Massage is a necessity disguised as a luxury

We know massage will make us move better and feel happier, but not everyone can make time for regular appointments. Luckily massage is great preventive care and it can have some instantly-gratifying results. Check out these 3 things massage can help you with right now. Headaches   Tension headaches (often called stress headaches) are the most common type of headaches among adults. Pain or pressure in your forehead or on the top or sides of your head? Could be a tension headache. It's especially likely if you've been hunching over a desk or some knitting, spent a ton of time in a car, or if you're still shivering and huddling to keep warm as spring slowly creeps in. Massage can help get rid of that headache and regular massage may well keep it from coming back. (If you want to geek out about tension headaches and try a few self-massage techniques, check out this article .) Low Back Pain A major research study was published in 20...

It seems like every week and every month we're exposed to (bombarded with?) new Awareness Campaigns. The internet has connected and educated us with ever-increasing speed and depth. Because of awareness campaigns we know more about brain injury, the need for clean water domestically and throughout the world, the importance of net neutrality, and how to support people with cancer. We can take action and be a part of causes that we care about.   It can also be overwhelming. It can be tough to choose what causes to support and in that deluge of need, we may choose to support nothing. Or we burn ourselves out supporting everything. Neither of those outcomes is desirable.   So how do we balance self-preservation with the desire to be good and helpful in our communities and beyond? I suggest a two level consideration of awareness, considering your world first, so you can be more useful to the rest of the world second.   Be aware of your world Where you hold ...

February 9 starts International Random Acts of Kindness Week . Their website is packed with great ideas on how to celebrate, and I especially love the approach of committing a random act of kindness for three different people: ●      Someone you don't know ●      Someone you know ●      Yourself Someone you don't know This are pretty simple and can quickly become a habit. (That's a good thing!) Smile. When you're in a depressingly long line at the bank, watching a parent deal with their toddler's public meltdown, or sitting next to another car in traffic. A kind grin goes a long way when you're feeling a bit hopeless about the daily hassles in life. Someone you know Take a moment to think about who in your life may be a little touch-deficient. Maybe you know someone who is recently widowed, a single parent with older children, or a new empty-nester. Maybe even a young teenager in an ...

The short answer is “No. Absolutely not.” But the long answer is, well, much longer. This is one of the most frequently asked questions about massage and deserves some discussion. In massage school it was suggested we say to clients, “Undress to your level of comfort.” I found that’s way too vague, and doesn’t really answer the questions. Heck, I’m not even sure what that means.   First, no matter what, you’ll always be covered (draped) with a sheet and a blanket. You’ll never be left feeling exposed or chilly. When I work on an arm, I fold the sheet back and tuck it under your arm so it’s secure. (No drafts, my friends.) I follow the same protocol for the leg. When I work on the full back, I fold the drape down at the hips. If you’re wearing underwear I’ll gently tuck the sheet around the waistband, to protect your clothes from massage oil. If you’re wearing a bra, I’ll work around it. If you’re wearing a t-shirt or tank top or space suit, I’ll work ...