June 2014 – Royston Frederick's Alternative Therapies

29 Jun

How to treat upper back pain

full-body-muscles-back-neck Do you suffer from constant neck and upper back pain at work or in the comfort of your home? This blog targets people who do office work, but is beneficial for anyone who may have muscular issues in the areas as depicted in the pictures provided to the right. I have suffered with these symptoms, both after a car accident and when I had a sedentary job in an office. As a massage therapist, I see many clients with upper back pain ranging from, thoracic outlet and carpal tunnel syndrome, shooting pains, numbness and tingling in the arm, as well as pain in the upper chest. These symptoms may be caused by anything from tense shortened muscles, subtle changes in the joints, to impinged nerves. Read More →

22 Jun

How to create a pain-free office setup

Some of us spend our days doing a lot of sitting, rather than engaging in the well-rounded physical activities our bodies were intended for. If you work in an office or at home, the videos below describe how to setup your office chair and workstation so they are ergonomic, which means they are both comfortable and prevent injury. The information will provide you with the basics on how to limit structural and mobility injuries that can affect your neck, back, chest, hips and legs.

In addition I advise my clients to do the following:

Stretch daily. This which will further limit structural and mobility issues. Simple stretching techniques can be incorporated into their daily routines.

Take breaks every 15 minutes. Anyone working on a computer should also take breaks every 15 minutes to re-adjust their eyes. Our eyes are made to continuously move, which naturally strengthens them. Such movement reduces your chances of getting headaches, migraines, and vision issues.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is a spiritual art that has been practiced for several millennia throughout every continent of the world. This practice is inching it’s way back from obscurity embedding it`s self into the Western culture now promoting meditation through science and medicine. This phenomenon has also presented it`s self in new age trends such as Yoga, meditation groups, spiritual retreats and the list goes on. I myself have been practicing various forms of meditation for 5 years now and it never ceases to amaze me of the power of the the breath. I have had several clients whom I’ve suggested meditation for stress, anxiety and lowering their blood pressure. I have a client in particular who came for a massage and had an elevated blood pressure. After the massage I spent 2 minutes walking her through a guided meditation and to her surprise her pressure was not only 12 points lower than it was before I started the session, but according to her the lowest it’s been in over 5 years of living with this aliment. Read More →

22 Jun

Epsom salts baths

Article written by: Melissa Breyer

Epsom salts baths is very beneficial for the body especially after a massage which releases trapped toxins from muscles and organs. After I massage a client I encourage them to take a baking soda and Epsom salts bath. A 20 minute bath with half cup of Epsom salts and a half cup of baking soda helps flush trapped toxins and neutralize over-acidity withing the body. Anyone taking blood thinners or have any other related heart problems should consult with their physician first as the epsom salts and warm water can cause dizziness from the flushing toxins. This also applies to anyone who maybe pregnant. Provided below is a condensed summary of information I found about the benefits of epsom salts bath by Melissa Breyer.

Most of us know about the importance of iron and calcium for our bodies, but what about magnesium? It is the second most abundant element in human cells and the fourth most important positively charged ion in the body. It helps the body regulate over 325 enzymes and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions, like muscle control, electrical impulses, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.

Most of us are deficient in magnesium, so I’m going to put on my wise-granny hat on here and tell you this: soaking in a bath with Epsom salt, which is high in magnesium, is one of the easiest ways to get a boost.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, American’s magnesium deficiency helps to account for high rates of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain, digestive maladies, stress-related illnesses, chronic fatigue and a number of other ailments. Who knew?!