Taking care of your health often requires doing things you don’t necessarily like to do. Such things as strict adherence to a healthy diet can feel like denying yourself. And an exercise regimen can seem like a chore or an obligation. However, another approach to wellbeing is to be proactive, in other words actively seeking out additional practices or therapies that you will actually look forward to. In a previous newsletter I’ve talked about the benefits of practicing yoga. In this issue I’m strongly encouraging you to also consider therapeutic massage as another path to wellness.
MASSAGE MASSAGE MASSAGE.
So, why massage?
Under the hands of a professional practitioner (don’t even consider going to an amateur), your body will likely feel better—during and especially after—a message session. All that is good for starters, but can massage actually help you live longer? Well, I believe it can.
There are myriad ways the body can heal itself from injury, stress, and toxins. The body is remarkable in its capabilities. Look at massage as another way to approach this kind of healing. What a good masseuse does is work with the connective tissue around the bones to open up the pathways—as it were— in the body. Research has found that massage is an effective treatment for an array of conditions:
- rheumatoid arthritis
- osteoarthritis
- muscular dystrophy
- Raynaud’s Disease
- gout
- diabetes
- hypertension and congestive heart failure
And it can also reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
Does this sound mysterious? It isn’t, really, and here’s why: a skilled practitioner understands how the body works—its anatomy and physiology. He or she then adapts their skills to the body in front of them on the table. As the massage progresses, the spinal cord sends out more impulses and information and increased blood flow removes toxins from the body. And for women, massage can balance hormone levels. This is a really big deal.
Denise’s
2 Cents:
As we all find our way “back” from Covid…there is a slow new perspective developing on self care out there. Our skin is the body’s largest organ and highly sensitive to touch.
In most of the world, massage with a gifted practitioner is held in high regard as therapy. And yet, In the U.S. massage tended to be last on the list of “to do”. However, kind touch shouldn’t be underestimated; it’s now commonly recognized that knowledgeable therapeutic touch offers multiple health rewards and benefits.
Massage not in the budget? Spend some time before your morning shower putting oil (safflower), on your skin. Or on your feet with socks before sleep.