Shiatsu..... dog or bodywork?

Shiatsu is becoming more and more common place in the United States but still when people hear it, I often get asked, “Isn’t that a dog?”

What is shiatsu then? Briefly put:

Shiatsu is based on principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Similar to Acupressure and using the same theories, Shiatsu can bring balance to the flow of Qi or energy. Over the centuries, Chinese health practitioners developed a system based on the premise that good health is dependent on the balanced flow of vitality in the body and in particular on the energy that flows through a specific system of channels or meridians.

Shiatsu can be very helpful for postural and muscular-skeletal problems and stress related conditions. Recipients report Shiatsu has helped with headaches, PMS, chronic pain and injuries. It has also been shown to promote improved sleep, relief of anxiety, and reduced muscle tension.

So what exactly happens during a Shiatsu session? To start, the client arrives in the office dressed in comfortable, stretchy clothes. No undressing necessary for this bodywork. A health screen will be filled out and we will begin by asking some questions. The client may be confused as to the reasoning behind the questions but that all comes to light soon enough. The pulse will be assessed, the tongue will be analyzed. All this leads to setting up a session for each specific individual. The assessment process is similar to being treated by an acupuncturist, as the principles are the same. But in Shiatsu, no needles are used, only finger pressure.

The session starts with the client on a padded mat, lying on the floor. Stretching the limbs, doing acupressure, mobilizing the body and increasing range of motion. All these things are done to improve the flow of Qi in the meridans. The therapist will use finger pressure, elbows, arms and even feet to get the desired effect. The work is done in a rhythmic way to induce relaxation, the setting very calming.

Adjunct therapies in Asian Bodywork are often used during a session, such as cupping, gua sha and moxibustion. Dietary advice may be offered in help in the healing process. Qi gong exercises are also a vital part of Asian Bodywork.

My next article will explore the how’s and why’s concerning cupping, gua sha and moxibustion.

Beauty everywhere - April 21, 2007

Even in NYC! I had a treatment with the acupuncturist again. Needless to say, I feel great!

So more on NYC, if you can bare it!



First time to Central Park! The picture above is one everyone has seen at one point in their life. It is the LARGE grassy, open area of the park where people will lay around to soak up the sun. Do you think it was a bit crowded today?

Here are some Spring time photo's I took at the Park:





And last but not least, this needs no explanation.....

Rainy day

Yesterday I spend the day in NYC. We had appointments with the acupuncturist..... ahhh! But what a contrast from the previous day. Sunday it was sunny and the sky was an amazing shade of blue. Monday it was nothing but rain.



We took the train up so the only photo's I have are from the train window. Once we were in the city, it was nothing but downpours. No photo ops there.



There are many pretty country sides that we pass through via the train between Lancaster and Philadelphia.



After a while though..... the train just goes on and on.



I will return to the City in about 4 weeks so many prayers for better weather.

All and all, it was worth it. My appointment was fabulous, as always. I can conquer the world for a few more weeks.

Great morning

What a great Sunday morning I had today. I went hiking around a bit at Pinchot Park with a friend and was able to get a few photo opportunities.

The sky was absolutely beautiful today.



Pinchot Park has countless walking trails, some nice and easy, other's very rocky.




All in all, it was a great break from the normal routine. Touching base with nature, breathing in clean air..... getting stagnant chi out of the lungs.

I hope everyone has a chance to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Liniments

Last week I begun to make another batch of Chinese liniments. I had to order more herbs from Kamwo and they arrived while I was gone. I was aware of what I ordered to some extent. I know what tu bie chong is. I know to look for it in case its ever in a herbal formula I have to take internally. But when I opened the little brown bag with the herbs in it and stuck my hand down to 'sift' through the herbs, imagine my disgust at touching a dead wingless cockroach! Not just one, might I add. 12 grams worth of the little buggers. Now they float around in a jar of vodka, surrounded by roots, branches, leaves, hunks of unknown things, ect.

I wish I could have had to stomach to take pictures before I dumped everything into the jar. Is is some sort of weirdness that makes me think a dead bug will come alive and crawl on me? I have seen to many horror movies and sci-fi specials in my life for sure.

Here you will see a picture of what is in the jars. Many of the herbs have settled to the bottom or are ground into a powder. I have started 2 separate liniments. The first is a trauma liniment or die da jui.



The second is a tendon relaxing liniment.




These liniments can be purchased ready for use from Kamwo in NYC. I personally find it fun to make them myself. In an earlier post I explained that the liniments soak for 6 months or longer for a better stronger liniment. These will go off into the closet to emerge at a later date.

Peace and love all!

Herbal Soaks

Here are a bunch of herbs that are added to a soak used to relieve muscle spasms, tightness, and restricted movement. It will decrease pain and help move stasis. Some of the herbs in this soak as dang gui, su mu, hong hua, bai zhi and ru xiang.

The herbs are either thrown into a pot of water OR for easy clean up, put into big tea bags.



This bag will be sewn up so that it can easily go into the trash when complete.

So what do you do with these 'soaks'??? Well, fill up your largest cooking pot with 3 gallons of water and throw in the herbs. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes. You may add vinegar or alcohol after taking the pot off the stove. When it has cooled down enough to handle, throw an old, thick hand towel into the water, wring it out and place it on the area that needs attention. If its a foot/ankle/hand/wrist, you can just submerge those into the pot. Again, make sure its not to hot! You want to do this 15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a day for 5-7 days. This pot of cooked herbs can be covered and reused for up to 7 days. It doesn't need to be re-boiled again, just heat it to a comfortable temperature.

A little warning: this herbal concoction creates a dark water that can stain white material. I always use an old dark colored towel. If you are placing the towel on your neck or back or shoulder, make sure you either have an old shirt on or no shirt at all. When doing the back it is always very handy to have a partner assist you.

A second warning: don't use a hot soak on an area with inflammation or open sores. Anytime you wouldn't normally apply heat, these soaks may not be the best thing for you. There are soaks that are used with the water at a cooler temperature but for now lets stick with this to not confuse. :)

So while not everyone has a supply of Chinese herbs handy, I recommend going to Kamwo (see link on right side of blog) and ordering pre-made soaks.

Chinese Herbs

One of the most amazing things I have been taught in the recent months are the use of Chinese herbs on injuries. They can be used externally in liniments, poultices or soaks and also used internally. Since I am not a licensed herbalist, I will not get into internal herbs.

Liniments are basically made by adding specific herbs to alcohol and letting the mixture sit for months. Chinese herbs aren't always what most American's think of as herbs. They can be dried barks, roots, twigs, berries, fruits, and some of the most unusual would be bugs. One of the times I have ordered my herbs, using Chinese pin yin's to communicate, I accidentally got dried fish belly instead of a pepper seed. So the ingredients in Chinese formula's are often very amazing while some people probably would choose to not get into specifics!

The reasons to use herbs when treating injuries are vast. In acute injuries, Chinese herbs can be used to substitute ice. While we have been told to follow RICE when we get hurt (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), in Chinese sports medicine, using ice to treat inflammation can further inhibit healing because fluids and blood will congeal and be harder to break up later.

After inflammation is reduced, liniments and/or soaks can be used to continue healing. Even when treating chronic conditions, herbs can inhance healing along with acupressure and massage. What is convenient are these methods can easily be done at home on a regular basis.

Check back soon and I will get show you how to make a poultice.

Who is getting Asian Bodywork Therapies?

Today I had a massage therapy client ask me what type of people get ABT and for what sort of complaints? I haven't found a certain type of individual gets one type of bodywork versus another but I have found that a few clients who get ABT are receiving it for some of the same reasons.

First, they have received massage therapy in various forms (ex. Swedish, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, NMT) and still aren't satisfied with the results. Everyone can agree that it all feels GREAT to receive, I myself am a bit of a bodywork junkie, I like it ALL! But when you are dealing with a specific issue such as a frozen shoulder or headaches or tendonitis, you want that issue to be resolved. It would be foolish to say that one form of bodywork is better then another. Everyone resonates with forms and therapists based on their own needs. During treatments, the client may find that the results don't last long or even stop getting results. The reasons for this are so vast I won't begin to get into that today. These clients will search out different modalities for relief and some will try ABT.

Second, many clients are just attracted to Eastern culture and so will receive ABT and Acupuncture because it is second nature to them. They have studied the philosophy and agree with it. They want a bodywork session that is well rounded and will encompass their emotional, mental and physical being.

Third, some clients of ABT don't feel comfortable having skin on skin contact and prefer to have the session done while they remain dressed. This may also be due to skin conditions or allergies that don't allow for use of oils or lotions.

Last, I have had some clients come to me because they heard Shiatsu and Tui Na were really DEEP. That isn't always the case. When making an assessment prior to the session, the therapist may find the best treatment is a lighter touch. Any session can be tailored to meet specific needs so nothing needs to end up hurting in the end. Besides the thinking that it will be deep, many clients come for the stretching. During shiatsu, stretching is incorporated and my clients love how it will open up their joints in ways they can not do on their own.

To sum it up, everyone is getting ABT! So be cool and schedule your appointment today. For a therapist in your area, click here for a list of qualified therapists all over the country.

Insomnia

As many of you know, I have had my fair share of sleeping issues. I hear from so many people their horror stories, being up all night, tossing and turning all night, ect. and I feel for you all. So today I want to give some easy (or not so easy) suggestions to help us all get those much desired zzzz's.

One of the most common things you hear about are essential oils. Lavender Oil is one of the most popular essential oils to help the body relax and it is a safe oil. Sprinkle a few drops on your pillow before going to bed or rub a few drops into the bottom of your feet. A few other oils that may work well (because not everyone likes lavender) are chamomile, cedarwood, and valerian.

Here is one out of the book "Chinese System of Food Cures" by Henry Lu. He suggests crushing an onion and putting it in a jar. Inhale the vapors through the nose while in bed. Normally you fall asleep in 15 minutes.

In homeopathic medicine there are various options. Nux Vomica is effective for insomnia as a result of coffee, alcohol or drug abuse. Nux Vomica is also used when there is mental strain. If attacks of anxiety and fear drive you out of bed, try Arsenicum. Coffea is best used when the mind is overactive. Arnica is helpful if you have overextended yourself physically or mentally and now feel to tired to fall asleep. Lastly, Chamomilla is good for cases of extreme irritability, physical pains or addiction to sedatives.

Another thing we can do for ourselves or have a loved one do is acupressure. Two common points used for insomnia are Kidney 6 and Bladder 62. Massage and press these 2 points together on both sides to help the body relax and promote sleep. Holding Heart 7 for a minute on both sides as well as Pericardium 6 can help. Press and massage into the points to stimulate each point for about a minute or two.

Lastly, when these things don't help, it may be necessary to seek professional help. You may choose to see a MD but I would also suggest talking to a licensed acupuncturist/herbalist and you may also get relief from receiving bodywork. If you read past posts on this blog, you will see how getting acupuncture and taking herbs that were prescribed to me by a licensed professional has helped immensely. You do not need to suffer!

Sweet dreams!

My Shiatsu teacher

During the upcoming postings here, I will write about my recent Tui Na training. But my introduction into Asian Bodywork Therapies began in 2002 with a fabulous teacher, Barbra Esher at the Baltimore School of Massage. Barbra came up with the curriculm for the Asian Bodywork program and did much of the teaching. She is very accomplished in the field of ABT as well as being a licensed acupuncturist.

I came across this interview she did in FL during a open house for the new office for the NCCAOM. She does a wonderful job of explaining ABT and how it differs from western massage and acupuncture. She also highly suggests using the NCCAOM website to find a qualified practitioner in your area.

Click HERE to listen.

Old post from January 1, 2007

Wow. 2007. I remember as a child hearing my parents and grandparents... well, all OLD people.... talk about how fast the years go by. How foreign to me! The years were slow, it was taking forever to become 16 or 18 or 21.

Now the years go so fast I sometimes forget what year we are in. Sigh. I am old. I also had too much fun as a young person so the memory isn't as good as it should be.

Working in the Spa industry typically means working holidays. Yes folks, some spas are open on holidays but don't tell anyone. Yesterday I worked but thank the gods I am off today. New Years Day at the Spa means hung over people who probably should just stay in bed, not come to a spa feeling nauseous. But atlas, they want to be pampered. I send positive thoughts to my co-workers who had to work today. Hang in there guys/gals!

At the Spa we get guests who schedule a massage which by the details in the brochure and website, states it is a relaxing massage with long, slow, gentle strokes. Please note that we also have a deep tissue massage that, lo and behold, is deep in pressure. So when given an option, if you prefer to have someone dig into your muscles, schedule that deep tissue one. But these guests that want deep pressure when scheduling the relaxing massage (and not sure why..... didn't read the description? Trying to save a few bucks?) can be very demanding. "I like it DEEP! You can't hurt me." Well, yes we can but that is counterproductive, isn't it? Someone once stated to me that when you order a burger, do you get mad that you didn't get filet mignon?

But yesterday I had a gentleman who had that relaxing massage scheduled and wanted deep work. He was actually very polite about it, and listened as I explained what he had scheduled and what he is now asking for. But my karma needed a boast so I did work deeper on his back and neck, where it was truly needed. Many folks won't acknowledge you went beyond what you needed to do. This awesome guest did. He was very thankful that I did that for him. However, I did suggest that next time he schedule the deep tissue.

The moral of the story? Read the descriptions before you schedule. You can try to get one by and you might get a therapist capable of deeper work but maybe not.

Second moral? A lighter relaxing massage can do wonders for the soul. Relax the soul; the physical body will follow.

Yet another blog

Yes folks, this is my second blog. For various reasons, none that I will get into at the moment, I have had to trash my beloved blog. I hope that my faithful readers find their way to this one..... I will make it easy somehow.

Various posts will be copied here so forgive me if you have read them.