How Touch Can Lead to a Greater Healthy Happy Glow

In a bid to avoid surgery to deal with strictures (narrowing of intestine) due scarring from Crohn’s disease inflammation I am going to travel to the UK in a few weeks to undergo physical therapy which is supposed to break down the scar tissue.  I’ll blog about my experience and why I chose to try this non-conventional treatment in a future blog.

Needless to say, in the past few weeks the healing power of touch has naturally been top of mind.

Decades of research has shown that human touch is essential for babies to develop and thrive. But it’s been discovered in recent years that it’s just as vital for adults as it is for babies.  And it’s so much more than just a way to “feel better” as it can actually help the healing process and there are many ways it can help get a healthy, happy, glow.

Healthy

Physical contact can:

• Increase the number of white blood cells therefore increase immunity
• Lower blood pressure
• Improve sleep
• Reduce headaches

Massage can detoxify the body by boosting the lymphatic system while many hospitals offer massage therapy to ease the pain of patients with cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and several other painful diseases.

Happy

Physical contact can:

• Lower stress hormones
• Increase happy and feel-good hormones such as serotonin, dopamine as well as endorphins which can improve mood
• Decrease anxiety

Glow

Facial massages are a great way to get a glow as they:

• Prevent wrinkles by relaxing muscles and getting rid of any built up tension. Massage combined with a hydrating moisturiser can help minimize lines and dryness.
• Increase circulation and encourage blood and oxygen flow to the face.
• Increase collagen production (from increased oxygen) which gives a healthy and natural glow to the complexion.

Ways of getting more physical contact:

• Greet friends and family with hugs and/or kisses.
• Snuggle with your children or partner.
• Offer to give a friend or loved one a back massage – then switch.
• Get your hair washed in a hair salon.
• Go for a therapeutic massage – e.g. back and shoulders or head.
• Go for a reflexology treatment.
• Try cranio-sacral massage.
• Get a manicure and pedicure that includes a hand/foot massage.