Boost your Immune System

The cold months of Winter are a perfect time to boost your immune system and recharge your battery (Qi). 

Try our “Immune System Booster” Special to prevent cold and flu by stimulating your immune system with a few needles inserted into key points of the body.

Price:  $77.00 (HST included)

Package of 3 sessions: $210 (HST included)

Renew & Rejuvenate this Spring

Renew and Rejuvenate this Spring

Spring is here and many of us want to make some changes to reflect the time of renewal and rejuvenation. Spring is a great time to change your diet, detoxify the body and maybe lose weight in the process. Eating a diet high in fibre, high in organic fruits and vegetables, low in animal proteins and processed food will help your body to transition from Winter to Spring and Summer.

About 70% of our body is made-up of water. Drinking about 8 glasses of clean water a day will not only hydrate your body but it will also help with cleansing. And to strengthen the cleansing effect, add liquid chlorophyll to your drinking water. This liquid supplement is available for sale at the retail section of our clinic and other health food stores.

Drinking enough water is key in detoxification, getting enough fibre and antioxidants from vegetables and fruits is also very important. Removing excess acids from your body will be useful in helping to get rid of toxins. Avoid excess animal proteins like processed meats and cheese and consume plenty of alkalizing foods (vegetables and fruits). Incorporate exercise to promote the movement of lymph in the lymphatic system responsible for removal of toxins from the tissues. You can promote detoxification by adding specialized products to your diet. Pascoe Canada offers “Whole Body Cleanse”. This gentle product supports all aspects of detoxification: the lymphatic system to transport toxins, the liver to detoxify them, and kidneys and intestinal tract to eliminate them. This spring “The Whole-Body Cleanse” is available at Myoflex Massage & Rejuvenation Clinic at 20% off the regular price. We carry a wide selection of natural body products to help you with body and skin cleansing.

Based on Eastern philosophy, Spring corresponds to the “Wood” element which in turn is related to the Liver and the Gallbladder. Per Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of energy (Qi) throughout the body and therefore it is the prime target for spring cleansing. Green is the colour of the Liver and of Spring. Thus, eating greens like lettuce, green beans, sprouts, spinach, and arugula, can improve liver functions. The liver can also be stimulated with sour drinks and foods such as putting a slice of lemon in your water or a touch of vinegar in salad dressing. Per TCM the Liver opens to the eyes and is connected to proper eye function. 

Complementing your detox routine with an acupuncture and/ or massage session will give additional benefits to your spring routine.  Acupuncture sessions aiming to balance the Liver and Gallbladder will help with your cleansing protocol. Manual Lymph Drainage and Lymphatic Massage will aid in transporting lymph throughout the body via lymphatic vessels. A healthy lymphatic system collects metabolic products, foreign bodies and cellular debris. The lymph nodes located along lymphatic vessels, are filled with immune cells which can produce antibodies in response to infections. Therefore, maintaining strong lymphatic system with the help of massage and acupuncture will help your immunity and overall health.

Hot Stone Massage Special

Beat the Chill with Hot Stones until Valentine's Day!

It's winter and even though the temperatures fluctuate wildly, there is no doubt that this season will still hold you in its icy grip for awhile?

Thumb your nose at the cold and warm up with a soothing Hot Stone Massage at Myoflex Massage & Rejuvenating Clinic. 

From now until 14 February 2017, Myoflex offers a Hot Stone Massage for the price of a regular therapeutic massage of $87.00 (HST included).

Please call 450-9272 to setup your appointment or buy a Gift Certificate for that person you know will appreciate such a treat! 

Cupping, is it for you?

Cupping

Depending on your point of view, or interests, last summer was overshadowed, or highlighted by the Olympics. And while very few were able to fly to Brazil to take in the activities in Rio and even fewer were actually able to participate, many followed the action on TV. 

As Canadians, we remember the outstanding performances of our athletes, and especially the female competitors who brought home many medals. But we may also remember Michael Phelps and other sports figures who exhibited big blotches all over their backs, arms and legs, tell tale signs of cupping.

Do they know something that we don’t know? Is this some strange treatment recently discovered? Can this only benefit high level athletes?

The answer to all these questions is a resounding NO!

Cupping has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine and around the world for the treatment of many ailments.

In the case of the athletes at the recent Rio Olympics, cupping was used as a drugless alternative which helped them by relieving pain and tightness and speeding up recovery in overworked muscles. Cupping increased the blood flow to tight areas, thus improving the elimination of waste products and bringing in more nutrients and oxygen. Cupping also worked by softening the connective tissue that wraps around muscles, thus making them more responsive. But cupping is not just for athletes, it can help your average Joe suffering from chronic back and neck pain, cramps, even tension headaches. By adding a third dimension to the treatment, cupping can have the same effect as a deep tissue massage.

Beside muscles, cupping also affects the lymphatic system to increase immune functions. Medical cups can also be used to treat respiratory conditions, colds, coughs and allergies as well as certain skin conditions, including cellulite. In addition, cupping can help induce relaxation by taking away the pain and promotes detoxification and may help digestive functions.

While traditional cupping was done by heating the inside of a glass, ceramic or iron cup with a flame, modern cupping is mostly done with plastic cups using a suction pump to create just the right amount of suction. Cupping may be done by placing several cups over areas of the body and leaving them

for 5 to 10 minutes, or after suction has been applied, the cups may be moved around, lifting up tissue as it is travels along.   

Please call Myoflex today, at 450-9272 if you have further questions about cupping or to book your appointment for any type of massage therapy or acupuncture treatment.

“Take it to Heart this February”

“Take it to Heart this February”

Heart disease and stroke are now the leading causes of death in Canada. Sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, obesity, and chronic stress, can all contribute to an increased risk of heart disease.

The good news is that even small changes in your lifestyle can improve your health and reduce this risk. Exercise, adequate water intake and nutrition as well as a good balance between work and leisure are the pillars of better health.

A really great way to help with the chronic stress issue we are all facing, are massage therapy and acupuncture treatments. 

During a massage session, the body’s “fight or flight” response caused by stressful situations is turned off, leading to a drop in blood pressure, a redirection of the blood to internal organs and an increase in the digestive processes (“rest and digest” response). The body reacts to tactile input from massage by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and causing relaxation of muscles and a feeling of bliss and wellbeing. The addition of acupuncture to the treatments increases the body’s capacity to dealing with anxiety and stress and some other unpleasant symptoms, such as heart palpitations, chest tightness and high blood pressure. February is “Heart Month”, making it an excellent time to start thinking about your health and to, maybe, include massage therapy and acupuncture into your wellness programme.

And what better way to relax your body and calm your mind than with a Hot Stone Massage, especially during the cold winter month of February.

Black basalt stones, made by volcanic action and used in this modality, have excellent heat and cold retention properties. Before the treatment the stones are warmed up in hot salt water, placed on the body and used to perform massage techniques. The combination of the energy from the warm stones and the massage work gives amazing results such as an increase in flexibility due to the softening of the connective tissue, a rise in blood circulation and oxygen levels to the treated areas and a reduction in pain.

Book a session for you or buy a Gift Certificate for a loved-one and take advantage of our Specials. 

Cold & Flu Prevention with Acupuncture

Cold & Flu Prevention with Acupuncture

Cold and flu season is upon us. For protection from nasty flu viruses many of us opt to receive a flu shot. The protection the vaccination offers varies from year to year and depends on how well it is matched to circulating viruses. To improve on the effectiveness of the flu shot or just to boost the immune health one can add acupuncture to the flu and cold prevention routine.

Between 2,000 and 8,000 Canadians die every year from flu and its complications and many others end up in hospital as a result of catching the flu virus. A few acupuncture sessions can balance the body, increase immunity and your chance to survive the winter without major illness.

Acupuncture is an ancient therapy in which very fine needles are inserted into acupuncture points located in different areas of the body, for therapeutic purposes. Sterile, disposable needles are inserted to different depths on the skin and are turned or left in place for 15-30 min. Acupuncture can not only boost the immune system but can also treat allergies, colds, cough, asthma, sinusitis and congestion. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the two paired meridians of the Lung and the Large Intestine are targeted in the treatment of flu and colds as well as their prevention.

A great complement to acupuncture, or used as a separate therapy, is cupping. In cupping therapy, the practitioner uses plastic or glass cups applied to the body; the air is then suctioned out using a small manual pump. The suction stimulates acupressure points, leading to the stimulation of blood and lymph flow and the release of myofascial restrictions. Cupping also stimulates the sensory nerves in the skin and can be used in painful conditions. Before the explosion of antibiotics, cupping was a therapy of choice for many respiratory diseases. 

Arthritis

September is Arthritis Awareness Month

“Arthritis” comes from the Greek word meaning “inflamed joint”. There are many different conditions that fall into the category of Arthritis; one hundred different kinds, to be exact, and one in seven people suffers from some form of Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease whereby the body, for some unknown reason, attacks its own joint tissue. It can occur at any time during their lifetime, from youth to senior. Osteoarthritis is the most common condition and is considered to be the “wear-and-tear” arthritis.  It generally affects people later in life depending on how active their lifestyle was or is and how many injuries they incurred.

What can Massage Therapy and Acupuncture do for Arthritis?

Many people living with arthritis are prescribed high doses of pain killers including opioids such as Demerol and OxyContin or tranquilizers and sedatives such as Valium, Ativan or Xanax. These medications are habit forming and might lead to addiction and abuse and harm their health in the long run. Massage Therapy and Acupuncture might be acceptable alternative or complements to conventional medical care for arthritis. They won’t cure arthritis; however these treatments can help with pain management, swelling and stiffness. Medical acupuncture is a practice of inserting thin sterile needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being. According to recent studies, stimulation of acupuncture points produces a cascade of chemicals and leads to the release of endorphins and enkephalins, the body’s natural pain killers. Acupuncture treatments work well for knee, wrist, hand, foot and ankle arthritis and pain associated with it.

During both massage therapy and acupuncture, the focus of the treatment is to relieve the compressive forces on the joint by using techniques within the client’s pain tolerance to reduce stiffness, pain, swelling, spasm and to increase the overall range of motion of the affected joints and the muscles surrounding it. Joint play techniques can also be applied directly to the joint to increase lubrication which could, in turn, help to increase nutrition of the cartilage. Any other areas of the body that are compensating for the pain can be addressed as well as any postural concerns or dysfunctions. Your therapist can give you homecare advice such as diet and specific exercises, hydrotherapy or stretches to prolong the effects of your massage and acupuncture as well as to reduce your overall pain on a daily basis.

Hot wax during arthritis treatment?

Several layers of melted paraffin wax can be applied to hands, feet or other parts of the body and are covered with plastic sheets and towels. The wax is then peeled off after 30 minutes. The deep penetrating heat from the wax increases blood circulation and softens collagen of connective tissue in preparation for massage or acupuncture.  It also softens dry, cracked skin and decreases pain from stiffened or spastic muscles and joints. It is a great addition to your treatment.

Heat in the form of Infrared light or Hot Packs can also be used to relax muscles and manage pain.

Creams can be used to relieve pain as well. Your therapist could use Capsaicin creams which are the natural substance that gives the heat in hot peppers.  These creams can be effective if applied locally. Other muscle creams such as “Ultimate Pain Rub” containing Methyl Salicylate, Menthol and Camphor could also be considered.

For more information or to book an appointment, please call Myoflex Massage & Rejuvenation Clinic at 506-450-9272.