A massage after vigorous exercise unquestionably feels good, and it seems to reduce pain and help muscles recover. Many people — both athletes and health professionals – have long contended it eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness. But until now no one has understood why massage has this apparently beneficial effect.

Now researchers have found what happens to muscles when a masseur goes to work on them.

Their experiment required having people exercise to exhaustion and undergo five incisions in their legs in order to obtain muscle tissue for analysis. Despite the hurdles, the scientists still managed to find 11 brave young male volunteers. The study was published in the Feb. 1 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

On a first visit, they biopsied one leg of each subject at rest. At a second session, they had them vigorously exercise on a stationary bicycle for more than an hour until they could go no further. Then they massaged one thigh of each subject for 10 minutes, leaving the other to recover on its own. Immediately after the massage, they biopsied the thigh muscle in each leg again. After allowing another two-and-a-half hours of rest, they did a third biopsy to track the process of muscle injury and repair.

Vigorous exercise causes tiny tears in muscle fibers, leading to an immune reaction — inflammation — as the body gets to work repairing the injured cells. So the researchers screened the tissue from the massaged and unmassaged legs to compare their repair processes, and find out what difference massage would make.

They found that massage reduced the production of compounds called cytokines, which play a critical role in inflammation. Massage also stimulated mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside cells that convert glucose into the energy essential for cell function and repair. “The bottom line is that there appears to be a suppression of pathways in inflammation and an increase in mitochondrial biogenesis,” helping the muscle adapt to the demands of increased exercise, said the senior author, Dr. Mark A. Tarnopolsky.

Dr. Tarnopolsky, a professor of pediatrics and medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, said that massage works quite differently from Nsaids and other anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduce inflammation and pain but may actually retard healing. Many people, for instance, pop an aspirin or Aleve at the first sign of muscle soreness. “There’s some theoretical concern that there is a maladaptive response in the long run if you’re constantly suppressing inflammation with drugs,” he said. “With massage, you can have your cake and eat it too—massage can suppress inflammation and actually enhance cell recovery.”

“This is important research, because it is the first to show that massage can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines which may be involved in pain,” said Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School. She was not involved in the study. “We have known from many studies that pain can be reduced by massage based on self-report, but this is the first demonstration that the pain-related pro-inflammatory cytokines can be reduced.” she said.

Getting a massage from a professional masseur is obviously more expensive than taking an aspirin. But, as Dr. Field points out, massage techniques can be taught. “People within families can learn to massage each other,” she said. “If you can teach parents to massage kids, couples to massage each other. This can be cost effective.”

Dr. Tarnopolsky suggests that, in the long run, a professional massage may even be a better bargain than a pill. “If someone says “This is free and it might make you feel better, but it may slow down your recovery, do you still want it?” he asked. “Or would you rather spend the 50 bucks for a post-exercise massage that also might enhance your recovery?”

Though we mainly know it as one of Edgar Cayce’s most famous remedies, castor oil has a long history of traditional medical use dating back to ancient Egypt. Derived from the castor bean, the oil was traditionally used internally as a laxative. However, now it is primarily used externally due to its potential toxicity.

A castor oil pack is placed on the skin to increase circulation, to soften areas of hardness, to speed healing of the tissues and organs underneath the skin. It is used to stimulate the liver, relieve pain, increase lymphatic circulation, reduce inflammation, and to improve digestion and elimination.

Holistic Treatment for: cholecystitis (inflammation of the gall bladder), poor elimination, various liver conditions such as cirrhosis, scleroderma, headaches, appendicitis, arthritis, digestive irregularities, colitis, intestinal disorders such as stricture and colon impaction and common constipation, incoordination between nervous systems, neuritis, and toxemia.

Soaking several pieces of flannel in castor oil and placing it on the skin comprise the castor oil pack. The flannel is covered with a sheet of plastic, and then a heating pad, preferably non-electrical, which is placed over the plastic to heat the pack. The pack can be left with heat for about 45 minutes to an hour and without heat the pack can be left on the body as long as is comfortable. If you do use an electrical heating pad be sure it can be programmed to shut off automatically in 45min.  The heat should be warm enough to feel comfortable and never so hot as to scorch the skin of course.

Castor oil packs can be placed on the following body regions:

• The right side of the abdomen to stimulate the liver; and treat inflamed and swollen joints, bursitis, and muscle strains.
• The abdomen to relieve constipation and other digestive disorders.
• The lower abdomen in cases of menstrual irregularities, uterine and ovarian cysts (*not during menstrual flow).
• Directly over local areas of congestion and hardness.

Safety precautions: Castor oil should not be taken internally. It should not be applied to broken skin, or used during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or during menstrual flow. Castor oil packs should never to be used on or around malignant tumors.

Materials
* Several layers of unbleached, dye-free wool or cotton flannel large enough to cover the affected area.  You can use clean white towel as long as it is free of bleach or fabric softener or sterile disposable cotton gauze.
* Castor oil
* Plastic wrap cut 1-2″ larger than the flannel (can be cut from a plastic bag)
* Heating pads, microwave-able “rice packs” work great!
* Container with lid
* Old clothes towels or sheets. Castor oil will stain clothing and bedding.

Place the flannel in the container. Soak it in castor oil so that it is saturated, but not dripping. Place the pack over the affected body part. Cover with plastic. Place the hot water bottle over the pack. Leave it on for 45-60 minutes. Rest while the pack is in place. After removing the pack, cleanse the area with a dilute solution of water and baking soda. Store the pack in the covered container in the refrigerator. Each pack may be reused up to 25-30 times.

It is generally recommended that a castor oil pack be used for 3 to 7 days in a week to treat a health condition or for detoxification.

I recently embarked on cleaning up my diet in a big way by embarking on a yeast reducing dietary protocol.  These next few installments will give you the lowdown on that but first there are some important issues that need to come to your awareness with regard to food additives.  Particularly MSG

Did you know that MSG (MONO-SODIUM GLUTAMATE) is LEGALLY hidden in many prepared foods and you wouldn’t even know it (if not for this blog).  MSG is used to “enhance” flavor in Asian foods but if you read deep into the ingredients list of almost every commercially prepared food in your pantry right now YOU MAY BE SURPRISED!

Here is a list of the legal names for MSG

YEAST EXTRACT, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, FLAVORING, NATURAL FLAVORS, NATURAL BEEF OR CHICKEN FLAVORING, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE OR ISOLATE, TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN, SODIUM OR CALCIUM CASEINATE, HYDROLYZED PROTEIN, VEGETABLE PROTEIN OR PLANT PROTEIN, PLANT PROTEIN EXTRACT, BOUILLON, BROTH STOCK, CARRAGEENAN, CORN OIL , WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, ENZYMES OR SEASONING.

Hope you like it and check in for more!

The long awaited Asian Fire Cupping workshop for MT’s and RN’s is coming up at the Mueller Wellness Center on May 15th. This workshop is always a big hit with the attendees and everyone learns an exciting new skill that they can use right away. Of course I should mention that there is also a lot of  Healing that goes on in the class too as we all get to experience a session of cupping as well as learn the practice of cupping. It’s an amazing experience and you will go home from this class with an excited mind and the free flow of Qi and Blood through your body.

The earliest use of cupping is recorded as 28 AD during the Han dynasty! Back then cups were made from animal horn and typically used for draining carbuncles and boils. The technique was called Jiaofa or the horn technique. Through several thousand years of clinical practice the applications and indications have become vast. Now it can be used to treat arthritis, asthma, the common cold chronic cough, indigestion, and some skin conditions. There is a saying in China: “Acupuncture and Cupping, more than half the ills cured.”

Cupping and the West

Thought to be the oldest medical text, Ebers Papyrus written in approximately 1550 BC, describes bleeding techniques by cupping. Galen and Hippocrates were also advocates of cupping. In the 1800’s “cuppers” were commonly employed in hospitals in both Europe and America. Cupping died out in the west in the early 20th century.

Cupping has continued over the last millennia in many cultures and has never disappeared from Chinese Medicine.

After teaching this class for nearly a decade, I have met participants from many regions and cultures throughout the world who share that they were first introduced to cupping by their elder relatives. Poland, Russia, Central America, the UK and Bulgaria are a few of the places were my students’ first experienced cupping as a home remedy. In Mexico a students Abuela, or grandmother, who was a traditional healer called cupping “Tazas de Fuego”.

If you are ready for more I hope you will join us on May 15th at Mueller Wellness Center for a day well spent!

The ancient technique of fire cupping can be easily integrated with any massage. While deep tissue works by pushing into the muscle, fire cupping works by using negative pressure and pulls the tissue away from the muscle vastly increasing circulation to the area treated. Cupping is most commonly indicated for hard contracted muscle that is unyielding to treatment and can be used as a substitute for acupuncture to treat a broad variety of health complaints. Non invasive and painless this simple technique helps to soften ropey, knotted muscles, increase circulation and promote the free flow of Qi throughout the body.

Pre-requisite: Prior Bodywork Training

Please bring linens and unscented oil.

Effortless Deep Tissue with Holly Halsey, L.Ac.

$200 Professionals & Students
Tuition due upon enrollment

Contact Holly for current dates & times.

Approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education provider and the California Board of Registered Nursing provider #11227 (add $10.00 for CEUs)