Archive for the ‘Stress-Reducing Treatments’ Category
Thursday, January 19th, 2012
Like I needed one? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…I love chocolate! Chocolate is better than…well let’s just say I really love Chocolate!;) I recently read that there has been research that suggests that dark chocolate is actually healthy to boot, here’s why…
Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants. Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.
Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:
*Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
*Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.
Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:
*it tastes good
*it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
*it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
*it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants
*Did I mention it tastes good? LOL
In celebration of Chocolate and all of it’s health benefits, Scandle is featuring a new gift set for Valentine’s Day, Scandle’s Chocolate Spa Therapy, featuring this heavenly treat. The gift set includes
*1 Scandle Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Shimmering Lotion Candle in reusable ceramic container
*1 Scandle Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Dead Sea Salt Soak and Scrub
*1oz Chocolate Prescription chocolate bars so you can get your daily dose of healthy yumminess!
Tags: Antioxidants, blood pressure, chocolate, Chocolate Prescription, Chocolate Spa, Chocolate spa therapy, health benefits of chocolate, heart health, Scandle Dead Sea Salt Soak & Scrub, Scandle Massage Candle
Posted in Anti-Aging Treatments & Products, Antioxidants, Brain Health, Chocolate Body Treatments, Healthy Lifestyle, Natural Health, Scandle Candle, Soy Candles, Stress-Reducing Treatments, Valentine's Day, emotional well-being | 5 Comments »
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
It seems like there’s never enough time in the day to get things done. Lately I’ve found my friends and family stressing more than usual. It’s never healthy to frequently find yourself anxious, overwhelmed, and frustrated! Stress releases adrenaline and cortisol which can cause high blood pressure, speed up the aging process, and contribute to anxiety, depression, and even weight gain. While avoiding stress isnt always feasible, there are ways to counteract its negative effects.
Here are a few ways to effectively relieve stress:
*Breathe- The most important thing to do is take deep, slow, cleansing breaths. Conscious breathing will help relieve anxiety and release muscle tension.
*Stretch- Make sure to maintain good posture to prevent back and neck strain. Loosen up the muscles in your neck by letting your head fall forward, relaxing your shoulders, and slowly swinging your head side to side.
*Take a Bath- Light your favorite Scandle Candle and soak in warm water with a few scoops of Scandle’s Dead Sea Salt Soak & Scrub. I suggest a lavender candle like The Scandle Calming Blend known for its calming and relaxing properties.
*Indulge in a Massage- Let the wax from your Scandle Candle melt and use it as a lotion to massage and moisturize your skin. This will increase blood flow and oxygen to your tissues. A massage also releases endorphins for natural pain relief.
*Mindful meditation- Scan the various parts of your body progressively relaxing each muscle. It’s important not to let your mind wander and drift off. Concentration and focus is key.
What do you like to do to keep daily stresses from getting the best of you?
Tags: Massage, meditation, relief, stress
Posted in Scandle Candle, Stress-Reducing Treatments | No Comments »
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
I just dropped my dogs, Snoop Dog and Slim Shady (yes named after the rappers!), off at the vet for their annual shots and their first dental cleaning and I miss them already! Even though I complain about having to pick up their poopie, bath them, and walk them in sub zero weather…I love them to pieces. Why? Pets bring us into the present moment, awakening our basic instinct to love and be loved, to connect at the spiritual level and to play with abandon.
With this said, It’s no wonder that pet therapy is steadily making its way into many healing practices, from hospitals to rehabilitation programs.
Scientific studies have found that just stroking a dog or cat can lower your blood pressure and heart rate. This calming influence leads us to a more balanced life, taking time for the intimate moments of sharing and caring. Especially for the elderly and those who live alone, caring for a pet provides a clear sense of purpose and a feeling of being needed. And for children, as well as some wayward adults, it enhances responsible behavior and a deep respect for other living things.
Attuned to our moods and needs, pets allow us to express ourselves without fear of judgment and will remain faithfully by our side. It is this sixth sense of attunement and compassion in animals that makes them perfect partners in the healing process for people with disability or illness.
Pets also heal what ails us by inspiring us to get up and go. We know that exercise is one of the most important factors in maintaining good health. The benefits of daily walking have been well documented, from weight loss to overall improved physical functioning. Outdoor excursions with the dog not only dispose us to a more active lifestyle but also increase our chances for socializing with other animal lovers.
For those suffering from depression a pet serves as a good reason to get out of bed in the morning and focus on something positive. I experienced this first hand when my husband died a little over 2 years ago. My dogs got me through my darkest hours.
Pets teach us to be disciplined and mindful. They also have much to teach us about the cycle of life — the exuberance of youth, the heart-warming rewards of a long-term relationship, and the acceptance of old age and death. More importantly, our pets teach us about unconditional love.
What does your pet do to show you unconditional love? Share your stories..we have the tissues handy!;)
Tags: anxiety, depression, elderly, pet therapy, pets, rehabilitation, unconditional love
Posted in Pet therapy, Scandle Candle, Stress-Reducing Treatments, Workout Therapy | No Comments »
Monday, February 28th, 2011
More than ever before, we are overly stressed physically, financially and mentally and living in a toxic environment. So it is important that we take the time to create a chain reaction of profound wellness.
Green tea, a simple, inexpensive plant can help promote profound healing and well-being.
One type of Japanese green tea is kyoto karigane. Because of how this particular type of tea is grown and processed in Japan, it is has the highest stress-relieving amino acid L-theanine.
Drinking Kyoto Karigane will help you experience a higher alpha state, resulting in a mind that is clear and focused, your body will feel relaxed, and your creativity enhanced. In addition, the tea will boost your immune system as it is packed full of free-radical scavengers.
Using kyoto karigane on your body will help clean and nourish the skin.
What other “magical” and inexpensive natural remedies do you use to nourish yourself on the inside and out?
Tags: amino acid L-theanine, Green Tea, kyoto karigane, natural beauty, stress relief, tea, toxins
Posted in Antioxidants, Brain Health, Green Tea, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Natural Health, Natural Remedies, Scandle Candle, Stress-Reducing Treatments, Tea Treatments | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
Today I woke up with the worst ache in my jaw. At first, I thought that dream I had about duking it out with my ex was really not a dream at all! But, once I thought about it, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress lately and it was causing me to clench and grind my teeth at night.
Reasearch shows that humans are hardwired to respond to stress by clenching the jaw, and the first place our body registers stress is in the jaw.
Prolonged stress can lead to chronic jaw clenching and, ultimately, temporomadndibular Joint (TMJ) disorder. If left untreated, you may develop neck pain, headaches, or oher TMJ-related problems.
Here are some steps to break the cycle:
- Awareness - Realize what’s causing you to stress out and clench
- Release - Open your mouth slightly and consciously relax your jaw. Feel it get heavy. Assist this relaxation by placing your fingers on the sides of your jaw and massage and draw down the jaw.
- Change or avoid whatever it is that’s causing your stress (like I did with my ex! I couldn’t change him…so now I avoid him! LOL)
- Seek treatment from a skilled CranioSacral Therapist.
What makes your jaw clench? We may not have a solution but we’ll lend a thoughtful ear.;)
Tags: craniosacral, Massage, relaxation, stress management, TMJ
Posted in Massage, Scandle Candle, Stress-Reducing Treatments | No Comments »
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
Eucalyptus is a flowering tree, native to Australia. This tree amazes us not only in appearance, but also by the many uses we receive from its oils. The rainbow eucalyptus is found in Southeast Asia, and is the only source of natural eucalyptus in the northern hemisphere.
Eucalyptus has a strong medicinal smell that is admired by some and dreaded by others. It is a fast growing source of wood, and its oils are often used as a cleaning agent or a natural insecticide. The oil is often steam that is distilled from the leaves of certain species.
Eucalyptus oil has many healing properties to it, which make it a very popular item for the household. It is used in many over-the-counter drugs. It is great for rashes and skin irritations, so it is often used in rubs, inhalers and creams. It is also an antiseptic, and can often be found in mouthwashes and used to treat wounds. Eucalyptus oil is often used to treat respiratory problems. The oil is anti-inflammatory and analgesic in nature, and is recommended for muscle and joint pain such as arthritis and fibrosis.
Eucalyptus oil, or eucalyptol, clearly has many uses. People who use it love the immediate cooling and refreshing effect that it provides. On top of all of the medicinal purposes, eucalyptus oil is also supposed to help with exhaustion, mentally and physically. Eucalyptus is also great for aromatherapy, if you do like the smell. If you need those sinuses cleared, just put some in the bathroom while you take a hot and steamy shower and wake up with a refreshing and invigorating smell. For many people, this oil is essential.
Tags: eucalyptus
Posted in Aromatherapy, Arthritis Treatments and Causes, Beauty Care & Treatments, Beauty/Health Myths, Budget Friendly Beauty Treatments, Cold Prevention, Essential Oils, Healthy Lifestyle, Home Treatments, Massage, Natural Health, Natural Treatments & Products, Sensitive skin, Skin Damage, Spa, Stress-Reducing Treatments | No Comments »
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
De-stress yourself without breaking the bank. Send the kids off to slumber party. Send the hubby on a Guys Night Out. Unplug your phone and turn off your porch light, make this night all about you. You may not get the hunky massage therapist, but these DIY Spa tips and tricks will be sure to relax you and save you money.
First things first, get what you need.
There’s no point in starting when you have to run out to the store. Look up on all-natural, feel good recipes for you to pamper yourself. There are many ideas out on the web, and you can handpick what you are putting on your face and rubbing on your skin. Find out what kind of treatments you want, like manicures, facials, scrubs or body wraps.
Start healthy.
Start off your day right and eat healthy foods. Start off your day with some oatmeal or granola with some fresh fruits. If you make sure you feel good in the morning, then it will carry with you for the rest of your day. Stretch your body when you wake wake up in the morning and loosen up for the rest of your day.
Set the mood.
Find out what kind of tunes will set the ambiance and help you relax. Nothing too upbeat or depressing. You will want something slow, at a low volume. Turn it on and just let the rhythm carry you away.
Lighting.
You’d be surprised at how much the right kind of lighting will take away all of your stress. Turn off the lights, light up some candles, and watch the flames dance. Make sure to pick some good fragrances to add aromatherapy to your at home treatment. The right kind of lighting paired with the perfect music is just what you need to start off your spa experience.
The home experience.
Here’s the good part. Make sure you’re taken care of from head to toe. Pick out the perfect salts for your bath. Use a conditioning treatment for your hair (coconut oil does wonders), and an invigorating mask for your face. From there you can either soak in your bath or shed some inches with a warm body wrap. If your skin is particularly dry (let’s face it, these cold winters are not helping) then a fresh cut orange half is great as a loofah scrub. Use them on your hands, feet, elbows and knees. Lemons will also work, and will also help lighten darker areas. End your spa treatment with a great manicure/pedicure, and feel beautiful from head to toe.
Once you help yourself feel good, you can carry that feeling everywhere you go. A DIY spa treatment will lift a weight off your shoulder and make you feel years younger. Just remember to let everything go, pace yourself, and free yourself from the world and anything that may distract you from you. Everyone needs a little me time.
Posted in Antioxidants, Aromatherapy, Beauty Care & Treatments, Beauty Treatments, Beauty/Health Myths, Body Scrubs, Budget Friendly Beauty Treatments, Essential Oils, Facials, Green Living, Hair Treatments, Healthy Living, Home Treatments, Lemon treatments, Natural Health, Natural Treatments & Products, Salt, Scandle Candle, Sensitive skin, Skin & Body Care/Treatments, Stress-Reducing Treatments, Winter Care | No Comments »
Friday, January 14th, 2011
Spas aren’t just for women anymore. It’s a guy thing now. Men get stressed, overwhelmed and worn out as well. They need “me” time as much as women do, and sometimes a man cave just doesn’t cut it. Men deserved to get pampered, too.
Well, Men, you can do just that. The International Spa Association says that over one-third of spa-goers are men. It makes sense now why spas all over the United States are opening male-specialized treatments, and many places are offering male-only spas, or a “man spa” if you will. Men no longer need to worry about strolling into a spa full of women or feeling less masculine for getting a mani/pedi.
Big cities like Chicago, Cincinnati and New York offer a selection of man spas, while other places offer treatments tailored to men. These places offer things such as a hand or foot repair, not to be confused with manicures and pedicures. Many of these places offers things that a barbershop would have like a haircut or a straight-edge razor shave with a refreshing hot towel. You don’t need to worry about any aches or woes since most of these places offer massages, and even go as far as sport massages and a golf massage! If you’re tired of razor burn, then they have facials with anti-oxidants to open up your pores and leave your skin feeling smooth and without the tenderness. If you need a little extra help relaxing, then look for aromatherapy options that feature the essential oils you need to set a relaxing mood.
Men no longer have an excuse to be stressed out with so much opportunity to treat themselves. When spas offer MVP rooms with widescreen TVs, newspapers and business magazines, who is to say that can’t spare a little time for that? Guys, take this opportunity to pamper yourselves. You might as well buy your lady a day at the spa as well. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner after all.
Tags: aromatherapy, facials, Man spa, manicures, pedicures, relax, Spa, valentine's day
Posted in Antioxidants, Aromatherapy, Beauty Care & Treatments, Essential Oils, Hair Treatments, Healthy Lifestyle, Massage, Stress-Reducing Treatments | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011
We hope everyone has had an amazing start to the new year! We all know that new times can be very refreshing, but we also know that it can be very frustrating and stressful. So to make sure everyone starts their year off on the right foot, we are going to share with you the trends in the spa market that are going to be a hit in 2011, identified by SpaFinder.
Specialized treatments for the wise and experienced. Spas are becoming more and more aware of the older demographic. Physiotherapists and chiropractors can now be found at many spas. Treatments such as joint rejuvenation and relief will be on the rise with this growing demographic, as well as relaxing thermal bath soaks.
Watch out for the Asian invasion. Many techniques have been brought over from Asia to enhance the spa experience including Thai massage, bamboo fusion massage, and acupuncture. These techniques are getting to be so popular, that the spa market in Asia is expanding as well, especially with the growth of hotels. If you do happen to be in Asia and are having a nice spa day, make sure you keep your eyes open for one of our Scandle Body Candles! Keep a watch on the Asian spa market, and just watch how fast it grows.
Salt’s not just a seasoning anymore, and it hasn’t been for a long time now. Halotherapy is a healing therapy technique that traditionally involves soaking in a salt cave. It sounds strange, but research shows that salt soaks and even inhaling the environments of salt caves has medicinal benefits. Dead Sea salt itself has been known to strengthen bones, rejuvenate the skin and relief the pains of arthritis. Salt therapy is becoming very popular in spas, and is often used in their bath and soak treatments or along with massages.
Along with these trends, you can also expect to see more branding (emerging franchises such as Massage Envy), speedy spas (for those who only have a just a few minutes to relax), and the science behind spas (for those of that want to add a bit of practicality to the experience).
Whatever the reason you choose to go, make sure that you do go to the spa. Everyone needs to relax, even if it will be for a speedy trip or a nice relaxing thermal soak. The year has just started, so take your time, relax and don’t rush threw it. Happy New Year!
Tags: 2011, Dead Sea Salt Soak & Scrub, New Year, Spa, Spa Trends, Trends
Posted in Anti-Aging Treatments & Products, Arthritis Treatments and Causes, Beauty Care & Treatments, Body Scrubs, Dead Sea Salt, Healthy Living, Massage, Natural Health, Natural Treatments & Products, News, Salt, Scandle Candle, Spa, Stress-Reducing Treatments, Trends | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
Ahhh the elusive good night’s sleep, so hard to find but wonderful when caught.
There are countless ways to medically treat insomnia, but here at Scandle we are all about holistic approaches so below you will find my top recommendations to avoid sleepless nights:
- Melatonin helps regulate sleep patterns by helping to control your sleep and wake cycles.
- L-Theanine is an amino acid derived from herbal teas. Predominantly found in green tea, this acid is thought to increase alpha-wave activity, causing your brain to relax and ease into sleep.
- Valerian extract comes from a perennial herb and has been used for centuries to promote relaxation and sleep. This extract is used to help improve the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and the quality of that sleep.
- Acupressure. Many people report immediate improvements in their sleeping habits. With acupressure, the sensation of sleep comes easily, lasts without interruption, and is deeper and more refreshing.
How do you grab some naturally sweet dreams? Have you used any of the natural ways listed above?
Tags: insomnia
Posted in Sleep, Stress-Reducing Treatments | No Comments »
