Love Your Liver

Spring is in full swing bringing new life, new beginnings and new energies. In Chinese Medicine, spring is the season associated with the liver and a very important time to keep your liver in balance.

Your liver is commonly referred to as the ‘general’ of the body having more than 500 functions. According to TCM, it is the organ that governs a woman’s health more than any other organ. Everything we eat and drink is filtered by the liver including medications and drugs. It is always working hard to get rid of what we don’t need and is responsible for the smooth flow of “qi,” blood, and emotions.

When the Liver is out of balance it may show up in symptoms such as; headaches, frustration, anger, depression, digestive disorders, menstrual disorders, teeth grinding and high blood pressure, to name a few. If you are waking up between 1am and 3am and have an overall feeling of being ‘stuck’ in your life, your liver is probably in need of a little attention. With simple lifestyle adjustments, we can harmonize our liver and ensure we are living in sync with nature, which will allow our own health to thrive.

Keep the Liver happy this Spring season:

• Move: The Liver needs movement and so do you; take walks in nature, dance, do yoga - whatever makes you happy and keeps you moving.

• Castor Oil Packs: One of the best ways to detoxify your liver is using a Castor Oil Pack. The essential fatty acids in the castor oil encourage removal of toxins. *Packs available for purchase in the Wellness Shop

• Practice Forgiveness: Old resentments and grudges can do damage to Liver energy. The more we practice forgiveness, the happier the Liver is.

• Spring Clean: Purge your closets, organize some drawers and give your space a good spring cleaning.

• Eat Clean and Green: Cleanse the Liver with leafy greens and begin eliminating foods that stress the Liver such as fried, sugary or processed foods. Remember even little adjustments can help create big shifts.

• Warm, Lemon Water: Keep the Liver flushed by starting your day with warm mug of lemon water. This will help the Liver eliminate any toxins you’ve released during your sleep and help nourish the Liver.

• Take Baths: Enjoy warm baths filled with Epsom salts to help rid your body of toxins and support your Liver.

• Acupuncture + Herbs: Your Acupuncture sessions and specific recommended herbs can help support your liver health an any emotions associated with the Liver Qi disharmony; stress, anger, frustration.

Love; It Begins with You.

February is all about celebrating LOVE and at Therapeutic Bodywork we are all about promoting self-love all month (and year!) long!

The truth is, all love starts with self-love. Our self-love is the foundation from which all other relationships grow. As we deepen our love for ourselves, we’re able to deepen the love we share with others. When you cultivate more love for yourself, you can give it unconditionally to others. It’s a beautiful cycle that begins with you.

But how do we cultivate more self-love? The answer is simple.

You start with a commitment to yourself - every single day. We call it one daily promise.

You see, self-love is both an act and an attitude. It takes practice and patience and builds out of our thoughts and actions. So, the more we prioritize ourselves - we send a signal to our subconscious that we are important, we are worthy of LOVE. Your brain is always watching what you do in order to decide how to feel. If you behave like you love yourself, your brain will follow suit and generate feelings to match your actions. When you place a high value on your own happiness and well being, you are practicing self-love.

One simple, daily promise to yourself. It doesn’t have to be fancy or sophisticated, but it has to be an action of being kind to yourself and it has to be intentional and consistent.

A few examples of a daily promise:

-take yourself to the beach and listen to the ocean waves

-book yourself a Self-Love Bundle

-call an old friend - or even better, meet for lunch

-go to bed 15 minutes earlier

-make yourself a nourishing meal and sit down to eat it

-get some sunshine on your face - even for 5 minutes

-stretch for 20 minutes

-taking a bath or having a foot soak

-buy yourself flower

-purchase a LOVE box - just for yourself

Self-love isn’t about making a decision to love yourself. It’s simply acting like you love yourself - over and over again. Actions speak louder than words and soon you will find that self-love will flow though you.

And that is how you cultivate self-love. What will be your daily promise today?

Peel Progression Series

Dramatic results, without the downtime and harsh chemicals is what you can expect with our Cosmedix Clinical Grade Peels. These botanically based peels work with your skin to encourage healthy exfoliation and renewal, without harming your healthy skin cells, like traditional chemical peels.

Offering a variety of intensity, each peel will effectively smooth fine lines, reduce large pores, diminish age spots, blemishes, acne marks and leave your skin looking + feeling totally refreshed, rejuvenated and brighter.

For best results, Cosmedix Peels are booked in a series that can be customized to your specific skin needs. No prep is needed for your first peel - come on in, we’ll chat about your skin care concerns and create a road map to more radiant skin.

Unveil your radiance with our Peel Progression Series. Results you will love, ingredients you can trust. 

$499 for a limited time* (Normally $549, save $50)

*includes a Post Treatment Kit

The Year of the Rabbit

The Chinese New Year is on January 22nd, 2023 and we’ll be welcoming in the Year of the Rabbit. While the Year of the Tiger in 2022 focused on dynamic growth and strength, the Year of the Rabbit brings more yin energy and much more gentle touch.

The Year of the Rabbit invites us to find ways to maintain calmness and ease and work smarter, not harder. It is a time of quiet, a time of hope and a time to be contemplative. We will invite more balance into our lives in the Year of the Rabbit.

Rabbits are also agile and adaptable, so remaining flexible is key. The rabbit’s fluid nature and quiet confidence will allow any challenges to be solved with ease and grace. Rabbits are also social, so take time to invest in new relationships and friendships. Bonds with loves ones will deepen throughout the year.

The Year of the Rabbit has peaceful, fertile energy and is a perfect time to reflect and bring more harmony into your life.

Happy New Year!

Holiday Self-Care Hacks

The Holiday Season is a time to connect with loved ones and celebrate the simple joys of life. But, by the time the end of December rolls around, most of us are feeling so depleted and exhausted that we end up limping through the Holidays feeling resentful and totally burnt out.

We've put together Simple Self-Care Hacks to help you feel strong, vibrant and present as you gather with family & friends over the holiday season, without adding one more arduous task to your list. When you carve out a little time for your own self-care regularly, you'll prevent a total burnout.

Splash Cold Water on Face - Exposing your body to cold activates the vagus nerve, slowing down your breathing and heart rate and moving you into a into a parasympathetic mode, signaling your brain and body to relax.

Massage - Massaging any part of the body is great for rest and relaxation, (don’t we know it!), but massage of the feet in particular stimulates the vagus nerve, activating your parasympathetic nervous system and promoting deep relaxation. Book a Reflexology session for the ultimate healing experience, or simply massage the bottom of your own feet to stimulate the vagus nerve and decrease stress.

Gargle - Gargling for 30 seconds or more will stimulate your vagus nerve, triggering a relaxation response in the body and increasing your overall stress resistance. Gargle with water after you brush your teeth or grab our Sinus + Allergy Throat Gargle to ward off a host of allergy and sinus related issues, while stimulating your vagus nerve.

Sip Warm Water and Tea- Even mild dehydration will have an effect on your cognitive function. In addition, a lack of water will over work your kidneys, causing your blood pressure to rise. Your hydration is directly connected to how vibrant you feel. Grab a portable container, fill it up with warm water or tea and sip, sip, sip away all day long!

Support Your Adrenals - Dealing with prolonged periods of stress can impair our adrenals leading to exhaustion and burnout. Provide your adrenals with the minerals it needs for optimal function with a delicious Adrenal Cocktail.

Suck in the Fresh Air - Nature is absolutely fuel for the soul. Numerous psychology studies have linked exposure to nature with increased energy and a heightened sense of well-being. With the colder temperature and shorter days, people are more apt to retreat to their couch than to bundle up and head outdoors, but even 10 minutes of exposure a day will significantly boost vitality levels. So, bundle up and suck in some fresh air.

Mindful Breathing - Reaping the benefits of deep breathing does not have to be fancy. Try taking 10 deep breaths when you're taking your morning shower. Or, practice your belly breathing when you hit a red light. Even a few mindful, deep breaths can completely revitalize you.

Minimize the Sugar Intake - We all know sugar wreaks havoc on our bodies. It does a job on our liver, our adrenals and taxes our nervous system, leaving us completely depleted. Try to make conscious choices through the Holiday Season and limit your sugar and alcohol intake. If need be, eat a protein rich snack before the party so you're less tempted to fuel up on junk.

Don't have time for a Bath? Soak your Feet - Grab a plastic tub or bucket, fill with warm water, a cup of Epsom salts and even a few drops of your favorite essential oil if you have on hand. Soaking your feet for 10 minutes in Epsom salts will give you the same stress reducing effects as taking a bath!

Wishing you and yours the most VIBRANT Holiday Season!