Clear Your Head with Breathing

We all know that breathing is essential for life, but few are aware of how breathing can be used to improve life. Many people have done "deep breathing" also known as diaphragmatic breathing. It is commonly used to calm oneself down in stressful situations. A lesser known breath technique that can be equally useful is called Yin/Yang breathing or alternate nostril breathing. This technique has been shown to increase relaxation by calming the nervous system. It is also used as preparation for meditation and can also improve clarity of thought by balancing the right and left brain hemispheres.

How to perform:

1. Sit in a comfortable, relaxed upright position.
2. Bend your middle fingers into the palm of your dominant hand
3. If using your right hand, close the right nostril with your thumb and exhale
through your left nostril
4. Inhale through your left nostril while keeping the right nostril closed
5. Close your left nostril with your pinky finger and open your right nostril
6. Exhale through the right nostril

This is one cycle. Repeat doing a comfortable number of repetitions. Stop if you feel any strain or light-headed. Do not do if you have a cold or congestion. Check with your doctor if you have had any past breathing difficulties or respiratory conditions or if you are pregnant.

Practice makes perfect. Give yourself time to master the technique. Take a minute today to focus on your breath- its a simple way to clear your head and make your whole being feel better.

What to Look for in a Massage Therapist

Massage therapy is more than just providing relaxation through touch. It also involves the manipulation of soft tissues and affects several systems of the body including the muscular, skeletal, skin, circulatory, and nervous systems. There are also several medical conditions that contraindicate massage therapy. Knowing that massage can impact so many aspects of your body, isn't it important to know if the massage therapist is qualified to have such an effect?

So how do you know if your massage therapist is qualified and properly trained? First and foremost, you should make sure that the massage therapist is licensed. In the state of CT and many other states this is the law to protect consumers. In order to be licensed, the therapist must have graduated from a massage therapy program, passed a National Certification exam, achieve a certain amount of continuing education,and maintain ethical and safety standards. Any massage therapist should be willing to show you his/her license upon request. Other ways to determine if a therapist is maintaining professional standards is by being Nationally Certified (NCBMTB)and the participation in the American Massage Therapist Association (AMTA). To participate in these, the therapist needs to maintain continuing education credits including credits for ethics.

But it is not just the number of continuing education credits that you should be concerned about, it is also the type. It is important to know that the therapist has been properly trained in specialized modalities such as hot stone therapy before performing it on you. This and other modalities can cause injury if the therapist is not trained. The therapist also needs to be educated to anatomy and physiology to know how to properly address conditions and which conditions in which massage is contraindicated.

So how can you find a massage therapist that you trust? A great way to start is to visit the AMTA website (www.amtamassage.org) and go to Find a Massage Therapist. It is also a great idea to check references of the therapist or get a referral from a trusted friend. Because does it really matter how much qualifications a therapist have if he/she gives a terrible massage?! Remember, massage is more than relaxation...protect yourself and have a great experience!