" Open your heart and your mind will certainly open; and an opened mind will surely bring peace for your heart."

What happens when there is an absence of touch

~German emperor Frederick II, took a number of newborns from their mothers and gave them to nurses who fed them but did not cuddle or talk to them. All of the babies died before they could talk. Fredrick concluded "They could not live without petting."

~In the early 1990's, Romania, thousands of infants were put in orphanages, they were left in their cribs for two years, all alone. They were found to be severely impaired.

~Duke Professor Saul Schanberg found that rat pups separated from their parents for 45 minutes underwent major internal changes including a large drop in growth hormones. Injections of growth hormones didn't help. But when someone stroked them with a wet paintbrush-- mimicking their mothers tongue--the hormone levels went back up.

BENEFITS OF TOUCH

~Touch is the first sense to develop in humans, and may be the last to fade

~There are approximately 5 million touch receptors in our skin-- 3000 in a finger tip

~A touch of any kind can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure

~Touch stimulates the release of endorphins (the body's natural pain killers) which is why a mother's hug for a child's skinned knee can literally make it better

~People with eating disorders who received massage three times a day for ten days, gained weight faster and got out of the hospital six days sooner than those who didn't

~Massage before an athletic event, makes the athlete more flexible, enhances speed and power, and makes them less prone to injury

Massage is on the Rise

* In 1996, massage therapy and bodywork was officially offered for the first time as a core medical service in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. At the Games, Nationally Certified practitioners were providing key medical services.

* 31 states (including Massachusetts) and the District of Columbia now regulate the practice of therapeutic massage and bodywork.

* Consumers spend between $2-$4 billion dollars annually on visits to massage and bodywork practitioners, totaling approximately 75 million visits each year!

* The 3 most often cited reasons for getting a therapeutic massage are relaxation; relief of muscle soreness, stiffness or spasm and stress reduction.

* Health insurers are increasingly expanding coverage to include alternative medicines.

* 44% of primary care physicians say they would encourage their patients to pursue massage therapy as a complement to medical treatment.

* In 1999, 52% of American adults thought of massage as "therapeutic," which is up 47% from 1997.

* An estimated 20 million Americans receive massage therapy and bodywork each year, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).

* Approximately 50,000 massage and bodywork practitioners provide 45 million one-hour therapy sessions each year.

* 2/3 of Americans have tried at least one form of alternative therapy or treatment for medical conditions.

* Women are more likely than men to have tried alternative treatment.

* Americans make more visits to see alternative therapists than to see primary-care physicians, spending $21.2 billion.

* The number of massage practitioners in the U.S. is between 120,000 and 160,000.

* Massage and bodywork therapy is sought out by a large number of people in age brackets: 18-24 (22%); 25-34 (31%); 35-44 (25%); 45-54 (22%); 55-64 (19%); and over 65 (9%).

* The most important driver to try an alternative treatment is a recommendation from a friend or family member, which leads 62% of their patients to these providers.