Benefits of a CBD Massage

 Massage has been used as a wellness and healing practice for years, and with the infusion of pure  CBD oil, it makes for a potent remedy that enhances the benefits of massage so you can relax deeper getting more out of your massage.  

When applied topically, CBD oil is absorbed into the skin and targets certain receptors found in the skin’s mast cells and nerve fibers called cannabinoid receptors. This gives a calming, anti-inflammatory effect with localized benefits all over the skin and muscles. CBD does not get into your bloodstream, but permeates the skin when liberally applied and left to absorb.

A CBD massage has deeper health benefits than a regular massage because CBD is a cannabinoid that acts on our endocannabinoid system.  The endocannabinoid system is a system in the body responsible for regulating and balancing many processes including immune response, communication between cells, appetite and metabolism, memory, and more. It is through this system of receptors and metabolic enzymes that cannabinoids interact with the human body and trigger beneficial effects. Despite the huge role the endocannabinoid system has in human body function, it was discovered relatively recently and much of its importance is only just becoming understood.

The main function of the endocannabinoid system is to maintain homeostasis within our various body systems. In other words, it exists to return us to biological harmony when we have gotten out of balance. Research shows that endocannabinoid receptors are present all over the body: in the brain and nerves, skin, immune system, bone, fat tissue, liver, pancreas, muscles, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, reproductive organs and intestinal tract. In each of these areas, the endocannabinoid system works to return the body to homeostasis and optimum functioning.

CBD, by stimulating our own endocannabinoid system, has been found to have an effect on a wide variety of biological functions, such as pain, memory, mood, appetite, stress, sleep, metabolism, immune function, and reproductive function. A CBD massage is a great way to do this and is something you should consider making a regular occurrence.

Below are some of the benefits of incorporating CBD oil in your massage.

1. Reduce Tension

One of the main reasons to get a massage is to relieve tension from your body. Both in body and mind, the cannabinoids in CBD massage oil helps to do this. CBD helps to ease and relax your muscles as the cannabinoids enter our endocannabinoid system via the skin. Since it doesn’t contain THC, the active ingredient of marijuana, you won’t get high from it. That means you can go about the rest of your day without feeling high and still enjoy the relaxing afterglow of the massage.

2. Helps Relieve Chronic Pain

CBD massages are perfect for those who suffer from chronic pain. This is because CBD is proven to be an excellent way to deal with pain management. The cannabinoids in CBD massage oil help to reduce inflammation and soothes muscles. This makes it very effective at providing relief from painful joints and muscles.  People who suffer from chronic pain, arthritis, back pain, and so much more can reap the many benefits of a CBD oil massage. You might start to feel the effects within minutes and it can last for days afterward.

3. Alleviates Anxiety and Stress

If you suffer from anxiety or feel stressed often, you could also enjoy the benefits of a CBD massage. CBD oil is hailed for its ability to reduce the symptoms of anxiety, and a massage could be the most effective use of it because CBD oil induces a soothing and calming effect but doesn’t get you high. A massage without CBD oil will help you to de-stress, and paired with CBD oil it’s a match made in heaven!  The effects of a CBD massage is the perfect way to calm down and ease your mental state.

4. Improves Skin Conditions

You might not know that CBD is, in fact, a fantastic moisturizer. CBD massage oil contains hemp which conditions the skin making it supple and soft. Not only does this help you feel better and more relaxed after the massage, but it can also help with skin conditions. People who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema, acne, psoriasis or even just dry skin, can benefit from it.

This is also because of the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD that will soothe the skin and reduce the pain of some skin conditions as well. There are minimal side effects and if you’ve tried other remedies that haven’t worked, it’s definitely something you should consider.

5. Boosts Your Mood

If you’ve ever had a massage before, you’ll know that during and after, you feel great because of it. It relaxes the body and mind and helps you to forget about your worries and live in the moment.

Combined with CBD oil, this elevates the experience and makes it much more enjoyable. You’ll leave the massage with smoother skin, relaxed muscles, and feel less anxious or stressed in general.

All of these factors combined provide a massive boost to your mood.

6. Stimulates the Senses

Getting a CBD oil massage is a great way to connect to your body and it stimulates the senses in a unique way. Since your skin, muscles, and mind are all being stimulated during the massage, it provides a great feeling. You’ll feel more connected with your body and can help you feel refreshed and alert. Living in such a fast-paced world means that we don’t often spend enough time connecting with ourselves and living in the moment.

Getting a CBD massage is an amazing experience and could help ease anxiety, pain, skin issues, and even just relax you. It is becoming an increasingly popular form of massage in recent years. The only way to understand how good it can be is by getting one for yourself.

Healing Arts NYC uses only the finest CBD products available for massage therapy sessions.  

60 minutes for $165.

Herbal Teas for Better Gut Health

I help a lot of people with gut issues that include people having trouble with constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, IBS, malabsorption and bloating.  It seems that no matter what the gut issue is if I help that patient reduce inflammation that is irritating the gut the body tends to heal itself given the right nutrition.  One of the things I use in order to reduce inflammation and heal the gut is to suggest to my patients to drink teas.  The top 4 teas that help my patients reduce inflammation while healing the gut are fennel, ginger, marshmallow root and peppermint.  

Fennel tea is great to help the body digest.  It tastes a little like licorice.  It can relieve constipation and is known to prevent stomach ulcers.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties due to its high level of antioxidants which the body needs to fight harmful things you ingest like bacteria, plastics that leach from food containers, or aluminum that food absorbed from foil.  

Ginger is a great tea to drink if you have an upset stomach for any reason.  Ginger tea is also good for preventing or stopping nausea. Drinking ginger tea is useful in improving digestion and increasing absorption of food.  Drink ginger tea when feeling bloated after eating too much.  It has such strong anti-inflammatory properties that drinking tea can also help reduce inflammation in other parts of the body including joints, head and uterus so it’s good for arthritis, headaches and menstrual cramps.  

Marshmallow root tea is very soothing for the gut.   It reduces inflammation of the stomach lining and even heals stomach ulcers. It creates a protective lining in the digestive tract, thereby treating leaky gut syndrome and soothing acid reflux. Marshmallow root also helps individuals suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Drinking peppermint tea is a good way to balance pH levels and promote a healthy blood flow throughout the body.  In this way peppermint tea reduces inflammation not only in the gut but also your joints.  Peppermint tea is also good for nausea.

It is best to drink the loose leaf, organic version of any of these teas at any time of day.  Steep one teaspoon of tea in 6 ounces of hot water for at least 3 minutes.  

Gluten-Free Flours

When starting on a healing journey at Healing Arts many patients are muscle tested to stay away from wheat or gluten and need to find alternatives.  Listed below are some of my favorite alternatives when baking or breading.   

Almond flour

Nutrition benefits - Almond flour is great if you are eating paleo or keto. Almonds help lower cholesterol.  Almond flour is high in fiber and full of vitamin E.  It’s also a good source of iron and magnesium.  Less calories and carbs than coconut flour for those who are counting.

I have used it in baking brownies, cookies, breading chicken.  Keep flour in refrigerator so the nut oils don’t go rancid.  

Coconut flour

Nutrition benefits  - High in fiber and healthy fats also makes it paleo and keto friendly.   One of the healthy fats in coconut flour is lauric acid which is hard to find in other foods and is good for the skin and thyroid.    Again, because of the high fat content keep coconut flour in refrigerator.  

When substituting it for wheat use only 1/4th the amount of coconut flour.  If the recipe calls for 1 cup wheat or white flour then use only 1/4 cup coconut flour.  Eggs are important in coconut flour recipes because without eggs the coconut flour is dry and will fall apart.  I have made breads with it, just know it will be a dense bread that is so good!  I also use coconut flour to make macaroons, brownies and muffins.   

Buckwheat flour

Nutrition benefits - Despite its name buckwheat is not wheat but a nutrient-packed, gluten-free seed that is high in both protein and fiber. Its health benefits include cholesterol-lowering effects, anti-hypertension effects and improving digestion by reliving constipation.

Buckwheat is beneficial because it’s high in fiber and contains high levels of rutin, which is a type of antioxidant. Antioxidants can help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals, which can cause oxidative stress, affecting your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. For more info on the health benefits of buckwheat, click here. 

My family loves buckwheat pancakes! Also for breakfast there is hot cream of buckwheat cereal you can make easily like you would grits.  I also use buckwheat flour to make chocolate chip cookies.  

Oat flour

Nutrition benefits - Eating oats helps lower cholesterol, lower high blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease and so does oat flour.  Oats are considered safe for those with a gluten allergy or gluten intolerance.   Oat flour is also high in fiber.  I suggest purchasing sprouted oat flour to get the most health benefits from it.  When oats are sprouted their more nutrient dense.  Easy to make oat flour at home by using a food processor.  1.25 cup of rolled oats makes 1 cup oat flour.  Oat flour is great when making oatmeal cookies.  I also love using oat flour with rice flour to make banana bread.

Rice flours

Nutrition benefits - Rice flour is high in fiber and contains an essential nutrient called choline which is important for the liver.  Therefore rice flour can help improve liver health.  Brown rice flour contains the husk and therefore has more fiber and B vitamins than white rice flour.  

I have used rice panko bread crumbs for breading. At the store a lot of gluten-free breads are made with rice. Brown rice pasta is my favorite, very similar to regular pasta which I’m sure if you are adventurous enough you can make your own brown rice pasta at home.  I have been adventurous enough to make homemade mochi using sweet rice flour which is different than regular white rice flour and I love making a pound cake with white rice flour.  

The Importance of Coffee Enemas for Detoxing

Doing a coffee enema is one method of purification that cleanses the liver and provides a multitude of health benefits to the body. Understandably to is not easy for people to be interested in doing them but the health benefits are amazing.  I especially have people do it if they are fighting cancer or really want to support the liver.  Acceptance of the coffee enema’s value may result from an understanding of its history and therapeutic benefits. Water enemas have been used for detoxification throughout the ages. The use of therapeutic coffee enemas began during WWI. Nurses were using water enemas to help alleviate the post-surgery pain of soldiers. When there was a shortage of water one resourceful nurse used leftover brewed coffee.

Coffee enemas are a vital part of the detoxification process. The purpose of the enemas is to remove toxins accumulated in the liver and to remove free radicals from the bloodstream.

Without entering the digestive tract the caffeine is absorbed through the bowel wall, through the blood vessels, and makes its way directly to the liver. Coffee enemas are more beneficial than water enemas because the caffeine and the palmitates (palmitic acid) work synergistically to stimulate and cleanse the liver and blood. The caffeine travels to the liver opening up the bile ducts and allows the liver to release bile which contains toxins. The enema fluid triggers intestinal muscle contractions and therefore the removal of wastes.

The coffee enema is capable of removing circulating toxins not only because it dilates bile ducts but also stimulates an enzyme system in the liver, most importantly the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, that stimulates glutathione which is capable of neutralizing a vast variety of free radicals and poisons in the bloodstream and facilitates detox in the liver. Glutathione is the primary protein based antioxidant in every cell in the human body. It is primarily synthesized in the liver.

The palmitic acid in caffeine increases the activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) by 600% in the liver and 700% increase in the small intestine. No materials, other than coffee, are known to stimulate as much.

The purpose of the coffee enema is not to clear out the intestines but for the quart of water in the enema to stimulate peristalsis in the gut. A portion of the water also dilutes the bile and increases bile flow, thereby flushing toxic bile (loaded with toxins by the GST enzyme system) out of the intestines. At least a part of the water passes through the wall of the gut and dilutes the hemorrhoidal and then the portal blood which goes into the liver and then actually dilutes the bile and causes more readily increased bile flow.

Ideally the coffee enema should be retained for twelve to fifteen minutes during which time the body’s blood supply circulates and passes through the liver approximately fives times (every three minutes). Since the blood serum is detoxified as it flows through the caffeinated liver the enema is essentially a form of blood filtering.

1. Purchase good quality coffee from www.cafemam.com/node/674. Buy the blend called “therapy”.

2. Purchase an enema bag or bucket from local pharmacy.

3. Add 3 tablespoons of ground coffee beans to a 1⁄2 quart of boiling water (either distilled or bottled water). Let the mixture boil for 3 minutes and allow it to simmer for another 15 minutes.

 4. Filter the mixture with a sieve.

5. Add cool water to the liquid portion to fill up to a total volume of 1 quart.

6. Hang the enema bag or bucket about 18 inches above the body. Prepare yourself to instill the coffee solution into the rectum.

7. Place some soft padding, covering it with a plastic sheet, on the bathroom floor or do in the bathtub.

8. Lie on your back and lift pelvis up to allow gravity to work for you. You may then turn on either side if that helps you to hold the liquid in better.

9. Open the clamp for about 5 seconds and then re-clamp. Take time to let gravity force the liquid into the rectum and bowel. Repeat until as much liquid is in the bowel that can be tolerated. Your goal is to do the full quart.

10. Hold the liquid inside the body for about 15 minutes and then release the liquid into the toilet. Some days the body will not tolerate more than 3 minutes so do not be discouraged as to the difference of times day to day.

11. Coffee enemas can be done as much as several times a day to a maintenance of one per month. They should be done in the morning because the caffeine will be too stimulating at night.  

Learn Where MSG is Hidden

MSG has been used as an acronym for "monosodium glutamate" for years. MSG is a flavor enhancer and popular ingredient in many Asian cuisines. It is common enough knowledge that people can get MSG reactions that Chinese restaurants were advertising MSG-free on their food starting in the mid 1990s.  MSG reactions can include flushing, sweating, chest pain and weakness.   The most common symptom I see in my office are headaches or migraines.  Other symptoms include facial pressure, drowsiness, and numbness and tingling in the face, back, and arms.

MSG is a neurotoxin that is best to stay away from even if you don't notice any symptoms.  Actually we know it as MSG but it's more factual name is Manufactured free Glutamate or MfG.  Since it is common knowledge that we should not ingest MSG the food industry as come up with other names, 40 more names to be exact.  

One popular place where it can be found is in low fat or nonfat milk products and may diary products that contain carrageenan, guar gum and locust bean gum.  Protein powders contain glutamic acid, which , invariably will be manufactured with MfG.  Also if you see the word 'protein' by itself on any label it contains MfG.   Also hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed whey protein, hydrolyzed corn protein and tomato protein all contain MfG.

In sensitive patients reactions have been reported from soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners and cosmetics where MfG is hidden in ingredients with names that include the words "hydrolyzed," "amino acids," and or "protein".  Most sun block, spf lotion and insect repellents also contain MfG.  

According to the manufacturer, Varivax-Merk chicken pox vaccine contains L-monosodium glutamate and hydrolyzed gelatin, both of which contain MfG.  The vaccine has been shown to cause brain lesion ni laboratory animals and cause obesity and reproductive disorders later in life.  It would appear that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain some ingredient that contains MfG.

Some people have reactions to MfG even if it's a small dose and others need a large dose to feel MfG toxicity.  A reaction can occur immediately after ingestion or up to 48 hours.  The time lapse between ingestion and reaction is typically the same each time for a particular individual who ingest an amount of MfG that exceeds his or her individual tolerance level.  

All of the following contain MfG:

Names of ingredients that always contain MfG:

Glutamic acid (E 620) 
Glutamate (E 620)
Monosodium glutamate (E 621)
Monopotassium glutamate (E 622)
Calcium glutamate (E 623)
Monoammonium glutamate (E 624)
Magnesium glutamate (E 625)
Natrium glutamate
Anything “hydrolyzed”
Any “hydrolyzed protein”
Calcium caseinate, Sodium caseinate
Yeast extract, Torula yeast
Yeast food, Yeast nutrient 
Autolyzed yeast
Gelatin
Textured protein
Whey protein
Whey protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
Soy protein 
Soy protein concentrate
Soy protein isolate
Anything “protein”
Anything “protein fortified”
Soy sauce
Soy sauce extract
Protease
Anything “enzyme modified”
Anything containing “enzymes”
Anything “fermented”
Vetsin
Ajinomoto
Umami
Zinc proteninate

Names of ingredients that often contain or produce MfG during processing:

Carrageenan (E 407)
Bouillon and broth
Stock
Any “flavors” or “flavoring”
Natural flavor
Maltodextrin
Oligodextrin
Citric acid, Citrate (E 330)
Anything “ultra-pasteurized”
Barley malt
Malted barley
Brewer’s yeast
Pectin (E 440)
Malt extract
Seasonings

*1 Glutamic acid found in unadulterated protein does not cause adverse reactions. To cause adverse reactions, the glutamic acid must have been processed /manufactured or come from protein that has been fermented.

*2 E numbers are use in Europe in place of food additive names.

The following are ingredients suspected of containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamic acid to serve as MfG-reaction triggers in HIGHLY SENSITIVE people:

Corn starch  
Corn syrup  
Modified food starch 
Lipolyzed butter fat  
Dextrose
Rice syrup
Brown rice syrup  
Milk powder 
Reduced fat milk (skim; 1%; 2%) 
most things “low fat” or “no fat”  
anything “enriched”
anything “vitamin enriched” 
anything “pasteurized”
Annatto
Balsamic vinegar
certain amino acid chelates (Citrate, aspartate, and glutamate are used as chelating agents with mineral supplements.)

Food Sensitivities Vs. Allergies Vs. Intolerances By Ingrid Young

I love food!  Food is delicious, nourishing, and healing. Our bodies are made to seamlessly absorb nutrients from the food we eat so that we can perform our daily activities with ease. But what happens when the food we eat no longer fuels and heals and starts to hinder our health?  There are a few reasons why this happens.  One of the simplest reasons could be a food intolerance or sensitivity.   Food intolerance, sensitivities and allergies are based off the reaction the body has when it comes in contact with food.  

Food intolerance is when our body does not have the digestive enzymes to break down foods we eat. A common example of food intolerance is lactose intolerant. This is when the body cannot fully breakdown the sugar “lactose” in milk. Symptoms of food intolerance are bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, heartburn, and/or irritability.  You can experience these symptoms immediately or over a course of a few days.  Food intolerances commonly run in families.    

Food sensitivities activate an immune reaction. White blood cells react to food and chemicals and release pro-inflammatory "mediators" into the bloodstream. This immune reaction is non-threatening, and symptoms are similar to food intolerances.  Symptoms include bloating, diarrhea, nausea, migraines, acne, eczema, joint pain, runny nose, brain fog, mood swings and can be felt between 3-72 hours. Most commonly, food sensitivity reactions are often delayed, and most people go on without realizing their symptoms are due to what they ate. 

Food allergies elicit an immune response that is histamine-driven and is mediated by IgE. Reactions are immediate, within 15-30 minutes after exposure. Symptoms can be asthma, wheezing, hives, rashes, dizziness, swelling of lips, face, or in the body.  Unlike food sensitivities, food allergies can be life-threatening and in severe cases result in anaphylactic shock.  Common food allergies are nuts/ seeds, shellfish, wheat, soy, and certain fruits and vegetables. So the next question is how do you know if you’re experiencing a food intolerance or sensitivity?  Elimination diets such as the Whole30 can help identify food intolerances and sensitivities reactions.  In the office we use muscle testing to identify specific food that can be hindering your health.  I like muscle testing because it is quick and noninvasive.  I also like doing the Coca pulse test because it can be done at the comfort of your own home.  

Coca Pulse Test 

Before taking the test, make sure you’re in a relaxed and calm state. An agitated state, in which your pulse is abnormally raised, will make it difficult to perform this test with accuracy.  The test is best done on an empty stomach, at least 2 hours after eating or drinking anything, or preferably, first thing in the morning before breakfast. 1.   Get your base heart rate. I like to do this first thing in the morning.  Take your pulse before you get out of bed for one full minute.  Record that number. 2.   When you’re ready to test the food, take a bite of food. Chew it if you like, but don’t swallow it. Let it rest in your mouth so that you can taste it for thirty seconds. 3.   With the food still in your mouth, take and record your pulse for a full minute again. 4.   Spit out the food and rinse out your mouth with water. Make sure to spit the water out. Wait 1-2 minutes before trying another food, or until your pulse has returned to its base rate. If your pulse increases or decreases by 6 points over a minute with a particular food in your food, this is your body indicating a stressful reaction to the food.  If your pulse remains steady, this indication no reaction to the food and its safe.  

To learn more about functional nutrition, come join my Navigating Nutrition a 5-week online nutrition course and support group. We’ll discuss topics such as how to improve digestion, emotional eating, how to regulate blood sugar levels, and the importance of staying hydrated. Together we will create personal and practical ways to improve your health through nutrition.  

Classes start online October 6th at 6pm-7pm.  To learn more: https://healingartsnyc.com/new-events 

What people are saying… 

"Loved the class! It was intimate so you could ask all of your questions. It was informative with additional links, book recommendations and insightful learnings. It was practical with valuable tips on how to eat better (Ingrid gave us feedback after reading our food journal). It was doable since only 5 online classes of approximately an hour, hour and a half each, in the comfort of your home, after work. Ingrid is sweet, cheery, knowledgeable, patient and receptive. I can’t wait to hear about her next class!"  - D.R. 

To reserve your spot email us at info@healingartsnyc.com 

Class Schedule: 

October 6th - Week 1 - Blood sugar / Emotional eating  

October 13th - Week 2 - How to Grocery Shop/ Reading labels/ Meal Plans  

October 20th - Week 3 -  Macronutrients/Portion/ Explanation of different diets 

October 27th - Week 4 -  Hydration / Sleep + Stress + Exercise   

November 3 - Week 5 - Digestion / What's going on and how to improve it ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

$60 a class or $215 for all 5 weeks 

Won’t be able to make all 5 classes? Don’t worry, we can give you the recording of it. 

Option for extra 1-1 sessions with Ingrid Young to further personalize your nutrition, supplements, exercise, sleep and lifestyle plan.

Visualization for Stress Reduction

We help our patients by detoxing the body from heavy metals, chemicals and pathogens while supporting the body with the right nutrition.   Everyone’s program looks different and depends on the muscle testing but I will tell you one common denominator for the rate at which someone heals  depends on their stress level or to be more specific the level of which they put their stress in their body.  Stress changes the hormones causing havoc on the body so healing is slower no matter what you are trying to heal from so stress management is a big part of healing in our office as well.  If I could put stress reduction in a pill I know it could help so many people.  Until I figure out how to do that visualization and imagery (sometimes referred to as guided imagery) techniques offer an avenue for stress reduction. These techniques involve the systematic practice of creating a detailed mental image of an attractive and peaceful setting or environment. Guided imagery can be practiced in isolation, but it is frequently paired with physical relaxation techniques such as muscle relaxation and breathing. When guided imagery is paired with physical relaxation techniques, the aim is to associate the sensations of relaxation with the peaceful visual image, so that future practice sessions involving imagery alone will quickly bring back to mind the physical sensations of relaxation.

I also suggest visualizations as an alternative to meditation when I know meditation can help but the patient has trouble calming the mind.  Instead of sitting in silence and trying to empty the mind that is racing with all the stressful thoughts this is a great time to listen to a visualization.  There are wonderful ones for free on Youtube.  It’s hard to suggest one because everyone is always looking for something different so listen to a few and find one that works for you.  

Guided imagery techniques work to help people relax for several reasons. As is the case with many techniques, they involve an element of distraction which serves to redirect people's attention away from what is stressing them and towards an alternative focus. The techniques are in essence a non-verbal instruction or direct suggestion to the body and unconscious mind to act "as though" the peaceful, safe and beautiful (and thus relaxing) environment were real. Finally, guided imagery can work through the associative process described above, where scenes become a learned cue or trigger that helps recall memories and sensations resulting from past relaxation practice.

Imagery techniques can be thought of as a form of guided meditation. As is the case with other forms of meditation, one of the goals and desirable outcomes is to help people learn how to detach themselves from their moment to moment fixation on the contents of their minds, and instead cultivate a relaxed detachment from which it is easy to watch (but not become embedded in) the various sensations and thoughts streaming through the mind. The repetitive practice of imagery techniques can help this meditative learning to occur so that eventually meditation and emptying the mind can come.

The practice of guided imagery is extremely portable, as it relies on nothing more than one's imagination and concentration abilities which people always have at their disposal. However, like most techniques requiring mental concentration, it is usually most successfully practiced without interruption in a setting that is free from distracting stimulation. The bathroom can be used in a pinch, if no other suitably private and peaceful location is available.  I have used it numerous times since I have kids I’m hiding from.  There is no single correct way to use visual imagery for stress relief. However, something similar to the following steps is often recommended:

• Find a private calm space and make yourself comfortable.

• Take a few slow and deep breaths to center your attention and calm yourself.

• Close your eyes.

• Listen to the visualization or imagine yourself in a beautiful location, where everything is as you would ideally have it. Some people visualize a beach, a mountain, a forest, or a being in a favorite room sitting on a favorite chair.

• Imagine yourself becoming calm and relaxed. Alternatively, imagine yourself smiling, feeling happy and having a good time.

• Focus on the different sensory attributes present in your scene so as to make it more vivid in your mind. For instance, if you are imagining the beach, spend some time vividly imagining the warmth of the sun on your skin, the smell of the ocean, seaweed and salt spray, and the sound of the waves, wind and seagulls. The more you can invoke your senses, the more vivid the entire image will become.

• Remain within your scene, touring its various sensory aspects for five to ten minutes or until you feel relaxed.

• While relaxed, assure yourself that you can return to this place whenever you want or need to relax.

• Open your eyes again and then rejoin your world.

Instead of imagining a favorite place for stress reduction you could also imagine your future self talking to your current self through a certain situation.  Imagine you are already through the stressful situation and have the outcome you want and your future self came to talk you through it as a best friend would.  Know that you have a relationship with yourself.  That relationship should not be all the negative self talk we tend to automatically do.  Make a conscious choice to do more self-love talk.  Be your own best friend.  

You can also do the same for a past situation you are trying to process and heal by using visualization to have your current self talk to your past self through a situation.  A lot of the times when we feel stuck and rerun a situation that has already happened to us over and over again in our heads it is because there is a piece of us that is looking for healing.  We can use visualization and talk ourselves through it, just like a best friend would and hear healing words from our own selves.  

It is these three ways that visualization can really help reduce stress.  The imagination is a great tool so try to use it.  There is no limit on what the mind and mind-body connection can do!