Welcome to the September 2009 newsletter! Are you ready for the busy months leading up to the end-of-year holiday season? It seems once summer ends, the pace of life can really pick up all around us. When things grow hectic, it’s a good time to step back and reevaluate your schedule. Be sure to make your health and well-being a high priority; it will help you keep up with all those demands on your time!

Think you’ve got enough to do now? Imagine for a moment if you had to monitor all of your body’s functions and regulate their performance all day long. [See “BODY TALK” below.] Fortunately, your body takes care of most all of those many tasks for you.

You can help your body to do all those daily tasks better by providing it with some support—good nutrition; plenty of water; adequate rest and exercise; and of course, your regular massages. What else can provide your body with so many health benefits in an hour or so ... and leave you feeling great in the process!

Your massage sessions are a smart investment in your health and in your future. Enjoy the rest of this issue; see you soon!

Who do you know that is stressed out and really needs to relax?
Give them a helping hand with a massage gift certificate!
Call today to order ...

Review Shows Benefits of Massage in Low Back Pain

Massage found superior to relaxation, physical therapy and mobilization...

Below is an article found online, reporting on several studies that reveal the effectiveness of massage in handling cases of low back pain, offering more proof of the health value of massage.

Massage may offer long-lasting benefits in individuals with *subacute or chronic nonspecific low back pain, according to research published in the July 15 issue of Spine.

Andrea D. Furlan, M.D., of the Institute for Work & Health in Toronto, and colleagues analyzed data from a review of 13 randomized trials that assessed the use of massage using hands or a mechanical device for nonspecific low back pain.

The researchers found that in two studies comparing massage to sham treatment, massage was better for pain relief and function at short-term and long-term follow-up. In eight studies comparing massage to active treatments, massage was superior to relaxation therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture, self-care education and joint mobilization, but was similar to exercise. The benefits of massage persisted for at least a year after treatment ended. ...

"Massage is beneficial for patients with subacute and chronic nonspecific low back pain in terms of improving symptoms and function. Massage therapy ... may save money in health care provider visits, pain medications, and costs of back care services. The effects of massage are improved if combined with exercise and education. The beneficial effects of massage in patients with chronic low back pain are long lasting (at least one year after end of sessions)," the authors conclude.     

Source: www.modernmedicine.com

Subacute: Rather recent onset or somewhat rapid change. The term “subacute” is used in contrast to “acute” which means very sudden onset or rapid change and “chronic” which means indefinite duration or virtually no change. Subacute is used to designate the mid-ground between acute and chronic.

BODY TALK: The average person’s body holds 1.3 gallons of blood. There’s more than a milk jug full of fluid coursing through your veins, where it functions somewhat like a courier service. Blood is responsible for both delivering the things your body desperately needs—like oxygen—and carting off the things it desperately needs to throw out, like the toxic wastes that end up being filtered out of the body by the kidneys. And it does all of this very, very fast. The heart, the organ responsible for getting all that blood to move around, pumps as much blood as is in the body every minute; when you’re sitting still, that is. Up your activity level and your heart can end up pumping more than five gallons of blood per minute.

Source: www.health.msn.com

Massage can help all your body’s systems to function more optimally. With blood vessels running throughout virtually every inch of your body, a full-body massage can assist in bringing vital nutrients to every cell in your body and in removing cellular waste. 

Happiness Grows …

Here’s another good reason to take good care of yourself: Recent studies indicate that people tend to be happier as they grow older.

Speaking at a recent conference in Toronto, Susan Turk Charles, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, said that several studies on aging and mental health indicate that happiness and emotional well-being improve with time.

Charles added that “we know that older people are increasingly aware that the time they have left in life is growing shorter. They want to make the best of it so they avoid engaging in situations that will make them unhappy. They have also had more time to learn and understand the intentions of others, which helps them to avoid these stressful situations.”

Another speaker at the Toronto conference, Laura Carstensen, a professor at Stanford University, noted that “social relationships—or lack of them—influence how older people respond to stress.” Carstensen cited a Swedish study that concluded that people with strong social connections were less likely to suffer cognitive impairment than others. To make the most of the coming years, Carstensen offered these tips:

• Think of ways to enjoy the time ahead and try to imagine living 100, healthy, happy years.

• Provide daily routines that reinforce your goals, both in your home and in your social life.

• Develop new activities and relationships, and don’t invest all of your emotional energy in a job or a single relationship.

Source: www.healthday.com

Boost your happiness with regular massage, which has been shown to improve the body’s chemical balance, which in turn can reduce stress and enhance your mental outlook.

“Laughter is an instant vacation!”
— Milton Berle

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.