The technique of Swedish massage uses five basic strokes: sliding or gliding, kneading, rhythmic tapping, cross fiber and rhythmic shaking. Research shows it is helpful for individuals who have poor circulation. By flushing the tissues of the lactic acid, uric acid and other metabolic wastes building up during an injury, circulation to the area is increased without increasing the load on the heart.

Stress
Swedish massage helps stimulate the skin and nervous system and reduces both emotional and physical stress. In fact, some psychologists suggest a regular program of Swedish massage for stress management.

Effleurage
This type of massage uses a sliding or gliding technique. While doing this technique the masseuse uses long, sweeping strokes covering more than one area. Although it makes one feel like your muscles are being broken down the purpose is to connect one part of the body to the others and is always done in a direction toward the heart.

Relaxation
The therapist makes the muscles relax by using friction to warm up the area being treated. Where other massage techniques may use warm stones or heated towels the Swedish massage therapist makes use of a friction technique by rubbing the palms of her hands vigorously on the surface of the skin or by rubbing her palms together and then laying them on the skin.

Petrissage
The act of kneading and squeezing the muscles of the body is known as petrissage. This technique does not target or focus on any particular part but allows for deeper and more penetrating affects.

Tapottement
Sometimes called rhythmic tapping,these strokes aim to energize the area of the body that is being treated. This technique is done by chopping the area with the sides of the hands or hitting it rhythmically with a fisted hand depending upon the desired results and the strength of the masseuse.

Traction
Usually in the last part of her routine,the therapist stretches muscles that are already relaxed and warmed up. This involves pulling at arms and legs and, interestingly, sometimes at the head.

Vibration
This is the last technique a Swedish massage therapists will use. It is used to shake the area that is being treated and is done by moving the heel of the hand and sometimes the fingers forward and backward across the skin to loosen up muscles in a particular area.

Some of these techniques may be tried at home to relax and calm yourself.  Just take care never to massage over areas that are injured, bruised, infected or have an open wound.

Special Treats for After your Massage:

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Since I began using Invisi-vein with Calendula extract and essential oils, I have noticed the varicose and spider veins in my legs are a lot less noticeable and are flattening out. My legs have more energy and stamina. This product was highlighted in the November, 2006 issue of Canadian Living Magazine by writer Julie Hunter. If you have tired, achy legs check this out!

Hot baths do warrant a word of caution before we continue here.  Check the temperature carefully. While we say “hot bath” the water would feel better if it was warm to the touch but not scalding. It is hard to relax when you are sustaining third-degree burns.

Also, if you suffer from any condition where hot baths are contraindicated, don’t attempt them. This goes for pregnancy as well as if you have circulatory issues. You don’t want to faint and fall as you get out of the tub, because this can cause serious injury.

With that said, let’s return to the benefits of a hot bath. It is not just the water alone but what you add to it that can help with such conditions as:

* Anxiety and stress
* Colds and sinus issues
* Sore, aching muscles
* Dry, itchy skin

The steam coming off of the water acts like a humidifier. If you close your bathroom door and let the room fill up with steam as you run the bath, you are on your way to a soothing experience.

For stress and anxiety there are certain herbs that have been used for centuries as calming agents. Take lavender, for example. It is known to soothe the mind and in turn, relieve stress in the body.  Using lavender oils and bath salts in your water will help your stress to ebb away. Your problems won’t disappear but you will be better able to handle them.

Using eucalyptus will help with that pesky cold you feel coming on. Again, the humidifier effect of the water and the eucalyptus can help to open nasal passages for freer breathing.

Your body can build up toxins from simple daily life. Soaking in a bath with Epsom salts can help to leech these toxins out of your system. Hot water helps to dilate blood vessels for better blood flow and lowers blood pressure. Muscles benefit from this because they are able to relax which aids in recovery from soreness.

Using bath oils helps to moisturize your skin. In the winter, this is especially important as skin tends to be on the dry side.  If you have dry skin, you won’t need to soak as long in the water, but soothing oils will nourish your skin as you bathe.

Ready to soak your cares away? A hot bath may be just what the doctor ordered.  Besides the candles and soft music, try a few bath salts, scented oils and herbs to heal whatever might ail you.

Special Treats for After your Bath:

Would you like to repair cells and fight the free radical damage to your skin? Venus Naturals makes a 100% all-natural intensive cream with Rosa Mosqueta from the Andes Mountains in Chile. It reduces and eliminates stretch marks and brown age spots on photo-aged or sun-damaged skin.

Since I began using Invisi-vein with Calendula extract and essential oils, I have noticed the varicose and spider veins in my legs are a lot less noticeable and are flattening out. My legs have more energy and stamina. This product was highlighted in the November, 2006 issue of Canadian Living Magazine by writer Julie Hunter. If you have tired, achy legs check this out!

If you like aerobic exercise, you should grab a partner and have a blast with one of the basic erobic videos. Or, you can simply go out for a walk and enjoy spending time together. As you may have heard, walking really is the best overall exercise you can do for your health. As long as
you have a pair of walking shoes, you’ll be fine.

As you go through your daily activities, make it a point to walk a little farther, bend down and pick something up without using a pick up stick or moving the item towards you with your foot. While you are sitting, you should also do some simple and quick stretches for your neck and shoulders.

If you enjoy sitting around watching television, you should consider buying a jogging board. These padded boards will make running, jumping, or walking in place less stressful on your knees and joints. They are easy to store as well and also very portable.

In many people’s opinions, jogging boards are the best pieces of equipment you can buy. They are also far cheaper than bulky treadmills and stationary bikes.

There are several different exercises that you can do to help you eliminate the stress in your life. Walking is by far the best, as you can easily lose yourself and your troubles by walking. Even if it is just around the block, walking can do wonders for your health as well as stress.

If you have a lot of stress in your life, you may want to consider a gym. working out then sitting in the sauna is also a good way to relieve tension. If your gym has a pool, you may find swimming to be very beneficial as well, as it helps you to relax.

We don’t want this situation because glutamine then becomes what is considered as ‘conditionally essential’. Simply stated, even though your body can make glutamine, there are times when your body’s need for glutamine is greater than its ability to produce glutamine.

During periods of stress, including extreme exercise, glutamine is literally torn away from the muscles. This weakening can cause muscle wasting while also lowering your immune function. This results in the need to replenish the depleted amounts following exercise, as well as prior to bedtime.

There are many positive uses for glutamine. Not only is it used by athletes and body builders after intense training sessions, but there are several medical uses as well. Over the past fifteen years or so there has been extensive study on the usefulness of glutamine in the treatment of serious illnesses, burns, trauma, wound healing in post-operative patients, as well as cancer and the side-effects of its treatment.

Glutamine can be abundantly found in the proteins of both animals and plants. Some of the dietary sources of glutamine include poultry, beef and pork, cottage and ricotta cheeses, milk and yogurt. The vegetables with fairly high levels of glutamine are raw spinach, parsley and cabbage. If you eat a lot of these foods you will not need as much glutamine.

The higher the amount of protein found in the foods you consume, the more glutamine you are consuming. If you are concerned about not consuming enough glutamine, most quality whey-protein supplements or shakes include supplemental glutamine. The same goes for many of the quality meal-replacement products. They contain on average two grams of glutamine in every serving.

Any athletes participating in sports requiring strength, speed, and endurance (hockey players, football players, bike racers, and skiers), normally use glutamine to assist them in increasing or maintaining muscle mass, especially during periods of intense training. Any extreme-endurance athletes like marathon runners also benefit from glutamine supplements, since it has the potential to prevent muscle-tissue breakdown while supporting the immune system during potential periods of trauma or stress.

Research has shown that supplementing with glutamine — a white, chalky, odorless, slightly sweet powder — could help us maximize muscle growth while increasing fat loss. Glutamine could in fact increase levels of growth hormone, which could lead to a greater level of muscle gain or fat loss. In one particular study it has been shown how just two grams of glutamine can cause a significant increase in the levels of the growth-hormone. 

Unlike other sports supplements, you won’t have to worry about glutamine having any effect on your hormone levels. There should not be any negative side effects to glutamine supplementation for body building as long as you stay within the recommended dosage.

 The amount of Glutamine you take really depends on the amount you work out and your diet. I recommend that you take between 5 – 10 grams per day. Other people say to take 20-25 grams a day, but it makes sense to start with a low amount such as 5 grams and then adjust higher if you feel it is necessary.

 If you’re doing any type of serious workout definitely think about taking a glutamine supplement. Also, if you’re experiencing any type of stressful situation or if you’re fighting off a cold or flu – glutamine can be very effective. 

The right amount of glutamine in your diet can protect your muscles from breakdown and keep your immune system functioning well. If you’re the type of person that tends to be extremely involved in various sports and activities, or is under frequent stress, like many of us these days, taking glutamine is a relatively simple way to keep your health in check.