Massage

I've gotten plenty of massages over the years, but never knew if they were really valuable beyond the relaxation and "feel good" component.  A recent study was published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine which gives us some answers. The scientists tested 53 volunteers... half of them were given a 45-minute deep tissue Swedish massage and the other half were given a 45-minute light touch massage.

According to a review of the study published in the New York Times, the subjects who got the Swedish massage had decreases in the stress hormone cortisol and increases in the number of white blood cells which are part of the immune system.  The group given the light touch massage had higher levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with contentment.

While in Myrtle Beach this fall, I was suffering from the beginnings of a cold... stuffy nose and scratchy throat.  My husband was reading the New York Times article, used his iPad to find the location of a masseuse then called and made me an appointment for a Swedish massage.

It may be the placebo effect, but I swear it made me feel much better as my cold symptoms lessened.