Vol. 1 No. 1

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Helping Veterans and Wounded Warriors

Reiki's noninvasive nature makes it an effective choice for treating PTSD.

A smile is acurve that setseverythingstraight

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Reflexology by Katiereflexologybykatie.com860-234-0626reflexologybykatie@gmail.com

In this Issue

Helping Veterans and Wounded WarriorsFootprints for HealthThe Sunshine Vitamin

This nation's military veterans andwounded warriors continue to fight,long after they come off the battlefields.They fight to be whole again and toreclaim their physical and psychologicalhealth. Many forms of massage andbodywork can help them do just that.

Therapeutic MassageWith its ability to meld body and mind,massage is an excellent way for veteransto reintegrate. Not only can this kind oftherapeutic touch address the physicalwounds, it can help bring a sense ofnormalcy back into daily life."Gratifying physical experiences, such asmassages ... may be experiences thatpatients build up that are notcontaminated by trauma, and which may

serve as a core of new gratifyingexperiences," writes Bessel van der Kolk,author ofTraumatic Stress.

Research on massage and veterans,funded by the National Institutes ofHealth, has shown considerable promisefor this hands-on therapy. An initial2014 study found that veterans reported

significant reductions in physical pain,physical tension, irritability,anxiety/worry, and depression aftermassage. As a result, researchers arehoping to show in Phase 2 of their studythat massage could diminish ourveterans' needs for opiods for painmanagement, a significant concern forthe US Department of Defense and theveterans themselves.

Many of our military personnelreturning from battle zones come homeless than whole. In cases of amputation,massage can help control edema, dealwith neuromas, improve skin health,and loosen scar tissue. For more on thistopic, read "David's Heroes" in theNovember/December 2014 issue of

Massage Bodyworkmagazine. Find it online atwww.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/398416.

When visiting a massage therapist for thefirst time, expect a comprehensive intakeprocess to facilitate your session. If you

The fight is not over for many wounded warriors after they come home.

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are a veteran or wounded warrior, yourtherapist will want to discuss the extentof your injuries with you, the medicalprocedures you've undergone, and anyongoing health issues, as well asmedications you're currently taking. Allof these questions help inform thetherapist how to work most effectivelyand safely with you, so be honest andforthcoming in your responses. As withany massage, be sure to let your therapistknow if anything makes youuncomfortable during yoursession--whether it's that the roomtemperature is too hot or the massagepressure is too deep. At any time, youcan end the session if the work is toointense or you need a break.

Craniosacral TherapyCraniosacral therapy (CST) has shownconsiderable promise in helpingmilitary veterans and otherposttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)sufferers. The developer of CST, thelate John E. Upledger, DO, OMM,believed this subtle hands-on therapycould make a difference. When heinvited veterans to be part of intensiveCST programs in 1999, he found thattheir depression and anxiety levelsdropped considerably after the therapywas administered, and that feelings ofhopelessness, which had once beenpervasive, quickly dissipated.

Further evidence for CST came in2004-2005, when military personnelreturning from duty in combat regionswere exposed to the therapy atCalifornia's Naval Hospital Lemoore."The results were absolutely profound,"says retired commanding officer SandyDeGroot, who oversaw the program."It's very hard for [those returning fromactive combat zones] to come back fullyand be in the present moment. TheCST work allowed them to releasetrauma held in the body."

ReflexologyAccording to author Paula Stone,reflexology is a highly effective therapyfor PTSD, a condition that affects morethan 5.2 million Americans every year."Acute sustained stress erodes the veryfabric of our being, while acute traumacan tear it. Whether prolonged orsudden, traumatic life experienceswound a person in body, emotions,mind, and soul, and can result inPTSD. Compassionate bodywork,

including reflexology, can help heal thebody and the person."

She says two benefits of using reflexologyfor clients with PTSD are (1) it can beutilized when massage and other touchtherapies cannot and (2) the clientremains clothed. "Reflexology improvesthe client's sense of well-being,improves sleep, reduces anxiety, andoften reduces the need for painmedications, especially following surgeryor cancer treatments." Stone says footreflexology improves the function of allbody systems. "Immediately noticeableare improvements in the flow ofbioelectrical energy, blood, lymph, andnerve impulses. Reflexology also worksenergetically by balancing the body'senergy systems. It works in harmony witha broad spectrum of energy therapies,such as polarity therapy and Asianmedicine."

Finding HelpOther modalities that have offered relieffor members of our nation's militaryinclude breath work, Healing Touch,myofascial release, reiki, TherapeuticTouch, trauma touch therapy, and evenyoga. More are being added to the listevery day.

If you or someone you know is a veteranor wounded warrior, and is suffering,reach out. Contact your local VeteransAffairs offices, visit the WoundedWarrior Project(www.woundedwarriorproject.org) orComfort for America's UniformedServices (CAUSE; www.cause-usa.org),and make an appointment with yourmassage therapist or bodyworker.

For more information on PTSD, visitthe National Center for PTSD, USDepartment of National VeteransAffairs, at www.ptsd.va.gov.

Treat your feet, and body, to reflexology.

Footprints for Health

The Sunshine VitaminShelley Burns

You walk on them all day, but did youknow your feet do more than carry youfrom one place to the next? They alsohave a unique connection to balancedhealth and well-being. In a form ofbodywork known as reflexology, the feetare said to contain reflex areas thatmirror and connect to all parts of thebody--and pressure on these points canactually influence your state of health.

Reflexology is viewed primarily as a stressreduction or relaxation technique.Using the thumb, finger, and hand,gentle pressure is applied to reflex areasof the feet in order to decrease stressand bring the body into equilibrium.

Although simplistic in application, theeffects of the treatment can beprofound. Through activation of nervereceptors in the hands and feet, newmessages flood into the body system,changing its tempo and tone. In essence,the foot or hand becomes a conduit forsharing information throughout thebody. Function in the connecting area is

improved and, at the same time, thebody experiences overall relaxation andbenefits to the circulation andelimination systems. When the body'ssystems are at optimal functioning,self-healing is enhanced.

Scientific studies have documented thebenefits of reflexology for a variety ofailments, ranging from reduction ofpain, improvement in circulation, andrelease of tension, to improvedeffectiveness of medication, as well asbenefits for diabetes and headaches.

In this sense, reflexology is not amedical treatment for specific symptomsor diseases, but rather a way to facilitatethe body's inherent healing power.

In the world of skin health, we focus onways to improve skin quality. We work toprevent acne, cellular damage, dryness,and wrinkles. It is less common todiscuss how a skin-care strategy mayincrease risk of developing other healthconditions.

Skin cancer is one example. To preventskin cancer, we protect ourselves withsunscreen--especially during thesummer months. But by using sunscreenwe are blocking the absorption ofvitamin D, the "sunshine" vitamin.

Vitamin D is fat soluble and containspowerful antioxidant andanticarcinogenic properties that canprevent premature aging and cellulardamage. Solid research indicates thatvitamin D plays a role in reducing therisk of cancer, specifically breast, colon,

and prostate cancers. Vitamin D hasbeen associated with preventing diabetesby reducing insulin sensitivity. It alsoimproves heart health, reduces the riskof multiple sclerosis, strengthens bones,and decreases the effects of seasonalaffective disorder.

Vitamin D can help resolve skinconditions like psoriasis, as it plays arole in skin cell regulation, includingcell turnover and growth. Vitamin D canbe effective in reducing the itching andflaking associated with this disorder.Ultraviolet B (UVB) treatments havelong been used successfully in treatingpsoriasis because UVB produces vitaminD in the body.

Getting between 5-10 minutes of directsun exposure daily on the arms, face,hands, and back (without sunscreen) can

provide enough vitamin D to meet yourdaily requirements, though sunexposure does present a risk. Because itis difficult to obtain enough vitamin Dthrough food, many prefer to usesupplements. Research on the healthbenefits of ingesting vitamin D ledexperts to advise an intake of 25-50micrograms daily.

Shelley Burns is a doctor of naturopathic medicineand campleted studies at the Canadian College ofNaturopathic Medicine. She has certification incomplementary and integrative medicine fromHarvard University.

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107 Wilcox Road Suite 107CStonington, CT 06378