Massage Africa - ZoneFitness Clubs

Massage can get your newborn to sleep better, improve her health, and even help you bond.  

"When you give your baby a massage, you're actually stimulating her central nervous system," explains Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "That sets off a chain reaction: It makes her brain produce more serotonin, a feel-good chemical, and less cortisol, a hormone that's secreted in response to stress. As a result, your baby's heart rate and breathing slow down, and she becomes more relaxed. "

The four handed massage or abhyanga comes from the Ayurvedic tradtion,  incorporating the skills of two therapists who work in synchrony to perform this full body massage. By working both sides of the body simultaneously, this treatment is the ultimate in balancing the body’s flow of energy promoting deep relaxation for the body, mind and spirit. When two therapists work together your mind reacts differently, giving up control. This is especially effective for anyone who has a hard time truly letting go during treatments. Therapists use a variety of massage techniques, aromatherapy infused hot towels and warmed herbal oils to help make this a massage you won’t forget. Our therapists can tailor the session to meet the needs of the client such as more focus on the back or legs. This 60 minute experience starts with 50 minutes of massage on the body and finishes with the last 10 minutes on the head, neck, shoulders and the feet being worked simultaneously.

A hot stone massage combines thermotherapy with massage techniques to provide an effective healing therapy. 

Some of the medicinal 

benefits of hot stone massage

• Lymphatic drainage and cleansing
• Decongestion of the liver by relaxing ducts
• Relaxes colon for better elimination
• Detoxifies blood with sweating much the same as a sauna
• Helps with hydrating and flushing cells
• Improves circulation
• Relaxes muscles, soothes aches
• Increases range of motion in joint movement
• Relieves 

A shoulder massage is one of the best possible methods of curing pain in the shoulders. It not only helps in pain relief, but also restores complete motion in the affected shoulder. Shoulder massage provides deep relaxation to the stressed shoulder muscles, stimulates the flow of blood, and improves the functioning of the lymph system. Shoulder massage is a natural analgesic because it stimulates the release of endorphins. In addition, it is an excellent stress buster and can make you feel relaxed and recharged.

Sports massage should play an important part in the life of any sportsman or woman whether they are injured or not. Massage has a number of benefits both physical, physiological and psychological.

It is the combination of yoga stretching, calmness of meditation, with accupressure, exercise movement and reflexology that makes it a healing art. It is worked on a floor with the client dressed in comfortable loose clothing. Thai method uses mainly point pressure and muscle stretching. And it is not just the hands that are used to free tension stored in the recipient's body, but the feet and elbows are used as well.Some of the innumerable physical, mental, psychological benefits are:

Physical Benefits of Thai Massage

Mental Benefits of Thai Massage

Psychological effects of Thai Massage

The following information is courtesy of 

Research  has shown the specific techniques of reflexology to be effective and  beneficial in many ways. A survey of 170 reflexology studies from 21 countries shows that  reflexology is effective, impacting a variety of physical and  psychological concerns. Reflexology:

• Creates relaxation: From the  moment the reflexologists hands start their work, the relaxation begins  as shown in research using EEG brain activity. All together, 24 studies  demonstrate reflexologyÕs relaxation effects.
• Reduces pain: Pain reduction following reflexology work is  documented in 27 studies including research showing impact on  individuals of all ages and health states
• Ameliorates health concerns: Research shows that reflexology work  helps indiviuals of all ages with some 78 health concerns ranging from  aggressive behavior Êin children to urinary concerns of the elderly.
• Improves blood flow: Separate studies show that reflexology work  increases blood flow to the feet, brain, kidneys and intestines.
• Aids post-operative recovery: Reflexology work aids recovery after  surgery as shown by several studies, reducing pain and lessening the use  of post operative analgesics.
• Impact on physiological measures (e. g. blood pressure and cholesterol; measurements by ECG, EEG, and fMRI)
• Enhances medical care: Reflexology helps where nothing else can for  many: phantom limb pain sufferers, neuropathy patients, and hemodialysis  patients to name a few.
• Benefits mental health: Research demonstrates that reflexology can reduce depression (11 studies) and anxiety (9 studies).
• Complements cancer care: Pain, nausea, vomiting, and/or anxiety  eased for chemotherapy patients following reflexology work as