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Self Care With Acupressure, What The Research Shows

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In a study of a little over 659 participants, researchers were able to determine that the utilization of self-acupressure had positive effects. Participants from the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and other countries had to be trained how to apply pressure the the acupressure points that fit their conditions, which ranged from allergies, cancer, or fatigue, but then were studied on how their bodies responded. The time lengths over which participants were watched ranged from 3 days to 3 months, however overall the outcomes seemed to be positive with no adverse effects being reported. To look into more from this study, please visit this site . Corinne D. Bracko-Douglas, CMT, LMT, CKTP is the owner of Dochas Clinical Massage Therapy based out of Columbia, MO. She received her diploma in Clinical Massage Therapy from The Soma Institute in Chicago, IL in 2004. She enjoys teaching others about how to live a healthy lifestyle and still works one on one with client...
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Meal Planning and Prepping

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Recently my husband and I set a new goal to achieve a more athletic body fat percentage to help us train for an upcoming half marathon. And so I started to travel down a rabbit hole that has had me doing hours of research on how our bodies burn fat,  and ways of training to increase endurance, strength, and speed. After having been asked by several people for a breakdown of what I have integrated as a part of our lifestyle, I decided to write it all up here so that it is easily referenced when people need it. Proper Nutrition   Instead of looking at the scale to determine fitness, it is more pertinent to look at our body fat percentages. These do vary based upon our gender. Ideal Body Fat Percentages According To The American Council On Exercise Depending upon your personal fitness goals, you can determine what ideal body fat percentage is best for your lifestyle. If you don't have a scale that currently tells you your body fat percentage, Omron makes a ...
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Swedish Massage For Yourself

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What are the benefits of performing Swedish massage on yourself? Aside from the fact that it feels good, Swedish massage has been known to produce measurable biological effects that can decrease anxiety, help lower blood pressure, and boost your immune system. So, how can you help yourself receive these benefits? It is completely possible to provide yourself Swedish massage techniques on various parts of your body depending upon your personal flexibility level. With Swedish massage, lotion or oil is optional since you are not working into deeper tissues. Body Mechanics Whenever people scoff at my ability to provide 2 hour and longer massages, I just reassure them that it all comes down to body mechanics. This is the same if you are providing massage for yourself or for someone else. Key Points of Body Mechanics: Make your hand into a tool. To do this, use your other hand to reinforce your work. For example, if you are using your thumb along an area, take your other ha...
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Gratitude Breathing and Meditation Exercise

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While listening to a podcast entitled a Heartfelt Talk About Gratitude, Life, and Business , the guest on the show discussed what I felt is a fantastic breathing and meditation exercise that takes about a minute to perform. The concept behind the meditation is to prepare yourself for a task ahead, while perpetuating love and gratitude. The exercise goes through 4 breaths, with a purpose behind each inhale and each exhale. The Practice First Inhale: Think that you are breathing in love. Imagine all of the particles of the world around you filled with love, and as you inhale, you bring that love into your lungs, which then goes into your blood stream and becomes a part of who you are. First Exhale: Breath our with total security. Feel the positivity of the world surround you and hold you safe. Second Inhale: Breathe in guidance. Listen to the world around you, and where it wants you to go, knowing that if you listen you will see the path ahead light up. Second Exhale: Exhale ...
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Plantar Fasciitis: A Look At The Underlying Causes

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Plantar Fasciitis is generally characterized as sharp, stabbing pains in the bottom (plantar surface) of the foot. The location of the pain may vary from person to person, with some people feeling the pain located directly under their heel, while others feel the pain more in the arch of the foot. For most individuals, this pain is greatest upon waking, followed by a slight decrease in pain throughout the middle of the day, and then another spike as the end of the day nears. The Anatomy Behind Plantar Fasciitis The key muscular players in planter fasciitis are the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles along the back of the lower leg (commonly referred to as the calf muscles), as well as possible tibialis anterior and/or the peroneus muscles involvement. Due to overuse, the muscles will pull on the plantar fascia, which is a sheet of fascia that goes along the bottom of your foot. This fascia attaches to the medial process of the calcaneal tuberosity (heel bone) at the back of your f...
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At Home Care For Tension Headaches: Part 2 - At Home Treatment

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In our last blog, we looked at some of the main causes and symptoms of tension headaches.  In this blog, we will be looking into at home care you can provide yourself to relieve the symptoms of your tension headaches. As always, please consult with your primary care provider prior to any type of treatment. Treatment of Tension Headache Massage therapy is highly recommended in the event of a tension headache. Even if you are able to decrease the headache with at home treatment, there may be underlying fascial restrictions that could lead to a repeat episode. Massage therapy can help to decrease a recurrence. If this is an avenue you would like to pursue, please contact a licensed massage therapist near you. First, if you are experiencing a tension headache, start  diaphragmatic breathing  to assist with getting proper oxygen flow to the area. Pre-treat the area with heat. You can use a  flax seed pillow ,  heating pad , or soak in a warm bath. Heat can be ...
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Trigger Point: Temporalis

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Please be sure to refer to What Are Trigger Points and How To Release Trigger Points when working on trigger points at home. As always, please consult with your primary care physician prior to any type of treatment. Temporalis: Muscular Origins, Insertions, Actions, and Nerve Innervations The temporalis muscle originates along the temporal fossa and the fascia of the skull; it inserts into the coronoid process of the mandible. When working, the temporalis elevates the mandible at the temporomandibular joint, and it retracts the mandible. The main nerve associated with this muscle is the trigeminal nerve. Temporalis Trigger Points: Location and Possible Symptoms     When a trigger point is active in the temporalis muscle, you may experience a headache in the side and front of the head. These trigger points can also can pain and/or hypersensitivity in the upper teeth. Trigger points found in the sternocleidomastoid and  masseter muscles have been known t...
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