Healers throughout time and throughout the world have instinctively and independently developed a wide range of therapeutic techniques using touch.Touching is a natural human reaction to pain and stress, and for conveying compassion and support. Think of the last time you bumped your head or had a sore calf. What did you do? Rubbed it, right? The same was true of our earliest ancestors.

Many of these ancient techniques are still in use today, and with good reason. We now have scientific proof of the benefits of bodywork – benefits ranging from treating injuries and chronic diseases to dissolving the growing tensions of our modern lifestyles. Receiving bodywork does more than just relax your body and mind – there are specific physiological and psychological changes which occur, even more so when massage is utilized as a preventative, frequent therapy and not simply mere luxury. Massage not only feels good, but it can cure what ails you.

Some experts estimate that 80 percent to 90 percent of disease is stress-related. Bodywork is a perfect preventative measure in reducing stress-related illness and disease. Besides increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety, massage lowers your blood pressure, increases circulation, improves recovery from injury, helps you to sleep better and can increase your concentration. It reduces fatigue and gives you more energy.

Dr. Maria Hernandez-Reif, from the Touch Research Institute (TRI) at the University of Miami, is known for her massage research, along with colleague Tiffany Field. Together, they and other researchers have done outstanding work proving the value of massage. While their studies have shown we can benefit from massage even in small doses (15 minutes of chair massage or a half-hour table session), Hernandez-Reif says they know from their research that receiving bodywork 2-3 times a week is highly beneficial. And if we lived in a fantasy world, Hernandez-Reif has the answer. “I feel a daily massage is optimal.”

In an age of technical and, at times, impersonal medicine, massage offers a drug-free, non-invasive and holistic approach based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. So what exactly are the benefits to receiving regular massage and/or bodywork treatments?

• Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
• Stimulates the flow of lymph, the body’s natural defense system, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
• Increased circulation of blood and lymph systems improves the condition of the body’s largest organ – the skin.
• Relaxes and softens injured and overused muscles.
• Reduces spasms and cramping.
• Increases joint flexibility.
• Reduces recovery time, helps prepare for strenuous workouts and eliminates subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
• Releases endorphins – the body’s natural painkiller – and is being used in chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain.
• Reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred.
• Improves range-of-motion and decreases discomfort for patients with low back pain.
• Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication.
• Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
• Assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, as well as less need for medication, less depression and anxiety, and shorter hospital stays.

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Thai massage is believed to have been developed by Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, physician to Buddha, more than 2,500 years ago in India. It made its way to Thailand, where the Ayurvedic techniques and principles gradually became influenced by traditional Chinese medicine. For centuries, Thai massage was performed by monks as one component of Thai medicine. Thai massage is a modality of treatment, it is not a spiritual practice or religion. Many people find that Thai massage has the following benefits:

• relaxation
• stress reduction
• improves circulation
• increases energy
• increases flexibility
• improves range of motion
• centers the mind and body

What does Thai massage feel like?

Thai massage is more energizing and rigorous than more classic forms of massage. Thai massage is also called Thai yoga massage, because the therapist uses his or her hands, knees, legs, and feet to move you into a series of yoga-like stretches. Many people say Thai massage is like doing yoga without any work. Muscle compression, joint mobilization, and acupressure are also used during treatment. People describe Thai massage as both relaxing and energizing.

What should I expect during my visit?

Thai massage is usually done on a padded mat on the floor. No oil is applied, so you are fully dressed. You are usually asked to bring or wear comfortable clothing to the massage. A typical Thai massage is 60 minutes to two hours long and starts at $60 for one hour. Contact Carlos to schedule a Thai Massage at 210.557.0109 or carlos@avibrantlife.com.

Precautions

Massage is not recommended for certain people:

• infectious skin disease, rash, or open wounds
• immediately after surgery
• immediately after chemotherapy or radiation, unless recommended by your doctor
• prone to blood clots. There is a risk of blood clots being dislodged. If you have heart disease, check with your doctor before having a massage
• pregnant women should check with their doctor first if they are considering getting a massage. Massage in pregnant women should be done by massage therapists who are certified in pregnancy massage.
• massage should not be done directly over bruises, inflamed skin, unhealed wounds, tumors, abdominal hernia, or areas of recent fractures.

Additional tips

• Don’t eat a heavy meal before the massage
• If it’s your first time, please arrive at least 10 minutes early to complete the necessary forms. Otherwise, arrive 5 minutes early so you can have a few minutes to rest and relax before starting the session.
• Be sure that we have your complete health history, because people with certain conditions should not have Thai massage.
• If you feel discomfort at any time, let your therapist know.
• Drink plenty of filtered water after the session. We recommend one 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight. Example, a 180lb person should drink at least 90 ounces of water during the course of the day.

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It’s a stressful time of year, especially if you have people on you list who are hard to shop for. Now, you can get them, and yourself, a great gift of bodywork.

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What Happens During a Heated Stone Massage?

1. Before you arrive, the therapist sanitizes the stones and heats them in 120 to 150 degree water.
2. During the massage, the therapist warms up the body with traditional Swedish massage, then massages you while holding a heated stone. As the stone cools, the therapist replaces it with another.
3. The therapist might also leave heated stones in specific points along your spine, in the palms of your hand, on your belly, or even between your toes to improve the flow of energy in your body.
4. If you have inflammation or muscle injury, cold stones are sometimes used.

How Much Does a Heated Stone Massage Cost?

A hot stone session is more expensive than a basic Swedish massage treatments because it requires more preparation and clean-up and usually runs longer. A 90-minute Vibrant Life Hot Stone massage is $110.

What You Need To Know About Heated Stone Massage:

• The therapist uses many stones of various shapes and sizes.
• The heat of the stones helps muscles release more quickly than in traditional massage.
• You should speak up if the stones are too warm or the pressure too intense.
• Technique is very important. Less experienced practitioners sometimes use too much pressure.
• Hot stones warmed by fire were used by Native Americans to feel better, but Mary Nelson, a native of Tucson, Arizona, is generally credited with its revival. She trademarked her style, called LaStone Therapy. Most spas offer their own versions of hot stone massage.

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It’s a stressful time of year, especially if you have people on you list who are hard to shop for. Now, you can get them, and yourself, a great gift of bodywork.

Stuff an extra stocking, or be good to yourself for getting your holiday shopping early! Contact me at 210.557.0109 to get started.

My Holistic Health Practitioner’s degree focused on both Eastern as Western health systems, and the benefits of both became apparent to me early in my education. By understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I can find energetic blockages. Then, with a knowledge of anatomy and physiology, I can compare muscular, skeletal, and connective tissue to the corresponding TCM point. Using my study of kinesiology, I put these findings into the framework of an athlete’s movement and subsequent injury potential.

Combining different modalities is nothing new, however I believe that focusing on athletic wellness and performance is the ideal format for bringing these modalities together. The athlete gains greater mobility, pain reduction, and increased athletic performance. By addressing the issues at several levels, I work to treat the full being, and get to the root of the matter instead of just treating symptoms.

Although I work with elite athletes, including World Record breakers, athletes of every level can benefit from AcuSport. In fact, the body responds better to early treatment of injuries. If you’re new to working out or to a new sport, you might be feeling aches and pains that you aren’t used to. AcuSport is a great way to feel better and prevent those aches from becoming a bigger, long term problem.

Finish your holiday shopping in record time! Buy 2 gift certificates, get a 3rd FREE!

It’s a stressful time of year, especially if you have people on you list who are hard to shop for. Now, you can get them, and yourself, a great gift of bodywork.

Stuff an extra stocking, or be good to yourself for getting your holiday shopping early! Contact me at 210.557.0109 to get started.

It’s a stressful time of year, especially if you have people on you list who are hard to shop for. Now, you can get them, and yourself, a great gift of bodywork.

Stuff an extra stocking, or be good to yourself for getting your holiday shopping early!

Carlos Matutes: the bodyworker with a heart.
210.557.0109, carlos@avibrantlife.com