Belly Love Update - February 2014

Take this time to sink into the love for your belly, your loved one's belly and the bellies all around. They are calling your attention, asking you to feel more deeply, listen more closely, get intimate.

Yes, this is a great time of year to get back into touch.. after the holidays have wound down & winter has infused us with added cold protection our bodies happily create (hallelujah, for us Portlandians.. it's coming in handy this week)! For those of us that follow the seasons with food.. we have indulged in winter squashes, potatoes, leeks, overwintered kale and onions galore. I have to admit, belonging to a winter CSA has helped me keep in touch with what is growing locally, keeping my tastebuds... well seasoned!  My farmer's name is Elizabeth.. and her business is Minto Island Growers. She grows amazing food. I am grateful to be so in touch this year.

And with the new year has come many changes. I have had a clinic space at Good Life Medicine Center for some time..and it has been a wonderful experience. I highly recommend the practitioners there and expect that their tinctoria will be a huge success. I have chosen to leave the nest and over the next 3 months, I will create the Belly Love Center at my new home - "Orange Blossom"! 

In the meantime, I will start doing house calls in March!

Would you like me to spend a few hours with you giving your kitchen a deep cleanse? Ever wonder.. should i throw away these beans that have been on the shelf since 2004? What about these B Vitamins that look like speckled dried out mustard? Am i ever going to use these ketchup packets piled in the fridge door? Yes, i love to organize and can help give you ideas about Feng-Shui-ing your kitchen.. to create a supportive environment for you to thrive nutritionally! I'll even share a few tips on what to add back to your fridge in some of the empty spots :)  

2 hour minimum.. it takes a while, folks! $60 per hour. 

And..i'm still available for massage. I can come to you, if you have a space, i have a table (and table warmer.. yummmmm). Belly Love at your doorstep!

Email me if you are interested: bellylovecenter@gmail.com

and we can set you up for a good kitchen cleansing in March.

So, this next holiday, do whatever it takes to love yourself right down to the very core of your being.. you deserve it. 

With gratitude,

Eecole 

The belly lover

An Update from the Belly Blogger

It's been a few months since my last post, time to update!

Belly Love has been going so well.

I have been seeing clients regularly and my practice is shifting and shaping into something beautiful.
I am finding i love bellies more than ever. I now see clients for a minimum of 2 hours to start. This gives us time to sink in, unravel and find a flow that works for both of us.

I am finding that the focus of the massages are often to help bring breath to the core.. whether that is relaxing all the respiration muscles or all those around the abdomen. It looks sort of like a full body massage, except where a typical massage may skip the belly, I pay a lot of attention to it.

As an update.. I have been working with mostly clients unclothed to their level of comfort.. and i have a fleece fuzzy table warmer to help keep you comfy and toasty, even on these cold days!

Here's an example of how a session might go:
 You start face down. I work on your sacrum, hips and gluts to relax your core. Perhaps some neck work to tame your tense breathing.. did you know you have breathing muscles in your neck?
Then, you flip over and i'll start on your upper chest, again to help relax your breathing. I can work on places that feel tense.. and eventually, I get to your belly. There are many techniques that help improve circulation and energy in each of those very important organs contained in that small space of what is considered "the belly".. the spleen, stomach, pancreas, liver, lungs, heart and kidneys... and a few others. We can work on whichever organ seems out of balance, from the Chinese perspective.  We also have the option of working with a Licensed Acupuncturist to assess your Chinese diagnosis and develop a diet for you according to your diagnosis.

I have also been working with a few IBS patients. Wonder why you have gas and bloating every day? There is a new, evidence-based diet called the Low FODMAP diet that i would be happy to guide you through. It is turning out amazing results.. people who have suffered for years are finding a resolution to their discomfort. To read a review of some clinical studies, click here. To learn more about the diet, click here.

It's been fun, to say the least, to get to know my practice. I am so grateful to all  my patients that have come in thus far. I will continue to do sessions for trade and detailed feedback through the end of December, and hope to start charging in January. I might have some trade spots in January, so it doesn't hurt to ask! If you want a session, please email me at bellylovecenter@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading and happy holidays!

Best in belly health,
Eecole

Abdominal massage...demystified.

Some of you may be wondering what happens when you come for session with me. Although your session could involve abdominal massage, deep tissue massage, nutrition counseling, a trip to the local coop to do a shopping tour, I get the most nervous reaction when I tell people that I do abdominal massage. 

I hear things like, "oh, i won't even let my husband touch my belly", or "wow, that's a sensitive place to  have touched" or "noone has touched my belly in years!" or "ooh does that hurt?"

So, my intention with this blog post is to de-mystify the subject of abdominal massage, otherwise known as Chi Nei Tsang [pronounced 'chee nay t-sang']. 

Clothing:  The work is done with your clothes on. I have a delicious warming pad on my massage table that helps keep you cozy and blankets for extra warmth. I may fold your top so that your belly is exposed, but nothing else. I ask that you wear comfortable pants with an elastic or tie waist, so that the edge can be folded down to below your belly button and you feel no constrictions. I can also work through a thin layer of clothing. 

The treatment: We may start with some belly breathing exercises to reestablish this healthy pattern that we naturally do as babies, but forget to do as adults. Then, I assess your belly, feel for constrictions and tight spots, and work those as needed. You and I check in about pressure and areas that feel tender. This is more of a gentle kneading experience, rather than a poking experience. There may be some mild discomfort, however, you are encouraged to tell me so I can make sure I do my best to have you feel safe and comfortable on the table.  

Much of the treatment is between your chin and hip bones. In this area, I am able to work on your small & large intestine, the liver, spleen, stomach, kidneys, heart and lungs. I may also work on acupressure points related to the abdomen on your arms, hands, legs, feet, head and face. During the 1st treatment I will you some of what i'm doing and finding and teach you some tools so you can work on yourself at home.  I do less talking during follow up treatments. 

What might come up for you: Some people feel anxious at first, but relax once the work is underway. Sometimes emotions come up. I welcome that. You can express as you desire. Yes, some gas might move. That's ok. We have an air purifier in the room to help cleanse the space. You might fall asleep. That's a sign that your body really needed the work and the rest. You can ask questions too, i'll answer as best as I can. I do, however, encourage you to really take in the treatment and be as in your body, as opposed to your head, as possible. 

Goals: The fundamental goals of this treatment are that you walk out feeling more in touch with your body, particularly the center of your body, you feel more relaxed, more spacious, you are able to breathe more deeply, and constrictions have softened. I give you some tools that you can use at home to work on yourself.  The effects beyond that vary from person to person. 

24-48 hours after treatment: It's important that you drink plenty of water over the next day or two after your treatment. Chi Nei Tsang can be detoxifying and its important that you have enough water to carry those toxins out of your body. You may experience some tenderness in your abdomen from things shifting around. That is normal and should resolve within 24-48 hours. If not, of course give a call.

Hopefully that helps you understand what to expect from an abdominal massage appointment. Email me if you have any other questions: bellylovecenter@gmail.com.

Here's to your health,

Eecole

Welcome to Belly Love

Welcome to Belly Love. This is my new blog for posting about Belly Love experiences. If you would like to read about my services as a nutritionist and massage therapist and how I integrate them to help heal your belly & body, please visit the Profile & Services page of this blog.

If you would like to book an appointment, please visit the Good Life Medicine Center where i have my practice on Fridays each week.

Thank you and hope to hear from you soon.

Best in Belly Health,
Eecole