Author: Lauren

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Is your Child Stressed? This can Help!

Know how to recognize the causes and signs of this common problem in kids.

Anxiety is an all-too-common problem faced by children today. As with adults, children respond differently to stress depending on their age, individual personalities, and coping skills.

Childhood stress can manifest with difficult behavior, and it is important for parents to recognize the signs of stress and to look for the possible causes.

Some common signs of stress and anxiety include:

  • Complaints of stomach aches or headaches
  • Sleep problems or nightmares
  • Bedwetting
  • Getting into trouble at school

Note: If you suspect that a change in the family such as a new sibling, a move, divorce, or a death of a family member is behind your child’s stress and anxiety, seek advice from an expert such as your child’s school counselor, your pediatrician, or a child therapist.

Quick Stress-Relief Ideas for Kids

Plan fun activities you can enjoy together such as:

  • snuggling together with a book
  • massage
  • playing a favorite game
  • deep breathing exercises. Encourage your child to breathe in “good” air and exhale “bad” air, and picture it carrying any worries out of their body.
  • do some yoga poses with your kids. Simple yoga poses such as downward dog, cobra, and tree are excellent for kids

For something that has longer term benefits – perhaps try something different such as Brazilian Toe Massage (BTM) – so called because it originated from Brazil and involves a light touch to each of the toes.

BTM is a simple 15-minute routine, based on 10,000-year-old Chinese Meridians, that is fast acting and gentle enough for even small children.

Brazilian Toe Massage has been known to get a tantrum-throwing child to fall sleep in 15 minutes.

Find out more at www.BrazilianToeMassage.com

Fully illustrated, comprehensive eBook – on sale for just $19 for a limited time.

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Reflexology Shows Promise for Treating Cancer Symptoms

A study led by a Michigan State University researcher offers the strongest evidence yet that reflexology – a type of specialized foot massage practiced since the age of pharaohs – can help cancer patients manage their symptoms and perform daily tasks.

Funded by the National Cancer Institute and published in the latest issue of Oncology Nursing Forum, it is the first large-scale, randomized study of reflexology as a complement to standard cancer treatment, according to lead author Gwen Wyatt, a professor in the College of Nursing.

“It’s always been assumed that it’s a nice comfort measure, but to this point we really have not, in a rigorous way, documented the benefits,” Wyatt said. “This is the first step toward moving a complementary therapy from fringe care to mainstream care.”

The study involved 385 women undergoing chemotherapy or hormonal therapy for advanced-stage breast cancer that had spread beyond the breast. The women were assigned randomly to three groups:  Some received treatment by a certified Reflexologist, others got a foot massage meant to act as a placebo, and the rest had only standard medical treatment and no foot manipulation.

Wyatt and colleagues surveyed participants about their symptoms at intake and then checked in with them after five weeks and 11 weeks.

They found that those in the reflexology group experienced significantly less shortness of breath, a common symptom in breast cancer patients. Perhaps as a result of their improved breathing, they also were better able to perform daily tasks such as climbing a flight of stairs, getting dressed or going grocery shopping.

Wyatt said she was surprised to find that Reflexology’s effects appeared to be primarily physical, not psychological.

“We didn’t get the change we might have expected with the emotional symptoms like anxiety and depression,” she said. “The most significant changes were documented with the physical symptoms.”

http://nursing.msu.edu/News%20and%20Events/Latest%20News/Reflexology_Shows_Promise%20.htm

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How Reflexology Helps

Reflexology is a powerful treatment to soothe the nervous system, settle the endocrine (hormone) system and bring objectivity into your life. Reflexology will also help to rebalance dis-ease and omit pain from many chronic conditions.

Reflexology cradles the nervous system, nurtures the physical body, balances the mind and settles the spirit. There are thousands of accessible nerve endings in the feet and each nerve impulse transmits and transports sensory messages to and from the brain. A reflexologist can locate areas of stress contained within areas of the body by mapping nerve pathways that originate in the feet. Stimulation of specific nerve pathways refreshes the trails of communication from one functioning system of the body to another. The result is a sense of unity, wholeness and well-being.

Prolonged exposure to states of stress upset the natural chemical balances within the body, resulting in higher levels of acidity and calcium salt levels in the blood. The excess calcium salts leads to calcification within the cells (firstly within the cell organelle mitochondria, the prime energy centre of the cell.) and tissues causing the crystal deposits. To highlight the importance of cell function it is important to understand that all of our bodily systems are architected from our cells. A mass of cells design tissue types, composition of tissue types form our organs and many organs make up our systems.

Harmonizing our bodies on a cellular level enables us to manage stress from a health perspective rather than focusing on a disease pathology and only treating the symptoms. Understanding that calcification occurs firstly in the energy centres of our cells enables us to understand how the bodies energy levels are compromised by stress. A reflexologist intervenes with specialized techniques used to degrade the crystalline matter and return it to the blood stream for elimination. Elimination will primarily occur via urination, fecal matter and sometimes sweating.

A reflexologist understands that clearing the predominant areas of crystal matter on the feet will help to purify the body. Our upright posture, less dexterity of flexures in the feet and the effects of gravity mean that the calcium salts and toxins settle more densely in the feet and this is why reflexology is so powerful as a treatment. To alleviate stress a reflexologist will locate calcium deposits and crystallization of uric acid around the nerve endings in the feet, and with extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology a reflexologist is able to rebalance the client with precise massage techniques to areas of imbalance. Once an area has been worked the nerve and tissue cells energy centres are replenished creating invigorated nerve pathways and refreshed communication to all major organs and systems.

With all systems regulating to their optimum capacity we are able to experience such benefits as good blood and lymphatic circulation, hormone regulation, efficient waste movements well nourished muscles and lubricated bones due to increased flow of fluids. The list of benefits are expansive but it is important to note that reflexology works on a base level by soothing the nerves and therefore improving the bodies natural rhythms with nature. Clients that have regular treatments find a profound sense of objectivity within their lives. Reflexology is ultimately grounding and tends to the journey of the client, their past, present and consequently effects all future steps.

 

 

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Could your thyroid be at the root of your health problems?

The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck, is probably one of the most important glands in your body. It helps control heart rate, body temperature and regulates how fast we use energy from food. It also affects your appetite, mood and weight.

It is extremely sensitive and can be affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies, smoking, environmental toxins and prescription drugs. It’s therefore hardly surprising that thyroid problems affect as many as one in six people over the age of 55. Continue reading “Could your thyroid be at the root of your health problems?”

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What does Reflexology & Sherlock Holmes Have in Common?

Who isn’t familiar with the name Sherlock Holmes?

Thanks to numerous stories, as well as movie and TV adaptions. Sherlock Holmes has the distinction of still being the most famous fictional detective in history.

On Tuesday May 22, we celebrate the detective, which is appropriate because that date also marks the birthday of the man who created him, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I love detective stories.  I love following the clues and trying to work out “who  dunnit?”  Sherlock Holmes was a Master at observation.  Nothing, no matter how small the clue, escaped his scrutiny.  A Master Reflexologist requires the same exact skill. That’s why I love “Reading the Feet” – it provides a simple system or road map to read the foot clues! (see below for special offer PS!)  The reflex sensitivities in the feet, of a client’s body is actually laying a trail of breadcrumb clues as to what is actively happening in the body.  By following these clues absolutely, the body can show first cause of dis-ease and therefore illustrate a path to healing and better health.

Continue reading “What does Reflexology & Sherlock Holmes Have in Common?”