Wednesday, February 8, 2017


The Richway Biomat is a powerful therapeutic tool I am using in just about all of my sessions these days. It relieves stress, soothes pain, heals soft tissue and improves circulation. Infrared therapy has also been studied for anti-depressive & anti-anxiety treatment with positive results, decreasing indicators of depression and anxiety. Paired with thai body & Healing Touch energywork, my sessions are truly elevating to new and deeper levels of rejuvenation for my clients.
The mat uses the potency of far infrared light and negative ions by heating highly efficient natural transmitters: amethyst & tourmaline tiny polished stones. With a reliable EMF barrier and truly superior quality workmanship, this is the best amethyst mat on the market - I did a lot of research - and now I've become a distributor.

BENEFITS OF FAR INFRARED THERAPY

Supports Core Body Temperature
Enzymes are responsible for nearly every chemical and biological process in the body, and they are very sensitive to temperature.  A small decrease in temperature can cause a large decrease in the activity of an enzyme.  Many people have low body temperatures without considering if this could be related to other health problems.

Relieves Stress, Improves Mood, Promotes Relaxation
The BioMat is more relaxing than most other infrared therapy modalities because you can lay down.  We also recommend using headphones with ambient music to further the relaxing effects.  To read a published study on the stress-relieving effects of the BioMat, click here.   Or click here to read a more general scientific study, showing the anti-depressive and anti-anxiety effects of infrared therapy, using an animal model.

Heals Soft Tissue
For brand new injuries that involve swelling, ice is usually the best treatment, in order to relieve swelling.  However, for existing injuries, such as strains or sprains, or other soft tissue injuries, heat is the best treatment. The BioMat allows you to deliver heat deeply to the injury site, rather than just on the skin.  It produces far infrared light without becoming hot to the touch, so you can use it very near to the injury as well.   Click here for a study showing rapid and improved wound healing, using infrared therapy.

Relieves Pain
Infrared therapy is known to relieve chronic pain.  Click here for one interesting study, focusing on back pain.  However, many infrared devices offer no way to easily target that therapy on the effected area for long spans of time.  The BioMat produces a significant amount far infrared light, without being hot to the touch.  So it can be used close to the body, and can be used in a variety of ways.  Infrared light offers a powerful and natural form of pain relief, with no unpleasant side effects.

Improves Circulation
Whole-body infrared therapy, also called waon therapy, can increase the temperature of the body, and improve circulation greatly.  The capillaries expand, and the hands and feet become warm, in the effort to shed excess heat.  This extra blood flow allows more nutrients and oxygen to reach the cells, allows wastes to be rapidly exported, and allows rapid drainage of accumulated lymph. Click Here for a study showing the circulation benefits of waon therapy.

Allows Artificial Fever
Hippocrates said that if had the power to produce a fever, he could cure all disease.  This is a bit of an overstatement.  But still, it’s amazing that even in his time, he understood the body uses fever to fight off disease.  It is possible to use the BioMat in order to raise body temperature in a controlled manner, by using the high settings, and putting a blanket over yourself.  This technique essentially creates a mild artificial fever.  There is a fascinating book by Dr. Nobuhiro Yoshimizu, called The Fourth Treatment for Medical Refugees, which describes this technique in detail, and the breathtaking results that were achieved.

Breaks a Sweat
Sweating is healthy, and it serves several important biological functions. Aside from cooling us off and unclogging pores, sweating allows our body to excrete accumulated toxic compounds. This study even finds that certain toxins are preferentially excreted through sweat. Going through life without sweating every day is unnatural, at least compared to the rest of human history. Of course, not everyone can exercise vigorously every day. But far infrared therapy does involve some of the same biological processes.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Physical Bodywork + Energy Bodywork

Exciting announcement! I've completed Healing Touch Level 1 and Reiki Level 2 trainings and am practicing these methods on an ongoing basis. Energywork can have profound healing and calming effects. The National Institutes of Health have funded multiple studies that show the effectiveness particularly of Healing Touch, spurring on medical professionals to offer it. Health Insurance Companies have given it a billing code and it is used in hospitals and other health care settings around the world. The work is perfectly complimentary to Thai Bodywork and I am thrilled to fold this into my offerings.

For sessions in March returning clients will have the option of adding on a complimentary 20-30 minute energywork session onto their Thai Bodywork bookings. Simply ask! New clients can take advantage of this simply by becoming returning clients --- that is, by booking more than one Thai Bodywork session in March.






Monday, February 15, 2016

Happy Gut, Tame Tummy

Whatever the cause of an unhappy tummy, essential oils can more than likely help to soothe or prevent it. Based on one of my favorite authorities, Valerie Ann Worwood --- here are some adapted recipes:

INDIGESTION FORMULA Use 1 drop each of pure essential oil of:
  Coriander
  Cardamom
  Dill

~ or ~ use 3 drops of one of these oils. Blend with 1 T honey. Use half of this in heated almond or coconut milk and sip after meals twice a day. Do not exceed this dose.

 PAIN WITH INDIGESTION
Use 10 drops of each of the above 3 oils, or use 30 drops of one of them.
Blend with 2 T carrier oil (like grapeseed, avocado, coconut, sesame). Use a small amount of this blend as a rub over the abdomen and ribs just once a day.




Exploring the DoTerra blends... An alternative to mixing up my own, I am happy to have their DigestZen, a mother-load of synergistic blend made up of:
Ginger Rhizome/Root, Peppermint Plant, Caraway Seed, Coriander Seed, Anise Seed, Tarragon Plant, and Fennel Seed essential oils.

That...
• Aids in the digestion of foods*
• Soothes occasional stomach upset*
• Helps reduce bloating, gas, and occasional indigestion*

 I add a drop to flat or sparkling water and enjoy it as a drink. It's not my little girls' favorite flavor but I like it! And they agree it is much better than choking down PeptoBismal-like medicines.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
As always, I'm happy to hear your feedback, talk about all-things-wellness, share ideas and give access to DoTerra or Young Living's wholesale pricing. Reach me at myclairestilllman@gmail.com or comment here on this blog. Cheers!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Essential Essential Oils

Essential oils have been a regular wellness toolkit in my and my family's lives now for several years for health and home applications. Mountain Rose Herbs and Young Living have supplied us most often, as well as brands found at our local natural foods co-op. I've tried really inexpensive brands too, just to see if I could detect quality differences, and they definitely show up. I guess it's legal to dilute them, call them 100% pure, and sell them. The really inexpensive ones from what I've tried are pretty obviously off. So, I'm really excited to dig in to the DoTerra brand now for the first time. They have a great reputation for purity, I like their Fair Trade mentality, and the few blends I've tried I've found to be excellent concoctions. I'm super happy to be sharing access to this brand of oils. I also share access to the Young Living brand. If you find yourself curious about either line, drop me a line, and I'll tell you what I know, share what I have and easily set you up for wholesale pricing. Cheers!


get in touch! myclairestillman@gmail.com

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

New Year, New Hips

Encouraging and building wellness in the hips is a common request Thai bodywork addresses and its quite effective at it. Hip health can of course lead to greater back health, too. Here is a sample of technique that is beneficial for some bodies. (All sessions are customized to the client as an individual so this particular technique is incorporated as appropriate and not used as a standard.)


Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Thai Yoga Massage: A MID-BACK EXPERIENCE


Here's a quick glimpse of Thai massage where you can get a sense of the general vibe and some very basic technique. Every session is customized for the client's ranges of motion and specific physical circumstances, so the work shown here is not suitable for every body. Fore instance, someone with "frozen shoulder" or any other limitation related to this posture or these movements would not get this particular sequence. Learn more about my bodywork including schedule, gift cards and location here.