
Although fun, please consider that you may aggravate a trigger point, which will leave you with more pain than you started with. There is a certain protocol to follow to ensure the proper release of a muscle, so don't neglect booking in with your RMT after encountering such wall nodules;)

See you in the clinic,
Dana

Sources: 

• http://the-healthy-diva.com/2012/03/19/motivational-monday-the-benefits-of-breathing/
• http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0215/p653.html
• http://www.triggerpoints.net/
• http://www.docpods.com/Illiotibial-Band-Wall-Stretch