Massage for Women's Health Part 1 - Fertility Massage

When I reached the age when many close friends and family wanted children, I was shocked to find that making a baby is not always as easy as we are lead to believe. So many women in my small circle were struggling to conceive, and I saw firsthand the stress and emotion wrapped up in each woman’s hopes and effort.

Always looking at life through the lens of a massage therapist, I began to research ways that I could help women through this exciting but often anxious and difficult time. Every massage modality, from both the West and the East, have specific techniques that enhance fertilization, so why not simply bundle these techniques into a single, fertility massage program?

First and foremost is relaxation. Studies have shown stress and anxiety will hinder fertilization, so a major portion of a fertility massage program works on relaxation - releasing any and all tense muscles throughout the body, and increasing blood and lymph circulation as a whole.

Next is specific focus on the abdomen, improving circulation directly in the reproductive organs. Enhanced blood flow removes waste and brings nutrition to the ovaries and uterus, cultivating the quality of follicles, eggs, and uterine lining. Increased circulation to the abdomen also boosts hormonal signals right to where they are needed most - directly to your reproductive organs.

Point and energy work is yet another portion of a fertility massage. Reflexology points on the feet, as well as shiatsu points (similar to acupressure or acupuncture points) throughout the body will be pressed and stretched to stimulate reproductive health. Reiki on your sacrum and abdomen complete the treatment.

I recommend at least two Attune Fertility Massages a month, between day four of your cycle and ovulation. Massage is definitely not a quick fix, and it may take some time to train your muscles to relax, as well as to create supple and receptive reproductive organs. But the immediate benefits of stress-reduction, tension-release, and the noticeable feeling of increased blood flow to the abdomen, are palpable signs of optimal reproductive health.

Fertility massage can help turn the corner from not being able to conceive to conception. Working with women through the fertility process has been a highlight of my career. And just for a moment imagine what it feels like when the process comes to full fruition:  when I have the opportunity to give fertility massage, pregnancy massage, and labor massage—all to the same woman!

Two April Massage Specials!

30 For 30

This is a special offer for people who have yet to receive a massage from me: 30 minutes of massage for just 30 dollars! Schedule your 30 minute Attune massage session at Family Acupuncture and Wellness today. Take a break midday and scoot over for a relaxing, healthful experience, or just give us a ring and we’ll schedule you in whenever it fits for you!

There are so many reasons to attune your body with massage - Have you hit a plateau with your healing regime? Why not see if massage will revitalize the healing process? Is spring fever increasing your work-outs? Come in and soothe those sore muscles back to health. Are you stressed out? Take a break and do something for you!

Call (603) 969-2229 or visit www.acufamily.com to make your appointment.

Offer good for the month of April through the first week in May, 2015.

To my valued massage clients,

Not too long ago I offered a great special at my office at Family Acupuncture and Wellness: a 90 minute massage for the price of a 60. I’d like to bring this offer back, but only to my valued clients. If you are a regular of mine or have seen me before, I would like to thank you for your trust and faith in my work by offering you this exclusive special.

Come in and attune your body with a nice, long massage after this long winter! Amy looks forward to seeing you again this month!

Call (603) 969-2229 or visit www.acufamily.com to make your appointment.

Offer good for the month of April through the first week in May, 2015.

The Most Common Question

As a massage therapist the most common question clients ask me is, “What can I do to help myself at home?” No matter the issue - neck pain, low back pain, anxiety, foot pain, etc. - my first answer is always this: be vigilant about checking in with your body on a regular basis, and listen to what your body says.

Our lifestyles dictate our postures and thought processes. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your body or your mind it may be because in your daily routine you have created a habit that isn’t serving you. Simply checking in to make sure you are okay, and then listening to what you have to say, will profoundly affect how you feel, and could be the tipping point toward positive and healthful change.

Check in with yourself. I can’t say this enough. No matter how you live your life, scan your body and evaluate your stress level--regularly. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort anywhere, including in your mental state, do something to relieve it. This could be as simple as taking a deep breath, relaxing your shrugged shoulders, straightening your spine, taking a stroll, or reinstating a proper ergonomic technique. If you have to, set an alarm to remind yourself; allow checking in to become a habit—a good habit.

Too many of us live on automatic pilot, moving from task to task without sufficient thought about how we feel. Becoming conscious and simply checking in and listening is our most valuable tool for healing. Using that tool creates the opportunity—an incredibly important opportunity—to avoid future pain and discomfort . So, move consciously, sit consciously, think consciously, and check in, check in, check in!

Be well and stay attuned.

February Special: Thai Massage

Ever try a Thai Massage? February is the time to try! I am extending the January special of a 90 minute massage for the price of an hour, but only for a Thai Massage. So come and enjoy 90 minutes of the relaxing yet invigorating experience that only a Thai Massage can give you, for just $75! You will walk out feeling taller, lighter on your feet, and fully rejuvenated.

Thai Massage can be traced back 2,500 years to India and the spread of Buddhism. It is performed fully clothed and on the floor. It is a dynamic form of massage that involves stretching and range of motion with the ultimate goal of maintaining the free flow of energy throughout your body. It keep your joints open and your muscles supple. Many liken Thai Massage to Yoga because the therapist moves the client into Yoga positions while palming and thumbing specific areas of the body.

So come attune your body with this unique style of massage! See you soon!

Your Body on Stress / Your Body on Massage

Your Body on Stress

Chronic stress wreaks havoc on your body. Under normal circumstances, you experience stress and your body releases chemicals that cause the ability to perform whatever stressful task is at hand more adeptly (commonly called the “fight or flight” response). When the task is completed and the stress disappears, your body then undergoes the “rest and digest” response, in which chemicals causing your body to relax and rejuvenate are released. But when stress becomes chronic, the body does not have the opportunity to “rest and digest.” Thus the organs involved in the body’s natural reactions to stress become overworked, creating pain, imbalance and illness.

Common stress related complications include:

• chronic muscle pain and musculoskeletal dysfunction
• headaches and migraines
• an increased risk of hypertension, heart attack and stroke
• decreased immune system
• strain on the lungs
• increased risk of type 2 diabetes
• stomach pain and ulcers
• digestion and the absorption of nutrients
• weight gain
• constipation and diarrhea
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• irregular testosterone levels
• decreased sperm production and maturation
• erectile dysfunction
• irregular menstrual cycle
• increased PMS and menopausal symptoms
• female fertility issues
• memory loss and decreased concentration and ability to learn
• overall wear and tear on the body causing physical and mental drain

Your Body on Massage

The constant barrage of stress on your body can be directly combated with massage therapy. Massage stimulates the “rest and digest” response, releasing the hormones dopamine and endorphins (the “happy hormones”), the polar opposite of those that are released due to stress. Your heart rate drops, your blood pressure decreases, and your knotty, tense muscles are kneaded until loosened.

Receiving massage takes awareness away from your mind’s flood of thoughts and brings it into your body. In doing so it gives your mind a rest. You separate yourself from your thoughts, and instead experience blissful moments of peace and relaxation. Importantly, body awareness during massage also brings the musculoskeletal patterns precipitated by chronic stress to light. When you are conscious of these patterns you become better able to make the proper adjustments to correct them.

Chronic stress makes the body forget how to relax. A massage is like an exercise in relaxation; retraining your body to submit to the “rest and digest” response. After long periods of chronic stress, regular massage will get your body back into balance, eliminating the increased likelihood for the myriad complications caused by stress. After a restful and rejuvenating massage experience, when the weight has been lifted, you will immediately know what it feels like to rid yourself of stress, and will want to keep it that way!

An Attune massage for chronic stress employs a variety of Swedish massage techniques, including long, rhythmic strokes and kneading purposefully designed for pure relaxation. Throughout the massage, when tense areas are located, some deeper, more static pressure techniques may be applied, such as myofascial release and trigger point therapy. Passive movements and stretching to help the joints and muscles let go, and a little bit of Reiki, may also be part of your session. But as always, an Attune massage is specifically tailored to your individual needs!

  

New Year, New Attune Special Offer

Happy New Year! Begin 2015 with a special massage experience (at a special price)!

Feeling the need for relief and relaxation after the stresses of the holidays?

Feeling sore after those New Year’s resolution workouts?

Just want to celebrate the New Year with your health and wellness in mind?

I have a 2015 New Year idea for you: book a 90-minute massage for the price of 60 minutes anytime during the month of January!

Feel the positive difference an extra 30 minutes can make not only on specific problem areas you might have, but your whole body too.

And that extra 30 minutes is on me!

Cheers!