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Are there dangers for your pet lurking in your garden?

5/26/2017

 
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Spring has sprung and the gardens are calling!
But let's not forget about our pet friends and the dangers that can be lurking in your garden.


​While most of these things are obvious (fertilizer, insecticides) others might surprise you (Easter lilies!)
Fertilizer, insecticides, weed spray
The most dangerous forms of pesticides include: 
  • Snail bait with metaldehyde 
  • Fly bait with methomyl 
  • Systemic insecticides with the ingredients disyston or disulfoton
  • Most forms of rat poisons. Read the manufacturer's label carefully for proper usage and storage. 
  • Most herbicides made for residential use are generally considered to be safe for use in environments where animals frequent, as long as the label instructions are followed exactly. For example, if a weed killer spray label states, "Keep animals away from treated areas until dry," it is important to adhere to these instructions in order to avoid problems. If these instructions are not followed, affected animals might exhibit such symptoms as mild skin or gastrointestinal irritation, or the desirable vegetation could be damaged from unintentional spread of the herbicide.​
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Cocoa Mulch
Found in most home garden centers, cocoa mulch is known for its sweet chocolate smell and fine texture. Cocoa mulch contains theobromine and caffeine, 2 key ingredients in chocolate. 
From the ASPCA:
What happens if a 50 pound dog eats cocoa mulch?
  • 2 ounces will cause gastrointestinal upset
  • 4.5 ounces will cause increased heart rate
  •  5.3 ounces may induce seizures
  • 9+ ounces can be lethal
In contrast
A 50 pound dog who eats milk chocolate:
  • 7.5 ounces may cause gastrointestinal upset
  • And more than 1 pound is needed to increase heart rate

Top Poisonous Plants
  • Autumn Crocus - Autumn Crocus is highly toxic
  • Azalea
  • Cyclamen
  • Kalanchoe
  • Lillies - Tiger, Day, Asiatic, Easter and Jamanese Show
  • Oleander
  • Dieffenbachia
  • Daffodils
  • Lily of the Valley
  • Sago Palm
  • Tulips 
  • Hyacinths
Complete List of Poisonous Plants for Pets

5 More Amazing Historical Facts About Massage

5/24/2017

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Massage therapy is one of the oldest health care practices known to history and its evolution has shaped the massage industry of today!
Be sure to check out the first 
11 Amazing Historical Facts About Massage
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1.  Galen, a notable physician to a number of Roman Emperors in the 1st century AD, could be called the father of Sports massage. Galen spent several years interning as a physician to the Gladiators of the Circus Maximus and developing his techniques. Galen wrote on the subject of massage in his book Hygiene, covering topics including details of preparatory massage, duration of massage at each stage of exercise, and how to make a great massage oil. He also reveals his disdain for those who would lower the standards of the massage profession (sexually) and lessen it's meaning and purpose. After hearing a derogatory comment about his profession, Galen wrote, “These are all wanton witticisms, not at all befitting a man learned in so august an art.”

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2.  Ambroise Paré (1517-1590) was a French military surgeon and is considered one of the founders of modern surgery. Always willing to try new practices, Paré was one of the earliest modern physicians to discuss the therapeutic effects of massage. He classified various types of massage movements and favored massage for relieving joint stiffness and wound healing after surgery. 

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3.  In the 18th century surgeons began to hire medical rubbers to help with rehabilitation, joint disease and treatment of lameness. Usually women, they had little education, but were very adept at hands-on therapy. They used simple techniques of rubbing, friction and joint movements. The medical rubbers would modify these techniques to produce different effects. Some went on to develop their own private practices independent of doctors. 

4.  The Society of Trained Masseuses (STM) was formed as a response to an article published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) the summer of 1894. During the 1880's massage became an important skill for nurses. Massage courses were established by nursing schools, private schools, and internships. These courses were largely unregulated. In July 1894, the BMJ published an editorial titled 'Immoral "Massage" Establishments', claiming:
"We understand that a good many 'massage shops,' are very little more than houses of accommodation (brothels).... This is so well understood that young men about town often make a tour of these establishments. Many of these girls have certificates, but they, as a rule, have spent their last penny in getting instruction, and, little by little, drift into a mode of life which is often most distasteful to them."
"Our impression is that the legitimate massage market is overstocked, and that no women, unless she has a private connection, has the slightest chance of getting a living by massage alone... We are afraid that nothing could be done in the way of registration unless the ground could previously be cleared of what is undoubtedly a great social scandal."

Six months later, four London-based nurses founded the STM to "make massage a safe, clean and honourable profession, and it shall be a profession for British women." They quickly worked to establish guidelines for training in the disciplines of anatomy and physiology. 
The Society refused to register male masseurs and discouraged contact between masseuses and male clients (unless in exceptional circumstances).
PictureUSDA History Collection, Special Collections, National Agricultural Library [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
5.  George Washington Carver, "the Peanut Man", believed that peanut oil could help polio victims regain some lost function in there muscles and limbs. In the 1930's, Carver began to treat polio patients using peanut oil massages and reported positive results. Carver gifted Franklin D Roosevelt peanut oil and the President later told a scientist, "I do use peanut oil from time to time and I am sure that it helps." There was never any scientific evidence that the peanut oil was effective and it is believed that the patients most benefited from the massage treatment itself and the extra care that they received from Carver. 

Read More:

11 Amazing Historical Facts About Massage
​9 Interesting Facts About Aromatherapy
Sources:
British Medical Journal, Immoral "Massage" Establishments (July 14, 1894)
Brush Up on the History of the Massage Therapy Profession
​Saving the profession from scandal
Ambroise Pare Biography
Physiotherapy and the shadow of prostitution
7 Facts on George Washington Carver
The Archetypes of Masseuse and Masseur

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Why Heels Hurt

5/19/2017

 
I’ll always remember the greatest story one of my teachers told in massage school. He had a female client who came in complaining of lower back and hip pain.  He asked her to take her shoes off (heels) and walk across the room to check her gait. Her calf muscles had shortened to the point that even barefoot, she still walked like she was in heels. I decided at that point, that even though I love heels, I had to take steps to prevent the same thing from happening to me!
A Great Infographic from Live Science explaining why heels hurt.
Find out how those high heeled shoes are hurting you, in this LiveScience infographic.
Source:LiveScience

Stretches to help when wearing heels

​Achilles Tendon Stretch  - 3 times a day
Lean into a wall with one foot about a foot and a half in front of the other, gently stretching the calf and tendon in the back foot; hold for 90 seconds, then switch sides.
"Alphabet exercise" - 1-2 times a day
Strengthens ankles and improves range of motion
Use your big toe to trace each letter of the alphabet in cursive in the air, moving only the foot and ankle.

Tips for Buying Heels that won't hurt!

  • Don’t buy cheap shoes instead buy well-crafted "investment" shoes. Well-made shoes offer far more support, stability, padding and overall comfort than poorly made shoes.
  • Don’t wear shoes that are too big or too small.
    If the shoe doesn't fit, it can't support your foot correctly, and you'll have to expend more effort to keep it on.
  • Don't wear shoes you can't walk in or are not comfortable.
    Test the shoes out and make sure they're comfortable.
  • Ask the department store for help. I've found everyone to be extremely nice and helpful. I've even had them stretch my heels for free before leaving the store!
  • Don't wear shoes that overflex your arch, making you feel, in effect, like you're walking in pointe shoes in ballet class.

    Heather McNay

    I've been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2006. In my free time I enjoy hiking with my husband and dog. I also have a passion for cooking, baking and gardening.

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  • Home
  • Pricing and Services
    • Massage Services >
      • Aromatherapy Massage
      • Bamboo Massage
      • Deep Tissue massage
      • Hot Stone massage
      • Swedish massage
      • Trigger Point Therapy
    • Pricing
    • Massage Wellness Plans
    • Scheduling
  • Gift Certificates
  • About
    • About the Practitioner
    • Contact Information
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Our Clients Love Us
    • Why we don't accept tips
    • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
    • Benefits of Massage