October 2002

Publisher: The Pacific Wellness Institute
Tim Tanaka, Ph.D., Director

Newsletter Editor: Victor Chan, MBA

Contributors for this issue: Emily Crown, CST; Haruko Ishihara, RNC, CR;
Claudia Tanaka


This newsletter is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice
 

Inside this Issue

• News From The Pacific Wellness Research Center
• Schedule Your Free Massage Today!
• Group Hypnosis Sessions
• Shiatsu and Pregnancy
• Healthy Japanese Cooking"Sesame Flavored Tofu Salad"
   

The Pacific Wellness Institute
80 Bloor Street West, Suite 1100
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2V1
Tel: 416-929-6958
Fax: 416-929-6365
e-mail: info@pacificwellness.ca
website: www.pacificwellness.ca

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Newsletter 

News From The Pacific Wellness Research Center

 Dr. Tanaka's recent study has been published in the most prestigious journal in alternative medicine.

Dr. Tanaka was awarded a research grant from CMTO to conduct a scientific study on massage therapy. The study has now been successfully completed and we are pleased to inform you that the outcome of the study has just been published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine - a highly respected peer-reviewed journal. The study, entitled "Effect of Massage on Localized Lumbar Muscle Fatigue", tested the effectiveness of massage by utilizing EMG power spectral analysis. According to one BMC reviewer, this is the first study ever to use the most advanced objective fatigue assessment method to investigate the efficacy of massage. It is well-known that muscle fatigue is one of the major causes of many chronic pain conditions. Efficient recovery from fatigue, therefore, plays an extremely important role in injury prevention and in occupational and sports performance enhancement. Dr. Tanaka is committed to investigating the most effective solutions for muscle fatigue in his upcoming research. For more details, the full-text article can be viewed on the internet at www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882

Schedule Your Free Massage Today!

As you may already be aware, many insurance plans now cover massage and acupuncture treatments. Most insurance companies allow a certain amount of coverage per calendar year and will not allow you to carry forward any unused portions over to the next year. So, if you still have some unused insurance benefits left, this is the time to take advantage of your coverage. Why not receive a series of treatments before the year-end to fully utilize your benefits? To find out how much coverage you have remaining or to book an appointment please contact Claudia by phone at 416-929-6958 or by e-mail at claudia@pacificwellness.ca

Group Hypnosis Sessions For Stress

Do you have a difficult time trying to relax? Did you know that 15 minutes of hypnosis can be equivalent to three hours of regular sleep? Why wait for you level of stress to become painfully unbearable? Take a few precious moments for yourself and experience the wondrous soul-boosting effects of hypnosis. Colin Rosati will be hosting group hypnosis classes every Tuesday evening from 5-7pm. Imagine this class as a delightful day at the "brain spa". Fun suggestions aimed at charging your subconscious' natural abilities to attract more money and tantalize the opposite sex may also be added upon request. The cost is $30 for each 2-hour class or inquire about our discount for advance block sessions.

Shiatsu and Women's Issues

Pregnancy - by Emily Crown

Hello, my name is Emily Crown, a certified Shiatsu Therapist at the Pacific Wellness Institute. I specialize in treating women's issues such as premenstrual stress, painful menses, pregnancy, and menopause using honed pressure-based techniques perfected over a thousand years ago in Japan. During pregnancy, shiatsu is very beneficial for both mother and baby. If the mother-to-be has any pre-existing conditions such as headache, neck and shoulder tension, digestive problems (to name a few examples), a series of shiatsu treatments can help to prevent symptoms naturally and avoid having to take medication during the pregnancy. Expectant mothers will also appreciate the benefits of shiatsu during each of the trimesters. The first trimester can often be accompanied by nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and swelling. Localized treatments encourage healthy circulation and are designed to be emotionally reassuring and relaxing during these first few months in particular. During the second trimester, the growing uterus displaces and compresses intestines and nerve endings and impedes circulation. This often leads to constipation, leg cramps, and further swelling. The treatment is focused on the back to relieve tension in the abdominal organs and to restore circulation to these areas. During the third trimester, the body changes drastically to accommodate the baby. In addition to the symptoms already mentioned, both upper and lower back ache and headaches will appear. Expectant mothers appreciate treatment during this time the most, as a way to restore energy and promote relaxation. Working primarily on the lower body, the treatments are tailored to ease sore muscles through careful stretching and gentle pressure points. Shiatsu therapy can make pregnancy a less stressful experience by promoting an easier labour as well as balancing the body. As your body changes to accommodate the new baby, my treatment style will change to accommodate you and I can ensure a safe, relaxing, and effective experience for both mother and child.

Healthy Japanese Cooking

By Haruko Ishihara, RNCP, CNP, CR.

Tofu is now widely used not only for healthy cooking but also for gourmet cooking. It is no longer an exotic food in North America. However, some people still hesitate to eat it because of the unique texture. If this describes your family, then try this recipe and see if they can guess that it is actually a tofu dish. As you probably know, tofu is an excellent source of protein, low in saturated fats and rich in calcium and other minerals and vitamins. Moreover, this soy product has the advantage of being easy to digest compared to soybean itself. If you like the smooth tofu taste, silky tofu is the one you should use. In terms of nutrient value, hard tofu tends to contain more proteins and calcium. On the other hand, you can obtain more B vitamins from silky tofu. You can use either one for this recipe. This is a unique temple cooking dish that is well known in Japanese cuisine. When you serve it with brown rice it becomes a perfect nutritious meal which supplies you the complete amino acids, building blocks of proteins, as well as good fats and carbohydrates.