Relax, Recover & RejuvenateWinter 2014

Continued on page 2

Invest in Your HealthMassage Offers Excellent Return on Investment

Massage is a health investment, helping to manage stress, support wellness, and boost immunity.

"Everythingyou do can bedone betterfrom a place ofrelaxation."-Stephen C. Paul

Office Hours and Contact

Stephanie Vogel 267-251-3462Call or text with any questions. Appointments can be made bycontacting your therapist today.GIFT CERTIFICATES are available!

In this Issue

Invest in Your HealthWhat is Hot Stone Massage?Exercise Myths

"Invest for the long term" is greatfinancial advice, but it's also greathealthcare advice. Never is investing forthe long term more important thanwhen you are making day-to-daydecisions about your health. There areshort-term gains from taking care ofyour health, to be sure, but thelong-term benefits are not to beunderestimated.

You already know the value of bodywork.For all the short-term stress and painrelief you get from massage today, thereare lasting rewards you'll thank yourselffor down the road. Massage therapy as apreventive measure and part of anongoing care regimen can mean fewervisits to the doctor, as well as fewer

co-pays, prescriptions, andover-the-counter medications.Ultimately, it means a healthier andhappier you.

An Excellent ValueAs you plan the family budget, ponderhow massage therapy impacts your abilityto make good decisions, cope with extraresponsibilities, stay on an even keel

emotionally and spiritually, andmaintain harmonious relationships withcoworkers, family, and friends.

Research supports the value of massage.Massage provides many benefits,including improved concentration,energy, circulation, and self-esteem, aswell as reduced stress, fatigue, and pain.It's helpful with more acute healthconditions, also. If you, or a loved one,are already dealing with a healthcondition, massage is an even moreimportant part of your healthcareplanning.

Research shows:-- Alzheimer's patients exhibit reducedirritability, pacing, and restlessness after

neck and shoulder massage.-- Deep-tissue massage is effective intreating arthritis, back pain,fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis.-- Fibromyalgia patients receivingmassage have fewer sleep problems andless anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain,and stiffness.

The value of bodywork runs deep, for nothing is more valuable than good health.

Continued from page 1

-- Massage during labor appears to helpblock pain, reduce stress and anxiety,and relax muscles. Some medicalprofessionals say massage shortens labor.-- Massage can reduce sports-relatedsoreness and improve circulation, and isbeneficial in reducing symptomsassociated with arthritis, asthma, burns,high blood pressure, and premenstrualsyndrome.-- Oncology patients show less anxiety,depression, fatigue, nausea, and painfollowing massage therapy.-- Preterm babies receiving massagetherapy gain more weight and haveshorter hospital stays.-- Massage therapy is effective inreducing post-surgical pain and caneven reduce the time required forpost-operative hospital stays.

You may be trimming some extras out ofyour budget, as many Americans are.When weighing what goes and what stays,consider what an excellent value massageis, especially in relation to things thatmay be less valuable, but still cost youplenty. The price of massage hasremained stable in recent years, whilethe cost of movies, dining out, andsports events have risen. Which of theseactivities has the power to improve yourhealth and which has a better return oninvestment?

Get CreativeThere are many ways to keep massage inyour life if you use your imagination.While vacations are definitely neededright now by just about everybody, moreand more Americans are staying closerto home and taking "staycations." Howabout planning a healthy, home-basedvacation and including massage as partof your relaxation?

When it comes to gift-giving occasions,why not give and ask for massage giftcertificates? Massage makes a wonderfulreplacement for flowers that wilt,sweaters that don't fit, or another box offattening candy. Some folks buy spapackages or put together their ownoutings with a massage, a museumexcursion, or lunch at a favoriterestaurant. Mothers, daughters, aunts,and grandmothers are enjoying spastogether and massage is a key part of thepackage. These events create bondingexperiences that launch new traditionsand reinforce a healthy lifestyle.

Gift certificates for chair massage atairports are an option for wearytravelers, as is chair massage at malls forpackage-laden shoppers. If you are anemployer, consider gifting your staffwith on-site chair massage, which hasbeen shown to reduce stress andimprove performance. Just think of it asthe ultimate pat on the back for staff andone that pays you back.

Maintain Well-BeingYou may be tempted to trim yourwellness budget when economic timesare tough. Yet, a recent nationalconsumer survey showed mostmassage-minded Americans are stillcommitted to maintaining the healthbenefits they experience with massage. Itonly makes sense. The better you feel,the better job you can do of caring foryourself and your loved ones. Massagetherapy will also help families understress create healthier households, and

more focused and relaxed moms anddads. Children are sensitive and oftenpick up on tension in a household;parents who are taking care ofthemselves are more likely to provide asense of calm to their kids. This goes forcaregivers of aging parents, too.

Now, more than ever, massage shouldplay a role in reducing your stress andstrengthening your health. When peoplefeel their best, they are more able to facethe challenges difficult times present.With greater health and peace of mind,you can face difficulties with poise,clarity of purpose, and strengthenedemotional reserves.

Truly, massage is more than aluxury--it's a vital part of self-care thathas a positive ripple effect on you as youwork, play, and care for others.Investing in your health is oneinvestment that's sure to pay off.

Heated stones can provide a wealth of benefits

What is Hot Stone Massage?Jed Heneberry

Exercise MythsFiction Vs. Fact

Stone massage is a luxurious experiencein which the massage therapist useswarmed, smooth stones to providebodywork, warming muscle tissue toreduce muscle tension and stiffness, andeliciting physical healing, mentalrelaxation, and a spiritual connection toearth energy

Photos frequently incorrectly portraythe treatment with massage clientsrelaxing on a towel with stones placedartfully along their naked spines.

In reality, two insulating layers, a sheetand a thick bath towel, will be placed onyour skin, and the stones will be placedupon it. Your massage therapist will beusing stones heated to 130-140 degreesFahrenheit. Stones should never restdirectly on your skin; they will onlytouch your skin if the therapist isholding them to apply strokes.

Should I Get One?The heat of stone massage can be

especially beneficial for certainpopulations and something to avoid forothers. Specific chronic muscularconditions like frozen shoulder orlow-back pain benefit as the heat helpstissues relax during massage work. And,while stone massage is lauded for therelaxation it promotes, therapists canuse it for targeted trigger-point workand myofascial release as well.

Those who should avoid hot stonemassage include people with diabetes,neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, skinconditions covering large areas of thebody, or local skin conditions such assunburn, broken skin, localizedswelling, or other soft-tissue injuries.

Following are some of the benefitsassociated with stone therapies:oReduces anxiety, pain, and stress.oPromotes mental and physicalrelaxation.oCreates a feeling of groundednessand balance.oEnhances connection to earth energy.

oPromotes local circulation in the areawhere it is applied.oWarms soft-tissue structures so theyare ready for firm work more quickly.

Although old fitness fictions like "nopain, no gain" are fading fast, plenty ofmisconceptions still exist. Following aresome of the most common myths,counteracted by the latest research.

FICTION: You will burn more fat ifyou exercise longer at a lowerintensity.FACT: The most important focus inexercise and weight control is how manycalories are burned during the activity.The faster you walk, step or run, themore calories you use per minute.However, high-intensity exercise may bemore difficult to sustain.

FICTION: If you're not going to workout hard and often, exercise is a wasteof time.FACT: Any exercise is better than none.For example, regular walking or

gardening for as little as an hour a weekhas been shown to reduce the risk ofheart disease.

FICTION: If you exercise long andhard enough, you will always get theresults you want.FACT: In reality, genetics plays animportant role in how people respondto exercise. Your development ofstrength, speed, and endurance may bevery different from that of other peopleyou know.

FICTION: The health and fitnessbenefits of mind-body exercise like t'aichi and yoga are questionable.FACT: The benefits abound! T'ai Chi,for example, has been shown to helptreat low-back pain and fibromyalgia.Improved flexibility, strength, and stressmanagement are just some of the

benefits.

FICTION: Home workouts are fine,but going to a gym is the best way to getfit.FACT: Some people find it easier tostick to a home-based fitness program.In spite of all the hype on trendyexercise programs and facilities, the bestprogram for you is the one you willparticipate in consistently.

This information was provided byIDEA, www.ideafit.com.

Happy NewYear! Let this yearbring you allgood health andhappiness!

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my quarterlynewsletter. I take great pride in my work and hope you canshare my passion by booking your massage appointmenttoday.

I'd like to offer a few winter specials. Just mention that yousaw these specials in the newsletter!1) Complimentary HOT TOWEL SERVICE or ESSENTIALOIL upgrade on your next (60 minute or more) massagebooked. Offer expires March 31, 2014. 2) Any 60 minute or 90 minute Swedish massageappointment booked prior to February 13, 2014, will receivea complimentary upgrade to a hot stone massage, if desired.

Massage therapy is an investment in your health andwell-being. I hope you allow me the opportunity to show youthe many benefits massage has to offer. Start your year offright and call or text for an appointment today.

Visit my website www.stephvogel.massagetherapy.com fordetails on services and more discount information!

I look forward to working with you. Stephanie Vogel

Massage by Stephanie

3860 Bayshore Road, 2nd FloorNorth Cape May, NJ 08204