Summer 2009

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Glo-Worthy Summer Skin
by Lee Pepper, Massage Therapist
Topic: Massage

A Hidden Epidemic
by Farah Husain, OWNER / Licensed Esthetician & Makeup Artist
Topic: Prevention

Glo-Worthy Summer Skin
by Lee Pepper, Massage Therapist
Topic: Massage

To make sure your summer skin is in top form, you can start by visiting Glo for the Body Glo Exfoliating Treatment. Visit every one to two months to keep your skin health and glowing, especially if you’ve had recent sun exposure.

During the service you will be exfoliated with a dry exfoliating glove then rubbed with one of our scrumptious body butters. After the body butter is applied you will be wrapped in a series of blankets and hot towels to encourage maximum moisture penetration. While being wrapped you will receive a head and foot massage.

The main ingredients found in the body butter used during the Body Glo Exfoliating Treatment are great for summer skin. You can learn more at the links provided.

Cocoa butter has been called the ultimate moisturizer, and has been used to keep skin soft and supple for centuries. It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed into the skin. Cocoa butter is often recommended for treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. When applied topically, it creates a barrier between sensitive skin and the environment and also helps retain moisture.

Lotions and oils containing cocoa butter are often used in aromatherapy massages to promote feelings of relaxation and well-being. Recent research indicates that massaging the skin with cocoa butter may help relieve stress, boost the immune system, and even prevent cancer. This is because cocoa butter, like chocolate, contains a lot of CMP.

www.vitaminstuff.com/supplements-cocoa-butter.html

Mango Butter has natural emollient properties, high oxidative ability, wound healing, and regenerative activity. Mango Butter has been traditionally used in the rainforests and tropics for its skin softening, soothing, moisturizing and protective properties and to restore flexibility and reduce degeneration of skin cells. It has a protective effect against UV radiation.

Mango Butter is a tropical butter that has a similar composition to Shea and Cocoa, however the fatty acid content profile is slightly different and enhances the spectrum of natural EFAs, antioxidants and vitamins.

www.botanical.com/products/learn/butter/mango.html

Babassu oil comes from from the kernels of the Babassu palm and is non-drying oil. It is high in lauric and myristic acids. These acids have melting points that are close to the human body temperature so, when applied, babassu oil draws the heat from the skin to initiate melting.  Therefore, the transfer of the heat creates a cooling sensation on the skin. Babassu oil also forms a protective, soothing coat when applied to the skin as well as a pleasant, smooth feeling.

Babassu oil is considered to be a superior emollient that is beneficial for either dry or oily complexions. It gently moisturizes the skin without leaving an oily sheen.

Though summer is a very busy time for all of us, we still need to make time to come in for our regular massages. I always suggest receiving a receiving massage every two weeks to once a month. This way you will be one step ahead of the game and avoid having chronic aches and pains!

www.soaperschoice.com/soapoils/babassuoil.html

Diet also plays a part in great skin, so I would like to share two of my favorite “Raw” food recipes. The New Moon Fruit stew is best for an evening dish. This will make a lot of food for 4. If you make this, try the cole slaw as a side plate for the stew. The left over stew is great for breakfast or added yogurt and nuts and blended for a tasty smoothie to start the day off. I have tried it with and with out the Jalapeño, and I personally prefer it better with.

Cole Slaw

2 cups purple cabbage, shredded
1 large unpeeled cucumber, diced
1 large shredded carrot
¼ cup shredded onion
1 ½ tablespoons cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
3 ½ tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
½ cup diced tomato
3 tablespoons Nama Shoyu
  or 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Combine the above ingredients in a serving bowl. Mix and serve.

New Moon Fruit Stew
Serves 4

1/2 cup sliced plantains
1/2 cup diced apples
1/2 cup diced avocado
1/2 cup diced, pitted dates
1/2 cup diced kiwi
1/2 cup diced strawberries
1/2 cup diced pineapple, optional
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
(if it's autumn and they're in season)
1 teaspoon minced Jalapeno
(optional if your making this dish for children)
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
2/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup whole dates
1 1/4 cup frozen strawberries or other berry
*It's best to use an avocado that is just about to ripen to prevent mushiness.

In a serving bowl, combine plantains, apple, avocado, dates, kiwi,
strawberry, pineapple, pomegranate seeds, other berries, and 1/2
teaspoon jalapeno (optional.) Set aside.

In a blender combine OJ, lemon juice, dates, frozen strawberries or other berries, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of jalapeno (optional) and blend until sauce and fruit have a creamy consistency. Pour contents over bowl of fruit and serve immediately.

You can add any kind of fruit to this recipe.

Recommendation: Blackberrys, blueberries and wild rice (prepared raw).

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A Hidden Epidemic
by Farah Husain, OWNER / Licensed Esthetician & Makeup Artist
Topic: Prevention

I woke up one day and, out of the blue, could't move my neck. Then I started getting the sensation that bugs were crawling on my arms. I bleached all our sheets. I switched laundry detergents. I insisted the vet check my cats and dog for fleas. I was on a mission!

Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. I started experiencing extreme fatigue. As in, “I’m going to lay down for half an hour and, uh-oh, now I don’t think I can get back off the couch again!” kind of fatigue. Then came the vertigo, loss of feeling in all my extremities, sound sensitivity, ear and head pain... The list is bizarre, and goes on and on. After 4 years of mysterious symptoms, doctors, continued misdiagnosis, and trying anything and everything, I discovered I had Lyme disease.

On the night before my first appointment with a Lyme specialist, I had the scariest episode of all. I woke up to an intense electrical sensation in my head as though I’d been struck by a lightening bolt. Waves of icy hot washed down the back of my head, neck, and down my spine. Once the feeling relented I was so numb in those areas that I was left with only about half the sensation I had formerly had. I was afraid I was having some sort of a seizure or was going to die. 

Delayed diagnosed for Lyme disease may result in a life-long condition called either “Chronic Lyme” or “Post-Lyme Syndrome,” depending on which side of the debate you side with. To put a fine point on what this means, having Lyme disease is a strange and difficult experience—dealing with Chronic Lyme or Post-Lyme Syndrome will change everything in your life. People with this condition suffer through years of pain, and because of the controversy of late-stage Lyme, are often left doctor-less and without support or pain management systems.

So what’s to be learned from all this?

First, MINNESOTA AND WISOCONSIN ARE LYME ENDEMIC AREAS!!! If you are going to be outside spray on a bug repellent containing DHEET. Wear long pants, especially while in the woods, and tuck them into your socks. Do a full body check, and throw your clothes in a dryer to kill any remaining critters. Keep in mind nymph ticks are AS SMALL AS THE PERIOD AT THE END OF THIS SENTENCE!! If you find a tick, carefully remove it with a tweezers, making sure to get the entire head. Place it in a plastic bag, and bring it to your Doctor. Only a small percentage of Lyme sufferers get the characteristic bull’s eye rash, and even then it can be large or small and any variety of different shapes. Don’t assume lack of a rash means you’re in the clear, especially if you develop flu-like symptoms, stiff joints and neck, headaches, or heart palpitations. There are atleast 100 symptoms of Lyme  and each individual’s symptoms very widely from person to person. Order a free test  online from the Igenex Labs for  greater accuracy.

On a side note, I find it very interesting that Minnesota has one of the highest rates of Multiple Sclerosis in the country, while also being one of the most Lyme endemic areas. There is some thought that Lyme is actually related to incidences of MS and ALS since the cause of these diseases is unknown. Better to be safe than sorry; always get a Western Blot test for Lyme when diagnosed with one of these conditions. My internist thought that I had MS!

One of the things I have committed my life to is educating clients, friends, and loved ones about how to spot and prevent Lyme. This purpose helps answer the “Why?” of this disease for me. If treated early for A MINIMUM OF A MONTH Lyme can usually be eradicated. Prevention in this case is really the best medicine. Discuss this information with family, friends, and loved ones can help raise awareness. If together we help one person to avoid reaching the late stage of this disease we will have succeeded in making a huge difference!

Visit www.ilads.com for more information about Lyme disease.

*I am not a doctor. None of the content of this article should be read as definitive medical advice or counsel. Please seek medical attention if you suspect you or a loved one may have Lyme disease.

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