Massage

How to Ditch the Cigarettes with Massage Therapy

No_SmokingNovember 21, 2013 is Great American Smokeout Day. The Great American Smokeout is an initiative sponsored by the American Cancer Society to encourage people to quit smoking. Since the 1970s, every third Thursday of November, smokers across the country give up their cigarettes for one day as they begin to eliminate smoking from their life.

The first Great American Smokeout day was in 1976 when the California Division of the American Cancer Society got nearly 1 million smokers to quit for the day.  The event went nationwide that very next year.

Many local communities across the nation hold events in honor of the Great American Smokeout to help users create a plan to quit and inform of them of all of the available resources out there for them to help them quit. continue reading »

Improve Your Diabetes Awareness

2629206224_7d8554b1d8_n One of my primary concerns as a licensed massage therapist is how my clients’ maintain health on a day-to-day basis. That is why I am always on the lookout to inform you of national health holidays that can help create awareness in our local community.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. In the U.S., more than 25 million adults and children are living with diabetes; while 79 million more are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion. continue reading »

Make a Difference Today

madd-fullFor over 20 years USA WEEKEND Magazine and Points of Light have sponsored this in hopes to make it the largest national day of community service. Millions of Americans nationwide participate everywhere, united in their mission to improve the lives of others. The goal is to inspire good deeds throughout the year.

In addition to USA WEEKEND Magazine and Points of Life, other organizations join to sponsor this event. This year, Newman’s Own supports the National Make a Difference Day by awarding $10,000 to the charities of each of 10 National Honorees and three City Awardees. USA WEEKEND Magazine will feature the All-Star honoree, 10 National and 3 City Award honorees in a special April 2014 issue coinciding with National Volunteer Week, led by Points of Life. continue reading »

National Massage Therapy Week is October 20th – 26th

massageIt was 17 years ago that the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) created National Massage Therapy Awareness Week. The AMTA is the largest non-profit organization serving massage therapists, massage students, and massage schools, with more than 56,000 members. Next to the National Institutes of Health, the AMTA is one of, if not the, best resource about massage therapy for licensed massage therapists and clients alike. They strive promote massage to the public and the health care community.

It is because of this goal that this annual event was born. This year’s National Massage Therapy Awareness Week is October 20-26, 2013. This is an educational event that can happen anywhere to help raise awareness about the medical and emotional benefits on massage therapy. continue reading »

October 10th is World Mental Health Day

older-coupleOctober is a busy month for health and wellness. It is most commonly known for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and National Massage Therapy Week. However this month we also celebrate World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2013. It was first recognized as a global holiday in 1992 in order to raise awareness and advocacy for global mental health education. In some countries, it is part of the larger Mental Illness Awareness Week. The 2013 World Mental Health Day theme is “Mental Health and Older Adults”. Although the theme might be focused on mental health in older adults, I want to focus on staying proactive with mental health and how massage therapy can help. continue reading »

Next Month is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

pink-ribbon-octoberYou may be noticing a lot of pink around town these days as October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, so declared by the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Over 30 years ago, Nancy Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to find a cure for breast cancer and raise awareness. Since then, information about and interest in breast cancer has increased, and National Breast Cancer Awareness month was born. In honor of this upcoming month, here is some information about the benefits of massage therapy for breast cancer. continue reading »

September 25th is National Women’s Health and Fitness Day

workoutWednesday, September 25, 2013 marks the 12th annual National Women’s Health and Fitness Day. Women have the tendency to neglect their own needs for the needs of others. However, this can be dangerous if you choose to neglect your health and fitness. The mission of National Women’s Health and Fitness day is to inform and encourage women to take care of their health. Local organizations across the nation will be holding events for an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 women to learn the facts they need to make smarter health decisions. continue reading »

Help Fight Chronic Pain during National Pain Awareness Month

BACK-PAINThis month is National Pain Awareness Month. The main purpose of Pain Awareness Month is to bring attention to the very real physical suffering of close to 75 million Americans, and to highlight the need for research and new, innovative treatments. Chronic pain is one of the most frequently occurring conditions that people are concerned with.. This can be more general, as in chronic pain of the lower back, or more specific, such as chronic pain associated with terminal illnesses. continue reading »

National Menopause Awareness Month – How Massage Therapy Can Help

happy-womanSeptember is National Menopause Awareness Month. This is especially relevant with National Women’s Health and Fitness Day on September 25, 2013.  Menopause is a naturally occurring and inevitable stage in every woman’s life. It is estimated that 4,000 women start menopause every day, with 75 percent of women having menopause by the age 52. Menopause is caused by the cessation of menstruation and oocytes (women’s egg cells). As women age, the ovaries stop creating estrogen and these low hormone levels cause most of the discomfort associated with menopause. It can be brought on earlier due to chemotherapy and other medical interventions, such as a hysterectomy. continue reading »

Add Massage to Your Back-to-School List

sleepingIt’s that time of year again. Back-to-school season is right around the corner (for some of you, it may have already started). Similar to the holidays, back-to-school is one of the most stressful times of the year. We spend so much time and energy making sure our family has everything it needs to start the school year right.

If you’re a student yourself, back-to-school activities can include financial aid issues, tuition, text books, supplies, new software programs, etc. You’ll spend majority of your time preparing for another semester invested in your education.

It’s common that we get so carried away with all of the items on our back-to-school list that we forget to take care of ourselves during this period of high stress. You should consider adding massage therapy as one of your back-to-school activities to start the academic year off right. continue reading »