Heart Benefits of Massage Therapy

Many already view massage as an important approach to relieving muscle pain or as a means to relax. However, working with a qualified massage therapist can also play a significant role in improving cardiovascular health as evidenced by a growing body of research, according to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).

Massage therapists share the goal of all health-care team members – providing customizable, personalized care to help clients or patients reach and maintain their best health. Incorporating regular visits to a massage therapist into an individualized care plan can relieve stress (a major contributor to heart problems), lower blood pressure and lead to a decrease in recovery time following a cardiovascular procedure. [Watch: Dr. Brent Bauer of the Mayo Clinic discusses the cardiovascular benefits of massage]

A multitude of recent research shows a direct correlation between massage therapy and improved cardiovascular health. In a 2013 study in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers concluded massage therapy could serve as an effective intervention in controlling blood pressure in pre-hypertensive women. The study showed that the immediate results of lowered blood pressure lasted up to 72 hours after massage.

A separate study in the same publication had similar findings; those that received regular Swedish Massage Therapy over a period of four weeks had significantly lower blood pressure than those who did not have a massage.

The American Heart Association (AHA) warns against the risks of high blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular issues including stroke, heart disease and kidney failure. With proactive management of high blood pressure, individuals can lower their chance of developing these conditions.

"Most clients think of massage therapy as a useful approach for managing back pain or promoting relaxation, but there are other benefits to massage that improve overall health, particularly when it comes to the heart," said Nancy M. Porambo, president of the AMTA. "Many see tremendous outcomes from introducing massage into their cardiovascular rehabilitation routine, as this Research Round-up shows."

A qualified massage therapist can play an important role in the health-care team for individuals dealing with cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure or increased stress levels, the association said. Individuals should consult with a qualified massage therapist to determine the best massage therapy approach for their specific needs.

By meeting or exceeding state training requirements, ascribing to a code of ethics and participating in continuing education, qualified massage therapists are appropriate additions to any wellness regimen; able to create specialized approaches based on individual conditions, fitness and goals, the AMTA said.

- See more at: http://www.massagetherapycanada.com/research/studies-highlight-heart-benefits-of-massage-therapy-2464#sthash.UeEwesGY.dpuf

This Is What Stress Really Feels Like

Can we all just release a collective sigh over how annoying stress is?

Beyond the inconvenience of feeling stressed out, regular bouts of anxiety can seriously mess with your health. Persistant, daily stress can lead to increased risk of chronic diseases, heart problems and changes in the brain. Workplace stress also results in approximately $125 billion to $190 billion in U.S. healthcare costs each year.

A little stress is inevitable -- and luckily there are ways to reduce it -- so we can all take solace in the fact that we're not alone in feeling this way. We asked our social community to explain what stress physically feels like for them and illustrated some of their responses. Although worrying is universal, the experience isn't exactly one-size-fits-all.

"Like a huge knot in my stomach." -- Norine Stauske (via Facebook)

"It feels like being caught in a tsunami; the rolling of the wave keeps you from figuring out which direction to swim." -- Larissa Valkyrie (via Facebook)

"I feel like a shark bit me in the stomach." -- Edu Gonzalez (via Facebook)

"For me stress is like a hazy fog that is so thick it literally slows me down." -- Melissa Petitt (via Facebook)

"It feels like the walls are closing in. A vice grip on my body." -- Carol Smitherman-Marques (via Facebook)

"A volcanic mountain close to eruption [with] lots of pressure building up. Everything is amplified around me." -- Rhonda DeEtte Dostal (via Facebook)

"Stress feels like carrying around a mental cinderblock. You can hold it for a few minutes and not get tired (an actual cinderblock weighs 28 pounds) but if you carry it around for an hour it will fatigue you, carry it around for a day it will hurt you, continue to carry it long term and it can literally kill you." -- John Brubaker (via email)

"I feel like I am an Egyptian mummy wrapped all over and the pyramid is put on top of me." -- TC Bahar Ergun Tunc (via Facebook)

"It feels like a weight on my shoulders, gravity pulling me down and a sense of dread." -- Cherrie L. Page (via Facebook)

"Stress is like being hugged by a giant." -- Monica Mercedes Perez Jimenez

What does stress physically feel like to you?


This article originally appeared on Huffington Post and was written by Lindsay Holmes and Alissa Scheller.

5 Things You Probably Don't Know About Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been around for at least 4,000 years in the East—but only widely known in the West for less than 50. Below are five facts about acupuncture you probably didn’t know.

1. A NYT Reporter Let the West Know About It. During a trip to China in 1971, a New York Times reporter underwent an emergency appendectomy. Afterward, doctors used acupuncture to relieve discomfort in his abdomen.  He wrote about the experience upon his return to the United States.  This sparked interest in the practice in the United States, and subsequently, the Western world.

2. It’s Backed by the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization endorses the use of acupuncture for over 100 symptoms and diseases, including low back pain, headaches, nausea and vomiting, allergies, depression, to relieve the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, and for inducing labor.

 In 1997, the United States National Institutes of Health  approved acupuncture as an adjunct treatment for nausea and vomiting after surgery, pain in the mouth after dental surgery, and pregnancy related nausea.

3. Licensed Acupuncturists Have Masters Degrees. To become a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac) one must attend a rigorous graduate-level training program for three to four years. After they are licensed, acupuncturists must maintain their licensure with continuing education.

Education to become an acupuncturist includes training in ethics, patient safety during treatments, how to gather their medical history, and how to recognize when a patient needs to be seen by other health care professionals.

Medical doctors can also practice acupuncture, but are required to do far less training. Those who do dry needling also often have much less training than licensed acupuncturists.

4. It’s Covered by Insurance More Than You’d Expect. There is a common misconception that insurance does not cover acupuncture, but this is not true for many plans. According to a report in Acupuncture Today, “As of 2004, nearly 50 percent of Americans who were enrolled in employer health insurance plans were covered for acupuncture treatment.” 

With some insurance, patients may be responsible for a copay, while other companies may cover a certain percentage of treatment. 

In New York state, most people involved in car accidents and workers injured on the job are by law eligible to have acupuncture treatments covered by insurance.

The Affordable Care Act also made seeking complementary treatments from licensed practitioners, which includes acupuncturists, more accessible.

5. If You’re Needle-Phobic, You Can Still Get Acupuncture. Acupuncture needles are actually less formidable than syringes. They have different widths and lengths, with some only as thick as a hair. They penetrate different depths from only the surface of the skin to about a half an inch below. The amount and type of pain experienced is different for each individual, so if you’re concerned, let your practitioner know and he or she can advise you on the right course of treatment and make sure you are as comfortable as possible during sessions.


This article originally appeared in the Epoch Times and was written by Paul Kerzner.

Anxiety Helped with Kinesiology

10 year old’s anxiety about going to the Toilet at School

This anxious young man attended me for Systematic Kinesiology with a view to finding out why he feared going to the toilet at school. The background to this case was that there was building work going on at the School and the children were not allowed to use the toilets during school hours for health and safety reasons. This situation manifested greatly in this young man’s mind and he developed a fear that he would have “an accident” at school and would go to the toilet 3 or 4 times before leaving home every school morning. As a result, his bowel movements became irregular – one day constipated the next diarrhea, all of which was accompanied with severe cramping, he also suffered joint pain and headaches. He had become a very restless sleeper.

In recent weeks he had braces applied to his teeth and this was causing a swallowing problem. I carried out a Systematic Kinesiology Balance treatment to determine where the problem was originating. We have 15 systems in our bodies and in order to find out where and why a health problem is existing, a muscle test to each system is carried by using the muscles of the arms and legs. The limbs are put in various positions and a gentle pressure is exerted on the limb. When a “weakened” muscle is found – it does not mean that there is a serious problem. However, in Systematic Kinesiology, we have lots of options to help find the answer – Nutrition: is there a food causing the problem? Is the weakened area working properly – for example – is the digestive system producing enough enzymes to break down the food. Is there an injury to the area that would be causing the problem or is the problem stress related?

In this particular case, the area supporting the Large Intestine showed to be the main problem and nutrition was the reason for the weakness. As well as this, his Temporal Mandibular Joint (Jaw joint) needed to be balanced. I carried out the full food sensitivity test, – a number of foods showed him sensitive to – the main ones being wheat, yeast, and sugar, chocolate. I also checked to see if a nutritional supplement would also support him. To help this young man to feel more grounded and secure in himself, I showed him how to do an exercise called – Cross Crawl. This was to help his concentration, his general energy, and his confidence. I suggested that he do this three times daily. To complete the session, I checked his Energy Centres or Chakras all of which needed to be balanced.

A few days later, his mother rang me to say how pleased she was with the Systematic Kinesiology session, that she now had a “different child”- one who was much happier in himself and had little or no anxiety now about toilet visits. He told his Mum that he felt “lighter” as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. There will be follow up visits necessary to ensure that this young man’s digestive system is working properly, and that he is able to absorb and digest his foods correctly.

If you have a child who’s worrying about issues at school, the Systematic Kinesiology approach looks for solutions in a holistic way, not only focussing on the worry itself, but supporting the child energetically, nutritionally, simple movement exercises and physically working with the body’s balancing reflexes.

Article originally appeared Kinesiology.ie and is written by by Mella Britton, DipAK, practitioner in Donegal