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Anti-Aging
Confirmed By Science: Massages Can Improve Your Mental Health
It’s no secret that massages can bring one a lot of benefits, but how many of you actually knew that they are also good for your mental health, in many ways?
According to multiple pieces of research, you should consider massages part of your toolkit of strategies to maintain solid mental health, as the latter is considered as one of the biggest issues of the 21st century, but ignored by many people.
Therefore, let’s take a few moments and discuss the positive impact massages can have on your mental well-being, shall we?
It can stimulate the production of feel-good hormones, responsible for alleviating depression
Depression is one of those conditions which can be not visible at all, able to make people feel like they don’t even get out of bed. However, according to several studies, there is a strong correlation between massage therapy and alleviation of many depressive symptoms.
Specifically, it was proven that one of the main massage benefits is affecting body chemistry, thus increasing serotonin and dopamine, the two neurotransmitters involved in depression.
Since massage involves human touch, it can help individuals ‘get rid’ of loneliness, one of the most isolating feelings of depression, by releasing oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle hormone” and responsible for triggering an increased social bonding.
Regular massage sessions can soothe anxiety
Anxiety itself can turn into bigger mental health issues, so for some people, laying on a massage table, alone with their thoughts, can sound like a big challenge. Still, it can help a lot!
A massage session can significantly reduce the amount of build-up stress in the body, thus helping you forget about the anxiety that runs throughout your veins. But this is not everything, as it has been proven that it diminishes the level of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, by almost 30 per cent! And this can really help your body fight anxiety!
As a side note, a study conducted in 2010 showed that a short-term 50 per cent anxiety reduction when it comes to anxiety symptoms can be observed after constant massaging sessions.
It can help you concentrate better
One of the most ignored massage benefits is its ability to solve concentration issues. We know, it sounds surprising, but you should know that this is one of the ways you can boost your ability to handle tasks better.
Technically speaking, the lack of concentration is caused by muscle tension, which eventually diverts blood flow from your brain. However, massage can help release this, increasing the nutrient flow and the amount of oxygen reaching your brain, allowing you to step up your focus.
Studies have also shown that even a 15-minute session in a massage chair can decrease frontal alpha and beta power, which results in enhanced alertness. Even more, people who got massages admitted increased speed and accuracy on math problems!
More energy!
Last but not least, we shouldn’t forget about probably one of the primary massage benefits: improving circulation.
The body’s lymphatic system is basically the equivalent to a drainage system, being able to remove toxins, as well as waste build-up and bacteria, thus protecting it against any threats.
By applying pressure on the body, the lymphatic system receives a huge boost and detoxifies itself with more ease. But this is not everything as your circulation will improve as well, creating a really nice feeling of freshness!
To wrap it up, a massage session can offer you a lot, whether it’s your mental health or just overall well-being. Schedule your appointment at Maria’s Professional Massage of Clearwater today and you will experience these benefits yourself, even after just one session.
Picture Credit: xaviercastelan
How To Stay Young And Natural For A Long Time
Day by day, we keep seeing tons of ads for various products, promising to keep us looking as young as possible. Apparently, people are terrified by the idea of getting older and try to hide any signs age puts on their faces. Sure this can be done with make-up, intense training, a healthy lifestyle and, why not, some Botox.
But these do cost. A lot.
What if we told you that there are a few secrets of how can one stay young and have a great health, without using any of the above-mentioned things? Let’s take a few moments, relax, and see what can you do…
Take a break
If you’re reading this while on a comfortable chair, you’re on the right path, as one of the most important things you can do is to give yourself a break from time to time.
According to recent studies, stress causes physical changes in the body, thus accelerating the aging process. These days, there are stress factors all over, so the most effective way to break this destructive chain of events is to meditate. Even if it’s for as little as 10 minutes per day.
Pick a quiet place, close your eyes, fully relax and breathe deeply. Then thank us in a few years.
Be active
Besides helping you lose weight and being excellent for your health, regular exercise is also great for toning muscles, building healthier bones and – very important – boost your mood and help you think clearly.
Actually, there’s a connection between physical exercise and better brain power!
“Walking for just 10 minutes a day lowers your risk of Alzheimer’s by 40 percent,” says Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Center on Aging. “Physical conditioning reduces stress and anxiety, which wipe out your memory bank.”
A few short workouts per week are a great start. Running, biking, swimming, you name it. If it gets you off the couch, your health can improve and you will stay young!
Drink some wine
Believe it or not, a study showed that mice on a high-fat diet supplemented with a substance found in the skin of grapes had way longer average lifespans than those who weren’t given the substance.
Resveratrol, the substance we’re talking about, reduces the risk of diabetes and liver problem in mice, besides other benefits. So basically, if you’re drinking one glass of wine per day, you’re constantly helping it to maintain its health. Just make sure you keep it within the limits.
Consume more good fat
This can be a pretty surprising piece of advice, but we’re actually talking about fats that are good for your health, like Omega-3 fatty acids, like the ones found in salmon. These play an important role in stabilizing your mood, as well as maintaining bone structure and helping prevent visible signs of aging, something we’re all after.
“Omega-3s also boost the ability of the body’s enzymes to pull fat out of storage — from your hips, say — and use it as energy,” says Nicholas Perricone, MD, a leading anti-aging expert and author of 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity. “Omega-3s keep you healthy and your skin radiant.”
As mentioned above, the best way to start this journey is to relax from time to time. Meditation can be great, but sometimes, nothing compares to a good massage. And Maria knows exactly how to reduce your stress levels and improve your overall health and well-being.
Schedule an appointment today and embark on the road to obtaining a healthier body and mind.
Picture Credit: Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet
Posted in Alternative Medicine, Anti-Aging, Health, Massage, Professional Massage
Tagged body, good fat, health, Massage, Mood, relaxation, skin, stress, wine, young
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Is Coffee Actually Good For Your Health?
There have been numerous debates over the effects of coffee and we can easily say that there are two big sides: those who love it, claiming that it has just positive effects on your health and those who don’t want to hear about it, saying that it’s absolutely bad for you. But still, the question remains valid: is it actually good or not?
Generally speaking, it is well known that coffee is rich in antioxidants and was multiple times linked to a reduced risk of many diseases. On the other side, it contains caffeine, known for causing problems in some people and disrupting sleep.
Therefore, today we’re taking a few moments and discuss some of the most important pros and cons of coffee, in order to find, once and for all, an answer to the big question.
It has way more than just antioxidants
Besides the above-mentioned benefit, the world’s favorite morning beverage also features several nutrients, like vitamins B2, B5, B1, B3, as well as folate, manganese, potassium, magnesium, or phosphorus, one cup containing a small part of the daily nutrient intake.
Caffeine is not bad at all!
Probably the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world, caffeine works as a great stimulant. To be more specific, in the brain, it blocks the function of adenosine, an inhibitory brain transmitter. By doing this, it increases the activity in your brain and releases norepinephrine and dopamine, thus reducing tiredness and making you feel more alert.
By the way, how many of you know that it can boost metabolism as well, by up to 11%?
It can protect your brain from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Studies have demonstrated that frequent coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, as well as a 32 to 60% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. Basically, the more coffee they drink, the lower the risk. But still, this doesn’t mean that they should exaggerate!
It lowers the risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Keeping it short, this type of diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugars, as you develop a resistance to the effects of insulin. Well, you should know that coffee drinkers have a 23-67% reduced risk of developing this condition, according to multiple studies.
Ok, so it’s pretty obvious that coffee has some serious benefits, but what about those minuses it’s highly criticized for by some people?
It can lead to anxiety and sleep issues
For us, this is the main minus of drinking coffee, but again, it only happens if you can’t control yourself and drink way too many cups a day.
To be more specific, consuming too much caffeine can lead to jitteriness, anxiety, heart palpitations, and even panic attacks. Some people are reportedly sensitive to caffeine and will become overstimulated by a single cup.
Besides this, sleep disruption is another unwanted effect of too much caffeine. If you find yourself in this situation, try quitting coffee late in the day, like after 2:00 pm. Some people claim that caffeine has diuretic and blood pressure-raising effects, even though these usually dissipate with regular use. A slight increase in blood pressure may persist though.
There were situations in which coffee fans claimed that enjoying this beverage, but we sure do know way better methods of blowing off some steam, like getting a massage.
Maria’s Professional Massage can help to relieve tension and stress, dissolve pain and discomfort, increase blood circulation and, overall, make you feel fully relaxed. A licensed practitioner, Maria uses her cultural heritage as inspiration and guidance, combined with her modern western therapeutic education, delivering high-quality services.
Image credit: PublicDomainPictures
Posted in Alternative Medicine, Anti-Aging, Health
Tagged Alzheimer’s, antioxidants, anxiety, Caffeine, coffee, Diabetes, health, metabolism, Parkinson’s, sleep issues
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How Strength Training Can Be a Part of Anti-Aging Strategy
As we age, our bodies begin to automatically lose muscle. During our 30’s and 40’s, we lose about .5 pounds of muscle every year. After the age of 50, the rate of loss may double to about 1 pound of muscle per year. Strength declines with age as well at about 3 times faster than muscle mass. With the loss of muscle, our body fat percentage naturally increases. In addition, lower activity levels and a poor diet equal greater fat storage. Less muscle mass and higher fat levels lead to a slower metabolism. A slower metabolism means we burn fewer calories. The result: weight gain, increased fat, and higher risk of disease. Without intervention, we become a frail, older adult without the muscle or strength to support our own skeletal system.