~ All About Stress ~ Everybody experiences stress at one time or another. Some people would even say that the environment of today is more stressful than it has ever been. With the advent of technology and the complexity of today’s world stress seems hard to escape. The key to not experiencing the negative effects of stress are related to how you handle stressful events. Short term stress can be handled easily by most people. In fact, a certain amount of stress is actually good for your body. It keeps you energized and alert, and can fuel the creative process. However, when events occur that cause you long term stress, or when many difficult events occur simultaneously, your body may have a hard time coping and begin to break down. Stress has been linked with many symptoms including headaches, muscle pain, and anxiety disorders. It aggravates most every condition and can rob your body of much needed nutrients, such as the B-complex vitamins. Researchers at the University of Texas have shown that when the brain is under stress, it produces an excess of the hormone ACTH, the hormone that inhibits the manufacture of the white blood cells that are necessary in fighting disease. It is crucial to slow down and respond positively to the events of our times. You can't prevent stress, but there is much you can do to deflect its effects. A good start is a good Massage- ONE OF THE SAFEST, MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO Manage Your Stress
~ Proper Breathing For Stress Reduction ~ Oxygen is the first and most basic necessity of life. Stress is the first and most basic causative factor of muscle tension and pain. Optimal breathing brings oxygen into your muscles and helps release stress and tension from your body. The result is heightened energy and awareness while reducing the discomforts brought on by improper breathing. Stress is mirrored in your breath. When you are enduring stress, you tend to breath more shallowly. The carbon dioxide level in the blood rises and the oxygen level decreases. You start breathing harder so you can rid yourself of carbon dioxide build up. This causes the diaphragm to tense and the abdominal muscles to constrict, preventing you from inhaling deeply and properly. This is called shallow breathing and starts the cycle all over. You are locked in a state of tension until you can begin breathing from your abdomen once more. The first step in regaining optimal breath, and its benefits, is to become aware of your breathing patterns and to recognize when you are not breathing correctly. Every time you feel yourself become tense, proper breathing can be employed and your sense of well being will begin to improve. Use this breathing technique: Lie on your back and place your hands on your stomach. Inhale slowly and deeply, letting your abdomen expand fully with air. You will feel the air rise under your hands. Allow the abdomen to fall as you exhale slowly, at the same time letting go of stress and tension. Repeat inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply for a minimum of 2 minutes. Work up to 5 minutes at a time. Practice this exercise every day, preferably in a quiet place when you can be alone. You should begin to feel calmer and more relaxed when you are done. You can take control of your stress through PROPER BREATHING. Begin today!.
~Water Facts ~ It is important to drink a lot of water after a massage. Massage helps to push toxins out of your muscles and into your lymphatic system to be removed as waste; drinking water after a massage aids in the flushing of the lymph system and the removal of these toxins. Remember it is essential to drink adequate amounts of water at all times, not just after a massage. Consider these other important water facts: • The human body is made up of about 66% water. • 75% of the human brain is water; 83% of the blood is composed of water; bones are made of 25% water; 70% of your skin is water and 70% of your lean muscle tissue is water. • Water plays many roles in the human body – it acts as a solvent, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, aids in temperature regulation, provides lubrication and shock protection for joints, participates in chemical reactions, protects organs and tissues, and removes waste. • The body’s thirst signal is an indication that it is already dehydrated. • Mild dehydration (<5% loss of body weight) can account for lack of energy, weakness, muscle soreness, rapid pulse and rough, dry skin. Water losses of 9-12% total body weight can be fatal. • With strenuous exercise the body can lose 2 quarts of water per hour. If fluids are not replaced, the body’s cells will lose water, which will lead to dehydration and overheating. • An average adult needs to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day. Coffee, soda pop and alcohol are dehydrators. For every glass of these beverages that you drink, you need to drink an extra glass of water to compensate. • You can survive a month without food, but only 5-7 days without water. Are you drinking enough water?
What To Expect After A Massage ~ Most people feel relaxed and/or refreshed after a massage. Occasionally, some people experience post massage soreness the day after their massage. This is nothing to worry about. Most people feel a great reduction of their original muscle tightness and/or pain after the delayed soreness resolves itself. There are several theories, none of them with universal support, about the exact physiological cause of this delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). An old theory suggests that excess lactic acid in the muscle is the cause of this soreness. However, studies conducted by exercise physiologist, Dr. George A. Brooks, have concluded that "lactic acid does not cause muscle soreness, fatigue or the "burn" of intense exercise." Nor does it cause post-massage soreness. While excess lactic acid is typically present in sore muscles, it is not the cause of the soreness itself. More research must be conducted before the exact mechanisms can be determined, but it is most commonly believed that post-massage muscle soreness is due to tight muscles having been stretched and realigned, adhesions and scar tissue having been broken apart so new tissue can form and lay down correctly, and/or deep pressure having been applied to an injured muscle to release spasm. All such procedures help muscles to relax and heal. However, they can also cause soreness the next day. This delayed onset muscle soreness is not unlike what a person experiences after intense exercise. Any time muscle tenderness occurs, place one cup of Epsom salts in hot bath water. Soak for 20 minutes and follow with a cool shower. (This soak/bath is contraindicated for anyone with cardiovascular problems or any other conditions that might respond negatively to forms of heat therapy.)
~ Relax and Enjoy ~
