Tag Archives: massage

Massage Specials: $60 For 1 Hour Massage Session

Healthy Me,

 

 

Our Massage Special for March 2015! 

At Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, we want to encourage restorative behavior in all its forms especially relaxation to reduce your stress levels.

Time to get those tense back and shoulder muscles all relaxed with deep tissue relaxing massage at a deep discount!

  • 1 hour massage – $60 + HST*

Book your session today! Call us at 416 913 4325.

Massage treatments are available on Tuesdays and Fridays. This offer expires on March 31st  2015.

Regular price: $90 + HST for 1 hour.
* Services are provided by Registered Massage Therapists. Covered by most extended health insurances.

Healthy Resolutions For 2012 – The Naturopathic Way

Healthy Me, , , ,

Happy New Year to everyone. The last year has been a difficult one for almost everyone in various aspects so lets hope this year is one that will bring lots of positivity and cheer to everyone. Here is how you can do your part to make this world and yours a better place naturally.

1. QUIT SMOKING.

Really it is time to kick of this dirty habit as its heavy on your lungs and your pockets. Try to quit smoking naturally using acupuncture, hypnosis and natural supplements. It works really well, but only if you are ready to quit!  You have probably wanted to do it for a variety of reasons: including health, family and friends, and the amount of toxins you accumulate in your lungs, and now is the time, so go ahead and take that step towards a new healthier and cleaner you ! Your naturopathic doctor can advise you on natural supplements and diets that will help your body with dealing with cravings, agitation and anxiety as a results of quitting and weight gain that can happen with quitting smoking.

2. GIVE UP DRINKING EXCESSIVELY

Having an occasional glass of wine here and there is fine, red wine is great for the heart, but anything in excess is not good. So you figured you drink excessively only over the weekends so its fine! No, as a matter of fact, that kind of drinking is more abusive and harmful towards your liver and harder to process than having a glass of red wine every second or third day, not to mention killing the few brain cells remaining. Its affecting your relationships in a harmful manner, and turning you into a person that people do not want to know anymore, so kick of this habit naturally or with the help of your naturopathic doctor. There are amazing natural supplements that will help you deal with the cravings and urges.

3. CUT OUT TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE THAT WEIGH YOU DOWN

We have all been through this. Its hard to break bonds with toxic people and abusive relationships as its just so much more easier to be miserable and unhappy as opposed to facing the unknown, right? No!  Unless you wish to live your life scared and unhappy, and always being put down, the alternative is easier and less painful, and frees you of toxicity in your life! If you are hanging on to the past and the relationships that failed and the disappointments, you are weighing yourself down the unnecessary emotions and stagnating energy that comes from it, so free yourself like the birds. If you find its hard to let go, try some free flow writing and write whatever comes in your mind, happy or sad, and when you stop, burn whatever you wrote about or tear it up and let the emotions attached to what you wrote go. If you practice this regularly, your mind and heart will feel lighter.

4. SLEEP MORE AND EAT HEALTHIER 

This is the easiest healthy resolution out of all of the above and you will feel so much better in terms of energy and mood once you apply it. If you are one of these people who gets about 4 – 6 hours of sleep a night and get away with eating whatever they want, and feel you do not need more sleep or improve their diet, well, think again. Even though you may feel invincible, your body is having to work overtime to help you feel that way and sooner or later, it gets fatigued, and then you will start to see all kinds of symptoms you did not have before such as weight gain in the waist, fatigue, waking up feeling not refreshed among others. If you are one of those people who suffers from insomnia or other sleeping issues, talk to your naturopathic doctor to see how you may be able to improve your sleep naturally.

You are what you eat, so remember, if you are putting in food into your body that is not healthy and nutritious, your body will lack vital vitamins and minerals that it needs to function optimally, as a lack of these key nutrients will cause various imbalances in the body, which in turn will cause various symptoms in the body.

5. STRESS LESS AND BREATHE MORE!

Stress. This word in it self is stressful! Do not get me wrong, there is healthy and positive stress too, but the majority of us seem to put undue amounts of stress on our bodies. Stress on the body can be caused not only by mental and emotional factors, but also by our environment, psychological, dietary and physiological factors. Learn to manage your stress better  naturally with moderate exercise, yoga and meditation, massage and acupuncture, and with the help of certain vitamins and minerals.  If you are under constant stress and there is no possible to change it, try to find strategies that will help you to manage your stress better and remember to breathe.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

 

 

Naturopathic Suggestions For Smoking Cessation

Healthy Me, , , ,

Old habits die hard, and its especially difficult to cut out habits that are so addictive.

Here are a few suggestions that will help you tremendously when you are trying to cut down or quit smoking for good:

1. Change your lifestyle and cut out everything that makes you want to smoke

First and foremost, it is very important to cut down on other addictive substances, such as coffee and alcoholl, all of which can increase the desire to smoke. Most smokers associate coffee with smoking or alcohol with smoking, so chances are if you cut out other food or drink items that go hand and hand with smoking, you will decrease the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day. As well, cut out hanging around other smokers or encourage them to stop smoking with you if the former is not possible. Ask friends and family for support while you transition into a non-smoker and let them know that you may need them while you go through this process. Making your desire to quit smoking public will help.

2. Have an active lifestyle full of alternate activities

Let’s face it, when you have been smoking for a while, you will need to find an alternate hobby to occupy your hands and your time with when you decide to quit smoking. So you will need to stay busy to prevent boredom and to keep your mind off smoking. My recommendation is to find a sport or activity that you enjoy, so you can feel good about your health. Try to exercise regularly to help with the withdrawal symptoms, increase motivation and help release the tension you build up when you quit smoking. Exercise also helps with improving circulation and helps with the elimination of toxins that you would have collected as a smoker. Find temporary oral substitutes to deal with psychological ties attached to smoking.

3. Treating your body well

Once you decide to quit smoking or cut down the amount of cigarettes you smoke daily, the body will immediately go into repair mode trying to heal your system especially your lungs. So some of the things you can do to assist the body in its detoxification process is optimize your health are: getting plenty of rest and drinking enough fluids – stay hydrated. You may also do contrast hydrotherapy showers which are great for improving blood circulation in the body as well, improve toxin elimination from the body. Oral fixation substitutes could include munchies such as vegetable sticks (cucumbers, carrots, celery, zucchini), apples or pears, seeds and nuts, sunflower seeds (unsalted) in shells, popcorn sugarless hard candies or gum; or chewing or sucking on ice cubes, or licorice sticks. For your mind, do not forget to treat yourself for being successful at your goal of quitting smoking. With all the cigarette money you will save, you can purchase a new outfit or a new trip. Some of the other things you can do for your mind are:

  • Learning relaxation and breathing techniques and do them at least for 10 minutes a day
  • Practicing visualizations
  • Keeping a positive attitude toward health and life
  • Get positive health treatments, such as massage, teeth cleaning to remove cigarette stains, a yoga class or try some acupuncture for relaxation.

There are great programs available to help you with smoking cessation. If you need help with quitting smoking, check out our smoking cessation program, that offers acupuncture and hypnotherapy for help with dealing with the withdrawal symptoms and cravings as well, detoxification of the body.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, in Toronto.

Natural Ways Of Decreasing Stress In Life

Healthy Me, , , , ,

Life presents us with talks and turns which for most part are a learning experience and something to build on. If we had no ups or downs, no bends and turns, life would be boring or empty, which may be sufficient for some people, but not for most of us. We seek thrills and adventures in life, excitement and that rush, that drives us, but most of the time, they come at a price + interest- the interest being the amount of stress that these put on the body and the after effects. Most times I see patients who are stressed out because of work, family, kids, relationships, and so on. When asked about stress, most people say that they do not feel stressed, but when we test their bioavailable hormones using saliva, majority of the times, at stress glands are either overworked or fatigued.

So what are some of the simple ways of reducing stress in life?

1. Create a list of things to do weekly or every few days and make sure you schedule time for you in – even if its just for 15 minutes.

2. One task at a time or per day is okay. Most of us have a tendency to schedule too many things in our day, majority of the times this is unrealistic and then feel overwhelmed when we do not get them all done that day, so go easy on your self and treat yourself for that one accomplishment rather than stressing your self over not having finished all the tasks.

3. Tomorrow is another day, so if you did not finish something today, there is always tomorrow.

4. Try not to stretch yourself too thin in all directions – such as kids activities, work, extra curricular activities, additional commitments with friends and family. Its important to maintain good relationships with people, especially friends and family, but not at the cost of your health and peace. If you are not able to find time for you because of all sorts of external commitments, you will soon feel resentment towards activities that are generally supposed to be fun, such as spending time with friends and family, so try to find balance and a happy medium where everyone gets their share of your precious time, including you.

5. Its okay to say no! especially if you are so pressed for time.

Energetic treatments like acupuncture and Reiki work very help for relaxing the body and calming the mind.  Yoga classes can be very beneficial too –   especially if they have a meditation component to them. You can also look at our stress management program for more therapies and tips for stress relief. Come in for a relaxing deep tissue massage, which I find always does the trick.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic in Toronto

Stretch Away Your Pain

Healthy Me, , , , ,

In the search of pain relief, too often we try all sorts of pain relief, going from doctor to doctor. Very often, however, simple lifestyle changes can prove to more effective in helping to overcome pain and improve health.

Here are a few stretches that you can try when you need some pain relief.

FOR YOUR BACK

Sit on a mat or on a firm mattress with your legs extended straight out. Slowly lean forward and reach your fingers toward your toes. Use a fluid motion.

FOR YOUR SHOULDERS AND ARMS

Reach one of your hands over the head and as far down your back as you can. You can use the opposite hand to push the elbow toward your back. Repeat with the opposite hand.

FOR YOUR NECK

Sit in a comfortable position. Relax your shoulders. Slowly bend your neck forward until your chin touches your neck. Without moving your shoulders, rotate your head and slowly touch your right shoulder with your chin. Bring your neck back to normal, and repeat rotation toward your left shoulder.

FOR YOUR LEGS:

Lie flat on your back with your legs fully extended. Bend one knee and grasp the leg just above the knee with both hands and slowly bring the knee close to your chest. Repeat with the other leg, and then do both the knees together.

CALF MUSCLES

Stand facing a wall with your feet about four inches apart and 10 – 12 inches away from the wall. Keep your back straight, lean forward and press your shoulders against the wall until your feel a pull or stretching of the calf muscles. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times.

FINALLY FOR THE WHOLE BODY

Lie flat on your back with your legs extended. Raise your arms above your head ad reach as far as you can while pointing your toes and stretching your legs. Hold for a count of five and repeat three times.

START BY REPEATING EACH OF THE FOLLOWING TWICE, AND GRADUALLY WORK UP TO 10 REPETITIONS PER SESSION

Still feeling pain, why not enjoy the benefits of acupuncture and massage at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic combined.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Low Libido And Menopause

Healthy Me, , , ,

Women often complain about low libido or low sex drive when they enter their menopausal years and often ask for natural cures that would help bring up their sex drives and here is what I often ask them if its just hormonal changes that is causing this problem or other factors are at play, and here is what I have found.

Most couples at this stage in their life have families, jobs, kids and various stresses in their life that prevent them from thinking about how it used to be or how they used to feel towards each other when they were dating or got married.

Daily chores like cooking, cleaning, laundry, dishes and lunches for the kids have taken over what used to be the time the couples would spend together. So here is some simple advice I give to some of my clients:

– Try to reconnect to the way it used to be – go out for a date night once or twice a month, if not per week.

– Get to know each other again away from the daily chores and commitments. Drop of the kids at the parents and take some time out for each other in your busy schedules

– Feel young again – dress up for your date the way you used to when you are still dating and before life took over.

– Is he / she too busy to take you to lunch? Well surprise him / her at work for a quick lunch.

– Drop a quick love note / card in his briefcase stating how you feel.

– Go for a nice relaxing massage at the end of the day so you can feel relaxed and pampered before your night out.

However, if the low libido is mostly related to the low hormone levels, talk to your naturopath about natural supplements that will help improve libido and lubrication.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Cellulite Melt Down

Healthy Me, , , , ,

Melting Away Cellulite Naturally

Orange peel syndrome, cottage cheese skin the mattress phenomenon, hail damage … WHAT IS A WOMEN SUPPOSED TO DO!

Cellulite is the unsightly dimpling, padded or “orange peel” appearance of the skin that appears after puberty in women and is probably one of the most aesthetically troubling concerns of women, more than wrinkles and aging skin. Majority of the cellulite is fat that has deposited in the cells of the stomach, arms, thighs and the buttocks region.

Cellulite is not related to being overweight; average and underweight people also get cellulite too!

CAUSES

Cellulite formation occurs due to a number of causes:

Diet and lifestyle being high on the list. Various changes in metabolism and physiology may cause cellulite or contribute to cellulite. Among these are a disorder of water metabolism, blood circulation issues and deposition in fat due to abnormal hyperpolymerization of the connective tissue.

Hormonal Factors

Hormones play a dominant role in the formation of cellulite. Estrogen is the most important hormone. Practically all females past the age of 20 display some degree of cellulite, some may have it earlier too. It is seen in males with androgen-deficient states – this means that cellulite formation appears to have a hormonal component to its presentation. Other hormones including insulin, the catecholamines adrenaline and noradrenaline, thyroid hormones, and prolactin have all been shown to participate in the development of cellulite.

Predisposing factors

Several genetic factors have been shown to be necessary for cellulite to develop. Gender, race, biotype, a hormone receptor allele that determines the receptor number and sensitivity, distribution of subcutaneous fat, and predisposition to circulatory insufficiency have all been shown to contribute to cellulite.

Diet

Diet has been shown to affect the development and amount of cellulite. Excessive amounts of fat, carbohydrates, salt, alcohol or too little fiber can all contribute to an increased cellulite.

Lifestyle

Smoking, lack of exercise, tight clothes, high heeled shoes, and sitting or standing in a single position of long periods have all been correlated with an increase in cellulite. A high stress lifestyle will cause an increase in the catecholamine hormones.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET RID OF CELLULITE?

At our naturopathic clinic, I have found that acupuncture and massage with certain oils to have been extremely effective in smoothing out cellulite and the results can be seen right after the first visit!!

Of course, diet and lifestyle changes are extremely important in keeping cellulite away, so people don’t despair … there is hope!

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.