The word massage tends to conjure visions of honeymoons, tropic vacations, and spa dates with friends.

“Relaxed,” “pampered” and even “lavish” are words I’ve heard people use when describing what massage therapy means to them. When someone hears I own a Massage Envy they often comment on how lucky I am to be able to receive massage whenever I want.

While I understand these sentiments, they make me a little sad. Massage Envy as a company has been working to change people’s attitudes about massage therapy for over nine years and clearly, there is still a long way to go.

Massage therapy has a long history. In this country, there have been thousands of studies on a wide variety of people – athletes, the elderly and even premature infants. Recent research from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, also found that massage therapy promotes a healthy immune system by causing a decrease in some immune-suppressing hormones and proteins.

The benefits of massage have been proven time and again. Massage therapy reduces stress and the hormones it releases (cortisol in particular), which damage the human body in so many ways. It increases circulation that helps get nutrients and oxygen to muscles and helps remove toxins from them.  Massage also decreases inflammation while improving mobility and flexibility.

I believe that if people researched the proven benefits of massage therapy for conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, depression, back pain and many others, they would see massage the way I do, as a valuable weapon in my fight to stay healthy and mobile as I age.

Justine Peshette is the owner of Massage Envy of Kirkland. Massage Envy’s vision is to bring massage therapy as an effective way to prevent illness, reduce stress, recover from injury and maintain health. Call 425-284-4284.