Photo by Fristle.

A good belly rub isn’t something most humans search out. Unlike our furry feline and canine friends, many of us prefer a shoulder rub or back massage and shy away from having our bellies touched. But we can hold just as much tension in our abdomens as in our shoulders and backs. Ulcers, heartburn, and gastrointestinal distress are all signs of disharmony in the abdomen and a little massage can do a lot of relaxing! The abdomen is the center of our bodies and keeping it healthy keeps us centered. So, fellow humans, I propose we bring back the belly rub!

Mayan abdominal massage is a technique based on repositioning internal organs that have shifted, creating improved blood, energy, and lymph flow throughout the pelvic cavity. This massage is very beneficial for women, as our abdomens tend to go through many stages in life. For a few decades, we have monthly cycles that shift and change as we age, our abdominal muscles stretch (then retract) as we become pregnant, give birth, and live life in general.

I was fortunate enough to connect with fellow WellWire contributor Dr. Carrie Jones of Natural Women’s Health Care clinic in Sherwood, Oregon, and ask her a few questions.

Where did you learn this wonderful technique?

I actually learned this massage from Rosita Arvigo herself. She does trainings at her clinic in Belize as well as on the East coast, Colorado and in Oregon.

Who benefits most from Mayan Abdominal Massage?

Younger women who have heavy periods or painful periods, and are looking for an alternative form of pain control should try it. The massage is non-invasive so it’s also very beneficial for women trying to conceive, as it improves circulation, lymphatic and nerve flow to the pelvic area as well as corrects uterine displacement. For women who are currently pregnant, it can be extremely helpful for back and leg pain, abdominal heaviness associated with the growing baby, and can make for a smoother birth. Women who are menopausal and experience uterine prolapse or urinary incontinence and want to improve the health of the area often come in for treatment with great results.

What should a patient expect from an initial session?

During the first session, we usually have an initial consultation where I get a better understanding of their lifestyle, menstrual cycle, overall health and their goals with the massage. I explain what I’m going to do then we begin! It’s like a traditional massage in some aspects as you lay on a massage table and usually undress so that I have access to the entire back down to the hip and tailbone and then over the stomach area.  The massage generally lasts 35-45 minutes. Like a traditional massage, many of my patients fall asleep or zone out while I’m working.

Where do you massage exactly?

The massage is all external over the skin. There is no internal work like during a gynecological exam.  Even then, it can be deeply personal or even ticklish to many women as our bellies aren’t often touched. I can work right over smooth clothing for the first massage, and want the massage experience to be as comfortable as possible.

Are there any other benefits?

The massage can be really helpful to the menstrual cycle and is amazing at relieving cramps. Because all that fresh blood, oxygen, lymph and nerve flow is moving through the area, women will report that their first period after the massage is more ‘cleansing’ in that it’s a bit heavier with more clots. After that it’s usually a lot smoother. I also find that women with endometriosis benefit from the work because the massage works right over the abdomen and can be helpful in reducing adhesions that have developed in the pelvic cavity.

Are there any times when it may not be a good idea?

There are a few. During menstrual bleeding, within the first 6 weeks following a normal vaginal delivery or the first 3 months after a c-section. I also don’t recommend it for women using an intra-uterine device (IUD) for birth control or if cancer is present or suspected anywhere in the pelvis, or the client is undergoing chemotherapy for this condition. During the first trimester of pregnancy it’s not a good idea though after the first term, it’s very beneficial. Finally, if a woman has a hiatal hernia, I recommend only gentle touch during the massage

Where can readers go to learn more?

To learn about trainings, or to seek out practitioners in your area, go to Maya Abdominal Massage- The Arvigo Technique site. Read the article on the Massage and Bodyworks site to learn more about the history of Rosita Arvigo and her journey to becoming a healer. In the article, she talks about the benefits of repositioning the uterus for less painful childbirth.

Amy Chitwood, L.Ac. is a graduate of the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. She is nationally board certified in Chinese herbal medicine and manages the Portland Acupuncture Blog.

Photo by Michael Lehet.

A long spell of deep cold knocked back the last of my greens and there’s a fairly even layer of deciduous leaves covering the ground, punctuated by bare limbs and decomposing stalks. My garden is pretty much hibernating.

But one of the bright points this time of year is my thyme, which looks sprightly despite the January gloom. Herbalists like to play around with lists. Example: if you only had three herbs to work with, which would you choose? Thyme is consistently on my lists. It’s incredibly easy to grow, tastes fantastic and makes powerful medicine.

In the kitchen

Most people are familiar with thyme (Thymus vulgaris) as a classic salad dressing and cooking herb. It’s standard in French stocks and sauces and it’s a staple of Mediterranean cooking. Tossing thyme onto vegetables before roasting elevates your meal.

Try these recipes as a starting point:

• Elana’s thyme salmon with leek coulis (gluten free)
• Mushroom risotto
• Lemony thyme cookies. A friend made a version of these over the summer (without the ginger) and it was really yummy, with a great, bright flavor.

Thyme’s medicine

Thyme helps support digestion. The compounds that give the plant its strong herbal smell also make your gastrointestinal tract do its job more efficiently. Thyme is broadly and fairly strongly antimicrobial, killing bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasitic worms.

If you’re worried about the flu, for instance, consider using it in Dr. Nishant’s antiviral soup. When taken internally, thyme also promotes excretion through the urinary tract, and helps disinfect on its way out.

One of thyme’s less-known uses—and one of my favorites—is as a respiratory aid. It soothes the lung’s mucous membranes, reduces spasms, fights pathogens and helps you cough out accumulated gunk. Take a large handful of fresh or dried herb, put it in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Then, with your head over the bowl and under a towel, breathe deeply to get the herb’s aromatic oils into your nose and lungs.

Externally, thyme makes a great skin wash or soak to help fight or prevent infections. While I prefer the fresh herb, it’s okay to cautiously use the diluted essential oil, no more than one drop at a time. Don’t do this if you’re steaming—I say from experience, as it burns like crazy!

In the garden

In many ways, thyme is a perfect garden plant.  It’s easy to grow in the ground or in pots, stays green year ‘round,  and doesn’t need fancy soil or a lot of water. It forms low mats of varying widths, with adorable tiny flowers like a miniature heather. Like many of its mint-family relatives, it feeds honeybees and other pollinators.

Grow thyme on any sunny windowsill, porch or patio. If you’ve got a bit of ground, try it between pavers—several varieties can handle moderate foot traffic—or grow over wide surfaces as a groundcover or low-maintenance lawn. Also consider interplanting it in your veggie or flower beds, where its aroma helps confuse harmful bugs.

Almost every sells a couple varieties of thyme, including common or English thyme, lemon thyme and usually at least one variegated variety. Farmer’s markets and food co-ops often sell plants, too; this is a great way to get the best varieties for your area, at the best prices, while establishing connections with local farmers.

It’s hard to avoid puns when you’re talking about this plant. But really, you should have a good thyme!

Photo by Orna Izakson.

Dr. Orna Izakson, ND, RH (AHG) is a naturopathic physician, herbalist, gardener and writer. She specializes in respiratory issues, mood and women's health at Celilo Natural Health Center in Portland, Oregon.

Photo by Debbie Schiel.

My favorite seed catalog came in today’s mail: organic Floriani red flint corn, green meat radish, Bolivian rainbow pepper, purple pac choy, ruby streaks mustard. These are the reasons I started gardening–I was awed by the incredible diversity of life I could sustain on my little corner of earth.

There were other reasons too. After my urban upbringing, I longed for the pastoral and bucolic ideal of self sufficiency and thriftiness. And certainly there were the political reasons: getting off the corporate-food trough while promoting biological diversity and personal health.

But what really pushed me past reading and into action was a full-color catalog that arrived one Winter’s day. I saw purple carrots, speckled lettuces, striped snappy string beans, and a bright orange tomato that turned out to be an eggplant! If your vegetable education came largely from mainstream supermarkets as mine once did, you’ll understand my shock. Who knew there were purple potatoes, or that we could grow Thomas Jefferson’s beans or the Anasazi’s corn?

These days I’m a passionate gardener and my garden supports over 100 species. Here’s why you should tend a garden, even if it’s just a couple of plants:

1. Get outdoors. Being outside can help many health conditions. The sunshine lightens most folks’ moods and helps produce immune-building Vitamin D. Researchers find that people living near green spaces have much lower rates of diseases including asthma, depression, heart disease, migraines, and even urinary-tract infections.
2. Eat healthier. At WellWire we’re always recommending that you eat the rainbow and gardening is one great way to do it. Vegetables begin losing nutritional value as soon as the plant is plucked and produce from your own garden travels the shortest distance between place and plate. Also, many soils around the country have some well known nutrient deficiency—in western Oregon it’s selenium—which you can address easily in your home garden. Feed your soil, feed your plants, feed yourself.
3. Love those vegetables. Gardening is a great way to convert knowledge about the health benefits of veggies into the action of eating them. Researchers consistently find that garden-based education in schools makes children more willing to try, like and eat a diversity of vegetables. The same trick works with picky adults, too…
4. Grow your own medicine. That lovely lavender you’re already growing can improve digestion and fight depression. Thyme makes a great ground cover and fights off lung infections. Garlic, onions and their relatives support the immune system and the heart. Even weedy dandelion is medicine, helping the liver and the kidneys. And so much of this is so easy to grow!
5. Be more community-oriented. Scientists have found that spending time outdoors changes people for the better. Read here about how gardening transformed the English town of Todmorden and its inhabitants, building food security, ecological sustainability and community spirit.
6. Pure joy. Part of a healthy life is making sure there’s joy in your life, every day. And that is one of the best reasons out there for gardening. For me, that’s about the wonder of nature’s colors and textures, and the sheer awe of actively and literally keeping history alive. And it’s a wonderful gift to share with your partner or kids.

So as the year’s darkest days settle in, take time by the real or virtual fire to go through the words and pictures of the seed catalogs and feed your dreams of summer. Here is a short list to get you started.

• Fedco Seeds, a Maine cooperative, offers great starter packets at fantastic prices.
• Horizon Herbs offers one of the largest selections of medicinal plant seeds.
• Native Seeds/SEARCH has a focus on traditional Southwestern crops including a huge variety of beans, corn and hot peppers.
• Seeds of Change was one of the first glossy proponents of growing heirloom seeds.
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, Mo., boasts a catalog of 1400 varieties of vegetable and flower seeds.
• Heirloom Seeds in Pennsylvania.
• Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.

Happy garden planning!

Dr. Orna Izakson, ND, RH (AHG) is a naturopathic physician, herbalist, gardener and writer. She specializes in respiratory issues, mood and women's health at Celilo Natural Health Center in Portland, Oregon.

Photo by Chelseagirl.

Take a second to count the number of cups of coffee or black tea you drink a day. Now consider this: these caffeine-containing beverages have zero nutritional value. Caffeine, which is immensely addictive, is found in chocolate, some sodas and many over-the-counter cold, cough and pain medications, where it’s valued for its stimulating effects.

Caffeine can elevate the mood, energize, delay fatigue, and stimulate the central nervous system. It can also cause hands to tremor and the heart to palpitate. So, why is caffeine our national drug of choice?

I think coffee shops can be special places when people sit together and enjoy conversation, slow down for a moment, read, write, think. But when people go in for a fix, there usually isn’t much time for conversation–it’s a quick stop for a to-go order before you rush off for your next appointment. 

Caffeine feeds our cultural addiction to speed and our fast-paced lifestyles. There are numerous reports on this topic, all of which you are welcome to sift through on PubMed. I suggest you take your time and sit down at coffee shop (with a nice cup of herbal tea), as you will need a lot of time and most of them offer complimentary Internet.

Effects on Central Nervous System:

• Caffeine affects the central nervous system, and can result in nervousness, irritability, insomnia, “restless legs,” dizziness
• Caffeine can exacerbate anxiety and lead to panic attacks

Effects on the Heart:

• Caffeine raises the blood pressure
• Caffeine can cause or aggravate heart rhythm disturbances

Effects on Digestion:

• Caffeine aggravates ulcers and heartburn
• Caffeine stimulates acid secretion in the stomach
• Caffeine has a laxative effect on the body and can create a dependency

Effects During Pregnancy:

• Caffeine crosses the placenta and effects the fetus.
• Caffeine can also be found in breast milk

Effects on Vitamins & Minerals:

• Caffeine is a diuretic substance by nature, and causes loss of key nutrients, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc
• Caffeine reduces absorption of iron and calcium

Next time you are reaching for a latte, consider a cup of herbal tea instead. One of Dr. Nishant’s favorite is a roasted dandelion tea, here is a simple recipe to try.

Dr. Igor Schwartzman practices naturopathic medicine with a strong emphasis in women's health, hormone imbalances, and thyroid disorders at Whole Family Wellness Center in Portland, Oregon. He is a co-founder of WellWire.com.

Photo by slj tribe.

The following six simple rules apply to heart burn and can help with other digestive complaints too:

• Rule #1:  Don’t rush your meals! Take the time to prepare your food and don’t eat while driving or walking. Your digestion is a complicated process and involves more that just stuffing your face. Digestion starts with the actual aromas of food. Taking the time to cook your own meals allows for this phase of digestion called the gastrocephalic (literally digestive-head) phase. You have probably experienced this when you notice yourself salivating when you smell something delicious. If you make your own food this automatically happens. Physiologically your stomach starts secreting acid and digestive enzymes as does your saliva. When giving in to fast food, you are skipping this vital part of digestion.
• Rule #2: Take 10 slow breaths before eating, 3 seconds in, 6 seconds out. Many people don’t come down from their stressful lives when they eat. This also stunts your digestion and places you in a sympathetic dominant nervous tone. This is the part of your nervous system which deals with stress, bring your body back to the relaxed parasympathetic phase by doing this breathing exercise.
• Rule #3:  Take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water 20 minutes before meals. This will help jump start your digestion and improve the overall assimilation of nutrients.
• Rule #4:  Manage your stress
• Rule #5:  Enjoy your food!
  
• Rule #6: Eat the Rainbow eating a variety of foods helps reduce the likelihood of food sensitivities.

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.

Photo by rachylmcdowell.

Do you have a leaky gut? Learn the multiple causes of leaky gut syndrome and how to test for it.  Understand how your GI system works and if your digestive problems are due to leaky gut with Dr. Igor Schwartzman.

Dr. Igor Schwartzman practices naturopathic medicine with a strong emphasis in women's health, hormone imbalances, and thyroid disorders at Whole Family Wellness Center in Portland, Oregon. He is a co-founder of WellWire.com.

Photo by daltraparte.

Learn a few basic steps to take to help with IBS. Dr. Igor Schwartzman  explains a proper breathing technique that will promote your digestion and help reduce IBS symptoms.

Dr. Igor Schwartzman practices naturopathic medicine with a strong emphasis in women's health, hormone imbalances, and thyroid disorders at Whole Family Wellness Center in Portland, Oregon. He is a co-founder of WellWire.com.