Maintaining balance in the body is part of a healthy lifestyle. Massage can help to boost your immunity while reducing pain and stress. Try any of these 5 practices before or after your massage to enhance its benefits and feel well longer. It’s important to have regular bodywork but, let’s face it, most of us can only manage to fit a session in every couple weeks. To help prolong the benefits of massage between each session, here are 5 of our favorite boosting practices:

1. Epsom salt bathes

Soak up the benefits of this healthy mineral! Commonly referred to as Epsom salt, magnesium sulfate has a variety of uses but our favorite is adding a few cups to a relaxing bath. Studies have shown that magnesium and sulfate are both readily absorbed through the skin, making Epsom salt baths an easy and fun way to enjoy the amazing health benefits. Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body, including regulating the activity of over 325 enzymes, reducing inflammation, boosting muscle and nerve function and helping to prevent artery hardening. Sulfates help improve the absorption of nutrients, flush toxins and can help ease migraine headaches. Try soaking after your next massage to boost the relaxing effects.

2. Meditate and relax

Take a few minutes of your day to sit quietly and de-stress. More studies are showing that meditation has an improvement on our well-being. Did you know that a few minutes of meditation a day can lower high blood pressure and even reduce anxiety attacks? And that’s just the beginning! Meditation has proven to decrease tension related pain, such as headaches, insomnia, ulcers and even joint and muscle issues. Clearing the mind can even increase serotonin production which helps to improve our mood and behavior. If that’s not enough to pique your interests, don’t forget that meditation can have other major health benefits and strengthens the immune system. I’ve always felt receiving a massage is quite meditative in itself but try taking time to relax in between massages – clear the mind to help rejuvenate you on your stressful days.

3. Drink plenty of water

Massage can cause dehydration by pushing fluids out of the muscle tissue and towards the kidneys. It is important to drink water after every session to replenish those fluids and flush out any toxins that have been trapped in your muscles.

On a daily basis, it’s also crucial to keep the body hydrated! Keeping balanced fluid levels can help to prevent muscle fatigue, loss of productivity, and impulsive snacking, just to name a few!

For those of us who are more absentminded, try and find a smartphone app or use a kitchen timer to remind you to drink at least 8oz of water every hour or so. Water is the essence of life and fuels your whole body!

4. Get enough vitamin B6

Don’t have time for a massage tonight? Spoon your way to health! There are plenty of Vitamin B6 supplements available at your local nutrition store, but what better way to feed your body than through healthy foods? Here are some vitamin B6-rich ingredients to consider the next time you’re at the grocery store:

Produce:

  • Spinach
  • Garlic
  • Cauliflower (cauliflower couscous is my favorite pasta/rice replacement!)
  • Mustard greens
  • Celery

Meats/Seafood:

  • Fish (tuna, halibut, salmon, cod and snapper)
  • Poultry (chicken and turkey)
  • Lean beef tenderloin

According to the University of Massachusetts, vitamin B-6 can reduce the occurrence of muscle cramps, especially leg cramps. It can also help ease the symptoms of hand numbness, hand stiffness and nausea. Before you take any dietary supplements, consult your doctor about specific effective doses and ask if supplementation is safe for your current circumstances.

5. Stretch

Stretching is an often underrated part of taking care of our bodies, but it really is as essential to our health as exercising and getting massages. Daily practice can improve circulation and allow more blood (bringing oxygen and removing waste products) to enter and exit the organs. Keeping the muscles limber can also help to create needed space for nerves, especially the sciatic nerve on the back of the thigh or the brachial plexus on the shoulder which pass through or near muscles. A contracted muscle around a nerve can create uncomfortable or even painful pressure and constrict the blood supply to the nerve. This can cause that stiff neck feeling that many refer to as a “pinched nerve”.

Great health comes from maintaining a balanced, homeostatic body. A truly healthy lifestyle means creating a habit that we can practice regularly and build upon continuously. Each body is a universe in and of itself so we encourage you to find what works best for your body and lifestyle.

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