As an RMT of 14 years I get asked this question all the time. For many people who are not familiar with getting massages the difference between the two might not be all that apparent but I can assure you there is a significant difference. I myself am a Sports Massage Therapist whose style of massage is Deep Tissue. So let’s talk about that first.
Deep Tissue massage is all about using firm pressure to reach the body’s deeper muscles and connective tissues. The pressure starts off gentle, but ramps up during the treatment – yes it can be uncomfortable at times, but the therapist should be checking in with you periodically to ensure the pressure is okay. Often people think “no pain, no gain” but that is not always the case so having open communication with your therapist is key. Deep tissue therapist’s typically use broader surfaces like elbows, forearms or fists to apply pressure and will use different techniques like cross fiber frictioning, trigger point therapy, or active release technique to ensure they are getting into the muscle most effectively.
Most deep tissue treatments focus on reducing tension in the muscle and increasing joint mobility. It does so by creating healthy blood flow to the area which works to flush out the toxins and by-products created with usage. Deep tissue massages are also typically a bit more focused than a relaxation massage. The patient typically presents with a specific concern or muscle that they would like treated.
The easy answer is yes. But it doesn’t need to be excruciating. I typically describe it to new patients as something where they will likely feel uncomfortable but good at the same time. You want it to be effective but not over the top painful. And yes, you will be sore the next day. Much of this depends on how often you get treated, what the issue is and how your body responds to it. But I typically tell people you will feel bruised or like you worked out for the first time in a while for about a day. After that, you should be feel great! Drinking water and taking a warm Epsom salts bath can help mitigate that. The more frequent you get treated the less it hurts both during the treatment and in the days following.
Deep tissue massage can be hugely beneficial for many different conditions in the body. From postural stress, plantar fasciitis, sprains, muscle tears and everything in between.
If that doesn’t sound like what you are looking for than maybe Relaxation Massage is more your style.
Relaxation Massage is beneficial for relieving everyday stress, loosening general tension in the muscles, and giving an overall feeling of well-being. To be considered relaxing, this type of massage is not intended to work a specific injury. It is more of a general treatment by which the therapist uses a softer pressure with his/her hands and fingers using techniques like effleurage and petrissage. Relaxation massage is typically seen in more of a spa type setting versus a clinic.
I think the important question to ask yourself is, “What is my goal with getting a massage?” If you have a specific injury or area of pain and wanting lasting results then seeking out a deep tissue massage is probably the better option for you. If you are seeking some stress relief from everyday life then a relaxation massage is right up your alley.
I would recommend trying both types of massage and seeing which one you find the most beneficial. Besides, the certain type of massage of you are getting it is also very important to find a good therapist. Working with an RMT is a very personal thing and their needs to be trust and open communication. Try multiple places, try different techniques and see which one vibes with you the best.
Good luck on your search!
Many people believe that having mental health issues means that you are crazy but that is not the case. Mental health issues can mean anything from dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, worry, fear, shame, guilt. Who doesn't deal with those issues everyday?! We all have mental health issues, just at different levels.
Mental health and how to treat it is a complex issue and there is no “one way fixes all approach” as it affects everyone so differently. By definition, mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Throughout our lifetime we will go through situations and experiences where our mental health is affected. This doesn’t mean we are affected by it our entire lives, just through that experience. We all have the capability to suffer from mental health issues just as much as we have the ability to work through them and find a balance.
In today’s day and age prescription drugs are incredibly over prescribed as a treatment plan for mental health issues, among many other things, but there are lots of all natural options. Like exercise, acupuncture, meditation, relaxation techniques and writing to help bring your body back to balance. The one we are going to discuss today is Acupuncture. Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with Acupuncture. Acupuncture is a complementary medical practice that entails stimulating certain points on the body, most often with a needle penetrating the skin. How does inserting needles into the skin help your mental health? Mental health in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) is viewed very differently than in Western Medicine. TCM sees mental health as an imbalance in the body’s energy (qi). Imbalances can happen in certain “organs” or “organ energy pathways” - a disturbance is almost always a blockage, an excess or deficiency in one or more of these energetic pathways that function to communicate and regulate balance and well being in the body.
In terms of mental health, TCM views each “organ system” to have a related emotion that rules that organ/pathway. This can be a good thing when qi is flowing smoothly but imbalance or obstruction in flow can cause issues. Imbalances are almost always accosted with an excess in emotion.
In TCM the:
Let me give you some examples to help you relate:
A person who has a lot of drive, works hard, stays up late and/or is effected by stressors such as deadlines has a tendency to exhaust there “liver” energy. This can lead to an imbalance and stagnation of energy in that pathway, leading to symptoms like inability to cope with stressful situations well, frustration, lack of motivation, anger, short temperedness, neck and upper back tension, temporal headaches and depression. In a case like this a TCMD would work with herbal medicine and acupuncture to strengthen the Liver energy to better cope with external stressors, smoothen and reopen blocked energy channels that were causing tension and pain and calm the mind and spirit.
Another common pattern seen in clinic is when a patient is experiencing an abundance of external excitement or overwhelm. Good or bad (joy or stress), this can lead to an imbalance in the Heart pathway. Energy can get stuck and turn to fire leading to symptoms such as anxiety, over joy, a tight sensation in the chest/throat, heart palpitations, easily startled, difficulty falling asleep and over excitement. In this case a TCMD would work with herbal medicine, acupuncture and possible dietary recommendations to help cool the “fire”. Relax the body, spread stuck energy, calm the mind, promote sleep and enhance the individuals ability to deal with external stimuli.
Let’s focus on the liver and see if we can help you understand the relationship of Qi, emotions and the body. The liver is responsible for managing the smooth flow of blood and Qi—and emotion—throughout our bodies, it’s easy to see that chronic anger or stress will, sooner or later, take its toll on the health of the Liver and our health overall. Symptoms such as tendonitis, migraines, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, insomnia, digestive problems, changes in vision, and menstrual difficulties can be signals from our bodies of Liver function imbalance.
Mental health in TCM is a BIG chapter, as there is a multitude of different combinations that can arise and form patterns unique to each patient. This is also why TCM can be effective in supporting and treating mental health issues. A TCMD will always tailor the treatment specific to that patients specific unique pattern rather than a one pill fits all solution. Always targeting the root cause rather than just the symptoms
References:
https://www.tcmworld.org/emotion-commotion/
https://www.verywellmind.com/emotions-in-traditional-chinese-medicine-88196
Acupuncture has been used for centuries to treat acute and chronic injuries from intense or repetitive physical activity but has only recently worked its way into mainstream competitive sports. It is now recognized by the National Institute of Health as an acceptable form of treatment for pain and many professional sports teams have acupuncturists on staff to speed up recovery times and resolve stubborn injuries. It was, and still is, one of the primary means of quick healing for the martial arts. When a person gets injured the most common complaint is pain. Pain can be described in a number of ways. A dull ache would typically indicate a muscular injury, like a strain. A sharp pain typically indicates tendon or ligament injury and a numbness/tingling type of pain normally indicates a type of nerve injury. Can acupuncture help with all types of pain? The answer is YES! When an injury, no matter what type, occurs in the body there is an excess of metabolic waste that is in the area due the bodies natural inflammatory response. The build-up of waste and toxins in the injured area causes there to be a stagnation and the meridians, that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) work within get blocked. The energy or qi (pronounced “chee”) that is so important to keep our body balanced and healthy is obstructed and therefore everything around that area is also obstructed and nothing can move freely hence the feeling of pain and loss of function.
So how does Acupuncture help with these obstructions? The insertion of fine needles into specific acupuncture points on the body helps to stimulate the clearing of these obstructions by warming up the channels and bringing awareness to the area to promote healing. For acute pain, like an ankle sprain, acupuncture will help keep the meridians open to ensure healthy blood flow and energy can reach the injury. For a chronic pain, like Osteoarthritis, acupuncture will have to work through the already existing build-up to re-open those channels. A TCM practitioner might say that the body has a dampness or coldness to it when dealing with chronic pain. This is because when dealing with long term pain there is an accumulation of waste and very little energy flowing through that area. That is why when dealing with chronic pain it can take months of regular treatments before you feel any real results. The key is to stick with it and ensure your treatments are frequent and consistent. It took years for your body to get to this state so bringing it back to balanced won’t happen overnight and being patient will be your best friend.
The recovery process from an injury can be greatly sped up by the use of acupuncture as it helps to open up the channels and remove all the metabolic waste and fluid from the injured area. This allows the healing process to occur and gives the joint the ability to move more freely. In TCM it is believed that injury occurs due to a lack of nutrients to an area therefore the area tightens up, build-up of waste occurs and the energy gets stuck. Therefore, healthy blood flow can’t get in to the injured site for it to heal properly. Unlike most other modalities that are used for injuries, where the focus is more on creating blood flow through the tissue. Acupuncture is unique in that it focuses on bringing blood flow through the meridians AND the tissue to the injured site. It is important to recognize that clearing of both of these channels is vital to healing an injury and returning to sport. In recent studies, it has been shown that acupuncture not only effectively treats sports injuries such as ankle sprains, strains, golfers elbow, hip pain, low back, shin splints and shoulder pain but it has been proven to improve performance and give athletes a competitive edge. All the more reason to make acupuncture an integral part of your healthcare plan!
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fulltext/2006/02000/Acupuncture_in_Sports_Medicine.1.aspx
In Canada, Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), also known as Functional Dry Needling (FDN), is practiced predominantly by physiotherapists. While it uses the same needles as those used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)’s acupuncture, the process of assessment and treatment differs notably between the two techniques.
In 2015 the American Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapists (FOSBPT) released the following definition of dry needling: dry needling is a skilled technique performed by a physical therapist using filiform needles to penetrate the skin and/or underlying tissues to affect change in body structures and functions for the evaluation and management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions, pain, movement impairments, and disability. (FOSBPT 2015)
The reason it’s called “dry” needling is because we are not injecting anything! The needle is a hair-width filament, totally different from the type used for vaccines or blood tests.
If you don’t love acupuncture, don’t write off dry needling and if you don’t love dry needling don’t write off acupuncture.
While the tool may be the same, the assessment, purpose, treatment process and intended outcomes all differ between the two techniques as outlined in the following table:
Every individual responds to these treatments in their own way. One treatment may be the bees' knees for one patient, and uncomfortable or inappropriate for another. Both Acupuncturist , Rae LaBerge and Physiotherapist, Rebecca Margel provide other treatments in addition to or complimentary to those detailed above.
Interested in trying acupuncture? Book an appointment with Dr. Rae Laberge For physiotherapy assessment and treatment book with Rebecca Margel
About the author: Rebecca Margel is a Registered Physiotherapist who takes a biopsychosocial (physical, mental and environmental) approach to prehab and rehab. She has experience treating a wide variety of neuromusculoskeletal conditions in adults and children, and is passionate about the role that physiotherapy can play in sports performance and injury prevention. Rebecca practices IMS with certification from Kinetacore (Level 1). She treats one patient at a time, does not use electric modalities, and leans heavily into her “exercise is medicine” mantra - because that’s where the scientific evidence lies. Rebecca is intent on helping you achieve your fitness and rehab goals in a safe and timely manner, and on educating you about how and why your body functions the way it does. After all, knowledge is power.
Sports or recreation injuries can include bruising, pain, torn tendons and ligaments, minor and major fractures, and dislocated joints. To control the injury damage and relieve the pain in the shortest recovery time possible you need to see a therapist.
When deciding about a therapist, there can be confusion between athletic therapy and physiotherapy. Although both types of therapists are skilled to heal sports or general injuries, they are not the same. Having a clear idea about the roles and service structure of these therapists will assist you in choosing the right services (or combination thereof) for you.
Physiotherapist: The Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) has defined the physiotherapist as: “...primary health care professionals with a significant role in health promotion and treatment of injury and disease. They combine their in-depth knowledge of the body and how it works with specialized hands-on clinical skills to assess, diagnose and treat symptoms of illness, injury or disability. All physiotherapists registered to practice in Canada are qualified to provide safe and effective physiotherapy.”
Physiotherapy Alberta College and Association (PACA) further explains that “physiotherapists assess, diagnose and treat physical symptoms and limited movement caused by injury, aging, disability, or health condition; help patients understand what’s causing their condition; work with patients to restore, maintain and maximize movement, flexibility and physical independence; develop customized treatment plans that help patients take back control; teach patients how to restore, maintain and/or maximize movement, reduce pain, and manage any chronic symptoms; teach patients how to stay well, avoid future injury and achieve the best quality of life they can.”
Athletic therapist: The Alberta Athletic Therapists Association (AATA) defines athletic therapists as “Certified Athletic Therapists [CAT(C)] are healthcare (clinicians) and paramedical (emergency responders) professionals, with an expertise in musculoskeletal conditions that provide comprehensive and consistent care from injury to safe and full return to activity in all areas of life. Athletic therapists provide pre-hospital medical emergency management, immediate care and reconditioning of musculoskeletal injuries and illnesses, and provide an unbiased, objective perspective to help educate patients (and organizations) on minimizing the risk of further injuries/illnesses. ”
The major differences between physiotherapists and sports therapists are:
We hope this post has been helpful to assist you in choosing a therapist, or team, that meets your needs. If not, give us a call and one of our Calgary staff can walk you through which treatments are best suited to your particular situation. While we don’t have an athletic therapist on staff we can and do collaborate with athletic therapists, personal trainers, yoga instructors as well as within our team of massage therapists and acupuncturist to ensure we get you back to health and back to sport as quickly as possible.
REFERENCES:
In the current era, we are witnessing a huge shift of people going back to traditional medicine for their health and fitness using natural approaches such as massage, acupuncture, and herbs to heal their bodies. These modalities bear no side effects and have been proving their effective benefits for hundreds of years. Acupuncture is top of the list among all these alternative methods of healing. It involves the insertion of tiny needles at specific body points at varying levels of depth. It was started about 3000 years ago in China and became popular in the West during the early 70s. It is the safest, strongest and most researched technique to maintain an optimum level of wellness.
Despite many studies and growing popularity, there are still a lot of myths and questions about acupuncture. Here, I am going to debunk some of the common myths about acupuncture; presenting you a clear picture about acupuncture benefits.
The needles used for Acupuncture are so tiny that it would take 40 Acupuncture needles to make one syringe needle. They are inserted with a meticulous technique in such a manner that is completely painless. You may have some sensation during your session due to the activation of certain body points which indicates successful therapy. This sensation is not pain, but rather a feeling of light dullness. Often, people fall asleep during a therapy session due to the acupuncture benefit of stress relief. So stop avoiding acupuncture therapy due to fear of pain, book your session right away!
Acupuncture is not a blind method to give people a placebo effect. Acupuncture is a time-tested technique that has been in use for centuries in different parts of the world. It has been passed through extensive modern studies and its benefits are scientifically proven. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has published Acupuncture’s safety and efficacy for preventing and treating a large number of diseases. In addition, acupuncture therapy is now covered by major insurance companies.
In the Western world, acupuncture is most commonly used for pain relief. This is the proof of its effective healing of both acute and chronic pain disorders. But acupuncture benefits are not limited to just pain relief. Since acupuncture works by balancing the bodies energy, it can heal a wide variety of diseases including emotional disorders, digestive complaints, chronic inflammation, sexual disorders, degenerative diseases and rehabilitation therapy. There are hundreds of studies on each disorder regarding treatment using acupuncture techniques. In addition to treating existing problems, prevention is the biggest benefit of acupuncture. It helps to maintain smooth energy flow and maintain a good level of energy, libido and sense of wellness.
This is the biggest plus of acupuncture treatment as it completely safe and harmless. No major side effect has been reported during many years of research. The instruments used in acupuncture (like needles) have been regulated by FDA (federal drug authority) as medical devices and are screened thoroughly. Acupuncturists are properly trained and licensed to practice by province. We are all familiar with documented side effects of drugs like painkillers if taken for a longer period. These drugs increase the risk of developing stomach ulcers, compromised liver or diseases kidneys after some time. A person with chronic pain disorder like arthralgia is left with no choice to use these drugs lifelong. However, acupuncture treatments can replace drugs and relieve the person of his/her agonizing pain without producing any side effects.
In a nutshell, this ancient time-tested modality has a long list of health benefits. Book a session today to experience common acupuncture benefits such as maintaining healthy living and attaining peak performance in your everyday life.
Call us to book a free 15min consult in our Calgary clinic to learn more about acupuncture and how they can benefit you.
Have you injured a muscle recently? Are you unable to get rid of your backache? Do you have swollen joints? Are you trying to rehabilitate from an automobile accident? Do you suffer from osteoarthritis? Are you sick of bearing pain for years? Do you want to find the clear answer to these problems? Who can help you best, a physiotherapist or a massage therapist?
If you can relate to any of the above questions we’d like to answer all your queries once and for all. After reading this article, you will be clear about which therapist you need. There is a lot of confusion among masses regarding the differences between these two amazing methods of healing, such it’s difficult to choose a therapist that suits your issues perfectly. Physiotherapy and massage therapy, both are aimed at relieving pain and restoring the body to its optimum levels of health. They both have the power to restore the function and vitality of the body.
Let’s compare the main differences of physiotherapy and massage therapy side by side to give you a clear understanding. Hopefully, you will be able to choose the right therapy for you after having read these points:
Thanks for reviewing differences between physiotherapy and massage therapy, and how the two disciplines work to compliment one another. If you have any questions, give us a call and one of our Calgary staff can walk you through which treatments are best suited to your particular situation.
REFERENCES
https://www.massagetherapylicense.org/articles/physical-therapist-vs-massage-therapist.html
https://www.closingthegap.ca/blog/physiotherapy-vs-massage-therapy-which-one-do-i-need/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/which-professional-should-i-see-for-my-injury-1.828215
Are you tired of body aches? Do you have to miss work due to pain? Are you tired of visiting doctors? Do you want to prevent the recurrence of back pain? How can you get relief naturally? You are not alone in this matter. Millions of people have similar conditions. Natural therapies like acupuncture and massage are time-tested and proved to be very comforting and effective in such cases. Save time and irritation from traditional medicines by using natural ways to get relief from sports injuries and back pain.
Before comparing acupuncture and massage; we’ll briefly introduce these two amazing techniques.
In acupuncture, small needles are inserted in the specified areas of the body in accordance with meridians points with varying levels of depth. Acupuncture is often a more effective option to relieve back pain naturally as compared to medication and physiotherapy. If your body pain is uncomplicated with no prominent causes, acupuncture could be a right fit for you. However, studies have also suggested that if pain becomes complicated, involving multiple areas of the body, then acupuncture may not prove to be useful in providing the required relief.
Acupuncture as a natural treatment to provide pain relief has been studied widely and research data is suggestive of its effective results. Acupuncture is best to employ in acute pain. It has been found that acupuncture provides a long term and sustained relief from pain as compared to certain pain killers with a short-term effect.
Massage, according to recent studies, should be taken as an effective treatment when it comes to relieving the contracted muscles and lower back pain. This is a generally accepted method by most people as it provides instant relief. It relaxes the muscles and helps the joints to remain at an optimum level.
Although massage is not a primary way to get rid of severe pain, it is a great mean to relieve mild pain. In addition to relieve pain, massage can also help to improve any associated symptoms. It improves sleep, reduces anxiety and speeds up recovery time. The benefits of massage for pain relief are the result of improved body circulation and relaxation of groups of muscles. All of these combined effects lead to a wider range of motion, decreased pain and quick recovery.
Now, you might be wondering about making a choice between massage and acupuncture? Which one is superior to the other? Is it better to visit a massage therapist to get your tense muscles to relax or visit a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine? Both of these methods have their own pros and cons. This verdict can’t be declared in a clear Yes or No. The choice of adapting any of these two options depends on the chief body complaint and personal choice. There is no need to take a hard line between these two natural methods.
If you are having a sharp and stabbing pain, it means that nerves are over activated due to an injury or muscle injury. Such type of pain needs to be abolished as soon as possible and acupuncture is the recommended choice here. The acupuncturist will use the needles to rectify the blood and energy area of the affected area and you will get prompt relief.
In case of dull and chronic mild body pains, massage is your friend here. It will relax the tensed muscle and increase the blood flow to an optimum level. A massage session of 30 minutes will take away your dull tiredness and will make you feel fresh, restoring your natural energy.
The answer is Yes; without any hesitation. There is no harm at all! In fact, we’d recommend booking a massage after acupuncture. These two methods can be used as an integrated therapy to enhance their benefits. Acupuncture and massage work at different body levels and combining the two therapies will bring maximum and long-term relief to body aches. The blood and lymph flow will get channelized and you will feel much energetic and lighter.
Call us to book a free 15min consult in our Calgary clinic to learn more about acupuncture and massage and how we can help you.
REFERENCES:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/after-acupuncture_b_1593866
https://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20010629/acupuncture-may-be-best-to-ease-neck-pain
https://www.health.harvard.edu/alternative-and-complementary-medicine/acupuncture-for-pain-relief
Its that time of year again, the days are shorter, colder, and we find ourselves surrounded by an abundance of sugary, tempting treats as we enter the festive months and holiday parties. We may find ourselves having a harder time waking up and heading out for those early workouts on dark frigid mornings. Many of us search for something new to keep us motivated and active during the winter months. Joining a new gym, starting a fitness challenge, buying a monthly spin pass - all are great ways to keep us moving, happy and burning off those extra sugar cookies…right?
Staying active and motivated year round is great, and for so many of us it’s a means of keeping our minds as much as our bodies healthy. Being part of a fitness challenge or training program is a great way for us to maintain a healthy routine, make new friends, challenge ourselves, feel inspired, set some goals and feel accountable by constantly showing up. But it can come with a cost. Sometimes these highly regimented programs can be too demanding, and we find ourselves feeling drained and spread too thin. A term commonly known as “burnout”.
Burnout is defined as a physical or mental collapse caused by overwork, over-training or stress. It is easy to develop, as warning signs are often masked by our excitement at the results we are seeing in the gym, and our motivation to complete the program. ‘No excuses!’ Next thing we know we are waking up an hour earlier to fit in that early workout, eating on the go, restricting our food choices, saying ‘no’ to nights out with friends, and coming home at the end of the day feeling physically and emotionally drained. Sound familiar? Motivation, constancy, eating right and regular exercise are all important components of health, but the most paradigm piece in achieving long lasting health & fitness is balance.
Knowing what to watch out for is the first step in determining if you are on the road to burnout. You may notice your resting heart rate is higher than normal, workouts seem harder than usual, or you require a longer time to recover. Foggy thinking and emotional changes such as irritability, sadness or disinterest are common, and activities that you once enjoyed may no longer excite you. You may feel frequently under the weather, chronically worn out, and overwhelmed by workload or tasks that never used to phase you. Loss of motivation, feelings of bitterness, withdrawal and changes in appetite are all other warning signs. If you associate with 3 or more of these, you may want to consider intervention / preventative steps.
The first thing to consider is taking a break or dialing down the intensity of your workouts. This can be for a few days, weeks, or even a season, depending on your activities and the main source of burnout. Other tips include, ensuring extra sleep, and perhaps cross training or restorative yoga/mobility work rather than intense exercise. Nourishing your body with whole foods, drinking lots of water, ensuring you are eating enough, and at the right times are all important. Take time for other hobbies, getaways and indulgences. Celebrate your accomplishments, big or small! It is easy to become overly hard on ourselves when leading such regimented schedules. Take time to dream up your next goal. Incorporate regular self-care practices. Journaling, baths, massage, acupuncture are all great ways to re-balance and recharge. Finally, consider boosting your resilience with herbs and nutrients that support your capacity to deal with stress and combat exhaustion.
About the Author: Dr. Rae LaBerge DTCM, RAc, CHN Holistic Nutrition ConsultantDr. Rae works holistically to help others reach their health, wellness & fitness goals. Blending traditional Chinese medicine with modern science to balance and restore, thus returning the body to its natural rhythms to achieve optimum health, performance and lifestyle. She works closely with her patients and has a special interest in the treatment of conditions such as burnout, sleep disturbances, hormone imbalance, digestive conditions, anxiety, depression, athletic performance, pain and injuries.
I can’t be the only one who woke up a couple weeks ago to the foot of snow on my car and thought, “Why the f*#k do I live here?!” I was physically angry as it took me 25mins to clean off my car only to sit in it for over an hour while making it 2kms from our house. Now I know it was the first snow fall and it’s always the worst but I really started to understand why people move cities, or even countries, simply because of our horrible winters. Now I don’t have the luxury of simply packing up my life and moving some place warm and delightful so how am I going to survive the next, potentially, 6 months of winter?!
I have made the conscious decision to embrace it. I can’t fight it because I won’t win. But it is part of living in Canada and I can’t live in my basement for the next 6 months. I grew up in Canada so this is not new to me so how come I haven’t been able to embrace it by now?! To be honest, I don’t really know. Mentally the winter takes a toll on me, I find myself losing motivation to be active and spending more time curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and Netflix. I know that moving and being out in the fresh air always makes me feel better but when it is -30 outside I just can’t seem to make myself get off the couch. I can’t be the only who feels this way?
Now I am a planning/goal oriented kind of person so I came up with a game plan to attack my winter blues. Here it is….
So this is my game plan to battle the winter blues. I hope you enjoyed it, learned from it and laughed a little:)
Hundreds, if not in the thousands, of Canadians make the trip to New York City every year for the world’s largest marathon. I made that trip in 2009 and while I had awesome training experience leading up to the race my body decided that it just didn't really feel like running a marathon that day and my race fell apart pretty quickly after mile 5. I found this great story in Canadian Running Magazine about a Calgarian running NYC marathon last year and how she helped a struggling runner complete the race. She put her race day aside to help a fellow competitor. This is the epitome of our sport, this is why I do it.
Enjoy!
This is how the Calgarian recounts her experience at the 2016 New York City Marathon:
“I didn’t have a perfect race. I was by myself, I found the village confusing, I found the crowds too big, I couldn’t get my pace right, I found it to be a tough course and I was feeling stressed. Throughout the race, I had to tell myself, ‘get a grip, this is New York, you qualified, you are so lucky to be here, so just enjoy it.’ I started to relax and take in the amazing crowds, volunteers and scenery. I ran better because of it.
“On social media, you sometimes see those amazing photos and hear about heartwarming stories of runners helping runners. Well, I found myself in that kind of situation about 800m from the finish line. I wasn’t a hero. I was actually cursing the guy saying, ‘no, not now and not to me.’ He looked heavy. He was about to collapse in front of me and I had to catch him so he wouldn’t hit the pavement. I tried to find medical staff or someone to help me. I encouraged him to try to keep running and then I tried to find someone to pass him off to. But every runner was in their own world, chasing a PB, chasing a Boston qualifier (BQ). I would never forgive myself if I didn’t help. I wasn’t after a BQ and it wasn’t a PB race. This was my 10th marathon…I was the chosen one to help.
“This was about helping another runner to the finish line. I found out his name was Mike, according to the scribbled writing on his race bib. He was pale and had symptoms of being very dehydrated. I got the crowd behind me, yelling at them for support, they cheered and clapped him on. With 400m to go, while struggling to hold his weight with his arm over my shoulder and my arm around his waist, a man asked if I needed some help. Through bib search, I found out we were helping a 24-year-old with the assistance of a 63-year-old, both from the United States. (I reconnected with the runner in distress weeks after the race and he thanked me and couldn’t remember what happened.)
“Crossing the finish line we handed him straight to the medical staff, who placed him in a wheelchair. The other runner and I hugged, laughed, collected our medals, and went on our way, with a runner’s high and a story to tell.
“I didn’t even know my finish time. Turns out my time, 3:43:44, qualified me for Boston and New York.”
If you haven't tried it yet YOU HAVE TO! Floating is the single most relaxing thing I have done for myself in a very long time. Bryce, at Clear Float Spa in Mission, was awesome at taking me through the process and the benefits of Floating. I was concerned that it would make me feel crummy and ruin me for the rest of the day but he assured me that I would feel like a million bucks after and he was right! I walked out of there all glossy eyed and chill.
How it works?
Each room is equipped with a shower and a pod that is full of highly concentrated salt water, we are talking an Epsom salt bath on steroids! You take a quick shower before to wash off all the skins oil and grim from the day then put in the ear plugs they provide and climb into the pod. I was worried about being claustrophobic but honestly with the pod fully closed there is still like 3feet above you so it is completely comfortable. All you do is press the music button, turn the lights off and breath. The feeling of being completely desensitized is hard to explain but it is amazing. Rarely are we ever just shut off from everything.
Why float?
Floating acts to shut off our Sympathetic Nervous System, which is our flight or fight response, which is chronically stimulated because of the way our society has integrated technology into our every day. Our brains are constantly jumping from one thing to the next, check the email, text this person, notification just went off for this app, must respond right away to that person, you get the picture. We are constantly on the go and because of this stress hormones are being produced at higher levels, blood pressure is increased and muscle tension is created. Floating works to stimulate our Parasympathetic Nervous System which will help produce positive endorphins that will reduce stress, calm nerves, stimulate creativity and decrease muscle tension.
As an athlete the benefits of floating are huge. Your muscles and joints get to enjoy a break from strain while magnesium and other essential minerals are absorbed through your skin, aiding blood flow throughout your entire system. Muscle regeneration, stress relief, and a period of time where your mind gets a break from sight and sound stimulation — allowing you to refocus before the next game, training session, or race — are just some of the benefits you’ll immediately notice with a session in a float pod. The increased circulation experienced while floating leads to increased muscle recovery times, injury recovery times and increased ability to visualize your performance. And you all know how I love to visualize:)
Owner
enduraHEALTH
Your body is the most important "equipment" you own so treat it right...Prevent & Maintain!