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Taking care of feet…
Tag Archives: migraines
Reflexology
No one really knows how or why it works, but many rely on reflexology to recover and maintain their health.
Reflexology is the stimulation of specific points mostly on the feet, but also hands, or ears in order to affect the whole body and therefore various organs, glands or structures in the body. This enhances the body’s own natural healing processes for strength and balance.
Our feet carry enormous pressure through the day and could use some maintenance care through a reflexology session, or set of sessions depending on what is going on in the body. The feet can carry tension and often pain. Tender points alert to problem areas and are addressed within client’s pressure wishes. The whole foot is addressed to bolster the unison of the body systems, helping the immune system and encouraging a sense of vitality and wellness.
Only a small percentage of massage clients come in for pampering, relaxation massages. Most come in for medical complaints: back pain, muscle spasms, sports injuries, migraines, fibromyalgia, and rehabilitation after surgery, etc.
Many times Doctors will suggest massage for hypertension and high blood pressure. But some people choose reflexology or energywork in tandem with conventional medicine to support the body through critical care, when the body cannot handle a full massage.
Reflexology is easy to do over a lunch break, as it is only a 30-minute treatment, and doesn’t require disrobing. Reflexology often requires a commitment of several treatments, especially if there have been serious health issues. Ask for package deals!
Check my “about” page for contact information. Come try it out!
The Consequences of Stress
Experts estimate that 80 percent to 90 percent of disease is stress-related. Massage and bodywork is there to combat that frightening number by helping us remember what it means to relax. The physical changes massage brings to your body can have a positive effect in many areas of your life. Besides increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety, massage lowers your blood pressure, increases circulation, improves recovery from injury, helps you to sleep better and can increase your concentration. It reduces fatigue and gives you more energy to handle stressful situations.
Massage is a perfect elixir for good health, but it can also provide an integration of body and mind. By producing a meditative state or heightened awareness of living in the present moment, massage can provide emotional and spiritual balance, bringing with it true relaxation and peace.
The Physical Benefits of Massage
~~Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.~~Stimulates the flow of lymph, the body’s natural defense system, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
~~Increased circulation of blood and lymph systems improves the condition of the body’s largest organ – the skin.
~~Relaxes and softens injured and overused muscles
~~Reduces spasms and cramping
~~Increases joint flexibility
~~Reduces recovery time, helps prepare for strenuous workouts and eliminates subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
~~Releases endorphins — the body’s natural painkiller — and is being used in chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain
~~Reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred.
~~Improves range-of-motion and decreases discomfort for patients with low back pain.
~~Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication
~~Assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, as well as less need for medication, less depression and anxiety, and shorter hospital stays.
Source: http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php?article_id=468
Massage helps with these conditions:
~~Headaches/ Migraines
~~Back Pain
~~Neck & shoulder issues
~~Carpal Tunnel issues
~~Edema- fluid retention and swelling
~~Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
~~Sciatica
~~Plantar fasciitis
~~Scoliosis
~~Arthritis
~~Premenstrual Syndrome
~~Asthma
~~Insomnia, Anxiety, and Depression
~~High Blood Pressure
~~Pregnancy Discomforts and Recovery
~~Athletic Event Warm Up, Cool Down and Recovery
~~Muscle Injury Rehabilitation
~~Scarring
~~Detoxification…
~~And there are many more reasons to get a massage!
Call and schedule a massage today and see how good you can feel!
The Postures: The Cat Hissing
Shrug your shoulders up really high. Do you notice how tight this makes your neck? This is the hissing cat posture.
It appears when our internal emotional pressure builds- and someone might get hurt soon! … Unless, we feel it is inappropriate to vent, and so our neck gets stiff.
This is like a steam kettle getting ready to hiss, but there is no steam vent. Another picture would be an armed grenade, ready to explode, splattering shrapnel all around! Your blood pressure might be high…
We start to notice shoulder and neck pain, a headache, or a migraine. If issues are unresolved by sleep time, it turns into TMJ, with teeth grinding and problems that can become dental issues. The scalp is usually stretched tighter than a swimming cap! Can you really stomach what is going on in your life? The whole upper back can curl forward with stomach issues, just like with vomiting reflexes.
Next time you have a headache, neck or shoulder pain, are you really being honest with your emotions?
As I have noted in a previous segment, finding a good vent is good! Some I have used or heard of are:
Exercise and creating something you feel is beautiful helps channel frustrations constructively.
Exercise helps! There are the martial arts, with the kicking and yelling in an appropriate venue, and you’ll feel great afterwards! There’s distance running until you’ve “pounded” (the problem) into the pavement” and have worn yourself out and are ready to face the world again. Also, there’s target shooting, and weight lifting, anything that channels aggression. For kids a mini trampoline helps keep them in a small space, yet lets out their energy. (It has great health benefits, too!)
If you can’t get away from the house, I have found ironing, juicing, riding a stationary bike/elliptical machine and cleaning/scrubbing with purpose until I calmed down have all really helped. I have also suggested going in the bedroom and kicking and screaming into a pillow on your bed, but I don’t know if many take me up on this. If you were comfortable venting your emotions already, you wouldn’t be having problems, anyway…
Speaking of, are you being honest with your emotions? Does something need to change…but not yet? Figure out something that doesn’t hurt you in the long run and let off some steam!
Have a crack at the arts or climbing into whatever you find that’s beautiful. It can help transform your mood! Focusing on a creative project helps redirect that energy into something positive. Music, even if you don’t have talent can “have charms to soothe the savage (angry) beast”!
See what you think, and as always, chime in on what works for you!
Mandy
Mandy's Blog 