Massage
Therapy has a multitude of benefits for anyone receiving it. But did you know
that during and after your pregnancy can be some of the most beneficial times to
receive massage?
There is
strong evidence proving both maternal and newborn health benefits when massage
is a regular part of prenatal care. After receiving massage just once a week
for five weeks stress hormones were reduced while feel good hormones were
increased (deficiencies in these hormones are linked to depression). As a
result of the hormonal changes the women experienced fewer complications during
labor and their babies had fewer complications as well. Prenatal massage is
also a wonderful way to help reduce any stress or anxiety the expectant mother
may be feeling and can promote more restful sleep, which is etremely important
during pregnancy. Some of the
major physical benefits of prenatal massage are decrease in back and joint pain
which can be common, especially later in pregnancy. Prenatal massage can reduce
edema, headaches and muscle tension. Massage always improves the oxygen levels
in soft tissues and increases circulation--an improvement that is exceptionally
healthful during pregnancy because your blood volume increases to 50% more than
normal over the course of those 40 weeks. Sciatic nerve pain is another common
complaint during pregnancy, as your uterus grows it sits on (and therefor puts
pressure on) the muscles in your pelvic floor and low back. Prenatal massage
helps to loosen the muscles pinching the sciatic nerve and decreases any
associated swelling helping to relieve the pain. Massage
during the post partum period is very beneficial and has physical and emotional
benefits for the new mother. After giving birth a woman's body goes through
many significant changes at the same time. Massage during this time is shown
to decrease symptoms of Post Partum Depression and reduces stress hormones.
Post Partum Massage will also help to facilitate the healing of bladder
disorders, post-episiotomy or Cesarean section soreness, and will help to
re-establish the structural integrity of the pelvis and related muscles. In
addition, Post Partum Massage supports healthy lactation and can aid in maternal
bonding.
Please come out and join us next Saturday, April 21st, at the Health Studio for our first Annual Blood Drive! The Big Red Bus will be at the Studio from 10am-4pm collecting donations and giving out movie tickets and other great thank you tokens to participants. Every donor will receive a free class at the Studio plus great discounts on other services. If you have any questions or would like to reserve a time slot please call the Studio at 321-725-2267. We look forward to seeing you there!! For more information about donating blood visit the Florida's Blood Centers website here.
56 Facts about blood:
- More than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusions each year in the U.S. and Canada.
- 43,000 pints: amount of donated blood used each day in the U.S. and Canada.
- Someone needs blood every two seconds.
- **Only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood – less than 10 percent do annually.
- About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood.
- One pint of blood can save up to three lives.
- Healthy adults who are at least 16 years old (with parental permission), and at least 102 pounds may donate about a pint of blood – the most common form of donation – every 56 days, or every two months. Females receive 53 percent of blood transfusions; males receive 47 percent.
- 94 percent of blood donors are registered voters.
- Four main red blood cell types: A, B, AB and O. Each can be positive or negative for the Rh factor. AB is the universal recipient; O negative is the universal donor of red blood cells.
- Dr. Karl Landsteiner first identified the major human blood groups – A, B, AB and O – in 1901.
- One unit of blood can be separated into several components: red blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate.
- Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's organs and tissues.
- Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system.
- Platelets promote blood clotting and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.
- Plasma is a pale yellow mixture of water, proteins and salts.
- Plasma, which is 90 percent water, makes up 55 percent of blood volume.
- Healthy bone marrow makes a constant supply of red cells, plasma and platelets.
- Blood or plasma that comes from people who have been paid for it cannot be used to human transfusion.
- Granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, roll along blood vessel walls in search of bacteria to engulf and destroy.
- White cells are the body's primary defense against infection.
- Apheresis is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as platelets.
- Forty-two days: how long most donated red blood cells can be stored.
- Five days: how long most donated platelets can be stored.
- One year: how long frozen plasma can be stored.
- Much of today's medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from healthy donors.
- 2.7 pints: the average whole blood and red blood cell transfusion.*
- Children being treated for cancer, premature infants and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types, especially type O.
- Anemic patients need blood transfusions to increase their red blood cell levels.
- Cancer, transplant and trauma patients, and patients undergoing open-heart surgery may require platelet transfusions to survive.
- Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease that affects more than 80,000 people in the United States, 98 percent of whom are of African descent.
- Many patients with severe sickle cell disease receive blood transfusions every month.
- A patient could be forced to pass up a lifesaving organ, if compatible blood is not available to support the transplant.
- Thirteen tests (11 for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.
- 17 percent of non-donors cite "never thought about it" as the main reason for not giving, while 15 percent say they're too busy.
- The #1 reason blood donors say they give is because they "want to help others."
- Shortages of all blood types happen during the summer and winter holidays.
- Blood centers often run short of types O and B red blood cells.
- The rarest blood type is the one not on the shelf when it's needed by a patient.
- There is no substitute for human blood.
- If all blood donors gave three times a year, blood shortages would be a rare event (The current average is about two.).
- If only one more percent of all Americans would give blood, blood shortages would disappear for the foreseeable future.
- 46.5 gallons: amount of blood you could donate if you begin at age 17 and donate every 56 days until you reach 79 years old.
- Four easy steps to donate blood: medical history, quick physical, donation and snacks.
- The actual blood donation usually takes about 10 minutes. The entire process – from the time you sign in to the time you leave –takes about an hour.
- After donating blood, you replace the fluid in hours and the red blood cells within four weeks. It takes eight weeks to restore the iron lost after donating.
- You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood.
- 10 pints: amount of blood in the body of an average adult.
- One unit of whole blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint.
- Blood makes up about 7 percent of your body's weight.
- A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in their body.
- Giving blood will not decrease your strength.
- Any company, community organization, place of worship or individual may contact their local community blood center to host a blood drive.
- Blood drives hosted by companies, schools, places of worship and civic organizations supply roughly half of all blood donations across the U.S.
- People who donate blood are volunteers and are not paid for their donation.
- 500,000: the number of Americans who donated blood in the days following the September 11 attacks.
- Blood donation. It's about an hour of your time. It's About Life.
