Healthiest Sleeping Positions

Your most loved sleeping pose could be giving you back and neck pain, stomach problems, even premature wrinkles. Discover the best sleeping position for your body- plus the one you may want to avoid.

GOOD: Sleeping on the back

Prevents neck & back pain: by maintaining a neutral position for head, neck, and spine

Reduces acid reflux: by keeping your head elevated below your stomach.

Minimizes wrinkles: as in you don’t have anything pushing against your face

Bad…

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Emotional and mental well-being is something we should all take very seriously.

Many people believe in treating the whole person- body, mind, and soul.

Whether you're battling anxiety, depression, or any other mental illness, taking a minute to look at your whole body's well-being can make a world of difference.

The foods you eat, the products you put on your skin, or even the chemicals in your headache medication all play a part in the chemical stress your body is faced with daily. This…Click here to read more.

Ashiatsu, meaning "foot pressure," dates back as far as the 12th century and was associated with Keralite foot massage called "Chavutti Thirummal."

Chavutti Thirummal was practiced by having a person face down on a mat, and by covering the body with special oils. The practitioner grabbed hold of a rope hung overhead, using it for balance while performing this Hindu and Ayurvedic ritual with bare feet. The technique was given in conjunction with following the energy lines, similar to Thai…Click here to read more.

No U.S. government or agency generally accepted agency "grades" or "certifies" essential oils as "therapeutic grade," "medicinal grade," or "aromatherapy grade." In fact, the United States has no formally approved essential oil grading standard. Yet, you see every essential oil independent consultant claiming their "therapeutic grade" oil has the "highest quality" and that you should trust them because they have "done research." Generally the research they are referring to is one hour class…

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A growing body of research supports the health benefits of massage therapy for many conditions. These are the top 25 reasons you should get a massage.

1. Relieve stress
2. Boost immunity
3. Reduce anxiety
4. Manage low-back pain
5. Help fibromyalgia pain
6. Reduce muscle tension
7. Enhance exercise performance
8. Relieve tension headaches
9. Better sleep
10. Ease symptoms of depression
11. Improve cardiovascular health
12. Reduce pain of osteoarthritis
13. Decrease stress in cancer patients
14.…Click here to read more.

There are almost as many types of massage available as there are benefits to the practice. Different people find the use of different styles of massage more effective, and are likely to recommend those types to others because of their successful experiences. However, when determining what type of massage you would like to use, it is important to match up the type of massage with the desired effect to find the style that would be most effective for you. In this way, your massage experience can…Click here to read more.

Short answer: Yes

Long Answer: Yes, please. But there’s more.

Massage is great. You know this. But it’s not always a great idea.

Why?

When you are sick, your body needs rest. It’s strange to think about it this way, but receiving massage is an active task, it is not entirely rest. Massage causes change in the body, and your body has to work to maintain stability. Getting a massage when you are sick takes attention away from infection-fighting. That’s no good.

You’re not…

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by. Shawnda James

Breastfeeding requires complex muscle movements of a infant's jaw, mouth, neck, and upper torso, where the muscles of the throat and esophagus have to engaged to facilitate swallowing. These movements all need to happen in a tiny person who is just getting accustomed to breathing air.

While most breastfeeding duos- mother and infant- get along just fine, others have issues.
Some infants struggle to breastfeed because of musculoskeletal issues. Injuries sustained during birth…Click here to read more.

Massage has been around even longer than the written word. Ancient hieroglyphics around the world show us the therapeutic benefits of touch was used way before most of the health treatments we use today. Now that leaves us with the question: alternative to what?

How did massage therapy- once championed by a number of influential doctors- become considered alternative?
A group of physicians in the late 19th century advocated for the inclusion of physiotherapists, including manual therapy, as a…Click here to read more.

Essential oils are a powerful supplement to any health regime. Now that you have bought your oil of choice you may be thinking to yourself: What now? How am I supposed to use this?Luckily our massage therapist, Shawnda, has the answer for you!

ENVIROMENTAL IMMERSION

is used to uplift and purify your environment by diffusing your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend. This technique turns your house or workplace into a place to unwind. Because we all know there is no…

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We all have people who are hard to shop for. If only there was something you could get men and women of all ages. Luckily, there is. People turn to massage for stress relief, pain reduction, and relaxation. Massage is appropriate for everyone from young to old to mommies to be to athletes. Massage is also beneficial for people living with conditions such as cancer, fibromyalgia, and arthritis.

Here are 3 reasons why a massage gift card should be at the top of your holiday gift list.

1.) THE…Click here to read more.

Shawnda James, LMT discusses how you can relax your mind and body and get more from your massage.

1.) drink water before and after your massage

2.) breathe through the pain

3.) tell your therapist exactly what you want
4.) talk less, relax more
5.) don't think about your insecurities
6.) don't shave right before
7.) if you don't have time to shave, don't worry about it. Your therapist has seen worse
8.) turn your phone off
9.) don't eat right before
10.) be on time. It's hard to relax when you…Click here to read more.

By Shawnda James

The dredded neck ache that you have no explanation for can be the worst. You know the one- where it's hard to turn your head and it's impossible to look up. But why are you having it? Did you sleep wrong? Maybe. Or maybe it's something else.

Today we're constantly using some sort of electronic advice. Tilting your head down for an extended amount of time that can cause what is most commonly known as "text neck."
How can you get rid of it? Research has shown the most effective…Click here to read more.

By. Shawnda James

1.) you need to stretch! Just like you need your morning coffee- your muscles need to be stretched to wake up in the the morning. The same goes for any strenuous activity

2.) speaking of coffee your body hates caffeine. Caffeine can have all sorts of effects on your body such as loss of calcium, cause anxiety, reduce absorption of iron from your food, not to mention that you can become addicted and need more and more caffeine.

3.) you only get one body- take care of it! That…Click here to read more.

by. Shawnda James, LMT

Barefoot Bodyworks- that's something you don't hear very often. And there's a reason why! The massage therapist at Rouge Spa and Salon is the only one in the area that is certified in Barefoot Bodyworks.

But what is it? Barefoot Bodyworks, sometimes called ahh.. Shiatsu massage is performed with the therapist's feet. This allows the client to receive more pressure with less pain. This is because instead of receiving deep tissue using the therapist's pointy thumb or elbow…Click here to read more.

By. Shawnda James, LMT

Today children are more active than ever. They get up early for school and then they don't get to bed until late due to homework and practices all day. It's no surprise that today's youth and children experience more stress than ever before. So why deprive them of the benefits of massage? Here are four reasons why you should take your child to see a massage therapist

•releases endorphins

•supports healthy muscle development

•reduces risk of spinal issues

…

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Written By: Shawnda James, LMT

Cancer: a word that nobody wants to hear or talk about, but almost l of us have been affected by it. Battling any illness comes with its own set of stress and anxieties, but cancer causes more stress than most illnesses. BMJ supportive and palliative care have published research showing that massage can help. Researchers believe that therapeutic massage in combination with standard care can reduce stress, pain, fatigue, and increase quality of life. Depending on…Click here to read more.

Should men get massages?

By Shawnda James, LMT

The answer is an astounding yes! The real question is WHY should men get massages. So often I hear that massages are only for women. The reason for that is because when most people think of massage they think of a luxury instead of a necessity. The fact is that massages are a therapeutic experience that are key to every health regimen- male or female.

Some of the benefits of massage include softening tight or injured muscles, increasing range of…Click here to read more.

Triethanolamine. This chemical compound of ethylene oxide and ammonia (both very toxic) isn’t something you would expect to be in everyday products. But what are you really putting on your loved ones for backaches, joint pain, and muscle spasms?

Triethanolamine is one of the dangerous ingredients in bothBengay and Biofreeze. The FDA approves of this chemical with a concentration no higher than 5% for a brief amount of time, followed by rinsing the area. The side effects may include organ…

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