Following February's Heart Health Awareness month, now is a good time to think of all the ways you can benefit your cardiovascular health. Improving the health of your cardiovascular system can change your life drastically. While there are the typical methods, switching up eating habits and exercise such as cardio, one method of improving cardiovascular health that many do not think of is massage therapy. Now, massage will not directly make your heart stronger, but it has other effects that aid in strengthening your cardiovascular system, to make your heart stronger. Here is what massage therapy can do for you to improve your cardiovascular health.
Lower Blood Pressure
A lot of food nowadays, especially in America, are full of nutrients that cause high blood pressure if consumed too often. Blood pressure also rises in the presence of stress. A consistent high blood pressure is terrible for the heart, as it puts too much stress on the organ. This can then lead to poor circulation and even heart disease. One of the main draws of massage therapy is that it lowers blood pressure. It allows for blood and oxygen to flow to body parts freely, by relaxing the muscles around the body. This means less strain on the heart, and less long-term damage.
Improves Circulation
Good circulation around the body is very important for a healthy heart. Blood circulation is how oxygen is able to get all around your body, most importantly your extremities and vital organs. If a massage is performed by a trained professional, it will successfully open up the arteries and veins, allowing for much better circulation. With the heart not having to strain to pump blood to and from different parts of the body, it is able to get stronger and work more effectively.
These two benefits then directly decrease your heart rate. With it not having to force its way through the circulatory system, it can pump slower but stronger. This relieves the stress on your heart that could lead to problems in the future. There is another solid effect massage therapy has on the body that improves cardiovascular health.
Reduces Cortisol Levels
Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone. Massage therapy relaxes the body by reducing cortisol levels. Lowered cortisol levels then reduce inflammation, leading to improved circulation and lower blood pressure. This also just means you will be feeling better physically and mentally, allowing you to do things such as exercising or eating foods healthier for your cardiovascular system.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. This is a by-product of our culture and the foods we eat. This also means it is something that can mostly be prevented. While heart disease has been found to be linked with genetics as well, this just means that someone with the genetic markers for heart disease are more likely to get it, not that they definitely will. This is even more the reason to take care of your cardiovascular health and when doing so, consider massage therapy.