Sunday May 20^th, 1pm.

Learn the basics of how to breathe and how to breathe well. Why?

Breathing increases oxygen availability to the brain which means you think more clearly and feel better. It means you breathe slower (and let’s face it if, life is measured by the breaths we take, you’d probably not mind breathing a little slower, would you!?) and more effectively with less effort. It also goes a long way to improving your yoga practice.

Brilliant for:

• Asthmatics
• Yogis who wish to add to and get more out of their yoga practice
• Slowing down your brain and improving clarity of thought
• Aids digestion
• Improves sleep
• Assists meditation practice
• Reduces stress and high blood pressure
• Relaxes the body

Amongst other things!

This workshop is suitable for all people – beginners to general level. All of you who currently practice or wish to start a yoga practice will benefit enormously from this workshop.

So, I look forward to seeing you all there! But you do need to book, so please, do so now!

WHEN: Sunday May 20^th, 1pm

HOW MUCH: $40

WHERE: 36 Brookhollow Ave, Baulkham Hills, Norwest

WORKSHOP FACILITATOR: Darshna Siva

And a scrummy afternoon tea will be provided! Be sure to stick around for that!!

Right. You ready for it?

When NOT to have a massage.

Now it might surprise you that a massage therapist is about to list all the reasons not to have a massage, but let’s face it, there’s a time and a place for everything and if a massage therapist were to treat you when you were in the throes of a ‘flu or you had just broken your leg, that massage therapist is not doing you or the industry any favours. They are in fact, harming you.

So, read on:

Coughs, colds, influenza and other communicable diseases – If you receive massage (remedial massage or relaxation massage or any other modality) whilst your body is trying to fight off infection, it makes your body work twice as hard. Why? When there is infection present, your body temperature goes up to fight the infection off. During massage, your body temperature drops, which means the infection gets free run of your system whilst you’re quietly relaxing. This therefore prolongs the infection. On top of all this, quite frankly, I don’t want your snotty nose and neither does anybody else.

Other communicable diseases or contraindicated conditions include:

• conjuncitivtis
• cold sores
• eczema, dermatitis or any broken skin (although not contagious, the treatment on or near the broken skin can cause further irritation to the condition and can thus spread infection, so best to speak to your therapist)
• lice – head or body lice
• any fungal infections
• staph infections

If you’re unsure if you have any of the above or other contagious conditions, please speak toy your GP.

If you are diagnosed with any of the above conditions, you must alert your therapist prior to treatment for the safety of yourself, your therapist and fellow massagees. Really, would you want to go home with an infection through someone else’s lack of consideration? Though every precaution is taken at the studio – towels are changed, tables are cleaned, oil is pumped from a bottle and not poured, hands are washed before and after every treatment – stuff can get missed and it only takes one person to fail to wash their hands before every door handle becomes a breeding ground…ok, you get the picture. So, please, be considerate and if you do have an infection, stay at home. You’ll rest and recover faster there than you will anywhere else! (unless you have screaming children racing around your ankles, in which case you should have come for a massage on a Monday afternoon, left your kids in the child-minding which is now available and had a treatment before you got sick!!)

Pregnancy – yes, I mentioned pregnancy as a “Yes! Massage is great!”, however it’s not recommended in the first trimester. This being the most fragile point in the gestation period, it’s very often recommended that massage be left until the second trimester, at which time it’s strongly encouraged for the health of both Mum and the Bub. Pregnancy massage is a must – assuming you are pregnant!

Broken bones – don’t. Pretty simple. Massage cannot and will not heal broken bones. The bone must set before massage is safe and can even be effective. Once healed, treatment to the surrounding tissue will encourage healthy tissue growth and speed recovery, but it will not heal a broken bone. Massage is however, excellent for muscle tears and strains and joint sprains. In fact, the sooner you get the treatment the better! (except within the first 24hours, when the tissue is too traumatised for treatment to be beneficial).

These are only a few things to be aware of when booking your next massage, though if you do have any concerns about the appropriateness of treatment, please speak to your remedial massage therapist. And always, always, let your therapist know if anything has changed from one treatment to the next. For us to help you, we need you to help us…no, really, we do!

So, see you at 36 Brookhollow, Baulkham Hills, Norwest at the one and only Massage, Personal Training and Yoga Studio very soon!

Well, if this is you:

You need a massage!

Massage treats and helps get rid of the knots, the pain, the stiffness, the headaches, the tightness and general aches and high blood pressure and grumpiness that sitting all day creates in the body. It also fixes sporting (and non-sporting!) injuries and relieves post-workout pain (also known as DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Certain therapies can also change your posture, for the better!

Pregnancy: Massage is encouraged for the expectant mother and is in fact excellent for both mother and fetus alike. Regular treatments post-birth, help to manage if not prevent, wrist and back pain associated with nursing and carrying around a newborn. Baby massage is brilliant for assisting sleep, healthy digestion and parent-child bonding.

Children & babies are little humans and so have muscles as well. With the increased use of computers and tablets, there is an increased incidence of posture related dis-ease amongst young ones. Massage can help relieve tension headaches and rectify the muscular imbalances that hunching over a desk and computer all day, create.

Scar tissue can be released and softened using massage. This in turn helps increase tissue health, healing and freedom of movement as well as potentially reducing the thickness and sensitivity of the damaged tissue.

Cancer: with the treating oncologist’s go-ahead, massage can be extremely beneficial to the cancer sufferer.

Fractures and broken bones: 6 weeks, post healing, massage assists increased blood flow to the still healing tissues which encourages further healing as well as breaking up scar tissue. Scar tissue contributes to reducing mobility and increases muscle stiffness.

Everyone can benefit from massage, there are so many therapies out there, that there’s something for everyone. You just need to speak to your therapist about the most appropriate treatment for you. In fact there’s an excellent therapist right near you. She’s in Norwest, Baulkham Hills. 36 Brookhollow Ave, to be precise!

Keep an eye out for the final part of this little series – when you really shouldn’t be getting a massage!

Yoga Therapy

The approach is simple yet the result can be profound.

Yoga has been practised over thousands of years, in its true form it was a one to one practice, its evolution in the West has seen it grow in to the class formation.

The physical practice (asana) is an important element however yoga is much more, and in Yoga Therapy we delve deeper. If you are new to yoga, or have had an injury,  illness or you are just looking to improve your health and fitness then yoga therapy could be the start of a new you.

What to expect:

We have a consult and take information in relation to lifestyle, elements that you are looking to improve and change on.

We assess the body in breath and its capability to move and then we put together a program, within the time frame you give, that allows you to complete the practice daily.

A detailed workbook is provided after your consult, giving you the poses and the ‘how to’ on all aspects of the consult.

Benefits

A personal practice can help speed up aspects of change,  it’s designed for you and for a time slot that you can commit, so it doesn’t have to be 1hr it can be less. We reassess and communicate regularly to ensure you are improving and gaining the full benefits of the practice. Noticeable change can be seen within a week if the practice is applied.

Cost: 

Consult 1.5hrs $90

Book in 3 sessions (included consult) get 4^th at half price:  $280

Individual Sessions 1hr $75

Contact Darshna at dasiva@gmail.com to book your yoga therapy session today.

Sessions are held at Anita Whelan, Massage, Personal Training, Yoga Studio. 36 Brookhollow Ave, Norwest, Baulkham Hills.

Firstly, what’s the difference between Relaxation, Therapeutic, Remedial Massage and Deep Tissue Massage?

According to health care funds, ATMS (Australian Traditional Medicine Society) and the MAA (Massage Association Australia), relaxation and therapeutic are interchangeable and include such modalities as:

• Swedish massage
• Aromatherapy
• AromaTouch
• Hot Stone treatments
• Day Spa therapies
• Relaxation or Therapeutic treatments.

These treatments are designed to relax and soothe the muscles and the mind, allowing you an hour (or two!) of down time, stress relief and rest. Physical benefits can include mild relief of muscle stiffness, minor aches, sense of relaxation to the whole body and increased blood flow and nutrition to superficial muscles (the bigger muscles closer to the skin’s surface) and skin and lowering of blood pressure.

All of these treatments have great therapeutic benefits and can assist the treatment and relief of some dis-eases, but they don’t effectively remedy, or ‘fix’ any injuries, underlying conditions or physical ailments. So, if you’re after pain relief – acute (short term and usually due to injury) or chronic (ongoing) – injury treatment, circulatory problems (blood flow), back pain, neck pain, headaches, shoulder, leg or any other soft tissue ‘issue’, then your remedial (remedy – to fix) treatments are the way to go.

Common Remedial treatments include:

• Myofascial Release
• Craniosacral Therapy
• Contractual Ligament and Tendon Release
• Remedial Massage (sometimes confused with Deep Tissue)
• Trigger Point therapy
• Lymphatic Drainage
• Deep Tissue (very strong, muscle specific treatments)
• Sports Massage
• Shiatsu

For more details on specific modalities, including other complementary therapies as recommended by ATMS, click here.

If a therapist is insured only to the level of ‘Therapeutic Massage Therapist”, they are not issued with a provider number and are therefore not recognised by ATMS or major health funds for the health fund rebate.

Therapists with Cert IV in Massage Therapy Practice are recognised by ATMS and are accepted by a limited number of health funds.

The new Diploma of Remedial Massage qualifies your therapist as fully covered by health funds and with the appropriate level of health fund cover, you are eligible for the rebate that your health fund offers.

It is anticipated that massage will become a Degree modality which will elevate us ‘soft tissue specialists’ to the same ‘level’ as physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths and all other degree qualified tactile therapists. Pretty cool, huh!?

Though I’m certain that those of you out there that have already gained much relief from soft tissue treatments (massage) would agree that sometimes all it takes is a thorough, practical approach to the problem. This is something every good massage therapist works to improve and apply in each treatment, no matter the scale of injury or pain experienced.

So, if you are suffering neck, back, shoulder, leg, knee, hip, elbow, wrist, sinus, head (can’t help with the brain, but I can help with headaches!!) pains, then come and see me - 36 Brookhollow Ave, Baulkham Hills, Norwest

Keep an eye out for the next topic I am determined to educate you on: when not to receive treatment!

Well, fear not, the studio now has a new yoga timetable. There are classes for all types. Want to lose weight, increase flexibility, improve strength, de-stress, lower blood pressure, practice meditation or just chill out? Then read on for yoga class times and details.

Brigette stays on with her Wednesday evening Restorative class, adding a 1:10pm yoga class for those of you who wish to make good use of the child minding service – dump your kids and yoga your stress away! Then follow that with a massage

Sue maintains her 5:30pm General Hatha class, all regulars and practiced yogis are welcome.

Welcome to Anna who will be taking Monday 7pm Restorative Yoga and Friday “Yoga for Lunch” at 12pm.

Darshna will also be taking “Yoga for Lunch” on Tuesdays at 12pm, prior to which will be the brand new ‘Mums and Bubs’ yoga class at 11am. All new mums with their new babies (up to 12 weeks of age) are most welcome to practice yoga with their precious little additions.

Bookings are required for this class as limited numbers are taken for each 4 week block.

And I will be taking the General Vinyasa at 5:30pm Thursday and the General-Beginner Level Vinyasa classes 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Several classes have been dropped, so be sure to check the timetable the next time you are at the studio to be sure not to miss the new ones, otherwise scroll down for more details.

Everyone’s welcome

36 Brookhollow Ave, Norwest, Baulkham Hills.

Self-Myofascial Release – or mashing your muscles on a foam roller – is a brilliant, at-home method of ensuring the results you get from your massage last longer. It’s also a fantastic way to cool down after a workout, unwind after a day sitting in an office chair, prevent injury and loosen up cranky muscles.

If you want to know just how to make the most of Self-Myofascial release, join the “Learn How to Mash Your Muscles and Flippin’ Sit Up Straight Workshop” on the 24th of March at 10am. Not only will you learn about fascia (one of my favourite things in the whole world!), how to use that great big long noodle that’s gathering dust in your living room, but you will also receive guidance on alignment and posture to help prevent or ease back, neck and shoulder pain.

Long foam rollers are available for sale at $55ea, or BYO long roller. You also get a booklet to guide or prompt your at home rolling sessions.

Interested? Book now.

WHEN: 10am 24th March, 2012

COST: $20/pp

WHERE: 36 Brookhollow Ave, Norwest, Baulkham Hills at Anita Whelan – Massage, Personal Training, Yoga Studio

BYO Foam Roller.

As of the 2nd of April, 2012, you no longer have to worry about what to do with the kids so that you can nip out to get a massage, or go to yoga.

From 1pm on Mondays, you can book your child (or children!) into supervised child minding, right here, at 36 Brookhollow Ave, Baulkham Hills, Norwest and book yourself in for a massage. The studio’s new therapist, Rebecca Vella is available for stress-reducing relaxation massage, whilst those of you suffering back ache, neck pain, sore wrists, headaches, shoulder stiffness, tight muscles (or anything else that goes with bringing up kids!!), will come to see me, Anita, for remedial massage.

Yoga for the stressed-out-too-busy-have-to-get-everything-done-yesterday-I’m-going-crazy parent will help to slow you down, reduce stress levels and help you function more effectively. Yoga helps you sleep, it increases strength and flexibility and with regular practice can help you lose weight or control weight gain. Meditation and breathing practices encourage focus and increase patience and your ability to deal with stress. Yoga also  helps restore and build core strength (which is particularly useful for new mothers!), helping to prevent back pain. Why wouldn’t you want to do yoga?!

So, all in all, Mondays are looking pretty special for a lot of people! If you are interested in and would like to make use of this very useful service so you can enjoy a massage or take up yoga, then book now! If you know someone who desperately wants to do yoga or needs a massage, but can’t because they’re stuck with the kids, then pass this 0n!

Do yourself a favour!

The afternoon will commence at 2pm with an introduction to and steady progression of breathing techniques helping you to draw attention to and focus on your breath. Most of us barely use one third of our natural breath, leaving us tired, stressed and lethargic. Through learning about and experiencing a fuller breath, you energise your body and brain.

Following this will be a gentle asana practice, focusing on moving your using your breath to move your body. So often we find ourselves in situations of stress, leaving us tense and frazzled, by which point we are barely stopping to breathe, let alone move freely. This yoga practice is designed to allow you the time and space to access your body and its comfortable, natural movement through breathing. This way your joints, limbs and mind open up, stretch out and receive all the oxygen and nourishing blood flow they need.

After all this focus and preparation comes the meditation. A period wherein you are permitted and encouraged to stop worrying, fretting, thinking, stressing and trying!

If any or all of this interests you, please contact me via email or phone to book your place now. Numbers are limited.

WHEN: Sunday March 18th, 2pm to 5pm.

WHERE: 36 Brookhollow Ave, Norwest, Baulkham Hills

COST: $70pp

Followed by a late-afternoon tea.