Start improving your health and wellness with this easy and free technique. Recent studies show just how powerful grounding is for our health.
Do you practice grounding? What results have you had? Comment below!
The Double Intake Breath
This simple breathing technique can help relax and deepen your breathing. It will also help activate the parasympathetic nervous system which will help the body rest and heal.
Give it a try and comment below how you went. I would love to hear from you.
The Benefits of Reflexology
The Benefits of Reflexology
I became a Reflexologist in 2004 and absolutely love this modality!
Reflexology is a science that deals with the principle that there are reflex areas in the feet and hands which correspond to all of the glands, organs and parts of the body. Reflexology is a unique method of using the thumb and fingers on these reflex areas. The Reflexologist’s thumbs and fingers apply pressure on client’s reflexes in the feet and hands, stimulating the body’s own healing responses.
It is a really useful therapy that has a long history (around 5,000 years) in Chinese, Egyptian and Indian medicine. In 1582, two European doctors published a book on zone therapy and British neurologist, Sir Henry Head in the 1890s, identified skin or head zones that corresponded to internal organs.
Modern reflexology then developed in the west, largely based upon the work of American Dr William Fitzgerald, known as the founder of zone therapy, and Eunice Ingham, the Mother of Modern Reflexology. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many doctors used reflexology or zone techniques for pain relief. However, like most bodywork, it can be time consuming so as doctors needed to help larger numbers of people and drugs became popular, those body skills were mostly let go.
Reflexology primarily addresses the foundation of the body, the feet (although it also has wonderful applications with the hands, ears and face). Like a house or building, if the foundations are not sound or are structurally unbalanced it can have a detrimental influence on the integrity of the rest of the structure. Like Bowen Therapy, it also deals with the body’s fascia, circulation, lymphatic and central nervous systems.
Because areas of the body have associated reflexes in the feet (and the hands, ears and face), it enables a therapist to help someone who is uncomfortable with physical touch to the body or allows support for an injured area that cannot be worked on directly.
Nature & Health magazine reports that in a double-blind trial, migraine patients given reflexology found it as effective as Flunarizine drug therapy. And children suffering from chronic constipation given reflexology had significant reductions in their pain scores.
If pain means that it is difficult for you to be touched or get up and then down off a massage table, reflexology can provide further treatment options as it can be done in a chair or on a bed. Hands, ears or face can be worked if feet are not an option.
Reflexology can:
- Help relieve stress & tension – approx. 80% of today’s diseases can be attributed to stress and tension
- Improve blood supply and promote the unblocking of nerve impulses
- Improve the body’s immune system and energy flow
- Boost lymphatic function
- Help your body achieve homeostasis – underactive or overactive organs and glands can be helped to return to normal functioning levels
Reflexology is non-invasive (only the feet, hands or face are worked) and it works well with other therapies including conventional or orthodox medicine.
If you would like to try a session of reflexology and reap the benefits for yourself, get in touch for a session!
Are You Feeling Stuck?
Well, this year is still challenging us all, isn’t it?
It seems relentless at times and this prolonged stress can really wear us down. Self care has never been so important.
I have made a little video to check in with you and share a bit more about how I can support you.
I always have available a free 15 minute consultation where we can discuss what help you need. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
My mission in life is to help as many people as possible life the life of their dreams!
Five Easy Meditation Techniques
Committing to do some kind of relaxation and mindfulness practice each day has so many benefits for your physical and mental health. It can also significantly help reduce chronic pain.
Here are my favourite easy meditation options from which you might like to choose:
- Focus on the breath. Just sit comfortably with the spine and neck aligned and straight as possible. Preferably close your eyes and just focus on your breathing. No judgement, just observe your breath softly moving in and out. Observe the silence between the breaths. If your mind wanders, no stress, just gently bring it back to focusing on your breath and feel your shoulders, head and jaw relax.
- Use a mantra. You may prefer a simple mantra, word or phrase to focus your busy mind. You could use “Om” as your mantra, which has a beautiful low vibrational tone and a long history in Hinduism, Buddhism, meditation and yoga. You could also use a word important to you such as “peace” or “love” or a simple phrase like “just be”. Breathing deeply, either vocalise your word or visualise and hear it in your mind.
- Body relaxation. Can be done lying down or seated (I prefer to do this lying in bed before sleeping). Close your eyes, take a deep breath and focus and feel your feet. Be aware of the muscles, tendons and ligaments relaxing and softening. Move slowly up the body, gently focusing on each area and feeling it release and relax. Finish with the muscles in the face and around the eyes letting go and then your scalp muscles releasing. Breathe deeply and relax.
- Positive visualisation. Get yourself into a comfortable position, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Think about your favourite place to be – your own slice of heaven or your private peaceful place. It might be somewhere you’ve been in the past or somewhere you would like to go. Imagine it in as much detail as you can and feel yourself there. See yourself as your ideal, perfect self – pain free, moving easily with energy and joy. You are happy, relaxed and grateful for all the blessings in your life. Relax your body, keep breathing deeply and visualise yourself in your perfect place. Really feel yourself there and engage the senses. Can you feel the sunshine? How vibrant are the colours? What can you hear and how does it smell? Smile and imagine yourself enjoying the activities that you do there freely and easily. If you wish, you can even visualise your perfect self, resting and meditating in your peaceful place.
- Anchor visualisation. If your mind seems so busy and full and it’s hard to focus on only your breath, you might like to use an anchor, an image that gives you strength and stability. For example, you might visualise yourself sitting at the base of a massive tree, strongly rooted into the ground with a huge trunk reaching up into a beautiful blue sky. Or you may see yourself standing and hugging a tree which remains strong even when things are frantic and swirling around.
Try one or more of these out and start a consistent practice. You will be amazed at the results. I would love to hear how you go!
If you would like more wellness tips, I have expanded on them in my book, Drug Free Pain Relief: The TRUTH About How to Avoid Pain… Even if You’ve Tried Other Methods!
Body Bath Soak Recipe
If you are feeling a bit stiff and sore with tight muscles, try a body bath soak!
This is a great way to ease tension and help your muscles relax.
Body Bath Soak Recipe
You need:
375 g packet of Epsom Salts
1/2 cup of fine Himalayan Salt or Dead Sea Salt
10–15 drops of your favourite essential oils
I suggest Young Living’s Aroma-Siez or Relieve It as your essential oils – they are already blended and ready to go.
How to make:
Combine thoroughly and place in an air-tight container.
Depending on the size of you and your bath, this would typically do two baths for a small adult (or around five foot or hand soaks).
Get into a warm bath with your body soak thoroughly dissolved and relax for 10–20 minutes. Get out of the bath while the water is still warm, gently towel dry but do not rinse.
Jump straight into bed and have a good night’s sleep!
Relieve stress with this simple breathing technique
Breathing techniques are very simple and easy ways to quickly transform you from stressed to relaxed. You can do them anywhere at anytime!
Try this simple breathing technique, “Waltzing with the Breath” and let me know how it works for you.
Need help with pain relief or stress relief?
Get in touch with Suzanne to find out how she can help you!
