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From February 24 to March 2, 2025 is the Menopause Summit. Yay! Get all the information your heart desires on this topic.

This link is your connection to over 46 hours of interviews and 73 lessons with the doctors, nurses, researchers, naturopaths, dentists, trauma therapists, functional medical clinicians, acupuncturists, structural integrators and body workers who have experience with women in this phase of life.

Do you have night sweats, irregular menstrual cycles, cramping, bloating, weight gain, sleep irregularities, heart palpitations, quick to anger, musculoskeletal issues? There might some insight that applies to you in this summit. Daily videos are free during the summit, or you can upgrade to purchase it at a discount to view at your own pace.

Check it out!

That's how I learned to spell it! And I was "hooked on phonics" as a kid growing up in the 70's. So, the Year of the Snake - how does this impact my perspective and perseption of the coming year? I do like this image from Wild Woman Sisterhood:

There's always room for improvement - healthwise, clothing closets and drawers stuffed with things that are not needed, the dust bunnies and cobwebs in the corners and under furniture. This can apply to the mind and how we think about life, relationships, community, and our bodies.

I'll be in town and away over the next few months working on my own shedding and helping my family do their own healthcare and taking care of business - so to speak.

Looking forward to assisting you in your healing journeys this year. Thank you for referring your friends and family as well, with their journeys and thinking of me to assist them.

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Here are some of my recommendations for healing this year, maybe it resonates with you, maybe not. But this is here for you to explore, examine, consider. I've tried all these for myself and have found varied results. As will anyone else, since we are all individuals and are wired in our own unique way.

• SNiP Nutrition - personalized supplements based on your own DNA, with a plethora of reports on what it all means, and support from healthcare practitioners: snipnutrition.com/cjfiller - There is a buy-one-get another at half off sale currently - Use code LOVE4U and have it mailed to you.

 

• ELDOA - get your spine in order! https://torontoeldoa.com/ My favorite stretching routine! Created by a French osteopath, Guy Voyer, after years of studying myofascial lines and other full body modalities, this focused series to the spine will leave you feeling taller and mobile. This is website is for Sheri Kimura who is a top trainer and one of my fav instructors for online workouts - her cueing is super helpful when you can't look at the screen, and her series of 30-75 min videos are perfect for the week or weekend when you have more time to get a move on!

 

• Discover your food sensitivities, not just allergies. This could be another piece to the puzzle of why you're bloated, or can't loose weight, or why you feel like you're always inflammed no matter what you eat, and when you feel that you "eat really well". That's what I thought, but there was always a feeling of puffiness to my belly and hands or in the morning with my achey feet. https://mrttest.com/ This is the test I used to find out what was doing this to my body. I was very surprised at some things (pumpkin and apricots?? really? I dont eat that but once a year, and whey - no way! I thought it was lactose) to other foods that I was not surprised about (caffiene and coffee). Within a week I knew my results and had a plan to reduce the bloat.

 

• Red light therapy - yep, you read that correctly. Light therapy. This is not new, but its all over my instagram feed now. I've been using the FlexBeam off and on for my shoulder and neck pain.  View more information about this device - Click here. This can be an alternative to reducing pain by reducing the amount of pain medication that you need. This is a quick explanation about it.

 

 

Thank you for visiting here. The year is ¾ over and I have not posted! In my mind I did....ha!

Updates for this year are many! I've been busy taking a few fun courses with some of my favorite instructors. So far my favorite was "having" to be at a vineyard in Quebec for some pearls of wisdom from the owner of the osteopathic school I graduated from. It was a rough few days, but it happened and it was humid, sunny, rainy, cloudy, hot, cool, all the things at once! It was lovely meeting other practitioners from other provinces as well as locals. Even got a night out to see the last show in downtown Montreal for Cirque du Soleil. Those performers are so amazing!

My other courses involve Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) with Dr. Carol McMakin (https://frequencyspecific.com/faculty/) and Kim Pittis (https://fsmsports365.com/about). I am fortunate to have the ability to travel for their courses in Portland, OR, and Phoenix, AZ and learn how to integrate this amazing technology into my treatments. If you've never heard of microcurrent for pain - well there's a textbook, and courses, and online workshops, webinars and podcasts! It's the best kept secret for hockey and US Football players. But not just for high performance and professional athletes, it can help anyone. The treatment has been described as "homeopathic electrostimulation" as the the device delivers one millionth of an amp - which is also the same level as the physiological current between the cells of the human body. So its giving the cells the energy it needs to do its thing! Let me know if you have questions about it the next time I see you.

They were great cities to visit too, as I love trying out new restaurants and fill my belly with new tastes and flavors! Pistachio croissant is my new favorite way to have a croissant!

As the fall arrives, the colors of the forest and the landscapes are changing  in our neighborhood. I find myself digging out warmer clothing, layering more clothing or sometimes unlayering! Over dressed or under dressed? The day can go either way at this time of year. But cozy is the way to go, and the fireplace has been in use daily now.

For my last bit here, a reminder about your feet - they do a lot for us! Are your shoes supportive? Comfortable? Is it time for a new pair? A pedicure? A massage? There are many ways to support our feet, and I don't mean with an orthotic! Do you stretch them and exercise the toes? Roll them on a ball or a frozen bottle of water? Have you tried picking up the laundry with them? Foot soaks with epsom salts soften the skin, a pumice stone will remove hard dry skin, then a moisturizing lotion will keep them soft. Reflexology massage is one of my favorite self care treatments. It can be intense at first but the effect on the whole body is bliss! I have many resources for foot care from yoga to massage to acupuncture to osteopathy. Every modality has something to say about your feet.

Here's to getting cozy by the fire!

Also Happy Halloween!

 

Winter is certainly here in Victoria! It was a very snowy week here, about five inches or so fell. Enough to have to shovel - twice! And salt the sidewalk - twice! I would say we could be done with that, as the weather forecast shows warmer temperatures, and rain - as usual. This is the perfect time to cozy up by the fireplace and read some books on my "want to read" list and have a hot chocolate!

My current training with Frequency Specific Microcurrent continues! So far I've done online courses, then a workshop in Troutdale, OR, Chandler, AZ, and San Francisco, CA for these. It's so fun to meet other practitioners with a new (to me) modality, and exchange stories and techniques while learning. It's been quite the rabbit hole, as it's almost never ending with the issues that other practitioners have treated successfully with FSM.

The main reason people come and see me is for pain or discomfort somewhere in their body that my manual practice can help with. Over the years, my body is complaining about how difficult this has been to work while injured or, honestly, just lack of exercise (yes, I too can procrastinate just as well as patients can, and not want to leave a warm house to brave the weather to get to a workout class). So I've been searching for other modalities to add to my toolbox so that I can continue to treat my current patient base and help more people without wearing out my body quicker than necessary. I love my work and want to continue to treat our community as long as I can.

If you want to learn more about this modality here are some online resources:

https://frequencyspecific.com/  - Dr. Carol McMakin wrote 2 books, does online and in-person training around the world, and a podcast. She is busy!

https://www.youtube.com/@FSM - lots of general information, as well as information for practitioners to add this to the toolbox.

Even patients can learn to use a device for their own healing at home! Let me know if this is a route you would be interested in exploring. Some courses are appropriate for patients to take as well.

I'm currently adding this modality to my osteopathic therapy sessions. Contact me for more information, or ask me the next time you're in the clinic. I am currently accepting new patients for March 2024.

Keep warm and cozy!

It's cozy time again! Hot chocolate or a tea, and a book, or several, and a cat in my lap. What could be cozier? Oh maybe a spa visit? Or a sauna visit? Or a float?

Here are my fav places for self care...its an ongoing list, but I usually make my rounds through these places every couple of months.

https://www.mybliss.ca/ - lots of amazing therapists here for facials, hot stones, pedicures, etc.

https://floathousevictoria.com/ - or the Langford location. Love their tag line: Experience Nothing.

https://ritualnordicspa.com/ - sauuuwww-nah....steam, heat, cold plunge, plus RMT massages! Cozy space with all that, and a place to have a snack before you emerge back into the world.

https://sapphiredayspa.com/ - more facials with an Ayurvedic influence, this place is aaahmazing.

https://mawellnessandyoga.ca/ - yoga class and then a massage, yes please!

https://hemma.ca/ - another cozy place for a treatment by skilled acupuncturists

These are my top favorites that I rotate throughout the year. Self care is so important - no one else will do it for you! You have to make the appointments and show up - once you do you are well taken care of!

 

Welcome to my little piece of the internet.

Clinic update - resuming as of July 2023! My shoulder is healing finally, and I'm ready to get back to work. For those of you who have already seen me, please click the link to the right to book your next appointment. It's a reduced schedule until I have most of my strength back and to make sure I'm not flaring up my shoulder again. Your patience is appreciated.

For new patients - I do have spots available for new appointments, please email me directly before booking.

Thank you and enjoy the sunshine and summer...I will certainly be doing that as well. See you soon!

Cindy

Happy Lunar New Year 2023!

I can't believe its been a year since my last new years post...whoops! I've been very distracted with so many things - an e-bike, new osteopathic books, travelling to Portugal and the UK with a friend, visiting family due to medical issues, camping on Vancouver Island, and of course working and treating patients.

This all lead me to more self care things - a yoga retreat, a spa retreat, along with various spa visits with friends and family, trying out IMS with a physiotherapist, my regular osteopathic sessions, regular massages with my RMT friends, acupuncture at Hemma (so thrilled they moved into the Oaklands neighborhood and that it is now walking distance), and trying out new restaurants in Victoria. Yes - I consider having someone else make me food as self care - no dishes to deal with. What are you doing for your self care?

As far as spas go - Victoria is getting something pretty unique - a spa on a boat that will be docked near the harbour downtown. Yep...a spa...on a boat. How fun is that?! But did you also know we have a Finnish inspired spa? And a hot tub boat that you and several friends can soak and float down the Gorge in?? Also of note is that you can have a sauna at the beach - its a mobile wooden barrel style dry sauna that is parked at Willows - warm and ready for you after your cold plunge in the ocean! I love this idea - maybe I'll be inspired to dip in the ocean after a session in this sauna...maybe. Maybe I'll just book in at the Finnish spa...!

So enjoy the next few weeks of winter here with some self care to carry you through to spring when the cherry blossoms do their show!

The calendar said July - but it still felt like April. Summer rain showers, morning and afternoon fog...such is life in the Pacific Northwest. Be prepared for all of it - rain, sun, heat, clouds, blue sky - wear layers, bring a rain jacket, sunglasses, sunscreen, and waterproof hiking boots! I'd say never a dull moment here, but the overcast of rainclouds can dull a mood quickly.
But looking forward: Here's to backyard gatherings with friends old and new!
And now it is August - finally some of that warm +20C we have been waiting for...but my tomatoes are still green. Oh well...back to the farmers markets. So many fresh berries and fruits that I've had to make peace with the fruit flies. Just means we have a lot to snack on. This time of year makes me think about the Fall and the next course to take - should I travel, should I stay here...where to next? As courses in-person start up again, there are so many wonderful topics to choose from as well. Such a bounty of choices for August! I'm feeling very grateful to have such a bounty.

It's officially the Year of the Tiger (and I can't help it but the song Eye of the Tiger plays in my mind, You're welcome). Also time for dim sum with friends - but maybe in March after this wave of the virus passes us. (I won't name it as its in the news enough don't you think?)
And unfortunately, my husband and I have been through it. Several weeks in and we are still experiencing the fatigue - but not as much as 3 weeks ago - that was just horrible. We are really tired of it and bored of being sick and watching Netflix, among other things. I have so much more compassion for those diagnosed with CFS/ME or chronic fatigue of any sorts. I vacuumed for 30 min and had to nap for a hour! Crazy. It difficult for us who like to keep busy and just do things around the house. I do love reading a good book in front of the fireplace, but for weeks of that - it just made me ansy. At least we are on the other side of it now, just some annoying congestion and some light workouts at home to get our energy levels back up. We have to go slowly though - too much of that and we are just wiped out for a day again. I hope many of you escaped this invation of the immune system.
As it is still winter - yes snow on the Malahat again today Feb 2 - its still time to slow down. Here are some lovely instructors for some gentle movements at home.

ELDOA - https://www.twilighteldoa.com/about
Essential Somatics with Martha - https://essentialsomatics.com/about-essential-somatics
Cedar and yin yoga - https://www.devadaruyoga.com/yoga--breathwork.html

Fall leaves were giving quite a show in Victoria this year. The various colors - reds, yellows, greens, to browns really kept the grey days brighter and colorful. Poinsettias and mums also help to brighten a porch as the daylight gets shorter.

Update for fall - I will no longer be working at Johnson street as of December 2021. Starting from January 2022 I will only be at Morley street clinic.

Here are a list of therapists that are accepting new patients for osteopathic focused sessions:

Alison Haynes, CAT (Athletic therapist) and 2nd year osteopathic student, very good hands and assessments - https://performanceconditioningandrehab.com (works at Johnson st clinic)

Caroline Geofroy, DOMP is accepting new patients, contact her at (250) 514-6806, or carolinegeofroy@gmail.com.

Stephanie Dempsey Kruger, CAT (DOMP thesis writer) at: Vitality Treatment Centre in Oak Bay, Phone: 250.370.1020 • info@vitalitytreatment.ca or Saanich: https://sdat.janeapp.com/locations/stephanie-dempsey-athletic-therapy-in-saanich

And RMT/Osteopathic students in Victoria:

Rebekah Neubert, RMT - https://www.shelbournephysio.ca/staff/bio/rebekah-neubert (near Hillside Mall)

Nicole Baker, RMT - https://massagetherapyvictoria.com/meet-the-team-1 (Westshore/Langford)