With modern life getting more and more hectic and subsequently stressful, massage therapy is gaining popularity as one of the ways to counter this stress.
Massage therapy has a range of both physical and emotional benefits.
The physical benefits
Massage therapy reduces muscular tension, aches and pains.
Both blood and lymphatic circulation can be improved by massage therapy. Blood circulation brings fresh blood to our cells and tissues, feeding them with nutrients and oxygen, while lymphatic circulation removes impurities and excess carbon dioxide from bodily organs. In this way the body is strengthened and the immune system is given a boost.
Our muscle fibers become twisted and knotted as a result of daily use, especially for those people in office jobs that provide limited movement or scope for stretching. Massage therapy will stretch out these tight muscles, ensuring optimum muscular function and range of movement. In addition scar tissue and muscle knots that have built up over time in the muscle fibers can be broken down, reducing pain and tension and helping to prevent injury.
Massage therapy can address tension headaches and even eye tension and strain caused by tension in the muscles in the head and spending more and more time on computers.
Massage therapy also has a range of emotional and psychological benefits. Massage therapy improves a person’s sense of general well being and promotes relaxation as it relieves stress, tension and anxiety. This results in easing insomnia and depression. The end result is that it energizes and stimulates both body and mind.
Health Tip:The Joy of almonds
Almonds have as much protein per ounce as red meat. Adding almonds into your diet has shown to help reduce the risk of heart attacks by as much as 50%. This result is due to the good-for-your-heart vitamin E found in almonds. Monounsaturated fats can decrease your bad LDL cholesterol levels and increase your good HDL cholesterol levels. Antioxidants help keep your arteries young.
