The Wellbody Blog

Late Winter Teaches a Lesson in Working Smart and Healthy

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:36:15 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

Each of the seasons has a particular wisdom to teach us--even the seemingly drab season of late winter.

It may seem like not a lot is happening in nature during this unremarkable time of year. But if we watch closely, it can help us be immensely more effective.

So what's the lesson?

Patience -- an under-rated quality, in my opinion. Patience is about timing. It helps us do things when the time is right. And, wow, is that important.

Late Winter's Example

Think about what nature is doing now. The days are growing longer, but they're still pretty short. There may be a few early bulbs emerging, but basically, the plants are still asleep.

For the plants, there's no trophy for getting up and going in to work early! They don't get a raise for getting a jump on their year-long project of growth.

In fact, if they start their growing season too soon, their cycle will be off-kilter for the whole year. They may even die in a late freeze. Nope. They wait till a complex set of cues tells them that the time is right to start growing again.

We'd do well to take that lesson to heart.

The Power of Patience

I'm a good example. I used to write grant proposals for a living. I was hard-working and eager, and it took me a long time to learn that it was fool-hardy to try to get funding for a project before its time was ready.

When I'd try to develop a project prematurely, there would be a relentless stream of dead ends, wrong turns, and brick walls. Everything about the project would be HARD. I'd wear myself out trying to force it into being, while nothing and no one seemed to be cooperating.

But when I'd wait till the time was right, things would seem to fall into place. The whole universe seemed to cooperate, and the project would be relatively easy.

I learned the hard way that patience is my friend.

Patience is your friend, too.

Waiting can be the hardest thing to do. But in the long run, it's a strategy that pays off. Tasks are ten times easier when they're not started prematurely. You'll save wear and tear on your nerves and your body. AND you'll have more energy left for the things you care most about.

So this year, watch closely as Mother Nature unfolds spring with infinite patience. Listen to her message, and be willing to wait.

Progressive Relaxation: Ten Minutes to Stress Relief and Better Health

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:34:32 GMT

Learn how to do progressive relaxation, an easy relaxation technique that helps you manage stress and stay well -- and feels great!

Using the Power of Suggestion for Healing

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:34:58 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

Are you in a healing profession, or do you receive massage therapy or other forms of alternative healing?

If so, you'll be interested in this new page on "The Energy Healing Site" that discusses the the power of positive suggestion as a tool for healing.

Massage puts people into a state that is not different significantly, if at all, from hypnosis. Recipients go into a deep state of relaxation. In this condition, as in hypnosis, they are highly impressionable. What is said to them in this vulnerable position can have a huge impact on their energy, mind, emotions, and physical well-being. Providers need to make sure (and clients need to insist) that we use our words and thoughts to support, rather than to undermine, client well-being.

Learn more about how to use the power of suggestion for healing on this new page, "The Power of Positive Suggestion."

Relieving Anxiety with Mind Body Techniques

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:10:50 GMT

Click on the image to go to The Energy Healing Site and learn more ways to relieve anxiety and stress.

Clipped from: www.the-energy-healing-site.com (share this clip)

Happy Winter Solstice: Take Time to Rest

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:40:00 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice (5:30 AM Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on December 22) is the day with the fewest number of daylight hours. The official beginning of winter, it's the longest night of the year. At the same time, it is also the point when the days start getting longer. (For people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the return of the light makes it a holiday truly worth celebrating.)

Winter is nature's time for rest. Often we forget that rest and stillness are also necessary for us, too. It's part of a healthy, balanced life.

As we move into the season of winter, ask yourself:

During the past year, have I balanced work and play?
During the past year, have I gotten enough rest?
During the past year, have I made time for stillness and reflection?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no," ask yourself what stands in the way of creating a humane, balanced life for yourself. Rest and self-care aren't selfish or self-indulgent. As nature teaches us, they're absolutely necessary for health, balance, and growth.

Have a beautiful, restful winter.

What Alternative Medicine Can Do for Your Headache

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:30:16 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

If you have headaches, you should definitely read a recent on-line article from the NCCAM Clinical Digest, "Headaches and Complementary Health Practices: What the Science Says."

This no-nonsense article reviews the efficacy of various alternative approaches to headache relief, including relaxation, biofeedback, acupuncture, tai chi, cognitive behavioral therapy, massage, spinal manipulation, dietary supplements, and the herbs feverfew and butterbur.

Here is what the article has to say about the research on massage and headaches:

Only a few studies have rigorously examined the role of massage as a headache treatment.
A 2008 pilot study involving 16 participants suggested that massage may be beneficial in reducing the frequency of tension type headaches as well as the intensity and duration of pain.
In another small study, researchers observed that a specific type of massage called craniosacral therapy, which involves light touch and manipulation of the skull and spine to release restrictions in tissues, was more effective than no treatment in relieving pain from a tension-type headache but suggested that larger studies are needed to determine the efficacy of massage as a headache treatment.
Researchers are also investigating whether massage therapy may help prevent migraines. In a 2006 study, researchers randomly assigned 24 people with migraines to receive six 45-minute massages that focused on the muscles of the back, shoulders, head, and neck while 24 people without migraines acted as a control group. Although there was no change in the average intensity of migraines experienced, the researchers observed a significant reduction in migraine frequency among those who received massages.

It's well worth reading the entire article, though. Here's the link.

NCCAM stands for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It is part of the federal National Institutes for Health. Their website is full of interesting information to trawl around in.

Relax. It's One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your Health

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:30:12 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

Stress is one of the greatest health issues of our time. Scientists estimate that 90% of diseases are caused or complicated by stress.

The Effects of Stress

The effects of stress include:

Heart beats faster and pumps more blood.
Blood pressure rises.
You breathe faster and your breath is more shallow.
Stress hormones are produced.
Blood sugar level rises.
Blood supply to digestive organs is decreased, while blood supply to muscles is increased.
Less growth and sex hormones are produced.
Immune system is suppressed.
Mental focus narrows.

Prolonged stress accelerates aging and makes you vulnerable to such diseases and health issues as high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, autoimmune diseases, cancer, anxiety, insomnia and depression.

Relaxation: A Key to Health

Happily, there's an antidote to all this stress-related doom and gloom. Simply relaxing turns off your body's stress response brings you remarkable physical, mental and emotional health benefits. For example, relaxing:

Slows your heart rate
Normalizes blood pressure
Slows your breath rate
Decreases stress hormones
Improves immune system function
Reduces muscle tension
Helps relieve pain including headaches and back pain
Helps you deal with anger and frustration
Boosts energy
Improves mental clarity, concentration and creativity

Clearly, relaxation is one of the best things you can do for yourself. So -- what have you done to de-stress lately?

Of course, massage is practically guaranteed to pacify the stress-monster. But if you can't book a massage, here are some other some ideas to help you relax.

The Dangers of Just Sitting

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:54:25 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

I've written before about the perils of sitting motionless for long periods, and I'm forever telling my clients that if they wish to remain pain-free and healthy, they need to get up from their desks and MOVE -- preferably for 1 minute out of every 20, but at least once an hour.

Nearly all muscles work in pairs, doing opposite things. (For example, the quadriceps, at the front of your thigh, straighten your knee, while their partner muscles, the hamstrings, at the back of the thigh, bend your knee.) Prolonged sitting puts some of your muscles into a sustained state of contraction, which automatically, just because of the mechanics of our muscular system, puts their partner muscles into a lengthened state. Eventually, this can lead to chronic imbalances in groups of muscles. And muscle imbalances lead to pain and often to injury.

Furthermore, our bodies are designed for motion. Inactivity--such as sitting at your desk for hours on end--causes sluggishness and stagnation on many levels, from your breathing patterns to your circulation to your cellular metabolism. Things just don't circulate like they're supposed to.

Here's yet another article that touts the dangers of long periods of sitting and the value of MOVEMENT. As this article reports, scientists are now associating physical inactivity with an increased risk of cancer.

Clipped from: vitals.msnbc.msn.com (share this clip)

The Good News
The good news is that breaking up periods of inactivity with 1-2 minute periods of movement and exercise lowers the risk of cancer. Scientists found that these micro-breaks can reduce levels of cancer-related molecules in the body.

Research by Neville Owen, head of behavioral epidemiology at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia. also found that one- to two-minute exercise breaks correlated with smaller waists, less insulin resistance and lower levels of inflammation.

Get Up and MOVE!
The most important take-away from this is: Get up and move!

While you're at your computer or desk, set a timer to go off every 20 minutes. Get up from your desk, stretch, walk to the bathroom, get a drink of water, do a few exercises -- whatever you can think of to introduce some movement. You'll feel better, you'll hurt less, you'll probably think more clearly and be more productive -- and you'll be making an important investment in your long-term health.

This is important. Pass it along.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:45:47 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's good to give thanks, and it's also good for us. Gratitude helps us to focus on what's going right, and that positive frame of mind has a powerful, positive effect on our bodies as well as our minds and hearts.

So whether your culture celebrates Thanksgiving or not, I highly recommend taking some time -- every day if possible -- for gratitude and appreciation of all that you have, and all that is going well for you.

As for me, I am appreciating my clients and my readers very much.

Gratefully yours,

Nancy

New Appointment Structure

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:44:40 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

Although my website's name is "Tacoma Massage Therapy," and I am a licensed massage therapist, I think of myself primarily as an energy healer rather than a massage therapist. Working both with the physical body and the energy body, here are some of the ways I can help you:

relieving pain
overcoming chronic stress & anxiety
increasing vitality
relaxing deeply
healing from surgery and injury
supporting your immune system
achieving greater clarity, insight, & personal growth
navigating life transitions & challenges
nurturing creativity
staying well, feel great, and live your life to the fullest.

To better serve my clients and reflect the reality of my appointments, which tend to run long, I'm announcing a new appointment structure. I am now offering:

60-minute "Express" appointments

I'll get you in and out the door in 60 minutes. This is great for people who are on a tight time schedule, have one well-defined goal or intention, and have little need for discussion of issues.
75-minute "Standard" appointments

This session allows a time for a longer treatment, use of more than one treatment method, teaching of self-care, or discussion of issues.
90-minute appointments

This session allows for longer treatment, more treatment methods, more discussion of issues, and/or more teaching of self-care methods.
The time required for lymphatic massage will vary depending on your goals.

Offering New Techniques for Upper Back and Shoulder Health

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:39:27 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

A couple of weeks ago I took a great continuing education class focussed on shoulders, offered by local massage continuing education teacher Shuna Morelli.

For my local clients, I now have some great new skills and techniques to add to my repertoire for frozen shoulder, upper back pain, and shoulder pain.

Thanks, Shuna, for a great class.

(Shuna Morelli, LMP , a registered hypnotherapist as well as licensed massage therapist, offers an elegant blend of massage therapy and hynoptherapy in her Steilacoom, Washington practice.)

11 Deeply Restorative Ways to Celebrate Samhain (Halloween), The Season of Rest

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:50:11 GMT

Happy Halloween, or to put it another way, A Blessed Samhain to you. If, like me, you believe that every season brings particular gifts and lessons, you may want to read this article, posted on my other website, The Energy Healing Site. Eleven Deeply Restorative Ways to Celebrate Samhain, Halloween's Sacred Ancestor Namaste, Nancy

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Exercises and Stretches

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:52:48 GMT

Massage is usually an effective treatment for thoracic outlet syndrome, but a program of thoracic outlet syndrome exercises at home will help you keep your symptoms at bay.

Presence As the Ultimate Medicine

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:07:51 GMT

----by Nancy Hausauer

I've just finished a book called At the Speed of Life: A New Approach to Personal Change Through Body-Centered Therapy, by Gay Hendricks and Kathlyn Hendricks. Since I work a lot with the physical body, as well as the energy-body, I'm always interested in learning how others do body-centered therapy.

One of the main therapeutic principles the Hendricks promote in this book is the technique of "presencing": being deeply, mindfully, non-judgmentally present with yourself or another -- "giving a person space to feel whatever or she is feeling." This passage really struck me::

Problems persist to the extent that we fail to be present with them and with the feelings associated with them. When we can simply be with an issue (rather than judging it or trying to change it), the issue has room to transform in the desired direction."

And this:

Being present has a great deal of power in it: the power to alter irrevocably the structures and assumptions by which we live."

I find that that is often true in working with people's physical bodies. Long-standing pain can just melt away when a client and I together shine our attention on it.

Being with WHAT IS: it can take courage. It isn't easy to move toward pain, fear, anger, sadness, or other emotions that we've spent years moving away from.

But our bodies have an innate genius for balancing themselves -- maintaining homeostasis through intricate, constant acts of self-regulation. And when we bring consciousness/awareness to parts of ourselves that are out of balance, and for whatever reason are resisting coming back into balance, that deep, listening awareness can help remove the resistance and ALLOW the body's natural balancing/healing power to reassert itself.

Of course I'm not advocating that you try to heal pneumonia through presence alone. But here's an interesting thought to try on: What if the main healing ability of our medical doctors lies not in their scalpels and their drugs, but in their being present with us? In our being present to ourselves?

Here's a link to a Self-Healing Presence Meditation. (It's on my other website, The Energy Healing Site. Namaste, Nancy

Home Remedies That Work

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:55:27 GMT

Here's a fun article on "8 Home Remedies That Actually Work." Just click on the image.

Enjoy!

Clipped from: www.womansday.com (share this clip)

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Massage Can Help This Common Cause of Arm and Hand Numbness and Pain

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:25:32 GMT

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is one of those scary-sounding medical terms that isn't nearly as bad as it sounds. So if you've been diagnosed with it, don't panic -- just call a competent massage therapist. Massage can be highly effective for TOS. Learn more about Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and how massage can help.

Anxiety Treatment: Massage Can Help

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:04:18 GMT

Most people's experience is that massage and energy work can be very effective forms of anxiety treatment. Even if they offer only temporary relief, for someone experiencing extreme stress, even a temporary reprieve is a blessing. Research confirms this common experience, and even supports the case for longer-term effects. Read more about massage for anxiety treatment here.

For Many Fibromyalgia Sufferers, Massage Effectively Relieves Symptoms

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:56:53 GMT

Massage helps many people manage fibromyalgia symptoms. Find out how to get the most out of a massage to help with chronic pain management, sleep improvement, and relief of other symptoms.

Reduce Stress with The Relaxation Company's Ocean Waves CD

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:25:49 GMT

--by Nancy Hausauer

I recently added The Relaxation Company's CD "Ocean Waves" to my music collection and I can't get enough of it. I find myself playing it for nearly every client session.

It's very simple -- an hour of the sound of ocean waves, no music or other sounds. Behind those soothing sounds (inaudibly, to me), are embedded alpha brainwave pulses.

Alpha waves are the patterns the brain produces during relaxation. The theory -- well supported by over 25 years of research --is that your own brainwaves entrain to these embedded pulses, allowing you to easily achieve a more peaceful, relaxed state.

This brainwave-embedding definitely works for me, and for my clients as well, many of whom have been referred to me for anxiety issues.

As you may know, I believe strongly that relaxation is one of the best things we can do for our health. The Relaxation Company, founded by pioneering sound healer Dr. Jeffrey Thomas, has a wide variety of CDs using this technology. Some are better than others (musically), but the nature recordings are particularly fine.

In addition to recordings with alpha waves, there are also recordings with delta waves (sleep), theta (meditation and creativity), and beta (alertness and energy).

"Ocean Waves" is also one of the best "white noise" sources I've ever heard. My practice is in a shared building on a busy city street, and I'm forever searching for recordings that will smooth out, if not actually cancel, the background noise. I've tried dozens if not scores of recordings, and I think this is the most effective yet.

You can preview or order The Relaxation Company's "Ocean Waves" here. (Note: If you click on this link and then buy the CD, I get a small commission. It won’t add to your cost, and it will help me keep this blog going. Thanks.)

Wishing you serenity, Nancy

Announcing A New Site-Search Function

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:09:39 GMT

--by Nancy Hausauer

FINALLY, my website has a site-search function, powered by Google. Look to the top right of the page for the Search box.

I hope it's helpful to you.

Namaste, Nancy

Please Be Patient - Experiementing With Adsense On the Site

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:34:38 GMT

Dear Readers, I am experimenting with putting Adsense on this website, to help defray the cost of running the site, with all of its free information resources on keeping your body healthy and feeling good. Please bear with me while I fine-tune the technicalities of Adsense. I'm not a tech whiz, so it often takes me a little time to get new things right! Warm regards, Nancy

Study Shows Both Relaxation and Deep Tissue Massage to Be Effective for Lower Back Pain

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:23:02 GMT

--by Nancy Hausauer

A study reported in the July 5, 2011 online issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that massage--either treatment or relaxation--is an effective remedy for chronic lower back pain.

Lower back pain is the second most common reason that people see the doctor. (Colds are first.) It may not be fatal, but it sure has a huge impact on quality of life.

Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of massage for lower back pain. That's why this study, A Comparison of the Effects of 2 Types of Massage and Usual Care on Chronic Low Back Pain, conducted by a team of researchers headed by Daniel C. Cherkin, is so welcome.

401 people with chronic lower back pain were studied. Participants were assigned to one of three groups, one receiving Swedish (relaxation) massage, one receiving treatment (deep tissue) massage, and one receiving more conventional medical treatments of medication and physical therapy. Participants received treatment for ten weeks.

After the ten-week treatment period, almost two-thirds of people receiving massage of either variety reported that their back pain was either reduced significantly or gone. Benefits lasted at least 6 months. Only one-third of people receiving conventional medical treatment reported positive results.

With treatment/deep tissue massage being highly touted and often more expensive than relaxation massage, it was particularly interesting to see that it was no more effective. (Actually, relaxation massage had slightly better results, but apparently the difference wasn't statistically significant).

The moral of the story: If your back hurts, pick up the phone and call a massage therapist! Even if your insurance won't pay for it, the modest cost of a few massages is better than being side-lined by chronic pain. Copyright 2011 Nancy Hausauer

Now You Can Pay for Services and Gift Certificates Online

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:10:40 GMT

I have added an on-line payment option to my website. The button is at the bottom of the navbar. It will take you to a page with a Paypal "Pay Now" button on it.

Clicking on the Pay Now button will take you to my Paypal account, where you can pay in one of two ways:

1) If you have a Paypal account, you can pay with it.

2) If you don't have a Paypal account, you can pay with a major credit or debit card. (To pay with a credit card, under "Choose a Way to Pay," click on "Don't Have a PayPal Account?" This allows you to enter your credit card information.)

It's fast, easy, and safe. PayPal--one of the largest payment processors on the Internet--is known worldwide for keeping your personal and financial information safe and secure. I do not view any of your confidential information, and PayPal does not retain it.

You can pay prior to your appointment, or at the time of your appointment. (I will have my laptop on site for that purpose.) I can generate a printed receipt for you, and one will also be sent to your email if you enter one.

This new on-line payment option will, in the near future, replace my current credit card payment acceptance system. I believe it is more secure and flexible.

You'll Be Healthier If You Ask Your Doctor the Hard Questions

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:45:16 GMT

--by Nancy Hausauer

Food for thought from the November 2010 issue of Discover magazine: Although "evidence-based-medicine" is the gold standard for conventional medical care, experts estimate that less than half of the drugs, tests, devices and surgeries doctors prescribe have been demonstrated to be effective.

So how do doctors decide about the other fifty-plus percent of procedures, drugs, tests, and surgeries they prescribe? Tradition, theories, guesswork -- and drug/medical device company marketing. Yikes.

Here's one particularly scary passage in the article:

The holes in medical knowledge can have life-threatening implications, according to an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality report published in 2001: More than 770,000 Americans are injured or die each year from drug complications, including unexpected side effects, some of which might have been avoided if somebody had conducted the proper research. Meaningless or inaccurate tests can lead to medical interventions that are unnecessary or harmful. And risky surgical techniques can be performed for years before studies are launched to test whether the surgery is actually effective.

There's a lot in this article to make you a careful consumer of medical treatment. Whether you're seeing an alternative or a conventional practitioner, you should be asking questions and using your own good judgment. You're in charge of your own health, and in the end, it's always YOU who knows what's best for YOU.

As always, wishing you vibrant good health --

Nancy

Happy Summer Solstice!

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 22:10:45 GMT

The Summer Solstice -- the longest day of the year -- is this Tuesday, June 21. Take time to relax and enjoy the warmth and beauty of summer. It's good for your health!

Muscle Stretching Exercises: Stretching Routines and Tips

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:12:38 GMT

Muscle stretching exercises. Resources and tips for best static stretching routines.

Energy Healing -- A Medical or a Spiritual Focus?

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:15:11 GMT

--by Nancy Hausauer

Energy work -- is it primarily an outcome-oriented, medical technique -- or is it a spiritual event? This isn't an idle question, because it affects your whole approach to a session.

To me, energy healing is clearly spiritual. Yes, energy work can help people heal faster from emotional and physical illnesses and injuries. It can help reduce pain and can help people recover from trauma, anxiety, and depression. These are valuable attributes of energy healing.

But they're not the main thing. The healing of physical problems is almost a side benefit, in my mind. The real purpose of energy healing is spiritual and evolutionary.

An excellent article in the May/June 2011 Massage and Bodywork magazine, "A Pilgrim in Your Body," (on page 50) addresses this issue beautifully. In this article, author and energy healer Jim Gilkeson asserts that energy healing "invites spiritual process," and "can evoke changes in consciousness that are best understood in the context of the human spiritual journey."

These days, when it seems that more and more fields of healing, including massage, are adopting the conventional Western medical model -- in my opinion not much different in spirit than that of a car mechanic -- I'm delighted to see someone standing up for a different, more transcendent approach.

Insight, transformation, inspiration, shifts in feeling and beliefs, self-knowledge, resolution, visions, messages, harmony, peace, contentment -- these gifts from the spiritual sphere are all worthy and appropriate goals of energy work. In my observation, a client is almost sure to experience at least one of them from a session.

Curing the physical body can often be a bonus from energy healing. It's often what brings people in to see an energy healer, and it's always astounding when it happens. But I maintain that it's secondary.

This is a different way of looking at the world, a radical shift in focus from the medical model. There's much to ponder in Jim Gilkeson's thoughtful article." Highly recommended.

Massage Therapy Benefits: An Investment in Wellness

Mon, 23 May 2011 16:41:55 GMT

Research is confirming the many massage therapy benefits that regular recipients of massage already know. More than a luxury, it supports health, healing, and wellness in a surprising number of ways.

Massage Is Effective for Chronic Pain Management

Mon, 09 May 2011 20:52:07 GMT

Research is showing massage and energy healing to be effective for managing chronic pain -- often more effective than standard drug therapies. Learn more about the effectiveness of massage for chronic pain management.

Shoulder Pain? Things You Can Do for Relief

Mon, 02 May 2011 17:24:30 GMT

Shoulder pain is all too common for adults, and even for young people who play certain sports.

The shoulder joint is built for maximum mobility, which is great, but it also makes the joint vulnerable to injury and dysfunction.

You should consult your doctor if you have significant or persistent shoulder pain, but if your doctor gives the OK, there are a number of non-invasive treatments and self-care techniques you can try before you consider surgery.

Learn how to help relieve your shoulder pain here.

Imagecourtesy of TheVisualMD.com

Happiness Makes You Healthy

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:37:11 GMT

5 Ways to Build Your Joie de Vivre

by Nancy Hausauer

Looking for a way to boost your immune system? Try. . . happiness. Happiness?! Yup. Science shows that happiness increases immune function and longevity. (It also increases productivity--speed, success rate, intellectual flexibility--by up to 50%.) Five Ways to Increase Happiness
This video, third in series about happiness and productivity by Harvard professor Shawn Achor, points to some easy-to-implement ideas for promoting happiness. Here's a summary:

Tap into your strengths.
 Working your strengths, rather than fighting your weaknesses, leads to high levels of energy and productivity while reducing stress. Playing to your strong points even leads to improvement in areas of weakness.
Exercise.
 Exercise is a powerful anti-depressant. Take exercise breaks at work. Walk. Do yoga. Dance. Move!
Uni-Task
 Multi-tasking, once the darling of Type-A folks everywhere, has been soundly discredited. Our minds just don't work that way. Multi-tasking decreases productivity while increasing stress. Resolve to do one thing at a time.
Practice Gratitude
The mother of all attitude adjustors, a daily practice of thinking of five things you're thankful for improves your mood for 24 hours.
Journal the Positives
Take time every day to write about a positive experience. If you do it once a day for 30 days, you'll experience such benefits as a 50% drop in doctor visits!

Lower Stress Hormones and Improve Immune Function with Massage

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:57:11 GMT

by Nancy Hausauer

Recent research has shown that even a single massage decreases cortisol, a stress hormone. The study, by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles, also showed that a single massage increased circulating lymphocytes, the white blood cells that play a critical role in our immune systems.

Massage was also shown to significantly decrease blood levels of the hormone arginine-vasopressin, which regulates blood pressure and water retention. Also decreased were proteins called cytokines (interleukins 5 & 10), suggesting additional impacts on the immune system. Funded by the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (October 2010), the study measured the blood chemistry of volunteer recipients both before and after receiving 45 minutes of massage.

Energy Healing

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 21:10:30 GMT

Nancy Hausauer offers energy healing for Tacoma, Seattle, and Olympia, to support health, healing and personal growth at a deep level.

Three Ways to Prevent Neck and Shoulder Pain

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:06:14 GMT

by Nancy Hausauer

Here are three easy tips to help prevent shoulder and neck pain and stiffness.

Get an Earbud
I can usually spot someone who is an ear-to-shoulder phone-holder as soon as I touch their neck. One side--the side they hold the phone on--is tight, knotted, and usually painful.
Get yourself an ear-bud, or just stop multi-tasking and hold the phone up to your ear with your hand. Your neck will thank you.
Keep Your Work at Eye Level
In a previous career, a poorly positioned computer monitor once sent me to my massage therapist, stiff as a wooden soldier and begging for mercy. You can save yourself from neck pain like that by making sure that you work with your neck in a neutral position--head level, facing straight ahead.
Adjust your computer monitor so that it's directly in front of you and at eye level. Use a stand to hold reading or keyboarding material upright. Don't do hobbies such as knitting with your materials in your lap, so that you have to continually look down at your work.
Get creative and do whatever you need to do to adapt your work station so that it works for you.
Sometimes that's just not possible, though. If you must work with your neck in a non-neutral position, take frequent breaks to perform the opposite motion. (For example, if you're working with your head turned to the right, compensate by turning it to the left as far as you comfortably can, approximately ten times every twenty minutes or so. If you must work with your head looking up, make sure you frequently look down, bringing your chin as close to your chest as you can.)
Move It
No matter how ergonomically correct your work station is, if you don't get up and move around, you're almost certainly going to get neck and shoulder pain.
When we sit motionless for long periods of time, our muscles get metabolically stagnant, which leads to stiffness and pain. In particular, when we work at a desk or computer, we tend to hold our heads forward--which leads to muscle imbalances and--more pain.
So don't just sit there. Stand up. Walk over to the window or the water cooler. Roll your shoulders, turn your neck from side to side, squeeze your shoulder blades together, pull your head back so your head is upright and your ears are directly over your shoulders.
Muscles need to be taken through their full range of motion to stay optimally healthy. The simple act of moving them is one of the best things you can do to keep your shoulders and neck pain-free.

Pssst! Want a Hot Investment Tip? (For Your Health)

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:33:35 GMT

by Nancy Hausauer

Often it seems like people think they have to have an injury or be in pain to come and see a massage therapist.

In my own practice, I've had clients seem almost sheepish if they have nothing wrong to report.

But it's smart to get massage when you're well, too. Massage excels at relaxing you, and there's very little better for you than deep relaxation. It's an investment in your continued health, bringing profound systemic benefits to your whole body.

The Body's Relaxation Response: a Prescription for Wellness
Relaxing turns off your body’s response to stress -- with remarkable benefits for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Here are some of the good things that relaxing does for you:

Slows your heart rate and normalizes blood pressure
Slows your breathing rate and allows more efficient use of oxygen
Decreases stress hormones
Increases growth and sex hormones
Improves immune system health
Reduces muscle tension
Helps relieve headaches, back pain, and many other aches and pains
Helps you handle anger and frustration
Gives you more energy
Improves concentration and creativity

So by all means, come and see me, or your own massage therapist, when you just need or want to relax. It's a smart investment in your health.

Terminate That Tendonitis with Ice Massage

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 01:24:50 GMT

by Nancy Hausauer

Last week, I wrote about contrast therapy, an amazing tool to reduce swelling and speed healing.

This week, I want to write about ice massage, another powerful therapy for muscle and tendon injury and pain.

Ice massage is one of the best things you can do to help heal and relieve tendonitis, which is notoriously slow to heal. It's safe, effective--and free.

It's not clear why it's so effective for the often-stubborn pain of tendonitis--but it is.

How is it different than just using an ice pack? With ice-massage, you apply the ice directly to the skin, but keep it moving throughout the treatment.

Ice massage works best for small areas--the size of a dollar bill or smaller. Working in a small area allows you to get it really cold.

Learn how to perform ice massage safely and effectively.

Contrast Therapy: How to Use Heat and Cold to Reduce Swelling

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:11:36 GMT

by Nancy Hausauer

Last week, I wrote about when to use ice and when to use heat to help relieve pain and speed healing from injury.

This week, I want to tell you about Contrast Therapy, another example of the amazing therapeutic powers of heat and cold.

In Contrast Therapy, you alternately apply heat and cold to a painful muscle or inflamed area to speed healing, reduce inflammation, and reduce pain. It's great for helping with sprained ankles, swollen knees, swollen elbows, swollen ankles, plantar fascitis, shin splints, tennis elbow, and other common problems.

It easy to do at home, and free.

But most important, it can have spectacular therapeutic effects. For some conditions, it's far more effective than just heat or cold alone.

When I first learned to do it, I performed it on one foot/ankle, immersing it in a pan of cold water, then a pan of hot water, a minute each back and forth for about ten minutes, finishing with cold water. When I was done, I was amazed to see how much smaller the treated ankle looked than the other. I hadn't even realized that my ankles were swollen--but they clearly had been, as I could see from the non-treated ankle, which looked puffy by comparison.

Few people seem to know about contrast therapy. I'm out to change that!

Learn how to perform Contrast Therapy, who should not use it, and how it works.

Ice or Heat: Ending the Confusion Once and For All

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:40:39 GMT

by Nancy Hausauer

If you're confused about when to use ice and when to use heat for injuries and muscle pain, you're not alone. Over the years, both medical science and Dr. Mom have given conflicting advice.

So here's the latest advice that science has for us.

First, a simple memory aid:

Ice is for Injuries and Inflammation.

(Heat will make inflammation worse, increasing pain and swelling in a recent injury. Don't do it!

Next, a handy table:

Ice or Heat Guidelines

	Ice	Heat
Recent injury (sprain, strain, or severe bruising) 0-72 hours*	Yes	No
Older Injury (72 hrs. +)	Yes	Yes
Inflammation	Yes	No
Fresh Bruises	Yes	No
Tendonitis	Yes	No
Chronic Low Back or Neck Pain	No	Yes
Muscle Spasm	No	Yes
Trigger Points	No	Yes
Tennis Elbow	Yes	No
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome	yes	rarely
Shin Splints	yes	no
Plantar Fascitis	Yes	No
Tension Headache	No	Yes (to back of neck)
Migraine	maybe (head)	maybe (hands & feet)

*With regard to "recent" injuries, it's not so much the time elapsed as the state of the injury. If it's still inflamed, red, warm to the touch, or hurts to the touch--you should not apply heat yet.

I hope that clears it up for you. If not, you can learn more about using ice and heat here.

Is Forward Head Posture the Cause of Your Upper Back Pain?

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:08:53 GMT

by Nancy Hausauer

Forward head posture--what does that have to do with your upper back pain? To get an idea, try this.

Imagine a bowling ball. Imagine its heft and weight. If you hold it straight up, balanced, in a state of equipoise, it's pretty easy. You could do it all day.

Now imagine holding it out in front of you. If you hold it just slightly forward, it's ever so much harder to hold it. And the farther forward you hold it, the more you have to rely on your own strength, and the harder it gets.

With the bowling ball straight up, gravity is your friend. With the bowling ball held in front of you even a slight bit, gravity becomes your enemy.

That's what forward head posture is like.

Many if not most people in Western society chronically hold their heads forward--jutting out in front, instead of directly over their shoulders, as we're designed to do. Since the head weighs about as much as a bowling ball, that puts a lot of strain on the muscles of the upper back and the back of the neck.

Eventually, that's going to cause upper back pain and neck pain for most people. Those muscles just aren't designed to hold a bowling ball up for 16 hours a day!

Massage usually has excellent success in relieving upper back pain. But massage may give only temporary relief if you do not correct the forward-head posture (and the rounded shoulders that usually go with it) that are the probable cause of the pain.

You can learn some ways to correct forward head posture on this page.

It's very likely that over time, bringing your head back into a neutral position will bring you at least some relief from upper back pain. It might also help with many other aches and pains that you have in your shoulders and back. And--as if you needed more--it will make you look more youthful!

Natural Headache Relief

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:50:22 GMT

Learn natural, drug-free headache relief techniques that you can do at home to help relieve headache pain.

5 Ways to Increase Your Body's Lymphatic Flow

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:33:57 GMT

--by Nancy Hausauer A visitor to the site recently asked what I'd recommend to stimulate lymphatic flow. Excellent question! Here are some things you can do to get your lymph moving:

Walk! A brisk walk is one of the best things for moving lymphatic fluid. It gets the muscles of your legs contracting, which pumps the lymph from the lower part of your body. Just one more of many reasons why walking is good for you.
Breathe! Another simple but highly effective lymph-flow-stimulator. We have many lymph nodes in our intestines. The action of breathing deeply into the lower third of the lungs--belly breathing--helps to pump lymph up from our lower body and move it through these nodes. When I feel a cold coming on, I do a lot of deep (but comfortable) belly breathing. Usually, that takes care of the cold, or weakens it considerably.
If you can't walk, do the old "bicycle" exercise where you lay on your back and put your feet up into the air, supporting your hips with your hands, and move your legs in a bicycle-riding motion.
I've heard that taking a shower with alternating hot and cold water, finishing with cold, can work. But I don't like cold showers, so I can't vouch for this one!
Simply relaxing, too, is great for your immune system. It doesn't actually pump lymph fluid, but it helps the immune system as a whole to function better. (And surprise! Walking and belly breathing also help you relax.)

What Was That Muscle Called Again?

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 23:54:31 GMT

Here's a great resource for anyone who's trying to remember the name of that whatchamacallit muscle that the doctor said was strained, or the PT gave you exercises for. It's also helpful for if you're just trying to learn about your body, or devise a strengthening or stretching program for yourself. Exrx.net is a very comprehensive directory of muscles, plus strengthening exercises and stretches for them. The right hand side of the page shows links to information about the specific muscles of the body. Clicking on any particular muscle, you'll get an illustration of the muscle and links to a page that show that particular muscle's movements. (There's a lot of other information, too, but it's unlikely to be of interest to non-therapists.)

Clipped from: www.exrx.net (share this clip)

The left side of the page gives links to a page with exercises and stretches for specific muscles, all of them illustrated and many with videos as well. Personally, I find the videos extremely helpful--exercises are so hard to do just from instructions alone. And if you don't know the name of the muscle you want info or exercises for, there's also a muscle body map. You can just click on an area of interest, and it will take you to the page for the muscle you've indicated.

Clipped from: www.exrx.net (share this clip)

Is Your Desk Job Making Your Body Hurt? Four Exercises to Knock Out Pain

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:03:38 GMT

In my last blog about micro-breaking, I touched on some mobilizations to do to counteract the pain and discomfort that prolonged desk-work often brings. I thought my readers might like to have a bit better explanation of how to do a few of them. Any of these exercises are great to do to help neutralize the physical strain of prolonged sitting at a desk or working at a computer. Remember not to do these if you have an actual injury, if they cause pain, or if they contradict the advice of your doctor.

Neck Retraction

Interlace your hands behind your head (not your neck).
Tuck your chin
Gently press your head back into your hands for a count of ten, resisting this action with your hands.
Repeat five to ten times.
Neck Circles
Slowly roll your head in circles, taking it only as far as you can go in each direction without causing yourself discomfort. Chest Opener

Interlace your hands behind your back, with your palms facing your body.
Pull your shoulders back, away from your body, and lift your hands/arms slightly upward.
Repeat five to ten times.
Standing Back Extension

Stand up, with your feet at approximately shoulder width apart.
Place your hands on your waist or lower back.
Slowly bend backward as far as you can without discomfort. This should feel good. Hold briefly and return to an upright position.
Repeat a few time.

The most important thing to remember? Don't sit motionless for prolonged periods of time, staring at a computer screen or hunched over a spreadsheet. MOVE your body. You'll be healthier and feel better if you do. Copyright 2011 Nancy Hausauer

Kick Desk-Job Pain to the Curb with Micro-Breaks

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:59:29 GMT

Desk jobs--or anything that requires prolonged sitting--are hard on the body. Because we're built to move. Prolonged sitting--even with the best posture and all the ergonomically correct office furniture money can buy--puts some muscles into a sustained state of shortening, while other muscles are kept in a lengthened state. This eventually leads to chronic imbalances in groups of muscles. Along with the metabolic stagnation caused by inactivity, this causes PAIN. How to Micro-Break
For every twenty minutes of physical inactivity, take a motion break of at least one minute. Any kind of break is better than nothing. But you can turbo-charge your micro-breaks by following these guidelines:

Don't just stretch: MOVE.
Don't just move: Do the opposite of what you've been doing.
Don't just do the opposite of what you've been doing once or twice: Do it at least five times. In most cases, more is better.

Here are some examples:

If you've been sitting, stand up and extend your back (arch it backwards).
If you've been hunching over, open your chest by stretching your arms backwards.
If you've been rolling your shoulders forward, do backwards shoulder circles.
If you've been holding your head forward, retract it. (Pushing your head back (tuck your chin first) against the resistance of your interlaced hands is even better.)
If you've been holding your shoulders up, pull your shoulder blades down and squeeze them together.

Unless you've had a neck injury, gentle neck circles are nearly always helpful. And walking is a full-body tune-up. Just be sure that your head is held high, ears directly over your shoulders, and your shoulders are down and back. Of course, be sensible and don't do anything that hurts! How to Remember to Micro-Break
But how to remember to take those breaks every 20 minutes? Free software to the rescue:

For Macs, Time Out
For Windows, Break Reminder (I haven't actually tried this one, since I have a Mac)

Just Do It
Back pain is the second leading cause of work absenteeism. Don't be a statistic. Take a break. Now. And again in twenty minutes! Copyright 2011 Nancy Hausauer

The Power of Low-Tech, Low-Risk Solutions for Back Pain Relief

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 03:40:32 GMT

When people have back pain, it hurts. A lot. I've been there, I understand. What I don't understand is why many people, when they have back pain, go straight to surgery without trying less invasive, less costly, less risky therapies first. Not to mention that at least some kinds of back surgery--for example, spinal fusion surgery--don't work. In fusion surgeries, vertebrae are screwed together, limiting spinal movement in an effort to remove the source of pain. According to an article I read recently ("Back Surgery That Backfires," by Peter Waldman and David Armstrong of the Bloomberg News), 413,000 spinal fusion surgeries were performed in 2008--double the number in 2002--even though studies have shown that they are no better for relieving common back pain than physical therapy. And not only are they not very effective, they're also risky, expensive, have a long recovery time, and sometimes leave people in even greater pain. And here's a quote that made my jaw drop open:

"It's amazing how much evidence there is that fusions don't work, yet surgeons do them anyway," said Sohail Mirza, a spine surgeon who chairs the Department of Orthopedics at Dartmouth Medical School. "The only one who isn't benefitting from the equation is the patient."

(Dr. Mirza is referring to the fact that spine surgeons are the best paid docs in the country, averaging $806,000 per year.) Research shows that there are simpler, safer, cheaper medical procedures that are at least as effective. And then there are the low-tech forms of therapy such as physical therapy and massage that are even less costly and almost without risk, while still providing considerable or complete relief for many back pain sufferers. Which leads me back to my original question: Why wouldn't a person at least TRY a therapy such as massage or PT that is promising, non-invasive, relatively inexpensive, carries no risk of infection, and requires no recovery time--before going under the knife? Something to think about. Wishing you a happy, healthy 2011. Copyright 2011 Nancy Hausauer

Make Fun New Year's Resolutions for Health

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:19:02 GMT

If you like to make New Year's resolutions, why don't you include some for your physical health that go beyond the standard "lose weight" and "get fit"? Here are a few ideas:

If you work at a desk, take stretch breaks at least once an hour.
Take an actual lunch-break most days of the week. It'll help you be more effective in the long run.
Take regular walks during lunch. Clears the kinks out of your body and the cobwebs out of your mind!
Bring a healthy snack for that daily, mid-afternoon attack of the munchies. Helps keep your blood sugar--and thus your physical and mental energy--stable.
Learn a new stress-reduction technique (such as belly-breathing) and use it daily. Stress is one of the biggest health-robbers of all.
Bring a plant into the office and tend it every day. The plant cleans the air, and tending to it helps you stay calm and centered.
Banish the phrase, "I guess I'm just getting old."
Smile! It'll actually lift your mood.
Learn to cook a new vegetarian dish.
Find a new restaurant that offers healthy meals.
Find a new form of exercise that you LOVE to do.
Get out in nature as often as possible. It's one of the best de-stressers available.
Make a regular date to see a friend who brings out the best in you.
Get a new set of sheets and use them for eight hours a night.
Take up a new hobby that requires walking or other physical movement (such as gardening).

There's no reason that taking care of your body has to be a dismal chore! Having fun and doing nice things for your body can be good for you, too! Wishing you a healthy, happy 2011. Copyright 2010 Nancy Hausauer

What Winter Can Teach Us About Wellness

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:16:10 GMT

Each of the seasons can teach us a lot about living in harmony with our physical bodies. What lessons does winter teach about wellness? In winter, nature relaxes. The nights are long and still, the earth rests, many of the plants go underground, and many of the animals hibernate. This resting period is part of the cycle of nature--a necessity, not a luxury. Often we forget that rest and stillness are also necessary for us. We don't take time for rest, contemplation, and stillness. And inevitably, our health suffers. It's so easy to put rest and self-care off. And then put it off again. And again. And again. Until our bodies suffer with unexplained aches and pains, lack of energy, lack of joy, or even illness. Winter teaches us that we must take time for rest and self-nurture. It's non-negotiable. Here are some winter-solstice-inspired ideas for taking care of yourself this winter:

Make regular time for your own self-care. Schedule it. Now. In pen.
Get out into nature.
Turn off the TV and other artificial stimulants. Go look at the stars.
Dial down the caffeine.
Balance work and play. (And be sure to be playful at work.)
Say no to social engagements that don't make you light up with anticipation.
Take a mini-vacation every day, even if it's just a five-minute trip outside for some fresh air.
Don't short yourself on sleep. That goes double in winter.
Schedule regular time for stillness, reflection, journal-writing, contemplative walking.

18 Cool Wellness Tricks

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:23:32 GMT

Interested in natural wellness and healing techniques? Learn 18 cool, all-natural heath and wellness "tricks" in this entertaining article from the website Men's Health. I've never heard of most of them before, even though I'm sort of an aficionado of these kinds of techniques. As you might guess, the article is aimed at men, but there are plenty of fun ideas that are unisex, including how to:

relieve a stuffy nose
cure a tickly throat
prevent heartburn
brain freeze
improve memory.

Ten Rules for Being Human

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:58:24 GMT

Here's a link to an amusing and wise little list--ten micro-lessons about living life fully and well. Ten Rules for Being Human, by Cherie Carter Scott.

Change Your Thoughts, Dispel Your Pain?

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:30:35 GMT

Can you have an impact on chronic pain by changing your thinking? I think so, at least in some cases. As the author/teacher Esther Hicks says:

"Your physical body . . . .is a pure reflection of the balance of the thoughts that you think."

In my practice, I find that this is true. Take the example of a person who still experiences chronic muscle pain from a long-ago injury. In one year, nearly every molecule of that person's body has been replaced by different molecules. In other words, the matter part of his body is not the same matter. But the pain still exists. We tend to assume that there is something still wrong with the muscle. But how can the chronic physical pain still be a problem with the physical matter of his body--the muscle--if it's not the same matter? It has to be something else that creates and/or holds that pain or dysfunction in place--somewhere else that the pain resides. At this point, we can't know exactly what that underlying force is: science can't measure it yet. However, from my experience as an energy healer and bodyworker, I believe that the source of the chronic pain--at least chronic muscle pain--is thought, emotion, and/or subtle energy. So to deal with chronic pain, it may not be enough to work on a physical level. (Although that's certainly a necessary part of the puzzle--hands-on bodywork can definitely help muscles to relax, at least in the short term, and postural re-education and exercise can bring longer-term relief for many problems.) For lasting resolution of chronic muscle pain, you may also have to work on the thoughts, emotions, and energetic issues that create the pain and hold it in place. As I've discussed in previous posts, I've seen over and over in my work that just bringing consciousness to a painful muscle is often enough to resolve it (although this process may have to be repeated for stubborn cases). I believe that's because consciousness dispels the emotion- and thought-patterns that are part of the complex make-up of chronic pain. I've seen it work over and over again for my clients. For anyone suffering from long-term pain, I think that it's something worth considering. I wish you ease and comfort in your physical body. Namaste--Nancy Copyright 2010 Nancy Hausauer