Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/14740
And whose careers and lives aren’t stressful these days? Even when we are doing jobs we love, there’s a stress factor in being challenged. It’s positive stress, but it sets off the chemicals in our bodies that help us function at our best. If we’re not happy in our work, it’s so much the worse on our health and well-being. Christine Stump used to work as a full- time paramedic and continues in a part-time capacity after adding yoga teacher to her career. Massage is how she maintains her emotional balance and avoids injuries that have disabled her coworkers in the “adrenaline-soaked world of emergency services,” she says. “I process my experiences with greater ease,” Stump says. “My monthly massage is a tremendous reset button.” “ Former ballet dancer Luis Perez of Miami, Florida, has been getting massage twice that long. With 20 years of twice-weekly massage, he works in health and fitness, putting his money where his mouth is. “I have given myself permission to make myself a priority,” Perez says. “Sometimes I use the time to think and reflect and other times I simply ‘check out’ and allow my battery to recharge. I believe strongly that massage is an integral part of who I am and where I am today.” Frankie Picasso first found massage after a motorcycle accident, spending five and a half months in the hospital because of broken bones. Now a writer toiling away at a keyboard, as well as working as a pain coach, she was also in the middle of a divorce and other life issues when the accident happened. A nurse ordered thrice- Many people make massage a priority, and you may well be one of them. Know that you have chosen something with real value that benefits your health— both in body and mind. A SELF-CARE EXPERIENCE Author and teacher Charlie Adler of Washington, D.C., has been getting regular massage for 10 years, admitting that perhaps he enjoys his job a little too much. Adler is a full-time instructor in wine and cooking and can’t help but enjoy the fruits of his—and his students’—labor. Committed to holistic medicine, he says: “Massage is disease prevention for me. It seems wrong to me to wait until you get sick to go to a doctor.” The 47-year-old reports he often falls asleep in the middle of his session. “As a ranked expenditure, massage is up very high,” he says. “It has a higher importance than going out to eat and cable TV … I rank massage equivalent with faith or religion, or maybe as one component of my belief system. I have missed massage for as long as three weeks just once in 10 years,” he says. weekly massage and it reduced her need for prescription drugs by half. “I think everyone can benefit from massage,” she says. Many people make massage a priority, and you may well be one of them. Know that you have chosen something with real value that benefits your health—both in body and mind. B Nora Brunner is the public relations specialist for Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals. Contact her at nora@abmp.com. S 10 Body Sense autumn/winter 2010