Massage with a Caring Heart

I adapted this recipe from a hazelnut cake, and I’ve tested it numerous times, with very happy results. You’ll satisfy vegans and non-vegans alike!

2 cups rolled oats 

2 cups almond meal

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable oil (canola or grapeseed)

1 cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup raisins

zest from 3 oranges

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce (+ extra as needed for texture)

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (+ extra as needed for texture)

Topping

3 tbsp shredded coconut

zest from 1 lemon (or 1 orange)

2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

3-4 tbsp honey

 Toast oats in oven for 5 mins at 350 degrees (or till you smell that nice toasted oat smell). Let cool for about ten minutes, then grind to a coarse flour. Mix with almond meal, whole wheat flour and salt.

Whisk oil and maple syrup thoroughly in large bowl (it will emulsify) and gradully add dry mixture  to it.

Add raisins and orange zest, continually mixing. Add apple sauce and almond milk till you get a nice fluffy cake mixture.

Pour cake batter into an oiled and parchment lined 12′ baking dish (pyrex recommended). You’ll want approx. 1/2 inch thickness.

 Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Topping:

Whisk all ingredients together. Remove cake when done. Brush topping over surface and return to oven for 5 minutes. (this is an unusual way to go about it, but it works!)

Cut into squares before serving.

Holiday Gift Certificate Special

Buy Two Get One Free!

You know how good one feels after a massage! Share this experience with your loved ones who could use a little relaxation and relief.

  $180 for Three One-hour Massages 

(reg. $270)

$240 for Three Ninety-minute Massages

(reg. $360)

Our cards are made with elegant card-stock and beautiful Japanese Chyogami paper. They have space for personal messages and come with a crisp white envelope.

Lately I’ve been working more frequently with pregnant women. I am really enjoying helping future moms relax and feel more comfortable as their bodies adjust to carrying a baby. Next week I will have the opportunity to be a teaching assistant for the pregnancy massage class at Body Therapy Institute, Santa Barbara. All of this has inspired me to share with you a beautiful poem by Sheila Kitzinger noted British social anthropologist, birth educator, and author, about the experience of many third trimester women:

A woman with child, melon-ripe, peach-firm.

Blood, grape-red, rushes in her veins

swirls in the cavern of her pelvis

pours through placenta and pulsing cord.

She sees, hears, smells, touches more keenly

with animal vitality.

She is a ship sailing on a swelling sea

toward a sure harbor.

You can find this poem in her book, Celebration of Birth.

Today we began our Qigong practice at Alice Keck park. In Qigong we pay close attention to the energetic aspect of each season and how they correlate to our vital organs. In his book “Chi Nei Tsang”, Mantak Chia writes:

“The spleen, pancreas, and stomach are the organs through which the earth element functions. Operating like a switchboard, it is in the charge of absorbing, forming, and transporting the energy and chi from food. The earth produces food, and so its energy is the energy of Indian summer or harvesttime. In almost every land and culture, this is the time for assessment, reflection, planning and preparation. This is when we feel the first chill of autumn, which usually makes us momentarily ground and stabilize ourselves so that we can make sure that we are prepared for the coming winter.”

Introduction to Qigong and  Therapeutic Movement

a five week series

Tuesdays from 12:15pm to 1pm, at Alice Keck Park.

 Starting October 5 - 5 sessions – $48 if registered before Sept. 30th.

($55 after Sept 30 or $12 per class)

To register, click here, or call me at 680-9208.  Drop Ins Welcome.

 In this five week series I will be sharing with you basic qigong practices I have learned from Roger Jahnke and Matthew Jones, along with tips and tools for wellness I have gathered in my 8 years as a massage therapist.

Through simple movements we will learn to increase our breathing capacities, improve joint mobility, balance, and sensory awareness. I will introduce you to basic tools that help increase the health of your vital organs and help you feel more clear and energized in your everyday life.

 The healthier you are, 

the more you can live in your full potential.

You’re already treating your body with the best massage, how about you put something delicious and healthy inside your body.

We still have a few warm days ahead of us and the cantaloupes at the market are delicious and abundant. This is a great healthy drink to offer at the beginning of a meal, or to accompany a light afternoon snack. This recipe originally appeared in the July/August issue of LAYoga, a wonderful publication that is available at the Gibian Wellness Center.

Ingredients:

6 very ripe cantaloupes

3 limes, juiced

1/2 cup agave nectar (or 2 cups of sugar or 1 dropper of liquid stevia)

12 quarts water

Directions:

Peel and seed the melons, then cut into one inch pieces.

Place in a blender and add water, lime juice, and sweetener. Blend until the water is smooth and melons are pureed.

Adjust sweetener and water according to your taste. (Strain if necessary for a smoother consistency) When we made this we added more lime as well.

Cantaloupe contains a powerful antioxidant known for preventing heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also helps fight against the cold and flu with its high content of Vitamin C. Smooth and sweet, the cantaloupe water is a traditional drink found in Mexico called agua fresca. Agua fresca can be made with any fruit you like, but the higher the liquid content of the fruit, the better seems to taste.

I recently completed a course on lymphatic massage. I will now be offering this technique as a full body treatment and as a complement to deep tissue massage and swedish when applicable.

The lymphatic system is one of our bodies’ 11 systems (digestive, circulatory, respiratory, etc) and is an integral part of our immune system. It is comprised of lymph vessels that carry waste material from our cells to lymph nodes where these materials are broken down into safe and useable molecules for our bodies. Lymph nodes are also able to process harmful environmental toxins and allergens.

There are many conditions affecting lymph function. Excess use of muscles, injuries, and surgeries can hamper the proper flow of lymph and overload the lymph nodes, preventing them from doing their filtering and recycling work optimally.

Lymphatic massage aims at facilitating the flow of lymph with specialized gentle strokes and a comprehensive understanding of the lymphatic network. One example that I look forward to applying in my sessions is this: in an area of restriction, say a tight shoulder, not only are the muscles constricted, but the lymph vessels in the area are effected as well. To fully release the shoulder, lymphatic massage can be added to the deep tissue work to assist in softening the tissues and restoring full range of motion.

Lymphatic massage can also be very useful if swelling occurs after surgeries, particularly knee replacement and ankle fractures. It can also be used as a full body detoxification treatment, which is often indicated for people undergoing dietary cleanses.