- Integrated Body Therapies
Christine A. Ruppert, LMT5712 Stillwell Road
Rockville, MD 20851301-231-8695
Wellness
Treating Water Retention With Massage Therapy
Do you suffer from water retention? Our bodies contain a network of vessels that are designed to drain fluid from nearby tissue, flushing it back into the bloodstream. Known as the lymphatic system, it plays a key role in the our bodies ability to regulate internal fluid levels. But it’s not uncommon for the lymphatic system to become overwhelmed or affected by other circumstances that decrease the efficient function of this system. The good news is that most cases of water retention are minor and pose no serious risk to a person’s health. With that said, it can still trigger some pretty unpleasant symptoms. Some of the most commonly reported symptoms of fluid retention include the following: continue reading
Massage Therapy May Lower Blood Pressure
While most people seek massage therapy for its relaxing, stress-reducing benefits, it may also be a beneficial treatment for managing high blood pressure.
According to the American Society of Hypertension (ASH), as many as 1 out 3 adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure (known medically as hypertension). If left unchecked, high blood pressure can lead to a wide range of health problems, including kidney disease, heart attack and stroke. Excessive pressure on the arteries and organs stresses them, and subsequently leaves them vulnerable to disease. continue reading
Can Massage Therapy Relieve Chronic Pain?
It’s estimated that more than 100 million US adults suffer from chronic pain conditions. While everyone will experience physical pain at some point in their lives, most cases are temporary. With chronic pain, however, the debilitating pain signals last for long periods at a time, often for weeks, months or even years.
Unfortunately, far too many people treat their pain by masking it with painkillers. Whether it’s ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or prescription drugs, painkillers such as this only mask the pain for a brief period of time. Furthermore, painkillers create unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects like damage to the stomach and liver. A safer and more effective approach to treat chronic pain may come from massage therapy. continue reading
Improve Your Circulation With Massage Therapy
There are a number of reasons why poor circulation happens. Common health issues that Americans face like obesity, diabetes, heart conditions and arterial issues can all lead to bad circulation. Our circulatory system is designed to transport oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, supplying it with the nutrients it needs to remain healthy. When blood becomes stagnant, however, certain problems may arise. continue reading
Massage Therapy May Relieve Chronic Headaches
Most people seek massage therapy for its relaxing, stress-reducing properties. While it’s certainly effective for this reason, massage has dozens of other uses as well, one of which is to relieve the symptoms of chronic headaches.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), headaches are among the most common types of nervous system disorders. Nearly half of the US population has experienced at least one in the past year, with many people experiencing several per month. Headaches are characterized by pain originating in the head/or neck, often lasting anywhere from15 minutes to 3 hours or more. continue reading
Natural Ways To Lower Bad Cholesterol
Do you struggle to keep your cholesterol levels in check? Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad variety) has been linked to heart disease, artery disease and stroke. When your cholesterol levels rise, plaque begins to build up inside the arteries, restricting blood flow and inhibiting the cells’ normal function. continue reading
KEEP YOUR HEART SWEET . . . .
New research shows that massage therapy is good (make that GREAT) for keeping your heart healthy. Massage can reduce blood pressure, and can decrease pain and anxiety for those already experiencing heart issues. Excess levels of negative stress, whether physical or emotional, can exacerbate symptoms of heart disease. Of course, relieving stress is one of the greatest benefits of massage. Check out this article for more info, take from it what you like, and feel free to pass it on to anyone you know who may be challenged with heart disease.
5 Ways To Lower Your Cortisol Levels (Without Drugs)
Do you experience stress on a day-to-day basis? The feeling that we describe as “stress” is actually the result of elevated levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone that’s produced in the adrenal kidneys. When there’s more of this hormone flowing through your body, you’ll feel greater stress and anxiety as a result. So, how can you lower your cortisol levels? continue reading
Tips For Planning a Healthy Diet
With the new year upon us, millions of men and women are looking to reshape their diet for the better. As the saying goes, you are what you eat, holds true. People who eat fast food burgers and meals day after day are morel likely to develop diabetes, obesity and heart disease, while people who eat natural, nutritious foods will reap the benefits of better health. So, how do you plan a healthy diet? continue reading
Massage as Education
Someone recently asked me if, in addition to attending classes in massage therapy, I also receive massage. My answer: YES! ABSOLUTELY! NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!
My very first massage was a life-changing event for me. Right then and there, I heard my inner voice (a wise old soul) tell me that this was “what I was meant to do”. Within months, I enrolled in a massage therapy training program, and embarked on a fascinating, yet previously unimagined, journey into this new phase of my life. This was some 30+ years ago.
As we learned the nuts and bolts of massage therapy, we practiced on each other and I received various forms of touch at least twice weekly. I made a commitment to myself that from then on I would continue getting massage regularly. Since I graduated, I have carved out a time for myself weekly, biweekly, or at least once a month for my massage, and I give it priority in my schedule.
Massage has always been a learning experience for me, whether I am giving or receiving it. Not only does it relieve my aches and pains and coax me into being centered and relaxed, massage also deepens my awareness and understanding of my self and my body.
During my sessions, I am attentive to how each stroke or technique, along with how and where it is applied, may affect me at that particular time. I notice how my therapist puts the parts of each session together to achieve a particular effect. This enables me to understand and imagine how clients may experience, in their own body, the various forms of touch I use. My self-observation, along with the client’s communication (both verbal and nonverbal) guides me toward choosing massage approaches and adaptations that will best serve this person, and will encourage a healing and beneficial experience for them.
In summary, while I have been privileged to study with many innovators and masters of specialized bodywork programs over the years, receiving massage itself is an education for me. I consider it equally important as any classroom instruction I may engage in. As my body ages, I find it increasingly vital and helpful to receive massage therapy, as it provides me with greater physical ease and awareness, and a growing appreciation for my self in this/my body