Massage Therapy & It's Health Benefits

Massage is one of the oldest healing arts.

Chinese records dating back 3,000 years document its use - the ancient Hindus, Persians and Egyptians applied forms of massage for many ailments - and Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems.

Today, the benefits of massage are varied and far-reaching. Massage Therapy does not only ease the stress and tension of everyday life. It has been shown to be beneficial for many chronic conditions, including low back pain, arthritis, bursitis, fatigue, high blood pressure, pregnancy, diabetes, immunity suppression, infertility, and more.

Massage Therapy is also excellent for individuals with anxiety or depression, and for anyone recovering from trauma. I often recommend Massage Therapy when I work with patients.


What is Massage Therapy?

Massage Therapy, involves applications of various techniques to the muscular structure and soft tissues of the human body. Through this healing touch, muscles are relaxed, toxins are released and endorphins flow. There are more than 200 variations of massage, bodywork, and somatic therapies and many practitioners utilize many different kinds of techniques. Click here for more information on what to expect from Massage Therapy.

Massage Therapy can be obtained through spa services, medical offices, and privately through a licensed masseuse. And, uh, please make sure your Massage Therapist is a licensed one, so no hanky-panky goes on!

And if you can't get to a professional Massage Therapist, ask someone you love to get their hands on you!

Touch is so healing.


References
American Massage Therapy Association
MassageTherapy.com

Grading The States 2006: A Report On America's Healthcare System For Mental Illness

The National Alliance on Mental Illness in the United States, presents this first comprehensive state-by-state analysis of mental health care systems in 15 years. Every U.S. state has been scored on 39 specific criteria resulting in an overall grade and four sub-category grades for each state. The national average grade is D. Five states receive grades in the B range. Eight receive F's. None received A's.

My state - New York- got a grade of "U"- that's right a "U", signifiying an "unresponsive" status in regard to the questions posed.

Select a state and view its report card and NAMI's analysis here --> Click-Your-State.

Then, be sure to visit the Take Action area to find out how you can get involved and make a difference.

To my readers out of the country, I hope your healthcare is better than ours!


Resource:
National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI)

Genetics Explains Anorexia Nervosa

Once again technology, medicine and genetic research help to explain psychological and psychiatric disorders. What we can learn from these advances are that psychological disorders are real, often have a medical basis and should not be viewed as a shameful, character flaw in a child, adolescent or adult.

A new study from the March 2006 Archives of General Psychiatry exploring anorexia in twins concluded that more than half a person's risk for developing the eating disorder is determined by genes. Though most experts already believe there is a strong genetic component, this study "hammers home the fact that these are biologically based disorders," said Cynthia Bulik, lead author of the study who is a psychiatrist at the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Dr. Walter Kaye, a psychiatry professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center says that "The next step, of course, will be to determine what the biology is, what genes are involved and what difference they make as far as how the brain works."

Woohoo, I think genetic research is so cool.


Reference
Bulik, C.; Sullivan; P.F.; Tozzi; F.; Furberg. H. ; Lichtenstein, P.; Pedersen, N.L. (2006). Prevalence, heritability, and prospective risk factors for anorexia . Archives of General Psychiatry, 63:305-312.

Art Therapy

The premise behind Art Therapy—using art for a psychotherapeutic purpose —is that creating allows children and adults to express what is uppermost in their minds more authentically than talking with a therapist.

Art Therapy helps the psychotherapist understand a person's perceptions and feelings about what has happened in the past - or what is happening in the present. Looking at the artwork and talking about what was created also helps the individual find a way to communicate what may be hard to say in words. Art Therapy can help a diverse range of children and adults, and is a meaningful expressive experience for those who involve themselves with it.


Sometimes art expresses emotions, thoughts or conflicts quite graphically, as in the sculpture pictured below:

Sometimes art conceals, disguises or expresses symbolically. What do you see in this child's painting?

The purpose of Art Therapy is to help express concepts that a person may not be able to articulate. The drawing, painting, collage, or sculpture can then help bridge artistic expression into verbal expression. And from there, healing begins.

Some of the benefits include of Art Therapy*:

Self-discovery: At its most successful, Art Therapy triggers insight and emotional catharsis.

Personal fulfillment: The creation of a tangible reward can build confidence and nurture feelings of self-worth. Personal fulfillment comes from both the creative and the analytical components of the artistic process.

Empowerment: Art Therapy can help people visually express emotions and fears that they cannot express through conventional means, and can give them some sense of control over these feelings.

Relaxation and stress relief: Chronic stress can be harmful to both mind and body. Stress can weaken and damage the immune system, can cause insomnia and depression, and can trigger circulatory problems like high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. When used alone or in combination with other relaxation techniques such as guided imagery, Art Therapy can effectively relieve stress.

Symptom relief and physical rehabilitation: Art Therapy has a long history with the medical field as well. This type of therapy can promote physiological healing for children and adults who experience chronic pain, are recovering from a stroke, have had a heart attack or other catastrophic surgery, have cancer, AIDS, or a terminal illness, etc.

Hey, make your own online art at and express yourself at

Artpad Painter

or

Sketchplanet

Links:

*Find Articles. "Art Therapy" accessed @ http://www.findarticles.com World Wide Art Therapy Associations