should i eat before a massage? There are many discussions on the topic of whether food should be eaten before a massage or not. It is believed that food can cause bloating, which may make the therapist uncomfortable during the session. There are also individuals who enjoy eating before receiving a massage and want to continue doing it.
CAN WE EAT BEFORE USING THE MASSAGE CHAIR?
After a long day at work, having a massage therapy session can be calming and relaxing all at once. Massage therapy is one of the most relaxing and well-tested stress buster techniques. The time that you spend on your wonder chair might be the most comfortable and enjoyable moment of your day. But if a person is not careful, this pleasant time can turn into a discomforting experience.
For the past few months, I have been hearing about many bad experiences of massage chair users. One of these massage chair owners is Sam. When I asked Sam about his experience, he said chair massage therapy is beneficial. But it could also be a little uncomfortable sometimes if the user is not careful enough. He further stated an incident when he decided to have a massage session after having a heavy lunch. As a result, during his massage experience, He felt restless, pukish as well as nauseous. Afterward, he realized that his discomfort is due to the heavy meal that he had during lunch.
Many health experts state that a person can eat a minimal amount of food before using a massage chair. This is because eating a small amount of food before the massaging session can help you relax better. But at the same time, you must keep in mind not to be hungry or have an overfull stomach before the massage session. As per the expert’s opinion, people should not use a massage chair after having a heavy feast. The reason is that it may disrupt our natural digestive process and result in acidity.
Why Is It Not Recommended That You Use A Massage Chair When You Are Full?
The reason why it’s advised not to have a heavy meal immediately before using the massage chair. Some of the common reasons are as follows:
Severe Indigestive Issues
Massage chairs can do wonders for your body, but if the user is not careful, they can cause serious health issues. The digestion process of our human body works in a proper way. Whereas the massage chairs may hamper the process if used without any consideration. The human body digests food in an upright way through a proper digestion process. Thus, when an individual uses his massage chair right after a big meal, the body does not get time to digest the food.
Hyper Acid Reflux
Acid Reflux is one thing that can make your massage experience galling and restless. Indeed, massage therapy is beneficial for digestion. Yet you can’t ignore the fact that your body digests food in an upright position only. Lying down for massage therapy after binge eating a heavy meal does sound amazing. But it can have a harmful impact on your natural digestive process and can result in Acid Reflux. Trust me on this an Acid Reflux can be a lot annoying and uncomfortable.
Over Sensitive Urinary Bladder
Using a massage chair right after eating a big meal can be a reason for your overactive urinary bladder. Think of it this way, that you plan out a comforting massage therapy right after a heavy lunch. But then, after a few minutes of the therapy, you have to go to the loo. Not once but too many times. Well, it will make me annoyed too. I mean, who wants to disrupt their pampering time? Not me for sure. It takes a while for me to take some time for myself and any disruptions are such a turnoff. So that’s why keeping a short time break between the meal and massage chair would be a much better option, right?
May Experience Bloating & Heartburn
One other digestive problem that may occur if you decide to opt for a massage right after your mid-day meal could be a bloated stomach. A massage chair therapy involves soothing strokes that can result in pressure on your stomach as well. If you had finished a hearty meal in such a scenario, the session can be discomforting rather than relaxing. For people who often feel heartburn and acidity, the situation may worsen.
Things You Need To Know Before Having A Massage
1. Be on time, please
Your massage therapist wants to work on you for your entire scheduled appointment. But arriving 30 minutes late may mean cutting your time short to accommodate the next client. Most therapists will not work past their scheduled appointment time.
2. It’s okay to get butt naked, but…
While getting naked in front of a stranger may be uncomfortable, it’s totally normal for a massage therapist. They are trained professionals and undressing will lead to a better experience. Only undress to the point where you feel comfortable. And remember, you will be covered with sheets where needed.
That said, even if you are comfortable with nudity, that doesn’t mean your massage therapist wants to see your privates. Remember that they are trained to properly drape your body to avoid being too close and personal. They may be comfortable with the sides of your buttocks, but that doesn’t mean they want to see anything else.
3. It’s okay to ask for more or less pressure
Your massage therapist is happy to oblige your request for more or less pressure. They won’t take offense. In fact, they want you to tell them what you like and what you don’t like during the session. How else can they create the best experience for you?
4. No perfume or aftershave
While your perfume or aftershave may smell wonderful to you, it may be a bit overwhelming to your massage therapist. Since he or she will be working closely for about an hour, your perfume could irritate their noses. In addition, some clients may be allergic to perfume.
5. No, it’s not supposed to hurt
Some pain is necessary, right? Well, not really. While there may be slight discomfort during a stretch or when a tight muscle is worked on, it should not overtake the experience. If too much force is put on a muscle, the muscle tightens up more. The result is even more pain, possibly bruising and muscle damage. That’s why it is imperative to let your therapist know if something hurts or you need less pressure.
6. Let them know what ails you
If you have a health concern or condition, let your therapist know. if you’ve had a change in your medical condition since your last massage, let your therapist know that too. Telling them halfway through a deep-tissue massage that you bruise easily because you are on blood thinners may be too late.
7. You don’t have to talk
The objective is to relax. That’s why you’re there, and that’s what you’re paying for. So don’t feel that you have to make conversation with your therapist. But, on the other hand, if you need to speak — do so. If you want to speak because that makes you feel more comfortable, then that’s okay too.
8. Remember to breathe
Sometimes, without realizing it, we tend to hold our breath. But during a massage, particularly when the therapist is working out a knot, it’s crucial to breathe. In fact, it’s important to breathe fully and deeply. It’s especially important to oxygenate the blood supply to aid tense muscles. Deep and slow breathing, according to research, has even been reported as a complementary approach in the treatment of chronic pain.
9. Drink lots of water after your appointment
It’s particularly important to hydrate after your session. Like a workout, muscles become dehydrated after a massage, suggests Dr. Oz. You have to replenish all that lost water by drinking more. Then there’s metabolic waste, which is produced by muscles. When your muscles are tight or you have a knot, it constricts circulation in those areas. That inhibits the body’s ability to flush out waste. Drinking water post-massage allows the kidneys to effectively eliminate the new waste.
10. Have a warm pre-massage shower
For the best massage, have a warm shower first. Relaxing in a long shower loosens the muscles and will help relieve tension during the massage. In addition, feeling clean will mean less body insecurities. Plus, the therapist will appreciate your cleanliness — for obvious reasons.
11. Workout before your massage, not after
Massage or workout, which comes first? Definitely work out before, not after, your massage. Worked-out and exercised muscles will be tired and benefit the most from a massage. Working out immediately after a massage is not a great idea since you’re likely to stress and strain the muscles that were just relaxed. Plus, you’ll run the risk of being too tired and injure yourself. In fact, it’s best to wait about 24 hours before working out, suggests massagetherapy.com. Allow your body to heal after a massage.
12. Time your massage for the right time
There’s no perfect time to schedule a massage. But you still should consider the best time for you before booking an appointment. Consider what makes sense for you and your schedule. Some people feel invigorated after receiving a massage and prefer to make this the start of their day. Others use massage as a way to eliminate day-to-day stress, preferring to book at the end of a long day. You know your body better than a therapist, so trust your instincts.
5 Important Massage Tips | What NOT to Do After a Massage
Don’t #1. Don’t Forget to Drink Water
Here’s what happens when you don’t drink a glass of water after a massage therapy session: A massage leaves you dehydrated, due to which both circulation systems, blood, and lymphatic become sluggish. The lymphatic system, in particular, isn’t able to do its job of carrying toxins out of your body, leading to a toxic build-up, and defeating the purpose of getting a detoxifying massage.
Instead, Drink a Full Glass of Water
Do not substitute this tea, coffee, alcohol, or any other beverage. These are diuretic i.e. they make you pee more, consequently making your body lose more water without giving your body a chance to retain fluids.
Don’t #2. Don’t Shower Immediately
Many of our customers admit that they shower as soon as their massage session has ended, mostly to wash off the oil. This is a big mistake. Truth is that the massage simply heats up the essential oils, and they still need another hour to get absorbed into the skin cells.
Instead, Wait for an Hour Before Hitting the Shower
Let the oils seep into your skin before taking a ‘warm’ shower.
Don’t #3. Don’t Shower With Hot Water
It’s tempting to soak yourself in a steaming hot bath after a long, relaxing massage. This is another bad idea. In case you’re suffering from any muscle injury, hot water will only aggravate the inflammation. Use cold water for pain relief.
Instead, Shower With Warm Water
Warm water is at just the right temperature to relax your body without aggravating your muscles. In case you’re seeking pain relief, use an ice compress or cold water.
Don’t #4. Don’t Eat a Heavy Meal After a Massage
Massages make you feel hungry. That’s because of the increased blood circulation which induces all your body systems into high-performance mode – including the digestive system. A heavy meal, however, will only make your body feel sluggish, bloated, and lethargic, instead of energised
Instead, Eat a Light Snack
A light healthy snack will leave you feeling energetic and won’t take a toll on your stomach. Save the heavy meal for later in the day.
Don’t #5. Don’t Head Outside or Do Anything Strenuous
An hour-long massage sets your body and mind to relax-mode. It’s best to let it continue in that state of being instead of ‘waking them up’. Also, doing any kind of strenuous activity – like gymming – can injure your muscles.
Instead, Do Some Light Activity
After a massage, you should try prolonging the feeling of calmness. Rest, read a book, Netflix and chill, do anything that relaxes you physically and mentally. It’s best to book a massage for a day when you know you’ll be home for a good 4-6 hours.