Author - Kellie Poulin

Massage Therapy’s Role in Maintaining Physical Balance

Physical balance refers to the body’s ability to maintain proper posture, alignment, and coordination. It relies on muscles, joints, and the nervous system working together seamlessly. But stress, poor posture, injuries, or repetitive motion can create imbalances—leading to pain, fatigue, and reduced mobility. Massage therapy helps restore and maintain balance by addressing these underlying issues. Skilled massage therapists use techniques to release tension, improve circulation, and realign soft tissue. This reduces muscle tightness and promotes symmetry in the body, allowing [...]

Understanding Cortisol Levels and How Massage Helps Achieve Balance

  Cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone, plays a crucial role in regulating several vital functions in the body, including metabolism, blood sugar levels, and the immune response. It’s produced by the adrenal glands and is released in response to stress, preparing the body for a fight-or-flight response. While cortisol is essential for survival, maintaining optimum levels is key to overall well-being.   What are Optimum Cortisol Levels? The ideal cortisol level varies depending on the time of day, with higher [...]

Pelvic Imbalances and Lower Back Pain: How Massage Therapy Can Help

Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints among adults, often caused by an underlying issue that’s frequently overlooked—pelvic imbalance. The pelvis acts as the foundation for the spine, and when it’s misaligned, it can create a chain reaction of discomfort and dysfunction throughout the lower back and hips. Pelvic imbalances may result from poor posture, muscle imbalances, prolonged sitting, or past injuries. When the pelvis tilts or rotates out of alignment, it can strain the surrounding muscles, [...]

Massage: Healing Necks and Backs – Support Clear Thinking and Improved Mood

A healthy neck and back are not only crucial for physical comfort, but they play a significant role in our mental well-being. Many people view neck strain and back pain as isolated physical issues, but their impact goes far beyond discomfort. When our muscles, joints, and nerves are not functioning optimally, it can impair blood flow and nerve function, which can affect both our mood and mental clarity. Massage therapy is a powerful tool for addressing neck and back tension. [...]

How Massage Can Help Realign Your Tongue with Your Toes

You already know your body is a conglomerate of interconnected and collaborative parts functioning as one unit, but it is interesting to consider the surprising relationship between your tongue and your toes. Situated at opposite ends of the body, tongue and toes are connected to each other through a complex web of connective tissue called fascia. This fascia network plays a crucial role in maintaining proper alignment and posture.   The tongue acts as a guide for myofascial pathways that [...]

The Nerve That Supports Digestion and The Massage That Supports The Nerve

    It’s Vagus, baby!   How Massage Supports Digestion by Boosting Vagus Nerve Health The vagus nerve is the body’s communication hub, connecting the brain to key organs, including the digestive system. Your vagus nerve is essential for proper communication between your brain and gut, a system often referred to as the gut-brain axis. When your vagus nerve is working as it should, your brain sends signals to your gut, ensuring it digests food and processes nutrients effectively. If this nerve isn’t working [...]

Need A Good Sleep? Get A Massage

  The Importance of Sleep and How Massage Can Promote Restorative Rest   “People severely underestimate what a tremendous impact sleep has on your day, productivity, and mood. If only I’d realized this in my teens.”  ~ unknown   Sleep often takes a backseat to busy schedules, leaving many of us struggling with fatigue and stress. However, sleep is vital for overall health, playing a crucial role in immune function, memory consolidation, and cellular repair. Adults generally require 7-9 hours of sleep each night [...]

How Massage Can Relieve Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, infection, or stress, but when it becomes chronic, it can lead to pain, stiffness, and a host of health problems. One of the most effective, yet often overlooked, treatments for inflammation is massage therapy. While it’s commonly known for promoting relaxation and reducing stress, massage can also play a crucial role in managing inflammation and supporting the body’s healing processes.   How Massage Reduces Inflammation Massage helps reduce inflammation by improving circulation, which encourages [...]

Pain in the Neck? How Massage Can Help

The muscles in your neck serve the purpose of adapting to any imbalances in the core of your body. The neck keeps the heavy head in an upright position and maintain stability even when you are tilting and turning. Your neck is working and micromanaging your every move that you perform throughout the day.   The neck can experience numerous functional misfires that can be the result of a herniated disc, impinged nerve, nerve damage, ligament sprain or even a fracture. [...]

Unwinding Unhealthy Tension Patterns in Your Body

How many times you look at your cellphone in a day? Do you have it in your hand and bend your head and neck down to read or send messages? Moreover, if it is not directly in front of you, your head might be inclined to one side or the other. If you do this for long periods of time means putting significant strain on your neck muscles.  Similarly, spending long hours at a computer, especially at a desk job, [...]