Types Of Massage Therapy And The Benefits

There are many different types of massage. If you are looking to try the therapy, you will need to research the various methods to determine which is for you.

Amatsu massage therapy targets the build-up of emotional and physical tensions in the body that is a result of past incidents. Amatsu therapists will use a range of massage techniques to re-balance the body. The aim is to help clients cope better with any difficulties they face in life - both emotionally and physically.

Chinese massage derives from a range of massage techniques, but it is most closely linked to acupuncture. Chinese massage includes rhythmic strokes and soft tissue manipulation methods that are deep and penetrating. The aim is to stimulate and re-balance the body's energy.

Deep lymphatic therapy is used to release areas of built-up fluid in the body in order to treat various ailments that are associated with the lymphatic system. Deep tissue massage is performed on each part of the body to release this fluid.

Deep tissue massage aims to realign deeper layers of connective muscles and tissues in order to relieve pain and restore natural movement. It is commonly used to treat chronic aches and pains and tension in the neck, back and shoulders. A deep tissue massage can help to break down adhesions via the application of slow, pressurised movements, with deep strokes and finger pressure.
Indian head massage is an Ayurvedic form of relaxation and healing. The upper back, shoulders, upper arms and face are body parts that are considered to be important centres of energy.

Infant massage refers to the application of gentle strokes and rhythmic hand movements to a baby's body. The aim of this therapy is to strengthen the parent-baby bond, and help babies to feel secure and loved. Infant massage can also promote better sleep, relieve discomfort such as wind, and ease emotional stress.

Hot stone massage therapy involves the use of hot stones placed on the body to treat a range of health concerns. Stones are placed along the spine, stomach, or other various points of the body. As a stone begins to cool it will be replaced with another. It is the most popular massage therapy.

Lomi lomi massage refers to a form of full body treatment that promotes relaxation whilst treating muscle pain and tension. A lomi lomi therapist will use long flowing strokes across the whole body. These go from head to toe in a continuous rhythmic movement.

Manual lymphatic drainage removes toxins and any excess lymph from the body. It involves very precise, light, rhythmical hand movements. The lymphatic system is vital for supporting a healthy immune system and helps to fight infection. Manual lymphatic drainage involves very precise, light, rhythmical hand movements.

Postnatal massage is designed to help the mind and body adjust to motherhood and recover from the birthing process. A specially trained therapist will use gentle techniques to target particular aches and pains. Postnatal massage reduces stress and helps to re-balances hormones.

Prenatal massage is a gentle therapy that is designed to ease stress, and any aches and pains that occur during pregnancy. This is to help expectant mothers to feel more relaxed and prepared for childbirth.

Remedial massage is effective for preventing and treating muscle injuries and pain. It involves using deep tissue techniques to remove blockages and damaged cells. This helps to promote healing.

Sports massage is designed to help prevent and treat injuries that can occur as a result of overexertion or poor training exercises. Sports massage uses a range of deep and intense techniques to restore mobility to an injured muscle tissue and improve circulation.

Swedish massage increases the body's absorption of oxygen, which helps the body to rejuvenate. It also contributes to the detoxification process, flushing lactic acid, uric acid and other waste from the tissues. Swedish massage helps stimulate the skin and nervous system, and exercises the ligaments and tendons to keep them supple.

Here at the Regency Practice, we have experts qualified in a number of therapies including hypnotherapy and counselling. Our aim is to provide our clients with helpful advice, a fantastic variety of treatments and care of the highest standard. We have beautiful Cotswold inspired therapy rooms that are modern to help ensure you enjoy your chosen treatment in a calming and relaxed environment. The Regency Practice, is located on Clarence Street in the centre of Cheltenham.

Therapies we offer;

Hypnotherapy Cheltenham
Counselling Cheltenham
Reflexology Cheltenham
Massage Cheltenham
Dramatherapy Cheltenham
Art Therapy Cheltenham
EDMR Cheltenham

Are you a therapist? Therapy rooms to rent in Cheltenham are available for therapists wishing to join the professional team at The Regency Practice. Please contact us for more details. http://www.theregencypractice.com. Bobby Jon Hook of http://www.cotswoldhypnotherapy.co.uk is the owner and director of The Regency Practice.

Drink To Your Health Organically

Recently there have been a number of articles that address the growing interest in organic wines. But to the average wine consumer, there are still questions as to be meaning of the word organic? Herein is the real problem in the short term: there really isn't much exact information getting to the average wine consumer on what organic wine means and what are the options.

I recently conducted a casual test. I went to a large wine retailer, in a non- confrontational way, and simple ask them to define organic wine in simple terms. The most common answer was that organic meant the wine was more natural. But, they really could not define what made the wine natural. This is a real problem for wine producers and ultimately the consumer. Most people think the organic label applies only to a natural way to grow grapes. In reality the organic concept applies to winery production as well as grape production. Without a real understanding of what organic means, the industry is able to put labels on wines with various self determined meanings and self monitoring.

To get a real bottle of certified organic wine, consumers need to become familiar with what "organic" means and the process it takes to become certified organic. Further, a 100% organic wine must come from organically grown grapes and the juice must be processed according to stipulated standards. In the U.S. there are two certifying organizations that authored real organic regulations: Demeter-USA (1985) and USDA-National Organic Program (2002). These are uniform documented certification programs.

But, certified organic is not immune to clever games of semantics. Winery marketing departments will use such words as: Sustainable Practices, From Organic Grapes, or Natural. These definitions do not carry any legal authority and are pretty much self defined by any number of trade organizations.

Demeter-USA's patented certification approach recognizes a farm (vineyard for our discussion) as a self contained living organism, known around the world as Biodynamic Certified. This certification dictates a stringent practice of grape production that basically says no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers may be brought into the farm environment. Only unaltered natural products produced from within the farm may be used to produce grapes. Biodynamic certification even dictates how much of the farm/vineyard must be set aside for natural habitat.

Demeter-USA also stipulates a minimal manipulation of the wine, prohibiting non-natural yeasts, heavy use of sulfites, water, even malolactic fermentation. But they do allow the use of natural egg whites and bentonite to adjust wine minimally.

Bottom-line, Demeter-USA is the highest certification of organic wine attainable and Biodynamic certification can only come through Demeter-USA.

USDA-National Organic Program came about in 2002 to set a minimum standard for a product to be labeled "organic". Several organizations can certify wines as organic, as defined by USDA regulations. Some states such as Oregon do their own USDA organic certification as do other entities.

Generally speaking, USDA Organic is not as strict a certification as Biodynamic certification. There are USDA restrictions on synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers; however there are no standards relative to the whole farm approach to managing the farm as an organism. In a winery, the USDA does allow more intervention with yeasts, sulfites, and acids in the wine making process. (Check the regulations for specific approved additives.).

Note: Wine may also be labeled as "From Organic Grown Grapes" and still not be an "organic" wine.

In summary, the differences between Biodynamic and Organic are:.

· Biodynamic-- the vineyard is to be viewed in the context of soil, all plants, and animal interaction in a defined area.

· Biodynamic-- no dependence on imported or synthetic materials for fertilizing, weed control, and pest control.

USDA Organic-no synthetic materials in the vineyard but natural products can be brought into the vineyard.

· Biodynamic-- focus is on sustainability of the farm/vineyard and minimized waste of water and natural resources. In reality, biodynamic wines have the smallest carbon footprint of any agricultural method.

· Biodynamic-- wines must be produced with Biodynamic approved natural ingredients and protected from manipulation in the process of fermentation and putting into the bottle. These conditions are outlined in a Biodynamic Processing Standards document.

USDA Organic-allows the winery to manipulate the wine but only if they use approved materials.

· Biodynamic-- the vineyard must be a self-contained eco-system.

· Organic is a less regulated wine than Biodynamic yet is still a powerful approach to healthier wines.

Other verbiage that might be misleading consumers looking for organic wine: Sustainable, Natural or just the words "From organic grapes". Sustainable seems to be most indicative of vineyards or wineries who strive to conserve water, conserve energy and minimize their waste. In California there are grower associations who certify their members under - "SIP Certified" and "Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing". This has nothing to do with use of pesticides, etc

. The eco-certifications (Biodynamic and Organic) seem to be growing. "There is growing interest in Biodynamic and Organic certification amongst wineries," says Elizabeth Candelario, Marketing Director-Demeter-USA. Demeter Biodynamic ® is currently in 50 countries. Today there are 72 wineries in the US that have a Demeter-USA Biodynamic and/or Stellar organic certification. (As noted earlier there are other "Organic" certification programs.) September 2016 The King Estate Winery announced they will produce their wines under the Biodynamic certification. In Sonoma, Benzinger Wines is one of the oldest wineries in the U.S. producing eco-certified wines under the Biodynamic banner.

Organic grapes/wines are about 10% more expensive to produce but the marketplace is saying they want that option. 55% of wine consumers in California say organic wines are a better quality.

The American Association of Wine Economics published the results of a July 2015 study titled-" Does Organic Wine Taste Better? An Analysis of Experts' Ratings", was conducted by Magali A. Delmas, Olivier Gergaud and Jinghui Lim. In this very detailed academic study they say, "The growing demand for environmentally sustainable products has created a boom in the field of green products. For instance, sales of organic foods in the U.S. increased from $13.3 billion in 2005 to an estimated $34.8 billion in 2014." It appears the wine industry has participated in this growth as well. From 1998 to 2009, the study reportsthe, eco-certified wine operations grew from 10 to 57 in CAlifornia. Today it is more than 74.

Further, California, which produces about 85-90% of U.S. wines at about 276 million cases annually (Wine Institute.org) does drive the market. With that volume of production, consumers do have a say in wines California wineries and vineyard owners produce. According to an article in the August issue of "Beverage World" by Andrew Kaplan, the "organic" wine market in the U.S. is $242 million, thanks to Costco and grocery stores. "Natural is no longer what is used to be. Organic is the new badge of health," said Kaplan.

Winemakers are beginning to feel that organic growing and production practices allow for a more rounded taste to their wines that add a new dimension to their craft-terroir. Interestingly, more wineries are starting to push their terroir identity; their place. Wine's place is also one of the statements from King Estate in Eugene, Oregon. "... biodynamic principles will only further enhance the expression of Oregon Terroir. The more that you can limit any input you can bring into the system from outside, the greater the ability ... of the grapes to truly express that site," say Ray Nuclo in his comments to Peter Mitham.

Whatever the moniker you look for in choosing wines, if you want "organic" make sure the label says "Organic Certified" or "Biodynamic Certified" on the label. 

Calories in Wine - White Vs Red

When it comes to losing weight, or attempting to just keep yourself at the weight you are currently at, you will invariably receive a wide range of advice on how to do this. Keep away from sweets; don't eat any carbs; make sure you exercise at least four times a week. The more research you do, the more you will see conflicting reports upon what you need to do.

Invariably, you will see an assortment of articles which will tell you that you should avoid wine if you are attempting to lose weight. These reports will point to the high amount of calories in wine, especially calories which these reports will say come from sugar. So the question is just how many calories in a glass of wine are there, and are these calories derived from sugar?

On average, whether you have a standard red or white glass of wine, there are 25 calories per one ounce of wine. When you think about an average glass of wine containing five ounces, this means you will consume 125 calories within any glass. Although this is not a nominal amount, it is not an exorbitant amount of calories either.

Another thing to consider is that these calories are not sugar based. For those who do not know much about the wine making process, when a wine is cultivated, sugar is involved in the process. Sugar is used to help regulate the amount of alcohol within any bottle of wine; the higher the amount of alcohol, the more sugar which was used to make the wine. However, during the fermentation process, all of the sugar is burned off. Therefore, there is no sugar within your bottle of wine, so you do not have to worry about added sugar within your wine. The only time this is not the case is when you are drinking some dessert wines, as they do add a minimal amount of sugar in after the fermentation process to add to the sweetness.

Overall, no matter what kind of wine you are drinking, the amount of calories is fairly consistent throughout all of them. Whether it is a white or a red wine, or if it is a dry or sweet wine, they will all average 25 calories per ounce. Now that you know how many calories in wine there actually are, you can moderately pour yourself the right amount of wine with any meal. You can use this knowledge to assure yourself you will not upset the diet you are on by enjoying a glass of wine.

Puppy Care - Steps To Keep Your Dog Healthy

It's a very exciting day when you first pick up your puppy. It seems obvious that you'll have to feed her, and give her lots of love - but what else is involved in keeping your puppy healthy? A lot. That's the simple answer. So lets start from the beginning.

You should never take a puppy away from her mother too early - anything much under 8 weeks is really not giving a dog a best chance in life. Sometimes the puppies in pet shops come from their mothers at six weeks - and in that case they won't have the full immunity given by the mother's milk.

You should always take your puppy to the vet for a checkup when you first purchase her. You need to have her ears checked, and her nose should be wet and not runny. Her eyes should be clear. Assuming all of that is good, then your vet may explain the two main issues with your pup - vaccinations and flea control.

Depending on where you live, and the laws in your state, the vaccinations required will differ, but sometimes your puppy will need a series of vaccinations and won't be ready to be fully socialized until 12 weeks old. Do not take your puppy to play with adult dogs if you are not sure the adult dog has been vaccinatied.

Once your puppy has been vaccinated then you need to make an annual trip to the vet to keep the vaccination up to date. Many boading kennels won't take dogs unless this is the case, so if you plan on having a holiday away from your pets at any stage, it will be vital to keep the vaccinations current.

Flea and tick control, and the control of heartworm will all depend on the weather of the state you live in. It's hard to give accurate advice to every puppy owner but asking any dog owner in your local dog park will probably be your best bet. You'll need to know how often they use products that kill or prevent fleas from living on your puppy.

Some dogs will also have allergies - to grass, or to flea bites so you will need to see if your dog scratches too often, or is chewing at parts of her fur. If you start to see bald patches then you may need your vet to do allergy testing. In this case flea control is probably even more important.

If you can have a dog groomer teach you how to care for your dog too. You need to know how to keep the coat healthy, the nails trimmed and the ears of your puppy clean too. Feeding good quality [http://www.snooppooch.com] dog food is vital for a healthy life.

There are a few other things you shouldn't forget as well - never letting your puppy near traffic, having a fully fenced in yard, and even consider microchiping - if it's not legally required it's a great way to make sure your beloved pet will always be returned to you if she gets lost.