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The American Cancer Society regards Reiki as a “safe” complementary cancer therapy. 

Reiki is an Eastern Energy Technique used for stress reduction, relaxation, and bringing the body back into balance.   Reiki induced relaxation enables the body to begin to heal and prevent illness.  It lowers heart rate and helps to reduce the production of harmful, inflammatory chemicals and hormones released by the body when it is under stress (adrenaline, cortisol).  When Reiki is used as a complementary therapy during cancer treatment it can ease the emotional and physical side effects of traditional cancer therapies.

The University of Michigan reports that Reiki works by raising the vibration of the bio-field.  The bio-field is medically recognized as the multi-layered Vibrational field that surrounds and penetrates the body.  Currently, over 800 hospitals nationwide (including Duke, Columbia Presbyterian) offer Reiki to assist patients in overcoming the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and to boost the immune system.

If you are interested in experiencing Reiki contact Denise Boehm

Health Lymph Flow Keeps Immunity Boosted

A healthy flow of our body’s lymphatic system is critical for optimal health.  Part of the body’s circulatory system, think of the vast and intricate system of fluids, nodes, glands, ducts, and vessels as our waste disposal system.  It continuously cleans and removes waste from our body.

The lymph fluid in the body is like oil in a car.  Its job, in part, s to remove bacteria, cellular debris, excess water, proteins, and wastes from the tissues.  If the lymph fluid becomes dirty, it moves slowly, builds up sludge, impacts performance, and can cause a host of problems.  A sluggish and inefficient lymphatic system degrades and impairs the immune system.  Swelling, inflammation, pain, fatigue, and a variety of illnesses are possible when your immune system is impaired.  Every part of the body is influenced by the lymphatic system because no matter what the purpose of the cells, they all need to be nourished and cleansed.

Poor lymphatic flow can be caused by a variety of factors.  Most obvious are surgeries, physical trauma, Cancer therapies, swelling, and edema.  However, the most common cause of an inefficient lymphatic system has to do with lifestyle choices.  We are a society “on the run”.  We don’t take time to take care of ourselves.  In reality, we take better care of our cars than we take care of ourselves.  As a result, we often don’t get enough sleep; we eat on the run and tend to eat convenience foods that are loaded with preservatives and chemicals that our bodies were never meant to process.  We don’t get enough exercise, and interestingly enough, lymphatic fluid needs muscle power and contraction to move it around the body so it can do its job.

Ben Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. So, if you are suffering from low energy, fatigue, pain, and inflammation or if you are susceptible to colds, viruses or the flu here are a few tips:

  • Encourage lymph flow with a lymphatic drainage treatment
  • Clean up your food choices. Reduce/eliminate preservatives/chemicals from your diet (processed foods)
  • Get out and move.  If you can’t commit to a gym, use your feet—walk, bike, swim

Denise Boehm, M.S., NCBTMB, LMT, MLD/C

Energy medicine has been used effortlessly by a variety of healers in various forms to improve health for centuries.

Many manual therapy providers think of energy work as advanced practice outside the realm of traditional bodywork or as pseudo-science not supported by systematic evidence. Many others see energy work through the lens of traditional acupuncture, qi gong, chakra healing, Reiki, or Touch for Health.

Additionally, evidence suggests that undefined subtle forces can be directed to others to produce measurable biological effects, and to date, there is statistically significant evidence that energy medicine may be helpful for reducing low-grade pain intensity and improving quality of life in pain populations.

Furthermore, energy therapies have no known reported risks, indicating they are a safe and viable option for primary or adjunct treatment.

 

Still, without established clinical guidelines, the challenge remains on how to incorporate energy work into a busy clinical bodywork practice.

Energy Dynamics

Energetic Balancing Total Body (EBTB), a technique I developed and teach, bridges the gap between traditional bodywork and energy medicine. The manual techniques used in EBTB work with the energy dynamics of the anatomy and physiology of the body to release both acute and long-standing chronic patterns to reduce pain and improve functional outcomes.

To understand how we need to review both energy science and quantum physics.

Energy is defined as the capacity to perform work. According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, the total amount of energy in the universe is constant — incapable of being created or destroyed — and can only change from one form to another.

Common forms of energy include solid mass or as non-solid matter, such as heat, light, electrical, sound, gravitational, potential (stored energy), and kinetic (energy of motion). Quantum physics states that mass and energy are interchangeable, and consequently that mass is merely a manifestation of energy. This means that everything, including humans, is simply energy stored in mass particle form.

According to the theories associated with the universal energy field. all matter and psychological processes — thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and attitudes — are composed of energy. When applied to the human body, every atom, molecule, cell, tissue, and body system is composed of energy that when superimposed on each other creates what is known as the human energy field.

The Human Energy Field

In particle form, the solid mass of the human body is composed of four types of tissues: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nerve tissue. A closer examination of the epithelial tissue (skin), however, shows how the tissue is actually created by these superimposed energy fields.

First, observe the skin. Note the wrinkles, the fine hairs, and the nail beds. Tap the table. Hear the sound and feel how solid it appears to be. Now, magnify the skin under a microscope. Magnified times 20,000, the solid mass of skin turns into a field of swarming cells. Greater magnification reveals the organelles within the cell. Continue to magnify to see that those organelles are composed of molecules.

Molecules are created when two or more atoms form chemical bonds with each other. Atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter. There are 90 naturally occurring atoms in the periodic table that combine to make everyday objects, such as a desk, the air, and even the human body.

Now, magnify the atoms and observe the sub-atomic energy clouds that make up those atoms. These energy clouds are composed of a nucleus with a positively charged proton and neutrally charged neutron. Circling the nucleus are negatively charged electrons. Further magnification reveals other sub-atomic particles, such as quarks and gluons. Yet, these subatomic particles are not really particles but are instead units of energy with vast distances between each spinning electron making atoms 99.999999999% empty space.

Therefore, a closer examination of the epithelial tissue or skin, which appears very solid and in particle form, reveals it is 99.999999999% empty space. In actuality, the hand is made up of superimposed dynamic energy in constant vibration and of consciousness.

This is what makes energy work possible.

Vital Life Force

From an energy medicine perspective, energy refers to subtle, imperceptible forces frequently described as a vital force or life force that flows through the body. Since all matter and psychological processes — thought, beliefs, emotions, and consciousness — are composed of energy, the physical body is, therefore, the manifestation or representation of an energy field made of superimposed dynamic segments of vibration.

Nothing rests. Everything vibrates. Everything, in some subtle way, moves.

Every living thing pulses with the flow of life force that pervades the universe. Life is movement. When this movement is disturbed, there is a disease. An excessive, deficient, or obstructed energy flow creates illness or abnormal function. In turn, a balanced energy flow promotes health.

As previously mentioned, (EBTB) bridges the gap between traditional bodywork and energy medicine. Over time, I believe, based on my own experience and anecdotal evidence, the body stores patterns of physical tension, stress, and trauma. Additionally, the tissues store unresolved emotions, thoughts, beliefs, consciousness, fears, and phobias. Together, these create long-standing stress patterns throughout the body that do not respond to traditional bodywork.

Used as a free-standing treatment or in conjunction with other manual therapies, EBTB works with the energy dynamics of anatomy and physiology to create shifts in the body.

Energy can appear in both wave and particle form. The waveform represents potential, whereas the particle is the manifested form of one of those potentials. The observation that collapses that potential into physical form comes from our experiences, conditioning, expectations, thoughts, and beliefs.

The physical body is, therefore, a manifested form of potential in particle form.

Once observation causes a wave to take particle form, the other possibilities or probabilities cease to exist. The role of an energy worker is to observe alternate potentials that may be available to the client. The observation of an alternate potential provides the opportunity for attention and energy to shift from a fixed particle form back to a wave of possibility, and this is where change can occur.

The aim is to balance this excess, deficient, or stagnant subtle energy fields to improve energy flow and promote health.

What is Energetic Balancing Total Body?

EBTBis a supportive treatment approach that addresses the body as a total unit while supporting the innate ability of the body to heal. This concept of holism refers to the physical representation of the sum of the structural, physiological, energetic, mental, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, consciousness, and environmental influences.

This is also known as the total body lesion. As the body accumulates acute and chronic stress patterns, tension from unresolved mental, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual/consciousness issues can lead to pain, poor posture, restricted range of motion, and altered function.

This technique includes an evaluation, principle-based treatment, and re-evaluation. Evaluation and re-evaluation are used to not only identify the total body energetic lesion but to also measure the effectiveness of the energetic balancing treatment. Doing this builds both confidence and credibility as a practitioner.

Principle-based treatment use techniques that treat the physical, mental, emotional, behavioral, spiritual/consciousness factors, and environmental influences on the patient.

Along with many other effective types of energy work being researched, explored and implemented into bodywork practices today, EBTB is a technique and process that could benefit clients while expanding the professional repertoire of the massage therapist.

Kerry D’Ambrogio, DOM, AP, PT, DO-MTP, is a physical therapist, osteopath, board-certified acupuncture physician, and the author of Positional Release Therapy (Mosby). Information on his manual therapy treatment approaches and continuing education courses available on his website. He wrote this article on behalf of the International Alliance of Healthcare Educators, of which his business is a member.

Massage + Lymphedema

Lymphedema is one of the most common conditions developed because of cancer treatment, causing swelling in the arms and legs that can be painful. For cancer patients dealing with this condition, lymphatic drainage has shown some promise. “When a massage therapist is trained in manual lymphatic drainage, they can play a huge role in helping to identify and treat lymphedema of the arm,” explains Tatninov.

“If the nodes have been removed, it is important for individuals to have the upper extremity drained from time to time to keep the lymphatic vessels open and working,” says Cynthia Oberdier, a licensed massage therapist and certified lymphatic therapist from Columbus, Ohio. “If no massage has been performed, an injury or insult to the extremity can cause the area to swell and become increasingly painful.”

The effects of lymphedema are long-lasting and don’t fade easily. For that reason, Tatninov also emphasized the need for awareness and constant communication with clients who have lymphedema when administering any type of massage. “If they have had axillary lymph nodes removed, you want to use light pressure at the arm,” says Tatninov. “If they have had inguinal lymph nodes removed, light pressure to the leg. Likewise, if they have had cervical lymph nodes dissected, you’d only use light pressure at the neck.”

 


References

1. Kinkead B, Schettler P, Larson E, Carroll D, Sharenko M, Nettles J., Edwards S, Miller A, Torres M, Dunlop B, Rakofsky J, and Rapaport M. "Massage therapy decreases cancer-related fatigue: results from a randomized early phase trial.Cancer. (2018) Feb1:124(3): 546–554.
2. Donoyama N, Satoh T, Hamano T, Ohkoshi N, and Onuki M. "Effects of Anma therapy (Japanese massage) on health-related quality of life in gynecologic cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial." PLoS One. (2018) 13(5).
3. Tarrasch R, Carmel-Neiderman NN, Ben-Ami S, Kaufman B, Pfeffer R, Ben-David M and Gamus D. "The effect of reflexology on the pain-insomnia-fatigue disturbance cluster of breast cancer patients during adjuvant radiation therapy." J Altern Complement Med. (2018) Jan; 24(1): 62–68.
4. Hou WH, Chiang PT, Hsu TY, Chiu SY, Yen YC. "Treatment effects of massage therapy in depressed people: a meta-analysis.J Clin Psych. (2010) 71:894–901.
5. Poland RE, Gertsik L, Favreau JT, Smith SI, Mirocha JM., Rao U, and Daar ES. "Open label, randomized, parallel-group controlled clinical trial of massage for treatment of depression in HIV-infected subjects.J Altern Complement Med. (2013) 19:334–340.
6. Zorba P, and Ozdemir L. "The preliminary effects of massage and inhalation aromatherapy on chemotherapy-induced acute nausea and vomiting: a quasi-randomized controlled pilot trial." Cancer Nurs. (2018) Sep/Oct; 4(5): 359–366.
7. Armstrong K, Lanni T Jr., Anderson MM, and Patricolo, GE. "Integrative medicine and the oncology patient: options and benefits.Support Care Cancer. (2018) Jul; 26(7): 2267–2273.
8. Mao JJ, Wagner KE, Seluzicki CM, Hugo A, Galindez LK, Sheaffer H, and Fox KR. "Integrating oncology massage into chemoinfusion suites: a program evaluation." (2017) Mar; 13(3).
9. Lee SH, Kim JY, Kim SH et al. "Meta-analysis of massage therapy on cancer pain.Integr Cancer Ther. 2015 Jul; 14(4):297–304.

Massage + Fatigue

When you are tired, you aren’t the same person. Fatigue can make some people short-tempered, or simply limit how engaged they feel in the activities they may have enjoyed at one time. Oncology patients already have the mental strain of fighting a life-threatening disease, so helping them find ways to alleviate this symptom can improve their ability to continue participating in the things they value. According to some new research, massage therapy can play a vital role in mitigating fatigue in oncology patients.

A 2018 study1 by the Emory University School of Medicine compared the effects of six weeks of once-weekly Swedish massage therapy on cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer survivors against an active control condition (light touch) and wait-list control. This randomized, single-masked, three-arm study comprised 66 breast cancer survivors who had received surgery plus radiation and/or chemotherapy/ chemoprevention who also had cancer-related fatigue. Fatigue levels were compared by measuring the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) and National Institutes of Health PROMIS Fatigue scale at baseline and after the six-week intervention.

Results showed there was a statistically significant six-week reduction in MFI total scores for both the Swedish massage and light touch participants, and a significant increase in MFI scores with the wait-list control group. “This finding suggests that six weeks of a safe, widely accepted manual intervention causes a significant reduction in fatigue, a debilitating sequela for cancer survivors,” researchers explain.

Similar results were found in a 2018 study2 on cancer-related fatigue in 40 gynecologic cancer survivors. Participants were randomized to either the active treatment group or control. The active treatment group received one 40-minute massage once per week for eight weeks. The control group did not receive massage therapy.

After eight weeks of receiving one 40-minute session of massage therapy, gynecologic survivors’ scores on fatigue and insomnia showed significant improvement compared to those who did not receive massage therapy. The study also showed that health-related quality of life improved in study participants who received massage.

There is also research that indicates integrative therapies can be helpful mid-treatment, too. One 2018 study3 took 72 women with breast cancer (stages 1-3) scheduled for radiation therapy and split them into two groups: one that received reflexology once a week and the other a control group. Findings illustrated that after five weeks of radiation therapy, those who received reflexology had statistically lower levels of fatigue; quality of sleep post-10 weeks of radiation was also improved.

“The results of the present study indicate that reflexology may have a positive effect on fatigue, quality of sleep, pain, and quality of life in breast cancer patients during radiation therapy,” researchers explain. “Reflexology prevented the decline in quality of life and significantly ameliorated the fatigue and quality of sleep of these patients.”

Sonia Tatninov, a massage therapist at Tulane Wellness in Brooklyn, New York, says her own experience is similar to what the research is finding. “Massage has a very direct effect in, at least temporarily, reducing fatigue, anxiety, and often a pain in cancer patients,” she says. “It is one of the few interventions that can provide some relief from the discomfort of peripheral neuropathy that can accompany chemotherapy treatments and still continue after treatment is completed.”

References

1. Kinkead B, Schettler P, Larson E, Carroll D, Sharenko M, Nettles J., Edwards S, Miller A, Torres M, Dunlop B, Rakofsky J, and Rapaport M. "Massage therapy decreases cancer-related fatigue: results from a randomized early phase trial.Cancer. (2018) Feb1:124(3): 546–554.
2. Donoyama N, Satoh T, Hamano T, Ohkoshi N, and Onuki M. "Effects of Anma therapy (Japanese massage) on health-related quality of life in gynecologic cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial." PLoS One. (2018) 13(5).
3. Tarrasch R, Carmel-Neiderman NN, Ben-Ami S, Kaufman B, Pfeffer R, Ben-David M and Gamus D. "The effect of reflexology on the pain-insomnia-fatigue disturbance cluster of breast cancer patients during adjuvant radiation therapy." J Altern Complement Med. (2018) Jan; 24(1): 62–68.
4. Hou WH, Chiang PT, Hsu TY, Chiu SY, Yen YC. "Treatment effects of massage therapy in depressed people: a meta-analysis.J Clin Psych. (2010) 71:894–901.
5. Poland RE, Gertsik L, Favreau JT, Smith SI, Mirocha JM., Rao U, and Daar ES. "Open label, randomized, parallel-group controlled clinical trial of massage for treatment of depression in HIV-infected subjects.J Altern Complement Med. (2013) 19:334–340.
6. Zorba P, and Ozdemir L. "The preliminary effects of massage and inhalation aromatherapy on chemotherapy-induced acute nausea and vomiting: a quasi-randomized controlled pilot trial." Cancer Nurs. (2018) Sep/Oct; 4(5): 359–366.
7. Armstrong K, Lanni T Jr., Anderson MM, and Patricolo, GE. "Integrative medicine and the oncology patient: options and benefits.Support Care Cancer. (2018) Jul; 26(7): 2267–2273.
8. Mao JJ, Wagner KE, Seluzicki CM, Hugo A, Galindez LK, Sheaffer H, and Fox KR. "Integrating oncology massage into chemoinfusion suites: a program evaluation." (2017) Mar; 13(3).
9. Lee SH, Kim JY, Kim SH et al. "Meta-analysis of massage therapy on cancer pain.Integr Cancer Ther. 2015 Jul; 14(4):297–304.

References

1. Kinkead B, Schettler P, Larson E, Carroll D, Sharenko M, Nettles J., Edwards S, Miller A, Torres M, Dunlop B, Rakofsky J, and Rapaport M. "Massage therapy decreases cancer-related fatigue: results from a randomized early phase trial.Cancer. (2018) Feb1:124(3): 546–554.
2. Donoyama N, Satoh T, Hamano T, Ohkoshi N, and Onuki M. "Effects of Anma therapy (Japanese massage) on health-related quality of life in gynecologic cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial." PLoS One. (2018) 13(5).
3. Tarrasch R, Carmel-Neiderman NN, Ben-Ami S, Kaufman B, Pfeffer R, Ben-David M and Gamus D. "The effect of reflexology on the pain-insomnia-fatigue disturbance cluster of breast cancer patients during adjuvant radiation therapy." J Altern Complement Med. (2018) Jan; 24(1): 62–68.
4. Hou WH, Chiang PT, Hsu TY, Chiu SY, Yen YC. "Treatment effects of massage therapy in depressed people: a meta-analysis.J Clin Psych. (2010) 71:894–901.
5. Poland RE, Gertsik L, Favreau JT, Smith SI, Mirocha JM., Rao U, and Daar ES. "Open label, randomized, parallel-group controlled clinical trial of massage for treatment of depression in HIV-infected subjects.J Altern Complement Med. (2013) 19:334–340.
6. Zorba P, and Ozdemir L. "The preliminary effects of massage and inhalation aromatherapy on chemotherapy-induced acute nausea and vomiting: a quasi-randomized controlled pilot trial." Cancer Nurs. (2018) Sep/Oct; 4(5): 359–366.
7. Armstrong K, Lanni T Jr., Anderson MM, and Patricolo, GE. "Integrative medicine and the oncology patient: options and benefits.Support Care Cancer. (2018) Jul; 26(7): 2267–2273.
8. Mao JJ, Wagner KE, Seluzicki CM, Hugo A, Galindez LK, Sheaffer H, and Fox KR. "Integrating oncology massage into chemoinfusion suites: a program evaluation." (2017) Mar; 13(3).
9. Lee SH, Kim JY, Kim SH et al. "Meta-analysis of massage therapy on cancer pain.Integr Cancer Ther. 2015 Jul; 14(4):297–304.

 

 

What’s the Deal with Chakras (and How Do I Know If Mine Are Blocked)?

You’ve probably come across chakras in your weekly yoga class or favorite meditation app, but you’re not actually sure what they are (or why they matter). Enter our handy guide to these energy centers, including what to do if you suspect that yours are blocked (you know, if you decide you're kind of into this sort of thing).

So, what are chakras? The word “chakra” comes from Sanskrit and translates to “wheel” or “disk,” referring to the shape of these whirling energy centers that unite mind, body, and spirit. “Everyone has seven main centers of energy, also known as chakras, throughout the body, beginning at the top of the head and going straight down to the bottom of your spine,” spa director Sharla Martin tells us. And each one of these energy centers has a specific function. The third eye chakra (or “Ajna” in Sanskrit), for example, is located in the middle of your forehead and is responsible for intuition and trust. The crown chakra (aka “Sahasrara”) sits at the top of your head and focuses on your spiritual connectivity.

And why are chakras important? “Chakras process and distribute energy that is needed for our health, well-being, and vitality,” healing practitioner Jissel Ravelo of Vibra Wellness explains. And according to yoga tradition, when your chakras are open, energy flows effortlessly throughout your body. But when your chakras are blocked, internal energy builds up, which throws the mind, body, and spirit connection into disharmony.

How can you tell if a chakra is blocked? “Good indications that one or more of your chakras are blocked are if you are struggling with a pattern that you can't seem to change, you feel heaviness or depletion for no obvious reason, or if there is physical discomfort or stiffness,” says Ravelo.

And how can you unblock a blocked chakra? First, identify the issue and match it up with one (or more) of the chakras, Ravelo tells us. Find out more about each chakra here or enlist the help of a Reiki or healing practitioner to figure out which one is troubling you. Then, depending on where the blockage is, there are different courses of action that practitioners will recommend including crystalsessential oilsyogameditation, and writing. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have some vinyasa to get to.

RELATED: THE 9 PEOPLE YOU SEE IN EVERY YOGA CLASS

Ways To Fight Back Pain 

Living with back pains is not easy. The following advice is going to help anyone struggling with back pain and need to find better ways to cope. Read through this article thoroughly and find the tips that work for you.

Find a quality mattress that has enough firmness to prevent back pain. It is generally agreed that overly soft mattresses are bad for your spinal health. Firm mattresses are considered most suitable, so long as they are not hard, too. You might have to visit many stores and try different kinds of mattresses at each location before finding one that is suitable for you.

Never ignore or "get by" with back pain. Many people ignore the signals that their bodies. They sometimes even attempt to just try ignoring their back pain. Take a break and move around slower until the pain fades.

Good posture is key to reducing back pain. Many people believe that back injuries are solely caused by types of strenuous physical activities.

Lifting things that happen to be very far away is often due to time constraints and laziness. People take shortcuts that can lead to disaster. You should make sure that you move closer to objects that are too far away, and spend the time to lift correctly.

Stressing out about your back pain only worsens it. You need to learn to relax so that you don't increase your chances of having a muscle spasm.

Start with the fundamentals when you are hurting. You will benefit considerably from even a few days' worths. While you are waiting for your back to calm down, try taking some anti-inflammatory pain medicine, like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. You can further relieve the use of a heating pad and an ice pack.

Your doctor might recommend back surgery is the best way to reduce your back pain or disorder. Surgery should only be used as a last resort if no other treatment works for your pain.

Some conditions that result in paralysis can be corrected through surgery, which can only be treated with surgery. There are also other back problems that can improve through surgery.

Avoid back pain while breastfeeding by feeding your chair instead of a couch. The position you nurse in while breastfeeding could trigger back pain or spasms if you sit properly. A good tip here is to place a therapeutic pad should be placed behind you when feeding.

The tips you will find here have been used by many back pain sufferers to get themselves free of the pain and discomfort back pain can cause. Use this advice to get relief from your regular back pain.

Why Reiki Could Be the Best Non-Massage You’ll Ever Get
By ALEXIA DELLNER |

Alternative therapies like healing crystals, breathwork, and meditation have officially gone mainstream, with everyone from celebrities to your favorite yoga teacher to your Aunt Jeanine touting their benefits. And whether or not you subscribe to them, there’s no denying that we could all use a little help in the relaxation department. Here’s what you need to know about Reiki, the latest trending treatment that’s designed to soothe stresses away.

What it is? Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a type of energy therapy that was founded in Japan by Dr. Mikao Usui in 1914 (although some argue that other forms of Reiki have been around for much longer than that). The practice aims to decrease stress and increase relaxation by transferring energy through the practitioner's palms to their client (hence why it’s also known as hands-on-healing).

How does it work? According to practitioners, physical or emotional pain can cause energy blockages in the body. Reiki helps to remove these blockages so that energy can flow more smoothly throughout your system (similar to the thinking behind acupuncture). The idea is that by improving your energy flow, you’ll feel more relaxed, experience less pain, and boost your well-being.

So, what happens during a Reiki session? Think massage, minus the rubbing. “Clothing is worn during all reiki sessions, and you usually lie on a massage table with a blanket or light sheet on top of you,” Lisa Levine, reiki master and founder of holistic healing center Maha Rose tells us. Soothing music or a guided meditation may be played. (So far, so relaxing.) Then, the practitioner will commence the session—either by lightly placing their hands on specific areas of the body, or holding their hands a few inches above the body. They’ll continue to do this for several minutes on each area, transferring healing energy to the spots that need it the most. Sessions usually last around 60 to 90 minutes.

Anything else? The International Association of Reiki Professionals wants you to know that “Reiki is not a cure for a disease or illness.” But many people say that it helps them feel less stressed and calmer. “Most people feel very relaxed after a session, with some saying they felt warmth or waves of energy,” Levine says. But having someone rest their hands on (or hover them above) your body for over an hour isn’t for everyone. Into alternative healing, not squeamish about being touched and curious about a new way to de-stress? Hey, give it a go. But if just the thought of a crowd is enough to make your skin crawl, then maybe this isn’t the treatment for you. Don’t worry—there are other ways to unwind if you’re so inclined.

Health and the Rule of Seven

Your body was designed with the innate ability to recognize the pure nutrition that nature provides!  Whole foods are the purest form of nutrition available  - they are alive. They carry bio-electric energy and other complex nutritional messages that vibrate with frequencies that energize the body. Our cells recognize the bio-electric messages found only in foods that absorb sunlight and grow naturally from the earth.

All life has electric properties. The ion channels in cell membranes cause a voltage difference across the membrane of nearly 1/10th of a volt. If you line up 20 neuron cells properly, you get about a 1.5-volt charge - enough to run a small flashlight. We react to electrical sunspots 93 million miles away, just like receivers of energy measurements do.

The most basic building blocks in our bodies are the cells. Cells group together to make tissues, which in turn make our organs. Our organs work together to form body systems - seven in all - and all related. In nature we find the seven primary colors - every picture, every painting, and every living creation are arrayed in the various tones that begin with the seven colors of the rainbow. In music, we have seven notes. Every piece of music, every song, and every melody are created from these seven notes. But just like a piano needs to be in tune to produce beautiful music - the seven systems in our bodies need to be "in tune with nature"

The skeletal-muscular system is really our bones, cartilage, and ligaments. It supports our soft tissues, protects our vital organs, and serves as a "scaffold" for muscle attachment. The muscular system works from electrical impulses and through our muscles, tendons, and sheaths around muscles, including the lubricating sacs called bursae.

The nervous system collects information through our five senses. It is made up of the brain, spinal cord, the peripheral & central nervous system, even the autonomic nervous system which controls the automatic functions of our bodies such as the beating of the heart, breathing, even the blinking of our eyes.

The endocrine system uses circulating "chemical messengers" called hormones to help control other internal functions. The circulatory system consists of the heart and all the blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) and is responsible for moving nutrients, waste, and some special proteins (chemical messengers) and cells around the body.

The lymphatic system moves excess tissue fluid back to the veins and transports fat from the gut to the bloodstream. Its another important role in the defense of the body, and for this reason, some elements of the lymphatic system are referred to as the immune system.

The respiratory system is concerned with gas exchange and the intake of oxygen that is needed by all the body's tissues and cells.

The digestive system is concerned with the ingestion, processing, and absorption of nutrients, as well as the elimination of some types of waste. The urinary system controls fluid and salt balance in the body and excretes nitrogen waste.

The reproductive system is concerned with the production of the next generation and is linked during fetal development with the developing urinary system.

When all seven systems of your body are balanced and "in tune" you'll feel wonderful. Apart from responding to changes in the external environment, the body must also act to produce a relatively constant internal environment. This process is known as homeostasis or the maintenance of equilibrium like maintaining constant body temperature, relatively constant blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and blood calcium levels. This natural equilibrium that your body desires is achieved by the coordination and balance of your body's seven systems. Doesn't your body deserve a tune-up?