Mark Gerard's Therapeutic Massage

This time of year, we tend to spend a lot of time waiting in lines. At the mall, at the grocery store, at the post office. All this waiting can seem unproductive, and for some frustrating. I think the frustration comes down to our reluctance to let go of control. Some people find it incredibly annoying that they themselves do not decide how quickly they move through a store. Instead, the personalities and quirks of the people in front of you have hijacked a few minutes of your day. How dare they!

A lot of my clients think they only need to stretch before or after exercising. Not true!

We all want to maintain flexibility all day long, right? Even on days that we don’t exercise, it’s important that we’re able to move with comfort and ease, whether we’re climbing stairs, tying our shoes, or reaching to the top shelf of a kitchen cabinet for that seldom-used casserole pan.

Some practitioners call daily movements like these “activities for daily living,” or ADL. Simply put, they are tasks that we ask our bodies to perform every day without thinking much about it. We often take our ability to perform them for granted. When we can’t perform them, though, life gets frustrating.

For each and every client who walks through my door, I wish for them complete and total relaxation. I would like to think that, in addition to the physical and therapeutic benefit of massage, I’m also providing an opportunity for you to leave your busy life behind … to empty your mind of your work and family life and simply focus on YOU.

Some people think that we’re all destined to develop arthritis. The older we get, the more prone we are to it. But those fears are unfounded. The truth is, arthritis could be caused by many things. Studies have found that it’s merely related to aging, but not caused by it. Need proof? Just think about that perfectly healthy and active 90-year-old.

Amazingly, there are more than 100 types of arthritis. The most common is osteoarthritis, simply defined as a degradation of joints. The cartilage that encases and protects joints is mostly to blame. This “cushion” around the ends of our bones degenerates or loses the water that keeps it resilient, and in extreme cases our bones rub against each other when we move. But that can be just the beginning of the problem. If we’re in constant pain when we move, we might stop moving altogether to avoid the pain. That results in a loss of muscle strength.

Have you ever cooked a nice meal for someone you care about? I don’t mean throwing a steak on the grill … I’m talking about finding a special recipe that takes a good couple hours to prepare, knowing that it will put a smile on your dinner companion’s face. Have you ever bought someone a gift for no reason other than to show how much you care?

We all get headaches. And we all hate them. In fact, 45 million of us get them chronically. And 28 million get migraines. What’s more, there are 200 types of headaches. With these numbers, it almost seems like an ailment that we just have to learn to live with.

But we don’t. Not if we know what causes them and how to prevent them.

Whoever says flattery gets you nowhere has clearly never been flattered … and clearly thinks that flattery is just a tool to get the flatterer what he or she wants!

I try to bring flattery into my every day. I might tell people they have a nice smile, or that their clothes and colors really bring out their eyes, or even just that they have pretty eyes. And every time I go out of my way to pay someone a compliment, I get a smile. Every time.

It’s lovely to see daffodils popping up in everyone’s gardens. Soon they’ll be joined by a splash of tulips and a full rainbow of other blooms. Springtime always gets me thinking about awakenings, about bringing to life what has laid dormant.

We hear about carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) all the time. Most often, we associate it with data entry clerks or other professions that use a keyboard, or with tasks that require dexterity from the hands and fingers. It’s why you might sometimes see office workers wearing a bandage or wrist splint on their forearm – and most often the right forearm since most of us are right-handed.

Some in the medical profession will tell you that this idea of CTS as a repetitive stress injury is all myth, and that CTS is actually genetically passed down. Regardless of what’s myth or what’s fact, many lay people have no idea what the anatomical causes are. And many wouldn’t be able to identify the carpal tunnel itself. So I’m here to tell you!

I’ve been thinking a lot about the “massage spirit” this season. It just seems to be flowing through me! I’m not talking about some ghostly or godly presence that’s there with me as I’m working. Rather, I think I’m talking about the simple fact that I feel 100% connected to what I do.

For me, that’s part of my overall health and wellness. Certainly, physical health is crucial to a fulfilling life. And pursuing what makes you happy – what brings you joy – is equally important, whether it’s a career, hobby, or friendship in your life.