Studies show a single Swedish massage can boost the immune system exponentially by increasing lymphocytes to help fight infection and bolster immune function. Published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2010, one study found several changes in blood samples post-massage, indicating massage helps increase the production of infection-fighting cells. There was also a decrease in the hormone (arginine vasopressin) that corresponds to aggressive behavior. This research confirms the calming effect massage has on the way we feel and the way we act.
Are you catching a germ? Get a massage! Overwhelmed, anxious, a little hostile? Get a massage!
If those aren’t enough good, sound reasons, what would you think of massage as weight control? A stress hormone that can also lead to weight gain (cortisol) decreased in blood samples taken after massage. This hormone is often responsible for the excess of abdominal flab that plagues so many. Hang on! Is this research saying massage helps us lose weight? This is a dream come true! Not only can massage boost our immunity, decrease our stress, and soothe us, but it can also help us lose weight?! Actually, many factors contribute to weight gain, but hormones help determine where we store the weight. The stress-caused weight that creeps up along the waist-line can, in fact, be cortisol related. And that’s where massage can step in to help.
Clearly, there is impressive research indicating many physiological benefits of massage. Include massage as part of your healthy lifestyle–especially this time of year when immune boosting tune-ups can improve your health and wellbeing and allow for a truly happy holiday season.