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How Often Should You Get a Massage?

Massages feel great— and most people view them as a special treat. But the health benefits associated with massage are the real reason to get one regularly. Benefits such as:

  • Calming the central nervous system
  • Increasing circulation
  • Elongating tight muscles
  • Releasing toxins from muscle tissues
  • Boosting immunity

But I’m often asked, “How often should I get a massage?” It’s a great question, and the answer depends on what you want to achieve.

Keep in mind that the effects of regular massage are cumulative, and spacing them too far apart might leave you back at square one every time.

Wellness and Relaxation

If you’re looking to improve your overall health or want to reduce everyday stress, you ought to schedule a massage at least once a month, but twice monthly is optimal.

If you work in a high-stress environment or have daily activities that risk causing repetitive-motion injuries or postural issues, weekly sessions would give you the best results.

Improving Athletic Performance

Athletes typically have multiple goals they want to achieve from their massage. First is injury avoidance and increased flexibility. Massage lengthens and loosens tight muscles, so serious athletes ought to get a weekly massage. (Think about the Baltimore Ravens: they have a masseuse on staff for their players.)

For the average athlete, depending on your training schedule and chronic issues, it’s best for you to schedule one or two massages per month. As your workouts increase, so should your massages.

A side note is that you ought not to schedule a deep tissue massage less than five days before a big event. This type of massage can cause soreness and shift your body, which could throw you off your game. Instead, schedule a circulation-boosting Swedish massage as it flushes toxins, and speeds recovery.

Chronic Pain Relief

If you’re suffering from chronic pain such as migraines or sciatica, weekly massage sessions are recommended. If your pain returns only a couple of days after receiving a massage, it’s time to schedule another. Once you’ve graduated to being pain-free for a week or longer, you can stretch time between appointments.

Many people find they need more frequent appointments when they begin working with a massage therapist. As muscles loosen and relax, you can often decrease visit frequency. I can provide recommendations for stretches you can do at home to maintain muscle looseness between visits.

Post-Surgery Recovery

It’s important to always check with your doctor about when you can begin massage therapy post-surgery as some modalities are better suited at different times. For example, deep tissue work might be a bad idea for someone on blood thinners whereas someone else might benefit from a lymphatic drainage massage.

Here’s how you can be supported by massage post-surgery:

  • Reduces pain, minimizing the need for medication
  • Inhibits swelling by activating the lymphatic system
  • Breaks up scar tissue
  • Increase blood and oxygen flows, which hastens the healing process

Once you’ve got clearance, two sessions a week or more may be needed to start, with frequency decreasing as healing and recovery progress.

Making it Affordable

Investing in massage therapy can be costly. There are three ways to reduce the expense related to regular massage.

  1. Request from Miracles Massage a receipt, which you can submit to your health insurance plan or health savings account for reimbursement.
  2. Purchase a MiraclePass, our monthly membership which provides discounted fees for your massages.
  3. Pre-purchase massage packages at a discounted rate.

The mind and body benefits you receive from regular massage may save you from more costly medical expenses in the long run. Plus, they feel great! What are you waiting for? You deserve great health! Schedule your appointments today.

 

 

 

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Kicking Your Gluteus Maximus

Muscle injuries are more common now than they were 50 years ago, especially in our hamstrings—and not because we’re exercising harder. Our sedentary lifestyles are kicking our gluteus maximuses. What’s worse, as we age our joints naturally tend to tighten, further restricting our flexibility.

Massage therapy is beneficial because it maintains and improves your flexibility and range of motion. Your joints are kept fluid and less injury-prone by working on muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, and joints via regular.

Increases Flexibility via Massage

According to Men’s Health magazine, massage is one of the sevens ways to increase flexibility. Massage helps break up knots in your muscles and tissues, both of which restrict movement, especially calves, quads, IT bands, upper back, and lats. Additionally, massage activates the limbic system which flushes away toxins like lactic acid and results in quicker workout recovery.

Adding CDB oil to your massage amplifies the positive impact your already stellar massage experience has on your body.

Benefits of Improved Flexibility

Incorporating massage and stretching into your fitness routine can help reduce workout soreness. Regular post-workout massages support your workout recovery and overall relaxation. Here are massage’s positive impacts on your flexibility:

  • Stimulates the production of the body’s natural lubricants to keep flexibility at a maximum
  • Can enhance athletic performance
  • Helps prevent active lifestyle injuries

Schedule your regular massages with us today. Did you know you could purchase a MiraclePass to save money? Check out our calendar—we’re really flexible!

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Can Massage Help with Depression?

It’s normal to feel down, or experience depression, once in a while. Typically, I feel down when it rains multiple days in a row or when I’m exhausted, or something bad happens to my loved ones.

If you feel sad frequently, for two weeks or longer, you may be experiencing a type of clinical depression, of which there are 12 types, the most commonly known and experienced is major depressive disorder.

Hormones and Depression

For many sufferers of clinical depression, antidepressant medications combat the effects of their diagnosis. Some people experience adverse side effects of these pharmaceuticals or don’t want to take pills to counteract their body chemistry.

According to Harvard University, each person’s chemistry is unique. Here are a couple of the hormones affected by depression:

  • Serotonin. Research suggests that some depressed people have reduced serotonin levels.
  • Dopamine. Suppressed dopamine levels distort thinking and are thought to play a role in substance abuse.

Massage and Hormones

Luckily, massage has been scientifically proven to improve the lives of those who experience depression. Here are hormones positively impacted by massage:

  • Increases serotonin which suppresses irritability and cravings. Folks with low serotonin levels have difficulty sleeping and often exhibit obsessive-compulsive behaviors;
  • Increases dopamine which affects intuition, inspiration, joy, and enthusiasm; Lack of dopamine results in clumsiness, poor focus, and easy distraction;
  • Increases endorphins which suppresses pain and elevates feel-good feelings;
  • Increases in oxytocin support feelings of attachment;
  • Increases growth hormones which regenerates tissues and promotes healing;
  • Reduces adrenaline which results in feelings of relaxation and allows for deep sleep; and
  • Decreases cortisol which diminishes

Interestingly, adding hemp-based CBD oil to your massage further enhances the positive hormonal impacts of a massage, especially by increases serotonin and dopamine even more. Usage of CBD oil is legal in all fifty states and is growing in popularity because of its numerous health benefits, without the side effect of getting high.

Schedule your massage today and get to feeling groovy!

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Putting extra “AHHH” in Your Massage

At Miracles Massage, I love to bring new and cutting-edge tools to our massage practice. I’ve been beta-testing an all-natural CBD Massage Oil, and my clients are RAVING about it! I love hearing them sigh as they relax even more than usual. AHHH!

Unanimously, they’ve reported feeling a deeper and more effective massage. Tight muscles loosen and enable me to go deeper. They’ve all said it was much easier to relax and enjoy their massage (something that surprised most of them).

What is CBD Massage Oil?

I use a 99.9% pure CBD isolate that is naturally-derived from the hemp plant.  It is entirely legal and has no psychedelic side effects.

What is CBD?

CBD appears to be helpful for many health conditions, including many that are well-suited to regular massage, such as arthritis, anxiety, chronic pain, and more. And although research into the beneficial effects of CBD is still in early stages, most doctors are supportive of CBD, as it has very few, if any, side effects.

Most people are familiar with THC, the compound in marijuana responsible for the “high” that smoking, vaping, or eating marijuana is known for. CBD is the acronym, or nickname, for cannabidiol, the lesser known compound in marijuana. CBD is the compound in hemp that offers many health benefits without any high (which explains the lack of fame). CBD is non-psychoactive because it does not act on the same receptors as THC, called CB1 receptors. CB1 receptors are highly concentrated in the brain and are responsible for the mind-altering effects of THC.

What is the legal status of CBD?

CBD is legal in all 50 states. The most important factor that determines legality is whether the CBD is derived from marijuana or from hemp. Miracles Massage uses CBD derived from hemp. The good news is that it after extensive research, the conclusion is that in Columbia, MD, using CBD oil is legally a go.

What are the CBD science basics?

A 2013 study in Great Britain found that CBD has many therapeutic properties that can help with numerous disorders, although it works through molecular mechanisms that are yet to be completely identified. The researchers found that CBD is effective as:

  • an anti-inflammatory
  • an anticonvulsant
  • an anti-oxidant
  • an anti-emetic
  • an anxiolytic
  • an antipsychotic agent

This means CBD oil is potentially an effective medicine for treating many disorders, including conditions like neuroinflammation.

Want to experience CBD massage oil?

Just let me know either when booking your appointment or when you arrive if you’d like to experience a CBD oil massage.

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Get Your Pressure On: Four Massages You Need Now

Break out those passports, gang! This week we’re headed east. In this series on massage around the world, we are learning about different types of massage and how they will benefit your body, mind, and spirit. This week, we are going to explore four incredible Asian variations of massage. Each unique and exquisite in its own right. Let’s get started.

Our first stop takes us to ancient China. Traditional ancient Chinese massage works to keep energy in balance with the body, mind, and spirit. Energy that is rapidly flowing through the body is thought to combat illness and promote healing.

1. Tui Na
Chinese experts and practitioners believe that a person’s Qi, or energy flow, is essential to a person’s health. Tui Na uses strokes similar to a Swedish massage to release Qi from tension, poor health, and strain. A practitioner will use their hands to scan the body for blocked energy using a variety of stretches, joint rotations, and pressure points. Traditionally, Tui Na is performed on a massage table when clients are fully dressed in comfortable and breathable clothing.

2. Acupressure
You read that right, we’re talkin’ Acupressure not Acupuncture. During this massage, the therapist is looking for imbalances while applying pressure through their fingers to specific trigger points. The goal of this massage is to stimulate the body into self recovery mode so it will begin to heal itself and ward off illness.   

Don’t those massages sound incredible? We’re not done yet. Next, we’re on the move to Japan.

3. Shiatsu
The Japanese perfected a technique of massage called Shiatsu. In this treatment, most therapists use their fingers, palms, thumbs, elbows, knees, and feet to stimulate the nervous and circulatory systems. They are searching for imbalances or blocked energy and will use different pressure and weight distribution to help the energy flow. This massage is performed on the floor when the client is fully clothed.  

Our final destination is Thailand!

4. Thai Massage
A Thai massage is designed to help improve flexibility and relieve pain. This is a massage unlike the others. Clients are fully clothed and begin by lying on the floor. Therapists don’t just use their hands during this massage, they use their palms, elbows, feet, and hips to help them bend, stretch, and elongate their client’s bodies. The therapist will end the massage having the client seated as she works the shoulders and back.  Think of it like massage meets yoga.

I hope you have enjoyed this week’s adventure and are having just as much fun learning about different massage techniques from around the world as I am.

For more information on one for these incredible massages, contact us!

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Is a Shaman Massage Right For Me?

Get out your boarding pass, folks, this month we are going to travel around the world to learn more about different types of massage, their origin, and their healing potential. Get ready to unlock a broader view of the art and ancestry of massage.

Our first stop begins here, in the United States, with a Native American practice, the Shaman massage. This is a practice that has been around for centuries. Shaman healers, like their ancestors before them, call upon a variety of spirits to heal the sick through the laying of their hands. There are some who still use singing, chanting, drumming, or other noises to cast out negative energy and evoke spiritual, physical, and mental balance. Others, use a practice similar to Reiki, but with a twist.

Let’s explore together, what a Shaman massage is and if it is right for you.

First, let’s be clear about one thing. A Shaman massage isn’t for everyone. It is meant for someone who is dedicated to taking a deeper healing journey and through self-discovery will commit to:

1. listening to one’s own body,
2. taking responsibility for its treatment, and
3. thoughtfully responding to the daily needs of the body.

The Shaman healer is combining therapeutic massage with spiritual awareness. This can be a good tool for someone looking to grow more deeply in their self awareness, and the energy that surrounds them. It has the same healing benefits as a regular massage like relieving aches, pains, alleviating stress, and supporting healthy blood flow, but it also reaches beyond that for some.

What to Expect
Whether you recognize it or not, people have different energy at different times. Some negative energy can be gained by stressful situations and positive energy can be lost, stolen, or even given away. The Shaman experience is meant to help restore balance and harmony while empowering the participant through illumination of self discovery.

Conversation Happens
Unlike a regular massage when the therapist will occasionally ask, “is this pressure okay?” during a Shaman massage the therapist is actively listening for the flowing or blocked energy in your body. She’s looking for patterns and places where energy is trapped. Sometimes that requires guided meditation.

Shaman healers are believed to connect with spirits on your behalf and call upon them to serve as a go between, aiding in your realignment of mind, body, and spirit.

For more information to to determine is a Shaman massage is right for you, contact us.

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4 Types of People Who Benefit From Deep Tissue Massage

Under the umbrella of massage, there are a variety of techniques and styles that are used to help people feel great in their body. Massage is a holistic way to gaining better overall health, and finding relief from mental and physical pain. If you are new to massage, it can be difficult deciding which type like Swedish, cupping, or hot stone may benefit you the most. That’s why an expert therapist can help you determine what is best for you through an initial inventory of your needs, symptoms, and desired outcome.

Deep tissue massage is a special massage that laser focuses on specific issues within your body. It’s ideal for chronic aches and pains, muscle tightness, and injury rehabilitation. Let’s explore how it works and then who would benefit from a deep tissue massage.

The 411 on Deep Tissue Massage
First, let’s chat about the technique. Therapists use a lot of pressure in this massage to penetrate the muscle and tissue fiber deep down in your bod. They use their thumbs, knuckles, elbows, and forearms to release tension in your muscles and tissues. This promotes circulation, which will break up adhesions (aka knots). When circulation is constricted because of injury or strain, fluid becomes dormant or stagnant holding in toxins, causing pain and inflammation. Deep tissue massage will whack those knots, breaking them up and get things moving again allowing you to feel more at ease.

Who Benefits from Deep Tissue Massage?
The pressure of a deep tissue massage is not for everyone. If you are prone to blood clots, are currently in chemotherapy or radiation treatment, or have recently had surgery, talk to your therapist about other types of massage because this one isn’t the course of treatment you need now. Here are four types of people who would benefit from a deep tissue massage.

1. Athletes or Weekend Warriors
If you hit it a little too hard during your last workout or that over 30 softball league, you may have strained your hammies or glutes. This massage will help rehab your injuries and get you back at it.

2. The Sedentary Employee
Our bodies were not meant to sit in front of a computer for eight or more straight hours a day. This causes neck, shoulder, and back pain, among others. A deep tissue massage is perfect for getting your body realigned and releasing strain caused by repetitive action.

3. Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis Sufferers
Fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis can take a toll on a person’s overall being. The pain and discomfort associated with these diseases can be crippling. Deep tissue massage is an incredible holistic way to manage, slow progression, and alleviate symptoms of these diseases.

4. Everyday Jane
Whether you were in a car accident and experienced whiplash, have issues with sciatica, threw your back out lifting a laundry basket, or zigged when you should have zagged, deep tissue massage is right for you. This is a massage used for therapy and rehabilitation rather than relaxation. It repairs damaged muscles and tissues no matter how you got them.

To learn more about how a deep tissue massage will benefit you, contact us, today!

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One Simple Trick to Unlock Enhanced Massage Benefits

Are you ready to step into a holistic approach to heal and restore your body during and after massage? Good. Let’s get started on how to take action to enhance the incredible benefits your body will experience from your next massage.

In massage therapy, you have to trust both what medical science has proven (anatomy and physiology), as well as your personal intuition. When your body is fully relaxed, it will speak to you by revealing areas of pain or weakness. I’m not talking about that throbbing back pain or your aggravated chronic sports injury, I am talking about the pain and discomfort that lies deep within your tissues. It isn’t until the rest of your world is silenced that it begins to announce its presence and the subtle ways it has been negatively affecting your daily life.

The key ingredient you may be missing in your normal routine is a mindful massage. Employing this technique requires you to combine meditation, controlled breathing, and focused intentions during your massage. At the beginning of your massage, you should talk with your therapist about what your desired outcome is for this experience. Once you have settled on a clear vision, your therapist can begin her work and the rest is up to you.

What do I do?

1. Lose the Drama, Mama
The hardest part of succumbing to a mindful massage is disengaging from the thoughts that enter our minds. There is a misconception that during meditation your mind is supposed to go blank. Unless you fall into a deep sleep, thoughts will enter your mind during your massage. The trick is to not engage in them, allowing emotion to pull you in and distract you from staying in the present moment. Do your best to forget about the outside world containing carpools, college application deadlines, new drivers behind the wheel, or the business meeting when things went sideways.

2. Try and Try Again To Keep Your Focus
Keep focused on what is going on in the present moment. Pay attention to your therapist’s touch and how your sore or aching muscles respond to the knots that are slowing being released. If your therapist triggers a pain point, breathe through it rather than imagining you are somewhere else. Take deep intentional breaths as your body begins the self healing process from the stimulation of blood flow. Take heart, friend, your mind will wander, but gently remind yourself to regain your focus each time you catch yourself drifting.

You may be asking why it is helpful to mindfully meditate during your massage. By focusing your thoughts and intentions on your body during massage, you are working to treat your ‘whole person’ for the long haul, rather than simply troubleshooting your immediate discomfort. You may discover you hold tension in your shoulders, neck, or hips from lengthy computer work. By identifying the source of your tension, you will be more mindful of your posture or other ways you carry yourself during the day.

Knowledge is power, we can all agree, so be empowered by knowing what is causing your discomfort, pain, stress, or tension. For more tips and tricks on how to make the most of a mindful massage, contact us!

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One of the Best Kept Secrets Among Women

It lurks behind corners, catching women by surprise and disrupting their view of themselves, their bodies, what is normal, and what isn’t. It’s one of the best-kept secrets among women, but the time has come to shine a light on it, expose it, and attack it at the root. What is it? A condition called hypoactive sexual desire disorder, which is when a woman has a reoccurring or consistent lack of sexual thoughts and desires and is bothered by it.

In most circles of our society, it is socially acceptable, embraced, and even praised when women talk about their sexual experiences and desires. Carrie Bradshaw and her pals paved the way for a new kind of sex talk resurgence among women. However, the conversation flows more freely and frequently when all is going well. Most women are embarrassed to talk about their sexual dysfunction to their friends, their partners, and their health care providers. Women shouldn’t be sheepish about this issue, but rather learn more about it and have the confidence to move forward.

It is natural for a woman’s sex drive to fluctuate over time. There can be a variety of reasons for a decrease in sexual activity. Examples include:

  • the stage of a relationship;
  • life changes like pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause;
  • side effects of a prescribed medication;
  • sleep disorders;
  • illness; and
  • stress.

If you find that you are bothered by the fact that you cannot recall the last time you truly desired a sexual encounter with your partner and welcomed their advances, there are steps you can take to increase your libido.

How to Attack Your Low Libido:

Take a Self Assessment
1. Can you identify why you are in this sexual rut, by yourself? That might be possible if stress is the culprit in your sexual desire reduction. If not, you should seek advice from a trusted licensed medical practitioner.

2. Talk with Your Partner
Communication is king. Together you can discuss setting aside time for sex, ramping up your sexual activities, or looking for ways to be more intentional during intimate moments.

Remember that stress can be a major love killer. Massage is an excellent way to alleviate stress in your life. When another person massages your body, it stimulates blood flow, ridding your body of toxins. Stress causes cortisol to be released. Cortisol decreases testosterone (yes, women have it too) and testosterone helps the libido. You may consider asking your partner to massage your shoulder, neck, or feet. When couples massage each other, they are more prone to feel relaxed and aroused.

If you think you may be experiencing hypoactive sexual desire disorder, don’t be embarrassed by it. Find someone to help you work through it and know that you aren’t alone!

For more ideas on how to attack low libido, or how to initiate a DIY massage, contact us!

 

 

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Repairing Your Sun-Damaged Skin with Essential Oils

Sun-damaged skin is a total summer bummer. Despite our best efforts, there are times when we either find ourselves without sunscreen, or we have not reapplied it soon enough to avoid sunburn. If you find yourself with sun-damaged skin, here are a few essential oils to help get your skin feeling healthy and rejuvenated again.

The Problem
Overexposure to the sun can result in immediate changes to the skin like: redness, swelling, blisters, or itchiness. It can also take a toll on the body by causing other symptoms like nausea, fatigue, headaches, and fever. Over time, if your skin has not been properly protected from the sun, you can get sun and age spots or additional wrinkles. Why? The sun takes a toll on the collagen and elasticity of your skin causing marks and lines to deepen.  

The Solution
The very first thing you need to do is to hydrate. When your skin has been overexposed to the sun, your body will pull moisture from other places to attempt its self-heal process. Be sure to drink the daily recommended amount of fluids for your body type.  

The 411 on Essential Oils
It’s important to remember that not all essential oils are the same. Look for oils that are organic and state 100% pure essential oil on the bottle. Otherwise, you may end up with synthetic oils that just don’t do the job right.

Lavender Oil
Lavender Oil is a great choice when you are sunburned because of its anti-inflammatory agents. What makes it even better, is its ability to help regenerate cells. When your skin is on fire, Lavender oil will help calm down your skin while promoting healthy regrowth.  

For an extra soothing treat, add drops of Lavender oil to your oatmeal bath and wait for the itchiness to slowly fade away.

Myrrh Oil
Save for Christmas season, Myrrh oil doesn’t get a lot of hype. This unsung hero is a powerhouse, though. It is known for everything from boosting your immune system to preventing premature aging. Because of its anti-inflammatory, astringent, and stimulant properties, it will help get the blood circulating through your body to help you heal faster and keep those wrinkles at bay.

Ylang Ylang Oil
Another wonderful essential oil for sun-damaged skin has to be Ylang Ylang. Ylang Ylang is another anti-inflammatory, which will help with redness and itching. Additionally, because of its antioxidant components, it helps to smooth blotches, lines, and wrinkles, making it a secret weapon against aging. 

Sun damage is not a joke. When you’re young, it is hard to imagine a day when the elasticity of your skin droops, skin sags, and new wrinkles seem to pop up overnight. While, we should all embrace our new looks as we age, and love the skin we’re in, we also need to take care of ourselves and our skin to avoid other dangers.

If you have questions about which essential oils are best for your sun damaged skin, or how to blend a few together to make the right combination for you, contact us!