What to expect from a sports or deep tissue massage.
First let me reassure you if you haven’t been to us before that we don’t do any unnecessary nakedness. If you want you can wear gym shorts but it is no necessary.
On your first visit you will be asked to fill out a consultation form and we will discuss why you booked. At the start of subsequent treatments we may ask you about your response to our last treatment or if there has been a long gap, your reason for booking. If there has been a significant gap we may ask you to fill out a consultation form again, especially if it has been archived.
While we are all able to use oils, we tend to use a sports wax as it doesn’t stain your clothes and it is odorless and one brand we use is nut free too. During the massage we will use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms to treat you. You may be asked to breathe deeply as we works on tense areas. Most of our clients want deep pressure. However there are times when we need to use a lighter sustained pressure on some restrictions to achieve a myofascial release.
We may get you to move position on the massage bed to give us better access to certain muscles or to treat the opposing muscle. For example, if we have worked on your upper back we may need to open up your chest, particularly your pec muscles.
We may stretch your muscles ourselves or ask you to move your body in a certain way to stretch it or to see how it reacts to the movement.
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What helps fight colds? Part 2
In Part 1, I gave you some ideas for preventing and stopping colds. But in this article, I want to focus on if you have a blocked or stuffy nose. Propolis This is found in a variety of comercial cold remedies. A water based nasal spray tested on children has been show to improve the symptoms of comon cold and reduce the number of disease-causing bugs in the airways. Steam If I get a blocked nose, I inhale steam to assit me to blow my nose clear. Nasal Rinsing This technique is where you use a container called a neti pot or nasal cup filled with a salt water solution to flush ou the nasal passages. This can be used to both treat and prevent colds. There is evidence that it can help clear a blocked nose, soothe a sore throat and even reduce the chanes of getting sick again. If using a neti pot doesn't apeal you can buy saline nasal sprays. References Crişan I, Zaharia CN, Popovici F, Jucu V, Belu O, Dascălu C, Mutiu A, Petrescu A. Natural propolis extract NIVCRISOL in the treatment of acute and chronic rhinopharyngitis in children. Rom J Virol. 1995 Jul-Dec;46(3-4):115-33. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9179964 Slapak I, Skoupá J, Strnad P, Horník P. Efficacy of isotonic nasal wash (seawater) in the treatment and prevention of rhinitis in children. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008 Jan;134(1):67-74. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18209140

Top tips for preventing sports injuries
Many sports injuries occur because people don't know how to prevent them. Here are some tips to help prevent injuries:
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- Increase muscle strength.
- Increase flexibility. Stretch!
- Use the proper technique.
- Take rests.
- Follow the rules of your sport and play safe.
- Stop the activity if there is pain.
- Keep hydrated.

Mundane superfoods – part 4
This week I explain how to replace goji berries.
Rose Hips can replace Goji Berries
Goji berries are renowned for having a lot of vitamin C. Originally from Asia, they were used by the ancients to replenish body fluids, improve skin and soothe jangled nerves. The bush-like plant belongs to the nightshade family of plants with tomatoes and peppers and is reputed to be beneficial for insomnia, tuberculosis and to increase testosterone. On the other hand, rose hips, contain so much vitamin C, aka ascorbic acid, they're actually known to be the most abundant source in the world, which explains why they're so sought after by many markets. It was only in the last several decades that anyone thought to consider if there might be actual nutrition in rose hips. Once used in animal food, today they're an ingredient in jams, jellies and pie, as well as soups, bread and wine. Bon Appetit adds:"The hips, like the petals, are high in flavonoids, those small but mighty antioxidant friends. Like nettle, rose hips are anti-inflammatory. The pectin in rose hips also make it a heart healthy medicine … "
Mother Nature Network adds vitamins A and E to rose hips' benefits, so they can be made into tea or even eaten to help treat colds and sore throat. Because they also contain free radical-fighting antioxidants, the anti-inflammatory properties can even treat rheumatoid arthritis. The odd pods also contain pectin, which is good for your heart. Organic Facts reveals more advantages of consuming rose hips in some form, including an ability to optimize cholesterol, boost your immune system, prevent chronic disease such as cancer, regulate your blood sugar and eliminate toxins. References Bon Appétit July 19, 2017 Mother Nature Network July 6, 2011 International Society for Horticultural Science Organic Facts 2017

