Are you excessively tired?
Fatigue and depleted energy could be addressed with weekly Swedish or Thai massages according to researchers at Teeside and Leeds Universities . One in 5 people experience excessive tiredness at any given time, while one in 10 people have chronic fatigue (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2018).
They invited 20 participants with fatigue and/or depleted energy to receive trestments with a massage therapist. The participants all agreed to commit to a six-week study and complete diaries describing how they felt after their treatments. The participants were split into two groups and half of them received three 45-minute sweedish massage treatments and then three Thai massages in weeks 4 ot 6. The treatment order was reversed for the other ten participants.
The results showed that both Swedish and Thai massage relieved symptoms of fatigue or depleted energy by
- reducing stress
- promoting relaxation
- relieving pain
- improving energy
Swedish massage was more effective than Thai massage in improving sleep, promoting relaxation and de-stressing. Thai massage was more energising, rejuvenating and motivating and had longer lasting benefits than Swedish massage.
Note: Vitality Therapy offer relaxing massage (which is our term for Swedish Massage) at Barclays in London.
Reference
https://www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/article/S1360-8592(17)30238-3/abstract?code=yjbmt-site
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Jensen TK, Hjollund NH, Henriksen TB el al 1998 Does moderate alchol consumption affect fertility? Follow up study amoung couples planning first pregnancy British Medical Journal Aug 22; 317(7157):505-10Green BB, Weiss NS, Daling JR 1988 Risk of ovulatory infertility in relation to body weight Fertil Steril Nov;50(5):721-6Harrison RF, O'Moore RR, O'Moore AM 1986 Stress and fertility: some modalities of investigation and treatment in couples with unexplained infertility in Dublin Int J Fertil May-Jun; 31(2):153-9Khalsa HK 2003 Yoga: an adjunct to infertility treatment Fertil Steril Oct;80 Suppl 4:46-51
Hypertension – Lifestyle factors
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Mundane superfoods – part 3
Continue my series (see part 1 and part 2) on swapping exotic superfoods for more readily available and cheaper but just as nutritious alternatives, this week I turn my attention to Wheatgrass.
Chickweed: The New Wheatgrass
As green as any grass you've ever seen, wheatgrass has been a main event in health food circles for decades. People will line up to pay big bucks for a small shot of the stuff, which tastes pretty much like you'd imagine, similar to the aroma of new-mown hay; as one company describes it, "unfamiliar, but not unpleasant." Several of this commodity's features include fighting aging by revitalizing skin cells, cleansing the blood and fighting tumors. Clinical studies show that it contains 90 minerals, 20 essential amino acids, 13 vitamins and 80 enzymes. But it's the 70 percent ratio of chlorophyll, structurally similar to red blood cells (hemoglobin), that makes it a superfood. World Lifestyle notes that once it's absorbed, it converts to hemoglobin, mimicking red blood cells and carrying oxygen to vital areas of your body, and may even kill off cancer cells because "cancer cells can't survive and thrive in oxygen-rich environments." But get this: Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a wild, edible plant growing prolifically in every area of the world other than those that are coldest, like Antarctica. Besides decreasing insect damage to other plants, it's chockfull of many vitamins, minerals and, like wheatgrass, chlorophyll. Chickweed stems and flowers can be used raw in salads and sandwiches, tossed into soups and stews or added to cooked dishes (but at the end as the stems and leaves are delicate). Frontier foragers learned that when they gathered chickweed, almost exclusively in the spring, it was useful as both food and medicine. As a food, Foraged Foodie observes, the raw form is covered with a fine layer of fibers, which are minimized when they're gently chopped and sautéed or wilted. Natural medicine expert Dr. Josh Axe notes:"Chickweed is taken by mouth to treat stomach problems, intestinal complaints such as constipation, disorders of the blood, arthritis, lung diseases including asthma, kidney disorders, inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract, rabies, and scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. It is also used to relieve extreme exhaustion. Chickweed is applied on the skin relieve various skin conditions such as skin wounds, ulcers, burns, arthritis pain and symptoms of eczema."
References Dynamic Greens 2017 World Lifestyle Foraged Foodie March 3, 2016 Dr. Axe February 10, 2014

