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.

Skin Care

Have you ever been "suckered in" by a salesperson? There is nothing better than a good salesperson... as long as that person is someone of integrity who has a sincere desire to help you get something you want. As with most "older" women, I am concerned with the lines and wrinkles that are showing up on my skin and I would like to use natural treatments and products to help minimize them as much as possible. Just because I am getting older doesn't mean I no longer want to be as beautiful as I can... to a certain degree anyway... as I am currently too fearful of having surgery.

A couple of weeks ago I had some errands to run at our local mall. I managed to get past the first booth of skin care products by rushing past and saying "no" to the plea to try a new hand cream.

At the other end of the mall, I noticed a chair massage site set up in the middle of the concourse. My shoulder had been bothering me and when I saw that you could get a 10-minute massage for $12, I had to stop. It was a good massage and it was quick. However, as I was leaving and not paying attention, a salesman at the skincare booth near the massage pad starting asking me about my massage experience, and, because Southern women are "polite," I visited with him and then he had me on a stool so he could show me his new skin care products.


He was trying this product and that product and then showing me the results in a mirror telling me that my droopy skin was firming up and my lines and wrinkles were clearing up right before his eyes. It's a great ploy! As an older woman, I couldn't believe someone was actually pointing out my sagging and lines and wrinkles, but then showing me the amazing results. Of course, I wasn't wearing my glasses and he wasn't holding up a magnifying mirror, so I just had to take his word for it that my skin was now amazing! Oh, what vain fools we can be. :)

After I got home with my purchases, because I had spent so much money, I decided that I had better not put these products on the shelf with the many others I have bought over the years, so I read and reread the directions and made myself a chart as to which product to use when. That salesman had talked me into buying THREE different masks, so I had to make sure I knew when I was going to use each one. I was somewhat excited because I knew I would begin to look much younger.

I'm sure there is a little improvement after using this skin care regimen for the past two weeks and I will continue to use my masks, creams, serums, and lotions. However, what has really upset me is after "googling" the products, I found that I paid nearly 3 times the amount I could have gotten them for on the web. That HURTS and could almost cause some of those lines and wrinkles to come back!