Massage for Inflammation

Inflammation gets the blame for many illnesses and rightly so. But you might wonder if all inflammation is bad, and the short answer is NO.

Excess inflammation however puts a lot of stress and pressure on your body, which means it’s self-healing functions cannot work properly. And then symptoms and conditions like in the list below show up:

• Brain fog, Anxiety, Depression

• Chronic Pain

• Autoimmune Conditions

• Redness in your face or skin, or other skin concerns

• Fluid retention

• Poor sleep quality

• Weak immune system

• Hormonal issues

• Digestive problems

• Asthma

• + more

Think of the Excess Inflammation deriving from things like constant Mental Stress from high cortisol and adrenaline levels as your body frequents in the Sympathetic State of ‘Fight or Flight’ Mode; overlooked or ignored Food Sensitivities (often to blame are gluten, dairy or soy); excess Environmental Toxins such as Alcohol, Sugar, Food Preservatives, Chemical loaded cleaning products and beauty products, Air Pollution, Chemicals from unfiltered water; all of which are building up in your body, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.

Ideally you want to minimise these Toxins and your overall inflammation levels to help your body maintain optimum health, and have the capacity to health itself when a stressor hits. This stressor could be a virus or bacteria, because if you’re highly inflamed your body may be too weak to fight it and you’ll end up sick!

When it comes to Inflammation that is considered ‘normal’, think of stiffness and soreness that shows up after a workout or a massage. This is inflammation but we can consider it ‘good inflammation’ as it’s the body’s response to the stress (from the workout or massage), and it’s aiding in adaption, alignment, progress and performance benefits for you.

If you think your body is highly inflamed and it’s self healing functions are hindered consider the following:

• Get adequate high quality sleep daily, since much of the body's repair and regeneration occurs during sleep.

• Eat a nutritious diet made up of a variety of whole foods and reduce or eliminate alcohol, sugar, packaged foods, and foods you are sensitive to.

• Move your body daily, even walking helps increase blood flow and remove toxins.

• Try to improve your mindset and lower your stress levels. Consider mindfulness activities like yoga, breath-work and meditation to increase oxygen levels and decrease your cortisol and adrenaline levels. Same goes for other relaxation activities such as Massage.

• Experience Lymphatic Drainage Massage. This specific Massage style which I offer targets your Lymphatic System (aka your body’s sewage system), to speed up the removal of toxins and inflammation, balance fluid levels and give your immune system a boost.

Managing your inflammation levels and implementing these lifestyle habits above are key to maintaining the body’s self-healing abilities and keeping yourself well.

Written by Tarren Hehir

For her Massage Clients in Fitzroy, Clifton Hill, Abbotsford, Carlton North, Collingwood, Richmond, Fitzroy North, Carlton, East Melbourne, North Melbourne, South Melbourne, West Melbourne, Northcote, Thornbury, Preston, Coburg, South Yarra.