Benefits of Massage Therapy

by Kent Orton on October 29, 2012

Massage therapy has proven to be relaxing,  but it also has emotional and therapeutic results as well to benefit us. Did you know a single massage session can significantly lower your heart rate, cortisol and insulate levels also can be lowered – all of which help reduce stress levels? Benefits from reducing our stress levels provide lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, relaxed muscles and increased endorphins.

Taking care of your body should be top priority for all of us. We realize that proper nutrition for our health requires the consumption of nutrients essential for us to survive – yet equally important should be incorporating a therapeutic massage into our routine to feel, look and simply be healthier. In fact, stress relief alone can improve your vitality and state of mind far into the future.

A massage has a reset and relaxing effect on the body which addresses the build-up of unhealthy hormones we have pent-up from events such as meeting a deadline at work, being stuck in traffic, sleeplessness and even headaches. Massage triggers the rest and recovery mode which benefits us long after the session is over and can host brain chemistry responses providing a long-lasting feelings of relaxation, lowered stress and improved mood. In addition to encouraging relaxation, ongoing massage therapy can reduce pain, increase energy levels and improve overall physical and mental performance.

Other benefits obtained from healthy massage sessions may include improved posture, improved circulation, lowered blood pressure, improved flexibility and relaxes muscles by getting to the root of pain caused from tense muscles. Studies indicate that regular massage can naturally increase the immune system’s cytotoxic capacity–the activity level of the body’s natural “killer cells” as well. Massage helps the body pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs which is beneficial for enhanced post-operative rehabilitation. A continual massage program can accelerate the recovery process, as well as help you relax and stay motivated.

So while we fuel our bodies with nutrients from good food, let us not forget the healthy benefits obtained from regular massage therapy sessions and their complimentary results to our ongoing health issues.  Establishing a trusted relationship with a trained massage healer will benefit you well into your future, and benefit your loved ones as well.  Performed regularly - see all the additional benefits you will be receiving in addition to relieving yourself of unwanted stress!

Bless the soul and relax the mind – I send you all my best!

 

{ 0 comments }

Post image for Blind Spot!

Blind Spot!

by Kent Orton on July 21, 2012

It’s amazing the new things I learn in Physiology each week (or maybe they are old things I have forgotten over the years)! Recently we had a discussion on the Optical Nerve, when the discussed turned to our ‘blind spots’ in our vision – and we dont recognize it because how smart our brain is filling in the missing information for us!

Physiological blind spots are an anatomical fact! Our vision is made up of receptors of ‘rods’ and ‘cones’ and where the optical nerve pierces the retina of the eye – no rods or cones exist and that area is not perceived by the cortex. The field of vision that falls on these physiologic spots is not received by the retina receptors therefore causing actual ‘blind spots’ in our vision. The fascinating point about this – is our brain actual fills in the blind spots from other information being received as we look around – so we don’t recognize there is a portion of our vision that is always missing! Here’s a test to see where your blind spot exists – try this out!

The existence of this small blind region in the normal human eye was predicted in the seventeenth century by the French scientist Edmé Mariotte. While dissecting a human eye, Mariotte noticed the ‘optic disc’ — a hole in the back of the eyeball through which all the nerve fibers that make up the optic nerve leave the eye.  He realized that, unlike the rest of the retina that surrounds the hole, this optic disc is devoid of light-sensitive photoreceptors.  Applying his knowledge of optics and of the anatomy of the eye, he concluded that every eye should be blind in a corresponding small portion of the visual field – thus our ‘blind spot’ we all sport in vision.

Just another fact on how amazing we are as human beings… and how SMART our bodies are!

 

 

 

{ 0 comments }

Eating when Stressed?

June 29, 2012
Thumbnail image for Eating when Stressed?

Do you know the reason your gut may be hanging around may be due to stress? Many don’t realize that there is a Physiological reason why our bodies will not digest properly when eating while stressed. You see, the typical stress response releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol from the adrenal gland. While these are [...]

Read the full article →

A Short Neurological Test

June 25, 2012

1- Find the C below.. Please do not use any cursor help. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 2- If you already found the C, now find the 6 below. 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 3 – Now find the N below. It’s a little more difficult. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM [...]

Read the full article →

What’s for Breakfast?

June 20, 2012

According to a recent study,  thirty-one million Americans will skip breakfast this morning.  Listed as not having enough time or lack of appetite, those 31 million Americans will soon discover they have skipped the most important meal of the day and their bodies will soon be reacting to their choice.  The largest offenders of the [...]

Read the full article →

Memorable People

June 17, 2012

In life, it’s not necessary to be known as “the world’s most interesting person” – but it is necessary that you’re known! Being known is what differentiates us from the ‘other guy’, it’s our marketing, our advertising and personal branding that further defines who we are. What makes you memorable? Most of the time your [...]

Read the full article →

Ninja London

June 17, 2012

The most valuable possession that our world houses is our ‘children’, who are the most impressionable and often most surprising characters and gather their intelligence and a high rate of speed – faster than grandpa’s remember they can at times! Case in point… Yesterday was my sixth day of early retirement from my 20 year [...]

Read the full article →

Change happens Dude!

June 17, 2012

It’s true about the cycle of emotions one goes through when making a life altering change – such as concluding a career somewhere that has played a major part of your life for an extended period of time.  This really is a family when you think about the time you spend with your different ‘work [...]

Read the full article →