August 2019

25 Self Care Ideas for Guys

 

• Your health gets better
• Your mental health will improve
• You become more present
• You will decrease your stress levels and the negative impact of stress on your body
• You will become more connected to your body and what it’s telling you about your health
• You will become more resilient
• You will become more creative and perform better at work
• You will sleep better
• Your sex drive will increase
• You will inspire others

25 SELF-CARE IDEAS FOR GUYS:

1. 1. Get a massage
2. 2. Go for a run or do a workout
3. 3. Look after what you eat
4. 4. Do a guided meditation
5. 5. Clock in some quality time with your family
6. 6. Journal
7. 7. Read for pleasure
8. 8. Volunteer
9. 9. Treat yourself to a professional close shave
10. 10. Learn to say no and not feel guilty
11. 11. Take a long shower or bath
12. 12. Go for a walk
13. 13. Spend time in nature, go for a hike or hit the beach
14. 14. Sleep in
15. 15. Cook a nourishing and tasty meal for yourself
16. 16. Update your wardrobe
17. 17. Get a hair cut
18. 18. Do some mindful breathing
19. 19. Work in the garden
20. 20. Create a new playlist
21. 21. Book in a man date with your friends
22. 22. Plan a boys trip away
23. 23. Ask for help
24. 24. Have some technology and screen free time
25. 25. Get a facial
    Article published on May 14, 2019 on The Well Nest

June 2019

The 7 Benefits of Regular Infrared Sauna Use

Detoxification is a well-known health benefit of infrared saunas, but did you know that you can dramatically improve your overall health, wellness and sleep quality all at the same time? These little hot boxes really pack a punch in terms of overall body therapy.

As a result, saunas are quickly gaining in popularity as the health benefits have been proven to make a dramatic difference in the lives of dedicated sauna users.

Let’s look at another 7 benefits of regular infrared sauna use.

1. Improve the Immune System

Many experts believe that direct exposure of the skin to the warming heat of a sauna helps stimulate the rapid production of infection-fighting white blood cells that can strengthen the immune system.

Medical research in Germany has recently shown that incidents of colds and the flu can be reduced by up to 30% by using a sauna regularly – goodbye tissue box. The benefits to the immune system are significant, and with the number of people we come in contact with each day, it simply makes sense to guard against infection and illness.

2. Enhanced Sleep

Saunas help you sleep better, producing positive benefits for your overall health and wellness. Your body is relieved of tension or fatigue as sauna use may lower cortisol levels. Also endorphins are released into the body, which create a calming, almost tranquillising sensation that can lull virtually anyone into sleep.

3. Stress Relief

Stress relief is another one of the key health benefits of infrared sauna sessions. Heat shock proteins are produced when an individual spends time in a sauna, and these substances are used by your body’s cells to counteract the impact of toxins, extreme heat or cold, or stress brought on by exercise.

Infrared Saunas have also been shown to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) relaxing the body and allowing your body to heal. This is a necessary break from the sympathetic mode (fight or flight) which is pretty much modern day-to-day living – stuck in traffic, if you’ve got kids the witching hour and then just the trials and tribulations of life – we do lead busier lives than previous generations.

4. Strengthen your Heart

One way to love your heart is simply spend time in an infrared sauna. It can help virtually anyone strengthen their heart and cardiovascular system and its just a 30 minute sitting session! Bring it on I say.

A research study by the University of Eastern Finland that spanned more than 20 years and included thousands of study participants showed a reduction in life-threatening cardiac events among participants who regularly used a sauna.

Those who took sauna 2 to 3 times per week showed a 23% lower risk of fatal events, while those who completed 4 to 7 sauna sessions per week indicated a 48% lower risk. That’s one big way to love your heart.

5. Increased Metabolism and Weight Loss (and did I mention CELLULITE)

In a comfortable 35 minute sauna session one’s heart rate can reach an aerobic state. Consistent aerobic cardiovascular workouts lead to a healthier heart and increased metabolism. Bring me a towel garcon.

This boost in metabolism burns calories and can trigger weight loss in individuals who have a little extra weight. Just as jogging increases heart rate and burns calories, good news my friends, infrared sauna use can trigger the same cardiovascular stresses by simply sitting in the sauna – that’s a winner. But wait ladies (and maybe some gents) it gets better – we are also seeing infrared saunas the world over as an effective way to help minimise cellulite. Where’s my sarong and water please?

6. Minimising Joint Pain

Another big health benefit of infrared saunas is the minimisation of joint pain and inflammation. This type of radiant heat therapy is used around the world to effectively treat patients suffering from bursitis, neuralgia, muscle spasms, stiff joints, and arthritis. From customers of all levels of fitness and health, we hear about lasting relief from soreness, aches, and pains with consistent sauna use. Say goodbye to the daily aches and pains.

7. Athletic Recovery

Athletic recovery is made easier, too. Growth hormone is naturally and safely increased when sauna sessions are combined with consistent exercise routines, and blood flow is boosted. This means the skeletal muscles are better fueled, and are more easily flushed of lactic acids and calcium ions – two fatigue-inducing substances – wow, right?!

Whether you’re looking to use infrared saunas for detoxification, weight loss or as a sauna stress relief technique, one thing is certain – your overall health and well being is improved! It’s just one of the best overall body therapies anyone can give themselves.

Article by Helen Forrest at Clearlight Saunas Australia & New Zealand.

May 2019

Mother’s Day bonus: how big would mum’s paycheck be?

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and many people will mark the day by celebrating the invaluable role their mother plays in their lives. In many countries around the world, Mother’s Day is also known as mum’s one day off. However, while dad and the kids take care of breakfast in bed and domestic duties for the day, it’s worth wondering just how much unpaid work is done by mum all year round. If someone else was paid to undertake those hours of cooking, cleaning and childcare, just how much would it cost?

The gender gap in unpaid work

A recent study of time spent in paid and unpaid work by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has found that in all of the 29 researched countries, women spend more time than men completing unpaid work, usually by a significant amount, whereas men spend more time undertaking paid work i. 

When paid and unpaid work is combined, men and women in Australia spend an average of 476 minutes and 483 minutes (approximately 8 hours) working each day, respectively i. However, Australian men spend on average 172 minutes (2.9 hours) per day doing unpaid work like childcare, volunteering, cleaning and other domestic duties, while women spend over five hours a day doing these same tasks i. 

If a man or woman is also a parent to children under the age of fifteen, the volume of time spent doing household work is even greater, and mothers pick up the bulk of the extra work ii. Mothers in a two-parent household with children under the age of fifteen complete on average almost 53 hours of unpaid work per week, comprising domestic activities, childcare and purchasing activities like grocery shopping ii.

Time spent on childcare

Providing primary care for children constitutes a significant amount of the time spent by mothers doing unpaid work, particularly the care of young children. In families where the youngest child was under the age of four, 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) research has found that mothers spent more than 30 hours a week on childcare as a primary activity iii. 

When childcare as a secondary activity (such as supervision of children while doing another household task) was also included in this data, the total amount of time spent on childcare jumped to over 80 hours a week. For mothers of kids aged between five and eleven, the number of hours per week spent on caring for children was 42 hours, while mums of older kids aged between twelve and fourteen spent a total of 24 hours a week on childcare iii.

What if that work was paid?

As previously discussed, when paid and unpaid work activities are combined, Australian men and women spend a similar average amount of time at work each day. However, the fact that Aussie mums spend so much more time on unpaid household tasks begs the question: if that work was paid, how much would mum earn? 

If a third party was hired to do the 23 hours and 40 minutes of domestic activities, 22 hours and 17 minutes of childcare, and 6 hours and 47 minutes of purchasing activities undertaken by the average mum with kids under fifteen years old, the household budget could be unexpectedly stretched! 

Paying for the services of a housekeeper and child care worker to undertake those hours of work would cost $1,020.72*, based on PayScale’s median hourly rate of pay estimates iv,v. For a 50 week salary, that’d add up to over $51,000, which is even more remarkable if one considers the fact that many mothers of children under the age of fifteen additionally complete full or part-time paid work, too.

However, American website salary.com estimated that if the unpaid work of mothers was condensed into an annual salary, stay-at-home mums would earn a huge US$113,568, with a working mum making on average US$67,436. In their calculations, salary.com included the hourly rates of occupations like cook, psychologist, van driver, and computer operator as well as roles like housekeeper and day care teacher vi.

At the end of the day, it’s difficult to put a dollar value on the work a mother does – most people know that their mum is truly priceless!

* Calculation based on (23.66 x $19.45) + (22.28 x $19.24) + (6.78 x $19.45) = $1020.72

i Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Time spent in unpaid, paid and total work, by sex, viewed 10 April 2014, 
http://www.oecd.org/gender/data/timespentinunpaidpaidandtotalworkbysex.htm 

ii Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2009, 4102.0 – Australian Social Trends, viewed 10 April 2014, 
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features40March%202009#1 

iii Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2008, 4153.0 – How Australians Use Their Time 2006, viewed 10 April 2014, 
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4153.0Main%20Features22006?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4153.0&issue=2006&num=&view= 

iv PayScale, Housekeeper Salary (Australia) , viewed 10 April 2014, 
http://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Housekeeper/Hourly_Rate 

v PayScale, Child Care/ Day Care Worker Salary (Australia) , viewed 10 April 2014, 
http://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Child_Care_%2f_Day_Care_Worker/Hourly_Rate 

vi salary.com, 2013 What’s a Mom Worth Infographic, viewed 10 April 2014, 
http://www.salary.com/2013-mom-infographics/

April 2019

How to use a foam roller to relieve neck, back and knee pain 

By Stephanie Mansour

 

Self-myofascial release has been gaining popularity over the years as a way to release tight muscles and improve mobility. There are even entire workout classes devoted to foam rolling – arguably the most popular main stream tactic of engaging in myofascial release.

Research has been conducted exploring how foam rolling affects range of motion of joints and if it helps reduce muscle soreness. And the results are promising. One study found that after only three consecutive days of foam rolling, muscle fatigue was reduced and range of motion was increased. So aside from feeling relief in the moment, it’s possible that the benefits accumulate over time as well.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FOAM ROLLING?

Dr. Karena Wu, physical therapist and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in NYC and Mumbai, utilizes foam rolling exercises with her patients at the office and teaches them how to use the foam rollers at home. She explains that foam rolling is a self-massage to the soft tissues. “The foam roller compresses tissues and helps to release tight bands in soft tissue,” she says. “Massage is an ‘irritant’ to the soft tissues that brings blood flow, which then helps with fluid movement and promotes healing because blood carries nutrients and oxygen. So, getting this type of compressive massage therapy helps break up tightness or ‘knots’ in the tissues.”

“It also helps to promote fluid circulation, increases pliability of the soft tissues, reduces compressive forces on the joints (when the surrounding soft tissues are more flexible) and increases neuromuscular activity because the soft tissues will be more at an optimal resting length for function,” Dr. Wu adds.

I’ve encouraged my clients to foam roll on their own at the gym as part of their post-workout stretch and recovery routine, and they’re shocked by how good it feels (and how painful it can be on more tender spots, like the IT band.) Whether you dedicate time before or after each workout, attend a weekly foam rolling class, or roll it out in your living room, consistency will help you achieve more mobility, less pain and better muscle function.

But if you’re new to foam rolling, what body parts should you focus on?

HOW TO USE A FOAM ROLLER

A few of the areas that Wu encourages her clients to foam roll are the glutes, quads and backs of the shoulders. She recommends doing foam rolling for at least 10-20 minutes, especially if you’re covering the large areas of the lower legs and working the tissues out.

Pata, a Crunch group fitness instructor and senior master instructor for TriggerPoint, agrees that the quads and thoracic spine are big targets for foam rolling. “People should foam roll like they floss their teeth – daily. But if not, as often as possible,” she says. Pata says that her classes last an hour for a total body roll, and recommends longer sessions like this after a workout. “If you are foam rolling before a workout (really a good idea so as to get better mobility) I’d keep it short – 5 to 10 minutes -and then do a proper movement warm up,” she says.

Paula Lester, who teaches a class called Pilates Mat, Roll and Release at Privé-Swiss Fitness, integrates foam rolling into a classical Pilates mat class to help relieve tight muscles and stress. She focuses on similar areas (the mid-back, outer thigh and quads) – since they are large areas, they can feel immediate relief after foam roller use. Lester recommends about 20 minutes of foam rolling. “You should spend a couple of minutes on each muscle group focusing mostly on the tighter more tender areas,” she explains. She suggests staying still (and not rolling) on the tight areas to give the roller a chance to dig into these knots and break them up rather than just rolling back and forth. “The increase of blood flow and the pressure from the foam roller helps to release the tight muscles and ease pain,” she says.

CHECK OUT THESE EXERCISES WITH A FOAM ROLLER THAT ALL TARGET (AND HELP RELEASE) SPECIFIC LARGE MUSCLES GROUPS.

SIT ALL DAY? THIS ONE’S FOR YOU!

If you’re in a seated position for much of the day, your hip flexors can become shortened over time. Therefore, stretching the front of your hips, specifically these hip flexors, and massaging the muscles and tissue around them can help combat the effects of sitting all day.

RUNNER? WORK ON THAT IT BAND

Time to foam roll the outer hip and thigh. It can be challenging to stretch the Iliotibial Band (IT Band), and frequently it becomes tighter the more active you are with the lower body and repetitive motions like running. Lester agrees: “This move targets the long bank of muscles on the outer thigh which can create a lot of tightness contributing to back and knee pain. It decreases the amount of stress put on the hips and knees and increases mobility.”

 

POOR POSTURE? ROLL IT OUT

Time to foam roll the upper side of your body. You can strengthen your back all week long and stretch your chest, too. But if the sides of your chest and back are tight, it may be difficult to maintain good posture. Try foam rolling the armpits, outsides of the chest, and the sides of the upper back to loosen up and promote better posture.

SORE BACKSIDE? FIX IT NOW

Foam rolling your glutes can help relieve tension in your low back by loosening up the muscles connecting to your low spine.

TIGHT NECK? LOOSEN UP

To foam roll your upper back, lie down on the foam roller and massage your upper back and neck slowly and gently. You can move side to side or just lie back with your hands behind your head and roll up and down your upper back.

SORE KNEES AND HIPS? ALLEVIATE PAIN

Time to foam roll your quads. “Most of us are quadricep dominant, which leads to tightening of this large set of muscles. This dominance can cause kyphotic posture and tight hip flexors,” Lester explains. “Rolling the quads can prevent stress on the knees and tightness in the hips helping to better your posture.” To perform this move, lie down with the foam roller underneath you, and roll the tops of your legs up and down on the roller.

March 2019

Six amazing benefits of swimming in the sea

(By Shareen McLeish) 

 

We’ve all experienced that amazingly good feeling after a swim in the ocean. The exercise and cool water is refreshing and invigorating but it’s more than that, a very different feeling to swimming in an indoors chlorinated pool. There are many reasons for this difference. Sea water has been used for healing throughout history. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, evokes the beneficial effects of seawater in his Treaty of Medicine.  The word for sea water therapy is thalassotherapy, from the Greek “Thalassa” meaning sea. Thalassotherapy health spas, in which heated seawater and other sea treatments are used therapeutically, have been around since the 1800’s. There are still thalassotherapy health spas today, mostly in Europe and Africa. Seaweed or mud wraps are available at most modern-day spas. For us lucky ones who live on the beautiful South East Coast of Australia we suggest you simply jump in the ocean!

Six amazing health benefits of swimming in the sea:

 

1. Supplies essential nutrients through the skin

As well as excreting sweat and wastes, our skin also absorbs nutrients from the environment. Interestingly, seawater has a similar composition to our blood plasma. It is believed, that minerals and other micro substances are absorbed by the skin through the process of osmosis. Sea water is rich in vitamins, mineral salts, trace elements, amino acids and living microorganisms which secrete antibiotic, bacteriostatic and hormonal substances with biological balancing effects. The mineral content of seawater includes magnesium which relaxes muscles and is calming on nerves. Iodine is essential for healthy thyroid function. Salt and potassium chloride speed up healing.

2. Increases oxygenation of the body

When we breathe in ocean mist, tiny molecules rich in iodine and charged with negative ions enter our body through the respiratory system. Negative ions accelerate our ability to absorb oxygen. They also balance levels of serotonin, a body chemical linked with mood and stress. This is why a walk on the beach can leave you feeling more alert, relaxed and energised.

3. Boosts the immune system

The effects of immersing in cold water have been studied widely, and one of the most important effects discovered is that it boosts your immune system, helping to protect against cold and flu and other diseases. It also gives you an endorphin high, enhances your circulation, increases your libido, burns more calories and reduces stress. (stay tuned for more on the benefits of swimming in cold water in our winter newsletter!)

4. Increases lymphatic circulation and detoxification

Any time you are submerged in water you are essentially wearing full body custom compression! The force of the water on your body causes a significant increase in hydrostatic pressure creating an amazing movement of lymph. Every time you move and pump your muscles, the flow of the water and difference in pressure acts like a lymphatic massage, making swimming the absolute ideal form of exercise for stimulating lymphatic circulation and detoxifying the body.

5. Reduces stress and increases well-being

The sound of ocean waves alters the wave patterns in the brain. This reduces stress and promotes well-being by lulling you into a deeply relaxed state. Add to this moderate exposure to sunlight which releases endorphins as well as being very beneficial for the skin and bones.

6. Induces a “spiritual experience”

The awe-inspiring beauty and power of the ocean somehow rarely fails to bring a feeling of peace and soothe the soul. Something even more powerful happens as we immerse ourselves in the cool body of water that stretches around the Earth. It is at once grounding and invigorating. The beauty of the underwater world is so mesmerising that it is not uncommon to see ocean swimmers halt mid-lap as they catch sight of a school of sea bream, enormous blue groupers or even tiny turtles and sea horses. Every swim in the sea is a form of spiritual experience not to be missed!

References

• • http://www.traveltowellness.com/thalassotherapy
  • Thalasso Experience: What is Thalasso?
  • http://www.pacificnaturopathic.com/articles/health_benefits_of_sea_bathing.htm
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-102698/Three-health-benefits-sea.html
  • http://www.livestrong.com/article/406804-what-health-benefits-do-you-get-by-swimming-in-ocean-sea-minerals/
  • https://www.lifehack.org/288238/6-amazing-health-benefits-cold-water-swimming
  • http://www.lymphessential.com/2018/03/17/swimming-lymphatic-system/

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August 2018

When should runners get a deep tissue massage?

Runners have long known that a good massage can boost their recovery after a tough race or hard workout. Besides the obvious “it hurts so good,” massages can also reduce stress and help you relax before an important race.

But when are the best times to schedule your massage?

There are specific times to get deep tissue massages if you want to boost the benefits of the massage. First, it’s important to understand what those benefits are because they’ll help you schedule your massage session for the optimal time. Most critically, deep tissue massages improve blood flow to your muscles by stimulating the circulatory system. You’ll get an influx of oxygen-rich blood, which helps flush out the byproducts of hard exercise, and delivers fresh nutrients.

While the circulatory benefits of massage are profound, other benefits of regular sessions include: reduced existing muscle soreness, improved range of motion, and the break up of scar tissue or adhesions that can restrict the movement of your muscles.

 

When to Schedule Your Massage

Because deep tissue work releases waste products at the cellular level-and may even leave you slightly sore-it’s best to consider them a type of workout. Framing massages as workouts helps you schedule your massages more strategically.

You should always get a massage after your run and preferably with an easy run planned for the following day. This helps your body along with the recovery process and ensures you’re not negating the benefits by doing a hard workout 12 to 24 hours later.

If you do run a strenuous interval session or long run the day after a massage, you’re simply contracting your muscles, introducing more waste products, and further dehydrating muscles-which won’t boost the benefits of massage.

If possible, it’s also helpful to schedule your massage after an easy run, not a hard workout or long run. Ideally, you want your muscles to be relatively relaxed and not in a very fatigued state.

This is also why it’s never recommended to get a massage the day of a marathon or the day after. There’s a substantial amount of muscular damage after a race of this distance, including inflammation, so it’s wise to let your body heal itself for the first one to two days. Later in the week after about three to five days, you can schedule a massage after your body has dealt with the acute symptoms of post-marathon soreness and muscle damage.

And just like it’s beneficial to wait three to five days after a race to schedule a massage, make sure you give your body three to five days after a massage before you race. This gives you enough time to flush out the byproducts that massage has released, and for any residual soreness to go away.

Remember that massage can be more helpful during periods of heavy training. If you’re reaching new weekly mileage records, preparing for your first marathon, or doing faster workouts than ever before, your training is at a new peak. Recover accordingly and use massage to help prevent injuries.

To further extend the benefits of massage, you can help the waste product removal process by staying hydrated and drinking lots of water. Combined with a clean diet of whole foods and light foam rolling, you’ll get the most out of your deep tissue massage sessions, and will recover much more quickly-so you can train harder and race faster.

Source: https://www.active.com/running/articles/when-should-runners-get-a-deep-tissue-massage

 

 

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July 2018

BILLABONG RETREAT REVIEW AND TIPS FOR REDUCING STRESS

by Shareen McLeish

 

Owner of Massage by the sea, Shareen McLeish, and friends practice meditation at Billabong Retreat

Billabong Retreat Review

 

Having just spent a beautiful relaxing weekend away with some friends, I highly recommend Billabong Retreat for the ultimate relaxing getaway! It took less than an hour to drive there from Clovelly. The combination of yoga, meditation, bush walks, beautifully prepared vegetarian food (no cooking!) and laying around the fire chatting and reading was the perfect mid-winter retreat. The accommodation was simple, natural and very comfortable. It was excellent value at only $500* for the whole weekend including all food, accommodation and activities. Go on.. Treat yourself!

 

*Prices vary depending on accommodation type

The Effect of Stress on Your Body

Stress, in the short term, is a normal and healthy function of the human body, necessary to respond quickly to danger via the process known as known as the “fight or flight response”. In pre-historic times this response was life-saving, especially when confronted by a sabretooth tiger! The threat would trigger a sudden release of hormones which would activate the sympathetic nervous system, in turn stimulating the adrenal glands and triggering the release of adrenaline. This would result in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. All that blood and oxygen would be directed away from the internal organs and digestion to the skeletal muscle where it was needed to fight that tiger or (more likely) run away! Once the escape was made, it would have taken between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its pre-arousal levels.

 

Modern life stress is more chronic or continual, what with rushing kids to school, dealing with traffic, work and relationships, not to mention the chemical stress from the toxins in our food and environment. The body can’t tell the differences between this constant stress and actually running from a tiger, so we can spend the whole day (or week) in the stress response! Not only does the stress response raise the heart rate and blood pressure, it also shuts down the immune system (because the body is more worried about getting away from “the tiger” than fighting off the flu) resulting in increased susceptibility to infection as well as adrenal fatigue and chronic disease. Stress accounts for about 75% of all doctors’ visits in the US including for headache, back pain, heart problems, upset stomach, stomach ulcer, sleep problems, tiredness and accidents (1). 72% of Australians report that stress affects their physical health (2).

Five Tips for Reducing Stress

1.    Declutter your Life

There is the saying “your home is your sanctuary”, the place you come back to after a hard day at work and where the family can rest together on the weekends, but for some the home can be a further cause of stress! In her book “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying“, Marie Kondo takes you step by step on how to transform your home into a permanently clear and clutter-free space with the incredible KonMari Method. Kerri Richardson takes decluttering even further, in her book “What Your Clutter is Trying to Tell You“, defining clutter as anything (or anyone!) that creates blockages in your life. I suggest decluttering your things first before throwing out the spouse ;-)

 

2.    Put your Finances in Order

Money issues are the second most common reason for divorce (3) and financial issues contribute to stress in 45% of cases (4). Sydney was ranked 10th in the most expensive cities in the world to live in March 2018 (5) and 29% of Australian households were “over-indebted” in 2015-2016 (6). It doesn’t just affect low income earners, in fact, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, high income households were more likely to be over-indebted (6). In his book, “Barefoot Investor“, financial advisor Scott Pape, takes you through a simple step by step process for Australians to pay off their debt, organise their super and insurance, pay off a mortgage and manage investments. There are many other organisations (see resources below) that can help people with their finances.

3.    Meditate

In his book “You are the Placebo“, Dr Joe Dispenza explains scientifically how you, and every other human being, are shaping your brain and body by the thoughts you think, the emotions you feel and the intentions you hold. Growing evidence suggests that as little as 15 minutes of meditation each day can produce significant health benefits including reducing stress and anxiety, usually immediately (7). I like to do my meditation at the end of a yoga session at Wylie’s Baths. Yoga is perfect for preparing the mind and body for meditation and after doing my asanas in the fresh sea air with Chrissie or Daniella, I open my eyes to the stunning ocean view and it’s hard not to think life is pretty good!

4.    Reduce caffeine

Coffee works to get you through that next task (or your entire day) by initiating the stress response to give you a short-term energy burst. Whilst it is ok to use coffee occasionally, continual use over time wears out the body and can contribute to chronic stress and adrenal exhaustion. If you find you have energy slumps during the day, see a naturopath or nutritionist to help you identify the underlying cause and come up with an eating plan and perhaps some herbs or supplements to help balance your energy levels. Generally increasing health through nutrition and exercise will improve the body’s response to stress and increase energy so there is less need to rely on that short term caffeine fix.

 

5.    Get Regular Massage

How could I not include massage in a piece about stress reduction! Everybody who has had a massage knows that feeling after a treatment of “ah, this is how I am supposed to feel!” or as a recent client put it: “just to feel human again”.  Studies show that massage therapy can be beneficial not only in reducing physical pain, but also for improving mood and fighting stress (8). Part of any health maintenance program for a busy person should include regular massage, be it weekly, fortnightly or monthly. For the perfect relaxation treatment try our Swedish relaxation massage or indulge in a Hot Stone Massage or Facial & Massage Combo.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3341916/
2. https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/blog/health/what-is-stressing-australia/
3. https://www.marriage.com/advice/divorce/10-most-common-reasons-for-divorce/
4. https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/blog/health/what-is-stressing-australia/
5. http://mentalfloss.com/article/536315/these-are-worlds-10-most-expensive-cities
6. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/6523.0~2015-16~Feature%20Article~Household%20Debt%20and%20Over-indebtedness%20(Feature%20Article)~101
7. https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/change-in-you-15-minutes-meditation/
8. https://greatist.com/happiness/can-massages-actually-reduce-stress
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtRrxNTnyh8

 

 

Resources

1. Financial Counselling Australia
2. Debtors Anonymous Australia

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Video of Blaise giving some facial massage tips and how to use our new Organicspa range.

Use a Carrot

Whatever your kid loves — watching TV, playing on the computer — use it as a reward for when they get ready ahead of schedule, says Brooke. In other words, no screen time until he’s done what he needs to.

 

Do as You Say

Model what you want your kids to do. “Be a role model to your children by preparing your lunch the night ahead, preparing your bags and picking out your clothes, tidying up in the evening and setting the table for breakfast,” says Fran Pollen, a parent coach in the Philadelphia area. That means no skipping breakfast, Mom — your kids aren’t allowed to, right?

Stay Calm

Have you ever noticed your anxiety has the effect of making your kids move in slow-mo? “The more you rush in the morning, the slower your kids will move,” says Kirk Martin, a behavioral consultant in Nashville, TN and executive director of Celebrate!Calm, or organization that specializes in working with kids with learning disabilities. So if the kids are stalling or dawdling, stop what you’re doing and see if a hand on the arm or squatting down to make eye contact can get them moving again. “Once we connect with a child, compliance follows,” says Martin.

Let the Chips Fall

As they should during the rest of your day, let your child’s actions dictate the consequences, even if it makes you late or saddles you with a whiny kid on the way to school. If your son doesn’t put on his shoes as you ask, warn him that you’ll take him to school shoe-less — and then follow through and let him feel the consequence of being embarrassed in front of his teacher (pack the shoes, of course!) “Take the time to teach your child the lesson one day to save time every day,” says Braun.

 

Article taken from Parenting.com, February 2nd, 2018.

 

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Christmas 2017

It seems only yesterday that I was wandering past Wylie’s after finishing a small business course and remedial massage diploma, when the thought struck me: “Wouldn’t that be a wonderful place to have a massage?!” I was so inspired by the idea that I went straight down the stairs, spoke to the manager and the rest, as they say, is history. As of this December, Massage by the sea will be celebrating it’s 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

 

At first it was just me and my table at Wylie’s. Now we have a team of 14 therapists working across our two centres in Clovelly and Coogee offering a range of remedial massage and other health therapies. I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all of our clients who have supported us over the years and to the Wylie’s Baths Trust for helping us get started.

 

All of us at Massage by the sea wish our clients happy holidays, a great summer and wonderful new year ahead. We look forward to continuing to help you achieve greater health and well-being in the years to come.

 

In health and happiness,

Shareen McLeish

 

Shareen is owner and founder of Massage by the sea, remedial massage therapist, nutritionist and mother of two girls.

Be Healed by the Sea

by Shareen McLeish

We’ve all experienced the amazingly good feeling after a swim in the ocean. The exercise and cool water is refreshing and invigorating. But it’s more than that – a very different feeling to swimming in an indoors chlorinated pool. There are many reasons for this difference. Sea water has been used for healing throughout history.

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, evokes the beneficial effects of seawater in his Treaty of Medicine.  The word for sea water therapy is thalassotherapy, from the Greek “thalassa” meaning sea. Thalassotherapy health spas, in which heated seawater and other sea treatments are used therapeutically, have been around since the 1800’s. There are still thalassotherapy health spas today, mostly in Europe and Africa. Seaweed or mud wraps are available at most modern-day spas. For us lucky ones who live on the beautiful South East Coast of Australia we suggest you simply jump in the ocean!

Here are the ways in which seawater heals, detoxifies and regenerates the body:

Seawater has an Abundance of Nutrients and Health Giving Substances

As well as excreting sweat and wastes, our skin also absorbs nutrients from the environment. Interestingly, seawater has a similar composition to our blood plasma. It is believed that minerals and other micro substances are absorbed by the skin through the process of osmosis, even more-so when seawater is heated.

Salt is the main component (apart from H2O) in seawater. However, sea water is also rich in vitamins, mineral salts, trace elements, amino acids and living microorganisms which secrete antibiotic, bacteriostatic and hormonal substances with biological balancing effects. The mineral content of seawater includes magnesium which relaxes muscles and is calming on nerves. Iodine is essential for healthy thyroid function. Salt and potassium chloride speed up healing.
Seawater has been shown to be beneficial to arthritis, skin disorders and the immune system.

Ocean mist is rich in iodine and charged with negative ions

When we breathe in ocean mist, tiny molecules rich in iodine and charged with negative ions enter our body through the respiratory system. Negative ions accelerate our ability to absorb oxygen. They also balance levels of serotonin, a body chemical linked with mood and stress. This is why a walk on the beach can leave you feeling more alert, relaxed and energised.

The Sound of Ocean waves alters the wave patterns in the brain

This reduces stress and promotes well-being by lulling you into a deeply relaxed state.

Natural Sunlight

This releases endorphins increasing well-being. Moderate exposure is very beneficial for the skin and bones.

So you don’t even have to get wet! You can get thalassotherapy benefits from walking on the beach, breathing in the sea air or getting a seaside massage. Reminds me of a place.. ;)

The Physical qualities of water are also therapeutic

Cool water is invigorating and toning as well as soothing for the nerves. Warm water is relaxing. Floating induces deep relaxation.

Most would agree that there is something magical or spiritual about the ocean.

Looking out to the ocean as the waves thunder towards the shore, even on a cloudy day, the awe-inspiring beauty and power of the ocean somehow rarely fails to bring a feeling of peace and soothes the soul.

So enjoy Summer this year and make sure you make the most of our beautiful coastal city. Look after yourself in the most natural way by taking the time to immerse yourself in our abundant health giving waters. Or hang out at Wylie’s Baths with some of the ageless locals!

References

• http://www.traveltowellness.com/thalassotherapy
• Thalasso Experience: What is Thalasso?
• http://www.pacificnaturopathic.com/articles/health_benefits_of_sea_bathing.htm
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-102698/Three-health-benefits-sea.html
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/406804-what-health-benefits-do-you-get-by-swimming-in-ocean-sea-minerals/

Pediatric Massage Parents and carers provide a core sense of safety and security for babies, and massage is a beautiful, natural and incredibly healing bond between parent and child. A soothing massage can calm an upset infant, help a toddler with mental and physical growth, let young kids feel safe and secure, and assist with teenagers’ self-confidence and stress reduction. But, many parents and carers have no idea how to massage and feel intimidated by the idea. Well, no need! It’s easy to learn, very powerful for parent and child, and probably more healing and healthy than you realize.   The power of touch should not be underestimated. It has been widely held for a long time that the absence of nurturing touch can significantly influence the growth in our children. A lack of touch makes us lose interaction with our environment and can induce stress and anger.  Scientific research has shown that massage provides reduction in anxiety, depression and levels of stress hormones (most notably cortisol). You know as an adult how great you feel after a massage, so it makes sense that infants and children would most probably feel the same. The physical, psychological, and emotional benefits of touch for infants and children (including Pediatric patients who are hospitalized) have been well-documented in published research studies.   Nurturing touch doesn’t cost anything, and doesn’t require a prescription.  It does however take a small amount of your time each day to reach out and let someone know that you care about them. When used in conjunction with proper intention, the cumulative results of massage are remarkable!    Massage can assist with the following in infants and children:   – Helps deeper and longer sleep – Aids digestive (gastro-intestinal) problems – Reduces emotional stress – Boosts the immune system by stimulating the lymphatic system – Assists healthy weight gain in infants – Reduces asthma attack severity or frequency by stimulating the respiratory system – Reduces post-natal depression in mothers – Increases parent/child bonding – Reduces stress hormones (cortisol) by increasing the ‘feel good’ hormones (serotonin) – Calms and relaxes – reducing anxiety and tension – Assists muscular co-ordination and development  – Provides relief from growing pains by alleviating tension in the muscles – Improves focus and attention span – Relieves the pain of mild juvenile rheumatoid arthritis   But it’s not just the kids that benefit. Parents or providers who give massagetherapy reap the benefits of hormone changes, providing relaxation frommassage.  Oxytocin (feel good hormone) is increased in the bodies of those who give and receive massage. All you need to do is learn a few simple techniques.   So – check out Jen’s course at Massage by the sea if you are interested in learning a bit more.

Pediatric Massage classes         Wow, doesn’t that all sound great!  But how do we go about massaging our children to help them reap these types of benefits?   One of our much loved therapists here at MBTS, Jen Lafferty is passionate about healing touch and helping others.  She believes strongly in the body’s innate ability to heal itself and one such tool to assist people in this healing process is massage.  Jen is a trained remedial and pediatric massage therapist and has studied in Australia and overseas to refine her skills in this space.    Jen has developed a course to teach parents and careers how to safely and confidently massage their own children.   It’s currently being held on Wednesday’s at 11am here at MBTS upstairs room.  Call us today on (02) 9664 4400 to book your spot in our next course, or just to find out more.

Christmas Gifts  Make it a pleasant and dare-we-hope, relaxing Christmas this year by giving some ‘me time’ to those around you. Massage by the sea gift vouchers can be redeemed for remedial, relaxation, sports, pregnancy, Ka Huna, detox, organic facial-massage packages and our unique outdoors Massage by the sea. Something for every man, woman and child in your life!   Gift Vouchers are available by email or post and can be bought: On-line at www.massagebythesea.com.au Phone 02 9664 4400 At our Clovelly Indoors Centre or From Wylie’s Baths Kiosk (cash only) Buy 5 Gift Vouchers and get one FREE I’m a fan of the ‘one for them, one for me’ Christmas gift shopping technique. Well, this is even easier. Buy five of these perfect present gift vouchers, in one easy click, and you get a freebie that you can give to a loved one, or gift to yourself for all your hard work over Christmas (that special loved one!)     Complete your Christmas shopping with just a few clicks… (click here) 5+1 Offer only available for 6 treatments of the same duration and cost. Massage Gift Vouchers are valid at either our indoors or outdoors location, excluding hot-stone and facial massage combinations which are only available at Clovelly indoors centre. Health fund rebate receipts cannot be given for gift vouchers purchased or redeemed. Tax invoice receipts only.

Introductory Kinesiology Offer We are also delighted to let you know that Hayley is now offering kinesiology at the clinic.     Kinesiology is an amazing holistic tool for healing. Expert kinesiology practitioners like Hayley can work with your muscle memory to see where emotional or physical trauma is still held in the body. Kinesiology uses muscle testing to pin point where stressed are held in the body and also to identify how to release them. Hayley uses gentle but powerful techniques which are non invasive to aid healing. By working holistically with the mind-body connection chronic, reoccuring and hard to treat conditions can be dealt with. Hayley is a firm believer in the power of our bodies to heal themselves, and her kinesiology practice is a wonderful demonstration of how she can effectively facilitate this.   Kinesiology can help with  Pain or restricted movement, postural problems, headaches and migraines Respiratory issues Weight management Nutritional imbalances, food reactions, digestive issues and recurring infections Hormonal imbalances and Women’s health and fertility Addictive patterns Emotional issues, self sabotage patterns, trauma release, unresolved grief Anxiety, phobias, panic attacks Physical or mental fatigue and sleeping patterns Learning challenges, concentration and memory Hayley will be offering kinesiology at the clinic at these times: Mondays 10am to 7.45pm Wednesdays 10am to 7.45pm Thursdays 10am to 7.45pm   We are so excited about this new service at the clinic that we are offering a special discounted introductory offer of only $100 for your first 90 min session (normally $150).        Book here

Ka Huna at Wylies, opening times and competition    Summer’s here!   We are now in our 16th year at Wylie’s, and really, it isn’t Summer until you’ve had a massage by the sea after your dip!  Massage by the sea will be open Thursday and Friday (see below) and weekends in November and then seven sunny days a week through Summer from 8.45 am to 5pm.   This year we are lucky to have Marcia giving Ka Huna massages to the sound of the waves every Thursday and Friday.  Nothing could be more perfect!  Just click on booking link below to book online and please remember to pick ‘outdoor’ if you want your massage at Wylies.   To promote this fantastic new service, we are running two offers. You can try Ka Huna by the beach out for just $25 for a half hour session. Amazing value and a great way to test drive it! When booking online choose outdoors massage with Marcia, 30 minutes. Available this Thursday and Friday only.   Plus, we are giving away an hour and a half of indulgent Ka Huna massage at Wylie’s baths free to one lucky winner.   Just ‘reply ‘ to this email with your answer, include your phone number (and email address) and tell us in 25 words or less why you are looking forward to a Ka Huna massage at Wylies. Someone’s got to win so do it now!!     Book early for your Massage by the sea at Wylie’s     Competition closes Friday 14. Nov at 12 midnight Winner will be picked by judges on Sat 15. Nov and notified by weds 19th Nov. Prize is one 1.5 hr Ka Huna massage on a Thurs or Fri in November at Wylie’s Baths. Winners will need to pay to get into Wylie’s to redeem their massage. Only one entry per person. Multiple entries are invalid $25 Half hour Ka Huna massages are only available this Thursday 6th and Friday 7th at Wylies

With the sun finally here, this month’s newsletter is all about getting out into nature and the amazing health and emotional benefits of exercising. We also look at how massage can help you with sports injuries, and other health issues that may affect those who can’t get out and about as easily. We feature our talented therapist Raquel de Souza whose amazing healing hands can assist with all sorts of injuries and diseases, and look at fruit that can help revitalize and energise. Happy October massage lovers!– The team at Massage by the sea   In this month’s newsletter: Exercise, health and healingSports massage and massage for diseasesMeet RaquelVitality fruitsPrice update Wylies opening times – book early  Have an energizing October! Warm regardsFrom the team at Massage by the sea

Exercise, health and healing     Now that the sun is finally here, it feels like time to get out and about. We all know that too much sun is really bad for your skin, so bear that in mind (and look out for next month’s newsletter when we tell you how foods can help prevent and heal sun damage). But, getting out feels good and is good for us, so we thought we’d remind you with five great reasons for putting down the video/game console controls and getting out into nature and exercising.   1. Exercise We all know it’s good for us. Even standing up is better for us than sitting down all day (and we predict that stand-up desks and even treadmills will be the trendy new hip thing at funky new offices soon) http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/20/upright-desks-treadmills-at-work-is-standing-better) Did you also know that exercise is the very best, natural, no bad side-effects, free, anti-depressant? (http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Exercise-and-Depression-report-excerpt.htm) So come on, no excuses now it’s not raining!   2. Vitamin D When we eat Vitamin D, our body converts it into a hormone. This hormone is sometimes called “activated vitamin D” or “calcitriol” and it controls calcium levels in the blood. It’s vital for a healthy immune system and helps protect against osteoporosis and other muscular-skeletal problems, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and heart disease. As always, the best source of Vitamin D is the natural one – the sun. So, get outdoors!   3. Eye Health and sleep It seems that artificial light could be an increasing problem for eyesight. In 2011 the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/opinion/21wang.html?_r=2&) published an article that found that “among American children with two myopic parents, those who spent at least two hours a day outdoors were four times less likely to be nearsighted that those who spent less than one hour a day outside” If you work on a computer inside, you are also at risk of something called Computer Vision Syndrome, which can include headaches, neck ache, blurred vision and back pain.   Natural sunlight is also great for your eye health, and what’s good for your eyes is good for your sleep. A series of nerve cells in the eye control how sleepy we get (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080825204822.htm)   So, spending too much time indoors, along with shift-work, can affect our circadian rhythms… the things that tell us when to sleep and when to wake. Which is why some people who have been blind since birth and some elderly people with cataracts have difficulty with regular sleep patterns. Not only is not sleeping annoying, it can be associated with depression, immune impairment and cancer. Artificial light, and especially the blue light emitted from computers, can inhibit the release of melatonin. The take out from this? You need natural sunlight to sleep!   4. Fresh Air We are lucky that many of us in Sydney (especially in the eastern suburbs) live near the ocean. Whilst there is pollution in this big city of ours, it seems that indoor pollution is much worse than outdoor (http://www.epa.gov/region1/communities/indoorair.html). The health risks of pollutants are clear, including asthma, lung cancer, heart disease and chronic bronchitis. Yikes! You still indoors reading this? Bonus: A NASA study found 15 houseplants that improve indoor air quality, including Aloe, snake plant, golden pothos, and chrysanthemum.  Turning your home into a Rainforest grove is a worthwhile supplement to getting outside.    5. Grounding Hippies have been walking barefoot since the 60’s, and many of us love the feel of fresh grass on our toes but did you know that being physically in touch with the earth might provide health benefits? According to one study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18047442) ‘grounding’ can have anti-inflammatory and energizing effect on the body as well as assisting sleep patterns (this is linked to the fact that the earth’s surface, unlike it’s atmosphere, possesses a limitless and continuous renewed supply of free or mobile electrons) So perhaps those hippies were right after all and you need to get your toes out and suck up those vibes!       Thanks to Appalachian trails for much of this information (http://www.appalachiantrials.com/scientifically-supported-reasons-get-outside/)

Sports massage and massage for diseases     If you are getting out there and exercising this spring, good on you! But remember that sports massage should play an important part of your regime, whether you are an athlete or just increasing your activity levels.   Massage has a number of benefits both physical, physiological and psychological for everyone. However, sports massage can help maintain the body in generally better condition, prevent injuries and loss of mobility, cure and restore mobility to injured muscle tissue, boost performance and allow you to keep exercising for longer as you age.   Massage as part of your exercise regime has numerous benefits. The stroking movements in massage suck fluid through blood and lymph vessels. This is especially important in tight or damaged muscle tissue, as a tight muscle will squeeze blood out like a sponge, depriving the tissues of vital nutrients and energy to repair.   Deep massage causes the pores in tissue membranes to open, enabling fluids and nutrients to pass through. This helps remove waste products such as lactic acid and encourage the muscles to take up oxygen and nutrients and recover quicker.   Massage stretches muscles in ways they may not normally be stretched, and can help break down scar tissue which otherwise may cause inflexibility and areas prone to pain and injury. Hard training can make tissues hard and inelastic, all the stretching in massage helps reverse this.   All these benefits also help us non-athlete types keep our muscles in top form. They also help with chronic disease. For example, Parkinson’s which is a progressive degeneration of the central nervous system, and is incurable. Massage has long been shown to help with symptoms. Parkinson’s disease typically causes muscle stiffness and rigidity, bodywork’s ability to alleviate joint and muscle stiffness makes it a logical choice. But massage also helps with the depression that often accompanies Parkinson’s.   Massage can also be great for other chronic diseases, specifically arthritis, osteoporosis, postural problems, stress, anxiety, depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory disorders.   Massage by the sea has therapists who specialize in sport and remedial massage and can work with those of us who are fitness freaks, light exercisers, ageing or facing any of the above conditions.

Featured therapist – Raquel de Souza One of our very talented therapists, Rachel de Souza, has years of working with these issues. Rachel has spent over 10 years working with Rugby clubs and professional athletes, as well as marathon runners and City to Surfers. She has worked in chiropractic and physiotherapy clinics and is a Graduate in Physical Education. She also has years of experience specializing in sport and rehabilitation massage with people with any kind of disability, including Parkinson’s, wheelchair users, and those recovering after injury.

Revitalising food fact   All this talk of exercise is making me tired. Like many people, I often go for a coffee or something sugary to give me a much needed energy boost. But did you know that fruits perk you up a much as coffee does? That’s right – grab and apple instead of a coffee in the morning and it will wake you up just as much. Fruit doesn’t contain caffeine, but it does have a high level of natural sugars. Natural being an important word – because natural sugar is made mainly of glucose, and as long as you are digesting that apple of piece of fruit you are getting the energy boosting glucose hit. Plus the vitamins in the skin of an apple are released slowly throughout the body making you feel more awake. There may not be the big caffeine hit, but there will also be no crash.

Price update          Due to some increased costs, we will have to change our charges and as of the 1st November a one hour massage will be $95. This is our first increase for three years.   However, our loyal customers are still being rewarded. On your 6th massage with us you receive a $20 discount, and on your 12th a $40 discount.   Plus, all our massage therapists are HICAPS registered (with a few individual health fund exceptions) and we have HICAPS facilities and receipts available for health fund rebates.

Massage by the sea at Wylies Saturday 1st November     We will definitely know Summer is here in a few weeks’ time on Sat 1st November when Massage by the sea return to Wylie’s Baths.  We will be open weekends in November and then seven sunny days a week through Summer from 8.45 am to 5pm.   Now in our 16th year at Wylie’s, it isn’t Summer until you’ve had a massage by the sea after your dip!   Book early for your Massage by the sea at Wylie’s

1 September 2014

The last few weeks have been rainy and blustery, but Spring is definitely on it’s way. It’s nearly Spring equinox, when night and day are exactly the same length, and we are coming out of hibernation with a fantastic seasonal discount for you.

On 13th September we get 15 minutes of fame!

Massage by the sea will be shown on Sydney Weekender on Channel 7 (5:30 – 6:30pm). Cuba and Iveta give star performances, as well as their always fantastic massages, at Wylie’s baths. Check it out and let us know what you think on our facebook page!

Also in this month’s newsletter:

This Sunday – Father’s Day Gift Vouchers
Spring equinox 5 rejuvenation tips
Meet our new team member
Ka Huna special discount
Ka Huna Bodywork and the Huna philosophy

Have an uplifting Spring!

Warm regards,

from the team at Massage by the sea

Father’s Day Gift Vouchers

September 7th

We know from experience how much Dads love a relaxing or remedial massage (for the sporty ones). So much nicer than socks or a tie! So if you haven’t got a present for him there’s still time with our gift vouchers.

All Massage gift vouchers can be used at either our Clovelly Indoors Centre or Wylie’s Baths Outdoors Centre. Gift vouchers are available on-line or over the phone 02 9664 4400. Please let us know if you would like your gift voucher emailed.

Spring Equinox rejuvenation tips

On the 23^rd September it will be Spring Equinox when day and night are exactly the same length.

In the Northern Hemisphere this is Easter, the time of Christ’s rebirth. However, it is celebrated with chocolate bunnies, daffodils and Easter eggs…. Why? Bunnies because they breed like crazy, daffodils because they are the first plants of Spring, and eggs as a fertility sign. The festival originated as a Pagan spring festival, Ostara, when we traditionally celebrate new life and rebirth. It is the time to remember that every Winter must end. I like to think of this as a reminder also that every trouble or problem we have will also come to pass.

So here’s five tips for how you can celebrate Spring:

1. Balance your life

Think about the key areas of your life. Love, Family, Friends, Money, Work, Spirituality, Self-care, Exercise, Food, Fun, Home, Learning and whatever else is important to you. Take a few moments to work out how much time you spend a day, a week, or a month on different parts of your life. Then rank which areas of your life are most important to you. Have a look and see where you are out of balance. Are you spending lots of time giving to others without a moment’s solitude or rest for you? Whilst we all have to make sacrifices in the short-term, this is not sustainable. Work out a way to slowly begin to shift into a more balanced and sustainable structure, and if you need help doing it, ask for it.

2. Create

I’m always impressed with people who don’t just think of good ideas, but actually take steps to turn a thought into a physical object. Spring is all about creation. But you don’t have to make babies! You can create anything, any time – a new recipe, a new route to work, a new idea for a business, a new hobby or even an old creative hobby – writing, painting, knitting, building matchstick houses! Whatever it is, big or small, silly or smart, get in touch with that imagination of yours and express it.

3. Bring in the new (sweep out the old)

Heard of Spring cleaning? Yes, well, it’s that time of year when we crawl out of our winter burrows and face the world afresh. It’s a great time to revisit New Year resolutions and see what has dropped off or changed. Now is the time to bring more of what you want into your life, a new approach, fresh love, new life or new life blown into an old situation. If this means getting rid of some of the deadwood then do it!

4. Plant seeds

Spring is the perfect time to get into the garden, or balcony. If you planted bulbs last autumn they will already be flowering. Now is the time to plant the seeds that will give you a wonderful display (or salad) come Summer. If you don’t have a balcony or garden, check out your local Community Garden and get involved!

5. Hope

Winter is nearly over, and Spring is a time to remember that there is always hope through bad times that things will change. So now is a good time to start becoming more optimistic. No, it’s not just a personality trait, there are actually ways you can nurture a more optimistic outlook. Here’s a few to try:

• See the bigger picture – how bad will this really be in 10 years’ time?
• Re-frame your bad experience and see what you learnt from it – there’s always something (even if it is to never do it again!) In fact, perhaps your experience may help someone else. Pass it forward!
• Focus on what is in your control and what small steps you can take forward. Let go of the rest
• Be grateful – write a gratitude list every day for 2 weeks (I notice a lot of these on Facebook these days)
• Focus on what you want and how you are getting there, not where you were.
• Be nice to yourself, treat yourself with kindness and sympathy. Don’t blame yourself for life’s ups and downs.

New Ka Huna bodyworker at Massage by the sea

We are pleased to welcome a new therapist, Marcia Diamond, to Massage by the sea.

Marcia is a passionate and dedicated therapist whose primary focus is to empower mind, body and spirit. In her work, she integrates a diverse range of techniques including Kinesiology, Hawaiian Massage, Aromatherapy, Crystal Healing and Card Readings.

Marcia loves to work together with her clients to create real, positive changes in their lives in order to assist them in discovering their own inner resources, and be at their optimal best.

To celebrate her arrival, we are offering a special $25 discount on Ka Huna so book now!

Ka Huna Bodywork Special Discount:

Book a one-hour Ka Huna bodywork session with Marcia before 27th September to receive a $25 discount.

Terms and conditions

One discount per 1 hour booking. One discounted booking per person. To receive discount of $25 you must book a one-hour Ka Huna massage with Marcia Diamond at Massage by the Sea and say you read about the discount in this newsletter. You must book this massage before Saturday 27^th September 2014. Your must have your massage before October 18^th 2014 for the discount to apply.

Ka Huna bodywork and the Huna philosophy

Ka Huna, or Lomi Lomi bodywork comes from the beautiful and magical islands of Hawai’i. Huna is the pacific islanders’ system of healing, philosophy and knowledge based on the idea of ‘Aloha’. A Kahuna is the shaman or practitioner of huna arts. The bodywork itself is not just a massage, but also a complete experience. It was originally used during rites of passage as a transformational and healing ceremony.

Ka Huna has been used as a system for personal growth and development, and as a healing and spiritual discipline for over a thousand years. The word Huna comes fromHu relating to the male energy, and Na to the female. Much like Chinese medicine seeks to balance Yin and Yang, Ka Huna brings together and balances the body and mind in it’s physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions.

Ka Huna is a vigorous and rhythmic massage, which sweeps across you in relaxing waves. The practitioner is trained to bring loving intention and focus to the client – and this is the essence of the ‘Aloha’ spirit that is sacred to Hawaiians. The word “Aloha’ comes from ‘Alo’ meaning to be present with, and ‘Oha’ meaning happiness and love and ‘Ha’ which means the breath of life. Therefore Aloha translates roughly as “To be joyfully connected and filled with the loving breath of life” or, as I prefer, “Our hearts singing together with life”.

Ka Huna celebrates life, bringing together mind, body and spirit in its natural flow and rhythm. Supporting and assisting the Whole Self (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) to be at its optimal best.

The body worker uses a combination of movement, dance, rhythm, breath and energy that awakens the whole self to release stress, gain balance, clarity and connect to heart. This beautiful form of body work provides a holistic approach to healing with its long flowing movements using hands, arms, elbows gliding in a rhythmic, soothing, energizing and soulful dance

Ka Huna is excellent for re-energizing, rebalancing and rejuvenating and can be helpful in maintaining and improving joint flexibility. It’s also great for your lymphatic, immune, circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems. And of course, like most massages it really helps with general wellbeing, vitality and deep relaxation.

 Book a Ka Huna massage and get a Spring discount here 

21 October 2013

LET’S MAKE THE STREET GREENER, SAFER,

MORE HUMAN AND LIVEABLE

The local community is making Clovelly Road
better for a day. We’re adding trees, plants, tables,
chairs, art, music, slowing car speeds, and creating
better, safer conditions for everyone—including
kids, seniors, and people walking and cycling.
The aim is to bring the community together,
encourage everyone to re-imagine the street, and
build momentum for permanent improvements.

27 October 2013
Sunday 11.00am—3.30pm, between Arden & Beach streets

Come and see it in action, and give us your ideas on how local streets can be better. The event has been approved by Randwick Council and we’ll be providing feedback to them after the day. For more info search online for ‘Clovelly Road Better Block’ or facebook.com/ClovellyRoad

2)      Spring food -The citrus fruits such as grapefruits, lemons and oranges are seasonal spring fruits. Use them in salads and dressings, and they are helpful to boost immunity after winter. Over eating pumpkin soup? Move to lighter, fresher dishes such as salads and spring roasts.  The Taste website has more than 1,000 salad recipes, barbecue recipes, picnic recipes and recipes for the great outdoors.

3)      Dry Skin Brushing – Great to remove old dead skin cells, invigorate and get the lymphatic system moving to mop up and release winter toxins from body. 

4)      Spring Aromatherapy – use essential oils that are floral, energising, herbaceous and sweet.

5)      Spring Gardening – On a lovely spring day there is nothing like the warmth of the sun on your back and your hands in the earth bringing new life to the soil by planting spring plants and herbs. This is the time of year to plant basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme. No need for a full garden – a few pots on your balcony will do and you will be set with your cooking herbs for the season!

Newest team member

A warm welcome to George our newest team member; George graduated from University in 2008 with a bachelor degree in physiotherapy in Egypt. He came to Sydney in 2011.

George has worked as a massage therapist and physiotherapist assistant for the past 7 years.

He is available at our Clovelly clinic – Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Just a note on his Health Funds: – Currently waiting on registration at this clinic. Receipts will be sent for health fund rebates with George once the registration process is complete (approximately 2 weeks)./div>

 

Step into Spring with Postural Strength

 

Building Core Strength with Pilates

 

Spring is teasing us with the beautiful clear sunny days but it is still chilly reminding us that winter hasn’t quite left yet. We are ready to start moving and ease into spring but our bodies still have that winter tightness. Tight muscles can be eased by an excellent massage – ahhh the very thought, but often the question is: how to keep that feeling of ease going? How to keep moving well and feel a bit lighter?

 

People who work long hours in one position such as in an office setting, can find it especially difficult to maintain ease of movement. Sitting in front of a computer, you may find that you slump a bit, the shoulders round forward and the neck and the lower back tighten; and the tummy and bottom really don’t do much to support you at all. The mind is engaged but the body is forgotten. Yet we can, and often do, hold this posture for hours. (Can you imagine holding any other pose that long, five days a week?).

 

A good way to counterbalance this inactivity is to build up postural resistance through specific strengthening and stretching exercises. Pilates is a wonderfully rich series of exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles over the whole body with particular emphasis on building good core strength. Pilates helps improve movement and breathing habits, it can be used to complement your other activities when you are well and remedially it can assist after injury or alleviate long-term conditions. The range is really varied so it is also for sportspeople and elite athletes wanting a strong full body workout that makes the most of their movements.

 

Today I was fortunate in seeing two clients who started Pilates some months ago wondering if it might give them any help with chronic back and hip pain respectively. Now it is wonderful to see them moving painlessly with ease, doing exercises they previously thought way beyond their limits and hearing of all the other hikes and activities they do.

 

If you would like to improve your posture and movement habits (or if you are living with injuries/conditions/stiffness and would like to move past this) you too might like to try a regular Pilates workout. It can be tailored to address your specific needs. Either mat or equipment based exercises are fabulous. Equipment based exercises use spring resistance and mat workouts use body weight resistance.

 

As Pilates focuses on improving habits, I recommend you attend a studio where the groups are small and the instructor helps you with technique – a private session is really worth the investment to  learn about how your body moves and make small adjustments that can take away strain and let you move more comfortably. And comfort is a great state to be in.

 

Jane is Director of Inspirit Pilates and teaches in studios at Coogee, Clovelly and Maroubra. www.inspiritpilates.com.au