All In A Days Work

By now we’ve all heard the seemingly countless benefits of massage therapy.  But if you’re like most Americans, you still haven’t scheduled that first appointment.  Well if everything you’ve read up until now hasn’t been enough to get you to pick up the phone, hopefully these Top 7 Reasons will get you on a table today.

7. Enhance Your Sleep Cycle

Unlike nearly any other form of activity, expert massage therapy has an extremely positive effect on the brain’s delta waves.  These brainwaves are directly linked to deep sleep which is why people often fall asleep on the massage table.  By allowing your brain to get to this point during the middle of your day, and on a regular basis, you greatly improve the quality of sleep you will experience at night and throughout the month.  A healthy sleep cycle is critical to nearly every other component of your health and has long-lasting influence on everything from your overall happiness to your career and job performance.

6. Huge Immune Boost

In a study headed by Dr. Tiffany Field they found that massage has a large impact on the immune system.  “At the end of the study, the women had lower depression and hostility levels and increased urinary levels of serotonin, dopamine, NK cells and lymphocytes—all of which suggested their immune systems were stronger.”  The main focus group were women with breast cancer who received 30 minute massages three times per week.

5. Assassinate Your Stress

It’s no secret that stress, the silent killer, is one of the most negative things to impact your health on a regular basis.  While stress is a natural part of life for any living creature, humans seem to have a great abundance of it which leads to countless health problems.  Almost 90% of all doctor’s office visits are from stress-related health issues, ailments and complaints.  Massage helps reduce stress both by getting the patient to relax and by forcing the muscles and lymphatic systems to release and get rid of harmful toxins being held by the body’s tissues.  This release is critical for your overall health and is why you need to drink plenty of water after a massage therapy session.

4. Get More From Your Workout

It’s no secret that professional athletes regularly get massages.  Why? Because they put their bodies through rigorous training, exercise and heavy lifting on a regular basis.  All this activity causes the muscles to tighten up, retain toxins and lose performance over time.  Sports massage has been shown to help athletes get more out of their workouts, reduce tightness and swelling while helping to prevent injuries.  If it works for the pros it can work for you too no matter your fitness level; there is always something to gain.

3. Under Pressure

A 2005 study at the University of South Florida showed that patients suffering from hypertension were able to significantly lower their blood pressure when receiving 10 massages of 10 minutes each over a period of 3 weeks.  Why?  Because massage stimulates the pressure receptors which cause the vagus nerve to get into action.  Part of this nerve’s job is to control blood pressure and massage helps stimulate it in a way to reduce blood pressure.

2. Lose Weight

Though this video would give the Pillsbury Dough Boy nightmares of being tortured, Tui Na Massage has been shown to help with weight loss.  The thought behind this is that in loosening up the fat cells they are better able to release their fats into the blood stream for transport out of the body.  Also by massaging the abdomen the intestinal tract moves food through it faster, speeding up digestion and metabolism.

1. You Deserve It

Let’s face it.  You work hard to earn a living and put a lot into your career, family and hobbies.  Its time you took the time for yourself.  Take a step out of your busy life for just 30 minutes and you’ll be amazed at the results.  Not only will you feel better, you’ll find you perform better in all other areas of your life.

Sarah Klein of New York writes for the Huffington Post.

Good health, including good foot health, is a beautiful thing. Yet, good health doesn’t come on a whim; you have to work at it. For example, if you want to keep your feet healthy, you’re going to have to pay attention to the way the shoes you wear are made. You’re going to have to check out everything from the heel to the toe to the inside lining of the wide and narrow shoes and women’s narrow width boots you step out in.

A heel that’s strong and/or wide enough to support all of your weight without causing one to two parts of your body (i.e. hips, knees) to get out of balance due to the fact that it’s carrying too much of your weight, is a must if you want to keep your feet healthy. Cushioning and exterior of shoes and women’s narrow width boots also signal how effective the footwear is at helping to keep your feet healthy.

“In general,” the New York Times reports, “the best shoes are well cushioned and have a leather upper, stiff heel counter, and flexible area at the ball of the foot.” Additionally, “The heel area should be strong and supportive, but not too stiff, and the front of the shoe should be flexible. New shoes should feel comfortable right away, without a breaking-in period.”

Try on different pairs of women’s narrow width boots and other footwear before selecting a final pair. Definitely make sure that shoes you wear from retailers like Marmi Shoes fit you well. The boots and shoes shouldn’t be too tight, pinching your feet, nor should they be too large, making it easy for your feet to slide around.

In fact, “well-fitted shoes with a firm sole and soft upper are the best way to prevent many problems with the feet.” To ensure that the shoes and boots truly fit your feet well, wait until the middle of the day to try on the shoes and boots. Why? After walking or standing on your feet for two to three hours, your feet will have expanded a little. Shoes that fit you after you’ve been on your feet for awhile will be comfortable regardless of how long your feet are in them.

Buying shoes and women’s narrow width boots that have removable insoles can extend the life of the shoes and boots. When the insoles wear out, you can simply have them replaced rather than going out and buying a brand new shoe or boot. Furthermore, if you’re older, you might want to opt for a thin, hard sole rather than a thick sole.

If you’re a woman who loves high heels, make sure shoes and boots you wear don’t hurt your heels or toes. The wrong fitting shoes and boots can cause problems like back pain and neck pain, not to mention overall irritability. Fortunately, you can always get a good pair of shoes or boots, ones that help keep your feet healthy, in stylish fashions that you love.

By Thomas Riley

Sources:

http://www.marmishoes.com/boots/n

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/fashion/winter-shoe-cleaning-tips

http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/foot-pain/shoes.html