Healthy Snacks

Crackers are viewed as healthier than cookies, but a closer look at the labels often reveals enriched wheat, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and refined sugar as high fructose corn syrup. Pretzels and popcorn are both considered healthy snacks, but pretzels often contain enriched wheat and partially hydrogenated fats (trans fat), and most microwave popcorn contains trans fats.

Try instead: pop your own popcorn, preferably with an air popper. Use canola or olive oil and only very little salt. When shopping for pretzels and crackers, think whole grain and all-natural.

Massage Therapy and Bodywork for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

There are many ways that massage therapy and bodywork can be used to treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The massage therapist will employ a number of techniques to relieve the condition. For example, the massage therapist may use Neuromuscular Therapy or Trigger Point Therapy to eliminate myofascial trigger points in the muscles of the forearm to take tension and pressure off of the tendons in the carpal tunnel. The massage therapist could also use Myofascial Release techniques or Deep Tissue Massage techniques to release adhesions between the forearm muscles and surrounding tissues while also using Muscle Energy Techniques to gently lengthen the forearm muscles. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome also responds well to positional release therapies such as Ortho-Bionomy which work with the body’s nervous system to release muscles and improve joint movement in the wrist and hand area. Lymphatic Drainage Massage techniques might also be used to enhance lymph flow in the wrist area to decrease pressure in the area. Working on the muscles whose tendons go through the carpal tunnel may be enhanced by providing therapy for other muscles opposing them to improve muscular balance. Comprehensive treatment with massage and bodywork, in conjunction with a home program of stretching and exercise, usually helps to completely resolve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

What Causes Neck Pain

The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists these common triggers:

Straining your neck muscles.
Prolonged sitting.
Having bad posture while engaged in activities such as reading, working or watching TV.
Straining to view an improperly placed computer monitor.
Sleeping in an unusual position.
Injuring the neck muscles during exercise.
Having health conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, a herniated disk, or, less frequently, meningitis .

It’s highly important to take breaks, stretch out the shoulders and chest, which will help stretch your neck muscles.

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aromatherapy and massage

If you want to incorporate the physical and emotional benefits of aromatherapy into a massage session, you may wonder where do you even begin. The top essential oils are not necessarily the best oils to have on hand in a massage practice. You may want to buy every essential oil, but a serious investment in essential oils is not cheap! This blog is here to help. I narrowed this list to ten and changed my mind several times. Here is my pick of ten of the best essential oils for massage, and just a few reasons you should consider keeping them by your massage table.
Lavender, Mandarin, Frankincense, Vanilla, Bergamot, Geranium, Sandalwood, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Tie -Grapefruit or Lemon
I had to leave some other fantastic essential oils off this list: Jasmine, Neroli, Petitgrain, Palmarosa, Rose, Chamomile Patchouli, Helichrysum, Marjoram, Black Pepper, Clary Sage, Sweet Basil (just to name a few). There are some honest companies that will sell you small samples (usually dram-sized) of oils so you see how you and your clients like them. I think you will find not matter what massage modality you practice, even medical massage, clients really appreciate pleasant aromas. Using aromatherapy and essential oils is a natural and easy way to keep your clients coming back.

Strengthening Exercises

Though not generally as effective as aerobics for relieving stress, many people find that getting into a strengthening exercise program does relieve stress.

Strength exercises are also important to prevent injury during aerobic exercise by strengthening the muscles that support your joints. A toned body has as much impact on mental wellness as physical wellness.

trigger point massage

The trigger point massage is something that is debated in many massage circles because there are people who argue that trigger points on the body do not even exist. Obviously the people who give these massages disagree with that statement, and they use their customers as the basis for their argument. Whether the trigger points on the body really exist does not matter because these type of massages are still a great source of relaxation and stress relief.

The main idea behind the trigger point massage is that there are certain points on the body where calcium buildup occurs and that calcium makes the nerves and muscles in that region act rather strange. This theory is still being researched by various people around the globe, so you should not take it to be straight fact. One of the top researchers from many years ago was actually former President John F. Kennedy who suffered from severe back pain for much of his life.

There are people like John F. Kennedy and his doctor who think trigger point massages are very beneficial for the body and then there are people who think it is all a bunch of pseudoscience. You have to carefully examine the body to find certain trigger points, so don’t expect this type of massage to happen too easily. One of the main problems with trigger points is that they are usually located in regions filled with deep pain.

The Power of Plants

Los Angeles-based chef and registered dietician, Sharon Palmer, has written a book designed to assist with weight loss, optimal health and a longer life. "The Plant-Powered Diet," has 75 vegan recipes aimed at vegetarians and omnivores alike.

"Plant-based eating has so many health benefits. A wide range of research supports that: heart health, lower diabetes risk, lower cancer risk, even improved cognition, which is brain function, are linked with a plant-based diet."

She suggests getting started by taking advantage of "meatless Mondays" and incorporating a plant-based meal into the weekly rotation. The one food to avoid: red meat, especially ham, bacon, sausage and hot dogs – "the American Institute for Cancer Research says just don’t eat it."

Ease Your Stress with a Neck Massage

Sometimes there is nothing that can ease your stress and calm you down quite as easily as a neck massage. The spine and the neck seems to be the area of the body where most of the stress and tension that you build up during the day decides to rest, so those are the areas of the body that need the most attention during a massage.

While it’s nice to get a massage from someone close to you every now and then, you should actually try and get a professional to help you out from time to time.

A professional neck massage can do wonders for your stress levels and self-esteem because you will finally be able to relax and clear your head for once.

It’s hard to concentrate on your work and happiness when your body is aching all the time and a massage at least once per week should really be a regular thing that people should do. If you do not get a massage on a regular basis then you should think about changing that point of view as quickly as possible.neck massage

The main benefit that you get from a massage is a lower amount of stress but what people don’t realize sometimes is that this can have after effects on other problems you may be having.

There are a lot of problems in the body that are related to stress, so it’s important to have the least amount of stress possible during all hours of the day.

The way to stay completely healthy is to manage the foods that you eat, the amount of exercise that you get and the amount of stress that you feel on a daily basis.
What can a neck massage do for you?

If you are like most people then you probably reach a certain point in the workday where tensions get to be too high and you can’t seem to concentrate on your work.

While this is sometimes caused by a lack of vitamins and nutrients in the body, it can also be caused by stress building up in the body. To make sure that you can power through your entire workday, you should make sure you eat a fully healthy breakfast and perhaps get a neck massage during the middle of the day.

You can actually call in professionals to come to your office and help you out while you work, so don’t expect to have to waste time by going to a massage parlor.

The parlor is always better for creating a relaxing atmosphere, but you also need to make sure that you can have time to get your work done during the day. The key to happiness in life is finding a nice balance between work and pleasure during the day.
Increase your productivity

Some companies actually offer to pay for massages for their employees because they want to make sure their productivity always remains relatively high. You should try getting a neck massage today and see how it makes you feel when it is over.

Massage Therapy and it’s Benefits

For headaches and neck pain
Cranial Sacral therapy is non-invasive and gentle manipulation of the head, the neck and the spine.

It can help to relieve pain due to injury, due to repetitive motions, stress, poor posture and so on. Neck pain, headaches, migraines, inflammation of the jaw and other ailments can be treated as well.

For athletes
Several types of massage therapy can help athletes improve performance, endurance and flexibility. Short and specifically targeted massage sessions before, during and after events can help performance.

Studies have shown that massage improves athletic range of motion and reduces soreness and stiffness.

For blood pressure management
Swedish and deep tissue massage can help people control hypertension better and with fewer medical interventions. Studies have been able to demonstrate that massage not only can lower blood pressure it can also lower cortisol levels in the body while improving levels of serotonin and oxytocin.

For pain management
Swedish massage, reflexology massage, and so on can help alleviate chronic pain in the joints, back pain, pain in the arms and legs. Trigger point therapy can help reduce pain in other, corresponding parts of the body.

For seniors
Certain types of massage therapy are aimed at reducing pain, stiffness and reduced range of motion due to old age. It can also help provide comfort to touch deprived patients and reduce some of the stress of old age. Geriatric massage is light and gentle, aimed at reducing pain and improving mobility.

Neck Pain?

These are common triggers:

• Straining your neck muscles.
• Prolonged sitting.
• Having bad posture while engaged in activities such as reading, working or watching TV.
• Straining to view an improperly placed computer monitor.
• Sleeping in an unusual position.
• Injuring the neck muscles during exercise.
• Having health conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, a herniated disk, or, less frequently, meningitis.

It’s highly important to take breaks, stretch out the shoulders and chest, which will help stretch your neck muscles.