Africa 2016

Soma Yoga

Why Do I Hurt?

Katie White RMT, HTP, CYT

Pain is the number one reason why people come to my clinic for massage therapy treatments. Having suffered from over 20 years of chronic neck pain myself, I can empathize and relate to their misery.

It has been my experience that those who are able to overcome pain and restricted mobility take an active role in their healing journey.  Clients that are curious, interested and willing to experiment, are those that enjoy better quality of life.

My personal and professional experience has taught me that the reasons for pain are many. Here are some that you might not know about:

1. Trigger Points- These are hard lumps found in muscle tissue and can refer pain to other areas of the body. Overuse, underuse, a cold breeze, hormonal imbalance are just a few of the reasons trigger points develop.  Massage therapy is an excellent way to find and resolve this painful condition.
2. Sensory Motor Amnesia- SMA describes inefficient patterns of muscular activation that are so habitual you can’t sense or control them. For example, you might have simply forgotten how to relax areas such as the neck, low back and shoulders, or how to activate muscles like the glutes or abs. This leads to weakness, inefficiency, poor coordination and eventually pain. Soma Yoga is a wonderful way to learn body awareness and overcome SMA.

3,  Nutritional Deficiency- Many clinical trails have been done proving the connection between nutritional deficiency and low energy, general malaise and chronic pain.  Common deficiencies linked to nerve, joint and muscle pain are Vitamin B12, C, D, and magnesium. A visit to a Naturopathic Doctor can be very helpful and informative for individual assessment.
 

 4. Chronic Inflammation- There are many reasons why inflammation sets up in the body. One very common reason is food sensitivity, resulting in chronic inflammation. Common foods that can be inflammatory are: gluten, sugar, corn, soy, and dairy. Another group is the nightshades: tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, chilies and hemp seed.  Trying an elimination diet or having vega testing done can help to determine food sensitivities.

5. Suppressed Emotions- Dr. John E. Sarno is a New York Times bestselling author and respected physician.  He continues to research the vital connection between mind and body. Dr. Sarno  has clinically proven how many painful conditions-including neck and back pain, migraine, repetitive stress injuries, whiplash, and tendonitises-are rooted in repressed emotions. To learn more, read his book The Mind Body Prescription.

I encourage all clients to take an active role in their health.  To take the time to explore the many possible reasons why they are experiencing pain.  Often times it is like solving a puzzle, figuring out what works and what doesn’t.  Life is a journey, and sometimes the road is winding and challenging, giving us the opportunity to learn and grow.

Fish Therapy

 Fish Therapy- (Ictiotherapy) in Sayuita, Mexico

Katie White RMT, HTP, CYT

I was walking around a sweet hippy/surfer village in Mexico with my Mom and my cousin. As we navigated the busy and colorful streets, we saw a sign advertising "Fish Therapy". 

Seeing people of all ages taking advantage of this therapy we walked over to the Buddha Spa. Intrigued we had a look and started asking questions.

What we learned is this is a very popular treatment offered in spas around the world.  Tiny little fish from Turkey called Garra Rufa nibble on the dead skin on your feet. 

What does it do?  Exfoliate, moisturize, improve circulation, relax and massage the feet.

What does it feel like? Like tiny little vibrations on your feet.

How long will it take? 10-30 minutes- depending on your budget and preference

Do the fish get full? Apparently never- we watched them for over an hour and they were enthusiastic on all the feet offered to them.

Does it hurt? Not one bit- almost tickled in fact!

 First, your feet are washed off in a basin of water.  Apparently the only thing that will hurt the fish is bug spray. However, it is important to wash of the sand and dirt to avoid clogging the tanks.

 Immediately the fish latch on to your feet.  It feels very strange at first. After awhile, it felt like my feet had fallen asleep.

 The fish have no teeth but have a small cup as a mouth.  They suck impurities out of the skin and remove dead skin. This acts as an exfoliation and detoxification all at once.

 The fish massage the feet, helping to improve circulation and increase relaxation.  

 This is me, enjoying the fish therapy treatment. It was an nice break to come out of the hot Mexican sun and take a seat and experience something new. 

To complete the fish therapy, I opted for the complete package and added a wonderful pedicure. My feet felt very happy after this really refreshing treatment.

Bath & Beauty Gift Making Workshop

Bath & Beauty Gift Making Class with Katie White RMT
Nov 29, 2015 1-4:00 pm 
$90+GST
Bring a Friend- Save $10 each!

Katie White RMT, Chartered Herbalist has been practising and studying the healing arts for almost 20 years. Katie has studied plants extensively while completing  the Horticulture Technician program at Vancouver Island University, Chartered Herbalist Program with Dominion Herbal College and Clinical Herbalist Program with Michael Moore at Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.

Katie has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work at Hazelwood Herb Farm in Naniamo, BC and Self Heal Herbs in Victoria,BC. This combined practical experience and intense study has given her the unique opportunity of hands on learning and clinical experience. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge and love of herbal healing with you in this fun and informative workshop.

http://www.courtenaymassagetherapy.com/bath--beauty-gift-making.html

"Have you ever wanted to learn how to make high quality herbal products?"


"Do you want to give beautiful & practical gifts?"


"Do you want to create chemical free body products?

Join Katie White RMT, Chartered Herbalist for this fun and informative workshop.  Watch demonstrations and create your own blends!

You will learn to make & take home 8 high quality herbal products.


Just in time for Christmas, give as luxurious gifts or keep for yourself. 

Lip Balm
Body Butter
Fizzy Bath Salts
Aromatherapy Inhaler
Mood Mister
Body Scrub
Bath & Body Oil
Massage Oil

Workshop held at Holiday Inn
2200 Cliff Ave, Courtenay, BC
Tuition $30/Materials $60 
Total Cost $90 + GST 

Is Arthritis A Life Sentence?

“Almost every one over 60 years of age will have enough arthritis present to be detected in x-rays"

You will develop arthritis at some point in your lifetime. It can be very mild, causing a little stiffness as you age, or it can be extremely painful and debilitating. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent and manage this condition.

Movement is the best prescription you could get for arthritis.  Arthritis is not actually a disease. Loss of muscle function causes stiffness and joint pain.

Arthritis is a term used to describe joint inflammation ("arthro" = joint; "itis" = inflammation). When inflammation is present, the joint is usually painful.However, not all joint pain is arthritis. Problems like loss of muscle function, trigger points, sprains, or tendinitis can cause pain, but the joint itself remains healthy.

There are virtually dozens of problems or pathologies that are considered arthritis. Two of the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Other types of arthritis like lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Reiter's syndrome are less common. These are all systemic conditions. What differentiates each of these is the specific joints that become affected, the problems that occur in other body systems, and the severity of the symptoms. 

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other types of systemic arthritis most often involves the use of medications in conjunction with massage, joint mobilization and exercise. By following this type of regimen, a person can usually minimize their pain and discomfort significantly.  

If it starts to give you problems, it can usually be managed very well without medication. It is vitally important, however, that you take proactive measures to prevent wear and tear on your joints.

You must manage your tension and maintain good posture to prevent excessive or uneven pressure on your joints.  Your brain controls your muscles and movement. When muscles learn to stay tight and contracted due to stress (compensation due to a surgery or accident, over training in sports, emotional stress or repetitive movements), they literally lose their ability to relax voluntarily. Learn how to restore voluntary muscle function and proper posture and those achy joints have space to move properly. Chronically contracted muscles put pressure on joints, making it difficult to move them freely.Soma Yoga changes the neuroplasticity of your brain, allowing ease of movement and reduction of stiffness.

If you want to learn how to improve your posture, attend a four week Soma Yoga series. In this series you will learn what muscles are chronically tight, what muscles have fallen asleep and dysfunctional muscle movement patterns. Re-educating your muscles will release joint tension and pain. Another result is a change your posture!  The next Soma Yoga series starts Tues Oct 6 at 6:45 pm or Thurs Oct 8 at 10:30 am

Massage therapists are trained in fascial, muscle energy therapy and deep tissue techniques that will allow them to manually stretch out shortened muscles that are pulling your body out of alignment. In addition heat, hot stones, magnesium oil, aromatherapy, herbal anti-inflammatories & analgesics can be used during massage to assist in pain relief and promote relaxation.

Do you have to stop exercising because your cartilage is wearing thin? Far from it. You need to move your joints to get nutrients to your cartilage so it can heal. Inactivity can actually cause your cartilage to deteriorate faster. If you have a sedentary job, make sure that you take frequent breaks. As well, engage in some low impact activities like walking, swimming, biking or any activity that you enjoy doing on a regular basis.

If you need help starting a program ask your therapist for assistance. In the case of osteoarthritis, you should consider surgery only after conservative treatment has failed and pain and limitation in movement interferes with your day-to-day activities in a significant way. With arthritic conditions, some joints will lose their mobility, while other joints will tend to become hypermobile. Your muscles have to work harder to both compensate for lost movement and to stabilize loose joints.

Remember that cartilage doesn't feel pain. The pain associated with arthritis usually comes from overworked muscles, dysfunctional movement patterns, sensory motor amnesia or sometimes from the capsule that surrounds the joint. For this reason, Soma Yoga can be invaluable in managing your symptoms. Therapeutic massage to reduce muscle spasm, trigger point therapy to reduce referred pain, and when necessary, joint mobilization to stretch tightened joints and restore your mobility

Reversing Shoulder Pain Workshop

Reversing Shoulder Pain Workshop
May 31, 2015 3:00-5:00 pm
$60 per person

Learn How to Reverse Shoulder Pain, Muscle Tightness & Joint Inflammation!

Do you suffer from shoulder pain, and have trouble moving your arm and shoulder?

Have you been diagnosed with shoulder tendoniits, calcification, bursitis, frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis or impingement syndrome?

Join Katie White RMT for an informative and practical workshop to help you get out of pain and back to using your shoulders.

In this two hour workshop you will learn:

*What muscles are tight, causing pain and how to release them yourself

* What is the Pain Causing Dynamic and how to reverse it & reduce inflammation

* A Healthy Shoulder Protocol to reverse pain and maintain health

This class can help you if you have pain in the front, side or back of your shoulder.  If your shoulder is a chronic source of pain & worry or if your shoulder pain is new.

If you can`t lift anything or move your arm around with out pain, this class is for you.

Date: Sunday March 15, 2015

Time: 3-5:00 pm

Cost: $60 per person

Location: 243 Alpine Street,Comox, BC

Register for Reversing Shoulder Pain Workshop

All you need to bring are your hands and a towel. You will receive class handouts with descriptions and illustrations of each technique for future reference.

No special equipment or massage oil needed. Please wear a shirt that you can access your shoulder to massage it.

Class size is limited. Register early, pre payment is required.