Ah, the period.  We have been taught that it is something to be ashamed of, to hide away, perhaps even to fear.  For many young women, the time leading up to her first period is full of excitement and anticipation as she awaits the arrival of "womanhood".  After that (perhaps not so) glorious event, she is very quickly taught that you don't talk about your period and it is best to try and avoid anyone finding out you have it.  Today, we are going to break the taboo surrounding periods.  (Did you know that the word taboo is actually derived from the word tapua which literally means menstruation?)  Today we are going to talk about it.

I have found that far too many women do not know anything about their periods or their menstrual cycles.  Even the words seem to be a jumble as many are not sure which terms mean which things.  (Is the egg what comes out when we have a period?  Is ovulation the same as menstruation?  What are all of those anatomy terms?)  Instead we cover it up with innuendo and (not so) cute nicknames like Aunt Flow, the curse, or "that time of the month".  So, instead of perpetuating the mystery of menstruation, lets talk about the basics.  What is your period?

After having some rather interesting conversations with clients about previous sessions with other massage therapists, I have found that there is a bit of a lack of knowledge about your rights as a client. There are several things about receiving massage that you may or may not know. Anytime I see a client who is new to massage, I walk them through what they need to know before the session begins, so for those of you who do not have massage therapists who did the same for you, here is my list of things that every massage client should know.

I have been a long time sufferer with migraines.  I started getting them when I was fairly young, and they have continued and changed as I have gotten older.  At my worst, I was getting 3-4 migraines a week, but now I have them mostly under control.  I say "mostly" because I still get the occasional migraine like I did on Sunday night.  That is what prompted me to write this post to share my "Migraine Survival Kit".  Because I have dealt with hundreds of migraines over the years, I have developed a routine for dealing with them.

Today I was scrolling through Pinterest when I stumbled across an infographic about the proper way to meditate.  It was a very well put together infographic with great pictures and bullet points.  There were pictures breaking down the proper meditative pose for everything for you legs, to your hands, to your head, as well as suggestions for what to focus on while meditating.  One thing was a bit off for me though.  There is no "proper way" to meditate.  There are a lot of people with a lot of ideas about how to meditate, and while their ideas may work for them, they don't work for everyone.  Not everyone can sit in lotus pose and focus on filling themselves with a bright white light (which is what the infographic instructed), so I decided to write my own post about the "correct way" to meditate.

One of the most common questions that I get asked is "How often should I receive massage?". This is a great question, and one that I really cannot give a direct answer to. There are many factors that go into deciding how often to get a massage, which makes the answer different for each person. When trying to figure out the best frequency for yourself, there are 3 basic questions that you need to ask.  First: What are you coming in for?  Second:  What is your budget?  Third:  How open is your schedule?  In this post, we will explore how to answer each of these questions, and with that information, you should be able to make a better informed decision as to how often to come in.

This month, I would like to continue the aromatherapy series with one of my personal favorites; sandalwood. The reason I haven't written about sandalwood yet is that I was hesitating due to its low availability and high price.  Sandalwood essential oil is steam distilled from the sandalwood tree.  Trees used for essential oil production need to be 40-80 years old, with the oldest trees producing the most oil.  The best, most beneficial variety comes from India, followed by trees found in Hawaii, and finally a variety found in Australia.  Indian sandalwood is extremely expensive because the trees are nearing extinction, and the ones that are left are being illegally poached leaving fewer and fewer for legal harvesting.  The Hawaiian trees are also dwindling and Hawaiian sandalwood too, is expensive and hard to come by.  The Australian variety is less expensive and more readily available, but it is not as beneficial.  Sandalwood is very versatile and can be used aromatically, internally, or applied topically.  It is recommended that if you use it topically that it should be diffused in a carrier.  Sandalwood is safe for both pregnant women and children.  So what are the benefits of sandalwood?

When it comes to birth, there are 2 ways that your baby can come out; vaginally or via Cesarean. The best outcomes for mother and baby tend to come with a vaginal delivery, and because of this, Cesareans can sometimes get a bad reputation. This is unfortunate because sometimes there is a bit of a stigma placed on women who have a Cesarean delivery. Sometimes it is placed on them by other people (especially with a planned Cesarean), and sometimes women place that stigma on themselves (particularly with an unplanned Cesarean). As with most interventions, Cesareans are there for a good reason, however like other interventions they are also very overused. I have heard some very good reasons and some not so good reasons for surgical birth, but regardless of the reason, there are a few things you should know about Cesareans before going into your birth.

Have you ever been doing research or had a question, so you did a Google search and wound up reading posts on a forum?  With my line of work, I have spent some time looking at anecdotes on forums for pregnancy and fertility.  I always look for more reliable sources to back them up, but sometimes it is good to look at what people have experienced to gain a different kind of insight.  One thing I have noticed is that most of the people who use those forums use their own jargon to the point where it can be indecipherable to someone who doesn't know it.  If you have ever been on those sites, you may have seen posts that said something like "Having some cramping and bleeding 6dpo.  Only 1/2 wk before I can use frpt to hopefully get bfp." or "DH says that I smell pregnant like I did with DD and DS.  Took a pt and got a bfn, but still no af 15dpo."  If you just looked at that like it was a foreign language, you are certainly not alone.  In this post I will create a glossary of sorts so that those of you who are trying to decipher what you are reading can have all of these definitions in one place.

This month, I would like to start off with the first aromatherapy post of the year.  This month's topic is cedarwood.  Cedarwood essential oil is steam distilled from pieces of wood from cedarwood trees which are generally found at high altitudes in colder climates.  

When using cedarwood, it is important to remember that it should never be ingested.  It is generally safe to diffuse or breathe in, but should be done so cautiously during pregnancy.  It is also safe to apply topically, but should be applied with more caution in pregnant women and children.  When applying topically, it is recommended that you dilute it in a carrier oil or in water for a spray.  

Cedarwood has a very warm, woodsy smell to it that can be lovely on its own, or provide some nice warm undertones in a blend.  It mixes particularly well with citrus and flower essential oils such as lemon, orange, bergamot, rose, jasmine, lavender, and more.  Along with smelling nice, cedarwood has even more wonderful benefits for your health and home.  Some of its most common uses include repelling insects and purifying the air,  but it is also very beneficial for treating skin conditions, clearing mucus, and aiding in digestion.  Let's take a look at those benefits and more in a little more depth.

...of the toilet that is.  That's right.  This week's blog post is about what happens in the bathroom.  We all use it, but no one likes to talk about it.  The fact that people don't talk about it leads to some not so great practices and bad habits.  Today, I want to talk a little bit about why you should close the lid  (not just the seat) of the toilet before you flush. 

I'll admit, this is a pet peeve of mine, but one that I feel is incredibly justified, as it can have an effect on not only your own health, but the health of countless other people.