Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress-related. Perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Massage is an effective tool for managing this stress, which translates into:
- Greater energy.
- Improved circulation.
- Improved concentration.
- Enhanced sleep quality.
- Decreased anxiety.
- Reduce fatigue.
- Massage can also help specifically address a number of health issues. Bodywork can:
- Ease medication dependence.
- Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
- Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays.
- Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body's natural defense system.
- Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
- Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
- Improve the condition of the body's largest organ—the skin.
- Increase joint flexibility.
- Lessen depression and anxiety.
- Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
- Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
- Reduce post surgery adhesions and swelling.
- Reduce spasms and cramping.
- Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
- Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body's natural painkiller.
- Relieve migraine pain.
In order to keep ourselves at harmony, we should take at least an hour of each day for ourselves. Even by splitting your time into let's say, three 20 minute periods: It only takes one hour of every day to yourself to reduce pain, stress and hypertension. How can having "me time" improve health?
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Stop and smell the roses. Sounds pretty cliche, but taking a moment to enjoy natures bliss is one small way to help reduce hypertension. Smell sends a trigger to the brain which sets off a nervous reaction to relax. Be careful when smelling roses, wouldn't want you to get stressed while trying to relax!
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Great ways to spend an hour unwinding may be: catch up on your favorite reading; indulge in an aromatic warm bath by candlelight; spend some time in the garden; take a walk around several blocks of your neighborhood or your favorite area of town; treat yourself to a relaxing lunch in a calm atmosphere. Taking one hour a day to be able to relax your mind is a great first step to reducing stress, hypertension, and improving overall health.
- One hour of relaxation massage at least one time each month will help you to reduce stress, improve circulation, lower blood pressure, improve flexibility and range of motion, relieve pain, and even rehabilitate after traumas like injury or surgery. These are just a few benefits from monthly body sessions. Mental focus, weight loss, and over all better sense of well being are a some benefits of visiting your therapist at least twice a month.
- What better way to take care of your body than with some of natures candy? Natural digestive herbs such as cinnamon, licorice, marshmallow, and peppermint aid in digestion making it easier for your body to get what it needs from your food. These yummy herbs help your entire digestive system from the beginning to the end.
- If you don't have such a sweet tooth; caraway, cayenne, cumin, fennel, flax, and turmeric can help get the digestive juices going just as well. Turmeric is quite tasty in chili. :)
