Welcome to the April 2009 newsletter! Springtime is such a great time of year—a wonderful time of new growth and renewal! It’s also the time so many of us increase our physical activity and wind up with an aching, sore body. If you find yourself in this condition, be sure to call and schedule a massage, so we can help you to feel better.

Spring can also be a good time to do a little personal “spring cleaning” for your body. Two beneficial ways to get things moving throughout your body’s systems are to get some exercise and to get a massage. Both can help flush out toxins and wastes at a cellular level and help your body to function and feel better.

We want to thank you for allowing us to help you de-stress and rejuvenate through our bodywork services. It’s a great feeling for us to see you let go of tension and stress and to leave a massage session looking healthier and more relaxed.

Enjoy the rest of this issue, which we hope will inspire you to continue to take good care of yourself. We’ll see you soon!

It won’t be long until Mother’s Day is here. 
Make Mom’s day truly special this year with
a massage gift certificate!  Call to order ...

Massage: A Multitasking Marvel

One benefit of massage is that each session can deliver multiple health rewards to you. In her article, “Massage: Your Key to Health” in a recent issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine, author Laurie Chance Smith shares the following:

“[T]he healing power of touch, for both body and mind, has been recognized for millennia. ... Greek healer Hippocrates, often touted as the father of medicine, suggested that physicians become adept at ‘rubbing’ their patients to increase health. ...

“Larry Costa, author of Massage: Mind and Body writes that massage has many ‘physical and mental benefits, including ... relieving muscle soreness, increasing flexibility, easing chronic pain, reducing tension headaches, boosting the immune system, promoting restful sleep, and improving concentration.’ ... By encouraging blood flow through the veins, massage benefits the entire body. The calming effects of massage on the nervous system often produce a sense of serenity and well-being. ...

“From easing arthritis and asthma to improving digestion, the benefits of massage therapy run the gamut. Massage helps relieve daily stressors and eases recovery from many serious illnesses. ...

“The positive physiological and psychological effects of massage were demonstrated in a recent study of patients undergoing care for cancer. When given massage, study participants at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston exhibited increased relaxation, better sleep, and improved immune function, along with relief from fatigue, pain, anxiety, and nausea. ...

“In the Indian healing system of ayurveda, massage is considered a form of whole body exercise that increases stamina and energy, while simultaneously delivering an inexpressible quality of stillness and joy—a time to be present. Massage realigns the entire body, promotes deeper and more natural breathing patterns, and helps restore individual resources of vital energy. ...

“Regular massage is a gift to yourself. Through the power of structured, healing touch, massage helps the body run smoothly, like keeping a musical instrument in perfect tune. Massage rejuvenates the body from the outside in, with side benefits that include improved complexion, better posture, and a relaxed disposition on life.”

What else offers you so many health benefits in one relaxing package? Be sure to make your well-being a priority and schedule your next massage soon!  

How do massages relieve aching and sore muscles?

As the weather turns nicer, you’re more likely to increase your physical activity. This time of year, many people end up with overworked, sore muscles. The following information gives you an overview of why massage is the ideal solution to your aching, sore body:

“There are many physical (physiological) changes that occur when we receive massage. Some of it is very well studied and understood scientifically, and the rest is not well understood by Western science and can only be attributed to more subtle factors that affect the human body.

“The simplest answer is that muscles accumulate metabolic toxins, which are left over bits of chemicals that were used to make the muscles work, but now are no longer needed. An analogy would be that every once in a while you have to clean your house, vacuum the carpet, and take out the garbage. Our bodies need to do this with the chemicals we use every day to move around, digest food, breathe, etc. Sometimes, when we are under stress, our bodies have so much work to do that we have less time and energy to get rid of our toxic 'garbage' of leftover chemicals. A massage helps by manipulating the tissues to loosen them up and then help move the blood and lymph so we can eliminate the toxic chemicals from our bodies through our excretory system.”         — ( Source: http://wiki.answers.com)

Avoiding colds —

“There’s still no cure for the common cold. But there is one very simple way to keep yourself from catching one: Get at least seven hours of quality sleep every night. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University purposely exposed 153 people to a cold virus, then waited to see if they’d get sick. They found that when a study subject slept less than seven hours a night, he or she was three times more likely to fall ill from the virus. If the subject was getting low-quality sleep, waking up many times over the course of a night, that subject was five times more likely to get sick. This study isn’t just about colds, says Dr. David Katz of Yale University. It’s a wake-up call for all those who shortchange themselves on sleep, which keeps the immune system in tip-top shape. ‘Time invested in sleep, ’ he says, ‘will almost certainly be paid back in dividends of better health—fewer colds and greater productivity.’ ”        — The Week, Vol. 9 Iss. 397

With studies confirming that massage can help people to sleep better, here’s one more thing to appreciate about your regular massages!

Worry is a misuse of imagination.      
— Dan Zadra

The content of this letter is not intended to replace professional medical advice.
If you’re ill, please consult a physician.
© 2009 Massage Marketing.   Used with permission; all rights reserved.