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Getting the Most out of Your Massage (Part 2 of 2)

July 21, 2011

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MASSAGE

This is part two of two. The first entry is available here. It focuses on preparing and communicating. Part two focuses on receiving and resting.

Whether this is your first time on the table or your 52nd of the year, you can get the most out of your massage by preparing, communicating, receiving, and resting.

RECEIVING
You can enhance your massage by breathing and consciously “letting go.” If your stresses are really are so important, you can pick them right back up on the way out. Breathing, in particular, helps. Center yourself by exhaling gently, and allow your belly to take in new air on its own. If the session presents you with a particularly sensitive or challenging area, focusing your breath there. Asking yourself to relax around that area can be surprisingly helpful. But only go along so far as you feel comfortable. If at times you find yourself breathing too hard, you may need to communicate to your therapist that less aggressive techniques would be appreciated.

Some massage includes stretching and movement, and it may be tempting to help or even resist such efforts. Of course, this usually just slows or thwarts the good intentions of the therapist. Receiving well means inhibiting the inclination to play a part in controlling your limbs, of course within reason.

REST
If you already listen to your body, let me validate your common sense. Take it kind of easy the night you get your massage. Avoid vigorous exercise, work, or partying. You’ll want to drink plenty of water to help flush your system, and there’s nothing wrong with gentle movement and stretching. A quiet walk, a nutritious dinner, and a detox bath can all help. This is also a good opportunity to check in and see what you notice. The massage may have given you a new awareness that will be helpful to you going forward.

Massage

Getting the Most out of Your Massage (Part 1 of 2)

July 14, 2011

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MASSAGE

This is part one of two. The first entry is available July 14. It focuses on preparing and communicating. Part two is available here. It focuses on receiving and resting.

Whether this is your first time on the table or your 52nd of the year, you can get the most out of your massage by preparing, communicating, receiving, and resting.

PREPARATION
Like any activity a little preparation goes a long way. As far as physical preparation is concerned, gentle movement and stretching prior to the massage will enhance just about any experience. Coming directly from a hard work out, on the other hand, will narrow what is possible in a massage. You may find all but the briskest and lightest touch too painful, or you may just curse your therapist the entire next day!

You also won’t want to eat or drink a lot before your massage. Every person’s metabolism is a little different so a little self knowledge is helpful here. All the same, it will be obvious to anyone lying on the table that the mimosas and pot of coffee with your eggs Benedict just before your massage was a bad idea. Massage promotes both detoxification and digestion, so choose wisely. A lightly satisfied stomach from your favorite staple (fruit and nuts, some rice or veggies) will do the trick and is a good idea.

Preparation also includes knowing what you want from the massage. Whether you know it or not, you’ll be bringing unconscious expectations and assumptions along with your body to the massage table. To get the most out of your massage, take a moment of time and attention to get quiet and shift these feelings into conscious, attainable goals. You’ll be able communicate to your therapist clearly what you hope to accomplish or experience from your massage. You’ll also be able to better accept whatever comes out of working towards those goals.

COMMUNICATION
Diplomatic communication with the person who will be putting their elbow in your back is a skill worth developing. If you’ve done your homework you’ll be able to convey the information that aids the cause, and you’ll know when to speak up during the massage. For instance, “I am having trouble looking over my right shoulder when I drive because of the pain in my neck” is a little more useful than “I feel beat up.” Likewise, being able to say, “It’s nothing personal, but I don’t want to talk or deal with a lot of intense therapy. Please do what you can to help me relax and sleep better tonight,” is totally fair and respectable.

Communication may continue into the session, as your therapist can only get better at guessing what your massage feels like to you. If you and your therapist constitute a good match, you may only need to moan your appreciation now and again, but even the best partnerships can require a little fine tuning. Should you require your therapist to adjust either approach or quality, you’ll need to speak up. Just remember that your therapist is trying to help.

Part 2 (receiving and resting) is available here.

Massage

Massage is an Effective Treatment for Back Pain

July 5, 2011

From a story on NPR:

A study in the July 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that massage is an effective treatment for lower back pain. In some cases, researchers report, the benefits of massage lasted for six months or longer.

After 10 weeks, the results were dramatic: Nearly two-thirds of the patients who received either type of weekly massage said their back pain was significantly improved or gone altogether. Only about one-third of patients receiving the usual care experienced similar relief.

Read or listen to the full story here.

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Losing Inches – The Secret Lies in Your Posture

March 19, 2011

Here’s a great tip from one of our top massage therapists:

If you are like many Americans who sit in a car to drive to a job where you sit in front of a computer all day and come home to hold a 40lb. child who still wants up, then your posture probably stinks. You lament the loss of your youthful figure, blaming the free office snacks for feeling dumpy. However, along with the obvious route of improving diet and exercise, the fastest way to look thinner is to stand up straight (as in straighten your back, press your shoulders back and lift your head). Slouching always makes people look heavier and thicker. This sounds like an easy fix but when many people attempt this simple biped exercise, it seems impossible to unravel the body’s slumped contortion. Fortunately, a nice 90 minute deep tissue massage can be just the thing to get you back in line, looking longer and leaner, and feeling great. By loosening the grip of tight muscles from your skeletal framework, you will find the length and ease you enjoyed as a child.

Let us help your body find the way back into that balanced posture and you’ll see results quickly.

Image by Pink Sherbet Photography

Massage

Can Massage Help Me Lose Weight?

January 24, 2011

massage table at milk + honey spaOften spas promote massage as a way to lose weight and while it is not definitively true, there may be some indirect correlations.

Receiving a massage does not burn calories (but giving a massage does!), remedy cellulite, or take the place of exercise and a healthy diet. It does, however, increase muscle tone and the integrity of the skin. More importantly, massage lowers cortisol, a stress hormone which is often responsible for weight gain. When cortisol levels are high, the body has a difficult time resting and digesting and this stress mode causes weight gain.

Massage can also decrease water retention in the body by wringing toxins and excess fluids out of the muscles, slating them for elimination. Adrenal glands and kidneys get a jump start and move waste materials more quickly through the body. As circulation improves, skin appears healthier and smoother.

Even if no pounds are lost, massage sets the body up for the best conditions of optimal health and positive results show from the inside out.

Uncategorized

Employee of the Month: Maureen “Mo” G.

January 6, 2011

Mo is an amazing massage therapist who radiates grace, light and kindness in every interaction. Whether you are talking about the weather or receiving massage therapy from Mo, you feel that you are her only focus that she is completely invested in your happiness.

Clients cannot say enough wonderful things about Mo and her bodywork abilities, she constantly receives positive feedback on surveys and her books are filled with people who know what an amazing therapist she is.

Mo is also one of the most helpful team players at in the spa, she is open and flexible with her schedule and will always go way way way out of her way to help fix schedule issues and lend a hand to others.

Mo, thank you for everything you do, you are fantastic and amazing and we hope that no matter where your world travels take you, you always end up back at milk + honey.

Massage, Wellness

Why Drink Water After a Massage?

January 6, 2011

Have you ever wondered why you are told to drink extra water after a massage? 

Your therapist is not honing a nurturing instinct or lecturing you on good health. When your muscles are manipulated during a massage waste materials and other toxins are released from the muscles and into the bloodstream. Just like when you exercise, massage, especially deep tissue or sports massage, dehydrates muscles and removes electrolytes. In order to help your kidneys and liver process and flush out these toxins, it is important to drink extra water. Water will help prevent unnecessary soreness, possible nausea, pain, and an overall sluggish feeling. Your body is happy to get rid of all the “junk” it has been storing but you need to help it along with extra H2O. Keeping your muscles hydrated regularly helps keep the tissue supple and healthy reducing tension and spasm.

How does drinking water after, and even before a massage, help prevent these symptoms? These answers lie in your body’s physiology.

Why are these toxins building up in the first place?

As your muscles activate for everyday function they produce waste that gets removed by the circulatory and lymphatic system (Be sure to check out our lymphatic massage to help keep your lymphatic system in top shape). Tight or knotted muscles can constrict, reducing blood flow to the area. This constriction inhibits your body’s ability to flush out waste and toxins, and causes them to build up in your muscles. Drinking water after massages helps to break up these pockets of toxins and remove them from your body. But what exactly are these toxins?

What toxins are released during a massage?

It’s often mentioned how water helps flush toxins out of your body, but what exactly are these toxins? 

The primary toxin associated with muscle soreness and fatigue is lactic acid. Lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic respiration, so when your cells need energy but there is no oxygen to produce it, they take this alternative route to produce what they need. It is the quick and dirty way to fuel your body, as it is not as efficient as aerobic respiration (using oxygen), and it produces the lactic acid byproduct which needs to be processed by your liver. As we mentioned before, the constriction of your muscles can reduce circulation, leading to less oxygen being available to your muscles. This can produce a negative feedback loop where your tighter muscles are producing more lactic acid, with no way to remove it. The presence of lactic acid in your muscles has been proven to cause water to flow out of your muscles, leaving them dehydrated and increasing your blood pressure.

Lactic acid isn’t the only toxin that can build up in your muscles. Salts (electrolytes) and phosphates, processed in the kidneys, and nitrates like ammonia, processed by the liver, can also build up in your muscles. Massages can help break up these pockets of toxins allowing your body to flush them out and send them for processing in their respective organs. You don’t want to overload your organs with a rush of toxins to process, that’s why you want to drink extra water after your massage. Drinking more water after a massage will help dilute the concentration of these toxins, making it easier for your body to process without overloading your organs.

What happens if you don’t drink water after a massage?

The simple answer is you might experience pain, fatigue, and what is commonly called the DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, after your massage.  Here are some symptoms you may experience.

  • Reduced range of motion due to pain and stiffness 
  • Muscles tender to touch
  • Muscle fatigue
  • Short-term loss of muscle strength
  • Swelling in affected muscles

DOMS are typically experienced after high-intensity exercise, which can cause micro tears in your muscles. Your body responds to this by sending blood flow and nutrients to the area to heal, which in turn helps your muscles grow. Massages can lead to these same microtears, leading to similar symptoms. These symptoms usually appear 12 to 24 hours after your workout or massage. Drinking water after your massage will help your body heal faster and ease these symptoms, but how much water is the right amount?

How Much Water Should You Drink After a Massage?

water pitchers at milk + honey spa

 

There is debate about the actual amount of water that is considered the right amount. A good way to know you are hydrated is to make a point to drink your 8 glasses a day and if your urine is clear then, you are hydrated. If you are already a pro at staying hydrated, then go ahead and tack on an extra 3-4 glasses of water after a massage. Every body is different s

o you might have to test it out and see how much is enough for you. If the day after a massage you are stiff, feeling pain or fatigue, add on a couple more glasses the next go around. We would even reco

mmend drinking extra water before your massage, as hydrated muscles are easier to manipulate and work than dehydrated ones. Hydrate properly, and you will find your body feeling renewed and rejuvenated. You can sip it milk + honey style by adding cut citrus or cucumber to your glass.

Book an appointment today!

Cleanse your muscles of their toxins today at your local milk + honey spa. With our signature massages such as our deep tissue, swedish, or sports massages, and more options depending on your body’s needs! Schedule your appointment today!

Uncategorized

Give to Get – The Mutual Benefits of Massage

December 21, 2010

We all know the benefits of receiving a massage, less stress, decreased pain, strengthened immune system, and the list goes on, but few people know that massage is mutually beneficial, helping the giver as well. No, giving a massage does not offer exactly the same satisfaction as having warm oil knead away your aches and pains, but it has greater affects than meet the eye.

Dr. Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute in Miami, found that when parents of 20 children with leukemia gave their children a daily massage for one month, not only did the children’s health improve but the parents were less depressed and their white blood cell counts increased. In another study she found that elders who spent three weeks massaging infants had a decrease in stress hormones, less anxiety and depression, began more social activities, and went to the doctor fewer times.

Clearly the benefits of touch are not a one way street. Even petting a dog has been shown to lower blood pressure. People don’t pet their animals to just to give a pet a massage, they do it because it is relaxing and makes them feel good.

Another anomale is known as the “helper’s high”, a term coined by Arthur Brooks, author of “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism.” Brooks asserts that when we do a charitable act for someone else, our endorphin levels rise, causing feelings of elation in the body. We get these same endorphins when we exercise, but the difference with the “helper’s high” is that simply mentally recalling the kind act, even hours after the fact, can cause another flow of endorphins. About helping others Brooks states, “There’s evidence that it helps people with their asthma, in cardiovascular disease, weight loss, and insomnia.”

By helping a loved one feel better through therapeutic touch, the giver is going to get back a borage of benefits. So next time your partner wants a back rub, you might enjoy knowing that you too are becoming healthier and happier. You can smile to yourself as your white blood cells multiply, your cortisol levels drop, and your partner thinks your are the most generous person in the world.

We even offer massage lessons here at milk + honey as part of our Massage 101 service.

Uncategorized

Oil vs. Lotion – The Great Debate

December 20, 2010

When given a choice during a massage between oil or lotion (or body butter), many clients wonder if there is a difference.

The first consideration is skin sensitivity. If a client has nut allergies or other skin sensitivities it is important to note that on the intake form. Many spas use nut oils or automatically incorporate essential oils into a service, so good communication will ensure the right product is used.

Oil is more emollient, offering the therapist more glide over the skin which is particularly good during Swedish massage (like milk + honey’s Lux Massage). Since it does not absorb quickly, it does not have to be applied repeatedly and is easier on the therapist. Oil is also beneficial in rejuvenating dry skin after a summer in the sun or a winter in heated rooms. That same luscious moisturizer may not be a great choice if a client has to return to the office or is going directly to a nice dinner.

Lotion, on the other hand (no pun intended), is often used specifically for therapeutic techniques including myofacial work or other structural integration techniques where more friction in needed. If a client is particularly hairy, however, lotion tends to get caught in the hair making it challenging for the therapist and possibly, uncomfortable for the client. Again, if a client wants to avoid feeling ‘greasy’, then lotion is the way to go.

At milk + honey, we offer a choice of oil or super-hydrating body butter in all of our massages. We recommend that you try them both and see what you prefer!

Uncategorized

Backrub 101: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

November 19, 2010

couples massage at milk + honey spaThis treat is better than Jelly of the Month club. By the number of gift certificates that we sell for Backrub 101, this treatment is clearly an all-time favorite.

Bring your partner to milk + honey and you’ll both learn how to give a relaxing back and neck massage. With just a few massage techniques, you can be a massage master to your loved one. After you each receive a 30-minute massage lesson, practicing on your partner, you will both receive a one-hour Lux Massage in our couples’ room. Buy gift certificate

So, if you are looking for an anniversary gift, Christmas present, or a birthday present that is out-of-the-ordinary this might be the treat for you! It’s also a great way to get someone who has never experienced a massage before to come into the spa.

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