January 8, 2009
Back To School Resolutions
I started back to school yesterday after a month-long hiatus and I'm planning to get back to my better habits.
Physically I want to resume the following:
One, eat breakfast.
Two, drink more water, less caffeine.
Three, practice stress reduction techniques.
Four, partition blocks in my schedule for exercise and do it.
Five, schedule some quality down time with my husband.
Mentally I intend to resume or make some changes as well:
One, manage my time efficiently.
Two, strive for emotional equanimity.
Three, be thankful for little things every day.
Four, work toward greater intimacy in my primary relationship.
Five, schedule daily creative time.
I'm not expecting perfection. After all, I'm a work in progress. I can't expect myself to improve all of these things every day, but if I can do each of them once or twice a week, I'm on my way to creating better habits on a daily basis. This time next year, I'll reassess and see how I did.
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January 7, 2009
Helping Boost Children's Immunity
The FDA ruled last year that over the counter medications with dextromethorphan should not be given to children 4 and under. So what can you do when your child has a cold?
There are lots of alternatives according to the The Mommy Files website. Vitamins, herbs and probiotics are on their list, including massage therapy.
Regular massage can assist babies and children in building a resistance to colds or other infections. If they already have a cold or fever, a short, gentle massage can ease aches and help them to relax enough to sleep.
Don't forget old-fashioned remedies that your Mom made for you such as chicken soup, epsom salt baths, steam bath for laryngitis, and hot lemon tea. Anything that makes them more comfortable safely and naturally is fine.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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January 6, 2009
Third Hand Smoke
Ever have someone come into a room who reeks of cigarette smoke so strong that you back up to avoid them? Or maybe you've gone to a hotel and gotten a smoking room which you figure you could tolerate for a night. You get home and open your suitcase and it reeks of cigarette smoke. I'll admit I have a sensitive nose to these smells because I'm a non-smoker.
However, I grew up in a smoking household. Studies for years have said that children of cigarette smokers have more respiratory health problems such as colds and asthma, even if the parent does not smoke in the home. I was sick all the time as a kid with some kind ear, nose, or throat infection. So what's going on here? It the new health hazard associated with cigarette smoking called third hand smoke.
That’s the term being used to describe the invisible yet toxic brew of gases and particles clinging to smokers’ hair and clothing, not to mention cushions and carpeting, that lingers long after second-hand smoke has cleared from a room.
This hazard contains heavy metals, carcinogens and even radioactive materials. These particulates are a cancer risk for anybody who comes in contact with them. Most people don't know this health threat exists, but the offensiveness of the smell instinctively tells us to back up and get away. Trust your instincts and your nose.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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January 5, 2009
How Does The Energizer Bunny Do It?
It's the first Monday of the new year. Come afternoon you may find yourself dragging in the post-holiday slump. According to Liz Reyer, some ways to combat afternoon fatigue include inner and outer strategies.
Inner:
Give yourself permission to take a break -- no, you're not a slacker if you take a break.
Keep an eye on your energy cycles -- know your peaks and valleys throughout the day.
Think critically about your lifestyle choices -- consider food, drink, and sleep habits.
Outer:
Get physical -- go for a walk or just get up from your desk and stretch.
Change gears in your brain -- puzzles and brain teasers are a nice short-term diversion.
Take a mini-vacation -- look at pictures or go to your happy place in your mind.
Self massage -- whether you rub your feet, ears, or press trigger points in your neck, this type of break can really reinvigorate you.
Power nap -- if you have the time and the place, 15 minutes of shut-eye can do a world of good.
Feel free to share how your recharge your batteries in the middle of a long day.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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January 2, 2009
Improve Your Sleep For Your Overall Health
I found two interesting articles on the importance of sleep with regards to our health.
First, is the beneficial effects that sleep has on coronary artery disease. Just one extra hour of sleep a night may help control coronary artery calcification.
Second, a sleep disorder, REM Sleep Behavior Disorder, has a link to neurological disorders later in life such as Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.
Tips for how to get a better night's sleep include improving daytime habits, creating a better sleep environment, preparing to sleep, and how to get back to sleep once you've woken in the night. Now that's a new year's resolution I can get on board with!
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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December 30, 2008
Are You Working The Week After Christmas?
I owned my own practice and therefore could set my own hours. Lots of people think that when you set your own hours, you can make lots of money and take all the time off that you want. That is flawed thinking. In reality, to be successful in business, especially a service business, you need to be available when your clients are available.
Often on those days that many people take off, federal holidays, teacher work days and the days between Christmas and New Years, I would have my doors open. This allowed me to take advantage of the population of people who want massage but have limited opportunities to schedule one.
Also, depending upon how many gift certificates you sold this Christmas season, many people will want to take advantage of their gift right away. Often this population would not buy this kind of indulgence for themselves, but really appreciate getting a massage as a gift. Nothing is better than ramping up the opportunity to relax while taking a few days off.
Now, while the week after Christmas can be wonderfully lucrative, there is no shame in taking time off to take care of yourself and recharge your batteries. After all, if we as therapists don't take care of ourselves, how can we be expected to take care of others? It's a call that only you can make based upon your business model, physical health, and desire to work.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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December 29, 2008
Valuable Customers
Repeat customers are the bread and butter of our practice. Not only do they present an opportunity to get to know someone quite well and accomplish a deeper level of therapeutic care, they can be a significant source of income for your bottom line.
The old saying goes that 20% of your clients make up 80% of your practice. So, how do we get these repeat clients? Where do they come from? How do they find out about us? Mostly it's through word of mouth. And that's where the idea of the most valuable customer becomes less clear cut.
Interestingly, I had a population of customers that I could count on one hand that would come to see me about once or twice a year. However, they would buy gift certificates for family, friends, coworkers and future in-laws. And it was many of these referrals who became regular clients. So like the old Breck commercial in the 1970s, "they told two friends and they told two friends and so on and so on and so on."
Taking this organic nature of practice building into account, it is easy to see that these seminal clients would also be considered valuable customers. This also points up the importance of good customer service, consistent treatment of all clients (besides it being an ethical issue), and engendering trust in people surrounding a very personal service.
So consider analyzing your practice and follow the meandering pathways of associations between your clients. You may be surprised to realize who your most valuable clients turn out to be. Remember to thank them or reward them to encourage them to keep recommending people to you.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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December 23, 2008
Grieving The Holidays
Loss is an inevitable part of life. But it can be especially difficult during the holidays, especially if this is the first Christmas without a loved one. Some general concepts for dealing with grief are appropriate for this time of year, but the holidays pose some special challenges.
I remember the Christmas after my grandfather passed away. We had a tradition where my grandparents sat at the ends of the long table, like bookends that held the family together. What was awful was that first Christmas, opposite my grandmother, my father, the next oldest person in the family, was seated in his place. My poor father was so uncomfortable. It was not lost on anybody at the table that he was the next male in the family in line to die. For years after that, we took turns sitting on my grandfather's place at the table in pairs. First was my uncle and my cousin together, then me and my aunt, the year following that, my sister and her fiancé. It seemed more fitting that way.
Some holiday traditions change radically following the loss of a family member. Many years later, after my father passed away, Thanksgiving became a potluck affair that rarely featured turkey. In fact, we made it into an opportunity to show off signature dishes that we had acquired over the year and exchange recipes. Other families skip cooking all together and begin a new tradition of going out to eat on Thanksgiving. Chinese turkey anybody?
Some people revamp the holiday completely. I know one family that picked up and went to France for Christmas. This is probably beyond most people's means and may feel a bit too radical for families who hold tradition dear. But a change of scene may not be a bad idea. If celebrating Christmas at grandmother's house has been the family tradition, why not let somebody else host the celebration this year?
Creating new traditions around loss is not a new idea for coping with grief. It doesn't have to be a radical change or anything big. Rather than avoiding painful grief the way my family did that first Christmas without my grandfather, plan to take time for remembrance. Make room for sharing funny or heartfelt stories about your relative. The good memories are bittersweet, but they will sustain you for a lifetime.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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December 22, 2008
Cheap And Easy Handmade Gifts
Chances are if you're not done Christmas shopping yet, it's going to be to late to order things on-line and have them arrive in time for Christmas. Maybe money is running low and you still have a handful of folks to find a gift for.
If you have a low budget, a little bit of time, a creative or crafty bent, you can make some nice personal items for the stragglers on your Christmas list. And they're nature friendly, too
I got this idea from Martha Stewart years ago. Homemade bath salts:
2 Cups Epsom salts
1 Cup Baking Soda
1-2 drops of essential oil
1-2 drops of food coloring
Measure out Epsom salts into a bowl and add food coloring. Mix until you get an even color. Add essential oil and mix to distribute. Add baking soda, mix and decant into a pretty jar and dress with a bow.
Rice bags:
I used the good portions of my tired massage linens to sew 4" x 6" bags.
Fill them with 2-1/2 Cups of uncooked rice.
You can make a "pillow case" with pretty fabric for a washable cover.
Mine fit into a ziploc sandwich bag. Make sure you include directions on their use:
Heat in the microwave for no more than one minute or you will scorch the rice and possibly create burns. Place bag on tired or aching muscles. Should hold heat for 20 minutes. Can also be stored in the freezer and used as a cold pack.
I got disconcerted looks from my customers when I gave these as gifts to my regular clients. I'm sure they were thinking, "gee, all I got was a bag of rice!" when they left, but many came back and thanked me profusely for such a handy self-care tool.
Some of the best ornaments on our tree are the ones we made or got from friends. Dressing the tree became a walk down memory lane every Christmas when ornaments were unearthed from their wrappings. Many have a sentiment on the back with a date or a name. Make your own ornaments this year and give as gifts. They will become more valuable to the recipient each year.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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December 19, 2008
Create A Professional Appearance
Massage Magazine gives tips about creating a professional appearance, whether in your treatment and reception area, your attire and hygeine, or in your advertising and communication materials. In my own practice I tried to make my reception area as uncluttered as possible by hanging drapes around my filing cabinets and storage shelf. However, since my desk was right out for everyone to see, it was often impossible to keep an uncluttered first impression, since I actually was doing productive work there.
One place I was able to keep neat and tidy with a warm atmosphere was my practice room. After years of practice, I had a well choreographed sequence of events to guide my clients into the area of my office that was most appealing. The consistency of that routine, along with consistency in my general appearance created trust and security with my clients.
As for advertising, I maintained a boxed in-line ad in the telephone book with my license number clearly displayed (as per state law). Also, any communications that I mailed had a consistent appearance from piece to piece. If money had been no object, it would have been nice to include a color on my mailed pieces that reminded client of my office decor. It may be a little more expensive, but this may be accomplished by choosing paper that is a similar tone to the color of your office walls.
With a little bit of planning, luck, and attention to detail, you can create an appearance of professionalism through consistency, not only by your appearance, but by consistency of your actions, as well.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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December 18, 2008
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Here's an interesting condition that I had never heard of before PT school. Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). It starts with an injury and evolves into excruciating pain beyond the proportion of the injury.
According to my Neuroscience text:
CRPS is a syndrome of pain, vascular changes, and atrophy. The term regional indicates that the signs and symptoms present in a regional distribution (upper limb or lower limb) rather than in a peripheral nerve or nerve root distribution. Typically the signs and symptoms are worst in the distal extremity, affecting the entire hand or foot. An aberrant response to trauma produces the syndrome. The trauma may be quite minor; for example, an ankle sprain that heals within a few days may precipitate the syndrome.
I found an article that describes an athletic child who developed the syndrome following an Achilles tendon sprain. Follow her journey from pain to diagnosis to treatment, which involves nerve blocking drugs and physical therapy. This includes seeing a clinical psychologist to help the patient cope with their debilitating pain. With a multidisciplinary approach, the patient's prognosis is 90% recovery with a 20 to 50% chance for relapse.
Unfortunately, massage is contraindicated to manage CRPS because the pain it too intense for the affected extremity to be touched. However, general massage may be beneficial as part of the patient's overall well-being. Recognizing the syndrome is crucial so as not to accidentally bump or brush the affected extremity. Doctors prescribe physical therapy for the syndrome, but honestly, at this point in my training, I don't know what PT can do for the patient. The article mentions electro-stimulation, I'm assuming in an attempt to help control pain (gate-control theory of pain management) and control edema.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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December 17, 2008
Sign Me Up. PLEASE, Sign Me Up!
As Christmas gets closer, life gets more hectic and family get-togethers get more complicated, the idea of getting away increasingly becomes appealing. How about a Spa vacation in Tuscany? Oh, the thought of it! Just a vacation in Tuscany is a dream, but throw in some hiking, yoga and massage . . . the only thing missing is the decadent food and wine.
Based in luxury accommodations with rustic charm, it sports amenities such as an infinity pool that overlooks rolling hills and has plenty of out of the way nooks to curl up with a good book. And then there are the massages:
Massages were done by a local italian couple who come to the villa each day. The two masseurs gave very different treatments, hers more gentle and soothing - I spent a lot of it wrapped up in a warm blanket being stroked like a cat - while his felt like he was trying to make me about two inches taller – there was some serious stretching going on, yanking on my feet and arms. Both used lovely smelling lavender-based oils.
Need more info? www.inspa-retreats.com.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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