Located in historic Inglewood – Calgary, Alberta

Health Partnerships That Matter

by | Mar 6, 2025 | Health Goals

On the road-trip to health, you are the driver, but I’ll keep you on track (and bring snacks)!

 

In healthcare, you can often observe the relationship of the “all knowing expert” and the “passive patient”, a powerful dynamic which is often reinforced by factors like:

  1. Believing that the medical community has “all the answers” so any input from you is immaterial,
  2. Feeling intimidated by your (lack of) health literacy which might create further roadblocks to interpreting what’s happening to your body and/or finding helpful resources,
  3. Fearing a repeat of past experiences where your concerns were not taken seriously leaving you feeling frustrated and helpless, and/or
  4. Being fatigued or dealing with mental health struggles that distract or disengage you from keeping up with it all

However, I truly believe that my role in healthcare is first, to provide expert advice and treatment to my clients and second, motivate them in their own advocacy. In the hypothetical case of shoulder pain, no one expects you to know how your supraspinatus muscle should be worked on (that’s my job!) but your input should still be considered when you share insights collected from your own experience. By educating my clients on what I am doing, where I am working, and why it matters, my goal is to increase their self-awareness and engagement. I believe it benefits both me and my client when we are on the same page and using the same vocabulary as we navigate the challenges and triumphs in their health.

From your first time at Theralleve, and within every treatment thereafter, I consciously create an open dialogue where it is not uncommon for me to say,

“I know what I am feeling, but what do you feel?”

 

I certainly assess and create treatment that is informed by my examination, training, and experience, but I also value what my clients can contribute. Whether it is during RAPID or massage, I will ask you to notice how you are breathing, what your energy levels are like, where you might be feeling restriction and/or pain versus ease of movement, and in some cases, like those of you who suffer from migraines, I might even ask you to track your symptoms. By becoming more attune with the signals your body is sending, you not only begin to recognize both patterns and changes but also develop the ability to better articulate your evolving needs. When you know your own baseline, you can more easily take in information related to your health because you’re connecting dots rather than starting from scratch. From there, you can ask questions, give opinion, and apply both subjective and objective information to your situation to make more informed decisions with your partners in health.

A recent example of this ‘awareness in action’ was when a client of mine emailed to say that she was starting to piece together why her knees could be hurting and what she might be able to do outside of treatment to help. I literally was grinning from ear to ear as I read her deductive reasoning because I was witnessing my client discover what she needed, check in with me for guided feedback, and take informed action.

With so much “health” information buzzing around these days, including Dr. Google (just don’t), it is prudent to seek out the seasoned opinion of learned healthcare professionals but I encourage aligning yourself with those who want you to “talk back”. At the end of the day, you are the one living in your body and you need to be a part of the conversation!

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Small Steps, Big Outcomes: It’s never too late to start

by | Jan 8, 2025 | Fitness, Health Goals, Misconception, Self-care

Growing old is inevitable, but choosing to “age well” is a choice you get to make every day.

Admittedly, as fundamental as good health is to your wellbeing, achieving and maintaining it can sometimes come with a host of challenging factors. Genetic predispositions, environmental influences, access to care, and societal pressures like believing self-care is “selfish” or everything is already “going downhill” makes it seem even more unattainable. Not only that but outdated medical information about pain and rehabilitation (example: the RICE Method for acute injuries) continues circulation rather than promoting efforts to understand and utilize viable, game-changing healthcare alternatives.

It is enough to do your head in but while these challenges may exist, there is still cause for optimism as there are still plenty of things you can do each day to shape your future health whether you are 20, 80, or somewhere in between!

By making the decision to act in small but consistent ways, you hold the power to move toward better health. Contrary to what you may have been told, you have the ability to be mindful of where you’re at and adopt healthier habits to start living from a more empowered place.

Prioritize Movement:

If the idea of “staying active” stresses you out, think of it as moving your body. You don’t have to own a gym membership (unless that’s your thing), you just need to find a way that gets you moving at least once a day, most days of the week. You can go on a walk or run, do a home workout (sitting or fully mobile), or just put on your favourite tunes and groove along in whatever capacity feels good.

Especially for those of you who have had a RAPID treatment with me, you know how much I champion movement because, when combined with drinking more water, it helps your brain more effectively process and release bodily pain to get you feeling better.

Whether it is a high or low impact activity, moving your body has been shown to help with maintaining or bettering mobility, increasing circulation, slowing bone density loss, and improving cardiovascular and cognitive health.

Speak Up:

One of my overarching goals in both RAPID and massage is to increase your body (self) awareness. Whether this awareness is developed during your assessment or treatments, or when you are away from my clinic, I want you to get into the habit of understanding what makes your body tick. Gone are the days when you were told not to complain when things hurt and instead brush the dirt off and get on with it. More recent wisdom recommends pausing when there is pain and then taking action. This involves staying up to date with medical screenings, check-ups, and preventive care, even if you feel well.

If you wait for things to disappear on their own or worry in solitude, you could be doing more harm than good. Addressing any health concerns early on can increase your chances of receiving the treatment you need and the advocacy you deserve from the health professionals you trust. If you ever need more support from me, [FIRST NAME GOES HERE], just ask!

Rest & Recovery:

Similar to knowing when to move, you also need to know when to rest. Creating good habits around sleeping are particularly important. For my generation and younger, we have a habit of “scrolling” our social media feeds late at night. Although it’s not always possible to be completely off your devices, consider taking breaks where you can and being firm on the difference between what is necessary and what will have negative consequence. Less screen-time overall does make a difference, especially before bed.

Alternate nostril breathing: Also known as Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, this exercise involves inhaling through one nostril and then exhaling through the other. (You can Google for detailed instructions). Said to improve lung function, lower heart rate, and reduce anxiety, this technique advices practicing on an empty stomach and avoiding if you’re congested or sick.

Mental & Emotional Wellness:

Treat challenges and setbacks as learning opportunities where possible. Participate in activities in social settings. Connect with people you like. Do puzzles, play cards or other games to keep your mind sharp and stimulated.

One of the best things to come out of 2024 for me has been volunteering as a reading mentor at my local library. Each week, I help my “buddy” not only grow his reading skills with the books we read, but also by playing word games that increase his literacy, vocabulary, and problem solving skills. We both have a lot of fun while learning.

Celebrate Progress, not Perfectionism:

Moving towards health is about taking intentional action which is not always perfect. It is about the act of doing/trying and knowing you get the chance to do it all again tomorrow. It is about being kind to yourself. It is about knowing that each time you choose to do something or not do something, you make an impact. In that case, the best thing is to imagine the best outcome you want and act on it.

And as a friendly treatment-related reminder: I know that sometimes it can feel frustrating or disappointing when where you are right now is not quite where you want to be. If this is the case, I always recommend you look back to where you started as opposed to looking too far ahead. That way you will more often see the progress you have made which can further your trust in the process as well as your momentum.

In the end, “aging well” is knowing that every stage of life offers its own unique opportunities for growth, well-being, and joy. Whether you are laying down the foundation for the future or maximizing the quality of your life now, it is never too late!

Get after your goals with our ongoing support: (re)claim your wellness today!

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Cupping: is it all hype?

Cupping: is it all hype?

by | Jun 15, 2024 | Wellness alternative

When most people hear the word “cupping”, they may think of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps when he revealed his fixation towards this technique by showing the world his large, purple, and painless welts on his back. Regardless if we’ve jogged your memory about Phelps and his cupping marks, or have piqued your interest in the this moment, we’re delighted to provide you with more information about cupping in this post.

 

History

Despite the recent uptick of cupping in complimentary therapies, the practice of cupping therapy has been around for thousands of years. With its origin in Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures, there is evidence of early cups made from hallowed out gourds, horn, shells, bone, and glass, with plastic, and silicone* cups becoming the preferred type used by many therapists today. No matter the material, the principle is simple: when a concave instrument (a cup) is applied to the skin and pressure (or heat**) is added, a seal to create a vacuum occurs. When the pocket of air inside the cup is replaced by the skin being pulled upward into its cavity, the created suction can remain “parked” (not moved) or glided (moved) over the skin.

*At Theralleve, we work with silicone cups which are pliable to the skin and a lubricant like an oil or lotion allows glide. We use cupping within both our therapeutic and relaxation massage treatments.

**Fire cupping, which uses heat generated by a flash of flame to create the vacuum seal, is not common practice in Alberta, and is not practiced by any therapist at Theralleve.

 

Classifications

According to Seminars for Health (a reputable educating body where our therapists received their Dynamic Cupping training) there are five classifications of cupping. These can be described as follows:

  1. Wet cupping – the therapist will lightly scrape the skin so that blood can expel from the scoring and then apply the pressured cup on top. This is used in a lot of eastern culture cupping applications and requires a very specific license to practice in Canada.
  2. Dry cupping – cups are applied directly to the skin without lubricant and remain stationary with the trained therapist using needles or not. Dry cupping can also include cups attached with tubes where the air is pumped out of the cup and can therefore, create a stronger suction.
  3. Flash cupping – designed like it reads: quick application and release of suction – often used for stimulating the area.
  4. Gliding/Massage cupping – this is where Dynamic Cupping, our current clinic-use category, is categorized. The technique is largely movement-based with the therapist applying both passive and active range of motion to areas of the body whilst gliding the cups. This is one of the safest methods of cupping*.

 

Benefits and Effects

One of the largest promoted benefits of cupping therapy is the outcome of an increase in blood flow to the affected area(s). When muscles and joints lack oxygenated blood, they tend to move less and/or perform their movements ineffectively. Adhesions can form and this is when connective fibers (also known as fascia) “stick” together and form “bumps” or “knots” in and around muscle and joints and this can lead to pain and restriction.

Unlike traditional massage, which generally applies a downward pressure onto the fascia, cupping lifts fascia upward which helps lengthen the tissue (“untangles” adhesions). Cupping works similarly with breaking down scar tissue because it breaks down the layers of haphazard collagen on the injury site and brings back health stretch.

 Other, anecdotally cited benefits, are increases in energy, decreases in blood pressure, and an increased immune response.

 However, cupping can also produce other results that are less desirable (though uncommon) and must also be discussed prior to treatment. Some of these effects include decreased energy, an increased sensation of dizziness, pain/discomfort during treatment, headaches, and local tenderness.

 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, like all things that are health-related, consideration of a client’s health history (past and present conditions, medications, injuries, experience with cupping, etc.) should absolutely be reviewed prior to a cupping treatment. As you have come to expect at Theralleve, we will ask you a lot of questions to make sure that cupping therapy makes sense for your needs and goals.

Cupping is not for everyone, nor is it suitable for every issue or concern. As such, if your therapist decides that it is not for you, don’t fret, as we will be sure to find the best solution to your physical health needs. Your health matters.

 

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