Chinook Massage Therapy

Two years ago today I started writing this blog as my solution to sanity during the first pandemic shut down. I was only home for about a week and a half when I realized I need to use my brain! I also needed a way to connect with my clients from home and promote pain relief and well-being. When massaging my clients, I only have to ask them what they do for a living, and I pretty much know where the pain is. It makes me seem magical (who am I to disagree!)  Between lectures from our health care professionals, health and safety departments and person experience, we know the potential our job has to cause injury and repetitive strain. We can be very well-behaved when it comes to our work - lifting with our legs, using proper ergonomics, using proper gear, taking breaks, etc. We are not so aware in our recreation and hobby activities. When we are doing the things we enjoy the most, we go longer and harder. The endorphins we get from what we love blocks out any concept of pain and disco...

The first couple of months in a new year are a time of reflection and preparation. A fresh new calendar is on the kitchen wall, a new semester has started, paperwork needs to be collected for taxes, gardens and holidays are planned, pet licenses need to be renewed... The list is long. Much of our society has gone paperless, we use our computers, phones and tablets to organize our lives. Don't get me wrong, I love my phone calendar with it's alerts to help me stay on track. It's always with me, which makes it incredibly convenient. Despite all that, I have a great fondness for writing things down. I find the physical act of writing helps me remember things better. Even if I forget to bring my list, if I wrote it down, I will remember what was on it. (Or I have a kid text a picture of it to me while I'm in the grocery store!) For the first time in my adult life, I did not have a calendar on my kitchen wall, made by either my Mom or my Aunt (they took turns) of family and ...

Brain: Adrienne, wake up! Adrienne: mmmphhh Brain: Adrienne, it's time to get up! (Adrienne rolls over and snuggles in) Brain: Hey, Bladder, can you help me out here? She's being difficult! Bladder: ummm, Adrienne?? Do you (yawn!) think, maybe, if you want...we should get out of bed? Adrienne: I don't hear you. (pulls covers higher) Brain: Well, that was a big help! Do I have to do every thing myself? ADRIENNE, YOU'RE LATE!!! (Adrienne, with a slight panic, and blurry-eyed, turns head to look at clock) Adrienne: Brain, it's only 5:30am! I am NOT late! Brain: But I wanna go swimming. We love swimming! We go swimming at 6! Come on!!! We can watch the sunrise through the big windows!! Adrienne: It's Saturday, the pool isn't open at 6 on the weekend. Brain: ohhh! It's not? Sorry about that. shhh, go back to sleep now, it's all warm and cozy, shhhh Endocrine System: Hey! Did you love that surge of adrenaline when you panicked, 'cause you thought you w...

Don't underestimate the power of a gold star (or red, or green or silver - it's a multicolour pack!)  A nasty cold after Christmas, coupled with sub-freezing temperatures, meant that I didn't leave my house from Dec 24 to Jan 10. Much of that time was horizontal. As a result, every muscle in my body stiffened up and every joint dried out from inactivity. I'm sure that I have told you before that the lubrication in our joints (synovial fluid) is released through movement. Of course I have, I tell everyone! Turns out, walking from the bed to the couch isn't enough movement - who knew!! Two weeks of being sick with an ordinary cold, and I've spent two months recovering from the aches and pains of immobility. My personal favourite form of exercise is swimming. As an RMT, I love a lot of things about it. It's easy on the joints, you're in a humid environment, it uses the whole body, you can do cardio, stretching, resistance work and core strengthening. I hav...