A healthy mind in a healthy body – A healthy mind in a healthy body. Who does not know this famous quote from Juvenal dating from the first century BC? AD? Popularized by Pierre de Coubertin for the 1896 Olympics, the statement “a healthy mind in a healthy body” means that man flourishes when both his mind and his body are healthy.
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The Basis of Swedish Massage
The basics of international Swedish massage are no stranger to this old adage. Since thought has power over the body, a healthy mind promotes a healthy body, and vice versa!
This is what Henrik Ling thought when he developed calisthenics, which would eventually become Swedish massage. This type of dynamic oil massage is administered on a table designed for this purpose. Its various maneuvers, such as effleurages, treading, kneading and draining, are performed according to a given sequence and provide relaxation and relief.
Did you know that deep relaxation and well-being have a beneficial effect on the nervous and muscular system? In turn, this promotes better overall body health. As such, a good Swedish massage technique will act as much on the psychic and emotional aspects as on the physical aspect.
A Healthy Body: The Physical Benefits of Swedish Massage
Besides the overall state of relaxation you experience following a good Swedish massage, have you ever wondered exactly what is going on in your body while performing it?
The Circulatory System
Swedish massage first acts on your circulatory system. Since it stimulates the circulation of blood and lymph, it increases your immune defenses and promotes the elimination of toxins. This allows liquid or solid organic waste accumulated in the tissues to be eliminated more quickly.
The Digestive System
Regarding your digestive system, a good Swedish massage of the abdomen will regulate your appetite, promote the assimilation of nutrients, reduce intestinal transit time as well as constipation!
Notice to those who have difficulty with their liver, the greater quantity of blood and oxygen provided by Swedish massage greatly encourages liver activity!
The Respiratory and Urinary Systems
Respiratory capacities improved by Swedish massage. This increases pulmonary ventilation, allows deeper breathing and better elimination of CO2.
Also expect to produce more urine after a Swedish massage. This is normal since your body needs to cleanse itself of toxins released by your tissues. It is therefore a more than beneficial effect!
The Nervous System
On the side of the nervous system, several benefits are observed: lower cortisol levels, reduced numbness and radiated pain, reduced fatigue.
This type of massage also increases the pain tolerance threshold. So you can lengthen your training sessions, increase your performance and endurance!
The Musculoskeletal System
Overall, the Swedish massage will make you benefit from better flexibility and an unblocking of tensions.
Were you also aware that a third of massage therapy clients consult for back pain? Many others do it for the purpose of relieving headaches induced by muscle tension due to stress.
Swedish massage also improves sensory-motor coordination by stimulating weak or flaccid muscles. This increases the mobility of the joints while reducing spasms. It also helps to recover more quickly during an injury (strain, fracture) by increasing the supply of nutrients to the affected area.
Interesting fact for all those who train: adopting the Swedish massage after the effort allows the muscles to recover from 20% to 100% faster.
Cellulite and The Skin
Your multiple attempts to get rid of your cellulite have not borne fruit? Rejoice, Swedish massage can be a good ally! Since it promotes increased elimination of toxins, Swedish massage helps reduce unwanted cellulite build-up. In 75% of cases, the results obtained are both positive and lasting!
As for your skin, the action of the massage induces better skin health by irrigating the superficial planes and increasing the functions of the sweat and sebaceous glands. In addition, it leaves the skin cleaner, fresher, decongested, nourished, hydrated, supple and more elastic!
A Healthy Mind: The Psychological and Emotional Benefits of Swedish Massage
Now your body is purified, regenerated, oxygenated, energized, supple and freed from tension! Now, what are the immediate repercussions of these physical benefits on your mental state? Also note that many of these benefits tend to maintained, deepened and prolonged if one receives a Swedish massage on a regular basis. In summary, the benefits of massage increase with use.
Psychic Benefits
Your resistance to anxiety and stress will increase after getting a relaxing Swedish massage. A general state of calm and well-being is felt, even in stressful situations! As a result, your feeling of self-control as well as your attention span and concentration are increased. You will therefore have clearer ideas and better emotional harmony.
Emotional Benefits
Let’s start from the premise that our body contains all of our history, experiences, emotions and conflicts. Receiving a massage stimulates the energy trapped in the body and frees it from negative emotions. The massage therefore acts completely unconsciously.
The soft, warm, non-aggressive, non-sexual touch brings pleasant and pleasant sensations and develops a feeling of well-being in the body, the head and the heart. Let us simply remember that the Swedish massage remains at the base a treatment that is pleasant to receive and to give!