Best wishes for a very happy festive season and a wonderful 20...

Have you ever tried a new form of therapy - be it acupuncture, osteopathy, reiki, massage etc and felt really good afterwards? Think back and then remember how long you felt different for. Was it an hour, a day, a week or maybe longer? Maybe if it was only a short while you discounted...

Are you a very organized sort of person? Your christmas present list already distributed to friends and family. Making their lives easy and taking the guessing out of present buying?Or are you leaving everyone in the dark - giving them no ideas at all and yet secretly hoping...

I've valiantly attempted to try and ignore, or at least keep in perspective, the constant naysaying and doomsday scaremongering which is pretty much on constant media loop these days. However, I came across this excellent article in Massagetherapy.com and thought I'd share it with...

Do you ever page through fashion magazines, or even the Sunday paper supplements and look aghast at the cost of some body lotions?   Case in point being Creme de la Mer Body Lotion which is £100 for 200 ml.It calls it's exclusive formula a "Miracle Broth".  Now, I haven't...

As a massage therapist I love my sleep.  Anything less than 8 hours a night and I can feel it.  Come to think of it,  I've always loved sleeping and napping.  In fact I'd like to come back either as a cat or a sloth.In society today being able to survive on very...

These days it's not enough just to be able to run for the bus without getting out of breathe. True fitness means having endurance, flexibility and strength.  For example,  even if you can run a marathon, can you do a set of push ups, can you touch your toes? If not, then...

A great way to fit more massage into your life without blowing the budget is to have regular 20-30 minute chair massage sessions.If you can find a few colleagues or friends * who could also do with some regular massage then chair massage is the way to go. Why not catch up with friends...

I'm pleased to report that my day of foot massage with Ecco Shoes, at Gordon Scott in the Harlequin Shopping Centre in Watford was excellent.The Ecco staff, as indeed all the staff at Gordon Scott's, were lovely. Very friendly, helpful and enthusiastic.The promotion worked well...

Many clients wonder what the term "holistic" massage means. A good explanation is as follows:The word holistic means 'whole' (it has Greek roots for those interested in the Etymology!). So this form of massage deals with you as a 'whole'. Like other therapies, it is not just looking...

I doubt there are many people who don't know who Michael Phelps is and what he's famous for? This Greatest Olympian Of All Time [a total of 14 gold medals] who recently wowed the world by winning 8 Olympic gold medals in Beijing - has an interesting regime.Guess what Michael Phelps...

On Saturday 20 September I'll be at Gordon Scott Shoes at the Harlequin Shopping Centre in Watford offering free foot massage. Gordon Scott offers a wide range and caters for all styles and age groupsEcco Shoes are sponsoring the event.So, if you happen to be in the Harlequin why...

I have a very vivid memory of my Gran telling me to pull my stomach in. Even in the 60's it was common knowledge that pulling your tummy in was good for you - made you look slimmer and also improved your posture.Now of course, with all the advances in sports medicine and research...

If you only do one stretch this week ..... do this one.Cross-legged seated gluteal stretchStart in a cross-legged position with your back upright.Your shins should be parallel to your body and your feet should be as far out to the sides as you can get them.Keeping a straight back,...

I recently spent two days doing Seated Acupressure Massage at a large company in Watford. One of my existing clients is a Director and decided to "treat the troops" by offering them a 15 minute chair massage.The massage sessions coincided with a very busy time of the year and many...

Nearly everyone is familiar with the word "ergonomics" and most people will swear blind that their desk is set up correctly and they do their best to sit with good posture ........ but is this really true?Your desk set-up may well be an ergonomic paradise but if you sit at your desk...

My "celebrity" client Matthew Callow's fame continues to grow......Click here to read the article which appeared in the Luton/Dunstable On Sunday newspaper.He sets off next week - GOOD LUCK MATT!!!!I'll have my hands at the ready upon your return to tend to your aching lim...

Matthew Callow - a client of mine - appeared in The Sun today to tell his story of overcoming incredible odds to attempt the London to Paris bike ride in three weeks time.Regular sports massage has helped to ease his aching muscles after punishing training sessions and aided his...

You'll be pleased to know that the answer to good posture isn't just about standing up ramrod straight.Standing too straight is just as bad as slouching, says Brita Forsstrom, an expert in the Alexander TechniqueHere are some simple ideas to incorporate in your every day life:* make...

This week it's not even a stretch. You've got it easy, it's an active rest. A contradiction in terms I hear you say - well, give it a try, your back will want to kiss you for it.Undo a day's tension by spending 20 minutes every day in the 'active resting' position. Lie on your...

I went to visit the new JJB Fitness Club which has just opened in Dunstable.  It looks fantastic and is very well designed.  The finish is top quality and the array of equipment is mind blowing.I particularly liked the steam room with it's starry ceiling, the yoga studio...

The popularity of tennis is at an all time high and with the english summer comes tennis mania.  The French Open has just finished, the Stella Artois tournament is wrapping up today and then there's Wimbledon to look forward to.Although tennis is a relatively safe game [there...

This week I'm focussing on a rather beleagured, overworked muscle which affects the entire spine, the base of the neck and the buttocks.  It's an area which is tight and overworked in many of my clients.  Especially people who spend a lot of time writing or sitting at a...

Want to learn more about sports massage?  Then look no further than this great site:  Sports Injury Clinic.There you can learn about the benefits, what happens in a sports massage session and you can even see a demonstration video.Don't forget sports massage isn't just...

I've always loved the smell of incense and for me, personally, I feel it would enhance any therapeutic treatment.  It's a very personal taste though and incense is one of those things you either love or hate.  It got hijacked in the 60's and became integral to the hippie...

The average person eats 230 sandwiches a year. Now, if you buy your sandwich every day that mounts up to the cost of another holiday!Making your own lunch is not only lighter on the wallet but can make you lighter too. Many shop bought sarnies are high in fat and salt. Let's face...

What is Deep Tissue Massage?Deep Tissue Massage is a massage technique that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue also called connective tissue. It aims to release the persistent patterns of tension in the body (also known as "adhesions") through slow strokes and deep finger,...

Hardly a day goes by when I don't sing the praises of yoga to my clients. It's great for relieving stress in both body and mind and very importantly helps correct kyphotic [rounded shoulder] posture. Many of my clients seek treatment for upper back muscle tension and pain caused...

If so, then how about a "coffee break" massage at work. Yes, in the time it takes for you to pop out to Starbucks or down to the canteen for your favourite caffiene fix, you could enjoy a 15-20 minute Seated Acupressure Massage. Among other benefits, your massage with leave you...

This week I'm thankful for:- the cute lambs frollicking in the fields- they are testament to the fact that spring is finally upon us!- my clients who teach me so much- my yoga teacher who is just the best- "The Apprentice"and "Dirty, Sexy, Money" [a girl has to have some vic...

Massage can be a powerful tool to help your body best perform its countless functions in its goal to maintain a healthy balance. Why not do everything you can to get the best possible results from every massage session? This article is devoted to providing you with some hints to...

Congratulations to Victoria and Saul who ran the Flora London Marathon on Sunday. They'd both done excellent training and their legs were in great condition afterwards. This is testament to what consistent training and putting in the miles can achieve. [Along with having massage...

How about choosing a weapon and bashing your sofa into oblivion?Your reward will be a free day pass at your local Virgin Active gym. Play Sofa B...

Many of my clients have tension in their upper shoulders, neck and between their shoulder blades. This is often caused by prolonged use of the computer, slightly hunching forward toward the screen and sitting for prolonged periods.In two and a half minutes, without leaving your...

Are you one of those people who think that an aqua aerobics class is the domain of the "bus pass" brigade.Think again! It's one of the most challenging workouts around. I know - I've done a fair number in my time.Aqua aerobics is great for:Toning muscleIncreasing the heart rateBurning...

Ever wondered how sports massage differs from other massage styles?Take a look at the Sports Injury Clinic.Have a niggle or tight muscle somewhere? There you can click on that area on a diagram of the human body and be taken to a list of potential causes. Then you can click on ...

If half the world were giving a massage and the other half receiving one ... we would have peace on ear...

I found this short article in Bodysense Mag and it made me smile - so true!Try to remember the floaty feeling you get on the massage table so you can incorporate it into your life. Do that and you’re making the most of your massage experience. Remember that massage is about taking...

I don't know about you but I sometimes curse the day Government Guidelines regarding 5 portions of fruit and vege a day came into being. The crafty little critters really got the message across. I'm sure over 90% of the population know the magic number - but how many are implementing...

You will discover the benefits of holistic, deep tissue and sports massage in the comfort and convenience of your home. No getting up afterwards and struggling home in traffic. The effects last and last!Do you feel low on energy, like your stress resides in your shoulders and neck?...

This article appeared in Google News last week. We can't all go to the Oscars but getting pampered at home is well within everyone's reach."A Los-Angeles area massage network that specializes in massage for celebrities will be kept busy in the Oscar Gift Suite prior to this year's...

I'm very excited to announce that I'll shortly be offering Seated Acupressure Massage.What is SAM?Seated acupressure massage (sometimes also called on-site massage) is based on the traditional Japanese acupressure technique called anma. Anma is Japanese for ‘press and rub’ and this...

OK, I don't really, but I've always liked that immortal line muttered by Lt. Colonel Kilgore in Apocolypse Now.What I love is the smell of freshly brewed coffee and cinammon buns. The Western diet has somehow evolved into a carb, lactose and sugar fest in the morning. Milky lattes,...

If so, then apparently 70 is the best age to hit the gym - so no Lazyboy recliners and Countdown after all."Exercise is the best investment older people can make," says fitness guru Joanna Hall, whose walking programmes are particularly good for the over-70s. "In fact, the older...

Many people still believe that the more they pay for a skin product the better it is. Nevermind that what they're actually paying for is the packaging and that dermatologists have, for years, been saying that cheap, uncoloured and unperfumed creams work the best. What? No sexy...

The skin is the largest organ of the human body, so it's no wonder that healthy skin often reflects a healthy body. Often when people feel the need for a massage it's usually because they have tight muscles which cause them discomfort, headeaches, lethargy etc. However, before...

When you think about it the human body was designed to work. Not sit behind the wheel of a car, sit behind a desk or sit watching TV. Muscles make our skeleton move. They contract and relax thus leading to every movement the body makes. Think about our ancestors. Plowing fields,...