​As the weather starts to cool down and summer moves into fall we are entering the Earth Element time of the year.  One major function of the Earth Element is digestion and assimilation of foods and fluids. This function can also be extended to the digestion and assimilation of thoughts and activities.

In thinking about the Earth Element, I've been reflecting on my own means of nourishment and feeling the need to soak up a little extra this season. Are you feeling that way too? I'd like to invite you to make a list of what foods and activities make you feel deeply nourished and spend a little extra time each day soaking up the nourishment.

Here are a couple ideas from my list: bone broth, vegetables (all of them), meditation, getting extra sunshine, gardening, hugs, sleep, connecting with friends/family and reading. 

Much love,
Amy

I’ve decided to “continue to pause” before reopening for in-person bodywork sessions. Massage therapy has been slated to reopen on June 1st by Governor Walz, but the consensus of many local bodywork therapists and my intuition is that this is just too soon. I assure you that I am taking your health (and my own) very seriously, and also working hard to find a way to provide bodywork services in the most ethical and safe way. One of the reasons that I started practicing massage was because of the profound effects that it had on my mental, physical and emotional body. I wanted to spread that love to others.  Bodywork can be an integral therapy to support people through this time and the element of touch is important as we are more isolated than ever. 
 
Before reopening, I will be working diligently to get a preparedness plan in place, collect supplies (many are on backorder),  and sifting through options on how to restructure operations to build in time for extensive cleaning between clients and pre-appointment screening. There are going to be a lot of changes, but my dedication to providing therapeutic sessions focused on your health goals will not change.
 
Mind-Body Self-Care Consults (more info about these sessions below) will continue to be offered. I have also made a library of free videos of self care tips for physical pain and tension and to reduce stress. You can find all of the videos here. If you need in-person support reach out and I can refer you to a therapist that is open for sessions.
 
My next benchmark for reopening is in the end of June-early July. I will keep you posted on the exact date. Thank you for your patience and understanding. I’m really looking forward to getting back in the treatment room and working with you! 
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​We’re well into spring and I wanted to share a self-care video focused on abdominal self massage techniques that you can do at home to support detoxification and digestion. Usually in the spring, I start thinking about supporting my detoxification process with gentle cleansing techniques like abdominal self massage, increasing movement, drinking extra water and incorporating spring herbs like dandelion into my routine. In Chinese Medicine, the spring is connected to the Liver and Gallbladder, so giving these organs some extra attention during the spring can be helpful. You can read more about the Liver and Gallbladder Organ Systems and their connection to spring here. 
 A couple months ago, I wrote an article for Wellness Minneapolis about the benefits of abdominal massage, specifically as support for “spring cleaning” the organs. You can read the article here. All of the benefits of abdominal massage discussed in the article still apply to self massage that you do at home. Working on your own abdomen can have a huge impact on detoxification, supporting elimination and releasing stuck emotions. It also allows you to connect to an area of the body that often doesn't receive touch. I would recommend doing these techniques 1-4/week. Start slow and gently. Notice how you feel afterwards and have some extra water throughout the day.

Click here to watch the video and start your abdominal self massage journey. 

Please reach out if you have any questions. Generally, abdominal massage is not recommended during active menstruation, during the 1st trimester or pregnancy, after a recent abdominal surgery, or during active or acute infection in the abdomen. If you have any questions about whether abdominal self massage is right for you feel free to email me at adawsbodywork@gmail.com.

I don't know about you, but I've been thinking a lot about my breath lately (and monitoring it for changes). The breath reflects our internal state and can be a great way to gauge how we're feeling in the moment. It's very common during times of stress to restrict the diaphragm, our major breathing muscle and breath more shallowly. Focusing on breathing deeply into the belly slows the heart rate and blood pressure as well as switches the body out of "fight or flight mode." Deep belly breathing also gives our organs a gentle massage which can help to regulate digestion.

Here's a simple how to: 

1.) Lay down flat with a pillow or bolster under your knees.
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2.) Rest one hand on your rib cage (heart area) and one hand on your abdomen.

3.) Slowly start to regulate and even out your breath. This can be done by counting in for 4 on the inhale and out for 4 on the exhale.

4.) Inhale through your nose, drawing the breath in deeply to the abdomen. Feel the expansion of the abdomen with the hand that is resting there. 

5.) Purse your lips and slowly exhale out of the mouth feeling the abdomen contract.

5.) Do this for 5-10 minutes or more.

Checking in with your breath regularly throughout the day and using this tool to regulate it can start to train your body to breath this way naturally. This is also a great exercise to do before bed to settle into sleep mode and let go of the stresses of the day.

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This winter has seemed pretty mild to me. Little less snow, not as cold. I thought I was cruising through pretty unscathed until it hit. The winter doldrums.

During the winter, I try to allow myself to relax more, do some reflection, meditate more, and generally be quieter or stiller. It seems to match what is going on outside anyway. Over the last week, I started to question if my stillness was turning to stagnation and then something happened on Sunday that reminded me of the power of movement during times of stagnation. On Sunday evening, I had plans to meet a friend at a yoga class. Had been looking forward to it all week, but when the time came to leave for class I was feeling anxious, bummed out and generally did not want to leave the house. For anything! Off I went to yoga class, wondering if I should have just stayed home. Within the 90 minute yoga class, my mood flipped from anxious and bummed out to grounded, calm and clear. It was truly a transformation. Over the next couple days, I kept thinking about how stark the difference in my mood and physical state were before and after the class. Since I practice bodywork, I also started to think about how yoga and bodywork are really similar in their ability to dramatically transform our physical and emotional states.

Both yoga and bodywork create physical movement. During a yoga practice, you are placing your body in different poses to open up different areas of the body and using breath to direct energy throughout the body. A well sequenced class can focus on a specific area of the body or intention like easing anxiety or stress and leaves the whole body feeling balanced as a whole. During a bodywork session the therapist is moving your body with manual techniques to free up areas of tension and pain, release stuck energy and stretch joints. Bodywork increases circulation and lymph and can aid in the detoxification process.

Yoga and bodywork have both been clinically researched to prove their efficacy in working with depression and anxiety. Massage has been proven to decrease cortisol levels on average 31% and increase serotonin on average 28% and dopamine on average 31% (1). Yoga has also been proven to decrease cortisol levels (2). Cortisol levels tend to be high during times of stress. Increased serotonin and dopamine make you feel better.

Yoga and bodywork both can be used as self care tools to reconnect to the body and breath. One of the things that I appreciate about doing yoga or getting bodywork is that focuses my awareness on what is going on in each part of my body. Is there pain, feelings of stuckness, restriction in my breath? The expertise of the therapist or yoga instructor facilitates this tour of the body and holds a nurturing space for healing. Both yoga and bodywork remind us of the container that is our body and the boundary of the physical body. A super bonus for those of us that tend to walk around in our heads for most of the day. 

All of this is to say that if you are starting to feel the winter doldrums it may be time to shake things up a bit with a bodywork session or a yoga class or some other activity that can create a shift. I also like to go for walks or use aromatherapy when movement or a mood shift is needed. Movement breaks up stillness and it's always helpful to have a healthy balance of both.

References:
1. Hou, W.H., Chiang, P.T., Hsu, T.Y., Chiu, S.Y., Yen, Y.C. (2010). Treatment effects of massage therapy in depressed people: a meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry. 71(7):894-901.
2. J. Thirthalli, G. H. Naveen, M. G. Rao, S. Varambally, R. Christopher,1 and B. N. Gangadhar. (2013). Cortisol and antidepressant effects of yoga. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 55(Suppl2): S405-S408.

There have been so many new and expecting parents in my life lately! Many of my friends are becoming parents and I have seen an influx of bodywork clients who are pregnant or new parents in the last couple months. All this parentness has inspired me to write a post about how awesome bodywork can be during pregnancy and as a person enters the realm of parenthood. Medical professionals are increasingly recommending bodywork during pregnancy for pain, stress and anxiety relief. Although one massage during pregnancy is great, regular bodywork during pregnancy and throughout the time of parenthood can be a wonderful addition to any expecting or new parent's self care routine.

For clients that are pregnant, massage can be a great way to relieve discomfort from the musculoskeletal changes that are inevitable during pregnancy. It is also a wonderful way to sooth anxiety or stress that comes with the current and expected changes to life. Bodywork is generally safe for pregnant individuals through the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester. High risk pregnancies can still benefit from bodywork, but be sure to let your practitioner know so that they can additionally modify the session. If you are not sure if bodywork is right for you it's always a good idea to check with your doctor first. 

Specific Symptoms that bodywork can address during pregnancy:

• Sciatic nerve pain
• Muscle and joint pain
• Stress and anxiety
• Swelling or edema in extremities
• Improve circulation

How is bodywork during pregnancy different than regular bodywork?

Focus of the session:
In general, bodywork for pregnant clients is focused on relaxation and increasing comfort. A session can focus on addressing any of the common symptoms that arise during pregnancy: sciatica, muscle/joint pain, stress and anxiety, edema, and decreased circulation. Specific work can be done to relief muscle and joint pain, but there are certain areas of the body where deep digging is avoided because of the vulnerability of these areas. During pregnancy, the body releases relaxin, a hormone that allows for the bones and joints to shift to make room for the baby. Work in the hips and low back is more gentle. Greater care is taken when stretching to take into consideration that the joints and bones are more loose and easily manipulated. In Shiatsu, certain acupressure points are avoided as to not move the energy too forcefully downward. 

Positioning:
Special cushions are used to support the body during pregnancy. The cushions can be used to a certain point in the pregnancy (usually through the 1st trimester) to allow you to lay face down without pressure on the abdomen. The cushions can also be used to support you in laying on your side or in a semi-reclined position on the back. Getting a massage while laying on your side feels different than a regular massage, but still covers all the bases and allows for areas like the back, neck and shoulders to be worked on.

How often to come:
While one bodywork session during pregnancy is awesome, regular bodywork can have additional benefits and increase comfort for the parent and child.  According to an article in Parent's magazine:

"Studies from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami suggest that moms-to-be who get a weekly massage have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and higher levels of the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine. Researchers have linked these hormonal changes to fewer childbirth complications, including a 75 percent reduction in premature births among depressed women. Though you don't need to be depressed to reap the benefits of massage, another Touch Research Institute study found that pregnant women suffering from depression had significant improvement in mood, as well as decreased anxiety, after receiving a 20-minute massage twice a week."

Bodywork for all new parents
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Continuing to get regular bodywork after pregnancy is a great way to establish much needed self care into the new routine of raising a child. Postnatal massage can help the body adjust back to it's pre-pregnancy shape more comfortably. It can also be helpful to all parents as they get used to new movements that come with raising children: feeding, carrying the baby and juggling carriers and bags. I have found that many of these sessions are focused on neck, shoulders, back and hips as you get used to these new movements. Stress and anxiety relief are also incorporated to sooth the mind and enhance the mood as parents move through this transitional time.

References:
1. https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/pampering/prenatal-massage/. The Benefits of Prenatal Massage by Belle: University Chancelor.