How many times do you get given toiletries for Christmas, or treat yourself, or someone else, to cosmetics for that special occasion?
What if you found out that, despite the packaging, it wasn't quite as lovely as you had hoped it to be? Forewarned is forearmed... the essence of a healing touch isn't just down to technique or even an open heart, it's also about understanding the energetics of touch and keeping your own channels clear. Covering yourself, or bathing in, harmful chemicals doesn't help, but the Skin Deep database just might! It originates in the USA, so won't cover all the brands we know in the UK, and it can take a while to catch up with some of the latest lines, but it is worth while checking out some of those better known international brands you may have in your cupboard or on your dressing table. It'll also help you learn some of the ingredients to avoid and can make some recommendations, too. Here's the link: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep Enter the brand or product name in the search bar. If it is registered with the database, you will get a traffic lighted code of suitability (red / orange / green). The lower the score (from 1-10), the safer it is. Clicking on it will produce further information about the reasons for the score... which ingredients are suspect (again colour coded) and clicking again will give you further information on the results of tests which have lead to the score. Illuminating, indeed! Recently, a friend of mine emailed me from Hong Kong wondering why a cold product commonly found in the UK, and often used on babies for chest infections, was banned in his country. I had no idea, but remembered the database and looked it up, only to find that the fragrance used in the product scored red, as it was known to cause: "Allergies/immunotoxicity, Miscellaneous, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Ecotoxicology"! You just never know... check it out before you reach the check-out and remember, there's men's cosmetics on the database, too! Feel free to use the space below to make some recommendations of "green" products you have found and don't forget to share this database with those who are most likely to give YOU cosmetics or toiletries for Xmas, too! Wishing you and yours a happy AND HEALTHY New Year as we move towards 2018!
When I was a child, due to my father's work, we moved around a lot. I'm not sure I ever felt truly at home. Although we had stopped moving by the time I was six, sub-consciously, I was always preparing myself for the next move. Not really fitting in (or, perhaps, not allowing myself to fit in, in case it hurt too much to leave), I felt insecure, bullied even. But during the holidays we used to come to this house in Worcestershire, with an over-grown garden and orchard where there were golden bantams and old Mr Williams grew vegetables for the local market. A cockerel woke us in the morning, cows walked down the lane to be milked, we made dens in (or on top of) the old pigsty and disused outside loo, and soup of wild garlic on the bonfire. In the evening we had baths in a tin tub by an open fire. The river was never far... we would go canoeing, help boats go through Nafford lock or take a walk down the lane, to Strensham Lock, Birlingham or up Bredon Hill, singing "There is a green hill far away" all the way back...
Away from the hustle and bustle of suburban life, it was a child's paradise - and I felt "safe". Apart from a brief time during WW2, this house has always been, for us, place to holiday, a place to get away to, to recharge. But my mother remembers saying to herself when she was just six years old "one day I'm going to live here". Now that my parents have retired, she is, and, as my father has dementia, I visit monthly to help her keep her dream alive. We've set up a make-shift massage space in the conservatory so that I can give her massage but this means that I can, in a limited way, open the door to others in the area looking for solace and nurture also. So, although the garden is now much tamed and the resident cat is a female ginger named Amber, if you are stressed or otherwise in need of massage or gentle bodywork, including during pregnancy and after, give me a call on 07833 545 008 and we'll spend some time together through "the little white gate". The Little White Gate Ruth Field The little house in the orchard Stood open early and late. It was all enchanted ground Through the narrow white gate. There were honeysuckle and violets And roses for us to pluck. There were plums for our eating And a black cat for luck. There was wise talk and gay talk And music and laughter and ease, A little girl to play with And a garden with shady trees. When you who made the gay talk And you who made the wise Are away in far countries Under southern skies Come back sometimes in spirit To those who must watch and wait And we’ll pass for an hour together Through the little white gate. This is Nicole's story... "I used to have a massage from time to time to relax my over-worked and painful muscles. I knew that being pregnant would put more stress on my body and, combined with my work as a dental surgeon, it would be quite a challenge for me to carry on working until the last month of pregnancy. I did not know at that point that there was a special kind of massage for pregnant women available. A colleague of mine, who was pregnant a month ahead, highly recommended Julia to me. She said it was brilliant! She loved it
I hoped, especially, for relief for my lower and upper back and shoulders, but I got even more out of it. First of all, Julia managed to get all the tensions out of my painful muscle areas. She used different techniques, which really impressed me - far more gentle but doubly efficient and the use of pillows made it very cosy and allowed me to totally relax. I did not expect to receive hip pain, which started within my last month of pregnancy, especially at night time. Julia found a magic way to release it by stretching the leg in a special position, combined with gentle massage and I am still using this particular stretch at night to relieve the pain if it appears. Since then, I've not had it again in the morning while walking. Furthermore, due to our regular sessions (every other week and at the end weekly), I had the feeling that, even with the strain of being pregnant, my muscles never returned to the painful and cramped state that they were in before my pregnancy. I was impressed by the benefits of relaxation and gentle "me time" I gained in Julia's massage sessions. Thank you very much, Julia, for your help and advice on all sorts of pregnancy related problems. You are really taking care of your customers. I loved to see your interest in their whole being. I got so much more out of your massage sessions than I ever expected." Nicole If you'd like to know more about pregnancy massage with Essence of Touch, check out my web site www.essenceoftouch.co.uk/pregnancy-massage or call me on 07833 545 008. Remember, it's even better to start ironing out those aches and pains before conception, so don't hold back! Have you ever heard of Scar Healing?
Donna hadn't until she came to see me - this is her story... "I was feeling healthy but not quite right when I came to see Julia. I just didn't seem to have the right energy about me, a feeling in me that things weren't working the way they should. I was seeking something more than a massage... massage plus healing of some sort, but wasn't aware of the range of therapies she offered or how she used all of her skills to assess and heal the client. I had scars from two emergency caesarean sections I had in 2008 and 2012. My son's birth in 2008 was very traumatic following three days of labour, resulting in him getting more and more stuck. My daughter's birth was easier but there was a lot more fear around the pregnancy and birth as we had lost another little boy, following childbirth complications, the previous year. I had never heard of scar healing, and as far as I was concerned my scars had healed quite nicely. I was aware my sexual energy had not been the same since the Caesarean sections, although I had put that down mostly to having kids and being tired a lot! I wasn't sure what to expect when Julia mentioned the scar healing, but very happy to give it a go. The treatment itself felt like a very gentle, feather light stroking for just a few seconds, so I was very surprised at the deep aching that resulted the next day, although Julia had warned me it was likely to happen. After the first time, the ache felt like it did post op, and I was careful not to strain or pull it too much, but it wasn't unbearable and I didn't take painkillers. Although each subsequent session has resulted in less intensity of aching and of less duration, there is something still not 'quite right' and I will continue with this until we agree there is no further benefit. I have definitely noticed a change in my energy, which I think is down both to the scar healing and the other work Julia is doing with me. Since my two caesareans, I'd felt quite numb in my pelvic area. In relationship with my husband I had struggled to engage because I felt numb and cut off from feeling, like I'd been sliced in half around my belly button. The scar healing is bringing us back together as the flow of energy between my pelvis and the rest of my body increases. I no-longer feel cut off from sensation or arousal - not quite what it was, but it feels like it will get there! I would definitely recommend scar healing to other people who have had operations. It has been a real eye opener for me to understand the surface healing which looked very good was not matched inside me." Post script. I saw Donna twice more before she came for her appointment saying she felt that everything was freely flowing again and that she didn't need any more scar healing. If you are interested in knowing more about scar healing, however "insignificant" your scar may seem, call Julia on 07833 545 008. Even small scars can have an impact on your energy. The Healing Hands Network originated in the aftermath of the Balkan War - the breakup of the former Yugoslavia - and, even now, after 20 years, continues to work in Sarajevo and its six outreach clinics, liaising with local self-help organisations, such as Concentration Camp Union, Civil Victims of War, Mothers of Srebrenica and Women Victims of War, who send their members to HHN for help. The mental and physical effects of war and torture linger on for generations and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can take years to manifest. Whilst HHN’s services are still very much required in Sarajevo, with your support, it would also like be able to offer its services to other regions of Bosnia that have not yet received any humanitarian help and are still in need. The Healing Hands Network also works with war veterans and their families in the UK collaborating with veterans’ charities such as SSAFA, Royal British Legion and Combat Stress, attending support groups and Fabcamps to offer therapy to those who may also be suffering from the physical and emotional effects of war and PTSD. HHN has members all over the country, offering a variety of therapies e.g. massage, aromatherapy, reiki, cranio-sacral therapy, reflexology, Bowen and scar healing and is looking to extend its services to make them more widely available. They are currently in discussion with The Royal British Legion with a view to setting up a network of centres in Devon and Cornwall. Julia is working to establish a Healing Hands Network centre in South Devon and is raising money for a trip to help in Bosnia also. You can read more about the issues in Bosnia by signing up to her Blog on Bosnia, or through her web site at www.essenceoftouch.co.uk. You can offer a donation towards her time in Bosnia through this quick link, here. Alternatively, you could donate more generally towards the work of the Healing Hands Network. It is a registered charity (No.1080286), their website is www.healinghandsnetwork.org.uk and you can donate towards it's work, both in this country and in Bosnia, by clicking on this link here. Perhaps you are interested in becoming a member of the Healing Hands Network yourself? If so, either as a supporter or therapist member in the UK, or overseas for a self funded two weeks working in Bosnia, or as a fundraiser, please email membershiphhn@gmail.com for further information. Please donate wherever you feel moved; Like, share and spread the word! Many grateful thanks in advance...
The Starfish Story A young man is walking along the ocean and sees a beach on which many thousands of starfish have washed ashore. Further along he sees an old man walking slowly and stooping often, picking up one starfish after another and tossing each one gently into the ocean. “Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” he asks. “Because the sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t get them in the water they will die.” “But, old man, don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it! You can’t possibly save them all, you can’t even save one-tenth of them. In fact, even if you work all day, your efforts would hardly make a difference.” The old man listened calmly and then bent down to pick up another starfish and threw it into the sea. As it touched the water, he said “I made a difference to that one.” Yes... I've made a difference to that one... and to that one... and to that one... Thank you Mel… Thank you Blue Wing Gallery. Julia Acid Reflux is a common complaint during pregnancy, due to the hormonal increase in progesterone at this time. As a trainee in Pregnancy and Post Partum Massage, I was curious to see whether fresh limes, which are alkalising, (see newsletter 4/1/2016) might help to lessen or avoid this unpleasant side effect. Find out what happened here... Jo was the first of my pregnancy ladies to try this out. She reported some immediate relief after a single glass, but it didn’t last long and symptoms soon returned. I suggested that she tried drinking a little more and, if it worked, to continue with top-ups on a daily basis. Tanya was next. I shared with her Jo’s experience and my advice to continue both in the short term, until it was brought under control, and longer term to maintain. Tanya’s first attempt was successful temporarily but, as with Jo, she found it soon returned. Forewarned, she prepared a second drink and found that, for her, on that occasion, she only needed a few more sips for the acid reflux to settle completely. She continued with a glass or two daily and brought these symptoms completely under control. A hugely satisfying result! Limes & Iron Deficiency Two clients in pregnancy, presented with suspected iron deficiency. One was not enjoying the tablets she had been prescribed and was suffering from constipation. In both cases, I suggested switching to the use of Spa-Tone. Being in liquid form, it is kinder on the digestion than tablets, and clients seem to find it easier to take. Iron supplementation, however, needs to be taken with Vitamin C in order to aid absorption. Spa Tone specifically suggest taking orange juice alongside their product. No explanation is given to the customer as to why, however, and no alternatives are suggested or advised. Nicole, in fact, used Floradix (also a liquid iron supplement, but with Vitamin C included). It is sweet tasting (often a sign of acidity), so we watched to see how she would respond. However she was already accustomed to having fresh lime on her salads at lunch (a very alkalising diet), so results were inconclusive. Nicola also started using Floradix but found that with regular drinking of fresh lime and also incorporating fresh lime into her own fresh green smoothies, it seemed that she was getting the energy she required and did not feel the need to continue with the iron supplementation. This posed and interesting question. Is lack of iron always the issue? Could it be that a lack of Vitamin C is actually the underlying problem in some cases? And where Vitamin C is needed, should we not be recommending more alkalising forms, such as dark leafy green vegetables (which are, incidentally also iron rich), cucumber and limes, rather than more acidifying sources, like orange juice? Indeed, is the likelihood of experiencing acid reflux during pregnancy (heightened by increases in progesterone during this time) actually being precipitated, in some cases, by common advice to drink, specifically, orange juice, rather than find it from other, more alkalising, sources of Vitamin C, such as limes? Paula (not a client) told me how she had suffered greatly both before and after her pregnancy, which she attributed to the orange juice she had been advised to take along with iron supplementation (apparently, it hadn’t been a problem before). Whilst she was actually pregnant, she didn’t require iron supplementation but did do again once the baby was born. We discussed the idea that lime juice, instead of orange juice, might have provided the Vitamin C she required without (or at least minimising) any associated acid reflux. She said she wished she'd had the opportunity of trying this at the time. Food for thought
What is your experience of drinking lime in water? Has it helped counteract Acid Reflux? Has it helped you to minimise the need for artificial iron supplementation or any suffering from constipation? Has it helped give you energy or ease lower back and other aches and pains? We'd love to hear your story… Happy New Year! Here’s hoping you are free from any symptoms of over-indulgence from your New Year celebrations, but if not, read on… As well as being a great way to detoxify the body, and lose weight, this offering is a great cure for hangover, too! Many of you will already know that I like to offer fresh lime in water after a massage or bodywork. Here’s why… Much of our modern day diet is acidic in nature, including all our favourite Xmas treats (sugars, red meat, coffee, black tea, chocolate, alcohol and any undigested, over churned or fermenting foods in the gut)! Our bodies prefer our blood to be alkaline, so over acidic blood can prevent them operating as they should. Indeed, a whole host of different conditions, such as IBS, acid reflux, arthritis, Candida overgrowth, viruses, fungal activity and propensity to heart disease, diabetes and cancer, have been considered to be symptoms of essentially the same condition – over acidic blood. When it gets too bad, our bodies store fat to draw the toxic, acidic waste out of the blood supply and help protect our vital organs. Consciously alkalising the diet is a great way to help neutralise these acids, avoid the development of these conditions and minimise the need to put on extra fat, even loosing those extra pounds in the process! What could be better? So how do you alkalise your diet? The simple answer is THINK GREEN! Green leafy vegetables and salads, cucumber and fresh lime juice, for example, are all great alkalisers. Water melon, too. Check out Alkalising Diet on-line. Food lists will vary slightly, but you’ll soon get the idea. And hangovers? Well, they are just another product of acid blood caused by more acid (in this case alcohol) than the liver is able to process at one time. So pints of water with half to a whole fresh lime squeezed into them will help neutralise those acids and flush out what your body doesn’t need, clearing your headache in the process. As a general rule of thumb, If it doesn’t go immediately, you haven’t had enough. Simple as that – take another pint (of lime juice) or two! So you thought citrus fruits were acidic? You’re right. However, it would seem that, once in the gut, limes (as opposed to other citrus fruits) have a uniquely alkalising affect! Try it. Replace your daily orange juice with fresh lime in water and open up to a whole new you! So what’s all this got to do with massage? Of course, having read the above, you’ll appreciate that it is beneficial for all of us to keep alkalised. Massage also does its part in helping to mobilise and flush out stored toxic waste from the body. As it does so, however, the toxins released temporarily acidify the blood, potentially causing a localised achiness, before they are fully flushed out. Also, as we unlock those knots and gently open up the spine to a more fluid and flexible you, your body requires more fluid to fill and maintain this new awareness. Offering juice of half a fresh lime in water after massage helps rehydration, keeps you fluid and flexible, flushes out toxic waste and neutralises any associated acids that may have been released along the way… Wishing you all the very best for a Happy New Year… and a Happy New You! |
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