October 2008

Welcome to this month’s article! Another year is winding down, and the hectic holiday season will be here before you know it. Hopefully you’ve been doing well and you are experiencing pleasant days.

You know, the reason for these monthly articles is to provide you with interesting health information that will inspire you to have a higher quality of life. There is so much information out there today that it’s unlikely we’ll see all the things that could prove important in our lives.

With that in mind, at your next appointment please ask any questions you may have regarding your health and how massage can help you. Your health is important, so if there’s something you’ve been wondering about, please ask. See you soon!

When’s the Best Time for a Massage?

Massage always feels great, but there are certain times when a massage can make a big difference in your life. For instance:

• You’re about to have an important presentation, interview, etc., and you want to be relaxed and able to do your best

• You’ve just completed a physically or mentally stressful project

• You’re experiencing high levels of stress in your day-to-day life

• You have important company coming

• You’re about to have surgery or another stressful medical procedure

All of these situations, plus many more, are times you really can benefit from a de-stressing massage—for the well being of your body, mind and spirit.

Of course, when you’re able to receive your massages regularly, you’ll be one step ahead of stress and worry and able to maintain a higher level of overall health. So, be sure to take care of yourself and don’t wait too long for your next massage!

Regular Massage Can Lead to Better Health

You could consider massage therapy as the ultimate health support system. As more studies are completed, the scientific proof keeps building on the many ways massage can help you to improve your overall health. The following information is from the Mayo Clinic’s website:

Massage can relieve tension in your muscles, and most people use it for relaxation, relief of stress and anxiety, or to reduce muscle soreness. Massage can also cause your body to release natural painkillers, and it may boost your immune system.

While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found it helpful for:

Anxiety. Massage reduced anxiety in depressed children and anorexic women. It also reduced anxiety and withdrawal symptoms in adults trying to quit smoking.

Pain. Pain was decreased in people with fibromyalgia, migraines and recent surgery. Back pain also might be relieved by massage.

Labor pain. Massage during labor appears to lessen stress and anxiety, relax muscles and reduce pain.

Infant growth. Massage encouraged weight gain in premature babies and reduced the number of days they stayed in the hospital.

Children with diabetes. Children who were massaged every day by their parents were more likely to stick to their medication and diet regimens, which helped reduce their blood glucose levels.

Sports-related soreness. Some athletes receive massages after exercise, especially to the muscles they use most in their sport or activity. A massage might help increase blood flow to your muscles and may reduce muscle soreness after you exercise.

Alcohol withdrawal. Massage during withdrawal from alcohol has shown benefits when combined with traditional medical treatment by increasing feelings of support, safety and engagement in the therapy.

Immune system. People with HIV who participated in massage studies showed an increased number of natural killer cells, which are thought to defend the body from viral and cancer cells.

Cancer treatment. People with cancer who received regularly scheduled massage therapy during treatment reported less anxiety, pain and fatigue.

Self-esteem. Because massage involves direct contact with another person through touch, it can make you feel cared for. That special attention can improve self-image in people with physical disabilities and terminal illnesses. And using touch to convey caring can help children with severe physical disabilities.

Healthy Eating Tips

One of the best ways to support better health is being conscious of what and how you eat. These hints are taken from Jean Carper’s “EatSmart” column in USA Weekend, Sep. 21, 08:

• Cut Fructose. This form of sugar can turn to fat in your body with surprising speed, show new tests at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Researcher’s advice: Limit processed foods and beverages sweetened with fructose. Fruit is OK.

• Eat Slowly. Gulping food makes you eat more, says a new University of Rhode Island study. Women who ate slowly, compared with those who ate quickly, consumed about 70 fewer calories and felt more satisfied later.

• Drink Water. Tests by Virginia Tech show drinking 2 cups of water a half-hour before breakfast cuts caloric intake by 13% in older [people] who are overweight. More exciting: German research says water burns calories! Drinking 2 cups of water revved metabolism 24% in overweight subjects in an hour.

Great opportunities to help others seldom come,
but small ones surround us every day.
— Sally Koch