Bodywork Doesn’t Have to Hurt to be Effective

Some people believe massage must be painful to be effective. While some modalities may be intense, this doesn’t necessarily translate to a knuckle-biting experience. In fact, painful bodywork can be counterproductive. If you can’t breathe comfortably, want to tighten up, make a face, or curl your toes, the technique is too much for you. Your body will go into a protective mode and actually block any positive change.

“No pain, no gain” just doesn’t have to apply when it comes to bodywork. Be sure to provide feedback to your practitioner so that you’re on the same page. Think of it as a “scale of intensity.” On my scale, zero is not touching you and ten is pain–not the worst pain you’ve ever felt but the place where you want to hold your breath, tighten up, make a face, leave your body. That’s a ten.

You shouldn’t ever have to be in a pain range to get results, and be sure to let your practitioner know if you’re in an eight or nine range. They may stay at that level if that’s where the therapeutic value will be attained, but again, only if it’s manageable and you’re not tightening up.

And every single client is different. Not only do invdividuals all start in different places, but their bodies respond differently, and their pain thresholds are extremely varied. What one person finds heavenly, another calls torture.

If it does feel too painful, be sure to tell your therapist. Usually, a practitioner can simply slow down to ease the intensity without losing therapeutic value. Sometimes, if you are nervous or stressed, just remembering to breathe will make your body more open, and you’ll remain comfortable.

Bodywork needn’t be a test of how tough you are. By giving your therapist appropriate feedback and understanding that painful techniques aren’t really helping your body heal, you’ll have a great experience in the session and feel better afterward.

Cathy Ulrich

Discover the Healing Properties of Taking Tea

The health research is enough to make you forego the latte for strong brewed tea instead. Name your color — black, white, green, even red — teas are packed with disease-preventing antioxidants (more than some fruits and vegetables) and contain vitamins, minerals, and at least half the caffeine of coffee.

Fortified with free radical-fighting polyphenols, tea drinkers have a reduced risk of many different cancers, in particular stomach, colorectal, and even skin cancer. Tea drinkers also have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and high cholesterol. Containing anti- inflammatory and arthritis-preventing properties, tea also helps stimulate the immune system and protect the liver against toxins.

But you have to drink up. Most research points to five or so cups of brewed tea each day to reap the health benefits. Decaf tea loses some but not much of its health punch, due to extra processing.

All traditional tea — white, green, oolong, and black — is derived from the leaves of an evergreen tree called the Camellia sinensis, and all contain the health-promoting polyphenols. White tea is made from young tea leaves, dried in the sun without fermentation or processing. Green tea is dried with hot air after picking, so it retains its color but is not fermented. Oolong tea, sometimes referred to as “brown” tea, is fermented but not processed to the point of black tea. Black tea, on the other hand, is fully fermented, which accounts for the color of the leaves and its stronger flavor.

Rooibos, or red tea, is naturally caffeine-free and from the Aspalathus linearis, a shrub that grows only at high altitude near Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

Herbal teas are made from a variety of plants, roots, bark, seeds, and flowers and are technically herbal infusions rather than tea. Though they don’t contain the same antioxidants and haven’t received the same research-based accolades as traditional tea, the herbs in these infusions have certain healing properties that have been used for centuries to treat many common health issues.

Tips for Avoiding Injury

Have you ever noticed that your neck gets cranky after an extended Angry Birds binge? Or your thumb starts to throb the day after sending 40 emails from your phone during a particularly boring meeting? With more people spending more time on their smartphones, stories of repetitive strain injuries like these are on the rise.

Certified Hellerwork practitioner and licensed massage therapist Joseph Hunton has seen, and experienced, the results of overuse and improper ergonomics when it comes to these devices. “I had been sitting and standing with my head bent over the phone while holding it and making fine finger movements for hours at a time,” Hunton says of the days that followed the arrival of his new smartphone. “This was a recipe for strain and pain.”

Being SmartHunton encourages smartphone users to stretch and take frequent breaks, and cautions that improper use may result in a stiff neck, sore upper back, and tight arms. Here are some more smartphone ergonomic tips to avoid the pain:

–Bring the phone up to your line of sight to keep your head aligned with your spine.
–Use a wireless headset to prevent arm strain.
–Never hold the phone between your head and shoulder.

Frequent smartphone use can also cause repetitive strain injuries of the thumb. Hunton reminds us to use our smartphones intelligently. “Although it can perform many functions, it is not really a computer, gaming station, or video monitor,” he says.

Options for ReliefStretching, limiting your smartphone use, and receiving frequent massage are all successful ways to alleviate the strain caused by repetitive use. Listen to your body, and communicate with your massage therapist about any pain or discomfort that might arise from the use of these devices.

How Massage Benefits the Expectant Mother

From fatigue to back pain, pregnancy places many demands on a woman’s body. Massage is one way the expectant mother can help ease the symptoms and have a more stress-free pregnancy. During the first trimester, a primary goal of massage is to provide relaxation and increase flow of the circulation systems. Stimulating the blood system pumps more energy-giving oxygen and nutrients into your cells and increases blood flow to the placenta. Muscle tension can slow down lymph flow, leaving you fatigued. By stimulating this system, massage can boost your immunity and energy level.

In the second trimester, “the mother starts going through more changes,” says Lynne Daize with the National Association of Pregnancy Massage Therapy, “so massage is used to relieve muscle spasms and ease structural changes.” The therapist works to loosen joints and soften the connective tissues, thereby relieving backaches and leg cramps.

As pregnancy progresses, special positioning is required during massage. Up to the 24th week of pregnancy it is acceptable, according to Daize, for moms to be on their back with the right hip tilted up, taking pressure off the nerves and arteries. Pressure on the arteries in the back, she notes, will diminish blood flow and oxygen to the fetus. Another position that decreases stress on the back is side-lying, with the belly supported by a small wedge pillow.

During the final trimester, the baby begins to gain weight more rapidly, discomfort increases, and the impending due date can cause added stress and anxiety. At this stage, Daize says, the therapist focuses on trigger points to relieve pain while continuing to elicit relaxation throughout the body. Generally, during the last two weeks before mom’s due date, the therapist concentrates her techniques on preparing the mother’s body for delivery.

Before initiating massage, consult your obstetrician. While massage is a safe treatment, certain conditions require your physician’s approval and careful monitoring by the therapist. Notify your therapist of any changes in your physical health, and consult your obstetrician about continuing the treatments should complications arise.

Massage Fits You (yes, YOU!)

Sol Benson loathed her body. It went beyond mere embarrassment at how “fat” she was. Deeper still was the conviction that her body was unworthy of love, underserving of nurturing.

And it was that alienation from her own body that for years kept Benson, a professional dancer who has waged a lifelong battle with anorexia, from getting massage. “I stayed away because getting a massage was being good to myself,” said the 45-year-old Colorado mother of two, whose own mother and brother are massage therapists. “If I’m on a weight loss cycle, it’s like ‘I don’t deserve love, I don’t deserve food, I don’t deserve to feel good about myself.'”

Benson credits Mary Rose–a Boulder, Colorado, massage therapist who has developed a special style of acupressure for the physically fragile–with understanding her psychological fragility enough to help her turn massage into a tool for healing, rather than a doorway to despair.

It was the tender care from Rose, Benson explains, that helped the process. Her nonjudgmental ways helped Benson maintain balance. If, however, Rose had brought up weight, or in this case, the lack thereof, Benson admits it could have sent her into another purging cycle.

Managing Body Image
Benson’s story illustrates just how complex the issues of body image can be in 21st century America and just how valuable bodywork is in mending distorted body image.

Developing a positive body image is about becoming present, grounded, open, aware, and unafraid to find what’s at the core and work through it. It’s about being mindful, and listening to what your body has to say–a big step on the way to a healthier lifestyle and not necessarily an easy one to take. It requires courage and hard work to learn self-acceptance. And bodywork can play a key role in this endeavor.

With America in the grip of an obesity epidemic–while at the same time holding up waif-like thinness as a cultural ideal–many people are worried about excess pounds and the harsh judgments that accompany them. Embarrassment at the thought of uncovering imperfect bodies for the close contact of a massage or bodywork session drives away untold numbers of potential clients.

The problem isn’t limited to issues of weight. Many people avoid massage because of embarrassment about acne, surgical scars, birthmarks they consider unsightly, or some other physical deformity or flaw.

“A really common one is, ‘I have such ugly feet,'” Rose says. “I always laugh and say that in 20 years, I haven’t seen an ugly foot yet. People just have bad attitudes about their feet. In general, people are so self-judgmental.”

Relax, ReallyMassage therapists specialize in the human body. They don’t judge; rather, they see anatomy.

“This is something that’s so prevalent and something we deal with daily,” says Jonathan Burt, 27, a Detroit massage therapist and massage instructor. “I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard, ‘I have to wait until I get into shape before I come in for a massage.’ Clients think they have to be in shape before they can relax.” Newsflash: Relaxation is not exclusive to model body types.

Given the increased blood flow that results from massage, as well as the benefits to the lymphatic and other body systems, Burt believes overweight people and others who suffer from limited mobility are the people most likely to benefit from a good massage. That’s why he especially treasures his larger clients.

The idea of taking your clothes off for a massage is often more intimidating than the reality. In fact, practitioners make draping an art form, ensuring the client doesn’t feel exposed. And by the way, says Burt, you’re not the only imperfect body around here. “We all have flaws,” says Burt, who gave his first massage at age seven, when his grandmother, a double amputee, asked him to massage her stumps. “Myself, I’m not the American Gladiator. I inform people I have flaws as well, and I’d be more than willing to help them overcome their self-consciousness.”

Viewpoint: CompassionWe’re all in this together, and your massage therapist is operating from a place of compassion. Your practitioner is there to create and hold a safe space for you. Says Charlie Murdach, 38, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire, massage therapist, “For me, it’s meeting the person where that person is and addressing that person in an appropriate and compassionate way.”

Murdach, who has been a massage therapist since 1990, says he has yet to meet a potential client that he can’t help, regardless of that person’s physical condition. He believes this is due to the massage therapist’s ability to avoiding forcing anything, but to also being open to the possibility that miracles can happen.

Murdach explains your practitioner’s role: “Whatever is going on with that person, whether it’s a deformity or some type of disability, I make sure I can step up and hold the waters calm for that person. It doesn’t matter if they’re missing an arm, or have a deformed hand, the person who is standing there desires to move forward.”

Getting a massage can do wonders for body image and help bridge the disconnect between the physical and emotional. A wounded psyche can lead you to believe you don’t deserve a massage; this is when you most do! You are worthy–book your massage today.

Rebecca Jones

Sharing the Benefits of Bodywork

When we experience something good, it’s natural to want to tell everyone about it. Massage is no exception. Here are some ways to share your enthusiasm for massage therapy.

Gifting MassageGift certificates are a great way to share massages with the people in your life. Looking for the perfect birthday present? Purchase an hour gift certificate for them with your favorite massage therapist. Thanking someone for pet sitting? Reward them with a half-hour reflexology treatment. If it’s your spouse or significant other that you’re hoping to get interested in this healing therapy, perhaps a couple’s massage, where two people receive massage in the same room, could be an anniversary gift.

Giving someone a gift certificate allows the recipient to experience massage without financially committing to something that they might not be sure about. After the initial visit, it is up to them to evaluate whether the experience makes them want to pay for another one.

Outline the BenefitsMost people are aware that massage is effective at relieving stress and promoting relaxation, but there are myriad benefits you can highlight depending on your audience. For those who suffer from low-back pain, a study by the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle has shown that massage is more effective than medication at reducing pain. Some massage therapists provide specialized sport massage, something that might appeal to your golfing buddy who needs to loosen up his swing and increase his range of motion.

In addition to helping people reduce pain or cope with physical injuries, the supportive touch of a massage therapist can be a powerful positive encounter during times of emotional distress. If someone in your life is dealing with grief or loss, you might recommend massage as a way for them to relax and be tended to without having to actively share their feelings, a welcome relief for many people.

Here are just some of the positives that massage and bodywork can provide. You can tailor your “pitch” to your audience by focusing on those specific to their situation:

–Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
–Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow–the body’s natural defense system.
–Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
–Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
–Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ–the skin.
–Increase joint flexibility.
–Lessen depression and anxiety.
–Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
–Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
–Reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling.
–Reduce spasms and cramping.
–Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
–Release endorphins–amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller.
–Relieve migraine pain.

Take Baby StepsIf the person you are trying to introduce is intrigued by massage but reluctant to dive in headfirst, there are several ways to encourage them to stick a toe in the water. Many massage therapists offer chair massage in smaller time increments than a typical one-hour appointment. This is an ideal way for a person to experience the benefits of touch without having to worry about undressing or being overwhelmed by a full session.

Consider inviting your “recruit” to meet your massage therapist before your next session. Most therapists would be happy to give a potential client a brief tour and talk with them about the process of receiving a massage. For many people, being able to put a face to the person who is going to be touching them will calm some of their fears of the unknown.

For those who need more specific information about massage, you can direct them to Massagetherapy.com, a public education site provided by Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP). On the site they will find an introduction to massage and its benefits, information on what to expect from a session, and a glossary of terms and techniques to help them understand massage lingo. There is also an archive of articles from Massage Bodywork magazine to help the potential client answer any questions they might have before taking the plunge.

Be a BillboardFriends and family are more likely to follow your lead if you show them that you enjoy, and benefit from, receiving massage. If you have a regular routine and are feeling good, when you recommend bodywork to others it will be more influential. Whether it’s increased range of motion, a sunnier disposition, or an improvement in posture, what you’ve gotten out of massage will be the best advertisement you can show them.

If, after all of your encouragement, they are still reluctant, you need to respect their feelings. Not everyone is ready for the hands-on experience of massage therapy, and some may even have some serious personal issues about touch. If you allow them to come to massage and bodywork on their own terms, they are more likely to be open to the safe, comforting, professional touch that the massage therapist provides.

While freckles tend to develop in people with fair skin, red or blonde hair, and blue or green eyes, age spots happen later in life regardless of skin type. But both are caused by an accumulation of melanin in the skin, the pigment that makes us tan. Both will also likely darken in the summer with sun exposure and fade in the winter months.

A Prevention PlanThe best way to avoid these unsightly spots is with a prevention plan. Use a sunscreen with at least a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 as a part of your daily skin care regimen, and wear protective clothing when outside. Age spots will concentrate on the backs of the hands, so be sure to apply sunscreen there, as well as your face.

When you do notice freckles or age spots gaining ground, the following options may be beneficial.

Lighten NaturallyLemon juice is a natural lightener. Used twice a day, it will help fade age spots and freckles. Apply fresh lemon juice to skin with a cotton ball and allow it to dry before applying sunscreen and makeup.

ExfoliateHuman skin constantly sloughs old dead cells as new ones are produced. With aging, the skin tends to lose some of its ability to eliminate these skin cells. Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) loosens the glue that holds old skin cells in place. When used regularly, AHA helps eliminate old cells and excess melanin. Many skin care products contain AHAs, but they can also be found in fruits and milk. Apply a mask of sour milk and allow it to dry before rinsing, or, for a more aromatic option, make a fruit mask of pureed ripe papaya. This fruit contains papain, an enzyme that helps dissolve dead skin cells.

Supplement with CTaking a vitamin C supplement helps reduce skin’s sensitivity to the sun and can prevent melanin buildup.

Talk to a Skin Care ProfessionalEstheticians can provide products and treatments to help reduce or eliminate skin spots. Discuss your spots with a skin care professional to determine the best options for you.

Chances are good that, at some point in your life, you will have back pain. In fact, 70-85 percent of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives. But even with those odds, there are still several ways to minimize your risk and give yourself the best chance to live pain-free.

Several factors can cause back pain, including stress, poor posture, bad ergonomics, lack of exercise, arthritis, osteoporosis, a sedentary lifestyle, overexertion, pregnancy, kidney stones, fibromyalgia, excess weight, and more.

With all of these potential causes lurking, it’s important to look at behaviors that can help you prevent and avoid back pain before it starts. Here are a few simple healthy back tips from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:

–Stretch and warm tissues before exercise or other strenuous activities.
–Practice good posture. Avoid slouching when sitting or standing.
–When standing, keep your weight balanced on both feet.
–Follow good ergonomics in the workplace. When sitting for long periods of time, rest your feet on a foot support. Make sure your chair and work surfaces are at the proper height. Get up and move around in between long sitting stints.
–Avoid high-heeled shoes.
–Watch your weight. Excess weight, especially around the waist, can put undue stress on lower back muscles.
–Exercise. Core strengthening moves, especially, will also benefit your back.
–Don’t lift items that are heavier than you can handle. Remember to lift with your knees, not your back. Pull in your stomach muscles, keep your head down and in line with your straight back, and do not twist when lifting.
–Get a massage. Using therapeutic bodywork can melt pain-inducing stress away from your back and the rest of your body.

Sweet but not really a Potato:

Sweet potatoes, though resembling in appearance to yams or the common potato, belong to an entirely different food family, so when you choose sweet potatoes as a dietary root vegetable, you are getting a truly unique type of potato that is nutritionally different from other types. The skin and flesh of the sweet potato which comes in 400 odd varieties, may be almost white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, or deep purple, although white/cream and yellow-orange flesh are most common.

The intensity of the sweet potato’s yellow or orange flesh color is directly correlated to its beta-carotene content, which is referred to as “Provitamin A” as our bodies can typically produce vitamin A from it.

Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are a fantastic source of anthocyanins (especially peonidins and cyanidins) and have outstanding antioxidant activity, more than even blueberries.

15 SUPER NUTRITIOUS FACTS OF SWEET POTATO:
1.Diabetic Food: Naturally sweet, these fibrous roots have long been considered a suitable diabetics food as their natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, ensuring a balanced and regular source of energy, regulating blood sugar, and helping stabilize and lower insulin resistance.
2.Healthy Digestion: Sweet potatoes are abundant in dietary fiber, that helps promote a healthy digestive tract, increases the bulk of the stool, eases toxic waste expulsion relieving constipation and also helps prevent colon cancer.
3.Fights Emphysema: Studies have shown that people who smoke or are exposed to cigarette smoke fall victim to a deficiency in Vitamin A. Sweet Potatoes contain carotenoids-beta carotene which the body converts to Vitamin A, vital for the health of the respiratory system.
4.Immune System: Sweet potatoes are a potent source of Vitamin D, a vitamin and hormone critical to our energy levels, moods, and body’s potential to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, and supporting the functions of the thyroid gland.
5.Cardio Care: Vital potassium content in sweet potatoes negates the sodium impact and helps maintain optimal fluid and electrolyte balance in the body cells, necessary for healthy blood pressure and overall heart function. Also Vitamin B6 helps reduce the chemical homocysteine, linked with degenerative diseases, including heart attacks and stroke.
6.Muscle and Tissue Health: Potassium is one of the most important electrolytes that help regulate heartbeat and nerve signals, provide instant energy, relaxes muscle contractions, reduces swelling and cramps, and protects and controls the activity of the kidneys. A integral part of an athlete’s diet.
7.Anti-Oxidant: Sweet potatoes are high in carotenoids like beta carotene making it suitable in combating inflammatory problems like asthma, arthritis, gout, etc., ward off cancers of the lung, breast, etc. and protect against the effects of aging.
8.Fetal Development: Sweet potatoes are a rich source of folate necessary for healthy fetal cell and tissue development and to prevent congenital abnormalities like spina bifida (malformed vertebra) and neural tube defects.
9.Anti Stress: Sweet potatoes replenish our potassium stores, depleted by stress attacks, helping normalize the heartbeat, increase oxygen flow to the brain and regulate the body’s water balance. Sweet potato contains the relaxation and anti-stress mineral magnesium, necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function.
10.Vitamin C SuperStore: Sweet Potatoes are abundant in Vitamin C, that not only wards off common cold and flu viruses, but is crucial in bone and tooth formation, digestion, blood cell formation, wound healing, shielding against cancer causing toxins, collagen production- key to skin’s elasticity, and is essential to helping us cope with stress.
11.Fights Anemia: Sweet potatoes are rich sources of the wonder mineral iron that not only provides adequate energy, but also plays an important role in red and white blood cell production, improves stress resistance, proper immune functioning, metabolizing of protein, and preventing debilitating anemia.
12.For Youthful Skin: Water left after boiling sweet potatoes works as a wonder toner for the skin that helps absorb impurities, deep cleansing your pores and soothing irritated skin. Vitamin C helps produce collagen necessary for healthy skin tone and elasticity. Vitamin E improves complexion, providing flawless skin. Anthocyanin helps reduce pigmentation and has anti-inflammatory properties that will help in getting rid of dark circles, wrinkles and puffiness of eyes.
13.Treats Premenstrual Symptoms: Manganese along with iron, present in sweet potatoes, helps in promoting healthy metabolism, maintaining healthy blood sugar balance, and treating severe premenstrual symptoms.
14.Hair Care: The presence of vitamin A or beta-carotene in sweet potato makes it an ideal food for hair growth, preventing hair problems like dull, damaged, lifeless hair and dandruff.
15.Vitamin/Mineral Store: Sweet potato provides a good amount of vital minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium that are essential for enzyme, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism. This starchy root vegetable is a rich source of flavonoids, anti-oxidants and dietary fiber that are essential for your overall health

1. You don’t look sick
2. You’re so lazy
3. Well, you just have to live with it
4. It’s all in your head
5. There are people worse off then you
6. All you need to do is….
7. Just ignore it, it will disappear
8. How can you lie / sit around all day
9. You’re just having a bad day
10. You’re hopeless