Therapeutic Massage by Lucy --Newsletter--Winter 2011-12

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Massage MultipliedBenefits of Massage Improve with FrequencyKarrie Osborn

Regularly scheduled massage has proven a powerful ally in health and wellness.

"It's not whatyou look atthat matters,it's what yousee."-Henry D. Thoreau

Office Hours and Contact

Therapeutic Massage by Lucy Lucy Dean, LMT, NMT, MMTwww.massagebylucy.commassagebylucy@verizon.net* 469-231-2911* Call for your appt.Office: Tu-F: 10a-7p; Sat: 10a-4p

In this Issue

Massage MultipliedKeeping Your Back HealthyThe Case for Chocolate

What kind of massage client are you? Doyou make an appointment aftersomeone has given you a massage giftcertificate? Do you try to get in everynow and then for a stress-relievingtune-up? Or do you see your therapistreligiously--once a week, every threeweeks, once a month?

While getting a massage--regardless ofhow often--is incredibly beneficial toyour body and mind, getting frequentmassage treatments is even morepowerful as a healthcare ally.

"People who get massage regularlydemonstrate a reduction in pain andmuscular tension and an improvementin posture," says Anne Williams, author

of Spa Bodywork: A Guide for MassageTherapists (Lippincott Williams andWilkins, 2006).

"People regularly make a commitmentto fitness. People regularly make acommitment to changing their diet. Thedifference they'd experience if theyregularly made a commitment tomassage is mind-blowing," she says.

Stress KillerOne way in which frequent massage canimprove our quality of life is byalleviating stress. Experts say mostdisease is stress-related, and nothingages us faster--inside or out--than theeffects of stress. As stress-relateddiseases continue to claim more livesevery year, the increasingly deadly rolestress plays in modern-day life ispainfully clear.

Massage is a great way to take charge andreverse the situation. Mary Beth Braunand Stephanie Simonson, authors ofIntroduction to Massage Therapy(Lippincott Williams and Wilkins,2007), explain the benefits of massage

therapy in the simplest of terms:"Healing input influences healingoutput." They note that frequentmassage can reduce the accumulation ofstress and improve overall health. "Thebenefits of massage are cumulative," theywrite.

A consistent massage routine helps you manage stress before it causes illness.

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This being the case, it only makes sensethat those aches and pains you see yourmassage therapist for might disappearfaster, stay away longer, or even go awayaltogether with more frequent visits.Stress might never reach thosephysiologically detrimental levels wherethe immune system is suppressed or thenervous system is sent into an alarm stateif you are able to receive stress-relievingbodywork with some consistency. Notonly would your body benefit byregularly unleashing its aches and painsinstead of adapting to them, but yourmind would have time to wash away thestresses of a life lived in overdrive. Bothare critical pieces for living well.

Experts say the body and mind can learnto live more calmly, more efficiently,and more healthfully when frequentmassage shows the way. That makes for ahealthier whole, allowing us to continueto live life at its fullest, even as we dealwith each new stress or challenge.

Preventive MeasuresIn so many ways, massage is preventivehealth care. Yes, it can address injuries,scar tissue, and chronic pain, as well asprovide relief for cancer patients andreduce hospitalization for prematurebabies, among many other valuablebenefits (go to Massagetherapy.com formore information on the myriadbenefits of massage). But when thehealthy, and trying-to-be-healthy,among us seek out massage on a regularbasis, it helps us live a proactivelyhealthier life.

Since bodywork influences every systemin the body, there are enormouspossibilities created by increasing thefrequency in which you address thosesystems. It's best to discuss your sessiongoals with your massage therapist andtogether devise a plan of frequency thatmeets your needs, while taking intoaccount your therapist's best advice.

Body AwarenessAccording to Benny Vaughn, sportsmassage expert and owner of AthleticTherapy Center in Fort Worth, Texas,one of the benefits of consistent andregular massage therapy is betterflexibility. "This happens becauseregular and structured touch stimulusenhances the nervous system's sensoryand spatial processing capacity," he says.

"That is, the person becomes moreaware of their body's movement in spaceand becomes more aware of tightness orpain long before it reaches a criticalpoint of mechanical dysfunction."

Quite simply, frequent massage puts youmore in tune with your body. "Theconsistency of massage therapy over timecreates a cumulative stress reductioneffect," Vaughn says. "The personbecomes acutely aware of stress withintheir body long before it can createstress-driven damage."

He says the consistency of receivingregular massage therapy has the potentialto create a cumulative wellness effect."Ultimately when one feels good, ourwhole being follows suit on all otherlevels--i.e., decision-making is better,processing life events is better, andbeing happy is easier when you are notin pain or feeling 'heavy' or 'tight.'"

Williams says she's certain people's liveswould be changed if they could schedulemassage and bodywork more frequently."I encourage clients to commit togetting massage once a week for a monthand then evaluate the results they get,"she says. "I guarantee they will becomemassage enthusiasts for life."

Massage Can...--Alleviate low-back pain and increaserange of motion.--Create body self-awareness.--Improve muscle tone and stimulatetheir nerve supply.--Improve elasticity of skin andpromote skin rejuvenation.--Improve sleep and calm the mind.--Increase endorphin and seratoninproduction.--Reduce edema, as well as jointinflammation.--Release negative holding patternsfrom previous injuries.

Massage is a great way to beat back pain.

Keeping Your Back HealthyTips to Avoid Lasting Pain

The Case for ChocolateNew Studies Show Health Benefits

Chances are good that, at some point inyour life, you will have back pain. Infact, 70-85 percent of Americans willexperience back pain at some point intheir lives. But even with those odds,there are still several ways to minimizeyour risk and give yourself the bestchance to live pain-free.

Several factors can cause back pain,including stress, poor posture, badergonomics, lack of exercise, arthritis,osteoporosis, a sedentary lifestyle,overexertion, pregnancy, kidney stones,fibromyalgia, excess weight, and more.

With all of these potential causeslurking, it's important to look atbehaviors that can help you prevent andavoid back pain before it starts. Here area few simple healthy back tips from theNational Institute of NeurologicalDisorders and Stroke:

--Stretch and warm tissues beforeexercise or other strenuous activities.--Practice good posture. Avoidslouching when sitting or standing.

--When standing, keep your weightbalanced on both feet.--Follow good ergonomics in theworkplace. When sitting for longperiods of time, rest your feet on a footsupport. Make sure your chair and worksurfaces are at the proper height. Get upand move around in between longsitting stints.--Avoid high-heeled shoes.--Watch your weight. Excess weight,especially around the waist, can putundue stress on lower back muscles.--Exercise. Core strengthening moves,especially, will also benefit your back.--Don't lift items that are heavier thanyou can handle. Remember to lift withyour knees, not your back. Pull in yourstomach muscles, keep your head downand in line with your straight back, anddo not twist when lifting.--Get a massage. Using therapeuticbodywork can melt pain-inducing stressaway from your back and the rest of yourbody.

It's not like we need a specific reason toeat chocolate, but it doesn't hurt thatstudies are finding increasing healthbenefits associated with the popularindulgence. While chocolate is high insugar and saturated fat, it does containchemical compounds with provenbenefits, so enjoy--in moderation--andexpect to reap some of these rewards.

Improved Heart HealthA study in the Archives of InternalMedicine found that women over 70who ate chocolate at least once a weekwere 35 percent less likely to suffer fromheart disease during the survey period.Researchers suspect that the flavonoidsfound in chocolate, which are known toreduce blood pressure, likely improveoverall cardiovascular health.

Reduced Liver StrainThese same flavonoids in dark chocolatethat help decrease blood pressure canalso reduce post-meal abdominal bloodpressure spikes that strain the liver bywidening and relaxing blood cells. ASpanish study of patients with end-stageliver disease showed that dark chocolatehelped reduce some of the risksassociated with conditions like cirrhosis.

Safer PregnancyDark chocolate has been shown to helppregnant women avoid preeclampsia--asignificant complication where bloodpressure spikes to dangerous levels--bynearly 40 percent when consumed fivetimes a week. Dark chocolate is especiallyrich in theobromine, which relaxes

muscles and dilates blood vessels. As anadditional benefit, it also seems toimprove circulation in the placenta.

Increased EnduranceResearch out of the University ofCalifornia, San Diego, demonstratedthat mice given epicatechin, a flavonoidfound in dark chocolate, could run for50 percent longer than those who onlydrank water. The mice also grew newcapillaries and mitochondria in theirmuscles, changes that explain theirenhanced endurance capacity.Unfortunately, perhaps, for chocolatelovers, is that researchers say justone-sixth of 1 ounce of chocolate eachday is the ideal serving size to receive thisbenefit.

"Dare to live thelife you havedreamed foryourself. Goforward andmake yourdreams cometrue."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hello & happy Winter! Now we're in the cold time of year.This makes some people happy & some sad. Your reactionis entirely your choice. The older I get, the faster time goesby, so I have learned to be happy about changes & seasons.Savor every moment of your life, whether a hot or coldseason is upon you, because all seasons have their ownbeauty & memories to keep in your heart. Winter holiday time can often be more active than Summer -especially if it's >100 degrees outside! Since most of ushave all this running around to do - headaches happen &bodies scream loudy. So take care of the soft tissues thatyou live in. Come see me for aches & pains, to calm down &relax, or simply to chill out & get your ears down from yourshoulders. Be nice to yourself. And you might consider givingbodywork sessions as presents. Gift certificates are athoughtful present for anyone & are always available.And don't forget skin care during the cold weather. Peopleoften don't consider that you still have to stay hydrated (drinkwater) & put lotion or moisturizer on your skin (makes youfeel much more comfortable in bulky clothes). Heat being onin all the buildings tends to dry our bodies out, but this isfixable! Try to think 'happy thoughts' & find your smile toshare! Smiles & hugs always, Lucy :-)

Therapeutic Massage by Lucy

Georgetown Office Community17766 Preston Rd. - Dallas, TX 75252