Weight Loss Benefits of Massage

There is no question that having a massage makes you feel great. Even having a deep-tissue, sports massage makes you feel wonderful afterwards. Massage can relieve stress, help you recover from hard physical activity or injury and even reduce anxiety, but can it help you to achieve your weight loss goals?
Research shows that massage can have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness levels, which in turn increases your capacity to control or loose weight.
Healthy strong muscles burn calories and give you the freedom to participate in all sorts of sports and activities that can help you burn excess calories and improve your overall fitness and wellbeing.
Massage has the following benefits that can directly influence your ability to control or loose weight:
1. Massage has been shown to improve circulation and the supply of nutrition to the muscles. Massage increases the interchange of vital substances between the blood and tissue cells, which increases tissue metabolism. After muscles are exercised, vital nutrients must be supplied to them so that they can recover and rebuild themselves. Massage maximizes the supply of these nutrients and oxygen though increased blood flow, which helps the muscles to grow and burn more calories as a result.
2. Massage improves your muscles' range of motion and their flexibility. This allows them to maintain maximum power and performance while active, and burn the maximum number of calories in the process.
Improved range of motion and flexibility also reduces muscle soreness during periods of recovery and muscle repair.
Having a wide range of motion and maximum muscle flexibility also reduces the danger of experiencing injuries during exercise which can severely limit activity, exercise and weight loss progress.
3. Massage helps to shorten the recovery time needed between your workouts. Waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid build up in muscles during and after exercise. Increased circulation to these muscles helps to eliminate toxic debris buildup caused by these waste products and in doing so shorten recovery time.
Shortened recovery time means you can safely have more workouts over a given period of time, which in turn means that you have the opportunity to burn more total calories in your effort to achieve your individual weight loss goals.
4. Massage can also help reduce the chance of you over-training. Massage has a relaxing effect on the muscles and a sedative effect on the nervous system. By helping you to rest, which is a very important element of any exercise program, massage can reduce the likelihood of you experiencing over-training syndrome, which is known to limit your ability to build strong healthy muscles and therefore loose weight with maximum efficiency.
5. In addition to all of the above, massage may directly aid in fat loss. According to some research studies, massage is thought to be able to burst the fat capsule in subcutaneous tissue so that the fat exudes and becomes absorbed. In this way, combined with proper nutrition and exercise, massage may actually help in weight loss.
6. As we have already touched upon, massage helps prevent and heal injuries. By stretching connective tissue, massage improves circulation to help prevent or break down adhesions and scar tissue that result from muscle tears and other common muscle injuries. Massage also influences the excretion of certain fluids (nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur) that aid in tissue repair. Fast and effective recovery from injuries means that you can begin exercising sooner after suffering an injury and getting your weight loss progress back on track.
So there you have it. Massage has a lot of benefits that can indirectly and possibly even directly aid you in achieving your weight loss goals.
Regular massage is just as important a component as regular workouts and correct nutrition in any comprehensive fitness and weight loss program, which is great news for those of us who thought that exercising and losing weight was all hard work! Remember, weight loss is all about leading a balanced lifestyle and massage is an essential part of any balanced lifestyle.
If you haven't had a massage lately, what are you waiting for? Get on the phone and make yourself a booking. If you haven't had a massage before, just remember to have your massage done by a qualified massage therapist.
If you are unsure about a massage practitioners qualifications and experience, ask for referrals, professional training information, and make sure they are certified by reputable agency or institution.
And remember, have fun!

By Scott Haywood

Reflexology Benefits - Physiological and Psychological

There are a number of physiological and psychological reflexology benefits. Reflexology techniques are conducted by applying pressure physically to the hands, as well as the feet. This is accomplished by using finger, thumb, and various types of hand methods. It is believed that these methods should be done without the use of supplements such as lotions, creams, and oils. Throughout history, it has been believed that these techniques can create a specific change in the mind and/or the body of an individual when special applications are used to apply these applications. Here, you will be introduced to the physiological and psychological reflexology benefits.
Physiological Reflexology Benefits:
One of the main reflexology benefits when it comes to the physiology of an individual is the fact that these techniques are believed to increase the effectiveness of what is referred to as the "baroreceptor reflex" in the body. This particular "reflex" in the body has many different roles and responsibilities. First, it is one of the main components when it comes to the human body. For example, it is one of the main elements of the natural homeostasis, or "balance" in the body. Regulation of blood pressure and similar areas is increased when the baroreceptor reflex in the body is activated by the application of reflexology.
Individuals that suffer from the effects of irregular blood flow in the body, and related complications have been found to benefit in tremendous ways when it comes to having reflexology conducted on them. Effectiveness in blood flow is necessary when it comes to organs throughout the body receiving the nutrients that are required for proper functioning, healthy cell maintenance and production, as well as an increase to the natural strength and ability of the immune system's ability to fight against infectious agents and complications that the body may be exposed to.
Psychological Reflexology Benefits:
Individuals who are subjected to reflexology receive numerous psychological benefits. For example, it is believed that this procedure allows an individual who suffers from sleep disorders such as insomnia, to achieve a state of relaxation that will allow them to overcome the complications associated with this condition. In addition to this, those that suffer from extreme levels of fatigue such as those that are present in the case of chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, and fibromyalgia may benefit from this technique in that it can assist the body in overcoming the feelings of fatigue and rest only when it is necessary for the healthy functioning of the mind and body.
Most individuals that suffer from the effects of unhealthy stress, high levels of anxiety, and even complications with depression can benefit from the relaxing techniques that are associated with reflexology. It is believed that the physiological benefits of increased blood flow and regulation, optimizing oxygen levels in the body, and the soothing feelingsassociated with the application of this procedure holds the cure for those who experience mental disruptions and complications such as anxiety, depression, and similar conditions.
Conclusion:
There are a number of reflexology benefits. These benefits are both physiological and psychological. If you are looking for alternative methods of increasing the overall effectiveness of the mind as well as the body, then reflexology may be the right option for you! This is a proven and attractive means of optimizing the health without the use of chemical based medicines and expensive health care procedures.

Kathryn J Blanchett

What is Foot Reflexology?

Foot Reflexology has become a well respected ADJUNCT to regular medical care.It is used in Hospitals, by Physical Therapists and Chiropractors to enhance MOST forms of medical treatments.
Foot reflexology can help ease the pain of achy joints and muscles, relieve headaches and toothaches, improve the functioning of major systems of the body.

Foot Reflexology works by applying pressure at specific points on the bottom of the foot. This is not the same as acupressure or acupuncture.
In fact, the only thing that is the same is that medical science can't prove how it works...they just know it does!!
There are over 7,200 nerve endings at the bottom of each foot. Nerves connectto every organ, every limb and region of the body through the brain and spinal column. It is thought that foot reflexology works in much the same way. Even though we don't actually work the nerve endings, the correlation of the bottom of the feet to every region of the body definitely exists. It was originally called "The Zone" therapy in the early 20th century and was successfully organized into a comprehensive therapy by a physical therapist, Eunice Ingham in the '40s. She coined the term "reflexes" when referring to this therapy.

Foot reflexology can increase the blood flow to the part of the body being worked, which in turn increases the oxygen going to that part.

The increased blood flow helps take away toxins that build up in each cell of the body each day.
This brings more health and vitality to the region plus adds a sense of over-all well-being. When our feet feel good, we feel good!
Learn to do foot reflexology to help your family and friends feel better! Get helpgetting your body back to its' natural state of health by teaching your family todo foot reflexology on you!
Please realize that foot reflexology is NOT a substitute for medical treatment, you are always encouraged to seek professional medical help when needed, however, this therapy can be used in conjunction with most treatments for most conditions.
Please, if being treated by a medical professional, get that professional's permission before doing foot reflexology for that medical condition.