|
I come from Ukraine but have lived in England now for over 10 years. My interest
in massage started as a young girl in my home town of Donetsk, when a local
doctor first introduced me to massage. His treatments always fascinated me,
and I used to spend a lot of my free time helping him at the hospital. As the
time went by, I moved to England and for a while forgot all about massage and
medicine. Then I rediscovered my childhood passion a couple of years ago, when
I changed my career and trained as a massage therapist at the Clare Maxwell-Hudson
School in London, followed by number of other courses at different places.
I left my country as a teenage girl but my heart very often brings me back
to my beautiful home which has so much to offer. We all know that the best way
to discover the world is by seeing places and meeting people – in other
words by travelling – and that is what I did. My journey brought me to
one of the massage schools in Moscow where ancient ways of treating people are
regularly practised. I was introduced to many forms of Russian massage, and
of course I could not resist learning some new techniques. Today I would like
to tell you about Russian Buckwheat massage.
Origins
 Buckwheat
massage and warm buckwheat body wrapping originate in Russia, and have been
used for healing and relaxation since Ivan “The terrible” times.
Orthodox monks, healers and apothecaries used various herbs in conjunction with
buckwheat to cure numerous disorders like myositis and even arthritis.
Historical facts also tell us that buckwheat was not only deemed suitable
for body surface treatments, but also for “soul healing”, i.e. a
predecessor of modern anti-depressants. The dry warmth of buckwheat is known
for its calming, anaesthetic and cleansing properties. Alternative healing methods
and natural medicine popularity are staging a major comeback around the world.
It is not surprising to see people rediscovering traditional treatments like
buckwheat, honey and other massages. Buckwheat massage corresponds to all requirements
of a modern massage and conforms with current health and safety regulations.
This therapy focuses on treating the whole person using the warmth of buckwheat
and warm oil. The technique uses cloth parcels containing buckwheat grains that
are massaged into the muscles. Practitioners say that Russian massage is useful
for a wide range of musculoskeletal, cardio-vascular, gastrointestinal, neurological,
gynaecological, internal disorders, and in post-surgical situations.
In Russia, massage therapists are regarded as medical professionals. The massage
therapy department is often the largest in Russian hospitals and clinics because
it is crucial to rehabilitation.
Why Buckwheat?
Buckwheat is a unique cereal. It absorbs all of the waste products released
through skin due to its warmth. It has a pleasant aroma and works very well
as an antidepressant when inhaled.
Background
Buckwheat (Fagopryum esculentum) is a flowering plant that is grown in China,
Russia, Japan, Poland, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Canada and the U.S.
Although the buckwheat seed is a fruit, it is usually classified with the cereal
grains (wheat, oats, barley, rye) due to its grain-like characteristics.
Nutritional Information
Buckwheat is a good source of complex carbohydrates, fibre and protein. It
also contains a variety of minerals and vitamins.
Buckwheat seeds have also been shown to exhibit very high antioxidant activity,
even higher than that of other grains like oats, barley, wheat and rye and most
fruit and vegetables.
Safety and Side Effects
No serious side effects are associated with the consumption of buckwheat.
It rarely causes any adverse skin reaction.
Benefits
This massage is very warm. We use a warm oil and warm grains of buckwheat.
Heat helps to get rid of the tension in the muscles allowing the massage therapist
to perform very deep work without causing any pain or discomfort to the patient.
After the application of warm buckwheat the elasticity of the spine improves,
allowing you to do more effective stretching movements.
Of course, as any other forms and types of massage, buckwheat has a profound
effect on the whole body.
As I have mentioned before, warm buckwheat has a distinctive but pleasant aroma.
It possesses antidepressant properties because the scent is interpreted by the
area of the brain responsible for our emotions. Scents can have a powerful effect
on our mood. For example, in Russia buckwheat widely used in cooking, so for
many people the smell of warm buckwheat brings the memories of childhood, which
gives the feeling of comfort and security.
Contraindications
Contraindications for buckwheat massage would be the same as for most other
types of massages but I would like to draw you attention to a couple of points:
Firstly, in this massage we use a lot of heat so any kind of tumor, even benign
is contraindicated.
Secondly, people who suffer from gallstones, bladder stones, or kidney stones
cannot receive an abdominal buckwheat massage due to the heat. However, this
is only a local contraindication.
To Perform a Massage You Would Need:
• a small portable hob
• 2 metal plates or pans
(to warm up the buckwheat)
• a wooden spoon
• 2kg of buckwheat
• cotton or linen bags
• oil
To start the treatment you need to warm up the buckwheat. It is then filled
into the cotton bags (you will need about 6 or 8 of them, depending on the size
of your client). There is no strict rule how to start the massage – it
could be started on the front of the body or with the back.
I like to start on the back as follows:
• Arrange the bags along the spine next to each other
• Cover the client with a blanket and leave the bags for about 3-5 min
to allow the heat to warm up the vertebra
• Start on the lower back working with 2 bags doing a catwalk, slightly
shifting your body weight from side to side, creating a wave effect.
• Next work on the buttocks using a similar wave effect. Start to move
up along the spine, creating pressure with both of the bags at the same time.
Move away from the centre of the spine to the outside of the body, paying careful
attention to the shoulder blades and the area around cervical vertebrae –
there are some points on which we apply stronger pressure.
• The warm oil is then applied like in classic Swedish massage: effleurage,
followed by petrissage etc.
• Now use one bag to create friction starting at the lower back and going
up to the neck.
• After finishing the back put two bags on each palm of the hand and do
a light arm massage using warm oil. Then use the bags with similar movements
as on the back.
• Before massaging the legs, arrange the warm bags on three points: under
gluteus maximus, on the head of gastrocnemius and on the sole of the foot. Leave
them for a few minutes, then apply warm oil and start with circular movements
by using two bags to achieve a deeper pressure.
Front of the body: Arrange the bags in a line from the naval along the sternum
to the collarbone. Place two of the bags under the trapezius, and cover the
client with a towel to enjoy the heat.
Abdominal massage is then performed by using clockwise circular movements with
two of the bags.
I will not go in to full details of how to do an abdominal massage and the
front of the legs and arms. The technique remains pretty much the same.
During the whole massage we have to make sure that we always create the effect
of a wave constantly flowing through the client’s body.
What is the Difference Between Buckwheat Massage and Thai Massage?
In Thai technique the practitioner use herbs which are warmed up by using
steam. Buckwheat massage uses dry warmth. The grains of buckwheat are gently
heated up in a pan without using any water, oil or steam.
Russian massage is renown and this latest import into the UK will no doubt
become very popular in the near future.
What is the Difference Between Buckwheat Massage and Hot Stone Massage?
Buckwheat is a “life product” which can follow the contours of
the body, whereas stones cannot, so you can work with buckwheat using pressure
on any part of the human body. When using hot stones on the spine, applying
pressure can be uncomfortable, but with buckwheat it has the opposite effect
- the warm grains of buckwheat are moved along the spine with gradually increasing
pressure. The movement is very similar to a cat walking and is very pleasant.
Contact : Arcade Pim Chiropractic Clinic
29a Kendrick Road
Reading
Berkshire
Tel : 0118 975 2153
|
