Optimal Wellness

“Even people who aren't sick may not have optimal wellness.”  ~Brian Carter

I am no rocket surgeon but I am pretty sure this quotation applies to a great many people.  Most of us have become accustomed to aches and pains and daily stressors.  While we might eat healthier foods, drink plenty of water, and get some form of exercise, we still probably are not operating at optimal performance. Remember when Curt Schilling pitched in the 2004 playoffs with an injury that left him wearing a bloody sock?  When Tiger Woods won the 2008 US Open with a torn ligament and admitted he had been suffering with this pain for nearly 10 months?  These men were at the top of their games and strove for perfection but clearly were not operating at optimal wellness.  Why do we, like these athletes, push ourselves to perform under adverse conditions?  I tend to believe it is because most Americans have come to accept pain as part of their everyday lives.  As a massage therapist I am in a unique position to help return bodies to peak performance.

Now, I am not saying massage therapy can cure all that ails you, but I am saying that massage can help right some of the wrongs done to our bodies.  Studies have shown massage can improve range of motion, stimulate lymph flow--the body's natural defense system, increase joint flexibility, lessen depression and anxiety, increase circulation, reduce post-surgical adhesions and swelling, and release endorphins--the body's natural painkillers.  With all these benefits and more, shouldn't everyone consider receiving massage regularly?

When I am trying to convince someone that getting massage is important to their health maintenance plan, I like to compare regular massage to automobile tune-ups.  Most of us realize that if we do not keep our vehicles regularly serviced, there will be serious and costly repairs in the future.  The same service theory applies to our bodies.  If you do not change the oil and filters or refill the transmission fluid, your vehicle will begin to run poorly and eventually cause damage to the engine.  Changing spark plugs and aligning the tires will help the engine run smoother and make for an easier ride.  Consider the lymph as the body's version of fluids and filters.  If lymph does not drain properly the body will not push out toxins and subsequently parts of the body will become swollen and eventually cease to work efficiently.  Spark plugs are like nerve endings as they send impulses to the engine, or in the body's case--the brain.   If a nerve is pinched or impinged, one can usually expect an onset of tense muscles and pain.  Painful stimuli will signal the body to guard the injured and/or sore areas and activate other muscles to compensate for the one(s) not working at optimal performance.  This compensation will ultimately cause the body to move and operate off balance and after a brief period of time the body will interpret this misaligned movement pattern as the norm.

Think of your massage therapist as the mechanic for your body.  Regular massage or "tune-ups" can flush out stagnation, balance the body, relieve pain, etc.  When massage becomes part of your fitness program it can jump-start your body and put you back on the road to Optimal Wellness.