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 Arthritis
is a condition in which there is painful inflammation around the
joints, most commonly in the hands, wrists, elbows, and knees, although
it can be present in any joint. There are a number of kinds of
arthritis, from osteoarthritis to rheumatoid arthritis. All forms of
arthritis can see relief through the use of aromatherapy.
Essential
oils that are considered particularly effective for treating arthritis
include: ginger, lavender, rosemary, cinnamon, eucalyptus, black
pepper, camphor, thyme, juniper, pine scotch, and lemon. The essential
oils of these plants are used, as are the hydrosols and phytols (the
condensed water from the essential oil creation process and the result
of soaking the plant material in water or oil, respectively).
Inhalation
of essential oils works well, but in order to experience the full
healing effects on arthritis, the oils need to be applied topically.
There are two main ways to do this- through applying essential oil
dilutions to the skin or through hot compresses. With dilution, you'll
want to combine the essential oil(s) with a base, such as a food-grade
cosmetic oil or cream base, in 3% oil to 97% base ratio. Apply
throughout the day as needed. For hot compresses, add a few drops of
essential oil to a bowl of hot (not scalding) water, submerge a cloth
in the water, wring it out and place it around the affected area until
the cloth cools to room temperature. Repeat several times.
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 Even
if you have never had a hot stone massage before, you probably already
have a concept of what it consists of. Hot stone massage is an ancient
technique that can be traced back to its roots in India, which is also
the home of the Ayurvedic tradition. In order to fully understand the
benefits of hot stone massage, a brief background on Ayurvedic
principles will be helpful.
Ayurveda means "science of life,"
and holds that the five elements - ether, air, fire, water, and earth -
are all at play in any given human. Any healing tradition, it follows,
will come from one of these five elements. As for the personal
constitutions of each person, there are three doshas. Doshas are the
way the elements manifest in any given person. Most people are stronger
in one dosha than another, but have aspects of all three. If a person's
doshas are out of alignment with one another, this can manifest in
energetic, mental, or physical illness.
In the case of hot stone
massage, the vata dosha is balanced. The vata dosha is associated with
air and movement, and is considered very important to keep in balance
as it can cause the other two doshas, pitta and kapha, to become
unbalanced if left unchecked. Ayurvedic hot stone massage recipients
can also expect to have a certain amount of grounding work done in
their lower chakras. Much of the movement is likely to be directed
towards the root chakra, as this is a primary grounding source in the
body.
When you have a hot stone massage, you will be draped as
in any other massage. Stones may be placed on your torso, limbs, and
face. Hot and cool stones will not be used at the same time except on
the face. The hot stones may simply be placed on the body, or they may
be used to massage muscles in order to help muscles relax and release.
Both the heat and the smoothness of the stone are effective in
releasing muscle tension. Often times, a practitioner will click the
stones together before applying them to the body - this is said to
activate the stones and also lets you know that the stones are about to
be applied.
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As
anyone who has ever swam competitively can tell you, deep breathing is
not only important, it is essential. If, while swimming, you fail to
get all the oxygen you need, you immediately begin to feel a burning
sensation in your lungs and your muscles tire much quicker. Loss of
endurance and physical pain from a lack of breathing is something that
most people only feel when exercising, but the fact of the matter is
that the body needs full, deep breaths all the time.
Shallow breathing can inhibit circulation in the body and contribute to
a host of other issues, from the physical to the psychological.
Anxiety, panic attacks and an inability to handle life as it comes
would point toward a lack of slow, steady breathing. If you are easy to
tire or frequently experience shortness of breath, then you are likely
not drawing air all the way in to your lungs. Breathe normally and
observe where the breath is. Is it shallow, reaching only to your
chest, or is it deep, expanding all the way down to your lower abdomen?
How slow is your breath? Do you inhale and exhale for the same amount
of time?
When
you're not getting enough oxygen, it affects you entire body. Think of
it this way: your heart beats to move blood through the body,
specifically to pump oxygenated blood out into the body so that all the
different parts of your body can continue to function - brain, organs,
and muscles included. Deep breathing also keeps the lymphatic system
going, which is important as this is how your body rids itself of
waste. Your prescription for health: breathe deeply.
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In This Issue
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News from my office
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Name
Phone
Website
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Getting the Most Out of Food
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To get the most nutrition and vitality out of your food, follow the following five guidelines:
1.
Eat food as soon as possible after it comes out of the ground. Growing
your own or buying from local farmers is the best way to do this.
Likewise, eat food soon after cooking- there is generally considered to
be a 24-hour period after which food loses its vitality.
2.
Eat organic foods. They contain fewer toxins and have more vitamins,
minerals and nutrients than "conventionally" grown foods.
3.
Avoid genetically modified foods, as nobody really knows the full
extent of what that process does to foods. Many foods that have been
modified not to produce seeds are missing the lion's share of their
original nutritional profiles.
4. Eat a large
variety of foods to assist your body in the uptake of different
nutrients and avoid over-doing it on any one set of nutrients.
5.
Eat whole foods and avoid processed foods. The more any food is
processed, the less edible it is in terms of bio-availability and
digestibility.
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Bamboo Massage
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Much
like hot stone massage utilizes hot stones to massage muscles; bamboo
massage uses bamboo as a massage tool. The bamboo used in massage has
been cut and dried, or cured, before use. The use of bamboo in massage
comes out of the Tian Di Bamboo school, which is a relatively new
modality that pulls aspects from TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).
Bamboo is a plant that is ascribed for its energetic qualities of vigor
and long life. The bamboo plant, which grows straight up from the
ground, seems to reach for the sky, making it a very powerful energy
plant to work with. Massage with bamboo might have started with
monkeys, but today more and more areas are offering this unique and
therapeutic style of massage.
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Why Follow Yoga With Self-Massage?
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---Massaging muscles after exertion but before cool-down can prevent tightness, stiffness and sore muscles.
---Yoga gets movement going in the body, especially in the lymphatic system, and massage can help facilitate that further.
---Massage helps to relax the body and mind after exertion.
---Traditional Indian gurus and teachers of yoga have prescribed the massage of the sweat back into the skin after yoga.
---Targeting joints and lymphatic areas to massage after yoga can increase the effectiveness of your asanas.
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