,Great News!

You might wonder why this month's newsletter is a little early. It's because we have a new home and can't wait to let you know. As of March 15th it became official and we are now part of the great massage team at the Summit Athletic Club. We believe that this is a great fit for us and will allow us to serve you and all my great clients better with more services to meet your health and wellness goals. We invite you to come see us and experience why "Life is Better at the Summit".

Here's what this move means for you. First, is a great facility. As a guest of our spa, you can bring along your swimsuit and take a dip in one of the 3 jacuzzi hot tubs or spend sometime in the sauna to loosen up those aching muscles before your massage. Secondly, know that employee rates and senior rates will continue to be honored by me at the Summit. Finally, be assured that I will continue to give you the great service and wonderful treatments that you have come to expect from me and, I'm sure you'll see, that being here will allow me to expand the service I am able to offer you.

If you like to know more about the Club, classes or programs that the Summit Athletic Club offers you and your family visit their website http://mysummitathleticclub.com/ and take advantage of the 3 day free pass.

For the time being, I will continue to book my own appointments or you can book through the front desk staff at the Summit by calling 435 628-5000
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Headaches
and allergy flair ups are a common part of having a robust spring season here in Dixie. The trees bloom quickly as soon as the weather turns and the wind picks up blowing dust which can irritate eyes and sensitive sinus cavities. Several months ago I gave you a few tips for preventing the one set of a headache by applying gentle pressure to the webbed part of the hand between the forefinger and the thumb. This and other great remedies were in the home remedy article in my August 2008 Newsletter which you can still view on my Blog (click here) . At the Summit you can attend a free class on Massage, which is open to the public, and the topic this month April is "Headaches". This class is a repeat of a very popular class and is being brought back by popular demand. This class is free and open to the public so make plans to attend.

A easy self remedy is the cold washrag placed on the forehead or over the eyes. Like my "Cryostones" which I use in my massage sessions, cool to cold compresses causes vasoconstriction (shrinkage of blood vessels) and gives immediate relief of inflammation which can be the cause of headache symptoms particularly swollen sinus membranes.

Inflammation is a reaction of the body to a perceived injury or condition where normal functions and systems are affected. The body is trying to bring us back to a state of "homeostasis" or normal function. However, sometimes because of age, abnormal health conditions such as poor circulation, the cure the body employs of increasing circulation to the injury site backfires and we get inflammation as the result. In this case, to much of a good thing becomes a bad thing. Now this can happen in various degrees from extreme cases such as water on the knee or swollen ankles to lesser degrees such as puffy eyes or even the occasional headache. I'm not discussing major inflammation such as from an accident or trauma, but rather normal "wear and tear" that occurs because we live and breathe and fight the effects of gravity all day.

Please use caution. DO NOT use ice or ice packs on sensitive tissue such as the eyes or at the base of the skull. Ice has the ability to damage tissue (frostbite) and should not be used in these areas of the head. Therefore, use only cold tap water on your compresses to reduce inflammation in these specific areas.

Massaging an area of inflammation also helps to reduce swelling. This breaks up the excess tissue and lets the body reabsorb it. Always work with the flow of circulation towards the heart. For headaches, gentle circular strokes are effective especially on the temples and even a slow gentle tug on the ears can be soothing.

Often, light can intensify sensitivity so a darken room (yes, like a massage room) can help speed up the effectiveness of the treatment. None of this is anything new to anyone. However, even though we know WHAT to do, we don't take the time to actually do it. The key to prevention is recognize the signs of a headache at onset and to address them immediately rather than to become one of the walking wounded.
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More exciting news. I am currently traveling to Las Vegas to the Nevada School of Massage Therapy as a teachers aide. This semester I am helping with Anatomy III and with Movement and Assessment. So about once a week I get to hob nob with my fellow wizards, learn new techniques, refresh old ones and you my clientele get to benefit from this new education and experience. I'm very happy and honored by this association and look forward to participating in many new classes in future semesters.
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Our April Drawing winner is: