I started my reiki journey in 2006 and over the years have gone down various roads. I always come back to healings and energy work. I started a little group in lockdown for my clients and friends on Facebook to offer free distance healings. I am still bewildered each time I do these as to the powerful effects it can have. Just affirms to me that time is irrelevant and we are all connected.
Reiki is a wonderful self healing discipline and is such a gift to be able to share with others.
Free download of my Fibro Ebook
I am a complementary energy healing therapist. Since 2005 I have studied various healing modalities and have used my knowledge to devise specific treatments using various techniques from my training to give the best treatment to myclients.
My interest in this specific treatment is due to my close family relation having been diagnosed in 2007 with fibromyalgia.
Itec Massage/Sports Massage, Itec Reflexology advanced, Master Reiki practitioner, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candle, Hot Stones, Master Herbalist.
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Fibromyalgia Self Care – Diet/Allergens/Deficiencies
Can Massage Treatments Help Fibromyalgia
Firstly – What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia can be a diagnostic challenge. Fibromyalgia is medically classified as a “syndrome”, meaning it is a group of traits, signs and symptoms that occur simultaneously. Fibromyalgia symptoms vary widely from person to person, and the following is a list of possible symptoms.
Can Massage Help?
A recent consumer survey, commissioned by The American Message Therapy Association (AMTA), found that 91 percent of survey respondents agreed that massage can be effective in reducing pain, and nearly half of those polled (47 percent) have had a massage specifically for the purpose of relieving pain. Massage can directly reduce muscle soreness, by cleansing muscle tissues of metabolic wastes. The application of heat help calm pain for most fibromyalgia sufferers. I tend to use an infra red sauna blanket within my treatments.
Testimonials from Massage Clients
“Before weekly massages, my muscles never knew what relaxed was. I still involuntarily tighten my muscles, but I have less pain. Now that I know what relaxed muscles feel like, I can monitor my muscles to un-tighten them.”
“The change in my body after seven months of routine massage was tremendous. My headaches are less frequent, and I take less medication than I have in years.”
“I utilize massage as a preventative therapy. By seeking help with painful areas before they become unmanageable, I’m able to keep on top of the most painful flares. I also find that when I am over-stressed, massage is a very helpful leveler.”
Having Fibromyalgia and dealing with the pain and limitations also creates a lot of mental stress. Massage can provide great relief from stress and offer a chance for someone to take charge and provide necessary self-care. Research shows that Massage can help the body achieve deeper sleep and sleep quality . During Phase IV sleep, the body’s repair mechanisms go to work, and can improve inflammation responses, digestion and cognition and emotional stability. And who doesn’t feel better after a particularly good night of rest?
What should I know before I get a massage?
Massage can help, but it can also hurt. Everyone responds differently to massage. Some people get great relief from massage with deep pressure. However, others wind up sorer after a really firm massage than they were before. This is because for some people, Deep pressure creates inflammation. It is not uncommon to be a little bit sore for 24 hours after a massage, but if you are a lot sore, or if it lasts for longer than one day, you need to tell your therapist to ease up next time. Trust that you know your body better than anyone else, and if you don’t like something, it’s probably not good for you.
When you come to me for a treatment it is very important to always speak to me during the treatment so I know what pressure is working for you and what isn’t. There is time for a silent energy healing session at the end of the bodywork treatment to help balance the energies and nervous system.
If you have been diagnosed woth fibromyalgia you may notice pain in these areas.
If you have fibromyalgia, you may have tender points at the back of the neck, where the base of the skull and the neck meet. Neck pain can also be caused by injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, or activities that strain the neck, like slouching or sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
Fibromyalgia patients may also feel tenderness on their forearms, near the crease of each elbow. The pain tends to be below the crease and toward the outer side of the arm. Other causes of elbow pain can include tendonitis or repetitive strain injuries.
In addition to the back of the neck, doctors will check potential fibromyalgia patients for pain at the front of the neck. This pair of trigger points is located well above the collarbone, on either side of the larynx.
Hip pain is common in those with osteoarthritis, but people with arthritis tend to feel it in the joint. In contrast, people with fibromyalgia may have a tender point near where the buttock muscles curve to join the thighs.
The lower back is one of the most common body parts to be the source of pain. Overall, more than 1 in 4 U.S. adults has experienced low back pain. However, people with fibromyalgia may have pain trigger points at the very top of the buttocks, right at the bottom of the lower back.
While knee trouble is common in people with fibromyalgia, the inside of each knee pad may feel tender touch
Tender points are often sites on the body where tendons and muscles meet. Such is the case for this pair of tender points, located where the back muscles connect to the shoulder blades in the upper back.
In addition to tenderness in the upper back, some people with fibromyalgia have tender points just above that, halfway between the edge of the shoulder and the bottom of the back.
People with fibromyalgia may have tender points on either side of the sternum, a few inches below the collarbone (near the second rib). The sternum, also known as the breastbone, helps protect the heart and lungs.
Holistic therapies are an amazing ways to help ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Mindfulness meditation dna healthy diet.
The Connection Between Fibromyalgia & Food
It is commonly accepted, and scientifically proven, that a healthy diet can have a positive effect on overall health. Similarly, what you eat can play a role in how you experience fibromyalgia—possibly triggering flare-ups and/or providing relief. Diet, therefore, is often discussed along with other non-pharmacologic (non-medication) treatments for fibromyalgia.
Although there is no specific diet for all fibromyalgia sufferers, it has been shown that vegetarian diets tend to help fibromyalgia. Researches suspect that this is because such diets are low in fat and protein, and high in fibre, beta carotene, vitamin C, and minerals and antioxidants.
Fibromyalgia Nutritional Research
The following provides an overview of recent research into nutrients that may be beneficial additions to a fibromyalgia diet:
Fibromyalgia Diet Food List
Fibromyalgia sufferers should eat a diet that’s high in lean protein and fibre, and lower in carbohydrates. Foods that help fibromyalgia include fruits with a low glycaemic index, vegetables and whole grains. A well-balanced diet can improve energy level and staying physically active can lead to better overall health.
The lists below provide examples of the types of foods that may help fibromyalgia symptoms. However, as people with fibromyalgia often have food sensitivities, what relieves symptoms in one person may trigger a flare-up in others. It’s important to listen to your body and to create your own fibromyalgia diet food list.
FOODS HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS:
FOODS HIGH IN AMINO ACIDS:
FOODS CONTANING COENZYME Q10:
FRUITS WITH LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX:
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY VEGETABLES:
Traditional BodyWork Treatment for Fibromyalgia
Full Treatment 1 hour 15 minutes. £30
This Body Treatment combines Massage movements, Reflexology points to both hands and Feet, Scalp Massage and Trigger Point Myofascial Release Techniques to shoulders and neck. The Treatment finishes with energy work – Reiki healing techniques.
Mini Treatments – 30 minutes £20
If you do not have the time for full treatments or would like some mini treatments in between your Full Bodywork Treatment this can also be tailored to your needs.
Consultations – First session a consultation is carried out which takes approx. 15 minutes.
Ann is trained in the following and has over 14 years experience
I concentrate my skills on this specific condition as my sister was diagnosed over 10 years ago and more and more people are suffering with Fibromyalgia. I want people to know that there IS something that you can do to ease your symptoms and lead a better life.
Contact:
Ann Mulgrew 07766080434, annmulgrew@hotmail.com
When starting out with anything, it is always best to master the very basics before moving on to the more complicated movements.
As Bruce Lee famously said —-
So where do we start?
Qigong styles can be as simple as swaying one’s arms about or counting one’s breaths and as complicated as holding a difficult position (such as sitting with legs crossed in the so called ‘full lotus position’) for hours or imitating the movements of a wild animal. And there are lots of them. According to some statistics there are over 100,000 styles of chi kung (or the ‘ways to practice life energy’) in China today. Sounds like a lot when you hear it, but the truth is, there could be as many as 6 billion of them if everyone on this planet would be committed enough to develop their own unique style.
One of the main reasons why there is such a variety of techniques is undoubtedly due to its very long history. But there are many other reasons too, such as: different styles have been created for different purposes (Qigong can be used in almost every aspect of life, making it lot easier and more enjoyable); many and varied origins of the techniques (eg. styles coming from Buddhism, Taoism, Confucian, Kung Fu, Chinese medicine) and many others.
The following Qigong styles introduced here are among the most powerful and most widely practiced ones in recent years in China. Many of them were being kept secret for a very long time only to come out publicly available in theMy last couple of decades while the others were created in recent times
So where do we start?
Eight Strands of Brocade Qigong
Eight Strands of Brocade Qigong (Ba Duan Jin) is one of the oldest Qigong styles, dating back over 3,000 years. It is a dynamic set of eight special exercises, gentle but firm, done with natural breathing and concentration, that promotes the flow of chi and blood, stretches the muscles, strengthens the joints and bones, improves coordination, flexibility, circulation, and is beneficial to all the systems and organs – central nervous system, digestive system, respiratory system, urinary tract…
To the onlooker it may appear that the practitioner is just stretching his/her limbs, bending and twisting their body but in reality every observed physical action is an attempt to favour the flow of chi in particular meridian(s). Thus the whole set is designed to rebalance all meridians and benefit all organs. This style is unique due to its stress on simplicity, repetition, relaxation, rhythm and harmony.
My favourite Video – just beautifully simple –
Spontaneous Five Animals Play Qigong
Imagine Reiki, Shiatsu, Kahuna, Rolfing, Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and Spiritual Healing all rolled into one technique, tailor made to suit your individual needs. That is exactly what Spontaneous Five Animals Play Qigong (Wuqinxi) is. It can treat a wide range of diseases, promote longevity and induce psychic abilities.
All one needs to do is focus their mind on certain acupuncture points on the body for a few minutes and the rest comes without having to consciously remember any steps or movements – making it a pure energy (chi) exercise.
The energy moves the body spontaneously according to each individual’s health needs. That means you will move your sore back or neck in the most appropriate way for its recovery. You will find the right acupuncture points and apply Chinese massage on them without any prior knowledge of Chinese medicine, do spontaneous Reiki-like energy healing and imitate some of the (or all) 5 different animals (tiger, bear, deer, crane and monkey) to get rid of your ailments. The Chinese found, thousands of years ago, that imitating certain animals’ movements is very beneficial to certain ailments, all stemming from pure observation and realisation that some animals are stronger than others, some are more agile, some faster, some see better, some hear better, live longer,…
Other spontaneous reactions that may occur during practice are: hitting or slapping certain body areas, shaking, jumping, whistling, humming, laughing, crying, reciting mantras, doing Tai Chi or Kung Fu like movements and grounding (ie lying still on the ground for a period of time allowing the Earth to pull the negative chi energy out the practitioner’s body thus assisting the healing process). For more information regarding Spontaneous Five Anim als Play Qigong, please refer to Qigong Chinese Health magazine – issue 1, page 10-15 or click on the link: Five Animals Play.
Tai Chi Qigong (Shibashi)
Tai Chi is a martial art, Qigong is a practice of Qi (life force). Tai Chi Qigong (also known as Shibashi*) is a style of Qigong that has ‘borrowed’ the movements from Tai Chi thus it is beneficial to both Tai Chi as well as to Qigong practitioners. This dynamic form of Qigong is a set of 18 gentle, slow paced movements that is not only easy to practice but is even pleasing to the eyes. Invented in the late 1970’s by Lin Hou-Sheng, a well known Qigong master from Shanghai, this style is as popular in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia as it is in China. In recent years, slowly but surely, it has spread to other Asian countries as well as to the west.
Tai Chi Qigong is very effective in strengthening muscles and joints, releasing tension, reducing stress, energizing, uplifting, regulating blood pressure… It gives a great workout without the need to do anything fast and strenuous, can improve coordination of movements and is generally beneficial to mind, body and spirit. If done regularly over a period of time, it can bring many positive health results, even control body weight.
Try out these videos and get into practicing this daily, it incorporates your meditation, movement and exercise and you will start to feel your energy flowing through your body. This will also helps in every aspect of your life.
This article by Ben Greenfield explains the invisible energetic force that surround us and is affected by our thoughts feelings and environment. I came across this article today whilst reading his email on another hack we can use for sleep.
My hack is qi gong, meditation, cbd and turning off all electronic an hour before bed…
Anyway the invisible force article excerpt below
You may not be able to fully articulate or grasp how, but you understand on some level that there are invisible variables we are in tune with. Things like emotions, thoughts, and beliefs play a big role in the health of our mind, body and spirit.
We can label these invisible forces in different ways- energy, frequency, vibrations or “spirit”. Depending on your willingness to keep an open mind, you may dismiss these type of concepts immediately as “woo-woo”. However, this “field of the invisible” has an undeniable effect on your mind and body.
A simple example of the powerful link between energy and emotion that you may have experienced is lying next to someone you love at night with your back turned. You have this sense or “intuition” that something is wrong. It is a tangible feeling that is there, even though you can’t quite put your finger on why something seems off. When you turn over to discuss this feeling, you likely uncover an intense discussion behind those “bad vibes” you sensed.
A great book is Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton and also the HeartMath Institute has some great studies on our heart brain connection
Inner Work Can Suck 