THE HAND AND ARM MASSAGE

From the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep, we all work with our hands, as they are our anatomical tools with which we perform the day-to-day tasks of living; the simple as well as the complex. Some of us use our hands to a greater extent than others in which case they may become painful, tense and stiff. And since the hands are connected to the arms, chances are that the same hard work which applies to the hands also applies to the arms. As a consequence, the arms may suffer similar pains, tenseness and stiffness. A mere five to ten minute Hand and Arm massage can literally work miracles in relieving all these unpleasant indications. However, a good Hand and Arm massage also brings with it a whole battery of other health benefits.

As a matter of fact, our hands and arms have scores of acupressure and reflexology points which are correlated and linked to a number of vital internal organs (appendix, pancreas, gall bladder, kidneys, stomach, brain, spleen, heart, bladder, colon, intestines, lungs) and to other remote parts of the body (sinuses, thyroid and parathyroid, hips, ovaries, testes, uterus, penis, prostate, spine, solar plexus, thymus, shoulders, knees, neck). A Hand and Arm massage, therefore, does not only result in healing the hands and arms but it also provides curative effects for such cases as poor blood circulation, arthritis, headaches, neck and shoulder pains, backache, digestive and reproductive problems, and so on and on.

Hand and Arm massages are one of the easiest massages to perform on oneself and on others, and they can be safely applied anywhere and to persons of all ages and genders; infants, young children, teens, adults and senior citizens. Furthermore, Hand and Arm massages are harmless to people who are dealing with most health issues, whether they are slight, moderate or severe. Hand and Arm massages provide instant relief from stress, anxiety and nervousness as it relaxes the entire body. However, Hand and Arm massages should never be performed on hands or arms that are affected by any kind of skin disease, infection, inflammation, swelling, bruises, cuts or recently broken bones, torn ligaments, ripped tendons or surgeries. If and when oils or lotions are to be used during the Hand and Arm massage therapy, an earnest verification regarding allergies should be made and any pressure applied must be tailored to the clients tolerance level to pain or discomfort.

A full Hand and Arm massage should ideally begin with the biceps, the muscles in front of the upper arms and those should be pressed and stroked upwards along the biceps from the elbows toward the shoulders and then back and forth across the tendons. When the biceps have had their thorough workout the triceps, the muscles in the back of the upper arms, should be approached with similarly gentle pressing and stroking movement but this time moving downwards from the armpits down to the elbows. Moving on down the arms by kneading the flesh, pressing the muscles and stroke the tendons; the massage therapist should slowly make his or her way toward the hand that is awaiting its turn for a therapeutic workout. The hand portion of the Hand and Arm massage treatment should begin by gently pulling each finger and thumb away from the palm it attach to, while applying firm pressure to any painful or aching areas and then soothing them with moderate rubbing and rolling. The four fingers and the thumb should then be pushed upwards as far as they will go without causing undue discomfort. The thumbs should be used to massage the palms of the hands by applying firm circular motions through the entire palm while intermittently stopping in various areas, particularly those which are sore, to apply steady and direct pressure for a number of seconds. For a soothing effect on the palms and in closing of the Hand and Arm massage therapy session, the thumbs should stroke the surface of the palms in an up and down movements.

A therapeutic Hand and Arm massage can display love, appreciation and devotion more explicitly than any other free gift that anyone can think of. Just ask anyone who has ever been on the receiving or giving end of one.

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THE BALINESE MASSAGE THERAPY

Having originated on the exotic island of Bali, the Balinese massage therapy is one of a number of ancient traditional massage techniques of Indonesia which had been carried down from one generation to another as a method of curing a wide variety of complaints. The Balinese massage is extraordinarily unique in that it brings together several alternative medicine practices such as massage therapy, acupressure, reflexology and aromatherapy with the use of essential oils scented with striking aromas of jasmine, rose, sandalwood, coconut, cempaka, sandat or frangipani into a single massage session. As it is true with most massage techniques, the Balinese massage strives to reach the ultimate state of relaxation of the body and the mind. What sets it apart is that the Balinese believe that, in order to attain that heightened state of relaxation, blood and oxygen must flow freely and only then will the gi or energy flow without restraints as well.

The Balinese massage therapy is performed on a conventional massage table or on a soft mat on the floor and a great deal of attention is paid to the scented oils which are generally applied at room temperature. For restorative purposes of an ailing or painful body part, warmed oil with an added mixture of lemon grass, cloves or ginger is applied. Overall, the bouquet of fragrances used in the Balinese massage therapy is intended to induce relaxation, to promote indulgence of the body and to drive away nervousness and unhealthful tension.

To reach the deeper tissues of the muscles, the Balinese massage therapist alternately applies vigorous kneading, cross fiber mobilization as well as skin rolling with gentle motions to every muscle of the body. To enhance results with long lasting effects, robust acupressure movements such as hardy press point and strong palm pressure are generously applies in addition to the prevailing massage techniques such as sliding, long and short exploration and manipulating.

The Balinese massage therapy is far from being gentle or delicate and it is, therefore, time and time again compared to Ayurveda, an Indian holistic medicinal method which is considered by most as being extremely intense. And it is due to the inherent intensity of the Balinese massage, that this therapy is so successful in reaching deep into tense and strained muscles to sooth and calm their spasms. As a matter of fact, the Balinese massage therapy is quite frequently prescribed for sports injuries as well as for stiff and achy joints due to various injuries or ailments, for easing migraines and other kinds of headaches, for relieving sleep deprivation and insomnia, for mitigating chronic and acute breathing maladies due to allergies and asthma, for boosting blood circulation and the lymphatic system, as well as for alleviating stress and easing anxiety and depression. In essence, the Balinese massage is a rigorous yet lavish therapeutic system that aims to bring the body and mind in full synchronization of optimal health, well being, tranquility and spiritual renewal.

In preparation for a Balinese massage treatment, you should give yourself plenty of time to savor the entire experience and its afterglow. Under certain circumstances, your massage therapist may need to modify the treatment or the oils which are used and you should, for that reason, let him or her know if you:

* Know that you are pregnant or think you might be.
* Have any pains or stiffness in your joints or limbs.
* Have had a recent injury or underwent surgery.
* Are suffering from high or low blood pressure.
* Have any kind of heart problems or any other medical condition and are going through some form of treatment.

Bali is just one island out of the 17,508 islands which comprise the Republic of Indonesia, a nation located in Southeast Asia and the worlds largest archipelagic state. Many of the other Indonesian islands adopted their own massage techniques which are similar to the Balinese massage in their endeavor to heal the physical body and the spiritual mind, yet they are also distinct and bear their own unique characteristics. And they are:

* Sasak massage.
* Lombok massage.
* Urat massage.
* Balinese Boreh. A paste of ground spices is used to relieve pain and this massage technique was conceived by local rice farmers.
* Javenese Lulur Ritual. This is customarily executed on brides in preparation of their wedding day.

Have you decided to give the Balinese massage a try? Good choice! Relax, enjoy the process and come out smelling heavenly.

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(Word Count 750)

The Side Effects of Drugs to Relieve Anxiety Stress

When people get sick, the first thing that comes to mind is taking a couple of pills with water then everything will be alright.

Though this works in some cases, people who experience stress due to anxiety have to be careful since these medication may have certain side effects.

One example is when the person uses the drug Paxil to treat a anxiety stress disorder. According to a test done in different parts of the world, people who have depressive disorder will often experience side effects such as sweating, nausea, insomnia, tremor, ejaculatory disturbance and other genital disorders after taking this drug.

People who have obsessive compulsive behavior, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety and post traumatic stress will also experience side effects but only to a certain degree.

Doctors who prescribe Xanax to patients also experience certain side effects. These include allergies, blurred vision, diarrhea, hyperventilation, difficulty in sleeping, painful menstruation, sexual dysfunction and weight gain or loss.

These will most likely happen when the person increases the dosage which is far more than that given by the doctor or when one doesn’t need the medicine anymore. Some doctors say these are the withdrawal symptoms the individual may expereince when these no longer need to be prescribed to the patient.

Another more popular drug used to treat anxiety disorder is Buspar. Some patients have reported to experience the same side effects as those of Xanax. These also include constipation, numbness, speech difficulty, rapid heart rate, twitching, nervousness and muscle cramps.

The drugs available in the market should only be used on a short term basis. Since a lot of patients have shown to have experienced certain side effects, doctors recommend that the patient comes in first for a proper examination before being prescribed these medications.

Given the side effects of these drugs, some doctors recommend the use of natural or alternative forms of treatment. These include the use of herbs which can be inhaled or ingested which has shown to produce the same or better results without the side effects.

Two of these herbs are Kava and Valerian. The person will be able to get relief and feel relaxed similar to those when taking Valium or Xanax. This can also be mixed with other ingredients if the person doesn’t like the smell or the taste when this is being ingested.

People who don’t like natural herbs can try exercising instead. The person can either sweat this off in a gym or produce the same effects by doing some breathing exercises. The individual can go to the gym and do this or buy an instructional video which can be done at home.

Those who are too tired to drive to the facility or buy one off the shelf can also relieve stress by getting a massage. The person can go to the gym and the beauty salon which have professionals and excellent facilities to treat people who suffer from anxiety stress.

The various treatments to treat anxiety stress should be able to relieve without any other pain in return. The best the doctor can do is change the prescription when this happens or try something new. The health professional should explain the pros and cons of each to the patient so the right one can be chosen.

Alcohol And Hypoglycemia

What do alcohol and hypoglycemia have to do with one another? Well, alcohol can be a huge contributer to hypoglycemia. Alcohol behaves just like those processed carbs after you ingest them. They convert to simple sugars and then your body has to counteract with insulin. Insulin lasts longer in your body then the sugar does so you then have a low blood sugar incidence.

The numbers and range for normal blood sugar are from 70mg/dl to 110mg/dl. If you fall below 70mg/dl then you can be considered to have low blood sugar. Don’t be too concerned if it only happens once or twice because anyone can have a low blood sugar incidence at any time based on what they have decided to eat. Do be concerned if it happens everyday for an extended period.

If you experience low blood sugar everyday for an extended period then go see your doctor and let him know. He will probably have you start to keep a food journal so he can see where your trouble spots are. He will also want to know about your consumption of alcohol and hypoglycemia incidences that may or may not follow your drinking.

Symptoms vary and you may not experience all of them all at the same time. Mild to moderate hypoglycemia can cause nausea, nervousness, chills, clammy skin, sweating, hunger, rapid heart rate, irritability, anxiousness, confusion, blurry vision, unsteadiness, and have trouble walking. Severe hypoglycemia can lead to loss of consciousness, seizures, coma, and even death.

Based on these symptoms and the severity, you can be sure that hypoglycemia is not a laughing matter and should be taken very seriously. Alcohol may give you what is referred to as a sugar high for a little while but if you drink heavily and would rather not eat food then you will have low blood sugar at some point. Even days later. I know that when you have an addiction or even just a bad habit, it can be hard to break. But, if you want to have a normal life and not have to worry about hypoglycemia then just quit drinking. If you need help to quit then go find it, there are places that can help you.

If you have to drink then make sure to eat some food that is low in carbs and high in protein. The protein will help maintain good blood sugar levels. Stay away from fried foods, they are very high in carbs. A high carb meal will only make things worse for you in the long run.

If you are already diabetic and are taking antidiabetic agents as your medication or have to inject insulin every day then alcohol is not your friend. Your doctor should know if you are drinking. Some medications cannot be taken if you are consuming alcohol. If you drink tell your doctor, he may allow you to have the occasional glass of wine or beer. You won’t know if you don’t ask.

Another way to combat the effects of alcohol and hypoglycemia is to alternate the alcoholic drinks you have with glasses of water. Staying hydrated will help your body get rid of the alcohol sooner and you probably will not drink as much so you will be less likely to have an incidence of low blood sugar.