Do Epsom Salts Really Work?

Here at Melrose Muscle Therapy, we have individual bags of muscle soaks for sale at $1 a piece.  Three different scents, same effectiveness. Big question I get a lot is...

Does soaking in Epsom Salts really work?

Soaking in Epsom Salts can give your body a boost in Magnesium.  Most of us are deficient in this mineral.
Magnesium helps keep us pain free in many ways.  It helps us keep our bones strong.  It helps us fight against bone loss.  It help keep our heart healthy.
Want to know more about the benefits of Magnesium?  Click here to read an article from Jean Carper.

Can you really absorb Magnesium through taking a bath? Yes you can.  Here is a link to a small study that shows that you can absorb Magnesium through taking an Epsom Salt soak in as little as 12 minutes a day.

The Epsom Salt Council (did you know this existed?) recommends bathing in Epsom Salt three times a week in order to get your recommended amount of Magnesium.


So, would you like to try a soak?  Let us know how you feel after a relaxing Epsom Salt bath.

The best things about fall

Top 5 Reasons to Love the Fall Season

I'm a fan of the fall season.  There are so many things that make you feel all warm and fuzzy.  Here is a short list of some of my favorite things about fall.

1. Apple picking season!

Apple pies, apple juice, apple cider....you get it.

 

2. Cooler, comfortable weather.

Don't you love sweater weather?  I do.  It makes for everything to be so cuddly!  =)  Great for long walks.

3. Creating funny, scary, different Jack 'o' lanterns.

My oldest daughter is the supervisor in this activity.  She doesn't like to get dirty pulling out the guts of the pumpkin.  She likes triangles for eyes.

4. Baking

What is the best way to warm up than to turn on the oven and make your favorite treats?  From cookies, to casseroles, it is a great season to begin baking.
Get some fun shaped cookie cutters and get the kids in on the action.  Makes for a great activity during the evening to keep them busy, and keep them learning.

5. Warm drinks

It's the season for hot cocoa with baby marshmallows melting on top.  That was always my favorite drink as a kid.

Pumpkins - What to do with them?

There is so much to love about pumpkins.  Here are a few different things to try at home.

Decorate:
We all know that people can carve pumpkins for Halloween, or paint them if you wish.  Here are a few different ideas for using pumpkins in your decor.

Pumpkin flower pot.

Pumpkin candle holders.

Beer cooler!  Who woulda thought?

Eat:
You can make so much great food with pumpkin.  Here are links to some of my favorite recipes.
Chocolate glazed pumpkin pie cheesecake

Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Pumpkin-Bean Soup

Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts

Pumpkin Pancakes

Great for your skin:
Melrose Muscle Therapy has introduced its newest massage offering:  a Pumpkin Spice Facial Massage.  It smells like pumpkin pie, and feels so smooth on your skin.  Pumpkin has so many benefits when used on our skin.  It has anti-aging properties that wipe away wrinkles. Book your appointment now and enjoy the autumn season a little bit more.

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.