Rose and Lavender Aromatherapy
AVICENNA,A HIGHLY GIFTED ARABIAN PHYSICIAN (AD 980-1037 ) WROTE OVER 100 BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT AND DISCOVERED THE FIRST DISTILLATION OF FLOWERS AND USED THE OILS FOR THEIR HEALING POWERS.BENIFITS,TO NAME A FEW INCLUDE INSOMNIA,STRESS,BACK PROBLEMS,ARTHRITIS,JOINT PAIN,CIRCULATION AND THE MENOPAUSE
HOW IT WORKS.... ESSENTIAL OILS CAN ENTER THE SKIN BECAUSE THEIR MOLECULES ARE EXTREMELY SMALL,ONCE INSIDE THE BODY THE ESSENTIAL OIL MOLECULES ENTER THE BLOOD STREAM WHICH THEN TRAVEL TO BENIFIT DIFFERENT ORGANS AND BODY SYSTEMS,SUCH AS THE SKELETAL,DIGESTIVE,IMMUNE, NERVOUS,REPRODUCTIVE,LYMPATHIC SYSTEMS AROMATHERAPY OILS HAVE BEEN USED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS BY THE PERSIANS,GREEKS,ROMANS AND EVEN THE EGYPTIANS.
AROMATHERAPY IS NOW RECOGNISED BY RESEARCHERS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
SKELETAL
Massage has an indirect effect. Muscles will be improved therefore there will be less stress on the skeleton, particularly around the joints. Better muscle tone improves skeletal posture. Passive movements mobilise joints. By improving circulation, better nutrient delivery to bones enables more efficient cell regeneration.
MUSCULAR
Removes lactic acid,(waste product of too much exercise). Removes toxins and reduces stiffness. Improves circulation therefore there is a better delivery of nutrients and removal of waste products.
Physical manipulation of muscles helps flexibility. Massage results in improved muscle tone and posture. Massage relaxes muscles.
CIRCULATORY
Improves circulation by speeding up the flow of blood. Massage assists the action of the heart. It can lower high blood pressure by removing the tension that causes it. There is better delivery of nutrients and removal of waste products because blood flow is improved, also improving blood flow to the surface of the skin.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
Massage can either be invigorating or relaxing. A stimulating massage will awaken the nervous system, energising the body. A relaxing massage will calm the nervous system thus removing the effects of stress. Massage restores balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Massage results in better circulation therefore better delivery of nutrients to cells around the body. It improves the elimination of waste. Improves blood flow to the liver, hence there is better elimination of waste. Massage physically assists with peristalsis over the abdomen.
EFFECTS OF MASSAGE ON THE BODY SYSTEMS
SKIN
Massage invigorates the skin. It exfoliates, thus improving skin tone and elasticity, resulting in radiant skin.
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Improved circulation improves the efficiency of organs. Massage can affect the menstrual flow.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Massage relaxes the body which results in deeper, fuller breathing. There is better and more efficient gaseous exchange and more oxygen is delivered into the body. The muscles involved with respiration will be less tense (intercostals and diaphragm) therefore breathing will be more efficient.
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
Massage helps the physical movement of lymph through the lymphatic system. It helps with the removal of waste, thereby boosting the immune system.
URINARY SYSTEM
Encourages more efficient waste removal therefore encourages urine production and elimination. It results in improved blood flow to the kidneys, improving their health and efficiency.
ENDOCRINE
Massage results in less stress leading to fewer stress hormones. The feel good effect releases endorphins. The delivery of hormones is improved by better circulation.
DAILY MAIL ARTICLE 9th JANUARY 2007
REBALANCE YOUR BODY WITH REFLEXOLOGY
How can a treatment that seems little more than a foot massage possibly improve the health of your whole body, kick-start your vitality and, above all, boost your self- confidence?
Reflexologists are the first to admit their method stretches the imagination to the limit, and yet even mainstream doctors and surgeons are beginning to recommend reflexology, perhaps one of the most curious - and effective – of all the alternative therapies.
Reflexology teaches that every part of the body, from head to toes, heart to gall bladder, is mapped out in miniature on the feet.
By touching the correct reflex point on the foot you can affect the corresponding organ, gland or area of the body.
The precise origins of Reflexology are shrouded in the mists of time. More than 5,000 years ago, the Indians and Chinese were using similar techniques and evidence suggests that the skill goes back even further too ancient Egypt.
Meanwhile, the Native Americans (in particular the Cherokee) have a long tradition of healing through putting pressure on the feet.
The technique was reintroduced to the west in the 1930s by an American physician, Dr William H Fitzgerald, who found that by applying very hard pressure to the reflex points on the feet he could relieve pain to such a degree that it could be used as a form of local anesthetic before surgery.
Others took up the flag and now Reflexology is a refined and effective form of natural therapy.
Reflexologists believe the body is divided into ten vertical ‘energy zones’ that run like thin slices from the base of the feet right through to the top of the head. As a result, our feet (and hands) contain reflex areas, or points, that correspond to every part and system of the body. The theory is very like that of acupuncture: if vital energy (known as chi or qi) is blocked, ill health usually results.
Pressing the reflex points has the same effect as needling an acupuncture point: it regulates the flow of energy to the organ or body system, helping restore balance and health.
A Reflexologist sees your feet as a mirror of your whole body. The right foot governs the right side of the body and the left foot, the left side.
When you bring the two feet together, you have a complete outline of the human body, with the big toe representing the head (here you will find the points for the brain, nose and throat, plus the pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus glands).
Move down into the main part of the foot and you will find the major organs - lungs, heart, liver, stomach and pancreas. Keep going and around the waist of the foot you will reach the small intestine.
The heel corresponds to the pelvis with a strip of the sciatic nerve running across the base of the heel. There are important areas on the upper part of the foot and toes, and even around the ankle.
All the reflex points relating to the various parts of the body can be found on the hands and wrists – although because the hands are smaller and many parts are thin skinned and bony, it’s more unusual (and more comfortable for the ‘patient’) to work on the feet.
Once you become familiar with the techniques of reflexology, you will discover not only the various areas the press, but you will slowly become to understand how to detect congested or troublesome reflex points by feeling tense, granular-like deposits in the feet and hands. They discover they can tackle difficult situations more easily; they feel more able to speak their mind and stick up for their rights.
Learning the basic techniques of this therapy can be a huge boost for your working and home life.
In the past, Reflexologists say, we would have naturally balanced our energy by walking barefoot. As our bare feet went over various kinds of ground – from rocky beach to grassy plain, the reflex points would have automatically been stimulated, constantly keeping our bodies in balance.
Nowadays, of course, we rarely go barefoot- and so we need to use our own thumbs to get the benefits.
‘It eased my excruciating pain’
Dawn Tuckwell, 25, is single and lives in North London. She works as a marketing executive. She says:
‘I have suffered from endometriosis – excruciating period pain – since my late teens. Until I started regular Reflexology treatments last year, I would have to take a day or two off work every month because of the pain.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue is found growing outside the womb – usually in the pelvis. It can lead to infertility. My doctor suggested I have a laparoscopy to see where the problem was, but I was worried about having surgery. A Reflexologist friend offered to help. Though I couldn’t see how a foot massage could help my problem. But I had two courses of six weekly treatments. The monthly pain has eased considerably and I haven’t had to take any time off work since. And the mood swings during my periods are less severe. When my friend works on my feet I can feel the area of my body she is targeting through the pressure points on my feet relaxing and easing.
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