Thai Yoga Massage

Thai mats are in the house!! Yes, I have purchased the mats for my new space up at Dupont/Christie and am so looking forward to mixing up my days with some Thai Yoga Massage.

If you never had a Thai massage it is a treat for sore, shorten muscles. This therapy combines yoga and acupressure techniques to stretch you out and release tension.

Lying on a mat remaining dressed in comfy clothes, the receiver is moved into different yoga positions, rocked and kneaded. Stretching helps clear muscles of metabolic wastes while the body overall is relaxed as joint and tendon tension is released. This is a great massage to specifically address lower back pain and many other physical complaints. Sessions are geared to the receiver's flexibility so one does not need to be flexible to have a treatment. It is like having a yoga workout without the work, and feeling even better afterwards as the practitioner has stretched you out a little more than one can do on their own!

Sessions are usually 90 minutes. Call 647-269-2769 for more details.

Deep tissue work

Your off the table, massage finished.

Feeling like a new person, neck lengthened, maybe a bit of soreness, but now you can move your ear to your shoulder. Overall you are rejuvenated. You've just received a massage with some deep tissue work to areas of high tension. The pain you felt down between your shoulders is gone. Trigger points- areas of muscle spasm that restrict oxygen flow to muscle tissue have been released.

With increased blood flow to an area from deep tissue work there is a quicker release of toxins from muscles which then speeds up recovery time between workouts and increases physical mobility. With the flushing of toxins from deep pressure, the muscles relax and there is a lowering of blood pressure.

Relaxed muscles lower blood pressure and this helps to create a more relaxed mind.

Therefore deep pressure work is great for stress relief. And this relief promotes the increase of serotonin in the body- the "happy hormone".

Today stress is acknowledged as a main source of many illnesses/imbalances within the body-mind. A busy work schedule, extensive traveling schedule or stressful daily lifestyle for whatever reason can be alleviated to a certain extent with a monthly or even bi- monthly massage.

And next time your leaving after a massage with deep tissue work- please do remember to drink more water and keep warm. My elbow waits for the next time!

Fabulous Feet

Anyone who comes to see me for a treatment, be it massage, craniosacral therapy or energy work has experienced the attention I pay to their feet. Our feet are easily overlooked as we go about daily activities, that for many of us would not be accomplished if not for these two wonderful appendages. Their importance can not be underestimated as they are our foundation. Absorbing the shock of our movement, they are closely involved in forming the pattern of our gait and posture which has great impact on the health of our musculoskeletal system.

When feet become overworked and muscle fatigued, and are no longer able to absorb and diffuse the daily impact they usually receive then this physical stress will refer up into the body to affect our knees, shins, hips, even spine. Self massage to your feet and foot/ankle strengthening exercises not only pampers your feet but are ways to address this, and hopefully reduce or eliminate any physical discomforts.

Many times I have spoken to my clients about the detriments of sitting for long hours while working at their desk. Unfortunately all to many people become so engrossed in their work that there are no breaks in their prolonged sedentary position. If you are a client of mine you may have heard me speak of how I see prolonged sitting eventually compromising posture and weakening pelvic floor muscles, which all then leads to a loss of core vitality and aging of the body. This month the Globe and Mail printed a piece on this:

http://sweatscience.com/can-sitting-too-long-really-hurt-your-health/

So if you find yourself sitting for an extended period of time you may want to consider what you can do to break up the time you have being sedentary.