Massage Warsaw- Massage Therapy – Warsaw Acupuncture

Author: Admin

  • Exercise Can be a Blast

    I’m still working on my new direction (not a new year’s resolution) of taking better care of myself so that I can take care of my clients.  This has introduced me to the elliptical machine again, got me a membership a the community pool for some regular swimming and got my behind back into the gym.  All the standard stuff that people do when they try to get into shape.  It can be a bit of a grind or a chore at times, but the benefits are priceless.

    Today I had planned on hitting the gym or swimming or both but when I looked out the window I found an absolute winter wonderland.  This is Toronto’s first real snowfall of the season and the city is transformed.  Maybe I’m wired a bit differently, but when I see a scene like this, the only thing I can think of is “tobogganing”.  I bought a Crazy Carpet a couple of years ago with the intent of attacking the hill on Riverdale Park.  It is situated on Broadview just south of the Danforth and it is a real beauty.  The hill starts at Broadview and gives a wonderful panoramic view of the city, the CN Tower and the rivers of cars on the Don Valley Parkway.  I have wanted to toboggan it since I first moved into the area years ago.

    Today, after my morning client, I finally decided to go for it.  K Way pants, Kodiak Boots and Crazy Carpet…. I was ready for battle.  I figure that with  a 4  km round trip walk to the park, plus all the sprinting up the hill, this little adventure will count as my exercise for the day.  Lots of cardio, a light workout on the lower limbs, some core strengthening from keeping my legs up in the air (the only way to pick up speed on the Crazy Carpet), and most importantly… FUN!!!

    It was a great time.  There were a couple of other adults on the hill who all had amnesia when it came to remembering their ages.  The snow was virgin white and for a good hour I was engaged in one of the most natural activities around.  And yes, I had a good workout.

    Exercise can take any form you want it to.  The most important thing to remember is to choose a form of exercise that you like.  You will have a much better chance of sticking with it if you do.  Look deep inside and figure out what you love to do.  Martial arts, dog walking, swimming, dancing, tobogganing, sprinting, dodgeball, etc.  The choice is all yours

  • Getting Over Your Fear of Acupuncture

    The biggest concern that people have with acupuncture is the needles.  We have an innate fear of needles from the time when we are young and experience our first round of booster shots.  I have the same painful memories that most people do.  The nurse that smelled like a hospital, that enormous needle that she held in her hand, and that otherworldly pain that I felt when she stuck that needle into my arm.  I remember when it was my cousin’s turn to be immunized, she was so terrified that her fear almost saved her.  Her muscles were so rigid with fear that the needle couldn’t penetrate enough for the injection.

    Unfortunately these types of memories are what people think of when they think of acupuncture.  The greatest injustice is that these images have nothing to do with acupuncture and can prevent someone from getting the health care that they need.  It is time we take a second look at acupuncture needles and put things into perspective.

    Thinner than a Human Hair

    The standard acupuncture needles is .25mm thick.  That is thinner than a human hair!  You can fit 10 standard acupuncture needles into the needle of a typical syringe.  I use premium needles that are .16mm or .18mm thick.  You can fit around 40 of these into the needle of a syringe.

    40 18 gauge needles fit into a syringe needle
    40 acupuncture needles (0.18mm gauge) can fit into a syringe needle
    Photo courtesy of www.Acupuncture-Treatment.com

    Flexible

    My needles are so thin that they are flexible.   They can be bent, twisted, even tied into a knot if you really want.

    Lubricated

    I almost always use lubricated needles.  These needles are coated with a thin layer of a surgical silicone lubricant to ease entry.  The result is that the needles are practically “ouch less”.   This feature is especially important for clients that are trying acupuncture for the first time.

    A split second

    Most needles don’t hurt at all, but if you do feel any discomfort, it is only for a split second.  This is because most of the nerve endings are at the surface of the skin.  Once the needle is in, clients feel nothing

    Instantaneous Healing

    Healing from acupuncture is automatic.  As soon as the needle is removed, the acupuncture site has already closed up and healed itself.  Out of every ten needles, typically, only one will bleed.  Bleeding is usually limited to just one drop.

    After a blood test or immunization, you may remember having to give direct pressure to the injection site for 15 minutes and leave a bandaid on the area for most of the day.  But with acupuncture, the healing is instantaneous.  This is because the needles are less than one tenth the size of syringes.  Also, while hypodermic needles are designed like a razor to cut its way into the body, acupuncture needles are so small that no cutting is required.  Acupuncture needles simply separate tissue and push through causing no damage.

    Practically Not There

    These needles are so thin and flexible that you forget they are there.  I know it sounds impossible, but remember that these needles are thinner than a human hair.

    Give it a Try

    Today’s premium acupuncture needles have nothing in common with hypodermic needles.  While receiving an injection can be a traumatic experience, receiving an acupuncture session is a peaceful, painless, healing experience.  Don’t let irrational preconceptions stand in the way of your health.  Most acupuncturists offer free initial consultations.

  • Yoga Philosophy: Non-attachment, or ‘vairagya’.

    This guest post was written by Valerie Holland, a yoga teacher in Toronto.

    This column is to familiarize people with yoga philosophy translated into everyday language that can be applied to daily life.

    Today’s topic: Non-attachment, or ‘vairagya’.

    These days, in terms of the home, we hear a lot about de-cluttering, organizing, and minimizing. How does yogic thought look at this issue?
    Yoga advises that we should be satisfied with less material objects: to practice non-attachment or ‘vairagya’. This doesn’t mean that you don’t need to have some possessions. It means that you should be detached from them, that they mean less to you. It is the constant craving for possessions that feeds the ego, which can never be satisfied.

    To illustrate, if you have 20 t-shirts, you should narrow it down to 10, or even 15 to start. Why? Why do you need 20 t-shirts? Do you wear all of them? If you had less, you wouldn’t need to wash, dry, fold and organize them. Think of the time and space you could save. Now, the question arises: how do you dispose of them in a sattvic (pure, respectful) way? My suggestion is to lay all your t-shirts out and pick your favorite one. Keep it! Choose your next 5 favorites, and put them away. Now you have 6 t-shirts that you love, that fit you and that you feel good in and 14 t-shirts left on the bed. Some you like, some you know are not that great. Why are you keeping them? You are not responsible for those objects. You don’t need to take care of them anymore. Liberate yourself from them. Give some of them away to Goodwill or one of the many other charities, such as a group home for teenagers, or abused women’s shelter.

    What have you accomplished? Besides giving yourself more space (so chi can circulate) you have lessened your dependence on material objects that only serve to boost your ego. Happiness is never achieved through consumerism; it lies within. You have given generously to others who need it more and have begun to open the heart (Anahata) chakra.

    Think of the heart chakra as a many petalled lotus. When you give generously to others, without thought of reward, the petals begin to open and eventually all the petals open and the lotus turns upward. To have an open heart is key to happiness. While we are on this topic, how is your heart chakra? Close your eyes and focus on your heart. You know where it is. Take a deep breath. Think of a time when you were happy and carefree. (Notice that you will not visualize yourself surrounded by material goods such as cars, jewelry or furniture you will most likely be outside, on a beach, or in a garden.) Exhale. Charity is the perfect way to open your heart.

    It’s okay to enjoy material objects, but remain detached from them. Do not place too much importance on them. Do not depend on them for your happiness or self-worth. Happiness is inside of you. Think of other ways to spend money instead of shopping. Like paying off debt or even saving. Anybody maxed-out? Does the thought of owning your own home one day even seem possible? Do not despair. Take control. Exercise non-attachment. Stop buying and start letting go of your dependence on material objects. If you find you need some more t-shirts, there are some great ones at Goodwill!

    Guest Author Bio:

    Yogi Kamala has been teaching yoga at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre at 77 Harbord St. in Toronto for ten years. She also does private lessons and teaches in schools and chiropractic centres. She is a yoga Acharya, which means Master of Yoga. Her studies include Vedanta, Raja yoga, meditation and chanting. She also dances and performs in community theatre.

    Namaste.

  • Fresh Air Fund needs your help

    In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund‘s Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.

    The Fresh Air Fund relies on donations to provide memorable summers to NYC children.

    The Fresh Air Fund needs hosts for the summer of 2010.

    More than 65% of all Fresh Air children are reinvited to stay with their host family, year after year.

    Thanks to host families who open up their homes for a few weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air experiences.

    Here are some videos about the Fresh Air Fund:

  • How To Relieve the Discomfort of Airplane Travel

    Just got back from Spain via Amsterdam and I thought I’d share a few tips on how I coped with all the hours of sitting in a cramped little seat with the tiny fork and knife set, the tiny meal, served in the tiny dishes, with the tiny drink in the tiny cup…..  I’m still a bit jetlagged and my ipod alarm clock woke me up at 6 am for some wacky reason (ghost in the machine), so now could be the perfect time to hammer out this article that I’ve had in my mind for a year.

    When travelling, the biggest enemies are inactivity and improper posture.  The combination of them both leads to soreness or stiffness in the lower back, legs, shoulders or neck.  Here are a few tips that will help:

    Use Your Pillows &  Blankets

    1. This step should help to reduce the postural strain that improper sitting places on your body.
    2. Sit with your hips back against the back of the seat to get the maximum support from the seat.
    3. Place the blanket or pillow (personally, I like to fold the blanket in half) between the small of your back (the curve just above your hips) and the seat back.  This will help to support your lower back in its natural curve and reduce low back pain.  It is especially helpful if you are suffering from any disc related issues
    4. Place the pillow behind your neck and keep the back of your head rested firmly against the headrest so that you can feel your neck being supported.  This helps to keep your neck in its neutral curved position and reduce neck stiffness.
    5. If you follow these steps you should feel like your upper body is fully supported in a more natural position.  You should feel less strain or discomfort in this position

    Get some exercise

    1. Too much rest is not a good thing.  All that sitting without any real movement can make you achy and stiff.  The perfect solution is a bit of exercise.  Any simple exercise or movement helps increase blood flow and lubricate your joints.  Improved blood flow nourishes and oxygenates your body’s tissues and helps in waste removal, leaving you feeling healthier and more refreshed.
    2. Get up and walk around.  Use any excuse to go for a walk:  Get a glass of water; Go to the bathroom; take a tour of the cabin; see what movies everyone else is watching; or as they say in the Dead Poet’s Society, view life from a different perspective!
    3. You will probably feel pretty stiff the first time you get up.  This is a sign that you should be doing it more often!

    Choose your seat carefully

    1. Make sure you get an aisle seat.  All that getting up and walking around is never going to happen if you are stuck in the middle of a long row between 6 very close strangers.   Make it easy for yourself to get up at will without annoying your neighbours.
    2. The aisle seat also means that you have to get up every time one of your neighbours wants out, but if you’re not big on sleeping on flights, being forced to get up is a bit of a bonus and the perfect chance to stretch out a bit.
    3. Don’t take all the aisle seats!  Leave at least one for me  unless you want to see me get cranky 😉

    Use your time between flights

    1. If you are stuck waiting for a few hours between flights, take the chance to walk around.  A good solid hour of walking can do wonders to reverse all the damage that sitting for 6 hours does to your body.
    2. Shop.  Not up for a brisk walk?  How about a leisurely stroll through the mall?

    Beware Deep Vein Thrombosis

    1. Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that can form in your calf.  It may feel like a bit of pain or swelling in your calf.  This is only mildly annoying, but if left untreated can result in the clot breaking free and blocking the blood supply to your heart or brain.  If you feel soreness and swelling in a calf muscle after a flight, consult your doctor.  The typical treatment is a round of blood thinners to gently break down the clot.
    2. The lower air pressure combined with inactivity and sitting increases your chances of getting deep vein thrombosis. Seniors or women using the birth control pill are especially at risk.
    3. One solution for preventing the deep vein thrombosis from forming is exercise.  It is much more difficult for a clot to form if you are moving about.  Get up and walk around every now and then to keep the blood flowing in your legs.
    4. Try calf raises.  While you are seated you can practise going up on your tippy toes and back down again.  The constant flexion and relaxation of your calf muscles act like a pump and move the blood faster through  the calf.
    5. An Aspirin a day.  Aspirin is a blood thinner in addition to being good for a variety of other ailments.  If you doctor agrees with it and believes you are healthy enough for it, take aspirin daily for 3 to 4 days before your flight.  Remember to be sure to consult with your doctor before you try this.

    Some other tips

    1. The air is pretty dry in the cabin, so keep drinking water to keep yourself hydrated.
    2. Try the in flight exercises.  Most planes have neck and shoulder exercise routines available in their in flight magazines.  Try them out.  It might look a little silly, but they definitely help.

  • Vacation Time! Again?!?!

    I find this a bit hard to believe too.  I just got back from Cuba less than a month ago and here I go again?

    My sister and her family are headed to Spain and invited me in the best possible way (wink wink)…. an offer I couldn’t refuse (though I tried and tried and tried and tried……… then suddenly gave up).

    So, as it is, I leave tomorrow for Tarragona, Spain for a week of nanny and tour guide work.  It was a quick and hasty decision, but the arrangements have been made with clinics and clients.  I will return in a week and plan my first work day as Monday February 15.  Yes, Family Day.

    I must say though, I am finally starting to enjoy the benefits of being self-employed.  February is a slower month, so the perfect time to go.  I was invited on Monday.  I accepted the invitation on Wednesday, and in less than 24 hours had informed the clinic, rescheduled clients and bought a ticket.  And, tomorrow I’ll be leaving on a jet plane.