In this study, 68 students ranging from ages 18-25 who suffered from PMS were randomly assigned to either the reflexology group or the ibuprofen group. Those in the reflexology group received 10 40-minute sessions of reflexology during two consecutive menstrual cycles, for a total of 20 reflexology sessions overall.

The reflexology intervention began approximately10 days before the probable start of each woman’s menstrual cycle. During the reflexology sessions, the student received 20 minutes of reflexology on each foot for a total of 40 minutes per session. No reflexology was administered during the participants’ third consecutive menstrual cycle, in order to determine whether the previous reflexology intervention had any long-lasting effects.

Subjects assigned to the ibuprofen group were given 10 400-milligram capsules of ibuprofen and instructed to take them once every eight hours for three days—one day before the start of their menstrual cycle and on the first two days of menstruation. This was repeated for three consecutive menstrual cycles.

While the results of the research showed that both ibuprofen and reflexology resulted in a significant reduction in pain intensity among the subjects for all three menstrual cycles, when comparing the reflexology group to the ibuprofen group, the reflexology group showed a greater reduction of pain intensity and duration, even though reflexology was not administered during the third menstrual cycle.

According to the study’s authors, “Comparing the two groups showed that reflexology was more effective than ibuprofen in reducing pain intensity and duration. Therefore, considering that reflexology is a noninvasive, easy and cheap technique, it seems that it can replace anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to avoid their adverse side effects.”

Authors: Mahboubeh Valiani, Elaheh Babaei, Reza Heshmat and Zahra Zare.

Sources: Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University School of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Originally published in December 2010 in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 15, 371-378.

Michelle Ebbin, founder of Basic Knead, reflexology expert and author of Hands On Sexy Feet, is featured on “The Doctors” (CBS), one of hottest television shows on daytime TV.  She explains how intimacy can be enhanced with her Sexy Love Sox, which illustrate where to stimulate erogenous zones of the body.   Take a look!

Beginning in Spa Ojai’s Apothecary, a good friend and I embarked on the “Essence in Balance” journey that began with a science experiment and ended, in the spa, with a stress-busting, full-body massage. Dr. Holly Adams, a homeopathy and aromatherapy expert, introduced our noses to over twenty five pure essential oils and flower essences, one at a time, while we closed our eyes and decided whether we liked or disliked a scent by rating it 1-5 (5=loved it, 1=hated it). 

Dr. Holly told us not to judge a fragrance by specific memories or feelings we had, but to go with our gut instinct.  We were to rely on our unconscious mind to recognize our immediate needs and in doing so, create our own signature fragrance to be used in the ultimate massage experience.  Ideally, we were supposed to be naturally drawn to aromas that would help balance our present state of being.

Our noses inhaled everything from rose geranium and neroli (aahhhh!) to frankincense and myrhh (ick!).  While some scents were easily given a quick thumbs-up (lavender) or thumbs-down (sage), others immediately evoked clear images in my mind and emotions that I had long forgotten.  For example, the very first scent reminded me of a Sri Chinmoy store in Queens, New York, that I used to walk to when I was ten years old.  I was always kind of freaked out yet fascinated by the young devotees in white robes and sneakers. Smelling this strange scent after so many years brought me right back to standing in that store and looking around in awe and slight fear.  Strange feeling – so I gave the scent a thumbs-down.

When we had finally chosen our favorite scents, we blended drops of them together in a tiny blue glass bottle.  Dr. Holly then offered us a bag of gleaming crystals, asked us to choose one, and dropped it into our bottles for extra healing properties. While we walked over to the spa for our massages, she concocted our customized massage oils using the essential oil blend that we had just created.  The soothing massage at the end of this intimate treatment was like icing on the cake.  Muscles relaxed, minds calm, we left the spa feeling like we had truly achieved “Essence in Balance.”

How can you do this at home?  Try this:

1. Go to your local natural foods store (Whole Foods, Rainbow Bridge)
2. In the health/beauty section, find the racks of essential oils and, working from A-Z, smell each one. (Close your eyes and take a big whiff.)
3. Don’t think about the scent too much, just decide whether you like it or not. Instinct works best.
4. Choose 3-5 scents that you really like.
5. Purchase a small glass bottle for mixing the essential oils, a larger glass bottle if you want to make massage oil, and an un-scented carrier oil such as jojoba, almond or grapeseed oil.
6. Go home and experiment.  Start with one drop each and tweak the formula until you come up with a scent that you love.  Finally, add a few drops of your blended oil to 4 oz. of the carrier oil.
7. You’re done!  Massage this oil on your body, face, and hair. Enjoy. Relax….

I particularly loved the tiny warm stones that were placed between my toes, sending healing energy from the soles of my feet all the way up to my head.  I loved the feeling so much that when I came home I decided to experiment on my new boyfriend. I gathered several small and large stones from my garden and boiled some water. I dropped the stones in and got him settled on the couch. I was ready to work my magic!

Luckily, I started with the small stones. I took the stones out of the water and left them on a towel to cool for a few minutes and when I felt that they were cool enough I stuck one between each of his toes. In less than 5 seconds after I had positioned the stones, my boyfriend started screaming obscenities.  Yes, I burned him! The good news is that he still ended up marrying me.  Now, many years later, we can laugh about our “stone massage experiment.” Back then, not so funny.

This week, in memory of that fabulous massage experiment, I’m giving away a HOT STONE MASSAGE BOOK & KIT. The full-color book, “Secrets of Hot Stone and Aromatherapy Massage” by Margie Hare, explains everything you need to know to get started and it comes with a generous supply of imported basalt river stones.  These stones were formed by the cooling of molten lava and are known for their smoothness and ability to retain heat.

To WIN this great massage kit, all you have to do is tell me what you think about Hot Stone Massage. I’d love to hear your thoughts! SHARE this on Facebook and you’ll be entered twice. Good luck! https://www.facebook.com/basicknead

According to a new study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, there’s new evidence that massage therapy may improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. For those of you lucky people whose families have not been touched by this disease and who are unfamiliar with it, 

In a new study, ten patients with Parkinson’s disease were assigned to receive a 30-minute session of traditional Japanese message in combination with standard medications. Various outcome measures, including walking speed, range of shoulder motion, muscle pain and fatigue were evaluated before and after treatment.

The researchers found that walking speed, shoulder stiffness and the severity of other symptoms all improved after massage therapy. The authors concluded that massage therapy in combination with conventional medications may benefit Parkinson’s disease patients. However, larger-scale well-designed studies are necessary before firm conclusions can be made.

In addition to massage therapy, several other integrative therapies have been evaluated for their potential effects on Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Parkinson’s patients have shown modest improvement in symptoms following music therapy, including in some aspects of motor coordination, speech intelligibility and vocal intensity, bradykinesia (slow movement), emotional functions, activities of daily living and quality of life.

While more studies are needed, early scientific evidence suggests that people with Parkinson’s disease might have reduced symptoms after massage.  This is great news for anyone suffering from the debilitating effects of this disease and the family members who want to help.

References

1. Donoyama N, Ohkoshi N. Effects of traditional Japanese massage therapy on various symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a case-series study. J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Mar;18(3):294-9.
2. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com

I’m going to let the kids, and that means my own 3 kids plus a few more added in for extra noise, be mad scientists/crazy cooks and stir up some body salts for me to pour into a relaxing hot bath.  I’m planning on having them mix up extra batches in different scents so that I can give them as gifts to my busy mom friends who I know will appreciate them as much as me.

What you need:

• 3 cups Epsom Salt (which is not a salt, really, but a pure compound of magnesium & sulfate that has many health benefits and is a natural remedy for many ailments)
  
• 2 cups Sea Salt
• 1 cup of baking soda (for skin softening properties)
• 1/2 ounce of essential oil for aromatherapy

Mix it Up:

Measure out the salts and whisk them together well, making sure to break up any clumps. Next, add 1 cup of baking soda…for a 3:2:1 ratio of salts to the baking soda.

I like to add about 1/2 ounce of essential oils to this recipe. (If you add too much fragrance, your salts will tend to clump.) I love to use LAVENDER, GERANIUM, EUCALYPTUS, & JUNIPER, alone and also mixed in various blends.

Use whatever essential oils you have on hand. If you don’t have any essential oils in the house, you can always zest a lemon or orange and throw that in the mix for a delicious citrus scent.  I also like to make a fragrance-free batch for those who are scent-sensitive.

Package It:

Pour several cups into an air-tight container. While plastic is definitely better than glass around the bath tub, especially if kids are around, some essential oils will warp and discolor plastic. So, I like to use large mason jars. They’re prettier too.  These skin-softening Bath Salts will keep for months and make fantastic gifts.  So put those kids to work today!  Enjoy your bath.

Have a great weekend!

12:55 p.m.  -  As the participants slowly trickled into the Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center activity room, I felt the mood in the the room to be a little apprehensive.  Although I had tried to create a soothing atmosphere with dim lighting, soothing music, and a wall-sized peaceful oceanscape projected on a screen, I could tell that people were nervous.  Almost everyone who showed up had no hands-on experience with massage and, therefore, no idea what to expect.  They just wanted to learn a new way to nurture someone in their life who is sick and in need of touch.

After my quick welcome (we only had an hour) and introduction to the workshop “How to Nurture your Mind, Body, and Soul with the Healing Power of Touch – A Hand & Foot Massage Workshop for Patients and Cargivers,” I explained why and how massaging the hands and feet can actually soothe the entire body.  However, rather than launching into my intended, practical and methodical teaching approach, I decided on-the-spot to make the entire workshop hands-on and I asked “does anyone want to be my guinea pig?”  A few hands shot up.

One by one, participants came to front of the room and I proceeded to teach the hand and foot massage techniques by demonstrating on one person’s left hand, another’s right hand, the next person’s left foot, and the next person’s right foot, all the while explaining different ways to soothe someone while they are going through treatment or recovery.  I tried to show as many positions as possible from which to massage so that they could be comfortable anywhere; bedside in the hospital, in a chair, on the floor, during treatment, anywhere.

1:30 p.m. – As people moved closer in to see my hands in motion I could literally see the tension dissipate as their shoulders dropped, their faces relaxed, and they started talking to each other!  Halfway through the workshop I looked around the room and my heart melted when I saw several people massaging their own feet, a few people massaging the partners they came with, and several others massaging the hands of the person next to them.  People who had never met before were smiling, laughing, telling stories, and touching each other — communicating and connecting on such an intimate level that it truly surprised me.

By the end of the hour, everyone had been touched, physically and emotionally, either by giving a massage or getting one.  There was one man in particular whom I had noticed at the very beginning sitting off by himself, with his arms crossed, and a blank look on his face. At the end of the workshop, he came up to me with a big smile and said, “Thank you.  My wife is upstairs getting treatment right now and I can’t wait to get up there and try out these massage techniques on her.”  Just that alone made me so happy and grateful to be able to share what I know about the healing power of touch.  What I know for sure is that in the process of learning how to heal someone else, everyone in that room yesterday at City of Hope healed a little part of themselves too.

 The Fountain at City of Hope

In this workshop, the soothing massage techniques will help to alleviate some of the physical and emotional symptoms of patients during and after treatments, and speed recovery.  The easy-to-learn techniques will also help caregivers nurture, soothe and communicate their love to patients undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment.  Research shows that reflexology helps cancer patients improve the physical and emotional symptoms of the cancer experience. From chemotherapy to symptom management and from post-operative care to palliative care, research demonstrates reflexology’s effectiveness at alleviating pain, relieving anxiety, easing nausea and more for cancer patients.

Over the past few months I’ve been working with two amazing women, Natalie Schnaitmann and Linda Klein, at the Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center.  This Center is a comforting oasis, located in the heart of the City of Hope campus, and is dedicated to “strengthening, honoring, educating, and empowering patients and their families.” It supports patients and their loved ones with:

-       Individually tailored programs designed specifically for them;

-       Dedicated social workers, patient navigators, health educators, physicians, nurses, psychologists, spiritual care providers and other experienced staff;

-       Computers to browse the Internet with help available in navigating and researching credible Web sites;

-       A comprehensive library with educational books, brochures, videos, and other resources;

-       A tranquil outdoor space for rest and relaxation;

-       Complementary and alternative therapies such as yoga and now…massage!

Committed to being the finest, most progressive support center in the country, The Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Center truly embodies City of Hope’s commitment to “heal the whole person, to respect individual choices and perspectives, and to help those in their care navigate through their physical and emotionally challenging journey.”

I am so honored to be a part of this amazing Center and City of Hope…  and I cannot wait to get the program started!  I will keep you updated on how it goes and how it progresses and expands.  We are all looking forward to a fantastic massage program!

 “There is no profit in curing the body if, in the process, we destroy the soul.”   – City of Hope

The Japanese Garden in the City of Hope.

How to use it? Just a few drops of an essential oil added to lotion or good quality natural oil can nourish the skin, enrich the senses, and soothe the soul.  Different oils evoke different feelings and moods, and certain essential oils can trigger physical or emotional effects on their own. For instance, lavender is a widely known calming agent, whereas peppermint is a mood lifter. Other oils can be blended to achieve a specific physiological or psychological effect.

Aromatherapy Suggestions:  Here are a few popular essential oils and blends.  Experiment by adding a few drops to a natural carrier oil (such as almond or grapeseed), or add some directly into a bath, diffuser, or even a boiling pot of water, for a “scentual” experience.  Have fun and add more or less of whichever scent strikes your fancy.

*Do not apply drops directly to your skin; always blend with carrier oils or lotions if you want to apply it to the skin.

Stress Relief

Bergamot, Chamomile, Lavender, Lemon, Orange, Patchouli, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang

Anxiety/Fear

Bergamot, Chamomile (Roman), Cedarwood, Frankincense, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood

Sadness/Grief

Bergamot, Chamomile (Roman), Clary Sage, Frankincense, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Orange, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang

Fatigue

Basil, Bergamot, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lemon, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sandalwood

Agitation

Chamomile (Roman), Lavendar, Mandarin, Sandalwood

Memory Boosters

Basil, Cypress, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary

Sensual/Aphrodisiac

Clary Sage, Jasmine, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang