Happy New Year! It’s that time of year when we make a quick pitstop to see if
we’re on the best path in life to take us to our goals.


When you review your goals this New Year and re-evaluate your plans, no doubt
your health will be one of the things you consider. While there are many
elements involved in building and maintaining good health, one thing that seems
to support nearly every aspect of health is regular massage.


Like most things in life, consistency pays noticeable dividends when it comes
to massage and your health. When you are able to commit to a regular schedule
for your massage sessions, over time you should notice several benefits—your
body functions better overall, you have more energy and a pleasant mental
outlook.


As massage has been shown to boost the immune system, you may have fewer sick
days, and long-term, those regular massages just might help you fend off more
dangerous diseases and add more quality years to your life.


Remember to put your health high on your list and support your health with
massage. See you soon!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It won’t be long ...   You know that special someone would love
a massage gift certificate for  Valentine’s Day! Call to order . .
.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Simple Health Strategies Can Add a Decade or More to Your Lifespan


Massage therapists know that self-care is essential to a ... healthy life—and
new research shows how simple changes can add up to more years of life.
According to a press release from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada,
these seven strategies could potentially add 10 years or more to your life:


1. Get active. Inactivity can shave almost four years off a person's expected
lifespan. People who are physically inactive are twice as likely to be at risk
for heart disease or stroke.
 
2. Know and control your cholesterol
levels. High blood cholesterol can lead to the build up of fatty deposits in
your arteries, increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke.
 

3 Follow a healthy diet. Healthy eating is one of the most important things
you can do to improve your health – yet many people don't meet the healthy
eating recommendations.
 
4. Know and control your blood pressure.
High blood pressure is often called a silent killer because it has no warning
signs or symptoms. By knowing and controlling your blood pressure, you can cut
your risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and the risk of heart attack by up to
25 per cent.
 
5. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Many
Americans are either overweight or obese, major risk factors for heart disease
and stroke. Being obese can reduce your life span by almost four
years.
 
6. Manage diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of high
blood pressure, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), coronary artery
disease, and stroke, particularly if your blood sugar levels are poorly
controlled.
 
7. Be tobacco free. As soon as you become smoke-free,
your risk of heart disease and stroke begins to decrease. After 15 years, your
risk will be nearly that of a non-smoker.


Source: massagemag.com


New: Massage Therapy Lowers Blood Pressure in Pre-Hypertensive Women


Approximately one in every three Americans, or 31.3 percent, has high blood
pressure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and
high blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke, congestive heart failure, heart
disease and kidney disease.


In new research, massage therapy resulted in significantly lowered systolic
and diastolic blood pressure in comparison with a control group, according to an
abstract published on www.pubmed.gov.


The investigators set out to evaluate the effect of Swedish massage to the
face, neck, shoulders and chest on blood pressure of the women with
prehypertension, according to the abstract.


This was a single-blind clinical trial study, the abstract noted, and added:
"Fifty pre-hypertensive women selected by simple random sampling [were] divided
into control and test groups. The test group (25 patients) received Swedish
massage 10-15 min., three times a week for 10 sessions and the control group (25
patients) also were relaxed ...[and received] no massage. Their [blood pressure]
was measured before and after each session."


The investigators noted, "Findings of the study indicated that massage
therapy was a safe, effective, applicable and cost-effective intervention in
controlling [blood pressure] of the prehypertension women ..."


"The effect of massage therapy on blood pressure of women with
pre-hypertension" was published in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery
Research (2011 Winter;16(1):61-70.) It was conducted by investigators with the
Department of Internal Surgery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan
University of Medical Sciences, in Isfahan, Iran.


Source: massagemag.com


How chairs cause cancer --


Sitting still for long stretches of time—at work, in the car, or at
home—increases your cancer risk, even if you exercise regularly, WebMD.com
reports. New research shows that as many as 49,000 cases of breast cancer and
43,000 cases of colon cancer could be prevented in the U.S. each year if people
simply stood up more often. “It seems highly likely  that the longer you
sit, the higher your risk,” says Neville Owen, a researcher at Australia’s Baker
IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, but “even breaks as short as one minute” can
lower it. The research supports a previous 14-year study that found that six
hours of sitting a day increased a woman’s odds of dying in that period by 37
percent, and a man’s by 18 percent, compared with people who sat for half that
time. Adults today are immobile for more than nine hours a day on average. Even
if you hit the gym, the American Institute of Cancer Research now says, it’s
crucial that you get up and move at least once an hour—by pacing during phone
calls, visiting the water cooler, or going to talk to a colleague in person,
instead of sending an email.


– The Week Vol. 11 Iss. 542


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Maybe the most any of us can expect of ourselves isn't perfection but
progress.
— Michelle Burford


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The content of this letter is not intended to replace professional medical
advice.
 If you’re ill, please consult a physician.
© 2012 Massage
Marketing. Used with permission; all rights reserved.

Holiday Greetings, and welcome to the December 2011 newsletter! As we say
goodbye to another year, here’s wishing you lots of holiday cheer. Often the
best part of the holidays is catching up with all those who give your life
special meaning. Enjoy yourself!


This issue has another recent report on massage benefits—this study was done
on the other side of the world in Korea. Wherever you go today, more people are
discovering the many ways massage can help them lead healthier lives.


Toward the end, you’ll find a couple of interesting health reports that show
we are constantly learning about how our bodies work. And the more we learn, the
more tools we have to pursue a healthier future for ourselves and our loved
ones. Good health is created in part by making healthy choices, so hopefully
these newsletters help inspire you to take better care of yourself.


If you’re still trying to decide what to give some of the folks on your
shopping list this holiday season, remember that massage gift certificates are a
wonderful solution—and just a phone call away! Until we meet again, enjoy the
rest of your holidays!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Doing some last-minute holiday shopping?
How about a massage gift certificate?


Nothing offers a greater reward than the gift of health and well-being.


Holiday shopping made easy — Call today!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Stay Healthy This Holiday Season


This time of year can remind us of how life is in a constant state of change.
When families and old friends gather together, we observe the kids getting older
and life moving forward for us all. It’s a good reminder that we have a hand in
choosing the future conditions we’ll have for our families and ourselves.


The first element that sets the stage for a happy life is being as healthy as
possible. This incorporates all aspects of life—the emotional, mental, and
spiritual as well as the physical—each being vital to attaining optimum health.
The more you contribute to improving all of these elements in your life, the
more rewarding your life should be.


Getting regular massages in Jefferson GA can help you and your loved ones improve the odds
for being healthy in the days to come. Here’s one example of how regular massage
can benefit you:


By design, our bodies function better when they get lots of physical use.
Since most people today lead fairly sedentary lives, their bodies may be more
prone to poor health. Massage can help you experience some of the health
benefits you may be missing from inactivity.  The various massage strokes
can help to stimulate many body functions as if you were being physically
active. And if you are physically active, it can help to relax those sore
muscles!


So schedule your next massage—be sure to make your well-being a high
priority, so you can really enjoy your life feeling your best!


Research Shows Massage Therapy Relaxes the Autonomic Nervous System


Any massage client will attest to the relaxing power of massage therapy. And
new research indicates massage therapy combined with heat relaxes the autonomic
nervous system [the system that controls involuntary reactions, such as
digestion & breathing].


One hundred thirty-nine subjects volunteered and completed this study,
according to an abstract published on www.pubmed.gov. Heat and massage were daily
applied for 40 minutes, five days a week for two weeks.


Among the results was a significant decrease in levels of both serum
cortisol, commonly referred to as the stress hormone, and plasma norepinephrine,
which causes vasoconstriction and increased heart rate.


"The results of this study suggest that heat and massage applications provide
relaxation to the autonomic nervous system without serious adverse events," the
investigators noted in the abstract.


"The effects of heat and massage application on autonomic nervous system" was
conducted by investigators at Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine in
Korea and was published in Yonsei Medical Journal. (2011 Nov 1;52(6):982-9.)


Source: massagemag.com


Slowing the aging process — Could there be a cure for getting old? Scientists
have discovered that if they remove a special kind of cell that promotes aging,
mice are freed of many age-related conditions. As cells age and lose the ability
to divide, they become what scientists call senescent cells. These cells, which
build up in aging tissue, pump out inflammatory toxins. They “act like demon
seed and kill everything around them,” James Kirkland, a physiologist at the
Mayo Clinic, tells Science News. When researchers used drugs to eliminate
senescent cells in genetically engineered mice, the mice stayed far more
youthful: They didn’t develop cataracts, their skin didn’t wrinkle, and they
maintained high levels of energy. This breakthrough “suggests therapies that
might work in real patients, ” says No rman E. Sharpless, an aging expert at the
University of North Carolina. Previously, scientists weren’t sure if killing off
senescent cells would have negative side effects, but the mice in the study were
healthier without them. If the same holds true in people, purging these cells
could ward off a host of age-related diseases, from cancer to dementia, and keep
us healthier longer.


– The Week Vol 11 Iss 541


Why diets usually fail — Hormones, not lack of willpower, may explain why
four out of five people who lose weight gain it all back within a few years. A
new study has found that even a year after dieters lose weight, their bodies are
still sending them strong and often irresistible hormonal signals to eat more.
Australian researchers put a group of 50 overweight adults on a strict, 10-week
diet that caused them to lose an average of 14 percent of their body weight.
When they tested the subjects a year later, they found that levels of hormones
like leptin, which keeps appetite in check, and ghrelin, a hunger stimulant, had
changed dramatically, slowing their metabolism and intensifying feelings of
hunger. Their bodies had been programmed to keep weight at a higher “set point,”
and were fighting to gain back the lost pounds. As a result , the volunteers
gained back an average of half the weight they had lost, despite sticking to
careful meal plans designed to keep it off. “What is impressive is that these
[hormonal] changes, don’t go away,” Rudolph Leibel, an obesity researcher at
Columbia University, tells The New York Times. By dieting, he says, “you are
putting your body into a circumstance it will resist.”


– The Week Vol 11 Iss 541


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Peace is when time doesn't matter as it passes by.
— Maria Schell

The  content of this letter is not intended to
replace professional medical advice.
                                        
                If you’re ill, please consult a physician.
© 2011 Massage
Marketing. Used with permission; all rights reserved.

Happy  Holidays, and welcome to the November 2011 newsletter!

Are you ready to  wrap up another year and head into the holiday season? I hope you have a chance  to spend some relaxing times this year with those people that mean the most to  you!

 During this busy time  of year, be  sure to allow adequate time for taking good care of yourself. It’s  so easy to  overextend when there’s so much to do and so many people to see. (Consider 
how helpful a massage could be to keep you going strong.)

 Thanks for choosing  me to help you  feel your best through bodywork. It’s very rewarding to know  that I get to do  my part in supporting your health with massage. Please let me  know if you have
any questions about how massage can help you achieve any of  your health goals;
I’m here for you!  

Please remember, you  can simplify your holiday shopping with massage gift certificates for those  special people  in your life—give a gift that really makes someone feel great!  You know your
loved ones will be in good hands.

 Please enjoy the rest  of this issue and see a few more ways how massage can help you stay healthy and  happy. I hope  to see you soon!


What could be better than a gift certificate for massage this holiday season?
                                                
        Give the gift of health to your loved ones--

Call today to order!


What Makes a Joyous Holiday Season?

 We all  know that the holiday season  can be an extremely busy time of year, with extra  commitments added to our  already full plates. But many of our extra efforts  lead to some special times visiting friends and family that we may not get to  see much of the year. What better time to put things into perspective? Why do  we expend all that extra effort if not to make these times more meaningful and  memorable?

 Usually,  our day-to-day duties dictate how we’ll be spending our time and leave us  little chance just to reflect on what means the most to us. Have you made time  for the things in your life that are most important to you? Staying in touch  with your loved ones? 

Pursuing your favorite activities: a sport or hobby; music  or art; writing or reading?
Underlying  all these things is your health. The healthier you are, the better you can  enjoy every aspect of your life.
Massage  may well be the best overall health booster available to you. Virtually every study done on massage shows that it can help your body to function more  optimally, while performing the
thousands of tasks your body does each day to  keep you going.

 Your  first real reward from regular massage is that great feeling you get after your  session—relaxed and energized at the same time. Then there are the many  benefits that you may not really be aware of—a healthier immune system, better  range of motion in your joints, less
stiffness—things you don’t notice because  they are working properly and don’t
need your attention.

 By making  your health your highest priority, you are making yourself more valuable to  everything and everyone in your life. So take good care of yourself and make  your life more joyous.
You hold the key to your future health!

 Study Supports Massage for Back Pain
A recent study by the  Group Health Research Institute in Seattle found that massage was more  effective at treating low-back pain than medication. Patients who received Swedish massage or
structural massage were more likely to report that their  back pain had improved
after receiving massage once a week for 10 weeks, and  improvements were still
present six months after the study. Researchers say  that a next step will be to
examine whether the different types of massage  produced similar effective
results for the same or different reasons. The study  was published in the July
5 edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine and is available at www.grouphealthresearch.org.
— Massage &  Bodywork magazine, Sept/Oct 2011
 
Bodywork Relieves Hand Pain  
The Touch  Research Institute at the University of Miami, in a study conducted in  conjunction with Massage Envy, has concluded that massage therapy reduces pain  and anxiety, improves sleep, and increases grip strength for various conditions  of the hand. Subjects received
15 minutes of hand massage for four weeks and  experienced positive results in
relation to the control group, which did not  receive massage. Tiffany Field,
PhD, of TRI indicates that hand massage can  provide relief for arthritis,
carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and tennis  elbow, among other conditions.
The results were published in the April edition  of Complementary  Therapies
in Clinical Practice Journal.
— Massage  & Bodywork, Sept/Oct 2011
 
Food for Thought
• In 1950, the  average U.S. household spent 3 percent of its income on health care, and 22  percent on food. By 2010, food costs dropped to 7 percent of income, while  health care costs rose to 16 percent.
— Time
• Family health  insurance premiums jumped by an average of 9 percent this year, to an average  cost of $15,073—double the cost of health-care coverage in 2001.
— The New York Times
• According to the  2010 American Massage Therapy Association consumer survey, more than half of  adult Americans (58 percent) would like to see their insurance cover massage  therapy.
— amtamassage.org
• Over the last three  decades, Americans went from eating an average of 3.8 meals and snacks a day to  4.9 a day. The average American now consumes about 2,375 calories per day—about  32
percent more than in the 1970s.
— Time.com
•  According to the 2010 American Massage Therapy Association  consumer survey, people recognize massage as an important element in overall  health and wellness. Eighty-six (86) percent agree that massage can be  effective in reducing pain. Eighty-five (85) percent agree that massage can be  beneficial to health and wellness.
— amtamassage.org


There can be no happiness if th
things we believe in are
different from the things we do.
— Freya Stark


The content of this letter is not intended to replace professional medical advice.
                                                       
If you’re  ill, please consult a physician.
© 2011 Massage Marketing. Used with
permission; all rights reserved.

Hello,  and welcome  to the October 2011 newsletter! Doesn’t it seem like the last few  months
of the year always fly by? It will be New Year’s before you know it!  Fall is  for many one of the busiest, most stressful times of the year.


The articles in this month’s issue confirm how vital  it is  for each of us to lessen the amount of stress in our lives. People often  fail  to realize just how regular massage sessions can help them to maintain a  higher  level of health throughout their lives. Read on to get an idea of the  many  subtle ways massage can help your body to function better.


One of the tricks to  having a happier, healthier  life is to discover what areas of your life you can  control. For instance,  there are many areas where you can lessen or eliminate  stress and other
negative influences. By evaluating your day-to-day life and  strengthening your  connections to those positive, life supporting aspects while  avoiding the  negative ones, you can improve the quality of your life.


Getting regular massages can lay a helpful  foundation for you by helping your body to lessen  stress and to function better  in virtually every way. And when you feel better,  nearly every aspect of your  life improves. See you soon!

 
 
Always appropriate ~ Always appreciated 
A massage gift certificate makes the ideal gift for any occasion!
Call today  to order ...




U.S. and Canadian  Workplace Stress is a "Growing Health Hazard"
Heightened stress  brings many clients to massage  therapy, and research has shown massage relieves  stress and depression while  boosting mood and a sense of well-being. New data  show employees in both the  U.S. and Canada are increasingly stressed.


A study by Concordia  University economists, published in BMC Public Health, has found that  increased job stress causes workers to increasingly seek help from health  professionals for
physical, mental and emotional ailments. The number of visits  to health care professionals is up to 26 percent for Canadian workers in  high-stress jobs, according to a university press release.


To reach their  conclusions, the economists crunched nationally representative data from the  Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS). All NPHS figures were  restricted to adults aged 18 to 65 years—the bulk of the labor force—and  included statistics on the number of health care visits, chronic illnesses,  marital status, income level, smoking and drinking habits, according to the  press release.


"These results  show that people in medium-to-high stress jobs visit family doctors and  specialists more often than workers with low job stress," says first  author Sunday Azagba, a Ph.D. candidate in the Concordia Department of  Economics.


"We believe an  increasing number of workers are using medical services to cope with job  stress," said co-author Mesbah Sharaf, also a Ph.D. candidate in the  Concordia Department of Economics.


In the United States,  recent polls found that 70 percent of American workers consider their workplace  a significant source of stress, whereas 51 percent report job stress reduces their  productivity, according to the press release.


"It is estimated  that health care utilization induced by stress costs U.S. companies $68 billion  annually and reduces their profits by 10 percent," said Sharaf.


Total health care  expenditures in the U.S. amount to $2.5 trillion, or $8,047 per person.  "That represents 17.3 per cent of the 2009 gross domestic product—a  nine-percent increase from 1980," said Azaga.


"There is  medical evidence that stress can adversely affect an individual's immune system,  thereby increasing the risk of disease," Sharaf said. "Numerous  studies have linked stress to back pain, colorectal cancer, infectious disease,  heart problems, headaches and diabetes. Job stress
may also heighten risky  behaviors such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, discourage healthy behaviors  such as physical activity, proper diet and increase consumption of fatty and  sweet foods."


Source: www.massagemag.com


Parents'  Stress Affects Kids
Potential clients  have yet another reason to get massage therapy: Parental stress can have  long-lasting effects on kids' health. Massage has been found to reduce stress,  relieve depression and improve mood.


Researchers at the  University of British Columbia
and the Child & Family Research Institute  have shown that parental stress
during their children's early years can leave  an imprint on their sons' or
daughters' genes—an imprint that lasts into  adolescence and may affect how
these genes are expressed later in life.


The study, published  online in the journal Child
Development, focused on epigenetics,  the expression of genes as
opposed to the underlying sequence of DNA, according  to a university press
release.


"This literally  illustrates a mechanism by which
experiences 'get under the skin' to stay with  us for a long time," said Michael
S. Kobor, a university associate  professor of medical genetics.


The team also found  that fathers' stress level is
more strongly associated with ... daughters,  while mothers' stress level has an
effect on both boys and girls.


Source: www.massagemag.com


How the gut affects mood --
We  may soon be swallowing bacteria instead of
popping pharmaceuticals to treat  depression and anxiety.


Researchers have found that eating a species of 
bacteria called Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which is found in certain 
yogurts, cheeses, breads, and probiotic supplements, has a calming effect on 
mice. When scientists at University College Cork in Ireland fed rodents a broth 
of L. rhamnosus and then put them in stressful situations, such as 
swimming or completing a maze, the bacteria-fed creatures seemed “more chilled 
out” than mice without it, study author John Cryan tells ScienceNOW,
and  their brains produced fewer stress hormones.


The finding bolsters other recent  evidence that our
gut “microbiome”—the hundreds of species of bacteria that  live in our
bowels—has a major effect on our mood. Cryan now thinks L.  rhamnosus
and other bacteria influence mood by way of the vagus nerve,  which
connects our digestive organs to our brains; when that nerve is disabled  in
mice, the effects of L. rhamnosus on mood disappeared.


The next step  is to see if scientists can use the
vagus pathway to treat psychiatric  disorders without drugs, Cryan says, “by
targeting the gut.”


– The  Week Vol. 11 Iss. 532




A harvest of peace is produced  from a seed of
contentment.— American  Proverb




The content of this letter is not intended to replace professional medical
advice. If you’re ill, please consult a physician.
© 2011 Massage Marketing. Used with permission; all rights reserved

Hello, and welcome to  the September 2011 newsletter!
Ready for Autumn? After another  scorching  summer, most everyone is ready for a break from the heat. Some cooler  weather  often leads to a boost in personal energy. If you increase your  activity
level—working in the yard or other outdoor activities—be sure to schedule a massage to help you with those sore muscles.


Improving the quality of your life ...
Life is always in a  state of change, and what you do  each day helps to determine the direction your  health will be taking in the coming years. One of the most challenging aspects  of creating a truly healthy lifestyle is identifying and incorporating those  beneficial actions that can improve your condition now and in the future.


What makes this  tricky is that we’re creatures of habit, and our busy lives can make it harder  to change our ways and replace unhealthy habits with things that can improve  the quality of our lives.


The rest of this  issue offers you some food for thought on ways to support better health.


Remember,  massage remains one of the best (and most pleasant) ways to support your health  in the long term, so be sure to schedule your next appointment. See you then!


 
Say “I really care about  you!” with the gift of health—a massage  gift certificate!


Call today to order ...
 
 
What science knows about muscle cramps
It comes  out of nowhere—while you’re playing tennis,
gardening, sitting on the couch or  even when you’re fast asleep. Suddenly a
muscle gets locked in spasm, it’s hard  as a rock, and the pain borders on
unbearable.


Muscle cramps usually  target your legs and can last
for a few seconds to 15 minutes or more. Yet as  common as cramps can be,
experts don’t know exactly what causes most cases. And  there’s no solid science
on how to best treat them. Here’s what we do know:


They’re common in  summer. That’s 
because when you exert yourself in hot weather, sweat drains your body’s 
fluids, which helps muscles contract and relax; heat also depletes salt and 
minerals, which may cause a muscle to spasm. Other possible causes: inadequate 
stretching, muscle fatigue or simply holding a position for a prolonged
period.


Try massaging it. Step 1 to ease a
cramped muscle: Stop whatever activity triggered it. Then try  to gently stretch
and massage the muscle, holding it until the cramp stops.  Though a review
published in the journal Neurology showed stretching—and  drinking
water, another common remedy—aren’t proven treatments, both methods  are safe if
done in moderation and may ease pain. The jury is still out on  other common
treatments, such as taking vitamin B complex or calcium channel  blockers, but
experts agree quinine—once the drug of choice for treating leg  cramps—should be
avoided; it hasn’t been proven effective and may cause severe  side effects. 
 
Walk this way for weight loss
When it  comes to exercise, running isn’t the only
way to see results. Michele Stanten,  fitness director at Prevention
magazine, outlines  the Walk Off Weight Program in a book of the same name. By
alternating  high-intensity activity with lower-intensity recovery periods, the
program  helps you burn fat and increase weight loss. Here are some other
reasons to  give walking a try:


Build up your  immunity. When you’re
staying active, disease-fighting cells circulate through your body.  Daily
walking can lead to a higher-functioning immune system, which can mean  fewer
colds and flus and help protect you against conditions like heart  disease,
cancer, stroke, and diabetes.


Keep bones and joints  strong.
Walking can help provide natural antioxidants and nutrients to your joints, 
muscles and bones. A walking regime can help reduce stiffness, aches and
pains.


Get a natural energy  boost. Walking
for just 30 minutes a day can give you that extra boost you need to add  another
component to your workout. So once you’ve been on a walking program for  a few
days, you might feel ready to add a bike ride on top of that.


Get a natural mood  boost. Every
time you walk, your body releases endorphins that make you feel good and 
relieve stress. Just think of it as a twofer: a way to improve fitness and your 
emotional state at the same time.


And get a good  night’s sleep.
Because walking regularly can help improve your mood, lower your stress levels 
and reduce pain, it’s no wonder it also can help you sleep more soundly. 2


— Cara Hedgepeth


1;2: What science knows about muscle cramps
& Walk this way for weight loss excerpted from USA
Weekend,  Aug. 2011




Fast-food  junkies --
If  it sometimes seems that Americans are addicted to
fast food, it might be that  we actually are. Studies have repeatedly found that
the consequences of  bingeing on high-calorie, high-fat foods mimic the effects
of drug addiction. A  recent study by the Scripps Research Institute found that
gorging on fast food  actually changes the brain’s chemical makeup, making it
more difficult to  trigger the release of dopamine (aka “the pleasure
chemical”). That means  fast-food addicts need to eat more and more to feel
happy—the same way users of  cocaine and other drugs, for example, need to keep
upping their dosages to get  high. An earlier study, by Princeton University,
found that rats who were fed  and then withdrawn from a high-fat, high-sugar
diet exhibited similar  symptoms—chattering teeth and the shakes—to junkies
going cold turkey. “Drugs  give a bigg er effect,” said study author Bart
Hoebel, “but it’s essentially the  same process.”


– The  Week Vol. 11 Iss. 528-529




Human beings, by changing the  inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of  their lives. — William James




The content of this letter is not intended to replace professional medical advice. If you’re ill, please consult a physician.
© 2011 Massage Marketing. Used with
permission; all rights reserved.

Hello, and welcome to the August 2011 newsletter! This summer certainly has been a hot one! Extreme temperatures can increase physical stress levels, so it’s more important than ever during these hot days for you to stay hydrated by drinking lots of pure water. It’s one of the best ways to keep you going strong. Other drinks may be tasty, but nothing helps your body hydrate as well as plain, old water—the original health drink!

In people young and old, from head to toe, studies continue to show how massage can help you to maintain a healthier body and mind. When you read the rest of this issue, you’ll see some of the latest news on how massage can help to support your personal health goals.

Is regular bodywork the ultimate in preventive health care? Since it aids in improving the body’s ability to maintain a better state of balance, it certainly can help you to function better.

And of course, we all know how great massage is in helping to recover from stiffness and soreness. So, be sure to keep regular massage as a high priority in your life.    

Enjoy the rest of your summer; see you soon for your next massage!

Lift a loved one’s spirits with a massage gift certificate — 
Call today to order...

New Research Shows Massage Therapy Eases Back Pain Validating what massage therapists and clients already know to be true, massage therapy was found to ease chronic low-back pain in a new, randomized controlled trial.
 
"We found that massage helps people with back pain to function even after six months," said trial leader Daniel C. Cherkin, Ph.D., a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute. Better function means they are more able to work, take care of themselves, and be active.
 
"This is important because chronic back pain is among the most common reasons people see doctors and alternative practitioners, including massage therapists," Cherkin added. "It's also a common cause of disability, absenteeism, and presenteeism, when people are at work but can't perform well."
 
The trial enrolled 400 Group Health Cooperative patients who had had low-back pain for at least three months. Their pain was nonspecific, meaning with no identified cause.
 
They were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: structural massage, which involved identifying and focusing on specific pain-related soft tissues, including muscles and ligaments; relaxation, or Swedish, massage; or usual care. Usual care was what they would have received anyway, most often medications. The hour-long massage sessions were given weekly for 10 weeks.
 
At 10 weeks, more than one in three patients who received either type of massage, but only one in 25 patients who got usual care, said their back pain was much better or gone.
 
Also at 10 weeks, a questionnaire showed nearly twice as many massage patients (around two thirds) as usual-care patients (more than one third) were functioning significantly better than at the trial's outset.
 
Patients in the massage groups spent fewer days in bed, were more active, and used less anti-inflammatory medication than did those with usual care.
 
"We found the benefits of massage are about as strong as those reported for other effective treatments: medications, acupuncture, exercise, and yoga," Cherkin said. "And massage is at least as safe as other treatment options. So people who have persistent back pain may want to consider massage as an option."

Source: www.massagemag.com

Research Shows Massage Therapy Benefits Older Clients in Many Ways Massage clients seek sessions for pain relief, relaxation, stress reduction and additional factors that can vary with physical condition and age. New research indicates massage therapy is associated with a variety of positive outcomes ranging from decreased pain to improved emotional health for adults aged 60 and older who self-reported on quality-of-life measures.
 
"Persistent pain is a frequent complaint among older adults and can greatly decrease quality of life while also contributing to other negative outcomes such as poor health, increased pharmaceutical medication usage, increased rates of depression, and cognitive decline," researchers from the Graduate Center for Gerontology at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington, noted in an abstract posted on www.pubmed.gov.
 
The purpose of this study was to measure massage therapy's effect on persistent pain by comparing self-reported health-outcome scores among those who had and had not utilized massage therapy in the past year.
 
Lexington-area adults aged 60 and older who reported persistent pain were eligible to participate in the study.
 
The research found massage therapy is associated with less limitation due to physical or emotional issues, better emotional health, more energy, less fatigue, better social functioning, and better overall health in older adults who self-reported on these items.
 
"While many causes of pain for older adults elude cure, further study is warranted that examines [massage therapy] as an intervention to improve coping in older adults with persistent pain," the researchers noted.
 
"Massage Therapy Usage and Reported Health in Older Adults Experiencing Persistent Pain" was published in the Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine.

Source: www.massagemag.com

To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act.
— Anatole France

Happiness gives us the energy which is the basis of health.
— Henri-Frédéric Amiel

The content of this letter is not intended to replace professional medical advice.
If you’re ill, please consult a physician.
© 2011 Massage Marketing. Used with permission; all rights reserved