Escape Winter Doldrums with LaStone Massage Everybody must get stoned Looking for a way to shake free of the winter doldrums? If a vacation at a tropical resort is out, than here's another way to escape: LaStone massage. It's an intense, deep-tissue massage that uses the techniques of Swedish massage. During the treatment, the therapist places hot and cold stones on different parts of the body while working to open energy channels or chakras. The stones offer a connection with the earth, transferring energy and spiritual strength while healing emotional distress and anger. The technique was developed more than 20 years ago by Mary Hannigan, a massage therapist in Arizona, but its origins can be found in Native American and other cultures. Practitioners use particular stones, such as basalt and marble, which are believed to promote certain attributes like courage, compassion, longevity, wealth, clarity, strength, peace, and harmony. The stones are placed along the spine and at specific charka points and also tucked alongside your body to keep you warm and comforted during treatment. The use of warm stones during the massage elicits both sedative and re-energizing responses throughout the body. Alternating with the cooler stones is said to stir the circulatory system, prompting self-healing.The experience is said to create a feeling of well-being and wholeness. **************************************************** B is beneficial Q: Do you know of anything that will cure or slow down Parkinson's disease? I have a friend who has been diagnosed with it and I want to help her out. JVW: Tell your friend that recent research has found an apparent link between riboflavin and Parkinson's disease. In a recent study conducted in Brazil, 31 patients with the disease were examined, and all were found to be deficient in vitamin B2, or riboflavin -- even though their dietary sources of the vitamin were adequate. Researchers were intrigued enough to ask those patients to take 30 milligrams of riboflavin every eight hours and to stop eating all red meat. (I can't say for sure why the scientists felt it was necessary to eliminate red meat from the diet, but I have found that Parkinson's patients often have trouble digesting animal protein.) After six months of supplementation, the patients' motor function increased nearly 30 percent and blood tests indicated that all were no longer riboflavin deficient. Although this therapy has not been fully evaluated yet, there are no harmful side effects, so it is definitely worth a try. In addition to riboflavin, I would also supplement with the entire B-complex of vitamins, which is something I always recommend when taking extra quantities of any individual B vitamins. After six months, your friend can gradually add red meat back into his diet by increasing the riboflavin dosage in order to sustain the improvement in motor function. **************************************************** What is...a chakra? Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning "wheel." The human body is said to have seven basic centers of spiritual energy called chakras. The centers relate to major nerve ganglias branching out from the spinal column and represent different levels of consciousness, development, elements, colors, and sounds, among many other things. They function as valves or pumps, releasing energy based on decisions and responses we have to situations in our daily lives. Yours in good health, Amanda Ross Editorial Director Nutrition & Healing

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