This can be one of the busiest times of the year for most people. Already full schedules become further taxed with the demands of the season. Just when you most need your highest energy levels and your health, you get the challenge of more stressful days. Could there be a better time to get a well-deserved massage session?
At these times when you’re juggling so many activities, it’s easy to create a lot of the mental stress yourself just by dwelling on how much you still have to accomplish. One tip that may give you some needed mental relief is to put all those activities on your calendar so you can see exactly what you have to do (and when). You may find this helps you to unburden your mental load, especially if you can now concentrate on just getting through the next thing on your list.
While you’re working on your schedule, see where you can work in your next massage session. It can go such a long way to help you cope with everything else in your life!
Here are a few of the more important health benefits your regular massage sessions offer you:
Stress relief—Much more is happening within your body than you may realize when it comes to stress. All those worries and concerns result in hormonal changes that throw your body’s chemicals out of balance and can play havoc with your health. (You can see why eighty percent of illness is stress-related!) One of the main reasons you feel more relaxed after a massage is that stress-causing hormones consistently are reduced by massage.
Better sleep—In the National Sleep Foundation’s “Sleep in America” poll, it’s reported that as many as 47 million adults aren’t meeting their minimum sleep needs. Bodies need adequate rest to remain healthy and to function properly. Studies show that regular massage promotes better sleep patterns.
Overall improved body functions— Virtually every area of the body has been shown to be improved by regular massage. These many life-improving benefits can include:
• reducing blood pressure
• boosting the immune system
• contributing to the detoxification process
• stimulating nerve function that produces changes throughout the body
• improving muscle function and joint mobility
Each massage can help you in so many ways! No matter how hectic your life is, maintaining your health is vital to your future. Please be sure to make time for your massage sessions, so you can feel your best every day and be there for those who need you!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Sleep: Good Medicine
“Here’s another reason you should try to get a good night’s sleep: Slumber can help keep you cancer-free, says a new study. Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center found that disrupted sleep changes hormone levels in the body, making it more vulnerable to some kinds of cancer. One hormone produced by the brain during sleep is melatonin, which helps prevent cancer by mopping up cell-damaging compounds called free radicals. But when sleep rhythms are disturbed, less melatonin is made. Another hormone impeded by sleep deprivation is cortisol, which helps regulate immune-system activity. ‘Although having cancer might be something to lose sleep over,’ Stanford’s Dr. David Spiegel says, ‘we’d rather help people regain the sleep and lose the cancer.’ ”
—The Week, 10/17/03
Remember, studies show that massage can help improve sleep patterns and increase melatonin levels, helping you get that good night’s sleep you need! Pleasant dreams. . . .
—The Week, 10/17/03
Remember, studies show that massage can help improve sleep patterns and increase melatonin levels, helping you get that good night’s sleep you need! Pleasant dreams. . . .
Hints for a Healthy Holiday
The busier you are, the easier it is to overlook those important aspects that contribute to a healthy and happy life. And what busier time is there than the end-of-year holiday season? Here are a few tips:
• Know when to say “No, thanks.” There’s so much to do at this time of year, and many people find it difficult to say “no.” Do what you can, but know where you need to draw the line. You don’t want to push yourself too hard and end up in bed, recovering.
• Plan ahead. With so many tasty temptations available at this time of year, it’s wise to decide before you hit the parties what you’re willing to consume. Remember that your body must pay the price if you choose to overindulge, so try to decide in advance how to handle your holiday feasting. And be sure to drink plenty of pure water; it’s the “rinse cycle” that helps to cleanse your body internally.
• Feeling valuable
contributes to your happiness. Include in your life activities that give you a sense of purpose. Helping others offers major personal rewards. Choose things that have meaning to you.
• Take care of yourself with massage. De-stress, stay relaxed, and help keep your body functioning smoothly. Take those vital few minutes just for you—put the rest of the world on hold for a couple of hours while you take care of yourself. When you make the commitment, you and your life will be better for it!
© 2006 Massage Marketing. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
• Know when to say “No, thanks.” There’s so much to do at this time of year, and many people find it difficult to say “no.” Do what you can, but know where you need to draw the line. You don’t want to push yourself too hard and end up in bed, recovering.
• Plan ahead. With so many tasty temptations available at this time of year, it’s wise to decide before you hit the parties what you’re willing to consume. Remember that your body must pay the price if you choose to overindulge, so try to decide in advance how to handle your holiday feasting. And be sure to drink plenty of pure water; it’s the “rinse cycle” that helps to cleanse your body internally.
• Feeling valuable
contributes to your happiness. Include in your life activities that give you a sense of purpose. Helping others offers major personal rewards. Choose things that have meaning to you.
• Take care of yourself with massage. De-stress, stay relaxed, and help keep your body functioning smoothly. Take those vital few minutes just for you—put the rest of the world on hold for a couple of hours while you take care of yourself. When you make the commitment, you and your life will be better for it!
© 2006 Massage Marketing. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Massage Therapy Popular for Pain Management and Relief
“Most adult Americans believe that massage therapy can be beneficial in managing and relieving pain, and a new consumer survey released ... by the American Massage Therapy Association® (AMTA®) reveals that nearly half the people surveyed (49 percent) have acted on that belief and used massage therapy for pain. In fact, 90 percent of consumers believe that massage therapy can be effective in reducing pain. Among those who have received massage for pain, massage therapy followed only medication as the form of pain relief respondents said gave the greatest relief from pain. ... Consumers are so convinced about the benefits of massage therapy that 65 percent would recommend it to someone they know.
“Consumers aren’t the only ones who recognize massage therapy can be beneficial to overall health and wellness. Healthcare providers are increasingly discussing the benefits of massage with their patients. In fact, one in five consumers (20 percent) indicated they had discussed massage therapy with their doctor or other healthcare provider. ... Among those who discussed massage therapy with their healthcare provider, 62 percent said massage was strongly recommended or encouraged for them. Physicians were the most likely to recommend massage therapy. ...
“ ‘Massage therapy continues to be popular for relaxation and stress relief, and this year’s survey findings demonstrate that consumers and their healthcare providers recognize that massage therapy has many health benefits, including the ability to help manage and relieve pain,’ said Laurel J. Freeman, president of AMTA. ‘Clinical research has shown that massage is effective in caring for a broad range of ailments, and can be more effective for chronic back pain than other complementary therapies. It can help alleviate the perception of pain and anxiety in cancer patients, lessen pain in those who have undergone heart bypass surgery, and stimulate the brain to produce endorphins.’ Massage therapy also can help relieve stress and help reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Research has shown that massage can boost the body’s immune system functioning and increase the body’s natural “killer cells” activity.” (from AMTA website)
“Consumers aren’t the only ones who recognize massage therapy can be beneficial to overall health and wellness. Healthcare providers are increasingly discussing the benefits of massage with their patients. In fact, one in five consumers (20 percent) indicated they had discussed massage therapy with their doctor or other healthcare provider. ... Among those who discussed massage therapy with their healthcare provider, 62 percent said massage was strongly recommended or encouraged for them. Physicians were the most likely to recommend massage therapy. ...
“ ‘Massage therapy continues to be popular for relaxation and stress relief, and this year’s survey findings demonstrate that consumers and their healthcare providers recognize that massage therapy has many health benefits, including the ability to help manage and relieve pain,’ said Laurel J. Freeman, president of AMTA. ‘Clinical research has shown that massage is effective in caring for a broad range of ailments, and can be more effective for chronic back pain than other complementary therapies. It can help alleviate the perception of pain and anxiety in cancer patients, lessen pain in those who have undergone heart bypass surgery, and stimulate the brain to produce endorphins.’ Massage therapy also can help relieve stress and help reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Research has shown that massage can boost the body’s immune system functioning and increase the body’s natural “killer cells” activity.” (from AMTA website)
What Really Makes Us Happy?
Before the new year gets underway and you jump back into your busy life, this is an excellent time to reflect on the true source of happiness. According to an article by Jan Eickmeier at Prevention magazine, the answer is simple: “family, friends, meaningful activities, and the ability to forgive.
“The happiest people don’t try to compete with some materialistic ideal; indeed, materialism can be toxic to happiness. One important component of happiness is being able to lose yourself in a task or hobby. ... Marriage and close family ties are also important antidotes to unhappiness.
“Ed Diener, PhD, a professor at the University of Illinois and co-editor of ‘Well-Being,’ a scientific work on happiness has found that there is no one recipe for happiness, but that almost all happy people have good friends.”
© 2006 Massage Marketing. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
“The happiest people don’t try to compete with some materialistic ideal; indeed, materialism can be toxic to happiness. One important component of happiness is being able to lose yourself in a task or hobby. ... Marriage and close family ties are also important antidotes to unhappiness.
“Ed Diener, PhD, a professor at the University of Illinois and co-editor of ‘Well-Being,’ a scientific work on happiness has found that there is no one recipe for happiness, but that almost all happy people have good friends.”
© 2006 Massage Marketing. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
In other health news ... Value of Massage
Cancer center embraces massage
“...Traditional hospitals nationwide are slowly waking to the realization that massage therapy’s positive effects are indubitably quality-of-life enhancing.
“Nowhere is this more clear than in the Integrative Medicine Service facility of New York City’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, one of the most respected hospitals in the world. The hospital, the world’s oldest and largest private institution dedicated to the prevention and treatment of cancer, has quietly added massage therapy to its patient services . . .
“The facility’s primary purpose is to help alleviate pain and suffering of those living with cancer . . .
“Kay White has been a regular outpatient client at the center ever since beginning treatment for breast cancer two years ago. She ... now comes once a week for massage . . . ‘I walk out of there and feel like you could drive a Mack truck over me and I wouldn’t feel it. I come now to remain healthy, and I can almost feel all the toxins leaving my body after a massage. It’s helped my breathing, my posture and I know it’s helping keep me healthy. I’m a true believer of massage.’ ”
—Massage Magazine, Issue 100, pg. 32
“...Traditional hospitals nationwide are slowly waking to the realization that massage therapy’s positive effects are indubitably quality-of-life enhancing.
“Nowhere is this more clear than in the Integrative Medicine Service facility of New York City’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, one of the most respected hospitals in the world. The hospital, the world’s oldest and largest private institution dedicated to the prevention and treatment of cancer, has quietly added massage therapy to its patient services . . .
“The facility’s primary purpose is to help alleviate pain and suffering of those living with cancer . . .
“Kay White has been a regular outpatient client at the center ever since beginning treatment for breast cancer two years ago. She ... now comes once a week for massage . . . ‘I walk out of there and feel like you could drive a Mack truck over me and I wouldn’t feel it. I come now to remain healthy, and I can almost feel all the toxins leaving my body after a massage. It’s helped my breathing, my posture and I know it’s helping keep me healthy. I’m a true believer of massage.’ ”
—Massage Magazine, Issue 100, pg. 32
When a Pain in the Neck Becomes a Pain in the Head
Nobody likes being in pain, especially from headaches. The American Council for Headache Education reports that, during the past year, nearly 90 percent of men and 95 percent of women have had at least one headache. Here is an article by Kelly James-Enger, a free-lance journalist specializing in health, fitness and nutrition topics, covering some useful information on headaches.
“It turns out your mom was right when she told you not to slouch... [T]here’s a connection between poor posture and headache frequency. ‘If someone has chronic headache pain, [we find] he or she often sits in a slouched, head-forward position,’ explains Dr. Merle Diamond, associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. ‘That aggravates the muscles of the head and neck and can lead to more muscle spasms and more pain.’ Doctors call these carcinogenic headaches, and they can cause something called ‘referred pain.’ While the problem may originate in your neck, it’s the back of your head that aches.
“There are definite associations between neck or cervical spine triggers and both migraine and tension-type headaches, says Dr. Robert Kanieki, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh and director of the Headache Center there. Tension-type headaches are often due to muscle irritation in the neck; the resulting headache is often felt around the area where the muscles insert at the base of the skull, says Kanieki. ‘The head is essentially a 10-pound structure,’ he says. ‘If it’s not balanced on the top of your neck and shoulders, it can certainly aggravate the cervical spine and trigger muscle tension, and muscle tightness. This can lead to spasms or the development of headaches.’
“However, doctors now believe that there’s also a connection between neck pain and migraines. ‘Recently we learned that migraine, as opposed to arising from blood vessel or vascular problems, appears to arise from neurological origins,’ says Kaniecki. ‘And the structure that processes pain in the head that’s inside the brain—the relay center for pain— also relays pain signals from the upper neck.’ That’s why doctors believe that irritation in the neck and upper shoulder area—the cervical region—can trigger migraines too.
Sit up straight, feel better
“If you already have neck problems, you may be one of the unlucky people predisposed to these headaches. One study found that people with joint or muscular abnormalities in their heads and necks were more likely to suffer from both tension and migraine headaches. However, if you tend to get headaches at the end of the day, poor posture may be the culprit.
“Improving your posture and strengthening your neck and shoulder muscles can make a big difference—in clinical trials, people who did posture and strengthening exercises reduced their headache frequency. ‘One of the things we tell our patients with chronic daily headaches is to work on their posture,’ says Diamond. ‘They should do a check-in and make sure that they’re sitting upright because it’s clear that a lot of these people
slouch a lot.’
“At the Headache Center at the University of Pittsburgh, patients learn natural means of improving headache, including regulating their sleep and meal patterns and performing a daily 30-minute walk. Kanieki suggests that headache sufferers keep the phrase, ‘walk tall, sit straight, stretch out’ in mind. During your daily walk, focus on maintaining good posture—imagine that there’s a string at the top of your head and keep your head balanced over your shoulders, back straight, as
you stroll.
“At work, make sure that you’re sitting straight, not hunched over, and take regular breaks away from your computer. Finally, implement a regular stretching routine into your day. Even a simple series of neck stretches (tilting your head to the left, then right, forward and back, for example) helps. You’ll reduce your chances of leaving work with stiff shoulders and an achy, pounding head—and your mom will compliment you on your new and improved posture as well.”
Remember that massage has been shown effective in relaxing tense muscles that may be contributing to posture problems and headaches!
Leaf Behind the Suffering
(by Karen Springen in Newsweek)
“A football injury makes a better story, but raking leaves could be the sport that sidelines you this fall. To avoid injuries, follow these tips from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Dress in layers that you can shed as you work up a sweat, with gloves to prevent blisters... If your back has been injured before, wear a simple brace (available for about $20; ask the pharmacist for fitting details). Stretch your shoulders before you hit the yard, drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and start slow. Rake strokes that are short and steady are the best, so that you don’t overextend yourself and pull a muscle. Don’t overstuff trash bags, either. Move the bags around in a wheelbarrow —and if you get tired, recruit the kids to lend a hand. But make sure you bend your knees and lift with your legs, not your back, while you load the bags in. Because ‘repetitive activity creates soreness,’ says Marjorie Albohm, a certified athletic trainer, cap off your raking with a warm bath or shower. It’ll help reduce sore muscles...”
Then schedule your next massage!
I'll help reduce the sore muscles...
“It turns out your mom was right when she told you not to slouch... [T]here’s a connection between poor posture and headache frequency. ‘If someone has chronic headache pain, [we find] he or she often sits in a slouched, head-forward position,’ explains Dr. Merle Diamond, associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. ‘That aggravates the muscles of the head and neck and can lead to more muscle spasms and more pain.’ Doctors call these carcinogenic headaches, and they can cause something called ‘referred pain.’ While the problem may originate in your neck, it’s the back of your head that aches.
“There are definite associations between neck or cervical spine triggers and both migraine and tension-type headaches, says Dr. Robert Kanieki, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh and director of the Headache Center there. Tension-type headaches are often due to muscle irritation in the neck; the resulting headache is often felt around the area where the muscles insert at the base of the skull, says Kanieki. ‘The head is essentially a 10-pound structure,’ he says. ‘If it’s not balanced on the top of your neck and shoulders, it can certainly aggravate the cervical spine and trigger muscle tension, and muscle tightness. This can lead to spasms or the development of headaches.’
“However, doctors now believe that there’s also a connection between neck pain and migraines. ‘Recently we learned that migraine, as opposed to arising from blood vessel or vascular problems, appears to arise from neurological origins,’ says Kaniecki. ‘And the structure that processes pain in the head that’s inside the brain—the relay center for pain— also relays pain signals from the upper neck.’ That’s why doctors believe that irritation in the neck and upper shoulder area—the cervical region—can trigger migraines too.
Sit up straight, feel better
“If you already have neck problems, you may be one of the unlucky people predisposed to these headaches. One study found that people with joint or muscular abnormalities in their heads and necks were more likely to suffer from both tension and migraine headaches. However, if you tend to get headaches at the end of the day, poor posture may be the culprit.
“Improving your posture and strengthening your neck and shoulder muscles can make a big difference—in clinical trials, people who did posture and strengthening exercises reduced their headache frequency. ‘One of the things we tell our patients with chronic daily headaches is to work on their posture,’ says Diamond. ‘They should do a check-in and make sure that they’re sitting upright because it’s clear that a lot of these people
slouch a lot.’
“At the Headache Center at the University of Pittsburgh, patients learn natural means of improving headache, including regulating their sleep and meal patterns and performing a daily 30-minute walk. Kanieki suggests that headache sufferers keep the phrase, ‘walk tall, sit straight, stretch out’ in mind. During your daily walk, focus on maintaining good posture—imagine that there’s a string at the top of your head and keep your head balanced over your shoulders, back straight, as
you stroll.
“At work, make sure that you’re sitting straight, not hunched over, and take regular breaks away from your computer. Finally, implement a regular stretching routine into your day. Even a simple series of neck stretches (tilting your head to the left, then right, forward and back, for example) helps. You’ll reduce your chances of leaving work with stiff shoulders and an achy, pounding head—and your mom will compliment you on your new and improved posture as well.”
Remember that massage has been shown effective in relaxing tense muscles that may be contributing to posture problems and headaches!
Leaf Behind the Suffering
(by Karen Springen in Newsweek)
“A football injury makes a better story, but raking leaves could be the sport that sidelines you this fall. To avoid injuries, follow these tips from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Dress in layers that you can shed as you work up a sweat, with gloves to prevent blisters... If your back has been injured before, wear a simple brace (available for about $20; ask the pharmacist for fitting details). Stretch your shoulders before you hit the yard, drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and start slow. Rake strokes that are short and steady are the best, so that you don’t overextend yourself and pull a muscle. Don’t overstuff trash bags, either. Move the bags around in a wheelbarrow —and if you get tired, recruit the kids to lend a hand. But make sure you bend your knees and lift with your legs, not your back, while you load the bags in. Because ‘repetitive activity creates soreness,’ says Marjorie Albohm, a certified athletic trainer, cap off your raking with a warm bath or shower. It’ll help reduce sore muscles...”
Then schedule your next massage!
I'll help reduce the sore muscles...
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
How Bodywork Helps Muscle Function
Considering that muscle makes up seventy to eight-five percent of the body’s weight, it’s no wonder that most people think of bodywork as “muscle-work.” A better understanding of muscles should help you to appreciate further how important regular massage is to your muscles—and to your overall health!
How do muscles work?
A simple answer is that muscles are composed of long, slender fibers that are capable of three things: they can shorten, lengthen or lock into place. Ideally, they function properly. When they don’t, you begin to experience tightness, or feel stiff, achy or sore.
When you consider that your muscles’ duties include maintaining structural stability and being responsible for virtually every movement of the body, from the minute regulation of an artery to extensive motions, it’s a wonder how efficiently they perform!
What causes muscular difficulties?
Although we tend to think of a sore or strained muscle as an individual problem, all of your musculature is interconnected. This means that when you perceive a painful spot, other areas are involved to some degree. The most recognized causes for muscle problems include overuse or underuse, lack of proper nutrition and/or oxygen, build-up of toxins, and imbalances.
Imbalances are caused when a group of muscles includes certain muscles that currently are mismatched with their partners. For example, if you bend your arm and then straighten it, your biceps do much of the work to accomplish the first motion, while your triceps take on the job of straightening. If the biceps are proportionally stronger than the triceps (or vice versa), you have an imbalance that can cause you some distress.
If you have tight muscles, say in your back shoulder area, this tension can have an effect on the opposing muscles in the upper chest area. In some cases, you may be more aware of the opposing muscles than the muscles that are actually causing the discomfort.
Muscles can develop a state of constant tension for various reasons, including stressful life situations and learned patterns we all evolve as we age. Each of us has developed muscular habits throughout our lives—the way we sit or stand, perform tasks, etc. Add to this the fact we store our anxiety in our muscles—particularly in the neck and shoulder area—and most of us have many areas in need of attention.
Each muscle that is chronically tense is a muscle that is constantly working, even though it’s not doing any actual work. These muscles create a continuing cycle that diminishes blood flow to the area, produces toxins, depletes energy from other areas, and causes discomfort and eventual disuse.
Muscles receive their instructions via nerve impulses. These nerve connections are vital to the health of the muscle tissue; if the nerve supply is lost, the muscle begins to atrophy. The chronically tense muscle cycle discussed previously contributes to the toxicity of the related nerve cells, irritating them and furthering the muscular contractions. If left uninterrupted, this vicious cycle can wreak havoc with your body’s healthy function.
The above information should make it very clear to you how beneficial massage can be to your overall health. As each affected muscular area is worked on, a more normal function can be returned. When you make the commitment to get regular bodywork sessions, you can expect to see far better results, as more time can be spent improving your overall condition, instead of having to focus on easing the pain of chronically tense muscles.
Do your best to make regular bodywork sessions a normal part of your life and enjoy better muscle function—and feel the difference! See you soon.
(Reference: Job’s Body by Deane Juhan)
How do muscles work?
A simple answer is that muscles are composed of long, slender fibers that are capable of three things: they can shorten, lengthen or lock into place. Ideally, they function properly. When they don’t, you begin to experience tightness, or feel stiff, achy or sore.
When you consider that your muscles’ duties include maintaining structural stability and being responsible for virtually every movement of the body, from the minute regulation of an artery to extensive motions, it’s a wonder how efficiently they perform!
What causes muscular difficulties?
Although we tend to think of a sore or strained muscle as an individual problem, all of your musculature is interconnected. This means that when you perceive a painful spot, other areas are involved to some degree. The most recognized causes for muscle problems include overuse or underuse, lack of proper nutrition and/or oxygen, build-up of toxins, and imbalances.
Imbalances are caused when a group of muscles includes certain muscles that currently are mismatched with their partners. For example, if you bend your arm and then straighten it, your biceps do much of the work to accomplish the first motion, while your triceps take on the job of straightening. If the biceps are proportionally stronger than the triceps (or vice versa), you have an imbalance that can cause you some distress.
If you have tight muscles, say in your back shoulder area, this tension can have an effect on the opposing muscles in the upper chest area. In some cases, you may be more aware of the opposing muscles than the muscles that are actually causing the discomfort.
Muscles can develop a state of constant tension for various reasons, including stressful life situations and learned patterns we all evolve as we age. Each of us has developed muscular habits throughout our lives—the way we sit or stand, perform tasks, etc. Add to this the fact we store our anxiety in our muscles—particularly in the neck and shoulder area—and most of us have many areas in need of attention.
Each muscle that is chronically tense is a muscle that is constantly working, even though it’s not doing any actual work. These muscles create a continuing cycle that diminishes blood flow to the area, produces toxins, depletes energy from other areas, and causes discomfort and eventual disuse.
Muscles receive their instructions via nerve impulses. These nerve connections are vital to the health of the muscle tissue; if the nerve supply is lost, the muscle begins to atrophy. The chronically tense muscle cycle discussed previously contributes to the toxicity of the related nerve cells, irritating them and furthering the muscular contractions. If left uninterrupted, this vicious cycle can wreak havoc with your body’s healthy function.
The above information should make it very clear to you how beneficial massage can be to your overall health. As each affected muscular area is worked on, a more normal function can be returned. When you make the commitment to get regular bodywork sessions, you can expect to see far better results, as more time can be spent improving your overall condition, instead of having to focus on easing the pain of chronically tense muscles.
Do your best to make regular bodywork sessions a normal part of your life and enjoy better muscle function—and feel the difference! See you soon.
(Reference: Job’s Body by Deane Juhan)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
What's Your Posture Telling You?
When most people hear the term posture, they remember being told to stand or sit up straight when they were kids. This article is not an effort to have you stand rigidly, just a look at how we hold our bodies and what it can tell us.
Posture comes from the Latin word ponere, meaning to place. It’s defined as “the position of the body; way of holding the body.” The important thing to realize about postural problems is that over the years they can lessen your quality of life to some extent—and, if ignored, are likely to worsen as you age.
Whatever postural problem may exist, it affects more of your body than you may realize. Since all your soft tissue is inter-connected (your muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue, etc.), a problem in one area of your body can (and in time, probably will) affect the area next to it. For instance, the muscles on one side of your lower back can tighten, causing your body to adjust by twisting slightly. This can begin to affect your upper back/shoulder area and/or your hip area as your body tries to compensate for this new position brought about by your tense lower back.
In his book The Owner’s Guide to the Body, Roger Golten describes “average” posture: “Slouching, paunchiness, round-shoulders, flat feet, backache, neck and shoulder tension are symptoms of ‘averageness’, and a structure in collapse.”
It’s easier to observe “poor” posture in others because we are unlikely to be aware of our own habitual body positions. When you see someone bent over with severely rounded shoulders or with one shoulder higher than the other, you are probably observing a condition that has developed over the years. True, postural problems can be hereditary or disease-related, but often they are habitual in nature.
Identifying the factors that contribute to these postural imbalances can help you see which areas need to be addressed and changed. Be aware of occupational influences, such as how you sit at work, and how you hold your body during recreational activities or during sleep.
Other influences to consider include tight clothing and certain types of footwear, as well as furniture that doesn’t properly support the back.
If you think of your body as a structure with your feet as the foundation, your legs as the main weight-bearing framework, etc., you can get a better idea how important your posture is. A building that loses its stability begins to shift, the walls show the stress through cracking, and in time the dwelling becomes uninhabitable. When it comes to a body out of structural balance, those complaints in the back, neck and shoulder area might actually come from an earlier imbalance in the feet, legs, or hips.
Now for the good news. When you get a full body massage, one of the many benefits you receive is having “the whole you” worked on. By relaxing tension from head to toe, the many interconnected areas of your body have the opportunity to return to a more normal condition. Much emphasis today in the natural health field is on treating the whole person, and this is one area where massage shines.
Regular massage sessions can help you to maintain the structural gains you receive by helping to keep your body “tuned up” physically. So be sure to make your massages a priority!
Some hints to help you avoid back trouble
• Prior to physical activity, spend a few minutes warming up (stretching, etc.)
• Select comfortable footwear. The higher the heel, the greater threat of back pain
• Remember to keep your back straight and bend your knees when lifting. You should let your leg muscles do most of the work and hold the object you’re lifting close to your body.
• Pushing a large object is preferable—it puts less strain on your lower back than pulling.
• When carrying anything on your shoulder, be sure to switch the weight to the other shoulder occasionally—let your shoulders share the load.
• Avoid sitting or standing in one position for long periods of time.
• When sitting, put your knees about an inch higher than your hips to help reduce the strain on your lower and upper back muscles.
Reference: The Complete Handbook of Health Tips
Posture comes from the Latin word ponere, meaning to place. It’s defined as “the position of the body; way of holding the body.” The important thing to realize about postural problems is that over the years they can lessen your quality of life to some extent—and, if ignored, are likely to worsen as you age.
Whatever postural problem may exist, it affects more of your body than you may realize. Since all your soft tissue is inter-connected (your muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue, etc.), a problem in one area of your body can (and in time, probably will) affect the area next to it. For instance, the muscles on one side of your lower back can tighten, causing your body to adjust by twisting slightly. This can begin to affect your upper back/shoulder area and/or your hip area as your body tries to compensate for this new position brought about by your tense lower back.
In his book The Owner’s Guide to the Body, Roger Golten describes “average” posture: “Slouching, paunchiness, round-shoulders, flat feet, backache, neck and shoulder tension are symptoms of ‘averageness’, and a structure in collapse.”
It’s easier to observe “poor” posture in others because we are unlikely to be aware of our own habitual body positions. When you see someone bent over with severely rounded shoulders or with one shoulder higher than the other, you are probably observing a condition that has developed over the years. True, postural problems can be hereditary or disease-related, but often they are habitual in nature.
Identifying the factors that contribute to these postural imbalances can help you see which areas need to be addressed and changed. Be aware of occupational influences, such as how you sit at work, and how you hold your body during recreational activities or during sleep.
Other influences to consider include tight clothing and certain types of footwear, as well as furniture that doesn’t properly support the back.
If you think of your body as a structure with your feet as the foundation, your legs as the main weight-bearing framework, etc., you can get a better idea how important your posture is. A building that loses its stability begins to shift, the walls show the stress through cracking, and in time the dwelling becomes uninhabitable. When it comes to a body out of structural balance, those complaints in the back, neck and shoulder area might actually come from an earlier imbalance in the feet, legs, or hips.
Now for the good news. When you get a full body massage, one of the many benefits you receive is having “the whole you” worked on. By relaxing tension from head to toe, the many interconnected areas of your body have the opportunity to return to a more normal condition. Much emphasis today in the natural health field is on treating the whole person, and this is one area where massage shines.
Regular massage sessions can help you to maintain the structural gains you receive by helping to keep your body “tuned up” physically. So be sure to make your massages a priority!
Some hints to help you avoid back trouble
• Prior to physical activity, spend a few minutes warming up (stretching, etc.)
• Select comfortable footwear. The higher the heel, the greater threat of back pain
• Remember to keep your back straight and bend your knees when lifting. You should let your leg muscles do most of the work and hold the object you’re lifting close to your body.
• Pushing a large object is preferable—it puts less strain on your lower back than pulling.
• When carrying anything on your shoulder, be sure to switch the weight to the other shoulder occasionally—let your shoulders share the load.
• Avoid sitting or standing in one position for long periods of time.
• When sitting, put your knees about an inch higher than your hips to help reduce the strain on your lower and upper back muscles.
Reference: The Complete Handbook of Health Tips
Friday, July 2, 2010
What Makes Muscles Ache?
With your body having more than 600 muscles that comprise about 40% of your body weight (closer to 30% for women), it’s no wonder you feel the effects of exertion and exercise. You can appreciate why it makes good sense to properly care for your muscles.
When muscle aches are experienced during strenuous exercise (that “burning” sensation), you’re feeling the effects of lactic acid—the substance formed as a result of the incomplete breakdown of sugar by the muscle. When a build-up occurs, it’s best to continue your efforts at a lighter level; it will enable your body to use up the lactic acid faster than if you cease all activity.
Feeling sore and achy a day or two after your workout has a different cause. The soreness comes from your muscle fibers in the exercised area getting slightly strained or torn. If you get too active too quickly, this overexertion can exacerbate the situation.
Also, the capillaries to the area diminish from lack of use and need to redevelop in order to properly supply the muscles with the blood necessary to facilitate this new growth. The tricky part is that the new muscle fiber is capable of growing more rapidly than is the needed blood supply to the area.
The solution to either of these problems is to use moderation in all your physical activities and allow your body time to build strength and stamina gradually. A little soreness when you increase your muscle usage is to be expected, but anything greater indicates you’ve been overdoing it, so slow your pace.
A regular physical workout, when done properly, is a great asset to building your overall health. Your efforts do more than tone your muscles; all your systems benefit from your actions.
For best results, give your muscles time
to repair and regenerate between sessions of strenuous physical activity. A day or two for the exercised area to “catch its breath” and prepare for the next round makes quite a difference.
Massage sessions can help your recovery time. For instance, through the light squeeze and release of muscles, circulation is improved. This increased blood flow brings nutrients like oxygen to your cells and carries toxins away for disposal. Muscle elasticity and function can be improved, as well.
If you want more information on exercise, warm-ups, stretching, or other related areas of health, please let me know at your next session. I’d be glad to share any information I have to help you.
When muscle aches are experienced during strenuous exercise (that “burning” sensation), you’re feeling the effects of lactic acid—the substance formed as a result of the incomplete breakdown of sugar by the muscle. When a build-up occurs, it’s best to continue your efforts at a lighter level; it will enable your body to use up the lactic acid faster than if you cease all activity.
Feeling sore and achy a day or two after your workout has a different cause. The soreness comes from your muscle fibers in the exercised area getting slightly strained or torn. If you get too active too quickly, this overexertion can exacerbate the situation.
Also, the capillaries to the area diminish from lack of use and need to redevelop in order to properly supply the muscles with the blood necessary to facilitate this new growth. The tricky part is that the new muscle fiber is capable of growing more rapidly than is the needed blood supply to the area.
The solution to either of these problems is to use moderation in all your physical activities and allow your body time to build strength and stamina gradually. A little soreness when you increase your muscle usage is to be expected, but anything greater indicates you’ve been overdoing it, so slow your pace.
A regular physical workout, when done properly, is a great asset to building your overall health. Your efforts do more than tone your muscles; all your systems benefit from your actions.
For best results, give your muscles time
to repair and regenerate between sessions of strenuous physical activity. A day or two for the exercised area to “catch its breath” and prepare for the next round makes quite a difference.
Massage sessions can help your recovery time. For instance, through the light squeeze and release of muscles, circulation is improved. This increased blood flow brings nutrients like oxygen to your cells and carries toxins away for disposal. Muscle elasticity and function can be improved, as well.
If you want more information on exercise, warm-ups, stretching, or other related areas of health, please let me know at your next session. I’d be glad to share any information I have to help you.
More Motion Equals Improved Health
Exercise and massage have one important element in common: they both get your body in motion. And as a general rule, more motion means improved health.
Much of the media coverage on exercise seems to focus on looking better and losing weight. These are great goals, but apparently not good enough to inspire most people to exercise regularly. More important results of being active are those that occur unseen, deep within your body.
Why is movement critical to proper health? Just consider the inner workings of your body. Like a sprawling city, you’re composed of trillions of cells that all require and generate energy. When your lifestyle includes lots of physical movement, it’s similar to a well-designed city’s traffic flow—the energy of the city is kept in motion, with everybody able to get to work on time. Deliveries of life-enhancing products get to where they need to be, renovations on older structures get completed on schedule, and the industrial waste is efficiently removed. And like a well-tuned machine, we only notice how the system is working when we get stuck in traffic.
All of these internal activities require a constant state of motion. Even while you sleep your body is hard at work, making repairs and preparing for the coming day.
So what does massage have to do with all this? The truth is that most of us don’t make the commitment to use our bodies the way they were designed to be used. Massage is a great way to put a little motion in your life without even breaking a sweat! While you relax and unwind, your body enjoys the benefits of the countless internal motions brought about by the bodywork strokes.
In Dean Juhan’s book, Job’s Body, he says, “Every part of us is continually undergoing dynamic changes, from liquid ... states to solid gel states and back again as we grow, move, learn, and age, and no single part ever changes its state without sending reverberations out to all the other parts.”
Since massage sessions are full-body treatments, you get the benefit of contributing life-enhancing motion from head to toe—without lifting a finger!
Much of the media coverage on exercise seems to focus on looking better and losing weight. These are great goals, but apparently not good enough to inspire most people to exercise regularly. More important results of being active are those that occur unseen, deep within your body.
Why is movement critical to proper health? Just consider the inner workings of your body. Like a sprawling city, you’re composed of trillions of cells that all require and generate energy. When your lifestyle includes lots of physical movement, it’s similar to a well-designed city’s traffic flow—the energy of the city is kept in motion, with everybody able to get to work on time. Deliveries of life-enhancing products get to where they need to be, renovations on older structures get completed on schedule, and the industrial waste is efficiently removed. And like a well-tuned machine, we only notice how the system is working when we get stuck in traffic.
All of these internal activities require a constant state of motion. Even while you sleep your body is hard at work, making repairs and preparing for the coming day.
So what does massage have to do with all this? The truth is that most of us don’t make the commitment to use our bodies the way they were designed to be used. Massage is a great way to put a little motion in your life without even breaking a sweat! While you relax and unwind, your body enjoys the benefits of the countless internal motions brought about by the bodywork strokes.
In Dean Juhan’s book, Job’s Body, he says, “Every part of us is continually undergoing dynamic changes, from liquid ... states to solid gel states and back again as we grow, move, learn, and age, and no single part ever changes its state without sending reverberations out to all the other parts.”
Since massage sessions are full-body treatments, you get the benefit of contributing life-enhancing motion from head to toe—without lifting a finger!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Reflexology: Treatment of Whiplash and Neck Injuries
After reading the following article, think about the use of Reflexology in your recovery plan, when being treated for Whiplash neck or any upper back or shoulder problem. You will be pleasingly surprised at how much better you will feel.
Whiplash creates the same effect is if you had experienced a direct physical blow to the neck: on a x-ray, this usually shows between C4 and C5, or as a direct blow to the Sacrum, which settles on the lower part of the sacra-illiac and L5/S1.
The torsion from one end can easily adapt and travel to the other end of the spine, creating compression between bones of the skull or the face leading indirectly to depression or any other related symptoms or dysfunction of the cranial nerves.
The Reflexology modality of Cranio-Sacral Reflexology produces excellent results in endogenous depression. This is the depression for no reason, making things seem to be just totally futile. You just find yourself down in the dumps, there are no manic mood swings, just down.
With this type of depression, it has been found that there is compression located in three places: the sacrum, in T4 and the base of the skull and SBS. This has been so consistent in Whiplash that it has been named the Compression/Depression Triad.
Cranio-Sacral system is a ‘core’ system that control mechanisms if body, mind, emotion and spirit all join together. This explains just why whiplash can effect the Mental, Emotional and Physical human being.
Whiplash Traumatic Origin
Auto accidents are not the only times when whiplash can occur. Whiplash can happen with a great shock, a fall, a sudden break or a blow. Even if you have forgotten the incident, the fascia records a memory of it within itself.
Whiplash of Emotional Origin
Emotion brought about by fear, arguments, and disagreeable thoughts stimulate the cortex, and consequently create agitation in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. Under the command of the two glands, the adrenals flood the system with both adrenaline and corticoids.
Other Causes of Whiplash
Some of the other causes of Whiplash can include vaccinations, epidural anesthesia, x-rays, viral infections like flu and meningitis, watch batteries, mercury fillings, some heavy jewelery. All of this will disturb the PRM (Primary Respiratory Movement).
Dr Sutherland urges that, ‘the technical procedure that is advocated here is anatomically sound, and has something to offer’. (Positive Health magazine Issue 167 –February 2010)
A Reflexology Session for treatment of the neck
The reflex areas are the neck, chronic neck and cervical reflexes. The adrenal glands are worked for inflammation; along with the brain as the spinal accessory nerve will help. It is also good to work all auxiliary areas. SI-1 meridian is found to be a major point for problems in the neck. Bladder (B-65) and (B-66) meridian points are good to work for neck problems. Gall Bladder meridian point (GB-41) is good for pain relief. Working ALL the neck points; also cervical and clavicle points aid in giving instant relief. Also working the Apex of the ear for anti-inflammatory properties, gives a strong analgesic effect. Adrenal glands reflex points will also aid in swift pain release. Bladder reflex point (BL-10) on the posterior aspect of the head helps relieve the stiff neck that goes along with neck injuries also. {Reflexology – The Definitive Practitioner’s Manual, Beryl Crane published 1997)
Reflexology can be worked into any of your traditional treatments plans. After the first session most clients feel the difference.
Whiplash creates the same effect is if you had experienced a direct physical blow to the neck: on a x-ray, this usually shows between C4 and C5, or as a direct blow to the Sacrum, which settles on the lower part of the sacra-illiac and L5/S1.
The torsion from one end can easily adapt and travel to the other end of the spine, creating compression between bones of the skull or the face leading indirectly to depression or any other related symptoms or dysfunction of the cranial nerves.
The Reflexology modality of Cranio-Sacral Reflexology produces excellent results in endogenous depression. This is the depression for no reason, making things seem to be just totally futile. You just find yourself down in the dumps, there are no manic mood swings, just down.
With this type of depression, it has been found that there is compression located in three places: the sacrum, in T4 and the base of the skull and SBS. This has been so consistent in Whiplash that it has been named the Compression/Depression Triad.
Cranio-Sacral system is a ‘core’ system that control mechanisms if body, mind, emotion and spirit all join together. This explains just why whiplash can effect the Mental, Emotional and Physical human being.
Whiplash Traumatic Origin
Auto accidents are not the only times when whiplash can occur. Whiplash can happen with a great shock, a fall, a sudden break or a blow. Even if you have forgotten the incident, the fascia records a memory of it within itself.
Whiplash of Emotional Origin
Emotion brought about by fear, arguments, and disagreeable thoughts stimulate the cortex, and consequently create agitation in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. Under the command of the two glands, the adrenals flood the system with both adrenaline and corticoids.
Other Causes of Whiplash
Some of the other causes of Whiplash can include vaccinations, epidural anesthesia, x-rays, viral infections like flu and meningitis, watch batteries, mercury fillings, some heavy jewelery. All of this will disturb the PRM (Primary Respiratory Movement).
Dr Sutherland urges that, ‘the technical procedure that is advocated here is anatomically sound, and has something to offer’. (Positive Health magazine Issue 167 –February 2010)
A Reflexology Session for treatment of the neck
The reflex areas are the neck, chronic neck and cervical reflexes. The adrenal glands are worked for inflammation; along with the brain as the spinal accessory nerve will help. It is also good to work all auxiliary areas. SI-1 meridian is found to be a major point for problems in the neck. Bladder (B-65) and (B-66) meridian points are good to work for neck problems. Gall Bladder meridian point (GB-41) is good for pain relief. Working ALL the neck points; also cervical and clavicle points aid in giving instant relief. Also working the Apex of the ear for anti-inflammatory properties, gives a strong analgesic effect. Adrenal glands reflex points will also aid in swift pain release. Bladder reflex point (BL-10) on the posterior aspect of the head helps relieve the stiff neck that goes along with neck injuries also. {Reflexology – The Definitive Practitioner’s Manual, Beryl Crane published 1997)
Reflexology can be worked into any of your traditional treatments plans. After the first session most clients feel the difference.
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