Okay, back to my situation.  Todd is an amazing quilter.  I have wanted to learn.  I took a one day class in April which gave me enough knowledge to start 2 quilts that were never done (one a little wall hanging that was trickier, and a full bed size that I just ran out of steam with).  Bring in beloved sister having that age old “surprise” baby, and I was excited!  I could make this baby a quilt!  I worked too many hours with the older ones so never considered a homemade gift. I excitedly picked out material (Dr. Seuss, my fave.  Hopefully soon to be my new nieces as well!) and got to thinking about it.  Months went by, then the call. My sweet little niece is not on quilt time! She is due any hour! Aaaahhhh!  The scramble began.  Then the problems.  My back.  My shoulders.  My neck.  Oh my.   Yes, I changed positions, cutting some, ironing some, sewing some, alternating those activities.  All I could think of is “Why don’t I have a therapist here with a chair to work these spots so I can get this done?”  I remembered back to when I was scrapbooking ( when my son was little I was good about it) and would go to retreats.  We always had some therapists come to do just what I was craving with the sewing pain.

Todd is working on a blog about this.  I hope it has some answers, otherwise quilting and whining may be linked for me!  Oh yeah.  I know some of the answers.  Doesn’t make me feel better at the time!  What does though,  is even just a 20 minute chair massage.  We provide those at Bodywise as well.  If you have the time for an hour though, your body will thank you!  There are also some stretches that perhaps he can show us.  The anti-sewing machine posture stretch or some such trick of the trade!

I will let you know the progress of this quilt.  While I hope for Christmas, my card to my sister says before college.  Good to have wiggle room!

Barbara P. Fernandez for The New York Times

Researchers are learning how massage soothes aching muscles.

A massage after vigorous exercise unquestionably feels good, and it seems to reduce pain and help muscles recover. Many people — both athletes and health professionals – have long contended it eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness. But until now no one has understood why massage has this apparently beneficial effect.

Now researchers have found what happens to muscles when a massage therapist goes to work on them.

Their experiment required having people exercise to exhaustion and undergo five incisions in their legs in order to obtain muscle tissue for analysis. Despite the hurdles, the scientists still managed to find 11 brave young male volunteers. The study was published in the Feb. 1 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

On a first visit, they biopsied one leg of each subject at rest. At a second session, they had them vigorously exercise on a stationary bicycle for more than an hour until they could go no further. Then they massaged one thigh of each subject for 10 minutes, leaving the other to recover on its own. Immediately after the massage, they biopsied the thigh muscle in each leg again. After allowing another two-and-a-half hours of rest, they did a third biopsy to track the process of muscle injury and repair.

Vigorous exercise causes tiny tears in muscle fibers, leading to an immune reaction — inflammation — as the body gets to work repairing the injured cells. So the researchers screened the tissue from the massaged and unmassaged legs to compare their repair processes, and find out what difference massage would make.

They found that massage reduced the production of compounds called cytokines, which play a critical role in inflammation. Massage also stimulated mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside cells that convert glucose into the energy essential for cell function and repair. “The bottom line is that there appears to be a suppression of pathways in inflammation and an increase in mitochondrial biogenesis,” helping the muscle adapt to the demands of increased exercise, said the senior author, Dr. Mark A. Tarnopolsky.

Dr. Tarnopolsky, a professor of pediatrics and medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, said that massage works quite differently from Nsaids and other anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduce inflammation and pain but may actually retard healing. Many people, for instance, pop an aspirin or Aleve at the first sign of muscle soreness. “There’s some theoretical concern that there is a maladaptive response in the long run if you’re constantly suppressing inflammation with drugs,” he said. “With massage, you can have your cake and eat it too—massage can suppress inflammation and actually enhance cell recovery.”

“This is important research, because it is the first to show that massage can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines which may be involved in pain,” said Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School. She was not involved in the study. “We have known from many studies that pain can be reduced by massage based on self-report, but this is the first demonstration that the pain-related pro-inflammatory cytokines can be reduced.” she said.

Getting a massage from a professional massage therapist is obviously more expensive than taking an aspirin. But, as Dr. Field points out, massage techniques can be taught. “People within families can learn to massage each other,” she said. “If you can teach parents to massage kids, couples to massage each other. This can be cost effective.”

Dr. Tarnopolsky suggests that, in the long run, a professional massage may even be a better bargain than a pill. “If someone says “This is free and it might make you feel better, but it may slow down your recovery, do you still want it?” he asked. “Or would you rather spend the bucks for a post-exercise massage that also might enhance your recovery?”

From Terry: I changed the term from masseur to massage therapist.

Photo: Levi Brown

Mark Rapaport, MD, used to wonder why his wife treated herself to so many massages. “She’d get tons of them, whereas I’d had maybe 10 in my entire life,” says the chairman of the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “But massage is a billion-dollar industry in the United States, which got me curious: Is there something to this beyond the fact that it feels good?” 

Rapaport’s curiosity led to a study, published last fall, that looked at 53 healthy adults who received one of two types of touch treatments. Blood tests revealed that those who had a Swedish massage with moderate pressure experienced decreases in stress hormones and increases in white blood cells, indicating a boost in the immune system. Meanwhile volunteers who had a “light touch” treatment showed higher levels of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding. Based on the findings, Rapaport believes that massage might be effective in treating inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

The Cedars-Sinai study is part of a growing body of research that shows a link between many forms of touch—from massage to hand-holding—and improved health. A study from the University of North Carolina found that sitting in close contact with a partner for 10 minutes lowered blood pressure in women. Other research has found that physical contact can trigger a boost in serotonin, a natural antidepressant.

Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, recommends getting a “regular dose” of some type of touch lasting at least a few minutes each day, although 10 to 15 minutes is optimal (see Make Contact, next page). This is true even for those who tend to guard their personal space. “Most touch aversion is to social touch; it’s the unpredictability of it that bothers people,” says Field.

Rapaport has gained such an appreciation for the power of touch, he’s starting a new trial to investigate the effects of massage on anxiety and has made the topic a personal research focus. “We’re finding biological changes associated with a single massage session,” he says. “That’s saying something.”

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/health/The-Health-Benefits-of-Massage/1#ixzz27g1q0t1t

The answer seems to be a bit of each.  Balance.  A balanced life is key.

Attitude is truly crucial no matter which part of yourself you are working on.  Eat healthy, balanced meals, get some exercise and fresh air every day you can (be careful not to overdo with your exercise program.  Too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing!).  Get massages regularly.  Take medications that you and your doctor decide is best.  Socialize with friends.

Re-evaluate your program for your life regularly to see if you are progressing in your quest to be healthier and happier.

I find that writing down goals is a great way to accomplish them.  It also reminds me to stick to my plan when I may have forgotten for a day or two.  I keep a basic check list on my fridge reminding me to eat veggies and fruit (a matchstick line for every serving so I see how much I am eating), get fresh air/sun, take meds, exercise etc.  What will your check list include?  Maybe just to smile at a stranger, pack lunch instead of fast food, walk the dog etc. Its the little things that can make a huge difference!  Be well!   ~Terry

What exactly does this local contest mean?  Does it guarantee that you will have the best?  Not really.  It just means that lots of folks were willing to go online, figure out the voting system, get a confirmation of their account and go back in to vote.  Techie folks and the younger set will do this easily. Others will have to be very committed.  Others will just look it over and give up.

So if it doesn’t mean that the therapists meet a certain standard and have proven themselves to be the best, why is it a coveted thing?  Visability, advertising and “prestige”.

Whether we achieve first place or not, I would rather have the therapists continue to use their energies to focus on providing the very best massage they can.  But don’t get me wrong, we would love to have the priviledge of knowing you spent the time to vote for us. So, if you get a minute, would you help us out ?

http://annarbor.com/bestof

Acupressure to Relieve Headaches

What about you?  Do you walk? Ski? Sled? Have snowball fights? I know, you are telling me that snowball fights are not exercise.  Depends upon how good a shot your opponent is and how much you don’t want to get hit with the ball! Sprinting and dodging are great exercise!  Remember your stretching too.  Whatever you do, stay active this winter!

What I want to do mostly on days like this is curl up under a blanket with a nice cup of tea.  There is one other thing that will get me willingly out of that desire for a cocoon and that is a great massage.  Thankfully all of our therapists are greatly skilled and have blankets so I am still getting that part of my fantasy!  Having the muscles that are so sore massaged can make a dreary day turn into a lovely rendition of “Singin’ In The Rain”.  Come on in and give it a try.  I cannot promise we have your favorite tea, but go ahead and bring that with you.  We have the mug and water for it!

The sad day came that I needed a root canal.  This came very closely on the heels of my first horrible experience at the dentist office.  I used to love going to the dentist!  My teeth were in good shape, which means a nice cleaning and lots of compliments from the dentist.  Then came the day one of my old fillings had to be replaced.  I went in as cheery as usual, but once the drill slipped breaking the filling and hitting my nerve, that was it!  The new filling was replaced a couple of times, didn’t work out right.  I was going to need a root canal!

I had heard the horror stories, so was filled with apprehension about the whole thing..  Todd offered to take me to his dentist who is known for doing great root canals. I went.  The dentist even had awards for his work.  At that point I was still nervous about the whole thing.

When it came time for the procedure, Todd went with me and massaged my feet. (I know, you wondered when massage was getting involved!).  With the chatting and massage, I was shocked to find out we were done and that it was complete.

I now am a huge advocate in massage during scary procedures, be it a hand, foot, scalp, whatever.  The peaceful, caring energy helps the mind forget the fear.  It was great having a pro with me, but a loving friend or partner can help out too.  Check with your dental expert to make sure there will be room for that extra person first.  Be certain that it is someone who can help you relax, and not be distracting to the dental staff.  Good luck!

1. You will come in a few minutes early to fill out a health questionnaire.  It will take 5-15 minutes depending on how much you need to write.  Once you have filled that in, your therapist will take you to the treatment room and go over the form with you.

2. If you have chronic muscle pain of any type, plan on having a few tests for muscle range, perhaps some orthopedic tests and such to assist the therapist in figuring out a great treatment plan for you.  I like to do some of that before you get on the table, and some during the session.  Depends on the therapists style.

3. Your therapist will tell you to get undressed and get under the sheet (a technique called “draping” keeps you covered except for the area being worked on.) while they step out of the room.  If you are uncomfortable with taking your clothes off, let your therapist know and they will work with you.  There are many techniques.  Most people will leave on their underpants, but remove everything else.  Some folks, like myself, will leave on socks in the winter until we get to the feet.  I love to have my feet worked on, but even with cozy blankets and such, my feet are often cold.  Again, as always, communication with the therapist is key.

4.  Music.  Ah yes.  We all have a variety of choices.   I tend to play quite a bit of Celtic, although New Age, mellow jazz or peaceful classical are regulars too.  Others like more ethereal styles, and some others like much more upbeat styles.  Some clients bring in music that they want to hear, or request none at all.  Many musicians find the music distracting as they start working the piece out in their minds.  If your therapist doesn’t ask, and it matters to you, ask what the choices are and pick what will help you relax.

5.  Pressure. Everyone has a different idea of what feels good or therapeutic.  We tend to work with a 1-10 scale.  1 being no pain and 10 being unbearable pain.  Please talk with your therapist about pressure.  If it is too much, say so. Same goes for too light.  Hopefully it will be just right, but if not a few words from you and it can be.

6.  The next time you come back, you and your therapist will know each other much better!  We look forward to building a wonderful professional relationship with you!