Save the Date for my next Touch Fitness Meet & Greet

Sept. 29, 2010 Wednesday 7-9pm for my next Touch Fitness Meet & Greet at Lily’s Bar in the Roger Smith Hotel. Bring a sample, bring your business cards, bring your own beer money, bring your fab friends and most important, bring your fab self.

For my inspiration I have only to go to the beach and smell the salty briny yummy moist fresh air to be reminded how we often modify or shut down our senses to survive, especially in the city where my clients battle for breath. The beauty of the ocean is a cause for celebration and picture taking. A beautiful beach automatically makes me want to take pictures or paint it. That’s expression right there. Everyone expresses naturally before they start putting conditions on expressing themselves. It’s natural, it’s a social condition that we limit our expression to fit in, along with that can come limiting our breath. That’s why I love smells, the smell of the ocean, the smell of my massage oil blends and especially, the smell of Ritual 1, my aromatherapy. I’ve had people say such wonderful things about the fragrance. I am sure they are getting from it what I get from it and the joy I get from the ocean. The fragrance inspires me to breathe deeply again. My clients inspire me to keep working on the business.

I think discount club companies like Rue La La, Gilt and many others popping up all the time now sport a double edged sword. They may be keeping businesses in business right now, but I feel they are eroding the perceived intrinsic value of high quality products, food and services in people’s minds by getting them used to discounts. It’s a two sided coin, it may bring prices down when companies are unwilling to lower their prices for whatever reason, but they are in the end selling more and more of their goods and services at a discounted rate and it brings down value which in the end confuses the young consumers, who will not be able to understand why a high quality product (like a really excellent, effective and relaxing massage therapy session by an experienced, educated and licensed practitioner or a meal by a top notch chef or branding by someone with experience, vision and training) cannot be sold for less than cost plus profit. Don’t get me wrong, I want the spa I work part time at to stay in business, but, I think they cheapen themselves and what I have to offer people by selling our services at a discount. The only ones making the real money are Rue La La, Gilt and the other discount clubs. I think discount clubs are a real hot potato, that’s why when I’m on Facebook, and I see an advert for another discount club, I hit the X and tell them why. I urge you to do the same.

For my birthday this year instead of having a party, I am asking all my friends to celebrate with me by donating with me to The Surfrider Foundation; dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.

By donating with me to The Surfrider Foundation you contribute to my world vision. My world vision:

“…and they told two friends, and they told two friends… and then the price of sushi, oysters and clams went down, commonly thought of as extinct species of sea dwellers re-appeared which increased monies in city coffers from tourism, which caused taxes to go down, coastal oil drilling disappeared, coral and seaweed and crazy ass looking ocean creatures I’ve seen on tv thronged the waters, cancer rates from tainted food and water dropped to zero, my ESLR stock value went up with my other stocks, cities and towns sparkled from above with solar panels and windmills, people smiled at each other in the streets because life was good and…”

All this became a reality because you donated $10-100 with me to The Surfrider Foundation! Thank you!!!

To see my Birthday wish on Facebook go to: http://www.facebook.com/sherrinbernsteinn
To donate with me on Facebook right away go to: http://tinyurl.com/SherrinsBdayWish
For more info on the The Surfrider Foundation go to: http://surfrider.org/

People, when you see these words, the place you are about to go into, very likely doesn’t have licensed massage therapists on staff. How do I know this? Because if they did, they would be using the legal term. They can’t, so it’s not on their signage. Why should you care? Many reasons, LMTs (licensed massage therapists) study pathology, medical massage protocols and practise Universal Precautions to protect you against disease transmission. We are taught what not to touch (endangerment sites, varicosities etc.) and when it’s best to refer you to a medical specialist. We spend money on schooling, licensing and registration, and earning CECs (Continuing Education Credits) that add to our education and keep us current with new developments, treatment protocols and discoveries in our field. This is for you, your needs and your safety, to help us treat you better and specialize in what you may specifically need. Their are other reasons that it might be medically safer to visit a licensed massage practitioner, such as there is nothing questionable going on in addition to “backrubs”. How do I know this? Most of us who have spent that much time and money on education, exams and licensure wouldn’t want to do anything legally questionable. So the next time you are tempted to visit a “backrub” place, take a moment to consider what is truly in your best interest. Maybe my next blog entry will be to clarify the professional boundaries that “nail technicians” are supposed to be adhering to when you go get a “backrub” in your local nail salon.

I created this poll that I wanted to get your input on.
What is your favorite type of massage therapy?
Take poll here : http://polls.linkedin.com/p/83681/tvsum

The other day I had a hard time leaving a house call because Truffles wouldn’t get off the massage table. He wanted his massage! How cute is that?!

I love using essential oils in my massage oil blends because they smell so good and I actually feel better using them. That’s why I use essential oils, continue to study them, joined NAHA and made my own product, Ritual 1. I think there is a huge difference in quality, so put your nose buds on when choosing your oils. Do comparison smelling, put them up against each other. I think places like The Body Shop do themselves and therapeutic grade high quality essential oils a disservice when they burn low quality oils outside their stores to attract customers. They are using it like potpourri, it’s unsubtle, stinky sweet, can’t get away from it oils that would give anyone a headache and I love smells! Anyway, there are many ways to use essential oils, I came across many people writing about them in their blogs etc. Here is some info regarding aromatherapy, chemo and cancer…

“…oils such as lavender, lemon, orange and peppermint work to relax, energize and reduce nausea and pain.”

“I’ve seen the effects of aromatherapy in so many different situations that I can’t imagine not using it,” said Kline. She helps patients pick essential oils during individual aromatherapy consultations and uses the oils during massage, reflexology and therapeutic touch sessions. About half of Kline’s patients are women with cancer. She says that aromatherapy can mask some of the unpleasant smells associated with chemotherapy and can help cancer patients handle side effects like nausea without taking another drug.”

“These oils are easy to use, they’re natural and they’re not something a person has to take internally,” she said. The Cleveland Clinic began offering aromatherapy to inpatients in 2007, said Michelle Cameron Bozeman, assistant director of Healing Solutions in the Office of Patient Experience. Patients can choose mint, lavender and citrus oils to scent their rooms or use in a massage, and report feeling more awake, relaxed and refreshed by the scents, she said.
Plant oils have been used for their healing properties for centuries and are a central part of traditional medicine systems in China and India.”

Read more at: http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2010/03/aromatherapys_claims_bold_supp.html

I’m not a member of this man’s Center, but I can learn from anyone. When Rodd and I were first going out, he used to listen to this guys recordings and I am grateful to him that he did. I think we can all learn from our elders and the men in our lives. How did Eric Butterworth affect me and my life? I have an answer to give whenever someone is indulging in the idea that aches, pains, discomfort or plain old cantankerous crotchety-ness are part of aging, including myself.

Read up at: http://www.ericbutterworth.org

The legacy of a country that regularly sues as an income source, that hasn’t studied very much chemistry, the healing arts, nor essential oil and has become acclimatized to living in an atmosphere of fear so much so that we don’t even recognize the fear sensations in our bodies anymore, is that we are even afraid of essential oils. How do we deal with this? Thank the Universe we have people such as Robert Tisserand. Read more at:
http://cropwatch.org/Robert%20Tisserand’s%20lecture