Turmeric facial

Today I try a turmeric facial!  I have heard amazing things about what can be done with a half  hour treatment 4 days a week. So excited to  give it a try along with my juice cleanse.

I'll be keeping this updated so stay tuned and see what this Week brings

Take time with tea

Tea, it's made a comeback for its antioxidants, and it's a great way to get medicinal herbs into your system 

But the simple pleasure of tea is often ignored, from the moment I boil water, tea is time for myself 

1. Boiling the water, I never watch the pot, as if I did it would never boil. 

2. While the water is boiling, I select what herbs or teas I'm using, depending on the time of day and what's going on with my body. I love coming up with blends that are going to make a difference in my day.

3. The teapot, most people add the bag to the cup and most of the time I do this as well. However, I try to make a few teapots full a day, this way I can let some of the tea steep for extra long, the aroma and colors get deeper, the flavor and healing properties stronger.

4 Enjoying: tea is said to be like wine, true tea enthusiasts can pick apart flavors and smells. I just like tea

Look locally for bulk tea to control your blends! Reusable tea strainers are available everywhere. Try local herbs for regional health! 

My favorite teas/herbs

Female: raspberry leaf (I add this to everything!) , ashwaganda, cohosh, cotton root, nettles

Morning: green, black, hibiscus

Evening: chamomile, peppermint, passionflower, lavender, valerian root (use valerian root sparingly working your way up to more as it can make you VERY sleepy)

Cold/flu: echinacea, ginger, lemon  

Enjoy your tea, take your time, like everything else in life enjoy the moment. Think about all the plants that went into it, the water, sun and energy it took to grow them and then the energy of the people who harvested, dried, and got it to you.  All that energy in your cup....... you choose what to do with it...

Fun with my little one

A peek into what I do when I'm NOT massaging or making all natural bath and body products, and a look at who I do it all for! 

My daughter is the light of my life 

Practicing massage herself, she is one of the most loving kids I've ever met! 

A GOOD diet plan!

Diets, as a rule have been known as a way to eat that isn't necessarily the best for your body, or for your palate.. never-mind what eating a diet of the same low-calorie, possibly artificially flavored food will do to a person's energy.

The Milf Diet is a program that simply makes sense! Its a diet based on whole grains, seasonal eating, natural sweeteners, and (mostly) plant based proteins.  Its a holistic, natural, additive free way to eat yourself skinny.....

Basically put ladies and gentlemen, its how you SHOULD be eating anyways.

The Milf Diet is full of recipes that are not only appealing to the palate, but they are great for your body, mind, skin, and the earth.

Jessica Porter is also the author of The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics as well as a private whole foods chef,  manager of The Way to Health Program  at the Kushi Institute in Becket Massachusetts, and a certified hypnotherapist specializing in hypnosis for childbirth.

The book has options for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters. Many of the recipes are versatile and meat can be added in place of or in addition to an ingredient.

If you are into eating healthy and trying to get the rest of the family to do so (while loosing a few extra pounds in the process) this is a wonderful book to add to your recipe collection.

Not only is it filled with recipes, but tips on how to cook and select the perfect ingredients for the recipes.

Jessica Porter give tips on kicking things that many of us rely on (despite it hurting our bodies and our waist lines) Learn to kick sugar and caffeine  and learn why its so important to get these out of our diets!

While I'm not sure I'm ready to give up dairy yet (I mean whats a Milf without her wine and cheese nights) I do think that as a rule and for the most part this is a great diet to follow.

The Milf Diet retails for $35.

. All opinions are 100% mine I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review.

Check out my shop

Okay so there's not much in there yet but you can make orders, or purchase what I have! 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/mommypants13

Annoyances

Anybody else have a hard time with stickers?! 

Ugh cNt stand these thing 

Whats in your body care products?

We all say we care about it, we buy products labeled "organic" or "natural, with the expectations that they will be healthy for us. But have you ever really READ whats in those products you put on your skin multiple times a day?

Did you know it only takes 20 seconds for the products we put on our skin to sink in and get into the blood stream?

So what ARE you putting in there? Alcohol, Parabens, dyes, fragrances, what chemicals are going into your bloodstream?

If you are like me, you work hard to live a healthy and holistic life, most people these days are looking into whats going into their products. Never thinking that those products that they put on their skin, are filled with chemicals possibly doing more harm then the food that they eat!! Not to mention the havoc they are doing to the environment and wildlife 

Here are what we like to call the "Dirty Dozen" of Cosmetic Chemicals

1. BHA and BHT: Most commonly used in moisturizers, these chemicals can cause cancer, disrupt the endocrine system and is harmful to fish and wildlife. Long term exposure has been toxic to rats and has been linked to lung and kidney problems
2. Coal Tar Dyes listed as p-phenylenediamine and colors listed as CI (with a series of 5 numbers) these have a potential to cause cancer and may be contaminated with heavy metals which are toxic to the brand
3. DEA and DEA compounds these make soap foamy, they can cause eye and skin irritation and high levels of exposure have been linked to liver cancer and precancerous changes in the skin and thyroid
4. Dibutyl Pthtlate used as a plasticizer in nail care, linked to endocrine disruption and suspected to be a reproductive toxin
5. Formaldyhyde releasing preservatives (DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine and quarternium-15) these chemicals slowly release formaldyhyde, a known human carcinogen. While Formaldyhyde does occur naturally in the environment, these products release much more then is safe
6. Parabens are suspected endocrine disruptors that have been shown to effect the male reproductive organs, they also mimic estrogen effecting female reproductive organs as well
7. Parfum (aka fragrance) they can trigger allergies and asthma, many are linked to cancer and neurotoxicity, they are harmful to fish and wildlife
8. PEG Compounds can be contaminated with 1, 4 -dioxane which can cause cancer, harm the nervous system and effect development
9. Petroleum used to make things shiny (think petroleum jelly)  can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) a carcinogen known to cause cancer
10. Siloxanes  ingredients ending in "-siloxane" or "-methicone, suspected endocrine disrupter,  and reproductive toxin
11. Sodium laureth sulfate again used in foaming cosmetics can also be contaminated with 1, 4-dioxane 
12. Triclosan used in antibacterial cleansers, toothpastes and antiperspirants its a suspected endocrine disruptor and may contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria

So before you decide to spend your hard earned cash on something that will in the end probably only be harming you, give it a little bit of research! There are many natural options!

• Use simple oils like almond or grape seed, these are emollient, natural, and won't leave you feeling greasy
• Choose natural options, look at your local food co-op or health food store CAREFUL, read the ingredients, you'd be surprised what you'll find in an 'organic' product
• Make your own! Its cheap, fun and easier then you would think
• Shop Local, your farmers market is sure to have some local vendors that take the time to craft their own
• ETSY always an option for natural and handmade products

In my practice I use only natural and organic products, things that are good for your skin and while you probably wouldn't want to eat one of my handmade lotions or oil blends.. you could do it and be perfectly safe!

To order one of my lotions, oils or scrubs contact me via email at morningdewmassagetherapy@gmail.com

Or visit my etsy at 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/mommypants13

Bringing out a smile

Recently a friend asked me to do some work for someone who was in the hospital with Leukemia.

I was unsure at the time how exactly I could help, this man was sick, they were giving him blood transfusions and he was to need a bone marrow transplant. While I had learned in school that massage and energy work help in pretty much every situation, I wasn't sure that I was ready for this one. At first I held back, helping my friend talk to the doctors using terminology I had learned in oncology massage in school. I told her to describe mushroom tinctures as "Complementary" therapy instead of "Alternative" therapy, as most conventional doctors get a bit defensive at an "alternative" to their care. 

I took the 2 hour drive with my friend from Connecticut to New York City, the entire time trying to stay centered and open up my heart chakra, for I knew that an open heart and some energy work was the best that I could do for someone undergoing radiation therapy. (Hands on massage is not recommended for cases like this unless instructed by a doctor, and we were having a hard enough time with them already)

When I arrived at the hospital the situation proved much more dire then I had originally expected, I had thought that he would be in a hospital bed with other people, I did not know that he would be by himself in quarantine, that I would need gloves, a mask and a apron to visit him.

After collecting myself I again centered my energy, lining up my chakras and reciting a few mantras of love and good healing energy.  

Entering the room I could tell we were both a bit nervous, not wanting someone so vulnerable to feel uncomfortable, and knowing that he had little idea of what 'energy work' was I made a joke about this "hippie dippie stuff" and explained that energy work was meant to make him feel good. In a room where most of the people that touched him were poking him with needles or forcing tubes in his nose, I was just here to make him feel good. And to let me know that if he felt comfortable, I would do all i could to fix that. 

We spent a half our in silence, me holding his hand, or his foot, trying to send him loving energy and kindness in the ways that I had been taught, or rather the ways that felt right. I did some reflexology lightly to his feet, he expressed how wonderful it felt.

And then about a half hour he started to smile, then came a laugh. A laugh of relief, a laugh that sounded almost like a cry but there wasn't a tear. None came after that, it was a single laugh, one of which I'm sure was followed by pain. But the smile lingered for a moment, and I knew for a second at least this man was at peace.

I worked for only about an hour on this man, and after we were done, he asked for his pain killers. So I have no grand ideas that I'm some amazing healer that fixed this man. He was in pain when I arrived and he was in pain when I left. 

But I do know that while I was there some relief was felt, I know it from the change I felt in the handshake when I got there and in the hug when I left.

Oncology massage isn't like regular massage, sometimes its just about making someone feel good for a small portion of time, to bring a sense of calm into a place where they feel stressed and anxious most of the time. It can be tough for the therapist, but overall a rewarding experience. Its not for everyone, there are dangers of exposure to radiation depending on the type of chemotherapy the client is receiving. 

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving energy-work and is dealing with disease please contact me

So why did you become a massage therapist?

Often I have clients ask me why I chose Massage as a career

Its an answer that has changed over the course of my schooling and career

At first it was convenient, the school was close, it was quick, and I could work out my class schedule with daycare for my then two year old, and the biggest was financial aide. I knew that once it came time for me to start my career, I could work a flexible schedule that would allow me to leave for weeks at a time to travel.

As school began, I fell in love with massage. Not only with massage but with the lifestyle that came with keeping people holistically healthy. Starting in the eastern segment of the curriculum, each morning began with a large group meditation and reading of a zen story. Following that were quick yoga and tai chi sessions, after a month I was amazed at how my body and mind felt. 

Learning about the body put me in a place where I wanted to take CARE of my body, its was here in my schooling when I began to wonder how so many doctors still smoked and ate McDonalds, learning how the body worked made it hard to ignore the harmful chemicals and additives that were going into my body. Already holistic, natural and organic, I became aware of the diet that I was eating, cutting back on sugars and adding more whole foods and vegetables to my diet.

It was during the eastern segment of my schooling that I really became focused on the 'energy' portion of massage. Reiki and energy work have always been a part of my life, but now with massage it was hard to ignore the energy that I was responsible for. Touching someone is energy work, no matter what you try to tell yourself, no matter who is giving you the massage, they are doing energy work . I became more focused on my energy and how to transfer a loving touch to someone rather then just an empty massage.

Also, during this time period I was learning Kinesiology, Anatomy and Physiology. The study of how the body moves, the parts of the body, and how the body works. These also became crucial in my learning because I gained an understanding of how the body works, and it was woven with my understanding of energy. I was combining the two for some amazing self discovery, which I shared and discussed with my classmates. 

I did fantastic in school, not only because I loved what I was learning about, but because I was also studying with my daughter. Its always easier to learn when you are studying with someone else. 

At the time I was lucky enough to work at a local yoga studio in town. Working in such a calm and zen environment really showed me how a space like this could effect the work. I worked in a quiet room, with statues of the Buddha, Zen chanting music, surrounded by crystals and incense smoke, after each client the room was cleansed with sage. I found it easy to be one with my clients here.

The second part of my schooling was a western segment, here we focused on Swedish, and sports massage. At first I was not wild about this part, we worked on tables with lotion. Draping was clumsy and awkward and often left something exposed.

But I soon was able to use the lotion and table with ease, draping became graceful and a body part exposed became something easy to handle. I began making my own lotion and oil blends to bring into class. Using the best ingredients I could get and carefully selecting the scents and blends for each client. Something that they really seemed to take notice of.

After school I worked at a number of hotel spas, these places brought in a medium paycheck, but left me feeling unfulfilled, like I was giving choreographed massages. Each client picked from a list of massages, each received the same treatment, and products. In the end it became about selling the client products and getting them in and out as soon as possible. There was little time for intake, to find out where clients needed work or what they might benefit from. There was a quick intake to be sure that the massage was safe, work to the front and back and then the client was out the door. All within a 55 minute period, after the massage, there was a 5 minute period where I would change over the sheets and put in new hot towels, then my next client was on the table. Sometimes up to 9 clients a day! 

These days my approach to massage is different, I want to make a difference.  I know that each part of the massage is essential, from the way the room smells, to the sounds that you are hearing, to the care and attention that is paid before and after the massage.  Questions are crucial.

• How do you feel before the massage?
• How are you feeling after the massage?
• Is there anything you like or don't like for your massage?
• When was your last massage?
• Are you on any medications, what medications? (Then its up to your therapist to actually LOOK UP these medications and how they react)
• Any surgeries or injuries in the last 10 years (yes 10 years, injuries are healing and sometimes your body creates tension to help an injury heal)

My massages these days cost less, they take longer, and all in all I probably make much less then your average massage therapist. 

But they help, they make a difference. Pretty often, my clients don't tip me..... more often they hug me, they leave a book for my daughter, they invite me to dinner in their homes, they ask me about energy work for their sick friend or mother.  And these mean so much more to me then any $20 bill.

So why did I start doing massage? Well I started because I wanted an easy way to support my daughter as a single mom that let me lead the life I wanted to...  

Why do I do massage now? Because I want to help people, because through my massage career I've learned that when you do things for the right reasons, you receive the things that you want and need, and the money is a after thought to helping someone relax.  I'm a massage therapist because I care, because when someone is grabbing at their shoulder or rubbing their lower back, I like being the one who can help.

I've started this blog for my clients, or for my nonclients, or for anybody who wants to read it. Its going to contain tips for healthy living, recipes, my thoughts, and feedback from my clients. I'm open to adding any of your thoughts and ideas.