When I finished her massage, she was ecstatic. She had never received a professional massage, so the relaxation she achieved was something of a revelation to her. Then, four days later, I got the phone call. She was in a lot of pain. “What did you do?” she asked. “I felt fantastic for the first three days and now this!”

“You felt great for three days and the upper back pain has popped up just today?”

Massage. The word evokes visions of serenity and relaxation. But for dancers who work long days, massage is also a basic requirement for maintaining physical and mental health.

I can’t tell you how glad I was to see your name in my calendar this week,” said Elaine as she rushed into my treatment room. “I’ve been really stressed at work — the timing’s perfect for a
session.”

“Any specific areas you want me to check today?” I asked.

“I guess mainly my neck and shoulders, whatever you find,” she said.

She lay down on the table, and we both took a deep breath as I gently contacted her neck with an open palm. Before long, she was breathing deeply, relaxed and calm, on the verge of sleep.

Protecting the immune system and managing stress are vital aspects of living longer, feeling younger, and being healthy. Here are 10 ways to reduce stress, boost your immune system, and slow down the hands of time.

Physical activity. Regular exercise — whether it’s walking or dancing — strengthens your cardiovascular system, heart, muscles, and bones. It also stimulates the release of endorphins; improves mental functioning, concentration/attention, and cognitive performance; and lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, cortisol, and other stress hormones.

We all feel stress from time to time, and many of our lifestyle habits don’t support us in our journey along a healthier path. Here are 10 lifestyle changes that will help you become more relaxed and increase your overall feeling of well-being.

You walk on them all day, but did you know your feet do more than carry you from one place to the next? They also have a unique connection to balanced health and well-being. In a form of bodywork known as reflexology, the feet are said to contain reflex areas that mirror and connect to all parts of the body — and pressure on these points can actually influence your state of health.

If you think meditation means a dark room filled with long-haired gurus sporting love beads, think again. The concept of meditation has come a long way since its cultural introduction in the 1970s.

The ability to recognize how your body reacts to stressors in your life can be a powerful skill. However, most people are more aware of the weather, the time of day, or their bank balance than they are of their own personal stress response. Your body registers stress long before the conscious mind does. Muscle tension is your body’s way of letting you know you are under stress, and body awareness is the first step toward acknowledging and reducing stress. Try the following exercises to promote body awareness: