Massage Mondays! A little humour to start your work week!

Happiness is.....a Massage! 

Happy Monday 

Everyone! 

#massagehamilton   #massage   #massagemondays   #lavandulawellnesscentre 

Lavandula has a special offer! Because we are almost 1!

Lavandula Wellness Centre is almost a year old!  I remember this time last year, I was busy creating Logos and buying office materials!  How time flies!  Lilyana who has been with us since day 1 has a new special offer to celebrate our up and coming 1 year anniversary!  Linda has new hours and an awesome special to take advantage of! 

Buy 3 Reflexology, Reiki, Indian Head Massage or Charkra Healing Treatments and Get 1 FREE!
Buy at second set of 3 and receive all 3 treatments at 10% off plus your additional FREE treatment!  Her reflexology sessions make my toes melt, literally. :-) 

Thank you to everyone for giving us a great start at Lavandula!

      www.lavandulawellnesscentre.com

SPF “Super Poisonous Facts” Natural Sunscreen

Natural Sunscreens- SPF “Super Poisonous Facts”

Sunscreen, we need it there is no doubt about that, but what is sunscreen?

There are approximately 17 ingredients in sunscreens that are FDA approved.  These ingredients are clear chemicals that have the ability to absorb or reflect UV light.  Only 2 of the 17 ingredients reflect UV light leaving 15 to absorb into your skin! Of these 15, nine are known disrupt the endocrine system.  In order to have an effect sunscreens typically need to be applied 20 minutes prior to sun exposure.  Most sunscreens lose as much as 90% of their effectiveness in just an hour, these chemicals get used up as your sunshine exposure increases, so they need to be reapplied often. Other forms of sunscreen such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide-the sit on the surface of the skin and physically block UV light.  Your parents or grandparents most likely used these two “minerals” to protect their skin from the sun.  These creams typically are white and do not go on clear or smoothly.

The problem with majority of our sunscreens on the market are that they are chemical sunscreens.  These sunscreens don’t sit on the surface of the skin – they soak into it quickly and find their way into the bloodstream. These chemicals do not have directions, they will absorb into and all over your body.  They are not detoxified in the body, meaning they end up in your liver, blood, urine and/or breast milk up to two days after a single application.  Could you imagine what your body fluids are filled with after an entire summer! 

Some of these chemicals disrupt endocrine function in the body. This interferes with the normal function and creation of hormones. The hormones most commonly effected by sunscreen are estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid hormones.  These endocrine disruptors found in some chemical sunscreens, can cause abnormal development of fetuses and growing children. These chemicals can cause early puberty, premature breast tissue development and small and undescended testicles in boys. They are thought to be the cause of low sperm counts in men and infertility in women. Some of these disruptors have also been known to cause or contribute to the development of breast and ovarian cancers in women and may increase the chance of prostate cancer in men.

What can you do to protect your skin without effecting your endocrine system?

A few things you can do protect yourself from the sun without using a toxic chemical based sunscreen:

• Limit sun exposure- wear a hat, keep your shoulders covered, find the shady parts of the beach or bring an umbrella.
• Increase OMEGA intake- Omegas are great for our skin and can help protect us from skin damage and give us healthier cells.
• Use coconut oil, carrot oil or red raspberry oil as a sunscreen alternative.  They will need to be applied more frequently and are not waterproof!
• Make a DIY sunscreen.  There are tonnes of recipes online like this one: 

Natural Homemade Sunscreen Ingredients: Source: wellnessmama.com

• 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (can infuse with herbs first if desired)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (natural SPF 4)
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 2 Tablespoons Zinc Oxide (This is a non-nano version that won’t be absorbed into the skin. Be careful not to inhale the powder). This makes a natural SPF of 20+ or more can be added.)
• Optional: up to 1 teaspoon Red Raspberry Seed Oil
• Optional: up to 1 teaspoon Carrot Seed Oil
• Optional: up to 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
• Optional: 2 tablespoons Shea Butter (natural SPF 4-5)
• Optional: Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or other natural extracts to suit your preference

Melt all ingredients in a double boiler on low heat.  Store in a glass jar or small pot.  Lasts about 6 months.

Below are some ingredients you can use on their own or mix them together.  Look for reviews online or try them out for yourself!  I have tried coconut oil and carrot oil myself and have found them both to be effective.

• Almond Oil- SPF around 5
• Coconut Oil-SPF 4-6-
• Zinc Oxide SPF 2-20 depending on how much used

• Red Raspberry Seed Oil SPF 25-50
• Carrot Seed Oil –  SPF 35-40
• Shea Butter – SPF 4-6

There are also some great products out there that have been made and tested for you already!  Check out this website to see different natural and organic sunscreens and how they measured up to their competition! 

I hope this article helped to educate you and make you aware that what we put on our bodies matters.  Our skin is our largest organ and we need to do our best to protect it!

Sending love and blessings your way,

Stephanie Muir RMT

Massage Therapist/Mentor

http://www.lavandulawellnesscentre.com

stephaniemuirrmt@hotmail.com

Upper Trapezius- aka the headache

Did you know one of the most common muscles massage therapists treat is the Trapezius muscle?  The trapezius muscle consists of 3 parts upper, middle and lower fibres.  The upper trapezius is the most common part of the muscle to cause problems, or make those problems evident to us!  The trapezius muscle when all 3 parts are used together is responsible for elevating, retracting and upwardly rotating the scapula.  This muscle attaches at the base of the skull and along the spinous process of C7-T12, extends to the front of the body to the clavicle (collar bone) and out to the edges of the scapula (shoulder blade).  Daily uses (actions) of this muscle are shrugging of the shoulders and overhead movements.

Anatomy of the trapezius muscle.

Many of us have experienced that pain along the back of the shoulder blades. It burns, it feels tight and seems to nag at you on a daily basis. Most commonly you will feel these symptoms after a long day at the office, a hard-core study session or after long hours at the computer. Lately I am seeing this problem increase in 12-18 year olds! You can thank IPhones and Tablets for that!

When you have trigger points or hypertonicity (tight) in the upper trapezius it can also cause tension headaches! The referral pattern for pain for the upper trapezius muscle “looks” like a question mark. It comes along the back of the head up around to the temples. So how do we fix this problem or avoid it all together?

Upper trapezius Trigger Point Referral Pattern

Massage therapy is one the best ways to get relief! Trigger point therapy and muscle stripping can help decrease and diminish the “knots” and help the muscle to relax. In order to maintain the work your massage therapist has done for you there are a few things you need to do. First off stretch, stretch and stretch! Sitting tall, grasp the back edge of the chair with your hand on the side to be stretched. Turn your head toward that same side and lean head and body away to feel a stretch in the side of the neck and shoulders. Hold for 45 seconds to a minute and repeat on the other side. I recommend doing this in the morning and at night.

Upper Trapezius Stretch

You can’t help it if you work at a desk or have long hours to put in at the computer, but you can ensure proper ergonomics at your desk. Your computer screen should be at eye level and your screen should be directly in front of you! Do not sit on an angle and try to look at your screen!! Ergonomics are key! Ask your boss or manager to order what you need to make this possible. Most larger companies have someone on staff to ensure proper ergonomics at your desk or workplace. In the long run it saves the both of you time and money!

Lastly ensure you are sleeping with proper neck support. Generally one pillow is more than enough, but each person is unique.  Talk to your therapist to find the best methods for you personally!

Any more questions? Any topics you want me to discuss or cover?  Just send me an email or give me a call if be happy to help! :)

Educating you one post at time!

Truly yours,

Stephanie Muir RMT
Registered Massage Therapist

stephaniemuirrmt@hotmail.com
Lavandula Wellness Centre

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