HEALTH   | September 21, 2010  NY TIMES - Science Section
Vital Signs:  Regimens: Massage Benefits Are More Than Skin Deep 
By RONI CARYN RABIN 
"Researchers found that a single session of massage caused biological changes, like increases in oxytocin, a hormone associated with contentment. "

Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress-related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Massage is an effective tool for managing this stress, which translates into:

• Decreased anxiety
• Enhanced sleep quality
• Greater energy
• Improved concentration
• Increased circulation
• Reduced fatigue
• Natural Antidote for Stress

Massage can also help specifically address a number of health issues. Bodywork can:

• Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion
• Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays
• Ease medication dependence
• Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body's natural defense system
• Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles
• Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts
• Improve the condition of the body's largest organ—the skin
• Increase joint flexibility
• Lessen depression and anxiety
• Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks
• Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation
• Reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling
• Reduce spasms and cramping
• Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles
• Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body's natural painkiller
• Relieve migraine pain

GOT PAIN?   Massage is the natural remedy for chronic pain.