Some of the activities described in this book could be dangerous if performed incorrectly.
When performing the physical exercises, for example, please take the time to read the
text—don’t just look at the pictures—and never push so hard that your body hurts. When
you’re practicing massage, it’s important to remember not to massage directly on top of the
spine or over varicose veins, open wounds, areas of intense pain, skin rashes, infections, or
bruises. If you’re pregnant, avoid exercises that impact the abdomen and those requiring
deep work on your hands or feet. Pregnant women also shouldn’t experiment with
aromatherapy, and anyone using essential oils should read the instructions and warnings on
the product labels before even opening the bottles. For instance, essential oils are almost
never to be applied undiluted directly on the skin, and people with high blood pressure
should avoid using stimulating oils. Be sure to perform patch tests of all beauty products to
determine whether you might have an allergic reaction to the ingredients. If you're
uncertain about the suitability of an exercise program or health-related practice, consult
with your doctor or other health-care professional to determine whether it's right for you.
h
A
hectic daily routine—never mind those
spur-of-the-moment crises—can wreak
havoc on your mind and body. Just as muscles
need time to recover between strength-training
sessions, your entire being needs time to relax
amid the whirlwind of activities.
Taking the time to daydream, stretch, and observe
the world around you can yield some amazing
dividends. Your mind clears, your body recovers,
and your spirit has the freedom to soar.
Remember that letting things go can be as
important as getting them done. In fact, letting
go is sometimes the best way to ensure that you
are able to do your best. After all, a relaxed body
moves more freely. A calm mind hears its muse
more easily. And a tranquil heart can better be
open to feeling love and happiness. •
13
12
Don’t Fight It
Part of the reason your
neck and shoulders ache
when you’re under stress is
the fight-or-flight mode
that the body automatically
assumes when exposed to
a threat, whether a hungry
tiger or a peevish boss!
When this self-preservation
mechanism kicks in, the
shoulders hunch upward
and the neck instinctively
cocks the head forward.
Consciously take a moment
to release that defensive
posture when you’re in the
middle of a rough day.
Even if no one is around to lend a helping hand, you can find welcome
neck relief with this series of do-it-yourself rubs and stretches.
1 Turn your head to the side to find your sternocleidomastoid muscle
(for obvious reasons, usually just referred to as the SCM). The SCM
starts on the breastbone and collarbone, crosses the neck at an angle,
and attaches to the base of the skull behind the ear. Press in with your
thumb and grasp the bottom of the SCM from behind. Hold using
firm pressure while you slowly turn your head from side to side three
times. Then repeat in a new spot one inch higher. Work both sides of
your neck from bottom to top.
2 Now turn your attention to the back of your head. Press in firmly
with your thumbs at the base of your skull and move them in tight,
firm circles. Begin on either side of the spine and work outward along
the base of your skull toward the ears. If you encounter sore points,
stop and press firmly on each as you take three deep breaths.
3 Grasp something stable, such as a tabletop, with your right hand and
turn your head as far to the left as is comfortable, sitting or standing up
tall. Stretch your neck muscles by gently guiding your chin farther to
the left with your left hand. Hold the stretch for three deep breaths.
Gently release and repeat on the other side.
4 Place your left hand on your left shoulder. With your right hand,
gently guide your head down toward your right shoulder. Breathe in
and out slowly, feeling your neck muscles gradually lengthen over the
span of three breaths. Bring your head slowly back to center. Repeat
on the other side. You can do this stretch a number of times, holding
your head at different angles to isolate various muscles.
Knead the Knots
Out of Your Neck
28
29
30
Pay attention to the source
when you’re choosing your
water. To earn the official
designation “mineral water,”
the water must originate from
an underground source, be
collected directly from where
it emerged from the ground,
contain a certain amount of
naturally occurring minerals
and other trace elements, and
be free of pollution.
Choose Fresh
Mineral Water
Some spa-goers believe that hydrotherapy is the closest thing they’ll
ever find to the fountain of youth, crediting bathing in mineral waters
with the power to keep them looking and feeling young. Enjoy some
of the benefits of mineral water at home by preparing a restorative bath
that will not only make you feel wonderfully relaxed but will also go a
long way toward enhancing your sense of general well-being.
Fill your bathtub with very warm water, enough to completely cover
your shoulders. Add a handful of scented mineral bath salts to the water
and mix them with your hand until they completely dissolve. Ease into
the tub, lie back (use a bath pillow or rolled-up towel to cradle your
neck, if you like), and close your eyes. Rest in the softening bath for
at least 20 minutes, breathing slowly and deeply.
Soak in the Healing
Power of Hydrotherapy
Hydrate Well While Bathing
Before getting into a mineral bath, pour yourself a tall glass of chilled
mineral water and place it within easy reach of the tub. To make it even
more refreshing, add slices of lime, lemon, or cucumber. When you’re
immersed in very warm water, you’ll perspire, so it’s important to keep
your body well hydrated. Sip the cool mineral water as you soak.
After you’ve finished bathing and have dried yourself off, be sure to
refill your water glass and keep it nearby; you’ll want to continue
drinking plenty of water after the treatment to stay hydrated.
63
64
Detoxifying Steam Blend
Large bowl filled with boiling water
3 drops grapefruit essential oil
2 drops rosemar y essential oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
4 grapefruit slices (optional)
Steaming opens up the skin’s pores, helping to dislodge any grime
and makeup residue, and imparts vital moisture to deeper skin layers.
It softens dead skin cells, making it easier to exfoliate them with a
gentle facial scrub. A steaming session also increases circulation to
your face and relaxes facial muscles. To intensify the detoxifying
effects and feel extra refreshed, add aromatic oils to the treatment.
1 Fill a bowl with boiling water. Add grapefruit and rosemary
essential oils (see recipe at right), as well as sprigs of fresh rosemary
and slices of grapefruit, if desired.
2 Lean over the bowl, taking care to keep your face about 12 inches
away. Let comfort be your guide—steaming should be a pleasant
experience, not an endurance test.
3 Drape a bath towel over your head and the bowl to trap the
vapors. (If the vapors sting your eyes, keep them closed.)
4 Steam your face for five to ten minutes.
Steamed skin is fragile. Blot your face gently with a soft towel and,
while your face is still slightly damp, apply a moisturizer. Top off your
steam by drinking plenty of water.
Add Essential Oils
to a Steam Facial
Detoxify with Essential Oils
Aromatherapists often recommend grapefruit essential oil to relieve
acne and tone the skin. You can use it in a steam blend or add it to a
base lotion to create a healing moisturizer. Rosemary oil also serves as
an astringent and an antibacterial agent that helps prevent pimples.
Other detoxifying essential oils include juniper, geranium, Atlas cedar,
sweet orange, and bay laurel. Experiment with individual oils and
blends to find which are most pleasing and effective to you.
h
W
ith all the things we’d like to do—let
alone have to do—it’s no wonder that
few of us are able to breeze through the day with
energy to spare. In fact, chronic fatigue is one of
the most common complaints doctors hear.
Often the energy-sapping culprits are lifestyle
factors such as too little sleep, overscheduling,
and, above all, stress.
While you can’t add more hours to the day, you
can rethink your work, family, and social
commitments, and learn to say no to the ones
that are less pleasurable or pressing. If a lack of
sleep is your downfall, the solution is obvious—
get more of it—but, in the real world, that can be
hard to do. If you’re feeling stressed—the number
one cause of chronic fatigue—the exercises,
treatments, and activities in this chapter are
guaranteed to help you handle everyday stress
better and put a little more zip in your step. •
115
114
1
2
The challenging Dolphin pose, reminiscent of the graceful arc of a
dolphin’s body, builds upper-body strength and provides a pleasant
stretch for the back muscles that run along your spine. It also promotes
neck strength, which is vital for preparing for headstands and other
demanding poses.
1 To get into position, kneel down and grasp each of your upper arms
with the opposite hand. Then, still grasping your upper arms, place
your elbows on the floor. Keeping your elbows where they are, release
your hands and interlace your fingers; lower your forearms to the floor.
Make sure that your elbows are slightly closer together than your
shoulders are. Next, simultaneously press down with your arms, as if
you’re trying to push the floor away from your chest, and lift your hips
as pictured. Lengthen your spine and allow your head to hang down.
Keeping your back straight, inhale and extend your head past your
hands, reaching forward with your chin.
2 Exhale and press your chest toward your feet so that your head
comes inside your arms. Let your neck relax. Move back and forth
between the positions as many times as your comfort level allows.
Get Strong Shoulders
with Dolphin Pose
To get the most out of
static stretching, give your
muscles the time they need
to let go:
Warm up with at least
five to ten minutes of
aerobic activity, which
can be as simple as brisk
walking.
Gently stretch to the
point of tension, never
pain, and then hold for
30 seconds to two
minutes. Look at your
watch—this often will
feel like a long time!
Breathe deeply and try
to focus on releasing
muscle tension during
exhales. Make your
exhales longer than
your inhales.
Do not bounce. Strive for
a gentle, sustained
stretch, breathing through
areas of resistence until
they naturally release.
Never force a stretch.
Time Your
Stretches
Find Your Inner
Flexibility
It’s tempting to think that you’re fit if you’re strong and in good
aerobic shape. But be sure to also work on flexibility, the third leg of
any fitness program. Muscles that are short or stiff are more prone to
injury, as are the joints near those muscles. On the other hand,
lengthened muscles and joints with a good range of motion (both of
which come from stretching) withstand trauma more easily and
perform better in both competitive sports and daily activities.
150
14 9
151
Just like stretching your legs, these easy self-massage techniques will
help warm you up, pump you up, and even undo damage.
1 Relax tension in your hamstrings with a little jiggle before exercise.
Sit on the ground or a bench, bend one knee up slightly, and grasp the
muscles on the underside of that thigh with one hand. Begin waggling
them loosely from side to side. Move up and down the length of your
thigh, jostling your leg muscles as you go. Do six times on each leg.
2 Compress your quadriceps. Sit and bend one knee up slightly, as
before. With the heels of both palms, press down into your thigh
muscles, squeezing toward the bone in a pumping action. Release the
pressure and move to a new spot, repeating from knee to hip. For extra
power, rock your body forward as you press in, and lean back on your
release. Work both of your legs from the knee to the hip six times.
3 Roll the calf muscles. With palms pressed into the fleshy part of
your calf, rapidly push up with one hand while pulling down with the
other, creating a rolling motion, for 30 seconds. Work both legs.
4 Starting near one ankle, press with the heel of your palm straight in
toward the bone, and release. Pump the calf muscles in a rhythmic
manner, moving toward your knee. Repeat this set of compressions
three times, then work the other leg.
Love Your Legs with
a Sports Massage
Invigorating sports
massages can be beneficial
either before or after a
workout. They are usually
short in duration; just a few
minutes is restorative
without being overly
relaxing for the recipient.
The brief rubdowns also
give the hardworking
massager a break, as they
require quite a bit of
energy to give.
Keep It Short
and Sweet
Soothe Minor Sports Injuries
with PRICE
Most sports injuries are sprains (damage to ligaments, which link
bones together), strains (damage to tendons, which bind muscles to
bones), and contusions (bruises). A good strategy for treating minor
injuries is PRICE: Protect (use bandages, elastic wraps, or splints, if
needed), Rest (don’t exercise the injured body part), Ice (10 to 15
minutes every hour for the first four hours, then four times a day for
two to three days), Compress (with an elastic cloth bandage), and
Elevate (use gravity to drain fluid away from injured tissue). After two
to three days, switch to heat to relieve discomfort.
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