Part of the ethos of The Pushy Goat is believing that the only way to be healthy is to do it holistically. Health truly encompasses all parts of your being, not just your physical body.
Mental health is a vital component of any self-care journey. And it’s definitely something that we as a society need to talk about more. Thankfully, we’re starting to recognize the impact that mental health has on the individual and society as a whole.
Massage and bodywork are extremely helpful in working through the pain. They may also help with reducing anxiety, stress, and depression through physical touch. But what you do to care for your health between sessions is just as vital as the bodywork itself.
Before you leave your massage or bodywork session at The Pushy Goat, we’ll give you some things to consider incorporating into your life to continue your own healing process. Maybe we’ll suggest some stretches. We may show you other ways to ease muscle pain or tension.
What may benefit you most is our encouragement to really nourish yourself. Notice I said self, not body.
Nourishing the self can look like a number of different things. Consider your water intake. While there is no magic number of ounces of water we should drink, it’s fairly safe to say most of us do not take in enough water to be truly hydrated. Increase your water intake by even a glass or two (unless instructed by a doctor not to!) and see how different you may feel.
Of course, we also are huge fans of herbal allies at The Pushy Goat. Using our plant friends in their many forms can be incredibly beneficial to your overall wellness. We may suggest a tincture or elixir to help balance your digestive system. Skin serums are also self-care, especially when you consider our skin is the largest organ of our body! Even burning plants in the form of incense can change your energy and mood in dramatically positive ways.
Another way to truly support your mental health can be to slow down. Our society is geared to go full speed 100% of the time. The problem with that is that humans have cycles of increased energy and times when we need good rest. We spend way, way too much time in “fight or flight” just dealing with our everyday stressors.
We know that sleep is incredibly important, but sleep isn’t the only way to rest. Meditation can work wonders to help bring our systems down a notch. Even just stopping for a few minutes to take slow, deep, full belly breaths can reduce the effects of stress on your body. You don’t need fancy equipment or large blocks of time to stop and breathe!