I’d like to first speak about the massage, because this is not your traditional hands on spa massage, this is massage-by-machine.  Prior to my experience with the Inada Shiatsu Chair my opinions on massage chairs came from your typical coin operated Lazy Boys that can be found parked in the mall.    I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first to be getting my massage from a chair here, but it wasn’t long before my skepticism turned to sheer bliss.  I was truly amazed at what this “chair” had to offer.   To my surprise, it came equipped with hands and knuckles and was able to massage me from head to toe, sometimes doing both at the same time!!! It was like having an entire massage “pit crew” right there working on me. Not only did this machine have what felt to me like real hands, it also seemed to have brains.  Upon sitting down the chair performs a full body scan, using infrared technology to detect your individual hot spots.  These hot spots determine where you are holding tension.  The massage is then carried out accordingly.    I’d like to tell you a few wonderful things about getting a massage from a chair, apart from the obvious that it feels physically amazing, that you may not yet realize…  For one, you can wear your clothes during this treatment.  Secondly, there is nobody touching you.  And nobody touching you means nobody talking to you, so you can truly relax.  Nobody touching you also means there is nobody to tip after!!!  Take my word for it, this is luxury massage. I left feeling light, energized and relaxed all at the same time.  Don’t believe me?  Try it!

Now to discuss the far infrared saunas, which you may or may not have already heard all about.  There are endless benefits from regular soaks in these saunas.  On the surface, it’s relaxing…  Warm on a cold winter day…  And it makes your skin feel so soft…   More benefits are perhaps less seen and more subtly felt but in the bigger picture are so great in terms of long term health.  Most of these benefits stem from detoxification, the body cleaning out waste products, allowing it to function better, less like a used car and more like a well oiled machine.  Through regular use of the saunas poor blood circulation improves, high blood pressure is regulated, weight is lost, pain is relieved, tension is released, recovery times speed, skin conditions clear and the immune system is boosted.  Individuals who suffer from arthritis, eczema, fybromyalgia, chronic fatigue, bursitis and cardiovascular disease will all benefit.  The best part?  It’s easy.  Anyone can do it!  If you can sit, you can sauna…

Before I wrap this one up, I’d like to quickly introduce you to the owner of Soleil Body, Kimberly Sterling.  Kim also writes for ilovekelowna.com and if you are interested in the services offered at Soleil Body, I suggest reading her column, Lighten Your Load.  It will offer even more reasons why you should “lighten your load” and detoxify your body.

There is more information for your curious mind available on the studio’s  website, www.soleilbody.com.  Soleil Body can be found downtown in the cultural district; unit #104-1353 Ellis St. tucked in across from the library, you’ll see the sign on the sidewalk. It’s totally affordable and takes as little as half an hour.  Believe me its worth it and so are you!!!

There is a great selection of groceries and supplements for vegetarians and vegans alike, as well as dairy free and gluten free choices for those of us with sensitivities.If you are like most, and you aren’t exactly sure of what you should be eating and what you should be avoiding, then you should book a nutritional consultation with Shauna. She will let you know what it is that your body needs (or doesn’t need) in order for you to experience energy and vitality. In a world where many of us are constantly tired, stressed, run down, and out of energy, we could all benefit from a session with a nutritional counselor. Many ailments can be eliminated easily with simple diet modifications and internal cleansing routines.

Another valuable tool for healing, weight loss, and maintenance of health is regular use of the far infrared sauna. As opposed to a commercial sauna, the heat from that of a far infrared sauna penetrates deeper into the body, up to 1.5 inches. This allows for the stimulation of stubborn fat cells and encourages the release of toxins that are stored within them. During a thirty minute session you can burn up to six hundred calories. It is also excellent cardiovascular conditioning, increasing your heart rate, and speeding up your metabolism. Other benefits include purification of the skin, detoxification, as well as improved healing times. Conveniently enough, Abaco is home to Kelowna’s first far infrared sauna, which is available for use during business hours.

If you would like more information on the products and services offered by Abaco Health, or to book a consultation or sauna session, check out their website, www.abacohealth.com, where internet orders are welcomed (shipping is free within Canada on orders of 75$ or more). However, I encourage you to go in and meet the well educated staff working with Steve and Shauna, who will be sure to answer any questions that you may have. They are located in the Mission on the corner of Gordon and Cook, at #5-3818 Gordon Drive.

See you next time,

Stacy-Lynn

Are you suffering from an illness or disease that you have tried every pill, cream, treatment or therapy to make better?  Do you feel like a rubber ball being bounced from the doctors office to the drugstore and back again?? ?  If that sounds like you and you want to put an end to “the bounce” I am going to send you to All Body Care for a visit with my doctor who is a natural medicine professional, Ward Willison.

Ward is a doctor in the true sense of the word; which in latin means to teach.  He won’t prescribe you a magical pill or cream that you can go and pick up at the pharmacy…   He will teach you what is the root cause of your problem/pain/illness and then give you the tools from a variety of different natural therapies, that should you use them, will bring you back to health.

I’d like to ask you something, this being one of the therapies used at ABC, what the word “acupuncture” means to you.  Right away most people say “freaky needles” and cringe at the thought of being poked with them.   They ask me “doesn’t it hurt?” to which there is only one answer.  No, it doesn’t…  Not only is “being poked” a pain free procedure in itself but it actually relieves pain and offers relaxation.  Acupuncture provides back pain relief, menstrual pain relief, chronic pain relief, headache pain relief, arthritic pain relief; any kind of pain you have, acupuncture can relieve it.  It helps with digestive disorders, asthma, skin conditions, infections and the list goes on.  A session of needles will increase energy, awareness, balance and also improve mental health.

If you don’t believe in the power of natural medicine, read this:  Ward began studying natural therapies at the age of 21 when, due to a car accident, doctors told him he would never walk again.  I saw Ward the other day and he was walking and has been for years!!!  Like me, you might think that it’s amazing.  But Ward says plain and simply that the body is designed to heal itself.

The therapies that All Body Care uses have been around for thousands of years and are tried, tested and true.  Unlike conventional medicine that has been around for less than a hundred years, isn’t proven and generally comes with a scary list of side effects, you know the one, “may cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, fainting, dizzy spells, upset stomach, frequent urination, anxiousness, nervousness, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, hair loss, constipation, depression, swelling, bleeding” and it goes on.  Treatment at ABC is recognized as effective and is covered by extended medical plans.  You have nothing to lose, only health to gain.

To learn more about Wards business and background you can visit his website (www.allbodycare.com), send him an email (healing@allbodycare.com) or give him a call at (250)-869-0097.  The practice is located downtown at 1737 Pandosy near the corner of Highway 97 where you are welcome to drop in for a free personal consultation.

A good place to start? I suggest 19 Greens Putt & Play Zone on the west side. They have two 18 hole mini- golf courses; one is a true mini-golf course, neon balls and all, and the other is a long-distance par 3 putting course.

The mini-golf course is a good choice for you if you have young kids. The bumpers on each hole make it difficult to stray too far from par, so children of all ages can have a fair shot. It is what you would expect of a mini-golf course, played on astro-turf, and takes about 40 minutes to complete a round. It is required that you play the mini-golf course with a mini-golf putter which is supplied, and available in all sizes for children of ages two and up.

The long-distance putting course is much more challenging, and is actually quite good putting practice for the more serious golfer out there. From the tee to the pin, the average hole is somewhere around 150 meters in length, and can range from a par three to a par four. This course is played on real grass and without the bumpers. To play the 18 holes takes about an hour, and I recommend that if you have your own putter, to bring it. Putter rentals for this course are $1.00.

Playing on either course is something that you must do this summer. The view is stunning; the course overlooks the bridge, the lake, and downtown Kelowna. You can golf from 9:00 in the morning until midnight, with a lit evening session starting when the sun goes down, which is also quite beautiful (and also a bit cooler). More information on rates and location is available on their web site at: www.19greenskelowna.com. I hope to see you all on the greens! Enjoy the weather, see you next time! FORE!

Only Way Printing was the first of the two companies to be established. It is a relatively new business, offering the design and production of promotional materials, primarily business cards, flyers and postcards. Peter’s goal with this company was to provide the best prices in Kelowna and the surrounding area, and he certainly has accomplished this goal, able to offer full quality business cards (in full color, double sided on 14 point stock) for less than 7 cents a piece. I had to ask how it was possible, that they could offer such incredibly low prices and his answer was simple “We have no overhead.” Everything is done from home, so there is no rent or lease payment, nor are there any hourly wages being paid out. The only other employee is his son Chris who has recently just graduated from high school. Chris is in charge of the design and logo creation. He is a natural born artist and the design comes quite naturally to him - telling me that all he has learned, he has learned on his own through trial and error, “As you do more and more you learn different tricks and improve your skills”. There is no question that Chris is naturally artistic and you can see that talent shine through in all that he does.

Peter has literally built the company from the ground up and will one day leave it all for Chris, making it one of a very few bona fide family business’. In the meantime, Peter has provided his son a wonderful working opportunity, where he is able to profit from his skills. You can feel good about working with Only Way, knowing that you are getting the lowest possible prices and while your at it, supporting a small local business. Visit the print side of things on the web at www.onlywayservices.com.

The online discount network, Omnidealz.com, is Peter’s latest idea. It is a free online entertainment book that offers printout coupons for a variety of products and services for businesses worldwide. This site has perks for both the consumer and the company. I suggest checking it out, and staying tuned for a future biz profile - an in depth look at Omnidealz.com and all that it has to offer.