Massage Therapy for Health and Fitness

· Increases the circulation of blood to skin and organs.
· Increases flow of lymph through the lymph glands, enhancing
  the cleansing of the lymph system.
· Helps with overall body detoxification.
· Increases the oxygen capacity of the blood by 10-15%.
· Helps loosen contracted, shortened muscles and can
  stimulate weak, flaccid muscles.
· Increases the body's secretions and excretions,
  thereby enhancing detoxification.
· Balances the nervous system by soothing or stimulating it,
  depending upon need
· Aids recovery from soft tissue injuries such as sprains
  and strains.
· Enhances mood by calming and soothing.

Acupuncture: An Ancient Healing Art for Today

The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture and traditional Oriental medicine's ability to favorably treat more than 43 common disorders, including:

· Gastrointestinal disorders, such as food allergies, peptic ulcer, chronic diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, gastrointestinal weakness, anorexia and gastritis
· Urogenital problems, including stress incontinence, urinary tract infections, and sexual dysfunction
· Gynecological concerns, such as irregular, heavy, or painful menstruation, infertility and premenstrual syndrome
· Respiratory diseases, such as emphysema, sinusitis, asthma, allergies and bronchitis
· Disorders of the bones, muscles, joints and nervous system, such as arthritis, migraine headaches, neuralgia, insomnia, dizziness, and low back, neck and shoulder pain
· Circulatory illnesses, such as hypertension, angina pectoris, arteriosclerosis and anemia
· Emotional and psychological problems, including depression and anxiety
· Addictions, such as alcohol, nicotine and drugs
· Eye, ear, nose and throat disorders
· Supportive therapy for other chronic and painful debilitating diseases
· In addition, controlled clinical trials in the U.S. have evaluated the use of acupuncture combined with standard stroke protocol for the treatment of paralysis due to stroke. Effective results were found for more than 80 percent of the patients receiving acupuncture, with a cost savings of $26,000 per patient.
· On Nov. 5, 1997, the National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference (NIH) on acupuncture concluded that “Acupuncture is an effective treatment for nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy drugs, surgical anesthesia, and pregnancy; and for pain resulting from surgery and a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.”
· The NIH panel also stated that “One of the advantages of acupuncture is that the incidence of adverse effects is substantially lower than that of many other drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions.”