Bodywork By Design Therapeutic Massage Studio in Battle Creek, MI
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Service Spotlight: Ashiatsu

7/25/2016

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You may know that I offer a service called Ashiatsu where I massage with my feet. I'm not walking on you, but actually massaging you with my feet. It's basically a Swedish style massage done with my feet. I usually have one foot on the table, and one foot on the client - leaving me in complete control of my pressure. Two bars attached to the ceiling are used overhead for balance and support.

Ashi = foot
Atsu = pressure

While it can be deeper than a hands on massage, it call really be whatever amount of pressure you prefer. Deeper pressure with the foot is more comfortable than deep pressure with the hands because the pressure is spread out over the entire surface of the foot rather than concentrated in a thumb or elbow which can sometimes feel pokey or like a "digging" sensation. When deep pressure is applied with the greater surface area of the foot, the body usually responds with a surrendering of tension that allows me to sink in with less effort and with more comfort on your end. You can communicate with me at any time if you want more or less pressure, this is YOUR session!

Some clients seem to crave that digging feeling from years of deep massage and the belief that there's "no pain, no gain". I've found that I can actually accomplish much more in the softening of the tissues without "digging" and can still achieve that depth that you crave. 

Ashiatsu is particularly great for chronic low back pain, and many clients also find it deeply relaxing. Many comment that my feet feel like big hands, and they wouldn't know it was my feet if I hadn't told them!

I always clean and sanitize my feet before your session, and also warm my feet before placing them on your back. 

While ashiatsu may not be for everyone (depending on health history and contraindications for certain conditions), I really encourage you to give it a try for a different, deeply relaxing experience that is also very therapeutic.

Have you tried ashiatsu? Leave a comment about your experience.



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Music, Massage, Facials, Oh My!

7/20/2016

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Did you know you can choose your music for your massage? You don't have to lay there and listen to whatever new agey tunes I've got playing!

I've even played AC/DC and Christmas music by request. Or if you want typical massage music, but something particular (like Native American flute, or relaxing piano, or nature sounds, etc), just let me know and we can ask Alexa (Amazon Echo) to play it for your session. :) I can even create a playlist of your favorite music to have saved on file for when you come in. Just let me know who your favorite type of music and I'd be happy to create a playlist for you.

As we approach Christmas, I'd like to let you know that I will be working through the holidays this year! Sometimes I take 2 weeks off this time of year, but this year I will be at the studio to relax you :) I'm already booked the week before Christmas, but the week between Christmas and New Year's has some openings, so if you want to get in - you should schedule now!

​And if you're still looking for that perfect gift, remember that massage gift certificates are one size fits all and you can get them 24/7 online. If you prefer to have a physical card, just arrange a time to meet me at the office and we'll get you squared away. I also have just a few Mother Earth Pillows left, they are going fast so if you want one before Christmas, let me know asap.

I also wanted to tell you about another great gift idea in case you haven't heard of GLOW yet. My friend Melissa Randolph is the owner and estitician at GLOW downtown next to Malia and offers wonderful facials with organic skin care products. (Elina Organics of Kalamazoo). She also has gift certificates available if you know of someone who would love a facial from Santa this year!

This is a busy and stressful time of year for a lot of us, so I just want to give you a gentle reminder to take care of yourself this season. I appreciate you and look forward to working with you this holiday season!
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"It always smells so good in here!"

7/14/2016

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I've started carrying DoTerra essential oils at my studio. I'm using some in sessions, but I'm also making my own roller bottles of different blends. 

While I'm still learning about oils and how they can help us, I do have an exciting success story about a recent experiment! I have a family member who has been experiencing severe heartburn (for years, really) but just recently decided to go off her heartburn medicine due to the recent study linking Nexium to dementia. Her heartburn returned with a vengeance and she's been miserable. Her doctor actually recommended she try essential oils! (Peppermint and ginger to be exact.) 

So I did a little research on what oils work well for heartburn and made a roller bottle with peppermint and lemon to be applied to the breastbone, a roller bottle with digestzen (which contains peppermint and ginger along with some other oils) to be applied on the belly, and got her a bottle of gelcaps with the digestzen and also peppermint beadlets to try. She reported about a 95% improvement in her heartburn symptoms - almost immediately! These methods may need to be applied several times a day, but the good news is that there are no negative side effects.

In the coming weeks, there will be some complimentary roller bottles of oil blends at the massage studio. I'll have a few different blends available for you to choose from. If there is something in particular you'd like to try, let me know and I'll see if I have that available for you. 

Here's some of the blends I'm planning:
  • relaxation / stress relief
  • sleepytime
  • allergies
  • heartburn
  • pms / hot flashes / mood swings

While I'm not one to say that anything is a "cure", I do think essential oils can benefit us and help ease the discomfort of certain issues. Certainly talk to your doctor about any issues you're having, and know that I'm not diagnosing or prescribing in my practice - just offering some yummy oils :)


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Cindy Iwlew is owner of Bodywork By Design, a private therapeutic massage studio in Battle Creek, Michigan. 

She is cofounder of Bodywork Buddy Massage Software, a complete online management solution for independent massage therapists that includes online scheduling. ​​

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Meditation Minis Podcast

7/8/2016

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I recently started listening to the podcast Meditation Minis with Chel Hamilton. 

I've found it very helpful in quieting my mind during some stressful times. Chel's voice is extremely soothing, and if you've never tried meditation before, this is a great way to try it out and reap the benefits.

I've always told people that the only meditation I do is when I'm the one receiving on the massage table. ;) While I do consider massage to be it's own kind of meditation, I also really enjoy guided meditations. 

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 A lot of the benefits you receive from massage can also come from meditation. If you have 10 minutes in your busy day to listen to a guided meditation, this can be a great way to train in some relaxation into your everyday life between your massage appointments. And relaxation really is like "training". Did you know that the more you do things like massage and meditation, the more deeply and easily your body relaxes? Think of it like training for a marathon. A relaxation marathon ;) More enjoyable than running but still good for you!

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Thanks to www.tansamai.com for the infographic
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I hope you give it a listen and enjoy it. What are some other ways you like to relax in between your massage appointments?

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Cindy Iwlew is owner of Bodywork By Design, a private therapeutic massage studio in Battle Creek, Michigan. 

She is cofounder of Bodywork Buddy Massage Software, a complete online management solution for independent massage therapists that includes online scheduling. ​

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    Author

    Cindy Slack
    LMT / Owner Bodywork By Design
    Cofounder of Bodywork Buddy online scheduling & practice management software for solo massage therapists.

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