Massage and Heart Health

Your stress level.  Your tight muscles.  Your emotional well-being.  Your mood.  The laundry list of reasons why you keep your regular appointments with your massage therapist is plenty long. This is for good reason - it seems like every time you turn around, there’s another article about why massage is great for you.  All you know is that after you’ve had an appointment with your massage therapist, you feel better. But have you ever considered the “hidden” benefits of massage? The ones you can’t necessarily feel or see? 
 
Heart disease is a serious matter, and is worth having a month devoted to its scary reality. As the federal declaration notes, “cardiovascular disease — including heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure — is responsible for one out of every three deaths. It is the No. 1 killer of American women and men, and it is a leading cause of serious illness and disability.” 

It’s no surprise, then, that as a country we’re generally well-versed on a few things that make for a healthier ticker. By now you know that fried foods, high-fat animal products and partially hydrogenated oils are heart health no-no’s; and that antioxidant-rich produce, whole grains and healthy fats are heart heroes. Well, heart-smarty pants, let us school you on one more effective way to care for your heart.

It just so happens that your heart can greatly benefit from massage, just like so many other parts of your body. For one, receiving regular massages can lower blood pressure, which decreases your chance of having a heart attack.  In fact, one 2008 study found that participants in a study who received one  massage experienced a drop in blood pressure by 10 mg Hg, and a drop in heart rate by 10 beats per minute. This is the same effect as taking blood pressure medication long-term, after just one session – not too shabby!

Massage also improves circulation, which can strengthen your heart, and also makes your heart’s job a little easier. One more impressive thing about massage? It lowers the stress hormones in your body.  Specifically, massage can attack the stress hormone cortisol, which, if left unchecked and elevated, can dramatically raise the likelihood of death due to a stroke or heart attack.
 
Keep in mind that in situations where blood pressure, or other aspects of heart health, is critically off balance, massage may very well not be a suitable substitute for medication. If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, always consult your physician about the best course of action for your treatment. In many cases, however, massage can complement the effects of medication, or even lessen the need for it.  
It can be hard to keep track of all the dos and don’ts of taking care of yourself. It’s nice to know that simply by keeping a regular massage schedule, you can accomplish so much of what it means to have proper self-care. This month, as you contemplate the different ways to treat yourself right, put your heart into it. And your heart, with its tireless pumping and working, will treat you well right back.

4 Habits to Keep You Happier and Healthier into Your Golden Years

Aaahhh, the golden years.  The idyllic-hazed lifestyle of cozy cardigans and slippers.  Quiet afternoons spent reading and napping are interrupted by only the occasional game of bridge or slow shuffle around the park.  Chamomile tea is sipped every afternoon before a 4:30pm dinner, and then it’s a rousing dose of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune before heading off to bed. (We’ll pause here while any retirees reading this can finish wiping away tears of laughter at this description.)   

Chances are instead that the fit person with the kettle bell next to you at the gym, the youthful grandma chasing her 5 grandchildren around the zoo, and the artist featured on the walls of the hipster coffee shop are just a few of the nearly 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day.  Retirement does not have to be a 20-year sedentary siesta, but can be, for many people, an exciting phase of life that allows new ventures and a more active social life. 

However, like most good things, working your way to a healthy, fulfilling retirement takes planning and habit-building.  Below we’ve laid out 4 habits that are worth building now to ensure happier, and healthier, golden years.

1. Make a friend.  Or even better, several.  Seniors with strong social interactions are less likely to experience depression, anxiety, or high blood pressure, and can have a stronger immune system.  Studies have found that those with friends are generally happier and healthier than those without.  Exercise or art classes, volunteer sites, church activities, and common-interest groups can provide a bounty of friendship potential.
       
2. Be purposefully active.  Aside from the endless, gold-star list of other reasons why physical activity is great for you (including that it reduces stress, keeps your immune system in check, and helps keep you at a healthy weight), exercise can be a crucial piece to your physical functioning as you age.  Fear the thought of no longer being able to dress or bathe yourself?  Rush University Medical Center in 2011 found that retirees who are more active (and social!) have a greatly decreased risk of becoming disabled.  It’s apparently a tough battle to win, as during that very same year, CBS reported that retirees spend an average of 43 hours per week watching television.  Yikes!
    
3. Get on that hobby horse.  Remember how you’ve always wanted to learn to make pottery?  Or learn German?  Or paint with watercolors?  Not only will your work-free schedule allow you the time to take up a new hobby, but your mind and emotions will thank you for it.  Given that the age that most people retire happens to coincide with the age that most people start to experience age-related brain decline, developing several mentally demanding hobbies will help stave off depression, as well as keep your mind sharp and active.
    
4. Take time to take care.  With all of the exercise, socializing, and hobbies you’ll be doing, don’t forget that taking care of yourself via regular massages continue to be vitally important for your physical and mental well-being. Retirees who receive regular massages tend to sleep deeper and longer, leading to better brain functioning and a greater sense of well-being.  Massage can also help prevent painful age-related conditions involving the joints, back, and neck. 

Retirement will include more downtime and relaxation for sure (okay, watch a complete season of “Seinfeld” if you must), but these golden years should not be purely a multi-decade catnap.  Developing these few healthy habits now, and keeping them strong into retirement, will make your retirement years much more golden.

Why Do I Get Muscle Spasms and How Can I Prevent Them?

You’re sleeping soundly when all of a sudden you start dreaming that your leg is being sawed off.  Or that someone very large is stepping on your foot.  Or that several piranhas are feasting on your calf. You wake up with a gasp and realize that you are experiencing a very real, very painful cramp in your leg or foot. The muscles are tense, rock hard, and you have no idea what to do. This is one of the worst ways to wake up. These ugly cramps are usually short-lived and seem to come out of nowhere. Ever wonder what they are, what causes them, and how in the heck to stop (and prevent!) them? 

Muscle cramps are caused by muscle spasms or an involuntary tightening of the muscles. Besides the leg and foot, common body parts to be affected by muscle spasms are the arms, hands, stomach, back, and the rib cage area. A commonly-honored home remedy for someone suffering from muscle cramps is to load up on bananas, as it is widely believed that muscle spasms are caused by a lack of potassium.  There is some merit to this belief, but there are many more possible causes for muscle spasms or cramps, such as dehydration, muscle overuse, insufficient stretching before or after activity, calcium or magnesium deficiency, or  poor blood circulation. There are even a handful of medications that can increase one’s risk for muscle spasms.

The greatest tip for dealing with painful muscle spasms is to prevent their attacks in the first place.  Here’s a hint: pre and post-activity stretching isn’t just for athletes, you weekend warrior. Your muscles always need to be primed and prepared for the activities they’re being asked to do. Sunny Saturday chores like pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, raking up the last dead leaves of winter and home maintenance/repair tasks all have the potential to cause your muscles to seize up, leaving you gasping and near tears in its wake. Also, even if you don’t necessarily feel thirsty, drink up! If your muscles are working, they demand a proper balance of sodium, electrolytes and potassium. If muscles are dehydrated, they’re also being depleted of these essential nutrients. 

If you have already been experiencing muscle spasms and cramps, some communication, and sessions with your massage therapist might be the needed steps to bring relief. While your muscles might feel too painful while cramped to be touched (although some light strokes will eventually bring relief mid-cramp), receiving a massage before or after muscle spasms can bring preventative or healing relief. Massage increases circulation and relaxes muscles, decreasing the chance for frequent cramping.  Muscle spasms are often the result of overuse, where the muscle fibers “knot up” to help and protect a strained, injured area. As a therapist smooths, lengthens and breaks up the knots, you’ll be less likely to continue to injure that area, leading to fewer spasms.    

Taking a few easy steps to properly care for your body before and after exertion can lead to happier muscles, and more peaceful nights of sleep. Barring any unsightly illnesses on Taco Tuesday, of course. 

Top 5 Reasons Why Massage is Beneficial for Women

All the moms in the group: raise your hands if you’ve scheduled your kids’ dentist, orthodontist, pediatrician, and allergist appointments for the next year, but have no idea when your own check-up is even due. Women in the workforce: how many lunch breaks have you sacrificed because a friend needed a chat or a ride, or a supervisor needed that report “right now?” If you have parents, neighbors or friends who count on you for help, chances are, you put their needs ahead of your own health endeavors in a heartbeat. As women, we tend to wear our mile-long list of obligations (and resulting exhaustion) like a badge of honor. In actuality, letting our own health take the backseat is doing a disservice to our loved ones. Not taking care of ourselves sends a message of self-unimportance to those looking up to us, and makes us less effective in support of those we care about.

While massage is beneficial for everyone, we’d like to zero in on the health benefits of massage for women in particular.

1. Sleep on it. Massage has been proven to improve quality of sleep. Proper rest is vitally important for all of us. Sleep becomes even more important, and hard to achieve, if you’ve entered, or are about to enter, menopause or peri-menopause. 
2. Your immune system will thank you. With the wide array of germs that you come in contact with on a regular basis, your immune system could use a little bump. Because, let’s face it, when the many hats you wear go down for the count, it’s not pretty.
3. Feeling stressed? We’ve got a massage for that. In a 2010 study reported by The New York Times, participants who received regular Swedish massage experienced decreases in cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and increased oxytocin (trust hormone) levels.
4. Let it flow. Massage improves blood circulation, which benefits everything from your muscles and arteries to your organs. Proper circulation will help your memory stay sharp and your brain remain strong. It even helps your skin to be healthy.
5. Massage helps keep the aches and pains away. If you’ve been the unlucky recipient of your dad’s arthritis, your mom’s scoliosis, or the constricted tendons that landed all over your family tree, you’re all-too familiar with the daily tightness and pain that comes with these body maladies. Receiving regular massage can help keep your muscles, joints and tendons loose and more supple. It can improve your range of motion and help to lengthen muscles contracted by knots and tight spots.

Can a Single Massage Cure Your Stiff Muscles?

Ouch.  You’ve majorly pulled a hamstring, and are limping around like Quasimodo, popping ibuprofen and sitting on as many ice packs as you’ve got in your freezer.  Craving relief, you decide to call your massage therapist, because surely a massage will cure your sore muscle, right? 

We’ll get back to that question in a moment.  First, however, it’s important to understand what happens to your muscle when it gets strained.  An acute muscle strain can happen from overexertion, whether that be from throwing or lifting something heavy, slipping or stumbling, or running or jumping.  Really, any sudden overloading of a muscle that is not properly conditioned or warmed up can cause a strain.  Muscle damage occurs with a partial or complete tearing of muscle fibers, and/or the tendons attached to the muscle.  With the initial injury, swelling and inflammation occurs in the area.  As the inflammation subsides, the muscle begins to regenerate muscle fibers from surrounding stem cells.   

So should you get a massage following a muscle strain?  It happens to be a great idea, and here’s why: 

• Massage increases circulation and blood flow in your entire body, including the injured area.  This can bring necessary nutrients to the strained muscle and surrounding tissues. 
• Think about the chain reaction that often happens with a strained muscle.  You may have pulled your hamstring, but the resulting effect can have much further ramifications.  You’ve adjusted the way you walk to favor the hurt area, putting your leg, back, ankle, and shoulder muscles out of alignment with every step.  Also, the surrounding muscles have likely tensed up in response to your strain.  Our muscles tend to try and step in to “help” their injured neighbors, leading to an entire area that is strained and sore.  A full-body massage is key for this, and helps in way that is unique from other remedies.   
• Feeling anxious about your injury?  Massage is great for that, too.  Studies have shown that massage actually reduces feelings of stress and anxiety.  Because of the hormones released, massage can promote a wonderful feeling of relaxation and well-being. 
• Massage can help you sleep better.  This is huge, as our sleep is often disrupted when we have the stress and pain of an injury.  Anything you can do to promote peaceful rest is a welcomed bonus. 
• One note: post-massage, you’ll probably still feel soreness in the area.  It’s not an instant pain cure.  However, you be assured that you’ve made an important step in the recovery and health of your injured muscle, as well as your entire body. 
• Please note that in some severe cases of muscle strain, immediate medical attention might be required.  If you’re unable to walk, heard a popping sound at the time of injury, or if you have significant swelling and pain, or have a fever, you’ll need to go to an emergency room or urgent care center. 

When you get a muscle injury, you’ll commonly hear the RICE method touted – rest, ice, compression, and elevation of the injured area.  These are all necessary and smart steps to take.  And we think massage should be featured in that must-do acronym for care as well.  However since “MICER” or “CRIME” might not catch on very quickly, we’ll keep doing our part to make sure massage is on your short list as an important step in your recovery and wellness.   

5 Ways to Control Blood Pressure Naturally

You try to eat natural foods, and you are more aware of what's in every item you buy, so what about your blood pressure medication?  We're happy to report that there are ways to manage your high blood pressure without increasing your medication. In some cases, amid conversations with, and approval from, your doctor, it may be possible to even discontinue hypertension medications. All natural, all the way.

1. Do the DASH. Have you heard of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet? The US National Institutes of Health sponsors a hypertension-lowering eating plan that incorporates fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, nuts, and beans. Bonus: this dietary guide can also help lower cholesterol and manage weight.  When followed, it can lower blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg.  Much more information can be found at DashDiet.   
    
2. Get moving.  Hypertension happens to hate exercise.  Keeping a regular exercise habit – a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week – can lower your blood pressure by up to 9 mm Hg.  Blood pressure isn’t picky – it can be helped by a wide variety of activity, such as jogging, dancing, walking, or biking. 
    
3. “One way to get high blood pressure is to go mountain climbing over molehills.”  Earl Wilson had it right in his own aversion to unnecessary stress. We all know that we should make time for daily prayer, meditation, or deep breathing and that we should eliminate unnecessary stress from our lives, but it’s actually doing it that will help manage your pressure levels. Also, don’t forget to keep your favorite activities as a priority. 
    
4. Massage for blood pressure?  Yes!  A study reported in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies in 2000 found that subjects with high blood pressure who were given 10 massages over the course of five weeks all experienced decreased blood pressure, decreased depression and hostility, and reduced levels of cortisol (also known as the stress hormone). 
    
5. Slash your sodium. This salty culprit seems to be everywhere and is wreaking havoc on your blood pressure. While grabbing pre-made meals, cans of soup, or even cans of beans, make for a quick and easy meal, one glance at the nutrition label will make you think twice. Making your own cooked beans and soup is not only healthier, it’ll save you money, also.  Instead of reaching for the salt shaker to season your dishes, experiment with herbs, fresh citrus juices, and hot sauces.  Also, there is a dizzying array and variety of vinegar available at grocery stores that can add a ton of flavor to your meal, salt-free. 

Blood pressure statistics aren’t pretty.  The nation spends $46 billion in hypertension medications, medical treatment, and missed days of work.  A full one in three of American adults are diagnosed with it, and only about half have their blood pressure under control.  Managing your own high blood pressure in the above ways will not only help it to decrease, but they will enhance and improve all aspects of your life.  You’ll be fitter, healthier, and less stressed – naturally. 

Does Aromatherapy Really Work?

So what’s the deal with aromatherapy?  Does aromatherapy actually work? You’ve purchased some lavender-scented hand soap and citrus body lotion, and you’ve notice that certain smells can make you feel relaxed and happy, while others can instantly bring about unpleasant thoughts.  Plus, you know that whether it’s the scent of fresh laundry hanging in the sun, a whiff of your grandpa’s after shave, or the odor of a certain drink or food whose ingestion once preceded a nasty bout of stomach virus, good or bad, smells have a particularly acute way of triggering memories, emotions, and moods.  The science behind this tells us that the olfactory bulb is tightly wired to the amygdala (responsible for processing emotion) and hippocampus (helps with associative learning).  This, coupled with the experience we’re having when we first smell something, leads to strong emotions being associated with certain aromas.

But actually using scents as a therapeutic tool?  Are there health benefits of aromatherapy?  The truth is that certain therapeutic-grade scents can not only change how you feel on a surface level, but some essential oils and the scents they emit can actually offer some real benefits, especially when paired with massage therapy.  The best part?  Essential oils offer all of their therapeutic attributes with nary a pill in sight – medication-free!  It is for this very reason that aromatherapy is making great gains in popularity among those striving to live in a more natural, chemical-free way.  And, at Elements Massage, we’re all about feeling your best in the most natural way possible.  Here are some of our favorite essential oils to use during a massage:

• We love lavender!  Perhaps the most popular of all the oils, lavender is great for inviting a sense of relaxation and well-being.  It is balancing, soothing, healing, and normalizing.  When paired with a massage, it can improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and promote deep relaxation.
   
• Bright citrus, including sweet orange, lemon, grapefruit, and lime, are cheering and uplifting.  Users will feel refreshed and will find their mood lifted.  For clients who want to feel energized and uplifted during and after a massage, we use our Radiance blend which blends citrus, a hint of pine, and more. 
   
• Eucalyptus is like the superhero of essential oils.  Not only does its scent leave the user feeling more focused and energized, but when applied topically during a massage, it soothes muscles and helps purify the skin.  Plus, if you happen to be suffering from allergies or an otherwise stuffy nose, eucalyptus can help to open up your airways. 

Next time you have an appointment with your Elements massage therapist, be sure to discuss adding the healing element of aromatherapy to your massage.  Not only will you walk away, as always, feeling great from your massage, but the essential oils your therapist can use may just heighten and improve your experience all the more.

4 Stretches You Need to Start Doing Today

You already make regular appointments with your massage therapist because you know that getting massages is great for nearly every part of you. You’ve been feeling better, getting sick less often, and are even sleeping a little better. However, savvy as you are, you might be neglecting to take care of your muscles before, after, and in between massages as well. 

Stretching is an often-overlooked aspect of body care. Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles, increases your joint range of motion, and enables your muscles to work their fullest potential.  To get started, be sure that you don’t try and stretch cold muscles.  The optimal time to stretch is after a light session of exercise, such as a 10-minute walk or jog.  Aim to hold each stretch, without bouncing, for 20-30 seconds.  Before a massage, stretching can help make your muscles more accessible and loosened up for your massage therapist.  The day after a massage, if muscles feel a little tight, some gentle stretching following a warm bath can be very helpful.  Here are a few of our favorites:

1. The Toe-Touch, or as close as you can get.  Even though this is a least-favorite stretch for many folks, it’s nonetheless an important one.  This stretch addresses your hamstrings (the group of four muscles on the back of each thigh), the lower back, and the muscles around your shoulders.  Hint: If you can’t quite reach the floor (few of us can), then rest your hands on a hard surface at the level that is raised from the floor.  Yoga blocks, a kitchen chair, a stack of books, or a step stool all work just fine. 
    
2. The Butterfly.  Such a delicate, fun name for such a killer stretch!  Sit with your feet touching soles in front of you with your knees bent, gently press down on your bent knees toward the ground, bending at the waist.  This stretch helps out your hip adductors, which, when tight and inflexible, can lead to a greater chance of injuring your knees or lower back. 
    
3. The Hip Flexor Lunge.  A truly satisfying stretch when done correctly, this one can take some finagling before the proper form is found.  Kneel on the ground, and then bring your right foot forward, flat on the ground, into a kneeling lunge.  Bring your right flat foot forward, keeping your right knee above your right ankle, and lean into the lunge. You should feel a deep stretch in the muscle that runs below your hip bone.  Repeat on the left side.  The small-but-mighty hip flexors are responsible for keeping your hips and lower back strong and properly aligned.
    

   

   
    
4. The Standing Thigh Release.  Channel your inner ballerina for this heavy-hitter.  Stand with your abs engaged and your feet together. Bring your right heel toward your tush and grasp the top of your foot with your right hand. Raise your left arm over your head, or rest it on a chair. Press right foot into hand to increase stretch along front of thigh. Switch sides and repeat.  This effective stretch targets your abs, arms, hip flexors, hips, and back.

It’s true that stretching helps keep your muscles in healthy, flexible condition.  However, the very act of focusing on your muscles for a long, slow moment forces you to pause your activity, thoughts, and busy-ness.  You allow yourself some space to treat your body well, and appreciate your muscles and ligaments.  Good for your body, good for your mind; stretching is just one more important step on your path to wellness. 

Top 5 Ways to Avoid Summer Injuries

We’re talking to you, Weekend Warrior. And you, Vacation Over-Achiever. And even you, Holiday Hiker. You know who you are – the exciting sort who takes advantage of long weekend days and to fulfill your adventurous side. The same one who comes into the office Monday morning a little worse for the wear, limping with a pulled hammie, cringing with a strained shoulder, or, heaven forbid, favoring a tweaked back. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a little extra fun on your days off work, of course.  However, all too often our outdoor escapades result in injuries, putting a fast and unpleasant crimp in our active summer style. Luckily, there are a few easy steps you can take to avoid summer injuries. 

1. Balance it out. So, you joined a summer softball league?  Good for you.  However, be sure to not let that weekly game be your only exercise.  Going from zero to 90 and back to zero again for the next six days is a great way to overstrain untrained muscles and injure yourself. Keep a steady pace of activity and weight-lifting throughout the week. Then, come game time, your performance and your experience will be even better. 
2. Equip yourself. Just because your mom used to make you use your sibling’s bike helmet or your dad’s old baseball glove, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea for you today. Using ill-fitting or inappropriate gear can cause discomfort, compromised performance, or even injuries. Not only that, some sport gear, such as running shoes, may be past their prime even if they still look just fine. 
3. Act your age.  Face it – while that high school letter jacket in your closet may still fit (sort of),  chances are that your athletic moves match no high schooler’s.  Respect your body’s limits, and your body will respect you.
4. Warm up, cool down. This is one of those rules that you’ve heard so often, you might have started tuning it out.  Cold muscles springing to action equals a big risk for injury. While you should not put cold muscles (muscles that have been stationary) through a stretching routine before an athletic event, you should do a light warm-up. Going for a walk or light jog, doing a couple minute’s worth of easy jumping jacks, or even dancing to your favorite fast-paced song can effectively warm up your muscles, making them ready for action. Cooling down after the activity, with a little stretching, can help to ensure a brighter, less-sore tomorrow. 
5. Remember to get frequent tune-ups – in the form of regular massages, of course.  Your massage therapist does so much more than lengthen your muscles and work out knots and strains. During your massage, your range of motion is being improved, blood is flowing more readily to all parts of your body, and you’ll notice a reduction in stiffness and soreness.

Can Massage Help with Tension Headaches?

A clamp. A vise. A tight rubber band stretched firmly around your skull. Whatever your tension headache feels like, it’s no picnic. Whether yours is brought on by a single stressful event (summer with all the kids and activities) or a regular, ongoing stress, chances are that you wish they wouldn’t happen in the first place. Though often dubbed “stress headaches,” many people experience them regardless of their stress level. 

Here are a few things you may not know about these nasty pains:

• Tension headaches can be brought on by hunger, low iron levels, fatigue, anxiety, or even bad posture.
   
• Some people get them for no apparent reason whatsoever.
   
• Up to 80% of adults get tension headaches periodically, and 3% of adults are chronic sufferers (meaning, they experience one daily). 
   
• Women are two times as likely to get tension headaches as men.
   
• This is one thing you didn’t get from Mom – these types of headaches are not hereditary.

With head pain being so prevalent among us, there’s likely a whole lot of pill-popping going on, as well. While a few quick ibuprofen tablets may take the edge off of the pain, there’s a price to pay for that comfort. Frequent, ongoing ibuprofen use can lead to damage of the stomach lining. Add in the possibility of diarrhea or constipation, ulcers, nosebleeds, and hypertension, and you’re getting way more than you bargain for. What about acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol)? Although it is the most widely-used painkiller in the world, regular use is not without its own potential risks. In fact, frequent, heavy acetaminophen users can be responsible for digestive tract bleeding and kidney disease.  

One more tension headache useful fact you may not know: massage is a proven method of preventing and treating stress-related head pain. In an oldie-but-goodie study from 30 years ago, participants with tension headaches were treated to massage-like touch. 90% of those participants felt relief from their head pain immediately, and 70% still felt relief four hours later. Other studies have shown that in regards to tension headache pain, massage can decrease perceived pain, reduce intensity, reduce frequency, reduce duration, decrease anger status, and decrease medication usage. 

Not only that, but the effects from your massage can be surprisingly far-reaching, and can improve sleep, increase feelings of well-being, strengthen your immune system, and reduce anxiety and stress in general. Plus, they can be a successful preventative measure when received regularly.  Can your anti-inflammatory do that? 

During a massage, your massage therapist can focus on the tightened muscles around your neck, face, head, and shoulders that can tense up and lead to cranial pain, loosening and lengthening the muscles and tendons, increasing circulation and flexibility in those areas. Specifically, he or she will likely hone in on your suboccipital muscles, which are the love-to-be-massaged muscles in your neck at the base of your skull.  As always, discuss your tension headache problem with your massage therapist.  As he or she practices various massage techniques to relieve your pain and you provide feedback, you’ll eventually find exactly what works for you. As a result, you may just consider yourself a grateful and happy tension-headache-free minority.

Can Massage Help Me to Make Decisions?

Are decisions your nemesis?  Are you always the one at the restaurant table still hemming and hawing over your menu, long after everyone else has ordered and the server is standing, poised and pen in hand, waiting for your decision?  Have you lived with various colors of sample paint smears on your wall for months, not being able to commit to one?  Have you still not decided what you want to be when you “grow up?”  And once you make a decision, do you sometimes spend hours wishing you could undo your decision?  Whether or not the decision to be made has major ramifications, it can be just plain hard for a lot of us.    

 

This can be partly blamed on the fact that in this age we simply have SO MANY options of nearly everything; way more than our counterparts did even two decades ago.  With modern technology and conveniences have come a larger abundance of decisions to be made.  Not only that, but we have infinite information at our disposal with which to endlessly weigh the pros and cons of every decision.  For nearly every choice we have to make, there are articles or blogs or studies to be found online on each and every side of your internal debate. 

 

So why is choosing so difficult for some of us? Whether you’re pondering which coffee drink to order from the barista, or something as life-altering as where to move for your job transfer, this step into the unknown makes us uneasy.  Committing ourselves to just one choice can elicit some real anxiety and insecurity.  Making a decision forces us to close the door on other options, and face the consequences, good or bad, of our choice.  And man, that can feel scary.

 

Also, there is often more than one “right” answer, leaving you to examine the choices with an even greater microscope of scrutiny. 

 

Believe it or not, massage can actually help with how you make decisions, and the ease with which you tackle it.  For one, massage allows you to enter into a sort of meditation.  It requires you to be still, focus on your body and your breathing, and quiet the buzzing in your head for a while.  Massage puts you in touch with your body, and the basics that are important to you, much like prayer or traditional meditation.  When we’re quiet and still, and in touch with our soul and body, often a clear decision will rise to the top in our minds.

 

Also, massage releases hormones that can lessen feelings of depression and anxiety.  If you’ve ever struggled with the “stuck” feeling of depression, or the helpless feeling of mind-churning anxiety, you realize the impact they have on us when we’re trying to make a decision.  Somehow these symptoms can freeze our ability to move forward in a healthy way.  The hormones serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and adrenaline released during massage are responsible for encouraging feelings of motivation, well-being, self-confidence, and relaxation.  Massage also lowers our levels of excitatory hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, which, when raised, can lead to feelings of anxiety.

 

Decisions can be tough, yes.  And if making choices is something that is a constant struggle for you, getting a massage on a regular basis can help.  It relaxes your mind, quiets your thoughts, and can be an all-natural path to a more confident, more decisive you.

Can Massage Therapy Help Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disease affecting the central nervous system that can cause a wide range of symptoms, is becoming more and more prevalent.  It is thought that over 2.3 million people worldwide are diagnosed with MS, with about 200 new cases cropping up in the United States every week.  March happens to be MS Awareness Month which makes right now a great opportunity to become a little more educated on this disease, and whether massage therapy is a viable way to relieve  some of the symptoms.

MS organizations like the National MS Society maintain that the way to really combat the effects, and possibly the progression, of this disease is through treatment with one of the FDA-approved disease-modifying drugs.  However, MS can bring about a slew of symptoms that massage, or other wellness practices, can help relieve or lessen.

Spasticity – This symptom causing stiffness and/or involuntary muscle spasms in limbs is one of the most commonly experienced.  Neurologists often prescribe medications, exercise, physical therapy, and daily stretching to relieve this symptom.  Massage can play a role in relief as well, in that receiving regular massage can help reduce muscle stiffness and can increase circulation to the affected areas.  Massage can help other spasticity treatments to be more effective by helping muscles be less sore or rigid.

Sadness and anxiety – Whether due to the unpredictability of MS, worry at what the future might hold, or sadness at the change and loss MS can bring, these feelings are very common with those diagnosed.  While seeking professional medical help for feelings of depression is an important first step, massage can help complement the mental health treatment already in place.  Massage can increase the “feel-good” hormone dopamine which regulates our sense of joy, enthusiasm, and inspiration.  Massage also helps promote endorphins, oxytocin, and epinephrine which can all help promote feelings of euphoria. 

Pain – Whether it’s pain from spasticity, pain in joints, knotted-up shoulders or back from stress, or an aching head or jaw, the pain relief that massage can bring is valuable and effective.  Both the affected areas, as well as the compensating areas are at risk for pain and tightening.  Massage can not only provide relief from pain in the body’s soft tissue, tendons, and muscles, but it can also help promote circulation to the area.  Also, there are tremendous therapeutic benefits to simply being cared for and touched by a human hand.  Massage is can be a comforting and effective method to help control pain.

Sleeping problems – sleep disturbances and MS seem to go hand-in-hand.  Frequent trips to the bathroom, periodic limb movements (PLMS), or the aforementioned spasticity or pain can all prevent a restful night’s sleep.  A vicious cycle can erupt, as the fatigue and stress caused by lack of sleep can trigger increased MS symptoms, leading to poorer sleep, and so on.  Massage can help to promote more restful sleep by promoting the production of serotonin which helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm.  Massage also reduces the stress hormone cortisol which, when elevated, can disrupt sleep.

With MS, it’s important to seek regular medical treatment from a neurologist for the most effective treatment possible.  Make sure he or she agrees that massage therapy is a good complementary therapy option.  And then go ahead and enjoy the relaxing, comforting, and effective benefits of massage.

How to Fight Against Inflammation

Body inflammation is getting a lot of press these days, with plenty of talk about anti-inflammatory diets and medications.  What is inflammation?  Doesn’t everyone’s body become inflamed at some point?  Should you be worried about it?

 

To put it the most simply: inflammation is the response your body initiates when an infection or injury occurs in your tissue.  There are two categories of inflammation: acute and chronic. 

 

Acute inflammation can occur in just seconds or minutes after an injury to or infection in the tissue.  Immediately after the injury the area gets red and swollen thanks to the body’s attempt to dilute, destroy, or section off the infection or irritant.  White blood cells are deployed to fight off the offending agent.  You see acute inflammation with things like a swollen ankle, an unsightly pimple, or a bump to the head.  Acute inflammation is a natural, helpful response the body initiates, and contributes to healthy repair and healing.

 

Conversely, with chronic inflammation, the body stays in “fight mode” with white blood cells constantly on guard and fighting, only without an injury or infection to actually fight.  These white blood cells, all amped up with nothing to battle, starts turning their attention to organs or other healthy cells.  Chronic inflammation can occur with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, as well as with osteoarthritis and Crohn’s disease. 

 

There are a few ways that you can help fight, or reduce your risk for, chronic inflammation. 

• Another score for massage.  Massage can help fight chronic inflammation by increasing circulation, which can help remove fluid and waste from the tissues.  Massage can also help promote functionality to muscles affected by inflammation-causing medical issues.  For example, with osteoarthritis, the muscles surrounding your affected areas can become tense and knotted, leading to poorer range of motion and soreness.  Also, times of high anxiety and depression have recently been tied to bouts of inflammation, and massage can effectively keep both of those emotions in check.  Not only that, but massage can increase your immune system, which can be important for those whose white blood cell attack cause decreased immunity. 
   
• Focus on food.  Foods high in omega-3’s, such as walnuts, avocados, and salmon, can help protect your body from havoc wreaked by inflammation. 

Cruciferous veggies like cauliflower, kale, other leafy greens, and broccoli contain the compound sulforaphane, which is said to block enzymes that lead to the degeneration of joints (which lead to, yep, chronic inflammation). 

Move it.  Some studies have shown that exercise does a great job of reducing inflammation.  Exercise helps to reduce and shrink fat cells, which tempers your body’s immune system, therefore decreasing your body inflammation.  In fact, simply losing a few extra pounds (if you’ve got ‘em to lose) can reduce inflammation as well.

 

Always make sure your doctor is on board with your plans to fight and prevent inflammation.  Chronic inflammation can be dangerous, but it doesn’t have to get the best of you. 

Massage Therapy Can Play a Positive Role in Your Mental Health

Holistic practices like massage therapy can play a greater role in helping people keep their mental health in check. She also offers ideas on how to incorporate massage into one’s routine at home and also at work.
 
“Massage has been scientifically proven to lower the stress hormone cortisol while increasing the release of feel-good hormones (endorphins) in the body,” says Ebbin, a former massage therapist who frequently appears on national TV to discuss the wellness benefits of massage. “Massage is an excellent way to relieve stress, anxiety, tension, worry, and even depression, and it can be easily incorporated into one’s wellness regimen at home and work.” According to a review summary conducted by Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals and Ruth Werner, several studies have found massage therapy has benefits for people living with depression, both as a freestanding disorder and as a part of a complicated health situation. Massage therapy also promotes better sleep.

Maintaining Mental Health At Home & Work

Ebbin says, “At home, I recommend getting a massage on a monthly basis so that you’re not bearing loads of stress and tension that gets unintentionally released in your interactions with partners or family members. There are many types of massage you can request, such as Swedish, deep tissue, sports, or reflexology, as well as assisted stretching, which can suit your desired level of intensity, as well as address specific needs. And, they can be combined with other holistic practices like yoga, meditation, and ongoing exercise to relax the body and mind.  “Given that so many employees experience work overload or workplace burnout, having a workplace benefit of weekly chair massage or assisted stretching can really change an employee’s outlook for the rest of the day or even the entire week! Even a brief respite of a 10–15 minute massage can make a world of difference in stress levels, and massage is a wonderful way to start the week because it improves mental clarity and focus and boosts energy levels.”

Self-Massage Option

She adds, “Alternatively, if workplace massage is not an employee benefit, and you don’t have a budget for regular massage, you can always buy a simple self-massage tool for less than $30 to massage tense neck, shoulder, and forearm muscles, which work extra hard when you sit at the computer for extended periods. I recommend using the self-massage tool for 5–10 minutes during your breaks. You can also buy small ‘tune up’ balls for use at home, which you can roll your back, neck, shoulders, and legs onto, to loosen stiffness and tightness. I recommend doing this for at least 10–15 minutes daily. Plus, doing deep bends where you fold over at your hips and allow the upper body to hang like a ‘rag doll’ to release back and neck tension.”

Why Too Much Sitting Is Bad for Your Health

The human body was designed for constant motion and activity. For hundreds of thousands of years, we spent most of the day walking, gathering, hunting and farming—competing for each calorie that we ate. People sat on the ground or on logs for brief periods to rest. There were no desks, recliners, or sofas.

Adults are now sitting around more than at any other time in history. Based on data from the American Heart Association, over 80 percent of all US jobs are now sedentary. The amount of time we spend sitting in front of screens, which tempt us with dopamine-driven feedback loops, is skyrocketing. And there can be rather serious consequences. Various studies have associated prolonged sitting with back pain, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and psychological distress. Some authors have gone so far as to describe chronic, prolonged sitting as “the new smoking,” a deadly habit.

Many American adults spend more than 12 hours per day sitting. How is that possible? Let’s take the example of a typical, unmarried office worker. He is seated at his computer desk or table for 80 percent of the time between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., plus he spends an additional 5 hours a day on his smartphone or watching TV/Netflix outside of work. This is a daily grand total 12 hours and 12 minutes of sitting. People who are homebound can easily spend 16 hours a day sitting. If you add 8 hours of sleeping on top of a whole day of sitting, you can see just how much time we now spend sedentary.

The worst effect of sitting is that it leads to an overall degeneration of bodily tissues. “Sitting for too long causes your neuromuscular tissue (NMT), between your muscles and tendons, to decay. NMT is the second most ‘expensive’ tissue in the body to maintain after brain tissue. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it,” says Dr. Bomi Joseph, Director of the Peak Health Center in California.

Here are 4 tips to help reduce the inherent risks of a sedentary job or lifestyle:

1. Try to Stand at Least Once Per Hour

To mitigate the effects of sitting all day, you really need to stand up at least once per hour. Getting up every 30 minutes is even better, according to a 2017 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Stretch a little and walk around for at least one minute before sitting down again.

2. Exercise in Short, Frequent Intervals

If you are stuck sitting in an office all week, it can be tempting to try and cram your workouts into one long session during the weekend. But that isn’t as good for your body compared to several short, brisk walks or exercise sets throughout the day. You don’t have to do a full-on gym workout to get benefits, says Dr. Joseph. On breaks, you can walk around your workplace parking lot a few times or do some squats or jumping jacks in the hall.

3. Try Deep-Tissue Bodywork, Thai Massage, and Yoga

Sitting for too long can encourage our back, neck, and limbs to settle into unnatural postures. This can have a negative “domino effect” that impacts the alignment and comfort of other body parts. Deep-tissue body work such as Rolfing Structural Integration or traditional Thai massage can help a stiff body regain its natural range of motion. Doing yoga is soothing, it improves neuromuscular tissue and posture, and it is accessible to almost anyone. Yoga mats are available in most department stores and hundreds of instructional yoga videos are free to watch on YouTube.

4. Use Technology to Remind You to Stand

We all know the downsides of technology: distraction, addiction, and isolation. But new wellness technologies like the FitBit and Apple Watch have detailed movement and exercise tracking capabilities that can act as a motivating digital “coach” or mentor. The Apple Watch can track how much you sit and gently remind you to stand, move around, and exercise throughout the day. Set up your smartphone settings to limit screen time and block addictive websites. Use the “interval timer” app on your work computer to schedule regular standing breaks throughout the workday.

The study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at data from nearly 8,000 older adults to examine the relationship between sitting and mortality. It found that sitting for long periods means there is a 24 percent higher chance that someone will die from health problems, an 18 percent higher chance of heart disease, and a whopping 91 percent increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Sitting for too long can also have adverse effects on memory. The brain is packed full of blood vessels because it has an extremely high need for blood and oxygen. Sitting for too long encourages the heartbeat and circulation to slow to levels that are not nourishing enough for optimal brain function. Slow blood circulation can also cause swelling in the legs, varicose veins, or even deep vein thrombosis. Poor posture while sitting can also create pressure in the spine that eventually causes compressed spinal disks, which can lead to chronic back pain. And nobody wants that!

The bottom line is that sitting too long or too often is not good for you. Ride a bike instead of driving. Get off public transport one stop before your destination and walk the remainder.  Move, stretch, and get regular massage therapy. Your legs, your lungs, your back, your brain, and your entire body will appreciate it. Health is priceless and the rewards are well worth the effort.