This New Year, as you resolve to be healthier, what are your concerns? How about relieving your tension and stress, with no harmful side effects? Or lowering blood pressure and boosting your immunes without drugs? Good news! Massage therapy may do all these things plus more to improve your health and bring wellness on all levels.

Physically, massage therapy relieves tension and spasms in muscles. Because it promotes the release of endorphins (your body’s natural painkillers) and other hormones, massage can reduce pain and produce a feeling of well being. Issues like repetitive motion injuries, tension-related headaches, TMJ syndrome, and premenstrual syndrome all respond very well to massage therapy.

Massage improves circulation, bringing nutrients to cells and carrying away waste and toxins, as well as reducing swelling and inflammation. This improved circulation also enhances health and nourishment of skin.

For those of you embarking on a new exercise routine this year, massage can be very helpful. It can enhance muscle recovery after physical activity and may even improve athletic performance. And here is good news for those of you resolving to kick the smoking habit: studies at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine’s Touch Research Institute have found that massage helps in overcoming addictions.

Most importantly, massage superbly alleviates stress-related tension, which, experts believe accounts for 80 to 90 percent of disease. Furthermore, massage promotes mental clarity. In fact, some studies have found that it may increases attentiveness and learning. Massage relieves mental fatigue and improves mood, and it promotes a feeling of well being and peace of mind.

Clearly, touch is a powerful healer and is necessary for our emotional and physical well being. Therapeutic massage helps return the body to a restful state, which improves the functioning of all body systems, thereby promoting good health. What an excellent way to start the New Year!

(Editor’s Note: Brandi Edinger is a nationally certified licensed massage practitioner practicing at Elements of Healing in Port Orchard. She can be reached at getreal@hctc.com.).