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Take the stress test...

17/6/2012

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Ever wondered how high your personal stress level is? Here is a great tool - the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. This tool developed by psychiatrists in 1967 helps you measure the stress load you carry, and think about what you could do about it. Obviously the death of a spouse is ranking at the top. But even pregnancy, moving house, and a career step adds a lot of stress to our life. Mostly it is not a single event, but the sum of several at one time, that pushes us 'over the edge'.

                                                                  check your personal stress scale here

Massage is one of the most effective ways to help prevent and manage stress! No wonder, as massage not only reduces muscular tensions, but activates the parasympathetic nervous system ( the 'rest & digest' response) and helps you get back into balance.
So if you score high in the test - maybe it is time to give me a call...

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A weekend of further training...

10/6/2012

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Another beautiful weekend! This one I didn't spend out in the sun, but at yet another training. I took a closer look at one of my "tools": a refresher in Holistic Pulsing.
The power of Holistic Pulsing lies in its softness. The gentle rocking creates ripples through the body, mobilising all the body fluids. Apart from being deeply relaxing, I found it especially effective in restoring freedom and mobility to the joints.

Going back to what I have already learnt is always a good experience: it deepens my understanding and gives me the opportunity to concentrate on the smaller details. With bodywork, a lot of learning actually happens through receiving. On a full weekend of hands-on training I learn not only to apply a technique, but also how it feels like on my own body. I notice the effect it has, sense what feels good - or not so good. And most of all: how it can feel even better! Often it is just a tiny change, that creates that difference in the quality of touch! And that is what I'm striving for...

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tummy rumble...

18/7/2011

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So here you are: finally you made an appointment with your massage therapist and settled in on the table.  It took you a while to shut the 1001 thoughts off, but now you start to relax... And than your tummy rumbles!!! HOW EMBARRASSING!!! - so you concentrate on tightening your abs to stop it, and with that your relaxation is gone...
Sounds somehow familiar? Well, it definitely does to me. And right now I am not talking from the therapist's point of view. I was the client...
But one day I went to a therapist, who put it in just the right words "sometimes during a massage, our tummy can become very talkative. That's perfectly fine. Just let him talk!" - well, he did. A lot. But this time I let him talk - and wasn't embarrassed...

What have I learned since than? There are different reasons why our tummies rumble. One is simply hunger. The other reason is that our nervous system switches from sympathetic to parasympathetic - or in easier words: from 'fight or flight' to 'rest and digest' mode. This reaction,  when our body starts to release different chemicals into our system, is called 'relaxation response'. Our body doesn't prepare for fight/flight any longer, but starts to concentrate on the other important thing to do: digestion. (Yes, that is one reason why people living in permanent stress often develop digestive problems)

Knowing that, you will understand why I LOVE to hear tummies talk . A talkative tummy is like a compliment to me! A sign, that I was able to help your body find back to rest and into balance. So please, let him talk...
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breathe right...

15/7/2011

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Breathe right...  yeah, heard it before! So what?!
Your body is an incredible design! One interesting part of it is your large diaphragm muscle - especially designed to increase the size of your chest cavitiy and therefore drawing the air into your lungs. Physics pure.
But what happens when you don't use this muscle? Well, you still have to breathe! Therefore your chest cavity still has to expand. If your diaphragm doesn't do the job - or not as much as it is designed to - other muscles will have to jump in. These are usually your chest muscles, intercostals, neck and shoulder muscles.
And they can do it. But it's not what they are good at or designed for in the first place! And you know what happens, if someone does a job he/she is constantly overworked  with or not really qualified for...

So if you suffer from regular tight muscles in your upper back/neck/shoulder or chest area - have a look at how you breathe! Changing your breathing pattern will not only help to ease your muscle tensions, but also deepens your breath, massages your inner organs through the movement of the diaphragm and increases the overall state of well-being.

Here are two videos for you: The first one explains the function of the diaphragm, the second one shows you how to practice diaphragmatic breathing. And while you are watching: take a deep breath...
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    About me

    Hi, I am Gudrun -
    a massage therapist living and working in beautiful Eastbourne/ Wellington.


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    Adity

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    Let me introduce you to Adity: she is body & soul's sponsor child and lives in India. Adity was born on the 5. Oct. 2007 - the day my first client entered my massage studio in  Eastbourne!
    Thanks to all my clients for making it possible to touch Adity's life!

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    Interesting sites

    www.eastbourne.gen.nz
    Pregnant in the Hutt


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