April 10, 12-4 p.m. Come celebrate Courtenay Massage Therapy’s Birthday Party! There will be snacks, drinks, and prizes to be won! All are welcome!
Community News
Ask The Expert
Q: I’m going on a scuba diving vacation next month. I’m also getting more far-sighted and I’m not sure if I’m seeing as well as I would like for diving. What are my vision correction options? A: It would be nice, and likely safer, if you can see your gauges and paperwork clearly when you’re on an expedition. You’ve got a few options. If you’re able, disposable contact lenses would be the most functional and least expensive. You can wear them with your diving mask. Additionally, some contact lenses have built-in UV protection. Another option is having prescription lenses made for your dive mask, but you may be limited to which masks you can use, and you’d have to bring other glasses on the boat. Thirdly, you can think about laser vision correction. There’s not enough space here to discuss that, but you’re really short on time for that. Also, far-sightedness is generally much more difficult to correct with laser surgery that near-sightedness.
Break the Chronic Pain Cycle
The reason chronic pain and degeneration only occur in joints and ligaments instead of other tissues, and why older people don’t heal as reliably as younger people do, has to do with decreased oxygen utilization. When there is trauma, the edema and inflammation cause a further localized decrease in oxygen utilization, which serves as a foundation for chronic pain and degeneration. The chronic pain leads to a further decrease in oxygen utilization. Break that cycle with ozone therapy, which maximizes oxygen absorption, so the cells and tissues can begin to do what they usually do so well – heal themselves.
Book Club:
It’s Not Your Fault You’ve Been Lied To – by Dr. Ryan Greschuk, DC. Health has become so confusing, hasn’t it? Conflicting research, slick marketing, and lies about your health and your potential are being sold to you daily. Let’s keep it simple! By connecting to the timeless principles that have kept people healthy for thousands of years, you’ll finally find simple steps that will get you results so you can live the life you’ve always dreamed of. Imagine true freedom to do the things you thought you had given up forever! You’ll learn the five main areas of health that the world’s longest-living people have used to create vibrant, energetic lives free of illness and medication. It’s not too late to live your BEST LIFE NOW!
Clean Eating: Banana Quinoa Breakfast Bars
1 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup quinoa, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt, 3 large ripe bananas, mashed, 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 3 Tbsp natural nut butter, 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup. Optional: 1/4-1/2 cup add-ins coconut, chopped dried fruit. Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with coconut oil. Combine in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 mins to let flax absorb some liquid. Add batter to baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake 25 mins or until edges are crisp and center is cooked through. Let sit for 20 mins before cutting and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer.
Book Club:
Weight Loss for People Who Feel Too Much: A 4-Step, 8-Week Plan to Finally Lose the Weight, Manage Emotional Eating, and Find Your Fabulous Self, by Colette Baron-Reid. This 4-step, 8-week program will show you how to finally let go of what’s weighing you down, physically and emotionally. You will learn how to: – Reverse empathy overload and establish healthy boundaries. – Avoid the “noisy” trigger foods that lead to autopilot eating. – Deal with challenging situations and avoid your detours, from procrastination to perfectionism, that sabotage the success you deserve.
Cats and Essential Oils
There has been much talk recently about cats and essential oils. Are oils safe, or unsafe? What should you believe? The truth is essential oils are indeed a toxic threat to cats. They are rapidly absorbed both orally and through the skin, and are then metabolized in the liver. Cats lack an essential enzyme in their liver, and as such, have difficulty metabolizing and eliminating many essential oils. Cats are also very sensitive to phenols and phenolic compounds, which can be found in some essential oils. The higher the concentration of the essential oil (i.e., 100%), the greater the risk to the cat.
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
• 1-1/2 cups black beans (drained and rinsed well) • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder • 1/2 cup oats • 1/4 tsp. salt • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey • pinch stevia or sweetener • 1/4 cup coconut oil • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract • 1/2 tsp. baking powder • 2/3 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips, in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips, and then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Cook 15-18 minutes, and then let cool at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Travelling with Pets
If you decide to bring your pet along on a trip, take a few things into consideration. Air travel can be particularly dangerous for animals with “pushed in” faces like bulldogs or pugs. Their short nasal passages leave them especially vulnerable to oxygen deprivation. If flying with your pet is the only option, find out whether they can travel in the cabin with you. You must call the airline well in advance; there are limits to the number of animals allowed in the cabin. Travel is a stressful event for animals, so remember to plan ahead of time, and talk with your veterinarian if you have other concerns.
Take a Load Off
Maintaining workplace mental health is vitally important. Stats show that most people spend the majority of their waking hours at work. Using break times is one effective way to improve overall mental health and boost productivity! Oftentimes, busy schedules and looming deadlines prevent us from taking breaks when we need them most. A short time away, doing something we enjoy, helps to reduce stress and emotional exhaustion, while providing a fresh focus and the necessary energy to accomplish tasks. Stretching, walking, listening to music, and reading or watching something funny are all ways to help lighten the load.
Combining Massage and Yoga
Yoga and massage aren’t the only ways to relieve stress and reduce pain. But when combined, they make the perfect combination for your health. Yoga classes and massage therapy are tailored to fit your personal needs. Depending on your schedule and desired results, you may want to enjoy a massage before or after a yoga session. Schedule your massage prior to attending yoga class to warm up and stretch your muscles. If you’re looking for a more relaxing experience, schedule your massage for after a yoga session, when you have more leisure time and can relax your mind, and possibly even drift off peacefully.
