Tag Archives: Trumpington

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Top reasons for having an Aromatherapy Massage.

Knowing why my clients come to me is important in making sure I keep a stock of the best oils to help them. My two guides to this are firstly and most importantly the clients whom I actually see or who consult with me via Skype.

The second is the enquiries that are generated by my website and the pages that get the most hits. This year because I did a promotion for the page, back massage has received the most hits and don’t get me wrong, a significant proportion of my clients do come for issues with their backs, especially if  you include neck and shoulders in that. But by far the biggest proportion of my clients come for issues to do with depression and anxiety. I would also say that most of these have depression or anxiety because of significant traumatic life events.  I see a few clients where genetic factors play a much larger part but they are the minority.

Bergmot, Bitter Orange and other citrus oils are a must working with these clients. They are particularly good for the client who feels stuck. They are also good for some of the physical manifestations of depression and anxiety such as lack of appetite and constipation. Rose is another oil I would not be without. It soothes anxiety and is particularly good for those dealing with grief be that for a childhood they didn’t  have or the loss of a close friend or loved  one. Frankincense completes my first line triad for depression, in particular if agitation or anxiety are also present. Both Roman and German Chamomile can also be good for this.

Once a client comes to me these oils are also good for building self confidence and helping the client to really believe that they are worth it. This last is probably the biggest barrier to depressed and anxious individuals coming for massage. They give themselves the message that they don’t deserve good things and often blame themselves even when the blame is  patently with another, e.g. an abuser.

Interestingly, I find that at least one in ten of the clients that are depressed also have back pain.

Do follow the links on this site and get in touch if you would like to discuss the possibility of having an aromatherapy massage treatment for anxiety, depression, back issues or anything else.

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Posted on March 16, 2018 in Uncategorized

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Winter Returns

Just as many of us are gearing up for spring this weekend looks to bring a return of sub-zero temperatures and the Met Office has a yellow warning out for snow in our area. Indeed, the cherry blossom on the street tree opposite my window as I type is in full bloom but the temperature is low enough that none of my bees will be venturing out to take advantage of it!

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Cherry  is not a species where one can easily buy the essential oil despite websites giving that impression. These are fragrance oils and are not produced by the distillation process used for essential oils and indeed most of them have  artificially produced chemicals in their make up.

What does the change in the weather mean for our health?

Firstly it means we need to be more careful as even those much younger than I can slip and injure themselves or even worse suffer a car crash due to the conditions. It also means we are more vulnerable to infections so keep using those essential oils, particularly Tea Tree which can help fight infection. We should also warm up more before doing any exercise – that one particularly for my allotment colleagues! After all next Saturday is traditionally the day to plant our potatoes.

For myself it means another week or so before I take some honey from my bees. – I left them with a lot to get through the winter and paradoxically in a colder winter they eat less of their stores as they aren’t out flying so much.

IMG_2017-10-30_10_12_59It also means I will be making sure the rooms I use for massage and aromatherapy are kept very warm. At home the woodstove will be in use and at the Salus clinic I will make sure I am in in plenty of time to make sure the radiators are turned on.

So rest assured that if you book an aromatherapy massage, you will not be cold during the treatment. Indeed, I tend to err on the side of caution and make the room so it is a little too hot for myself. This does make it important to drink some water after the massage, both for my clients and for myself!

 

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Posted on March 15, 2018 in Uncategorized

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Thoughts after Permaculture Intro

I loved having another Introduction to Permaculture course running in Trumpington, Cambridge. As ever, a lovely bunch of people and, each time I end up with slightly deeper knowledge of the subject to carry on in my own permaculture practice.

Again I am struck by the links between permaculture and aromatherapy.

Two of the principles of permaculture come to mind in particular.

Each element should have multiple functions

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Each function should have multiple elements.

If we think about each oil in a blend being an element, it will always have several functions.

Take Lemon for example.

It is an an oil with both anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. It can be used for treating depression. It also promotes clarity of thought and is good for digestive problems. This makes it and some of the other citrus oils especially good for treating depression as thought clarity often suffers with the depressed client thinking they aren’t good enough or no one will like them etc. They are also more prone to infections and constipation is common in depression.

But as with conventional medical treatment for depression, Lemon may not be the best oil for all individuals with it, the same with Bergamot which is often thought of as the best oil for depression and shares the above properties. The main difference being Lemon is usually better for promoting clarity of thought and Bergamot better for feelings of being stuck.

However a blend of oils for depression will usually  include some other oils too. Frankincense is often good and is particularly good for helping calm the agitation that some depressed clients feel. Another oil that is particularly good for depression is Rose which is an amazing oil for healing the hurt that goes with loss after a break up or bereavement or from abuse. – All common in depression.

If sleep is a problem, I might well add Roman or German Chamomile, both oils that are good for sleep, digestive issues and agitation.

While I have used depression in this example, any other issue is also going to have a range of oils that can treat it with each chosen oil also treating other aspects of a client’s reasons for seeking treatment.

to book an appointment email dave@cambridgearomatherapy.com or phone 07929273569.

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Posted on June 26, 2017 in Uncategorized

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Aromatherapy for pain, a look at the evidence.

Does Aromatherapy work for pain? I would imagine that just about every aromatherapist out there would say, “Yes it does!” This review on Pubmed  would seem to agree. I can’t quote verbatim from it currently as pubmed’s website is down right now.

However, statistics are one thing. What my clients with chronic or other pain want to know is, “Will it HELP ME?” They don’t care about whether it helps seven out of ten cats or whatever! Theyu want to reduce their own suffering.

In my experience, it is more likely to make a difference with severe chronic pain than severe acute pain. Acute pain is giving the body a message such as, “Take your hand away from the heat.” Chronic pain is often present long after an acute injury has healed or it may be from a condition such as Fibromyalgia etc. Here something is wrong with how the pain receptors in blood vessels are working. It is not a message to the body to sort something out. There is a need to disrupt the mechanism that these nerve pathways are using. That may be the pleasant sensations produced by a massage, the physiological action of the essential oils or even the emotional reaction to the aroma. All can play a part.

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Abstract – now the site is back up!

“Background. Aromatherapy refers to the medicinal or therapeutic use of essential oils absorbed through the skin or olfactory system. Recent literature has examined the effectiveness of aromatherapy in treating pain. Methods. 12 studies examining the use of aromatherapy for pain management were identified through an electronic database search. A meta-analysis was performed to determine the effects of aromatherapy on pain. Results. There is a significant positive effect of aromatherapy (compared to placebo or treatments as usual controls) in reducing pain reported on a visual analog scale (SMD = -1.18, 95% CI: -1.33, -1.03; p < 0.0001). Secondary analyses found that aromatherapy is more consistent for treating nociceptive (SMD = -1.57, 95% CI: -1.76, -1.39, p < 0.0001) and acute pain (SMD = -1.58, 95% CI: -1.75, -1.40, p < 0.0001) than inflammatory (SMD = -0.53, 95% CI: -0.77, -0.29, p < 0.0001) and chronic pain (SMD = -0.22, 95% CI: -0.49, 0.05, p = 0.001), respectively. Based on the available research, aromatherapy is most effective in treating postoperative pain (SMD = -1.79, 95% CI: -2.08, -1.51, p < 0.0001) and obstetrical and gynecological pain (SMD = -1.14, 95% CI: -2.10, -0.19, p < 0.0001). Conclusion. The findings of this study indicate that aromatherapy can successfully treat pain when combined with conventional treatments.”

One area where a high quality study has been carried out is with Menstrual Pain, where the initial study compared abdominal massage with ginger essential oil compared with Thai Massage through clothes. The Abdominal massage group did considerably better. However this could have been the abdominal massage rather than the aromatherapy component . A further study was done comparing the abdominal massage with and without the ginger oil. Again the Aromatherapy group did significantly better.

So, if you wish to see how Aromatherapy Massage can help you with pain, do email me or phone. dave@cambridgearomatherapy.com or 07939273569 to book an appointment either in Trumpington or Central Cambridge.

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Posted on January 19, 2017 in Uncategorized

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Seedy Sunday 2017

Put the 5th February into your diaries if you have an allotment or garden and live near Cambridge.

This is a chance to swap saved seeds or if you don’t have any to swap, just leave a small donation. There will be seeds from the Heritage Seed Library, Waterland Organics and of course from others attending the event.

Trumpington Seedy Sunday is an important event because it aims to reduce our reliance on F1 hybrid seeds and the seed companies’ stranglehold on what we grow.

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Close up of comb in the observation hive on Trumpington Community Orchard.

I will be selling my skin Balm made from wax produced by my bees on Trumpington Allotments a few hundred yards from Trumpington Village Hall where the seed swap takes place.  Other ingredients are organic olive oil and organic essential oils. I may also be offering short head and shoulder massages for those who need a break from walking around the tables. Book a one hour or ninety minute massage for later while at the event and get a £5 discount.

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Skin balm is £7 for a 60ml pot. This is around half the price of a well known product sold at Waitrose among other places!

Essential oils used are Geranium and Frankincense but others can be made to order with oils of your choice or for an additional £15 consultation fee made up especially for your needs.

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Posted on January 11, 2017 in Uncategorized

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Most Depressing day of the Year

Next Monday has been given the Moniker, based on people’s lack of enthusiasm for returning to work, low light levels, winter weather and the come down after the winter and new year celebrations.

Of course for some who really enjoy their work, especially if they don’t enjoy time with family etc. for whatever reason this is total bunkum. For me personally, being self employed it will be great if I have clients next Monday!

However, it is the peak time for people to see GPs with problems related to depression, more people die at this time of year and according to at least one website it is also the peak time for people to file for divorce!

If you feel the need for some more brightness in your life and want to get your energy moving, try using this blend of oils.

Bergamot 5 drops,

Frankincense 4 drops,

Pine 3 drops.

You can use this in a burner or vaporiser or use it for massage if mixed in 30ml of a vegetable based carrier oil. In a bath you can add just a few mls of the mix to the bath.

Alternatively, if you live near Trumpington or Central Cambridge, why not book an aromatherapy massage to lift your spirits.

Phone 07939273569 or email dave@cambridgearomatherapy.com to book an appointment.

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Posted on January 9, 2017 in Uncategorized

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Anxiety follows a good time. Why?

I was asked this question by a client recently. She suffers from panic attacks, usually at home and in situations which shouldn’t (in her mind) be a cause for any anxiety. This has reached the point where she sometimes avoids good things because of her fear of having an attack later. This pattern is one I see both in my Central Cambridge and my Trumpington Practice.GEDC1747.JPG

As well as giving a massage using oils which help with anxiety we also talked about some of the things she had been taught about dealing with her panic attacks. Mindfulness exercises had been suggested including concentrating on her breathing. However judgements made her give this up because she thought she was no good at them.

What went wrong? Well as someone who has taught mindfulness to others over many years before leaving the NHS I quickly discovered that my client had not been taught what to do if her mind did wander. The thing to do is to on noticing that one has started to daydream or think about something else, just notice it and return to concentrating on one’s breath (or other mindfulness exercise.) Mindfulness is not a competition! The exercise is about returning to full concentration on noticing that it has gone. There is nothing wrong about having one’s mind wander!

As to the question about why a panic attack often follows feeling good the clue is in the research on the body’s response to anxiety. Thy physiological response, including raised pulse rate, the chemical changes etc to anxiety is exactly the same as the body’s response to excitement. The only difference is the label that we put on the sensations.

At first this doesn’t make much sense unless we look at some examples where the two sensations where the dividing line between the two is very thin. A white knuckle ride at a theme park is one example. Is it fear or excitement? The same is true of a difficult ski run.

A friend of mine who used to be an Olympic gymnast at one point could not do a good performance with an audience of less than about five thousand. With this number his adrenaline levels got up to the level he needed!

Of course another factor is that fear of panic attacks makes them more likely so work on realising that panic attacks do not kill or whatever her fear behind them is will also be important.

Mindfulness is important for me as a practitioner too and when working I too have to notice if my mind does ever wander and bring it back to my client and their needs. This helps me to stay more focussed and to improve the quality of massage I can give.

To book an aromatherapy massage for anxiety or any other reason

call 07939273569 or email dave@cambridgearomatherapy.com

 

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Posted on January 6, 2017 in Uncategorized

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