Showing posts with label Massage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Massage. Show all posts
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Breast Massage: Growing global industry?
By Mindy Allan
There has been an heightened interest in the benefits of having breast massages in China, as well as most of the world. With the increasing amount of information coming out about how breast massage can be a preventative in health risk in many ways for women.
Even though breast massages are on the increase in China, they are widely used around the world. The United States is one of the few countries in the world, where breast massage is illegal in most states. Canada, Europe, Asia and many other countries have been using this technique for years.
Many believe breast massage is a preventative for breast cancer, and that it detoxifies, and rejuvenates tissue. It is believed that deadly toxins toxins build up in lymph nodes that can't released and have been linked to many breast issues.
Is Breast Massage Simply Therapy? Or Simply Porn?
Sunday, 13 May 2012
John Travolta’s Masseur Lawsuits Follow Rumors of a Double Life
Hollywood star John Travolta has been accused of sexual assault in lawsuits filed by two male masseurs. But questions about the actor’s sex life have circulated for years, reports Marlow Stern.
News of an incredibly graphic $2 million lawsuit by a “John Doe” masseur against John Travolta, which broke Monday, may have come as a surprise to some fans of the actor, who projects an image of a smiling heartthrob on-screen and an adoring family man off.
13 Naughtiest Bits From the Masseur Lawsuit Against John Travolta
Anna Klassen
John Travolta is being sued by a masseur for alleged sexual assault. From what was ‘bouncing’ to personal-grooming descriptions, Anna Klassen pored through the lawsuit to find the 13 most salacious passages.
John Travolta is being sued in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles by a masseur, named only as John Doe, who accuses the star of sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He is seeking $2 million in damages. According to the lawsuit, Travolta saw the masseur's ad online and scheduled an appointment for $200 an hour, and then tried to have sex with him during the massage, in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Jan. 16. Travolta has denied the claim and says he wasn't even in California on the date of the alleged assault. “This lawsuit is complete fiction and fabrication,” his representatives said in a statement. “None of the events claimed in the suit ever occurred.” Sorting through the legal rhetoric, Anna Klassen compiled the naughtiest bits of the suit filed against the Old Dogs star.
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Lung Cancer and Sexuality
How Will Lung Cancer Affect My Sex Life?
Sexuality is an important part of what makes us human, but with lung cancer, the rigors of treatment can push physical intimacy to the back burner. You may be tired from treatments, or your loved one may feel uncomfortable broaching the subject as she focuses on concerns about your health. Despite its importance, healthcare professionals are often hesitant to bring up the subject of sex due to time constraints, consideration of privacy, and even their own comfort level in discussing sexuality. But we know that sexuality affects quality of life and psychological well-being for those living with cancer. What are the issues that affect sexuality with lung cancer, and what can you do to foster sexual (and subsequently emotional) intimacy during cancer treatment?
Issues That Can Affect Sexuality If You Have Lung Cancer
Lung cancer can affect sexuality in many ways, both due to the disease itself and the side effects of treatment. Understanding some of the issues can help you address those that you have some control over, and help your loved one know how he or she can best support you. Some of these include:
Physical issues:
Changes in physical appearance – Your physical appearance (for example hair loss or weight changes) during treatment may make you feel less attractive or desirable as an intimate partner.
Symptoms of lung cancer – Common symptoms of lung cancer, such as a cough or shortness of breath, may worsen during sexual activity.
Fatigue – Fatigue is an almost universal concern with lung cancer. This can stem not only from the cancer itself and side effects of treatments, but from the demands of doctors visits and traveling for treatment.
The presence of visitors – Time spent with family and friends is very important, but they may forget that you need time to be alone with your partner.
Psychological issues:
Anxiety about your condition, your treatments or more.
Depression and grief – Studies show that mood has a significant effect on physical function.
Loneliness – You may feel emotionally separated from your loved one as you now face different challenges.
Role changes – Taking on the role of caregiver changes the dynamics of intimate relationships. A spouse may view a cancer patient more as a child than as a sexual partner, and feel uncomfortable with physical intimacy. You, the patient, can also be affected by assuming a role of accepting care more than giving it.
Guilt – Guilt due to the stigma of lung cancer, feeling that somehow an individual caused their disease and somehow deserves it, is common with lung cancer and can interfere with sexuality.
Tips For Enjoying Your Sexuality During Lung Cancer Treatment
Talk openly with your loved one
Share your needs and acknowledge one another's concerns. Anticipate that physical intimacy may need to be expressed in a different way as time goes on. Talk about how you can express your love if you are too fatigued for intercourse, or if coughing requires you to engage in quieter activities.
Share intimate physical moments that don’t involve intercourse
Be generous with touch. Hold hands during doctor’s visits. Sneak a kiss while the lab tech draws blood. Look back to the days when you first fell in love, and the special “little things” you did that drew you closer.
Adapt according to your limitations
Positions such as side-by-side may require less energy. Have the partner without cancer take the more active role. Plan to have sex when you are well-rested and not directly following a heavy meal.
Give yourselves a special treat
Think of things that make you feel good and attractive to each other. A new outfit, a pampering massage, a special cologne, even a new hair color (assuming you have hair) may add a little spice. This is important for both of you, as caregivers often feel guilty pampering themselves while caring for a loved one with cancer.
Skip the booze
Alcohol can interfere with a healthy sex life even if you don't have lung cancer. That said, a glass of red wine might add a sparkle to the moment.
Set “visiting hours”
One lung cancer survivor told me that trying to find time alone with her husband reminded her of when they had young children. Now they ask friends not to call or visit during “nap time.”
Nurture your spiritual life
An active spiritual life is associated with a healthier mood and greater emotional well-being, which in turn are linked with a more satisfying sex life with cancer. Spirituality means different things to different people -- organized religion, communing with nature, meditation, or the like.
Most importantly, express your love daily in as many ways as you can. A relationship that is based on love and respect and that is continually nurtured is the best foundation for sexual intimacy during cancer treatment.
Sources:
Gilbert, E. et al. Renegotiating Sexuality and Intimacy in the Context of Cancer: The Experiences of Carers. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2008. Dec 9. (Epub ahead of Print).
Goodell, T. Sexuality in chronic lung disease. The Nursing Clinics of North America. 2007. 42(4):631-8; viii.
Kotronoulas, G. et al. Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding provision of sexual health care in patients with cancer: critical review of the evidence. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2009. Jan 9. (Epub ahead of print).
Lindau, S. et al. Communication about sexuality and intimacy in couples affected by lung cancer and their clinical-care providers. Psychooncology. 2011. 20(2):179-85.
Shell, J. et al. The longitudinal effects of cancer treatment and sexuality in individuals with lung cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum. 2008. 35(1):73-9
Shwartz, S. and J. Plawecki. Consequences of chemotherapy on the sexuality of patients with lung cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2002. 6(4):212-6.
By Lynne Eldridge MD, About.com Guide
Updated March 27, 2012
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Sexuality is an important part of what makes us human, but with lung cancer, the rigors of treatment can push physical intimacy to the back burner. You may be tired from treatments, or your loved one may feel uncomfortable broaching the subject as she focuses on concerns about your health. Despite its importance, healthcare professionals are often hesitant to bring up the subject of sex due to time constraints, consideration of privacy, and even their own comfort level in discussing sexuality. But we know that sexuality affects quality of life and psychological well-being for those living with cancer. What are the issues that affect sexuality with lung cancer, and what can you do to foster sexual (and subsequently emotional) intimacy during cancer treatment?
Issues That Can Affect Sexuality If You Have Lung Cancer
Lung cancer can affect sexuality in many ways, both due to the disease itself and the side effects of treatment. Understanding some of the issues can help you address those that you have some control over, and help your loved one know how he or she can best support you. Some of these include:
Physical issues:
Changes in physical appearance – Your physical appearance (for example hair loss or weight changes) during treatment may make you feel less attractive or desirable as an intimate partner.
Symptoms of lung cancer – Common symptoms of lung cancer, such as a cough or shortness of breath, may worsen during sexual activity.
Fatigue – Fatigue is an almost universal concern with lung cancer. This can stem not only from the cancer itself and side effects of treatments, but from the demands of doctors visits and traveling for treatment.
The presence of visitors – Time spent with family and friends is very important, but they may forget that you need time to be alone with your partner.
Psychological issues:
Anxiety about your condition, your treatments or more.
Depression and grief – Studies show that mood has a significant effect on physical function.
Loneliness – You may feel emotionally separated from your loved one as you now face different challenges.
Role changes – Taking on the role of caregiver changes the dynamics of intimate relationships. A spouse may view a cancer patient more as a child than as a sexual partner, and feel uncomfortable with physical intimacy. You, the patient, can also be affected by assuming a role of accepting care more than giving it.
Guilt – Guilt due to the stigma of lung cancer, feeling that somehow an individual caused their disease and somehow deserves it, is common with lung cancer and can interfere with sexuality.
Tips For Enjoying Your Sexuality During Lung Cancer Treatment
Talk openly with your loved one
Share your needs and acknowledge one another's concerns. Anticipate that physical intimacy may need to be expressed in a different way as time goes on. Talk about how you can express your love if you are too fatigued for intercourse, or if coughing requires you to engage in quieter activities.
Share intimate physical moments that don’t involve intercourse
Be generous with touch. Hold hands during doctor’s visits. Sneak a kiss while the lab tech draws blood. Look back to the days when you first fell in love, and the special “little things” you did that drew you closer.
Adapt according to your limitations
Positions such as side-by-side may require less energy. Have the partner without cancer take the more active role. Plan to have sex when you are well-rested and not directly following a heavy meal.
Give yourselves a special treat
Think of things that make you feel good and attractive to each other. A new outfit, a pampering massage, a special cologne, even a new hair color (assuming you have hair) may add a little spice. This is important for both of you, as caregivers often feel guilty pampering themselves while caring for a loved one with cancer.
Skip the booze
Alcohol can interfere with a healthy sex life even if you don't have lung cancer. That said, a glass of red wine might add a sparkle to the moment.
Set “visiting hours”
One lung cancer survivor told me that trying to find time alone with her husband reminded her of when they had young children. Now they ask friends not to call or visit during “nap time.”
Nurture your spiritual life
An active spiritual life is associated with a healthier mood and greater emotional well-being, which in turn are linked with a more satisfying sex life with cancer. Spirituality means different things to different people -- organized religion, communing with nature, meditation, or the like.
Most importantly, express your love daily in as many ways as you can. A relationship that is based on love and respect and that is continually nurtured is the best foundation for sexual intimacy during cancer treatment.
Sources:
Gilbert, E. et al. Renegotiating Sexuality and Intimacy in the Context of Cancer: The Experiences of Carers. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2008. Dec 9. (Epub ahead of Print).
Goodell, T. Sexuality in chronic lung disease. The Nursing Clinics of North America. 2007. 42(4):631-8; viii.
Kotronoulas, G. et al. Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding provision of sexual health care in patients with cancer: critical review of the evidence. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2009. Jan 9. (Epub ahead of print).
Lindau, S. et al. Communication about sexuality and intimacy in couples affected by lung cancer and their clinical-care providers. Psychooncology. 2011. 20(2):179-85.
Shell, J. et al. The longitudinal effects of cancer treatment and sexuality in individuals with lung cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum. 2008. 35(1):73-9
Shwartz, S. and J. Plawecki. Consequences of chemotherapy on the sexuality of patients with lung cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2002. 6(4):212-6.
gotquestions http://lungcancer.about.com/od/livingwithlungcancer/a/sexuality.htm
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
15 Easy Ways to De-Stress This Year, No Matter Where You Are
Soothe away stress with these do-anywhere tension tamers.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/de-stress#slide-1Read more: De-Stress - How to De-Stress Your Life - Good Housekeeping
Friday, 3 February 2012
Massage Helps Heal Muscles and Relieve Pain
How Massage Helps Heal Muscles and Relieve Pain
Massage may work as well as drugs like aspirin or Advil in easing pain from intense exercise.
By MAIA SZALAVITZ | @maiasz | February 2, 2012 |
2
inShare
44
GETTY IMAGES
The word massage alone elicits deep relaxation and stress relief, and now a new study sheds light on how deep touch works to ease pain and promote healing in sore muscles.
Researchers at McMaster University in Canada found that massage affects the activity of certain genes, directly reducing inflammation in muscles — the same result you’d get by taking aspirin or ibuprofen — and boosting their ability to recover from exercise.
The study involved 11 young men who were willing to engage in what the researchers described as “exhaustive aerobic exercise” — the equivalent of an intense spinning class. The men rode stationary bikes to the point of exhaustion.
After the workout, each man received a 10-minute Swedish-style massage on only one leg; the other leg served as the control. They also had biopsies taken from their leg muscles before and after exercise, immediately after massage and then again two and a half hours later.
MORE: Aching Back? Try Massage for Chronic Pain
Researchers found that massage set off a series of molecular events in muscles that helped reverse discomfort related to exercise. Massage dampened the activity of proteins known as inflammatory cytokines, which cause inflammation and pain. It also increased levels of proteins that signal the muscles to produce more mitochondria, the cell structures that produce energy and help muscles recover from activity.
Tiffany Field, a leading researcher on the effects of massage and director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School, says she found the results “very believable.” She was not associated with the new research. (Field notes that her group is planning to study the effect of massage on some of the same inflammatory cytokines in HIV-positive pregnant women.)
Massage basically has the same pain-relieving effect as drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), says Field. Known as NSAIDS, for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, these medications work by reducing levels of substances called prostaglandins that increase levels of inflammatory cytokines. “By reducing the inflammation — or the pro-inflammatory cytokines, to be specific — you would reduce pain,” says Field.
Mainstream medicine has often dismissed massage as a bona fide therapy, but “these findings will have an impact on traditional medicine, as every ‘beneath-the-skin’ finding helps,” says Field.
The study was published in Science Translational Medicine.
MORE: The Lab Rat Gets Petted: How Massage Works
Maia Szalavitz is a health writer for TIME.com. Find her on Twitter at @maiasz. You can also continue the discussion on TIME Healthland’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIMEHealthland.
Read other related stories about this:
Study Works Out Kinks in Understanding of Massage The Los Angeles Times
Massage May Help Sore Muscles Recover WebMD
Massage After Exercise Tamps Down Inflammation That Causes Aches Bloomberg
Related Topics: massage, Medicine, Pain
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/02/how-massage-helps-heal-muscles-and-relieve-pain/#ixzz1lLmzuVZK
Massage may work as well as drugs like aspirin or Advil in easing pain from intense exercise.
By MAIA SZALAVITZ | @maiasz | February 2, 2012 |
2
inShare
44
GETTY IMAGES
The word massage alone elicits deep relaxation and stress relief, and now a new study sheds light on how deep touch works to ease pain and promote healing in sore muscles.
Researchers at McMaster University in Canada found that massage affects the activity of certain genes, directly reducing inflammation in muscles — the same result you’d get by taking aspirin or ibuprofen — and boosting their ability to recover from exercise.
The study involved 11 young men who were willing to engage in what the researchers described as “exhaustive aerobic exercise” — the equivalent of an intense spinning class. The men rode stationary bikes to the point of exhaustion.
After the workout, each man received a 10-minute Swedish-style massage on only one leg; the other leg served as the control. They also had biopsies taken from their leg muscles before and after exercise, immediately after massage and then again two and a half hours later.
MORE: Aching Back? Try Massage for Chronic Pain
Researchers found that massage set off a series of molecular events in muscles that helped reverse discomfort related to exercise. Massage dampened the activity of proteins known as inflammatory cytokines, which cause inflammation and pain. It also increased levels of proteins that signal the muscles to produce more mitochondria, the cell structures that produce energy and help muscles recover from activity.
Tiffany Field, a leading researcher on the effects of massage and director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School, says she found the results “very believable.” She was not associated with the new research. (Field notes that her group is planning to study the effect of massage on some of the same inflammatory cytokines in HIV-positive pregnant women.)
Massage basically has the same pain-relieving effect as drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), says Field. Known as NSAIDS, for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, these medications work by reducing levels of substances called prostaglandins that increase levels of inflammatory cytokines. “By reducing the inflammation — or the pro-inflammatory cytokines, to be specific — you would reduce pain,” says Field.
Mainstream medicine has often dismissed massage as a bona fide therapy, but “these findings will have an impact on traditional medicine, as every ‘beneath-the-skin’ finding helps,” says Field.
The study was published in Science Translational Medicine.
MORE: The Lab Rat Gets Petted: How Massage Works
Maia Szalavitz is a health writer for TIME.com. Find her on Twitter at @maiasz. You can also continue the discussion on TIME Healthland’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIMEHealthland.
Read other related stories about this:
Study Works Out Kinks in Understanding of Massage The Los Angeles Times
Massage May Help Sore Muscles Recover WebMD
Massage After Exercise Tamps Down Inflammation That Causes Aches Bloomberg
Related Topics: massage, Medicine, Pain
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/02/how-massage-helps-heal-muscles-and-relieve-pain/#ixzz1lLmzuVZK
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