There are simple things you can do everyday to keep yourself healthy. Here's a list of my all time favorite ways to stay out of the doctors office and have more time to devote to my life, instead of staying home sick.

1. Cleaning and exfoliating- Taking regular showers and exfoliating dead skin cells from your body with a luffa or scrub gloves (my favorite)  washes away potentially harmful surface bacteria and increases blood and lymphatic circulation in your body. This is a pretty obvious way to stay healthy, but I wanted to mention it because it is probably the most important and easiest step to take in keeping healthy. Not only are you keeping yourself healthy, but you are also keeping others healthy by not spreading things like staph or gross E. Coli- yuck-

2. Vitamins, probiotics, & enzymes, Oh MY!- I take vitamins, probiotics, and digestive enzymes regularly to make sure I'm getting all my necessary nutrience  and that my digestion stays on point. I believe that true health starts from there- and the older you get, the more outside assistance you need to make sure you can continue feeling youthful and confident. 

3. Rest, Massage Therapy, Yoga, Acupuncture, and Chiropractic- When something comes up with my health, I try to use these four options first- then, I make a doctors appointment. If It can't be treated with a good nights sleep and massage or restorative yoga stretching doesn't work, I visit my acupuncturist. Because i believe that chiropractic is a little more invasive, I save that as my last option before a trip to the doctor- Of course if it's a bacterial infection- it's doctor time! I don't mess around with that. HA!

4. Exercise and a good diet- Everyone hates this advice (including me) but its 100% spot on. Finding an exercise that you like to do is a great way to ensure that you'll stick to it. I recently rediscovered how much I love to swim. I even taught myself how to do the flip turn when swimming laps! (FINALLY!) As far a keeping a good diet...well- I'm still working on that one. I've decided that it takes a whole lotta planning to make sure you- 1. Have the healthy food at home in your pantry and 2. Have the time, energy, AND desire to cook it... I loathe grocery shopping so #1 is rarely true at my house. Which brings me to #5....

5. Organize your life and make your pleasures your priority. This may seem like a pie-in-the-sky idea for some but is extremely effective if you can manage it. Happy people have a regular schedule- they organize their activities, their homes, their cars- what ever. Maybe its creating a sense of control in a chaotic world, maybe it decreases the stress and tension of everyday aggravations "where are my dang keys." but it could allow you to schedule in things that make you happy- that bring quality to your life. When everything is organized, you have more time to do what you love. Like get a massage- from me :)

QUESTION::
What do you do to keep yourself healthy?
Tell me your secrets under the comments section-

Gaia Bodywork PLLC is the private massage practice of Hillary Arrieta LMT and is located in Richardson, TX.  offering the best massage services in the area for pain and stress management. Visit Gaiabodywork.com for more information.

Reiki is some what misunderstood in my opinion. Today I'd like to share with you my feelings on this Japanese healing modality. 

When reading and researching Reiki, you may find all kinds of information- fantastical healings, super powers, and amazing testimonials from people all over the world stating that this "laying on of hands" has cured their aliments.

Maybe there is truth to those accounts but I have never come across something that powerful when conducting a session or having reiki performed on me. What I CAN say about this style of bodywork is that it's extremely relaxing and does create a space for the body to heal itself. Much like massage therapy, Reiki allows the parasympathetic nervous system to do its job. This "rest and digest"  side of the autonomic nervous system switches on and helps our bodies recover from injuries and daily stress. 

Reiki comes from a place that has lots of traditions and rituals and that is why they exist in this healing system. "Powerful" Japanese symbols or kanji are used to create an intention or specific reason for a reiki session. Just like setting goals or affirmations- setting your mind to something always has a good outcome. They were kept secret for many years to make reiki seem special but one rule that is true for reiki is that anyone can do it. It doesn't take a healer to perform this bodywork. Just a person who wants to help others or themselves ease the stress and pain that so many people have everyday.

The system of reiki is very simple- First, there must be consent from the receiver. Rule #1 of reiki is that the receiver MUST consent to have reiki given to them- otherwise, reiki is not being used.

Once you have consent and the persons main desire for getting a reiki session, the system  consists of three pillars of treatment and  five guiding principals or affirmations that are all  taught  in Level one of the three part reiki training.

The three pillars are in Japanese and are called:
Gassho, Reiji-ho, and Chiyrio.

Gassho means hands together. This begins the meditation and focuses the attention on the session that is about to begin.
Reiji-ho means asking that reiki, or universal life energy, begins to flow for the highest good of the client of person being worked on. This is just another level to the meditation.
Chiyrio means treatment. This is when the reiki practioner uses the hand placements learned in their training and begins the session.

The five guiding principals of reiki are:

Just for today, I will not be angry
Just for today, I will not worry
Just for today, I will be grateful
Just for today, I will do my work honestly
Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.

These principals are not dogma, but just a simple meditation to get us in to the mind frame of giving reiki to ourselves in a self reiki session or giving reiki to others.

In my opinion, reiki is another tool for self help or to soothe and calm other people or even animals- (My dogs love reiki!)
I have been asked why I do this kind of "energy" work if I don't believe in the outrageous claims of healing and all the  hype that is attached to this modality and the answer is simple. I have seen it do wonderful things for many people. Maybe it is a placebo effect but the positives out weight any negatives- because there aren't any. 

Reiki can not hurt anyone. It's 100% safe. it can be used by childern or adults and it gives people tools to connect with others and do something to help in times of need. Touch is something that is so important for our development as people and has been proven to make a big impact on our psychological and physical health.

It's all good-

The dangers come when people over exagerate about the true benefits and get their ego tied up in it. 

Our bodies heal themselves, when they are ready, on their own time. We can only create an environment for healing to take place. It maybe in a massage treatment room or in a doctors office but where ever it is, It's not being done by anyone in particular- and illness or stress happens to us all.

Some of these ideas are not popular ones but they are mine.
Leave me your thoughts on this post in the comments section.
I love hearing from you!

Here's some inspiration-
QUESTION:
Have you ever tried a Reiki Treatment?

What kind of things do you do to take care of your health?
 



 

Gaia Bodywork PLLC is the private massage practice of Hillary Arrieta LMT and is located in Richardson, TX. Visit Gaiabodywork.com for more information.