Massage can improve your mood by releasing endorphins in the brain, which is also considered the “feel good” chemicals.

It can reduce pain, and help with headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel symptoms, and can help relieve postoperative pain by improving the blood flow and oxygen flow.

It improves physical fitness by increasing your range of motion and recovery time between your workouts. It also stretches the muscles which helps prevent injuries.

Massage also helps you sleep better, and improves your immune system so it can fight off infections and disease.

Massage improves posture by loosening muscles and alleviating pain.

Massage lowers your heart rate and slows your nervous system which can help you focus better and improve your attention span.

This can be a complex discussion. What I perceived as “healthy” when I was younger, I no longer see it that way. Each person has their own balance of what works for them.

I do agree with those that stay away from packaged prepared foods and luncheon meats, sugary drinks, hard liquor, white flour, and white sugar.

I believe food in its natural form is best. Avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil tend to be the better fats. Even butter!

I choose to be gluten-free, white flour free, and white sugar free. But on occasion I will indulge. Eating like this keeps my system in great working condition. When I over indulge, I feel sluggish, irritable, constipated, and overall icky.

I love the following quote: “I eat to live, not live to eat.”

I believe in always using moderation because anybody can become a glutton. When that happens, our body eventually breaks down.

— Makes you limber which reduces the risk of injuries.

— Improves your physical and athletic performance while also helping the body, mind, and spirit.

— Increases your range of motion and helps your joints so you can move and feel better.

— Increases blood flow to your muscles and joints which helps get your nutrients to the muscles while ridding your system of the toxic waste.

— Reduces stiffness and relieves pressure in muscles, ligaments, tendons.

— Improves posture

— Increases agility  

— Stretching the legs, calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps is most important since we use them for basic mobility.

— We should all stretch every day.

An active lifestyle can mean different things to different people. Here are some ways people are active every day.

Hiking

Jogging

Biking

Pickleball

Dancing

Skating in the park

Working out at the gym

Crossfit

Running a marathon

Activities don’t have to be exhaustive. Sometimes, they can just be walking down the aisles of the grocery store, or taking your grandchild to the park and tossing a ball. It can even be camping. Whatever your active lifestyle is, find something that you enjoy. Because if you enjoy it, you are more likely to do it every single day.

Being healthy is more than physical. It’s mental and emotional too. But we all need a good belly laugh and lots of hugs every single day because it will help you feel more confident about yourself.

When you interact with others, giving them hugs brings out the best in everybody. It also causes endorphins to release making everyone feel better.

Laughter is the best medicine a person can ever have. When we laugh, we feel happy, and things like stress take a backseat. Depression goes away and the outcome of our day seems to be better than ever.

So remember to laugh, and give hugs and smiles. It will make you joyous, and you will find the blessings that God gives us each and every day .

There are so many different kinds of music you can listen to that will help you relax.

I like Enya, Jim Brickman, and relaxation spa music. The sounds of rain and thunder might help other clients become relaxed, or the sounds of chimes in a breeze with wind sounds. Instrumental music and the sounds of nature will also add an ambience to your massage.  A waterfall with the background of nature is absolutely beautiful and relaxing.

There is a variety of spa music and relaxation music and each massage therapist loves to enhance each massage with their own style of music .

I always like it when a client brings in a CD or tells me what kind of music they like to listen to as I give them their massage.

On the other hand, even a massage therapist has to be balanced after working on their clients all day.  So I love listening to oldies music anywhere from the 50s all the way up to the 90s.  Just opening my sunroof and  windows, and turning the music up a little louder can bring a sense of relaxation and take the stress away.

Enjoy the sounds of music because it can relax you, and help you forget all your problems. And if you love singing, then go ahead and sing with the music and it will really make you feel good.

In my practice, I use a variety of essential oils to help my clients. I customize certain blends to meet the needs of each person. Here are my favorite ones:

Singular Nodes:

— Lavender
— Peppermint
— Eucalyptus
— Rosemary
— Bergamont
— Bergamont Orange
— Patchouli
— Rosewood
— Chamomile

Blends:

— Calming
— Relaxing
— Chill out
— Energy
— Sleepy time
— Pep up
— Romantic
— Pain away
— Sinus
— Inflammation

There are numerous blends that a certified aromatherapist can mix together to add that feeling of calmness and relaxation. Custom blends can also help take away stress or pain while the therapist works the muscle tissue and brings it back to peak performance.