Author: Miracles Massage

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4 Peeps Who Will Benefit From Touch in Massage

Massage has many benefits to the human body. People book a massage for a variety of reasons whether they need a day of rest and relaxation or because they are experiencing pain and want a healing touch to help their recovery. This month we celebrated Mother’s Day, but the observance doesn’t need to end with the day. In fact, we can look around at the fabulous women in our lives who would greatly benefit from a little TLC and the power of touch through massage.

Here are four women in your life who would be thrilled by an expression of your appreciation:

1. Your Bestie
Your BFF has been with you through it all. You’ve laughed until your stomachs ached, cried together when one of you was hurt, and swapped meals and kids when one of you was ill. Why not help your powerhouse friend get her pampering on by unleashing her inner beautiful self with the outer secret beauty benefits of massage?

2. New Moms
Your favorite niece just had her first baby. Hooray! Mom and baby are both seemingly well. But did you know that mothers who receive postpartum massages are said to have a quicker recovery? Childbirth strains a woman’s entire body, but particularly her abdomen, lower back, and hips. C-sections can also take a toll on the body, as it is major surgery. Massage is known for helping to alleviate symptoms associated with the baby blues and depression, especially when paired with essential oils.

3. Teachers
Teachers have an incredibly difficult job that often leaves them exhausted, sore, and feeling unappreciated. They spend long hours on their feet, leaning over student desks in odd positions, unnaturally bending to hear questions, and squatting next to a child who is having difficulty. As a result, their bodies ache from head to foot. As you thank your child’s teacher for a job well done, take the usual year-end gift a little further by giving her a massage that will ease the tension in her shoulders and neck. You may consider asking a few parents to contribute to the gift as you send your child’s teacher into a blissfully relaxing summer break.

4. A Friend in Need
Spread a little sunshine to a friend in need. One of your gal pals may be going through a divorce, can’t find peace with a troubled child, or was recently diagnosed with an illness. Perhaps she recently lost a parent, made a poor career move, or is overwhelmed with motherhood. Whatever the case, your friend could use a little all-expense paid retreat.

All massages are customized to our clients’ specific needs. For more information, contact us today!

 

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3 Reasons Moms Need a Break – Not Just One Day a Year

Mother’s Day has come and gone, but the idea of pampering a mom should not be long forgotten. It’s quite the opposite, listen up. Moms, you should take a break, regularly, to ensure you are refreshed and ready for the daily demands placed upon you.

As moms, we often tell our grouchy children (and sometimes significant others) that they need to recharge by taking the time to rest. Moms need rest, too. Setting aside time for yourself isn’t just staying up too late at night to binge watch your favorite show on Netflix or gobbling down ice cream when the kids are in bed so no one slobbers all over your spoon. By scheduling a regular massage, you will feel more relaxed and will be able to maintain the energy you need to work, play, and be a mom (a.k.a. Wonder Woman). Your energy level will shine through in your daily life as well making you the happy lady your family loves to see.

1. No One is Happy if Momma Isn’t Healthy

You may be tempted to joke that moms need a mental break so they don’t ‘lose their marbles’, but effects of stress can be both mental and physical. Moms, you are busy worrying about things like homework, family schedules, sports equipment, teenage drivers, meal planning, and your own career. You need an ally. The demands you experience are great and often feel overwhelming. Worrying about all of the things you have to manage can take a toll on your health, not to mention your outlook on life. Taking time for yourself to have a regular massage can help you relax. It’s a time to center and focus on priority number one (that’s you!). Massages are proven to boost your immune system, improve sleep, and manage pain, particularly migraines. What mom couldn’t use these benefits?

2. Recharging Will Make you Nicer

As moms, we often tell our grouchy children (and sometimes significant others) that they need to recharge by taking the time to rest. Moms need rest too. Setting aside time for yourself isn’t just staying up too late at night to binge watch your favorite show on Netflix or gobbling down ice cream when the kids are in bed so no one slobbers all over your spoon. By scheduling a regular massage, you will feel more relaxed and will be able to maintain the energy you need to work, play, and be a mom (aka Wonder Woman). Your energy level will shine through in your daily life as well making you the happy lady your family loves to see.

3. Just Because

Shh. Here’s a secret: you don’t need a reason. Take time for yourself because you want to! Guilt-free “me time” was simply an appointment in your pre-mom life. You didn’t need a reason then and you don’t need a reason now to spend 60-120 minutes however you’d like. Just because you are a mom doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy yourself without your family.

Schedule your massage appointment today! Sign up for our newsletter to learn more about our services and the benefits you will enjoy.

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Attention: Everyday maintenance is not “me-time!”

Are you a parent? Can you remember back to the days where you enjoyed loads of free time, also known as “me-time?” Ah….the good ol’ days. (Don’t get me wrong — I love kids!)

But why is it that once we become parents, activities that used to be considered maintenance are now considered “me-time?” Activities like using the restroom — alone. Going to the hair salon. Cutting the lawn. Roaming the grocery store aisles, kidless.

Newsflash: These aren’t me-time!

Thankfully, there’s an antidote to me-time being swallowed by maintenance-time. It’s called self-care and it isn’t optional!

Imagine having a regularly scheduled appointment where someone massages all your cares — and hamstring knots — away. “What spilled milk? Whose toy? Stop fighting. I’m pooping.” gets replaced with the sound of silence (and your occasion moan as those knots meet their match on the massage table).

How would a regular massage positively impact the rest of your life? Are you ready to embrace some real me-time? We’re waiting for you.

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Massage: The Unsung Superhero of a Healthy Lifestyle

You’re feeling stressed, strung out, and out-of-sorts. First, you examine your diet. Cheeseburgers, fries, and shakes aren’t helping you keep your pledge to eat healthier. Next, you catalog your physical activity, which shows you moving at the speed of a turtle from your bed to work and back to your couch. With great intention, you mindfully pre-plan your meals and schedule time for 30-minutes of daily activity.

These improvements help you feel less sluggish, improve your sleep, and reduce your stress. Hurray! Life’s pretty good.

But life could be great.

You’ve forgotten about massage, the superhero of a healthy lifestyle. Some folks “treat” themselves occasionally for a massage, which is better than never having one at all. But we’re talking about regular massage as a tool to reduce stress, improve circulation, increase energy, and help you to relax. Regular massage also improves the immune system and increases joy.

Honestly, regular massage is not only an unsung hero of a healthy lifestyle, it’s a superhero! Consider this: if your dietary and exercise routines were Super(wo)man, your massage therapist would be Bat(wo)man, the coolest of the cool. She uses gadgets like aromatherapy, hot stones, and warm oil. She can work you over, all without flying and she has no issues with kryptonite. Swoon.

Better send up a Bat Signal and schedule that massage right now!

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Are you guilty of self-neglect?

According to a 2013 Pew Research Study, men spend about five hours more in leisure than women do. Included in men’s leisure activities are watching television, playing games or sports, and other activities.

Source: AdobeStock

In America, we tend to think of leisure as a luxury. We put off having fun until the work is finished (thanks for that, Puritans). This delay in rest and relaxation is one factor causing U.S. women to feel more stressed than men. (And this even when men work, on average, at their paid jobs 10 hours more a week.)

Emotional well-being is intertwined with physical well-being. When you postpone rejuvenation, your proverbial well runs dry, leaving you operating on fumes and caffeine. Tempers may flare. You feel out-of-sorts.

We’ve become focused on doing life rather than living it.

Here’s the great news: you can choose to make a change. Right this minute. Decide to schedule time for you to rejuvenate your body and spirit. Make a list of activities you enjoy. Pick one to commit to doing this week. Next week, do the same. Make this commitment non-negotiable.

Having a hard time coming up with ways to relax? Here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning:

  • Take a walk or hike
  • Read a book for pleasure
  • Get a pedicure and/or manicure
  • Go to a museum
  • Visit an art gallery
  • Dance (in your kitchen or at a club)
  • Listen to live music
  • Color
  • Paint
  • Meditate
  • See a movie
  • See a play
  • Scrapbook
  • Crafts, like knitting or crocheting
  • Take a class, like improve or pottery
  • Bake
  • Get a massage

You may be saying to yourself, “I don’t have time for frivolity. My family needs me.” Feelings of selfishness may arise. Here’s the deal: feeling selfish because you’re nurturing yourself is caused by unearned guilt. We may believe that doing for others should always come first. It’s important to recognize this belief and challenge it. Tell yourself, “I feel guilt, but I can see that it’s unearned. So I’m going to do something for myself. Life is about me, too.”

Schedule a massage today!

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Top 5 Essential Oils Used in Massage

One of the most pleasurable aspects of getting a massage is the calming scent of luxurious warm essential oils used. In addition to satisfying your sense of smell, essential oils have health benefits.

What exactly is an essential oil? According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), “The term “essential oil” is a contraction of the original “quintessential oil.” This stems from the Aristotelian idea that matter is composed of four elements, namely, fire, air, earth, and water. The fifth element, or quintessence, was then considered to be spirit or life force.”

AdobeStock_66015418Here are five essential oils and why they might be used during your massage:

  1. Lavender. While lavender isn’t for everyone, it is a popular essential oil for massage. Lavender does what the body needs it to do and is effective for a variety of challenges, such as pain relief, insomnia, and stress.
  2. Frankincense. Long considered a precious essential oil (after all, Christian tradition tells us that the wise men brought is a birth gift to Jesus), Frankincense is used for grounding, enhancing one’s breath, soothing coughs, as a meditation aid, and for relaxing. It also has anti-inflammatory and antidepressant properties.
  3. Bergamot. Bergamot has a pleasant, spicy citrus aroma. It is used to relieve depression, lift one’s mood, and aid in fighting addictions.
  4. Eucalyptus. It’s no surprise that Eucalyptus is especially popular during cold and flu season. Not only does it help ward off germs, it soothes chest and nasal congestion.
  5. Grapefruit. Grapefruit is an immune boosting essential oil said to boost circulation, fight colds, eliminate oily skin, and combat fatigue. Plus, it smells fun and fresh!

What’s your favorite essential oil?

Essential oils like these (and others) can be used with a variety of massage modalities. At Miracles Massage, we create an atmosphere where you relax immediately, which sets the stage for an amazing massage experience — no matter which essential oil is selected.

Schedule your appointment today!

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5 Reasons You Need to be Touched

 

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Source: Adobe PhotoStock

Have you ever been so busy that time flew? Sure, obligations were met: family fed, homework completed, and kids ferried around. Suddenly, you realize it’s been days (or weeks or months) since someone touched you, hugged you, held your hand.

 

Not being touched can leave a person feeling unmoored. Disconnected. While you may not recognize the lack of touching immediately, not being touched can negatively affect your mood, confidence, and — ultimately — your health.

So here are five reasons you need to be touched – STAT:

  1. Feel connected. When we are touched or touch others, we expand into feeling connected, literally and emotionally. A sense of connection can be felt energetically with even the most casual of touches.
  2. Bonding. I wrote last week about newborns being placed on their mother’s chests in order to facilitate bonding. Touch allows parents to bond with children and romantic partners to bond to each other. Relationships suffer when touching is a casualty of a busy lifestyle.
  3. Improves health. Regular touch has been shown to lower blood pressure. The great news is that even petting your puppy or stroking your cat will also suffice! Also, being hugged is a great reducer of anxious feelings.
  4. Improves your mood. Have you ever been in a grumpy mood only to have someone you care about fold you into a hug? Did their touch dissipate your bad feelings? Touch is one way people feel optimistic, less cynical, and grounded.
  5. It feels great. Can I get an “Amen?” Whether you’re getting a hug from you child, holding hands with your lover, or relaxing into a great massage, being touched feels wonderful.

Being touched is good for you and your loved ones! Make sure to include touch into your life daily.

Sign-up for our monthly newsletter to learning more about the power of touch and how it improves your overall health.

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The Power of Skin-to-Skin Contact

 

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Source: Adobe PhotoStock

Newly born babies are placed upon their mothers’ bare chest, creating a skin-to-skin contact. It’s believed that this type of contact is critical for bonding and connection. Babies who bond with their parents via skin-to-skin contact are calmer, sleep better, and cry less.

The need for touch doesn’t end just because we’ve grown up. Think about it: your skin is your largest organ! It’s extremely sensitive and responsive. Holding hands, hugging, or other ways of touching are how we show affection. But these acts go well beyond pleasure; touching one another can bring healing and comfort.

And our world needs more healing.

Today, you’re invited to try one of these methods:

DIY Massage: If you’re shy about visiting a massage therapist or short on time, you can give yourself a massage. Simply rub your hands together to warm them up and gently massage your face by using circular motions on your temples, jawbone joint, and on your shoulders. According to Psychology Today, “Evidence supports the idea that it’s effective: Self-massage has been shown to slow the heart rate and lower the level of the stress hormone cortisol.

Tickle Massage: Touch is great for all ages and especially fun cross-generationally. Not only will tickles result in touch, there’s sure to be lots of laughter as well. It’s a win-win situation!

Foot massage: Grab a tennis ball and place it on the ground. With bare feet, rub your right foot slowly over the ball, making sure to touch all areas. Try to pick up the ball between your toes. When you’re finished with the right foot, repeat with your left. It’s amazing how grounded and awake you’ll feel after this simple exercise.

Schedule a massage: There’s nothing quite as relaxing as a great massage! Cortisol levels decrease, blood flow increases, and joints loosen. We happen to think Miracles Massage is perfect (okay, so we may be biased). Schedule your appointment today.

Take a deep breath in. Let it out slowly. We hope to see you soon!