Archive for Events

Friday’s Gift

// October 8th, 2009 // No Comments » // Women's Health

Being Breast Healthy

Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that starts from cells of the breast. It occurs mostly in women, but men get it too. It is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. And it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.

The statistics are wild. In the United States, the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her lifetime is 1 in 7; the chance her dying is 1 in 35. (About 40,480 women will die from this disease this year.)

We know that certain risk factors are linked to breast cancer: being female, being over age 55, having a certain genetic risk (BRCA 1 or 2), having personal or family history, being Caucasian, early start menstrual cycle, late menopause. Also: not having children or having them late in life, using birth control pills, being overweight or obese, not exercising, smoking, and having 1, or more, drinks of alcohol per day. The other factors we haven’t mentioned are environmental, to be discussed in detail later. So what can we do? Be proactive and take control.

Get annual mammograms, annual clinical breast exams and perform monthly breast self exams. The monthly breast self exam should follow a routine that is easy to remember and repeat each month. Knowing the landscape of your breast tissue is very important, as you will easily notice any changes that may occur in the future.

So here we go: With no shirt , blouse, or bra on, stand in front of a mirror with your hands on your hips, check for lumps, differences in breasts, nipples, (are they inverted, do they have a discharge?) turn to get a side view of each breast. Do the same with your arms raised above your head, is a breast hanging heavily? Now bend forward, with your hands on your hips and check how your breasts appear in this position. Note the differences so that you can really know what is normal for you. Next, you will have to lie down with a folded towel under one of your shoulders, let’s say the right shoulder. Raise your right arm behind your head. Use the pads of your three middle fingers on your left hand to check your right breast. After you have checked your right breast, put your towel under the left shoulder, raise your left arm behind your head and use the pads of the three middle fingers on your right hand to check your left breast. Be sure to check your entire breast, including under your arm (in the pit area). Use light, medium and deep pressure (three passes, each breast). You can move your fingers in circles, a grid pattern (vertically or horizontally), or the clock method.

We have access to an FDA approved device, called the Breast Chek Kit, that can assist you when you perform your self exam. It can make your fingers more sensitive by decreasing the friction that exists between your fingers and the skin of your breast. It magnifies the feeling under your fingers by about 10 times, allowing you to find abnormalities early, when they are small. By knowing what is normal for you and taking your breast health into your own hands, following the screening guidelines, you maximize your chances of finding irregularities early. It is suggested that you do your monthly breast self exams the same time of the month, each month (preferably the 5th day after your period).

EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES!!

For more information on Breast Health and the Breast Chek Kit and Breast Cream, or to schedule a Breast Health Presentation for your office, or group, please go to our contact page and make a request, or visit us at Body Works Massage & Wellness Center.


Quick Fixes

// October 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Events

INSTANT SOLUTIONS FOR LIFE’S FRUSTRATIONS

Breathe

Have Faith

Ask for Help

Smile often

Choose Peace

Take Time

Pause and Think

Be Friendly

Cultivate Patience

Act. Don’t React

Listen To Yourself

Believe In Yourself

Never Give Up

Friday’s Gift

// October 2nd, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Men's Health

Getting ready for Christmas…. ahead of time! Here’s a suggestion for the man, or men, in your life, a great stocking stuffer:  homemade herbal aftershave. Don’t laugh, you can do this and he will love the fragrance and the healing benefits. This is made with witch hazel (very soothing to the skin).

Most of the ingredients can be found at health food stores, stores like Whole Foods, etc.  And witch hazel water can be found at most drug stores.

10 – 12  whole      verbena leaves

1 tablespoon          lavender flowers

1 tablespoon          lemongrass leaf, chopped

2 – 3 teaspoons    chopped spearmint leaves, or mint leaves

2 – 3 teaspoons    chamomile flowers

1 quart                     witch hazel water

Place the herbs in a quart jar. Pour the witch hazel over the herbs, close the lid on the jar. Gently shake the jar daily for about a week.

Strain the liquid and throw away the herbs. Use a strainer and cheesecloth to strain and remove all of the particles.

Pour into handsome, manly bottles.

To use, splash on face after shaving.

Body Works Massage & Wellness Center Welcomes You

// September 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Events

Hi, I’m Ellen LaRocca, licensed massage therapist. Welcome to our web site, where you will be updated often on strategies for a life of balance. We will be offering information on a variety of subjects pertaining to your health and daily living.

Please feel free to peruse our site and add your comments, and requests for what you might like to see.

Ten Secrets for Healthy Breasts

// August 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Women's Health

At least 70% of women who develop breast cancer have no known risk factors

Ten Secrets:

  1. Wear your bra as little as possible (certainly not 24 hours a day). Author of “Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras”, Sydney Ross Singer, has studies showing that women who wear a bra 24 hours a day have a 125-fold (12,500%) higher percentage of getting cancer than women who do not wear a bra at all.
  2. Be sure that your bra is not leaving red marks on your shoulders as this is an indication that your lymphatic system is being compromised. Your lymphatic system is an important part of your immune system and plays a crucial role in breast health.
  3. Wash all new clothes before you wear them as they have toxic chemicals on them (such as fire retardant) that are absorbed into your body. Also many undergarments are made in less than sanitary conditions in developing countries and undergarments may have been tried on previous to you purchasing them.
  4. Be mindful of what you put on your body in the form of toxic perfume, make-up, tanning lotions, antiperspirants and body creams as everything is absorbed through the skin and filtered through the liver, thereby straining your immune system and diminishing your breast health.
  5. Love your breasts. Emotions play a role in our health and a positive, happy viewpoint about your breasts can contribute to healthier breasts.
  6. Do not use birth control pills. They interfere with the normal hormonal balance of a woman and the increase of breast cancer in woman has skyrocketed since the introduction of the birth control pill.
  7. Learn about Thermography as an option to mammography. Digital Infrared Thermography (DIT) is painless, non-toxic and highly accurate. Safer and more effective than mammography, it has the ability to detect breast irregularities and possible “hot spots” years before they would ever be revealed with mammography or a breast exam.
  8. Encourage young girls to exercise as it helps to delay puberty. Exercise has been shown to decrease the flow of estrogens and narrows the window of vulnerability to breast cancer. Clinical studies have shown young women who are involved in regular exercise and vigorous aerobic exercise programs begin puberty at an older age and have a nearly 200% decreased risk of developing breast cancer later in life. Get out and exercise!
  9. Find ways to deal with stress, including meditation. According to Dr. Nan Lu, a classically trained doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and author of “Traditional Chinese Medicine – A Guide To Healing From Breast Cancer”, he believes meditation is the best healing exercise.
  10. Learn how to do lymphatic breast massage as it helps the flow of lymph in your breast tissue and promotes healthy breasts. For instructions on performing a proper breast massage, please visit my website at: www.bodyworksgoespink.com

More on breast health in the future, for now, get to know and love yourself!

Dry Skin Brushing – Directions

// August 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // Events

when to brush: daily, 3 weeks on, 1 week off, to gain maximum benefit. Do not share your brush with others. Use brush without water. Shower, or bathe, after brushing, once, or twice, a day. Wash your brush once a week with mild soap, rinse and hang to dry. Use a natural, not synthetic, bristle brush, so that it does not scratch your skin.

how to use: do not wet the skin, it will not have the same effect and will stretch the skin ~ always brush towards the heart ~ do circular counter-clockwise strokes on the abdomen ~ do lighter strokes over and around the breasts, do not brush the nipples ~ brush each part of the body several times, vigorously and completely ~ brush the whole body ~ brush the soles of the feet first, ankles, calves, then thighs ~ brush stomach, buttocks, back, hands and arms ~ warm bath, or shower, followed by a cool rinse. You can also brush the neck and face, using a much softer brush and gentle strokes.

for more information, or to purchase a brush, please contact me through my contact page

Thank you!

Dry Skin Brushing for Health

// August 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // Events

“Dry skin brushing is one of the finest of all baths – no soap can wash the skin as clean as the new skin you have under the old. Skin brushing removes the old dead layers. This helps eliminate uric acid crystals, catarrh & various other acids in the body.” Dr. Bernard Jensen

Skin is considered the largest organ of the body. The primary purpose of the skin is assisting in the elimination of the body’s wastes. Interesting enough, the body makes new skin every 24 hours. Healthy skin should eliminate approximately 2 pounds of waste daily.

Dry skin brushing helps all of the body systems to preform at peak efficiency. It increases and stimulates blood circulation in all the underlying organs, connective tissue and lymphatic system.

Okay, here’s the list of benefits:  tightens skin, aids digestion, removes cellulite, increases cell renewal, aids lymph system, removes dead skin layers, improves cell exchange, strengthens immune system, stimulates gland function and helps in rejuvenating the nervous system.

So, why not treat yourself to a daily dose of loving your body….

I’ll show you the ‘how to’ next


best massage in mandeville

// August 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Events

Welcome to Body Works Massage & Wellness Center, where you can receive the benefits of thirty years of experience, with any one of our four massage therapists. Ellen LaRocca, LMT, (that’s me!) has been practicing therapeutic massage, teaching and studying many modalities of body work for many years, bringing to the Northshore excellence and experience. Today is my first post on this site. I will be posting information and education on massage, benefits, contraindications, and personal opinions on the subject of bodywork for health and well-being. Please visit often, as I will do my best to post often. You can also request information by going to my contact page and shooting an email to me, I will respond with the best answer I can research. I will be posting info about meditation and how to easily learn to meditate for present moment living and happiness. Well, here we go!!

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