3 Things I Cannot Live Without

Even for someone who gets regular massage, I still get tight and sore muscles on strenuous days.  You all know how I feel about a good soak in an Epsom Salt Bath, but you can't do that every day.

On other days-which translates to almost nightly-I use the following tools.

Sharper Image Quad Action Percussion Massager

Like the steady beat of a drum, The Quad Action Percussion Massager soothes and invigorates; relieving stress and pain. The handheld massager allows you to target muscle groups--back, shoulders, quads, hamstrings, calves and more, providing a deep tissue massage where ever and whenever you need it. The percussion massager is an ideal pain relief solution. Add soothing heat for a deeper, even more relaxing massage. The extendable handle lets you reach way back.
I love this thing!  It weighs 3.5 pounds and is pretty sturdy.  I have tested the limits of mine  all the time. 
Currently this item is on sale for too!  www.sharperimage.com 

Soft Hot/Cold Hydro Packs

Traditional hot and cold packs for treating strains, sprains, tendonitis and other injuries. Soft, no-frost cover. Store in freezer until needed. Heat in microwave. Non-toxic and biodegradable gel.

Available in the following sizes:

• Petite: 3" x 5"
• Small: 6" x 10"
• Large: 10" x 13"
• Cervical: 6" x 20"
• Tri-Sectional: 9" x 16"

I have 2 of the small packs I purchased from my chiropractor a few years ago.  They don't take long to freeze and are pretty universal.  I use them for my neck and they are softer than a bag of peas.

 

Tennis Balls

 

Just plain old tennis balls!  Some sites sell specialty balls for myofascial release that are hard plastic.  Some may have little knobs on them but they are all about the size of a tennis ball and do the same thing.  The tennis ball is hard enough it will not give when laying on it.  You can google "Tennis Ball Therapy" and get some ideas.  I simply lay on a hard surface (not the bed because they will sink into the mattress) and place them behind my neck.  That is my trouble area from all the looking down I do.  You can place one on the base of your neck or two on either side of the neck.  I roll my head back and forth on them.  If you need some help just let me know and I can show you at your next massage.
 
What self help techniques do you use? 

Remember, I have limited hours this week and into the weekend and will be gone March 22-31st.  I will be returning to take appointments April 1st-No Fooling!
Schedule online in my absence.

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Hydrocollator Therapy

What is the hydrocollator?  

You may have noticed the big metal thing in our office or experienced the hot packs we have been using, but what is it?  It is our new hydrocollator! The hydrocollator heats water to 160°F and a therapeutic silica gel pack is submersed in the water to soak until removed and placed on the body. The pack provides moist heat to the area of your body to be treated.  This increases blood flow to help minimize pain and stimulate healing. These hot steam packs are wrapped in a towel for your comfort before being placed on the body and  left on the affected area for about 20 minutes so that the penetrating heat seeps deep into your muscles for complete relaxation unit!   

How does the hydrocollator work with massage?

The hydrocollator is most often is used with deep tissue massage but can also be used to relax muscles and aid in overall relaxation.  You do NOT have to have deep tissue massage or can opt for deeper work in a specific area.

What is deep tissue massage?

Of the many types of massage,  deep tissue focuses on the release of muscle tension and chronic knots (aka adhesions).  The moist heat of the hydrocollator relaxes the muscles tissue which allows your therapist to provide more specific and deeper massage to the affected area.  Deep Tissue massage can be used throughout the body or in spot areas that are particularly tight or need extra work.  All deep tissue work starts with Swedish Massage Strokes.  Deep tissue massage is particularly good for chronic conditions as well.

Deep Tissue Massage  should not be painful, but it’s likely to be a bit more uncomfortable than a classic Swedish massage. You should always feel free to speak up if the pressure is too much for you. The application of moist heat with hydrocollator packs is key to relaxing your muscles before manipulation.

 

What are the benefits of using hydrocollator  packs?

The penetrating, moist heat of the steam packs treat physical conditions such as muscle spasms, sprains, bruised tissue, and particularly tense areas in preparation for a deep tissue massage. The hydrocollator technique increases blood flow to the treatment area, helping to decrease pain and stimulate healing. Heat is a non-invasive, therapeutic means of treatment following injuries or soreness resulting from exercise, sports or other activities.

What can I expect during my massage?

In addition to classic Swedish Massage the therapist may also use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms during the deep tissue part of the massage. You may be asked to breathe deeply as the massage therapist works on certain tense areas.

A good way to recover from a Deep Tissue Massage is by soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salt. This soaking is recommended because it will help get more of the toxins out of your body (Epsom salt draws the toxins out into the water). See Previous Blogs for more info on Epsom Salt!

Some people think that if you just push hard enough, a knot could be worked out in one session, but this is not the case. For built-up tension and chronic knots (adhesions) deep tissue massage and/or hydrocollator therapy is just one part of the treatment. If you do not exercise,  correct your posture, and/or employ relaxation techniques along with Deep Tissue Massage you may not get the full benefits from your massage.

Come experience our new hyrocollator and enjoy the way your muscles will feel after this great moist heat has done it's magic.  (Deep tissue massage optional! *wink *wink!) 

90Minute Massage for $65 ends March 15

Don't forget: 10% Off Gift Certificates all month!  March is my birthday month and I am celebrating with you!
Buy Instant Gift Certificates Online at www.alternativehealingtherapy.net 

March Newsletter

Celebrate Health with Massage
Massage is a lifelong healing tool, designed to relieve stress, calm the body and improve sleep, blood circulation and overall flexibility. The benefits of incorporating massage into an overall wellness plan go far beyond the luxury of crisp sheets, aromatherapy and gentle music that soothes even the most stressed individuals.  Massage is an important and life changing therapeutic practice that will leave you feeling better, happier and better able to take on life’s challenges. Celebrate your health with a massage today!   Massage: It's real medicine By Kristyn Kusek Lewis Health.com Having your honey rub your back is sweet, but it's tough to compete with the hands of a pro. A good massage therapist can make you feel like a new person. And now research suggests massage can ease insomnia, boost immunity, prevent PMS, and more. Maybe that's why hospitals are making it a standard therapy. "All of our surgery patients are offered the treatment -- I call it 'service with a smile' -- and it's a mandatory weekly prescription I give myself," says Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., director of the Cardiovascular Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital--Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and a member of the board at LLuminari, a health-education company. Our advice: Enjoy your hands-on time with your sweetie, but set aside some time for a real massage, too. Here are some feel-good reasons: Goodbye, pain It sounds like a no-brainer, but rubdowns are especially effective for aches like low-back pain. Researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Washington, found that massage works better than common treatments including chiropractic therapy and acupuncture. It's not clear why, but several studies show massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol while boosting the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine. Those changes slow your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and block your nervous system's pain receptors. Massage also increases blood flow to the muscles, which may help them heal. A bonus: Massage also seems to ease distress from migraine, labor pain, and even cancer, as well as the body tenderness seen with fibromyalgia, says Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Plus, the benefits may last as long as a year. Hello, dreams Fluctuations in several types of brain waves either relax you or wake you up. Massage increases delta waves -- those linked with deep sleep -- according to a study at the Touch Research Institute. That's why it's easy to drift off on the massage table, Field says. Nice to have you back, brain power The Touch Research Institute study that connected massage to sleep also found that a 15-minute chair massage boosted alertness. "Subjects reported that it felt like a runner's high," Field says. Tests also show that brain-wave activity stimulated by massage is linked to improved attention. Take that, colds Massage helps ward off bugs by boosting your "natural killer cells," the immune system's first line of defense against invading illness. "We know that cortisol destroys natural killer cells," Field says. "Therefore, since massage decreases cortisol, your immune cells get a boost." Massage even seems to boost immunity in those people with severely compromised immune systems, such as breast-cancer patients. Blues, be gone Less cortisol and more serotonin and dopamine in your system may also mean less stress, anxiety, and depression. "We know that the right side of the frontal lobe of the brain is more active when we're sad, and the left side's activated when we're happy," Field says. "Our studies have observed that massage decreases activity in the right lobe and increases functioning in the left." The well-being people feel after a massage is a big reason why some hospitals offer it to anxious patients pre­paring for surgery and cancer patients going through chemo. Shove off, PMS A small study of 24 women with severe PMS found that massage reduced symp­toms such as pain, water retention, and mood swings. Try it with proven remedies such as exercise (and who-cares-if-they-work solutions like a little dark chocolate).   Celebrate your health today and celebrate my birthday all month in March!  My birthday is in March and I am sharing it with all of you!!!! All during March all services  will be 10% off this includes gift certificates too. So with Easter and Mother's Day around the corner stock up now. For you or as a gift. No limit. Makes a great wedding or baby shower gift. Pamper the bride and the Mom to be!!!! (Hours will be limited at the end of March for family time)   You can now schedule appointments online using Schedulicity.  No payment required, it is simply an online calendar.  Try it out!  You can also schedule online at www.alternativehealingtherapy.net  and on Facebook!   Check out my blog at www.ahtmassage.blogspot.com.  You can see what blogs I am following, share the blog on Facebook and Twitter and maybe find some good information!     It's the perfect, thoughtful gift of relaxation -- an Instant Gift Certificate from Alternative Healing Therapy. Purchase an Instant Gift Certificate Visit our website

Alternative Healing Therapy • 19 E. Walnut Suite C, Columbia, MO 65203 • (573) 355-6636

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Online Booking!

We now have online booking through Schedulicity.  They are very user friendly.  It is still in trial mode and may be a little confusing with 2 locations.  Any feedback is appreciated!


 Book online at take $5 off your next appointment!

Epsom Salt Bath

I first discovered Epsom Salt Baths while doing the HCG Diet.  I would do them to assist with weight loss.  What I discovered is how much they would relax me and help my muscles relax.  I started adding my Young Living Essential Oils for aromatherapy.  I use Eucalyptus when my muscles are tired or Lavender to help me sleep at night.  I still love a great soak!  Here is some information about Epsom Salt and the simple mix I use. Enjoy!

Epsom Salts—made of the mineral magnesium sulfate—are also a sedative for the nervous system.
When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such as in a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more.

Baths are wonderfully healing, and it is easy to make your own homemade, detox baths.
Hot water draws toxins out of the body to the skin’s surface, and while the water cools it pulls toxins from the skin. Epsom salts augment this detoxification by causing you to sweat. Other salts—all highly alkaline and cleansing—used in baths include sea salt, baking soda, clay, and Dead Sea salts.

Basic Salt Soak Bath Formula
Minerals and salts make the bath water feel silky and leave your skin cleansed and soft.
1 cup sea salts such as a dead sea salt
2 cups baking soda (add essential oil to baking soda)
1 cup Epsom salts

Combine the sea salts, baking soda, and Epsom salts in a bowl. Stir to blend. Pour 1/4 cup or so into the bath while the tub is filling.
Preparation time: 2 to 3 minutes
Shelf life: Indefinite
Storage: Glass jar with a screw top

A few extras
Relaxing and sedative bath: Soak in warm water and 2 cups of Epsom salt.
Foot soak: Soothe aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry. Add peppermint to energize sore and tired feet.
Soak sprains and bruises: Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups Epsom salt to a warm bath, and soak. Also good for tendinitis.
Splinter remover: Soak in Epsom salt, it will draw out the splinter.

Caution: Do not take hot baths and salt baths (including Epsom salt baths) if you have heart trouble, high blood pressure, or are diabetic.

Massage Referrals

Referrals are the highest compliment you can do for  a business.  Especially when it come to a small business like mine, Alternative Healing Therapy. 

I would love it if you would compliment me and my business and refer anyone who you feel would love to experience massage.  They do not have to be new to massage, just new to me. 

Refer your friends, family or co-workers and receive an additional 15 minutes of massage for each and every referral.  Your friends just need to mention your name when making their appointment.  Receive an extra gift if you can get Facebook 'Likes' or Twitter followers. 

First Blog:Fight Winter Blues

 

Winter blues got you down?  Had enough snow?   Enough shoveling? Enough darkness? 

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a true and real diagnosis.  I suffered from it just after graduating from nursing school when I had my first job working night shift.  I felt like I never saw the light of day.  Even though I work up early to get some sunshine in my day and went to the gym, nothing worked.  I felt tired and exhausted all the time and nothing was working.  Massage was not a part of my life as it is today and I wonder if it could have done some good.  At any rate, hang in there and take care of yourself this winter.  Hopefully Punxsutawney Phil is right and we will be getting an early spring!

Dealing with the Winter Blues

Ask a Therapist

By Mary Kathleen Rose

Originally published in Body Sense magazine, Autumn/Winter 2004.
Copyright 2004. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

Q. Winter can be difficult for me. Do you have any ideas about how to ease the seasonal blues?

A. Just one fresh rose in a room can help ease winter's chill, according to Colorado bodyworker and aromatherapist Mary Kathleen Rose. "In the winter, when there's less light, there's a tendency for people to get a little depressed. One way to alleviate these "blues" is by integrating fresh flowers into your home. A couple of flowers or a stargazer lily in a bowl can make a difference. That ongoing connection with nature helps give us a feeling of hope for the spring.

"In the winter, I really like the infused oils that have an evergreen scent. An evergreen infused in a light olive oil reminds us that there are things that stay green throughout the winter and carry us through the season. Cut little boughs from your yard and add them to fresh flowers. Beeswax candles also give off a really nice scent -- very soft. Just their mellowness is comforting.

"Take advantage of the things you've gathered earlier in the year like dried roses. Dried lavender is wonderful. I always have a little basket of rose petals around.

"Remember that enjoying a massage in a nice atmosphere during the winter allows us to really appreciate this as a time of rest. As nature is at rest, so should we be."

Valentines Day

What better way to show your valentine how much you care than with a rejuvenating treatment? It will make them smile with delight as they imagine the pampering, relaxation and personalized treatment they will experience.   

We are offering a weekend exclusive for Couples Massage. Starting Friday evening February 11th through Sunday the 13th operating with extended hours we will be offering massage for Couples only. Together with another local Therapist, Alison Sower of CoMo Massage, we will have a special day dedicated to couples. So bring your sweetie and together enjoy a 60 or 90 minute massage in a romantic setting with candles, rose petals, chocolate dipped strawberries and sparkling juice will create a relaxing romantic getaway. Space is limited so make your appointment soon and have the perfect Valentines weekend together.

Don't forget you can get a gift for your sweetheart they can use anytime! Easily purchase a gift certificate online or email/text/call Andrea at 573-355-6636 for special delivery available Monday February 14th. I will hand deliver a massage gift certificate to your Valentine at their home or office. You may also add flowers from a local florist or a box of chocolates to make it extra special. Leave the running around to me and surprise them with the best Valentine's day ever!
(delivery within the Columbia city limits) 

Alternative Healing Therapy

Andrea Young, R.N., L.M.T.
Walnut Street Studios         
19 E. Walnut St, Suite C

 &

Columbia Country Club        
2210 Country Club Drive  

Tel: 573-355-6636

ayoungrnlmt@gmail.com

www.alternativehealingtherapy.net