Warning: Massages may cause drowsiness
Natural Health Center in N.B. offers variety of ways to relax body and mind
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

JENNIFER AMATO The Natural Health Center of Central New Jersey, located in the Davidson Mill Village on Route 130 in North Brunswick, offers craniosacral therapy, aromatherapy, stone massage, therapeutic massage and ear candling for residents who need to relax and de-stress.

NORTH BRUNSWICK - Fire, earth, metal, water and wood: all are natural elements, all are part of improved health measures. The staff at the Natural Health Center of Central New Jersey, located in the Davidson Mill Village on Route 130, incorporates all five elements into their massage and therapy techniques to create what they describe as an environment of "peace, enlightenment and good will."

Rosina Valvo-Tola, a craniosacral therapist and natural health consultant, and Colleen Murray-Seig, a certified massage therapist, opened the center in late October after benefiting from each other's services individually.

"One of the best things to do is to learn how to relax, but it is a learned process," Murray-Seig said. "People have got to learn to take time out for themselves."

The South Brunswick residents offer a variety of massages and therapies to help people relax while working out their physical and emotional tensions. The most wellknown massage is a therapeutic massage, which concentrates on tense areas throughout the body, using hot cherry stones on the back and neck.

A LaStone massage uses warmed basalt stones to increase circulation and cool marble stones to flush out toxins. The "vascular gymnastics," according to Murray-Seig, alternates hot and cold sensations to provide a deep level of therapy and relaxation.

A neuromuscular massage, also known as trigger point therapy, treats muscle spasms resulting from injury or trauma. Although the patient can experience mild discomfort, the muscles are gently pressed in order to force in fresh blood to the site and remove toxic lactic acid.

The craniosacral massage is a specialized version that uses light touches while the recipient is fully clothed. The therapy evaluates and assists the spinal fluid, since the craniosacrum system consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord, extending from the bones of the skull, face and mouth down to the tailbone area.

The practitioner is able to monitor the rhythm of the craniosacral system by using delicate manual techniques to release the undue pressure in the problem areas. Any potential restrictions or imbalances can be worked through using the light touches, as the masseuse is able to pick up the waves of the body and feel where they flow and where they stop.

Incorporated into the craniosacral massage is somato-emotional release, which releases the emotional energy of a traumatic injury. According to research conducted in the 1970s, the body retains the emotional imprint of a physical injury, such as anger, fear or resentment, known as "energy cysts." The therapist, therefore, will engage in dialogue to confront long-held emotions in order to relax the tissues of the body.

"If it's stopping you from moving forward in your life, you have to let it go," Valvo-Tola said.

Other specialties include prenatal massages, which allow the woman to lie on her stomach or side, and a sports massage, which incorporates stretches to improve flexibility while loosening tight muscles.

An aromatherapy massage uses oils with massage strokes to stimulate the olfactory nerves, and raindrop therapy drops oils onto the spine and back and compresses them into the skin with a warm towel. The antibacterials in the oils can kill bacteria and viruses.

"It helps you get through difficult times in a manner different than a stressful, anxious way," Valvo-Tola said of the oils, which are essences distilled from flowers. "The nasal passages are the only part of the brain where the brain is exposed, so this triggers a reaction to the brain when inhaled."

Ear candling inserts waxed linen tubes into the ear, causing a vacuum when lit to evacuate the wax from the ear. This technique is most useful to aid allergies or sinusitis.

"Most times, when people go out into their cars and turn on the radio, they have to turn the radio down because they hear better," Murray-Seig said.

The women also hope to present various natural health seminars in the upcoming months, focusing on couples massage, omega 3s, and craniosacral techniques for mothers to use on their children. Valvo-Tola also has access to the Natural Standard Databases of the Clayton College of Natural Health, enabling her to provide patrons with the most up-to-date information about natural health research.

However, the women maintain that they are not medical professionals but instead are complementary to physicians. They are more focused on education than healing powers, although massages can alleviate a significant amount of pain and tension when coupled with advice from a doctor. They consider themselves to provide holistic thinking for the general public, more than trying to be health gurus.

"We want to empower people to help themselves," Valvo-Tola said, noting that people tend to put chemicals into their body, which could be harmful or conflict with the natural immune system. "It's a way of taking control of your body. … We don't cure people here, we give them a better idea of how to live their daily life."

The longtime friends encourage people to take even just five minutes each day to enjoy and appreciate life, such as reading a book or watching deer eat in the backyard.

"You forget where your pleasure was. We want people to walk into this center and find that peace again," Valvo-Tola said.

The building has been renovated from a 1965 garage into a rustic Asian retreat. The women also decided to be ecologically responsible by using recycled paper, cups, brochures and business cards, along with natural cleaning products whenever possible.

The hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays are for senior citizens and breast cancer and mastectomy patients. The schedule is by appointment only.

The initial consultation costs $100 and the massages range from $40 to $120 depending on the type and length of time, subject to the 7 percent New Jersey sales tax unless a doctor's prescription is presented.

The center is located at 2430 Route 130 north. For more information, call (732) 821- 5800 or e-mail NHCofNJ@verizon.net.