Acupuncture is said to restore balance, thereby treating specific symptoms or conditions such as: pain, anxiety, arthritis, eczema, hay fever, asthma, high blood pressure, menstrual problems, and intestinal problems.
Also, according to the world health organization, acupuncture can also treat colds and flu, relieve stress, speed the healing of sports injuries, improve sleep and relieve insomnia, treat addictions, help with emotional problems, and treat circulatory disorders. However, I know there are some people who can’t handle the thought of needles. An alternative to acupuncture is acupressure, which can stimulate the body, through massage to the same acupuncture points.
That brings us to massage. We have probably all had or given a massage at some point in our lives.
There are several different benefits to the body from massage, for example with the nervous system. Since our nerves are great communicators, they appreciate the sensation of massage. Painful nerves are soothed by the smooth stroking.
With the lungs, massage movements eliminate tension in the chest, shoulders, and abdomen to permit full breathing.
Massage helps digestion by relieving the stress responses that interfere. Massage is also pleasurable, as we have probably all experienced.
The heart is really a distended blood vessel that generates and sustains the high pressures needed to circulate the blood through the body, so the direct influence of massage on the arteries and veins is welcomed. Muscles are toned by massage, which stimulates their reflexes and redistributes their tension. This enables them to contract efficiently and in coordination to give grace to our movements.
Finally, massage is good for injuries. After an injury, gentle whole-body massage conveys reassurance. Smooth stroking reduces pain by relieving the congestion of the healing process. Later, friction massage near the injury site speeds repair by stimulating the circulation.
Other benefits of massage include relaxation, elasticity, flexibility, improved sleep, well-nourished healthy skin, and more energy flow.
The type of massage you receive depends on what you need treated.
A special type of massage is reflexology. Reflexology is the physical act of applying specific pressures using the hands which result in stress reduction, causing a physiological change in the body. It is based on the premise that there are zones and reflex areas in the feet and hands which correspond to all body parts and organs.
Reflexology helps the body by relieving stress, improving circulation, increase gland function, helps control pain, and can also be used as preventative therapy. It also feels great to have your feet massaged like this after a long hard day.
Finally, there is the possibility of bringing balance into your life by practicing yoga. According to the website MSN Health, visited on April 26, 2001, a typical session includes three disciplines: breathing exercises, body postures, and meditation. Now I know there may be some preconceived notions about yoga. I had them too, when I went to my first class I thought they were all going to sit around chanting and stretching. But I found out that that’s not all there is to it. Yoga is challenging. You start with gentle warm up exercises, then breathing exercises, then to postures. You work through a series of poses that typically must be held for periods or for a few seconds to several minutes. At the conclusion of the exercises there is a period of rest, or meditation. When you leave the session, you should feel relaxed and have balance.
According to Time Magazine’s April 23rd edition, the benefits received from yoga include, weight loss, relief from insomnia, addiction recovery, heart disease, carpal tunnel syndrome relief, and can also build strength, flexibility, and endurance.
I also have to mention that there are little to no side effects involved with any of these treatments, although if you push yourself too hard the first time in a yoga class you’ll feel it in your stomach muscles for several days after. Yoga, Massage, Reflexology, and Acupuncture all aim to achieve one common goal: total relaxation in the body, which helps the body and mind restore balance. Regardless of the benefits, they make you feel good. Stresses cannot be avoided in our daily lives, and if we fail to manage them, our bodies defenses will breakdown and we will become more susceptible to illness. So I encourage you all to try to relax a little bit, and help others relax too, it’s as simple as a back rub.
