Bodalicous Lymphatic Contouring
This treatment is based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the techniques of Manual Lymphatic Drainage to assist with weight loss, cellulite reduction, body contouring or detoxification. Patients will benefit from just one treatment, but the recommendation is to do 4 (90minute) consecutive week treatments called the “Bodalicious Lymphatic Contour” package that consists of:
-
Body analysis
-
Before and after photos and body measurements
-
4 acupuncture and manual lymphatic drainage treatments (may include cupping and auricular acupuncture)
-
Tongue analysis
-
Diet plan based on your body’s deficiencies/excesses
-
Exercise suggestions based on your individual lifestyle
Northview Health and Wellness Clinic
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac. is offering a combination of Acupuncture and Manual Lymphatic Drainage at her new location. Come in and treat yourself to a combination facial or body treatment. The advantage to this very unique type of treatment is to treat specific areas of concerns such as
-
wrinkles and fine lines
-
swelling and inflammation
-
dull skin, poor circulation, congestion
-
toxicity
Book your treatment today and change the way you look and feel!
Northview Health and Wellness Clinic
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac. is offering a combination of Acupuncture and Manual Lymphatic Drainage at her new location. Come in and treat yourself to a combination facial or body treatment. The advantage to this very unique type of treatment is to treat specific areas of concerns such as
-
wrinkles and fine lines
-
swelling and inflammation
-
dull skin, poor circulation, congestion
-
toxicity
Book your treatment today and change the way you look and feel!
Manual Lymphatic Drainage Pre and Post Surgery in North and West Vancouver
Manual Lymphatic Drainage Pre and Post Surgery in North and West Vancouver
During the last few decades, plastic surgery procedures have become so common and refined that today you have the ability to change almost any part of your body. However, its important to know that optimal outcomes are not only related to the procedure and the surgeon you choose to perform your surgery, but also in the aftercare and recovery time to heal your body.
Surgery in general can be very disruptive to the lymphatic system because the body senses surgery as an injury. This causes the immune system to go into overdrive, bringing lymph to the damaged area to fight infection. It may also damage lymph vessels and adjacent tissues, which can make it difficult for lymph to flow properly. The accumulation of lymph can create excessive swelling at or near the site of surgery. Moreover, because surgery often requires that we remain stationary, and even lying down, for longer than normal, the body no longer has its normal pump operating to keep lymph flowing. Surgeries that disrupt the lymph nodes, in addition to the lymph vessels, can be especially problematic. If the lymph nodes can’t flush away toxins and dead cells, or help produce new white blood cells, the body’s immune response becomes sluggish and ineffective.
Cosmetic surgeries in particular can be especially problematic for the lymphatic system because of their proximity to clusters of lymph nodes. Breast procedures can impact lymph nodes in the armpits and procedures such as liposuction, Smart Lipo, Tummy Tucks, and Mommy Makeovers that disrupt the abdomen can impact lymph nodes located in the groin.
After a plastic surgery procedure, there may be a hardness on the skin surface, water retention, swelling, hematoma or lumpiness to the areas treated. This is normal right after your surgery. This post-surgical lymphedema is caused by inflammation and trauma from the cannula used to suck out the fat. The channels that are formed by the cannula become fill up with fluid and the tissue around become swollen.
Manual Lymph Massage helps to move the fluid by gently pumping it back into the lymph vessels, reducing the swelling, retention of fluids and pain after the surgery. Without Lymph Massage (MLD) the inflammation can evolve into fibrosis (a permanent hardening of the tissue) or a seroma (pocket of serum). Many doctors prescribe Lymph Drainage Therapy after liposuction or other plastic surgery procedures to make sure their patients get the best possible results from their procedure.
One of your best allies during your recovery journey is Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) to minimize your recovery time and complications. Pre and Post-plastic surgery Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage offers the following benefits:
- Reduces swelling and bruising
- Softens scar tissue
- Decreases pain
- Lessens inflammation
- Helps drain excess fluid and toxins
- Provides deep relaxation
It is recommended to have at least 2 treatments two weeks before surgery and 4-6 treatments post-operative. Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage is an excellent way to look better and feel better after all forms of surgery.
Teenage Depression and TCM
Teenage Depression and TCM
Acupuncture can Help!
Parents are often at a loss where to begin when they start to see changes in their kid's behaviour. Some signs of teenage depression are changes in appetite, insomnia, agitation/anger, withdrawal from people, thoughts of death or suicide. It's a good idea to build a team of qualified practitioners that can teach kids healthy lifestyle habits and provide ways to restore a child's mental health. The reason that acupuncture is so effective for adolescents is three-fold.
First, for the most part, they are young and healthy. Acupuncture tends to be far more effective for someone who is healthy and able to heal quickly, as opposed to someone in their seventies or eighties who has been ill for a long time.
Secondly, Chinese medical theory says that children are considered to be pure Yang, which is warm, active, and transformative. And that’s what kids do—they transform. They are growing and changing almost daily, and it seems that as soon as you have one stage figured out, they have moved onto the next. This is a good thing on the healing front. The pure Yang thing can also work against kids however, especially during the pre-teen and teen years. Unfortunately, as kids go through adolescence, they begin changing even more quickly. And, on top of the physical growth, kids are faced with increasing stress of school, peer relationships and social media. Then Mother Nature throws in a dark cocktail of hormones to make that transformation even more interesting. For some kids, this sudden growth, plus hormones, plus stress creates a perfect storm that can block the smooth flow of energy and emotions, causing a wide variety of mental health symptoms.
Finally, acupuncture works for emotional health issues because it affects brain chemistry. Researchers studying the effects of acupuncture have determined that acupuncture causes an increase in production of endorphins and other feel-good chemicals in the brain, causing a calming effect. For this reason, acupuncture can effectively treat emotional conditions including stress, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.
Many parents don’t know where to turn when their adolescent is struggling with anger or depression. Understandably, they’re hesitant to medicate their teen, but they also know that their child needs help. The good news is that in these healthy, ever changing adolescents, acupuncture can be a very effective and is something worth considering as part of your child's mental health regime.
Emotional Well Being and Acupuncture
Emotional Well Being and Acupuncture
Emotions are a large part of our human equation. Sadness, anger, joy, worry and fear - all healthy when they are expressed and not repressed, and as long as they aren't prolonged or excessive.
In TCM energy or qi flows through our body through a network of rivers called meridians. Stress, anger, or any intense emotion can cause a blockage and create a dam in the 'river' so energy can't flow freely in the body. When this happens energy becomes stagnant and body functions such as digestion, the ability to sleep, body pain, mood and blood pressure can all be affected.
Acupuncture points can actually break these dams to open the passageways and help energy flow smoothly and alleviate not only the symptoms of emotional build up, but the root of what is causing the build up in the first place.
I often suggest that patients check in with themselves 3 times a day to become aware of their emotional state. Ask yourself:
- What am I thinking?
- What am I feeling?
- Where am I feeling it?
Self awareness will bring the emotion and the thought pattern associated with the emotion to the surface. Then you can begin to resolve anything perceived as negative and prevent it from escalating. And book an acupuncture treatment to open up any energetic blockages associated with that emotion.
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.
Published October 29, 2018
Published in Choices Food Market October 2018 Newsletter
Published in Choices Food Market October 2018 Newsletter
Question: What foods are best to eat in the fall from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective?
Answer: In Traditional Chinese medicine, the lungs are the organ associated with the fall season. One of their jobs is to protect the body from colds and therefore they play an important role in supporting the immune system. The lung is moist in nature so foods that support the lung should also have moistening properties such as mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, radishes, squash, pears, tofu, barley, honey and apples.
It’s also important to adjust our preparation of meals in autumn, from the cooling salads and raw foods associated with the summer, to dishes that are more warming in nature such as stews, broths and soups. Root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, leeks and sweet potatoes provide a grounding energy and are more yang (warm) in nature, balancing the yin (cooler) quality of fall. Cinnamon, ginger, garlic and onion, also have a warming essence and can add lots of flavor to your meals.
Fall is all about moving inward, toward introspection, so listening to what your body needs to nourish itself and resting and digesting after each meal is key to good health.
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.
Published October 3, 2018
Pilates Instructor - Marylou Coyle
Pilates Instructor - Marylou Coyle
I work with love and my purpose is service. The vehicle of my work is Pilates, which allows me to speak the body-mind language with my students, clients and coworkers.
For almost 20 years I have been doing a dance or having a conversation with extraordinarily lovely people who have decided to make a change in their lives. These people of all ages from newborns to elders have graced my Studio to take the time to breath, align and refine.
Pilates is a powerful yet elegant way to make neurological-motor changes in our brain and bodies. The focus and intention; directing focus at our movement patterns is what we do for a joyful hour. It starts out as a set of instructions that help you to learn how to breathe deeply. In doing so you start to engage inner sequences of core muscle patterns, tracking, alignment, posture, elongation, flexibility and strength.
Once the brain and body communicate together life becomes more relaxed and the creative concepts of living with intention becomes very apparent. Most people get a great relief from just spending 1 hour at Pilates a week. Many love to come at least twice of week or 3 times when feeling like setting a new goal or having more freedom. Magnificent change happens with Pilates!
At the Refinery Pilates studio I create a sacred space of sharing for everyone who wishes to join this community. Relationship, care, wellness and metaphysical conditioning are key concepts of my work. We share not only the beautiful body results of the Pilates work but also join a loving community of friends and family together.
I am very thankful for the opportunity to continue my teaching, instruction and role as a mentor in my community. It is a blessing.
For more information contact Marylou at maryloucoyle@icloud.com
Pilates and Stretch Therapy Instructor
Linda Winterton
Pilates and Stretch Therapy Instructor
Linda Winterton
If you haven't already met her at my new clinic, I'd like to introduce you to the Pilates Inc. studio owner Linda Winterton, who has been teaching Pilates since 1999 and Stretch Therapy since 2003.
Pilates: Linda offers private, semi private and trio classes that offer the flexibility to personalize your Pilates session. This enables you to experience focused teaching, developing a routine that is specificallydesigned to meet your needs and help you reach your goals.
These pilates classes offers an alternative to learning at a fitness facility, or community centre – ideal for those who prefer to set up classes with their friends, families, and co-workers under conditions that optimally suit their lifestyles.
Stretch Therapy (TM): . Linda is the only senior teacher in Stretch Therapy in Canada. A perfect adjunct to Pilates, Stretch Therapy will release asymmetries, restrictive muscular patterns and free the body to truly experience the full benefits of Pilates. Pilates Inc offer both private and small group Stretch Therapy classes.
For more information contact Linda at lindawinterton@gmail.com
Stress and the Adrenals
Stress and the Adrenals
Stress is caused by emotions (fear/anxiety, grief/loss, anger/frustration), by physical pain/ inflammation and by diet.
And, stress is cumulative; from your work, your family, the traffic, and environmental pollutants. Even feeling uncertain or insecure creates an undercurrent of stress, which starts weighing you down until you become more and more sensitive to each additional stressor.
When this happens, your body is bombarded by an assault of stress hormones and increased hypertension, putting your body in a less-than-optimal state. This physiological stress response impacts your health, heart, digestion, energy levels and more, depleting your reserves.
So, what can you do about it? Well the first thing to do is to test the adrenals to see what stage of stress your body is in - adrenal fatigue, adrenal exhaustion or complete burnout. Once this has been identified, we can plan a protocol of supplements and lifestyle changes that is right for you. Turning this around won't happen over night - typically it will take about 6 months to see real changes happen. But it took a while to develop, probably long before you were actually aware of it. The key, of course, is to catch it before it manifests as something more serious.
Consider booking a Functional Medicine Consultation and start looking at ways that you can learn to relax by gradually changing some habits that may not be serving you anymore.
Posted September 26, 2018
Neck and Shoulder Pain
I frequently see people in my clinic coming in with neck and shoulder pain. Its pretty common in people who work at a desk all day, who don't have the right pillow to sleep on or who work out at the gym on a regular basis, and its actually a very easy thing to treat with Trigger Point Therapy.
The first step is to rule out any structural damage to the spine ( see your Chiropractor or have an x-ray first if you suspect that the pain is coming from the vertebrae). The second step is to determine which muscle is causing the pain. Often neck pain is referred from the trapezius muscle, but it may also include the rhomboids, the levator scapulae or other muscles not directly associated with the neck.
Once the muscle(s) has been identified, an acupuncture needle is inserted into the trigger point on the muscle (click here for more info on trigger points) and a pecking method is administered to release the knot. You'll know that it has been released because the muscle will spasm. Its a little more invasive than traditional acupuncture, but the benefits far outweigh the initial discomfort. Its almost impossible for chiropractic work or even deep tissue massage to release many of these deep seated knots that can only be done with trigger point therapy. Once the needling is complete (the amount of time spent on each person will vary), the muscle is massaged, cupped and then heat is applied to keep the muscle supple and prevent it from contracting back into a knot. For chronic problems several treatments may be necessary.
There is no need to suffer from muscular neck and shoulder pain. I've been able to help many people who thought they would never be pain free or thought they needed a cortisone injection to alleviate their symptoms. You have nothing to lose by trying and so much to gain when you can move your neck and shoulders freely again without medication!
Posted January 18, 2018 by Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.: Posted on September-07-15 9:14 AM
THE WHEEL OF HEALTH
THE WHEEL OF HEALTH
Part 2 - SUPPLEMENTATION
Today we are moving on to the second piece of the Wheel of Health; Supplementation.
Supplementation is defined as "adding to complete something, supplying a deficiency, or reinforcing or extending a whole". So when applied to supplementing your health, you are reinforcing not only your physical well being but also your mental, emotional and spiritual well being.
PHYSICAL WELL BEING
Vitamins and Minerals
To supplement or not to supplement - because there are so many variables that are intrinsic to each individual, vitamin and mineral supplementation will depend on:
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.: Posted on July-26-15 1:22 PM
THE WHEEL OF HEALTH
THE WHEEL OF HEALTH
Part 1 - RELATIONSHIPS
Romantic Relationships - Soul Based vs Ego Based
In this week's blog we're tying up the Relationship segment of the Wheel of Health with the topic of Romantic Relationships.
Traditionally, when two people came together and married, it was for protection, financial security and for the continuity of the clan/tribe. Today, however, women work, men can adopt children of their own and there's no real 'need' for people to integrate for conventional purposes.
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.: Posted on July-19-15 7:54 AM
THE WHEEL OF HEALTH
THE WHEEL OF HEALTH
Part 1 - RELATIONSHIPS
Your Connection to Others
This week we're continuing with the second part of the Relationship segment of the Wheel of Health by taking a close look at your connection to the people in your life.
Recently I met a woman in a local bookstore who said to me 'Isn't it great that of all the souls out there we were the ones chosen to be on the train that was headed to earth at this point in time!" It was a bold statement but I loved the metaphor of being hand picked (by God?
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.: Posted on July-12-15 11:19 AM
PART 1 - RELATIONSHIPS
The Relationship with Yourself
This week's blog is the first in a series discussing the different segments of the Wheel of Health. There will be a few parts to the Relationship section beginning with The Relationship that you have with Yourself.
While the level of social connection and support in your life influences the development, progression, and recovery from illness, the first relationship that you need to work on is the one with yourself, as it's the foundation for everything else in life.
Chris Jeffrey R.Ac.: Posted on July-03-15 11:17 AM
Through my practise as an Acupuncturist I am often impressed by how much effort people invest into researching and understanding their illness and the means in which to treat it. And, despite the fact that many of us fall a bit short on understanding the complexities of human anatomy and physiology, the most important thing we need to recognize is how and why this condition manifested in the first place.
Chinese Medicine provides a holistic view of the body, taking into account diet and lifestyle, as well as the emotional and spiritual contributors of dis-ease.
Posted on August-16-14 6:22 PM
Acupuncture is like going to the gym. You can’t go once and say ‘I’m in shape’,” says Lisa Alvarez, a licensed and board certified acupuncturist and master level Reiki practitioner in Chicago. “It requires a commitment and builds over time. The longer you do it, the longer the results will last and the less you’ll need to come in.” If you’re rehabbing an injury, you’ll go frequently (one to two times a week) at first and then taper off as your healing progresses. If you’re using alternative medicine to boost your race-day performance, “the best thing to do is to have a couple of weekly treatments before the event and then come in right after the event,” says Alvarez.
Posted on February-04-13 1:43 PM
ACUPUNCTURE: WHAT IS IT?
Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and to improve functioning. This is done by inserting needles and applying heat or electrical stimulation at very precise acupuncture points.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?
The classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues.