Healthy Everytime

Getting a massage can be an enlightening event. Whether you are stressed out, in a rut or just need a bit of me time, a massage can give you that moment while also cleaning out toxins and relaxing tensed up muscles in your back, neck and throughout the body.

Picture a massage and you, me and everyone else thinks of the version with a faintly Eastern feel to it. While such images are certainly correct, there are actually many styles of massages out there. In fact, the most popular is not Eastern at all.

One of the more common massages is the Swedish massage. This is a good introductory massage for beginners. Therapist use long, smooth strokes and circular motions in combination with lotions to relax surface muscles. A very relaxing massage.

And then there is the serious massage. Yes, the deep tissue. This massage is designed to get at the tension and knots deep down in your muscles. Strokes are strong and slow. It is designed to give you good results, not a good experience while it is occurring.

A deep tissue massage is not for the light hearted. You are going to groan and whimper. It takes serious pressure to get at the tension and knots in your deep muscles. There is a great payoff however. You will feel like a million bucks once it is done.

Next up we have the massage from Thailand. This can be a confusing massage the first time. It is done on a padded floor and involves the twisting and stretching of your body. It is designed to align energy points. When done properly, results are tremendous.

I am a huge fan of a properly done Thai massage. The problem is finding a therapist that does an authentic version. If you love a quality massage, I strongly suggest you take a trip to Thailand once in your life and get an authentic massage. They are less than $20.

Our next massage comes out of Japan and is also very popular. The Shiatsu massage is also designed to treat the energy points in your body. Instead of twisting and bending you, however, it accomplishes this through finger manipulation of your meridians.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the trendy new hot stone massage. As the name suggest, hot flat stones are placed on stressed muscles and the heat relaxes them. A very light massage that I find to be weak, but to each their own.

Having a child is a wonderful thing, but it can work over your body. The pregnancy massage is designed to help eliminate aches, pains and swelling for expectant mothers. This should only be undertaken using a therapist trained in the concept.

At the end of the day, it is pretty hard to go wrong with any particular massage. In one form or another, all massages are designed to give your body a much needed tune up. They certainly achieve such results.