health and wellness
Still Holding Out on Getting a Massage?
Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by Daily News Staff
Elements Massage debunks massage myths that scare clients the most.
Highlands Ranch, CO, October 31, 2016 (Newswire.com) –It’s shocking that more Americans are not taking advantage of the preventative and healing benefits of massage because people have fears and misconceptions about massage.
Massage is a drug-free, non-invasive, humanistic approach to wellness, based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. It may also be of help in treating high blood pressure, lower back pain, post-surgical care, arthritis and depression. But even when there is not a specific health issue, massage can have other benefits, including:
Exposure is game changer for many people, especially for first-time clients. There is a power differential between a therapist and client. People feel vulnerable when they take off their clothes. It’s important for people to know that there are proper draping techniques that therapists are trained in, and that the amount of clothing a person wears during a massage is optional. Eric Stephenson, Director of Education, iMassage.com
- Increased circulation
- Stimulation of the lymph system, the body’s natural defense against toxins
- Release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller
- Improved range of motion and decreased discomfort in back muscles
- Relaxation of injured and overused muscles
- Reduced muscle spasms and cramping
- Increased joint flexibility
- Aid in recovering from strenuous workouts
- Reduced post-operative adhesions and edema, as well as reduced scar tissue
Yet in 2015, a survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) found only 19 percent of women and 16 percent of men reported having a massage in the past 12 months. Now that’s a frightening statistic!
Eric Stephenson is the director of education at iMassage.com, and has been a consultant for Elements Massage™ (Elements) since 2009. He says there are many misconceptions about massage therapy people need to be educated about. Topping the list, you have to get naked.
#1 Exposure
“Exposure is game changer for many people, especially for first-time clients,” says Stephenson. “There is a power differential between a therapist and client. People feel vulnerable when they take off their clothes. It’s important for people to know that there are proper draping techniques that therapists are trained in, and that the amount of clothing a person wears during a massage is optional. They can be fully clothed if they prefer. This is totally up to the client.”
Clients who have concerns should ask the massage studio or spa about its draping policy and what to expect during a massage to ensure their modesty is protected at all times.
#2 Body Image Issues
Many people avoid massage because they are uncomfortable with how they look. They think they are too heavy, too thin, they forgot to shave their legs, or have been traumatized by a past experience that makes touch by others stressful and difficult. A good massage therapist is never judgmental and may very well have a team of local specialists to whom they can refer troubled clients.
#3 It’s Too Expensive
Cost is subjective for most people. If massage is important, it can be as simple as a trade-off, substituting a massage for two or three meals out during the month. Stephenson also says franchise organizations like Elements have brought the cost of massage down and carved out a niche for people who are cost-sensitive. Membership programs and incentives can bring costs down even further.
#4 Massage Hurts
Massage therapists typically offer a variety of pressures and types of massage. Swedish massage for example, is typically more relaxing, whereas deep tissue and sports massage might be more oriented to helping cope with injuries and sore muscles. Massage clients should be able to ask for what they want in any session.
For example, Element’s therapists are taught to ask clients about the amount of pressure to apply within the first five minutes of a massage. Clients who believe in the old adage, “no pain, no gain” can ask for deep pressure, or those who wish for a relaxing massage are encouraged to state their preferences and give their massage[CS1] therapist direction throughout the session. If a therapist is not receptive, it might be wise to seek a different therapist. .
#5 I Need to go to a Therapist Often to Get Any Results
While it’s true that therapists may recommend more frequent massages for certain conditions, such as back pain or Plantar Fasciitis, the goal is to leverage massage therapy for healing, so that clients can achieve a maintenance level where fewer massages are necessary.
#6 Gender Bias
The ratio of women to men receiving massages used to be about 80:20, but not anymore. Men have become more savvy about the health benefits and they have more location options. The franchise model has helped in this area as well. Men no longer have to go to female-dominated health and beauty spas for a massage. There are also more male massage therapists in the workforce, so individuals who feel more comfortable seeing massage therapists of the same sex can do so.
#7 Drink Lots of Water
There was a time when it was believed drinking water before and after a massage would eliminate toxins from the body. This has been debunked. Many therapists still offer water to clients, but only for hydration. Everything in moderation is typically better for your overall health and well-being.
#8 Prenatal Massage is Dangerous
While it was believed that pregnant women should not get a massage, particularly in the first trimester, this belief most likely came about because more miscarriages occur during this time and many massage studio owners wanted to avoid this offering for liability reasons. Now, therapists are being trained and certified in prenatal massage and the risks are minimal.
A Simple Truth about Massage Therapy
As society embraces preventative care as a way to allay the need for medical treatment, the use of massage therapy as part of a wellness program continues to grow. It is a way of treating pain without medication. It can relieve anxiety and stress, and may lessen the risk of stress-causing diseases. As research continues to uncover the medical benefits of massage, it is important to note that its therapeutic advantages also come with some pleasant side effects.
“Massage is great way to come back to the soothing benefits of touch,” adds Stephenson. “Babies cannot survive without touch, so why do we deprive ourselves as adults?”
Source: Elements Massage
5 Habits to Boost Immunity During Cold and Flu Season
(Feature Impact) Your immune system is your strongest ally during cold and flu season, working hard to keep you healthy as you start hearing those telltale coughs and sneezes all around. Help your body do its job well by adopting a few simple habits that naturally support its ability to fight off germs or recover faster.
Talk to your healthcare provider for personalized advice then work on making these habits normal in your household.
Get Regular Exercise
Exercise is like a wonder drug that can improve nearly every aspect of health and wellness. Physical activity increases blood flow, reduces long-term inflammation, helps immune cells circulate through the body to guard against invaders and may even flush bacteria out of your lungs and airways. Plan to fit at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise into each week, like a bike ride, brisk walk, yoga class or on-demand video workout.
Eat Foods That Support Immune Health
To keep your immune system fueled, experts recommend eating a varied diet featuring plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil. Consider adding fresh grapes to your diet to enjoy benefits from their naturally occurring plant compounds.
Protecting the body starts all the way down at the cellular level, and grapes contain powerful polyphenols that support the health and function of cells. Studies indicate certain compounds in grapes, like resveratrol and flavonoids, support immune system function as well as brain, skin, GI and heart health.
These little fruits are easy to add to your diet, whether you enjoy sweet, juicy Grapes from California by the handful or toss them in a blender to make this California Grape Wellness Juice recipe. Support multiple aspects of wellness with the drink’s powerful combination of fruits and vegetables, delivering a variety of immune-boosting vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water helps clean your lymphatic system, which is responsible for producing special white blood cells that fight germs. It also keeps membranes in your nose and mouth moist, decreasing infection risk. If you struggle to drink enough, eating water-rich foods like grapes also helps you improve hydration.
Practice Good Germ Hygiene
To increase your odds of staying healthy during peak illness season, hearken back to the tried-and-true hygiene advice your parents might have tried to drill into your head as a kid. Regularly wash your hands with warm water and soap, avoid touching your face while out and about, keep your distance from symptomatic people and disinfect commonly used surfaces like doorknobs when someone in the house or office is sick.
Sleep More, Stress Less
Before you start feeling stressed that you aren’t getting enough sleep, rest assured there are easy changes you can make to support your well-being in both areas. Try switching up your nightly routine to be oriented less around screens and more around calming activities that actually help you wind down, like yoga, meditation or reading.
Discover more health information and recipes at GrapesFromCalifornia.com.
California Grape Wellness Juice
Servings: 3 (1 cup each)
- 5 cups black or red Grapes from California
- 1/2 cup peeled raw beet slices
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 piece fresh turmeric (1-inch), peeled and sliced or1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- In high-speed blender, puree grapes, beet slices, orange juice, lemon juice, carrot and turmeric until smooth.
- Pour through fine mesh sieve, stirring to extract as much juice as possible, about 3 cups. Stop when mixture starts to get thick. Enjoy immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes: This juice can also be added to iced tea or fizzy water.
Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories; 3 g protein; 58 g carbohydrates; 0.5 g fat (2% calories from fat); 0 g saturated fat (0% calories from saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 35 mg sodium; 0 g fiber.
SOURCE:
California Table Grape Commission
Food and Beverage
A Lesson in Kindness, Inclusion and How Kids Eat Differently
Kids Eat Differently: The school year brings new classmates, routines and opportunities for children to learn about people whose experiences may be different from their own. They could include friends who use a wheelchair, carry an inhaler or even receive nutrition through a feeding tube.
A Lesson in Kindness, Inclusion and How Kids Eat Differently
(Feature Impact) The school year brings new classmates, routines and opportunities for children to learn about people whose experiences may be different from their own. They could include friends who use a wheelchair, carry an inhaler or even receive nutrition through a feeding tube.
Watch this video to learn more
For families who rely on tube feeding, it is an essential part of daily life but is often understood only by those who experience it. That limited awareness can leave children who are tube fed and their families feeling isolated or unseen, according to Gerard Minor, a pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology specialist.
Parents can use everyday questions as opportunities to help children understand there are many ways people receive nourishment. Teachers, classmates, caregivers and communities can also help make tube feeding part of the everyday conversation around childhood rather than something that separates children from it.
“Helping children understand those differences early can encourage curiosity, kindness and inclusion,” Minor said.
To help bring greater awareness, understanding and representation to children and families who experience tube feeding every day, Compleat, a leader in tube feeding formulas, launched “What Is Better Than How,” featuring “Sesame Street’s” Elmo and his signature warmth and curiosity. The original song celebrates the many ways people eat. Some people eat with a fork, some use a spoon and some use a tube, reinforcing a simple message: What matters is not how you eat. What matters is that you are nourished, loved and included.
To hear the song, create a personalized version and learn more about the campaign, visit Compleat.com/WhatIsBetterThanHow.
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Health and Life Insurance
Lessons in Life Insurance: 4 Reasons Getting It May Be Easier Than You Think
Life is the most valuable thing you have – and like all valuable things, it should be insured. Even thinking about life insurance can be stressful, so it’s one of those things that’s easy to put off and tell yourself you’ll do another day. Consider these four ways to make getting life insurance simpler than you thought.
Lessons in Life Insurance: 4 Reasons Getting It May Be Easier Than You Think
(Feature Impact) Life is the most valuable thing you have – and like all valuable things, it should be insured. Even thinking about life insurance can be stressful, so it’s one of those things that’s easy to put off and tell yourself you’ll do another day.
If that’s how you feel, you aren’t alone. According to the 2026 Life Happens Life Insurance Survey, nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults have getting life insurance on their to-do list but plan to deal with it later or not at all. Confusion, procrastination and cost concerns are among the main reasons people kick this can down the road, according to 45% of respondents.
Yet the survey also uncovered an interesting disconnect: 69% of Americans said they personally know someone who had life insurance or whose family used a life insurance policy, most often a parent or parent figure (33%), but still haven’t made getting coverage a priority.
“Life insurance isn’t unfamiliar to most Americans,” Life Happens Executive Director Brian Steiner said. “The challenge is turning that awareness into action. People may think life insurance is something they can deal with later, but waiting can leave the people they love financially vulnerable. Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated, and professional guidance can help you find protection that fits your needs and budget.”
Consider these four ways to make getting life insurance simpler than you thought.
Watch this video to learn more
1. Find a policy that’s a fit.
Roughly 4 in 10 survey respondents reported feeling overwhelmed, anxious or some combination of both about planning for life insurance, with 12% citing thinking it’ll be too expensive as a reason they’ve delayed looking into, buying or updating life insurance.
The good news: There’s a policy that’s right for your current needs. It may be term life insurance, which provides protection for a specific period of time, like to cover a mortgage or tuition for children. There’s also permanent life insurance, which offers lifelong protection, as long as you pay the premiums.
2. Take advantage of digital tools
One-quarter of respondents said they’d be more likely to look into life insurance if they learned it was easier to get than they thought, and digital tools can help make that demand a reality.
It can take as little as two minutes to find out how much you need, for example, with the life insurance needs calculator from the nonprofit Life Happens. Just answer a few simple questions to estimate the amount of life insurance coverage you may need to take care of your family.
3. It’s about protection, not perfection.
Part of the anxiety around life insurance may be the perception that it should be perfect. For more than 1 in 5 survey participants, the plan is to seriously look at it when they feel more financially stable, and another 12% simply said they’ll do it when they’re older.
However, life insurance doesn’t have to check all the boxes for every stage of your life – you can find what works for your family right now then adjust as things change over time.
4. Professional help is available.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle to tackling life insurance is the feeling that you’re in it alone. Overall, 55% of respondents said if they learned life insurance may be easier to get than they expected, they’d be more likely to start the process.
With professional help only a few clicks away, you can rest assured you’re on the path to a life insurance fit that’s right for you by visiting findapro.lifehappens.org.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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