Detox with a Massage and Start the New Year off the Healthy Way

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With various holiday celebrations just past, many people start having more on their minds, other than where to find the best end of the year sales. Perhaps you start to think about the overindulgences you might have made throughout the year; or maybe you do not feel as good as you should - or could. The beginning of the New Year is classically a time for lifestyle changes to be made and embraced. Those changes can be for a new commitment, or it could be renewing your drive toward making healthy lifestyle decisions.

For this New Year, your body will thank you if your resolution revolves around getting regular restorative massages. You should know that a massage is more than just a pleasant and relaxing experience. There are various forms of a massage, and when it is applied correctly, a massage can have a wealth of benefits, including the reduction of various internal toxins.

Even the concept of your body containing anything referred to as a toxin might make you panic just a little. It is essentially the term for anything that can have ill effects on your body. This can range from various forms of toxins. Remember that some of these inorganic elements are essential for proper nutrition, while other compounds and elements can cause disconcerting levels of toxicity. Toxicity can cause a plethora of afflictions, and if left unchecked, it can spread and affect the functioning of several vital organs, including the kidneys, liver, and respiratory systems.

Some of the diseases that have been linked to toxicity issues include the following:

·         Depression/Anxiety

·         Headaches

·         Dermatological issues

·         Fevers

·         Autoimmune disease and more

Avoiding these complications can be achieved through the implementation of regular massage sessions. Massages serve to regulate circulation; this can improve the overall function of essential organs such as the liver and kidneys. A massage can even help to clear out pores, which are often underestimated areas of the body that germs can easily seep through, and eventually wreak havoc both inside the body and on its surface. Once the body feels revitalized, you will likely feel greater amounts of energy than before the first massage session. This is certainly a healthful alternative if you wish to find other methods for dealing with various maladies. Medication is not for everyone, and when you approach a detoxifying massage with a positive attitude and commitment - viewing the procedure as a treatment method - it can provide you with great benefits.

While regular massage treatments have the ability to detoxify the body, it is important in the coming year to begin a health maintenance routine. Diet and exercise are critical if you want to help keep your toxicity levels low. Remember that a diet can cause a great amount of damage when an organ, such as the liver, is not able to function properly due to unprocessed toxins.

Make sure that the New Year serves as a new start toward creating the best version of you that is possible. Take steps to maintain your body, and the next 365 days will be vibrant, and filled with an overall sense of wellness.

Happy Holidays!

The team at Academy Massage would like to slow things down for just a moment to thank our friends, family, clients and followers for all your support in the past year.  It is you who have made it possible for us to continue to do what we love day in and day out; it’s better than any gift we could ask to receive this holiday season!  We wish for a happy, healthy holiday for you and yours and we look forward to working with you in the New Year!     

From all of us at Academy Massage,

Happy Holidays!

Give the Gift of Massage

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The holidays are upon us!  Most people have now booked up their weekends with a multitude of parties and dinners to attend and gift shopping is underway. People can be seen rushing through store after store searching for that much sought after gift while holiday music plays cheerily in the background.

At Academy Massage we know how stressful the hustle and bustle of the season can get and we want to help relieve some of that stress.  We have the gift no one will want to re-gift, but you wouldn't mind being on the receiving end if they did!

No matter the time of year, anyone would be happy to receive the opportunity to take some time out of their busy day and be pampered.  Massage is especially appreciated as a gift during the holiday season; dancing the night away at a holiday party can take its toll not only on your feet, but your low back as well.  There are a variety of techniques and services that a massage therapist can use to ease your aches and pains.

• Deep tissue massage is a form of massage therapy that focuses on realigning the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue.  Some of the strokes used in deep tissue massage are similar to those used during a Swedish massage, but with slower movement and deeper pressure.  This is most beneficial to tight or overworked muscles, like the low back and legs or the neck and shoulders – the areas you feel it most after a night of revelry!
• Reflexology is a form of massage that specializes in the application of pressure, stretch and movement to the feet, hands and ears.  Its practice is known to affect corresponding parts of the body through the nervous system, which gives a reflexologist the ability to break up stress found in other parts of the body without making any physical contact with them.  This can be especially beneficial if you are feeling sluggish or are suffering from poor circulation.

We know how much pressure there can be to get someone the perfect gift, and who doesn't wish they had a little more time to pamper themselves?  Gift certificates are a pleasant gift to give or receive year round but are especially great for the holidays.  By giving the gift of massage you enable your loved one the opportunity to take time to relax and get a treatment tailored to their needs, without the guilt of spending the money on themselves!

Academy Massage gift certificates can be used for any product or service we offer and can be used at a time that is convenient for the recipient as they do not expire.  They are available for purchase online, over the phone or in person (pick one up after your next treatment!) and can be made out in the denomination of your choice; rather than writing the cost of the massage, we will note the length of time the gift certificate is for.

A New Year is Almost Here

With the New Year getting closer there is no time like the present to use up your remaining benefits coverage.  Most major providers have a secure section of their site where plan members can sign in to review their plan and see what is required for a claim to be approved.  For example, Manulife Financial gives a guideline to follow when selecting a massage therapist.  One key point to note is the massage must be performed by a registered massage therapist (RMT). 

At Academy Massage our employees are all qualified RMT’s, either as members of the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba or the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada Association.  To provide the best service possible for our clients, we direct bill to most major benefits providers.  Call now to make your yearend appointment before they're all gone! 

Massage: for Mind, Body and Immune System?

The holiday season is quickly approaching and many stores have already begun to promote their holiday products.  All too soon people will be rushing to finish their holiday shopping and asking where the time went.  On top of that people are expected to attend holiday parties where they are likely to (over)indulge in hearty foods, rich desserts and festive cocktails.  All this activity and potential for stress, coupled with the cold weather can wreak havoc on your immune system; and as everyone knows with the holiday season comes cold and flu season.   

 

Everybody has their own “home remedy” for the common cold or flu, most commonly upping your vitamin C intake, eating chicken soup or taking herbal supplements.  But why bother treating the symptoms when you could prevent the illness in the first place?  There are many things you can do to protect yourself from everyday illnesses; things as simple as getting more sleep, increasing the amount of exercise you participate in, disinfecting hands and surfaces regularly and reducing the amount of stress in your daily life.  The latter may be easier said than done, but taking some time for yourself amidst the hustle and bustle of the season could be more beneficial than you think. 

Massage therapy stimulates relaxation and the reduction of stress and anxiety; many people also attribute a positive change in their sleeping habits to regular massage therapy sessions.  The mentally and physically therapeutic benefits of massage are widely known, and have been for years.  In more recent years studies have been done on the healing benefits of massage, specifically the benefits to the immune system.

The immune system’s purpose is to detect a wide variety of agents within the body and distinguish them from its own healthy tissues.  A controlled study recently determined that the physical stimulation provided through massage increases the body’s natural production of the hormone oxytocin and reduces the production of the adrenocorticotropic hormone.  Put simply, massage increases the body’s natural production of a “feel good” hormones and cells that boost the immune system and reduces the production of an anxiety or stress related hormone.  By having regular massage therapy sessions, you can assist your body in its process of natural protection and healing by boosting your immune system. 

Many people don’t realize one of the body’s natural healing processes is the fever; by raising its core temperature it increases the production and release of white blood cells into the blood stream, and slows the growth of bacteria and viruses.  Some people believe that steam therapy can be used as an “artificial fever” and stop a common illness before it starts.  Although it does not have quite the same widespread natural effects within the body, it does bring a form of relief to most people.  For everyone to benefit from any sort of treatment thought it is best to get it before you get sick.  Who knows, by doing so you might never get sick!