April Showers Bring May Flowers

Judy Addington, LMT, NCTMB, CR

What does the Spa Bellagio in Las Vegas have to do with Integrated Health Concepts? Raindrops! Actually, Raindrop Technique! It’s referred to as Raindrop Therapy at the Bellagio, applied along the spine in a 70-minute session for $205. At IHC the treatment takes about an hour, oils are applied to the feet and along the spine, and costs only $100.00 for an initial visit and $80.00 for a follow-up.

Why oil therapy? It can affect us on all levels and help to restore our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The Raindrop Technique itself includes oils that have an impact on muscles, bones, joints, balancing energies in the body, and internal systems: circulatory, digestive, respiratory, nervous, and immune.

Essential oils can affect the body immediately since molecules breathed in go directly to the limbic region of the brain. Our other senses have to process before a response is made. The oils used are most often distilled from various parts of plants without chemicals while some are expressed, as in citrus. These processes are how they qualify as therapeutic grade. Food and perfume grade oils have been processed with chemicals, at high temperatures and with more pressure in the distilling, and are widely available at less expensive prices. Therapeutic-grade essential oils can be costly because it often requires several hundred or thousands of pounds of plant material to produce just one pound of essential oil. For instance, to get one pint of rose oil requires 5,000 pounds of rose petals. Food and perfume grade oils can have chemicals added to them to produce the same amount of oil since only the aromatic qualities are of concern, not the therapeutic. The oils used at IHC are Young Living Essential Oils which are tested in Europe by AFNOR (Association French Normalization Organization Regulation) which has established standards that outline the chemical profile and principal constituents that a quality therapeutic-grade essential oil should have. I am not aware of any other company in the U. S. that tests their oils by these standards.

Essential oils are some of the most powerful antioxidants, they can cross the blood-brain barrier, are absorbed into the cells, help oxygenate and detoxify the cells, and attack bacteria and viruses in the body. Some have even been shown to be beneficial in weight loss; I am doing more research on this aspect. They are also great to use when exercising or working out. Marjoram oil, PanAway or Relieve It oil blends work wonders with your muscles - drop on and massage in. Raindrop Technique is a therapeutic modality that can keep working for several days after a session has been completed. This spring as nature is rejuvenated, give your body a cleansing rejuvenation; come in for a shower of raindrops and feel the sunshine inside.

- Judy Addington, LMT, NCTMB, CR
Massage, Reflexology, & Raindrop Facilitator

The above mentioned therapeutic-grade essential oils can be purchased through Integrated Health Concepts. Visit our office resource center at 1927 Highway 11W in Bristol, TN

(This article is from our 1st Qtr 2007 Newsletter)

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