By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
The holiday season can be stressful, and a good massage can easily alleviate that tension. But did you know that getting a regular massage has a variety of health benefits that go way beyond getting out of your head space for a while? Peach talked to neuro-muscular massage therapist Frank Santore about the well-being advantages of massages.
Tell us a little about your work as a massage therapist?
Being a Massage Therapist is very rewarding work. It’s really a multi-faceted discipline. Relieving stress, tension and fatigue is just the foundation. Helping clients overcome pain and discomfort is my ultimate mission.
The holidays are a stressful time – how can massage therapy help you with this?
The holidays are traditionally a time of joy. But for many people they’re a source of stress and discomfort. Sometimes these emotions can manifest themselves in the body as discomfort, stiffness, pain, and lethargy, even depression. What most of us require during these times is an outlet. A peaceful time to just let it all go, and to not have a care in the world. If I can take people out of their “head space” for sixty or ninety minutes, it can make all the difference in the world.
What are the benefits of scheduling massage therapy on a regular basis?
We have all heard massage therapy helps improve blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, improves mental clarity, assist in removing toxins from the body and helps with immune function as well. The list truly goes on and on. I tell clients all the time that massage is a cumulative thing. It’s quantitative; the more you receive, the better you feel.
I offer a “series” of massage sessions at a discount for just this reason. There are series of four, six and even twelve sessions. Twelve sessions comes out to one massage per month throughout a year. The clients that participate in this program report feeling physically better as the sessions go by. They respond more favorably to both physical and mental stressors. It’s a major way to combat the effects of daily life.
What is a positive benefit that people generally don’t know about getting a massage?
Researchers working with patients with compromised immune systems have found massage therapy can improve how the immune system functions. Those same benefits can translate to people seeking to fight off the common cold, flu and other seasonal illnesses. During a massage, the amount of white blood cells increases, and since these cells are responsible for defending your body, the more you have of them, the more protected you are. Plus, massage contributes to better blood circulation, which in its turn translates into a stable immune system ready to fight bacteria and viruses.
Walk us through a typical massage therapy session?
Upon arrival, I inquire as to what their session goals are. Stress relief? Mood? Pain management? I instruct the client on how to prepare for the session. Nude or fully clothed is totally acceptable – the State of Georgia regulates and mandates that massage therapists use appropriate draping at all times. As the massage begins, the pressure should be therapeutic but not too forceful. Humans have a ‘fight or flight’ self-defense mechanism, so if the therapist is working too deep on a client, it’s counterintuitive to making tissue relax. Breathing is also important as it is the body’s mechanism to relax and turn off neuro transmission. After a massage, clients are usually a bit sedated. It is vital to drink lots of water to assist the body in releasing the toxins into our circulatory and lymphatic systems, and water assists in the cleansing and filtration of toxins by the kidneys and bowls. Now, it is to enjoy and allow the relaxation to continue as long as possible for optimal results.
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Schedule your massage session at www.FrankSantore.com.
Sessions are 60-90 minutes long and start at $85. Look for special incentives right now to give the gift of touch to the special ones on your Christmas list.