Relax With an Hot Stone Massage

Feeling a little tense and need to relax or perhaps you just want to reward yourself? Either way a hot stone massage might be just thing for you!

A hot stone massage is similar to a traditional massage excepted heated flat stones are utilized as well. Stone massage is a Native American technique that was revitalized by Mary Nelson of Tucson, Arizona.

Before you arrive for your session, the massage therapist will heat basalt stones to between 120 and 150 degrees in a water bath. Once the session starts, the stones are applied to various points on your body. However, everybody has differing heat tolerances - if the stones are uncomfortably hot for you be sure to speak up! There will not be any rough spots on the stones since they are river rocks that have been rounded and smoothed over time from the flowing water. As the stones cool, they will be replaced with new, warm rocks.

The heat from the stones relaxes your muscle tissue allowing therapist to work the muscles more deeply. Additionally, stones may be placed at points on your body known to facilitate relaxation or improve your energy flow. Such places are your palms and between your toes. The therapist may also hold a stone and massage you with it instead of his or her hands.

People have reported improvement with certain conditions after receiving a stone massage. These conditions include:

back pain and aches

poor circulation

stress and anxiety

insomnia

depression

muscular pains

Additionally, there is therapeutic value in working with hot and cold simultaneously. Your therapist may elect to also use cool marble stones particularly if you have inflammation in joints or muscles. Unless you have experienced the therapeutic results of this type of massage treatment, you can't fully appreciate the significant differences realized through a hot stone massage over traditional kneading massage techniques.

However, hot stones massages are not for everyone. You should steer clear if you have any infectious skin diseases or a rash or if you have recently had surgery. The massage can dislodge blood clots so check with your doctor if you have had surgery or are pregnant before getting a stone massage.

To maximize the relaxation during your massage, don't eat a heavy meal close to your appointment and give yourself plenty of time to arrive in a timely fashion. Rushing to a massage appointment does not put you in the best mindset to enjoy the session!

Treat yourself to a hot stone massage today. You won't regret it!


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4299819

5 Benefits of Massage Therapy

I bet you have always believed that getting a massage is a luxury to be reserved for the rich. As a juggler of the family budget, you are probably very aware of how you spend your money and are very careful with expenditures. Something that feels so good has got to be more pampering than beneficial. Right?

Wrong! The health benefits of massage are many. Let me share with you a few that I have experienced.

Health Benefits of Massage #1:

Massage helps to restore muscles to their correct position. When I first started getting a regular massage about a year ago, my masseuse told me that I was starting to get a dowager's hump. As she worked with me monthly, the hump became less and less. Now it is totally gone.

Health Benefits of Massage #2:

Massage helps to relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles. I do a lot of my work at the computer, and though I try to take regular breaks to move around, I still get a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders from the computer-working mode. My monthly massages have helped to relax those tight muscles.

Health Benefits of Massage #3:

Massage helps to increase joint flexibility. I started out with a stiff shoulder with very minimal range of motion. Now I have regained full range and have no pain in that shoulder either. Of course, other things have helped like exercise, chiropractor visits, and a natural glucosamine supplement, but I know the massage helped too.

Health Benefits of Massage #4:

Massage helps to pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.

Health Benefits of Massage #5:

Massage helps to release endorphins, lessening depression and anxiety. It is soothing and relaxing. Of course, this is the benefit we always think of - it just feels good!

Actually, there are many more health benefits of massage - these are just a small sampling.

What you Should Do Next:

1. Ask yourself if this is a health step you should invest in for the care of your body.

2. If so, commit to putting a monthly massage into your health program and budget.

3. Massage therapists vary with their techniques and strengths. Don't feel you have to go with the first one you use. Try several different ones so you can evaluate well and choose who you fit best with their style and personality for establishing a long-term relationship.

4. Communicate well with your masseuse/masseur. They can't know what you like or don't like unless you tell them.

5. Drink a lot of water after your massage to rehydrate your body.

6. Plan your day to be able to relax after your massage to continue to benefit.

That's it. Enjoy your progression along the road to optimum health. After all, you only have one body to live in on this earth. Take care of it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7284657

One Year Time Lapse, Oak Tree Timelapse

Photographs made of an oak tree as it changes during a year

Herbal Facial

Both your skin and your inner well-being will experience the benefits of this herbal treatment. Your skin will be visibly moist and full of vitality. It will regain its suppleness and radiance. This facial is recommended for all skin types. This facial includes cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing. 

30 minutes - $45 

Call 36 Oaks Country Retreat today to book an appointment to try this facial and any other of our relaxing spa treatments. 

(707) 447-8037

Benefits Of Seeing A Massage Therapist

Massage therapy is a practice that is dedicated to using touch to manipulate the muscles and soft tissues in the body. Massage therapy has been around for hundreds of years, and it has been noted for its many health benefits. Below are some of the benefits that can be reaped from seeing a massage therapist:

Alleviate Stress

Nearly half of working adults in America have reported that they feel stressed out on a regular basis. Stress is an inevitable part of being an adult, but it is very important for one to learn how to manage it. People who get massages on a regular basis will be able to manage their stress better. Massages have been shown to stimulate the release of endorphins. Endorphins help alleviate stress and promote relaxation.

Additionally, a massage can help reduce the amount of cortisol in the body. Cortisol is known as the stress-hormone. There have been several studies done where people's cortisol levels were measured before and after getting a massage. The results of the studies showed that the subjects' cortisol levels were significantly lower after getting a massage.

Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a problem that affects one in three adults in America. High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes and diabetes if it is left untreated. There have been studies done to show that a massage can help lower blood pressure.

One of the studies was performed by a team of researchers at the University of Florida. Half of the participants were given 10 massages over the course of three weeks. The remaining participants were given a placebo. The results of the study showed that the participants that were given a massage had a significant improvement in their blood pressure. There were no significant changes observed in the control group.

Researchers believe that a massage can help lower blood pressure by stimulating the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve helps regulate a number of important functions in the body, including blood pressure.

Boost the immune system

Cortisol destroys immunity cells, which makes a person more prone to developing illnesses. Because a massage helps reduce the amount of cortisol in the body, it can also boost the immune system.

People should definitely consider getting a professional massage on a regular basis. Massages have been shown to alleviate stress and lower blood pressure. They can also help prevent illness by boosting the immune system.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7261387

Why Choose A Couple's Massage?

Couple's massage has made a huge gain in popularity over the last few years. This massage, which involves a couple having massage therapy side by side, has a number of benefits for everyone involved. If you have ever considered getting a massage with a friend or your significant other, couple's massage might be for you, for these reasons.

One of the main reasons that couples get massages together is that it gives them the opportunity to spend relaxing, quality time together. In this busy world, it is all to easy to be distracted by day to day life. Time spent together is often little more than a quick dinner or a few hours in front of the television. Getting a massage together gives you the chance to relax together and enjoy a shared experience without the distraction of the television.

It is a fact of the massage business that different therapists take a different amount of time to work on different patients. Many couples that go for regular massages together find that they are finished at different times and one person has to wait for the other. If you want to avoid the frustration of having to wait for each other, couple's massage is a great choice, because the massage always ends for both of you at the same time.

If being alone in a room while a stranger massages you, you are not alone. Many people find the activity to be far too intimate to do without their partner. When you do a couple's massage, however, you will never be alone. It becomes a couple's activity and any intimacy is transferred to the shared experience between the two of you. The massage therapist is only an enabler of the experience.

If you have trouble finding new and interesting activities for date night, couple's massage is a great idea. It is intimate, yet fun, and both of you will come out of the experience feeling relaxed, refreshed and renewed. Is there a better way to feel after a date?

Couple's massage does not have to be a romantic activity. In fact, many a girls' night has started with a group or couple's massage. It is a particularly great way to introduce a reluctant friend to your favorite type of massage therapy. With you there, he or she may be far more likely to give this type of therapy a try.

There are many reasons to give couple's massage a try. Whether you are trying to add a new spark to a familiar relationship, you want to spend some quality time with your significant other, or you simply have a friend who could benefit from a group nudge in the right direction, couple's massage can be a very rewarding experience.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7230691

Darth Vader Massage Prank

Before being a Sith Lord, Darth Vader's hands were part of an automated face massage machine. A presentation of the Just For Laughs Gags, British Edition.

You don't have to worry about this happening at 36 Oaks Country Retreat in Vacaville! The service and ambience that have made 36 Oaks a premier day retreat remains the signature of our operations. From the full hands on time of each listed massage to herbal facial massages and body polishes, you will find a variety of options to reduce stress, rejuvenate, and regain a sense of well being.

707-447-8037

Open 7 Days By Appointment Only