Self care for that personal break...
Start with your eyes
Many people are on computers during the day, whether for doing a job or trying to find a job. The eyes endure a lot of stress from staying focused on such a small area (the computer screen) for long periods of time.
Give your eyes a two-minute break every few hours. Place your palms over your eyes to block out all light. If possible, lean back so the eyes can sink into the socket, which can be even more restful. Do this for two minutes, breathing deeply. Just this simple two-minute rest can do wonders for increasing comfort and decreasing stress on the eyes.
A getaway without going away
Massage provides a positive and relaxing sensory experience. The rest of the world goes away and you get a mini vacation.
Massage therapy has been found to elicit an energy-conserving state and decrease the levels of pain and stress chemicals in the body, as well as decrease blood pressure. Your time with a massage therapist feels good because you are slowing down, and you continue to feel good afterward because of the physiological changes that occur due to the treatment.
Make time in your day
Don't have time or resources to get a massage? Take a few deep breaths, grab your foot and start to massage. Your feet take a beating. Give them a treat and pamper them yourself. Feet don't care who massages them, and you will reap the rewards.
If you're at work and massaging your feet isn't an option, you can relax by massaging your hands for a few minutes. Concentrate on slow, deep breaths. Massage the whole hand - the palm, the fingers and thumb, even between the fingers.
A professional massage might be more affordable than you think, and there are good reasons to invest in one. Allowing yourself to get a massage regularly is not only physically and mentally beneficial, it will give you something to look forward to and motivation for completing whatever tasks daunt you.
~*~*~*~
You can now book your appointments online! By offering online scheduling you will be able to:
* Schedule 24/7: Schedule your appointment when it's convenient for you; whether that's 3 p.m. or 3 a.m.
* Manage Your Appointments: After creating your account, you can view past and upcoming appointments and even reschedule if needed.
* Schedule from Your Phone: Make appointments straight from your BlackBerry or iPhone.
* Receive Reminders: When you schedule online, you will receive an e-mail reminding you of your appointment.
Make appointments @ www.schedulicity.com
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Benefits of Regular Massage Sessions
Once people discover the many joys and benefits of massage, a common question arises—“How often should I schedule my massage sessions?” Of course, there is no set answer, but studies indicate that massage at regular intervals is most beneficial to your overall health.
In a Newsweek article entitled “The Magic of Touch,” the advantages of frequent massage are considered. The following excerpts help to answer the question, “How often?”
“A weekly massage may seem an indulgence, but new research suggests it
can have major health benefits . . .
“Since instituting a program of massage, job-specific exercises and ergonomics in 1990, the Virginia-based company [Wampler Foods] has cut repetitive-stress injuries by 75 percent . . .
“From assembly lines to corporate headquarters, Americans are discovering the magic of massage. At Boeing and Reebok, headaches, back strain and fatigue have all fallen since the companies started bringing in massage therapists . . . Doctors have started prescribing massage to help patients manage stress and pain. And a few HMOs have begun sharing in the cost. ‘Massage is medicine, not merely an indulgence,’ says Laura Favin of Not Just a Luxury Onsite Massage in New York . . .
“Scientists are now finding that massage can reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system, dampen harmful stress hormones and raise mood-elevating brain chemicals such as serotonin. And you can’t beat massage for relaxation. Babies fall asleep faster when massaged than when rocked—and they stay asleep, rather than waking the moment Mom tiptoes away. All these factors, says Tiffany Field, founder of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine, ‘put massage in the same category with proper diet and exercise as something that helps maintain overall health.’ . . .
“The effects aren’t always so straightforward. Massage can also stimulate nerves that carry signals from the skin to the brain, triggering changes throughout the body. . . . Field showed that massage (as opposed to light touch) stimulates the brain’s vagus nerve, causing the secretion of food-absorption hormones, including insulin. Nerve stimulation probably explains other benefits as well. . . . Dr. James Dillard of Columbia University [says], ‘Every nerve cell in the body has some connection to every other nerve cell.’ . . .
“Like exercise, massage does more for you if you engage in it regularly . . . even a monthly treatment can help maintain general health. ‘Touch is basic to survival,’ says Elliot Greene, past president of AMTA [American Massage Therapy Assn.]. That’s all the excuse anyone should need to indulge.”
Remember, your body strives to maintain optimum health by keeping all of its systems in balance. Along with proper nutrition, exercise and rest, massage relaxes tense muscles and stimulates the body’s communication lines to help it do its job—and to keep you feeling your best. So, make regular massage a priority in your life for a healthier tomorrow!
In a Newsweek article entitled “The Magic of Touch,” the advantages of frequent massage are considered. The following excerpts help to answer the question, “How often?”
“A weekly massage may seem an indulgence, but new research suggests it
can have major health benefits . . .
“Since instituting a program of massage, job-specific exercises and ergonomics in 1990, the Virginia-based company [Wampler Foods] has cut repetitive-stress injuries by 75 percent . . .
“From assembly lines to corporate headquarters, Americans are discovering the magic of massage. At Boeing and Reebok, headaches, back strain and fatigue have all fallen since the companies started bringing in massage therapists . . . Doctors have started prescribing massage to help patients manage stress and pain. And a few HMOs have begun sharing in the cost. ‘Massage is medicine, not merely an indulgence,’ says Laura Favin of Not Just a Luxury Onsite Massage in New York . . .
“Scientists are now finding that massage can reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system, dampen harmful stress hormones and raise mood-elevating brain chemicals such as serotonin. And you can’t beat massage for relaxation. Babies fall asleep faster when massaged than when rocked—and they stay asleep, rather than waking the moment Mom tiptoes away. All these factors, says Tiffany Field, founder of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine, ‘put massage in the same category with proper diet and exercise as something that helps maintain overall health.’ . . .
“The effects aren’t always so straightforward. Massage can also stimulate nerves that carry signals from the skin to the brain, triggering changes throughout the body. . . . Field showed that massage (as opposed to light touch) stimulates the brain’s vagus nerve, causing the secretion of food-absorption hormones, including insulin. Nerve stimulation probably explains other benefits as well. . . . Dr. James Dillard of Columbia University [says], ‘Every nerve cell in the body has some connection to every other nerve cell.’ . . .
“Like exercise, massage does more for you if you engage in it regularly . . . even a monthly treatment can help maintain general health. ‘Touch is basic to survival,’ says Elliot Greene, past president of AMTA [American Massage Therapy Assn.]. That’s all the excuse anyone should need to indulge.”
Remember, your body strives to maintain optimum health by keeping all of its systems in balance. Along with proper nutrition, exercise and rest, massage relaxes tense muscles and stimulates the body’s communication lines to help it do its job—and to keep you feeling your best. So, make regular massage a priority in your life for a healthier tomorrow!
RELAY FOR LIFE
Come by and say HI! I'll be giving my support by doing massage for all those Survivors who will be walking in the RELAY FOR LIFE!!!
PLACE: Washougal High School Football field...
June 5 10:00am to June 6 10:00am
PLACE: Washougal High School Football field...
June 5 10:00am to June 6 10:00am
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Sweet Dreams!!!
An important element in maintaining your health is getting adequate sleep. Your body can’t be expected to properly recharge and rebuild itself without sufficient rest. As people grow older, they often find achieving quality sleep more elusive.
How much sleep is enough? The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours per night of sound sleep for good health and vitality. Following are some tips compiled by Dr. Patrick J. Bird, dean of the College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida:
• Go to bed and rise at the same time each day. And establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine to unwind. Try to follow this routine even on weekends.
• Evaluate your sleeping environment. It should be not too cold, too hot, brightly lit or noisy. And don’t use the bedroom for working, reading or watching television.
• Don’t drink liquids or eat more than a light snack before going to bed. If you suffer from heartburn, avoid food for several hours before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can delay sleep. Alcohol can interrupt sleep late in the night.
• Don’t take long naps.
• Exercise regularly. Fitness can improve sleep, particularly as we get older.
The No. 1 cause of short-term sleeping difficulties is stress, so your regular massage sessions can be a key part in getting that restful night’s sleep!
How much sleep is enough? The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours per night of sound sleep for good health and vitality. Following are some tips compiled by Dr. Patrick J. Bird, dean of the College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida:
• Go to bed and rise at the same time each day. And establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine to unwind. Try to follow this routine even on weekends.
• Evaluate your sleeping environment. It should be not too cold, too hot, brightly lit or noisy. And don’t use the bedroom for working, reading or watching television.
• Don’t drink liquids or eat more than a light snack before going to bed. If you suffer from heartburn, avoid food for several hours before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can delay sleep. Alcohol can interrupt sleep late in the night.
• Don’t take long naps.
• Exercise regularly. Fitness can improve sleep, particularly as we get older.
The No. 1 cause of short-term sleeping difficulties is stress, so your regular massage sessions can be a key part in getting that restful night’s sleep!
Take Control of Your Health
An underlying goal in life is to maintain the highest level of existence possible; the better we feel, the more rewarding each day can be. As we go along living our lives, it’s easy to overlook the important things that lead to the real rewards in life—improved health, increased energy, peace of mind, etc.
Life and living contain many complexities, and when you have discovered only limited pieces of the puzzle, it’s sometimes hard to focus on the big picture. As science and technology move forward, we can see how much we’ve learned about health and how far we still have to go.
When it comes to improving your health and well-being, you can simplify things somewhat by focusing on the basics. Evaluating your choices in life based on a cause and effect philosophy can make it easier to sort things out. Simply put, when you take an action (the cause), what will be the result (the effect)?
In many areas, our society tends to put the emphasis on addressing symptoms, especially regarding health. It’s often left to the individual to dig down to the truth of the matter, the actual cause of the situation.
For example, if you have a headache and take a pain killer such as aspirin, you may find temporary relief from the pain (the symptom), but you’ve done nothing to change the condition that caused your head to hurt in the first place.
What can you do to handle the actual cause of your problems? One simple approach is to identify which positive things you can add to your life and which negative things you can eliminate or lessen.
For instance, supporting the physical aspect of your life includes addressing your diet; getting proper amounts of exercise, rest and water; and keeping your body cleansed from the inside out.
On the mental/spiritual/emotional level, you’ll want to consider your relationships; living and working conditions; financial picture; and any stress-causing elements, etc.
Your body will do its best to stay healthy. Its goal is to maintain a state of balance, and it does what it can with the conditions you provide. Spend some time reviewing the various elements of your life and see which areas you can find ways to improve.
One hint: If you want your life to be at its best, you need to remain alert to the choices you make—and their eventual outcome. It’s more likely you’ll experience declining health conditions when you ignore the consequences of your actions. Choose wisely and enjoy the rewards!
When it comes to positive contributions to your overall health, regular massage sessions can make quite a difference. Understanding more about how your body benefits from bodywork can help you appreciate what changes can be occurring during each session. Turn to the back page to explore some of the many health advantages available to you through massage and bodywork!
© 2006 Massage Marketing. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Life and living contain many complexities, and when you have discovered only limited pieces of the puzzle, it’s sometimes hard to focus on the big picture. As science and technology move forward, we can see how much we’ve learned about health and how far we still have to go.
When it comes to improving your health and well-being, you can simplify things somewhat by focusing on the basics. Evaluating your choices in life based on a cause and effect philosophy can make it easier to sort things out. Simply put, when you take an action (the cause), what will be the result (the effect)?
In many areas, our society tends to put the emphasis on addressing symptoms, especially regarding health. It’s often left to the individual to dig down to the truth of the matter, the actual cause of the situation.
For example, if you have a headache and take a pain killer such as aspirin, you may find temporary relief from the pain (the symptom), but you’ve done nothing to change the condition that caused your head to hurt in the first place.
What can you do to handle the actual cause of your problems? One simple approach is to identify which positive things you can add to your life and which negative things you can eliminate or lessen.
For instance, supporting the physical aspect of your life includes addressing your diet; getting proper amounts of exercise, rest and water; and keeping your body cleansed from the inside out.
On the mental/spiritual/emotional level, you’ll want to consider your relationships; living and working conditions; financial picture; and any stress-causing elements, etc.
Your body will do its best to stay healthy. Its goal is to maintain a state of balance, and it does what it can with the conditions you provide. Spend some time reviewing the various elements of your life and see which areas you can find ways to improve.
One hint: If you want your life to be at its best, you need to remain alert to the choices you make—and their eventual outcome. It’s more likely you’ll experience declining health conditions when you ignore the consequences of your actions. Choose wisely and enjoy the rewards!
When it comes to positive contributions to your overall health, regular massage sessions can make quite a difference. Understanding more about how your body benefits from bodywork can help you appreciate what changes can be occurring during each session. Turn to the back page to explore some of the many health advantages available to you through massage and bodywork!
© 2006 Massage Marketing. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
May Saturday Special
For ALL my Wonderful Clients. I will have an extra Saturday this month with Appointments!!! There are 7 appointments open for first come first get. Starting at 8:00AM and ending at 3:00PM.
With cash at time of service you will also get a 20% discount!
THE DATE!!! May 29,2010
If you have not been in in awhile this is the time to do it!
With cash at time of service you will also get a 20% discount!
THE DATE!!! May 29,2010
If you have not been in in awhile this is the time to do it!
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Weight of the World
Neck and shoulder problems are among the most common complaints presented for massage therapists to address. It’s really no surprise when you look at this area of your body.
The most obvious condition we all tend to experience is stress—that carrying “the weight of the world” on our shoulders. This tension we assign to our neck and shoulders may be a big part of the problem, but there are other things to consider.
Functionally, both your neck and shoulder should be extremely flexible. In order to accomplish these ranges of motion, your body’s musculature in this region is appropriately complex. You only need to compare the mechanical functions of your elbow and that of your neck or shoulder to appreciate the difference in complexity.
Also found in this region of the body are two major groupings of nerves that affect the head and upper torso. When tight muscles, etc. impinge on these nerves, it can lead to headaches; breathing difficulties; and/or neck, shoulder, chest, arm, wrist or hand pain.
In other words, sometimes the area where you feel the pain may not be the actual source of the pain. For example, a tightness at the base of your skull may be affecting nerve flow that you feel as a headache or as pain in your shoulder or upper arm. The good news is that massage can alleviate these referred pains by addressing the source of the problem. And many of these points are located in the neck and shoulder area.
Other things that may be causing you problems include sleeping in an awkward position, sitting too long at your work station, cradling the phone with your neck, or carrying a heavy bag or suitcase, to name a few. Be aware of these types of activities to try to lessen the likelihood of future problems.
Those who spend their days working at their desks or computers may find that their working position has led them to develop the habit of shallow breathing. Instead of proper breathing from the diaphragm, breathing is now accomplished through the neck and shoulder muscles. This can lead to chronic pain and muscle tension in the area, and the true cause—the shallow breathing—is easily overlooked.
Receiving your regular massage sessions is a great way to reduce or eliminate neck and shoulder complaints. Massage can relax the tension in your muscles and other soft tissues, help to increase range of motion, restore flexibility, and increase the nerve flow through the area. Leave the weight of the world behind for awhile and unwind a little!
Health Hints
In between your massage sessions, you may find the following tips helpful:
Preparation
1. Loosen your collar.
2. If possible, remove confining or thick garments such as jackets & sweaters.
3. Center your attention before beginning.
Shrugging the Shoulders
When you shrug your shoulders, you are exercising muscles that tend to get pulled forward and hardened by tension. This tension buildup commonly occurs when you sit with your weight resting on your tailbone instead of forward over your hips. Shrugging breaks up the tension and provides a mild form of exercise that increases blood flow and restores mobility. The more you support the mobility of your shoulders, the less likely you’ll be to harbor tension there.
1. Slowly lift your right shoulder straight up to your ear.
2. Slowly return your right shoulder to a neutral position.
3. Repeat the lift/release movement with the left shoulder.
4. Repeat the lift/release movement with both shoulders together.
Hints:
• Keep your shoulder muscles soft as you do this. Don’t force the movement.
• Don’t tilt your head toward your shoulder. Bring your shoulder up to your ear.
• Keep the opposite shoulder in a neutral or slightly dropped position and avoid hunching it as you lift the shrugging shoulder.
Squeezing the Neck
It’s easy for your neck to become tense, especially when you are seated at a desk. When the neck muscles tense up, your neck often loses its mobility. A neck massage helps to restore muscle flexibility and release built-up tension.
1. Place your right hand on the right side of your neck and position your fingertips just to the right of your neck bones.
2. Keeping your fingertips together, massage the neck muscle using a gentle, circular motion. Without straining, move your hand up and down the neck muscle. Keep your neck in a neutral position as you massage.
3. Repeat the procedure using your left hand on the left side of your neck.
4. Repeat the procedure again using both hands and massage both sides of the neck at the same time.
Hints:
• Don’t press your neck so hard that you feel compelled to counteract the pressure in order to keep your neck from being pushed out of a neutral, upright position.
• Watch out for the tendency to hunch your shoulders, especially as you increase the pressure.
• Don’t let your head fall backward into your hand or forward into an extreme bend. Keep it level and in a neutral position.
Excerpted from Massage for Busy People, by Dawn Groves © 1999. Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, Calif.; www.nwlib.com; toll-free ordering at
800/972-6657, ext. 52.
The most obvious condition we all tend to experience is stress—that carrying “the weight of the world” on our shoulders. This tension we assign to our neck and shoulders may be a big part of the problem, but there are other things to consider.
Functionally, both your neck and shoulder should be extremely flexible. In order to accomplish these ranges of motion, your body’s musculature in this region is appropriately complex. You only need to compare the mechanical functions of your elbow and that of your neck or shoulder to appreciate the difference in complexity.
Also found in this region of the body are two major groupings of nerves that affect the head and upper torso. When tight muscles, etc. impinge on these nerves, it can lead to headaches; breathing difficulties; and/or neck, shoulder, chest, arm, wrist or hand pain.
In other words, sometimes the area where you feel the pain may not be the actual source of the pain. For example, a tightness at the base of your skull may be affecting nerve flow that you feel as a headache or as pain in your shoulder or upper arm. The good news is that massage can alleviate these referred pains by addressing the source of the problem. And many of these points are located in the neck and shoulder area.
Other things that may be causing you problems include sleeping in an awkward position, sitting too long at your work station, cradling the phone with your neck, or carrying a heavy bag or suitcase, to name a few. Be aware of these types of activities to try to lessen the likelihood of future problems.
Those who spend their days working at their desks or computers may find that their working position has led them to develop the habit of shallow breathing. Instead of proper breathing from the diaphragm, breathing is now accomplished through the neck and shoulder muscles. This can lead to chronic pain and muscle tension in the area, and the true cause—the shallow breathing—is easily overlooked.
Receiving your regular massage sessions is a great way to reduce or eliminate neck and shoulder complaints. Massage can relax the tension in your muscles and other soft tissues, help to increase range of motion, restore flexibility, and increase the nerve flow through the area. Leave the weight of the world behind for awhile and unwind a little!
Health Hints
In between your massage sessions, you may find the following tips helpful:
Preparation
1. Loosen your collar.
2. If possible, remove confining or thick garments such as jackets & sweaters.
3. Center your attention before beginning.
Shrugging the Shoulders
When you shrug your shoulders, you are exercising muscles that tend to get pulled forward and hardened by tension. This tension buildup commonly occurs when you sit with your weight resting on your tailbone instead of forward over your hips. Shrugging breaks up the tension and provides a mild form of exercise that increases blood flow and restores mobility. The more you support the mobility of your shoulders, the less likely you’ll be to harbor tension there.
1. Slowly lift your right shoulder straight up to your ear.
2. Slowly return your right shoulder to a neutral position.
3. Repeat the lift/release movement with the left shoulder.
4. Repeat the lift/release movement with both shoulders together.
Hints:
• Keep your shoulder muscles soft as you do this. Don’t force the movement.
• Don’t tilt your head toward your shoulder. Bring your shoulder up to your ear.
• Keep the opposite shoulder in a neutral or slightly dropped position and avoid hunching it as you lift the shrugging shoulder.
Squeezing the Neck
It’s easy for your neck to become tense, especially when you are seated at a desk. When the neck muscles tense up, your neck often loses its mobility. A neck massage helps to restore muscle flexibility and release built-up tension.
1. Place your right hand on the right side of your neck and position your fingertips just to the right of your neck bones.
2. Keeping your fingertips together, massage the neck muscle using a gentle, circular motion. Without straining, move your hand up and down the neck muscle. Keep your neck in a neutral position as you massage.
3. Repeat the procedure using your left hand on the left side of your neck.
4. Repeat the procedure again using both hands and massage both sides of the neck at the same time.
Hints:
• Don’t press your neck so hard that you feel compelled to counteract the pressure in order to keep your neck from being pushed out of a neutral, upright position.
• Watch out for the tendency to hunch your shoulders, especially as you increase the pressure.
• Don’t let your head fall backward into your hand or forward into an extreme bend. Keep it level and in a neutral position.
Excerpted from Massage for Busy People, by Dawn Groves © 1999. Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, Calif.; www.nwlib.com; toll-free ordering at
800/972-6657, ext. 52.
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