Cancer Archives | Precision Wellness

Herbal Oil and Self Care

Amendment 2 just passed in Missouri (whoop whoop) and you’re going to be hearing a lot about cannabis, or medical marijuana. This includes herbal oil which has been legal and used within the self-care industry for years. So, what is herbal oil?

A cannabis plant contains both Cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol. Tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana and is what makes a person feel ‘stoned’. Unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol, Cannabidiol (aka Herbal Oil) is not psychoactive which makes it an appealing option for those who are looking for pain relief.

Herbal Oil has been shown to be a more natural alternative to prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs for things like stiffness, chronic pain, epilepsy, fighting cancer, acne, and Alzheimer’s disease! Within your body, you have the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) which plays a crucial role in regulating our physiology, mood, and everyday experience. Herbal Oil stimulates the endocannabinoid system and helps promote homeostasis in the body, reducing the sensation of pain and inhibiting inflammation.

Herbal Oil has slowly been breaking into the health and beauty industries! Benefits of Herbal Oil in a massage include anti-inflammatory benefits, a boost to the immune system, reduction in anxiety, promotion of a sense of calmness and relaxation, and alleviation of chronic pains. Can you imagine being even more relaxed during a massage??

You already know that inflammation is the root cause of many skin troubles, from rosacea to acne. Herbal Oil’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties can reduce puffiness, soothe, and even tighten skin which makes it perfect for facials!

If you’d like to see how Herbal Oil can work for your body, book with one of our therapists today!

Massage and Summertime

Massage therapist's hands and thumbs putting pressure on a person's lower back

Many of us are now eagerly engaged in getting our gardens planted, our yards mowed, and our flower beds cleaned up from our long and very wet winter. We may also be experiencing new aches and pains from muscles and joints that haven’t been utilized in quite this way for many months. This is a good time to consider massage therapy to keep you going and to keep your muscles, bones, and connective tissue in good working condition. Here are some of the many benefits massage therapy provides.

Relieves stress, pain, pain induced anxiety, and muscle congestion
Improves range of motion increasing flexibility and muscle tone
Improves sleep patterns
Improves metabolic waste removal strengthening immune function
Improves alertness
Reduces swelling
Clears thinking
Encourages faster healing time
Relieves tension headaches
Provides a sense of well-being
Reduces fatigue
Supports white blood cell proliferation aiding our immune system
Reduces depression
Relives symptoms of nausea and vomiting for the cancer patient
Enhances body image

Equally important as the season changes is to maintain adequate hydration. Muscles and tissues require lots of fluids as well as good wholesome nutrition to function properly and to avoid spasms and sprains. When we work or exercise hard our muscles build up lactic acid. This is normal but often can become lodged within the tissues when spasms or strains occur. This creates those painful “knots” we often experience that can shorten our range of motion as well.

Massage therapy can release these pockets of lactic acid and return muscles to their optimal best functioning. If left unattended, lactic acid can become more toxic to the body. This causes an inflammatory response by the immune system and the pain cycle advances.

A professional massage therapist will apply the right kinds of techniques to muscles and joints to release tightness, cramping, spasms, and knots. Oftentimes you will only require what I call “regional massage” – working on shoulders, necks, arms, backs, or legs only rather than a whole-body massage. These shorter sessions are just as effective in providing the benefits of massage, feel great, and are affordable.

Keep yourself going great all summer, consider regional or full body massage to be your optimal best, and complete all your summertime tasks with ease and comfort.

Book Your Massage ASAP!

Woman-looking-at-camera-lying-on-a-massage-table-with-candle

There’s no denying a massage is calming — until you start feeling guilty for indulging in a little special treatment.

A small new study excuses us all from the guilt: Massage therapy isn’t just a way to relax, it’s also a way to alleviate muscle soreness and improve blood flow, according to recent research.

Other benefits of massage have long been touted, but research is usually limited. Still, we think there are some pretty good reasons to book an appointment ASAP.

Massage can reduce pain.

A 2011 study found that massage helped people with lower back pain to feel and function better, compared to people who didn’t get a rubdown. That’s good news for the eight in ten Americans who experience debilitating back pain at least once in their lives, Time.com reported.

“We found the benefits of massage are about as strong as those reported for other effective treatments: medications, acupuncture, exercise, and yoga,” Dan Cherkin, Ph.D., lead author of the study, said in a press release.

Massage also seems to lessen pain among people with osteoarthritis.

It can help you sleep.

The calming treatment can also help you spend more time asleep, according to research from Miami University’s Touch Research Institute. In one study of people with fibromyalgia, 30-minute massages three times a week for five weeks resulted in nearly an hour more of sleep, plus deeper sleep, she said.

Massage may ward off colds.

There’s a small body of research that suggests massage boosts immune function. A 2010 study, believed to be the largest study on massage’s effects on the immune system, found that 45 minutes of Swedish massage resulted in significant changes in white blood cells and lymphocytes, which help protect the body from bugs and germs.

It could make you more alert.

At least one study has linked massage to better brainpower. In a 1996 study, a group of adults completed a series of math problems faster and with more accuracy after a 15-minute chair massage than a group of adults who were told to just sit in a chair and relax during those 15 minutes.

Massage may ease cancer treatment.

Among patients receiving care for cancer, studies have noted multiple benefits of massage, including improved relaxation, sleep, and immune system function as well as decreased fatigue, pain, anxiety, and nausea.

It may alleviate depression symptoms.

A 2010 review of the existing studies examining massage in people with depression found that all 17 pieces of research noted positive effects. However, the authors recommend additional research into standardizing massage as a treatment and the populations who would most benefit from it.

Massage could help with headaches.

The power of touch seems to help limit headache pain. A 2002 study found that massage therapy reduced the frequency of chronic tension headaches. And in a very small 2012 study, 10 male patients with migraine headaches noted significant pain reduction after neck and upper back massage and manipulation. You may even be able to reap the benefits without seeing a professional: Start by applying gentle pressure with your fingertips to your temples, then move them in a circular motion along the hairline until they meet in the middle of your forehead, WebMD reported.

Stress reduction is scientific.

Between the dim lights, soothing music, and healing touch, it certainly feels like stress melts away during a massage, but research suggests a very literal reduction of cortisol, a major stress hormone. Chronically high levels of cortisol can contribute to serious health issues, like high blood pressure and blood sugar, suppressed immune system function, and obesity.