Five easy steps for a cleaner,greener,safer home

1) MANAGE PESTS SAFELY: Choose nontoxic lawn and garden products for insecticides, pesticides, weed killers, fertilizers and flea/tick control. Remember to encourage good sanitation habits, such as washing hands after being outdoors and taking shoes off at the door.

2) USE NONTOXIC PRODUCTS: Remember to read the labels and ask questions. USE products labeled nontoxic, chlorine-free, phosphate-free, natural fragrance, paraben-free, hypoallergenic, vegetable/bio/water based, petroleum-free, organic, and low or zero VOC, recycled or reclaimed, and formaldehyde-free. AVOID using products that say poison, danger, warning or caution.

3) CLEAN UP INDOOR AIR: Ventilate your home, especially the bedrooms and nursery, by simply opening windows. Change the filters in your air-conditioning and heating units- and the bag in your vacuum cleaner- to greatly improve indoor air quality. Sanitize and cleanse air with help from indoor plants and air purifiers with approved HEPA filters. Look for low VOC paints and stains. Avoid synthetic carpets when possible.

4) SHOP SMART: Eat organic fruits and vegetables when available. Make wise protein choices with meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and milk products from animals raised on vegetarian feed without hormones or antibiotics. Avoid foods high in sugar, high in fat, or highly processed, as well as fast foods.

5) BE WISE WITH PLASTICS: Replace vinyl chew toys made of soft plastic, especially any labeled PVC, V, OR #3. Opt for toys and books made with natural wood, cloth, or metal. Avoid using plastic or containers and cling wrap in the microwave. Instead select reusable containers made of glass or ceramic (lead free). Choose safer plastics such as polyethylene (#1,#2,#4), and polypropylene(#5). Avoid use of polycarbonate plastics for baby and look for products that state no phthalates or No bisphenol A (BPA).

Source: "Healthy child, healthy world". Christopher Gavigan.

Alkaline & Ionic Water

Water, Ionic Water & Pure Water.

There are 4 different criteria that the water you drink should be judged by. 1. Purity 2. pH 3. Mineral Content 4. Oxygen content. If you're looking for the BEST water, it must pass the test of all four of these criteria!

Watch this revealing video, by www.PhionBalance.com

Self Care: How to prolong the positive effects of massage

Don't we all wish that the fuzzy, good feelings that we receive after a good massage could linger just a little bit longer? Well, with a little bit of homework and good self care, you can! Remember to refer to these important guidelines in the days/weeks following your massage:

Massage Frequency: Check-in with how you feel before the massage and then afterwards, pay attention to your body’s signals and get massage when your body reminds you that it needs it.

Be consistent with getting massage: Don’t go long periods without receiving massage if you can help it, your body and mind deserve the attention at regular intervals.

Drink Water!: Common guidelines state that we need 64oz. a day to help our body eliminate toxins and cleanse the circulatory system.

Stretch, Stretch, Stretch!: Another helpful habit is stretching between massages to maintain joint mobility, prevent muscles from tightening up again, and keeping the life energy flowing.

Exercise: Working out can also help maintain the benefits of massage, and this habit should be continually cultivated.

Body Awareness: After a massage, respect how your body feels. If your body seems to ask for rest, give in to that demand. After a massage, take a hot bath when you get home, you are reminding your body of the therapy you just received and you will further improve your sleep patterns.

Diet: Finally, since you've just rid the body of toxins, support the body's renewed state by adhering to a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, which will continue the detoxification process. Lay off the espresso and all adrenaline-challenges for a time -- which would short-circuit relaxation anyway -- and enjoy the calm.

If having good health is a necessity, then a massage is not a luxury, it's a necessity!

Take time for yourself, take time for your health.

Angela Lind.LMT

www.therapeutic-hands.com

Breathing relaxation exercise

Breathing will cost you nothing. It does not require time. You can breathe while watching television, lying in bed, travelling to work, absolutely anywhere and anytime.The only place I do not recommend deep breathing is in a steam filled environment, not in the bath or shower as water often has chlorine and other chemicals in it.

Regular deep breathing minimizes stress.Deep breathing also relaxes muscles.The immune system needs oxygen to function effectively.Correct breathing helps to prevent premature aging and degenerative diseases.The best beauty treatment available is breathing.Deep breathing reduces pain. Anyone who has experienced childbirth can vouch for that.Deep breathing greatly influences emotions and general well-being. With deep breathing, we can calm ourselves when in a state of anxiety or fear.

I am highly recommending that you try deep, long, slow breathing as a daily exercise to improve health and well-being, release stress, and re-energize your mind and body. Hope you like this video and experience the benefits.

Angela Lind. LMT.
www.therapeutic-hands.com

Relax and lose weight

Thousands of years ago, stress was our friend and it serves us well. When we were confronted with danger, (like a predator that wanted to eat us), stress chemicals will quickly flood the body, enhancing our ability to either fight or flee.As soon as the danger dissipated, the stress-chemical levels would quickly-drop, and so would the feelings of stress.

Today, however, we're under constant stress. We're bombarded by inputs of the media,cell phones, pagers, computers, e-mail, voicemail, faxes, etc. We're inundated with bad news, bad relationships, stressful jobs and difficult living environments. Even worse, just thinking about negative things (wether they're real or not), can trigger the stress response. So understanding stress and how you can reduce it is critical to living a healthy and happy life.

Stress is fatiguing. Fatigue is demoralizing. And demoralization may lead us to seek quick highs from sugar, caffeine, alcohol and other drugs. So, what happen to your body when you are stressed?

The body responds to stress by releasing hormones, including one called cortisol. Cortisol levels are suposed to go up and down quickly. But when you're under chronic stress, cortisol continues to pump out. And it triggers a cascade of events. For example, cortisol causes fat to be stored around your middle. That belly fat causes most of the "silent inflammation" that leads to diabetes, heart disease, and virtually all other chronic conditions that humans suffer from. Cortisol is the principal hormone of stress, so when you are under stress, the brain starts responding chemically by slowing down your metabolism and everything gets slower, the body stores more fat, the blood sugar levels increases and you start suffering of acid reflux and constipation. So yes, stress makes you fat! being stressed won't help you to lose weight properly even if you are on a diet or doing exercise. So, in conclusion: being stressed makes you fat, being relaxed help you to lose weight!

Reducing stress requires ACTIVE relaxation. Most of us think relaxation is a passive "nonactivity" that requires a couch, a beer, and a Tv. But stress reduction requires profound, deep relaxation, which is not something that happens automatically.You have to ACTIVELY relax.And yes, the best way to relax is by getting a Massage! Doing deep breathing, meditation and yoga can help you to relax too.

By decreasing mental stress and noticing the profound benefits to your nervous system, sleep habits, and digestion, you will learn about the subtle but powerful connection between psychological, spiritual and physical toxins. When your nervous system is balanced,when your digestion is working properly, when you are relaxed and rested and when you are healthier inside and out, you may find you have much more energy and happiness for your everyday life.

Start rewarding and taking care of your body now! Getting a massage is not longer a luxury, it's a necessity, it's one of the keys for a healthier life.

Visit my website for my contact information,

http://www.therapeutic-hands.com/

Angela Lind. LMT

Source: "The Ultrasimple Diet" by Mark Hyman.

Is your body pH Balanced?

The pH of your internal fluids affects every cell in your body. Acicification can overwhelm your body.Proper pH balance is the foundation for optimal health.

Your body is alkaline by design. The fluids that make up 70% of your body must remain alkaline for you to experience optimal health. Your body is acidic by function. Every metabolic process that your body undergoes produces acid. Your body is always seeking to maintain proper pH balance-the balance between acid and alkaline.

When you become too acidic, your body becomes vulnerable to a whole host of health problems.Your body will go to such great lengths to maintain pH balance in the fluids that it will even create stress on cells, tissues, bones and organs in order to do so.

Chronic acidification will interrupt all cellular activities and functions -it interferes with life itself.When the pH of your body becomes too acidic, you may experience low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion, aches and pains, and even more serious disorders.

Your body becomes pH imbalanced and onverly acidic primarily as a result of three things: the ingestion of acids, the creation of acids, and the improper elimination of acids.

When you discover the magic of pH balance, you'll experience vibrant health and energy. When your body is pH balanced, it is full of vitality. You'll find that you have increased energy, metal clarify, and you'll even notice that your skin has regained that healthy glow. Simply put, a body in pH balance functions properly and operates optimally. The good news is that if you've suffered the negative impact of an overly acidic body, you can regain your health and you can regain balance. The process of re-establishing pH balance begins with proper diet and nutrition. This includes eating alkalizing foods (vegetable, low sugar fruits, etc.), hydrating properly (drinking plenty of alkaline, ionic, structured water), and integreating proper nutritional supplementation.

Proper hydration is the most crucial factor in establishing and maintaining proper pH. Since your body is 70% water, it is extremely important to constantly replenish your supply of it. Your body loses 2.5 liters of water every day just through normal bodily functions.

The QUALITY of the water that you drink is just as important as the QUANTITY of water that you drink. The water you put in your body must be able to prevent toxins and chemicals subtances from accumulation, thus preventing destructive influences on cells.

Water must also transport minerals and nutrients required for cell metabolism and remove any substances that can damage the cell. Ideally, the water you drink should have a pH between 9 and 10, and you should be drinking 3-4 liters of it daily.

In order to hydrate your body optimally, you need to drink water that is alkaline and ionized. Alkaline water helps to neutralize stored acid wastes. Once these acids are neutralized, they can then be removed by the body. Alkaline water containing ionic minerals also acts as a conductor of electrochemical activity from cell to cell.

There are plenty places on the internet you can find ionized/alkaline filters or natural products to help you get a balanced pH. I personally suggest this one:

http://www.phi-ion.com . The book "The acid-alkaline Diet" by Christopher Vasey is one of the best books I have read for optimum health.

Vibrant health and energy begins with a pH balance. Start changing your life now!

Source: pH ion.

Traveling for business or pleasure?

"Traveling can really take a toll on your body", says Lara Bracciante, online properties director for Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP). "Cramped airplane seating, extensive driving, lumpy hotel beds, and varying time zones can leave you feeling fatigued, stressed, and sore. In addition, your immune system can become depleted, leaving you susceptible to illness. Fortunately, massage in an excellent tool for restoring and reenergizing the body when traveling and getting you back to your normal, vital self."

Too much time spending in the same position on an airplane or car, can put more stress and tightness on your body. Your muscles need to continuously stretch in order to be soft and receive good source of oxygen through your blood.

Massage Therapy combined with passive stretching (thai-yoga) is the best choice to improve your circulation, move your muscles and prevent on getting future knots, cramps, numbness and tingling on your extremities, especially your legs.

Take care of your body and don't let traveling on an airplane or car affect your health and wellness.

Angela Lind. LMT
http://www.therapeutic-hands.com/

How do I know if I should put heat or ice on an injury?

One of my preferred educators is Art Riggs. He says that it's difficult to establish a fail-safe rule for what to apply ice or heat.

The general rule is to apply ice for the first forty-eight to seventy-two hours after an acute injury and then to switch to heat. It is important to have a thin covering of cloth or paper towel between the ice and your skin. Be careful of falling asleep while lying on a heating pad. Usually, ten to fifteen minutes should be the maximum amount of time of application. For ice, frequent applications are helpful. If alternating ice and heat:the heat will increase circulations and soften tissue, while the ice will flush out the blood and curtail inflammation. So it's best to end with the ice.

The reality is that many conditions are not necessarily the result of a specific injury. I call these conditions "recurrent acute" and find them by far the most common: sciatica that occurs when you drive a car; backs that flare up every time you garden, or tennis elbow from intense computer work. In these cases, consistent and frequent applications of ice may prove very helpful over long periods of time, particularly immediately after the event that causes problems.

On the other side, back or other muscle spasms that are caused by overexertion rather than injury, may benefit greatly from heat immediately upon the onset of symptoms or immediately after exercise in order to relax the muscles and increase circulation. Generally, muscle belly pain not resulting from acute and serious trauma responds well to heat, which can break the spasms and release the strain. Nerve and tendon pain, regardless of the duration of symptoms, even for months, benefit from ice.

Finally different individuals will constitutionally vary greatly in their reactions. Some people are more prone to the types of inflammation exarcerbated by heat, while others find their bodies contracting and tightening at just the mention of ice. Try each and see what works best for you.

Hydrotherapy

New research concludes:

In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

Even mild dehydration will slow down one`s metabolism as much as 3 %.

One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.

Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.

8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing ont the computer screen or on a printed page.

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

If you care about healthful eating, chances are you`re getting enough protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. But you may be forgetting one of the most important items of all: water!

Water accounts for 60% of body weight and is vital for all body functions. It`s used to generate energy, propel nerve impulses and drive muscle contractions.

You cannot funciton at peak capacity without enough water. Yet one third of all Americans suffer from chronic dehydration.

Over time, even mild dehydration poses numerous health risks.

In conclusion: If you feel tired, stressed, your body might be dehydrated because the body needs to be constantly flushing out toxins and water is the mediator for this to happen. If you are having joint pain, might be dehydrated because the joints in order to function normally need synovial fluid that is based of water. If you are having back pain, you might be dehydrated because the tissue dries and get tighter. The tight muscles are mostly caused by dehydration and water helps the muscles be maleable and more flexible. If you are under medication and you are having too many side effects, the cause might be lack of water, because dehydration concentrates drugs in the body, effectively raising the doses and this increases the risk of side effects and toxicity in your body.

So, please... DRINK WATER! =0)

Angela Lind. LMT

http://www.therapeutic-hands.com/

FEET: Foundation of your Body.

Your feet are the foundation of your body. They support you when you stand, walk, or run. And they help protect your spine, bones, and soft tissues from damaging stress as you move around. Your feet perform better when all their muscles, arches, and bones are in their ideal stable positions.The foot is constructed with three arches which, when properly maintained, give exceptional supportive strength. These three arches form a supporting vault that distributes the weight of the entire body.If there is compromise of one arch in the foot, the other arches must compensate and are subject to additional stresses, which usually leads to further compromise.

It’s a chain reaction.

Alleviating pain in one part of your body often requires treating a different part. The pain you feel in your neck could be caused by a misalignment in your spine that is caused by unbalanced positioning in your feet. See? It’s a chain reaction.

Call me and let me help you to recognize the specific muscles you need to be addressed and the specific measurement or thickness for your shoe inserts. By stabilizing and balancing your feet and performing the neuromuscular therapy, this together will enhance your body’s performance and efficiency, reduce pain and contribute to your total body wellness.

Angela Lind.LMT
www.therapeutic-hands.com

Source: Foot Levelers

Suffering of Hip Pain?

Facts about Hip Pain:

• Your hip is a weight-bearing joint, and all of your weight above the waistline has to be supported by your hips. Whenever you stand, walk, or run, your hip joints are subjected to stress and strain.


• If you haven`t experience a traumatic injury such a car accident or a fall on the hip, and your pain seems to lessen when you`re resting, your hip pain could be caused by imbalances in your feet.


• The feet are the foundation of your body: they support everything above them, including the hips. When your feet aren`t balanced, it puts more stress and pressure on your hips.


• Hip pain can occasionally be a symptom of a more serious problem, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or an infection in the joint. If your hip pain doesn`t go away, you should make an appointment to be evaluated by a health care professional.

How can I help you?
In the beginning, I would suggest rest or cold packs to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
I recommend custom-made, flexible spinal pelvic stabilizers, which are inserts that you place in your shoes. Stabilizers help your feet maintain their structural and functional balance as you move. Thay also absorb harmful shock.
I may also suggest that you do rehabilitative exercises to build muscle strength, stabilize the hip joint and reduce your risk of addtional injuries.

What can you do at home to recover faster?
Lifestyle changes such as exercising regularly and losing weight can help. Excess weight causes additional stress and strain on all of your joints, particularly the hips.
To avoid hip problems in the future, make sure that you get adequate amounts of calcium and vitamind D. This will heep your bones healthy and strong, and can even help prevent osteoporosis, a leading cause of hip fractures.

Take this test to see if feet stabilizers can help you:

Do you stand or walk on hard surfaces for more than 4 hours daily?
Do you participate regularly in any physical sport?
Are you age 40 or over?
Have you had a prior injury to your knee, back or neck?
Have you had a knee surgery?
Do your shoes wear unevenly?
Do you have joint pain while standing, walking, or running?
Is one of your legs shorter than the other?
Do you have knock-knees of bow legs?
Do you have obvious foot problems? (bunions, corns, flat feet, etc)

If you checked any of the above, Spinal Pelvic Stabilizers can help you. And I can help you find the best stabilizer for you, and customize specially for your feet.

Visit my website www.therapeutic-hands.com to know how to reach me.

Will be happy to help you!

Angela Lind. LMT.

Source: Foot Levelers.

Deep Tissue vs. Neuromuscular Therapy (aka. Trigger Point Therapy)

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE is just what it sounds like. Very deep pressure, a good hurt, is applied to release tight taut muscle areas not touched by conventional pressure. Often the movements are directed against the grain of the muscles (cross fiber) using the fingers, thumbs and/or elbows. It is applied with greater pressure and at deeper levels than Swedish Massage. Deep Tissue is used only at your request and not generally part of a regular session unless you feel you need it and can take deep pressure. Deep Tissue Massage lends itself to being more focused on a problem area.

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY (also known as Neuromuscular Therapy) is the application of very deep, pin point finger pressure done on adhesions or knots in your muscles to break them down and disperse them. These intense knots of muscle tension are called Trigger Points, as they seem to trigger a pain pattern, or referred pain to other parts of the body. The points are located and "deactivated" and new blood flow to the area will reduce spasm of the muscle. Finger pressure is applied to individual muscles for a short time, which can be momentarily painful but is greatly relieving. Like Deep Tissue Massage, it is not performed unless you specifically request it or I recommend it and you consent to it.

Visit my website: www.therapeutic-hands.com . Maybe this is the best for you!

Angela Lind. LMT.

Source: Hardy Massage.

The Breath Therapy

A correct breathing improves body-awareness as well as improvement in postural control and low-back pain.But when the breath is incorrect, It can be a perpetuating factor for a number of pain syndromes, as well part and parcel of many stress-related disorders. It`s incorrect breathing reaising the chest and pulling in of the abdomen. So it`s very important that this type of breathing should be corrected. The following exercise can help retrain breathing patterns:

• Take a slow breath, allowing the musculature of the stomach and abdomen to expand somewaht with the breath. Breath in this way for a few moments, allowing the breath to move down into the lower portions of the thorax. As constrictions of abdominal and/or thoracic musculature are felt, intentionally relax the area. If the chest or shoulders rise up, return to the focus of dropping the breath into the lower areas of the body.


• Now inhale deeply. Allow the musculature of the thorax to relax. As the musculature relaxes the chest will expand slightly in an anterior direction, in a lateral direction and in a posterior direction. This will happen naturally in the relaxed body. Sense that a container is being filled: first the lower portion fills, then the upper portion.


• Now exhale, emptying the upper portion first and then the lower portion. Allow the body to deflate as a balloon deflates. It will do so evenly-anteriorly, posteriorly and laterally.


• Relax the breath and continue to breath fully and completely, paying attention to the pitfalls: the shoulders may want to rise up, the abdominal muscles may tighten. Keep them relaxed.

Try to practice in front of a mirror.
Remember: a correct breathing is part of your relaxation and healing process.

Take care!

Angela Lind. LMT

www.therapeutic-hands.com

Ambiance vs. Health

I have been working at the Red Door Spas, a great and nice place to be and get relaxed. Nice relaxation room, nice hallways, nice customer service, nice massage rooms, nice music, a large etcetera that converges in two words: great ambiance. I have seen how lots of people spends lot of money wanting to get relaxed, and they decide going to this kind of spas. They get relaxed for an hour or so with the massage, and then, have to step out the room,step out the spa, take the car and drive. Their relaxation state is almost completely gone, because have to be very alert to drive back again. The reflexes after the massage are not good because the body it`s been laying down on the table with the increasing of blood circulation. That`s why is highly recommended to drink plenty of water for not fainting or feeling dizzy. Are kind of the same symptoms when someone is under alcohol`s influence or when the person is very sleepy. Very dangerous for a person when is driving, but in this case, the person just drink water, and break the relaxation state voluntarily, and easily get alert and ready to drive back. So, why the people spend so much money for ambiance and to get relaxed just a short time?What I think, it`s much better receiving a massage at home. After the massage, I don`t have to worry about driving. After the massage, I jump to my shower, then jump to my bed, go to sleep, or just watch tv. But the relaxation state remains longer. I think that the best place to get relaxed is in my own house, my own shower, my own bed. This is how the money spent for massage has more value.It`s wonderful going to nice resorts with great ambiances and luxurious atmospheres, but that not happens all the time. You don`t live at these resorts the 365 days of the year. Health, is an every day matter.

Receiving a massage in a regular basis is part of your good health.Stress unfortunately is part of our lives, gravity that pull bones and muscles in a constant force that causes misalignments and therefore stiffness, pain and discomfort. Massage reduce stress, stiffness and pain.

If having good health is a necessity, then getting a massage is not a luxury, it`s a necessity.If you want to participate more in your own care rather than paying exorbitant amounts for ambiance, call me.I really look forward to giving you the opportunity to help with your healing and health improvement for now, tomorrow and the future.

Best wishes,

Angela Lind. LMT
www.therapeutic-hands.com

The Real Swedish Massage

With the experience of giving massage everyday, I have realized that other massage therapists don`t give a real swedish massage. How can I know this? because my clients tell me that they want deep or firm pressure, not light. And when I perform a deep and firm pressure, they ask me to go lighter. This means, that there are lots of massage therapists that perform a "swedish massage" but just putting on the lotion or oil, but not manipulating the muscles. A real swedish massage is with light to moderate pressure, or manipulating the muscles lightly to moderately. Just putting lotion with slow motions doesn`t really give the person all the benefits of a real swedish massage.Try the real swedish massage, and feel the difference!

Angela Lind. LMT.
http://www.therapeutic-hands.com/