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Witch Hazel Happiness

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

In the midst of this “real”winter we are having here in Philadelphia, it would be understandable to think ”No, we’ll never see spring again”. We all know it’s not true, but all the gray can sure make it feel that way sometimes. (Mind you, as I write this it is in the 40’s, raining and some serious thunder just shook my kitchen walls! Mother Nature is a trickster!)

To beat these winter’s almost over blues, may I recommend an aromatherapy treatment? It costs nothing and will boost your spirits instantly!

It’s called…Witch Hazel!

This lovely shrub that we see here in Philly (usually hamamelis x intermedia, a group of hybrids between H. japonica x H. mollis), begins to bloom late January/early February to late March and depending on the variety has an INCREDIBLE scent. Slightly sweet, fresh, a touch of citrus and spice and maybe a pinch of gardenia. Most often seen with varying shades of yellow or orange flowers. I find this plant to be very uplifting. So bright and cheery it just washes those winter blues away from me.

In the few blocks around our office in Washington Square there are three favored spots that I frequent to find this little lovely. Kahn Park at 11th & Pine has 3 or 4 varieties. Locust street close to the 10th street side and the Jefferson campus. And the medicinal garden at Pennsylvania Hospital on 8th & Pine. (Yes, I do stalk the witch hazel!)

When you find them, step in close and inhale deeply… Oh yes, the birds are starting to sing their early spring song…oh look the sun is peeking out from behind the gloom… ahhhh.., smile!

At the moment we are fortunate enough to have several branches of witch hazel gracing our office with it’s fabulous fragrance (thanks Dad!). We have a garden shed/garden musings display in our foyer for the Philadelphia Flower Show window contest and the hazels are doing their thing! Stop by and check it out!

Happy Witch Hazel hunting!

Fun Fact:
The native witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana or common witch hazel blooms in the fall to early winter and can be found all over the Wissahickon park and surrounding areas. It ranges from Canada to Georgia and west to Nebraska and Arkansas. The witch hazel astringent we use as a skin care product is an extract distilled from the young roots and stems of this plant.

Massage Therapist Insider Series: How Can I Make Massage a More Affordable Practice?

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Alicia McCarthy

Preventative care is on the tips of everyone’s tongue these days. Treating your body with kindness can sustain longevity, as it simultaneously creates a baseline for a truer sense of health. However, regular maintenance through bodywork can, for some, create a financial burden.

Much of this is perspective. Massage can be viewed as a luxury; something that in its extravagance, should be reserved for special occasions. Treating yourself once or twice a year to a celebratory massage is a lovely tradition, but seeing that tradition turn into a monthly ritual, will yield transformational results.

Getting to the point where you feel comfortable with adding massage to your health routine can be a simple as scheduling shorter sessions. If paying for an hour of massage every two weeks seems daunting, try booking a half an hour massage instead. These shorter sessions can provide results if you schedule them closer together. Communication with your massage therapist about the goal you want to achieve with a specific area of the body can make this possible. Once the area that you strive to change feels better, then you can reduce the frequency of massage.

Another way to experience bodywork without it draining your budget is to research promotional deals that massage therapists advertise. As licensed professionals, MTs are consistently required to add to their skill set. Often that means that they are looking for people on which to practice their new techniques. That way, you both benefit from learning a new way to bring your body to a better state of health!

 

True Confession! My Girl Crush (or at least one of them)

Posted by Judy Moon

Posted by Judy Moon

I can’t help myself! I love the Oh She Glows food blog, Angela Liddon, and her new cookbook! There, I’ve said it out loud.

I first discovered Angela a few years back when my husband Joe and I were doing the Clean program. I was doing my best to be really creative with what we were eating so that we were satisfied and still sticking to the program. Joe is Italian and the man loves his pasta. Luckily for us, you are allowed to have brown rice pasta. I came across the recipe for Creamy Avocado pasta on the Oh She Glows blog and I was smitten.

First of all, she is just as cute as a button. I find her posts to be interesting, easy to read and I love her stories about her and her husband Eric and their travels and she is funny to boot! The recipes are vegan so they were perfect for our Meatless Monday’s.

I have made a lot of her recipes and find them all to be really simple, healthy and really tasty. I was super excited when I found out she was putting together a cookbook – I can rid myself of the folder that I dig through with all of the recipes that I have printed out! Clutter clearing – it’s a good thing.

Here is one of my favorite recipes from her and it is a staple in our house – Buon Appetito!

Creamy Avocado Pasta
Time: 15 Minutes
Yield: Serves 2
*my personal comments

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
  • 1-3 garlic cloves, to taste (I used 3 and it was super garlicky, but if you are not a big fan of garlic use 1 clove) *I use 3
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Basil, (probably optional)*I always use it
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 servings/6 oz of your choice of pasta (I used 3oz of spelt and 3oz of Kamut spaghetti) *I use brown rice
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • *I also throw a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast into the food processor
  • *If the sauce seems to thick, sometimes I’ve thinned it with a splash of warm water

Directions:

  1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
  3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Please note: This dish does not reheat well due to the avocado in the sauce. Please serve immediately

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Creating Calm through Crafts

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

I’m making a skirt for a friend of mine. She’s turning 2, (so it’s a small skirt, heehee) and the party is this weekend. I’m a bit behind in my sewing and was starting to feel a bit of stress that I wouldn’t get it finished in time.

Then I realized that it wasn’t so much about getting it done on time, it was the yearning to get my hands back on the beautiful, snuggly fabric and my foot back on the sewing machine pedal! I LOVE to sew! There are many reasons why, but one of the best is that my brain is purely focused on the task at hand. No noise and clutter in there when the iron is steaming away and the needles are flying! It’s the same reason I love to garden. Clear, quiet mind.

Then I remembered an article I read a few years ago in a Martha Stewart mag. The author was Lisa Borgnes-Giramonti, an embroidery artist and writer. Even though it was short and sweet, it had an impact. She talked about the connection between crafting and other pleasurable, very focused activities and well-being. To paraphrase a psychologist she interviewed; when we create (craft or garden or cook, etc.) our mid-brains become engaged by the activity and the temporal lobe can’t focus on the usual anxieties that plague most of our brains relentlessly. And viola! Calmness settles in.

There is much research and many interesting articles out there with much more science behind them then my little blog post, but I thought I’d try to inspire you all to get back to that project you put down last year. Or take a class that you’ve been putting off. Write that poem, crochet that blankie! Or just fix the button on your favorite coat. It’s all important. We’re hibernating here in this deep, dark winter, we might as well be creating calm!

Cheers!

P.S. Check out Stitchlinks.com, a U.K. organization that works on helping folks with depression and other health issues enhance their well being through knitting. VERY cool!

Fresh as a Daisy

Posted by Judy Moon

Posted by: Debi Phillpotts

It’s the middle of winter here on the east coast and oh what a winter it has been so far. We’ve come to know new lingo such as “Arctic Vortex” and hearing forecasts of sub degree temperatures have become the norm. And the snow, well nothing short of plenty this year, for sure.

If you have ever had any bodywork from me, most likely I have mentioned the natural rhythms of the seasons and their corresponding energy characteristics. If not, no worries I’m here to remind you about the water element which corresponds with the season of winter. This is a yin season with some of the characteristics being passive, dark, and cold for example. Now, we all know the nights are longer during the winter season so it would make sense that we get more sleep and are less active. Right?

Sleep. How much do we need?  According to the National Sleep Foundation adults require 7-9 hours of sleep per night, teens require 8-9 hours and younger children anywhere from 11-15 hours depending on their age. The key question to ask oneself to determine how much sleep is needed is how productive, happy and healthy are you during the day? Are you at health risk, have weight issues or depend on caffeine for your energy?  When we are feeling cranky, forgetful, or unhealthy chances are the last thing we think about is if we have incurred and unresolved sleep debt. While everyone’s needs are individual, short sleep duration is linked with:

  • Increased risk of drowsy driving and motor vehicle accidents
  • A greater likelihood of obesity due to an increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation
  • Increased risk of diabetes and heart problems
  • Increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse
  • Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information

The good news is that we can sleep off this debt with regular proper amounts of sleep. So why not take advantage of those long winter nights and get some proper rest?  Some tips for a good night sleep are:

  • Going to bed earlier at the same time each night (weekends included)
  • Refraining from tv/electronics and heavy meals at least two hours before going to bed (try reading or meditation)
  • Avoid napping
  • Get exercise during the day
  • Make your bedroom an oasis of tranquility ie: serene colors, natural light, comfortable bed and bedding and no TV in the bedroom.

Try a week with a regular, sufficient sleep regimen and you just may notice you are feeling “Fresh as a Daisy”!

For more information on sleep facts and its benefits go to:
Sleep Foundation
Healthy Sleep

Thank you and Good Night!

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Judy Moon

I am channeling my best Tina Turner right now. The scary thing is that my hair can actually look like hers after one of Gwyn’s scalp massages!

What’s love got to do with it = everything! I have had the honor and privilege to study with Dr. Darren Weissman who has taught me about the healing powers of love and embracing life with an attitude of gratitude. In his book, The Power of Infinite Love and Gratitude – Darren describes the foundation of the LifeLine Technique, a healing modality incorporating 14 modalities. The LifeLine technique is a system that removes “emotional roadblocks” from the subconscious so our body can do what is was designed to do – heal, regenerate and be whole.

My personal favorite part of the LifeLine and what inspired me to become certified was working with the energy of love and gratitude.

If you are familiar with Dr. Masuru Emotos work with water and the effects that different stimuli had on the water then it will be of no surprise to you that one of the most beautiful crystals that formed was when the water was exposed to the words “love and gratitude.”

Why is that so cool?  Our bodies are 70 to 90% water – so when WE are exposed to the words infinite love and gratitude – all of the water in our bodies, in every cell, in every organ – is transforming and shifting.

We are getting ready to celebrate St. Valentines Day which is all about love and I would like to inspire you to use this power of Infinite Love and Gratitude for yourself.

Would you ever choose to feel stress – hell no! – take a breath, shift your vibration, repeat Infinite Love and Gratitude to yourself over and over till you feel the shift. The stressful situation doesn’t necessarily go away – but how you react and respond to it can. It’s all about choice – what do you choose love or fear? I know what I choose.

For bonus points, put your hand in the American Sign Language position for “I love you”

And place it over your heart – that’s right, you are telling yourself that you love you. It’s called self-care, self-love – give it a whirl!

And if you really want extra credit – say it with a smile on your face.

With Infinite Love and Gratitude – Happy Valentine’s Day! Celebrate love!

 

Massage Therapist Insider Series: What Should I Wear During a Massage?

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Alicia McCarthy

Receiving bodywork requires a lot of trust in your massage therapist. Sometimes a bond is created instantly, and oftentimes said bond requires some time (hopefully by the end of the hour!).

One aspect of the vulnerability that bodywork encompasses is being comfortable with your body. In a deep tissue or traditional Swedish massage the preferred state is to be unclothed. I am often asked (with a certain degree of shyness), “How much should I take off?”. The answer varies depending on the person and depending on the type of treatment you set out to receive.

Going completely bare can have its advantages. It allows the therapist to access the glutes, which is an area that holds a huge amount of tension for some people. The therapist may be more inclined to use longer strokes that connect different parts of the body, akin to the traditional Lomi-Lomi massage that originated in Hawaii. It’s also nice to feel free under the sheets (that’s my personal preference when it comes to getting a massage).

Leaving your underwear on is completely acceptable as well. Feeling secure and safe is important to the process of relaxing. As I therapist, I always strive to adapt to the needs of each individual person, and those needs can be different on any given day. In many forms of Asian bodywork, it is essential that you remained clothed so that the limbs can be moved and manipulated without having to consider proper draping techniques.

When it comes to your healing process, you should never feel like you can’t ask a question about what is right for you during your massage. Who knows maybe you’ll try going bare and never look back!

January = Clean

Posted by Judy Moon

Posted by Judy Moon

January is always an exciting time of year – full of resolutions, good intentions, and goals. I love all of the energy the New Year brings – it’s kind of like a fresh clean canvas. What do I want to create for this year?

January at my house also means The Clean Program. Created by Dr. Junger and made famous by Gwyneth Paltrow. It is a 21 elimination detoxification program. It is the perfect thing after the holidays and all of the over-indulgences that can occur. What I really liked about this program is that you CAN EAT! It’s not about being hungry, or juicing or fasting. I know those things have their purpose, but this program seemed very doable to me. Just stick to the list of foods that you can have and you’re good! The “eating factor” was also the tool I used to rope my husband in to doing it with me as well. It is definitely easier to do with the buddy system.

I tried a 3 day juice cleanse once after a vacation week at the beach. I felt like I needed a boost to get me back on track to healthy eating.  I used Catalyst Cleanse – it couldn’t be easier. They have done all of the homework and created the perfect combinations of what you need throughout the day. There are six bottles numbered in what order you drink them. I have to say they were all pretty tasty. Day 1 – easy  peasy. Day 2 – I felt a kind of “sloshing” in my gut most of the day. Day 3 – was definitely ready to be done and to chew on something. To all of you who have done the Master Cleanse – I salute you! You all deserve a trophy or some sort of award. I put you in the same category of those brave ones who do the Tough Mudder runs. The juice cleanse though did open my eyes to something I had been taking for granted before – the pleasure of eating and chewing.

This is the fourth time my husband, Joe, and I have done Clean and it seems to get easier every time. We both struggle with different parts of it – he misses coffee and bread, I of course miss my red wine and cheese. The mantra becomes – “it’s only 21 days.”

I don’t buy the kit from the website. I make my own shakes and get our supplements at Whole Foods.  We don’t always have a soup or shake for dinner, sometimes we have a light meal from the list of foods you can have. I found a great blog from two sisters that is really fun and inspirational – Spinach For Breakfast. I also really enjoy this Chai Ginger Bread Shake from Goop. They have some really great recipes.

If you are feeling like you need a little kick in the pants in the healthy eating department or you need to really detox and reset – I would say give it a shot. If my beer drinking, chicken wing eating husband can do it – anyone can!

What do you do to start the year off right?

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Massage Tips for TMJ

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Alicia McCarthy

When clients come to me with neck pain, upper back pain, or frequency of headaches or migraines, I usually try to start the massage with their face. The jaw can be very telling when it comes to alleviating tension in these other areas of the body.

TMJ or the Temporomandibular joints are on either side of the face, and can be felt if you follow your finger from your ear to the tiny depression at the beginning of your jaw line. This joint connects the area at the side of your head to your jaw. Tension in the muscles surrounding this joint can displace it, and prevent it from moving with fluidity. TMJ dysfunction can cause the jaw to click out of place or lock up all together resulting in chronic pain and frustration.

We use our faces all of the time, everyday to express love, laughter, and the occasional grimace (we’re only human). So sufferers of TMJ dysfunction are acutely aware when their condition is flaring up, and making it impossible to eat anything the least bit crunchy. Oftentimes the pain is the most noticeable in the morning. This can happen for a few reasons. Sleeping with your mouth slightly ajar due to stuffy sinuses can cause the muscles surrounding the TMJ to work overtime. Sleeping on your side or on your stomach can have the same result compressing everything around the joint. Another cause is good old-fashioned teeth grinding and jaw clenching which often comes about during a night plagued by nightmares.

Fortunately, there is help! Massage is awesome for treating TMJ dysfunction, and so is acupuncture. Massaging your own face is very helpful and easy, and I’ve had success doing this for myself before I go to bed and when I wake up in the morning. You simply hold the trigger point around the TMJ even going into your mouth to release those contracting muscles. Alternating hot and cold compresses also relieves the tension. As a bonus, facial massage, when done regularly, can improve the tonicity of the muscles of the face giving you a youthful glow!

Patterns

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

I’ve been thinking about patterns. The patterns that ice or frost make on the sage leaves in the winter garden or the bedroom window.  How the bark on a tree layers itself just so. The geese that flew away south in that perfect ever-evolving “V”.

And about our patterns, as humans. What we do each day or each week or for that one week each year. I want to take the time to be a bit more conscious of my own patterns and habits. What purpose do my patterns serve?  What is nourishing me and what is just an old pattern and hard to change?  How do I engage with people? Am I really listening or just barely there? Am I paying attention to the cycles in my own life?

Just some things to ponder and patterns to unravel as I wander through this winter. What patterns are you observing?

Lighten Up! LOL

Posted by Judy Moon

Image Map Posted by: Debi Phillpotts

With so much awareness placed on the harmful effects of stress and the toll it takes on our well being it’s no surprise some of us are taking action to diminish these effects via exercise, diet, meditation and replacing our negative habits for more positive ones.

I for one have been “re-vamping” myself for the last decade (my never-ending life’s work), which can be quite the harrowing task at times. But there is a method that’s so enjoyable it literally leaves you feeling lighter immediately. Laughter. Even better, deep belly laughter. Researchers already know laughter helps to assist those coping with a major illness or life’s stresses but have also found laughter actually balances all the components of the immune system which helps us fight off disease. Scientifically, laughter works by reducing the production of stress hormones and the fight or flight compounds our body produces in times of stress, anger and hostility. Stress hormones suppress the immune system and raise blood pressure.

On the flip side, when we laugh, we produce natural killer cells that destroy tumors and viruses, along with Gamma-interferon, (a disease fighting protein), T-cells, which are a major part of the immune response and B-cells, which make disease destroying anti-bodies. Our respiratory tract is strengthened by laughter, which allows for better protection from infectious organisms. Not only can laughter be a total body workout, hence the feeling of exhaustion after a good bout of laughter, but there are many positive psychological effects. According to American Association for Therapeutic Humor, laughter provides a harmless way to release old stored negative emotions without having to express them. What a great way to rid yourself of “old baggage”!

There are some obvious ways to engage in laughter like watching comedy, being silly or surrounding yourself with funny people. Some other ways are laughter therapy which get people laughing in a group or individual settings, laughter yoga, created by Dr. Madan Kataria and don’t forget the infamous Dr. Hunter (Patch) Adams who was the catalyst for clown therapy worldwide. You can actually join a professional organization called The International Society for Humor Studies.

Whatever the case may be, lighten your load and start with a smile or go for a full on outburst of laughter, its contagious and worth spreading. Enjoy knowing your laughing your way to better health!

Some quotes on laughter:

“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.” ― Audrey Hepburn

“Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.”  ― Veronica Roth, Divergent

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” ― Mark Twain

Massage Therapist Insider Series: How much pressure is too much pressure?

Posted by Judy Moon

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Posted by Alicia McCarthy

When I used to work at spas, I would get a lot of male clients who would size me up, and say, “Give me as much pressure as you can muster, lil’ lady…”( okay it wasn’t as John Wayne as all that). I think that they had the impression that tons of pressure meant that they were getting their money’s worth. Or that if I gave them all of the pressure I could, they would be “cured”.

Don’t get me wrong, I, myself, am a fan of pressure when it is needed and appropriate. However, if the body is not accustomed to deep pressure, it can be sent into a “fight or flight” mode of survival thereby contradicting the relaxation aspect of massage.

The body’s autonomic nervous system is divided into three parts. The enteric, which operates unconsciously and controls the function of organs, The parasympathetic, which is responsible for the body’s resting functions like digestion or salivation. The sympathetic nervous system responds when the body senses danger, and kicks in as a means for survival. Sounds relaxing, right?

That same part of the nervous system can be triggered if the body perceives the act of getting a DEEP tissue massage as extremely painful.

Pain perception is very interesting. What we think we can endure as far as physical pain is concerned can be vastly different to what is actual necessary to receiving a good deep tissue massage. Deep tissue doesn’t actually have to mean that the receiver is gasping in pain, and that their role is to just “get through it”. The technique of deep tissue massage refers to the slow application of sustained pressure across the fibers of the muscle belly. And yes, the end result is technically muscle damage. The idea is to eradicate holding patterns that exist in the body in order to allow healthy, new patterns to develop. Patterns that can come about with the help of massage therapy.

If the receiver has been a long time receiver of deeper work, then their response to extreme pressure is something that their body understands. That “hurts so good” concept is something that can be very real to their individual pain perception. Communication is key for both the massage therapist and the client. When that balance of deep pressure and soothing relaxation is struck, then true healing can begin!

Sources: The Principles of Anatomy and Physiology 11th edition by Gerard Tortora and Bryan Derrikson