I hope you’ve been keeping well. It’s been extremely chilly in Melbourne over these past few days. We’ve had the heaters on full blast at Simply Natural Therapies lately. It’s not so good for the electricity bill but at least we’re using 100% green energy so we can do it guilt free. I must admit that I do find it crazy that we have to pay quite a bit more for green energy. Surely if energy providers had to charge the same price for clean energy as for “dirty” energy then we wouldn’t need complicated deals like a carbon tax, emissions trading schemes or subsidies for the coal industry. The law of supply and demand would naturally create a greater demand for green energy because that’s what lots of people want.
Anyway if you’re feeling the cold lately remember you can always pop in to see us and enjoy our gorgeous Far Infra-Red Sauna guilt free. Just give us 15 minutes’ notice to make sure it’s nice a hot for you. Having a Far Infra-Red Sauna is like sitting in beautiful, warm sunlight. It’s a lovely, dry heat and you feel it soaking through to your bones. If you’re not local then hopefully you can find one nearby. It has lots of health benefits.
If you tend to suffer from the winter blues then a regular sauna could be just what you need. I also recommend a regular massage. Massage has an enormous amount of unexpected benefits and today I want to share some of them with you.
1. Mental Health and Anger Management
A study of young adult psychiatric patients showed that massage immediately reduced anxiety and stress. Regular massage also reduces aggression and hostility, leads to greater self-awareness and self-control. Massage is of great benefit for irritable or withdrawn teens who are reluctant to talk about their worries, Its also incredibly calming for stressed students.
2. Refilling Your Tank
Massage is a virtually passive treated where you don’t have to talk about issues or do any “work”. You can just receive. For teachers, carers or health professionals this is a lovely way to replenish you energy and refill your tank so you have more to give. If you’re a teacher then it’s a good idea to make time for a massage during theschool holidays.
3. Addictions
Believe it or not massage is becoming more widely used as an aid to withdrawal from drug, tobacco and alcohol addictions. Regular massage not only helps relax and detox the body, it increases oxytocin, endorphins and dopamine… the“feel good” hormones involved in addiction. Hmmm..maybe massage could become addictive.
4. Skin Hunger
Human beings have a built in need to be touched. If a new born baby isn’t touched it will fail to thrive and potentially die, even if it’s fed and kept warm and clean. Skin to skin contact with another human being nourishes our soul. If there is little physical touch or affection in your life then a massage can fill the need your skin has for contact with another human being. It gives you a dose of Life Force energy or Chi. A number of massage therapists arenow also trained in Reiki so you get an added dose of Universal Healing Energy.
5. Self-Esteem
Many people avoid massage because they don’t believe they deserve to be pampered. They believe they’re not worthy of asking someone else to make them feel good. Believe it or not I’ve often heard massage therapists say how honoured they feel to massage someone. They also say that giving a massage can be just as nurturing as receiving it. They stay fully present and mindful and can imagine how every stroke and movement feels. A good massage therapist will really enjoy the process of giving the massage and they are always grateful for the trust you place in them. Making the decision that you are worthy of self-care is a fabulous step towards a healthier self-esteem.
6. Body Image
Being self-conscious about your body being too fat, too skinny, too wrinkly or too saggy may prevent you from having a massage. It’s such a shame to let worrying about what your therapist might think stop you from enjoying the benefits of massage. No matter what your body looks like it still craves to be touched in a caring way. My step mother had her first massage at the age of 80. Afterwards she told me that even though she is all wrinkly, saggy and baggy, during that massage she felt beautiful! A good massage therapist will totally respect you and do their very best to help you feel comfortable in your own skin. The incredibly healing aspect of this is that when you experience someone else caring for and honouring your physical body, no matter what it looks like, you learn to accept, love and honour it yourself.
7. Anxiety Reduction
Massage resets your autonomic nervous system. If you spend most of your time in “fight and flight mode” then over time a regular massage reminds your body and mind how to relax. During a massage most people go into a state of relaxation. Body and brain chemistry changes, heart rate slows down, blood pressure lowers and brain wave frequencies slow. This gives the nervous system an opportunity to remember how to calm down. Between regular massages you’re then more aware of building tension or stress and have a new benchmark of calmness to aim for. Many people find that over time they just need to remember how they felt during their massage and they relax automatically.
8.Improved Immunity and Healing
According to Dr Lissa Rankin, author of Mind Over Medicine, we can only ever be in one of two states: Relaxation Response or Stress Response. When we’re in Stress Response our immune system shuts down and our body cannot heal. A Swedish study showed that just one massage reduced cortisol levels (stress), increased circulating lymphocytes (immunity) and reduced cytokines (inflammation). That sounds pretty good to me.
Of course there are all the benefits you would expect from massage like reduced muscle tension and pain, better sleep, fewer headaches and improved circulation. I recommend that everyone, young and old alike would benefit from regular massage. Why not give it a try. Your body will love you for it.
That’s all for now,
Wishing you a Health and Happiness,
Warm Regards,
