Touch Therapy

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony” (1)

Our body is a complex organism comprised of a combination of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual elements, which ideally work in unison creating harmony and well-being but can react against each other creating disturbance.

Thus, mental stress can manifest in tense muscles, overwork might mean a person takes little exercise, lack of spiritual nurture – whatever that means for an individual – can lead to emotional unease – a vicious circle of ‘disturbance’.

According to the Gaia hypothesis all living things have a regulatory effect on the Earth’s environment that promotes balance in order for the planet to work effectively. The controversial global warming crisis appears to be about man’s intervention in that natural balance.

Similarly our activities or non-activities may affect our own body’s homeostatis (2) and tip it ‘off balance’. Possibly the most frequent occurrence of imbalance that I see in clients is how we use our muscles – always carrying things in our dominant hand, sitting or standing ‘lop-sided’, playing a sport which has a one-sided emphasis. By contrast, Yoga, for example, includes balanced exercises to ensure equal practice for left and right sides.
All muscles have a natural elasticity or ability to stretch and contract. If we have complete control of a muscle, we can achieve a muscle tonicity of zero – complete relaxation. But if we lose our voluntary control of a muscle its resting tonicity can increase up to 40%. We may think our muscles are relaxed when not in use, but in reality we may hold our muscles in a chronically contracted state even during sleep.

Exercise, relaxation and massage help us become more aware of our body and work towards maintaining a harmonious balance.

(1) Thomas Merton, French clergyman – 1915-1968
(2) The maintenance of physiological conditions required to maintain the life of the organism

‘Southwell Life’ – May 2007

Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.2

We’re usually very clear about whether we feel we’ve had enough sleep or not. Deprivation can quickly affect our healthy physical and mental functions; we may get ‘out of sync’ with our circadian rhythm – the twenty-four-hour pattern, initiated by exposure to sunlight and darkness, which governs the cycle of wakefulness/sleep to which most human bodily processes are set.

It may help us to understand the link between sleep and health if we examine the interaction between the hormones melatonin – the body’s own natural sleeping pill and ‘timekeeper’ – and serotonin which is involved in pain perception, temperature control, blood-pressure regulation, appetite, memory, and mood. During the day, our exposure to natural sunshine stimulates the production of serotonin. As daylight fades and we prepare for sleep, our bodies start secreting melatonin which is derived from serotonin.

If our lifestyle and sleep pattern upsets this hormonal balance and our circadian rhythm we may notice adverse effects similar to ‘jet lag’ – inability to control speech, access memory, and solve problems. The body may also become more susceptible to disease as the immune system may be compromised.

Good quality sleep is necessary to restore depleted resources, repair damaged cells and chemicals. It may also help to clear away or ‘file’ information and make sense of our experiences and thoughts. “It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it”3 ”

Sleep can ‘escape’ us for a variety of reasons, for example, stress, anxiety, alcohol, physical comfort, environmental influences – “People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one”!4

Strategies to improve quality of sleep include

• stabilising your circadian rhythm by keeping a regular bedtime
• exercise, but not too near bedtime
• limiting stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine. Alcohol is a sedative, but when its effect wears off, sleeping patterns become erratic.
• not lying awake – worrying about falling asleep keeps you awake. Get up and do something else until you feel sleepy. “A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow”5.
• eating and drinking a couple of hours before bedtime to avoid indigestion or the need to urinate during the night
• ‘winding down’ can help you fall asleep – try meditation, relaxing with music or a warm bath.

(1) Mike Wilson
(2) Thomas Dekker 1572 – 1632
(3) John Steinbeck 1902 – 1968
(4) Leo J. Burke -1893 1990
(5) Charlotte Brontë 1816 – 1855

‘Southwell Life’ – April 2007

Sounds can soothe and calm, remind us of good times, be pleasing or entertaining such as birdsong, crashing waves, rustling leaves, music and the spoken word.

But sounds, when they become ‘noise’, are “the most impertinent of all forms of interruption … a disruption of thought” (2) and may be a source of irritation and stress. Noise may ‘block’ what we don’t want to hear or think about, cause sleep disturbance or interfere with an individual’s right to peace and quiet at home.

Judging by the proliferation of muzak and of earphones with wires dangling to MP3′s or mobile phones, “an inability to stay quiet is one of the most conspicuous failings of mankind (3).”

Veteran rocker Pete Townshend blames his hearing loss on a lifetime spent using headphones and experts say today’s iPod Generation is storing up trouble for the future by listening to music at high volumes for periods of an hour or more a day. Royal National Institute for the Deaf found 42% of 18 to 24-year-olds admitted they thought they had the volume too high – possibly because they’re using headphones in a noisy environment and they crank up the volume to drown out extraneous sounds.

After a noisy concert you may have experienced the ear-ringing effect where sounds seem temporarily dulled, muffled or quieter than normal. This “temporary threshold shift” that can last for some time afterwards may be alright once in a while (4) but if the ears aren’t allowed to rest between such bouts of concentrated noise, there is irreparable damage to ‘the microphones’; the hair cells in the inner ear, which results in a loss of hearing. This is compounded by the natural ageing process of those hair cells which deteriorate from birth.

Ears, like the rest of your body, need a break from the stress of noise. Not being a fan of ‘whale’ music and recorded sea sounds, I choose my music carefully to accompany treatments, or silence if a client prefers. I see this as an important part of an holistic therapy. “True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment”(5)

(1) Seen on a bumper sticker
(2) Arthur Schopenhauer
(3) Walter Bagehot
(4) Jonathan Parsons, British Academy of Audiology.
(5) William Penn

‘Southwell Life’ – March 2007

“Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavour”
William Cowper – “The Task” (1785)

After Christmas we may well be feeling the effect of the fact that 1g of fat contains double the calories of 1g of carbohydrates or protein. It was interesting to note that we eat fewer calories than 50 years ago, having been encouraged to cut down on saturated fats and sugar. But the flipside is that there is more processed food and attractively presented prepared meals available. This may cut down our consumption of complex carbohydrates which help keep our hunger satisfied for longer and means that food on our plate is further away from its healthiest, natural state. However, it is encouraging that certain food companies (and we have some excellent local ones) are working hard to exclude trans fatty acids, source local produce and use minimum additives.

A healthy eating regime needs to include foods of different colours to ensure you get a variety of nutrients, as well as a combination of food type – protein, fat and carbohydrate – to ensure the ‘building blocks’ for a healthy body.

It is also about eating balanced portions of freshly cooked ingredients on a regular basis to keep your digestive system active. By ‘starving’ yourself or missing a meal your body starts to go into ‘survival’ mode and slows your metabolism down, but it seems our current lifestyles and social habits don’t lend themselves to Adelle Davis’s adage – “Eat breakfast like king, lunch like lord, dinner like pauper”.

Meals often get squashed into the time available, yet taking time to enjoy the preparation of a meal and then to eat it slowly, savouring every mouthful, means you’re less likely to overeat. This ritual can become part of the holistic way of looking after yourself. Nutrition is like a good savings account – one whose interest is compounded at every meal and is an important key to maintaining good health.

‘Southwell Life’ – February 2007

Fire is the origin of stone. By working the stone with heat, I am returning it to its source.
Andy Goldsworthy

We all used heat to warm us and heal – hot water bottles, poultices, wheat bags; the Japanese use stones to warm their tummies to aid digestions and the Chinese have used them to relieve muscular pain for thousands of years.

Mary Nelson’s LaStone Therapy updated this idea by incorporating massage with smooth basalt stones of varying sizes, heated in water.

The effects of holistic massage are intensified as the stones slowly release their heat to relax the muscles which allows for deep tissue work. It can be a sublimely relaxing treatment which dissolves stress, as well as a powerful therapy which relieves pain, decreases recovery time from injuries and helps tone the muscles.

The ‘designer label’ Hot Stonefusion Massage has been developed by Meghan Mari of Jing Advanced Massage. This is a creative blend of specialised massage strokes:

• using the stones flat or on edge
• using hand, forearm, and knuckles
• alternating between a heated stone and the heat of the hand
• combined with stretching techniques to release areas of tension or strain
• using a varied pace from slow and focussed to the placing of warm stones on strategic points of the body to prolong the effect of the therapeutic heat

Hot stones are particularly beneficial for longer-term conditions, but where there is a recent injury, the stones can also be used cold to help reduce any inflammation.

Obviously if you have a sensitivity to heat, the temperature of the hot stones would need to be carefully monitored, but the heat need be no more intense than a warm bath.

Because they are smooth and cupped in the therapist’s hand, there is no sense of the hardness of stone. Even the gentle clinking of the stones as they are handled can be therapeutic, reminding you of waves crashing on a pebbly beach.

Don’t take my word for it – try it!

‘Southwell Life’ – December 2006

“A faithful friend is the medicine of life.” Apocrypha

“True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost” Charles Caleb Colton

Health and well-being comes from not only being balanced physically, but also in our psychological and emotional state.

Social life and friendships are a very important element of our human needs and it is said that firm relationships with friends and family and an engaging, interesting social life seem to offer strong protection against stress and all of the diseases that go along with it.

Some friendships are essentially light-hearted and casual – they help us relax and cope with the stresses of modern life. Others are more serious and intimate – they are the “rocks” on which we rely, in which we confide and which act as a vital safety net in addition to (or, sometimes, in place of) family. Friendship that is reciprocal, heartfelt and freely given can materially help relieve stress and depression, through emotional support.

What better way to maintain your friendships at the same time as boosting your physical and emotional health than by arranging a get-together where, for a few hours, you combine an opportunity to chat with friends and family in one room and have a 20 minute relaxing therapeutic treatment in the privacy of another room?

Pamper parties are an ideal way for you and others to have a ‘taster’ to see how you enjoy it and benefit from it. If you are already a firm believer in the power of massage, you can share your enthusiasm by arranging a social occasion for friends and family to have a taste of what you have found beneficial. Book a Touch Therapy Pamper Party and get a free taster treatment for yourself.

‘Southwell Life’ – November 2006

If you’re feeling out of kilter
Don’t know why or what about
Let your feet reveal the answer
Find the sore spot, WORK IT OUT!

Eunice Ingham (1879 – 1974) ‘mother of modern reflexology’

We expect our feet to work hard for us – support us and transport us, but many of us ignore those extremities or even feel quite negative about them. Yet, as Eunice Ingham’s book ‘Stories the Feet Have Told’ says, they can tell us a lot and be the medium for healing and balancing.

Over 3,000 years ago, there is evidence that the Egyptians believed the human body was a symphony of vibrations, and that the internal organs form an intricate orchestra. They also believe that these organs could be “played’ by manipulating points on the feet.

In the same way that the Chinese practice of acupuncture and Japanese Shiatsu use meridian points, Eunice worked on mapping the entire body on the feet into five zones and developed the reflex points. These are a mirror image of all the organs, glands and parts of the body linked by energy pathways.

Imbalances in the body – congestion, inflammation or tension – can be detected in the foot and may be experienced by the client as a sharp or dull pain and by the therapist as a ‘gritty’ area. This sensation mirrors an imbalance in the corresponding part of the body. Also the condition and colour of foot skin adds to the ‘picture’ of health.

By applying pressure using special manipulations with varying degrees of thumb or finger pressure, the movement of energy is stimulated along the pathways and effectively restores balance and well-being. Reflexology gently ‘nudges’ the body towards better functioning by improving lymphatic drainage and venous circulation, stimulation to the nerve pathways, and muscle relaxation

You may have ticklish feet, but the techniques used are firm and generally, most people find this non-invasive therapy treatment very relaxing so it provides benefits at a physical and emotional level. I use a nourishing Peppermint and Lavender cream during a treatment, so your feet also get some special conditioning attention.

‘Southwell Life’ – October 2006

The statistics are scary – an estimated 827,000 people suffer with work-related ill-health due to musculoskeletal disorders in the back and upper limbs* – and there will be more which are unreported.

I was recently on an Inanimate Load Handling course run by a man who qualified as a physiotherapist. He stressed that we need to take responsibility for our backs – it wasn’t bending to pick up something or turning to answer the phone that ‘ricked’ our back, it was likely to be the final straw of years of bad posture. If we don’t pay attention to how we sit and move, our muscles may be held tense in lop-sided poses, or we may twist when we lift and put unhealthy strain on our inter-vertebral discs.

Do you notice how you’re sitting when you’re driving? While you’re concentrating on traffic, the answer’s probably ‘no’. Perhaps at the traffic lights, just do a body scan and notice your arms, neck, back, ankles. If you’re slouching or sitting crooked, it may be that your seat or mirror needs adjusting. Similarly office ergonomics – where your chair is situated in relation to your desk and PC – are important to ensure you are sitting centrally and not stretching awkwardly. Also make sure you take regular breaks – have a brisk walk, do some stretching exercises, not forgetting your fingers and hands.

It takes effort to remember to engage the core muscles for a flatter tummy and strong back and to hold our head, which can weigh about 10 to 12 lbs, in a way which will not put stress on our upper spine. A simple thing like crossing your legs, particularly above the knees, constricts blood flow and tilts and twists your pelvis.

Consider taking steps to ‘rebuild your back’ and shed old habits- look out for Pilates classes or the Alexander technique for guidance. You might also like to try a chair massage – a seated, clothed 20 minute treatment – see On site massage on the Treatments page.

Health and Safety Executive Statistics – 2004/5*

‘Southwell Life’ – September 2006

Memories, imagination, old sentiments, and associations are more readily reached through the sense of smell than through any other channel.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

As well as evoking memories and feelings, essential oils used in aromatherapy have specific psychological effects such as relaxing or stimulating. But they can also work at a deeper level by working in harmony with the body to normalise, balance and promote the body’s self-healing processes. Essential oils are absorbed into the bloodstream and because they are natural, the body metabolises them readily.

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant-derived, aromatic essential oils which can be used in combination with a carrier oil for a massage or in other techniques such as burning, inhalation, in a bath, in toiletries. Certain oils can be used neat but only with care – for example, Lavender is a great healer for small burns.

The pharmacological effect is the chemical change(s) which takes place when an essential oil enters the bloodstream and interacts with cells, hormones and enzymes etc to help balance their function.

The physiological benefit is when an essential oil affects the systems of the body, for example they may become relaxed or stimulated.

There are a wide range of oils with a variety of active components which may have, for example, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral or decongestant properties.

It can be confusing which one to choose!

You can buy pre-mixed massage oils for a specific outcome, but a qualified Aromatherapist will carefully select an appropriate combination of essential oils on an individual basis for each client following a consultation and apply them in a safe dilution.

Enhance your massage treatment with aromatherapy and feel the benefit.

‘Southwell Life’ – August 2006