Sculpt & Detox –Rafaela Rochas, on the incredible power of lymphatic drainage

WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH

Sculpt & Detox

Rafaela Rochas, on the incredible power of lymphatic drainage

What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? During the week, I’m up at around 5:40am and start my day with celery juice. Three times a week, I incorporate a reform athletic workout session into my fitness routine and on other days I like to run, as it’s my go-to workout. I regularly post about my workout classes on social media and believe in the power of working out as it’s important for me to begin my day on the right track. Talk us through your career to date? For over 10 years, I was a full-time model in my home country, Brazil. In the industry, it’s very common to have a massage every week, especially if you have a balanced lifestyle of doing sports and following a good diet. So, when I turned 28 years old, it was time for me to do something different and lymphatic massages had become a huge part of my life, eventually turning into a passion. In 2018, I met a person whose way of working appealed to me, and with the launch of their own courses, I signed up and that’s when it all began. Since then, I’ve been blessed to learn from renowned masters in the industry and gain recognition whether from my own clients or other peers in the market. How many times should you have a lymphatic drainage massage to get maximum benefit? I always recommend my clients at least six sessions as it’s when you see solid benefits and changes. With me, you are not only working on a one-time massage session, we work on changing the body’s form which obviously requires several sessions. How does lymphatic health address overall wellness? It helps your lymphatic system flow, improves the immune system, activates the blood circulation, and boosts a complex network of vessels transporting fluid throughout the body. The body benefits from a reduction in swelling, in addition to accelerating the metabolism and experiencing overall wellbeing. Everything in life requires maintenance, so does your inner body and its biological system.

Tell us about the specific massage technique you use and why? The technique I use is a Brazilian method from the famous Renata Franca, in which we mix the lymphatic massage with a different pressure to combine with a shaping massage. However, recently, I went to Paris to learn a new technique from Manuela Shala, a pioneer in the Lymphatic Drainage massage culture, for my clients to have better results. The exciting thing about working with these two techniques is that you get a longer-lasting result with more benefits, both outside the body and especially inside, which I always like to say and emphasise is the most important thing. Did you always want to work for yourself and how did you know it was the right time? I never thought I would be working for myself, for me this is a major phase in my life. I started working with massage after having my daughter, I wanted to create something new and because it’s tough to find suitable lymphatic massage and efficient results in Dubai, specifically the ones we have in Brazil, I made me pursue the idea to learn, become a professional therapist and bring years of personal experiences to Dubai and my customers. What rituals do you implement to stay healthy on a daily basis and how do you amplify this pre-summer? I don’t take any supplements, I simply power through the day with a healthy balanced diet. I strongly believe in consuming the right amount of greens, vegetables, and fruits a day. It’s important to drink a lot of water and pay attention to herbal teas, there are quite a few herbal ones that help with regular detoxification such as dandelion flower, nettle and green tea. What do you always pack when travelling? I’m Brazilian, so obviously a great tanning oil and a nice bikini selection. This is The Summer Escape Issue – where would you like to escape to this summer? In three weeks, I will be enjoying the summer season in Sicily, Italy, I’m very excited to take some time off work and spend some quality time with my husband and daughter in such a beautiful location.

“Everything in life requires maintenance, so does your inner body and its biological system.”