News from Orange County Oncology MassageDecember 2016

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What Massage Can Do For YouBeyond Pain Relief, Massage is Valuable for Preventive CareKarrie Osborn

Massage helps you maintain a healthy body.

The act ofmassage unitesheaven andearth, spiritand matter,divine andmundane.-Gayle MacDonaldOffice Hours and Contact

Orange County Oncology MassageJacki Sellers520-471-2513Monday 2-6Tuesday-Thursday 9-2Friday 9-6

In this Issue

What Massage Can Do For YouWhat Is Reiki?Easing Holiday Angst

This article first appeared in the Summer 2013 issueofBody Sense.

Whether it is an aching back, recoveryfrom an injury, a case of carpal tunnelsyndrome, or a host of other debilitatingphysiological conditions, there's nodoubt massage and bodywork works torelieve pain. But once your therapist hashelped you tackle your pain, do you quitcalling? When the pain is gone, are yougone, too?

Massage therapy is highly effective forpain relief, but it is an amazingpreventive therapy as well. Massage helpsbuild and maintain a healthy body (andmind), it combats stress, and it works to

keep the immune system strong. Inshort, massage can keep on working foryou, even after the pain is gone.

MASSAGE FOR WELLNESSIf it's been a while since you bookedyour last massage--because your pain isno longer an issue or your injury is fullyrehabbed--you might want to considermassage for preventive care.

Massage can play an important role in agood health-care regimen. Just as youeat healthily, exercise regularly, and takeyour vitamins to ward off illness andmaintain a fit body, you should considermaking frequent massage a part of yourwellness lifestyle.

According to Benny Vaughn, a sportsmassage expert in Fort Worth, Texas,one of the benefits of consistent andregular massage therapy is betterflexibility. "This happens becauseregular and structured touch stimulusenhances the nervous system's sensoryand spatial processing capacity," he says."That is, the person becomes moreaware of her body's movement in spaceand becomes more aware of tightness or

pain long before it reaches a criticalpoint of mechanical dysfunction."

As a preventive measure, frequentmassage puts you more in tune with yourbody. "The consistency of massagetherapy over time creates a cumulativestress-reduction effect," Vaughn says.

Regular massage helps reduce stress and improve your quality of life.

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"The person becomes acutely aware ofstress within her body long before it cancreate stress-driven damage."

And the more massage you receive, themore benefits you reap. "Massagetherapists know that people who getmassage regularly demonstrate greaterimprovement and notice a reduction inpain and muscular tension, as well as animprovement in posture," says AnneWilliams, author ofMassage Mastery: From Student to Professional(Lippincott Williams Wilkins, 2012).

"People regularly make a commitmentto fitness," Williams says. "Peopleregularly make a commitment tochanging their diet. The differencethey'd experience if they regularly madea commitment to massage ismind-blowing."

STRESS IS A KILLERStress is more than just a word we throwaround to describe the nature of ourhectic day. Today, we understand thatstress kills.

According to the Benson-HenryInstitute for Mind Body Medicine,60-90 percent of all US medical visitsare for stress-related disorders. Chronicpain, headaches, heart disease,hypertension, and ulcers can all bewrought from stress. Many would arguethat the best benefit of massage is itsability to reduce the stress in our lives.

From the perspective of daily living,think about the stress you felt at today'smeeting--now it's hiding in your neck.Tomorrow that can turn into stiffnessand eventually begin to affect other partsof your body. If you see your massagetherapist for your regular session thisweek, the chances are good you won'treach the tipping point. Think ofmassage and bodywork as a way torebalance your body.

Noted researcher Tiffany Field and hercolleagues from the Touch ResearchInstitute at the University of MiamiSchool of Medicine report that massagecauses positive biological changes whenit comes to stress. Through the course ofmore than 20 studies, these scientistsfound that massage decreases cortisol (astress-derived hormone that negativelyaffects immune function and kills ourimmune cells) and increases dopamine

and serotonin (the neurotransmittersmost associated with emotionalwell-being).

Add to this the research that showsmassage can lower your heart rate anddecrease your blood pressure, and youhave a mighty effective,nonpharmacological, stress-fightingtool that's about as natural as natural canget.

A ONE-HOUR VACATION AND SOMUCH MOREYou may no longer need to rehab thatknee or work the scar tissue from yoursurgery, but don't forget abouteverything else massage can do for you.Massage is the entire package, helping toheal body, mind, and spirit. Think of itas a one-hour vacation with amazingreturn on investment.

Whether it be maintaining joint

flexibility, managing blood pressure, orenhancing immunity, massage works.From repair to relief and from recoveryto relaxation, massage is a magnificentpiece of natural medicine you shouldalways have as part of your health-careroutine.

Karrie Osborn is senior editor for Body Sense.Contact her at karrie@abmp.com.

Reiki balances subtle but vital energy.

What Is Reiki?Understanding Energy Work

Easing Holiday AngstFive Stress Busters for a Joyous Season

A type of energy bodywork, reiki(pronounced ray-key) relies on theancient belief in the life force energy,referred to as chi, that flows through allthings. This life force runs throughoutpathways in the body called meridians,nourishing organs and cells andsupporting vital functions. When thisenergy is disrupted by negative thoughts,feelings or actions, illness and diseaseresult. A reiki practitioner's hands hoverjust above a person's body, sensing theaffected areas and infusing them withpositive flow. This raises the energeticvibration and breaks up the negativity toheal, clear and restore the natural flowof the life force. The reiki practitioner,trained to access and serve as a channelfor the life energy, places his hands onor just above the client's body and uses apassive touch that some clientsexperience with warmth or tingling. Thehands remain in position for 3-5minutes, alternately covering 10-12positions over the body.

Thought to be Tibetan Buddhist in

origin, the practice of reiki is comprisedof three levels of training. Through thistraining, the practitioner learns how toaccess energy flow through the hands toheal. Completion of the third andhighest level of training results in thetitle of reiki master. Reiki is used toaccelerate healing, assist the body incleansing toxins, balance the flow ofsubtle energy by releasing blockages, andhelp the client contact the healer within.

According to www.reiki.org, reiki isbeginning to gain acceptance as ameaningful and cost-effective way toimprove patient care in hospitals andclinics across America. In an interviewon the website, Dr. David Guillion, anoncologist at Marin General Hospital inCalifornia, says, "I feel we need to dowhatever is in our power to help thepatient. We provide state of the artmedicine in our office, but healing is amultidimensional process. I endorse theidea that there is a potential healing thatcan take place utilizing energy." Formore information, consult your

bodywork practitioner.

You enter the holiday season with thebest of intentions -- looking forward totime spent with family and friends,decorating, shopping, baking. But assoon as you pile holiday activities on topof an already busy life, you're likely tofind yourself relating more to EbineezerScrooge than Martha Stewart.

Consider these five suggestions to keepholiday stress at bay:

1. Determine a Shopping BudgetFor many, gift giving is an importantpart of the holidays, serving as a way toexpress love and appreciation for friendsand family. But when the credit cardbills arrive in January, you may discoveryou've extended your holiday stress wellinto the New Year. Plan your budget inadvance, determine what you can spend,and stick to the plan.

2. Create a Time BudgetMany will make a shopping budget, butwhat about making a time budget?Before accepting every invitation thisyear, decide ahead how many parties youcan and want to attend whilemaintaining your sanity. Make choicesabout your time commitments based onwhat you'd really like to do this year,rather than what you think you shoulddo or what you've always done. Don'tforget to leave time for yourself.

3. Set Food-Intake BoundariesYou'll likely be tempted to eat in excess,and don't be too hard on yourself if youdon't stick to your pre-holiday eatingstandards. But do decide ahead of timejust how much you'll deviate from youreating routine.

4. Stick to Your Exercise Regimen

Regular exercise is a powerful stressbuster. You'll feel better, sleep better,avoid weight gain, boost your immunesystem, and maintain a positive outlookabout yourself. While it may seem likean easy time concession to make, don'tgive in to the idea. Stick to exercise, andyou'll thank yourself for it.

5. Take Time to RestTake time from your schedule to honorthe cycles of the season. The holidays fallduring winter solstice -- the shortest dayof the year. Learn from nature, and getplenty of rest.

Appreciativewords are themost powerful force for goodon earth.-George W. Crane

Since 2017 will mark my 10-year anniversary as a massagetherapist I will be offering $10.00 off every massage inJanuary and February! Yep, you heard that right! 10 bucksoff.I've always been proud of Orange County OncologyMassage offering competitive rates and so for next year, I'mraising the rates with a small $5.00 increase. With thecelebratory 10 dollars off, your January/February massageswill actually cost less than the regular 2016 rates! Another new feature I'm offering is gift cards. These can bein any amount and are handy for the person who can't figureout what to buy you this year. Let your friends and familiesknow what YOU want this holiday season and have themgive me a call to purchase a gift card today!More good news: Orange County Oncology Massage is nowon Yelp. I've already received my first review! If you want tohelp me spread the word, please feel free to post a reviewon Yelp. Referrals are the BEST way to grow a business!Please know that every day I am grateful for the kind of workI get to do! YOU are a big part of that, and I appreciate yourtrust in me. May you enjoy the Holiday season ahead andcount your blessings as another New Year dawns. Muchlove to all, Jacki

Orange County Oncology Massage

25401 Muirlands Blvd., Suite 119Laguna Hills, CA 92653