It's Your BodyAugust 2013
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Aromatherapy and Massage
Karrie Osborn
What essential oil is your favorite?
He who hashealth, hashope; and hewho has hope,has everything.ThomasCarlyleOffice Hours and Contact
Reiki-Massage [email protected] By Appointment
In this Issue
Aromatherapy and MassageMagical MangoRhamnose
Aromatherapy, a process utilizing thepurest essence of a plant, is a4,000-year-old technique that hasenhanced the health of everyone frommodern-day pop divas to the scholars ofancient Greece. The art of massage hasits own deeply rich roots, with even Platoand Socrates touting the value ofhands-on bodywork for good health.
Separately, these two therapeutictraditions hold individual prowess in therealm of personal health and well-being.Together, however, they become aformidable health alliance that canaddress not only a person's physicalhealth, but the health of the mind andspirit as well.
A Natural ComplementOur senses were designed to work bestin conjunction with one another. Oursense of taste would not be as acutewithout our nose lending its support tothe process. Our auditory senses mightseem hollow if we weren't gifted withsight as well. Indeed, there exists a quietpartnership between all our five sensesthat's built on synergy.
Let's see how it works. Essential oils areextracted from herbs, flowers, andplants with the intent to improve aperson's health and well-being.Addressing everything from arthritis towhooping cough, effects of theapproximate 3,000 oils found globallycan range from sedative to stimulatingand antibacterial to antispasmodic. Thebenefits derived from aromatherapyduring a massage come in part from thecontact the essential oil has on our skin,but even more so how it affects us whenit's inhaled and absorbed through thesoft-tissue linings of our nose andmouth.
The scientific explanation suggests thatthe essential oil's molecules, when
inhaled, lock onto receptor cells at theback of the nose, sending anelectrochemical message to the brain'slimbic system. This message appears totrigger memory and emotionalresponses, causing messages to be sent toother parts of the brain and body. "Inthis way," says aromatherapist Danila
Aromatherapy has roots in ancient cultures.
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Mansfield, "the production of euphoric,relaxing, sedative, or stimulatingneurochemicals is stimulated."
Judith Fitzsimmons and PaulaBousquet, authors of AromatherapyThrough the Seasons, say the use ofessential oils creates a multifacetedeffect: "The real beauty of aromatherapyis that it works on a cellular and physicallevel and also in the emotional,intellectual, spiritual, and aesthetic areasof your life."
It's really quite amazing when you thinkabout it. Imagine an area the size of asmall apricot pit, a 1-inch square area,filled with millions of sensory neuronsthat can capture, process, and store10,000 odors. This is our olfactorysystem at work, and part of its job is tocreate a personal history for us based onscent, says clinical aromatherapistAva-Marie Lind-Shiveley. "None of ourother senses so well establishes a memorydatabase." She says our response to scentis both physiological and psychosomatic."Within an instant of smelling anaroma, we can be sent back to the firstmoment we were introduced to it."
By enabling us to recognize, revisit,and/or reclaim these various emotionsand memories, aromatherapy allowsanother avenue of access for healingduring a bodywork session. It creates apath through which the somaticexperience can find its full strength.
When the powerful effects ofaromatherapy are combined withmassage, it can take us to another level,say aromatherapy educators Shirley andLen Price. "When, during a massage,the touch of the therapist is combinedwith the mental and physical effects ofthe essential oils, the client is helped toachieve a temporary separation fromworldly worries, somewhat akin to ameditative state." Helping clients reachthis level of relaxation is a primary goalof massage therapists andaromatherapists alike, so it makes sensethat a partnership could beautifullyexist.
A Scent Journey"Scent is not simplistic," Lind-Shiveleysays. "It is voluminous." She illustratesthis point with a quote from HelenKeller: "Smell is a potent wizard thattransports us across thousands of miles
and all the years we have lived. Theodors of fruits waft me to my Southernhome, to my childhood frolics in thepeach orchard. Other odors,instantaneous and fleeting, cause myheart to dilate joyously or contract withremembered grief."
If you decide to do some personalexploration into the world of scenttherapy, proceed with due caution inboth the quality of the oils you buy andhow you dose and administer them.There is a dichotic nature inherent inaromatherapy. It is gentle, yet powerful;subtle, yet intense. There are essentialoils strong enough to cause miscarriage,but there also are many oils safe enoughto use on infants. The key is knowinghow to utilize nature's gifts to providethe best, most effective therapeuticcollaboration possible. Talk with yourmassage therapist about incorporatingthe science of aromatherapy into your
sessions or ask about a referral to anaromatherapist in your area.
Karrie Osborn is contributing editor to Body Sense.
BalancingBay Laurel, Cedarwood, GeraniumClarifyingJuniper, Lemon, PeppermintComfortingBergamot, Frankincense, RoseEnergizingEucalyptus, Grapefruit, RosemaryFocusingAngelica, Sweet Basil, LimeSedatingChamomile, Clary Sage,PatchouliUpliftingLavender, Orange/Mandarin, Pine, TeaTree
Mango offers a variety of health benefits
Magical MangoShelly Burns
RhamnoseAll sugars are not created equalShelley Burns
Treating yourself to a mango is a perfectway to add some sunshine to yourroutine. A mango is more than just asweet, delicious fruit. It has propertiesbeneficial to skin, includingwater-soluble vitamins like B2, B3, B6,folic acid (B9), and C. Mango is also agood source of beta-carotene andvitamin A.
Vitamin B complex delays skin's agingprocess. B vitamins provide a healthyglow, increased tone, and hydrated cells.The anti-inflammatory properties in B3help skin retain moisture, alleviatingdryness and irritation.
Vitamin C protects against the DNAdamage that leads to skin cancer. Thispowerful antioxidant reduces thewrinkling effects of free radical damage,and combats other signs of aging bystrengthening collagen and elastin.
Beta-carotene gives mango its wonderfulorange color and has an important rolein protecting our skin's DNA. Dry, flaky
skin can be remedied with the vitamin Aderived from beta-carotene, which isimportant for repairing andmaintaining healthy skin. Vitamin A hasalso been shown to help reduce andclear acne breakouts.
Other beneficial nutrients found inmango include magnesium,phosphorus, silica, sulfur, and vitaminE. These nutrients each play a role instrengthening the connective tissue inour body, including skin, bone, hair,nails, and muscle.
Mango is not just beneficial to skin. Itsnutrients reduce high blood pressure,the risk of stroke, and the chance ofcontracting heart disease. Mango alsocontains approximately 20 percent ofthe recommended dietary intake of fiberand enzymes, which promote healthydigestion.
Mango is especially helpful for long, drywinters, but you can enjoy it at any timeof year. It will help you maintain smooth
skin and a healthy glow.
Sugar is often at the center of a lot ofnegative press. It is not uncommon tohear news of its detrimental effects eachweek--childhood obesity, diabetes, andbehavioral disorders, to name a few. Weeven talk about the negative effects ofsugar in the world of skin care, as it isknown to cause glycation, a metabolicprocess that weakens the collagen andelastin responsible for plumping up ourskin, leading to wrinkles and prematureaging.
Not all sugar is created equally, however.In fact, one form ofsugar--rhamnose--has intriguing skinbenefits.
Rhamnose is a sugar derived from thecat's claw plant (Uncaria tomentosa).Scientific studies have shown that topicalapplication of rhamnose stimulates
collagen production and thickens theepidermis, both in lab tests and inhuman trials. Rhamnose also hassoothing and anti-inflammatoryproperties as an addedbonus--fascinating, and certainlycounterintuitive to everything else weknow about sugar.
Rhamnose does not act at all like sucrose(ordinary table sugar) in the body.Sucrose is one of the so-called "fastsugars," along with dextrose, glucose,fructose, maltodextrin, and productsmade from them, such as corn syrup,high fructose corn syrup, and invertsyrup. All of these fast sugars contributeto a higher incidence of obesity anddiabetes. Instead, rhamnose can play arole in ensuring proper cell andmetabolic functions in the body--mostimportantly, allowing for regeneration
of the skin. Recently, skin carecompanies have taken rhamnose to thenext level by including it in antiagingskin care products.
In addition to rhamnose, cat's claw hasother immune-stimulating properties.It is used to treat arthritis and irritablebowel syndrome, and may also inhibittumor cell formation. Pregnant womenshould avoid using cat's claw, though, asit can increase the risk of miscarriage.
Shelley Burns, a doctor of naturopathic medicine,completed studies at the Canadian College ofNaturopathic Medicine, and has certification incomplementary and integrative medicine fromHarvard University.
Sometimes themost importantthing in a wholeday is the rest wetake betweentwo deepbreaths.
Etty Hillesum
Renovation according to multiple sources means theimprovement of a structure, or restore to an earlier conditionor good condition, as by repairing or remodeling; toreinvigorate, refresh, and revive.
Each time we take a step to eat better or choose healthyhabits over those that don't support our being, we areremodeling. Whether it is shoring up our vitamins, minerals,or exercise with an improved action, we are renovating ourbodies for wellness.
Massage can also bring about a remodeling effect on ourwhole beings. It can relieve tension and stress and supporta reduction in cortisol, and blood pressure. It can alsoremove stagnant toxins from our cells with the support of thebody's lymphatic and excretion systems.
Consider yourself the general contractor of your wellbeing. Select options that will see you through your wellnessrenovation with ease. Invigorate yourself with knowledge andaction that will restore you to a good condition.
Reiki-Massage Bodyworks
97 Blakely Rd, Ste. 114Colchester, VT 05446
