Mud Baths

Mud therapy also known as fungotherapy has been used for centuries in Europe to treat rheumatism and skin conditions. Today we can still find people enjoying its benefits in nature like in Israel at the Dead Sea or in various spas around the world. Some spas offer a bath uniquely filled with warm mud while others add some mud to a hot bath. It is also possible to experience it as a body wrap. The mud can be composed of peat moss, water from hot springs, volcanic ashes and its remineralizing qualities can help with a variety of ailments.

4 Types of mud

Moor:

This mud has a p.h level of 5.5 and can be found in the plains or in the mountains. The mountain mud will be more remineralizing because it contains water that has picked up the richness from the surrounding rocks while the mud from the plains is enriched with about 1500 plants depending on the area.

Marine:

Extracted from the sea 20 to 50 meters from the shoreline to avoid pollution, it is enriched with marine vegetation.

Thermal:

Found in hot springs the minerals in this mud will vary according to the region.

Volcanic:

Like the name says, it is found in volcanic regions and its richness come from volcanic ashes.
The Benefits of mud

Mud can help with joint and muscle problems like tendonitis and bursitis and its anti-inflammatory properties can reduce swelling and soothe arthritis symptoms. It has a great effect on skin by getting rid of dead skin cells, rehydrating the epidermis, healing scars and soothing eczema and psoriasis. Its detoxifying properties can aid in clearing acne and cellulite. It also works at improving circulation for heavy legs, edema, phlebitis and varicose veins. Floating in this substance can be a very relaxing feeling and calm nervous tension and stress.

We can experience the richness from the earth via this therapeutic mud.

Swimming in volcanic mud in Colombia

Lymphatic Drainage Massage for Fibromyalgia

Lymphatic drainage massage is to be considered if you suffer from fibromyalgia. This technique involves light pressure that will encourage the lymph to go to the lymph nodes so that the cleaning process of the body can be stimulated. The light pressure that is used can be very enjoyable for the painful body of a fibromyalgia sufferer.
Why they will benefit

A lot of medication: People with fibromyalgia sometimes need to take a lot of medication to ease their symptoms. These drugs that are in their systems can cause other problems leading them to take other pills for these. Before they know it, they have a full medicine cabinet and are stuck in a vicious circle. Lymphatic drainage can help them clear out the accumulation of these substances therefore decreasing the side effects that come with ingesting them. It can also come in handy when they are trying to wean themselves of a medication that they didn’t find particularly helpful. Before stopping any medication they should however verify with their doctor for tips on how to do this properly. Lymphatic drainage will be used as a treatment to facilitate this process.

Digestive problems: With all the medication, stress and anxiety that comes with having fibromyalgia the digestive tract can take a beating. Our emotions can put our stomachs in knots and the pills make it work hard to clear out the unnatural matter that comes with them. The digestive organs are surrounded with lymph nodes in charge to keep these ones clean. Lymphatic massage will come stimulate these areas in order to clear them up and assure their proper function. A clear stomach that is detoxified from medication can in turn clear the mind.

Pain Management: A person with fibromyalgia can be very sensitive and the thought of a deep massage might scare them. Lymphatic massage is however a very gentle technique. The light pressure of the therapist will work the body and the nerve endings that pick up on this sensation will replace the message of pain with one of delight. Lymphatic drainage will also reduce inflammation and work out lactic acid that comes with aches and pains.

Reducing Stress: Like many types of massages, lymphatic drainage can be very relaxing. Going for a treatment is a moment we take for ourselves and where we can detach from our everyday stresses and lose ourselves in the rhythmic motions of the therapist.
Is this treatment for me?

This is recommended if your fibromyalgia is very acute and you can’t handle the pressure of a massage or if you are feeling the effect of a lot of medication.

Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage
Lymphatic Drainage for Cellulite
Massage Therapy for Fibromyalgia
Reflexology for Fibromyalgia

Bamboo Massage

Hhhhhmmm!!!! Interesting name. Sounds exotic but what does this consist of? Well as the name says, it’s a massage. As for the bamboo part, we can find a variety of different size bamboo sticks used as tools by the massage therapist to apply a good pressure to the tight aching muscles with barely any effort.

What to expect during the treatment

The therapist will start by applying oil to the entire body without massaging. In close range, he will have handy his bamboo sticks (the half pint, the middle man and the shorty). These vary in size and will be switched from one to another depending on the size of the client or the area to be worked on. The treatment starts off with long stokes. Large surfaces are covered with one glide to prepare the body fully for the work to come and to allow the therapist to evaluate the tense areas. Some long stokes are static, the stick does not move but is however moved by the therapist. Others strokes consist of gliding the stick and giving it either a half or full roll or adding a vibration movements. All these techniques can also be applied to short strokes where the therapist will concentrate on one area of a segment. Example, working the calf of the leg. Fanning strokes can be used to work the sides of the body. The therapist will mobilize one end of the stick and move the other end in a full range resembling a fan opening up. They may also use the tip of the stick to target specific knots really digging in to them or to strip away tension from a specific muscle.

Who would like this?

If you like a massage with good pressure that really digs into the muscles this treatment is to be considered. These tools allow the therapist to work hard without any effort. Their weight is simply transferred onto your body via the bamboo.

Sea Shell Massage

Finding a spa in nature at San Antero volcano

When I was planning my trip to Colombia, I started doing some research on sites to see. One thing that I came across was the San Antero volcano. This grabbed my attention. As I started to look more into it, I saw pictures and videos of people swimming in a pit of mud. Working in a spa, I am very aware of all the benefits of all different types of mud, but being in an area where volcanic mud is hard to come across I did not have the opportunity to try this one out. I told my boyfriend, who was also my tour guide that I had to go there.

We left his town early in the morning and after 2 buses and riding in the back of a truck we finally arrived to our destination. I know that mud is very remineralizing and it can help with all kinds of inflammations, muscle and joint pains, and it does wonders for skin problems like eczema and psoriasis. In my case, I had a wicked sun burn from spending time at the beach a few days earlier and I was anxious to see the healing mud work it’ s wonders on me.

As we walked up a hill, we arrived to the entrance of the pit. We were the clean people walking in to a population of muddy people. Anxious to join the fun, we quickly found a spot to put our stuff and got into our bathing suits. Our major concern was how much we would sink in this pit but looking at the crowd, nobody seemed to be drowning. To enter, we had two options, either jump in from up high or go in slowly, holding to cords as to not to slip and fall. Since we still weren’t convinced on the sinking part, we opted to go in slowly.

As I was making my way into the pit, I was crossing muddy bodies looking for a hand to help them out. It didn’t take long for my clean body to become dirty. I finally made my way to the surface of the mud and dipped one foot it. Ohh!! Warm and slimy, I thought, but very nice, enough to convince me to submerge myself fully. Once all in, I used the chords that ran across to pull myself towards the center. Because the mud was so thick, this ended up being quite the workout and I was once again reassured that I wouldn’t sink. In the center the mud was a bit cooler, probably because there was less action here. On the hand, it made it the perfect place to relax. I was enjoying the feeling and decided it was time to cover my face and hair. It didn’t take long for the mud to dry up in these areas but I knew it was a good thing because it was working at pulling out all the toxins. After about 30 minutes we decided to start making our way out knowing that it would take some work. It was now our turn to rely on the incomers for a helping hand.

Once out, we started removing some of the layers of mud with our hands. This mud had literally gotten everywhere and it was time to head over to the showers. Once there, I was greeted by a woman that offered to wash me for a tip. I hesitated at first, feeling funny to have other people doing things for me but quickly realized that if I was alone working to clear off the mud, it would take too much time and I’d be holding up the line. As I stood under the stream of water, she started to give me a complete scrub down. If the mud alone wasn’t enough to increase the circulation in my legs, her vigorous hands would certainly help.

When I was all cleaned up, my boyfriend noticed that my face was slightly red. I could feel it tight and tingly, which made me feel that it was working. The heating sensation I had from my sunburn was alleviated and the swelling came down. I noticed my skin went from raw burnt to flaking and healing the days following this treatment. My experience has made me a believer of the healing properties of San Antero’s volcanic mud.

Sea Shell Massage

Throughout history sea shells have had importance in many cultures. They once have been used as currency in the Indian and Pacific oceans as well as America, Africa and the Caribbean. Because of their shape, they made great tools used as scrapers, blades and shovels. They are also believed to have very good healing energy and are a strong symbolism in many religions of the world. Today, you can go to a massage therapist who will use a variety of shells as tools to work out your tension and hopefully you will benefit from its healing powers.

What to expect during the treatment:

This treatment consists of a Swedish massage where the therapist will use cone scallops and fan shaped shells with all their different texture as a tool to work your knots and tension. The different contours can be used in a variety of different ways to offer a deep penetrating massage. The massage therapist could use the shells cool or warmed up in hot water. The hot shells could be placed in different areas on the body for concentrated heat or passed along the members, back and neck to increase circulation on an entire area. They might also pour a few drops of essential oils onto the hot shells that have been placed on the body to bring in the added benefits of aromatherapy.

The Benefits to this treatment:

This massage can have therapeutic effect on the muscles. The shells can be used to penetrate deeper and if they are warmed up, they can relax tight, achy muscles and offer pain relief. Using the shells hot will also increase blood circulation which will have a ripple effect on the lymphatic system ridding the body of toxins like lactic acid and helping with circulatory problems. This treatment can also be very relaxing, therefore reducing stress, anxiety and even helping with insomnia. Also, the texture of certain shells can offer a slight exfoliation that will take care of dead skin cells.

With all these benefits how could you not enjoy the healing powers of the shells?

Foot Bath Recipes

Foot baths are really easy to prepare and beneficial for simply relaxing or for helping all kinds of problems. You can use a foot bath machine or simply a large bowl and add water, a few ingredients from the kitchen and/or aromatherapy to aid your feet. Below you will find a few suggestions for different recipes to work on various foot ailments.

Ginger foot bath

Good for cleansing the feet, it can help clear up infections and fungal conditions like athlete’s foot.

Ingredient
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger root
• 3 liters of hot water
• 1 once of dried sage
• 1 once of dried rosemary
• 20 drops of tea tree essential oil

Instructions
1. Chop onion and garlic finely. Grate the ginger root. Heat water in a large sauce pan and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Let simmer gently for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Stain the liquid into a foot bath and let cool for about 4 minutes. Add the tee tree oil to the foot bath.
3. Soak your feet in the bath for about 20 minutes with a towel over your feet and the bowl. This will keep the heat. Then pat your feet dry, taking care to dry thoroughly between your toes.

Peppermint lavender foot soak

Good for soothing aches, removing odours, and softening skin.

Ingredients
• ½ a cup of Epson salts
• 5 drops of peppermint oil
• 3 drops of tea tree oil
• 3 drops of lavender oil

Instructions
Put all the ingredients to a foot bath filled with hot water. Soak feet for 10-15 minutes. Dry properly and moisturize.

Honey foot soak

Good for soothing feet it is antiseptic as well as relaxing.

Ingredients
• 1 cup of honey
• 1 gallon of warm water

Instructions
Mix the honey to the warm water in a foot bath. Soak for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!

Bath Recipes
Herbal Bath Recipes

Breathing Methods and Their Benefits

Most people don’t take the time to breathe properly. Their breaths are quick and short. Most of the time, they are not even conscious of their breathing at all. Full, deep, relaxed breaths are very beneficial to our health and taking the time to do this can help us with a variety of problems. For example, oxygen is very important for our cells health, and they rely on us to bring it in via our lungs and through the blood system. Also, when we take deep breaths, our diaphragm is lowered into our stomach and encourages digestion. This allows us to eliminate properly. When we take the time to breathe properly, we can also ease stress and anxiety. The deep breaths allow us to slow down our heart rate there for calming us down. Working on these systems with breathing can help with a variety of problems. Below you will find different breathing exercises as well as their benefits.

Before Starting:

Find a comfortable place with no distractions. Allow yourself at least 15 minutes to practice.

Cleansing breath oxygen intake, bringing clarity to the mind and improving concentration:

• Take one deep inhalation
• On the exhalation, sharply contract the abdominals to push all the air out. Breathe through the nostrils making a sighing sound.
• Relax the abdominal and take another deep slow inhalation. Repeat these steps 10 to 20 times.
• After inhale and exhale normally. Inhale once again and hold your breath for as long as it is comfortable. Slowly exhale and pay attention to your mind.

Alternate nostril breathing for soothing the nervous system and calming the mind:

• Put your thumb your thumb and index finger on the side of your nose at the base. Press down on the left nostril and inhale.
• Clip the nostrils together and hold your breath for a bit.
• With you index finger press down on the left nostril and exhale through the right.
• Now inhale through the left nostril keeping pressure on the right one.
• Now exhale through the right nostril while putting pressure on the left.
• Repeat this series 3-5 times, as you get better you can work your way to 20.

Cooling breath for purifying the blood, quenching thirst and stimulating the liver and spleen:

• Stick out your tongue and curl up the side to make a tube. Breathe in as if you are sucking air through a straw.
• Bring your tongue to your palate and hold your breath for a few seconds.
• Exhale through your nose.
• Repeat 3-5 times.

Bee breath for calming the mind, helping pregnant woman prepare for labor and improving the quality of the voice:

• Contract the upper part of your wipe and inhale smoothly but with force.
• Exhale smoothly through both nostrils.
• Repeat 5-10 times.

Victorious breath for strengthening the nervous system, relieving tiredness, removing excess phlegm, gas or bile.

• Exhale deeply and expand the chest for a deep inhalation.
• Contract the back of your throat in order to narrow the air passage.
• Compress the abdominal and expulse as mush air as possible.
• Repeat 5 times.
• Finish by taking 5 normal deep breaths holding your breath between inhalation and exhalations.

Jewel city breathing for cleansing the lungs, improving circulation, bringing clarity to the mind and increasing energy.

• Take deep inhalations and exhalations for 1-2 minutes.
• On an exhalation bring the naval toward the spine.
• On the inhalation bring relax the muscles around the naval and imagine energy coming into your naval.
• Repeat 5-10 times.

With these exercise you will be forced to take the time for yourself and breathing properly. Your mind, body and spirit will thank you.

Aromatherapy for Anxiety
5 Steps To Manage Stress And Anxiety