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The term ‘holistic’ comes from the Greek word ‘holos’ meaning “whole”. It treats a person as a whole complete system; physical, mental and emotional well-being. ​ Holistic Massage is based on Swedish massage techniques primarily aimed at relaxation. Using long gliding strokes, lifting muscles up and away for the bones, rolling and squeezing the tissues. Manipulation of the soft tissues increases blood and lymphatic circulation. Also helps to relax and normalise the soft tissues; muscle, tendons and ligaments. Which releases nerves and deeper layers of connective tissues. There is no set routine to the massage treatment is changed and adapted to the individual. ​Physical health consists of many components; activity, nutritional intake, fluid intake, and healthy digestion. Addressing minor ailments or injuries. Rest and relaxation, along with high-quality sleep. Mental and emotional health is about being happy, self-confident, self-aware, and resilient. People who are mentally healthy are able to cope with life’s challenges and recover from setbacks. ​ Massage causes physiological changes in your body through an involuntary response of the nervous system to massage techniques and skin contact. Your heart and breathing rate slow, your blood pressure goes down, your production of stress hormones decrease and your muscles relax. Also, your serotonin levels increase which is a chemical in the body that positively affects emotions and thoughts. Relaxation physical reduces the effects of stress and associated conditions such as hypertension, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue and digestive disorders. Click here to view prices & book an appointment

Sports Massage can help to alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body’s soft tissues, using concentrated firm pressure and specific techniques. Helping to maintain or improve range of motion and muscle flexibility. It can help to reduce discomfort and can speed up the healing process for conditions such as contracted fibres, inflammation, sprains and strains. Soft tissue techniques are used to aid management and recovery from acute or chronic muscular conditions/injuries. ​ Sports Massage is not just for the athletes competing in events and competitions. You can benefit from sports massage if you have a physically demanding job, those that enjoy a physical activity like walking, using cardio machines or weights in a gym or people that regularly go to fitness classes.

I had my first Massage back in February 2012. We were going on Holiday to the New Forest with my sister and her family. I had just decided to sign up to train as to become a Holistic & Sports Massage Therapist and my course was going to start in March. I thought I had better go and experience what I was about to learn. Holistic massages were available so I booked an appointment. My back was causing me some discomfort on the drive down to the New Forest so I was glad I had booked a treatment. I knew a I had booked a Holistic treatment so I knew I wasn't looking for a miracle fix to my back but if I could be comfortable to rest of the holiday I would be happy. During the treatment the Therapist very quickly realised I had a lot of tension in my back and she advised me to speak to Sports Massage Therapist when I returned home. The Therapist did succeed in relieving some of the tension in my back. Overall I felt the treatment was good, it was relaxing and I did enjoy it and it was great to have 30 minutes to myself, while my sister had to keep my 2 year old daughter and her own 3 year old son occupied. (Don't worry she got me back while she had a treatment herself) It would have been nice if the therapist was able to sort out my problem, but as she was a Holistic Therapist she could only work within her limitations. I think the advantage I have is I am trained in Holistic & Sports Massage and I just can't resist if I find a muscle which needs a little bit more attention, because from personal experience I know the client will really appreciate the outcome.

Massage is an age-old therapy which has been around for many years. Many people see massage as an indulgence, but it can actually help with many conditions. Relieving sore muscles, reducing anxiety, alleviate the side effects of cancer treatments are a few to mention. So now the question has been asked, can massage have an impact on our health? The quick answer is yes! Research has shown massage can help to increase the T Lymphocyte count in our bodies. T Lymphocytes are white blood cells which helps to improves our immune system. Results have shown after an hour of massage the white blood cell count increased by a staggering 70%. So what do you think, is a monthly massage an indulgence or necessity? Reference Could Massage boost your immune system

A Strain or Sprain happens when you twist or overstretch a muscle, this could be due to not warming up before exercise. Initially it is hard to say if you have strained or sprained a tendon (strain) or ligament (sprain) Common Symptoms are: - Tenderness, weakness or pain usually around the ankle, foot, leg, back, thumb, wrist or knee. - You cannot put weight on the injury - The area is swollen or bruised - Muscles may painfully tighten on their own (muscle spasm or cramping) How can you tell if it's a strain or a sprain? Strain Torn or overstretched muscle (a pulled muscle) - Most common it knees, feet, legs & back Sprain Torn or twisted ligament - Most common in wrist, thumbs & knees To find out how out you can treat a sprain or strain yourself, click here

Rice Therapy is all you need to know to help support the injury and reduce any swelling. Rest - Stop the activity / exercise and try not to put any weight on the injury. Ice - Apply an ice pack (or a bag of peas wrapped in a tea towel) to the injury for up to 20 minutes for up to 20 mins every 2-3 hours. Compression - Wrap a bandage around the injury to help support it. Elevate - Keep your injury elevated by keeping it on a raised pillow as much as you can Avoid hot baths, heat packs and massages for the first couple of days A Pharmacist may be able to suggest tablets, creams or gels which may help you. Painkillers will help to ease the pain and ibuprofen will reduce the swelling (do not take ibuprofen for 48 hours after your injury as this may slow down the healing process. When you can move the joint without the pain stopping you, keep moving the joint to avoid the muscle becoming stiff. Most Strains and Sprains usually feel better after 2 weeks. If there is no improvement after 2 weeks, click the link below for further guidance. Reference https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sprains-and-strains/ Other Related Posts What is a Strain or Sprain?

Plantar Fasciitis can be painful and annoying, yes Massage can help, but here our some Stretches you can try in between treatments Video: Youtube Bob & Brad There are many night braces and support which could help your recovery. Bob & Brad suggests a support which particularly stretches your toes, here are some supports I have found on Amazon: Pro11 Wellbeing Night Splint for Plantar Fasciitis Plantar Fasciitis Night Sock Brace. Compression Sleeve. Night Splint. Night Splint Dorsal Soft Light for treatment of Plantar Fasciitis All Sizes Take a look at the reviews and see which brace may work for you

Does your lower back give you 'jip' every now and again? I have a history of lower back pain, which has led to groin pain and knee pain. Regular exercise by playing badminton and walking has really helped to manage my pain, but I had not really come across a cure for back stiffness especially when trying to roll out of bed in the morning. I had just accepted this is way its going to be. After having some time on my hands, I thought I would do a bit of research and see if there were any effective stretches I could do to improve/strengthen my back. Well, after a finding a few video's I came across this one which I particularly liked. It's 4 moves which are quick and easy to do and can be done in less than 3 minutes. I could feel my back was stiff after the first time I tried it, but it was stiff in all my problem places, so I continued to do these stretches every morning and I have to say I can feel a difference. I feel am less stiff and have more movement in my lower back. Give it try and see if it helps you. Thank you SVELTE Disclaimer: Always seek medical guidance from your doctor or qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or medical condition.

Product: Massage balls are a great product which can help to release troublesome tight muscles. Depending on where you feel the tension you can place the massage ball on the floor and place of 70% of your body weight on the tight muscle to release the tension, or alternatively you can place the massage ball against a wall and place the tight muscle on the ball and gentle roll over the muscle where you can feel tenderness, gently roll over that spot until you can feel the tension release and the tenderness reduce. Pros: - A Massage Ball can reach tense muscles when foam rollers can't quite hit the spot. - Helps to improve blood flow and lymphatic circulation - It can stimulate the stretch reflex in muscles - Lacrosse ball/massage balls are a little bit firmer than tennis balls so you will get a better result. Cons: - Getting the right spot is a fine art, it may take a few goes to hit the spot. Click here to find out more and buy a PROTONE Lacrosse ball I have also found a video which gives you a brief tutorial:

EMMETT Therapy not only helps to reduce pain an improve range of movement, EMMETT Therapy can also help to relax the body and help improve breathing, Ross Emmett says, "This move may be beneficial during challenging times to assist in relaxation, anxiety and to make breathing easier." This move is called ‘Rescue’. From personal experience I have really benefited from this particular technique and I also find it helps me if I am unable to settle at night. I also use this move on my daughter when she is sometimes unable to settle herself at night. Take a look closely at this video to really understand each move which makes up the sequence of ‘Rescue’ and see for yourself. Once you have repeated this move as many times as you need to, you should find you are able to breath deeper as you open up your airways, helping you to relax. To find out more about the EMMETT Technique or to find out where your local EMMETT Therapist is Click Here

Many of my clients ask me how to use a foam roller? What are the best stretches I should do? Stretches and techniques are always evolving and so I am never too keen to show specific stretches. I always suggest my clients to look on the internet for specific instructors who specialise in using a foam roller. But saying that I suppose I am leading my clients to get lost in a minefield of information. So I have found this video which shows you how to use a foam roller on your main muscles: Foam Rollers are handy to have when you need it, here are some of the top foam rollers available, just click the image for more information.

I don’t know about you but when I think of Holistic Massage I think of the treatment as being a ‘treat’. I have a cheeky space in the calendar this week, I think I shall have some ‘Me' time. Having ‘Me’ time’ is brilliant and that’s the way it should be, time for yourself is fantastic as it allows you to have time to let your muscles relax and to ‘reset’ your body. The problem is as I said earlier we see Massage as a treat. To really see the benefits of Massage these treats should happen more often. Cars are regularly serviced to ensure they perform at their optimum. If the cars are not serviced their performance deteriorates and before you know it the big end has gone (whatever that means) and the words you hear from your mechanic is ‘…..ooh, that’s gonna cost ya’! So why should it be any different for humans? We find if we don’t look after ourselves and keep ourselves in good working order we could find we could have long-lasting negative effects on our health. It’s great that we have the NHS to look after us when we really need it, but there is so much more we can do to look after ourselves before we take up the NHS’s valuable time. Ensuring we have a good work-life balance helps, regular exercise, regular massage (I know, I am biased) but all things really do help to ensure we are performing at our optimum. I really do believe regular massage should be incorporated into everyone’s lives, but I also know to maintain your health this way does not always fit into every household budget. Which is why I created my membership offer where anyone can get discounted treatments by paying a small subscription fee each month. This is a great way to encourage you to commit to looking regularly after yourself and save money. Subscriptions start from just £5 per month, which will allow you to have Treatments from just £20. You are not limited to the number of treatments you can have each month. There is also a family subscription available, which will cover you and everyone in your family household. If you wish to find out more about membership and sign up just click here It only takes a few moments to set up. Once the subscription is set up you can go right ahead and book your discounted treatment.