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Massage and Alternative Medicine

Dorian Bodnariuc (133)
Dorian Bodnariuc
http://www.head-massage.net/

Is Massage Therapy a Career For You?

Posted Tuesday, June 16, 2009 (144 days 18 hours ago.) Viewed 114 times.

Are you looking for a career change, and are considering massage therapy as a possible option? Massage therapy is a great career alternative for several reasons; it is a financially rewarding career, you will have a flexible schedule, you will meet interesting people, and you will help people to feel better.

This is only the bright side of Massage Therapy. Choosing Massage Therapy as a career is like deciding on any other career, you have to ask yourself why you want this career, and what type of skills/aptitudes you need.

Learning to massage is a unique experience and you could enroll immediately, even if you won't practice it as a career. Massage, as a hobby, can dramatically improve your lifestyle, however not everybody affords to spend that much time and money for a hobby.

Making the big money as a massage therapist is not easy. Aside from massage technique, you will need people skills, marketing understanding and a social network. Opening your massage place does not automatically afford you a clientele. You must understand how to market your skills. In addition, if you consider working for someone else, this is a good start but it could not be as rewarding as expected.

For a beginner, massaging people can sometimes be a difficult transition, and can be physically exhausting. Are you in good shape? Are you prepared to endure a few weeks of physical challenge until your body adjusts to the demanding physical work? Can you stand for long periods? Do you have any physical limitations that will restrict your massage ability? These are all issues you have to take in consideration.

A very important question you have to answer yourself is "How good am I with my hands?" Extensive training will sometimes solve the problem, but not always. Working as a massage therapist requires great people skills. You need to know how to approach your clients to make them comfortable. You will learn and develop these skills at school, but this is something that is difficult to learn if it is not a native ability.

Probably the most important question is "Do I really like to do this?" If you find yourself often massaging people around you, helping them get better, then Massage Therapy is a good career option for you. If you never touched people with the intent to nurture them, you need to find out how you feel doing it.

The minimum required training for a massage therapist is different in North America. Get the information for your area, as some states require quite more training, while in other states Massage Therapy is unregulated. The minimum of training in US is around 500 hours and it could go up to 1000 hours for states like New York and Nebraska. Some provinces of Canada require as a minimum of training around 2000 hours. For more details, check A.M.T.A. (American Massage Therapy Association) for U.S. requirements, or the provincial regulatory Institution for Canada.

There are many other questions to answer before signing up for a Massage School, check the online quiz to see if you would make a good Massage Therapist.

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The perfect blend for a Massage Oil

Posted Tuesday, May 12, 2009 (179 days 19 hours ago.) Viewed 68 times.

Massage oils are a great way to enhance the beneficial effects of a massage therapy, they are looked as a must for a massage therapy session. The massage techniques have evolved in order to accommodate the use of oils. Choosing the right products, making a good blend that doesn't spoil in time might be a difficult task without the proper information.

There are a few reasons for using oils in a massage: facilitate the gliding over the skin thus avoiding superficial irritation, nourish the patient skin and promote health and absorption of the essential oils through skin and lungs.

A massage oil is usually a combination of two or more oils. The combination contains at least a base oil, the carrier, and one or more essential oils (aromatic oils). The base is an oil with a high skin penetration potential. The essential oil is chosen for its therapeutic effects and it is based on patient's need.

Carrier oil The carrier is a vegetal oil. When buying a carrier we have to search for cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils. These two extraction methods ensure the oil is not polluted with solvents and is not degraded by high temperatures processing. Most of the carrier oils can be stored in the sealed bottle for long periods. Once in contact with the air it starts the oxidation. If kept in dark containers at low temperatures the oxidation is slowed down. However some oils will deteriorate if stored in the fridge, check with the producer the proper storage conditions. The most popular carrier oils are Grape-seed oil and Sweet Almond oil. Grape-seed oil is a very light oil and is very easy absorbed by the skin. Sweet Almond oil is very reach in vitamins with high therapeutic value.

Another excellent base is Olive oil because of its therapeutic qualities but is not very popular because of its strong fragrance.

Some other great base oils are: Apricot kernel, Avocado, Jojoba, Coconut, Hazelnut, Peach kernel, Sunflower.

Wheat-germ oil is an excellent adjuvant to any base because of its antioxidant properties. Wheat-germs oil added in proportion of 15% to any other base will prevent it to go rancid. Wheat-germs oil is a sticky oil so use it cautiously in your combinations.

essential oil lavender The aromatic oils are plant extracts, (from flowers, roots, seeds, etc), with therapeutic properties. The aromatic oils are very concentrated and they are only used in combination with a base. The concentration should be about 3% essential oil in a base. Adding too much aromatic oil could irritate the patient skin as some of these are very potent.

Most of the aromatic oils are volatile, some of them will simply disappear in minutes if you forget the container open. As a general rule you have to keep them in sealed dark containers at low temperatures.

Each essential oil has its own healing properties. It is very important to know what these properties are in order to avoid harm. Using them improperly could worsen certain conditions.

Buying essential oils is a difficult task because of the lack of regulation in the industry. Very often your aromatherapy oils contain chemicals, fragrance enhancers, solvents to multiply the content, or oils extracted from similar plants but with different properties. None of these are marked on the bottle.

You can follow these guidelines when you are buying essential oils:
  • Look for therapeutic-grade oils, sometimes it's marked on the bottle;
  • Look for the scientific name of the plant, as sometimes the same common name of a plant could cover different botanical varieties;
  • Check if the plants were grown organically or wild-crafted - these are the best plants.
  • Check the reputability of the producer and question your supplier about their products.
  • Know that aromatherapy oils are not essential oils. Aromatherapy oils are usually a blend of essential and carrier oils or other components.
  • Use your smell, sometimes you can detect a problem product only by smelling it.

    Some excellent essential oils and their properties are:

    Chamomile - anti-inflammatory and sedative,

    Eucalyptus - respiratory problems, flu, skin infections;

    Frankincense - helps the intellect;

    Lavender - good sedative, heals burns, mood enhancer;

    Lemon - antiseptic, lowers blood pressure and good for skin conditions; it is extremely volatile;

    Peppermint - digestion, flatulence, flu;

    Pine - antiseptic, very effective treating respiratory problems;

    Rose - aphrodisiac and mood enhancer, very expensive oil.

    When you blend your massage oil take in consideration the following facts:
  • Carrier oils go rancid and essential oil oxidize so make only what you use.
  • Massage oil has to be warm when you use it that will accelerate the alteration of your blend.
  • Your clients are different and have different needs, ask them what they like. Get feedback about the oil you use on your patient and don't use the same blend on all your clients.
  • Never use mineral oils, they aren't absorbed by the skin and sometimes they can be harmful.
  • Do not use more than 3% to 4% of essential oil in your blend.
  • Avoid pre-blended massage oils if you aren't sure about the date of fabrication, and exact content.
  • Avoid blending too many oils, simple is more effective. Every person has their own preferences when it comes to essential oils, and that is based on their affinities and needs. Show your patient a sample of oil each time they come for a massage and note in their file what they like most.

    My personal favourites are Frankincense, Lemon and Lavender. Frankincense has an important spiritual component while Lemon oil creates an oasis of freshness and intensifies all your senses. Lavender creates invisible bonds between people of opposite sex. My personal favourites are Frankincense, Lemon and Lavender. Frankincense has an important spiritual component while Lemon oil creates an oasis of freshness and intensifies all your senses. Lavender creates invisible bonds between people of opposite sex. For a more complete list of massage oils visit my Massage Oils page.

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    Why are Essential Oils important?

    Posted Tuesday, May 12, 2009 (179 days 23 hours ago.) Viewed 13 times.

    In a society that simplifies everything in order to render life cost-effective we lost something that no big pharmaceutical company can't replace. We lost contact with nature. Nature gives us all the medicine and food we need as long as we are willing to use it. Plants are a great way to balance your health in all aspects: physical, hormonal, mental, emotional, etc. They contain essential substances for a healthy life. There are no drugs that can replace the beneficial effects of plants. It would be too complex and too expensive to create the synthetic alternatives and the substitutes might not work. The alternative are the essential oils.

    Aromatic plants are slowly disappearing from our alimentary habits. We don't drink herbal tea anymore we don't prepare food with a variety of spices. In the past plants used to be our main source of medicines. They were used in our daily diet as tea, spices, jams, alcoholic beverages and they were used as medicines in various forms, (decoct, infusions, inhalation, tinctures, powders, aromatic bags, etc...) A nice walk in a pine forest was a great way to benefit of the strong therapeutic properties of the pine resin through inhalation.

    We slowly isolated from nature in big urban agglomerations. It is not possible anymore to live the same lifestyle as our ancestors. This is a fact and is undeniable, at least for now. This is where the drug industry comes and replaces some of the gaps made by this separation from nature. But synthetic substances are covering only part of the new medical problems and usually they only treat illness once installed. What about prevention which is the better medical approach. The answer is to recreate the bond with nature. There are many things we can do to reconnect with nature: make more trips outside the city, take a walk in the nearby park, grow plants in small pots in our apartment, plant trees around the house, consume herbal tea, prepare our meals using raw fresh raw food, diversify our food, use as much as possible organic food, use good quality essential oils at least a few times per week.

    What are the essential oils, and why are they important?

    Essential oils are plant extracts, (from flowers, roots, seeds, etc) that contain the plant's essence - a substance with high therapeutic potential. Almost all the active substance in the plant is extracted. Essential oils, if used properly, can highly improve our life quality. They are best used as a preventative health measure and they can help in almost all areas: Boost immunity, protect from germs, improve digestion, help to relax, relieve stress and tensions, help focus, relax muscles, improve sleep, balance emotional and hormonal, detoxify our body, etc... The essential oils are very different from plant to plant and they have different healing properties and it's important to know what these properties are in order to use them properly. Sometimes, if not used properly, essential oil can harm. Some of them are highly volatile and they would disappear in minutes in an open environment, some are more stable. Some essential oils are toxic in higher quantities so you want to make sure you respect the right dosage. The science associated with the use of essential oils is called Aromatherapy and is an Alternative Medicine. Aromatherapy, however is not recognized as a medicine branch in North America. On the other hand in France prescribing essential oils is regulated and Aromatherapy is part of the conventional medicine.

    How can we use essential oils?

    You can use essential oil in different ways depending on the kind of oil and your preference:

  • Use it on an old Potpourri that lost its scent
  • onto a small piece of cloth while drying your clothes in your drying machine
  • Add a few drops in a spray
  • Put a few drops in water in a potpourri pot or in a micro-diffuser.
  • Add a few drops in a bathtub.
  • Add a few drops in your humidifier.
  • Add a few drops to a base oil like Sweet Almond or Grape-seed oil and massage yourself.
  • Add a few drops to carrier that is very quickly absorbed such as Jojoba oil and massage your head and face.
  • Put a few drops of essential oil on the heating filters. Fir or Cinnamon Bark or Eucalyptus would be a good choice for flu prevention.
  • Add 3-5 drops in a in facial steamer or in a bowl of warm water and cover your head and the bowl with a large towel. This is great as a skin care treatment or for inhalation.
  • Add a 3 drops to moistened clay and apply as a facial mask.
  • Use a few drops to a warm water compress and apply to the sore muscles.

    Contraindications and cautions

    Cautions have to be taken when you use essential oils. The concentration should be between 1% and 5% depending on the oil. Some oils are highly irritant so never apply directly on the skin or in higher concentration than recommended. Do not ingest essential oils, some of them are toxic. Some aromatic oils increase your sensitivity to the sun so avoid using before going out or to a tanning booth. Do a patch test if you have allergies. Avoid direct inhalation of oils, (from the bottle), as some of them have a very high rate of volatilization and you would inhale too much substance. Infants should not use essential oils in any way.



    Skin treatment essential oil blend

    Add a few drops of Lemon oil (therapeutic grade) and a little more of Sea-buckthorn oil in a base of a highly absorbed oil such as Jojoba or Grape-seed. Use this combination to massage your face for a healthy skin. You will be amazed by the results obtained in days.


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