So do You NEED a Massage?

Personally, I think everyone should have massages on a regular basis. Whether it is done by your mother, father, friend, or partner. We all need to be touched, it is part of normal human development. So you say you have never had a massage... did your mother rub your back, tummy or even head when you were younger... yes... well then you have had a massage. Have you ever had a stiff neck and rubbed the muscles that were sore... yes... then you have given yourself a massage. What sets a Massage Therapist apart is that they have gone through a very difficult program to become a professional. Anyone can learn to give a massage, but it takes years of training and schooling to truely be able to give a Massage.

In my first post I gave a list of things that massage greatly helps with. In today's society I think that the major issue for people is STRESS. Stress in small amounts is normal, it actually helps, it is when those stresses overwhelm the body and mind that it can do damage. Stress causes the body to release a chemical called cortisol, it is the body's "stress hormone" and initiates the "fight or flight" response in people. On a shortterm basis this is normal, but when one suffers from chronic stress the cortisol levels in the body do not decrease and can cause many negative effects on the body, including:
Impaired cognitive performance
Suppressed thyroid function
Blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia
Decreased bone density
Decrease in muscle tissue
Higher blood pressure
Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, as well as other health consequences
Increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of , higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL), which can lead to other health problems!

Massage can help keep cortisol levels healthy and under control,as it activates the body’s relaxation response.

So in otherwords... go out and get a Massage!! You won't regret it. As always, please see a Registered Massage Therapist.

Up Next: Pain, pain, and more pain - a look at acute/ chronic pain and Massage and just maybe a lesson on Pain Gate Theory. Oh my.