Elements Therapeutic Massage - Greenville

What is the best piece of advice you ever got from your mom?

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:28:00 -0500

"Never trust a smiling dog... or a talking snake. Never dive into a pool with no water. Always look both ways when you cross the street. God will always be there for you. He'll let you go if you decide to live without him, but He'll always be waiting take you back. The trails He gives us are to test our faith in Him; and to know everything is fully under his control, whether in the stormy weather or in sunny, blessed days."

Vee Shiffler, LMT

"Do what you love to do in life (as a career) not what you think you are suppose to do. Give it all that you have got and then give a little more, you be surprised how much more will come out!."

Silvia Mariani, LMT

What's the best thing I can do to get a good nights sleep?

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:34:00 -0500

"I love being outside playing in the dirt or doing something creative. I try to turn off all electronics by 7:00 pm."

Silvia Mariani

"I have always had a bit of a racing mind so sleep can be a challenge. I turn off the radio and get off the computer an hour or so before bed. Have a chat with Chewie the Wookie Shih Tzu who is my buddy and hilarious and then use rain and wind sleep sounds with earphones to fall asleep. Having grown up in NY, the sounds of wind, rain and snow blowing calms me at the end of a day."

Dennis Diehl

"No stimulating activities within two hours of going to sleep. (Ex: television, computer)

Avoid eating to drinking heavy beverages within two hours of going to sleep

Elevating the head of the bed so that it is higher than the foot of the bed will help prevent pressure on the windpipe from body weight and will help stop sleep apnea and snoring.

Treat the bedroom as a sleep only environment so your mind will be programmed that when you enter the bedroom and lay down your mind is programmed to sleep.

Make sure you are getting the recommended 8-9 hours of sleep."

Jeremy Alford

"Take a rest from everything about 15-30 mintues before you have to goto bed. Take a hot shower, drink a cup of hot (decaf) tea, read, listen to music, do some deep breathing or stretching; maybe just lay,down and stare at the ceiling. Take time to think and breathe for once in the day; let your body and mind slow d-o-w-n. Do not organize your next day in that half hour - do it before then, or even get up early to do it. Your brain organizes stuff while you sleep anyway, so you can help it just by resting."

Vee Schiffler

"The best thing to do to get a good night sleep is not to do anything that will raise your energy level. Do not eat two hours prior to bedtime, no sugar or watching action movies on T.V. You should be winding down two hour before bedtime, don't forget a nice hot shower. Good night zzzzzz."

Daryl Latimer

"What are some simple stretches you can do at work?"

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:48:00 -0500

Donielle Whiteland, LMT at Elements Greenville

"Some great stretches for clients and therapists are first and foremost the doorway stretch for pectoral muscles. Standing in a doorway with arms braced on the side of the door and leaning forward with your body will help stretch contracted pectoral muscles from forward posture or a lot of computer work. Another great one for the upper shoulders, or the trapezius, is to lean your head to either side, with chin tilted slightly toward the shoulder, and stretch the opposite arm, from where your head is tilted, toward the floor. This muscle tends to hold stress/ tension so this is great to keep it flexible. The last one would be for your rhomboid area, or the one that gets a lot of sore spots/ trigger points, also from posture or working out. Taking your arms out in front of you, cross them over each other, then put palms together and push. This will give a delicious stretch to the upper back."

Jeremy Alford, LMT at Elements Greenville also adds recommends the doorway stretch:

"The doorway stretch is a great way to stretch out the pectoral muscles. Often, our active lifestyles require our hands to be positioned out in front of our bodies. When we are driving, using the computer, using the phone, etc… our arms are positioned forward. When this occurs for extensive periods of time, our pectoral muscles will shorten, causing the upper back muscles (upper traps, rhomboids, teres major and teres minor) to in turn pull long and tight."

Donna Canipe, LMT

"If you sit in front of desk all day, You can take two minutes every hour and stretch your back and roll your neck to help motivate circulation. If typing all day, take breaks by resting your arms on the rest with palms facing each other. This gives your forearms a break from repetitive motion"