There's always room for improvement in our lives. Most of us are so busy tending to family and work that we tend to neglect our own physical and emotional wellbeing. And when this aspect of our life is out of balance, our stress level will increase, leading to physical harm if left unattended.
Once you are aware of your own personal needs, you are taking the right direction on the path towards a good state of wellbeing. When taking this journey the healing power of touch should not be neglected as it contributes to physical and emotional wellbeing. Scientific studies have shown the benefits of massage therapy for insomnia, anxiety and stress. It induces relaxation to lower the heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure and boosts the immune system.
Actually, the healing power of massage has been recorded in history going back thousands of years to Ancient China where it was used to help most health conditions. According to a study entitled “Physiological Adjustments to Stress Measures Following Massage Therapy: A Review of the Literature,” reductions in salivary cortisol and heart rate were consistently noted on individuals undergoing a 20 to 30-minute massage administered twice a week over five weeks. It also goes without saying that the techniques typically used in massage, the kneading and gliding strokes on the body, are pleasurable and boost vitality and wellbeing.
Here are two of the best treatments involving the curative energy of touch..
Ayurvedic massage
Any form of full body massage treatment, provided by a qualified therapist, will promote circulation and detoxification. However, Ayurvedic treatments, with their simultaneously energising and relaxing technique, using natural heated herbal oils, are more effective than most for general wellbeing. Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems developed thousands of years ago in India, based on the belief that health and wellbeing depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. The treatment consists of the use of herbal remedies, special Ayurvedic massage therapies, dietary and lifestyle advice, tailor-made for each individual.
The Ayurvedic massage can promote better blood circulation within the affected area thereby promoting increased perspiration, which helps the skin to eliminate wastes. It also helps to tone the skin and can be superbly relaxing. A selection of oil is very important in Ayurvedic massage, tailored to each client’s needs and medical history. Give it a try; you’ll feel a better sense of wellbeing in no time at all.
Stimulating Cups
Another ancient therapy, cupping, is also still being used today to balance emotions and provide a greater feeling of wellbeing and relaxation. In a cupping therapy session, heated cups are placed onto the skin, creating suction that aims to improve blood flow and general wellbeing. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston are thought to be followers of this therapy and have been seen sporting distinctive circular marks, left after cupping therapy, visible on their backs. In the Middle East, one of the first spas to introduce it was PureGray Health Club and Spa, a tranquil retreat in the heart of Beirut. “The main objective of cupping technique is to improve the Qi Flow (Energy flow) in the body by stimulating it using heated cups placed on the skin. These cups will induce suction on the skin to mobilise the blood and energy around the body. Cupping technique, as acupuncture, is a holistic approach treatment,” says Michel Chaaya, Spa Manager, PureGray Health Club and Spa. “Adding on that, cupping can be used as a preventive treatment to improve the body function and wellbeing.”
Nadim Fakhoury, a physiotherapist and acupuncturist, uses the dynamic moving cupping therapy here during which cups are moved up and down all along the back in order to increase the stimulation of the energy points and also to provide more relaxation. Oil is put on the skin before the cups, and then a flame is placed inside a glass cup in order to create the vacuum effect. After that the flame is removed and the cup is held on the skin and moved up and down the back. “Cupping is a powerful treatment for emotional issues. It’s because there are specific acupuncture points of the urinary bladder meridian on the back that are responsible of regulating our emotional system,” Chaaya says. “These points can be stimulated using the pressure provided by the cupping therapy to rebalance our emotions. By balancing emotions and treating muscular tensions, cupping can provide a great feeling of wellbeing and relaxation.”
