Winter Warming

Skin Deep

Skin is the body's largest organ of the integumentary system; the average person the skin measures between 16-21.5 sq ft.. Skin has pigmentation or melanin, which absorbs potentially dangerous ultraviolet radiation. It also contains DNA enzymes that help repair UV damage. People who lack the genes for these enzymes suffer high rates of skin cancer. Skin serves several basic functions. 

Protects underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. It's an anatomical barrier that keeps out pathogens between our internal and external environment 

Sensation  contains nerve endings that respond to heat/cold, touch, pressure, and injury.

Heat regulation the skin  contains a blood supply that allows control of energy loss by radiation, convection and conduction.

Excretion sweating allows us to get rid of metabolic waste products.

Synthesis and storage the sun blesses us with vitamin D, the skin synthesizes it and stores lipids and water.

Absorption of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide can diffuse into the dermis. Medicine can be administered through the skin by ointments, poultices, and iontophoresis.

Skin conveys messages to others about our mood and physical state. As we age skin loses its elasticity, becomes thinner, and  more easily damaged. Cortisol is released when we are stressed, this causes breakdown of collagen and accelerates aging. So relax, get a massage today and enjoy the benefits of Boomerang Botanicals cosmetic grade macadamia oil from the dewy rain-forest of Australia, where macadamias were born. 

Be happy in your skin!

Tea Tree Oil

There is the widely held perception that everything in Australia is going to kill you. No doubt that there are those things that will, and there are also many powerful 'bush' curatives found there.

Melaleuca alternifolia is native to Northern New South Wales Australia. There were alot grown at Coraki, just south of Lismore. The local Aboriginal, the Bundjalung people, use tea trea as a traditional medicine by inhaling oils from the crushed leaves to treat coughs and colds. They also sprinkle wounds with the leaves after which a poultice is applied. I use essential oil of tea tree for wounds and cleaning around the house.

The University of Western Australia has done extensive research into tea tree oil and it's role in treating MRSA. Anyone involved in health care or sport knows the danger of this very contagious and persistent disease. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_tree_oil

 

The Tea Tree, as it's commonly known, has been used for hundreds of years. As I travelled around Australia, this became my 'bottle of first aid' for it's range of uses. The first time I encountered it, I was astonished by it's power to heal. I had cut myself and a friend had some that we dabbed on. It was a flap of skin that was partially attached and the tea tree 'glued' the rest of it down. Healing time was quite abbreviated despite high humidity and temperatures.

The American Cancer Society notes it is toxic if swallowed. 

Medications should be kept away from children and pets.

Cottonwood Hot Springs ~ Buena Vista CO

A relaxing day 'taking in the waters'.

High Altitude Massage

Mother's Day is coming up and CU's graduation, there will be folks from out of town who may not live at altitude. For those of us lucky enough to be here in Boulder, Colorado the elevation is nearly 5500 ft here. Altitude affects everyone differently.

Last year I did chair massage for the month of June down on the Pearl St Mall. The strong euro had brought many sightseers from overseas, strolling pass they would curiously view the massage chair. It was a quite a hot day. A family came by, the women left the man too have a 15 minute massage and they went shopping. I had him fill out a brief chair massage intake form. As he got seated I noticed he seemed to be breathing laboriously. He complained of the flight being late, not sleeping, and a series of other aggravations. He mentioned feeling as though he had indigestion a few minutes into the massage. Now that got my attention, as often a heart attack will seem like that. As I worked on his neck he lifted his head, his eyes rolled,  and he dropped back into the face cradle. I  called his name, asking if he could hear me and he remained unresponsive. I called 911 and the ambulance arrived; his blood pressure had dropped quickly and he had passed out. He ended up here in hospital for a couple days. 

There were many factors at work that day, the heat, the altitude, his age, and prior health concerns were all considerations. As a professional massage therapist one should not only carry liability insurance,  but be observant and check in with your client ensuring they have a good experience. 

Many people arrive in our 'mile high environment' and may not be fit or understand implications of altitude sickness and adjustment. Immediate effects include hyperventilation, fluid loss, increase in heart rate, and stroke volume. It is important to be aware of these symptoms and take measures to assist in acclimatization. You may only be here for a short time but staying hydrated will make the biggest difference to how you feel.

Enjoy Boulder!

May ~ Mental Health Awareness Month

As human beings we are physical, emotional, and spiritual creatures. How do we keep it all in balance? What activities do you do to de-stress? 

Massage reduces stress and anxiety, boosts your immune system, releases endorphins, and promotes restful sleep. Sleep is important for the body to heal. Massage gives us an increased awareness of ourselves; I believe personal awareness is at the heart of preventative medicine.

Yoga is also excellent for developing self-awareness and perspective.

I also believe that scent is a powerful modality.  Aromatherapy was a precursor to modern deodorants and anti-perspirants; it's amazing how indoor running water has changed things. 

I have a small bottle of lavender or rose geranium diluted in water, a few squirts is refreshing and uplifting. Breathe DEEP! I am fascinated by the role of olfactory and memory. 

There's an excellent article on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfactory_memory#cite_note-def3-25

I found it extremely interesting the link between olfactory deficits being a predictor of several mental disorders such as depression, dementia, and Alzheimer's. It seems that certain brain altering drugs such as anti-depressants also produce deficits in olfactory memory. There really is something to "taking time to smell the roses."

If you feels suicidal, reach out for help. If someone tells you they're suicidal, it's not okay to keep quiet, take action. If you are depressed seek professional help. 

Take time for yourself, set appropriate boundaries, be positive - happiness is catchy! 

Support yourself with a network that helps meet your needs. 

Don't put off what you feel you need but can't afford, many healers offer sliding payment rates.

Be well!

Mother's Day Specials

Magic of Macadamia

I went to university in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. We lived in Rosebank, not far from Dunoon, Macadamia Capital of Australia. There were plantations all over the countryside and it was here that I first learned about macadamias, which is to say, like alot of things Australian, was contradictory to everything I'd previously known.

The first commercial orchard was planted near where I went to school in the early 1880's by Charles Staff. I always thought that macadamias came from Hawaii as they established commercial production so successfully. However, in 2008, macadamia production in Hawaii slipped to a 26-year low. Macadamia nuts are indigenous to Australia and were discovered by John Macadam.

I have been importing Australian macadamia oil and incorporating it into my massage which in turn compelled me to begin Boomerang Botanicals.  I like to mix it with horse chestnut to promote circulation.
Macadamia oil is regenerative, skin conditioning and anti-aging. This oil is high in palmitoleic acid, nearly identical to the skins' own natural emollients. This is unique ingredient isn't found in any other known plant oil.

Arnica montana ~ Leopards' bane

Arnica montana ~ Leopards' bane

The species Arnica montana is native to Europe and has been used for medicinal purposes since the 1500's. Applied topically as a liniment or salve it soothes muscle aches and reduces inflammation.  The thymol derivatives found in the root acts as an vasodilator and facilitate the transport of blood and fluid accumulations associated with injuries.

If I have a bruise or sprain I always reach for arnica. It seems to 'draw out' the bruising, healing more quickly.  It is an excellent adjunct in massage.

Do not use on broken skin and prolonged use may cause irritation. Try a test patch and see if it's something that's for you.

Hydrotherapy - healing power of water

It's dark rainy day today which makes me think about being warm and snugly. 

Hydrotherapy involves the use of water for soothing pains and treating disease.  It has been recorded in  Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Japanese societies. It languished during the middle ages but regained popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

It can employ the use of jets, whirlpool, hot tub, or jacuzzi. Europeans discovered Kneipp Treatments, Thalassaotherapy, Balneotherapy to name a few.

A hot bath with Epson salts is an excellent anecdote to everyday stressors. I believe it cures a whole slew of maladies.

Here in Colorado we are blessed with many natural thermal hot springs. My favorite is Strawberry Park Hot Springs near Steamboat Springs; I've posted some photos here. 

There are lots of hot springs throughout Colorado with various mineral content, I tend not to like the sulphur springs for obvious reasons : ) with the exception of the Yampa Vapor Caves which are different again as you are not soaking in the water, it just runs through. Spend the extra 50 cents and get the lavender infused wash cloth, a thoughtful add on.

It's good to take time out on your own away from everyone, indulge yourself, feel better today!

In the beginning,

we knew  how to heal ourselves. We have forgotten, clogged ourselves with prescription drugs looking for everything from sleep to weight control. We are a pop-a-pill culture and it struck me when we returned from Australia, after five years. America was a whole new world to me. On my massage intake form, there is a section for current meds. I had to surf up most of them to realize what I was dealing with. So many anti-depressants it was astonishing. 

Australians, like Europeans, seem to lean toward a more holistic view of health. In Australia there was lots of interesting, ancient, sometimes explicable knowledge. Just like there is in all of us. 

That is what I strive to  achieve in my sessions, restore peoples sense of self, bring them back into themselves, where the real healing occurs. 

Boomerang Massage ~ you'll be back!

Sweetening life

"Believe, when you are most unhappy, that there is something for you to do in the world.

So long as you can sweeten another's pain, life is not in vain."  Helen Keller

Today in 1887, Anne Sullivan arrived at the Tuscumbia, Ala., home of Captain and Mrs. Arthur H. Keller to become the teacher for their blind and deaf 6-year-old daughter, Helen.