How To Be The Best Massage Client

More often that not, massage clients don’t realize how important it is do their part during and between massages in order to obtain optimum results. Here are some things to keep in mind when receiving a massage:

1. Breathe. Deep, smooth breaths from the abdomen will allow for ultimate relaxation as well as bringing oxygen to the muscles. When on a tight area, concentrate your breaths to that area to accelerate release of the muscle(s). Do not hold the breath. Breathe in as deeply as possible, and slowly exhale. You will notice a big difference in your state of mind, your body, and the effectiveness of the session.

2. Relax. Some people have a difficult time doing this, as there can be some subconscious guarding (a natural psychosomatic reflex of past experiences), but along with breathing, keep in mind that the therapist will do all of the work unless they ask you to assist in moving, stretching, or resisting a stretch. Using visualization may help, such as going to a ‘happy place’ or imagining that you are dead weight or sometimes weightless, floating in the air. To assist my clients, instead of saying the word ‘relax’ which is usually ineffective, I will ask my clients to 'let go', 'give into', 'sink in', or 'let me do the work for you'. I also try to have them imagine that their head is a bowling ball or a bobble head, or that their shoulder or leg just got a shot of novacaine and that it has gone limp. Doing this a few times makes the client aware of their body and any guarding, as well as teaches them that they are in control. Sometimes visualization is the most effective way. 

3. Communicate, communicate, communicate. I can’t emphasize this enough. Make sure you let your therapist know if the pressure is too light or too deep. Let them know if you are not in a comfortable position, or when you feel a sensation of tightness, pain, or discomfort, or referring sensation to another area. Although massage therapists are taught to feel muscle tension, they don’t always catch everything you feel. This is your time. Whether it is for relaxation or to treat an injury or condition, communicate so that the therapist can accommodate to your needs. Do not be afraid to speak up, because the therapist ultimately wants you to have the best massage experience possible.

4. Be in tune with your body. Feel how it responds to the touch of massage. Imagine feeling the fibers of the muscles, the bones shifting, the blood flowing, the tissues melting for you. If something doesn’t feel right, refer to #3.

5. Do your homework. This is vital. Massage therapists generally give specific exercises or tasks that will help your body improve in tension, pain, and range of motion issues. They have been trained properly to understand what is needed with certain conditions. The more you do your part, the more quickly you will see improvement. Also, stay in tune with your body- pay attention to any habits or daily activities that you notice may aggravate your symptoms, as well as the subtle or drastic changes you notice after having your massage sessions.

6. Ask questions. Therapists do their best at educating clients on muscles, posture, and exercises, but if you still want to know more, don’t hesitate to inquire. There is no dumb question at all! It is so important to know how and why of your body and what massage does for the body and mind.

7. We don’t expect you to come to your session freshly-showered or shaven, but body odor can be an issue. Also, an exorbitantamount of perfume/cologne or cigarette smoke can make for an uncomfortable experience for the therapist, usually being in an enclosed room with little to no ventilation.

And just know that you are beautiful, no matter what. Freckles, stretch marks, scars, hairy legs, ticklishness, emotional releases, and bodies big and small….it’s all okay! You are YOU and you are BEAUTIFUL! We just want to make you feel better!

transferred- original post date 02/05/2013

Vitamins + Supplements- Are You Taking The Right Stuff?

The age of herbal supplements is at an all-time high, as many feel they are lacking nutrients in the body. Amongst the most popular are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Fish Oil, Iron, Echinacea, and your typical Multi-Vitamin. What do you take on a regular basis and why? Are there certain supplements you take when you start to feel run down or ill? If you take certain supplements because you have heard that it helps certain issues such as fatigue, lack of energy, depression, weight and overall immune issues, that may be all fine and well but there are some important tips and rules to follow in order to know exactly what you should be taking and how much of it you should be taking.

*The wisest thing to do is to seek the professional advice from your physician- particularly a Nutritionist or Naturopath- and have lab tests done according to the symptoms you are experiencing and how long they have been affecting you. Here’s why:

1.Every body is different. Each person’s levels of nutrients are different. Just because, for instance, if you are always tired, it doesn’t mean that you need to take Iron or Vitamin D. It may be one of those, a combination of those, or something totally different. There are many, many factors that contribute to fatigue and lack of energy including Hypothyroidism, lack of exercise, medications, heart problems, obesity, electrolyte imbalances, hormonal imbalance, stagnant stomach acid, irregular sleep schedule, or too much caffeine and not enough hydration. The list could go on.

2. A single type of supplement may not be effective.

Depending on your deficiency or issue, you may need 2 or 3 different supplements or alternate them in order to properly be absorbed in the body and to reach its full potential. It could also depend on the time of day you take it and if it should be taken with a meal, water, or on an empty stomach.

3. Taking too much of one supplement could be harmful. It can also be harmful to take some supplements if you are on certain medications or have certain conditions. For instance, too much iron could lead to abdominal and bowel issues. Fish oil can cause blood thinning which is unsafe for those with Type II Diabetes or High Blood Pressure. Echinacea is contraindicated for pregnancy and auto-immune disorders.

4. Multi-Vitamins are (for the most part) useless. Multi-Vitamins are meant for a generic supplement and will almost never contain the proper amounts of each vitamin and supplement (either too much or too little). In order for vitamins and supplements to effectively work, they need to be taken individually, and ideally in a liquid/liquicap form for quicker absorption (but then again, the timing of the absorption is also an important factor to consider depending on the supplement and your body).

5. Don’t take vitamins and supplements when you are healthy. Your body will first of all get too much of a supplement, which could lead to certain side effects. Also, your body would be building up a tolerance to a supplement and you could eventually become immune to its effects and benefits for when you actually would need it to work. It is best to only take what you are lacking when you are lacking it. Naturopaths and Nutritionists can make a great judgment on adjusting the amount of supplement(s) you are taking if you seem to be getting better, worse, or seeing no change.

6. You can be allergic to a supplement. Just like with foods or medications, you body could reject a certain supplement, causing you to have flu-like symptoms, a rash, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, restless sleep, etc.

7. The higher quality of a supplement, the better. Whole food supplements at a specialty vitamin store are the best way to go. The brands you see at the drug store or grocery store aren’t going to have the same high quality as those recommended by your physician. Most of the time, they will be able to prescribe a high quality supplement at their clinic, a dispensary, and sometimes even particular pharmacies and possibly places like Super Supplements, depending on what they recommend for you. Yes, they may be a bit more expensive, but that is because of how they are dispensed as far as the percentage of authentic structure, the dispensing method, and the dosage per capsule/tablet.

8. The best source of nutrients is food. This is the most important one to remember. Many of the nutrients we are lacking are easily found in healthy foods and in eating these foods, it would be the fastest and easiest way to absorb the needed nutrients. If we follow the proper daily diet of foods that we have been told about since we were little, we would not be facing such issues. The one thing to keep in mind is to be aware of processed foods and foods pumped with hormones. It is truly the best only to eat organic, so that the nutrients are not in any way altered or diluted.

If you start to evaluate your health, any conditions, and note that the supplements are not as effective as you would hope or you are just curious as to what nutrients you are lacking, do yourself the biggest favor and talk to a professional. If lack of funds is on your mind, this is where the research tool can come in even handier, as there are natural physicians out there that will work with your budget and charge on a sliding scale. But, think of it this way- spending a few hundred dollars on consulting with the right person and finding out exactly what you are lacking and needing, and to be on a proper supplement regimen, would save you hundreds to thousands of dollars on unneeded supplements as well as potential doctor visits, hospital bills and medication costs in the long run.

transferred- original post date 02/29/2012

PTSD- We Can All Relate

So if PTSD is technically the diagnosis of life-threatening trauma to an individual or others they’ve witnessed first-hand, and in reading the A-F criteria, there is indeed a pattern for those who have faced other ‘traumas’ in life. Now, I am not talking down PTSD in itself, but if we think about it, we’ve all experienced a form of it one way or another- such as betrayal, a car accident, a fire, death of a close one or pet, abuse, etc.

The exact criteria as described for PTSD very well applies to these as well. Reliving the experience, fearing of re-entering the same realm for the possibility of it happening again, lack of focus, detachment, bad dreams, sleep issues, sensitivity….do any of that resonate with you?

You can’t just ‘get over it’, can you? It sticks with you forever. You can’t cure PTSD or any other emotional or psychological disturbances relating to trauma. And we all handle it differently. So what needs to happen is something revolutionary. Something that will bring healing to every PTSD sufferer in a way that is fitting for them as individuals.

With all of the types of ‘therapies’ out there, pills and talking shouldn’t be the only solution. Finding the right therapy or combination of therapies for someone would make all the difference.

Let’s see….what all is there?

- Massage Therapy

- Reiki Therapy

- Hypnotherapy

- Acupuncture

- Cranio Sacral Therapy

- Art Therapy

- Dance / Movement Therapy

- Mind-Body Therapy

- Music / Sound Therapy

- Acting Therapy

- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) Therapy

- Sensory Deprivation

- Writing / Journal Therapy

- Meditation

…and more.

There is a SEA of these services out there, but most of them aren’t covered by insurance. Shouldn’t there be Life Trauma Medical benefits? That’s what they are trying to work on now with PTSD-sufferers.

This is a dawning of a new age. Slowly, but surely, scientists and doctors will finally agree that Stress is the #1 killer in the world. Stress not only leads to such things as PTSD, Depression, suicide, etc. it leads to physical stresses and ailments. It’s all connected. Bottom line is we all die by stress in one form or another.

I am on a mission to bring this into reality once and for all. We need a movement. And we’ll get there. I'm determined.

transferred- original post date 06/30/2011