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Phoebe J. Courcy, LMT: Posted on Monday, December 12, 2011 11:47 AM
  During this holiday season, candy canes and peppermints abound! More than just a holiday decoration or tradition, however,peppermint has many wonderful natural healing properties. Peppermint can help with migraines, boost memory and concentration, relieve inflammation, and aid in digestion. Personally, I use peppermint very often in my practice for keeping the sinuses open, uplifting the mood, and taming headaches. "Whether in the form of essential oil, fresh mint leaves, or brewed tea, the refreshing scent of peppermint may be just what you need to perk up your mind. |
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Phoebe J. Courcy, LMT: Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 1:15 PM
 Regardless of whether your pain is acute or chronic, there are general treatment principles that you can apply to help ease the pain and swelling related to an injury or illness. These approaches are commonly referred to as RICHES - rest, ice, compression, heat, elevation, support. Severe sprains or other injuries should be evaluated by a physician, especially if symptoms worsen.
RESTis a period of time in which little to no movement is allowed. This allows your body to heal and repair the injured tissues. |
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Phoebe J. Courcy, LMT: Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 3:35 PM
 This month's issue of Health Magazine has at least 11 advertisements for prescription drugs...11! You can see commercials on the television for prescription drugs every 5-10 minutes. Our country's health system is based on Big Pharma's 'diagnoses' and structured around treating symptoms with an RX pad. What about treating the actual CAUSES of conditions such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, depression, allergies, etc?
It is our duty as a society to research/find alternative, natural treatments for such conditions. |
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Phoebe J. Courcy, LMT: Posted on Thursday, June 23, 2011 12:18 PM
Lavender oil has been proven to aid in relaxation and promote sleep, but did you know that lavender oil is also effective against fungus?
 Scientists have demonstrated that lavender oil's effectiveness against two important fungal strains: 1. Candida species, which cause thrush, and 2. dermatophytes, which cause athlete's foot and ringworm. Lavender oil attacks these fungi by damaging their cell membranes. In cases of nail infections, for example, lavender oil may be applied topically, directly onto the nail bed where they have little to no blood supply. |
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Phoebe Courcy, LMT: Posted on Monday, June 20, 2011 10:45 AM
Psoas
(pronounced, 'so-az') muscle!
I love talking about the psoas, iliacus...AKA, hip flexors. If you
suffer from low back pain, sit a lot through out the day, have tight
quads, and stiff knees, then you probably have tight hip flexors.
Stretch these muscles daily and you will discover less pain.
Here is one great example of psoas/hip flexor stretch with release of trigger points prior to the stretch:
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Phoebe Courcy, LMT: Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2011 7:41 PM
The wordtrapeziuscomes from the Greek word for a small table, a reflection of the muscle's relative flatness and four-cornered shape. I like to refer to it as thebutterflymuscle.
 Many people don't realize that the trapezius covers most of the upper half of the back, extending upward to cover the central part of the back and neck, finally attaching into base of the skull. Not only is this a large muscle but it lays superficial (on top) to deeper back muscles.
The trapezius helps support the weight of the head and neck when you bend head forward or to the side. |
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Phoebe Courcy, LMT: Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2011 12:22 AM
While training for a half-marathon, I recently began to feel the very familiar
aching, burning, and then stinging in my shins...the 'shin splints' which have ailed me for years since my days as a ballet dancer. Through proper rest, training practices, massage, ice, etc., I have been relatively pain free during my runs. However, after a swift (and uneducated) decision to try out different running shoes with more heel and arch support, the pain in my shins returned in just a couple miles of use. |
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Phoebe Courcy, LMT: Posted on Friday, February 11, 2011 11:41 PM
Fasciais
very dense covering, interpenetrating every muscle, bone,
nerve, artery and vein as well as all of our internal organs including
the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. The most interesting aspect of
the fascial system is that it is not just a system of separate
coverings. It is actually one structure that exists from head to foot
without interruption. In this way you can begin to see that each part
of the entire body is connected to every other part by the fascia, like
the yarn in a sweater. |
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Phoebe Courcy, LMT: Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2011 1:32 PM
Sleep is extremely important in order to maintain good health. Sleep may even be more important than exercise and diet, because even more incredibly, we spend up to a third of our lives asleep.
Restorative sleep is necessary to repair damage done to our bodies during the day. Cells get replenished, immune system is boosted, metabolism is regulated, cognitive function improves, toxins and other free radicals are eliminated, hormones are balanced, adrenal glands are restored, etc. |
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Phoebe Courcy, LMT: Posted on Saturday, January 29, 2011 11:53 PM
If
you know children, you can probably foresee when a child is about to
have an emotional breakdown--when they are overtired, hungry, or
hurried! Unfortunately, adults are often unaware of the great impact of
low energy and high stress on their own emotional lives. We should
take notice of childrens' activities such as nap time, quiet time, and
story time...all designed to help them relax. Adults can benefit, too,
from regular rest and relaxation to restore physical and emotional
balance. |
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