How Reiki Can Improve Your Health

Every day, I have at least one client ask me what Reiki is.  When I explain, I'm often met with skepticism or flat out disbelief.  My response to that is usually, "Let me incorporate some Reiki into your massage so you can experience the benefits."  Most people are open to the experience, and so the healing begins.  If you happen to be one of those people (like myself) that need to do some research before trying all these new therapies, then read further for an explanation on how Reiki works and how it can improve your health.

Reiki is an ancient Japanese method of healing which uses energy to bring balance and well-being to the recipient.  Since it helps bring healing to any physical or mental ailment, it is often used as a complimentary therapy in hospitals.  It is extremely versatile because it can be used on babies, adults and the elderly.  Additionally, it's peace-inducing qualities make it extremely beneficial in hospice work.  

It's hands-on, non-manipulative technique also makes it extremely versatile.  Traditionally, there are roughly 27 hand placements the practitioner uses on the recipient.  Half of those are used while the client is face-up and the other half are used while lying face-down.  It's gentle, relaxing, and most people usually fall asleep. 

Here are some common ways Reiki can heal on both the physical and the emotional level:

The Physical Level

• Helps strengthen the immune system by helping reduce stress levels
• Aids in improving sleep quality so the body can heal more efficiently
• Helps relieve pain from headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis and nerve conditions
• Reduce recovery time from minor and major surgeries
• Has been shown to reduce side effects from medications, including radiation and chemotherapy in cancer treatments
• Relieves PMS and menopausal symptoms

The Emotional Level

• Helps facilitate mental clarity and mental sharpness
• Heals emotional pain from old wounds
• Helps work through dysfunctional situations; can allow the person to find peaceful perspective
• Heals depression, sadness, fear and anger
• Deepens personal relationships due to opening heart energy

Other Uses for Reiki

• Healing for pets
• Plants and gardens
• Cooking and preparing food

The benefits of regular Reiki treatments are immeasurable and a lot of the time, immediate.  At the end of a treatment, most people claim they feel more grounded, peaceful and relaxed.  Some people even have an emotional release, as pain from old wounds comes to the surface for healing.  This is a good thing!  Each person's experience of Reiki will be different, but one thing is for sure:  Healing will happen, even if it's subtle.  

*It should be noted that clearance from a psychologist or psychiatrist should be attained before embarking upon any Reiki session for any patient with more severe psychological illnesses.

Keep Your New Year's Resolutions With the Help of Massage

The turn of the year always brings renewed passion, vows, hope and promise to improve some area of life.  Perhaps you may be thinking of starting that new gluten-free diet, or becoming a member of your local yoga studio, or taking that photography class you've been meaning to take.  Maybe you want to be more organized, bring more peace into your life and just slow down.  

Whatever your New Year's Resolution may be, consider this:  Regular massage therapy sessions can help you keep your resolutions.  Yep.  I said it.  Bold?  You betcha.  But it bears repeating:  Regularly scheduled massage therapy sessions can help you keep those resolutions.  But how?

Let's face it:  Life can be stressful, especially if you are trying to balance the demands of a family, a career and keeping yourself healthy.  The effects of stress on the body can be harsh.  In our society, most people are under chronic states of stress and may not even realize it.  Over time, this state of chronic stress can break the body down.  This state can eventually lead to chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure and heart disease.  

When our bodies are in a state of stress, the endocrine system works overtime, constantly outputting stress hormones, such as cortisol.  This constant output of stress hormones gradually breaks down the endocrine system, which leaves our bodies susceptible to these chronic illnesses.  Another culprit of such a breakdown is excessive caffeine consumption, poor diet and not enough exercise.  

With this constant strive for balance, we often unconsciously tip the scales further out of balance by our poor habits.  Is it any wonder why we can't seem to get past February in our self-improvement endeavors?  

This is where massage therapy comes into play.  Research has shown that with regular massage therapy sessions, chronic stress levels are reduced.  Not only does massage give help increase circulation and give you more energy, it also helps reduce stress and pain from chronic illnesses and/or injuries.  With more energy and less pain, you are more likely to keep focused on your resolutions.  

If one of your resolutions happens to be creating a more peaceful household, massage therapy is a strong ally.  Massage therapy is also crucial in helping those in a constant state of stress create healthier households.  Whether you are a parent raising children or taking care of elderly parents, if you are relaxed and more peaceful, these tasks can go more smoothly.  Additionally, you can bring more peace and calm to those in your household.  It's a win-win situation for everyone! 

The Importance of Hydration Before and After Massage

If you’ve had a massage, chances are the massage therapist encouraged you to drink plenty of water after your massage.  This is due in part because massage promotes of state of dehydration in the body because fluid (and toxins) are essentially squeezed out of the tissues during the massage.  Drinking water helps to flush toxins that are released during massage out of your body.  But did you also know that proper hydration prior to your massage is as equally important?

If your muscles and body tissues are properly hydrated, they are nice and plump.  When these tissues are plump, they are more malleable.  This allows the massage therapist to work deeper with less pain, therefore releasing even more toxins, as well as minerals that have been stored in the tissues.  The proper level of hydration will also allow the body to eliminate these toxins more efficiently.

Water also assists the circulatory system in the body.  With all of these unsavory substances swirling around in the body, the circulatory system is able to circulate these substances out of the body, with the help of the lymphatic system.  This will ensure the body is able to purify itself through efficient elimination so infection and illness do not occur.  If you have ever experienced nausea or headache after a massage, chances are you were not properly hydrated prior to your massage.

How do know if you are getting enough water?  Take your body weight, divide it in half and that is the number in ounces you should be drinking.  It is best to avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee before your massage, as caffeine has a dehydrating effect on the body.  Additionally, caffeine might make you jittery, therefore making you unable to relax completely during your massage.  Beverages such as coconut water are also extremely hydrating.  In addition to hydrating the body, coconut water also contains minerals such as potassium and magnesium. 

Typically, if it is hot outside or if you have been exercising, your body will need more water to replenish what is lost through sweating.  Pregnant women will also require more water.  As always, it is best to consult your doctor if you have any questions on how much water you should be drinking. 

  

Have The Blues? Try Massage Therapy!

There are many treatments on the market today to help with depression, but did you know massage therapy is one of them? In no way is massage therapy considered a "cure" for depression, but it can significantly reduce the symptoms of depression.

It's normal to have the blues every now and then, but it's important to know the difference between the blues and clinical depression. Chances are, if you are losing sleep or sleeping too much, have significant appetite changes, have an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, you may be clinically depressed and should talk to your doctor immediately.

Depression can be a tricky thing, depending on the form of depression you may suffer from. It can come and go, leaving you to think that during the ebb that you are cured, only to have it resurface after a particularly stressful time in your life. Knowing what the different forms of depression are may help in seeking the proper treatment.

Types of Depression

Major Depressive Disorder is an achingly incapacitating disorder that affects your daily life on a profound level. Getting out of bed is a chore, let alone seeing to anything else. Typically, it can occur more than once in a person's lifetime, so proper treatment is necessary.

Seasonal Affective Disorder occurs during the winter months, and is brought on by the lack of sunlight. This is typically treated with light therapy and perhaps a mild anti-depressant. More holistic schools of thought may use Vitamin D3 supplements as a treatment as well.

Psychotic Depressive disorder brings hallucinations and delusional thinking along with sadness.

Postpartum Depression, more commonly known as "The Baby Blues" is a bout of depression experienced by a new mother after giving birth. This type of depression has the potential to put the baby at risk, so immediate treatment is absolutely crucial.

How Massage Therapy Can Help With Depression

When a person is depressed, the brain shuts down the production of 'feel-good' neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine. Massage therapy induces relaxation, which triggers production of those 'feel-good' neurotransmitters.

This state of relaxation also helps the body combat the effects of the stress hormone, cortisol. When the body is stressed, excess levels of cortisol are produced by the adrenals. Over time, this over production can lead to more serious problems within the body, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome.

On a more primal level, we need touch to survive, period. Human contact is both healing and necessary for our well-being. Babies cannot survive without touch; neither can adults. Massage therapy is a wonderful way to foster human touch, as well as spark healing to take place. Although there are many treatments out there for depression, massage therapy is wonderfully relaxing way to take care of your body and heal your mind.

The Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

Almost all of us carry the most tension in the neck and shoulder regions of the body, especially if you have a high-stress lifestyle or sit at a desk most of the time. This chronic tension can cause headaches and uncomfortable body aches. If this tension goes untreated, it can even escalate into ailments such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. One method of combating chronic tension is deep tissue massage.

Deep tissue massage consists of slow, penetrating strokes that focus on the deeper layers of the muscle and muscle groups affected by tension. When muscles are chronically tight, they remain in a state of contraction, which is what causes discomfort. The objective of deep tissue massage is to release that contraction by applying sustained, focused pressure on the affected muscle. In order for deep tissue massage to effect that “release”, the connective tissues, such as ligaments, tendons and fascia are deeply worked as well.

Other massage techniques typically follow the pattern of the muscle grain, but deep tissue massage goes against the grain. Firm friction strokes across the grain of the muscle signals the muscle to relax as the fascia is stretched and smoothed back out. This technique of deep tissue massage can create a bit of discomfort while being performed, but that discomfort should dissipate a day or so after the massage.

Firm, sustained pressure along the pressure points of the muscle is another method of creating release as well. Typically, the deep tissue massage practitioner will apply pressure using an elbow along the points of the muscle; usually, the patient will feel an immediate release once the practitioner has released pressure.

Deep tissue massage is very effective in releasing toxins from the muscles as well. When the muscles hold patterns of tension, lactic acid builds up inside the muscle from it being contracted. This release of lactic acid is what causes the discomfort after a deep tissue massage. Drinking plenty of water after your massage will help the body flush those toxins away.

Although deep tissue massage can be uncomfortable, it is highly therapeutic. The chronic patterns of tension can be corrected with regular deep tissue massage sessions, and is highly beneficial to help the body heal. In addition, this release of toxins and tension help keep the body performing at optimal levels so the body is less susceptible to illness and injury.