Preventative Medicine is anything you do to help you stay pain and disease free. Exercise, eating healthy, and washing your hands often to limit your exposure to germs are all considered preventative. Most of us know that these are things we should do if we want to stay well . After all, the best way to be healthy is to never get sick right?

Preventing Illness

There are a few ways Massage Therapy can be helpful in preventing illness. Receiving regular massage can strengthen the Immune system by helping to detoxify the body and also by reducing stress. It is known that having too much stress in your life can wear you down and make you vulnerable to the germs and virus’s that you come in contact with. It has been proven that massage has the ability to reduce stress hormones and increase endorphins, or pleasure hormones. When you feel happy and not stressed, your systems have less interference and your body is better able to protect it self. Those long, gliding strokes that make a massage so calming are also very effective at moving blood through the circulatory and muscular systems. That blood drops off oxygen and nutrients and picks up metabolic waste and toxins from cells. Muscles and organs are nourished and strengthened. It circulates the lymphatic system and helps the body to eliminate the bad stuff.

Preventing Injury

Most of my clients come to me regularly to manage aches and pains that occur from the demands of daily life. They may have tight shoulders from sitting at a desk all day, or a sore lower back from carrying too much abdominal weight. But all too often, the first time I see someone is because they have “pulled” something from sleeping wrong or lifting something the wrong way. They book a massage with me to “fix” the problem that has popped up. Most people don’t realize that they can avoid these acutely painful experiences by receiving massage therapy before they are injured. What a whole new concept for a society that says “ If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”!  This is how Massage Therapy fits into the wellness paradigm of prevention, to “fix” things before they “break”. When our muscular system gets out of balance we may have tight muscles in one area that cause overstretching in the weak, under-activated opposing area. That means our muscles are working against each other, instead of in synergy. This is what causes them to fail when we call on them to perform a difficult task, and how we can be injured without even moving, from being in a certain position for too long. It is that final straw in an already precarious situation.

By taking care of yourself in advance, you can minimize the effects of pain and disease . Include Massage Therapy as part of your preventative medicine and lead a more relaxed, healthy and productive life.

About the Author:

Shalon’s practice is located within Healing Hands Chiropractic-Londonderry. Shalon  has been a NH licensed Massage Therapist since January of 2007. She is certified in Mother Massage® and specializes in prenatal, postpartum and fertility massage.   She offers Labor Support techniques and Infant Massage classes, as well, to educate new parents in the art of touch.   Shalon is also a certified Reiki practitioner having studied both Usui and Shamballa traditions.  Her Therapeutic services are offered to  men, women and children of all ages. Integrating tools from different modalities, she  inspires healing of both the body and the mind. During an Integrative Massage session, Shalon creates an environment of relaxation through guided breathing and visualization. Swedish Massage is combined with various techniques from Neuromuscular, Thai massage, Lomi Lomi, Reflexology and the Grigorian Method®. Each massage is customized to the needs of the individual, with pressure varying from light to deep and the focus ranging from pain management to mental relaxation.Shalon may be reached by phone at Phone: (603)303-6968 or online by visiting http://www.healinghandsnh.com/massage-therapy/massage-therapy-online-booking/.

About Healing Hands Chiropractic:

Healing Hands is a family wellness center that offers family chiropractic care, acupuncture, cognitive-behavioral therapy, reiki & aromatherapy, massage therapy, La Leche League breastfeeding groups and pregnancy & birth classes. To learn more about Dr. Jessica Caruso and Healing Hands Chiropracticplease visit www.HealingHandsNH.com or call (603)434-3456.

The post Massage Therapy as Preventative Medicine appeared first on Healing Hands Chiropractic Manchester, NH.

By Dr. Jessica L. Caruso

2. Neti Pot or Saline Spray
Using one of these is useful for removing dirt, pollen, excess mucous and other irritants

3. Handwashing
This a simple and effective way to help prevent diseases, such as colds & flu. Wash your hands with running water and soap; rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds(kids can recite the alphabet or sing “Happy Birthday”); and pay special attention to your wrists, the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.

4. Eat Well
Several vitamins and minerals are known to boost the immune system, like Vitamin A( please check with your PCP if you are pregnant or nursing regarding Vitamin A), Vitamin C and Zinc to name just a few . It’s best to get most of your vitamins and minerals from whole food sources and supplement as needed.

5. Add More Fiber
Adding fiber such as whole grains to your diet to improve colon health and increase immunity.

6. Drink More Water
Drinking eight glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer.

7. Take Probiotics
Eating more yogurt or supplementing with a high quality, combination probiotic can boost the healthy bacteria in your gut where about 70% of your immune system resides.

8. Move Well
Exercise has the ability to protect and strengthen the immune system. Studies have shown that a regular exercise program of simply walking briskly for 20-30 minutes, 5 days a week can enhance the immune system’s antibody and natural T -cell responses.

9.Think Well
If your stress response is constantly activated it can lead to life-threatening health conditions and leave you more susceptible to colds and flu due to the continuous release of stress hormones. Finding a healthy way to manage your stress, like  meditation, yoga or tai chi  is essential to the health and vitality of your immune system.

10. Sleep
Studies show that people who get about seven hours of sleep a night have the best survival, and if we get less than six hours of sleep a night, our mortality seems to increase.Sleep loss not only plays a role in whether we come down with a cold or flu, it also influences how we fight illnesses once we come down with them.

For information on “to flu shot or not to flu shot” please visit us at: http://www.healinghandsnh.com/flu-shot-or-no-flu-shot/

References:
www.eatwellmovewellthinkwell.comhttp://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/coldsandflu.htm, http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/water-health.htm,
http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/pain/back/how-to-prevent-back-pain10.htm
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Balch & Balch, 2000
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/immune-system-lack-of-sleep
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/tc/hand-washing-topic-overview

http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2008/11/do-flu-shots-really-work/

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