Cancer has deeply impacted the ReSet Family just as it touches every family it seems. We lost a beautiful soul this month. When this article was being drafted the impetus was around what we've learned as we approach our 3-year anniversary along with Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is even more personal now.
Every service ReSet offers helps the mind and the body improve wellness. We have been reflecting on how we are specifically supporting not only the warriors battling cancer but the family members and friends who are caring for them during their fight.
Relaxing the nervous system, supporting the body, connecting the body and the mind, and providing community are some of the areas where ReSet is organized to support those affected by cancer. This is the first in a series about how we care for those touched by this disease.
Cancer and the Nervous System
A cancer diagnosis elicits stress, and that stress can become chronic. Chronic stress is defined as a consistent feeling of pressure and being overwhelmed over time. It can lead to sleep issues, social isolation, lack of focus, pain, and more.
Over 30 years of research has shown little correlation with chronic stress triggering cancer. However, it has been shown (here is one study) that stress and cancer progression are linked. Unfortunately if you have chronic stress and have cancer, leaving the stress unchecked can facilitate metastases (the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer).
Reducing stress and relaxing the nervous system should be part of a cancer-fighting plan.
For the caregivers reading this, it is important for you to stay healthy too. Seeing a loved one hurting raises your anxiety. My business partner and great friend Leigh wrote about her experience as a caregiver when her mother was fighting breast cancer. We truly believe in what we’ve built as a place of support for you!
ReSet offers many services to alleviate stress; so many that it is a category on our website. The options range in price, time commitment, and even in the requirement to be at ReSet to schedule a session. A few will be highlighted in this blog.
Relaxing the Nervous System – Hands Off ReSet Services
NuCalm
Rooted in science, NuCalm is the only FDA-approved treatment for anxiety that does not involve drugs or side effects. It works in part by helping your body to naturally release GABA. GABA is known for producing a calming effect and is thought to play a major role in controlling nerve cell hyperactivity associated with anxiety, stress, and fear. I often explain to people that it’s easy to enjoy NuCalm at ReSet: your job is to lay back in our amazing zero-gravity chair and listen to music while being hugged by a weighted blanket. The second part of the NuCalm science is how the music is specifically designed to also relax your nervous system.
A beautiful thing about NuCalm is that you can use it at home with our affiliate program. Our much-loved team member Sarah wrote an amazing account of how NuCalm helped her through periods of isolation after her stem cell transplant while moving her into a more relaxed state.
Vibroacoustic Therapy
Our cells are always vibrating at various frequencies. Sound and music also have frequencies so vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) uses sound and music is used to bring the body into a state of healthy resonance. At ReSet, we “stack” this therapy with an infrared mat that is also infused with crystals. Vibration, infrared heat, and negative ions work together to put the body into a calm state. We have also received feedback from clients that it eases their pain.
Relaxing the Nervous System – Interactive Services
Naturopathic Services with Jennifer Cabic
Modalities like Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) technology and Aromatherapy are a couple of examples of naturopathic services that can help calm the body and mind to alleviate stress and anxiety. We offer the Kloud mat for sessions at ReSet, for home rental, and for purchase. This is the latest in PEMF technology and can be programmed to specifically calm the nervous system.
Aromatherapy is uniquely offered at ReSet with biofeedback scanning that helps Jennifer choose essential oils that will most support your body. Seven oils are used in a session. As you lay face down on a comfortable massage table, you first gently inhale each oil. Then it is applied to your back and feet in lovely layers. Hot stones are also used to support relaxation and anxiety reduction. It is a lovely service, and you leave with a roller bottle of your specific oil blend.
Holistic Services with Healthy Integration’s Debbie Radvar
Craniosacral therapy and shiatsu massage are good examples of how Debbie can help relax the nervous system. Craniosacral promotes deep relaxation using a gentle, yet powerful mobilization technique that decompresses the nervous system. Studies have shown that craniosacral therapy is effective in reducing anxiety and depression and is a wonderful non-invasive way to help bring your body into balance.
Shiatsu can calm an overactive sympathetic nervous system and put the body into balance by using acupressure points and meridians to relax muscles, alleviate stress, and improve circulation. This technique has also been studied and has proven to reduce anxiety.
When a holistic appointment is reserved at ReSet often various modalities are combined. Debbie assesses your current state and goals and can combine techniques to bring the best effects.
If you would like to discuss what is available at ReSet we'd love to understand your goals and needs and find just the right fit for you.