Your abdomen is your friend.

The abdomen isn’t merely a container for most of the body’s internal organs; it is also contains emotions. Have you ever received terrible news and had the feeling that your heart has plummeted into the pit of your stomach? I have.

Some of us experience tension mostly as headaches while others of us deal with stomach problems connected with daily stress. Body stress actually begins in infancy. Many babies experience abdominal distress on a regular basis (often linked to colic,) and children get tummyaches when they are stressed out about school or friends. As we get older, we usually fall into one of two categories: headache people and stomachache people.

Sure, we might all get both every once in a while, but one type of discomfort is definitely prevalent. While I feel fortunate to be able to say I’ve never had a migraine headache, I can’t say the same about excruciating stomach pain. Most of my stomach troubles came at a time when I was being treated for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Not surprisingly, a study published in “Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics” found a direct association between GAD and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Emotions are indeed very physical. It’s the reason why getting a massage doesn’t just feel good physically, but also allows us to leave the table feeling like life is completely worthwhile. The best part is that, while massage does help reduce physical ailments, its benefits are multiplied because a healed mind contributes to a healed body.

I’m disappointed that massage therapists don’t spend much time working in the abdominal region. I currently have one client on whom I perform regular weekly abdominal massage, and the treatment is truly a mind-body experience for both of us.

If you get a lot of stomachaches, I encourage you to ask your massage therapist to focus on your abdomen for at least a few minutes every session. Because the abdomen can be so closely connected with emotional reservations, receiving a massage in that area can feel a little more intimate or even invasive in the beginning. Over time, however, you will get used to having someone else apply healing touch in that area, which I believe will allow you to release some of what is causing the discomfort.

I also encourage you try some basic abdominal massage techniques on yourself:

1. Lie flat on your back with a thick pillow just below your knees.

2. Rub your palms together until you feel heat radiating from your hands.

3. Let your hands rest side by side and palm-down just below your navel. Feel the steady rise and fall of your abdomen as you take slow, deep breaths. Focus on every breath, allowing your body to relax under the warm weight of your hands.

4. Using the full surface of both palms, massage your abdomen in clockwise circles to follow the natural digestive pathway in your colon. Start with small circles directly around the navel, gradually working your way out toward the edges of your torso. Let your hands work in a flowing motion by alternately stroking with one as you lift the other.

5. Let your massage last as long as your body is receptive to it, but try to work for at least 10 minutes to start with.

Tips:

• You can massage your abdomen through thin clothing, but working directly on your skin with a warming massage oil is a more effective way to induce physical and emotional relaxation.
• Check out this video if you want to see some advanced techniques.

Warning:

Abdominal massage is contraindicated for anyone:

• In the first trimester of pregnancy
• Actively undergoing chemotherapy
• Experiencing a flare-up of IBS or Crohn’s Disease
• Recently recovering from abdominal surgery
• With an abdominal aneurysm
• With cirrhosis of the liver
• With angina pectoris
• With an active infection or cancer in the abdominal region

Some take their coffee black; I take my tea green.

I love green tea. It’s a wonder brew, full of antioxidants that can hunt down free radicals in the body. Research increasingly shows that including green tea in your daily diet can help protect your body against cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, infection, and a weak immune system. Now you may be able to reap even more benefits of green tea by doing more than drinking a plain cup of it.

Here are some other fun ways to enjoy it:

Boost Your Daily Cup – According to a study at Purdue University, adding citrus juice or vitamin C to your daily brew of green tea can help green tea’s antioxidants stay in your body longer after digestion. So use either some citrus juice (lime is a quite tasty addition) or add some vitamin C to your tea and your body may reap more benefits.

Make a Green Tea Acne Treatment – Green tea acne treatments have become increasingly popular because they contain ingredients known to detoxify, reduce inflammation, swelling, and clear oil build-up. Treatments can be purchased or made at home. To make your own green tea acne treatment, boil some green tea, allow it to cool, and mix it with an egg white. Apply the treatment to a freshly washed face, wait for the mask to dry and harden on your face, and rinse it off with warm water. You can also skip the full green tea acne treatment concoction and apply a warm and wet green tea bag to the areas of your face affected by acne. I can’t personally vouch for it since I haven”t tried it yet. However, green tea in itself is quite mild and shouldn’t do you any harm.

Use Green Tea Shampoo – Most brands of green tea shampoo are quite gentle on the scalp and hair. They are full of antioxidants and vitamins, and they are known to strengthen and thicken hair as well as help repair damaged and dry hair. Brands such as June Jacobs Green Tea and Cucumber Conditioning Shampoo are helpful with hair that has been treated with dye and other chemicals.

Other Green Tea Products – The list of green tea products increases as green tea’s health benefits become well-known. If you’re curious, try some green tea ice cream, green tea toothpaste, green tea dessert bars, green tea-infused chocolates and caramels, and maybe even some green tea mints.

If you know of any other good ones, let me know.

Simplify your life.

Have you ever had one of those days? You know, the kind of day where all of your thoughts are jumbled into thousands of half-digested pieces and you’re not exactly sure how your keys ended up in the refrigerator? It’s easy to get caught up in a lot of physical and emotional clutter. It’s important for all of us–especially those of us who exchange energy with others so often–to simplify our lives and regroup. Some simple steps can make for a simpler life.

Breathe – Did you know that forcing yourself to take deep breaths actually alters your physiology? It’s true. Deep breathing decreases the body’s oxygen consumption, decreases the heart rate, and decreases blood pressure. Healthy body, healthy mind. So before you run out the door, shove a bagel in your mouth and rush to your next appointment, please don’t forget to take deep breaths. Make slower movements while you do it. It’s the most simple, healthy gift you can offer yourself.

Clean the Clutter - Simplify your life by simplifying your home.  Imagine how your stress and anxiety levels would fare if you could quickly find the things you actually need without having to sift through all the other stuff. Seriously consider when you last wore that red sweater. If it’s been longer than six months, put it into a large plastic bag with other clothing that’s going to charity. Giving to the needy can also make you feel good about yourself and reduce your anxiety and stress levels.

Use One Car - Share a car with your spouse (i.e. get rid of your second and third car) and take turns riding your bike, or take turns using public transportation. You’ll have fewer bills to worry about, you’ll be getting more exercise (or you’ll at least be enjoying more reading time if you’re taking the bus,) and you’ll be helping out the environment.

Unplug - These days, it’s really easy to get caught up in, “No, it’s my turn to use the television!” and, “They’re testing more missiles overseas?” and “Oh, great, Mom’s nagging me over the phone again.”  Unplug for at least one day every week. Try going a few weeks without reading all the bad news in the paper and focus on some other hobbies. For example, find ways to enjoy yourself in the great outdoors. Walk barefoot in the grass. Appreciate your mere existence. (And don’t forget to take those deep breaths!)

Own Your Time - Reserve 30 minutes to an hour each day and make it “you” time. Taking the time to reflect and consider other ways you can simplify your life will reduce a lot of anxiety and stress. If you simply can’t find any extra time, practice mindful meditation during daily tasks (such as cooking and bathing.) You will feel more relaxed when you begin to feel like your life belongs to you.

There is no way to completely avoid toxins.

“The Toxoblaster 28000 Wipes Out Toxins!”

“Eliminate toxins with the new super detox fast!”

“Drink lots of water to flush out the toxins.”

I hear the word “toxins” so frequently that I can’t help but think that my body has become a noxious waste cesspool on the verge of explosion.

What are toxins, anyway? Are they little green monsters with evil grins? Are they really the murky gunk that fills up ionic foot baths? Should I resort to fasting and jumping into an ice cold lake twice a month in an attempt to purge my body of those occasional extra glasses of wine? Probably not.

Toxins are: everywhere. Environmental chemicals, food additives, the stuff we drink at parties, the bath product ingredients that are impossible to pronounce, and even compounds in seemingly innocent foods such as soy.

Toxins are not: avoidable.

Toxins creep up on us whether or not we eat food from our own pesticide-free gardens. They will find a way to sneak into our bodies even if we buy organic body wash. I’m not entirely sure, however, that the sneaky ones—the untested, potentially poisonous chemicals that we breathe in on a daily basis—are what will eventually kill us. (That isn’t to say I’m not concerned about our pollutant-ridden environment.)  However, I’m convinced that what matters more than anything is what we blatantly do to our systems on a daily basis.

I have a lot of faith in the human body. I think that humans are blessed with an amazing, adaptable network of toxin filters (e.g. liver, kidneys, and urinary systems) that have allowed us to thrive on this planet for a long time. The problem is, these systems weren’t made to withstand lots of abuse. I know of people who smoke, try recreational drugs, binge drink, eat junk food, and avoid exercise. Some of these people also sit in sweat lodges, order ionic foot baths, go on “detox fasts,” and obsessively cleanse their colons in an attempt to flush out the toxins.

I can think of an even better and more cost-effective method of flushing them out: drink lots of water, cut back on the junk, and go for a run every now and then. Maintain your body instead of trying to put Band-Aids on preventable damage. If you want to do the extra cleansing rituals in addition to the daily maintenance, your body might reap some extra benefits.

Prenatal massage therapy can help improve your pregnancy.

When you’re pregnant, you deserve a massage.

Your baby is growing at such a rapid pace that your body must quickly change to accommodate him. Since most of your new weight is going to the front of your body, your pelvis pulls forward and adds extra strain to your back, shoulder, and neck muscles. All this added tension is enough of a reason for you to get a weekly massage when you’re pregnant. But then there are the mood swings, the nerve pain, the breast tenderness… the list goes on.

Massage therapists trained in the prenatal massage modality employ techniques that were designed especially for the needs of pregnant women. Plus, a massage table can be set up just for your body. If you can’t find a therapist with a special pregnancy table or a pregnancy pad, you can get a prenatal massage while you lie on your side and hug a pillow. (Pregnant friends have told me that just being able to lie face-down on a pregnancy table was worth what they paid for the massage.)

If everything I’ve mentioned up to this point hasn’t convinced you to get a prenatal massage, consider the following:

1. Prenatal massage therapy can reduce your stress levels and improve your mood. A study conducted by the University of Miami studied the effects of a twice-weekly 20 minute massage on pregnant women. The results were promising. Researchers found that the pregnant women’s stress hormones were lowered and their mood states were improved.
2. Prenatal massage therapy can improve your pregnancy experience and improve your baby’s health. The University of Miami study showed that women who received massages also noticed a dramatic decrease in body pain as a result of the hormone regulation. Moreover, the quality of their sleep was improved and their risk of having any pregnancy-related complications was reduced.

With that in mind, massage isn’t just a luxury when you’re pregnant. If you don’t care about getting a massage for your own health, get one on your baby’s behalf.

Tips:

• Mention prenatal massage gift certificates on your baby shower wish list.
• Join your partner in learning some prenatal massage techniques to save some money.
• Click here to find a massage therapist who specializes in prenatal massage.

Warning:

• Talk to your OB/GYN before you schedule your first massage treatment. Some pre-existing pregnancy complications are contraindications for prenatal massage.