Education

Have you ever done a detox? There seems to be a wide variety of methods available, and it’s being done more commonly. I was privy to witnessing the aftermath of several staff trying the Master Cleanse. I won’t comment on the results, but I can only state that for me, only taking in a liquid concoction for days on end, is not something I could do, or want to do!

I do however think that doing a periodic seasonal detox is healthy. I’ve personally tried the Wild Rose Cleanse twice. The first time I did it, I cheated quite a bit and didn’t really see the full benefits. The second time I did it, I met with greater success. I really noticed a difference in how I felt. My eyes were clearer, I had better energy and I felt lighter. Unfortunately, I celebrated a little to intensely after finishing that cleanse, undoubtedly undoing the restoration of my organs!

In spite of this, I think that I’ve benefited greatly from the experience of changing my eating habits and learning to appreciate food for it’s nutritive quality, rather than it’s satiating character. From having to abstain from things like sugar and flour for a few weeks, I learned that I could indeed live without it and eating becomes more of a choice rather than an urge.

That being said, I think that making big changes in diet doesn’t come easy- and the more supportive a detox can be, the better.

I’ve become a big fan of the GliSODin Advanced Detoxification Formula which has a less extreme approach to detoxification. You simply drink a sachet of the formula twice a day, once in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast and then at night before going to bed. There is a diet plan that you can choose to follow, but its a suggestion rather than a rule. The formula will still aid in detoxification, even if you’re still eating cheeseburgers.

Along with the potent antioxidant qualities of GliSODin, the formula uses berries and chardonnay grapes which provide a full-spectrum of nutritious antioxidants for optimal health and radiant skin; alpha lipoic acid to chelate heavy metals and neutralize several types of free radicals; milk thistle which contains a mixture of flavanoid complexes that protects and promotes liver cleansing; nutraflora (sc-FOS) as an excellent source of soluble fibre to aid in digestion and elimination which assists in weight loss; and finally broccoli, which is high in sulforaphane that induces phase II detoxification enzymes for enhanced cleansing.

No running to the bathroom with this cleanse- thankfully! So if you’re looking for a fresh start to the new year, why not cleanse your system and give your organs a helping hand?

You can learn more about detoxification at our upcoming Whole Health Event, February 4th. Stay tuned for more details. For a direct email invitation, join our mailing list or facebook group page.

I’m a little late getting back to my blog- the Holidays and the New Year have flown by and I find myself struggling to get back into routines. I’m sure I’m not alone in this.

The Holidays impose a total shift in lifestyle that throws most people off- mainly in the areas of excess. ie: lots of drinking, eating and not so much exercise.  To make matters worse, if one dares not to take part, the scrooge moniker is rapidly applied.

Then we have the New Year welcoming us after all of our Holiday extremes. Back to reality- or perhaps an unrealistic version of reality for some- I’m speaking of New Years resolutions of course!  Weight loss, not drinking, not eating sugar, running a marathon- these are all common resolutions that people set for themselves. I wonder if peoples’ zeal for the fresh start of the year sets them up for failure.

This in turn, creates the ‘anti-resolutioners’. People that see no point in resolutions because they’re never really actualized.

It makes me sad to think that because people set unattainable goals, they give up on improving themselves all together.

I personally love the New Year. I feel like it’s an opportunity to reflect on what worked for me in the year before  and what I’d like to see come to fruition in the year ahead.

When it comes to more long-term lifestyle changes, I’ve learned that I need to make a commitment to whatever it may be, create a plan and stick to it.

This year, my goal is to use my extended benefits- chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy, to their fullest. In 2009, I used a fraction of my benefits. Why? My only excuse is that I didn’t prioritize it. So my goal is to book regular, repeat treatments, so that I get into a routine and it becomes second nature.

I think the same can be said of any goal you may have- enlisting the help of a professional who can steer you in the right direction and keep you accountable is going to set you up for success.

I’m resolved to be realistic about my goals. It makes life a lot more fun and I can actually accomplish something.

Do you have any health-related goals for 2010? What’s your plan to get there?

Have you finished your Holiday shopping yet?  Our annual Holiday party here at Spruce last week was a huge success. Lots of gift certificates will be found in stockings and under Vancouverites’ trees this year.  While we were at it, we managed to get lots of donations for the Vancouver Food Bank- where the number of people in need is on the rise this year.

If you’re still in search of gifts- but you’re running out of time- visit our web store where you can order gift certificates on-line in dollar denominations and for treatments. We also have a phenomenal gift certificate promotion happening right now. For every $100 you spend on gift certificates, you’ll receive $25 in credit, either on your account or towards the gift certificate you’ve purchased. How can you go wrong with that?

This year, Dermalogica has come up with some beautiful Holiday promotional packages.  One of the most popular offerings, is the Body Therapy Favorites- a combined package of  Conditioning Body Wash (250 ml) and Body Hydrating Cream (250 ml) for just $52- whoever gets these will definitely feel spoiled. The Conditioning Body Wash is super refreshing with it’s sandalwood, lavender and citrus essential oils, while the aha’s infused into the uplifting Body Hydrating Cream, keep your skin soft and smooth without any heavy residue.

This time of year also means the soy Stress Relief Candles are back! Dermalogica’s stress-relief blend is one of the nicest aromatherapy blends I know of- sandalwood, lavender, tea tree, lemon and eucalyptus are all combined for a calm and refreshing experience. Single votive candles are $18 each.

I can hardly believe that Christmas is just over a week away and I still have much mailing and wrapping left to do!

I’ll be off to New York for the first time as of Wednesday- so I’ll wish you all well over the Holidays and I hope that you get back as much as you give in love and friendship over the festive season!

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

The Holiday Season is upon us.  It’s that time of year that seems to foster a build up of tension and stress. What to buy people? What to wear to all the Holiday parties? Can I fit it all in?- and family dynamics… Yay!

Something that came to mind for me when I was thinking about the Holidays is how nice it is to receive a gift certificate for a spa treatment. In fact, that is how I got started in the industry. When I was in my teens, my Dad started the tradition of buying everyone in my family gift certificates for a massage and facial every year at Christmas, and the rest is history. It was like nothing I had experienced before. I felt so taken care of- not just on the surface. What was I experiencing? The benefits of touch.

This year, the staff here at Spruce Body Lab, have had the pleasure of treating an elderly couple who have exemplified the benefits of the spa experience to me. The woman, who is in her mid seventies, started coming in to see one of our Registered Massage Therapists who was referred to her by her physical therapist.  She had been injured in a car accident, and her therapist had plateaued in the results they could give her, so they recommended proceeding with massage therapy.  While she was at it, she decided to try a facial.

This lady has since become a regular client, coming in bi-weekly for massage and monthly for skin treatments. She has raved about how her treatments have restored much of her vitality and health. She has significantly reduced her pain and improved her mobility. People have commented that she’s looking more youthful.  I believe that the therapeutic benefits of touch and the feeling of being cared for, are due as much credit for how good she looks and feels, as the science behind the treatments she has received.

As a special treat, she gave her husband a gift on his eightieth birthday, of a massage and facial.  He just came in again for his second massage this week.

It is one of the gifts to us as a therapists to see people getting so much out of the work that we’re doing. And it’s a good reminder to me that sometimes people need to be given these gifts, as they are not always likely to “treat” themselves to a spa experience.

I think in part, it’s about shifting how we view going to the spa; it needn’t be a rare treat. I think that culturally we could stand to start thinking of the spa as a resource for enriching our health and our lives- much like European cultures.

Do you think of spa treatments as a luxury, or have  they become part of your lifestyle and self-care?

Be sure to join us at our Holiday Party- gift certificates are 10% off!

It’s always so sad to see elderly people who’s spines are so curved forward that they can  not longer stand erect. I’ve always thought- how do they get to that point? Little did I know that the majority of people with desk jobs are in a repetitive posture that can lead to this state of affairs.

As we hunch over our keyboards in the luminous glow of the computer screen, certain muscles are tightening while others are loosening. Our spinal curvature begins to change as muscles become weak and imbalanced. For every inch our heads moves forward, there is an added strain on our cervical spine to support our cranium and this leads to pain and discomfort in the upper back and shoulders and possibly headaches.

Unfortunately I’m all too familiar with this feeling, but fortunately I work in an environment where massage therapy is at my fingertips. Registered Massage Therapists are trained to address such specific pain and tension cycles associated with ergonomics.  Through regular work on the muscles as well as corrective exercises and stretches assigned for home care, your massage therapist can correct your postural alignment. That- I must say, is a relief!

With the end of the fiscal year looming ahead- it’s the perfect time to come in for a series of massage therapy treatments to use up benefits that have gone by the way side. Booking in once a week is ideal to create a corrective program for strains and pains. While the rest of us are hunching our way through our Holiday shopping, you’ll be enjoying an early gift!