Lindsey’s daughter, Gracyn, had an assignment in 2011. She was supposed to draw a community helper. She chose a massage therapist. (Ok, ok. She’s a little biased—both her parents are LMTs.) But we found the drawing again, and wanted to share it and the artist’s statement with you.
My community helper is a massager. She massages people's backs(?) cramps(?) and she has a table so people can lay down on the table.
Filed under Our spa, Staff Reflections
Water is 60% of our body’s makeup, and it is essential to every system in our body. So, you’re darn tooting it matters.
Makes you feel awake and alive
You know that dehydration is when you aren’t getting enough water, and that when you’re dehydrated, your body can’t perform its everyday functions. But did you know that even mild dehydration is responsible for making you feel tired and drained? [1]
Helps your skin and complexion
Water will plump your skin, filling in those fine lines, and will help with that great complexion. [2] When your body is dehydrated, it will pump water first to those vital organs, like your brain (which is 90% water). Skin is more of a peripheral organ, so your body will cut off its water supply if you’re low. [3]
Flushes toxins away from organs
This is why we tell you to drink water after massage! We’ve been working out extra toxins from your tissues, so now you need to wash them away!
Improves circulation and blood flow
Massage also increases circulation and blood flow, so, again, follow and precede your massage with lots of water!
Helps fight illness
Water is an essential piece of your immune system, including the circulation of white blood cells. [4]
Improve athletic performance
Water is 75% of your muscle makeup. Drinking water will help keep your muscles healthy. You may also experience fewer cramps and sprains if you keep your muscles and joints lubricated. Water even helps regulate your body temperature, which can help you feel more energetic during your workout. [5]
The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. And the Institute of Medicine recommends 13 for men and 9 for women! All fluids counts toward your water intake, and milk and juice are composed mostly of water. (Water is still the best fluid!) You can also eat foods like fruits and vegetables that contain lots of water (watermelon and cucumber are 90% water!). [1]
References
[1] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
[2] http://www.lhj.com/health/news/13-surprising-benefits-of-water
[3] http://appreciatewater.org/4-amazing-benefits-of-drinking-water-Clear-Skin/
[5] http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/benefits-of-drinking-water.html
Filed under At-Home Care, Educational, Health and Wellness
It’s rough those first few days after the Daylight Savings spring ahead. What a great time to be reminded that sleep is key to your health!
Huffington Post recently told us 8 Scary Side Effects of Too Little Shut-Eye. On the list are increased risk of stroke, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and permanent memory loss. Yikes!
Here are six quick and easy tips to promote good rest:
1. Make it a habit.
Keep your sleep schedule the same throughout the week, even on the weekend. This trains your body to rest well, and it will help you be more tuned in when something’s up with your body.
2. Have a snack before bed.
A light snack can help, according to WebMD. A small bowl of cereal or toast, for instance.
3. Cut out the caffeine 6 to 8 hours before bed!
4. Get a sound machine or a box fan to help drown out distracting noises. Or a soothing, ambient playlist may be a nice way to help you initially fall asleep.
5. Just get up and go.
If you’re having that internal debate of whether or not you really need to use the bathroom, just go. It’s better to go one last time before bed than to interrupt your nightly nap.
6. Leave the electronics an hour before bed.
TV screens, laptops, cell phones, and tablets emit blue light waves, which fights fatigue—the very thing you’re going for with that whole sleep thing. Read a book instead!
Filed under Educational, Health and Wellness
We heard recently about an incident at another spa, and we’re interested in having the conversation it brought up.
Apparently, a client came in for a mini-facial and brought along her infant, who is breastfed and needed to be with Momma. The spa has a policy that doesn’t allow unattended children under 12, and that includes a child with a client receiving a service and unable to tend to the child. The spa turned away this client.
This situation is complicated, right?
A new mom came in, excited to relax a bit. But she can’t be far away from her baby because of the feeding schedule. Maybe she tried but couldn’t find a babysitter, or maybe her sitter cancelled at the last minute and she didn’t have time to reschedule her appointment. It would certainly be frustrating and disappointing to not get the spa day you’d hoped for.
Many of us at Oasis are parents, and we can empathize with the frustration of feeling like the world we live in isn’t very accommodating to parents or children. Our society sometimes expects kids to act like adults, and expects parents to always be “on top of it” when it comes to managing their needs and behaviors. As fellow parents or aunts/uncles, we at Oasis know that kids are always kids — full of life and energy — and not so easily controlled, and certainly not “adult.” So we understand the client’s side in this situation.
But we also wanted to explore the spa’s side of the argument.
We are fortunate to never have had to turn away a client in a situation like this, and we try very hard to accommodate to our client’s needs, even the unusual or awkward situations. But we, too, have a policy about children posted on our FAQ page:
For your own relaxation and for the benefit of our other clients and service providers, we ask that children not come along unless they are receiving treatments themselves.
Here are some of the reasons a spa might have such a policy:
It is our job to take care of our clients. And that is what this policy is really about. While we would try very hard to come up with alternative solutions, we can definitely see both the side of the mom and the side of our fellow spa in this situation.
Weigh in: We want to know what you think!
Filed under Educational, Spa
Hey guys! My name is Cherise Obermeyer. I am one of the estheticians here at Oasis Massage and Spa. Winter makes us want to curl up with a warm blanket and hot cocoa and be super lazy, am I right? We just need to remember not to get lazy with our skin care. Here are some tips and some products we like to keep up your skincare routine in between the snow ball fights and scraping the ice off of your car.
Cleansing
Cleansing, as always, is very important. It removes all the dirt, makeup, and impurities from your skin. Winter weather wreaks havoc on our bodies. Humidity is low, and dry skin becomes a problem. All of those dry skin cells can clog your pores and cause that “winter itch”… So cleanse away, just not too much. Over-cleansing will remove the skin’s natural moisturizers.
Bioelements has a great cleanser to help battle winter, called Moisture Positive. It’s a gentle and creamy cleanser that leaves your skin soft and comfortable. The perfect addition to your skincare regimen!
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is a step that a lot of people tend to skip or forget. This step will remove the dead, dull skin cells and help to rejuvenate your skin. There are a couple of types of exfoliation. You may choose to use a chemical exfoliant, which is made up of ingredients like Glycolic Acid, AHA, and BHA, and enzymes such as Pumpkin, Papaya, and Pineapple. These powerful ingredients help to loosen up the glue-like substance that holds dead cells to your skin’s surface and leave your skin soft, smooth, and bright.
Or maybe you like to do the work. In that case, you would want to try a physical exfoliation, where the dead skin cells are physically rubbed off. These exfoliants include sugar, salt, and oatmeal, among other ingredients, and can involve the use of facial brushes, sponges, or gloves.
Exfoliation should leave your skin radiant and healthy-looking, not red and irritated. Exfoliate in moderation — 1-2 times per week is enough, depending on your sensitivity and the type of product you are using. Most products will have instructions helping you along the way. When in doubt, talk to an esthetician or pay a visit to your dermatologist.
Bioelements Measured Micrograins gently buffs away dulling surface flakes and smooths out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is made up of extremely fine microgranules that you can use it up to three times per week.
Moisturize
“Do I need to change moisturizer in the winter?” This is a very common question that I have been hearing quite a bit recently. The answer is different for everyone. If you notice that your skin is flaky and tight, you may want to alternate moisturizers or switch altogether for the colder months. Using a moisturizer for dry skin when your skin is feeling dry and uncomfortable is a great idea. Keeping your skin moisturized and hydrated is crucial. Make sure you are moisturizing twice daily.
Sunscreen
SPF is required! The snow bounces 80% of the sun’s rays back to us. So think twice before skipping this step during the cold, winter months. Use an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply every few hours if you’re outside a lot.
Thanks for sticking with me! I know that skin care isn’t the most riveting subject, but we all know it’s an important one. Winter isn’t over yet! (As much as we want it to be.) So keep up the good work and come see Amber or myself for a facial soon. We have all kinds of tricks to keep your skin beautiful when the weather may not be. And Oasis carries Bioelements products, if you need to stock up!
Peace, love, and glitter.
Cherise
Filed under Educational, Facial
Massage Works posted this nice blog about the Benefits of Massage from Newborns to Elderly.
Here are a few facts from that post.
Massage Therapy Facts
Filed under Educational, Massage
On this the day of giving thanks, I just wanted to take a few minutes to share one of the many things I appreciate about each of my fellow Oasis staff members.
I really enjoy working with Lindsey. Her passion for massage and helping people is obviously why she got into this work. I see her constantly trying to improve our facility, trying to ensure that our clients get the best care possible, and that our service providers have what they need to do the work that they love.
Amy L. has been a dear friend of mine for many years, and I am very blessed to work with her. She is such a team player. She really wants what’s best for everyone, and puts her heart into making it happen.
Amy O. has a great sense of humor, and I like seeing her be playful with our co-workers.
I have often heard Ericka‘s clients say that they appreciate how she listens to them during their massages. She really loves what she does. You can see it in the way she watches her clients leave, with a lingering smile and sigh.
Trish is very motherly. She’ll remind you to take deep breaths when you’re stressed or tired, and to sit up straight. She also takes great care in the details. People always say how nice our spa smells, which is in large part due to Trish’s scent design.
Quiet, calm, steady. That’s Kayla. She is one of those people you love having on your team, both because she’s just so darn reliable and because she’s so easy to get along with.
Alysha helps make things fun. She’s eager to connect and build relationship.
I love chatting with Amber and giggling about silly things, or having her show me a YouTube video about how to fishtail braid hair.
Cherise is great at helping come up with solutions. She has a lot of good ideas, and loves contributing.
Dennis is one of the most caring and generous men I’ve ever met. He is genuinely excited to help.
I love the days that Margie is working. She is such a peaceful presence. I feel like I learn something from her every time I see her.
Even though Carolyn is doing room rental now and isn’t technically part of Oasis’ staff anymore, I still see how hard she works. This woman puts pack mules to shame.
And last but not least, Bobbie. He’s the juice of Saturdays. His positive attitude and amicable sense of humor bring our staff and clients a lot of joy.
And all of us are so thankful for you. Thank you so much for your business and loyalty. We are truly grateful!
Filed under Our spa, Staff Reflections
The staff at Oasis Massage & Spa is grateful for many things, including our clients! Thank you for choosing Oasis!
To show our gratitude, as well as to help those in need this holiday season, Oasis is sponsoring a food drive in partnership with Food Bank for the Heartland:
$1 off for every non-perishable food item! Up to $5 off. Just bring your items with you to your appointment.
Where does the Food Bank get its food?
Corporate donations: 63%
Food drives: 4%
USDA commodities: 24%
Food purchased by Food Bank for the Heartland: 9%
Food Bank for the Heartland inspects, sorts and repacks the food for distribution to over 325 nonprofit agencies across Nebraska and western Iowa. The Food Bank distributed approximately 10 million pounds of food during the 2011 calendar year.
Who receives food from the Food Bank?
Pantries and meal providers: 69%
Food Bank’s children and senior programs: 6%
Distribution partners in Kearney and Sioux City: 15%
Other food banks: 3%
Discarded spoiled food: 7%
Filed under Our spa
At Oasis Massage and Spa, the most important thing to us is our clients. We want to provide quality service in they ways you most need it. With National Massage Awareness Week (October 21- 27) upon us, we wanted to share with you just some of the growing body of evidence that shows massage therapy can be effective for a variety of health conditions. Massage is rapidly becoming recognized as an important part of health and wellness, and research is indicating some of what takes place in the body during massage therapy.
Here are some recent findings on the benefits of massage therapy for health and medical reasons, compiled by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).
Massage Therapy for Inflammation after Exercise
Research through the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario indicates that massage therapy reduces inflammation of skeletal muscle acutely damaged through exercise. The study provides evidence for the benefits of massage therapy for those with musculoskeletal injuries and potentially for those with inflammatory disease, according to the lead author of the research.
J. D. Crane, D. I. Ogborn, C. Cupido, S. Melov, A. Hubbard, J. M. Bourgeois, M. A. Tarnopolsky, Massage Therapy Attenuates Inflammatory Signaling After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage. Sci. Transl. Med. 4, 119ra13 (2012).
Massage Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain
Research released in July 2011 expanded on previous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of massage therapy for chronic low back pain. Researchers found that “patients receiving massage were twice as likely as those receiving usual care to report significant improvements in both their pain and function”. The study was conducted over 10 weeks through Group Health Research Institute.
Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Kahn J, Wellman R, Cook AJ, Johnson E, Erro J, Delaney K, Deyo RA. A comparison of the effects of 2 types of massage and usual care on chronic low back pain: a randomized, controlled trial.Ann Intern Med. 2011 Jul 5;155(1):1-9.
Massage Therapy for Pain of Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Research supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) showed that sixty-minute sessions of Swedish massage once a week for those with osteoarthritis of the knee significantly reduced their pain. Each massage therapy session followed a specific massage protocol. This is the latest published research study indicating the benefits of massage therapy for those with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Perlman AI, Ali A, Njike VY, et al. Massage therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized dose-finding trial. PLoS One. 2012; 7(2):e30248.
Massage Therapy for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by generalized pain, joint rigidity, intense fatigue, sleep alterations, headache, spastic colon, craniomandibular dysfunction, anxiety, and depression. This study demonstrated that massage myofascial release techniques improved pain and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.
Castro-Sánchez, A.M., Matarán-Peñarrocha, G.A., Granero-Molina, J., Aguilera-Manrique, G., Quesada-Rubio, J.M., Moreno-Lorenzo, C. (2011). Benefits of massage-myofascial release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011:561753.
Learn more at amtamassage.org.
Photo: Nick Webb
Filed under Educational, Massage
You know that residual kink in your neck?
It might be from hours of computer use. A lot of what we do these days has us hunching forward. And now with the popularity of tablets and laptops, most of us spend a majority of the day on these devices.
Even after work, many of us relax with a computer in our laps or next to us in bed. Think about when you’re sitting on the couch with your computer resting in your lap. How do your neck muscles feel? Strained? How about that shoulder ache when you’re propping yourself up in bed to type?
According to research at the Harvard School of Public Health, spending hours on a tablet or computer can cause neck and shoulder problems (October 2012 Harvard Health Letter). But you can avoid this pain with a few easy adjustments. 
Filed under At-Home Care, Educational
