Abdominal
trauma - includes surgery, mechanical or sexual trauma,
chronic inflammatory conditions, and chronic pain syndromes. These
conditions produce smooth and skeletal muscle holding patterns and fascial adhesion which
if not addressed can decrease function.
Belly massage also assists the patient to find more awareness around
the breath, creates more elasticity in scar tissue, and helps to
increase the circulation of blood, lymph and energy.
Detoxification – the choice to undertake a light
or deep cleanse is very important at this time in history because
we come into contact with environmental toxins, heavy metals, air
and water pollution, medications, and hormones in our food supplies
on a daily basis.
Relax and de-stress – belly massage is an excellent
way to access and relax the nervous system. One of the great opportunities
here is simply slowing down and paying attention to all of the amazing
things that our abdominal organs do for us everyday.
2. When is belly massage contraindicated?
The big caveat with belly massage is - DO NOT TRY TO TAKE ON TOO
MUCH.
Watch the mind that says “I can do it all,” or
“I know all of the answers.” This is very dangerous!
Belly massage is contraindicated whenever full body massage is
contraindicated - conditions include high fever, acute pain, or
open wounds and recent surgery incisions.
Acute vascular conditions or inflammatory conditions. When
these conditions are in the acute phase, they present with pain, swelling, and heat and can be in the peripheral vascular
system, the intestines or other organ systems.
Abdominal organ cancer in the acute phase. Download Tracy Walton’s
articles on contraindications for massage and cancer. Her thoroughness
and completeness regarding this subject matter is fabulous.
3. Why do we work with the navel?
Working
with the navel is a common practice in many forms of body work.
Structurally speaking, the navel is our first scar and is the transition
point between the placenta and the pre-natal circulatory system.
The navel is also the direct access point to the parietal peritoneum
via roots of the navel and gives rise to the wrappings of the
entire abdominal cavity and its contents. A distortion of the shape
of the navel is often a blue print for the holding patterns of our
fascial system inside the belly.
4. How do I apply this work to fertility challenges?
Manual therapy to enhance fertility is a growing specialty within
belly massage. This specialty area encompasses many things including
actual structural and fascial work to optimize the function of the
male and female reproductive organs.
The Love Your Guts Seminars program addresses many of these aspects
of fertility enhancement treatment in the following courses -
The Applications to the Pelvis
weekend emphasizes precise palpation of all the pelvic bowl organs
and suspensory tissues, the musculoskeletal anatomy of the pelvis,
and many treatment techniques for the bladder, uterus, prostate,
and colon.
5. How to apply this work to menstruation and ovulation difficulties?
Prostate problems? Menopause symptoms?
Although not always the case, menstruation and ovulation challenges
can be a structural problem of non-optimal positioning. This condition
is often called a tipped uterus, or organ prolapse. These conditions
change fluid dynamics in the pelvis and interfere with the circulation of blood and lymph, nervous system innervation, and energy flow.
6. How to apply this work to acid reflux and indigestion?
Acid reflux and GERD are common digestive system complaints characterized
by abdominal gas and bloating, stomach pain and cramping, and “heartburn.”
North Americans and other high stress cultures eat too fast, don’t
chew food well, eat in front of TV and computers, eat while driving,
eat while talking on the telephone, and eat while conducting business
meetings. These behaviors combined with the fact that we eat more
meals away from home than ever before, work longer hours than ever
before, and are heavier than at any time in history have all conspired
to create a “perfect storm” for stomach problems. The
pharmaceutical industry generates approximately $10 billion in sales
annually for medicines that combat these symptoms.
Several manual therapy interventions are discussed and practiced
in the Applications to Digestion weekend including techniques to
pull the stomach and esophagus inferior to “un-crowd”
these organs from the diaphragm. Other techniques transition the
nervous system towards a more digestion supporting parasympathetic
state. We also discuss the notion of hypochlorhydria and various
supplementation protocols to work with this condition.
7. How to apply this work to low back pain?
Low back pain is complicated, and one of the most common reasons
people seek medical help. Most manual therapy interventions deal
with the spinal facet joints and soft tissues on the posterior body
(back side) and ignore the organs, fascial structures and musculature
of the anterior body (front side) and pelvic floor. The Applications
to the Pelvis weekend works with the following structures to treat
low back pain - mesentery, mesocolon, and peritoneum, musculoskeletal
structures of the hip, lumbar spine, coccyx and pelvic floor.
8. How to apply this work to organ detoxification?
Detoxification is a hot topic presently in allopathic and alternative
/ complementary health care. The fact that we now live in the most
toxic time in history is wrapped up in the politics and economics
of food production, manufacturing, housing, energy, transportation,
and war.
Why we choose to toxify ourselves individually
is wrapped up in our feelings about ourselves, depression, addiction,
stress and anxiety, and our ability to manifest what we want.
The Applications to Fascia, Fluid and Energy class discusses detoxification
in light of emotional and energetic balance and optimizing organ
function. We also touch on a few of the basics of nutrition and
eating in the Applications to Digestion weekend and work with the
major eliminative organs in all trainings.
Love Your Guts Seminars courses are NCBTMB credentialed through Advanced Educators, LLC, Approved Provider # 450826-08. Click here for more information.
Abdominal
trauma - includes surgery, mechanical or sexual trauma,
chronic inflammatory conditions, and chronic pain syndromes. These
conditions produce smooth and skeletal muscle holding patterns and fascial adhesion which
if not addressed can decrease function.
Working
with the navel is a common practice in many forms of body work.
Structurally speaking, the navel is our first scar and is the transition
point between the placenta and the pre-natal circulatory system.
