Natural Healing: When Vicks Can’t Heal Everything

Posted on by
Reply

I was born in the 80′s, and like some of you my mother used Vicks vapor rub on my chest and nose. It was ok at first but never seemed to last throughout the night. What my mom didn’t know back then was that the smell and secret ingredient of Vicks was Eucalyptus Oil.

This oil is grown all over the world and has taken many names such as: Eucalyptus Blue, Eucalyptus Dives, Eucalyptus Globulus, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Eucalyptus Polybractea. Some of these variates can be used to help with respiration and sore muscles.

As an adult, I am very particular about the kind of products I use on my skin and ingest into my body. I came across a therapeutic grade essential oil called R.C. This oil is from a company called Young Living.

A wonderful blend of Eucalyptus Globulus, Myrtle, Pine, Marjoram, Eucalyptus Radiata, Eucalyptus Citriodora, Lavender, Cypress, Spruce, and Peppermint.It has that “Vicks” smell but better because of the other oils blended with it and also because it’s REAL oil, no harmful fake chemicals!

Ways To Use Your Eucalyptus Oil:

Inhale It: Boil water and add to a bowl using 3 drops of a high quality essential oil. Place a towel over your head and close your eyes to avoid oil vapor irritation. Do this until your water has lost its steam.

On Your Skin: You can apply it to your chest area, or on the tops and bottoms of your feet (with wool socks) before bed to help penetrate into your reflex points on your feet. Avoid direct contact on your face since the skin is more sensitive and can dry or get irritated by the oil.

Room Vaporizer: If you have an essential oil diffuser, you can add a couple of drops of your oil to the water and let it diffuse into the room as you sleep.

Smell It: Some times I apply two drops of oil to a tissue and smell it. This can help if you are a little congested without having the scent on your body or clothes.

In A Bath: Taking a bath with epsom salts is a great way to help with your body aches when you are feeling ill. Add a few drops of oil to the water and treat yourself to a therapeutic aromatherapy bath.

*Most high quality oils are very concentrated. If your oil has not been diluted by the manufacturer, when applying to your skin add one drop of oil to two drops of a carrier oil (EVOO, grape seed, almond oil, etc.)*

 

Be Sociable, Share!

Communicating Love Through Touch: A Baby With Special Needs

Posted on by
Reply

According to Wikipedia.com, Special Needs is a “term used in clinical diagnostic and functional development to describe individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological.” Although I do not like to use a term or title when speaking about babies, it has its purpose when I explain to you the amazing affects that massage had on this special baby.

My recent experience as a Massage Therapist is teaching parents baby massage. Now, most parents want to learn these techniques to help with their child’s gas and teething discomforts, general bonding and promotion of grow.

Last month I was honoured to work with a couple who recently gave birth to their second child who unexpectedly was born with Down Syndrome.

I did some research before hand to make sure I fully understood the symptom picture of what a baby born with down syndrome would have and the massage techniques that parents can do to help him thrive.

If you are not aware of the symptom picture it can range to some or all of the following:

  • lower than average cognitive disability to severe mental disability
  • hearing loss
  • congenital heart disease
  • seizure disorders
  • cataracts
  • hypotonia or hypertonia of the muscles
  • protruding tongue
  • constipation issues
  • spinal cord compression
Massage can help:
  • improve muscle tone
  • increase performance on motor tasks
  • provide relief from constipation
  • communicate love if hearing loss has occurred
Test are currently being done to determine the severity of his health condition, but this special little guy definitely proved that he is thriving! When the nurses on the post partum floor at the hospital told his mom that “down syndrome” babies cannot latch therefore breastfeeding was hopeless, his mom and him worked very hard and 2 months later they are still breastfeeding!

Massage for any baby is a way to communicate love and help stimulate sensory receptors to make them more aware of their body parts as they grow.

We started off the massage session with me (the RMT) showing how to apply pressure, technique and how each technique will affect this little body.He seemed to like the massage when his mom or I preformed it on him.

Lastly, it was dads turn! He watched how both of us handled his son and massaged him gently. This little guy was already five weeks old when we started massage. His dad had not felt confident in handling his little body and they did not have a physical bond yet due to his unexpected health status.

Words cannot describe the beautiful moment when he placed his son on his lap, and started to massage him just like we had practiced. This baby was so relaxed, but his eyes were wide open and locked on his father! The energy in the room was blissful because this was the first time that father and son had really physically bonded to each other!

I am so thankful for that moment and it is a story I will continue to share with others on the magic and simplicity of nurturing touch and massage within a family.

The word is that dad has made time every night after bath to massage his little guy and is empowered with massage techniques to help him strive and move forward to positive growth and love from his family.

Be Sociable, Share!

Massage For Your Active Toddler

Posted on by
Reply

I teach parents about infant massage as a way to connect and take an active role in the health and well being of their baby. I have realized that parents have a hard time applying the relaxing techniques of infant massage to their active toddler. Most parents are learning infant massage for their baby as early as five weeks old.These classes are designed to massage their baby on their back or tummy and the most movement would be rolling from back to front.

Toddlers are walking and moving and need a little more to keep them interested. Massage or Nurturing Touch for toddlers can still be used to relax them, help them grow strong and provide physical comfort and bonding.

Massage can be done while your child is:

  • sitting and playing with toys
  • standing or being held
  • laying down to sleep
  • on their stomach playing

It is best to find a time in the day when your child is not as active and your treatments may be short and spread out (5-10 minutes 2-3 times a day). Incorporating hand or finger puppets with the massage is a great way to introduce nurturing touch.

**Incorporate massage stories and songs like itsy bitsy spider, this little piggy, twinkle twinkle little star with your massage strokes while you draw out the actions with your hands**
Be Sociable, Share!