The scope of massage therapy in a nut shell.

By Nathalie Bertrand (now registered in BC). This article first appeared in Golden This Week in September 2016

Starting with an appreciation note

I treasure my community and it is a pleasure to connect with so many outdoor enthusiasts, mothers and fathers, health and life seekers at every stage in their journey. The clinic has thrived since the opening day and we thank you all for your dedication, investment and interest in your journey to live in better health with the use of alternative health therapies.

The pain that seems so familiar:

As we all experience different quality and intensity, pain seems to show up as something we’ve felt long time ago, usually combine with other areas, often familiar. Eventually, we come to adapt and live with these pains as part of our normality. Our bodies are composed of living cells which none are separated from an other. How many time have we heard: “it is all connected”! This very true concept explains why our pain and discomfort shows up in very similar patterns over the years … and as many know, it gets worst as we age! As we experience day to day activities, have our unique sequences of injuries and physical demands, systems of compensations are created so to make up for the compromised structures, which can either be symptomatic or not. At this stage, the human body is usually capable, efficient and performs without too many discomforts. Often seen, all of the sudden, a new pain shows up as we didn’t sleep well, shoveled for the first time in the season, had a bad fall or simply moved too fast. It is usually at this point that we get in need of relief. Here are two concepts to consider, the structures associated with an injury gets inflamed and create pain, and, each of our individual systems of compensation are no longer adapted to a new demand.

Who am I and how I can help

I have practiced massage therapy for 14 years using multiple manual therapies since graduating in 2002. I am a registered massage therapist in B.C. and currently enrolled in a six-year degree at the Canadian School of Osteopathy. My goal is to release and resolve pain and chronic conditions that have otherwise not responded to treatment. I believe in an approach focused on targeted tissue release, underlying causes and long-term change, rather than temporary symptom relief, tailoring a treatment to the individual and discovering the root causes of physical imbalance.
 

I developed massage therapy in something I have named “Core-Relation”. If you imagine your spinal column as the trunk of a tree, you can then see that as the trunk bends one way, the side of the bend has become shortened, also contracted, while its opposite side has to have capability to flex and elongate. It is that relationship that needs to happen to create movement without pain. The contracted muscle must after demand release and lengthen, so to allow the elongated and stretched muscle to return to its normal resting state. Otherwise, one will cry to the other as it constantly is being pulled.

I often get the comment: “I have never gotten a massage like that, how is it called?” I believe I differ from conventional massage therapy because my focus is to re-established deep inside tissues, down to the core of the limb or the trunk. My studies in Osteopathy have also validated and reinforced my principles. I use techniques that reaches the core, yet the palpation is non-invasive and is defined to be releasing discomfort.

What is the best approach?

Not only we are connected from head to toe via livings cells, we also are connected via matter, whether we can touch it or not. As Emoto has proven in his work: a given word, which holds a given vibration, changes molecule shapes in water. Our body is made of 60-70% water, each cells containing from 50 to 90%, we expect our thoughts having direct and tremendous effect on the health of all living tissues. The food we eat of course also contribute in great deal the conditions we run into.

We seem to all understand the principle of changing the oil in our car, it is not a choice if you want to keep your vehicles! Our blood can’t be changed, although with the right nutrition, free moving tissues allowing vessels to travel to their destination, and importantly, the right state of mind, we renew its content and maintain our own vehicle, our amazing body!

Listening To Your Body

This article by Judith Thibault was originally published in Golden This Week on April 10, 2016.

Taking your health into your own hands is listening to your body’s wisdom. Taking the time to deeply listen to what it needs, your body will guide you to a healthier you, but first you have to stop listening to your taste buds! As they can trick you to what you want instead or what you need and there is a whole industry that is created around it, the flavoring industry. They know your bliss point so they mix flavoring and get you with the taste so that you want more, and more, and more…. It rings a bell?

To get your body wisdom back you might need to do a little reset and rediscover what you really need not what you really want. Some of your body parts are just a few weeks, even days, old. This is because they are constantly renewing themselves. Taste buds are renewed every 10 days. This I like to hear! Tastebuds are easily retrained to eat healthier.

Making simple changes that will last you a life time, because you are what you put in your body, what you digest, absorb, utilize and eliminate or not eliminate. This is applicable to the physical body but also applicable to the mental and emotional body too. You take on the emotion of what you eat, like the vitality of the fruits and veggies. That’s the energy we all want!

It’s time to be out with the old and in with the new. Your inner terrain need to be cleaned for growth of a new healthier you. In natural healing, terrain is everything, you can’t have a toxic terrain in your body, you can’t put herbs and vitamins into a system that’s clogged up from old indiscretions. You have to start with a clean terrain. Cleansing is the best way to clean up an old terrain, to make it fertile for the new healthier you. Even if you have healthy eating habits, cleansing a couple of times per year is key to keep a healthy terrain as there hasn’t been a time in history that is more toxic than today’s environment. You are exposed to indoor toxins from the new couch you bring home to outdoor pollutants to food you eat. Most of us don’t live in a perfect environment with no toxins, especially if you want to live a little social life. We all have had little indiscretions with foods, if it’s not at home it is in a social setting.

Best time for cleansing is Spring and Fall, usually using the changes of the seasons. When you start feeling sluggish these are good sign that you need a cleanse. A very important rule is cleanse a little and build a little. Before cleansing, know yourself. If you eat really bad foods and we all know what’s bad! We just have to rediscover our taste buds to know what’s good. Maybe you want to be gentle on yourself and cut out the obvious, pastry, dairy, flour, red meat, and the most important sugar, before you get into a full on cleanse. I can help you with applying those changes that will make you feel so good that you’ll not want to go back to the old ways of eating.

There are great cleansing kits ready for you to follow a specific diet and herb regiment as we go through metabolic changes at 3, 7 and 11 days. Those cleaning kits like the Wild Rose is one of them, are set for 12 days. If you have some health challenges to begin with, please don’t do a cleanse first thing thinking that you will regain your health, come and see me as we will have to take a gentler approach to it.

Spring Is In The Air

This article by Randa Sultan was originally published in Golden This Week on March 31, 2016.

As April arrives, we enter into the energetic transition from winter to spring. Spring is the season of renewal, regeneration and rebirth. It is also the time where, after the dormant period of winter, plants and trees are being uncovered from the blanket of snow. They are waking up and ready for new growth and new life to emerge. Internally, our bodies are working on rebuilding and cleansing of various organs and systems, most importantly of which is the liver. The liver is responsible for cleansing toxins and impurities of the blood and internal organs.

Energetically speaking, spring is the time for transformation; cleansing out the old and making space for the new. This is where the term “Spring Cleaning” comes from. Not only can we clean out the space around us, but it is the time to clear and cleanse our mind, body and soul. It is the time to reconnect with the Earth and strengthen our systems. The following are the steps you can take to do this:

Clear and Cleanse - your personal space

Clear out your space both physically and energetically. Feng Shui is a technique for creating an environment of balanced energy in your personal space. Clean the areas of your home that don’t get much traffic. Literally, clear out the cobwebs, remove the dust. Clean your windows and open them to allow the older stagnant air move out and be replaced by fresh air.

Purge items from your home that you do not use, will not use or are not serving any good purpose. Give these away to someone who will gain benefit from them. The act of giving itself will transform your energy. Once you have physically cleared the clutter and cleaned your home, it is time to clear the energy of that space. Space clearing can be done in many ways including traditional burning rituals which may include sage, smudging or incense.

Clear and Cleanse - mind, body and soul

Old stagnant energy, thought patterns, and stress can build up in the body and block important energy pathways in the body causing illness and disease over time. It is always a good idea to work on clearing out old energy that is stored in the mind, body and soul; but in springtime it is especially important to take the time to do so. This means spending some time focusing inward and connecting with the Earth. As most things come from the Earth and return to the Earth, we can use the Earth’s grounding and healing energy to help to clear out stagnant energy patterns in the body. Energy clearing techniques can include breath work, grounding exercises, meditation, qigong, physically connecting with the earth, and removal of energy blockages via energy healing or qigong healing treatments.

This is also a good time to pay attention to your eating habits. Eat seasonally, locally and organic where possible. Focus on foods that will help to cleanse your liver. If you are doing a liver cleanse, gradually introduce this to your system if you have never done one before.

Strengthen

Get outside and exercise! In order to balance the liver’s strong energy at this time of year, we need to strengthen the lungs. Do enough exercise (whether inside or outside) to break a sweat. This helps with detoxification as well as lung strengthening, as the skin is part of the breathing system.

Connect with the Earth/Grounding

The Earth’s energy is very powerful. It is very healing, can help to calm emotions, clear out old energy, it is important in helping to build up energy, and for grounding. Find time to be outside, to physically connect with the Earth, get your hands into the soil, do some gardening, and spend some time barefoot (inside or outside). Take in a deep breath to inhale the smells of spring as things start to grow anew.

Massage the Bubbling Spring energy point (kidney point 1) on the bottom of your feet. This point is located on the sole of the foot, between the 2 nd and 3 rd toes, at the depression about 1/3 of the way down your foot. This point helps move water through the body which helps with detoxification.

A powerful grounding exercise can also be found on my blog (sacredprana.com/blog). To help you get started with your Spring Energy Clearing, Randa is offering discounts on all services for the month of April. Randa specializes in Energy Healing, Qigong and Space Clearing at the Nourish Clinic. Please visit www.sacredprana.com for more information or to book an appointment with Randa.