Who doesn't love a good rubdown filled with lavender oils and ambient, take-me-away music? But the benefits of massage are as broad as they are powerful in results, says Bratschi. "Regular massages not only help alleviate the body from holding that pent up tension, but can actually help the immune system, which is vital to our overall health. Lymphatic drainage helps to regulate the immune system by removing metabolic wastes and toxins through the lymph nodes situated around the body. Also, the targeted use of essential oils have been the go-to for several thousand years to help a plethora of body conditions whether it be detoxing your system or repairing injured muscles," she says.
How often should you get one?
According to Bratschi, everyone can benefit from occasional massages: "Some people who really hold tension in their body or have stressful lives should really think about having a massage once a week. People often forget to look after themselves and even having a massage once a month can help us to function in our everyday lives." Plus it "gives us something to look forward to that is just time for ourselves, which when done properly can improve our physical and mental state," she says.
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Impact of living life without massage
"As we all know, stress is a killer," says Bratschi. "So many of us walk around with tension in our bodies, often in multiple areas. It affects everything from our posture, like the way we sit, work and lie down, to our blood circulation and even our temperament -- all of which can have serious long term health implications, not to mention making any existing conditions worse in some cases," says Bratschi.
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Life saving health and beauty appointment: dermatologist
Next time you go into your dermatologist to have an acne treatment or get a lil' Botox, have him/her screen your body for suspicious moles. If your doctor detects melanoma (a deadly form of skin cancer) early, it might be benign and is actually 100 percent curable, says Austin. Also, since your skin is an outer representation of what's happening on the inside, internal illnesses such as heart disease and stomach cancer may actually be discovered by a skin examination from your dermatologist.
How often should you go?
At least once a year, unless you have a previous history of melanoma or are at high risk (factors include: fair skin, history of sunburns, burn easily, live in a sunny or high-altitude climate, have moles, a family history of skin cancer, etc.), then you should go two to three times per year, says Austin. Between appointments, he says it's important to look for the following in your moles:
Symmetry: Should be circular or oval -- not asymmetrical Size: Greater than a quarter of an inch isn't good Color: Brown is generally safer than black
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Impact of living life without regular dermatologist visits
People who don't see a dermatologist could die from skin cancer, says Austin. This sounds harsh, but it's so true. Once the cancer goes below surface of the skin it can metastasize, spreading into other parts of the body.
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Life saving health and beauty treatment: facials
Remember that the skin is our largest organ and we have to take care of it, says Bratschi. "By cleansing, exfoliating and properly hydrating the skin on a regular basis, you will vastly improve the health and condition of your skin and in turn the overall health of your body," she says. Facials that concentrate not only on the face and neck, but also on the hands, arms, feet, shoulders, d�collet� and scalp coupled with aromatherapy and lymph drainage have the benefits of helping your immune system and removing bodily toxins and wastes, she adds.
How often should you get one?
Get a tailored facial monthly to maintain healthy skin, says Bratschi. However, the need for a facial can increase depending on a number of different factors such as "if you travel a lot, live in a large or densely populated area, are exposed to more pollution and contaminants, live in a hot or cold climate, [and/or] have a stressful job or personal life," she says.
Gone are the days of having one general physician be your sole, go-to healer and cure-all for every ailment. We are a much savvier generation who thinks more about prevention, drawing from both Eastern and Western wisdom. And you know that taking care of your health and beauty involves getting regular beauty treatments, seeing your doctors for annual or biannual checkups and maintaining good habits -- all which contribute to your overall well-being. But did you know that some of these things might actually save your life?
We sat down (well, not literally) with the following experts from a broad spectrum of fields: Lena Bratschi, a CIDESCO (an international beauty therapy association) trained esthetician and founder of Carasoin Spa in Beverly Hills, Calif.; Dr. Jeff Golub-Evans, a cosmetic dentist; Dr. Craig Austin, a New York City Dermatologist and creator of Cane + Austin Products; Ashley Borden, a fitness and lifestyle consultant (with a hefty celebrity clientele, BTW); and Shelena Robinson, nail professional and educational ambassador for CND (creative nail design). They explain the benefits of certain health and beauty treatments, appointments and habits, how often you should do them for optimal wellness and what might happen to your health if you don't do them. So, if you're pretty diligent about taking good care of your health, you'll find out how this care is benefitting you. Or, if you're not so good about making yourself a priority, you might get a little lesson in prevention and early detection and what you should be doing now to make sure you're around to see your children's children.
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