Well, in one word YES.

Not only does the high sugar content make you fat, it is shown that caffeine can cause many other ill effects on your body.

Many regular sodas contain caffeine which is a stimulant that can cause you to become jittery. Also, research has shown that drinking large amounts of caffeine is linked to problems like abnormal heart rhythms.

Sodas have a very high sugar content and have no nutritional value at all. For example, a can of soda can have anything from 9 – 12 teaspoons of sugar (yes, that’s right!). What’s worse is that adults and children will normally drink more than a can at once, especially if they’re pouring it out from a large 2-litre bottle or if they buy a super-sized soda from the convenience stores or movie theaters.

Not only that, the high levels of sugar (plus the low nutritional value) can cause tooth decay and negatively affect your blood sugar levels. The phosphorus found in sodas can also affect your body’s absorption of calcium, which as we know, is important for bone health. What is not so well known is that calcium does not just prevent weak bones (osteoporosis) but key bodily functions, like your heart and metabolism, also require calcium to be operating at their best.

If you’re trying to lose weight, the empty calories and sugar from soda is a sure recipe for weight and fat gain.

So what are the best alternatives to regular soda and soft drinks? Well, the best choice will be good old iced water with a splash of lemon or unsweetened iced teas. With so many types of teas available – red, black, green, oolong – you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Make a conscious effort to stop drinking soda and soft drinks – your body (and your waistline) will thank you for it.

When a part of your body gets swollen, red and pain, we say it is inflamed. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to anything that irritates it. Think of it as a small biological fire designed to “burn away” the irritation.

Often, we think inflammation is a result of sprains, strains, cuts, grazes, insect bites and stings, all of which produce localised pain, swelling, heat and redness. Though all this is true, inflammation can also be a result of simply a poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle AND stress!

No Smoke (Pain) Without Fire (Inflammation)

What is a sign of inflammation within your body? Simply put, those many aches and pains that you feel regularly may all be signs of inflammation. Almost all pain is the result of inflammation – Arthritis and other joint, back and muscle problems, digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome or ulcerative colitis, as well as many types of headaches. Basically put, if there is pain, there is inflammation.

Good/ Bad news

Ever wake up in the morning with aches and pains and that you’re suffering signs of old age? 

The good news is they might not be a sign of old age after all!

The bad news is that they may be assign that your body is inflamed and this inflammation may very well lead to many chronic illnesses.

Pain and inflammation are your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Are you heeding it’s call?

Related Article: Natural Solutions to Inflammation

The Health Mechanics™ was established as a business in Perth, Western Australia, back  in 2004, under the name “Goosebumps: Health Mechanics” and was primarily a mobile massage business.

Since then, it has evolved into The Health Mechanics™ that we know of today, and have set up shop in 2 seperate areas, both North and South of the river.

The Health Mechanics™ has helped countless of office workers sort out their tired back, neck and shoulder problems, assisted clients in rehab programmes, aided professional and amateur athletes from Australia and from around the world with their sports related injuries and brought pain relief to many more normal, everyday people, like YOU!

Using a variety of treatment techniques, we will definitely come up with a treatment programme that best suits your need. And if the problem cannot be treated with soft tissue manipulation, we will not hesitate to refer you on to someone that can better help your situation.

All Therapists are registered members of the Association of Australian Massage Therapists, or an equivalent professional association.

Currently undergoing a reorganization in structure, The Health Mechanics™ is still headed by proprietor, Brian Liau.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects between 3 and 10% of the world’s population, most of whom are female. It is most commonly found in people between the ages of 20 and 50.

Also known as Fibromyositis, Fibromyalgia is part of a group of common rheumatoid disorders, those not involving the joints. It is characterized by stiffness in muscles, achey pain and muscle tenderness.

The painful condition of the muscles can occur as a result of stress, muscle injury, or quite simply, muscle overuse. Tender areas in the muscles are commonly called “knots” in layman terms, but in medical terminology, they are officially called “tender points” that create muscle spasm as well as tightness.

Fibromyalgia is not at all contagious, and recent studies suggest that people with fibromyalgia may be genetically predisposed. It is also found that Fibromyalgia affects more women than men, with a ratio globally of 3-5:1.

Estimates now put between 3 to 6 percent of the population in the United States ALONE as having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

A related condition that can be present with Fibromyalgia, is Myofascial Pain Syndrome or “MPS”. This condition is also characterized by painful muscles; however people with MPS have trigger points, not tender points. Trigger points are places anywhere on the body that when pressed, will cause pain to radiate in repeatable ways, possibly to entire different parts on the body.MPS sometimes follows injuries, overuse injuries like Repetitive Strain Syndrome, and muscle trauma.

MPS can sometimes spread, and a condition that is originally localized can eventually become quite generalized if left untreated.

Initially MPS and Fibromyalgia were thought to be the same; however, it is increasingly clear that they are not. Confusion arises simply because they are often present together.

The question is, why are so many people who are so dedicated and passionate about helping others, failing to turn this into a successful business?

If you speak to other health practitioners, I am sure you will find 3 common traits among them.

1.) They do not always have the appropriate business and marketing skills to run their business properly.

2.) They fail to see that healing work can also be a successful business that makes good money.

3.) They do not believe that making a lot of money doing this type of work is ethically or spiritually correct.

As it will take more than one simple article to address point 1, I will like to address point 2 and 3.

Many alternative health practitioners are extremely passionate and love what they do. They have a lot of commitment and are prepared to struggle for their passion and beliefs. Unfortunately, too many of them treat their business like a hobby! Though this is admirable, it is a false belief stemmed from nothing, that we have to struggle in this industry! This is a belief that is holding a lot of talented therapists out there back. As more and more people wise up to the benefits of alternative health practices, the demand of our services will keep rising with it! There are plenty of people out there screaming for a good therapist, and bemoaning the fact that they can’t find a good one. If you are one such a therapist, what are you doing to get their attention? There is a lot of work out there. We just need to seek it.

It is also a false believe, in my opinion, that it is ethically or morally “wrong” to make a lot of money from helping others. Spirituality and ethics have no relationship to money at all! You can be very spiritual and ethical and still be very rich. On the other hand, you can also be very spiritual and ethical and still be poor!

Look at it this way. You can make a bigger difference in the world, and purse your spiritual path and help others better if you do not have to worry about how you are going to feed your family from week to week. When you are secure in your own finances, then only are you able to start making significant contributions, in terms of both time and money, to worthwhile causes. How are you going to be able to help others, when all the time, you are struggling to help yourself?

We should not judge a person’s spirituality, or goodwill, by the amount of money they make, but rather by what they actually do with this money and their time.

It is important to understand these mental hurdles, and overcome them so that you can create a thriving alternative health business and make a lot of money helping people and doing what you love.

 We all know that there are tonnes of effective pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories. But we all know that some of them may cause adverse side affects.

Fortunately for us, nature has provided some excellent anti-inflammatory options. A combination of extracts from hops, olive leaf and rosemary has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. This combination has proven extremely effective in helping pain control, for example, in arthritis and period pain, as wellas in more acute cases of painful muscles and joints form over exercising and tension.

A combination of hops, turmeric, zinc and selenium can also provide good anti-inflammatory relief, especially for auto-immune conditions. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and has traditionally been used in herbal medication to reduce pain and swelling in arthritic and rheumatic conditions. Zinc and Selenium are important antioxidants, which help to limit oxidative damage and inflammation. Zinc is also an essential mineral that can support a healthy immune system.

These days, modern formulations like these can have very rapid results, possible reducing symptoms in just a few days. Consult your local Naturopath if you have any queries or requests.

Food Power

 Food in our diet is one of the most inflammatory things we humans are exposed to.

The usual fruits and vegetables, as well as good fats from fish and nuts, all help inflammation reduction, while other foods can do the opposite. These include food with high sugar content, heavily processed foods high in colours, flavours and other artificial ingredients, as well as foods that are high in certain fats, like many processed and fast foods.

Seven simple steps to wellness

To help achieve wellness and reduce inflammation there are seven simple dietary targets you need to aim for.

1. Eat a protein rich food with each meal or snack.

2. Eat a minimum of three cups of vegetables daily.

3. Eat two servings of fruit daily.

4. Keep refined carbohydrates to a minimum (eg: white bread, pasta, white rice).

5. Include nuts, seeds and healthy oils in your diet.

6. Avoid excess alcohol, sugar and salt.

7. Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water daily.

Taking a safe, scientifically-proven, natural anti-inflammatory formula and following these simple dietary and lifestyle tips will help to reduce your inflammation and help you live life to its fullest potential. Don’t let inflammation slow you down any more!

Related Article: Is Your Body Inflammed?

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1.)    How much does a massage cost?

2.)    Can I get a rebate from my insurance company if I use your services?

3.)    How do I get a FREE massage?

4.)    Do you do ½ hr sessions?

5.)    Do you have a female therapist?

6.)    What is the difference between a normal massage and a remedial massage?

7.)    What type of massage do you offer?

8.)    Why do you have a cancellation policy?

9.)    What are your opening hours?

10.) I have a sore neck/ back. I don’t think it’s very serious. Can you help?

Answers

1.)    Pricing of each session depends on the duration, regardless of the modality.

a.       1 hr = $70

b.      ½ hr = $45

c.       1½hr = $110

Intro Programme = $210 (More than $100 in extra value with FREE massage and Posture Analysis. Terms and Conditions apply)

Pack of 4 = $260  ( Save $20, valid for 10 weeks from date of first session, or 3 months, whichever is earlier)

2.)    Yes, You’ll get a printed reciept to submit to your insurance provider to make a claim. Unfortunately, we do not offer HICAPS at this point of time. Amounts claimed back depends on insurance provider as well as level of cover.

3.)    The free massage is offered on the one off,  Introductory Programme.

1. Most muscular dysfunctions take more than one session to sort out properly and treatments are useless in the initial phase if spaced too far apart.
2. If the client is willing to commit to a treatment programme on a weekly basis for 4 sessions, The Health Mechanics will commit to this same goal by giving the last treatment FREE.
3. Sessions in the Introductory Programme are non-transferable, and are valid for a maximum of 6 weeks from date of the first session)
4. Should a matter arise where the eligibilty of the last, FREE massage is questioned, it will be taken as the client has paid for 3 separate sessions at the usual rate, and will be eligible for the Introductory Programme again.
5. Due to the commitment of this treatment protocol, no requests for refunds will be tolerated.

4.)    Yes, we do ½ sessions, but not for the first initial session, as there is not enough  time remaining in 30 mins ,after form filling, question asking and special testing of muscles, to do a proper treatment.

5.)    The Health Mechanics DO employ female therapists, but unfortunately, not at Applecross at the moment. Our clinic in Joondalup has a female therapist employed. If you only feel comfortable with a female therapist, please leave a name and email, and we will contact you as soon as our situation changes.

6.)    A “normal” massage is usually a swedish, relaxation massage. This style of massage is usually gentle, and it’s main purpose is to destress the client and soothe the superficial muscles. A “remedial massage” is different in the fact that it’s main purpose is to sort out muscular dysfunctions that might be causing aches and pains, and very often, stress as well. A variety of styles may be used, depending on situation, and muscles targeted may be quite deep.

7.)    The Health Mechanics specialises in Remedial Massage, and we use a variety of modalities. Please click HERE for their descriptions.

8.)    A significant amount of time has been set aside by the clinic and the therapist when your booking is made. We request that clients keep their appointments our of respect for  our time which is important and valuable, just as the client’s is, as well as for those seeking treatment and were turned away. A booking and administrative fee of 50% of the consult will be charged for “no-shows” and for cancellations with less than 24 hours of notice.

9.)    Please click HERE to see the respective opening hours and locations of the individual clinics.

10.) Certain issues that seem minor might be masking, or may lead to, a more serious problem if left untreated. We are able to help most muscular dysfunctions. Should a situation arise where the therapist suspects more than soft tissue is the cause of the pain, the client will be referred on to a related specialist immediately.