Massage and the Barefoot Contessa

Regular Massage & Ina Garten

I love when celebrities talk about getting massage on a regular basis.  Did you know that Ina Garten, better known as the Barefoot Contessa, gets weekly massage?  I read about it in the New York Times. Have you ever watched her cooking shows?  I have (and I love it!).  Ina Garten always has this calm aura around her.  Have you noticed it too?  I bet she is so calm due to her weekly massages!  =D

Do you know what the benefits are of getting regular massage?

There are numerous benefits to getting massage, but the benefits compound when regular massage is in place.  Even a monthly massage will give you added benefits.

•  Reduce Blood Pressure
•  Reduce Headaches
•  Boost the Immune System
•  Dampen Harmful Stress Hormones
•  Relieve Pain

So instead of 'treating' yourself to a massage once in a blue moon, make it a healthy habit to keep on a regular basis.

How heavy is your glass of water?

 A friend of mine recently had this as his facebook status:

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything."
It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!

What is your glass of water?  

Do you sit at a computer all day, or drive long distances often?  Sitting at your computer for much of the day will put strain on your muscles.  The longer you are in that position, the more you will ache.  One long road trip, and you might be sore for a few days.  Driving for hours each day for a few years or more, your aching will seem normal, and you will forget what it feels like to not be sore or in pain.
When stress builds upon stress, it will create layers. The more stress you allow to build up, the more difficult it will become to do everyday activities.  The more your back will hurt, the more your neck feels sore. the easier it will be to become injured.  The harder it will be to heal.

How can you put down your glass?

Before you get to the point of seriously injuring your body, massage can help you feel normal and regular massage can be your way of putting that glass of water down before it starts to hurt again. Book your appointment with Melrose Muscle Therapy and put down that glass, get rid of your stress, and feel better before you feel worse.

How to Make Massage Affordable

Can regular massage appointments be affordable?

There are little things that you can do each day to add a bit more money into your massage bank. (You do have a massage bank don't you?)  There was a post on facebook that has made its rounds through each massage therapist forum.  It has a picture of a gentleman and says, "Actually, a monthly massage would cost less than a month's worth of your daily $6 a day coffees at Starbucks."

So let's do the math.

Say you purchase one coffee a day, 5 days a week, with 4 weeks in a month.
($6 x 5) x 4 = $120
Wow!  Crazy isn't it!?! That is a 90 minute massage at Melrose Muscle Therapy, and you have money left over.

Now let's say you actually buy your coffee at Dunkin Donuts instead, so it costs a bit less.
($3 x 5) x 4 = $60
That is still a great amount.  Get a half hour massage, and put the rest back into your bank. You can alternate getting a half hour and a one hour massage each month.

 What is another way to find the cash to get a massage?

Do you buy or bring your lunch to work on a regular basis?  If you bring your lunch instead of buying it, you can save at least $8-$15 each day.  Now add that up.
($8 x 3 times a week) x 4 weeks = $96
($15 x 3 times a week) x 4 weeks = $180
Now you are getting it.  Don't you think it is time to start doing something for yourself that makes you feel better?

These are only a couple of examples of how you can find the money to get a monthly massage.  What would you change in your lifestyle in order to get a monthly massage?  Comment below to let me know.

Parents love can affect child's brain size

Can a parent's love really affect a child's brain?

Apparently so. I recently read an article which showed the brain size from a 3 year old with a normal size brain, and a 3 year old who suffered from neglect who had a brain which looked very shrunken.  You can read the article by clicking here.  The picture from this article is posted below:

Photo : Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D./Child Trauma Academy) Neurologists say that the size-able difference between these two brains of two different 3-year-olds has one primary cause: the way that their mothers treated them.

Crazy picture isn't it?!?  It does make sense to me that the more you nurture something, or someone, the more it blooms/grows, and the healthier it/she/he is.   Perfect sense. 

"The latest study supports research released earlier this year that showed that children brought up by mothers who provide love and affection early in life are smarter and have a greater capacity to learn."

So on this Valentine's Day, a day known for giving love, I ask that you give the children around you the attention they are in need of to give them a good start at life.  Be gentle when you can, and have patience with them.  Try to attend to them before they begin to cry.

Are stressed out babies more likely to get sick?

There is a new book called: Scared Sick: The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease.  Here is a description of the book found on Amazon:

The first years of human life are more important than we ever realized. In Scared Sick, Robin Karr-Morse connects psychology, neurobiology, endocrinology, immunology, and genetics to demonstrate how chronic fear in infancy and early childhood— when we are most helpless—lies at the root of common diseases in adulthood.

Compassionate and based on the latest research, Scared Sick will unveil a major public health crisis. Highlighting case studies and cutting-edge scientific findings, Karr- Morse shows how our innate fight-or-flight system can injure us if overworked in the early stages of life. Persistent stress can trigger diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression, and addiction later on.

This is very interesting to me, and I look forward to someday soon reading this book. I found out about it from reading this article on modern mom.

As a massage therapist, I am always looking at how stress affects the body, but this is a look at how stress early on in life has lasting affects into adulthood.  Now a little bit of stress is good for you, but constant stress, without giving your body a bit of relief, is horrible for your body, mentally, physically, emotionally harmful. I teach classes to families, couples, and parents about giving massage to each other, and I explain some of the benefits during the class.  So if you know me, you know the affects of stress, short term and long term on your body.  It is interesting to see how stress from a pregnant mom-to-be affects her unborn child, and stress on a newborn or toddler affects them later in life as well.

As a mom, I read up on research that is done on how stress affects our children. I share that research here in this blog, as well as on Melrose Muscle Therapy's facebook page. So you know there are ways that you can handle stress at home, such as taking a long bath, reading (if you like to read), giving your self a time out..and on and on.  One of the best ways to break up chronic stress is with regular massage visits. 

Book your appointment online, and we can talk about different ways you can take care of yourself, as well as your children.

Daddy-Newborn Relationship - how to increase the bonding

New research has been done that shows there is another benefit specific to fathers for learning and giving infant massage.  This benefit is lowering the father's stress levels.

You can read the pubmed article here.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210630/?tool=pubmed

When men and women become parents, it is stressful for both parties.  Traditionally it has been the mom taking most, if not all, the responsibility in the early years.  Many fathers feel left out, or don't know what they can do to support mom and baby, and this becomes a new source of stress (besides having a new mouth to feed).  Increasingly, however, men have taken on more parental responsibility earlier in a newborn's life.  Taking a class on infant massage is great for dads.  It helps them to bond with their newborn children earlier in their baby's life and apparently it also decreases dad's stress levels too!.  There is so much more to learn in an infant massage class than just the massage strokes.  You learn how to communicate with your baby.  There are discussions with other parents and you find out what other moms and dads do when situations arise.  The class is an open forum for discussion, and fathers can meet other men who are in similar situations with whom they can relate.

I would love to see even more dads getting involved, and I can help you.  Click here to learn about taking an infant massage class with Luisa at Melrose Muscle Therapy. 

Moon Bounce and Leg Cramps

Yesterday my daughter Luciana had her 3rd birthday party.  Lots of activities for the kids that were there, and my daughter didn't want to stop to rest for long.  There was a moon bounce, and she was in there jumping around for hours.  After a while, she decided she need to go inside and take a nap.   When she woke up, she came outside again, and continued to run around and jump again in the moon bounce.  9pm rolls around, and her legs start to hurt.  She falls in the moon bounce, starts crying that her legs are hurting.  Party is over. =(   I ask my husband to carry her upstairs to "mommy's bed."  He runs to get me a heating pad, and some jojoba oil. 

My daughter is no stranger to massage.  She has been getting them everyday since she was born, heck she liked them when I received massage when I was pregnant with her. 

She knew what I was about to do, and she stopped crying, calmed down, and helped to guide me in my massage.  I begin to apply a small amount of jojoba to her legs, and Luciana tells me where she wanted me to rub out the pain.  As the heating pad warmed up under her legs, and I worked out the cramping, she began to feel better.  It didn't take much time for her to feel okay again.  Bodywork works very quickly with children, especially children that receive massage as often as my daughter does. 

This morning, I rubbed down her legs again, just as a precaution.  She thanked me with a big hug and the words, "you're the best mom!"  =)

Do you have any stories you would like to share?  I'd love to hear how massage has helped you in your life.

Get Better Sleep

One of the benefits of getting regular massage, is being able to get a better night's rest.  Relieving your stress can leave you with a deeper, better quality sleep.

What does better sleep mean for me?

1. Improves your memory.
2. More creativity. 
3. Increase stamina in sports.
4. Improves your grades in school.
5. Greater attention span.
6. Stronger immune system.
7. Reduced stress levels.


Think about how you feel when you don't get a good night's rest.  Can you remember what your day was like?  Do you find it hard to think about anything when you feel fatigued?
 

So how can I get better sleep?

1. Try getting to bed each night at the same time.  Set yourself a schedule.
2. Find a way to de-stress before bed, whether that be meditating, or simple stretching.
3. Avoid very active activities an hour before bed.
4. Keep your bedroom dark, cool, clean, and uncluttered.

Still having trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep?  Book yourself a massage at Melrose Muscle Therapy.  Regular massage can help you to de-stress and remind your body how to relax and let go.

Making a Donation and Feeling Good about it

Yesterday I dropped off a big box of school supplies to School District 89.

I felt very proud of everyone that brought in a few supplies to help out with Melrose Muscle Therapy's supply drive.  Part of Melrose Muscle Therapy's School Supply Drive was a contest. 

There are many winners.  First, the students who will receive the free supplies.  Second, the winner of the raffle (who wishes to be anonymous) has won a free 60 minute Hot Bamboo massage.  Third, the teachers and faculty of Sacred Heart School in Melrose Park, who have been chosen by the winner to receive a day of free massage.

 

I love being a part of my community.  It always feels good to know that we are making a difference, and I hope you feel the same way.  Do you want us to help out a specific charity?  Let us know.

Comforting Touch

This evening I went to a local AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association) meeting. It is nice to get together face to face with other therapists, and talk about what is going on in our practices. We had a special guest this evening come in and talk to us about Compassionate Touch. Donna Schiller works with people in hospice four days a week. She is a wonderful person to concentrate her work in this area of the massage profession. I've worked with only a couple of hospice cases, and it was difficult for me when the person would pass. I wouldn't know how to deal with it, to separate myself, to keep myself grounded if I knew that each person I touched that day was facing death.

There was one client of mine that had accepted me into her home. She and her husband didn't want to believe that she was dying. Her niece had actually found me and hired me to work on her aunt. She had warned me that they didn't know how much time was left in this woman's life. It could have been hours, days, or weeks, but she had been brought home to die with her family. She paid for 2 half hour sessions. When I went to her home the first time, this woman talked about wanting to get out of bed, and trying to walk. Her husband was very positive in thinking that she would be walking soon, and healthy again. The second time, the couple let me know how my work comforted her so much. She was able to sleep for a couple of hours blissfully shortly after I had left. She told me that she was looking forward to me coming back again as soon as I had left the first time. I saw her only twice before she passed, but that was enough time for me to be touched by this couple's life. I'm glad that I was there for her, to bring comforting words, and comforting touch to her in her last days.It took me a few days to come to terms with this situation.  I don't know how Donna does it, but I am glad that she does. 

Benefits for the Parent During Infant Massage

September is full of community events for Melrose Muscle Therapy. On September 22, I will be teaching a free Infant Massage Workshop at the Melrose Park Library. I will be teaching it in English, with a Spanish translator. This will be my first bilingual class, and I'm super excited about it. There is pre-registration required, but it is a free class. It if goes well, we will offer it again soon, and possibly bring the workshop to other places such as the local hospitals, or doctor's offices as a program for their patients. Did you know that infant massage doesn't just benefit baby? It also benefits mom, dad, or whomever it is that is massaging baby.

Benefits of Infant Massage for Parents

• Caregivers report feeling more comfortable and confident in their ability to care for baby.
• Parents learn to understand and respond to baby’s cues.
• Parents learn techniques to comfort, calm and soothe their babies.
• Provides an additional avenue for close and nurturing contact.
• Infant Massage is one of the most natural and pleasant methods of providing this important early nurturing and an amazing tool for helping parents become closer to their babies.
  

(Information about benefits from Infant Massage USA @ www.infantmassageusa.org)

So if you are a new parent, a grandparent, expecting mother, babysitter, nanny, or any other caretaker, then please sign up for the free infant massage workshop.  I'd love to see you there.

Your hands must hurt!

I often get asked if my hands hurt after a long day of providing massage, or similar I get told that my hands are very strong that I must get tired after doing so many massages a day.

Truth is, I don't just use my hands when I am giving a massage. I use my entire body as leverage to give the strength that you feel in my massage work. When you ask for more pressure, I step back, get into a lunge and push my entire body forward focusing on my forearm, or palm of my hand (whichever I am using at the moment) and as my entire body moves forward, it gives leverage for my hand or forearm to give a bit more pressure as you wish. 

To keep my body from overuse, and daily wear and tear, it is important that I take care of it so that you can benefit from my best work each and every time.

One of my favorite ways to keep my hands in tip top shape between appointments is to shake them out. You can do this too if you have a job that requires lots of hand use such as working at a desk typing all day.

Imagine that you have very sticky tape on your fingers and you want to shake it off. Shake your arms and hands as hard as you can (if this hurts, please don't do the exercise). Try shaking them for at least 10 seconds straight. And stop. I'd say it feels pretty good! =)

I constantly get headaches. What can I do?

There are many types of headaches, and depending on what the reason is for your headache, massage may be just what the doctor ordered to ease the pain you feel. Here are the two most common types of headaches.

Tension Headaches

High levels of stress, worry, anger can trigger the onset of a tension headache.

Migraines

It has been in the news lately that women suffer more often from migraine pain than do men. Researchers are saying that the reasoning has to do with genetics and how our sex determines certain parts of brain structure. Regardless of who gets them more, migraines are a pain in the...well, a pain in the head. Migraines share many of the same triggers as tension headaches, but last much longer, and are much more intense. They also are one sided, so the pain is only felt on either the right or left side of your head.

If I get headaches often, what can I do?

First thing you should do is start a headache diary. Write down when you get your headache, and how long they last. Write down your activities, what you ate, what emotions you were going through before the onset of your headache. This will help narrow down what your specific triggers are for your pain. Check this link to see a sample diary you can use.

Once you notice a pattern develop, it will be easier to keep your headaches at bay. If you notice that one of the triggers for your headaches is stress related, or due to muscle tension (tight neck, TMJ, or any other tight muscles), then frequent massage will help. Your massage therapist should do a full assessment to help you make some small changes to your daily routine. Anything from the way you are sleeping, to how you sit at work could be causing muscle tension in your neck. Your therapist can give you some ways to help you deal with unusual amounts of stress when you are not getting a massage.

Relieve your Sinus Discomfort Naturally with Massage

Many people have been complaining about their sinuses bothering them this time of year.  The weather is unpredictable, and has been changing from unbearably hot to a nice cool summer day, and back again.  Here are some simple self-massage techniques you can use to relieve any sinus pressure you may have. 

Certified or Licensed Massage Therapist, what's the difference?

What is the difference between a certified massage therapist and a licensed massage therapist? Why do we see the letters LMT or CMT after your name? What do those initials mean?

I was asked this question this week. I figured if one person had the question, maybe more of you do too. Here is the answer for those practicing massage in the state of Illinois.

To become certified as a massage therapist, one must attend a accredited school and finish a minimum of 500 hour program (this will soon change to 600 hours). My initial training was 750 hours, and took 15 months to complete. Once you complete the required program, you take a national exam. There are currently two available to take. The National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCETMB ) and the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx). Not all states accept both, but Illinois does. Once one passes this exam, they are a Certified Massage Therapist. They may place CMT after their name.

If you want to legally practice massage therapy in Illinois, you need to get your state license. You must apply for one through the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation. This is the governing body that regulates many licenses.

There are a few things that you need to have in order to apply for the license. You need to be at least 18 years of age. You need to have passed one of the National tests mentioned above. You need to get fingerprinted for a background check, and you need to pay the $175 fee.

So what does all this mean?

Certified massage therapist has all the information to do their job. Licensed massage therapist is one that can legally perform their job.

In certain states, there is not license needed, so CMT will be more commonly seen.

STD's and Massage (Part 2)

In this series of posts, I will give tips for people with certain conditions to let them know if they should even obtain a massage or not, and what are the important points to go over with your massage therapist.

Yesterday we talked about Mollusum Contagiosum Virus (MCV), Genital Warts (HPV), Syphilis, and Hepatitis. Today the subject at hand is HIV/AIDS.

Can I get a massage if I have HIV?

Since this virus is spread through bodily fluids, and not skin to skin contact, it is safe for a client with HIV to obtain massage.

Your massage therapist needs to take extra care to make sure to not put you at risk for getting sick. She/he may or may not wear gloves as protection for you.

What should I tell my massage therapist?

Inform your therapist what stage of HIV you have. Let them know if you have any other complications related to the virus.

If you are in phase 4-5 of the disease (most advanced stage of AIDS), please tell your therapist. This will affect the type of massage you can receive.

All stages of HIV/AIDS are safe to receive bodywork, but it depends on what phase, and how you are feeling as to what type of bodywork you will receive.

Massage can be a great additional option of treatment for those with HIV/AIDS. In the beginning phases, Swedish massage can be very stress reducing which can help the immune system. In the more advanced stages, energetic work and other non-circulatory massage can become a great source of comfort for a population that is often outcast.

As always, if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about let me know by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

STD's and Massage (Part 1)

In this series of posts, I will give tips for people with certain conditions to let them know if they should even obtain a massage or not, and what are the important points to go over with your massage therapist.

STD's and Massage (Part 1)

Although most sexually transmitted diseases are only spread through sexual contact, there are a few exceptions.

Mollusum Contagiosum Virus (MCV), Genital Warts (HPV), and Syphilis

These viruses can be spread through any kind of skin to skin contact. They can also be spread with contact to contaminated linens. Treat these STDs first and postpone any massage appointments until there is no chance of spreading the infection to others.

If you know that you have any type of STD, make sure you treat your infection. Once the infection is cleared up, you can make your appointment for massage.

Hepatitis

Let your therapist know if you have any open wounds, or small cuts anywhere on your body. Your therapist may wear gloves during your massage as a precaution for two reasons: first to protect you, and second to prevent transmission of the disease. Please do not take offense if they choose to wear gloves. They may have a cut on their hand, or fingernails. I have had quite a few massages where we practiced with gloves during my massage training. If your therapist is good, you won't even realize the gloves are on.

If your Hepatitis is in the acute stage, certain types of massage strokes should not be used, so please make sure your therapist is aware of what stage you are in. If your Hepatitis is in the chronic stage, you may have the option to get a circulatory massage. You may not, if your overall health isn't well. Each person is different, and you should discuss with your massage therapist what your benefits are from having massage. Energy work and non-circulatory massage are options that you might consider during all stages.

As always, if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about let me know by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

I have brittle bones, is massage safe for me?

In this series of posts, I will give tips for people with certain conditions to let them know if they should even obtain a massage or not, and what are the important points to go over with your massage therapist.

Yes, massage can be a safe option for you to relieve any discomfort you are experiencing from having weakened bones.  Keep reading to find out what you should know to keep your massage safe.

Do you have Osteoporosis?

It is very important to inform your massage therapist that you have Osteoporosis. You would not want to get a deep pressure massage, as that could have the potential to fracture your bones. That wouldn't be very relaxing now would it?

That being said, gentle massage can be very beneficial to someone with Osteoporosis. It can naturally relieve the pain and discomfort, however temporarily, that you feel from the loss of bone density.

If there is ever a time where you feel your massage therapist is giving you too much pressure, please tell them right away.  Remember, the time you have on the massage table, is YOUR time.  If you are ever uncomfortable, let your therapist know.  

Do you have a current fracture?

Inform your massage therapist how acute the fracture is, the degree of fracture (hairline fracture or complete broken bone), and the location.

You can not receive massage in the local area of the fracture, but the rest of your body can receive bodywork.

Example of how massage can help you:

If you have a hairline fracture on your left foot, your right leg will be working harder to compensate for the lack of movement from your left leg. You will not get massage on your left foot, but it would be beneficial to you to get massage on your right leg and foot since those muscles are currently working harder than they are used to.

I will continue to post about some other conditions such as Asthma, Cancer, etc... Let me know if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

Arthritis and Massage

A few days ago I wrote about having a fever, cold or flu and obtaining a massage. Yesterday it was Diabetes. I tend to talk about all the times when you should get a massage, such as to relieve tension, ease back pain, or many other times when it is appropriate. In this series of posts, I will give tips for people with certain conditions to let them know if they should even obtain a massage or not, and what are the important points to go over with your massage therapist. Tonight’s topic is Arthritis.

Do you have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Your basic Swedish Massage can help you as long as your RA is not in an acute stage. If it is, you will want to make sure to explain that to your massage therapist, as it will determine the type of strokes they use with you during that time. During the subacute stage of RA, it is safe to obtain a circulatory massage such as Swedish. Massage can help maintain and even increase joint function.

Do you have Septic Arthritis?

Do not get a massage! SA is a kind of arthritis that is brought on by a bacterial infection. Massage would only make that infection spread. Massage is advised, however, once the infection is completely gone. It will help regain some of the range of motion that was lost due to the infection.

Do you have Osteoarthritis?

If you are in an acute stage where you have pain, heat, and redness at the joints affected, then do not get massage in those areas. If you are in the subacute stage of Osteoarthritis, then massage can be very helpful in reducing pain with soft stretches included in the massage.

Over the next few days I will post about some other conditions such as Osteoporosis, Asthma, Cancer, etc... Let me know if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

Diabetes and Massage

A few days ago I wrote about having a fever, cold or flu and obtaining a massage. Tonight I will write about Diabetes. I tend to talk about all the times when you should get a massage, such as to relieve tension, ease back pain, or many other times when it is appropriate. Over the next few days, I will talk about times when you shouldn't get a massage, or should find a massage therapist with extra training that specializes in your condition.

Do you have Diabetes?

Some tips for you if you want to get a massage:

1. Make your appointment at least an hour after you have taken your insulin injection, or before you are going to eat/take your insulin shot.
2. At your appointment, before your massage, inform your therapist where you inject your insulin. This will help your therapist choose what type of strokes to use and where during your massage.
3. Make sure to tell your therapist when you last took insulin.
4. During your massage, if you are starting to feel dizzy, weak, or have any other symptom of insulin shock, please tell your massage therapist. Do not be afraid or embarrassed if you need to stop your massage. Your health is the priority.
5. If you have advanced Diabetes with kidney failure or arherosclerosis, a Swedish massage would not be advised. Find a therapists that specializes in energy techniques instead.

Over the next few days I will post about some other conditions such as Osteoporosis, Asthma, Cancer, etc... Let me know if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com