BENEFITS OF MASSAGE - From Nature's Path Magazine

Massage dilates the blood vessels, improving the circulation and relieving congestion through out the body.
Massage relaxes and relieves tension.
Massage increases the number of red blood cells, especially in cases of anemia.
Massage improves muscle tone and helps prevent or delay muscular atrophy resulting from forced inactivity.
Massage may have a sedative, stimulating or even exhausting effects on the nervous system depending on the type and length of treatment given.
Massage stretches connective tissue, improves circulation and nutrition and so breaks down or prevents formation of adhesions and reduces the dangers of fibrosis.
Massage helps reduce edema (swelling) or dropsy of the extremities.
Massage disperses edemas following injuries or tendons, lessens pain and facilitates movement.
Massage, by improving the general circulation, increases nutrition of the tissues, which is accompanied or followed by an increased interchange of substances between the blood and tissue cells heightening tissue metabolism.
Massage helps return venous blood to the heart and so eases the strain on this vital organ on forced-inactive people.
Massage is the second best method of stimulation of lymph flow, and it is also of value in moving edema fluid.
Massage relaxes muscle spasms by inhibiting motor impulses to the muscle from the central nervous system.
Massage, as does exercise, increases muscle tone, pulse, body temperature, respiration and renal output.
Massage may break down adhesions between the skin or superficial tissue and deeper structures.
Massage increases insensible perspiration and facilitates removal of sebaceous secretions from the endocrine glands.
Massage has a psychogenic response having a warming, soothing analgesic effect described by some as a hypnotizing effect on the skin's sensitive nerve endings.
Massage makes you feel good!