NuLiving Spa Studio: Massage Therapy that Melts Stress Away

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Has this week left you all stressed and with muscles aching all over?  Mine definitely has.  This work-at-home-mom juggles two different jobs on top of taking care of two preschoolers and doing the house chores.    With no house help, every single day is mentally, emotionally and physically challenging.  I wish I were a supermom who can do everything in a breeze but I’m not and I do need to have that time-off to relax, de-stress, and re-energize for another busy week.  When I’m in need of some relaxation – which is quite often 😛 – you’ll find me heading to a spa for a massage or to a salon for a hair treatment and a foot spa.  What better way to de-stress than to be pampered, right?

Why do I love massages?  A great massage not only loosens tight muscles and relaxes the mind, it can also release endorphins that alleviate pain and enhances good disposition.  So when I feel so terribly tired and stressed, I get a massage and come home in a much better mood. Since my husband also loves massages, I did not hesitate to accept an invitation to review a new spa that opened just last December.  A lovely massage was a welcome treat to our weary bodies who have yet to finish clearing up the holiday clutter at home.

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NuLiving Spa Studio, a spa that recognizes the need for pampering in today’s busy lifestyle, treated us to one and a half hours of their NuLiving Signature Massage (P400/1.5hours) which is a combination of Swedish, Shiatsu, Thai massages and Reflexology.  Before being ushered to the massage area, we were asked to choose which among the four massage oils we wanted to use.  This is a usual procedure in other spas but instead of being asked  whether you want Lavander, Eucalyptus, Jasmine or whatever oil you want, NuLiving Spa Studio asks whether you want to de-stress & relax, to revitalize & invigorate, to be happy & refreshed, or to calm, relax & love.  Now you won’t have to ask what each type of oil is.

After choosing our massage oils, we were ushered to the foot bath area before going to the second floor for our massage.  Hubby, also a spa enthusiast, commented that the light in the ground floor area should be dimmed a bit to set the mood for relaxation even before going to the massage area.

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Like other spas, massage beds and mats were separated by curtains that could be open if a couple wants to be within sight of each other.  Unlike other spas though, NuLiving Spa and Studio had curtains draped above to keep the cold draft from the air conditioning away from those getting their massages.  The overhead curtain was really a great idea. I’ve been to massage parlors where I was met with a blast of cold air right after the massage, and believe me, it wasn’t a very pleasant experience.  The shorts they provided were also big enough to fit my hunk of a husband and the sheets and towels were very clean.  The massage bed was also quite comfortable though it looked a bit small for my husband. Then again, he’s six feet tall and weighs almost two hundred pounds so anything looks small for him. (:P Love you, hon!)

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For one and a half hours, our bodies were stretched and our knotted muscles kneaded.  The masseuses knew which pressure points to focus on and soothed our aches away.  My husband commended his masseuse, Charm, for knowing exactly where to focus the massage even without him telling where his muscle pains are.  If you’re dropping by NuLiving Spa Studio, I suggest you request Charm to give you your massage. (Click here to view their entire range of services.)

With bodies relaxed and minds refreshed, we were given a few minutes to savour the pampering that we just received.  After which, we were given hot towels, a cup of hot tea, and a tiny bag for well-earned tips.

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Before going home, we checked out the products being sold which included Tai Chi massage oils (one of my husband’s favourite liniments) made from Virgin Coconut Oil and It Works! Deep Sleep to  We bought It Works! Deep Sleep coz we were curious if it really works. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that both products could be bought at only Php 300 – that’s for both the Dream Mist and Stress Less already.  I expected it to be worth much more than that.  We’ve been using it for a couple of days already and it looks like one Dream Mist spray bottle would be enough to last a month. I’ll let you know if there’s any improvement in my sleep after a few weeks.

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Overall, our NuLiving Spa Studio experience was a great one.  The place was very clean, the staff friendly, and the massage pleasant.  The prices are very affordable as well with On-The-Go Services starting at only Php 50 and Elite Massages costing only Php 450 for a 1.5-hour-massage.  Still trying to get rid of those holiday fats, I suggest you try their Slimming Detox (Thai Massage) which is only P300/hr.  Now there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get that massage that you deserve.

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NuLiving Spa Studio is located at Unit-C 141 D. Tuazon Street, Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City.  Call 806-2705 or 0932-4714641 to schedule an appointment.  Keep updated with their promos and offerings by liking their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/nulivingspastudio or by visiting their website at http://www.nulivingspastudio.com.

*Disclosure:  My husband and I were invited by NuLiving Spa and Studio to try their massage services for free.  However, I did not receive any compensation for this post and all opinions are entirely mine.

NUAT THAI LIBIS: Finding Serenity Amidst A Chaotic City

Traditional Thai music spirits you away from the din of the traffic along the main road.  For hours,  you are transported to a serene haven sheltered from the urban chaos …. your mind still and free from all worries even for just a little while… This is the Nuat Thai experience.

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Nothing caps off a massage better than A Cup of Hot Tea

Last Friday,  Hubby and I were treated to massage services at Nuat Thai Libis.  We were not strangers to Nuat Thai as we frequent a branch that was located within walking distance from our home.  I was surprised to see though that Nuat Thai Libis was bigger, had more amenities, and offered more services.  Going there for a massage was truly well worth the ten-minute drive from our place.

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Our date night started off with a foot scrub that was followed by one hour of Thai Foot Massage (P 250).  I get cold easily so the hot packs they placed under my lower back and my neck kept me warm and cozy the entire hour.  I had a few minutes of discomfort though when pain shot up through one of my toes (yup, just the itty-bitty middle toe on my right foot) during the massage.  My masseuse told me a nerve was hit then continued to massage my foot until the pain was gone.  Aside from that toe cramp, the Thai Foot Massage was quite relaxing.  That alone would have already made me sleep better that night but they had more in store for us.

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Green Tea, Eucalyptus, or Lavender? I chose Lavender to calm my nerves and to ease my muscle pains.

We were ushered to beds, not the mats on the floor, for one and a half hours of Aromatherapy Massage with Herbal Balls(P 550).  The massage was so relaxing that hubby was already snoring halfway through the massage.  The scent of Lavender pervaded our cubicle and worked well to calm my senses.  It’s sleep-inducing properties obviously worked well on hubby. 😀    To say that the massage was relaxing is an understatement really.  After the massage, both hubby and I just wanted to lay there and go to dreamland.  Had it not been for our kids who’d certainly look for us when they wake up from sleep, we would have probably stayed there forever.

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Thank you to the masseuse and staff of Nuat Thai Libis for making our date night a pleasurable experience. We’ll definitely be back for another relaxing and rejuvenating massage.

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NUAT THAI LIBIS is located at the 2nd floor of #90 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Quezon City.  It’s across Shopwise and just above Allied Bank and RCBC.  Do call 477-5004 to set an appointment as they can be pretty full at night and on weekends.   If you’re worried about putting a dent on the family’s monthly budget, rest your fears as their services are affordable.  One-hour massages range from P 250 to P 750 and body scrubs from P550 to P1250.  They even offer 30-minute express massages for only P150.  Really, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to relax once in a while.



Ensure Better Absorption of Nutrients With A Glass of ENSURE

Fatty liver, high blood pressure, fatigue, poor wound healing, migraines – these are just some of the many ailments my husband and I have been recently afflicted with. Most who suffer the same age-related ailments blame it on old-age, poor nutrition, and sedentary lifestyle. To make up for the meals that we miss while going about our daily routine and for our lack of physical activities, we often turn to health supplements and organic multivitamins for the much needed health and energy boost.

But have you ever still felt stressed, fatigued and sickly despite all these vitamins that you are taking? I have. And I’ve just recently found out why.

It turns out that as we age, our digestive system becomes more inefficient impairing nutrient ingestion, absorption, metabolism and elimination. So, even though we’ve been taking steps to eat healthier, even switching to home chef rather than the usual take out companies so that they’re healthier too, not all the nutrients in our food and in food supplements are fully absorbed by the body. This decrease in nutrient absorption causes poor overall health and can lead to a host of illnesses including sarcopenia(a decline in muscle mass), atrophic gastritis(impaired secretion of gastric juices), and osteoporosis (thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density).

Aside from these, aging also has many psychological impacts. Some call it mid-life crisis which is not uncommon to people in their 40s. Feelings of low self-esteem, negative outlook in life, hopelessness and lack of energy prevent them from enjoying a full life. These negative physical and psychological outcomes can be attributed to inefficient and inadequate nutrient absorption.

Eating the proper diet, exercising regularly, and taking all the necessary supplements may still not be enough to achieve optimum health as our aging bodies absorb less and less of all the vital nutrients. This eventually leads to “nutrition gap” and the only solution for this is to boost the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. For those who are interested, trying something similar to VigRX pills (https://www.leadingedgehealth.com/products/vigrx-plus/) might be a good addition to a diet including supplements.

How do we do that? One of the best ways to bridge nutrition gap is to regularly drink Ensure with FOS. Fructooligossacharides, FOS, is a prebiotic soluble fiber that aids in nutrient absorption by stimulating the growth of bifidobacteria which in turn improves detoxification and elimination processes and enhances the immune system. WithEnsure, it is now easy to incorporate FOS into our meals.

Aside from enhancing nutrient absorption and supporting a healthy digestive system, Abbott Nutrition’s Ensure provides a complete and balanced nutrition for healthy-aging adults. It is an excellent source of 28 vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants Vitamin C and E, selenium and beta-carotene to help strengthen the immune system and promote recovery from illness and infection. Ensure also has a heart-friendly fat blend low in sodium and low in cholesterol that helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

With all these benefits, Ensure would be a good source of nutrition to aging individuals especially those who need energy boost to maintain an active lifestyle, who skip meals because of busy schedules, who are under diet modification to manage weight and who have limited access to natural healthy foods.

Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong are among those who have been taking Ensure with FOS for many years as it enables them to prepare for their daily activities, whether they are at work or at home, and sustains them all throughout the day.

Boyet, as the multi-awarded actor is popularly known, has been a devoted fitness buff, working out at the gym on a regular basis. He relies on Ensure to give him a boost of energy while taping until wee hours in the morning or exercising late at night. Sandy, on the other hand, feels nourished by one to two glasses of Ensure, which in fact, can be a sole source of nutrition, taking the place of one full meal.

“Drinking Ensure everyday makes me really feel healthy. I no longer have to worry about wasting precious nutrients even at my age” – Boyet

Happy and healthy together for 31 years, both feel good inside and out, thanks to the perfect combination of proper diet, exercise and different supplements, plus Ensure which complements and completes their daily health regimen.

My husband and I are both only in our mid 30s yet are starting to feel the effects of aging already. We might as well get a head start and begin drinking Ensure to prevent further health degradation and to ensure that we would still be able to enjoy and live life fully with our two growing toddlers. Revitalized energy, enhanced body functions and ultimately improved health are the many benefits we look forward to as we join those who have been drinking Ensure for years.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 72,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. To learn more about proper nutrition and to avail of free nutrition counseling, please call Abbott Nutrition Solutions at 995-1555 or the toll free number 1-800-10-995-1555.

Mom-ME Time: Total Feet Pampering at Posh Nails

munching on popcorn while our footsies got some pampering

For what seemed like ages, my husband and I were finally able to get some “couple time” which is also what I consider my “ME” time.  It was only an hour and a half at  Posh Nails Hand and Day Spa but it was truly something to cherish as we seldom get to spend time relaxing together.  It made me miss the pampering dates we used to have before the kids came.

It was a Monday night so the mall was not crowded.  We took the helpers with us to keep an eye on the kids while we had our pedicure.

I enjoyed my first foot spa at Posh Nails so I was eager for my husband to try their services, too.  I still had a voucher for a Buy One Get One Free Foot Spa from Enjoy Philippines, this we used to save a few pesos.  My husband and I both availed of Foot Spa Treatments, Foot Massage, and Pedicures for only P730.

The price may be a little steeper than your regular neighborhood salon but, believe me, the service is unrivaled.  The pink and purple hued walls and furnishings create a very relaxing ambience making you feel pampered even before the actual treatments begin.  You are also assured that your feet and hands do not get butchered by inept manicurists.  I used to be be wary of manicures and pedicures due to cuts I suffered a couple of times when the manicurists insisted on cutting my cuticles.  Those in Posh Nails are really very careful and know how to really pamper their clients.

My husband and I will definitely be back for another feet-pampering a few weeks from now. They also offer back and full body massages which I know my husband would want to try too.

Check out how other moms spent their Me-times at

Cheese Bakes and Latte at Figaro

Whenever I am given the chance to spend a few hours away from home to de-stress and recharge, one of the places I often go to is Figaro. Aside from it being less crowded than other coffee shops, I love its homey atmosphere and rustic surroundings. It is also the nearest coffee shop from our house which makes it a very convenient getaway for this stressed out mom.

After pampering myself with a facial at Flawless Face and Body Center, I gave in to the cravings of my tummy and had a quick snack at Figaro. Instead of ordering my usual White Choco Mocha, I opted to try their Butterscotch Vanilla Latte (P 115). As my tummy was nearly growling at that time, I also ordered a plate of Cheese Pimiento Bakes (P 129). I do love their cheese bakes and would, more often than not, order a plate of these rich and filling delights when I’m there for coffee.

As you all know, I am a huge fan of a hot cup of coffee in the morning. Freshly made on a professional espresso machine, such as the Lelit Bianca the cafe has been eyeing for some time, it is an absolute treat. However, recently I have been thinking about treating myself to a new coffee machine. It is no secret that using the highest quality equipment and coffee beans can have an impact on the taste of your coffee so I am currently on the lookout for the best grind and brew coffee maker I can get my hands on. Are you a big coffee fan? Let me know how you like to start your day in the comments below.

Figaro: You Know Coffee

my soothing cup of latte

a plateful of Cheese Pimiento Cheese Bakes

rich, filling, and delightfully yummy cheese bake

The branch at SM Marikina was also strategically located on the second floor and had a great view of the Atrium that I was able to watch a performance of Philippine folk dances while sipping my coffee and enjoying my bakes.