Reflect Catch Up!

I thought it was time for a little CATCH UP!

I hope that you are all well and loving our beautiful winter weather ~ We have been so blessed!

So what's news!

As most of you know I am busy with my Masters in Cognitive Science (which I hope to finish this year) and I am in the process of doing my Life Alignment Module 2 course, which I am super excited about!

I am going to be needing case studies for my Module 2 qualification, so if you would like to be a case study please drop me an email.

As a case study you would be required to do 2 Life Alignment Sessions with me.

Here is a little more about Life Alignment for those of you who would like a little more information.

"Life Alignment identifies the energetic and emotional root cause of imbalance in your body, helps you release these blockages and then restore the natural flow of life energy so that deep healing can occur."

For more information you can follow the following link:
http://www.life-alignment.com/Pages/za/what-is-life-alignment.html

I would also like to remind all of you to please like my FACEBOOK PAGE, you can click on the following link below: http://www.facebook.com/reflect.therapies

Winter Specials

I have recently just discovered the most amazing Soy Massage Candles, so as part of making this Winter decadent,  I have included them into my Winter Specials!

I hope you like them!

Winter Specials

Running from 18th of June -  31st of July 2013

Introducing the
Soy Candle Holistic Back Massage

The Soy Candle is enriched with vitamin E, Lecithin and a unique blend of Aromatherapy Oils.
This is a warm-oiled experience is guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed and your skin nourished!
A MUST for these cold winter days!

Introductory Special: R350
Usual Cost: R400

Introducing the
Soy Candle Reflexology Foot Massage

Introducing the Soy Candle, Warm-Oiled Experience, to Your Reflexology Treatment.

The combination of the warm oil and the reflexology is a decadent treat for anyone who loves having their feet pampered!
The Soy Candle is enriched with vitamin E, Lecithin and a unique blend of Aromatherapy oils which will leave your feet feeling soft and nourished. The Oils have also been shown to help cracked heels.
 Reflexology is a system of massage used to relieve tension and treat illness, based on the theory that there are reflex points on the feet that are linked to every part of the body.

Introductory Special: R250
Usual Cost: R300

If you would like to book your session please contact Mandy on mandy@reflect-therapies.com or 072 937 8584

(VOUCHERS are AVAILABLE on REQUEST)

Antioxidant Scanning

If you are serious about your health and/ or you want to start making some lifestyle changes for the New Year, this is the PLACE to start!

It literally will give you the first step towards a happier healthier you!

Please find the details of the Antioxidant Scan Below…

INFORMATION ON
ANTIOXIDANT SCANNING

As part of educating people on the importance of investing in their overall health and well being, I have managed to set up some ANTIOXIDANT SCANNING days, where you can come and have your Antioxidant score taken.

The scan takes about 90seconds & it is totally non-evasive & it is also 100% safe for children
this is the same scanner that was featured on Dr Oz’s show – see the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LCS33KBqyw

 So WHY are ANTIOXIDANTS so IMPORTANT? 

Antioxidants are the things that protect your cells from Free Radical Damage.
The lower the Antioxidant Levels are in your body, the more prone your cells are to free radical damage
thus making you more susceptible to lifestyle diseases, colds & flu.
There is also a direct correlation between your antioxidant levels and how well your body copes with stress.

 Look at this Scan Result as being like your "Health Barometer".

It will tell you whether your current lifestyle, diet and supplementation are working for you or not.
It lets you know what is going on inside of you & if you need to make any changes in your supplementation and or lifestyle.

BOOKINGS are by Appointment.
Cost: R20
If you would like to book an Antioxidant Scan for you or family please email me on mandy@reflect-therapies.com

 Product of the MONTH

Cortitrol and TeGreen
This combination is Brilliant for
WEIGHT LOSS & STRESS MANAGEMENT!



I swear by this combination & have recommended it to numerous people who are stressed, battling to sleep &/ or would like to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle! Totally natural and effective!

TeGreen

Green tea has been used traditionally in China for thousands of years for its various benefits and now also modern science has identified antioxidants in green tea.

Green tea consumption helps to protect our body by reinforcing the body's natural defence against the effects of free radicals that occur from pollution, stress, smoke and toxins. Tegreen also helps to burn fat and boost your metabolism rate naturally.
Tēgreen 97^® is a proprietary, concentrated extract containing polyphenols and catechins found naturally in green tea.

Cortitrol

Cortitrol® is a unique dietary supplement that helps you stay calm and relaxed through a proprietary blend of ingredients shown to promote healthy cortisol levels.

Cortisol, sometimes referred to as the fight-or-flight hormone, is manufactured in the adrenal glands in response to emergency situations. The sporadic release of cortisol is both normal and essential to human health. In fact, scientific evidence shows that maintaining normal levels of cortisol supports various aspects of human health. The too frequent release of cortisol results in elevated cortisol levels, which can have a multi-factorial effect on human health.

Cortitrol® is a unique dietary supplement that helps support healthy levels of cortisol by combining natural ingredients that have been scientifically shown to have direct cortisol-balancing effects. Pharmanex s proprietary formula also contains TheaPure", an all-natural theanine extract made from green tea leaves. TheaPure" supports your ability to respond to situations more calmly.

If you would like further information on these products please feel free to contact me on mandy@reflect-therapies.com


Well that's all my news for now & I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Have a super and safe week!

 

Yours in Wellness,

 

Mandy

 

Some information on Antioxidants from the Father of Antioxidants!

Human Health, Carotenoids and the Pharmanex® BioPhotonic Scanner

by

Professor Lester Packer, Ph.D.

Carotenoids are a family of natural fat-soluble nutrients important for antioxidant defense (Packer, 1992, 1993; Cadenas and Packer, 2002) found throughout the plant kingdom. They are responsible for the red, orange or yellow color of many fruits and vegetables, such as pineapples, citrus fruits, peaches, nectarines, persimmons, tomatoes, papaya, apricots, carrots, watermelons, pumpkins, squashes and sweet potatoes. Sometimes their presence is masked by chlorophyll, especially in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, collard greens, and kale.

These substances also impart color to many birds (flamingo, ibis, canary, the Egyptian vulture's brightly colored yellow head), insects (lady bug), marine animals (crustaceans, salmon) and flowers.
More than 600 carotenoids have been identified in nature but less than 50 are abundant in the human diet. Among these, five carotenoids, b-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin are found in the blood and known to be important in human health (Khachik et al., 1992; Gerster, 1993). A large number of epidemiological and experimental studies offer strong evidence that carotenoids are nutritionally important for normal cell regeneration (Clinton and Giovannucci, 1998; Clinton, 1999), eye health (Landrum et al., 1997; Cooper et al., 1999), plus numerous other health aspects linked to unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals (Rao and Agarwal, 2000; Cadenas and Packer, 2002).
Most of the health benefits of carotenoids are associated with their action as antioxidants, that is, they protect cells and tissues from the effects of free radicals (Mortensen et al., 2001; Paiva and Russell, 1999).

Carotenoids are "sacrificial" antioxidants. In other words, carotenoid molecules are not regenerated like other antioxidants, and are degraded in the process of neutralizing free radicals or reactive oxygen species. A typical carotenoid molecule like lycopene or b-carotene is able to sustain more than 20 free radical hits by lipid radicals before it becomes completely destroyed (Tsuchiya et al., 1994). In this way, elevated tissue carotenoid levels will enhance the entire antioxidant network (Packer, 1994; Packer and Coleman, 1999) consequently reducing the danger from oxidative stress.
In addition, certain carotenoids like a and b-carotene are precursors of vitamin A. Although a daily-recommended intake (DRI) for vitamin A has been assigned (Food and Nutrition Board and Institute of Medicine, 2000) there is currently no DRI for carotenoids, including b-carotene, since they are not considered vitamins per se.

CAROTENOIDS IN SKINCarotenoids are not soluble in water. Therefore they are transported in blood by low-density lipoproteins (LDL) together with other fat-soluble substances like vitamin E or cholesterol. When the LDL reaches cells of the skin epidermis and dermis, carotenoids are transferred by means of lipoprotein receptors found at the surfaces of cells.

In humans, the outermost 20-30 cell layers of senescent or "dead" cells in the skin epidermis differentiate to form the stratum corneum (SC). SC cells are high in certain kinds of lipids and proteins, which act as a barrier against the effects of exposure to environmental pollutants. Carotenoids are also found in this layer, providing antioxidant and photo-protective benefits to the skin (Alaluf et al., 2002; Stahl et al., 2001).
When amounts of carotenoids in the diet are increased or carotenoid-enriched supplements like LifePak® are consumed, these substances initially accumulate in the lipoproteins in blood (Smidt et al., 1999). Their amount can be increased to a level up to 100% higher. This increase in blood carotenoids is then reflected in an increase of carotenoid concentration in all the organs in the body, which can take up lipoproteins, including skin. Thus, the direct measurement of carotenoids on skin provides information about their levels at "site-of-action". This is a distinct advantage over measurements which depend only on carotenoids in blood plasma.

DETECTION OF CAROTENOIDS
Carotenoids can be detected by optical methods, which rely on their different spectral characteristics. However, at the skin surface high concentrations of other pigments such as melanin and hemoglobin interfere in the measurement, making accurate non-invasive carotenoid determinations impossible. Chemical methods like High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Mass Spectrometry are also important techniques for detecting carotenoids, but unlike optical methods, they are invasive as tissue samples are required.

As an alternative, a new technique called the Pharmanex® BioPhotonic Scanner has been developed based on an optical method known as Resonance Raman Spectroscopy. This method has been used for many years in research laboratories for carotenoid investigations in biological systems and is described in two books published about a decade ago (Packer, 1992, 1993). The scanner measures carotenoid levels in human tissues (Emakov et al., 2001), eye (Bernstein et al., 1998) and at the skin surface (Hata et al., 2000) using optical signals, called raman signals. These signals identify the unique molecular structure of carotenoids, allowing their measurement without interference by other molecular substances.
Pharmanex® has taken the sophisticated technology of Raman Spectroscopy out of the research laboratory and developed a simple and portable instrument, the Pharmanex® BioPhotonic Scanner that can be readily used to measure human skin carotenoids. This is an enormously important development because the presence of scanners for use in field studies brings the possibility of assessing antioxidant and nutritional status to people everywhere.

The measurement of skin carotenoids by the Pharmanex® BioPhotonic Scanner is a convenient and useful indication of the body's overall antioxidant status. The reason for this is that skin carotenoid levels are a good indication of the carotenoid concentrations in blood and other tissues (Peng et al., 1995). Since carotenoids are delivered to tissues by LDL circulating in the blood, their concentrations are correlated with the amounts of the other fat-soluble antioxidants in the body such as vitamin E or co-enzyme Q. Therefore, increased levels of carotenoids reflect overall levels of antioxidant defense and diminished oxidative stress.

A study conducted by Pharmanex®, involving a large population (1,375 subjects), found compelling evidence that carotenoids are a good indicator of antioxidant status or oxidative stress (Smidt and Shieh, 2003). The study showed that people with high oxidative stress generally have low skin carotenoid levels, independent of their dietary carotenoid consumption. Specifically, the study reported that:
* Smokers had significantly lower body defense scores (skin carotenoids) than non-smokers (13,030 vs. 19,890, respectively, p<0.01), independent of the number of daily fruit and vegetable servings or the calculated carotenoid consumption (using the USDA carotenoids database). These data are consistent with previous studies that reported that smoking causes oxidative stress and lowers antioxidant status (Dietrich et al., 2002; Arlberg, 2002).

* People with habitual high sunlight exposure have significantly lower body defense scores than people with little sunlight exposure (16,446 vs. 20,085, p<0.001), independent of their carotenoid intake or dietary habits. Sunlight exposure is a known cause of oxidative stress and low antioxidant status, and has been demonstrated to reduce carotenoid levels (Alaluf et al., 2002; Stahl et al., 2001).
* When analyzed by a different method based on urinary malondialdehyde excretion, an indicator of oxidative lipid damage, people with high oxidative stress had significantly lower body defense scores than people with low oxidative stress (19,392 vs. 29,590, p<0.01). Again, this relationship was not confounded by dietary carotenoid intakes, which were similar in both groups.
These observations provide evidence that skin carotenoids as measured by the BioPhotonic Scanner do indeed reflect the body's overall antioxidant defense status.

CONCLUSIONSThe Pharmanex® BioPhotonic skin carotenoid test provides another important indication of the body's overall antioxidant status. Its major advantage, compared to other antioxidant tests such as blood antioxidant levels or urinary oxidative damage byproducts, is related to measuring a body defense score at the skin surface where carotenoids act to protect the body from harmful stressors in the environment like ultraviolet irradiation or ozone exposure. In contrast, serum or urine measurements, which fluctuate over a wide range of values, are less reliable and they often reflect a person's intake from recent meals rather than long-term antioxidant protection. Thus measurement of skin carotenoids by the BioPhotonic Scanner is more meaningful than most other tests used to assess antioxidant status. The other major advantage is, of course, convenience and rapidity of the test. All other tests involving skin tissue sampling, blood or urine collection are inconvenient, unpleasant, complicated, require a medically trained specialist, often require several days or weeks to get the results, and of course are more expensive.

Use of the scanner technology will help Pharmanex® customers make more informed choices about lifestyle, diet and supplements for enhancing their nutrition. For these reasons, I believe introduction of the BioPhotonic Scanner by Pharmanex® is a timely and exciting development.

REFERENCES
Alaluf S., Heinrich U., Stahl W., Tronnier H. and Wiseman S. Dietary Carotenoids contribute to normal human skin color and UV photosensitivity. Journal of Nutrition 2002; 132:399-403.
Alberg A. The influence of cigarette smoking on circulating concentrations of antioxidant micronutrients. Toxicology 2002; 180:121.
Bernstein P.S., Yoshida M.D., Katz W.B., McLane R.W., Gellermann W. Raman detection of macular carotenoid pigments in intact human retina. Invest Opthalmol Vis Sci 1998; 39:2003-2011.
Cadenas E. and Packer L. (eds). Handbook of Antioxidants, 2nd edition, 2002. Marcel Dekker Inc. New York.
Clinton S.K. The dietary antioxidant network and prostate carcinoma. Cancer 1999;86:1629-1631 and 1783-1792.
Clinton S.K. and Giovannucci E. Diet, Nutrition and Prostate Cancer. Ann Rev Nutr 1998;18:412-440.
Cooper D.A., Eldridge A.L. and Peters J.C. Dietary carotenoids and certain cancers, heart disease, and age-related macular degeneration: A review of recent research. Nutrition Reviews 1999;57:201-214.
Dietrich M., Block G., Hudes M., Morrow J.D., Norkus E.P., Traber M.G., Cross C.E. and Packer L. Antioxidant supplementation decreases lipid peroxidation biomarker F (2)-isoprostanes in plasma of smokers. Cancer Epidemio Biomarkers Prev 2002;1:7-13.
Ermakov I.V., Ermakova M.R., McClane R.W. and Gellermann W. Resonance Raman detection of carotenoid antioxidants in living human tissues. Optics Letters 2001;26:1179-81.
Food and Nutrition Board and Institute of Medicine(2000). Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, And Zinc. Washington, DC, National Academy Press.
Gerster H. Anticarcinogenic effect of common carotenoids. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1993;63:93-121.
Hata T.R., Scholtz T.A., Ermakov I.V., McLane R.W., Khachik F., Gellermann W. and Pershing L.K. Non-invasive Raman spectroscopic detection of carotenoids in human skin. J Invest Dermatology 2000;115:441-448.
Khachik F., Beecher G.R., Goli M.B. and Lusby W.R. Separation and quantification of carotenoids in foods. In Packer L.(ed), Methods in Enzymology 1992;213:347-359. Academic Press Inc, New York.
Landrum J.T., Bone R.A., Joa H., Kilburn M.D., Moore L.L. and Sprague K.E. A one-year study of the macular pigment: The effect of 140 days of a lutein supplement. Experimental Eye Research 1997;65:57-62.
Mortensen A., Skibsted L.H. and Truscott T.G. The interaction of dietary carotenoids with radical species. Arch Biochem Biophys 2001;385:13-9.
Packer L.(ed). Carotenoids. Chemistry, Separation, Quantitation, and Antioxidation. Methods in Enzymology, Part A 1992;213:1-538. Academic Press Inc. New York.
Packer L.(ed). Carotenoids. Metabolism, Genetics and Biosynthesis. Methods in Enzymology, Part B 1993;214:1-468. Academic Press Inc. New York.
Packer L. Vitamin E is Nature's master Antioxidant. Scientific Amer, Science and Medicine 1994,1:54-63
Packer L. and Coleman C. The antioxidant miracle, 1999. John Wiley and Sons Inc. New York.
Paiva S.A. and Russell R.M. Beta-carotene and other carotenoids as antioxidants. J Am Coll Nutr 1999;18:426-33.
Peng Y.M., Peng Y.S., Lin Y., Moon T., Roe D.J. and Ritenbaugh C. Concentrations and plasma-tissue-diet relationships of Carotenoids, Retinoids, and Tocopherols in humans. Nutr Cancer 1995; 23:233-46.
Rao A.V. and Agarwal S. Role of antioxidant lycopene in cancer and heart disease. J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19:563-9.
Smidt C.R., Seidehamel R.J., Devaraj S. and Jialal I. The effects of a nutritionally complete dietary supplement (LifePak®) on antioxidant status and LDL-oxidation in healthy non-smokers. FASEB J, 1999; 13:A546.
Smidt C.R. and Shieh D. Non-invasive biophotonic assessment of skin careotenoids as a biomarker of human antioxidant status. FASEB J 2003; submitted.
Stahl W., Heinrich U., Wiseman S., Eichler O., Sies H. and Tronnier H. Dietary tomato paste protects against ultraviolet light-induced erythema in humans. Journal of Nutrition 2001;131:1449-51.
Tsuchiya M., Scita, G., Thompson, D.F.T., Packer, L.Kagan V.E., Livrea, M.A. Retinoids and Carotenoids are peroxyl radical scavengers in Retinoids-progress in research and clinical applications, Livrea, M.A. and Packer, L (eds) Marcel Dekker Inc New York, 1993.

Reflect Therapies Treatment of the Month and Winter Specials

Reflect Treatment of the Month
and Winter Special

 

For the Month of June, the Treatment of the Month is:

Reiki
If you are feeling stressed and a bit out of balance, then this is the treatment for you!

A Reiki treatment is focused on bringing your body back into balance through the ancient art of “laying of the hands”. It is totally non – contraindicative and can be used to treat any physical, emotional or mental imbalance with in the body. It is fantastic for stress relief and relaxation!

A Reiki Session will last an Hour   

Usual Cost: R360     Special: R330

Winter Specials

Running from 18th of June -  31st of July 2013

Introducing the
Soy Candle Holistic Back Massage

The Soy Candle is enriched with vitamin E, Lecithin and a unique blend of Aromatherapy Oils.
This is a warm-oiled experience is guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed and your skin nourished!
A MUST for these cold winter days!

Introductory Special: R350
Usual Cost: R400

Introducing the
Soy Candle Reflexology Foot Massage

Introducing the Soy Candle, Warm-Oiled Experience, to Your Reflexology Treatment.

The combination of the warm oil and the reflexology is a decadent treat for anyone who loves having their feet pampered!
The Soy Candle is enriched with vitamin E, Lecithin and a unique blend of Aromatherapy oils which will leave your feet feeling soft and nourished. The Oils have also been shown to help cracked heels.
 Reflexology is a system of massage used to relieve tension and treat illness, based on the theory that there are reflex points on the feet that are linked to every part of the body.

Introductory Special: R250
Usual Cost: R300

If you would like to book your session please contact
Mandy on mandy@reflect-therapies.com or 072 937 8584

(VOUCHERS are AVAILABLE on REQUEST)

 

Do You Battle with Break Outs....

 Since I can remember I have always battled with a skin that was prone to break outs.

I had the bad luck of  have having acne as a teenager and then again at the age of 29! How's that for bad luck?!

 

After trying just about every conceivable treatment out there, I was introduced to the most amazing product which literally transformed my skin!
It took patience and sticking to the regime, but the results speak for themselves!
No more having to hide under foundation and behind polar neck jerseys!

Some Facts About Acne:

• It takes about 2 weeks for acne to reach the surface of the skin.
  That's why most people will experience flare ups when they start to treat acne, and will only start to see results after the third or fourth week. So patience is key when starting any acne treatment.
  When I started my acne medicated system, my skin got a lot worse before it got better, but literally after the first month, my skin changed and I have never looked back!
• Acne forms when the hair follicles in your skin get plugged by an oily substance called sebum. The oil gets trapped in the narrow follicle,  causing the cells clump together which forms a plug - this is Phase one of the dreaded blemish!
• Phase two is when bacteria, which love the environment created by the plug, start breeding and feeding inside the pores. Your body then responds by sending white blood cells to fight the bacteria.
• We then hit Phase three, which is inflammation - small pink bumps, pimples and in some more severe cases nodules and cysts.
• Acne can start in your 20's, 30's and 40's. It is not just restricted to when you are a teenager.

"The good news is breakouts and the signs of past acne can be treated with the help of modern science so everyone can enjoy clear, healthy skin." - NSE
I can verify this!

If you would like to find out more about the products that have helped me treat my Adult Acne, please feel free to contact me,

 mandy@reflect-therapies.com

Yours in Health,

Mandy