Cloud Nine in the heart of Downtown Maple Ridge

To stay happy, healthy and  stress-free,  I look at the physical , mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of myself.  http://www.balancingmindbodysoul.co.uk/spiritual-development/the-four-aspects-of-self  When you take care of the physical, it becomes easier to deal with the other three.  I am blessed to have my husband who is a Shiatsu Therapist who looks after my physical and going out for some "me" time at the gym, spas and  meditating takes care of the rest.  Some people think that going to the spa is a luxury and sure enough it is.  It is a  luxury that one can not afford not to miss.  Take care of yourself, so you can take care others to the best of your ability.  Don't feel guilty, you owe it to your family and the people around you.

On October 1st 2014 I was on Cloud Nine!  Living in British Columbia, we are no stranger to rain clouds but once in a while we experience Cloud Nine and it is thankfully in Maple Ridge.  You want to know my secret to feeling this good ALL month?  It's starts with a Dermalogica Personalized Skin Treatment which lasts one hour.

Okay, first you fill out a form which asks you some health questions  about your skin type and allergies and such then comes the face mapping.  Like I said this facial treatment is personalized, so it is tailored specifically for your skin type.  

A place to put your personal items while having a facial

I had not had a facial in years and there was a reason for that.  My memory of my last facial was not very good and because it was my first time I had no idea what to expect.  In talking to Alicia, my esthetician at Cloud Nine, they are there to help make you feel good--not uncomfortable.  After seeing the questions on the form, I already felt assured that this experience would be a million times better.  It asked about claustrophobia and that is what I felt like when the steam was coming at my face.  Because this line of questioning was in the form, I instantly knew that  this experience was going be better and it was not uncommon to feel the way that I felt the first time and it does not have to be that way.  Alicia's attention to detail and skill as an esthetician definitely made my experience so relaxing like being on cloud nine.

My lovely esthetician

The friendly smile that greeted and welcomed me to Cloud Nine Nail Bar

Cloud Nine just had their One year Anniversary!  Happy birthday, Cloud Nine!  What sets them apart from their competition is the way the staff make you feel and the way the owners make their staff feel like family.  The business is a partnership between Wendy and Chantal, Maple Ridge moms who were and still are "nail salon addicts",  and who I totally resonate with.  It is evident to see as soon as you walk into the salon that this is a passion for Wendy and Chantal.  Located in the heart of downtown Maple Ridge close to all amenities and transit, we Maple Ridge residents don't have drive all the way to downtown Vancouver to feel pampered.  We have it all right at our doorstep.  Their commitment to customer service shines through, and they take pride in  their work and how the facility is kept so immaculate and best hygiene practices are definitely in place.  Read their story and their "why" here.  http://cloudninenailbar.com/about/about-us/

That's not all!!!!  The prices at Cloud Nine are reasonable and they have a membership option.  How cool is that?

http://cloudninenailbar.com/memberships/

After my fantastic facial, I had a Gel Manicure.  Wow!!!  It is AMAZING!  I still had it on after a month and aside from my nails growing, it is as good as the day I left the Nail Bar!  I definitely recommend anyone to Cloud Nine Nail Bar in Maple Ridge.  Quality products, warm, friendly and knowledgeable staff.  

Check them out!  Like them on Facebook!https://www.facebook.com/CloudNineNailBar  Book an appointment!  You will not be disappointed!  http://cloudninenailbar.com/book-an-appointment/

11882 226th Street

Maple Ridge, British Columbia

+001 604-467-6245

Open

Today 9:30am - 9:00pm

http://www.cloudninenailbar.com/

Chewy Junior--Vancouver's Newest Tasty Treat

What is better than a donut, 

as classy as a profiterole

and as trendy as macarons?

Well you probably will not be able to guess unless you've been to Singapore where the first of its kind was created by Kevin Ong.  The chains quickly spread throughout Asia and now Chewy Junior has made its debut in North America right here in Vancouver at the edge of Gastown.

Chewy Junior puffs are crunchy on the surface, chewy on the first bite then, AAAAHHHHH!!!!! (Angels from heaven are singing) the heavenly creamy centre!

There are many flavours to choose from, although there are no savoury once yet.  If you are ever walking down Cordova Street and you catch a scent of deliciousness, you may have experienced what John and I experienced when we paid them a visit with the YVR Foodies gang.

Looking at these little beauties, you might think you will be ruining your diet by having one, but surprisingly depending on which one you choose, it is only about 200 calories that can easily burned off with one Zumba class (which I love anyway and I believe in doing and eating everything I love in moderation)!  If you are craving a cheesecake, you can have a Strawberry Dream or a Blueberry Angel, just enough to satisfy the craving without all the calories of a classic cheesecake.

It's not a mystery how they get the creamy centre in because we all got a chance to make one.  

So, one tip when you bite into this blissful yumminess, take a bite where you see the hole that the cream went into, so there is no danger of losing any of that goodness and being messy. 

Canadian Brand Developer and Franchisee in Vancouver, Ashvin Abraham is excited to share Chewy Junior with all of the Vancouver and says there has already been a few interested parties that would like to open a Chewy Junior perhaps in your neighbourhood!  His focus is attention to detail, producing quality each and every time and to "share happiness" with all who pays Chewy Junior a visit.   I'm certain you will enjoy it as my as John (ShiatsuShaman.com) and I did!

Mental Health Awareness

It's October 10th, World Mental Health Day, a day we are dedicating to promoting awareness.  Awareness, so that we are not insensitive to the people around us that may be suffering from poor mental health.  I think we become insensitive because we do not know much about it and not many of us go and learn about it.  

I know that people can suffer from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, migraines and dementia, and we might think it is something that can be taken care by taking drugs or adjusting how you perceive a situation.  Not so, in some cases, the reason is a brain chemical imbalance which is as a result of blood sugar levels.

According to Acupuncture Today, "the brain is the most dependent part of your body to sugar".  It needs energy from the sugars in our food to form blood sugar.

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32621

Acupuncture Today also says that when the brain does not have enough energy, especially over many years, a depletion of serotonin is the result.  With a depletion of serotonin, our brains cannot respond to pleasurable events which results in depression.

Now that we know that depression, anxiety, panic attacks, dementia and migraines are sometimes due to brain chemical imbalance, we can now look at some solutions.

Western Medicine's approach is to prescribe anti depressants, which for some is an option.  It takes care of getting rid of the symptoms (shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain, trembling, feeling unreal or detachment from surroundings etc) for the short term and has side effects.  

Looking at it holistically and in the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach, we can treat the root cause the imbalance.

1.  Shiatsu Therapy Treatment (no needles) or acupuncture twice a month

2.  Eat in a way that keeps a constant but slow flow of glucose to your blood.  Protein-rich breakfast, snack every two-three hours with protein in it.  Do not finish meals with a sugar rich dessert and avoid bread and simple carbohydrates in between meals that will cause your blood sugar to spike like crazy.

3.  Take supplements and herbal medicine that fix the chemical pathways that are broken to restore insulin sensitivity.

This sounds like how a diabetic would eat, you say?  Well, if this chemical imbalance is not corrected, Type 2 Diabetes is what is going to result.  Keeping our mental health in check is very important, because everything is connected.

Symptoms are our body's way of telling us there is something wrong.  It is an early warning to us to change our lifestyle, eating habits, the way we think etc.  So the next time you get a headache or experience anxiety, ask yourself what you can do differently.    How do we support our loved ones who have panic attacks and depression?  Let's be aware of our mental health.

To your health,

Christine

ShiatsuShaman's Wife

Vancouver Entrepreneurs Group: An Open Invitation

I took the definition of "entrepreneur" from Merriam Webster's dictionary and Dictionary.com and combined the two and this is what it says, "A person who organizes, operates a business or businesses, and exercises initiative by organizing a venture to take benefit of an opportunity, taking greater than normal financial risks.


I never really thought of myself as an entrepreneur until now.  After I graduated from Langara College in Vancouver, I started working for the Royal Bank, at that time I thought I was going to be an employee forever, even after getting married and having children.  That changed quickly and I had the pleasure of staying at home to raise my three beautiful daughters.  Now, that I have remarried I am a self employed entrepreneur!!!!!!  Go figure.

I have so much to learn.  My husband, John and I both know the value of networking and creating connections.  With the Launch of the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Group on Tuesday, September 30 at the Firefighter's Public House, we now have a dynamic group to network with as well as a results oriented education portion during the 3 hour interactive meeting.   Ricky Shetty, Daddy Blogger was the MC and co-organizer, along with Dan "the Man" Lok was the Keynote Speaker, sharing his rags to riches story with the jam-packed room.  The room was buzzing with excitement, like something magical was going to happen.

Well, Ricky Shetty did an awesome job as the MC!  I love his passion for being a dad and entrepreneur.

Then, the moment we were all waiting for, Dan Lok.  He gave us so many insights and I'd like to share a few here:

Your business is a reflection of you.

No one can succeed in business alone.

80% Mindset and 20% Mechanics


Wealth is committing to one idea over time.

Here are the rules for the group:

1. BE YOURSELF, be the most powerful and most authentic that you can be.

2. NO Energy drainers allowed!

3. NO Excuses!

4. NO Bad Apples


He continued to give us advice that really hit home.  

Don't take advice on "How to get rich" from broke people.

Develop alligator skin and stop worrying about what people think of you.

Get a mentor


I love Dan's story of how he got his mentor.  If you join us, maybe he will tell it again!

Rosalyn Cua was the featured entrepreneur.  She is a foodie, writer, personal growth junkie, eco-friendly entrepreneur catalyst creating a more beautiful world.  She talked about people and compared them to apples.  The 4 types of apples:

1. Red apples are positive people and action takers which is on about 20% of the people we will meet.
2. Green apples are dreamers but not doers
3. The 3rd type of apples are the ones that are left to sit, the ones who turn brown because of inactivity.  They are the nay-sayers.  Do not not spend anytime with this type.
4. Rotten apples, need I say more?!?!

This is just a short summary of what I got out of the evening.  You will need to come and experience the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Group for yourself and see what results you get!  After the 3 hours of speakers and activities, John and I went downstairs for a drink with Dan and the others.  It was nice to chill and absorb what we learned and get to know the other entrepreneurs.  

What a magical evening of inspiration!  You won't want to miss the next one!  We meet every two weeks, so head on over to the Meetup.com and register and pay so you, too can experience the magic.  Oh, ya....I have homework to do (yes there is homework!!!)
http://www.meetup.com/Vancouver-Entrepreneurs-Group-Business-Network/


Connect with me on Twitter (@shiatsuwife) or Facebook on my personal page https://www.facebook.com/christine.ferreira67 or check out my business page https://www.facebook.com/shiatsushaman?ref=hl

Would love to hear about your entrepreneurial adventures!

http://www.meetup.com/Vancouver-Entrepreneurs-Group-Business-Network/


Blessings,
Christine

Motivation, Music and Movement at Fitwells for Women

Since I started my blog, I have met so many amazing people.  Being part of this special and amazing group of women at Fitwells For Women in Maple Ridge and Coquitlam has been so much fun!  

I found out about the Fitwells Bloggers Outreach from Salma Danini Dewji of thewritebalance.ca.  We are both members of YVR Bloggers, a community of bloggers in the Vancouver area.  I thank her for this great opportunity. 

Fitwells is a "Community within a Community" and has become a staple in many communities.  In the heart of downtown Maple Ridge, Fitwells has become THE place for health, fitness, and nutrition.  Here you will find it all--from Group Fitness classes, world class equipment,  personal training, boot camps, nutrition, childminding, tanning studios and massage.

If you know what you are looking for in your fitness goals, you can get started right away with a Fitness Assessment, so that you have a starting point to set goals.  If you are unsure as to what to expect,  you can start with sampling the services with the 3 Day Trial membership.

The Body Composition Analysis Report is a helpful tool for you to look at for goal setting.  My report was very informative because it told me that my muscle mass was awesome and that it is the reason why I got a high score for overall health.  My goal is to decrease my body fat composition so I can finally be at my optimum weight.

As a stay at home mom of years ago, I always heard about fitness facilities and how some people feel they have to wait until they are in shape before they would feel comfortable about joining, for fear of being judged.  That does not make sense to me.  Fitwell's has a friendly and supportive staff that keep you accountable and motivated.  It is a great place to connect with women who are experiencing the same challenges.  It is also a place where you can come and just let some steam off.  There is something for everybody.  For a fitness program to be effective, the activity needs to something that you can see yourself doing regularly and it needs to become a part of your day.  For example, because Fitwells is located centrally in Maple Ridge,  it is  easy to get to as you are coming home from work,  after you drop the kids off to school, or you are going grocery shopping.

The before workout look, no sweat, still smiling!

I LOVE the Group Fitness Classes!!!!!  Love the music, movement and motivation I get from the members and the instructor.  I even went to the 6:05 classes, when I was not able to attend the other classes because of my appointments during the day.  It's a great way to start your day.  There are also class times at noon, if you prefer to come at your lunch hour from work or just before you have to pick up the kids from school.  Of course, on the days that I have many appointments with our Shiatsu Practice, I can choose to come in the evening.  My favourite classes are as follows, Group RX, Step and Sculpt, Zumba, and yoga.  There are plenty of other classes to choose from.  If you prefer a bootcamp style,  XLab or spinning that is available as well.

I'm all set for the Group RX class

During Group RX class when I increased my weight factor--very intense!

On October 20th Fitwells is having a Birthday Party, and John and I will be there to celebrate with Shiatsu Demos at the Coquitlam location and the Maple Ridge location.  It will be a whole day of festivities for the whole family starting at 9:00am and going until 8:00pm.  Some of the activities will be FREE Zumba classes, FREE food, Face Painting, Personal Training Demos, 50/50 Draw and Prizes!  

Come celebrate and check out Fitwells Facilities!  Here is a great way to celebrate, enter to win a 3 month membership and one XLab class.  Just follow the instructions for the Rafflecopter below, you can just bypass the comment below (still working out how to be able to have comments).  If you want to get started right away, just go into Fitwells and do the 3 day trial. 


www.fitwells.ca


Here is to your health!  
Christine

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogelina is AMAZING

As you all know I just started my blog on September 21st of this year.  This is my 4th post.  I wish I had discovered blogging when my daughters (now 22, 21 and 17) were younger.  I know I would have had so much to share about my experiences as a stay at home mom, school volunteer, Girl Guide Leader and the each milestone that each daughter had.  Well, there is no reason why I couldn't share them with you on this blog or I can start one that is dedicated to those beautiful memories!  So many options!  I am loving it!!!!!

Anyway, being new to blogging also means I need a lot of support and resources.  I am part of a great community here in the Vancouver area called the YVR Bloggers and have met so many bloggers that are so supportive.  I am sure that I will be sharing their blogs in my blog from time to time.  Ricky Shetty, Daddy Blogger is the founder and organizer of YVR Bloggers, YVR Foodies, YVR Masterminds and adding many more groups to support our love of connecting with the community and blogging.

AND I found this AMAZING website called Blogelina!  It's really about people helping people!  I would love to help them get 8000 likes on Facebook. At this moment they are at 6615 likes.  When they reach 8000 their 99 cent blog transfer deal will go live.  That deal is unheard of!  The other amazing thing is the deal they have on now is also unheard of.

Here is the link to the deal.  You will not believe your eyes!  It's so good that you may not even wait for the 99 cent deal to go live.  


http://www.blogelina.com/2014/10/0-99-blogger-to-wordpress-transfers-hosting-included/

http://www.blogelina.com/join-a-community-of-women-who-love-to-blog/blogelina-services-products/have-your-blog-transferred-and-save/





Please like them on Facebook


https://www.facebook.com/blogelina

Happy blogging!  And don't be surprised when my blog gets transferred to Wordpress and has a new domain name.