BEAUTY KLINIC

Though it may be hard for some to understand, massage is stressful. For those of us who are reluctant to lay semi-nude on a table and be grabbed by total strangers, massage is a far from a pleasant, relaxing prospect. On the contrary, it can be a very stressful one, bordering on panic inducing. I suppose it has everything to do with body image and what not, but the thought of a strangers oily hands on my back is not one I readily relish.

As a viable therapy, massage enjoys the distinction of being a time-honored one. We can see the depiction of massage in a number of Roman, Greek, India, Chinese, and even Thai murals and texts. It was, and still is, seen as a viable means of therapy. Indeed, even modern Western medicine can cite the effectiveness of massage, though most literature on the matter claims it is a perceived benefit, not necessarily an actual one. We perceive, therefore we are.

Massage, by definition, is the rubbing of the soft tissue of the body, which includes the muscles, skin, joints, ligaments, and even the internal organs. This “rubbing” can be done with a mechanical gadget or a part of the body, such as the forearm or thumbs or even the feet. Applying pressure to the soft tissue can release tension, reduce stress and therefore lower blood pressure. It can also facilitate the flow of lactic acid, reducing recovery times from strenuous activity. There is a reason athletes all get massages after each game or event.

The sheer number of types of massage is enough to make a shy man (or woman) blush. How is a person to choose between Breema, visceral manipulation, Shiatsu, Rolfing, and so on? Well, lets starts with certifications. Presently, only Shiatsu enjoys the distinction of being a licensed medical practice…in Japan. Still, the Japanese must onto something. Of course, a massage therapist must be licensed through a state agency, so whatever they happen to specialize in should be safe enough.

If all this talk of soft tissues and oils and semi-nudity is too much for you, you can simply invest in any number of high-powered personal massagers and call it a night. There are a variety of devices that can vibrate your stress away. Granted there is something unmistakable and even, perhaps, magical about the touch of another human, but for those of us who are the shy types, it’s just the ticket to peace of mind.

Stress takes a toll on our bodies and minds. It can be very harmful to our well being. It is proven that it can cause us to be physically ill. It breaks down or immunities, increases wrinkles and can make our hair turn gray way before it’s time.

Not only can stress have a major impact on you physically it can also affect your emotional state. Stress can make you irritable, impatient and down right angry. It can make us forgetful and we just do not think straight when we are stressed.

One thing that stress can impact and should not be ignored is the medical conditions it can actually lead to. Frequent headaches, aches and pains. High blood pressure, weight gain, diabetes, digestive and respiratory problems. Mental disorders, hormone imbalance as well as frequent colds.

It is imporatant to recognize negative stress and how you relate to it. You need to recognize how you handle the stress. You do not want to ignore the red flags of stress and wait until it has caused so much physical and mental damage that it is no longer under control.

Stress naturally occurs through out life. We can not avoid stress all the time. We can not control a death or a job loss all the time. A serious accident or financial woes can not always be avoided. This is why it is more important to learn coping skills to lessen the affects of stress.

While we can not fix the situations sometimes we can do things to minimize the stress on ourselves. Different things work for different folks. You just have to try some and see what works best for you. Maybe it is medication or yoga, physical exercise or breathing techniques and maybe even counseling or a support group.

Stress has many different faces. Yu should learn to recognize all of them. Stress can come from a more emotional side. Guilt, worry, self defeat and jeolusy can all impose stress. It could also be physicall such as no sleep, working too many hours or excessive alcohol use.

In conclusion stress can change who we are as a person. We do not have to let stress rule us though. we can find positive ways to meet the challenges of the stressors that present themselves in our lives. We can learn to reduce stress and in essence prolong our lives and live happily ever after.

After the many years I spent under the cloud of impending doom suffering from a severe long episode of major depression I believe they were the worst and the best in my life.

Allow me to explain and please don’t think I am under the influence of something because I am not, never been. Those years were indeed the worst but when I finally started getting and feeling better I came to realize that I came out stronger and more “philosophical” so to speak.

You may wonder “yeah right”. But please believe me, after feeling so bad and desperate for not seeing results according to my wishes (you know, one wants to get better NOW or BY YESTERDAY), I had some time to think about life and its intricacies.

It’s strange how much time I wasted trying to figure out why and why me?, but when I started focusing on what could I do to get better?, things started to change for the good, slowly but changing nevertheless.

Major depressive disorder (also known as clinical depression, major depression, unipolar depression, or unipolar disorder) is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Persons dealing with major depression want to do nothing and stay in bed all day.

The term “major depressive disorder” was selected by the American Psychiatric Association for this symptom cluster under mood disorders in the 1980 version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) classification, and has become widely used since.

The general term depression is often used to describe the disorder, but as it is also used to describe a depressed mood, more precise terminology is preferred in clinical and research use.

Major depression is a disabling condition which adversely affects a person’s family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. In the United States, approximately 3.4% of people with major depression commit suicide, and up to 60% of all people who commit suicide have depression or another mood disorder.

The diagnosis of major depressive disorder is based on the patient’s self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives or friends, and a mental status exam.

There is no laboratory test for major depression, although physicians generally request tests for physical conditions that may cause similar symptoms. The most common time of onset is between the ages of 30 and 40 years, with a later peak between 50 and 60 years. Major depression is reported about twice as frequently in women as in men, although men are at higher risk for suicide.

There is no way to fully understand why things happen the way they do, but when facing life challenges, face them head on and with faith, trust and help from family, friends and health care professionals or alternative practitioners.

I still have a long way ahead of me, I know. But I trust that if I ever face another episode of major depression, chances are I will be more prepared physically and mentally.

The biggest lesson of all, to ask for help. You don’t have to face your depression all by yourself. This mental illness is tough enough to do so. Seek help and support.

You can discover all over and with the fast-paced life that people endure these days, stress is part of our daily lives. As a matter of fact, people are so used to it that they deal with it as a regular everyday natural event but stress, when not managed right, can lead to all sorts of health problems, fundamental of which is heart troubles. This is particularly true with individuals who have had family history of heart problems.

This is particularly true with individuals who have had family history of heart conditions. Managing Stress is nevertheless, actually simple to do when you make an effort, so if you keep in mind to keep it from happening, you can in reality live a tension-free life or at the very least be able to cope with it simply because after all, dealing with tension is stressful in itself. You don’t actually need to go to particular lengths to release the tension - you can do away with it by preventing its occurrence to begin with. Read some more and you might just stop those creases from turning up.

Tension is so usual these days that its expected by everyone, so its advisable that you ready yourself for the big problems and let go of the tinier, insignificant ones. You can only do this if you maintain an organized life because just looking for your misplaced pencil in the workplace can produce stress, not to mention, make you lose your concentration. Don’t let that take place, so keep your life arranged and it will ensure you are more ready to handle the bigger ones.

It is not true that creative succusses only appear when we are in a rush, it’s just they come out during those peiods because we are driven to think. With enough self-control, we can surely think of creative constructs without straining ourselves for lack of time and by beginning quickly it will also ensure that you won’t have to hurry when you are working on a job. You will be able to take some time and really consider what you are trying to achieve and this should stop you from getting too tense, but, also allow you to produce great constructive work.

Tension levels will seldom involve you provided you are ready for it, health-wise. You see, when you are fit, healthy and is full of vitality, you are just about protected from the effects of stress such as the lowering of energy levels, nervous breakdown and frequently, even heart problems. This can only be done by living healthily through eating on the right sorts of nutrients and having the requisite sleep each day.

If you believe that you are already drawing close to your collapsing point, don’t be stupid and take a rest because this will do you far more good as it will aid you reload and de-tension yourself. If you’re too engaged, don’t put it off as doing so will only make the tension build up inside you until you become too stressed out to even be productive. This is the reason why employers give vacation leave so that people can take a while to relax and regain their former vigor levels, and productive selves.

At the risk of sounding like a complete Big Sur hippie, I feel I have to make the case for something called zone therapy, otherwise known as reflexology. I know what youre thinking: James, you’ve done it again. Yes, perhaps I have. But so what? This ancient therapy does not require the use of any special crystals or ethereal pan flute music. All that’s required is a semi-open mind and your bare hands and feet.

Reflexology is something like a hand or foot massage, in fact, it’s just like a hand or foot massage. The only difference is the intentionality of the masseuse. A reflexologist is trained to correspond points on your hands and feet (and sometimes ears) to certain organs or functions of the body. For instance, the hollow of the foot is said to correspond to your stomach. Have a stomach ache? Have that part of your foot rubbed.

I know this sounds rather strange, far-fetched even, but the esteemed journal, Neuroscience Letters, claims that there is indeed a neural link between the brain and the foot. Of course, I would say, how else are we able to walk? Thanks, I′ll be here all week! But seriously, folks, there is something to be said for this form of therapy. I know because it worked for me. My chronic headaches, which bordered on migraines, have abated since I started getting my hands rubbed.

Outlandish, sure. Insane, perhaps. But the bottom line: it works for me. It could work for you. It’s like Tai Chi — some people swear they can feel the chi running through their bodies. Other people punch people like that in the stomach and laugh. It’s hard to say and I do sympathize with those of you who are creeped out by other people touching their hands and feet.

So, for the sake of forgoing the touch of another human, you could get yourself a foot massager. You can find models that are electric (and hence vibrating) or wooden (and do nothing but get mashed into your soft spots). The vibrating ones get the job done and even come with warm water jets and DVD players. I′m just kidding about the DVD players. Either way, it’s something that may work for some people out there, and if something works, why not give a try?