STONE THERAPY

HOT STONE THERAPY

Go to any spa these days for a bit of ‘Me Time’ and you can be sure that stone therapy will be one of the therapies utilised on you.

History of Hot Stone Therapy :
Hot Stone Therapy has been used by healers as far back as recorded history. The deeply radiant heating effect of the stones was discovered to be very soothing and calming, allowing the body to utilize the energy from the stones to assist in healing itself. It has roots from ancient Rome, India, Polynesia, as well as the early South, Central, and North American Native Civilizations.


What is it?
Hot Stone Therapy is, as the name implies, massage using basalt lava stones which have been heated in a temperature controlled and monitored hot water bath. Basalt lava stones are preferred because of their superior heat retention and smooth texture. Although the specific techniques vary from therapist to therapist, a treatment will generally consist of a combination of stones being placed in various positions on the body in conjunction with alternating Classic Swedish techniques, utilizing both the hands, and the stones as an extension of the hands.


A Hot Stone Massage has many benefits, such as:
· Increasing blood circulation.
· Allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
· Dissolves aches and pains attributed to stress.
· Relaxes you and relieves tension, calms the nervous system.Relieves insomnia, depression, and pain.

Hot stone massage therapy is sought by people you have:
· Cold feet
· Muscle tension
· Back pain and aches
· Poor circulation
· Osteoarthritis and arthritis pain
· Stress, anxiety and tension
· Insomnia
· Depression

Hot stone therapy is a wonderful treat for the body. It is very rewarding with lots of benefits. Hot stone massages can be found at almost every medical spa around the globe. This therapy is also offered at regular day spas and at vacation destination spa resorts. Everyone needs a break from time to time. Taking the time to get a hot stone massage is worth both the time and money. You will be able to relax, release, and rejuvenate. Reconnecting with you is priceless.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BACK

Poor posture, a sore neck, and aching back muscles don’t happen overnight.Blame it on the eight hours each day we spend at work hunched over a computer, followed by the additional five hours spent slouching on the couch watching television. Regardless, our posture is shot, and our backs are aching in response.

Here are some tips for Back care :-
▪Always stretch before exercise or other strenuous physical activity.

▪ Don’t slouch when standing or sitting. When standing, keep your weight balanced on your feet. Your back supports weight most easily when curvature is reduced.

▪ At home or work, make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you.

▪ Sit in a chair with good lumbar support and proper position and height for the task. Keep your shoulders back. Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around the office or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension. A pillow or rolled-up towel placed behind the small of your back can provide some lumbar support. If you must sit for a long period of time, rest your feet on a low stool or a stack of books.

▪ Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

▪ Sleep on your side to reduce any curve in your spine. Always sleep on a firm surface.

▪ Ask for help when transferring an ill or injured family member from a reclining to a sitting position or when moving the patient from a chair to a bed.

▪ Don’t try to lift objects too heavy for you. Lift with your knees, pull in your stomach muscles, and keep your head down and in line with your straight back. Keep the object close to your body. Do not twist when lifting.

▪ Maintain proper nutrition and diet to reduce and prevent excessive weight, especially weight around the waistline that taxes lower back muscles. A diet with sufficient daily intake of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D helps to promote new bone growth.

THE BODY PUMPIMG STATION NEEDS CARE

HEART CARE
"Powering the heartbeat of life itself."
From the moment it begins beating until the moment it stops, the human heart works tirelessly. In an average lifetime, the heart beats more than two and a half billion times, without ever pausing to rest. Like a pumping machine, the heart provides the power needed for life.
So just imagine the amount of care should be taken for the heart.

-Eat Your Beans
Eat your beans! Nutrient compounds called 'flavonoids' have been found to be effective antioxidants that help protect against heart disease and cancer. These flavonoids are found in the coating of such beans as navy, pintos, kidney, great northern and black beans.

-Heart Disease
New Test for Predicting Heart Disease: If you're over 40 and have any family history of heart disease, take heart! A new speedy scan warns patients of cardiac problems before they have a heart attack. This test could save your life. Most heart attacks are the first and last warning a person gets. The newly devised test is the electron beam tomography (EBT) that takes 3D pictures that point out calcium in coronary arteries, a known predictor of heart disease. The test is not offered everywhere yet so if you qualify, ask your doctor where it's available.

-Optimize Your Heart Rate
Depending on your age, level of conditioning, and your fitness goals, you should train in a particular heart-rate zone. Beginners should try to elevate their heart rate to 50%-60% of their maximum while intermediates and advanced should shoot for 70%-85% of their max. The higher your heart rate, the more calories you will burn and the more fit you can become. To figure your maximum heart rate, simply subtract your age from 220. For example, if you're 30 years old, you would have a maximum heart rate of 190. To work at 70% of your maximum heart rate, you would shoot for a heart rate of approximately 133 beats per minute (0.7 x 190). You can also count bpm (beats per minute) in 10-second increments and then multiply by six.

-Eat Well
Regular, nutritious meals are a must for recovery. A healthy diet is prevention for the family and maintenance for the patient. Plan changes together ... one step at a time. Moderation is the key.

-Get Adequate Sleep
Rest frequently and take short naps to compensate for fitful or disrupted sleep at night. Respect the pace of your energy returning. Don't count how many hours you've slept ... let how you feel be your guide. New sleep patterns will become normal with time.

-Walk Everyday
Your spirit is refreshed by the warmth of the sun and the earth underfoot. Walking with your mate is a special activity you can do together. Regular and moderate exercise is essential for you to maintain good health. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

-Relax
Breathe fully and deeply, listen to beautiful music, laugh aloud and find something to feel grateful about each day as you journey through recovery. Cultivate a positive attitude about the stresses you face. Have fun! You deserve to take time every day to feed your soul.

-Cholesterol Help
Moderate aerobic exercise for 4 hours a week was shown to improve cholesterol profiles even when no weight loss occurred, in a study in Clinical Exercise Physiology. Other work indicates that consistent regular exercise has the best effect on cholesterol. So don't do your 4 hours all at once.

-Controlling Blood Pressure
People with high blood pressure can benefit from aerobic exercise. A 45-minute run can lower blood pressure for up to 24 hours. If you can't go that far, start with what you can and move up. Other aerobic exercise can also help. Choose what you enjoy. New research shows strength training also helps control blood pressure.

-Exercise And Cholesterol
Exercise can help improve your cholesterol levels, even if you don't lose weight.

-Heart Failure And Exercise
Most people with heart failure, a weakened heart muscle, can improve their endurance and activity levels through aerobic exercise. Get clearance from your doctor before you start.

-Heart Wealth
You can strengthen your heart and help yourself live longer and healthier with aerobic exercise. However, if you clog up your arteries by eating too much saturated fat, you can defeat your best efforts.

-Weight Training And Your Heart
Weight training can help your heart and is even being recommended to people with some heart disease. When your muscles are stronger, your heart doesn't have to work so hard when you do things like lifting, pushing, or shoveling. Heart rate and blood pressure response stay lower when a load is lifted after weight training is undertaken.

So take care of your heart......

GLOWING SKIN

SKIN CARE

Do you remember when you were a child and your skin had that natural glow? Even as a teenager, skipping the pimple phase, you had beautiful skin. Then when you turned older you looked in the mirror one day and asked yourself, what happened to my glowing skin?
What happened to that glowing skin is it's not naturally glowing anymore: it needs your help. You are at the age where you have to make some type of effort to get and keep that glow. If we were smart, we would start taking care of our skin much sooner, but most of us don't. We wait until we wake up one day and realize we don't look like that child or teenager anymore.
The most famous remedy for glowing skin is "water". It is boon to mankind from Mother nature.Water has detoxifying properties which helps the cleaning of the skin. So drink as much water as you can...

Some more ways by which you can achieve the glowing skin :-

• Mix oats with honey, yogurt and ground almonds. Apply this in your face, leave it for five minutes and wash with lukewarm water
• Cucumber is a natural cleanser. Mix cucumber juice with milk and use it instead of a cleanser
• Mix half-a-cup honey to your bath water for soft and smooth skin
• Carrot juice applied daily fades blemishes.
• Apply honey on your face and neck for 20 minutes. Wash it with cold water. Your skin will glow and become soft and smooth.
• Mash a banana with milk and apply on face and leave it for 20 minutes. Wash it with cold water to get a skin that will glow

Some important things to remember -

1. After every shower apply moisturiser, else your skin will become dry and this gives an open invitation to wrinkles.
2. However tired you are do not forget to remove your make-up before going to bed.
3. Apply an eye-gel every night.
4. Try to get a sound sleep , else your stress can harm your skin.

On the whole have a good diet full of fruits , vegetables, green leafy ones, fruit and vegetable juices with very less sugar or without sugar use jaggery instead..use less oil , cut down coffee , tea,choclates ,chips , soda keep lots of gap eating them drink milk , buttermilk, curds , lots of water ... keep the mind cool do yoga , pranayama, and stretching exercises with walk or jog on alternate days .. sweat it out... and have a good sleep... and have a good routine...