You live an active lifestyle, play sports, love the outdoors and have a rich social and family life. You eat fairly healthy and floss your teeth and see your doctor regularly. You might even indulge in a massage every once in a while to chase away sore muscles and reduce stress. Good for you, and good for your body. Research shows that therapeutic massages have multiple benefits beyond loosening up your neck or relieving that pain in your low back, benefits that can increase your quality of life by preventing injury and disease and even increasing your life span.

Massage therapy is often recognized as an indulgent, stress-reducing spa experience, a fluffy luxury or an excessive indulgence. However, massage therapy is also a physiological maintenance of the body that helps many of the body’s vital health systems return to their optimal, flourishing states. Just as you take your vehicle to the dealer for oil change and scheduled maintenance, rotate and balance the tires and wash it every once in a while. Your body can benefit from a pit-stop on a regular basis. Like your car, your body maintenance is only temporary. Just as you need to stay in shape by exercising regularly, your body needs to relax and return to biological homeostasis on a regular basis.

Here are 10 lesser known reasons for why you should feel good about visiting your massage therapist today:

Massage improves your skins appearance and function:
The increase in circulation and stimulation of the dermis is a contributor to healthier looking skin.

Massage can prevent constipation:
When you are stressed, your blood flows to your skeletal muscles and your digestion slows or pauses. Relaxing massages reverse the stress response.

Massages lower your blood pressure:
Massages benefit the Circulatory System in several ways. Temporarily lowering the blood pressure is one great healthy reason for getting a massage today.

Massages can reduce pain:
A tight muscle has less blood flow. Massages increase blood flow and bring fresh oxygenated blood to the muscle thus reducing spasms and pain. Massages also help increase the natural flow of endorphins, a natural pain killer.

Massage can reduce the symptoms of arthritis:
By reducing the acidic buildup in the body

Massages reduce chronic inflammation:
Inflammation is being linked to maladies like heart disease and cancer.

Massages aid in recovery from emotional trauma:
A good massage gives you a temporary feeling of ease and relaxation that can help you return to a better emotional state.

Massages help the urinary function:
During the “Fight or flight”* stress state, the kidneys retain fluid. Massages reverse the “Fight or flight” stress response and your kidneys return to normal function.

Massages increase your cerebral function:
By decreasing the negative effects of stress, memory and focus improves.

Massages can increase self-respect and heighten self-esteem:
Receiving a massage in a nurturing and caring environment can help an overly self-critical person facilitate a powerful, optimistic and forgiving view of oneself.

To schedule an appointment for a massage at Cordillera Ranch Spa and Fitness Club please call:
Karen Walton:
Licensed Massage Therapist at Cordillera Ranch Spa: 210.363.6194
Martha Miehe-Renard:
Licensed Massage Therapist at Cordillera Ranch Spa: 830.446.1140