The Rub Down II

Tomorrow - We will be at the beach!

As we are vacationing with my fella's family - I have invited his mother to join me at the local spa for a massage if she wishes. Then, during the quick check of the e-mail I received an alert for a weekend course at the Swedish Institute to be Certified in Infant Massage through training by Loving Touch. This made me want to do a little research...

Massage is healthful for anyone at any age, but how does it break down?

The Journal of Neuroscience reports that Massage accelerates brain development and the maturation of visual function in babies. Linda Storm (Executive Director of Infant Massage USA) Shares Infant massage stimulates all of the systems of the baby's body. Hormones released during massage help babies relax. The massage promotes bonding and provides relief from pain, gas, colic and constipation. Infant Massage has been practiced in many cultures for centuries, but the US wasn't as aware of the benefits until the 1970's. Massage Today said that the 1990's saw an expansion of infant massage into hospital-based inpatient and outpatient programs...The growing popularity of infant massage paralleled an increase in research to study the effects of touch on infants, including its effect on premature babies; babies exposed to cocaine; children with autism; and even parents with postpartum depression.

AMTA adds info on a little bit of an older crowd:

Massage for health reasons finds a strong audience among the young and old But Baby boomers most likely to seek massage for medical/health benefits:
• Among those who’ve had a massage in the last five years, 41 percent of those 55-64 and 44 percent of those over 64 received their last massage for medical/health reasons.
• Younger Americans, aged 18-24, were the next group most likely to seek massage for health reasons; 34 percent reporting having a massage for medical/health reasons.
• Twenty-three percent of those in the 25-34 age group reported getting a massage in the last five years for medical/health reasons.

I have already found many articles the details of Massage Therapy being helpful with specific issues in all ages: Depression, Cancer, AIDS and much more. I look forward to learning more and sharing that research with you soon.