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Written by Frank Rosci
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 The secret to having a relaxing holiday season.
Holiday stress can be physically draining and emotionally overwhelming.
There never seems to be enough time to get everything done, let alone
get it all done in the way we’ve hoped and planned. But there is help
from the stressful highs and lows of the holiday season—massage
therapy.
Massage therapy can relieve stress, replacing it with a sense of
relaxation, well-being and contentment, a welcome rejuvenation and
recharge of body and mind worth the time and money.
Massage, known as “the ancient healing art,” is a totally guilt-free,
wonderfully self-indulgent, genuinely enjoyable holiday gift people can
give themselves.
“From a stress perspective, massages act to release the tightness
associated with constricted muscles and restricted movement, oxygenate
the body and help with the shallow breathing that is part of stressful
situations, improve the circulation and flow of blood throughout the
body, decrease fatigue, release pressure on nerves, and eliminate
toxins that have built up in the body,” said Joseph Cutrufello, who
co-owns Pierre & Carlo European Salon & Spas in Center City
Philadelphia, Glen Mills and Wyncote, with wife Rachael.
“Not only does massage relax the muscles, which produce toxins when
used,” he continued. “It also helps more nutrients get into the
structure of cells and helps the body’s organs to drain properly.
Through massage there is an energy exchange, a physical manipulation
that relieves physical and mental stress. Massage is physically and
psychologically soothing, comparable to going to sleep and waking up
refreshed. Some people feel so peaceful and relaxed during a massage
that they actually fall asleep.
“Stress contributes to a general degrading of health, and is not a
good situation to stay in, not during the holidays, not at any time. I
recommend a massage once or twice a week at least by a certified
therapist. Ideally, a half-hour every day is best,” he added.
A number of massage therapies are popular today. Swedish Massage
improves circulation while alleviating everyday muscle soreness and
stiffness; Deep Tissue Massage is characterized by slow, deep
penetrating movements to improve flexibility and release very tightly
blocked areas; and Sports Massage that concentrates on particular
muscle groups to increase performance and endurance.
In aromatherapy scented oils extracted from flowers, herbs and
spices are used in conjunction with soothing techniques; La Stone
Therapy utilizes warm stones to relieve all degrees of tension and
stress, allowing the therapist to work to a much deeper level; Prenatal
Massage is a full body massage for expectant mothers dealing with the
stress caused by weight shifts; and Reflexology focuses on pressure
points on the hands and feet.
Other types of massage include Myofascial, a highly specialized
stretching technique of the fascia, a thin tissue that covers all of
the body’s organs, as a way to deal with pain syndromes in the
physiology, and Lymph Drainage Massage, designed to keep bodily fluids
moving freely. Among the latest trends in massage therapy are those
that focus on skin texture and on moisturizing the skin, ones that use
sea salt scrubs and others that rely on clay masks for facial massage.
Another emerging trend is the use of a body ball to stimulate a
therapeutic massage of so-called trigger points—tight and tender
congested muscle spots filled with toxins and waste.
Before deciding on which type of massage to enjoy, Cutrufello
suggests an evaluation, because some massages are more focused than
others. And, over time, the right therapist can be found -- someone who
has a certain energy and doesn’t “rub a person the wrong way, so to
speak,” he remarked.
Massage prices can range from $85 for a Swedish Massage to $150 for one
and one-half hours of La Stone Therapy. “People come in before the
holidays and they come in after because massage can make a major
difference in how they feel and look,” Cutrufello said.
Frank Rosci is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer.
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