Bodywork for Better Breathing

By Margarita Camarena, CMT 


“You can live one month without food; three days without water; but only a few minutes without breath.” 


You might have heard this quote before. Dr. Eric Rubin of Northpoint Chiropractic mentioned it to me in a conversation recently, and it reminded me of how bodywork can improve the quality of one’s breath. 


Most of us only notice how we breathe when we get out of breath. We probably don’t notice ways in which we’ve gotten chronically short of breath, because it has happened over time. This might happen because we coerce our breath with ideas of how we should breathe or because of our emotional state. It might be due to the impact of muscle tensions. It might be due to both, especially since our willfulness and emotions interplay with the state of our tissues.

For the purpose of this article, we will focus on how getting bodywork can enhance the breath by (a) releasing muscular tension and adhesions and (b) breaking patterns due to psychosomatic, emotional and stress related causes.

With a bit of awareness and bodywork, we can free our breathing up and by doing that, free ourselves up as well. Yes, it’s a high claim, but as Dr. Rubin highlighted above, the breath is that fundamental to our life.

The Art of Breathing

The diaphragm resembles the
top of a balloon, or an umbrella

When we breathe, a complicated synergy happens: we inhale, the diaphragm contracts, drawing down the lungs, which then fill with air. The ribs expand as well, opening up the many muscles that connect them. The diaphragm presses against all the belly organs, while the expanded lungs pushes against muscles of the chest and neck. We exhale, the diaphragm relaxes, the lungs empty, the ribcage compresses and all the organs and muscles, which were pressed, relax back into place. From inhale to exhale to inhale, a pumping action is created, continually moving toxins out, flooding fresh blood in, and relaxing the body.

In the act of breathing, almost all the body gets touched and moved. The contraction of the diaphragm and the expansion of the lungs creates a soft massage to every muscle of the belly, chest, shoulders and neck (which is to say nearly all our muscles!) as well as to most of our organs.

If you observe your breath while lying down, you might notice the subtle movement of your legs, rotating out when on the inhalation, and back in with the exhalation — even our legs are affected!

While the diaphragm is the principal muscle of breathing, there are many "accessory muscles of breathing". These are the helper muscles that assist breathing.

Ready for a long list?

Depending where you read about them, the accessory muscles of breathing can include the scalenes, sternocleidomastoid, serratus anterior, pectoralis major and minor, upper trapezius, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae (thoracic), iliocostalis lumborum, quadratus lumborum, serratus posterior superior and inferior, levatores costarum, transversus thoracis, and subclavius.

Quite a few muscles! Which means quite a few routes for the breath to be impacted. These muscles aren’t actively involved in normal quiet breathing. Many of them mainly come play a role in forced inhalation and some with exhalation. But tension in any of these muscles can inhibit normal breath. In addition, poor breathing habits can force them overwork. 

If the diaphragm or the accessory muscles of breathing don't function freely, the movement of the lungs is impacted. The cleansing and relaxation functions of the breath are reduced and we can become more susceptible to illness. In addition, shortness of breath can increase anxiety, fatigue, and stress. 

On the other hand, once all the muscles are functioning well again, the self-massaging effect of the breath helps keep them relaxed.

Breath and Emotions, Emotions and Breath

One of the great insights of disciplines like massage therapy, somatic psychology and yoga is that opening up the body opens up the emotions and the psyche as well. The converse is true, too: open up the emotions and the psyche, and the body relaxes.

Which, unfortunately, also means that closing down one of these can close the other.

drawing by Patrick Smith

Picture the body language of a depressed person. Sunken chest, dropped shoulders, head drooping forward: a posture that compresses the lungs, restricts the breath and physiologically dampens vitality.

Now picture the opposite, the person of vitality. We usually portray a person with head held high, a deep breath filling their lungs and thrusting their chest up.

How we breathe affects our posture and our sense of well-being. Our sense of well-being affects our posture and affects our breathing.

Psychosomatic holdings can impact breathing.

Ideas about how to breathe, can impact how you naturally would do it.

For instance some people have learnt to keep their gut sucked in. This prevents the diaphragm from going through its full range of contraction and relaxation; this results in a shortened breath. It might also cause the accessory breathing muscles to be overinvolved in breathing, leading to more tension there.

Some people picked up the notion that they should breathe into their chest. They lose their relaxed diaphragmatic breath, overrun the natural rhythmic breath cycle, and overwork the accessory respiration muscles. The impact might show up in the body or in the spirit. They might get neck tensions or a sense of frustration and impatience. Or both.

Massage Therapy to Help the Breath 

Getting bodywork can have a direct, immediate, positive impact on respiration.

Working the muscles between and around the ribcage allows the lungs to expand more. Lengthening and unwinding compressed accessory breathing muscles (remember that long list above?) increases lung capacity and improves pulmonary function. Massage can also address restrictions that prevent the diaphragm from expanding and closing. The end result is fuller, relaxed breathing. When you are able to breathe fully, your energy level improves and your immune system gets a boost.

Massage therapy has been show to:

• Decrease asthma attacks
• Increase lung capacity
• Reduce allergies
• Increase energy
• Strengthen immune system
• Improve mental clarity
• Improve pulmonary function
• Aid people with chronic obstructed pulmonary disease
• Increase of endorphins to balance your emotional state
• Clear airways from mucus for better lung function
• Aid panic disorders and prevent panic attacks

A Focused Session: Improving the breath

Become aware of your breath. Can you feel a pattern in the out-breath and the in-breath? When you are relaxed do you breathe with your tummy and your chest passively expands, or do you feel like your chest is doing some of the work? Compare your inhalation or exhalation. Does either feel more constrained? What is the quality of your breath? Notice whether is it shallow, deep, slow, fast, soft, or hard. Does it have a feeling or emotion associated with it, such as anxiety, depression, anger, boredom, nostalgia? 


These are the sorts of questions I will ask at the beginning of a session focused on improving the breath. I will also conduct a visual body reading for clues as to what accessory muscles are impinging the breath. In a focused session we target a specific part or process of the body with different modalities to release, stretch, and integrate the muscles back into balance. To help the breath, belly and chest work would be involved, as well as work to the back and the neck (proper draping is used when working on chest and belly). Some of the modalities used would be: myofascial release, trigger point, deep tissue, stretching and mobilization as well as Swedish to clean up adhesions and release restricted tissues. 


Intentional vs. Natural Breathing

We can get in the way of our own breathing. So far I’ve been talking about breath in a general way. At this point it would be good to make a distinction between the automatic act of breathing, which just happens, and intentional breathing, where we consciously orchestrate it. Intentional breathing has many useful functions. By timing breath to actions, such as playing an instrument or playing a sport, we can improve performance. We can also use it to reduce tension in the body, modify sensations of pain or pleasure, change our tone of voice and alter emotions. 


But a lot of the time, we would ideally like to let breathing just happen. 


Be an active participant during your bodywork session through your breath 


A massage session can be one place to practice intentional breathing. 
Focus your breath on the areas being worked on, as if you are breathing into that area. Use the breath to keep yourself relaxed when we find a tender spot. Exhale to enhance the sense of unwinding. Use the breath’s movement across the body to check whether you are unintentionally holding an area of your body, like your shoulders, the back of your legs, your fingers, your toes. 


Most importantly, keep breathing! Sometimes I notice people holding their breath, as if they are waiting expectantly. 


Engaging your breath during your massage enhances the experience and helps your body assimilate change work. It is like opening and creating space from the inside-out, as we work from the outside-in! If you are not sure how to do this, feel empowered to ask at any time and I will guide you. 


Tips for improving your breath

Bring more awareness to your breath. Awareness means observation, not coercion. Don’t overthink the process, just watch it happen casually. 
Placing one or both hands on your belly is an easy way to track your breath, and encourage relaxed belly breathing. 


Casually stretch while at work. Brings your arms above your shoulders to open up the lungs. 


Let yourself have a full yawns. 
As a quick reset, prolong the exhalation, forcing all the air out, pause one or two seconds with the breath out, then let yourself inhale naturally. 


Get your breath going with aerobic exercise for a period of at least 20 minutes at least 4 times a week. Try to do it outdoors to get fresher air. I suggest something fun like dancing or hiking or a fast walk.




Try Pranayama Yoga or a moving meditation like Qi Gong or Tai Chi. These are a great way to build a conscious relationship with your breath on top of being effective at managing stress and the ailments it causes.


As always, do not hesitate to leave comments and comments. Better yet, come visit Atelier Emmanuel for a massage and see how much freer you can breathe after a massage!

Margarita offers Swedish, Trigger Point Therapy, Deep Tissue, Craniosacral, Stretching, Mobilization Work and Reiki. She uses multiple modalities to reach the goals desired by her clients. 

iNOA Color's New formula: What has changed and why is it better?

We've been using iNOA color since it first launched in 2010. Two years later, they've reformulated and improved the line. Our L’Oréal Professionnel educator, Adriana, came by to give our staff an overview of the new formulation. We thought we'd update you, in turn.




First Off, Why iNOA Color?
There are two things that differentiate it from other color brands:

1. iNOA uses MEA instead of Ammonia (Inoa actually stands for Innovation No Ammonia)
2. iNOA uses an oil-based technology, while other brands use a water-based technology

To talk about the benefits of Inoa, we first have to briefly cover hair anatomy and how hair coloring works. Don't worry, this part will be quick:

See those overlapping "scales"? That's the cuticle.
They work like armor, protecting the inner part of the hair.  

This is what hair looks like when the cuticle is removed.
Underneath, you are seeing the hair cortex.

To the left, the 3 main parts of hair. The cortex, for our purposes, is where the all action is. The melanin in the cortex is what gives hair its color. To color hair, we open up the protective cuticle so that color can penetrate into the cortex. And, then of course, we want to close the cuticle so it can keep protecting the hair strand, as well as keeping that beautiful new color in there.
* For more info on hair anatomy, check out this concise article we found.




Any of you who've had their hair colored or highlighted knows that the active ingredients used in hair color are quite strong. These are chemicals capable of removing, replacing and/or covering up pigments naturally found inside the hair shaft. They can achieve great results, but they also have their possible downsides, such as skin irritation, allergic reactions, hair breakage, skin discoloration and unexpected hair color results.

One of the main ingredient that might cause such side effects is ammonia. Ammonia helps open up the cuticle layer of hair. This allows the color molecules to penetrate into the cortex. Ammonia also serves to activate the peroxide in the color developer and it helps the pigments to form in the hair. As you can imagine, its a very key component of hair colors. So despite the potential side effects and the odor, it remains a main ingredient in nearly all hair coloring systems.

L’Oréal Professionnel  instead uses monoethanolamine, or MEA, an organic chemical compound that yields similar results as ammonia. Like ammonia, MEA is alkaline so it accomplishs the first step in permanent hair dye, which is to open the hair’s cuticle. It has the advantage of being odorless, unlike ammonia. On its own, however, it does not penetrate sufficiently enough to bring color to the cortex.

iNOA's innovation is to combine MEA with Oleogel to boost its performance.

This technology, ODS (Oil Delivery System), is different from most color systems which are water based. ODS coats the outside of hair strands and naturally repulses MEA. This pushes inwards, towards the hair cortex, helping it penetrate more deeply than it would on its own. Because MEA transports the oxidants and pigments that will create your new hair color, this helps get the color where you want it, in the cortex.

Results:

Because it doesn’t have ammonia, iNOA does not have the side effects of a regular color brand. Also, the ingredients used in iNOA actually preserve lipids better than ammonia. Lipids are the natural conditioner of the hair. Retaining them keeps your hair smooth and healthy.

Being oil-based, iNOA preserves color better. With water-based color formulations not all the color gets into the cortex. Some of it will remain on the surface, mixed in the water; consequently it gets rinsed away in the post-processing shampoo. With iNOA, the oil that’s applied on the surface of the hair drives the other ingredients inward. The oxidants and pigments are 'pushed' into the hair cortex for full absorption, making the color more durable.


ODS2
iNOA just launched ODS2, a new version of its Oil Delivery System.

ODS2 improves and refines the formulation and process of applying Inoa color.

1. Formulation: ODS required the use of several tubes. The stylists had to mix the pigments with the other ingredients at the time of service. ODS2 comes in one tube. 
2. Benefit for the client: A pre-blended formulation insures color uniformity. In the prior system there was a chance that pigments might not properly mix with the other ingredients, come in contact with the scalp and cause irritation and color variations. With ODS2, there is no chance of this happening. Now if a client experiences itchiness or irritation, it is due to an allergy to a specific pigment — a problem that would occur with any color system. In that case, she would have to try another tone, using another pigment.

ODS2 in brief, is an oil-based system that maximizes the effectiveness of the permanent hair color process, while providing more lipid protection compared to other brands. ODS2 covers 100% of white hairs and offers 59 shades. It minimizes skin irritation, and doesn't have the household cleanser smell and other side effects of ammonia. The consistency of the product is more like a thick skin cream rather than the usual pasty hair dyes. All of this makes for a better experience while you are in the chair, and great results after your color appointment.


Atelier Emmanuel offers Inoa color for a minimal upcharge of $10 to the price of the service. Consult with your stylist to see if it is a good option for you. Bear in mind to only receive Inoa color from a colorist who has been properly trained to use it. The process is different in some key ways from a regular color application, and you want to make sure your colorist understands these so that you get the best results.

Aesthetician Alisa Goldberg

Skin Care is the newest menu offering at Atelier Emmanuel!

My name is Alisa and I'm very proud to introduce myself as an Aesthetician with Atelier Emmanuel.

I was born and raised in Odessa, Ukraine, where skin care is taken very seriously by women. From an early age, I was introduced to many types of products and practices for skin beauty. I also learned many home recipes for face scrubs and masks, which I hope to share with you in the coming months.

I've always enjoyed working with people. Helping them look and feel good has always been rewarding for me. With my early exposure to skin care, becoming an Esthetician was a natural fit.

Creating perfectly shaped eyebrows, brightening skin, clearing blemishes, advising people on the right skin care regimen— these are all things that I get satisfaction and joy from providing. I also like to research nutrition, as diet is just as important as the right skin care products for the health of our skin.

In addition to a full facial menu, I am available for free consultations to help you design a skin care routine and educate you about selecting the right products.

To get you started towards perfect skin, I thought I would introduce some care basics:

1. In the morning, wash your face with COLD water rather than with hot. Hot water can damage the blood vessels and lead to red skin. At night, rinse your face with warm water to open up the pores, then use a facial cleanser (Nettoyant by YonKa, is a good cleanser for all skin types). Rinse off with cold water if you can. If you don't like cold, make it just slightly warm.

2. PAT DRY your skin. Don't rub or over dry.

3. Sun block! Sun is our number one enemy when it comes to skin aging. Use an SPF of at least 20 every day before leaving your house.

4. Avoid smoking. Smoking damages collagen and elastin, which leads to wrinkles and larger pores.

Bonus tip: Washing with just cold water in the morning is enough. Unless you have problem skin, no need for a cleanser! You want the cleanser at the end of the day, to wash off any accumulated oils and impurities.

We'll go more in-depth in future posts!

I look forward to meeting Atelier Emmanuel's clients, and help you design a perfect facial to meet your skin needs.

Alisa.

Alisa has been an aesthetician since 2000. Her approach to skin care is influenced by the Russian approach where the skill of your aesthetician is paramount and the use of product is focused on their effectiveness. 

For Alisa, the ingredients for a good facial are the right diagnosis, the right selection and use of products, and the massage techniques used to help products penetrate efficiently. 

Wild Orchid Nail Art

This in-house photoshoot focused primarily on nails, with styling, makeup, and wardrobe serving as a backdrop. The look was partly inspired by Betty Page, Dita Von Teese and recent trends in makeup (as an aside, see here for an article on brows) We worked with Sindy Mark with whom Meredith recently modeled for another photoshoot. Some photos from that shoot can be seen in an earlier post.

Meredith was again the model, with David providing hairstyling, art direction and photography, and James doing the makeup.

Check the photos below!

Credits:
David Reposar | Art direction, hairstyling, photography
James Mackey | Makeup
Sindy Mark | Nail Art
Meredith Micheaux-Harris | Model


Fashions courtesy of Torso Vintage

Brighter Hair Color for a Brighter Summer

by Ali Moss.

Longer days and more sun changes the impact of our hair color. As we transition from Spring to Summer, this is a good time to update your color. Generally you want to add brightness and dimension so that your style keeps its place in the sun!

Brighter doesn't always mean plain old highlights... There are so many ways to spice up your color for the warm weather that are quick and protect the integrity of your hair.

Below are a few tips based on your hair color. Like I said, a lot of times you don't even need an overhaul, just a few key touch-ups. See below for examples!

For brunettes, consider some panels of lighter browns under your part, so you don't notice the grow out. This will keep you from looking washed-out. Notice, too, how it brings the main color alive.

Redheads, you can easily add dimension with a second color that matches the tone of your hair but a few shades lighter. For example, add some hand painted copper pieces on a deep, true red base.

Blondes consider richer colors and a few of them, to give dimensionality to your look. This will keep your hair from looking faded in the sun.

A great service for all haircolors is a semi-permanent gloss of Redken Shades to add shine. A new tone easily enlivens your look!

We love to offer complimentary consultations at Atelier Emmanuel, so I invite you to schedule a 15 minute session with me. We'll discuss the best way to easily get the most out of your current style with an easy update.

Ali performs all hair services including cuts, color, texture services, and special occasion styling. She is a licensed Barber so also enjoys executing perfectly groomed men's styles. Ali loves to work with each individual to help them love their hair more than they thought possible. She is passionate about creating the perfect marriage between a haircut and color and helping her client make their hair look fabulous every day, not just the day they get their hair done. Her menu can be seen here.


Photo credits: Sea of shoes; Goresalon ; Hudabeauty 

Before and After with Clifford Hashimoto

What I love most when working with clients, is expressing outwardly what I see in the person. Here's a Before and After with one of my clients that expresses well the work I like to do. Mother of 2, dedicated to her family, her usual look was polished but subdued. 

Before                                   After   

When she came in for her appointment, we got to talking about how to change her look. I saw in her a natural, effortless beauty and confident sultriness. An updated hairstyle and subtle makeup tones were all that were needed to bring out this side of her. Her After picture reminds me of Julianna Moore. She was quite surprised with herself as well, and it shows in the way she holds herself in the second shot! 

Until June 9, get $20 off a HAIRCUT with Clifford Hashimoto ($85 value for $65!).

To receive this special offer, please mention "Summer's Start Promotion" when scheduling appointment!

Must be redeemed within 3 months of date of purchase. Limited to one appointment per person. You may schedule up to 3 appointments as gifts. Not valid with other certificates or offers. 

Clifford specializes in medium to long hair cutting, coloring and also makeup. Defining or redefining their style, Clifford transforms a woman's image. With over 25 years in the hair business, Clifford has touched on all aspects of the industry with fashion and celebrity styles always a constant presences in his career. He's worked in Chicago, Miami, NYC, Paris, Spain, and Hollywood — with Virginia Madsen, Annette Bening, Kate Bosworth and Rebecca Romijn and many others.

Clifford loves nothing more than updating a woman's look, handling both hair and makeup to highlight her inner beauty. He looks forwards to seeing you for an appointment!