Breath as a Healing Tool, Massage Returns, Massage for Dementia, Lymph Massage

Tom Saulnier — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 02:30:42 +0000

The Impact of Breath on the Body

4 Techniques to Try at Home

Cindy Williams

You breathe every second of every day, but likely without placing your attention on it. It just happens. This life-giving force has the power to heal, but often goes under the radar instead of being given the acknowledgment it deserves. Breath work is a tool in your massage therapist’s toolbox, which they may employ during your massage sessions. This tool is versatile enough that you can also use breath exercises at home to facilitate the repair of stressed tissues.

Here is a quick look at the vast and profound benefits of this simple practice on a few of the key systems of the body, as well as an overview of some simple breath techniques you can utilize at home.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF BREATH: A SIMPLE VIEW

Breath is the movement of air into and out of the lungs. The primary function of breath on a physiological level is the exchange of gases in order to sustain life processes in the body by giving oxygen to the organs and tissues, and removing waste gas. The exchange happens in the lungs as well as in the capillaries throughout the body.

Breath requires the movement of two cavities of the body—thoracic and abdominal. Both change shape in the process of breathing. When you inhale, the diaphragm flattens, and ribs lift and expand to make room for air to be drawn into the lungs by a suction force. Simultaneously, the abdominal cavity descends down and forward, causing the abdomen to swell outward. When the thoracic cavity increases in volume with air, the space of the abdominal cavity has to shift in order to make room, so when an inhale causes the belly to expand, it’s a surefire sign that it is deep rather than shallow.

While exhalation is primarily passive, when you exhale (especially consciously), abdominal muscles push the abdominal cavity back toward center and up. The diaphragm releases, ribs release, and the rib cage narrows. Air is released (and can be consciously pushed) out of the body. The actions of these muscles in the processes of inhalation and exhalation are collectively known as the respiratory pump.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Research into the physiological effects of deep breathing have illuminated significant effects on (to read “The Rest of the Story”, please click here BSsummer2021)

Conscious Breathing, Echinacea, Clarity

Tom Saulnier — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 19:53:23 +0000

A Breath of Fresh Air
Conscious Breathing During Your Bodywork Session
By Cindy Williams, LMT
Ever notice after a stressful circumstance that the body’s innate response is to take a deep breath once the potential threat has passed? As soon as it is over, you might say, “Now, I can breathe a sigh of relief.” Or, perhaps, you meet someone who is uplifting and enjoyable to be around; you might describe that person as “a breath of fresh air.”
Breath not only gives life through delivering essential oxygen to the body’s cells for fuel and removing carbon dioxide, it also restores the body and mind to a state of balance when stressful experiences “take our breath away.”
BODYWORK AND BREATH
If you are alive, you experience stress. There is no way around it. Stress can show up in myriad ways, whether good stress (first date, new job, travel) or bad stress (traffic, tight deadlines, losses). Either way, it’s not easy to navigate, in large part due to the body’s natural reactions designed to keep you safe no matter the nature of the stimulus. Fear, danger, and excitement are all perceived the same way on a physiological level. The sympathetic nervous system comes to our aid with responses that prepare us for action.
In and of themselves, stress responses are gifts, even if they don’t necessarily feel that way in the midst of experiencing them. For example, shaking informs you that adrenaline is circulating throughout your body, providing energy should you need to stand up and face something—or turn and run away. Adrenaline tells the heart to speed up so that enough blood and oxygen can be pumped to the tissues, especially muscle tissue that is required to effectively move you to action. Heart rate and breathing also kick up a few notches to supply oxygen to the brain so you have better capacity for navigating the immediate threat, whether real or perceived. All these are good, right?
Well, maybe. The answer is yes, unless the stimuli are constant and not balanced with restoration and rejuvenation. It takes a lot of energy to maintain persistent action. Unfortunately, we live in a fast-paced world full of stimuli pelting us from every direction. Even without your conscious…To continue reading this article or view the entire issue, Click here BS-winter-2016

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Breath as a Healing Tool, Massage Returns, Massage for Dementia, Lymph Massage

Conscious Breathing, Echinacea, Clarity