32141

Daily life can grind you down. Worse, you might not notice it until your body rebels in a big way.

One way to beat back the stress is through a massage every week or two. It takes 30 minutes to an hour and you will feel like a million bucks. Of course, you have to know what you are getting into, so here is a breakdown of the more popular massages.

At the top of the list, we have the Swedish massage. This is the default massage for most therapists. If you ask for a massage, it is what you get. It is undertaken using a lotion or oil which is applied to the body as sections are worked on. Long, smooth strokes are made over muscles with a nominal amount of pressure. The Swedish massage will relax you for a few hours, but not much beyond that.

The deep tissue massage can be found on the other end of the massage scale. The point of this massage is not to provide you with a peaceful, relaxing massage experience. It is to get at those deep knots of tension. This is done through the application of a lot of pressure on areas of tension. You will grimace and groan. So, why get it? Well, you will feel much better afterwards and the effects will last for days.

For something a bit different, a traditional thai massage is recommended. A real thai massage is a dozy. It takes place with you on your back on a padded floor. The thai therapist then begins twisting and bending your body this way and that. The stated purpose is to align your energy meridians. You can think of it as forced yoga. You will feel 20 years younger after a month of these massages.

Similar to the thai massage, we have the Shiatsu massage. Originating in Japan, this massage also has the stated purpose of aligning your energy points. The primary difference is the method used by the therapist to do this. Instead of bending you like a pretzel, the therapist will use their fingers to dig in at positions of energy. It can smart a bit, but the results are usually very relaxing.

There are many other massages that one can find to fill your particular need. If you feet are killing you, a reflexology foot massage can do wonders. Heck, there are even massages tailored to the pregnant, a Godsend if ever there was! To get the benefits of any of these massages, you just have to get out there and try them.

Get spa information for your area at ResortSpaDestinations.com.

Eating Disorders. Bulimia and anorexia

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, there are two types of eating disorders, bulimia and anorexia. Each are different, and each can lead to death, if left untreated. If you, or somebody you know, suffers from either, I urge you to get help. Some famous people have suffered from eating disorders, and having an eating disorder does not mean you are crazy, but it does mean you need help. Princess Di, suffered from bulemia, and Mary Carpenter suffered from anorexia, and eventually died from this disorder. Again, if you suffer from an eating disorder, get yourself help.

Bulimia is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, and then forced regurgitation, to avoid weight gain. Bulimia isn't just going to a buffet, gorging food, and then throwing up, because you ate too much food. Bulimia is binging on huge quantities of food at least twice per week, and then throwing up, to prevent weight gain.

Characteristics of bulimia include:

Fear of fatness

Pursuit of weight loss

Fear of loss of control of eating

Perceptual distortion of body size

low self esteem

anorexia is characterized by fear of gaining weight, and an intense preoccupation with weight gain or becoming fat. The person suffering from anorexia has a disturbance in perception of their own body weight, and pursuit of weight loss, and fear of loss of control of eating. 20% of people who suffer from anorexia will die from this disorder.

Characteristics of anorexia include:

Fear of weight gain

Pursuit of weight loss

Disturbance of perception of body weight

Restrictive diets ranging from 500-800 calories a day

people who suffer from eating disorders have depression and anger. Unfortunately, the anger is frequently dismissed, or ignored, and often left untreated, however it must be treated to treat this eating disorder. One of the most effective methods of treating, and talking about the anger is in a group setting, as group provides a setting in which it is difficult to manipulate the group.

The level of treatment for eating disorders is complex and beyond the scope of this article, but the levels of treatment range from self help and support groups, to low intensity outpatient treatment, to intensive treatment, to partial hospitalization programs to residential treatment, to hospitalization.

The goals of treating eating disorders are:

1. Interrupt the binge/purge cycle

2. Normalize eating patterns

3.Increase self esteem

4. Positive cognitive restructuring

5. Promote self responsibility

6. Promote flexibility

7.Stabilize chaotic thought patterns

8. Repair physical damage

9.Explore leisure activiities

10. Begin to develop healthy relationships

11. Begin to repair healthy relationships

12. Educate about recovery and relapse tools

Treating bulimia and anorexia is complex, and multifaceted process. It requires work, time and commitment. If you suffer from an eating disorder, get help. It can change your life. It can save your life.

Tammy Stoner is a licensed clinical social worker and life coach. She provides training and education to health care organizations, and individuals. Skilled at helping people uncover the blocks that keep them "stuck", she is able to quickly find internal and external strategies to get "unstuck", and live a life you love.For more information about coaching services, please contact her at http://www.teddybeartherapy.com