Raving About Red Light

As soon as people start shedding the pale winter off of their shoulders, they start to turn to the tanning beds to get a bit of pre-summer glow. However, there is an under-utilized treatment of a red light therapy bed (RLT) that uses low wavelength red light that is really worth adding into any self-care routine.

Red light therapy actually began with NASA, with both experiments for plant growth in space as well as healing wounds in astronauts. As study progressed, uses for RLT began to be more widely applied to other potential medical uses. Development for photodynamic therapy (use of red laser light at a low power to activate photosensitizer drugs) is used to treat skin conditions ranging from skin cancer and posiraiss to warts and acne. Because of these burgeoning medical applications, RLT began to be used in a variety of other ways for overall health.

It is not fully understood how RLT works, but the current research points to the red light stimulating the mitochondria of the cells. With this infusion of energy, cells are boosted in ability to repair skin, increase cellular growth and rejuvenate the skin. 

What potential benefits are possible with RLT?

• Stimulate collagen production

• Reduce inflammation

• Improve healing of wounds

• Reduce stretch marks, scarring, wrinkles and age spots

• Improve texture of skin, reduce acne and improve sun damage

• Improve hair growth

Are there risks to RLT?

Adverse side effects have not been noted for RLT, if used as directed. It does not use UV light, and therefore does not have the harmful effects on the skin. However, misuse of red light or improper eye protection could have negative effects. 

Currently, RLT is still being researched, from small publication studies and also a lot of popular internet discussions. Studies are promising, but the full effects of RLT have yet to be determined. However, it is still worth it to add to your self care routine, especially before a massage or in between massage sessions. It feels absolutely terrific, especially on drizzly or winter days

It is recommended to have at least 6-8 sessions to start with in order to see results, and then follow up with 3 sessions per week. Sessions can be anywhere from 14 minutes to start and go to 30 minutes (but please ask for guidance before extending a session to this length if you are new to RLT).

Ounce of Sweet Relief in Dark Chocolate

I don’t know about you, but I have a little bit of a sweet tooth. In what seems like a lifetime ago, I worked as a barista and then a manager in a coffee shop that served nearly every kind of beverage under the sun. One of the best parts of my job was finding sweets and treats, and it was then that I was introduced to the wonders of cacao, which is often refined and processed to the myriad of chocolate treats that are offered in stores and boutiques. 

It turns out, there are some health benefits to eating dark chocolate (in moderation), and because eating chocolate is a great way to indulge in sweet self-care, I wanted to take a moment and give a few of those benefits. 

Dark chocolate (chocolate that is at least 50-90% cocoa solids) contains phytonutrients called flaenoids, which are chemicals in plants that act as antioxidants. Cacao plants, where chocolate is derived from, also contains theobromine, which is being studied for its anti-inflammatory properties as well as the potential for it to help lower blood pressure. 

In July 2020, the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology published a systematic review and meta-analysis that found that eating chocolate once a week was associated with a lower risk of blocked arteries. Other studies are beginning to assess the reduced risk of coronary artery disease can be achieved by consuming 1 oz of chocolate on a regular basis. 

The flavenoids in chocolate, which help produce nitric oxide, may be the reason for these cardiovascular benefits. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels to relax, which in turn, lowers blood pressure. 

Caution must be observed with these studies, however, because many of the studies are very limited in their scope.

Another benefit to dark chocolate that is 70% cacao content may be a positive boost for the brain. Chocolate stimulates neural activity, specifically the reward centers. This can help to lower stress and improve mood, which everyone can appreciate in their daily routine. 

Flavenoids are also being researched as to their impact on not only cardiovascular and cognitive health, but also in fighting free radicals in the body. Free radicals are oxygen molecules that are unstable and thought to be contributors to disease and aging, according to some research. The American Cancer Society itself has claimed that cell damage is often a precursor to quite a few cancers. It is possible that the flavenoids in chocolate may be a nice addition to cancer-conscious diets. 

Dark chocolate is packed with vitamins and minerals, not limited to thigns like magnesium, copper, iron and manganese, which can help production of collagen and skin elasticity. Magnesium is a mineral that helps reduce inflammation, promote restful sleep, maintains healthy blood pressure and bone health. 

Despite its health benefits, however, it is important to keep in mind that chocolate also contains higher calories and fat, so the quality of the chocolate consumed is important. Processing chocolate can be very different between companies as well, using different additives, so looking for organic or as few unnecessary fillers is also helpful. 

Even though the research on dark chocolate is still limited, this really highlights that when we talk about self-care, it doesn’t always mean having a bare-bones approach to health. Self-care can still be healthy but also feel like an indulgence and a treat. Isn’t that at times the boost we all need, even if it is as simple as a couple of squares of dark chocolate?

There IS an “I” in “Team”

I get asked a lot about why I became a massage therapist, and really, that’s a story for another day. I feel the more important question is, why am I inspired to remain as a massage therapist?

Ever since I was a child, I loved stories. Hearing them, writing them, sharing them. Massage therapists can often be like holistic bartenders, of sorts. We hear all kinds of things. Each massage therapist is bound by a sense of confidentiality and offers a safe haven to clients to either rest and have the sanctity of silence, or be a safe container for clients to share the stories and experiences that have brought them to the space. 

The thing is, there is a scope of practice for massage therapists, which means we have a unique place in a person’s wellness routine. We study anatomy and physiology, but we are not doctors. We study pathology in order to identify things that are contraindicated to practice massage, but we cannot prescribe or diagnose a condition. We cannot cure, or “fix” or perform some magical process for our clients. This may seem that our place in health and wellness is rather limited. 

However, there is a vast power in the sense of touch, the sense of connection, and the sense of presence. For where touch is limited as a scope of practice for diagnosis and cure, it has unlimited potential to allow people to practice feeling connected and safe.

My career was shaped pretty early on by the clients that came in with chronic pain. Many of them suffered from frequent migraines, cluster headaches or autoimmune disorders. Then came those suffering from PTSD, trauma, depression and anxiety. Because I’m not a doctor, I would research a bit about what was known about the conditions I was presented with to have a better understanding of potential contraindications or client needs and there often was not a ton of information about how to relate all of that to massage therapy. I found that my best “research” came from listening to my clients, hearing their stories. 

So I did that. I listened to their stories.

I listened to the things that brought them joy, the things that frustrated them, the things they wished they could do that their health issues impeded. As I progressed in my practice, things came not about finding a “zero” on the “pain scale” for clients, but how to reduce or manage the pain they were experiencing so they could add to the list of things they could do. If it was to lessen the frequency or duration of headaches, we worked together to do that. If it was to increase the feeling of rest and promote better sleep, that was our goal. If it was to decrease anxiety at feeling over-sensitive to touch, we worked together (and sometimes with a mental health practitioner) to engender the feeling of safety. If it was to decrease the reactivity of an old injury, we added some gentle movement to reduce the fear of re-injury.

During that time, I also spent time enhancing my education with continuing education classes that addressed not only techniques, but also understanding of conditions. Instead of studying only anatomy and structures, I delved into the biopsychosocial model for pain. Because there are so many sensory receptors in the skin, I started looking at the framework of DermoNeuroModulation, which approaches manual therapy with consideration to the nervous system, instead of breaking the body down into muscular parts. 

I completed studies in migraine management, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disorders. I acquired courses in further understanding of PTSD, with focus on veterans and those experiencing sexual trauma. I took CEUs on sleep studies, studied research on the effects of massage on conditions such as anxiety and depression, learned about the mechanisms of pain, and how to approach an effective massage therapy routine with clients. I learned how to expand my practice to engage adolescents, who are under a variety of their own unique pressures in school, athletics and peer groups. Also, as someone who has lost people I have cared about to suicide, I studied social connection as well, gained resources in who to call and how to help as a complement to the mental health industry. 

One of my favorite quotes is that of Heraclitus, where he writes, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” It reminds me each time I read it how much we grow and change our shape, every single day. Some days are great, and we feel alive and inspired. Other days, we are barely scraping through the day mentally. But every day that we are fortunate to be above ground, we are shaped by the experiences of that new day. These are the things that I started to really pay attention to with my clients. The way they felt this week versus the last time they came in. 

I kept hearing over and over again that such-and-such chiropractor said how “messed up” their back was, or this doctor told them “I’ll never be able to do XYZ ever again.” Or I would hear the sentiment “Well, now that I’ve turned 35, it’s all downhill.” 

Now these things may be true in a variety of cases, but there is nothing in me that believes that our age determines how much we can do, or that an old injury should keep us in fear of being able to move at all. I’ve seen 89 year old clients still boxing and able to bench press ME, and basically run circles around most people half their age. New studies on the neuroplasticity of the brain indicate that we absolutely can continue to learn and grow throughout our lifetimes, even though there are notable milestones of brain development at particular life stages. I may not be able to have the cure for many of the ailments out there, but I do firmly believe that even the temporary benefits of finding relief in massage can absolutely increase the quality of life for each of my clients. 

Humans are social creatures; we thrive where there is community and connection. We have a variety of places we gather, such as local hangouts, meetups, hiking & biking clubs, coffee shops, church socials, and the neighborhood taproom. Our society was deeply impacted with the pandemic, with many of our work-life activities were analyzed in a new way, giving us an idea of what is important as a culture. Resoundingly, what many people missed was connection with each other. Having many clients, and also a partner, working in the oilfields, reminded me how many jobs can feel isolating and chaotic in their schedules, creating a disconnect both socially but also in mind/body.

During the pandemic, I had to step away from massage in order to focus on my family, but during that time I still kept learning. I studied a lot about massage therapy techniques, teaching English as a second language, networking, even accounting and project management. I was not quite certain if there would be room for massage therapy post-pandemic, and I am incredibly delighted to come back to it in a new community of people here in North Dakota. 

I remain inspired to be a massage therapist because of my clients, because I truly believe in being a helper in my community, a facilitator to something good in times of stress, and a feeler of something good when people share with me their joys.

We are each an individual “I” but it takes each one of us to be a community “team.”

Self-Care: Superficial, or Survival Strategy?

Many of us have grown up with a lot of catch phrases, such as “grab yourself by the bootstraps,” “grin and bear it” and “hustle and grind culture.” Now, I’m not knocking the need to have some grit when it comes to getting through life. There is absolutely something to be said for a persistence in understanding the reality of a situation in order to navigate through it.

However, there is a distinct difference between experiencing pain and discomfort then allowing that to devolve into suffering and shutdown. Most of us tend to procrastinate things that we feel are indulgent, such as self care. We think, “I just don’t have time for that” and we forge ahead full steam, until that full steam turns into flat stop. 

In the North Dakota region in particular, we boast industries that are as hard-working as they come. Our agriculture, energy, transport and tourism industries move at a heavy pace, and with all of that comes long and odd hours, lack of sleep and a number of aches and pains.

Time becomes the commodity that dwindles for us, and instead of viewing self-care as necessity, we begin to view it as a luxury. What we don’t realize is that our health IS our wealth. The more we can integrate regular self-care habits into our routine, the more ability we will have to mitigate stress and enjoy a fuller, richer life, even with more limited time.

How do we even begin to approach building in self-care as necessity? For one, thing (and yes, I am biased) regular massage is a great contributor to managing stress. Not only will it promote more restful sleep, decrease pain and tension, but massage has also been proven in a number of studies to reduce anxiety and depression. Massage can easily be integrated into your routine, can fit into your budget and be tailored to fit your goals of the week, whether it’s to recover from a hard workout, sleep better or feel more rested and rejuvenated. 

Skeptical about how a simple massage can contribute to self-care? Book a 60 minute session and see how massage can make a difference to you. Be sure to tell your provider what you’re struggling with, whether it’s lack of sleep, sore muscles or chronic pain, and they can find a session goal customized just for you.

Massage & the Power of Touch

Some years ago, I wrote about the need for comforting touch in times of prevailing isolation in our modernized society. Technology, burgeoning reports of sexual abuse and trauma across decades, and the breakdown of ability to find a touch-safe culture has increased suicide rates, depression and chronic pain issues. 

“We forget that touch is not only basic to our species, but the key to it.”

Saul Schanberg

I had no idea how much that idea would be magnified, given the past two years of enduring the challenges of pandemic life. Our communities have been very much impacted as our social culture has struggled against the tide of where we stand with each other in terms of safe boundaries in health and wellness. 

In the article “Hands on Research: The Science of Touch,” author Dacher Keltner wrote, “Touch can even have economic effects, promoting trust and generosity. When psychologist Robert Kurzban had participants play the “prisoner’s dilemma” game, in which they could choose either to cooperate or compete with a partner for a limited amount of money, an experimenter gently touched some of the participants as they were starting to play the game—just a quick pat on the back. But it made a big difference: Those who were touched were much more likely to cooperate and share with their partner.”

Scientists are delving further into how the power of touch has far-reaching implications for cognitive, emotional, developmental, behavioral qualities in people. This could not only to further the strength of our community, but also to increase efficacy in medical practices, academics and even economics.

It has really come to light across the globe this past two years how social isolation can have a really big impact on mental health. In our own backyard, we have industries, such as the oil and gas industry, that have a lot of occupational stressors that include isolating environments, poor sleep patterns due to long hours and time away from home, and a lot of physical & mental fatigue. There are even studies being conducted about the impact of these types of jobs on the mental health of the workers as a whole, which raises the question about how much work isolation can contribute to a decrease in overall well-being as well. 

“The pressure of the hands causes the springs of life to flow.”

Tokujiro Namikoshi

Working in the massage industry, this is my whole world, the sense of touch. It is literally my job to create a safe space for clients to receive therapeutic touch in various ways, whether it is for athletic recovery or alleviation of stress for a range of chronic pain conditions, or simply for the sake of receiving touch itself in the presence of another compassionate human being.

I will let you in on a secret- massage doesn’t have to have a fancy technique in order to be a hundred-percent beneficial or feel fantastically great. Just the act of receiving a relaxing massage can alleviate anxiety and depression, which can facilitate better sleep, reduce stress and increase overall well-being.

The power of touch belongs to all ages, is a primal need for all of us, and can play a powerful role in improving our quality of life not only as individuals but the overall health of our community and society.