How to increase the chances of a natural birth…

Last time, I discussed the use of Cryotherapy to aid healing, today I would like to discuss the use of heat.  As many of you will know who have had a full body massage treatment with me, I often incorporate hot stones into my treatment.  And some of my readers will have heard me say they should use a wheat bag or cherry stone bag or some other type of hot pack. The simple reason why I do this is that most people I treat have one or more knots. A knot is created when a muscle contracts for a sustained period of time and looses its ability to stretch or relax.  A simple "muscle knot" will deprive an area of blood, oxygen, nutrients and a thyroid hormone called T3.  When a muscle has been deprived of T3 even for a few minutes it will lose its ability to relax, creating the perfect conditions for inflammation and fibrosis (the creation of adhesions).  A reduction in the partial pressure of oxygen (to 55 mm of Hg) due to restriction of blood to an area in that muscle will start the inflammatory process that causes the fibrotic condition (adhesion) to proliferate.  In the hands of a skilled massage practitioner the knot and any adhesions are located and ideally removed but at least reduced.  With the restoration of normal muscle motion, pain is decreased or eliminated, joint motion improves, and normal or near normal activities can be resumed. So heat is often incorporated into a massage treatment treatment because it

1. Increases blood supply to an area of the body
2. It warms up the muscle tissues to allow them to stretch (relax)
3. It reduces muscle spasm

I can't begin to imagine how worried, anxious & may be inadequate I would feel if I had a premature baby.  I would imagine there is a really strong instinct & desire to the hold the baby which is more difficult if it needs to be in an incubator. A recent study has looked at the impact on the mother’s health of massaging premature babies.  Fifty-two mothers with babies born at 30 - 38 weeks were randomly assigned ot an intervention or control group.  Mothers in the experimental group were asked to massage their babies daily alongside standard medical care, while those in the control group only had standard medical care. Mothers in the experimental group were given an information pamphlet, training video and researches conducted a massage training session.  They were then asked to perform a massage on their babies for 15 minutes each day for 5 days. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire rating changes in 65 "mood factors" including anxiety, depression and fatigue, on a five-point scale.  Mood scores were consistent across both groups at the beginning of the study but there were significant differences by the end. Mothers who massaged their babies had a better mood than those who didn't.  They also experienced less anxiety, depression & fatigue. Reading this did make me wonder the impact of massaging babies would have on the mood of mums whose babies weren't premature. Reference https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1556370717300937    

Globally more than 10 million people die each year from conditions related to high blood pressure.  In clinic we notice that high blood pressure medication is one of the most common medications that are clients take (outside the contraceptive pill). The Hygia Chronotherapy trail, looked at 19,084 Caucasian Spanish men and women over a period of 6 years.  Patients were split into two groups, with one asked to take their high blood pressure medication in the morning and one in the evening. The patients that took their blood pressure medication before bedtime are 66% less likely to die from heart and circulatory conditions, according to the researchers. Experts believe a person’s circadian rhythm or “body clock” can change the effect of the medication.  The study found that blood pressure dipped lower at night in those who took the medication before bed compared to those who took it in the morning. Researchers say that further studies looking at people of different ethnicities should take place before doctors change their advice to patients on when to take blood pressure medication. Reference https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz754/5602478