At a high level, most of us know our physical bodies are pretty complex. When we are young, most of us don’t even give our body a second thought. We run, we jump, wrestle, hop and it somehow all works for us. As we begin to get older or sustain injuries, we might seem to notice that movement isn’t as free as it used to be. We start to ‘look under the hood’ a bit to figure out where the trouble is and find there are all sorts of super complex systems and parts. The systems and parts sometimes poorly adapt if we don’t put focus and effort in directing the level of physical wellness we’d like to enjoy. We might even find ourselves measuring our wellness in terms of “not being sick” or even “not hurting” vs. being full of health!

Yoga and Massage are a great combination when you’ve decided its time to focus on physical (as well mental and emotional) health. When we utilize and challenge our bodies (all of those internal systems, muscles, joints, etc), we also need to rest them so they can recover and rejuvenate. Yoga and Pilates focuses on precise muscle movements to strengthen you from the inside out. Integrative Massage also focuses on precise musculature, rejuvenation and actually helps out ALL of your systems and parts!

Other than the obvious, nervous system relaxation and stress reduction, benefits of massage therapy include:
Increased circulation (blood, oxygen, lymph, energy, nerve)
Increased recovery time from illness and injury
Improved muscle tone
Removal of metabolic waste and toxins
Improved posture and range of motion
Improved sleep patterns
Reduced pain and tension
And for those of us who don’t have many opportunities for human touch, the nurturing touch of a massage therapist can bestow that wonderful feeling of being cared for…

So, don’t consider massage as a fluffy luxury or pampering yourself, consider it a part of your overall wellness routine.

Much Peace and Wellness,
Sylvia Harrell

For more information about Sylvia’s background and training, visit www.MindBodyBalance.name <http://www.MindBodyBalance.name>