66 August 2013 www.womanthismonth.com catching up to Europe and North America in realising that not everything can be fixed with a pill. She stresses that just as we take care of our teeth by brushing daily and visiting the dentist regularly, maintaining good spinal health will prevent things from going wrong later in life. Common problems she sees in the region in adolescents is scoliosis, a curved spine, while in adults problems are related to sitting, sports injuries and headaches. “Sitting reverses the curve of the way our natural spine is supposed to be,” she explains. If caught in the early stages then it’s just an imbalance or a strain. Left untreated, problems can manifest themselves as a herniated disc, which is degenerative in nature because the spine is positioned incorrectly for so long. This is common and range in severity from many people walking around not knowing they have it to those suffering from excruciating pain. Dr Amy treats many women for issues related to menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and hopes to develop a pre- and post-natal programme at her recently opened clinic in Janabiya. “Fortunately, most problems are treatable. Prevention is key,” she says, who is passionate about educating patients and the public about the benefits of alternative healthcare. Visit www.intouchclinic.com or call 34 102-553. The body is an amazing machine Our Expert: Lucia Lloyd Massage therapist, Massage Solutions If prevention is the key to wellness, then how can you argue with a weekly massage? Lucia Lloyd, massage therapist, says that anyone can benefit from this therapy, from seasoned athletes to individuals who don’t exercise. Your muscles apparently can be tricked into thinking they have had a workout from just a 30-minute vigorous massage. “If you are stuck behind a desk or commute to work, then go for massage therapy. It stimulates the blood circulation and induces relaxation,” says Lucia, who will soon be joining Lana’s practice. She practises trigger point therapy, where pressure is applied to tight spots in the muscles to provide relief in that area or another area of the body affected by tightness. This is effective for repetitive injuries such as those caused while playing sports or direct ones like a fall. As Lucia describes, our muscles act like a memory. So if you sustained a fall as a youngster and injured a muscle, later in life you may find yourself re-injuring the same muscle again. “With trigger point you press an area in the muscle for seven seconds to create a relative vacuum,” she says. “When you release the pressure, oxygen and nutrients rush in to ease the pain, thus relaxing the muscle.” Additionally, Lucia is trained in reflexology, which is a subtle massage dealing with pressure points on the foot. We have over 7,200 nerve endings in the foot together with all the pressure points. Reflexology is particularly helpful for women going through hormonal changes such as menopause, PMS and pregnancy. It is a great stress buster. In general, she recommends massage therapy for anyone and has taught baby massage to mothers of infants starting from one month of age. “It’s never too late,” declares Lucia, “the body is an amazing machine, which we take for granted.” Visit Facebook.com/massagesolutionslucia. g LIFESTYLE | wellbeing Top tips from experts: l Exercise regularly and eat a sensible diet. l Stretch before and after exercise. Practice yoga or Pilates to really stretch muscles. l If you sprain or pull a muscle, apply ice for 10 minutes – not heat. If you apply heat, you will be adding to an already inflamed area. Follow with a massage and cold creams. l If you are active, get a weekly massage with a qualified therapist. Your muscles will thank you. l Recovering from sore or strained muscles through massage therapy occurs immediately with young people. Those over the age of 25 can take one to two days to repair or longer, depending on the damage and individual muscle tone and structure. l Prevention is key. Start by seeing an osteopath or a chiropractor.
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