You’ve probably seen it on our spa therapy menu; maybe you’ve even tried it a time or two. Gill Martin, in her book Aromatherapy: An Introductory Guide to Professional and Home Use, describes it this way: “Aromatherapy is a therapeutic treatment combining massage and essential oils to enhance well being, restore balance, and treat a variety of conditions.” It may seem far-fetched that simply smelling lavender can calm and relax you, but consider this: How often does a particular smell cause you to remember an event in your life? Our sense of smell plays a vital role in our enjoyment of food as well; it’s actually the olfactory system that distinguishes flavors beyond salty, sweet, bitter and sour.

When you smell something, the tiny hairs, or cilia, in your nose are stimulated and send impulses through the olfactory nerves, to the olfactory bulb located behind the bridge of the nose, to the limbic system in the brain. The limbic system is involved in memory and emotion (hence the strong association between smells and memories), and is also connected to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland, which in turn controls all other glands and therefore our whole hormonal system. Thus it is not so far-fetched for a simple inhalation of an aromatic oil to affect your emotions, and even other systems of the body!

In addition, essential oil molecules evaporate into the air and are taken into your lungs. Sure, some are exhaled in the very next breath, but some pass into the bloodstream and are transported around the body in the same way as oxygen and other nutrients. Similarly, when essential oils are mixed with carrier oils like grapeseed (which has a small enough molecular structure to be easily absorbed into the skin), they are absorbed by the tissue fluids, reaching the lymphatic system and finally the bloodstream. For some people, this process may take as little as 20 minutes!

Herbal baths, inhalations, vaporization, compresses and massage are all methods of applying essential oils to the body. Poplar Creek Spa uses nearly all of these methods in our various spa therapies, but vaporization–the classic oil burner, which uses a candle to heat up the oils and diffuse them into the air–may be added to any service of your choice for just $5.

We offer the following blends for you to choose from:

• Clarity
• Creativity
• Energizing
• Harmony
• Relaxing
• Stress Relief
• Uplifting

Click here to see our full menu of spa therapies, or contact us to schedule an appointment.

Our gift sets come packaged and ready to put under the tree. Choose from the following:

Escape, $60. This set includes:

• Gift certificate for our popular 30-minute Foot Fassage (or $40 toward the service of their choice)
• Poplar Creek Spa’s Peppermint Foot Lotion, made with organic castor and olive oils to heal dry, cracked skin
• A pair of Earth Therapeutics Aloe Socks. These super-soft socks are infused with natural aloe vera to moisturize your feet while you wear them.

Rejuvenation, $100. This set includes:

• Gift certificate for a 60-minute Herbal Facial (or $70 toward the service of their choice)
• Poplar Creek Spa’s Frankincense Face Moisturizer, made with antioxidant-rich grapeseed oil, chamomile and green tea to fight aging, and frankincense essential oil for cell regeneration
• Earth Therapeutics Anti-bacterial Complexion Towel made of natural bamboo
• A box of Numi organic herbal tea
• A Theo organic fair trade chocolate bar

For the Man in Your Life, $100. To thank the man you love for all his hard work, our men’s set includes:

• Gift certificate for a 60-minute massage (or $60 toward the service of his choice)
• Poplar Creek Spa’s Citrus Clove After Shave Lotion, formulated to help close pores after shaving
• Poplar Creek Spa’s Aromatherapy Blend for Mental Clarity
• An Aromatherapy Car Diffuser. Place your favorite essential oils into the diffuser and plug into the cigarette lighter or power adaptor in your car for aromatherapy on the go.

Renewal, $200. The ultimate way to recover from holiday stress, this set includes:

• Gift certificate for a 60-minute massage and 60-minute spa therapy (or $130 toward the services of their choice)
• Poplar Creek Spa’s Aromatherapy Blend for Relaxation
• An aromatherapy diffuser and tea light candles
• Earth Therapeutics Relaxing Comfort Neck Wrap that can be chilled or microwaved for cold or hot use on sore muscles
• The new Michael Bublé Christmas CD!

Our gift certificates are always available in any dollar amount.

For more information or to purchase, call (423) 903-5077 or contact us here.

All of the products used in our spa therapies are made in-house, using all-natural ingredients–organic when possible. Most are mixed up just for you the day of your appointment, making it easy to customize them to meet your individual needs.

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• is passionate about serving people with their gift of massage therapy,
• is dependable and trustworthy,
• has a sense of humor and excellent people skills,
• wants to grow both personally and professionally,
• and is willing to help grow Poplar Creek Spa.
• Massage therapy training and current TN license a must.

This is an independent contractor position for PRN work on Thursdays and Fridays. Pay is 25% of the price of the service; rates are $30/$60/$90 for 30-/60-/90-minute massages, respectively. Training is available if you would like to learn to do our spa therapies (click here to see our brochure), but this is not required.

For more information, please call Emily at (423) 903-5077 or e-mail poplarcreekspa@gmail.com. Referral reward available for current clients if your candidate is chosen.

Full website for Poplar Creek Spa coming soon! Click on the brochure below to see our prices and read about our services.

Contact me to schedule.

• Find us on Facebook!
• We file insurance
• Our therapists are available for convenient day and evening appointments
• Last-minute scheduling available
• Combine two or more therapies and receive 10% off
• Refer a friend and receive $10 off the therapy of your choice
• Option to shower before or after your therapy
• We do pregnancy massage
• Ask about group discounts. We can accommodate up to eight guests, and we cater! Great for bridal parties or other special occasions.
• Join our e-mail list and receive notifications of last-minute discounts, monthly specials, and new therapies.
• Gift certificates are always available in any dollar amount.
• Located in Collegedale, just 2 miles from SAU & McKee

For more information, call Emily at (423) 903-5077.

“Is Fat-Free Making You Fat?” is featured here, in the Weight Management and Fitness Forum: http://weight-master.blogspot.com/2010/01/weight-management-and-fitness-forum_16.html

My recipe for Orange Cranberry Granola is featured here, in the Make It From Scratch Carnival: http://gottalittlespacetofill.blogspot.com/2010/01/make-it-from-scratch-carnival.html

“How to Make a Budget That Works” is featured here, the Carnival of the Vanities: http://www.andrewiandodge.com/2009/12/17/catch-up_cotv/

Each carnival contains more useful information, or just plain interesting stuff, on the respective topics! Enjoy.

Questions or comments? Contact me here.

Years went by, however, and our waistlines either stayed the same or expanded–probably because an increase in calories made up for the absence of fat. It took awhile, but I began to understand that fat-free isn’t calorie-free. Nor is it necessarily healthy!

In truth, your body needs fat. You’ve heard of essential fatty acids? They’re so named because they are, in fact, essential: Your body cannot manufacture them from the food you eat. These fats play an important role in growth and development as well as in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Fat serves other practical purposes as well: It adds flavor to your food and, because it is digested more slowly than other nutrients, keeps you full between meals.

There are three main types of fats: Saturated are the “bad” fats. Typically solid at room temperature, these fats are found mainly in meat and dairy products as well as coconut and palm oils. A diet too high in saturated fat leads to heart disease and cancer. Polyunsaturated fats are in corn, soybean safflower and sunflower oils. Substituting these for saturated fats lowers cholesterol, but too much polyunsaturated fat can promote cancer. “Good” monounsaturated fats also lower cholesterol. They’re found in olive, canola and peanut oils. However, no refined fat is “healthy”; consume these good fats primarily in their most natural state (such as in olives, avocados, nuts and seeds), and use oil only in very small amounts.

Other fats have also recently become household names. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats are unsaturated fats which have been altered to extend their shelf life. They contain harmful trans fats and should be avoided completely. Cholesterol is a type of fat the body produces (as do the bodies of other animals). Eating cholesterol raises your cholesterol, as does consuming saturated and trans fats. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats. In the typical American diet, omega-6 fats are plentiful while omega-3s are scarce. This dangerous ratio leads to inflammation (a factor present in many chronic diseases), heart disease, stroke, autoimmune diseases, skin diseases and depression. The body cannot make sufficient DHA, another essential omega-3 fat, on a diet high in omega-6 fats and low in omega-3s.

Don’t waste too much energy on how much of each kind of fat is in your food; simply eat a diet rich in a variety of whole, unrefined foods, as close to their most natural state as possible. As mentioned above, the best sources of good fats (including omega-3s) are almonds, walnuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels and avocados.

Are raw nuts and seeds too expensive at your local grocery store? Buy them in bulk here.

How much fat should you eat per day? If you are overweight and trying to lose weight, it’s okay to consume very little fat while you lose weight, because your body will use what it has stored. But don’t stay on a non-fat or extremely low-fat diet long-term! If you are at a healthy weight and exercise regularly, eat as much as three to four ounces (about 2 small handfuls) of raw nuts or seeds per day, an avocado, or a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Growing children or someone who has a hard time gaining weight can eat more than that, but it should still be fat in its most natural form. Even if you are healthy and an ideal weight, fat should comprise no more than 30% of your total calorie intake at most; on a 2000-calorie diet, that’s about 600 calories worth. Put another way, about 65 grams.

Any way you look at it, remember that even the healthy fats in avocado, nuts and seeds pack a nine-calorie per gram punch, so if you want to maintain or lose weight, watch your intake. (In contrast, protein and carbohydrates contain only four calories per gram.)

One last bit of fat trivia: The fat on your plate will very easily be converted into body fat. So easily, in fact, that a biopsy of the fat on your waist, hips or thighs would reveal precisely where that fat came from: a pig, a chicken, a hunk of cheese or handful of nuts! Now that’s food for thought…

Follow this link to see other recipes and do-it-yourself projects: http://www.frillsinthehills.com/2009/11/make-it-from-scratch-carnival-143.html

I like a massage that is both relaxing and deep, addressing my body’s specific issues. It is rare to find someone that can give that kind of massage, but Emily does. –Laraine

Emily’s massages are always calming, relaxing, and designed to match my particular need at the time of the appointment. Sometimes I have a throbbing back or head that needs attention; other times I just need to relax from a very stressful day. I always leave feeling so much better and wish I could afford a two-hour massage every week. –Rhonda

Emily’s massages work out soreness and tension in my muscles, relax my spirit, and leave me feeling peaceful. That’s time and money well spent! –Ruthie

“One of the most valuable parts of the program is the weekly contact with the coach. It adds an element of accountability that encourages sticking with it when perhaps I might become slack or think it’s not important! Also, when an investment is made it becomes more important. It is well worth the money involved—I want to be around for my family and the grandchildren! My feeling of well-being has been greatly enhanced and my spirits raised simply because I am doing something and not just wishing to live better.” –JT, Maryland

“The weight I wasn’t able to lose for so long is finally getting lost! And I get to eat so much good food that I think the scale will go up, but then I lose ANOTHER pound. Because of you, I’m 10 pounds lighter even though I couldn’t exercise much, I’m in less pain and I have much more energy. Can’t wait to see the look on my doctor’s face the next time he sees me. Thanks, Emily, for being a life-changing coach and helping me stay on track. Couldn’t have done it without you!” –JK, Tennessee

“Having Emily as a wellness coach has made a tremendous difference in my ability to formulate goals and follow through with them. Checking in with Emily every week has helped me to understand why I have had difficulty reaching my goals in the past. She has an amazing ability to help clients get to the heart of the matter, and to stay on track. I would recommend Emily’s service to anyone who is serious about reaching their goals!” –BP, Washington

Click here to see the results my clients have enjoyed.

http://www.onemint.com/2009/11/08/economy-and-your-finances-carnival-november-7th-2009/

http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-blog-carnival-127/