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Wellness Strategy, Lavender, Happier Holidays

Tom Saulnier — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 23:31:53 +0000

IN THIS ISSUE: * Massage Therapy – Your Wellness Strategy * Lavender – An Essential Oil for Fundamental Health * Easing Holiday Angst – 5 Stress Busters for a Joyous Season

Massage Therapy: Your Wellness Strategy – by Nora Brunner

For many people, massage and bodywork are a critical part of their health and wellness strategy–an idea medical professionals are increasingly embracing. In a recent online survey, massage devotees talked about their commitment to regular massage therapy. These folks find a way to afford it, regardless of other demands on their resources.

Best Life – “Getting massage has been part of my life since I was in my 20s–I’m now in my 50s,” says Los Angeles chef Gisele Perez. Once a modern dancer and now proprietor of a boutique catering company, she considers massage necessary to the career she loves. She finds massage helps resolve problems she’s grappling with and that solutions arise spontaneously in her thoughts while she’s on the table. “I think it maintains my emotional balance,” she says. Many massage clients report cathartic experiences when they finally allow themselves to fully relax. With so much of our lives devoted to what one spiritual guru calls “efforting,” it’s nice to know that letting go of it all can be just as productive, perhaps even more so.

Some have come to massage because of injuries and found unexpected blessings in their situations. While many first-time massage clients have become acquainted with massage because of referrals from health professionals, there’s no need to wait for an injury to prompt you into forming the massage habit.

“I consider professional massage therapy an essential part of my best-life design,” says author and psychologist Mollie Marti, who suffered a whiplash injury…Click here for full Publication Newsletter Fall 2015

Fibromyalgia Demystified, Lavender, Probiotics

Tom Saulnier — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:34:04 +0000

IN THIS ISSUE: * Fibromyalgia Demystified * Lavender * Probiotics for Skin Health

Fibromyalgia Demystified: Bodywork as a Key Therapy – by Cathy Ulrich

Jane had just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She was happy to have a name for the mysterious, traveling pain she had felt for some time, but she was still worried about how to deal with it. She’d done research on the Internet, but the information left her more confused. “There are so many causes and ways to treat it,” she said. “I don’t know what to do.” A friend of Jane’s recommended massage as part of her treatment plan. “She said it helped her,” Jane said, “so I’m willing to try.”

For fibromyalgia sufferers, muscle pain, tightness, and general body discomfort can all too often become a way of life. But what is fibromyalgia, and what can be done to help?

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia, which literally means “connective tissue muscle pain,” causes severe tenderness in multiple points throughout the body as well as persistent fatigue, morning stiffness, and non-refreshing sleep. Fibromyalgia is found in about 2 percent of the adult population, and women are five to seven times more likely to have it than men.

Theories about the cause of fibromyalgia include thyroid imbalance, sleep disorders, genetic predisposition, allergies, trauma–especially whiplash injuries–and possibly even viruses. Many who have fibromyalgia syndrome have other conditions as well, including depression, irritable bowel syndrome, chemical sensitivities, intolerance to exercise, restless legs syndrome, extreme sensitivity to cold, and seasonal affective disorder.

Factors At Play

Jay Goldstein, MD, a leading researcher and clinician, identified three common factors in people who are susceptible to fibromyalgia. It’s helpful to consider…Click here for complete newsletter: Spring 2011-zbt