Thank you for the great massage you gave my daughter for her birthday. She has repeatedly said it was the best massage by far that she has ever had, let alone a prenatal one! Also she was very impressed with your background and depth of knowledge.
- Lynne T.
Mother & Grandmother
Massage For Moms is more than just bodywork. We will also share information so you can make the best choices for your own wellness and the wellness of your family. Some of this may be new information, most may be a reminder about what you already know. Either way, we hope to inspire and support you in creating the healthy lifestyle habits that will transition you from good health to vibrant, optimal health.
Wellness is a vitality brought about as a product of self-care. The creation of wellness is an active process. When you stay educated, tune in to your own body and proactively choose what enhances your body’s natural healing processes your wellness improves.
In order to optimize your body’s ability to be well you must consider the food you eat, exercise, weight management, sleeping habits, good circulation, relaxation, optimal supplementation, herbal tonics, maintaining positive relationships and pursuing joy and pleasure your life.
Effective bodywork contributes greatly to restoring and maintaining your well-being. See Massage is Good Medicine to find out more.
Over the decades, different ideas have come in and out of vogue about what eating well means. There is more confusion now than ever due to the vast amounts of conflicting information about what foods are best for wellness. Here are a few recommendations that are applicable to everyone.
The term whole foods needs some definition because of the misconception that if you get it at ‘Whole Foods’ or if your cereal or supplement is made from ‘whole foods’ it’s giving you all the benefits of whole foods. Not true! Whole foods are unprocessed foods, close to their natural state. Processed foods are highly refined. A Twinkie is a highly refined processed food; goldfish crackers, most white breads and cold cereals are processed foods too. Whole foods are fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, meats, fish, nuts and eggs for example. The more you fill your diet with foods like these the better you’ll feel.
Our bodies need healthy fats especially essential fatty acids (EFA’s). Olive oil, sesame oil and ghee are good oils to cook with. Seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and flax, nuts such as walnuts and almonds, fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies along with other foods like avocados are good sources of EFA’s. Fish oil supplements and flaxseed oil add additional EFA’s. Never use or eat anything that is made with hydrogenated oil.
Because Type 2 Diabetes is an epidemic in our culture and most people as they age gain fat around their middle it may be helpful to understand how these health issues link to food choices. Simply put, low-glycemic eating keeps your blood sugar in check. When you eat a high-glycemic meal or snack your blood sugar shoots up out of range, starting a cascade of physiological reactions in your body. Then an hour or two later your blood sugar drops down out of range. You feel like you’re starving and your body craves more high-glycemic foods to quickly bring your blood sugar up again. It is not uncommon for people to be on this ‘glycemic roller coaster’ all day every day, year after year. This can lead to higher risks of long term health issues. Eating low glycemic is not rocket science. Again, whole foods are the key (remember – bunny crackers and Oatios from Whole Foods don’t count as whole foods).
Did you know that white flour can spike your blood sugar faster than if you put table sugar on your tongue? Reduce, or even better – eliminate processed food, including refined white flour and white sugar and other high-glycemic foods like fruit juice and replace them with a rainbow variety of fruits and veggies and other true whole foods.
Note: If you are finding it impossible to beat your carb cravings, check out our Get Your Body Back 5 day cleanse. It is an effective way to eliminate your cravings and even lose weight, especially around your middle!
Another important aspect of wellness is reducing your toxic load. Eating organic foods is a great way to do that. Organic food has more flavor and is better for the environment too.
Everyone knows that eating right is important for Wellness. What most people don’t realize is that you can no longer get all the nutrients your body needs from food alone. Studies show that because of the depletion of our soils, our food has up to 90% fewer nutrients than a century ago. 90 percent! That means, you have to eat 10 oranges to get the same amount of nutrients from eating 1 orange of the early 1900’s. Not only that, but because our environment is so toxic, we are producing more free radicals as a result. Where good food choices can give you adequate nutrition, you need supplementation to get optimal nutrition.
Massage For Moms has partnered with Dr Christiane Northrup (Oprah’s favorite OB) and a top health sciences company to bring you the highest quality and best rated supplements on the market that literally feed your cells (you can’t get them at Whole Foods or Costco). Products can be purchased online and are conveniently delivered right to your door.
Probiotics are the friendly bacteria that live in your gut, helping you digest your food. We also have some not so friendly bacteria. The best way to populate your system with the good kind is to eat yogurt and fermented foods like miso and real sauerkraut and to take probiotics. Skin conditions like eczema; even dandruff often benefit when you increase these types of foods and use a high quality supplement.
What good is being healthy if you’re not happy? What do you love to do? Do you love to listen to music, dance, hike in nature, pet your cat, watch movies, receive massages? Whatever it is, be sure you make time every day to replenish your spirit by following your bliss!
You’re probably wondering what prosperity has to do with wellness. Women’s wellness pioneer, Dr Christiane Northrup made the connection with women’s financial health and their physical health. As an Ob-Gyn, her area of expertise is the second chakra, which she describes as “ruling money, sex and power”. She noticed that women with a lot of difficulty in the 2nd chakra, menstrual difficulties, fibroids, etc… often had money issues as well. She was no exception. She found that when women’s financial health improved, so did their physical health. Not only that but she found that they developed a glow by creating more abundance and prosperity in their lives.
The only way to do that is through serious personal growth, overturning old beliefs that no longer serve and creating new expanded beliefs about who you are as a women and what you can achieve in your life. Dr Northrup created Team Northrup as a forum for women (and men) to create health and prosperity in their lives.
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