50 Ways to Improve Your Life
Your Spirit: In Need of a Tuneup? Try Our Steps For Attitude Adjustment: Fit to Be Thai Massaged
The International Spa Association calls it the "next big thing." A combination of assisted yoga, massage, and acupuncture, Thai massage originated in Thailand 2,000 years ago. The massagee lies, clothed, on a mat or thin mattress while the masseur twists, stretches, and contorts the body to relieve stress, relax muscles, and loosen joints. Clients can choose a firm or gentle touch, but be warned that firm means exactly that. For me, candles and soft music softened the blows. Traditional doctors in Thailand prescribe the massage to treat arthritis and chronic pain. Because it's relatively new in the West, there aren't yet medical studies to back that up. I can attest it soothed sore shoulders and gave me moments of drool-inducing mellowness.
The key, as with any massage, is to find a reputable masseur--one trained by a human, not by a video or an online course. A local spa could make recommendations. Or send an E-mail to thaihealingalliance.com from its website for referrals. Be sure to mention any medical conditions before the massage (and check with your doc if you have worries). Also, you might want to bring a bib.
Your Spirit: In Need of a Tuneup? Try Our Steps For Attitude Adjustment: Make Room on Your iPod for Marion
Although Marion Williams died in 1994 at age 66, the great gospel singer (and Kennedy Center honoree) had her first hit record this year. Remember Me, a collection of live and studio cuts, made it to No. 16 on amazon.com, buoyed by a segment on National Public Radio. When people heard her glorious, four-octave voice, with its power to soothe and inspire, they simply had to have it.
In her deeply emotional style, Williams bore witness to God's amazing grace. Yet she was no strait-laced preacher. She sang like a sultry angel--and was as unpredictable as Mother Nature. "If you want someone to sing a song the same way twice," she'd tease in a throaty whisper, "I'm the world's worst."
Remember Me will have a follow-up. Her longtime producer, Anthony Heilbut, has many unreleased numbers, including a sublimely funky gospel blues. The album is expected in the spring.
Your Spirit: In Need of a Tuneup? Try Our Steps For Attitude Adjustment: Eat It Because It's Yummy
You could eat chocolate because you've heard it's good for you. And that's not just hype. Compounds in chocolate are thought to lower blood pressure, increase levels of so-called good cholesterol, and help blood vessels work better. A study published in March found that about 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate a day made people less insulin resistant, a condition linked to obesity. To get the health benefits, go for dark chocolate, 70 percent cocoa or higher. And watch the calories: Chocolate still comes with fat and sugar.
But efforts to turn the sinfully delicious candy into a health food are a bit silly. As for studies that claim chocolate increases the brain's mood-elevating chemicals--that's controversial, says Sacramento dietitian Jeannie Moloo, an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman. So why eat it? "You know, it tastes good."
This story appears in the December 26, 2005 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
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