Meditation for spring

Review and plan your life for a more satisfying year

Spring is a potent season to look over the past and institute changes for the future. It is a good time to set clear goals, or intentions, that reflect your desires. This spring, try letting your impulses follow the growth you see in nature, and see how it affects your own perceptions and desires. To get started, try this personal reflection and writing exercise.

1. Find a favorite place to sit quietly, indoors or out. Breathe fully and deeply for a few minutes, keeping your attention on the breath.

2. Ask yourself: What can I clear out or let go of from the past year as I move into this fresh season of growth and rebirth? Observe your thoughts and feelings for 3 or 4 minutes.

3. Write down three things you would like to let go of. Put this “Let Go” list aside.

4. Now ask yourself: What do I desire in this new season? What seeds would I like to plant? Again see what answers come to you.

5. Write down three intentions for the coming year.

6. Take the “Let Go” list and burn it, or bury it in the soil.

7. Go back to the “Intentions” list. If you would like, illustrate or add color to it. Hang it up somewhere you will see it each day as a reminder of the seeds you have sown inside.

If you rearrange your life so that you plant new creative ideas in spring every year, you may be amazed by the increase in satisfaction you experience, as well as a deeper connection to the flow of nature’s seasons.

Massage and bodywork for allergies

Relief for congestion and pain

All year long, allergy sufferers complain of sinus congestion, headaches due to pressure,and exhaustion. But springtime allergies are especially known for the havoc they wreak.

Techniques that help
Bodywork can bolster your immune system and may even lessen the need for allergy medications. Massage to the head, face and neck can help clear mucus from the nose and throat. Pressure point therapies such
as shiatsu, acupressure and reflexology can be particularly helpful because they relieve congestion at the same time they encourage the body to return to a healthful balance.

Releasing trigger points
Massage is also known for its ability to release trigger points, knots that radiate pain to other spots. With massage, you can receive relaxing work to the face and around the eyes, as well as the upper back and shoulders where many trigger points to the head and face are located. When those areas are released, your headaches and congestion may also be relieved.

Stress reduction helps
Few studies researching massage therapy and allergy relief exist, but a 2009 Ohio State University study  showed that even slight stress and anxiety can substantially worsen a person’s allergic reaction to some routine allergens. Massage recipients the world over report that massage helps reduce their stress. You may well find that simply relaxing with massage helps relieve your allergy symptoms.

If you suffer from hay fever or some other spring allergy, try one or more sessions of massage this season. It may make all the difference.

Preparing for action

Three tips for getting moving in the spring



Springtime marks the end of winter hibernation. Like so many others, you may feel the need to get out of the house and start moving. Start the season right with these tips.



Start slowly and gradually

Spring is the time to recondition our bodies for outdoor activities. Whether it’s baseball, running or yard work, you may wake up one Saturday, feeling ready to go. But it is easy to get injured if you move too fast!


Warm up
Starting slowly and gradually before brisk activity can really pay off. Go outside and march in place for five minutes or take a quick walk around the block. Then gently stretch your neck, arms and legs.


Play smarter, not harder
As you begin your gardening or engaging in your sport, focus on using your body “smarter, not harder.” Switch activities every 30 minutes so you are not using the same muscles for extended periods. Take regular rest breaks and stretch the muscles you’ve been using.


Ramping up your outdoor activities carefully will give your body time to adjust and could prevent soreness and
even injury.

Baby, it's cold outside ...

Happy new year! I hope you had a fun, safe holiday season and wish you the healthiest, happiest year yet for 2012! I am ready to learn new things and share them.

With the new year comes even colder weather as we are now deep into winter. And that means more risk for extreme cold pathologies, such as frostbite. I'm mentioning this because something like frostbite should NOT be massaged, even though you may feel the instinct to do so.

"About Frostbite
Occurring when the skin and other tissues are exposed to very cold temperatures, frostbite can cause permanent tissue damage. Usually affecting the hands, feet, nose, cheeks and ears, frostbite can happen within minutes of exposure to extreme cold, or even in above-freezing temperatures if there is a strong wind chill or if the person is at high altitude or wet.

When exposed to cold, the body strives to preserve heat. By constricting the blood vessels near the skin's surface, blood is forced into the body's core to keep the vital organs warm. This is exactly the mechanism that prevents the extremities (such as hands and feet) from receiving enough blood, which causes them to become cold and makes them vulnerable to frostbite. The following sequence of events can lead to frostbite:

• Initially, the blood vessels alternate between narrowing and widening to keep the extremities as warm as possible.
• Under extremely cold conditions the vessels stop widening.
• When the skin's temperature drops low enough, ice crystals form around and within the cells, freezing tissue and possibly rupturing cells.
• The lack of circulation that occurs when the body directs blood flow away from the extremities can cause damage to the cells.

Frostbite Stages
There are four degrees of frostbite severity, each with their own symptoms:

1. First Degree - Known as frostnip, this affects only the skin's surface. Initial symptoms are itching and pain, and some numbness may exist. These symptoms are usually not permanent.

2. Second Degree - This level involves freezing of the skin, but not deep tissue. The affected area usually will develop blisters one to two days after cold exposure.

3. Third Degree - Possibly causing a temporary loss of use of the affected area, this level is deep enough to involve tissue, muscle and tendons. The skin turns hard and waxy and purplish, and blood-filled blisters may be present.

4. Fourth Degree - Freezing tissue, muscle and tendon, this is the most severe stage of frostbite. The affected area suffers permanent loss of function and is at risk for possible amputation due to infection.

In general, the indications of frostbite are:

• Itching, pain or prickling progressing to numbness
• Pale, hard, cold skin with a waxy appearance
• Flushing from blood rushing to the area after being re-warmed
• Burning sensation and swelling from collected fluid that can last for weeks

Medical help should be sought right away to prevent permanent tissue damage, as the extent of the injury may not be apparent until the area is re-warmed. If medical care is not available immediately, a mildly frostbitten area can be warmed in warm water (101 - 104° F), or by repeatedly applying warm cloths to the area for 30 minutes. Never use hot water, fire, a heating pad, or other dry heat because these methods may burn the skin before the feeling returns. Because the affected area may swell, remove any jewelry before re-warming. You can also give the person with frostbite something warm to drink (no alcohol or caffeine). If the toes are the frostbite culprit, help the person ambulate without them putting pressure on their feet. If there is any danger of refreezing, wait to thaw the area out until warm shelter is guaranteed. Thawing and refreezing can cause even more serious damage to tissue.

Warming should be done without applying movement to the tissue. That means no rubbing, massaging or shaking. Excessive movement will cause the ice crystals to injure sensitive body tissue."

Source: What Massage Therapists Should Know About Frostbite

As always, the best game plan is prevention. Remember your hat, scarf and gloves before going outside. Even if you don't think you'll need them, pack them in your bag, or stuff them in your pockets. It may be 50 this Saturday, but only in the middle of the day. Winter temperatures can drop dramatically in short periods. And if you suspect frostbite, please follow the instructions above.

Stay safe out there!

Happy New Year!

It's a new year, and I just want to thank my readers for sticking with me in 2010. I hope to bring you more useful information in 2011. Questions or topic suggestions are welcome!

~Stephanie

Boost your happiness with gratitude

How to reap the benefits of thankfulness

Some people consider the ability to be grateful the key to happiness. Focusing on what you do have instead of what you don’t is basic to the experience of joy. Some of the most grateful people are those who have faced death, maybe because they truly understand the gift of simply being alive. Dawn Nelson was a massage therapist working with the frail and dying when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She writes eloquently about gratitude in her book, Making Friends with Cancer.

“If I cannot get out of bed, I can be thankful for the fact that I am able to turn my head, wriggle my toes, feel the smoothness of silk, smell the fragrance of the roses…. The simple act of noticing what one has to be grateful for has tremendous power over the mind. I use this process to get through difficult moments during my cancer treatment and recovery. I use it to shift my mood when I am feeling ‘down’ or to cope with unpleasant tasks.”

Plan a gratitude session.

1. Get comfortable in a quiet place, inside or out. Turn off the TV and computer and don’t answer your phone.

2. Think about what you have to be thankful for, what and who you cherish. 

3. Silently thank people who have done something for you. 

4. Write a personal wish for someone you are grateful for on a peace of paper. Sit quietly, repeating the wish several times. Then burn the paper, watching the smoke dissipate into the atmosphere.

5. Call or email one of those people to thank them.

Practicing gratitude is a simple way to bring more meaning, joy and satisfaction into your daily life.

Make your massage a retreat this fall

5 ways to really unwind

It’s a busy time of year. Remember your body and mind are wired to need breaks from stress. Here are five ideas to help you turn your massage session into a mini-retreat.

1. Schedule your massage sessions ahead. This can help you avoid being overwhelmed by pre-event anxiety or post-event let down.

 

2. If possible, sweat in a sauna or soak in a hot tub or herbal bath before your massage to give your muscles a chance to warm and relax. Afterward, sit or lie quietly in the massage room or other quiet space before reentering the world.

3. Don’t go back to work or run errands. Go home and avoid the computer and telephone. Lie down, listen to music, or do simple activities such as drawing or folding laundry to keep your mind in a dreamy state. 

4. Take a leisurely walk or simply sit by a window with a view of trees, water or a garden. Relax your eyes and focus on the colors and textures of the earthly environment.

5. Before bed the evening after your massage, drink a cup of herb tea such as chamomile or lavender to help you sleep. Sleepytime® is a popular commercial tea many people like to help them get a good night’s rest.

Aromas for the fall and winter

Enjoy seasonal pleasures, reduce stress

Oranges, cinnamon, apples, cloves. Aromas that bring back memories of cool days, family visits, and days spent cooking and feasting. Not only are these evocative scents enough to make a fall day feel cozy, but the aromas of orange, cinnamon and clove can reduce stress when inhaled. Here are two recipes to enjoy this autumn.

Orange Pomanders

The sweet scent of an orange pomander, a traditional Victorian craft, will fill a home with citrus freshness. Cloves can relieve nasal congestion and improve digestion — a bonus around Thanksgiving.

You’ll need unblemished oranges, a pile of large-headed cloves, and a knitting needle or fork for poking holes. Punch holes in the skin of the orange, inserting cloves as you go. Make stripes or cover the orange completely. 

Now place 1 tablespoon each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a paper bag and mix. Roll the clove studded orange in the ground spices to coat evenly. Leave the pomander in the bag and store in a cool, dry area for 3–5 weeks to dry. Each day, roll it around in the spices. 

When it’s dry, shake off excess spices. Display in a bowl or hang with a pretty ribbon.

Mulled cider

Come in from the cold to the heady aroma of mulled cider. Cinnamon is another spice said to help the digestive system as well as fatigue.

Add cinnamon sticks, cloves and fresh orange slices to a pot of apple cider. Use whole spices, not ground, to avoid cloudy, gritty cider.

Simmer gently for at least 1/2 hour to allow flavors to infuse. Don’t boil it as it can turn spices bitter. You can keep the pot warm for several hours — a crock pot is ideal.

Serve in mugs garnished with an orange slice or cinnamon stick.

Massage in Autumn

Warm up, release stress, come into balance

As the leaves change color and fall to the ground, this is a good time of year to reflect on what parts of your body and mind are transitioning from the outward ways of summer. Autumn is a time of harvest, a time of gathering up in preparation for winter. It is the beginning of turning inward for reflection.

Seasonal stress
Although seasonal transitions are natural and normal in nature and in our bodies, these changes have their own demands. Modern ways of living also place their stresses on us in the fall. We strive to keep up our yards as the winds blow down the leaves and branches. Kids and adults alike are back to school. We often make up for summer vacation by putting in more hours at work.

These demands can catch up with you, at the same time we become exposed to illnesses that require a vigorous immune system. All of this makes fall a very good time to renew your commitment to self-care. Along with eating well and exercising, remember to schedule your massage.

Ask for what you need
When you come in for your appointment, check in with yourself. Are you a little chilly? Ask for an extra blanket or for the table warmer to be turned up to a toasty temperature. Schedule extra services such as hot stones or warm foot soaks in your sessions. Do essential oils sound appealing? Lemon can boost the immune system, eucalyptus soothes a scratchy throat and rosemary relieves achy muscles.

This fall, enlist the healing qualities of massage as an ally to help you let go of physical and mental strain, and come back into balance in this breezy, changeable season.

Foods for Fall

Protect yourself with pumpkin pie

Orange-colored vegetables such as sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkins, carrots, and red and orange peppers echo the colors of changing leaves. They contain an important chemical called beta-carotene. Our intestines turn beta-carotene into vitamin A, which along with vitamins E and C, is a powerful antioxidant.

A nutritional rainbow
Other deeply-colored vegetables like broccoli, beets and spinach add to a nutritional rainbow that acts as a storehouse of these protective chemicals. Antioxidants are important because they apparently counteract molecules that damage body tissues, known as "free radicals." Free radicals are produced naturally by the body, but increase when we are exposed to pollution, certain foods and emotional stress.

Eat for protection
The most richly-colored fruits and vegetables are famous for containing many nutrients that protect against free radicals as well as bacteria, viruses, and toxins. So when choosing fresh foods this fall, look for those that are brightly colored.