Nutrition and Massage
Nutrition is a key element to whole body wellness and sets the tone for your health and wellbeing. Poor nutrition will wreak havoc on internal organs and the body as a whole. It will also increase an accumulation of toxins within the body. Fortunately, these toxins can be removed in a variety of ways, one of which is massage. Massage releases the toxins that are stored within the tissues and fat cells of our bodies. For maximum benefit it is important to fuel up correctly, pre and post massage. If you have ample time to plan, the best foods to have before and after a massage are as follows:
Pre-massage:
1. Magnesium rich foods (almonds, avocados, wild salmon, cashews, pumpkin, brown rice) help to reduce inflammation and can help to calm the nervous system, giving your body the ability to relax.
2. Drink water! Try to avoid too much caffeine/coffee right before in order to keep blood pressure stable.
Post massage:
1. Drinking room temperature water helps to eliminate toxins from the body quickly. 20 oz. within the hour following is ideal, continuing to drink plenty the rest of the day.
2. Dark chocolate at 70-85% cacao and blueberries are great to have after massage, as the antioxidants help to decrease inflammation.
3. Broccoli is a good source of vitamin K, folic acid, calcium and vitamin C, which all help to repair and protect cells in the body.
"I never thought I’d love PT, but now I do! I’m so appreciative that my first Pt experience has been with the most attentive and patient people possible. I’m thrilled the progress I’ve made and feel confident in my ability to continue improving at home. A huge thanks to the entire A2 team for being so welcoming and understanding. I truly can’t offer any recommendations, as you guys have a great thing going. (except for maybe more fruit infused water. Thanks again!"
− K. Paulson
"I’m really glad I am going to A2. My PT Danny is very knowledgeable and courteous. He pin-pointed the area affected in my hip and back. We are working to improve my strength, range of motion and ultimately lessen my pain with Danny’s wide range of stretches and strength techniques to improve my quality of life. So far in the three weeks that I’ve been enrolled I’m very impressed with A2 Physical Therapy. Thanks Danny!"
− Sean
"Last Sunday I played full court basketball for the first time in 15 years. I will qualify the contest by saying it happened on a court just out of the back door of an elder care center. The teams consisted of a 7 year old, an d8 year old, a young woman in flip-flops (I played in sandals), a woman who proudly stated she was 55 years old (I retorted with my age of 65), and a couple of other young guys that really played well. I ran the court, I played defense, blocked shots, made shots (missed a lot), got lots of rebounds, and talked a lot of smack while playing with a group of people a lot younger than me. I even made a behind the back-twisting fall-away shot, then fell and tumbled on the court. I jumped up and continued to play, and we played for about 45 minutes.
I attribute my ability to play this game that I love so much again to the excellent training receive from Kristy who is a trainer at A2 Physical Therapy. I have worked out and trained since I was very young. I played high school basketball, baseball, and I ran track. I spent 20 years in the Army with all the training requirements associated with that occupation. I played on community and city leagues, and I have trained with weights for many years. The training program Kristy has devised for me at A2 is rigorous, thorough, diverse, fun, challenging, and focused. She prepares workout plans that are age and fitness level appropriate. My work out now is so much different then it was when I first started. She both trains me individually and as a couple. I run, jump, stretch, lift, balance, squat, push, pull, and every other movement you can imagine. I look forward to going to my workout every time. Kristy is completely in charge of every workout. I am retired, and my training at A2 allows me to fill the need to accomplish something positive every day I work out. I am doing physical activity with ease that I would not have thought I would be able be able to accomplish at the age of 65 such as hiking on Mt Rainer and running 4 days per week. Kristy and A2 have really changed my life…"
− William