By Paola Bassanese
In the recent weeks, I have been observing what is going on around me. You may ask: what’s this to do with massage? All will be revealed.
A couple of weeks ago I went to see a client performing a classical music concert. I noticed that she used her breathing to lead the movement of her arms while playing the cello. This lesson in breathing will stay with me and I urge you to stop and concentrate on your breathing every day. If you breathe engaging your diaphram (abdomen) your breathing will become deeper and it will act as a form of self-massage of your internal organs. Your concentration and mental clarity will improve and so will your digestion.
Talking of digestion: a few weeks ago my kitchen sink was blocked and I had to call a plumber. I asked him what I could do to prevent blockages from happening in the future and he recommended flushing the sink once a week with a bucketful of hot water and washing up liquid. If only we could apply the same “cleansing” routine to our bodies, we would all improve our digestion. In other words: our mindless, fast eating and wrong food choices can literally clog up our intestines. It would be a good idea to cleanse once a week by at least avoiding alcohol, sugar and processed foods and replace them with water, plenty of fruit and vegetables and home cooked meals.
Some people swear by juice fasting and colonics: it is all a matter of choice, it’s whatever rocks your boat. Whatever you do, I do recommend to give your digestive system a holiday once a week or you too will have to call in the plumber! (By the way, my plumber became a massage client).
Finally, a last word about sweating: too many people decide to use antiperspirants and I have come across congested lymph nodes because of that. It is much better to use natural deodorants and perfumes based on essential oils. Women in particular should check their armpits for unusual lumps and expand the check to the breasts once a month. In the summer we don’t want to smell bad of course so again it’s just a matter of making better choices.