Stories on Health

When you get diagnosed with diabetes, it’s as if you have to learn to live in an entirely new body. With diet/blood monitoring, changes in routine, and side effects of the disease and medications, it can be overwhelming and uncomfortable. One of the least invasive and most cost-effective treatments is simple: Massage therapy.

Although some people balk at the “luxury” and price of massage therapy, there are many benefits that should be of particular interest to diabetic health: Circulation and relaxation. Just having diabetes can be an inherently stressful condition, and stress can strain many of your systems and organs, not to mention your overall mental health. Excessive worry can also be an issue. If you spend a great deal of time worrying and fretting, you will not only do more damage to your body, but you also run the risk of impairing your relationships. Massage therapy will give you a chance to let go of those thoughts for a while and produces endorphins, which will help you feel better, keep things in perspective, and lower your stress hormone levels.

The other amazing benefit of massage therapy for diabetics is a big one: Improved circulation. No one can dispute that massage therapy aids the stimulation of your blood, lymph systems, and muscles, which in turn help carry oxygen and other nutrients—including insulin—to the rest of your body. High blood sugars can sometimes cause a thickening of connective tissues, which can cause stiffness and pain in the muscles and fascia. Working the muscles with massage not only ensures they are getting what they need, but also preserves flexibility and range of motion.

Massage therapy is a painless and relatively affordable way to help manage your diabetes. Don’t let laziness or fear keep you from feeling better at any opportunity.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 7th, 2008 at 7:19 pm and is filed under Fitness, Health Care, Injury. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.