Beat Those Winter Bugs that are inevitably doing the rounds throughout the office and the classroom by boosting yourself with a Holistic Massage with Aromatherapy!
It’s that time of year again, colds and flu are coming back giving you those groggy, sniffling, bunged up days with no energy and a miserable head. People have always tried anything to make them feel better, some of the weirder ones include wear a necklace of onions, spreading mustard across your chest, putting a hairless dog on your chest…hmmmm…do as you like but you won’t find a better cure than rest, water and taking care of your body. I’ve always found that most complementary therapies don’t work like they say they will, often it’s a placebo effect that encourages healing within the body, yet I can tell you here not only the ones that do but how they work with no nonsense.
Aromatherapy, Lymph Drainage Massage and Reflexology are excellent preventative and healing methods, they boost your natural defences making you stronger and more able to cope with and fight illness. They are shrouded with scepticism as ‘complementary’ therapies because they are not prescribed by doctors often, a doctor is not allowed to prescribe a method without proof that it will help, there is no solid scientific method to testing massage because of the variables involved, Aromatherapy however, can be scientifically defined as antibacterial, diuretic, calming and antiseptic.
How does Aromatherapy Help?
Aromatherapy has always worked and the plant derivatives that are pure in essential oils make up modern medicine. All Aromatherapy oils are antibacterial, by applying to the skin or inhaling through the mouth and nose they attack and kill bacteria on site. Some oils such as rosemary and juniper will draw fluids through your body to the lymph nodes and kidneys that filter out bugs, helping you fight illness.
Another of the simplest reason is the calming effect they do have on the body, comforting smells have an amazing effect a relaxing you, many oils when used correctly encourage restfulness, you need to rest in order to heal effectively and deep relaxation gives the body permission to focus it’s healing energies, such as antibodies, where it’s needed. Stress increases cortisone and cortisol production in the body. These are hormones that regulate fat metabolism, help your body utilise energy and reduces pain in stressful situations, but that comes at a cost, it suppresses the immune system and can reduce bone formation. Relaxing and reducing stress slows cortisol and cortisone production, giving your immune system the chance to function and fight illness to the best of it’s ability. You don’t always have to treat the illness directly, treat it Holistically! Your body is a machine with many parts, it know what it needs and it doesn’t want to be sick, treating the whole body gives it a chance to take care of itself. Aromatherapy is also known to encourage motivation, positivity and clarity. Never underestimate the power of positive thought.
We have a wide range and will create a unique combination of Essential Oils for you that will really help, you can even take the oils home to use in the bath or from a loving partner or to self massage.
An interesting study conducted in 2005 by scientists in Kyoto compared standard massage to aromatherapy massage and found that without a doubt aromatherapy massage increases immune function greater than a standard massage! They looked at the effects of sweet cypress oil (diuretic), marjoram oil (pain relief), lavender oil (antibacterial) and almond oil (nourishing carrier oil); after a massage with these oils they discovered an increase in CD8+ and CD16+ lymphocytes, white blood cells that destroy anything your body doesn’t want, recognise or need; including bacteria, viruses and old cells that have degenerated. A brief side note of the study also noted that both massage and aromatherapy massage increased mood and reduced depression, bonus!
Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Lymphatic Drainage Massage is a technique that draws waste from the body, clearing your immune system (as well as your sinuses!) and encouraging healing throughout. Combined with Aromatherapy, one of the most effective treatments you could receive for banishing winter bugs.
Reflexology
Reflexology is a deeply relaxing foot treatment draws the body’s attention to any areas that need healing. Non invasive and highly effective, it works because all of the nerve endings in your body end on your feet, so by stimulating these areas it send a signal to the brain to check and heal where needed, fascinating stuff! We have cleared sinuses by wiggling toes, soothed sore throats by massaging the upper foot and brought up loose coughs by performing upward movements over the ball of the foot. Read more, see the Reflexology Massage Southampton page or give us a call, we can talk for ages about it!
I hope this helps you through the winter months and beyond.
Warm well wishes!
