8 Tips for a Great Massage

+ To help your body detoxify, drink more than the recommended amount of water. That is, half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. Weigh 140 pounds? Drink 70 ounces.

+ Set your mind at ease. Quiet all thoughts and worries before and after the massage. This will allow your mind and body to fully integrate. Afterward, reenter your life slowly.

+ Pre- and post-massage, eat light and right: fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Stay away from processed foods, meats, heavy, fried foods, sugar, and alcohol.

+ Breathe. “During the massage, your job is to breathe. That’s it,” says Terry Clements, wellness director of Solimar Wellness Spa. “Concentrate on even, relaxed breathing. That helps bring the much-needed oxygen to the bloodstream, which brings it to your muscles.”

+ Smell lavender. “In our physiology of the senses, smell triggers the strongest memory,” Clements says. “If your massage therapist uses a scent and you smell that again, it will remind you of the massage and take your body back to that, so keep [the scent] on hand.”

+ After the massage, maintain the state of relaxation in both your mind and body. Don’t rush back into stressful situations—take a nap, a walk, or do whatever it is that brings you peace.

+ Bringing heat to the skin and muscles helps ease the body into repose. Prepare for your massage with a warm bath or steam shower especially if you have difficulties relaxing. Soak or steam post-massage to extend its benefits.

+ Consult your spa’s wellness director if you have a specific health concern. He or she can consider your specific situation and confirm if the massage or other spa services can aid your health goals.

This article has been adapted from the original, which was published in the May 2007 issue of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.