Chapter List

• Introduction to Age Erasers for Women
• Stop the Clock
• Age Spots
• Allergies
• Anger
• Arrhythmias
• Arthritis
• Back Pain
• Binge Eating
• Bladder Problems
• Burnout
• Bursitis and Tendinitis
• Cellulite
• Depression
• Dieting
• Double Chin
• Drinking Problems
• Drug Dependency
• Eating Disorders
• Endometriosis
• Fatigue
• Fibroids
• Foot Problems
• Hair Loss
• Heart Attack
• Heart Disease
• Hemochromatosis
• High Blood Pressure
• Hysterectomy
• Infertility
• Midlife Crisis
• The Pill
• Respiratory Diseases
• Sex Problems and Stds
• Smoking
• Snoring and Sleep Apnea
• Stress
• Stroke
• Television
• Thyroid Disorders
• Type A Personality
• Unwanted Hair
• Varicose Veins
• Vision Changes
• Worry
• Wrinkles
• Adventure
• Aerobics
• Affirmations
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Altruism
• Antioxidants
• Aspirin
• Breakfast
• Breast Care
• Calcium
• Career Change
• Change and Adaptability
• Confidence and Self-Esteem
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Creativity
• Fiber
• Fluids
• Forgiveness
• Friendships
• Goals
• Honesty
• Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Humor
• Immunity
• Learning
• Leisure Time
• Low-Fat Foods
• A Litany of Low-Fat Foods
• Makeup
• Marriage
• Massage
• Medical Checkups
• Optimism
• Relaxation
• Religion and Spirituality
• Resistance Training
• Sex
• Skin Care
• Sleep
• Stretching
• Vegetarianism
• Vitamins and Minerals
• Yoga
• Credits
• Gray Hair Rethinking Your True Colors
• Biological Clock
• Body Image
• Caffeine
• Cancer
• Cholesterol
• Dental Problems
• Diabetes
• Digestive Problems
• Hearing Loss
• Injuries and Accidents
• Memory
• Menopausal Changes
• Metabolism Changes
• Migraines
• Osteoporosis
• Overweight
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Reaction Time
• Skin Cancer
• Ulcers

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Massage

Much-Kneaded Relief

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You've been waiting all week for this hour of ecstasy. Anxiety at work--rub, rub. Tension at home--stroke, stroke. Those aching muscles and joints--tappity-tappity-tap. They're all melting away with each pass of your massage therapist's hands.

After 45 minutes, that age-erasing magic has worked again. No sore back. No stiff neck. You rise refreshed and relaxed, leaving what feels like 20 years of pain and worries there on the massage table.

"Nothing makes you feel more rejuvenated than a massage," says Madeline P. Rudy, a licensed massage therapist with Massage Therapy in West Reading, Pennsylvania. "If you're looking for a way to put yourself back in sync and feel younger, there isn't a better thing out there."

Studies in Relaxation

Any woman will tell you that a massage feels great. Yet medical science still doesn't know exactly why.

"There's not a lot of research out there yet," says Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. The institute is the first organization in the country dedicated to studying massage's medical benefits.

Dr. Field says we have gained a few insights into the way massage works, however. For one thing, it seems to restrict the body's release of cortisol, a hormone that plays a big role in triggering stress reactions. The less cortisol you produce, the less stress you may feel, Dr. Field says. Massage also has been shown to improve the deep, resting phase of sleep. And it may boost your production of serotonin, a hormone linked to positive mood changes and improved immunity, Dr. Field says.

In a Touch Research Institute study of medical faculty and staff, 15 minutes of daily massage appeared to lessen anxiety, make people more alert and increase the speed with which they could complete math problems. "The key to a better work force," Dr. Field says, "could be regular massage."

The institute is working on a series of 34 studies, with hundreds of participants, that looks at massage therapy's effects on everything from depression and pregnancy to high blood pressure and migraine headaches. The studies also look at how massage therapy could help males who test positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS) improve their immune function.

For now, some doctors say they need to know more about what massage can do before they start prescribing it as therapy.

"No one is willing to accept any nebulous explanation that involves the metaphors of energy, toxins, good vibes or any other poetic verse," says Larry Dossey, M.D., co-chairman of the panel on Mind/Body Interventions, Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and former chief of staff at Medical City Dallas Hospital.

But that attitude may be changing. Many insurance companies now cover massage if a doctor orders it. And some massage therapists note that some of their best, most loyal clients are physicians.

Some Hands-On Advice

If you're thinking about trying massage therapy, Rudy says you should be prepared to spend anywhere from $25 to $65 per session, with a typical session lasting about 50 to 55 minutes. Go as often as you like or as often as you can afford. For more guidance, try these tips.

Shop carefully. The last place you want to end up in is a massage "parlor," with its creepy clientele and sometimes questionable practices. To find a reputable, qualified massage therapist, ask questions before you go. "Look in the phone book," Rudy says. "Make sure they're a member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). Ask if they went to accredited schools to learn massage. And always avoid places that offer 'discreet billing.' That's a sign that they may not be on the up-and-up."

The AMTA has a customer referral service that will help you find a registered massage therapist in your area. Write the group at 820 Davis Street, Suite 100, Evanston, IL 60201.

Pick your pleasure. When it comes to massage, there really are different strokes for different folks. Swedish massage--with its kneading, rubbing and use of oils--is the method most people think of. But there's also shiatsu, or oriental massage, in which a therapist works pressure points along nerve pathways to relieve pain and stress (Rudy says some people may experience some discomfort with this method). There's specialized sports massage, which focuses on soothing overworked muscles and joints. And there's a grab bag of techniques and sub-techniques like Rolfing, Feldenkrais, Trager, Alexander and Aston-Patterning, which promote everything from body-lengthening to spine realignments to posture improvements.

"The key is to talk to therapists first," Rudy says. "You want to find someone whose specialty matches your needs. And you want to make sure they're legitimate."

Respect your limits. Massage is about relaxation. And let's face it: Some women just aren't comfortable disrobing for a Swedish massage.

"Only go as far as what feels right," Rudy says. "Maybe you'll have to work your way up to it. This is your special time. Enjoy it."

Therapists should be conscious of your feelings. They should cover parts of the body they're not working on and should not touch your breasts or genital areas. They shouldn't ask you for intimate details of your life or give details of theirs. They're supposed to respect your wishes. If they don't, find another massage therapist.

"The whole thing," Rudy says, "is about health and well-being and feeling better. If there's tension or pressure in a relationship, go somewhere else."

Know when to say no. Massage isn't for everyone. AMTA guidelines say that people with phlebitis or other circulatory ailments, some forms of cancer or heart disease, infections or fevers should not use massage therapy. In most cases, avoid massage for about three days after suffering a fracture or serious sprain. If you have any doubts, ask your physician.

You Can Do It Yourself Sometimes that Friday afternoon massage seems weeks away. You know you'll feel good when you go, but what about now? Try self-massage. These little pick-me-ups can do wonders for you. And they require nothing except a couple of tennis balls, a quiet corner and your own two hands. Head Pressure points in your skull can relax your whole body. "There are two very significant acupressure points at the base of the skull on what's called the occipital ridge," says Robert DeIulio, Ed.D., a licensed psychologist and muscle therapist in private practice in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. "If you apply consistent pressure there, you can achieve total relaxation." How do you do it? Put two tennis balls in a sock and tie the end. Lie on your back on the floor and place the sock behind the upper neck, so that the two balls each touch the skull ridge that's right above the hollow spot. Stay like that for 20 minutes. Listen to soothing music, if you like. "Those acupressure points send messages down the spinal column to relax all the muscles," says Dr. DeIulio. Face Just touch your face. There's no need to knead it. With a very light touch, cup your cheeks and temples with your hands using no more pressure than the weight of a nickel. Hold your hands there for a minute. "The warmth of the hands relaxes the muscles and connective tissue, bringing on an overall sense of relief," Dr. DeIulio says. Jaw Pull the sides of your ears gently straight outward, then straight up, then straight down. Or, with your index finger, press the tender spot next to your earlobe where it attaches to your head. Press and release, alternating ears, 10 to 15 times. Torso Get a quick boost by rubbing the area above your kidneys. That's at waist level where the tissue is still soft. Rub briskly with your fists in a circular motion. "It's a nice way of energizing the body," says Dr. DeIulio. Feet Few things on this Earth feel as good as a foot massage. Here are a few winning techniques. After you try them out on one foot, switch feet and repeat. Make a first and press your knuckles into the bottom of your foot, moving from your heel to your toes. Repeat five times. Sit on a chair and place one foot on the opposite thigh. Rub some massage oil or lotion onto your foot if you like. Apply pressure with your thumbs to the sole of your foot, working from the bottom of your arch to the top near your big toe. Repeat five times. Massage each toe by holding it firmly and moving it from side to side. Extend each toe gently out and away from the ball of your foot. Then apply pressure to the areas between your toes. Press and roll your thumbs between the bones of the ball of your foot. Hold your toes in one hand and bend them backward, holding them there for five to ten seconds. Then bend them in the opposite direction and hold for five to ten seconds. Repeat three times.