As a massage therapist and the mother of a burgeoning teen aged daughter, it can be all too easy for me to feel as though I need to be in perpetual motion. In order to get that high school application written, get dinner made, take…
What is Massage Therapy? Massage is the manipulating of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue using various techniques, to enhance function, aid in the healing process, decrease muscle reflex activity, inhibit motor-neuron excitability, promote relaxation and well-being,and as a recreational activity. Massage…
Rest Well, Be Beautiful Time flies so fast and we all have so much to pack into our days that we are all guilty of perhaps not taking as much time to rest and relax as we should. Generally, we are much more aware of…
Have you tried our own Peace Tea? It really is quite delicious. Our tea contains all organic, caffeine free ingredients that combine surprisingly well into a unique taste sensation. Flowers include rose petals, lavender and chamomile. Spearmint and Stevia add a touch of natural sweetness….
A Star Is Born! On Wednesday, February 6th, our beloved receptionist, Angela Sarac was recognized as a Portland International Airport CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERSTAR. She was invited to the annual PDX Make the Connection Banquet and I was so thrilled to have her hard work and…
Arnica Montana, also known as Leopard’s Bane, has been used for medicinal purposes since at least the 1500s. It is used as a topical analgesic, usually prepared from the petals of the Arnica flower, which is part of the same perennial family as the common…
Brazilian Propolis Lotion by Epicuren has become my new favorite facial product. Aside from the fact that it smells amazing, sort of like a sweeter smell, the results are fabulous. Propolis is a bi-product made by bees when they are collecting pollen and sap and…
As we begin this new year, I am first reminded on how fast 2012 went by! Too many things wanting to be accomplished and not enough time to do them. No regrets…just time passes by so fast. I’ve decided this year to have a heavy…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) Here’s a test: Stand with one foot directly in front of the other, heel to toe, like you just got pulled over to do a sobriety test. Close your eyes. Try not to wobble or…
My new favorite product recommended during my last facial….Epicuren Pro Collagen. Been using for the last month and starting to feel a difference in the elasticity of my skin. I use very sparingly so it will last me awhile! -Robert (Spa Director at NW Thurman)
(Originally published in About Face Magazine, issue 08) When a patient comes in to see me, I get a brief opportunity to facilitate a shift toward the positive. I might overhaul their diet, give them exercises, insert acupuncture needles, or prescribe some medicine. It’s clear…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) Traveling, whether by plane, train, car, bus, or unicycle, is often hard on the body. There are many things you can do to make traveling a less painful experience. It does require some work, but…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) Acceptance is an essential prerequisite to letting something go. Although it’s natural to fight the things we dislike, when the struggle is within us, it only strengthens our relationship with the thing we dislike. Perhaps…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) Our food choices often play a major part in the development of chronic pain. All of the ways our diet affects our internal chemistry is too big a topic for this forum, but there are…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) The increase in Americans’ use of oral pharmaceutical drugs over the past several decades is nothing short of mind-blowing. I always ask my patients what drugs they’re taking – if any – and I routinely…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) Since at least several hundred years B.C., people in Greece, India, China, and elsewhere have used a technique of applying friction to the skin in order to resolve pain and treat deeper medical disorders. The…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) Ok, so tennis elbow – AKA lateral epicondylitis – has never been just an affliction of tennis players. They’re just especially prone to it because the shock of whacking a tennis ball (especially backhand) tends…
Bad posture has many forms. It’s not just the slouching that mothers like to point out. There are all sorts of ways in which our positioning can produce significant stress on our muscles and joints (and even our internal organs). Curcumin has been shown to…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition of the sole of the foot. Technically, plantar fasciitis means inflammation of the plantar facsia – the connective tissue on the sole that runs from the heel to the…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) If you suffer from neck pain, there’s a good chance it’s nothing serious, and even something you can get over rather quickly. The muscles that run along the back of the neck join at their…
(Originally published as an article for Imbue Pain Relief Patch) In the practice of Chinese Medicine, heat is nearly always considered preferable to cold for the treatment of pain. A fundamental principle of this medical system is that all pain is caused by stagnation –…