10 Simple Stretches To Do At Your Desk infographic

Maybe you should skip that stretch....

What?!?! But I've been told I should stretch before I work out to avoid injury and warm up. New research from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research says that an active and dynamic warm up is preferred to a passive stretch before activity. Read the abstract here.

So what is an active dynamic warm up? It is any warm up that combines cardiovascular challenge and active movements that open up the joints and actively stretches your muscle tissue, but does not hold you in a static stretch.

Passive stretching can lead to instability in your joints increasing your chance for injury.

The other benefit to an active dynamic warm up is that it keeps your mind more present in your activity and therefore your body. Passive stretching can allow your mind to wander, ultimately allowing you to disconnect with your body before an event; possibly missing some warning signs of weakness or potential injury. Keep in mind that active dynamic exercises are also designed to:

• Open up your joints
• Actively stretch muscle tissue
• Increase cardiovascular activity, making it easier to transition into your training, race or activity
• Actively increase flexibility

Why is this you ask? Why doesn't stretching before activity benefit the body? Well, although conclusive research hasn't been done, there are some possible explanations. One is a more relaxed muscle tendon that is not able to contract the muscle they way it needs to in order to fire correctly for activity. The other is that a stretched muscle offers less joint stability. We all lose strength when our joints are unstable.

Try these 5 active dynamic warm up exercises before your next swim, bike or run and see how your body responds. It is best to start with smaller, less intense movements and gradually move into more challenging warm up exercises.

Arm Circles

• Standing with your arms extended at your sides, parallel to the ground, like a capital letter "T" Start with your palms facing up and do small circles forward and backward. Do as many as you can for 30 seconds each way. Repeat with palms down. 
• Warms up; shoulders, lats, biceps, triceps

Knee Hugger

• You are going to walk forward; with each step you take first bring the knee up to your chest, hug it in close and then step forward. Make sure to keep your core engaged. Take 15 - 30 steps with each leg. 
• Warms up; hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings

Butt Kicks

• In a slow jog bring your heel to your to your butt, essentially kicking your own butt with each step. Kick 15 - 30 times with each leg. 
• Warms up; quads, hamstrings, glutes

Walking Lunge w/ Twist

• Starting with your dominate leg, take a wide step forward while lunging keeping the back knee off of the ground. While in your lunge, gently twist to the right and left. Stand up, bringing the back leg to the front leg and repeat on the other side. Do 15 - 20 lunges on each side
• Warms up; obliques, low back, hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, core

Bear Crawl

• Bending over, place your hands and feet on the ground. Crawl using the opposite hand and foot, mimicking a bear. Crawl for 10 yards turn around and crawl back to your starting place.
• Warms up; shoulders, core, back, glutes, quads, hamstrings, lower legs (pretty much everything!!)

Active Dynamic warm ups should change your overall endurance and performance levels. Therapeutic Massage is beneficial to create flexibility in the muscle tissue keeping you flexible but strong. Too much flexibility and you lose stability, to much stability and not enough flexibility can lead to injury. It's about finding the balance to keep you working at your peak level. 

Cycling Muscle Groups; Hamstrings vs. Quads

As the weather warms up our inclination to be active outdoors also increases. This time of year we see many clients come in with new aches and pains as they begin their summer activities. Today we're going to talk about cycling.

The diagram below breaks down the pedaling cycle. The left side of the diagram below shows the placement of the foot as it moves the pedal. The right side of the diagram illustrates the muscles used in the pedaling cycle.


 

Cycling Muscle Groups infographic

As with all activities it is important to determine not just that there is pain, but when the pain is present. For a cyclist determining that there is pain in the hamstrings during the recovery phase of the stroke gives their massage therapist a lot of information as to what is happening (or not happening) during their ride. 

As an athlete, knowing the muscles used in each phase can help you determine possible weakness in the body and give you insight to know what muscle groups you can focus on in cross training. 

Most often the quads become stronger and more developed than the hamstrings. The quads are a larger muscle group and often get used more than their counterparts on the back side of the body. Positioning of your bike seat can also lead to a preference of quads over hamstrings.

Do you find yourself complaining of tight hamstrings, the large muscle group on the back of the upper leg? Are they the first ones to fatigue on a long ride? Many people confuse tight hamstrings with strong hamstrings. Usually the opposite is true, tight hamstrings are often weak hamstrings. The quads pull so tight due to the overuse that the hamstrings pull tight to counter the downward pull of the quadriceps. 

Think of a rubber band that has been pulled tight for a long period of time. In position it feels tight, and therefore strong. Return this rubber band to a normal position and you will see that there is no strength to it at all. This is what is happening to your hamstrings when the quads are over worked and overused. 

How do you know if your hamstrings are imbalanced? A trained body worker (massage therapist, physical therapist, etc.) will assess your pelvic tilt. An anterior, or forward, pelvic tilt can be a result of short, tight quads and long, weak hamstrings. A posterior, or backwards, pelvic tilt can be the effect of hamstrings that are stronger or have more tension than the quadriceps. 

That's great....now what do you do? Cross training, working with a personal trainer or physical therapist is a great way to correct strength imbalance. Making sure your bike has been professionally fitted to your body is also important. 

Massage is a great and very necessary component to getting the quads to lengthen so that the hamstrings can be positioned correctly and give you the true strength they can provide. Strength is one component, but won't do much if you are not working with the soft tissue (muscle) to address tension, trigger points, adhesions or myofascial imbalances. 

Massage also aids in the rest and recover phase of training, giving you more bang for your buck. Cyclists that receive regular massage will tell you that they are able to train longer and harder when they get massage. Your massage therapist will be able to address areas of tension before they become an injury. Allowing you to enjoy a longer training season with less chance of season ending injury. 

Discover Massage works with you to address postural dysfunctions that can create pain and weakness as well as educate you about you body and it's health.  Our therapists dedicated to helping you life your best life. As an athlete or weekend rider; someone who rides for fun or rides for sport, we are here to help you feel the best so that you can do the things you love. 

Breakfast Smoothie

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies show that when we make poor food choices in the morning, we are more likely to make poor food choices throughout the day. Smoothies are a great, quick way to get some great nutrition in you and set you up for food success throughout your day! Grab a handful of nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.) on your way out the door and you've got a balanced meal in hand!

Green Monster Smoothie

• 1/2 can coconut milk
• handful of fresh spinach
• 2 oranges, peeled
• frozen fruit

In a blender puree coconut milk and spinach. Add oranges and frozen fruit. Taa-daa! Breakfast is served. Enjoy! 

Chunky Butternut Squash Soup

Tis the season of soups, chili's and other warm, comfort food. Here's an easy one that is super satisfying and a bit different than your traditional pureed butternut squash soup.

• 1 Large Onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4-6 carrots, quartered
• 6-8 celery stalks, chopped 
• 1 bunch, spinach, kale or chard, de-stem kale or chard and chop into bit sized pieces
• 1 Large Butternut Squash, baked until soft (425 for 30-45 mins.) then cubed
• 8-10 cups of vegetable broth**

Directions:

1. In large stock pot, saute onion in butter until translucent
2. Add Garlic, Carrots, Celery. Cook until carrots and celery begin to soften a bit. 
3. Add greens (spinach, kale or chard) and butternut squash. 
4. Add vegetable broth. 
5. Serve warm.

**Collect all of your vegetable scraps (onions, carrots, zucchini, garlic, etc.) in a bowl in the fridge. When you have enough scraps put into a pot of water (15-20 cups) and let cook. Add salt, pepper, bay leaves and other spices to taste. Reduce to half of original amount and Ta-daaaa....homemade veg stock for "free"!


I added some fresh basil to this tonight as well. Have fun and experiment with other spices. Leave a comment and let me know how it turned out!

Your posture and it's harmful effects on productivity

So yesterday, we mentioned that the diaphragm was your main breathing muscle. It does not act alone. There are many other muscles that assist in the breathing process. More importantly, when these muscles are compromised through stress, strain or poor posture, they can impair our ability to breathe and limit the benefits of our breath.

You know where you are tight, areas in your neck and back that your carry your stress. Have you ever thought that besides being annoying and painful this tension that you carry around could be having effects on your ability to breathe and get oxygen to your body? It's true. Lack of oxygen can produce fatigue, brain fog, and inability to remember details. It's often why when people start stretching, doing yoga, getting massage or seeing a chiropractor that they report increased energy as one of the first benefits they notice. All because they are getting more oxygen in their bodies!

Muscles in the neck help to lift the rib cage allowing for expansion that is necessary to bring oxygen into the body to feed your muscles, digestive organs and most importantly your brain. When the muscles in your neck are tight (you know that block of concrete that is sitting on your shoulder....) they can't lift the rib cage the way they are supposed to and you are not able to get the oxygen into your body that you need.

Muscles in your back allow for the ribcage to expand out and back also contributing to a full breath. It is very common to have tight muscles in the back, especially between the shoulder blades. When these muscles are tight we tend to depend on the muscles in our neck to lift the rib cage. Watch yourself breathe in the mirror...do your shoulders lift as you inhale? If your shoulders are doing most of the work, the muscles in your back are probably tight, restricting expansion through the back of the ribcage.

These tight muscles also create poor posture. Poor posture impairs your ability to breath. As muscles in the front of your neck gets tight they pull your head forward, making it difficult to pull the clavicle and ribcage up for full lung expansion.

Sitting at a computer, desk or driving for long periods of time shorten the muscles in the chest. These shortened muscles compress the ribcage and pull the shoulders in and forward. It's like having a weight on your chest all day long. You wouldn't put a bag of rocks on your chest and expect to breath, but that is exactly what poor posture can do.

Using the breathing techniques we've talked about the last couple of days can help relax tight muscles. Improving posture and your productivity. Tomorrow will be our last post on breathing (for now...) we'll talk about how to improve your breath and posture through simple self-care techniques. Until then, you know what to do...just keep breathing :)

What your breath is trying to tell you

Hopefully, you've been trying to use one of the breathing techniques that we posted on Monday. Okay, so your breathing, now what? Your breath can tell you a lot about where you are at and what you need. As you take time for focused breathing 5 minutes each day, using even breath, focused exhale breathing or restrained breath; also use this time to check in with your body to listen to the messages it is sending.

Go ahead....take 5 or 6 deep breaths in and out, in and out. What do you feel?Does your breath feel tight and constricted? Do you feel pain anywhere? Can you get a full breath in? Does your mind race to all the other things you "should" be doing? Just observe what you are feeling, don't judge it, it is information nothing more. It is not good or bad, just communication from your body about what you need.

Let's look at some areas of focus while breathing and then what you can do about the messages your body is telling you.

1. Thoracic expansion - This is the expansion you feel in your ribcage as you breath. As you inhale, focus on feeling the front, back and both sides of your rib cage expand. This can be hard, most of us want to lift our shoulders up to gain expansion. Keep the shoulders relaxed and focus on expanding the rib cage as much as you can in all directions.
2. Abdominal breathing - The diaphragm is your main breathing muscle. Imagine a drum head, separating the ribcage from your digestive organs. As you inhale and expand the rib cage, the diaphragm drops down, gently pushing on the digestive organs. (This is why it is hard to breath after a big meal!!) If you are a chest breather, meaning only your chest and shoulders move when you are breathing, lie on your back with a pillow or small book on your abdomen. As you breathe, watch the object move up as you inhale and down as you exhale. Combine abdominal breathing with thoracic expansion to get the most from your breath

Alright, so you are expanding your rib cage, your abdomen is gently moving out and in with each inhale and exhale. Now, close your eyes and scan your body.

Keep breathing as you check in with your feet, your legs, hips.

What feels tight? Does your inhale increase tension?

Do you feel the tension release on an exhale?

Move into the belly and low back?

Does it feel "stuck" anywhere?

Move into your chest and shoulders?

How about your upper back and neck?

Pay attention to those areas that feel tight or stuck. Sometimes focused breathing can bring up emotions. Sometimes we get frustrated, angry or sad and we don't know why. Focused breathing can help to clarify what it is truly bothering us.

Breathing is also a great way to relieve tension and pain. As you notice areas that are stuck, hold your attention there as you breathe. Feel tension increase slightly as you inhale and feel the tension melt as you exhale. It make take 8-10 breaths or more to feel an area relax so stick with it.

This is also a great breathing exercise to do before you go to bed. Lying in bed, connect with your breath and scan your body from any tension you are holding. Release it and your on your way to a night of deep, restful sleep.

Set time aside in your day to breathe for 5 minutes. Intentional breathing can improve energy levels, brain fog, mental fatigue, digestion and your ability to manage stress. You could take 5 minutes in your car before or after work, at the end of your lunch break, just after waking or just before bed. It doesn't matter when or where, all that matters is that you make time to do it. Breath and watch how it improves your life.

Tomorrow we'll look at the muscles involved with breathing and Friday how to improve your posture and breath through simple self-care techniques. In the meantime...just keep breathing :)

The art of breathing; techniques and benefits to improve your day

You do it all the time. In, out, in, out....without even thinking about it. A bit of attention to your breath can make a big difference in your day. Let's look at 3 breathing techniques and then talk about it's benefits.

1. Even breath - Sitting comfortably, breathe in through your nose for a count of 5 seconds, breathe out through your mouth for a count of 5 seconds. Your breath may be longer or shorter, the important part is to breathe in and out for the same amount of time.
2. Focused exhale breathing - Same as the even breath, sit comfortably, breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, this time breathe out for a count of 7. Again, your may breathe for more or less time, the important part here is to breathe out for 2-3 counts longer than your in breath.
3. Restrained breath - Sitting comfortably, breathe in for 5 counts, hold your breath for 2 counts and exhale out for 5, hold your breath for 2 and repeat. Inhale, hold, exhale, hold. Adjust your inhale, hold and exhale time so that it is comfortable for you.

Benefits of breathing:

• Increases oxygen levels in the body
• Improves brain function
• Improves your ability to focus
• Improves your ability to manage stress
• Decreases stress
• Increases energy
• Improves digestion

Challenge yourself to set aside 5 minutes a day to just breathe. You will be amazed at the results.

You don’t have to be an athlete to be active

Most people I talk to really downplay their level of activity. I LOVE that Colorado really supports such an active lifestyle, but sometimes I feel that there is a lot of stress and competition out there to define what an active lifestyle really is. You don’t have to be riding Rist Canyon every week to say that you have an active lifestyle.

Are you giving yourself enough credit for the active lifestyle that you life?

More importantly are you giving yourself the tools that you need to continue that lifestyle for years to come?

Let’s first clarify what an active lifestyle looks like. If it’s not riding your bike 120 miles a week or hiking a 14er what is it?

• Commuting by bike or by foot to and from work 3-5 times a week
• Actively playing with your kids or grandkids; getting down on the floor with them, picking them up, etc.
• Tending to your garden and lawn (can be a year round activity in Colorado!!)
• Shoveling your driveway and sidewalks (also sometimes a year round activity in Colorado!!)
• Walking for exercise or meditation on a regular basis
• Hiking local trails
• Working at a job that requires lifting, bending or any repetitive motion
• The desire to move through life pain free, feeling as young as you can as long as you can!

Okay, so now we all know that you don’t have to be an athlete to say that you are active.

Massage is one of the most important tools you can have in your bag of tricks. It is just as essential for those living an active lifestyle as it is for athletes. Regular massage can help to address areas that could potentially turn into an injury before it happens. Your therapist is able to feel for areas that are holding tension that you may not be aware of. Working through this tension before it becomes a problem can help you avoid injury, pain and fatigue.

Regular massage can also help you to recover from activity quicker, eliminating soreness that can slow you down after a day of work or play! This soreness, when left untreated can lead to more serious chronic pain. Massage is designed to increase circulation, increasing oxygen and nutrient deliver to an area of soreness. Speeding up the healing process so that you can avoid long term pain and potential injury.

It is what you do on a daily basis that leads to your overall long term health. Just like eating well, exercising, seeing your chiropractor; regular massage should be a part of your long term health plan.

5 Reasons Massage should be a necessary part of your training

As an athlete you stay well hydrated, drink electrolytes when necessary, (hopefully) stretch before and after training and events, alter your diet to give you the most beneficial calories available, buy all the right gear, have it fitted and sized to your unique needs, plan your training to give you the best advantage for each event. Did you know that massage can improve your athletic performance just as much, if not more that everything you are already doing?

Let’s look at five ways that regular massage can really boost your performance and bring you to the next level.

More Oxygen

Massage to targeted muscle groups can greatly increase circulation to the area. This increase in circulation carries with it increased oxygen and beneficial nutrients. This is what feeds your muscles so that they can perform. Increased oxygen can help you reach your peak performance quicker and maintain it longer. How’s that for a boost in performance?

Reduce waste

Increase in circulation not only improves nutrient delivery but also increases removal of metabolic waste.

Waste builds up when you move from aerobic exercise to anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise allows your body to bring in enough oxygen to support the demands of your muscle. In anaerobic exercise there is not enough oxygen to keep up with the muscle demand and you end up with a build up of lactic acid and other types of metabolic waste. This is what makes you sore after a workout or training session.

Over time, buildup of lactic acid and metabolic waste can lead to injury and chronic soreness when left untreated. Massage helps to remove this waste from the muscle tissue. This will speed up your recovery time and keep muscles healthy.

Avoid Injury

Your massage therapist is able to find areas of tension that you may not be aware of. Injuries don’t just happen; they build up over a period of time. Addressing areas of tension in their early stages can help to avoid injury as well as maintain or increase range of motion.

Recover Faster

With an increase of nutrients to the area and quicker removal of waste muscles will recover faster even as you push yourself harder. This means training more frequently for longer periods of time will less soreness and pain.

Improve Performance

Regular massage will increase circulation, improve nutrient delivery, remove waste and improve recovery time. If this wasn’t enough you can see improvement in your performance as well. Endurance, speed and strength are all common results of regular massage.


Your therapist can help you plan how to strategically incorporate massage into your training sessions. Massage is beneficial both pre-event and post-event. It’s never too late to start, but it’s important to begin receiving massage 8-12 weeks in advance to a big event to really see the results and know how your body reacts to therapeutic sports massage.

How often should I get a massage?

If you ask a massage therapist this, most of them will say “As much as you can!” This is because they know the amazing benefits of massage. Our goal today is to help you clarify and decide how often you need a massage based on your needs. Because every-body is different the answer to this question is going to be a bit different for everyone.

We look at each client we come in contact with as an individual before answering this question. Today we will look at a few important factors to take into consideration when answering this question.

Chronic Pain

Massage is very beneficial for chronic pain. By relaxing spastic muscles massage helps the structure of the body return to a neutral position. Massage addresses stress points in the body that affect structure and cause chronic pain.

In general, if you are dealing with chronic pain, shorter sessions more frequently render the best results. A 30-minute massage once a week can be more effective, and overall less expensive, than a 60 minute massage every other week. Often with chronic pain too much massage can make things worse. Shorter sessions allow the body to adapt slowly, greatly reducing the chance of a flare up.

Injury Rehab & Post-Surgery

Massage can be applied to an injury or surgery site as soon as swelling has begun to receded and any open wounds have healed. Typically about 24-48 hours after the injury occurred. You will want to wait 6-8 weeks after surgery to schedule your massage and always wait until you have clearance from your doctor post-surgery before getting bodywork.

Massage can speed up the healing process almost twice as fast as healing without massage.

Treatment varies depending on the injury. A low back injury that began two weeks ago will respond much quicker to massage than a low back injury that happened 2 years ago. Typically your therapist will want to see you for 30 minutes for 3-4 treatments and then reassess your symptoms. The goal always being getting you to preventative/maintenance care as soon as possible.

Athletic Training

Sports Massage can be tremendously beneficial both pre and post event as well as during training. If you are competing massage can give you an advantage over your competitors by helping to recover from challenging workouts quicker, improve muscle performance, increase oxygen delivery to tissue as well as prevent injury.

If being active is more of a hobby for you massage delivers all of these same benefits, but also allows you to do the things you love to do by maintaining flexibility, addressing potential areas at risk for injury and reducing soreness after activity.

Athletic Massage, or sports massage, has four major components: pre-event, post-event, restorative and rehabilitative. Pre and post event can be applied during training as well as immediately before or after an event.

During training, massage applied after 12-24 hours after your big training day will help you recover faster, building muscle and endurance more efficiently. During this period, as you are building strength and endurance, a 30 or 60 minute massage once a week is ideal.

In the off-season, a 60-minute restorative massage is generally good every 4-6 weeks. *See Injury Rehab for massage suggestions for rehabilitative massage.

Preventative Care

Preventative or maintenance care is possible the most important type of massage. People that wait until they are injured or in pain before getting a massage often spend twice as much annually as those that commit to a maintenance care plan regardless of pain or injury.

Just like working out, eating well or visiting your chiropractor it is regular care that really makes the difference. Every 4 weeks is optimal for the body. Some bodies prefer to come in every 2 weeks; some can wait 6 or 8 weeks. It is the regular care that keeps your body healthy and functioning at its optimum levels. Your therapist can help you decide what works best for you body and your wallet.

Regardless of if you are an athlete, desk jockey, busy parent or retire massage should be an essential component of your health care plan. Therapeutic massage, when applied correctly is more than just an hour of relaxation. It is necessary to move through life with ease and free from pain.

5 tips to eliminate chronic headaches

Life is demanding. Stress, emails, phone calls, text messages, kids, spouse and co-workers making demands on your time. All of a sudden you realize that you don’t remember the last time that you didn’t have a headache. Yikes!! How did it get so bad? When did it get so bad?

If you are one of the up to 80% of Americans that suffer from headaches brought on by stress you are not alone. These headaches, also called tension headaches are typically felt like a band around the forehead that travels down into the back of the next and sometimes into the shoulders. Women are twice as likely as men to experience these types of headaches.

Major contributors to tension headaches include:

~ Emotional or mental stress
~ Poor posture
~ Heavy lifting
~ Decreased caloric intake
~ Poor Posture
~ Lack of Sleep
~ Overexertion

Let’s face it, not your preference, but sometimes a Tylenol or Ibuprofen is necessary to get through your day. Chronic use of these pain killers can lead to digestive disorders, ulcers, heartburn and decreased nutritional absorption. Who wants that?!?!?

Good news is there is a lot you can do to help eliminate chronic headaches. Knowing what triggers your headaches is a good place to start. Are you especially tired when they come on? Have you been at the computer for hours? What has your food intake looked like for the day? Everyone is different and everyone is going to have different triggers. Although you (probably) can’t avoid being on the computer or change what time you have to be up for work, there is a lot you can do to make sure you are winning the battle against chronic headaches.

Water

Water helps your muscles stay supple and relaxed. When you are dehydrated your muscles look and feel a bit like beef jerky, tense and unyielding. Drinking about half your body weight in ounces every day or until your urine is clear will help muscles stay fluid and adaptable to demands.

Relaxation

No, this does not mean zoning out in front of the TV. Relaxation is about basking in nothing-ness. No TV, no computer, no emails, no phone. Take a bath, meditate, go for a walk; quite time with yourself is priceless. Make time everyday for some kind of nothing-ness. Even if it is only 10 or 15 minutes, it is quite possibly the most important thing you can do. You make time to shower; to brush your teeth, relaxation is just important. Talk to anyone that makes time for this every day and they will only speak of the tremendous benefits of their quiet time. For information on meditation click here.

Stretching

Tense muscles are sometimes quite literally screaming for attention. Taking a few minutes a couple of times a day can do wonders for avoiding headaches. Stretching can also be combined with your relaxation time. Look at that, multitasking for relaxation and health!! Stay posted for some great videos on stretching for chronic headaches!!

Eyestrain

Even a slight change in your vision can cause tremendous strain. Getting your eyes checked regularly and updating your prescription should you already wear glasses or contacts can literally get rid of a headache over night!!

One more common cause of eyestrain is being on the computer, watching TV or using the screen on your smart phone for too long. Make sure you are taking a break from any of these activities at least twice per hour. There are many “exercises” you can do to help strengthen your eyes and reduce eyestrain.

Exercise

Exercise, especially yoga and Pilates can help to improve posture, strengthen weak muscles and reduce stress. Often the last thing you want to do when you have a headache is workout. Begin with a gentle yoga class, often called yin yoga or restorative yoga. This gentle yoga practice releases endorphins in the system, naturally reducing pain and stretching muscles and connective tissue to help create longer lasting results. As you continue to feel better and better working your way to more challenging classes will help to build the long term strength you need.


There is truly nothing more important than taking care of you! You are a better friend, a better spouse, a better parent, a better everything when you are taking care of yourself first.

Give yourself some time to feel the results of your work. Water, Relaxation, Stretching, Eyestrain and Exercise may take a bit longer than a pain killer to kick in, but you will see long lasting results with nothing but positive results!

Why would someone want a deep tissue massage?

I had a client ask me this very question a couple of weeks ago. As she lie on the table, her muscles sore from running the previous day and requesting less pressure to accommodate her worked muscles.

“I just don’t get why someone would want to be in pain during their massage!” she said.

This is a misconception that I often hear about massage. Massage, including deep tissue massage, does not have to be painful to be effective. Deep Tissue Massage refers to the tissue being addressed during the massage, not to the amount of pain felt during a massage.

Swedish massage is a topical application of massage. We often refer to this as a “fluff and buff” massage. Although Swedish massage is very relaxing, addressing emotional stress and beneficial for the skin; it does not address the underlying deep tissue, or muscle, lying under the skin.

Deep tissue addresses just that, the deeper tissue lying under the skin, namely the muscle.

Pain during a massage does not necessarily mean it’s a better massage. Your body doesn’t differentiate between “good pain” and “bad pain.” When you experience pain during a massage your body reacts exactly as it would if you were to put your hand on a hot stove. Your body also releases the same stress hormones as it would if you were really hurt or injured. This makes your massage much less effective and can possibly create more problems than you walked in with.

How do you know if your massage is too much? If you are holding your breath or tensing up any area of your body in response to pressure. Curling your toes, making a fist or pressing any part of your body into the table is your body telling you that pressure is too much.

You may experience some areas of discomfort as your therapist moves through the massage. Areas where you are very aware that your therapist is working, but not so much that it is creating the pain that we talked about earlier. This is okay. We explain to clients it is that soreness that you feel after a good workout. You’re sore, but it feels good. This is the most effective pressure to work in during your massage.

It is important to communicate with your therapist during your session about pressure. Too much? Not enough? Your therapist wants to make sure you are getting the best massage possible. One way to ensure this is to communicate about pressure. You will also see better, longer lasting results from your massage when pressure is applied correctly.

Why you need to eat more to lose more

Each New Year, thousands and thousands of people get on the resolution bandwagon and vow to lose weight. Some will hit the gym, some will go to join a dieting group, some will drink more water, some will eat more veggies, and almost all of them will eat less. Almost all of them will fail to reach their goal. Will this be you? If you change one thing about your weight loss goals, you need to eat more.

Yes, I said it; you need to eat more, not less. The old calories in, calories out mindset doesn’t work anymore. New research shows that it is more about when you put the calories in and the type of calories that you consume that will determine your weight loss success.

So let’s talk about more….you’re probably imagining a larger plate with more food on it. We’d all be thin as a rail if that was the case!! No, I’m talking about eating smaller meals more frequently. Some of our clients say they feel like they are grazing all day long. I know, I know, you’ve heard this before. What you haven’t heard is the why.

When you go long period between meals, more than 4 hours; you force your body into starvation mode. Your body isn’t receiving food (a.k.a. energy) regularly, so rather than use the energy (a.k.a. food) it is given, it stores all of those calories to be used in the future. The less you consume and the more infrequently you consume foods the more your body stores the extra calories. Any calorie that can’t be used is stored as fat.

Eating infrequently also puts you on the blood sugar roller coaster. When your blood sugar is low your body sends a chemical message to your brain that you need more sugar. So what do you crave? Sugar. Remember that bread, pasta, rice and other “bad” carbohydrates are packed full of sugar. Foods that are high on the glycemic index, that is, food that quickly spike your blood sugar are also stored as fat because your body can’t use all of the energy (a.k.a. sugar) that these foods deliver. Remember, any calorie that your body can’t use right away will be stored as fat for later use.

Good news, the solution is simple. Eating smaller meals every 2-3 hours can help you lose weight quickly. When you are eating regularly your metabolism is going to get the message that it needs to be working. There is food coming in regularly, your body is not given signals to store food and therefore will increase your metabolism to burn more calories. I know it sounds backwards…eat more food to lose more weight, but I promise it happens.

When you eat more regularly you are setting yourself up to make better food choices. Waiting until you are starved is setting yourself up for failure, you are bound to make bad food choices if you wait until you are hungry to eat. Eating before you are hungry allows you to make better choices when you open up the fridge.

Take some time to plan. This isn’t a free for all. You still need to be eating real, whole food. Snacking on Cheez-Its won’t help you lose weight. Fruits, veggies, nuts and dried fruit are a great place to start looking at snacks. Keep feeding your body good nutrition and your body will continue to feed you well.

Massage effectively combats the negative effects of stress

I hope the article "Is stress making you sick" helped you understand how much stress can affect your health. Now it's time to look at how important massage is to help you stay healthy and combat the negative effects of stress.

Stress can be painful; it can cause fatigue, headaches, tense, sore muscles and leave you with little energy to enjoy life the way you want to. This is where massage is oh so much more than a luxury and becomes your #1 tool in fighting the negative effects of stress.

Getting a massage releases those feel good hormones called endorphins. These are the same hormones that are released when you work out; sometimes referred to as a runner's high. Imagine that, the feel good benefits of a work out with no effort, I'll take it!! (Note: massage should not and can not replace proper exercise!)

When these neurotransmitters are released into the blood stream, they help to reduce pain and create a euphoric feeling. Endorphins are the body's natural stress reliever. The more regularly you receive massage, the better your body will be at releasing these hormones on its own.

Massage also helps to increase circulation. Increased circulation helps to flush out metabolic waste in the muscle tissue. When you are stressed and your muscles are tense for a period of time, even as little at 15 minutes, there is a build up of metabolic waste in the tissue.

Why is it important to flush out metabolic waste? Just like your car, a business or a factory the more the muscle has to work, the more waste it produces. If the factory is working over time and there aren't enough janitors to remove the excess waste, the trash starts piling up and slowing the factory down.

It is the same scenario with your muscles. If your muscles are tense for a period of time (the factory working overtime) they produce large amounts of lactic acid and other types of metabolic waste. This build up of waste is what is causing your muscles to be tight and sore. This tension also slows down circulation to the muscle tissue (the janitor) Now you have excess waste, causing excess pain, and no way to remedy it on your own.

Massage helps to strategically work with the circulatory system to increase blood flow to the muscle tissue, bringing fresh oxygen and nutrients as well as removing the excess waste from the area leaving your muscles relaxed and pain free. Just like with endorphins, the more regularly you receive massage, the more capable your body is to maintain balance between circulation and metabolic waste.

If that wasn't enough, increased circulation also helps your cells communicate more efficiently. This improved communication between cells can help to improve memory, increase insulin sensitivity helping with Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes and can help eliminate toxins from the body more efficiently.

We also said that poor posture can also be a source of stress. Massage can eliminate pain patterns within the body that develop as a result of poor posture. A common pattern often seen is tight hamstrings creating tension in the glutes and pulling the pelvis into a posterior rotation causing low back pain. You feel the low back pain, but the dysfunction is actually in your legs. Another common pattern massage therapists often see is tension in the bottom of the feet causing chronic headaches. Your massage therapist will be able to look at your posture, help you see the pain patterns that are specific to you and your body and determine where the problem is in order to resolve your pain and your stress!

Massage is also a great time to just be still. Your therapist requires nothing from you except that you stay in communication with them; letting them know if the pressure they are applying is
too much or not enough. It is your time to rest and relax with no interruptions, no demands and no expectations.

Massage is NOT just about someone putting lotion on you for an hour. It is, or should be an integral part of your preventative and long term health plan. Remember almost all of the leading causes of death are caused by stress. Knowing what you now know, shouldn't stress relief be a priority?

Look for the last article in this series where we'll look at things you can do on your own to relieve stress and improve your overall health.

Is Stress making you sick?

We all know that it feels good to get a massage. You, hopefully, feel more relaxed after a massage. Did you know that there are scientific benefits to how massage can help reduce stress? Let's first take a look to see what stress actually does to the body and then discover how massage can counter the negative effects of stress.

Endocrinologist, Dr. Hans Seyle coined the term stress. Can you imagine life before the word stress??? He separated stress into two main categories; eustress and distress. Eustress or good stress is the type of stress we feel when we exercise, purchase a new car or go on a first date. We're not worried about this type of stress. In fact, I might even go as far as to say we all need a bit more of this stress in our lives! Distress is the negative kind of stress that most of used to experiencing. Frustration at work, fighting with a loved one, parenting stress, or running late are all types of distress.

Let's expand on distress for a minute, since that is the type of stress that we are going to focus on. Distress is not just emotional stress such as divorce, loss of a job or breaking up with a significant other. Although these are some of the worst kinds of stress that anyone can experience. Distress can also be caused, on a more subtle level, from poor food choices, food allergies, lack of sleep, poor posture, exposure to chemicals such as household cleaners or make-up. Illness, surgery or hospitalization also causes stress. Stress is more than the emotions we feel, sometimes our body is stressed and we don't even know it!

Now that we have a better understanding of stress, let's look at what it does to the body. When the body experiences stress the adrenal glands, specifically the adrenal cortex, releases cortisol into the blood stream. Cortisol has influence over many activities in the body. Chronic stress can result in elevated cortisol levels and can:

• Increase blood sugar levels, therefore increasing chances of Metabolic Syndrome or Diabetes
• Slow blood flow to the digestive tract, slowing digestion, interfering with nutrition absorption and increasing weight gain
• Weaken the immune system, leaving you more susceptible to infection and illness
• Decreases bone formation, possibly resulting in osteoporosis or osteopenia
• Shut down the reproductive system, increasing chance of miscarriage or infertility
• Slows thyroid function, decreasing energy and slowing metabolism

Did you realize that stress can be so detrimental to your health? Almost all the leading causes of death are caused by stress!

Okay....take a deep breath and relax. There is so much that you can do to alleviate stress and prevent or reverse many of these symptoms. Look for our next article where we'll discover what massage can to do to counter the negative effects of stress and then look at things you can do on your own to further eliminate stress from your life!

Flu season is here....5 ways to stay healthy this year

Flu season should almost have a date on the calendar. Every year, like clockwork, it's there. There is a lot you can do right now to avoid the flu.

1.) Drink plenty of water

Nothing hydrates the body like water. Ice tea doesn't count, juice doesn't count, herbal teas don't count and coffee or other caffeinated beverages definitely don't count. Just water. Water helps to flush out toxins from the body.

When we are overloaded with toxins from our day to day life (makeup, household cleaners, car exhaust, etc.) our immune system is compromised. When we are toxic we don't have the strength in our immune system to fight infection. When infection is present in our body, water can also help to flush it out and keep us hydrated as we tend to need more water to stay well hydrated while fighting illness.

You should be drinking about half of your body weight in ounces ever day or until your urine is clear. So someone that weighs 140 lbs. should be drinking about 70 oz. of water per day. That is without exercise; if you are active drinking about 3/4 of your weight in ounces can help keep you hydrated.

2.) Get a Massage

Researchers at Cedar - Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found a significant increase in lymphocytes (white blood cells that fight infection) after just 45 minute of massage! See Dr. Weil's report here.

Not to mention that massage greatly reduces stress hormones. When stress hormones are high, as they usually are, we unable to fight infection. Regular massage can help you to fight infection, keep you health and productive this flu season!!

3.) Eat your veggies

Fruits and veggies contain phytonutrients. These nutrients that come from fresh, whole plant food are designed to help us fight illness and disease. These foods help to repair damaged cells and help killer cells and helper-T cells (more infection fighting cells) mobilize, keeping illness from settling in.

Another reason to eat well.....most of our immune system is created in the gut. Yes, that's right, most of your immune system is in your digestive tract. If you are eating poor foods, you're stressing out your immune system. If you are eating good whole foods, your immune system does not have to expend energy combating food and can go fight infection in other areas of the body.

4.) Stay away from hand sanitizers

I'm not saying don't wash your hands, please do wash. I'm talking about the jelly-like, wash and go hand sanitizers. These sanitizers are full of alcohol and often kill the good bacteria on our hands. This good bacteria can help fight off the bad bacteria. When alcohol kills of this good bacteria we are left more vulnerable to infection. A little soap and water is all you need to get the bad bacteria off and keep the good, helpful bacterial present.

5.) Keep moving

As the weather gets colder, it is harder and harder to stay motivated to exercise. Movement is so important during flu season. Exercise decreases stress, increases blood and lymphatic flow. Lymphatic flow is the fluid of our immune system. It is the lymph that collects, eliminates and fights infection. When it isn't moving properly (our movement creates movement in the lymphatic system) it can become stagnant and unable to fight infection properly.

If you do find yourself under the weather this season, remember to rest. Give yourself permission to read that book you've been wanting to read or watch another movie. Rest is the best medicine for the flu along with water and nutritiously dense food.

Another great remedy that we use a lot when we feel like we're coming down with something:

1/4 cup organic, raw apple cider vinegar
1 cup warm water
honey to taste

This makes a great tea to drink while feeling under the weather. The apple cider vinegar changes the Ph in the body, making it uninhabitable to bacteria and virus. Cheers!!

What do you do when you're feeling under the weather? Any remedies that work well for you? Share with us here!!!

Acorn Squash Hash Browns with sauteed Spinach

Acorn squash is a great replacement for your traditional hash browns. It is lower on the glycemic index, helping to keep blood sugar stable, lowering your risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Acorn squash is also high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Dietary Fiber, Calcium, and other essential minerals.

Potatoes are a member of the nightshade family. Along with tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, this family of foods contains solanine, a neurotoxin. For some, nightshades can cause systemic pain, nausea, headaches, abdominal pain and other digestive disorders. Lastly, potatoes tell the body to store fat and can create inflammation throughout the body. All great reasons to use acorn squash instead of potatoes!

Try this recipe next time you want hash browns:

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 acorn squash, uncooked, peeled and grated
1 bunch of spinach leaves

1.) Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for about 2 minutes on medium heat, or until onions become translucent.

2.) Add grated acorn squash and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until squash is soft and beginning to brown.

3.) Add spinach, cook until spinach is wilted. Salt and serve.

Great to serve on it's own or with eggs!!
Enjoy!

Massage: Luxury or Health Care?

You wouldn't think of the dentist, your doctor or any other health care specialist an optional luxury would you? What about working out, eating right, those aren't optional either, right? What about massage? Do you or your friends still think that massage is an optional luxury? Now I'm not talking about paying someone to put lotion on you for an hour, yes, that is a luxury. I'm talking about a real, pain-addressing, function-restoring, immune-boosting therapeutic massage. Necessity for health or waste of time and/or money?

Often, I have new clients come in, reluctant to believe that massage can help them. I love the look on their face when within a few sessions we've restored them to full function without pain.


I'm on a mission to share with you why massage should absolutely be a part of your regular health care and how over time, it can even be less expensive than traditional medical care. I will spend the next few blog posts covering a variety of common ailments and how massage can benefit.

Here's what I need from you: email me at sarah@discovermassage.org and tell me what ails you. Could be chronic headaches, physical discomfort while at work, neck pain, back pain, not getting the results you want from your work out, general stiffness or aching in the morning, stress...anything that you are experiencing.

I will dedicate a whole article to whatever you are struggling with. I will share self care techniques as well as how massage can benefit. This is your chance to get information just for you. I won't mention your name or share any personal information. What you will get is a whole article tailored to your specific needs.

Articles will be posted on a first come first serve basis, if you want to see your customized article soon, be the first to write back here.

I look forward to hearing from you! Untill then......health and happiness to you!

Exercise is more than just calories in, calories out

Do you often feel that exercise is often a "have to" or a "should" not a "want to"? Most of us often feel like exercise has to be hours spent at the gym, sweating and short of breath. There is so much more to exercise than being forced into a gym to sweat and gasp for air for hours. With winter on it's way it can be even harder to motivate yourself to make time for exercise.

Let's first talk about what exercise can be and then we'll talk about the greater benefits of regular activity. Exercise, like meditation, has all of these preconceived notions about what it is and therefor what it isn't. I see many clients that think, "well if I can't get to the gym for an hour then it's just not worth it." I challenge you to change the word exercise to movement or activity. Saying "I need to move" or "I need to be active for a bit today" sounds a bit less overwhelming than "I have to exercise (or work out)."

Our bodies were designed to move. We are not designed to sit at a desk for long areas or stand in one place all day. Our body begins to deteriorate and age prematurely when we are not active. When we really pay attention, our body craves movement. There are SO many ways to move, it does not have to be running on a treadmill or lifting weights (although, if you enjoy these things, they are great ways to get the body moving).



Take a minute and just sit with your body, quietly breathing. Check in and see what areas of your body are tight, maybe feel sluggish? What areas are craving movement? If you sit or stand all day, you may feel it in your hips, your knees or your low back. Maybe in your shoulders from being at a computer all day; or in your neck holding your stress. What kind of movement could you do to honor these places that feel stuck? Walking? Swimming? Dancing? Yoga or gentle stretching? Choose a movement that you can get excited about, something that makes you feel good, inside and out. Don't worry so much about exercise, just get moving!

Now decide how often you can commit to this activity. Set yourself up for success, choose a time and frequency that you can stick to. Even if that is just two times a week to start. Exercise is just as important as eating, breathing and sleeping. Often we make more time to explore the internet, watch TV, or other things that don't improve our health. Taking time away from these useless activities can do so much to improve your life!! Let's look at some of those benefit.

The National Institute on Aging recently supported a study that concluded walking 6 - 9 miles a week may protect brain size in old age, preserving memory and showing potential for preventing Alzheimer's and dementia. Just 6 - 9 miles a week!! That's only two to three miles a day, just three days a week!! (Click Here for full report.)

Feeling too tired to exercise? That's even more reason to get moving!! Exercise will increase oxygen levels in the body. When our brain, organs and muscles have more oxygen they are able to function better giving you more energy throughout the day!

Exercise builds lean muscle; "magically" increasing your metabolism! Muscle burns more calories than fat, so building lean muscle mass increases your metabolism and helps you lose weight with less effort.

Weight bearing exercise such as yoga, dancing, light weight lifting or any other activity that allows your muscles to work against gravity can greatly improve bone health and reduce your risk of osteoporosis. As muscle contracts it puts a gentle strain on the bone where it attaches. This strain tells the bone to create more bone cells, making the bone stronger and healthier. Stronger bones not only means a lowered risk of osteoporosis but a lowered risk of fractures as well.

Increased cardiovascular exercise will improve the strength of the most important muscle in your body - your heart!! When are heart is strong we can decrease our chance of cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure, heart attack and heart palpations.

Finally, exercising regularly can keep you healthy and keep you OUT of the doctors office. Keeping medical bills and prescription charges lower, giving you more money to spend on things you love!

As you can see exercise and movement has many, many more benefits than just weight loss. We need to remain active in order to maintain mental clarity, reduce injury, increase energy and improve quality of life.

I would love to hear what you are going to commit to today! Share your commitment here, make a comment and tell us what you are going to do. Declaring your commitment is also a great way to stick to it.

Good Luck!! Happy Moving :)