Addiction is a problem affecting more and more people’s lives. In a recent article (July 2007) in Time magazine it was stated that about 18.7 million people are dependent upon or abuse alcohol. An estimated 3.6 million people are dependent on drugs, and a whopping 71.5 million people can’t kick their tabacco habit! On top of these substance abuse figures, behavioral addictions like gambling, sex, shopping and internet addictions are also an the rise.

The good news is that there is hope. In recent years treatment trends for addiction have taken on a more holistic approach by adding massage therapy and bodywork to the standard regime of 12 step programs, nutritional counseling and psychotherapy to help direct individuals to a healthier lifestyle.

According to the Institute for Integrative Healthcare studies: “Massage has the unique ability to affect all of our layers of our being, from the spiritual plane all the way up to and including our body’s chemical composition”. Since people in all stages of addiction recovery seem to experience a painful and uncomfortable gap between their body and mind massage would seem to be the perfect compliment to aid in reuniting the addict with their physical body and to feel more at home in their own skin.

How does massage therapy help?

On a physiological level massage stimulates the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve slows the heart rate, facilitates food absorption and reduces cortisol, known as the “stress” hormone, and other neurotransmitters in the brain. It is thought that all addictions have their root in anxiety and/ or depression. Depressed people and addicts alike have very little vagal nerve activity and lower dopamine and serotonin levels.

According to Brigitte Mars, author of “Addiction Free Naturally,” addicts use substances as a way to ignore certain messages from the body. Mars states that massage can address two of the most prevalent reasons for addiction. First, low blood sugar often triggers an addiction. Many addictive substances- alcohol, drugs and even tobacco have the ability to effect sugar levels in the blood. Massage can help to reduce physical cravings by releasing pent up emotions. Secondly, Mars says that individuals with addictions frequently have poor oxygenation metabolism and are shallow breathers. Massage by its very nature brings about body awareness and deep relaxed breathing thus bathing the bloodstream with life giving oxygen.

Using various massage techniques

Different massage modalities can be employed at different stages of recovery. Swedish massage can offer help by relaxing tight muscles that harbor holding patterns due to structural, mechanical or emotional blocks as well as promote detoxification of the lymphatic system. Craniosacral work can help the addict realign themselves and become more deeply centered. Myofascial release work can help rid the body of pent up emotions and unhealthy muscular patterns. Reiki or energetic therapies can help move stuck energy and balance the subtle bodies. And a soothing hot stone massage helps slow down the nervous system and puts the client in a slightly altered state where deep healing can take place.

No matter what stage of addiction recovery a person is at massage can be a helpful tool. By helping the client to increase levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, the chemical messenger that is responsible for making us feel “happy” we can help retrain the pleasure pathways in the brain and help them make better choices when seeking comfort for themselves. The physical, emotional and spiritual components of recovery can all be directly benefited by the healing power of massage and therapeutic touch.

This article was contributed by Aeriol Ascher aka Reiki Angel Massage. To book a massage with Aeriol visit our website at www.rpm-therapy.com

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That’s exactly what I had this past weekend. My name is Doreen Jattan and I am co-owner of Roman Paradigm Massage in San Jose.

As a massage therapist and body worker, I’m always preaching to my massage clients that it’s very important to take care of not only your body but your mind and soul. Stress is one of the most slow and tacit enemy to our health. Everyone has stress. Some stress is good but most of it is bad. Good stress as our society refers to are events like weddings, child birth, planning a meal or making time for errands and getting caught on things. This is felt by everyone but the bad stress is what we have to look out for. And as a massage therapist I should know this, but I can lose sight. Here is my article to you.

Bad stress is common in individuals who suffer from life-threatening illness, divorce, or other crisis. These stressful events affect our health to many degrees which can lead us to depression. It does not matter if you have good stress or bad stress, our body will react to it almost the same. Stress triggers changes in our bodies. Research show that individuals with extreme amount of stress are more than likely to get sick. If they already have a sickness, it’s more likely that it will get worst.

As your body registers the Flight/Fight response; your sympathetic system kicks in releasing stress hormones. With this stress hormone released, your heart rate increases, digestion slows down, and you tend to sweat more to name just a few” stated by Lori Metroka PT of Replenishing Soul in Los Gatos. Her partner Dorothy Lizak mentioned that the opposite is true when it comes to your parasympathetic system, Rest & Digest-stimulates digestion and metabolism. It also releases the tissue building hormone. This is the mindset we all should be in.

I learned from these ladies the 3 crucial rules of stress:

1. If you repeatedly turn on a stress response, your body will be damaged.

2. If you can’t turn off a stress response for prolonged periods of time, your body will be damaged.

3. Chronic stress both increases risk of disease and weakens the body’s defenses to fight diseases.

I’m pretty sure by now, you have already identified where you stand with the level of stress you have in your life. Let’s talk about what I discovered and what I can help you discover.

When I took two and half days off this past weekend and drove up to Capitola where I stayed in a small cottage surrounded with nature and water, I felt at ease. At first I kept thinking, what if a client wants to get in tomorrow? Will Ms. Super Aeriol save the day? It took almost half the day before I realized that I took time off to RELAX and untwine my mind and body. Once I turned off my phone, it became easier. It became even easier when I realized that I left the power cord to my laptop back at the office so I can’t check my emails either. (Guess what I did? I wrote with a pen and a paper.)

When was the last time you set down and just wrote something meaningful? Walking on the beach in the chilly morning and later laying in the sun on the same beach was much needed. A glass of wine (ok we finished a bottle. It’s okay once in a while. Red wine does have anti-oxidant, at least that’s my excuse), nice meal and someone to share that moment with was just what I needed but I didn’t know it until the next day. I felt GREAT. I wrote few letters to friends and clients. I appreciated the things I have in life and just started living my life if nothing is stressing me out. It did wonders.

It’s shown that women tend to carry more stress than men. Don’t let stress make you sick. Why listen to your body; it really knows when it’s stressed out. Here are few things you can do to keep your stress level down:

• RELAX. No, it’s really not that hard to relax. 10-20 minutes a day. Find somewhere with peace and quiet where you can sit or lay down and just breathe.We all take breathing for granted.Next time you are alone in your car, turn off the music, park under a tree, roll down the window, and close your eyes.Avoid breathing into your chest. Take a deep breath into your belly for about 6 seconds. Let it marinate for 3 seconds and slowly let it out for another 6 seconds. Repeat this as many times as you can.Feel your body relaxing. Simple and doable. No trip to Capitola needed here. Just few minutes a day everyday for you only. Be selfish with this time. It’s okay to be.If you needed permission, well here you have it.

• SLEEP: Sleeping is so needed for your brain to get all the oxygen so you can perform your best.Try getting a good seven hours of sleep a night.Getting proper amount of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) can improve your energy the next day.

• Start Moving & Eating Right. You may not believe it but doing a little bit of exercise is really good for you. The endorphins released before and after a workout improve your mood and decreases stress. Proper foods fuel your brains. Fruits, vegetables, and protein and whole-grains are great source. Stay away from caffeine and sugar.

• Hobbies: Get a hobby to keep yourself busy. Talk to friends. Seek out a professional if you need to. I did for couple of years. Plan your time so you don’t feel rushed. Try doing some volunteer work. Try not to argue. Sometimes giving up an agreement is more rewarding to your body and mind. Or do what I did during my getaway-grab a pen and paper and write down your thoughts and feelings.

Having fun and not stressing out is not allot of work. But it takes time to perfect it. Now go call a friend or take a walk, or feed some geese in the park. For more Doreen check out her blog @ www.spicyd.com

Has all the news in the media got you stressed out? Do you need a massage that will get right in there and work out those tight muscles. Do you have knots the size of golf balls? Would you like a therapeutic massage that hurts so good?

Well if you do RPM Therapy in San Jose has announced their “No Fluff Spa Massage Here” giveaway. Our massage therapy clinic near Santana Row specializes in deep muscle therapy. You will not get the “fluff” spa massage here at our massage facility.

Primary or Secondary tightness

Just because you complain of a tight or painful muscle in your mid-back in between the shoulders blades does not mean necessarily that you want your massage therapist to immediately work that area. Some muscles are often tight or in spasm and experiencing pain due to being overworked. Your mid-back muscles are often being overworked by its antagonists muscle (its opposite) constantly pulling on the muscles that you feel pain in. In this example your chest and shoulder muscle tightness may be causing your pain and discomfort. And a Spa massage therapist might make this problem worse by working on your mid-back first (secondary problem). When in fact releasing your tight chest and shoulder muscles (primary problem) will give you better results.

Releasing your primary tightness chest and shoulders first will allow the muscles in the mid-back (secondary tightness) to relax. Stretching and releasing your back muscles first will only bring about a temporary fix to your pain. And it may even further allow your tight chest muscles to become even tighter. If you go to your local spa for your massage you may just get your typical “fluff spa massage” with lots of oils being used and everyone walking around in pretty terry robes.

No Fluff Spa Massage Giveaway

As our way of getting our business out to more people, we are hosting a Facebook promotion, where you will have a chance to win a Free 90 or 75 minute massage and 1 of those winners will also get a chance to win a $150 gas card.

How to be entered (you must have a Facebook acct.)

1. Go to our website @ www.rpm-therapy.com, scroll down to the bottom and you see a “Share this” link.
2. Click this link and then click Facebook to add us to the [post to profile] tab, post it.
3. Write a short message about our massage facility.
4. We are now added to your Facebook profile in your (mini feed) column. Here look for our feed, there you will see a “Share +” box in the upper right hand corner. Click this box.
5. Click [Send Message]. Once you do that, send this out to 3 of your friends and ask them to do the same in the comment section. Hit send.
6. Write on our Roman Paradigm Massage Facebook wall that you done this and you be entered in a drawing to WIN a FREE 90 and 75 minute massage (2 winners). 1 of the 2 lucky winners will also WIN a $150 gas card from us.
7. Winners announced Monday July 28^th. Bonus; double your chance of winning, if you have had a massage from us before write a review here on our Roman Paradigm Massage Facebook Page. And we will enter your name twice.

Anyone with a Facebook Account can win.

Click here to our Facebook Page Link

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!

Our San Jose Massage Business just added a new sports massage minded therapist to our team. RPM Therapy is very happy to have her.

I am a very active individual and have seen how sports massage can help you become a better athlete, emotionally and physically. I am a college swimmer, Run Marathons, and just completed my first Triathlon in May. Sports massage is highly beneficial after a workout and I have seen personally how fast you can recover after a massage. Other activities I enjoy are backpacking, surfing, snowboarding, and mountain biking.

“No session is ever the same. My work is always changing. I use specific techniques for each muscle group, including deep tissue work, and stretching.”

I began my education in massage because I am a believer of holistic health. I believe the body can heal from within, and massage is a great way to help facilitate the healing process. I believe massage is a way to help rehabilitate the body back into homeostasis. In Western society we believe that rehabilitation consists of ‘Pill popping’ and surgeries. The healing process takes time, and pills are sometimes necessary, we often use this as a quick fix to get back to life as soon as possible. Even though massage is a wonderful, it’s undervalued. This is seen as a tool for enhancing wellness, I have always recognized it to be but one part of the total wellness equation.

I specialize in treatments that use MyoFascial Release. Myofascial Release is a very effective technique that provides sustained pressure on a specific muscle to eliminate pain and restore motion. Fascia is tissue that runs through the body then connects to our entire structure. When is at its normal state it’s able to move and stretch. When we experience physical trauma or injury this begin to tighten which causes a lot of pain and discomfort.

Andrea Naugle has been a Certified Massage Therapist Since June 2007. She completed a 750 Hour program and obtained a letter of excellence upon graduation. She has been a member of the American Massage Therapeutic Association since 2006.

Andrea completed her Bachelors of Arts in Liberal Studies, Minored in Psychology at Cal State Easy Bay in 2004. She was a sports teacher in San Francisco before she began her career in Massage Therapy.

You can book your massage session with Andrea online by visiting our online massage scheduler here. Andrea’s has devoted Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. As these days book up she will continue to add more days to her massage schedule, thank you.

Andrea’s Massage hours

Sunday 10am - 6pm

Wednesday 10am - 8pm

www.rpm-therapy.com

Our San Jose Massage Business, Roman Paradigm Massage has just opened a Facebook page. Can someone please tell Mark Zuckerberg that he needs to come in for a massage.

The popularity of social media websites like Facebook has a viral effect that just seems to grow wings, and take off like a jet airplane. Personally, I can’t make sense of it, but I do understand the power of it. So as part of our ongoing marketing efforts at Roman Paradigm Massage aka “RPM Therapy” we wanted to jump aboard and entice you to help us market our massage business to all your friends.

So, for the first 5 people to become a fan on our Facebook page and writes on our wall, we are going to offer you a savings of $25 off your next massage, whether you are new to our massage business or have seen us before. You can take advantage of this special offer. We have a new female massage therapist named Andrea starting this Sunday. She specializes in Sports massage and Myofascial Release.

Doreen Jattan and I, try very hard to keep you as our loyal clients, but don’t just take my word for it, go to www.yelp.com here at http://www.yelp.com/biz/rpm-therapy-san-jose to read our 5 star reviews.

Here are just some of the things we do at RPM Therapy to make sure that not only is your money spent well here, but that your whole massage experience with us is worth every dollar.

1. We offer online scheduling- this alone has been a big favorite with our clients. You no longer have to play phone tag to get a massage appointment. And, by registering online and booking your massage appointment online, you do not have to fill out any paperwork when you come in.

2. We offer a 100% money back guarantee- if for any reason you are not satisfied with your massage session you pay nothing. This also applies to any massage gift certificates that you purchase from us. You are also given the choice to see another therapist if you prefer.

3. Buy massage gift certificates online- do you need a quick gift for someone, a friend, co–worker or family member? If you do, you can now go to our website and purchase a massage gift certificate and pay with your paypal account. We will send it to whomever you want, or you can send that person in for a “prepaid massage” paid by you. Also you have the option to prepay for your massage session before you come in.

4. Professional, certified, and insured massage therapists- all of our massage therapists are seasoned bodyworkers. We have massage therapists who specialize in certain backgrounds, massage techniques and knowledge. We will soon have a bio page for every massage therapist that works with us in order to help you better understand which therapist will be right for you. Until then you can visit our massage techniques page to read more.

We at RPM Therapy are trying to continually improve our massage business, if that’s even possible…lol. Our goal of course is helping you to understand the importance of taking care of your health and well-being. And by all means, we are not saying that massage will cure all of your ills. But a preventive maintenance stress-relieving program in place will able your body to fight the negative effects of stress much better.

So go to our Facebook page by clicking here. Write on our wall and promote us to your friends and save $25 off your next massage, it is that easy.

Couples massage with a Sunday brunch is one of our hottest services right now. RPM Therapy of San Jose will indulge you with fresh fruit, yogurt, bagels and cream cheese, coffee and juice. You will both receive a 75 minute massage done in the same room, at the same time, by two different therapists. It can be a husband and wife, girlfriend and boyfriend, same-sex partners, or even moms and daughters sometimes or best friends.

Couples massage is a great way to introduce a partner who has never gotten a massage before in a way that makes them feel more comfortable the first time. Some men are apprehensive about getting a massage because of the intimacy involved, and having their wife or girlfriend there is reassuring for the massage newbie.

Unlike other Spas that offer couples massage packages, we do not cut corners here at RPM Therapy, your Sunday brunch couples massage is a full 75 minute massage, not the typical 50 minutes you get at other Spas.

Benefits of Couples Massage

• Helps to reduce and eliminate stress
• Allows couples to create a closer relationship
• Allows for men and women to be introduced to massage in a safe and comfortable environment

Who May Benefit From Couples Massage

• Any couple who wishes to have some stress relief and spend some quality time with that special some one

Give That Special Someone A Gift They Will Remember

• Anytime is the perfect time for a couple’s massage, celebrations, anniversaries, special occasions, any day, and any hour can be the right occasion for strengthening your bond with the person you love.

The Benefits Of Massage Therapy

Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help manage stress. The benefits of receiving massage or bodywork treatments are tremendous, a massage can:

• Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
• Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays.
• Ease medication dependence.
• Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system.
• Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
• Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
• Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin.
• Increase joint flexibility.
• Lessen depression and anxiety.
• Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
• Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
• Reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling.
• Reduce spasms and cramping.
• Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
• Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller.
• Relieve migraine pain.

Get Massages More Often

Getting a massage can do you a world of good for you and getting massage frequently can do even more. This is the beauty of bodywork. Taking part in this form of regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for bodywork at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health. And remember: just because massage feels like a pampering treat doesn’t mean it is any less therapeutic.

A Sunday Brunch Couples Massage Package Is Only $225

Special Pricing on ebay, click here

Book Yours Online @ RPM Therapy

San Jose Massage Therapist Robert Vignoli, Starts A Social Networking Website, Called Massage and Bodywork. Now San Francisco Massage Therapists And Bodyworkers Can Make New Friends, Share Business and Marketing Idea’s, As Well As Massage Techniques With Other Massage And Bodyworker Professionals.

If you love Myspace and enjoy making connections and building relationships through social networking, this website is for you. As you may have heard social media websites are huge right now for many different reasons, but mostly social networking websites allow for you to “connect” with other people, who share the same likes as you, Massage and Bodywork has all the features that make social networking so fun.

Click Here To Join, Its Free!

• Members can invite new members, meet new people, and make new friends on your network.
• Full message center with address book importing from Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Hotmail.
• See which members of your network are online now.
• Customizable profile pages.
• Photo slideshows, video players, music players, and network badges, that can be embedded anywhere on the Internet, seamlessly funneling new people to your network.
• Members can set different privacy settings for every photo, video, group, or blog post they contribute.
• RSS feeds of your network’s features, such as members, discussions, photos, videos, music/podcasts, and blog posts.

“I started Massage and Bodywork as a simple and easy way for San Francisco Bay Area massage therapists to learn and to connect with each other, locally”, says Robert. I am a massage therapist who understands the power of technology and relationship building and there is a huge population of bodyworkers here. My goal is to bring this platform to other bodyworkers so that, they will have a place to interact with each other th, like that of a Meetup, Myspace or Facebook.

Photo Sharing

• Upload photos from a computer, mobile phone, or Flickr account.
• Add photo comments, ratings, tags, locations, favorites, and share via email.
• Create, organize, and view albums.
• Create, view and “embed” photo slideshows branded for your network.
• View all photos across the social network.

Video Sharing

• Upload videos from a computer, mobile phone, or any video service on the web.
• Add video comments, ratings, tags, locations, favorites, and share via email.
• Create, view and “embed” Flash video players.
• View all videos across the social network.

Discussion Forum

• Start and tag a discussion.
• Add discussion posts and reply to those posts.
• Organize discussions by categories.
• Click through the personal profile pages of other members engaged in the discussion.
• View all discussions across your social network.

Groups

• Enable members of your network to create groups.
• Enable members of your network to make groups public or private.
• Add group descriptions, images, discussions, and members.

Music & Podcasting

• Create music and podcast playlists for both the network as well as for each individual member of your network.
• Create, view and “embed” Flash music and podcast players.

San Francisco Bay Area Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers Sign Up Now.

Today is your birthday and we are going out to celebrate you, just as soon as you are off from work not just for today but everyday. It is my wish that today, you take pride in the person you are. I have come so far because of your unconditional love, mom and I have you to thank.

I know at times you blame yourself, for not doing more for us, especially when I get into so much trouble. I am here to tell you mom that you have done everything that a mother could possibly do. I am here today to celebrate not only your day and your life but also my day and my life, it is because of you and your love that I am here today wishing you a happy birthday.

I know that your health is not where you would like it, and I hope and pray that you find the spirit not to give in and take that plunge to living a healthier lifestyle. Your spirit is as strong as it needs to be mom but you need to make some changes in your life and get control back. Strip the emotional baggage and live your life, I need you to be around a little bit longer

I am very close to figuring this thing that I do, out, and when I do, Doreen and I are taking you on a long vacation, so ask yourself do yo want to take that vacation on a respirator and a wheelchair? No you don’t. I am here for you mom no matter what, I will take care of you, but please make me very happy and take pride in your health. I want you to see me grow into a mature, responsible, successful, handsome businessman (ok maybe that is too much to ask, on 3 of the 4, the handsome part…no problem the other three?) I don’t know.

My birthday wish for you mom, is for you to take care of your health and enjoy the job that you had done here, I turned out alright. I love you mom.

To advertise on Yelp.com,

Ok be honest how of many of you thought this would be an offer for sex?

Yelp.com is a great service our massage business has seen a tremendous increase in business in the last 2 months. I recently wrote a blog post personally thanking everyone on yelp.com for all their great comments. I was recently contacted by a representative from yelp.com, with an offer of $3600 for the year to advertise with them.

So my question is this, is anyone paying this rate right now and what kind of returns are seeing to your business?

At $300 a month minimum for their annual contract, it is not easy just to write a check, I will be locked in that contract for a whole year whether it is working or not. Especially when all the free stuff is doing so well for us, I say free but honestly it is not free, we work very hard for the positive comments on yelp.com. As far as I know we are the first massage business in the Bay Area with a 100% guarantee on all their therapeutic massage services. And we also take most of our competitors gift certificates, and donate them to individuals who cannot afford to get a massage and really need one. Yes you read it correctly we do accept gift certificates from other massage businesses, in trade for getting your massage work from us.

In these times where foreclosures are at an all time high, gas prices sky rocketing at almost $4.00 a gallon, and talks of us hitting a recession daily in the media. I would like to hear from someone who has some experiences with the pay options on yelp, please share with us.

P.S. Please if you have some time create a free acct. it only take a couple of minutes and if you look below you will see a place to stumble, del.icio.us and add us to mixx we would appreciate it if you choose 1 or 2 of them and bookmark us, thank you.

Thank you to everyone who left the wonderful comments for us on yelp.com, because of you, RPM Therapy of San Jose has seen an increase in massage business in the last 2 months.

We at RPM Therapy understand that you all work very hard for your money, especially in these times where the topic of recession is on everyone minds and in the media. We take pride in our massage work and try to show that to you, in our massage sessions.  This is our dedication to you, our valued massage clients.

The San Francisco Bay Area has many massage therapists that you can choose from, so we really take your business to heart. You can be sure that when you schedule a massage with any of our massage therapists you will receive the best possible massage experience guaranteed. Yes, that’s right, every massage therapy session booked with us is, 100% guaranteed. If you are not completely satisfied with your massage session for any reason we will not charge you for it.

We are not perfect, as we have logged in 2 free massages since implementing this policy at the beginning of 2008, but we feel like it is a very small price to pay, for your continued business and positive reviews on yelp.com, thank you, it is re-assuring to us that our efforts are appreciated.

Every massage therapist here at RPM Therapy is a seasoned professional, so if it has been a while since your last massage, schedule it with us, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

RPM Therapy is located in San Jose, Ca near Santana Row, with spring right around the corner come in for a wonderful Hot Stone massage, rain-drop therapy or any other massage service and then go have lunch/dinner at Santana Row.

Check out our Yelp reviews, also we are looking for a few quality massage therapists to join our team.

P.S. Please if you have some time create a free acct. it only take a couple of minutes and if you look below you will see a place to stumble, del.icio.us and add us to mixx we would appreciate it if you choose 1 or 2 of them and bookmark us, thank you.