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Issue 184 - 5/9/05
MASSAGE MAY BE THE ANSWER! Does this sound like you? You’re job has you stressed out. Your shoulders are like rocks. You feel so jumpy you could crawl out of your own skin. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone could smooth away your tension with the touch of his or her hands? Someone probably can. Research shows that the simple kneading and stroking of a good massage can make a big difference in your mental and physical health. Just one session can reduce stress and help you get a good night’s sleep. Regular sessions may ease chronic pain, speed recovery from many sports injuries, make your muscles more supple, and improve concentration. Medically speaking... Researchers believe that massage works in at least three ways. For starters, all that kneading and stroking allows your muscles to relax, which sends a message to your brain to produce fewer stress hormones; it also improves blood flow to the brain. The combination, studies show, results in a feeling of relaxed alertness. Massage may ease chronic pain as well, perhaps, researchers speculate, by triggering the release of enkephalins, the body’s natural painkillers. Massage isn’t just for adults, either. A groundbreaking study showed that when trained parents gave their hospitalized, premature babies a firm, 15-minute massage three times a day, the babies gained weight more quickly and went home earlier than unrubbed preemies. Massage is generally quite safe, but be sure you let your therapist know if there are any areas of your body that are especially tense or tender. It’s also a good idea to talk to your doctor about medical conditions that might rule out a massage, including high blood pressure (a massage can briefly cause your blood pressure to rise) and a history of blood clots. What to expect. At the start of a massage your therapist will brief you on what to expect, ask about any particular problems you’re having and discuss the type of massage you’d prefer. Then she will leave the room for a few minutes so you can undress to your level of comfort. Next, you’ll lie face up on the massage table underneath the sheets. After a few minutes, the therapist will knock on the door to see if you’re ready. Your massage therapists will use a premium oil or lotion to reduce the friction between your skin and their hands. They will also play soft music and turn down the lights or burn candles to help you relax if you wish. You will also get to choose which Aromatherapy scent you’d like. During the massage itself, don’t be afraid to speak up if your therapist is using too much or too little pressure. It’s her job to relax you completely. At the end of the session, the therapist will leave the room so you can get dressed. It’s recommended that you use the restroom before your massage and drink plenty of water afterwards. A nice hot bath and a nap is the perfect way to top off a massage. Issue 185 - 5/16/05
STRESSED OUT? Life, life, life. It’s apt to change. It certainly doesn’t turn out as planned or even expected. More often than not the things that tend to surface are things that cause us stress and anxiety. We get stuck in an endless routine of stress and anxiety, and we pay for it. We pay dearly with our health, our attitude and our relationships with our loved ones. And why? Because we choose to just go with it. Don’t! Change it, make it work for you, enjoy it! It’s possible, and better yet, easy! You just have to remember to take time for yourself. Attitude - “We cannot change the past…or that people will act in a certain way …or the inevitable…the one thing we can do is play the string we’ve been given, which is attitude. I’m convinced that life is 10% what happens to us, and 90% how we react to it.” –Charles Swindol. By adjusting our attitude, and not focusing on the negative, but accentuating the positive, we can make a profound change in our lives, once we’ve cut the negativity out of our lives via our attitude. We can also make it work for us in our work & leisure times. Here are some quick and easy, down to earth tips to create a better, stress free life (compliments of Dr. Joy Miller). Work:
Leisure:
Remember, you can make changes in your life if you change your perception and take steps to lower your stressors. Issue 186 - 5/23/05
THE BEST FOODS FOR YOUR SKIN AND BODY Part 1
Issue 187 - 5/30/05
THE BEST FOODS FOR YOUR SKIN AND BODY Part 2 Ok, here we go. The top 10 list of Anti-Oxidant Foods (which we all know are very good for us and help us fight the free radicals that we’re bombarded with daily), compliments of Dr. Lois Vanderhoof, clinical nutritionist.
Issue 188 - 6/6/05
BEWARE OF ENERGY VAMPIRES Hi everyone! Hope your week is going well. Found this online and just HAD to share it with all of you, enjoy! Beware of Energy Vampires (www.jongordon.com) They lurk in our businesses, our families and our social organizations. They are real. They are everywhere. And they will suck the life out of you if you let them. If you’re like most people, it has happened to you. You were talking to someone and before you knew it, they drained the life right out of you. You looked for fang marks on your neck but they were nowhere to be found. Then you realized Energy Vampires don’t have fangs. They have other means to suck your energy. Here are a few: Negative comments ”Did I tell you how much I hate my life and work? Did I tell you what so and so did to me? Did I tell you how my life stinks? Did I tell you why nothing goes right?” Dream snatching ”You can’t do that. How are you going to do that? Are you living in fantasyland? Get back to the real world. You should do this instead.” Shrinking devices ”What is wrong with you? Can you do anything right? You are the worst. I hate working with you.” In other situations the words may be less harsh but the result ends up being the same. Once an Energy Vampire starts sucking it is difficult to break free. Don’t let this happen. Instead be prepared to neutralize an Energy Vampire from the beginning. You don’t need a stake or garlic. Here Confront and Reform Tell your Energy Vampire (EV) that he or she is being negative. They may not even realize it. Ask for support, positive feedback and encouragement from them. If your EV is a colleague, family member or friend, perhaps you can reform them into an Energy Addict. Show them how to spread positive energy. If they just don’t see it or refuse to do it then you may have to give an ultimatum. You might say, “This is my goal. This is where I am going and if you’re going to be negative then I can’t be around you. Turn on the Light When you were a child and scared of the dark you turned on the light and felt better. Negative energy is like darkness. When you encounter an Energy Vampire, turn on the light. When an EV comes at you with fear, negativity, hate and anger turn on the light and respond with love, kindness, and positive energy. Negative energy is powerless in the light. Think about what happens when someone gets mad and yells at you. If you don’t yell back they lose momentum and power. If you return with kindness they lose even more power. On the other hand, if you yell back at them then the negative energy grows and grows. Run Run as far and as fast as you can. This sometimes is the best technique if you are not close with the EV. You only have so much energy and in today’s world you need to keep all you have. If, for example, you are in the grocery store and you see someone who drains your energy then run away fast. Really fast. May your day be filled with boundless energy. Issue 189 - 6/13/05
HOW TO IMMEDIATELY ENHANCE YOUR BODY AND YOUR WELL BEING Part 1 of 2 Since the time that any of us can spend in a spa is brief, selfcare at home takes on great importance. The spa tradition offers us many powerful resources for healing, but its true power is realized only when you take an active role. Rituals of selfcare, even brief ones, relieve stress and help to restore balance to Mind and Body. In addition, you can greatly enhance the tone and texture of your skin by following some of these simple tips. GET ADEQUATE SLEEP AND MAINTAIN A REGULAR SLEEPING/WAKING SCHEDULE. The optimum time to retire is 10:0010:30 P.M.; waking at 6-6:30 A.M. will ensure that you take advantage of natural energy cycles. Control disruptions to sleep, like pets and getting up to use the bathroom. TAKE MEALS AT REGULAR INTERVALS. Your body thrives on routine. Don’t wait until you’re starving before you eat. Delaying lunch until 2 P.M. because you’re too busy will mean weak digestion. Don’t eat dinner within 2 hours of bedtime, or drink water within 90 minutes of retiring. DON’T OVER-EXERCISE. New studies confirm the ancient Eastern belief that excessive exercise actually prematurely ages the body— literally wearing it out. Integrate moderate exercise into your daily routine. Be sure to include some form of stretching. Yoga Therapy is known to increase strength and flexibility, improve physical and mental health, and reduce the effects of stress and aging. MEDITATE. Sooner or later, you need to learn to meditate! Meditation takes only 1520 minutes per day—or less, if you’re truly pressed for time. It’s easy to integrate into your morning routine, along with some stretches. If you fi nd that you can’t concentrate and lack focus during your workday, meditation will help to quiet your mind. Part 2 of 2 next week... Issue 190 - 6/20/05
HOW TO IMMEDIATELY ENHANCE YOUR BODY AND YOUR WELL BEING Part 2 of 2 PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM THE SUN. The only thing more aging to the skin than sun is cigarette smoke. Ninety percent of the aging your skin experiences is the direct result of your sun exposure history. You may not even consider yourself a sun worshipper, but most of the damage we accumulate is as a result of everyday activities like walking to the mailbox or driving (car windows do nothing to block UV rays!) Use sunblock on exposed skin every day—not just when it’s sunny. Apply sunscreen 30-40 minutes before exposure, to allow the active ingredients to begin working. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. Your skin needs lots of water to function properly as an excretory organ. Massage brings nutrition and oxygen to all of your muscles and organs. At the same time, it encourages the release of stored toxins in the system, so it’s very important to fl ush your body clean by drinking lots of water after your massage. Avoid dehydrating beverages like diet sodas, coffee, black tea and alcohol. Sip small amounts (3-4 ounces) at a time—don’t gulp the proverbial “Eight 8-ounce glasses.” Demineralized skin can’t truly benefi t from the water you drink, so you may want to take a calcium/ magnesium supplement daily. Once mineral salts are restored, you’ll notice a difference. TAKE WARM– NOT HOT BATHS AND SHOWERS. It may feel good, but hot water is a prime cause of dehydration and fl aky skin. Use warm water in your bath and shower, and use a body wash rather than soap which can be drying. Apply body lotion while skin is still damp to lock in moisture. RELAX, PRACTICE BALNEOTHERAPY. Take advantage of the greatest stress reduction tool in your home care arsenal: the bathtub. Bath therapy (also known as balneotherapy or bath cures) has incredibly powerful results. Set aside fi fteen minutes and fi ll a tub with warm (not hot!) water. Light a candle or two, play some relaxing music, and add 5-6 drops of a favorite essential oil blend to the water. Slip in, close your eyes and let the stress of the day drain from your body. You will be amazed at what a difference this ritual can make in your overall state of mind. DESTRESS (quick list). Take time to unwind, turn off the tv, go outside, take some time with friends or exercise, eat better, take a real vacation or get a pet, de-junk your home and make it (or any chore) fun, just remember to do less. TREAT YOURSELF, MAKE A SPA TREATMENT PART OF YOUR ROUTINE. At whatever interval is comfortable for you. The remarkable benefi ts of touch therapy have been the subject of much recent research—but you may already know how great spa treatments make you feel. Try a variety of treatments to experience different benefi ts and approaches. Be aware of seasonal changes in your skin, body and mental outlook, and choose treatments that address those concerns. Issue 191 - 6/27/05
SEEKING PAIN RELIEF IN THE WRONG PLACES? Part 1 of 2 A recent survey conducted by ABC News, USA Today, and Stanford University Medical Center polled a random sample of 1,204 U.S. adults about their experienes with pain, and the results are startling. Questions inquired about, among other things, the prevalence and primary location of pain; the impact of pain on daily life/activities; and what attempts had been made to alleviate the pain. Type, Frequency and Severity of Pain:
Location of Pain: The Back Still Tops the List. Not surprisingly, those surveyed named “the back” as their primary source of pain. Other answers to the question, “Where does it hurt?” included the knee, head, shoulder and leg. Next Week: Part 2 Issue 192 - 7/4/05 PAIN REMEDIES: DRUGS AND PRAYER RANK HIGHEST Part 2 of 2
Effectiveness of Pain Remedies Tried None of the five most popularly utilized pain-relief measures (OTC drugs, home remedies, prescription drugs, prayer and bed rest) achieved more than a 51% success rate in terms of effectiveness. Only 34% said OTC drugs worked “very well,” and only 51% said prescription drugs did the same. This survey results are telling. Obviously, a great number of people suffer from acute, chronic and recurrent pain. Despite this, many pain sufferers do not consult a health care professional, and when they do, it is usually not a massage therapist -- even though massage therapy has been proven to relieve back pain. Use of medications is rampant among Americans in pain, but resulting pain relief is relatively low. The survey doesn’t mention the dangerous side-effects associated with many OTC and prescription medications, which may actually increase pain, rather than relieve it. This survey presents another opportunity for massage therapists to educate the public about the benefi ts of massage therapy and bodywork in managing pain. Clearly, Americans need long-term pain relief. |
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