Education

I can remember when I first moved to Vancouver, I was astounded by how active everyone was. There was always someone to be seen sporting spandex and running along the sea wall. Coming from Calgary, where weather dictates hibernation for 9 months of the year and the city planning is made for fours wheels, not two feet- I felt a little self-conscious about my lack of athleticism in comparison to the average Vancouverite.

But, that was also what attracted my to this city- a more active and health-conscious lifestyle. They say your environment influences you- and 10 years later I’m happy to say that I’m a much more able-bodied specimen than I once was.

With all the boot camps and Grouse Grinds at our disposal, it would seem that the average person is pushing themselves to higher performance level than ever before. Perhaps, we aren’t at the level of an Olympic athlete, but at least participation is no longer reserved for elites. When you are pushing yourself to achieve your fitness goals, massage therapy can play an integral part in injury prevention and improved performance.

Regular visits to a  Registered Massage Therapist can make a world of difference to your work-out recovery. RMTs can apply sports massage techniques to flush out aches and pains from lactic acid build-up in the muscles; they can also help loosen the muscles fibers to prevent muscles strain and improve flexibility. And let’s face it, it’s a lot easier to face a grueling work out when your muscles aren’t fatigued or sore.

If you’ve never had a treatment with a B.C. Registered Massage Therapist- it is well worth it. With three extensive years of study, an RMT will be able to assess and evaluate exactly what your body needs- this applies to postural alignment as well. Whatever your concerns may be, your therapist will also prescribe home-care exercises and stretches to help you maintain the results of your massage treatment at home.

On that note- let’s recover like an athlete! I’m off to enjoy the snow in Whistler. In reflecting on how I felt after my last day of riding, I should probably book my post- snowboarding massage now

I’ve always been a fan of baths. Thirty minutes in a warm bath after a long day and I can cleanse away physical and mental stresses, emerging renewed.

Recently, I’ve made it a practice to always include salts in my bath as a way to boost my overall health and well-being. I was amazed to find that something as simple as magnesium sulphate- otherwise known as epsom salts could have such bountiful health benefits, a few of which I’ve listed below…

• Stress depletes our magnesium levels- epsom salts help to replenish this much needed mineral.
• draws toxins from the body
• sedates the nervous system
• reduces swelling
• relaxes muscles, relieves pain and muscle cramps
• helps produce serotonin improving mood and sleep function
• increases stamina and energy

I think the most important thing that people overlook is using the appropriate amount of salts in their bath in order to get the therapeutic benefits. The recommended dosage is at least three baths per week  with one to two cups of epsom salts per bath.

You can make it an aromatherapy experience by adding 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Mine is lavender for it’s anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, healing and soothing effects.

Integrating salt baths into your routine doesn’t have to break the bank. There are some more upscale bath salts that you can treat yourself to, like Sea Flora’s Soothing Sea Kelp Soak 250ml $23.95. But straight forward epsom salts are quite affordable-  

 4 cups / 32 oz.  for $8 or 2 cups / 16 oz. $5. Now that’s a bath that’s worth its salt! 

There are many different techniques involved in massage therapy. Registered Massage Therapists in Vancouver need to have studied for 3000 hours and pass rigorous exams before they can be a practicing member of the Massage Therapy Association. This means that each hand placement and nuance of pressure has medical reasoning behind it.

That’s really the beauty of massage therapy; the fact that human touch has the ability to improve our physical health and sense of well being.

One of the most effective massage therapy treatments I’ve experienced is Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy.  This treatment involves the use of hot basalt stones and cool carved marble to create shifts in blood and lymphatic circulation to the muscles.

Have you ever experienced mild aches in your muscles post-massage? This is due to the lactic acid still present in the muscle tissue. Massage therapy helps to flush this out somewhat; however, the contrasting temperatures used in  geo-thermal stone therapy ameliorates this process, resulting in refreshed muscles full of oxygenated blood.

The warmth of the basalt stones is comforting, relaxing and grounding. The cool marble may seem like the farthest thing from relaxing, however after the initial temperature transition, the cold has a soothes muscle strain and helps reduce inflammation.

So if it’s been a while since your last massage, or you’re looking to intensify your treatment- I’d highly recommend you book yourself  in for some geo-thermal stone therapy.  It’s deep therapy for stressed limbs and the perfect warming treatment during the chilly fall and winter seasons.

In the new year Spruce Body Lab introduced Micro Zone treatments to our menu of services.  This concept in approaching professional skin care treatments, at the time was relatively new to the Vancouver spa culture. It was originally developed by Dermalogica’s concept store in Los Angeles where they are constantly striving to innovate the way we treat the skin.

I will admit that I was a little skeptical about whether or not these treatments would take off.  The concept is that within a 20 minute span, you target a specific skin concern.  For instance, someone may just needs extractions, perhaps they need to heal some break out activity or hydrate the skin.  These can be treated within a quick 20 minute treatment, whereby the client doesn’t even need to get under the treatment table covers and they can go on about their day without having to set aside an hour or more of their time.

Can you really have an effective treatment within 20 minutes? The answer is yes. Some of my successes with this treatment have been truly remarkable- as detailed by my client Jenny’s experience below.

“I have never been one that goes to the spa to get facials but when I read about the Micro-Zone treatments I thought I’d give it a try.  The shorter time frame and smaller cost of the treatments were a definite attraction.  I’ve always struggled with acne and have a horrible habit of picking; so my skin was quite bad when I went for my first treatment.  Afterwards I noticed immediate results,  it calmed down the redness, sped up the healing and seemed to help diminish the up and coming break out!  After my second and third treatment, I was amazed at the results, all of a sudden my skin was clear of acne for the first time in a long time.  As a result I stopped going for treatments, but found that my problems came back so clearly the Micro-Zone treatment is something that needs to be part of my regular skin care from now on.”

I’ve also had a client who has alternated his Micro Zone treatments with full skin care treatments.  Again, the results of coming in every three weeks and working with professional products at home have made a world of difference with his skin. Having suffered from stage two and three acne, we’ve been able to down grade his skin condition to a grade one acne which means that the main concerns that we treat are blackheads and oily shine instead of pustules, papules and comedones (the scientific term for blackheads).

It’s so rewarding as a skin therapist to see these kinds of results and be able to deliver them in a timely and affordable fashion, but the greatest reward is for these client’s who have experienced the results.

Spruce Body Lab Micro Zone Treatments

Dermalogica Products

With Father’s Day fast approaching, I started to reflect on how the perception of men experiencing spa treatments has changed.

Oddly enough, my introduction to skin care and massage therapy was through a man- my Dad!  I think he may have been an original metro-sexual.  Now, even that term seems tired and silly, as culturally we’ve come to embrace that health and wellness are not reserved for the realm of one gender, but for both men and women.

Vancouver is one of Canada’s most progressive and modern cities and as such, there’s an increasing demographic of men taking part in spa treatments and skin care.

This is in part due to marketers realizing that men want to take care if themselves and they want products and treatments that are aimed specifically at them. As a result there is now a huge variety of skin care products targeting men which have popped up in the last few years.

Following suit, spas are now tailoring their decor and even the activities they offer to men. One Vancouver spa touts a lounge where men can play x-box while they get their pedicure done. Here at Spruce Body Lab, our focus has always been on creating a gender neutral environment where both men and women can feel comfortable.

Some of the ways we approach this is with our decor, which is modern and minimalist. We also choose skin care products that don’t lend themselves to one specific gender. When we choose to carry a product line, the smell, look and feel of the product needs to be something that both a man and a woman would feel comforatable to have in their medicine cabinet. With our client base at a very nice balance of 50/50 men and women, we must be doing something right!

As far as treatments for men go, we offer massage therapy which is easily a favorite of our male clientele.  Waxing for the back and shoulders, as well as chest and stomach, has become very popular in the last few years. And skin care treatments amongst our male clientele has steadily increased as well.

With regards to skin care treatments, our Customized Spruce Facial is a client favorite. Each treatment is tailored to each person’s specific skin condition and concerns.  For men, we carry the Dermalogica Shave line of products which offers a skin care regime that makes shaving a breeze instead of a burden.

Whenever I’ve treated anyone, male or female who has never experienced a skin treatment- the end result is always the same- “Why haven’t I done this sooner?” I think that fear of the unknown or misconceptions about what it means to get a skin care treatment is what holds most people back. Once they’ve had the experience, it opens up a whole new world of self care.

The last frontier in popularity of treatments for men is the body treatment. A body treatment is something that even women have a hard time getting their heads around.  Body treatments are a combination of the relaxation of body massage, with the skin smoothing and nourishing benefits of a skin treatment.  Put in such simple terms- I don’t think it will be long before these treatments are a man-favorite too!

It’s nice to see that men like my Dad are no longer an anomaly and that the spa industry has responded in kind. Happy Father’s Day and here’s to evolved men!

Spruce Body Lab Father’s Day In Store Specials:

• 25% off Dermalogica Men’s Shave Kits until June 21st, 2009.
• Book in for Full Physical Package: 60 minute massage and Customized Men’s Facial with Complimentary Infrared Sauna $169 (savings of $50)