Reflexology for Fertility

Reflexology helps with a wealth of difficulties. Some benefits of reflexology are proven scientifically, some are anecdotal experiences.
Reflexology to support in fertility is well documented with studies and experiences of both therapists and clients. There are now a multitude of training courses for reflexologists out there to better adapt their treatments for fertility support.

To begin with, some foundational knowledge could be useful. So, if you have the time, please read previous blogs by following the links below:
The Reproductive System: https://www.almaentera.com/learning/the-reproductive-system
The Menstrual Cycle and Menopause: https://www.almaentera.com/learning/menstrual-cycle-and-menopause
Infertility and Pregnancy: https://www.almaentera.com/learning/infertility-and-pregnancy

How Reflexology Can Help Support Fertility

One of the most important things a reflexologist can do is support the client with preparing for pregnancy through getting up to date and accurate information. There is so much advice out there, some that is based in truth, some not so much. A lot of what is useful about a reflexology treatment is a comprehensive initial consultation. Of course, there are some basics such as having a healthy diet, exercising regularly and reducing any behaviours such as binge drinking and smoking may help.

Another thing that a reflexologist who is knowledgeable about fertility can do, is help you increase your odds of conceiving. For example, talking about the timing and frequency of sexual intercourse (if you are happy to share). Becoming aware of your own body can help too. For example, if you have a biologically female reproductive system, being aware of your cervical mucus and its amount, consistency and colour can help you know when is a good time to give it a go. Speaking to a reflexologist about all of this may be helpful because they have time to talk to you, and are not a friend (although hopefully friendly), so can be completely non-judgemental.

In terms of the practical application of reflexology, if you are aware of any existing conditions that you think are effecting your chances of conception, then reflexology can work on the reflexes that are imbalanced. For example, with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, the reflexologist can work directly on the pituitary and ovary reflexes to help bring the body back to balance.

One of the most beneficial things about having reflexology for fertility difficulties, is the bringing down of stress levels in the body. When we are stressed, stress hormones dominate the endocrine system, suppressing some of the important hormones required for pregnancy to be achieved. Again, here, the reflexologist can encourage the body to come back to balance with a lovely balancing and relaxing treatment for you, whilst working on some of the reflexes related to stress.

What’s more, the way we think affects the way we feel and so talking to your reflexologist can be really helpful. Those attending reflexology for support with fertility often haven’t had the easiest journey , whether that’s because of primary or secondary infertility. So, its only natural to be thinking critically of themselves or others. Talking is one of the most useful things you can do, so why not speak to your reflexologist?

If you are going through fertility treatment of some sort, the reflexologist can decide with you what is the best course of action. What do you need most? A treatment plan can be devised, based on the timings of the medical intervention. For example, with IVF, there may times to have a stimulating treatment vs a downregulating treatment. What ever your treatment, speak to a reflexologist, they may be able to offer you some support.

A word of caution…
Now, reflexology is a wonderful complementary therapy, but it is not a catch all. Yes, the reflexologist can adapt the treatment to suit where you are in your journey. However, it does not promise pregnancy. Reflexology for fertility is a support and a COMPLEMENT to other interventions whether that be medical, alternative, or lifestyle interventions.

A note…
I am aware that this information page has been focussed more towards a biologically female person. This was intentional, as most of my clients that I see for fertility are female. However, there is much a reflexologist can do to help a male during the same process. Moreover, I have worked with single individuals seeking support with fertility. Whatever your circumstances and your experience of being human, I am more than open to hearing from you and your journey of fertility.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about reflexology for supporting with fertility. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out via the details on the contact page.

Gratitude

Gratitude is a practice that requires acknowledging a gesture towards us or the things that are going well in our lives. It involves both a process of recognition of the positive, and its outcome. With gratitude, there is a complex relationship between thoughts, moods, brain chemistry, endocrine function, and functioning of other physiological systems in our bodies. While an in-depth discussion of this relationship is beyond the scope of this blog, it is known that our thoughts can actually trigger physiological changes in our body that affect our mental and physical health. Basically, what you think affects how you feel (both emotionally and physically).

Gratitude is an attitude of mindfulness because it is all about noticing any positives in what is happening in the now. Just being alive we often take for granted. Even just your feet working is often taken for granted. We humans take so much for granted in the present moment.

Waiting to be grateful about something big and important will only leave you never feeling grateful at all or very rarely. So, if you consciously increase your positive thoughts, you can increase your sense of well-being as well as, perhaps, objective measures of physical health. Another bonus with gratitude practice is that you don’t need to wait to lose something before you are grateful for it.

In all Asian languages, the word for mind and heart are the same. If you hear mindfulness and don’t think heartfulness then you will struggle to understand the meaning of mindfulness.

So, today it could be worth practice gratitude with a heart centred mindfulness exercise. Begin by taking brief moments to really be grateful for our humanity, in the true spirit of heartfulness. Take your hands to heart and say “In this very moment I am grateful for…”

If you are struggling and need some inspiration, reading the poem below is a wonderful place to get started.

I Am Thankful For by Nancy J Carmody

I am thankful for
…..the mess to clean up after a party
because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
…..the taxes that I pay
because it means that I’m employed.
…..the clothes that fit a little too snug
because it means I have enough to eat.
…..my shadow who watches me work
because it means I am out in the sunshine.
…..the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot
because it means I am capable of walking.
…..all the complaining I hear about our Government
because it means we have freedom of speech.
…..that lady behind me in church who sings offkey
​because it means that I can hear.
…..lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing
because it means I have a home.
…..my huge heating bill
because it means that I am warm.
…..weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day
because it means that I have been productive.
…..the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours
because it means that I am alive.

The Principles of Mindfulness

Introduction

Mindfulness is rooted in many traditions and religions but no matter which perspective is being taken, there are some fundamental principles. Some say there are 9 principles, others up to about 12. Also, know that some people call these ‘attitudes’ that can support your practice. Knowing what these are and employing them in your mindfulness practice and day to day life can enhance your experience of the now. When your eyes are wide open and seeing life as it is, taking one or more of these stances may guide you and deepen your experience.

The Principles / Attitudes

Non-Judgement: When we constantly judge our experience as right or wrong, good or bad, it makes it hard for us to see what is really happening and what is really in front of us. We let go of making short hand evaluations, and instead describe what is happening mindfully, without unhelpful and excessive judgement.

Patience: Rushing around from place to place can mean we miss what is in front of us. There are many experiences we miss because we are not present. Patience allows things to unfold and for us to observe the unfolding. As my Dad says “All in good time, all in good time”.

Beginners Mind: As we get older and have more experiences, we can have beliefs that block our ability to interpret the same things in different ways. To bring about a beginners mind means we are more able to look at a situation for how it is, rather than what we believe about how it is.

Trust: Listening to ourselves and our internal experience is vital to a mindfulness practice. We must trust what we feel, as this might teach us something about ourselves. To not be rooted in a trusting relationship with ourselves in a mindfulness practice hinders our ability to be our own teacher.

Non-Striving: With non-striving, we attempt to dial down the achieving and ‘being better’ part of our psyche. When we strive in excess, we become counter productive as we become exhausted and can become irritable. Here, we let go of trying to make things be a certain way and instead be with the moment, as it is. The moment is enough.

Acceptance: Refusing to see what is there and what the situation is means we go about our lives less skilfully. We start to respond to what is not the situation rather than what it is. Acceptance does not mean you like it or agree with it. Seeing and accepting reality is the first step in taking positive action. Acceptance is like being falsely accused of a crime you didn’t commit and taking the necessary steps to appeal your conviction. Non-acceptance is like being falsely accused of a crime you didn’t commit and standing at the bars of the cell, screaming and shouting saying “This can’t be happening”.

Letting Go: Sometimes the mind holds onto things. There are many possible reasons for this. The principle of letting go is all about releasing things you don’t need or want to hold onto. Once we have let go of whatever it might be, it is more accessible to observe and allow the moment. If it’s not serving you, let it go.

Compassion: In the face of pain and suffering, we can choose our response. Do we behave like a bully to ourselves and other people, or do we act with compassion and kindness? I can’t see the logic behind being the bully, but for some reason we behave in this way. Orientate your mind towards compassion in EVERY situation and see how it alleviates some of the suffering.

Gratitude: We tend to focus on what’s wrong in our lives. We might then end up taking other things, that aren’t so ‘wrong’, for granted. Gratitude is saying “I’m grateful that I need to clean the windows because it means I have a house”. Gratitude is not something we only employ when we have gone above and beyond or something truly miraculous has happened. We train our minds to see the best in every situation. Where there is gratitude there is peace with the present.

I hope this has been an interesting read for you today. If you have any questions, please do reach out by email. I am also currently running a yoga class series (April 2024) where one class is focussed on one principle. We have introduced non-judgement, so you aren’t too late to join and find out more. Take a deeper dive into mindfulness with your yoga practice.

Further Resources

If you want to learn a little more from an expert, please watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n7FOBFMvXg
I also recommend learning more about mindfulness from a reputable trainer, such as the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. Please find the link here: https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/
If you enjoy reading books then this one is a brilliant one to begin with: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaching-Clients-Use-Mindfulness-Skills/dp/0415696755
I have also written another post about mindfulness which has some more general information: https://www.almaentera.com/learning/mindfulness

Befriending Stress

Make stress my friend? Sounds weird doesn’t it…

Great pre-reading for this is the blogs on the nervous and endocrine system.
For the next few minutes though, we will be looking at the skill of befriending. Befriending in this context means to work with, communicate with, be at ease with and to welcome the concept of stress in our lives. When we do the opposite of this, with something painful or uncomfortable such as stress, the result is actually worse as the situation doesn’t change and the suffering is increased through fighting what already exists. Avoiding or fighting stress only makes it worse! The stress or the thing that is causing the stress doesn’t just go away.

So, we can change the way we think about stress.

• Remember that your body has states of stress (fight, flight, freeze or withdraw) for a reason.

• Your body is trying to send you a message to ultimately keep you safe.

• If we didn’t have stress it would be really challenging to be alert or reach a goal.

• Remember that stress is temporary.

• Remember a time you were really stressed. Are you still feeling stressed about that now? If yes, are you still experiencing the same intensity of stress?

• Stress is vital for a healthy life. It is the ability to move between states of stress and relaxation that brings balance to a human.

• Understand there is likely a valid reason for this stress.

• Remember that not everyone who experiences the same stressful event responds in the same way. You have control over how you respond. You don’t need to react.

So, what can you do?

• Find ways to helpfully deal with stress like reaching out to others or supporting others.

• So now can take a different perspective and use our newfound awareness to be curious. Is stress a physical feeling? Is it an emotional feeling? Is it a story in your mind? Is it a combination of all three and if so, which one starts it all off? If you take the time to get to know stress (through the application of mindfulness), it can start to look like a different beast altogether.

• Discharge the physical sensations of stress safely – go for a brisk walk.

• Chasing meaning is better for your health than trying to avoid discomfort. And so, go after what it is that creates meaning in your life and then trust yourself to handle the stress that follows.

• Use affirmations “I release this energy of stress and replace it with self-compassion and trust”.

In fact, strange as it may sound, stress might even turn out to be your friend. You may welcome stress with open arms. After all, stress has gotten you to this moment today.

Interestingly, people that believe stress can kill die at a much higher rate; yet people who are under more stress, but don't believe or know about its "negative" effects are actually healthier and more likely to live long happy lives.

References:
https://medium.com/@moniquemalcolmhay/4-ways-to-make-stress-your-friend-7e58fcd7058e
https://www.headspace.com/articles/how-to-befriend-your-stress
https://blog.deliveringhappiness.com/blog/making-stress-friend-3-things-know

Aromatherapy

“Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Sometimes it's called essential oil therapy. Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health” (Healthline).

An essential oil is a natural oil collected, typically, through distillation. The oils have the characteristics of the plant or the source it was extracted from. It’s the highly concentrated goodness of leaves, flowers, twigs etc.

Oils are absorbed into the body through the respiratory system or through the skin (in the main).

Skin: According to studies, molecules under 500 dalton can get through the skin’s barriers. Once it is at the fat layer (please see skin post), it can be absorbed into the blood capillaries and lymph. The circulatory system transports the molecules around the body.

Respiratory: the oil is sensed by the 40 million sensory neurons in the nose, the oil then travels to the olfactory cortex where the conscious perception of the smell happens. From here it ends up in the limbic system (which controls things like blood pressure and heart rate). From here it goes to the cerebellum where the interpretation of the smell happens. The molecules are introduced into the circulatory system and then oils leave the body through the urine, lungs, skin or faeces.

While there are a multitude of benefits to aromatherapy, here are a few healthline have found. Aromatherapy could help manage pain, improve sleep quality, reduce stress, agitation, and anxiety, soothe sore joints, treat headaches and migraines, alleviate side effects of chemotherapy, ease discomforts of labour, fight bacteria, virus, or fungus, improve digestion, improve hospice and palliative care and boost immunity.

Blending Methods:
Enhancing – looking at pairing up oils that have similar qualities e.g. anti-viral oils used together
Classical – this is looking at the balance of top, middle and base notes to create harmony in the blend
Balancing – some oils are deemed to be stronger smelling than others e.g. eucalyptus is a stronger smell than clary sage. This method ensures no one oil dominates the blend.

Top, Middle and Base Notes:
Top notes are sharp and clean, they tend to be the more citrusy smells. They don’t last very long but they tend to be the first smell people notice in a blend as they evaporate first. Lemon is a typical top note.
Middle notes are used to give body to a blend. They tend to be warm and soft in smell. Lavender is a typical middle note.
Base notes are used to deepen and centre the blend. Base oils can slow down the evaporation of the top notes. A typical based note could be something like patchouli.

Oil Safety:
There are a number of contraindications (reasons to adapt or not have a treatment) so it is really important you talk to an aromatherapist to see which oils are safe for you. Oils can cause irritation, phototoxicity, sensitisation and general toxicity – this is another really important reason to reach out and get advice about how much of the oils to use and which ones. Please always dilute your oils. If you are blending at home for family and friends, it’s still necessary for you to label your blends with the latin names of the oils (so that people know exactly what toy have given them). This can be really useful if someone has a reaction to the oils you give them. Aromatherapy should not be used in replacement of medical treatment. If you are worried about using oils with conventional medical treatment, have a quick chat with your specialist or your GP.

You can have aromatherapy in isolation e.g. in a bath oil or you can have it as part of a massage. An aromatherapist can look at your conditions or needs and blend with the oils that could help that and suggest the best way for the oils to enter the body. The therapist may use a combination of blending techniques to really aid your treatment. I personally love aromatherapy and have felt the benefits myself. I also really enjoy blending for clients. Get in contact if you have any questions, as aromatherapy is a bit of an information minefield.

Top Tip – use an essential oil diffuser that is electric, not diffusing by burning a candle. Burning by candle is not only environmentally less safe (fire hazard) but also the heat can burn the oils (if not monitored) meaning you don’t get the benefits.

https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy
https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy#benefits

The Endocrine System

The endocrine system is comprised of many glands that secrete hormones (which are chemical messengers) into the blood stream. Hormones are made up of protein. The hypothalamus in the brain links the endocrine and nervous system and is in control of your emotions, mood, stress, sleep, appetite, thirst, temperature control and heart rate (amongst other things). Your hypothalamus is also responsible for homeostasis, the gentle balance required in the body to keep it functioning. The hypothalamus sends messages to the pituitary which then goes and secretes the required hormones. The pituitary is considered ‘the master gland’ but is only the size of a pea. It is responsible for secreting hormones that then have a direct on other glands in the body. For example, a hormone called ACTH is released by the pituitary which then triggers the adrenal glands which sit on top of the kidneys to produce cortisol and adrenaline. If we manage to relax , our parasympathetic nervous system will come into play, which will cause our bodies to stop releasing these hormones.

We have spoken in part about the pituitary gland but there are so many more glands. Here is a brief list of the glands and what they affect.

The pineal: controls body rhythms in response to daylight with melatonin  
The pancreas: regulates blood sugar levels with insulin and glucagon
The parathyroid: regulates calcium levels with parahormone
The thyroid: firstly, using thyroxin it stimulates metabolism, growth and development. Secondly, calcitonin prevents the removal of calcium from the bones
The thymus: produces thymosin which is involved in the production of immune white blood cells
The testes: produce testosterone which is responsible for male characteristics e.g. sperm production
The ovaries: produces oestrogen and progesterone which is responsible for female characteristics e.g. widening of hips
The adrenals: produces a lot of hormones that regulate sodium/potassium levels, helps with the inflammatory response, helps with reducing feelings of pain, metabolises fats, proteins and carbohydrates, assist with sexual development and the well-known stress response – fight or flight.

People who have practiced meditation regularly are able to condition their body into relaxing on demand, and so taking over from the nervous systems ‘auto drive function’.  A reduction in the secretion of the stress hormones will mean that our heart rate will slow down, decrease the blood going to our muscles and reduces the conversion of glycogen to glucose (needed for energy in a crisis). If you keep training our parasympathetic nervous system, your hypothalamus should then end up having an easier time managing your emotions, mood, stress, sleep, appetite, thirst and temperature control amongst many other things.

Massage (including Indian head massage) can potentially help balance mood and stress levels, inspire relaxation and help rebalance the hormonal system. Have you ever noticed that when you get onto the massage table, you already start to relax? Your brain is expecting relaxation and triggers the relaxation response.

Essential oils also have an effect on the endocrine system, for example with some oils having balancing properties, some oils having oestrogen like qualities and also some oils can aid the relaxation response in the brain; whether the oil is absorbed through the skin or inhaled.

A number of crystals have been identified for the balancing of hormones. Contact me if you are interested in using crystals along side conventional treatment for your condition.

I hope you have enjoyed learning about the endocrine system with the links to some therapies. Remember, we are all hormonal beings.

Indian Head Massage

Alma Entera provides Indian head massage. Due to the training (Level 3 Diploma), there are a number of options for you. Indian head massage can be offered clothed or with oil on your upper back and throughout the massage, including in your hair. Whether your upper body is clothed or not is your choice. There is a 25-minute shorter treatment covering upper back, shoulders, upper arms, neck, face and head.  You can add lower arms and hands for a longer treatment of 45 minutes. By adding body parts, that aren’t the head, it becomes a westernised treatment. Typically, you will have the treatment seated, and with pillows and towels to assist your comfort. If you fancy, you can also have chakra balancing following the massage treatment.

Indian head massage is thought to be based on the ayurvedic system of healing. It’s a great treatment if you are feeling stressed and tired. Indian head massage works on the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, lymphatic, nervous system and of course, the skin.

Indian head massage has many benefits. It may help to relieve tension and aches/pains, encourage relaxation, improve/uplift mood, aid sleep, improve skin condition, hair condition and help energy levels. There are so many more potential benefits. While Indian head massage is fabulous, working on both physical health and mental health, it shouldn’t be used as a substitute for medical treatment.

Here are some of the possible benefits from Indian head massage, separated by system.

Skeletal: possibly improves blood supply to the bone and loosens the joints
Muscular: possibly improves blood supply to the muscles, removes waste so there is an improvement in condition of the muscle, muscles warm so helps ease tension, aids relaxation, reduces pain and stiffness; due to massage techniques, muscles may stretch and improve in elasticity
Circulatory: possibly increase blood flow through the areas treated and speeds up venous return, aids recovery and repair  
Lymphatic: possibly speeds up the flow of lymph and increases the transfer of fluid across vessel walls
Nervous: slow, rhythmical movements can possibly produce a sedative action of sensory nerves, vigorous massage may have a stimulating effect on the nervous system
Skin: possibly helps improve the condition of the skin because of increased circulation, the medium used can help with skin condition and massage aids the clearing out of the skin

There are different oils that can help with different things. As a therapist, as standard I tend to use sweet almond oil (a good all round oil) but sometimes add or change oils to one more suited to the client’s needs or depending on where I’m placing it e.g. may choose a different oil for the face. After a treatment, you may choose to keep the oil in your hair to help improve your hair condition, or feel free to wash it out!

If you have any questions (maybe you are wondering how Indian head massage could benefit you) please go to the contact tab and let me know how I can help.  

Physical Activity

Following very aptly from the musculoskeletal learning page, lets talk about physical activity.

Physical activity is basically anything involving moving – not being sedentary (like sitting and watching tv or lying in bed).

The NHS advises the following for the average adult :
- to aim to be physically active every day
- to do strengthening activities that work all the major muscles at least 2 days a week
- to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week (75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity).
- to reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity

To achieve this, they say:
- do several short sessions of very vigorous intensity activity (running up and down the stairs)
- do a mix of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity activity

It's medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:
up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
a 30% lower risk of early death
up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
up to a 30% lower risk of depression
up to a 30% lower risk of dementia

Being a mental health nurse, I am interested in the mental health benefits. Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Regarding sleep, please see a previous post. What’s more, is that Nick Littlehales, an elite sports sleep coach, talks about exercise and sleep in his book. An Oregon state university found that the improvement of sleep quality from 150mins of moderate to vigorous activity per week was 65%! He says if you can’t get along with the gym, go outside and engage in other activities like yoga or cycling. He says recovering from exercise is vital, hydrate and fuel up. Try not to exercise too soon before bed or else you may be too alert to drop off.  

Take a second to count how many minutes of exercise you are engaging with each week.

For me this week on:  
Monday – 60 mins of yoga
Tuesday – nothing
Wednesday – 60 mins of yoga
Thursday – 60 mins of walking
Friday – 60 mins of yoga
Saturday – 30 mins run
Sunday – nothing

So even for someone that considers themselves ‘healthy’, I haven’t met the ideal of exercising every day, I could reduce the amount of time I am spent sat down/lying down and not much of my exercise is considered ‘vigorous’. If you are struggling to be the ‘ideal’, let go of the ideal it is likely to cause you more unhappiness. Instead, change one small thing you can change today.

Take this free easy quiz to see how things are going. If you are struggling with physical activity, this quiz will let you know how to reach your targets. Select here >>> https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/how-are-you-quiz/

"If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented," says Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion consultant.

So, we know what physical activity is, we know the benefits physically and mentally, including the improvement in sleep and finally after thinking about how much activity you do each week, you can take the test and get some tips!

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/
Littlehales, N. (2016) Sleep. Penguin: Milton Keynes

Chakras

Let’s get stuck into the basics.
Chakras are spinning wheels of energy.

Chakras are points in the body that transmit and receive energies between the body and the aura. There are many chakras all over the body, but western spirituality concentrates on seven main ones. Chakras are a vital in Hindu, Tibetan Buddhist and yogic traditions. Chakras do not exist on a physical level and so cannot be measured. If a chakra becomes blocked this can lead to dis-ease (lack of harmony in the body and/or the mind).

Starting at the bottom (literally)…

Root Chakra - RED: Grounding, basic survival instincts, senses, physical functioning and reproduction

Sacral Chakra - ORANGE: Connection and ability to accept others, wellbeing, spontaneity, acting on urges, also linked to fertility, comfort, satisfaction and sensual pleasure  

Solar Plexus Chakra - YELLOW: Confidence, control, self-worth and self-esteem, conscious mind, logic, mental power, independence, integrity and uniqueness

Heart Chakra – GREEN: Ability to love, relationships, emotional stability harmony with self and others, altruism, compassion, connection with people and the natural world

Throat Chakra - BLUE: Ability to communicate and express ourselves, idealism, ideas, listening, speaking and giving creative form to thought 

Third Eye Chakra - PURPLE: Focus, decision making, ability to think and use intuition, unconscious wisdom, psychic powers, inspiration and awareness of the beyond and communication with your higher self

Crown Chakra - WHITE: Spiritual connection and completeness

Alma Entera uses a range of techniques to create harmony between the chakras once again. Once prepared for a healing session, I will use reiki and crystals to identify any blocked or unbalanced chakras. When using a crystal pendant, if it spins in a clockwise motion, it indicates that the chakra is healthy and open. Other movements from the crystal pendant mean various different things. I will then spend time balancing the subtle body with the gentle energies of crystals and reiki. Meditation may be a tool to work on particularly blocked chakras. Essential oils may be suggested to help keep balance in the body. The client may experience various sensations and experiences but the most common is a deep sense of relaxation.

There is a whole lot of information about chakras but I hope you have enjoyed reading about the basics.

The Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is almost parallel to the blood circulation system. The lymphatic system, unsurprisingly, carries lymph. The main functions of this system are transportation, protection and purification.

Transportation – nutrients to cells, excess fluid from between cells and dietary fats
Protection – from unknown invaders, it does this by producing antibodies to fight and lymphocytes to destroy
Purification – filters lymph, removes toxins and other waste products

When plasma and other things need to be reabsorbed back into the circulatory system, the bits that are too big to get reabsorbed (such as micro-organisms) end up in the lymph system. This fluid (which is full of fighter cells) is filtered by the lymph nodes (to remove the nasties), collected in the lymph ducts and then it is passed back into the blood stream.

Interestingly, lymph fluid does not get pushed around like the blood does but instead is moved by muscular action (movement of the body muscles), a slight pressure from tissue fluids, upward movement of the chest when breathing and suction when the lymphatic ducts empty.

You have some lymph nodes behind your knees, in your groin, a few in your abdomen, in your armpits, top of the arm, by your jaw and in your neck.

The spleen is the largest lymph organ. It sends out fighter cells into the lymph fluid. Tonsils also have a part to play in producing anti-bodies. There is more but I won’t go on.

Instead, lets talk about immunity. There are two responses. A primary response is when the immune system meets an antigen for the first time, the system can’t create the antibodies quick enough to stop the invasion! The disease will take over and you become sick. The secondary response is when your immune system already knows an invader as it has met them before, so its ready to fight!

You can meet invaders in advance, so your body is prepared, in a few ways:

- From your mother e.g. breast feeding or transferred across the placenta
- From being injected with ready-made antibodies (this is not like getting the flu jab)
- From being immunised by a dead or weakened virus
- From being injected with ‘toxins’ that have been made harmless

ALL of these ways ensures your body is ready to jump into action!

Given the recent pandemic, if you want to read up on vaccines and get your facts straight, BEFORE BELIEVING ANYTHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, please visit https://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/

Fun Facts:

Positive mood has been linked to better immune function

If you have a cold its most likely to be ‘rhinovirus’ (rhino means nose in this case)!

Therapies:

Massage may reduce swelling, reduce inflammation and stimulate circulation. Have you ever noticed that when you are receiving a back massage, you can get a blocked nose?  That’s proof that your lymph fluid has been encouraged in the right direction.
You’d probably noticed that mostly therapists put more pressure moving up the body than down; this is because massage therapists are trained to move the lymph fluid to the nearest nodes.
Had you noticed that you feel a little dehydrated, lightheaded, need a wee or are being asked to drink water after a treatment? One of the reasons for this is that your lymph is drawing in moisture from the rest of the body to rid yourself of toxins.

Essential oils can work on the immune system, firstly, by improving mood. The second way is that essential oils have a direct impact on pathogens (invaders) including virus’, bacteria and fungus. Contact me if you want to know which oils may be safe and beneficial to your immune system.

Crystals are also a gentle way to make change. Crystals are said to adjust the subtle vibrations of the body. You can use crystals to improve your mood, just as with essential oils but also specific crystals can help with immune function. Sodalite is said to boost the immune system, promoting lymphatic cleansing and elimination of toxins. Contact me if you are thinking of using crystals for healing; advice on how best to use them may help. Just was with crystals, reiki is a gentle healing method that can benefit the immune system.

Mindfulness

You may have heard me say mindfulness a few times. You may have been in one of my meditation groups. You may have heard about mindfulness from people just talking about it, “Yea man, I’m totally mindful and stuff”. If you want a quick summary, this is the short compilation of letters for you. Let’s begin.

‘Sati’ is the Buddhist term where ‘mindfulness’ comes from. It can also be translated as ‘bare awareness’. In mindfulness we mentally bring ourselves to the present moment and become an ‘observer’. There are a few types of mindfulness.
1. Mindfulness of the body: observing the physical sensations including that of the skin, what is going on internally and the breath. You can be mindful of your body doing anything including when exercising or walking.  
2.  Mindfulness of feelings: observing our feelings, positive, negative and neutral. The aim is not to react to the feelings.
3. Mindfulness of consciousness: observing where our attention is taken to, noticing a different state, noticing being absorbed in thought etc.
4. Mindfulness of objects: becoming aware of our judgements or understanding of the physical world. The aim is to see the object how it is rather than the perceptions we attach to it.

Hopefully, if you are practicing mindfulness, a few of the types should be familiar.

The key concepts that the founder of mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn, communicates are:
1. Awareness
2. Non-judgement
3. Living in the present

The concepts can be hard to live by due to the fast and pressure-filled lives that we lead in the western world. We often have ‘butterfly mind’ which is when we are going to the past or jumping to the future in our heads. Mindfulness stops the flitting around that is oh so unhelpful to re-establishing a peaceful state of mind. If your butterfly gets stopped in its tracks for even a second by mindfulness, that’s pretty great.

Some of the benefits of mindfulness are better attention, improved problem solving, more acceptance and a better mind body connection, AND MORE!

The ego… we all have one. This is our sense of self; we must watch it in mindfulness. Getting stuck in arguments to be ‘right’ is an example of where the ego takes over. Ask yourself if this is compassion led or ego led. You do not become a pushover if you are compassion led, you can still have mindful boundaries! Another thing that the ego loves is fear of change. The ego relies on the familiar and not the unknown, which is essentially life itself (all completely unknown and a constant stream of change!).

Judgement. Such negative connotations. From a psychological perspective we are constantly judging to ensure our safety (cave-man brain style). For example, that person over there is acting suspiciously. However, mindfulness asks us to notice our thoughts in the present. By stopping and noticing, we are much less likely to have that butterfly flitting around uncontrollably. Is that person still suspicious? Your mind is now in a better, less judgemental place to reassess.

You can use mindfulness to say no to fear, no to irrational thoughts, no to overthinking and no to controlling thoughts. Remember happiness is down to the mind, not your circumstances. While money is helpful to reduce some stressors in life (let’s not deny that), some of the richest people are the most unhappy and some of the poorest people are the happiest. Could you guess what I think the difference is?

Research has gotten hold of mindfulness and as a result, mindfulness has been incorporated into many a therapy as an evidence-based intervention. Positive eh?

If you need some ideas for being mindful – hit me up. Email me at: almaentera@outlook.com
Let me know what you struggle with understanding or doing in terms of mindfulness.

The Nervous System

I want to start by saying that the nervous system is MASSIVE and complex. So, what you will read in this short mind splat is truly an overview and not in the least bit detailed. However, every day is a learning day, so I hope there is a nugget of new for you.  

In the beginning there was the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system involved the decision-making part of things (which include the spinal cord and brain). The peripheral nervous system involves the information transport part of things (which involves all the other nerves not included in the central nervous system). Our nervous system detects, transports, interprets and responds.
Then there was the somatic nervous system which controls voluntary movement (do a squat) and the autonomic nervous system which controls involuntary movement (digest that avo). So much of what we do is unconscious!

Under the umbrella of the autonomic system are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve supply. The sympathetic nervous system is the ‘stress response’; it supplies all internal organs. So, for example, blood pressure will increase, and the skin will secrete sweat. The parasympathetic is responsible for slowing and balancing the body systems. The parasympathetic consist of mainly vagus nerves. The parasympathetic nervous system is what we bring in to play when we breathe slowly, meditate and be mindful. We need more of this and less of the stress response.

The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) contains many a control centre. The left side (logic, language and numbers) controls the right side of the body. The right side (creativity), you guessed it, controls the left side of the body. Some people dispute this. The cerebellum controls movement. The hypothalamus controls hormone release and the autonomic nervous system. The hypothalamus is the part that can speak via nerves or hormones and so is the main link between the endocrine and nervous system. A truly magical part of the brain, for sure. The thalamus is part of the limbic system which is involved in sensory perception and regulation of motor functions. The brain stem joins the brain to the spinal cord. Grey matter is where processing takes place. White matter is involved in communication and regulation of many things, including emotion and temperature. There is so much more going on under your hood!

The peripheral nervous system comprises of cranial nerves, vagus nerves and spinal nerves. The cranial nerves supply the muscles and sensory organs of the head and neck. The vagus nerves are part of the parasympathetic nervous system and controls the stomach, intestines, lungs, heart, kidneys and much more. The spinal nerves are named after the vertebrae that they are connected to e.g. lumbar nerves.

I’ve been going on about nerves, so, here’s the basics. A nerve (which can be up to 1metre long) is made up of lots of neurons (or nerve cells). A signal will be passed electrically within the neuron but then it is passed chemically when the signal moves across to another neuron (through a synapse). Nerves can be damaged by a lack of oxygen and, mostly, they cannot be replaced when they die. Recovery from nerve damage is variable. Receptor cells detect energy changes in the environment and turn them into electrical impulses, could this be the explanation for sensing reiki? Afferent neurons take information from an organ, whereas efferent neurons send information to the organ.

Now, for some fun facts:

- The stimulation of the nerve receptors in massage can result in the endocrine system releasing its good guys (happy hormones).
- Nerve impulses can travel at a speed of 100 meters per second – THAT’S FAST.
- Essential oils properties contain properties that are said to influence the nervous system e.g. nervine relaxant oils.
- The sciatic nerve (goes from lower back, through the hips and down each leg) is the thickest nerve at approx. 2cm!
- Reflex actions that need to happen quick, such as taking your finger out of that boiling melted camembert, are decided in the spinal cord!
- The vagus nerve consists mainly of afferent (from organ to brain) neurons. Imagine how much information is being passed to the brain if only 20% of the nerve is efferent (from the brain to the body).
- The vagus nerve is said to influence breathing, digestion, microbiome, inflammation and immune activation, heart rate, stress, sleep and sociality (apparently more than this from other sources).
- Pain modulation and then pain perception are factors in the transmission of pain signals through the nervous system to the brain. This can help explain why we have different responses to pain or have different pain thresholds. Pain sensitisation is also something that can occur when nerve cells are over stimulated.
- Up to one third of people seen in an average neurology clinic have neurological symptoms that cannot be explained. The two most common psychosomatic illnesses are fatigue and pain. Interesting!
- Our brain signals can cause physical responses to emotions. For example, you cry when you are happy or sad (salty water, random right?), the child gets a stomach cramp when he is being bullied at school and the blushing that occurs when you see your crush. It’s not as simple as a ‘to and fro’ of information, emotions get involved.
- Mindfulness is being researched in its ability to help with the experience of pain, the smaller studies are there, however more and larger randomised control trials are needed. Cognitive behaviour therapy is a talking therapy which is frequently used at present. Reconsider your sources of healing.

Next time you meditate, observe if there is a parasympathetic response.

If you need help, reach out, I have lots of resources.

I hope I have tickled the cells in your grey matter. I hope there has been a nugget of new.

For a further nuggets, please see my book suggestions below.

For a book about neurosurgery, my suggestion is ‘Do No Harm’ by Henry Marsh – fascinating and not a dry read.

For a book about psychosomatic illness, my suggestion is ‘It’s All In Your Head’ by Suzanne O’Sullivan – highlight the complex nature of our brain and also fascinating.

For a book about all of the body, my suggestion is ‘Adventures In Human Being’ by Gavin Francis – an easy to read overview.

References:
Anatomy and Physiology Revision  
Habib, N. (2019) Active Your Vagus Nerve: Unleash your body’s natural ability to heal.  Ulysses Press: Berkeley
Marsh, H. (2014) Do No Harm. Phoenix: London.
Melzack, R. (1973) The Puzzle of Pain
Francis, G. (2015) Adventures in Human Being. Profile Books: London.
O’Sullivan, S. (2015) It’s All In Your Head. Vintage: London

Manifestation

What is it?
How does it work?
Why now?
How do I do it?

What is manifestation?

Manifestation often gets dismissed as hippy-dippy magic; when what it rather simply means is ‘make something happen’. It relates to action rather than intention. You should consider manifestation a direct connection between intention and outcome.  

Jim Carey wrote himself a fake 10-million-dollar cheque in 1994, he then earned exactly that amount in Dumb and Dumber.
Oprah Winfrey is a legendary vision board user.

How does manifestation work?

First you must set your intention or desire. Choose something that you REALLY desire. Do you want to be self-employed? Do you want to meet your life partner? Do you want to become a scientist? Do you want to be an artist? Do you want financial security? There are many ways of setting your truest intention. This is something that is great to do on a new moon or at the start of a new year. Write it. Paint it. Sing it. Touch it. Smell it. Hear it.

If our desires and intentions are truly aligned, we can ‘manifest’ the life we want. We can use all our senses to imagine it/visualise it to make it happen. By imagining it, our dreams then become possible, or rather tangible, to the brain. By focussing on it in our mind two things take place, ‘selective attention’ (better known as filtering) and ‘value tagging’.

Selective attention is when the brain filters out what is deemed unnecessary e.g. distractions. The thalamus is the part of the brain responsible for this. Click on the link as an example of selective attention https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo. We block a huge amount of information in our daily lives. Think about that car journey where you can’t even remember taking the turns and stopping for the pedestrians. You brain has made the decision and filtered it out of the conscious brain due to its apparent irrelevance. We can’t always trust our brain to decide what is relevant and what is not. So, if you don’t deliberately pay attention to what you want, how are you supposed to manifest it? Could your brain filter it out as a distraction?

Value tagging is the importance your brain assigns to the information it selects. There are both logical and emotional elements to value tagging. An example is you are shopping, you see a coat that reminds you of your late grandmother. The value of that coat dramatically shoots through the roof because of emotional attachment. As we can see strongly emotional experiences can shape our pathways in the brain, which can derail our value tagging system. If we have a derailed value tagging system, it makes us choose things that are safe even if it’s not the best for us to thrive.

With selective attention and a reattuned value tagging system, this sort of raised awareness will work in your favour and automatically bring opportunities along.

To go further, if we are a mountain bike rider, we could pay attention to the safety of the track in front of us rather than a negative approach of seeking the potholes to avoid (which is the stance most commonly taken by our brains to ensure safety). In a study, optimists were found to make life changes following a heart attack, resulting in a significant drop in their likelihood of a second heart attack. Pessimists were twice as likely to experience a second severe heart attack within 4 years of experiencing their first (referenced in The Source). Positive desire can make good things happen.  Positivity is an essential key.

Why is manifestation relevant to me now?

This is the time that you might have set your intentions (new year, new you). Manifestation is one of the ways to make it happen. Understanding manifestation and using some of the tips may help you towards achieving your desires and intentions.

How do I manifest?

Think about a time you truly worked towards something you were highly motivated to do in your heart. That drive and ambition is what is needed for manifestation to work.

1.       Be flexible - it may not work the way you expect it to

2.       Be open to new opportunities - shutting things down won’t get you anywhere

3.       See it, smell it, touch it, taste it and feel it – involve all your sense and write that cheque!

4.       Have patience- we may get anxious or desperate for it to work, we may give up

5.       Action board it – a great way to see it and manifest every day

6.       Meditate on it – another great way to see it

7.       Align your brain and body – get into that yoga class, your gut reactions may become more attuned; you may also find new balance and strength

8.       Use your support networks – just because you’ve manifested it doesn’t mean it will be plain sailing

9.       If you don’t ask, you don’t get – want that promotion? You must apply for it, it will then become possible

10.   Manifest every day!

When do I do it?

Let’s take our brains off a negative autopilot in order to manifest what we desire.
Using tools and methods of manifestation daily (for example, singing it or drawing it), it will help your brain go from working hard, to rewire to an abundant mindset, to having these thoughts and mindset occur naturally and with ease (putting ourselves on positive autopilot). It’s the difference between a routine and habit (routine being more conscious, habit being more unconscious) Everything new needs effort and repetition. Stick at it and don’t let the fear (that it won’t work) stop you.

Reference - Dr Tara Swart (2019) The Source: Open Your Mind, Change Your Life. Penguin Random House Group: London.

Resourceful Resilience

Resilience is not just your ability to bounce back, but also your capacity to adapt in the face of challenging circumstances, whilst maintaining a stable mental well-being (MIND). Resilience is related to the capacity to activate the prefrontal cortex and calm the amygdala. When this happens, the physiological changes that are triggered by stress start to reverse, expanding the capacity to recover from, adapt to, or find a solution to stress, challenge or adversity.

Resilience is not genetically defined and can be strengthened at any age. We can change the wiring of the brain through the experiences we expose it to. So, our resilience pathways in our brain and bodies develop through our infant years and can be advanced, changed and fine-tuned even into older age.

If you are someone who can generally cope with change and ‘pick yourself up’, you may be called resilient. If you struggle with change and ‘climbing back on the horse’ you may need some skills to up-your-resilience. This is especially important if you are feeling out of control and overwhelmed often.

Characteristics of resilient people are:
- having a feeling of control over the things they can control
- being able to problem solve
- having strong sense of community
- identify as able to cope (not as a victim)
- being able to ask for help.

Skills to Improve Resilience from MIND

Life style changes: practice being assertive and communicating what you want and need clearly, using relaxation techniques, develop your interests and hobbies, make time for friends and find balance in your life
Look after your physical health: get enough sleep, be active and eat healthily
Give yourself a break: reward your achievements, get a change of scenery, take a break or holiday, resolve conflicts and forgive yourself
Build your support network: tell friends and family how you feel, get support at work, uni or college, share your experiences with peer support, use specialist websites and organisations, your GP and local MIND

Remember:

- Flexibility is an essential part of resilience. So, practice, where you can and within your limits, being flexible. Change the date in your diary and make an unplanned decision to see a friend.
- Having confidence in your own ability to cope with the stresses of life can play an important part in resilience.
- In the face of crisis or tragedy, finding a sense of purpose can play an important role in resilience.
- Resilient people are able to view these situations in a realistic way and then set reasonable goals to deal with the problem.

Much of the above is about good self-care, using skills and perspective. Please see the previous ‘honest self-care’ and ‘understanding change’ blogs to help you further with resilience.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/developing-resilience/#collapse67c85
https://www.heysigmund.com/building-resilience-children/
https://www.verywellmind.com/ways-to-become-more-resilient-2795063
https://www.verywellmind.com/characteristics-of-resilience-2795062

Sleep

I have recently read a book about sleep. ‘Why we sleep’ by Walker, M. has been a fascinating read. There are lots of gems in this book, but to save you time and/or to spark your interest to get the book, here are a few scary facts about sleep along with some pointers on how to sleep well.

You have a natural sleep cycle which is called the circadian rhythm which helps dictate when you feel sleepy and when you feel awake. This rhythm is why we feel sleepy after lunch. Teenagers circadian rhythm naturally differs from adults, making it hard for them to sleep before 11pm. We also have a thing called sleep pressure which builds and builds throughout the day. This pressure to sleep will only drop once we sleep.

You have a NREM phase which is the deep sleep phase, this is when memories are stored. It is bursts of electrical activity called spindles on long brain waves that store memories helping them to not be forgotten. REM sleep brain waves appear to look a lot like awake brain waves. This is when dreaming (considered a natural therapy, in most cases) takes place. The amount of REM and NREM sleep changes significantly throughout a person’s life span. For example, deep quality sleep reduces as you become older which contributes to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.

We need sleep before and after learning and without sleep we struggle to absorb new memories. Pulling ‘all nighters’ before an exam leads to a 40% deficit in learning. In those who are sleep deprived, there is no memory storing activity found in an MRI scan of the hippocampus. 

Men who sleep 5 hours a night have smaller testicles that those who sleep 7 hours or more and a lack of sleep will age a man by 10 years. Sleep loss affects the immune system. With only 4 hours of sleep on one-night, one time, this leads to a 70% drop in killer cell activity. Lack of sleep will erode your DNA. Losing one hour of sleep is enough to impact your cardiovascular system, and so with daylight saving time, when we lose 1 hour sleep there is a 24% increase in heart attacks for that day. Likewise, there is a 21% reduction in heart attacks when we gain 1 hour sleep. Similar stats can be found for suicide rates and car crashes etc. The link between cancer and lack of sleep is so strong that the WHO has classified any form of night-time shift work as a probable carcinogen (a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue). Ultimately, the shorter the duration of sleep and the poorer the quality of sleep, predicts mortality.  

Remember, there is no such thing as making up for lost sleep.  Sleep is a non-negotiable biological necessity. People are embarrassed to prioritise sleep and so currently there is a silent sleep loss epidemic.

Ways to improve sleep:

1.       Stick to a sleep schedule - regularity is key to improve quality and quantity

2.       Exercise but not too late in the day

3.       Avoid caffeine and nicotine

4.       Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed

5.       Avoid large meals before bed

6.       Some medicines can disrupt sleep, talk to your health care provider if you think this is the case

7.       Don’t take naps after 3pm if you can help it

8.       Relax before bed (meditate, read)

9.       Take a hot bath before bed

10.   Have a dark, cool, gadget free bedroom

11.   Get some natural light during the day

12.   Don’t lie in a bed waiting to sleep, do something else and then go back to bed when you are sleepy

https://www.ted.com/talks/matt_walker_sleep_is_your_superpower?language=en#t-552544
Walker, M. (2018) Why We Sleep. UK: Penguin.

Massage

To Start, Here Are Some Massage Related Facts

- the skin is the largest organ of the body
- there are approximately 5 million touch receptors in our skin (3000 receptors are in the fingertip)
- a 60-minute massage can have the same good effects as 7 to 8 hours of sleep
- muscle nerve impulse travels at the speed of 390 feet per second, allowing us to feel everything in an instant
- more than 80 different types of massage treatments with emphasis on different body parts are available around the world
- when we receive a massage, our body releases endorphins which are natural pain killers
- massage effects many of the body systems including the lymphatic, muscular, skeletal, circulatory, digestive, endocrine… the list goes on!

History

Massage has been used throughout history to aid healing. Evidence that massage was practised exists in cave and tomb paintings. Egypt, Greece, China and India are amongst the countries that first started using massage as an aid to healing. There is evidence in museums that massage was practised in China around 3000BC. Ancient Chinese evidence shows lists of techniques which included pressure techniques (which could have led to acupressure and acupuncture). It was Peter Henry Ling (Swedish physiologist) that developed what is known today as Swedish massage and listed the many of the terms that are used today e.g. effleurage.

Philosophy

The basic philosophy of massage therapy is the belief that the body can heal itself. In massage, therapists can work the whole body with a range of techniques to reduce tension and improve relaxation. Other therapies focus on one area of concern. Massage can assist in improving skin condition, blood supply, lymph flow, mental well-being and physical well-being. There are many types of massage and some examples include: aromatherapy, sports, deep tissue, Swedish, acupressure, infant/child massage, Thai, hot stone and lymphatic massage.  Many of these require further, specific training.

Client Consultations

Before a massage takes place, the therapist should ask the client several relevant questions including about their health and what they want from the treatment, amongst other things. All will be recorded on a few forms. Medical information is taken to ensure that the massage is safe to do, and if it is, what adjustments should be made to make it safer. What people can want from massage is: relaxation, stress relief, better sleep, improvement in mental health, better skin condition, feelings of well-being, an improvement of physical health, posture, muscle tension, lymphatic drainage, pain relief and improved energy levels. Treatments would be tailored to get the best results for the client. The client’s preferences should be taken in the consultation. A treatment plan may be devised if needed/wanted.

Techniques

Effleurage, petrissage, frictions, percussion or tapotement, vibrations and deep tissue work are some of the different techniques that a massage therapist could use to meet the clients needs/wants. The therapist will use their fingers/thumbs, hands, arms and elbows to get the desired effects for the client.  Each technique is unique but are used to complement each other to get the best results.

Massage Mediums

Wax, oil, power and creams/lotions can be used in massage. Often the client will have a preference but so will the therapist. For example, lots of therapists prefer the use of either oil or wax for massage performance, cost implications and effect on the skin (mediums used vary and can be dependant on the type and location of massage).

After Care Advice and Feedback

The client may be given some aftercare advice, some of this will be the same for most people e.g. drink water and rest. Some advice will be specific to the client e.g. asking the client to consider speaking with their GP about a medical condition. A number of things that may happen to the clients body following treatment such as increased urination, this will be explained in after care advice.
This is the clients time to give verbal feedback. Being honest with your therapist is welcomed, this makes your treatment more personalised next time.

https://www.myohealingmassage.com/fun-facts-massage/
https://www.swizzlesticks.com/blog/49-blog.html

Honest Self-Care

There are many interpretations of what self-care is and how to go about it. One google away is a multitude of advice about how best to live your life. EXERCISE, EAT WELL AND SLEEP! Often people like to split up the different areas of self-care e.g. physical, emotional, social and spiritual. The trouble is, it is hard for anyone to know how to advise someone on something so personal. Only you know how and what changes you could make.

I believe that ‘self-care’ includes the concept of ‘mindful living’. Through living mindfully, you become conscious of your basic life choices. Simply put, mindful self-care is anything that we do slowly and deliberately, in order to take care of ourselves. Once we live in this way (consciously, deliberately and mindfully) we will see the positive impact on not only ourselves but others around us.

All too often, we can find ourselves mindlessly traipsing along on the treadmill of life, step after step, going through the motions, out of control. Self-care in its honest form is about taking back the reigns of the treadmill and slowing it down so you have time to think. If you drive a car, have you ever had to turn the music down so you can think well enough to cross a tricky junction? Turning down the music allows us to be more present and more deliberate. Once the music is turned down in your life, you can decide what is right for you and what you need. With honest self-care, you are making choices for your life with the intention of improving your well-being.

Some people find it useful to categorise their lives. Sleep, am I getting enough? Should I go to bed earlier? Diet, should I eat more veg? This may work for you and that’s okay. Sometimes though, this can be overwhelming trying to meet each of the categories ‘requirements’. One way to take care of yourself, deliberately and mindfully, is to adapt what you are already doing, one small thing at a time. Spend longer in the bath, spend less time watching TV, put one less sugar in your tea…

So next time you are doing something mindlessly… Stop. Breathe. Make a conscious choice. You can still eat chocolate and have a takeaway while being self-caring and improving your well-being. You don’t need to go on a strict no-carb diet. You don’t need to walk to work every day, but in the same breath, you can if that’s what is right for you. You do you, just do it slowly, deliberately, mindfully and consciously. This is NOT selfish.

Read that book that’s been on the shelf for a year, take that annual leave, go to bed early one night, have a takeaway with your family, wake up earlier to do yoga, colour that colouring book, get a mattress topper to make your bed more comfy, day dream, sit outside, borrow your friends dog, potter around the garden shed, write your diary, dance in the shower… you choose, your options are endless.

Challenging Unhelpful Thoughts

Thought challenging is an untangling technique for the mind. It asks that you consider things from a different perspective.

Firstly, thought challenging can feel unnatural, especially for the first few times. It would be advised that you use this technique at home for thoughts that have some flexibility and aren’t particularly upsetting. If you have a friend or family member you trust and find non-judgemental, it can be helpful to work with them, as they can offer a different perspective. Write down your answers and findings. Do something pleasant and relaxing after this activity, to give yourself some head space. To tackle heavily fixed thoughts, or incredibly upsetting thoughts, you may need help from a professional.

Here we go!

1.       Can you identify the type of unhelpful thought? Or any patterns of unhelpful thinking? SEE PREVIOUS POST.

2.       Is there any evidence that contradicts this thought (please see below for an activity*)?

3.       What would you say to a friend who had thought this in a similar situation?

4.       What are the costs and benefits of thinking this way?
Costs:
Benefits:

5.       How will you feel about this in 6 months’ time?

6.       Is there another way to look at the situation?

*Some find it helpful to imagine the thought is being questioned in court.
Write everything down that is EVIDENCE that the thought is true
Write everything down that is EVIDENCE that the thought is false

-This does not work if you include opinion or include other unhelpful thinking types as evidence
-You can be as creative as you like with this, fancy dress is nothing to be ashamed of!

Finally

Try to remember that thoughts are only thoughts, they have the weight and importance that you give to them.

Following this template successfully should provide you with a BALANCED THOUGHT!

MoodJuice
innermelbpsychology

Identifying Unhelpful Thoughts

The first step to challenging unhelpful thoughts, and therefore breaking unhelpful thought patterns, is to identify your unhelpful thoughts.

1.       Mind Reading – assuming we know what others are thinking

2.       Predicting – believing we know what will happen in the future

3.       Comparing – seeing the positive in others and the negatives in ourselves

4.       Self-Critiquing – putting ourselves down and blaming ourselves for things that are not our complete responsibility

5.       Should and Must – saying we should or must do something puts pressure on ourselves and sets up unrealistic expectations

6.       Catastrophising – imaging the worst will happen

7.       Emotional Reasoning – if I feel this bad, it must be this bad

8.       Molehills – exaggerating the risk or the negatives

9.       Judgements – making a judgement rather than what we can actually see or have evidence for

10.   Black and White – believing that something can be either good or bad rather than somewhere in the middle

11.   Memories – unreliable source of information which can cause distress in the present

12.   Noticing Filter – looking through blinkers, seeing what we want to see, thinking what fits, catching negativity in your mental fishing net and letting the positivity get through

EVERYONE has or continues to experience some of these unhelpful thoughts in their life.

For now, try to think of examples in your own life where you have engaged with unhelpful thinking. How to challenge these thoughts will come later!

Simply Meditation

What is it?

Where did it come from?

How does it help?

What types are there?

How do I do it?

Meditation is a practice where someone uses a technique/s (e.g. mindfulness or visualisation) to train attention and awareness. It is often an activity to achieve a mentally clear, emotionally calm and stable state. By its nature, meditation is hard to define. Some words that could be connected to meditation are contemplation, thought, consideration, reflection, prayers, deliberation and study. The English word “meditation” stems from meditatum, a Latin term meaning “to ponder”. The purpose of meditation is whatever the person needs (e.g. relaxation or being in the present) but some would say that the overarching purpose is to reach a heightened level of (spiritual) awareness.

Meditation is believed to have been practised thousands of years ago in India, by Hindu traditions. The practice was quickly adopted by neighbouring countries and formed a part of many religions throughout the world. Meditation is now often practised by individuals who do not affiliate with any particular religion.

Physically, stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing a surge of adrenaline and cortisol. Too much adrenaline can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Too much cortisol can increase blood sugar levels, suppress the immune system and constrict blood vessels. Eventually, chronic spikes in stress hormones can lead to an increase in blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol level, disrupting immunity, energy levels and sleep.

Stress reduction is important because it lowers blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen consumption, which results in higher energy levels, better immunity and sleep. Plus, stress reduction is key for diminishing the physical symptoms of many health conditions. When the body and mind are relaxed, the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, causing the body to stop releasing stress hormones. Many people who meditate regularly have learned to condition their body to relax on demand, and according to research, can effectively manage stress this way.

Well known positive psychological side effects of meditation are increased awareness, resilience, focus, clarity, compassion and a sense of calm. Meditation has been found to reduce anxiety and depression.

How to meditate in different ways:

Mindfulness Meditation
Pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind. Remain aware and present in the moment. Try not to judge your thoughts.

Spiritual Meditation
Reflect on the silence around you and seek a deeper connection with your God or Universe.

Focused Meditation
Concentrate using any of your five senses (for example, count beads or observe a candle flame).

Movement Meditation
Practice yoga, walk through the woods, garden, do Thai Chi and any other gentle forms of motion.

Mantra Meditation
Use repetitive sounds to clear the mind (words, phrases, or sounds).

Transcendental Meditation
Think silently of a mantra without contemplation or concentration. It requires little effort. The goal is to rise above your current state of being.

Loving Kindness Meditation (Metta Meditation)
Open your mind to receiving love and kindness. Then send messages of loving kindness to the world or people. Repeat the message many times.

Body Scan and Progressive Relaxation
Start at one end of your body and work through the whole. Notice how your body feels. Squeeze muscles and let go of the tension.

Breath Awareness Meditation
Breathe slowly and deeply, counting your breaths or focusing on your breaths.

Kundalini Yoga Meditation
Practice yoga that blends movements with deep breathing and mantras.

Zen Meditation
Practice mindfulness often and with discipline.

Guided Meditation (Guided Imagery or Visualization)
Form mental pictures or situations that you find relaxing. Use as many senses as possible, such as smell, sounds, and textures which evoke calmness. This may be led by someone else.

Vipassana Meditation
Pay disciplined attention to physical sensations in the body, to establish a deep connection between the mind and body; and you may transform yourself through self-observation.

Chakra Meditation
Focus on the seven main energy centres in your body, visualise its colour. Use relaxation techniques to bring balance and wellbeing to your chakras.

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