health benefits

How to Begin a Workout Routine

Amanda Sullivan Blog, Educational, Healthy Lifestyle , , , , , , ,

Begin a Workout Routine Again

Have you been planted in the couch cushions too long?  Here are some tips we’ve found on how to start exercising and establish a fitness routine you’ll actually stick with.

Stop beating yourself up for your lack of effort, it’s time to move on and forgive yourself.

Here’s how to start:

1 Take Some Selfies

In order to accurately track your progress, it’s helpful to identify your starting point and then define your goal. If you do this every two to four weeks you can track your progress. Another option is to use a tape measure and track measurements in your biceps, waist, hips, bust, and thigh areas so you can see you’re losing inches, even on weeks when it seems the scale hasn’t budged.

2 Start Small

So you haven’t lifted a weight since who knows when? That’s OK. The first week you’re easing back into exercising, start small. Know that any movement is good movement. Commit to doing 10 minutes of an exercise video or walking for exercise three days this week. This will help you establish behaviors and create the habits your body will thank you for.

3 Make One Change at a Time

The first week you intend to exercise, look ahead at your schedule and establish modest changes to your routine. Write down five ways you are going to be healthy today. Your daily success list could include things like not drinking soda, eating more vegetables, doing 30 minutes of walking today, taking the stairs in your office once a day, and drinking more water. Keep them small and achievable so you’ll be motivated by your daily victories.

4 Plan Out Your Mornings

Starting a morning workout routine is just like establishing any other new habit: It requires some planning and dedication. Prep your coffeemaker to go off when you wake up, pack your lunch the night before. Look at each week ahead of time and plan exercise accordingly. Advance prepping and planning can eliminate decisions about your workout, clothes, or what you’re eating that day—freeing up time to actually exercise.

5 Expect to Fall

Here’s the reality of any journey, whether it’s business, relationships, diet, or fitness—you’re going to make mistakes and stumble along the way. Just remember, like you would if you were faced with an issue in the workplace, identify the problem and take action to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

6 Look Beyond Weight Loss

Exercise for the health benefits that aren’t related to weight loss, like feeling more energized, happier, calmer, and experiencing better sleep. When you don’t feel like exercising, remind yourself of how good you’ll feel during or after exercise. If you can begin to associate being active with pleasure and how good you feel as a result of it, you’ll be more inclined to stick to your exercise routine.

7 Find Something You Can Stick With

Fitness experts and doctors alike often say the “best exercise” is the one you enjoy and will keep doing. If you hate boot camp workouts or can’t see yourself making a weekly commitment to yoga, move on to something you’ll look forward to showing up for. Maybe a dance class, Spinning, ballet-inspired barre workouts, or walking with friends. You want to make this experience as pleasant as possible. 

8 Make New Habits

If you can nail down a few fitness habits—whether that’s getting up a few mornings a week or even showing up to the gym when you don’t feel like it—you’re more likely to be successful. Once your mental game is on point and established, the physical aspect of following through with your intentions will be easier.

9 Do It for Yourself

When you make a promise to anyone else in your life—your husband, child, boss, or friend—you stick to it, but because it’s you, you might not stick to your commitment. You must treat the fitness and health commitments you make for yourself like you would your job, family, and friendships. You wouldn’t let important people in your life who are counting on you down, so why do it to yourself? 

In the end it’s all about taking care of you.

Zen Massage in Salt Lake City 

ZenMassage.net

(801) 467-3529

5520 South Van Winkle Expy

Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Value of Massage Therapy for Surgical Pain

Amanda Sullivan Educational, Healthy Lifestyle, Massage Therapy, Therapy Sports Injury , , , , , , , ,

Massage Therapy for Surgical Pain

Massage therapy can be effective for reducing pain intensity/severity and anxiety in patients undergoing surgical procedures.

That was the conclusion of a collaborative meta-analysis of research on massage therapy for pain conducted by Samueli Institute, commissioned by the Massage Therapy Foundation, with support from the American Massage Therapy Association.

The review and analysis was published in the September issue of the journal Pain Medicine.

The study concludes that patients should consider massage therapy as a therapeutic option to help manage their pain and anxiety from surgical procedures.

About the Study

This systematic review and meta-analysis was the first to rigorously assess the quality of massage therapy research and evidence for its efficacy and effectiveness in treating pain, function-related and health-related quality of life outcomes for people with various types of surgical pain and anxiety.

Source

Book Your ZEN Massage in SLC today!

(801) 467-3529

5520 South Van Winkle Expy

Salt Lake City, UT 84117

 

Men, Women & Massage

Amanda Sullivan Educational, Healthy Lifestyle, Massage Service, Massage Therapy, Zen Massage , , , , , ,

Everybody needs a massage, but men and women tend to get massages for different reasons.

Massage is a truly natural form of therapy that can address and relieve symptoms of all sorts of health complications.

While self-care is the main reason for massage, there are many other benefits that come along for men and women.  

Men often don’t get massages as frequently as they should. Here are some reasons men should be getting a massage on a regular basis.

  • Workout recovery
  • Mood Boost
  • Fewer gray hairs
  • Cure desk stiffness
  • Be comfortable in your own skin
  • Improved flexibility
  • Better sleep
  • Cardiovascular wellness
  • Manage back pain

Gentlemen, what are you waiting for? Book your Zen Massage today.

Women tend to think about getting a massage as pampering – like it’s some kind of indulgent luxury. Massage is a service that focuses on you. It gives you time to relax and let the stress melt away. You and your masseur work together to identify the areas where your stress hides, relieving you of physical pain and clearing your mind so you can tackle any task.

More than anything, women report feeling revitalized after a massage. If that’s not enough, here are the top reasons women should be getting massages regularly. 

  • Manage Stress
  • Make You Look Younger
  • Reduced Use of Painkillers
  • After Pregnancy Massage
  • Increased Energy Levels
  • Boost Your Immune System
  • Relieve Anxiety and Depression

Think about what your body does when you are down in the dumps. You might feel achy and weak, your shoulders droop, you drag your feet and you slump over. Massage experts call this a “structural collapse” that happens when we feel depressed.

Massage tends to address many symptoms that are a result of anxiety or depression. It may help to lower blood pressure levels, alleviate tough headaches, improve breathing, settle your nerves and more.

Makeup artist Gucci Westman told the Wall Street Journal that she often gives fashion models facial massages before they walk down the runway. “For early morning shows when everyone’s puffy and not quite awake, facial massage is like coffee for the skin. Everything comes to life.” 

Ladies, what are you waiting for? Book your Zen Massage today.

 

These benefits are only the beginning of what massage can do for your body and your life.

What benefits do you know about?

What have you experienced as a result of massage?

 

Book Your ZEN Massage in SLC today!

(801) 467-3529

5520 South Van Winkle Expy

Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Why We All Need to Touch and Be Touched

Amanda Sullivan Educational, Healthy Lifestyle, Massage Advantage, Zen Massage , , , ,

Why We All Need to Touch and Be Touched

Our mind, brain, and body are not separate from each other.

Sharon K. Farber Ph.D. | The Mind-Body Connection

Being touched and touching someone else are fundamental modes of human interaction, and increasingly, many people are seeking out their own “professional touchers” and body arts teachers– chiropractors, physical therapists, Gestalt therapists, Rolfers, the Alexander-technique and Feldenkrais people, massage therapists, martial arts and T’ai Chi Ch’uan instructors. And some even wait in physicians’ offices for a physical examination for ailments that have no organic cause—they wait to be touched.

The body-oriented approaches are based on a principle that is becoming more obvious to researchers. Ken Wilbur wrote in The Spectrum of Consciousness , “For every mental ‘problem’ or ‘knot’, there is a corresponding bodily ‘knot’, and vice versa since, in fact, the body and the mind are not two. That is, psychic conflict, guilt, shame, unresolved grief all can be lodged in the body as body memories, and when the site of the psychic difficulty is deeply touched through massage or other manipulation, it can not only release the physical pain but may make the psychic pain accessible.

Soon after my mother died I developed a case of “frozen shoulder”. It causes stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint and often occurs for no known reason. My doctor had told me that because my shoulder was “frozen”, there must be adhesions, or scar tissue that were freezing up my shoulder joint. And probably my body lacked something called synovial fluid, needed to lubricate the shoulder joint. I asked him what. He could not tell me what caused this to happen because medicine does not really understand why. I like to understand why things happen the way they do and he could not tell me. But I was in pain. I could not sleep in the usual position I sleep in, I couldn’t reach for something on a shelf without feeling pain. He referred me for physical therapy and so I made an appointment.

As I lay on the examining table, the physical therapist came in, smiled, introduced herself and explained what she was going to do. As soon as she put her warm hands on my bare shoulder, tears welled up in my eyes. I was surprised and embarrassed and turned my head away from her gaze so that she would not see. I suspect she noticed. She continued examining me and I relaxed and found that I enjoyed it. It felt like a massage, something I am not used to having. She recommended that I come in three times a week and I had to arrange my schedule to do that. She did various exercises with me that I was advised to do at home. As I followed her instructions, I thought and felt a great deal about my mother, with whom I had a complex and ambivalent relationship. I stretched and cried, cried and stretched, wrote about what I was feeling, and after a few months I was better. The pain of my loss had lodged itself in my body, and a woman’s warm touch started to release it. It also probably released some oxytocin in me, the hormone of love and attachment. As I mourned her loss over several months, I realized something. I had had a hard time crying for my mother, whom I loved very much but whom I was angry with too. When there are difficulties in mourning a loss, somatic or psychological difficulties may present themselves. The body speaks when we do not have words for what we are feeling. The therapist’s warm touch on my shoulder was lubrication for my soul, needed for me to let go and feel the loss, complicated and ambivalent as it was.

Treatment that uses direct touch can have a depth and potency that can have a great therapeutic impact, which provides some explanation for why so many people are seeking out their own “professional touchers” or are filling the waiting rooms of physicians, waiting for the doctor to find the cause of the pain and make them better. In the process, they are touched. When the patient is assured that the work of the professional toucher is free from infringement, that sexual contact is clearly out of bounds, and that the patient can say “no” to any intervention the body-work practioner proposes, then the patient can have the experience of trust and physical touch in the context of a controlled respectful relationship.

Nature is so intelligent for creating oxytocin, the hormone of love and attachment. Kerstin Uvnas Moberg became a world authority on ocytocin through her personal experience. When she was pregnant, delivered, and nursed her four children, she was struck by feeling a state of mind so different from the stress she was used to in connection with life’s other challenges. Wanting to understand this scientifically, she learned that there is a key biological marker—oxytocin—that can explain this sense of calm and connectedness in pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing, and through this research, discovered that oxytocin is able to influence many vital operations in the body. Her research showed that the level of oxytocin in the blood during nursing was correlated with the mothers’ subjective experiences of calmness, and ability to interact with their babies. Oxytocin stimulates growth during pregnancy and stimulates the uterus to expel the newborn It restores the balance between stress and calm It stimulates the muscle activity of orgasm (in both men and women) and can strengthen the attachment bond. We are told that “oxytocin is with us throughout our lives.” She wrote that

When you were born, oxytocin helped expel you from your mother’s womb and made it possible for her to nurse you..As a small child, you enjoyed your mother’s and father’s loving touch because it released oxytocin in your body. As an adult, you experience the effects of oxytocin when you enjoy good food, or a massage, or an intimate interlude with your romantic partner (Uvnas Moberg 2003, p. 65).

If you’d like to learn more about oxytocin, read Uvnas Moberg’s book The Oxytocin Factor: Tapping the Hormone of Calm, Love, and Healing.

When people lack love and touch in their lives this can result in bodily self harm, such as in eating disorders or self-mutilation. If you’d like to learn more about this and about “professional touchers” , read my book, When the Body Is the Target: Self-Harm, Pain, and Traumatic Attachments.

Source : Psychology Today

How to Have the Best Massage Experience

Amanda Sullivan Blog, Educational, Healthy Lifestyle, Massage Therapy, Zen Massage , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s no surprise that a massage can seriously soothe your mind and body, and you already know a solid rubdown has impressive health perks, like better blood circulation, amped immunity, anxiety relief, and even improved sleep quality.

But beyond the obvious, there’s a lot to wonder about the magic of massage. Few therapies are quite so up-close-and-personal, so to avoid awkward moments, wasted cash, and most importantly potential pain, it’s crucial to be in the know.

How to have the best possible massage experience

It’s Fine to Get Naked

It can be a little uncomfortable to strip down to your birthday suit in front of someone you’ve never met, but really, it’s totally normal. Remember, massage therapists are trained professionals and your undressing can actually lead to a better appointment. Undress to the point of where you feel comfortable, professionals keep you covered with sheets or draping where appropriate, but you should know that undergarments can sometimes get in the way of long strokes or pressure points and inhibit you from experiencing the best massage possible.

Remember to Breathe

When your massage therapist is working out a particularly bad knot, it can be tempting to tense up a little bit and hold your breath. Please, don’t do this, or you may miss out on one of the major benefits of that rubdown. It’s crucial that you breathe fully and deeply when difficult areas are being worked on so as to oxygenate your blood supply and aid tense muscles.

Drink a Ton of Water After Your Appointment

It’s especially important to hydrate post-massage. Like when working out, your muscle tissues can become dehydrated during a massage. Drinking plenty of water after your massage is very helpful in rehydration, building healthy muscle tissue, and removing wastes that accumulate as your muscles are worked out.

A Warm Shower Before

For the best possible rubdown, it’s important to take care of yourself before you step foot in the spa. The easiest and most relaxing way to prep? A long, hot shower. The relaxation effect of a warm shower on both the mind and the muscles will help you be less tense during the session, which will benefit you as well as the therapist. Also, being and feeling clean can help mitigate body insecurities if they come into play. Plus, the therapist will appreciate your cleanliness for obvious reasons

Hit the Gym Before Your Massage

Definitely pump the weights, cycle or take the run before, not after, your massage. The muscles you work may be a little tired from the exercise itself, but should be nicely warmed up for the massage.  Working out immediately after a massage is not a good idea as you are likely to stress and strain the muscles that were just relaxed.

Request Your Preferred Massage Style When You Schedule

There’s nothing worse than leaving the spa feeling, well, meh. While they’re trained to help your body, massage therapists can’t read your mind, so it’s best to tell the receptionist if you have any preference of therapists, pressure, or massage types when you book your appointment. This will help ensure you’re matched with someone who will be able to best work with your needs—for example, relaxation vs. deep tissue injury work.

Be Strategic About Timing

While there’s no perfect hour to schedule a massage, you still probably want to consider the timing of your appointment. To do this, think about what makes sense for you and your schedule. Some people feel invigorated after receiving massage and use it to start their days, while others like to eliminate stress from work and life with massage after a long day, and relax knowing they are done for the day.

Bodily Functions, Well, Happen…

Massages are sure to chill you out, but did you know they can also improve your digestion? So, if you’re getting a rub down and hear some grumbling noises and yes, even flatulence, don’t freak. It’s easy to be embarrassed, but there’s absolutely no need to be: “It’s not uncommon for people to pass gas during a massage session, it’s completely normal,” says, Dr. Helen Litovsky, Massage Therapist at Zen Massage. If you’re worried, avoid any high-fiber foods before your appointment. Litovsky also suggests hitting the bathroom before your session and not drinking too much water right before you hit the table, since there’s nothing worse than having to pee while someone is pressing on your bladder.    

Avoid Eating Right Before

Generally, a full meal right before you hit the spa is a no-go, as massage certainly stimulates digestion. Eat lightly right before a massage, and have a meal a few hours prior. Don’t starve yourself in the preceding hours, as you may feel dizzy or light headed during the massage as a result. Eating lightly one to two hours beforehand will allow for digestion while not making you feel uncomfortably full.

Speak Up

It may seem out of place to tell your massage therapist to do “more of this” or “less of that,” but that’s exactly what they want you to do. In fact, the worst thing you can do is say, “I just want a good massage”. During the massage, you shouldn’t be afraid to tell your therapist if something is uncomfortable, the pressure is not right, or if you have a question about what your therapist is doing. Be sure to ask them to spend more time on a certain area if that is what you want—at the end of the session is too late, and this is your massage.

It Shouldn’t Hurt

A little pain is necessary to get the job done, right? Not necessarily. There may be slight pain in stretching or having tight or tensed muscles worked on, but relaxation really is the key. If too much force is provided, the muscle tightens up more and creates even more pain and possibly bruising muscle and damage. So, again, be sure to let your therapist know if something hurts. We promise, they won’t be offended.

If You Feel Any Soreness, Treat It

Your muscles can get a little sore after a massage for the same reason they do after a stellar exercise session: They’re being worked pretty hard! You wouldn’t ignore tight or painful muscles after a long run, so you shouldn’t after an intense rubdown either. After deep work, icing is recommended to lessen the immediate soreness. Light stretching is a nice touch too, because the muscles are warmed up, so light yoga or even getting an adjustment at a chiropractor after is perfect harmony.

Communicate any distractions

If the music makes you uncomfortable in any way, or the temperature of the room becomes too cold, let your therapist know immediately. These distractions will take you away from your body,  and ultimately your relaxation.

One Rubdown Every Few Years Isn’t Going to Do Much

ZEN Massage in Salt Lake City. Has monthly memberships to make your massages more affordable. We know you live a busy life, we are here to help take your mind off the daily stresses and make your massage therapy experience as relaxing as possible. Try our online scheduling feature to schedule your next massage.

Reduce stress and feel great, with the best masseurs in Salt Lake City, Book with ZEN Massage today!

(801) 467-3529

5520 South Van Winkle Expy

Salt Lake City, UT 84117

 

Relaxation & Good Health Habits | Zen Massage Salt Lake

Amanda Sullivan Blog, Educational, Healthy Lifestyle , , , , , , ,

 

We’d all like to live a healthier life. But where to start?

One step at a time as the saying goes. Habits are hard to break but easier to start. Here are seven simple ways to launch yourself into a healthier lifestyle.

Pick fresh seasonal veggies, berries, and fruits

Knowing How to Choose Fresh Fruits and Vegetables is key. If you are unsure when it comes to choosing ripe good fruit, check out this great article from Family Circle.

Picking fruit and veggies in season in your area is also a great way to stay healthy. Find out when local Utah Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables are best here.

Eat more healthy fats

According to Fitness Magazine – The Big Fat Truth: Why Non-Fat Isn’t the Answer – Of your total daily calories, 25 to 30 percent should come from fat. The keys: Pick good-for-you fats, and limit the bad kinds. Don’t know a saturated from a poly? Here’s the skinny on which fats to eat and which to avoid.

 

Be hungry more often

It’s being discovered that Intermittent fasting brings great benefits, it protects your brain, slows aging & fights cancer.  Why Intermittent Fasting Is The Best Thing To Ever Happen To Your Metabolism

When it comes to intermittent fasting, there are several options. Some people eat only during an eight-hour window. For example, you can eat from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., then fast from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. Or you can fast for 24 to 36 hours once or twice weekly. There are also several ways to deal with hunger cravings and stay hydrated. You can stick with just water or add some combination of coffee, green tea, and fiber. My good friend, Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, author of The Bone Broth Diet, recommends drinking bone broth during a fast. I’ve tried this fasting technique, and it’s my absolute favorite way to do it.

Before you begin fasting you should know if fasting is right for you.

Sleep & Relax More

Healthy Sleep Basics – Along with nutrition and exercise, sleep is one of the three pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Healthy sleep improves your health and quality of life in a variety of ways:

Healthy sleep is vital for your physical health

Healthy sleep is essential for your mental health

Healthy sleep improves your memory and focus

Healthy sleep promotes personal and public safety

Get less processed food, less salt

How to cut back on highly processed foods

  • Start slowly. 
  • Supplement your meals with fresh foods. 
  • Fewer sugar-sweetened beverages, more water. 
  • Stop adding salt to foods. 
  • Choose whole grains over processed grains. 
  • Limit or avoid processed meats. 
  • Plan ahead. 
  • Use substitutes for highly processed snacks and foods.

Think fun!

Take a deep breath and smile. A rose by any other name might smell as sweet. But call exercise by another name and it might do you more good, a pair of experiments suggest.

In one, 46 adults went for a 2-kilometer walk around a lake. Half were told it was an “exercise walk” and half were told it was a “scenic walk.” When it came time for a mid-afternoon snack, the “exercise” walkers ate more than twice as many M&Ms as the “scenic” walkers — a difference that amounted to 206 additional calories. In the other, the “exercise” group ate 35% more chocolate pudding at lunch.

The key is to think of activity as fun, says Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and one of the researchers involved in the experiments. If you tell yourself you’re working out, you’re likely to reward yourself by eating more. “So tell yourself it’s personal time,” Wansink says. “Say, ‘I’m doing this for me.’”

How Sore is “Too Sore” for a Massage?

Amanda Sullivan after workout massage, Blog, Educational, Healthy Lifestyle, Massage Therapy, Sports Injury , , , , , ,

A massage after a vigorous workout unquestionably feels good, reduces pain and helps muscles recover. Athletes and health professionals speak of how it eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness.

So, how does massage give this beneficial effect?

Well, vigorous exercise causes tiny tears in our muscle fibers, leading to inflammation, which is an immune reaction, as our bodies get to work repairing the injured cells.

Researchers have found that when a masseur goes to work, the production of compounds called cytokines, which play a critical role in inflammation, are reduced. They also found that massage stimulated mitochondria, tiny powerhouses inside cells that convert glucose into the energy. These are essential for cell function and repair and the stimulation helps our muscles adapt to the demands of increased exercise.

When your body aches, your muscles are tight, swollen, and in desperate need of release.

So when people ask, “Is deep tissue massage safe to get one while you’re still super sore? Or will that pressure make your tender muscles feel worse?”

Our short answer is usually, “Go for it!”

Because a post-workout massage is a great way to flush out the toxic waste your muscles produce during a workout. For the normal workout warrior getting a massage after working out is most beneficial for your body. It helps flush lactic acid build up out of muscle fiber and reduce recovery time.

On the other hand, if you are an athlete about to compete, an invigorating pre-competition massage is great to get you ready. Then a post-event massage to flush toxins and help you relax and recover afterward.

Really Really Sore?

Hold off on a strong, heavy-handed deep tissue massage. If your muscles are very tender to the touch, a traditional Swedish massage would be best because it stimulates blood and lymph circulation, bringing newly oxygenated blood to tender areas. This oxygenated blood helps “flush out” toxic waste in your muscles, which is the cause of typical soreness.

If the traditional Swedish massage turns out to be not enough for your muscle soreness, go for a stronger deep tissue or sports massage, but take note of how your body reacts.

If you feel pain mid-massage, ask your massage therapist to STOP to avoid irritating the muscles further!

Still sore?

You could get another massage as soon as two days after your first, but we recommend waiting five days. Drinking plenty of water and do light stretching to encourage full recovery. You should know that another massage won’t necessarily double-decrease your soreness over this short period of time.

Recovering from an injury?

If you’re injured, back away from the massage table!

There is a difference between being really sore and recovering from a true injury. If you’ve injured yourself recently, such as a pulled muscle, you should wait 24 to 48 hours before receiving a massage. In fact, a deep tissue massage could make matters worse for you and your injury. Instead, simply ice the tender areas and take a rest day to reduce the inflammation.

Every ache, pain, & sore muscle will react differently to massage. Some people may experience nearly instant relief post-massage, others might feel tender in trigger-point areas that were worked repeatedly during the massage. Whatever you’re feeling, as long as it’s not worsening or acute pain, you’re all good.

Book a Massage @ Zen Massage Today! 

Sources:

https://nyti.ms/2luIrbD

https://bit.ly/2KlDii7

 

Massage | 6 Vital Body Parts Often Overlooked

Amanda Sullivan Educational, Healthy Lifestyle , , , , ,

6 Often Overlooked Body Parts & Massage

For most of us, we tend to feel most tense or in need of massage in our shoulders, back, and neck. Working on these areas feels great and can help you feel much better, but what you may not realize is that there are parts of your body, not commonly thought of, that when massaged, can help create a whole body state of calm and relaxation. 

These 6 often overlooked hotspots on our body, can help you find a new meaning to feeling amazing. You can even massage some of these areas yourself.

1 – Ears

Ears weren’t just made for hearing. They have reflex points that we can massage to counteract whole body and mental stress as well.

One of the most famous anxiety-releasing spots is called Shen Men, or “The Gate of Heaven”.

The Chinese believe pressing near the top of our ears, just inside the rim can immediately bring us into a state of calm, relieve headaches and reduce stress.

Joseph Feuerstein, MD, director of Integrative Medicine at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut reveals how you can self-massage this point:

“Press or massage Shen Men firmly on one ear for a minute as you breathe deeply. Do each ear. Tilt the head from side to side to release the neck, between pressings.”

2 – Thumb

We spend a lot of time using our hands. Our thumbs are a vital part of what makes our hands so versatile and useful. Without our thumbs, we can’t grip, throw, punch, or even get dressed.

There are 8 muscles in our thumb alone!

Fingers have a gazillion nerve receptors connected to our body, which is why our fingers provide a window into our health.

Massaging fingers can release tension throughout the rest of the body. Try it for yourself and feel the difference.

If your thumb is really sore or stiff, to the point that you can’t open a jar, try massaging your hand and thumb to bring relief to tight, painful areas of your hands.

3 – Wrist

Our wrists and fingers tend to be neglected despite their importance and constant use.

Below the wrist is another vital acupressure point known as the “Inner gate” or the Pericardium 6.

According to Mind Body Green, massaging this point helps calm a racing heart. The “wristband technique” is also popular among those who suffer anxiety. Wearing and snapping the rubber bands whenever we’re anxious can calm us down.

If you want a more soothing experience then opt for a wrist massage, or do it yourself. by using your thumb to press on your wrist for four seconds then massaging it in a circular motion.

Clasping your hands as if you’re praying and to open and stretch the wrists relaxes the surrounding muscles and helps relieve wrist tension.

4 – Diaphragm

The average person at rest takes about 23,040 breaths per day.

And the diaphragm is the primary muscle of breathing.

But did you know the diaphragm is also the neglected superstar for core and spinal stability?

Meaning, if your diaphragm isn’t in top shape, you’re more prone to pain and injury. Hence the importance to maintain “core strength”.

5 – Gut

There’s always been a scientific link between gut health and digestion.

Recently there’s a buzz around how massaging our stomachs can be helpful to good digestion.

Dr Iona Bramati of IBC Care, who is a specialist in Visceral Osteopathic Treatment (VOT) believes massage is all about increasing the mobility of our guts.

“Visceral osteopathy is used to optimize blood and lymphatic supply to the internal organs aiming to restore its function.”

Walking, running and exercising are the usual ways that movement of food through the digestive tract is promoted, but as many of us will admit, we don’t move our bodies as much as we should, often sitting at our desks or couches for long periods of time.

The benefits of a simple belly rub are also numerous such as promoting a good nights sleep and relieving abdominal and hip flexor tension.

 

6 – Buttocks or Gluteus Maximus

We often skip massage on our buttocks, even though the gluteus muscles are some of the largest and most used in our bodies.

A variety of techniques include compression, friction, and deep strokes. Getting a butt massage can help counteract long hours of sitting.

It can also help with acute pain, tight muscles and soreness from overuse by relaxing these strong muscles and encouraging proper blood flow to return to the deep tissues of the glutes.

What Does Massage do to Improve the quality of our lives?

Massage has always had a reputation for being the “ultimate pamper treatment”. It just feels good, no matter any related benefits.

 

Unfortunately, stress is the norm for many of us and massage is no longer a luxury.

It is preventive health care that our bodies need to help stay physically and emotionally balanced.

Different massage techniques serve different purposes and help relieve pain, anxiety, depression, improve blood circulation – all leading us to enjoy a happier, healthier life.

We hope you’ve learned a few new tricks to help you manage your health and well-being. We also encourage you to seek out the assistance of a massage professional near you to help keep you on the right track to personal wellness.

Make massage part of your health routine. 

Get in touch with one of our Zen Massage Therapists in Salt Lake City.

Source

Alignment, SI Joint Pain & Massage Therapy

Amanda Sullivan Educational, Healthy Lifestyle, Massage Therapy, Zen Massage , , , , , , , , ,

Each body tells a personal story.  The different ways we use our bodies daily is not always a conscious decision. Let’s be honest our alignment and posture are not always optimal. We have to work, read, hunched over 8 hours at the desk, drive and then we wonder where’s our pain coming from?

​Repetitive motion creates patterns that build our posture. The fascia that lies underneath, throughout your body gets pulled in different directions and creates patches and areas with condensed tissue that need to be smoothed out.​

Massage therapy can provide significant improvement for pain and for works best as part of an integrated approach with your doctor and/or physical therapist.

Physical therapy will alleviate pain through guided and supervised stretching and exercises that increase the stability of the joint. Massage therapy can also help reduce the pain associated with SI joint dysfunction by addressing the muscles and ligaments that support it.

For example, cranial-sacral therapy (balancing the rhythm of the cerebral-spinal pulse) will realign the body and reduce the stress on the SI joint. Using Swedish massage techniques, your massage therapist can relax the muscles and improve circulation in the area.

Massage can relieve the pain and discomfort of SIJ dysfunction by correcting imbalances of the musculoskeletal system. This is the connection between your muscles and your joints and bones. Some practitioners use a therapeutic strategy involving piriformis techniques that address the stability of the pelvis in order to alleviate the SI joint pain.

Corrective massage is designed to counteract harmful muscle imbalances that result in poor body posture. With the repetitiveness of occupation and daily activities, pain occurs due to imbalances created by overuse of certain muscles and under use of others. Our body posture provides a window into musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction.

Muscle imbalances affect the whole body, causing stress and fatigue that tighten the muscles and limit oxygen to the cells. Poor posture can limit our body’s potential range of motion creating stress on the musculoskeletal system. The result is chronic pain caused by the weak underused muscles being pushed to their limit. Muscle pain is a strong signal of body misalignment.

Chronic conditions develop over time, and will often require multiple sessions to change the patterns and posture of your body.  As your massage therapist, we listen to the pain and make the healthy alignment changes that are needed using massage. The goal is for you to be pain free and capable of  living an active lifestyle.

It’s important to try the least invasive routes before leaping to potentially addictive prescription painkillers and costly surgeries with lengthy recovery times. In addition to your doctor, seek advice from massage therapists, physical therapists, and holistic health practitioners who can offer alternative approaches to your sacroiliac joint pain management.

The tools offered by doctors to treat pain (pills and surgery) mask the issue and do not get to the root problem, muscular skeletal imbalance. With corrective massage, sessions are interactive requiring you to flex and release certain muscles during the massage to accelerate the results and to re-educate the body so that stretched muscles are contracted and shortened muscles are lengthened. This creates balance in the body. When the body is in balance, it is pain free and strong.

Good communication with your massage therapist is key to getting the best treatment for your body.

Personalized Massage Therapy in Salt Lake City @ http://zenmassage.net/

Sources:

Low Back, Piriformis and SI Joint Pain

Impact of Massage Therapy on Pain

SI Joint Dysfunction

Sacroiliac Joint Pain Relief Through Massage

How Would You Explain Kinesiology?

zenmassagenet Blog, Massage Therapy , , , , , , , , ,
How Would You Explain Kinesiology?

Inspired by beautiful clients, bursting to share the benefits of Kinesiology, though they don’t always have the words to explain it!

A client recently told me, how she was trying to share her thoughts on the benefits of Kinesiology with a friend of hers, though she found it difficult to explain, sufficiently.

She said to me, “it’s not like I can say – I go to her & she does my taxes“!

Though, when you think about it, maybe they are comparable…

Everyone knows what it feels like to get your tax done, but – do you actually know how your tax is calculated? Probably not, right,  you simply take your income, investment and expenses to your tax agent. Then see your money/tax return appear in your bank account a little while later?

Going with that analogy: consider your body, emotions & energetic systems, similar to your income, expenses & investments. A kinesiologist job is to take an inventory of all your energetic & emotional expenses and income, detox the clutter stored within your body (ineffective investment habits) and then bring you back to alignment & balance (your money in the bank).

With all of that said, I’m sure this client of mine is not alone in struggling to explain how Kinesiology works.

How would you explain Kinesiology?

Another client has a beautifully simple & accurate way of explaining it. She say’s it’s “a massage & cleanse for the subconscious”.

If you’d like to borrow that explanation, go for it! Though if you want to come up with your own explanation, here are a few concepts you might like to play with:

kinesiologyEnergy

Essentially, Kinesiology is all energy healing, working on the truth that all is vibration and energy.

This is basic science that we all learned in high school, right down to the coding of our DNA. When everything is in perfect alignment, our energy is flowing harmoniously.

Blocks

Along life’s path, we accumulate stress through experience, outdated beliefs, trauma, not listening to our wisdom/intuition/what we know is right for us.

This creates blocks to the energy flow within our body. Kind of like road blocks creating traffic pileups along the freeway. These blocks are stored within our cellular memory (did you know that we have over a trillion cells in the body?), our subconscious memory & our energetic systems (e.g. meridians & chakras).

Balance

This is where the “massage & cleanse for the subconscious” comes into effect!

Essentially, during the balance, your kinesiologist works directly with the intelligence of your body (via muscle testing) to locate and clear your stress blocks. This clearing also stimulates your body’s natural healing ability – restoring you back to balance & health.

Comparable to your money/tax return in the bank, or similar to a clear freeway, opening up a path for you to reach your destination smoothly.

As you can see, Kinesiology isn’t such a simple thing to explain. However, hopefully, this post has made it a little more accessible!

Next time you’re bursting to share the benefits of Kinesiology and need a way to do it, share these ideas or; send your people to this post.

Better yet, take action now and forward this post to your friends or share on Facebook. Most importantly, enjoy the balance Kinesiology provides, and allow the wisdom of your body to come forward.

Health & Happiness

Book with Zen Massage Today, we combine our knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology, and range of motion, fusing traditional refinement with the advances of modern medicine. Best of all, the ZEN Massage technique feels amazing long after your appointment.

http://zenmassage.net/

(801) 467-3529

5520 S Van Winkle Expy

Salt Lake City, Utah

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