Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/14740
For some people, massage and bodywork are a critical part of their health and wellness strategy—an idea medical professionals are increasingly embracing. In a recent online survey, massage devotees talked about their commitment to regular massage therapy. These folks find a way to afford it, regardless of other demands on their resources. BEST LIFE “Getting massage has been part of my life since I was in my 20s—I’m now in my 50s,” says Los Angeles chef Gisele Perez. Once a modern dancer and now proprietor of a boutique catering company, she considers massage necessary to the career she loves. She finds massage helps resolve problems she’s grappling with and that solutions arise spontaneously in her thoughts while she’s on the table. “I think it maintains my emotional balance,” she says. Many massage clients report cathartic experiences when they finally allow themselves to fully relax. With so much of our lives devoted to what one spiritual guru calls “efforting,” it’s nice to know that letting go of it all can be just as productive, perhaps even more so. Author Tricia Greaves of Los Angeles set a goal to have weekly massage and has followed through with it for four years. “I don’t spend a lot of money on myself in general, but massage is vital to my emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being,” she says. “When I’m through with a massage, I feel like everything is fine, everything will work out, and the spinning world does not rest on my shoulders.” Some have come to massage because of injuries and found unexpected blessings in their situations. While many first-time massage clients have become acquainted with massage because of referrals from health professionals, there’s no need to wait for an injury to prompt you into forming the massage habit. “I consider professional massage therapy an essential part of my best-life design,” says author and psychologist Mollie Marti, who suffered a whiplash injury several years ago in a car accident. “It’s been worth every penny,” she says of the work that has improved her range of motion and relieved muscle soreness, as well as offered deep relaxation, greater alertness and clarity, and a heightened sense of well-being. “I feel better and am happier and more at peace.” Professional athletes also use massage strategically before events to help them 8 Body Sense “practically a sneeze,” yet she manages to get a monthly massage. “My first massage was only 30 minutes, but I fell in love,” she says. “It’s worth it because it makes me happy.” Being happy is only part of it, since studies show an ever-increasing number of health benefits massage affords (see “Massage for a Healthier You,” page 9). This achieve their best. Research also shows muscles recover more quickly after a workout. For weekend warriors, a massage can help recovery, or also serve as a reward for sticking with an exercise program. That’s doubling the return on your investment. Research shows the cost of a massage has remained fairly steady in recent years, even as other popular pastimes have become more expensive. “Affording it” is a matter of priorities, or at least that’s the way 22-year- old Elizabeth Sosa Bailey sees it. She calls her modest Houston public radio station salary autumn/winter 2010