703: How bodywork can help reduce anxiety
This week on the Anxiety Slayer podcast we’re talking about the benefits of adding massage, shiatsu, or acupuncture into your wellness routine to reduce anxiety.
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Points discussed in this episode:
This week we’re talking about the benefits of incorporating massage, shiatsu, or acupuncture into your wellness routine which can provide numerous benefits for the mind, body, and soul.
Body massage or massage therapy, is a manual therapy that involves kneading, rubbing, tapping, and stroking the soft tissues of the body.
Shiatsu is a form of therapy of Japanese origin based on the same principles as acupuncture in which pressure is applied to meridian points on the body using the hands.
Acupuncture is a medical treatment that involves inserting thin needles into the skin at specific points on the body. The practice is based on traditional Chinese medicine
Fascia and Trauma
Fascia is a connective tissue that forms an internal netting throughout our bodies. Healthy fascia is normally supple, stretchy, and flexible, but injury, trauma, inactivity and other factors can cause the fascia to stiffen and become less supple.
Ayurveda considers our nervous system and connective tissue to be related and teaches that our mood influences fascia. This is how emotions and memories are stored in the physical body.
“Our issues are in our tissues.” - Dr. Vasant Lad
What helps keep fascia healthy?
Regular massages, including techniques like myofascial release, help break up adhesions and improve circulation within the fascia. Foam rolling can also be an effective self-massage technique to keep fascia flexible and reduce tightness. Proper hydration and healthy nutrition are also key in keeping fascia healthy.
Benefits of Massage, Shiatsu and Acupuncture
Stress Reduction and Relaxation
Massage and shiatsu techniques promote relaxation by reducing muscle tension and stimulating the release of endorphins, which help alleviate stress and anxiety.
Acupuncture can help balance the body’s energy, leading to a state of calmness and tranquility, which can be beneficial for mental health.
Improved Circulation
Massage enhances blood flow and lymphatic circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to cells more efficiently and helping with detoxification.
Acupuncture can stimulate blood flow to specific areas, improving overall circulation and promoting healing in various parts of the body.
Pain Relief
Shiatsu and massage are effective in relieving chronic pain conditions, such as back pain, headaches, and muscle soreness, by relaxing tight muscles and improving flexibility.
Acupuncture is widely recognized for its ability to alleviate pain, including arthritis, migraines, and other chronic conditions, by targeting specific acupoints to interrupt pain signals.
Enhanced Mental Clarity and Focus
Massage therapy can improve mental clarity by reducing tension and promoting relaxation, allowing for better focus and concentration.
Acupuncture can help regulate neurotransmitters and hormones, which may enhance cognitive function and emotional stability, leading to improved focus and mental performance.
Holistic Well-Being
All three practices emphasize a holistic approach to health, addressing not just physical ailments but also emotional and spiritual well-being.
Foot Massage - Reflexology
Ayurveda teaches that our feet store our emotional history.
According to Ayurveda teacher Dr. Vasant Lad, there are three kinds of negative emotion: vata emotion (fear, anxiety, nervousness); pitta emotion (anger, hate, envy, jealousy); and kapha emotion (attachment, greed, possessiveness, depression). When we suppress these emotions, they crystallize in the body and eventually accumulate in the soles of the feet.
Dr. Lad recommends Ayurvedic foot massage for alleviating psychological imbalances—including anxiety, nervousness, and depression—because it breaks up these emotionally related crystals, reduces stress, and relieves foot pain. Another way to accomplish this, he says, is to roll the feet back and forth along a hard, wooden roller.
Western Reflexology also teaches that we can accumulate crystallized areas in the feet, and gives different techniques for massage and breaking the crystals down.
Ways to try foot massage
book a reflexology session
learn how to massage your feet
try a wooden foot roller or tennis ball
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