Lisa's Healthy Body NewsletterSept/Oct 2016

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Invest in Your HealthMassage Offers Excellent Return on Investment

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

Tension is whoyou think youshould be,relaxation iswho you are.-Chinese Proverb

Office Hours and Contact

(607) 426-2630lisalucarelli.abmp.comlisalucarelli@massagetherapy.com

In this Issue

Invest in Your HealthA Walking WorkoutGood News About Ginger

"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.

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-- 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.

Add walking poles, and burn more calories.

A Walking WorkoutHave Fun While Burning More Calories

Good News About GingerShelley Burns

Imagine the lone hiker, backpack ladenwith sleeping bag and bedroll, wielding awell-worn walking stick as she climbs theside of a snow-covered mountain. Forcenturies, trekkers have used walkingsticks, partly as a defense againstattacking wildlife, partly to aid inbalance, and partly as support on long,arduous climbs. But in recent years,many hikers have replaced the singlewooden walking stick with hiking poles.

Held in both hands and used todistribute weight more evenly throughthe four limbs, wilderness hikers havefound poles invaluable for safety,efficiency, and comfort on long hikes.What wilderness hikers have known forsome time now is that walking poles are agreat way to relieve pressure on knees,ankles, and the back. They encouragebetter posture and provide a total bodyworkout by engaging the upper body.

Now, hiking poles are showing up inurban areas as fitness walkers discoverthe benefits they provide. Nordic

walking--similar in technique to cross-country skiing--is a great way to get awhole body workout, increase oxygenconsumption, and burn more caloriesthan regular walking or even speedwalking. This total body workout burns40 percent more calories and consumes25 percent more oxygen. Poles can bepurchased at most outdoor sportingstores, along with rubber tips for use onpaved paths.

TechniqueAdjust your poles to approximately 70percent of your height and looselysecure the straps around your wrists.Hold the poles at an angle behind you sothey propel you forward with a slightbend at the elbow. Use an oppositehand-and-heel motion as youwalk--right heel strikes as left pole tipcontacts the ground. And you're onyour way! Don't be shy with your poles.Remember: You're burning 40 percentmore calories.

For more information, visit

www.walking.about.com/od/nordicwalking/index.htm.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is known toaid digestion and strengthen theimmune system. It is used as a homeremedy (flat ginger ale) when feelingunder the weather or nauseous, and isblended with honey and lemon in adrink to ward off a cold or flu. Nowginger has come back into the spotlight,this time to promote healthy skin.

One of ginger's activeenzymes--zingibain--reducesinflammation, therefore reducing therisk of acne, psoriasis, and otherinflammatory skin conditions. Ginger'santimicrobial and antiseptic propertiescan also kill the bacteria that causesacne. It promotes skin elasticity andfirmness due to its antioxidants gingeroland shogoal, which have both beenshown to fight skin-damaging freeradicals.

To achieve these skin benefits, I advocateusing actual ginger root. Why takecapsules when you can use the root? It iscost-effective and has a great return oninvestment.

It's easy to use the root to make a cup ofginger tea. Peel the ginger root and cutit into thin strips. Steep the strips in acup of boiled water for 10-15 minutes.If need be, sweeten the tea with otherwarming spices such as cinnamon andclove, along with agave nectar.

When you are unable to brew a cup ofginger tea, add a drop of ginger essentialoil to your daily moisturizer. If you arelooking at using it for other healthbenefits, such as reducing the pain ofarthritis, you can massage the painfularea with the essential oil. Please noteessential oil is not for internal use.

Several new studies have also shown thatginger may help reduce anxiety. Notconvinced yet about the benefits ofginger? Some say it could also work asan aphrodisiac, due to its promotion ofblood circulation.

A journey of athousand milesbegins with asingle step.-Chinese Proverb

Autumn is here!Below is a Pumpkin Bisque recipe for you!

1 med. onion chopped2 stalks celery chopped3 cloves garlic chopped 4 cups chicken stock2 tomatoes chopped2 bay leaves1/2 teaspoon nutmeg2 cups pumpkin puree1 cup heavy creamsalt/pepper to taste

Saute onions, celery and garlic in butter add stock,tomatoes,bay leaves and nutmeg. Cook until vegetables aresoft. Strain and reserve liquid. Puree vegetables with someliquid and strain through a sieve. Combine liquid, pureedvegetables,and pumpkin; heat add cream and season withsalt and pepper. Enjoy!

Lisa Lucarelli

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