Agave Healing ArtsMay 2017

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What Massage Can Do For YouBeyond Pain Relief, Massage is Valuable for Preventive CareKarrie Osborn

Massage helps you maintain a healthy body.

I defeat myenemies when Imake them myfriends.-- DalaiLama

Office Hours and Contact

Agave Healing ArtsNichole Nanez915-319-1541By Appointment Onlyagavehealingarts.massagetherapy.com/Mon-Sat 9a-7p, Sun 2p-7p, Closed Thurs

In this Issue

What Massage Can Do For YouStay HydratedTreat Your Face Naturally

This article first appeared in the Summer 2013 issueofBody Sense.

Whether it is an aching back, recoveryfrom an injury, a case of carpal tunnelsyndrome, or a host of other debilitatingphysiological conditions, there's nodoubt massage and bodywork works torelieve pain. But once your therapist hashelped you tackle your pain, do you quitcalling? When the pain is gone, are yougone, too?

Massage therapy is highly effective forpain relief, but it is an amazingpreventive therapy as well. Massage helpsbuild and maintain a healthy body (andmind), it combats stress, and it works to

keep the immune system strong. Inshort, massage can keep on working foryou, even after the pain is gone.

MASSAGE FOR WELLNESSIf it's been a while since you bookedyour last massage--because your pain isno longer an issue or your injury is fullyrehabbed--you might want to considermassage for preventive care.

Massage can play an important role in agood health-care regimen. Just as youeat healthily, exercise regularly, and takeyour vitamins to ward off illness andmaintain a fit body, you should considermaking frequent massage a part of yourwellness lifestyle.

According to Benny Vaughn, a sportsmassage expert in Fort Worth, Texas,one of the benefits of consistent andregular massage therapy is betterflexibility. "This happens becauseregular and structured touch stimulusenhances the nervous system's sensoryand spatial processing capacity," he says."That is, the person becomes moreaware of her body's movement in spaceand becomes more aware of tightness or

pain long before it reaches a criticalpoint of mechanical dysfunction."

As a preventive measure, frequentmassage puts you more in tune with yourbody. "The consistency of massagetherapy over time creates a cumulativestress-reduction effect," Vaughn says.

Regular massage helps reduce stress and improve your quality of life.

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"The person becomes acutely aware ofstress within her body long before it cancreate stress-driven damage."

And the more massage you receive, themore benefits you reap. "Massagetherapists know that people who getmassage regularly demonstrate greaterimprovement and notice a reduction inpain and muscular tension, as well as animprovement in posture," says AnneWilliams, author ofMassage Mastery: From Student to Professional(Lippincott Williams Wilkins, 2012).

"People regularly make a commitmentto fitness," Williams says. "Peopleregularly make a commitment tochanging their diet. The differencethey'd experience if they regularly madea commitment to massage ismind-blowing."

STRESS IS A KILLERStress is more than just a word we throwaround to describe the nature of ourhectic day. Today, we understand thatstress kills.

According to the Benson-HenryInstitute for Mind Body Medicine,60-90 percent of all US medical visitsare for stress-related disorders. Chronicpain, headaches, heart disease,hypertension, and ulcers can all bewrought from stress. Many would arguethat the best benefit of massage is itsability to reduce the stress in our lives.

From the perspective of daily living,think about the stress you felt at today'smeeting--now it's hiding in your neck.Tomorrow that can turn into stiffnessand eventually begin to affect other partsof your body. If you see your massagetherapist for your regular session thisweek, the chances are good you won'treach the tipping point. Think ofmassage and bodywork as a way torebalance your body.

Noted researcher Tiffany Field and hercolleagues from the Touch ResearchInstitute at the University of MiamiSchool of Medicine report that massagecauses positive biological changes whenit comes to stress. Through the course ofmore than 20 studies, these scientistsfound that massage decreases cortisol (astress-derived hormone that negativelyaffects immune function and kills ourimmune cells) and increases dopamine

and serotonin (the neurotransmittersmost associated with emotionalwell-being).

Add to this the research that showsmassage can lower your heart rate anddecrease your blood pressure, and youhave a mighty effective,nonpharmacological, stress-fightingtool that's about as natural as natural canget.

A ONE-HOUR VACATION AND SOMUCH MOREYou may no longer need to rehab thatknee or work the scar tissue from yoursurgery, but don't forget abouteverything else massage can do for you.Massage is the entire package, helping toheal body, mind, and spirit. Think of itas a one-hour vacation with amazingreturn on investment.

Whether it be maintaining joint

flexibility, managing blood pressure, orenhancing immunity, massage works.From repair to relief and from recoveryto relaxation, massage is a magnificentpiece of natural medicine you shouldalways have as part of your health-careroutine.

Karrie Osborn is senior editor for Body Sense.Contact her at karrie@abmp.com.

Stay hydrated to keep your body functioning optimally

Stay HydratedJennie Hastings Stancu

Treat Your Face Naturally

Has your therapist told you about theimportance of drinking water?

After all, our bodies are composed ofapproximately 60 percent water, and allof our bodily functions are sustained bywater. Dehydration is one of the mostcommon detriments to our health, andone of the easiest problems to fix. Makestaying hydrated simple and seamlesslyinterwoven throughout your day.

START EACH DAY OFF RIGHTStart your morning with a tall,room-temperature glass of water withlemon squeezed into it, before you starttaking any tea, coffee, or food.Front-loading hydration is helpful tothe body. And be luxurious with yourwater--for a special treat, add mint,cucumber, or lemon.

HALF YOUR WEIGHTIt is difficult to know how much water isenough. One rule of thumb is to takehalf your body weight in pounds, anddrink that many ounces of water per day.

So if you weigh 150 pounds, this wouldequal 75 ounces of water. For many ofus, however, this might not be enough.If you are working hard, or you live in aparticularly dry climate, you might needto drink even more than this.

WHAT ABOUT BPA?You've probably seen the phrase "BPAfree" on water bottles, and you may wantto gravitate toward these. BPA stands forbisphenol A, which is a chemical foundin polycarbonate plastics and epoxyresins.According to Mayoclinic.org, someresearch has shown BPA can seep from acontainer into foods and beverages, andthis is concerning because of possiblehealth effects BPA has on the brain andbehavior. Look for non-plastic bottles,or look for the "BPA free" logo.

OTHER DRINKSDrinking herbal tea is a good way to stayhydrated. You can also augment yourhydration with electrolyte-fortifiedwater or sports drinks. However, be

aware that a lot of these drinks haveincredibly high levels of sugar in them.Hydration isn't a healthy habit if youdrink a day's worth of sugar in everyglass. So check the label before you buy.

Jennie Hastings Stancu is a licensedmassage therapist and author.

In between visits to your skin caretherapist, it's always good to follow ahealthy skin care routine at home. Hereare some easy-to-use skin care recipesyou can make yourself.

Flaxseed OilFlaxseed oil contains some of the highestlevels of omega-3 fatty acids, and calmsskin that is raw and irritated due toconditions like eczema or psoriasis. Ithelps repair skin cells and hydrates eventhe driest skin.

Flaxseed Gel MaskFlaxseeds, when boiled and cooled,make gel. This gel can be used alone as acompress, or other ingredients can beadded to it for a customized treatment.

Ingredients:One-third cup whole flaxseeds

2 cups filtered water or cucumber juice4 ounces of aloe vera gel (optional)One-half teaspoon of honey (optional)One-half teaspoon of sunflower seed oil(optional)

Bring water to a boil. Stir in flaxseedsand immediately reduce heat. Stir andsimmer until the gel forms (about 10minutes). Strain the mixture through acheesecloth and then transfer to asterilized container. Apply to face anddecollete with a fan brush for 5-10minutes. Remove with a warm towel.Flaxseed gel can be stored in therefrigerator for up to one week.

Healthy ProbioticsProbiotics--the live cultures inyogurt--exhibit antifungal,anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobialbenefits when used on skin. Probiotics

increase ceramide production, whichboosts skin protection against thebacteria that causes acne.

Creamy Yogurt Facial TreatmentUse this recipe on skin with acne.

Ingredients:4 tablespoons Greek yogurt1 tablespoon sunflower seed oil or ricebran oil1 tablespoon honey (optional)Crushed mint leaves (optional; removebefore applying)

Combine the ingredients together in abowl. Apply mixture with a fan brush toface and decollete for 5-10 minutes.Remove with a warm towel.

Believe that lifeis worth livingand your beliefwill help createthe fact.--WilliamJames

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Agave Healing Arts

12525 Tierra CuervoEl Paso, TX 79938