May 2, 2012 in Emotional Healing, featured, Massage Therapy by empoweringwellness

Emotional Healing, Tissue Memory and Bodywork – What Happens and Why It is a Good Thing

Eastern medicine and thought have long ago made the connection between our body and our mind. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) takes this idea one step further with the view that we are all connected to the earth and the surrounding universe. Most Native and aboriginal cultures recognize the mind / body connection as well as the deeper connection to the universe. Somehow we in the West fell off that wagon, and it’s only now that we’re trying to get back on.

In his groundbreaking book, “Healing Ancient Wounds – A Renegade’s Wisdom,” author John Barnes describes how injuries and trauma encountered in life affect our minds as well as our bodies. He describes how during treatment of the body, all kinds of feelings and sensations can be released. These sensations may include shaking, pain, tremors, and emotions. Barnes says that feelings are released by triggering what he calls “tissue memory.”

Our body responds to triggers brought on by our five senses: sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch. These are called “proprioceptive triggers.” Powerful images of tragic events such as those that occurred on September 11th, can bring you back to that moment. You may vividly recall exactly where you were and what you were doing. Songs or music may also produce triggers. For me, the old Glenn Miller classic “Moonlight Serenade,” brings me back to my wedding day. All of the emotions, the excitement of that first dance with my wife come flooding back to me. More than 20 years later, the images, emotions and memories associated with that song are still as strong as they were on the day I was married. And all it takes is a song!

Similarly, when fascia (the densely woven connective tissue that surrounds every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein as well as all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord) is released through touch, tissue memory can also be triggered. What is especially interesting about fascia is that it is not just a system of separate coverings. It is actually one structure that exists from head to foot without interruption. As such, each part of the body is connected to each other. This is one reason why pain may occur in other parts of the body, away from the area of the original trauma.

When an area injured during trauma (whether it is an accident, abuse, invasive surgery) is released, all of the feelings, emotions, and sensations that you experienced during the initial event may also be released. The same fear, the same pain, the same anxiety may resurface, just as intensely as when the original trauma occurred. At the subconscious level, this is what your body has been feeling all along. In order to fully heal, these sensations must be fully felt so that they can be released.

In her book, “A Patient’s Guide to Understanding John F. Barnes Myofascial Release,” physical therapist Cathy Covell writes:

Fully feeling these sensations is easy to say, but not always easy to do. Remember that the sensations can feel as intense as they did during the initial trauma itself. Many times these sensations that occurred during the trauma were overwhelming, which is why we didn’t release them in the first place. One of our self-defense mechanisms that automatically take over when we are overwhelmed with pain, fear, etc. is to leave our body. What I mean is that we can become completely numb and stuff the pain and emotions. It can seem just as overwhelming when the tissue memory is triggered again.

A sensitive therapist, within the therapeutic environment, can help a client fully connect mind and body, and help the client to safely release the sensations associated with the trauma. It is only through this kind of release that you can truly heal. Unless you completely let go, your body continues to experience the trauma at a subconscious level. If the body doesn’t release, restrictions can form in the fascia, creating chronic pain and making it worse over time. The added stress on your body may also compromise your body’s immune system, which can lead to other forms of illness.

Within the therapeutic environment, with a competent and sensitive therapist, you have the ability to release and clear the pain and trauma of the past. When we fully let go of the pain of our past, we can embrace life in the present, and experience the love and beauty of living in the moment.

April 9, 2012 in Essential Oils, featured, Massage Therapy, Wellness by empoweringwellness

Lomi Lomi massage – a true mind-body experience

When people first experience my bodywork, they often comment that they have never experienced anything like it before. Like many massage therapists, I combine a wide range of techniques to meet the needs of my clients on any given day. During each session, I am likely to combine essential oil therapy, energy work (both Reiki and Cranial Sacral) with a wide range of Western and Eastern massage techniques.

Of all of the different massage techniques to which I have been exposed or in which I have been trained, two techniques have influenced me profoundly. My first experience with massage was more than 30 years ago, when I had my first ever massage at the Esalen Institute, located just south of Monterey, CA. For years, I thought that this was the way all massage therapy was done. It wasn’t until I moved back to Washington, DC that I discovered Swedish or western massage was quite different from the nurturing, integrative and flowing massage that is a characteristic of Esalen massage.

When I became a massage therapy student, I learned the traditional Swedish style of massage. But, I was determined when I began my own practice that I would integrate much of what I experienced at Esalen into my own work. And then, I discovered Lomi Lomi, a Hawaiian form of massage and that changed the course of my work forever.

Lomi Lomi is more than a physical technique. Lomi Lomi involves a holistic approach to the person and seeks to heal and promote wellness in body, mind and spirit. In the Hawaiian language Lomi Lomi literally means “to and from,” referring both to the massage motion as well as to the healing energy that passes between the practitioner and the receiver. There are various kinds of lomi massage including “polole lomi,” the mother’s gentle hand; “oluea lomi,” harmonizing body, mind and spirit; and “oluli lomi,” igniting the life force.

Lomi Lomi is part of a broader Hawaiian belief system that embraces the body, spirit and healing. Therefore it traditionally includes the elements of prayer, breath and energy, rooted in the ancient Hawaiian philosophy known as Huna. It relaxes the nervous system, increases circulation and creates a tangible sense of well being. It is useful for maintaining health, and relieving pain from injury and debilitating illness.

What is it like to experience lomi lomi? This video provides an excellent example of a typical Lomi Lomi session.

Lomi Lomi differs from other forms of massage in many ways. It is an experience that overwhelms the mind with sensations and at the same time communicates an acceptance and a nurturing of the inner self. Most massage techniques work on only one level, usually the physical such as in remedial massage. Massage is often used in stress management but not necessarily addressing or transcending the cause of the stress. Lomi Lomi changes the way you think, feel, move and breathe.

Some of my clients request a full Lomi Lomi session. But, even for those who don’t I incorporate many of the same techniques into a massage session customized specifically for the client. Lomi Lomi is the “dance of massage,” and is just as wonderful to give as to receive.

Aloha!

January 23, 2012 in Emotional Healing, featured, Wellness by empoweringwellness

Learning to Tango

I was walking with my wife and our dogs the other day when we passed the local fire station. There was a young firefighter / EMT outside and when she saw us with our dogs, she called out to us, “Come on over! We have dog biscuits.”

Our dogs love walking near the local fire station. The crews who work there are all very dog friendly, and rarely a visit goes by without our dogs getting some sort of treat. The other day was no different.

As we continued our walk, I mentioned to my wife that “if I had it to do over all again, I would seriously consider becoming a firefighter / EMT.” My wife asked me why, and I said something about how I thought it was a really cool profession and that they get to drive really big, cool trucks!

After we returned home, I tweeted the following from my Twitter account, “So, if you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently? I, for one, would become a fireman / EMT! What about you?”

I received some very interesting answers. My friend Kat replied that she would have loved to have studied abroad when she had the chance. Another person replied that they wish they had become a physical therapist. And yet another said that she wished that she had continued to dance and that she would love to learn to tango.

The tango remark reminded me of one of my favorite film scenes. You know the scene. It is from “Scent of a Woman,” where Al Pacino gives an impromptu tango lesson to Gabrielle Anwar. He asks her why she hasn’t learned to tango and she replies that she is afraid. Afraid of what, Pacino asks? And she replies that she is afraid to make a mistake. Pacino says, “There are no mistakes in the tango.”

There are no mistakes in the tango. I really love that. I think what he means is that when you submit to the seductive power of the tango, you become swept away by it. That seductive power overcomes fear. And when you overcome fear, you are not afraid of making mistakes. As Pacino says, “When you make a mistake in the tango, you get tangled up, and then you tango on!”

Fear of making a mistake is what holds most of us back. It keeps us tongue-tied when we try to learn a foreign language. It prevents us from trying something new or different. It holds us back from reaching our true calling. Fear of making mistakes sabotages our happiness.

My friend Lissa Rankin said to me that I could still become a firefighter if I wanted. She even suggested that the volunteer department in her town would welcome me with open arms, and that they also held the best BBQ party every summer! Now, I love BBQ a lot and it’s quite an incentive, but I do think I am pretty happy with my life right now. When I walked away from the corporate world 8 years ago to become a massage therapist and coach, I knew that I would make mistakes. But instead of fearing mistakes, I actually embraced them. Just like in Pacino’s tango, I knew that those mistakes would become part of my dance and that I would eventually glide through them. I would, as Pacino said, “just tango on!”

I’m very happy with all of the twists and turns my life has taken. I’m grateful for the incredible friends who grace my life every day. I know that on the long and meandering road called life, that I have “gone a long way out of the way, in order to come back a short distance correctly.”

But, I wouldn’t mind driving one of those cool fire trucks one day! And most of all, I really would love to learn to tango. So, I know I will. Someday, very soon.

I hope you enjoy this scene from Scent of a Woman as much as I do! And when you get tangled up in life, just tango on!

Please follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

November 22, 2011 in featured, Massage Therapy, Women's Health by empoweringwellness

Would you ever see a male massage therapist?

As a male massage therapist, I’m in the minority in my field. While the numbers are always changing, less than 20 percent of all certified massage therapists in the United States are male. Massage therapy is a field that is dominated by women and some of my male colleagues report of “gender bias” when it comes to finding jobs. They claim that job opportunities for the male massage therapist are harder to come by than for female therapists.

It is impossible for me to say how many women won’t come to see me because I am a man. I will never know that. But, I can also say that I’ve developed a vibrant practice that focuses on women’s health issues. 100 percent of my clients are women, and the majority of them have been seeing me for years now. So for me, I can say that being a man in a profession dominated by women has not been a significant problem.

The difference between men and women therapists

I think there are a number of myths when it comes to male and female therapists. One of the common myths is that men are stronger and can give a deeper massage. I can tell you that nothing is farther from the truth. Doing deep tissue work is more about using proper technique than shear strength. Size doesn’t matter when it comes to the ability to do deep work. I have personally received some of the best deep tissue work from small, female massage therapists.

Another myth involves the ability to nurture. While it is probably true that women are usually more associated with nurturing and caring, men can embrace this side of their personality as well. In fact, I think I have been successful in working with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence because I embrace that nurturing side. What clients are able to experience (maybe for the first time), is what I call “balanced male energy.” They are able to feel the strength of traditional male energy, but it is balanced by the warm, caring female energy. This duality exists in all of us, and when a male massage therapist is able to tap into it, it creates a powerful healing environment.

Respect for boundaries and being professional

Male massage therapists are held to the same educational, licensing and ethical standards as female therapists. I belong to three professional massage therapy associations, and members are required to agree to abide by a code of ethics and standards of conduct.

Establishing professional boundaries and respecting the limits of clients is an absolute must. For me, that means creating a safe and sacred space for each client, and holding them within that space. It means respecting the story and history of each client, and working within the limits and comfort level of each client. This is especially important when working with clients who have a history of abuse or trauma. Caring touch can help these clients begin the healing process, but it has to be introduced on their terms and at their pace.

At the end of the day, the decision on whether or not you would see a male massage therapist is completely up to you, the client. But I can say with absolute certainty that this male massage therapist works very hard to create an environment of acceptance and non-judgment for every client. She is the focus of the attention, and during each session, she is the most important person in the room.

Take the poll! Would you ever see a male massage therapist?

November 16, 2011 in Emotional Healing, featured, Massage Therapy by empoweringwellness

The positive impact of caring touch on body image

I recently posted an article on Lomi Lomi, which is an ancient Hawaiian form of massage that has been passed down from family member to family member for several thousand years. It’s a very beautiful and flowing form of bodywork and healing that involves long, full strokes across the entire length of the body. And traditionally, the draping used in Lomi Lomi is minimal compared with what we have become used to in the United States.

Several of my readers commented to me that they would feel very uncomfortable with Lomi Lomi (especially after having viewed the video that I include in the post), because they were very self-conscious about their body, their weight and so on. And that started a whole discussion around body image, hence this post.

I hope that this will be the first in many articles on the topic of body image. I will also invite guest bloggers to weigh in on the topic as well. My friend, Jennifer Youn will be one of those guest writers and what has prompted her to write on the topic is the overwhelming pressure young girls put on themselves to be a size 0. So, look forward to Jennifer’s posts here soon.

I will approach the topic of body image from a slightly different perspective – from that of a massage therapist who has worked on thousands of women over the years. My perspective is also that massage therapy and bodywork, when performed by a caring, sensitive and competent therapist encourages awareness of the body just as much as it enhances our ability to ground ourselves and to relax.

The book Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research and Clinical Practice describes massage therapy as a “somatic (of the body) approach that is helpful in positively affecting body image by helping the client to reconnect to the body in a very concrete manner.” That reconnection and the ability to establish a positive experience through caring touch is at the core of the work that I have done with trauma victims and survivors of sexual assault or domestic violence.

Imaginal massage

A recent article published by Massage and Bodywork Magazine suggests an exercise called “imaginal massage.” This exercise involves the client visualizing a massage occurring, with the healing hands of the therapist as a means of accepting her own body. The client can also use this technique during the actual massage session by imagining the healing and affirmative energy being transferred into her body.

Love your body, love your belly

Every muscle in our body has a beginning point and ending point. We call this the origin and insertion. I believe that the origin and insertion of our soul lies within our belly, and gentle abdominal massage is an important part of my work. Unfortunately, it’s not practiced that widely in the US anymore. The belly is a very sensitive area for women and many are not used to having it touched.

Eastern cultures view this part of the body as the source of our intrinsic energy – the source of life. The Japanese call this the Hara, and they believe that our vital spirit resides within it – specifically at a point just below the navel called the “Tan-Den.”

In addition to gentle abdominal massage, I encourage my clients to perform a simple exercise that I call “love your body, love your belly.” I suggest that they do this when they are in the shower in the morning or at night. This exercise will help connect your with your body, and helps to improve the overall condition of your body.

Start the exercise by placing one hand just below and the other just above your navel. Begin gently rubbing your belly in a clockwise, circular motion (from left to right). Allow your breathing to come from your belly by filling it with air and slowly letting it out. This helps to engage the thoracic diaphragm. Feel your breath as it expands into the depths of your belly. As you exhale, draw the belly in, letting the energy circulate throughout your body. As you perform this exercise, if you notice any part of your body where there is pain or tension, allow the breath to come into that spot in your body, and as you exhale, allow the breath to take the pain and tension away.

Massage therapy and body image

Receiving regular bodywork is a way for you to revere and care for your body. It helps to nurture the connection between your mind and body and helps you to begin the process of accepting yourself exactly as you are. A sensitive massage therapist, using caring touch, can help you to bridge that connection. Your therapist will hold a sacred space for you as you make that journey.

Take the first step. Schedule an appointment with me today by using my online scheduling system.

August 4, 2011 in featured, Massage Therapy by empoweringwellness

How often should you get a massage?

This is a question that I am often asked. And my answer is that it depends on a number of factors. If you are looking for general relaxation, monthly treatments combined with other activities (i.e. meditation, deep breathing) might be enough. But, if you are suffering from chronic pain, more regular sessions may be necessary.

I found this useful massage frequency guideline that offers some very useful tips. The article suggests that for chronic conditions such as backache or headaches, a one hour session twice a week for 4 treatments, then try once a week for 3 or 4 weeks, and try to decrease to 1x in 14 days for 2 treatments.

You should talk directly to your therapist about how often you should come in for treatment, especially if there are financial concerns. Most therapists will be very happy to work out a plan with you to maximize the benefits, while working with a limited budget. And in most cases, a competent therapist can also recommend things you can try at home (self massage, stretching, foam roller) that will enhance your treatment.

June 27, 2011 in Emotional Healing, featured, PTSD, Wellness by empoweringwellness

Understanding PTSD

Today, June 27, 2011 is National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day. The US Senate established this day as a way to increase public awareness for PTSD. The following infographic provides a good summary of PTSD, and defines the symptoms, causes and treatments for the various types of traumatic events that can lead to PTSD.

Brought to you by: Masters in Social Work | MSW@USC

June 18, 2010 in Emotional Healing, featured by empoweringwellness

Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse

I am republishing a section of an article I wrote last year titled Reclaiming Your Body and Spirit – Loving Touch and Trauma Recovery. This is very important information if you are a victim.

Where to turn for help:

You’re scared. You’re frightened. You feel alone and feel that you have no place to go.
But, you are not alone and you can get help. Most major metropolitan areas have rape crisis centers. There are also resources for domestic violence.

In an emergency: Call 911 if you need immediate assistance of if you’ve already been hurt.

For advice and support: If you or someone you know is frightened about something in your relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a nonprofit organization that provides crisis intervention, information and referral to victims of domestic violence, perpetrators, friends and families. Help is available to callers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hotline advocates are available for victims and anyone calling on their behalf to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, information and referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 170 languages through interpreter services.

For rape or sexual assault: RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network).RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. At any given moment, more than 1,100 trained volunteers are on duty and available to help victims at RAINN-affiliated crisis centers across the country.

To reach a qualified counselor for help, call 1-800-656-HOPE.

For a safe place to stay: Contact your state’s branch of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence or another local organization. For contact information, visit their site.

If you are being abused please remember:

• You are not to blame for being battered or mistreated.
• You are not the cause of your partner’s abusive behavior.
• You deserve to be treated with respect.
• You deserve a safe and happy life.
• Your children deserve a safe and happy life.
• You are not alone. There are people waiting to help.

If you are a survivor, it is indeed possible to reclaim your body and reconnect to your spirit. It takes courage, and it can be done.

June 18, 2010 in Emotional Healing, Energy Work, featured, Massage Therapy, Mindfulness and Meditation by empoweringwellness

Learning to Breathe

I wrote this post originally for Owning Pink, and it was first published there on June 9th, 2010. I am republishing it here to share it with my clients and readers.

It’s amazing what children can teach us.

Recently, I had the pleasure to work as one of more than a dozen or so caregivers participating in a “Day of Pampering” for the women of an organization that operates an undisclosed 200 room safe house in Northern Virginia for female domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and their children. The Day of Pampering was being held at a local church. The congregation there had graciously offered to open their doors to the volunteers and survivors. My job that day was to give Reiki, Cranial Sacral Therapy and bodywork to survivors who had signed up for the day.

My first “client” of the day was Najya. That is not her real name, but we have to protect her identity. She came to me on that day to receive energy work. Reiki and Cranial-Sacral Therapy can be very effective methods to re-introduce nurturing touch to survivors, as they are very non-invasive techniques.

I always ask for permission before I begin the session and before I apply touch. It’s the client’s session – in this case, Najya’s session – not mine. She needs to set the tone and the pace. Permission is always required.

Breathing

While I do not have a set protocol when working with survivors, I often like to begin with a deep breathing exercise. It’s a safe exercise, and it helps to bring the client into the moment, helps her to relax, and helps re-connect her with her body.

It’s fascinating. We don’t think about how we breathe, we take breathing for granted and many of us have literally forgotten how to perform this basic act. We have lost our ability to breathe naturally, in the way in which our body was designed. Our lungs are teardrop shaped, and they are meant to be filled from the bottom up. That means breathing from deep within the belly, engaging the thoracic diaphragm, and filling our lungs with air from the bottom up. However, most people fill their lungs from the top down. They engage chest and neck muscles when they breathe. It’s called “chest breathing”, and this is often the source of neck and shoulder pain, and the cause of headaches.

As I began the session, I guided Najya through a typical breathing exercise. I usually do variations of this exercise.

But, Najya was definitely having trouble with this. Try as she might, she just couldn’t seem to get the hang of engaging her belly muscles, engaging her diaphragm. And I just wasn’t doing a very good job guiding her through this.

“I can’t get a full breath,” she said frustratedly.

“No worries,” I replied. “Let’s just move on.”

Calming

So, for the next 10-15 minutes I performed gentle massage, Reiki, and some Cranial Sacral Therapy. I focused my attention on her head, neck and shoulders – gentle, very subtle manipulations, in a very nurturing way. I checked in with Najya throughout, always asking permission to move on. It was her session, and she was in control. And as progressed through the session, I noticed that she began to relax and become more present and in the moment. As that happened, her breathing began to subtly shift from her chest to her belly and diaphragm. And in the end, she was breathing deep from her belly.

Her head was in my hands, and I was about to end the session. I asked her, “How do you feel?”

She took a few seconds to reply and said, “I feel calm.”

I don’t know what made me ask, but I said, “Do you have any children?”

She looked at me, smiled and said, “Yes, I have a baby boy. He’s 8-months old.”

“Have you ever watched him breathe?” I asked.

She thought about it for a second and said, “Not really. No.”

“Where is he?” I asked in hopes that she had brought her young son to the daycare center that the safe house volunteers provided.

“He is here. He’s in the nursery,” she replied.

And then I quickly answered, “Let’s go see him.”

Connecting

I helped her off the massage table, and we walked down the hall together to the nursery. As we entered, Najya walked over to a volunteer who was holding a very big baby boy in her arms, rocking him as he slept. He had a dark head of hair, and a gentle smile on his face as he slept in the arms of his caregiver.

Najya smiled at the volunteer and whispered, “Let me take him.” The volunteer gently handed over this plump baby boy to his mother.

“What is his name?” I asked.

Najya replied, “He is Bahir.” She looked down lovingly at this beautiful baby boy.

Najya cradled her son in her arms. He was sound asleep, and as she held him, she broadened her stance and began to sway slightly, mimicking the rhythm of his breathing.

“Put your hand on his belly,” I whispered as I moved closer to both of them. “Close your eyes and feel the sensation of his breath.” She placed her left hand on his belly, and then closed her eyes, searching for the rhythm of his breath.

“Feel his breath and make it your own,” I said. As I said this, I could watch this little baby boy extend his belly, breathe in through his nose, and ever so slightly breathe out through his mouth.

We stood together in silence for several minutes and Najya began to connect with her son.

After a few minutes I asked, “May I hold him?”

Without a word, she slipped her son into my arms. I quickly said, “Place your hand on his belly, and place your other hand on your belly and mimic his breathing.”

Then, the three of us were just stood there in silence, swaying gently. There was a gentle rhythm to his breath and I was able to count Little Bahir’s breathing patterns. His belly filled to the count of five, and he exhaled to the count of eight. He was sound asleep and just doing this naturally.

“Feel his breath and begin to breathe as one,” I said.

And so we stood there for several minutes. I’m not sure how much time really passed. But, I could see that her breathing patterns had changed. She was now taking deep full breaths, in a very relaxed and natural way. She was breathing as her body was designed to do.

I also noticed subtle changes in her posture. Her shoulders were no longer up around her ears. Tension lines had disappeared from her face.

“Continue to focus on the breath,” I said and I returned her son to her arms.

Returning

When we were born, we all breathed like babies. And then somewhere in the transition from baby to “little person,” we forgot how to breathe. We lost the connection to our belly, and to that place that grounds us to the earth.

But, we can definitely recapture this feeling. We want to breathe this way. It only requires training and desire.
Najya, Bahir and I stood together in the silence for a few more minutes.

“How do you feel now?” I asked.

She replied, “Wonderful!”

“Practice this,” I said. “Mimic the way your son breathes and let him teach you,” I said.

I stood there for a few minutes more and then quietly slipped out of the room.

It was a wonderful day. One of my favorite parts of the day was to walk around and watch the children rolling in play doh, making jewelry, playing on the play ground or in the nursery, so content and being rocked and played with by a volunteer care-giver.

I saw nearly 20 “clients” that day. But Najya was the most memorable. As I packed up my table and supplies at the end of the day and carried them to my car, I noticed Najya from across the parking lot. She glanced up and saw me. She placed her hand on her belly, and I could see that she took a deep breath from all the way across the parking lot. She closed her eyes and smiled.

It’s amazing what children can teach us.

Breathing,

February 9, 2010 in featured, Wellness by empoweringwellness

Seven Tips to Manage Your Stress Hormones

When I meet with clients for the first time, one of the questions I ask is ‘how much stress do you have in your life?’ Often, a client will respond by saying she doesn’t suffer from stress at all. And I usually respond by saying, ‘Oh really?’

We usually don’t realize how stress affects us, because our body does a good job of adapting to pressures put on it. And I think in our society (certainly here in the Washington DC metro area), we are often encouraged to wear stress like a badge of honor. We carry our Blackberry’s with us at all times, we don’t take vacation or time off, we work long hours, we don’t get enough sleep, and in these difficult economic times, many people are putting off seeing their doctors or otherwise caring for themselves. These factors, and many more contribute to the rise of the “stress hormone,” cortisol.

No don’t get me wrong, a little stress can be a good thing. Cortisol is produced by your adrenal system and it helps to regulate your blood pressure and immune system. It can help you increase your level of energy as well as improve your ability to fight off infection. According to an article oublished in the February edition of Prevention Magazine, just a little bit of cortisol can:

- Boost your sex drive by improving your mood and sexual arousal

- Ease pain by helping to release other pain reducing hormone systems

- Improve memory,when moderate levels of cortisol exist

But, chronically high levels of this otherwise helpful hormone can cause all sorts of problems ranging from insomnia, a depressed immune system, and even weight gain. According to Shawn Talbot, PhD, author of The Cortisol Connection, “When cortisol spikes, it tells the body to eat something with a lot of calories – a great survival tactic if you need energy to flee a predator but not if you’re fretting over how to pay bills.”

The article goes on to site several ways that you can invoke “the relaxation response,” a natural antitode to the flight-or-fight mode that cortisol stimulates.

Meditation – Reduces Cortisol by 20%

- People who meditate regularly reduce cortisol levels by an average of 20 percent, in addition to reducing their blood pressure levels

Getting plenty of sleep – Reduces Cortisol by as Much as 50%

Getting a full 8-hours of sleep every night helps your body recover from the stress of your day. If you can’t get the full 8-hours, try to find time for a nap the day after you fall short of the mark.

Drink Black Tea – Reduces Cortisol by 47%

Scientists aren’t sure how this works exactly, but they think that naturally occuring flavinoids and polyphenols may be responsible for the calming effect of tea.

Find a Funny Pal and Hang out with Her (or Him)! – Reduces Cortisol by 39%

What’s the old adage? Laughter is the best medicine. Well, it turns out that is actually true!

Get a Massage – Reduces Cortisol by 31%

This one is my favorite of course! Research shows that there is a lasting, cumulative affect by receiving regular bodywork. Massage therapy helps release other hormones such as dopamine and seratonin, which help reduce the effects of stress.

Do Something Spiritual – Reduces Cortisol by 25%

Similar to meditating, studies have shown that people who attend regular religious services reported lower cortisol production.

Read the complete article here.