Ever heard rave reviews about Thai Massage? Well this week I have been trying it out and it is AMAZING...definitely something that I will be adding to my portfolio so hopefully you guys will benefit from this at some point..

​It may be grey skies this morning but picture a 2 hour relaxing yet amazingly effective massage where your whole body is put through a range of poses to get the energy flowing and release tension all over your body...that's what I'm talking about! You don't even have to take off any clothes - amazing!

​My love of yoga and getting the body moving in the most effective way combine with this treatment so I'd better sign up for the training and then I'll be needing some case studies so anyone who fancies trying this out as I learn do get in touch.

​Enjoy your week...I'll tell you more about my massage weekend this weekend in my next post :)

Happy lovely warm Friday!!

​We have been having some scorching weather which, along with some continuing professional development I have been doing, has made me think about how w look after our bodies internally...basically I've been thinking about food!

​Summer is a time where it might be a bit easier to see salad as a decent meal..but also leads to temptation in terms of nice summer foods like ice cream - frequently considered 'bad' food. Whilst I subscribe to the idea that there is no 'bad' food it is important to get a balance of foods that are healthier in order to maintain both physical and mental good health so make sure that you follow these tips to make sure that you keep your body healthy by providing it with the right nutrition (this can also prevent injury and help the body to build and repair muscles) to keep you looking and feeling good all summer:

​1. Make sure you get enough water (yes, squash counts and no, beer doesn't!) - 1.6 to 2 litres a day..more when you are hot and sweaty. If you don't get enough you are likely to feel sluggish and not as alert as you would be, your athletic performance is also likely to dip, as is any motivation to get out there and exercise.

​2. Get a good balance of fruit and vegetables - 5 a day is recommended but you can have more. Go for a range of colours and types..not just strawberries, juicy as they are. With those salads make them exciting - add some new veggies or some fruits - you can even add edible flowers if you want to be fancy! Different vitamins are in different fruit and veg so variety really is key (and you can have dressings, just don't go overboard - a squeeze of lemon and some good olive oil is lovely).

​3. Get enough protein - this can be meat and fish from your BBQ, yoghurt, eggs, nuts and pulses so don't get stuck in a rut with this, you need enough protein to keep your nervous system healthy and to repair any muscles as well as for general body functioning.

​4. Carbs - Don't be afraid of carbs - you need these for energy and they also help to keep you full. Rice, pasta. potatoes and breads are all good sources - just try not to overload on the fatty processed types as these are less easily digested and can be stored as fat - we don't want to ruin that lean summer body!

​'Treat' foods - these are ok, the important thing here is moderation and thinking about what you are putting into your body. Remember that to work effectively you do need to put in the right things. And if you have a bad day and go overboard on the Pimms and ice cream remember that a massage can help to get those toxins out of the body (not straight after mind you)!

​Enjoy the sun and think about the way your body works for you - and keep it healthy!!

So this week there have been a whole range of different clients coming to my treatment room and I have been thinking about all of the different reasons why a massage might be useful or beneficial. The top four reasons are outlined below:

1. A sports injury - any sport that you do, at whatever level can sometimes lead to a build-up of muscle tone in one area at the expense of others. Eventually this can lead to strain and or lack of range of movement, even pain (this can be in other areas too).
2. Awkward posture or stress from some new or excessive movement - this could be carrying children, shovelling gravel or moving a sofa for example (you certainly don't need to be an athlete to have caused some strain this way).
3. Posture or repetitive movement - this is often the case for those who spend a lot of time at the computer. Rounded shoulders and tension in the neck and shoulder area are often seen here, but pain in the lower back can also occur. Often one side is suffering more (clicking that mouse can be a real issue here). Massage and specific stretches can really help to reduce this.
   
4. Stress - whether it's work, children or just life stresses, the build up of stress hormones in your body causes physical changes which lead to tension in the body and mind. Massage does work on the body but also helps to dampen the body's stress response, bringing you back to a more grounded place so if you want the ultimate stress relief of loosened muscles and a less 'busy' mind then massage is for you. There are times of the year when this can be particularly relevant - school holidays are often one where people forget that having a comfortable and calm body can help them to be more calm with others (often kids and partners!).

It might be that you read through these and see something that resonates with you...if you do and think that a massage would be useful right now then book in!

​If you have any comments about other reasons for massage feel free to post them here (I'm waiting for a barrage of Pokémon Go! injuries this week!!)

Exciting times...I have been searching for a new location to use as a sports massage treatment location and the search has paid off. A fantastic new room is now ready for use at UTC Oxfordshire Sport - thanks to the great and friendly team down there.
​A large airy and light room with plenty of space to assess range of motion and demonstrate stretches, can't wait to get my clients in there :)

So what is the 'perfect' body?
​I recently read an interesting article by 'Bad Yogi' (a personal favourite) that really struck a chord with me.
​The article puts forward an interesting discussion about that strive for physical 'perfection' -this resonates with my goals to encourage people to be the healthiest version of themselves.
I believe that you can encourage this through improving posture and alignment (you don't have to sign up to be a yogi!!) which gives you better physical functioning either just as you are or as you move through whatever sport you take part in.
Static postural alignment (standing or sitting posture) transfers to better performance as you move (however fast or slow) and is easily assisted through massage to even out any postural imbalances. Get in touch if you would like a postural assessment and start your journey to a 'perfect' you :)