Energy Blocks: Surrender — Resistance is Persistence

Posted on May 5, 2012 by ebellbodyquirks

“Let go, or be dragged.” ~Zen Proverb

There is an art to being in a state of “no resistance.” It seems to be in our nature, as human animals, to resist those things that we do not like or agree with. But as the Borg say in the Star Trek series, “resistance is futile.”

The reason is simple — What we focus on, becomes our reality.

(Excerpt from “The Secret”)

Resistance Defined

The definition of resistance changes depending on what it is applied to. But let’s begin with the basics: Resistance is the inability to simply accept what is.

Why Strive for No Resistance?

We’ve all been there, in a situation that seems all too familiar. Being haunted, repeatedly by the same nagging issues, people or pain. It seems no matter what we do to avoid, fight against, or ignore it — it persists. At times, maybe in the short-term, it has felt like we could rid ourselves of these issues by pushing them away. But most of the time, the more we push away, the more, whatever it is, pushes back.

There are laws of physics and metaphysics at work here, the law of attraction is in play and the simple fact exists — that which you resist, persists.

Resistance is powerful energy, strengthening that which it seeks to oppose. The act of resistance also distracts us from learning more about what it is we desire to resist. In order to understand and ultimately accept something, we must remain open to its energy so that we may receive its lessons. It’s only in this state of surrender, that we can become clear and find peace for ourselves.

Mind Resistance:

In our peaceful mind series, How your mind affects the body (and the rest of your world) , we talk about the difference between left and right-minded thinking. Your left-mind is linear thinking (past, future, critical analysis, ego.) This is handy for many things but not where you want to be coming from when letting go of resistance. Your right mind is creativity, presence, where you remember you are one with everything. Whole and perfect — with nothing to fix.

This is the space you want to live in, where you want all your intentions to be coming from, in order to let go of the resistance in your life.

Body Resistance:

A good example of resistance in the body is pain. Pain creates even more resistance in the body (because it brings intense focus to itself), which in turn can create more pain. Remember, as with anything you resist, the same is true for bodily conditions — what you resist, will persist.

Spiritual Resistance:

Thinking you need to change something about yourself (coming from a place of ego thinking) can bring more focus to those things that you dislike about yourself. The key is to “get over it.” Keep calm and carry on with your fine, perfect self.

How to Go with the Flow

In the past, we’ve talked about the power of the mind, how it tells the body what to do — not the other way around. When we can relax our minds, what do our bodies do? They let go of resistance instantly. It’s amazing.

This is a simple concept but it’s not so easy to do. Many clients come to us with pain or discomfort in their bodies, making it a bit more tricky to let go, because the mind is more focused upon it. The paradox of the mind controlling the body is that we are able to relax the mind by working on your body as well.

When you’ve been working with the mind/body connection for long as we have at BodyQuirks, you can see fairly quickly where clients are holding the resistance in their bodies and even, maybe, why they are doing so.

That experience benefits our clients and now it can benefit our readers too, as we have collected many techniques and experiences over the years that may be of help to you on your journey to the art of no resistance.

Stay tuned for our next blog in the series: Artisans Release Tips 101.

Posted in Energy work, Holistic Healing, Peaceful Mind Series | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Warming Socks: Hydrotherapy for Cold, Flu and Sinus Issues

Posted on April 1, 2012 by ebellbodyquirks

Warming socks for toasty toes and easy breathing

In our last post, we spoke about sinus infections and holistic treatments to help relieve the pain and pressure. We also shared some hydrotherapy tips in the form of alternating hot and cold packs but we told you we had another form of hydrotherapy yet to share. This form is extremely helpful for encouraging sinus and lymphatic drainage whether it’s during a bout of cold or flu a sinus infection or just the height of allergy season, this form of hydrotherapy can help you get a good night’s rest and wake up feeling better the next day.

It’s called warming socks and they are often prescribed by those in the naturopathic and holistic community because of their efficacy in increasing blood flow and lymphatic drainage from the top of the heads down towards the tips of your toes.

Your lymphatic system (from your head to your toes!)

Warming socks have been proven to decrease symptoms of sinus congestion, headache, sensation of fullness in the ears, stuffy or runny nose, cough and other common symptoms of illness. It also helps you to sleep better while you’re wearing the warming socks, which when paired with the lymphatic drainage can improve your overall immune system and well-being.

Natural remedies and woolen socks: a sinus' best friend

Warming Socks Treatment

While warming socks feel comforting and cozy once you are in bed, when you first apply them, there can be some mild discomfort.

NOTE:Remember to do this right before you go to bed. You do not want to be up and moving around the house, as this will negate the action and benefits of warming socks.

  1. Run very warm, nearly hot water in the bath tub (as warm as you can stand) and soak your feet in the tub as long as you can stand it (your feet should be hot and pink–but do not scald them.)
  2. At the same time you are soaking your feet, soak a pair of thin cotton socks in cold water, in your sink.
  3. When you feel your feet are warmed enough, wring all excess water out of the socks and pull wet socks onto your feet. (This will only be uncomfortable for less than a minute.)
  4. Pull a thick pair of (wool preferably or cotton) socks (these need to be made of breathable material) over the wet cotton socks.
  5. Climb into bed and get under the covers, making sure your feet are covered. Sleep with socks on overnight.

In the morning, your socks will be dry. Throughout the night, your body will have done the work to heat and dry the socks, improving your circulation and along with it pulled the congestion from your head and chest and drained your lymph nodes in the process.

By using this treatment for at least three consecutive nights, you’ll find it reduces the length and severity of your sinus symptoms. Try it in conjunction with some of the other holistic treatments we mentioned for a 1-2 punch!

Posted in Head, neck and shoulders, Holistic Healing, Immune System | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Natural Care for Sinus Infections

Posted on March 15, 2012 by ebellbodyquirks

Feeling pain and pressure in your sinuses could be more than your average allergy symptoms, especially if it persists. Sinus infection or Sinusitis, is the inflammation of the sinus cavities in your face caused by bacterial, fungal or viral infections. Left untreated a sinus infection could lead to more serious issues.

Your Sinuses

The sinuses are the air filled spaces in the skull behind your forehead, nasal bones, cheeks and eyes that are filled with mucous membranes. When the sinus openings become blocked, or too much mucus builds up, bacteria and other germs can grow in this moist warm environment.

Sinus Infection (Sinusitis)

If you’ve ever had a sinus infection you know the misery it can bring — everything in your face hurts, your jaw, eyes, teeth, forehead and it can bring on the most miserable headaches. In order to help you get some relief and to prevent sinus infections in the first place we’ve compiled a list of home remedies that we hope will be of help to you.

Natural Remedies for Sinus Infection

There are actually quite a few remedies that can help you get rid of a sinus infection without having to resort to antibiotics or even over the counter remedies, use the ones you find easy and that you feel most comfortable with.

Positive Attitude

There’s evidence that frequent laughter, being positive and avoiding stress can  help keep sinus infections at bay. This is not as big of a stretch as you might think if you remember that laughter and positivity have been proven to help to reduce stress which in turn, keeps your immune system functioning optimally, helping with more than just your sinus infection.

Steam

A simple inhalation of steam over a bowl, with a towel over your head and the bowl can help loosen and thin the mucus, so it can drain. It also helps to unclog the blocked nasal
passages, therefore relieving the pressure and pain caused by the blockage. Steam also aids in soothing and moistening the respiratory tract, relieving lung congestion, coughing and throat irritation. for an even more powerful remedy add eucalyptus oil or an aromatic oil of
black mustard and ginger solution to your hot water, inhaling its healing properties through the steam to get rid of the infection.

If you don’t have the time to set-up the steaming bowl, you can achieve a similar effect by taking a hot shower, inhaling deeply (through your nose) while showering and afterward in the hot steamy room.

Neti Pot

As we’ve discussed before, adding warm salt water to your sinus cavity through the use of a Neti Pot, to wash out the sinus cavities,  soothing and moistening them at the same time, can be extremely helpful in battling a sinus infection. The use of salt in the solution kills the bacteria. Many pharmacies sell saline solutions to prevent infections with a cold, but you can make your own easily.

Hydrotherapy

Used in conjunction with steam or a Neti Pot, hydrotherapy can bring fast short term relief and help facilitate sinus drainage, which helps remove blockages. There are two types of hydrotherapy you can employ to help bring relief from sinus issues.

The first is alternating hot and cold compresses:

  • Fill a pan with water and heat until hot (not boiling.)
  • Fill a bowl with ice and water
  • Get 2 wash cloths, a towel and a set of tongs
  • Put one washcloth in the ice water and the other in the hot water
  • Drape the towel around your neck to catch any stray water droplets.
  • Using the tongs, remove the wash cloth from the hot water and wring it carefully with the tongs and your hands, taking care that the washcloth is not too hot and making sure to wring the excess water out.
  • Sit in a kitchen chair with your head back and place the hot cloth, folded was cloth on your forehead and sinuses (this will cover your eyes as well) for 3 minutes or until the cloth cools down. Put the cloth back in the hot water.
  • Remove and wring out the ice cold cloth and place over your forehead and sinuses in the same manner (this will feel shocking at first but just tough it out, it will settle quickly.) Keep on for 1 to 3 minutes or until cloth is room temperature again. Place cloth back in ice water.
  • Repeat two more times.

When you’re done, you’ll be breathing easy, your head will feel lighter and your sinuses will be draining. That’s because the heat expands the sinuses and then the cold contracts them, doing this several times increases circulation to the area and creates a milking action of the sinus membranes,  allowing them to drain more freely.

We’ll cover the second form of hydrotherapy (warming socks) for cold/flu and sinus issues in a upcoming post.

Massage for Sinuses

Massaging the face is also one of the very best ways to help a sinus infection. By putting
pressure in certain points of the face, such as the areas below the eyes and around the
nose, especially the base of the nose can aid in drainage and pain relief. Although, this can be tender, due to inflammation, it will trigger the opening of the sinuses and the draining of them, ultimately relieving pain symptoms and faster healing.

Let us know at your next bodywork appointment, if your sinuses are troubling you, and we’ll work a little of our drainage magic for you!

Food as Medicine

  • Garlic has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and is very helpful with sinus infections. You can take it in a capsule or juice form or you can use freshly chopped garlic in a bowl of hot water and inhale the vapor. This helps to thin and drain the thick mucus.
  • Grape seed extract helps reduce inflammation of the nasal passages and sinus cavities.
  • Eating a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of horseradish helps in reducing the buildup of mucus and also helps to drain it.
  • Covering your face with a washcloth dipped in a mixture of 1/4 cup ginger root and a pint of boiling water can trigger nasal drainage and put an end to sinus infection and relieve the pain associated with the infection.
  • Apple cider vinegar (ACV) — drink a mixture of 2 tablespoons ACV and a cup of warm water is an excellent sinus infection home remedy. Because ACV contains potassium it assists in reducing the production of mucus and alleviating the symptoms of common colds and runny noses. Clogged sinuses usually are relieved after an hour of drinking the mixture. You can also inhale ACV vapor to help open the clogged nasal passages.
  • Eating things such as chicken soup, fresh fruits and vegetables can keep your system running smoothly and help stave off infection.

Avoid Triggers

Avoid foods that can trigger allergic reactions or inflammation such as chocolate, peanuts, wheat, eggs, chicken, shrimp and even dairy products to prevent the onset of
sinus infections.

Exercise and Sleep for Sinus Relief

Boosting your immune system to fight infection is key. Regular exercise, 7 to 9
hours of sleep daily and eating healthy foods are some of the most effective ways to
boost your system. Remember to drink lots of water to help hydrate at all times and
maintain healthy functioning sinuses.

All of these remedies are easily done in your home, with materials that can usually be
found already there. Remember that if left untreated a sinus infection can lead to more
serious complications, so give some of these remedies a try to heal or prevent a sinus infection.

Posted in Holistic Healing, Nutrition, Upper body | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Help for Plantar Fasciitis

Posted on February 29, 2012 by ebellbodyquirks

For some reason, lately, we’ve been getting an inordinate amount of complaints from clients about bottom of the foot and heel pain, most commonly this is caused by Plantar Fasciitis. It’s no surprise though, because over 2 million Americans are affected every year by Plantar Fasciitis — that’s 10% of the population over a lifetime.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis can be a debilitating condition, making it hard to stand or walk for too long. Many people who have the condition find that they can barely walk upon waking because of the pain of severely tightened fascia muscles. As Wikipedia defines it, “a painful inflammatory process of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue on the sole (bottom surface) of the foot.”

The plantar fascia itself, is a thick band of connective tissue, that is fibrous in nature, which starts at the bottom of your heel bone and extends along the sole of your foot towards the toes.

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

  • Pain usually felt on the underside of arch and heel, making walking difficult or painful
  • Shooting pain in the heel, especially upon waking in the morning or standing up after sitting for a long period
  • Difficulty bending the foot, toes toward the shin (this is called decreased dorsiflexion
  • Increased knee pain, especially among runners
  • Increased pronation (inward rolling) or supination (outward rolling) of foot, often causing uneven wear of shoes

Common Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

  • Long periods of weight-bearing (being on your feet all day)
  • High body mass index
  • High (or low) foot arches that are poorly supported
  • Extremely tight calf muscles
  • Excessive walking
  • Diabetes and arthritis, especially in the elderly
  • Oversupination (too much outward rolling of the foot when walking)

All of which cause a thickening of this connective tissue, reducing its flexibility over time and creating a tightening or pulling on the surrounding muscles, which can lead to other issues such as back, knee and hip problems, and other chronic foot conditions.

Treating Plantar Fasciitis

There are many ways to treat this condition including:

  • Rest
  • Massage therapy
  • Stretching
  • Weight loss
  • Night splints
  • Motion control running shoes
  • Physical therapy
  • Hot and cold therapy
  • Orthotics
  • Ultrasound
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Injection of corticosteroids
  • Surgery in extreme cases

Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that can persist for months or even years, since very few of us can fully rest an injury such as this. Once the connective tissue that forms this band of fascia becomes inflamed (meaning very little is happening in the way of circulation) it takes time for it to heal.

The "Scrapey," or STARR tool

BodyQuirks Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis

We’ve been treating this condition with deep tissue massage, using a specialized tool (we call “Scrapey”) that allows us to strip the fascia and reduce the tightness, this, in combination with a chiropractic adjustment of the calcaneus (heel bone) has proven to be extremely effective. If you release the tension on the fascia and don’t adjust the heel bone it can help, but we find that relief is temporary with the foot adjustment.

By combining “Scrapey” with chiropractic adjustment, clients have reported relief of 80% to 90% of their previous heel pain, with just one treatment. We also give you some home stretching exercises, to help support the work we do and continue with the healing process.

If you have Plantar Fasciitis, please don’t think you have to suffer with this condition, buying expensive orthotics for the rest of your life — call and make an appointment for a massage treatment with “Scrapey” and let us help you treat this painful condition.

Posted in (Body) Parts is Parts Series, Feet, Sports Injuries & Rehabilitation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

7 Must-Have Tools for the Empath

Posted on February 21, 2012 by ebellbodyquirks

Loads of supplies to help ground your empathic spirit at New Renaissance

In this series on Being an Empath, we’ve defined and discussed what an Empath is and how to find out if you’re one. We’ve also shared our tips for helping Empaths in building their immune systems. Today, we wanted to add a few more noteworthy resources for our sensitive friends — because, when you’re an Empath, it is important that you ground yourself, in order to stay clear and functioning at your best. Continue reading →

Posted in Bodywork | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment