A Not So Subtle Sign That The Economy is Getting Bad

Nothing much has changed since the 70's in terms of gender associations.

Morpho Towers

Art sculpture by Sachiko Kodama and Yasushi Miyajima using Ferrofluids.

A Good Back Rub

How to Give a Back Massage

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A good back massage can relieve pain, anxiety, and stress, as well as increase physical intimacy, if desired. The following techniques will help you learn how to give a good back massage. Finding a volunteer to practice on shouldn't be too hard!

Steps

Setting Up

1. Place a pillow or cushion where the person's chest will be.
   
2. Spread the sheet over to catch any excess oil.
   
3. Have the person prepare by loosening or removing their pants (so that the lower back can be reached) and taking off their top. If privacy is a concern, step out of the room and have them wrap a towel around their chest (just underneath the arms) so that the ends are at the back.
   
4. Have them lie face down, with the pillow underneath the breast bone.
   
5. Fold one of the towels and place it underneath the forehead to keep the person's neck straight.
   
6. Fold one of the towels and place it underneath the ankles to support the person's lower back.
   
7. If the person is wearing a towel around their chest, unfold the ends to expose the back.
   
8. If the person is wearing pants, spread another towel over them and tuck the towel into the waistline to prevent the oil from staining them.
   

The Massage

1. Tell the person you are about to begin, and to let you know if anything you are doing is painful or uncomfortable.
   
2. Place massage oil in a cupped hand, and warm it by rubbing it between your hands.
   
3. Spread the oil around the person's back with light strokes. Don't forget the shoulders and neck area.
   
4. Palm circles. Place one hand on the lower back and put your other hand over it. With arms extended, begin making small circles, going up the back and down again. Staying on one side of the spine, repeat 2-3 times.
   
   • The movement should come from the waist, rather than from the shoulders.
     
   
   
5. Muscle lifting. Move up and down the back, 2-3 times. It'll take some practice for this to become a smooth, confident rhythm:
   
   • Make one hand into a "lobster claw" or "L" shape.
     
   • Move your hand in the direction of your thumb, applying pressure and gradually closing the gap between your thumb and forefinger.
     
   • As you finish the stroke, twist the wrist to achieve a lifting motion on the muscle. As you bring your thumb and forefinger together, the outside of your hand (along the little finger) should be running along the back.
     
   • Keep alternating hands with a windshield wiper type of motion.
     
   
   
6. Knuckling. Repeat 2-3 times. Do not apply pressure on the lower back, and remember to avoid the spine.
   
   • Form the hands into loose fists. With your arms straight and your knuckles and fingers in contact with the back, slide up and continue up and over the shoulders.
     
   • Then lightly drag the knuckles back.
     
   
   
7. On the last knuckling, instead of coming back down, you can use muscle lifting on the trapezius, which is the muscle that connects the neck to the shoulders. Continue rubbing as you move around the head.
   
8. Repeat the palm circles, muscle lifting, and knuckling on the other side of the back.
   
9. Stand above the head. Use an extended thumb to make upward strokes between the shoulder blade and the backbone (from the hips, towards the head). As one thumb slides off, the other one begins its stroke upwards.
   
   • Gradually move over and continue on the other side. Do not do this directly on the spine.
     
   
   
10. Bring both thumbs to the upper back, on either side of the spine.
    
    • With constant pressure, slowly begin to slide your thumbs down the back. Remember to be careful over the lower back, where there are no ribs protecting internal organs.
      
    • When you reach the top of the hips, allow your thumbs to linger there with steady pressure before beginning a new stroke.
      
    • Slide the hands back up and repeat two more times, each time moving a bit farther to the sides (away from the spine).
      
    
    
11. Twists. Come back around to the person's side. Reach around the far hip with one hand, while the other hand rests on the near hip. With a fluid motion, pull one hand towards you as the other one pushes away; in the middle, they should slide against each other, in opposite directions. Repeat this stroke up the back until you reach the shoulder area, then come back down. Repeat 3 times.
    
12. Spread the fingers of both hands. Draw the fingertips of one hand down the back, lifting off at the top of the hips as the other hand begins at the shoulders. Repeat several times, and slowly allow the pressure to lighten until your hands float off.
    

Video

Tips

• Make sure the room is warm.
  

• Everyone has a different tolerance to pressure. Be sure to ask for feedback when introducing deeper strokes and as necessary. A good sign you may be going too deep is when the muscle contracts as you press. If the client confirms that the stroke isn't painful, encourage them to relax so to avoid injury to the muscle. Never force a stroke on the body.
  

• Many massage tables include a cushioned face cradle. If you have one, drape it with a pillow case or small towel leaving a hole for the mouth and nose, and set it at a comfortable level. You can usually forgo the cushion under the chest if you have a face cradle (an exception would be a client with an extreme thoracic curve).
  

Warnings

• Always be gentle when applying pressure on the lower back. Remember that there are no ribs to protect the internal organs from the pressure of your hands.
  
• There are some cases in which massages can aggravate a medical condition. A person should consult with a doctor before receiving a massage if they have any of the following issues/conditions:[1]
  
  • Deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the legs)
    
  • Spinal injuries or damage, such as herniated disk, etc.
    
  • A bleeding disorder or taking blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin
    
  • Damaged blood vessels
    
  • Weakened bones from osteoporosis, a recent fracture, or cancer
    
  • A fever
    
  • Any of the following in an area that would be massaged: open or healing wound, tumor, damaged nerves, an infection or acute inflammation, inflammation from radiation treatment
    
  • Pregnancy
    
  • Cancer
    
  • Fragile skin, as from diabetes or a healing scar
    
  • Heart problems
    
  
  

Things You'll Need

• a massage table, mattress, or mat
  
• a sheet
  
• massage oil
  
• 3 towels
  
• a pillow or cushion
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Do an Indian Head Massage
  
• How to Give a Foot Massage
  
• How to Massage Your Partner
  
• How to Understand Massage Oils
  

Sources and Citations

• VideoJug.com: How to give a deep stress relief back massage. - Original source of images and content, shared with permission.
  

1. ↑ http://nccam.nih.gov/health/massage/#5

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Give a Back Massage. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

King of Pop is Dead

Dead at 50 of cardiac arrest. Read more here.

R.I.P.

Stuff That Your Mother Never Told You About

I never really gave thought of what foods were good for me, in the nutritional sense. When it came to eating all I knew was that if it tasted good then it has to be good for the body, mind and soul. This of course is a fallacy. According to David Murdock, Chairman and owner of Dole Food Company Inc., the world's largest producer of fresh fruit, vegetables, packaged and frozen foods, "I am enjoying the robust health, energy, and mental creativity of someone many decades younger. My secret: large quantities of fruit and vegetables, plus an hour of daily exercise.No pills, not even aspirin, and certainly no supplements ever enter my mouth -- everything I need comes from my fish-vegetarian diet, which incorporates 30-40 different kinds of fruit and vegetables every week." He is 86.

Here's his list of the world's healthiest food:

Pineapple	Speeds post-surgery	Promotes joint health	Reduces asthma inflammation
Blueberries	Restore antioxidant levels	Reverse age-related brain decline	Prevent urinary tract infection
Spinach	Helps maintain mental sharpness	Reduces the risk of cancers of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate	Top nutrient density
Red Bell Pepper	Reduces risk of lung, prostate, ovarian and cervical cancer	Protects against sunburn	Promotes heart health
Broccoli	Reduces diabetic damage	Lowers risk of prostate, bladder, colon, pancreatic, gastric and breast cancer	Protects the brain in event of injury
Tomato	Reduces inflammation	Lowers risk of developing esophageal, stomach, colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer	Reduces cardiovascular disease risk
Apple	Supports immunity	Fights lung and prostate cancer	Lowers Alzheimer’s risk
Artichoke	Helps blood clotting	Antioxidant Superfood	Lowers “bad” cholesterol
Arugula	Lowers birth defect risk	Reduces fracture risk	Protects eye health
Asparagus	Nourishes good gut bacteria	Protects against birth defects	Promotes heart health
Avocado	Limits liver damage	Reduces oral cancer risk	Lowers cholesterol levels
Blackberries	Build bone density	Suppress appetite	Enhance fat burning
Butternut Squash	Supports night vision	Combats wrinkles	Promotes heart health
Cantaloupe	Bolsters immunity	Protects skin against sunburn	Reduces inflammation
Carrot	Antioxidants defend DNA	Fights cataracts	Protects against some cancers
Cauliflower	Stimulates detoxification	Suppresses breast cancer cell growth	Defends against prostate cancer
Cherries	Alleviate arthritic pain and gout	Lower “bad” cholesterol	Reduce inflammation
Cranberries	Alleviate prostate pain	Fight lung, colon and leukemia cancer cells	Prevent urinary tract infection
Green Cabbage	Promotes healthy blood clotting	Reduces risk of prostate, colon, breast and ovarian cancers	Activates the body’s natural detoxification systems
Kale	Counters harmful estrogens that can feed cancer	Protects eyes against sun damage and cataracts	Increases bone density
Kiwi	Combats wrinkles	Lowers blood clot risk and reduces blood lipids	Counters constipation
Mango	Supports immunity	Lowers “bad” cholesterol	Regulates homocysteine to protect arteries
Mushrooms	Promote natural detoxification	Reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer	Lower blood pressure
Orange	Reduces levels of “bad” cholesterol	Lowers risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, breast and stomach, and childhood leukemia	Pectin suppresses appetite
Papaya	Enzymes aid digestion	Reduces risk of lung cancer	Enhances fat burning
Plums & Prunes	Counter constipation	Antioxidants defend against DNA damage	Protects against post-menopausal bone loss
Pomegranate	Enhances sunscreen protection	Lowers “bad” cholesterol	Fights prostate cancer
Pumpkin	Protects joints against polyarthritis	Lowers lung and prostate cancer risk	Reduces inflammation
Raspberries	Inhibit growth of oral, breast, colon and prostate cancers	Antioxidant DNA defense	Lower “bad” cholesterol levels
Strawberries	Protect against Alzheimer’s	Reduce “bad” cholesterol	Suppress growth of colon, prostate and oral cancer
Sweet Potato	Reduces stroke risk	Lowers cancer risk	Protect against blindness
Watermelon	Supports male fertility	Reduces risk of several cancers: prostate, ovarian, cervical, oral and pharyngeal	Protects skin against sunburn
Banana	Increases Fat Burning	Lowers risk of colorectal and kidney cancer, leukemia	Reduces asthmas symptoms in children

Source