BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY!

What does "Bonus Boosts" mean? 
Well, bonus boosts are the extra bonuses that come along with massage. All of our awesome clients know we specialize in soothing muscles when they are hurting. When your body “screams” at you, we give it the attention that it needs, but how? Massage is the obvious answer for so many people. However, sometimes, the body doesn’t “talk” to you as clearly as we would like, which makes it harder to perceive the more subtle wear and tear that our body is going through.

 This is the time of year that life gets crazy and out of control. From schedules getting busier, family, work, and school demands, colder weather, and holiday stress, we all feel life taking it’s toll on our bodies. Massage can help you feel better in many ways more than just happier and more relaxed muscles.

Here are a few added benefits of an hour of massage on a regular basis.
By increasing circulation we help nourish our nerves, organs, and extremities. Massage engages the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging the ‘rest and digest’ response in the whole body. This response helps sleep and gastrointestinal imbalances. 

The most important part to highlight is the awesome effect massage has on the immune system. Your immune system, or lymph system, is one of the most critical systems in the body. This system is responsible for filtering toxins, fighting infection and producing white blood cells. All things which are vital to your overall health and wellness. Any area with disease engages the lymph system to respond and stresses the immune system This can include anything from infection in the body, such as a skin wound or strep throat, to general inflammation, such as a strained shoulder or a swollen knee from a tendon tear. Unfortunately, some severe conditions, like cancer,  sometimes require lymph nodes to be removed during treatment. This has an obvious affect on immune/lymph function, as well.

During massage the entire circulatory and lymph system are stimulated, allowing the cells to receive the necessary nutrient delivery and waste removal from the blood and spleen. For example, when we work the quads on the front of the thigh, we are moving lymph back to the core of the body, and when you are having muscular tension in your neck relieved, it actually encourages the lymph to flow properly, too. All of this adds up to a less ‘burdened’ system that is able to respond better to immune threats, deal with life’s demands, and keeps you running strong and healthy. This is especially helpful with the upcoming cold and flu season, where our lives and bodies are running like crazy. 

Here’s to Vitality!

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

INCREASE YOUR FLEXIBILITY TODAY

There is no doubt that flexibility is a huge part of everyone's daily life. Verywell defines flexibility as "the range of motion in a joint or group of joints or the ability to move joints effectively through a complete range of motion." This affects everything you do from
picking up a piece of paper off the ground to working out or playing a sport. Flexibility is extremely important for every person no matter their age, gender, or level fitness and is something that can be improved through the use three "techniques"-massage, yoga, and at-home exercise.


Massage

Of course, massage feels wonderful and helps to relax me, but how in the world can it make me more flexible? Funny you should ask! Massage can help better your flexibility thorough loosening, getting rid of lactic acid, and lessening pain. Loosening the muscles and tendons is the first step to being as flexible as needed for lifelong mobility. When your muscles and tendons are loose and your blood flow is increased, the muscles become more elastic. With increased elasticity, you are able to maintain a better range of motion and overall flexibility. 


The next way that massage can increase flexibility is through the release and ridding of lactic acid build up in the muscles. Lactic acid causes many issues including the tightening of muscles, cramps, pain, and decreasing of range of motion, according to WedMD. Because of the tighter muscles and reduced range of motion, without a release of the lactic acid through massage, flexibility will decrease significantly. 


Massage can help to improve flexibility in one more way; by easing pain. By easing the pain and strain in your soft tissue and connections (tendons and ligaments), your body is able to better the process of increasing flexibility. Flexibility and pain are like a cycle; the less pain you are in, the more flexible you can become, and the more flexible you become, the less pain you will be in. 


Yoga

When one hears the word yoga, stretching is generally thought of before anything else. The wonderful thing about yoga is that yoga stretches both the muscles and the joints of the body. Although it is often thought of as such, stretching is not what you can do for five minutes before a workout; stretching through yoga is exercise in itself, according to yoga.org. The positions in yoga are used as workouts that use the whole body, even those muscles and joints you didn't even know existed. Through all of these positions utilized in yoga, the body will begin to increase flexibility and overall development. Although yoga can be used as a treatment for many conditions including insomnia and pain, yoga is a great way to improve your overall flexibility, harmony, and balance throughout your whole body. 



At-Home Exercises

The last way to increase flexibility is through the use of at-home exercises. Although some of these are similar to what you would find at a yoga studio, these are specifically designed for individuals to use with yoga or for individuals who are not interested in the flexibility help that yoga can provide. These exercises are generally quick, easy, and safe, and they can work with even the most inflexible individuals. Although they may not seem like a lot, if done properly and consistently, they can improve your flexibility immensely! Feel free to click here and see and read about 10 great at-home exercises that can greatly improve your flexibility. 

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

HOW OUR ADD-ONS HELP

In one of our previous blogs, we talked about what our exclusive holiday add-ons are and how they work. You can click here to read it. Now that they have been going for a couple weeks, we have some awesome success stories about our add-ons to share with all of you!

The first one we will be talking about today is our Lavender Paraffin Hand Treatment. 
To respect the privacy of our client, we will be calling her "A" for the remainder of this blog. A had a major wrist and hand injury years ago. She was told that she would never have a properly functioning hand and wrist and will never return to her job that required a large amount of computer work. She pushed through months of rehab and was amazingly able to regain function of her hand and wrist and return to work. 

Fast forward to present day
- although she is able to move her hand, she has severe pain in her hand and wrist from the injury. This causes her to not be able to do what she loves- crafting and sewing. She thought that the pain was something she would just have to deal with until she stumbled upon Massage La Mesa. After receiving regular massage for two years, she found that it does help with the pain from her injury. Rather than it being a radiating, sharp pain, she only felt a dull, aching pain until she tried our Lavender Paraffin Hand Treatment. Because her therapist knew her medical history, she recommended that A receive the hand treatment. After just ONE session with the paraffin, A felt an almost instantaneous reduction of pain. By the end of the treatment and massage, A was pain-free for the first time since her injury. The next time she came in, her therapist asked how her pain was, and she replied "Never better" with a big smile on her face. A finally found the relief she deserved from our Lavender Paraffin Hand Treatment. If you or any one that you know is suffering from hand or wrist pain, the hand treatment would be a great option to try and reduce or stop the pain and tension.  

The other success story that we will be talking about today is about our Deep Muscle Therapy. B is 67 year old man with chronic, severe lower back pain from a lifetime of lifting and bending for work. Now retired, he still feels the debilitating pain every day from his hard work. This, unfortunately, stops him from doing many things that he would like to do like playing with his grandchildren, going on hikes, and gardening. He had received massage many times but never felt completely pain-free. He bought a gift card with the Deep Muscle Therapy add-on. After just his first session with the Deep Muscle Therapy, he said that his pain was brought down from an 8 on the pain scale to a 3!! That is so wonderful for him. According to his therapist's recommendation, he came in the following week and received the Deep Muscle Therapy again. This time his pain was down to a 2. He has his next session scheduled with Deep Muscle Therapy in two weeks and plans on using Deep Muscle Therapy every time for the added benefits to massage. He recommends that anyone that has chronic pain try out the Deep Muscle Therapy with their next session!

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

EPSOM SALT BENEFITS

What is Epsom salt?

Epsom salt is originally named from a bitter saline spring found in Surrey, England. Unlike what the name suggests, Epsom salt is not actually a salt; it is a pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate. According to SaltWorks, both magnesium and sulfate are both easily absorbed into the skin, which makes Epsom salts extremely effective. Although the most common use of Epsom salts is using it in the bath, there are many uses for health benefits, beauty, household, and gardening. Epsom salts have been used for these purposes for hundreds of years.

Health Benefits of Epsom salts:

Boosts Magnesium Levels

Because of how readily the magnesium absorbs into the body through the skin, Epsom salts naturally increases the magnesium levels in the body. This can be done through soaking your feet or your whole body in a tub with a high concentration of Epsom salts. Raising the levels of magnesium has a couple great benefits. Dr. Axe explains how if you are deficient in magnesium caused by alcoholism, severe diarrhea, malnutrition, or high calcium levels, soaking in Epsom salts is the best, natural way to improve this. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to heart disease, stroke, arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, digestive disorders, and mental illness, therefore, increasing magnesium levels can help to prevent or improve these conditions. 

Improves Muscular Wellness

The idea that soaking in Epsom salts helps to relax muscles and reduce pain has been around for centuries, but does it work and how? It does help to relieve and relax sore muscles. When a person soaks in an Epsom salt bath, the magnesium is absorbed into the body, which in turn, absorbs into the muscles. Once the magnesium is absorbed into the muscle, the magnesium begins to flush out any lactic acid buildups within the muscle. Lactic acid is the byproduct of carbohydrates being broken down within the body, which is often caused by intense workouts or exercise. Lactic acid buildup within the muscle causes burning, pain, cramps, and exhaustion and is often the focus point of massage. Although it does not flush out all of the lactic acid build up, Epsom salts do help to relieve some of the buildup and the associated pain and discomfort. LiveStrong discusses how magnesium is vital in the process of absorption of vitamins, which helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. This, in turn, significantly influences muscle soreness and stiffness.

Other Uses
Epsom salt has been known to help with mild sunburns, due to its anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritation and keep your hands clean, unlike aloe! 
Mixing it with petroleum jelly, Epsom salt can help treat dry lips by removing the dead skin.
Another use for Epsom salt is for bee sting and bug bite relief. Again, the anti-inflammatory properties help to soothe, reduce swelling, and calm irritation.
To learn more about these uses or many other uses, click here to visit Dr.Oz's website. 

Not only are there these amazing health benefits with Epsom Salts, they are relaxing and fun to use. There is nothing better after a long, stressful day than to come home to a warm soak in the tub with Epsom salt. Try sprucing it up with a couple drops of your favorite essential oil and enjoy! 

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

DEPRESSION AND MASSAGE

What is Depression?
According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is common, treatable condition that causes changes in the way you feel, the way you think, and the way you act in a negative manner. Depression is very serious and should not be taken lightly. Depression can cause feelings of sadness, loss of interest, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts. It is a condition that can cause many problems within someone's life due to the inability to function properly at home, school, and/or work. Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can strike at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. It is important to understand that clinical depression is not the same as feeling sad sometimes or grieving. Depression is the combination of symptoms below for seemingly no reason. It is not feeling sad and lonely because one's dog dies; it is the feeling of uncontrollable, extreme sadness that often happens without a trigger or event that causes it..

What Are The Symptoms of Depression?
Symptoms of depression include but are not limited to:

• Feelings of sadness and loneliness
• Loss of interest and/or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable
• Changes in appetite
• Changes in weight- extreme weight-gain or extreme weight-loss
• Changes in sleep patterns- difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy
• Increased fatigue
• Slowed movements and speech
• Feeling worthless or unnecessarily guilty
• Difficulty maintaining a train of thought or thinking properly
• Thoughts of death or suicide

How Can Massage Help?

Massage cannot cure depression. Massage is very beneficial in the treatment of the symptoms of depression. One of the biggest way that massage can help to treat the symptoms is by the proven decrease in cortisol following and during a massage. Cortisol is a hormone within the body that is produced when the body is stressed. In people with depression, cortisol is often heightened

within the body for no apparent reason. A 60 minute massage session has been proven to reduce the levels of cortisol within the body, according to Mayo Clinic, which can help to put the body and mind at ease and reduce the heightened state of the body. Massage has also been linked to the increased secretion of serotonin. Serotonin is one of the main hormones related to depression. Serotonin levels are often decreased in people with depression, so by receiving massage, they are able to naturally counteract the decreased serotonin levels. This increases overall mood and lowers the feelings of sadness within people suffering from depression. Although massage is not a cure-all for depression, massage can greatly benefit people with depression and is a highly recommended additional treatment by doctors. If you or someone you know if suffering from depression, please, consult your doctor to see if massage could help!

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.