Welcome back to Your Body is a Garden!

In this rich and restorative deep dive, Sydney unpacks the healing potential of therapeutic touch and why massage is so much more than a luxury.

From muscles to fascia, hormones to heart coherence, this episode explores how physical touch, energy work, and somatic therapies support your body’s natural intelligence and regulate your nervous system from the inside out.

This is science-backed healing you can feel and an invitation to soften, reset, and reconnect.

In this episode, she covers:

🌿 What massage actually does to your muscles and why hydration matters
🧠 How touch communicates with your nervous system and supports vagal tone
💞 The hormonal shifts triggered by massage (like more oxytocin, less cortisol)
🧬 Studies showing massage’s effects on inflammation, mitochondria & gene expression
🌌 The emerging science of fascia, biotensegrity, and the human biofield
🌊 Energy work, brainwaves & the frequency of healing
🌀 How massage supports immune function and emotional release

Sydney also weaves in the deeper story of how stress, trauma, and survival shape the body and how touch can be a powerful way home.

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Links to the book and products I mention:

Please note that these are affiliate links - I only recommend products that I know, trust and have used myself!

I earn a small commission for sharing and this comes at no extra cost for you. 💞

The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk M.D.

Gua Sha Tool

Gua Sha Tool Set

Cupping Set

Thera Cane

Massage Ball

Click here for sources

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