“Mother: the most beautiful word on the lips of mankind.” Kahlil Gibran

Indian and brought up Hindu, I found that my culture has a lot of traditions. Traditions make up our beliefs and values. This is where the phrase “Mother Cow” comes to play a part because a cow’s milk is the next best thing to a mother’s milk for an infant. Without it, an infant will not survive if their mother is unable to nurse.

Such case was true for me. When I was born, my mother got extremely sick with high blood pressure and onset of diabetes due to pregnancy. Her hands were so swollen from all the IVs that she could not lift me up. At this moment, her sister who had a baby six months prior came to visit us.

Seeing my mom’s health not at its best, my aunt devoted breastfeeding me for three days until my mom was able to nurse me. Needless to say, my first Mom was my Aunt, my second Mom was my mother and third Mom was “Mother Cow.” When my brother was born five years later, he went through the same process.

So, a ritual was created by my mother that on Mother’s Day, both my brother and I have to show respect to my Aunt prior to my mother. Each year we send a present or some money to my Aunt back in Fiji but this year, it’s a bit different. Her husband passed away at the tender age of 48 in November of 2011 and she is not feeling all that great.

This year my brother and I vowed that we will go visit her in October and participate in my Uncle’s year death memorial. At this point, we are also going to get her sponsored and bring her to the States for a little bit so we can truly share our love with her.

If you have someone in your life who has nursed you, perhaps you may consider adopting her as a Mom. 

Written by: Doreen Jattan

Massage Therapy Can Help Decrease Pain And Stress For Individuals Who Suffer From Autoimmune Diseases. And Help Boost Their Immune System.

Massage therapy has been recognized as one of the leading treatments for several different ailments and diseases. There are multiple benefits from receiving a massage, and depending on what disease you have will determine the level of relief. Massages can enhance muscle performance, relieve stress and have amazing therapeutic power with someone who suffers from autoimmune disorders.

Many practitioners are recommending massage as a form of treatment for autoimmune diseases, which affect a huge amount of people. This form of a medical condition is often characterized by your extensive overactive immune system. Your immune system will mistake healthy tissue for harmful substances, and begin to attack.

Autoimmune Diseases

There are a huge number of different conditions that are classified as an autoimmune disease, including, multiple sclerosis, diabetes type 1 and arthritis. Many people with this style of disease may need treatment for life. However, massage therapy, can be used alongside other treatments, ensuring that pain relief is provided.

You will need to seek professional advice regarding the best form of treatment for the autoimmune disease which you have. Depending on which part of your body is affected, will often determine the best course of treatment. However, many patients will have overlapping symptoms, which commonly affect the skin, blood vessels, and muscles.

Therefore, massage therapy is incredibly beneficial for many sufferers. Patients that suffer with autoimmune diseases may find that their day to day life is affected; therefore, finding some way to combat stress and symptoms is ideal.

Massage Therapy Can Help You Cope Better

You will feel immediate relief after the massage; however, the subtle differences are what make the massage so important. The benefits for your immune system will develop over time, and regular massage sessions have proved to be excellent for people with autoimmune diseases. Your immune system will become stronger, and the antibody production in the autoimmune disease will be reduced.

The massage therapy will also help with the pain from inflammation, and can reduce the chronic discomfort which arthritis suffers commonly experience. The production of pro inflammatory cytokines will be reduced, and the anti-inflammatory cytokines increased. This will assist with pain relief, and reduce the swelling.

Depression is a huge factor when you suffer with any painful disease, and trying to combat the side effects of feeling so low can be difficult. However, massage therapy can help to increase the production of serotonin and endorphins, which make you happier.

These increased levels, alongside all of the other benefits, will ensure that you can cope better. Medications for the autoimmune diseases are essential; however, you may find that having massage therapy will allow you to take less medication.

So if you know someone who suffers from an autoimmune disorder get them a massage gift certificate this Mother’s day or any day, you can make a huge impact for that person.

This Mother’s Day, Doreen Jattan; A New Mother Herself, Wrote An Original Poem Titled, “Mom”

Such little thought put into this word,

Yet so much comes from a MOM.

Mom, you are an epiphany,

Someone who senses our goods and fears,

To help guide us through our own obstacles

And find the strong being we are meant to be.

Your love, care and devotion to the title “MOM”

Far suppresses any other yet weighs the heaviest

Single Moms, Fulltime Moms, Birth Moms, Surrogate Moms,

Are just few titles that make up GREAT MOMS.

Long long nights, short stressful days,

Sick days, bad hair days, happy days,

Falls, trips and booboos to be kissed,

Never will she give up this title – MOM

Honor, cherish and share some time together,

As your mom is most precious and sacrifices all,

The Universe needed help

So Moms were created.

Written by: Doreen Jattan

Give Your Mom A Gift Of Relaxation And Health This Mother’s Day With A Massage Gift Certificate!

Mother’s Day is everyday show mom you love her today!

No matter what your age, your mom will always remain one of the most important people in your life. While you may not have enough time to show her your appreciation and love on every other day, Mother’s day is the one time you can let her know how important she is to you. Although sentiments and thoughts are nice, finding a gift for your mom may prove a little more challenging especially if she seems to already have everything.

Massage gift certificates are an ideal gift for moms of all ages and as well as offering her the chance to chill out and relax; a good massage has significant health benefits too. As well as offering a day of luxury and expert pampering, your Mother’s day gift will offer your mom comfort and an increased sense of wellbeing.

Health Benefits Of A Good Massage

One of the biggest benefits to having a massage is the relief of tension and stress. If your mom has a demanding work life and a hectic household to look after, she will appreciate a massage treatment that helps to reduce tight or knotted muscles. In turn, this will reduce feelings of anxiety or stress, leaving her feeling happy and relaxed. A proper massage can also boost a person’s immune system, which will reduce any pain she may experience from conditions such as fibromyalgia or arthritis.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a massage reduces levels of hormone called cortisol. This hormone is linked to causing stress, depression and anxiety conditions. If your mom suffers from decreased mobility, a massage gift certificate for Mother’s day will most definitely be well received.

According to licensed massage therapist Erica Strumhandler, individuals who suffer from joint pain and limited range of motion will benefit immensely from massage therapy. As well as helping to loosen injured or tight muscles, a massage will encourage oxygen-rich blood, nutrition and nutrients to flood into problem areas. This will not only leave your mom feeling relaxed, it will increase joint mobility and overall joint function.

Say “Happy Mother’s Day” Over And Over!

If your mom does suffer from significant joint pain, you should consider making your Mother’s day gift certificate valid for several massages by purchasing 5 or 10 massage sessionpackage.

According to studies conducted by the Holistic Medicine Society, having a massage on a regular basis can significantly improve weakened muscles and therefore, overall function and mobility.

If your mom is experiencing the effects and changes associated with menopause, her Mother’s day gift will also help relieve these symptoms. As well as decreasing feelings of anxiety and stress, a massage will help her lymph nodes drain.

In turn, this will give her immune system a boost making her less susceptible to illness, feelings of depression and mood swings. With all the health benefits associated with buying a massage gift certificate for your mom, there really is no reason why you should buy anything else for her this Mother’s day.

Muscle Tension And Muscle Fatigue Is Caused By Prolonged Static Postures, Injury, And Stress!

This Results In, Connective Tissue That Binds Up And Constricts Movement!

Myofascial Therapy combined with Active Release soft tissue techniques both work the fibrous connective tissues and fascia sheaths that encases our muscles throughout our body.

Its this network that allows for graceful movement of a dancer or the start of a generative aging process that will make us feel old and rigid. Injury, adhesions, trauma and/or overuse activities will cause a disruption to this myofascial unit leading us to pain and dysfunction.

Muscular Fascia Unit

The Myofascial unit is referring to both  “myo” the muscular tissue component and the “fascia” the fibrous fascial tissue component of muscle. This is the connective tissue that creates the  structural organization of a muscle it is also called the deep fascia. There are 3 layers of fibrous tissues that blend together and extend beyond the muscle to attach muscle to bone. Its role is to transfer force of the muscle to bone.

• Endomysum – this fibrous fascia is the deepest and it surrounds each individual muscle fiber; endo means within.
• Perimysium – this fibrous fascia surrounds a group of muscles by dividing them in bundles known as fascicles; peri means around.
• Epimysium – this fibrous fascia surrounds the entire muscle; epi means upon.

Myofascial therapy is bodywork that focuses on both the muscle and the fascia. There are many different massage techniques that will concentrate on either addressing the muscle by itself while still others focus mainly on the fascial planes of muscle. Its impossible not to affect both the muscle tissue and the fibrous fascia tissue when doing bodywork.

The term fascia in Latin means bandage or band, in that it wraps around, bundles and connects structures. Much more then the Skeletal framework the fascial web connects and supports all parts of the body. And it is responsible for transmitting tension (pulling) forces throughout the body by using its attachment to bones as levers.

Fascial tissue responds to stress placed on it by adapting itself to better able to handle and resist that stress by laying down collagen fibers and increasing its strength through the formation of specials cells called, myofibroblast. These myofibroblasts can then create an active pulling force that counter and opposes the pulling force that the fascial tissues is experiencing. This line of tension or force spreads out like a spider-web creating dysfunction and pain elsewhere on the body along these same lines of tension. In fascial tissue that has been injured or undergoing healing from a wound, you will have a greater concentration of myofibroblasts.

Myofascial Therapy

Is applied without lotions or creams. As in most tissue, irritation of fascia or muscle causes local inflammation. Chronic inflammation results in fibrosis, or thickening of the connective tissue, and this thickening causes pain and irritation, resulting in reflexive muscle tension that causes more inflammation. Myofascial massage technique aims to break this cycle of pain and dysfunction.

A summary description of Myofasical therapy technique from Wikipedia:

• Land on the surface of the body with the appropriate ‘tool’ (knuckles, fist or forearm.).
• Sink into the soft tissue.
• Contact the first barrier/restricted layer.
• Put limb or bodypart in a ‘line of tension’.
• Engage the fascia by taking up the slack in the tissue.
• Finally, move or drag the fascia across the surface while staying in touch with the underlying layers.
• Exit gracefully.

This technique is very effective when precisely done, it helps to break scar tissue formation and prevent muscle adhesions that restrict movement throughout the connective tissue sheets. It restores mobility, flexibility, reduces soft tissue pain, opens up the lines of communication throughout the body and it clears the toxic substances that have been entrapped in the network of connective tissue.

Manipulation of the fascia or manual therapy causes a stimulation of intrafascial mechanoreceptors which alters the proprioceptive (our body’s awareness) input entering the central nervous system. When there is a gap in proprioception, there is a habitual inhibition of movement, a loss of elasticity and a reduction in the ability for muscle tissues to stretch and return to its original shape. This can be very irritating and painful for some but for others they simply stop moving in that direction that feels restricted.

Bodywork is simply a method of of educating, or re-educating motor responses. New ways of posturing and moving cannot be readily learned until the individual characteristic tension patterns developed by old habits of movement and posture are removed. Muscular relaxation is a prerequisite to any type of successful muscle retraining.

Once these old patterns of dysfunction are broken up a new cycle of patterning can now be explored. And this can last for hours or even days after the massage thus giving you the opportunity to redefine normal movement patterns and a relearning of posture and movement can now begin.

Your connective tissues as well as muscle tissue have the ability to go from gel-like state to a sol-like state through a process called, Thixotrophy. The only difference is that connective tissue take a much longer time to go from gel to sol; muscles on the other hand happens almost instantaneously. But this can happen only if you are properly hydrated before coming in for your massage session.

References:

• “Fascia, Clinical Applications for Health and Human Performance” Mark Linday
• “Kinesiology, The Skeletal System and Muscle Function” Joseph E. Muscolino
• “Job’s Body, A Handbook For Bodywork” Deane Juhan

Are your Taxes filed? Do you need some Tax Day stress relief?

This offer is no longer available sorry!

If so, we are offering this amazing TAX RELIEF Package. We only sell these once a year and they go fast. Only 20 of these packages are created and you can purchase yours online from today until Monday, April 23rd, 2012. OR simply call and make an appointment for your first session on or before April 23rd and pick up, your package and pay at the end of your session.

Feel free to call the facility at 408 247-1169 and let our knowledgeable front desk match you with the best therapist. We have several new therapist, who have all received additional massage training with Rachael Hender. So come experience these amazing new therapists. And as always our massages are 100% guaranteed!

Tax Stress Relief Massage Package

To help you reduce, your stress and muscle tension this tax session. You can purchase 3 – 60 minute massages for only $225.00.** (A savings of $45)

$225 for 3 – 60 minute massage sessions

Get Yours Today!! Offer Ended Already You Have To Wait Until Next Year!

The Need To Identify A Current Problem With Your Child Is Essential To Preventing Future Injury Risk!

Function influences structure through the S.A.I.D. (specific adaptation to imposed demands) principal which states, “the tissues of the body will adapt or remold continuously based on the activity or lack of activity that occupies most of your child’s time and attention”. This basically means that if your child is training for sport specific activities with out addressing posture, stability and control he/she will develop movement dysfunction by overloading and over-training certain muscle groups.

As you read this blog post please understand that these 3 categories can directly influence each other for instance; a traumatic painful blow to your kids body can alter movement patterns that become acquired movement patterns. The pain is gone but dysfunction movement stills resides through a change in the motor control system.

And an acquired dysfunctional movement can develop when your child repeatedly practices sport specific activities over a long period of time; even with a good base of movement and stability can begin to erode leaving your child to develop movement dysfunction later on making him or her prone to life-long injuries.

FMS: Movement Dysfunction Screen

The principal is simple; screen movement patterns before you train them. Training with poor movement patterns in place reinforces poor quality output and creates a greater risk of injury. We use the functional movement screen as a starting point or base for all massages, stretches and exercise programs. And as recheck to make sure that you are moving in a positive direction. Screening should not be looked at as a one-time thing; rec-checking movement patterns efficiency can be a marker as to how your child is dealing with lifestyle and training stresses imposed on him or her.

These principals are taken from Gray Cook’s best-selling book titled, “Movement“.

Development dysfunction:

When your kids practice or participates in higher level skilled sports with compromised or undeveloped movement, as your kids become teens and eventually adults playing sports can be the source of their pain and dysfunction. Any activity repetitively practiced such as pitching, running, kicking or swinging a bat or golf club without a sound athletic base can slow or alter normal functional movements later on in life affecting sports performance and making your kids prone injuries.

Traumatic dysfunction:

Traumatic dysfunction is thought for the most part to be a single event or cause but what most people do not consider is that trauma can also be the effect of poor posture, inflexible or poorly developed muscles.

When your kids play at a high level but forget that without basic proper fundamental movement, a traumatic event is waiting right around the corner. During poverty your kids will develop at an astounding rate and if they are practicing the same movements day in and day out, they must give consideration to allow their joints, ligaments, and antagonists muscles time to catch up and heal.

Tissue damage from an initial injury can cause movement problems long after the injury has healed. Inflammation, swelling and joint immobility can compromise neuromuscular coordination, timing and control. When pain is present movement compensation is a survival instinct and we avoid that motion or action completely. It will never heal this way.

Acquired dysfunction:

Acquired dysfunction can be viewed in 2 ways:

1. Unnatural activity repeated on a natural movement base.
2. Natural activity repeated on an unnatural movement base.

Unnatural activity repeated on a natural movement base

Pitching, throwing and sitting are all natural movements but its the repetitiveness of the activity that causes unnatural muscle imbalances, postural changes and eventually pain. The best way to counteract the problems that arise is to implement counter-balancing muscle building exercises and stretches.

And this unnatural activity is not just sport related; sitting of course is a very natural activity but the long periods that your kids sit while in school, on the bus, watching TV and playing video games subject their selves to, is not natural. The spine and hips are in constant flexion when sitting. Prolonged sitting without counter-balancing extension exercises will result in low back and neck pain.

Natural activity repeated on a unnatural movement base

Its not uncommon for individuals from all walks of life including your kids to blame outside factors for their pain and discomfort, but it is not the activity. The activity gets the blame when it should be the poor muscular foundation from which the activity was placed on; that should get the real blame.

Its a lack of mobility and stability from preexisting movement problems and limitations that cause your kids and individuals to compensate while performing basic everyday activities. Attempting to workout and run to “get back or into shape” without addressing some fundamental movements will only lead individuals and your kids to doing more compensated movements. Which will eventually lead to injury.

Get Your Kids Screened For Free (valued at $40)

Being a dad of two little ones himself, Robert Vignoli is concerned about the high-level activity and training that your kids are pushed to these days. Most of your kids are not paying enough attention to flexibility/posture, stability or control but continue to train. As a parent, you should be informed and concerned! After your kids are screened depending on how you want to continue Robert will design a corrective action plan for your child to address the biggest concerns.

Reference:

“Movement; Functional Movement System” Gray Cook