WHAT IS AN IONIC FOOT BATH?

Ionic foot baths are a safe and relaxing way to help clear toxins out of the body through the feet (and hands). It works by ionizing the foot bath water (H2O), giving hydrogen in the water a positive charge.  The positive charge is said to attract the negatively charged toxins in the body when a participant places their feet in the bio-energetic water. This flow of ions increases cellular function. Thus, ionic foot baths are beneficial by themselves, and even more beneficial when paired with massage therapy.

The Body Balance System used at Honu was designed and developed to restore the body's energy and balance while facilitating and aiding in its natural detoxification process. The Body Balance System uses a direct current similar to that of the human body to create an ionic field. This device has been proven in clinical trials to balance and restore the body's pH and electromagnetic energy. Studies have also shown that more cellular ATP is produced during treatment, which encourages the cells to function and detoxify at a higher rate. This systematic process tends to displace toxins out of the cells and into the bath water as well as displace toxins into the body’s elimination channels for recycling and/or disposal. Utilizing the Sea-Onic footbath will significantly enhance one’s wellness protocols and goals for optimal health.

BENEFITS OF DETOX FOOT BATHS:

• Purging of heavy metals.

• Balancing of pH level.

• Reducing inflammation.

• Purging of yeast.

• Detoxifying the liver.

• Cleansing of liver, kidneys, and parasites with full-body purge.

• Enhancing the immune system.

YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM AN IONIC FOOT BATH IF YOU SUFFER FROM:

• Arthritis

• Allergies

• Chronic pain

• Multiple chemical sensitivities

• Autoimmune diseases

• Edema

• Inflammation

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

• Have a pacemaker or a heartbeat regulating device

• Have had an organ transplant

• Suffer from psychotic episodes or seizures

• Have advanced stages of diabetes

• Have epilepsy

• Pregnant or lactating

• Have open wounds

• Child under the age of 8

To schedule your next Ionic Foot Bath, CLICK HERE.

WHAT IS BREATHWORK?

DID YOU KNOW THAT OVER A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF US ARE USING LESS THAN 50% OF OUR BREATHING CAPACITY?

Our experiences and life traumas can dramatically shift our breathing patterns.  Rather than taking intentional, full and deep inhales, we subconsciously take shallow breaths by only breathing into our shoulders and neck.  In some instances we may not even breath at all, holding our breath without even realizing.

I believe that Breathwork is the quickest and easiest way to reconnect back into the body. We live in a stressed out world, running around on auto-pilot functioning only from the neck up. As a result we are compromising our health. Individuals experience non-optimal wellness due to the reduction in oxygen levels to the brain, blood and organs. The objective of Breathwork is to counteract that, breathing with intention, reconnecting into your body, and grounding yourself. 

BENEFITS OF BREATHWORK:

• Increases oxygen to your brain and heart and improves the functions of your internal organs.

• Helps you detoxify — up to 70% of toxins are released through deep breathing.

• Enhances your immune system to prevent and recover from illness.

• Reduces stress, tension and pain in your body.

• Releases endorphins to make you happier and give you a natural high.

• Helps you to relax, concentrate, be creative and productive.

ONE-ON-ONE BREATHWORK SESSIONS:

One-on-one sessions are available to help and support you in re-learning how to use your breath the way your body is designed to. We will look specifically into your breathing patterns and practice techniques to get you breathing at your full capacity. We will start with an Initial Evaluation and then create a plan that best suits your needs. To learn more about one-on-one sessions or to schedule your initial breathwork session, click here to schedule a discovery call.

GROUP BREATHWORK SESSIONS:

Group Breathwork gives our minds something to focus on while allowing us to sink into our bodies.  It is an active meditation used to honor our emotions, release what’s no longer serving us, and receive more of what we want in our lives.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese method of healing that targets the whole body (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual) through the flow of life force energy. “Re” means universe and “Ki” means life force.

How it works

The treatment involves intentional placement of a Practitioner’s hands in specific areas of a patient’s body to promote the flow of life force energy. This life force energy is universal and it exists in everyone. However, we may develop blockages in this life force energy leading to disease, stress and your system being out of balance. During a Reiki treatment, an unlimited supply of life force energy is made available to the patient through the Practitioner, freeing up these energy blockages to promote health and relaxation. While this Reiki technique is spiritual in nature, a client is not required to be spiritually be open to accept Reiki and its benefits.

Benefits

When used on its own or in conjunction with other healing modalities such as massage therapy, Reiki has many benefits including:

• Stress or anxiety reduction

• Activates the parasympathetic nervous system to promote the bodes natural healing/recovery ability

• Promotes quality sleep and improves insomnia

• Boosts energy levels and increases mood

• Clears unwanted energy

• Calms the mind and relaxes the body

Being in Harmony with the Seasons (Spring edition)

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Kaitlen Brennan of The Perch Acupuncture about the connection between seasons and Chinese Medicine. I was particularly interested in learning what it means to be in harmony with the seasons.

“All things are changing in our bodies with every season”.

In the video below Kaitlen explains, “In Traditional Chinese Medicine things are interconnected and interdependent of one another. Each thing in nature is also part of us as well as we live within that component of nature.”

Chinese medicine focuses on balancing elemental energies. While each season has different characteristics, one season builds into the next season. This is why it’s extremely important to stay in balance with each season. If you are not in balance, stagnation happens. During stagnation, chi and blood are not flowing freely within your body and this can manifest in the body in a variety of ways.

Some symptoms you may experience during this time that are linked to the liver/gallbladder are pain, digestive issues, menstrual issues, depression, anxiety, insomnia, lack of energy, sluggishness, anger or irritability

Spring Characteristics:

Element: Wood

Organ: Liver/gallbladder

Emotion: Anger

4 tips to live in harmony with the season of Spring:

1) Balance yin and yang. Spring is a time of taking action, but we need to balance the energy. Grow and take time to transition into spring. We are coming out of a Yin time, so we want to go at a slow and steady pace. If you are starting to go outside and be active, don’t overdue it. Your ligaments and tendons can become overworked and tight easily. You will want to support these shifts in activity level by incorporating more Yin movements such as stretching, yoga and massage that nourish the body.

2) Take action. Spring is about new beginnings, new changes. It’s time to take the yin energy of inward focus and reflection from Winter and put those ideas into action. Career changes, moves, trying new things — all of these are great ways to cultivate this spring energy into real life changes. Just remember to take slow breaths and time for you.

3) Nourish your body with greens and sour. During Spring we want to start incorporating raw veggies into the diet, but with caution. Start with lightly grilling or sauteing your veggies at first until your digestion gets used to raw veggies. Focus on eating green vegetables like sprouts, dandelion greens, chard, spinach, and kale to support your liver. Green juices are also liver happy foods! Start your day with 1/2 lemon in a glass of warm water to help get the liver moving and start the digestion process.

4) Be present with nature. Spring is also a time to be in nature after a long Winter indoors. Focus on being present with what is happening in nature. Pay close attention to the changes occurring around you everyday. Just be.

Enjoy and leave your comments below!

Managing Stress through the holidays

I’ve said it (here) before, and I’ll say it again, managing your stress levels through the holiday season is key to staying healthy this winter.

While the holidays are one of the most magical times of year, it's easy to max out on time spent with loved ones and wind up feeling a great deal of stress during as well. Unfortunately, stress is one of the main culprits of disease. I could easily list all the things that lead to feeling mental and emotional stress, but what's truly important is what you do to manage your stress that really matters.

I find that several big reasons why the holidays are so stressful is because we are doing TOO much, eating and drinking TOO much, and spending TOO much.

Here are my 10 go-to tips to help manage stress throughout the holidays and keep you feeling balanced and healthy.

Take a pause and breath - One of the easiest and most basic things you can do when we start feeling stressed is to take a break. One minute or 20 minutes — it doesn’t matter. Just start. It's essential to find a moment of peace to calm your nervous system. When you're breathing, take a deep breath through the belly and when you exhale, visualize letting go of all the stress. This breathing can be a quick pause while you are at work or lead to a deeper mediation. Either way it will get you more grounded and present in the moment. The holidays tend to fly by with everything packed into a short amount of time, so whenever you want to slow time down take a pause and breath.

Yoga and massage (shameless plug) are other ways to focus on the breath and let go of the stress in your body. 

Schedule YOU time – When things get overly busy and overwhelming you need YOU time even more. During the “giving” season of the holidays it’s easy to push your needs aside and forget to make time for yourself. Make sure that you continue to schedule time in your day to take care of YOU. When you write it in your calendar also include a note on why it’s important to you. If you need some ideas of what this may look like for you, I recommend taking out a journal and writing down all the things that bring joy into your life. And then DO MORE OF THOSE THINGS!

Honor you values – Whether your holidays are about spending time with friends and family or upholding tradition, do what feels right for you! This could take multiple forms: time with family, time serving the community, giving and receiving gifts -- whatever it may be, make sure you enjoy the holidays doing what is important to you. If you notice yourself thinking or saying “this is what I should be doing” instead of “this is what I want to do” then maybe you should consider making some changes that honor what your truly value.

Give yourself permission to say NO – Do you feel obligated to say “yes” to every holiday party or event you are invited to? Do you feel guilty if you don’t go? But stressed when you do go because you have to make a trip to the grocery store or buy a gift? First off, ditch the guilt. Then honor yourself by respectfully declining the things that do not serve you and saying "yes" to what does. If it is not something that will be bring you joy this holiday season, then it’s time to start saying "no".

It's likely that the first time you say "no" you will be plagued with guilt (from yourself and maybe others), but those feelings will pass. Remember?  I said ditch the guilt. In time you will start to feel happier and more fulfilled when you only say “yes” to the things in your life that you truly want to do. You will also be way less stressed and overwhelmed because you are doing fewer, more meaningful things.

If you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the holidays, don't over schedule your time and take on more than you can manage. Remember: It's OK to slow down.

Ask for Help – Asking for help is not a sign of weakness or lack of preparedness. In fact, it’s a great way to involve your loved ones by having them set the table. decorate, clean, or bring a side dish to share. Give yourself permission to ask for help and delegate responsibilities. People love to give this time of year so take full advantage of this. Remember, you don’t have to be it all or do it all.

Get Creative - Shopping at local small businesses, giving experiences or making your own gifts can all be a way to cut down on the stress of holiday shopping. You won’t just be avoiding the overwhelming crowds at malls and supporting the local community, but you will also be giving one-of-a-kind gifts that are more meaningful.

Stick to your normal healthy routine – It’s easier to stay the course than to stray from your routine. The holidays can be an excellent justification to eat foods that you wouldn’t normally eat, indulge a bit more, or skip out on your workout class. This can often times start with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, don’t forget about Friendsgiving, your holiday work party, Christmas with both sides of the family and then ending with a bang on News Year Eve — you can almost see your healthy habits slipping away. Then comes January 1 and you’re ready to get back on track, but getting back on track is so much harder now because your body is craving all that sugar and alcohol it’s grown accustomed to. Good news is I’m here to support you if you feel you’ve strayed too far from the course and can’t find your way back. I can help you create healthy morning or evening routines or provide you the accountability you need to get back on track. Set up a complimentary exploratory session here.

Focus on Gratitude – If you focus on negative thoughts or dread how stressful the holidays can be, than your only going to create more holiday stress. Yes, the holidays can be stressful, but only if you allow it to be. If you think positive and focus on all the things you are grateful for during the holidays then you will create more positive things. This goes for anytime in your life. What you think about, you bring about. When you create more stress in your life with negative thoughts, you also create more stress in your body that can often lead to tension and physical pain. Bonus tip: Each day journal about what you are grateful for. First write down 3 things that you are grateful for in your life and then write 3 things that you don’t have in your life yet, but are grateful for as if they are already in your life.

Check in With Yourself — Recognize your limitations. As a BodyMind Coach I often ask my clients to check in with yourself frequently and ask yourself how you are feeling. Some questions that you can ask yourself are: Does it feel like my chest is heavy and it’s hard to take a deep breath or do I feel light and balanced? Am I doing too much? If yes, what can I say no to or cut out? Can I handle adding something else to my plate? If yes, does it bring me joy? Does it feel right? Does it feel light or heavy? Your body has the answers if you take the time to listen to it.

Be kind to yourself — When there is already a lot on your To-Do list and the list keeps growing longer, you often end up feeling defeated if you can’t manage to get to everything. Remind yourself that you are human. Not to mention, most of the time no one else will even notice. Do your best on what you can accomplish and let go of the need for everything to be perfect. There is no such thing as perfect, so be gentle on yourself.

I recognize that the holidays also bring about other emotions for some people, be it sadness or grief if they’ve experienced loss or are unable to spend time with loved ones over the holidays. If you are experiencing these feelings I encourage you to take time to acknowledge these feelings and allow yourself to say, do, and feel the things that best serve you. Be kind to yourself and others.

Staying Healthy Through the Winter Months

Are you wondering how to keep your immune system strong over the winter? Some of us may have already fallen victim to winter's wrath. Do you get stressed over the holidays or leading up to them? Silly question -- better yet, are you stressed just thinking about the holidays?  Who's not?

As the months get colder and the daylight hours get shorter our bodies need some extra care and support to, let's face it, just to survive winter. Vitamin D is at it's all-time low for my fellow Minnesotans and access to fresh seasonal vegetables is limited. Remind me again why we choose to live here? To top it all off the holidays provide us with the extra little kick of emotional and mental stress to push our bodies over the edge. We love our families, but sometimes it can just be too much. Am I right? So in addition to being thankful this holiday season, practice a great deal of self care with daily tips for Honu to keep healthy throughout winter!

Tip #1: Fuel your body with the right nutrients

When November and December are filled with holiday party on top of holiday party it’s easy to go off the deep end. As much as we hate to admit, chances are we're consuming way more sugar, fat, and alcohol than what would normally appear in our everyday diets. While great in the moment, this holiday YOLO may cause you to feel fatigue, bloating, brain fog or just downright not good.

To help stay balanced eat plenty of organic vegetables - fresh, frozen, or extra points for fermented. Fermented foods contain health promoting bacteria called "probiotics" that are beneficial for the gut (they're basically best friends).

Drink green juices or make your own homemade soups and bone broth to get important vitamins and minerals your body needs to support a healthy immune system.

Staying hydrated is another "must do" since as we often are more vulnerable to getting sick when we become dehydrated. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces to ensure that you are getting enough fluids.

Finally, consider adding supplements to your daily routine such as Vitamin D and a good probiotic (remember above?) in the winter months to keep your immune system strong. Since the majority of your immune system lives in the gut it is extremely important to keep the digestive tract working at its best.

Tip #2: Keep Moving

Our bodies like movement. As hard as it can be during the winter months to get motivated to go outside, keep your body moving. Find a type of exercise that you really enjoy and stick with it. I've discovered that if you embrace a winter activity like going for a bundled up walk, cross country skiing or snow shoeing you learn not to curse every time it snows. For updated cross country ski trail reports around the metro, check out Skinny Ski!  And the DNR has awesome info on great places to snowshoe (my all-time favorite winter activity)!

If you're fond of heat, take some hot yoga classes or other indoor group fitness classes. My friends at RiverGarden Yoga or Yoke Fitness would love to see you this winter! And just down West 7th from Honu! Crack the code on winter by doing something you enjoy and do it because you want to, not because you feel you have to.

Tip #3: Sleep

Let's take a note from our hibernating friends and embrace the sleep -- you're body naturally needs more of it during these shorter days. This may require changing up your routine a little. When we're short on time, sleep always seems like it's the first thing to go. If you need incentive, remember your immune system is healing and replenishing while you sleep. Sleep can also change your overall state and well-being (and everyone likes a happy person).

Another thing to consider when getting plenty of sleep, is getting good quality sleep. Yep…I’m going there. Consider turning off all electronics a couple hours before bed and do not sleep with any electronics in your bedroom. Why? Well, electronics are known to keep the mind stimulated therefore making it harder to fall asleep and they give off harmful electromagnetic radiation. Rather than beating that next level of Candy Crush, take a relaxing Epsom salt bath, read a good book, meditate or journal before you turn in for the night.

Tip #4: Managing holiday stress

The holidays are a magical time of year.to spend with those you love. Unfortunately, it's easy to max out and wind up feeling a great deal of stress during this time of year as well. I've told you before, but I'm telling you again, stress is the main culprit of disease. And while I could list all the things that lead to feeling mental and emotional stress, it's what you do to manage your stress that really matters.

One of the easiest and most basic things we can do when we start feeling stressed is to take a break.  All I'm asking is that you pause and breathe - one minute or 20 minutes.  I don't care.  Just do it. It's essential to find a moment of peace to calm your nervous system. When you're breathing, take a deep breath through the belly and when you exhale, imagine letting go of all the stress. This breathing can be a quick pause while you are at work or lead to a deeper mediation.

Yoga and massage (shameless plug) are other ways to focus on the breath and let go of the stress in your body.  Just saying.

Tip #5: Say “No” more than you say "yes"

Do you feel obligated to say “yes” to every holiday party or event you are invited to? Do you feel guilty if you don’t go? But stressed when you do go because you have to make a trip to the grocery store or buy a gift? First off, ditch the guilt. Honor yourself by respectfully declining the things that do not serve you and saying "yes" to what does. If it is not something that will be bring you joy this holiday season, then it’s time to start saying "no".

It's likely that the first time you say "no" you will be plagued with guilt (from yourself and maybe others), but those feelings will pass. Remember?  I said ditch the guilt. In time you will start to feel happier and more fulfilled when you only say “yes” to the things in your life that you truly want to do. You will also be way less stressed and overwhelmed because you are doing fewer, more meaningful things.

Tip #6: BodyMind Coaching

Do you feel chronically stressed out during the holiday season? Like you are constantly running from place to place with no time to breath? I hear you and I'm here for you -- to provide you with the extra support you need to eliminate the holiday stress that manifests in your body through BodyMind Coaching.

Free consultations are the name of the game. Send me an email to set up your first BodyMind coaching session or just to chat about what is BodyMind coaching. Sessions typically start by identifying how stress shows up in your life and troubleshooting ways to eliminate it. All of this is with the ultimate goal of getting you to a healthier, happier, and pain free life.

How do you know when you are too sick to come in for a massage?

Massage is a great way to help boost your immune system and prevent you from getting sick, but what if you already feeling sick? Are the benefits still the same?

If you just received a reminder text/email but are starting to feel like you're coming down with something, then it may be a good idea to reschedule your massage. Your body is fighting hard to get you feeling better and the last thing you want to do is get any worse. Massage can help increase circulation and help release the toxins in your body, but when you're sick a massage may overload the immune system.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms stay home and reschedule:

·       Body aches

·       Fever

·       Chills

·       Nausea/vomiting

·       Anything highly contagious (as your massage therapist I ask not only to prevent myself from getting sick, but for other clients coming in after you)

Be mindful of how you are feeling when you have an upcoming massage scheduled. While it may be disappointing to miss your dose of self-care, there are other ways to take care of your body when you're sick such as a hot Epsom salt bath, rest, bone broth or hot tea!

I also have some great essential oils recommendations and carry them in house to help with your recovery:

·       Good Samaritan

·       Immunity Boost

·       Frankincense

·       Ginger

At Honu Therapeutic Massage I ask for a 24 hour notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. If you have any questions or are unsure if you should reschedule, please don't hesitate to contact me.

My first attempt at Aerial Yoga

Are you always caring for others? Always putting yourself last? Or not feeling supported in your life? Then this may be the perfect self care activity for you! Aerial yoga uses nylon fabric, similar to a hammock to support and cradle you while you are deepening your practicing yoga.

Clockwise from top left: inversion, half pigeon, and savasana.

If you haven't tried Aerial Yoga before here is my take on it. At first it may feel like you are training to be in the circus, but once you get over that feeling and back into your body it can feel very freeing. Freedom for your mind and body. It's a great way to mix up your routine workouts and yoga practice, improve your balance, and of course have fun! 

Aerial yoga not only deepens your yoga practice, but it's similar to dance where you learn to move your body in ways that you normally don't. Also, since you are doing inversions fully supported by a nylon fabric there is some trust involved -- not only with the supported fabric, but with yourself and your body as well. 

I would definitely recommend considering Aerial Yoga! Tula Yoga and Wellness in Saint Paul, MN where I took my intro aerial workshop.  They have classes as well!  Instructors were encouraging and eager to help those with injuries modify.