Sunflower Spa

Summer Skin Care

admin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:07:56 +0000

The sun is shining and summer has officially arrived!

Be sure to take proper care of your skin this season with help from Sunflower Spa. The Brightening Facial will get you started, this treatment is great for someone who has uneven skin tone, sun-damaged skin or age spots (sun spots). It focuses on evening skin tone and helping lift any sun damaged areas resulting in brighter, more even looking skin tone with luminosity and clarity. Good for any age.

Follow up with daily use of sun protection products that the spa carries from Aveda and Dermalogica, there is even a special SPF line for your hair! If you are spending long hours outside or even if you are just out for a walk make sure that you and your family are protected.

Why drink water after massage???

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:23:46 +0000

Q. After your massage your therapist tells you to make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day-why is that???

A. First of all, most of us don’t get enough water during the day to begin with. Your body NEEDS water to perform many of it’s daily functions- such as breathing, digesting and cleansing. After you have received a massage many of the toxins that are stored up in the muscles are released and need to exit your body. In order to do so you need enough water in your system to aid in the detoxification. If you do not get enough water your muscles will be sore, you will feel lethargic and possibly ill. Read more on this topic here.

Send a Gift Certificate with flowers!!

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 03:04:44 +0000

The Sunflower Spa has teamed up with Memorial Florist and Gardens in the Valley to provide you with another option for gift giving. Now you can give a beautiful flower arrangement from Memorial Florists along with a Sunflower Spa Gift Certificate, delivered to your loved ones office or home.

It is very easy to do, from our website click on “Gifting”, there will be a link that you will click on from our site that will land you into Memorial Florist and Gardens website. From there all you have to do is shop on-line, pick out your beautiful flower arrangement, add a Sunflower Spa gift certificate to your order. Memorial Florist will deliver the Sunflower Spa gift certificate with the flowers!

After you will get a call from your loved one, thanking you for being so thoughtful! Just don’t tell them how easy we made it for you.

Administrative Professionals Week

admin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:41:37 +0000

Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. Today, it is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays. APW is always the last full week in April. In 2010, Administrative Professionals Week is April 18-24 with Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday, April 21. (IAAP.com)

Let the Sunflowers help you in making sure that your Administrative Professional feels SUPER APPRECIATED!!! Gift Certificates are available in any dollar amount and may be used towards one of our many wonderful services. We will make SURE that they leave the spa feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Sunflower makes it EASY for you to purchase a Gift Certificate by offering a few options. You may order your Gift Certificate online, it will either be e-mailed to you so you may print it off, we will mail it to you, or you may stop in and pick it up. If you prefer, give us a call at 739-1235 and one of Sunflower’s super fantastic Administrative Professionals will take great care of you!!

Attn: Golfers!

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:47:52 +0000

The courses are open, the clubs are waiting…but what about your back and shoulders? Did they hibernate all winter with the clubs? Time to get those muscles stretched and moving. Massage will not only help your swing, but it will also assist in preventing injury. Check out this article from Golf Fitness Magazine!

Women’s Night Out

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:07:54 +0000

Join the Sunflowers at Otto Chiropractic for a fun night featuring all the things women love!! Massage, Yoga, Handbags, Wine, Jewelry and more. http://www.sunflowerspa.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/PosterROUGH.pdf

Benefits of Massage

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:20:48 +0000

Benefits to Massage

Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays.
Ease medication dependence.
Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system.
Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin. Increase joint flexibility.
Lessen depression and anxiety.
Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
Reduce post surgery adhesions and swelling.
Reduce spasms and cramping.
Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller.
Relieve migraine pain.

How often should I get a massage?

Increase the Benefits with Frequent Visits

Getting a massage can do you a world of good. And getting massage frequently can do even more. This is the beauty of bodywork. Taking part in this form of regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year.

Budgeting time and money for bodywork at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health. And remember: just because massage feels like a pampering treat doesn’t mean it is any less therapeutic. Consider massage appointments a necessary piece of your health and wellness plan, and work with your practitioner to establish a treatment schedule that best meets your needs.

Massage A Powerful Ally

There’s no denying the power of bodywork. Regardless of the adjectives we assign to it (pampering, rejuvenating, therapeutic) or the reasons we seek it out (a luxurious treat, stress relief, pain management), massage therapy can be a powerful ally in your healthcare regimen.

Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help manage:

Stress.
Decreased anxiety. Enhanced sleep quality.
Greater energy.
Improved concentration.
Increased circulation.
Reduced fatigue.

Furthermore, clients often report a sense of perspective and clarity after receiving a massage. The emotional balance bodywork provides can often be just as vital and valuable as the more tangible physical benefits.

Holding Headaches at Bay

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:31:08 +0000

“Do you get headaches?” I asked Cindy. She had come to see me for massage to address her neck and shoulder pain but hadn’t mentioned headaches.

“Well, yes,” she said. “I’ve always had headaches and, now that you mention it, they seem to be worse when my neck hurts.” Cindy went on to say she suffered from them as often as 2-3 times a week and typically treated them with ibuprofen.

Like many Americans, Cindy suffers from chronic, frequent headaches. Her neck pain finally prompted her to seek help, but she was so used to the headaches, she thought they were something she simply had to live with. What Cindy didn’t understand was that frequent headaches are not normal and, with a little proactive planning, there is something that can be done to manage and even prevent them.

Types of HeadachesHeadaches come in many varieties. Following is a short list of the most common types.

Migraines. Migraine headaches occur when the blood vessels in the brain become dilated, usually due to a chemical reaction, such as food allergies or a stress response. They often start with visual disturbances and quickly develop into severe head pain accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sensitivity to light. They’re usually felt on one side of the head, but can be on both sides. Migraines are often managed with medications and avoidance of foods known to trigger them, such as red wine, chocolate, aged cheese, and nuts. However, some bodywork techniques can also be effective in easing migraines or decreasing the frequency of these painful headaches.

Tension Headaches. Exaggerated by stress, tension headaches are related to poor posture, jaw problems (such as temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ), and neck pain. Many people describe a headache that starts at the base of the skull and then moves in an arc over the ears and behind the eyes. Tension headaches are most often caused or exacerbated by poor posture, work station positions, and body mechanics, creating undue stress on the upper neck muscles.

Mixed Headaches. The term mixed headache is used to describe a tension headache that leads to a migraine. Typically, the tension headache starts first and the chemicals produced from the pain of it create conditions for a migraine to develop. In people with patterns of mixed headaches, the best way to avoid the onset of a migraine is to treat the tension headache.

Bodywork Options. A treatment regimen that includes bodywork, attention to body position, and stress management can help prevent or greatly reduce the frequency of headaches, in turn reducing your reliance on medication and the need to avoid food triggers. There are many different bodywork techniques, each with specific approaches for treating headaches. Following is a short list of techniques often effective in treating recurring headaches.

Swedish Massage. A tension headache, by its very name, implies the presence of stress and tension. Swedish massage, on the other hand, promotes relaxation and relieves muscle tension. When muscles become tight due to stress or poor posture, they eventually adapt a chronically shortened state. Swedish massage teaches the body how to let go of muscle tension and resets muscle tone.

Deep Tissue Therapies. The integrative therapies mentioned above, as well as neuromuscular therapy and myofascial release, use similar techniques to free connective tissue. A chronically tensed muscle tends to maintain that tension, even after the stressful event has passed. Deep tissue techniques free the connective tissue glue, creating a new way for the muscle to function.

Craniosacral Therapy. Craniosacral therapy addresses the inherent, gentle, rhythmic movement of the bones in the skull and their effect on the fluid that surrounds, bathes, and cushions the brain and spinal cord and runs throughout the body. Cranial bones move in miniscule amounts as a response to the production and absorption of cranial fluid. With head trauma, whiplash injury, or even severe stress, cranial bone movement can be compromised, resulting in headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, or vision disturbances. This therapy restores the normal movement of the cranial bones and fluid.

By addressing the root of the problem, regularly scheduled bodywork sessions can greatly reduce headaches as well as your need for medication. Remember, headaches are not normal, and you don’t have to live with them.

Holding Headaches at Bay

Bodywork Eases Migraines and Tension Headaches

Cathy Ulrich

ABMP.com

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:17:27 +0000

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Bodywork Treatment Proves Successful

Cathy Ulrich

It started as a vague feeling of numbness in her thumb and first two fingers, then progressed slowly to a definite tingling that woke her several nights a week. “It’s not so bad on weekends when I have a chance to rest my arms, but it’s now getting in the way of things I like to do at home,” says Marie, who spends long hours during the work week typing at her computer keyboard. “I love to knit and cook, and I’ve had to curb these activities, as well.”

Diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, Marie displayed the classic symptoms: soreness in her forearms, pain in her hands at the end of a long day at the computer, and a feeling of tightness that had spread from hands and wrists all the way to her elbows. And recently, she’d been getting headaches.

Marie has a couple of different options for treating the problem. “My doctor tells me he can operate, but the surgery isn’t always successful,” she says. “He recommends I try bodywork first.”

Because Marie does the same motion in the same way many times a day over a long period of time, she has literally worn out the tissues involved in that motion. This type of injury — called a repetitive strain injury, or RSI — creates tiny tears in the fibers of the soft tissues of the body. While they don’t immediately cause loss of function, these micro-tears set up conditions for chronic inflammation that will eventually manifest as pain, soreness, tightness, tingling, and burning.

CTS The hand and wrist combination work together as an amazing, mechanical anatomical wonder. Imagine a set of ropes and pulleys that travel from the elbow through the wrist to the finger tips. The muscles reside in the forearm, moving the fingers via long tendons that run through channels in the wrist. The nerves that send and receive sensory and motor information from the brain run alongside the tendons through these same channels.

When bending or straightening a finger, these tendons slide back and forth, just like cables. When continually working at a keyboard and using the same motion in the same position thousands of times a day — like millions of Americans do — the cables begin to wear. And just like threads in a rope, some of the collagen fibers will tear. This process progresses until enough fibers are torn that the body develops inflammation in the tendons and sheaths. Swelling ensues, which pinches the nerves, producing the classic symptoms of tingling, swelling, and even loss of grip strength.

The Bigger Picture The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may reveal an even bigger problem. The nerves that carry sensory and motor information to the hand arise from the spinal cord in the neck, travel under the collar bone, through the armpit and elbow, all the way to the wrist. A nerve can become entrapped at the neck, shoulder, elbow, or wrist, and an impingement in any of these places can have a cumulative effect on the tingling felt in the hands. These entrapments are usually caused by poor postural habits. The soft tissues become shortened around habitual positions of rounded shoulders and forward head from working long hours at the computer and the channels where the nerves travel through the shoulders and arms can close down. Sound familiar?

A recent study conducted at The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine looked at the efficacy of bodywork in treating carpal tunnel syndrome. Researchers found that after the completion of four massage sessions, the participants experienced an improvement in grip strength and a decrease in pain, anxiety, and depression. Participants also showed improvement in specific medical tests used to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome.

This landmark study verifies what bodyworkers have observed clinically for years: Massage — and especially deep tissue techniques, such as neuromuscular therapy, Rolfing, and Hellerwork — can reorganize the connective tissue fibers, break up scar tissue, and reduce or eliminate the cause of inflammation. Soft tissue work helps realign these tiny fibers of the tendons and sheaths, and the body can then heal itself — and ease or even eliminate carpal tunnel syndrome.

Bodywork to the entire arm, shoulder, and neck will also free soft tissues where hidden tightness can contribute to the problem. Soft tissue inflammation can travel through the continuous connective tissue framework from fingertips to head and even cause headaches — as was the case with Marie. Massage can restore these tissues to normal function.

Other Considerations In addition to bodywork, it’s important to evaluate postural habits, work station positioning, and movement patterns. When workers become so focused on their work that they forget their bodies, they tend to maintain positions that contribute to the cause. It’s important to identify several ways and several positions to accomplish the same thing. Moving the mouse from one side to the other, even during the same day, can help prevent fatigue and tissue failure. Wrist rests and keyboard trays are important, and a regular stretching routine is essential.

Finally, along with exercise and good nutrition, include bodywork as part of your regular health maintenance program. Regular massage reduces connective tissue inflammation and prevents scar tissue from forming. Movement education, such as the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Method, structural integration, and Trager Approach can help correct postural issues that also contribute to the problem. Bodywork is a treatment of choice to keep carpal tunnel syndrome from slowing you down.

ABMP.com Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals

Getting the most out of your massage.

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:26:01 +0000

Getting the Most from Your Massage
And Making the Most of Your Time

By Diane M. Marty

Initially, a stiff neck or an even stiffer schedule may have sent you to a massage therapist. But chances are your repeated returns will be a result of the overall sense of well-being you experience from this healing bodywork.

At first, your therapist may seem to be doing all the real labor. But clients soon discover the quality and scope of relief they receive during a therapy session is very much in their own hands. Your influence and attention can boost the benefit of each and every massage. To reap the optimum benefits from this renewing ritual, here are some simple strategies.

If you arrive early for your appointment, use the extra time to decompress. Focus on something in the room — a picture, the music or a ray of light — and breathe slowly. Relax your shoulders and quiet your mind. Let this place and time become your sanctuary in a frantic world.

Communication is the ultimate tool for enhancing your massage experience. The most vital information your therapist needs involves your primary intention regarding your massage. Did you schedule the massage to reduce anxiety? Are you searching for relief from an injury? Or do you need to release some suppressed emotions? Your therapist will rely on your comments to devise the best plan of action to accomplish your goal.

Just as an informed doctor has a better chance of honing in on health issues, an enlightened therapist can target trouble zones and generate solutions. Use the brief conversation with your therapist at the beginning of each session to create your own hybrid experience. On your first visit, mention any chronic conditions, bothersome injuries or serious ailments during this consultation. The greater the insights into your individual history, the more tailored your treatment will be. For instance, migraine sufferers might receive some myofascial release therapy, while the therapist might employ shiatsu techniques to relieve carpal tunnel symptoms. Lymphatic drainage treatments can help ease cancer pain. Your therapist can ease many diverse conditions, but only if he or she knows of your concern. When going for repeated visits, fill your therapist in on any new developments — a new job, a recent fall, a death in the family — which might have an affect on the session and your health.

Be clear about whether you’d like some focused attention on tender areas or whether you’d like those sensitive spots avoided altogether. If you do request some pointed concentration — on a touchy back, for instance — expect some discomfort as your muscles release. But always let the therapist know immediately if the massage crosses your pain threshold at any time.

Cold muscles are tense muscles. Since body temperature can fluctuate throughout the massage, don’t hesitate to say something if you need more or less coverage. Tell the practitioner when the room needs to be warmer or if you’re easily chilled.

Some clients have difficulty enjoying their massage because they feel self-conscious undressed. Therapists are trained clinicians and, in many ways, share the ethics of medical professionals. They work with burn victims, mastectomy patients and disfigured people. In their practice, they’ve seen un-movie-star-like bodies and less-than-athletic physiques. Clients will not receive comments on their cellulite, criticisms on their lack of muscle tone or commentaries on calorie control. Indeed, these corporal qualities pass by many skilled practitioners’ eyes completely unnoticed. Therapists are trained to care for each and every body, yours included.

If you still feel you will be unable to enjoy the massage unclothed, inquire about treatments — like reflexology — which allow clients to remain dressed. Another alternative is to have just the upper part of your body worked on until you’re willing to indulge in a full body massage. Talk your options through with your therapist.

The therapist will check with you several times during the massage to verify the pressure feels just right. But, if at any time you would like more vigorous action or less intense effort, don’t be afraid to speak up. Because everyone has a different tolerance to touch, therapists depend on their client’s instructions and reactions to determine the depth of pressure to apply. And, although therapists are trained to note visual clues for a client’s discomfort — tense facial expressions, curled toes, tightened tendons — your feedback ensures clear communication. After all, moans and groans can signal both agony or bliss. Depending on sighs and other sounds to convey your current state of pleasure or pain is an iffy tactic at best.

Other than that occasional dialogue, your massage experience might be a wordless one. Unlike salons, where continuous conversation seems to be a requisite, massage rooms are quiet places. Therapists will let you lead the conversation, but they do not expect you to talk.

Not all therapists are trained in every mode of massage. Depending on their specific schooling, practitioners may specialize in certain types of therapy. Add to that variable the unique educational background of each therapist, as well as their individual styles and strengths, and clients have the opportunity to explore a wide spectrum of approaches and techniques.

Tracking what works and what doesn’t ensures favorable outcomes in the future. Use every session to build your knowledge of massage, to learn what feels good to you and to observe which procedures improve your state of mind. When certain maneuvers or manipulations feel wonderful — or if you’d like to avoid them in the future — ask your therapist to describe or name the movement. Then, armed with this information, you can replicate or evade similar results in the future.

While the classical strokes of Swedish massage are familiar to all therapists, more complex techniques (such as the Feldenkrais Method) will be known to only a select subgroup of practitioners. If you decide to experiment with more specialized types of bodywork that are unfamiliar to your therapist, he or she will be glad to refer you to a trained professional in that area.

Embarrassing as it may be, bodywork can produce some interesting bodily noises. It’s possible with the release of so much tension, your body lets go of something else. Therapists are accustomed to flatulence. In fact, it’s a healthy side effect of massage. Often a client will be so relaxed that they fall into a quasi-sleep mode, often awakening to their own snoring. Again, therapists respect each and every body and all that comes with it.

When the body is touched in a healthy and safe environment, there oftentimes can be an emotional impact. Some clients find themselves crying during or immediately after a massage. If this happens to you, think of this reaction as a positive one. Therapists are familiar with this kind of release and will help guide you through it. If you hold a lot of trauma within, it is often helpful to pair your bodywork sessions with talk therapy sessions to process what has just happened to you on the massage table.

Many massages end with the client asleep on the table. So, when your time is up — and that moment always comes way too soon — your therapist will make certain you know they are leaving the room. The therapist will also advise you to take your time getting up. They do this for a number of reasons, one being that raising your head too quickly after a lengthy therapeutic session can cause dizziness. At your leisure, dress, retrieve your belongings and exit the room leaving the door open. Be aware that because of an elevated metabolism, clients often need to visit the restroom after their massages and menstruating women will likely experience an increased flow.

Allow time for a gentle re-entry into real time. Be tender with your body — and your mind — immediately after your massage. And be sure to drink lots of water. Massage is a detoxifying rite and you’ll want to flush your system of the freed contaminants. If there is a hot tub available, a 10-minute soak is just what the therapist ordered, but be conscious of your water intake so as not to dehydrate. Or — in high-altitude environments — take a break in the steam room. Sea level residents may find the sauna more agreeable.

The actual massage may be over, but you will carry its positive effects with you throughout the day — and night. Utilize massage on a frequent basis, and you might just get accustomed to “feeling good.”

Diane M. Marty is a freelance writer who enjoys the benefits of many types of bodywork.