Massage can directly influence your ability to lose weight. Massage can improve circulation and the supply of nutrition to the muscles. The increased blood flow helps the muscles grow and burn more calories. According to new research and studies, massage is thought to be able to burst the fat capsule in subcutaneous tissue so the fat exudes and becomes absorbed. This can also help with cellulite.

When massage therapy activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, it counteracts your body’s negative response to stress, relaxing muscle tension and allowing your heart rate, blood pressure and circulation to return to normal. The following is a list of physical benefits from massage therapy:

• Relieves stress and chronic pain
• Aids in relaxation
• Relieves muscle tension and stiffness
• Alleviates discomfort during pregnancy
• Facilitates faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments
• Reduces pain and swelling
• Prevents the formation of excessive scar tissue
• Reduces muscle spasms
• Provides greater joint flexibility and range of motion
• Enhances athletic performance
• Promotes deeper and easier breathing
• Improves circulation of blood and movement of lymph fluids
• Reduces blood pressure
• Relieves tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain
• Improves skin tone
• Improves posture
• Strengthens the immune system
• Improves nerve function
• Treats musculoskeletal problems

The mental and emotional benefits are just as numerous:

• Promotes a relaxed state of mental alertness
• Improves sleep performance and sleep patterns
• Relieves mental stress
• Improves ability to monitor stress signals
• Enhances capacity for calm thinking and creativity
• Satisfies needs for caring nurturing touch
• Fosters a feeling of well-being
• Reduces levels of anxiety
• Promotes body awareness
• Promotes greater creative expression
• Increases awareness of mind-body connection

Massage therapy also helps you become more aware of your body and your unconsciously held tensions. As you become more aware of your body, you will begin to recognize tension as it builds during the day so that you can consciously release it before it can have a negative effect on your body.

Related Topics:

How to Read the Ingredients List

The Ingredients List will provide you with information on what foods, spices, and possible chemicals make up the food. Ingredients listed on food labels are listed in order by weight. The largest ingredient in the food is listed first and the one in the least amount is listed last. You want to avoid any foods that have fat, oils and sugars (or any derivatives of these ingredients) listed first.

Further, if you never heard of the ingredient or can’t pronounce it, there is a good chance it is a chemical or an unnatural ingredient. Whole foods are best and you should be able to recognize all or most of the ingredients. Below are some examples of ingredients you don’t want listed first on a package label.

Sugar Type Ingredients Fat Type Ingredients

* Sucrose

* Dextrose

* Fructose

* Corn syrup

* High fructose corn syrup

* Molasses

* Honey

* Bleached Flour* * Coconut oil * Cream * Hydrogenated soybean oil * Hydrogenated vegetable oil * Palm oil * Palm kernel oil * Partially hydrogenated soybean oil * Lard

*Although bleached flour isn’t a sugar, it has very little nutritional value and as a result,

the body processes it like a sugar.

How to Read the Nutrition Facts Label

The Nutrition Facts label provides you with more detailed nutritional information about the food or product. Here you will understand how different foods and products stack up against one another so that you can choose healthier options. 1. Serving Size: The serving size tells you what a recommended serving size of the food is. Here are some tips to consider:

* If you aren’t used to measuring or weighing your food, measure your portions until you become comfortable with standard portion sizes.

* If you eat more or less than the recommended serving size, the rest of the information on the label needs to be adjusted to reflect the amount you are consuming. (E.g., if you have 2 times the serving, all nutritional values must be multiplied by 2)

* When comparing foods, ensure you are comparing based on equal portion sizes

2. Calories: Calories provides you with a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of the food. Remember that the number of servings you consume determines the number of calories you actually eat. For instance, if you have two servings of a food, you will have to double the calories listed per serving size to know how many calories you have consumed. A good gauge to understand if something is high in calories is listed below:

* 40 Calories is low

* 100 Calories is moderate

* 400 Calories or more is high

3. Calories from Fat: Fat Calories tells you how many calories of the food are specifically fat calories. Each gram of fat is worth 9 calories. No more than 30% of your calories for the day should come from fat. A good rule of thumb is to eat a maximum of 3 grams of fat or 30 fat calories per 100 calories of food.

4a. Total Fat: Total fat explains how much of both good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) and bad fats (saturated and Trans fats) are in the food.

* Optimally, you should have no more than 3 grams of fat per 100 calories

* When comparing products/foods, be sure to compare the same serving sizes and then look at the amounts of total fat, saturated fat and calories in a serving of each product. Choose the one with the least amount of each

4b. Saturated Fat: A ‘bad fat,’ saturated fat is found in foods including butter, margarine, fats from meat and pork, full-fat dairy products, eggs, palm and coconut oils and many fast foods. It is best to avoid or limit foods that have saturated fat. Your daily intake should be no more than 10% of your daily caloric intake (less than 1 gram per 100 calories).

4c. Trans Fat: Also a ‘bad fat,’ Trans Fats are created during cooking and/or processing. These fats are often found in commercially baked products. These fats should be eliminated from your diet. 5a. Cholesterol: A combined number telling you how much of both good (HDLs) and bad cholesterol (LDLs) are in the serving.

* It is best to eat no more than 300mg per day

* When comparing products/foods, first ensure you are comparing the same amount for a serving size and then look at the amounts of cholesterol in each and choose the one with the least amount

5b. Sodium: The amount of sodium in the serving.

* It is best to eat no more than 2,400mg per day.

* When comparing products/foods, first ensure you are comparing the same amount for a serving size and then look at the amounts of sodium in each and choose the one with the least amount

6a. Carbohydrates: The total amount of carbohydrates in the food. It includes simple carbs and sugars, complex carbs and fiber. When foods contain carbohydrates, it is best if those carbohydrates contain some amount of fiber (see dietary fiber).

6b. Dietary Fiber: How much fiber is in a serving of the food. It is found mostly in complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans.

* Try to eat between 20 and 35 grams per day

* The higher the fiber content of a product, the lower the sugar content in the food

6c. Sugars: The number of grams of carbohydrates per serving specifically made up of sugar. It is best to have this number low. When looking at total carbohydrates, the closer the sugar gram value is to the total carbohydrate gram value, the less fiber you have in the food, meaning the less satiated you will feel.

7. Protein: How many grams of protein are in a serving. It is always good to maintain a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats in a meal. If this food doesn’t contain proteins, try to combine it with another food that has protein.

8. % Daily Values: Tells you what percentage of your recommended daily allowance is provided by the serving of food. Note however, it is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Generally, a value of 5% is considered low and a value of 20% is considered high. If you consume other than 2,000 calories a day to maintain a healthy body weight understand that these percentages may be different. Regardless, it is a good way to compare other products.

9. Vitamins and Minerals: How much of recommended vitamins and minerals are in the serving. You should aim to reach 100% for all required vitamins and minerals. To ensure you are getting your required daily intake, take a multivitamin.

10. Recommended Amounts: The recommended daily amount for each nutrient for both a 2,000 calorie diet and a 2,500 calorie diet. If you need to consume more or less calories than 2,000 or 2,500 day to maintain a healthy body weight, the recommended amounts for fat, carbohydrates and protein will change.

11. Calories per Gram: This shows the caloric weight of each macronutrient – Fats, Carbohydrates and Protein. It is best to choose foods that are well balanced, containing all nutrients.
Related Topics