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Are you stressed?

4/10/2013

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Let me thank you
First off, if you missed my thank-you email, THANK YOU for voting me to top ranking again for Best Massage Therapist in the Best of the Boat. 

My gratitude, it is immense.  You should see my happy dance.

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April is Stress Awareness Month
"Are you aware of stress?"
"Are you kidding me?!?!"

Okay, maybe that's not exactly what they mean by "awareness."

Effects of stress
I often hear people come in and breezily say, "Oh, it's just stress."

What if I told you that stress is responsible for or exacerbates 70-90% of all illnesses?

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Let's think about that.

Cancer.                                 Digestive disorders.
Heart disease.                       Suicide.
Diabetes.                              Fibromyalgia.
Stroke.                                  High blood pressure.
Insomnia.                              Migraines.
The flu, for gorram sakes.

Shall I go on?  No?
​

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Well, crap.  What do we do about it?
Okay, with me being a massage therapist, this being my newsletter, and that studies show the efficacy of massage in reducing stress, you know what I'm gonna say, right?  Right.


So get a massage already.

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

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All right.  What else can I do?
Okay, fine.  Other options?  Do a search and you'll come across tons of stuff, like the benefits of meditation and yoga for stress.  (Seriously, people?  You think dolphin pose is restful?  
I'm a savasana gal, m'self.)

However.

One of the most highly-recommended stress-relieving activities you can do (aside from massage, of course *coughcough*), is good ol' exercise.  Yep, I said it.

​

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For those of us in Steamboat, that seems like a no-brainer.  Daily, I swear I meet women who go for a five-mile jog before breakfast, go rock climbing at lunch, and can put their foreheads to their shins in a way that would put a contortionist to shame.  For the other 99% of us, though . . . #occupyexercise.

Wait, wait, wait!  Don't give up.  It gets better.
So it turns out that massage after exercise is good for you.  (Yes, I know.  I can hear your eyeballs rolling from here.  But science!)

There was a pretty nifty study done last year about WHY massage after exercising is a Good Thing (because the plural of "anecdote" is not "data").  For those of you too busy to clickie the linkie, the summary goes like this:
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   massage increases the amount of mitochondria in the cells, which in turn:
  • helps the body utilize oxygen better
  • reduces inflammation from microtears in the muscle tissue
  • allows muscle tissue to heal faster
  • contributes to faster strength and muscle energy gains
. . . along with reducing pain in ways similar to NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen).  Of course, this is in addition to the usual injury reduction and increased flexibility and range of motion.  Seriously cool stuff.

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On that note
So.  More cool "Best of the Boat" stuff.  I've teamed up with Brady Worster (Best Personal Trainer)
 and Anytime Fitness (Runner-up Best Place to Work Out) to bring you (dun-dun dun dun!): 

Body by the Best
Massage & Fitness Package

 
Here's the skinny (so to speak):
     ~ FOUR half-hour personal training sessions with Brady
     ~ FOUR half-hour massages with moi
     ~ only $260 -- save over $50!
     ~ sessions must be used within 30 days of purchase
     ~ packages may be purchased until May 31, 2013
     ~ you DO NOT have to be a member of Anytime Fitness in order to use them!

So if spring has you re
ady to get in gear but you need a little help--or if you'd like some pointers to improve your current workouts--give Anytime Fitness a call at 970-875-1130. 

As a personal recommendation, I've been working with Brady twice a week since mid-January and she is fantastic.  I told Brady she wasn't allowed to make me sore, and she's been true to her word.  Any trainer can beat you up, but it takes a very special one to walk that edge.  Brady's also a certified sports nutritionist, so she can outline food plans and give you ideas for healthy eating.
  Really, she's that awesome.

Speaking of exercise . . .
I think it's
 time for me to go get some.  So until next time, my dahlinks . . .

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    When not doing massage, Erica can often be found doing yoga, chasing goats, or puttering in the kitchen.  On occasion, these activities have been known to overlap.

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