Happy Holiday Massage Therapy
A Happy Holiday Massage Therapy treatment may be what your body needs!
It 
can be challenging to stay on your healthy eating routine during the holiday season. The holidays are filled with cheer when gathering with family and friends. However, we can become so busy with our full schedules that adding more to our plates can often create more stress. When we feel stressed out it can push some of us into overeating and indulging in more sugar than normal bringing us out of balance, especially over the holidays! And as you probably are already aware, stress can cause lower immune systems and dis-ease in our bodies.
Regular massage therapy treatments can not only move the lymph in our lymphat
ic systems to clear toxins out of the body but also help to relieve your stress. And let’s face it… a happy holiday massage therapy would feel wonderful!
When we get so busy in our lives, we often put ourselves at the bottom of our lists. Remembering that we need to keep ourselves healthy and happy is vital for our mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as our physical health. When you are strong, healthy and happy, you can then ripple that on out to others. Holiday Massage Therapy is also a wonderful gift for someone you love. They make great stocking stuffers! Or perhaps save a few dollars and purchase a happy holiday massage therapy 3-session package and share that with your loved ones. It is a gift that keeps giving in the health and wellness department!
Boosting Your Immune System with Food
Now that winter is upon us and the colder weather moves in it’s important to boost our immune systems.
One easy way to do this is with food and supplements which will help you to avoid falling victim to colds and flu this season. Washing your hands regularly and avoiding contact with sick people helps tremendously. Receiving massage on a regular basis can also help move toxins out of your systems. If you have been overeating or feel bloated due to the different foods consumed over the holidays you may want to schedule a hydro colon hydrotherapy treatment.
How can two people have the same exposure and one gets sick and the other doesn’t? The difference is quite often their immune system.
What is our Immune System??
It is a network in our body of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to keep us healthy by fighting off harmful parasites, viruses, and fungus. Our immune system acts as a barrier between our body and the bacteria and viruses that can make us sick. When this system is compromised by diet, environmental and lifestyle, illness occurs.
Our amazing defense systems are two main parts: The Mucous Membranes which use white blood cells to fight infections before they get inside us: (nose, mouth, and eyes), and our T and B cells that work together to create antibodies that fight off invaders and destroy infected cells. Our bone marrow and spleen are also key as they make white blood cells to fight infection, with our lymphatic system transporting lymph (which contains white blood cells) throughout our bodies. What an amazing team that all works together unconsciously to keep us alive!
FOOD is one of the easiest tools to boost and create a strong immune system. Over the holiday season, it can be challenging to remain on a healthy food menu. However, you still have the conscious choice to choose wisely and eat more 
raw foods at parties like veggie plates and salads and other creative veggie dishes.
When it comes to phytochemicals (the bioactive chemical compounds in plants) studies have shown that the more fruits and veggies you eat the better off you are. Our body requires specific nutrients for optimal immunity. Immune boosting vitamins and minerals are folate, zinc, iron, beta-carotene, B6, B12, C, D and E. Vitamins can be costly, however, the best boosters are found in the produce isle!
Kiwi: Great source of Vitamin C, folate, more potassium than a banana, and antioxidants alpha-Tocopherol and lutein. Wash well and include the peel for high fiber and is fabulous for your microbiome.
Garlic: Medicinally used for centuries and enhancing the immune system, garlic contains Alliin. When you crush whole garlic, it activates alliin which turns into the active compound allicin. Let it sit for 10 minutes to activate. Garlic also offers additional sulfur-containing compounds with healing properties.
Onions: Containing two major compounds: antioxidant flavonoids anthocyanin and quercetin, and alliin! Red and yellow onions are higher in quercetin, which is known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. The highest concentration is found in the outer rings. Cooked or raw; perfecto!
Ginger: A medicinal powerhouse; anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial all protect against infectious disease. The compound Gingerol is most responsible for its anti-cancer properties, as well as the curcuminoids that are also found in Turmeric. Keep a root in the freezer. Grate in smoothies or stir-fry or add to your tea.
Probiotics (good bacteria in your gut), Prebiotics (feed the probiotics) and fermented foods play a huge role in almost every important function in our bodies and are great for digestion and upper respiratory infections. Super easy in supplement form! Also found in kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, and kefir.
Prebiotics found in jicama, chicory root, garlic, onions, leeks, leafy greens, bananas and the peel of kiwi.
Nutritional Yeast contains beta-glucans that have power infection prevention and immune-boosting properties by enhancing natural killer cell activity. It has a cheesy taste!
Berries: SUPERFOOD! High in antioxidants, VC, Ellagic acid (prevents tumor growth) So much good in berries! Eat Them!
Citrus Fruits are rich in antioxidants. Lucky for us here in Mexico, we have an abundance of fruit stands that make fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juice! Limes are abundant and the ‘Little Cuties’ are in season! Smelling citrus also helps with reducing stress.
Other foods: Mushrooms, Apples (high fiber), sunflower seeds, red peppers (tons of C, E, beta-carotene) Vitamin D sunshine, and zinc are a few more suggestions to aid in health and wellbeing when it comes to your immune system. Preventive medicine is located right in your kitchen. Vegetables also contain a lot of protein. (Where do you think animals get their protein from?)
If you’re going to a potluck party over the holidays, bring something healthy that you and everyone will enjoy. 
Contact Christa Wagner at Returning Balance Therapies for your happy holiday massage treatments or a happy holiday massage therapy gift certificate for that stocking stuffer! We wish you a very Happy Holiday and Peace to All. Blessings to everyone from all of us at Returning Balance Therapies; INJOY!!