Investing In Your Health: Make a Contribution By Getting a Massage

It can be incredibly easy to fall victim to the idea that receiving regular massages are an extravagant indulgence that aren’t truly necessary, and then use this to justify why you don’t get them as often as you desire to. Fortunately, the actual truth is that massages are enormously beneficial to our health along with providing us a well-deserved opportunity to be pampered. It, therefore, follows that if you are interested in investing in your health and you’re considering making changes to your diet and exercise regimen, you should also take the time to explore the physical benefits of massage.

Why Massage is Good For Your Health

When it comes to achieving and maintaining good health, your happiness and relaxation are actually vitally important. Not only can happiness and relaxation help to reduce or eliminate the release of stress hormones that affect the overall health and comfort of your body, they can allow you to operate more efficiently and effectively–on both a mental and a physical level.

When our various physical organs and systems are working together smoothly we achieve the most optimal health. Massage specifically benefits our systems in the following ways:

• Lymphatic system stimulation. Our lymphatic system is responsible for carrying cellular waste away from our tissues. Obviously, this is a very important function, as it detoxifies our body and helps it to run smoothly, but sometimes our lymphatic system can become sluggish and cellular waste can build up. Massage helps to stimulate the lymphatic system so it begins to function normally and optimally again.
   
• Respiratory system relaxation. Among the many damaging effects of stress and anxiety is shorter, shallower breathing for prolonged periods of time. This, unfortunately, fails to provide the necessary levels of oxygen our body needs and wants in order to operate well on a “rest and digest” level, rather than a “fight or flight” level. Professional massage therapy helps to relax our entire body, which results in slower, deeper breathing and the better oxygenation of all body tissues and organs. This results in more rejuvenation and vitality, which helps us to feel better while achieving more optimal health.
   
• Improved range of motion in the skeletal system. Tight muscles considerably limit our skeletal system’s range of motion, which can cause persistent discomfort, injury, and pain as our body tries to operate in less-than-ideal patterns of movement. Massaged muscles relax and allow for ideal structural alignment and range of motion.
   
• Reproductive system health. Physical tension can affect the natural and normal flow of hormones in the body, while stress can impact blood flows and even affect fertility. Massage not only improves overall circulation, but it can help to balance hormone flow and improve reproductive system health.
   
• Endocrine system balancing. Our endocrine system regulates the production and release of hormones that are vital to our overall comfort and health. Improper thyroid function can result in weight gain, lethargy, and exhaustion, which is often resolved through the use of medication. However, massage therapy can naturally help to balance the functions of the endocrine system so thyroid levels are ideally regulated and the proper amount of hormones are produced and released into the body.
   
• Nervous system calming. It is not unusual for our nervous system to be constantly on the alert due to the many demands of our normal, day-to-day lives. Unfortunately, this causes abnormal amounts of cortisol to be released into our system, and this can lead to all sorts of undesirable conditions, including insomnia, ulcers, heart conditions, and more. Massage therapy relaxes the nervous system, allowing it to calm down and function on a more ideal level.

Now that you understand the extensive and immense physical and mental benefits of weekly massage, it is easy to see why scheduling regular massage therapy appointments are much more of a necessity than a luxury–they are really an important investment in both your present and your future health.

Love,

Gen