Stretching Introduction

Stretching is a critical aspect to staying healthy, maintaining strength and stamina, reducing injury and treating muscle pain and dysfunction.  There are simple, easy ways to help yourself at home every day to maintain optimum health and fitness.

It is critical that the stretches be performed properly, with good alignment and care to the spine and joints.  Never stretch to the point of pain.  Always modify your stretch with props so you can easily stay in the stretch and allow the muscles to relax into ot.  As they release and relax, you can go deeper into the stretch at that time.  Flexibility and strength, proper health and fitness are a Practice, a life choice.  Maintenance of your body is an ongoing process that gets easier the more you do it, and the results are lasting and will enhance your quality of life.  Like massage, exercize and other body positive practices, stretching is a complimentary preventative measure that can be incorporated easily into your every day routines.

In this Blog, we will demonstrate via youtube videos, verbal and written instruction how to stretch safely and effectively to help you with your specific issue and to continue on to enhance your every day lifestyle.

Better Health for a Better Life

Sincerely,
Tracy McIntyre LMT'
owner of Hands That Heal Massage and Wellness Center
Pittsford, NY

The Benefits of Massage

Welcome to my blog, I am so excited to share everything I know about massage therapy and help you improve your health and wellness with massage.  My focus today is to do a brief overview of these benefits.  There are so many I will be posting multiple Blogs on this topic in more detail. Stay Tuned!!

Well Known Benefits:

• Relaxation
• Decrease Pain
• Decrease Stress and Tension "knots" in muscles
• Increase mental clarity by reducing stress and tension

Not as Well Known Benefits:

• Increased Flexibility of muscles and joints
• Detoxification of tissues
• Increased Muscle Tone and  Firms and Tones the Skin
• Increased Circulation for both the Circulatory and Lymphatic System
• Increased Immunity
• Decrease in Stress Hormones  ( Cortisol )
• Increase in Beneficial Hormones ( Seratonin Endorphines )
• Increased Athletic Performance and Reduction of Injuries

I will go into detail on how massage affects these areas in later posts.
See you then: )
Tracy McIntyre LMT