Top 3 Risk Factors for Heart Disease

February is recognized as American Heart Month—a time to recognize heart disease as the number one killer among Americans.  The American Heart Association has published the top 3 risk factors for the disease and what you can do to minimize your risk:

1. High Cholesterol
2. High Blood Pressure
3. Inactivity

There are many way to manage your risks, including a healthy diet, more activity, and massage therapy.  Recent research suggests that including massage therapy into your exercise routine is beneficial to heart health.  The Buck Institute for Research on Aging conducted a study in 2012 that says massage therapy reduces inflammation of skeletal muscle acutely damaged through exercise. Evidence suggests that massage affects inflammation in a similar way anti-inflammatory medications do.

If you’ve ever considered a career in massage therapy, now is a great time to look into it. With more people turning to alternative methods of care, massage therapy is becoming more and more mainstream. Massage therapists are in the unique position of being able to help patients with a myriad of health issues through natural methods—reducing medical costs and trips to the doctor.

If you’d like more information about a career in massage therapy and The Soma Institute’s Clinical Massage Therapy Program, give us a call at 1-800-694-5314.