Victoria’s Read

Most people have suffered a headache at some point or know someone who has. Massage therapy can be used to aid relief of most headaches ranging anywhere from a nagging ache to a full-blown migraine.

Here are a few tips and tricks you can use on yourself for common types of headaches.

Tension/Stress:

Most people complain of this pain either at the base of their head or in their jaw.
Start by using both hands at the back of your neck near your shirt collar. Apply firm (but not painful) pressure upward toward your hairline then outward toward your ears in a “T” shape. For jaw pain, start in front of your ears and apply downward pressure following the jaw-line.

Sinus:

Applying pressure to two specific areas around your eyes will provide you with quick relief. Apply firm pressure (but not painful) for thirty seconds and alternate between the following locations.

1) Using your thumbs, find the small indent below your eyebrows and closest to the bridge of your nose. Apply pressure here for thirty seconds.

2) Using your index fingers, find the small indent approximately one finger width under your eye and closest to your nose. Apply pressure here as well.

3) Gently stroke across your forehead toward your temples, then across your cheeks toward your nose to transition from the first spot to the second.

Migraine:

The biggest trick for dealing with migraines is discovering your trigger. Most often, the triggers are chocolate, red wine, sleep deprivation, changes in hormones or barometric pressure. Massage therapy is generally not tolerated to the head/upper neck during a migraine because it increases the circulation to the head and intensifies the pain. It can, however, be applied to the feet or hands to help draw circulation away from your head. Sleeping or placing a cold can of pop or ice to the back of the head/upper neck region are good tools for dealing with migraines

Crystal Bergquist
Registered Massage Therapist.

Ohana Wellness Centre

Over 3 million individuals live with urologic conditions in Canada alone, affecting their quality of life and their overall life span, conditions like painful kidney stones, urinary tract infections and loss of bladder control.

If you suffer or have suffered from any of the above then a visit to your MD for a checkup is your first stop. In the mean time there are a few things you can do to help yourself.

To help with infection and kidney stone issues, you can start drinking cranberry juice. 100% juice, not the over sugared juice blends. It’s tart, but with a bit of water is drinkable. A specific type of tannin found only in cranberries interacts with the E. coli bacteria (the most common cause of UTI), preventing them from sticking to the walls of the bladder and causing infection. The recommended amount is 4-8oz. daily.

Another self help tool is to strengthen and exercise your pelvic floor. Yes exercise!

Your pelvic floor, its tone and strength are a big factor in bladder control and health. In yoga, the pelvic floor is integral to many poses and breath work and has been for thousands of years. A regular yoga class is a great way to strengthen this area along the rest of your body.

Another exercise you can do regularly are Kegels. To find the muscles for Kegels, you focus by tightening your pelvic floor like you are holding back gas or the urge to urinate.

Then:
~Contract your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for three seconds then relax for three seconds. Repeat 10 times.
~Once you’ve perfected three-second muscle contractions, try it for four seconds at a time, alternating muscle contractions with a four-second rest period.
~Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.

To get the maximum benefit, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Try not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks and try not to hold your breath.

Enjoy life, stay well, stay strong… you deserve it.

©Darren Renaud – Natural Health Practitioner www.OhanaWellness.ca.

There is a movement technique new to this area called NIA (nee-aah).  At first glance it seems odd to many people coming from a traditional North American fitness facility since we are barefoot AND moving.

Barefoot is not new to anyone who has done any sort of mat class like Yoga, Pilates or meditation. Barefoot is also not new to students of certain types of dance. Barefoot is new to people who want to reach their cardiovascular goals in a class but view mat classes as boring and dance classes as too athletic.

Students new to NIA admit that they are reluctant to believe that they will get to a good cardiovascular level if their feet are not protected. They do and are surprised.

The benefits of moving the body while barefoot are vast and can all be explained  through science but to start off simply the best benefit is that it is free.  There is no need to purchase expensive ill fitting shoes that can only be worn in class.

Barefoot is fun. When was the last time you got run around barefoot and play with your friends? NIA students do that every class. With the exception of certain medical conditions, barefoot is better for your body.  When shoeless, the soles of your feet are in direct contact with the floor and the body or the NIA teacher can immediately tell if the stance is uneven, tilting or feet are bearing the body weight equally.  An immediate correction in the stance, even if it is minor, can realign the whole body allowing muscles and bones to work together the way they were intended instead of working twice, once to compensate for mis-alignment then again to do their specific job for the movement.  This newly aligned body can now work at a greater range of motion for a longer duration and often at a better strength level.

All these micro adjustments are going on naturally while the student gets to play to the music, move the body, sweat, laugh, hoop and holler in a safe body friendly way.

Linda Papineau
Certified NIA Teacher. Ohana Wellness Centre

NO MEAT BALLS

INGREDIENTS
-1 1/2 cups dry mashed potatoes
-1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
-1 cup chopped pecans or cashews
-1 cup chopped onion
-2 tablespoons soy sauce
-1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
-4 eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place in greased pan.
3. Bake meatballs uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until brown.

VEGETARIAN PATTIES

INGREDIENTS:
-1 (15 oz.) can kidney or pinto beans, drained, and rinsed
-Rolled oats (1 to 2 cups)
-1/2 C. all-purpose flour
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 C. mushrooms, finely chopped
-1/2 C. onions or leeks, finely chopped
-1to2 carrot(s), shredded
-1/2 C. red bell pepper, chopped
-3 clove garlic, pressed or minced
-1 tbsp. soy sauce or Worcestershire
-1/2 tsp. salt
-Spices and herbs to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.Blend all ingredients (starting with one cup of oatmeal) in food processor or use a stick blender, until coarsely chopped. Add more oatmeal as needed, until patties hold together well.
2.Chill mixture for about an hour, then shape into smallish patties. Chill patties several hours or freeze and save until needed. If your patties want to fall apart, you’ll want to cook them in the oven.
3.Broil patties 4 to 6 inches from heat about 10 to 15 minutes until browned and heated throughout. If your patties hold together well, you can simply saute them in a skillet.
4.Heat a bit of olive oil and cook patties over med-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes a side, until crisp outside and cooked through.

Sources:
divinedinnerparty.com
bettycrocker.com

1. Which queen started the vogue for white wedding gowns?
-Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine
-Queen Marie Antoinette
-Queen Victoria
-Queen Elizabeth I

2. You’ll often see shoes tied to the bumper of the newlyweds car. Where did that tradition originate?
-Ancient Greece
-Mediaeval Germany
-Anglo-Saxon England
-Renaissance Italy

3. Where would you find a bride going from door to door to collect wedding presents in a pillow case?
-Canada
-Southern Italy
-Finland
-Wales
4. In rural areas in the Czech Republic, it is a tradition that the bride wear something made by her family and friends. What does she wear?
-A wreath of rosemary
-A lace kerchief
-Woolen stockings
-An embroidered apron

5. Where would you be if the bride came into the church with a lump of sugar in her glove?
-Ireland
-Russia
-Sweden
-Greece

6. Why does a traditional Japanese bride wear a triangular head band.
-To cover her horns
-To keep the hair off her face
-To honour her ancestors
-To signify virginity

ANSWERS

1. Until Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha, royal British brides wore silver gowns on their wedding day. Victoria, always a girl who liked her own way, broke tradition and opted for white - and white has been the colour for wedding dresses in the West ever since.

2. Once the vows had been exchanged at an Anglo-Saxon wedding, the bridegroom would take off his shoe and smack the bride with it to symbolize that she was now under his authority.

3. It is an old Finnish rural custom. The bride is accompanied by an older male relative who holds an open umbrella over the bride’s head to signify protection. The bride receives a gift as well as a drink.

4. The wreath of rosemary is woven by the bride’s friends on the eve of the wedding, to signify wisdom, love and loyalty.

5. Greek brides slip a lump of sugar inside one of their gloves on their wedding day to ensure that their married life will be sweet.

6. Evidently, it was once believed that women have horns of jealousy and a bride wears a tsunokakushi to hide them on her wedding day.

Almost everyone, has a desire to improve their life. Many of our aches, pains and orthopedic problems are a result of poor core strength, stabilization and poor core activation.

What is our core? Simply it is the muscles, ligaments and tendons that wrap around our abdomen from our ribcage to our pelvis. This structure is responsible for  allowing us to be the dynamic people we are.

The problem is our modern lifestyle has contributed to a chronic weakness in the core. It’s not uncommon to see an individual whose Transverse Abdominals rarely activate when they should or they activate very poorly. Place your hands on your waist with fingers pointing towards your belly-button. That is the location and direction of these muscles.

The other key muscle group that is chronically weak is the pelvic floor. This group of muscles stretches from your tail-bone to the front of your pelvis.  There are many factors in life that may affect your core strength. Some of these include child birth, abdominal surgeries like a C-section, prolonged sitting in work or your lifestyle. All of your core muscles must be strong and activate correctly of optimum health and wellness.

The good news is it’s never too late to return to balance. One of the best all around core strengtheners that’s suitable for every body is yoga. Yoga is thousands of years old and has evolved into one of the most efficient, inclusive systems of wellness. It’s not uncommon to see those who do yoga regularly overcome backache, digestive problems, constipation, breathing problems, stiff joints, posture problems, headaches and many other problems. We are dynamic beings and are meant to move.

Another simple step to a stronger core is to be conscious about activating your core in day to day activities and re-train it to work automatically. To begin, sit tall with your shoulders, back and above your hips. Place one hand in the small of your back and notice the gentle curve there. Place the other hand on your tummy just below your belly button. Gently tighten up your tummy underneath your hand and gently press your back slightly into the other hand. This is engaging your transverse abdominals. Now shift your attention to engaging your pelvic floor. You do this by tightening like you are holding back gas or the urge to urinate. Practice this seated or standing. Now that you are aware of what to engage, you can begin to consciously engage your core.

Enjoy life, stay well, stay strong… you deserve it.

©Darren Renaud, Natural Health Practitioner. Ohana Wellness Centre

Summer is a time when we shake off winters grasp and venture out into the sun.  With that comes pollen and dust exposure, tired muscles and digestive upsets from all the fun. The good news is there are acupressure points to help ease the discomforts.

Allergies often take the shine off of summer and there are a few points to help with symptoms. LI4 (in the web of the hand) is a main point for congestive issues and it also helps with constipation if your summer diet doesn’t agree with you. A good point to dispel heat and congestion is GV10 (on the spine in-line with the tips of the shoulder blades). Have someone tap this point for 3-5min. and you should notice that breathing eases and burning sensations decrease. For sneezing, tapping on BL2 (inside end of eyebrows near eye sockets) will help calm sneezing, relieve sinus headaches and helps clear heat.

Heat is a common issue and the above points that dissipate heat will help along with placing feet on a cool hard surface. In cases where heat is very uncomfortable an ice cube under each foot on KD1 (in the notch just between the ball of the foot and the arch on the center line) will help cool and calm the body.

Indigestion from cook outs, picnics or fast-food are also common complaints. Some points that will help are: CV16 (on the notch on the bottom of the breast bone), it will help calm and strengthen the stomach and loosen the chest. If diarrhea strikes SP6 (on the inside of the ankle three fingers above the ankle bone) will help calm the urges and are perfectly accessible while you sit and contemplate what you may have eaten. This point (SP6) is an avoid point for those pregnant.

Water, stay hydrated and make sure your urine output is roughly equal to your water intake daily. It should be clear and slightly yellow. A good rule for water intake according to the International Sports Medicine Institute is ½ ounce per pound of body weight if you’re not active (that’s ten eight-ounce glasses if you weigh 160 pounds) and 2/3 ounce per pound if you’re athletic (13 to 14 glasses a day, at the same weight). This far exceeds the 8 glasses commonly reported in the press! Also according to the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, your body takes time to respond to dehydration. There is lag between water loss and thirst. In hot weather, this means that when you body “feels” thirsty, you are actually 16-18 ounces “down” at that point. Enjoy summer, stay well, stay strong… you deserve it.

Interested in these therapies and ways to help yourself? 
E-mail us at info@ohanawellness.ca  or visit us online at www.OhanaWellness.ca.

©Darren Renaud  Natural Health Practitioner

-In the original story, Cinderella didn’t wear glass slippers. She wore squirrel fur slippers. But the person who translated the tale from french to English confused pantouffles en vais with pantouffles en verre and glass it became.

-Those who track such things tell us that women break down into three categories of preferred method of leg hair removal. 50% like shaving, 25% go for waxing and 25% prefer depilatory creams.

-The bob haircuts of the roaring twenties gave the name to the hair clips used to hold them back….bobby pins.

One thing is certain; stressors are in each and everyone’s life. The only thing we can change is our attitude towards them and the use of known methods to decrease the effects they have on our lives and health.

Stress can be seen as a motivator; after all it is the stress of the wind in the sails of a sailboat that moves it across the water, allowing us to get from point A to point B. What I would like to suggest, is that we learn to view stress in a similar way to help us to move out of anxiety to peace. It is always wise to discuss any new approaches that you are considering implementing for your health, with your MD, or Naturopathic Dr. Before you begin this exercise, monitor yourself on a scale from 1 to 10. How stressed are you feeling? Make note of it to refer to later on.

1) Sit comfortably with your hands in your lap.
Massage your jaw muscles gently, and place your hands back in your lap.

2) Check your shoulders. Are they tense? Drop them.

3) Now focus on your breathing.
Breathe in the nose and count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4. If four is too long, modify it to your comfort level.

Feel yourself draw the breath in slowly, right in to the upper part of your lungs. The upper chest expands. Then breathe out slowly to the count of 4. Repeat this for a few minutes. Review how you are feeling based on the scale you did at the beginning. Any change? Use this scale each time you do this exercise. Be patient; give yourself time to feel the cumulative effect of daily practice.

Five minutes daily can make a difference, and the effects on the nervous system are highly beneficial when used regularly.

-Always sit a few minutes after doing these breathing exercises before you stand up.

-Always get up slowly. If you have any questions call me at Ohana Wellness Centre, 752-0294.

Jacqui Tracy, Certified Master of Breatherapy. ®

When was the last time you were chased by a lion, paddled your canoe while a shark nosed at it or stretched out into a raging river to rescue a family member? The fact is our society has developed to the point where such threats are rare. We still have all of the tools needed to survive such events, but those tools often sit in the tool box unused.

Our bodies are remarkable and are capable far beyond what we do day to day. Take some time to get familiar with one of these ‘tools’, your thymus. In the above situations or similar or via other strenuous activities, your heart naturally stimulates the thymus from inside. Today, we rarely get this stimulation do to our lifestyles.

The thymus is a gland just behind your breast bone or sternum and is an integral part of your immune and support system and is a veritable, natural pharmacy for your body. It produces T-cells, critical for your immune response and from fetus till about twenty five years, contributes to the development of your secondary immune systems.

Some current western medical studies are just now investigating the many other hormones and chemicals produced by the thymus and well into your later years.

We can tap into this store house. Literally, in a technique called the thymus tap. It’s simple and it’s effective. Group all four fingers and thumb of one hand as if you were trying to pick up something very small, find the center of your breast bone, and tap.

Tap hard enough to hear a thump but not so hard that it causes pain. Repeat the ‘thumping’ for about 1 minute or so. This can be done anywhere, any time but before bed is a good time, as the thymus has been shown to be more active just after falling asleep.

This is just one way to help energize, revive and support your immune system. It’s simple, easy and one of many “do no harm” therapies you can do yourself.

©Darren Renaud – Natural Health Practitioner – Ohana Wellness Centre – www.ohanawellness.ca