Since 2008 Blades Massage & Wellness has been voted among the “ Best of Des Moines,” by the Readers of Cityview.  Taking Runner up the First Four Years and now Top Honor for 2012, Silla Blades won the title of Des Moines’ Best Massage Therapist! All of the hard work has paid off by earning this Great Achievement. Take a look at what Cityview had to say about Blades Massage & Wellness:

“Cityview readers have spoken, and the massage therapist who leaves them feeling better than when they came in is Silla at Blades Massage and Wellness, where the staff’s goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of their clients by providing the perfect massage treatment for individual needs. Apparently, Silla does just that. “

Thank you to all the clients that Voted for Silla and Blades Massage.  The out pouring of support for Blades Massage & Wellness has been  wonderful.   It is because of this support that Blades continues to be recognized as Des Moines Best year after year!  It has been a pleasure to provide service to you and Blades looks forward to many years to come.

Call Today to schedule your appointment and experience a Blades Massage for yourself. 515-331-1239

Happy New Year from Blades Massage & Wellness. Another year has come and gone. It has been wonderful and exceeded our expectations thanks to YOU our clients. We thought we should give you an update on what we are excited about from last year and also for 2012.

RECORD YEAR IN GIFT CERTIFICATES
This past year we saw a large increase in the amount of gift certificates sold to our clients.  You took advantage of the online options as well as coming in to purchase them.  The biggest reasons for purchase seemed to be for Christmas and Valentines Day. Thank you to all our clients who participated in making this a record year!

FACEBOOK
Many of you know that we now have a Facebook page for Blades. Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments on our wall.  Our wonderful clients have proven to be our biggest fans and we want to thank you for the wonderful word-of-mouth you have given us! Don’t forget to “Like” us while you are there to receive articles related to health and wellness as well as our current offers. Go to www.facebook.com/bladesmassage.

By Shirley Vanderbilt

You've just had a wonderful massage, and you go home feeling both relaxed and rejuvenated. But the next morning, you wake up with twinges of muscle soreness, maybe some fatigue, and you just don't feel yourself. What happened? Chances are it's the massage, and it's perfectly OK.

Keith Grant, head of the Sports and Deep Tissue Massage Department at McKinnon Institute in Oakland, Calif., says, "It's very much like doing a workout. If the muscles aren't used to it, they often respond with some soreness." Grant notes this should last for no more than a day or two. If it lasts longer, the massage may have been too intense, and the therapist should adjust for this in the next session. However, just as with exercise, when your body adjusts to having this type of workout, your physical response will also be less intense.

By Shirley Vanderbilt

Water is much more than just a thirst quencher — it’s your body’s best friend. Water gives vital fluid to the systems and organs that process nutrients, and then it helps take away all the unwanted refuse, such as bacteria and toxins.

When you go for a massage, the intake of water is doubly important. Massage puts the body into a trash-pickup mode by stimulating your cleansing system into action. After a massage, all that garbage has been collected and is just waiting to be tossed out. This is why your massage therapist encourages you to drink plenty of water after each session.

By David Kent, LMT, NCTMB

Each week, I treat several clients who complain of "low back pain." For many patients, however, the primary cause of their pain is not the lower back but the gluteus medius muscle. No matter what kind of massage practice you have, a great deal of your success will depend on how quickly you are able to determine the origin of a patient's complaint and your ability to produce measurable results. This article will review some ways to identify when the gluteus medius muscle is responsible for causing pain.

By: Krishan Bakhur

A massage is thought of being a relaxing way to sooth a tired and tense body after the trials of the day. When you feel in the need of a massage there are many different massage techniques that you can try. These massages also include the full body massage. These body massages can be done by masseuse, a friend, or even a loved one.

The main items that are needed is trust that the full body massage will help to relax the muscles. A comfortable floor mat, firm sofa, massage table or even a massage chair where the person can stay while they are getting the full body massage is needed. A selection of body lotions or essential oils to promote a sense of well being can also be used in the full body massage.

By: Jay Rakstraw

Massage therapists offer a variety of traditional massage techniques allowing you to select the perfect nourishing and rejuvenating massage for any need you may have. Regardless of the type of massage you prefer, always provide feedback to your therapist regarding pressure, temperature, and specific concerns to ensure that you get the best massage experience possible. So what are the types of massage that are most commonly performed?

By Dr. Henry S. Lodge

From your body’s point of view, “normal” aging isn’t normal at all. It’s a choice you make by the way you live your life. The other choice is to tell your cells to grow—to build a strong, vibrant body and mind.

Let’s have a look at standard American aging. Barbara D. had a baby when she was 34, gave up exercise and gained 50 pounds. Exhausted and depressed, Barbara thought youth, energy and optimism were all in her rearview mirror. Jon M., 55, had fallen even farther down the slippery slope. He was stuck in the corporate world of stress, long hours and doughnuts. At 255 pounds, he had knees that hurt and a back that ached. He developed high blood pressure and eventually diabetes. Life was looking grim.