Integrative Health Blog

The Benefits of Oncology Massage

Posted by on Tue, Nov 06, 2018

The power of touch has a special resonance with me.  My first experience was when I had a biopsy done for breast cancer.  I was in the prone position so I could not see the person.  The biopsy was done on my left breast and was painful.  The person assisting the physician was a nurse and she put her hand on mine and was present.  I could feel her presence with her hand.  This made a difference because I felt reassured and not alone.  I felt a sense of compassion.  This made the experience more bearable. 

Oncology massage is based on compassion. Oncology massage is a lighter, softer touch than regular massage, and designed to relax the nervous system. During cancer treatment our bodies sometimes forget the feeling of being relaxed. Massage is a way in which clients can visit themselves, to acknowledge where they are and what they are feeling. The benefits of oncology massage done correctly are relaxation, better sleep, reduced anxiety and pain, and less fatigue and nausea. 

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Tags: cancer, massage

Massage: Help for Cellulite, the Ordinary Girl’s Arch-nemesis

Posted by on Mon, Aug 03, 2015

If you’re like most women, you have cellulite. Believe it or not, over 90% of women have cellulite at some point in their life. Every year you make a vow to eliminate it once and for all! But then, spring comes, you try on your bathing suit and there it is again... mocking you.

To make things more difficult, your internet search yields tons of results on how to get rid of it. Everywhere you look, someone is claiming this works or that doesn’t. It’s enough to send a girl on a search for the best pair of capris she can find and leave them on for the rest of the summer!

A Multi-Faceted Approach

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Tags: massage

Try Massage to Address the Pain You Can't Explain

Posted by on Mon, Mar 02, 2015

Some people choose to handle musculoskeletal pain on a managerial level. While frequent visits to the doctor’s office, medications, and sometimes intermittent periods of rest may help, this need to constantly address the pain can easily reduce one's quality of life. We view ourselves as individuals, and believe in some strange way that our physical experiences around pain are exclusive to us. Our pain is a result of how we use our body, and is an indicator that we are out of harmony.

Get the right type of massage

Alternatively, massage and body work can support the reduction of pain, or reduce the propensity of chronic pain which can occur over time. With over 600 modalities of massage and body work available to the public, it is best to know what type of massage will effectively handle those common aches and pains we collectively experience. Orthopedic massage (OM) is a progressive manual therapy that applies a non-impact, low force, soft tissue manipulation that is appropriate to address that pain you can’t explain. Orthopedic massage focuses on the body as one dynamic organism, and the practitioner connects with the source, rather than the cause of the pain.

Where is the pain coming from?

A practitioner who is trained in massage will first perform an assessment. During the assessment, the skilled practitioner can determine which tissue is effected, and if the pain is localized or referred. This information will better guide the orthopedic massage  practitioner in creating a treatment plan that may focus on specific muscle tissue, and/or surrounding structures.

Some common pain conditions that Orthopedic Massage addresses:

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Tags: pain, massage

Herbal Teas for Respiratory Health

Posted by on Wed, Jan 22, 2014

Krista Merwede LMT

     It seems to be an especially brutal flu season this year.  Deep, bronchial coughs echo through the aisles of the grocery store, Snuffaluffagus is answering the phone at the bank and sneezes flutter over cubicle walls with hot zone wings.  If you or one of your beloveds is suffering from respiratory congestion it is a good time to start thinking of a steaming mug of medicinal tea, ideally full of honey and steeped with love.  While there are plenty of great teas on the market - Breathe Easy or Throat Coast by Traditional Medicinals are personal favorites - being ill is an opportunity to better get to know individual herbs and also take a small, comfortable step towards making your own natural home remedies.   Safety is always the number-one concern, so please research your herbs before use to make sure they do not conflict with any current medication or doctor's orders.

     In this blog we will discuss several herbs that you can purchase locally and infuse at home.  An infusion is a different word for steeping, or boiling water and letting a teabag sit in the water for ten minutes to allow the herbal chemicals to release out into the water. Another thing to consider is taste; do not hesitate if you need to add something for flavor such as chamomile or peppermint to make the brew more acceptable to your palate.

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Tags: natural remedies, herbals, holistic health, massage

What Does the Lymphatic System Do?

Posted by on Tue, Nov 06, 2012

Robert Johnson D.M.D.

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Tags: immune system, detoxification, lymphatic drainage, massage

Boldy Go and Sit at Your Desk Pain Free

Posted by on Tue, Jul 17, 2012

Krista Merwede LMT

Patterns in the musculature of the body are defined by the movements that we do every day.  If we are spending 40 hours a weeks at a desk it is understandable that not just that the body will be affected, but that it will develop specific lines of tension.  The most common places for the desk worker to experience pain are in the back of the neck and around the shoulder blades.  Many patients come into the treatment room greatly concerned that there is something wrong with them because of the intensity of the symptoms.  This article will draw your attention to why the pain develops in these places and techniques that can be adapted to support the body's healthy structure. 
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Tags: neck pain, stress, massage

Massage and the Mind-Body Connection

Posted by on Mon, Apr 02, 2012

Touch is a Basic Human Need

Why does massage feel so good?

When most people consider touch they think of skin and its soft, (or not so soft) supple texture, but touch reaches far deeper than the surface of our skin.  Since touch affects us physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually, our sense of touch reaches into the corners of our memory banks, and can change us.

In the modern day fast-paced culture we live in, balancing our lives so that healthy touch is part of our lives can be difficult. Incorporating massage is a powerful answer to this dilemma.  

Massage and the Body-Mind Connection

How does massage address this basic human need for gentle touch?

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Tags: mind-body, massage