June 21, 2009 is Father’s Day, a day when fathers are given honor and thanks throughout the world. People are all agog planning how to best show their love for their fathers. On this day, therapeutic massage gift cards make perfect presents for all the great fathers you know in Sugarloaf, Lawrenceville and Gwinnett GA.

Some people denigrate the celebration of Father’s Day as a mere marketing ploy of greeting card companies that has been exploited further for profit by other commercial establishments. After all, we see Father’s Day specials in all the malls, stores and restaurants. Everyone seems to be making money from the celebration. History proves that this day is not just a cheap sales gimmick, though. Father’s Day has already been celebrated way back when greeting cards were not yet being mass manufactured and commerce was not busy as it is today.

The tradition of celebrating Father’s Day began as early as 1909 in Washington State. A certain Mrs. John B. Dodd was the proponent of the celebration. She proposed to have a special day to actually honor her own father, William Smart, for his strength and selflessness in raising six children all by himself as a single widower parent in a rural farm in the eastern part of Washington State. He was a civil war veteran and his wife had died while giving birth to their sixth child. He had to raise the newborn along with their five older children. The proposal of his daughter, Mrs. Dodd, came to fruition with the very first Father’s Day celebration held in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910.

Father’s Day was soon adopted and celebrated by many other towns and cities across the United States. President Calvin Coolidge expressed support for the idea of having a national Father’s Day celebration in 1924. It was only in 1966, however, that President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation marking the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day.

Father’s Day honors not only biological fathers but all other men who, in one way or another, fulfill the role of a father figure. This includes grandfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, uncles, brothers and even mentors and close family friends. Let the men in your lives know how much their concern and care is recognized, appreciated and valued.

The gift of massage is perfect to let them know that you are equally concerned for their well-being and want them to take better care of themselves. Massage therapy will help ease the burden on their shoulders. A few hours on the massage table will give them respite and will melt away fatigue and tension. All the stress from the outside world is soothed in the massage room.

Massage will also help alleviate any existing illnesses of your loved ones. Studies have shown that almost all medical conditions benefit from regular massage therapy. It will likewise strengthen their resistance and help prevent the development of any new illnesses.

Most of all, massage increases your loved ones’ happiness quotient. Massage has been scientifically proven to increase endorphins that create the buoyant feeling of joy and exhilaration. This goes a long way in preserving all the positive benefits of each massage session to stay long afterwards.

The fortunate fathers who will receive massage therapy gift cards can avail of their choice of massage styles, including, among others, Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and sports massage. The only massage style they cannot avail of, obviously, is pregnancy massage. Massage therapists will surely recommend what massage style is most appropriate for their specific needs in Sugarloaf, Lawrenceville and Gwinnett GA. Your favorite father figures will surely feel much loved.

There are a plethora of different types of massage promoted by the natural health industry.  For beginners and those not familiar with the differences between the massage styles and techniques, the terminology can be confusing.  This article provides a brief introduction to some of the more commonly promoted massage modalities.

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage uses long flowing strokes to reduce stress, both emotional and physical and is probably the best known type of massage.  Other massages techniques such as kneading and tapotment are used in addition to the long flowing effleurage style strokes to produce either a relaxing and/or invigorating response.

Swedish massage is claimed to increase the flow of oxygen in the blood, increasing the circulation without increasing the load on the heart, stimulates the skins and soothes the nervous system.

Remedial Massage

Remedial Massage is considered to be a holistic treatment and incorporates massage and other techniques to treat a specific condition.  The therapy assists in treating particular muscle tension caused by stress, overuse or injury. Remedial Massage helps increasing blood flow to injured tissues to facilitate the repair process.

Remedial Massage has both long and short-term impacts and benefits to the body. However, remedial massage therapists are not qualified to diagnose conditions and it is recommended that a diagnosis for a specific condition be obtained from appropriate specialists prior to visiting a remedial massage therapist.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage focuses on addressing the deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue, realigning and breaking up areas of muscular adhesion. Deep tissue massage attempts to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep pressure on contracted muscles and connective tissue are as and the massage strokes either follow or go across the fibres of the muscles, fascia and tendons .

 Deep tissue massage should not necessarily be painful although some experiences may be intense.

Sports Massage

Sports massage is intended to prevent and relieve injuries, strains and issues that are related to training and competition.  Often it can be quite vigorous and it is not meant to be relaxing.  The intention of sports massage is relieve and reduce stresses, tightness and tensions that can build up in the muscles while exercising.  Techniques are employed that are aimed at increasing endurance and performance, whilst minimising the chance of injury (or if there is an injury then the objective of sports massage is to reduce the recovery time).

 Pre-event sports massage is intended to increase blood circulation to the muscles to permit muscles to be provided with oxygen and also to be flushed of metabolic products.  Tight muscles may be released and  joints can be moved through their entire range of motion.  Particular focus can be concentrated on the muscles specifically used during the exercise to optimise performance and also lessen the likelihood of injuries.

 Post event sports massage is applied to assist an athlete to recover from a particular activity or event. Techniques are applied to reduce post-exercise soreness, to re-establish a full range of joint motion and to enhance blood flow to tight and restricted muscles.

Contrary to its name, sports massage is not only used by professional athletes or people that exercise heavily. It can be of benefit to anyone that exercises, even if it is only mild exercise such as regular walking.

Pregnancy Massage

All pregnant women feel discomfort to varying extents during pregnancy. The physical, physiological, hormonal and emotional changes that take place can result in added stress on the mother-to-be. Massage during pregnancy provides numerous benefits to the mum-to-be.

 These benefits include:

- Assistance in maintaining proper posture to reduce neck, back and shoulder pain.

- Preparation of muscles required in childbirth.

- Relaxation and reportedly decreased levels of insomnia.

- Lower incidence of calf cramps.

- Lower sciatic pain.

 However, it should be stressed that pregnancy massage should be only be carried out by therapists with suitable training and experience.

 Thai Massage

Thai Massage is an interactive mobilisation of the body joints and muscles using passive stretching and gentle pressure applied by the hands and feet of the therapist. The movements used assist in adjusting the skeletal structure, increasing joint and muscle flexibility, relieving tension and stress and stimulating internal organs.  When performed by a suitably skilled therapist the result is both relaxing as well as energising.

Thai Massage can incorporate other natural therapy modalities such as Acupressure, Shiatsu and Yoga.

 A typical Thai Massage will last one to two hours and is performed on a floor mat. Clients wear loose fitting clothing and no oils are used in this style of massage.

Reflexology

Reflexology is based upon the philosophy that tension in any part of the foot mirrors tension in a corresponding part of the body. These parts are referred to as reflex points and are also found on the hands and other body parts.  However, by far the most commonly treated area in a reflexology session is the feet.

 It is claimed that reflexology has numerous beneficial and lasting effects. Whilst some sessions are gentle in nature, aiming to restore the body’s homeostasis, others are more specific and are aimed at addressing a specific issue or complaint. It is generally a healing process that can be safely applied when it is contraindicated to treat other body parts. As a non-intrusive technique, it is claimed that reflexology heals indirectly.

 A foot reflexology session typically lasts about an hour.  There is no need to get undressed as it is required that only shoes and socks are removed (although good foot hygiene is considered to be appropriate).

Bowen Therapy

Bowen Therapy is a holistic approach to healing and pain relief based on the recognition by Tom Bowen that the underlying source of musculoskeletal, neurological, neuromuscular and other health conditions may be found in the soft tissue or fascia.

 The Bowen Technique is a non-intrusive cross fibre muscle release technique that attempt to balance and stimulate energy flows, which can result in a sense of deep relaxation. A treatment normally consists of the client to lie on a treatment couch for between 30 minutes and an hour. There are frequent pauses between the gentle moves to enable the body itself to correct dysfunctions and restore homeostasis on a holistic level.

 A Bowen Therapy session can be performed through light clothing. It is usually recommended to have two to three sessions of the Bowen Technique with a break of five to ten days between each session.

Craniosacral Therapy

The origins of Craniosacral began when an osteopath William Sutherland he noticed that the cranial sutures of the temporal bones of the skull were “bevelled like the gills of a fish”.

 Craniosacral therapy consists of assessing the movement of cerebrospinal fluid. Practitioners apply subtle movement to the spinal and cranial bones to attempt to restore balance to the central nervous system. It is considered by practitioners that the cerebrospinal fluid can be restricted by injury to the body and by gently moving the spine and the cranial sutures, restrictions of nerves can be eased to facilitate the movement of the cerebrospinal fluid through the spinal cord. This therapy is believed to be particularly useful for back and neck conditions, migraines, TMJ Syndrome, and even for chronic nervous conditions such as fibromyalgia. 

Shiatsu

Shiatsu has been developed over the last hundred years and is considered to be a traditional Japanese healing massage therapy. Taken literally, Shiatsu means finger pressure and relates to one part of the therapy for which natural body weight (be it from the fingers, thumbs, forearms, feet or elbows) is used to apply pressure to particular points on the clients body, referred to as meridians. When combined with stretching, rotation of joint and manipulation of joints then the result is an all-encompassing treatment, which is aimed at treating the client holistically.

 A typical Shiatsu session last about an hour and is carried out fully clothed with the client lying on a futon mat on the floor.  It commences with the practitioner using pulses, tongue, face and spinal column examinations to determine which treatments to use.

Rolfing®

Rolfing® refers to a system of Structural Integration and manual therapy developed by Dr Ida Rolf.  It is claimed to be an original and scientifically proven system of body restructuring and movement education, which can release the body from lifelong patterns of tension and stresses whilst permitting the force of gravity to realign the segments of the body.

 A Rolfing series is designed to uncover structural ease and balance that is specific to each client. Rolfing is a process of education in which a Rolfer assists in helping a client realise efficient way of using their body, given the uniqueness of the individual.

 The techniques will be performed either with the client lying on the table while the therapist guides the movements with his/her hands or off the table with the client standing or sitting.

 Sessions are progressive so each session shall follow on with certain themes that were introduced in the previous session. This allows for an evolving body to always move forward and upwards.  Typically a Rolfer will expect that a client will attend 10 sessions for a complete treatment.

A study done by Christine M. Olney, MSN, RN for the University of South Florida in Tampa, titled “The Effect of Therapeutic Back Massage in Hypertensive Persons: A Preliminary Study”  was published in Biological Research For Nursing, Vol. 7, No. 2. According to the study, hypertension is one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States and it is also very dangerous since it can cause damage to vital organs. No single primary cause has been identified for hypertension but one of the main factors is long term or chronic stress response that goes unchecked. Since massage therapists have long maintained that massage therapy can decrease blood pressure and mitigate hypertension by producing the relaxation response in patients, the study tested the effects of applying regular back massage on patients who have clinically diagnosed hypertension.

The study covered 14 patients. Eight patients were in the massage group. They were given 10 sessions of 10 minute back massage done three times a week. Six patients were in the control group. They were given 10 sessions of 10 minute relaxation also done three times a week. By the end of the study, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of patients in the massage group showed a significant decrease.

Another study of the Touch Research Institute in the University of Miami’s School of Medicine and the Nova Southeastern University in Florida, done in May 1999, showed similar findings. It involved a group of thirty adults with hypertension whose blood pressure levels were under control in the previous six months. The participants were divided randomly into two groups – a massage therapy group and a progressive relaxation group.

Patients in the massage therapy group were given massages for thirty minutes in the afternoon or early evening two times a week for five consecutive weeks. Patients in the progressive relaxation group were taught progressive muscle relaxation exercises thy could do by themselves and were instructed to perform these for thirty minutes in the afternoon or early evening two times a week for five consecutive weeks.

Assessments and evaluations on the patients were done before and after the treatment period. The State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to measure their emotions. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) questionnaire was used to rate any symptoms of depression. The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) Self-report Symptom Inventory was used to check other symptoms of anxiety, depression and hostility. Saliva samples were taken to measure levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Urine samples were taken to measure levels of cortisol and catecholamines which are biologically active amines that impact the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The patients’ blood pressures were also monitored.     

By the end of the five week study, both the massage group patients and progressive relaxation patients showed lower levels of anxiety and depression. Only the patients in the massage group, however, showed lowered levels of sitting blood pressure, lowered levels of stress hormones in both urinary and salivary tests, and lowered scores in tests for anxiety, depression and hostility.

You can surprise your family and friends with hypertension with massage gift cards so that they could relax and enjoy various therapeutic body massage services, including back massage therapy, foot massage therapy, reflexology massage therapy, Swedish massage therapy, deep tissue massage therapy and sports massage therapy from professional massage therapists in Charlotte NC while lowering their blood pressure in the process.

You may say that you and your partner have already been giving each other frequent intimate massages in private. Even if that may be true, it is still very different from the kind of therapeutic body massage services you will be receiving from professional massage therapists in Charlotte NC. While the intimate massage you share with your partner is undoubtedly pleasurable, professional therapeutic body massage given by massage specialists will also give you more specific health benefits.

With deep tissue massage, for instance, professional massage specialists not only make you feel good but actually locate the knots and kinks in your deep muscles. These are often caused by long held muscle tension. Massage frees up these tightened muscles, enabling oxygenation and lubrication. Flexibility and agility are improved, cellular health is boosted and the overall immune system is strengthened. As a result, you gain protection against various medical conditions and you also delay your aging.

With Swedish massage, you will not only experience relaxation in both mind and body but also improved circulation of the blood and lymph fluids, lower heart rate and lower blood pressure. This results in a host of benefits in terms of disease prevention and treatment. Of course, the relaxation it brings about also reduces stress and puts you in a state of calmness that enhances mental alertness and promotes clear thinking. Your mental and emotional capacity to handle each and every situation is increased.

Massage therapy’s psychological benefits result in a more balanced mental state and a more uplifted mood. It creates a positive energy that inspires more productive creative thinking and equips you to face and manage the pressures of life with grace and composure. This greatly improves your performance in your career and your relationships with other people. Even more important, it improves your relationship with your partner. If both of you are equally benefited by massage therapy in this way, you will come home to each other each and every day ready to offer the best version of yourself.

As your relationship is strengthened, you may want to think far into the future. You will want to maintain your good health for each other. As a result, you may find yourself eating better and exercising or going into sports. If so, make sure you are well prepared through sports massage therapy.

You will also want to stay healthy for the family you may want to build together. You might want to know that even by then, there is a type of massage therapy that could also benefit you. Pregnancy massage therapy has been designed to ease a woman’s pregnancy and help prepare for a problem free childbirth.

Try giving your partner gift cards for therapeutic body massage services from professional massage therapists in Charlotte NC and you might very well expect to receive a request for the same gift a year from now. Both of you will surely enjoy years of regular foot massage, back massage, reflexology, Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and sports massage. It will keep you healthy, fit and flexible enough to keep your love life active and going strong for the long term. Wouldn’t that be just wonderful for both of you?

Some people denigrate the celebration of Father’s Day as a mere marketing ploy of greeting card companies that has been exploited further for profit by other commercial establishments. After all, we see Father’s Day specials in all the malls, stores and restaurants. Everyone seems to be making money from the celebration. History proves that this day is not just a cheap sales gimmick, though. Father’s Day has already been celebrated way back when greeting cards were not yet being mass manufactured and commerce was not busy as it is today.

The tradition of celebrating Father’s Day began as early as 1909 in Washington State. A certain Mrs. John B. Dodd was the proponent of the celebration. She proposed to have a special day to actually honor her own father, William Smart, for his strength and selflessness in raising six children all by himself as a single widower parent in a rural farm in the eastern part of Washington State. He was a civil war veteran and his wife had died while giving birth to their sixth child. He had to raise the newborn along with their five older children. The proposal of his daughter, Mrs. Dodd, came to fruition with the very first Father’s Day celebration held in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910.

Father’s Day was soon adopted and celebrated by many other towns and cities across the United States. President Calvin Coolidge expressed support for the idea of having a national Father’s Day celebration in 1924. It was only in 1966, however, that President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation marking the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day.

Father’s Day honors not only biological fathers but all other men who, in one way or another, fulfill the role of a father figure. This includes grandfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, uncles, brothers and even mentors and close family friends. Let the men in your lives know how much their concern and care is recognized, appreciated and valued.

The gift of massage is perfect to let them know that you are equally concerned for their well-being and want them to take better care of themselves. Massage therapy will help ease the burden on their shoulders. A few hours on the massage table will give them respite and will melt away fatigue and tension. All the stress from the outside world is soothed in the massage room.

Massage will also help alleviate any existing illnesses of your loved ones. Studies have shown that almost all medical conditions benefit from regular massage therapy. It will likewise strengthen their resistance and help prevent the development of any new illnesses.

Most of all, massage increases your loved ones’ happiness quotient. Massage has been scientifically proven to increase endorphins that create the buoyant feeling of joy and exhilaration. This goes a long way in preserving all the positive benefits of each massage session to stay long afterwards.

The fortunate fathers who will receive massage therapy gift cards can avail of their choice of massage styles, including, among others, Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and sports massage. The only massage style they cannot avail of, obviously, is pregnancy massage. Massage therapists will surely recommend what massage style is most appropriate for their specific needs in Sugarloaf, Lawrenceville and Gwinnett GA. Your favorite father figures will surely feel much loved.

You can never underestimate the positive impact of recognition and commendation on people. Giving congratulatory praise and reward when deserved raises your team members’ self-confidence and boosts their morale. This results in long-term improvement in the quality of their work output and a strengthening of solidarity in the entire work place. Because of this, a company should always invest in a great employee rewards program.

Give Sincere Praise Generously

Praise in itself is already a worthy reward. It shows the employees that their hard work and its results are recognized. Your acknowledgement is already a form of commendation for what they have accomplished. You make your employees feel valued and appreciated with your praise, and this does not cost the company any money.

There are things you should keep in mind when you give praise, though.

You should only praise an employee sincerely. When praise is not deserved, or if you are perceived as insincere in giving even well-deserved praise, this will backfire on you and on management and you may be seen as being manipulative.

Your praise should be timely, immediately after the accomplishment. This is the most effective way to reinforce praiseworthy behavior according to the principles of behavioral psychology. Don’t waste that crucial time frame.

Another important point in reinforcing good behavior that you want the employee to replicate is to be very specific in your praise. Cite exactly what it is you are commending. Go into details. This way, the employee knows precisely what to repeat.

Magnify your praise by praising your employees in front of other employees. Public commendation is always much more appreciated than private congratulations. It also provides better reinforcement. As a bonus, other employees who hear the praise could be inspired to work better to earn the same commendation.

There are other ways to reward your employees at no cost to the company, too.

Instead of just verbal praise, why not post commendations on your bulletin board, too? You may even give out certificates of commendation, as well. These can easily be designed and printed out in the office computer. If you have a company newsletter, arrange to have your deserving employees featured, along with their accomplishments.

Give Appropriate Rewards

Of course, your employees will really appreciate more than just verbal or written praise. Giving simple but appropriate rewards like gift certificates or massage gift cards, for example, will really make your employees feel how much the company values their service. A massage gift card would also have the additional benefit of easing your model employees’ stress, helping them recover from fatigue, preventing burn out and keeping them in tip top health.

Make sure that the massage gift cards in your employee reward program cover various types of massage such as deep tissue massage, Swedish massage and sports massage. Don’t forget to include pregnancy massage if you have an employee who is pregnant. Choose a facility in Buckhead or Atlanta GA with professionally trained massage therapists. Your employees will be refreshed, energized and ready to achieve more at work.