Living Spaces Lifestyle - Village Spa offers choices for a healthy lifestyle

Living Spaces Lifestyle - NEWFANE— People like choices. And when it comes to their health, it’s good for people to have options, says physician Patricia Danaher.

The Newfane doctor has opened a separate business that can offer just that. Opening a few weeks ago, the Village Spa has a variety of services for residents that can provide some help with pursuing a healthy lifestyle. The spa offers massage therapy, facials, foot reflexology and skin care medical treatment, dealing with problems such as acne. The spa is located at 2658 Main St., Newfane, in the same building that houses Danaher’s regular medical practice.

“It came out of a desire to offer a more holistic choice for patients,” Danaher said. “Of course you don’t have to be a patient (to come to the spa). But being located here, I can work with patients.”

Danaher said there are some people who may not feel better with the use of traditional medicine, especially those with chronic pain. What can they do after they’ve exhausted all other options?

“It’s nice to offer them something else,” Danaher said.

In October, Danaher will have been in Newfane running her own practice for seven years. She started out business in a Main Street plaza, but moved to her current location two years ago. The practice is located in what used to be a family house, slightly renovated to accommodate Danaher’s office. The spa is located at the top of the house, with a treatment room upstairs.

“I wanted to stay in the Newfane Main Street area,” Danaher said. “We’re slowly working on it. For the first few months we’re starting slow.”

The desire to stay in the area is what brought Danaher to Newfane in the first place. A graduate of Lockport High School, Danaher earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. John Fisher College in Rochester. After medical school and working for a little while in Pennsylvania, Danaher returned to the area.

“It’s been great ever since,” Danaher said. “My family and friends are here.”

Last Friday, Danaher’s office hosted a Wellness Fair to introduce residents to the services the Village Spa offers. Office Manager Eunice Watts said the turnout was good, and the rain held off long enough.

“It went very well,” Watts said.

The fair gave people a chance to check out what the spa offers, but also provided a few free things. That included a blood pressure check and body fat analysis, as well as an introduction to the NutraMetrix supplement product line. NutraMetrix is an enhanced, comprehensive nutrition program that involves vitamins and health prevention.

Of course, good health can be a product of good decision-making.

“Diet and lifestyle can help,” Danaher said.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

THE VILLAGE SPA

• WHAT: A spa that offers massage therapy, skin care and facials, foot reflexology and a NutraMetrix product line

• WHERE: 2658 Main St., Newfane

Living Spaces Lifestyle

• FOR MORE INFO: Call 778-8627

Living Lifestyle - Healthy lifestyle boosts protection against H1N1

A HEALTHY lifestyle which includes a well-balanced diet and regular exercise would strengthen one's immunity to the pandemic strain of Influenza A(H1N1).

WHO's team leader (Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response) Dr Jacob Kool said a person's system would naturally be more resistant to illnesses like the flu if they adopted a healthy lifestyle.

On whether it was wise to consume vitamin supplements to boost protection, he advised against it.

He reiterated that the Tamiflu drug does not offer a 100 per cent cure.

"It generally shortens the infection and makes it less intensive," he explained.

"For optimum effect, the drug is best to be taken within two days."

The pandemic virus has been determined more dangerous for people in the following conditions:

* The very old and the very young

* Chronic heart disease

* Chronic lung disease (e.g. asthma)

* Diabetes

* Obesity

He stressed the importance of people being serious about the preventive measures, like staying at home if one is coughing and sneezing.

Estee Lauder: Moisture ‘magnet’ for your skin

THIS is arguably the grand dame of skincare made by the grand dame of beauty. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex is 26 years old, old enough to be repackaged and reformulated in this fast-moving beauty world, but the brown glass bottle remains one of the label's best-loved item.’

“It’s insurance for your skin,” said Estee Lauder public relations manager. I didn’t take her word for it, but since my skin has been dry of late and scarred by pimples, I thought the Advanced Night Repair, or ANR, would have a perfect canvas to work on.

It’s simple to use: just squirt it on your palm and massage it into your skin after your toner. It takes a while for the serum to be absorbed, after which you apply your moisturiser. Now, what I don’t like is the smell. It smells of something bitter, like medicine, so every time I put it on, I try not to inhale the scent.

What I do like is that it immediately hydrates my skin. My face stops feeling coarse, and when I smile I don’t see those tiny lines on my cheeks. Its ability to rehydrate skin is largely due to sodium hyaluronate, which acts as a “magnet” to attract moisture and lock it in. There was even a test that I was taught.

Massage ANR on one hand and then spray water on both hands. Water drips from the hand without ANR, while water becomes tiny droplets that sticks to the hand with ANR rubbed into it. A week after using it, I went for my regular facial and my therapist commented on how much more supple my skin had become.This alone was enough to tell me that this serum works.

Musk have

THE Middle East is the inspiration for a new perfume from Annick Goutal called Musc Nomade, created by Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen.

Enchanted by the sophistication of musk devotees and the Qatar princesses who bathed in a blend of musk powder and rose essence, Annick Goutal wanted to capture the aphrodisiac effect – without using animal products – said to captivate men and stir their senses.

Tonka beans, nuances of almond and labdanum and Bombay wood are also present in this alluring scent.

Musc Nomade retails at RM599 for a 100ml EDP and can be found at Annick Goutal counters and Ken's Apothecary.

Also Middle Eastern inspired, jewellery house Boucheron recently came out with a new collection, Sheherazade, named after the Persian Queen and storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights.

The collection, composed of rings, pendant, earrings and necklace, is of multiple hinged links in white or pink gold adorned with a mix of multicoloured stones.

These gorgeous pieces are not for the faint-hearted though, prices start at RM150,000. Fit for a queen, indeed!