How to Keep Your Children Safe From Environmental Toxins

Health Canada is FINALLY getting on board with banning toxins in children’s toys – but is it too little or too late?

I am proud to be Canadian, I really am. I am so fortunate to live in a country where I have rights not only as a human being, but as a woman. Because I am so lucky to live where I do, I also have the option every day to make choices which are environmentally sustainable and responsible. I’m not perfect, but I do my best. It is for this reason that I am happy that Health Canada is finally doing something to prevent children from being exposed unnecessarily to even more toxins than they are already.

On the flip side, I am also very frustrated at the seeming inability of the masses, not just Canadians, to see how the chemical sludge in which we live affects our health. As an example, in the last 50 years, the incidence of breast cancer has increased in women from 1 in 50 to 1 in 8. Fertility rates are dropping, and the rate of boys being born is dropping as well – just watch the Canadian documentary “The Disappearing Male” if you really want to understand the impact of environmental toxins on human fertility.

The restriction on phthalates in children’s toys is a huge step forward, but my question is this: If Health Canada is acknowledging the potential danger of toxins in children’s toys, how can they ignore the danger of environmental toxins in everything else? And, how come big business and industry isn’t being held accountable for manufacturing them in the first place? Honestly, if our country has the technology to build the space arm, then surely we (as a species and nation) have the ability to find environmentally safe and sustainable alternatives to the products which have infiltrated our lives at every level and are quite probably responsible for many health issues. Just a thought.

For more information on the impact of environmental toxins on human health, there are a few really good books that have opened my eyes. Try reading Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things, written by Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence. Another eye opener concerning the environmental and human cost of the oil industry in Canada Stupid to the Last Drop: How Alberta Is Bringing Environmental Armageddon to Canada (And Doesn’t Seem to Care).

I honestly feel that the more aware we are, the more power we have to affect change in our own lives; after all, even small changes every day can make a huge cumulative difference.

Live well!

© Copyright 2009
www.whymassagetherapy.com
All Rights Reserved.

Massage Therapy Treatment Room Accessories – Floor Coverings

An eco-friendly, Turkish Style Area Rug made from recycled plastic is pretty, functional and easy to care for. After all, just because you walk on it doesn’t mean it can’t look nice.

Let’s face it, there are always challenges to knowing how to decorate your treatment room, be it a spa or a clinic, and there has to be a marriage between functionality and esthetics, and a reflection of your own taste. You are going to be spending a lot of time in your room, so you had better like it.

Footing is really important during a massage therapy treatment – the safety of you and your client both depend on it. What I have noticed during my years as a therapist is that I don’t really like to stand on a surface that is hard and makes noise as I move around the table. Surfaces such as tile, hardwood or concrete are noisy and can be rough on your legs as you stand a lot. Not to mention the fact that they can become slippery if you drop oil on it, and the last thing anyone needs is a slip and fall. (hello Whiplash!)
Most times we don’t have a choice in the treatment room of the materials our environment is made of, so we have to improvise.

Personally, I really like an area rug under my table, but it has to follow certain specifications to meet my expectations.

1) It has to be large enough so that when my table is in the centre, there is plenty of room for me to roll around on my stool – mobility is a huge deal for me, especially when working on a clients head, neck and shoulders when I am seated. Ideally, a minimum of 6×9 feet seems to work.

2) It has to be pretty. Whether it is plain or has a fancy design is very personal, but since my clients might spend a vast majority of time face down, it is best if it is pleasing to look at.

3) It has to be durable. Depending on how much your room is being used, it’s really easy for an area rug to wear out. Personally, I’d rather spend my business dollars on things like continuing education, so equipment or accessories that wear out easily are an expense I want to avoid, no matter how nice it looks when it’s new.

4) It has to be hygienic and easy to clean. My mom gave me a beautiful area rug that worked perfectly in my treatment room. Everything was great, it was big enough, pretty, easy on my legs, and helped to soundproof the room a bit. Great, except that it got stained from oil and gel being dropped on it, and wore out in a pattern around the table. It’s not so pretty right now (not to mention that it probably has some germs lurking around in it) and I won’t be able to use it in my living room. I wish I would have thought of that before I ruined it. Instead of being able to hose it off, I’ll have to get an environmentally friendly cleaner to steam clean it.

5) In my efforts to be eco-friendly, it has to be made from either a recycled material or from an ethically sourced, sustainably manufactured material. Usually this is the sticking point for people, as most people want to make an effort to be eco-friendly, but the expense can be prohibitive. There are cost-friendly options, you just have to know where to look. Gaiam has a great Turkish style area rug that is durable and pretty – and when you get tired of it in your treatment room, you can put it on your deck or patio.

6) Don’t forget that if you use an area rug, you should get a non-slip backing to put under it. Even though the weight of the table will pretty much anchor it, the backing will also help protect the flooring underneath – especially important if you are renting space with nice hardwood or tile flooring.

So many of us are concerned with the treatment aspect of the business, we don’t realize that a little forethought concerning our work space goes a long way. Trying to be green makes it a little more challenging, but it can be done.

© Copyright 2008-2009
www.whymassagetherapy.com
All Rights Reserved.

Massage Therapy, One Million Acts of Green and Father’s Day

A lot of stuff to cover today, a bit of a mish-mash, but here it goes …

I recently jumped on the One Million Acts of Green website, and actually recorded my acts of green – I am so amazed that some very simple things that I do daily can have such a large, cumulative effect on the planet. And what is even more amazing to me is that my conversion has been all very painless and very simple. Who would have thought?

I have thought a lot about massage therapy practice and the environmental impact since my post on Earth Day, and I have always been conscious of how human activity affects the environment and our health. I realize that some people feel that whatever they do won’t make a difference anyway, so why bother? Or, some people think that the environmental impact of our activities is blown out of proportion, and they continue to do as they please with little regard for future generations. But, I am happy to report that bringing even very simple things to the attention of others can be a catalyst for positive, sustainable change. Small changes really do add up, and I am living proof, as my carbon footprint has been reduced by over 280,000 kg/year.

I really do encourage as many people as possible to get on the above website and see not only what they are doing that has made a positive impact, but also what can be done to help out the environment. Check out Green Nexxus – One Million Acts of Green to learn more about what you can do, every day, to help mitigate the impact of human activity on the planet.

And, on a lighter note, since Father’s Day is fast approaching, why don’t you go green when thinking of the men in your life? I don’t know many men who pass up gadgets, so why not make a “gadgety” gift as eco-friendly as possible? I’m talking hemp wallets, solar barbeques – you know he wants it! (or maybe you want it? It’s all good) The products at Exclusively Green are environmentally friendly and sustainable, how great is that?

So, massage therapists and clients, give Dad a green gift, and check out what you can do at the same time to lighten the load on the planet.

Massage Therapy – Going Green on Earth Day

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Here in Halifax we are getting Mother Nature’s finest display of rain and wind I have seen for a while, but it’s all good. After all, every day is a bonus.

As a Massage Therapist, I have often contemplated the role the environment plays in my health and that of my clients. I have always been concerned about the environment, but have had a really hard time until recently a) finding accurate information which can help me live as eco-friendly as possible, and b) being taken seriously by skeptical folks (it’s getting better, but as we all know, there are some people who think global warming is a hoax).

Now, just let me clarify one thing – I am not a perfect, eco-friendly being. Yes, I have a car, but it is energy efficient, I take care of it in the most eco-friendly ways possible, and I really don’t drive that much. I do recycle a lot, have a stainless steel mug for my shade-grown coffee (for the most part), and lie awake at wondering at the plight of the whales, polar bears, honey bees and (sometimes) the human race.

When it comes to massage therapy as a profession, I chose to join an alternative health care industry out of my belief in a more holistic way of being and providing health care. I am sure that there are many others who share my beliefs, and at the very least, most massage therapists will acknowledge that what is applied to skin during treatment is absorbed into it and can affect the body. While there is a great deal of evidence which suggests that parabens found in many skin care and massage therapy products may be carcinogenic, how many of us are willing to absorb the extra cost of providing our clients with toxin-free mediums? Not only might we be exposing our clients to harmful chemicals, but we are literally elbow deep in the stuff for up to 5 or 6 hours a day.

For hygiene purposes, to prevent the spread of communicable disease, it is a generally accepted fact that linens be washed in hot water with chlorine bleach after each use – how environmentally friendly is that? I am 100% on board with washing anything that has touched bare skin of a client after its use, but I wonder if there are alternatives to performing our daily duties in a more sustainable way, so as to help preserve the environment? Perhaps washing a full load of linen in hot water with non-chlorine bleach followed by a cold rinse would suffice? Also, how about using a laundry detergent that is not only scent-free, for our clients and colleagues with environmental sensitivity, but also is absent of ingredients such as phosphates, dyes and perfumes? While we’re at it, why don’t we ban the dryer sheets and ensure that our appliances are working as efficiently as possible? Not only is this approach good for the environment, it is great for the pocket book.

The clinic itself is often an area where a multitude of environmental sins takes place. From massage table cleaner to floor, rug and bathroom cleaner, hygiene doesn’t have to equal toxic but it often does. There are several suitable alternatives to toxic, commercial and household cleaning products if you take the time to seek them out (bear with me, I am trying to help my readers with just that issue).

The bottom line is this – in an alternative health care industry such as massage therapy, how can we stand idly by and ignore our own behaviours which are contributing (in a small but not insignificant way) to the growing crisis in the environment? Isn’t it our responsibility in teaching our clients about holistic health care to acknowledge that our lives depend on the very health of the planet? If we fail to at least make a minimal effort to “green” our practices, then we are not only failing our clients and ourselves, we are failing the planet and future generations.

We don’t have to be perfect, a little effort can go a long way. Today, Earth Day, is the perfect opportunity to start thinking about how the massage therapy industry can have a positive impact on our clients, ourselves and our planet.