Age, Movement, and Mattresses
Health
Karla Mitchell
8/18/20234 min read
In the week I woke up with pain that ran from my neck to my right shoulder and to my back. It made every movement uncomfortable. I was grateful to the Lord for every task done every day with all that discomfort. God blessed me with movement, but it was also a reminder of disconcerting matters.
It reminded me that exercise is a must. One of the necessities of life is muscle movement. As much as we think that sitting is a blessing, action is life. It promotes circulation and stabilizes the rhythms of the body.
It reminded me of my age. Age is just a number. It depends on how one takes care of one’s machinery.
It reminded me that the mattress may need changing. A mattress is recycled between six to eight years (sometimes it can last longer) depending on the kind and the signs it is showing. Waking up sore because it does not give spine support is a sure sign, as are signs of wear such us visible damage but more importantly the mattress may be lumpy (with deep indentations), saggy, shifty and squashed, with springs poking out. If your allergies get worse, perhaps because of dust mites, mold and bacterial growth, change your mattress. Another sign is the temperature—if you’re getting too hot, it may be that there is no circulation because you are trapped in a trench in your old mattress. Lastly, an old mattress can make it difficult to sleep, which can affect one’s physical and mental state.
It also reminded me of the time when my family and I traveled home to the Philippines. My good Tita Macky and Tito Noel ordered masseuses over to the house to give us massages. It was a memorable gift.
According to Florida Academy, massage therapy has been around since before 3000 BC. It was used by the Hindus in natural healing to restore the balance in the body. It was also used as a natural remedy in China. The Buddhists brought massage therapy to Japan, where the Japanese people, like the Chinese, gave it their own flavor. The Japanese called their twist anma and later shiatsu. Massage therapy also reached Egypt, where the Egyptians developed it by applying their own techniques in body work.
In fact they are credited as the nation that developed of form of massage therapy known today as reflexology. It was also in Greece and Rome where they used massage therapy in combination with the application of herbs and oils, a proper diet, exercise, fresh air and music to restore health after illness, stimulate blood circulation and loosen joints.
Massage therapy faded with history, but it has made a comeback. According to Florida Academy, we can thank a Swedish doctor by the name of Per Henrik Ling, who brought a new method known as the Swedish Movement Cure, used for chronic pain relief. The Dutch physician Johann Georg Mezger was not to be left out in this revival. He incorporated techniques such as effleurage (a light circular stroking movement), pétrissage (a squeezing movement, like kneading), tapotement (tapping), and friction.
The first masseuses were called rubbers in America in the 1700s and they were women hired by the surgeons to help with orthopedic cases. In the 1850s they were called medical gymnasts and their training included anatomy, physiology, hygiene, pathology and movement perceptions. The words ‘masseur’ and ‘masseuse’ became popular in the late 1800s and referred to people who used massage therapy with hydrotherapy.
In the 1950s, physical therapy became a licensed practice and the American Massage Therapy Association was established. Today, the science of massage therapy has become established and standardized.
The discomfort I feel reminds me that ME Zone has its own physical therapist. If you want relief and a feeling of restoration, pay them a visit! A massage is medicinal.
About the author:
Karla Mitchell
Karla Mitchell is a vibrant woman from South Africa who embraces life with her husband and children. A God-fearing woman who builds her life and family with the foundation of faith and love. Her energy and bubbly personality light up the room, and her intelligence and analytical mind make her an interesting person to talk to. Her love for books fuels her passion for writing, and she is always observing people and making her own analysis. Karla is a firm believer in staying true to her convictions and is a skilled conversationalist. Her strong-willed nature is balanced by her kind heart, and she genuinely cares for all that God has created. With her faith, love for family, and passion for writing, Karla continues to make a positive impact in her community and beyond